Despite the levity that marks a large proportion of this drama, the satirical bite of the story bares its teeth when the decisions of agencies made in the past come back to haunt in horrifying fashion. Over a decade earlier when the crown prince took his consort to be his lawfully wedded wife, she knew that she was marrying a man who was in love with another woman — a woman who grew up with the crown prince, who was her superior by every criteria of their day. Despite knowing all that and despite being warned against this union, she married the crown prince and has never once felt secure in that marriage, plotting and scheming against the other woman who has been systematically abused by her husband as a result of the consort’s machinations.
Reading your thoughts about these episodes and what hits me hard was about Yuan Shen. You have hit the nail on the head.
He knows how much CSS loves LBY and even if something happens later on, can he really bear with the fact that he is marrying a woman who loves someone else.
Even though you would try to make the best of things but to know your wife may live with you in peace but her heart is locked away. That would be one of the worst type of pain you will have to live through.
He has seen so many examples (Crown Prince and Consort, His own mother and father) and yet he is willing to step into the same fire, because no one can compare to CSS.
I have seen a lot of comments on social platforms that in another drama, he would be the typical ML - cold, haughty and mean to the FL until he falls in love with her and her with him. I say kudos to the actors (Zhao Lu Si and Li Yun Rui) for showing the bickering relationship but you know they will not be the final OTP (somehow).
The angst is ramping up for the upcoming episodes so we will just have to see how this drama will end.
Ohh boi, I am on the same page as you about the Crown Princess. This whole time I knew she was SUS! (suspicious), but I never would have imagined the depth of her cruelty with her actions against Qu Lingjun. That totally caught me off guard, but the drama did well in showing this narrative of her story and the aftermath of the Crown Princess’ schemes.
You NAILED it with what you wrote regarding Yuan Shen too, tying all this back to everything! I loveeee that you shared this piece of gold nugget with us. As much as Yuan Shen loves Niaoniao, it’s that missed opportunity, too little, too late, like how it is for his mentor/teacher. Indeed the heart wants what it wants though. I just can’t ever see him in this storyline at least, ever be able to match the deep affections that have now been rooted in Shaosheng’s heart for LBY considering all the times he has been the one there for her in those critical moments of her life. LOLL! Thank you for defending LBY against the beans who think he shouldn’t have pursued CSS because of his revenge. Where would we have our splendid story otherwise too!? “Even if there’s no revenge to pursue he’s a soldier and there’s no guarantee that he’ll see his 22nd birthday every time he goes into battle,” this pierced my heart. Because along with everything else, life truly is hard. So excruitatinly hard in non-fiction that it makes sense that one will have to make the most of it, and find even the smallest and brightest of lights to endure the journey of life.
In another place and time, if CSS was the one who suffered through what LBY is experiencing, I would also greatly believe she would do something just as drastic if not similar to the steps LBY has laid out to execute his plan.
Anyways, I really look forward to your ramblings for episode 41-42. I am sorry for being a broken record #NotSorryActually because I love reading your writing!
Just want to say that you have a fan here. I am delighted to read all of your ramblings.
Hello!
Reading your thoughts about these episodes and what hits me hard was about Yuan Shen. You have hit the nail on the head.
He knows how much CSS loves LBY and even if something happens later on, can he really bear with the fact that he is marrying a woman who loves someone else.
Even though you would try to make the best of things but to know your wife may live with you in peace but her heart is locked away. That would be one of the worst type of pain you will have to live through.
He has seen so many examples (Crown Prince and Consort, His own mother and father) and yet he is willing to step into the same fire, because no one can compare to CSS.
I have seen a lot of comments on social platforms that in another drama, he would be the typical ML - cold, haughty and mean to the FL until he falls in love with her and her with him. I say kudos to the actors (Zhao Lu Si and Li Yun Rui) for showing the bickering relationship but you know they will not be the final OTP (somehow).
The angst is ramping up for the upcoming episodes so we will just have to see how this drama will end.
Hi Lily,
Ohh boi, I am on the same page as you about the Crown Princess. This whole time I knew she was SUS! (suspicious), but I never would have imagined the depth of her cruelty with her actions against Qu Lingjun. That totally caught me off guard, but the drama did well in showing this narrative of her story and the aftermath of the Crown Princess’ schemes.
You NAILED it with what you wrote regarding Yuan Shen too, tying all this back to everything! I loveeee that you shared this piece of gold nugget with us. As much as Yuan Shen loves Niaoniao, it’s that missed opportunity, too little, too late, like how it is for his mentor/teacher. Indeed the heart wants what it wants though. I just can’t ever see him in this storyline at least, ever be able to match the deep affections that have now been rooted in Shaosheng’s heart for LBY considering all the times he has been the one there for her in those critical moments of her life. LOLL! Thank you for defending LBY against the beans who think he shouldn’t have pursued CSS because of his revenge. Where would we have our splendid story otherwise too!? “Even if there’s no revenge to pursue he’s a soldier and there’s no guarantee that he’ll see his 22nd birthday every time he goes into battle,” this pierced my heart. Because along with everything else, life truly is hard. So excruitatinly hard in non-fiction that it makes sense that one will have to make the most of it, and find even the smallest and brightest of lights to endure the journey of life.
In another place and time, if CSS was the one who suffered through what LBY is experiencing, I would also greatly believe she would do something just as drastic if not similar to the steps LBY has laid out to execute his plan.
Anyways, I really look forward to your ramblings for episode 41-42. I am sorry for being a broken record #NotSorryActually because I love reading your writing!