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

[minglan1]

6 minutes ago, frenchfan said:

I like that ML has a heart to heart talk to straighten things out with QH's wife.  I thought she was being petty before but it was just insecurities.....which I supposed you cannot really blame her for.  She has a handsome young future duke as husband and he in turn is still holding a torch for someone else (who was notably prettier albeit from a lower societal level than her). I like the way ML handled things by holding the bull by its horn.  I hope that she managed to shake QH to at least wake him to reality and consequences of his actions.  

I am waiting eagerly for the next episode being subbed to watch what you have mentioned.

QH 's wife had made peace with the  situation of her household and wanted to do best by her husband till the dolls surfaced.It pierced a needle in her heart to stir the uncharitable thoughts again.

[Lunkera]

@ForgottenSoulx LOL. China's censorship rules......

[minglan1]

2 minutes ago, frenchfan said:

Everyone seemed to be having babies : Changbai's wife, Hualan, Rulan and Madame Zhang (General Shen's main wife).  So exciting.  I do hope that ML will be pregnant soon too.  I wait impatiently every day to watch the next episodes and then the next.  It is getting super exciting.  The plot thickens, my impression of evil stepmom has only deepened and now, add to the mix is Madame Kang.  I am sure Molan's downfall is soon enough since her husband has found out their "fated" meeting at the temple was orchestrated.  Poor guy.    

I am very happy about Molan getting her comeuppance.Her masterstroke of using her husband to advocate for getting her mother's tablet enshrined becomes her biggest blunder.

Pity she is to clever by half.

[frenchfan]

Just now, minglan1 said:

I am very happy about Molan getting her comeuppance.Her masterstroke of using her husband to advocate for getting her mother's tablet enshrined becomes her biggest blunder.

Pity she is to clever by half.

It's like seeing Lin Niang all over again.  Like mother like daughter.  She is like a tap turning on and off her crocodile tears at will. No doubt she has learned all those fainting spells, blinking her eyes looking pitiful, migraine (call me a doctor please) etc etc etc......

[minglan1]

25 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

Also apparently China has banned Palace drama's now.. My Queen Dugu and Zhao Ge better still be able to air, been waiting age's for these and they would make me feel less empty haha.

 

 Broadcast of palace intrigue dramas like Ruyi, Yanxi etc have been halted after the Chinese government media published an article listing 5 major negative effects of such productions, which include:

 

1. it has become fashionable to idolise the lifestyle of royalty, whereby those who bask in the glory of royalty end up being arrogant

2. The detailed portrayal of palace intrigues will worsen social evolution, which is incompatible with the socialist core values currently advocated by China, and a very real danger

3. Glorifying the era of emperors of ministers, detracting away from the glory of the current regime, the founding fathers of New China, model heroes and outstanding communists

4. Promoting luxury and pleasure, showcasing the extravagant style of the palace, which goes against the country's advocacy of the beautiful tradition of hard work

5. The one-sided pursuit of commercial interests while weakening positive spiritual guidance. Despite the commercial hype and success of such shows, there is no positive significance in cultural development

 

Original news article here.

I hope they won't yank Minglan off air.

[ForgottenSoulx]

12 minutes ago, frenchfan said:

Everyone seemed to be having babies : Changbai's wife, Hualan, Rulan and Madame Zhang (General Shen's main wife).  So exciting.  I do hope that ML will be pregnant soon too.  I wait impatiently every day to watch the next episodes and then the next.  It is getting super exciting.  The plot thickens, my impression of evil stepmom has only deepened and now, add to the mix is Madame Kang.  I am sure Molan's downfall is soon enough since her husband has found out their "fated" meeting at the temple was orchestrated.  Poor guy.    

 

Omg just imagining all these babies playing together ah would be cute.. season two follow's the baby's? We can hope. 

 

All i know is i skipped to the end of episode 51 and start of 52 to see ML act tough at the dinner table. 

5 minutes ago, Lunkera said:

@ForgottenSoulx LOL. China's censorship rules......

 

Yeah if Queen Dugu does not air ima be so mad cause this is like a incredible story, we think about what GTY's love meant but imagine a Emperor only having a one true love and no concubines until she died and even then all his kid's were her's. 

 

I suppose they can still air online but still.. china is wanting to make TV and Online have the same rule's. I wonder if this means just harem focused drama's or does it mean any drama with a royal family making a appearance who knows with china.

[ForgottenSoulx]

6 minutes ago, minglan1 said:

I hope they won't yank Minglan off air.

 

Nah they wont its not really Palace intrigue so maybe if palace stuff is a sub plot with no harem stuff its fine? 

[frenchfan]

9 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

Omg just imagining all these babies playing together ah would be cute.. season two follow's the baby's? We can hope. 

 

All i know is i skipped to the end of episode 51 and start of 52 to see ML act tough at the dinner table. 

Oh yes, she is one big mama tiger!  The way she threw her chopsticks was like   I like it when she goes fierce.  Ha ha ha.  I faithfully watch ALL episodes so as not to missed out on anything.  

[ForgottenSoulx]

6 minutes ago, frenchfan said:

Oh yes, she is one big mama tiger!  The way she threw her chopsticks was like   I like it when she goes fierce.  Ha ha ha.  I faithfully watch ALL episodes so as not to missed out on anything.  

 

Yeah i loved when she threw her chopstick's finally.. and SH still need's a bigger telling off its not enough for me at all. 

 

I watch all episode's as well im just a few episode's behind but been waiting for the chopstick scene for day's haha.

[Kashi_Saiko]

My two cents...

 

If only we could hear the internal dialogue of what is going on in every characters head.... Then we can understand their actions....

 

Being frustrated is meaningless.

Sit back and enjoy the show, it is not perfect without flaws....

 

The discussion is great, but a little too intense...

[ForgottenSoulx]

6 minutes ago, Kashi_Saiko said:

My two cents...

 

If only we could hear the internal dialogue of what is going on in every characters head.... Then we can understand their actions....

 

Being frustrated is meaningless.

Sit back and enjoy the show, it is not perfect without flaws....

 

The discussion is great, but a little too intense...

 

Sorry i get a little heated i know what im trying to say but the words just refuse to come out so i get annoyed.

[cherubstomato]

5 hours ago, mooose said:

 

What about Madam Wu not being upfront to the Shens about 6th Liang's pregnant mistress? Was that evil?

 

I think marriage matters were a matter of due diligence by parents. Of course bachelors with a clean background and backyard were more eligible. Not making it public doesn't make GTY evil. GTY was living openly in the city with MN and kids, he didn't hide her in the countryside. The information was available if you looked just like 6th Liang info.

Nope it’s also wrong.

Thats why granny was furious the thought of having ML marry into her household even though they are good friends with Madam Wu. 

 

Sweet, kind, and virtuous are all sugar coated words. It doesn’t change the fact that GTY was looking for a submissive wife to take advantage of her for MN. Everyone and their dogs knew MN was an evil woman. Only GTY failed to realize and deny it. GTY was trying to keep it a secret from Yanran family but her grandfather knew about it and confronted GTY that’s when he had no choice but to tell him and make a pledge. When they accepted they had no idea what a witch MN was until she came to foil the marriage. The greedy parents of Yanran didn’t care and push the other sister to marriage until they found out he had kids which they didn’t know. And guess who GTY blamed? ML! And now he doesn’t want a virtuous wife?! Isn’t he being a hypocrite. 

 

GTY can make all the pledges and oaths in this world for all I care but it is nothing more than empty promises if he doesn’t put it to action! Just because someone doesn’t believe you doesn’t mean you should spite them! If you really cared about that person then you prove them wrong! 

 

ML can only have soo many excuses to dodge all these concubines sooner or later she will need to accept them. News flash that’s the society they live in. Even the Emperor is forced to have concubines and can’t keep his harem empty! What more a successful man as GTY. Just because she accepted a concubine doesn’t mean GTY should spite her for it. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t love him nor believe him. But if he doesn’t stay true to his words and goes against his promises than what does that make him? What does ML think then, she was right. All man are the same. I’m sure ML is testing GTY too. He will have a harem one way or another just don’t touch them! Maybe he is just afraid he would have no control so better they are not there! Then I’ll question his resolves.

 

Of course we know that he didn’t sleep with the concubine but he should not test ML patience’s because these silly mind games never work and it always become much more complicated later on. Hence the big fight on QH.

[Suzzy San]

4 hours ago, hello210 said:

 

 

Lol...you beat me to it. GTY chose Yanran, not because she was weak, but because she was seen as very virtuous by many people.  She didn’t discriminate against the brothel women when they needed help with something  (based on info from courtesan at polo match) so he felt that Yanran would not discriminate against giving MN a position so that the kids can have a place in the family.  I don’t see being virtuous as weak, however it didn’t help that Yanran really was too soft a person. Aside from Rong’er and Chang’er, I think he already made up his mind about not having any more Shu or illegitimate children. Not saying anything outright about women and children that a man had prior to marriage is actually the norm in those times (even in modern times in certain social groups). If a man wanted to take responsibility and they’re “considerate”, they usually bring it up once they’ve married and their wife has established themselves in their position as the main wife so that when concubines enter the picture, they’re not as threatened. This is the ideal situation but we all know things can go differently as seen in the Sheng household. 

 

ML’s actions/reactions are both experience bound and era bound. It’s common for other women to enter prestigious households, why not do it her own way. No matter how much GTY can say or show his love, it’s not GTY but other women. For me, i think it’s that saying, “It’s not you I don’t trust, but I don’t trust them.” Because there are many tricks that women had in those days. He was tricked before just as her father was tricked and 6th Liang was tricked. Both GTY and ML were lucky that lady hadn’t been told by Aunt Kang or Stepmom to drug GTY, then that night would have been a whole different story. If she focuses on her role as Main Wife, she can still love him, but she can separate concubine matters as any other household duty, especially when she’s taught by Grandma to not rely on him excessively. And I also think that for ML, if she fully allows herself to be immersed in GTY the way he is with her, loosing him would devastate her more than anything else. However, men (even though GTY who knows her best) will still never fully understand this part of a woman’s heart. ML also never really seeing love being expressed, doesn’t know how to assuage GTY’s insecurity. Her trying to be sugary like MN or CL, would be just like how Da Niang was when she tried it . It’s both of them needing to be clearer in their communication with each other about these matters and understanding of each other’s POV’s. 

 

This whole part also matches one of the interpretations of the poem, the green should be plush and the red lean. I saw it somewhere that it was about the domestic life of women in that era, and also of aging. Women, often loose their sway on their husbands as they get older (husbands loose interest) and younger ones are presented to their prestigious husbands as concubines. It’s another thing that wives in this era sees as inevitable so she can’t fully rely on a husband.

Can I cry, I just love your explanation so much. You said it all so clearly.. In the end, both of them still need some work to do about their communication regarding their feelings 

[m0us3y]

I'm actually re-watching some of the older episodes while waiting for the new episodes to come out and gets subbed. 

I don't know how I get myself into this mess and world of painful waiting. 

 

But re-watching the older episodes do have it's perks. 

I noticed ZLY has a cuteness switch that she can pretty much turn on and off anytime! 

That cute innocent look she had when she was daughter of Sheng, and next moment, she's the total badass wife of GTY.

No more cute innocent vibe from her. 

 

I love the ferocious her that would not be bullied, but I do miss the cute ML! 

 

[cherubstomato]

Someone mentioned GTY worry that if ML was another persons husband would she be the same... Well why shouldn’t she? One way or another she will need to protect her life and defend her family! Isn’t that a selfish thought if that is what he really thinks? When we love someone don’t we love them the way we know how to? The variation of love and how we treat someone differently depends on the person we are with... If GTY really worried if she will be the same dutiful wife then he should take a look at the other husbands she would’ve married. Why don’t he compare himself to them? What he can do differently that is more deserving to be ML husband that she would treat him differently... Rather then comparing how ML would treat them the same.

 

Didn’t GTY show his pampering and love to ML the way he did for MN? GTY would even sacrifice the Gu household for MN. Did ML ever spite him for that? The way QH wife was being spiteful towards his first love.

 

GTY can have any woman he wanted. But what he needed was ML, because he needs someone strong enough to fight the Gu household. Someone who wasn’t like MN. And most importantly someone who he can trust. The love part was out of the equation. He didn’t need her to love him, as long as she married him it was good enough. That’s why he took all the great measures to foil her marriage arrangement. And even lie in front of QH as if he didn’t know he still had feelings for ML... I see GTY as an opportunist. I hope that in their upcoming fights I will see the changes in both of them to be more understanding and accepting towards one another. 

5 minutes ago, m0us3y said:

I'm actually re-watching some of the older episodes while waiting for the new episodes to come out and gets subbed. 

I don't know how I get myself into this mess and world of painful waiting. 

 

But re-watching the older episodes do have it's perks. 

I noticed ZLY has a cuteness switch that she can pretty much turn on and off anytime! 

That cute innocent look she had when she was daughter of Sheng, and next moment, she's the total badass wife of GTY.

No more cute innocent vibe from her. 

 

I love the ferocious her that would not be bullied, but I do miss the cute ML! 

 

The bangs was an indication of her maturing haha. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

7 minutes ago, m0us3y said:

I'm actually re-watching some of the older episodes while waiting for the new episodes to come out and gets subbed. 

I don't know how I get myself into this mess and world of painful waiting. 

 

But re-watching the older episodes do have it's perks. 

I noticed ZLY has a cuteness switch that she can pretty much turn on and off anytime! 

That cute innocent look she had when she was daughter of Sheng, and next moment, she's the total badass wife of GTY.

No more cute innocent vibe from her. 

 

I love the ferocious her that would not be bullied, but I do miss the cute ML! 

 

 

ZLY has always been one of my favourite actress and this show just made me love her more , will watch some of her other shows now.

[lilkat75]

Okay so after having watched episode 51, I'm very disappointed with QH. When I was hoping he was actually going to be mature and do his job without acting on his personal feelings...but nope   Yes, he was doing his job to an extent which is fair enough (officials must have a clean and respectable background so some complaint was understandable onto GTY) but his conversation later on with GTY says otherwise. The idea that GTY 'betrayed' QH's trust by marrying ML is now a precursor that he will let down/betray the emperor is such a weak argument. Ahhhh what makes me mad is that QH's character development could have been better than this  For example, I was pleased when  QH  prayed for ML's happiness and a good future husband because it showed his maturity (I know he was forced into his marriage with his first wife but he faithfully followed through with it).

[ForgottenSoulx]

6 minutes ago, cherubstomato said:

 

 

 

I agree with everything you said but i dont think he went after ML so she can fight against GU family , i do think he went after ML because he fell for her at the river which is what he said.

[cherubstomato]

6 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

 

I agree with everything you said but i dont think he went after ML so she can fight against GU family , i do think he went after ML because he fell for her at the river which is what he said.

Yes, but more like not get taken advantage of by the Gu household. I’m just pointing out that he knew ML didn’t love him from the start, their marriage wasn’t for love, and she still had lingering feelings for QH. So now he needs to practice patience with ML and not spite her and throw tantrums when he doesn’t get the reactions he wants from her. 

[leeza77]

8 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

 

I agree with everything you said but i dont think he went after ML so she can fight against GU family , i do think he went after ML because he fell for her at the river which is what he said.

He fell for her bcoz of caring and compassionate attitudes ml shown towards her daughter. He's really a family man. Ml wittiness, cleverness, fiestiness are all added bonus to him. Like he is winning a jackpot.