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This episode gives so much history. The Marquis’ man was integral to the destruction of Lishan school and the loss of its scholars. I love that Ye Li has the face of royalty and the hands of a servant. I also love that Xiu Yao knew instantly who she was but was too angry about the loss of his witness and evidence to play the part of happy bridegroom. But what a reason to barely arrive at the wedding! There is still a scholar at the capital and Ye Li signaled him. He ran off without communicating unless he is the one that sends messages by pigeon. Ye Li worked diligently making the perfect garb for the new appointee. My thought was that he would become a nice bit of fireworks in an illegal weapons trade. Lishan wanted to send him greetings before he ever reached his post. As horrible as that was, it was a quicker and kinder death than he doled out.😝 Nice to see the Marquis less happy. There is a lot more history of the battle’s change when the cavalry left the scene. It cost half their men but they won. So when the young Emperor is spouting all that stuff doesn’t he realize what actually happened at all? I am glad the Prince got in his face about how his arrogance can literally cost lives. It made far more progress than his mother’s punishment of the servants. What stories have they told him about XiuYao? I am glad the Duke had him spared but he’s been feeling survivor’s guilt and getting the brunt of the blame for something he had no part in. I applaud Ye Li burning that memorial of blame down and getting some light in that study. 👏🏻 I also wonder if there is significance to the wind chimes she hung. Are her dolls like voodoo dolls? Do they represent those she chooses to deal with whether gently like those guards or in flames like appointee?🧐 Hacky sack games at the palace? Even his aide wants to play.😂😂 she is an unknown variable that plays by no rules but her own. She stays within the confines of protocol but uses it to still get her way. I don’t know why the young Emperor refuses to trust him knowing the ill his mother causes with her choice. Maybe he is not old enough to grasp the enemy of my enemy is my friend. I am wanting him to get the Prince out of his traitor lense view so they can work together sooner rather than later. He refuses to let his bias go and that is causing trouble. I like that Ye Li tells XiuYao to not let his life be a drama or show for others. It is time for him to break free and return to his rightful self and rout out the real culprits. She is just the right person to be at his side. Even when young she rescued him and she is far more equipped now. These two together will be a force to be reckoned with and I can’t wait to see it.
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Ye Li is quite good at quietly gathering intel. With the lamp placing, she could verify Cheng’s name change. His name on her shoe sole.🤣 And Prince’s aide for believing it could work.🤣😂 Quite the irony that the seer demanding the trees removed, became tree food. 😝The Marquis is gaining a stronghold to keep the young Emperor at bay. There is clear evidence of weapon smuggling, but the one with the proof was killed and the evidence removed. I love that every time Ye Li is with the Prince she finds ways to show him good luck. He has been the pariah for so long that he does not see good fortune being a part of his life. He is desperately trying to find the imperial order that made his brother go back to the palace. He is struggling in his dreams so I am not sure if true or his dream state that told him it was burned. The young Emperor was so close to getting the Marquis put in place but the empty position now has the Marquis’ man put in and unfortunately with the Empress Dowager’s blessing. She doesn’t see her son having the maturity to reign and she has full confidence in the Marquis in spite of Cheng’s deceit. The Prince is aware of the changes and Ye Li makes even a spider weave good fortune for him. I like her progress with the Prince. His spy🤣😂 he will definitely be good comic relief. Story continues at good pace and this is truly a large puzzle board of battle of wits from every corner.
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Ye Li gets all crowned up to visit her sister in law who doesn’t show up. She is still in mourning and has been out of touch for at least a year in everything that’s been happening in the palace. Her son reminds her of the highlights she has missed. The minister of astronomy bureau has it in for Xiu Yao. His fake ceremony to remove the darkness is reprehensible. He takes great satisfaction in personally striking the Prince and reminding him same time next month he will be back. 🤬 Ye Li tries to offer some comfort but she gets tossed in the spring instead. Here I am glad she comes up with wet hair like she should. I couldn’t figure out at first all her reminiscing about the mountains, but she is trying to trigger the memory of their first meeting. It is unclear if he doesn’t remember or simply doesn’t want her to know if he does. I like her returning his mischief back at him with her fake feint. She is making a little progress. She will get her way with him eating and he will be rewarded with her departure. 🤣 She bargains well. Already she has lost the progress she made with her dowry. The shops were stolen, the books cooked and they think they have won. I am not sure if this is her family or the palace doings as grudges are everywhere and run quite deep. The Empress Dowager finds her son gambling and punishes all of them. Her son wonders if he would get any teachings from her at all if Lishan was still open. There is a push to keep her running things and finding the young Emperor incompetent. The eldest brother and Xiu Yao were set up and somehow Lishan involved so Ye Li is determined to repay the debt her clan owes. I also think she was pleased with the groom swap. The minister’s wife is making a big to do with lantern placement that seems to cause controversy next episode. The pace is good and the actors are excellent in enveloping you into their story. I am curious about the uncle and what betrayal the Ye family did that set up her mother and two princes.
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This story continues at a very fast pace. Puppet masters behind the son realize they’ve been duped about slush fund access and thanks to the bomb they are not sure of Song’s whereabouts but have learned no body was in the car. It is hard to watch the family treat the mom like a maid, but I had a fun laugh with them as the daughter catered to every food demand via takeout. For me this was the best scene with mom and daughter enjoying each other’s company and letting the snobs think they were getting their way. It was a very nice thing Chairman did for his wife and daughter. They had a much deserved lavish meal together and daughter received her inheritance back. This was a nice family moment. He has brought back the accountant’s skills to find the link between politician and funding. Now that discovered he can use that to get the other port used and the governor of that port on board with the chemical division. The oldest daughter says she knows who he really is at end of episode. That will be an interesting conversation. He has driven a nice wedge between the bickering twins and now that the eldest daughter is no longer on board he goes to backing the son. Since she cannot prove it wasn’t her doing that stole his project, he is most interested in keeping her from the chair than getting it himself. He is willing to be more and more reckless as she is to be more and more ruthless. His trusted aide is noting the two behind the scenes wreaking havoc with the twins and now is aware Hwang is in the chairman’s hotel room. It is clear that for all his failing parenting, the chairman truly loves his wife and trying to correct past mistakes. The way that check is set up seems to be a constant reminder for Chairman what Hwang is due as recompense. Whenever the souls are swapped back, I would like to see the chairman give the company a backseat and be happy with his wife and daughter, the twins in jail, and Hwang with the financial means to take care of his gma. I am really enjoying the fast pace and the mother / daughter bonding.
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These twins 🤬 The son is disgusting with his cowardice and greed but the twin sister…she is the most evil and ruthless of the two. So the mystery man from last episode is the son’s father in law. He plays hardball quick with his gifts bearing bombs. The Chairman and daughter get the codes for the slush fund so it will be a race to see who gets the cash first. The daughter is allowed to return home as long as she gives back all real estate her father gave her. This is her only inheritance but she signs it over to get access to her mother. The big sis has it all arranged to have her mom in maid clothes and service to greet her on her arrival. She also thinks she has the literal pulse on the Chairman deciding when he gets to die. Her husband is a weakling as a doc but the trusty night nurse is a good counterbalance. The gma has arrived on the scene and here the chairman needs to step up. He is at least aware of her condition and his daughter is getting a battery of tests done to see if that is all that is wrong and to what degree. The chairman’s bribe has their care and surveillance covered to counter the wicked daughter’s intentions. The sis is actually curious about events and wondering how her brother that hates pain will deal with it all. She knows to look into the sis in law’s family company. The Chairman is making waves since everybody wants to be in competition for CEO chair now. He has pitted materials and sales against each other in a winner take all scenario. We learn that the materials leader was the accountant that first discovered the book discrepancies. He was demoted and hidden to hide the fraud. The ripple effect has started but there will be serious fallout. One bigger fish is now gone. He can literally play dead and be out of the fight. Chairman was caught red handed by the daughter in the secret vault and he has to earn her trust to keep things on track. He has not convinced her, but seeing him pay out the cash to protect her dad in the hospital and to get slush fund access gets points in his favor. I wish daughter could have been successful getting her mom out rather than getting trapped inside with her. Big sis is determined to make them invisible tho her mom has lived 30 years with the dad. Little sis is definitely made the Cinderella of the group. While Chairman’s reasons for sending his daughter away is a bit clearer, it could have been done in a less brutal manner and with better understanding as to the why’s. He had already lost to the twins and had no real safeguards for his second family. I do not know if this was guilt for their mother’s loss or just seen as the necessary evil to have legacy for his company, but for all his business smarts, the Chairman leaves much to be desired as a family man. He dropped the ball and is now well aware of what he created. This will be a war of attrition. Which will hold out for the win? Experience or ruthless tag team attacks? Previews show gloves off fighting for the chair and father will be in direct fight with his firstborn twins. What did the twin sis do with chemical division that makes her feel both victim and entitled? This has damaged her to the point of justifying murder so a monster was created as a result. So far, other than youngest daughter’s potential, there is nothing to recommend about the chairman’s ‘legacy’.
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The murderers were exposing the governor’s role in framing Wei for a rebellion. They would have been successful if Yuan Mo hadn’t been so observant. Minister Tan came to get them and things got more interesting when it was discovered he had motive to be a participant in dealing with the governor. He was the friend trying to help get Wei’s case reopened and name cleared. A set of bookends and the house chosen for governor betrayed him. Yuan Mo connected the dots and now there is a chance that justice will finally be made for Wei tho posthumously. Yuan Mo’s history finds him to be the son of an envoy who was stationed in the desert where he and his wife were killed. This left Yuan Mo alone to grow up by himself and explains the chip he has on his shoulder for all things serving the needs of the country. He is immediately tuned into the hypocrisy of it all and easily notes the pretense of things because of his bias. He is wanted for a promotion and Yuan Mo is less than enthused. The larger cases have been making the west court more noticeable and at the end of the episode the masterminds pulling the political strings are taking note. I am enjoying the humor and detective work of the drama. It goes at a good pace. I also enjoy the banter of AShu and Yuan Mo. Yes, she is incredibly bossy, but I think that is a nice counter to Yuan Mo’s laziness. He is forced to make more of himself than just lie around drinking and taking bribes. He is being forced to develop his potential by being wedged between her bossiness and Wang’s meticulous attention to detail and discipline. He is being literally whipped into shape. 😂🤣
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Wang’s reaction has him in a desert mission and he’s berserk heading for Yuan Mo with his sword. AShu finds the antidote just in time to keep all Yuan Mo’s appendages intact. 😂🤣They now know the poison, how administered, and that red triggers as target. Now to find out about the red decorations and keep everybody on lockdown to gather evidence. The snooty East court leader is all ready to send the West back to their menial tasks when he is confronted by Yuchi. Three questions puts him at a loss and our western court guys the lead detectives. Yuan Mo is not above taking bribes and gets a literal shakedown to remove his ill gotten treasures. 🤣In spite of all their efforts to guard the governor and suspect, they learn too late of an underground access to the room and the governor was killed in his sleep. The top officials are pointing fingers and everybody wants to know what happened. Wang thinks it has something to do with an old case.
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The northern general was having a field day thinking he won. He was sure his reinforcements had arrived. JinZhao had the village light torches and they spread out over the hillside yelling the Ye army chant. This completely demoralized the northerners as the Marquis was well known for being undefeated in battle. Chen’s guard took this opportunity to get the general’s maces engaged so that Chen could plunge him with his sword. Ye Xian charged bravely into battle and we were spared seeing the strike that killed him. Chen took the Ye banner and used it to strap Ye Xian to him and carried him back. Chen could barely stand but he stayed back and let JinZhao grieve for her friend. She found three letters Ye Xian had written and one was to her. His humor and sincerity shone through in his comments and requests. Him gloating at having a permanent place in her heart and to tell Chen makes you smile through your tears at his audaciousness. He told her his life was short because of his heart malady so he chose to be bold and die in the battlefield. He could look his father in the eye in the afterlife and say he did not let down the name of Ye. He wore armor he led troops into battle and he died bravely. He gave permission to continue the Ye army to keep the enemies at bay. He even told her to give QingLan a gift from him when she got married. He was her true friend to the end and made no apologies for his choices. Chen has to stay in the north and decides to fake his death and Ye Xian needed to be snuck back in. JinZhao had the mission to face Fu in refusing him to be viewed by the court and to get reinforcements. She was bold and face to face with him and Fu actually backed down. She has let the Chen’s know YanYun is still alive and getting ready to let the Ye’s know Ye Xian died bravely. Chen and his guard are hiding in the north depending on JinZhao to get support to them. This episode is a tear jerker. I am glad they gave Ye Xian’s character respect and purpose. They let him mature and be the man he was meant to be. He died defending the people he most cared about and for the love of his country. He was given opportunity to write goodbyes and make his last wishes known to those who mattered to him. As sad as this was he was happier with this option than pining away in bed like everybody expected him to. He went out gloriously to meet his dad smiling that he carried out their legacy well. Adieu Ye Xian. 🌹❤️
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QingLan was determined to go with YeXian but he pulled out the big guns….her dad. He knew that the only way to help JinZhao get to Shi City was to lead the way secretly for her and clear a path. When they arrived at the city she caught him red handed but everybody learned there was northern troop movement. The officials were blessed off to leave so they did and left mostly women and children with soldiers scared off by the Chunyuan sect. It was rumored that they attacked the envoy with the court’s blessing. The city was in complete disarray and JinZhao found herself knocked off her horse and being carried away by an enemy leader. She managed to get to her whistle and damn…there Chen is to rescue her. Ye Xian finds himself the only leader around for the soldiers and takes charge. He writes a letter for reinforcements but it’s most likely they will never arrive. Chen has him rally the troops under the Ye army banner and Ye Xian did his father proud. For a short while they proved their mettle and fought the enemy back but there were just too many. They are very close to the city and JinZhao is looking at the torches and hopefully devising a plan. Our favorite two guys are in trouble and I’m anxious for all of them. The fighting scenes are more like actual face to face combat. It’s brutal and ugly and there wasn’t a dance of swords it was survival by whatever means necessary. Ye Xian was so proud when he rallied the troops and he truly kicked ass for awhile, but he saw their standard fall and his men dead and dying and reality hit. I am sad for them. This is all Fu’s doing and he doesn’t even know it. All his scheming just gave them the keys to the kingdom and I’m hoping our collective of masterminds can find a way to block them.
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XuanQing is more like his uncle than I gave him credit for. He knew what he did was outrageous and he wanted it to look like he was all out for the documents. After YanYun gave him the 40 lashes for bringing a charge up against him, he told his nephew that all the documents were already in the capital with the emperor. After cutting ties XuanQing hit his head on a post and swallowed poison. He had no intentions of leaving alive. He knew he had to make it look like complying with Fu and he went all in, but like his uncle he found a way to defeat Fu’s plan. He told his uncle his real feelings and accepted his fate. Yan Yun’s cry of anguish over his lost nephew was heartbreaking. I had no sympathy for the fool that threw his life away, but for the one who had raised him and gave him every chance to be sorry and come back. His mother wants him removed from the family registry because she is all about appearances. Qin Zhao was asked her opinion and she left it up to YanYun. We don’t know what he decided. Fu knows that XuanQing failed with his mission and is dead. He now knows the documents are in the capital with the emperor and plotting his next move.The Ji family are relocating to Songjiang. This will hopefully keep them out of harm’s way. Yao’s mom is far from happy since all their businesses are north not south, but Gma Ji has agreed to the move. Yao told his mom he was going but remaining in the capital to be with JinZhao. Chen and JinZhao go to the temple where the emperor is waiting. This time, Chen makes it a point to give JinZhao is cape to keep warm. Ye Xian is also there. Both want the position to be envoy. Chen, as usual gets his way but JinZhao is also included in the decision. They both know what’s at stake, but she has received protection for the Ji’s and asked for 300 muskets to send north with YanYun. The court is wishing him well on his journey and Chen very articulately and ceremoniously cuts ties with Fu. He paid respects to the man his mentor was and reminds him of the man he has become. Fu actually did mourn his favorite student. He said he considered him for his replacement. I would almost believe him but his work ethics are polar to Chen’s. Even after saying this he plots with his wife for Chen’s life. The delegation party never reached it’s destination and only Fu’s two men made it back alive. Before Fu can blame Chen household JinZhao already prepared the emperor with a list of weapons bound for the emperor. He listed them off for the court that if Chen was colluding with the enemy why send the weapons to him rather than the second prince? This argument shut down the court and he brought the attention back to the two men that came back. They are going to be interrogated and Fu looked a bit less pleased. There is a cute scene with Ye Xian and JinZhao with the white kitten. And another when he comforts her after Chen’s departure. He is also present when she tells the emperor her idea for saving the Chen family. JinZhao comforts the Chen household and leaves her the properties that will take care of the family just in case. JinZhao is going to find YanYun and her guard with Yao and her brother in tow. The emperor is well aware of who is colluding with the northerners but Chen has to find the evidence. This is a battle of wits pitting mentor against student and it’s riveting because they are so well matched. JinZhao is going with no news means he’s still alive. She just needs to find him.
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It was good that Phantom Knight was a team effort. Lin realized that he was the dreamer wanting to write so she pretended she did not get the author option. It was funny that they used pure chance of who would continue. I like that the man child has finally grown up. He is sober and thoughtful and his better self. Whether they continue writing or not he will be a better person. Mei….she has been warped into a character that creates a dissonant note in their group. She walks to the beat of her own drum but is still deciding if that is progress or destruction. She has finally left both men behind but did it in the most hurtful way possible. I don’t even think it gave her satisfaction. It was simply her choice of how to end things with both realizing it is truly the end. No misunderstandings or hope for the future. She is the one who left to places unknown which is a good thing. She will hopefully just figure out who she is and not how she relates to men. When she finds her better self…maybe she will finally find love. GuYan learned via AI he is a villain😂🤣 He is actually rather intrigued by the notion. He has had his temper tantrum about Phantom Knight and he can move on to write anti hero stories.😂🤣San Mei is living her life without either of her old buddies. She is not sad but looking to the future. Dai is watching over her AI/author crop for the future. They have changed her to appear more dark in nature but this is simply what she sees as the most expedient means of writing in the future. Ling and Zhao actually stay married and learn to parent. She seems a bit softer now but waiting to see how Hellfire and Brimstone 2.0 turn out before deciding. 😝Cai has gone to Dingqi to join the human authors and has won an award. I am just glad she seems much more like a person than a fangirl and given much less screen time. She still kinda annoys me on sight. Her dad also hopes to show Lin more housing. He still is a better man than I gave him credit for. The convenience store owner is taking a trip with his son but will be returning. And as for Phantom knight…..the banner light is turned on so it seems like the partnership will continue. Would I recommend. This one…if I knew prior that it was not a fun second chance story…. I don’t know that I would watch it. However, once I was sucked into the story…I was compelled to watch it to the end no matter how pissed off or disgusted I was with them. I cannot say that it was entertaining as a whole but it definitely kept me curious to see how parts would end up. It diverted nicely from a very gray and black set of characters to the debate of AI and the arts. It gave an interesting perspective of that debate. And that I found worth watching.
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Lin is saying her goodbyes and there was a lot of effort in this episode to draw out the angst of her and He Han’s impending separation. It did not have the feels for me. I don’t know if it’s because of the episode hiatus and then drawing single episodes out for the story if lacking express package or if the story itself has burned out for me. I see them as a couple yet not a couple. They will be whether I care about them or not and maybe that is the point of their story. What was interesting was her leaving a manuscript for He Han and that she and Ma would resolve things if they continued defamation of Phantom Knight. He Han has agreed to be the face of Phantom Knight, but they deliberately leave it ambiguous. The only thing that was certain is that Lin HeHan and Ma produced the works of Phantom Knight. Whether one or some combination? He Han just tosses his impish grin at you. 🧐 Cai has joined the Lingqi team but as undercover Cai.🤣 There is a think tank of sorts where the ‘mediocre’ authors were combining their efforts to counter the AI revolution. If these authors were led by Phantom Knight, there could be a counter to Linqi’s assumption that AI was the way to go for best author concepts. The look on He Han’s face when she said she joined them.😂🤣 Fan accepting a deal because no other option and having nothing to brag about was also an interesting aside. For once it is not about the money, it’s about creative freedom and intellectual property. It is old ground yet new in the battle of imagination vs innovation. Where is the line drawn with AI? It is both ironic and satisfying that Phantom Knight reunites the old team. They must work together to be an effective counter to Dai’s vision of the future. This time Dai is shaken by this new rival. Whoever Phantom Knight really is, it was made clear they wanted no collaboration with AI. Gu Yan is having a major hissy fit and I gotta smile at Dai’s reaction and words for him.😂🤣Zhao has come to terms with the end of her company but wants this last fight backing the real Phantom Knight so they go down swinging and with best cash return possible. Where Ling has bargained is that within a year their assets will be divided 50/50 upon divorce. With this, I think he includes splitting up the children, but Zhao finally agrees to his terms and he is the smiling face to get new investors on board for their last hurrah. Mei and her ex young lawyer beau are sharing a meal. I found it humorous that he wants to make a grand gesture for love while wearing what looks like a highschool jacket. Mei is surprised that he has tossed his career and mentor aside to start over and woo her properly. Whether it turns out well or not, Mei is buying him dinner and they are talking. Cai is warning He Han of the planned attacks when the chapters are dropped to make sure he will have no comeback. He Han has a cryptic response when he says the one that holds the banner for the dreamers is Phantom Knight. Gu Yan and He Han have a conversation where He Han says why doesn’t anybody believe I am the Phantom Knight? Gu Yan raises argument about him wanting more spotlight but won’t he dissolve He Han name for Phantom Knight. He Han counters with how you see yourself isn’t you and how others see you isn’t you. It is how you see others that is your true self. That what you truly treasure may not matter to others at all. Gu Yan is beyond jaded already when he refuses to believe him. He Han says the huge apartment is too much space and filled with emptiness and does it really matter if you’re number one with no one to share it with. When the end result is that you will be replaced is it worth it? GuYan asks if it’s so simple as sour grapes. He Han said they weren’t very good because he had already tasted them. Dai is convinced that He Han will not survive the repercussions of angry readers from his own and Phantom Knight’s fans. What is really at stake is which platform will succeed? The human authors or the one with human input?
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Ms Wang is an older version of Lian. That whiny it’s not me it’s her excuse is down pat. She just could not refrain from throwing shade at JinZhao. She expected a completely different reaction than a return dig about using tribute and serving to guests. This shows the ignorance of nobles to merchants. She did not expect JinZhao to be knowledgeable nor did she grasp the situation she put her husband in. Wang is well aware how things look and he is furious at being impeached. His embezzlement of tribute goods being sold in his shop is now under investigation. He knows it is Chen pushing for things but he thinks his swap with the grain not a big deal and annoyed Chen not following suit in accepting and covering bribes. XuanQing has passed on the earrings he bought and has thrown a weak argument at YanYun about the students that stopped his carriage. I am still not understanding his game. JinZhao had her guard throw them away, but I am wishing she would have just come clean with Chen about her past crush and that he rejected her. Chen inadvertently created the situation by making his nephew lie about saving her. He is acting more and more like YanWen and it’s creepy. Chen cautions her about the political intel the wives are passing around and not to even say female magistrate for others to hear. He is seeing how he was out of the loop of intel dissemination via spouses and this will now give him another venue for information. Ye Xian is working tirelessly to get back at the nobles that framed his father. He is again drinking through his misery but he forgot to keep his meds close and collapsed. Fortunately QingLan and a doctor were coming in with his guard and found him, He pretends to be unconscious and learns he has three years left to live. He has a mission in mind that he wants to complete in the time that he has. QingLan is blackmailing her way into accompanying him. I hope she gets her way because it is a damn good idea. Lan and JinZhao are chatting and she confirms that Ye Xian is coming across as a madman in his zeal. Lan actually agrees to meet the one she thought ugly and ran away from three years ago. She has also requested to have her own residence to get away from the Gu clan. JinZhao has agreed to help her. Ms Chen now knows about YanWen’s past deed and that he was responsible for JinZhao’s kidnapping. She also knows it most likely he will never return to their ancestral home. She is mourning to her maid wondering where she went wrong. YanYun thinks she will be right as rain after processing the information. I’d like to think he is right but they have a new YanWen in XuanQing. I’m inclined to think she will be as unaware with him as she was with YanWen. I really enjoy that they let this couple be an affectionate newlywed couple. They are comfortable being playful and their mutual love is obvious to see. She greets Lan at her new home and learns that XuanQing invited himself over with Mu. WanXue is also there and it seems in all the time since engagement he has visited her two times. However that is still two more times than he dared to talk to JinZhao. 😝 He knows he is neglecting the girl he should be paying attention to and making JinZhao upset. 🤬Mu is actually rather sweet. There is no love between them, but he wants to brighten her days with a fish pond. He has even brought a construction team with him to build it. Lan seems to be the Gu girl not wanting to marry. She knows she cannot marry the station she wants so she wants to earn enough to take care of her mother. Like Mu I find myself feeling sorry for her. JinZhao was also deserted by her parents but had a loving gma to raise her. Lan has been forced to deal with things herself because of her own machinations and the weakness of the father who’s best known for being the absentee parent. I am actually surprised they are not together since he doted on her originally. But maybe this was always her mother and he just accepted credit. That seems more his style. The fact that XuanQing makes JinZhao nervous and shaken makes me hope YanYun shows up soon.
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Ya have to side with Ling giving himself a safe room. Whether hormones, jealousy or suppressed rage Zhao was doing her best to suffocate him with a pillow while he slept. She has everything mapped out in her head how he betrayed her and he rebuts that these very things proved he loved her. I am not sure where they will be when the babies are born or if she will be able to bring them to term, but Zhao is now wishing she had learned to build herself a safety net as the pieces start falling. Lin’s mom lived to hear the last of the book and passed when it was finished. Her dad was rather stoic about everything. It wasn’t that he didn’t care, it was simply the extent of emotion he gave to life itself. He calmly accepted his fate and told her he had no desire to go abroad with her when she left. Lin wanted them close enough to look after each other but he wanted her to have the life and freedom he never had. He wanted her to be happy with her life and career without feeling obligated to him in any way. I think the saddest reflection she had of their family is that not a single photograph existed where all three of them were together in the same frame. He Han was her person and was there for her, but no hugs were exchanged when she walked out of her mother’s room. He simply went in to tell her mother goodbye. While she and her dad were talking, and she was processing he was not going with her, He Han said they had already arranged for him to be contacted to look after her father whenever the time came. When they spoke in the closed diner Lin told him she might have found his mother. They still don’t embrace but she travels with him to the store where his mother worked and he came back with a large quantity of clothes. He recognized her but I don’t think they acknowledged themselves as family. I do think, tho we didn’t see it, that there was tacit understanding that they turned out ok and no ties had to be made between them. There were several early snapshots of him and his mom but after meeting her, He Han burned every one of them. He wants to know when Lin’s leaving and while she doesn’t have a specific date set, she’s making it sooner rather than later since her dad isn’t leaving with her. Gu Yan has left Zhao to sign on with Dai. He is flexible to accepting AI and has few requests other than keeping his room and getting He Han’s car. He also wants Phantom Knight to be his baseline to surpass rather than He Han. Dai drops her keys on the table and agrees to his terms. When GuYan spoke to Zhao he said he had his friends taken care of and no longer needed her. He realized she was the one that created the problems and then swooped in to fix them to keep him in line. He has made peace with them and offered marriage to San Mei after divorce. San Mei is wiser this time when she asks him why he wants to marry her now? Love had nothing to do with his choice it was all about her being one he could trust. She thanked him for the assist but said they could have that relationship without marriage. She is going back to the Internet cafe and reminded him that had they made this choice earlier they all could have stayed friends. He offered his buddy 5 million to make a new life wherever he wanted but he had to go because domestic violence was unacceptable. His friend agreed and said he never should have married San Mei. He thought he could handle it knowing Gu Yan had her heart, but it drove him to his vices. It was harder because he didn’t have his best friend to talk to about it because he was the problem. He declined the cash but said they would keep in touch and he would let him know if money was ever an issue. Their friendship is shattered and his only request was for GuYan to take care of San Mei. Gu Yan has one last chat with Lin letting her know he had signed on with Dai and she was one he trusted. He just wanted her to cater to his ego and he would have never left. He assures her his goal is to leave Phantom Knight in the dust. Lin told him that in a game of win or lose, the dullest part is when the rival didn’t want to play. She made no apologies for how things ended up she just had no intention of giving him the attention he wanted. Cai is still writing and considering her options. She and He Han are still friendly and there wasn’t enough screen time to know if she’s over her crush. That worked for me. She was acting like a colleague rather than a starry eyed delulu girl. Fan is seeing the writing on the wall and wants to blame Zhao for losing their authors. Dai is not even gloating they just have very different views of reading content for the future. He wants to pretend he’s concerned with writers making a living. Tell that to Lin’s authors he wasn’t interested in.😝 He did the same thing Dai is doing now but on a much smaller scale in comparison to her current success. Dai is wiping the floor with them and he was too arrogant to even see it as his rival. She is keeping her promise to Lin to have Zhao feel it tenfold. The fact she chooses to not share a drink with Fan shows she knows his words are bs and their paths had always been divergent, which is why they were no longer married or ever worked together in a long term arrangement. Fan’s empire has finally toppled and I do not have the satisfaction I thought I would. He needed to go but I have misgivings about the AI trend in the arts so it leaves a sour taste for me. Two more episodes to see if Lin really goes abroad and will they actually reveal who Phantom Knight is? This drama is more like a psychiatry case study than anything else. I expected a more light hearted second chance romance and this is nothing of the sort. I am hoping as they wrap things up that it ends on a lighter note because right now everything is rather murky with dark undertones. These characters have kept my interest and the actors are doing an excellent job, but I am still trying to define what story they want us to know from them.
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Fan is looking less smug these days. Even his company elevator shows ads of new competitor who happens to be with his ex. Karma is a lovely thing. It all comes down to the perspective of embracing the arts with AI support or seeing AI as the destroyer of individual creativity by meshing many sources into one creation supplemented by human partnership. Is AI created materials art? This is a heated debate and rightly so. Dai has made the rounds of invitations to authors and editors to be on the ground floor of her project. What was alarming was that human editors were no longer needed. She boldly told this to Lin when she came to visit. It was said matter of factly, an already done deal. She is convinced Lin is Phantom Knight and wants her in that capacity. Lin denies and says she isn’t. The one thing she and He Han agreed on is that AI could be helpful to an experienced author in limited capacity, but that for a new writer AI would suppress the limit of their talent and make them lazy. Cai was also offered a job but she is not onboard with the idea. He Han told her that to excel at the craft it took years of perfecting the skill with meticulous labor every day. That if she wanted a shortcut to the time required, AI would be the better option. When she asked Lin she received a similar response that being a good writer was a lonely existence. Mei followed that up with AI would make it feel lonelier. Her smile after that..seemed a bit out of place. Was she smiling Cai would have to make a grown up decision? Cai is lamenting them moving out and even while they sympathize with her, both are ready to leave the He Han worshiper’s temple to get on with their lives. Cai has a final drink with them as she moves to the cusp of true womanhood. She is almost past the last childhood’s hold of fantasy. He Han is stunned by the manuscripts and Fan has the same reaction. They are a publisher’s dream for a new upcoming author and that non of them generated by human talent is eerie and mind blowing. I am not convinced He Han is completely sold on turning teacher/professor, but neither is he embracing the idea of AI as a supplement backup to speed things along. Lin has trained him too well in what it takes to be a number one author. Mei is a walking contradiction for me. She wrote off her parents and rightly so yet she involves herself in property division for them. If she is their executor it seems a lawyer could have covered the meetings for her. Ex bf is representing her mother and says things are on course and she is settled in new city with no thoughts of returning. He even offers Mei her address which Mei declines. He is currently with a woman 11 years his senior who is shaping his career path for him. By the next time they meet he has broken off with her tho still relocating. His attempt to give Mei further opportunity to consider him. Ling is the product of Zhao’s captivity. I despise how he treats her but she always makes him feel like a captive so he strives to make captivity captive by keeping beautiful women in his vicinity just to antagonize her. GuYan has joined the rebels in captivity by wanting to become her boss. This changes when he sees what has become of his two friends behind the scene. Zhao has kept them hidden to have as ammo now when he threatens her with Dai. His friend was jealous because San Mei never relinquished her love for GuYan. It has wedged between them and taken a violent turn. He gambles and beats her in frustration and she retaliates to protect herself. He is in bed with a concussion and she looks like a battered woman. Zhao is only too glad to point out to GuYan that he is to blame and she kept them in line by saying if GuYan knew it would harm his career. Zhao admitted she never made safety nets for herself. It was win everything or fall to pieces. Dai might just be the one to get the pieces flowing. She said as much to Lin about making Zhao pay tenfold for the way she had treated Lin. Lin did allow herself a shared smile with Dai over that one. Dai is not the jerk that Fan is, but toppling writing with AI is a very slippery slope if not handled well. Is she helping creators so there is less ebb between creative cycles? Or is she eliminating the human element too much from the craft? I have wanted to see Fan fall utterly after what he did to Lin and her company, but I do not find myself enthused with this as the victor. Waiting to see more fallout tomorrow.🫣
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