mommacat

I feel like if they knew, they’d be trying to get rid of her because she’s not supposed to be alive (or supposed to banished to the imperial music bureau). And it’ll depend on whether the current emperor would follow his father’s persecution orders or not.

I don't know why I find it so funny. It's so Asian parent-coded-- LJQ's dad starts his tirade by comparing LJQ to 3rd sis and her husband who have risen to new heights. 🤣

The way grandpa was mad that LJQ "squandered" his merits on a marriage decree to a servant 🥲 lol I can't with this drama - I can easily say it's my favorite of all time right now.

On the contrary, there are lots of Han supporters here; even the viewers are mad at Lin JinQi 😂

I have no trouble seeing LJQ as her match in the drama. The writers/directors started laying down some foundation for their relationship earlier, when she drunkenly tells LJQ that he's "a good person." Any further emotional development will have to wait, as that's how they've written the script, but I'm here for it.

Drama-LJQ is nothing like DMS. DMS would be more like novel-LJQ, but novel-LJQ makes DMS look like an angel. 😆 But I'm not here to change anyone's mind about how they see the story; just felt like commenting about the way the emperors have played XLX dirty. My comment about missing out on the marriage with Han was more tongue-in-cheek.

I am amazed at how they cleaned up the novel and made such an engrossing drama.

I agree-- like I said above, she would have had a pleasant life married to Han, most likely without developing romantic feelings and barring any other power struggles that may involve them, since the higher an official goes in court, the more intrigues and danger abound.

I agree, she would have had a pleasant life, barring any other power struggles that may have come into play (the higher you go in court as an official, the more danger). In the novel, she and Han were married in her first life, but they died there as a result of the Shen persecution.

She would have been fine, but no romantic love, and the story would be over.

The previous emperor ordered her family executed, and the new one orders her into an unwanted marriage. 😭 Of course Lan Xiang is spitting mad. JinQi's got his work cut out for him trying to win her heart. Above all else she detests the powerful who bully the helpless. 🥺

But hey, at least now she doesn't have to marry someone just because her parents wanted it. I like Scholar Han, but their relationship is like that of brother and sister. Well, not on Han's side. 🥲

I like how they're making poor LJQ come up short when it comes to Scholar Han (for now). But it's also clear to me that LJQ will come out winning, even if he was also underhanded in the way he forces the marriage. From clips and previews, it looks like he will give her time to get to know him, and he will get punished by grandpa and elders for obtaining the royal decree. He is also just a good person underneath it all, flaws and all. And ultimately, he is the good soul who retrieved the Shen family's bodies and gave them a proper burial. And we all know that for Xu Lan Xiang, anyone who treats her family (biological and adopted) right is golden in her eyes.

Oh, but my comment is about Scholar Han lol. I like the cinematic long shot at the Yangzhou dock when LanXiang finds Han and Furong. Furong is between Han and LanXiang, and it reminds me that there will always be something blocking them, and they won't be together. 😅 I actually like scholar Han, don't get me wrong. I like that he's a nice guy friend to Lan Xiang.

They saved him according to plan. At the dock in Yangzhou, Lin JinQi was speaking to his friend Luo Dalang, who has control of the boats, and he was about to arrange for the Crown Prince's safe escape from Jinling when Jiugao came with the news that LanXiang was at the brothel. Luo Dalang had just sent off the deposed Crown Prince/Master Liu safely for Lin Jin Qi.

I agree that Lan Xiang will see him differently after they’re married. He promised to try his best to change her feelings for him. But honestly, I think what will really seal the deal for her is discovering that he was the kind soul who retrieved the Shen family’s remains and gave them a burial place. He’s shouldering all of the apologies that are lacking from the rest of his family. Yes, even if the Lin family weren’t the ones persecuting the Shen family, he still felt remorse.

I loved how Lin Jin Qi was petty and immediately called out to her as “Lan Xiang”, which is her given name and more intimate than Xu Mei Mei. 🤣

Beautifully written. Cheers!

I agree— it all boils down to how differently people perceive the same performance. I had to bust out laughing when I read “lacking range.” If I had to say one of these ML’s lack range, it would not be the one surnamed Liu. 🤣

same same! 😁

Aside from the cultural relevance, as a plot device, I think it is one of the lady’s arts that will help identify Lan Xiang as someone who grew up a lady, not a slave— together with her ability to read/write calligraphy, embroider, and paint. The closer she gets to “returning” to her original place as Lin Jin Qi’s wife/madam/furen, the more she brings out her past abilities. As a slave in the Lin household, she kept her skills hidden to survive, but now that she’s a commoner, she feels more freedom to be her old self, indulging in things like flower arrangements and calligraphy. She still hides things like how good her penmanship is (when LJQ tried to read the script she was writing for Master Lu, she quickly hid it and made an excuse to not show him). But I think little by little, these tidbits are going to add up in Lin Jin Qi’s mind.

I love the opera singing; it’s part of the historic realism. Usually we see some modernized pop rendition of singing in dramas. They could probably do the mouth movements a little better but they usually look a tad unnatural due to the high pitch of the singing. But it could just be me since I grew up listening to old Cantonese opera.

I’m rewatching episodes daily as I wait for the new ones 😆