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

[darkphoenix123]

9 minutes ago, m0us3y said:

I just wondered how the GTY-RL/ML will play out. 

Because as we can see when Molan made a mess and then the mom and dad wanted to "sacrifice" ML to pacify Liang Family and conclude the matter, grandma pretty much threw in the towel and said ML is no sacrificial lamb! 

 

So when the RL case unfolds, and they want to swap the bride, isnt that a similar issue? 

Throw ML to the firepit (although we know it's not really a firepit) to pacify Gu Family? 

In the book Grandma doesn’t agree but ML pacified Grandma I think. She will probably do the same thing in the drama seeing as she interacted more with him than in the book. She has a good impression of him & she told him in today’s episode that he is one of the 3 people she will pay with her life for. So she will convince grandma I guess

 

EDIT: I mean she looked pretty happy on her wedding day in the trailers

[tomo74]

3 hours ago, ForgottenSoulx said:

 

I feel no sympathy for their greed , Lin was already lucky to have shengs love and Molan was spoiled they have lived good life's and that was going to continue but they are just greedy and deserve everything they got.

 

If they were Men i dont think they would have lived long with those scheme's, and Granny is just amazing in episode and 32 and 33 i just love her so much.

 

When you kill someone and the baby , try to ruin your sisters life's you can burn for all i care you have 0 sympathy from me for being greedy , lets stop acting like they were suffering or something. 

 

Also if Lin was smarter she would not have been caught like this, also there is a reason why no-one helped Molan when she was in trouble/will in trouble. She could have doomed the whole sheng family with her scheme's. 

I agree, too bad they made her death so easy, I mean, she can live a bit longer to see ML's wedding, live without coal, sick without a doctor and to see her precious daughter suffer in her marriage, like killing her slowly 

[hello210]

5 minutes ago, m0us3y said:

I just wondered how the GTY-RL/ML will play out. 

Because as we can see when Molan made a mess and then the mom and dad wanted to "sacrifice" ML to pacify Liang Family and conclude the matter, grandma pretty much threw in the towel and said ML is no sacrificial lamb! 

 

So when the RL case unfolds, and they want to swap the bride, isnt that a similar issue? 

Throw ML to the firepit (although we know it's not really a firepit) to pacify Gu Family? 

I think that’ll come out differently though. ML was adamant that grandma not give in and said she’d rather live her life single, serving grandma, and then become a nun, etc. than have grandma give in to the Liangs. I think ML will agree to the switch. But grandma is also smart, she might see through it all too.  However they do it, it’s going to be funny to watch the Shengs. 

[tomo74]

3 hours ago, leeza77 said:

Ml told rulan about gty wanted to marry rulan andd rulan said better he married you. But ml said he didn't want me. Did it mean that ml has gty in his heart already??? 

Or maybe ML still not interested with GTY, if she likes him, she wont say that "GTY wanted to marry you" to Rulan, she gonna cry because she's sad and when ML said "he didn't want me", sounds like light reply, just remember her case with QH, ML was so sad when she knows that QH had to marry someone, not like "(it's ok) he doesn't want me anymore" something like that.

[linhlinh111]

1 hour ago, frenchfan said:

I know right.  GTY thought he was being obvious and CB was clueless.  He is one of my fav character.  Basically he is the only one who doesn't bully ML and he is so nice.  I must say that Sheng mama has born Sheng Hong two well brought up kids.  Her son passed exam and become an official and her daughters are pretty much well behaved.  Rulan is a little spoilt but she did not harm anyone.  She does bully ML into doing her chores though...  

GTY was intentionally leading him on by not saying clearly which one he wants

1. There were no sign that GTY was after ML prior to the proposal

2. With GTY's status, he couldn't have wanted a shu daughter, and earlier in the drama GTY had said once that he would only marry a di daughter.

3. 'The prettier one' is actually a vague description

=> CB's conclusion is understandable

He knows Grandma would approve of him so he wants to put Sheng family in a situation they can't back out.

CB is the character I like most in the book (also in the drama) Most impressive was when he decided the punishment for his mother in the attempt to poison grandma. Man I worship him since then.

 

4 hours ago, nrbrown said:

I always find these dramas to be in the “grey” zone in regards to characters being evil or not evil. When watching concubine Q Lin’s receiving her punishment, I didn’t really give a cheer. Or think to myself, good the bad guys/girls  get their just desserts. I only felt a sense of pity to tell you the truth. And more so to ML’s sister. 

I feel a sense of pity for her situation in life. Yes,  she could have married a “poorer” husband and become the first wife. But she felt that woman had to “survive”. The survival of the fittest mentality. No, I’m not justifying or feel that because of her situation she had to murder ML’s mother. I just think that the characters in the drama are depicted in such a way that morally there are grey overtones. 

Consequences for your actions? Yes, always. 

I never feel pity for Linniang. She committed murder so there's nothing to defend her. Molan, on the other hand was a result of her upbringing and the society around her. I think she deserved any consequences coming from her wrongdoings, but I still pity her. 

Saying it's a waste of time it's unfair to QH. He had 3 short-lived arranged marriages so he didn't actually get the chance to get over ML to move on with someone else. For some people they only fall in love once. Guess QH was that type. Beside, he didn't bother ML after she got married with GTY so I see no problems.

 

28 minutes ago, zenya22 said:

 

The Liang family got plenty of bribe dowry from grandma to save Ming Lan from becoming their daughter in law. Molan might have thought that grandma's dowry was given for the Liang to accept her but that is the very issue that the countess will not ever let Molan forget and will throw in Molan's face, that grandma's dowry was not given for her but was given by grandma to save Ming Lan. The countess will forever blame Molan's disgraceful behavior as the cause of losing Ming Lan as her daugher in law. Molan will always be compared to the other daughters of nobility as more worthy and Molaer will regret ever becoming the daugher in law.  

 

I'm not sure but I think the drama never showed how Grandma negotiated for the marriage. In which part was the dowry thing mentioned?

 

@gleek49 @artbox @darkphoenix123 I never thought that QH was more deserving of ML or anything. Clearly GTY was more suitable and QH's method was ineffective. I just don't like people criticizing him, assuming things about him, giving him names, etc., which was really unfair to him, also saying he should have known this, he should have been like that... I'm sure he did what he thought would get him ML and if only he had known which one was the best way, he would definitely have tried it. Like people (viewers and GTY in the drama) accusing him of being indecisive, he was waiting for the right moment to maximize his chance. He couldn't have known about the princess Jajing thing prior to that. Aren't GTY doing the same? He's leaving ML when she is in the middle of arranging marriage and there are a few good suitors and ML could be taken away any time. But nobody's criticizing him cuz everyone knows he is the one in the end. It's like bc QH lost all of his effort was belittled, and bc GTY win all of his actions are rationalized. It seems so wrong to me. Tbh, GTY never moved me as much as QH. Even when QH still loves her for the rest of his life, people still criticize him for that. I mean, is there anything he did that people are not criticizing? To love someone or to forget someone is not something he can choose, bc I'm sure he doesn't want to be lonely all his life. At least he fulfills his responsibility to his family well and he never bothers ML with his love anymore. No one could have done it better.

[ForgottenSoulx]

1 hour ago, linhlinh111 said:

I didn't say GTY didn't suffer, it just wasn't for ML. All of QH's suffering and awakening till now was for ML. Basically ML was the reason for his growing up. ML had more influence on QH than GTY. ML now was just a small part in GTY's life and she didn't affect him that much. Their fates only start to intertwine after marriage when he's already mature and successful. So the earlier miserable part of his life has nothing to do with ML.

 

OK i misread what you sad my bad.

 

1 hour ago, Maria Brimstone said:

 

Me too! Even the father thought that the description suited ML more than RL. So I think this means that CB's just a blockhead

 

We love our blockhead i wish we had more of him.

 

44 minutes ago, Jackie1048 said:

After the horrible experience in the palace during the rebellion, Qi Heng's mother finally agreed that she was wrong and told Qi Heng that they will go to the Sheng household and ask for Ming Lan's hand in marriage

 

Too late.. no wonder QH will be a salty boy.

 

45 minutes ago, nichiwoohee said:

 

I also dont have any pity for concubine lin and molan. CL isnt gray, she's black hearted. Grey is molan, scheming for her life, but CL took someone else’s life. Definitely a bad person with no redeeming quality. 

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And I think she got off easy, ML’s mom died of childbirth. One of the most excruciating death, CL should have at least suffer more for her wrongdoings

 

I see some here like RL’s character, I'm leaning on the dislike a bit, I just hate how she always mention illegitimate, knowing her place etc. Her sisterly love is limited

  Reveal hidden contents

She even admitted by her yielding the Liang family to ML, it will bring ML difficulties. And she said it with no compassion whatsoever. She’s not only spoiled but also entitled. Whenever ML give her something, she always mention how thoughtful of ML and how she knows her place. In her heart she doesnt think of ML as her sister. At least hualan is sincere, RL just think she’s doing a favor by getting along with ML. I dont remember her like this in the novel tho

 

Totally agree that CL is total black heart while Molan is grey influenced by a venomous viper, also think ML got let off easy as well.

 

You do make me think about RL she is so entitled and never really shows ML any sincerity it does seem like she see's her as a servant.  

 

 

[minglan1]

1 hour ago, m0us3y said:

I just finished watching up to 32 subbed, and even I've got to say ML played them all...

In Episode 30/31, when after their fight, XiaoTao was getting angry on behalf of ML cuz after all that's done and her face hurt, Molan was still let off the hook early. 

And then ML simply said "we'll just need to incite something bigger than they can't cover up"...with the most innocent looking smile on her face...

That scene, even I was scared of ML...

Just so...unreadable. 

And you are right. I don't think many could see through her, that she's capable of that kind of revenge. 

 

I thought that bit of the dad's reaction was hilarious too. I was thinking if only CB know...

She also punished her dad for letting her mother's murderess go scot free.She caused Sheng family honor which her dad held dear become a topic of juicy gossip around town.

Once you wrong ML she doesn't  forgive.

She can give one a chill down their spine while flashing a beautiful smile.

Scary indeed!

I think ML might not want to get married to QH at this  juncture.She did see him embracing his new wife with attention, prayer for offsprings in the temple when she still held a torch for him.

It might appear to her that she was more invested in their relationship emotionally than QH.

(She doesn't know that QH married to save her and family.)

Last time GTY wanted to help QH win ML, now he wants to be her suitor.

Exciting times ahead.

I would love to see DaNiang's reaction to the Qi household proposal.She and Sheng  Hong already got a shock on hearing GTY's proposal for Rulan.

 

To add:

ML's mom didn't get appropriate medical attention and thus died painfully.She caused the same to occur for Concubine Lin.

Molan will experience the same life of living on egg shells like ML did from childhood till now.

This incident gives a good peek into her mind.She even manipulated her grandma.The person who stood by and protected her till now and has pure affection in her heart for ML.

 

[leeza77]

7 minutes ago, hello210 said:

I think that’ll come out differently though. ML was adamant that grandma not give in and said she’d rather live her life single, serving grandma, and then become a nun, etc. than have grandma give in to the Liangs. I think ML will agree to the switch. But grandma is also smart, she might see through it all too.  However they do it, it’s going to be funny to watch the Shengs. 

Spoiler

The looks given by both of them. Ml subtle (i think at this point she has already has feeling for him). Gty's look really infatuated. 

 

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[Golden Flower]

5 hours ago, leeza77 said:

She was a spoiled brat and thinking highly of herself. Lazy. But she's not malicious. I laughed when rulan told her mother that ml was stupid.. Whilst the stupid one was her.. Ha ha. Hualan was excellent, good manner. She and cb has not follow the trait of their parents (maybe both of them were adopted.. Joking} 

Hulan was raised by grandma and of course, her morality is better than Rulan. Personalities of both Rulan and Molan are reflective of their mothers.

@nichiwooheeSince Wang Shi despised Ling Yiniang, she disliked Molan (who herself is also whiny, competitive and acts sorrowful like her mother), she always mention regards to di and shu born in front of Rulan which shaped her thinking. So, her thinking of di daughter better than shu shaped by Daniang will be in her head all the time and it will apply to all shu daughters including ML.

Spoiler

there is also reason why Rulan always want to make Molan angry and get happy whenever Molan is miserable. Molan has this entitlement for everything since she was  a child, also taught and encouraged by Lin Yiniang. She will try to get whatever she wants from her sisters by manipulating her father's feelings by resorting to various methods like her mother. Molan's crying and whining also gives Wang Shi headaches that she also had to give in to her reluctantly.  In the book, when they were young, Rulan received a jade locket from her maternal uncle (Wang Shi's brother). Molan made their father gave Rulan's jade to her by crying, and looking pitiful, and saying that jade matches her name. Molan also told Rulan that she is also entitled to the jade as that is also her uncle (since all children are considered those of main wife, Wang shi brother is also her uncle). 

I'm just pointing out people thoughts and actions are products of environments they grew up in. That's why people also have generation gap as political, economy and cultural experiences of people in one decade are different from another decade even if they are in same country and culture. Of course, people maturity and their age also factors into their thoughts and actions.

[ForgottenSoulx]

17 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

Or maybe ML still not interested with GTY, if she likes him, she wont say that "GTY wanted to marry you" to Rulan, she gonna cry because she's sad and when ML said "he didn't want me", sounds like light reply, just remember her case with QH, ML was so sad when she knows that QH had to marry someone, not like "(it's ok) he doesn't want me anymore" something like that.

 

I dont think she likes him romantically but she deeply respects and think's highly of him, i will need to see these scene's to judge her face to see what her reactions are.

 

16 minutes ago, linhlinh111 said:

 

@gleek49 @artbox @darkphoenix123 I never thought that QH was more deserving of ML or anything. Clearly GTY was more suitable and QH's method was ineffective. I just don't like people criticizing him, assuming things about him, giving him names, etc., which was really unfair to him, also saying he should have known this, he should have been like that... I'm sure he did what he thought would get him ML and if only he had known which one was the best way, he would definitely have tried it. Like people (viewers and GTY in the drama) accusing him of being indecisive, he was waiting for the right moment to maximize his chance. He couldn't have known about the princess Jajing thing prior to that. Aren't GTY doing the same? He's leaving ML when she is in the middle of arranging marriage and there are a few good suitors and ML could be taken away any time. But nobody's criticizing him cuz everyone knows he is the one in the end. It's like bc QH lost all of his effort was belittled, and bc GTY win all of his actions are rationalized. It seems so wrong to me. Tbh, GTY never moved me as much as QH. Even when QH still loves her for the rest of his life, people still criticize him for that. I mean, is there anything he did that people are not criticizing? To love someone or to forget someone is not something he can choose, bc I'm sure he doesn't want to be lonely all his life. At least he fulfills his responsibility to his family well and he never bothers ML with his love anymore. No one could have done it better.

 

I mean anyone with any sense of brain would know when your mother is at peak happiness on her birthday maybeeeee just maybe dont ask for marriage and make it seem like you did all this for another women and not me , that already shows that this other girl can basically control QH so obvious mother would be mad.

 

Were allowed to compare the characters and its normal to compare the characters he was Indecisive and did not think things though enough, his effort was not a effort at all that is the issue where is his effort?

 

He asked his mum on her birthday to marry another girl wow what great effort, everything else was caused due to his own stupidity. 

 

If he did not show closeness to ML maybe he wouldn't have been forced into marriage, and GTY shouldn't have moved you more then QH because we have already seen QH in love we have not seen that with GTY yet. 

 

The amount of people defending QH i wonder if people are just doing it due to the actor or the character because QH has loads of flaw's yet people defend him so hard.

 

He was a dumb immature child who was 17 that is the fact's. 

[leeza77]

14 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

Or maybe ML still not interested with GTY, if she likes him, she wont say that "GTY wanted to marry you" to Rulan, she gonna cry because she's sad and when ML said "he didn't want me", sounds like light reply, just remember her case with QH, ML was so sad when she knows that QH had to marry someone, not like "(it's ok) he doesn't want me anymore" something like that.

You must remember ml was a master og disguise. Even grandma said that she was excellent in controlling her composure. Thus, she may just concealher real feeling knowing that there is nothing she can do. 

[m0us3y]

6 minutes ago, darkphoenix123 said:

In the book Grandma doesn’t agree but ML pacified Grandma I think. She will probably do the same thing in the drama seeing she interacted more with him than in the book. She has a good impression of him & she told him in today’s episode that he is one of the 3 people she will pay with her life for. So she will convince grandma I guess

 

EDIT: I mean she looked pretty happy on her wedding day in the trailers

Yeah. 

I'm totally bias here but I love ML, ruthless and all. 

She's very clear about those who helped her, and those who cause the ppl she loves harm. 

And she doesn't hesitate to do everything necessary to protect/ avenge. 

 

I love how she told GTY she will pay him back with her life. 

 

I'm also guessing she might have said she's willing party in this case, or granny might fight tooth and nail for her. 

 

And yes. She does look quite happy. 

[linhlinh111]

@ForgottenSoulx I think you and me have different ideas. To you if he did it wrong and failed then it's worthless. Only when he succeeds will it count. To me an effort is an effort and it counts whether it succeeds or fails. But I won't argue with you about him anymore since I think you are somehow very biased against him.

[hello210]

18 minutes ago, leeza77 said:

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The looks given by both of them. Ml subtle (i think at this point she has already has feeling for him). Gty's look really infatuated. 

 

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@leeza77 Their faces do look like that . I think at this point, ML probably doesn’t know what she feels because it’s different from the feelings with QH which is understandable. QH was the school sweetheart that gave you valentines and flowers and candy. GTY is that gruff kid at school that teased you and picked at you just to see a response even though he has a soft spot inside for ML. Then fate started throwing them in each other’s way. GTY, being older, picked up on his feelings and the possibilities earlier. He didn’t act on anything before going to fight since he knew of QH/ML situation and would have just resigned himself to helping them get together but that didn’t happen due to circumstances. Now that QH is already married, and they’ve run into each other again, he’s probably feeling a little freer to think romantically about her. ML probably started to feel something but may not recognize what it is yet?

 

[linhlinh111]

28 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

Or maybe ML still not interested with GTY, if she likes him, she wont say that "GTY wanted to marry you" to Rulan, she gonna cry because she's sad and when ML said "he didn't want me", sounds like light reply, just remember her case with QH, ML was so sad when she knows that QH had to marry someone, not like "(it's ok) he doesn't want me anymore" something like that.

I think both of ML and GTY are fond of each other (GTY likes her a little bit more, maybe in early stages of falling in love). But neither of them are in love yet to the point it would be heartbroken without the other. So I think ML is not putting up a face, she is actually okay with GTY marrying Rulan, maybe only a bit sad.

[hello210]

44 minutes ago, tomo74 said:

Or maybe ML still not interested with GTY, if she likes him, she wont say that "GTY wanted to marry you" to Rulan, she gonna cry because she's sad and when ML said "he didn't want me", sounds like light reply, just remember her case with QH, ML was so sad when she knows that QH had to marry someone, not like "(it's ok) he doesn't want me anymore" something like that.

We also have to remember that she only allowed her sadness about QH to show in front of grandma and close servants. Even though she was sad about QH, she never showed it to Rulan or anyone outside her trusted circle. The only other person she let in was GTY, but even in front of him, she showed a lot of strength instead of sadness. So whatever her true feelings are, she won’t express it to Rulan, plus she’s not going to put herself in a position of risking herself again like before.

[darkphoenix123]

25 minutes ago, leeza77 said:

You must remember ml was a master og disguise. Even grandma said that she was excellent in controlling her composure. Thus, she may just concealher real feeling knowing that there is nothing she can do. 

Especially after what she went through with QH. Even if & when she feels something she is not going to express it so easily. That said, I don’t think she loves him as yet but she regards him very highly & probably wouldn’t mind being married to him. Though love will come soon I feel

[ForgottenSoulx]

18 minutes ago, linhlinh111 said:

@ForgottenSoulx I think you and me have different ideas. To you if he did it wrong and failed then it's worthless. Only when he succeeds will it count. To me an effort is an effort and it counts whether it succeeds or fails. But I won't argue with you about him anymore since I think you are somehow very biased against him.

 

I mean obviously thats how it works ? If he was able to convince his mum obviously i would say nothing but he couldn't.

 

He made no effort literally he asked his mum on the worst day possible anyone with a brain would not do that. 

11 minutes ago, linhlinh111 said:

I think both of ML and GTY are fond of each other (GTY likes her a little bit more, maybe in early stages of falling in love). But neither of them are in love yet to the point it would be heartbroken without the other. So I think ML is not putting up a face, she is actually okay with GTY marrying Rulan, maybe only a bit sad.

 

I mean GTY wants ML so hes seems more then fond, ML does not truly understand her feelings and most likely just thinks its deep respect or something. I think if GTY did not get ML he would be quite upset/annoyed. 

[ForgottenSoulx]

3 minutes ago, darkphoenix123 said:

Especially after what she went through with QH. Even if & when she feels something she is not going to express it so easily. That said, I don’t think she loves him as yet but she regards him very highly & probably wouldn’t mind being married to him. Though love will come soon I feel

 

Totally agree ML admires/respects/regards him highly at this point but i think GTY really likes her. 

[cherubstomato]

3 hours ago, hello210 said:

I just want to say I love Shitou (GTY’s servant/body guard) and Xiaotao’s characters. And for some reason, in the episode where GTY was confronting ML at the snack shop, and ML told the servants to go get some kind of seed, I thought the way Xiaotao looked at Shitou by the door seemed like they would be a hilarious couple if they were to get together.

I was laughing at that scene, Xiaotao was about to throw down looking at GTY body guard like you better watch your master. 

 

2 hours ago, zenya22 said:

Wow this thread is really moving fast. I am still at episode 32.

The Sheng family are a hoot!! Without them this drama would be less entertaining!! This drama could have been titled the Story of the Sheng Family and would still be an audience drawer.

 

Countess: you have in your hand a pan full of poop and you beg me to accept?

 

LMAO, it reminded me of The Legend of Dugu. Now the Legend of Sheng..

I was dying when She called Molan crap. I was like damn she’s is savage. Haha 

 

I was face palm and smh at GTY... Really the pretty one? Than what does that make Rulan and CB what does that make Minglan? LOLOL I wish he would’ve just been straightforward but I guess we need this scheme or it’ll be a slap in the face to Big Madam because every mother wants Minglan. Lol

 

QH finally getting approval for the marriage of Minglan from his mother. I can’t blame him now that he will be sentimental when he speaks to Minglan again. He was a minute too late. Can’t imagine his face when he sees she got married to GTY already.