Katelyn Arshi:
No. 4 is Old Madam Ming
Yes. Ooooh there are so many hard spoiler videos around that one. I got lost in them, lol. Can I go on watching the rest of JOL2 now ??? It may feel like a re-watch, after perusing all that. 🥴 (curiosity kills the cat syndrome). But that video was really a nice one. Extracting what is relevant to the portrait gallery to find clues for the poster above :
But some of these guys are not on the poster (the three candidates to the imperial exam), and I thought #6 might be Lin Ruofu's subordinate Yuan Hongdao (who was in fact planted as an undercover agent of Li Yunrui) from S1 and beginning S2 until he got over his neck with the brothel and murder impeachment snare, and reappeared in ep.24. But no, not him.
Anyway, to the first excellent answers, here is a medal that was once sent to me by MDL which I am happy to share with you , Anthony Tumiwa (who spotted the "hidden in plain view" CPP behind the emperor, reassigned as #13.5 , and Katelyn Arshi who also contributed so much to the Photo gallery on the drama page : thanks to both, but the challenge is still on for the remaining unnamed characters on the poster! 🤣
Here is my solution (pictures from Baidu or screenshots)
| # Name | Related to | First appearing in S1 | First appearing in S2 |
| 1. Wǔ Zhú (五竹) WZ -a humanoid robot
| Fàn Xián (teacher of “gongfu” and guard as ”uncle Wu”), Yè Qīngméi (former guard of FX mom) | Ep.1 Savior of baby FX | Ep.26-28 |
| 2. Yè Liúyún (叶流云) one of the four grandmasters
| Yè Líng’ér (granduncle) Yè Zhòng (nephew) Lǐ Yúnruì (clan member) | Not featured | Ep.36 |
| 3. Fàn Wújiù (范无救) | Second Prince (guard and henchman) | Not featured | Ep.3-4, 14 |
| 4. Madame Míng (明老太君) | Míng Qīngdà (明青达), head of the family (son) Lǐ Yúnruì and Second Prince (faction member) In charge of Sandafang in Jiangnan | Not featured | Ep.33 |
| 5. Hǎitáng Duǒduǒ / “Saintess” (海棠朵朵 “Begonia Blooming”)
| Emperor of Qi (sister) Fàn Xián (frenemy) Kǔ Hé (苦荷), one of the four grandmasters (disciple) | Ep.35 FX met her on the way to Bei Qi capital. She was sent by her martial grandmaster to kill Xiao En. She had fun sparring with FX. When FX reached BeiQi he realized the “Saintess” was royalty, and close to Bei Qi young emperor. | Ep.14 |
| 6. Xīn Qíwù (辛其物)
| Crown Prince (faction member) Fàn Xián (advisor for Department of Rites, as Deputy Chief of Court of State Ceremonials) | Ep. 24 to 26 He helped FX who had been promoted to Vice Envoy at the negotiations with Northern Qi in Jingdu. Second Prince wanted XQW to switch faction from CP to his. | Ep. 5-6, 9-10, 17 |
| 7. Liǔ Rúyù (柳如玉)
| Fàn Jiàn (wife) Fàn Xián (stepmom) Fàn Ruòruò (stepmom), Fàn Sīzhé (mom) Yí guì pín Concubine (cousin) | Ep.3 She was displeased that FX entered Fan mansion. | Ep.1 |
| 8. Fàn Jiàn (范建) Minister of Revenue. Count Sinan (司南伯爵) | Fàn Xián (foster father) Liǔ Rúyù (husband) Fàn Sīzhé; Fàn Ruòruò (dad) Emperor (Minister) | Ep.1 He carried baby FX to safety in Danzhou, to be raised by his mother ; and saw him again as a grown lad in ep.4 in Jingdu. | Ep.1 |
| 9. Lín Wǎn’ér, princess (林婉儿) | Fàn Xián (fiancée, wife after marriage ep.25) Lín Ruòfǔ (daughter) ; Lin Dàbǎo, Lín Gǒng, elder half brother in S1 (half sister) Lǐ Yúnruì (illegitimate daughter) ; Yè Ling'ér (best friend) | Ep.3 under the “altar” of the Qing Temple, eating a chicken drumstick and bewitching FX at first sight. After misunderstandings caused by FX she finally got written proof that FX was the one she had fallen for, in ep.11. | Ep7, 12-13, 24-25 |
| 10. Lǐ Yúnruì (李云睿)
| Emperor (foster sister), Lín Wǎn’ér (birth mother) Second Prince (aunt and accomplice) Fàn Xián (her enemy who had her exiled from Guangxin Palace 广信宫 to Xiangyang) | Ep.3 mentioned by FJ as a powerful woman whose daughter with LRF was the reason FX was brought to Jingdu : FX was to marry Wan’er. (Both LYR, FX, and LE were very displeased by that edict, then) | Ep.2, 24-27, 31 |
| 11. Lín Ruòfǔ (林若甫) Chancellor, Prime Minister
| Lín Wǎn’ér (dad) Lín Dàbǎo, mentally handicapped (dad); Lín Gǒng 林珙 in S1 ep11 &17 (dad) Fàn Xián (father in law) “allowed to retire in ep.22” | Ep.6 He brought an accounts book to the Emperor and asked for a cup of tea. | Ep.13... |
12. The Empress (皇后) | Crown Prince Lǐ Chéngqián (mother) | Not featured | Ep.6, 25, 31-32 |
13. Emperor of Qing (庆帝)  | Fàn Xián (secret dad) Yè Qīngméi (secret wife) Princes and Crown Prince (father) Chén Píngpíng (partly trusted confidant and head of secret services) | Ep.3 Mentioning the scroll painting collection of Gong Dian (Deputy Director of the Imperial Guards; eighth-grade martial arts master.) | Ep.1 |
| 13.5 Chén Píngpíng (陈萍萍) Head of Qing Inspection and Control Bureau, part control of Black cavalry
| Fàn Xián (protector) Emperor (head of secret services) Everyone in the Overwatch council (boss) | Ep1 (he let Fan Jian take FX to Danzhou to be raised by old lady Fan) | Ep.1 |
| 14. Fàn Xián, “bastard prince” (范闲、 张庆) (named Fàn Shèn (范慎) before transmigration) Courtesy Name: Ān Zhī (安之)
| Fàn Jiàn (adoptive dad) ; Liǔ Rúyù("stepmom") ; Fàn Ruòruò (adoptive sister and doctor), Fàn Sīzhé (adoptive brother and publisher) Emperor (real father) Yè Qīngméi (mother) Lǐ Yúnruì (arch enemy mother-in-law) Princes and Crown Prince (secret half brother) Lín Wǎn'ér (fiancé to husband) ; Lín Dàbǎo (ward and brother-in-law) ; Lín Ruòfǔ (son-in-law) Hǎitáng Duǒ duǒ (frenemy from Qi who comes to help him in need) Chén Píngpíng (“uncle” and mentor, protector) ; Dèng Ziyuè (subordinate in First Division) ; Overwatch council (colleague) Wáng Qǐnián (subordinate and closest friend) ; Teng Ziji (closest friend in S1 first part) Fèi Jiě (teacher of poisons); Wǔ Zhú (protector and teacher of "qinggong") +Professor Yè in modern world | Ep1 in modern world (+as baby, as child) Ep.2 as young man Although he apparently had been called to Jingdu to marry Wan’er, he got repeatedly ambushed by killers, such as in Cow Pen street, where a monstrous wrestler had been brought in (Cheng Jushu, 8th-grade martial arts expert, disciple of Reverend He.) | Ep.1 |
15. Fàn Sīzhé (范思辙) “businessman” | Fàn Jiàn (father) Fàn Xián (younger stepbro) Fàn Ruòruò (half brother) Liǔ Rúyù (mother) ; Yigui (nephew) ; Third Prince (cousin) Lín Dàbǎoo (friend) Owner of Dan Bo bookshop selling Fàn Xián's books | Ep.3 Flustered that FX challenged his status as eldest son of the Fan family, FSZ wanted to beat up FX. | Ep.3, ... 27-29
|
| 16. Fàn Ruòruò (范若若)
| Fàn Xián (younger stepsister) Fàn Sīzhé (sister) Fàn Jiàn (daughter from first wife, deceased), Liǔ Rúyù (step daughter) ; Yí guì pín (niece) Lin Wan'ér , Yè Líng’ér (friend) | Ep.1 (as a child) Ep.3 Overjoyed at seeing her older brother again ; she was the one who always trusted him whatever was said. | Ep.1, 27-32 |
17. Consort Yí / Yí guì pín concubine (宜贵嫔) [Deng Tong Tian in S1] | Third Prince Lǐ Chéngping (mom who doesn’t spare the rod) Fàn Xián, Fàn Ruòruò, Fàn Sīzhé (aunt) Emperor (concubine) Liǔ Rúyù (cousin) | Ep.24 She met FX who had been taken along by her sister Liu Ruyu, to be introduced to the harem and to the Dowager (who was FX target, as he wanted to find a certain key). FX also got introduced to Concubine Shu, Ning and to Li Yunrui. | Ep.16, 31 |
18. Eldest Prince/First Prince /Lǐ Chéng Ru (大皇子李承儒) | Emperor, "talented concubine" Ning in S1 (son) Crown prince ; Second Prince ; Third Prince (brother) Fàn Xián (half brother) Princess of Běi Qí (engaged) | Not featured | Ep.5-6, 12, 23 |
| 19. Eldest princess of Northern Qi (北齐大公主, Běiqí dà gōngzhǔ) | First Prince (fiancée) | Not featured | Ep.5-6, 12 |
| 20. Yè Líng’ér (叶灵儿)
Gina Jin / Jin Chen 金晨 [voiced by He Wen Xiao] (Han Jiu Nuo in S1) | Second Prince (fiancée) Lín Wǎn’ér (best friend) Yè Liuyun, grandmaster (grand niece) Yè Zhòng, Chief Guard (dad, exiled to Dingzhou in S2ep31) | Ep.5 Ling’er had brought a chef to cook meat-like food for her friend Wan’er, who was sick and forbidden to eat meat despite her craving it. | Ep.7, 12-13 |
| 21. Second Prince / Lǐ Chéngzé (李承泽)
| Emperor of Qing (son) Concubine Shu (mom, in S1) Fan Xián (half brother & rival); First Prince ; Crown Prince ; Third Prince (brother) Princess Lǐ Yúnruì (aunt) Lín Wǎn'ér (cousin) Yè Líng’ér (engaged) | Ep.7 Second Prince was impressed by the Du Fu poem ; next, in the gardens of his close friend prince Jing/Li Hongcheng (南庆靖子王世子nán qìng jìng wáng shìzi 李弘成 introduced ep.5 35:30) | Ep.(1), 4 |
| 22. Crown Prince / Lǐ Chéngqián (李承乾)
| Emperor of Qing (son) Empress (son) Fàn Xián (half brother rival); First Prince ; Second Prince ; Third Prince (brother)
| Ep.3 Gong Dian informed CP that the Emperor had met Fan Xian. | Ep.(2), 4, ..17 ... |
| 23. Third Prince / Lǐ Chéng píng (三皇子李承平)
| Emperor of Qing (son) Consort Yí guì (son) Fàn Xián (“cousin”, half-brother) First Prince ; Second Prince ; Crown Prince (brother) Sāng Wén (boss, at Bao Yue Lou brothel) Fàn Sīzhé (cousin and part owner associate of Bao Yue Lou brothel) | Not featured | Ep.4, 16, 31 |
24. Yuán Mèng (袁梦) | Sāng Wén (indentured pipa player courtesan of Bao Yue Lou) Mrs. Wang (acquaintance) | Not featured | Ep.3 |
| 25. Sāng Wén (桑文)
| Fàn Sīzhé at Bao Yue Lou (“Moon embracing pavilion”) brothel (boss of boss) Yuán Mèng (boss) Second Prince (through network) | Not featured | Ep.3-4 |
| 26. Hè Zōngwěi (贺宗纬) scheming scholar
| Fàn Xián (enemy) Censorate (newest member, by edict of the Emperor, ep.22) | Ep6 He was buttering up to Guo Baokun, "looking for a Master" during the trampling on Red Chamber's Dream incident. (Introduced as "He Zongwei, Southern Qing Jingdu scholar" ep6 30:26) | Ep.16, 21-23 |
| 27. Guō Bǎokūn (郭保坤)
| Guō Yōuzhī (郭攸之), Ministry of Rites (son) Fàn Xián (enemy to ally) Chén Píngpíng (boss, as Head of Spies in Northern Qi) | Ep.5 GBK trampled on the Red Chamber’s Dream, admonishing the crowd not to read the "filthy" novel. He got beaten up (ep.9) by Teng Zijing, FX first friend in Jingdu, after FX and Teng suspected him of killing Teng’s wife and son. Mei Zhili, the judge who had to try the case was “retired” in ep.10. | Ep.14, 18-19 |
| 28. Dèng Ziyuè (邓子越)
| Chén Píngpíng (boss, as registrar of the Overwatch Council First Division) Fàn Xián (devoted helper since FX reawakened his ideals) | Not featured | Ep.8 ... |
| 29. Wáng Qǐnián (王启年)
| Chén Píngpíng (boss at First bureau) Fàn Xián (helper & friend) BàBa (father) | Ep2. He sold a fake “map’ of Jingdu to FX. In Ep5, he was selling unauthorized copies of the Dream in the Red Chamber novel. | Ep.1 |
| 30. BàBa / Wáng Bà (王霸)
| Wáng Qǐnián (daughter) note : 霸 Bà means "tyrant"! | Not featured | Ep.1-2 |
| 31. Madame Wáng (王夫人)
| Wáng Qǐnián (wife) | Not featured | Ep.1-2 |
| 32. Yán Bīngyún (言冰云)
(Xiao Zhan in S1) | Yán Ruòhǎi (son) Chén Píngpíng (boss, as member of the Fourth Division. Former subordinate of Teng Zijing. In charge of the spies situated at Northern Qi) | Ep.2 + Ep.14 flashback of his pointing a blade from behind the curtain of his carriage. (He was taken as hostage by BeiQi to be exchanged with the “worst” monster who had crippled CPP: Xiao En.) | Ep.1 |
| 33. Yán Ruòhǎi (言若海)
| Yán Bīngyún (dad) Chén Píngpíng (boss, as head of the Fourth Division, responsible for supervising officials outside of the capital city as well as agents and military organizations) | Ep.14 He resented FX who had been a cause for his son’s demotion out of the city. (Head of the 4th Division, supervising officials and agents outside of the Jingdu. He appeared to be at odds with CPP, but was loyal and despite his dislike for FX, helped him against Lord Zhu.). | Ep.1 |
Yes that's a nice poster too ! Will you tackle it? So many characters ! I counted 53 ? But so tiny it's hard to figure them out.
I do have a big list of characters from dramawiki, but not sure I can recognize everyone + got a bit too tired and fidgety with the last episodes after FX was "operated" on, which were too rushed and choppy, from my point of view. So I am not looking forward to re-watch immediately. Despite the later half of ep36 was a nice end to this "Season" : "I'm back again" said he. Will we be back for a S3 in 2025 or 2026? Perhaps? Then, knowing who is who might be useful.
You're right about Liu Ruyu I seemed to remember that scene but while re-watching on speed to check I could not find it again, so assumed it was my bad memory since Yi in S2 did not look like the one I remembered. Yigui was indeed briefly in S1 ep.24 and was played at the time by another actress. Correcting then.
And I thought I'd heard Ye Ling'er had a brother, so anticipated he must be Ye Liuyun, but of course, attaining that level was not for young people, and so, I'll change the description to grandpa if you're sure (or is he just a relative from older generation?) I have not read the novel, so take what I remember from drama only :) edit : tackling the book now, and Ye Liuyun was in fact the grand uncle of Ye Ling'er.
You've earned another medal from my share-able MDL stash (don't know what else to do with them, lol)
Yes that's a nice poster too ! Will you tackle it? So many characters ! I counted 53 ? But so tiny it's hard to figure them out.Frost_edelweiss:
you missed 2 people. "Shadow" and Wu Zhu. so that's make 55. The person who created this poster is really awesome, he can make people fail to notice these 2 figures, similar to their identification in drama
Yes, you're a hawks-eyed expert ! So here with Shadow as 54 to left and Wu Zhu perched up around the column as 55 to right (corrected now) :
Your higher resolution pictures do help better recognizing the faces on the picture. Thanks for sharing! Shall we announce another challenge to name them all ?
And another "medal" for you :
thanks, but I didn't get "authorization" to open that link... Will ask my son who is the tech expert in my family, lol. Or just have a look at Anthony's higher res posters, while I take my time to tackle the novel, as I toyed with that idea lately, despite the daunting length.
This week, as expected, JOL2 got #1 spot among the TV series viewed in China, and more surprisingly, JOL1 got #4 among the ones on streaming. Marcus thought "My guess is lots of ppl are watching JOL S1 to prepare for S2, or to refresh their memories."
Sorry, just realized it was set as private. I've changed the setting to anyone with the link can get access.
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