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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


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31 minutes ago, m0us3y said:

So I wasn't delusional? I tried looking through the thread but couldn't seem to find it now...

 

The whole conversation (in the trailer) went like this:

QH: You know I love ML, why did you promise to Sheng house that you'll marry her? What do you want?

GTY: You're still thinking about ML? This I'm not aware of.

QH: Last time, when things were not certain, I'd already promise to her and I ended up not keeping the promise and broke her heart. So this time, I wanted to be sure, before come and ask for her again. (Your timing sucks, dude. If you didn't wait, you probably would have won her hand. I mean, GTY went to war for months!!)

GTY: I'm not blaming you, I'm just saying, if you meet obstacles, unable to marry her, then you can't blame me for fighting for her, even if I came later than you.

QH: It's not like you can't live without her?

GTY: How do you know that I can or can't live without her?

QH: How do you know that she's willing to marry you?

GTY: In order to marry her, I overcome all difficulties, fight with my life on the battlefield, pour my blood and risk my life, so that I can achieve what I have today. The result is like this now, if you can't accept that, then you can go ask her, ask her Grandmother!

 

So he didn't say that GTY was not good enough, he's just convinced that (1) he loves her first, GTY knows his love, so GTY is wrong for coming between them and (2) GTY doesn't love ML as much as him and (3) ML also doesn't want to marry GTY. I guess that this lead to QH go to find ML but was rejected by Grandmother. Probably, at this point, both ML and Grandma has accepted GTY's proposal. QH probably didn't know this, he just thought she was forced because Sheng house ran out of daughters.

 

I have my opinion, but I don't want to sound biased so I'm leaving this for you guys to interpret and dissect :))

 

 

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@hello210 I did talk about if it's based on a real character or not with someone earlier with someone. I think it's just loosely based. The names doesn't match up on the new emperor and his son. We should just believe it's a song dynasty in an alternate universe instead since it doesn't match up completely.

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3 minutes ago, Lunkera said:

@hello210 I did talk about if it's based on a real character or not with someone earlier with someone. I think it's just loosely based. The names doesn't match up on the new emperor and his son. We should just believe it's a song dynasty in an alternate universe instead since it doesn't match up completely.

@Lunkera yeah, I understand it’s not going to match up. Adaptations are usually just loosely based on these historical figures and they all have multiple names, hehe. Names when they’re children, formal names, and official titles. Many royals take on names based on their ancestors too when they come to power. I just think it neat when they use these historical figures and look them up. I also looked up that Duke of Wenzheng that GTY used in his essay. :D

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9 minutes ago, hello210 said:

Based on what I read about the Northern Song Emperors, if they did use Emperor Renzong as the basis for the old Emperor, then the new one (Emperor Yinzong) died after ruling for about 4 years or so I think and his eldest son (Emperor Shenzong) succeeded him. That was some’s guess in an earlier comment as to which Emperor they were basing the old one on since Emperor Renzong was the Northern Song Emperor who had to choose an heir among his royal relatives due to his son all dying young. It also matched up since Emperor Shenzong and his line are descendent of Emperor Taizong and that’s who the son said they were descended from in ep34. We’ll see if the drama plays it out. 

       However, royal descendants always have a sense of paranoia as you see in all those palace dramas. Competition isn’t only among the women but also among the sons for the throne and many will kill entire families to ensure their success so he had a right to be paranoid. Even though he wasn’t vying for the throne, he and his family were targeted. 

 

In the book, the dynasty was all made up. The old emperor had a lot of sons to choose from: Yong Wang = 3rd prince, Yan Wang = 4th Prince and the new Emperor = 8th prince. The 8th prince was young and reigned for a long time. They are not allowed to portray fictional dynasty in broadcasted drama, so the scriptwriters had to find an actual historic time to fit with the story, that's why we have the drama set in Northern Song period and a father-son duo being emperors instead of just 1 prince. And I think this change is connected to GTY falls from grace arc. Because both of these changes are not in the book.

 

The reason I'm saying he's too paranoid is that I'm thinking he's going to suspect GTY and him ending up in prison will be because of his paranoia. Notice in ep 35, when the old emperor told the father-son duo about GTY's true heritage, the father's expression particularly worries me. It's like the first seed of distrust was planted that night. About the son, as we can see in ep 34-35, he seemed to fair much better than his father under pressure, much more ambitious and courageous, he wanted to tackle the matter head on like GTY, instead of hiding like his father. So maybe the father will distrust GTY (may be cause by some scheming from his enemy, aka his step mother), hence he ends up in prison, but the father passes away soon after that, the son becomes emperor and help clear GTY's name? Thanks to your insight of history, I'm even more convinced with this theory ;))

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I think after NiF, many historical dramas that take themselves seriously (and have budget lol) have started to choose better color schemes and improve the way they shoot scenes to try and bring similar level of excellence that Nirvana in Fire became loved for. For example, Yanxi Palace was a beautiful drama for the eyes. I personally didn't finish it, but the colors were so lovely! They weren't overly bright or saturated. Some dramas .... oh man the green grass ... is REALLY green. In your face green. Colors are emphasized horribly. 

 

Story of Minglan also has a very natural palette going on too. The brightest someone's costume is so far probably goes to MoLan's wedding dress. 

 

This is kinda out of nowhere, but it's just something I've noticed about the show lol

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@hello210 Oh yeah i recognize Wenzhang. The same character was in "Oh My General". So i guess it's based on Emperor Renzong. Let's just wait and see if they will follow history or not. Since he's close to the current emperor and his son i guess he won't be ruined. Just curious about GTY punishment later.

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12 hours ago, m0us3y said:

The next meeting with GTY bowing down to her is a bit harder to understand. 

GTY: I can't say/promise how great it will for you to be married to me. But I can say this to heaven and earth, that from now on, *I think he said they will both be nobles*. 

Then he bowed and said something that I could hardly understand, but from the minimal understanding it seems like he promised that he will care for her his entire life.

:wub:

That was sweet...

GTY said he would ensure that ML's status among noblewomen would be the same as his status among noblemen. When he bowed he proposed to ML, using literary language to show his sincerity and formality, with the basic meaning of asking ML to be his wife, have children, and live happily till the end.

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25 minutes ago, gleek49 said:

 

The whole conversation (in the trailer) went like this:

QH: You know I love ML, why did you promise to Sheng house that you'll marry her? What do you want?

GTY: You're still thinking about ML? This I'm not aware of.

QH: Last time, when things were not certain, I'd already promise to her and I ended up not keeping the promise and broke her heart. So this time, I wanted to be sure, before come and ask for her again. (Your timing sucks, dude. If you didn't wait, you probably would have won her hand. I mean, GTY went to war for months!!)

GTY: I'm not blaming you, I'm just saying, if you meet obstacles, unable to marry her, then you can't blame me for fighting for her, even if I came later than you.

QH: It's not like you can't live without her?

GTY: How do you know that I can or can't live without her?

QH: How do you know that she's willing to marry you?

GTY: In order to marry her, I overcome all difficulties, fight with my life on the battlefield, pour my blood and risk my life, so that I can achieve what I have today. The result is like this now, if you can't accept that, then you can go ask her, ask her Grandmother!

 

So he didn't say that GTY was not good enough, he's just convinced that (1) he loves her first, GTY knows his love, so GTY is wrong for coming between them and (2) GTY doesn't love ML as much as him and (3) ML also doesn't want to marry GTY. I guess that this lead to QH go to find ML but was rejected by Grandmother. Probably, at this point, both ML and Grandma has accepted GTY's proposal. QH probably didn't know this, he just thought she was forced because Sheng house ran out of daughters.

 

I have my opinion, but I don't want to sound biased so I'm leaving this for you guys to interpret and dissect :))

 

 

Thanks! I prolly got 70-80% of that based on my own understanding of what was being said. But U clarified the rest. :lol:

 

@Golden Flower I guess part of it was also implied (from my perspective) and deduced. 

But i did say he SAID and not he THINKS. 

For I do think he felt GTY wasn't good enough for ML. 

Few episodes ago, when he was at the temple he prayed for ML to find a good man, get married and find happiness. 

But when he found out GTY is marrying ML, he was upset, angry almost. He perceived GTY as not a good man, and could not give ML happiness? If so, on what basis? 

 

 @tomo74 asked earlier if a friend gets together with my-ex would I not get upset? I guess I would be sad if I still have feelings, but I'd also be beating myself more than anything because I gave up first. I married another. I have no right to be mad or upset at my friend, or my ex. It ended when QH gave up, and married the princess. Feelings or not...

But @tomo74did also raise a good point that we are judging based on a snippets of an episode, before getting the full picture. That, I admit. 

 

There were multiple discussions on how much QH suffered for ML, compared to how easy GTY got to save her multiple times (I swear he was stalking her the whole time!).

Just one comment on that. I'd start with I'm probably bias. For ML.

All of QH suffering was driven by his own actions. Or lack of actions. 

His act of saving her during the polo match when MDM Liang already offered was the beginning. His act of asking the mom at the worst possible time followed. His third act of going on hunger strike was a lil like an act because he was unable to do more. 

His servant died because of him, while he just stood there and watch. 

He promised the world, and delivered none. 

And ML paid the price, for something she never asked for, never dreamed about. 

QH may have suffered for ML, but in return, ML suffered because of QH. 

And that's why I would really like him to let her go and not cause more heartache to her.. 

It has nothing to do with GTY's existence...

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Omg this thread is booming. And all my quotes and text disappeared the moment I pressed next page. FOK! And I don’t remember who to @   lol anymore. 

 

 

Spoiler

 

1) The one thing that got me shooked was that granny and her trusted maid knew about the murder. I’m guessing they couldn’t find evidence or didn’t want to instigate the issue further so they can have peace in the courtyard. The sad thing that granny realized that all these years, ML has been hiding the pain in her heart. :heartbreak: So she could no longer judge her for what she did. Another thing that got me LOL was ML telling granny to wait before she tells granny what’s up. Then after the news CL was dead she comes walking on death row with testimony for the case. LMAO. She really waited for CL to die cause don’t want granny to intervene and save her because a life is precious after all. I’m dead. LMAO

 

2) I believe granny went to Madam Wu and probably threaten her or some sort because Molan claimed to be pregnant. Just like Madam Wu has to take in the concubine who got pregnant. She probably couldn’t get away with it anymore. And possibly persuade her that she will not sacrifice her ML for his son and Molan wrong doing. And that if Madam Wu has any conscience she wouldn’t drag ML to bare all the trouble. Also that Molan hates ML and granny would not Rest In Peace fearing the safety of ML in her household with Molan around. 

 

3) The clip of them being wed made me teary can’t wait to see it. I don’t know why I still cannot accept the fact that they all still believe that GTY wanted to marry Rulan. So their (Big Madam/Rulan) jealousy when they see the dowry of GTY would inflict the thought if only it were Rulan’s... If ever Rulan’s husband is bad they would think if only GTY didn’t get away. 

 

4) Pity QH, he finally had the chance to ask ML for marriage but he was too late... That’s how life is. It goes on and it waits for no one... :( I just think he has the audacity to go after her again without even explaining to ML why he had to marry someone else. She was led to believe he just couldn’t find any way with his mother also seeing him with the princess at the temple looking like a perfect couple. Little did she know what he went through. So him coming back for another proposal looks very insincere imo to ML and Xiaotao. Plus even if she didn’t see him at the temple, ML already made a clean break. I see ML as someone who keeps her words. As they say fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me... I think. Hahaha

 

5) @lxands This is nothing. In fact it is pretty chill fun to watch drama. You should watch palace drama then you’ll really see woman rivalry and heads rolling. LMAO 

 

6) Reading all these spoilers and preview of the episodes. I’m getting so impatient and want to see their marriage life already. But then I realize the subs I watched is still too far from it. Lol Gotta keep up with this thread or you come back after few hours and have to read 10pgs. before I can watch the new subs. :D 

 

7) @darkphoenix123 hahaha I just knew it already since he told her to wait for him and he will protect her from people causing her trouble. He already has her on his mind... oh GTY rascal... 

 

8) GTY and his father all they really needed was to go out of the house somewhere, have a drink and a heart to heart conversation. But from the looks of it they are both bull dogs butting heads with big prides that neither one wants to back out. And in the end they never made amends. GTY father seems to hate confrontation especially if it’s his wrong doing like GTY mother confronting him. He always pushes away... One life teaching of the drama is the importance of parent and child communication and husband and wife and sibling to sibling. Not a one way communication but a two way. He had high expectations of GTY that everyday he nags at him and only brings up his fault until it exhaust him. And he gave up. It’s sad but GTYs experience is the reason that’ll make him the best father and best husband.... 

 

9) @tomo74 to answer your question if I were In qh shoes and my friend became mr steal your girl... I would be... bitter.... plain bitter. And ashamed for being so bitter. I would go drink my sorrow away after being shut down by Xiaotao. Then I will wake up the next day, get a hair cut, change my clothes and try to get my groove back... I will probably not want to see those couple ever again my entire life but since he is a general and my path will likely cross his.. I would say my greetings and behind his back “GTY, you rascal I’ll never forgive you in this lifetime <_<.” Haha 

 

10) @gleek49 oh wow. I wish that would’ve been in the drama that would’ve been a tear jerker for me and I agree to ML. I also would think Big Madam was touched the most since she never got the love the way she wanted from her husband. SH I believe was also playing along because anyways he liked that scholar. 

Omg I died laughing at ran out of daughter. But please I would like to know your opinion on their conversation. Biased or not. Haha from that I’m getting a feeling like QH expected GTY to go, oh yeah bro my bad. And GTY basically told him that he never makes a promise he can’t keep. Even if he wasn’t able to win ML in the end, it’s better that he tried his best without her and everyone to know rather than to let everyone know he failed her. 

I believe the moment when QH father got kidnapped to pressure him was the moment he had the chance to forgo his doubts and seemed help. Possibly seemed GTY help. Maybe there would’ve been a way. 

 

 

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14 hours ago, m0us3y said:

ML's mom deliver, but she purposely feed the mom all the good food so that the baby would get too big to be delivered.

@m0us3y.... When the doctor told Ming Lan the instructions he gave Concubine Lin to help her mom have a good delivery. It was when I put Concubine Lin on my shitty list. It also made me realize that Mo'er is no different from her mother. She would have done the exact thing. 

For example  Sheng MoLan - is the mini me of Concubine Lin ,selfish, lazy and spoiled. believe that her mom will always protect them and believes in currying favor to move up the social ladder.

Sheng RuLan - is the mini me of Wang Ruofu, was spoiled, is just as blunt as her mom and felt that being a legal daughter she doesn't need to worry about anything..

Sheng HuaLan - has her mother temperament but because Old Mrs Sheng taught her as she was growing up, she learned how to be classy. 

Sheng Chang Bai - was studious and not much of a talker. But he has pride and respects woman unlike his own father. He saw how unsuccessful his father was as the man of the house and chose a different path but followed his father in career path.

Sheng Chang Feng - is the mini me of Concubine Lin  selfish, lazy and spoiled. believe that his mom will always protect them and believes in currying favor to move up the social ladder.

16 hours ago, frenchfan said:

I know.  The grandma should be awarded for her role.  She totally nailed it.  All the expression, emotion.  Epic!

I agree @frenchfan  I love this character. I don't even think grandma cared that Ming Lan manipulated the destruction of Concubine Lin. All she worried about is the fact that Ming Lan could have been RUINED!!!!!

14 hours ago, jewelsc said:

QH is the 'a fool in love' type, i supposed if i were in his shoes, i'd do the same (seeing how he was brought up as he was - obedient, respectful and gentlemanly while to us he's considered weak and only sees what's on the surface) ..maybe he has this feeling that ML loves him back and he'd thought love can conquer all so i can understand with him again asking his mom to propose but he'd failed to realize that ML has a 'life' of her own and he is not the 'centre' of her being..GTY is the 'take action and ask questions later' type of guy that's y he got ML but QH is like 'good things will come to those who waits' guy..pity life doesn't wait on him.

@jewelsc  QH is really a FOOL IN LOVE.  He probably thought that Ming Lan is waiting for him that is why he thinks he has chance with her after he broke her heart. He isn't realistic and loving living in a fantasy world. That is one of his major problems. Unlike GTY is realistic and knows that Ming Lan prefer to live realistically than in a fantasy world. 

 

ladder. I HAVE A MAJOR QUESTION I KINDA GOT THE VIBE THAT NOT ALL OF THE GU CLAN AGREE WITH THE MISTREATMENT OF GU TIN YE. GU TING YU'S WIFE DOESN'T SEEM TO AGREE WITH WHAT THEY DID HIM. SHE SOMETIMES HAVE THIS GUILTY LOOK ON HER FACE. I SAW THE SAME GUILTY LOOK ON THE WOMAN OF THE GU HOUSEHOLD WHEN THEY ALL WERE READY TO PROCLAIM THAT HE WAS UN FILIAL TOWARDS HIS FATHER ON HIS DEATHBED.  AM I WRONG? 

 

PLEASE SOMEONE WHO READ THE NOVEL PLEASE ANSWER MY QUESTION

Spoiler

GU TING YE'S FATHER DID SAY SOMETHING ON HIS DEATHBED BUT LITTLE MDM.QIN HAS KEPT IT A SECRET. DID THAT ALSO HAPPEN IN THE NO
VEL?????

 

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10 minutes ago, Renaro Kopique said:

Is it me or I find internal family dramas far more interesting than internal palace dramas? I've also read novels and I found Marquis families, merchant families, or a normal family's bickering quite funnier and more satisfying with the face slaps. :phew: 

 

Doesn't help that palace dramas are done to death haha :astonished:

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Rewatching the trailer, I find it refreshing QH smashed teacup(?) Old QH would have gone emo, but new QH actually got angry and went straight to GTY. His bitter life experience so far has taught him some boldness. Maybe not right morally, but at least he has toughened up a bit

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20 minutes ago, Renaro Kopique said:

Is it me or I find internal family dramas far more interesting than internal palace dramas? I've also read novels and I found Marquis families, merchant families, or a normal family's bickering quite funnier and more satisfying with the face slaps. :phew: 

Hahaha I love both. After watching a long mind numbing heart breaking tear jerking drama I like to switch off to something chill and funny. 

Best shows I’ve watched this year that had me  laughing out loud was Perfect Couple and The Dark Lord. 

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6 minutes ago, cherubstomato said:

Hahaha I love both. After watching a long mind numbing heart breaking tear jerking drama I like to switch off to something chill and funny. 

Best shows I’ve watched this year that had me  laughing out loud was Perfect Couple and The Dark Lord. 

The Dark Lord threw me back into depression. But I did love the MC's own sense of justice when he likes to decide who the bad guys should be. Perfect couple was nice, just a bit silly. Actually, both of these dramas got weird endings lol. I felt like I haven't seen normal historical dramas for a long time, recently it's based around the palace or mystery with detectives. Of course this excludes fantasy elements.

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14 hours ago, dito said:

About Molan....she will continue practicing her mother's evil teachings for a while. After she came to the Liang house, 2 of Liang 6th son's concubines suffered exactly the same type of difficult births that ML's mom went through. Pretending to be good main wife, feeding the concubines good, over rich food that resulted in babies growing too big in the womb. Not sure if both babies died....or the concubines. But after the second time it happened people started talking and connecting it to Molan.

I'm not sure what they did to her after that ..just read this on the spoiler site.

I knew it , she is way to much like her mother @dito. Just wacthing pretend to cry every time things didn't go her way. She is just as selfish as her mother.  

I clearly explained in details the type of personality each of the Sheng Children have. I am mostly disgusted by Concubine Lin's children. 

 

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11 hours ago, crackaddict said:

This thread moves so fast. I'm on winter vacation and still can't catch up. By the time I check any of my alerts, it's too late to respond because the conversation has been pushed back a few pages. It's interesting that ppl are still discussing QH with such intensity. I feel like ZYL is a good actor, but QH is written as a blah character...even very minor characters like Shitou and Xiaotao are funnier and cuter. Perhaps, it's because I'm old that I don't really care about princely characters and love lines with too many seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

 

In real life, people have lives after all. Wait, maybe I answered my own question. I guess it can be entertaining to watch other ppls drama. 

I love Shitou and Xiaotao scenes too. They are both protective of their master. Their master considere them family and treat them very well. 

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My two cents on the GTY vs QH debate. Taking 3 universal rules of love:

1. Faint heart ne'er won fair lady

2. All is fair in love and war

3. Bros' before hoes'

 

QH had made a clean break with ML before marriage. Sufficient/respectable amount of time had passed before GTY made his move. ML was a free agent about to be engaged to a third party. QH had no right to ask GTY to step aside as no 3 no longer applied.

 

I watched ep 38 raw and you can see how devasted she is when Dr He is weak to the cousin's theatrics. Shades of her father with Lin niang and Molan. GTY did ML a favour and opened her eyes to aspects of Dr He's character. Did GTY ruin marriage talks? Yes, but number 2 applies. 

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