Thuc Duyen

The young actress that plays Guoguo is such a cutie pie.

I love this drama, it is very underrated but well worth a watch.

I would say yes and no. It is about failed relationships between FM & ML that and entanglement of love affaire betweeen these 2 with second FL. The disgusting behaviour of ML has gathered FM and SFL to work together against him. From enemies, they have learnt to get to know each others, have created a bond between them and an unconditional friendship.
Both FL and SFL have their own strengths and shortcomings and given their bad experiences with the ML in addition to their own respective family issues, they are embarking in their journey towards healing, building trust, loving themselves and confidence. I think the drama does reflect a lot social issues that we are all experiencing today. It is worth watching it. My blood is boiling a few times when the ML mistreated his wife/ex-wife (FML) and the SFL (mistress) and the lies sigh 😞. All in all I am happy with the ending for all characters. I also love SML ( Huang Xiao Ming) so handsome. SML has been in love with FML since their college years but has never expressed his feelings to FM and 10 years later, they are wondering about what if they fell in love.

France has one of the good healthcare system in the western world. In France, you still pay pay for your healthcare through your salary and the government contributes the gap don’t you. It was like that when I used to live & worked in Paris a while ago and being seen by a specialist doctor is not that expensive as it is covered by the state. Having lived in HK, you are covered through your private healthcare which in turn being by your salary. I understand that people with no income could benefit from free healthcare. I understand that it is cheaper in China mainland than in HK.

Yes, he got what he deserved in the end but in the last episode. I stop watching it after episode 14 as my blood is boiling. The despicable man got only trapped thanks to his wife who liberated the servants which in turns gave them the freedom to speak against his dirty businesses.

I have not watched it in details as this character disgusts my too much and this kind of person does exist today unfortunately. I think it is more like an alternative reality of what if these events did not occur and the different characters in the drama could have had another life, less torturous than that of ep 24.

The express package is out. I had a quick look at the ep 25 and it is about what if WL didn’t behave as a horrible man as he is then life of different characters would have been happier. I watched ep 24 and happy with the ending. I dropped out after ep 14 as it was too sad for me.

Thank you for the heads up, I will till the last episode to see whether Wl will get punished for the horrible thing that he has inflicted on these women over the years.

My blood is boiling watching WL getting away with his disgusting rapes. I agree with you on point 3 as MW was no in position to even walk after the heavy bleeding and loss of her baby. It is unfortunate that this injustice carries on in the working environment nowadays. It reminded me that my former Japanese colleague had to resign and leave the company as her boss was sexually harassing her and the boss did not get punished just because he comes from a wealthy Japanese family in Tokyo & had the back up of the big bosses, sigh.

Hi there, i agree with you on MW. I guess she may have had a miscarriage or her baby taken away so that is why the Xiu’s first wife told MW that she had suffered a lot the last 7 years and thanked her before heart death. MW odd not have the courage back then to help RL but now that she has built up the case, reunite people that are linked to RL to seek justice. I enjoy the drama so far and it was a nice surprise. I’m going to try look for the novel and read it.

I was wondering whether it had something to do with him agreeing at the court that he was the man that pursued her out of wedlock and they may have put him a little bit below her even though he comes from the royal family perhaps?

I can’t remember how many bows LY did to his wife MZH but my understanding of Chinese weddings is the first bow is to Heaven & Earth; the second is to show respect to the elderly ( grandparents, parents) and the third bow is to each other as a sign of respect for each other ( JY to MZH).

LC’s mother is from the Zhou family if I am not mistaken.

I think LY is 8 years older than MZH according to the novel. In the drama, the old emperor died of natural cause due to his heart conditions. In the novel, he drank the poisoned wine reaper Ed by his own mother ( dowager empress) that wanted to kill LY. In order to prevent his mother to kill his younger brother LY, he drank the poisoned wine in his place.

Here you go
https://www.chunyushuwu.com/6/6891/

You may have to translate through google though.

Pleasure, I enjoy reading your summary very much.

TThank you for the great summary yet again, much appreciated. If you may, I would like to draw some parallels between the remaining episodes to that of the novel:

- The Novel vs episodes 35 & 36: I have to add some extracts of the novel as they are so good and it adds all the flavour of their first night together:

During the Autumn Festival Banquet: RJ & JingA’s people drugged both MZH & LC ( Liu Chen). They brought drugged MZH in LC’s room and LC slightly drunk found MZH sleeping on his bed and has only realised how beautiful & simple MZH was. He could not help but observing her in the bedroom. RJ has arranged for Sun Yun Yun (SYY) to wear the same clothes as MZH to stand in the dark and made LY to hug her as he thought it was MZH but LY soon realised that it wasn’t MZH, he left the scene to look for her. LY overheard from the servants that there is a lady in the emperor’s room so he stormed in LC’s bedroom and saw that MZH was lying there, he then carried her on his shoulders and told LC that he would explain later.
MZH & LY are back in their house, MZH wakes up and is crying over the fact that he was pursuing SYY (misunderstanding give the gossip around the palace) & telling LY that he has promised her that he will only marry her. MZH is unsecured due to her family’s history with her mum being the concubine & him marrying various times. LY reassured MZH and his hands went through her long hair and he gently held her cheek and treating it like a treasure, "You finally went against your original intention, overcame your fear, and chose to believe in me and be with me, but you witnessed that scene... I made you misunderstand and made you sad. MZH throat was dried and her heart ached to pieces, but a hint of sweetness slowly oozed out from the pain. Her clear and bright eyes looked at him painfully with tears. LY’s heart felt like ice meeting the warm sun, melting into a piece of spring water. He felt soft-hearted and distressed at the same time.

Liu Yan wiped away the tears on her face with his fingertips and said softly: "I understand that it is not easy for you to accept me to spend my life with you. My heart bleeds seeing you cry but I'm also happy to know that you care for me. He kissed her affectionately and said softly, ZH, in front of me, I want yourself, being a child again and be willful and unruly.

MZH buried her face in Liu Yan's warm arms, hugged his tight waist with both hands, and quietly wiped her tears away. There is only one person in this world who truly understands her, appreciates her, pities her, and indulges her. She actually knew in her heart that it was just a misunderstanding, but she was too scared, afraid that she would risk everything and lose the bet. It was also at that moment that she realized how much she loved LY. That terrible desire for exclusivity almost tore her sanity to pieces, making her mad with anger and heartbroken. She was no longer the calm person she was. LY held MZH tightly in his arms, gently stroked her back, and smiled softly: "You once said that if a woman falls in love with someone, she will become stupid. Look at you now an idiot, do you really like me?" He asked jokingly, but didn't expect that MZH to look into his eyes very seriously with tears, and sobbed: "I like you, so what, does it give you the right to bully me? The sudden confession made Liu Yan lose his mind for a moment. He lowered his head and stared blankly at the lips that opened and closed in front of him. No other words could be heard in his ears. He leaned over and kissed her lips. The soft lips were squeezed wit his long tongue in her mouth. The man's melancholy breath invaded her mouth, and it was as unstoppable as if he was conquering a city and plundering everything from her. The arms that hugged her tightened her slender waist, and one hand rubbed her thin back with such strength that it seemed as if he wanted to pressed her into his bones and blood. Her body pressed against him involuntarily, her soft curves perfectly fitting his hot body, and even thick clothes could not prevent her from feeling the heat of his body.
MZH felt like a snowball that was about to be melted by the scorching sun, and LY's greedy hug made her tremble, feeling both fear and inexplicable longing, and she seemed to be yearning for such intimacy deep in her heart. She responded awkwardly to LY's lips and tongue, but she didn't know that she had stirred up a more intense fire. LY gasped and let go of her red and swollen lips, staring deeply at her cheeks and wet eyes. MZH stretched out the tip of her pink tongue and licked the stinging wound on her lower lip. The unconscious action made LY's lower abdomen feel even hotter, making her breath suffocate. She sat on his lap, their bodies were tightly pressed against each other, MZH immediately noticed the reaction of her body, that froze and wanted to move to the side, but she was so weak that she couldn't lift it up. LY grabbed her twisting waist with both hands and said hoarsely: "If you move around again, I won't be able to bear it anymore." MZH didn't dare to move immediately, she timidly raised her eyes to look at LY, then lowered her eyes very quickly, the hands around his waist hooked his waistband, groped it back and forth with her fingertips, He muttered in a low voice: "Then...then don't bear it anymore..." LY's heart shrank suddenly, and his eyes glanced at her red and swollen lips, the delicate and smooth skin at the open neckline, and measured her slender waist with both hands. She was dressed in a sanctimonious scribe's robe, but her face was pink and charming, and her slightly trembling eyelashes revealed her anxiety and a hint of expectation.
LY took a deep breath, and suddenly pushed MZH down into the soft quilt, half of his body pressed on her soft body, with his hands on her sides, he leaned over and whispered in her ear: "Are you sure... Are you ready?" MZH closed her eyes tightly, and said with a heroic trembling voice: "Of course!" A low laugh came from her ear, and the hot and humid touch swept over her sensitive ear, and he even bit her soft earball lightly. "good." Caressing her body with both hands, with a light hook, he untied the shackles of the girdle, and slowly removed all the coverings on her body. The seemingly thin and slender body was soft and delicate everywhere. The slightly rough palm touched every inch of her skin, and tasted her with his lips and tongue. The soft and delicate body is like a growing peach blossom that is slowly unfolding its tender petals. Every inch of the petals is dyed with a gorgeous pink. The strong fragrance is stronger than a thousand years of mellow wine. It makes people intoxicated, and makes people want to drink it all in one gulp, and then grind and smash the petals, and swallow them into their stomachs without a trace.
She melted under him like a small young snowman, and finally felt shallow on the paper. The unfamiliar lust was more unbearable than the last time she was poisoned. She bit her lip and tried to hold back the moan that overflowed her mouth, but she was choked by a stick. She tried to open her lips and teeth with her fingers, and heard LY's deep and hoarse voice say: "Don't bite yourself." She bit her finger and inadvertently swept the tip of her wet tongue over his fingertips. She heard his breath hitch, and then he lightly bit her sensitive area, making his breathing become heavier and faster. He is an extremely patient person. He can not only open up her defenses little by little, but also melt her body little by little, making her gasp and moan softly, and tears of joy and pain ooze from the corners of her eyes. , with a gentle sweep of his tongue, all the flavors he tasted in her returned her in his mouth. MZH clung to his shoulders, immersed in the dazzling ecstasy he gave her, thinking in a daze that the love between two people was so ecstatic. But the next moment, split the physical pain made her frown and cry. "No, no more..." MZH's blushing cheeks suddenly turned pale, and she was sobbing into his shoulder, feeling both painful and upset, "It hurts... please come out..."
Liu Yan's hand caressed her tense back, but this time he did not listen to her words. He bit her ear, and his deep and hoarse voice was full of lust and robbery: "It's too late..." He opened her body bit by bit, and tried his best to comfort her and ease her pain, until a blush appeared on her face again, and she let out a sweet moan, and then turned into a pool of spring water with repeated thrusts. In the end, she screamed until she was speechless. The man who kept saying he loved her went to the bed and loved her. He squeezed out every ounce of strength from her before he took her into his arms and kissed her gently. The loneliness that has occupied his empty life for the last twenty-six years of his life seemed to have suddenly fulfilled with happiness at this moment.

- The Novel vs episodes 37 & 38:

In the novel, RJ & SJH have put their plan into motion with accusing the Sun family of embezzlement, corruption and LC have decided to put him into prison. The Zhuo family was worried and knew they would be next. Contrary to the drama, both families were united to fight against SJH’s change of the merit system as well as going after the noble families. SJH then started to falsely accused LY of all the crimes and recommended LC to also punish him severely. RJ & SJH have started to spread the fake rumours about LY’s crimes to his army. The plan did not work out as his army was very loyal to him and started to rebel demanding that he is to be released. Since LY refused to accept all of the alleged crimes, SJH arrested ZM & ZJ and threatened LY to chop their hands off should LY refuse to admit of his crimes in front of his army and demand that they go back to their home which LY complied.
Meanwhile, RJ colluded with the northern Liang army by asking them to get ready to attack the south at the gate when LY is killed.
MZH is working behind the scene by going to see the great aunt to intervene the execution of LY by poison. The great aunt gave MZH the precious sword to show up at the prison to save the day whilst the great aunt went to visit LC and begged mercy for LY her favourite nephew. The execution was halted for one day as LC still wanted to carry out LY’s execution as an example.
MZH showed up at LC’s palace bringing all the evidences that alleged crimes were fabricated. She begged LC for mercy and reminded the time when she saved him after the fight between him & the second prince. He did tell her at that time that he would fulfil her request no matter what and that request is now “to pardon & release LY”. Poor LC, he felt so bad seeing her cry and loved LY so much that he wishes someone like her would do the same for him. He then agreed to fulfil her wish and gave her the token to go to prison and save LY. Back in prison, SJH being a jerk putting LY down and told him that not even his nephew would believe in him as LY exposed SJH in prison. SJH wanted to carry out the execution quickly so that they could start accelerating their other plan which is asking the northern Liang army to attack and put RJ into the throne. MHZ took the token and ran out of the palace straight to prison to save LY. It was too late when she arrived in LY’s cell and SJH said to her that she could bring his body home with contempt ( I wanted to punch him so bad). MZH tried to resuscitate LY and cried telling that she would be willing to marry him, be his wife and even stay at home if he could wake up now ( I cried a river at this point in time). MZH fell into coma for 3 days and when she woke up, ZM & ZJ told her that LY was buried like an ordinary person due to his alleged crimes. She then worked hard to defend LY’s honour by investigating and exposing SJH.

Novel vs Ep 39 & 40:

In court, the noble families hated LC & SJH for killing his own uncle, the noble families. They have decided to not show up in court which would alienate LC. RJ has given signal for the northern Liang army to move towards the south and ready to attack. The ministers are useless and did not defend LC in court and even suggested that LC abdicate to give power to the northern army. LC was enraged and decided to join his army to defend his country and gave the order that no one leaves the city and those that flee would be executed. Meanwhile, the noble families have started to bring all their wealth and assets and flee the city to start a new kingdom in another city and start to think of the transition to a new emperor puppet that listens to them. They thought that that person would be RJ as she is a woman, she does not have any political ambitions and she does not have an army to rally around her. Oh boy, how wrong they were. They bumped into RJ at the gate and made her de facto the empress should LC ever dye. RJ refused to open the gate and let anyone leave the city and the traitors ministers were all shocked of her decision.
Outside of the gate, LC is leading his army and confronted the northern army and killed them by putting some traps in place. The northern general recognised LY’s strategy but not see LY but LC instead. The northern general wanted to attack LC and thought that if he killed LC first then his army would surrender. Surprise, surprise, LY came to save the day and capture the northern general (Yamu Zhen?). Back at the palace, it was chaos and the noble families people caught SJH and put him to prison. It was Jing An that came to save him but some of LC’s people have arrested them in the process. SJH killed Jing An & her people before captured by LC’s people. Everyone got scared inside the gate as they overheard the big noise of a big army coming towards the gate. A soldier has announced that it is LC’s army and that they won the battle. Everyone celebrated and opened the gate with the victorious army led by LC following by LY. RJ’s reaction seeing LY mumbling was he not dead? Well, no love and learn to deal with it.
Back inside the palace, LC, LY, RJ and SJH are discussing of SJH’s evil plan and crimes. RJ was playing dumb as if she was not aware of anything. Well, LY exposed her by telling her that all of these were carried out under her orders. He exposed her of killing the dowager empress, setting fire in the palace, killed hundreds of people in the palace, her sending his soldiers to death 5 years ago. He accused her of changing the edict, causing chaos in the country by alienating LC with his ministers, killing innocents. RJ then called up her army inside the palace to attack and prevented LY’s army to come to their rescue. LY has planned everything and MZH and great aunt showed up in front of them with the sword. Every soldiers dropped their swords and in LY’s army. The great aunt is begging RJ to stop everything and come back with her and then she will guarantee her survival. They have decided that SJH will be executed by stones lynching so he then took the precious sword to kill himself for RJ and then she also committed suicide with the same sword.

LY has started to unravel the plan that he and LC came up and explained to MZH how they tried to make RJ make a move as she had been prudent so far. LY came to the palace and told LC of the night when the old emperor drank the poison that dowager empress prepared for LY but old emperor wanted LY and his mother to have peace with each other so he drank in his place. Dowager Empress killed her own son and yelled at LY asking him to leave the palace. LY was also slightly poisoned and left the palace before the palace was on fire. LC was pretty upset and still mumbling that his father died because of LY. LY also explained that he suspected RJ was behind all these killing and wanted his throne by creating the chaos with the noble families. LY also gave LC a fake poison pill but was not quite sure whether LC would agree and go along with his plan. When he took the fake poison, ZM & ZH switched his body as he was buried with no formalities and brough him back home to care for him.
After these chaos, LY and MZH have decided to move to the north help negotiate the peace treaty with the norther Liang people. They have implemented the governance system as in the south and have funded schools for girls to have the opportunity to study. They have opened up the trade routes between north and south. When MZH & LY got married, they even wrote to LY to let them work and being a married couple. When MZH & LY left, the Lian people cried and begged LC to let MZH & LY stay in the north with them. LC married to an ordinary girl and has a boy & a girl. He refused to take on any concubine and his empress is very dedicated to him and live a happy life. MZH & LY have a son that grew up following LC.
I hope I don’t bore you too much. I love the drama but I think the novel has given me more flavours of all the politics, love. It is just my opinion.

They have changed it here in the drama vs the novel. He is and remains the super villain till the very end in the novel that I want to punch him & RJ. Thank god the drama has given him a bit of remorse at the end as compared to the novel.

Not that I am aware of unfortunately. You may want to use google translate?

Exactly, he has been following LY since his childhood. He is so cute when he is looking at MZH discreetly and is is trying to suppress his feelings for her.