JJJ

Those who protected the empire/common people and defended the emperor are all still suffering from their losses while those who betrayed the empire and aided the usurper are living it up with riches and descendants.

Group hug to Lanxiang, Furong, and Scholar Lu. 💔

No, the person is just spreading wrong info on purpose.

There was no escape as people still knows who he is (not under a false identity like Lanxiang). It is more likely that his entire family were executed except for him due to the emperor's whims. One family he decides to kill the men and sell off the women, another he decides to kill everyone but the person who offended him, etc.

I am sure Lanxiang will give it to him as good as she got (as she should). There will definitely be tons of pining. 🤭 Add that spice of regret too please.

"Red Sleeve" was a tragedy for me from the FL's POV. 🥲

We want complex characters, then we must acknowledge their complex decisions. 🙂‍↕️

Yes, I think people can be fooled by Jinqi's handsome looks. But he can be a hypocrite and is also selective of who he cares for especially given his upbringing as a relatively rich/educated man. He is not really the standard "good" person, and he doesn't need to be as a fictional character. It adds to the conflict of the story.

Yup, there is really no way to justify this especially given their past relationship/dynamics too. Better to just acknowledge this was not a decision made with Lanxiang in mind and was done out of his wants above hers.

I feel very sad for Lanxiang. The imperial decree was the ultimate no choice for her. She has been tossed around since the first imperial decree on her family and now this. Yes, we know this is a happy ending eventually but it does bring into question of a man's "love" being placed above a woman's choice and how it doesn't matter anyway since she will fall for him eventually.

I am ready for the angst for the next episodes. There is also no need to whitewash Jinqi or try to justify this decision of his. It is bad now but it was also bad for that time period especially using "love" as the reason. Jinqi is a grey character and I don't think he will truly regret his decision anyway as he got what he wanted but I do hope he comes to recognize that the Lanxiang he loves is someone who wants to make decisions for herself. That his love for her is not above her as a person. He disliked his choices being taken away from him in marriage yet he unleashed those same actions toward someone he claimed to love. Lanxiang is Lanxiang so they will be fine at the end but this could had easily been a marriage of resentment until death.

Anyway, I am here for all the slapping, all the dramatics, and slow burn that comes with this marriage. Onto the marriage arc. ➡️

You welcome! Just wanted to share more after episode 25 because Scholar Lu's scene was so sad. 😢

More historical context for episode 25: I mentioned what happened to the Shen family (and now also the Lu family) was a reference to what Emperor Zhu Di did before during the Renwu Purge after he usurped the throne. A lot of viewers might have a hard time understanding why Shen grandpa didn't just submit as "being alive is more important".

During the Renwu Purge, 29 civil officials were pressured to submit to Zhu Di. 24 out of the 29 officials refused to yield and were either executed or committed suicide to maintain their loyalty to the previous emperor. These officials are the last line of defense against corruption and against someone taking the throne unjustly. Without these officials, it would be so easy for anyone to just up and take the throne and throw the common people into chaos. Those who form alliances or marry into these official households also understand that depending on the emperor or rebellions that might occur, their endings might be suicide or execution.

The Lin family formed a marriage alliance with the Shen family back then (and was supposed to be on the same side along with the Lu family). But Lin family for their own survival didn't hold up their honor code and made the decision to side with the emperor who usurped the throne. This is not to blame the Lin family as they survived but it gives perspective that majority of the officials (and their families) will always choose to laid their lives on the line as that is part of their vow as officials of the court.

It is also why the Lin family struggles even now as they tied themselves to the Zhao family, yet Lin Jinqi refused to fully do their bidding despite his role as a son-in-law who married INTO the Zhao household. He didn't fully hold up the Lin's side of the deal to the Zhao's when he decided to go into military instead of becoming an official.

Happy to share! I do get why it could be confusing since they left it up the viewers to connect the dots.

There are many servants that work in the household but there is only a certain amount who gets to interact with the Lin family directly. Ji-er (could have also been Lanxiang if she decided she wanted to be the one to go then) was someone that Jinqi and Jiugao purposedly selected to bring the tea to him to find out more about the account book, Zhao Xingtang, and even gave her money in exchange to draw out Zhao Xingtang.

Jinqi is not a fool and knows Ji-er would get in trouble for this. Baogai in episode 4 specifically mentioned that if Jiugao and Jinqi were really in rush for that hot water, then Jiugao would have just took the hot water himself without taking Ji-er with him. This served as a warning to Lanxiang too that these requests are not out of "good-will".

Even though Jinqi is our ML, the scriptwriters don't shy away from acknowledging he is a man in power within that household and selective with who he cares/protects. There are servants like Ji-er who had been used and tossed aside. Lanxiang herself have also been used and if she wasn't as savvy as she was, she could have died at least 4-5 times already. If she didn't intervene back then with Ji-er, Ji-er would have been beaten to death too. Would Jinqi have felt devastated? Not really, because she was just a servant he used (and not close with) and ended up dead because she wasn't "smart" enough to get out of the situation herself.

It was because it was nighttime and they couldn't enter though the gate at that point. They know Lanxiang is smart so thought she might have made it out of the gate somehow by then and is aiming to get on a boat to leave. But as it was so dark (the drama makes it seem like it is still visible for the viewers but in context of that period, it would be barely visible at night), they decided to sing the song that Lanxiang knows as a signal.

If Lanxiang really was around still trying to get on a boat, then she did be able to hear them and locate them. If Lanxiang didn't make it out of the gate or already left before they arrived, then they would either attempt the search the next morning or figure out the next step.

If anyone wants to make sense of why Scholar Han and Furong sung on the boat...

I don't think she is in love with anyone at this point. But she most likely would have been okay with the proposal as their families get along, she does respect him, and marriage was the norm so why not marry someone like Scholar Han who is nice/educated. She has also seen enough of his values up to this point to feel they are similar people too.

I see Lanxiang as someone who can fall in love with any good man who is in love with her because she is the kind to make an effort to get to know the person. She aims to have a good life so will try to connect with her spouse and see the best in them to come to love them.

Yup! There was no way he didn't know Zhao Xingtang would have beaten her if she found out. So when the servant he just paid off went missing/sold off... it was just oops and a regular day for him (and her life was only saved because of Lanxiang). He used Lanxiang too, but Lanxiang was savvy enough to get out of the situation and later caught his attention. If not, she would have just been another maid who could have been punished/died/sold off.

I also don't think he cares that much. He knows that brothels exist and his own military men or those he works with would have visited brothels before too. If it was Lanxiang, I am sure he would have shelled out all the money possible to buy her out. But for the other women who were forced to work there? He really doesn't care that much. And it is not that he is expected to either, but just a good reminder that a lot of these men don't care about women as a collective.

If any changes occur, it will always be women helping other women. Men's help tends to be conditional based on how much they care (or want something in return) about the woman. A man will treat a woman well during marriage due to love/lust but will divorce her just as coldly and make the divorce process as miserable as possible if there was no love/lust anymore. I am just glad Lanxiang made Ji-er the promise.

Haha, it is probably because this group of misfits are already a bit different. The situation too with Scholar Han's sister is also not the norm (for her to be staying with her maternal side as a widow). This group has broken a lot of "traditional" rules already.

I feel really bad for Ji-er. It is really a reminder that these rich people really don't care that deeply nor remember the servants they don't have a "use" for. Very similar to working at a company for years just for the boss to not recognize you nor remember your name and will fire you anytime. At least Lanxiang made her a promise. Really can't depend on men at the end of the day. 🙂‍↔️

Gotta run that household with an iron fist. 👏