NotYourOppa

Back after a rewatch :) So that's how I see it -> spoiler ahead:
Zhao Sheng aka Cheng Wang and Wan Ning are siblings from not-favourite consort of the prev emperor. Zhao Sheng was always a military type, wanting to gain power and the throne at the end. He was fighting against Dai County in the North. Yan wasn't strong enough and Wan Ning was sent a hostage to reduce the threat. Those 2 factors averted the risk of the capital being taken.

In the meantime Zhao Ye was born, their half-brother. He had peaceful nature and showed more care for subjects, like his father. Therefore was chosen as his successor. Which engraged Zhao Sheng and probably some officials too. A kid on the throne? When they have an adult brave warrior to choose?
After unsuccessful attempt of murdering Zhao Ye, Zhao Sheng went back to the border with Dai to lead the resistance, gain regular people's respect, as well as "his"soldiers and gather resources to attack the capital one day. And one of the two most important and powerful officials - Li Zhong Nan - is on his side, smuggling salt for wealth for him, mining gold in secret and gathering weapons/armors (actually stealing them in the palace). He's also managing Capital Security Office.

So Zhao Ye might be wise ruler for his people but his reign is endangered. There's an army growing in the North while his forces aren't that great. And he knows it, but lacks the proofs of Zhao Sheng's treason (or his lackeys). If he treated Wan Ning poorly, his opponents would say he's harming a royal and his sister. So this can become justification for attacking the capital and take over the government.

I haven't seen "fear" in the emperor's acts though. He might understand why she's so crazy and cut her some slack for it and be wary of being suspected of mistreating her. It's like a race: either the emperor finds proofs and catches the traitors or the traitors grow strong enough and find an opening to attack.

Sorry that's hella long😅

I get it. However as I couldn't believe an 18 yo could be this scheming either😅 And successfully too. So I just overlook the "real" (from the story) protagonist's age.

Valid!👍🏻

I meant in the future ;) A political bride is for political reasons. Your opponent soon-to-be-in-law has to think you're giving him someone valuable, otherwise he won't agree to the wedding. It's not about any real power.
Also the royals always were privileged. As a highlight to their status, they're given much more freedom and less penalised.
And sure we have remember a drama needs a villain so all of this might be blown ;)

As for if "the emperor fears her", I admit I don't recall this part. I'll take notice of it while rewatching.

And *might* be used in the future too. So for political reasons it's better to "give away" a powerfull one, than the insignificant one - from the taker's perspective.

It's so good that I didn't even notice😁 Rewatching right now. Tho yeah and it's actually a case for many historical cdramas. Just finished another one where the main lead in the story was 15-16, no major time skip and the actress was older, obviously. The character too behaved much more like a woman 20-smth. Still it was an enjoyable show. So it's better to get used to it and overlook it.

At first I was probably not in the mood for this kind of drama with all those orchestrated theatrical scenes of confrontations where both sides plotted for them beforehand. Therefore I took a break after 8 ep.
Recently I came back to it and was hooked immediately!
Although there're plotholes, they didn't destroy it for me. At the very end it's become tiring with all the push and pull deceivings between the main couple. Also, how come there's a pool in a prison??? I'm not too safisfied with the punishment of Shi Yang. He's such A RAT💀All praise to the actor for doing a fantastic job.
All of the casts were convincing. Cinematography beautiful. Costumes detailed.
My heart broken for Xi Wen, (at first) the most demonic cdrama mother💔

You'd prefer she saved that rat?

I really thought we're past "with permission or not, I don't care" lines in supposed to be romantic scenes😬 There're quite a few such moments, totally a turn-off.

The beginning was hilarious. Im Ji Yeon is a great actress, although sometimes (rarely) she acted more like a grandma not a royal consort, but it wasn't tiresome.
The overall story wasn't solid, sadly and the last 3 eps were very weak.

Thx🌻

I also thought ab GTO :D Onizuka of these times.
Then kiddos photoshopped teacher's image into bdsm picture and glued it all over the school. Now they manipulate videos of them, publish online and lead the teachers to being stalked💀
The strong point of this drama is def showing real Korean school problems. Being stalked by the mothers and have to deal with their unreasonable demandings as a preschool teacher? That's wild.

Nice idea👍🏻 Maybe the summary will be better than going through 11(? is this the last one?:O) volumes.

Yeah, actually. I'm on the 2nd ep and think of dropping. However not bc of the female lead only. The story is rather boring? I've seen, and liked, other coming-back-to-the-village, but with this one there's a lot of missings.

Ooh, thanks for this info! (sincerely) Was there also this villain's motive?
But even if I assume there was, and a solid one, it still a story said for writing atrocious acts, graphically💀

Still, I will give a chance to the drama. Firstly bc of Luo Yun Xi (he;s a good actor who had stolen lightpost in Ashes of Love for me ;)) Secondly, hoping they'll make it more logic, cut what should be cut and actually make a decent story out of it ;)

Making Xie Lian a villain?😂😂😂

I tried to read it too, seeing so many great feedback about the story. But I lasted, with breaks, for 3 volumes. It's HORRIBLE.
How can anyone praise a plot with revenge-raping, sugarcoating it as "they actually loved each other so it wasn't that bad" and say it's a "happy ending"?? GURLS☠️☠️☠️
Mo Ran might've a funny moment or two, but this character is way beyond redemptation. A throw-back to the past didn't help for me as I find him repulsive.

Is there a lot of music?

But calling a 28 yo woman "looking like a toddler" is so offensive.

Even if you're bad at telling the age of Asian people just by the looks.

I see you everywhere posting this... Don't you think it's too much?

Beautifully made, superb acting, almost 3 hours but no part feels draggy or boring. As a matter of fact I wish they've added one scene.