Acrobit12

Interesting, as a Russian speaker I did not know this - you learn something new every day!

ZKY's father the Marshal is a mean old bastard (although his whole reaction to the assassination plot shows he knows what he is about). He does not like his sone being praised even though his son is extremely capable. And that scene in ep. 9 where ZKY just automatically expected his father to hit him was heartbreaking. The whole Confucian filial piety thing is a bit... extreme.

I have to say I am surprised that some things in ep 1 and eps 9-10 got through censorship, although it WAS a brutal time. You can get away with some things in the name of authenticity, I suppose.

In the interest of full disclosure, I actually have no idea how censorship works in China. My own experience with censorship is from a different time and place.

I like all the historical background, it's been a really really long time since I studied the history of this area/period. I really enjoyed the teenage Hongchu, I wish they kept him around for a while longer, so far all of the MLs are too old for the characters they are portraying, although I understand that (a) this is a c-drama and a non-idol one at that and (b) this drama will take place over a really long period so to some extent it's inevitable. I am really enjoying all the veteran actors in support roles. They are fantastic.

The last six episodes felt like an entirety different drama tacked onto the original drama. It was not the time to introduce a whole slew of new characters that weren't fleshed out enough at the expense of the existing characters.

It felt like watching an entirely different drama. Not bad. Just different.

I am here mostly to comment on the costumes - they were chef's kiss, especially the ML's outfits in the last six episodes. Whatever awards they have for this in c-ent, I hope the costume designer gets them.

As far as the ending - I am just glad it wasn't a mess like The Unclouded Soul. I am satisfied enough. The actors did a great job with what they were given.

She is not a simple villain, after today 's episode it's really understandable why she hates grandma.

Yep, he is doing a good job

Never mind, I see it below:).

33 looks like kisses and tears. Is there express?

It's interesting that he seems to be Team Lu Jianglai. Is it out of gratitude for what LJL did for the Wei family at this point? Or is he just trying to kiss up to RSB this way?

Yep, it's about time she stood up to the control freak Grandma!

He seems like a Wei to me.

I think I agree that Yan is not who he pretends to be and RSB will agree to marry him to make things up to grandma.

Depending on how you interpret it, open ending for sure.

For the most part this drama can count as well-done escapist entertainment, so I can live with the ending, for the most part. This wasn't like Love of Nirvana, The Glory or KMLM that you had to suffer through and then get stuck with THAT ending, so overall this lands on the plus side for me (and even I can't believe I am saying this because I generally hate open/bad endings).

Mind you, I thought the actors did a great job and I thought it was a great show - but for the last 15 minutes which to me were not satisfying. But JMO, of course.

Without going into too much detail:

The cycle basically restarts for Hong Ye and Xiao Yap although Xiao Yao has for memories from the previous cycle (I think).

Bingzhu lives (which I really didn't expect) and Tan'er regains human form in Pianpian's body (but Pianpian is gone so not a completely happy ending for Bingzhu).

Yeah, I don't know how to feel about that ending (I couldn't resist going straight to episode 40). Sort of classic xianxis. I can't help but be a bit disappointed even though it's not a bad ending and it could have been much much worse worse.