Calla

i tend to prefer flawed characters more than perfect ones, as i find them more layered and fun, but i actually really like lanxiang too, despite her perfection. part of that reason is because i've seen her lose everything and everyone. i've seen her suffer. when a character is a good person, and she is this pitiful, why wouldn't i want to see her succeed?

i treat her like i would treat another woman in real life. if i see someone very beautiful, talented, and accomplished, my first instinct isn't to try to find faults.

also, the drama did clarify why she is so knowledgeable. the shen family doesn't discriminate based on gender; they give their daughters the same level of education as they give their sons. since her grandfather was an extremely high-ranked official, they were able to provide her with the most elite tutors around.

to say she has no emotion and she is cold isn't really fair to her. didn't we both see her terrified for her life during those early episodes when every wrong move could result in her death at the lin mansion? she is very cautious because she knows fear. that isn't a lack of emotions... that is the instinct of a survivor. didn't we see her hold no grudges over the people who have wronged her in the past? she has helped the lin family, ji'er, and xingtang. that isn't coldness... that is compassion.

when the drama first started airing, there were many people saying the pacing was too slow, complaining about a lack of romance and screentime between the leads, and wondering why there wasn't more revenge.

i would assume those people rated it according to how they felt, which is one of the reasons why the rating is what it is. but to be honest, c-dramas have always had a harder time receiving a high rating on mydramalist.

in my heart, this is a 10/10 drama as well. it deserves at least a 9/10 for the overall rating, but an 8.8/10 is already a feat. don't worry, i'm sure the rating is only going to go up from here.

thank you, and heavy on the "that family owes her more than she owes them." they would've died so many times over if it weren't for her stepping in. yet she never held this fact over their heads; she considered all debts paid after her family gained their freedom - all through her own merits btw. she does not owe them anything.

i don't think we are watching the same drama. lanxiang does NOT want to avenge her family. her only goal since the extermination of the shen family has been to live well... those two words have been repeated over and over again. so where are we getting this "revenge" trope from?

she is a multifaceted person. she can be sad that the lin family broke off the engagement without having to hold a grudge against them for the rest of her life. and she doesn't hold a grudge. that is why she continues to help them. the entire reason why she is mad at him isn't because he is a lin; it is because he took away her power of choice.

i love jinqi, and he's one of my favorite characters, but i do find it interesting how some of you defend a slave owner forcing his ex-slave to be his wife so hard - painting him as more sympathetic than the actual ex-slave who had no power in the matter herself.

literally this! it is such a treat to find a drama that pulls us in so completely that we just can't help but live the moment right alongside the characters.

"i just saw you feed some to the mule..." - jinqi's reaction to lanxiang feeding that mule some brown sugar and then using the same hand to feed him right after was the only time i laughed in this entire episode. i had to mention the mule lol. 😭

and yes, you're right. it does look a lot like a horse. 😂

that entire scene broke my heart.

watching jinlan step up to trick the traitorous soldiers so they would leave the premises... seeing him give his wife those roasted peanuts before he left and her tears falling over them... witnessing him cough up blood because of the stress of that interaction... hearing him make his niece promise not to tell the others... and then seeing xiuwan sigh in relief, "thank goodness my second brother is here" once they realized they were safe...

she didn't even realize that her dear brother was living on borrowed time. 😭

that scene made me laugh. 😂 it was a much needed comedic relief in the midst of all the chaos.

lanxiang and jinqi are killing it as always, but i'm so thankful that the supporting characters are all getting their moments to shine in ep35. my standout scene stealers:
- nanke
- sun yong
- han liang
- the emperor
- jinlan

honorary mention:
- the mule lol

seriously though. how is it possible that each time i think, "this is my favorite episode yet", the drama continues to deliver one more that is even better? i hope it sweeps every single award when the time comes.

correct. her name is xingluo, and she's xingtang's younger sister.

i have a feeling xie zhao isn't very fond of her either, so it's probably another jinqi + xingtang situation.

yes, it's like @meiiyuki said.

according to the spoilers i read, xiuwan originally planned to stay single forever, but scholar xie eventually proposes to her. they get married when she is 35 years old.

not sure if this will be included in the drama, but from the missed encounter we saw in today's episode, it feels pretty likely.

yeah, i expected him to marry literally anyone else given his high standards, but i guess the power and status of the zhao family was just too tempting lol.

i agree. no wonder grandpa lin was so worried. he might be too strict, but he does have a point.

and how he didn't think highly of the lin family because he didn't feel they were scholarly enough. yet, he married a zhao daughter who can't even read or write. obviously, there is nothing wrong with being an illiterate woman, but the situation is a bit ironic.

i saw some funny comments about ep34 on rednote and i just wanted to share:

person a: "poor lin jinqi, his head isn't even worth as much as what his wifey makes from writing a play."
person b: "that's barely enough to buy a pot of orchids lol"

against the current fans from everywhere are all so witty. 😂

the kiss on the lips will be his reward if he makes it out of this rebellion alive. we gotta give this man some motivation to keep fighting. 😭

true, and it's just too heartbreaking. i hope she feels safe enough to confide in him someday. 🥹

hmm, she was indeed bratty and selfish in the past, but she has always been genuinely loyal and protective of her siblings. regardless of who was wronging jinqi, she consistently stood up for him.

i just wanted to give lanxiang a hug during that birthday dinner scene.

watching her drink wine with tears in her eyes, i couldn't help but mourn all the things she has lost with her. no one in this world will ever celebrate her real birthday again... because everyone who knew it is gone. she gets to grow older each year, but all of her shen family will remain the same age as when she last saw them. i wonder if she ever told her adoptive parents her real birthday...

jinqi was really sweet in this moment though. i'm sure he had hoped for a happier reaction from her, but even so, he still quietly and patiently indulged her silence.

right??? the writers treat him as more than just his illness. it's so refreshing!