Hmm... Looking at the Emperor now, I can't…

Hmm... Looking at the Emperor now, I can't believe he wld be able to change like this. Now, I'm even disgusted to see his face. Oh Tingwei I hope Tingye dotes on you even after your mother was punished. You did good job to still be on his side. I know that bitch manniang involved in this too.. Ughhh. Thank god oh my god. I don't care I want to torture her myself T^T poor rongjie had to witness this. Whoooooaaaa Ming Lan was genius for using the oil and fire defense just amazing. Wait... What was happening? Well whatever it was, all the villains and villainesses need to die!! Poor that old man prime minister Han he must be confused as hell.

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The Repetition (of Baby Assassinations, Military Coups, Evil Concubines) is getting a lil ridiculous

Ok listen, Gu Tingye and Minglan's baby is just over a month old and there have been 3 assassination attempts on him already. The assassins have been three women – Minglan's aunt, then two of Gu Tingye's concubines. I'm all for drama, but I mean this is getting ridiculous. And as for the broader political plot, 依样画葫芦 indeed – again with a rebellion to overthrow the emperor (in the historical Northern Song dynasty as far as I know there weren't any attempted military revolts, but we're seeing two in the span of a few years here – both for the sole purpose of making our leads suffer and allowing Gu Tingye to rescue the emperor to achieve merit again). And of course, one of the perpetrators of the coup is the Emperor's concubine – as we know from this show, almost all concubines are evil and can't possibly love their men, right? (I mean ok to be fair I know the mastermind is the Empress Dowager, but I think my statement still stands.) Not one of the strongest episodes for me, and it's about time for this show to come to an end.

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HOLY MOTHER OF PLOT EPIC-NESS!

Spoilers Ahead

1)Ming Lan is recovering from illness in the opening. She coughed up blood after her failed pleas and Evil MIL believes she is alone, desperate, and knows it (hence the illness). Still, she is careful..

2)Later, Ming Lan is surrounded by her grandmother, daughter (Rong'er), son, father, and eldest brother. She shares to them that she now realizes how foolish she was because the crime of Auntie Kang and the various families is not important to the crown; this is only a battle between the Emperor and the Empress Dowager (they are in the cross fire). She tells her brother to no longer involve himself. The personal servant of Evil MIL comes to invite Ming Lan out, insisting that if she does not go then they will report she is unfilial (a crime). Her father becomes so furious by this that he spits on the servant and chases her out(!)

3)NEWS arrives from the borders: they are losing, because the newly crowned king of the enemy is trying to assert authority over his divided government with military victory Two cities have already lost.

.4)Given the situation, military generals publicly beg the emperor to release Gu Ting Ye for his help, even House Wang supports this, and a very angry and reluctant emperor agrees

5)NEWS: the entire elite squad has perished, including Gu Ting Ye (although his body has not been recovered). When the emperor learns of this he collapses and is ill from the shock. Ming Lan, when she learns, is so shocked that she becomes physically ill.

.6)A REVOLT IN THE CITY: soldiers led by Imperial Consorts brother in law take over the capital, taking advantage of the emperor's illness, the fact that all of the emperor's major supporters are dead or gone, and await the empress dowager's orders to burst into the Emperor's rooms

7)A false official tries to get Ming Lan to go to the palace under a false edict from the empress; she has messengers send warnings to other families to beware. Ming Lan, the Sheng Family, and the Duchess's family are all shown giving orders to protect their homes given the fact that they are under attack.

8)Assassins secretly enter the Cheng Gu compound with the assistance of Evil MIL. EVIL MISTRESS MINIANG is with them!! She slips into the rooms where Rong'er and the baby are, injures Rong'er and nearly kills the baby. Sadly, Rong'er witnesses her mother die.

9)Realizing that it is all about stalling the inevitable, Ming Lan takes the children to a secret room that no one but her and presumably her husband know about to hide the kids and Shitou and the Nanny. Ming Lan is prepared to die with the others, and her faithful maidservant is more than willing to die with her..

10)Empress Dowager is now giving orders to seize families and bring them to the palace for their protection. The prime minister refuses, and just as they are about to execute him, Marquis Gu appears to save the day!!!

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