antiherodiaries

😱😱😱😱 OMG....

Adding to the list of things the drama cut about Xie Zhang's character: Xie Zhang also conducts his own reconnaissance missions, occasionally going undercover with his personal guards to gather information. It’s something he does often enough in the novel that the use of a skin mask becomes a natural part of his strategy.

It’s unfortunate that the drama downplays this, because it actually serves as a supplementary plot device. Without it, we end up with some rather contrived cutscenes and coincidental meetings.

Yep. I wrote a recap of the events that were not shown:

Xie Zhang is a master of psychological warfare, and his unpredictability is what makes him a military genius. In the novel, we really see this shine during the Battle of Kang City, where he traps Sui Yuanqing to the brink of madness (yes—even more than he already is). Through this, Sui Yuanqing is forced to confront his own shortcomings.

The Battle of Chongzhou is what truly sets the precedent for Changyu’s identity and her reason for becoming a general. It wasn’t so much General Tao’s words that drove her, but rather her sense of filial piety and her desire to redeem her family name.

The Battle for Lu City shows Changyu fighting a group of martial assassins. Xiaowu loses his arm, and Xie Zhang arrives just in time as reinforcement. However, since he was positioned at the rear of the battle, Changyu is forced to face the Prince of Qingxu on her own.

Fireworks were invented in China around the 7th century, during the Tang Dynasty.

So in the latest episodes, we lost a lot of action and important details from the novel.

Xie Zhang is a master of psychological warfare, and his unpredictability is what makes him a military genius. In the novel, we really see this shine during the Battle of Kang City, where he traps Sui Yuanqing to the brink of madness (yes—even more than he already is). Through this, Sui Yuanqing is forced to confront his own shortcomings.

The Battle of Chongzhou is what truly sets the precedent for Changyu’s identity and her reason for becoming a general. It wasn’t so much General Tao’s words that drove her, but rather her sense of filial piety and her desire to redeem her family name.

The Battle for Lu City shows Changyu fighting a group of martial assassins. Xiaowu loses his arm, and Xie Zhang arrives just in time as reinforcement. However, since he was positioned at the rear of the battle, Changyu is forced to face the Prince of Chingxu on her own.

If only we had more episodes 🥹😭

Am I the only one dissapointed they squished two battles into one? and we didn't get the psychological warfare Xie Zhang did with Sui Yuanqing at Keng City. 🥹

He was already sui Yuanhai, still suffering from burns. she was a maid sent by the nanny to serve him to get an hier. on her first day of work, he fell in the water and she saved him only to find out he was her young master and a lunatic.

The scene where Xie Daren forges Changyu blades out of her butcher knife is so beautiful and symbolic. I love this change from the novel. It forshadows Xie Zheng's influnce over her, and how this influence reforges and refines her character growth. 🥹 Chef's kiss*

🤣🤣🤣 goodness I'm not the only one. 🤭

🥹 I've been trying to find it too.

I felt the battle was cut too fast. We missed Wu helping out changyu. and the fight between her an Shi general was little to short. Changyu sustained more injuries.

I agree. but I like that her knife broke...it's forshadow to how she will be reforge, also symbolizes a break from her life back Linan town.

the battle had two fronts...the drama rushed it.

It looks the this account is a hater account, newly created.

I'm not particularly impress with this change from the novel. I think it's a little silly, but I understand why they need it to set FCY up for her to learn about military responsibilities. And it would have been expensive to adapt the novel version of this scene-Marquis using SYQ as bait to learn more about thier defenses, while FCY go hunt a black bear, and accidentally chancing upon lightly guarded enemy camp.

FCY is not dumb...just a little slow learner. She's illiterate because she doesn't like studying and alot of her funny quirks are actually because she is naive. But she's actually quite observant and intelligence. If she was dumb Granf Tutor Tao wouldn't have chosen her to be his disciple.

The novel is written in a slice of life style. The romance is very slow.

I think it's the kiss than the slap 🤣

He already said it. A Xie Madam will have a really rough road ahead married to him. And he wants her to roam free and live well. He just was not anticipating the Sui brother was still alive and mascare everyone.

Not all international viewers are here for the romance. Let’s not generalize international viewers as if we lack film taste. Granted, there are a lot of trash idol dramas out there. But even if it’s a formulaic idol drama, like all genre fiction, we’re always going to have our tropes and archetypes. That doesn’t make it any less compelling than a more “serious” drama.

I think this story would still stand even if the cast weren’t all idols. We have a strong female lead, and it’s a journey of her survival through war and regime changes. It’s almost like a retelling of Mulan with a twist.

I mean, the movie *Pearl Harbor* is essentially a romance set during World War II, and no one says it’s any less of a film than *Oppenheimer*. They were both Oscar-nominated. So why would you say an idol drama is inherently more or less than something like *The Knockout*?