Reviews

Battle lines drawn

How cool was that opening scene with Bu Shulin holding her army’s token as herself.🌹👏🏻 Ms Wenxi loses with the (w)Rong token and now mummy Rong is outdone with her posturing for ultimate authority in putting her son the throne. Watching the Shen and Lanhai armies move in for their ladies is quite a sight. Prince Lie has come to face his brother and his vows tear at your heart. 💔He was going to kill himself but was stopped and jailed. Here Changqing lowers his mask a bit. I completely despise his character’s actions. But I do have to say this actor is a master performer of gray characters. Tho hated, he will be the most memorable for balancing good and evil with audience never completely clear which side he was on til he chose to tell. There is a final showdown and we are shown how the troops were signalled and made aware of their need. Changqing recognized her willingness to fight to the death and after a brief show of who’s really in charge he got a private audience with Xihe. Here he reveals his plan so that there would be no further obstacles in her way. He even called out his own obsession and knew it would shackle her. He stabbed himself to end it all and won the answer he wanted to know. It was very fitting for his memorial to be shown with his wife’s picture behind it. Ugh the bastard made me mourn him and wish him a better life than what he was given. 😭He truly deserves tears and was far more honorable than given credit for. But he also knew his sacrifice and reputation had to be tarnished beyond repair for Xihe to have the influence needed to rule the world. He wanted her more powerful than simply the Empress Dowager. And dammit he succeeded. 😭 It was fitting that he died with the rain bringing full circle to the rain when they met. He did learn to live truly and made the sacrifice for her that he did not with his wife. He made himself honorable in both women’s eyes and I didn’t expect that from him. Qingzhi and Xihe acknowledged him in this moment. He could finally be free of his obsession with Xihe and his regret with Qingzhi. 🌹The Grand Empress Dowager is very like Consort Rong with her hate so evident. Finally understanding about the defending of the city. But his actions after explains the obsessiveness of his sins. He did not poison Huayong, but he stole his birthright and lied to the gma and all this mess was a direct result. I guess he didn’t want Empress Dowager and grandson to rule and made sure he was the one in power. That bit of selfishness ruined them all. He swapped his brother’s pledge to take his place and this the gma did have clarity on. She just never got close enough to the grandson to recognize the true father. Xihe had a lot to process as well. She now understands the importance of Junshu’s name and worthiness to ascend the throne. In spite of the evil intent from both Emperor and Gma, I believe HuaYong’s resourcefulness and talents reflected well the gifts his true father gave him. I think Qian is most pleased with his son and his choice of wife. His brother and mother…not so much😝

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Looking for truth of what happened in Tongniu County

ShaoShang keeps breaking my heart! Her desperation to find her father is so immense. That scene where she ran to the dead bodies of General Cheng's army, checking one after another, just to see if one of them was her father... 😭💔I am so grateful she has BuYi in her life, and his support in this situation is enormous. He doesn't complain about anything, he just quietly helps her with anything and everything and keeps her protected. 🥹He is part of the Cheng family and she is part of the Huo family — I loved them both saying those things to each other, especially as it was comforting for both to acknowledge that they are not the last ones of their families, they don't have to fight those fights alone, and they have the endless and unconditional support of each other. 🥹❤️‍🩹Everything that's happening in Tongniu County, with those convenient accidents and deaths of officials and witnesses, just hints at Lou Ben being the one behind it all (though it remains to be seen if he is working alone or collaborating with someone). 🧐And I absolutely loved how General Wan dealt with Minister Zuo! If he really goes to get ShaoShang to bring her back to the capital, I really want to see how he will NOT manage to take her away from BuYi! 🫣🤭

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Playing chess

We finally get a short and sweet update of the Cui family. Twins🥳👏🏻 Mama has a good plan of one a scholar and one a soldier……just like mom and dad.😁🥰 haha I guessed right that the loyal lady will marry the decoy and Shulin can be the long lost sister. One big happy family. 🥳👏🏻 From this sweet scene we are seeing the delusions of Changqing. He has replaced XiHe’s guards and imprisoned her in her own home. Her men are now in a e mth stint away from the palace and are refused entry until it is accomplished. XiHe calmly tells them no big deal and to come back in three months. He disgustingly refers to Huayong’s child as his…..as if…😝🤬Everything seems in his favor but XiHe recalls her chess game with Huayong. She had played an excellent game as a general in battle…but what she failed to see cost her the game and gained Huayong wontons.🤣😂 Make a diversion to accomplish your real goal. Changqing is pushing a wedding…she counters a trip to a far off temple to introduce her child to Huayong. Changqing ruins the moment by commenting on how this Buddha did indeed bring together long lost spouses.😝😡His actions of ‘love’ are becoming more and more binding. His wedding invitations are like a zealot saying agree or die. He has real and/or fake charges read that are punished by execution. The only hopeful outcome is that the officials will get tired of his craziness and overturn his rebellion. Xihe has been called in and has received an edict declaring JunShu the royal heir- the true bloodline. Mummy Rong shows up to either detain or execute the witnessing officials, frame Xihe for frail health of emperor and endanger the unborn child. 🤬Prince Lie must be adopted because he is the only honorable one in this family. 😝Where Changqing is making quick progress with officials praying for emperor, Xihe has had much better results with the soldiers Consort Rong has in place to kill the palace women. They are reminded of their service and who put them there and took care of their families. They ended up kneeling at her feet. Consort Ring still thinks she has cards to play with the Shushan army. With the Bu token they are making their way to the palace. They are building up the intrigue and still no reveal of the actual poisoner yet. Huayong and Xihe are very well matched. She has equally laid it all on the line to root out the rebels and make way for Junshu to have proper place. I hope there is a closeup on poisoner’s face when true lineage revealed.😝

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An entire episode wasted on the (W)Rong family 😝😡

The episode starts with sincere mourners for HuaYong. It soon becomes the Consort Rong show as she shows up with three elder officials demanding the keys to the palace staff. 😡🤬 Right when they are getting ready to use force, Xihe pulls out an edict from the Grand Empress Dowager giving her the authority over the East Palace. It also gives her the power to execute anybody trying to assert themselves over the Crown Prince’s authority. Then there is the next attack by lil sis Gu. She is a psycho that needs to go. It is becoming more clear who her accomplice is, but they are dragging it out along with this Rong fest.🤬What is worth noting is that XiHe mourned the loss of her only Gu family. Things could have been so different. But the Gu sister could not get past her obsession with Changqing. Those two are equally matched for love/obsession/possession of the one they are determined to have no matter the consequences. The gold lock that was one of the last heirloom pieces of the Gu family was tainted with poison. She was hoping to take out XiHe and heir. A maid was sent with a letter claiming the Crown Prince knew about Changtai but said nothing. It was implied that even tho he saved the Emperor they were guilty. Consort Rong was sure she had XiHe taken care off but nope….didnt happen. After slapping the maid she confronted them with the crime of tarnishing the heroic efforts of the Ctown Prince. The emperor passed judgment and declared Gu received just recompense for her own actions and no one else would be held responsible. What is interesting to note is the gma is lowering her mask a bit each time. She is not happy with how things ended up and is most likely the reason the emperor has a steady cough and is sick. Changqing thinks he can step in and be hubby now. He even has a nursery prepared. One has to sympathize that he is guilty of loving his ex. But he did not protect her family and he did not try to let her make her own path. His love felt like ownership to her and she was more and more caged with his good intentions. His love for her did not extend to taking the time to understand her heart and dreams for herself. He never gave her credit for knowing her own mind and for thinking his choices for her her best possible life and outcome. He continues this thinking and even fasts for three days til Lie came in trying to rouse him. He tries to be the phoenix rising to be regent and take over for crown prince. He is actually a good man in many respects, but his sacrifice of an entire family for his political gain….shows how far short he falls compared to Huayong. His image is the mere shadow of a phoenix wishing to rise. He has the right features but lacks something in character that makes him fall just short of achieving his dream. I blame the mother they don’t rein in with her ambition. She is the taint of the Rong clan. The doctor has not accepted his new job but wants to go to the mountains to heal as many as he can. His study of medicine and commitment to finding a cure for the exotic poison are his chosen life’s work and XiHe gives him her blessing with assurance he was welcome back to palace and offered job if he ever changed his mind. The elite soldiers are collected with Rong family to demand Changqing accept his role as regent and kill XiHe because she was too smart and efficient. He not only refuses their command but tells them he will make XiHe his consort. 🤬🙄He just might have the power to cause this, but waiting to see how it is countered. It was a given that XiHe was going to get crap from the palace after Huayong’s death. What we really wanted to see was how Shulin and Cui are doing and see some support for XiHe. This Rong arc felt very wrong and extended. 😝🙄 But it is giving more hints to the true poisoner ….so there is that.😝One of the most poignant scenes was her making Huayong’s tea with all the meticulous precision he used to perform daily. That this touched his young guard with bittersweet memories along with Xihe was a well done scene choice. 👏🏻These two were his most important people and this scene reminded us of their bond. 🌹❤️

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Conflict of interest big dawg

They need me on this team i swear to god. Inspector a bitch for the love of the game. Like I need a really good reason for you not to like Lee thats not hes the son ofa murderer because what does that have to do with him, im confused? Like him and his dad are two different people i dont understand. Also I want more lore on the uncle because that was quite fun and I did enjoy that a lot. Uh yeah, inspector annoying as hell and hes this proclaimed guy but has the son of the guy who murdered someone working on his case, like thats a conflict of interest and lowkey not allowed. We stay pissing me off. Whatever, lets run this shit. 8.5 okay bye!

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