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Spoilers with pics and one gif behind the cut. It’s mostly about Wang Zhi, because he grew to be my favorite character in this drama.
Like I’ve said it ended perfectly for me. Nobody I love died. Wang Zhi is still friends with Tang Fan and Sui Zhou, even though he’s leaving Beijing for now. And their farewell scene was hilarious.
Wang Zhi: “But what if I miss you two?”
Tang Fan: “I don’t want that. It’s nothing good being missed by you. I always had to clean up the mess.”
LOL In the end Wang Zhi says “We will meet again one day.” And I really hope they will, if not in a hypothetical 2nd season, then in fanfic. :)
And Tang Fan and Sui Zhou continue living together with their surrogate daughter Dong’er as one cozy little family. This is the next to last scene of the drama:
And the last scene can be read as a set up for the 2nd season if they ever would like to make one.
There were a lot of good things in these two episodes, but my favorite thing was everything about Wang Zhi. Starting with his “pretending to be a beggar” look. He looked good.
For contrast here is one of the promo pic of Wang Zhi in his official clothes. Because it’s great and he looks good, too. :)
More musings about Wang Zhi
Tang Fan says after their farewell: “Sometimes it’s hard to think he is still a teenager who’s not yet twenty years old.”
And yes, absolutely. Sometimes I forget that Wang Zhi is only 17. And then I’m watching, for instance, the flashback to events from three years ago when the Emperor established Western Depot and made Wang Zhi a commander. And I’m thinking: wow, the Emperor gave so much power to 14 years old boy.
The relationship between the Emperor, Noble Consort Wan Zhen’er and Wang Zhi is endlessly fascinating to me. I love that Wan Zhen’er is older than the Emperor. It’s stated in one of earlier episodes that she is 49. And when she’s talking with the Emperor’s mother, the Dowager Empress comments snidely that Wan Zhen’er is almost the same age as her. So I gather the Dowager Empress is probably around 50, so the Emperor must be in his early thirties and around 15 years younger than his beloved concubine.
And when something dangerous happens who of the two of them puts on their armor and draws their sword out to protect the other person? That’s right, it’s Wan Zhen’er with her team of badass female warriors. She’s awesome.
She met Wang Zhi when he was just six years old and crying in the palace corridor. And she took him under her wing, and taught him how to navigate the palace life, and to always smile and never show his true feelings. And later in the talk between her and the Emperor we find out that she met Wang Zhi soon after their son died, and she transferred her motherly feelings to Wang Zhi. And she does treat him a lot as her own child.
Other things
Ding Rong how could you? You were on my list of favorite secondary characters who are loyal and devoted to an impressive and powerful authority figure, and now what should I do? Cross you out? ;)
But to talk seriously, I still feel that they didn’t sell Ding Rong’s betrayal well. He was always so loyal, without reservation and doubt. And IMO Wang Zhi appreciated him and his devotion. So I never had an impression that Ding Rong felt unappreciated. And he clearly respected and loved Wang Zhi.
I can headcanon this as Ding Rong, who is probably quite good at compartmentalization, grieving for Wang Zhi, but then putting those feelings away, and getting used, even in such a short time, to a thought of being the Commander of Western Depot and having that respect. You can see it on his face when Western Depot guards kneel before him and call him “Commander Ding”. And then Wang Zhi appears alive and well. And I get how Ding Rong could decide that he didn’t want to return to just being Wang Zhi’s underling again. And I’m sure all this was a source of great turmoil for him, considering his earlier feelings for Wang Zhi. After all he didn’t kill Wang Zhi. Wang Zhi himself says to him later:
“If I were you I wouldn’t have spared my life. You are too kind for your own good.”
Yep, I’m full of Wang Zhi/Ding Rong feelings. There is only one fic for now on AO3, I hope there will be more soon. :)
I’m thinking about starting a re-watch soon. But probably not this week. First I want to finish Ancient Detective. And I want to watch at least one or two episodes of Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood on Netflix.
Like I’ve said it ended perfectly for me. Nobody I love died. Wang Zhi is still friends with Tang Fan and Sui Zhou, even though he’s leaving Beijing for now. And their farewell scene was hilarious.
Wang Zhi: “But what if I miss you two?”
Tang Fan: “I don’t want that. It’s nothing good being missed by you. I always had to clean up the mess.”
LOL In the end Wang Zhi says “We will meet again one day.” And I really hope they will, if not in a hypothetical 2nd season, then in fanfic. :)
And Tang Fan and Sui Zhou continue living together with their surrogate daughter Dong’er as one cozy little family. This is the next to last scene of the drama:
And the last scene can be read as a set up for the 2nd season if they ever would like to make one.
There were a lot of good things in these two episodes, but my favorite thing was everything about Wang Zhi. Starting with his “pretending to be a beggar” look. He looked good.
For contrast here is one of the promo pic of Wang Zhi in his official clothes. Because it’s great and he looks good, too. :)
More musings about Wang Zhi
Tang Fan says after their farewell: “Sometimes it’s hard to think he is still a teenager who’s not yet twenty years old.”
And yes, absolutely. Sometimes I forget that Wang Zhi is only 17. And then I’m watching, for instance, the flashback to events from three years ago when the Emperor established Western Depot and made Wang Zhi a commander. And I’m thinking: wow, the Emperor gave so much power to 14 years old boy.
The relationship between the Emperor, Noble Consort Wan Zhen’er and Wang Zhi is endlessly fascinating to me. I love that Wan Zhen’er is older than the Emperor. It’s stated in one of earlier episodes that she is 49. And when she’s talking with the Emperor’s mother, the Dowager Empress comments snidely that Wan Zhen’er is almost the same age as her. So I gather the Dowager Empress is probably around 50, so the Emperor must be in his early thirties and around 15 years younger than his beloved concubine.
And when something dangerous happens who of the two of them puts on their armor and draws their sword out to protect the other person? That’s right, it’s Wan Zhen’er with her team of badass female warriors. She’s awesome.
She met Wang Zhi when he was just six years old and crying in the palace corridor. And she took him under her wing, and taught him how to navigate the palace life, and to always smile and never show his true feelings. And later in the talk between her and the Emperor we find out that she met Wang Zhi soon after their son died, and she transferred her motherly feelings to Wang Zhi. And she does treat him a lot as her own child.
Other things
Ding Rong how could you? You were on my list of favorite secondary characters who are loyal and devoted to an impressive and powerful authority figure, and now what should I do? Cross you out? ;)
But to talk seriously, I still feel that they didn’t sell Ding Rong’s betrayal well. He was always so loyal, without reservation and doubt. And IMO Wang Zhi appreciated him and his devotion. So I never had an impression that Ding Rong felt unappreciated. And he clearly respected and loved Wang Zhi.
I can headcanon this as Ding Rong, who is probably quite good at compartmentalization, grieving for Wang Zhi, but then putting those feelings away, and getting used, even in such a short time, to a thought of being the Commander of Western Depot and having that respect. You can see it on his face when Western Depot guards kneel before him and call him “Commander Ding”. And then Wang Zhi appears alive and well. And I get how Ding Rong could decide that he didn’t want to return to just being Wang Zhi’s underling again. And I’m sure all this was a source of great turmoil for him, considering his earlier feelings for Wang Zhi. After all he didn’t kill Wang Zhi. Wang Zhi himself says to him later:
“If I were you I wouldn’t have spared my life. You are too kind for your own good.”
Yep, I’m full of Wang Zhi/Ding Rong feelings. There is only one fic for now on AO3, I hope there will be more soon. :)
I’m thinking about starting a re-watch soon. But probably not this week. First I want to finish Ancient Detective. And I want to watch at least one or two episodes of Ryan Murphy’s Hollywood on Netflix.
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Wow, tha's a great look for him!
And when something dangerous happens who of the two of them puts on their armor and draws their sword out to protect the other person? That’s right, it’s Wan Zhen’er with her team of badass female warriors. She’s awesome.
Oh, that is excellent. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing that.
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Wan Zhen'er being a badass warrior is mostly at the end of the drama. But there are a few flasbacks earlier when she's in armor and I really loved it. It shows her in a different light than before and I love it.