AleksandraSucur

yes, but for how much irritating, that template can actually work well in stories, although it's mostly used in rebirth revenge plots (which seems to be the one in the original novel), so it's probably not the problem with the character design.
I am not saying there are no flows in character's early presentation and development (her show on the roof, sword dance, dialogue with her ex etc. - objectively, that entire scene wasn't thought well and her dialogues with her sister are off, too) but I think the story still has smth interesting to tell us, despite these initial flows. And I continue to think this actress was a miscast, this one is not completely able to deliver a "mixed" character which shows one ("shameless") face in public and another (serious and thoughtful) in private

I agree with you there's smth off with the FL, but I think it's the actress and not the character.

It doesn't look like a rebirth plot at ep. 1.

His first strike in their first fight was... opening her legs (at 31'19''). Indicative what will happen next with these two 😂😂😂

oh, you're right, ofc. But as for the time being, we have no knowledge of other people from "Tang" family (except for a certain Tang Bing, young male, in the cast list)
My question was for those who read the novel and ofc, for all the rest, who maybe missed this detail when he was presented in Sword City gathering

So, Tang Lici is the emperor's brother-in-law? And where's his wife?

Thank you 😘

Way better than Love in Pavillion which I've dropped in a certain late stage but can't remember anything except the protagonists, the ML wearing a mask and a black fox antagonist... and that it was deadly slow paced and boring.
It would be great if someone, a good soul endowed with patience, could summarize the main points of LiP, maybe even opening a topic in the discussion section for all of us who'll truly suffer if forced to refresh that prequel, in particular the characters mentioned in this one which were present in LiP and the role of "magic objects", like this prophesying spirit stone etc...
Thanks a lot in advance

Finally I've finished watching this drama I loved so much for the first half and suffered equally for a total derailment of such a nice story for the second half. So many "best" to describe the first half (best amnesia, best father-son bickering, best enemies to lovers trope and so on...) and so many "worst" (eg. worst villains' motivations, worst split story, worst backstory from the past on a sect...) to describe the second.
I don't know even how to rate it as whole, as there are two different dramas glued together.

you're not biased towards Hiyang and Jinxiu plot bc I feel the same, even more: I think Jinxiu plot is a diversion from the fact the main plot hasn't been sufficiently developed (motivationally speaking) and the characters started not to be convincing, as I've said 2 days ago

It gets better till ep 20, then the plot splits in two, taking also some weird turns, with characters starting to show few inconsistencies. In the last aired ep (28) the violence returns, foreboding a makjang in the last quarter.
If violence disturbs you, I don't recommend you to watch it.

"the economic basis determines superstructure"
it's not marxism, just a profound breadcrumbing 😂😂😂

No, it isn't about being right or wrong. We were both discussing and brought our arguments, thoughts and sensations.
Good night to you ☺️

1. Why does it matter where I come from? The thing which brings us to talk is the drama we are watching. Watching the same thing, we've just seen (in yesterdays' eps) FSG interrogating the assassins of that minister. FSG knows these are not simply "hired assassins" but XJS's people (Wu Jing was trying to provoke FSG to kill her bringing how she tortured FJX) who were ordered by a masked man, known to them as Meng Juren, as confessed by the man who died under torture.
2. PGB, I trully like your reasoning and that's the reason why I've found the time to rewatch all the episodes after you've said I had missed that scene and that MY controls him with the antidote. It never happened. MY never handed the antidote and has nothing to control XJS. You may be wrong, it happens to humans. ☺️

It looks like we are not watching the same drama.
1. It was not Wu Ying who confessed about Meng Yuran, but the other guy who died under torture. They were both caught by FSG during the assassination attempt. Once discovered who is this Meng Yuran (and he confesses himself!), and being FSG, you don't ask about such a concrete thing? Hm.
2. The antidotes are clearly handed by Jinxiu's emperor people. Find me the exact scene in which MY hands the antidote and I'll admit I've missed it and apologize to you. I've rewatched all episodes aired till two days ago bc you've convinced me I've missed that scene.

1. you refer to a "generic" knowledge bc it is predictable for a granfather to want his biological grandson to be the crown prince, I refer to the "factual" knowledge which links the crime (assassination attempt on a minister of a state) ordered by the masked man with the mandator of that crime (PM). FSG was always focused on facts, clues, concrete things, the plot was driven forward for the first half of the drama mostly because HE had an inquiring brain (that's why he was the first to debunk it was XJS who shot FYX) and that's the reason why he was so able to retort his father's reproaches: sticking to the facts. Not inquiring about concrete things is incoherent with FSG's character, sorry if we have different opinions about it.
2. I remind you that you've "seen" MY handing down the antidote to XJS, scene that you've just imagined and never happened. Now, you haven't seen the scene between XJS and WeiRan talking about the fact the emperor of Jinxiu squanders treasury money instead of paying soldiers' salaries. And that the army would have probably rebel if MY didn't bring (100.000 taels of silver, if I remember well) with the same carriage later recognized by the FL. It's ok if you missed this scene but lets try not to imagine things. In this drama we've never seen a scene implying that XJS had money to sustain the death squad. Instead, we've seen the scene of PM's foster son (before he was beheaded) talking about money, sending assassins along FSG's retreat path and the PM admitting to his nephew (always in that ancestors hall where he grieves over his son) that he knew what his foster son was doing. He said he couldn't stop him (the foster son), but he may have lied. Btw., how could have MY, with no job before Imperial Guard, spending years to bring down his best friend while acting differently, have money to pay enemy's army? It was clearly handed by so. who has money and that person can only be the PM.

exactly

1. yes, he is aware, as he is aware of the cooperation between PM and MY. But he doesn't know the exact issues the two agreed upon. I don't think he's aware PM's is planning to make his bro crown prince.
2. ofc. he sent Wu Jing, but she couldn't do that without help from a person in a heavily guarded capital.
Yes, XJS stashed his death squad there long ago and the idea could have been his, but to realise that idea it isn't sufficient to send that squad. Which consists of people and the people have expenses. Remember that XJS had no money even to pay his army, he was awaiting money from MY to pay his soldiers stationed at Pingling. So either XJS had help IN Susha capital, or is another plothole

while everybody is dissapointed with MY's motives, I am dissapointed with how FSG handled the matter. He has just interrogated Wu Jing or whatever is the name of that female manager of death camps that Meng Juran aka the masked man, ordered XJS's death warriors to kill minister of war. Why didn't he (after hearing MY's confirmation)
1. asked for the reasons of that assassination? We know why (bc. PM Zhuang must place his man in that position to have the majority of votes in the court to make his grandson crown price) but FSG doesn't.
2. How the hack XJS could have had a death camp in the capital of Susha, who helped him? MY was too young to help when XJS dismantled the camp where FYX and her sworn brothers were held and sent that woman in Susha. I've always suspected MY's father did - for particular political reasons - that but it looks like he's a true emperor's loyalist. That's why his son's personal grudge appear additionally unconvincing and petty. But for me, it wasn't surprising, I've already noticed inconsistencies around his character (whch btw. didn't even exist in the original novel). It's fine to have a few less coherent characters, if the leads are written and performed well (and they are indeed) but not asking questions is not in line with FSG's character, he is always focused on facts and on what is important. Lets hope these little cracks don't widen.

what a great cast for a lighthearted story. Hope they won't be wasted, it looks entertaining for the time being