Ti02

So as per the beautiful preview.

Thank you so much for this.
Someone mentioned maybe Yi rang faked a pregnancy to get married, later lied miscarried. Someone said ML knew his brother did not want to get married but was timid and hence couldn't refuse. Someone even said maybe ML's brother was gay/bisexual or even if he wasn't he had a commoner sweetheart hence ML didn't want his brother to sacrifice his happiness. Countless theories but lets see!

Haha, not my fav drama either but more than anything I am interested about the political intrigue in the drama. Because if there are plot holes in it, that would be disappointing.

Ummm but even if the child King is not of ML's brother, he is 8 years old, but they married in 2013, so this child has to be 12-13 years old in 2026. Now my guess is the director forgot about the age thing, and this is just a plot hole.
Also I remember Queen seeing her son and remembering her husband, so I think that's a subtle hint that it is his father, or maybe they were very similar.
Ahh there are so many theories, I am really invested into their past.

Yes makes more sense, considering we were never told ML was crown prince at any time, and there is no such evidence or even a slight hint towards it.

Hahaha, but I am more fearful that the dates probably wouldn't make much sense, and if by the end if its really a plot hole, I will really be a little disappointed.

I am not sure. When ML's brother became the King, who was the crown prince? Was there no crown prince like now, or was ML the crown prince before his nephew was born. Even if ML wasn't the crown prince then and even now, because there are no other people he is the next in line to the throne if ML's brother had died without a heir, or even now if his nephew dies without a heir.

This wrapped up in November last year.

Me, the second I saw the trailer few months back, I was like not again. Trust me here he is more obsessive than Shen Yurong because Shen Yurong wanted power more than anything, love came later, but here he is already a prince, hence I get he doesn't need more power so he will be focusing completely on the love angle.

Completely possible. I think I had discussion with someone else previously as well. Some said the same thing as you that maybe she was pregnant and then miscarried or more chance that she lied to get married. Maybe this is what ML knew and gave a chance to his brother but his brother was a wimp, maybe that's what the conversation was about.
Someone also mentioned maybe his brother was gay/bisexual, but again this is just a theory.
But again maybe the current king is really a pre marital kid be it of the ML's brother or someone else, and the director totally forgot that his age doesn't add up his parent's marriage year being 2013. Like a plot hole or something.

ML is alive. I think he is next in line to the throne, consider Baby King doesn't grow up and have a heir. Because ML is already the regent, it makes more sense for him to become the King if his nephew dies.

This was not answered. Like currently there is no "crown prince". But I can tell you the generally tendency of monarchial systems.

After a king has a heir, a legitimate son, he becomes the crown prince. Now if both King and crown prince were to die, it depends, if the King has other sons, there is a chance they will get the throne. If the King has no other sons, then it maybe passed to the next closest royal relative be it a brother of the King, or uncle of the King, or a cousin whoever is alive. It depends there is generally a "next in line for the throne, so first in line, second in line...third so on)
It also depends if the King left any will.
In this show's context, if the baby King dies (God forbid no), and he has no will, then the throne would pass on to Grand Prince/ML.

Okay though I spoke in context of sons, daughters are also allowed to inherit the throne, like in many countries in Europe. Generally Sageuk dramas do not show that so I said son.

One detail. Queen can be pregnant before marriage (as per assumptions) but that child is not the current King. It was told by that court lady to FL that ML's mother died in 2006 and 7 years later, ML's dad died hence 2013. So I will assume ML's brother became the King in 2013. But ML's brother married when he was crown prince not king. I remember Queen Dowager's father helping Crown Prince (ML's brother) to get ready to marry his daughter, Queen Dowager (that Lord Yun or something, current King's grandfather). At that moment ML came and held his brother's collars, and that Lord told him that he would complain to the King. That means ML's father was alive when ML's brother and current Queen Dowager were getting married. So I will assume they married in 2012-2013 (because ML's father died in 2013). But current king is 8 years old. So he should be born in 2018. His parents have been married since 2013, so it doesn't add up.
Also I completely agree to all the other points you made!

He is marrying for love truly

May- Hidden Shadow, Spring of Blade, Chasing Dreams.
June- MoLi, Ashes to Crown, Blossoms of Power

He used to like her during their school days. He is pressured to take up a wife, but doesn't want someone chosen by Queen Dowager. He intends to fight against her, intending to not get controlled.
That's why he chose to marry her.

Ohh I did not watch that. But yeah here what is shown is the general tendency.

In Monarchial rule, the next heir to the throne is generally the eldest son of the Current King, not his brother. It has nothing to do with age. Suppose ML's brother died without a heir, then the throne would have gone to Ian. But when ML's brother's son was born, he was declared the crown prince, hence he rightfully became the king after his dad's death.

A will or change of decision of the King can alter this though. But as per public knowledge ML's brother had no such will to decide otherwise. (There is a mystery here as per some flashbacks and some dialogues maybe will be cleared later.)

Exactly, we all did.

I felt there are some other editing issues as well, but something that feels very out of the box was this particular transition. I had so many questions during this scene, like what after ML held FL? Did they walk past the queen? I so wanted a confrontational dialogue between the two? But nothing, straight away dress up for the next function.