PeachBlossomGoddess

Tilan had her own very beautiful and poignant story that has been completely thrown under the bus so that we can give FJM and Haishi something (we don't know exactly what yet). At least now they are not writing her character as badly.

Yes I couldn't agree more there are layers or meaning that get lost by a machine.

It is ok, eventually everyone dies.

Lets hope she remembers how much sh*t she got for JOF.

They have a different dynamic for sure they can kind of bitch about Jianming to each other!!!

You mean you didn't think it was so super cool you almost fainted??? 🤣🤣🤣

Yes she is connected to the merfolk.

Yes I think so...

She is awesome - she actually loved Rise of Phoenixes so much she made many videos of it that had me rolling with laughter.

Excellent, can't wait! 😄😄😄

She roasts everything in the nicest way and I find her really funny and witty. Her humor is harmless and I kind of agree with her points, especially about not getting on the wrong ship.

I don't know I haven't read any of the other books but possibly since its a shared universe.

This cracked me up!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BhdvPV8OAUk&t=2s

Wow I can't believe Zhu Yi Long is in Part 3, I thought worst case he would be Part 2!
This is probably the most interesting list bc it has quite a few actors that should be moving up the ranks...

Lol... yeah Douban raters must be the bloodline of the original bluestokings! There are a lot of bafflingly deep reviews on there that make me think who the hell knows that kind of stuff??? The active subscriber base has been stable at about 200mm for decades so I expect they are not that young. You don't see as many juvenile or fan-girling comments like on Weibo and bili-bili etc although there are some.

I think where ratings manipulation is more heavily found is in just the view-counts. I mean some shows had airing view counts that exceed the entire population of China! I think the Douban rating is not that easy to manipulate bc your account has to be seasoned/verified before you can rate and you need to register your mobile.

I generally find for c-dramas that if the IP is based on a book that is well regarded, the source material is good, that checks a box for me. A famous/well regarded screenwriter also helps a lot. Take Luoyang that is starting tomorrow for example - the book and novelist is great but the screenwriter is only so-so and the director is atrocious but the cast is quite strong. I suspect it will turn out quite well but I don't have super high expectations. Sword Snow Stride which will start soon as well is by a really outstanding wuxia director, based on a comparably popular book, the screenwriter kicks butt and the cast is exceptional. No competition which one is going to knock the ball out of the park.

Someone who bears all of the pain, injuries, illnesses and suffering of the emperor. So when someone stabs the emperor the wound appears on the baixi. Only the Qinghai lords can do this due to their special blood bond with the emperor. As a result they don't live long and each emperor can only have baixi in a lifetime. It is not a unique concept to this drama. The well known movie that has a similar concept is Shadow.
https://mydramalist.com/29264-shadow

Yes in this less dark version, he has much less reason to continue down this path. In the novel the emperor was not happy with Tilan, he only loved Zizan although he found some comfort with Haishi. And Jianming himself was a eunuch so his love for Haishi was just plain impossible - there isn't even a shadow of a kiss.

He just felt unbearable guilt for messing up and causing his best friend to lose his beloved and his unborn child and turn from a carefree, happy and good person into the dark, almost mad, suicidal tyrant he became. Its actually a terrible and beautiful story.

Geez its such a depressing story bc it is about how none of them can change their destiny. In the end, the emperor tells Jianming he should have let him die long ago and Ji Chang assume the throne bc that is what is happening anyway. Like it was all for nothing. And in the end Haishi at age 16 or 17 becomes dowager empress to the little emperor, which was when Jianming became baixi to the emperor. So for all intents and purposes she steps into his role although she is not a baixi.

I don't think the emperor was that shocked in the drama. I mean he was taken aback but then again everything clicked very quickly. And I love how he instantly reacted to protect Jianming/Haishi the moment he saw the ring. Ultimately he is on their side no matter how outraged he is at the deception. In the book of course its dark bc he asks for her and Jianming agrees and in their last heart to heart he confesses he knew what she meant to him the moment he saw the ring but he took her anyway.