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

[Maria Brimstone]

4 minutes ago, zenya22 said:

in ep 35, I don't know what strategy that was from the strategems of war that Princess Qi the mother of QHY used to save her life. She saw her in laws killed right before her eyes and she started acting crazy and hysterical and instead of getting killed by the imperial concubine, she got thrown out in the streets. Good thinking lady.... whatever strategy it was, it worked. I am presuming here since the drama did not show how she survived after she got thrown out into the streets but she probably had someone waiting to take her. 

 

She must have also warned her son Yuan Ruo to stay away and her husband survived too. She seemed to know what was going down. 

 

To be honest, I don't even know why she accepted that invitation when she knew the Rong Clan hated her guts. 

 

Even if she was afraid they would be even angrier if she rejected, I suppose she would be a fool to not make preparations and have someone waiting for her or to report if she didn't appear. 

[m0us3y]

6 minutes ago, nichiwoohee said:

 

Yoooooooooo minglan had the nerve to mention sheng’s reputation after the scheme she pulled to entrap molan 

 

see this is the novel’s “you get what you give” concept. A schemer getting schemed by a master schemer indeed

 

 

I found the time lapse to be a flaw too.. Like.. how the hell is rong er that big already? When did that happen?

Ahhahaha. 

She's a total kid when it comes to him I find. 

And she got away with her lil scheme in the end, so clearly she can accuse him of trying the same! 

 

Kids grow up REAL QUICK during that time! Hahahaha

[Golden Flower]

8 hours ago, jewelsc said:

QH is the 'a fool in love' type, i supposed if i were in his shoes, i'd do the same (seeing how he was brought up as he was - obedient, respectful and gentlemanly while to us he's considered weak and only sees what's on the surface) ..maybe he has this feeling that ML loves him back and he'd thought love can conquer all so i can understand with him again asking his mom to propose but he'd failed to realize that ML has a 'life' of her own and he is not the 'centre' of her being..GTY is the 'take action and ask questions later' type of guy that's y he got ML but QH is like 'good things will come to those who waits' guy..pity life doesn't wait on him.

@jewelsc @dito @frenchfan @darkphoenix123 @minglan1 @samanatha_xyooj

Again, I'm not trying to defend QH as I never consider him as second male lead and part of love triangle while listening to the book. I also do not like the way the writers have started writing QH in these upcoming episodes. However, I just wanna clarify some stuff for those who hasn't watched the recent episodes and previews with sub. I'm only discussing up to the point of his conversation with GTY in preview and try to reason QH's thoughts by being in his shoes.

Before I start with QH, GTY as a character has been pretty lucky in the way of gaining his military achievement very quickly (both in the book and drama) (not saying he has no good qualities, he did not make any efforts or he did not suffer) as well as in chance of saving ML i.e. leading to having open conversation with her (in the drama, 4 times is pretty damn unbelievable chance-encounters) and being close friend with her brother who knew and trusted GTY well. In TV epi 38, WS (Daniang) actually said to SH and CB that she would like RL to marry GTY not only because he changed his way and attitude in living and dealing things but also because he has good luck that she believes will continue to "bring luck" to the marriage i.e to RL eventually. She said that who would have thought Zhao, Prefect of Yu Zhou, whom GTY gave his allegiance to would become new emperor since he is just a distant imperial relative (even script writers already said so   ). In addition, (others and I have mentioned before) GTY had advantage of age, life-changing experiences (both good and bad) and monetary independent compared to QH. I'm also not saying things turned out this way because GTY is male lead (of course, we all know at the end he is the male lead and the writers wrote things that way). I'm only discussing for individual character at this time point. I like GTY character as ML's husband and the fact that he is the one who can protect and give ML the life she wanted but I just did not think GTY is better than QH as a person or as in the effort in pursuing ML for marriage (at this point).  [Please I'm not arguing about who deserves ML or who is suitable for ML!]

 

Thus being said, (1) I do not agree that QH missed the chance to be with ML because he did not take GTY's offer of temporarily kidnapping the princess. From QH's point of view and experience with Yong Wang family, it will bring disaster to ML and his family if princess was kidnapped even if YW could not connect anything to Qi and Sheng family when YW became emperor. Nobody could predict that there will be rebellion, and YW will be dead. (2) I don't believe QH thinks that he is ML's center of being and expect her to wait around for him. First, after being married to princess and resigned his life to fate, he already thought of ML marrying another guy, leading him to wish for her meeting good suitable person. Secondly, QH had his own reason for waiting around to propose ML again. He regained hope in being with ML after his princess wife passed during rebellion, but his mom was not in good mental health after needing to pretend being crazy and being ashamed by Long Fei by asking her run around in the streets like a lunatic. So, I assume that Qi family recluse themselves into their home disconnecting themselves with others due to their circumstances. It is also tradition that you have to wait for a year before marrying again in addition to being imperial mourning time. In his conversation to GTY, QH said that he regretted promising and letting ML's know ahead of his plan of proposing to her hands in marriage before it was certain. Since he hurt ML in his first attempt, he waited to let her know of his feelings and plan, by making sure his mom's approval by passing imperial exam before the proposal. GTY was lucky to find out about ML's marriage prospect from CB and was able to bring Cao family back from exile (grandma already snapped at Cao aunt that it is unbelievable that they are back at the capital and getting support from relatives being exiles (If GTY didn't have connections and authority, Cao family would not be able to come back to the capital without being arrested). 

(3) Although QH's main mistake of being late in this proposal was not communicating with ML openly, ML never really gave QH any opportunity like RL did for Wen scholar even from the beginning of his courtship. They never really had the opportunity to have heart-to-heart talk like ML and GTY, and RL and Wen scholar. He was never able to share with ML about the hell he went through in protecting ML and Sheng family. As mentioned in #2, he felt terrible for letting ML down first time.  Filial Piety being the most important societal value of the time, he needs to recover his parents' lost reputation by passing the imperial exam though his mom already said his marriage is now up to him even before he takes the exam. 

So, it was "timing" that has been gone wrong for QH. This remind me the Chinese saying "marriage is meeting suitable person at the right time" 

(4) I do not believe QH was being inconsiderate for asking GTY to withdraw his proposal. Yes, it is not fair of QH to ask GTY to give up ML. However, at this point, QH was told by his mom who was told by grandma that GTY ended up being betrothed to ML as he came proposing marriage to Sheng family just after RL was betrothed to Wen family. I think that's why QH said to GTY that "it is not like you have to marry ML, it is not like she is THE ONE for you." He didn't know GTY already admired and fell in love with ML. Also, since the marriage hasn't happened yet, if GTY is willing, being a male and emperor favorite, he can still withdraw his proposal and Sheng family can accept QH's proposal.  This way Sheng family won't lose their face. He just didn't know GTY's scheme to marry ML.

In his conversation with his mom, he was shocked and pissed as he never thought in his mind that GTY would ask for ML as GTY's feeling for ML wasn't known to him, ML being a shu daughter (GTY said before that he would only marry di daughter) and he didn't know ML is now considered di being recorded under Daniang. Also, in his mind, ML does not love GTY and at least have feelings for him. 

 

This is just my thoughts being in QH's place. After he found out GTY also admires ML and ML already made up her mind, if he plans to prevent the marriage or continues pestering ML after marriage, his actions are out of logic for his character and just became plain obsession. 

 

 

 

[ForgottenSoulx]

31 minutes ago, minglan1 said:

This is my 1st brush with chinese period drama.The production has tried to be realistic in its portrayals so was wondering why does GTY fight sequence mirror fantasy movie fights where the hero gets hulk strength to take down a town of villains all alone.

As you said this is the  norm with martial arts fights in dramas I got more clarity.

 

AH if its your first then i understand lmfao literally every Chinese fantasy/Historical drama has quite exaggerated fighting. I was like you when i first watched NIF i was like how the richard simmons these people flying wtf this crap. I dropped that drama which was the biggest mistake ever then picked it up again and its my fave drama of all time no drama will ever come close to it.

 

 

28 minutes ago, nrbrown said:

@minglan1 Yep, it’s usually the norm. Sometimes it’s a lot more over the top.  I guess I’m used to it, So, I just tend to go for the ride, and pretend Im watching an action flick for some minutes. 

 

At least people not randomly flying away ;p

 

I just watched the eternal love two and they just fly into the sky like superman lmfao.

 

 

[Lunkera]

I think from now until end there will be several years passed in the drama so i think they are having the new Rong'er actress to the end. Also a child her age can usually interract with the cast better than the previous actress since she was too young. I've seen this in other drama. So i think the two reason is because several years will pass and it will be better with an actress that can interract with the cast. Because children were alot more mature during that era compared to today. I've seen something similiar in the korean drama "Come, Jang Bori" the female leads adopted daughter was supposed to be 5 or something like that while the actress was 8 or 9.

[mooose]

5 hours ago, sava2sava said:

But what I didn't get was why blame QH mom for her sister misfortune..  

 

She wad sitting on the fence regarding the two proposals and dilly-dallied wanting to pick a winner to the throne. She ended up offending both families.  

[darkphoenix123]

 

 

1 hour ago, nichiwoohee said:

 

Yoooooooooo minglan had the nerve to mention sheng’s reputation after the scheme she pulled to entrap molan 

 

see this is the novel’s “you get what you give” concept. A schemer getting schemed by a master schemer indeed

 

 

I found the time lapse to be a flaw too.. Like.. how the hell is rong er that big already? When did that happen?

The first part of your reply made me lol because it is so true. I hope she realizes later how similar to her scheming this was even if it was for different reasons lmao

[ForgottenSoulx]

15 minutes ago, Golden Flower said:

I like GTY character as ML's husband and the fact that he is the one who can protect and give ML the life she wanted but I just did not think GTY is better than QH as a person or as in the effort in pursuing ML for marriage (at this point).  [Please I'm not arguing about who deserves ML or who is suitable for ML!]

 

They never really had the opportunity to have heart-to-heart talk like ML and GTY, and RL and Wen scholar. He was never able to share with ML about the hell he went through in protecting ML and Sheng family. As mentioned in #2, he felt terrible for letting ML down first time.  Filial Piety being the most important societal value of the time, he needs to recover his parents' lost reputation by passing the imperial exam though his mom already said his marriage is now up to him even before he takes the exam. 

So, it was "timing" that has been gone wrong for QH. This remind me the Chinese saying "marriage is meeting suitable person at the right time" 

 

 

This is just my thoughts being in QH's place. After he found out GTY also admires ML and ML already made up her mind, if he plans to prevent the marriage or continues pestering ML after marriage, his actions are out of logic for his character and just became plain obsession. 

 

I agree with most of what you said but wanted to reply to these bit's, you said GTY has not put effort into marrying ML but hes actually the one marrying her through loads of scheme's and most likely did military to get her as well.

 

Hes a better person and her pursued with everything he had , QH did not at all he asked his mum at a terrible time. He made a huge mistake at polo match which then forced him to be married and give up on ML due to his own mistake.

 

GTY has worked way harder to protect ML , get to know her as a person and then fell for her and then did everything possible to get her.

 

Also totally disagree about him never having the opportunity to have a heart to heart it's he just seemed so infatuated with her that he never really got to know her as a person he let her know his feeling's but that was about it. If anything ML and GTY have not really had a heart to heart yet they just been getting along as basically friends. 

 

Also he protected ML and Sheng family due to his own mistakes which he caused, my biggest issue with QH is lack of thinking which is obviously due to age and never suffering or competing in his house. 

 

Unless hes used his brain he will continue to pester ML after marriage and for me that is totally in character and in logic with his character on the drama. 

 

I bet they change it so his kids are actually named after ML and it was not just some accident like in the book i think the drama version of QH is a obsessed love sick unable to think puppy. 

[minglan1]

10 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

AH if its your first then i understand lmfao literally every Chinese fantasy/Historical drama has quite exaggerated fighting. I was like you when i first watched NIF i was like how the richard simmons these people flying wtf this crap. I dropped that drama which was the biggest mistake ever then picked it up again and its my fave drama of all time no drama will ever come close to it.

NiF is on my list to watch.Since I am enjoying story of minglan.I want to give it a try after this drama ends.

[watchumlots]

Up to Ep 35 w/Eng subs, Ep 37 w/o Eng subs:

 

1)  ConcubineLin... DEAD.  Glad Granny finally caused him to see the light.  Loved that he ran out to see ConcubineLin and confirm what Granny said and felt like such a fool.  'Cause he was!  Some scholar he was to get played so bad by a scheming concubine.  'Hubby' said that he was going to kill her, and the way that servant went after her with that club, it looks like he got his wish.  I think it was more than skin infection that kilt her, she probably had major internal injuries.  Getting whacked like that with a massive club like that one is going to do some major damage:  spine, intestines, you name it!    

 

2)  HILARIOUS that poor little MingLan sneaks out of the palace with the emperor's orders and runs right smack dead center into the rescuers and gets herself (and the emperor) rescued.  Well, why not?  It's CDrama.  

 

3)  ConsortEvil is the one who's sister ended tossed into the street and hung herself all because of wanting HotStuff, QH?  Well, the other EvilConsort/Princess got him.  Such a catch.    In the temple scene QH prayed for MingLan's health and happiness and a good husband.  Watch what you wish for...

 

I haven't seen the scene where HotStuff learns his wife is kilt and wants to reconnect with MingLan, the one where he tosses stuff in frustration.  HotStuff gave-up on MingLan to protect her from the very same people that abducted the girl that kilt herdamnself.  Poor girl.  SpoiltPrincess' mom threatened to do the same to MingLan, so he immediately gave-up and married SpoiltPrincess.  He seemed incline to protest that his father was held hostage, but when they threatened to hurt the 6th Miss from the Sheng family, he relented.  SpoiltPrincess and her evil-plotting mom are now dead, so he wants to reconnect with MingLan.  That understandable since she isn't married.  BUT now there is another impediment:  GTY!  It's always something.  HotStuff just can't catch a break.  

 

4)  RouSis marrying the scholar will please her father... although not the part about her secretly meeting him.  I think that's a major NO-NO.  The poor long-suffering wife, RouSis's mother... She has only caught one break in her entire life, when ConcubineLin and MoSis got caught, and now her daughter is caught sneaking out.  Appears that out of the three 'daughters,' only MingLan will make a good marriage.  

 

Closing-in on Ep 40, that's a lot of background until the main character gets launched.  I am loving every minute of this series! 

 

[ForgottenSoulx]

4 minutes ago, minglan1 said:

NiF is on my list to watch.Since I am enjoying story of minglan.I want to give it a try after this drama ends.

 

NIF is amazing truly one of the best if not the best Chinese show's. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

4 minutes ago, watchumlots said:

 

 

4)  RouSis marrying the scholar will please her father... although not the part about her secretly meeting him.  I think that's a major NO-NO.  The poor long-suffering wife, RouSis's mother... She has only caught one break in her entire life, when ConcubineLin and MoSis got caught, and now her daughter is caught sneaking out.  Appears that out of the three 'daughters,' only MingLan will make a good marriage.  

 

Closing-in on Ep 40, that's a lot of background until the main character gets launched.  I am loving every minute of this series! 

 

At least she has a good son in CB who is respectable and he also has a good wife so that's good , i think Roulan and her scholar will have a good marriage at least i hope. 

[leeza77]

24 minutes ago, Lunkera said:

I think from now until end there will be several years passed in the drama so i think they are having the new Rong'er actress to the end. Also a child her age can usually interract with the cast better than the previous actress since she was too young. I've seen this in other drama. So i think the two reason is because several years will pass and it will be better with an actress that can interract with the cast. Because children were alot more mature during that era compared to today. I've seen something similiar in the korean drama "Come, Jang Bori" the female leads adopted daughter was supposed to be 5 or something like that while the actress was 8 or 9.

Spoiler

Yes, should be lapsed of few years. The demise of emperor was a ban for marriage and that ban should be at least for a year. And gty went out for a mission to crush rebellion and surely will take quite some time for that. 

 

[Maria Brimstone]

17 minutes ago, watchumlots said:

4)  RouSis marrying the scholar will please her father... although not the part about her secretly meeting him.  I think that's a major NO-NO.  The poor long-suffering wife, RouSis's mother... She has only caught one break in her entire life, when ConcubineLin and MoSis got caught, and now her daughter is caught sneaking out.  Appears that out of the three 'daughters,' only MingLan will make a good marriage.  

 

RuLan marrying the scholar likely will not please her father at all. And definitely not the mother lol. The poor scholar with the farming background is the candidate Sheng Hong found to marry MoLan. He was fit for marriage to an illegitimate daughter but definitely not the legitimate daughter.

[Golden Flower]

11 hours ago, samanatha_xyooj said:

Can anyone determine what is the time jump since QH wife was killed during the rebellion to the time now when GTY/ML are about to get engage?

 

I'm starting to hate QH. Even if he was forced into marrying the princess and of course the princess was killed. QH couldn't even protect his wife.

 

How dare he have the guts to blame GTY that he came between them. QH can't even protect ML in the past and how the hell  is he supposed to protect ML in the future?????...

... 

I will say it is between 3 to 6 months. Imperial mourning/ emperor demise is usually 3 months unless new emperor declares something. QH also said that he can take imperial exam very soon in Spring after seeing new emperor's announcement to hold additional exam and the weather at that time seems towards winter (no leaves on the tree though drama didn't clearly show snow).  

QH did not really blame GTY coming between them. He did not know GTY's feeling for ML. He just said that GTY should know he has ML in his heart. He just asks him why he accepted Sheng's family betrothal of ML to him (as he and his mom were told by grandma that by the time GTY asked for marriage for Sheng family's daughter, di daughter RL just got engaged to Wen scholar and GTY came late. That's why GTY accepted ML to be engaged to him.)  So, from this line of reasoning, he then said it is not like ML has to be the girl you marry. GTY then said how do you know ML is not the one I must have. 

 

@leeza77It has been not more than 2 yrs since ML met Rong'er. The child should be no more than 7-8 since she was about 5 when ML met her. The child actress they used is totally miscast for age though I do understand that it will be better with older child to do many interaction scenes if the crew did not want to keep replacing new child actor every 2-3 years timeline plot. 

[Lunkera]

@leeza77 Yes, but they might also be sticking with the child until almost the end of the show. Since from now until the end a few years should pass. It might be a way to not have to switch actress so often. That's the problem with having children in the drama and there is no 10+ year timeskip. They have to change actress a few times. I atleast had a good first impression of the new child who plays Rong'er

[Golden Flower]

8 hours ago, frenchfan said:

I really dislike Dr He's cousin and her mum. 

Reminded me of Linniang and Molan all over again.  "If you don't marry me, let me die.....bohoo hoo"....Kind of like Manniang as well.  So pathetic.  And you could see that Dr He is too kind hearted and got completely bought over with tears.  But I really like Minglan when she stayed firm and said that "If you choose her then you cannot have me too".  I need to be with someone who will think of me as a priority in his heart.  Otherwise, I rather not marry".  And she maintained that Dr He's solution to help the cousin by letting her stay on to help around the house not a solution.  Bravo Minglan!  At least she was clear that she will not tolerate hanky panky 

I think drama Dr. He is a bit stronger than the book. In epi 38, He actually quieted his sao aunt when that woman called ML little richard simmons by raising his voice and telling her she has no place at He family. He did not do that in the book

 

[tomo74]

I understand why QH got upset with GTY (for chasing ML), I ask a question to you all, how do you feel if your friend (I'm not sure how close QH with GTY, but the closer the worst) going after your ex (we can say ML is QH's ex) who you still have feeling for? like there are so many girl out there but why you want mine, and in this case, GTY knows exactly QH's case (gave up ML because for her safety, not because he doesn't love/want her anymore). I'm not taking any side (GTY or QH) just not biased toward certain character.

[nichiwoohee]

1 hour ago, minglan1 said:

It is the magic of Song era special diet.It makes Rong grow up in a jiffy.GTY fight multiple soldiers/bandits sucessfully without getting a scratch.

 

One hell of a diet then.. all of the adults stay the same 

 

1 hour ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

Its just a time skip but even then she should not be that big unless like 6+ years have passed from when we last saw her but i dont think thats true? 

 

She looked at least 12 to me but maybe i didnt see it properly, maybe 9 or something that could make more sense i dunno anymore. I cant remember how old she was before we last saw her and how long has it been since then, 4 year's?

 

I think the last time probably 6/7? And yeah she look 12-ish.. just a bit weird to see without any warning. All we see when time changes is the treeline and servants sweeping 

 

1 hour ago, m0us3y said:

Ahhahaha. 

She's a total kid when it comes to him I find. 

And she got away with her lil scheme in the end, so clearly she can accuse him of trying the same! 

 

Kids grow up REAL QUICK during that time! Hahahaha

 

Yes! She puts her guards 

down with him, proper minglan with others, bratty minglan with GTY and that’s so sweet

 

48 minutes ago, darkphoenix123 said:

 

 

The first part of your reply made me lol because it is so true. I hope she realizes later how similar to her scheming this was even if it was for different reasons lmao

 

She’s mad because as a person who have been very careful planning her life, here comes a rascal who blindsided her, just like what she did to others 

 

if anything else fails, gty could have say

Spoiler

I already hugged  her, touched her feet.. by moral code I should have married her a long time ago 

 

[ForgottenSoulx]

6 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

I understand why QH got upset with GTY (for chasing ML), I ask a question to you all, how do you feel if your friend (I'm not sure how close QH with GTY, but the closer the worst) going after your ex (we can say ML is QH's ex) who you still have feeling for? like there are so many girl out there but why you want mine, and in this case, GTY knows exactly QH's case (gave up ML because for her safety, not because he doesn't love/want her anymore). I'm not taking any side (GTY or QH) just not biased toward certain character.

 

Well i for one dont disagree with what QH is saying to GTY in that scene it makes scenes from QH's pov but we have just seen alot of GTY so were obviously biased towards him. QH in that scene is right to say what he said considering he still loves ML and GTY has had a bad rep and he obviously knows QH likes her still. He can get upset here but after they are married he really need's to let go, if he turns vengeful i will be annoyed towards the writers.