MadelineMaureen

Not really loving the victim blaming, but sure. They show us multiple times how manipulative her husband is. They then show us how she was raised to believe she is only worth her body & ability to produce babies. She can't have children anymore. Psychology she is already struggling because she feels she has lost her purpose & is unwanted/undesirable for future marriage. Her ex new best when someone is vulnerable & easy to exploit. He got her when she was at her lowest, their child's death anniversary, after these negative thoughts were once again reenforced by her father & older brother. It perfectly demonstrated the cycle of abuse.
She didn't forget all the bad things he's done to her & others...she just thought he's who she deserves & she can't do any better than him. She doesn't have a child to fight for/wake her up from this cycle of abuse.
I personally don't enjoy a character with that much self pity, but I understand that there are people like this.
I personally tried to help get someone out of a financially, emotional, physically abusive relationship. She got out, got an apartment on her own(that I co-signed for her because she had no one else) & she STILL went back to her abuser. She defaulted on her rent & I had to pay. You can't help people sometimes.

A flower is also a euphemism for women...flower has not yet bloomed, she is blooming, she is past her bloom, delicate flower...etc. Flowers are kept in a garden & are pretty to look at & smell nice...concubines of the Emperor remain forever in the palace looking pretty, and smelling nice...his own personal garden, if you will.
Marriages secured land/areas, mone, and armies for an empire. So marriages are extremely political within the royal harem. More like he recuirts talent...it's the father's pimping out their daughters for money & status.
But yes I was like, that's wild job, but also makes a lot of sense as not all powerful families live in the capital city.

i can't remember if someone explained it in the comments or if I watched a YouTube video discussing the show & it touched on what a Floral Envoy was. I wish I could remember so I could give proper credit & send you a link.

On average it takes 7 attempts for an abused spouse to leave their abuser. When the one being abused leaves they are at the most risk of death/retaliation from their abuser.
In Shengyi's case the only person who loves her in her family is her younger brother, who is ill. Mu Dan came in after decades of verbal & physical abuse, by not only her husband, but her father & older brother.
I appreciate that they are truthful with their depiction of someone of her status & rank going through these things. I personally have to skip over a lot of her scenes because it's a bit triggering to see someone in that mental state of self loathing/pity. Not everyone succeeds in leaving their abuser like Mu Dan.

Yeah a period epic spanning many years isnt going to be for people who dislike slow burns. In Love Like the Galaxy there were 56 episodes over two seasons the lead characters didn't even have mutual feelings for each other until season 2. Now knowing that this has a part 2 coming it wouldn't surprise me if there is no progress on the lead couple's romance until part 2 comes out.

i love it because it's accurate without being too distracting. & it also helps convey her status as she moves through the story.
hair, make-up, and costumes play a large unspoken role in each period drama. Being able to tell from a glance a person's rank, social standing, & materialism without even needing a character to speak is vital to a drama that spans the amount of time it is covering.

Rewatching this and completely forgot how utterly unintelligent Jiang Juan Juan was when it came to her relationship. Thank God the actor who was recently kidnapped didn't have a girlfriend like this because he would have been lost forever. Instead of being concerned that her boyfriend but be hurt or incapacitated she blocks him & doesn't reach out for like 2 years or something stupid. he seriously deserved so much better than a girl who dumps you because you lost cell serve while on assignment. Literal psycho behavior & the attitude of a toddler 😒

That is traditional what the Floral Envoy would do...go around the country recuirting women for the Emperor's harem. (JCY isn't going through these women if thait's what you're asking) also this isn't necessarily what JCY is doing in the show as that is a "role" not who he actually is. He is working in the shadows to clear out corruption throughout the country, being the Floral Envoy gives him a reason to be in places a normal investigation wouldn't allow/would be found out.

thank you for this, I hadn't even noticed that & quickly went & added the other one to my plan to watch list so I wouldn't miss when it does air.

Does it still have to be a year between seasons or have the rules changed?

(I'm sure you most likely already understand the context of this, but in case you didn't or others are curious...)
It's a subtle way to show status. Miles' character Liu Chany is a scholar and then an official then a lower official. He doesn't care about wealth or monetary status and thus has a more simple wardrobe in general. He is also wearing a literal uniform because he is working or just getting off work most of the times we see him.
In contrast Jiang Chang Yang, the male lead, is playing a role of a money hungry official who takes bribes and brings the Emperor the most beautiful items and women back to the palace for his use. Though JCY is also in a pseudo uniform because of his position, his clothing shows not only his rank but his spending habits. The color is bold and vibrant with detailed embroidery using gold thread. These materials are for nobles to use only...this is also showing how close he is to royalty.

I would think that everyone smells slightly different as they carry scents on their belts, but that's just my guess. Or the way he walks, as Fu wouldn't have been so quiet.

also Mudan means Peony

It literally translates to Jiang's little flower.

you were not joking when you said long...girl I'm still reading it🤣

not between the two leads it's more of a mentor-mentee or mother-son relationship. there is a love line between FL's son & his classmate/friend of ML. this is more focused on future dreams & making that happen.

This is the best made currently airing drama. There are some writing issues, but not as egregious as some other shows. Always trust Douban as they have a better algorithm to get false ratings removed. Mydramalist each person has their own measuring stick that they rate on so if you know someone who has similar taste that would be the best way to judge. But I've noticed there are certain accounts that will down rate shows that are airing at the same time as an actor/actress they likes show just because...it's weird, but it is what it is.

First time in my life seeing a drama depict fireflies properly on screen. As in realistic to what they actually look like in the dark.

We're currently on episode 17 and still just a little bit of possible flirting...definitely still feeling each other out and more focused on their personal goals over love atm.
Love Mile's to death, but want to slap the shit out of him and tell him to smell the damn roses. The man has a shovel in his hands and doesn't realize he just keeps digging his own grave every time he opens his mouth...around EVERYONE. The man has the EQ of Elon Musk.

Yes, very good. Well produced too, so visually excellent. The writing is really good, nice pace for the subject matter too. Would be considered slow-burn, but has a mature writing style that keeps me engaged.