budoboo

We should have a question answering icon on this site. Maybe a gold flower after the VIP status bar maybe? If you want a steller answer ask ____ or ____. < ----insert PBG.

So well put.

You make good character observations that I support. However, in this instance, its the FLs acting. Its not just a little bad. Its Meng Zi Yi bad. She is out of place and out acted in every scene. She is bringing down the status of the drama already and we are only on episode 12. I am going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume its due to her being a comtemporary drama actress. Its one of the most tragic miscasts in 2025. Period.

Afkingmen.

Refer to episode 11 and his convo with Li Qin: First, he got away from it via the Dao way. He aligns himself with the natural forces swirling around him and acts according to true principle. The men in the room were going nuts over the gold. He stepped away from the energy and took wu-wei. Its also the very reason why he has so little after his success with the 8 Families. When his time comes it comes and with it will be powerful 'natural' energy. Second, he has no attachment to wealth objects as he sees and feels himself to be a criminal ghost and in turn free from want (by not having rights). The friggen writing is superb.

exactly.

Good catch! Been having an unsettling 'what is coming up next' feeling about Li Wantang beyond what the script calls for. No wonder - ffs Royal Nirvana traumatized me. Watching it was like being punched in the heart/head in a dark room when you could not see it coming. Never got used to the darkness of the drama nor the out of the blue 'is this really necessary to advance the story' sadistic punches. One of the only dramas I had to stop watching. That being said, Huang Zhi Zhong acted his arse off in that drama and is giving it a real go here.

Or both. Add in the contrast given ML's acting chops too.

Thank you!

Let me second that. ♥️ Ranks high on my hot as hell trapped by a crazy woman recently escaped list.

Its mongolian throat singing no?

So far the FL is the weakness. Its as if you can see the acting swirling in her head before she delivers her lines. The dub may or may not be adding to the 'miss-match' (trying to be nice). Its a misscasting or - giving the benefit of the doubt for now - its the overacting younger version of herself that will improve with her aging?

and easy on the eyes - oh my.

so well put! in some instances it was even a great almost middle.

moving in that direction though she is still a toss up for me.

Arggggg. Afraid to say how good this is - its too darn soon. Will just start with the production value, so far, is outstanding. Not surprising given the budget. CX (fav actor short list) - appears to be a glove fit between character and actor. Still, even after a promising start, we know how it goes this year so its too soon to tell if the calibre of this drama will hold up. Still a gurl can dream.

Season 2 still rules for me. Why? Look and feel, character development, the quality of the 'monsters' and hanging on the edge of my seat stories, no kabuki theatre for the emperor and grand princess, more substance less 'style', etc.

kabuki theatre for real.

well said!

This was an absolute delight. Did not let me down. Could go on and on about why this is one of the best Cdrama series ever. Feels like I am eating an award winning dessert at my fav restaurant - about 3/4 of the way through devouring it I have to slow it down cause I know its going to end! I watched one episode a day towards the end and resisted the 'dump'. When each 'season' of this drama ends I imagine it as a never ending weekly series and refuse to wake up from the dream.

My favourite story this time around? Five Feet from Heaven. Cried my eyes out. Been a while that a drama gets me crying. There was no other way forward given the choices that Du Yu & Wei Tao made. They both understood in their own way the intent to protect/correct had honor, they were willing to take the consequences for their actions, and then they went too far into the need for revenge and the stories they told themselves to reason their actions. They literally lost the 'plot'. Crossing a line that no longer represented anything protective, noble, or ethical and just kept going. It was not and eye for an eye it became a thirst for blood.

Hell Yes:
- Acting. Beyond the core set of actors, everyone of their steller support actors and guests gave their all. Some putting in their best acting effort to date.
- Story telling/writing/directing/production (thank you to all).
- The obvious next-level Yang Xu Wen's fighting scenes. Scandal aside, he is turning into an actors actor.
- Lu Ling Feng + Su Wu Ming 'live marketing' on replay. Think it should be officially turned into a drinking game: take a shot every time either of them say their name or each other's name.
- Depth. This friggen drama 3-set has at times profound depth and its at the front and centre. And, we are still watching. Not concerned with a HE, romance, and/or kissing. Just shuttin up and watching.