A coldhearted female assassin marries the Emperor, her prey. However, it's too soon to say who's the prey and who's the predator.
Notable Actors/Actresses
Li Qin: Shen Li Ge
Li Qin: Shen Li Ge
Qin Hao: Liu Yi Kang
Director
Screenwriter
Chinese Title
錦繡南歌
[Ep6] Shen Li Ge is rough when she tends to Liu Yi Kang's injuries. I think he likes it rough though. Shen Le Qing leaves him and goes to visit her master. Her master tells her to continue to take on An Nu's Shen daughter identity. Shen Li Ge becomes the one to marry the Emperor. Taking advantage of this, Shen Li Ge plans to kill him.
[Ep9] Liu Yi Kang is unable to keep the promise with Shen Li Ge to fight Lu Yuan together. His royal consort (Xie Yun Zhi) is sick and the Grand Consort intends to keep Liu Yi Kang preoccupied in the palace in order to help Lu Yuan.
[Ep11] Liu Yi Xuan saves Shen Li Ge with the antidote from Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan gave him the medication to force Liu Yi Xuan to work with him. Hm.
[Ep14] Grand Consort cunningly begs Liu Yi Kang to pardon Liu Yi Xuan's life. Lu Yuan is also saved because he's like a plus-one, can't save one without the other.
The storm: Grand Consort and Lu Yuan still team up to dethrone the Emperor. Shen Le Qing joins too.
[Ep20] Shen Li Ge fails to pin down the blame on Shen Le Qing. Shen Li Ge is using the same tricks as last time (poisoning Mother with qin music) to trap Shen Le Qing but she's improved her game. Shen Le Qing wins this hands down.
[Ep21] Today is the day of the marriage.
[Ep22] Shen Li Ge pierces her sword at her husband. When she realizes he's her Si Ge, she tries to commit suicide. He stops her in time. With Lu Yuan's men approaching, Shen Li Ge's Shixiong takes her to safety.
[Ep34] As the war continues to be a threat, Wang Zi Jin and Shen Zhi promise their lives to each other. Liu Yi Kang bestows them a marriage. They're not the only ones romantic. Shen Li Ge cooks Liu Yi Kang dinner but cooking is the one thing she can't do well. Liu Yi Kang doesn't love her any less though, especially when she's perfect everywhere else. She can dance beautifully to Liu Yi Kang's qin. She can also fight in a war.
[Ep36] Lu Yuan worms his way out of death punishment. He thinks he's won big time but he doesn't know Liu Yi Kang isn't dead. This was all Liu Yi Kang's plan to make Lu Yuan thinks he's dead so that he lets his guard down. Liu Yi Xuan discovers his brother is alive, especially when Shen Li Ge shows up in front of him. The Grand Consort thinks Lu Yuan is helping her son claim the throne but he frames them (Grand Consort and Liu Yi Xuan) instead. Liu Yi Xuan finally learns of all his mother's evil deed. He's heartbroken that she's betrayed the brother he's so loyal to.
[Ep40] Shen Li Ge and Liu Yi Kang consummate after a romantic night. She continues to sweetly torment his stomach with her poison like food. Although she doesn't win his stomach, his heart is all hers. Shen Li Ge has her husband within her grasp, but not her mother. It's Shen Le Qing invokes her memories first and now Shen Mom thinks Shen Le Qing is her lost daughter.
[Ep43] Shen Mom cries not knowing why she's crying. Maybe it's a good thing she's gone crazy otherwise she'll have to suffer through her husband and son dying. Shen Li Ge is off to capture Xue Qiu, the man who murdered her family. She taunts him that he's only a checker piece for Xie Hou. Thus, Xue Qiu agrees to testify against Xie Hou for them.
[Ep44] Xue Qiu testifies. But he testifies against Liu Yi Kang for ordering him to murder Shen family. Liu Yi Kang's loyal guard takes the blame to save Liu Yi Kang from suspicion.
[Ep46] Xie Hou is sending the scroll to the Daddy Emperor to take down Liu Yi Kang.
[Ep53] Liu Yi Kang tries to keep Shen Li Ge from finding out she's to be beheaded but she finds out anyways. She creates a romantic event for him. That's her goodbye to him. Shen Li Ge commits suicide. Three years later. Men are growing their mustaches. He continues to be the mighty ruler of Liu Song for Shen Li Ge's sake. That is her wish of him. He uses bells to decorate an entire garden to remind himself of the late Shen Li Ge. He prepares himself dishes she used to make for him. It's a happy memory for him. But I find it incredibly lonely to be reminded of a dead lover every waking minute. The end.
[First Impression (Ep1-6)] I like Shen Li Ge, she's a badass assassin. She's cold on the outside but warm inside. Liu Yi Kang pretends to be weak and ill but he's shrewd and strong. What a pairing. For now it's a slow warm-up. This drama also has a lot of expectations to live up to with the its large scale production and top tier actors. I'm looking forward to when Shen Li Ge becomes Liu Yi Kang's wife and these two team up for more scheming. I have learned to watch these dramas with a high fence around my heart. I can't let this take my heart too soon and then be utterly disappointed in the latter half.
[Actors/Actresses] Qin Hao was just in The Bad Kids and now he's a charismatic Emperor. Hm. I gotta keep telling myself to forget Zhang Dong Sheng. So hard. When I see his hair, I keep thinking what's underneath that.
[Review] My high fence worked. The drama doesn’t even need to wait until the latter half to fail on me. In fact it failed right after I made my first impression post. It was around Episode 24 where I’ve lost hope this drama could improve. I won’t pick on each scene but just in the grand scheme of things it’s overly simple. There’s villain A who is evil for power. He fails once, twice, and thrice. When he ultimately dies, villain B pops up. When villain B fails, C is next in line, and then D. The villains are lined up one after the other to act. For some reason they can’t work together to make this plot deeper. The whole time, it’s plain as a day the villains have no way of succeeding. The main leads are just too smart to fall for anything and too nice to betray anyone. This drama becomes very one sided. There’s no ounce of threat on the other side. Which sucks. This is a palace drama that depends on the villains to make this juicy. I had way more fun watching the disastrous The Twin Flower Legend than this.
錦繡南歌
Network: Tencent Video
Recap Grade: B/C
First Impression: 3.75/5
First Impression: 3.75/5
[Ep1] Two groups seek to kill Liu Yi Kang, the new Emperor of Liu Song (his father is still alive ruling another country). One of them is Shen Li Ge's group of female assassins. She's avenging her parent's death. Another group is Lu Yuan's. Shen Li Ge's fight scenes are quite beautiful. Actually, the whole drama is pretty. Shen Li Ge's assassination fails. All the disciples die to protect her. Ah Nu dies too.
[Ep2] Shen Li Ge takes An Nu's real identity. She becomes the daughter of Shen Manor in Ah Ni’s stead. Her new brother is Shen Zhi.
[Ep3] Shen Li Ge has a new target: Lu Yuan, the man who killed An Nu. She and Liu Yi Kang coincidentally meet on a boat. They both want to kill Lu Yuan. They're waiting for the perfect chance to kill him. Her assassination fails again. Shen Li Ge suffers an injury and is saved by Liu Yi Xuan, the younger and loyal (for now) brother of Liu Yi Kang.
[Ep4] Shen Le Qing, a jealous step-sister, sabotages Shen Li Ge of harming their mother but Liu Yi Xuan tips her before she fell into the trap. Shen Li Ge catches Shen Le Qing redhanded but mom can’t reprimand Shen Le Qing because of love for her daughter.
Liu Yi Kang meets Shen Li Ge in the market. He helps her when she's accused of breaking a vase but she doesn't need helping. She's about to send the scammers flying, it’s Liu Yi Kang stooping her from making a scene. Their fate continues when Liu Yi Kang (as the Emperor) wants to marry a Shen daughter to never his powers in the palace.
[Ep5] Shen Le Qing wants to marry Liu Yi Kang thus she must rid Shen Li Ge. What she doesn't know is she's sending Shen Li Ge right into Liu Yi Kang's arms. They both fall into the water.
[Ep6] Shen Li Ge is rough when she tends to Liu Yi Kang's injuries. I think he likes it rough though. Shen Le Qing leaves him and goes to visit her master. Her master tells her to continue to take on An Nu's Shen daughter identity. Shen Li Ge becomes the one to marry the Emperor. Taking advantage of this, Shen Li Ge plans to kill him.
Liu Yi Xuan hands Shen Li Ge the imperial edict. He’s heartbroken because he likes her.
[Ep7] Shen Li Ge saves Ah Ling. She’s so cool is an understatement. Shen Li Ge is injured and by chance is saved by Liu Yi Kang once again. She leaves but he takes her hairpin as a reward for saving her. She won’t lose to him at all and steals his jade. Before she leaves, he wraps his cloak around her to keep her warm. She grows fond of him. That night, she sweetly smiles at his jade thinking back to all their fateful encounters.
[Ep8] Shen Li Ge wished she had her hairpin to open their wrist locks. Liu Yi Kang was carrying it with him all along. He has to bring it to her with his mouth and by chance he finds out it’s actually a knife. He’s impressed. She’s also impressed with his combat skills. As they’re escaping, he takes her hand and runs. His men come to save them and she quickly takes her hand away from his. When he reaches out for her hand again, it’s gone. He’s grabbing at thin air. She laughs at his awkwardness. When they’re safe again she bugs him for her hairpin back but he won’t give it to her. He wants his jade back but she insists she doesn’t carry it with her (she does have it with her; she just doesn’t want to give it back). As she’s talking to him she examines his face and realizes his moustache is fake.
The next day she visits his boat again to return the cloak. The boat is his hideout to investigate Lu Yuan. In there she finds food and wine. She helps herself to everything. She also finds an unfinished portrait of herself. As she’s chowing down his food, she finishes the portrait of herself. She quickly hides when he returns. From the undried ink he knows she’s still on his boat. She wants to investigate Lu Yuan with him. He allows her to. She’s dress up as a man and he comments how she can seduce a lot of women. All was going smoothly even with these two fighting each other behind the scenes but there’s another group who wants Lu Yuan dead too. They mistaken Shen Li Ge and Liu Yi Kang to be Lu Yuan’s men and capture them.
Shen Zhi is in love with Wang Zi Jin but she’s about to be engaged with Liu Yi Xuan. Fortunately, she’s clever and makes herself the least bit impressive in front of the Grand Consort (mother of Liu Yi Xuan).
Shen Le Qing has turned evil for good. She vows allegiance with Lu Yuan. It turns out her family was killed by Shen Manor.
[Ep10] Lu Yuan sabotages Shen Zhi and Shen Dad for all his crimes. Unfortunate for Shen Zhi when he and Wang Zi Jin were about to be engaged. Shen Li Ge is poisoned by Shen Le Qing with the bracelet (that had proved she is a Shen daughter)
[Ep11] Liu Yi Xuan saves Shen Li Ge with the antidote from Lu Yuan. Lu Yuan gave him the medication to force Liu Yi Xuan to work with him. Hm.
Shen Li Ge has grown fond of her new family and is heartbroken that her brother and father are about to be beheaded. She cries in the boat waiting for Liu Yi Kang. He finally shows up and she runs to him crying. She hugs him (calling him "Si Ge"). He's surprised to see her weak for once. He assures her he's closing in on proof of Lu Yuan's crimes (using the hints she left behind) and successfully extends the trial period for another fifteen days.
Shen Li Ge slaps Shen Le Qing and it sends her flying to the ground. The slap is partly for poisoning her but mostly for sabotaging the family she loves.
[Ep12] Liu Yi Xuan makes himself look evil in front of Shen Li Ge. It's all a ploy to win over Lu Yuan's trust. Liu Yi Xuan is still on the good side and helps Shen Li Ge secure critical proof against Lu Yuan.
[Ep13] Liu Yi Kang and Shen Li Ge work together to counter Lu Yuan’s coup d’état. She’s working in the shadows to infiltrate into Lu Yuan’s army. It’s a success. However, Lu Yuan has one more trick up his sleeve. He won’t die alone. He plans to bring down Liu Yi Xuan with him because he has proof of his involvement. Liu Yi Kang realizes that his loyal brother had planned to go down with Lu Yuan all along. He was loyal to the end.
When Liu Yi Kang sees Shen Li Ge, he rushes off his horse to give Shen Li Ge a tight embrace. He wants her to promise to never leave him on a dangerous mission again. She does. However, she still hates the Emperor, not knowing he is the Emperor.
When Liu Yi Kang sees Shen Li Ge, he rushes off his horse to give Shen Li Ge a tight embrace. He wants her to promise to never leave him on a dangerous mission again. She does. However, she still hates the Emperor, not knowing he is the Emperor.
[Ep14] Grand Consort cunningly begs Liu Yi Kang to pardon Liu Yi Xuan's life. Lu Yuan is also saved because he's like a plus-one, can't save one without the other.
[Ep15] Shen Dad and Brother are back home safe. Liu Yi Xuan is safe too. He gives a personal attendant (Xiao Xin) to Shen Li Ge as a present for her marriage to the Emperor. Meanwhile, Lu Yuan’s father commits suicide propelling Lu Yuan's yearn for power and hate for Liu Yi Kang even more.
[Ep16] I like the Shen siblings' scene when they were drinking on the roof. Shen Li Ge has found her family. But I don't like how they're segregating Shen Le Qing. I know she's evil but there's a reason why she's evil: Shen Li Ge is taking her spot. Shen Li Ge gossiping with her bothers about Shen Le Qing doesn't make her impression favourable.
Liu Yi Kang wants to hold Shen Li Ge's hand as they're walking in the market and she knows it but she makes it hard for him. In the end, she's the one who grabs his hand. This is a date, the peace before the storm.
[Ep17] Liu Yi Kang confesses to Shen Li Ge. These two still don't know each other's real names. He asks for hers but she hesitates. He questions her whether she's not curious about his identity. She's not. She can't. The girl has a mission. She tells him it's because he's already in her heart; she doesn't need to know. He's drunk and falls asleep. Shen Li Ge tearfully gives him a farewell by returning his jade to him. She needs to close her heart now because she has her mission to carry out. Shen Li Ge has officially entered the palace to marry the Emperor and exact her revenge. Shen Le Qing is already there as a royal servant weaving her web of connections to bring Shen Li Ge down.
Shen Zhi and Wang Zi Jin's love isn't going anywhere either. Her father is against the marriage because he doesn't want her engulfed in politics.
[Ep18] Shen Li Ge and Xie Yun Zhi (consort) becomes sister like friends. Shen Li Ge finally gets the chance to see the Emperor. She's holding her knife, ready to pierce him once he enters her door but someone called him away.
[Ep19] Shen Li Ge finally learns Shen Le Qing is a maid in the palace.
[Ep20] Shen Li Ge fails to pin down the blame on Shen Le Qing. Shen Li Ge is using the same tricks as last time (poisoning Mother with qin music) to trap Shen Le Qing but she's improved her game. Shen Le Qing wins this hands down.
[Ep21] Today is the day of the marriage.
[Ep23] Liu Yi Xuan saves the injured Liu Yi Kang from his mother and Lu Yuan. Shen Li Ge leads them to her Shixiong and begs him to save Liu Yi Kang. The two disciples are starting to suspect their master. Shen Li Ge vows that Liu Yi Kang isn't the evil man their master claims him to be. Thus, Shixiong saves the Emperor.
[Ep24] Liu Yi Kang barely stands to convince his enemies that he's healthy. They're over one obstacle but there's many to come. Fortunately, now he has Li Ge rightfully at his side.
[Ep25] Shen Li Ge confronts her master of using her and all her brother and sisters. The master admits it. She's looking for a chance to steal the pouch hanging right in the open on his waist. This drama.... She needs the antidote that's conveniently in the pouch to save Liu Yi Kang. Shi-xiong flies in to help.
While Shen Li Ge is away from the palace to retrieve the antidote, Shen Le Qing conveniently finds a knife under her bed to sabotage her of assassinating Liu Yi Kang. Ah. This drama is getting smarter and smarter. Please hear my sarcasm.
[Ep26] Despite hating Shen Li Ge, Shen Le Qing cooperates for one thing: to save Liu Yi Kang. Shen Le Qing purposely flings her to their brother so that Shen Li Ge has a chance to hand her brother the antidote to save Liu Yi Kang. In exchange for helping, Shen Li Ge accepts the crimes that are blamed onto her for attempting to assassinate the Emperor.
Grand Consort purposely drops the antidote but Shen Li Ge who conveniently gets a chance to see the Emperor before she's dragged to prison catches the bowl, drinks the medicine, and mouth-feeds him his medication. The entire scene of her spilling water into his (closed) lips is filmed. If I were Liu Yi Kang, I'd be disgusted. My thoughts: Someone's spitting out water in my mouth, ew.
As a result of Shen Li Ge's "crimes", Shen Dad and Shen Zhi are back in prison. This time mom is also imprisoned. Why is the little brother always exempt from this? To free Shen family, Shen Li Ge admits she's not a Shen.
[Ep27] No one in Shen family believes Shen Li Ge is not a Shen and they will stand by her no matter what. And it turns out she actually is a Shen. Shen Dad reveals that her master Xu Lin, whose original name is Xu Zi Xian, kidnapped her. He used to be a general for the palace. His army was under attack and he requested the palace to open the gates to the city but there were peasants in the city. Shen Dad cannot risk the lives of civilians and thus he watched Xu Zi Xian "die" outside the gates. Days later, his manor was set on fire and that's how Shen Li Ge was kidnapped by Xu Zi Xian (currently Xu Lin). This explains the hatred he has for Liu Yi Kang and Shen family.
All of Shen family is to be beheaded. Wang Zi Jin gives them wine as the last farewell. All of a sudden, Shen Li Ge spits out blood and in her last dying words she accuses Lu Yuan of poisoning her. And there's ZERO suspicion on Wang Zi Jin who just gave them the wine. Everyone is demanding Lu Yuan to clarify Shen Li Ge's death. But she's supposed to die anyways. Does it matter what way she dies in? Omg this drama. Because of Shen Li Ge's unwarranted death, the death punishment on the rest of the Shen family is to be postponed.
[Ep28] Xu Lin realizes he's the one in the wrong all along and admits to his own crimes as well as sabotaging Shen family. Hmmmm. Are most of the bad guys going to go out like this? So flat. Every detail of how Shen family overcame their hurdle was orchestrated by Liu Yi Kang, even Shen Li Ge's fake death. However, Shen Li Ge hasn't completely woken from the poison. She's up and walking but she's in a trance of some sort.
[Ep29] Shen Le Qing finds out Shen Li Ge is still alive. Pitiable Shen Dad now has a wife who's crazy and a daughter who's in a trance. Liu Yi Kang is doing his best to stir Shen Li Ge's memories with anything romantic.
Liu Yi Xuan and Lu Yuan's sister (Lu Wan) seem to have something romantic going on. Liu Yi Xuan's expressions are hard to read sometimes. I don't know if he'll stay good. There's another romantic line: Wang Zi Jin will only love and marry Shen Zhi. Why she loves a brick like him is beyond me. Her father finally approves of it as long as he returns victorious from his next war.
[Ep30] Shi Xiong (Chen Shao Xun) seems to be a bit jealous when he saw Lu Wan and Liu Yi Xuan friendly.
Shen Le Qing finds the unconscious Shen Li Ge. She's about to kill her but Shen Li Ge is a true assassin, she senses a killing aura and immediately snaps back to consciousness. She runs away from Shen Le Qing and almost falls off a cliff. Shen Le Qing's carriage falls over and she's hanging onto Shen Li Ge who's barely hanging onto the edge of the cliff. Shen Le Qing wants to die together with her but she ends up falling by herself. I doubt that's the end to her though.
[Ep31] Liu Yi Kang is at war. Shen Li Ge is accompanied by Chen Shao Xun (and the little disciple: Kong Cheng), and Wang Zi Jin to find Liu Yi Kang and Shen Zhi. As expected, Shen Le Qing is alive with limbs attached and mobile; only her face is scratched after falling for who knows how many metres.
Shen Li Ge almost falls off another cliff before she's reunited with Liu Yi Kang. He throws a rope at her to save her. It's a dramatically romantic scene. I'm so sorry if you love this romance and am reading my recap because I laughed so much at how superficial and awkward this scene was. It's trying so hard to be romantic. The more they force these type of scenes the more I laugh at how unfitting this is.
[Ep32] Grand Consrt takes advantage of the palace now that Liu Yi Kang is off to war. When Liu Yi Kang sent a message for help, Grand Consort prevents that from happening. Shen Le Qing (who returns to the palace safe and sound) does her best to relay the message so that Liu Yi Xuan can help Liu Yi Kang.
[Ep33] Shen Dad (war general) is captured by the enemy. Once Shen Li Zhe learned this it took a lot to convince Shen Li Ge to stay put. Once she decided to stay, she understood Liu Yi Kang's plans to win the war. That's what her father would want too.
Liu Yi Kang has to protect his country against outside enemies but also enemies from within. Lu Yuan has plans to kill Liu Yi Kang in this war.
[Ep34] As the war continues to be a threat, Wang Zi Jin and Shen Zhi promise their lives to each other. Liu Yi Kang bestows them a marriage. They're not the only ones romantic. Shen Li Ge cooks Liu Yi Kang dinner but cooking is the one thing she can't do well. Liu Yi Kang doesn't love her any less though, especially when she's perfect everywhere else. She can dance beautifully to Liu Yi Kang's qin. She can also fight in a war.
During the chaotic war, Lu Yuan leads Liu Yi Kang and Shen Li Ge into a cave. By chance, these two happen to save Mei Qi.
[Ep35] Mei Qi seems to have a crush on Shen Li Ge (who's dressed up as a man). She lies to Mei Qi that she's Shen Feng. Mei Qi guides them out of the cave but Lu Yuan's men are guarding. Shen Li Ge and Liu Yi Kang take separate paths to distract Lu Yuan's men. Upon their escape, Shen Li Ge thought she lost Liu Yi Kang but he's okay. Shen Li Ge saves her father. None of the thousands of arrows that are shot at the two flying-human-objects manage to strike them. Drama.
Shen Zhi and Wang Zi Jin are captured by the enemy. They stay loyal to Liu Yi Kang even if it means death. Right at the moment they are to be beheaded, Liu Yi Kang and his army show up to save them. Meanwhile Lu Yuan brings the corpse back to the palace, claiming it to be Liu Yi Kang. Liu Yi Xuan who believes his brother is dead, demands that whoever failed to protect Liu Yi Kang is to be beheaded, i.e. Lu Yuan.
[Ep37] Liu Yi Kang gloriously returns to catch Lu Yuan (and Grand Consort) redhanded. Xiao Xin returns to be Shen Li Ge's maid. Liu Yi Xuan remains loyal as ever but is still upset when he sees how loving Liu Yi Kang and Shen Li Ge are.
[Ep38] The trusty servant of Liu Yi Kang likes the silly maid of Shen Li Ge. That's the light part of this episode. Liu Yi Kang sentences Lu Yuan to death. So who will be the baddie for the rest of the drama? However, he spares Grand Consort's life and only banishes her from the palace. Liu Yi Kang does love her and doesn't know at what point she changed. He spared her life mostly because Liu Yi Xuan begged for her. Shen Li Ge wants to leave the palace to find Shen Le Qing (who has escaped the palace) but Liu Yi Kang reminds her she has servants to order now and he doesn't want her to leave him.
[Ep39] Lu Wan (sister of Lu Yuan) has weaved her way to Grand Consort. Shen Mom starts remembering her daughter, Shen Li Ge, but only slightly.
[Ep40] Shen Li Ge and Liu Yi Kang consummate after a romantic night. She continues to sweetly torment his stomach with her poison like food. Although she doesn't win his stomach, his heart is all hers. Shen Li Ge has her husband within her grasp, but not her mother. It's Shen Le Qing invokes her memories first and now Shen Mom thinks Shen Le Qing is her lost daughter.
[Ep41] Xue Qiu (Lu Yuan's loyal servant) kills Shen Zhi and Shen Dad. Oh dear.
[Ep42] A devastated Shen Li Ge has figured out who murdered her father and brother.
[Ep44] Xue Qiu testifies. But he testifies against Liu Yi Kang for ordering him to murder Shen family. Liu Yi Kang's loyal guard takes the blame to save Liu Yi Kang from suspicion.
The real 'Shen Feng' and Mei Qi meet. Mei Qi is disappointed her original Shen Feng (Shen Li Ge) ins't a male. But that disappointment shouldn't last too long.
Xie Hou colludes with other ministers to sign a scroll to bring down Liu Yi Kang.
[Ep45] Shen Li Ge captures Shen Le Qing and has proof that she is one of the masterminds behind her father and brother's death. But mom doesn't believe Shen Li Ge. She still thinks Shen Le Qing is her daughter. Mom accidentally injures Shen Li Ge. A frustrated Shen Li Ge tells her mom that Shen Dad and Shen Zhi have died. Mom faints over. Shen Li Ge kills Shen Le Qing. Hmm. Mom finally learns that Shen Le Qing had copied her writing so that she can kill her husband and son. Mom finally remembers her real daughter, Shen Li Ge.
[Ep46] Xie Hou is sending the scroll to the Daddy Emperor to take down Liu Yi Kang.
[Ep47] Xie Hou's grandfather had wanted Xie Hou to turn himself in. But the grandfather dies the next day. Xie Hou gains the pity of Wang Zi Jin's father. Xie Yun Zhi (the consort) cries for her grandfather's death. She learns that her brother (Xie Hou) was the one responsible for her grandfather's death. Using the key her grandfather left her, Xie Yun Zhi finds the hidden letter that her grandfather wrote to prove Xie Hou of his crimes.
Mei Qi and Shen Feng go through life and death together. She's afraid of water but she jumped into the water with him anyways.
[Ep48] Shen Li Ge makes Xue Qiu testify properly this time by threatening him with Lu Wan. Xie Hou is put to jail.
Shen Li Ge and Liu Yi Kang walk into Shen Feng and Mei Qi flirting. They tease them relentlessly. Liu Yi Kang and Shen Li Ge are also planning for pregnancy.
[Ep49] Liu Yi Kang is sick. Something is wrong with his health.
Lu Wan is being used by someone evil. She regrets accepting the mission to poison Liu Yi Kang but it's too late.
[Ep50] Grand Consort never had an inkling of remorse. She poisons Liu Yi Kang's food. She then control his weakened state to make it look like he killed her. She's sacrificing her life to make Liu Yi Xuan turn against Liu Yi Kang. Woman, why put your own son into such turmoil? But I have to say thank you for taking yourself out.
[Ep51] Liu Yi Kang is imprisoned for killing the (prisoner) Grand Consort. Liu Yi Xuan and Liu Yi Kang are at odds. Shen Li Ge is at her wits end. But. Everything was a trap for Lu Wan and the mastermind. Liu Yi Xuan pretended to accept Lu Wan's love and pretended to be poisoned. This makes Lu Wan worried so she finds the mastermind for the cure, not knowing she's tailed by Liu Yi Kang, Liu Yi Xuan and Shen Li Ge. The mastermind is Wang Zi Jin's father.
[Ep52] Wang Zi Jin's father's motive is to avenge the death of his two sons. It was him who planned the death of Shen Dad and Shen Zhi. Now that he's caught redhanded, he wants to commit suicide but Shen Li Ge stops him. Among this commotion, it's Wang Ji Xin who commits suicide to apologize for the sins her father committed. She can't live knowing her father killed her lover.
Xiao Xin is married to Liu Yi Kang's trusty servant. I still don't remember his name, sry. Mei Qi and Shen Feng are also to be married. The only unhappy romance is the one between Lu Wan, Liu Yi Xuan and Chen Shao Xun. Chen Shao Xun is in a vegetative state because of Wang Zi Jin's father.
The end is near and there's one last obstacle. The Emperor sent an edict to Liu Yi Kang. He wants Shen Li Ge dead in three days because of all the havoc she's caused.
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-6)] I like Shen Li Ge, she's a badass assassin. She's cold on the outside but warm inside. Liu Yi Kang pretends to be weak and ill but he's shrewd and strong. What a pairing. For now it's a slow warm-up. This drama also has a lot of expectations to live up to with the its large scale production and top tier actors. I'm looking forward to when Shen Li Ge becomes Liu Yi Kang's wife and these two team up for more scheming. I have learned to watch these dramas with a high fence around my heart. I can't let this take my heart too soon and then be utterly disappointed in the latter half.
[Actors/Actresses] Qin Hao was just in The Bad Kids and now he's a charismatic Emperor. Hm. I gotta keep telling myself to forget Zhang Dong Sheng. So hard. When I see his hair, I keep thinking what's underneath that.
[Episode 24 Update] I'm not quite in this for the romance. It's there; I just don't feel the pull. I'm waiting for the schem-ingly delicious part of the drama or is this it?
[Review] My high fence worked. The drama doesn’t even need to wait until the latter half to fail on me. In fact it failed right after I made my first impression post. It was around Episode 24 where I’ve lost hope this drama could improve. I won’t pick on each scene but just in the grand scheme of things it’s overly simple. There’s villain A who is evil for power. He fails once, twice, and thrice. When he ultimately dies, villain B pops up. When villain B fails, C is next in line, and then D. The villains are lined up one after the other to act. For some reason they can’t work together to make this plot deeper. The whole time, it’s plain as a day the villains have no way of succeeding. The main leads are just too smart to fall for anything and too nice to betray anyone. This drama becomes very one sided. There’s no ounce of threat on the other side. Which sucks. This is a palace drama that depends on the villains to make this juicy. I had way more fun watching the disastrous The Twin Flower Legend than this.
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