Introduction
This is the last part of the recap article series on The Glory ( 雁回时 ). How can Zhuang Han Yan avenge her loved ones and bring the mastermind villain to the justice? Will there be a happy ending for Zhuang Han Yan and Fu Yun Xi?
Drama Recaps Episodes 23 to 30
Episode 23
After sending away her servants, Noble Consort Miao asks Han Yan what she wants from the second rescue. Han Yan asks Her Highness to issue a decree for her father to finish his project in ten days with the guards of the soldiers (aka house arrest). She’s desperate, so she uses her hairpin to threaten Her Highness. The Consort guesses that Han Yan targets Master Zhuang. Did something happen to Xi Wen? She’s devastated hearing the news that Xi Wen has been stabbed to death by her ex-husband. She used to use Xi Wen as her muse and a competitor. Finally, in the end, nobody wins. Noble Consort Miao agrees to help Han Yan.
This is the first couple’s quarrel. Yun Xi is angry when he finally realizes the hairpin on his wife’s hair he saw earlier is meant to threaten or even kill a royal member. He chokes her several times out of anger, but Han Yan calmly explains to him what she asks from Noble Consort Miao: besides the Emperor’s edict for Master Zhuang to finish the national projects, making an encyclopedia and a world map in ten days, another edict for Yun Xi to investigate the circulation of Precept for Women that threatens Her Highness. It’s a fake investigation, for the Consort’s benefit is that no other officials can threaten Her Highness, and for Han Yan’s benefit is that Yun Xi can find Uncle Yu Wen’s evidence against Master Zhuang accumulated when Uncle was still alive. Han Yan thinks things through, there is even a royal badge for Yun Xi to gain access everywhere in the court.
Zhuang Han Yan’s visit to the palace is quite a stir. Noble Consort Miao sends a message to Duke Qi, not to harass Fu Yun Xi and Zhuang Han Yan in the future. In anger, Duke Qi orders his servants to search the whole Capital to find another wife for him, even if they have to steal the girl. The edict for Master Zhuang to finish the projects in ten days scares him. He knows his enemy daughter is behind this. He’s under house arrest to finish the projects. He hears there is a dispute between Han Yan-Yun Xi and Duke Qi and she is behind his divorce with Yao Wang Shu. He wants to invite Duke Qi to help him.
Before that, let’s go domestic inside the Fu’s household first. While Han Yan is caressing her dagger, little Ling Zhi peeks in. Han Yan hurriedly hides her dagger. Ling Zhi questions if Han Yan has already made up her mind whether to be her mother or not. Han Yan hesitates because she did something in the past that might hurt Ling Zhi. The cute girl is such a negotiator, she says if Han Yan doesn’t want to be her mother, she’ll be very sad, but forget it. Moreover, she thought that they both have a common ground of not having mothers they can rely on each other. Her words and her sad face melt Han Yan’s heart. She hugs Ling Zhi and tells the little girl to call her “Mother” from now on.
In the past, Yun Xi’s work has offended many nobles in the court, thus, many nobles’ families stopped interacting with the Fu family. Now, news spread that Han Yan had become Noble Consort Miao’s regular guest, to tell the princesses stories of strong women in history. Her Highness is His Majesty’s favorite concubine; he issued edicts for her favor, and she is the support of the Crown Prince. The noble families send invitations to the Fus to win their favor, much to the delight of Yun Xi’s mother, Lady Qiu. Han Yan also becomes a role model amongst the younger ladies. However, she realizes that although now she has power and prestige, as Yun Xi worries, she has made enemies along the way. For example, the scholar He Wen Sheng, who is now the top scorer on the national exam. Han Yan nods at him to congratulate him on the way home, but he doesn’t return her greeting.
Master Zhuang manages to make Duke Qi come, especially since Han Yan is now their common enemy. Duke Qi wants to kill Han Yan and eliminate Noble Consort Miao. Duke Qi knows that Master Zhuang still has an unmarried daughter at home, so he hints at marrying Yu Shan. Master Zhuang uses this offer to get power backup from Duke Qi. Master Zhuang and Aunt Zhou (although she’s technically Madam Zhuang now, I will still name her Aunt Zhou, not to confuse with the late Madam Zhuang, who is Xi Wen) persuade and gaslight Yu Shan. Although everyone knows who vile Duke Qi is, including marrying several women but they ended up either killed or ran away, Yu Shan is obliged to be responsible as Master Zhuang’s legitimate daughter. Yu Shan is also fueled by her obsession to defeat Han Yan, because Duke Qi is more powerful than Fu Yun Xi.
Episode 24
Today is the when Yu Shan marries Duke Qi. I don’t bother to elaborate more since I don’t care about Yu Shan, and I don’t like this Duke. Han Yan is invited, but she doesn’t come. Although she’s surprised Yu Shan wants to marry that vile guy, she knows this is her father’s scheme. Instead, she asks Yun Xi about the progress of Uncle Yu Wen’s evidence. Yun Xi and Han Yan are still in a cold war after their fight, so Yun Xi doesn’t want to reveal much. He only asks his wife to be a proper mother to Ling Zhi. It means not to hurt Ling Zhi. Han Yan is angry, so she leaves. Han Yan’s maid feels sad seeing this couple quarrel (she’s the one sent by Xi Wen since the beginning to be by her daughter’s side), and she gives Yun Xi the divorce letter Han Yan wrote on the wedding night. If one day she commits an unforgivable crime, she doesn’t want the Fus to be implicated. So Yun Xi can use this divorce letter for the Fu family to get out of the punishments.
Yun Xi right away rides his horse to go with Han Yan to the palace. He tells her about Duke Qi and Master Zhuang’s meeting to get rid of Noble Consort Miao. On the street, they overhear bad rumors about the Noble Consort Miao that she will rebel. Yun Xi’s aide gets information that the Director of the Imperial Astronomy meets the Emperor and says an ominous sign and calculates that the danger comes from the Yongkun Palace, where Noble Consort Miao lives. The source needs to be eliminated. Han Yan thinks Duke Qi is not that smart, so it must be Master Zhuang’s scheme.
Yun Xi accompanies Han Yan to the palace. Too late! The Emperor sends Noble Consort Miao a white silk cloth. It means you gotta commit suicide! Noble Consort Miao is so tired of her caged life and all the stupid palace stuff. She hanged herself. Han Yan sees this, alongside Noble Consort Miao’s parents, is VERY angry. She also regrets implicating Noble Consort Miao in her revenge plan. After coming home, Han Yan takes out the knife and is ready to take revenge. Yun Xi blocks her and burns the divorce papers. It means the Fu family will be implicated. Who do you want to kill? Master Zhuang, Duke Qi, or the Emperor? Han Yan stabs Yun Xi because he obstructs her. There is noise in the room. Angry Han Yan thinks there is a spy in the room. When she checks the source of the noise, it’s Ling Zhi hiding inside a trunk!
Ling Zhi overhears that her newfound mom will leave the family. She cries her heart out, doesn’t even bother with the bloody knife and the bleeding dad, omg! Ling Zhi reminds Han Yan of their promise. She even quotes Han Yan’s quote to her mother, that she only wants to be like other daughters, having a mother and a home. Han Yan has flashbacks of the sweet moments between her and her mom. Ling Zhi gives Han Yan a silver locket as a gift because Han Yan found her during the hide-and-seek game. Grandma Ruan gave her during her birthday. It was the silver locket she engraved Han Yan’s name on when she was pregnant with Han Yan. Han Yan drops the knife and hugs Ling Zhi while crying.
At night, Han Yan is alone in the yard in despair about Noble Consort Miao’s death. Mu Si Zhi, Yun Xi’s trusted aide, comes over and apologizes and clarifies things started what happened in the clinic when he purposely talked about Yun Xi’s feelings. He swears Yun Xi is sincere with Han Yan. Han Yan knows she has used Yun Xi’s sincerity to her own advantage. She then goes to help Yun Xi apply ointment to his stab wound. Girl, you don’t even apologize? Yun Xi asks the definition of a home to Han Yan. She says, at least there should be blood ties. He reveals to her that he doesn’t have blood ties with the Fus. His parents died in the war, and he was adopted by the Fus, but with love and care, they raised him. At this moment Lady Qiu finds them because she heard about Noble Consort Miao’s execution. Luckily, the Emperor had already issued an edict that the Consort’s family and friends wouldn’t be implicated.
Aha, finally, Yun Xi finds the box! Smart Uncle Yu Wen hid it in the least likely place people want to visit… the morgue! He has been friends with the Coroner Sun, so Uncle Yu Wen asks the Coroner to keep the box for him. Yun Xi opens the box and there is a note that the Coroner Sun also keeps it for Uncle. The Coroner is shocked knowing that Uncle Yu Wen has passed away, and the box may contain evidence that will bring justice for his death. Coroner Sun then gives Yun Xi a wine jar. Inside, it contains a full set of skeletons. Han Yan is called to the Morgue. Yun Xi introduces her to the skeleton of her grandfather,r Zhuang Yan Liang!
Episode 25
The prologue shows that Grandma Zhuang knew her son had killed her husband. However, her son discovered it. She was so scared that she handed over the Zhuangs’ power and wealth to Master Zhuang and said that she would listen to him completely from then on.
Uncle Yu Wen did an autopsy on the skeleton back then, and the death was by poisoning, but he couldn’t find what the poison was. Han Yan remembers that her Grandma is scared of her son. She also doesn’t want to eat with them, but insists on cooking for herself. Han Yan is suspicious that Grandma knows the secret. Han Yan has to visit the Zhuang Residence to talk to her grandma, passing all the bitches even the bitchy maids. Yun Xi has to interrupt the harassment of his wife. Probably he’s worried that his wife will stab someone with her knife or hairpin again, lol! When Han Yan finally meets Grandma Zhuang privately, she says that the root of Grandma’s illness may be due to the shadow left by Grandpa before his death. Grandma refuses to say anything, even when Han Yan promises she’ll take care of Grandma all her whole life. When the disappointed Han Yan comes home, a mysterious box arrives. Inside is a water celery. Han Yan’s maid notices that Master Zhuang has tended this water celery for years at home. The poison is found, it’s the water celery root!
A few days later, Yun Xi leads guards from the Judicial Reviews to arrest and interrogate Master Zhuang. He says he’s innocent and accuses his wife, Aunt Zhou. Of course, she knows and we know that she didn’t kill Grandpa Zhuang, but her husband is ready with witnesses. First is the Taoist Duan. The Taoist acknowledges that Aunt Zhou has bribed him to do stuff to secure her position as Master Zhuang’s legitimate wife. Therefore, the incidents of her framing Xi Wen and Han Yan are exposed. But that doesn’t make her a killer. Master Zhuang brings another witness, their own daughter, Yu Shan! Yu Shan says that her mother is the killer! Aunt Zhou couldn’t believe that her own daughter had betrayed her. Yu Shan has been taught since little by her mother to please her father if she wants to keep enjoying wealth and status. As a result, Yu Shan chooses to defend her father. Han Yan is watching outside with her maid. Her maid thinks they have failed to bring Master Zhuang to justice again. Han Yan disagrees; the show has just begun.
Episode 26
Oh, I didn’t know that Aunt Zhou is still a concubine! I thought she had already made Master Zhuang’s legitimate wife when Yu Chi died. Anyway, since she’s his concubine, the Judicial Review gives her back to her master for punishment. Master Zhuang wants to sell her to the brothel, but Aung Zhou ruins her face with her hairpin. She’s still sent away anyway, and she knows she will be silenced. The men bury her alive at night, but Han Yan and Yun Xi rescue her. Han Yan takes her to the graves of her mother, her stepfather, and the two loyal maids who died with them. Aunt Zhou didn’t know they were killed, she thought they had gone away and had a happy life. Moreover, Han Yan tells her that Master Zhuang killed her first daughter by accident as he wanted to poison Yun Xi. She also says that Yu Chi’s death is really an accident. Aunt Zhou is devastated, realizing that Master Zhuang ruined her daughter, her son, her life, and her beauty. She has devoted herself to Master Zhuang for a long time. However, since she’s only a merchant’s daughter, Grandpa Zhuang only allowed his son to take her in as a concubine. She tried hard to be a noble lady and made her two daughters noble ladies. Han Yan advises her that she doesn’t need to obsess about being a noble lady. Two noble ladies (her mom and Noble Consort Miao) ended their lives miserably. With her talents and wisdom, Aunt Zhou can live without relying on a son or a husband. Aunt Zhou then agrees to work together with Han Yan and Yun Xi.
Aunt Zhou has a piece of evidence that can be used to vindicate Master Zhou. It’s an IOU letter with a large sum of money from a certain farmer in the countryside. Master Zhuang accidentally left it in his pocket before being washed. Aunt Zhou was suspicious that he had a mistress, so she forged a copy and kept the original. She asks Nanny Tao, her loyal maid, to get it from the Zhuang Residence, along with some jewelry and money. Aunt Zhou asks her maid to leave the mansion. Yun Xi takes her to a safe place for temporary shelter, which is the Changlin Tavern (where Han Yan tricked Yu Chi before).
When they get back home, the household is in uproar because a maid finds a divorce letter. Wait, what? I thought Yun Xi burned Han Yan’s divorce letter? No way, Yun Xi wrote one, too? Yun Xi assures her mother and aunt that it was only a joke when they fought. Unfortunately, Ling Zhi heard it too, and couldn’t sleep. Han Yan talks to Ling Zhi. She indirectly confesses her feelings to Yun Xi for Ling Zhi. She says she trusts Yun Xi now, and trust is deeper than affection. Yun Xi overhears this and is very happy. However, after Ling Zhi is asleep, Yun Xi gives the divorce letter to Han Yan. Han Yan doesn’t need it. Yun Xi doesn’t want to say anything when Han Yan probes that he’s hiding something. Ugh, I hate this lack of communication between a couple!
Yun Xi and Han Yan go to the village where the farmer who signed the IOU is. They find a shocking secret! Many farmers bought land and paid high rent to a certain noble lady in the Capital. Her name is Zhuang Han Yan! Han Yan realizes her father has used many scapegoats: Duke Shun Ping, Aunt Zhou, and now her! And the target now is not only her but Yun Xi. Since Han Yan is married to Yun Xi, and he’s Eunuch Pei’s adopted son, the couple will be accused of misusing Eunuch Pei’s property.
And who is the ‘noble lady’ who came to the farmers to lend money out? Yun Xi guesses it’s Nanny Tao, Aunt Zhou’s loyal maid. Nanny Tao is also the one Aunt Zhou asks to get the IOU from. Master Zhuang has trapped the couple with a fake IOU! It’s too late, Lord Yan, Yun Xi’s boss from the Judicial Review, comes to arrest Yun Xi!
Episode 27
Yun Xi realizes that by admitting that he committed the crime alone, he’ll keep his family and Han Yan safe. Han Yan is called by Lord Yan to check the fingerprints on the IOUs. Since the fingerprints are completely different, she is released. However, she is hindered from meeting her husband. Han Yan is even more worried when she finds out that Yun Xi is determined to die and faints again in prison. He’s being tortured in the Judicial Review. She tells Lord Yan that Yun Xi is only a spy sent by the late Chief Minister Wen. Unfortunately, without any proof, that piece of info can’t help Yun Xi.
Han Yan realizes that mobilizing some people is needed to save Yun Xi. She goes to the Deng Family, but she is turned down. Next, she humbly approaches Yu Shan, but Yu Shan doesn’t believe that she rescued her mother and accuses Han Yan of sowing discord between father and daughter. Anywhere she goes, nobody wants to help. At this time, three ladies whom Han Yan had helped before offer to help. Someone bribed the prison guard so that Han Yan could see Yun Xi. Han Yan tries to comfort Yun Xi that people out there want to help him, but he can see through her lies. He then reveals that he’s been poisoned for five years, since he also drank half a cup of wine. He already went to see physicians, but they could only say he can’t be cured and can only take rare herbs to prolong his life. He confesses his love to Han Yan and also apologizes. Han Yan is very angry and says that Yun Xi tricked her into falling in love with a dying man. I’m surprised this time she didn’t stab him! But again, Yun Xi is already a mess from the torture.
During Han Yan’s despair, an unlikely savior appears, yay! It’s Lady Wen, the widow of Lord Wen, the Chief Minister, who appointed Yun Xi as a spy. Before Lord Wen was killed, he had already written a letter confirming that Fu Yun Xi was a spy of the court and had hidden the letter in the fish pond. Lady Wen kept the letter for years, not knowing what to do with it, until she heard Han Yan mention that her late husband had sent Yun Xi on a mission. Han Yan worries that this letter will be taken by Master Zhuang’s people. She goes to Lord He, the scholar who liked her before, and now an official, to help her. Unfortunately, Lord He is no longer an upright scholar; he tries to trap her. Han Yan is lucky that she is helped by her friends to run away, and an upright couple who know the law also save her and advise her to see the Emperor by hitting the Appeal Drum.
Episode 28
Finally, Han Yan gets an audition to meet the Emperor and also presents her husband’s grievance. It’s odd in this drama that the Emperor’s face is never shown. Not only does she complain about his grievance, but hers has also been mistreated by He Wen Shen. He is demoted and banished to the countryside because he abused his authority to settle personal grudges. Yun Xi is released from prison, and he wakes up in the Fu Mansion several days later. Han Yan explained what happened, but spares Master Zhuang’s sins cos she knows he will come to offer an antidote for the poison. Sure enough, knowing that his end is near, he comes to the Fus and bargains with Han Yan and Yun Xi for his antidote in exchange for them covering his sins. It means that Yun Xi should tell the Emperor it’s his wrongdoings.
Han Yan becomes a fool in love. Although she knows her father is a schemer and he would likely trick them with a false antidote, she still hopes that Yun Xi will accept her father’s offer. Yun Xi says, even if it’s a true antidote, it will just prolong his life, not cure him, because the poison has been inside his body for five years. He secretly decides he will report it to the Emperor. When Han Yan visits her mother’s tomb because it’s Qingming Festival (Tomb Sweeping Day), Yun Xi goes to the palace. But before that, Master Zhuang comes asking for his decision, and he tells his father-in-law that he’ll bring him to justice. Master Zhuang panics and comes to Duke Qi for help. Duke Qi bargains that he will ambush and kill Yun Xi on the way to the palace if Master Zhuang hands over Yu Shan, who fled to Zhuang Mansion. She was beaten up earlier by Duke Qi because she drove away Han Yan, who sought their help. He intended to bargain with Han Yan to become his wife over Yun Xi’s life. Yu Shan flees to Zhuang Mansion to ask for her father’s help. However, when Master Zhuang comes home, he tricks Yu Shan and returns her to her husband. Han Yan’s maid sees what happened in Zhuang Mansion and reports it to Han Yan, who is at her mother’s tomb. Han Yan returns to the Fu Mansion in panic. Meanwhile, at the Qi Mansion, Yu Shan is tied up by her husband. Sick of him and mostly to her own father’s doing, when she serves him tea, she hits Duke Qi with the teapot and runs away with her horse.
Episode 29
Yun Xi already expects Duke Qi will send people to ambush him on the way to the palace. He sent a letter to the Emperor to make an agreement, catching Duke Qi’s people with the Imperial guards as witnesses. So the Emperor sends his Imperial guards to catch the attackers after Yun Xi tricks them. Duke Qi also sent people to take away Han Yan, who is on her way back from her mother’s grave with Ling Zhi. Yun Xi also sent his trusted aides and the Judicial Review people to save Han Yan. Thinking that Yun Xi is on his way to the palace to give a false confession, she borrows a horse to run after Yun Xi. However, some of Duke Qi’s men chase her. At this moment, Yu Shan shows up with her horse and picks up Han Yan. Earlier Duke Qi bragged to Yu Shan that he would send people to attack Yun Xi and Han Yan, so Yu Shan rode straight to the palace. At this moment, too, I think this triple ambushes are not Duke Qi’s idea because he’s stupid. I think this is the scriptwriter’s idea to redeem Yu Shan’s character by saving Han Yan, lol. At the palace, Aunt Zhou is waiting for Han Yan. She says Yun Xi receives the Imperial edict and leaves the palace. He reveals everything to the Majesty, chronologically from Master Zhuang killing Grandpa to the slandering of Noble Consort Miao. Now he deploys the Judicial Review people to catch the criminals. She was asked by Yun Xi to be the witness and to wait for Han Yan because Yun Xi knows Han Yan will come looking for him at the palace. Han Yan borrows Yun Shan’s horse to go to the Judicial Review. Mother and daughter reconcile.
At the Judicial Review office, Han Yan meets Duke Qi who is arrested. Okay, now I know Duke Qi is the Emperor’s brother. Yun Xi is already at the Zhuang Mansion and arrests Master Zhuang. Master Zhuang taunts him with the antidote. When interrogated, Master Zhuang keeps saying he’s innocent. He says he will not confess so he won’t be convicted, let’s wait days to months to years who will die first, him or Yun Xi (from poisoning). At night, Han Yan steal the Vice Minister badge and releases her father for the exchange of the antidote formula. He wants to see if she really saves him, so she takes him. On the way out Master Zhuang steals a knife. Wait a minute, this is ridiculous having knives just laying around like that. Is this Han Yan’s trap?
Whatever it is, her releasing her father seems like a scheme since Yun Xi doesn’t seem angry when he and the Judicial Review people looking for Master Zhuang. He notices them hiding but leaves to the opposite direction. Han Yan takes her father through the secret tunnel from Lord Pei’s old house that connects to the Zhuang Residence. She says after Master Zhuang write the formula, she will keep him in the tunnel while making the medicine. It may take time until Yun Xi is cured so her father will stay here. Her father tries to stab her with a dagger but she has a pistol instead. Haha, her game is level up. First hairpin, then dagger, now a handgun it is. In a flashback we know that with Yun Xi’s permission Han Yan will pretend releasing her father to make him write the antidote. Even the Emperor reportedly agree for Yun Xi to torture Master Zhuang to get the antidote formula. She asked her husband for a handgun. I can understand she asked for a gun, since it seems Han Yan sucks in close combat. Yun Xi subdued her many times. I also hope he taught her how to use the gun, too. After getting the formula, Han Yan comes out to meet Yun Xi, but he collapses on the ground from the poison.
Episode 30
Yun Xi is unconscious for several days from the poison. Physician Tan helps Han Yan with deciphering the formula and Han Yan concoct the medicines. Yun Xi finally wakes up and the two embrace tightly.
The next is dealing with Master Zhuang. It is too over-the-top but ridiculously funny in my opinion. At first, Han Yan releases her father from the tunnel, that means Yun Xi is cured. She set up a table full of food and wine, which Master Zhuang is suspicious that she poisons them. No, she said while drinking the wine. He drinks it, too, but still doesn’t want to eat. She then leaves, stating that she lets him go but she’s not sure about the rest. Master Zhuang tries to open any gate but everything is locked, Han Yan closes the last one and leaves. The servants are all gone and Nanny Tao is tied up there. He bangs on the place where Grandma lives. Nobody tells that poor woman that the son she’s scared of is back home??? Aunt Zhou already waits for her turn, holding a gift box given by Xi Wen on the New Years celebration. Inside now is no longer empty but there is a knife. Did Han Yan give it to her? She wears the gown stained with Yu Chi’s blood at the night when he died, and throws joss paper to mourn her dead children in front of Master Zhuang. Aunt Zhou then chases Master Zhuang around until he enters the tunnel. He hallucinates seeing Ruan Xi Wen, Nanny Chen, Ji Lan, and Uncle Yu Wen. I’m pretty sure Han Yan drugged Master Zhuang. Not in the wine but on his cup, for him to hallucinate or to become weak. Because he’s still have energy to fight back and it’s risky for Aunt Zhou to chase him like that even if she has a knife. We heard later him screaming, then Aunt Zhou comes out with blood sprinkled on her face and a proud expression. She killed him.
In his obituary, Aunt Zhuang declares Master Zhuang committing suicide because he fears punishment. Nobody comes to Master Zhuang’s funeral, even Han Yan doesn’t. She visits her mother’s grave instead and carves their names on the nameless tombstones. Grandma doesn’t come to the memorial either, and she stops taking all medication since the source of her heart disease is fear of her son. The Zhuang Residence is empty. Aunt Zhou holds Master Zhuang’s memorial wearing red gown and jewelries like celebrating a holiday. Later, she and Yu Shan, who also wears red gown, lock the Ancestral Hall and leave.
Final verdict on Yun Xi’s illness is that according to Physician Tan, although Yun Xi’s condition is now stabilized but since the poison has been in his system for too long it’s hard to remove. Yun Xi says that for him every day to be alive is a gift from heaven. Even though the future is unsure, but let’s cherish every day and every moment more.
In the early spring, Han Yan, Yun Xi, and their family celebrate the Plum Blossom Festival. In a trance, she imagines her family celebrates the festival with her, too. Her mother arrives on a wheelchair pushed by Nanny Chen and Ji Lan. Yu Wen Chang An then welcomes her and pulls her up to walk and celebrate with Ling Zhi. In the other side, she sees Aunt Zhou, Yu Shan, and Yu Chi, also celebrate the festival with Ling Zhi. She wants to confess to Yun Xi one more lie, but Yun Xi doesn’t want to hear it. “No matter how the past was, there is no need to revisit it. No need to entangle with the past. Because now, we have a beautiful feature.” They then kiss!
THE END.
Spoiler about the very ending scene and my opinion
The ending scene shows Yun Xi standing in the left side together with the deceased: Yu Chi, Yi Lan, Uncle Wen, Xi Wen, and Nanny Chen. On the right side are the living: Shu Hong, Han Yan, Ling Zhi, Aunt Zhou, Yu Shan, Lady Qiu, and Aunt Kou. This is a bittersweet ending, because in the end Fu Yun Xi dies from prolong poisoning. When? Sometimes in the future. I think this is a realistic approach, possibly to appease the NRTA requirement for drama companies to produce dramas with realistic values. However, this foreshadowing is only shown right at the end with the hope that some audiences may not catch it.
Conclusion
What a whirlwind drama full of twists and turns! Honestly, for me is more like watching a thriller than a romance, because every episode ends with a cliffhanger, creating a sense of suspense and tension, keeping audiences guessing and on the edge of their seats. Meanwhile, the romance is light with an enemies to lovers trope and the Female Lead wants to kill the Male Lead most of the time. They scheme and lie to each other all the way after their marriage. However, I really enjoy it and praise the acting of the actors and the actresses, especially the seasoned ones. The mastermind villain is a well-written character. Overall, it’s a very entertaining drama.
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