Kind of rare to see someone like Second Madam who favors the daughter more way than her sons in this kind of period…
I think that though her husband is interesting and set in his ways, their marriage is more harmonious than the First madam and her husband. The ML’s dad had concubines which he favored over his wife. Though the first wife has the authority she probably wishes that her husband loved valued her more.
Episodes 33 and 34 were so damn satisfying!!! And our girl is finally starting to defrost. Normally I prefer waaaay…
Yes he constantly looks at her with more and more admiration. He is constant so amazed with her brilliance. Everything she has learned from her family members, and in her new identify has really served her well.
The family was nothing without JQ, his mother and his grandfather. Luckily they got LX now 😅
You are right. WE found out in the last episode that the grandma, old madam LIn had the rights to the household taken away from her. SO there is no one really to manage things.
The drama is about female empowerment and to show that what a man can do, a woman can do better. She will soon…
Well we did see her in several episodes when she was a maid how she had to tread carefully. And with Ji’er help she wouldn’t been able to escape the brother on her own and so smoothly. By the time the ML arrived she would’ve probably been ruined or have hurt the customer and therefore her n would’ve been in tatters. her marriage self is like who she might have been as Shen Jan Lian, As the Shen lady she was very well educations by bother her parents and grandfather.
And the ML did write that letter for her to give her Ji’er so that Ji’er will get help in the city that they want to go too. She isn’t solving everything on her own. And about her being a female Shakespeare, she was already a great storyteller. I don’t see it as much of a stretch for her to be a writer of plays. She had a wonderful master in Master Lu. And what makes her play popular with the ladies is that they can relate to it. The female lead isn’t perfect and though she seems to accomplish things with ease, there’s a foundation established for her brilliance.
I liked seeing the ML surprised that she made so much money and that she was a playwright. He probably thought that she will be an excellent manager of the Lin household. But little does he know that she is also talented in other ways.
She slapped him because she was saying the character of LIn, the ML ‘s last name. The same Lin character was on the marriage rejection letter that her mom received in the first episode. The slap was the commutation of that and what the Shen family endured. She says the same phrase that her mother said when they received the marriage rejection letter. And she slapped him also for not discussing the marriage with her and her parents. That he forced the marriage on her. As for Scholar Han, she agreed to it, but she never truly loved him.
Don't think it contradicts his personality. He wanted her as his wife but everyone would be against it. He has…
He is like Gu TingYE in the Story of Minglan. Gu employed military strategy in order to marry Minglan. The ML is doing something similar here but he didn’t ask her consent like Gu Ting ye did. The ML should’ve had a conversation with her before the marriage ceremony. It would’ve probably saved him from being slapped.
His reign was short lived(less than a year) but he was a benevolent ruler in history. He was obese and had an…
The one who succeeded him in history was Imperial grandson, who was his son. Not sure if the drama is going to follow the same history. So far it has followed the Zhu di emperor and now with his son the crown prince ascending to the throne.
https://youtu.be/Krmnrb9VRfk?is=YHKwKWQuGVRi35pC A great video that dissects her choice if she married Scholar Han. It shows what her life would be like. It is what Du Cui Que said if she married a scholar to Madam Lin. Her life will be upholding her husband’s family, and she will probably be worked to the bone. The video states that Scholar Han doesn’t even love her enough because he doesn’t even bring a betrothal gift for her., etc. It ‘s a great watch if you understand mandarin.
it was not because she was a shen but because they were afraid to be implicated. Yeah but the irony is the wedding…
I think that they said that they weren’t compatible because their 8 characters didn’t match or something. That is usually the standard excuse to reject a marriage.
This is my favorite drama of the year so far. I know, I know, it's not good to compare. But I want to make a point…
I watched video yesterday about how they created the set of the Lin Mansion. The care and thoughtfulness that went in was intense. They even kept this old tree and made it symbolic to the Lin family’s last name. I am partial to the Lin last name as my maiden last name is Lin .
This is a very well written and produced drama. My favorite so far for 2026.
Yes. Scholar Han *knowing* she had no feelings for him and pursuing marriage anyway made me see red. And I have…
The thing is with Scholar Han, her parents agreed. Her parents must have discussed it with her. And she wants to please her parents and follow what the scholar said about having lots of descendants and live a good life. She wants to live well and scholar Han from that time period, she gets along with her and treats her family well. She might not get a better prospect and respectable women at that time period married, there wasn’t any other avenue for them unless they want to be a nun or possibly a female official. Also, being a scholar’s wife was better than being someone’ concubine. There has been incidences when wealthy men forced commoner status women to be their concubine. Her family’s status wasn’t high and they are a family of newly freed commoners. Scholarly Han had the potential to be an official. He would’ve probably waited until he passed the exams to propose but he knew that the ML was interested in the FL.
So she made the practical match. Someone like Scholar Han would ‘ve been a candidate for the Lin Madam to marry to Du Cui, The second villain.
Little did the FL lead know that she had another more “noble prospect.
The whole house mad but the ML is the only one smiling & happy for this marriage 😭😭💀
At least his siblings/cousins support him. He mostly punished too for not being filial , he was setting a dangerous precedent for the younger members of the family.
Moreover, he grew up with ruthless, selfish people: his family, his in-laws, his wife, and his army superiors…
Also, he is honorable enough to make her his wife, give her status. He loved and respected her enough to make her his lifelong companion instead of just a plaything, a concubine. He should have communicated to. Her but he had a time constraints and he wasn’t there. He probably didn’t want to be rejected either. Besides by marrying a commoner the probably put the new emperor’s mind at ease. He wasn’t going to be in nay faction since he didn’t marry into one. He was the emperor’s man. So brilliant political move. Besides in a family like his, love is not in the equation. One had to obey ones’ parents. Also, they are lucky if they can actually see or meet their prospective spouse before the marriage ceremony. I don’t fault him, I understand his reasoning. He is already a catch considering the time period. he isn’t portrayed as he was in the novel as having tons of concubines. He respects people even servants, and he will treats and respects her parents. he doesn’t look down on her background. And he has enough authority in his household to make sure that she is respected or at least somewhat shielded. Besides the FL doesn’t love scholar Han romantically it seems. With FL’s brilliance and character she can win over the elders. Especially after she has children.
This drama reminds me so much of The Royal Feast. It's a pretty underrated drama I would say, as I haven't seen…
I recommend the Royal Feast also. This drama is loosely set in that time period when Zhu Di is emperor . While watching this I was wondering why Du Cui Xui’s brother not let her enter the palace as a palace official or let her strive to become one. Get the ML to use his connections to get her in the palace. I know that the Frist madam was talking about the change of the female officials but it is still better for someone with her ambitions. Instead she schemed to become a concubine and to destroy others.
To be honest she looks a bit awkward in this role for me: when they first describe her (Lin First lady), she seems…
Maybe they choose her cause the ML actor is older and the FL actress is 30 something too. I know that in the drama their ages are different. Maybe this way there won’t be such a huge discrepancy in their ages/looks.
her marriage self is like who she might have been as Shen Jan Lian, As the Shen lady she was very well educations by bother her parents and grandfather.
And the ML did write that letter for her to give her Ji’er so that Ji’er will get help in the city that they want to go too.
She isn’t solving everything on her own.
And about her being a female Shakespeare, she was already a great storyteller. I don’t see it as much of a stretch for her to be a writer of plays. She had a wonderful master in Master Lu. And what makes her play popular with the ladies is that they can relate to it.
The female lead isn’t perfect and though she seems to accomplish things with ease, there’s a foundation established for her brilliance.
I liked seeing the ML surprised that she made so much money and that she was a playwright. He probably thought that she will be an excellent manager of the Lin household. But little does he know that she is also talented in other ways.
A great video that dissects her choice if she married Scholar Han. It shows what her life would be like. It is what Du Cui Que said if she married a scholar to Madam Lin. Her life will be upholding her husband’s family, and she will probably be worked to the bone. The video states that Scholar Han doesn’t even love her enough because he doesn’t even bring a betrothal gift for her., etc. It ‘s a great watch if you understand mandarin.
This is a very well written and produced drama. My favorite so far for 2026.
Her family’s status wasn’t high and they are a family of newly freed commoners. Scholarly Han had the potential to be an official. He would’ve probably waited until he passed the exams to propose but he knew that the ML was interested in the FL.
So she made the practical match. Someone like Scholar Han would ‘ve been a candidate for the Lin Madam to marry to Du Cui, The second villain.
Little did the FL lead know that she had another more “noble prospect.
He mostly punished too for not being filial , he was setting a dangerous precedent for the younger members of the family.
He should have communicated to. Her but he had a time constraints and he wasn’t there. He probably didn’t want to be rejected either.
Besides by marrying a commoner the probably put the new emperor’s mind at ease. He wasn’t going to be in nay faction since he didn’t marry into one. He was the emperor’s man. So brilliant political move.
Besides in a family like his, love is not in the equation. One had to obey ones’ parents. Also, they are lucky if they can actually see or meet their prospective spouse before the marriage ceremony.
I don’t fault him, I understand his reasoning. He is already a catch considering the time period. he isn’t portrayed as he was in the novel as having tons of concubines. He respects people even servants, and he will treats and respects her parents. he doesn’t look down on her background. And he has enough authority in his household to make sure that she is respected or at least somewhat shielded.
Besides the FL doesn’t love scholar Han romantically it seems.
With FL’s brilliance and character she can win over the elders. Especially after she has children.
Instead she schemed to become a concubine and to destroy others.