Episode 16 is hilarious, gonna die laughing. shen xhie's dad doesn't like his son-in-law at all, blocking him every way possible. He tells shen xhie, "You like handsome ones, right? Arms and legs so skinny, if he speaks a bit loud you're scared the heir will fly away ." But shen xihe dad himself gets blocked by Ni shen xihe grandpa because he doesn't like his face either. The young one is so cheeky, telling his uncle to prepare to be a father-in-law to himself too. Everyone, buy fast food lol. So funny
BOP episodes have a pattern. One episode is Huayong and Xihe date. Next episode she's in trouble and he saved…
really dont know weather you like this or not any way after this pattern stops and from the beginning its not like the pattern alone only few episodes it lasted
this is gu character Shen Xihe: âEach imperial prince has their merits, all competing for marriage. Crown Prince, where lies your advantage?â
Xiao Huayong: âI possess no talents, merely blessed with frailty. When I become Emperor, if you find me bothersome, I can die early.â
Through the jade-green gauze windows gentle breezes wafted, while behind pearl curtains, the warm chamber filled with waves of fragrance.
âDo you hate me?â
The clear, sharp voice carried a hint of repression as it broke the roomâs tranquility.
That tall, straight figure stood beside the window, turned sideways. The elegant octagonal candelabra cast light through its jade shade, mixing with moonlight that crept through the partially opened window, illuminating him as an immortal descended to earth, ethereal and distinguished.
This was the Fifth Prince of the Great Xing Dynasty, Prince Xin â Xiao Changqing, beloved by the Emperor.
Only curling fragrant smoke answered him as if he were alone speaking to himself in the chamber.
His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened then loosened repeatedly until he finally turned around, unable to contain himself any longer.
His complex gaze pierced through layers â a gauze screen, jade-pearl curtains, and the misty incense smoke from the censer â falling upon the figure seated behind the low table.
Her slender, delicate fingers held a gold-inlaid jade incense spoon, gently stirring within the Five Blessings white jade incense burner.
Round and round, neither hurried nor slow.
Always like this â no matter what earth-shattering events occurred, she could remain this unmoved, as steadfast as a mountain! This was his wife, the woman he deeply loved, his Princess Xin!
A woman he could never fully comprehend.
Angrily sweeping aside the pearl curtains, causing a cascade of jeweled sounds, he strode to her front, looming over her across the table: âGu Qingzhi, do you hate me?â
Her lowered eyelids slowly fluttered as she finally raised her head. Those soul-stirring eyes, seemingly filled with the gleam of precious jade, gazed at him calmly as her voice, clear as striking ice, responded without ripple: âWhy should I hate?â
Bang! His hands slammed onto the table before her, causing it to shake, revealing his tremendous force.
This action finally drew her attention. Her gaze, about to withdraw, returned to him, those eyes flashing with infinite grace as her hands stilled their movement.
His fingers gripped the pear-wood carved table, wrinkling the elaborate silk cloth spread across it. Xiao Changqingâs voice trembled with careful control: âAt noon today, I supervised the execution of sixty-nine members of your Gu family, including your nephew not yet three years old!â
Speaking this, his heart inexplicably fluttered. He stared intently at her eyes, seeking to discover any trace of hatred, disgust, or even pain.
But he was disappointed. She remained as unruffled as ever, so peaceful it bordered on cold-blooded as if he spoke of matters completely irrelevant to her.
Three years. They had been married for three years.
Whether he pampered her to the heavens, displayed intimacy with other women before her, or even allowed concubines to disrespect her, she maintained this same ethereal detachment, as if she werenât a person living in this world at all, viewing everyone and everything with complete indifference.
âGu Qingzhi, you are heartless, your blood runs cold.â His voice seeped through clenched teeth, suppressing the anger blocking his chest.
She didnât love him, not even slightly. Despite thousands praising him and tens of thousands pursuing him, he was nothing in her eyes.
He thought, since she wouldnât love, then let her hate instead. At least he could see ripples stir in those breathtakingly beautiful eyes, but he was destined for disappointment.
He favored other women â she showed no jealousy! He took her cousin as a concubine â she shed no tears! Today he executed her entire family by imperial decree â she harbored no hatred!
âYour Highness, why go to such lengths.â Her cherry lips parted slightly as her hand resumed slowly stirring the incense, each movement refined enough to paint, âStrong ruler, weak subject; strong subject, weak ruler â itâs merely a game of power. The Gu familyâs current fate comes from Fatherâs inferior skill. Having lost, we accept the stakes willingly, without complaint. What is there to hate?â
âToday, had the Gu family won, Your Highness would similarly become a prisoner, perhaps even losing your life. His Majesty would become a puppet emperor, watching his officialsâ expressions to get through each day.â After a brief pause, she continued softly: âAs for the Gu family members being implicated, they are not innocent.â
Meeting Xiao Changqingâs dilated pupils, she saw her dignified figure reflected in his clear eyes: âThey were born to the Gu family. When the Gu family wielded tremendous power, they enjoyed the glory and wealth their prominence brought them. Now that the Gu family has fallen, they naturally must bear the price of defeat together. In this world, who can receive benefits without paying any price?â
âI, as a Gu daughter, why should I hate?â She questioned him, her lips pink as cherry blossoms lifting slightly, âWhy should I hate Your Highness? We are merely a marriage of equal status, a tremendous gamble staking life and fortune. If I werenât surnamed Gu, if I werenât the Gu familyâs principal daughter, how would I qualify to marry Your Highness as principal wife? You see, this is the glory the Gu family brought â fortune is always sought in danger. Now only I remain of the Gu family. Please instruct me, Your Highness, how should these surviving fish be dealt with?â
Having lost power, wealth, and lives, she absolutely couldnât lose the dignity of a great family, couldnât lose the pride of a noble lady! The situation was already lost, defeat impossible to reverse. What use was hysteria and hatred now, except to waste energy and shatter her final dignity and cultivation?
Xiao Changqing stumbled back two steps, struck by her words. He couldnât believe that even at this moment, she could remain so calm and rational.
She was so beautiful, as if untouched by mortal dust; yet so cold, as if lacking all human emotions.
How could such a woman exist in this world? And he was hopelessly, deeply infatuated with such a woman! Closing his eyes in anguish, Xiao Changqing turned away weakly: âYou are Princess Xin, forever so. No one can change that.â
âWhat an unwise decisionâŚâ Gu Qingzhi laughed softly, âYour Highness aims to compete for that dragon throne in Mingzheng Hall. To defy His Majesty and oppose the officials at this time, just to protect a powerless Gu Qingzhi who has nothing but her appearance â it truly doesnât match Your Highnessâs usual wise judgment. If you persist, surely many loyal followers will distance themselves from Your HighnessâŚâ
âGu Qingzhi!â Xiao Changqing roared, unable to contain his fury.
Gu Qingzhi fluttered her long lashes that gleamed with a dark light: âYour Highness should personally send me off with a cup of poison. His Majesty would surely be greatly pleased.â
Xiao Changqing whirled around, his bloodshot eyes like a wounded beast, fine blood vessels weaving a pattern of anguish, his lips curving into a bitter, self-mocking smile: âI know, from beginning to end you never wished to marry me, enduring three years of false intimacy for the Gu familyâs sake. Now you eagerly seek death, wanting release.â
âGu Qingzhi, donât even think about it!â
[Reading Notes]
1. This is a fictional historical setting resembling the Tang and Song dynasties. Historical purists, please note.
2. The female protagonist is reborn â can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhiâs experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!
3. No misunderstandings, no third parties, no melodrama between main characters. A âthree-noâ product, strictly one-versus-one throughout. Both protagonists are purely historical figures â please donât judge them by modern standards.
4. The female protagonistâs character is aloof. The male protagonist spends the first third pursuing marriage, the middle third pursuing her heart, final third achieving mutual love.
5. Both protagonists are highly intelligent and capable. This novel has many supporting characters. The author favors good looks â all are handsome men and beautiful women, at minimum extraordinary in bearing. All are intelligent, donât all love the main characters, have both good and bad, and their loves.
6. The female protagonistâs skill is incense mixing, with an enhanced sense of smell as a special ability. Thus the alternate title is âCrown Princess Uses Her Sense of Smell to Expose Everyoneâs True Identityâ. Most incense descriptions are historically accurate, with some fictional ones serving the plot.
Shen Xihe: âEach imperial prince has their merits, all competing for marriage. Crown Prince, where lies your advantage?â
Xiao Huayong: âI possess no talents, merely blessed with frailty. When I become Emperor, if you find me bothersome, I can die early.â
Through the jade-green gauze windows gentle breezes wafted, while behind pearl curtains, the warm chamber filled with waves of fragrance.
âDo you hate me?â
The clear, sharp voice carried a hint of repression as it broke the roomâs tranquility.
That tall, straight figure stood beside the window, turned sideways. The elegant octagonal candelabra cast light through its jade shade, mixing with moonlight that crept through the partially opened window, illuminating him as an immortal descended to earth, ethereal and distinguished.
This was the Fifth Prince of the Great Xing Dynasty, Prince Xin â Xiao Changqing, beloved by the Emperor.
Only curling fragrant smoke answered him as if he were alone speaking to himself in the chamber.
His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened then loosened repeatedly until he finally turned around, unable to contain himself any longer.
His complex gaze pierced through layers â a gauze screen, jade-pearl curtains, and the misty incense smoke from the censer â falling upon the figure seated behind the low table.
Her slender, delicate fingers held a gold-inlaid jade incense spoon, gently stirring within the Five Blessings white jade incense burner.
Round and round, neither hurried nor slow.
Always like this â no matter what earth-shattering events occurred, she could remain this unmoved, as steadfast as a mountain! This was his wife, the woman he deeply loved, his Princess Xin!
A woman he could never fully comprehend.
Angrily sweeping aside the pearl curtains, causing a cascade of jeweled sounds, he strode to her front, looming over her across the table: âGu Qingzhi, do you hate me?â
Her lowered eyelids slowly fluttered as she finally raised her head. Those soul-stirring eyes, seemingly filled with the gleam of precious jade, gazed at him calmly as her voice, clear as striking ice, responded without ripple: âWhy should I hate?â
Bang! His hands slammed onto the table before her, causing it to shake, revealing his tremendous force.
This action finally drew her attention. Her gaze, about to withdraw, returned to him, those eyes flashing with infinite grace as her hands stilled their movement.
His fingers gripped the pear-wood carved table, wrinkling the elaborate silk cloth spread across it. Xiao Changqingâs voice trembled with careful control: âAt noon today, I supervised the execution of sixty-nine members of your Gu family, including your nephew not yet three years old!â
Speaking this, his heart inexplicably fluttered. He stared intently at her eyes, seeking to discover any trace of hatred, disgust, or even pain.
But he was disappointed. She remained as unruffled as ever, so peaceful it bordered on cold-blooded as if he spoke of matters completely irrelevant to her.
Three years. They had been married for three years.
Whether he pampered her to the heavens, displayed intimacy with other women before her, or even allowed concubines to disrespect her, she maintained this same ethereal detachment, as if she werenât a person living in this world at all, viewing everyone and everything with complete indifference.
âGu Qingzhi, you are heartless, your blood runs cold.â His voice seeped through clenched teeth, suppressing the anger blocking his chest.
She didnât love him, not even slightly. Despite thousands praising him and tens of thousands pursuing him, he was nothing in her eyes.
He thought, since she wouldnât love, then let her hate instead. At least he could see ripples stir in those breathtakingly beautiful eyes, but he was destined for disappointment.
He favored other women â she showed no jealousy! He took her cousin as a concubine â she shed no tears! Today he executed her entire family by imperial decree â she harbored no hatred!
âYour Highness, why go to such lengths.â Her cherry lips parted slightly as her hand resumed slowly stirring the incense, each movement refined enough to paint, âStrong ruler, weak subject; strong subject, weak ruler â itâs merely a game of power. The Gu familyâs current fate comes from Fatherâs inferior skill. Having lost, we accept the stakes willingly, without complaint. What is there to hate?â
âToday, had the Gu family won, Your Highness would similarly become a prisoner, perhaps even losing your life. His Majesty would become a puppet emperor, watching his officialsâ expressions to get through each day.â After a brief pause, she continued softly: âAs for the Gu family members being implicated, they are not innocent.â
Meeting Xiao Changqingâs dilated pupils, she saw her dignified figure reflected in his clear eyes: âThey were born to the Gu family. When the Gu family wielded tremendous power, they enjoyed the glory and wealth their prominence brought them. Now that the Gu family has fallen, they naturally must bear the price of defeat together. In this world, who can receive benefits without paying any price?â
âI, as a Gu daughter, why should I hate?â She questioned him, her lips pink as cherry blossoms lifting slightly, âWhy should I hate Your Highness? We are merely a marriage of equal status, a tremendous gamble staking life and fortune. If I werenât surnamed Gu, if I werenât the Gu familyâs principal daughter, how would I qualify to marry Your Highness as principal wife? You see, this is the glory the Gu family brought â fortune is always sought in danger. Now only I remain of the Gu family. Please instruct me, Your Highness, how should these surviving fish be dealt with?â
Having lost power, wealth, and lives, she absolutely couldnât lose the dignity of a great family, couldnât lose the pride of a noble lady! The situation was already lost, defeat impossible to reverse. What use was hysteria and hatred now, except to waste energy and shatter her final dignity and cultivation?
Xiao Changqing stumbled back two steps, struck by her words. He couldnât believe that even at this moment, she could remain so calm and rational.
She was so beautiful, as if untouched by mortal dust; yet so cold, as if lacking all human emotions.
How could such a woman exist in this world? And he was hopelessly, deeply infatuated with such a woman! Closing his eyes in anguish, Xiao Changqing turned away weakly: âYou are Princess Xin, forever so. No one can change that.â
âWhat an unwise decisionâŚâ Gu Qingzhi laughed softly, âYour Highness aims to compete for that dragon throne in Mingzheng Hall. To defy His Majesty and oppose the officials at this time, just to protect a powerless Gu Qingzhi who has nothing but her appearance â it truly doesnât match Your Highnessâs usual wise judgment. If you persist, surely many loyal followers will distance themselves from Your HighnessâŚâ
âGu Qingzhi!â Xiao Changqing roared, unable to contain his fury.
Gu Qingzhi fluttered her long lashes that gleamed with a dark light: âYour Highness should personally send me off with a cup of poison. His Majesty would surely be greatly pleased.â
Xiao Changqing whirled around, his bloodshot eyes like a wounded beast, fine blood vessels weaving a pattern of anguish, his lips curving into a bitter, self-mocking smile: âI know, from beginning to end you never wished to marry me, enduring three years of false intimacy for the Gu familyâs sake. Now you eagerly seek death, wanting release.â
âGu Qingzhi, donât even think about it!â
[Reading Notes]
1. This is a fictional historical setting resembling the Tang and Song dynasties. Historical purists, please note.
2. The female protagonist is reborn â can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhiâs experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!
3. No misunderstandings, no third parties, no melodrama between main characters. A âthree-noâ product, strictly one-versus-one throughout. Both protagonists are purely historical figures â please donât judge them by modern standards.
4. The female protagonistâs character is aloof. The male protagonist spends the first third pursuing marriage, the middle third pursuing her heart, final third achieving mutual love.
5. Both protagonists are highly intelligent and capable. This novel has many supporting characters. The author favors good looks â all are handsome men and beautiful women, at minimum extraordinary in bearing. All are intelligent, donât all love the main characters, have both good and bad, and their loves.
6. The female protagonistâs skill is incense mixing, with an enhanced sense of smell as a special ability. Thus the alternate title is âCrown Princess Uses Her Sense of Smell to Expose Everyoneâs True Identityâ. Most incense descriptions are historically accurate, with some fictional ones serving the plot.
Why is she very cold, reserved, and restrained emotionally? What trauma does she have?
Shen Xihe: âEach imperial prince has their merits, all competing for marriage. Crown Prince, where lies your advantage?â
Xiao Huayong: âI possess no talents, merely blessed with frailty. When I become Emperor, if you find me bothersome, I can die early.â
Through the jade-green gauze windows gentle breezes wafted, while behind pearl curtains, the warm chamber filled with waves of fragrance.
âDo you hate me?â
The clear, sharp voice carried a hint of repression as it broke the roomâs tranquility.
That tall, straight figure stood beside the window, turned sideways. The elegant octagonal candelabra cast light through its jade shade, mixing with moonlight that crept through the partially opened window, illuminating him as an immortal descended to earth, ethereal and distinguished.
This was the Fifth Prince of the Great Xing Dynasty, Prince Xin â Xiao Changqing, beloved by the Emperor.
Only curling fragrant smoke answered him as if he were alone speaking to himself in the chamber.
His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened then loosened repeatedly until he finally turned around, unable to contain himself any longer.
His complex gaze pierced through layers â a gauze screen, jade-pearl curtains, and the misty incense smoke from the censer â falling upon the figure seated behind the low table.
Her slender, delicate fingers held a gold-inlaid jade incense spoon, gently stirring within the Five Blessings white jade incense burner.
Round and round, neither hurried nor slow.
Always like this â no matter what earth-shattering events occurred, she could remain this unmoved, as steadfast as a mountain! This was his wife, the woman he deeply loved, his Princess Xin!
A woman he could never fully comprehend.
Angrily sweeping aside the pearl curtains, causing a cascade of jeweled sounds, he strode to her front, looming over her across the table: âGu Qingzhi, do you hate me?â
Her lowered eyelids slowly fluttered as she finally raised her head. Those soul-stirring eyes, seemingly filled with the gleam of precious jade, gazed at him calmly as her voice, clear as striking ice, responded without ripple: âWhy should I hate?â
Bang! His hands slammed onto the table before her, causing it to shake, revealing his tremendous force.
This action finally drew her attention. Her gaze, about to withdraw, returned to him, those eyes flashing with infinite grace as her hands stilled their movement.
His fingers gripped the pear-wood carved table, wrinkling the elaborate silk cloth spread across it. Xiao Changqingâs voice trembled with careful control: âAt noon today, I supervised the execution of sixty-nine members of your Gu family, including your nephew not yet three years old!â
Speaking this, his heart inexplicably fluttered. He stared intently at her eyes, seeking to discover any trace of hatred, disgust, or even pain.
But he was disappointed. She remained as unruffled as ever, so peaceful it bordered on cold-blooded as if he spoke of matters completely irrelevant to her.
Three years. They had been married for three years.
Whether he pampered her to the heavens, displayed intimacy with other women before her, or even allowed concubines to disrespect her, she maintained this same ethereal detachment, as if she werenât a person living in this world at all, viewing everyone and everything with complete indifference.
âGu Qingzhi, you are heartless, your blood runs cold.â His voice seeped through clenched teeth, suppressing the anger blocking his chest.
She didnât love him, not even slightly. Despite thousands praising him and tens of thousands pursuing him, he was nothing in her eyes.
He thought, since she wouldnât love, then let her hate instead. At least he could see ripples stir in those breathtakingly beautiful eyes, but he was destined for disappointment.
He favored other women â she showed no jealousy! He took her cousin as a concubine â she shed no tears! Today he executed her entire family by imperial decree â she harbored no hatred!
âYour Highness, why go to such lengths.â Her cherry lips parted slightly as her hand resumed slowly stirring the incense, each movement refined enough to paint, âStrong ruler, weak subject; strong subject, weak ruler â itâs merely a game of power. The Gu familyâs current fate comes from Fatherâs inferior skill. Having lost, we accept the stakes willingly, without complaint. What is there to hate?â
âToday, had the Gu family won, Your Highness would similarly become a prisoner, perhaps even losing your life. His Majesty would become a puppet emperor, watching his officialsâ expressions to get through each day.â After a brief pause, she continued softly: âAs for the Gu family members being implicated, they are not innocent.â
Meeting Xiao Changqingâs dilated pupils, she saw her dignified figure reflected in his clear eyes: âThey were born to the Gu family. When the Gu family wielded tremendous power, they enjoyed the glory and wealth their prominence brought them. Now that the Gu family has fallen, they naturally must bear the price of defeat together. In this world, who can receive benefits without paying any price?â
âI, as a Gu daughter, why should I hate?â She questioned him, her lips pink as cherry blossoms lifting slightly, âWhy should I hate Your Highness? We are merely a marriage of equal status, a tremendous gamble staking life and fortune. If I werenât surnamed Gu, if I werenât the Gu familyâs principal daughter, how would I qualify to marry Your Highness as principal wife? You see, this is the glory the Gu family brought â fortune is always sought in danger. Now only I remain of the Gu family. Please instruct me, Your Highness, how should these surviving fish be dealt with?â
Having lost power, wealth, and lives, she absolutely couldnât lose the dignity of a great family, couldnât lose the pride of a noble lady! The situation was already lost, defeat impossible to reverse. What use was hysteria and hatred now, except to waste energy and shatter her final dignity and cultivation?
Xiao Changqing stumbled back two steps, struck by her words. He couldnât believe that even at this moment, she could remain so calm and rational.
She was so beautiful, as if untouched by mortal dust; yet so cold, as if lacking all human emotions.
How could such a woman exist in this world? And he was hopelessly, deeply infatuated with such a woman! Closing his eyes in anguish, Xiao Changqing turned away weakly: âYou are Princess Xin, forever so. No one can change that.â
âWhat an unwise decisionâŚâ Gu Qingzhi laughed softly, âYour Highness aims to compete for that dragon throne in Mingzheng Hall. To defy His Majesty and oppose the officials at this time, just to protect a powerless Gu Qingzhi who has nothing but her appearance â it truly doesnât match Your Highnessâs usual wise judgment. If you persist, surely many loyal followers will distance themselves from Your HighnessâŚâ
âGu Qingzhi!â Xiao Changqing roared, unable to contain his fury.
Gu Qingzhi fluttered her long lashes that gleamed with a dark light: âYour Highness should personally send me off with a cup of poison. His Majesty would surely be greatly pleased.â
Xiao Changqing whirled around, his bloodshot eyes like a wounded beast, fine blood vessels weaving a pattern of anguish, his lips curving into a bitter, self-mocking smile: âI know, from beginning to end you never wished to marry me, enduring three years of false intimacy for the Gu familyâs sake. Now you eagerly seek death, wanting release.â
âGu Qingzhi, donât even think about it!â
[Reading Notes]
1. This is a fictional historical setting resembling the Tang and Song dynasties. Historical purists, please note.
2. The female protagonist is reborn â can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhiâs experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!
3. No misunderstandings, no third parties, no melodrama between main characters. A âthree-noâ product, strictly one-versus-one throughout. Both protagonists are purely historical figures â please donât judge them by modern standards.
4. The female protagonistâs character is aloof. The male protagonist spends the first third pursuing marriage, the middle third pursuing her heart, final third achieving mutual love.
5. Both protagonists are highly intelligent and capable. This novel has many supporting characters. The author favors good looks â all are handsome men and beautiful women, at minimum extraordinary in bearing. All are intelligent, donât all love the main characters, have both good and bad, and their loves.
6. The female protagonistâs skill is incense mixing, with an enhanced sense of smell as a special ability. Thus the alternate title is âCrown Princess Uses Her Sense of Smell to Expose Everyoneâs True Identityâ. Most incense descriptions are historically accurate, with some fictional ones serving the plot.
Novel readers already knew Shen Xihe's characterization, but many people who haven't read the novel are criticizing her portrayal.
Honestly, when I first read Shen Xihe's characterization in the novel, I was worried people would criticize the performance because she's written as a very cold, reserved, and emotionally restrained character. That's exactly what's happening now.
As the story progresses, especially in the second half, Shen Xihe becomes much more expressive as she opens up to the Crown Prince and the people around her. I think many viewers will change their opinion once they see that character development and understand that this was how the character was meant to be portrayed from the beginning.
Iâm sorry, but 99% of Chinese actresses are always cast for the same type and do the same type of character…
if you are convinced or not ntg to do she will get roles and if people fed up they will stop it any way ...the way what u are saying na she has tons of projects like atleast for now she has done 10 projects and yeah saying why she is getting so many atleast think logically before you speak if she really has back she wont strive for supporting roles from 2020 - 2025 ...and she wont get leads with in this two years Anyway, in *The tiger sniff the roseo Rose*, she wasn't playing a character like this. That role didn't require her to be cold or emotionally distant. This is a completely different character with a different personality, so of course her acting will be different.
As for the criticism, I don't think it wont last long. Give it a month or two, and once tiger sniff the rose came out people see the different character , many of them will likely change their opinion.
Iâm sorry, but 99% of Chinese actresses are always cast for the same type and do the same type of character…
Anyway, I'm not trying to whitewash her. What I'm trying to say is that the dramas she gets have nothing to do with her agency backing. If that were the case, I could name plenty of actresses who constantly work with the same producers, and I'd call that actual backing.
Also, **The Princess's Gambit (TPG)** wasn't a flop in China. At worst, it performed average. In fact, when you compare its production budget and platform heat, it actually outperformed dramas like *Moonlight Reunion*, *Shadow Love*, and *The Legend of the Female General*.
Yes, she has a fanbase. But let's not act like she's at the level of Bai Lu, Ju Jingyi, Zhao Lusi, or Dilraba, who have much bigger traffic and influence.
As for Tencent making her a WeTV ambassador, why is that surprising? She's been appearing in Tencent variety shows since 2021. Then *Royal Rumours* became an unexpected success in 2023. It was only a B-level budget drama, yet it reached around **26,656 heat**, roughly equivalent to **23 million views per episode**. Many high-budget dramas couldn't even achieve that. It was even listed among the top dramas of the year.
Then came *Blossom* in 2024, which was only an A-level budget production. Initially, it was supposed to have S-level investors, but many withdrew because neither lead was considered a major traffic star. Tencent didn't heavily promote it either. Even Tencent later admitted they hadn't expected the drama to become so profitable. Do you really think reaching **30,000 heat** on Tencent is easy? It isn't. A drama usually needs around **40â50 million viewers per episode** to reach that level. *Blossom* wasn't highly anticipated and didn't have popular traffic actors, so achieving those results was genuinely impressive.
Considering all of that, it's not surprising that she became a WeTV ambassador last year.
The criticism she received for **TPG** also isn't something unique to her. Many actors and actresses have faced criticism for a single project. Bai Lu has been criticized, Lu Yuxiao received criticism for *My Journey to You*, Wang Churan for *Fireworks of My Heart*, Tan Jianci, Ju Jingyi, Zhou Ye, Esther Yu, and many others have all faced backlash for certain dramas. Yet nobody uses that to claim they don't deserve future projects. They continue getting cast because one criticized drama doesn't define an actor's career.
Meng Ziyi has actually done fewer dramas than most of the actresses I just mentioned. I'm not hating on any of themâI watch many of their dramas myselfâbut I don't complain every time they receive a good project.
I also hope you've actually read the novel and understood the original character. The main criticism Meng received was for **TPG**, yet you're acting as if she's constantly handed amazing projects because of favoritism.
As for the Yoke productions, *Blossom* and *Blossom of Power* are from the same company. Both leads were given another opportunity. Li Yunrui got *Rebirth*, while Meng Ziyi got *Blossom of Power*. At the end of the day, what matters is whether the actor can stabilize their popularity and whether the public accepts them. Tencent and the audience aren't foolish enough to keep investing in someone if there's no demand.
It honestly seems like your issue is simply that she's getting roles. But the reality is that your favorites are also getting good projects. So singling her out doesn't really make sense.
Xiao Huayong: âI possess no talents, merely blessed with frailty. When I become Emperor, if you find me bothersome, I can die early.â
Through the jade-green gauze windows gentle breezes wafted, while behind pearl curtains, the warm chamber filled with waves of fragrance.
âDo you hate me?â
The clear, sharp voice carried a hint of repression as it broke the roomâs tranquility.
That tall, straight figure stood beside the window, turned sideways. The elegant octagonal candelabra cast light through its jade shade, mixing with moonlight that crept through the partially opened window, illuminating him as an immortal descended to earth, ethereal and distinguished.
This was the Fifth Prince of the Great Xing Dynasty, Prince Xin â Xiao Changqing, beloved by the Emperor.
Only curling fragrant smoke answered him as if he were alone speaking to himself in the chamber.
His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened then loosened repeatedly until he finally turned around, unable to contain himself any longer.
His complex gaze pierced through layers â a gauze screen, jade-pearl curtains, and the misty incense smoke from the censer â falling upon the figure seated behind the low table.
Her slender, delicate fingers held a gold-inlaid jade incense spoon, gently stirring within the Five Blessings white jade incense burner.
Round and round, neither hurried nor slow.
Always like this â no matter what earth-shattering events occurred, she could remain this unmoved, as steadfast as a mountain! This was his wife, the woman he deeply loved, his Princess Xin!
A woman he could never fully comprehend.
Angrily sweeping aside the pearl curtains, causing a cascade of jeweled sounds, he strode to her front, looming over her across the table: âGu Qingzhi, do you hate me?â
Her lowered eyelids slowly fluttered as she finally raised her head. Those soul-stirring eyes, seemingly filled with the gleam of precious jade, gazed at him calmly as her voice, clear as striking ice, responded without ripple: âWhy should I hate?â
Bang! His hands slammed onto the table before her, causing it to shake, revealing his tremendous force.
This action finally drew her attention. Her gaze, about to withdraw, returned to him, those eyes flashing with infinite grace as her hands stilled their movement.
His fingers gripped the pear-wood carved table, wrinkling the elaborate silk cloth spread across it. Xiao Changqingâs voice trembled with careful control: âAt noon today, I supervised the execution of sixty-nine members of your Gu family, including your nephew not yet three years old!â
Speaking this, his heart inexplicably fluttered. He stared intently at her eyes, seeking to discover any trace of hatred, disgust, or even pain.
But he was disappointed. She remained as unruffled as ever, so peaceful it bordered on cold-blooded as if he spoke of matters completely irrelevant to her.
Three years. They had been married for three years.
Whether he pampered her to the heavens, displayed intimacy with other women before her, or even allowed concubines to disrespect her, she maintained this same ethereal detachment, as if she werenât a person living in this world at all, viewing everyone and everything with complete indifference.
âGu Qingzhi, you are heartless, your blood runs cold.â His voice seeped through clenched teeth, suppressing the anger blocking his chest.
She didnât love him, not even slightly. Despite thousands praising him and tens of thousands pursuing him, he was nothing in her eyes.
He thought, since she wouldnât love, then let her hate instead. At least he could see ripples stir in those breathtakingly beautiful eyes, but he was destined for disappointment.
He favored other women â she showed no jealousy! He took her cousin as a concubine â she shed no tears! Today he executed her entire family by imperial decree â she harbored no hatred!
âYour Highness, why go to such lengths.â Her cherry lips parted slightly as her hand resumed slowly stirring the incense, each movement refined enough to paint, âStrong ruler, weak subject; strong subject, weak ruler â itâs merely a game of power. The Gu familyâs current fate comes from Fatherâs inferior skill. Having lost, we accept the stakes willingly, without complaint. What is there to hate?â
âToday, had the Gu family won, Your Highness would similarly become a prisoner, perhaps even losing your life. His Majesty would become a puppet emperor, watching his officialsâ expressions to get through each day.â After a brief pause, she continued softly: âAs for the Gu family members being implicated, they are not innocent.â
Meeting Xiao Changqingâs dilated pupils, she saw her dignified figure reflected in his clear eyes: âThey were born to the Gu family. When the Gu family wielded tremendous power, they enjoyed the glory and wealth their prominence brought them. Now that the Gu family has fallen, they naturally must bear the price of defeat together. In this world, who can receive benefits without paying any price?â
âI, as a Gu daughter, why should I hate?â She questioned him, her lips pink as cherry blossoms lifting slightly, âWhy should I hate Your Highness? We are merely a marriage of equal status, a tremendous gamble staking life and fortune. If I werenât surnamed Gu, if I werenât the Gu familyâs principal daughter, how would I qualify to marry Your Highness as principal wife? You see, this is the glory the Gu family brought â fortune is always sought in danger. Now only I remain of the Gu family. Please instruct me, Your Highness, how should these surviving fish be dealt with?â
Having lost power, wealth, and lives, she absolutely couldnât lose the dignity of a great family, couldnât lose the pride of a noble lady! The situation was already lost, defeat impossible to reverse. What use was hysteria and hatred now, except to waste energy and shatter her final dignity and cultivation?
Xiao Changqing stumbled back two steps, struck by her words. He couldnât believe that even at this moment, she could remain so calm and rational.
She was so beautiful, as if untouched by mortal dust; yet so cold, as if lacking all human emotions.
How could such a woman exist in this world? And he was hopelessly, deeply infatuated with such a woman! Closing his eyes in anguish, Xiao Changqing turned away weakly: âYou are Princess Xin, forever so. No one can change that.â
âWhat an unwise decisionâŚâ Gu Qingzhi laughed softly, âYour Highness aims to compete for that dragon throne in Mingzheng Hall. To defy His Majesty and oppose the officials at this time, just to protect a powerless Gu Qingzhi who has nothing but her appearance â it truly doesnât match Your Highnessâs usual wise judgment. If you persist, surely many loyal followers will distance themselves from Your HighnessâŚâ
âGu Qingzhi!â Xiao Changqing roared, unable to contain his fury.
Gu Qingzhi fluttered her long lashes that gleamed with a dark light: âYour Highness should personally send me off with a cup of poison. His Majesty would surely be greatly pleased.â
Xiao Changqing whirled around, his bloodshot eyes like a wounded beast, fine blood vessels weaving a pattern of anguish, his lips curving into a bitter, self-mocking smile: âI know, from beginning to end you never wished to marry me, enduring three years of false intimacy for the Gu familyâs sake. Now you eagerly seek death, wanting release.â
âGu Qingzhi, donât even think about it!â
[Reading Notes]
1. This is a fictional historical setting resembling the Tang and Song dynasties. Historical purists, please note.
2. The female protagonist is reborn â can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhiâs experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!
3. No misunderstandings, no third parties, no melodrama between main characters. A âthree-noâ product, strictly one-versus-one throughout. Both protagonists are purely historical figures â please donât judge them by modern standards.
4. The female protagonistâs character is aloof. The male protagonist spends the first third pursuing marriage, the middle third pursuing her heart, final third achieving mutual love.
5. Both protagonists are highly intelligent and capable. This novel has many supporting characters. The author favors good looks â all are handsome men and beautiful women, at minimum extraordinary in bearing. All are intelligent, donât all love the main characters, have both good and bad, and their loves.
6. The female protagonistâs skill is incense mixing, with an enhanced sense of smell as a special ability. Thus the alternate title is âCrown Princess Uses Her Sense of Smell to Expose Everyoneâs True Identityâ. Most incense descriptions are historically accurate, with some fictional ones serving the plot.
Xiao Huayong: âI possess no talents, merely blessed with frailty. When I become Emperor, if you find me bothersome, I can die early.â
Through the jade-green gauze windows gentle breezes wafted, while behind pearl curtains, the warm chamber filled with waves of fragrance.
âDo you hate me?â
The clear, sharp voice carried a hint of repression as it broke the roomâs tranquility.
That tall, straight figure stood beside the window, turned sideways. The elegant octagonal candelabra cast light through its jade shade, mixing with moonlight that crept through the partially opened window, illuminating him as an immortal descended to earth, ethereal and distinguished.
This was the Fifth Prince of the Great Xing Dynasty, Prince Xin â Xiao Changqing, beloved by the Emperor.
Only curling fragrant smoke answered him as if he were alone speaking to himself in the chamber.
His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened then loosened repeatedly until he finally turned around, unable to contain himself any longer.
His complex gaze pierced through layers â a gauze screen, jade-pearl curtains, and the misty incense smoke from the censer â falling upon the figure seated behind the low table.
Her slender, delicate fingers held a gold-inlaid jade incense spoon, gently stirring within the Five Blessings white jade incense burner.
Round and round, neither hurried nor slow.
Always like this â no matter what earth-shattering events occurred, she could remain this unmoved, as steadfast as a mountain! This was his wife, the woman he deeply loved, his Princess Xin!
A woman he could never fully comprehend.
Angrily sweeping aside the pearl curtains, causing a cascade of jeweled sounds, he strode to her front, looming over her across the table: âGu Qingzhi, do you hate me?â
Her lowered eyelids slowly fluttered as she finally raised her head. Those soul-stirring eyes, seemingly filled with the gleam of precious jade, gazed at him calmly as her voice, clear as striking ice, responded without ripple: âWhy should I hate?â
Bang! His hands slammed onto the table before her, causing it to shake, revealing his tremendous force.
This action finally drew her attention. Her gaze, about to withdraw, returned to him, those eyes flashing with infinite grace as her hands stilled their movement.
His fingers gripped the pear-wood carved table, wrinkling the elaborate silk cloth spread across it. Xiao Changqingâs voice trembled with careful control: âAt noon today, I supervised the execution of sixty-nine members of your Gu family, including your nephew not yet three years old!â
Speaking this, his heart inexplicably fluttered. He stared intently at her eyes, seeking to discover any trace of hatred, disgust, or even pain.
But he was disappointed. She remained as unruffled as ever, so peaceful it bordered on cold-blooded as if he spoke of matters completely irrelevant to her.
Three years. They had been married for three years.
Whether he pampered her to the heavens, displayed intimacy with other women before her, or even allowed concubines to disrespect her, she maintained this same ethereal detachment, as if she werenât a person living in this world at all, viewing everyone and everything with complete indifference.
âGu Qingzhi, you are heartless, your blood runs cold.â His voice seeped through clenched teeth, suppressing the anger blocking his chest.
She didnât love him, not even slightly. Despite thousands praising him and tens of thousands pursuing him, he was nothing in her eyes.
He thought, since she wouldnât love, then let her hate instead. At least he could see ripples stir in those breathtakingly beautiful eyes, but he was destined for disappointment.
He favored other women â she showed no jealousy! He took her cousin as a concubine â she shed no tears! Today he executed her entire family by imperial decree â she harbored no hatred!
âYour Highness, why go to such lengths.â Her cherry lips parted slightly as her hand resumed slowly stirring the incense, each movement refined enough to paint, âStrong ruler, weak subject; strong subject, weak ruler â itâs merely a game of power. The Gu familyâs current fate comes from Fatherâs inferior skill. Having lost, we accept the stakes willingly, without complaint. What is there to hate?â
âToday, had the Gu family won, Your Highness would similarly become a prisoner, perhaps even losing your life. His Majesty would become a puppet emperor, watching his officialsâ expressions to get through each day.â After a brief pause, she continued softly: âAs for the Gu family members being implicated, they are not innocent.â
Meeting Xiao Changqingâs dilated pupils, she saw her dignified figure reflected in his clear eyes: âThey were born to the Gu family. When the Gu family wielded tremendous power, they enjoyed the glory and wealth their prominence brought them. Now that the Gu family has fallen, they naturally must bear the price of defeat together. In this world, who can receive benefits without paying any price?â
âI, as a Gu daughter, why should I hate?â She questioned him, her lips pink as cherry blossoms lifting slightly, âWhy should I hate Your Highness? We are merely a marriage of equal status, a tremendous gamble staking life and fortune. If I werenât surnamed Gu, if I werenât the Gu familyâs principal daughter, how would I qualify to marry Your Highness as principal wife? You see, this is the glory the Gu family brought â fortune is always sought in danger. Now only I remain of the Gu family. Please instruct me, Your Highness, how should these surviving fish be dealt with?â
Having lost power, wealth, and lives, she absolutely couldnât lose the dignity of a great family, couldnât lose the pride of a noble lady! The situation was already lost, defeat impossible to reverse. What use was hysteria and hatred now, except to waste energy and shatter her final dignity and cultivation?
Xiao Changqing stumbled back two steps, struck by her words. He couldnât believe that even at this moment, she could remain so calm and rational.
She was so beautiful, as if untouched by mortal dust; yet so cold, as if lacking all human emotions.
How could such a woman exist in this world? And he was hopelessly, deeply infatuated with such a woman! Closing his eyes in anguish, Xiao Changqing turned away weakly: âYou are Princess Xin, forever so. No one can change that.â
âWhat an unwise decisionâŚâ Gu Qingzhi laughed softly, âYour Highness aims to compete for that dragon throne in Mingzheng Hall. To defy His Majesty and oppose the officials at this time, just to protect a powerless Gu Qingzhi who has nothing but her appearance â it truly doesnât match Your Highnessâs usual wise judgment. If you persist, surely many loyal followers will distance themselves from Your HighnessâŚâ
âGu Qingzhi!â Xiao Changqing roared, unable to contain his fury.
Gu Qingzhi fluttered her long lashes that gleamed with a dark light: âYour Highness should personally send me off with a cup of poison. His Majesty would surely be greatly pleased.â
Xiao Changqing whirled around, his bloodshot eyes like a wounded beast, fine blood vessels weaving a pattern of anguish, his lips curving into a bitter, self-mocking smile: âI know, from beginning to end you never wished to marry me, enduring three years of false intimacy for the Gu familyâs sake. Now you eagerly seek death, wanting release.â
âGu Qingzhi, donât even think about it!â
[Reading Notes]
1. This is a fictional historical setting resembling the Tang and Song dynasties. Historical purists, please note.
2. The female protagonist is reborn â can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhiâs experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!
3. No misunderstandings, no third parties, no melodrama between main characters. A âthree-noâ product, strictly one-versus-one throughout. Both protagonists are purely historical figures â please donât judge them by modern standards.
4. The female protagonistâs character is aloof. The male protagonist spends the first third pursuing marriage, the middle third pursuing her heart, final third achieving mutual love.
5. Both protagonists are highly intelligent and capable. This novel has many supporting characters. The author favors good looks â all are handsome men and beautiful women, at minimum extraordinary in bearing. All are intelligent, donât all love the main characters, have both good and bad, and their loves.
6. The female protagonistâs skill is incense mixing, with an enhanced sense of smell as a special ability. Thus the alternate title is âCrown Princess Uses Her Sense of Smell to Expose Everyoneâs True Identityâ. Most incense descriptions are historically accurate, with some fictional ones serving the plot.
Xiao Huayong: âI possess no talents, merely blessed with frailty. When I become Emperor, if you find me bothersome, I can die early.â
Through the jade-green gauze windows gentle breezes wafted, while behind pearl curtains, the warm chamber filled with waves of fragrance.
âDo you hate me?â
The clear, sharp voice carried a hint of repression as it broke the roomâs tranquility.
That tall, straight figure stood beside the window, turned sideways. The elegant octagonal candelabra cast light through its jade shade, mixing with moonlight that crept through the partially opened window, illuminating him as an immortal descended to earth, ethereal and distinguished.
This was the Fifth Prince of the Great Xing Dynasty, Prince Xin â Xiao Changqing, beloved by the Emperor.
Only curling fragrant smoke answered him as if he were alone speaking to himself in the chamber.
His hands, clasped behind his back, tightened then loosened repeatedly until he finally turned around, unable to contain himself any longer.
His complex gaze pierced through layers â a gauze screen, jade-pearl curtains, and the misty incense smoke from the censer â falling upon the figure seated behind the low table.
Her slender, delicate fingers held a gold-inlaid jade incense spoon, gently stirring within the Five Blessings white jade incense burner.
Round and round, neither hurried nor slow.
Always like this â no matter what earth-shattering events occurred, she could remain this unmoved, as steadfast as a mountain! This was his wife, the woman he deeply loved, his Princess Xin!
A woman he could never fully comprehend.
Angrily sweeping aside the pearl curtains, causing a cascade of jeweled sounds, he strode to her front, looming over her across the table: âGu Qingzhi, do you hate me?â
Her lowered eyelids slowly fluttered as she finally raised her head. Those soul-stirring eyes, seemingly filled with the gleam of precious jade, gazed at him calmly as her voice, clear as striking ice, responded without ripple: âWhy should I hate?â
Bang! His hands slammed onto the table before her, causing it to shake, revealing his tremendous force.
This action finally drew her attention. Her gaze, about to withdraw, returned to him, those eyes flashing with infinite grace as her hands stilled their movement.
His fingers gripped the pear-wood carved table, wrinkling the elaborate silk cloth spread across it. Xiao Changqingâs voice trembled with careful control: âAt noon today, I supervised the execution of sixty-nine members of your Gu family, including your nephew not yet three years old!â
Speaking this, his heart inexplicably fluttered. He stared intently at her eyes, seeking to discover any trace of hatred, disgust, or even pain.
But he was disappointed. She remained as unruffled as ever, so peaceful it bordered on cold-blooded as if he spoke of matters completely irrelevant to her.
Three years. They had been married for three years.
Whether he pampered her to the heavens, displayed intimacy with other women before her, or even allowed concubines to disrespect her, she maintained this same ethereal detachment, as if she werenât a person living in this world at all, viewing everyone and everything with complete indifference.
âGu Qingzhi, you are heartless, your blood runs cold.â His voice seeped through clenched teeth, suppressing the anger blocking his chest.
She didnât love him, not even slightly. Despite thousands praising him and tens of thousands pursuing him, he was nothing in her eyes.
He thought, since she wouldnât love, then let her hate instead. At least he could see ripples stir in those breathtakingly beautiful eyes, but he was destined for disappointment.
He favored other women â she showed no jealousy! He took her cousin as a concubine â she shed no tears! Today he executed her entire family by imperial decree â she harbored no hatred!
âYour Highness, why go to such lengths.â Her cherry lips parted slightly as her hand resumed slowly stirring the incense, each movement refined enough to paint, âStrong ruler, weak subject; strong subject, weak ruler â itâs merely a game of power. The Gu familyâs current fate comes from Fatherâs inferior skill. Having lost, we accept the stakes willingly, without complaint. What is there to hate?â
âToday, had the Gu family won, Your Highness would similarly become a prisoner, perhaps even losing your life. His Majesty would become a puppet emperor, watching his officialsâ expressions to get through each day.â After a brief pause, she continued softly: âAs for the Gu family members being implicated, they are not innocent.â
Meeting Xiao Changqingâs dilated pupils, she saw her dignified figure reflected in his clear eyes: âThey were born to the Gu family. When the Gu family wielded tremendous power, they enjoyed the glory and wealth their prominence brought them. Now that the Gu family has fallen, they naturally must bear the price of defeat together. In this world, who can receive benefits without paying any price?â
âI, as a Gu daughter, why should I hate?â She questioned him, her lips pink as cherry blossoms lifting slightly, âWhy should I hate Your Highness? We are merely a marriage of equal status, a tremendous gamble staking life and fortune. If I werenât surnamed Gu, if I werenât the Gu familyâs principal daughter, how would I qualify to marry Your Highness as principal wife? You see, this is the glory the Gu family brought â fortune is always sought in danger. Now only I remain of the Gu family. Please instruct me, Your Highness, how should these surviving fish be dealt with?â
Having lost power, wealth, and lives, she absolutely couldnât lose the dignity of a great family, couldnât lose the pride of a noble lady! The situation was already lost, defeat impossible to reverse. What use was hysteria and hatred now, except to waste energy and shatter her final dignity and cultivation?
Xiao Changqing stumbled back two steps, struck by her words. He couldnât believe that even at this moment, she could remain so calm and rational.
She was so beautiful, as if untouched by mortal dust; yet so cold, as if lacking all human emotions.
How could such a woman exist in this world? And he was hopelessly, deeply infatuated with such a woman! Closing his eyes in anguish, Xiao Changqing turned away weakly: âYou are Princess Xin, forever so. No one can change that.â
âWhat an unwise decisionâŚâ Gu Qingzhi laughed softly, âYour Highness aims to compete for that dragon throne in Mingzheng Hall. To defy His Majesty and oppose the officials at this time, just to protect a powerless Gu Qingzhi who has nothing but her appearance â it truly doesnât match Your Highnessâs usual wise judgment. If you persist, surely many loyal followers will distance themselves from Your HighnessâŚâ
âGu Qingzhi!â Xiao Changqing roared, unable to contain his fury.
Gu Qingzhi fluttered her long lashes that gleamed with a dark light: âYour Highness should personally send me off with a cup of poison. His Majesty would surely be greatly pleased.â
Xiao Changqing whirled around, his bloodshot eyes like a wounded beast, fine blood vessels weaving a pattern of anguish, his lips curving into a bitter, self-mocking smile: âI know, from beginning to end you never wished to marry me, enduring three years of false intimacy for the Gu familyâs sake. Now you eagerly seek death, wanting release.â
âGu Qingzhi, donât even think about it!â
[Reading Notes]
1. This is a fictional historical setting resembling the Tang and Song dynasties. Historical purists, please note.
2. The female protagonist is reborn â can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhiâs experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!
3. No misunderstandings, no third parties, no melodrama between main characters. A âthree-noâ product, strictly one-versus-one throughout. Both protagonists are purely historical figures â please donât judge them by modern standards.
4. The female protagonistâs character is aloof. The male protagonist spends the first third pursuing marriage, the middle third pursuing her heart, final third achieving mutual love.
5. Both protagonists are highly intelligent and capable. This novel has many supporting characters. The author favors good looks â all are handsome men and beautiful women, at minimum extraordinary in bearing. All are intelligent, donât all love the main characters, have both good and bad, and their loves.
6. The female protagonistâs skill is incense mixing, with an enhanced sense of smell as a special ability. Thus the alternate title is âCrown Princess Uses Her Sense of Smell to Expose Everyoneâs True Identityâ. Most incense descriptions are historically accurate, with some fictional ones serving the plot.
Honestly, when I first read Shen Xihe's characterization in the novel, I was worried people would criticize the performance because she's written as a very cold, reserved, and emotionally restrained character. That's exactly what's happening now.
As the story progresses, especially in the second half, Shen Xihe becomes much more expressive as she opens up to the Crown Prince and the people around her. I think many viewers will change their opinion once they see that character development and understand that this was how the character was meant to be portrayed from the beginning.
As for the criticism, I don't think it wont last long. Give it a month or two, and once tiger sniff the rose came out people see the different character , many of them will likely change their opinion.
Also, **The Princess's Gambit (TPG)** wasn't a flop in China. At worst, it performed average. In fact, when you compare its production budget and platform heat, it actually outperformed dramas like *Moonlight Reunion*, *Shadow Love*, and *The Legend of the Female General*.
Yes, she has a fanbase. But let's not act like she's at the level of Bai Lu, Ju Jingyi, Zhao Lusi, or Dilraba, who have much bigger traffic and influence.
As for Tencent making her a WeTV ambassador, why is that surprising? She's been appearing in Tencent variety shows since 2021. Then *Royal Rumours* became an unexpected success in 2023. It was only a B-level budget drama, yet it reached around **26,656 heat**, roughly equivalent to **23 million views per episode**. Many high-budget dramas couldn't even achieve that. It was even listed among the top dramas of the year.
Then came *Blossom* in 2024, which was only an A-level budget production. Initially, it was supposed to have S-level investors, but many withdrew because neither lead was considered a major traffic star. Tencent didn't heavily promote it either. Even Tencent later admitted they hadn't expected the drama to become so profitable. Do you really think reaching **30,000 heat** on Tencent is easy? It isn't. A drama usually needs around **40â50 million viewers per episode** to reach that level. *Blossom* wasn't highly anticipated and didn't have popular traffic actors, so achieving those results was genuinely impressive.
Considering all of that, it's not surprising that she became a WeTV ambassador last year.
The criticism she received for **TPG** also isn't something unique to her. Many actors and actresses have faced criticism for a single project. Bai Lu has been criticized, Lu Yuxiao received criticism for *My Journey to You*, Wang Churan for *Fireworks of My Heart*, Tan Jianci, Ju Jingyi, Zhou Ye, Esther Yu, and many others have all faced backlash for certain dramas. Yet nobody uses that to claim they don't deserve future projects. They continue getting cast because one criticized drama doesn't define an actor's career.
Meng Ziyi has actually done fewer dramas than most of the actresses I just mentioned. I'm not hating on any of themâI watch many of their dramas myselfâbut I don't complain every time they receive a good project.
I also hope you've actually read the novel and understood the original character. The main criticism Meng received was for **TPG**, yet you're acting as if she's constantly handed amazing projects because of favoritism.
As for the Yoke productions, *Blossom* and *Blossom of Power* are from the same company. Both leads were given another opportunity. Li Yunrui got *Rebirth*, while Meng Ziyi got *Blossom of Power*. At the end of the day, what matters is whether the actor can stabilize their popularity and whether the public accepts them. Tencent and the audience aren't foolish enough to keep investing in someone if there's no demand.
It honestly seems like your issue is simply that she's getting roles. But the reality is that your favorites are also getting good projects. So singling her out doesn't really make sense.