jasmine's drama blog

A fan of Zanilia Zhao since Female Prime Minister, I always show my support by tuning in to the first few episodes of her dramas. The Story of Ming Lan was not an exception. I've also watched 10 episodes of Our Glamorous Times which ended with indescribable disappointment so I tried not to build much excitement for this new release.

Zanilia Zhao as Lu Zhen

Some viewers felt the story was moving too slowly but I think the pace is perfect because it gives us enough time to watch how the plot unfolds and how the characters develop. Besides, it wouldn't do the production any good if it introduces fifty characters at once and then don't allocate enough time to let them develop and let me become attached to the character.

Main Wife

Main Wife's Daughter, Fifth Miss, Sheng Ru Lan

Concubine Lin

Concubine Lin's daughter, Fourth Miss, Sheng Mo Lan

Many characters are developed as foils as one another or the mirror image of another, which makes it easier to remember the character. For example, the First Wife is rash and hot-tempered yet kind-hearted. On the other hand, Concubine Lin is soft and gentle yet vicious. The characterization of the First Wife is a stark contrast to that of Concubine Lin's. Similarly, Fifth Miss (daughter of the First Wife) and Fourth Miss (daughter of Concubine Lin) are replicas of their respective mothers.

As of Episode 11, not much has happened yet but we get to witness how intelligent Ming Lan is compared to her two older sisters. What makes her smart is her ability to tolerate and only attack when it is the right time. From the trailers, I noticed the downfall of Concubine Lin and I believe it is related to Ming Lan avenging for her mother's death.



With the announcement of Zanilia Zhao's pregnancy (and a scene from the series of Ming Lan, Gu Ting Ye (played by William Feng), and their child), I anticipate the start of their story in the series.

You can watch this drama on Viki or YouTube, both are actively providing English subtitles for international audience.

Here is a scene I really enjoyed from Episode 11, starts at ~19:30 minute mark:

What I like about this scene is how it incorporates actual historical figures in Chinese history into the discussion. Often stated by the wise ones, history repeats itself. In this debate, you realized the validity behind this statement. It becomes even much more interesting when the historical figures are used as evident to back the position taken by each individual character.

Gu Ting Ye (William Feng) thinks the older son Prince Yong is fit to become the heir even though he is not well-qualified because he has more children, which is a problem the current emperor is facing right now.

On the other hand, Ming Lan's Third Brother thinks the younger Prince Yan should succeed the throne. Even though he has only one son, both father and son pair are intelligent and capable. He is only younger than Prince Yong by half a year.

However, since everyone at that time loves to regard everyone based on seniority and status, then this discussion should also be this way, as Gu Ting Ye puts it.

Vin Zhang as Qin Shi Huang, Ying Zheng in The King's Woman

Another character, Ming Lan's Second Brother thinks the legitimate eldest son should be the next heir. Emperor Qin deposed his eldest son Fusu and selected Hu Hai as his heir, which caused the downfall of the Qin dynasty. He continues that many dynasties have been replaced because the emperor selected the younger son as heir.

Raymond Lam as Emperor Wu of Han in Virtuous Queen Wei Zifu

Third Brother defends with Liu Che, Emperor Wu of Han, who was well-known for leading the Han dynasty through a period of stability and prosperity. Gu Ting Ye remarks that before Emperor Jing made Liu Che the crowned prince, Liu Che's mother was created Empress. Therefore, Emperor Wu was the legitimate main heir to the throne.

Wang Wei as Emperor Hui of Jin in Dragon Love

Next is Ming Lan's Fourth Sister, Mo Lan's turn to join the conversation. She brings up Emperor Hui of Jin was not emperor material but since he was the eldest, he became the heir, and eventually led to the rise of Empress of Jia Nanfeng. Emperor Taizong of Tang wasn't the legitimate eldest yet he was able to bring prosperity to the great Tang.

Andy Zhang as Emperor Wen of Sui in The Legend of Dugu

Chen Xiao as Emperor Wen of Sui in Queen Dugu

Gu Ting Ye brings in Emperor Wen of Sui who deposed his first son and made his youngest son his heir. Consequently, the Sui dynasty which flourished under his rule, was destroyed under his youngest son's rule.

Finally, Ming Lan comes into the debate. Her main take is it's better to just be a simple loyal subject to the emperor and avoid these meaningless debates. She makes an example out of Gu Ting Ye and Qi Heng. She states it's hard to determine accurately the character of the brothers but seniority and status are obvious so there's no need to fight here. If the younger one is virtuous, he would not ruin the clan because of his own ambitions and if the oldest one is virtuous, he would be capable of restraining his younger brother's ambitions.

I love how Ming Lan has her own opinions and how her opinions actually helped save her father in future episodes when her Third Brother gets their father imprisoned in the palace by the Emperor.

This will be the first series I will sub since it has only 30 episodes and the genre is modern so terms are easier to translate. Please don't repost YouTube links.

Synopsis: The central story focuses on the relationship between the chairman of a company Wei Qing, who develops a disorder that prevents him from having any kind of contact with other human beings and an art student Zhou Shi who the chairman is immune to. They start off on a bad note but eventually become friends and begin their somewhat romantic journey together to help heal him. Taking on the back story are Zhou Shi's suite mates who also finds their own other half.

I will collaborating with Productive Procrastinators in translating this. I've received permission to link their YouTube videos here, the ones highlighted in pink are translated by Productive Procrastinations.



New episodes will approximately be uploaded every Saturday and Monday.


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This story with the main male lead having some sorts of OCD has been done quite frequently throughout the past year but after watching the trailer, I wanted to give this drama a try. Looking at the promotional materials, there are three couples, which I dig since there wouldn't be too much 狗血 (dog blood) plot twists, and there weren't.

Looks rated R but they are only sleeping in the same bed because it is only when they share a bed that the main lead can sleep well without nightmares

Before watching this, I've watched a little of Our Glamorous Times and after hearing about how the focus switched from first leads to the supporting leads, I've decided to stop watching because it brought back bad memories from Princess Agents.

This, on the other hand, is a hidden gem. It stars a relatively new and unknown cast and I can say, their acting exceeds expectations, especially the female lead Zhou Shi and second male lead Ning Fei. It also helps that the drama kept almost everyone's original voice (except the male lead's, don't know why, probably his voice doesn't have the dominance of a chairman?).

I would recommend this for the three storylines, the young (with good acting) cast, and interesting characterizations.


Synopsis:
The central story focuses on the relationship between the chairman of a company Wei Qing, who develops a disorder that prevents him from having any kind of contact with other human beings and an art student Zhou Shi who the chairman is immune to. They start off on a bad note but eventually become friends and begin their somewhat romantic journey together to help heal him. Taking on the back story are Zhou Shi's suite mates who also finds their own other half.


Cast:

Chapter 108: Rotting Until The End

---

Li Wei Yang was still contemplating after she returned. She did not seem to hear Bai Zhi talking either.

When Li Min De came in, he saw Li Wei Yang resting on the lounge chair. Her cold stare was oddly fixated on the sycamore tree in the yard. When Bai Zhi saw him coming in, she was about to announce his arrival, but Li Min De waved his hand and said: “No need.”

He quietly approached and softly said: “What’s wrong?”

Li Wei Yang recollected herself and looked at him with a mournful face...and then the big bag in his hands. She smiled a bit: “How come you have the time to come here?” There was no trace of anyone else around these days.

Li Min De’s gaze bore into her, then he suddenly said: “Show me your hands.”

So Li Wei Yang put her hands out. Li Min De smiled and opened the greasy paper bag. He then took out a pastry and placed it in her hand: “Just out of the oven. Eat it.”

“Oh…” Li Wei Yang subconsciously put the fragrant, dried sweet osmanthus cake into her mouth. It had a soft and fascinating aroma.

Li Min De looked at her again for some time, then ordered Bai Zhi, who was holding a lotus bowl, to come over. He fully opened the paper bag full of cakes and poured some out. Jujube cakes, sweet Ruyi crisps, longan cakes, Auspicious crisps... They all filled the small bowl at once, making a beautiful display of colors.

“Eat.” He held the lotus bowl full of pastries out in front of her face, his face clear as water, bearing a hint of a smile.

Li Wei Yang was a bit spaced out and subconsciously ate a few pieces in an obedient manner. Once she finished eating, she suddenly realized: “You… are treating me like a child.”

In the end, it still could not fool her… Li Min De sighed and said: “Are you worried because of Li Chang Le?

Li Wei Yang was stunned and then nodded.

Li Min De smiled: “You provoked the beehive? And now you feel uneasy?”

Li Wei Yang couldn’t help but say: “Li Chang Le? Beehive? Well, it’s an appropriate description, but for Min Zhi sake, if it were to happen again, I would still kick the beehive.”

The tip of Li Min De’s finger was curled and resting against his lips as he casually laughed. Li Wei Yang looked at him strangely.

Just half a year later, she—as his Third Older Sister—only stood up to his eyebrows and had to look up at who was once a little boy.

Unlike in the past, Li Min De wore an elegant, luxurious robe today. The silk inner robe was woven with gold thread, paired with a faint blue outer robe. His appearance was extraordinary with his black hair knotted high with the rest falling past his shoulders. His face was handsome, his eyes bright and radiant, brimming with sincerity and beneath his tall nose were lips curved into a warm smile. He had a slight rosy flush as if his face was dusted with a thin layer of rouge. He had a proud and handsome stature with a dagger and jade ornament hanging from his waist.

“Why are you dressed like this today?” Li Wei Yang asked out of curiosity, no longer preoccupied with how Li Chang Le suddenly recovered.

Li Min De laughed and turned serious again: “I’m going to the banquet with you.”

“Attending the banquet with me?” Li Wei Yang was taken aback. She then looked to Bai Zhi. Bai Zhi held her forehead and said: “Young Miss, I have said so three times already. It’s the Empress’ banquet today, and many people are invited! Young Miss, you have not washed your face, brushed your hair or done your makeup yet, you will certainly be late today.”

Li Wei Yang responded “Oh” and immediately smirked at Li Min De: “Dressing up like this to see the Ninth Princess?”

In the past two years, the Ninth Princess pursued Li Min De more fiercely. If it wasn’t because she could not easily leave the palace, perhaps she would be seen at the Li family every few days. It was a pity Li Min De did not seem to feel the same way and treated her coldly, hardly affectionate at all. Hearing her mention the Ninth Princess, Li Min De only smiled slightly: “Go change quickly, otherwise we will really be late.”

Li Wei Yang complied and stood up. She walked away, then turned back halfway and looked at Li Min De strangely. Bai Zhi asked: “Young Miss, what’s wrong?”

Li Wei Yang shook her head and lamented: “I used to be the one to give him orders, now this kid comes over to order me around.”


Zhao Yue snorted, then felt Li Wei Yang’s glare and immediately turned her face away.

Li Wei Yang rarely participated in banquets at the palace. However, this time, the Empress had sent the invitation, so every family sent members to participate. Li Wei Yang had to go, but she did not like to do her makeup much and only used a green jade comb for her hair. It was like a faint light, brilliantly nestled between layers of black hair like the stars of the night sky in her hair. A color-changing sapphire, as large as a thumb, hung over the middle of her forehead. Since this was a formal occasion, she had to wear the clothes Lao Furen had prepared specifically for her. On the surface of her dress was a delicate layer of purple silk that subtly covered the elaborate embroidery underneath and gracefully fluttered behind her as she walked.

The moment Li Min De saw her, his eyes lit up. He smiled and complimented her: “Whoever says Li Chang Le is the most beautiful has never seen you dressed up.”

Li Wei Yang gave him a look. In this world, only he would dare to mention beauty in her presence. Given her experience in the past life, what she hated most in this life was hearing others bring up beauty. Beauty was only an external layer of skin. If it were lost, then so be it. It was not something she particularly cared or worried about.

If she had Li Chang Le’s beauty, then she would not have to suffer in her past life. However, she had to admit that although she knew praise was superficial, it was still nice to hear someone praise her.

“Although it is spring, the banquet is held at night, so there will be strong winds.” Li Min De softly said.

“No, the banquet is indoors. It will only be hot!” Li Wei Yang replied offhandedly.

“Bai Zhi, go back and bring a cloak for your Young Miss.” Li Min De turned away.

Li Wei Yang frowned: “I already said there’s no need to bother with it.”

“Go.” Li Min De waved his hand. Bai Zhi complied and quickly left. However, when she turned around, she felt strange. In the past, she only heard Young Miss give orders, but in the blink of an eye, Third Young Master had a strange sense of authority, making her subconsciously obey his orders.

It was not just Bai Zhi. Even Li Wei Yang felt a bit surprised. She hesitated, then turned to look at him and said: “When did you buy the loyalty of my servants?”

“It’s only because they know to listen to what is right.” Li Min De smiled. Bai Zhi went in a timely manner and brought the cloak over within moments. Zhao Yue intended to put it on for Li Wei Yang, but Li Min De held out a hand to take it, “Li Chang Le will also attend the banquet today, as will all the members of the Jiang family.”

Li Wei Yang arched an eyebrow: “Are you afraid?”

Li Min De laughed and said: “What do you think? If I was afraid, why would I go with you? They are the ones who should be afraid.”

She noticed the vague satisfaction on his handsome face and clearly felt she should feel the same, except at the moment, surrounded by the scent of the forest, her heart began to ache.

Was this youth also forced to grow up too soon by being by her side? If it wasn’t for her, perhaps he would be an ordinary person in an ordinary environment, studying literature and practicing martial arts. Then he would marry and have children. At that moment, Li Wei Yang had forgotten Li Min De was not fortunate enough to have a normal identity. She hoped he was only an ordinary person who did not need to face the hatred and grudge that had nothing to do with him.

Li Chang Le, the Jiang family, Tuoba Zhen, Able Consort Wu … These people had nothing to do with Li Min De, but because of her, Min De must always be on guard and cautious. Those people could act against Min De. Moreover, in the past few years, Min De must have had to face many challenges when she was not paying attention … But he had never mentioned them.

Looking down, she looked at his slender fingers and pale skin. There were already signs of calluses in the palm of his hands, signs of wielding a sword. Li Wei Yang felt a bit pained, a little guilty. Perhaps she had only thought of herself and never asked him what he wanted to do in the future, completely focused on her plans. He came up with a plan for everything, practicing martial arts and studying books. He had done everything himself. What she had promised Third Furen had not been done yet. There was no need to speak of his identity, she didn't even know who his friends were.

Li Wei Yang’s stare was fixated on him. He smiled, bemused, as he helped her fasten the cloak. Li Wei Yang looked at him and slowly felt strange. He seemed faintly satisfied by this simple action. Her heart had been clear as a mirror, but at this moment, small ripples appeared on its surface. Since when had the distance between them been this close, the teenager in front of her was too close, close enough for her to hear his steady heartbeats.

Suddenly, she gently asked: “Min De, do you have friends?”

He slightly raised his head. The night wind blew past. His hair was framed by the moon above, like the stars reflected, quietly running along the river at night. He only had a small smile: “I don’t need friends.”

That tone was very certain. Li Wei Yang could not help but frowned.

“I have you and that is enough.” Li Min De naturally said.

For some reason, a simple response explaining how they lived, relying on one another, would make Li Wei Yang subconsciously take a step back.

“When you go outside, bring the hood over your head. Alright, let’s go.” Li Min De seemed unaware, as if he had not realized anything yet and continued to smile.

Li Wei Yang glanced at Bai Zhi and others but found they were all looking down, acting as if they did not see or hear anything. She turned solemn. She did not know when her servants did not notify her at the slightest when Li Min De arrived.

Lao Furen was not going today, but everyone else had left. Li Wei Yang was the last to leave. The newly appointed steward greeted her: “Xianzhu, the carriage is ready.”

This was the reason others did not want to leave with her. Li Wei Yang had a lavish carriage appropriate for her rank, which was precisely what others in the Li family could not stand. She paid no mind to it and only asked: “Where is Eldest Sister and Mother? Did they leave already?”

The steward smiled and said: “Xianzhu, the Eldest Miss and Furen have already left. Furen ordered everyone to wait for Xianzhu in front of the palace gates before heading in together.”

Members of the family went in together. They had no choice, even if they were unwilling to wait. Li Wei Yang smiled and climbed onto the carriage.

“There are forty-eight households going to the palace today. The official road may be blocked for two or four hours.” The coachman respectfully asked: “Should a detour be taken to avoid this?”

Li Wei Yang was about to say that taking a shortcut was no better than an unsafe road. Li Min De unexpectedly said: “We cannot be late. Take the detour.”

Simple but precise. The decision has been made. Li Wei Yang was momentarily left stunned.

Li Min De noticed she was staring at him, blinked and felt wronged as he said: “Blaming me for intervening?”

Li Wei Yang did not say anything. What else could she say at this time? He already said to take a detour, would she still make the carriage turn around? Forget it. She waved her hand and rested her face against her hand to rest, her elbow propped on a small table.

Bai Zhi immediately lit a candle. She carefully took out an embroidery framework and continued to work on the unfinished embroidery. Zhao Yue lowered her head and solemnly sat in the corner to polish her sword.

Li Wei Yang closed her eyes but felt a bright and warm feeling on her face, making her feel uncomfortable.

How could she sleep like this?

“We’ll arrive at the palace after a few more roads. Rest for an hour.”

She gave a mumbled response because she was a bit tired, and her eyelids were getting heavier. Something warm closed around her hand. She subconsciously held onto it.

It was cold at the start of spring, especially at night when the winds were strong. Despite knowing this, she did not bring a hand warmer. She vaguely noticed that someone rather warm came close.

Li Wei Yang gradually entered a dream-like state and had a strained, slight smile. Dream and reality began to overlap. Why didn’t anyone give her a bit of warmth in the past? If the Li family had been willing to give her a hand when she was sent to the Cold Palace, think of how much better off she would be. She did not need them to save her. Even the slightest expression of concern would have brought the warmth of loved ones, but she had received nothing.

Lao Furen seemed to love her very much now, but she herself did not believe in this love… As it turns out, she did not believe in anyone, but she still pretends to believe in life. This false warmth… She could not help but hold the hand more tightly.

“Miss …” Bai Zhi spoke up. It was too inappropriate, not right at all, absolutely not good. She followed the Miss these few years and saw many siblings that lived with one another but had never seen something like this before. Li Min De treated Li Wei Yang too well. The way his eyes lit up, even as a servant, she could not take this lightly. Ignore it…

Yes, but how could this be? They were paternal cousins. Even if Third Young master was not of the Li bloodline, as long as he bore the Li family name, this would mean chaos … The moment the thought crossed Bai Zhi’s mind, she stiffened. She instinctively wanted to speak up and remind Li Wei Yang, but Li Min De suddenly turned around and looked at her with a slightly different look in his eyes.

It was clearly an ordinary stare, but Bai Zhi felt herself trembling. There was a trace of panic in her eyes.

Zhao Yue was still carefully cleaning her sword, as if tending to flowers on the surface of her sword. She genuinely recognized Li Wei Yang as her master. These days, she wholeheartedly admired her, respected her, and even had a trace of worship towards her. However, despite how much she respected Li Wei Yang, her real master was still Li Min De.

She clearly saw Li Miin De’s burning gaze, but she still pretended to turn a blind eye. Although, she occasionally wondered, what if one day her master and Young Miss turned against one another? What should she do?

Li Min De waved his hand in the direction of the candlelight. Bai Zhi immediately understood and quickly extinguished a candle and momentarily breathed a sigh of relief.

The interior of the carriage suddenly darkened.

Li Wei Yang was unaware of how Li Min De looked at her face, vaguely satisfied, and his right hand was tightly held in her hand. He had an urge to heal the wounds of every scar in her heart…

With a bang, the carriage violently swayed.

Li Wei Yang’s eyes flew open.

“The road is a bit bumpy.” Li Min De slightly smiled, his eyes bright, “Afraid that you will not eat or say much upon arriving at the banquet and encountering many hateful people, I brought the remaining pastries with me. You had not eaten much. Do you want to have some first?”

Li Wei Yang’s vision was a bit blurry. Her gaze slowly shifted to his handsome face. In terms of appearance, she had seen many handsome men, like handsome and masculine Tuoba Zhen, Tuoba Yu who was cold and refined like the moon, and even that arrogant Jiang Fourth. They could be considered men with extraordinary looks, but compared to Li Min De, they slightly fell short. It was hard to blame Ninth Princess for always saying that he was more handsome than her brothers. In that moment, Li Wei Yang was not thinking of what happened outside but rather what kind of family had given birth to a stunning youth like this.

Before she could recollect herself, the carriage jolted again, and she fell into his arms. He instinctively shielded her head with both hands and waited until the carriage steadied. He helped her sit up and smiled at her: “Are you alright?”

Li Wei Yang frowned, what happened outside?!

Someone outside shouted: “Li Wei Yang!”

Wasn’t that Jiang Fourth’s voice? Li Wei Yang’s mind was completely cleared. Many people will choose to take a detour. They ran into Jiang Fourth here. He was probably looking for trouble. She was about to pull the curtain back and go out when she accidentally knocked over the tray of snacks. All the pastries fell to the ground. Li Wei Yang stiffened.

Li Min De carefully took her hands and helped her up, wiping the dirt off her hands.

The commotion outside grew more chaotic. She wanted to lift the curtain to see. Li Min De suddenly reached out and covered her eyes, calmly saying: “Don’t look, it’s just a mad dog.”

It turned out that while Li Wei Yang was talking to Li Min De, Zhao Nan on horseback, narrowed his eyes and saw a man on horseback riding towards them. It seemed like it was leading up to confrontation, clearly looking for trouble!

He sneered and urged his horse to charge ahead, clashing with that man. The two men only heard the sharp impact of swords. In the struggle, Zhao Nan was forced down to the ground by Jiang Nan, left covered in dust.

“In face of defeat, you dare to show up in front of me! Have your master come out!” Jiang Nan stood tall, cold and haughty. To be fair, Zhao Nan was highly skilled in martial arts, but in terms of combat experience on the battlefield, he was far inferior to his opponent!

The Li family guards were stunned. They have never been so humiliated. Seeing Jiang Nan’s forces acting arrogantly, they were already furious. However, Zhao Nan, who was the most capable martial artist among them had charged forward only to be mocked. How could they suppress their indignation? In the flight of the moment, they all raised their weapons!

“General Wu Wei! Anping Xianzhu is in the carriage!” Zhao Nan grudgingly got up from the ground and brushed off his sleeves. He wiped away the blood on his wrist. His gaze, like the fierce eyes of a wolf, was trained on Jiang Nan.

Jiang Nan laughed aloud: “Call her out!” Of course, he knew she was in the carriage. He did it to humiliate her.

Zhao Nan’s eyes were ablaze with anger. He smiled coldly and crossed his arms. He whistled once. A group of people dressed in black appeared under the dark cover of the night. Jiang Nan frowned: “Coward, you have to call for help?”

Zhao Nan sneered: “See for yourself!” Jiang Nan wanted to push others around just because he had a bit of experience on the battlefield, but the two armies were completely different. If it were one-on-one, Zhao Nan may not be a formidable opponent, but if his master’s secret guards were dispatched, Jiang Nan will not return safely!

Jiang Fourth brought quite a few people. In the carriage, Li Wei Yang heard the uproar of neighing and hooves of horses outside. She couldn't help but think of the highly skilled guards around Jiang Fourth. These people followed him on the battlefield for many years, hands full of fresh blood. If he decided to cause trouble, he will not be able to get away with it, but how will the Li family guards hold off?

“My forces are outside. Don’t worry.” Li Min De smiled softly. He did not pay any mind to the opposing army.

“You don’t understand. They’re not ordinary guards. If Jiang Fourth is determined to see me, I only need to go out! Would he even dare to kill me?!” Li Wei Yang coldly said. She thought the Jiang family will cause trouble for her at the banquet, but what did Jiang Fourth want to do now!

Li Min De held her back by the hand: “He’s not worth it.”

Li Wei Yang was momentarily stunned. The light and shadow from the curtain carriage crossed Li Min De’s face, highlighting his cold indifference. His voice had unprecedented ridicule: “You should let him know while a crab moves sideways, there will be a day when it cannot avoid a stronger opponent.”

Overall thoughts: "Great entertainment, storyline never got me anxious for the female lead since she is witty, out-spoken, and clever. The costume + headset designs and tone throughout the entire production is muted instead of the usual bright, vibrant colors."



Starting this post off with the opening theme. I love how it's unique in comparison to past historical dramas. A humming sequence that's surprisingly addicting and then dialogues from Chinese opera. I didn't know there were actual lyrics until the song was played during a sequence in the drama:

The SARFT is at it again. SARFT stands for State Administration of Radio, Film, and Television, notorious for censoring content and setting strict criteria on productions churned out each year such as the limit on ancient dramas that can be aired on TV and strict auditing process on the scripts. This is the reason why many dramas opt to be aired online as a web series; I have a feeling the SARFT will eventually start regulating this channel.

The Story of Yanxi Palace has been faring pretty well until the most recent episode 58. Wei Ying Luo is informed by Fucha Fuheng that a new concubine has entered the palace and she is urged to return to the palace. Fuheng thinks there is something fishy with this new Shun Pin and believe she will cause the downfall of Qianlong.

Anyways, Wei Ying Luo visits Empress Ulanara and learns that the empress wants to cooperate in order to topple Shun Pin. Wei Ying Luo walks out and supposedly sees only the emperor's mesmerized expression. Then, in the next scene, she returns back to the Empress to accept her offer in cooperation.

A huge chunk has been cut out because viewers speculated that the government didn't want to encourage more tensions amongst the minority groups so they ask for those scenes to be cut out. What got cut out are the scenes with Shun Pin dressed in minority tribal clothing and her character has turned into the daughter of an imperial official.

On the other hand, Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace, which is also airing simultaneously, also had to be censored. The government wasn't too happy that the script was "twisting" history by flipping the personality of the Empress and Concubine Ling (aka Wei Ying Luo in Yanxi). Therefore, 令妃 became 炩妃, the sound for Ling is the same but it's a different character. As the drama progresses, I am almost certain that there will be more obvious changes made to pacify the SARFT.


My Thoughts on the Ending:
I think the ending is great as it is since it wrapped up almost all the stories completely by letting us viewers know what happened to each character, Empress Ulanara, Prince Heqing, eunuch Yuan Chun Wang, etc. There is no need for a sequel or second season.

Throughout the entire series, I was not aggravated one bit because I know in the end, Wei Ying Luo always has something up her sleeves. Sometimes, she is just going with the flow to catch the bigger fish, which happened a majority of the time. She let Yuan Chun Wang continue to wreak havoc and urges Prince Heqing to rebel since in the end, she hasn't forgotten that Prince Heqing, though not the murderer, was the one who raped her sister and directly led to her death. I also liked how she wasn't perfect, she didn't foresee Yuan Chun Wang's plan to kill her with the poisonous bugs.

I enjoy how some parts are subtle where viewers have to assume based on context clues.

Empress Dowager quickly shot up upon hearing Emperor wants to execute Yuan Chun Wang

1) Is Yuan Chun Wang as Aisin Gioro? Based on the reaction of the Empress Dowager, he is. But it would be a disgrace if people finds out that an Aisin Gioro is an eunuch.

That smile is scary, it looks like a sweet grandmother smile but it's a smile recalling what bad things she might have supposedly done in the past

2) Did Empress Dowager killed the emperor's birth mother? I think this is a yes. She is the victor of the imperial harem during Emperor Yongzheng's reign. The way she countered Empress Ulanara shows that she is still the boss of the imperial harem. There is a saying in Cantonese, 僵越老越辣, literally translated to gingers are spicier the older; this means: the older, the wiser.

3) Is Erqing's son the Emperor's? From a leaked script, it seems like the son is Fuheng's younger brother but those scenes were cut. It seems about right since it doesn't make sense to have such a useless character just standing around in the series and doing nothing if he didn't play a crucial part. He did but it never survived the scissors. Moreover, when the emperor asked Erqing, she denied because that was the truth; there was no need to lie at that point if all she wanted was to rise above others.

4) Did Prince Yongqi died from his injury? In history, he should have been dead 4 years ago, I am assuming it is around 1770 since Fuheng died this year on the battlefield. This would have been the perfect storyline to follow the history and let his character rest in peace. Funny thing is, Empress Ulanara should have died the same year the he died but both survived.

Scenes that were speculatively cut that would have added value:

Er Qing's final moment to shine before she exits

1. Ming Yu forcing the cup of poison into Erqing's mouth would have been a glorious scene to enjoy since Erqing became such a despicable character that she ruined Wei Ying Luo's life and directly caused Empress Fucha' suicide.

2. The affair between Erqing and Fuheng's younger brother would have cleared up some viewer's confusions.

3. Hearing how the servants described Imperial Consort Chun's death, the scene of her death would have been another treat since she did plot to kill Empress Fucha' son. But seeing the bloodied kite strings was sufficient enough to train our imagination and visualize how gruesome that scene would have been.



4. Almost more than half of Shun Pin' scenes have been reduced to pacify the censorship board. It would have been easier to follow if the editing wasn't so disoriented and choppy. The purpose of this character is to push the emperor and Ying Luo's character to a new stage in their relationship. It served its purpose but I believe her original character has so much content that it should have been given a chance to be told properly.

5. How did Wei Ying Luo kill Prince Heqing's mother? I heard this was purposely left out so viewers wouldn't replicate this at home. And I buy this because once upon a time, a pair of girls committed suicide hoping to time travel back, which happened after the airing of Scarlet Heart or Startling By Each Step. Of course, the government blamed time-travel elements in productions instead of putting blame on the strict parenting method. Thus, no more time-travel. I am not a fan of time-travel since I don't understand why the female lead have to be a modern-age girl in order to be smart and spunky. I am pretty sure there is at least one in a million that had thoughts of a modern-day woman even though it was not the norm back in history.

Some Behind The Scenes and Commentary Videos:

**If anyone is interested in the content, I can translate the videos**

I don't know why but Charmaine never stood out to me when she was filming for TVB. But through this series, I see her professionalism. This video shows how she speaks in Cantonese but ends every line in Mandarin so her coworker understands where they are up to in the scene:



In this one, actor Nie Yuan talks about how he makes Qianlong much more realistic by adding in traits of an ordinary person. For example, when he found out Empress Fucha was pregnant again, he hopped with joy even though we might think it wasn't something an Emperor would do. But in the end, the Emperor is human so it makes sense when he is genuinely joyful upon hearing good news. Or, when he wakes up to look for Wei Ying Luo without fixing his clothes. The script says he wakes up, fixes up his image, and looks for her.




A hilarious commenter:

Yu Zheng's (Produce Yumama) face photoshopped onto Wei Ying Luo's because he sent out a Weibo saying her character was written based on himself LOL okay ...

Fun Facts:

1. Wu Jinyan is a rising star, currently being managed under Yu Zheng's studio. She has two upcoming historical dramas; in one, she stars as the notorious Daji who was cruel and caused the downfall of the Shang dynasty, in the other, she plays the mother of the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty. Actors Nie Yuan (Qianlong) and Xu Kai (Fuheng) will also time travel with Wu Jinyan in these dramas.

2. Imperial Consort Ling died at the age of 45 and was posthumously granted the title of empress personally by Qianlong. In the early 1900s, the Qing family's tombs were raided and records indicated that there was a body of a woman that showed no signs of rotting. Based on the age, it seemed like this body belonged to Imperial Consort Ling. I've did a quick Google Search, found nothing about this, but found an article about a well-preserved female body that was discovered and dates back to the Han dynasty. Lady Dai of Western Han

3. Historians have speculated the Fuheng' son Fuk'anggan is actually the emperor's illegitimate child predominantly because he is the only one in Qing history to have been granted a prince title without being an Aisin Gioro.

Status: Currently up to Episode 55, could easily end up as my favorite drama of 2018, quite interested in getting this subbed!

My Thoughts: 
Well, I've joined the craze and sat through 28 episodes of this drama without fast forwarding a single scene. Many doubted this drama since it is a production of the notorious producer Yu Zheng, who has been accused of numerous counts of plagiarism. He also tends to release dramas that attempt to ride on the wave of an upcoming drama, e.g. Startling With Each Step vs. Palace, Legend of Zhen Huan vs. Palace II. This time, it seems like this drama is vaguely similar to the anticipated Ruyi's Royal Love In The Palace, which has a star-studded cast. I do have to give it to him: his dramas are quite entertaining because they can become illogical. That is what makes it entertaining; you can't really guess the plot because anything can happen.

But I have to say, The Story of Yanxi Palace is heading towards the right direction. The scriptwriting is not perfect, neither is the cast but sometimes things just work at the right time. What exactly made this a binge-worthy drama? It is during a time when we, the viewers, don't often see such a cunning and non-Mary Sue female lead. I mean the other shows do have cunning female leads but what makes them unrealistic is always their ability to forgive in the end. I enjoy watching how the female lead Wei Ying Luo, played by Wu Jing Yan, stays consistent throughout and had one goal in mind: to seek justice for her closest kin, her older sister. After that gets resolved, she moves on to avenging the death of another sisterly figure.


Another reason I like this drama is the emperor's character. Unlike Legend of Zhen Huan, where the emperor is portrayed as an untrusting old creep who in the end deserves to be poisoned by his concubines to death, the emperor here is much more intelligent in handling his harem. Many have criticized the portrayal of Emperor Yongzheng in Legend of Zhen Huan since Yongzheng was a prominent, well-respected figure in Chinese history. Therefore, I am content to see the writers didn't write Emperor Qianlong's character similar to Yongzheng's character in TLZH.

However, I am also excited to watch Ruyi's Royal Love In The Palace since it spins a different tale about the second empress during Qianlong's reign. It would be interesting to see what the storyline will offer especially to an audience that has already been exposed to this period in history and when the female lead in Ruyi is the biggest villain in Yanxi.

68 episodes are out now, with 10 being leaked out. Some speculate that it is of the producer's doing since some are saying that he had done something like this before. I am not too concerned since I don't really have time to binge watch the rest this week so going to keep to my original schedule.


Cast:

Music:

The opening theme, part with the humming, is addicting. I just found out a few days ago that there are actually lyrics for this besides the Chinese opera monologue.




The ending theme songs have changed three times. It seems like each song represents a different phase of the storyline. Only one I liked so far is the second one, which has two versions, one sung by Qin Lan (who played Empress Fucha).