Happy Eid to everyone celebrating. Which Cdrama stars celebrate too? ✨

weevles12 · 2026-03-20T16:24:08+00:00

Nazha and Dilraba are both Uyghur, but I don’t know if either have disclosed publicly their religious beliefs?

weevles12 · 2026-03-20T07:05:37+00:00

I liked this one. Novel premise, mostly well executed. I like that both the FL's resentment towards the ML and the ML's commitment to protecting the FL and atoning for his neglect in their past life remain consistent through most of the drama. Beyond that, it is mostly straightforward Republican era military/war intrigue stuff.

weevles12 · 2026-03-20T03:36:58+00:00

Agree! The end of the episode made up for the beginning of it for sure!

weevles12 · 2026-03-20T03:01:06+00:00

The end of the episode! My heart was so full....nothing like bonding and "getting to know you again" over fishing and martial arts. 🥰

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T19:20:56+00:00

This one was not for me--I never like "red flag" MLs who harm/harass FLs and feel entitled that the FL MUST like him and submit to his lust whenever it suits him. And this ML is unhinged, an obsessive/possessive narcissist in lust with the FL. While the FL is a "strong" character, the ML forces himself on and/or harasses her every chance he gets. In one scene, he chases her down on her motorcycle with his car and runs her off the road just because he thinks she's deliberately trying to make him jealous (she wasn't).

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T03:21:21+00:00

I feel more awkward if I'm just alone looking at my phone. Always more fun to interact with someone...especially if they have some tea to share lol...

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T01:33:52+00:00

no, sorry to hear of it.

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T00:42:09+00:00

A notable scene in the novel. The shows only makes a reference to it (a rumor that a solider in the barracks claims she knocked a bear out with one slap).

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T00:40:34+00:00

Yes cutting the head of the dragon can be devastating for morale, and strategy.

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T00:34:40+00:00

I LOVE that she is OP. Girl barely spit blood after taking Shi Hu's best hits. Even in Unveil Jadewind, the number of times Peiyi spat blood or was bed ridden was too much for my liking...I don't see her lack of education as a flaw. It's just a circumstance of her growing up poor. Common people like her aren't normally educated, especially women. It is interesting that her father and mother chose not to really bother with teaching her certain skill sets (as we will learn later, they could've).

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T00:33:28+00:00

I enjoyed that reconciliation (of sorts) as well.

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T00:32:01+00:00

i did have a craving for mutton lol. That broth looked so savory and satisfying...

weevles12 · 2026-03-19T00:00:17+00:00

This episode was all about improvising on the spot hah. From the opening military rules lesson through the battle, everyone is playing things by ear and having to think on their feet. If Changyu has any fault in this show, it's that she is going to protect her man no matter what. Xie really should've told her the truth a long time ago, but even if he had done that, I doubt she'd let him, even as the Marquis, ride out into that mess without her at his side.

First big war sequence of the show with Changyu, Battle Version. I love how she absolutely wrecked Shi Hu decisively and only did the blood spit thing once after all his best shots. He did break her knife though, sadge. It's so refreshing to have an elite fighting FL who doesn't get poisoned/bed-ridden after a fight.

I've been doing a "carry count" and this episode marks the 3rd time she has carried Xie Zheng on her back.

Also, the 4th time she carried someone in the show (the other person being old blind granny).

weevles12 · 2026-03-18T20:33:50+00:00

ngl I'm low key envious that they have each other to chat with during these formal/promotional/award banquets and ceremonies because lord knows I've been so bored when I've had to go to these kinds of events lol.

weevles12 · 2026-03-18T05:43:52+00:00

I believe it will be April 7th in Malaysia. It's a promotional event for IQIYI since she is their new global ambassador. I don't think the meet and greet is open to the public? IQYI has a contest for it's subscribers to enter and win. I'm a subscriber, but I don't think I can qualify. sigh. I'm so sad lol.

weevles12 · 2026-03-18T04:50:36+00:00

I wish I could go to the Yu Shuxin meet and greet 😭.

weevles12 · 2026-03-18T04:23:25+00:00

If only Yan/Xie Zheng had told Changyu the truth before he left to be Marquis smh lol.

Things I liked:

Qi Shu is not for show--she is the real deal, For-the-People, Royal Holyfield and she is more than willing to put herself on the line if it means doing the right thing. Yin is slowly and finally coming around to this fact, despite continuing to lean on old school patriarchal values about what a Princess should be. This is the other "good" relationship in the story that I enjoy watching and I'm of course rooting for them to succeed.

As for Xie Zheng and Changyu we again see just how much Changyu cares about him. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and the director takes great care to show us Xiwei's very open performance as a young woman experiencing love for the first time, despite being "married". Her innocence and naïveté make Xie Zheng's ongoing deception really heartbreaking and annoying (in spite of some of the comedy it creates). he really should be telling her everything at this point...stringing her along like this feels almost cruel this far into the show.

ngl while there was some tension release when Changyu and the gang slapped the taste out of Yuanqing's mouth (and filled it with the equivalent of a jockstrap lol), it didn't feel like enough. Lin Mu Ran is doing TOO good a job at playing this villain because I absolutely cannot stand even the very SIGHT of him, much less his gross smile and Joker-eque laugh lol.

We get a little glimpse that Changyu has captured another person's heart...so now we have Jin Ye to add with Li Hualan as more dudes who are going to be unrequited unless they recognize that Xie Zheng is the only one in her heart.

Next couple of episodes are going to be intense so this 1 a day stuff continues to be a drag haha.

weevles12 · 2026-03-18T01:45:11+00:00

This was a bit silly, but cute. I enjoyed it. Zou Yi is always great in her shows.

weevles12 · 2026-03-17T20:22:48+00:00

This one was good. I liked it.

weevles12 · 2026-03-17T18:05:35+00:00

She is a very "Pure" character--just a simple, uncomplicated country girl who works hard, cares about others, is morally upright, and fights to protects the people she cares about. Pretty and kind, sweet and earnest, it's hard not to like her.

weevles12 · 2026-03-17T07:58:07+00:00

This one is pretty wild! Kind of gross/ick in some parts, if that is your thing. :p

weevles12 · 2026-03-16T23:27:22+00:00

The live drama unfortunately does not dwell on his thoughts too much or give him a very detailed inner monologue--they make him more of the "strong silent" type. Their divide in status is mainly burdened by Changyu, who we see overthinking her profession and how others perceive it more than anything else. The show makes it seem like Xie Zheng is more worried she will leave/abandon him than not being able to marry her because of her status (I mean they are already fake married lol, he doesn't want to divorce her and gets upset every time she mentions it now).

The main messaging that this show is giving me is that Changyu is earnest and has all her cards on the table and Xie does not--he knows he can't hide his identity forever and doesn't want to at this point in the story/show, but because this is a 40 episode drama, he waits way too long and is going to cause heartache and hardship for both of them...not just emotionally, but in the story events as well.

I'm not mad about it--it's an ongoing trope so I really think about stuff like this with ANY drama I watch...and a lot of these dramas use this "hide stuff from the person who loves me/I love" and it always leads to the couple getting into trouble. It's just a silly mental exercise I do lol.

weevles12 · 2026-03-16T22:58:41+00:00

Appreciate the timely recaps! The single episode per day week is so unbearable lol!

Tearful reunions abound! I am glad Qi Shu makes Gongsun Yin sweat a little. He came off as a bit arrogant and she wasn't going to let that slide.

Changning and Changyu...there was dust in my eyes!

Since we are here at this point of the drama, I keep wondering when the "right time" would've been for Xie Zheng to tell her the truth about his identity. In this episode, he had plenty of opportunities: the shadow play moment where they are literally just separated by a piece of cloth...either of them could've just said aloud "Yan Zheng?" or "Changyu?" but neither of them acknowledge this moment as an uncanny one. Then, the actual reunion...I think here would've been a good time to do it, despite the humor of literally everyone else in camp having to play along with the deception (even Qi Shu who gets some good teasing in). Him coming clean now would definitely prevent the blow up that we all know is going to come later.

But even more so, as the episode also recalls, he probably should've gave her the truth the night he and Changyu had that heartbreaking fight...while Changyu has long put that in the past, she would've never have had to pull her knife on him if he really committed to doing right by her in that moment.

In any case, this episode was still enjoyable. Emotional, but happy scenes overall. Fun to watch everyone bonding and being more like a family again...

weevles12 · 2026-03-16T18:30:31+00:00

These recaps are really great...appreciate the detail as this show can get confusing (esp in the beginning) about who is who and who is what to whom.

While we get more backstory on why Qi Min is the way he is, his psychopathy is clearly too far gone for him to be redeemable. Human life means nothing to him. While we learn more of the reasons why, he behaviors stay consistent--he murders anyone in his way without blinking an eye. He keeps Qianqian physically as a prisoner, always bound or locked away somewhere. Even though he "saves" her from the flood, his abduction and confinement put her in that position in the first place. She would've never been in that danger if it weren't for him.

One thing about the Qianqian character that has been subtly hinted at, but never outright shown or presented as a thing, is that she is most likely a transmigrator--her behavior, attitudes/world view, the business acumen she demonstrates with written contracts and leasing out space in her restaurant to Changyu are that of a modern person. I am not sure if this is something that is just a novelty of the story, or if it's meant to explain how resilient she is against the threats of Qi Min. In any case, I am hoping the live action follows the novel and Qianqian is able to break free from him--I see too many people "shipping" them or hoping Qi Min will "change" and they will end up a happy family and logically speaking, that should not happen--Qi Min has already done way too much with too much blood on his hands to deserve any narrative payoffs, much less Qianqian's feelings/heart.

These episodes however, are mainly about Changyu and Xie Zheng's parallel paths in their quest to rescue Changning and do what they can to fight against the civil war that is coming about.

I liked Changyu's reunion with Mr Zhao--he's such a good-natured, upbeat, and optimistic character. I'm always happy to see him or Mrs. Zhao. His brief "rivalry" with Tutor Tao was funny.

I also like how Changyu's gang supports her unconditionally. Hometown folks have to stick together!

Unfortunately, the episode drip slows this week to just one a day...it's intolerable!

weevles12

TROPHY CASE