Tew

If iQIYI maintains its current release schedule, the Express package is expected to drop sometime between June 18th and 20th.

While it's true that it'll eventually build towards a united front against a common antagonist, that doesn't negate the observation that the overwhelming majority of the drama is deliberately centered on the protracted conflict between the ML and FL.

Isn't the very essence of a "love-hate" dynamic, where one side holds remnants of shared affection while the other nurses deep resentment or misunderstanding, the primary engine of romantic tension in such series?

The constant push and pull, the unresolved history, and the emotional turmoil are supposed to keep viewers invested in their relationship arc, often far more than the eventual fight against a more abstract "villain".

Also, If her internal struggle to "stop herself" isn't robustly explored beyond generating conflict, it reinforces the perception of her actions serving a plot-driven purpose rather than emerging from a richly developed psyche. Even "liking to fight and take control" becomes a superficial characterization if its roots and true implications aren't deeply explored in the narrative.

In the end, they simply end up being convenient traits for generating constant friction.

My prediction is that perhaps the final 6-8 ep (a comparatively small segment of 32 ep) will genuinely focus on them unitedly tackling the series main antagonist. The bulk of the drama's runtime, therefore, will be dedicated to depicting and ultimately resolving the conflict between the ML and FL.

Ultimately, I'd be genuinely happy if my prediction & analysis is proven wrong, and the drama instead delivers.

Her actions often feel less like the product of deeply ingrained character traits and more like a convenient narrative device, used to propel her into escalating conflict with ML.

There hasn't been any substantial exploration of her intrinsic motivations & personality (beyond what's needed to advance the plot) that reasonably explain her inclinations.

Thus, her actions serve as a mere plot device used to fuel romantic tension and plot progression rather than emerging organically from a clearly established inner world and characterization.

For the Plot 🙃

It appeared to have died. But in the teasers there's a scene where FL appears in battle on the head of the snake. Aside from this, her behavior during and after apparently "killing" the snake is suspicious.

The Snake isn't dead.

Yeah, I suppose it'll eventually come true

Did you see the latest image in the gallery ?

1) People feel like there's no chemistry between ML and FL.
2) Due to the actress.

Read Lucy's comment above

FL used to date another man before meeting ML. The one she used to date broke up with her to his inferiority complex (scoring less in exams). After that, FL showed some interest in ML and started flirting with him. They both eventually fell for each other.

They didn't really broke up in the sense of the word (at least till now). ML went abroad briefly. So there was some distance. He returned and then pursued her again. She was mildly angry with him due to various reasons. ML perceived it as FL giving up on him. That brings us to today's episode (17), where they are together again.

There is no SML. Just some brief scenes with the man she used to date.

I can't imagine the kind of fitness fanatics their kids will be

Yes

DMBJ ?

True, a lot of people do know — but the issue is that openly naming these sites draws unnecessary attention. The more they're mentioned in public comments, the more likely they are to get flagged and taken down. We’ve already lost a few good ones that way. Let’s not risk losing another!

As you can see in the calendar it's 1 ep from 3rd June ~ 5th June. Express will drop on 5th.

The calendar is forTencent's schedule. I don't know if viki's following VIP schedule or SVIP.

You can compare viki's dates to the above calendar and determine what schedule it's following.

Edit: I looked at Viki's schedule. it's one day behind VIP schedule. So you'll likely get all the episodes by the end of the week.

As you can see in the calender, ep 13-14 for VIP were dropped on Monday, 2nd June. But for Vki, they are dropping today (Tuesday, 3rd June).

Honestly, this drama felt very mediocre to me. I didn't particularly enjoy the episodes, but I didn't hate them either. It just sat in that middle ground — nothing stood out as exceptional, but it wasn't outright bad either. It’s one of those shows I could watch passively without feeling strongly one way or the other.

So, to be honest, I’m not really sure how to answer your question about how the episode was. It just felt... okay, I guess.

You should judge for yourself.

It cannot be the emperor. He had the Gui seal all along, why would he steal it from himself ? It's someone else. Most probably one of the officials.

Dead.

I think we need to prepare for some or most of the people on feast table to die. I have little hopes of Antu surviving and Zhang hai having a HE with her. The moment he mentioned that they'll leave the state after his revenge is completed, they were doomed.