mysteryqueen9

The thing is he had no other option. If he had outed Cheng Ze, the one to suffer most would be him because all his family would be killed (Cheng Ze and the emperor would take revenge on him) and they could even say he is a traitor who slandered a prince because someone bribed him or whatever. No matter what, he was done for the moment he was caught in the crossfire between FX and CZ. Which is very sad but realistic in a feudal world.

Zhang Ruo Yun and Duan Duan's chemistry on screen is unbelievably good. I remember thinking so when I watched Sword Snow Stride (super recommended drama) and in S1, but here in S2 they are killing it: best enemies ever !!

I personally don't think Second Prince was lying when he said he was excited. I think we have seen again and again from how much he obsesses and delights in FX' schemes that he really gets a thrill from most of FX's actions. Second Prince is a very manipulate cunning and meticulous person, so I guess he enjoys having a "worthy rival" to play with. The problem is that in last eps he is realising he isn't the one to control the game. And though I agree he is afraid of dying (which is a very normal feeling) I disagree with him fearing death most of all. What Cheng Ze fears most is in fact revealed in the letter he sent to FX in S1: he fears losing the game of thrones we could say, losing in his biggest ambition (getting the throne). In fact, I think the two moments in the whole story where we can see truly Cheng Ze's real self are with the letter he sent FX in S1, and in ep 12 where Wan'er reveals how she sees real Cheng Ze.
Wan'er says he is always full of schemes and when he argues she must see him as a terrible unfeeling man, Wan'er denies it, saying he is just keeping his feelings very well hidden inside him. That was the only moment we see a certain type of vulnerability. So I think his great schemes to be emperor is his main motivation to live because without that, he would be purposeless, since he seems pretty detached but inside he seems emotionally neglected, as his family (and himself as a result) is pretty shitty. First Prince is a good man, but he wasn't raised with the same kind of expectations as his siblings. So the thing is the Royal Palace is poison.
I haven't read the novel but I have indeed read some chapters or certain scenes. And CP and Cheng Ze are tragic villains, in the sense they are just a result of their upbringing. I am not trying to justify their actions in any way, but to give credit to how complex and interesting their characters are: they are just not mere monsters without emotions, because they have some rediming qualities:
Big spoiler from book: CP after failed Rebellion begs FX to forgive the soldiers and people who have helped him, or at least to save their innocent families. He doesn't beg for himself. Cheng Ze waits until FX comes to see him after Rebellion to kill himself, but he gives a suicide letter to FX so nobody can try to put his death on FX in any way. And Eldest Princess says a very painful but real truth: we are all fish in a fishbowl, referring to the imperial family.

North Qi Princess in PM's manor is a perfect representation of: With friends like these, who needs enemies? lol everytime she opens her mouth to "help" FX, she gives a blow to him. Loving her and First Prince, the mule aka warhorse was marvellous.

Well, you are most probably right, since I read just a little bit of a certain scene of the books and they had a very beautiful exchange (I will not spoil it if you don't want to)

There is already a S3 approved since a long time ago, we have soooo many episodes until the end we will probably quite a bit of FX as a prince (though I don't know if he will be legally recognised as one) I personally prefer FX hides this as long as possible because it will give him 0 benefit and 100% trouble. Crown prince and second prince, Empress, Empress Dowager.... would be out there for blood, since FX would create quite a threat to sucession, specially since he has the connections in Overwatch and CPP's support. And I love so much Fan family scenes.
About RouRou, I would also like more screen time but there is a lot of eps so probably we will have more of her in the future. Wan'er is a character I don't miss very much because I don't miss romance in the plot, but I guess that's just my personal take.

Second Prince is angry as hell, which is fascinating since nobody has been able to crack his mask of a carefree mischievous prince till now. The scene after court with him and CP was funny as crazy, CP totally stabbing him with his comments (absolutely ignorant of "his involvement" in the plan) and I swear for a second Cheng Ze looked ready to jump to CP's throat lol.
FX has messed with him so bad I think the scheming meticulous Cheng Ze will let his emotions and desire for revenge override his rational and FX will be able to give a deeper blow because of that.

The emperor does know it for sure: it's not only the way he treats FX, it's revealed in many other subtles details: Emperor arranging a "casual encounter" in the Temple at the beginning of S1 to meet FX, Emperor tellig him he doesn't have to kneel in front of him, he discovering FX in the courtyard that belonged to his mom when FX and Wu Zhu were searching the key to open the chest, Emperor so obsessed with FX being in charge of the treasury, and in the famous poem banquet, when the Emperor was leaving he had a very neutral face but when he was just out of everyone's sights, he smiled in a very proud parental way....
The most important moments in this S2 to further proof emperor knows are: his reaction to FX' death, and Fan Jian yelling at the Emperor "you may not want him, but I want him" (that quote only makes sense if Emperor does know he is his father). A super revealing and key clue was Emperor arranging a supper with all his sons and FX, and when Empress knows about it, she is furious because the Emperor didn't let her attend under the pretext THE SUPPER WAS ONLY FOR FAMILY, so she complains to her servant he invited FX.
And about your question of last episode, the key in fact to the question it's in Emperor and Fan Jian dialogues. The emperor says something like "FX better not pray to your ancestors" and FJ replies: "he may not pray to them but he carries the Fan Surname" (a veiled low blow to Emperor, like saying: you can say all you want, he is my son before yours in all that matters)

Thank you!

You are totally right, in the little details we have so much information and even hints to what it's to come. Now that I am rewatching S1 I am amazed by how we have a scene between Noble Consort Shu (Cheng Ze's mother) and FX that it's very hilarious but it is blatantly revealing us crutial information if we take the words seriously and don't fall into the assumption that is there just for comedy purposes. FX tells her he and 2 Prince seem to have hit it off very well and Noble Consort says to FX "oh you must have been fooled by him. My son is shrew and scheming, but you will understand after you have known him for some time".

I tried to look for previews of next eps in youtube but couldn't find it, does someone please know where to watch them?

He isn't gonna take very well the "secret brother reveal", I guess lol

The best of that scene in the carriage with his Dad is in the little details. When the father is giving him advice, every time FX replies that Chen PingPing already said it to him, so the father puts down the cup of tea in the table in frustration. Then, FX says to him: we can trust family, and his father is happy and appeased so he takes again the cup of tea to drink from it, with a smile on his face.

Lol I just gave my opinion and I gave you a sincere suggestion to make your experience of watching the drama more enjoyable, since I myself have experienced what it is to enjoy less a good show/book because of having too much expectations or comparisons. If you don't like the show or whatever you are free to have your own opinion and ofc it won't bother me, we all have different tastes, why do you think it makes me miserable if you don't like it? lol
It says much of you that in a forum where people share their opinions and comment why they have a different idea you are so upset that I answered you showing disagreement, when I wasn't rude in any way.

Yes, let's see how this develops but I think FX is going to be very pissed off with both of the princes, they just can't seem to lay low and stop scheming all the time.

Yes, I watched the episode, fyi. I think I now where the confusion is:
CP indeed said to his mother "second prince had already removed his people from village". But his people means Second Prince's informants, his spies and the people that worked for his shady business inside the village. It's very very unlikely that all the inhabitants of the village worked for Second Prince. So Second Prince commanded his people to flee the village, in that way, when CP went to investigate, only the innocent people that lived in the village, completely uninvolved with Second Prince, remained. And then he burnt the village with those people that were normal smallfolk inside.
Furthermore, if the village was really empty, CP's scheme would be discovered very quickly because it would be extremely difficult to hide there were no burnt bodies inside the village. So the key word is "his people", not "the people/ inhabitors of the village", so unless the subtitles are wrong, CP burnt the village with people inside.

But FX problem with second prince is not the smugling...at all. Second prince tried to kill FX in season 1 (several times, btw) and killed his dear friend? How is that a weak reason?
Also, CP indeed burnt the whole village with people inside, if not, why would FX be so appalled?? It makes no sense the reasoning that FX is abhorred by the burning if Second Prince is the culprit, but not if CP is the one behind it

I feel the opposite. The vibe and comedy is all the same. I have greatly enjoyed these 7 eps and imo the main problem is perhaps drawing all the time comparisons with S1 when we have a lot of eps yet to watch. I suggest people to try to enjoy the season without obsessing too much with S1 because it has happened to me too in other shows or books that I start comparing different seasons while watching, and even if it is a good season, it diminishes the enjoyment.

Are you referring to his daughter's name? I read someone said Ba ba means "king of domineering" so it's a very hlarious name for a cute little girl

Thank you so much!