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Watch this because of Zanilia Zhao. Stand to watch till the end because really curious how Ming Lan (ML) and Gu Ting Ye (GTY) end up together. Summary write by Jordan can't be more spot on. As Jordan say: "ML suffers from neglect from her family that make ML acknowledges the reality of her situation and the world she lives in and chooses to be smart about it instead of letting it define her. While GTY experiences a lot of abuse from his family" especially from his cunning step mother that make him into "straightforward with his actions and never hides his true self" Both ML and GTY quite cunning in their own way to survive their life.
What make me really can't wait to the end is really how ML and GTY end up together, because half of the drama we really can't get the grip how they will end up together. I skip it few times just to find out when & how exactly they end up together, but still rewind again and patient enough to watch full episode... ^_^
If you search for love episode between GTY & ML just jump to half of the drama. Because first half just explain to us how ML got her personality and 'knowledge'. GTY himself not so much screen time. Mostly about ML and her family. But the second half... OMG really bring tense to another level. Second half give us how ML used her 'knowledge' that she get from the first half to handle GTY family and to handle GTY problem with the emperor family.
What really funny is how sometimes GTY is really childish when he can't handle how ML is really closed herself up from him. And when ML angry with him, he even can smile or laugh.
Really shock about the truth ending of GTY slander by emperor. But impress how brave and crazy GTY really is. Really love the ending how the entire family (ML & GTY) unite together.
Cast: For me the cast really fit their role. Really choose perfectly for their role :)
Loved episode:
> When GTY Explain to ML how he cunningly make ML have no choice but to married her. And ML reaction when she tell her grandma really spot on. If i was ML i will feel the same. She said: "Firstly she really happy, because never expected there will be someone try that hard to win her over. Second she so mad like she want to slap him. Finally she afraid how to handle the cunning GTY." ^_^
Re-watch: Love to re-watch it again. Not from the beginning but only from GTY and ML end up together >.^
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Sincerity plus efforts will bore fruits
At last, I've finished this drama that I planned to watch since a while ago when I saw how high the rating is. I hv to say I was not being let down by this long drama. The conflicts, the plot twists! I think i might need to rewatch this again with this new awareness of knowing the ending so I can watch it in new perspective. This drama was about: 1) patience the FL had to survive in her household while hiding her trueself, 2)the way ML never waver and keep fighting since he was a teenager against those who coveted his title and inheritance and 3) about the stories of different households during that era.ML, Gu Ting Ye, a clever man that's good at both literary and martial arts. He looks like a playful and unserious man but he was actually dangerous and hotheaded. He was definitely caring toward ppl that was dear to him like his nanny and his best friends. When it comes to love, he was all in and expected the same from FL but... It didn't happen that way coz it took some time for FL to open her heart bcs of her own issues. But he didn't give up even tho there were times where he was being sulky(?). Still, he can't stay mad at her for long 😁 He always prioritised her, protective of her and he understood the person she was which was a very thoughtful person that did something for him that moved his heart to fall for her. Although like he said to his best friend, FL was like a three years old when it comes to love.
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When I watched the trailer, I was not interested to watch the drama. The trailer was not able to convey the good qualities of the drama. However, I am glad that I gave it a chance to watch it. This drama is intricately beautiful. It was based on the novel with the same title. The drama focused on the life story of Ming lan, who was born in the Chinese imperial era. She was born from a concubine who was not favored by her father. Her father already had a legal wife and concubine Lin by his side. He was the type of person who loved high and good reputation and liked to avoid trouble. Without her father protection, Ming Lan and her mother had to suffer being abused by concubine Lin. Ming Lan grew up to become a person who was able to discern a person's behavior and motive behind them. She used that ability to act accordingly and protect herself. I really like Ming Lan. She is a very interesting main character and a great role model too. She is not your typical naivete and the weak lady who need to be protected, although she pretended to be one. She is actually an assertive, brave and can be ruthless and cunning if she needed to be.
The drama had a very strong nuance about the culture of China in the past. Which is very interesting too. A lot of the lines dialogues had hidden meaning and it was very interesting to see each person masked their emotion, going on a circle to confess one's intention. Sometimes it helps to rewatch the drama and pay attention to the lines which were spoken.
The love story is also bittersweet. The chemistry between the main leads is amazing (maybe because they are husband wife in real life too?). I love how their relationship was slowly being built in the drama, and how their characters who were the exact opposite were able to complement each other. Together they were unbeatable.
My problems with the drama were the fact that there were too many characters being introduced and the fact that Molan was being accepted back into the family. Those characters had a certain role which was important for the plot. Like the Wang family of Ming Lan's stepmother. They are too many to the point makes it hard for you to remember them.
Regarding Molan, she did not deserve to be forgiven. She looked very docile at the end which was pretty fast for her to turn around after so many years being abusive? She did suffer and reap what she sowed. But her transition being back into the family felt weird.
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The Brilliant Female Lead
I feel lucky and happy to able watching this masterpiece haha. First of all, sebenarnya saya tidak terlalu suka drama politik, namun setelah nonton episode pertama, jadi nagih dan keterusan. banyak aspek yang saya sukai dari drama ini, ceritanya sangat detail dan aktingnya juga apik, banyak hal baru yang saya pelajari dari drama ini seperti kedudukan antara istri sah dan selir, bagaimana nasib anak-anaknya nanti. Selain itu, musiknya bagus dan bikin terngiang-ngiang, saya sampai memasukkan ke dalam playlist saya karena shooting banget di telinga, kostumnya bagus semua, rapi. setting tempat juga apik meski di paruh pertama kebanyakan di rumah minglan terus hehe.karena minglan ini anak dari selir bukan istri sah, jadi sering mendapat ketidak adilan. sebelum ibunya meninggal cuma pesen agar dia gak nunjukin kecerdasannya, pdhl minglan ini pinter banget. nah ini yang saya suka dari drama ini, tokoh perempuannya gak menye2 minta ditolongin terus haha, ini strong woman yang pinter bikin taktik, minglan kepribadiannya tenang, tapi ternyata sedang mikir jalan keluar. neneknya juga sayang banget ke dia. untuk kisah cintanya sendiri dengan suaminya dimulai dari episode 45 keatas haha, harus sabar nunggu kisah mereka, tapi mereka sweet banget, suaminya cinta pol, karena itu gak mau punya selir lagi karena minglan aja cukup.
dan diakhir nanti bakal ada plot twist yang bikin hahh hahh sendiri wkwk, suka banget drama ini karena slice of life-nya dapet, minglan adalah tokoh yg gak ingin merepotkan siapapun dan bergantung pada orang lain. cerdas dan tidak mudah ditipu. this drama is such a heartwarming show. and I feel empty after this last episode. everyone has their happy ending. Masuk ke list rewatch bersama Joy of Life. sesuka itu. ^_^
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Too long
The drama would've been monumentally better if it was cut down to 40 episodes, 50 tops. When something was happening, it was interesting. The rest of the time, it was draggy and boring. There were too many scenes and conversations that should've been edited. Watching characters interact in a regular home environment was not interesting even if the drama was portraying a more realistic family life.It took ML and FL 40 episodes to get married. Before that, he was off somewhere serving in the military with the story rarely focusing on him. Instead, it was just her dealing with family drama and her childhood crush on a day-to-day basis. After the wedding, the sisters mostly disappeared from the plot making me wonder why the writers gave them so much screen time. It would've been more interesting if the drama was more narrowly focused on ML and FL growing up and falling in love, instead of less important side characters.
Another thing that was frustrating was the fact that none of the villains were properly punished. The evil stepmom burned the house down and died in the fire. The evil aunt got stabbed trying to kill FL. The fourth sister just continued on with her miserable life after scheming against FL. There was no actual punishment that they truly deserved after all the evil crap they pulled.
Overall, this was a one time watch for me. If I had to do it again, I would skip about half of it.
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I surived the 73 episodes!
This is one of the longest drama that I've watched. I survived 73 episodes of this!. Well, I've seen Ruyi's Royal Love in The Palace with 87 episodes, and Story of Yanxi with 70 episodes. So this is definitely not for those who can't sit through anything longer than 40 episodes ( or less), which is the current norm in c-drama land. What I like about these long dramas are the character development. These tend to have a gazillion of characters that seem unimportant or like a filler to extend the episodes. However, if the storytelling is right, like these three dramas, these miniscule characters have their role in the grander scheme of things. So you have to pay attention to these lowly characters.Storytelling is the key for these dramas. I have sat through dramas that are much shorter, but felt so much worse, because of bad storytelling and you can't feel the character development. The Story of Ming Lan was done quite well in terms of storytelling. We get to see the journey from when she was a little girl to the intelligent and well brought up lady she is at the end of the drama.
The reason I didn't give this a higher rating is because the middle part is draggy (unlike Yanxi which is consistently good throughout the drama). But it picks up in the last 15-20 episodes. The first part is really good and they cut the episodes really well, so you're curious to go watch the next one. The same goes for the last 20 episodes. You can't help but keep watching.
The cast and characters are majority good ones, a combination of older and younger actors, but they played their characters well. I thought Zhao Li Ying did really well in portraying Ming Lan. Her expression and acting are on point. I also love the chemistry between her and Feng Shao Feng. Zhu Yi Long, i thought did really well too.
If you like slice of life drama in a historical setting, you would enjoy this and won't mind the number of episodes of watching family bickering :)
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Uma história surpreendente!
Eu já assisti esse dorama faz muito tempo, mas eu sinto que deveria falar o quão incrível ele é. Esse dorama, ao contrário de muitos, mostra personagens complexos (que não são totalmente bonzinhos ou mauzinhos), são simplesmente humanos. A protagonista é incrível, nessa história ela realmente conseguiu atingir o que era necessário. Já o protagonista é um pouco "decepcionante no início" mas logo depis no decorrer da trama ele mostra uma evolução fenomenal. Uma das coisas que mais gosto dessa série é que ela foi "ao máximo" coerente com a época que era retratada. Tudo era muito coerente. Discursos inteligentes e bem executados. Roteiro que lhe faz preso até o último segundo (com exceção dos primeiro episódios que são um pouco tediosos). Enfim, vale muito a pena. Queria assistir novamente como se fosse assistindo pela primeira vez.Cet avis était-il utile?
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Story:
The core focus of the story is to showcase family dynamics fueled by blood purity, filial piety, and social class. Those born under a man’s main wife are considered legitimate, while those under a man’s concubine are illegitimate. Despite either status, one is expected to observe and conduct filial piety under any and all circumstance. One must not, and cannot afford to, offend their superiors in a higher social class than them. Revolving these three main fires, conflicts arise, and are mainly put out through dialogue.
For the most part, the presentation of the plot was told ever so matter-of-factly. There was rarely any over-exaggeration of arguments, discipline, or punishment. It was almost as if the drama shrugged, and said, “This is how things were back during the Song Dynasty.” If there was a dramatic scene, it would be shown comedically (you would know by the accompanying instrumental), almost in a satirical way, inviting the viewers to, yes, laugh at the characters.
The story could feel repetitive. The two main leads, Ming Lan and Gu Ting Ye, are extremely intelligent, meticulous, and calculative. Once they devise and implement a plan, everything goes their way, pawns moving and barking according to how they predicted. When others scheme against them, the leads are able to safely weave themselves out of their enemies’ web by using their wit. Despite the predictable end to all problems, it is interesting to see how the leads set up traps and watch their prey fall in. The drama also does a fantastic job at delivering comedic relief during appropriate times to break up the monotony.
Characters:
One of the drama’s charms is its undoubtedly large cast. Though it may be difficult to recognize and remember everyone, the writing and its conveyance of each supporting character make it easier. Each character has layers of depth, a personality that makes them memorable and human. Everyone, from mere servants to the emperor, has a role in contributing to the plot. The characters are a product of their birth status and social class. Their actions are driven by their desires to seek wealth and a higher class, or to preserve their reputation and lives. If you cast modern thoughts aside and step into these characters’ shoes, it is a joy to watch, especially as some risk it all to achieve their goals.
The main leads are more modern, suiting better with most viewers. They seek justice and happiness, preferring not to be entangled with their families’ struggles, but they soon find out they have no choice but to step up. They may not want conflict, but trouble finds them.
Ming Lan understands how the gears turn in the society she lives in; therefore, she does not overstep the boundaries that have been set around her. Always proceeding with caution and pretending to be a typical young lady from a scholarly family, it is a wild turn when she reveals her true nature to those closest to her in order to uphold justice.
Gu Ting Ye is the eyesore of his maternal and paternal families who covet wealth and a noble title. Blood is not always thicker than water, and GTY gets this rude awakening early on in the drama. Surrounded by people who put on a facade, all he wants is someone who loves and treats him sincerely. It is a heartwarming sight to see how he repays that genuineness.
ML+GTY:
More often than not, I watch female leads start off smart and strong, but when their other half enters the picture, it is as if the female forgets how to think or fight.
Romance is not the drama’s focal point. It is mostly subtle, but when it is explicit, the scenes are both cute and endearing. Ming Lan and Gu Ting Ye are undoubtedly a power couple, probably the best pairing I have ever seen. They communicate, airing out their feelings and thoughts, and support each other in their respective endeavors.
What I like about them the most is the fact they complement each other, never outshining or overshadowing the other. They are equals, fully understanding of each other’s strengths and weaknesses. For example, ML encounters countless of issues, but she solves them all without the help of GTY who trusts in her ability to overcome them. In exchange, ML trusts GTY to save and protect her from danger because she does not know martial arts. The drama is called “The Story of Ming Lan”, so I appreciate how the titular character’s strengths are not diminished due to her partner. Instead, he lets her spread her wings and soar like the phoenix that she is. Ming Lan is given the respect and the spotlight she deserves.
Conclusion:
Overall, I would not say this is a must-watch drama, but I would say to give it a fair chance despite the perhaps overwhelming reasons not to do so. Given the ensemble cast, do expect ZLY and FSF to disappear from time to time. The collective effort of all cast members make this project what it is, a well-rounded and enjoyable drama. It is truly unlike any other.
I like to say, “Long dramas often take you on wonderful journeys.” Do keep that in mind.
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I love how smart, cold (not fully use her emotion) but always use her brain, so even she is a low born daughter but with her smart brain she become the legal wife of marquise, the story is really interesting, many upside down emotions in this drama. sometimes you will cry because how sad of the female lead life as a child, but sometime you will laugh because how funy and sweet the interaction between the female lead and male lead. and sometime you will mad because of the antagonist character in this drama, but in the end you will love this drama, because the female lead her (ming lan) is not weak but smart and cunning she can taking care her enemy so well, that make me in love with her character.. and one again Zhao Liying playing her role as ming lan so well.. her drama never disappointed me until now.. so you must watch this beatifull drama. and the most imprtanting THE ENDING IS WARM AND HAPPY ENDING
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Clever plot
This is a story of 6th daughter of 5th ranking official. She was concubine born and what all injustice all kids not born from main mother go through. Very much a female eccentric movie. All the characters were nicely portrait and amazing star cast. Whole drama is not happy one, its full of wicked plots, twist and turns, but the ending is the happy one, considering this is period drama. After feeling little tortured it feel at the end it has to be happy otherwise it will be not productive.I felt dialogues were too many and long conversations, sometimes it will get too much. One thing that struck me with this drama was if a male is well to do and is an official in the court of the king than it's natural to have harem.
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Story: Synopsis here is missleading. Although Romance is present in the drama but that's never a major plot. Major plot is how both Female and Male lead use their genius ways to either win something or get out of tough situations.I will describe both differently here.Minglan- Our Female Lead, born to a mother who was bought to marry her husband. Her mother was 3rd wife of his husband whom he never cared about. Even when her mother was murdered her husband didnt care. Ming lan then was brought up my her grandma who was very intelligent and Ming lan learned this from her. Minglan acted to be dumb, sumbissive and as a good girl till her adult hood, so that she can never be percived as threat to any of herstep siblings. But she still played games behind doors to get out of dangerous situations or to make herstep sister or stepmother pay for her wrong doings but nobody ever judged that It was Minglan who was behind everything. She even made a very dangerous plot to MURDER her stepmother who was responsible for her mothers death. She not only succeeded in Murdering her same way her mother died but she also made sure that her step sister who was the daughter of eveil stepmom can never have a good life. Nobody ever came to know that minglan was behind all of this. Once she got married to marquis she started showing her true intelligence and how dangerous is she. After her marriage people started to realise that it's imposible to deal with her and if anybody tried to harm her or anybody close to her they will definetly loose their life. She even got empress out of many difficult situations by her intelligence. She was not only intelligent but highly brave who could fight against world if any body close to her was harmed.
Gu Tingye- I find him equally talented and intelligent But Gu tingye always have had the opportunity and title as son of marquis and later General and Marquis himslef to show his intelligence but he rarely did. He was opressed as child but never knew till his father passed away. He was deliquant hence was never believed to be a better person. Later on when he decided to turn around his life after Ming Lan convinced him only then you can start to see how good of a planner he was himself. Unlike Minglan Gun tingye was always direct and never pretended even in dangeroud of situations.
Minglan was cool, Composed and Defensive Guntingye was Fiery and Offensive but both were highly intelligent and hence as a pair when they married it became imposible for anybody to defeat them as a pair.
Direction 5/10- I saw shaky footage atleast 3 times in entire show and apart from that there were many flaws but still they were digestable.
Character Development- Character development of each and every character from Main leads to mother of supporting characters to even servents was very good. You grow attached to these characters and this character development was also the reason why show is 73 episode long. You never feel that drama was draggy its imposible to skip even a second of drama.
All in all one of the best C dramas out there.
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