elysian5509

Dont know if anyone has shared this but its on Netflix for those who want to watch it there

I agree with this. The reaction to the current emperor was very weird...

No worries, thanks. I might look into the novel but they probably didn't explain there either tbh. I really didn't like the elaborate political subplot which is unusual because I usually enjoy political subplots the most in other stories.

Exactly! Not to mention she’s not even fully trained yet knows perfect war strategy? Given XZ’s strength (not physical but mental) it makes sense. He’s been moulded into what he is. Despite only killing two enemies, she’s able to stand in front of renowned generals who’ve been in the army for years as their superior?

They keep forgetting the reality of the show’s setting where a butcher’s daughter is at the bottom of society (not saying it’s good) and I’d expect the army to only start following her after her identity is revealed despite her achievements because that’s simply how things were back then.

The drama doesn’t really make this clear, especially given the spoilers for future episodes. It doesn’t even seem like a choice; it feels like something orchestrated it to become regent. What happened to the emperor at the end? I doubt they’d kill him off.

Yes, they realised they messed up the characterisation of XZ too much so they randomly added that scene.

Can you explain XZ’s motivations for deposing the incompetent emperor? The drama made sure to show he wasn’t really interested in politics. Once he took got ride of of the Wei and Li factions, he shouldn’t have cared about being regent but yet he does. It just makes him look like another Wei Yan.

Having watched many political dramas, he’s actually a typical character that people would write as a villain or a villain in the making.

Also, the show focused too much on the third CP when logically it doesn’t make sense for her to be on their side. I saw some of the scenes in the leaked episodes and the end looks very unserious.

You hit the nail on the head with this comment. What happened to her own goals and why did she simply abandon them to become a general whose armies were willing to follow her to the death? While she certainly gained some fame among the Xie army, Last checked they didn’t have the internet then. How could word travel so quickly and in such a sexist time period to garner such a loyal following? Furthermore, we never really see XZ fight and he made so many mistakes losing the Sui dude twice that he seemed not as legendary.

The show writers were clearly torn. They wanted him to be green enough to be the shining male protagonist but also needed him to be somewhat loyal to the source material about being terrifying. So they threw in a few scenes of him stabbing people.

Exactly the same. I’ve also commented on here that there was a strange shift that happens at ep 30 and we’re supposed to just ignore it as viewers. I hadn’t read the novel before so I didn’t expect such a big political subplot to happen. We’re still in the village by episode 20 and the battlefield by episode 30. What space could they have to share such a deep subplot? I guess I was wrong.
The rationalisation for wanting to depose the current emperor in episode 32 isn’t properly explained. The scenes just made him seem like another Wei Yan. Also By episode 15, I was wondering why these high-ranking nobles were so willing to listen to a butcher girl considering the importance of the class system at the time. They threw realism out the window for this show.

It genuinely felt like the writer changed after episode 28 because I was hooked up until then. Some say it’s because the second CP gets too much screen time but that’s definitely not the case. It’s more like the personalities of both XZ and CY shifted at episode 30. If XZ is supposed to be ruthless then that side of him shouldn’t have suddenly appeared at episode 32 with his whole ear-cutting business. And CY, who was supposed to be a strong but otherwise ignorant village girl, suddenly became a perfect heroine?

The show had too much emphasis of the granny and the pig-slaughtering squad (though I love them). There’s also too much filler and not enough focus on the story’s drivers like Wei Yan, the Li family and even more info on the emperor. It becomes telling rather than showing. Furthermore, while the show takes itself seriously, there are scenes where the main characters almost become Mary Sues, unlike the earlier episodes where they seemed flawed yet good and human.

Yes, this type of story with so many layers needed faster pacing. If they go slow, they need about 60 episodes, and there’s no in-between. Fitting in 17 years of backstory (literally) made the episodes from 28 onwards so disjointed. Many scenes from the wartime period could have been removed. For example, some scenes during dam construction could have been used to advance the plot or link current events to past incidents to strengthen the narrative until the final reveal. Instead, they opted for the typical style of a CDrama reveal.

I agree. The village arc could have been shortened. It was enjoyable but stretched on too long given the needs of future episodes. I’m not familiar with the screenwriters’ earlier work but it takes a truly talented writer to craft a place intrigue story and they faltered here.

You perfectly captured my thoughts. The first 20 episodes were incredibly cinematic but unfortunately, the last 30 descended into the common Cdrama pit of overused tropes. I honestly wish there hadn’t been a political subplot at all.

The should have created more episodes. The restriction to 40 episodes has already been lifted....

I was hooked on this show until episode 25 when the writing unfortunately fell back on typical CDrama tropes. I finally gave up at episode 30 but I don’t regret watching it.

Relatively speaking, I also don’t understand why XZ won’t simply become another Wei Yan in the future. Having read all the spoilers, it doesn’t make sense for a show that takes itself so seriously to write a “fairy tale” of a young military leader like XZ becoming regent and no one being scared.

But why? Age-wise, he doesn’t seem connected to the massacre 17 years ago and I don’t think they’d have made his sister so likeable if she was going to be forced to be against them simply (because she’s his sister). I have no doubt Wei Yan might be involved in the current emperor’s ascension but I doubt he was a willing participant so it doesn’t make sense for XZ to be so antagonistic.

As someone who hasn’t read the novel, I’m curious why. Unless the emperor isn’t of the imperial line, which I assume he is, XZ doesn’t seem interested in politics or overt loyalty to the crown. The only reason he’d want a regime change would be if the current emperor was evil or was involved in the massacre 17 years ago. However, the timing doesn’t make sense age wise and while the emperor hasn’t built any audience loyalty, his sister has? She is friends with XZ and I reckon she wouldn't be too happy with the situation?

My issue is how young he looks. Plus he seems very afraid of Wei Yan so he doesnt look like a willing puppet. However XZ seems very against him in the previews and its confusing why he would be..outright.

Bust isn't he very young? I assumed he go on the throne at a young age? I really don't want another war/battle episode

The previews have made me curious. It seems XZ may go against the current emperor? Without spoiling the novel, can some say yes or no to if the current emperor is evil?