cindesaurus

😆 That’s true, I don’t think I’ve ever seen anyone bare shouldered after the deed in a cdrama. You’re right, it’s probably censorship. But he should have done what the other directors do! Put in a scene of a boiling kettle, or scattered clothes on the floor. Haha

Hold on! The director just had to deliver a bed scene and failed! He literally just put two scenes with different moods together 😩 In the first scene, they were making out, and I thought Finally! But then… it just cut to a scene of them sitting and talking.

Yeah, too many really rich young people in the dramas. I love that they are poor in this - it shows perfectly the struggle some people have just for a normal life. As opposed to being upset that your evil brother is going to become CEO and not you 🫠

I just wanted to say how much I’m enjoying this drama. Song Wei long is much better in this grittier role than as a cringe CEO, and I’ve always loved Zhang Jing Yi. She’s always natural as an actress. It never feels like she’s too self-conscious about how she looks or tries to be cute.

The stepbrother/stepsister trope is so natural and well developed, explaining their personalities and their relationship perfectly. Miao Jing isn’t a babyish, innocent man fantasy like the FL in Speed and love. No hate to Esther Yu - that is the type of role she does and is great at, I just didn’t like that role (I loved her in MJtY). But Miao Jing is much more rounded, even when young and innocent, she is not silly. Chen Yi doesn’t look after he because she’s young and cute, but he sees a similar person to himself and he feels safe around her.

I’ll be honest I didn’t think the story would be compelling - often modern romance is lazy and I don’t care about any side characters (a lot of fast forwarding), but i have loved watching the parents and friends scenes as well as the scenes with our main leads. It’s paced well, with a lot of tension throughout and the side characters are very realistic and colourful. It feels like a proper police thriller drama and not a romance drama.

And as for our CP, they really sizzle! Passionate, grown up actors in a grown up role. Their chemistry is amazing.

It is really poor. I finished the drama while it was airing and was really disappointed in it. After a bit of time, my feelings mirror yours and I’ve thought about why I don’t like it. They sold it as a romance intrigue, but the romance was muted, the PTSD and healing had so many plot holes (how did ye li forget she could fight?) and the politics was so half arsed and not smart at all. They made the politics the main focus for the second half, but the political players just weren’t interesting enough/plot was too simple.

The romance is minimal. I, like many others, watched for the romance and was disappointed. Most of the romance is in the first half. It is barely a consideration in the second half.

Sorry, because I didn’t watch it when airing, I forgot it doesn’t have romance for 36 episodes 🤣 I couldn’t watch it for that reason - because I saw all the people complaining on here! but I felt they redeemed it in the last few episodes

Watching this on bili bili. It was far too slow for me when airing, but the chemistry and kissing between the leads is so natural! Love that they weren’t stingy with the romance!

The scene where she helps him get dressed and smells her hair was the peak scene of any attraction and sexual tension 😭 All downhill from there.

I felt that as well. His character was wronged like hers, he was taking revenge. His family was destroyed and his crown stolen. He was only trying to claim back what was taken from him only 8 years ago - it’s not like Dachu has been a peaceful realm for hundreds of years. 2ML was clearly blackmailed at 14, and they conveniently refused to let him explain (they could have threatened to kill those he loved) - he clearly felt guilt about being coerced into signing a confession.

But for plot convenience they made the little emperor the wisest ruler in the world, and then made the ML kill loads of people so you could then get a normal HE. But you’re right, if he hadn’t killed those innocent people in the fire (which she accused him of at the end as her excuse for why she was stopping him), what right did they have to stop him rebelling?

I got that old couple feeling as well. A lot of caressing faces and just smiling at each other. Zero passion. The best part of the romance was the beginning, when she challenged and prodded him. Then it became him doting on her like… she was too delicate. And her becoming directionless after the Li Shan arc.

No romance for the last episodes. Disappointed. They had a totally pointless aphrodisiac incense scene in ep 37 (I think) that was a total nothing burger. ML going 😳 and her going, it’s ok 😌.

🫠

That is never cleared up. Which is pretty crappy writing. (Before anyone comes at me, I enjoyed the drama! But still have some criticisms). While Ye Li has ptsd, there’s no reason she has forgotten that she knows martial arts, since all her knowledge and medical skills are also intact. Then after she comes back down the mountain she can remember her martial arts again and in order to crowbar in a scene of her fighting, they make her a final boss for MoJing Li and have her be his equal, and her husband’s equal in fighting.

Why they felt they had to make Bai Lu’s character be the best at absolutely everything - i don’t know.

Really disappointed with the ending, and lack of proper romance. I get that it’s a political intrigue plot, but it’s not exactly The rise of the phoenixes. Everyone is watching for the romance - like the story of kunming palace. They should have put the romance first, and done more with the chemistry of the ML and FL.

The title of the drama is made of the Mo from his name and Li from hers. The Chinese characters don’t say Jasmine, but the pin yin of the Chinese characters does sound the same as Jasmine (which is mò li). Often the English name for cdramas isn’t a direct translation, they choose something vaguely related that sounds good.

Healed back to kung fu master level. 🪄

The eunuch was such a moron. The whole place had spider webs and was dusty. But when one of the guards came in and said ‘something is not right!’. the eunuch was like ‘what do you mean??’
That may have just been bad writing, but it was idiotic.

The eunuch was awful, he reported that they’d all run away! I was worried he’d say that, or A Li had killed everyone! The eunuch is not a good guy.

Love your comment. I’ve felt that the romance has been off too, and you’re right - she deflects when he’s romantic. And in Li Shan, she is kind to him, but she stares back at him with an empty expression. She isn’t feeling all her emotions for him.

I hope she drops her guard when they’re back, and properly loves him. It means no longer planning on secret, relying on him when she’s vulnerable, and missing him desperately when he’s away. I’d like to see some jealousy from her please!

Always happy to see a random aphrodisiac incense scene! 🤣🤣🤣🤣

The excuse for keeping Sui die alive was poor as well. She had infiltrated the cangbei side? So? she killed their princess! She’s unlikely to be any use to contact anyone in cangbei. She’s a wanted criminal in cangbei.