Luv Peony

It’s weird the drama change this. Consort li is a’pin’ level consort inthe novel but is a favorite of the king. She’s not supposed to have a complicated background. Since she can’t get pregnant, the Ji family wanted to send a cousin in to the palace. This is one of the reason why consort li resorted to side with Prince Cheng.

His fan is his choice of weapon since it’s more refine vs a sword. His fan is supposed to have metal sharp edges…instead of wood for the fan’s structure. He only uses a fan until the last battle against his enemy. He used his father’s sword later.

Wu zetian is around 13 when she married taizong. It sounds weird but gaozong and WZT is close in age with her being a few years older only.

No….not in blossom.

per novel, ZYB is a dashing charming guy with good looks and a elite family/status. he is a golden bachelor. without a career in politics, the Zhou family has money and social status that makes him a good suitor. The Zhou family has a duke status (passed down from family, granted by the early king). Jiang Yu Er and Shen sister also secretly admires him. So yes, ZYB's arrogance and confidence is granted. the original JL was in love with him or stuck on the idea of marrying him since they were betrothed before she was sent away. so ZYB perception that JL still likes him is base on what he knows of the original JL.

XXF/JL treat him with no regard and interest, making ZYB want her even more. ZYB is hooked on her base on the fact he can't have her...which make her even more desirable. ZYB desire grew even more when XXF/JL became the female scholar winner of the imperial exams.

in the end ZYB did not get to marry the 1st or second choice lol. he got stuck with Shen sister who he doesn't even know exist (to him, a nobody) and JYE who he looks down on. No one in the courts would speak a good word for him or recommend him for a post even though he got 3rd place in the imperial exams.
He gain weight/got fat and wasted his days at the brothel and being a useless loser.

only people who is on her side unconditionally throughout the novel is: SH, her real dad, brother, the Ye family. The Jiang family is selfish where they only care for the reputation and benefits for the family name. Even though the Jiang family learn what happen to the first wife (ye) and JL's mistreatment and punishment, they just felt guilty and tried to make it up to her in money/wealth. The elder grandma Jiang always tell JL to put the family's best interest first or remind her that she is a Jiang first. Due to XXY being in JL's body, she have no familial connection to the Jiang family. She won't do harm to them due to the fact that she is alive b/c of JL. SH is more straight to the point: just kill everyone in the Jiang family, they are not your real family anyways. gotta love the man lol.

i read somewhere Jiang Bai Yuan is also the king's tutor at some point. besides having a power position, he also has disciples that spreads his 'teaching' and beliefs. which is why controlling JBY's fraction is like controlling the sway of the court's power and influences.

this was waaaaaaaay over dramatic for me. it's cheesy cringy.

SH takes after his mother for his cleverness and wit.

in the novel, JL only shared her XXF identity with her real father and brother. SH pretty much at one point guessed her real ID.

yes, he's such a tortured soul in there...which is not the case at all. he has no remorse on what happen to her...just occassional reminded of her whenever the princess acts out.

there's only chinese online. the translations is confusing and not as clear. if you could understand mandarin, best to search on youtube audio books.

do you have a link? i tried searching for it, but no match.

in blossoms was a horrible example b/c the ML didn't and couldn't act like the original coroner. that one is different b/c the 2 both wanted to live. one was forced, the other was the enforcer. one eventually died. the other stuck in that body forever.

whereas here, JL and XFF desire for living is different. When JL was still at the monastary, she committed suicide when she heard her 3rd sister is going to marry ZYB. She jumped into the lake with a broken heart/despair completely giving up the will to live. XFF died unjustly and hell bent on wanting revenge that she can't go like that. due to one not willing to live and the other having a strong will for life...the swap happen. the real JL died that day in mind and body. XFF died in body but her strong will may have tip the balance and allow her soul to migrate into JL's body. the novel break it down in that way.

in the novel: JRY ran away from home after her mother's demise. JRY cannot defend herself or stand her ground after her mother's death. Due to her spoiled ways and impatient nature, she put herself at a disadvantage to the point where her grandmother no longer dotes on her. She was saved by Li Qian (the younger Li brother) and was brought to the Li Manor. LQ hid his courtyard in the meantime. JRY wonder off once and came upon the princess (who at the time is engaged to Li Jian, older brother) and her maid talking. JRY know of the princess secret. The princess had JRY taken back to her princess residential manor and held capture. While at the jail/torture chamber, the princess ordered the guard to take out one of JRY eyes for starters. She was held there until JL orchestrated for the torture chamber to be exposed to court/public. It's illegal to have your own torture chamber/jail at a residential housing, even if you are the princess. It was set up by SH that the city magistrate guard 'discover' her and ID her as the runaway daughter of the prime minister. after the days spent in the torture chamber, JYY gone insane. When she was recovered, she has no reaction to her surroundings and is disassociated with everyone and everything around her. She is pretty much dependent on the Jiang family to take care of her for the rest of her days. Jiang Yuen Bo is the only one who spends time and care for her out of guilt and remorse. Jiang Yuen Bo do love this daughter since she grew up under his guidance.

The 4th sister, Jiang Yu Er took advantage of a situation and slept with Zhou Yin Bong. JYE ruin her reputation as an ungrateful homewrecker and due to the situation and and her societal status, ZYB's parents allowed her to be married to ZYB as a concubine. Both JYE and ZYB claimed alcohol was the culprit. ZYB originally was waiting for JL instead but JL instigate and sent JYE in her place to meet ZYB.

Shen Ruo Yu's sister came upon their tryst (it's at the palace and all the official court lady, etc witness what happen) and took advantage of the situation and accused ZYB of being a drunk and molested her. the sister always has a crush on ZYb; it's love at first sight for her...but due to her family background and SRY being a low official, she is not door to door to match with ZYB for marriage. B/c of SRY is the princess' favorite, ZYB's parents dare not offend the princess and agreed to ZYB marrying SRY's sister as the legal/first wife.
This pretty much ousted JRY any chances of marrying ZYB. Due to ZYB's behavior, he no longer have a chance at politics/holding an official post due to what happen. He spends his day in brothels and drinking nightly, gotten fat and pretty much lost his charms, if any.

As for JYE, she was always nasty and rude to JL. JL set JYE up so that she could never lift her head up to people around her. JL ruin her reputation and put her in a position where she will never be able to get what she wants. JYE secretly admire ZYB and didn't mind being married to him as a concubine. She and SYR's sister fight daily for ZYB's attention. JYE's life at the Zhou manor is worst then her days when she was at the Jiang family. She's treated as a nobody that even the maids don't pay attention to her. Her family eventually got booted from the Jiang family. JYE's mom was silence/murdered by the princess and the dad ran off. JYE eventually was handed a divorce letter and kicked out of the Zhou manor.

This is JL's payback to both her sisters. JL cutting off any changes JRY gets to marry ZYB b/c their engagement was stolen from the real JL. When XFF took over JL's body and place, she promised JL that she will do anything to take back what is hers or ruin what others stole from JL. That is XFF vow for the second chance at life in JL's place.

his character is more of an outsider. everything happening around him is like watching a theatre play unfolding, which is why he always reference 'would i be entice by this part of the play? would this play brings me surprises?' and to JL, what role are you playing now? even so, he sets up everything to unfold according to where he wants it. he's a mastermind in the novel and do not do things on the surface...he likes to remain 'neutral' while pulling the strings.

SH listens with his ears when it comes to music. for this part in the novel, it's all about the music b/c he's an avid fan of the arts. i find it weird that the drama version have SH staring at SYR with expectation that he burst into tears or fear. it takes away SH's coolness and sharpness.

yeah, maybe to give the audience more thrill to guess who is the ultimate villian.

oh yeah!!! well, they don't encourage it so definitely not going to broadcast it.

LOTS...