asian_things

loved watching the first few eps and the desert scenes, however, I felt like the pace of the drama slowed down alot once FL entered the palace. Particularly we had some lovely screen time of at least 10mins an episode of her lounging on a chair outside and reading. I like to think that on a few rare occasions she makes a discovery about the doom scroll but on most days it’s just meaningless reading. Anyway finally we got some action and the plot picked up again once Ruo Wen took her back to the new Masui kingdom.

Is just me but his death was particularly hard to watch? It’s not pity for his character but the nature of the violence quickly drew my attention. It just looked so painful. I finished this drama weeks ago and I still remember the blood oozing down his arm and onto Ge Xin Wei’s hands as he pulled both of them out of the underground cave. Then he proceeded to get attacked, beaten, stabbed but still refused to kneel down or submit to Na Zhan. This certainly portrays his character very well. He has zero regrets for his actions now or the past. He doesn’t feel remorseful for his past behaviour but he doesn’t blame anyone for his current situation either. This scene was very long, it’s hard to forget about.

After she was captured by Ming Gu and brought back to the camp. Their interactions then and at the hostage scene at the cliff, didn’t seem like she was too mad at him. It seemed like she accepted his past choices.

yk what I have no regrets watching this. I love an intense, fast paced drama where the plot moves around and is not set in one singular place. Not to mention the acting of the leads was phenomenal. Every emotion was truely felt.

But I think putting aside the devastating ending, my main disappointment is that they dragged out the plot after Murong Xuan Lie died. I didn’t feel the need to see Mei Lin and Prince Yue Qin together for over 6 eps. The Xi Yan King immortality arc also went no where else apart from taking time away from the leads.

Also surprised by how relatively easily Mei Lin basically forgave Yue Qin after he idk lied to her, harms innocent ppl including their FRIENDS, secretly doing a blood transfusion transaction by using slaves behind her back, threatens her, locks her up, DISPOSES HER MARTIAL ARTS SKILLS (need I remind everyone of when the ML did it in Love and Bidfarewell) all in the name of saving her even tho Yue Qin knows this goes against everything Mei Lin stands for.

Anyway regardless I’m glad I watch it and I hope we can more big and thrilling dramas in the future.

That’s a good point! But what’s the point of giving Mei Lin a slightly different poison, if at the time he knew that nonetheless that red coix seeds could detoxify the poison anyway. Or so he thought~

Bit confused about the Mombai poison. As the master of shadow works, Jing He clearly has an antidote for its mombai warriors to relieve their poison each time they successfully complete a task. Why didn’t Jing He just give her the antidote instead of asking General Yin for the red coix seed??

And as it so happens, Mei Lin ends up finding it on her own and consumes it. But the doctor later reveals that it won’t eliminate the poison completely due to her weak constitution and Mei Lin’s death date in a year’s time has become certain if she does not obtain another antidote composed of rare medicinal compounds.

Now I’m that assuming the original antidote for mombai warriors that the ShadowWorks Master has won’t be effective anymore on Mei Lin as she has already consumed the red coix seeds. Hence, we wait for the doctor to find the ingredients for the new antidote. But why didn’t Jing He just give her the antidote originally instead of wanting to give her the red coix seeds?

Ah yes ur first theory is what I was looking for! Thanks

Always saw this in c dramas, but never understood the science behind it, how does cutting urself and having the blood flow out mitigate the effects of being drugged? Would this work in real life or is it only drama logic?

Is it just me or does General Yin seem to have aegyo-sal style make up? It might just be her natural features but make up happens to accentuate it. I keep thinking that she’s a character straight out of a manga when I see her on screen.

I finally had time to finish it! Looks like I was right ahaha! I think from the second half of the drama onwards it was becoming clear where the drama was gonna end at and that Ban Meng would up with Mu Ran. I too am not rlly a big fan of the couple, but I think a lot of it is just personal preference. Bc even tho I didn’t rlly see them together but I think the drama did do a good job in leading up to the ending. It all made sense to me.

You could see Ban Meng and Mu Ran forming a connection thru heart felt conversations, moments where Ban Meng is reluctant to be closer to Mu Ran bc of her revenge, you see her having sad flashbacks of her time with Mu Ran multiple times in the drama when she is in a moral dilemma. Furthermore when she thought he died and told him that she did have feelings for him and also affirmed it with a kiss.

In contrast, she doesnt have that with Ye Ting at all. There’s no love at all. In normal love-hate relationships, u usually have moments where the FL softens or feels guilty or conflicted bc of the ML’s actions that shows a different side of him eg. he defends her, he saves her, he cooks for her. But in this drama, u don’t see this bc the entire time Ye Ting does not treat Ban Meng well at all. He is skeptical her and treats her harshly, likewise, Ban Meng is is deliberately stirring him up. And it’s not just hatred but disgust that she holds towards him. There aren’t moments of hesitation, she can effortlessly scheme against him and manipulate the situation.

Like I said mentioned earlier, things like chemistry and how we see the relationships, r rlly just personal preference. It shouldn’t detract from the storyline and this is a storyline that uses Ban Meng’s revenge towards Ye Ting to help her find herself again while letting go of the past and discovering true love (Mu Ran).

But yea I don’t think this drama was rlly that interesting to me either. Anyways that’s my thoughts :P

FINALLYYY!!! Been waiting for ages :D
but I just know watching this and Love in the Dessert at the same time is gonna be so stressful🤣🤣 I can sense all the angst already😭

Mu Ran is advertised as the official ML.

also AHAHA I noticed u changed the emojis in ur og comment

the SML is Ye Ting lol, not Mu Ran ahaha. So @Xiaofang was referring to Ye Ting dying I think.

when we were discussing it after watching ep19, it seemed like u were implying that Ban Meng had true feelings for Ye Ting but was just conflicted bc of revenge but would ultimately end up with with him. Whereas I was suggesting that she would never have romantic feelings towards him ever again. And just with the last sentence of the synopsis, “let go of hatred, rediscovered themselves, and pursued true love”; it means that she has to end up with someone and probs will be Mu Ran cos of the way the drama is pushing them to be together by purposely creating scenes where they can foster a genuine relationship (despite that no one actually ships them🤣) and bc he actually is the ML.

also the FL’s conversation and kiss with Mu Ran on the cliff confirms her feelings for him; “It’s not that I don’t love u, but it’s that I can’t love you”. This implies that she does love him romantically but is hesitant to start anything with Mu Ran bc her revenge on Ye Ting is still incomplete.

And after watching ep 22, it seems like I might be right ahaha at least for the part regarding Ban Meng and Ye Ting for now.

sooo it looks like we have Ruo Wen to thank for the upcoming bath scene🤣🤣

I think it was him who was at the northern kingdom cos they showed it in his flashback, that’s why he felt guilty after finding out the FL’s identity and has been avoiding her.

wait where does it mention a twin??

yess I was gonna say this too😩 like I don’t care about logic but this just too funny. The way he just watches the FL all the time, literally as if he is playing hide and seek LOL. He is not very stealthy is he🤣 Like he will move to hide behind a pillar but I can still see him😭😭

Not to the mention, the way the ML just casually goes to rescue Hua Rong with no plan or backup whatsoever.

ALSO how did the SML who was pretty much right behind the ML not notice that he pressed a button to activate the door to the secret room. The way he kept trying to PULL apart the bookshelves while his hands was literally inches away from the button HAHAHHA I cannot

I think just bc she feels sad and reluctant, it’s not necessarily romantic feelings she feels but it’s more about friendship and the companionships she’s formed as a child.

yeah I don’t rlly like Ban Meng and Mu Ran together either. But I think that’s just what the story is moving towards.

And as Amarina has stated, in ep18, a flashback shows that Mu Ran knows about the curse and in his monologue, he states that he only wants Ye Ting to fall in love with her so that she can live.

But yes we shall see!! :D

I’m rolling, how are we thinking the polar opposite rn🤣🤣 I’m pretty sure Mu Ran is only helping the FL winover Ting Ye bc he knows about the Gu bug curse and that for the FL to live, Ye Ting must fall completely in love with the FL. And after the plan has been carried out, the mother gu bug is able to live, Mu Ran will want to be with the FL.

I noticed that when FL was under
anaphrodisiac, she wanted to get close to Mu Ran and she said his name, which showed some awareness that she knew who he was in that moment. I think this indicates her true feelings for him.

In contrast, when she decided that to advance her plan, she needed Ye Ting to think that they have slept together, she was unwilling to sacrifice herself, and had someone else disguised as herself to do it.

It’s hard for me to believe that FL will ever like Ye Ting again, even if the truth is revealed and if it was a misunderstanding. I think things have just gone too far and the adult FL has never had any feelings towards adult Ye Ting, it’s been pure manipulation and calculation. At most, they can be friends in the end.

oh rlly ahahah! I’ve watched all the recent ones too. To me her relationship with Ye Ting is all part her plan and she has total control over the relationship. I don’t think she has any real feelings towards him and it’s all an act. Whereas, in recent eps, u can see her getting closer with Mu Ran, confiding with each other. And it seems like she’s developing feeling for Mu Ran but is suppressing it due to her revenge plan.