Keiyun

I feel you! I'm really glad it's not stuck with the usual 40 episodes, I've felt like most of the shows have always needed a couple more to flesh out their endings. I miss the epic length dramas from years ago.

In saying that there are some that somehow get cut from 40 down to the low-mid 30s, like How Dare You. It was almost perfect, I really feel like the original ending (instead of the abridged ending) would've put the cherry on top. What a missed opportunity.

And then when he asked if he had hidden anything from the Emperor.

I had completely forgotten about the deposed crown prince. Actually felt a chill run down my back, that would ABSOLUTELY be something that gets your entire family killed.

I could see him sweating bullets there heh. Better hope the guy never comes back, or if he does, he better win.

I loved that he was literally the only person happy about this wedding!

Same! I had a lump in my throat through the entire episode and cried so much - it's a strange set of feelings. In almost all dramas at about this mark, you see the couple get married. And it's usually a release - like you finally see the couple come together after many trials and it's a sigh of relief. But here, it's a sense of foreboding.

What a strange set of circumstances we have here in this wedding. The events are so cheerful and lively, and Jinqi himself looks so happy, but the entire time we have a melancholy song playing in the background - it really evoked the feelings of what Lanxiang would've been feeling in that carriage. Surrounded by joy but internally mourning the life she's forced to leave behind, holding in all her anger, sadness, fear.

I also loved the contrast between her being unable to eat the pastry with "Lin" on it in the past, but spitefully taking bites out of it this time.

Overall this show is amazing. I'm dying waiting for the next episodes but I'm also dreading when it's over. I haven't watched something this good in years.

Lanxiang is a trooper, she'll be fine as she said.

But yeah I'm super keen to see how she changes their minds (if their minds can be changed) and how Jinqi actually wins her over. I assume that's how the story goes, it feels like it's heading for a redemption arc.

I loved it! What a stark contrast to the usual imperial decrees.

I felt so bad for Scholar Han - he did everything right, not a single thing wrong. But it still didn't matter, because the ML was THAT determined.