[Mainland Chinese Drama 2018] The Story of Ming Lan 庶女明兰传 / 知否？知否？应是绿肥红瘦

[Lunkera]

Well. Rong'er will be traumatized for life knowing that her mother tried to kill her. I felt so bad for her watching the episode. I hope MN dies in the most horrifying way in the drama and begs for her life. But the actress who plays MN does a really good job in playing crazy in my opinion.

[mooose]

@zenya22 Eldest brother already knows the truth that both he and GTY manipulated by Stepmom to be enemies, that she wanted the title for and that both their mothers were ill-treated by the Gu clan.

 

Even though he knows, his resentment and ingrained prejudice against GTY was already very deep. GTY was the favourite son, talented, smart with merits from an early age. So that resentment was real.

 

I believe he was playing a long game against Stepmom, pretending to still hate GTY.  Thats why he didn't try to have more kids or adopt. When he found out he was dying, he had everything ready for GTY. So, probably the most complex character of the novel. If he had given himself away as sympathetic to GTY, I believe Stepmom would have killed him pronto, quite easily as he was physically vulnerable. 

 

[bulubulu]

8 minutes ago, Lunkera said:

Well. Rong'er will be traumatized for life knowing that her mother tried to kill her. I felt so bad for her watching the episode. I hope MN dies in the most horrifying way in the drama and begs for her life. But the actress who plays MN does a really good job in playing crazy in my opinion.

Poor little girl  i might sound like " what the heck " but these scenes of MN acting crazy, i find myself laughing at those scenes and i know that it isnt supposed to be funny and i agree that MN did a really good job. Maybe thats why i laugh idk haha

[Suzzy San]

9 minutes ago, fra8 said:

I agree that he doesn't believe there is something between them. He respects too much ML to believe this.

However he might be worried she never forgot QH. QH was her first choice, he saw her in love with him. And he saw her still closed off with him.He could feel that what he did was not enough, that she still has regrets. Sometimes our fears and feelings are not rational.

You are right.. GTY must have felt that he is still dlnot doing well for her and she still has regrets.. So I really hope ML stops treating both him and her like a survival skit and truly assure him that she has no regrets 

[UnniSarah]

25 minutes ago, zenya22 said:

He was very young when he was told by a nanny that his mother was killed by GTY's mother. However, he himself said it that little Qin had lied and framed GTY and wants her son to be the heir to the Gu holdings and he must also know that the other aunts collaborated with little Qin to libel and scheme against GTY. Knowing all of the deceitful underhandedness of his family especially his stepmother, should he not, by now suspect that he was lied to about his mother being killed by TY's mom and used by little stepmother Qin to make him an ally against GTY? I am not saying this because I like GTY character but that it is possible to change one's beliefs. Many times people believe what they heard or were told when they were young and later questioned and proved to themselves as grown ups that their beliefs are/were false. It happens. So, it would really be nice to see big brother learn that his mother died a natural death and not killed, see the light before he dies otherwise he dies heavy hearted for no reason. He has lived his life being bitter and used by his stepmother and even for a little time before he dies, he and little brother TY need some peace, reconciliation and forgiveness. Big brother and GTY both deserve to know the truth. 

@zenya22 hi 

By the which episode showed a nanny telling GTY’s Eldest brother that it was his stepmom’s fault that his mom died?? I assumed it was Little Mdm Qin who told him those lies. Smh smh smh I am really curious about that. 

I too want the brothers to reconcile but episode 47 shown that he still hasn’t been able to let go of his hatred toward GTY’s mom. I don’t think he can because he lost his mom very early and he also bonded with GTY’s mom. It must have hurt him badly to after bonding with the woman who hurt his mom. Try to accept it as him being filial to his mother. But at least he doesn’t hate his brother anymore. He even knows that GTY would never hurt the Gu family. He is sure of it but since they are brothers their Stubbornness are probably the same level. It is our turn to see who will fold . Episode 47, Eldest Gu’s eyes were actually kind when speaking of his younger brother. So maybe we will get that in the next episode. 

    

[leeza77]

3 minutes ago, mooose said:

@zenya22 Eldest brother already knows the truth that both he and GTY manipulated by Stepmom to be enemies, that she wanted the title for and that both their mothers were ill-treated by the Gu clan.

 

Even though he knows, his resentment and ingrained prejudice against GTY was already very deep. GTY was the favourite son, talented, smart with merits from an early age. So that resentment was real.

 

I believe he was playing a long game against Stepmom, pretending to still hate GTY.  Thats why he didn't try to have more kids or adopt. When he found out he was dying, he had everything ready for GTY. So, probably the most complex character of the novel. If he had given himself away as sympathetic to GTY, I believe Stepmom would have killed him pronto, quite easily as he was physically vulnerable. 

 

The one thing i like about the eldest brother is that his love for his wife and daughter. He is better than sheng hong in that aspect. 

[sava2sava]

12 hours ago, Golden Flower said:

It is also not clear whether ML told everyone that Molan causing foils for her husband’s concubine, Chunniang, like CL did to her mom. However, Liang Han starts to have doubts about Molan's words. He was asking whether their first meeting at the temple when she slipped was coincidental. I guess she has been telling him it was their fate. He threatened her to tell him the truth or he would go ask ML.

@Golden Flower  It would have been a nice twist to the story if he had asked ML about they so called fate. My guess is fro the videos clips he's finding out how much of a witch she is. I was checking out the look on Big Mdms face, She had the look of this girl is going right back at her father and just how much do she remembers at that time.. She's been holding a grudge against him for a long time..

 

11 hours ago, matrim said:

From What I recall, Gu Tingwei the third brother was a shadowy character in the novel, as the author didn't elaborate on him. I can remember 2 scenes in which he was in. The first one is when the GTY's mansion was on fire and ml giving birth to her child, GTW did nothing and played with his children. The other is after the second rebellion, GTW's corpse was discovered outside GTY's mansion, obviously he was the leader behind the attack. I think it implies that GTW wasn't a villain from the start, maybe he was manipulated by his mother, who changed him from a indifferent bystander to a villain.

@matrim  I could tell by his vocal sounds in him and mom conversation that she raised hi telling him that GTY was hindrring his way and she would need his help in order for them to survive.. Being that ML was pregnant and if she gives birth to a son, This would out him and any children he and wife has.. So yes I can see hi turning Evil.. But I read in the thread ML and GTY had 3 sons..  This tells me step mom probably died from so much anger she can't rest in peace..

 

11 hours ago, Golden Flower said:

TV epi 51-52 comment on Maniang...

 

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When I was watching today's episode earlier this morning, I cannot seem to figure out why MN would stab GTY if she wants to be accepted as his concubine even if she isn't lying about the son's death. She should seduce him as she used to instead of falling out with him. GTY even mentioned to MN that she was no longer curry-favoring him like she used to before she stabbed him. episode 52 ended in GTY and ML interrogating MN in storage room not believing what she said about the son's death was the truth. I thought of two possibilities, (1) MN already went crazy and the son actually died (2) step-mom offered money to MN so that she would stab and kill GTY. 

Then, I saw the previews of her choking Rong'er and her burning paper at son's grave. From the preview, I believe it is no 2 possibility and I do not think MN has gone crazy as she is capable of saying right things to GTY in the beginning, she was able to say right thing to beg for her food from food stall and seems to be following instructions of step-mom in spreading bad news of GTY “taking daughter and kicking her out and trying to take the son from her now.”

I think her bouts of tantrum, choking the daughter and acting like crazy person after she failed in stabbing GTY, is just she burning in her own hell of greed, jealousy towards ML and even her own daughter, and regrets of her failure to protect the son to be used as a pawn to live in luxury like she always wanted.  

I do not know why she became ragged as she was in good shape with good clothes when GTY servants let her go and told her to go away. 

 

@GoldenFlower  It don't take a genius to figure her out..  She needs GTY dead so her son could inherit it all being that he was GTY rightful heir.. If she really wanted to claim her spot she should have tried to stay humble and stop ML from getting pregant.. But MN knows ML isn't no fool and if she brought the son back she will eventually have to go..

 

Maybe the son did die, As stated in the book he died and I wouldn't out it past step mom to promise her the stars and the oom if she get rid of GTY But not knowing step om would have turned her in and had those court official on her like wite on rice, In return for doing step mom bidding she would have had Ronger sold off into slavery right along with her brother.. No Ronger would have became someone concubine and brother into slavery..

 

I said MN behaving this way because she knows she has no standing with GTY or her daughter to get back in and her green with envy for ML stems fron her own wrig doing.. All her ill gotten money may have went so quick because she and brother couldn't find another ark to go after..I think when she was out in the streets shouting he kick her and the son out.. GTY old nanny should have pop out on her but and told why he kick her out and she ran off with the son to come back and use later.. I knew MN was shisty when she showed up at GTY dad house uannounced. She did this purposely to test the waters with the Dad.. If she if they would have accepted Ronger then she would have came back with the son to get in the door to steal what she wanted.. But all her plans backfired and that's what makes her angry with herself because she cheated herself..

 

11 hours ago, hello210 said:

Ooh...if it’s the second time an Aunt is trying to give them a concubine and GTY is opposing the aunt, then this should around the time they find out they’re pregnant.  

@hello210  If so I'm so happy for this news,  I got full watching how ML was eating in this drama without being pregnan.. My gawd how big the spread is going to be now.. GTY may give the whole capital a feast because of this good news..

 

10 hours ago, mooose said:

 

Regarding QH's second wife, it depends on the expectations of the marriage. Remember the conversation with GTY and ML after the home visit where she said that all she wanted was 'fairness.'

 

This is an arranged marriage so is QH being unfair to her? I don't think so. He is working hard at his job to catch up with his peers (he was a parachute candidate after all). He is not sleeping with any maids. He is cold but treats her respectfully. It takes time to build a good marriage especially when you are strangers. She wants to have his heart when she doesn't even understand him yet. Her expectation of the marriage is a tad unrealistic. 

@mooose  In regards to QH wife, She spoke of how loving her parents were thus she thought her marriage would be the same.. She has always seen the love and affection her patents showed to one another and expected QH to treat her the way she has always been shown.. Apparently she has never seen married couples fight.. She's been living in this fantasy marriage world onlkt to have her dream if marriage shatter because of her husbands past love for another women..    

[UnniSarah]

9 minutes ago, Lunkera said:

Well. Rong'er will be traumatized for life knowing that her mother tried to kill her. I felt so bad for her watching the episode. I hope MN dies in the most horrifying way in the drama and begs for her life. But the actress who plays MN does a really good job in playing crazy in my opinion.

Chingu ,  Go WATCH HER IN LEGEND OF FU YAO. 

[bulubulu]

4 minutes ago, Suzzy San said:

You are right.. GTY must have felt that he is still dlnot doing well for her and she still has regrets.. So I really hope ML stops treating both him and her like a survival skit and truly assure him that she has no regrets 

Omg i really really really agree with what you say here!!! Thats why i felt a bit upset at her.

[Suzzy San]

4 minutes ago, UnniSarah said:

Chingu ,  Go WATCH HER IN LEGEND OF FU YAO. 

As in.. Ahe was awesome as the pei yuan senior in Fuyao.. I hated that character and she did well portraying the character well

[anzomi]

 

Why would ML want to talk to QH alone? If she has no motive I doubt she would talk to him at all with his personality.

I can only think about 2 options here, wants to talk about his wife(I doubt it) or maybe she is trying to help GTY clarifying the rumors about MN.

With the other trailer with him asking her why don't you take me seriously maybe he told her he will take care of everything and she went behind his back to help him or something similar.

Pure speculation xD

[bulubulu]

3 minutes ago, Suzzy San said:

As in.. Ahe was awesome as the pei yuan senior in Fuyao.. I hated that character and she did well portraying the character well

Talking about MN. I saw some people saying that they thought they were done with her in that drama but now shes in this too. I just think its funny hahah. She's a great actress, hope in the future she'll play a innocent role so people will like her 

[dito]

1 hour ago, fra8 said:

Yes, I agree so I wonder if they have a reconciliation before the birth of the child or if they are still at odds. I guess  one of they two times when he is spinning her is  when she gives him the news. So they seem happy.

 

 

My guess is they reconcile after she tells him she's pregnant. I also think there will be only one pregnancy shown in the drama. So GTY's downfall and rise all happen before his child is born. And granny getting poisoned will happen somewhere in between...while GTY is on his punishment.

 

1 hour ago, matrim said:

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The ML-QH scene will come soon. Just saw next week preview. Believie it or not, QH tried to hold ML.

 

 

....smh smh....what on earth is this guy even thinking? 

I bet if GTY saw it...QH's wife must be around there somewhere too.

 

18 minutes ago, fra8 said:

I agree that he doesn't believe there is something between them. He respects too much ML to believe this.

However he might be worried she never forgot QH. QH was her first choice, he saw her in love with him. And he saw her still closed off with him.He could feel that what he did was not enough, that she still has regrets. Sometimes our fears and feelings are not rational.

 

GTY may think ML regrets marrying him and thats causing the insecurity. Not because of QH but because of his own problems that keep interrupting their wedded bliss. The life he wanted to give her and the life she got are very different. She has had no peace of mind since she married him. Add to that he's not sure about her feelings for him. So a number of things are feeding his insecurity...and QH is the least of it.

[Lunkera]

@UnniSarah  Sorry, i can't

 

Spoiler

I try to avoid dramas with tragic ending. I'm too sensitive for that kind of stuff even though i'm a guy  

 

[UnniSarah]

4 minutes ago, Lunkera said:

@UnniSarah  Sorry, i can't

 

  Reveal hidden contents

I try to avoid dramas with tragic ending. I'm too sensitive for that kind of stuff even though i'm a guy  

 

That is okay @Lunkera...... I totally agree with you. I try to avoid some drama that end tragic too. It can be so heartbreaking. 

[Suzzy San]

23 minutes ago, anzomi said:

 

Why would ML want to talk to QH alone? If she has no motive I doubt she would talk to him at all with his personality.

I can only think about 2 options here, wants to talk about his wife(I doubt it) or maybe she is trying to help GTY clarifying the rumors about MN.

With the other trailer with him asking her why don't you take me seriously maybe he told her he will take care of everything and she went behind his back to help him or something similar.

Pure speculation xD

You sure make sense with these.. It might be the 2..going for GTY but eventually talked about his wife, while GTY has told her he will take care of it 

[deslynn88]

This is a bit off topic but I just gotta say thank goodness for Daylight Entertainment (producers of this drama).  They've only been around for 5 or 6 years but they have totally stepped up the quality of C-dramas.  Pretty much every single one of their dramas is award winning/high production and they produce a wide variety of dramas.  List of their dramas include:

 

Nirvana in Fire - historical/revenge (won Best Drama of the Year)

Candle in the Tomb (The Mummy/Tomb Raider)

Ode to Joy 1 & 2  (kinda Sex and the City esq)

When a Snail falls in Love - crime/suspense

Battle of ChangSha - family drama/war/romance

Like a Flowing River (currently airing along with Minglan)

Love Me if You Dare - crime/suspense/romance

 

If you like Minglan, you might want to give their others a try. Battle of ChangSha is set during the Japanese invasion period in the 30's and 40's and definitely not my type of genre but the characters/acting/plot was so good that I was hooked from the first episode.

 

They've raised the bar and the change is noticeable in other C-dramas too.

[zenya22]

25 minutes ago, UnniSarah said:

QH is the same. He is now a Yu Shi, so he is kinda working for the disciplinary department, and GTY is the man with the worst reputation in town. He hates GTY now (why not? He's not saint) and he doesn't need to frame GTY or sth, he can do his job fair and square and still get back at GTY a little bit, so it's a great deal for him. Again, why not? If GTY is squeaky clean then QH will have nothing against him. As long as QH does things within his duty and not trying to frame GTY nor break any rules, I say go for it.

Even though QH is underhandedly trying to get back at GTY while doing his duties, I like the results it brought to the Gu family. Yuan Ruo wiped the Gu family name on the floorboards but unknowingly helped GTY get some payback on his deceitful family and unwittingly helped ML/GTY get closer. GTY confessed his forebodings and distrust of his family because of what they did and the lies they spat about his mother and ML who had the same experience about her mom could relate. That was a raw, honest and emotional confession and ML just had to hug GTY. More and more, she gets to know the man GTY is, intensely hurt, on the surface seemingly uncaring but on the inside is deeply sensitive, forthright and reliable. Slowly ML is getting to trust her feelings and instincts to freely love GTY. So, Yuan Ruo in this sense helped strengthen the ML/GTY relationship. 

 

On the other hand Yuan Ruo's duties might just lead him to the doorstep of the Sheng family. In th first episodes, Sheng Hong was detained at the palace by the late emperor because his 3rd son was partying with the noble sons who supported the wannabe heir Prince Yan and was mouthing off his support. Years later, Yuan Ruo became a minister and when he first reported at the Emperor's hall and was assigned the duty of investigating the supporters of the rebel Prince Yan, one of the ministers was about to say that Yuan Ruo almost married the daughter of the Shengs but was interrupted by the loud coughing of GTY. Which means that the ministers will expect him to also arrest the 3rd son of Sheng who is now the brother in law of the 6th son of Liang whose family is deemed to be one of the richest if not the richest of the families in the capital and depending on whom they are supporting, they might help or not help the 3rd son, or they might be standing on the side waiting to see who wins which means they will not support Sheng 3rd son. However, if Yuan Ruo does arrest Sheng 3rd son, ML is sure to help and so will GTY and if Yuan Ruo does not, he will be seen as wishy washy and laughed at in the capital. So either way, Yuan Ruo has set himself a (personally) difficult assignment especially that he still has feelings for ML and dislike for her husband GTY.

 

 

2 hours ago, UnniSarah said:

By the which episode showed a nanny telling GTY’s Eldest brother that it was his stepmom’s fault that his mom died?? I

I can't remember the episode but it was much earlier when they were both very young 

[zenya22]

2 hours ago, mooose said:

 Eldest brother already knows the truth that both he and GTY manipulated by Stepmom to be enemies, that she wanted the title for and that both their mothers were ill-treated by the Gu clan.

But does eldest bro know that he was lied to and the truth told that his mother was not killed by GTY's mom? This what I am getting at and I did say that he knows all the atrocities done by stepmom and her ambition to have her son be the heir but does the older brother know the truth about the lie told to him, that made him resentful to his young bro GTY? that GTY's mom killed his mom does he know the truth, that is a lie? GTY also wanted that truth be known so there will be no lies between them. That was what GTY begged his father kneeling and asking for his father to tell the truth about his mother. So, was the truth told to both brothers? 

[minglan1]

7 hours ago, Jackie1048 said:

I noticed that Maniang was shocked that the fiesty Miss she battled with before is now Gu Ting Ye's peincipal wife.

 

She almost accused Ming Lan that she must have schemed to have Gu Ting Ye for herself. Ming Lan just told her she married according to her family's wishes.

It must have hurt her to see ML as the legitimate wife and enjoying the riches she coveted all her life.