AngiBorahae

After starting this drama, I had a hard time to get into it, but since ep 18 the story really picked up. I'm on ep 21 now and realized I've stopped watching this forcefully, but actually started to enjoy it sincerely! 😊 And thanks to the insights of MDL users and novel readers, I was able to understand more, which wasn't depicted or well-explained in the drama. Thank youuu! ❤️

I came here mainly for the romance, but it doesn't really have any. Now it's Xie Wei's revenge plan which engages me to watch further. I really love how Xie Wei's has his spies/helpers planted everywhere lol It's enjoyable to see a ML who has a well-strategized plan and isn't easily shaken by throwbacks.

I also enjoy fake Xue Deng Fei's antics hahaha Slowly but steadily I'm taking a liking to the characters :D

Ah I see. Thank you! 😊

Do the three henchman around him (Lu Xian, Dao Qin and that other guy who serves him) know that he's Xue Ding Fei?
Also where does his nickname Xie Ju'an come from?

And did Lord Pingnan save him, while knowing that he's Xue Ding Fei?

Xie Wei has three identities, right?

1. Real identity: Xue Ding Fei (Son of Yan Min and Xue Yuan, the only descendant who has blood of both Yan and Xue family)
2. Fake identity in palace: Xie Wei (Imperial teacher and emperor’s close aid or advisor)
3. Fake identity within the rebels: Dujun, the Hermit (Top strategist of Lord Pingnan)

Finished Ep 18 and I really liked that episode! Xie Wei is such an interesting character. I came here for the romance, but seems I will stay for Xie Wei because romance is non-existent 😂

Just started ep 19 and let me get this straight, because I'm kind of confused who Xie Wei is:

I'm on ep 18 now, so I still have a lot to catch up. Good to know we do get a bit of their past to see.

It's sad how her real and fake mother didn't care for her... I mean even if JXN personality is wild, how is her real mother able to be so loving to Wan Niang's daughter but not to her own. Poor Ning...

No wonder she turned into a b**ch in first life 😅

I kinda expected that the regulations will mess with this drama as well. Too many Cdramas were victim of it T-T

But the novel insights actually help me to understand the drama and the characters more. I feel the drama didn't do a good job on that, that's why I have tons of questions 😂 Even tho it's close to the novel, I think they still missed a lot and that's a pity. Why did they make 38 episodes... could have filled the 40 up at least.

When I first started this drama, I also thought that he's some kind of vampire or that it's actually a Xianxia drama that I'm watching 😂

The insights of the novel are quite helpful, thanks! 😊

Sorry for my annoying questions. I still have a lot to come 😂 I'm trying to understand this drama and its characters more.

So Ning and Xue Hui were exchanged as babies by Wan Niang who is the actual mother of Xue Hui. Ning grew up under Wan Niang in the countryside and Xue Hui under Jiang family instead.

If that's so why does mother Meng Shi care so much more for Xue Hui even tho she's not her real daughter? I mean of course she grew to love the "daughter" who grew up under her, but it seems like Meng Shi doesn't have any affection for Ning at all, who is her real daughter. She even seems to despise her because she reminds her of Wan Niang.... but shouldn't Xue Hui remind her of Wan Niang, because she is Wan Niang's actual daughter?

I can't seem to understand how Ning's mother is so indifferent and mean to her real daughter, who's also just a victim of Wan Niang's scheme.

And will we ever get so see how Ning's relationship was with Wan Niang? She grew up thinking it was her mother, so she seemed to have affection for her, because she defended her when someone spoke ill of her "mother", but she also thought that Wan Niang disliked her. So how did Wan Niang treat her while growing up?

guess it makes sense that she wanted to keep him alive with it, because they had no water or food. Thank you! :)

Not sure if that actually works, but it's Dramaland, so its okay haha 😂

Makes sense!
Do you know why Ning fed him her blood when they came to capital together four years ago? According to Wan Niang (Ning's "fake" mother), that would save him and that's why she did it.. but I can't make any sense of it.

Ah right! It was snowing when the massacre happened. So it was a trauma and his memory issues are PTSD related.

But why did Ning feed him blood and was told by her "mother" that it would save him, back then when they came to the capital together?

What kind of illness does he actually have? They call it dementia in the drama, but it seems to be a fictional illness to me. Who gets blood thirsts when he has dementia? 😅 And he only has symptoms when it's snowing? Can someone enlighten me pls?

I have a question regarding Xie Wei:

Will do! Thank you for your insights 😊

Oh man... sounds not so hopeful then. I've waited eagerly for this drama. It would be too sad to drop it. Maybe I'll skip-watch it when all the episodes are out 😅

So that would make so much more sense if he also remembers their first life. But this is actually so crucial to the character and story... why would they leave this out?

First life looks sooooo highly interesting! I would definitely watch it as a whole drama haha 😂 Would've been so cool to watch both lives fully.
Do you know if the novel depicts first life or is it just like here, told in flashbacks and memories?

But how can ZZ feel anything for Ning in ep 10?... That was their first encounter with each other in second life.

I so wish we would've seen first life in full before second life. I would have a total other watching experience 🙈

Would you say the politics and palace stuff gets more interesting after ep 15? As in actions (I don't necessarily mean fights) and less talking?
I'm in the middle of ep 15 and I actually have a hard time getting invested and I'm thinking about putting it on-hold or dropping 🙈

Because even tho I find the premise of the drama really interesting, I find the execution with all the long and "ambiguous" talks kinda boring.
I don't want to drop, but my only driving force is ML's character and his hidden identity story so far.

oh btw, I lurked through your MDL profile page because your profile gif caught me 😂 And I just had to compliment you for your lovely well-made page! I can see you put in a lot of effort in it and I put some of your recs in my watch-list. Thanks 😊