_Kage_

try the rest of this author's novels

i recommend deng hua xiao and rebirth of the malicious empress. the translated links are in the novel discussion thread
these + lotfg is my top 3 from her

the last 2-3 eps was the screenwriter getting "creative" without the novel as a bible

they are just checking a box. In the novel Yan He does die to a poison arrow but a month later. With LSH's help, he held on waiting for HY to reinforce him so that he can both transfer leadership of his army as well as gathered intelligence to her

that is my unhappiness with the last 3 eps. It really became an exercise of manufacturing situations to enact key moments of the novel - without the same background or buildup

yes.... shallow water becomes a deep lake when she falls in

Novel was a transmigration story so does not align to the drama.
HRF was a schemer but he did not work with xu jing fu until after he assumed the FeiHong general title. Other than working with Wutou with XJF, he was basically his own antagonist in cahoots with HY's husband (flashback reveals that he overhead her identity and blackmailed HRF) over the Feihong identity (XJF was not aware).
The evils he did was
1) blind HY
2) kill HY
3) like drama arranged an ambush that killed all of HY's Fuyue Army commanders.
4) Sent Ding Li to Sun family (he was a master poisoner and his main right hand)
5) scheme with XJF around Wutou (mainly the battle of ??? that killed the commanders, no reinforcement with Rundu and the open market with Wutou)
6) attempted to assassinate HY after her identity was revealed to be female at the royal banquet (I can't recall why she was seen as a threat)

The novel did not have much if any strategic discussions between XJF and him, he is more of a follower swearing allegiance to XJF.

the lazygirl link in the discussion thread is a bit better translation quality imo https://lazygirltranslations.com/rebirth-of-a-star-general/

some assumed that he wanted he yan more than the mum

she died and transmigrated into the body of another girl with nearly the same name that had died of ... heartbreak.? think it was a hunger strike.

read it! link is in the discussion thread

this is a drama only development

he had actually given her up, and was forced by the emperor to deliver the decree that would betrothed her to 2nd ML - and he delivered while she was trying on their wedding dress.

so she was pissed.
he later came around and found her at her new mansion. kissed her and got bitten in return.

enjoy! out of her novels i read. deng hua xiao is top 2 for me together with malicious empress. LOTFG is actually no 3 of her novels for me

her mum and FL came as a package when FL mum married mr he. there was a throwaway line FL entered the he family at age 3 and has never met he ru fei who was already in yuhua temple

she is not a concubine - she wouldn't have been introduced as the Madam of the He family

yup mr he is not FL father

same here. some high and lows but steady throughout till last 3 eps. Last 3 eps really jarring in terms of the story telling for me compared to the previous 33.

looks at 1 and 2....hmm recency bias :P

i already finished. beginning and ending was good. it's middle 20eps that was a pain

well that twist is drama only

i didn't like a dream within a dream all that much - its middle section was a slog to get through

all of the author's stories feature strong FL with supporting ML.
Try https://kisskh.at/684963-the-rebirth-of-the-malicious-empress-of-military-lineage and https://kisskh.at/775855-deng-hua-xiao (novel links are in their discussions)

the nephew / doctor character used to be played by Li MIng De. the body you see is still his - they just use AI to swap the face to the new actor without having to reshoot scenes.

also helps they dubbed everyone so vocal performance did not have to be changed.

yes i was surprised XJ included that in his confession ...

i was like.. i know she knows.. but when did HE know?