Alice_01

I also catched something fishy on that scene but wasn't certain... I was definitely not all that surprised when it was later revealed though lol Plus knowing the relationship of FL and Dongxia queen there had to be a twist or the love story would turn tragic!

True that...He just ain't leaving... Btw which drama is your profile pic from? He with the flower crown and fluffy long hair looks quite adorable>< I would like to check it out! ^^

Well it's not as if Zhang Hai tried to "shape him into a proper heir for the Zhuang's family" without any other motives behind it. Personally, I don't blame Zhuang Zhi his father may have been a terrible person but he was still nonetheless his father and the only family member still alive. The general surely deserved his death after all the crimes he committed but not the way he died. Plus, Zhuang Zhi told him back then in the very beginning of their alliance that he would try, but he shouldn't blame him if he changes his mind or smth along those lines. And it was Zhang Hai who killed the general, even though indirectly. Don't forget it was he who switched the bloody letter and sent it after he modified it to Cao's residence and then another to the general's troops, plus he was the one who turned Cao and the general against eo since way before. He knew all it needed was that one little extra push for his plan to finally bear fruit. I mean, since we are on his side and this is his story ofc we will side with him and his tragic past but Zhang Hai is also no saint and I just hope he can end his revenge and stop before he turns into a monster himself...

The way I managed to catch up in 3 days...This cdrama is truly addicting haha I am glad I left it until now or the wait would be painful...Only two days left for the express I believe and yet I still can't figure out with certainty who the third person is or if FL/ML will manage to make it out alive in the end...The mystery has been well kept in this and the whole show has been a roller coaster of emotions! Btw I absolutely loved the latest episodes with sweet scenes between are leads, it felt like a well-deserved break both for them and the viewers but that was definitely the calm before the storm as we saw on today's ep and I fear things will only keep getting more intense from here on out! Let's hope for a nice ending without any loose ends and unsatisfactory conclusions!

Mee I did and I actually commented smth similar here...The whole father vs son duel was really sad and tragic...

The final scene in ep28 where FL and ML discuss about his revenge and her mother was incredibly hard to watch. I could sense their inner turmoil, guilt, longing and unease all at once!

Exactly! Well said!

I can never get actor stans lol Like at least when it comes to music industry it makes a bit of sense but ion acting industry I don't get the whole fandom cults...I for once always choose dramas to watch based on plot/trailer/first impressions not based on who acts in them and whether I like the leads together or not...As long as they can act and support their characters nothing else matters...I may have watched multiple dramas of the leads but it was definitely not with them in mind. They picked some good projects that fit me well><

Honestly, I’m already on ep 28 and there’s barely any romance to speak of! Romance fans are definitely going to have a hard time getting crumbs with this one haha. Most of the scenes with the leads are just them exchanging information or helping each other out with a few flirty lines tossed in. I don’t really understand why some people have an issue with this... Their relationship will definitely be important for how the mystery with the Seal plays out and their connection was definitely one of the reasons that helped ML's plans go so smoothly in the begining! It's totally fine if you don’t feel the chemistry (I get it I’m not exactly feeling the sparks between them either) but saying they’re “forcing” it when there’s barely any romance to begin with feels a bit much lol

Damn this cdrama so good it makes me cry even for the bad guys 😭😭 Ep28 scene with the father vs son duel had me bawling...

Youku offers both VIP subscriptions (+SVIP level) and Express Packages. VIP/SVIP subscriptions provide access earlier access, while Express Packages allow users to watch the entire series in advance. So I am pretty sure express package will drop on June 3rd or 4th! While the rest viwers will have to wait or probably pay extra cash?

I will be honest as well, indeed, the romance between the leads here is definitely not the type to lit up everything like fire so far for me too but since romance is only a subplot and both actors carry their characters well (romance aside) I will take it lol I am on ep 23 right now and their recent scene in the duke's manor was definitely the most intense between them for me (not in terms of skinship but raw feelings) so I guess it could get better? Either way, it does little to my viewing experience ><
And the reason you find those other pairs better might be because ML and FL have had more scenes with the Duke/Lord 8th rather than eo or so it comes across, haha Romance fans would really live on crumbs with this one!

True...Our boy is definitely the emotional type and that will only make him suffer more as everything come to light I fear TT

On episodes 21-22 his master looked so eager and pleasantly surprised when he saw Zhang Hai drawing the Seal and its box, thinking it was for real and that he had a lead...So, I doubt they saved him back then out of pure goodwill and taught all these things for him to get revenge because the masked man owed his dad a favor...I don't blame ML honestly for trusting them though, and believing that they just want to help him get his revenge since he was so young back then and they raised him like parents for 10 years...And neither do I think the masked man/masters don't care for him at all...I just think they tried to exploit ML's interest in getting revenge and combine it with their interest, which is to find the Seal. At least that's the best case scenario, cause the other worst case is that the third person is actually the masked man and he tried to use him to get the Seal and get the other two killed and out of his way using Zhang Hai's hands...Which would be a horrendous turn of events...

Edit: Halfway through ep23 and why is the princess with Cao?? TT No way she is the 3rd person right??? I thought she was looking for the Seal on her own using the Zhen tower as support since the Seal belongs to DongXia to begin with...But if she is involved in Zhanghai's family downfall, that would change things....But she is def not a cruel person who would kill the innocent though...? So confusing

Currently reached ep22 and I have started to notice some things that initially didn't raise my suspicion...If my guess is right and it comes true in a few eps after, I will be truly devastated but not all that surprised, cause mister masked man and Zhang Hai's masters always felt a tiny bit suspicious to me...My speculations below in a spoiler:

Okay then I will keep watching and hopefully everything will be answered!

From my understanding thus far, Xiang An Tu is a princess "hostage/guest" the Duke Ping brought back after they won against her country Dongxia and the emperor granted her the title of princess Rouyuan to fit the same status in the empire. The emperor even allowed this Foreign princess to open the Zhen Tower which is obviously a central part of information gathering and power/money. And to top it off the princess can leave the palace/official princess residence and live basically in the tower 24/7?? (based on what we've seen so far) Like how does that make sense?? I mean the FL did seem concerned for her people, saying they didn't get to enjoy a good lifestyle like this empire so I guess the emperor doesn't see them as a threat but still giving so much power seems kinda unrealistic to say the least. In other historical dramas characters like her would never get such good treatment. If her nation which lost was powerful they would try to guard against her and have her under surveillance in case her nation makes a comeback and if her country was weak they wouldn't treat her with respect or let her have a tower...
My only explanation is that the Seal everyone from the empire wishes to know about, probably the emperor as well,comes from Dongxia so maybe they treat her well in hopes she has clues to help them find it??Idk...

I have managed to reach up to ep 18 in 2 days and so far everything seems to flow nicely and I like the way they delivered this revenge driven show! However, there is one question that keeps circling in my mind cause I find it kinda unrealistic here...I will post below in a spoiler^^

I wholeheartedly agree with this and I absolutely support his character's "flaws" portrayed in the drama on multiple occasions subtly! Our MC despite his drive for revenge, he still holds on to his humanity and care for the people around him, which adds a lot of depth to the character. It really helps make the drama more emotionally layered and complex.

After finishing TPOB I finally started watching this drama yesterday and I'm already on episode 18! I'm absolutely hooked on this revenge-driven Cdrama and the little romantic moments between the leads are such a sweet bonus. Honestly, I’m just really hoping for a happy ending for them, since revenge dramas usually end on a bittersweet or open note which sure, it's a more realistic approach, but I can’t help but dislike it! So I’m crossing my fingers that everything works out for him in the end! On top of that, I love how intricate the plot is. So far, it has been keeping me on my toes always making me wonder what’s going to happen next and how the MC will manage to overcome another hurdle!