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


Lynne

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55 minutes ago, minglan1 said:

:lol: Agree on the furor part.Fans love  to disagree then watch it meticulously to disagree some more.

This is my 1st foray into watching chinese drama and it has me hooked even when I don't understand the language well.

I haven't  felt too bored even after watching over 60 episodes.

 

Its fortunate you started your Cdrama journey with this show. Believe me there are shows that are so badly written and directed, it would have made you swear off Cdramas forever.

I myself was fortunate enough to have started with one of the best Cdramas ever....Nirvana In Fire. 

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1 hour ago, dancingbee said:

I am dumbfounded by Aunt Kang's laying guilt on her mother, the old Madame Wang, for the failure of her own marriage and trying to pressure her mother into helping her because she might be divorced by her husband and her son would get misfortune if her crime got spread out.  Why would her failed marriage life have anything to do with getting away with murder?
Regardless, a crime especially of murder in this case must be handled in a justify manner.  I just can't believe that she expected to get away with it not to mention that this was a severe crime against the elder old Madame Sheng, the only daughter of Marquis of Yongyi.
 

Moreover, Old Madame Wang and her son argued so much trying to help the criminal Aunt Kang, but both uttered no sound to a very simple question, " How many lives have died in the hands of Mrs. Kang ( Aunt Kang )?"

I am very proud of Changbai. He handled the case with justification, not only toward his Aunt, but also toward his own mother.

Agreed. I was irritated with the whole scene.. documented evidence and witnesses all put forward and the victim is on deathbed. However the accused and families wr making all the noises and doing all the crying??

 

The main issue was proven without doubt the intent and conspiring by both daughters to murder an innocent.

 

SH really looked like a fool during this whole incidence.. swaying left centre and right.

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4 hours ago, Golden Flower said:

The writers changed Aunty Kang stabbing ML instead of MN, GTY killing her and Wang family joining hands with stepmom to create opportunities for ML to save GTY, to make them closer, and to show their feelings to each other. Another OTP working together scene which is again forced. 

 

I actually like this change from the novel. Manniang the brainless villain overstayed in the novel and would have been boring by now in the drama.

 

Now we have the battle of the familes and some delicious suspense as we don't know how it  plays out. Old Madam Kang vs ML is way better than Manniang or even Stepmom vs ML.

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2 hours ago, dito said:

 

I was excited when Princess Weiyoung adaptation was first announced. Just like Minglan, I read that book before the drama was announced. Then I read the plot summary....imagine my horror when ToubaJun was listed as the main lead. The person Weiyoung hated the most. The person she felt disgusted even to be in the presence of. I'd have been fine with Touba Yu as the main lead if not MinDe. 

Lucky me, I only read very beginning of Princess Weiyoung only know about little MinDe. I thought the drama is ok but there are of course weird plot issues. However, I can't stand acting of some actors like Li Changle in there but OTP chemistry was over the top and I also like Vanness Wu acting as Touba Yu. Have you watched sound of the desert? I think the drama was very similar to the novel as well as flow and logic were good except needing to change the Huo Qubing's name due to SCRTV rules. I think Singing all Along 秀丽江山 was very similar to the novel too except they left some characters out from the later part of the novel. I like actings of all actors in both drama. I hated Yun Zhong Ge adaptation and only finish up to drama midway though it wasn't my favorite novel.

@dito your idea about illegal salt related thing might become part of it. In one of the previews, I saw GTY's Bai uncle talking with stepmom in the horse carriage and in yesterday's episode, she also told her maid to get that Bai uncle to come over to the capital. 

13 hours ago, huahuacaocao said:

Really confused about QH's wife. Looked on Wikipedia and it said that he's on his second wife, what happened to the first wife and why did he marry the second wife? I remember her family blackmailed Qi family to marry QH. Also is second wife related to the Shen family whose had trouble delivering her baby? Man this drama is very complex :sweatingbullets:

QH's second wife's last name Shen chinese character(申)  is different from empress and general Shen last name character (沈). General Shen wife is the one who was having difficulty in delivery and her last name is Zhang. She is daughter of Yin Guo Gong. 

45 minutes ago, mooose said:

 

I actually like this change from the novel. Manniang the brainless villain overstayed in the novel and would have been boring by now in the drama.

 

Now we have the battle of the familes and some delicious suspense as we don't know how it  plays out. Old Madam Kang vs ML is way better than Manniang or even Stepmom vs ML.

I wasn't saying I didn't like the fact that they changed it to Aunty Kang from MN. I just did not understand why are they making about Wang family and stepmom combininging forces to sue GTY in front of the emperor as a plot to bring down to GTY leading him to be imprisoned. It has been shown that old wang Madam knows stepmom was not being sincere and using her daughter. Aunty Kang is a convict that was supposed to send to a place similar to prison. With GTY's martial art ability, he could have prevented Aunty Kang from hurting ML without killing her. Then, there are also witness who saw and defended Aunty Kang from attempting to kill ML. What is the purpose of showing the conversations between ED and Wang old Madam, Wang old Madam and her son and Old Madam and her son again paying respect to ED for whole 10 minutes. In the beginning, I thought ED was denying Wang family request saying their family no longer has power and GTY is in stronger position as he is one of close aides to new Emperor. She asked them to leave and Wang mother and son talked in a noddle shop. Their conversation is very similar saying their family status is not as high as when Old Mr. Wang was alive. She then blame the son for not being outstanding to pave ways for his children like his father did for him. Her son wants to prevent her from continuing to get justice for his sister's death since three families with officials are already good. She then argues that he wasn't only doing it for her daughter but also for the face of Wang family. At the end, she forced him to make decision on what he wants to do about his sister's case and she will support him. Then, it leads to both of them listening to ED saying GTY is the instigator to instill idea of calling both biological father and adoptive father as imperial father in emperor's head. The emperor can be forgiven because of his status but GTY cannot be....something like that. I just feel the whole thing sounds ridiculous since there are testimony of people for Aunty Kang harming grandma and even official letter to accept her into prison, unless they add additional convictions to GTY's name. 

 

 

 

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1 hour ago, Golden Flower said:

Lucky me, I only read very beginning of Princess Weiyoung only know about little MinDe. I thought the drama is ok but there are of course weird plot issues. However, I can't stand acting of some actors like Li Changle in there but OTP chemistry was over the top and I also like Vanness Wu acting as Touba Yu. Have you watched sound of the desert? I think the drama was very similar to the novel as well as flow and logic were good except needing to change the Huo Qubing's name due to SCRTV rules. I think Singing all Along 秀丽江山 was very similar to the novel too except they left some characters out from the later part of the novel. I like actings of all actors in both drama. I hated Yun Zhong Ge adaptation and only finish up to drama midway though it wasn't my favorite novel.

@dito your idea about illegal salt related thing might become part of it. In one of the previews, I saw GTY's Bai uncle talking with stepmom in the horse carriage and in yesterday's episode, she also told her maid to get that Bai uncle to come over to the capital

 

I wasn't saying I didn't like the fact that they changed it to Aunty Kang from MN. I just did not understand why are they making about Wang family and stepmom combininging forces to sue GTY in front of the emperor as a plot to bring down to GTY leading him to be imprisoned. It has been shown that old wang Madam knows stepmom was not being sincere and using her daughter. Aunty Kang is a convict that was supposed to send to a place similar to prison. With GTY's martial art ability, he could have prevented Aunty Kang from hurting ML without killing her. Then, there are also witness who saw and defended Aunty Kang from attempting to kill ML. What is the purpose of showing the conversations between ED and Wang old Madam, Wang old Madam and her son and Old Madam and her son again paying respect to ED for whole 10 minutes. In the beginning, I thought ED was denying Wang family request saying their family no longer has power and GTY is in stronger position as he is one of close aides to new Emperor. She asked them to leave and Wang mother and son talked in a noddle shop. Their conversation is very similar saying their family status is not as high as when Old Mr. Wang was alive. She then blame the son for not being outstanding to pave ways for his children like his father did for him. Her son wants to prevent her from continuing to get justice for his sister's death since three families with officials are already good. She then argues that he wasn't only doing it for her daughter but also for the face of Wang family. At the end, she forced him to make decision on what he wants to do about his sister's case and she will support him. Then, it leads to both of them listening to ED saying GTY is the instigator to instill idea of calling both biological father and adoptive father as imperial father in emperor's head. The emperor can be forgiven because of his status but GTY cannot be....something like that. I just feel the whole thing sounds ridiculous since there are testimony of people for Aunty Kang harming grandma and even official letter to accept her into prison, unless they add additional convictions to GTY's name. 

 

 

Yes I have. That's another one of my favorites Cdramas. I loved the book too. Loved that the author completely changed the main lead in the later half....as I was already loving HuoQuBing's character since the start. 

I think Sound of the Desert followed the book pretty well....except for some unavoidable changes. It was also only 36 epis so the story was not dragged with all the unnecessary side plots. I appreciate the creators of that drama a lot for this decision. Only peeve I had was Eddie Peng's wig. All through the drama you could see clearly where they glued it on his hairline...distracted the hell out of me.:lol: 

 

About Weiyang....the reason I said Touba Yu as main lead was ok with me was mostly because Touba Yu was crazy about her and because of Vanness Wu:wub:....But he was also somewhat like Qi Heng.

I have not seen the other two so can't comment on that. Was singing all along good? Might give it a try afterwards. Yun Zhong Ge...I read bad reviews and stayed away.....from the book too.

 

They should have gone with Salt mines rather than this Killing Kang Aunt nonsense. We've been hearing since the start how the salt mines management is corrupt, is effecting the economy, etc. So it would be huge deal to get accused over it. And ML saving the day would have been more impactful over that then this issue.

This is like the pre climatic resolutions. Get the family conflicts resolved first to get to the throne conflicts for the end game. And for that they are going to get all the people against GTY to join hands and unload a cart full of charges on him.

You know, this reminds me so much of Legend of LuZhen. One trouble after other for the leads....non stop til the end. 

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1 hour ago, Golden Flower said:

I just did not understand why are they making about Wang family and stepmom combininging forces to sue GTY in front of the emperor as a plot to bring down to GTY leading him to be imprisoned

 

Are you saying the pretext for GTY imprisonment is too flimsy? I think its a great showcase to expose ED and Wang opportunism. Outside the families no one really knows what went on, so it is believable to me that people would think that the Emperor was just coming down hard on GTY because Prince Huan's faction was out of favour.

 

If the writers had used a case was that was more severe, then it would be difficult to explain why he keeps his title and is able to rebound later on. I am not sure why he was imprisoned in the novel?

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50 minutes ago, mooose said:

 

Are you saying the pretext for GTY imprisonment is too flimsy? I think its a great showcase to expose ED and Wang opportunism. Outside the families no one really knows what went on, so it is believable to me that people would think that the Emperor was just coming down hard on GTY because Prince Huan's faction was out of favour.

 

If the writers had used a case was that was more severe, then it would be difficult to explain why he keeps his title and is able to rebound later on. I am not sure why he was imprisoned in the novel?

Exactly, a severe case will be too much to evade but a stupid case made into a severe one will be easier to plot around since it's not exactly a state case.. And even though there might be evidence that Kang auntie tried to kill ML, it will be testified by Ml's trusted aides so they might say they are just supporting ML and the former case of Kang poisoning grandma wasn't reported, the step mom's one statement that she knows nothing of such happening is enough to make everything against GTY, even if everyone knows its a lie 

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1 hour ago, mooose said:

 

Are you saying the pretext for GTY imprisonment is too flimsy? I think its a great showcase to expose ED and Wang opportunism. Outside the families no one really knows what went on, so it is believable to me that people would think that the Emperor was just coming down hard on GTY because Prince Huan's faction was out of favour.

 

If the writers had used a case was that was more severe, then it would be difficult to explain why he keeps his title and is able to rebound later on. I am not sure why he was imprisoned in the novel?

Agreed. 

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I think the biggest issue in this forum is how people speculate. Some folks may not have the time to go back 4-6 pages and read within the context of a recent comment. Think there should be a disclaimer or something, as to not confuse readers who then already theories and not actual facts or happenings on the show. I’ve seen this happen too many times where something was said, I had to skip through pages just to find the context, only to realize that it’s  just speculation and not based on anything meaningful. While I enjoy the conversations, people trying to “translate” and getting the message entirely wrong can be frustrating when it’s not disclaimed that they are just speculating.  

 

Its so so easy to misunderstand something from a trailer without subtitles and translations from non native speakers,  which then causes the forum to bust with more pages of speculation that people have to skip through only to find out that wasn’t the actual message at all. It’s a love hate thing. 

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1 hour ago, mooose said:

 

Are you saying the pretext for GTY imprisonment is too flimsy? I think its a great showcase to expose ED and Wang opportunism. Outside the families no one really knows what went on, so it is believable to me that people would think that the Emperor was just coming down hard on GTY because Prince Huan's faction was out of favour.

 

If the writers had used a case was that was more severe, then it would be difficult to explain why he keeps his title and is able to rebound later on. I am not sure why he was imprisoned in the novel?

 

 He was not imprisoned in the novel. This whole plot of GTY's downfall is written just for the drama. They could have not gone with the imprisonment and just shown GTY getting demoted. That could have worked well too. They even had the reason all ready. He came back to the capital without emperor's orders and leaving his post. That is actually a criminal offense. There was no need to make it all super dramatic and then have ML coming to the rescue. She just gave birth to a baby in life threatening circumstances....not to forget she had been stressed to the max just a few days before over granny's life or death situation.....just let the girl rest and recover.

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12 minutes ago, dito said:

 

 He was not imprisoned in the novel. This whole plot of GTY's downfall is written just for the drama. They could have not gone with the imprisonment and just shown GTY getting demoted. That could have worked well too. They even had the reason all ready. He came back to the capital without emperor's orders and leaving his post. That is actually a criminal offense. There was no need to make it all super dramatic and then have ML coming to the rescue. She just gave birth to a baby in life threatening circumstances....not to forget she had been stressed to the max just a few days before over granny's life or death situation.....just let the girl rest and recover.

I mean if it's not dramatic then it's not a drama.. :lol:.. I really love how they are using the crappy reasons to maybe imprison him since we don't know how it would be.. That's why it's fictional and just based on fantasy imagination.. They are just adapting the novel and not recreating the novel. So they definitely would want to make some dramatic and unreasonable plot to it that would definitely not happen in real life.. So in the end, it's just a fictional fantasy traditional drama where everything, reasonable or unreasonable, can be proposed. :)

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38 minutes ago, dito said:

 

 He was not imprisoned in the novel. This whole plot of GTY's downfall is written just for the drama. They could have not gone with the imprisonment and just shown GTY getting demoted. That could have worked well too. They even had the reason all ready. He came back to the capital without emperor's orders and leaving his post. That is actually a criminal offense. There was no need to make it all super dramatic and then have ML coming to the rescue. She just gave birth to a baby in life threatening circumstances....not to forget she had been stressed to the max just a few days before over granny's life or death situation.....just let the girl rest and recover.

@ditoThanks for the info about GTY’s downfall and it seems so much easy to do less work for the actors. Lol lol I guess the writer wanted it to be dramatic and not realistic. 

@Suzzy San We are thinking the same thing. It should be dramatic for  “THE DRAMA “ lol lol

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Omg guys looks like there will be a trial for this case and someone brought Manniang back to testify against GTY, woah, this is intense.. Since they neither reported Manniang case or Kang auntie case to the court before this opposing side did, looks like it will be hard to make a believable eveidence now.. Omg I'm so excited for what's coming.. Let the drama begin

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