Dr Ghost

I planning to watch this but how would you rate it?

I knew queen will not allow the image of the "Royal family" to be tarnished and she would push for the marriage, but princess is moving mad Fam, that's very "F" uped way of testing the loyalty of FL. I personally think She is pushing her luck here cuz its highly unlikely, she didn't knew about the plan of the "Evil Minister faction".
They did this to create chaos in the ML life and if princess and FL doesn't fight over ML and disturb his life, the evil sect would try something else. So, they have to give them the illusion of chaos and make them believe that their plan is working, hence evil faction will lower their guard and this will be opening ML/Princess were looking for.
I stand by my belief, that queen is Evil and she is involved in this one and Princess parents may have been killed by Evil sect and the queen, and she adopted princess due to the guilt of killing their parents.

So, they are going back to capital soon and I am looking forward to see ML in the dress (as Performer), on the side not I have no sympathy for Lu Aige and her master Lu. One is a serial murderer and second is his accomplice, both deserved nothing less than death and I am happy they take each other out without causing unnecessary bloodshed.
Today's episode gave us a lot information but still didn't explain how, 70-60-year-old dude was performing spy acrobatics (Lu sect should have contacted him to learn his secrets of youth) and vanishing in the thin air.
on Fl antics (in spoiler)

It doesn't make any sense cuz if he is the spy, then he would have exposed everything ML knows to them. Silver sect would have known about ML plans and in simple words, they would have countered his every move.
Ling Er on the other hand could be spying for FL brother and he may be part of the Evil sect.

I am really happy ML got the attention and roles, he deserves !

I know he is not the "Ultimate Villan" but in previous episodes, he had business dealings in the Heyang, and he is also the richest dude in the country. So, its highly unlikely the top dog of the business world didn't had any dealings with the Silver organization, ruling the water ways.
I would even go as far as to say "Shangguan Siblings" parents were also killed by the sect due to their economic power and Shangguan Lan was forced to concede to them cuz they threatened him with Shangguan Zi life. He is involuntary doing their bidding and FL identity will be found out by Shangguan Lan, when they will live in his house in the capital.
ML father is also not innocent....!

"The mastermind behind the scenes set another trap, pushing them into the abyss of despair. Will their love survive it all"
These lines from the synopsis scare me and I foresee chaos, they will be betrayed by someone close to them (FL maid may be reporting to her brother) and that's why I don't believe even Princess will be true to her words, Imperial family females marriages are decided by their parents and even if Princess (She mentioned living in Imperial palace, so I suspect she is legit princess) is in cohorts with ML. Imperial family and especially Queen will not agree to it cuz it will hurt the Imperial family reputation, so marriage will be force down ML throat !

Now after the Heyang chapter, it's time to go after FL brother in the capital and punish him for running the smuggling sect.

but Leads only have eyes for each-other and they rejected the Second leads !

Sry cuz I thought you were someone else, there was one user with similar name.

are you Dendera?

Yep and FL is also a problem.....you will see !

No if I remember correctly although it was shown in next scene, his brother showed up after 2-3 days as the blind guy. Like it took him good 72 hours to show up at the college (but I don't remember the exact time, so don't quote me for it and it was in 4-3rd last episodes).

Yeah SML had his answer but still hung around to ruin it for ML.

Its ep 20 and trust me stupidity is still going on, if you are starting now. I recommend you to wait till it has finished airing.

He was suffocated to death by the vine trap, as per FL diagnosis after observing his body.

Then it makes perfect sense, previous Emperor may have been assassinated/killed by the rebellious faction to put the new Emperor on throne WITHOUT his knowledge cuz if new Emperor was involved, its very easy for him to deal with ML/FL by sending Imperial guards after him.
You are right, they are bringing past misdeeds of court and rebellious faction to light. The drama have been good so far and I hope they end it on high note and we would be given proper reason for their behaviour and not some B.S !

Yeah its most likely true cuz if we factor in the budget of the drama, there won't be any costly battles involving big armies and the visuals has been pretty good so far. So the show may never even go back to the capital and correct me, if I am wrong but the "Original Emperor" who engaged ML and FL in past is dead and he was replaced by somebody new.
I think I have heard it in some episode !

See he got a clear answer from FL and first time in C-drama history, she said "ABSOLUTELY NOT". Yet after that, he continued to compete with ML and even said right to his face, if we didn't like the same woman, we will be friends.
He knows she likes him and her clear answer has literally no impact on him, he clearly didn't respect her decision and right to her decide for her own life. When you love someone, you would respect her wish and would want her to be happy BUT on the other hand, if you are OBESSESSED with someone, you will try to have her no-matter what.

There is a difference between Love, Obsession, Lust and attraction, the leads have the past, romantic experiences, childhood engagement and reasons for their initial attraction to turn into Love. SML on the other hand decided he loves her cuz he thought, she was dead. He didn't claim to love her. When there was a giant scar on her face, moment she becomes beautiful now he claims to love her and mark my word, he saw SFL today in dress, his horny ass will now go after her.

"With or without rebellion the Empress eventually becomes Empress Dowager - there is nothing gained there"
If She becomes Empress dowager naturally, she wouldn't have crazy power but if she manages to put some weak-pathetic prince on the throne, she would have absolute power and she can effectively rule as his Reagent like Empress Wu Zetian or Empress He.
but your comment about absence of rival princes contradicts it but still "this elaborate and deep net and proprietary Evil sect" just to hide corruption charges.
If that's the case, then Evil boss is suffering from lack of self-confidence. He is a talented individual, who should believe in himself, he has the capability to stole the "Mandate of Heaven" from the Emperor....the evil sect should put on some BLACK hats and start the new "Black Turban Rebellion".

Read the comment again about Life thing and if he is that mature, he already got an answer from FL and first time in Cdrama history, she made it perfectly clear to him and said Absolutely Not.
Still he is competing with ML and saying things like, if we didn't like the same woman, we will be friends.