PeachBlossomGoddess

What did he do to deserve exile or execution? I mean he is nasty, weak and pathetic but it is his parents who are murderers and thieves.

Sigh! 5th Master Fu is just so badly written!!! You would think after doing so many misdeeds for the Yus he would have gotten something out of it. But nope, he alienated his family, lost face and still is sticking around like fly paper for that elusive appointment. I would have thought he at least got that quid pro quo for killing his wife. But nope! He didn't even ask! Its super lazy writing that I ignored the first time when he sent grandma's maid to falsely testify but oops, they did it again!

Its a great idea the only thing is I don't think ZL will ever agree to pimping his wife out! Besides YJX is a small inept villain. They have bigger fish to fry. In this case the acorn falls far from the tree bc papa Yu has no such infatuation with her.😅

Idk why he hasn't been killed off or otherwise written off. He just exists to pine over TY and bounce between abusing women and his parents.

He is indeed despicable but he is dumb and he bores me.

Well - I think it was much more about forcing ZL to take 100 days mourning so that he can't investigate the discrepancies in the Anzhou accounts. Unlike Yake, Mdm Yu doesn't react emotionally to casual insults. That's her superpower.

Indeed. I think the writers overdid TY's reflection/regret and it has diluted her character to some extent.

Oh from the pointed questions she's asked, I am quite sure TY already figured it out. ZL is just allowing her the time and space to admit this heinous truth when she is ready.

She was the one who set everything in motion from the get go and now she regrets it. I get the message about untrammelled ambition but I think they are laying it on too thick.

She is bribing everyone left and right. Unintended consequences of the salt reform is everyone thinks they can bribe their way into access to salt permits going forward.

I am not convinced there is any value to that - the Yus are veterans of the court and the only in character expression would be poker face. The ML is redeemed himself by killing two birds wiht one stone. And he will further redeem himself by drought relief - I thought it was all very clear. Not sure there was anything that needed further elaboration.

Idk can you tell me episode and time? I don’t watch with English subtitles so I am not sure exactly what people are confused about.

Thx - quite a lot of changes.

No he is not her matrilocal husband or zhui xu/赘婿 . And the Xie family is a merchant family they are just wealthy commoners. Only the Fus were noble and they have disowned her.

I think he is insolent and overestimates himself. He is his own worst enemy, he keeps blowing himself up and refuses to own his own mistakes. His mom told him to marry FTY. She told him to stay at the capital to earn the new emperor's trust instead of going trotting off to Ganlin. I don't find him to be an interesting character nor am I looking for a redemption arc for him. Still irritated at FTY for saving him from that collapsed roof. When your husband tries to murder your enemy, let him!🤦🏻‍♀️

Ming dynasty was incredibly corrupt. I never figured out exactly how the Yus had a hand in the previous salt system but I am sure they did bc the Fu family bought out all the salt to scatter around the compound as snow when Mdm Yu and son came to look for a bride. In the revised system, the Anzhou merchants who were disadvantaged locationally in the past gained relative advantage bc they no longer have to transport grain across a longer distance in exchange for the permits. This is explained in detail in discussion posts above. The new system is essentially a free for all bc everyone can bid for the salt permits in exchange for silver. You can see how that probably sets up for speculation and corruption. All of the merchants are vying with each other to be well positioned to obtain/bid for permits from the issuing salt offices.

Per @Salwa Nice's post the circulation of lapis lazuli was strictly regulated and part of imperial regalia during Ming dynasty. The fact that it was bestowed on Zhao Ling is a clear symbol of imperial favor.

He is just a fair weather friend.

I watch with Chinese subtitles so I didn't see the English translations but magnolia 玉兰花 can be literally translated as Jade orchid. Even though they are botanically different flowers, in Chinese they are linguistically and culturally related. I vaguely recall those scenes you must be referring to and my impression is that YJX didn't dare spell out that he specifically likes the Jade orchid so he just says orchids. And Yake admits she was originally a narcissus became an orchid - leaving unsaid that she failed to reach the higher level of transforming herself into a jade orchid.

The merchants are realistically portrayed - they are utilitarian and curry favor with the officials. Its been like this since time immemorial. Yet ZL still tries to shield him from any fallout to his political risk taking bc he is just a business man trying to make a living - it shouldn't be for him to bear the burden of his missteps.