HOP2020

If you treat this as a rom-com and not a serious show to poke at details, then it’s a lovely show. With some really funny moments and jokes.

I do however feel like it was dragged on too long. The villain 2ML could have easily been dislodged from the company (it’s still the grandpa’s company after all) but, somehow it was made to look like he had more power and control than the actual owner just so the show can have its villain and the dramatic takedown can happen.

Nothing has been said about that. We are actually not sure yet if the Empress Dowager had an affair or she just manipulated the feelings he had for her.

All fake and used to manipulate Consort to make her serve/be loyal to empresss dowager.
The poem is actually a love poem by the master xinkuan to the Empress dowager. And the astrology thing is all made up (consort dowager is deeply into astrology and their meanings). FL showed her how all those astrology things were made up. She discovered when Empress Dowager told her, her actual give name (Furong same as what Hibiscus is called in Chinese), that the poem was actually a love poem to the Empress.

Since the Master Xinkuan was very much in love with the Empress Dowager, she used him and then framed him in the dead Crown Prince case and killed him. Which was what the Master realised Late and asked the Consort Dowager to keep the edict as a way to protect herself from the Empress Dowager who discards her pawns when no longer needed.


This show is brilliant in this regard. Initially, I thought Consort Dowager was the manipulator. But apparently, she the brain behind it all and uses who serves her interest and discards them when no longer useful.

Not sure. Have to wait for next episodes to know for sure.

She didn’t. They were both sent letters saying each of them invited the other person. If you recall, as FL was leaving the conversation was that the Princess invited her. Meanwhile, the princess received a letter saying FL invited her. Of course they didn’t get the chance to ask who or why the other person invited them. Princess assumed the invite was because of SuiZuide who came to FL’s house. It was a manipulated setting to carry out the attack.

Binged this (it made me lose sleep one night). It was quite interesting. However , I felt it was too long for the story. The story felt elongated to get to 16 episodes.

Sounds contradictory indeed. Hopefully we will find out the actual story and the show continues to unfold. This is what I like about this show. It has made all the watchers analysts about the actual story and not just about aesthetics. A real thriller.

He was not in the palace when the Crown Prince and family was burnt. Remember he was sent to LiShan mountain himself. He was later summoned to return at 14 (without knowing that the politics in the palace had changed) and the LiShan convoy with him were ambushed and then they forced him to sign a confession framing LiShan. This is why FL is angry with him, even though she acknowledges he was still a child at the time. But she still saw him as part of the cause that led to the demise of her LiShan brothers.

This FL is definitely not ordinary. I’ve never seen such FL in a C-drama in a while. I can’t wait for tomorrow’s Ep.14 & 15.

Me too 🤭

Every episode of this show is so good. It makes me just want to know more and watch more. I love when a C-drama gives me this kind of feeling. Hopefully, it maintains its charm. It takes me back to when Pursuit of Jade was airing.

OMG! This show is hilarious. I’ve binged up to Ep. 5 and my gosh, all the characters are amazing in their own way.

Good analysis. Let’s see how it plays out.

I agree. Also, it seems she needed to get rid of FL's mum (who is shown to be Empress Dowager's best friend) so she can take a central role in Empress Dowager's life. That way she will be the only trusted confidant and her manipulation will work perfectly.

She's experiencing a trauma response. She had a traumatic experience that her brain is protecting her from the reality of. Especially with the death of Qing Shuang that she imagines. That is her not wanting to deal with the death of QingShuang and probably recall how she died, because it must have been very traumatic.

It's obvious that Consort Dowager is manipulating the Empress Dowager. She sows discord with her words and pretends it is for the love of the Empress Dowager.
I won't be surprised if she's the main mastermind behind whatever happened at Lishan Mountains.

What kind of bad writing is this? Did the script lose a knot? I mean the phone call went through and I understand he didn't hear it because it was on vibration and he was in a meeting, but my gosh, I am sure he looked at his phone later on (Ep. 28)

Yet, somehow, the scriptwriter wants us to believe they have just being missing each other and never meeting, SMH!

I hate scripts that are written just to achieve a particular purpose but then no thinking is put into it.

Rant over.

PS: I have co
me this far, I can as well finish it off.

Now, I like this kind of FL. Swift and decisive, yet is unassuming. Even the ML is intrigued by her. Can't wait for tomorrow's episode.
I also enjoyed how the 1-2 episodes or so were from the FL point of view and the following episodes from the ML's perspective. We actually see things aren't as simple as was initially presented.

PS: I like the actors are using their real voice. At least I am sure of FL and ML.

Ok, first episode got me in. I am ready for the rest.

PS: I thought I was about to finally see a C-drama where the main couple consummated their marriage from the get go and not the usual wait "for half way the are so in love and then consummation" 🤣. What a twist from the ML.

Me too 😊