Some of those schemes are becoming far too dramatic for my taste, with most of them popping up like mushrooms after rain! Prince Ning has suddenly become such a schemer and power-seeker, and I'm not sure if he's always been like that or if it's Qingshi's influence on him (maybe they explained it and I missed it?), and Qingshi walks around like she owns the place... I honestly can't stand that woman! 😤🙄Another terrible moment was Lin breaking Cui's heart by telling him their night together didn't really mean anything to her. And I had such hopes for them! 😭💔But on a slightly more positive note—all of Qingshi's schemes were successfully countered, Shulin was saved from being exposed as a woman, and Xihe is finally expressing more care and warmth towards Huayong. 😌 The next step would be for Xihe to remove that rope with the bell from their bed so Huayong can finally snuggle up to her... He deserves at least that much for everything he's enduring for the cure—Xihe, please! 🙏🏼
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Finally, both ladies are showing those men that they HAVE feelings for them! I am clapping my hands, kicking my feet and giggling. Everything else in this episode was irrelevant to me. 🥰🤭Except for one thing, actually. It's getting harder and harder for me to watch Huayong's suffering to be cured. And that angst over whether he lives or dies doesn't go away either. 😟
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The grim elder..... omfg — I never want to see anything like that, not even in my dreams! 🫣😨Ggeomeoksali remains the real MVP of this drama — always there to save Gu Cheon. 🤗 But, man, how could he even stay alive with his neck cut open, his eyes pierced and bleeding... Just how? In the spirit world, are the rules of dying different? 😟The king got everything he asked for. His ignorance caused all the warnings to just breeze past his ears, and all he could think about was how to keep that secret. Was he really that sure that living people would cause him more harm than what the spirits can do? I don't care if he lives or dies, really, but I don't want Saeng Gang to suffer or be harmed in any way. 🥺🙏And, lady.... he specifically said "UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES" 🤦♀️😞
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The Crown Prince making sure everyone is on the best possible terms with Xihe after he's gone makes me feel angsty... I don't want him to die, but his illness is progressing and it looks like he's trying to hide it from her. 😟Please, don't! It will only be worse if it comes suddenly, because there will be more regret about things she was too afraid to do with him OR maybe she still has some untold knowledge of a miraculous herb which might help... 🥺Shen Yingruo not wanting to marry if she's not in love is a very respectable choice. I am glad Xihe supports her, but I wouldn't even consider a different answer from her. Also, it looks like the plot is hinting at a possible romance between Yingruo and Prince Lei. If that ever happens, I will be very happy about it. They both are good characters and deserve love. 😌Jealous Cui was very cute. The way he said he has never had feelings for anyone and doesn't know how to make the person he loves happy could melt any heart. And mine he did! 🤗🥰 Fingers crossed Shulin comes around and throws her marriage plans in the bin. 🤞And Noble Consort Rong once again celebrated too soon... 😏
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And after I had given Noble Consort Rong the benefit of the doubt, she pulled this. 🙄 At least the outcome was very convenient for Xihe and Huayong — she has access to investigate from inside the harem now. 😏👆Qingshi showing off sides of her that even Qingzhi didn't know... I wonder how far she's willing to go for her goals, yet I am quite sure — very far. And all because she wants to prove something to Prince Xie, who doesn't even give the tiniest thought to her... Talk about a person's low self-esteem. 🤨 In contrast to other crazy noble ladies who usually throw tantrums, jealousy on Xihe looks cute. I really enjoyed her and Huayong's scenes, as always. 🤗💞
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I loved this episode a lot! Huayong arranging the secret meeting for Xihe, her father, and her brother was so thoughtful and sweet. I think it's one of my most favourite scenes in this drama so far, and definitely the most touching. 🥹🤗Him walking through the courtroom and showing off his cat-scratched neck as something he got from Xihe was so funny and cute. And the message did reach the target audience... 🤭And I am very curious to see if Xihe really is jealous over the Empress Dowager and Emperor asking Huayong to get more consorts... Very, very curious. 😏
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I hope they succeed in curing Huayong, but I am also afraid we might be moving towards a sad ending (at least for him), especially when I consider the intro where Huayong's silhouette with Xihe's head in his lap disperses and then she's alone near the throne. But for this, of course, I will have to wait until the end. 🥺And finally, Xihe agreed to marry Huayong. The reason she says out loud is because he has only one year left to live and that's his wish before he dies, but in truth, she already has some feelings for him. I expect great and beautiful moments from their union. 🤗🥰But about Cui and Lin... I love them, but I get why Lin would be mad at him. I would be too if there were someone who constantly pestered me, intervened in any of my plans, and just didn't leave me alone for a bit. Cui, please be more thoughtful when it comes to Lin if you want her to accept you in any way! 😮💨🙏
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That scene with the Queen Dowager and Saeng-Gang was so intense, but masterfully done. At least the witch is brought down and won't terrorise anyone anymore. 😌And as for the twist — damn! Didn't expect that, but then again, how could they already be done with the spirits if it's just episode 4, right? So there had to be something extra! 🤨And I love the bond between Saeng-Gang and Gu-Cheon growing stronger. Him staying in the palace to save her even though he despises the place? A very commendable move on his part, which I suspect will cost him something eventually. 🥹🤔And kudos to Gu-Chong for saving our little guy from the big bad snake and earning himself an adorable little pet, whose only teeny-tiny flaw is that it feeds on his already low Yang energy. 😅 But damn, it is such a cute little creature... how can I not like it? How? 🤗🤭
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They solved the attempt to drug and get intimate with Xihe so quickly that I wonder what the reason was to even include that in this story? Was it to show us that there is a hooded man who is secretly plotting against her? Or maybe the hooded man is using her to target someone else? 🤷♀️🤔Considering what happened with Prince Ding and his consort, my suspicion regarding my previous theory just keeps growing. The Emperor might marry his sons to the daughters of powerful families, and then those families somehow become traitors, enemies, etc., and get executed/wiped out, except for the wife of the prince. Maybe I am wrong, but I am seeing such a pattern, even if that's not what is happening. 🧐No matter how desperate Changqing is in his pursuit of Xihe, I can't really find the will to dislike him. I have found some sympathy for his tragic and pitiful love story with Gu Qingzhi and his character in general, so all I want is for him to find a way out, away from this obsession, and find his own happiness or at least some satisfaction in his life. And it easily could be him protecting Xihe and the Shen family from the sidelines — something he couldn't do for Qingzhi and the Gu family, being in front. I still think it would be a great redemption arc. 😔And now the Emperor is saying that he values Changqing the most, while to Huayong he said he's his favourite and most loved son. I know valuing someone and loving someone is not exactly the same, but this sounds a little bit like not being sincere with either of them. 🤨
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Well, this took a weird turn. As if Xihe had too few suitors as it is! 😳😮💨 But I do wonder who the man in the hooded cape was... his voice sounded familiar. Maybe this is some trick to frame that guy who wants to marry Xihe so that he is rejected from marrying any princess? 🤔I can't with Changqing... Despite how much I want to dislike the man, his story is making me feel sad for him and even pity him. I kind of hope that now, when he's surer than ever that Xihe is Qingzhi, after her words about what she wanted from their marriage instead of what she got, he will choose to protect her from the sidelines and not act on his one-sided love/obsession for her. That would be a great redemption arc for his character. 😔🤔Cui is becoming more and more shameless when it comes to Lin, taking all the tricks right out of Huayong's playbook... 🤭 But I am not complaining. I could watch them all day long. 😏
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I didn't expect Huayong to get the Duke of Wei's approval so soon, but I am not complaining. They both looked so excited to get to fight side by side, almost like brothers-in-arms. 😅Oh, and I love Tian Yuan — he's the ultimate wingman for Xiao Huayong. He finally told Xihe everything the Crown Prince was hiding from her, how much he had risked his life for her and what he had done... and I can only guess that her heart has changed a bit towards him, right? 😏🤗Cui using his power to manipulate Lei into allowing his visits to the Heir of Marquis Shunan's mansion... I think this guy is taking notes right from the Crown Prince's playbook... 😅🤭But the backstory of how Changqing tried to save his wife and the Gu family kind of made me feel very sad for him. That scene made me look a little differently at him and his mother, which only leads to the realization that nothing is as it seems. And considering that, I start to wonder — if the Emperor really is as terrible as he is slowly being painted... Could that mean he marries his sons to the daughters of powerful families so his sons could get access to that power, and then marks those families as traitors and executes them so the power stays with his family alone? 🤔 If that is true, then the Shen family might be in danger after the marriage of Xihe and Huayong... is it not? 🫣
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What a delightful surprise to see Peter Ho in a role that hopefully is not a villain this time! 😊🤞 And the Duke of Wei as a character gives off a positive vibe that he is as funny as his son, at least regarding XiHe. A protective father who wants all the best for his daughter and for her to be happy. I know he eventually will accept the Crown Prince, but I expect them to continue to entertain me with their hilarious exchange of words. 😅And once again I have to say that the Lin and Cui romance arc is the best possible thing this drama could have. The way it evolves has all the points I suspected in the best way possible. And, oh, Cui got moves! 😏🥰 However, I get why Lin rejects him. She confirmed the assumptions I made before — that she has to pretend to be a man, the only heir of Marquis Shunan, for her family. But could that mean their relationship would be possible if Cui agrees to be her matrilocal husband? 🤔As for XiHe and HuaYong — I think the cancellation of their engagement won't happen... They are letting that thought linger there for too long without actually acting on it. And the longer it stays this way, the higher the chance of them abandoning it completely. But ofc, that may change once the Duke of Wei goes back home. 🫣The Duke of Ying confirming my theory that the poison was meant for the Emperor, yet adding that he wasn't the one who used that poison, raises so many new questions. But for now I will stick to one of my theories that Noble Consort Rong was a part of it. And especially if I understood it correctly and she's the sister of the Duke of Ying. 🤨
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It was nice to see them finally work together. Their minds are a perfect match and their other skills just complement their tandem. They should continue to stay as crime-solving partners from now on. And then maybe even cancel the cancellation of their engagement. 😏Cui and Lin were a blast to watch as always. Every episode I am waiting for a scene or two with them. 🥰 The way how Cui now looks at Lin always makes me smile, but I am a little sad that she distances herself from him because of that. I wonder what the reason is, and the only real conclusion I can make so far is because she's supposed to be a man. 🤷♀️😔But other than that, I would like to see where this trail with the Hu merchant will lead and who is the person the Duke of Ying answers to, because I am quite certain there's someone above him. Such an ill man wouldn't need those mines to forge weapons for himself, I reckon. And considering the Duke of Xie was hiding him, then he too might be involved in this conspiracy. 🤔I like Physician Xie and I saw how touched he was about HuaYong requesting the Emperor to give his dead mother such an honourable title and the Emperor granting it. 🥹🫂
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I really enjoyed the focus on second leads in this episode. The undercover mission, being imprisoned together, taking care of each other, trying to escape — all of that letting them learn more about each other and bringing them closer… 🥹✨ I loved the choice of their cover names — Lin went with Cui ErGou and Cui went with Lin TieNiu. So clever and funny! 🤭But there’s something illegal going on in Zenan District, where the guards are arresting shabby-looking people for reasons only they know, sentencing them to imprisonment but then “releasing” them the next day because, I quote, "cells are too full". I bet they choose only those who don't have any relatives or anyone close to them in the military or government to avoid unnecessary trouble and investigation into their disappearance… 🫣😟And that’s why they wanted to kill Qi Pei, the gravely injured boy in Gudu Garden. I wonder who is behind the slavery in the mines — but as always, the only person with suspicious deeds mentioned is Noble Consort Rong, though I can’t really overlook Prince Ding and his consort Li YanHui as they also have some secrets no one is really telling anything about yet. 🤔But, uff, the bedroom scene with XiHe and HuaYong — so intense and electrifying! And their lines? 🔥🔥🔥After she hesitates to drink the medicine he has brought, him asking her if he should feed it to her with his lips, her telling him she never yields to threats, and then him leaning in until he can feel her breath on his face, whispering:“I have been very restrained. I don’t want to offend you, nor do I want to despise you.” 🫣😏Then her saying his name and him leaning in for that kiss, but her turning her head away at the last moment. Then him trying to insult her out of his own disappointment:“Commandery Princess Zhaoning, who always prioritises the big picture, abandoned me to choose another. But who else is a better match for you than me, who has a legitimate imperial descent and a short life expectancy?” 😏Then her starting to lean in toward him, and him leaning back while her gaze is locked on his, their faces as close as they can be, feeling each other's breath on their skin:“Legitimate imperial descent can be changed. Whether your life is short or not can be orchestrated.” 😳🤭Welcome to XiHe’s unrequited love club, HuaYong! 😂👏👋
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It was about time for XiHe to find out that HuaYong is the man behind the Tagara Incense mask. At least they know each other's secrets now and can build a more genuine, stronger and deeper bond when they return to it... It was heartbreaking to watch his reaction when she asked him to work together to cancel the marriage. 🥺💔XiHe is very cautious about having any kind of affectionate feelings, especially when it comes to a husband who is stronger and more powerful than her. I reckon she considers those feelings a weakness, and because she has realised she cares for HuaYong more than she would like, it would put her at a disadvantage if she ever had to act against him. And that's why she chose to break off their engagement. 😔Prince Ding and his consort are very intriguing. From the looks of it so far, it seems the consort is the one who has some secret deals and the Prince knows about them and is her protector and shield. It might be a very interesting reveal when they choose to develop that plotline further. 🤔And the biggest joy for me, of course, was Cui JinBai realising that his relationship with Bu ShuLin isn't something he's indifferent about, and the young marquis is perhaps even dearer to him than any man would dare to admit about another man. 🤭 But, of course, HuaYong's all-seeing eye and all-hearing ear planted enough doubt in JinBai's mind that maybe ShuLin isn't a man after all. Good for him! And now I can't wait for the next scene where they're together! 🥹❤️
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