sjadvocate

I don't think he survived the incurable poison. In fact, I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead. There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. Also those loyal to the main antagonists will not let the be either. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose and at the end the main leads were able to love each other and trust each other and be together with each other. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

I don't think he survived the incurable poison. In fact, I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead. There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. Also those loyal to the main antagonists will not let the be either. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose and at the end the main leads were able to love each other and trust each other and be together with each other. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

I agree...I actually thought their deaths were not done in vain and how their arc allowed them to be together at the end while being able to stay true to who they are (sacrificing oneself for justice) was actually very touching to watch...it was very hard to watch but still meaningful and aligns with their characters very well.

I don't think he survived the incurable poison or got cured. In fact, I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead. There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. Also those loyal to the main antagonists will not let the be either. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose and at the end the main leads were able to love each other and trust each other and be together with each other. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

I would say it's a bittersweet ending.....bitter/sad for what happened but sweet for what it symbolizes and the legacy they left.

I don't think he survived the incurable poison. In fact, I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead. There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. Also those loyal to the main antagonists will not let them be either. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose and at the end the main leads were able to love each other and trust each other and be together with each other. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead.

Bittersweet ending. Bitter/sad for what actually happened. Sweet for what it symbolized.

I don't think he survived the incurable poison. In fact, I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead. There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. Also those loyal to the main antagonists will not let the be either. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose and at the end the main leads were able to love each other and trust each other and be together with each other. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

I heard funding got cut after episode 30 aired and they were not allowed to add additional episodes so they had to make use of what they could.

For me I feel it's a bittersweet ending for all leads (main couple and 2nd/3rd couple) because I don't think any of them survived at the end. I read quite a few Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) where they analyze the last scene and the entire drama and concluded that what we see at the very end is an "imagination"....especially the scene implying our male lead is alive and has a daughter with our female lead. There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose and at the end the main leads were able to love each other and trust each other and be together with each other. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

It's not clear but I agree with some of the Chinese posts on douban (I understand Chinese) that says what we see at the very end is an "imagination." There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

Zuo Qing Ci is not really miraculously cured....there are implications that what we see at the very end is an "imagination." There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

oh...and these are not just my thoughts. I understand Chinese so after watching the drama, I went and read the analysis of the ending by many Chinese posters on douban and thus...this is what I got out of it as well that I agree with.

Zuo Qing Ci is not really miraculously cured....there are implications that what we see at the very end is an "imagination." There's a scene where the emperor (who returned after being presumably dead) whispered to the military general something. It's presumed that he will not let those who were involved in the "final plan" a chance to live as it will threaten his reign/stability. There are also seeds planted throughout the drama about how living/dying is not what matters..what matters is what you do in your lifetime to live out who you are/your purpose. All the leads lived out their purpose and were true to themselves until the very end...that's why it's more of an symbolic ending...like Nirvana in Fire....although it's implied they didn't survive...but they had no regrets. That's why it's more of a bittersweet but deeper ending.

It is meaningful but not necessarily happy.

It is meaningful but not necessarily happy.

I personally don't think the ending is satisfying because it is out of character for our female lead. We've been shown how smart and resilient she is that it seems out of her character to do what she did. It also veers drastically with what the ending of the novel from which this drama is based off of is. I would still watch the drama despite the ending but it there is a lot of plot holes that the ending does not do justice to. Just my two cents.

I agree too!

ending is sad