Alysha Johnson

Very good analysis on his personality.

Highest Power: Emperor
Whoever he likes, is the more powerful.

The rest of the people, it depend a mixture of two types of power.
Power 1: Actual merit/contribution and official titles.
Power 2: Family relation.

If you have both, you are more powerful. If you have one or the other, you are less powerful. So it come down to what rank you are (actual merit), or who do you relate to.

In the palace,
Emperor > Empress > Consort
Crown Prince > Empress' Children > All other Consort's children.
But since Emperor love the Consort more, the consort's children power are also elevated. By if we go by decorum, they should be below the Empress's children.

Empress should have more power than Consort - by status. So at least on the surface, Consort should defer to Empress. However, you can add 2 extra layer to muddle this power dynamic.
1. Who does the Emperor favor more. That give the person a little more power, but that power is fickle and is not all reliable.
2. What is the clan that the Empress and Consort came from. First, is their clan
noble/aristocratic/contributed to the rise of the Emperor? Second, how is the clan CURRENTLY doing. Do they have brother/cousins/uncles that is currently holding powerful position and contribute actual merits?

If you have both, you are the most powerful. If you have the status as well, you are undefeatable.

As for relations between the Prince, Crown Prince is the highest. Other prince and princess defer to their mother's positions. But if you are smart and the Emperor like you, and you have made contribution to the court, you get some extra power.

LBY's position is so powerful because he have a lot.
1. His uncle's clan is one of the MAIN clan that help contribute to the Emperor winning. So that make him part of the HIGHEST aristocratic class. If his uncle didn't die, the Emperor could very well made his Uncle the king. (Back then Emperor can have several King that rule different state, and the Emperor rule the federal government).
2. But since the Huo clan was wiped out, the Emperor made him an adopted son. This give LBY noble Status, equal to that of a prince but less than a crown prince.
3. He has actual merit by being a General, that mean he command troops. Not even Emperor's actual sons can have this. Princes are not allow to have/command their troops for fear of revolting.
4. And the Emperor like him a lot ~ whoever he like is the most powerful remember?
So LBY literally have everything, Status, Merit, Aristocratic origins, the Emperor's love and trust. By status or on a superficial level, Crown Prince still ahead of him. But LBY wield actual power.

I wrote a comment about it here.

https://mydramalist.com/729363-love-like-the-galaxy-part-2#comment-10736907

LBY was interested in CSS from the beginning but to know why you have to understand the type of person he is. He naturally very protective but also very suspicious. When they met her words were sarcastic but full of meaning. She rat out her grand uncle and this was a very “crazy” thing to do but LBY don’t like his father so this is right up his alley. Later he find her very cunning and get more interested in her. But she show no interest in him. He is used to women fawning over his power so he naturally will be curious about a woman that didn’t. He also knew she was mistreated and that could also arouse his protective instinct. With all of that combined and he hasn’t even met her yet. When he did what he saw was a girl full of light and natural curiosity sparkled in her eyes. He never met someone like that so naturally she’s all he see.

She’s dumb but LBY still took care of her (but he was actually helping the emperor cleaning up after his messy children) so she hold this delusions that LBY has feeling for her. Beside she didn’t want to marry her husband anyway.

The bts for that scene is even sweeter

I think it’s because the author forgot. LBY usually very meticulous so this oversight seem intentional by author to create drama for our FL

You’re right. General Ling is his position/career title but CSS don’t have one like that. I meant position as their place in their family. CSS is refer as the 4th lady of Cheng family, whereas LBY is refer to as Shiyi Liang because he’s the 11th son.

Official Name
Cheng Shao Shang
Ling Bu Yi

Unofficial name/ Position Name
Cheng Young Lady
Shiyi Liang edit: Also as General Ling as his career title

Nickname/ Close people only name
Niao Niao
ZiSheng

3rd prince actually helped out LBY during the proposal scene.

3rd prince isn't "lousy" mouth. Every word he said is so calculated. He knew exactly the effect his words will have. He help but worded it so that it doesn't look like he was helping. And remember when he visited LBY, he gave the guard a box, then LBY open a box later on. LBY guard did act a bit strange. I think that LBY purposely act like he's not close with 3rd prince. 3rd prince came "for show" but LBY blocked him so people would think they don't get along.

From her conversation with her daughter, she knew her own daughter is up to no good. She also said that she regret leaving the daughter at the uncle/aunt house because she picked up their "greedy" habit. The uncle said that the consort doesn't like it when anyone not "falling in line" so I think she will be fair and think that they asked for it. Just my speculation.

I wonder if anyone else notice Consort Chu (The Crown Prince's wife, the one that help CSS escaped 3rd princess), she smirked when LBY discovered the bruise on CSS hand. First time I watched it, it didn't register with me. But why is she so happy that LBY find out his fiancé was mistreated when CSS just said she don't want to rely on LBY for everything?

LBY is right, no one is what they seem. Consort Chu look so innocent and nice. I bet she happy LBY know CSS was hurt by 3rd princess so he can retaliate and knocked Consort Yue's children a peg since they are at odds. She was so quick to jump in trying to embarrass 3rd princess when she got the chance while Consort Yue was berating the princess. Everyone has hidden agenda. She also told CSS about how Crown Prince save LBY out of the blue - I bet that was also done on purpose so CSS thought LBY and Crown Prince is on the same side.

I get the feeling that LBY is not on anyone side. The 3rd prince (Consort Yue's son) although has been indifferent, his words seem to help LBY the most. He called out all the other people for trying to fawn over LBY now that he's powerful. He was also the one that instigate during the proposal scene that cornered CSS's mom which ended up making the emperor more furious and more determine to get CSS engaged with LBY. The mother and son at first seem like antagonist yet they call spade as spade. Fair and reasonable, but also fearsome.

In contrast, Crown Prince seem nice but he "protect" incompetent and greedy officials because they're related. Consort Yue has a domineering presence yet she put her own aunt in place. Empress is kind but let crazy Wen lady running her mouth and probably have caused so much trouble and who know how many people's lives have been ruined because the people in power was too "nice".

I was worried the palace politics is going to be boring I like how interesting the dynamics are without overwhelming our leads. I wish they can keep the balance going forward.

She's also 14 here. But the backstory isn't for people to pity CSS though. What she did is bratty no lie but she's isn't bratty without reason. Also the other girls who had much better upbringing is just as bratty and annoying if not more than CSS. She isn't the perfect lead, I think that was the point. If she is bratty with no reason there is literally no reason to even watch her as a lead.

I noticed the same. Everyone mentioned how pretty she is. I’m glad they point it out - our CSS is no plain Jane. Beauty, brains and charms, she got it all!

He was being cheeky. You can interpret that line as “I didn’t fall for you, you made me fall for you, so take responsibility. It’s your fault for making me love you.” And he fell for her during the lantern festival, not the arrow part.

I always wonder why LBY fell for CSS so hard but after seeing glimpses of his past in the palace, I finally know why.

I know LBY was lovestruck when he saw CSS at the lantern festival, but that was the "when", not the "why". His interest was first peaked when she ratted her granduncle out, but why though? It finally make sense to me now. CSS and LBY are the same type of people, who are cut from the same fabric.

LBY said CSS is someone who's "dare to love and hate", someone who "worthy of walking aside him" and he meant every word. At first I thought it was weird but now I know what he meant. CSS is someone who willing to speak up, to fight, to take revenge on those who wrong her. LBY grew up with revenge in mind, so he naturally would be attracted to the strong, daring type like CSS who dare to love and hate. LBY was also bullied when he was little, but he grew stronger. CSS got bullied but she didn’t cowers, she learn to retaliate. He is a very protective person, and we can see here, CSS is also fiercely protective as well. She is also daring and fearless. While the other ladies are outspoken due to their rank and prestige, CSS don't have an ounce of their power yet she did it anyway. She plot, she plan, she take her revenge, and she took the consequences in strike. Other people may see it as a defect, but this only make the LBY who live for revenge interested in her more.

On top of that, she never coveted his power or swoon over his looks. When he first saw her walking to the carriage in ragged clothing, he knew she was mistreated. When he saw her ratting out her granduncle, he knew she was taking revenge. When his guard suspect she was trying curry LBY favors, he has some doubts and knew CSS was a cunning person. He didn't want to care but he ended up returning the favor anyway by sending the granduncle home so CSS can carry out her last leg of the revenge arc... And then nothing. He waited but she didn't seek him out, didn't try to befriend him. She carried out her revenge and moved on, so he knew she was not interested in him at all. He was merely a person at the right place and time for her. If not him anyone would do. And he is so not used to this when people are always seeking him out for power.

The more he look at her, the more he find her cute, charming, smart but also naive. She didn’t fight for power.She fight for herself. She has self respect. She may look like a mistreated helpless little girl but she spit fire - no arrogance, justhe plain truth. She isn’t educated but naturally smart. And she step up to face her challenge head on. She didn’t know she needed power to live how she wanted, and she never covet his. LBY can't help but admire this fierce kitten but also wanting to protect her with all he has. In LBY eyes, it's not hard to see why CSS is such a special girl, one of a kind, unlike any he has met. Ladies around him are either fawning over his look or power. They didn’t care before when he skinny, poor and powerless. A good lady would be docile and follow decorum, the unruly one are arrogant and domineering using their family power. CSS is either. She didn't follow the boring rules, live true to her heart, and didn't rely on her family power because she has none. And she not even interested in him. Just take a look around, who can LBY really pick beside CSS? No wonder he is so head over heels. She is everything he is, everything he want to be, and everything he want to nurture and protect. Which girl is as strong, smart, fearless, resilient and interesting as CSS? Which girl can tug at his heart like her?

In the novel, he always mentioned her "chubby and pitiful cheek". I don't think he find her "pitiful" persay, but I think that she has a way that tug at his heart. She's someone who is so powerless both due to gender and rank yet trying so hard to live her own way, like a wet kitten roaring at the rain. I think she's that kind of pitiful to him, not the sad kind, but the kind he admire. And that's why he would help her even if she's not with him because he love HER ~ the person and wanted to give her the world.

Wow a lot to unpack in these 2 episodes I can probably write a couple pages, but I want to focus on LBY and CSS. I love their push and pull in these episodes, they finally acting more like a couple. After having a glimpse of LBY past here I finally understand why he fell for CSS so hard.

I thought the same. She only care if he’s hurt and not what he can do. But I’m sure at least Wendy and empress ask if he’s hurt. CSS probably the first young lady who ask him that, Vn it I also think that any ladies would know when LBY get hurt. He only show his vulnerable side to CSS

Yup! That why I’m camping out here. The comments here are the most lively and everyone UNDERSTAND

Everyone!! If you enjoy the series please don’t forget to rate it ^^^^