BlueSky:
My goodness so that's the case. I do think it's really worth to read the original novel. It had more details that can't be included in drama because of 40 eps limit.
Ari_Lee:
First, thank you for this thread!
I still wouldn't feel pity for LZS though... But at least it would have been great to know that JH used the Gu family name since it would have made some things make more sense.
I went through all your posts and while I loved the drama and am already rewatching parts of it, I feel if they had followed the novel more closely it would have made for a richer experience.
Welcome! Yeah, I highly recommend the novel if you like the drama! More rich storylines of the main couple and other couples in the book. What's more, the political storyline is more reasonable and brilliant, completely different from the drama. GJS is smarter and stronger in the capital arc and final arc. Same as LYR, she destroyed LZS's alliance in Yang Zhou. The drama also didn't show how she runs her business to a large group. The business line is deleted.
Many more interesting plots in the novel. The drama only showed about 50%. I've put the English-translated novel's link in the article.