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

[zenya22]

20 minutes ago, greenwatch08 said:

The issue is he has yet to realize that ML is not like him who express love so overtly/openly because opening herself to love/vulnerability frightens her. That's where he needs to understand & talk it through. She already told him that she's afraid of losing him to another woman during their argument in the night going home & it seems it's not clicking in his head. But then again, TSoML still has about 20 episodes to be aired, so more dramatic tension will ensue.

If he knew his wife loved him, then stop the sulking. He, like Changbai said needs to talk, lay down the cards and be clear. He actually almost got what Changbai was telling him. After ML had fed him, he held her hand and and asked her gently  "what are you afraid of" and you can see the change in her face as if she was going to cry. If he had been patient and just held her hand and wipe her tears if she did cry and just listened if she talked or just held her if she did not, man oh man he was almost there and ....blew it. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

55 minutes ago, UnniSarah said:

We all knew how selfish and disgusting human being that he is. @minglan1  

From the preview , even CB’s mom didn’t feel any regret fro trying to murder Old Mrs Sheng. She is also another selfish human being who doesn’t value life. She deserves to be manipulated, kicked out and ridicule. I don’t understand why all her children know to avoid Aunt Kang but SH’s doesn’t think her sister is a bad influence. 

 

 

 

I think that is different in the book then because im pretty sure she regretted poisoning the grandma and was deeply sorry?

[sava2sava]

1 hour ago, dito said:

 

He's a little arrogant that his success is all his hard work. So he pees his pants whenever his family honor is under threat. Basically his messy family life is his one failing and he wants to keep it under wraps.

 

 

Is that the one where he has braids in his hair?? I think I might have seen that scene somewhere...don't remember why I didn't watch the drama..was it good?  Want to see some of his other works...

@dito  What hard work he really hven;t done didally squat. Just because he moved up in the ranks and it took him to the capital not by any of his on making.. He wasn't out catching bad guy's. I'm thinking he just got lucky because his name was choosen next in line.. If he's a true scholar he should be in tuned to the ways of the world and yet he can't even decides in his own decisions he look to his son for answers.. What A Man.. But your so right his messy famiy life is of his own making, He let Molan Mom rule him and Big Mdm.. Now he's lost in his own current status and not know right from wrong all he knows is to save family honour.. Trying to save this honor is ruining the family honor.. 

 

Yes thats the one and yes it's very good.. I think you'll enjoy it.. Give it a shot when you can..

 

54 minutes ago, UnniSarah said:

We all knew how selfish and disgusting human being that he is. @minglan1  

From the preview , even CB’s mom didn’t feel any regret fro trying to murder Old Mrs Sheng. She is also another selfish human being who doesn’t value life. She deserves to be manipulated, kicked out and ridicule. I don’t understand why all her children know to avoid Aunt Kang but SH’s doesn’t think her sister is a bad influence. 

@UnniSarah  Yes that got me she still was trying to protect her sister after she had framed her.. Blind Mom is only looking at she's the remaining direct bloodline of hers left but she's also her biggest problem.. I don't get where her and sister both thinks ML owes them. Aunt thinks she has the rights to just go to Ming Lan house just because she's on there family tree.. Yet she still don't realize how ML got listed under the family tree being that she saved the crazy niece from that god forsaken family that was about to bleed them dry..   Yes I say kick the dumb woman out SH would be better off going to a brothel.. If she has to protect her sister let her live with her sister..See what her sister do for her then because the sister is broke and wants to live off her sisters kids who have married wel.. You see she didn;t run to 4th sister house because she sees her schemes and call her out on them.. She went to ML house because she thinks ML fears her.. Little that she knows ML fears nothing in this world and will face it head on until you slip up and thats what she did when she messed with Granny.. Even Big Mdm won't be able to save her sister from ML.. She will remind her who really was the one to raise her and that person used her own money on ML not Big Mdm.. She didn;t spend a dime on ML wedding all that was done by Granny and GTY.. Which I think Big Mdm is jealous that ML married better off then all her daughters..      

[minglan1]

2 hours ago, hartofseeker said:

There's a lot of discussion about QH's statements at court over the posthumous title issue... but I feel like I need to hop in and defend the poor dude. 

 

Things agreed upon: 

- QH is a very... straightforward person, not the type to scheme/manipulate and therefore less likely to follow/recognize the moves of a professional manipulator =P So it's hard-pressed for him to catch on to Empress Dowager's complex scheme-- gimme a break, even old and court-savvy Minister Han got played. To QH's credit, he went out of his way to review the imperial cook/dining records to "fact" check the Empress Dowagers claims before he made his proposition on court. But of course ED was already familiar with the rules of the game and completely played the system. Objectively, it is almost IMPOSSIBLE for QH to think otherwise that ED got cheated out of the decree (especially given Minister Han's previous track record of actually tricking ED into losing the imperial seal). NO ONE who tried would have been able to find concrete evidence to prove ED's statements false, and that's why Minister Han/State Uncle Shen realized that they fell into her trap and were rhetorically screwed. 

 

Please also understand QH's ministerial role: 諫議大夫 (i.e. head of Dept of Censors and Remonstrance).The role's JOB DESCRIPTION is to provide moral guidance by calling out on any crooked behavior at the court, with legitimacy to call out even the Emperor himself. Basically it's a job where if you do it well/like you're supposed to, you're fated to be public enemy. That's why he told the servant to relay to his mom: our government does not kill 言官 (censors: the class of office that he's in, who are obligated to speak up on moral issues), so don't worry too much for my safety. All I can say was that ED set the whole court up really badly.... and QH maintained his integrity/did his job like he was supposed to, including asking the emperor to fire him as a final appeal-- on grounds of FAILING his job at convincing the emperor to recognize the error and for failing to protect him from the influence of "immoral ministers". Unfortunate and infuriating for the well-intended "good guys" (including poor QH), but not out of line/senseless/personal (spite against GTY). 

 

And probably should give the poor guy some credit-- that's a job that you constantly have to stick your neck out (risk offending a tyrant and get your head chopped off), and QH had the balls to keep his neck out all the way. 

 

This arc is actually an adaptation of a famous historical occurrence during the Song Dynasty under Emperor YingZhong-- and it was after this incident that the Dept of Censors and Remonstrance was intentionally weakened as part of the movement to centralize imperial power. In fact, the majority of QH's lines during the ultimatum were taken from court records of discussions between the "conservatives" and "reformists" around this time (though the scope of their arguments focused on huge legal reforms being pushed by Wang Anshi). 

From the brief history you shared it seems the dept was to act like a moral and ethical compass for the emperor.It was supposed to prevent him being blindsided while discharging his duties in a just manner.

It is therefore a requisite of it's officials to be able to understand political equations in the court while maintaining objectivity and providing bias free feedback.

If as a high ranking Censor official QH allows himself to become a pawn in the power play it implies failure in discharging his duties.

 

His bureau was there to prevent the emperor falling in this kind of situations which was tailor made for instability.

 

QH is a fictional character in a drama.He might be shown as part of a historical incident to lend credibility to the period timeline of the show.His justifications on doing it is different from the thoughts and reasoning of the actual censorate officials recorded in history.

[sava2sava]

56 minutes ago, minglan1 said:

All the children turned out to be good who can discern right from wrong unlike their  parents.A miracle that none of them turned out like them.

Amen @minglan1 Buddah Bless You

 

53 minutes ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

While i hate the dowager i do agree with what shes doing here its incredibly disrespectful and not correct to name someone other then the past emperor as your father, in theory he was only able to become emperor because the previous emperor basically adopted him.

 

I also agree with QH acting against what the emperor is doing , where i disagree with QH is where he keeps going against GTY for personal reasons. Also hes naive and gullible and does not see the big picture. 

@ForgottenSoulx  This isn't really what this is about.. The King reliquish the throne to his nephew which is in the same bloodline as the king.. No one saw coming what scamm she planned because if there was no adopotion and the current King just took the throne.. She would still be the Dowager but a Dowager that has to watch her own family connection to the court just vanish.. This is why she planted the niece next took him.. I have to admit she smart and clever.. This is why they want her out of the court because she has painted a big picture hoping her neice gives birth to a male if she hasn't already to make him CP and fight for the throne still keeping her corrupt family in power..

Now as for as the recognition goes, Should he not recognize his father who raised him feed him nutured him into the man he is none of this was done by the King.. Talk about moral virtous were is that then.. That's being disrepectful to his bio father who is also a prince of that country.. It's a damned if you do situation damned if yiou don't.. It's really a subject that none of low citizens in the country would care about all they looking fiorward to his they next meal both men or dead.. 

 

I have a question.. Should he not pay his respect to his father doing his memorial period all because the king adopted him ay 40..? 

 

On to a more serious note.. In court they are talking about the salt corruption.. I think this is were they'll frame GTY this is the ED doing who may have gang up with evil step mom to try and strip GTY of some of his wealth.. 

[_heywatch]

1 hour ago, zenya22 said:

If he knew his wife loved him, then stop the sulking. He, like Changbai said needs to talk, lay down the cards and be clear. He actually almost got what Changbai was telling him. After ML had fed him, he held her hand and and asked her gently  "what are you afraid of" and you can see the change in her face as if she was going to cry. If he had been patient and just held her hand and wipe her tears if she did cry and just listened if she talked or just held her if she did not, man oh man he was almost there and ....blew it. 

That's why he needs to continue to talk to her/not avoid her. I agree, the way he's going about it is a bit brash. But that's where he's going to learn/grow from this. Same w/ML. TY is afraid that ML hasnt trust his love for her is real & ML haven't fully immersed herself/open to TY because she's afraid/yet to realize that TY's love for her is genuine/devoted.

 

Currently, they're aren't on the same level emotionally. Theyre together for a year now but its going to take time for both of them to resolve their internal conflict. Remember that scene during their conversation that night about G Shen&his former wife & how TY never seen such a loving pair & ML agrees. There's the disconnect between ML & TY. They both been deflecting up to this point. So the more they communicate the better, though it seems its heading in that direction. 

 

Theyve been pretty headstrong together even through all the political upheaval/family affairs that's brewing. TSoML does a great job illustrating how imperfect marriage is, which makes the current tension all more realistic/fun to watch. There's still 20 episodes left so there's still room for development/

growth. 

[Suzzy San]

2 hours ago, greenwatch08 said:

I'm pretty sure he knows his wife loves him.

 

The issue is he has yet to realize that ML is not like him who express love so overtly/openly because opening herself to love/vulnerability frightens her. That's where he needs to understand & talk it through. She already told him that she's afraid of losing him to another woman during their argument in the night going home & it seems it's not clicking in his head. But then again, TSoML still has about 20 episodes to be aired, so more dramatic tension will ensue.

I agree, in ep 57, when both he and the shen general went for boys night out, if you all remember the lady, his friend, weixingshou, that was with him at the polo match that made where he saw Yanran, and helped her, they went to the lady's brothel

so he now asked the lady that his friend's wife does the absolute best for him, she kepps the home peaceful, she is so perfect at taking care of the house but somehow him/'his friend' is discontented, that why is it like that..

The lady now said, even though she knows he is talking about himself, that the husband must find the lady boring,

he said, no, she is very interesting, so interesting.. She now asked when was he the happiest with her,

he said when she finished half of a whole pig trotter herself, he was happier that day than the new year itself, like her feelings was so sincere, there was no thinking involved..

The woman now said, looks like your wife is not pretentious,

he said quite the opposite, she is always covering up, no matter what he says, she nods her head, no matter what I do, she speaks in support, I don't really know if she is helping me or just doing it for her marquis husband, then he was like 'omo I just said my name when I was supposed to talk about my friend' 

The shen Gen, now joined them and said, GTY just has the personality of making trouble out of nothing, that among the houses, which house is as peaceful as his, which big Madam is as virtuous as his, 

He now said, I don't want her to be virtuous, I want her to be real.. 

 

So I think he knows she loves him but as we all can feel too, which he also feels, she still covers up so that's why he is still acting pouty, I think they're done with the phase now, his pride just took over and that's why he is still pretending to be angry.. This couple makes me laugh more than normal, it's like real life issues 

[_heywatch]

57 minutes ago, Suzzy San said:

I agree, in ep 57, when both he and the shen general went for boys night out, if you all remember the lady, his friend, weixingshou, that was with him at the polo match that made where he saw Yanran, and helped her, they went to the lady's brothel

so he now asked the lady that his friend's wife does the absolute best for him, she kepps the home peaceful, she is so perfect at taking care of the house but somehow him/'his friend' is discontented, that why is it like that..

The lady now said, even though she knows he is talking about himself, that the husband must find the lady boring,

he said, no, she is very interesting, so interesting.. She now asked when was he the happiest with her,

he said when she finished half of a whole pig trotter herself, he was happier that day than the new year itself, like her feelings was so sincere, there was no thinking involved..

The woman now said, looks like your wife is not pretentious,

he said quite the opposite, she is always covering up, no matter what he says, she nods her head, no matter what I do, she speaks in support, I don't really know if she is helping me or just doing it for her marquis husband, then he was like 'omo I just said my name when I was supposed to talk about my friend' 

The shen Gen, now joined them and said, GTY just has the personality of making trouble out of nothing, that among the houses, which house is as peaceful as his, which big Madam is as virtuous as his, 

He now said, I don't want her to be virtuous, I want her to be real.. 

 

So I think he knows she loves him but as we all can feel too, which he also feels, she still covers up so that's why he is still acting pouty, I think they're done with the phase now, his pride just took over and that's why he is still pretending to be angry.. This couple makes me laugh more than normal, it's like real life issues 

TY has a big personality & in the way he express love while ML is more reserve in that sense. They both know they love eachother but it's just there's a bit of doubt & uncertainty that frightens them, like in every relationship/marriage between two people. 

 

I agree. It feels more realistic & seeing the dramatic tension/bafflement unfold onscreen is hilarious. They both need to communicate & learn to resolve internal conflicts to be on the same pace.

[hartofseeker]

1 hour ago, minglan1 said:

From the brief history you shared it seems the dept was to act like a moral and ethical compass for the emperor.It was supposed to prevent him being blindsided while discharging his duties in a just manner.

It is therefore a requisite of it's officials to be able to understand political equations in the court while maintaining objectivity and providing bias free feedback.

If as a high ranking Censor official QH allows himself to become a pawn in the power play it implies failure in discharging his duties.

 

His bureau was there to prevent the emperor falling in this kind of situations which was tailor made for instability.

 

QH is a fictional character in a drama.He might be shown as part of a historical incident to lend credibility to the period timeline of the show.His justifications on doing it is different from the thoughts and reasoning of the actual censorate officials recorded in history.

 

Me mentioning the actual censorate records was a fun easter egg to bring up-- but thanks for re-emphasizing my point : in actual censorate records, the language QH's char used was applied to a different situation (the legal/systematic reformation pushed by Wang Anshi), by the same factions who argued over how to title Emperor YingZhong's birth father. I'm too lazy to translate the exact lines borrowed (people have posted them on weibo) but the lines are interesting because they illustrate the interests/role this odd-duck office that censorates played in the Chinese imperial system. 

 

The office itself does not give you any special insight to political maneuverings-- that's a matter of the official's wisdom in deciphering tricky rhetoric. QH is young, and as mentioned, too straightforward to completely recognize manipulators-- but the other integral nature to someone in this post is an unshakable moral compass despite political pressures (which QH did here, except he was too green to see that it was completely a set up. So... give him more experience with seeing the the crazy plots that people pull, he could very well become a great censorate). 

 

So let's go back to how this all went down in the first place. Minister Han brings up in Court Session 1 the topic that Emperor had kind of put off-- how to title his birth father. In that discussion, QH made the judgment call on the opposite stance based on very legitimate reasoning (which even MingLan said had stronger legitimacy than what the Emperor and Minister Han had proposed, though GTY replied that fighting for the title was Emperor's means of nudging Empress Dowager off court; i.e. getting the title was the means not the end). Here QH does that censorate job of reminding Emperor that his argument lacked legitimacy. 

 

Then (from QH's perspective), Minister Han suddenly presents a decree at Court Session 2 claiming that ED agreed to Emperor's illegitimate request, on a day that ED inexplicably was NOT in court. Requests by QH and other officials for clarification at this strange/questionable turn of events were ignored (which made it even more shady). Emperor ignored it because somehow his minister dropped what Emperor had wanted into his lap: ED has now relinquished regency (no longer attending court) and gave his birth father the requested title. Then ED calls QH to attendance and spins this story that she was forced by Minister Han to sign the decree (not written by her) under influence of alcohol. This is a highly possible strike 2 against Minister Han's integrity after the imperial seal incident. QH did the limited investigation he could do (check imperial cook records) and concludes that Minister Han did indeed trick ED-- which if true was totally immoral and he's obligated to call it out at court. Court Session 3, ED's acting, Minister Han/State Uncle Shen/Emperor's response by trying to hush-hush ED out of court only served to cement QH/conservative faction's suspicions. If QH was more savvy, he would have offered a middle-ground that (1) perhaps more time is needed to investigate the claims/find more evidence to make his suspicions legitimate at court, or (2) wait till ED feels better to revisit issue so the decree can be legitimized through her explicit approval. The correctness of the "means" is almost more important than the "end" when arguing about legitimacy-- so his censorate role obligates him to raise these issues.

 

Alas, he was too young... and jumped the gun out of frustration at what he saw as a lawless court (trick people into signing stuff, coerce/scare them into keep silent at the unfairness, blatantly trying to sweep all of this under the rug, etc.) trying to implement what he saw as an illegitimate/immoral action (giving birth father Royal Father title and shafting/denying the adopted father what was due to him... I guess they couldn't give both dads the same titles or resources wouldn't allow such a thing i.e. temple construction etc). Again this is my guess at how QH was exposed to the series of events and hence I think it's reasonable that he behaved the way he did + he did his job. ED played a really good move that literally made the entire court fall for; she used QH's ministerial duties and character (willingness to fight to the end for what is just) to the "T"-- it's hard to fault him if his duties were exactly the tools that ED used in her scheme....  She hijacked a moral issue to use it for her political maneuverings 

[mooose]

30 minutes ago, sava2sava said:

While i hate the dowager i do agree with what shes doing here its incredibly disrespectful and not correct to name someone other then the past emperor as your father, in theory he was only able to become emperor because the previous emperor basically adopted him.

 

I also agree with QH acting against what the emperor is doing , where i disagree with QH is where he keeps going against GTY for personal reasons. Also hes naive and gullible and does not see the big picture. 

 

The emperor only wanted permission to publicly acknowledge his father as 'royal father'. There was already precedent for this, as he stated in his compromise to court. I mean, it wasn't something new, he's not the first non-direct descendant to inherit the throne.

 

ED had clouded the issue by making the QH and the censors take extreme positions. This was a political more than a moral fight. QH took up the silly fight that ED was tricked, rather than that the Emperor's compromise 'royal father' is wrong.

[minglan1]

6 hours ago, hartofseeker said:

 

Me mentioning the actual censorate records was a fun easter egg to bring up-- but thanks for re-emphasizing my point : in actual censorate records, the language QH's char used was applied to a different situation (the legal/systematic reformation pushed by Wang Anshi), by the same factions who argued over how to title Emperor YingZhong's birth father. I'm too lazy to translate the exact lines borrowed (people have posted them on weibo) but the lines are interesting because they illustrate the interests/role this odd-duck office that censorates played in the Chinese imperial system. 

 

The office itself does not give you any special insight to political maneuverings-- that's a matter of the official's wisdom in deciphering tricky rhetoric. QH is young, and as mentioned, too straightforward to completely recognize manipulators-- but the other integral nature to someone in this post is an unshakable moral compass despite political pressures (which QH did here, except he was too green to see that it was completely a set up. So... give him more experience with seeing the the crazy plots that people pull, he could very well become a great censorate). 

 

So let's go back to how this all went down in the first place. Minister Han brings up in Court Session 1 the topic that Emperor had kind of put off-- how to title his birth father. In that discussion, QH made the judgment call on the opposite stance based on very legitimate reasoning (which even MingLan said had stronger legitimacy than what the Emperor and Minister Han had proposed, though GTY replied that fighting for the title was Emperor's means of nudging Empress Dowager off court; i.e. getting the title was the means not the end). Here QH does that censorate job of reminding Emperor that his argument lacked legitimacy. 

 

Then (from QH's perspective), Minister Han suddenly presents a decree at Court Session 2 claiming that ED agreed to Emperor's illegitimate request, on a day that ED inexplicably was NOT in court. Requests by QH and other officials for clarification at this strange/questionable turn of events were ignored (which made it even more shady). Emperor ignored it because somehow his minister dropped what Emperor had wanted into his lap: ED has now relinquished regency (no longer attending court) and gave his birth father the requested title. Then ED calls QH to attendance and spins this story that she was forced by Minister Han to sign the decree (not written by her) under influence of alcohol. This is a highly possible strike 2 against Minister Han's integrity after the imperial seal incident. QH did the limited investigation he could do (check imperial cook records) and concludes that Minister Han did indeed trick ED-- which if true was totally immoral and he's obligated to call it out at court. Court Session 3, ED's acting, Minister Han/State Uncle Shen/Emperor's response by trying to hush-hush ED out of court only served to cement QH/conservative faction's suspicions. If QH was more savvy, he would have offered a middle-ground that (1) perhaps more time is needed to investigate the claims/find more evidence to make his suspicions legitimate at court, or (2) wait till ED feels better to revisit issue so the decree can be legitimized through her explicit approval. The correctness of the "means" is almost more important than the "end" when arguing about legitimacy-- so his censorate role obligates him to raise these issues.

 

Alas, he was too young... and jumped the gun out of frustration at what he saw as a lawless court (trick people into signing stuff, coerce/scare them into keep silent at the unfairness, blatantly trying to sweep all of this under the rug, etc.) trying to implement what he saw as an illegitimate/immoral action (giving birth father Royal Father title and shafting/denying the adopted father what was due to him... I guess they couldn't give both dads the same titles or resources wouldn't allow such a thing i.e. temple construction etc). Again this is my guess at how QH was exposed to the series of events and hence I think it's reasonable that he behaved the way he did + he did his job. ED played a really good move that literally made the entire court fall for; she used QH's ministerial duties and character (willingness to fight to the end for what is just) to the "T"-- it's hard to fault him if his duties were exactly the tools that ED used in her scheme.... 

Unfortunately I can't read Mandarin or else I would have tried to read Chinese historians interpretation of the incident.Would be a fascinating insight into ancient China's dynasties.

 

An office would not give anyone an insight to political maneuvering.It is the official who has to understand and navigate it.

Throughout history, palace politics of different  nations has been brutal and rutheless.People who were in key positions needed to have astuteness to figure out issues.

 

I am looking at QH from the drama's angle and not mixing it up with actual historical issue as it's not central to the main story.Whatever topics QH has brought up in court have been tied to his emotions which put blinkers on better judgement.He has not been objective in evaluating issues. He brought forth Manniang's incident and refused to delve deeper in the matter brushing it off as GTY's home affair.

Here also he got carried away by ED's tears, a poor lonely widow's cry of helplessness, her childhood ties with his beloved mother.. wouldn't he still help? He listened to one side of the story and acted.He forgot how ED showed her displeasure in the jade seal incident.Where had her vulnerability vanished then?

 

He seems oblivious to the power struggle, of ED's understanding and management of court issues..He didn't think twice about the discrepancies...I am not blaming QH because this is how his character has been envisaged by the writer vis-a-vis GTY.The latter uses sharp reasoning to understand the issue was just a pretext to try and establish dominance of one over the other.

 

[nichiwoohee]

You can tell gty had a rough childhood by the way he can still laugh and be silly even after got caned many times. The emperor, ed and ministers probably think he’d be at home wallowing in sorrow and pain, naaaah he is at home relaxing and acting spoiled to his wife. 

[m0us3y]

There's a saying "Better to travel 10,000 miles, than to read 10,000 books"

 

That's probably one way to describe QH. .. 

In accordance to the law of rites, in accordance to the books, QH is technically not wrong, where the Emperor should have his legitimate father (the deceased Emperor) his Royal Father. 

His behaviour is actually consistent with his character from the very beginning.

Bound by customs, bound by books..

 

By law, he's not wrong.

By customs, by rules, by the books, his argument is justified. 

The issue with that is all these have no variables, and are idealistic, while in the world, there are simply too much variables, and it's far from ideal. 

 

Born as the only son of Duke, QH has the most privileged status. 

Born into the top of the food chain, highest rung of hierarchy.

It's his blessing, but also his curse. 

These, has essentially made him, in Granny's words, blind and deaf. 

That, this "adopted" son was not adopted under normal circumstances. He was instead, the then Emperor's last hope. 

That, the issue on how to address the biological father is all but a political maneuver on things a lot bigger. 

That, the very people he called out as fawning and crafty subjects, are the very people that put their life on the line to stop the rebellion..

 

His biggest weakness, is his inability to critically analyse, independently judge, and forming his own conclusion. 

Blinded by hatred and prejudice against GTY, he believed that ED is the victim, and GTY's side is blinding the Emperor. 

Bounded by his status and privileges, his argument on legitimacy was actually the same argument he put out during their "school" debate in earlier days..idealistic, and without merit. For all things have their place, without questioning why...

 

He could not understand that more often than not, things are not what they seem to be...

He could not understand because he has already concluded that he knows..by the books. 

That idea itself has locked him in, and limited him. 

He sees what he wants to see, and what some others want him to see...

If only he could take a step back, take the prejudice away, perhaps he could see things as they are, and not be a pawn in the game...

 

[Jackie1048]

So lovely that in the absence Gu Ting Ye, it is Grandmother to the rescue.

 

It is interesting to watch the Stepmother and Auntie Kang project their villianess. Stepmother's way is always through emothions while Auntie Kang is pure violence.

 

If I not mistaken, grandmother berated Auntie Kang's character in front of Big Mother Wang that she should be meddling in her own household such as controling her own husband who I believe has up to 9 concubines instead meddling in other household where she is not related at all by bloodline.

[zenya22]

4 hours ago, greenwatch08 said:

TY has a big personality & in the way he express love while ML is more reserve in that sense. They both know they love eachother but it's just there's a bit of doubt & uncertainty that frightens them, like in every relationship/marriage between two people. 

 

I agree. It feels more realistic & seeing the dramatic tension/bafflement unfold onscreen is hilarious. They both need to communicate & learn to resolve internal conflicts to be on the same pace.

@greenwatch08But they can't communicate if he threw himself out of the bedroom. Wifey did not even throw him out, he did and he is lying on the hard floor in the study and poor Xiaotao and Shituo had to be in separate parts of the house too. Shituo is like, go back to your wife already, so I can be near my girl too.

Anyhow we are now moved on as our fave girl is preggers. 

 

Episode 57-58: 

I hope the Power Couple and their cohorts will put on their thinking caps and scheme back against all the Dowager Empress' old aristocracy supporters because they are like sitting ducks being targeted one by one. The new emperor and his administration are composed of generals and warriors from the country side of Yuozhu and served fighting battles at the borders of their empire. They don't have much experience at court and knowledge of how to play politics with the old aristocrats in the capital. They need to think of the capital as a battlefield and apply fighting tactics as if they are at war.  The only people who are versed about the capital politics are TY, Madam Zhang and ML of course there is also CB and grandma. They also need to get rid of the emperor's concubine, the Gu stepmom and her son, Kang woman and think of how to battle the old aristocratic families including QH and his parents especially Princess Ping Ning. Everyone of the generals serving the emperor are being framed and under investigation. And QH is nowhere to be found. His mother is probably hiding him somewhere just like she did during the first uprising where his first wife and her family were murdered but he was nowhere to be found. (am guessing, don't really where he is or what he is up to) Does he even know how to fight? The emperor wants to discuss and resolve issues that affect the empire such as economy, business, taxes and security and the only issue that the old aristocrats supporting the ED keep wanting to resolve for months is the paternal/familial issue of the emperor. I think there is no longer a pretense of supporting the emperor. War has been declared. 

 

Momo Chang is another heroine. She is not about to have the Bai grandchild or Ting Ye and his family get harmed by the likes of Kang woman and stepmom. I love how she roared like a mother tiger protecting her cubs. 

[_heywatch]

7 hours ago, cherubstomato said:

GTY wants MLs weakness. He wants her to surrender completely to him. But for a person like ML who has been scarred by her birth mothers death, it took a very long time to patch her heart back up. The conversation about her being afraid that she couldn’t recognize her mother anymore it’s foretelling that her wounds are almost healed... But, merely handing that patch up heart to someone especially to someone like GTY who seems to be hot and cold all the time, it’ll take a lot of courage and willingness on her part to be opened to the possibility of her heart breaking and being hurt badly once again. GTY says he wants ML to be herself, yet he doesn’t give her a room to breath to be her own woman. 

I agree. I'm glad that ML knows where to channel all her energy on important matters, not trivial things, such as the ordeal w/the concubines. That's why TY needs to approach her in a way she can openly express her current predictament w/him & not make the situation about him only.

 

She finally expressed her sentiments that night on their way home to him & it was really great since she started to open up but he made it about him. Second time when he got beaten & ML fed him, she expressed herself there, but TY made the situation about him again.

 

ML is still a new pup when it comes to love, so TY needs to sit back/listen first & not be brash about it. He only knows how to express love in a outward/

physical manner so he has yet to learn that love is not just that. ML is starting to open up which is nice to see. 

[_heywatch]

1 hour ago, zenya22 said:

@greenwatch08But they can't communicate if he threw himself out of the bedroom. Wifey did not even throw him out, he did and he is lying on the hard floor in the study and poor Xiaotao and Shituo had to be in separate parts of the house too. Shituo is like, go back to your wife already, so I can be near my girl too.

Anyhow we are now moved on as our fave girl is preggers. 

 

That's why he needs stop putting himself in these situation & talk to her directly. Something he really has to work on.

 

Shitou & XT are indeed very cute together. 

 

I have not seen the latest two episodes yet, so I'm trying not to see the bottom part of your response. Its spoilers for these eyes.

[Nisda]

Read all the comments to my earlier post 

 

William Feng cannot act, not only this drama but others too,,,, 

Ice fantasy for example,,, i guess he just a lucky guy being famous and always gets main role but comparing to other lead star he just so so. As GTY in ming lan, his emotion whether angry sad or happy always like B rating, nothing special to caption attention

 

I am a fan of chinese drama so i have seen many dramas 

 

 

[_heywatch]

13 minutes ago, Nisda said:

Read all the comments to my earlier post 

 

William Feng cannot act, not only this drama but others too,,,, 

Ice fantasy for example,,, i guess he just a lucky guy being famous and always gets main role but comparing to other lead star he just so so. As GTY in ming lan, his emotion whether angry sad or happy always like B rating, nothing special to caption attention

 

I am a fan of chinese drama so i have seen many dramas 

 

 

I cant really judge his acting as a whole since I've only only seen him in TSoML. But so far, I really do enjoy him as GTY. I'd say the acting in general in TSoML is a bit toned down so it isnt as overtly dramatized/loud as most dramas that I've watched in general but then again Ive been exposed to mostly kdramas.

 

Its definitely fine/alright if you dont like him as an actor. Everyone has their own preference. There's plenty of actors/actresses I'm not quite fond of either. 

[zenya22]

5 hours ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

While i hate the dowager i do agree with what shes doing here its incredibly disrespectful and not correct to name someone other then the past emperor as your father, in theory he was only able to become emperor because the previous emperor basically adopted him.

 

I also agree with QH acting against what the emperor is doing , where i disagree with QH is where he keeps going against GTY for personal reasons. Also hes naive and gullible and does not see the big picture. 

But we can also see it in a different way that if not for the Emperor, Prince Huan, GTY and his army, there would be no dowager trying to take the rule of the country from the emperor and if she did not force herself to meddle in politics wanting to rule and make the emperor her puppet the issue of the emperor wanting to honor his bio father as his legitimate father would not have been used by the emperor to force the ED to give up her role as the behind the screen ruler.