babepiggie

Do you know why the manhua Changge walked barefoot on the snow to surrender to the Ashile tribe? I almost wish it happened in the drama because it would be more dramatic. On the other hand, I thought the snow scene was already well done so perhaps it might be overkill? Hmmm...

I agree. Whoever put together Ashile Sun's look for the drama deserves an award for best costume design or something. With his mature acting and the grassland look, it really overcomes the age difference for some viewers who are mindful of the age gap. I personally don't care about the age thing (Reba does look young to me) but that look does give him a mature vibe.

It's not easy to do intricate braid designs on hair. I have tried and failed on my own hair so I am honestly envious of how awesome his hair looks.

I have watched a few Reba's dramas and IMO she wasn't challenged in her previous roles. Li Changge is completely different and requires more depth and emotional range. I can tell Reba was truly immersed in this role and she gave it her all in bringing this character to life on screen. Her fight scenes emoted more (lot more expressions like anger and dejection) and the crying scenes were heart-felt. She did lot of "ugly crying" which made it much more realistic and resonates more with me as a viewer. I am just happy for her that she could elevate her acting and wish for her to continue to grow as she takes on more new dramas.

I did check out her drama page and looking forward to her upcoming projects. It appears that both "The Blue Whisper" and "Legend of Anle" contain strong female characters so I'm excited for her portrayals. I am also anticipating her new modern drama, "You're My Glory" because I have read the novel and really love the FL and the story. I hope one day she can consider more gray/villain type characters. I want her to keep progressing and surprising us with different sides of her! :)

Gracie, after reading your episode summaries, I feel like I should to do my rewatch with you. Thank you for sharing your perspective of each episode.

I felt bad for Wei Shuyu especially having to deal with the snotty Du clan. He’s trying to salvage his family while trying his best to protect Changge. Changge did not realize it at the time but he did save her by shooting the arrow first because wooden Hao Du only knew how to follow orders and would shoot to kill.

Yes Minister Fan, keep provoking Minister Du! Whatever annoys that old man makes me happy!

And my precious A’Dou, I just love his smile and his sunny personality. He was exactly what Changge needed, someone to provide unconditional support for her during a time where she felt so helpless and lost.

Yeah, she stole the crown prince seal, thinking it might help her gather an army. In other dramas, it might have worked but not in TLB because generals apparently question the validity of a seal from a young “lad” who showed up without any reinforcements. I honestly thought she would cause problems using the seal but it was pretty much put to rest early on.

Definitely! He fell hard and he fell fast and he wasn't afraid to show it! In fact, he laid claim on her and gave men stink eyes if they acted too chummy with her. Haha!

Oh yes, now I remember Ah Sun’s pouty face when Situ Lang Lang came by and said his goodbyes. :P Ah Sun is very childish when he’s jealous. I love the scene preceding that where he openly flirted with her. Ah Sun is usually very stoic so it’s nice to see him smiling and playful.

I also remember a scene when she first arrived to the grasslands and she agreed to be his military strategist. She was having dinner and chatting with her “roommate”, another male Eagle tribe member, and Mu Jin commented they were sharing a tent. He immediately told Mu Jin to get her a separate tent and do it right NOW. Poor Ah Sun, he’s trying to fend off men left and right. His girl is just too charming and attracting all kinds of attention.

Of course! He looks so handsome especially when he wears the grassland attire! I am also very jealous of his long braided locks!

Those episodes were gut-wrenching. I cried so many tears. :( First with A’Dou’s death, then double down with Governor GongSun Heng’s sacrifice and his wife following suit. At this point, I was bawling my eyes out. Afterwards she had to personally deliver his head to Ashile Sun to only discover the face behind the mask was someone familiar to her, someone who saved and befriended her. Although she wasn’t forthright about her own identity, she did feel betrayed by him because she never imagined he headed the opposing army. So much tension! So gripping! That snow scene is definitely my top 3 scenes of the drama!

Yes, my favorite pair! At the beginning, I felt Ashile Sun was a disciplined man, very stoic and rational until he met Li Changge! What started as respect for her intelligence and toughness turned into awe as he was genuinely shocked that a young girl understood and implemented complex military tactics and schemes to avoid capture. This admiration manifested into something more when he realized she’s a girl. He, himself, did not truly know what these feelings were as they were foreign to him. All he knew was that he wanted to keep her safe with his many warnings (which she did not heed) as they bumped into each other through their separate travels from Chang’An to You State to Shou State.

He made many sweet overtures towards her despite Changge’s obliviousness to his affections. He suggested that she relocate to grasslands in which she balked at the idea. She did not know anyone there and he said, “You know me”. When she discovered his true identity, he put himself as the target to persuade her to keep living even if it’s only to kill him. He put his Eagle division at risk for her, especially her plot to save her father’s general.

His foster mother’s death was the turning point for him where he knew that power was meaningless if he could not protect the ones he loved most. After that, he’s pretty much became her puppy, following her around and growling at other men who are too close to his woman for comfort (Shuyu and Situ Lang Lang). Not to say he was a pushover because he had no problems refusing her such as fighting She Er for Leyan’s hand. Luckily, they are aligned in their goals (peace) and have the same values so their relationship is very balanced, almost perfect.

Not so much swords, but I want to get myself a bow and arrow after watching TLB. There were so many impressive archery scenes, the most notable one, the double shootout between Changge and Ah Sun. The use of the dagger is cool too. I’m always excited when I see Changge use her dagger as a weapon. :)

I know, poor girl! She suffered so much tragedy at the beginning. To add to her pain, she had no real support system either. The uncle she adored and who was more of a father to her than her biological father committed the worst betrayal. She also had a fight with her mother prior to her death so there was guilt from Changge that their relationship ended on unhappy terms. She couldn’t share her feelings or grief with her best friend and sister, Leyan considering she is her enemy’s daughter. Besides the emotional trauma, she was hunted like a dog by Hao Du and also suffered injuries in trying to survive. But through it all, she also mustered more strength than she thought possible and also established lasting relationships that helped her move on and heal. So many facets to her experience and very rewarding to watch her life and journey unfold on screen.

I think Reba had done an outstanding job as Li Changge and I personally could not imagine another actress portraying this titled character with the nuances she had shown. Li Changge was pretty much in men’s wear for most of the story and physically, Reba looked very good in men’s attire and also in battle armor. Her stunts were also well done. It seemed like Reba exerted a lot physical labor to the role as she took on fighting choreography as well as using the bow and arrow so the physical representation was spot on for me. With Lusi’s petite frame, I’m uncertain if she would be convincing in that regard.

I also have not seen enough of Zhao Lusi’s acting range to determine if she can handle the emotional aspect of the character Li Changge so I have reservations there. Perhaps down the road, if she were given a role similar to Li Changge, we can see for ourselves how she will tackle such a character.

A Lusi and Leo pairing can be a real possibility. They are both young actors so the prospect is definitely there. Leo seems very picky of the dramas he participates in so I am very curious about his future projects. I am most excited to see Leo’s progress and growth as an actor. I am also looking forward to Dilreba’s future dramas. I believe Li Changge is her breakthrough performance and want her to be selective of roles that will challenge her as an actress. I have become fans of Leo and Reba because of their TLB performances and just wish them the very best.

Yes, yes, yes!!! I concur. It's so refreshing that TLB does not follow the cliche formulas of corrupt officials planning a coup, unrequited loves propelling characters to path of evil or every young single male or female falling in love with FL or ML. Almost every drama contains one of the above but TLB did not have any of my above pet peeves. I especially hate the one where all fall for the FL/ML as though there are no other available single men or women around. I love that TLB has four viable couples, each with their own love story.

Was he jealous of Situ Lang Lang? I'm trying to remember the scene. Luckily Ah Sun didn't go with her to Mobei. The King of Mobei is good looking too. He might get jealous if she stood too close to the man.

"Ice Melt" and "Celibate One"? Your two nicknames are too funny! LOL.

Yes, Ah Sun is incensed at the thought of losing to Shuyu. He never wants to look "bad" in her eyes. Not one bit! Too cute!

I agree. Although I was disappointed that we did not see one live epic war scene, I still enjoy the drama for the story. I'm okay with certain animations inserted (like when Changge falling into the water) but for war scenes I do prefer live. I'm sure there were restrictions and perhaps time constraints.

Yes, the scene where Changge was going for blood to avenge A'Dou was the perfect scene to just do all live choreography. I was disappointed that it did not happen.

OMG, is the Mobei dance dubbed the "COVID" dance? I can totally see it. Too funny!

Agree, I do not care for Minister Du but I guess his impending death near the end was used to excuse all his previous contrary actions. He gets no punishment (not even scolding) for going against imperial orders not to kill Changge. He only had a change of heart when Changge took a knife to the back for him. Hao Du tried to inject a couple of times about not killing her but he was dismissed by his foster father. Very frustrating. Some might say, it’s a moot point because Changge did not die despite the many attempts but the intent was there. I think intent is just as important as the result. I guess I should take a page out of Changge’s playbook and forgive the man but no, not now. Feelings are still too raw.

I have mixed feelings about Mimi. I truly sympathize with her character in that she is put in an untenable position of trying to save her brother and trying not to betray her friends. And yes, I agree, her upbringing does play a role to her mindset because she feels helpless and does not have the skills to change the course. Luckily, through Changge and Mu Jin (and by extension Ah Sun and Eagle Division), she then has the resources and people who want to help her. To me, the most disappointing thing is that she did not trust her friends enough to disclose Khatan’s evil plot from the beginning. It does get old because just when I think she has turned the corner by defying Khatan’s orders and bringing the herbs to save Mu Jin’s life, she would revert back to following Khatan’s orders and causing troubles for Changge. It’s probably deliberate plot point to extend the story but because of this, it does paint Mimi in a bad light until her death. I honestly like that she was a close female friend to Changge and could see she was trying to do her best. It was very hard to watch her inner conflict on screen. The actress did an admirable job. Mimi was not an easy character to portray.

Better late than never! I also recently started commenting and still find many topics to be engaging. There are many helpful “regulars” here offering explanations and participating in interesting discussions. I’m sure some topics are rehashed but I do enjoy reading others’ perspectives about the drama that eluded me on my first viewing (I have not rewatched yet). So please start any topics that are on your mind and I will probably comment since they will be new to me! ?

Agree wholeheartedly with your comments! The drama is about Li Changge’s journey and what a journey it is! The drama started with so much heartache and yet the character is able to rise above it and finds forgiveness, love, friendship and purpose in life. I’m in awe of her story and I really have not seen a drama that chronicles such an amazing character growth. At the drama conclusion, there are so many positive messages from the show, such as love - not just romantic love but familial bond, love for one’s country and citizens and lifelong friends who love one another and willing to make the ultimate sacrifice. Importance of forgiveness is also a major theme; those who forgive and move on can live a more meaningful life. What I also admire about TLB is how progressive the men are in their thinking and the female empowerment showcased by the central female characters. Obviously our titled character, Li Changge led the charge but at the end Leyan also showcased her strengths and became more vocal. Kudos to the male characters in the show like Li Shimin and Tang ministers who encouraged Changge to learn and excel in all matters that were usually privileged to the male population, particularly in a period where feminism was not widely accepted. Yes, Changge was gifted and talented but if she weren’t given these resources, she would not be as capable during her survival after leaving Chang’An.

I can go on forever but yes, it’s a definite must watch for those who are on the fence about this drama! I love the romantic relationship of GeSun as much as the next person but I love the character Li Changge more and from the beginning, is most invested in her growth and her story.