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

[Suzzy San]

9 minutes ago, darkphoenix123 said:

I just finished seeing episode 41 with subs & I can see how GTY can become insecure. She told him that if in the future he takes in concubines she will live with them in harmony as long as they are good people. You can see the disappointment on his face. In the TV version episode 44 he overheard her telling her maids that she won’t expect any more from him & his facial expression then was the same. I don’t blame ML for saying this & for guarding herself but all of this is going to make him more insecure

I understand why ML is like that, but the truth she is getting dependent on him and she keeps on saying she won't expect more or be too happy in order to guard herself but if my wive keeps saying all these all the time, I will be so sad too, I think GTY is more sad and worried about her, that she is not still free and totally putting her trust fully in him, than being insecure, he just wants her to confide in him and be happy always trusting him.. But ML is too traumatized that she is so afraid of putting all her heart out for someone.. So sad.. That's why I said, that fight is much needed and essential to break the final ice between them 

[bulubulu]

Aw i feel so sad for GTY  like people said why ML doesnt trust people cus of their experiences but it really saddens me that she doesn't fully open up to GTY, her husband and the man who care so much for her and love her so much beside grandma. I just wish ML will look pass her bad experiences and love GTY and trust him. I know she will later in eps but thats like towards the end. Im disappointed that she thinks one day his love for her will fade thats why she does not fully trust him omg my GTY   im disappointed in ML for this. I wish ML would know that not every men will treat their wife bad like she saw when she was a kid to adult, now she is like viewing that all men and people are the same kinda. And then there's this one line she said to GTY i think when he ask for separation " then i dont want you anymore " ( if i read the translation right ) i know that she doesnt mean to say that to hurt GTY but i really feel hurt for hin when she said that. He already knows that she doesnt trust him fully and she said that too..ML is too traumatized like someone said up there. My heart breaks for GTY 

[leeza77]

Small gestures of concern...r u hurt.. Don't be cold

Spoiler

http://p.weibo.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:4331061170388378

 Bts

http://p.weibo.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:4331043910579933

 

Love the p esp the p3

 

• 
• 
• 

[bulubulu]

6 minutes ago, leeza77 said:

Small gestures of concern...r u hurt.. Don't be cold

  Reveal hidden contents

http://p.weibo.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:4331061170388378

 

How do u always find all these clips that i thought i seen before but when i click on the link and suprised cus i havent see it hahaha. Only seen the short clip of this scene, this one longer.

[bulubulu]

One thing GTY always be touching ML but ML is kinda moving away? Maybe she's shy or thats just how women act. I can kinda see myself moving away like that when the guy i like touches me but deep down inside i highkey like it 

[Suzzy San]

9 minutes ago, leeza77 said:

Small gestures of concern...r u hurt.. Don't be cold

  Hide contents

http://p.weibo.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:4331061170388378

 

You know when you feel something inside you and you know that you feel that thing, but the you is someone that believes you have no right to feel that way. As such, you start to reassure yourself with different words that you do not and you can't feel it! I think ML is in this predicament now.. She has start to trust and love and care for him truly, but she tells herself it's not true and she coax herself with words to assure herself she is not truly relying on him or she has not trust him fully when her heart has subconsciously gave in for him.. What a sad life ML had and what a pitiful lady she has become. A lady that is in love but can't even dare to accept it herself not to talk of tell her lover.. I feel for both of them. ML was the one that made GTY open his heart again and I think he also wants to do that, but because ofhow ML has been saying he might not love her that much again, he is sad and worried that he wou9be able to open her heart.. So sad. But they are still very sweet 

[leeza77]

20 minutes ago, bulubulu said:

How do u always find all these clips that i thought i seen before but when i click on the link and suprised cus i havent see it hahaha. Only seen the short clip of this scene, this one longer.

Ha ha.. Fans weibo

[linhlinh111]

5 hours ago, cherubstomato said:

Well said. 

I don’t think that he only cared about himself... He is the head of the Sheng Family. He has a big responsibility in carrying the name and reputation of the Sheng household. He must put the families name first and foremost... He doesn’t make all decisions himself either. Every big decision he always consults granny. He never follows through a plan if granny doesn’t approve... Most importantly he is a clean minister. That alone already shows that he is an upright man and not greedy. Otherwise he would use his kids like pawns to gain personal merits to achieve higher position in the palace. If he falls the whole family will fall, if anyone in the family shames their name it’s not just him that is affected it is all the family. A great example of someone who is selfish and greedy is Molan and her mother. 

 

I agree that she doesn’t hate her father. Hate is a strong word and I just don’t believe she loathes him enough. After all if she did she wouldn’t feel a bit disappointed during the time Momo Kang was at their house and SH told ML to inform him if she suffers from unfairness again, but only to be swept off immediately after the commotion with Big Madam and Concubine Lin. ML being apathetic towards her father is not caused by hate but overtime being let down and trying to survive the manor she had grown accustomed to not hope for SH’s attention/affection. As long as she can live safely and well is all she wants.  

 

I love the part, athough ML denies it, GTY discribed her true feelings in the Sheng Household really well. She is aggrieved. 

 

Thank you! I thought nobody would agree with me. Looking from a modern POV SH was a horrible father but based on the context he was not that bad. He played favorites but he actually never tried to harm nor use ML. Tbh, ML's personality is not the type that evokes a man's pity, unlike Molan. ML is just a shu daughter without a mother to speak for her so she basically didn't appear in his eyes much.. 

 

SH is selfish to a point. He of course acts for the family's benefit, but he also did things that would harm the family's reputation on his own interest. For example he favored Lin and let her take control, overpowering Daniang, which is a very disgrace thing in a family with status. Reason was he felt threatened by Daniang, who was from a higher status than himself, and she was stubborn and did not know how to pamper him.

 

But in arranging marriage for his children he was quite a good father. First he didn't try to use any of his children's marriages for money or power (many men did that in the story). Second he didn't leave it for Daniang but took it to his own hands. He tried to choose the best spouses for their own interest. For example Hualan, CB, CF were good matches (all decided by him). Although Molan wanted to marry off to status, he was rational and picked a scholar for her (which was suitable for her position, but later went to Rulan). The thing with Molan, Rulan and ML was out of his control, but he handled it the best he could. In the end all of his children were happy (except for Molan but she got what she wanted).

 

I think ML doesn't hate him bc ML never targeted him. ML's main target earlier were Linniang and Molan and he just got involved in and was used by ML. After that she got nothing to do with him anymore. Even in the poison case she only pressures him to seek justice for Granny bc he doesn't want to make a big deal, when she get want she wants she doesn't touch him at all. If we look at him as a villain then he is a villain with the happiest ending ever. He end up in a high position, all of his children are successful, Sheng family rises in status, what more can there be? So I guess he is not considered a bad guy.

[m0us3y]

7 hours ago, leeza77 said:

@Lunkera 

  Hide contents

Ml has yet to trust gty fully. Still thinks that is the lord and she is not in equal footing with him. Gty heard her say so to xiatao. Feel frustrated. This is the seed if doubt the plant the discord in their relationship. Qh is only the trigger. Not the real reason. 

http://p.weibo.com/show/channerWbH5/1034:4331015553145830

 

I'm aligned with you on this. 

If there's a fallout in GTY-ML, the root cause of it would be ML's distrust. 

Up to now, while ML opens up to GTY more than she did to anyone before him (except granny), we can see that she holds herself back still. Her thoughts, her feelings. 

A lot of times ML only tell GTY half truth. 

 

With her marriage, she's worried about his complicated family. But she's also anxious about him. Obviously she only told him about the former. 

 

Her life to date has been full of let downs, and disappointments. 

 

SH was a disappointment. He may be a good official, and a good person who protects his family and the family honor, but as a father, he failed, and failed terribly. 

He's unfair, unjust, and uncaring to ML. 

He was never there on the times she needed him most. 

QH was a disappointment. Made multiple promises in multiple occasions, but when things didn't work out, there was no explanation, no reason. Just disappeared and married the princess. 

Dr.He, as good a man he was, couldn't handle it when complications arise. Even when ML explicitly stated that she will not take the couz, he did nothing. 

 

Lest we forget, the embroidery that her mom left her. Not dependent on her family, not dependent on her husband, she fought and obtain glory by her own means. It was her mom's last message, rely on herself and survive...

 

It's a feeling I had all these while, that granny didn't only teach her skills to survive and navigate around treacherous waters, but also her moral bearings.

With ML's intelligence, and exposure to the ugly reality so early in her life, it's not hard to her to lose her moral bearings. She is the way she is because granny has nurtured and guide her along all these while..

 

But sometimes, in matters of the heart and soul, even granny couldn't help...

To her, it's about self protection. 

Don't hope, and there'll be no disappointment. 

Don't wish for happiness, and there'll be no sadness. 

Don't wish for love, and there'll be no hurt. 

Deep down, she's a child, hurt and in pain, with a lonely soul, believing that everything needs to be earned, that happiness is never her's...

 

GTY will need to navigate his way into her heart, and open it slowly. And she needs to learn to let him in, and learn to trust him, not to save her life, but to love her, and care for her for the rest of her life. 

[nichiwoohee]

You know what’s scaring me? Most of the fluffy scenes on the trailers are already out 

I dont want too much angst... 

[linhlinh111]

2 hours ago, Suzzy San said:

I understand why ML is like that, but the truth she is getting dependent on him and she keeps on saying she won't expect more or be too happy in order to guard herself but if my wive keeps saying all these all the time, I will be so sad too, I think GTY is more sad and worried about her, that she is not still free and totally putting her trust fully in him, than being insecure, he just wants her to confide in him and be happy always trusting him.. But ML is too traumatized that she is so afraid of putting all her heart out for someone.. So sad.. That's why I said, that fight is much needed and essential to break the final ice between them 

 

It's sad but her reasons were justifiable. ML being traumatized is just a part of it, she was being rational too. Her family's status is way below GTY's, so it's true that she doesn't have any kind of leverage against him. She doesn't want to but the fact is that she is dependent and relies on him. All of her happiness now is resulted from his fondness of her and in reality love usually doesn't last forever. If there comes a day when he doesn't love her as much or he is swayed by some other woman, there's nothing she can do and her family couldn't help her at all. So she has to be extra careful not to be arrogant and make a mistake cuz if one day he was not protective of her anymore then everything she has done would be used against her. And as a woman she has a lot more to lose than him. That is one big disadvantage of marrying up. It is pessimistic but it is very true for women from that era. And to fully trust someone who's holding that much power upon herself is not that easy.

 

In a context where everything is decided by the husband, asking the wife to give her all is a little too much.

[zenya22]

Episode 41: 1st day after wedding night and war starts at the Gu household: The strategy of the mother in law and daughter in law from the art of war and the winner is.... the DAUGHTER IN LAW.... ML 

 

1st day of married life and still in honeymoon stage and little stepmother Qin is already attacking.

 

Gu Ting Ye described the 4th aunt as an ignorant, pretentious bully to a T. 4th aunt proved to all and sundry that she is ignorant and pretentious but she can't bully her way to Ming Lan for the very reason that she is ignorant. It was too late before the aunt from 5th house realized that little stepmom Qin used them, especially idiotic 4th aunt. The aunts appeared as bullies and little stepmom came out smelling like a rose, the savior. Little stepmom Qin also learned that her assumptions of ML were wrong because ML is not a simpleton who can be easily bamboozled. This daughter in law is educated, sharp and resourceful. Minglan instantly saw through little Qin's strategy: use a borrowed knife to kill. Little Qin used the the maid Hangxiao to push as a concubine and the dumb and dumber aunts to crush ML to acquiesce. Little Qin did not know that ML has been informed and forewarned about her and the aunts character and disposition. Little Qin knew nothing about the new daughter in law.

 

ML then countered little Qin's strategy with: Don't attack directly, attack something that the enemy holds dear and retreat as advancement and defense as offense. What little Qin holds dear is her reputation as the benevolent and loving mother as if she does not remember how she exposed her hypocrisy to GTY when his father died. ML kneeling at the hall of ancestors for as long as necessary will cause gossip to eventually spread that the mother in law punished the daughter in law for not accepting a maid as a concubine on the first day after her wedding night. That the new husband specifically informed the wife that he did not want a concubine and ML said she would ask her husband's opinion first. The mother in law and the aunts will appear as if they are forcing the new daughter in law to accept a concubine without the consent of her husband on the ist day after the wedding night. The mother in law and the aunts will be seen as coercers and hasslers. Little Qin is forced to double back and make herself look good by "rescuing" ML while making dumb and dumber the bullies. ML already saw through her when she describes to GTY that little Qin has the look and mannerism of a Bodhisattva but makes others do the evil deed. ML made little Qin aware that her little tricks are infantile. Now the aunts especially the 4th are cursing little Qin for being fake. Little Qin is angered as she, the 4th and 5th aunts have harassed and slandered the 2nd Big Madam, GTY's mother and lied about, slandered and framed the son GTY. That is what GTY had to live through. 

 

I laugh though everytime GTY whips back at little Qin. At the meeting with the uncles, little Qin tried to bring up Hangxiao the maid who is not the tart the aunts are making her out to be, that she was raped by the son of the 4th house and GTY was blamed. Little Qin thought that if she brought up the maid with the uncles she will be able to make GTY the bad guy but as soon as GTY tried to inform the uncles which house the maid was from, little Qin backed off. GTY then helped Hangxiao by telling them that ML will find a house for Hangxiao. The scholars at the academy, GTY and especially grandma and her life experiences taught her well. 

 

GTY inorder to survive had to tolerate and patiently wait for a chance to set things right for himself and his mother. Oldest coughing brother, little Qin and the aunts and uncles are underestimating GTY. I am sure that little Qin is looking for Manniang to bring back. ML has dealt with that manipulative woman when she was but a teenager and ML will deal with her even better now that she is a grown woman. I can't wait for GTY's justice. 

 

Which reminds me of the first fight at the dessert store when ML told TY that she will go to the mountain monastery and become a nun rather than marry him and here she is married to him. But she did make something of that threat when she made him chase her all over China and then in the capital city of Bianjing. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

5 hours ago, gleek49 said:

 

 

And it's true that SH would never use his children for his own gain,

 

I agree with everyone you said apart from this bit i dont think he would use his other children but i 100% believe he would use ML if he had to cover up any scandal or she had to be married to someone for gain he would use her.

 

4 hours ago, Golden Flower said:

 

Younger sister of empress Shen. She visited Minglan’s house with her brother (国舅，general Shen, the one who was upset that he was decreed to marry Duke Ying’s daughter not too long after his wife passed away in rebellion) and fished together in today epi (DVD epi 44).

 

Even with all this connection to the imperials and high general's , GTY will forced to become a normal solider.. its quite odd. I wonder if its a trick so these other people planning a rebellion speak to GTY in hope's he would join them against the royal family that just punished him.

 

 

4 hours ago, Meli Cahyadi said:

  Hide contents

https://media.weibo.cn/article?id=2309404331049244069623

  Hide contents

 

I have read the ending spoiler on weibo. ML passed away at age 38. Can you believe that ? 

 

Spoiler

I hope they change that if this drama gets to that age.. i dont want to see ML die in this drama at all. 

 

[sava2sava]

I'm loving these past two episodes, ML telling those old witches to stsy out of my court yard and mind your own.. I can handle my own house without your spies.. 

 

I see Evil step mom even pick out some beauties to see if he'll take the bait.. 

[BreezeC]

I finally have time to caught up a bit with the drama, still only up to episode 30 but I have been skimming through this thread to get a sense of some of the major plots/happening in the latest episodes. I am actually glad that both leads will take time/patience/and understanding to fell in/expose their love. Marriage is not the end and it is nice to see two people slowly developing their relationship afterward.  

As for QH, oh boy, as someone said I don't dislike this character as this character represents a certain type of people in that age and time and his behavior and actions are defined by his upbringing and surroundings but based on the latest possibility of his character to turn bad...I soooooo do not hope this will happen. I will be very disappointed in the screenwriter if they fell into this cliche plot to turn the second lead evil as plot device to create some climates and hardship for our main couple here. The screenwriter should think up a better plot device than this and I hope this is not true. Based on his upbringing, I can see QH as persistence, not mature, and even if he resort to blaming GTY I am ok because it is still within his character (although the character will be very dislikable) but if he have ANY ill intention toward GTY, his character is completely destroyed. No matter what QH becomes in the future, I can't see him hurting anyone (emotionally, yes) but actually framing/hurting/destroying someone, I can't because it will be out of his character. I mean you can argue that his unfair treatment or bad experience caused him to turn vengeful but it will be soo out of character. To me, that does not make sense. Even at breaking point from all the pressure, he rather kill himself. I prefer to see his character finally maturing, sad but it is reality for the naive boy he once was, and stay away from our main couple until at the end for some closure that ML is living happy. That will be an ideal storyline for him and don't want to see him interfering in our main couple anymore. I want to remember their bittersweet ending of their first love and not a persisting guy who keep interfering and causing trouble. Hope this is not true   

[darkphoenix123]

In episode 42, Minglan & her maids ruled

[minglan1]

Whenever ML stood up and fought for something she paid a huge price.

For the 1st time in her life post marriage she has been encouraged to indulge herself without worrying. It must feel like a dream to her which can break at any given moment.

To even visit a resturant which she desired and her husband was willing to take she hesitated.

When she gave in to the wish of visiting her family in a well to do fashion she was berated for flaunting a rich lifestyle.

Amidst this hostile enviornment, hoping for complete everlasting  devotion from a temperamental man like GTY is like aiming for the moon.

If ML can have fairness and equality in this  lifetime she can share his affection too..

To bestow women with those in ancient times was the best testament of love.It was a revolutionary deed that many wouldn't undertake.

GTY has his work cut out for him.I love the honesty in their relationship.Both have set high ideals for their spouses.

[shem1]

5 hours ago, Meli Cahyadi said:

  Hide contents

https://media.weibo.cn/article?id=2309404331049244069623

  Hide contents

 

I have read the ending spoiler on weibo. ML passed away at age 38. Can you believe that ? 

I am not familiar with weibo...but how accurate is the summary there??? I followed your link and found in sooooo sadddd that it makes me not want to watch the remaining episodes!

 

[leeza77]

3 minutes ago, shem1 said:

I am not familiar with weibo...but how accurate is the summary there??? I followed your link and found in sooooo sadddd that it makes me not want to watch the remaining episodes!

 

I don't think that is the ending. Maybe some anti fans tries to sabotage the drama. 

[mundane9]

7 hours ago, frenchfan said:

Don't forget that she grew up seeing how the male in her family treated the women.  One minute, you are lucky to have your husband paying you attention and then poof, that could all disappear.  She has experienced this with her mum where her father rarely ever comes to visit until she has to find ways and waited for him after the visit to grandma to get him to come for dinner.  Fo rher, men are unpredictable, you have to depend on your own self.  I supposed it explains why she is the way she is.  She is distrustful and her trust needs to be earned.  GTY will need to earn it. That's the challenge of marriage life even today.  This is why I like this drama because it potrays the ups and downs not just all sweet and roses.

What I like about this novel is the fact that it is an allegory portrayed in a different timeline. ML's life-story and challenges are not a thing of the past or a fictional situation - it applies in the present day. This is a great lesson and advice for women in general to rely on self and no-one else outside of self.