Reviews

Episode 33: The Just Revenge Is Completed (Rating: 10)

I feel like this drama really gave us a revenge that we got a taste of. There was that look in the eyes of the enemy and demanding something, and how to say (I'm here. Do you remember what you did?). So it was Shen Zai Ye looking into the eyes of the old enemy who planned the witch hunt on his family that culminated in his family's death. In a way, Shen Zai Ye's revenge was better completed than Jiang Tao Hua's revenge against Empress Lv (as JYH said: I don't feel that my anger went away when I saw her being burned in the fire.). But I as an audience (I was satisfied). I have never seen a drama that the villains (each of them had their own appropriate punishment (looking into the eyes of the heroes who desired this justice). The two cousins, the interaction between them (it's so cool). This writer got that right (I wanted to see that, and he hasn't forgotten that in these last few episodes). The twist that happened in Meng Zhen Zhen's life was also interesting (she was saved when she wouldn't have a chance to live), and it can be said that at the last moment she allied herself with whoever she wanted to punish (SZY and JTH). That's what I wanted to see in KMLM drama, here it was more satisfying (of course I still have to watch 3 final episodes), but still, I have a wide smile on my lips. About the third prince and Shen Zai Ye's sister (their conversation in this episode) was exciting, convincing, contagious, loving, and chemical. (To be honest, I haven't seen such a conversation between Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua yet), that they open their hearts, pour out, (I saw tears in the eyes of the 3rd prince and Xiang Qing Ying (she apologizing for hurting his injured hand). They had chemistry in this sceneNow I'm going to watch episode 34. Don't disappoint me, scriptwriter.PS: The twist that happened at the moment the villains died (3rd prince and Empress Lv), was well written. Why do I think that? Because at the same time that they were in a vulnerable situation, the moment of power (passed from one to the other in this scene), it seemed that Mu Wu Yin was at an advantage and Empress Lv was inferior. The next moment (Empress Lv was in the lead and Mu Wu Yin was inferior). At the last moment of the scene (she was surprised by him). The villains, even in death, were Machiavellian (vulnerable, but still with a cold and Machiavellian personality). Well written text.

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Episode 34: This revenge is not over yet.

I watched this episode and I didn't even feel the time passing. But in fact it is another one starting. First, Shen Zai Ye went to ask the emperor for justice for his parents. He recovered the official document that his father, 10 years ago, requested justice for his family, but at that moment Minister Meng ambushed him and caused the death of him and his wife. Prince Wuxia went out of his way with the emperor to help him (his brother-in-arms, Shen Zai Ye) win justice for his murdered parents. The emperor spoke stern words to the two, but they stood firm. The villain, Empress Lv survived the fire, and now wears a metal mask, covering half of her face. She killed the king of Beyuan, now intends to end the life of JYH's brother who can claim the throne. SZY gives up his post as chancellor and says that he prefers to go live with JTH among the people, to grow old with her. SZY and her cousin say goodbye (I always like it when they remember when they were kids). SZY advises his sister, who also advises him. In the kingdom of Beyuan, JTH's brother heroically faces his enemies who have caught him in an ambush. JTH arrives in Beyuan and meets her master (hers and her brother's). A still young man who is also controlled by Empress Lv (due to the poison she injected into him as well). Empress Lv arrived in the city and usurped the throne against the wishes of the ministers there, including sending one to be executed, killed.(In the next episode we will see SZY join the people, and I know that he will go to the kingdom of JYH to join the fight against what will happen there in the last two episodes). I think it's too little time to close yet an arc of revenge and a love story.

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Up in flames

The scholars begin challenging the wedding and third prince comes down with a sword and starts executing scholars. He is making a trail of blood as he mocks them all and dares them to defy him. The princess challenges the empress’ history with all her misdeeds announced to the court. He tells the guards to kill her but chancellor makes it in time to get the emperor himself in to challenge the throne’s status. Ms Meng used her father’s tally to get the gate open and had the leader killed by her man. It’s chilling to see people kill at command with no hesitation. The two vipers snuck out with the chaos as a distraction. He takes empress to a place he designed for them, he now knows it will be their crypt. He has furnished it with all his childhood memories of the beautiful woman that made him happy. She returned the favor by letting him know the depth of her hate for the furnishings and most of all him. She doesn’t hesitate to stab him or walk out hearing his pleas. She did not expect him to set the place on fire. With her high wide cheeks and thin neck, she truly looked like a cobra slithering away til the flames enveloped her. I can only hope that eternity locks her with him forever, flames and all. He will be in heaven and she in hell —nice irony. When Meng slapped his daughter in prison I wanted him dead and gone from her life. She let him know what the prince’s plans really were for the Meng family and even after his slap still begged him as a filial daughter to do the right thing and write a confession about the witchcraft trial. I think he really thought he was doing the right thing at the time and was just too lazy to explore the “evidence” to see if true. He was surprised at the chancellor’s revelation but only sorry he hadn’t killed him when he had the opportunity. He did have the wisdom to have the women and children of his clan spared and then took his life to avoid retribution chosen for him. I have mixed feelings about consort trying to adopt 4th Prince. If this would have happened after his mother’s death, that might have been an option. I did note that the only truly kind words to him from the royals was from her. She did have a soft spot for him, but she also never really let him know. I don’t blame him for not wanting his mother’s name erased from the record, but as heir, does this have to be his sacrifice so that no further conflict can be raised about becoming crown prince? I’m waiting to see what comes of the chancellor’s investigation. He and Princess are heading to Beiyuan to find a cure for her poison. That is the one ace both vipers kept secret….the cure.

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Wedding day reveals

I have to give kudos to Zhang Zheng Yang for his performance as emperor. He does an excellent job begging for his next fix and has shown a broad range of emotions from cunning leader and father of princes, to a broken and desperate shadow of himself. He has now been reduced to the decrepit junkie at the mercy of his suppliers. Third Prince is more soothing in his approach to get him to abdicate throne while Meng patriarch openly mocks and laughs at him thinking his daughter has empress wrapped up and he’s in charge of the imperial guards. 4th Prince managed a visit to get a military decree from his father but unfortunately it lacks the seal. So now he and chancellor will have to get the military to respond based on the writing alone. Something the general is not inclined to do. He is not a coward, but he sticks his neck out for the seal, not for writing he can’t confirm belongs to the emperor. He will act only if he sees the emperor in person to know this has his approval. There is a showdown with the imperial guards and Meng says it is too late and that even the emperor cannot change the abdication. While he is being led away, that Meng POS that fancies himself the eldest son now takes 4th Prince hostage. It is now that the chancellor reveals his true identity and asks to be taken hostage instead. With the kerchief as camouflage, he slings a knife through that wretch’s throat and finally permanently shuts him up. The gals have gone to tell Ms Meng the truth and that her life is in jeopardy. They have the wedding certificate because Princess knows she’s just not gonna take her word for it. She is still not completely convinced because she has no reason to think her life in jeopardy from her chess companion. But she accepts the offer to let Princess and bodyguard hide in the room to see how things would play out. Our favorite bodyguard intervened with their plan and Ms Meng is truly grateful for her life. Meanwhile third Prince has the court behind curtains while he is basically sworn in as new emperor. The swords at their throats convince the scholars to bow and accept it. He is eyeing the new scholar in particular who is smarter than many of them and disinclined to bow for him. As things progress, the Princess and her guard enter to challenge the identity of the bride. It is now revealed to be Hua and not Meng daughter. Too bad patriarch Meng missed that. The best of his clan was almost strangled in a back room and his entire clan would have been erased to cover it up. He has no idea how poorly he judged his situation. But since the edict was read, and he wears the crown, other than removing her as his bride….can this be rescinded? Or is it a done deal? My last question is why didn’t chancellor want his identity revealed to father Meng? What plan does he have in store if third prince is officially now emperor?

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Episode 32: Two long-distant cousins are reunited

If it's for episode 32 that I just watched out of 36 episodes in total (an excellent episode), I know the rest of the episodes will be wonderful.Everything in this episode was great. The two long-separated cousins met (in a moment between life and death, with the cousin showing himself as he always was to his younger cousin. It was beautiful to see), and heroic Shen Zai Ye with his black costume is great. The test to gain the trust of two armies. One in charge of the 4th prince, the other in charge of Shen Zai Ye, it was elegant and charming to watch. The emperor finding in his son Wuxia a loyal son to trust was sweet too.The glances and the hand in hand between Shen Zai Ye and Jiang Tao Hua was nice. The 6 friends together at the table to solve all the problems together. Princess Jiang Tao Hua's play playing with the 3rd prince's psyche, disrupting Empress Lv's plans, saving her rival, Meng Zhen Zhen, was formidable.Shen Zai Ye looking into the eyes of his old enemy, Minister Meng Zhong Yan. Shen Zai Ye fighting with his sword, flying across the roof and pointing his sword at this evil old man. Shen Zai Ye had blood on his neck, but he was not injured. This episode wasn't at all tiring. And Jiang Tao Hua uses his wits to defeat his enemies and help his beloved Shen Zai Ye buy time.PS:The scene in a hall full of red curtains, and the ministers whispering that they could not bow before the third prince, to receive him as the new emperor, and the soldiers intimidating the ministers two or three times to bow and accept (because that would be equivalent to a signature). This scene was also great, and there is that honest minister who always gives advice to the heroes standing out in the scene too. It's good that this drama does not devalue any character.

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They get knocked down (stabbed & shot) but get back up again & Increasingly depressing

I normally don't watch dramas until all the episodes have aired & the reviews are out, but here I am watching this before it's even halfway done airing. Already I have the very strong feeling that I'm going to regret not having waited. When Park Bo Gum is in action & being fierce he's interesting, when he's not, he's just boring. I respect him for how he got himself ready for this role & he DOES put his heart & soul into the action scenes but his sincere ,sensitive, puppy dog man child persona side of his character is not appealing to me... & Is is anyone else getting the feeling that his character isn't going to be one of the last men standing ? Lee Sang Yi is far more interesting & appealing. Unfortunately they still haven't really fleshed out his character enough that we see what's under the dignified, polite façade. [honestly out of all the characters it feels like "good boy" only applies to him].This should have been a straight up buddy ensemble drama but they have pitted the 2 male leads against each other in an unexplainable love triangle with Kim So Hyun's cold character. They really have given no reason why she is so sought after by the male leads & the attraction feels forced & unnecessary. Oh Jung-se as a villain is awesome, but I'm not a fan of how dark his character is.This is a gritty, dark, blood bath where you can't see the "good " guys are physically breaking down without making any progress against the bad guys. The bad guys really have less ethics, moral, & more money, man power & resources so it feels increasingly hopeless. I'm getting the feeling that Park Bo Gum's character will end up making the ultimate sacrifice for justice to prevail .

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Episode 31: This is what we call humiliation.

The highlight of this episode is what happened to Empress LV. From a powerful woman who manipulated everyone, what she abhors most happened, being humiliated by the powerful. She, who was just a maid and reached this high position, she always wanted to put all the powerful under her feet. But what she also did was humiliate and trample on the poor masses, without any feeling. This prince, was his pawn, now he reversed the position of power between the two of them. He is a sadistic, insensitive madman, because the only person he thought loved him, was nothing for him. All the machinations that this prince has made, including destroying the health of his own father little by little, are still in progress. The plan is to throw the heroes into his web.About political angles & schemes:This is present throughout the drama (and the heroes manage to manage this throughout the drama, going through dangers. And now at 31, it seems to me that the villains have the advantage.), but the heroes have already won a game and deceived them.

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Ok, 1st even if I still don't like the…

Ok, 1st even if I still don't like the fact that Phi got back with Tam as fast as he did and all that I said before... I have to say I was laughing and smiling in this Ep 8. I still like Krist and Singto as a pair and I think that is what helped me with seeing this Ep. Even if I still believe what I said before.I thought is was funny how they said not to let anyone know about them, yet even before they get out of the car they were all over each other, like hello people keep that up and people will find out! Even inside one or the other were touching the other and Rita saw it all! 🤣 They are so not very good at hiding ANYTHING. 🤣 Oh lets not forget Nudee and Kaoki saw a bit in the meeting, though they couldn't say for sure.This Ep was cute, though at first I wanted to slap the crap out of Tam's mom, but in the end she turned out to be a better person than what I thought at first. I do have to say I got kind of annoyed with Tam for not really saying much of anything when his mom called Phi a loser, that was so on called for, even if she had a loser for a hundand.I love Aou, and I wish I could like him in this, but I really hate his charater! Though Aou is doing a fantastic job in his roll even if his charater is an ass. 😁I am so proud that Phi didn't listen to everyone trying to tell him to lie about him and Tam, I can understand to a point as to why they all wanted him to, than again I don't. Just because a few don't like it is no enough to kiss their ass over it. I know this right here is why Tam's mom became ok with them bewing together.As for this new reporter now, I so hope Young is not stupid enough to go with her, he is not going to find anyone better for him them Kaoki, it's so obvious they both still like each other, just look at all they look at each other. The should give each other another chance, they were to young when they were first together, nowthat they both have grown it will be differnt... or am I thinking to much? 🤔Best line of this EP. is from Phi.. "Oh, gladly" Please let me join in on the love too." ❤️ That was just to freaking cute!

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