CasualCDfan

I have feeling that they were going that route base on how soft they made the ML in the drama. In the drama, the ML does fall in love deeply. But, he never resorted to following the FL around like a lost puppy after their break up. He had his military duties to attend to. But he did send his men to spy on her to prevent her from getting married. lol

In the novel, Ziyu was NEVER presented as a serious love rival to CXZ. FL didn't remember him for most of the novel and when she did remember him, she never went back to him. But in typical Cdrama fashion, seems like that's going to change. I hope I'm wrong.

" I will never understand how cdrama writers ruin great novels by adding stupid cliches that are unnecessary. "

One reason is that these adaptations are often handled by mediocre people who lack the skill to adapt a story without filling it clichés. They struggle to bring fresh perspectives to the material. Another reason is that many directors are eager to showcase their artistic vision, and in doing so, they'll ruin original work, believing they are enhancing it.

She loved him. But the novel was vague about how deep the love was. The novel doesn't spend any time on recapping their relationship. At the end, when she regained her memories, she chose to stay with the ML instead of reconnecting with Ziyu. It seems like the drama is changing that.

It seems like that's what he'll be doing in ep. 24.

You should see the preview for ep. 24. LMT reconnects with Ziyu (because of course the drama would do that) then CXZ is following them around looking like a child who had his toy stolen from him. I hate how these dramas dilute some of these male characters and add unnecessary plot points for the sake of drama. They've ruined this wonderful dynamic with cliches.

The drama is essentially telling an entirely different story from the novel. I guess they feel the only way to give LMT some agency and make this drama more exciting is to take LMT down the path of vengeance, have her reconnect with her ex, and have the ML follow her around like a simp.

100% This adaptation is so disappointing. The writers feel like unless LMT becomes a revengeful, blood thirsty, cold, and manipulative woman, she would have no agency. Watch them turn CXZ into a complete simp.

In the novel, he's also a virgin, but he didn’t stand a chance against LMT’s beauty and the aphrodisiac wine she made for him. Lol. Him finally giving in is the more realistic (although unethical) outcome.

Nope, It’s due to censorship or simply wanting to water down the ML. No straight man is that pure. CXZ’s novel version is more realistic.

It’s hilarious. But I think they were thinking more along the lines of making him grovel, cry, or messing with food. But they were not thinking about Lu Wen’s brand of revenge. That’s scary. I doubt the drama will take LMT’s character down that path. It would make her the villain.

She will probably have a strong emotional reaction in the moment and stab him. But I won’t consider that as her taking revenge. A proper revenge story is premeditated. I doubt the drama would take LMT’s character down that path.

She doesn't NEED to get revenge against CXZ since he's not the bad guy here. He saved her life, while others left her to die. If she gets revenge after knowing his true nature and intentions that would literally make her a villain. Once you go down that path of revenge, you don't come back from it. What they need is for both of them to stop playing their cat and mouse game and lay everything out in the open and talk about how they feel.

What I love about this dynamic is that they’ve been admiring each other even while trying to kill each other. That’s why CXZ was so disappointed when Ziyu (whom he thought was Lu Wen) quit their game so anticlimactically. Here’s the twist: when Lu Wen fully returns, I believe she’ll be even more drawn to CXZ than innocent LMT ever was. While she might have had a bit of puppy love for Ziyu, the man she truly admired in secret was her arch-nemesis, CXZ.

If he remain unaware, it would amount to character assassination. I think he'll figure out she's Lu Wen sooner than later also. I hope they don't dumb down CXZ just to make LMT shine more.

No one said he was *completely* justified. But some of his lies were justified since he believed she was the enemy’s concubine. He also saved her life, didn’t take advantage of her sexually despite having the power to do so, and tried to arrange a good future for her.

This isn’t not a double standard. CXZ used LMT because he believed she was the enemy. Yet despite his lies (which are bad) he still protected her and didn’t try to hurt her out of malice. However, if LMT tries to hurt CXZ despite knowing his intentions and seeing that he’s not a bad person, that would make her a villain.

CXZ has never been in love before. For the first time, he’s found love and a place of peace. Their home has become his sanctuary, where he can escape his troubles and the wars, and quietly share meals with his "wife." Naturally, he’s afraid of losing it all—it’s a completely normal human reaction. I believe LMT feels the same way about their home, which is why I don’t think she would try to hurt him out of revenge.

My prediction is that LMT won't follow through with her revenge against CXZ because she's also in love. If LMT were to carry out her revenge, even though CXZ may lied to her and manipulate her (he had his reasons), it would turn her into an ungrateful person and a villain. So, I'm confident that those hoping for LMT to become a bitter, vengeful psychopath simply because CXZ isn't perfect will end up disappointed.

Drama creation. At this point the drama is doing its own thing.

I don't remember this being a big plot point in the novel. This seems to be a drama creation.

As is often the case with novel-to-drama adaptations, everything had to be watered down to satisfy China's censorship requirements and appease fans who don't like morally grey male characters.

In the novel, LMT's partial hatred for CXZ (I don't believe she ever hated him) makes more sense than the drama (although we don't know how much she truly hates him at this point). In the book, he took her chastity—though to be fair, he was under the influence of a potent aphrodisiac wine she had made to enhance his libido. After his deceit was exposed, he avoided taking full responsibility, choosing instead to gaslight her by arguing that he hadn’t explicitly lied but merely allowed her to believe he was her husband.

He then shifted the blame for them sleeping together onto her because of the wine she served him. In an attempt to make amends, he offered to take her as a concubine. LMT was so furious she stopped calling him husband and then left him without personally saying goodbye.

If the drama insists on taking the route of having LMT seek revenge on CXZ (though it's still unclear if that's truly the direction they're heading), they should have at least preserved the original storyline from the novel. It offers a stronger foundation for her to take revenge on him. While the drama version of CXZ is a lying jerk, he showed a lot more consideration to LMT compared to his novel counterpart. If they take LMT down the path of vengeance against CXZ, it would be based on relatively weak motivation.

Drama CXZ had countless chances to exploit LMT sexually, but he chose not to. Despite this, she initiated a lip-biting kiss. Now, both are revealed as liars and manipulators. Given that CXZ saved her life and truly cared for her, even if he was dishonest, I don't believe she has the moral high ground to seek revenge. If the writers go this route, they'd be turning LMT into a villain.

That said: I don't believe the drama will have LMT go through with her vengeance against CXZ.