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

[leeza77]

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Ha ha.. Uncle 2 started his plan. Told his daughter not to call minglan as sister, but an aunt. 

 

[m0us3y]

22 minutes ago, dito said:

Sorry for cutting your post.

See the contrast in their personalities. ML is taking the biggest heart breaking decision of her life for him. But QH on the other hand has not even once considered her situation, her future or her reservations with this relationship. Yes she might love him but she does have enough smarts to not give into his persuasion. Coz she knows there is very little chance of his promises getting fulfilled. But because of her feelings she still let him try.....and ended up getting her family and her granny humiliated. 

Couldn't have put that any better myself. If he has once stood on her side and think from her perspectives, perhaps it didn't need to get to this stage. 

 

And for him to "protest" the way he did, is something U expect from a spoiled bratty kid. 

I get that he's heartbroken, but has it ever occured to him that she's also hurt, AND humiliated? 

 

The whole time ML was telling him it would be impossible, and he went ahead anyway. And now that he knocked himself over, there are really just 2 options: 

- fight for it: and by that, have some ammo before going into a battle! Or

- let go graciously, learn from the mistake so that it wouldnt happen again. 

Either way, stalking her, continues to pester and beg the mum and/or locking himself in the room is clearly NOT the way. 

Even if the mum gives in because he goes on hunger strike (which we know she wouldnt but let's go down that path anyway), what kind of life would ML get once married to him??

How would the Mil treats ML?

 

ML would pretty much go from one prison to another, forever trapped in the dimension that his family restraint her to. 

If he has ever consider for her, and her happiness, perhaps he would realise how bad that move is. 

He needs to realise that sometimes loving someone means letting the person go if you are not capable to protect and care for her..

[Katrina Abdul Talib]

The drowning scene where ML grabbed hold of the doll, I feel she really do love QH... 

 

In real life I have witnessed same couple QH/ML situation. The man led a sad loveless unhappy married life with the woman chosen by his parents (and wife too is as unhappy).

 

Really feel sad for QH

[linhlinh111]

11 hours ago, hello210 said:

Thanks. It’s going to be interesting to see how it’s all going to play out in the drama because QH’s mother in the drama is like a scary dragon mom who needs to control everything around her son so having him so emotionally attached to someone (besides his mother) is probably going to drive her nuts. We’ve already seen how she can be cruel with a straight face.  Doesn’t he have siblings in the book?  Saw somewhere that he was supposed to be the second child in the family but in the drama he’s an only child so he’s her only hope which is probably another reason why she’s so controlling and possessive (being quick to get rid of anyone in the household who even think to get his attention).

In china, kids on the same generation aren't counted based on their parents but on their paternal grandparents. For example ML's father has 4 daughters, 1st Hualan, 4th Molan, 5th Rulan and 6th Minglan. The 2nd and 3rd are daughters of his brother. QH is his parents' only son, but the 2nd in his generation of the Qi family, he has an older cousin.

Spoiler

Later he marries off his 2nd grandson to Sheng Chengbai's 6th granddaughter, making them a couple of Qi family's 2nd son and Sheng family's 6th daughter. That girl really resembles ML.

 

[hello210]

5 hours ago, fra8 said:

I have the same feeling. She seems happy.

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However their main sl as a couple in the novel is to learn how to love completely. Mostly ml, but even gty. So I don’t know if the show can make her having feelings so soon. It would change a lot. Maybe she is just happy he is someone she respects. I wonder when they starts the courtship or the tricking part.

 

Yeah...it may not be to the point of love yet, but she’s amiable to marrying GTY in the drama trailers but just as her actions like thinking there is hope with QH are different in the drama than the novel, they had to adapt it to how ML would actually feel as someone who grew up in that era versus a modern adult who transmigrated.  The trailers show that they had some interactions after returning to the capital aside from the rescues so maybe he’s going to attack things on both fronts, make the calculated moves secretly to maneuver the family’s acceptance as well as get ML to see the possibilities as his wife. That’s why I think she’ll start to see things differently before they marry and then develop that deeper love throughout their marriage. 

[hello210]

44 minutes ago, linhlinh111 said:

In china, kids on the same generation aren't counted based on their parents but on their paternal grandparents. For example ML's father has 4 daughters, 1st Hualan, 4th Molan, 5th Rulan and 6th Minglan. The 2nd and 3rd are daughters of his brother. QH is his parents' only son, but the 2nd in his generation of the Qi family, he has an older cousin.

  Reveal hidden contents

Later he marries off his 2nd grandson to Sheng Chengbai's 6th granddaughter, making them a couple of Qi family's 2nd son and Sheng family's 6th daughter. That girl really resembles ML.

 

Haha, thanks @linhlinh111 and here I was thinking it was 1st Hualan, 2nd Changbai, 3rd Changfeng, 4th Molan, 5th Rulan, 6th Minglan.  Just like it 1st Yanrun, 2nd Brother, 3rd Yanruo.  It gets confusing and I just usually rely on my parents for figuring who fits where when meeting relatives.

[linhlinh111]

3 hours ago, hello210 said:

Haha, thanks @linhlinh111 and here I was thinking it was 1st Hualan, 2nd Changbai, 3rd Changfeng, 4th Molan, 5th Rulan, 6th Minglan.  Just like it 1st Yanrun, 2nd Brother, 3rd Yanruo.  It gets confusing and I just usually rely on my parents for figuring who fits where when meeting relatives.

Yeah the boys and girls are counted separately, so the 3rd brother isn't necessarily older than the 4th sister. Changbai is actually the 1st brother.

[nichiwoohee]

I just caught up to ep 21-22 aka QH’s getting duped by his own momma.. Zhu yi long is reaaaaally good as QH gdi! 

Is there any spoilers for tonight episodes? I’m thinking of mtl-ing the novel again since waiting for new subbed episodes is really painful now.. but it might give me headache 

[linhlinh111]

For anyone who wants to understand the difference in characteristics of Manniang in the drama and in the books:

 

Spoiler

In the book, MN was never going after GTY's money or status, she was after the image of an ideal love. They first met when GTY saved her from a difficult situation and to her it was a model context of a hero and a damsel in distress. She fell in love with him and assumed that he had to too. Her love can be described as toxic and obsessive. She was so crazy, selfish and jealous and she didn't allow anyone to be more important to him than herself. However GTY didn't love her and never intended to marry her. It drove her into manipulating him so that there would be no one else beside him but her. So she was harder to be shaken off bc she did everything in the name of love and she wouldn't just leave him bc he was at his low. Actually in the book, she never ran off by herself but GTY had to drive her away when he knew about the evil deeds she had done. She didn't love her children, she only saw them as tools to keep GTY with her. Anyone who dared to step in between her and GTY, she considered them as enemy and she would use every way possible to get rid of them. She never realized that what she was doing is wrong, she was just protecting her love. She truly believed that she loved him. I think she had some kind of mental sickness, an obsessive compulsive disorder rather than just being evil. MN in the book is a more unique character. The type of evil manipulative after-the-money supporting female is rather common.

 

For anyone who wants to know her fate:

 

Spoiler

Her son died from sickness and malnutrition while travelling with her. She went crazy. Her fate after that is left open.

 

[mrsyooknit]

@linhlinh111

Thanks for the info about MN. I agree that her character in the drama is overdone, it would have been better to see her done like the book. I feel like her book personality is often given to second male leads. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

10 hours ago, dito said:

 

 

I went back to read this scene again in the novel coz i couldn't remember much except ML jumping in the water and GTY saving her.

That scene in the book was so so much better. ML and Xiaotao kicked some bandit butt...

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Bandits attacked the boat in front of them first....ML and her maids and others on the boat were watching it happen. ML ordered every light to be extinguished on the boat and ran to the kitchen and got all the knives, heavy pots and pans that could be wielded as a weapon. Then she distributed them to everyone and told them to hide. She took her own maids and hid in the lower level of the boat which had one door and one window. she and Xiaotao and one other maid stood guard at the door. The maids on upper level got caught and told them about ML hiding below. They heard the bandits talking and knew they were discovered. Xiaotao wanted to kill those people for selling them out. When one of the bandits broke through the door....Xiaotao hit him on the head so hard he fell like a log...then other came the next maid hit him on the head...he fell too...third bandit became alert...and came cautiously....ML jumped out and stabbed with the kitchen knife. Then they hid the bodies and jumped out the window. Only later ML found out Xiaotao never jumped in the water but hid behind the boxes and no one even looked because the bandits thought everyone jumped.

I think 2 bandits died. When GTY saved ML and brought her back, he had his people check out the whole boat. He found the bodies and told ML he will take care of it and told her not to say a word to anyone about it. 

That scene showed all of her quick thinking and smarts. ML even had a plan B fully organized. Suppose the bandits didn't find them but set fire to the boat like they did the first one. Then they will tie themselves with ropes to the wooden boxes kept in the lower level and jump out the window.

 

 

Omg that sounds so much better they really ruined that scene.

 

9 hours ago, UnniSarah said:

@danatepe.... Thanks for that info. I have no idea how happy I am for the news. 

 

 

OMG!!! cCan someone please help me... What happened to Bai He's Momo. I haven't seen her since episode 21. Will she make an appearance later on. I really love this character. She is the only person besides Bai He's mom and grandpa who ever gave a damn for Bai He.  She is one smart cookie. SHe followed that witch until  she can find the proof that the evil richard simmons can be ditched. She is so loving to him.  We need her when he finally establish himself and get a wife. 

 

I think she was just left behind nothing bad has happened to her im pretty sure. 

[mrsyooknit]

Is it fair to guess that GTY proposes marriage around ep. 33 or so?

[fra8]

4 minutes ago, mrsyooknit said:

Is it fair to guess that GTY proposes marriage around ep. 33 or so?

Yes I think the same. It should be around the middle of the drama. It depends on the development of the side stories, but in 7/8 episodes  they could get to that point.

[watchumlots]

Hey guys,

 

I'm so IN!  Watched up to Ep 22 w/subs, Ep 23/24 w/o subs - however, watching w/o subs is pointless.  

 

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this series sooo much!  If it ended at Ep 23, it would still be in my top three all-time favorite dramas!  I love the acting, the costumes, the sets, and the way everyday life of aristocrats is portrayed.  I LOVE everything about this series.  

 

BTW, THANK YOU to all contributors who explain culturally specific things... like the numbering of the siblings.  It's little things like this that really add to the enjoyment of the series and understanding of culture.  

A sincere THANK YOU to all who take the time and effort to do this.  

 

Novel?  Link?   

 

 

[tomo74]

I feel the way to potraying the characters, the book one is much better than the drama adaptation, like quite unique and not so common.

[hello210]

37 minutes ago, mrsyooknit said:

@linhlinh111

Thanks for the info about MN. I agree that her character in the drama is overdone, it would have been better to see her done like the book. I feel like her book personality is often given to second male leads. 

I’ve been watching so many dramas that for me having a third party interference at all is overdone. I’ve seen lots of the “in love” ex’s or friends in Thai dramas and those ones are crazier with their obsession, like Fatal Attraction crazy. So I guess I’m okay with Maniang’s character in this version for the sake of ML and GTY since they already have enough to deal with 

[ForgottenSoulx]

49 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

I feel the way to protraying the characters, the book one is much better than the drama adaptation, like quite unique and not so common.

 

Have you even read the book to make that judgement? 

 

ML in the book basically time travel's and the story is shown from her POV the drama has done a good job .

[tomo74]

14 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

Have you even read the book to make that judgement? 

 

ML in the book basically time travel's and the story is shown from her POV the drama has done a good job .

I haven't read the book yet, I just read from the comments (from the book) people post in this thread, like manniang character, she's not a gold digger, she just want GTY's love for herself and nothing to do with status and wealth

[dito]

1 hour ago, mrsyooknit said:

Is it fair to guess that GTY proposes marriage around ep. 33 or so?

 

First Old emperor dies and country goes into mourning....along with war for the throne situation.

In that chaos Molan seduces the six son of Liang gets married to him and Lin niang is not allowed to attend...and exiled off to a Sheng family property in the boonies. 

The Roulan falls for the poor scholar and ML catches them. 

He Hongwen and ML are all ready to get engaged when his clingy cousin arrives and ruins everything.

That drama dragged until HHW get sick, his cousin tried to commit suicide....and then finally relented to take her as his concubine. ML is still unsure but decides to wait and watch.

While all this is happening in the capital...GTY will be enjoying a new found popularity as an eligible bachelor due to his position as the General in the new emperor's army...

Don't forget the political situation is about to change....as we see soldiers trying to curb the revolt...in todays episode.

So add those scenes to the storyline as well. I'd say around 40-42

 

 

[ForgottenSoulx]

22 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

I haven't read the book yet, I just read from the comments (from the book) people post in this thread, like manniang character, she's not a gold digger, she just want GTY's love for herself and nothing to do with status and wealth

 

I still think Manniang is portrayed fine shes still crazy,selfish,jealous does not love her kids etc.. its very similar.