I was talking to my cousin today about some useless scenes that could've been excluded from the drama. Fore example,…
Oooh, those to me also would have been better plot ideas in my opinion. Honestly the creepy men and Susu were kind of unnessecary if you look from one point of view, but from another point of view it kind of made sense.
Supports the creepy men kidnapping- This was a pretty quick like 5-minute scene of Leyan getting away from somewhere safe embarking on her journey. This was a simple choice that didn't take so long to explain and it made sense. Leyan being kind would offer water to a creepy dude even after seeing them with a scared-looking girl. It was easy to trick Leyan and get her onto their carriage. From then on, she would go where ever the creepy men took her and they left her/ she was finally free from those dudes in Daizhou and encountered 2 close ones. 1. Dude almost killing Leyan hiding behind some bins. 2. Dude almost killing Leyan because she didn't kneel but luckily Mujin and some other Eagle Division came. (Randomly, technically they are connected in some ways by the end of the drama, Leyan being Mujin's best friend's lover's best friend lol) She then started her long journey to Luoyang or Chang An. She ended up in Yun Zhou and made a living for a while and finally arrived in Luoyang.
This choice made the beginning of her self-growth journey easy, simple, and reasonable and I would say the end dragged on a bit especially so Chang Ge would know Leyan was in Yunzhou before.
Oppose creepy men kidnapping- There could easily be another way to get her lost like you said like maybe her mistaking someone for Chang Ge or even Wei Shu Yu since she cared so much for both of them. Another could be she goes to help someone and they leave her alone and she gets lost but that similar to the creepy men one. Anyways this one would have made for a more 'natural' self-growth because she wouldn't have to face the creepy men, the Ashile Bear Division dude in Daizhou, etc. Those were her most afraid moments and I don't think she learned anything useful out of them. She would get lost maybe in a forest and somewhere not near civilization and struggle so she has to survive in the wild or she finds a small abandoned home or something. This way it would be more focused on her self-growth and learning about life as a poor person more than also her journey of being found/ going back to Luoyang.
After thinking through a while, I think the creepy men one although I dislike just made more sense because she was literally forced to go to a faraway place that no one knows of her identity. Because if let's say she was dragged to somewhere near Chang An or where people know what she looks like, she would have been found much quicker. Also on her own getting lost would have either taken forever to get found, rehabilitate after she starts learning all these new skills of survival, and make her way back for a short time. But again, she could have made a friend like Xiao Wu, and the possibilities are endless so this way of Leyan's journey I don't oppose 100%
But then again, I feel each scene has its purpose in the play no matter how much I dislike a scene and there is almost always some reason strong enough for the scene to be put into the final released version of a drama.
Just my opinion, but I noticed Lusi and WL not having the same chemistry together at events like Reba and WL.…
Agree, Reba and Leo just have that chemistry that Lusi and Leo don't. Reba and Leo's is like they are friends even off screen and they look so natural together while like you said Lusi and Leo is like more just professional. I also can barely imagine myself watching romantic scenes of them but we'll see when that drama comes out.
All of my thoughts on this drama are almost the same as yours. I thought this was going to just be another plain rom-com but no it was way better than expected! Also the ending unlike some other dramas completely satisfied me.
Chang Ge's relationships with each character of TLB
Main Characters (I have more to say about the main characters than most supporting characters)
Ashile Sun- She knew him first as Ah Zhun and they became good friends along the way until she found out he was Eagle Division's Tegin. She was obviously shocked and began to dislike him, but after hearing what Mujin told her and Sun telling her she could revenge for Shuo Zhou and Gong Sun Heng, she finally became friendlier to Sun. They became good friends in Chang Ge's eyes and she cared a lot about him; she probably didn't know she was developing romantic feelings for Sun and didn't know that he liked her romantically. It probably occured to her when she was in Liuyun Temple, when she was reflecting on herself that she finally realized his feelings for her. She started missing him as she wrote his name multiple times on papers and she said his name in her sleep. Then in episode 31, you can basically say that Chang Ge accepted Sun's feelings towards her and was really happy to be with him. From then on, they were basically lovers and understood each other very well.
Acquaintance to Friend to Enemy to Friend to Lover to Husband
Li Leyan, Princess Yong An- Leyan and Chang Ge had always been best friends and they were also cousins I believe. But that all changed when the Xuanwu Incident happened, Chang Ge no longer thought of Leyan as her friend but instead as her enemy and the daughter of her family's murderer. She still cared for Leyan as she even went to Yun Zhou personally hoping to giver her back the rabbit pouch to no avail. Then in around episode 27-30, Chang Ge apoligized to Leyan and they rekindled going back to best friends. They have several cute interactions after their rekindling. My favorite being in episode 42/43 where they are both soaking their feet in water and talk about Hao Du and Ah Sun, just so cute.
Cousin: Best Friend to Enemy to Person Chang Ge Still Cares For to Best Friends Again
Hao Du- In the very beginning, to Chang Ge he was just a very cold guard and after the Xuanwu Incident, he was officially her enemy, he horrendously chased Chang Ge and didn't care about her real intentions, he was under the order of his adoptive father which he listened to, it was like he didn't even do anything with his own thoughts. After Leyan's slap and shouting, he finally changed his mind about Chang Ge, he thought about it and it was true that Chang Ge probably didn't have any intentions of hurting Tang and she helped Tang several times even when she was in exile. He let go of Chang Ge in episode 33 after the fighting and after episode 42, when he fought with Sher for Leyan's marriage, Chang Ge was still not fully trusting towards Hao Du but realized that he wasn't actually a bad person. In episode 49, Hao Du and Chang Ge communicated like good friends with no hatred between each other. I think that now, Chang Ge and Hao Du are just good friends who both care for Leyan.
Cold Guard to Person Chasing Her/ Enemy to Not Enemy to Friends
Wei Shu Yu- Chang Ge and Wei Shu Yu were childhood friends and after the Xuanwu Incident, he betrayed her by turning to Li Shi Min, from that point on she too him as an enemy. Later in the episoded, they rekindled and are now just good friends. Throughout the drama, Wei Shu Yu still liked Chang Ge but later understood that it wasn't going to happen between them as addressed by Chang Ge in episode 41/42 when discussing about Leyan's marriage.
Childhood Friends to Betrayer/ Enemy to Good Friends Again
Saw this comment of episode 31 of the drama on youtube (comment by iiKittyDR) 'I just realized Leyan and Shuyu don’t know Sun. He’s such a big part of her life.'
And this comment gave me some thoughts.
Like the comment said, Leyan and Shuyu don't actually know Sun personally and have only seen him a few times, Hao Du too. They missed quite a big portion of the past events that they didn't even know that Chang Ge had a lover and that he was Eagle Division's Tegin, Ashile Sun.
I mean, the first part of the sentence before, I feel all 3 would be cool with including Wei Shu Yu since he looks like he has already but down his crush on Chang Ge. But the thing is, he is a leader of one of Tang's enemies and if they were to know his true identity, they would be worried as Wei Shu Yu expressed in like episode 40 when he went to Mobei and saw Chang Ge and Ashile Sun together.
We never got a reaction from Hao Du, or Leyan or even Du Minister knowing his real identity.
How I think each of the people listed above would react-
Hao Du- previous Hao Du before Leyan's slap would probably first tell his adoptive father and would think she was colluding with Ashile and would have an even more need to catch her; Hao Du after realizing Chang Ge's true intentions (to keep Tang safe) would be hesitant and nonetheless tell Du Minister and would say that she was probably not colluding with Ashile
Leyan would probably be a bit scared and when Chang Ge explains be fine and wouldn't mind as she would think that Chang Ge would never do bad things to Tang
Du Minister would report to Li Shi Min and heavily support a rampage to catch both of them
Li Shi Min's reaction was interesting, I would have thought he would be a bit less calm but he was just ok with it and said they were well-matched (which they are)
But sooner or later (the drama doesn't show) all the other prominent Tang characters will know Ah Sun's real identity and I feel most of them would be somewhat shock and panic but then calmed down and fine with it
https://www.instagram.com/p/CPdF8Oigh8W/Leaving Chang'an, CG thought she was going to be alone but then she had…
Yes! and this made me think of something Chang Ge said, she said to Wei Shu Yu in an early episode "I will never trust anyone again" or something along the lines of that. But she found many people later which she established a relationship with that she fully trusted like A Dou, or Gong Sun Heng and most significantly Sun. She didn't know she would have a new life away from the palace and royalties and would meet some wonderful people. When Chang Ge said that line and was leaving Chang An, she was so hurt, first of all, her family is dead, her father dead, her mother killed by Li Shi Min (assumption at the time), Wei Shu Yu had 'betrayed' her by turning to Li Shi Min, Hao Du and Du Minister were on the run to catch and probably kill her, she was betrayed by some of the closest people to her and she was in a mess herself. I am glad she found happiness and peace and love with Sun. He helped heal her a lot. He saved her in multiple situiations , gave her some good pieces of advice and he was the one she could be most open to, he protected her and she protected him. Without Sun, I feel Chang Ge would be much less happy by the end of the 2-4 years after the Xuanwu Incident (aka the end of the drama)
My thoughts on the human traders capturing Leyan part.
I like that the scenes were added but only like it a bit because it may bring to attention to some people about human trafficking and things like this are still happening today but maybe in a more modern way, but still very cruel. Even though things like this are bad, it is good to make it aware.
And then I just really dislike this part of the drama because it makes me super uncomfortable, every time one of these scenes shows up I want to literally slap, hit, and kick those 2 men and skip the scenes.
First of all, being kidnapped is bad but the fact is this is Leyan we are talking about, she is super timid and shy and a normal person would be scared but Leyan is more than scared, she cried when she just heard about what can happen to you the second the other girl told her.
Second, the 2 men are decently smart, if they were dumb, a normal person might have been able to escape, Leyan too but these men are smart. When the other girl tried to escape, the next morning she was dead meaning there were traps outside the exit already planted.
The way Leyan escaped those 2 men were because of Ashile, the people most people are extremely afraid of.
Next, just the 2 dudes' looks and how they act are already creepy enough, and the fact that they talk like they will do something bad to you.
But anyways, props to the 2 actors who played the 2 kidnappers because they did a great job in maybe me feel uncomfortable and feel how Leyan was probably feeling at the time. Also props to Leyan and the other girl to for their acting.
It’s been a month, but I cannot detox myself out of TLB. Everyday must still watch a few clips here and there,…
Same and if I don't watch any clips or listen to the ost, I will always come to this comment section and read some comments and comment some of my own thoughts
In episode 9 of the rewatch and omg I am getting mad at Hao Du again, dude you place such a big importance on the capture of Chang Ge and the Seal of Crown Prince which is alright I guess but dude why did you bring so many men for the capture of Chang Ge and leave Leyan alone at the posthouse.
Hao Du knew how timid Leyan was at the time, big slap in the face to Hao Du tbh.
The capture of Princess Yongning and the Seal of Crown Prince is more important than the safety of Princess Yong An, partially agree and partially disagree. Hao Du should have known by now just based on the Youzhou incident that Chang Ge priorities her country before her. He should have at least been a bit more ok with Chang Ge having the Seal of the Crown Prince other than somebody else, but obviously, he didn't know the whole insider's scoop but still. The Seal of Crown Prince can arguably be more important than Princess Yong An's safety but not the capture of Princess Yongning.
First of all, I would have agreed that the 2 would both be of equal or higher importance than Princess Yong An's safety but Hao Du is showing no mercy in getting Chang Ge, as Li Shi Min wants her back SAFE, but his adoptive father gave him instructions otherwise which is to get Chang Ge back dead or alive. This kind of makes sense and not now that I am rereading it but anyways and then Hao Du kind of just blames the whole thing on Wei Shu Yu which like dude you have a big chunk of why Leyan was kidnapped. YOU got to command the soldiers, you could have put half protect Princess, half go capture the other one. You could have even just left 1/4 of the soldiers and Leyan probably 90% would have been safe but the dude went with 100% of troops for the capture of 1 Princess and 0 troops for the safety of the other Princess.
This kind of demonstrates that at this point, Leyan to Hao Du was feeling like just a hassle but he didn't show it when Leyan was around. And now that both of your 2 goals have failed, you have more than the already hard task of Chang Ge and Seal of Crown's return to Chang An to complete but also the finding of Leyan, which would be insanely difficult,
This part of the drama, I really dislike Hao Du but he redeems himself later on.
Nice! She is still there on site, filming The Blue Wisper. So nice that she has been getting to spend her birthday…
I agree, TLB Chang Ge played by her made me want Dilraba in more historical dramas because she just fits them so well. Dilraba fits the strong, intelligent type of character so well and strong, smart female characters are my favorite type of characters especially in historical dramas since they go against the ideals of women of the historical times
Supports the creepy men kidnapping- This was a pretty quick like 5-minute scene of Leyan getting away from somewhere safe embarking on her journey. This was a simple choice that didn't take so long to explain and it made sense. Leyan being kind would offer water to a creepy dude even after seeing them with a scared-looking girl. It was easy to trick Leyan and get her onto their carriage. From then on, she would go where ever the creepy men took her and they left her/ she was finally free from those dudes in Daizhou and encountered 2 close ones. 1. Dude almost killing Leyan hiding behind some bins. 2. Dude almost killing Leyan because she didn't kneel but luckily Mujin and some other Eagle Division came. (Randomly, technically they are connected in some ways by the end of the drama, Leyan being Mujin's best friend's lover's best friend lol) She then started her long journey to Luoyang or Chang An. She ended up in Yun Zhou and made a living for a while and finally arrived in Luoyang.
This choice made the beginning of her self-growth journey easy, simple, and reasonable and I would say the end dragged on a bit especially so Chang Ge would know Leyan was in Yunzhou before.
Oppose creepy men kidnapping- There could easily be another way to get her lost like you said like maybe her mistaking someone for Chang Ge or even Wei Shu Yu since she cared so much for both of them. Another could be she goes to help someone and they leave her alone and she gets lost but that similar to the creepy men one. Anyways this one would have made for a more 'natural' self-growth because she wouldn't have to face the creepy men, the Ashile Bear Division dude in Daizhou, etc. Those were her most afraid moments and I don't think she learned anything useful out of them. She would get lost maybe in a forest and somewhere not near civilization and struggle so she has to survive in the wild or she finds a small abandoned home or something. This way it would be more focused on her self-growth and learning about life as a poor person more than also her journey of being found/ going back to Luoyang.
After thinking through a while, I think the creepy men one although I dislike just made more sense because she was literally forced to go to a faraway place that no one knows of her identity. Because if let's say she was dragged to somewhere near Chang An or where people know what she looks like, she would have been found much quicker. Also on her own getting lost would have either taken forever to get found, rehabilitate after she starts learning all these new skills of survival, and make her way back for a short time. But again, she could have made a friend like Xiao Wu, and the possibilities are endless so this way of Leyan's journey I don't oppose 100%
But then again, I feel each scene has its purpose in the play no matter how much I dislike a scene and there is almost always some reason strong enough for the scene to be put into the final released version of a drama.
Main Characters (I have more to say about the main characters than most supporting characters)
Ashile Sun- She knew him first as Ah Zhun and they became good friends along the way until she found out he was Eagle Division's Tegin. She was obviously shocked and began to dislike him, but after hearing what Mujin told her and Sun telling her she could revenge for Shuo Zhou and Gong Sun Heng, she finally became friendlier to Sun. They became good friends in Chang Ge's eyes and she cared a lot about him; she probably didn't know she was developing romantic feelings for Sun and didn't know that he liked her romantically. It probably occured to her when she was in Liuyun Temple, when she was reflecting on herself that she finally realized his feelings for her. She started missing him as she wrote his name multiple times on papers and she said his name in her sleep. Then in episode 31, you can basically say that Chang Ge accepted Sun's feelings towards her and was really happy to be with him. From then on, they were basically lovers and understood each other very well.
Acquaintance to Friend to Enemy to Friend to Lover to Husband
Li Leyan, Princess Yong An- Leyan and Chang Ge had always been best friends and they were also cousins I believe. But that all changed when the Xuanwu Incident happened, Chang Ge no longer thought of Leyan as her friend but instead as her enemy and the daughter of her family's murderer. She still cared for Leyan as she even went to Yun Zhou personally hoping to giver her back the rabbit pouch to no avail. Then in around episode 27-30, Chang Ge apoligized to Leyan and they rekindled going back to best friends. They have several cute interactions after their rekindling. My favorite being in episode 42/43 where they are both soaking their feet in water and talk about Hao Du and Ah Sun, just so cute.
Cousin: Best Friend to Enemy to Person Chang Ge Still Cares For to Best Friends Again
Hao Du- In the very beginning, to Chang Ge he was just a very cold guard and after the Xuanwu Incident, he was officially her enemy, he horrendously chased Chang Ge and didn't care about her real intentions, he was under the order of his adoptive father which he listened to, it was like he didn't even do anything with his own thoughts. After Leyan's slap and shouting, he finally changed his mind about Chang Ge, he thought about it and it was true that Chang Ge probably didn't have any intentions of hurting Tang and she helped Tang several times even when she was in exile. He let go of Chang Ge in episode 33 after the fighting and after episode 42, when he fought with Sher for Leyan's marriage, Chang Ge was still not fully trusting towards Hao Du but realized that he wasn't actually a bad person. In episode 49, Hao Du and Chang Ge communicated like good friends with no hatred between each other. I think that now, Chang Ge and Hao Du are just good friends who both care for Leyan.
Cold Guard to Person Chasing Her/ Enemy to Not Enemy to Friends
Wei Shu Yu- Chang Ge and Wei Shu Yu were childhood friends and after the Xuanwu Incident, he betrayed her by turning to Li Shi Min, from that point on she too him as an enemy. Later in the episoded, they rekindled and are now just good friends. Throughout the drama, Wei Shu Yu still liked Chang Ge but later understood that it wasn't going to happen between them as addressed by Chang Ge in episode 41/42 when discussing about Leyan's marriage.
Childhood Friends to Betrayer/ Enemy to Good Friends Again
And I talk and comment about it so much!
And this comment gave me some thoughts.
Like the comment said, Leyan and Shuyu don't actually know Sun personally and have only seen him a few times, Hao Du too. They missed quite a big portion of the past events that they didn't even know that Chang Ge had a lover and that he was Eagle Division's Tegin, Ashile Sun.
I mean, the first part of the sentence before, I feel all 3 would be cool with including Wei Shu Yu since he looks like he has already but down his crush on Chang Ge. But the thing is, he is a leader of one of Tang's enemies and if they were to know his true identity, they would be worried as Wei Shu Yu expressed in like episode 40 when he went to Mobei and saw Chang Ge and Ashile Sun together.
We never got a reaction from Hao Du, or Leyan or even Du Minister knowing his real identity.
How I think each of the people listed above would react-
Hao Du- previous Hao Du before Leyan's slap would probably first tell his adoptive father and would think she was colluding with Ashile and would have an even more need to catch her; Hao Du after realizing Chang Ge's true intentions (to keep Tang safe) would be hesitant and nonetheless tell Du Minister and would say that she was probably not colluding with Ashile
Leyan would probably be a bit scared and when Chang Ge explains be fine and wouldn't mind as she would think that Chang Ge would never do bad things to Tang
Du Minister would report to Li Shi Min and heavily support a rampage to catch both of them
Li Shi Min's reaction was interesting, I would have thought he would be a bit less calm but he was just ok with it and said they were well-matched (which they are)
But sooner or later (the drama doesn't show) all the other prominent Tang characters will know Ah Sun's real identity and I feel most of them would be somewhat shock and panic but then calmed down and fine with it
I like that the scenes were added but only like it a bit because it may bring to attention to some people about human trafficking and things like this are still happening today but maybe in a more modern way, but still very cruel. Even though things like this are bad, it is good to make it aware.
And then I just really dislike this part of the drama because it makes me super uncomfortable, every time one of these scenes shows up I want to literally slap, hit, and kick those 2 men and skip the scenes.
First of all, being kidnapped is bad but the fact is this is Leyan we are talking about, she is super timid and shy and a normal person would be scared but Leyan is more than scared, she cried when she just heard about what can happen to you the second the other girl told her.
Second, the 2 men are decently smart, if they were dumb, a normal person might have been able to escape, Leyan too but these men are smart. When the other girl tried to escape, the next morning she was dead meaning there were traps outside the exit already planted.
The way Leyan escaped those 2 men were because of Ashile, the people most people are extremely afraid of.
Next, just the 2 dudes' looks and how they act are already creepy enough, and the fact that they talk like they will do something bad to you.
But anyways, props to the 2 actors who played the 2 kidnappers because they did a great job in maybe me feel uncomfortable and feel how Leyan was probably feeling at the time. Also props to Leyan and the other girl to for their acting.
Hao Du knew how timid Leyan was at the time, big slap in the face to Hao Du tbh.
The capture of Princess Yongning and the Seal of Crown Prince is more important than the safety of Princess Yong An, partially agree and partially disagree. Hao Du should have known by now just based on the Youzhou incident that Chang Ge priorities her country before her. He should have at least been a bit more ok with Chang Ge having the Seal of the Crown Prince other than somebody else, but obviously, he didn't know the whole insider's scoop but still. The Seal of Crown Prince can arguably be more important than Princess Yong An's safety but not the capture of Princess Yongning.
First of all, I would have agreed that the 2 would both be of equal or higher importance than Princess Yong An's safety but Hao Du is showing no mercy in getting Chang Ge, as Li Shi Min wants her back SAFE, but his adoptive father gave him instructions otherwise which is to get Chang Ge back dead or alive. This kind of makes sense and not now that I am rereading it but anyways and then Hao Du kind of just blames the whole thing on Wei Shu Yu which like dude you have a big chunk of why Leyan was kidnapped. YOU got to command the soldiers, you could have put half protect Princess, half go capture the other one. You could have even just left 1/4 of the soldiers and Leyan probably 90% would have been safe but the dude went with 100% of troops for the capture of 1 Princess and 0 troops for the safety of the other Princess.
This kind of demonstrates that at this point, Leyan to Hao Du was feeling like just a hassle but he didn't show it when Leyan was around. And now that both of your 2 goals have failed, you have more than the already hard task of Chang Ge and Seal of Crown's return to Chang An to complete but also the finding of Leyan, which would be insanely difficult,
This part of the drama, I really dislike Hao Du but he redeems himself later on.