noor1234

I'm not expecting a misunderstanding, I'm expecting a bit of a discord for getting to the same thing by different means.

Oh ok, thanks for clarity, but in that case - drama better have a VERY good explanation how a woman with no real money or worldly connections or status gets married into Yu family - again - at least SFL's dad was a renowned scholar & Shameless/SML wanted to marry her, but for the so-called powerful Yu family to keep getting their son married to nobodies (or merchant class) would be weird.

I think it's also because of what happened before - he was slapped, belittled & saw people being killed just for merit, humiliated just because someone could, FL was attacked by men 3 times I think - as a salt smuggler he could tackle unjust people because he was lawless himself but to move within a system where connections mattered, truth didn't, he knew his chance of fair appraisal & advancement were limited AND everyone was in danger all the time - including FL. His rogue background provided the perfect foil to Gen. Wang of troops, and now to king to get things done ruthlessly. He's a tool, he knows it, but also knows unless he has power everyone he loves will be food chain material. I think drama is headed towards ML losing his humanity along the way in some way. He may even be dead by the end of it all. I know the webnovel but things are getting darker in drama's third act.

Let's see what happens. I am not buying the theory that she tried to be ML's concubine & FL thwarted her (I think the hair pin scene refers to something else - directly related to FL or an offer of collab, not ML. Plus, I don't know how someone with no money & connections can suggest a concubine to an unmarried woman - in county register - engaged to a 4th rank cmndr / assist. censor. The leads aren't even married yet!

💔 may refer to FL's father saying no to marriage with ML & ML telling FL he won't marry her till all proper 'filial piety' rituals are complete (because he has always said he'll marry her as she deserves to be married) & FL will get mad at him for it.

Red herring. They are talking about something else.....NOT about being a concubine! How can a random woman (Wu) with no connections or money, come and say this to an unmarried woman - FL - who has 3 recs from county register - and is betrothed to king's favorite new employee?

Sometimes commenters make up an issue when no issue exists! I don't understand how such a scene in trailer can be taken as a concubine maneuver towards ML!!! ML is not a prince or general and this isn't that kind of drama.....

It has nothing to do with being a concubine!

Come on people! That Wu woman was talking to FL & most probably sent by her aunt to 'blackmail' FL over something. It would've been great IF the drama showed some scene of some woman trying to get friendly with THIS ML - because his interactions have always been with men, not women..... at least that would lighten the mood because right now the drama is very heavy.

Where has this rumor come from? I've seen no evidence of this, in drama or trailer.

And he has just been given a carte blanche by the king that he doesn't care how he does it, he just wants results!!!! So he can be cruel doing what king wants him to do, & still get executed by the king for being cruel!!! Really terrible game of power.

I also look at the older people in this drama who have seen all kinds of decades and intrigues, & survived, & ML + FL are very young. Who knows what they'll be in their 40s and 50s - maybe they'll be as jaded, contrived, self-serving, distant & alone as the Yu seniors are.

Why, his dad is unavailable? Or he has a scarier wife!!!!

Are you guys talking about Ep.21 trailer? I don't know where this rumor about Wu woman being 'attached' to / whatever to ZL has come from, but it's ridiculous to even think that. How can ZL be attached to anyone or be offered something like that? He does not even have meddlesome mom/dad like Shameless/ SML. I think FL is angry in trailer because of filial piety - he went to her dad and not her mom for hand in marriage, that sort of thing, or he refused to get married till he gets her dad's approval, etc. That hair pin that Wu woman brings has to do with FL's past, not ML's IMO. These two are never fighting over another woman FGS! (at least not in this drama).

I think this has a better story & production than the other 2. I didn't watch PoJ - even though of course it was a monstrous hit & had a very good director who knows how to shoot men & women. I DID watch & finish Key to Phoenix Heart & had fun on MDL with other commenters over it - because every episode had a water-cooler moment.

I've dropped plenty of other C-dramas this year: Blossoms of Power had a great hero arc but very sexist, exploitative & undeserving FL, & I dropped it. G2G - shot very well - had an indecisive FL & devious puppy ML & greedy inlaws (FL's parents) & the parents put me off the drama. Ashes to Crown had a great Ep.1 & then made no sense (visually was well shot) - dropped after Ep.5 or so. First Jasmine started amazingly well, with solid mystery & injustice but I dropped it, the drama supported corrupt people & injustice eventually IMV.

So I think RtS is better than other dramas this year, because the leads were not born a prince/princess or general or owner of a business empire - they were technically ordinary & have grown & you can see life & struggle happening, especially with ML who has been shown to have made a very big mistake at a low point, the compromises FL has had to make, how both FL & ML have adapted, matured or evolved in personal / professional lives. Plus, introducing a nuisance every 2 episodes is also good.

Good grief, I cannot stand the actress - who has just one expression on her face - a smirk - or the role she's playing!

I'm going with the flow. I nod to what ML & FL nod at, and frown or worry when they frown and worry - that's how I'm keeping up with the salt reform plotline!

Yup, an incredibly lacklustre introduction. I cannot believe Shameless/SML will have her as concubine, like all commenters here are suggesting. Maybe she'll have a different plotline in the drama?

I did not see it that way at all: the beauty of the scene is that when they first did it - it was an act - ML may have liked her but he role played her fiancé & she was surprised & happy too when he did it, but told him later that he didn't need to do it (because it does lower the man). THIS TIME, he does it as a 4th rank cmndr who has been given a name by king himself, so he is a court official, & they finally see each other after 5+ years, & he gives her the same courtesy / concern / respect he gave her then (especially when he knows she's pissed at him, so he was being extra buttery 'my place is at your feet' and 'nothing's changed, I'm still the same ruffian'). And she took it like a boss lady - like 'yes, you better be on ground after making me wait for you without hearing any word from you & you didn't include me in your plan', that's the look she gave him when she stepped on his hands. I liked it.

Ep. 19: I loved it & watched it twice. I loved the graceful strength that FL displayed besieged by one nasty shallow woman after another at that infuriating party. And the rest of the scenes - FL's almost meetups with ML (blood on curtain), last scene rain thing where he comes to get her - & the entire king banquet, etc.

As much as I cannot stand SFL at this point, the way that M-i-L treats her makes me feel sorry for her. Horrible household to end up in. FL dodged a bullet!

Ep. 20: ML has accepted a deadly assignment. I would've liked seeing him & FL relax a bit or talk about something other than salt, but whatever. Five years apart and they have nothing else to talk about. Not even a tight embrace! Sen seems to not be doing anything either - I thought FL would've enrolled him in some academy or ML would've inquired about it. But no, SALT! I liked that ML used a bit of the same gestures / words from his salt smuggler days when alone with FL. Also, are they living together in that house FL bought, till marriage?

And what is the meaning of Huchen? According to google AI: 'Hu (虎) meaning "tiger" or Hu (湖/辉) with Chen (晨/辰) meaning "morning" or "celestial body/time." It generally symbolizes courage, leadership, or a bright new dawn.' Is that accurate?

😀

Her makeup & styling is better than in the previous drama she worked in with this ML - the one everyone here keeps talking about. She and he look better here.