sekichu

Yeah, the editing and lack of good production/directing is the biggest flaw in this production, sadly. :(

Another interesting point, I forget where, Yu'er says that she knows her martial arts are not good. Many of those that were truly talented were snuck out of Violet Bureau and raised/taught in secret. Of the 36 that remained, she was considered the best... but that meant she was actually behind all of the other more talented girls who were given secret training. And her Auntie made sure to teach her that way. 🤣

What she does have is good potential - over the series, you see how quickly she learns both mentally and physically when she is earnestly taught (able to keep up and see Qi Yan's true intentions and guess his plans; genuinely learning when Yan Zhi starts teaching her personally).

Yeah, some of his misery is absolutely self inflicted.

I noticed how in the latest episodes he said "there is only one person who believes in me" and that person is Yu'er. He doesn't even believe in himself. There is a significant part of himself that sees his own actions as monstrous. The self loathing inflicts/invites some of the misery he experiences.

He abso-fudging-lutely will and already does rely on women, hahaha. He just doesn't want to.

Both of them make me smile and cry every day. Cheng Yi makes me cry... and then ZYX makes me smile. Killer combo!

Yeah, Yu'er doesn't know she is being tested at all. And this kind of behavior is VERY common for people with trust issues. There is a strong impulse to be constantly testing those around one self, to see if they can live up to unrealistic expectations, when they are never even aware that this is happening.

It's deeply unfair and very realistic for someone who doesn't have many/any healthy relationships and experiences as much paranoia as Qi Yan to treat Yu'er this way. The totally idealistic idea he has of her isn't really who she is; it's who he thinks he wants or needs her to be. And that does mean Yan Zhi, who is arguably a little more emotionally stable and mature, is able to see Yu'er for who she is where as Qi Yan's POV is heavily influenced by who he *wants* her to be. Like you said, he keeps all of this from her, so... she's navigating his emotional land mines in the dark, not even knowing the position he has put her in.

I've rewatched the last arc a few times and honestly I blame really shitty editing and directing for really failing to present Yu'er properly. With some effort, you can infer or draw those connections as a careful viewer, but it's not as obvious if someone isn't watching it keeping the POV of Yu'er in mind. Given the information that they had to cut the series down something like 10%, you can practically see the holes of where those scenes should have been. Sometimes even the music makes me go "excuse me, editing team, are you sure these two scenes are supposed to be in this order..."

Hahaha, I am indeed a loyal subject, living with the pain of Qi Yan and Yu'er day to day. ; ___ ;

I actually agree with you pretty much 100%. It's nice to see other people are picking up on this; while we as the audience are privy to information and internal monologue to the characters, the characters themselves are not. YZ understands this and points it out, but I think many viewers prefer and feel most aligned in their empathy with Qi Yan (I mean, he is a lonely emperor beset at all sides, with no one to rely on - easy to empathize with).

There is a whole convo where the script actually discusses this.

From the POV of Yu'er, Aunty is the person who rescued her. Who nursed her back to health, one day at a time, never leaving her side. Aunty raised her, taught her, and gave her a home and family. By many methods of measurement, it makes sense that Yu'er would want to protect Aunty. Unlike Yan Zhi or Qi Yan or Aunty though, our Yu'er is different because she still believed in win-win situations, and did not want two loved ones to be pit against one another in life vs. death outcomes. She still believed, because she loved and was loyal to both, that a way could be found to reconcile the two (thus why we hear her thought: with a little more time, perhaps she could convince or persuade her Aunty to reconsider).

Yan Zhi understands Yu'er very well, and I love that bond there. She can see that Yu'er still has innocence in her heart, having been shielded from the reality of the world they live in, even though she is growing and adapting to the politics of a zero sum game political world. In many ways, Yan Zhi understands Yu'er better than Qi Yan, or at least, sees Yu'er more clearly. And I think her affection for Yu'er is even more pure than Qi Yan's, and more accepting.

Qi Yan is actually a very emotional being. He does not see clearly often, even when he is being calculating or rational - you can see how his emotions, after years of being suppressed, have intensified and warped his perception of the world. And that is part of his gravitas and draw as a character. He is bracingly slow to trust, and even slower to forgive. These are not criticisms, but characteristics he has gained as a result of his experiences. So I understand why he felt so betrayed when Yu'er did not tell him everything he wanted to hear when he needed to hear it.

On the same side though, Yu'er has seen how Qi Yan deals with those who are considered traitors. She clearly feels that if she shares this information too early, when she believes there is still a path out for Aunty, she is definitely condemning her aunt, savior, family to death. That is not an easy decision to make. Her reticence is natural and I would not call it a mistake.

We see it as a mistake from Qi Yan's POV. And in the narrative of the storyline, it becomes a stumbling block for the relationship.

But to be honest, it's incredibly toxic and dangerous if relationships were built on this shallow kind of trust. The idea that someone needs to tell you everything on your terms, when YOU need it or want it, regardless of THEIR needs, emotional state, or feelings is deeply unfair. It's a type of self centered perspective that puts oneself far and above the values and desires of others. Which, again, is natural and makes sense for Qi Yan's character, but I do not think we should praise it or denigrate Yu'er just because she was experiencing equally terrifying internal conflict.

IDK this kind of stuff is what builds REAL trust. Real trust is belief that even when you *don't* know everything, someone still is acting in good faith. Yu'er often doesn't know even 10% of what Qi Yan is doing or planning or scheming until after the fact, and she still trusts in him, and believes he can be a good emperor. While the rest of the world judges him by his *actions* and sees a justifiably shitty one. Qi Yan himself appears to recognize this; he has a flash back to when his older brother/previous emperor told him to get lost, much like he did to Yu'er, and draws parallels between good intentions being misinterpreted).

So, yeah.

I feel bad for Qi Yan, but I don't think he is a paragon of virtue, which is what makes him interesting. I feel bad for Yu'er, but I also don't think she chose the wisest course (because it wasn't necessarily a right or wrong situation).

I read your comment about ML being a lonely boy sitting in a sad corner talking to his bloody handkerchiefs and I REALLY should not have laughed as hard as I did. LOL

Yeah, the idea is that most characters will show only 1 side of themselves to people (sometimes not the same side), and keep their true intentions often to themselves. I think ML does a very good job of acting as an emperor who is deeply lonely as a result of his caution and paranoia, he suppresses so much of his emotions and sometimes even has many conflicting emotions at the same time.

I am enjoying ZYX in this role actually. O: Feel like she's doing a pretty good job with the role; she clearly still has a lot of growing to do as an actress, but I feel she has improved a lot, and it shows in her works. Someone else in the comments said you can tell she is "acting" vs. "immersed" and tbh, even as a fan, this is true a lot of the time. There are some truly skilled actors whose immersion ability is undeniable and pronounced, but it generally takes a lot of experience and practice. ZYX is not there yet, though I can see her progress very clearly.

If given the right opportunities and directors, she could achieve that degree of skill one day.

I actually think she is very smart - she is quick on the uptake, learns fast, is typically able to spot her mistakes or correct her logic when it is pointed out. I like her straight forward nature, but to me she is not dumb the way other viewers accuse her of being. She is young and full of simple ideals of honor and family and obligation, with a zest for life that hasn't tarnished yet. The contrast is definitely intentional in the script, and it's kind of silly to expect everyone in a drama to be political masterminds and strategists. She has a strong work ethic and learns well because of it.

Ignorance is not stupidity. Simplicity is not only for children. In fact, many individuals who dedicate their lives to understanding, wisdom, and enlightenment have shared that their pursuits have in fact led them more and more towards a state of simplicity.

It is not clear yet based on the episodes aired, but up to EP12 here is what I can give you for a summary:

A eunuch, Qiu Shi Lang, organizes a coup and uses the younger brother (ML) of the previous emperor as part of his plot for power. During this coup, the two sisters (FL and SFL) are caught as descendants of court official who opposed the eunuch, and despite the slaughter, survive/escape somehow. They are separated after this event, and FL does not remember any of her life prior to being saved/treated and claimed by someone in the Violet Bureau as family. She is raised not knowing her past. SFL ends up as the adopted daughter of Qiu Shi Lang (undisclosed if she knows, or remembers, or has other schemes).

The plot begins with ML biding his time and try to find the right path breaking free of Qiu Shi Lang's power and influence, the basic set up is that it *looks* like FL is a personal body guard trained by the Violet Bureau, SML is a devoted (?) and intensely well groomed daughter of Qiu Shi Lang, so they "meet again on opposite side." The actors themselves said it very well - I think ZYX alluded that everyone in the story has many sides, many loyalties and personal ambitious, they are murky or "two faced," except for FL who is transparent, straight forward, and "of one heart."