susuworld

100% agree. I love how the stoic face of Qian Zhan doesn't make him a complete idiot to reading the room. I like how he keeps referring to Ruyi as "cousin", rather than her alias name that others use. His eyes say so much when he's looking here and there.

I also see the maturity in NYZ and Ruyi talking about what they want in life and their outlook. What really gets me is NYZ isn't easily deceive with all the demands for wanting a child (he knew it wasn't what she really wanted but that someone wished that she did). We almost forgot that before these adventures started, NYZ was ready to reside himself await from politics and everything. He was done and he had his charisma about it.

While I like seeing a lot of backstory being explored for Ruyi in contrast with NYZ (which in typical c-dramaland, it's the reverse), I'm not getting the picture of why NYZ is the way he is. They alluded to him rising through the ranks at a young age and he talks about always being in the shadows but the whole story about him being forced into the army because someone betrayed him (that part wasn't fully flushed).

Thanks for the spoiler that I didn't ask for

I was referring to Ruyi

She needs a proper title if she is to directly interact with the Marquis. Just being a maid servant is not enough.

I can see why this drama is going to be 40 episodes (so far, the episodes are at 50 mins each) is there are too many side characters that I can't seem to get invested in and nor do I even care. I just find when they talk about the other princes and consorts, I just want to fast forward to our lead couple or at least to their envoy. As for the fight scenes, I enjoy it for what they are. If we are to be too critical, I notice the choreography is very similar across certain actors (in their fight scenes) and it is almost too many big moves but not necessary. Sure it looks beautiful.

100% agree with you. His past dramas have him in 2nd/3rd male leads and overshadowed by other actors. Finally, a drama where he is the ML and he can shine in his own light. I love the styling for him. Seeing him interact with Alen Fang reminds me of their days in the Long Ballad where they starred together but didn't have a lot of interactions.

Liu Shi Shi is a very famous actress. She had numerous memorable works including Scarlet Heart. I had been following her for years. She got married to Nicky Wu several years ago and they have a son. My guess is that she stopped acting after she gave birth to her son. She has starred along side equally famous male leads. I'm interested in seeing her in this role. She tends to do a lot of period/costume dramas.

If I have to find one eye stabbing issue, is that while I love seeing Dr. Gu chasing after SWA to pursue her. I'm finding it tiring now that I'm near the end that he seems to be the one who's putting nearly most of the effort into this relationship. I personally would like to have seen SWA do more things for Dr. Gu and to be his support. The fact that he had to convince her to agree with his change of research when her best friend told her that she should stand in Dr. Gu's shoes and understand him. The words of wisdom from the best friend really nailed it for me. I don't feel that SWA has done much for this relationship. She runs, Dr. Gu chases. Her mother doesn't really approve, Dr. Gu does all the work to convince the mom. His dad doesn't approve, Dr. Gu yells at his father.

If you want to say that she got hurt for him twice, that was much early on and she likely do it for anything in Dr. Gu's position at that time. And no it's not a contest but someone can't constantly be giving and giving in a relationship and not be receiving much.

I don't think you have it right. I know enough about Chinese dynastic history to tell you in general who is the heir apparent. It's not Li Ni's father. I know you don't know enough when you said Crown Prince position is not fixed and is changed quite often. I will tell you that history (even in dramaland) Crown Princes don't change very easy. Once one is crown prince, the emperor doesn't change his mind unless there is a legitimate and strong justification to do so. Often it would be if they committed grave errors in their duties as crown prince and deemed unfit to rule as the future emperor. To change crown princes on a whim shakes the core of the royal family.

As I had said, the child is the only legitimate heir apparent because he is the only surviving son of his direct family line where his father was crown prince. We know his father is the crown prince because his mother is titled as the "crown prince consort". If there are 2-3+ more children of the crown prince then obviously he isn't heir apparent but one would be selected from the children of the crown prince. That's why when usurpers are in play, they go after the crown prince and all his children.

If you noticed in this drama, no one is explicitly saying the child is not the heir apparent but that he is too young to rule a nation that is politically unstable. No one is denying his birthright. And even if everyone thinks that the child's father/grandfather was incompetent, that doesn't make the child as incompetent and unfit to rule.

paternal grandfather

Dr. Gu also appears to show genuine care to his grandfather as opposed to his older brother. He takes his mother's maiden name that's why his surname is Gu and not Du.

My guess is that he is actually a reputable and well accomplished doctor. He's not just a doctor but he teaches and conducts lab research. That's because they keep jabbing at how his older brother isn't a doctor and saving lives and yet their father is like the chairman of a hospital (so he obviously favors a son who is a practicing doctor and not just a private corporate boss for pharmaceuticals). One is more about making money and another is more into saving lives. It can't be for their personality because clearly Dr. Gu runs accordingly to his own principles and he cares less about what his family thinks while the older brother who tries to please the family is not favored.

It was sooo refreshing to hear a man actually think about the future of his children by being afraid of what the power grab would do to them. I've only seen this expressed by women in these dramas but what a nice twist.

I think Li Ni is still stuck on thinking that he can just go back to where he came from, be that nameless general of a fort city and live out his life like one but unfortunately, he's marked himself on the path to the throne when he decided to lead the resistance and essentially made himself a name in the royal court. He can't go back to his carefree lifestyle.

The child is the only legitimate heir apparent if not for Sun Jing killing off the royal family. The child doesn't have to be crowned in order to get the throne- he just had to be the only surviving son of the ruling Li family. Li Ni's family is not the ruling family and his father is now emperor only because he proclaimed himself as one and he's the only surviving senior member of the royal family. Li Ni isn't wrong when he said the child is the rightful heir (by inheritance) but not by merit. Chinese emperors weren't always crowned based on skill, intelligence or merit but more so on their bloodline.

The whole dilemma does premise on whether the child can even survive that long. The only person who wants him alive is Li Ni but everyone else is an enemy. Then there is the issue of whether Li Ni can get his father to abdicate the throne for his much younger nephew and the only foreseeable possibility is the Li Ni would have to rule as regent. I can't see him putting himself in the sidelines as easily as he thinks he can. He's too involved, made himself a reputation beyond which he could not easily just remove himself from. And as Cui Lin said, there are many people pushing him towards that path that he doesn't want to go to the throne . I think what will get Li Ni to change his mind is when he realizes he now has to shift his focus to ensure his safety and the safety of the people he cares for (namely, Cui Lin) and to do that, he has to reach for the throne to protect her.

I do agree he only has 1g brain because you can clearly see that the 2nd brother is the one who is playing on the eldest brother to pit him against the 3rd. Very typical move.

You misunderstood the eldest brother's words. His point was that Li Ni was able to led his troops without the court giving him any food supplies. Yet, this time, the eldest brother gave some food supplies but the issue became whether he gave enough to allow the troops to go to battle. He intentionally gave them less so that they wouldn't be able to win the battle and if they lost, it would be a blow to Li Ni. He was basically trying to justify that him giving food supplies was sufficient and Li Ni has proven himself able to do it without it (which I would argue was very exceptional). What kind of starving army could achieve in battle?

LN helping his father get the throne is very similar to the founding of Tang Dynasty. He is also the 3rd son who wasn't favored but was skilled in military and battle. Yet, his two other brothers are totally inept to rule but eye the throne and in doing so, they also seek to find ways to rid themselves of the threat of their 3rd brother as a potential usurper. Father is the same, distrusts his son who actually won the battles for him. The distrust isn't uncommon in the power dynamics of the royal family. What is refreshing is to see LN actually actively resist the idea of taking the throne for himself. What is also refreshing is seeing a FL also push for it. However, in history, such power couple meets a ton of danger that prevents such a marriage to happen. One wrong move, a betrayal is all it needs.

I quite like ZRN but admittedly, I am here for Leo but I am less irritated when there is a comparable FL. ZRN is one of the very few where i don't find her acting as irritating and comes off as very natural.

It's been hard for me to find Joseph Zeng having any real good chemistry with his FL but he seems to be doing well with Tian Xi Wei. As usual, she can deliver humor without exaggeration.