PeachBlossomGoddess

Well I think Qian clan or sect with both brains and brawn initially stabilized the empire but became so powerful they eventually threatened the court. They went in different directions after that with respect to methods. The part that was not well translated is Wen Cong explained to Yun Xiang at the beginning that Yuntai’s strategy is to exert control over the nation from behind the scenes - like an invisible hand. It was translated like something to do with intangible. The money part is I think just a means to an end. Yun Xiang is personal revenge focused for sure and his ring suggests he has some kind of hidden legacy. Maybe his father was Lingyuan. Remember LingYuan and Yuntai were also in conflict and Luo family village was attacked at Wen Cong’s instruction (Yuntai). Maybe they just were after the land or maybe it was more than that. I don’t think Wen Cong was a good guy.

SSS is more focused on political conspiracy and it’s high fantasy. This is more focused on jianghu and it’s low fantasy. I prefer the martial arts here bc it’s faster moving. It’s too early to say wrt plot.

This woman is scary smart. She is the Chairperson of the Nandu Chamber of Commerce. That basically means she kicked everyone's ass - Tang family, Cao Sect, Mo Bufan... all of them! This is what Wen Cong tried and failed to achieve - to be head boss merchant. And her "steward" lover is a formidable fighter. Maybe she is the head of the Lingyuan sect. And she is not fooled by Yun Xiang. Not at all. He was able to use her only bc she let him. This is also probably why Yuntai master wants to take her down.

After tonight's (11+12) episodes I have both my eyes on Shu Huairou

Yups and it probably also is related to who their master is and what their master is good at.

Yes the Qian started out as a clan but I don't think the blood relationship is that important because they also adopted orphans (both YX and KQ). Orphans frequently take the surname of the clan/sect but obviously are not related by blood. When the sect split the brains/nerds (Yuntai) may have mostly went one way and the muscle (Lingyuan) mostly went the other. That said, the more important consideration may be whether they wanted to go legit (be in business) or remain underground (be rebels). KQ master may have been considered eccentric bc he was one of the few strong martial arts masters who chose to go with Yuntai.

Yeah he is an obvious candidate for mastermind... except it would be too obvious...😅😂😂

Oh for sure.... most average disciples can leave the mountain after 5 years, he took 15. Either he is a real dunce or he learned lots of stuff others didn't...

Well yes and Kang Qiao's master obviously can fight and quite well if his disciple can beat Qi Tianfeng bc even Shu Yanan is not confident she can beat him. I think bc they value strategy/scheming over martial arts, Yuntai accepts more diverse type of disciples so some of them can fight while others are businessmen/strategists. Yun Xiang's master described Wen Cong as a genius.

Indeed that is what I am questioning. But tbh its more likely he really can run 11 or 12 steps but he lets everyone think its just 10.

Maybe but I would think someone whose reason for existence is revenge would be at least slightly interested in fighting.

So in 5 years Kang Qiao learns to become a formidable fighter and in 15 years Yunxiang only learns how to run?!?!? 😱🤦🏻‍♀️

Yeah I never understood what the big deal was all about with that cabbage jade or the bowls either. But if you get a private tour with a good curator it's really interesting. Tbh both Sotherby's and Christie's actually always have fantastic stuff on auction in Chinese art and antiques. If you happen to be in a city where their worldwide auctions stop on tour it's always phenomenal and its free. I never miss the public viewings for their HK auctions when I am in town.

Oops - I guessed wrong.

👍👍👍

Yeah. Actually the Taipei Palace Museum has even better stuff from the Forbidden City than Gugong in Beijing. Chiang Kai-shek pretty much carted it all off when he fled the capital.

If you get a chance to go, DM me. I go there regularly and I have many friends living there. I can tell you where to eat etc.

There are two copies and they are both ancient copies. Not known how the original was destroyed - hence all the conspiracy stories including the one in ADOS.

I could be wrong,I only vaguely remember.

I love that place. I go whenever I have spare time in Beijing. My friend's grandpa was a curator there.