Ling Zisheng is an all or nothing kind of guy and it shouldn’t come as any startling revelation that he expects the same of his future bride. Niaoniao is committed to the cause now that she’s made up her mind to go through with the marriage but she’s strenuously (and obstinately) resisting his offers of protection as if to say that she can handle everything on her own as an inexperienced apprentice traipsing into a den of lions. In unfamiliar territory wit and courage can only take one so far. It’s certainly a much bigger pond than what she’s been accustomed to and there seems to be conspiracies in the offing. Furthermore, the palace is the country’s symbol of sovereign power inhabited by a hierarchy of players with varied and complex motivations. As one who is no stranger to palace politics he cautions her against taking people at face value and taking sides.
Hello!!! I absolutely always love getting to read your wonderful ramblings, and this has been just as lovely as every posts you've written for LLTG. I feel you're truly such a great wordsmith-ess! There are always new words and references I learn from your posts. Thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts. What you analyzed with Niaoniao's behaviour in finding it hard to accept Zisheng's protection makes sense to me why she's so stubborn and adamant about her independence and not wanting to be controlled. On the surface, we tend to root for a character who is not a damsel in distress, but in this case, sometimes she head-dives into a situation because of her pride. Which is understandable, but it makes perfect sense why she does need the protection at times from Zisheng until Niaoniao can gain some sort of footing, especially in an arena where Zisheng has been a player far longer than she has. I also really love what you've written about the formidable Consort Yue! She really stole the spotlight at the end with how she went from savage roasting to compassion towards Zisheng's grief in the loss of his uncle. Thank you again for your thoughts and words. It is always a delight to read.
Consort Yue - I always eagerly wait for her words of wisdom, no matter how brutal it can be. But she is stating the hard, raw facts. She can see the parallels with how ZiSheng was treated with how the Emperor was treated (pre-Emperor days).
I also chafe at the 'etiquette' which comes so easily to the mouths of these sycophants but they don't walk the walk. Shao Shang remained silent as her moral standing was impugned during the AYao and ZhaoJun event. Snide remarks and smearing the reputation of others is not a sign of someone with dignity.
I see this drama as a drama of growth. We see Shao Shang growing up - and learning to think about another person (Zi Sheng) and learning to consider another person's needs. Zi Sheng is not the perfect hero - he has his secrets, his schemes and he is also learning that he cannot control Shao Shang because he loves her for who she is - she is not your typical spoiled princess. I still think back to what he said about her when he proposed. These words are a sign of a person who knows his loved one well and accepts that he loves her - with all her capacity to love and hate - she is still be best lady in the capital and the world who is capable of walking next to (not behind) him.
Hello!!! I absolutely always love getting to read your wonderful ramblings, and this has been just as lovely as every posts you've written for LLTG. I feel you're truly such a great wordsmith-ess! There are always new words and references I learn from your posts. Thank you for taking the time to write out your thoughts. What you analyzed with Niaoniao's behaviour in finding it hard to accept Zisheng's protection makes sense to me why she's so stubborn and adamant about her independence and not wanting to be controlled. On the surface, we tend to root for a character who is not a damsel in distress, but in this case, sometimes she head-dives into a situation because of her pride. Which is understandable, but it makes perfect sense why she does need the protection at times from Zisheng until Niaoniao can gain some sort of footing, especially in an arena where Zisheng has been a player far longer than she has. I also really love what you've written about the formidable Consort Yue! She really stole the spotlight at the end with how she went from savage roasting to compassion towards Zisheng's grief in the loss of his uncle. Thank you again for your thoughts and words. It is always a delight to read.
Consort Yue - I always eagerly wait for her words of wisdom, no matter how brutal it can be. But she is stating the hard, raw facts. She can see the parallels with how ZiSheng was treated with how the Emperor was treated (pre-Emperor days).
I also chafe at the 'etiquette' which comes so easily to the mouths of these sycophants but they don't walk the walk. Shao Shang remained silent as her moral standing was impugned during the AYao and ZhaoJun event. Snide remarks and smearing the reputation of others is not a sign of someone with dignity.
I see this drama as a drama of growth. We see Shao Shang growing up - and learning to think about another person (Zi Sheng) and learning to consider another person's needs. Zi Sheng is not the perfect hero - he has his secrets, his schemes and he is also learning that he cannot control Shao Shang because he loves her for who she is - she is not your typical spoiled princess. I still think back to what he said about her when he proposed. These words are a sign of a person who knows his loved one well and accepts that he loves her - with all her capacity to love and hate - she is still be best lady in the capital and the world who is capable of walking next to (not behind) him.
Looking forward to your next post!