YouToon

She’s not healed. Her “vitality” is damaged. Its not being explained well by the drama. Also they are very new and inexperienced at love. This story has a very slow burn where they go through all stages very slowly.

Strongly disagree. You are definitely welcome to your opinion. It just isnt shared by me. He does start off young and immature. Hes been spoiled by parents who take joy in their child’s ability to be innocent even as his antics frustrate them. However, he has great depths of kindness, compassion and loyalty. All of that will come into play as he and the female lead grow up through the various struggles of this story. The actor playing him is really hitting all the levels of annoying childishness, charming frivolity and large heart this character needs at the beginning. In later episodes he’s also really showcasing serious abilities with the dramatic arcs. The female lead is my favorite character and I love how the actress is playing her. He is a very close second.

She’s a young girl overwhelmed by events. I cry like that when stressed, so I get it. But I also know annoys people. Just remember she may cry to relieve her stress but she always gets back up and fights.

They cant consummate. I dont think the drama has been clear enough about this. LY’s health concerns are real. If she gets pregnant right now she’d probably die. GJ wont risk that. Plus his game is like a middle schooler. He and LY are each other’s first love. Just cuddling is the moon for them. I like how innocently the drama is depicting their naturalness with each other. And yes, it will be a while. Even in the book it took a long time to get to physical intimacy.

The reason she gave was real. Its clearer in the book but when she was a poor unsupported daughter who had to save for her mother’s medical expenses, a cheap bit of rouge was her personal splurge to make herself feel better. Also she has fond memories of rouge. Remember GJ’s first gift to her?

Im a book reader and while I love this adaptation, I felt the same way the first three episodes. They were super slow. For me that was because we had less time with LY than GJ. However, they had to remove an important motivation for LY due to censorship. So the way they’ve translated everything and reexplained all the various motivations is very well done. The basic characters were not sacrificed. Just doesn’t have the high stakes right from day one because they have to lead us there rather than have the audience start off knowing exactly how much danger everyone is really in.

Book commentator so dont read if you dont want anything spoiled: This is the first time in the book and drama where they are on the same page about their marriage. It wasnt as clear in drama but in the book GJ hilariously felt guilty anytime he thought romantically about his “brother” LY. He didnt know he loved her. After the terrible sojourn they took, he knows she’s his wife for life. But even than he doesn’t articulate is as love. She’s too essential a part of him, like an arm or leg, for him to think more needs to be said. He’s super inexperienced at love. Like a middle school puppy. And so LY. Finally, LY’s health concerns are also real. Consummation resulting in a pregnancy could kill her. GJ wont risk that. The drama is also probably giving us so many lovey scenes because there is a long separation coming up. Not due to a break up. Just because their careers require them to be in two different places physically.

It is the slowest romance. It killed me while it healed me in the book. Thats cause its also the strongest romance cause we cant really doubt where its going. Its just they have all these other concerns getting there: their careers, her health, etc.

The whole drama is about his character growth. You are right to read he had no clear direction in the first 14 or so episodes because that is exactly who he was before the recent events that changed everything. The next few episodes show the tragedies that change him. From here on out his direction is very simple and set: keep his family safe and make the lives of the people safe. Only way forward is being smart at politics one step at a time. So he starts as the lowest most grassroots he can: a yamen. Rest of show will show the payoff of that decision as he forms alliances and climbs the ranks of power and keeps the promise his dying friend demanded.

He may or may not be dead. If we didn’t see it, it might not have happened. The book isn’t a clear guide, cause they’ve changed just enough I really can’t predict it.

He didn’t know it would cause Wans death. It was the most subtle way he could think of to let his friend know he wasn't alone. I do wish we’d seen them grieve for Wan. I suspect they don't even know he’s dead. They may think he got away okay. Wan knew what he was risking when he hid them, told GJ about the friends execution, and chose to lead the guards away. He was brave as hell. It was his own bravely chosen actions that truly led to his death. And it was Wang that created this whole messed up scenario where protecting children or offering comfort to a dying friend results in someone being killed.

His entire arc is really about the acidic consequence of hate and revenge. If his grandfather hadnt plotted for power. If his bio dad hadnt abandoned his love for revenge. If he had chosen to follow his impulses to help people instead of drowning himself in hate, his life would have been better.

Whats crazy is in the book a-lot of things LY does is because of a prophetic dream she had in which she saw the arrows shoot into GJ like that while he tried to protect his mother. It happening to Wang’s son instead felt karmic.

He did!! This moment and what it meant to everyone watching is referenced so many times later in the book. GJ has political aspirations because he wants to protect his family AND keep “the promise.” He’s not just a simple wife slave anymore. Its a great scene in the book.

I hope you are right. That would be awesome

It has similarities. It wont delve into side characters the same way Minglan did. And the female lead in this has more freedom than Minglan. Or she will. By the end of her story.

Haha their first night wont happen for a long time unless they change the timeline from the book. But they do start to always share a bed. Innocently. I remember the very slow pace of their courtship was a little annoying my first time reading the book. GJ pretty much knew she is the only wife he wants at this point, but he was still confused because he’d put her in the “brother” category for so long. Plus she’s sick and not healthy enough to risk getting pregnant.

Agreed. That would have been better.

Yep. Im not confident how the drama will change this arc but basically Liu Yuru goes on a mission to other provinces to drum up funds and resources for her province. She even hits her old home and finds the surviving Ye siblings and GJ dad. However, they’ve already made some changes that might change hat entirely.

I think they are succeeding more than not.