noor1234

@corey @yellowfruit @madyush I don't like the idea of a person being rewarded for the accident of their birth - she was born noble, but her family was full of idiots, same is the case with Lins & Zhaos - they are powerbrokers who think women are cattle, to be brokered, even ML didn't bat an eye when a widowed 32yo navy cmndr wanted to marry a 'pure' 16yo cousin-sister, he just said yes, without even discussing it at home (!) And Zhaos never once considered their daughter's happiness. Nobody asks ML whether he wants to get married either. And his betrothal to FL was also arranged by families. There's nothing special about that previous non-existent 'bond.'

Look at how FL's adoptive mom thought about FL's marriage, versus how cousin-sister's mother / Zhaos & the entire Lin household thought of marrying their daughters & son. There is zero heart & empathy in their lives. Zero bond too, btw. Fathers are absent, mothers are squabbling with maids or getting them killed.

Plus, it's racist IMV to say that Scholar & FL are not of same class simply because FL was born noble. She has a different identity now. To go back to that world, of Lins etc. means a woman should end up with a wealthy man to secure her future. Which is my pet peeve from Asian dramas btw - they always show a woman ending up with a besotted tycoon. Why shouldn't FL be happy with her new humble life? Why should she go back to cruel world of families getting massacred over slights from 20 years ago? Is marrying a noble the ultimate reward for a lead female character living in poverty for 6 years?

Ep. 21: I think Scholar is the right fit for FL - I think peachblossom (a commenter here) mentioned that they are of the same class/status, both are educated, they are neighbors, their families (especially MOTHERS) get along well and most importantly, FL's adoptive parents will get to see their grand kids grow up. Everyone will rise together, there will be no power imbalance or rich-poor divide or imperial politics that can get their families killed. They even have a secret language: knock on the wall!!!! It's a very natural, very comfortable existence. I think he is a very good match for her. And she should accept him.

I'm not with ML on this one. I don't think he's the right fit for FL. I hope FL tells him she liked the scholar & never considered him.

Also, I pity the ML a bit: his mother sure knows how to select the harshest looking, influential women for her son! One look from 'dowager-raised' duke's daughter 'Lady Zheng' is enough to frighten me! This guy has had 3 family-approved matches before the age of 25: 16-yo daughter of grand secretary, 16-yo daughter of Lord-'within-ear-of-king'-Zhao, and now 18yo (?) daughter of some Duke who has been personally raised by king's mother!

Don't get me wrong - ML is nice and has made his name through hard work in battle & has not relied on family's name or fame. BUT he's not the right guy for FL. Just because you are in love with someone does not mean you are the best person for them.

Btw, what an awkward exchange with third scholar & his servant! For ML to be humiliated like that by poverty-stricken people. And there is a story there - I think third scholar was on Team Sheng versus Lin 6 years ago.

OMG. I really liked her character (& features - which were supposed to be 'plain') over the second one - she was great in it - and she had chemistry with the ML more than the second one. She was I think in just 2 episodes but she had more chemistry with the ML than the actual lead actress.

Yup.

Yup. Very well put. That's why I want FL to stay with her parents who have never been free or relaxed (unlike FL who was 'born free') & enjoy life with them for 2-3 years before any marriage happens, but everyone here is signaling 'forced marriage trope' with FL separated from her parents.

I actually wanted a gap of 2-3 years, so that FL could be with her parents with all of them enjoying being free people. FL was born free but her parents have known no other life but serving others in poverty. So I want them to enjoy relaxed life with her. But commenters over here are saying she'll be separated from her parents when he's going to go 'marry' her.

The drama has not given any indication that FL is thinking of her past life with this family, except for when she first came - when ML was still 'married' to 1st wife - she did glance at him & saw him happy with his mom somberly. BUT her adoptive parents told her to focus on here and now when she wanted to kill herself on boat, and she's done exactly that for last 6 years to get ahead in life. She's not thinking about Lins or ML. They are technically her past at this point even as LX (former maid/slave).

I think the pacing of the drama is perfect.

I know, I know ML is a good guy - responsible adult - BUT does he in the back of his mind like FL because of the following reasons?

1) He's tired of arranged marriage with upperclass women.
2) He doesn't want to be in a constant competition with / hostage of yet another snobbish upperclass wife / in-laws.
3) He thinks a FORMER MAID / mere commoner will not be rude like his first wife & will live in gratitude that he provided her with love, fully staffed mansion & status - as opposed to a rich girl who probably already has everything there is to have & won't appreciate his 'benevolence'.
4) He feels a sense of entitlement that he can have whatever he wants & if he wants her, he'll get her.
5) Since FL won't accept second-class status / 'concubinery,' he'll make her his first 'primary' wife. His dad has a wife & concub., so I think ML would think 'I'm in love, let's get married to her, who knows who I may end up second-marrying in 10 years time'.

Because military commanders don't get married to maids (or commoners with no wealth & connections) - they either use them or turn them into child-producing factories aka concubines. Won't ML be a laughing stock in even his own platoon for marrying a servant? This kind of action is likely to make his position in court less secure (because wife is a nobody).

I know he's going 'against the current' too but love is not that big a reason for someone in his position to pursue a former maid. What do all of you think?

Of course, they SHOULD be - military commanders don't get married to maids! It doesn't matter whether she's a commoner, she's basically a nobody, daughter of a shop keeper & street seller. She herself was a servant at his house. Any one else wouldn't have bothered beyond an affair or concubine status. This society will laugh at him for making a maid his wife (or primary wife), someone who has no connections or wealth & doesn't make him strong in court. In fact, technically such a marriage would make him weak & be bad for his career too.

FL will win the household over, but these kind of marriages face a lot of pressure & are unhappy. The only reason why it'll work is because FL is lead actress & ML is lead actor & this is not a tragedy. In any other setup, she'd be poisoned in no time!

ML's action is 'against the current' too.

I'm posting a comment on a drama - which I happened to take time out for & didn't like.

Ep. 20: Just an observation: when the rather-obese crown prince said on navy cmndr wedding invitation that 'I wouldn't miss the wedding feast,' I was like, of course, it doesn't look like you've missed ANY feasts! I've never seen a young 'heir to the throne / crown prince' in Asian dramas be this large in the middle section.....

Yup.

Actually no. Du was wrong, even for that time period. It was irritating to hear faux feminist speech from yet another privileged woman in this drama lamenting her 'lack of privilege'. First one was ML's first wife who had more privilege than most men. Now it's Du. Third is that ML's cousin-sister who was getting it on in cave with a trooper! In this drama all privileged women are crying over lack of equality! Get off the high horse first! Du, who was educated, was living in a grand house with 'assit. cmndr' family - because of her brother btw, she could've had an easy life as a 'farming' family's wife! This is a woman who had no land, no money, no name! And she was looking down upon a landed proposal. She wanted wealth. And most people in that time period got wealthy either through inheritance, marriage or king's favor. Men AND women. When Du was 1st introduced, we were told she could've ended up working under the court's registrar. That wouldn't have made her a Marquis but honest living, and she'd have a better chance of free will marriage than an arranged, forced 'farmer family'. And easily, as a court clerk, could've chosen to NOT get married too. But she wanted money & stress-free status. And NOBODY - certainly no lord or marquis or even a twice-betrothed assistant cmndr - would've married her, because all men (& their families) want beneficial status-lifting marriages. 10 minutes were wasted on her speech & FL's counter-speech. It was beyond ridiculous. The drama would do well to focus on women who work hard, than on women who sit and do nothing all day long, just quarreling with other women, living off their dad or husband or brother's titles & cryyyyyyying over lack of opportunity & free will. That is this drama's weakest point. Everything else is great.

That's what I think so too. I think they sought revenge.

Ep.1-4: This has got to be the most boring drama this year. The leads are good looking but wooden & my god, zero plot, rather OTT contrived, cliched, tropey stuff. Really badly written characters. Did I mention zero plot? Dropped.

Yes, she had and still has more privilege than most men. I don't feel sorry for her at all, other than for the fact that her childhood lover betrayed her in an instant while she stayed true to him even through her marriage!

Qin - with the yellow sabled horse - was too late to save his benefactor. And even though he'd said 'stop the blade', Shen was still beheaded unjustly, Qin unable to save him. On the face of it, it was a tale for navy soldiers. But this is obviously a reference to what will happen between ML & FL too - when their pasts get revealed to each other, as Lin & Shen betrothed couple, & Lins extracting themselves just in time - without informing / warning Shens that they are in trouble - which led to Shens getting wiped out.

Just like Qin is left with the head of his benefactor Shen, some Lin - either Lin grandpa or ML - has regretted not informing Shens all that time ago. And FL will get to see that regret.

For the naval soldiers, it was a reminder that not all of their efforts bear fruit, sometimes good officers die unrewarded or unjustly and some good people are unable to save others. That's essentially a soldier's life. That's why the camp guys were crying.

But I doubt this story is not going to have a hidden meaning / be relevant for ML & FL later on. Because Qin built a shrine for Shen and his wife, and ML must have gotten Lin family's remains to give them proper burial. That is how this camp story will tie in with ML & FL.

'Its poetic Chinese title, "Lan Xiang Ru Gu", translates beautifully to "The Orchid Fragrance Remains as Before"—signifies that Shen Jialan's core virtue and purity cannot be washed away by tragedy'

I'll just disagree & comment on this portion: because I doubt FL would've been THIS person that we see in drama IF she didn't have poverty-stricken slave adoptive parents. If she had lived as a noblewoman, she would've never interacted not understood the plight of maids & staff the way she does now. She also would've taken her privilege & money for granted. In fact, who knows how many maids / families got into trouble working for Shen household. I believe FL is MORE EMPATHETIC, more understanding and TOUGHER because of new circumstances. Goodness is not innate, it's a choice. It's easier to be 'good' when you are rich, tougher when you cannot eat meat, live in a leaky roof, don't have warm clothes & live in a stinky place. FL assimilated. She is more virtuous than she ever would've been as a Shen noblewoman or Lin wife 6 years ago. She carries the lessons of her elders, but she is a different woman.

Yeah, me too. Other C-dramas released at 3pm & 9pm slots where I live - for this drama, it's 5pm & 11pm.

It's a 47 episode drama. Even in a 26 ep. drama, it takes 10 episodes for ML & FL to get together. So math says ML will become interested in her romantically by Ep.18-20, think up about marriage by Ep.25, get married by Ep.30, differences with FL by Ep. 32, FL preggers by Ep.40. By Ep.42, time jump. After that, I hope they show actual 50-60+yo actors to show everyone in middle-to-old age. Though, I'm not an expert at this....

By the looks of it, Du siblings want revenge for something. Nobody knows their real background. They are setting traps for ML & that cousin-sister. I hope their arc shows Lins repenting about some past action.