Ages in the drama

Thoughts of Duke Su for consideration

He was old enough to understand there was something bad/suspicious about his father's death. He then went to beat the Deng Wen Drum and his grandfather??? carried him away.

At his father's funeral, he looked through the screen with the young Emperor and the Emperor asked him whether he was as suspicious as he was. Duke Su said, yes. 

I'm going to place them at around ages 11-12 here, still considered young enough for XH to be confined by his grandfather for five years after that (to protect him from being killed). He was constantly ill (when he learned how to read pulse) and spent his time watching operas, thus his love for acting. So five years after that is 17. 

Then we see the scene of the two young men, of the Emperor giving XH orders to investigate and his trust. They shook hands their special way.  By the time the drama started, eight years had past and XH thus was 25.

TADA! What do you guys think?

I remember there was a flashback that said his father died when he was 8 too, meaning he’s … 16… … 

 yoyo_mozzarella:

In ep36 when Duke Su and his grandfather are arguing he says “eight years ago when my father died…” means he can’t be more than 20 years old

Darn it. I just saw the episode where Duke Su killed General Cheng and he also said "Eight years ago..." This must be the one flaw I cannot handwave away, LOL.  Because the kid drumming the Deng Wen drum was definitely not the same age as the Older Version talking to the Older Emperor Kid who gave him his trust and they shook hands.  And when Duke Su talked about, "Eight years ago, you gave me your trust. I'm asking you to trust me still," he meant that handshake moment, because they did the same again at the end of the scene. THAT moment, I've taken as AFTER the FIVE years of being kept in the residence by his grandfather and that's why he was older and explained why the onlooker at XFF's drumming said, "It's been over ten years since someone drummed."

Sigh.

I think someone messed up wit the "Eight years ago" math. I stand by my own Math: Xiao Heng was ten or thereabouts (young  boy drummer), then imprisoned in home for 5 years and the Teen Xiao Heng was given power by the Teen Emperor and the story starts EIGHT years after that handshake, which makes Xiao Heng around 23.

PFFFFFffffffffft.  If ever the Director wants to re-edit, he should consult me about this mathematical problem AS WELL AS ending the drama at Episode 40 Minute 30:16!

I've always had issues with the math in Chinese dramas when it comes to ages - 90% of the time it just doesn't add up. Either my suspension of disbelief works extra hard at such times or I make up my own ages for the characters. Otherwise, my mind will continually pick away at these discrepancies and drive me bonkers, lol.

in the drama the real jiang li was gone for ten years. later someone says she was eight when she was sent away. so i guess the real jiang li was 18.