From violence to poetry through romance : the characters development. + All the episodes.

Let's discuss about how the characters evolve throughtout the show. Do you believe it will be a Happy Ending?

Yes, I believe in an happy ending. The undying flower is a very important element of the plot. It is showcased in the opening credit several times. More than a symbol of resilience and strength. I would not be surprised if this flower serves to transmit secret messages in the future.
Time will tell.

As for the aesthetics of the show, it is just gorgeous.
The colours, costumes, make-up. Everything is beautiful.
I liked that it started with Prince Jing as an anti-hero paired with a strong female assassin. The first 3 episodes were breath taking. And that  sadomasochistic scene in the pool was the climax of this encounter.
Because behind all the stabbing and the stranggeling, I could see Prince Jing's attraction for Mei Lin and her relentlessness.
The acting is that good, that LXY and WJY was able to convey two 2 emotions at the same time; wrath and attraction.

I was even more seduced by the drama when I witnessed Prince Jing's development.
From a cold and frightening "master of shadow works " who had to supress his emotions  to survive killing  attempts.
He is now, slowly openning up his heart to love thanks to Mei Lin.
Love blooms without him knowing it. And that's marvellous and poetic.

LXY and WJY are giving us such great performances. That those characters are alive thanks to their talents. The rest of the cast is great too. And the camera moves are very good.

Indeed, there is no comparison with their previous work because Prince Jing and Mei Lin are born and I am rooting for their happily ever after :)

 TaliaToo:

I love the aesthetics--very beautiful colors. The costumes are gorgeous.

I do wish there were a few more dark episodes to establish the darkness in their characters. They did try to do that in the episodes when he pretended to be in love/lust with the Beauty, but there wasn't enough seduction for me. The scene where she knocked him out was funny but I'd rather have had a darker and sexier one that reflected their relationship started in the pool. She could knock him out later/after because THEN it would be funnier. His trained assassin knocked him out, heh.

His innate green flagness came through quite quickly when he was away from the crowds but yeah, the three first episodes gave expectations that weren't fulfilled. Not to say that I don't like MRJH as he is now, but there is a missing bridge through edits.

I would have liked few more dark episodes at the beginning as well. However, I think that with 32 episodes, they did not have the time to expose the initial situation as it should have been done. Would have censorship blocked some scenes of steamy seduction? This is quite possible. I also would have loved to watch great seduction scenes like in "Lost You Forever" everytime Xiang Liu was meeting Xiao Yao. Too bad. The actors are very good and sexy. The knock out was funny, yes. And, there is also the dancing scene when MJH looks at ML from above. This one too is sexy. MJH took the "flower house" to the palace, in this scene. And what a sexy glare toward Mei Lin.  I also remember that you spoke about the moment Mei Lin was injured. You said that it could have been shown during one episode. I agree with you. I would add that, they could have used it to emphasise MJH's attraction for ML. There was a lot of missed opportunities. 

I also think that a lot of scenes have been cut off the airing episodes.

I also would’ve liked to see more seduction and a sexier build up for the main CP romance because we know both LXY and WJY are very capable. Given that there seems to be a missing bridge in the set up of the romance I have tried to rationalise it. In the bath scene I see it as both of them acting out a role  - he is MJH the debauched and Mei Li is Le Femme Fatale - so it is easier for them to abandon their inhibitions and go for that hot kiss. The tone and level of darkness in Ep 2 - Ep 3 felt just right in terms of their characters and dynamics and wished the vibe continued like this a for longer after that bath scene. The prison scenes are a good example. During their conversations we can see MJH’s compassion (and most likely attraction) for Mei Lin coming through although at this point it is not yet muddled with personal feelings (he wouldn't recognise it at this stage anyway). It could’ve built on from here because after all MJH is still the Shadow Master and at the same time how can he so easily forget what happened in the bath. Surely they both must’ve felt some kind of an awakening. To everyone Mei Lin is MJH’s muse, so therefore their  interactions are more lighthearted as it is part of their act. When they are alone their exchanges are more subtle and in a way true, but these feel sweet rather than intimate. There is one scene in Rise of the Phoenixes (similar genre) where Ning Yi spins to shield Feng Zhi Wei from an assassin’s blade and they both fall to the floor. The camera slows down and lingers on them for about 2-3 minutes or so. They didn’t kiss but you could feel the heat as well as the tenderness between them. The scene on the grass where MJH and Mei Lin pretend at intimacy comes close. I think these kinds of scenes would have been more impactful in KMLM. As you mentioned they did try to insert a few of these moments after ep 3 but they come across as sweet and cute. Fortunately LXY is not boyish looking and exudes a kind of sexiness so there is some of that rubbing off naturally anyway.

As their true selves MJH and Mei Lin are almost awkward with each other and we realise reality is different from perception. We see they both have past traumas and have to learn to love. The writing/direction went for more of the slow burn, light hearted romance, as well as as softer characters for our leads, which has been rather divisive. Perhaps the production played it super safe to ensure it passed censorship. We can only speculate on what ended up on the editing floor and what might’ve been. 

Certainly water is symbolic and often used as a motif for transformation, cleansing, renewal, etc. After MJH and Mei Lin emerge from the river after the first cliff jump the events that follow are a turning point for their relationship.

I agree that the only real couple is the main CP. They are also the only “healthy” couple.

I will join you in your ruminations - I have to rewatch some scenes because I miss so much the first time. 

I'm so glad they included his line, "Don't bite me" because it shows he didn't forget that first kiss in the bath - I mean how could he?! A scene in the river similar to what you described would've been awesome. We as a viewer (or a reader of a novel) need to sometimes have a link/recall to previous scenes/emotions, especially one that is as intense as the bath scene. Just through that one line the bath scene seems like less of a throwaway. 

Haven't gotten to it yet but yay! We want more savage. Him gate crashing his brother's wedding looking so damn majestic was pretty savage.

What is it with you Luo Mei ?
I know that, your first feelings of love were not reciprocated.
Yes, it is sad to be the tomboy who could not spark love in Prince Jing's heart since childhood.
It is even sadder to think about all the suffering you went through, when, you witnessed what a playboy MRJH became after Qinzhou massacre.
However, you were lucky to be bethroted to the one you loved.
Meanwhile, you never confessed your love to him. At least, you could dream for a while.
So, for someone who never knew romantic love, I understand that you were hungry for love.  

But, please, Luo Mei, all that glitters isn't gold.

This is not because Crown Prince is showering you with what appears to be love, that it really is love.
Love must be felt, not rationnalized.

How did this murderer seduced you ?

First, he tried to catch your attention, whenever he could. And at the same time he leveraged you compassion. For example faking a wound during horse ridding. Were you seduced then:  No.

Then he tried to spoil you with gifts that you disregarded on the spot. You didn't even check those welcoming gifts. Were you seduced then  : No.

And then, the murderer tried to bride you with an imperial edict, stating that he will let you keep your military power if ever you became his Crown Princess. Was it true, heck no, because, before officially marrying him, that assassin had already demoted you from your position of general of Pingnan army. Were you seduced then: No.

After that, the scoudrel tried to be alone with you and confess his so-called love. At the hunt, at the palace... Everytime he confessed you rejected him harshly. Were you seduced then : No.

Now, tell me why on earth, did you accept this murderer  when :

He schemed to have you read all his writings in the temple he built especially to gaslight you.
Were you seduced: unfortunately yes.

Didn't you know that your aunt, the noble consort wanted to marry you with him? Why didn't it strike you as a lie when the two of them cornered you in that temple?

I won't mention the aphrodiziac incense incident. Were you that clueless not to recognize the poison as a high ranking general that you are, and flee the premises. And again, the same complicites cornered you in a room full of drug, but still you decided to fall for this trap, starting to kiss that murderer?

This is were we see that your love for the Crown Prince is not ginuine but it is based on your reasonning. You were rejected by Prince Jing and you surrender to the Crown Prince like  a man thown overboard would grab anything not to sink.

Does the Crown Prince love you? This man only gives love that kills. He only utilizes people around him and he kills them when they are not useful anymore.

I pity you Luo Mei.  
You deserve better, but you settled for the worst.

https://mydramalist.com/680797-chun-hua-yan#comment-19251588

 TaliaToo:

A great essay!

In addition, I feel Luo Mei has not shown me any of her talents/skills as a general who had been fighting at the border/defending the great Yan for ten years. Nothing she has said or done (except for the martial arts) have convinced me she could lead an army into enemy territory.

Thank you @TaliaToo. I just got a spoiler from the novel ( that does not mean they will implement it in the drama, since they changed almost every thing). 

But, I have been told that, Luo Mei dies defending MRJH in the novel. 

So potentially, there will be a war at the border. And potentially she will fight it. Not sure she dies in the drama. 

I was previously suspicious when the Emperor demoted LM to a far away city. At that point of time, I had the hunch that, this city might be near Xiyan state's border. If ever YQ does a regicide to ascend the throne of Xiyan. He could be attacking Great Yan. And this city could be the forfront. Which means, that Luo Mei migh show us more of her fighting skills very soon.

 sansoleil83:

Luo Mei just looks miserable all the time. Don’t know if it is due to the expressionless portrayal by the actress or whether it was intended. She seemed somewhat depressed. As a teenager she was bright and full of aspirations so it is hard to connect these two people together.

Some back story of her life as a General might have been ideal. Did she become battle hardened, saw the horrors of war, was disillusioned by the assumed crimes by MJH yet still loved him? Also surely as woman surrounded by men most of her life that must have some effect. Of course, the series didn’t have the time to explore LM as an adult and General on the battlefield. Her love for CP was misplaced love right to the very end. It would be interesting to see if they give LM some kind of redemption - not just to atone for her actions but to atone for the herself as a person.

This is true that the depiction of her temper as a childhood friend is very different from the adult she became. From my understanding, she was portrayed as a child before joining the military. It is logical that, the harsh military education could have transformed her in a cold and almost emotionless character. 

She said herself that, she should not surrender to love to be able to lead her troops as a general.  

Yes I agree 100%, a little more of LM's background in the army could be great. I would have like to see her change behaviour in the army.

I am not sure she will be able to have a character development after thes Crown Prince's arc. Let's wait and watch. But in the book she dies for MRJH ( I have been told). I am pretty sure they will not respect the novel and they will change whatever they want to. And I accept it. Let's see the drama crew's point of view on this story.