Ti02

Even in the novel, it was shown that Wei Yan loved him, he was always very proud of him, so I think maybe even there it was Wei Xuan. But Wei Xuan completely redeemed himself of everything by dying for ML.

I know. I am unable to. Hence whatever is coming into my mind, I am just pouring it into small comments, about different details in small comments. My thoughts are all scattered, and I need to process everything.

Exactly. They should have added this, even for once.

I don't remember in the novel honestly. Yes but in the drama it was Wei Xuan.

I hate him the most, equivalent to the previous emperor.

Yes this. This was not cleared, in the novel after he got arrested, ML came to him numerous times to ask the truth he refused, only told the truth to Tutor Tao, who was even Wei Yan's teacher out of respect for his elder. But I think he was ashamed. He was indirectly responsible for everything, and maybe he couldn't say this to his nephew that he came back for a woman, left his duty for a woman. Then again deep down he never wanted to bring up Rongyuan's name in anything. This is just a guess. But I remember reading the novel and thinking that Wei Yan accepts blame as if its free food. Even his sister died thinking her brother was the villain, ML grew up thinking his uncle doesn't like him, Wei Xuan believing his "father" chose his nephew over son.
Wei Yan is complicated, way too much. But I believe he loved 3 people genuinely in his life- Rongyuan, ML and his mother. After loosing the two of them, he didn't want to loose ML but things do come to full circle.

Also Sui Yuanqing- I think he is the only person in the drama/novel, who had no excuses for what he did. No traumatic past, no unrequited love, no star crossed lovers, no revenge saga, no country saving plot, nothing. This guy had a good upbringing, was loved and cherished, was powerful, rich and handsome. He did things, because he wanted to, totally in his whims. He was twisted because he wanted to, nothing shaped him into it. What a bratty villain, absolutely hated him, what an end for him, gave me so much satisfaction.
Lin Muran- you were perfect, so good, just brilliant. This made me remember Wang Xingyue's acting capability in The Double. It was so good that him being 21 was unbelievable. Same Muran same. You deserve so many complicated difficult successful roles.

No it was not a mistake. The emperor was acting. It was in the plan of Emperor. He wanted to accuse Wei Yan and Concubine of having that affair. This was stated in the novel, but the drama did not mention it explicitly but Qi Shu's mother said it was later revealed Rongyuan wasn't pregnant, so I think they likely followed the novel.

Princess Chendge didn't know it was the emperor. She thought it was Wei Yan, that is why her son grew up listening from his mother's subordinated that Wei Yan was the culprit, hence thought him as his enemy. Princess knew emperor favoured 16th prince, and her husband' death was a conspiracy. So she feared that the next one would be her child. Hence to help her son survive, she burnt down the palace, when Princess Changxin and her son were with her. Again, this is a change in the drama. In the novel, Princess Chengde, Princess Changxin, Sui Yuanhuai died, only Qi Min made it out alive and lived as Yuanhuai. But in the drama, they showed Princess Changxin was alive as well, but she took pity on Qi Min and let him live as her son not telling it to anyone. I think this was done to show Qi Min was a monster. Because in the novel, Prince Changxin married again, and his new wife was really mean to Qi Min, hence when he killed her it sounded reasonable. But here when he killed the woman who showed him kindness, it butchered his character more.

In the drama, he said he had to kill Wei Qilin, so that ML doesn't reach to him to and know the truth. Otherwise just like his mother, even ML would believe that Wei Yan was the man behind the massacre and that would ruin their bond.
In the novel, the main thing shown was, he didn't want anyone to know the truth to protect his lover's reputation. His lover belonged from a noble family, and if people knew an imperial concubine of that family had an affair that would destroy her and her family's reputation. For Wei Yan there was no one greater than Rongyuan so. This was indicated in the drama when Wei Yan told in the court to ML and FL not to bring up his lover.
The letter was about how Rongyuan asked him to come back, though it was the emperor who faked that letter. Wei Yan probably didn't want people to say Rongyuan was the reason of the massacre.
Also everything was for the stability of the court, more information, more chaos. In the novel, Wei Yan always knew ML would one day find out the truth, that's why he gave him the best training, he wanted him to be his successor, he was strict with him, he was even okay with ML hating him fearing that one day when ML knows the truth, he would face betrayal. He knew such a day would come. Even this was indicated in the drama.

Loved the review :)

It was a dream.

1. No. 2. Yes

Even how his scars went away.

I wouldn't say it was evenly distributed. Because it was more like in the drama- first arc village, then military, then palace politics. But there were hints of the palace politics being shaped in the military arc. Like the groundwork was set a little.

Okay so, different timelines.
First. Wei Yan is in love with a woman, and they are supposed to get married. We Yan, Xie Linshan, Grand tutor Tao, Grand tutor Li are all ministers in the faction of crown prince Chengde. He is a good prince, but he is being sidelined, because people are loving him for his virtue, Emperor fears his power and supports 16th prince instead of him, and 16th prince's mother's family. For this reason, drunk, young, arrogant Wei Yan says maybe we can force Emperor to abdicate. Chengde was not someone very scheming, hence did not go with the idea. But Tutor Li wanted more power, hence snitched about this incident to Emperor, who thought Wei Yan with Chengde are planning a rebellion. Emperor tells his nephew Prince Changxin and they make a plan against them.
While Wei Yan is in battle, Emperor forcefully brings his lover, Rongyuan, as imperial concubine.
Second, there was another banquet. Emperor made Wei Yan drink a lot, or used drugs. The plan was to make him sleep with Rongyuan, hence defiling harem, hence punished. But somehow, either the plan flopped or it happened or not, its not clear. But when people found him he was with a maid, not concubine, so he was spared.

Third, Chengde, Xie Linshan, Wei Yan all went to battle against beigue people (different country). Physician detected Rongyuan pregnant, but the date does not match with when she was in Emperor's room, but with the date of banquet. Hence emperor feels the kid is of Wei Yan, tortures Rongyuan and writes a fake letter to Wei Yan as Rongyuan, asking to come and save her. Wei Yan, comes back at once without fighting, but gives his tiger tally to his trusted general Wei Qilin to ask Prince Changxin for additional troops. Prince Changxin who is in cahoots with Emperor in the plan declares that the tiger tally is fake, hence no troops or grains is sent to the battle, leading to the death of crown prince, Xie Linshan and1,00,000 troops. It was said Wei Qilin produced fake tally hence he might be the traitor. So he fled. Some people spread rumors that the entire thing was orchestrated by Wei Yan, as Wei Qilin was his man.
Wei Yan returned to the palace, and saw Rongyuan's palace in fire, tried to save her, but Rongyuan knew she had no life, she cannot go out with him after being married to Emperor, so she closed the door and chose to burn herself. Emperor's men instead of putting the fire off with water, used oil, to increase the fire. Okay Rongyuan was supposedly pregnant with Wei Yan's child, as planned by Emperor hence it was not the maid but her in the night of banquet with him, this was the accusation, but it was found out later Rongyuan was never pregnant hence indicating maybe at the night of the banquet, nothing really happened between her and Wei Yan.
Wei Yan was the only person in the court with a considerable power because rest had died or sidelined. In order to maintain peace, he threatened Old emperor to abdicate the throne, made a young child the emperor, and controlled the country.
Wei Yan's sister read his letter and believed her husband and troops died because of her brother, and suicided in hopes that her brother would change. But Wei Yan didn't do this for power.

Exactly

CRYING

Wdym Xie Zheng never called her A'Yu??? Let me die a little ;)

No significance. Neither in the novel, nor in the drama. Just that it was gifted by her mother.

That's a dream sequence. Most of the people who wave to her are dead but are shown- Mandi, magistrate, his daughter, Grandma Kang and many others. Its a dream where FL sees her beautiful hometown cheerful with her loved ones.
After that scene, FL, ML and Changning actually return together, as we are shown.