vesca

You should definitely give it a go! and write a review after drama will finish airing :)

We just have different expectations - so you didn't expect much and you are enjoying it more than me - as I was hoping for good adaptation :)
but for sure its best costume romance drama to watch atm.

Novel despite being about war shows the point of view from both sides through different characters narration - and it has its adventurous and humorous side too :)
So making an outstanding drama based on it wouldn't be difficult at all

I hope another director will pick up on it in the future and make a good true to the novel drama :)

This drama is pretty watchable one but its not what you are expecting from drama based on the novel. So this my main issue... if it would be an original script I would still comment about its quality as some plots and it's conclusions are badly written and very predictable. Some are simply an offence to viewers intelligence.
So I was expecting a drama adaptation on the same level as Joy of Life, The Long Ballad, Love like the Galaxy, Lost You Forever... unfortunately its not what we get :)

I just wanted it to see how this drama concludes - I am not expecting anything brilliant especially that there are only 6 episodes left and we know that at least another 2 will be again court related - no idea how they are going to close loose ends and finish the story

ep 31 and 32 will be available on Monday...

thats why a lot of us says that screenwriters simply screw up their job - they really fabricated unbelievable story - which characters are only the tools to keep plots running . Drama despite plenty of changes was quite good in first 20 episodes now its just rolling down.

in the novel fight for the power is background story - they could write that part by themself and really as it happened in the novel separate leads for 4 years
let her to became a marshal with slow progression from battalion commander through the battles (those could be even narrated partially) and him to grow up some spine and became a real emperor - but I guess it was too much to ask! and ofc that wouldn't go in the pair with their great plan to set Amai up with Yi Zhi 🥲

I doubt that would happen... this drama won't be very successful as novel had 8.5 rate on douban and large fandom - and screenwriters made a trash from great story...

with all stupid plots twists at least screenwriters stayed true to that part of the story - Chang Yu Qing really had fallen in love with Amai and was protecting her despite consequences - and I hope that Amai will leave ML and his court to either venture through the world or to join CYQ or brother Tang
at the end of the novel when Amai asked CYQ what he would do if she would be beheaded by Emperor he told her that he would lead an army and invade Nanxia - so screenwriters picked up some bits and implemented them where ever it was working for their ideas

if they will really make it that way it will be so pathetic! ;)

unfortunately that's how it is... and ML will be a PM's puppet emperor... I really hope screenwriters will allow her see through it and that will be a real reason why she is going to leave... but in overall it is a pity that drama with good budget, actors, set ups is not as good as it could be due to stupid scenario

I am a bit busy today but will try to write new topic about differences between novel and a drama
- unfortunately Fighting for love - is not true to novel and even a synopsis...
Mu Bai is ML bodyguard from a very long time... and ML has no idea he is a son of PM??? you trust a person, let them be your right hand and you even didn't investigate that person background? Like - really?
CYQ - is Beimo's God of War ... very skilled in martial arts warrior - he is going to assassinate ML alone during the day time? and then run behind the corner without checking if street is safe? and boom! knocking down powder!
SCREENWRITERS! you screw up that story sooooo badly!
You have decided to rewrite a novel and turn it into something else, but at least stay true to the character abilities and make it believable!

thats good idea - they could make a peace treaty with a marriage and let couple to live and guard one of the border cities ;) but we all know that's unlikely to happen...

Novel for me has an open ending - so she is retiring from army and leaving capitol, CYQ is wating for her out of the city gate but she is going to find brother Tang who might be still alive...

I was hoping for Express so I would be done with watching ;)

First of all in the novel Cui Yan survived the war and he became a father of Xu Xier son ;) that just a stupid plot which allows CYQ to assassinate Yi Zhi and meet Amai in the capitol and as a consequence PM will be able to accuse her of collaboration with enemies, throw her into prison and then force ML to marry his daughter :)
None of this never happen in the novel except the marriage ofc but Yi Zhi didn't have any objections to it as he knew Zerou since childhood

She didn't have romantic feelings for him in the novel... She was clear about it - she has loved two guys - a childhood sweetheart and fiance - Chen Qi and then as an adult she has fall for Chang Yu Qing

in the novel she was amazing strategist - real daughter of her father - respected general and later marshal who build up her army step by step and achieved countless victories when there was very low chance to win a battle

That's why I am puzzling myself - why oh why they couldn't follow up the story? Make minor changes when its necessary and give the justice to the book and characters...
The novel shows Amai's growth from a foot soldier to the army marshal, her internal struggle as commander and a person as her decisions would decide about life and death countless soldiers and civilians.
Novel itself is war heavy drama, but also has brighter side and I was enjoying humorous elements in the plots...
Amai and CYQ encounters were always very intense and satisfying for the reader - they could kill each other few times - but they never did - they had feelings for each other - but both never betrayed their countries - and never underestimated each other commanding skills.
You can see Amai's development as a person and commander - she couldn't kill Chen Qi after hearing his part of the story - he killed her father as he was hostile army general and he didn't regret that - and he would do it again... his family had been killed and village pacified during war by Han Huaicheng army...
After 6 years of war when finally Beimo army capitulated Amai will refuse to send her troops over the border and to start another bloodshed - so she will defy imperial edict.

Drastic changes of the events and nature of main characters as well as addition of totally fictional plots for me just destroyed that adaptation - which became one more historical drama about power struggle and court politics with very childish ML who didn't show any signs of personal growth...