PeachBlossomGoddess

Well it looks like (I hope), our boy wisened up a lot! He didn't fall for Mingyi's self serving proselytizing.

"The only thing bright about our ML is his smile, that's it. "

So true - wiping tears...

Allegedly his wife was from the Li family. I couldn't find anything from a good source on any of this. Just what some netizens were posting on Weibo and other chat sites.

I just mean it would be smart of the emperor to send Derang as far away from Yan Yan as possible since they are temptation for each other.

I don't know how the story is written in the novel or drama. This is just fans spreading wild, undocumented history about Yan Yan's relationship with Derang...

Yeah and that would be the smart thing to do - I mean they are an affair that is just waiting to happen...

I am sure the jealous and scheming emperor will send him away to guard the border or something equally life endangering.

I am so angry at Han Derang for not knowing how to answer that question and not even having the slightest suspicion. That was an Et tu, Brutu? moment and he didn't even see it.

Moral of the story: If a buddy ever comes up to you and says "Hiya - will you forgive me and still support me if I have to do something that is for the greater good but hurts you personally?" Don't answer just shoot him dead or let the bad guys get him. Don't under any circumstances give him the keys to the kingdom (gate)!

So I trolled around some of the Chinese sites and according to some viewers, her affair/marriage to Han Derang is speculative history with juicy details like how she had Han Derang's wife killed off so that she could marry him. I couldn't find any sources to confirm that but I saw chatter along similar lines on a few sites...

Indeed... this is very good, everyone is layered and gives us conflicted feelings about them... I am happy Derang is not blindly trusting of him. So far he is the nicest character... and sadly too nice... I hope he stands up for himself.

So far, PM Siwen is my favorite supporting character. His facial expressions when his Yanyan shocks, terrifies and PISSES HIM OFF is priceless!!!

People who can't hold their alcohol should not be popping anything...
Cheers!

Tale as old as time. Women have to choose. Be a great queen. Or have a great love...

Heheh... indeed I hope they are ahem... really H*n De****'s. That would be poetic justice after his self serving oh if I wrong you my BFF someday somehow will you forgive me??? I would only do it for a greater cause... Barf! Choke! Puke! Because its c-drama of course its impossible but if you are right and they make that happen I would pop champagne!!!

I don't hate him (yet) but he is a manipulative and complex character as is Yansage...

Yups it Mingyi. Its wrong in the cast info. Most people like me probably don't remember all the names yet and have been referring to that.

I hope so. I don't want her to be unhappy.

I think she likes MingLi and she won't be that unhappy with him - she can satisfy her ambitions to do great things as his queen. But you know your first love is always special. And she has more in common with Derang in the sense they are both athletic and robust. I can't see a sickly prince satisfying someone so high spirited and active for long. He can't even hold his wine! Where is the joy of life in that?

You are correct, the accurate translation of duke should be gong and vice versa. But the titles of the peerage was different during different dynasties and given this one is fictional, it is hard to tell what is the correct peerage and rankings for the princes and the harem - it ultimately is what the writer intended. I have more than once seen in fictional dramas and books, wang translated as duke. Prince or wang is actually also a conferred title for many dynasties. They just make the distinction by titling them princes of different ranks. But its too messy to do that for something like this and not many would understand those distinctions anymore. If I had to guess, the translator is just trying to make the point that the emperor has not designated an heir. I think there are better, cleaner ways to do that.