lilseemonster

I was actually hoping they’d have a reunion because I thought they had great chemistry in Blossom. But I didn’t want this kind of set up 😅

I'll start this off by saying, I loved this drama. My favorite parts was definitely when she was still the maid. My only (tiny) complaint is Xianglan became a really boring, untouchable female lead after a while. She's great, she's kind, she's highly intelligent, and she's virtuous. However, she got quite dull. Nothing stumps her, nothing poses as a challenge, she just comes in like a shining white knight with the solution to solve everyone's problems (which is fine, someone's gotta do it). What kept me going were really the stories of all the side characters. I started just seeing Xianglan as a playwriter, the invisible hand that pushed all the characters in her life/on her pages to the right place and the right time to ensure they had a happy ending. I particularly loved Xiuwan's character development and how she went full circle with Xie Zhao. She's so much wiser than her mother. So glad second aunt's kids have so much more sense than her. Jier is another favorite. Li Meng also played Zhao Xintang so flawlessly. She's really a master at playing these grey characters.

I will also add, while there are flaws (nothing's perfect after all), I felt like the screenwriter and production team really cared and tried to tell a good story. There was thought put into the writing. There were moments of spectacular cinematography. I particularly enjoyed how they showed the passage of time in many episodes. I also loved how they juxtaposed Xianglan's first play with the issues the women in her life were facing. Overall, it was a really enjoyable watch and one of the best of the year.

I don't know. I know grandma said that, but I still felt like the Shens were no idiots. They should've been able to deduce what was going to happen if they didn't bend. I would not risk the life of my family like that. Angering an emperor who violently usurped the throne isn't a joke.

I actually assumed she just listed things that they, as children, would understand. They're not married yet, so giving them an example like you can live for your spouse wouldn't really get the message across to them anyway. So instead, she used examples that they know, parents because they have their mom, and the small daily joys of living on earth.

I was rewatching You Are My Glory a few months ago and just made the connection too! I thought she was great in In Blossom. I was hoping for a reunion with LXY, but not like this.. 🫠

Exactly. I also have a hard time believing that a man of grandpa Shen's intelligence wouldn't have known that his whole family would be implicated. Grandpa Lin said nothing would've changed even if grandpa Shen knew his whole clan would be wiped out. I think they also showed what happened to Scholar Han to tell the audience that she ended up with the right husband. Scholar Han is more like her grandpa. Jinqi on the other hand, like his grandpa, would prioritize his family.

Totally. I love the show but Lanxiang defintely has A LOT of plot armor. Like when she was sold to the brothel, what are the realistic chances that she'd run into Jier. Even how she managed to save Jier without help, if the ex-wife didn't offer that whole "I'll let you take her if you get the ball in" bet, she would never have been able to do it.

I also feel bad for Scholar Han. As the cdramas always tell us, accompanying a king is like accompanying a tiger. You never know when it'll attack you. Even though the Shens were vindicated and given accolades years later, I still don't think it's worth it. I would put down my integrity for the lives of my family.

Say what you will about grandpa Lin. I'd rather be his grandkid than grandpa Shen.

She was always one to talk a lot 😂 Woman also gave a whole speech last time. Maybe a little bit of over confidence on her part, and a little bit of plot armor for our heroine

they skipped a day

Oh! I forgot about him. He’s young though. They don’t get murderous until they’re older 🤣 I did think he was a reasonable and intelligent emperor. Since you brought up the Double. I was struggling with remembering why Mr Lu looked so familiar and I just realized he played Jiang Li’s dad in the Double!

The biggest cdrama villains in historicals are usually the emperor. I was just imagining how happy JinQi and Jialan would’ve been married if her family didn’t get punished like that. There are very few dramas where I actually love the emperor, one of which is the emperor in LLTG and Ever Night (season 1).

thank you for the warning! I waited until 20+ episodes was out thinking I would be able to pace myself as new episodes release. I'll never learn that that just results in a sleepless night.

FL literally watched her aunts, cousins/sisters, grandma all die with her own eyes as a child. That's a lot of trauma to unpack. Marrying into a noble family basically puts her and her adopted parents back in danger because now there's involvement with politics and the emperor. She could've lived a simple commoner life off the radar. I think her anger is fully justified. On the other hand, if she gave in, fell in love quickly, I find that less realistic (even though we're not exactly watching these dramas for realism most of the time).

I actually love the full circle moments this drama has served up. Jier managed to save her life and was sold off, but then later she reappears and her story gets proper closure. You think second sister was just there for the Du sibling arc, but she's reappeared throughout and shown growth (she's wiser than her mother!). Even with Zhao Xintang, she's gone from the Lin household in the very beginning, but here she's back and gets a proper conclusion with our FL. In our personal lives, there's not necessarily an "arc" the has a proper beginning and end for everyone. Most of the people around us weave in and out of our lives at different stages. I love this style of storytelling here that does a similar thing, where character's stories and development are weaved in and out throughout the drama.

yeah with the most unserious maid servant ever 😂 they're so cute together

Didn't his last wife of 6 years give him the cold shoulder and cheat on him? This is nothing. Our ML can handle it 😅

Yes, prisoner of beauty. When they killed off Wei Liang (chubby funny general) after he got engaged to Xiao Tao (FL's attendant) 😭.

Tagging spoiler in case anyone hasn't watched it yet.

like his wife said, he's shameless and has thick skin. He'll be okay!

I'm trying so hard not to fall in love with Nanke and Jiugao because of past c-trauma, but it's so hard. I'm so worried about the babies. The Double and POB ruined me 😭