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

[hello210]

27 minutes ago, cherubstomato said:

Finished watching episode 19-20

phewww don’t mess with a mans money haha! One thing led to another and the root cause was Manniang. Her character is just as annoying as Mantou in legend of Dugu played by same actress and she will last for long time and won’t meet her demised yet. Ugh! After all she will have other kids with GTY as someone mentioned. Her stunt running away will make GTY realize the kids needs their mother and he was stupid to tell her about his assets despite momo telling him not to! FACE PALM. Now she will cling on him forever. LOL 

Minglan sending GTY some cakes and porridge was thoughtful of her if she would’ve done the same to QYH he would’ve been barking at her door asking for her babies. Lol

 

Spoiler

Don’t worry, there won’t be anymore kids with Maniang. GTY’s eyes are open now and he won’t touch her again. The only other kids he has are all legitimate born from his one and only love, ML.

 

[ForgottenSoulx]

15 minutes ago, hello210 said:

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To be honest, I think QH’s mom won’t regret it because it doesn’t matter about ML’s abilities if the opportunity isn’t there and within QH’s household, she wouldn’t have that opportunity.  Even though QH’s household currently has high standing, the imperial court is in limbo and in order for them to keep their standing, they need QH to marry someone that comes from a similar or more powerful family. If ML was the daughter of a royal concubine with a powerful father, QH’s mother would probably overlook the concubine born status because of the connection. By the time all of them start getting married, I think the royal faction that QH’s family supports looses power so they really needed his wife to be from a powerful family. 

           If we think about it, the only reason why she will have the opportunity to be a leader among women later is because of becoming GTY’s wife, the wife of a powerful general who’s stepmom at that point doesn’t have any hold over GTY since he knows her true colors (stepmom can only employ tricks that don’t work until the attempted murder) and GTY/ML have their own separate household granted by the emperor. If she had ended up with Doc He, she would just be a normal wife running a simple household. If she married QH, there would really be resentment and more inner court squabbles like Grandma said because her family’s standing is not powerful enough and unlike QTY, QH is not the head of the household so his parents, mainly mom, has the power. QH’s mom would probably push concubines into their relationship if she couldn’t provide kids right away and neither can really fight it if they want to be virtuous and filial. The mother-in-law using concubines to manipulates their son’s marriage is a very common palace trick. In the novel, it took them a year I think, and apparently GTY and her got along very well in that department. When his stepmom and Aunt try to push a concubine on ML to provide an heir, GTY put a stop to it since he could care less about the Gu’s opinions. QH wouldn’t be able to go against his mother like that because of being filial and being the only son. 

 

 

Spoiler

If you know how QH's life goes in the book then His mom will definitely regret it. He will have a pitiful life compared to what it could have been with GTY. Also she becomes leader among the women due to who she is not simply due to marrying GTY sure his status help's but she does good stuff also.

 

[cherubstomato]

9 minutes ago, hello210 said:

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Don’t worry, there won’t be anymore kids with Maniang. GTY’s eyes are open now and he won’t touch her again. The only other kids he has are all legitimate born from his one and only. 

 

Thank you I forgot it is not Manniang but the other main wife....

saw the spoilers for episode 23-24 I must say FSF looks better with beard and mustache lol 

[hello210]

5 minutes ago, cherubstomato said:

Thank you I forgot it is not Manniang but the other main wife....

saw the spoilers for episode 23-24 I must say FSF looks better with beard and mustache lol 

Spoiler

Sorry, I edited it to say ML... the first wife got pregnant from an affair with his cousin and died from miscarriage so no kids with GTY.

Hahaha...ML almost didn’t recognize GTY because of the beard.

[cherubstomato]

2 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

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If you know how QH's life goes in the book then His mom will definitely regret it. He will have a pitiful life compared to what it could have been with GTY. Also she becomes leader among the women due to who she is not simply due to marrying GTY sure his status help's but she does good stuff also.

 

This is where it becomes an alternate route. I doubt that QYH would’ve been as great influencial man like GTY this is why I agree with @hello210 that she was able to become a leader amongst woman due to being with GTY. Because with him she is a free bird. But if she was with QYH from the get go her MIL would think she is a tramp for trying to get his son after all when you’re low status they won’t think about true love or true happiness only think that she is trying to become a Phoenix. So there would be little room for her to shine by QYH side. She would all over again just try to survive the courtyard...  

But an alternate route I don’t mind for Minglan is with the Doctor. Because he will treat her as his equal as well based on how he views woman. He will sincerely respect Minglan if she were his wife. But of course they won’t happen. Lol

[ForgottenSoulx]

6 minutes ago, hello210 said:

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Sorry, I edited it to say ML... the first wife got pregnant from an affair with his cousin and died from miscarriage so no kids with GTY.

Hahaha...ML almost didn’t recognize GTY because of the beard.

I hope this other wife does not happen

[tomo74]

19 minutes ago, hello210 said:

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To be honest, I think QH’s mom won’t regret it because it doesn’t matter about ML’s abilities if the opportunity isn’t there and within QH’s household, she wouldn’t have that opportunity.  Even though QH’s household currently has high standing, the imperial court is in limbo and in order for them to keep their standing, they need QH to marry someone that comes from a similar or more powerful family. If ML was the daughter of a royal concubine with a powerful father, QH’s mother would probably overlook the concubine born status because of the connection. By the time all of them start getting married, I think the royal faction that QH’s family supports looses power so they really needed his wife to be from a powerful family. 

           If we think about it, the only reason why she will have the opportunity to be a leader among women later is because of becoming GTY’s wife, the wife of a powerful general. GTY’s stepmom at that point doesn’t have any hold over him since he knows her true colors (stepmom can only employ tricks that don’t work until the attempted murder) and GTY/ML have their own separate household granted by the emperor. If she had ended up with Doc He, she would just be a normal wife running a simple household. If she married QH, there would really be resentment and more inner court squabbles like Grandma said because her family’s standing is not powerful enough and unlike QTY, QH is not the head of the household so his parents, mainly mom, has the power. QH’s mom would probably push concubines into their relationship if she couldn’t provide kids right away and neither can really fight it if they want to be virtuous and filial. The mother-in-law using concubines to manipulates their son’s marriage is a very common palace trick. In the novel, it took our main couple  a year I think to get prego, and apparently GTY and her got along very well in that department. When his stepmom and Aunt try to push a concubine on ML to provide an heir, GTY put a stop to it since he could care less about the Gu’s opinions. QH wouldn’t be able to go against his mother like that because of being filial and being the only son. 

 

Um... right now, they don't know if GTY will have a good future (we know since it's only drama), if you live in that time, you wont choose GTY either (at this moment), bad reputation, expelled from his family, has 2 kids with bad women, not future job, and he is rough, that's why during the argument, ML said I won't marry you, I better become a nun or monk.

And we can't blame QH's mum, as a mother she wants his precious son to have a good wife with similar status level (not a gold digger like manniang) and ML's status failed her

[leeza77]

5 minutes ago, cherubstomato said:

This is where it becomes an alternate route. I doubt that QYH would’ve been as great influencial man like GTY this is why I agree with @hello210 that she was able to become a leader amongst woman due to being with GTY. Because with him she is a free bird. But if she was with QYH from the get go her MIL would think she is a tramp for trying to get his son after all when you’re low status they won’t think about true love or true happiness only think that she is trying to become a Phoenix. So there would be little room for her to shine by QYH side. She would all over again just try to survive the courtyard...  

But an alternate route I don’t mind for Minglan is with the Doctor. Because he will treat her as his equal as well based on how he views woman. He will sincerely respect Minglan if she were his wife. But of course they won’t happen. Lol

Even he hongwen (the doc) also has 

Spoiler

Even he hongwen (the doc) also has his entanglement. Which is his cousin who was so in love with him and wanted to be in with him. So, even simple guy was not so simple. 

 

[hello210]

1 minute ago, cherubstomato said:

This is where it becomes an alternate route. I doubt that QYH would’ve been as great influencial man like GTY this is why I agree with @hello210 that she was able to become a leader amongst woman due to being with GTY. Because with him she is a free bird. But if she was with QYH from the get go her MIL would think she is a tramp for trying to get his son after all when you’re low status they won’t think about true love or true happiness only think that she is trying to become a Phoenix. So there would be little room for her to shine by QYH side. She would all over again just try to survive the courtyard...  

But an alternate route I don’t mind for Minglan is with the Doctor. Because he will treat her as his equal as well based on how he views woman. He will sincerely respect Minglan if she were his wife. But of course they won’t happen. Lol

That’s my thoughts too on how it would be if she had married Doc He. No powerful position, but more peaceful and mutual respect like Grandma expected. I really try to look at it based on the time period. And in that time period women only had the opportunities granted to them by their positions in marriage and the household which is why Molan tried so hard to get QH and then 6th Liang son due to her delusions of marrying a noble. Another alternate route if 6th Liang son’s mom had her way, her son would marry ML cause she really liked her.

Spoiler

And unlike what Molan will have to go through, I bet since Madame Liang liked ML, she would back her up if a concubine tried to overstep her place. However since she doesn’t like Molan, Molan will end up like Da Niang due to a favored concubine.

 

[hello210]

7 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

Um... right now, they don't know if GTY will have a good future (we know since it's only drama), if you live in that time, you wont choose GTY either (at this moment), bad reputation, expelled from his family, has 2 kids with bad women, not future job, and he is rough, that's why during the argument, ML said I won't marry you, I better become a nun or monk.

And we can't blame QH's mum, as a mother she wants his precious son to have a good wife with similar status level (not a gold digger like manniang) and ML's status failed her

Lol...yeah, GTY isn’t a good prospect for anyone at the moment and he knows that too. Neither of them even thinks about the other in that way presently. I like that he messes with her like that. His smile when he was walking away like “haha, I got you fired up” just like the polo match taunt. At this point, GTY is only her savior and brother’s friend. And ML is just his friends kid sister, a baby, that he can tease.

[tomo74]

Thank you to all of you in this thread, I really enjoy discussing this drama with you guy, no one easily get offended and everyone are very nice ♡

[cherubstomato]

7 minutes ago, hello210 said:

That’s my thoughts too on how it would be if she had married Doc He. No powerful position, but more peaceful and mutual respect like Grandma expected. I really try to look at it based on the time period. And in that time period women only had the opportunities granted to them by their positions in marriage and the household which is why Molan tried so hard to get QH and then 6th Liang son due to her delusions of marrying a noble. Another alternate route if 6th Liang son’s mom had her way, her son would marry ML cause she really liked her.

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And unlike what Molan will have to go through, I bet since Madame Liang liked ML, she would back her up if a concubine tried to overstep her place. However since she doesn’t like Molan, Molan will end up like Da Niang due to a favored concubine.

 

I also try to think in the perspective of their time. And exactly as you say that’s why ambitious woman and family go crazy for the best young master to elevate themselves. It’s sad how the sons are used to elevate the family through merits and the daughters used for arrange marriages. Lol No wonder the kids must be sheltered because they don’t want them to be too adventurous with a open mind. 

I don’t like the route of the 6th Laing son because even if his mother likes Minglan there’s soo much she can do to protect here that’s why it’s the same in Sheng household the husband favoring the concubine over the main wife. 

[tomo74]

3 minutes ago, hello210 said:

Lol...yeah, GTY isn’t a good prospect for anyone at the moment and he knows that too. Neither of them even thinks about the other in that way presently. I like that he messes with her like that. His smile when he was walking away like “haha, I got you fired up” just like the polo match taunt. At this point, GTY is only her savior and brother’s friend. And ML is just his friends kid sister, a baby, that he can tease.

I think GTY cheekiness makes (later) ML fall for him

[hello210]

Spoiler

In the ep 23 & 24 teaser, ML gets to spend more time with Doc He right?  Was that ML’s cousin crying? 

 

[leeza77]

2 minutes ago, hello210 said:

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In the ep 23 & 24 teaser, ML gets to spend more time with Doc He right?  Was that ML’s cousin crying? 

 

 

Spoiler

Zhang hanyun, zly best friend played shulan, the cousin of Doc He. She was the obstacle to ml&dr he relationship. 

 

[zenya22]

One thing about GTY, he is imperfect, erred and made misguided decisions but when push came to shove and when cornered, he stands up tall and takes responsibility without question. That is an attribute of an able and honest man.

 

GTY had grown up in his father's house tolerating prejudice from his own family. He had also known that his mother suffered from prejudice even though she was the legal wife of his father who saved his father's noble family from the poor house because she belonged to the merchant class which is one higher than the peasant class. His father treated his mother and her son like a dirty stains on his noble robe. TY had known from his nanny how his mother died. GTY from his childhood had this mindset to see women in distress as reminders of his wronged mother especially those whom he thinks are "suffering" from maltreatment. Manniang who may have sensed this, played his weakness to the max like a virtuoso conductor. When TY went to confront ML regarding the loss of his marriage proposal to Yan Ran and accused ML of causing it, ML informed him that Yan Ran's granny had a nose bleed and fainted, then said "the funny thing is the family already had given their consent to the marriage but then your woman Manniang came in and caused havoc and got the family to rescind the consent". It is as if TY did not hear the "approved" part but only the Manniang part and started defending Manniang and hence the argument. Another example was in the polo grounds where Yan Ran and Min Lang played polo. He noticed both girls as he was delighted, laughed and applauded ML's athleticism but the one whom he asked about was the girl, Yan Ran, who was "crying", her family background and the reasons for her distress. Of all the girls present, the crying girl got his attention. He helped the 8 year old ML get a doctor for her mother. He is soft hearted towards those whom he thinks are tormented owning to his experience and his mother's experience of prejudice, cruelty and injustice. 

 

However when it was time to face the inevitable consequence, and when he finally found out about Manniang and confronted her with the lies, GTY said, "I am to blame, it is my fault for being the fool" and admitted that nanny had warned him many times but he refused to listen. That was the start of inspired change, lightning had struck. That night must have been a time of self examination, self discovery. Blaming was no longer in the process, taking responsibility was. He had told Manniang to leave and to never appear before him again. 

 

The last time GTY spoke to his father, he knelt and embraced him and asked his father to tell him the truth. His father instead vomited blood and fainted. GTY really was not asking for confession from his father but he was looking for his father to accept him as his beloved son that he loved his mother and say the simple words "I am sorry" and I believe in you. 

 

The revelation of Manniang's betrayal and his father's death has forced him to make necessary changes in his life by thinking and acting differently,  starting with sending Manniang away and leaving his father's house his family. He can still be compassionate to those in distress but now he knows to look deeper for trusworthiness and that he does not have to attach himself to evil people just because they call themselves family. It is the start of a new way of life

 

I think that after the Manniang debacle he will no longer automatically go for "weeping and pitiful me" women but will look for and chase women with chutzpah and brains who will swear they would rather climb the Himalayas unclothed and walk the Gobi dessert barefoot than marry him like ML.

[hello210]

9 minutes ago, leeza77 said:

 

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Zhang hanyun, zly best friend played shulan, the cousin of Doc He. She was the obstacle to ml&dr he relationship. 

 

Thanks. That’s what I was suspecting but my broken mandarin needs help from the subs.  I’m actually enjoying watching raw followed by subs. Should have kept up my mandarin lessons from childhood. It’s not as easy to learn conversational mandarin from watching dramas as it was learning conversational Thai that way. 

[hello210]

@zenya22 Great synopsis on GTY. I think that’s what makes him an endearing character that you want to root for. It would be different if he didn’t own up to his own inadequacies but he takes responsibility for allowing himself to be tricked by all of them. 

[nichiwoohee]

so happy many of you ends up liking GTY, he really is on paper, one the worst candidate for male lead LOL 

[UnniSarah]

1 hour ago, cherubstomato said:

Thank you I forgot it is not Manniang but the other main wife....

saw the spoilers for episode 23-24 I must say FSF looks better with beard and mustache lol 

I love him with the mustache, he looks so handsome chingu. I am so     @leeza77  I felt so bad for Ming Lan. I saw the clip with He , I was so mad. The man was flirting with her right in front of everyone. His cousin was ogling him like he was a lollipop. smh smh