Notable Actors/Actresses
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Chinese Title
Recap Grade: C
First Impression: 3/5
First Impression: 3/5
Mini Recaps
[Ep1] Fu Xiao is to assassinate Yan Zhang Yun, a corrupt general (according to her shifu), but she's amnesia-ed and becomes a eunuch: Xiao Qiang Zi. Xiao Qiang is usually a nickname (for men), which means cockroach = strong vitality.
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| Wang You Shuo: Yan Zhang Yun |
Zhao Zhao Yi: Fu Xiao / Xiao Qiang Zi |
Our FL has no idea who she is but our ML does: his assassin. Out hawt, hawt General Yan arrests her, but she's saved by the silly, silly Emperor who claims her as his "inner bedroom's"! It sounded like he was claiming her as his consort! xD He just meant personal eunuch.
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| Xiao Qiang Zi: "Bang!" |
Xiao Qiang Zi faints after the fright therapy. She's being diagnosed by the physician. General Yan is concerned, "What disease does she have?" Doctor's like, "Da ren, what kind of disease do you want her to have?" LOL. She's actually poisoned.
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| Xia Ning Jun: Zhao Yun Emperor |
Zhou Zi Xin: Xiao Heng Empress |
2nd Couple. The situation: Empress wants his babies; the Emperor doesn't want her babies. (They don’t even want to look at each other in the character posters.) They're kinda funny actually. Everyone's scheming around them, but they remain pure.
Xiao Qiang Zi is threatened to "poison" the Emperor by an unknown woman who has been helping her pass all her eunuch examinations. It's a devitalizing pill = pro-erectile-dysfunction pill. Someone doesn't want the Emperor to have an heir (or an heir with the Empress?). Eunuch Liu Yi Dao took it by accident. Thankfully he has nothing to devitalize. It does make him cry weak tears. Hahahaha.
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| My vision of him exactly since Ep1. |
General Yan wants Xiao Qiang Zi under his surveillance, and so he amplifies the gossip between the Emperor and Xiao Qiang Zi. This leads to Xiao Qiang Zi's arrest by the Grand Empress Dowager. Xiao Qiang Zii's fighting instinct activates, which surprises everyone including herself. General Yan arrives in time to offer this explanation: Xiao Qiang Zi is his agent who he assigned to protect the Emperor. Everyone's got an O-shaped mouth, except our hawt General Yan.
General Yan: So, are you mine?Xiao Qiang Zi: Yes, I am General Yan's. Bring me with you!
Xiao Qiang Zi also trusts General Yan's antidote implicitly and gulps it down.
General Yan asks her if she blames the Emperor for not saving her earlier. No.
Xiao Qiang Zi: You're the one who put your life in someone else's hand, and then when they can't save you, you hate them? What kind of logic is that?
She'd rather not rely on someone to survive if she could. Smart and capable.
General Yan wants Xiao Qiang Zi real close, like right in his bedroom. She sleeps on the floor, though. When he's asleep, Xiao Qiang Zi searches his body for more antidotes....
General Yan uses Xiao Qiang Zi to expose an executive minister for embezzlement, but when there's a punishment (flogging) he bears it all by himself.
The Emperor suggests nominating an officer to oversee General Yan's Division. Both the sinister ministers agree except they can't agree on whose mole to insert. They ask the Emperor, who quickly appoints Xiao Qiang Zi. He mutters merrily, "You guys are the ones who let me decide." I like how this trio (Emperor, Xiao Qiang Zi and General Yan) have each other's back.
Xiao Qiang Zi: I really wanted to take a few hits for you!A Cheng: No one stopped you from doing that! LOL.
Xiao Qiang Zi tends to General Yan's wounds. His back is marred with fresh wounds on top of older scars. Each scar tells a silent story. My heart! General Yan mitigates the severities of his wounds. There's one that's recent and is actually from Xiao Qiang Zi (assassin), but he lies that he was bitten by a dog. He was being sweet, and he insulted her, lol. He also got her back for calling him a crazy dog.
Xiao Qiang Zi is devastated when she discovers General Yan's antidote was a lie. She sobs to him that he never cared about her life or death. He's sitting there, motionless, and utterly helpless to her tears. Very cute. To compensate, he gives her a whistle. Wei Tian Jiao is jealous. [He's a loyal commander (whose father is unfortunately the embezzling minister)]. He wants a present too!
I see their married life:
It is Xiao Quan (Empress's brother) who wants to kill General Yan and has taken control of Xiao Qiang Zhi's sect. Everyone there is poisoned.
General Yan's real identity is Qin Yan. He grew up with the Emperor (and for him to return with a new identity must mean his family was banished or executed).
Xue Ru (Empress's maid) nonchalantly suggests to transfer Xiao Qiang Zi over. There's so many benefits. It'll give the Empress more chances to see the Emperor, and she can teach the Empress how to seduce the Emperor. When a girl needs relationship advice from a eunuch: #Desperate. Empress's wits aren't a total loss. She has Xiao Qiang Zi test her flirting on General Yan first. With a heavy heart, Xiao Qiang Zi knocks on General Yan's doors, her cutesy voice squeaks and grates my ear: "Chang Yun, it's me! *Cringes* Zhao Zhao Yi's cutesy voice is no joke. *Door shuts*
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| I love how she rested the flower on herself, haha |
Working for the Empress is killing Xiao Qiang Zi. Literally, haha. She gains a little life when General Yan visits. But he doesn't. She huffs and puffs on her whistle and hurls it out the window.
General Yan visits! He waits until Xiao Qiang Zi is dead asleep to check on her wound. He was worried all day! And it's fake. xD. He's a little upset about that.
The next morning Xiao Qiang Zi runs away from the palace, and leaves a letter for General Yan. She really wants him to fetch her.
- Xiao Qiang Zi meets Qing Yun who says he's her shidi. He asks her to step aside to talk about her mission. One step, and they're out in the woods, lol. Meta. She's like "Isn't it just one step? Do we need this big of a step?"
- General Yan discovers Xiao Qiang Zi is a girl when her clothes are disheveled because of the pain from her poison. Release your love, General Yan!
Xiao Qiang Zi sympathizes with the Empress now. Her father is using her, and the Emperor doesn't love her. The Emperor admires Xiao Qiang Zi's considerateness. Meanwhile Xiao Qiang Zi pinches her nose at him because he just came out from perching on the potty for hours. The potty is his only safe place. Lol. Poor Emperor and Empress.
General Yan is investigating Xiao Quan. His team is blocked from entering a makeup store because "men and things with claws (=animals) are prohibited from entering." LOL. Is that not implying men and animals are equals. The boys recruit Xiao Qiang Zi to have her cosplay as a girl. When General Yan finds out, he's enraged, and quickly fetches her back by arresting her for molesting him.
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| I love how she accused him back xD |
How Qin Family (ML) went down: The Emperor, who was just a kid back then, was forced by the ministers to issue an edict against Qin Family, and now PM Xiao is doing it again. The Emperor, an adult now, is no different than when he was a kid. Useless. Infuriated at his own inferiority, he takes it out on the poor Empress, ordering her to strip in public with all the attending servants present.
Xiao Qiang Zi goes on a mission for General Yan (who doesn't know) to search Xiao Family for evidence.
[Ep10] Xiao Qiang Zi blushes with happiness when General Yan saves her. She doesn't really need it. She's certain he cares for her. To help her clear her suspicions, he creates a distraction. Even the Empress is defending Xiao Qiang Zi! Aw!! Even though we all know she just wants Xiao Qiang Zi's brain to seduce the Emperor, lol, but that's still very sweet of her.
In between, Xiao Qiang Zi must have fallen asleep walking because General Yan is now putting her to bed. She's been faking her sleep though with her pursed her lip, wanting a kiss, and conveniently forgetting that she's a eunuch to him. General Yan leans in only to give her the whistle, but there's a symphony of butterflies in his heart right now, I know it.
General Yan is hopelessly jealous. His guard shares one sip of soup with Xiao Qiang Zi, and he punishes him to run laps. The guard will never know what he did wrong.
There's a forbidden love!! Xiao Quan loves his sister, the Empress! Scandalous! But she's not his sister. His father's mistress had someone else's child. Xiao Quan vows to give the Empress happiness and freedom. That's why his spies want to give the Emperor pro-ED pills. Xiao Quan's father dies oh so conveniently after he learns of his son's forbidden passion. (By the way, more than the son, it's the Emperor who sobs the most because it's tears of joy, lol.)
There's one person who's actually sad for PM Xiao's passing: the Empress when she really should be the last person to care. He doesn't love her as a daughter and only has use for her womb. She sobs that she has no one to depend on anymore. Oh, good. She cares about herself, lol. Yes, don't worry about him, worry about yourself, sweetie. Without her father's support, the Emperor's love, and a child of her own, she's vulnerable in the palace. Xiao Qiang Zi drinks with her to comfort her. The girls get so drunk, they play with makeup. I don't think Xiao Qiang Zi looks prettier with heavier makeup, but I'll go with that facade.
The Emperor sees Xiao Qiang Zi with makeup on. Even though General Yan quickly throws her over his shoulders, it's too late. She already tantalized the Emperor's heart.
Xiao Qiang Zi continues to tantalize, and her – one and only – target is General Yan:
Xiao Qiang Zi: Empress says I'm pretty. Am I pretty?
There's more seduction!
Xiao Qiang Zi: Yan Chang Yun [...] I'm a girl, and I LIKE YOU.
Too bad Xiao Qiang Zi is drunk, and doesn't realize her kisses weren't a dream.
Xiao Qiang Zi may have wished she was still drunk and didn't see this other kiss: Xiao Quan kissing the sleeping Empress. Xiao Qiang Zi hid it well, but Xiao Quan still learns what she saw. I thought they arrived at a deal, but when Xiao Qiang Zi leaves after the supposed agreement She immediately blows her whistle. General Yan runs to save her, but she's already injured. (He's calling her "Fu Xiao").
Xiao Qiang Zi lies that she didn't see her assaulter im to protect the Empress. General Yan asks if she can at least tell him. She can't, but she swears she will avenge herself.
General Yan also lies that keeping Xiao Qiang Zi's sex a secret is to cover his negligence.
Xiao Qiang Zi: Is it not because you're worried about me?He changes the topic to her medicine.Xiao Qiang Zi: You are worried about me.Silence is admittance.General Yan (to himself): I'm sorry. I will not let this person hurt you again. Phew, I almost thought the apology was for something bad.
General Yan gives up his room for Xiao Qiang Zi to sleep in now that they both know she's a girl and she's injured. No no no. She insists he stays. Furthermore, even if she's healthy, they can still cohabitate (;
Xiao Qiang Zi tells shidi that she has feelings for her mark. Shidi's like, It might be a honey(-man) trap. Xiao Qiang Zi giddily replies, Then I'll just beat his trap with my beauty trap. Her mood is immediately spoiled when she spots him entering a brothel though. (General Yan is visiting Chu Yue to tell her to leave because Xiao Quan knows her identity: the daughter of the deceased General Lei.)
Xiao Qiang Zi pettily makes General Yan guard her doors too. She's just sitting on the bed with the Emperor, and somehow they can still fall on top of each other.
Did Xiao Qiang Zi's petty revenge actually work? Because General Yan's everywhere with buns, and hot water. Aw, you. At night, she's "cold". Achoo. Despite the obviously fake sneeze, he gives her his blanket. Now he's cold, but insists he's not.
Xiao Qiang Zi: [You gave me your blanket.] Is that not because you're worried about me?"General Yan: That's because you – belong to my Qianyuwei.She makes him correct himself.General Yan: ...That's because you're mine. Eeeeeee!
And then everything sucks. Grand Empress Dowager arrests Xiao Qiang Zi after learning she's a girl. Meanwhile Xiao Quan has captured Chu Yue. Who will General Yan choose to save: Xiao Qiang Zi or Chu Yue? He makes orders to fetch the Emperor to save Xiao Qiang Zi while he goes to Chu Yue.
It's bad either way: Xiao Qiang Zi becomes "pregnant" with the Emperor's child (in order to keep her safe), and Chu Yue stays kidnapped, while another comrade dies to ensure General Yan's identity is concealed. General Yan can't do anything, except silently watch them die and let their corpses be devoured by dogs.
It sucks for the Empress too. She treated Xiao Qiang Zi as her friend, and she now has the child of the man she loves. And she's loved by her brother, ew, and her father is not her father.
Fake babies are always fun, lol. This is the Emperor's solution for Fu Xiao's pregnancy:
Emperor: Zhen will definitely give you a royal heir.
So where's the coffin? (This Emperor actor had another fake-pregnant FL: Oh! My Sweet Liar!)
The Emperor's harem are all happy consorts that Fu Xiao is pregnant. They all thought he was gay, hahaha. Now there's hope for everyone. Fu Xiao feels uncomfortable with the attention and fakes a fetal movement. Empress's like Hasn't it only been a few months? Fu Xiao replies, "It's because (s)he's royal." xD
15 years ago, it was Bai Yi, Fu Xiao's shifu, who killed Qin Yan (General Yan). He's actually royal too. He's from Ningguo).and works with Xiao Quan to covet their respective thrones.
Xue Ru is the masked woman with orders from Xiao Quan to kill Fu Xiao because she's pregnant with an heir. Fu Xiao didn't even manage to blow her whistle in time, and General Yan is already here to save her. Xue Ru commits suicide. Is Xiao Quan hot or something? Why are these girls dying for him?
Fu Xiao takes the pregnancy in her own hands ("since it's her own flesh", lol haha). She's going to lose it from falling off a chair, but then Xiao Quan arrives. He's better than a chair, most definitely. As she walks past him, she falls all on her own, and blames him for pushing her, HA!
The Emperor was playing possum this whole time. It was his men who killed PM Xiao, but without orders. The Emperor did clean up the crime scene. He eliminated his archvillains (Xiao and Wei), but realizes Xiao Quan is worse. Hoping that General Yan is indeed Qin Yan, they work together and frame Minister Song....... He's guilty of embezzlement, yes, but not murder........
At the end, did the Emperor give an opportunity for Fu Xiao to see General Yan? Aw?
The Princess is also related to the Mercury Sulphide case, and General Yan's assassin from 15 years ago. She's also Bai Yi's (shifu) jiejie.
Fu Xiao is jealous that General Yan is seduced by the Princess. She imitates the Princess's scent, but gets high on the aroma. Now she's dancing in General Yan's ward and pounces on him. He flings her over his shoulder to take her back, but her room stinks of the Princess's stench. Haha. He takes her to his bed, and holds her hand that's holding him, aw. However, noble idiocy is in his blood. No matter how much he wants to hug her, he must restrain himself.
General Yan confiscates Fu Xiao's beauty products from the Princess. He had asked her if she noticed any peculiarities after using them. Fu Xiao turns serious. "See my skin, see my hair, see my aura." LOL. But there are consequences. It makes users dependent. Can someone care about Eunuch Liu Yi Dao? I'm quite worried for his health. He seems to be the mice for all poisons, haha)
Fu Xiao changes her approach. She badmouths General Yan to repel the Princess. General Yan hears it all.
General Yan: So you I'm despicable and shameless, devilish and crafty, sharp and unkind, vicious and merciless.
Fu Xiao: Yes! I'm talking about you. You shamelessly and despicably seduced me. You craftily tricked me into loving you. Now you're sharp and unkind to stop me [from falling more in love with you]. You're viciously and mercilessly pushing me away. She's a pro!
She asks him if he feels a sense of achievement to have her chase him like this.
General Yan: If it's this painful, why must you be so dedicated?Fu Xiao: Who's dedicated! The princess is right. A woman cannot just hang and die on one tree. If she has her Four Seasons, then I can have my 24 solar terms. Haha.He really is vicious and merciless: General Yan grabs her wrist, and pulls her into a soft embrace.
I have no idea if he said it out loud or it was telepathy, but now Fu Xiao believes General Yan that he's approaching the Princess to investigate the Mercury Sulphide case. The next day, she brings the Princess's Four Seasons to the brothel and finds out Xiao Quan has connections with Ningguo. She tells General Yan her findings, but he's hung up on her hanging out at the brothel with Four Seasons. Hahaha.
Fu Xiao: He doesn't want me anymore.General Yan: He doesn't not want you. Maybe he had no choice either.
The next morning, Fu Xiao leaves the palace and writes a letter to General Yan. It's not a hate letter this time. It's filled with love, but since he has big things to do, she can't be with him. She even comforts him that since she has amnesia, maybe she can forget him.
General Yan spots Fu Xiao's pouch. He confirms she's the girl who saved him 15 years ago. Apparently that was her dowry. Aw. Fu Xiao's new pouch must have the same meaning: marrying herself to him. A comment brought up that General Yan had already engaged himself to her, and knowing that they're one person freed that guilt.
General Lei assassinates Fu Xiao! She blows her whistle. Luckily, General Yan was already pursuing her. She's saved. Her martial arts don't work without her memory eh.
KISSSSSU! (He let go of the harness. I was totally worried if the fake horse was going to run)
Eunuch Liu Yi Dao is not okay! I told you guys to check on him! He makes great evidence, though, and confirms there's HgS in Ning's incense.
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| The boys staring at their enemy (Xiao Quan). |
Our couple can't sleep. They're in their own rooms and talking to each other. What are these walls. She wonders when she can sleep while watching his face. Wow, lol. He's wow-ing on the inside too, I swear. She questions him if he doesn't want to. From her end, he's silent. He has to tell her that he's been nodding. Awwww.
It's Qixi.
- Empress is still a simp for the Emperor who is still unaffectionate towards her.
- Wei Tian Jiao and Chu Yue are going to be a couple?? I like that a lot. That means she'll leave our ML alone.
- General Yan and Fu Xiao are secretly being mushy.
It's a bloody Qixi. The Princess is killed by Bai Yi (her brother!) and it's framed on General Yan.
Everyone is "mean" to Wei Tian Jiao because he's the new general, lol.
Fu Xiao: You're mine, of course I have to be worried about you.
Chu Yue overhears the lovebirds, and betrays Yan Chang Yun. She tells Xiao Quan about the thumb ring. No way! Tell me this is a scheme of hers...
Seeing the old pouch, Fu Xiao jokes that if he accepts her new pouch, he's her.
Yan Chang Yun: It's a promise ("I'm yours").Fu Xiao: I'm joking!Yan Chang Yun: I'm serious. Swoon.
All of a sudden, Fu Xiao's poison is worsening. Out of nowhere, Shifu arrives with an antidote. As random as his appearance is, he's here to threaten Yan Chang Yun that to save Fu Xiao, he must die. I guess it's a deal. Yan Chang Yun completes everything on Fu Xiao's bucket list. He also gives her all his money. She's not suspicious at all...
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| Oh background, can you be faker? |
Fu Xiao overhears a conversation between Chu Yue and her father. They gossip that General Yan has completely fooled Fu Xiao into loving him. It's only a matter of time she'll tell him the thumb ring's location. Fu Xiao refuses to believe them. She wants to confirm it with Yan Chang Yun. This conversation makes no sense unless it's some sort of scheme.
Everything that happened was part of Yan Chang Yun's agreement with Bai Yi to save Fu Xiao, EXCEPT Chu Yue and General Lei's conversation. Grr. Yan Chang Yun just went along with it and almost died.
Yan Chang Yun is imprisoned again. It's like he's the only guy who can threaten Xiao Quan that he just needs Yan Chang Yun locked up. (The Emperor also knows Yan Chang Yun is Qin Yan.)
Fu Xiao doesn't completely trust her shifu either. She recovers the thumb ring in the jade roller, and reads the note by herself, and learns of shifu's alliance with Xiao Quan to frame Qin Family. She sets off immediately to save Yan Chang Yun, but meets a masked Xiao Quan. She recognizes the mask. He's the man who slaughtered her town and her parents. Dude couldn't have used a regular mask to commit his crimes eh.
However, Freaking shifu's crippled body is a rapid-fire-Go-shooter. General Lei dies to protect Fu Xiao. In his dying breath, he asks Fu Xiao to allow Chu Yue to marry Yan Chang Yun. She agrees. Man, you're dying, and I should respect that, but you can't even let the living people live in peace? Meanwhile Qing Li dies to protect shifu. In her dying breath, she asks him if she's better than Fu Xiao now. They never told us, but I see it as she loved him....and he loved Fu Xiao. Shifu wonders if this is all worth it.
It's déjà vu. Fu Xiao arrives at court to vindicate Yan Chang Yun and Qin Family. Unfortunately, the Grand Empress Dowager slams down the evidence as just a piece of unidentified paper. She's hateful, but she's not entirely wrong.
The Emperor updates Yan Chang Yun about everything including Fu Xiao's love for him. He comes to this verdict, however:
Emperor: Qin Yan, you must die.
Fu Xiao promises Chu Yue she'll leave Yan Chang Yun, but she won't forgive Chu Yu nor congratulate her. Her love is selfish, and someone like her doesn't deserve true love.
This is what Fu Xiao meant by leaving Yan Chang Yun: she's going to marry the Emperor in exchange for Yan Chang Yun's freedom. That hurts the Emperor. This one move broke everyone's hearts. He hollers in a trembling voice the announcement that Fu Xiao will be his f**king consort. Oof. So emotionally charged.
Blood spit! Drama is now complete. Yan Chang Yun is devastated after learning of Fu Xiao's sacrifice.
Fu Xiao has one request from the Emperor. On the day they marry, she wants to leave from Yan Chang Yun's residence. Until the very last second, she wants to be with Yan Chang Yun.
The Empress doesn't hate Fu Xiao for marrying the Emperor. She hurts for her. She must be suffering too. As for the Empress, she won't be with the Emperor for long. She coughs (up blood too?).
Where to find a happier bride and groom?
The Emperor still never loved the Empress, but he learns of all she did. She planted orchids, and then ground them into powder to help him sleep. She also sewed him clothes. Oof. Empress, you silly girl T_T.
Chu Yue becomes a nun! Appropriate. Though, I didn't think we'd end up with 0 secondary couples. That's new.
The Emperor spares the ministers (unwitting accomplices) so that they feel indebted and are therefore easier to manipulate. I see our game, sir. The Emperor also clears Qin Family's name. He asks our couple if they want more rewards. Modesty is not Fu Xiao. She asks for a house, jeweller– *Ahem* Yan Chang Yun clears his throat.
Fu Xiao: I'm kidding. In my lifetime, other than [Yan Chang Yun], I don't need anything/anyone else.
When she adjoins, the boys "joke" about the Emperor actually wanting to marry Fu Xiao.
Where to now? General Yan and Fu Xiao volunteer to fight at the borders to help the Emperor protect the country. First though, Fu Xiao officially brings her boyfriend/fiancé home.
The end.
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-4)] Ugh. Wang You Shuo is smouldering me. He had me at the collar (Ep1). This might just be Wang You 👃's best (ML) role.
I was annoyed by Zhao Zhao Yi's previous FL, but I'm finding her cute here, and so, so funny. She's got a great comedic rhythm going.
It's been too long since I felt invested in a smaller budget period romcom. I almost thought this genre was dead in regular format dramas.
[Cast&Crew] Zhao Zhao Yi is getting more recognition after her variety show Divas Hit the Road with her playful and bright personality. Although everyone in the cast seem wholesome and easygoing, she plays a large part in making everyone feel comfortable.
[Ending] Happy.
[A Highlight] When General Yan said “mine” in Ep13, I was squealing with our FL.
[Review & Rating]
Recommendations
| "Underrated" | "Baby" | Eunuch |
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