The writer(s) is/are really mean. Chengxuan hasn't died on the battle field but of chickenpox. WTF! Now without Chengxuan, sending Chengxu to the battle field is like clipping his wings and asking him to fly. F the writer(s). Give us back our Chengxu! I think many viewers would drop this series after Chengxu dies. There's no motivation anymore to continue. Who wants to watch the bratty emperor and a double-faced dowager empress? I'm so mad!

Gezz better in original one the ML die in war

Up to episode 48, I've been trying to give credit to Helan Mingyu and empathize with her for the situation that she has no control over. It's like staying underwater for the last 2,160 minutes (48 episodes x 45 minutes) and I can't hold my breath anymore. In the next few episodes, I know I'm going to explode on her.

 Dave:

Gezz better in original one the ML die in war

Eh? As I see from trailer of episode 49&50, Cheng Xu will indeed die in war. I guess because protecting the bratty emperor. Because at the end of episode 48, something bad happen in Cheng Xu and Ming Yu absent. Bet the bratty emperor thought it would be a good idea to charge to war himself. Well, Qi Han is gone. Cheng Xuan also gone. He also drove out Cheng Xu (in a way). Serves him right. 

And Ming Yu had the gall to ask Cheng Xu to give Qi Yuan military power. A green boy want to be able to command soldier?! The most she should do is asking Cheng Xu to train Qi Yuan in military means. But her son disliked studying. And he despised Cheng Xu. She might as well give up in that area, lest her son put the country in jeopardy.

 ChineseDramaFan:

Up to episode 48, I've been trying to give credit to Helan Mingyu and empathize with her for the situation that she has no control over. It's like staying underwater for the last 2,160 minutes (48 episodes x 45 minutes) and I can't hold my breath anymore. In the next few episodes, I know I'm going to explode on her.

Wow, you are far more patient than me, hahahahaha. I already exploded by episode 39. Episode 45 sealed the deal for me. 

I cannot sympathize with her because all these time (except for her marriage with the king), all I could see was her selfishness. She never put Cheng Xu into mind. What he wanted? Was he happy? All she cared about was his safety. But, for certain case, living could be worse than death. She thought that Cheng Rui sin must stayed hidden and since he was a good king, why not?! But it was her thought, not Cheng Xu's. She had no right to force this thought to Cheng Xu, especially when she was not the one experienced all those pain. She was happy playing house with the King when Cheng Xu slaving outside waging war.

 ChineseDramaFan:
I think many viewers would drop this series after Chengxu dies. There's no motivation anymore to continue. Who wants to watch the bratty emperor and a double-faced dowager empress? I'm so mad!

Based on what I read from comments in Tencent website, lots of people will drop the series once Cheng Xu died. Lots of people are mad at Ming Yu, hahahaha. 

The trailer of episode 51-56 shows that the story will focus on Qi Yuan and his harem. I hate him along with his mother. He died young is punishment for both him and his mother.

Wow, really intense strong emotions here by everyone lol

This drama has succeeded in evoking the dark side in all of us.  It's up there in the list of top dramas with frustrating outcomes.  Probably the original intention of the producers was to glorify the FL as the central showpiece on the pedestal, and everyone else including the tragic ML were just peripheral to her life story.  Poor lovesick fool who was just a sideshow to the majestic biopic of the Empress of [insert name] Kingdom.

Then L&R happened and Cheng Yi became immortalised.  They ended up enraging the fans.  

Makes you wonder if this show was released first, would we all be celebrating the glory of Ming Yu... :/

 WandereR:

Wow, really intense strong emotions here by everyone lol

This drama has succeeded in evoking the dark side in all of us.  It's up there in the list of top dramas with frustrating outcomes.  Probably the original intention of the producers was to glorify the FL as the central showpiece on the pedestal, and everyone else including the tragic ML were just peripheral to her life story.  Poor lovesick fool who was just a sideshow to the majestic biopic of the Empress of [insert name] Kingdom.

Then L&R happened and Cheng Yi became immortalised.  They ended up enraging the fans.  

Makes you wonder if this show was released first, would we all be celebrating the glory of Ming Yu... :/

HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

I believe even though this drama released before L&R, the end will be the same. The only difference would be we know of Cheng Yi earlier. His acting is very good here, and he is getting better and better later on the drama (when all emotional scenes piled up). You really feel for him.

By the way, at what episode you stop watching? I remember that you hold back until Cheng Xu death episode. I recommend you to watch episode 49-50 (raw will come out this Thursday) to "enjoy" Cheng Xu release from all torment.

I officially stopped at ep 29.  I watched a bit of scenes here and there based on spoilers in the comments and discussion here.  @Dave has been kind enough to share snippets and previews of Cheng Yi's scenes and other bits of info which has been shared here as well.

OK, I'll join in the viewing party for ep 49-50 - I'd rather glorify Cheng Yi than Ming Yu any time of the day  XD

Btw, you are right, the emotional scenes by CX in the later episodes are quite good.  I still think one of the best emotional scenes is in ep 9-10 when CX survived the war and came home to a horror show.  So far nothing beats that... until maybe the "glorious release".

I have an epiphany: all Mingyu's promises in episode 48 are just a ploy to get Chengxu to surrender his power (military and regency) and the royal seal; she has not been sincere. Why would she want to run away with him at this stage? She would always be concerned about what her son would think of her. That's why I feel really eerie watching her going to him like that, promising a rosy romantic life with him. I believe Chengxu is not gullible as well. He knows what Mingyu is doing ie. getting him to hand over power to her son. If this is how it would really turn out for him, I don' think he would care anymore because there's not anyone he wants to protect after the death of Chengxuan and Yan Hai. His heart is already shattered into million pieces. He has already lost the will to live. What a miserable life. I hate the writer(s)!

Had his wife been a more lovable character, it could have made up for Chengxu's lost love. But as evil and bratty as Su Yu Ying, he would have rather lived in hell.

The other dowager empress Helan Yun Qi plays a big role in spoiling the little emperor. She always lets him get away with misdemeanor. She always asks Mingyu to get Chengxu to go soft on the little brat.

Yes, you guys are right. Mingyu is selfish. She wants everything without sacrificing anything. She thinks she has sacrificed a lot but in the end, she still comes out winning, every time.

I've always wondered, is it ever possible for a love like what Chengxu and Mingyu share, after everything that has happened between them, to last for decades. And yes, perhaps. The British royal family, Prince Charles and Camila Bowles, could be quite an excellent live example.

 Dave:

Gezz better in original one the ML die in war

I believe Chengxu does die in a battle. It's Chengxuan who has died of chickenpox.

 Xien_Rue:
He died young is punishment for both him and his mother.

We can already see the untimely end for such a spoiled character. Too bad Chengxu would not be there to see it. What a waste of all his efforts trying to make him a good emperor. Might as well indulge himself in wine and women (since both Mingyu and his wife don't deserve him).

 WandereR:
This drama has succeeded in evoking the dark side in all of us.

Hahaha! Sometimes I feel dramas like this are not entertainment at all; they are so miserable and make life even more challenging for viewers who try to seek a bit of happiness.


 WandereR:
Then L&R happened and Cheng Yi became immortalised.  They ended up enraging the fans.  

Makes you wonder if this show was released first, would we all be celebrating the glory of Ming Yu... :/

Indeed so! As I have been trying to be objective and put myself in Mingyu's shoes, perhaps I would have done exactly what she's doing given the choices. But without her wit, I'm pretty sure I would have perished in that environment long ago.

It also makes one wonders: did Chengrui commit the first mistake by forcing his little son to be the emperor? Had Qiyuan not been the emperor, maybe he could have been groomed more effectively by Chengxu's disciplines and the dowager empresses' indulgence. Maybe he would have grown up to be a more confident and high self-esteemed person. As it is, the way he behaves, not dissimilar to today's kids: low self-esteem; all he knows is he can use his power to get anything he wants and away from his own responsibilities. As parents, it is already very hard to juggle the balance between love and discipline, let alone having to do this for an emperor, the kid who has the utmost power on the land. I guess losing heads is better than being a parent to this spoiled brat.

By episode 45, I was done with Helan Ming Yu. She disgusted me. I also hate her son pretty much the same. Still very young but already capable of slander. Growing up, he would be capable of evil mastermind. 

It would be far better for Cheng Xu to just throw everything to Ming Yu face and then say goodbye. Just go somewhere no one know him and spend the rest of his life in peace. Just force Ming Yu to grant him this as payment for everything. Ming Yu from the time she gave birth to Qi Yuan was no longer the woman who worth of Cheng Xu love and sacrifice. And Qi Yuan doesn't deserve Cheng Xu service and devotion. Let the war come, let the country in turmoil. Let both mother and son taste their own medicine. 


 ChineseDramaFan:
The British royal family, Prince Charles and Camila Bowles, could be quite an excellent live example.

Despite lots of people would think otherwise (especially Princess Diana fans), I honestly admire Prince Charles for his loyalty in love. Yes, he did cheat Diana (and I don't insinuate that it is allowed. He made his choice so he must respected the vow he made before God in his marriage). But it was a fact that it was loveless marriage from the beginning. It would be better if the marriage never happened in the first place. 

And after long years, Charles still married Camilla in the end. It showed you he is actually loyal in love, just not toward Diana. It always has been Camilla from the beginning.