I am only interested in this drama because of Liu Yuning. Can anyone tell me about his role and romantic arc and…
i like his story/background more than the main leads. Hao Du owes everything to his foster father. HD respects and values his foster father. HD does not question what his foster father does b/c he thinks the world of him (wiseness and character). HD was tasked with tracking down Chang Ge (she's from the run from Li Shi Min, b/c of the death of her family) b/c of the perceived threat she may hold against the LSM/royal court/family. LeYan, oldest daughter of LSM, (cousins through the dad's side of the family, making them tang or close in sibling ties vs. cousins) didn't think much of HD b/c of his cold robotic personality, do as told type of person. She was actually scared of him in the beginning. LY was lost/kidnapped by a third party through the chase and HD was assigned to seek her and bring her home. It is through LY's being the middle person that made HD change his view on CG. HD likes LY first and fought for her hand in marriage.
Its that he meant that he wanted him to be related to him personally by blood.. Also its not his nephew its his…
for crown prince position, the king elects his successor based on merit, wit, personality, etc. it's not 'fixed' per say. even if a crown prince is assigned, there's no guarantee that the crown prince will make it to the throne as king. some dynasty/ruling has the eldest son as the automatic crown prince.
the tribes/from the north has a different set up and they live in more remote/wildness that they need a strong leader to rule.
with asian ancestry, blood relations are very important. dramas could depict it differently but in history, there's hardly any adopted non-blood relationship inherits. even w/ adoptions, it has to come from the family line of another branch (uncles' children).
It was beautiful and creative. I liked seeing the younger versions of themselves. I know the purpose was to show…
the extra episode would be great to show where everyone is and how far they come. the novel gives it a nice closure for all of the characters. the novel is a good read b/c it's also descriptive of their first time (sex, phone sex, etc). some of it was pretty funny too
It was beautiful and creative. I liked seeing the younger versions of themselves. I know the purpose was to show…
the novel have their wedding day shared by everyone near and far. EVERYONE was at the wedding except ML's mom. ML's dad came back from Sudan to attend the wedding, despite the rift they had. ML's dad called the ex wife to attend, but the wife refused to. On the wedding day, she did show up, wearing red, but standing across the street looking at ML getting out of the car (at bride's house/neighborhood to pick up the bride). They both looked at each other, nothing said and in a flash, the mother disappeared from view. That's all that was mentioned about the mom.
On the phone on the wedding day, the mom told the dad that they she is an unpopular/unwelcome guest if she were to show up. She also mentioned they are divorced and should not have any more contact with each other. She will take Jiang Meng Chu and he could have Jiang Qiao Xi. It is sad for the mom b/c she never left the darkness from her oldest son's death. It is cruel as a mom to JQX to treat the second son the way she did. The father apologized to JQX for being a bystander in his upbringing and that he wished could have done more back then to do him right. JQX neigher acknowledge or accept the olive leaf that was extended. JQX still have resentment towards the dad at the end of the novel.
i find it quite an injustice to their love journey to have a wedding just with the two of them in the drama. it doesn't make sense b/c FL is a family person and loves her parents. ML knows that and wouldn't do that to her as well. their biggest/important day should be shared by everyone who cheered and loved them. i don't get why the drama have to make it like that.
It's not comparison though but she looks a alot like Bai Lu her acting, looks, expression everything. I just love…
FL's looks different today/in this drama. She may have some work done...b/c her features are more surgical compare to before when she first started....still pretty compare to all the other newbie/FL actresses these days.
I am late to this drama b/c of the whole modern times jumping into a script plot. However, this drama was pretty funny at times and Liu Yu Ning's acting is superb! Drama is not as cliche as i thought it would be. Worth watching!
The reason I think it works for him is because the character had to grow up quickly. He's had more pressure and…
ZLH have a very mature look…for a 17 y/o. His character only have a mind set of an adult bc he’s forced to grow up faster and taller…his acting portrayal of the character is not the issue, it’s his mature older look of someone late 20s that doesn’t fit the theme of this drama’s majority (middle/high school) part of the drama.
A young adult with a lost innocence. —-I just can’t see it with this handsome older looking ZHL
this drama will most likely not see their debut date due to china want to limit boy love theme dramas/novels/anything! it's quite sad and sucks for everyone involved in this production!!!
Zhang Ling He is an amazing actor and one of my favorites...however, for the role of a high school/middle school adolescent, he's too old for it! the other actors have that youthful charm and innocence but ZLH looks too much in his mid/late 20s to pull off a 17 y/o.
Overall, this drama is well executed (so far) w/ the story and direction/theme of the drama. Total Go Ahead vibes for family dynamics and adolescence growing up and struggles.
i was not expecting much watching the drama since i read the novel...but even so, the drama fell suuuuuuuuuper short. the casts' acting was not the issue. the costumes and details are beautiful. it's more of the script/writers issue. it's poorly executed and it sucks b/c this drama/novel would have been very entertaining if they follow some or even partial story line arc ...but the plot is all over the place or felt super rushed. it is best made in 2 seasons with the first season focusing on the ML and 4th prince story arc and the second about FL's story. it will flow more smoothly and allow character development for plots and storylines to develop.
they made the ML and FL both love sicked puppies when they both carry so much more and aspire to do so much for their countries. they are both supposed to be smart/cunning and very scheming, but this drama made them the opposite. the FL's maid's repetitive line 'i will kill you' even though it's very laughable b/c she's a weakling and could beat no one. the ML's sister (not blood related) is not even in the novel and even she has a stupidity to her that's just plain annoying.
also, in royal lineage and privilege, he must be complete, w/ no scarring, disability or deformity. cutting off changjue's finger is pretty much making an unworthy candidate for the thrown. he won't be able to inherit the thrown with any deformities.
2 of the most funniest/cute characters were axed from the novel: FL's mentor (he's not too old, probably 1-2 years older than ML): Qian BaiMei (a very skilled/master of martial arts, seduction master, vixen/good looking. he teaches FL the art of seduction and how to win a man's heart and FL's brother martial arts. he's given a high official post in Zhao court only b/c the king is scared of him and he can't kill him off (he tried a couple of assasin attempts). ML's shadow: Xu YinGui (he's supposed to be invisible and hidden) helper/friend/assistant/master of this jiangwu sect (it seem like both of them knew each other in their childhoods). he's the guy who sleeps with all ML's harem, except FL. He needs the yin from the women to learn his martial arts or keep his 'hing gong' fast/improving. whenever he sleeps w/ the women, the curtains are all closed/drawned and no lights are lit. he is a master of voices and mimics the ML in the dark where the women does not suspect that he's a fake.
tidbits from novel:
from their first encounter at the brothel.... FL said this: it is a man's talent to take the woman to bed, but it's a woman's talent to make him want to stay.
FL is 18 y/o. due to the poison FL had, ML planned everything where FL have no worries left and he took her to a secluded mountain villa to spend the rest of their days together. she was pregnant already. that's the conclusion to FL's story arc after she reclaim what was hers and set things in the right path for her country. the villa mountainside/outside area is full of peach trees; all planted for her by ML.
ML secret identity is Wu citizen. 28 y/o. he is a skilled martial artist but only use his soft sword (hidden/part of his belt) when absolute needed to. other times, he feign being a scholar (official) w/ guards. he was disown and deleted from the family tree b/c of his role in the struggle in the wu royal family. He went undercover and made himself a greedy, treacherous, nympho (thus the many women in his house) power hungry chancellor so he could better plan for the long road ahead to place 4th prince on the throne. his marriage to the mei (main wife, in the drama, it's meng but she's actually a concubine only) daughter and other concubines are political ties to balance out power and leverage for what he wants to achieve. he is the wei king's must trusted advisor and why the princes all wants to win his favor. w/ his help, the prince will win the crown prince position. he doesn't mind how others see him and doesn't care to correct it. the main wife and the other concubines met their end/demise and either died for their maternal family or returned to maternal family as a divorcee, which is a shame to the family name.
ML and FL do it a lot in the novels where they are loud/noisy. they are each other's first and only. zhan lu and qing tai sometimes are stuck w/ hearing them b/c they are on night duty/beck and call. there was one time where zhan lu passes cotton balls to qing tai to stuff her ears. hahaha...
qing tai (maid) is actually queen empress lu's people. it was her who fed the poison to FL. the queen will only let FL leave Zhao if she took the poison (as a way to control her and put her in her place). FL knew all this time qing tai's real identity but played along anyways b/c maid is actually slow/dumb but is skilled in self defense and kind. at one point FL told the maid that she knows she works for the queen and went along w/ taking the poison so she leave Zhao to seek better opportunities. FL figured best to settle w/ her being slow/dumb than have the queen send someone smarter to deal with her. maid eventually grew loyal to FL and sides w/ her more. maid does as told by FL but never overstep or threaten anyone like the drama at all times. their relationship is strictly master/servant, not family/sister like in the drama. FL is not super mistreated by the palace like in the drama. FL and her brother were just invisible w/ no one to care for them, thus leaving them to do everything on their own: mending clothes, cooking, washing/cleaning. they have limited/little resources but not to the point where they were nothing. they were in a remote courtyard out of view. the king pretty much forgot about their existence and don't care for them since he has the queen and the older princess. their situation got better when bai qian mei came into their lives. FL was engaged at a young age/when the mother was still alive. the fiance caught the eye of the older princess and broke off their engagement when he was offered more by the older princess.
4th prince (16 y/o) secret identity is an unfavored prince of Wu. the crown prince of wu and queen killed his mother and sister and tried to eliminate him. he assumed the identity of the 4th prince when the hostage consort (from wei) returned to wei. book never explained what happen to the real 4th prince, assumption he died young/sick on the way back to wei. even thoug his past history was full of violence and tragedy, he was not jaded. he sticks to his beliefs and want to do things his ways, even if it takes longer to succeed. ML pledge his loyalty to the 4th prince and is the only one who knows his real identity. so his story arc is the pseudo 4th prince fights his way for the throne of wei to assume power/leverage to attack and kill his enemies: wu royal family....which he succeeds. he basically succeeds in becoming the only ruler of the three kingdom: wu destroyed and zhao surrenders and becomes a vessel state to wei. he would be the 3rd main character in the series. he's wise, patience and very grounded, unlike the drama version where he's kid-like, slow and impulsive.
empress lu dies as a prisoner of the wei army/camp. she was abducted by ML was trying to force her to reveal the anecdote for the poison (which is a form of 'gu'/voodoo/worm and not the peach flower poison in the drama). upon hearing the death of her daughter and zhao being under FL party, she went crazy and kill herself. empress lu doesn't have a creepy relationship w/ the 3rd prince. the 3rd prince did killed the oldest prince and handicapped the 2nd prince, ultimately become the crown prince (according to ML's schemes) but only to be ousted by ML to make room for 4th prince. 3rd prince was charged and sentenced to death for the death of the king and palace coup. FL actually play the meng er character b/c 3rd prince was obsessed w/ her and treated her very well that FL actually felt bad about lying to him and help set him up for failure. she schemed to have 3rd prince (at the time crown prince) and his wife killed in prison and sent them out to live a new life as commoners.
the novel has a lot of good story arcs and the personalities of the ML and FL is smart and bold...balancing each other...but ultimately, FL come out on top b/c ML bended to her, therefore mastering the highest level of seduction rules (have a man who will do anything for you unconditionally).
novel readers should never ever ever have any anticipation when it gets adapted into a drama version.not at all…
in the novel, FL and her brother was given the gu poison by the zhao queen. there is antidote to clear it, but only monthly medicine to stay alive. even so, their life spans ends in 3 years (also mentioned 5, not sure if that was a typo or what). only the zhao queen knows this but was giving empty hopes to FL to keep her under her control . queen purposely mislead FL thinking that due to the poison, pregnancy is impossible. FL's mentor found out from the queen that there is no cure.
FL faked her pregnancy at first to avoid ML's chase when she left wei to return to zhao. her pregnancy was only confirmed when she arrived at zhao. she thought it was just luck that she was able to get pregnant.
after ML learn of her poison and her shorten life span due to no antidote, he sped things along (the war/fight between zhao and wei) and have everything settle where both kingdoms call a truce and agreed to a treaty. FL's brother became king. ML then take FL to his peach (named after her) manor in the forest to rest, take care of her pregnancy and prepared for what to come. after given birth to a daughter, FL's life slowly faded out and dying. ML was thinking of dying with her until he realizes she still have breath. mentor's doctor friend was the one who confirmed her pregnancy in zhao and given her some medicine and advised to use it in the case of life and death. FL was able to survived post pregnancy due to that. shortly after, her mentor arrived with more info on her poison. it turns out that her poison was passed/absorded by the baby/pregnancy and that the baby inherited the poison and cured FL. the baby was born a lilac/purple skin tone due to the poison. mentor took the baby to the west (where the gu poison was invented) to research and find antitode. mentor told ML to keep FL away from world affairs for the next 3 years.
after 3 years passed, ML found out that FL's brother died of gu poison and surrended zhao to wei as a vessel country. FL's brother hope that in doing so will avoid war, death and hardship for his people.
HD was tasked with tracking down Chang Ge (she's from the run from Li Shi Min, b/c of the death of her family) b/c of the perceived threat she may hold against the LSM/royal court/family. LeYan, oldest daughter of LSM, (cousins through the dad's side of the family, making them tang or close in sibling ties vs. cousins) didn't think much of HD b/c of his cold robotic personality, do as told type of person. She was actually scared of him in the beginning. LY was lost/kidnapped by a third party through the chase and HD was assigned to seek her and bring her home. It is through LY's being the middle person that made HD change his view on CG. HD likes LY first and fought for her hand in marriage.
the tribes/from the north has a different set up and they live in more remote/wildness that they need a strong leader to rule.
with asian ancestry, blood relations are very important. dramas could depict it differently but in history, there's hardly any adopted non-blood relationship inherits. even w/ adoptions, it has to come from the family line of another branch (uncles' children).
That's all that was mentioned about the mom.
On the phone on the wedding day, the mom told the dad that they she is an unpopular/unwelcome guest if she were to show up. She also mentioned they are divorced and should not have any more contact with each other. She will take Jiang Meng Chu and he could have Jiang Qiao Xi. It is sad for the mom b/c she never left the darkness from her oldest son's death.
It is cruel as a mom to JQX to treat the second son the way she did. The father apologized to JQX for being a bystander in his upbringing and that he wished could have done more back then to do him right. JQX neigher acknowledge or accept the olive leaf that was extended. JQX still have resentment towards the dad at the end of the novel.
i find it quite an injustice to their love journey to have a wedding just with the two of them in the drama. it doesn't make sense b/c FL is a family person and loves her parents. ML knows that and wouldn't do that to her as well. their biggest/important day should be shared by everyone who cheered and loved them. i don't get why the drama have to make it like that.
A young adult with a lost innocence. —-I just can’t see it with this handsome older looking ZHL
Overall, this drama is well executed (so far) w/ the story and direction/theme of the drama. Total Go Ahead vibes for family dynamics and adolescence growing up and struggles.
they made the ML and FL both love sicked puppies when they both carry so much more and aspire to do so much for their countries. they are both supposed to be smart/cunning and very scheming, but this drama made them the opposite. the FL's maid's repetitive line 'i will kill you' even though it's very laughable b/c she's a weakling and could beat no one. the ML's sister (not blood related) is not even in the novel and even she has a stupidity to her that's just plain annoying.
also, in royal lineage and privilege, he must be complete, w/ no scarring, disability or deformity.
cutting off changjue's finger is pretty much making an unworthy candidate for the thrown. he won't be able to inherit the thrown with any deformities.
2 of the most funniest/cute characters were axed from the novel:
FL's mentor (he's not too old, probably 1-2 years older than ML): Qian BaiMei (a very skilled/master of martial arts, seduction master, vixen/good looking. he teaches FL the art of seduction and how to win a man's heart and FL's brother martial arts. he's given a high official post in Zhao court only b/c the king is scared of him and he can't kill him off (he tried a couple of assasin attempts).
ML's shadow: Xu YinGui (he's supposed to be invisible and hidden) helper/friend/assistant/master of this jiangwu sect (it seem like both of them knew each other in their childhoods). he's the guy who sleeps with all ML's harem, except FL. He needs the yin from the women to learn his martial arts or keep his 'hing gong' fast/improving. whenever he sleeps w/ the women, the curtains are all closed/drawned and no lights are lit. he is a master of voices and mimics the ML in the dark where the women does not suspect that he's a fake.
tidbits from novel:
from their first encounter at the brothel....
FL said this:
it is a man's talent to take the woman to bed, but it's a woman's talent to make him want to stay.
FL is 18 y/o. due to the poison FL had, ML planned everything where FL have no worries left and he took her to a secluded mountain villa to spend the rest of their days together. she was pregnant already. that's the conclusion to FL's story arc after she reclaim what was hers and set things in the right path for her country.
the villa mountainside/outside area is full of peach trees; all planted for her by ML.
ML secret identity is Wu citizen. 28 y/o. he is a skilled martial artist but only use his soft sword (hidden/part of his belt) when absolute needed to. other times, he feign being a scholar (official) w/ guards. he was disown and deleted from the family tree b/c of his role in the struggle in the wu royal family. He went undercover and made himself a greedy, treacherous, nympho (thus the many women in his house) power hungry chancellor so he could better plan for the long road ahead to place 4th prince on the throne. his marriage to the mei (main wife, in the drama, it's meng but she's actually a concubine only) daughter and other concubines are political ties to balance out power and leverage for what he wants to achieve. he is the wei king's must trusted advisor and why the princes all wants to win his favor. w/ his help, the prince will win the crown prince position. he doesn't mind how others see him and doesn't care to correct it. the main wife and the other concubines met their end/demise and either died for their maternal family or returned to maternal family as a divorcee, which is a shame to the family name.
ML and FL do it a lot in the novels where they are loud/noisy. they are each other's first and only. zhan lu and qing tai sometimes are stuck w/ hearing them b/c they are on night duty/beck and call. there was one time where zhan lu passes cotton balls to qing tai to stuff her ears. hahaha...
qing tai (maid) is actually queen empress lu's people. it was her who fed the poison to FL. the queen will only let FL leave Zhao if she took the poison (as a way to control her and put her in her place). FL knew all this time qing tai's real identity but played along anyways b/c maid is actually slow/dumb but is skilled in self defense and kind. at one point FL told the maid that she knows she works for the queen and went along w/ taking the poison so she leave Zhao to seek better opportunities. FL figured best to settle w/ her being slow/dumb than have the queen send someone smarter to deal with her. maid eventually grew loyal to FL and sides w/ her more. maid does as told by FL but never overstep or threaten anyone like the drama at all times. their relationship is strictly master/servant, not family/sister like in the drama.
FL is not super mistreated by the palace like in the drama. FL and her brother were just invisible w/ no one to care for them, thus leaving them to do everything on their own: mending clothes, cooking, washing/cleaning. they have limited/little resources but not to the point where they were nothing. they were in a remote courtyard out of view. the king pretty much forgot about their existence and don't care for them since he has the queen and the older princess. their situation got better when bai qian mei came into their lives. FL was engaged at a young age/when the mother was still alive. the fiance caught the eye of the older princess and broke off their engagement when he was offered more by the older princess.
4th prince (16 y/o) secret identity is an unfavored prince of Wu. the crown prince of wu and queen killed his mother and sister and tried to eliminate him. he assumed the identity of the 4th prince when the hostage consort (from wei) returned to wei. book never explained what happen to the real 4th prince, assumption he died young/sick on the way back to wei. even thoug his past history was full of violence and tragedy, he was not jaded. he sticks to his beliefs and want to do things his ways, even if it takes longer to succeed. ML pledge his loyalty to the 4th prince and is the only one who knows his real identity. so his story arc is the pseudo 4th prince fights his way for the throne of wei to assume power/leverage to attack and kill his enemies: wu royal family....which he succeeds. he basically succeeds in becoming the only ruler of the three kingdom: wu destroyed and zhao surrenders and becomes a vessel state to wei. he would be the 3rd main character in the series. he's wise, patience and very grounded, unlike the drama version where he's kid-like, slow and impulsive.
empress lu dies as a prisoner of the wei army/camp. she was abducted by ML was trying to force her to reveal the anecdote for the poison (which is a form of 'gu'/voodoo/worm and not the peach flower poison in the drama). upon hearing the death of her daughter and zhao being under FL party, she went crazy and kill herself. empress lu doesn't have a creepy relationship w/ the 3rd prince. the 3rd prince did killed the oldest prince and handicapped the 2nd prince, ultimately become the crown prince (according to ML's schemes) but only to be ousted by ML to make room for 4th prince. 3rd prince was charged and sentenced to death for the death of the king and palace coup. FL actually play the meng er character b/c 3rd prince was obsessed w/ her and treated her very well that FL actually felt bad about lying to him and help set him up for failure. she schemed to have 3rd prince (at the time crown prince) and his wife killed in prison and sent them out to live a new life as commoners.
the novel has a lot of good story arcs and the personalities of the ML and FL is smart and bold...balancing each other...but ultimately, FL come out on top b/c ML bended to her, therefore mastering the highest level of seduction rules (have a man who will do anything for you unconditionally).
FL faked her pregnancy at first to avoid ML's chase when she left wei to return to zhao. her pregnancy was only confirmed when she arrived at zhao. she thought it was just luck that she was able to get pregnant.
after ML learn of her poison and her shorten life span due to no antidote, he sped things along (the war/fight between zhao and wei) and have everything settle where both kingdoms call a truce and agreed to a treaty. FL's brother became king. ML then take FL to his peach (named after her) manor in the forest to rest, take care of her pregnancy and prepared for what to come. after given birth to a daughter, FL's life slowly faded out and dying. ML was thinking of dying with her until he realizes she still have breath. mentor's doctor friend was the one who confirmed her pregnancy in zhao and given her some medicine and advised to use it in the case of life and death. FL was able to survived post pregnancy due to that.
shortly after, her mentor arrived with more info on her poison. it turns out that her poison was passed/absorded by the baby/pregnancy and that the baby inherited the poison and cured FL. the baby was born a lilac/purple skin tone due to the poison. mentor took the baby to the west (where the gu poison was invented) to research and find antitode. mentor told ML to keep FL away from world affairs for the next 3 years.
after 3 years passed, ML found out that FL's brother died of gu poison and surrended zhao to wei as a vessel country. FL's brother hope that in doing so will avoid war, death and hardship for his people.