This screen writer has written some good novel to drama adaptation, such as The Dream of Red Mansion and LuoYang.…
I'm glad I will never have to read Dream of Red Mansion again as a student XD If you have dramas to recommend watching, I would welcome suggestions. Waiting for the C-Drama remake of K-drama "My Mister" to air (Zhang Zi Feng and Mark Chao will be very apt in it). I enjoyed Mobius, currently enjoying The Guardians (Republican era spy-espionage thriller), and then there's not-yet-aired Gladiator In The Theatre: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5067022944178847
In the novel, Princess Xiyang wants to marry Xia Jingshi as a marriage alliance for long-lasting peace, after…
Feng Suige is clearly seasoned in the bed, as per the novel. Feng Suige is also not a match for the wits of his father. Ning Fei is more gullible in the drama than the novel. The scriptwriter thankfully improved Feng Suige and made him more shrewd and more likeable.
Xia Jingshi is resolute about not even taking Yixiao as a concubine for the sake of her happiness, twelve chapters in. In chapter 14, Yixiao tells Feng Suige he will never be able to match Xia Jingshi for wits or comportment.
Frankly, Xia Jingshi looks far more admirable and challenging than Feng Suige in the novel after fifteen chapters and more suitable to be ML, which we cannot have for this drama. Emperor Feng notes the difficulty of penetrating Xia Jingshi's indifference, and also notes the passionate intensity in the eyes of such a cool composed noble upon seeing Yixiao at the city walls.
This screen writer has written some good novel to drama adaptation, such as The Dream of Red Mansion and LuoYang.…
I felt so bad for the actors and actresses, especially Cheng Yi. I have never seen such screw-ups by the crew for a drama with an S+ drama to deliver, so I wrote a review for TJOL which the crew rightfully deserved: https://kisskh.at/profile/Xiang83/review/497878
This screen writer has written some good novel to drama adaptation, such as The Dream of Red Mansion and LuoYang.…
She's definitely done a very good job this far. The changes are quite enjoyable and balances the pacing of this story plus relationships between different characters, with subplots not getting lost. I wish she had been responsible for the adaptations of Fushanhai. It would have significantly helped that drama.
I'm glad they made certain major changes during adaptation, when considering the contents of the first ten chapters…
In the novel, Princess Xiyang wants to marry Xia Jingshi as a marriage alliance for long-lasting peace, after the two kingdoms finally come to peace. The Holy Emperor of the Jinxiu Dynasty issues an imperial decree, which Xia Jingshi accepts. This is what sparks certain actions by Fu Yixiao after Xia Jingshi agrees to marry Xiyang. Yixiao tells Xia Jingshi she is willing to be his maid, concubine or slave as long as Xia Jingshi does not marry Princess Xiyang. Yixiao also offers herself sexually to Xia Jingshi, whereby he rejects her. His rejection is mesmerising and heart-breaking.
Yixiao is 17 when Xia Jingshi justifiably shoots her with an iron arrow (very different circumstances) for killing a cavalry commander without justification, because Yixiao was prepared to die as long as she stopped Xia Jingshi from going to Susha Kingdom. Yixiao swears to haunt Xia Jingshi for eternity. Pulling the arrow out of her shoulderblade, she jumps off the cliff. For four years, Yixiao cannot be found. She was not yet a general.
Feng Suige was informed of Yixiao's disappearance, and decides to have her captured so he can find out what secret mission Yixiao was sent on by Xia Jingshi according to the information he had gained, believing Xia Jingshi's claims of an old illness are false to continuously delay the marriage alliance for four years.
Yixiao comes across as too emotional and irresponsible in those seven chapters for my liking (then again, a seventeen-year-old in love...). Removing all that to make Yixiao older and a seasoned female general works much better for a drama. Changing the circumstances to heighten the dangers and threats to Feng Suige in the drama serves to maintain a tension which makes everything feel more realistic for this drama. Showing how Feng Suige capably deals with threats also makes Feng Suige more believable for Fu Yixiao to fall in love with. Feng Suige doesn't always succeed in the drama (see how his sister lambasted him), which only makes him more human and easy to emphatise with. I also didn't like Yixiao blaming Xia Jingshi for her predicament of being captured by Feng Suige in chapter 8 because that's due to Yixiao's recklessness and carelessness.
Feng Suige at one point in chapter 9 goes to Yixiao's prison cell with two beautiful women, and indirectly threatens Yixiao with sending her to the Susha army's red tent to be a military prostitute. He was merciless enough to have a soldier take one of his former bedmates to the red tent in front of Yixiao, before threatening her. Novel Feng Suige would have been too heartless for a drama audience to accept.
In chapter 10, Yixiao provokes Feng Suige's concubine to whip her as hard as possible, because she thinks dying would be best. Feng Suige sees through her provocations and how calm she remains despite pain. He admires her and her liveliness, and he thinks she is beautiful. When Yixiao wakes up, Xiyang tends to Yixiao's wounds, curious about this woman. Up until this point, the greatest wound and pain to Yixiao is her love for Xia Jingshi, especially when she hears that his envoy along with Xia Jingshi had departed for this kingdom to marry Xiyang.
I much prefer the script changes whereby Yixiao is uncomfortably beaten and tortured in episode 2 but with significant restraints to what is inflicted because of her value to Feng Suige, because Feng Suige would primarily have to answer to his men and the Emperor for his decisions, while being aware of internal enemies wanting his downfall. Losing the Battle of Pingling recently as per the drama better justifies this decision, even if it is uncomfortable to see Yixiao being tortured and beaten and at one point, struck by Feng Suige who rightfully has hostility against her because she nearly killed him, cost him men, and could have been his downfall until he realises her arrow actually saved him and his men, including Susha Kingdom.
Note that even if she claims to be an amnesiac, as a cunning enemy general, even if a physician vouches for it, she would still have to be put through certain methods by an enemy leader to ascertain as much as possible that what she is saying has enough truth. If Feng Suige is perceived by his men to be bewitched by a woman or has judgment skewed because of a woman, it will not be reversible and unacceptable especially when this female general is responsible for the deaths of many of their comrades. This drama shows the respect and reverence that the soldiers of the Feng battalion hold for Feng Suige in at least two episodes, so their attitudes must be justifiable as per Feng Suige's choices.
The alternative would have been much harsher. Yixiao is still emotional and almost reckless in this drama, but understandably so because for the first time, she is struggling with betrayal from her sworn brothers, the love of her life tried to kill her plus she realises they have different values and he might not have loved her in the same way she loved and respected him, and she has no allies she can count upon except Feng Suige. She hasn't quite figured out by episode 14 about how she feels for him. She realises he feels for her, but what about her feelings for him? I like that the leads need time to develop something as friends, possibly more than friends, and have to figure out their feelings. The events also organically help that happen, because of changes for this drama.
In the novel, Feng Suige is wary and somewhat fearful of Xia Jingshi, for being very strategic whom he perceives akin to a God of War. Xia Jingshi is perceived as the God of War for the Jinxiu Dynasty. Competition translates into animosity in the drama. And I await seeing how much of a challenge Xia Jingshi poses to Feng Suige.
ETA after watching episodes 15 and 16:
Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige are fundamentally and hugely improved as characters in the drama, instead of the novel. Xia Jingshi and Feng Suige were mostly agreeable with each other by chapter 22 due to Xia Jingshi's wits aiding Feng Suige on a crucial matter, which wouldn't work out for these two needing to be deadly foes in this drama.
If Chapter 32 plus one character also in that chapter had been included in this drama, Feng Suige would be completely unlikeable. Thankfully none of that is in the drama.
If you are wondering whether Ning Fei and Ling Xueying have a believable romance, read the novel for yourself. You'll need to read at least forty chapters to decide. Their romance and marriage may not happen in the drama because at the end of episode 13, Ning Fei is out of the picture and Ling Xueying is staying to help Fu Yixiao.
I understand all the major changes needed, to keep the plot and subplots plus pacing riveting and smooth. That said, I am annoyed at how novel-Xia Jingshi has been so majorly altered that not only does he seem to be completely ruthless and two-faced, it makes drama-Xia Jingshi at this point impossible to emphatize with. Will wait to see who is the Emperor of the Jinxiu Dynasty by the end of the drama: Xia Jingshi or Xia Jingyan.
I'm glad they made certain major changes during adaptation, when considering the contents of the first ten chapters of the novel. The Screenwriters clearly knew the material, and so did the Directors because of what is kept and what is not, yet still bringing across certain traits for certain characters and improving them. Drama versus novel definitely needs the changes. Some thoughts on Fu Yixiao, Feng Suige and Xia Jingshi in the next comment:
Given the attention to the sets for architecture and grandiosity and other details, very welcome change to have…
To make his lips look more ruthless, they have to work with the upper lipline and draw the lipline to be slightly extended, so as to add sharper structure with shadow and depth. It wouldn't detract from his no lipstick look. And this would not be used for too many scenes, but only for specific scenes.
Feng Suige marries Fu Yixiao who bears him a son. Yixiao becomes the first commoner-queen of Susha Kingdom. Xiyang…
I am counting on the screenwriters to at least make the audience want her to live (it is possible for her to have a change of heart, after entering Jinxiu Kingdom and living with Xia Jingshi because she divorces him at some point). News of her brother being killed (because there is an attempt to kill Feng Suige) should be the pivotal point. I'm not looking forward to her being stuck with two cads, which should help her realise how different and kind and good her brothers actually are. Xia Jingyan is possibly worse than Xia Jingshi, given one of the things he does to Xiyang in the drama.
Yixiao is going to have her heartstrings majorly pulled with Feng Suige at least once, before she gets a happy ending.
This is just my opinion, I know everyone thinks Chen Zhe Yuan is hot, but man Chen He Yi is gorgeous. He was good…
Given the attention to the sets for architecture and grandiosity and other details, very welcome change to have the male characters being styled with specific attention and sophistication. The wind machine works overtime in scenes with the two princes but isn't too annoyingly obvious. Chen He Yi and Chen Zheyuan have very suitable wigs utilising a hairline that makes them look good. Makeup for He Yi is good. I'm slightly divided on Chen Zheyuan's makeup because in some scenes, I think they could have made his lips look more ruthless. Chen Zheyuan looks good, but looking more ruthless/hardened on guard in some scenes would be better. And something about the foundation when paired with bronzer makes him look a bit too boyish at times.
Also, a plus please for the FL general — who, for once, knows how to make a fight look believable! She’s very…
This drama maintains the tension and dangers to Regent Prince Feng Suige very well, given the prime minister, empress, Jinxiu Kingdom's XJS as love rival and enemy prince. As a result, he is perpetually on his guard which becomes a noticeable contrast to when he accidentally isn't on guard with FL.
is the novel sad ending or happy ending? can you put it in a spoiler tag just in case someone doesnt want to know
Feng Suige marries Fu Yixiao who bears him a son. Yixiao becomes the first commoner-queen of Susha Kingdom. Xiyang dies. All this is in the novel. Hopefully they keep the ending for our leads, and I hope Xiyang gets a better ending in this drama.
Novel readers, please come here. :)Could you please share any steamy moments between the leads. The videos I've…
The drama is doing a much better job of expressing and developing the emotional changes of Feng Suige, and how the two of them eventually fall for each other. Changes adapted by the screenwriters suit this drama much better. Yixiao has naive sides to her and not just as a strong female general, which is coming across nicely. BTS of steamy scenes is drama-created, not novel-created.
At Ep13, I am giving it 8.2 score. Still hold good plot and pace. I just hope when they have more secret spy personnel…
I think it's great that there are different types of male characters for different tastes, which the directors and screenwriters have successfully given interesting sides to, without being one-dimensional. Feng Suige's sidekicks such as Lu Ke are also options.
But as to women, currently it's Yixiao, Liu Xueying or Xiyang. We need more variety here. I refuse to include a certain stepmother.
Maybe give her a screenshot for her mobile phone of Xia Jingshi, and tell her to talk to that. If she has to talk to someone about Xia Jingshi, why not his picture? Just don't teach her how to use MDL or what is MDL, if she is able to access this website. Otherwise she might find this page...
He Yi as Xia Jingshi in episodes 5 to 14 is giving a specific vibe, which works quite well here as opposed to novel-Xia Jingshi. He's shown himself to be shrewd, and he must have his way. Even when he appears to be emotional with Xiao Weiran near the end in episode 13, he is ultimately in control and gave the impression he was testing Xiao Weiran with his words, blows and the sword.
In episode 14 of the flashback, his questions to Yixiao are lines he is drawing, which Yixiao doesn't realise. His bow arm was mostly steady but only at the final moment, he faltered and closed his eyes. He values Yixiao, but isn't above sacrificing her. By the time he is confessing to her after the flashback, it's hard to tell if he is sincere or trying to overwhelm her into not thinking deeply on what he doesn't want her to realise. And he appears pathetic as someone claiming to love her whom she can rely on, in contrast to Feng Suige. At this point, he is still going on about what he wants, not what she wants or needs and never actually going into what is necessary for them, ever since he appeared in this drama up until now. And that is what led to their friction and end on the cliff.
That said, novel-Xia Jingshi was not emotive outwardly and only revealed his key weaknesses in different ways, such as when he wrote a letter to Feng Suige about Yixiao's likes, dislikes and habits. Xiyang realised how deeply Xia Jingshi loved Yixiao because of incidents such as this. I can see why Yixiao once fell in love with novel-Xia Jingshi and why Xiyang would want his love.
Drama-Xia Jingshi is not so vulnerable, seemingly ambitious, and possibly biding his time. Unlike novel-Xia Jingshi who was clearly too vulnerable to Yixiao, I have yet to see drama-Xia Jingshi love anyone else more than his goals, which includes surviving his playboy brother. 2ML here is an interesting cad to observe.
Zhang Yishan is going to be epic in "Gladiator In The Theatre", and here's the trailer comprising a strong cast which also includes Cao Lei: https://m.weibo.cn/detail/5067022944178847
This user usually shares the necessary in high-quality audio, so enjoy! They also have other OSTs with/without BGM or with instrumentals, so check out their account.
2 
8 
3 
5 
1 
2 
1 
1 
1 
1 
1 
Xia Jingshi is resolute about not even taking Yixiao as a concubine for the sake of her happiness, twelve chapters in. In chapter 14, Yixiao tells Feng Suige he will never be able to match Xia Jingshi for wits or comportment.
Frankly, Xia Jingshi looks far more admirable and challenging than Feng Suige in the novel after fifteen chapters and more suitable to be ML, which we cannot have for this drama. Emperor Feng notes the difficulty of penetrating Xia Jingshi's indifference, and also notes the passionate intensity in the eyes of such a cool composed noble upon seeing Yixiao at the city walls.
Yixiao is 17 when Xia Jingshi justifiably shoots her with an iron arrow (very different circumstances) for killing a cavalry commander without justification, because Yixiao was prepared to die as long as she stopped Xia Jingshi from going to Susha Kingdom. Yixiao swears to haunt Xia Jingshi for eternity. Pulling the arrow out of her shoulderblade, she jumps off the cliff. For four years, Yixiao cannot be found. She was not yet a general.
Feng Suige was informed of Yixiao's disappearance, and decides to have her captured so he can find out what secret mission Yixiao was sent on by Xia Jingshi according to the information he had gained, believing Xia Jingshi's claims of an old illness are false to continuously delay the marriage alliance for four years.
Yixiao comes across as too emotional and irresponsible in those seven chapters for my liking (then again, a seventeen-year-old in love...). Removing all that to make Yixiao older and a seasoned female general works much better for a drama. Changing the circumstances to heighten the dangers and threats to Feng Suige in the drama serves to maintain a tension which makes everything feel more realistic for this drama. Showing how Feng Suige capably deals with threats also makes Feng Suige more believable for Fu Yixiao to fall in love with. Feng Suige doesn't always succeed in the drama (see how his sister lambasted him), which only makes him more human and easy to emphatise with. I also didn't like Yixiao blaming Xia Jingshi for her predicament of being captured by Feng Suige in chapter 8 because that's due to Yixiao's recklessness and carelessness.
Feng Suige at one point in chapter 9 goes to Yixiao's prison cell with two beautiful women, and indirectly threatens Yixiao with sending her to the Susha army's red tent to be a military prostitute. He was merciless enough to have a soldier take one of his former bedmates to the red tent in front of Yixiao, before threatening her. Novel Feng Suige would have been too heartless for a drama audience to accept.
In chapter 10, Yixiao provokes Feng Suige's concubine to whip her as hard as possible, because she thinks dying would be best. Feng Suige sees through her provocations and how calm she remains despite pain. He admires her and her liveliness, and he thinks she is beautiful. When Yixiao wakes up, Xiyang tends to Yixiao's wounds, curious about this woman. Up until this point, the greatest wound and pain to Yixiao is her love for Xia Jingshi, especially when she hears that his envoy along with Xia Jingshi had departed for this kingdom to marry Xiyang.
I much prefer the script changes whereby Yixiao is uncomfortably beaten and tortured in episode 2 but with significant restraints to what is inflicted because of her value to Feng Suige, because Feng Suige would primarily have to answer to his men and the Emperor for his decisions, while being aware of internal enemies wanting his downfall. Losing the Battle of Pingling recently as per the drama better justifies this decision, even if it is uncomfortable to see Yixiao being tortured and beaten and at one point, struck by Feng Suige who rightfully has hostility against her because she nearly killed him, cost him men, and could have been his downfall until he realises her arrow actually saved him and his men, including Susha Kingdom.
Note that even if she claims to be an amnesiac, as a cunning enemy general, even if a physician vouches for it, she would still have to be put through certain methods by an enemy leader to ascertain as much as possible that what she is saying has enough truth. If Feng Suige is perceived by his men to be bewitched by a woman or has judgment skewed because of a woman, it will not be reversible and unacceptable especially when this female general is responsible for the deaths of many of their comrades. This drama shows the respect and reverence that the soldiers of the Feng battalion hold for Feng Suige in at least two episodes, so their attitudes must be justifiable as per Feng Suige's choices.
The alternative would have been much harsher. Yixiao is still emotional and almost reckless in this drama, but understandably so because for the first time, she is struggling with betrayal from her sworn brothers, the love of her life tried to kill her plus she realises they have different values and he might not have loved her in the same way she loved and respected him, and she has no allies she can count upon except Feng Suige. She hasn't quite figured out by episode 14 about how she feels for him. She realises he feels for her, but what about her feelings for him? I like that the leads need time to develop something as friends, possibly more than friends, and have to figure out their feelings. The events also organically help that happen, because of changes for this drama.
In the novel, Feng Suige is wary and somewhat fearful of Xia Jingshi, for being very strategic whom he perceives akin to a God of War. Xia Jingshi is perceived as the God of War for the Jinxiu Dynasty. Competition translates into animosity in the drama. And I await seeing how much of a challenge Xia Jingshi poses to Feng Suige.
ETA after watching episodes 15 and 16:
Fu Yixiao and Feng Suige are fundamentally and hugely improved as characters in the drama, instead of the novel. Xia Jingshi and Feng Suige were mostly agreeable with each other by chapter 22 due to Xia Jingshi's wits aiding Feng Suige on a crucial matter, which wouldn't work out for these two needing to be deadly foes in this drama.
If Chapter 32 plus one character also in that chapter had been included in this drama, Feng Suige would be completely unlikeable. Thankfully none of that is in the drama.
If you are wondering whether Ning Fei and Ling Xueying have a believable romance, read the novel for yourself. You'll need to read at least forty chapters to decide. Their romance and marriage may not happen in the drama because at the end of episode 13, Ning Fei is out of the picture and Ling Xueying is staying to help Fu Yixiao.
I understand all the major changes needed, to keep the plot and subplots plus pacing riveting and smooth. That said, I am annoyed at how novel-Xia Jingshi has been so majorly altered that not only does he seem to be completely ruthless and two-faced, it makes drama-Xia Jingshi at this point impossible to emphatize with. Will wait to see who is the Emperor of the Jinxiu Dynasty by the end of the drama: Xia Jingshi or Xia Jingyan.
If you really want to know the changes to novel-Feng Suige versus drama- Feng Suige, here is a comment of certain details up to chapter 32: https://kisskh.at/discussions/768987-wan-xin-ji/145636-novel-versus-drama-differences?pid=3406336&page=1#p3406336
Who's your favourite character so far?
Yixiao is going to have her heartstrings majorly pulled with Feng Suige at least once, before she gets a happy ending.
But as to women, currently it's Yixiao, Liu Xueying or Xiyang. We need more variety here. I refuse to include a certain stepmother.
In episode 14 of the flashback, his questions to Yixiao are lines he is drawing, which Yixiao doesn't realise. His bow arm was mostly steady but only at the final moment, he faltered and closed his eyes. He values Yixiao, but isn't above sacrificing her. By the time he is confessing to her after the flashback, it's hard to tell if he is sincere or trying to overwhelm her into not thinking deeply on what he doesn't want her to realise. And he appears pathetic as someone claiming to love her whom she can rely on, in contrast to Feng Suige. At this point, he is still going on about what he wants, not what she wants or needs and never actually going into what is necessary for them, ever since he appeared in this drama up until now. And that is what led to their friction and end on the cliff.
That said, novel-Xia Jingshi was not emotive outwardly and only revealed his key weaknesses in different ways, such as when he wrote a letter to Feng Suige about Yixiao's likes, dislikes and habits. Xiyang realised how deeply Xia Jingshi loved Yixiao because of incidents such as this. I can see why Yixiao once fell in love with novel-Xia Jingshi and why Xiyang would want his love.
Drama-Xia Jingshi is not so vulnerable, seemingly ambitious, and possibly biding his time. Unlike novel-Xia Jingshi who was clearly too vulnerable to Yixiao, I have yet to see drama-Xia Jingshi love anyone else more than his goals, which includes surviving his playboy brother. 2ML here is an interesting cad to observe.
I shared Coroner's Diary OST with BGM more than 3 months ago, from their account (if you want to see another example): https://kisskh.at/752181-chao-xue-lu#comment-22698968