apocalib

The MDL timer goes by the schedule officially released by the broadcasting channel/network (in this case Mango), so there's no reason it would be wrong! They always follow the schedule and unless there's a leak in China, there wouldn't be any early releases. It's unfortunately still a day away T____T

1) Nothing is up with any translators. Mango uses computer translated subs so any subtitles you are seeing are not done by a person/team but a computer.

2) As everyone else has stated, ep25 & 26 are not even out in China yet.

3) Demanding for subs is never productive. If this was a fansubbed project, friendly reminder that translators do so in their own free time and are not paid so to ask so rudely does absolutely nothing and would be ungrateful.

Well, nothing really for now. Historically speaking, HSX remains the wife of ZZJ. Even after ZZJ marries YZJ and even after he becomes the Emperor, HSX is still his Empress. Right now, YZJ is only ZZJ's concubine so there's still a way to go in terms of the drama. YZJ is currently only part of ZZJ's harem. He's going to be the future king, his mom is constantly trying to give him maids to bear him a son aka heir for the country xD

HSX remains as his Empress for a while until for a reason that isn't really explained in detail, she is disposed of and it's only then that YZJ becomes the Empress. So it'll be up to the drama writers as to how they want HSX to be driven out. They've taken a lot of liberties with the history so far anyway lol. It's been said the Emperor tried to blame it on Empress Hu not bearing any children etc and she eventually "resigns" from her role and goes to live in a temple, but doesn't technically become a nun.

While they didn't make up 100% per se in ep24, I kept loling at them throughout this episode. Have you had enough vinegar, ZZJ, do you need to build a whole new study to move back and forth to? Are you going to find a hole to crawl into miss "doctor Shen told me to cook this" YZJ? The Empress was right, they're entertaining af!

Why and how is today Monday....and not Friday T___T

Crown Prince looked annoyed at the Empress too. They better give us a proper make up and getting together for real scene in ep26 before the ceremony!!

Still keeping my fingers crossed bc it does seem like the Empress tricks YZJ into meeting her mom somehow and tricks the Emperor & her son into agreeing to the marriage BUT it looks like YZJ was happy to marry in ep26 preview! There were smiles at least and she was walking quite fast to him xD so I hope even after falling into the trap, she’s willing to marry and not just forced outright. Plus they seem to make up a bit in ep25, can you sense me clinging to a thread of hope haha

I think it was officially announced as a suicide as she was found in her room with the knife in her hand etc but what's suicide could easily be murder and what's murder could easily be suicide, you know what I mean? I think the crown princess knows that logically, her sister was acting weird before her death but I don't think she can help being suspicious since YZJ was literally there and the last person she knows of, that saw her sister alive.

(I'm guessing HSW borrowed SYH's hand to kill herself as an easier way of dying. She says so herself, thanking SYH for helping to send her on her way. Sometimes, it's harder to lift the knife to kill oneself vs having someone actually do it. It'd explain why she kept trying to egg YZJ to kill her but YZJ probably knew what she wanted to do and wisely left.

Surprisingly, for a palace drama, I really like the Empress! Normally, I end up disliking them and like you said, usually they don't like the FL but it's the opposite here. Even though she's on the other side with the culinary battle, she couldn't help adding some kind words for YZJ xD She's claimed that girl as her daughter-in-law already!!

I want YZJ to CHOOSE to be with him as the ability to choose and make her own decision is important. (Also seems like the show wants to make it important lol)

I'm pretty sure that's what will end up happening. I've seen in some trailers as well that after ZZJ ends up as the emperor, he winds up fighting with YYF on a few occasions. Not to mention YYF has promised his adoptive father, ZZJ's third uncle, that he will help fulfill his wish of being on the throne. It's also kind of hinted that the recent attempt on the emperor's life was planned by the third uncle and aided by YYF in some way.

As for whether I hate YYF, I can only say that I don't approve of his actions. I think this show tries to make a point that despite the circumstances that one is born into (like YZJ's birth mother, YZJ herself, YZP, and SYH etc), there is always a choice as to what you do for the rest of your life. YYF's past is tragic, yes, but in doing what he does, he's ruining the lives of other innocent people as well. YZP could've gone on stealing for the rest of her life but she made up her mind to go into the palace and make a living for herself the only way she could as a woman.

IKR LOL! I found it hilarious when the Empress was basically loling at her son and YZJ during the banquet being all "isn't this show soooo funny haha" like listen, lady, save your son some face ok xD

My ultimate hope is just that YZJ isn't forced into it as that would defeat the entire purpose of her resisting so long, might as well just have married him in the first episode then haha

She questioned that other cook and the cook said all she knew was that her sister last requested to see YZJ and even she herself saw YZJ in the area right before she went to see her sister so I'm guessing in the future, she'll target YZJ because of that T__T Which is a pity bc the crown princess isn't 100% bad by nature, but I guess that had to change eventually lol

Well, the bet between the Empress and YZJ was that YZJ would reconsider her original unwillingness to not marry ZZJ once she met him and came to knew him. Lol, she wasn't wrong as YZJ really does fall for him bc even she admits that he melted whatever resentment she still had in her heart but she still insisted against marrying him. I think YZJ resists mainly bc she doesn't want to be "fated" to do anything. Like she told her brother, she never had a choice and spent all of her life training to marry and be a good wife to ZZJ, which is why I think she resists so hard. The Empress, even though she reaches out to the brother to come and beg YZJ, ends up saying to her maid that she wants to see if someone can truly resist the enticement of being royalty and ultimately, if YZJ can really resist her fate and destiny with her son.

Same! I hope it's not because the Empress is forcing YZJ into the marriage. I selfishly want it to be because she really loves ZZJ hahaha. I was watching last episode and my family kept going "but they're still mad at each other!! How do they get married?!?!?!" lol.

She said in the past that she doesn't want to be a pawn for others to manipulate and she doesn't want to just wait around for ZZJ to visit and spend all the rest of her days living for him, so I'm reaaally curious what changes her mind. It's getting more exciting, that's for sure! Cos now the crown princess truly has a vendetta against YZJ.

Hm, I know a few people think that the reason YZJ doesn't want to marry ZZJ is because she's not content with just being a concubine but I wonder if that's the real reason? YZJ's character doesn't seem to be that petty to me, nor does she seem like the type to scheme and plot for others' harm. That's not to say that she's dumb or needlessly kind because while she is kind to even her enemies, she defends herself and even prepares for possible danger (like with the map). But so far, she has shown that unless directly harmed, she won't attack others and even when she does, it's never so far as to physically kill or hurt the other. Which again brings me to wonder why YZJ doesn't want to marry ZZJ. It's painfully clear she does like him a lot and cares for him so it's not a matter of her not liking him.

Even my family was saying it's bc YZJ wants to be the queen and not just a concubine lol but if that was the case, she could've agreed to marry him in the first place and work her way up. I think she genuinely just wanted a chance to live her own life for herself. Now that her hand is basically ruined and she can't cook the way she used to for now at least (don't know if with proper rest it'll be 100% better), I wonder if she's going to agree to being ZZJ's concubine for the simple reason that she can no longer cook?? That seems a rather vain reason though....(I mean, tomorrow is ep24 and in ep25-26, there's a wedding sooooooo)

I'm not 100% sure but I don't think he actually kissed her. He says right after, "If you still won't wake up, then I'll kiss you". So I'm assuming it means he leaned in to sort of fake her out/call her out on her pretending to be asleep, lol.

It's a bit long to explain but essentially, they disagree because the current emperor is more of a well-learned (book smart) emperor who doesn't have the same views of how to rule the country as the emperor who just passed did. Since he's inherited the throne, he's been slowly changing all the laws that the old emperor had in place. Not to say the current emperor is a bad person, he just doesn't have what it really takes to rule a country and make it prosper as he lacks the foresight to think of how to rule in the long run for the better of the country. The grandfather (old emperor) knew this, hence why he was relying mainly on the grandson in the future and said numerous times to him that he was going to leave the country in his hands specifically.

The biggest issue, and the one that the crown prince (ZZJ) has been arguing over with his dad in the past few episodes is the issue of the capital of China. It's currently in Beijing, which was actually moved there by the old emperor only a few years before he passed, but the current emperor wants to move the capital back to Nanjing. The crown prince disagrees with the current emperor on this point.

It's a palace court drama so eh, there's always going to be conflict, lol. Either way, the emperor has placed the embroidery guards (basically the CIA/FBI of China then) on his son which his son also does not like and so they're at odds there as well.

Yeah, I think it's only the first minute or so that's the actual preview, the last few are mashup of clips. I used to do vpn and go on mgtv to watch the previews directly but it's such a hassle!

Thanks for the preview! I never noticed them giving the jade pendant to the actual girl before!

This person uploads the previews daily https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXC6TcgMFEM&t=115s

I'm based in US so I don't have legal access unless I use a VPN, so I'm just watching the raws! I didn't see the preview with the dowager empress giving it to a younger girl but I figured there's no way her background was going to be so simple when we already knew the bgs of the other cooks in the first few episodes.

I'm reaaaally curious to know what happened to her after the emperor decided to go with the other girl, and what happened to her family etc. Did she really just work so hard to get into the palace to have another chance with him? Is she there for some sort of revenge (probably not, lol)?

Thanks for the tips!

I've actually been to the forbidden city twice before but that was in the dead of summer and it was humid as heck. I did a guided tour (as I'm from the US and it's super cheap that way) but also went on my own with family. I 100% did the touristy thing and purchased flower hats etc to wear and took all the photos possible but didn't go the step of wearing a hanfu hahaha. Hoping to get to go to China in the near future as there's lots of places I want to visit (Xi'an for one). There's so much more to explore and so much history!

(One thing I wasn't prepared for was all the walking ha.....)

This is a far more interesting route vs maid having a crush on the prince because he's the prince. I'm much more intrigued by their romance/relationship and how it'll progress now! (Also saw the previews for ep13 + 14 and pretty sure we're on the right track xD)