AleksandraSucur

well, why did she miss so many chances to ask him why she tried to murder her?

well, the references to The Story of Minglan are many and far too obvious to not be seen as a clear homage to that (very successful, successful for a reason) drama to be missed by persons who have seen it.

If other debaters compare the drama to the novel why can't I compare it to the drama which clearly inspired both the novel and this drama?

We've started this exchange of povs from twinty's coment "It is frustrating for me as a viewer that it is taking too long for the FL to find out as I cannot start seeing them as a romantic couple until she does."

This is not only her/his opinion, I hope we could all agree this is a fact, and those who've read the novel state the truth came out much earlier, you seem to have read it, you've said that in your opinion, the screenwriting is better than the original, implying you've read it, right?

Imo, the plotline (I refer only to the drama) is problematic EXACTLY because it is too much focused on "revealing the truth" about her real parents, they are dragging it too long in order to obtain suspence effect, while forgetting... practically all the rest. In particular the authors (lets call them jointly this way, both the original writer, although the story is not that much original, and the screenwriters) as if they've forgotten to build up characters and their relationships, motivation of their actions (the structure of any story is the sum of the actions displayed in a novel or a drama, nothing else!), ie. the psychological background of the actions, which is truly necessary for this genre (some other don't need it). If the whole plot is pending on the suspence of revealing the secret of her birth, which basing on the trailers, will happen soon, ep 27, everything after that climax will simply be anticlimatic.

As for the rest, I have nothing against acting in comfort zones or the productions in search of success, on condition that the plot is satisfying.

Lol 👌

And regarding "confusing choices" of the writers, well, the major attachment/worry I've felt till now was that goose Fugui, I really fear smth bad can happen to him. 😁
That means only one thing: the characters are not developed sufficiently to make me relate with them

She can be ashamed to tell about LJX and the audience can be left guessing, but the shame should not stop such a person to discover the truth why (and if really) her ex tried to kill her - this is the problem I've wanted to point out

I haven't read the novel, so I can't judge what's better or if it's the original novel storyline the problem I see in the drama, which I'd identify in overall lack of characterisation, which is the key for every family ensamble drama in historical setting to be watched. The audience must understand their motives and see how their relationships develop. This drama tries to homage The Story of Minglan in so many ways, starting from the basic plot structure (investigation of her mother's death) to open references (FL's mother's name is Minglan), but it lacks to deliver all the key relations:
1. the deep and touching affection between grandmother and the FL from Minglan is totally flattened, in this drama there are no wise teachings accompanying FL's growth, there are no apparent reasons for their attachment at all, we still wonder if Mrs Luo knows FL is not a Luo child.
2. FL's relationship with her "old flame" is so incoherent: why would such a brave person (different from young Minglan) feel such a terror in front of LJX and be unwilling to tell about him to a person she believes is her brother? Why would such a suspicious, smart and scheming girl believe LJX ordered her death? It makes no sense she is all in investigation of her mother's murder while she is totally unwilling to know anything about the attempted murder on herself. I've read many people here dissatisfied with Ren Min's acting and voice... but the problem is not the actress, it's the script, the actress only delievers what is written and how this character was imagined.
3. All side characters are flattened, FL's father is a caricature of Minglan's father, we truly felt as a narciss beguiled by concubine's flatterings but truly moved only when his reputation came into question.
4. Women villains' characters here also fall far behind the concubine of Shen, Gu's mother or Minglan's "aunt". Here we simply don't understand why are they acting as they're acting, we have no clue of their backgrounds, of the psychological aspect that moves them in wrong direction. Even the sister - who constantly repeats the same errors - is just dumb, she lacks sophistication in simblings' competition games of Minglan's sister...
5. ML. I agree the actor is doing well, but as I've explained above, the problem is not with the actors. Besides, ZWY is totally playing in his comfort zone with this role, it's a replica of his role in Lost You Forever, we've seen that, moved ahead and want smth different now.

The storyline is a big problem of this drama

the writing lacks in many aspects but the biggest problem is the lack of coherent characterisation and it is not just with reference to her father, who is more or less a side character, even the main leads are incoherent. Why would such a suspicious, smart and scheming girl avoid to tell her brother her background story with LJX, why would she believe LJX ordered her death in the first place? It's unconvincing to investigate her mother's murder while she is totally disinterested in the attempted murder on herself.
Not to mention the villains here, not only we don't understand their way of thinking or motives to be villains but their execution of crimes is a mess. When FL's mother was killed, she showed for months prolonged health symptoms, while Mrs Qiao was killed in a night (in reality, pufferfish toxin kills in seconds), the same poison cannot be manifested in a different way... and so on.

Yue Qin is able to rule both countries 😁

yes, it would have been more logical, but I also have a feeling he intentionally wants a bit of animosity from her side. If Luo Mei knew the truth behind the massacre, she would insist on helping MJH jeopardizing his search for proofs and alarming MHL even more

true dat, true dat 😂

what a moment indeed 😂

yes, I've misunderstood him, too. Imo, the actor playing YQ doesn't have a smart face to start with and combined with a loser role, it didn't seem promising. I've forgotten "hidden C-drama weapons", such as drugs that make people appear dead 🙄 resulting in an unexpected coup de théâtre: the beauties are alive! 😁👌

I see your point now. We know the motif for murder (jealousy), but we don't know the exact course of the crime. Rethinking, Zhang nanny behaviour is not much of a normal...

I haven't read the novel, don't know if her mother's death is as described in the drama... If it's the same, then the author didn't do a minimal research about this poison, in countries like Japan, where at least 50 persons die x year of this poison, people will certainly lough hearing it provoked stomach illness with convulsions, prolonged weakness and depression for months (as her mother's symptoms were described in the drama). Pufferfish organs, skin and pins contain lethal toxin called tetrodotoxin (TTX), just 2 mg is enough to kill an adult human. The death is practically instantanious, that's why there's no antidotes, no time to take it, TTX paralyses the entire neuro-system and the poisoned patient dies in seconds from suffocation being the nerves which allow respiration completely out.
Therefore, don't dwell too much on "how", it's a work of fantasy anyways 😁

The gluttonous 6th Lady hinted the answer: her mother invited a cook from her town to prepare a pufferfish (she tasted back then as a child). Only a specialized cook can extract a poison, contained in internal organs of the fish, taking care their poisonous content not to come in contact with the fish flesh. Madam Chen then probably soaked the tea block gifted by 2nd Luo to his wife (FL's mother) with that poison.

It's a blend of already seen plots, as someone said above, they are written using old templates and then combining them. The ground family story (evil stepmother, dumb halfsister, biased father) is from The Double, business oriented FL is from BiA, hidden identity from some other, as well as ML-underdog hiding his skills and intentions...

It's also entertaining to guess where certain plots are coming from and how are theu combined to avoid accusations for plagiarism...

As I've understood some hints, the Leitmotiv is "letting go of obsessions". Main leads are still both locked in their obsessions: FL is locked in the tragedy of her native village and can't get over the loss of her friend or brother who saved her life, while ML is locked in a promise he will protect his sworn brother's wife and son, whatever the cost.
But they've already started to form opinions on each other and this thinking will certainly bring them closer, imo. they are (imagined) compatible characters to form a couple, but this thing is due to the original author (and the two actors are capable of delivering that change of heart), I'm a bit worried about the screen adaptation, when we don't see the scriptwriter's name in the cast... it's regularly a bad omen for a drama.

The pace and fighting scenes are ok, the FL role seems tailored for Li Qin, she feels so natural in this dettached character, the setting and music are more or less fine (it isn't fine when the lyrics translation overlap the dialogues), but deep down I still feel certain discomfort...
When I don't see the name of the scriptwriter among the cast, I can't help but to interpret it as a bad omen for the consistency of the story. 🙄