Xiang83

Thanks for the heads-up about the pictures! I'll go delete them.

I did see some comments on douyin claiming the drama is based on a novel, so I'll take one more look. But since it wasn't in any articles, I didn't mention that because I couldn't verify it.

Edited for clarity, thanks to dhila ahmad: Amongst the hottest videos of HMH on weibo for this drama series, this one from Hou MInghao's officlal studio has been seen at least 240,000 times. At 2:29 minutes in total and well put-together, it combines footage of him in-character and meeting fans during the opening launch of shooting this drama. Highly recommended viewing to grasp Xiao Wuyi and the man behind the role, even if you are not a HMH fan:

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5189128130140501

Thanks, I'll go take a look. I have seen comments about this drama being based on a novel by a specific author in 晋江文学城 but I have not been able to find that novel.

I also shared two photos, plus a longer daytime video uptop from weibo, when NMH first walked out in daytime with his newest costume.

Have you seen this video on weibo? It's a 40-seconds birds' eye view clip of him walking and being sheltered in the new costume during daytime, from yesterday:

https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5193093189470131

September, thanks to Vince being helpful:

https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-22822492

Vince was helpful and here's the month (no specific date yet):

https://kisskh.at/768987-wan-xin-ji#comment-22822492

Thanks! When multi-tasking, I'll overlook things. Looks like I'll have to wait quite a while longer for《水龙吟》(October to December)......

My standards of measurement for this drama and the actors are the Hong Kong movies and dramas of several countries I grew up watching, from the late 80s into 2000s, whereby side characters and main characters have to shine in English or Mandarin or at least two other languages. What's your measurement for whether Ai Mi is suitable or not, for this main role? I am not a Neo Hou fan but he works hard and he has proven that under the right director and script, he can shine.

This drama is first and foremost, not about romance or focused on romance and has nothing to do with Ai Mi's appearance or age. If you read the discussion post, you'd know that. For me, the best work is not about romance. BBC's adaptation of Gormenghast is one example.

Your comments seem to be full of condescending assumptions, including a remark I find completely insulting: "The chinese audience is totally okay with this concept as the age of consent is 14."

You referring to all chinese people, or just people in China? Your comment is offensive on multiple fronts to me.

A primary wife has to exist before a secondary consort and concubines can be taken. Is this discussion on weibo or some other site?

I had quite an international upbringing, and this was one of many games I played as a kid XD

The douyin post appears to be from this weibo post dated 5 April 2025. I decided to at least post the articles first, because this isn't officially in any article. That said, weibo user 朱红院's post looks to be full of relevant details while getting certain other details correct. I'll still say to take it with a pinch of salt, once I translate.

https://m.weibo.cn/status/5152103271766441

For now I cannot find the novel which certain posters claim this show is based on, as per a certain writer on jjwxc.net.

There's several details about the interactions/plot/relationship between Xiao Wuyi, Xie Jiayu and Li Mao in this clip on douyin. If anybody wants a translation of the text, I'll put all of it under spoilers because it's quite a decent summary.

https://www.douyin.com/search/%E4%BB%80%E4%B9%88%E6%98%AF%E9%9B%80%E9%AA%A8?modal_id=7490198705740533052

I'll add one link from weibo which I believe shows the second-final part or final part of the carrying scene, whereby you posted the first parts of the carrying scene. This is the full frontal shot for Neo Hou and Ai Mi's characters indoors, whereby Ai Mi is asleep and Neo Hou is carrying her carefully and slowly so as not to disturb her or wake her up.

https://m.weibo.cn/status/5191946289284076

侧妃 refers to secondary consort, in the first article I linked. Part of the sentence describing Neo Hou's character as the eldest son and the position of Ai Mi's character in the contracted marriage is as follows:

[ 《雀骨》主要讲述了靖安王府世子萧无衣（侯明昊饰），与被迫嫁入靖安王府成为其世子侧妃的太傅之女谢嘉鱼（艾米饰）]

Wuyi is not single, as per his marriage to Ai Mi. As to whether the other wives are indeed in a relationship with Wuyi's associates, I have not seen anything on that yet, so I don't know.

But in one of the two articles I translated, 侧妃 refers to secondary consort, which is always lower than the primary wife. Consorts and concubines have different legal statuses which also affects inheritance and children, and a secondary consort would have more rights than a concubine.

Neo Hou's character and Ai Mi's character start out with a lot of suspicions about each other due to the contracted marriage, so misunderstandings are going to be filmed whereby they are supposed to be quarreling every day for a certain period of time. I think Ai Mi's character is saying something hurtfully wrong about Neo Hou's character in that scene where he looks sad and then pissed and grabs the sword from her.

In that BTS where Neo accidentally catches Riley Wang, they are playing the game Eagle catching Baby Chicks (Ai Mi's character wearing green is the mother hen who is not supposed to let Neo Hou's character get any of her baby chicks).

This drama is scheduled to be released in August by IQiyi, as per this article posted on 18 July (haven't seen any other updates this far):

https://yule.360.com/detail/4281925

Miura, you could read the discussion thread I created uptop, whereby I shared 2 articles from Cnet about this drama whereby romance is not the focus. It should be helpful in terms of understanding what chinese viewers are considering, including the Director involved.

If you want to engage those who go on about Ai Mi's age and how it is inappropriate for her to act in this drama, link them to the discussion thread I created and tell them to read it. You'll notice that those who only have a specific agenda avoid the existence of that thread, because it opens a reality they are not comfortable with: Being wrong and just wanting to go on about Ai Mi being underaged and hence inappropriate.

IMHO, Huang Yang Tian Tian's acting is as palatable as many C-drama actresses that I and my friends happily skip and/or cannot finish the dramas (for example, I can never finish a Bai Lu drama but I'll watch Luo Yunxi because the guy has rather nuanced acting). In BoY, I found Ai Mi's acting more interesting than Li Hongyi. My comparisons are the HK movie stars that I am familiar with for the 90s and 2000s, and they could act very well, be it comedy or wuxia or some other genre.

"The Empress Of China" has multiple issues primarily pertaining to censorship resulting in Wu Zetian being almost whitewashed for the drama and hence several plot holes. Consort Xu becomes a scheming consort who only wants to be Empress when in reality, Consort Xu was a gentle lady refined in literary arts well-appreciated by Taizong, unlike Wu Zetian who was known as a scheming intelligent lady showing early signs of aggression and eventually becoming the First Empress of China after marrying Taizong's son Gaozong. Gaozong's portrayal relative to Wu Zetian ... Well... plot hole due to script due to censorship.

That said, the menace and danger of palace intrigues among the ladies is very masterfully done and felt, such as how envy and jealousy eventually destroys friendships. The acting from the women as Imperial ladies is stellar, and they are not one-dimensional given how they unfold as individuals with agendas. I had no trouble with the first 53 episodes, including Taizong's sons. I cried in at least three episodes because it was very touching about friendship and loyalty and several other details but then again, it's also because some of the scenarios touched on familiar values, and includes at least one old lady. The Mandarin is enough to take me back through Mandarin classes as a teenager, given multiple idioms casually used in every episode by more than one character.

Having spoken Mandarin for more than thirty years helps. also in my daily interactions utilising three languages.

A lot of the newer dramas for palace intrigues aren't as.... salty and well-woven. Since this Director is in charge, I am at ease. He can't make up for plotholes not within his ability to change, but he can do a very good job at portraying the necessary and hence I am wondering if 30 episodes is better than 28 episodes. That's where I am relying on the screenwriter to ensure the Director's vision can come true and be fulfilled by the creative team.

I was very bored and unimpressed with Neo Hou's acting in Dashing Youth, but it wasn't his fault given the script. I found myself very impressed with him in Fangs of Fortune, hence I recced the drama and his acting in that drama to another friend (all of us don't need subtitles to understand Mandarin movies or dramas, unless it is very dry such as forensics). I just hope he and Ai Mi don't feel too stressed for this drama. It's very promising, and I hope the final result delivers.

I am not fond of PDA in historical dramas, especially when it would be completely out-of-character. Carrying your lady, handholding, etc have their moments, and not over-milking or over-doing that will lead to very memorable scenes. For Coroner's Diary, the romance and build-up is realistic between Shen Wan and Yan Chi, such as the modesty from Shen Wan about hand-holding in public or kisses even on the lips.

Love On The Turquoise Land is one of the modern dramas I am interested in, where once again the story is riveting. The romance is secondary but promises to deliver on all fronts.

Thanks for your dedication to always bringing the clips!