These comments have shed a new light on the different ways each character’s motivations and actions can be interpreted. I have not read the book but there was a very interesting comment below by Kedia that explained a key plot point that is different in the drama as opposed to the book. Thanks btw. But looking at it directly and only from the drama, the picture that is painted is quite different.
For reference, NN=NiaoNiao and LBY=Ling Bu Yi.
Episode 24 was such a mixed bag of goodness, confusion, anger, disappointment and joy, but thoroughly enjoyable, nevertheless. Though I must say, I am still lost trying to figure out what the script writers were trying to convey when they wrote the mother. I get that we are supposed to see her back being turned during the punishment she doled out in a previous episode, her conversations of concern for NN with other people, and her wise decision to end the engagement with Yao as her motherly concern for NN because she is trying to guide and protect her daughter. I get that this is a character driven by her guilt for abandoning NN while knowing that she was being mistreated and deprived growing up yet staying away for reasons she knew were false. I also get that this is a part of her need to correct the mistake she made that has severely damaged NN 's development emotionally, socially, and educationally. But what the writers neglected to understand is the way she is written and portrayed here, the guilt has turned the mother into a monster who uses abuse, humiliation, and false assumptions to indict NN as opposed to teaching her in a standard manner of care that even a paid tutor who has no affection/relationship for/with his student would show. She shows all the kindness, forgiveness, and respect to other people's children and strangers, yet treats the daughter she abandoned as underserving of basic human respect and care even though she abandoned her to her own ignorance.
It is also true that according to societal rules, her parents were supposed to have total control over all aspects of her life as a young lady in that period but as they both abandoned her to grow up being neglected, abused, and her education ignored, should they have any expectation that she would behave in a way that is different than how she was “raised.” You can’t expect social norms when she has spent her entire life without being taught them. You also shouldn’t and can’t beat and humiliate them into a girl both parents have acknowledged is stubborn and proud.
Both the father and mother are culpable in this, though for some reason most see the father as the fun, loving character. He is not. He also left NN there with his family who he knows hates his wife. He also knew about the conditions in which she grew up and did nothing, so just because he plays good cop means nothing. We have consistently seen him throw NN under the bus, preplan the roles in punishment with the mom, and still tell the mom that he understands what she is doing as she does the vilest things she can to break NN down so she can rebuild her. They are fully in it together with their "upright" parenting skills, it's just that one does what they say with a whip and the other does it with a smile. They are a team.
I really liked this episode though because it highlighted to me the key flaw in their parenting technique to get NN to learn, mature and meet the standards they are constantly saying she doesn't and is too broken to meet. Even though NN is woefully uneducated in how to fit in proper society, she is an even mix of both her parents’ personalities. Their key flaw is they never stopped to wonder how to teach someone proper etiquette and social mores when they themselves are unable to read the room, as they have shown numerous times. Emperor trumps everyone all day, every day! I love this emperor with my whole heart! He is like some magical unicorn emperor because they are usually either cruel, oblivious, or not involved with anything other than giving out a token in most dramas. He was so happy and so proud and you, NN's mother and father, who are just only barely promoted to a higher position think you can defy his order! Those two, who have been a generals in his majesty's army, don't understand the chain-of-command. Did those two think that in front of the royal family, of which they are not a part of, a marriage that the emperor is happy to allow can be ignored because, I don't know, because fill-in-the-blank. Even LBY is above them in station! The mother and father both know that position, status and power struggles are constant and handled behind closed doors yet somehow thought their public protestation would sway the emperor from an idea that he had just boisterously proclaimed for a man they knew was shown extreme favor by said emperor!
Yet not only did they repeatedly disagree with the emperor, but they also destroyed their daughter's reputation so badly, that no decent offer of marriage, friendship, or status would ever be a part of her life again had she not saved the family by agreeing to the marriage. She'd be lucky to be ignored by society but has made so many enemies, they set her up to be looked down on and bullied her for the rest of her life with their harsh reality check. The things they said would have been a social death sentence for her and an albatross around the family name as they have no real power other than that granted by the king. So LBY and NN saved that whole family because the emperor was about to emperorize them all. Yes, emperorize is not a word, but it fit the narrative. I will give you that what they did was in their belief that NN did not want the marriage and because they knew how much trouble, stress and danger they thought she would be in, but the way they went about it was wrong. They were walking off the edge of a cliff and if NN and LBY had not pressed on, they would have been ruined.
As for the comments of reproach against LBY for “forcing” NN to marry him. You see the woman you love mocked, scorned, abused, and with no protection not even by her own family, what would you do? Again and again, LBY has saved NN, shown her respect, and risked life, limb, and reputation to care for her. He is the emperor’s favorite. He is a feared general. He has power and honestly, with his name behind her, who will dare to come after her and not feel his wrath. Yao was weak as water and her reputation was already in tatters even before she broke the engagement with Yao. NN already had very little choice in marriage and at least he offered her something no one else did, continued care.
Also, can someone explain to me how someone who does advanced calculations, understands architecture, managed to not only sneakily defeat and avoid punishment for her many instances of revenge against those who wronged her, but also whose self-preservation skills not only protected her and the small group with her from a rebellious group of bandits who outnumbered her and had better weapons, and numerous times helped LBY in his various plots suddenly goes to one of the most dangerous places on earth to meet the most powerful people on Earth, the royal family, and knows neither how to keep her mouth closed or defend herself, nor mimic basic social skills. They should have just picked one struggle such as the lack of etiquette, as at least that aspect made a tiny bit of sense. That was sloppily written! But I must admit, it made for great rescues of NN by LBY though.
As this comment is becoming a novella I am just going to cut it off and say thanks for so many thought-provoking comments. I get a lot of clarity from reading the comments and so many perspectives!
These comments have shed a new light on the different ways each character’s motivations and actions can be interpreted. I have not read the book but there was a very interesting comment below by Kedia that explained a key plot point that is different in the drama as opposed to the book. Thanks btw. But looking at it directly and only from the drama, the picture that is painted is quite different.
For reference, NN=NiaoNiao and LBY=Ling Bu Yi.
Episode 24 was such a mixed bag of goodness, confusion, anger, disappointment and joy, but thoroughly enjoyable, nevertheless. Though I must say, I am still lost trying to figure out what the script writers were trying to convey when they wrote the mother. I get that we are supposed to see her back being turned during the punishment she doled out in a previous episode, her conversations of concern for NN with other people, and her wise decision to end the engagement with Yao as her motherly concern for NN because she is trying to guide and protect her daughter. I get that this is a character driven by her guilt for abandoning NN while knowing that she was being mistreated and deprived growing up yet staying away for reasons she knew were false. I also get that this is a part of her need to correct the mistake she made that has severely damaged NN 's development emotionally, socially, and educationally. But what the writers neglected to understand is the way she is written and portrayed here, the guilt has turned the mother into a monster who uses abuse, humiliation, and false assumptions to indict NN as opposed to teaching her in a standard manner of care that even a paid tutor who has no affection/relationship for/with his student would show. She shows all the kindness, forgiveness, and respect to other people's children and strangers, yet treats the daughter she abandoned as underserving of basic human respect and care even though she abandoned her to her own ignorance.
It is also true that according to societal rules, her parents were supposed to have total control over all aspects of her life as a young lady in that period but as they both abandoned her to grow up being neglected, abused, and her education ignored, should they have any expectation that she would behave in a way that is different than how she was “raised.” You can’t expect social norms when she has spent her entire life without being taught them. You also shouldn’t and can’t beat and humiliate them into a girl both parents have acknowledged is stubborn and proud.
Both the father and mother are culpable in this, though for some reason most see the father as the fun, loving character. He is not. He also left NN there with his family who he knows hates his wife. He also knew about the conditions in which she grew up and did nothing, so just because he plays good cop means nothing. We have consistently seen him throw NN under the bus, preplan the roles in punishment with the mom, and still tell the mom that he understands what she is doing as she does the vilest things she can to break NN down so she can rebuild her. They are fully in it together with their "upright" parenting skills, it's just that one does what they say with a whip and the other does it with a smile. They are a team.
I really liked this episode though because it highlighted to me the key flaw in their parenting technique to get NN to learn, mature and meet the standards they are constantly saying she doesn't and is too broken to meet. Even though NN is woefully uneducated in how to fit in proper society, she is an even mix of both her parents’ personalities. Their key flaw is they never stopped to wonder how to teach someone proper etiquette and social mores when they themselves are unable to read the room, as they have shown numerous times. Emperor trumps everyone all day, every day! I love this emperor with my whole heart! He is like some magical unicorn emperor because they are usually either cruel, oblivious, or not involved with anything other than giving out a token in most dramas. He was so happy and so proud and you, NN's mother and father, who are just only barely promoted to a higher position think you can defy his order! Those two, who have been a generals in his majesty's army, don't understand the chain-of-command. Did those two think that in front of the royal family, of which they are not a part of, a marriage that the emperor is happy to allow can be ignored because, I don't know, because fill-in-the-blank. Even LBY is above them in station! The mother and father both know that position, status and power struggles are constant and handled behind closed doors yet somehow thought their public protestation would sway the emperor from an idea that he had just boisterously proclaimed for a man they knew was shown extreme favor by said emperor!
Yet not only did they repeatedly disagree with the emperor, but they also destroyed their daughter's reputation so badly, that no decent offer of marriage, friendship, or status would ever be a part of her life again had she not saved the family by agreeing to the marriage. She'd be lucky to be ignored by society but has made so many enemies, they set her up to be looked down on and bullied her for the rest of her life with their harsh reality check. The things they said would have been a social death sentence for her and an albatross around the family name as they have no real power other than that granted by the king. So LBY and NN saved that whole family because the emperor was about to emperorize them all. Yes, emperorize is not a word, but it fit the narrative. I will give you that what they did was in their belief that NN did not want the marriage and because they knew how much trouble, stress and danger they thought she would be in, but the way they went about it was wrong. They were walking off the edge of a cliff and if NN and LBY had not pressed on, they would have been ruined.
As for the comments of reproach against LBY for “forcing” NN to marry him. You see the woman you love mocked, scorned, abused, and with no protection not even by her own family, what would you do? Again and again, LBY has saved NN, shown her respect, and risked life, limb, and reputation to care for her. He is the emperor’s favorite. He is a feared general. He has power and honestly, with his name behind her, who will dare to come after her and not feel his wrath. Yao was weak as water and her reputation was already in tatters even before she broke the engagement with Yao. NN already had very little choice in marriage and at least he offered her something no one else did, continued care.
Also, can someone explain to me how someone who does advanced calculations, understands architecture, managed to not only sneakily defeat and avoid punishment for her many instances of revenge against those who wronged her, but also whose self-preservation skills not only protected her and the small group with her from a rebellious group of bandits who outnumbered her and had better weapons, and numerous times helped LBY in his various plots suddenly goes to one of the most dangerous places on earth to meet the most powerful people on Earth, the royal family, and knows neither how to keep her mouth closed or defend herself, nor mimic basic social skills. They should have just picked one struggle such as the lack of etiquette, as at least that aspect made a tiny bit of sense. That was sloppily written! But I must admit, it made for great rescues of NN by LBY though.
As this comment is becoming a novella I am just going to cut it off and say thanks for so many thought-provoking comments. I get a lot of clarity from reading the comments and so many perspectives!
Why I am reminded of Art Pakpoom when Aey did a live. LOL
It reminded me of that incident as well but not in the way most fans think of it. I immediately thought of Mew sending subliminals to his fans in tweets and outright saying that Art wasn't doing a lot of promos with him and they should ask him why . Mew also said something along the lines of someone not liking him. Didn't hear from Art, nor his tears, until Mew's attack army came after him for daring to not want to be around their idol or promote their ship as they thought he should .
Aey is more like Mew, in my opinion, who sent he and Art's shippers, thereby sponsors, into spasms of outrage because Art seemed to dare to not like their idol. Was it a smart move on Art's part, no, because no one likes to hear the truth unless it's slanted in their favor. You can question how I can believe one side and not the other but the truth is Mew sent multiple msges first, Art got dragged first and then he responded.
Truth told, I don't believe anyone but I do believe in observing how things play out and using critical thinking to figure out what is closer to the truth and what is not...the little grey cells at work. It's so bizarre how this is still rolling around like Art's career before he spoke up was not being torn apart after Mew's bizarre campaign/twitter spree and after he told his side, people still didn't care in spite of seeing the situation go down with their own eyes...and the shady stuff that has followed by Mew. Art/Mew and even Mew/Gulf fandoms are so weird. Are these people actors or what? Eat a bowl of cereal and breathe! Most importantly, like Lovely Writer is showing us, learn the difference between a person's job and real life which you have no right to dictate.
For reference, NN=NiaoNiao and LBY=Ling Bu Yi.
Episode 24 was such a mixed bag of goodness, confusion, anger, disappointment and joy, but thoroughly enjoyable, nevertheless. Though I must say, I am still lost trying to figure out what the script writers were trying to convey when they wrote the mother. I get that we are supposed to see her back being turned during the punishment she doled out in a previous episode, her conversations of concern for NN with other people, and her wise decision to end the engagement with Yao as her motherly concern for NN because she is trying to guide and protect her daughter. I get that this is a character driven by her guilt for abandoning NN while knowing that she was being mistreated and deprived growing up yet staying away for reasons she knew were false. I also get that this is a part of her need to correct the mistake she made that has severely damaged NN 's development emotionally, socially, and educationally. But what the writers neglected to understand is the way she is written and portrayed here, the guilt has turned the mother into a monster who uses abuse, humiliation, and false assumptions to indict NN as opposed to teaching her in a standard manner of care that even a paid tutor who has no affection/relationship for/with his student would show. She shows all the kindness, forgiveness, and respect to other people's children and strangers, yet treats the daughter she abandoned as underserving of basic human respect and care even though she abandoned her to her own ignorance.
It is also true that according to societal rules, her parents were supposed to have total control over all aspects of her life as a young lady in that period but as they both abandoned her to grow up being neglected, abused, and her education ignored, should they have any expectation that she would behave in a way that is different than how she was “raised.” You can’t expect social norms when she has spent her entire life without being taught them. You also shouldn’t and can’t beat and humiliate them into a girl both parents have acknowledged is stubborn and proud.
Both the father and mother are culpable in this, though for some reason most see the father as the fun, loving character. He is not. He also left NN there with his family who he knows hates his wife. He also knew about the conditions in which she grew up and did nothing, so just because he plays good cop means nothing. We have consistently seen him throw NN under the bus, preplan the roles in punishment with the mom, and still tell the mom that he understands what she is doing as she does the vilest things she can to break NN down so she can rebuild her. They are fully in it together with their "upright" parenting skills, it's just that one does what they say with a whip and the other does it with a smile. They are a team.
I really liked this episode though because it highlighted to me the key flaw in their parenting technique to get NN to learn, mature and meet the standards they are constantly saying she doesn't and is too broken to meet. Even though NN is woefully uneducated in how to fit in proper society, she is an even mix of both her parents’ personalities. Their key flaw is they never stopped to wonder how to teach someone proper etiquette and social mores when they themselves are unable to read the room, as they have shown numerous times. Emperor trumps everyone all day, every day!
I love this emperor with my whole heart! He is like some magical unicorn emperor because they are usually either cruel, oblivious, or not involved with anything other than giving out a token in most dramas. He was so happy and so proud and you, NN's mother and father, who are just only barely promoted to a higher position think you can defy his order! Those two, who have been a generals in his majesty's army, don't understand the chain-of-command. Did those two think that in front of the royal family, of which they are not a part of, a marriage that the emperor is happy to allow can be ignored because, I don't know, because fill-in-the-blank. Even LBY is above them in station! The mother and father both know that position, status and power struggles are constant and handled behind closed doors yet somehow thought their public protestation would sway the emperor from an idea that he had just boisterously proclaimed for a man they knew was shown extreme favor by said emperor!
Yet not only did they repeatedly disagree with the emperor, but they also destroyed their daughter's reputation so badly, that no decent offer of marriage, friendship, or status would ever be
a part of her life again had she not saved the family by agreeing to the marriage. She'd be lucky to be ignored by society but has made so many enemies, they set her up to be looked down on and bullied her for the rest of her life with their harsh reality check. The things they said would have been a social death sentence for her and an albatross around the family name as they have no real power other than that granted by the king. So LBY and NN saved that whole family because the emperor was about to emperorize them all. Yes, emperorize is not a word, but it fit the narrative. I will give you that what they did was in their belief that NN did not want the marriage and because they knew how much trouble, stress and danger they thought she would be in, but the way they went about it was wrong. They were walking off the edge of a cliff and if NN and LBY had not pressed on, they would have been ruined.
As for the comments of reproach against LBY for “forcing” NN to marry him. You see the woman you love mocked, scorned, abused, and with no protection not even by her own family, what would you do? Again and again, LBY has saved NN, shown her respect, and risked life, limb, and reputation to care for her. He is the emperor’s favorite. He is a feared general. He has power and honestly, with his name behind her, who will dare to come after her and not feel his wrath. Yao was weak as water and her reputation was already in tatters even before she broke the engagement with Yao. NN already had very little choice in marriage and at least he offered her something no one else did, continued care.
Also, can someone explain to me how someone who does advanced calculations, understands architecture, managed to not only sneakily defeat and avoid punishment for her many instances of revenge against those who wronged her, but also whose self-preservation skills not only protected her and the small group with her from a rebellious group of bandits who outnumbered her and had better weapons, and numerous times helped LBY in his various plots suddenly goes to one of the most dangerous places on earth to meet the most powerful people on Earth, the royal family, and knows neither how to keep her mouth closed or defend herself, nor mimic basic social skills. They should have just picked one struggle such as the lack of etiquette, as at least that aspect made a tiny bit of sense. That was sloppily written! But I must admit, it made for great rescues of NN by LBY though.
As this comment is becoming a novella I am just going to cut it off and say thanks for so many thought-provoking comments. I get a lot of clarity from reading the comments and so many perspectives!
For reference, NN=NiaoNiao and LBY=Ling Bu Yi.
Episode 24 was such a mixed bag of goodness, confusion, anger, disappointment and joy, but thoroughly enjoyable, nevertheless. Though I must say, I am still lost trying to figure out what the script writers were trying to convey when they wrote the mother. I get that we are supposed to see her back being turned during the punishment she doled out in a previous episode, her conversations of concern for NN with other people, and her wise decision to end the engagement with Yao as her motherly concern for NN because she is trying to guide and protect her daughter. I get that this is a character driven by her guilt for abandoning NN while knowing that she was being mistreated and deprived growing up yet staying away for reasons she knew were false. I also get that this is a part of her need to correct the mistake she made that has severely damaged NN 's development emotionally, socially, and educationally. But what the writers neglected to understand is the way she is written and portrayed here, the guilt has turned the mother into a monster who uses abuse, humiliation, and false assumptions to indict NN as opposed to teaching her in a standard manner of care that even a paid tutor who has no affection/relationship for/with his student would show. She shows all the kindness, forgiveness, and respect to other people's children and strangers, yet treats the daughter she abandoned as underserving of basic human respect and care even though she abandoned her to her own ignorance.
It is also true that according to societal rules, her parents were supposed to have total control over all aspects of her life as a young lady in that period but as they both abandoned her to grow up being neglected, abused, and her education ignored, should they have any expectation that she would behave in a way that is different than how she was “raised.” You can’t expect social norms when she has spent her entire life without being taught them. You also shouldn’t and can’t beat and humiliate them into a girl both parents have acknowledged is stubborn and proud.
Both the father and mother are culpable in this, though for some reason most see the father as the fun, loving character. He is not. He also left NN there with his family who he knows hates his wife. He also knew about the conditions in which she grew up and did nothing, so just because he plays good cop means nothing. We have consistently seen him throw NN under the bus, preplan the roles in punishment with the mom, and still tell the mom that he understands what she is doing as she does the vilest things she can to break NN down so she can rebuild her. They are fully in it together with their "upright" parenting skills, it's just that one does what they say with a whip and the other does it with a smile. They are a team.
I really liked this episode though because it highlighted to me the key flaw in their parenting technique to get NN to learn, mature and meet the standards they are constantly saying she doesn't and is too broken to meet. Even though NN is woefully uneducated in how to fit in proper society, she is an even mix of both her parents’ personalities. Their key flaw is they never stopped to wonder how to teach someone proper etiquette and social mores when they themselves are unable to read the room, as they have shown numerous times. Emperor trumps everyone all day, every day!
I love this emperor with my whole heart! He is like some magical unicorn emperor because they are usually either cruel, oblivious, or not involved with anything other than giving out a token in most dramas. He was so happy and so proud and you, NN's mother and father, who are just only barely promoted to a higher position think you can defy his order! Those two, who have been a generals in his majesty's army, don't understand the chain-of-command. Did those two think that in front of the royal family, of which they are not a part of, a marriage that the emperor is happy to allow can be ignored because, I don't know, because fill-in-the-blank. Even LBY is above them in station! The mother and father both know that position, status and power struggles are constant and handled behind closed doors yet somehow thought their public protestation would sway the emperor from an idea that he had just boisterously proclaimed for a man they knew was shown extreme favor by said emperor!
Yet not only did they repeatedly disagree with the emperor, but they also destroyed their daughter's reputation so badly, that no decent offer of marriage, friendship, or status would ever be
a part of her life again had she not saved the family by agreeing to the marriage. She'd be lucky to be ignored by society but has made so many enemies, they set her up to be looked down on and bullied her for the rest of her life with their harsh reality check. The things they said would have been a social death sentence for her and an albatross around the family name as they have no real power other than that granted by the king. So LBY and NN saved that whole family because the emperor was about to emperorize them all. Yes, emperorize is not a word, but it fit the narrative. I will give you that what they did was in their belief that NN did not want the marriage and because they knew how much trouble, stress and danger they thought she would be in, but the way they went about it was wrong. They were walking off the edge of a cliff and if NN and LBY had not pressed on, they would have been ruined.
As for the comments of reproach against LBY for “forcing” NN to marry him. You see the woman you love mocked, scorned, abused, and with no protection not even by her own family, what would you do? Again and again, LBY has saved NN, shown her respect, and risked life, limb, and reputation to care for her. He is the emperor’s favorite. He is a feared general. He has power and honestly, with his name behind her, who will dare to come after her and not feel his wrath. Yao was weak as water and her reputation was already in tatters even before she broke the engagement with Yao. NN already had very little choice in marriage and at least he offered her something no one else did, continued care.
Also, can someone explain to me how someone who does advanced calculations, understands architecture, managed to not only sneakily defeat and avoid punishment for her many instances of revenge against those who wronged her, but also whose self-preservation skills not only protected her and the small group with her from a rebellious group of bandits who outnumbered her and had better weapons, and numerous times helped LBY in his various plots suddenly goes to one of the most dangerous places on earth to meet the most powerful people on Earth, the royal family, and knows neither how to keep her mouth closed or defend herself, nor mimic basic social skills. They should have just picked one struggle such as the lack of etiquette, as at least that aspect made a tiny bit of sense. That was sloppily written! But I must admit, it made for great rescues of NN by LBY though.
As this comment is becoming a novella I am just going to cut it off and say thanks for so many thought-provoking comments. I get a lot of clarity from reading the comments and so many perspectives!
Aey is more like Mew, in my opinion, who sent he and Art's shippers, thereby sponsors, into spasms of outrage because Art seemed to dare to not like their idol. Was it a smart move on Art's part, no, because no one likes to hear the truth unless it's slanted in their favor. You can question how I can believe one side and not the other but the truth is Mew sent multiple msges first, Art got dragged first and then he responded.
Truth told, I don't believe anyone but I do believe in observing how things play out and using critical thinking to figure out what is closer to the truth and what is not...the little grey cells at work. It's so bizarre how this is still rolling around like Art's career before he spoke up was not being torn apart after Mew's bizarre campaign/twitter spree and after he told his side, people still didn't care in spite of seeing the situation go down with their own eyes...and the shady stuff that has followed by Mew. Art/Mew and even Mew/Gulf fandoms are so weird. Are these people actors or what? Eat a bowl of cereal and breathe! Most importantly, like Lovely Writer is showing us, learn the difference between a person's job and real life which you have no right to dictate.