[Mainland Chinese Drama 2018] The Rise of Phoenixes 凰权·弈天下

[Pollen Ainne]

2 hours ago, galea said:

Ikr? I've bloody watched some of his interviews as well , his influence is getting a bit scary. He seems like a pretty interesting person though to be fair. I like the strange combination of humility, wisdom, over-confidence (bordering on arrogance depending on how you view it), and his general optimism. 
 

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Lost in 1949 isn't quite as tragic as TRoP, but the ending isn't desirable. The female lead doesn't quite do it for me as she seems a bit... 2-dimensional. But she does help progress the character developments of both twins and the overall story-line quite nicely.  

 

Yeah, lol. He is quite arrogant but in a charming way. Unfortunately, I think he might not be straight. Not that it really matters. 

 

As for Lost in 1949, yeah the female lead isn't really interesting, but at least she has something special, a really good memory. And she knows when to use it. She's tolerable, and that's all I usually look for in female leads.

[tendrilsofwind]

13 minutes ago, Pollen Ainne said:

Yeah, lol. He is quite arrogant but in a charming way. Unfortunately, I think he might not be straight. Not that it really matters. 

 

As for Lost in 1949, yeah the female lead isn't really interesting, but at least she has something special, a really good memory. And she knows when to use it. She's tolerable, and that's all I usually look for in female leads.

 

If Chen Kun isn't straight then that means 90% of the actors I like are gay. Which spells out impending tragedy for me in the future. 

 

I love Wan Qian. She has so much range! I started Lost in 1949, but I cannot deal with shows where the same actor plays twins, so I had to drop it. 

[Pollen Ainne]

1 hour ago, tendrilsofwind said:

 

If Chen Kun isn't straight then that means 90% of the actors I like are gay. Which spells out impending tragedy for me in the future. 

 

I love Wan Qian. She has so much range! I started Lost in 1949, but I cannot deal with shows where the same actor plays twins, so I had to drop it. 

Yeah well, they are actors, in the end what matters is talent.

 

I didn't really mind the twin thing. The other twin seem to be just a secondary character. But to be honest, I am just watching it for Chen Kun right now, it's distressing for me to admit it.

 

 

Back to RoTP ending...

Spoiler

 

This was a really necessary closure to the story. If they wanted to give us tragedy, give us some closure, even if it is just an illusion. And then maybe give flashbacks of past scenes together. At least make me cry instead of angry! lol!

 

[niniandkun]

11 hours ago, morganian said:

I am glad she did this as Feng Zhiwei. Because she seems to only be able to achieve great things like providing spiked tea to the entire court when she is dressed up as Wei Zhi. She's super smart and resourceful but she is only an agent of change when she pretends to be a man

 

Seriously! It reminds me of that line ningyi says when they are in yilan palace, "you're less straightforward in womens clothes" but that shouldve remained a joke and not come true!

 

11 hours ago, morganian said:

So, yeah, I found the later episodes extremely frustrating, not just because of the finality of the star-crossed love story, but also the reversion of Feng Zhi Wei, from girl not afraid to making her own destiny to someone trapped by circumstance (ie typical princess locked up in a tower needing a prince to rescue her). There was so much potential with the Prince of An arc. Wasted opportunity.

 

Amen! We were all rooting for her from the beginning, maybe even more than ningyi because she was the truly powerless one. Her character arc had all the ingredients to make her the true force of nature we all wanted her to be. Despite the blow to their love story, her taking revenge on ningyi (like the initial synopsis and novel) does more justice to her character and adds balance to the overall story. Also novel does give them a happy ending eventually which both our leads now completely deserve.

[niniandkun]

11 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

As for what the Emperor said to Zhiwei at the last episode, everything he said was complete bs. As I have stated before, either the script writer was clutching at straws to create more desperation in Zhiwei (unbelievable straws because I didn't buy any of it) or the Emperor was once again just trying to make it as if Ning Yi would just become like him because he cannot believe that Ning Yi was simply a better person than him.

 

Honestly I didn't really hate ning shizeng until that point. I always hoped that he truly cared for his children but was a grouchy old emperor stuck in his old ways and tried his best to run his empire. Ok no, locking up yale was when he lost my respect but this truly brought him to new lows. Guess I also cared for him a bit on ningyi's behalf but now that i look at his character soberly, he is despicable. His morality was sort of ambiguous in the beginning and then we had worse characters like the crown prince to hate (he beat his servants, framed his own brother etc..) But everything he did can be justified as self preservation or maybe empire preservation. His love for his children was conditional and his ego lol I wonder now if he didnt want his children to die because he loved them or wanted to disprove that prophecy.

 

Its too bad that zhiwei, originally bright and not easily fazed let it get to her. She should have known better and become empress just to spite him. (after working around the oath somehow idk I really care about it, i feel it adds to the characters integrity to care about things like that) but at that point the script was really backing her into a corner and her character had already folded in on herself.

 

11 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

13 hours ago, tendrilsofwind said:

I agree that he wants a smart woman. One of my favorite scenes is when Feng Zhiwei was answering the Emperor's questions. The way Ning Yi looked at her when she started answering the third question seemed to indicate that that was the moment he realized how brilliant she was and how much he felt for her.

OMG. Yes, I really loved that part. He was so proud of her... he really admires her intelligence. Which is why Ning Yi using Zhiwei as a pawn never made me feel bad. Because I felt that he actually had high expectations of her which is why he kept using her. And the fact that he runs around to keep her safe anyway is just crazy cute. Everyone around Zhiwei trusted that the prince of Chu would keep her safe. 

 

Their dynamic was so damn beautiful. I don't remember the last time I saw such an intriguing and hot buildup between two potential romantic leads. It was like a carefully choreographed foreplay, patient yet assured taking its time to brew so we get close to the characters at the pace they get close. It had equal parts sort of traditional boy-girl flirting and two pure souls coming close to each other and realizing how beautifully they fit together. And since ningyi himself is so smart and calculating its a real treat to see him notice and be in awe of his match. I also love how they came up with the same plan in minhai when ningyi was stuck in chang residence with the plague. Two complimentary and compatible minds finally becoming one.

[niniandkun]

11 hours ago, aisama said:

I approve of a second season with alternative timeline too. BUT I still want my long hair Chen Kun, so I want them during dynasty era again. And yes for happy ending damnit!! Is that too much to ask for... >____<

 

Oh yessss I never thought I'd be so attracted to someone in long hair like that. Maybe just 100-200yrs into the future then? I don't think the settings would change much since developments were slower. Everything would depend on the scriptwriters and director. They could easily make it epic what with our extremely talented cast and already available 3d characters.

 

 

9 hours ago, tendrilsofwind said:

Yea you're right...their characters might be different. If they had the same character though, I feel like it would be nice for them to team up and try to save the failing Dacheng empire and rid the government of corruption. And then they can have a happy ending and have the prosperous empire they always wanted. 

 

Hmm...this makes me wonder if ningyi (in his present iteration as tiansheng prince) would ever join zhiwei to rebuild dacheng. He would have to take a huge blow to his ego and inborn patriotism to tiansheng but doesnt he ultimately want peace, prosperity and uniting of the three kingdoms? Whats in a name? I doubt he would do that given his character but man I'd be insanely attracted to him if he did. If the story took this turn they could make tiansheng more evil than we were initially shown and really built on the corpses of dacheng. They could make ning shizeng more blatantly nefarious and I want ning yi to take his mum's and zhiwei's side. In this case when zhiwei becomes rightful empress of dacheng (as in ruler not just consort) he could become her emperor consort but still powerful and awesome. I know such a feminist fantasy but how amazing would it be if really wasnt intimidated by her being in power? I mean he didnt mind weaving and being a laughingstock in the beginning (granted it was an act I still think he enjoyed it and paid no heed to it being a traditionally womens craft) so I'd like to think he would be open to it and still manage to be powerful and magnificent.

 

9 hours ago, tendrilsofwind said:

These sadists need to release a directors cut with that alternate ending that I know exists. Did you see the OST lyrics? Ning Yi and Feng Zhiwei's songs are corresponding. It's so tragic and beautiful. A lot of these dramas with barely enough material to film 20 episodes end up with 70, but this show gets butchered and cut :(((

 

Seriously they do!! Speaking of OST, does anyone what song is playing when ningyi climbs the stairs in the snow in the last scene of the show?

[galea]

According to someone on tumblr, apparently the composer for the ost of TRoP said that they filmed 3 endings... One was that abominable one we were cursed with, the other was them talking on the cliff through their imagination (the one we see in the BTS videos) , and the third was Ning Yi achieving his goals for his empire, faking his death and leaving the throne to his younger brother and going off to marry zhi Wei, living a normal life with her. Basically, they apparently filmed the novel ending and then decided to screw their audience over... *seething with rage* 

[Pollen Ainne]

2 hours ago, galea said:

According to someone on tumblr, apparently the composer for the ost of TRoP said that they filmed 3 endings... One was that abominable one we were cursed with, the other was them talking on the cliff through their imagination (the one we see in the BTS videos) , and the third was Ning Yi achieving his goals for his empire, faking his death and leaving the throne to his younger brother and going off to marry zhi Wei, living a normal life with her. Basically, they apparently filmed the novel ending and then decided to screw their audience over... *seething with rage* 

Really? Because we have seen scnes of the first two but no evidence of the 3rd. Dang... I would have loved to see the novel ending on screen. But humans are such perverse creatures, just can't go with what makes people happy. lol

 

5 hours ago, niniandkun said:

 

Honestly I didn't really hate ning shizeng until that point. I always hoped that he truly cared for his children but was a grouchy old emperor stuck in his old ways and tried his best to run his empire. Ok no, locking up yale was when he lost my respect but this truly brought him to new lows. Guess I also cared for him a bit on ningyi's behalf but now that i look at his character soberly, he is despicable. His morality was sort of ambiguous in the beginning and then we had worse characters like the crown prince to hate (he beat his servants, framed his own brother etc..) But everything he did can be justified as self preservation or maybe empire preservation. His love for his children was conditional and his ego lol I wonder now if he didnt want his children to die because he loved them or wanted to disprove that prophecy.

 

Its too bad that zhiwei, originally bright and not easily fazed let it get to her. She should have known better and become empress just to spite him. (after working around the oath somehow idk I really care about it, i feel it adds to the characters integrity to care about things like that) but at that point the script was really backing her into a corner and her character had already folded in on herself.

 

I feel the same. There was always darkness in the Emperor and the princes but in the end I felt sorry for all of them, except for the Emperor because although he lost the throne, I actually felt that he won! His precious Tiansheng empire was safe with Ning Yi as Emperor and Ning Yi will end up lonely like him without Zhiwei and Headmaster Xin around him. He can probably laugh about that.

 

Ning Yi's ascension to the throne at this point actually feels more like a punishment rather than a success. The only shining light Ning Yi had left really was Zhiwei, and the fact that Zhiwei does not acknowledge that just shows bad insight on her part. They were basically strangers at this point. They no longer know each others heart. 

 

I actually hated that part in the bridge where she asked "You've never asked what I wanted?" I was like... girl, you were always one to demand what you wanted, he never needed to ask you anything, that was what was awesome about you. So who is this damsel that wanted to be asked? Once again a stranger. The characters have become strangers to us, and strangers to each other.

 

And she she also said "With a few words you want me to stay." I hope there is something wrong with that translation because it was dramatic in the trailers but was a face palm moment when given context. He was just asking her to stay... no he was begging her to stay. For some reason Zhiwei has turned into one of those illogical girls. This would have been the perfect time to bargain for her people. She should have sobbed and told him "So you will protect me, but what about my people? Where can they go?" Would that have been so hard? At this point Ning Yi would have given her the world. She was the princess of the previous Dynasty and they were being rooted out but because of Ning Yi, no one could touch her. She had a sword drawn into the neck of the captain of the Royal guards, and they walked away with her unscathed. I was really amazed. Had it been anyone else, they would be dead or tortured. 

 

In the end, I still have hopes for Ning Yi, but I am not so confident without Zhiwei around him. He wants peace and prosperity and loves the people. But so did Ning Shizheng. Not one time was it shown that Ning Shizheng was a bad Emperor to the people. He always tried to keep his kingdom prosperous and peaceful. He wasn't a bad ruler at all. Most of the negative things he has done (with the exception of Yale) were necessary evils for being a ruler. He was just awful to his kids and he was addicted to sitting on the throne. And if Zhiwei herself tells Ning Yi that he is so like his father, then he is doomed.

 

This is really bad. The more I talk about the ending, the more I hate it. lol

 

But yeah, I actually completely forgot about that oath. And it seems either Ning Yi forgot it too or he has forgotten that Zhiwei actually cared about it. But then again, Zhiwei actually refused to believe it at first. After all, she did decide to marry him at one point. That oath really sucks, and for that alone, Qui Mingying is my most hated character. 

 

5 hours ago, niniandkun said:

Their dynamic was so damn beautiful. I don't remember the last time I saw such an intriguing and hot buildup between two potential romantic leads. It was like a carefully choreographed foreplay, patient yet assured taking its time to brew so we get close to the characters at the pace they get close. It had equal parts sort of traditional boy-girl flirting and two pure souls coming close to each other and realizing how beautifully they fit together. And since ningyi himself is so smart and calculating its a real treat to see him notice and be in awe of his match. I also love how they came up with the same plan in minhai when ningyi was stuck in chang residence with the plague. Two complimentary and compatible minds finally becoming one.

 

Yes it was beautiful. And for that I will always love this show. I am glad the episodes wherein their dynamic was awesome was longer. It took a long route to create their amazing characters and a few episodes to butcher it. lol

[aisama]

4 hours ago, galea said:

According to someone on tumblr, apparently the composer for the ost of TRoP said that they filmed 3 endings... One was that abominable one we were cursed with, the other was them talking on the cliff through their imagination (the one we see in the BTS videos) , and the third was Ning Yi achieving his goals for his empire, faking his death and leaving the throne to his younger brother and going off to marry zhi Wei, living a normal life with her. Basically, they apparently filmed the novel ending and then decided to screw their audience over... *seething with rage* 

 

I'll take the other ending to this abominations ending that we got instead. Whose bright idea to think we'll get sad instead of angry.

 

2 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

I actually hated that part in the bridge where she asked "You've never asked what I wanted?" I was like... girl, you were always one to demand what you wanted, he never needed to ask you anything, that was what was awesome about you. So who is this damsel that wanted to be asked? Once again a stranger. The characters have become strangers to us, and strangers to each other.

 

And she she also said "With a few words you want me to stay." I hope there is something wrong with that translation because it was dramatic in the trailers but was a face palm moment when given context. He was just asking her to stay... no he was begging her to stay. For some reason Zhiwei has turned into one of those illogical girls. This would have been the perfect time to bargain for her people. She should have sobbed and told him "So you will protect me, but what about my people? Where can they go?" Would that have been so hard?  

 

In the end, I still have hopes for Ning Yi, but I am not so confident without Zhiwei around him. He wants peace and prosperity and loves the people. 

 

....And if Zhiwei herself tells him he is so like his father, then he is doomed.

 

This is really bad. The more I talk about the ending, the more I hate it. lol

 

But yeah, I actually completely forgot about that oath. And it seems either Ning Yi forgot it too or he has forgotten that Zhiwei actually cared about it. But then again, Zhiwei actually refused to believe it at first. After all, she did decide to marry him at one point. That oath really sucks, and for that alone, Qui Mingying is my most hated character.

 

 

If I remember correctly didn't Ning Yi said multiple times that he'll do anything she wants? The only thing he asked was for her to convince the dacheng people to submit to tianseng so that there will be peace.

 

Also, there's a scene Zhiwei told someone that she's the only one who can keep Ning Yi under control. But, then the next thing she went and offed herself. So, who's going to keep Ning Yi under control now? XDD

 

I feel like she became illogical, or her character changed, after the death of her princely brother. Zhiwei was still logical when master Zong is killed, when her foster family was killed, but suddenly lose it when her strangers of a process brother is killed. Then she just completely blame Ning Yi for everything, and herself for the death of blood pogonda

 

As for the oath, I don't think Ning Yi care a much about it. He hears it, but he won't stop just because it. I think Zhiwei wants to marry him too deep down. She just can't do it herself, but will accept it if he did it. The scene when she loses her memory, she was happy to heard that he married her, even though it wasn't really Ning Yi.

 

Anyway, I still love the show despite the mishap of the last 10 or so episodes.

 

///

 

I like the song that play when Ning Yi walked up the snowy stairs. But that song isn't on the ost. I wonder why.

[niniandkun]

5 hours ago, galea said:

and the third was Ning Yi achieving his goals for his empire, faking his death and leaving the throne to his younger brother and going off to marry zhi Wei, living a normal life with her. Basically, they apparently filmed the novel ending and then decided to screw their audience over... *seething with rage* 

 

They filmed thaat???? And they're keeping that footage for themselves??    

31 minutes ago, aisama said:

'll take the other ending to this abominations ending that we got instead. Whose bright idea to think we'll get sad instead of angry.

 

seriously...they didnt even show her falling properly, blink and you'll miss it. The whole sequence was squeezed into 5mins I think. It should be a crime to end a story like that.

 

3 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

I actually felt that he won! His precious Tiansheng empire was safe with Ning Yi as Emperor and Ning Yi will end up lonely like him without Zhiwei and Headmaster Xin around him. He can probably laugh about that.

 

Ning Yi's ascension to the throne at this point actually feels more like a punishment rather than a success. The only shining light Ning Yi had left really was Zhiwei, and the fact that Zhiwei does not acknowledge that just shows bad insight on her part. They were basically strangers at this point. They no longer know each others heart. 

 

Poor ningyi...I totally forgot about xin ziyan now going to be prosecuted. Like they just barely got back on good terms and now he's going to be killed? yikes. ziyan and zhiwei were the only two people who couldve called him out on his richard simmons. He needs people like that more than ever now as emperor. Instead hes now stuck with ning cheng who though supportive is such a yes man.

 

3 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

And she she also said "With a few words you want me to stay." I hope there is something wrong with that translation because it was dramatic in the trailers but was a face palm moment when given context. He was just asking her to stay... no he was begging her to stay. For some reason Zhiwei has turned into one of those illogical girls. This would have been the perfect time to bargain for her people. She should have sobbed and told him "So you will protect me, but what about my people? Where can they go?" Would that have been so hard? At this point Ning Yi would have given her the world. She was the princess of the previous Dynasty and they were being rooted out but because of Ning Yi, no one could touch her. She had a sword drawn into the neck of the captain of the Royal guards, and they walked away with her unscathed. I was really amazed. Had it been anyone else, they would be dead or tortured. 

 

55 minutes ago, aisama said:

I feel like she became illogical, or her character changed, after the death of her princely brother. Zhiwei was still logical when master Zong is killed, when her foster family was killed, but suddenly lose it when her strangers of a process brother is killed. Then she just completely blame Ning Yi for everything, and herself for the death of blood pogonda 

 

smh...I can't even. if it wasn't for that bed scene, zhiwei has my vote for being the more worse person in the end.Which sucks because like @Pollen Ainne said earlier she was supposed to be the good one. As for translation, I think on the whole sub-watchers are missing a  dimension by not understanding their raw dialogue. But I don't think thats an excuse in this context alone when everything else made sense. She basically said she cant stay and didnt have a clear reason (if she did say something it wouldve been translated) and im going to wager that it wasnt some profound chinese idiom either.

 

And for the love of god why did she automatically trust and support this new brother idk. A complete stranger and she chose to trust him over ningyi who has always supported and had her best interests at heart. Only explanation here is that she was depressed. But this sudden failing of mental health angle in this story is lol just lazy writing to end the show abruptly and richard simmons us up. Or give us one more episode to explore and empathize with her plight better! along with that dream sequence or montage of NY and FZW. anything but this ending lol....

 

4 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

Zhiwei actually refused to believe it at first. After all, she did decide to marry him at one point. That oath really sucks, and for that alone, Qui Mingying is my most hated character. 

 

I think when qiu mingying was still alive there was a chance for her to release zhiwei from the oath. Which is why after their deaths FZW said 'it came true now' . that woman doesnt deserve zhiwei's love lol. I can only ever recall her kicking her out or saying her daughter is unfilial. I get that its tough love and she does care for zhiwei but her character just come across as so cold.

 

1 hour ago, aisama said:

He hears it, but he won't stop just because it. I think Zhiwei wants to marry him too deep down. She just can't do it herself, but will accept it if he did it. The scene when she loses her memory, she was happy to heard that he married her, even though it wasn't really Ning Yi. 

 

I have to disagree. Atleast pre memory loss zhiwei I think wouldve been stubborn and not married him even if he asked her. It would kill her to say no because she obviously loves him and would love for it to happen. While her memory was lost I think its safe to assume she forgot the oath. And after her memory came back well...im not even sure they were both the same people anymore.

 

 

 

[niniandkun]

1 hour ago, aisama said:

I like the song that play when Ning Yi walked up the snowy stairs. But that song isn't on the ost. I wonder why.

 

Do you know what its called??

[aisama]

7 minutes ago, niniandkun said:

 

Do you know what its called??

No sorry. I would also like to know too. Just find it odd that they didn't include that in the ost.

[niniandkun]

3 minutes ago, aisama said:

No sorry. I would also like to know too. Just find it odd that they didn't include that in the ost.

 

sounds like it could be the male version of this but idk how to search :/

 

[galea]

36 minutes ago, niniandkun said:

 

Do you know what its called??

Ohhh, I think I know which one you're talking about. I was reluctant to check out the ending scene again because... :| reasons, but I think it's 

爱相随 by 许鹤缤. It's also the ost that was playing whilst he was visiting Zhi Wei in prison right? Unless you mean that very intense "I'm scheming for the future" ost where he turns around and looks into the camera, cuz that is literally just the opening theme (which, I can't find ffs!) 

[Pollen Ainne]

3 hours ago, aisama said:

If I remember correctly didn't Ning Yi said multiple times that he'll do anything she wants? The only thing he asked was for her to convince the dacheng people to submit to tianseng so that there will be peace.

 

Also, there's a scene Zhiwei told someone that she's the only one who can keep Ning Yi under control. But, then the next thing she went and offed herself. So, who's going to keep Ning Yi under control now? XDD

 

I feel like she became illogical, or her character changed, after the death of her princely brother. Zhiwei was still logical when master Zong is killed, when her foster family was killed, but suddenly lose it when her strangers of a process brother is killed. Then she just completely blame Ning Yi for everything, and herself for the death of blood pogonda

 

As for the oath, I don't think Ning Yi care a much about it. He hears it, but he won't stop just because it. I think Zhiwei wants to marry him too deep down. She just can't do it herself, but will accept it if he did it. The scene when she loses her memory, she was happy to heard that he married her, even though it wasn't really Ning Yi.

 

Anyway, I still love the show despite the mishap of the last 10 or so episodes.

 

///

 

I like the song that play when Ning Yi walked up the snowy stairs. But that song isn't on the ost. I wonder why.

IKR! You are so on the spot with everything! Why can't the script writer see this? We need to send him a razor, as Chen Kun would put it. LOL

[Pollen Ainne]

2 hours ago, niniandkun said:

Poor ningyi...I totally forgot about xin ziyan now going to be prosecuted. Like they just barely got back on good terms and now he's going to be killed? yikes. ziyan and zhiwei were the only two people who couldve called him out on his richard simmons. He needs people like that more than ever now as emperor. Instead hes now stuck with ning cheng who though supportive is such a yes man.

Exactly! He is left with people who would not stand up to him. I actually enjoyed Headmaster Xin walking out on him when they first spoke, with Ning Yi as emperor. Ning Yi was basically commanding him and he walked out!!! Ning Yi couldn't do anything. That was hilarious. Can anyone else do that to the emperor? Only Xin Ziyan and Zhiwei would dare. Too bad, they both are lost. Ugh! Sad life. I would have loved more moments like that.

 

2 hours ago, niniandkun said:

smh...I can't even. if it wasn't for that bed scene, zhiwei has my vote for being the more worse person in the end.Which sucks because like @Pollen Ainne said earlier she was supposed to be the good one. As for translation, I think on the whole sub-watchers are missing a  dimension by not understanding their raw dialogue. But I don't think thats an excuse in this context alone when everything else made sense. She basically said she cant stay and didnt have a clear reason (if she did say something it wouldve been translated) and im going to wager that it wasnt some profound chinese idiom either.

That is just super funny. It is a pretty "common thought" that women do not say what they want but expect the man to get it. Men complain about it a lot. lol. They just made Zhiwei into some stereotypical girl. I actually enjoyed it in the trailer, but when I saw it on the show, it made me face palm so bad.

 

2 hours ago, niniandkun said:

And for the love of god why did she automatically trust and support this new brother idk. A complete stranger and she chose to trust him over ningyi who has always supported and had her best interests at heart. Only explanation here is that she was depressed. But this sudden failing of mental health angle in this story is lol just lazy writing to end the show abruptly and richard simmons us up. Or give us one more episode to explore and empathize with her plight better! along with that dream sequence or montage of NY and FZW. anything but this ending lol....

The writer was just definitely trying to end it. And and as someone aptly put it (not sure if it was you), the writer just made a PowerPoint presentation of the entire ending. lol

 

2 hours ago, niniandkun said:

I think when qiu mingying was still alive there was a chance for her to release zhiwei from the oath. Which is why after their deaths FZW said 'it came true now' . that woman doesnt deserve zhiwei's love lol. I can only ever recall her kicking her out or saying her daughter is unfilial. I get that its tough love and she does care for zhiwei but her character just come across as so cold.

She was willing to sacrifice her real son for Zhiwei, I am sure it was not because she loved Zhiwei more. She basically chose duty over love. But then again, she did sacrifice her baby to save Zhiwei at the beginning... so... she has some affection, but she is colder than anyone in the film.

 

2 hours ago, niniandkun said:

 

 have to disagree. Atleast pre memory loss zhiwei I think wouldve been stubborn and not married him even if he asked her. It would kill her to say no because she obviously loves him and would love for it to happen. While her memory was lost I think its safe to assume she forgot the oath. And after her memory came back well...im not even sure they were both the same people anymore.

 

But that scene made it pretty clear how much she wanted to marry Ning Yi. She was so happy thinking that he did marry her. My heart melted, and it hurts. Yeah that oath really sucks. The moment Mingying made her say it, I wanted to kill her (Mingying). I still feel the same way every time I see that part that I skip it entirely. She just cursed her daughter to be forever unhappy. How cruel!

[niniandkun]

2 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

It is a pretty "common thought" that women do not say what they want but expect the man to get it. Men complain about it a lot.

 

lool yea..some concepts don't have a language barrier. even if we wish it so to hope better for our character.

2 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

The writer was just definitely trying to end it. And and as someone aptly put it (not sure if it was you), the writer just made a PowerPoint presentation of the entire ending. lol

 It was someone else but so spot on! That post should be starred and framed on this thread.

 

2 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

She was willing to sacrifice her real son for Zhiwei, I am sure it was not because she loved Zhiwei more. She basically chose duty over love. But then again, she did sacrifice her baby to save Zhiwei at the beginning... so... she has some affection, but she is colder than anyone in the film.

 

I feel bad going on about this oath thing but if zhiwei had atleast not made one about her own soul. Like screw qiu mingying now ugh maybe she deserves to not find peace after killing two of her kids, but she had to be all extra and make one about herself! Thats when ningyi was all hey hey calm down woman i'll back off. And then they had that iconic rain scene both of them promising to wait for each other in the afterlife. I know thats silly to us (for me anyway) throwing away your current life for this supposed next life? but it means so much in their world. Ningyi didnt rest until he avenged his brother with the kind of fervor that makes you think he was alive in our world in great torment and zhiwei was ready to give her life to fulfill that bloody pagoda kid's last wish. They were both idealistic and sort of childlike in their beliefs and principles about the world. To then ignore the oath cuz its inconvenient just seems really off for their characters.

This oath was made just to make way for their tragic end :/

In the novel its a different oath i think? One about dacheng? idk correct me if i'm wrong.

 

3 hours ago, Pollen Ainne said:

But that scene made it pretty clear how much she wanted to marry Ning Yi. She was so happy thinking that he did marry her.

indeed! too bad ningyi wasnt there to see it:/  he only saw the part where she remembered him causing pain.

[niniandkun]

4 hours ago, galea said:

Ohhh, I think I know which one you're talking about. I was reluctant to check out the ending scene again because... :| reasons, but I think it's 

爱相随 by 许鹤缤. It's also the ost that was playing whilst he was visiting Zhi Wei in prison right? Unless you mean that very intense "I'm scheming for the future" ost where he turns around and looks into the camera, cuz that is literally just the opening theme (which, I can't find ffs!) 

 

Yess its that one! thank you so much.

I like the male version of both songs better (this and the other one that plays often)

[Pollen Ainne]

30 minutes ago, niniandkun said:

I feel bad going on about this oath thing but if zhiwei had atleast not made one about her own soul. Like screw qiu mingying now ugh maybe she deserves to not find peace after killing two of her kids, but she had to be all extra and make one about herself! Thats when ningyi was all hey hey calm down woman i'll back off. And then they had that iconic rain scene both of them promising to wait for each other in the afterlife. I know thats silly to us (for me anyway) throwing away your current life for this supposed next life? but it means so much in their world. Ningyi didnt rest until he avenged his brother with the kind of fervor that makes you think he was alive in our world in great torment and zhiwei was ready to give her life to fulfill that bloody pagoda kid's last wish. They were both idealistic and sort of childlike in their beliefs and principles about the world. To then ignore the oath cuz its inconvenient just seems really off for their characters.

This oath was made just to make way for their tragic end :/

In the novel its a different oath i think? One about dacheng? idk correct me if i'm wrong.

 

indeed! too bad ningyi wasnt there to see it:/  he only saw the part where she remembered him causing pain.

Well, I actually understand... reincarnation and the belief of an afterlife isn't silly to me. I am not very religious myself, but I don't find anything wrong with the concept. The fact was, the oath was really important, which why I hate its existence because since she made that oath I could not find any way to counter it except for her mother releasing her of the oath before she died. But when Qiu Mingying didn't. That was it. Although maybe a fake death can also be a symbol of rebirth. After all. the oath was only for "this" life. And you can say that the moment Zhiwei fakes her death and is no longer an Empress, and Ning Yi fakes his and is no longer and Emperor, then they live new lives.

 

I haven't read the novel, so I would not know about her oath, but based on what I have gathered, her oath was completely different and had nothing to do with marrying Ning Yi,

[haruhi17]

I'm rewatching the series, my favorite scenes (I seriously can't let go, yet. Lol), and man, i just love our OTP at the start and middle, but towards the end, I don't get them.  I feel like i'm watching something from Body Snatchers.  Lol.  They're so different! I can't get them anymore, where they are coming from, especially when they interact with each other.  ZW became irritating to me, with her letting emotion overtake her good sense and as for NY, he became possessive of ZW that bordered on creepy, and his new face didn't help one bit.  Lol.  And yes, i'm talking about the bed scene...it was jarring to see him push her like that..for one thing, he threatened HZ that if he'd ever hurt her, he'd kill him, but here he is hurting her by mistreating her as if he could do it just because he's Emperor.. i hate that scene!   then, the next scene was them being okay and talking.  The transition was really off.  Anyone here felt like cringing when watching that scene the first time?