whoissilmoy

Xu Kai says it is sweet and bitter but has happy ending and leaves you feeling very sentimental.

why do you think Sun Jing was able to wipe out the royal family and Commandant Ho said the Li family are very mediore people with not much talent. How can Li Ni be so different?

I've watched enough Xu Kai movies to trust Xu Kai when he tries to interpret his character and portray it. I'm still on episode 13 so I'll have to wait a long time to figure out Li Ni eventually. I think Li Ni is a different person when he is around Ying. Didn't Pei Yuan say to Li Ni "Love makes you dumb". But Li Ni responded something like "You don't understand". Li Ni relies on Ying for his emotional needs. He cannot live without her. Early on, the scene he had a date with her, and it rained so they went to the small hut, cooked, eat and chatted. He found his soul mate and said in my 20 years, I have never felt such peace. When fighting over, come with me to Laolan.

I came here to find out spoilers because I am still on episode 13. I appreciate sincere comments they help people like me who are trying to understand the plot and the characters and I'm okay with different opinions. Some are not liking the development of the leads but that's okay. I can make up my mind later on. It's good to hear different opinions whether I agree or not, it has value as long as it is sincere and not personal or biased against the actor and is backed by reasoning. Also, I just want to support WoL since I read that it is not getting much attention.

why would one drop a drama when the angst and misery will start

I know ALP really well and loved that movie despite all the negativity about it and that the female lead is ugly, I found the actress is great and bring out inner beauty of Shanggu. I cried in ALP but haven't cried at all in WoL (i'm on on episode 13 but not expecting to cry, we'll see if it moves me to cry in later scenes. I think I saw a teaser scene that might may me cry and I won't say who died). Once you invest the time to understand ALP plot and characters, after you watch it, it will create all sorts of emotions and makes your heart ache. Some say Xu Kai was bland but I thought he was really good portraying the three characters in ALP. He was able to exhibit both coldness, sterness and yet a lining of warm and charm wrapped into Bai Jue. The entire cast had chemistry and great supporting actors helped to make ALP superb for me anyway.

I'm only on episode 13 so what do I know but from what I can tell, these two are always together at heart but outwardly, there is too many differences in their values and goals that constantly put them at odds with each other but always they remain in love with each other even they say they are not, they are only deceiving themselves. The two hearts are united and will forever be united even if they go separate ways.

This movie may be too patient, mild, and sentimental so I think people who just want quick resolutions will be bored and quit watching. The conflict is too great and takes time to resolve between them. That is why this movie should not be watched one episode a day. It really needs to be watched uninterrupted on a big screen with good audio. Every scene goes by quickly and seamlessly and captures your attention. IT moves along so fast that you don't even know how much time has gone by. But unfortunately, I have to watch one episode a day and so that can create boredom but it's not the fault of the movie.

This movie is fictional romance. I was curious what historical account might this movie be based on and since last name is Li must be Li Shimin. But this movie is not about Li Shimin but has similar circumstances where he was a great warrior behind his father and his older brother was crown prince and tried to kill him. etc. Li Ni does not want to be involved in politics and does not desire the crown, but LI Shimin did. Both men contributed to their father becoming emperor. Also, I read that before his father took power, they installed a puppet child emperor of previous Sui dynasty. This movie also took that idea of installing a puppet child emperor.

Throughout history, behind every great man is a great woman who wields her influence over him and can either cause him to rise or fall.

Perhaps I should delete my post. I did not mean to say Li Ni is the great Tang emperor Taizong. I don't wish to tarnish the great founder of Tang dynasty.

I never write comments but I read that WoL is not getting much discussion so I wanted to do my part.

I read some comment somewhere that Li Ni rise to power is based on Li Shimin, considered the founder of the greatest dynasty in China, the Tang dynasty, even though his father, emperor Gaozu was the first emperor. Wu Zetian, the only female emperor of China came from the Tang dynasty. In Cantonese, Tang, is the name of the Chinese people. Li Shimin, also known as Prince of Qin became emperor Taizong. He overthrew his brother, the crown prince in a counterattack, and his father abdicated. As Prince of Qin at age of 15, he was already married to Princess of Qin who was 13.
The dispute for Crown Prince was the result of his older brother who was already Crown Prince was paranoid about Li Shimin who was quite the warrior with many war achievements held great military might in the empire. If not for Li Shimin encouraging and aiding his father, fought alongside him to rebel Sui dynasty, there would never have been Tang dynasty. Li Shimin also fought many wars to defeat contenders and unite the country. Li Shimin had to kill the Crown Prince and his other brother because they were planning to kill him in the famous historical Xuanwu Gate incident. So this movie really does reflect the tragedies in history.

It is no wonder in WoL, Li Ni did not desire the throne and did not want to watch his own children one day to also fight each other for it. But Ying has different perspective and values than he does. She was shaped by her mother who fought and willingly gave up her life to protect others and asked Ying to do the same, and her father is one of the three great generals who also taught her and shaped her to be tough and take control or else be controlled. She was shaped by both her parents to fight for the people. Li Ni on the other hand had no mother but a mean father who hated him and beat him as a kid and sent him away. He was only 13 when he left the palace. He never wanted to go back to it ever again but fate calls him. She is a great general's daughter and thinks like her father. In the begining of the movie, the Cui family goal was to exert power and influence over the throne because they view Li family incompetent and did not trust other corrput contenders. they felt they were righteous to lead.
Both LI NI and Cui fight for the people but Li Ni does not want to rule the people; however, Ying knows that no matter how many battles you win, it is all in vain if a bad emperor rules, the people will still suffer. The two are at odds with each other. Li Ni just simply doesn't want to be part of politics, but he cannot escape his destiny. This story does reflect historical conflicts and tragedies but like Xu Kai said, there is sweetness and bitterness in the movie, more bitterness than sweetness, but happy ending. I'm only on episode 13 so I could be wrong but no matter how bitter, I won't cry because it is still light-hearted movie. If you want a tearjerker, this may not be it. If you want to enjoy beautiful cinematography with technical and artistic brilliance, decent acting, Xu Kai visuals that are off the charts (what other actor has his visuals), a sweet and bitter romance that ends well but is not thrilling or suspenseful nor make you depress but instead simply entertaining, captivating, satisfying, sweet, funny and fun to watch, then this movie is it. The bitterness is there but it's mostly chill, I think. but then I'm only on episode 13 since I"m watching for free. Xu Kai acting in WoL is a mix bag for me but overall solid and very good but not his personal best in every scene. He has some scenes where I think his acting is his personal best. I think he is very talented and will keep improving. Sometimes I swear I can read his mind and heart because he is so expressive. Xu Kai is built like a giraffe and as smooth and graceful as one. Has anyone noticed his long legs, his long hands, slender fingers, graceful movements, etc. He is like a piece of art to be admired and each time you look at him, you find something you did not see before because he is so expressive. His acting is natural, subtle, and expressive. He looks so good riding a horse, shooting arrows, fighting with spear, sword, and martial arts.

Speaking of destiny, I'm reminded of Star Wars when Darth Vader said to Luke Skywalker that he cannot escape his destiny and says to Luke "IT IS YOUR DESTINY". Luke "NO". We can say that Ying is Darth Vader and Li Ni is Luke. "Li Ni, It is your destiny". Li Ni: "No"