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They had mini growth arcs but to really get to know them and see them improve wed have needed to check in on them in the north more. I was honestly stressed they’d undermine all the wives and daughters growth when they returned throwing tantrums. Seeing the way they questioned but otherwise remained grateful, supportive and humble to their wives was awesome.

Ageed. He could see her scheming was malicious and due to his own paranoia didnt react in a wise way because he sees everyone that way. That mindset was his biggest failure as an emperor .

She was who Hua Zhi could have been in another life. Just as smart. Just as fearless. Just as loyal to her family. Just didnt have good teachers. It was a great concept introduced a bit late in the story. They did alot of showing not telling through the different positions she achieved and Hua family and friends figuring out her plots. Showing rather than telling through villain scenes where she explained everything. In that sense she felt like a real life experience of villainy: confused and missed the path.

He’s not really insecure because of it. He does get jealous but not in a toxic way. He’s friends with Shen Qi too and knows better than anyone her feelings for both of them.

Even if he and Duo dont marry the Hua family basically is his maternal family. So both sides are secure. And the Shen family will be safe with one son the emperor’s tutor and the other his cousin’s husband.

We’ve already met the next emperor. But until the first one dies we won’t see him as an emperor.

Its still showing on there for me

Its really common for people who head to the cities to work and live who also cant afford childcare to send their younger children back to their hometowns to initially be raised by a grandparent or other extended family.

I imagine the mom didnt agree to send chenghuan because she could handle one kid and she knew how hard being a girl in that community was. Plus by the time they had a second expensive addition to the family chenghuan was older and largely self sufficient.

Meanwhile Chenzao is a boy so she thought hed be safer and treated betters. Given how poor they were mom probably had to take side hustles to feed them all while dad worked full time and neither they or chenghuan could watch a young toddler to six year old. Her buying the toys showed it broke her heart but it was a pragmatic solution for childcare.

Hes a bad ruler who likes yes men because he thinks that means they are loyal. Emperor forced Censor Hua to say what he really thought because the emperor wanted to use him as an example to make others stop saying things the emperor doesnt want to hear and if by chance Censor Hua had a labotomy and actually agreed the Emperor should do what he wants (keep playing his sons against each other to keep the scholars plotting for the prince’s so he could test their loyalty to him) Censor Hua agreeing would have made Emperor’s stupid political tactic seem legitimate because everyone respects Censor Hua. The Emperor is the kind of paranoid weak fool who thinks if people arent agreeing with him, they are plotting against him.

They both need to grow up

I think he came to the conclusion she couldnt reciprocate the way he wanted because of her condition. He didnt get mad or act rude like she was broken. He was just sad. It will be interesting to see how this whole storyline gets resolved. Im picturing he runs a wine/brewery business while she has a medicine shop.

No idea yet

One more episode :)

Having your bonus deducted because the ML’s in a bad mood due to FL with no bearing on the assistants work is the problem. Its often played like a joke but its refreshing not having that unethical depiction of work culture on screen as a funny trope. You do see a bit of the power byplay between the two in this show but its usually not about work. Like when they fish or the crackers.

I think he’s actually ahead of his time. If he were a successful CEO we’d call him a wife slave and think he was cute. On this show he’s poor, uneducated and feels deeply that his inability to provide more for his family created the hard life that exacerbated his wife’s anxiety and resentment. He truly adores all her good points and tries to guide her away from her bad behaviors without rejecting her because he loves her. He knows she’s a separate person from him and he can’t and should not control her. For a guy raised in a time period and culture that are still fairly misogynistic, his best feature is his deep respect for woman. I get many feel he should “protect” his kids from his wife but that is forcing modern western beliefs about child rearing on a character who already surpasses the mold of most of his contemporary male countrymen. The way in-law uncle behaves is a great example of what he could have been given his age and social position.

FL’s mom.

Hr wasnt lying when he told He Dong he had a plan.

That would be way better than my so far mostly unsubstantiated theory that she’s sick.

That episode where mom’s foot was still hurting days after that all day tour with her in-laws I thought “crap they arent going to give her a serious illness are they?” Now watching previews of next four episodes Im even more concerned. That scene of them coming home and finding her in the dark is very worrisome.

Totally your right to find the character bland. But I dont think he’ll lose fans because of it. I really love this character and the way he portrays it. Ive also seen a lot of positive comments saying they like it as well. So I dont think your concerns about his future should worry you. This role won't hurt him and it remains to be seen if it’ll actually increase his popularity.