In the end, everything feels like it has come full circle—their journey started at the Futu Pagoda and practically ended there too. Bu Yinlou was supposed to die there as a sacrifice, and now, a year later, she actually died… at least in the eyes of the Emperor. It was a relief to see even General Yu Zhu stepping into his morals and letting Yinlou and Xiao Duo escape in the end.What I didn't understand was—did Murong Gaogong die or just collapse after learning of Yinlou's death? Either way, it’s quite ironic for him that it happened on the Lantern Festival, knowing what lanterns meant to him. They were his hobby, he put his soul into them, and he was talented at making them. Of course, a lot of credit for even starting such a hobby goes to the fact that he was saved by the lantern in Yinlou's hand back then, when he was just a scared, bullied child hiding in a dark corner.But am I satisfied with the ending? Kind of, I guess. It was a happy one, but I would have loved to see what happened to the country and who became the next ruler. Was it Prince Liangxu and Wanwan? What happened to the other people I cared about? Yeah, not knowing those bits leaves the ending feeling a bit rushed and incomplete—not for the protagonists, perhaps, but certainly for the other characters.My overall opinion on the drama is very positive, despite a lot of romance scenes being cut. At least I checked them out after I finished the show. I really enjoyed the fight scenes, I loved how clever our leads were, and I loved our second and third couples too. The chemistry between Dylan Wang and Yukee Chen was great, and Peter Ho played the psycho Emperor perfectly. I hated the character so much, which is sign enough of how good Peter was.
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Oh, what an episode! The beginning was so promising and... oh boy, do I love Dylan Wang fight scenes? YES, some of the best I have seen in C-dramas so far! I was so excited about everything—the decoy move, the scouting, the infiltration into the Imperial army—overall a very well-planned attack, and those agile moves, cuts, and slashes... AMAZING! Such ML aura, I can't.... However, the excitement was cut short due to the Emperor's trap. I thought they were done. But thanks to Yinlou's acting and someone shouting that the Emperor is a usurper, a tyrant, and killed Prince Rong, they all got saved, retreating back to the Dream House. And, thank God, Yinlou got away from the Emperor. I think being locked in that tower is a million times better than being around him... however, he still visits. Daily. The Emperor is getting even more out of line, killing anyone who displeases him no matter how many witnesses there are... It's actual terror in the Imperial Palace. Even Eunuch Sun wasn't spared. And what an ironic death he got! But he only has himself to blame. Luckily, we've got Wanwan as our ally now, and now will be the final countdown. This better have a happy ending. I've cried too much in these last few episodes!
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Thank God, this episode was much easier to watch than the previous one! Of course, the Emperor continued to be his monstrous self, while Yinlou and Xiao Duo had their plans for escape. OMG, I loved Yinlou slapping the Emperor and telling him all that truth he doesn't want to see about himself! And luckily, the Emperor snapped enough to spill that he's seeing the little Prince Rong, whom he killed himself... An opportunity, no? And Yinlou used it well, pretending to be possessed by the little prince's mother, Consort Shao. Meanwhile, Xiao Duo crafted his own plans in prison to break out and save Yinlou. Oh, and I loved so much how the Zhaoding Bureau and young Prince Liangxu are working together to help with this! Liangxu even got Miss Ming from the Dream House to help hide all these "fugitives". Liangxu, of course, has his own goal—to save Princess Hede—but all together they have a plan that's going down on the Empress's Coronation Day! Oh, I love this... I am feeling so excited! I want to see how it all goes down...
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I don't remember when the last time was that I encountered such a vile villain. The Emperor has so many insecurities, I bet he doesn't even trust his own shadow not to betray him. His idea of power is to take, to possess, to control, and to use everyone for whatever he desires. It's abusing power, not using it. And he abuses his gloriously... I don't believe there's any person left who actually likes him, even the tiniest bit. Everyone is terrified of him. Wanwan still tried, because she is his sister and they are related by blood, but even she is taken for granted for having a different opinion than him... At least Liangxu could get away... but he still can't leave because Wanwan is locked in the palace. This pains me. At this point, I really just want someone to kill the Emperor, because I think it's better to be executed for freeing the world from such a monster than to live in captivity under his torture.
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Yinlou, all you had to do was close the doors behind you! Lady… really? And now the Emperor knows, and I am not even sure what he is going to do to them… I am really afraid of what’s coming next, because I am not sure if this drama has a happy ending or not… omg, omg, omg! The aftermath of the previous episode is still heavy in the air — young Prince Lingxu cannot really look at Wanwan without thinking about his brother, so he just chooses to chase her away. The Emperor has become impotent, and Yinlou had a very sad goodbye from her father. She said it right—he was never a father to her, so how could he expect her to be a daughter to him? It’s always hard to watch when parents blame their children for their own failures, call them names, or wish they were never born. Yinlou is definitely better off without him!
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Chu Zhao proved she is a general's daughter through and through. Her strategic mind, her father's wisdom, and her knowledge of the enemy helped immensely in defending Wangchong when the odds were against them. Not knowing if A'Jiu had survived the battle made her run out onto the battlefield, searching for him among the fallen. But then he appeared, riding towards her, and they ran into each other's arms, embracing in pure relief at seeing the other alive. That was a beautiful scene—I even rewatched it a couple of times! But seeing the fallen hit Zhao hard. They were brothers, sons, fathers, and husbands to someone waiting for them, who would now never be able to meet again. I think she was even more emotional about them because she has felt that kind of loss herself, and she still doesn't know if she'll be able to see her father ever again. A'Jiu comforting her and finally confessing was a profoundly touching and heartfelt moment. The kiss there was so well-placed and thoroughly deserved! But to make things worse, now her father has lost his sight? That breaks my heart more than I can describe. The thought that even when they finally reunite, he won’t be able to see her is devastating. The plot is building up to his death, and I can only pray they manage to meet while he is still alive. On a brighter note, I want to applaud the Little Emperor! No one else fits the throne quite like him in this drama. Xiao Yu has all the qualities and the aura—his voice is steady, his words are confident, and he isn't cowering in front of all those grown men in the court hall. I am so proud of that boy!Lastly... does Deng Yi fancy Chu Tang? It certainly looked like it, and the feeling seems mutual! Did Zhao anticipate this, and is that why she left her in the capital to "hold the court"? Hmm... Could Chu Tang be used as the key to sway Deng Yi over to our side, maybe?
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I actually hoped Prince Liangxu would interfere in his brother's attack on Princess Hede. They are like the Romeo and Juliet of this story... Actually, it also hints at the alternative title "Forbidden Love", much like Xiao Duo and Yinlou's love.But they really had me worried. I thought Prince Liangshi might actually kill his little brother and then the princess. That scene was the most devastating in this episode—Liangxu trying to stop his brother again and again and again, spitting blood after every hit he took... Phew, I am happy they are safe now. However, Prince Liangshi's death was quite a disappointment. Slashing his own throat? Well... at least he's dead, I guess. That's one of the two I wanted gone. The other one is currently unconscious, and I believe the rest of the drama will focus on dealing with him. Murong Gaogong will learn the truth and go after our main lovers, starting with Xiao Duo. He will probably even make Yinlou watch how he kills him...
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Have I missed an important scene? Because I couldn't really follow why the Emperor was suddenly after someone dear to Yinlou... and with such anger? Huh? I still think Yinlou and Xiao Duo could team up with the Prince of Nanyuan and take down the Emperor. He gives me even more creeps now! I was literally scared for Yinlou's sister, even though I've never liked her and don't wish her well. But it seems like she is letting her game with the Emperor get to her head. Could it be possible that she even turns against her husband at some point because of that? It's hard to tell, but there's no love between her and Prince Yuwen Liangshi, and she's a total opportunist. My version for the best possible ending to all this would be that the rebellion is successful, both Murong Gaogong and Prince Yuwen Liangshi die, the young Prince Yuwen Liangxi becomes the Emperor with Wanwan as his Empress, and Xiao Duo and Yinlou live happily ever after in a riverside cottage with Eunuch Cao, Tongyun, and Eunuch Ba (the dog).
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Oh, they are not sparing me! The sheer panic I felt for them when the Emperor visited her while Xiao Duo was still hiding there... please, my heart can't take this! They keep taunting their fate! Now that we know the Prince of Nanyuan wasn't the one who killed the real Xiao Duo, I am genuinely hoping we can gain him as an ally to help take down the Emperor. He seemed actually quite a decent guy with his younger brother and as it sounded, their family should be the one sitting in throne. So, would it be a win-win situation, right?
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Grandma's advice is always the best and really helps Seori to appreciate life and to learn to love herself. It's very sweet how Seori often applies it to her relationship with Segye, which is usually one of the reasons their relationship stays so healthy. Our leads are perfect, even with their flaws. The way they always do those little things—which sometimes are not that little—to make the other feel better (or like Segye, sometimes for selfish reasons) just warms my heart every time. And what did I love the most? The fact that Segye accepts the stories behind his dreams and is completely willing to believe them, no matter how insane they might feel! All that for her.Mundo can go and kill himself. His presence is not welcome on my screen... And I applaud Grandpa for sending Mundo to the US! Well done!
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Oh, they are finally bringing up the topic of Chu Zhao’s mother! I really want to know more, as it seems there’s some secret or mystery surrounding her. There's so much backstory they haven't told us yet! I am eagerly waiting to hear more history of Cangmu Stronghold and the truth about Chu Zhao’s mother; I suspect both could even be linked in some way. Giving us all those little moments of tension between the leads… My heart leaps every time they bring them closer. And the way they express their care for each other? C'mon, they really are not sparing me! They better give us a kiss soon!
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I was shocked that the murderer turned out to be Yinlou’s father! I definitely didn’t see that coming. And the Empress just stabbed herself in the heart with a hairpin simply because Xiao Duo didn’t believe her?! She is so dramatic! Good riddance, lady! You won't be missed. Also, seeing Eunuch Sun become more and more uneasy around the Emperor is such a rewarding sight. He contributed a lot to turning the Emperor into the monster he is now, so if anything happens, he only has himself to thank. And the best moment of this episode? Definitely, Tongyun and Cao Chun'ang's "forced" marriage, and her confession of her feelings!
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I guess this Demon Fox plot was something necessary for Empress Rong'an's character arc, but otherwise, I don’t really see much use for it. Yinlou and Xiao Duo were clever and quick-thinking as usual, and for once, the Emperor was actually useful for something! Overall, though, this felt a lot like a filler episode.
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Even though they haven’t actually been caught yet, I don't think they are doing a very good job of hiding it or sneaking around! They always meet in such exposed areas that can be overlooked from quite a distance… At night, they have lanterns lit absolutely everywhere around them… And Xiao Duo is now just openly wearing Yinlou’s Fish Immortal token?! Do they not care about my nerves? I am so on edge whenever they meet because the Emperor or any of his men could easily see them. And Empress Rong'an has already put two and two together… poor Tongyun has even been dragged into one of her malicious schemes now. Oh, my… The only consolation is that Princess Hede is actually helping them now!
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I must say — I do love how they play with colours in some scenes, where part of the picture becomes greyish and only specific characters remain in colour. I think it’s a brilliant way of showing us what’s important in that particular moment. I only wonder why they chose those specific scenes to highlight that way. It’s quite amusing to see how Deng Yi, Xie Yanfang, Xiao Xun, and Chu Zhao can anticipate each other’s moves just by knowing what is supposedly happening with them. To be fair, Xiao Xun seems the least dangerous of the three; his game is already quite transparent. Deng Yi holds that element of unpredictability because of the child he always plays Go with — I still don't know who the boy is, what he signifies, or what his influence over Deng Yi really is. Meanwhile, Xie Yanfang is the hardest to read — he schemes against absolutely everyone, yet he shows certain qualities that make him quite sympathetic. For me, he’s easily the most intriguing of the three villains! I loved how Chu Zhao got some random lady to play her mother! But to be fair, I am completely with Fu Jiu about that woman — she's suspicious. It's not just the stopped carriage, but also that extra line she added for the people questioning them. It will be interesting to see how everything continues now that Chu Zhao and Fu Jiu are away from the capital, far from the little emperor, while Deng Yi and Xie Yanfang play their power games back there and Xiao Xun is out for Chu Zhao's blood.
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