Xiang83

I hope not, as in I hope Xiyang will not fall for the Jinxiu Emperor. The emperor of Jinxiu Kingdom is not a good guy in the novel. Unless he somehow becomes wholly reformed because of Xiyang in this drama, I doubt it.

Let's just hope she will wise up in time, otherwise she might die.

Xiyang dies. They made the Jinxiu Kingdom emperor here as brother of XJS, when in the novel the emperor was XJS's father. In the novel, Xiyang rejects the moves made by the emperor towards her.

HE for the leads in the novel. Understandably, there are changes in the script for the drama. When it came to the torture scenes in episode 2, in the novel Fu Yixiao deliberately provoked the guard and wanted him to whip her to death. Yixiao can be quite savage and shock others including Feng Suige, but I can see why the example to showcase this in the novel isn't going to appear in the drama.

ML and FL are better developed in the drama than the novel which in some aspects, the novel is a mess.

One one hand, I wish Xia Meng would pick characters in historical costume dramas that had a happy ending, but maybe this drama will hopefully give Princess Xiyang a happier ending than the novel. Princess Xiyang over 12 episodes looks to be more interesting than the novel version, because the Directors in the storytelling have shown that even the supporting cast is not one-dimensional.

She is naive due to being very sheltered and hence unrealistic about love. She needs to see a person as a person, and not put them on a pedestal. Due to this perspective, she is very protective of Xia Jingshi even in a loveless marriage, up until the point where (drama-wise) I think she gives him a divorce letter.

Novel version of Xia Jingshi is an interesting character to me. It is sad that many of his choices are driven by circumstances beyond his control, especially a personal issue that he did not disclose to Yixiao. Not wanting Yixiao to continue loving him, he makes certain choices. And yet, he realises too late that his heart is full of only her, and he cannot love another.

He loves Yixiao to the extent that he can write a very long letter to Feng Suige disclosing little details about Yixiao's habits and likes and dislikes. I'm wondering if they will keep all the characteristics of him from the novel in this drama. What happened to him in the novel is the happiest ending he could get, and I hope it's the same ending for him in this drama.

Thoughts about two characters in the novel versus the drama (next comment about Princess Xiyang and Xia Jingshi under spoilers):

Li Qin suits strong female roles but IDK why she seems to sometimes pick roles that don't suit her (maybe it's the agency). The moment I saw strong female general and her = AHA mental green light.

And I must say, she is making this role far more appealing than the novel version of Fu Yixiao

Did you find anything more about Ai Mi and Mohist Mechanism props?

Thanks for your hard work!

Ma Qiuyuan and Riley are looking very happy here. She is looking gorgeous! https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5218414771831488

Scenes of Ma Qiuyuan's wedding: https://www.douyin.com/search/%23%E9%A9%AC%E7%A7%8B%E5%85%83%23?aid=ec7b3391-5ea2-43e7-b625-48ea4fb5ab57&modal_id=7557120283380174115&type=general

https://www.douyin.com/search/%23%E9%A9%AC%E7%A7%8B%E5%85%83%23?aid=ec7b3391-5ea2-43e7-b625-48ea4fb5ab57&modal_id=7557439212195269922&type=general

We'll agree to disagree.

I see the points you are making. But in Fu Yixiao's situation even though she is an injured amnesiac and we are viewers who can easily see that, the position she represents and what she has done to Susha Kingdom is unforgivable. In RL Feng Suige must at least ascertain and prove to his men that he has put this enemy general through enough of a wringer for information, to maintain their respect and cover all bases to confirm as much as possible she is indeed what she claims to be. It is also because of his authority and decisions that she got off lightly in her position IMHO. Is her amnesia so thorough that she cannot remember anything about her kingdom's strategies and other details pertaining to the Battle of Pingling, or is her amnesia only limited to a specific timeframe of incidents?

He cannot believe what she claims, because of her position and previous achievements. He cannot believe what a physician will say about her. He'll have to inflict a certain amount of pain with methods to ascertain as much as possible, what he can obtain as information and whether she is telling the truth because he has to answer for his decisions. He has to be cruel, what he subjected her to will turn people off (I don't enjoy seeing women put through such situations) but in those times, I'd say she got off lightly considering everything else he could have done. I'm quite sure some of his men would believe he did not go far enough.

If she had been a spy, there would be much worse torture before death. If she had insufficient value as an enemy soldier, this drama ends by episode 3. Despite a few flaws, we still have a drama.

In the novel, our heroine isn't above inflicting torture on injured men. Have his wounds coated with honey and throw into a pit filled with ants, scorpions and rats, until she reckons he will talk. She should want to get even with Feng Suige for every wound she suffered from him during torture for interrogation. But I also believe she understands what he has to do in his position, and what he limited his men from doing.

Ultimate Note was when Xiaoge and Wu Xie had spent more time with each other on adventures and were further along in a strong friendship, unlike this drama which I understand is the beginning of their friendship. Francis Ng and Cao Lei are solid actors, which I want to see more of.

Since the author will have the drama follow the books more closely in adaptation, I am interested to see what is included or what is removed (and maybe included later as a flashback). Might the directors be playing safe this season for the adaptation, also to try to make distinctions between this remake versus what has gone before with other platforms? What I appreciate is that there isn't an over-usage of BGM in this drama, because that tends to be the case these days for mandarin dramas.

And yes, the ADR needs improving.

I agree A Ning was too soft.

Genuine question of curiosity: How and where do you think this drama could be improved for season 2 eg what character-specific traits are you referring to?

I watched Ultimate Note and dropped it after 17 episodes, because it's a mess for me. Liu Yuning and Hankiz turned in individual performances I like, but I need the plot, subplots and pacing to be solidly coherent. Storylines with good directing of an above-average script accompanied by good acting must come hand-in-hand for me, otherwise I will not finish something. "Mobius" and "The Guardians" are good dramas for me because the romance is minimal or non-existent (and in minimalism for Mobius actually adds something), but the primary focus is on the plots and characters.

An example is my review for "The Journey of Legend", where the screenwriters and directors and post-production team primarily screwed up: https://kisskh.at/profile/Xiang83/review/497878

I believe this adaptation is possibly the best place to start for DMBJ as a drama and probably anyone who hasn't read the corresponding books for this adaptation should do so, after that. As to what I would watch for a follow-up? I'll wait for season 2 as per the author utilising the same team for this season.

In the meantime, I have added Southern Anecdote because the trailer makes me believe it will be a proper adventure. That said, I understand if the author and director allow for minor concessions that could be interpreted as bromance (as per the underwater scene) but I don't want that to derail the adaptations.

Thank you for reading. Cheng Yi's acting and line delivery in some scenes could be classified as lifeless, unenergetic, flat and hence unconvincing. Those scenes contrast with other scenes where he is absolutely compelling which is why 8 episodes in, I concluded the Directors were handling a script that was not a good adaptation of the novel and on top of that, the Directors didn't give multiple actors the necessary specifics to help their performances. This applies to the entire Shenzhou Sworn Brotherhood and Tang Rong.

For camerawork of the first two episodes, it felt like a laidback travel panorama where you're being given a tour. I don't want a tour. I want to feel as if I am part of the story. There should have been a family meal as I described, followed by the scenes of his father telling Xiao Qiushui off in front of the siblings. The scenes in ep 1 between Xiao Qiushui and his mother should have been removed and replaced with camerawork of walking through the household, to exit into the open courtyard filled with training exercises of various sect members and eventually zoom out above for the entire landscape (drone shot). A monologue of one sentence about being Xiao Qiushui is very difficult leads to Xiao Qiushui hand sparring with his oldest brother. Quick exchange of moves to showcase the closeness and skills of each pugilist as siblings, followed by a frontal shot of the oldest brother swiftly punching at you in FPS view (so you get the direct impression of being knocked out or blocking) and cue the scene blacking out instantly. Then you get Xiao Qiushui gingerly and slowly walking through the necessary in solitude during the night, hand on his chest as if he's been in a fight, before he is introduced to the system.

Family and filial piety. Sect. Nation. For the greater good. Followed by the mission to change it all. This is the necessary direction for episode 1, providing intimacy and depth and energy and contrast for every viewer to get connected and inspired to want to join in this developing adventure, because this is a journey of a legend. What are the directors doing?

Li Lianhua in MLC has a good backstory and compelling circumstances. Xiao Mingming's story is that he Gary Stu-ed a main character and now he's in the story as the main character to guide the results and consequences. Xiao Mingming may not have any compelling backstory or background, but this is where a mostly-blank slate is an advantage for the screenwriter and directors to persuade the audience into rooting for our clueless protagonist who will do his best to uphold 侠义 of the pugilist world for the sake of the nation and do his family proud. What Cheng Yi delivered was a book of lines where I felt like half the time, he was asking questions or giving details to tell me what was going to happen with a manual. I wouldn't have any enthusiasm in his place. Kudos to him for trying to deliver a vision that the directors couldn't even agree and decide upon.

I enjoyed Xu Zhenxuan's acting (a star is born) but I don't see any point of why Liu Suifeng had so much screentime in this drama. Li Chenzhou was essential, but his limited appearances were mostly for posturing when he should have been in more episodes. I didn't have any more energy to expand on more specifics. Enigma05's review detailed the excruciating process of some specific plot-holes and problems, which you should check out: https://kisskh.at/profile/Enigma05/review/497520

His voice is sublime. The way he delivers lines with just the right amount of emotion (especially the heart-wrenching ones) is reflected in how well he sings ballads (this one will melt you):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvgxUZrC1lI

Ah Lam gor never lost his incredible star power. In episode 34, he literally steals the minutes of the episode when he is present. And in episode 36 with Gulinazha, his emotional chemistry was so strong with her that they could have been a couple or siblings, but the bond was so evocative. This project shows he has to be in a wuxia drama again. And he better be one of the MLs!

There are some minor flaws with this drama at this point, but nothing significant enough to note.

I believe the Directors have been realistic about ML treatment of FL in this episode. If she was not of any value to Feng Suige while noted by him and his men as a highly-capable general of an enemy army who nearly killed the First Prince and already cost their kingdom many men in battle? She would probably be tortured much worse than what he has limited being done to her, possibly badly sexually assaulted and likely returned not in one piece to Jinxiu Kingdom as a specific message to their Emperor. His men likely and rightfully hate Fu Yixiao for the comrades she has cost them. Feng Suige has to walk a very-fine balance between what he needs to minimally get done to appease the feelings of his men against this enemy leader at this point, while limiting the extent of injuries she has to endure.

If she had not been female, Feng Suige would have every right not to place limits on what his men would do for torture. But since she is invaluable as the potential key to finding the high-ranking traitors on their side who colluded with Jinxiu Kingdom which he already figured out and only spoke about at the end of episode 5. Fu Yixiao eventually being publicly paraded as his concubine is a smart strategic move on his part for multiple reasons.

Beating up women is not acceptable and very cruel from a man, which is an understandable reaction from many viewers. But back in those times, if a woman had gone into battle and shown herself to be exceptionally dangerous as an enemy, having killed so many soldiers and nearly killing the leader of our army? It's not about being acceptable or not. It's about addressing a problem Feng Suige cannot avoid because of her position and achievements against his kingdom, and having this over and done with, as soon as possible. His men cannot be allowed to believe that he has feelings for her (which he doesn't) and therefore his judgment is skewed and unreliable when they already lost the Battle of Pingling. After this, only then can he truly justify any decisions to continue protecting her, which his men have to accept.

If the positions had been reversed and Fu Yixiao was deciding what to do with Feng Suige, she would have to justify any decision as to what she would do with him, and whether his life is worth preserving because she has to answer to certain people such as the Prince of Zhennan and their emperor plus her own men. In episode 8, Xia Jingshi has expressed to Feng Suige what kind of ending he wanted for Feng Suige and Susha Kingdom with that arrow.

Why don't you list your criteria (such as appearance details or abilities) of what you deem suitable as a capable experienced female general, for the ML?

The prince of the enemy kingdom is someone the ML views with utter contempt as his nemesis for more than one reason, and I would advise watching 10 episodes before you make any conclusions about any of the characters. There are layers to peel away. These layers are nicely revealed, while the pacing of the plot and developments in characterisations are well-controlled. Minor flaws can be overlooked at this point. Supporting cast is not stereotyped or one-dimensional, which is part of why this drama so far is hugely engaging IMHO. I have watched 8 episodes and the previews of episodes 9 and 10.

The ML is using his own voice here.

Episode 2 will definitely divide people on that segment. In reality, if she was not of any value to Feng Suige while noted by him and his men as a highly-capable general of an enemy army who nearly killed the First Prince and already cost their kingdom many men in battle? She would probably be tortured much worse than what he has limited being done to her, possibly badly sexually assaulted and likely returned not in one piece to Jinxiu Kingdom as a specific message to their Emperor. His men likely and rightfully hate Fu Yixiao for the comrades she has cost them. Feng Suige has to walk a very-fine balance between what he needs to minimally get done to appease the feelings of his men against this enemy leader, while limiting the extent of injuries she has to endure.

If she had not been female, Feng Suige would have every right not to place limits on what his men would do for torture. But since she is invaluable as the potential key to finding the high-ranking traitors on their side who colluded with Jinxiu Kingdom which he already figured out before the end of episode 5, Fu Yixiao being publicly known as his concubine is a smart strategic move and is also why he chose to protect her. Beating up women is not acceptable. A woman who has gone into battle and shown herself to be an exception, having killed so many soldiers and nearly killing him? It's not about being acceptable or not. It's about addressing a problem Feng Suige cannot avoid because of her position and achievements against his kingdom, and having this over and done with, as soon as possible. His men cannot be allowed to believe that he has feelings for her (which he doesn't) and therefore his judgment is skewed and unreliable when they already lost the Battle of Pingling. After this, only then he can justify any decisions to continue protecting her which his men have to accept, including as his concubine.

If the positions had been reversed and Fu Yixiao was deciding what to do with Feng Suige, she too would have to justify any decision as to what she would do with him, and whether his life is worth preserving because she has to answer to certain people such as the Prince of Zhennan plus her own men. In episode 8, Xia Jingshi has expressed to Feng Suige what kind of decision he would have made about Feng Suige. Good thing positions are not reversed.