sakie

He’s still a criminal in the eyes of the law. He’s working in the dark and collaborating with Master Chu/Joint Group/secret police to find out who’s behind the ChunQiu Divine.

The casting manager did such a great job finding the right people. Song Yi brings light into Liu Ran. She manages to be feminine and enamored but in no way annoying at all. Alas, she did say “Erlang” too many times in the first few scenes, but her warm and gentle personality outshines that little shortcoming.

I know the exact scene you’re talking about because I remember smiling when he delivered the line.

Finished Episode 10.

There’s hope for GBZ and YueHua after all as a couple with a happy ending. GBZ is now indirectly working for the Empress. Maybe… and just maybe …. that after he breaks the big case and somehow ends up fixing all the Empress’s problems that she rewards him with a grand title, wealth, and ups his social status, allowing him to have a chance at YueHua’s hand in marriage.

Ohhhh dear… how silly the mind wanders as one waits impatiently for more episodes.

Hahaha, awkwardly it is, and cute it will be, indeed. indeed...😄

Me, too! So sincere and pure, always positive looking, and doesn't seem to have a bad bone in her.

I’m up to episode 8, and I have to confess that Liu Ran is growing on me.

I believe that she’s a good fit for Baili. She’s patient with him and accepts him the way he is, quirks and all. She has known him since childhood, so it’s not like she entered the marriage blindly, without knowing his distant and cold demeanor.

Up to this point, she is rather understanding and sweet, not to mentioned shouldering responsibilities as the new mistress of the house and even saved Baili from difficult situations a few times.

I truly hope that Baili grows to care and love her as the story continues. Because so far, it’s a one sided love affair.

I’m rooting for them!

Everyone acts so well, including the evil Uncle Liu who manages to creep you out with a tinee-tiny smile on his face while outright telling you that he’s going to take your life here and now.

I have the same suspicion.

You probably saw her drama before, but just didn’t know it’s Wu Zetian unless it’s mentioned in the summary. Her name Wu Zetian was only given after she died, so in any movie/drama, no one would ever directly refer to her as Wu Zetian because it would be historically incorrect. They will probably call her by her empress title or whatever other title she had before becoming Empress.

There’s a couple of way to interpret this line. 1) YueHua’s family only has her and her brother left; and 2) no other blood relation to Wu Zetian is left alive as historical she is known to kill off even the Wu’s overtime. The drama is on the later part of Wu Zetian’s life.

I enjoyed this part too. Yibo is doing a great job acting his part of someone with antisocial disorder.

Gao Bing Zhu and YueHua share a few scenes together that allow them to have a glimpse into each other moral compass (eg, saving the girl in the Unwelcome Well, saving the workers, saving each other). GBZ sees that YueHua is competent, not corrupted, and has a good heart. On the same token, she realizes while he’s determined to solve the case, he’s upright and has a positive moral compass. There’s a level of respect and understanding. These two manage to create a subtle, yet strong chemistry; and it makes the viewers just want to root for them.

Well, they are on the extreme ends of social class, so not sure how likely they will be together as a couple.

For TLB fans, a little history tidbit info that may shake up your mind .

Wu Zetian was part of of Li Shimin’s harem. Li Shimin was Changge’s uncle who played the emperor in TLB.

Extended relation.

After the Empress killed off the Li family, original founder of the Tang Dynasty, she planted people she trusted from her side of the family, Wu, in court.

We don’t know how extended the relation is, so the level of blood tie is questionable.

I don't believe her full name was mentioned in the drama, and this is normal because people in the old days weren't allowed to address the empress/emperor/the ruler of China by their full name, only by their title or their reigning name.

As with you, I'm impressed as well, especially the visuals and color schemes. It's rich and warm with chinoiserie tones in a lot of grand scenes; and yet gray and sombre to show the dismal parts like scenes from the city's underbelly, the Unwelcome Well.

Yes, she's the Empress, aka, Wu Zetian.

History has Wu Zetian as a ruthless empress. As you can see early on in the drama, all the politicians in court were scared of her, and she didn't even have to raise her voice. This is because she was decisive and quick to sentence you to death. As this point of the drama, it was probably around 695 AD, so she was already a full fledge empress, ruling with the sole power and authority of an emperor, which meant, she pretty much was above all and only below "heaven." Since she was the rightful ruler under the mandate of heaven as per ancient Chinese philosophical concept, her subjects had to "save" her as you put it. That aside, if you do a half-a*s job, I don't think you'd survive in her court, especially when she has the secret police in place that allows anyone and everyone to denounce you slacking on the job. =)

In this drama, she's the long hair middle age lady who speaks with a low calm voice. Not sure what episode you're up to, but very early on, she gave SiYue a white jade object as a decree to investigate the informant issue.

Hahaha… you’re that lost? Post your questions of what’s stumping you, and some kind souls will help out.