[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]

9 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

Unless ML caused all this when i dont consider this good revenge for what they did to ML's mother.

I think since Molan had made it very obvious with her intentions for 6th Liang son that ML is using it to her advantage and may be making Molan feel desperate after the whole gift thing to push her into action. Kind of stoking the fire and letting Molan hang herself quicker, taking Concubine Lin down with her since mothers are responsible for the actions of their children because of how they raised them. Plus by this point, I don’t think anyone will believe that Concubine Lin may not have helped Molan.

[Golden Flower]

18 hours ago, m0us3y said:

His arrogance and ignorance earlier is arguably due to his very privileged background and upbringing. 

But now, knowing he will marry another, what's the reason for him still approaching her and giving her the doll? 

 

Whether he was hoping for her to keep him in her heart forever with the dolls as reminder? Hoping for ML to accept to be his concubine because he loves her? Or hoping for ML to wait for him indefinitely? 

Either of the answers above seems really selfish to me. 

I’m not defending QH or wants him to be with her, just another interpretation of writers’ intention from previous scenes and preview. I do not think giving the doll to ML was to ask her to wait for him, asking her to be his concubine or as a reminder to keep him in her heart. 

He is letting her know (1) he had given up fighting to be with her (2) as the dolls are a pair, he wants the dolls, representative of QH and ML to be at least together since the real people cannot. He doesn’t need to give M doll to ML to ask her to remember and keep him in her heart. Even if he didn’t send M doll, ML might keep F doll and remembers him in her heart (nobody even QH can guess she might or might not). 

Reasoning....

When he gave her the F doll, he said F doll look like ML similing. From the tone and his facial expression, he bought the dolls to gift female to ML and since they’re a pair, he is keeping the male and he was planning to give her M doll when they are together so the doll pair can reunite. During that time, an unmarried girl won’t be able to accept a male and female doll pair together from a guy and as she will be seen as not being chaste and being flirtatious.  GTY doesn’t know the dolls are a pair and it will be more reasonable and less complicated just to ask him to give the doll to ML rather than asking him to bring the female doll back from ML. It also doesn’t make sense for the gifter asking the gift back. He just wants at least the dolls to be together and what ML does with them are her choice. She could destroy them if she wants and at least both of them will be destroyed together which is better than one being left alone and apart. ML understood his intention of wanting the dolls to be together, told Xiao Tao not to destroy the female doll and gave both dolls back to him (XT doesn’t know GTY brought the male doll as she was outside the study). ML also said that she doesn’t blame QH for she knows that he has done everything he could and it is just that he was not able to do anything the way he wants. From the preview, in upcoming epi, he prayed for ML’s health, safety and her getting good marriage partner at the temple instead of wishing anything related to him or his family. He genuinely wants the best for ML. If he wants ML to remember and keep him in her heart, he doesn’t really need to go out of his way to make marriage wish for her.

 

QH also told GTY that he no longer fights because it came to the point of concerning safety of ML and Sheng’s family. From his portrayal during the scene with YW Fei, he finally resigned to his fate also because of ML’s life and safety.  

 

 

[m0us3y]

13 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

I mean that is still not enough at all , Molan got what she wanted. 

 

 

Apparently its ML and her mums plan at least it was in the book.

 

 

Totally agree about QH having no-one to lean on compare to ML and GTY he really has no ally or no help or support in that family its quite sad.

 

 

I cant wait for fierce and demanding ML to come.

 

 

Its easy to say just let go but in reality its not that easy first love is always with you and always painful and he has let go in recent episodes i thought does not mean he has to be happy and move on. 

Me too! I'm really looking forward to the feisty ML. Although sometimes I feel she's more dangerous now. Quiet, calm, well behaved yet so manipulative. All the while with everyone around her thinking she's weak. 

 

On the other note on QH, I didn't mean it will be easy. But time heal all wounds..I reckon it will be a regret he will live with, having broken his promises to her. 

All I'm saying is it doesn't need to dictate his life. He doesn't need to stay miserable. 

As ML said to herself at the end of ep28, the eyes are there to look forward. It's a hard life, but while we live, we might as well live well. 

 

 

 

[cherubstomato]

1 hour ago, hello210 said:

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Woah...I knew Molan was going to get herself caught with Liang 6th son but thought maybe like hugging. Didn’t think they were going to actually have it where they were going all the way  and to be caught red handed by her father...

And daddy dearest is finally not going to let things go lightly for mother/daughter duo since it’s a huge black spot on the family honor.

 

Same but at same time makes sense since they had no choice but to accept her.

I never doubted the father would do the right thing. A lot of people don’t like him for playing favoritism but I never hated his character because he was a clean minister, he cares about the reputation of the household first (when kang momo opened his eyes about favoring the concubine over main wife he was more careful), he cares about granny even though shes not his biological mother, and he was never unjust (in his eyes). But he was just completely oblivious to what was happening in his harem. I can’t blame him for it because even I as a person would only believe what I see and that’s what it was, even big madam had no evidence on her nor did Minglan to show what a wicked woman Concubine Lin was. There’s no reason for him to think oh my daughter and concubine must be doing evil things when they only show me love and attention. Unlike my main wife who nags and have a moody temper all the time. Also, he only reprimanded his kids when it’s shaming the families honor. I think if I compared Minglans dad and GTY father I would choose Minglans. 

1 hour ago, thatpers0n said:

Yes I said he better off dying than living at the end only to suffer. Let me explain my side. From what others said, they say that in the end he live a bachelor life after two unsuccessful marriage. That is why for me it is way better for him to at least be known as that guy who help the ML or the world than that passionate guy who can't move on.  See, you you either die a Hero or live long enough to see yourself called a Villain. XD 

 

At least in the end, the ML and the Male Lead had a happy ending from their despair beginning. But what about QH?  I beg to differ and say that he also fight hard. He may not chose the riskist route but he still fought. Yes now he will live the consequence and that's why for me it is way better to die than experiencing such thing. It may be a coward route but it is the route we can at least say he will die in peace. 

 

Just because others is suffering way more doesn't mean he isn't. At least ML and GTY had someone to lean on during their darkest time, but what about him? 

 

 

(This next paragraph is not specifically for you) 

Also stop saying this character is written well and that. Every character is written well. Just that the drama might have screw some a bit. 

You mean commit suicide like he threatened to do but not actually mean it? If he did his father and Minglan would be threaten like mentioned?

That would be the worst decision he can make in his life. Not only is it cowardly it is quite spiteful and selfish. He would not be known as a hero. LOL Everyone will have rumors to why he commited suicide and than the whole world will know he was some passionate guy who can’t move on.. That would only inflict Minglan. And would cause great dispair to his family and bring shame. If he took that route he would’ve easily become a character I don’t like. LOL 

Sure he’s a lovelorn and forced to marry other woman he is not in love with. I’m going to be direct and say boohoo... Everyone is suffering and much worst then him. Yes, granted he is suffering but if he follows the teachings he reads he would take a look in his life how well off he is compared to others. Not saying he doesn’t deserve to be with the one he loves but there is more to life then romantic feelings that he should not risk it all when ML is not even his wife. We all reminisce and we all might even remember that one love. We might not be in a happy state but as they say, there is always hope so long as you are alive... There must’ve be some other girl who was probably just as good as Minglan but he probably turned a blind eye because it was not her. It’s as if he made an oath that he will only love her forever until he dies.

[ForgottenSoulx]

16 minutes ago, Golden Flower said:

 

 

 

First thing you have said i generally agree with haha i like what you said these dolls and its nothing no-one was thinking of but i can believe it. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

11 minutes ago, m0us3y said:

Me too! I'm really looking forward to the feisty ML. Although sometimes I feel she's more dangerous now. Quiet, calm, well behaved yet so manipulative. All the while with everyone around her thinking she's weak. 

 

On the other note on QH, I didn't mean it will be easy. But time heal all wounds..I reckon it will be a regret he will live with, having broken his promises to her. 

All I'm saying is it doesn't need to dictate his life. He doesn't need to stay miserable. 

As ML said to herself at the end of ep28, the eyes are there to look forward. It's a hard life, but while we live, we might as well live well. 

 

 

 

 

I just want to her dumb richard simmons father and everyone's faces when she demands something and shows her power YES queen ;p 

[leeza77]

1 hour ago, linhlinh111 said:

It's not that serious. Linniang found out where the Liang's son was going so she helped Molan out. Molan pretended to fall into the water and Liang's son saved her. Back then when a girl was hugged by a man (and her clothes was wet and see-through), her virtue was considered lost to him. So she had to be married off to his family or become a nun. Liang family refused to take Molan bc Mama Liang was aiming for ML and she didn't like Molan's personality, but Sheng family couldn't accept that bc if Molan's name was ruined then it would affect the marriage of the other 2 daughters, so Grandma literary blackmailed Liang family to take her. Linniang was cast out by Sheng Hong bc she risked sabotaging the whole family's reputation so that Molan could marry to a noble. She was taken far away to a family cottage in the suburb and never returned.

Spoiler

In the notice, conversation between hualan and molan, hualan told molan you will be beatan to death. molan told hualan dare you, you will cause the death of two lives. Indicate that molan was pregnant

 

[ForgottenSoulx]

9 minutes ago, cherubstomato said:

 

 

I dont think its really fair to say everyone else is suffering more then him , his brother pretty much got killed in front of him , his mother is a grade a richard simmons , he got forced into a marriage he did not want..

 

Hes suffered just as much as anyone else, if i had to pick a route between GTY or QH its easily GTY i think QH is suffering alot more. 

[m0us3y]

Spoiler

18 minutes ago, Golden Flower said:

I’m not defending QH or wants him to be with her, just another interpretation of writers’ intention from previous scenes and preview. I do not think giving the doll to ML was to ask her to wait for him, asking her to be his concubine or as a reminder to keep him in her heart. 

He is letting her know (1) he had given up fighting to be with her (2) as the dolls are a pair, he wants the dolls, representative of QH and ML to be at least together since the real people cannot. He doesn’t need to give M doll to ML to ask her to remember and keep him in her heart. Even if he didn’t send M doll, ML might keep F doll and remembers him in her heart (nobody even QH can guess she might or might not). 

Reasoning....

When he gave her the F doll, he said F doll look like ML similing. From the tone and his facial expression, he bought the dolls to gift female to ML and since they’re a pair, he is keeping the male and he was planning to give her M doll when they are together so the doll pair can reunite. During that time, an unmarried girl won’t be able to accept a male and female doll pair together from a guy and as she will be seen as not being chaste and being flirtatious.  GTY doesn’t know the dolls are a pair and it will be more reasonable and less complicated just to ask him to give the doll to ML rather than asking him to bring the female doll back from ML. It also doesn’t make sense for the gifter asking the gift back. He just wants at least the dolls to be together and what ML does with them are her choice. She could destroy them if she wants and at least both of them will be destroyed together which is better than one being left alone and apart. ML understood his intention of wanting the dolls to be together, told Xiao Tao not to destroy the female doll and gave both dolls back to him (XT doesn’t know GTY brought the male doll as she was outside the study). ML also said that she doesn’t blame QH for she knows that he has done everything he could and it is just that he was not able to do anything the way he wants. From the preview, in upcoming epi, he prayed for ML’s health, safety and her getting good marriage partner at the temple instead of wishing anything related to him or his family. He genuinely wants the best for ML. If he wants ML to remember and keep him in her heart, he doesn’t really need to go out of his way to make marriage wish for her.

 

QH also told GTY that he no longer fights because it came to the point of concerning safety of ML and Sheng’s family. From his portrayal during the scene with YW Fei, he finally resigned to his fate also because of ML’s life and safety.  

 

 

 

Valid point. I wouldn't necessarily disagree with that line of reasoning. 

Never thought of it that way. It also occurred to me just now that it could possibly be his way of telling her he could no longer keep his promise. I don't necessarily like that he gave the dolls to him, as it is a reminder to her of the pain too, but I get your line of reasoning. 

And I thought it was apt for ML to let go by giving both back to him. It was from him, it goes back to him. 

 

I wouldn't think ML would blame QH. QH did not intentionally embarass her for the sake of it. He fought, she waited. They lost. He had his reasons for giving up, and it's time to move on. 

[cheekychipmunk_stv]

6 hours ago, dito said:

 

GTY splurged a lot of money.....and I think some big political and military figures were in attendance ...so yeah it was big affair.

All I remember is that his bride price was huge. Tons of expensive fabrics, jewelry, accessories, etc

 

edit.....I went and checked...heres the list...Apparently GTY filled their whole yard with his gifts.

100... Horses, Pigs( it says Minglan pigs...I don't know if there really is a pig named like that),

abalone, clams, oysters, mushrooms, shrimp, squid, sea cucumber, shark's fin..... etc

1200 feet of fabric..which includes....80 feet of crepe, 88 feet of camlet, 180 feet of various colors of Shu embroidered brocade, etc

34 gold dragon phoenix bracelets....another 18 pieces of some dragon phoenix jewelry I can't make out.

Then there were different kinds of fish, wine, tea and candy for all 4 seasons. 

GTY didn't know instead of making people happy his gifts made some people unhappy. Da niang and Rulan to be exact. Both had no objections to GTY marrying ML before but when they saw the bride price both start to regret letting GTY go from their hands. And GTY was so petty sending the bride price for ML on day Rulan's lite-bride price came.

 

He did say to ML that he will punish those who bullies her. He knows that they look down on him because of his reputation and he has mistress n children  and throw ML to him. Not that he minds. In any case he feels he won lottery by marrying ML. He is just showing to them what ML gains by marrying him and their loss. Hahaha

[crackaddict]

I like ZYL, but I am glad this QH's arc is coming to a close. 

 

I actually wanna talk about how great the supporting casts are and the interesting side stories. When we got to the Sheng family living in Yougang(?) it was nice to see the two sisters love each other so much. I saw that Zhang Hanyun made a guest appearance as Shulan and I felt so bad for her situation. I am so glad that ML was able to help salvage that situation and Shulan's ending remarks to her ex-husband included spitting on him and his mother lol. When the granny died, and she kept calling out the name of her daughter who died young and shaming her husband for favoring the concubine, you get the impression that women lived such difficult lives for many generations. Indeed, it lent some insight into why she wanted to protect Shulan. 

[m0us3y]

4 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

I dont think its really fair to say everyone else is suffering more then him , his brother pretty much got killed in front of him , his mother is a grade a richard simmons , he got forced into a marriage he did not want..

 

Hes suffered just as much as anyone else, if i had to pick a route between GTY or QH its easily GTY i think QH is suffering alot more. 

I think he just had to take in more in a much shorter timeframe. 

I wouldn't say he had been through more. 

QH servant died. So did GTY parents and ML's mom. At a much younger age. 

His dad was "kidnapped" and family threatened. GTY also got kicked out from the house

QH was forced to marry the princess. GTY was "betrayed" by the person he's trying to protect and marry. 

 

[cherubstomato]

3 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

I dont think its really fair to say everyone else is suffering more then him , his brother pretty much got killed in front of him , his mother is a grade a richard simmons , he got forced into a marriage he did not want..

 

Hes suffered just as much as anyone else, if i had to pick a route between GTY or QH its easily GTY i think QH is suffering alot more. 

I’m just making light to disagree with the person who said he should just die honorably just because he suffered a lot then to live as a pitifully passionate man. I’m not disregarding his suffering nor am I comparing his sufferings to the other main cast but only trying to show insight that he is not the only one in this world and yes there are people out there who has it far worst than him. That he should not take his life for granted and throw it away just because of the unfortunate events.

Its more honorable to live as a pitifully passionate man because after all he lived and tried but in the end he just could not forget it. At least he didn’t forsake his family in the name of love. The whole world will never know his suffering. 

[cherubstomato]

8 minutes ago, crackaddict said:

I like ZYL, but I am glad this QH's arc is coming to a close. 

 

I actually wanna talk about how great the supporting casts are and the interesting side stories. When we got to the Sheng family living in Yougang(?) it was nice to see the two sisters love each other so much. I saw that Zhang Hanyun made a guest appearance as Shulan and I felt so bad for her situation. I am so glad that ML was able to help salvage that situation and Shulan's ending remarks to her ex-husband included spitting on him and his mother lol. When the granny died, and she kept calling out the name of her daughter who died young and shaming her husband for favoring the concubine, you get the impression that women lived such difficult lives for many generations. Indeed, it lent some insight into why she wanted to protect Shulan. 

Her acting was so good when she said something in the lines of I can’t even stand to have one look at you. I felt it. And I was also triggered. 

[Golden Flower]

22 minutes ago, leeza77 said:

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In the notice, conversation between hualan and molan, hualan told molan you will be beatan to death. molan told hualan dare you, you will cause the death of two lives. Indicate that molan was pregnant

 

Molan was not pregnant. She was just lying. 

[lilkat75]

1 hour ago, m0us3y said:

Episodes 28. Does anyone else find GTY getting very protective of ML? 

Even when he offered to kidnap the princess for QH, I felt he was considering more about ML than he is of QH - That her whole life is dependent on QH's one decision, and the Sheng daughter doesn't deserve to suffer this way (the embarassment, the potential hardship in her marriage after what happened at the polo match an whole capital knows about QH/ML).

Then again when ML got him to return the clay dolls, he was actually hilarious when he said he'll beat up those who spew nonsense and ruin her marriage prospect when he gets back from the battle. 

 

I also felt that they have the ability to lift each other up when they are down. 

 

 

  Reveal hidden contents

But the trailer that @minoku2209 shared seems to show the dad caught Molan in pretty compromising place...and clothing?

 

 

 

 

Yeah, I found the interaction between ML and GTY at the end of episode 28 was very sweet. Like how they were wishing each other well and like you said lifting each other up. I really like the mutual understanding and respect between the two, a good foundation for the budding relationship in the future.  Also, GTY did seem to focus more on ML's situation that QH's situation in a way. I feel like he has already developed feelings for ML  Though, I think he was being a bit harsh (?) with QH's decision. Honestly, poor QH  with what happened with Buwei then getting threatened to get married for the safety of ML and the Sheng family. 

[cheekychipmunk_stv]

3 hours ago, leeza77 said:

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Molan caught red handed in a promiscuous situation with the 6th son of liang family. PREGNANT and married of to him. She shamed the family and lin niang got punished. Fell out of favor from shen hong

 

 

I don't think Mama Liang will treat her nicely after she scheme to entrap 6th son of Liang to marry her. And it looks like the 6th son is also not a good husband material. Looks like he will have lots of concubines and mistresses. 

[cherubstomato]

6 minutes ago, cheekychipmunk_stv said:

 

I don't think Mama Liang will treat her nicely after she scheme to entrap 6th son of Liang to marry her. And it looks like the 6th son is also not a good husband material. Looks like he will have lots of concubines and mistresses. 

I wonder yet doubt it, it seems that Mama Liang is a wise woman. She will not be petty and would probably learn to accept her if not tolerate her. It will just be Molan being petty that she is not the only one in the eyes of the 6th. son and can’t have him wrapped around her fingers, like it was mentioned here it is a karma that her position is like that of Big Madam. And she never bore a son.

[leeza77]

Spoiler

Yes, she will in for a great surprise. But then, her mother has imparted her with the skill of "white lotus", she might be able to sway the hubby to her side. 

 

[hello210]

30 minutes ago, Golden Flower said:

Molan was not pregnant. She was just lying. 

 I was wondering about that...like did they lock her up for a couple months before thinking to beat her cause otherwise if they just did it she wouldn’t know if she’s pregnant yet...or was that not the first time they secretly met   tsk tsk. But of course this is Molan who will say anything or cry to try and get out of harsh punishments.