YanXi Palace [Episodes 53-55] Recap + Review

[@SolitaryBee-wd5wf]

I'm living for Yingluo's dianzi and jifu. What a lovely outfit to wear as you tear down your enemies.

[@盧璘壽로인수]

also the visual of her wearing those nail guards, and Ming'yu & Zhenzhu helping her wear the _ling'yue_ choker also the Manchu lip paint, which makes me believe this scene was filmed alongside Chongqing's birthday at the Old Summer Palace

[@limabean9228]

erqing is an awful person but her arc actually makes sense unlike a ruo from ruyis royal love,, her grandfather was an official and her family was wealthier than most of the servants in the palace (plus there was a chance her family could have gotten her out of the mandatory service but it ultimately fell through) so she had a superiority complex towards the other servants, while also resenting the fact that she was robbed of a "normal" life. and instead of being able to vent about all this, she had to pretend to be happy and grateful all the time. and then she essentially lost her position as number one employee to yingluo, a newcomer who was somehow able to speak her mind and get away with it. so i can see how all of this led to her becoming completely unhinged. but shes not the type of character i love to hate so im glad shes gone 😭

[@annisakamilah]

Everyone else has some sad background stories, or noble motives (like Yingluo)... Therefore we forgive their actions and misconducts. But ERQING... I don't feel the monologue is sad enough for us to forgive her! She's way too vicious and nuts...

[@dusksunsetio6042]

Usually, people’s sad backstories provide motivation. Yingluo is getting revenge for her sister (and sister figure), so she tramples everyone who dares to hurt her or them Shushen and her loved ones were mistreated because of her high morals, so she pretends to be a saint while getting everyone to do her dirty work But ERQING? Girl got mad that the dude she had a crush on doesn’t like her back, so she forced him to marry her, had sex with his brother in law (not really we’ll get to that later), TOLD HIS DEPRESSED SISTER WHAT HAPPENED, and didn’t shed a single tear when Rongyin inevitably killed herself (I’m not even sure if she was there at the funeral). Even poor Qinglian got the brunt of her anger!! None of those people deserve her anger! They did nothing to her! And whats worse is that Fuheng’s mother is on ERQING’s side??? How?? Why??

[@elainad6728]

*Erqing is Erqing* And I dislike her for it 👁👄👁

[@annisakamilah]

@@dusksunsetio6042 erqing is also narcisstic and manipulative, she usually wears her kind-hearted mask to make Mingyu and Fuheng's mother as her allies

[@bassantisamess4279]

​@@dusksunsetio6042 exactly! 😭😭 She had no motives and her craziness became a scale for me to measure the validity of a future villain's motive, if they got a 10-scale Erqing they're just bonkers who probably need therapy and a healthy sleep schedule 😂

[@Sirah1981]

Honestly back when Erqing and Mingyu were in the Chanchung Palace talking about marriages and their positions Erqing's motivations and reasons were much clearer and help understand the "no SMILING!"-rant. Her clan, Hitara, used to be noble but fell to the Baoyi ("bondservant", basically merchant/middle class and daughters must serve in palace) status because her father was inept. It's just that Erqing seems to want to take this injustice out onto everyone else instead of said father. This combined with the crush on Fuheng and her insane mind has made her a monster who thinks she's always wronged. I agree with you though, I sympathize with even Gao more.

[@natashajagadhish1887]

In a deleted scene Mingyu shoved poison down Er Qing throat.

[@ThePamelaJordan]

😮😮😮

[@flowert1701]

I vaguely remember reading about Erqing's death scene somewhere. Erqing does not pick any of the options given to her, so it was Mingyu who forced her to drink the poison. But they cut it out because it was too brutal for television.

[@NAVEMAN3]

I wish it was in there cause this felt unfinished when it came to Erqing.

[@dusksunsetio6042]

I wish they kept it in, because I completely didn’t understand how she died. I honestly thought for a hot second that she just spontaneously combusted from guilt

[@limabean9228]

damn that would have really changed mingyu's characterization... like i know she hates erqing but i can't imagine her physically being the one to kill her

[@flowermagnolia4551]

I feel like I've seen similar scenes like that in other tv shows (for example Wei yanwan receiving the poison at the end of Ruyi)

[@flowermagnolia4551]

@@NAVEMAN3 fr she wouldn't go out without a fight

[@imogencrusader6306]

Okay, I love your reviews, but how dare you leave out the scene of YL sending the emperor that hat and how happy he was 😤 Also, because of that scene, it breaks my heart after the BC scene where they're both clearly just lashing out at each other without really meaning it ;-; Because, yeah, while I 100% believe YL isn't self aware the drama heavily implies if not outright states that in seducing the emperor YL herself fell in love. As one does when you flirt and sleep with the same man for an extended amount of time xD Also that *timing* you had with Xian coming in to sweettalk him had me dying xD And yeah, no spoilers for Xians downfall (though you've already finished the series by now anyways) but I feel like it's pretty perfectly executed. All the 'arc villains' in this series have amazing downfalls really.

[@MiyuMotou]

I love that scene with Hailancha!

[@aonline_abridged]

Spoiler protection should also be extended to current/future viewers of the channel ;) and yes, I agree on the hat scene, sorely missed.

[@TeroTheShortOne]

The hurt on YingLuo's face makes me think that she was shoving down all the feelings she'd started developing towards the Emperor because they would distract from avenging RongYin. Now that ErQing is dead and RongYin's been avenged, they've come to the fore and she's thinking "Oh... oh sh*t."

[@Winter74575]

Exactly what is happening here.

[@ThePamelaJordan]

🙌🏾🙌🏾

[@qiuwenshui3080]

With Erqing's monologue, it doesn't create much empathy for me. Yes, she was a servant and servants' life are tough, brutal, and cruel, but Erqing has one of the kindest mistress, Rongyin, who would never hurt anyone on purpose or maliciously. Her life being a servant shouldn't be bitter. Maybe in the past before she serve Rongyin, she had brutal life, but that should make her understand more towards the servants, not turn around and abuse and kill servants when she is a mistress. Her character change or development doesn't make sense to me. I do love Yingluo's confrontation with the Emperor, even though he is a better husband than Ruyi's verison, he still wasn't the best husband to the Rongyin. Yes, sleeping with Erqing was technically not his fault, but he did had desire sleeping with Yingluo. He didn't completely undertsnad Rongyin. So I do love the conformation. Hailancha was way too nice and gentle to him to comfort him, and didn't speak a thing for Rongyin. Also, I do agree with you. I use to think Yingluo is the mastermind is fighting and scheming, but the Empress showed equally mastermind but a different way of fighting. She doesn't confront, nor being center of a show, but she was able to orchestrate everything by knowing everyone by just being in the background. That's impressive.

[@atgay2640]

The large difference between Yinglou and Xian is that Ying was aggressive and confrontational in her schemes, Xian is more subtle and cunning in her schemes. Everyone know Ying is ruthless but no one notice Xian, even the experienced senior player Empress Dowager until Xian show her true color. Aside from that, one is emotionally justice-driven and the other coldly ambitious.

[@crayolaclouds2696]

With Erqing's status as head maid and marrying the empress' brother, she was probably a dowry maid and that's how she knew to go after the emperor and play on Rongyin's weakness. She knew to hit exactly where it would hurt the most. But I do agree that she had a blessed fortune in her service, she never had to worry about being hit or threatened over nothing like all the other maids in the palace. Erqing was just greedy and ungrateful.

[@DianaDonineaux]

Erquing is a bad person that is clear .However ,even if Fucha Empress was a kind mistress that does not mean Erquing should want to be a maid !! Especially , it is clear that she has some important background through her grandfather . I think she has the same problem than A'rou they became maids despite being born in priviliged families and they cannot handle that correctly ( and the fact they are crazy evil too ) .

[@盧璘壽로인수]

Notes (part 2): *Erqing's death scene was fully cut* , but for some reason someone got the full dialogue (after Wei Ying'luo's "選吧" @4:01) and posted it on Namu Wiki (not sure if this is in the tie-in novel as well), hence this is a direct translation from the Korean --- Erqing: Wei Ying'luo, don't do anything stupid. Now you have everything, why are you trying to ruin it with your own hands? Since Empress Xiaoxian is no longer around, she is no longer our mistress! Freedom, Ying'luo, we are free at last! We no longer have to be servants anymore! But instead of becoming human you try to become a crazy dog, have you lost your mind? Ming'yu: Erqing, the person you betrayed is not just some mistress but your benefactor! [Rong'yin] saved you and protected you from suffering and misery, but you instead [metaphorically] pushed her away! Erqing: NO!!! Ying'luo I was wrong! It was truly a mistake! I beg you, please release me! My [Fuk'anggan] is still a young child that needs his mother's care! And my mother-in-law...yes! If I die, I'm sure she will be very shocked! [Qianlong] won't let you go either! I was wrong! From now on I will recite Buddhist scriptures and pray for [Rong'yin] as repentance, so please don't kill me! Wei Ying'luo: If you wanted to quietly recite Buddhist scriptures and live a peaceful life I would never have to resort to killing you in this manner, but what was the first thing you did after entering the Inner Palace? You immediately went to Yangxindian Hall, and in front of [Qianlong] begged for his supplication? You have neither repented nor admitted to your mistakes. A life of luxury is what you only think about! Erqing: Ming'yu, back then we had a good time in Changchun'gong Palace right? Are you really going to just watch me die? Please beg Ying'luo in my stead, I can't die like this, I really can't die! [Qianlong] forced himself on me, what else could I have done then? I am but just a weak woman, I don't even have the strength to resist [Qianlong]! Ming'yu just ignores. Yuanchun'wang: Duchess Zhong'yonggong. May your ladyship procrastinate no longer, and may she make haste to protect your pride. Erqing: Ahhh!!! No, I won't do it! I can't die like this! If you dare to even move your hand against me [Qianlong] won't leave you alone! You damn wretched servant, you think it will end well if you take just one step towards me?! Yuanchun'wang holds the -bowl of poison- tray of šụıćįđə implements and approaches but Erqing kicks the tray away from his hand. Erqing: Wei Ying'luo, do you think you have won? I tell you this, you didn't win. Hahaha!!! You can never beat me! [Rong'yin], you, then Fuheng, and even the Son of Heaven [Qianlong] who is at the topmost peak, all of you have lost to me and I am the winner! I have beaten every one of you! Someday you will find out too! Someday... Yuanchun'wang had another bowl of poison on hand but *Ming'yu has had enough, grabs the bowl, and forces the poison down Erqing's mouth.* Wei Ying'luo: Ming'yu...! Ming'yu: Go to the netherworld and meet [Rong'yin] to truly repent your sins...! --- in the final cut of the drama *Erqing lies down as if asleep* , but in the Netflix sequel flashback scene shows *Erqing slumped on the partition walls with bloody lips*

[@Winter74575]

Gosh this scene was so good, now I have to rewatch and imagine all this to be satisfied with Erqing’s parting 🎉

[@cheryl8069]

The falling out and making up between Yingluo and the Emperor started to grow old on me. Drama Recaps retelling gets the story moving and more enjoyable!

[@rockdocandlittlebird]

Oh, such fantastic plays by Xian once more. She is just a delight. Easily the best villian, and I can't even be mad when she makes her move against Yinglou I was so, so, so, happy when Erqing bit the dust. She was always an enemy. What a whinger, she was the pampered close maid of the Empress who treated them more like wards than maids. She had an easy life. Oh, yeah, the confrontation was priceless, and it kind of clears the air about all of her tricks, so if they were to, maybe, actually have feelings, you said it, they'll only be stronger.

[@alison4398]

I genuinely loved the confrontation between Yingluo and the Emperor because while all of her points were right, honestly, so were his. His primary duty is to his empire, and while Yingluo and the women don’t like how he treats them, which is totally fair, it’s also fair for him to point out that he can never love any woman in the way they feel they deserve because of his duties. He also finally got to say out loud through a few scenes how selfish he feels Rongyin is, because when things got really tough, she couldn’t stick it out with him. It was harsh, but not inaccurate. The Emperor is not a good husband, that is absolutely accurate. But he is a very good ruler, and he’s a good ruler because he’s not obsessed with any one woman… so far. But his heartache over how much pain he’s caused is really, really well portrayed I think. I also think think Yingluo reacted so strongly because… frankly she never thought she’d be caught out. She’s very justifiably confident in her abilities, but it leaves her completely blind to when she’s being outmaneuvered. Also, I don’t think she ever thought about what would happen if the Emperor found out about what she did- and how he would react. This entire scene is very much her realizing the consequences of her actions, and how she has screwed up her entire future in her desire for vengeance, and the Emperor realizing how blind he has been to all of his own actions. It was all just very well done.

[@Winter74575]

Very well explained and I completely agree except i don’t think The Emperor actually treats his women crappy and exactly for reasons you pointed out especially the point where they all feel they deserved his love and that was impossible 😅 I also loved how you pointed out the facts about Rongyin’s and The Emperor’s past relationship and I agree as I also saw it from his perspective as well as hers but again he did the best he could even though he was taught not to show love , It was very evident that he truly loved her and everyone knew it. It doesn’t matter which woman in the Harem he loves because the others ( unloved) will always see it as injustice towards themselves, look how well he’s been treating Yinglou but yet he’s still a crappy husband? Is that even avoidable? I actually feel more sympathy for him to have to born into such situation to begin with, that pressure must’ve been so draining because he’s not a horrible person as we can see.

[@kyriacarica5862]

Spoiler Alert: Xian would’ve completely won this game if she didn’t lose her cool towards the end. It’s actually like Yixiu from Legend of Zhen Huan. She could’ve just continued as she was while doing her thing and she’d still end up on top as a Dowager. But no. She had to go nuts with “whyyy don’t you loooove meeee??” With the Emperor. I think her first mistake was making an enemy of the Empress Dowager. She also neglected and cast out 4th prince over her biological son, 12th prince. Could you imagine if she kept BOTH princes and even added Chun’s son, 6th prince into her list of children? She would’ve been untouchable, even for Yinglou. Xian suffered the case of Ruyi!Jia during the latter years. All the W’s got to her head and she started being careless.

[@mocherrie]

spoiler no no no. you're wrong. She did NOT let all the W got to her head. she didnt neglect 4th prince, it was YUAN who made the 4th prince think he's neglected. she didnt go nuts on her own, Yuan poisoned her thoughts and made her insecurities worse. She didnt get mad at the emperor because she's shallow and forgot how she worked so long to get this powerful, she got mad because she has gotten tired of living 20 years dedicated to a person, while that person doesnt ever acknowledge you. That can drive anyone crazy. The boat scene's significance lies in the fact that the Emperor already knew about HongZhou's eventual coup, but he sent all his servants to go protect Yingluo, not the Empress. Had Yuan not existed, none of this would happen, and she wouldve been able to held onto her power. Remember, the Empress kept getting sick, and I rlly believe that she was actually sick either due to an effect of her getting older or Yuan potentially poisoning her, so her head's ability to think and plan clearly was literally impeded. Sincerely, Xian > Ruyi!JIa hehe

[@Winter74575]

@@mocherrie Spoilers 😅 Nope, go back and watch the earlier episodes of her and the 4th prince when the Emperor wasn’t around, she used him but no matter how much she tried with him, he wasn’t intelligent so she knows he wasn’t going to be crown prince, then she had her own kids that the Emperor refused to make crown princes’ unlike he did as soon as Empress Fuca’s sons were born, even without Youn , she was losing herself possibly partly to do with menopause and her plans to one day become Empress Dowager was not going to happen as one of her son’s would need to inherit the throne first and it was very evident and rumoured that the 5th prince was the one most likely to inherit, which would make Yinglou’s position even more important and hers (Xian) unstable as Yi nglou was the adoptive mother of Yongqi(5th prince) that’s the real reason why she was mentally deteriorating because of her constant paranoia , her greed for power is her downfall. Remember the scene with the 6th prince being punished for the accident of YongQi? The way she was even disgusted with her own biological son for not being able to get the emperor’s attention to plead for her to attend the boat trip proves how disgusting of a person Xian really was.

[@Winter74575]

Spoilers 😅 The Emperor had No intention irl or in the show to make Any of Xian’s sons crown prince and that’s why she lost her cool. It was 5th prince that was always the main choice for The Emperor but unfortunately for Xian 5th prince was not in her grasp, he was Yinglou’s adopted son which made Yinglou a threat to her regardless 😅

[@mocherrie]

@@Winter74575 Spoilers You forget that no matter who inherits the throne, Xian is the Empress, so she will always be the Empress Dowager. I'm sure she knows this and after the time skip, she rlly didnt do anything stupid. Her sons are hopeless, but she never hurt the other princes to make her sons standout. She admitted on the boat scene that she's been waiting for the Emperor to die so that she'll become like Empress XiaoZhuangWen, who held power over two emperors that ascended at a young age. At that time, both the empress and the mother of the emperor became Empress Dowager. She had no real reason to elevate her sons (who wants a dumb emperor anyway), all she had to do was outlive both Qianlong and Yingluo to become the most powerful person. So if her final goal is to become like Empress XiaoZhuangWen, she had more motive to kill Qianlong and Yingluo than the princes. At the end of the day, she didnt hurt any of them. Not the princes, not Qianlong, not Yingluo(ok maybe Yingluo by proxy of Yuan & Hongzhou who also wants her dead). Who eliminated 5th prince? 4th prince by proxy of Yuan. Who attempted to poison 15th prince? Yuan. He did that to make everyone suspicious of the Empress, when she rlly didnt do anything. Yingluo knows this. Maybe at one point she wouldve went after them one by one, but it would be slow and satisfying, not hasty and obvious. but i guess we'll never see that

[@jonsart5643]

If Empress Yixiu allowed Zhen huan to become another Empress dowager, that would threaten her family's position in the palace. With Zhen zhuan around having equal power with her, Zhen huan can contest with almost everything for instance the marriage of the new crowned Emperror. Instead of placing an empress from Yixius family, Zhen huan can contest that to have an empress from her family as well. So it's really understandable that Empress Yixiu can't just have Zhen huan til the end.

[@TheTCMfan]

The emperors and Yinglou confrontation is phenomenal because you can see both POV … he is so angry because of the grave insult first that she has no desire to have his child, he lowered himself to explain how her indifference after Chuns death bothered him, then she makes him a hat as a gift, so he feels that she heard and does care, then he was actually going to explain about ErQing but none of that matters because he was just a tool from beginning to end for her.. she has tangled him up in knots and gotten in his heart but he’s not in heart and it’s a double blow that he owes a another debt to Rongyin.. then Yinglou she came to avenge Rongyin, but also to let the emperor experience what Rongyin did constantly waiting for someone to show up and they you leave hanging, or they gifts you give are taken for granted. His parting shot that you won’t need the birth control anymore was tragic. IMO Yinglou got upset cause not only did she start to fall for him a lil bit but fear because once again she didn’t think through the consequences of blurting everything out cause she was angry she’s stuck here and she’s going to die here.

[@sarahsconsciousness6125]

Erqing's death is MY favorite episode THE episode of the series because it was so unexpected the first time and the most painful one and I couldn't wait for you to review it.

[@LadyVintageBags]

Love the moments of dialogue between yinglou and evil shen !

[@cheryl8069]

Xian's plotting by playing people's motives and stirring them reminds me of Jin Yuyuan (Jia) in the earlier part of RYRLitP before she lost Zhenshu

[@SplendidStrokes]

Xian is like hailian of yanxi universe, if hailan had loved the emperor she would be the top consort just like xian

[@Clinds_Diary]

Erqinggggg had a cominnnnnggggg✊🏿😭😭😭

[@TeroTheShortOne]

She had it coming. She had it coming. She only had herself to blame...

[@mgold7503]

😂❤

[@ErwinAponia78]

@@TeroTheShortOneand if you had been there, if you had seen her, I betcha you would have done the same.

[@aonline_abridged]

Bending the rules to protect YL, at least the emperor is good for that...but yes, he should be blaming himself for a lot more, how about not honoring her wishes of freeing YL? He knew the right thing to do was set her up for life outside the palace, not keep her on a long leash....but nope, he was selfish on that too so his guilt is superficial in my eyes.

[@Winter74575]

The Empress wanted Yinglou to be free but the bigger question is, Did Yinglou want to be free ? The emperor already had decided against the marriage between Fuheng and Yinglou The Empress’s and her prince’s death wouldn’t have been avenged. Mingyu would’ve most likely been dead or suffering from some serious abuse .

[@MiyuMotou]

Yingluo's love and loyalty to Empress Fuca ❤

[@yourbootyholeisyourbeautyhole]

it was actually mingyu who did the deed 😂

[@盧璘壽로인수]

Notes (part 1): wip ?.1.. the Silkworm Ceremony (親蠶禮) was *in honor of sericulture itself, supposedly invented and later propagated by the Yellow Emperor's wife Leizu* : the story goes that a silkworm cocoon accidentally dropped onto Leizu's teacup, and when she tried to get the pesky thing off her drink she accidentally unravelled the cocoon and managed to procure a long smooth thread ?.2. according to extant Qing Dynasty historical records, *it was Empress Xiaoxianchun who decreed the revival of their conquered Han Chinese subjects' ancient ceremony* ; the Xiancantan Altar (先蠶壇) in Beihai Park west of the Forbidden City, built during Qianlong Era still exists. ?.3. one media depiction of the Silkworm Ceremony I could think of was in "Cruel Palace: War of the Roses" (set in the 17th century, around the time of Joseon's capitulation towards Qing) ep. 25, but I can't find the clip anymore... (edit: seems like for some reason JTBC either privated the full clips or got rid of them. Also, in the scene Leizu's spirit tablet addresses her as "Lady Xiling, the Silkworm Goddess (蠶神西陵氏)") ?. even though Wei Ying'luo is from the _booi aha_ of the Imperial Household Bureau, apparently they have more rights than those _booi_ relegated in the Sinjeku (Hard Labor Bureau) ?.1. Hupo was in the middle of Sinjeku duties along with her colleagues when they meet Shushen's train, and she repeatedly kneeld down and begged to be released from Sinjeku because "she was framed", but all Shushen can do is lighten her workload.

[@tanyas8596]

I have been enjoying these overviews so much, thank you!

[@PeonyGames]

Lets all take a moment and actually like the video

[@christy2443]

My favorite video from the yanxi Playlist so far!!!

[@charliemagnebautista2902]

I hope if you're done with this drama you could recap the korean zombie series called kingdom set in medieval korea because the queen in that drama is so cunning

[@IMP14914]

Cannot wait to see the plot that will finally bring Chen down!

[@NAVEMAN3]

When it came to Erqing, it felt unfinished for some reason to me. Same with Chun. I don't know why but it does.

[@盧璘壽로인수]

*both Su Jinghao and Erqing's death scenes were cut* at least I saw one BTS scene uploaded in YT starting immediately after Shushen's "Do it" (動手) of *a eunuch actively strangling Su Jinghao*

[@moon-zs4pi]

I absolutely love your channel and watch it all the time while I study as your recaps are all of my favourite dramas! buuuutt, you did miss something incredibly important about Erqing 😳 it's quite easy to miss and I don't want to spoil anyone else who doesn't know

[@emberjoy6739]

*Warning. There are Spoilers in this Comment* *Lights Fireworks. Hires a Mariachi Band. Orders Liquor* Ding Dong! The witch it dead! Which old witch? Er Qing that b*tch. Lol. In all seriousness, she's a hypocrite. She cause all this. If she had been nice and patient; maybe something would have happened. When you abuse people who used to be at her level... not cool. I swear to Buddah that she's burning in hell after Rongying kicked her down. Xian is so brilliant in her scheming. Using their ambitions and loyaties against them. The Emperor and Yingluo... Again I love this couple. It's like a real couple. Well... as real in the palace as they could get.

[@stanley3384]

Ur Chin's face when she said 私自處刑 is so funny

[@Winter74575]

Isn’t This the exact reason why Yinglou went back to the palace???? Yinglou has no regrets about Erqing but she is more disappointed in herself because she fell into Xian’s trap because she didn’t think it through, I think Youn being at her side is what caused her to misjudge Hoplu’s reasons for telling her at the time, she was for the first time a step behind but that’s ok because all Xian did was actually enable other things to be clear.

[@bassantisamess4279]

Good riddance Erqing. I tried to understand where she's coming from but I just couldn't. Kinda random but her character reminded me of Noble lady Qi from ZHZ, two menaces who were added just to boil things over 😂 If she just waited her life would've been smooth sailing, even though she was a servant (more of a confidante imo) she had a comfortable life, she was held in high regards by everyone she ruined her life herself. We have this saying in Arabic (nothing fills the eyes but sand) and it's applied to a person so greedy always complaining and never content with what they have that nothing fills their eyes but sand when they're buried because they stop complaining 😂😂😂 and it fits her personality perfectly lol.

[@Monica-by4me]

I love xian so much uwu

[@rujeaniasabajo8487]

YL is indeed done using the Emperor. However her sadness is understandable since not getting any favor from the emperor will lead to bullying of her servants including Yuan and Mingyu i.e. people she loves.

[@Winter74575]

Her sadness is not about the worry of favours, she fell inlove with the Emperor but doesn’t realise it. She has the Empress Dowager to turn to for favours if she needs it.

[@rujeaniasabajo8487]

​@@Winter74575 I still don't believe YL has fallen for the Emperor. Still believe she has Fuheng in her heart

[@Winter74575]

@@rujeaniasabajo8487 I understand that we have different perspectives 😃 As far as I see, Fuheng was the first person to gain her heart but that was more than 5 years ago when she was still a teenager, they didn’t actually have any romantic relationship and clearly had or has any desire to have a romantic relationship with Fuheng. I think she loves Fuheng as he’s always been there for her and of course he’s the brother of The woman she loves and considers her sister, There’s a mutual respect when it comes to Fuheng but she’s not inlove with Fuheng , The Emperor on the other hand is her first real relationship, They also bonded and share many similarities, I think Yinglou is experiencing exactly what the Emperor was experiencing before they got together.Denial. As I’ve said before. Yinglou can and will eventually go to the Dowager so she indeed doesn’t need favour from the Emperor, it’s nice but she can survive without his favour as other than her revenge plot she has no desires for fame and power, it’s not her primary purpose.

[@poetrysinitial572]

To Erqing…BYE FELICIA!!

[@beeworkin1461]

When Prince He is in White-Knight mode he's so cute😍

[@dusksunsetio6042]

Good lord. Imagine Hongzhou in our time. Absolute simp.

[@Winter74575]

Back again 😅 Shi@ty Prince He wig is always peeling, in the scene where he recites the poem after Xian plans for the silkworm festival almost failed, every time bro turns his head I see glue and the wig looks like it’s about to fall off his head😝🤣🤣🤣

[@DianaDonineaux]

Xian does deserve the respect , but she won't have it .

[@Wyn_rose33]

I hated Erqing so much the only thing that would’ve made her death more satisfying is if we actually saw it on camera 😂 The actress who plays her is so good

[@cheryl8069]

Me too! It wasn't satisfying for me. She went down to easy!

[@TheTCMfan]

Xian.. smh she was so brilliant till this point IMO and this is my beef with her in this part of the series she talked about Chun being greedy but she shows her own greed in this episode she was so busy trying to play the game she played herself. She’s already the perfect empress with a stranglehold on the palace now she’s trying to move in to be the perfect wife who has the emperors love, when he is looking so lost and alone she comes along and says all the right things but by towing the party line and appealing to his ego for the moment hurts her in the run long I mean he had the perfect wife in Rongyin who said all the right things and look what happened to her.. and when asks about her father she answered as Xian 2.0 not Shushen and instead of focusing on own emotions she tells him she felt bad that she hurt his feelings. She should have just pledged her eternal loyalty and left it at that

[@gojiberry7201]

I heard that China censored a lot of these episodes, and that originally Mingyu forced Erqing to drink the poison, but they didn't want us to see it, so they took it out. I don't know if it's true, just what I heard

[@yourbootyholeisyourbeautyhole]

it's true!

[@Kdramalover_ts]

AFTER THIS DRAMA DO YOU THINK YOU CAN DO THE EMPRESS OF CHINA I LOVE THAT SERIES PLEASE PLEASE IM A BIG FAN

[@charitywilliams5288]

🎉🎉🎉

[@specialsmithchick]

Nonono, she Knows it’s not her husband’s child, they never had sex.

[@devchekhov7512]

I don't have much to comment about the series, but I love watching the recaps! Yinglou is a badass, and I'd love her as an ally, but I wouldn't trust her as a friend. She's too hardened and calculating and I wouldn't want to constantly second-guess her intentions or keep evaluating our bond.

[@Winter74575]

Yinglou never betrayed anyone she held close as a friend.

[@ycbgmt]

As long as the friendship is real and sincere, Yinglou is a trustworthy and loyal friend.

[@atgay2640]

Erqing the ultimate victim mindset….

[@sarahabraviadjaklo]

Compared to ruyi Xian actually did schemes but still (til now) Don't have blood on her hands .. that's crazy considering they are the same person 😢

[@moonstarstories1298]

Well, asie from physically strangeling people.

[@atgay2640]

The original Ruyi in the novels was more like Xian in the Yanxi Palace….except that Ruyi was deeply in love with the Emperor, unlike our coolheaded Xian. But the novel Ruyi took one step further than Xian by killing herself to implicate Yanwan, seeding doubt and mistrust deep into the Emperor’s mind for years….Ruyi tv version was a pale mist compared to these two ladies.

[@cheryl8069]

I've always wondered how she didn't get implicated in Chun's death by kite string. Whether she had the eunuchs do it, or did it herself (which i doubt), she wouldn't have been alone. No one spilled the beans on her. Maybe she appeared suspicious to nobody at all, i guess

[@atgay2640]

@@cheryl8069 probably the fact that Xian have been ruling the harem since she was a powerful consort, managing every inch of it, effectively controlling most, if not all, of the palace servants, treating them with kindness and special treatments as well as the usual bribery to keep them firmly in her grasp. The majority of the concubines are so simple-minded about their handlings of the servants, our Xian must be taking the extra steps to win over their love and trust alongside their fear of her. Being a highly subtle and clever mastermind whose planning are always long-term and careful, it would make sense.

[@cheryl8069]

@atgay2640 yeah, most likely she had the palace servants down pat. They may have totally bought into her image as a gentle downtrodden consort who grew into a wise Empress and were on her side, and thought Chun more than deserved a horrible death for her evil deeds. In a position as a lowly and pretty helpless servant, i'd count myself lucky to have a master/ mistress who's often in control like da boss should be who doesn't take her anger out on me at every single affront.

[@Lisamisamoo]

I'm having a brain fog moment! Why did the empress have a reason to want erqing dead? And how did she know YL hated her?

[@Winter74575]

It’s not that she wanted Erqing dead, it was to drive a wedge between the Emperor and Yinglou as she knew Yinglou would take revenge for the Empress’s death. She knew that Erqing told the Empress that she was pregnant for the Emperor because the maid Hoplu told her, that’s how she knew and then set a trap so yinglou would know Erqing was in the palace, she knew Yinglou would act.

[@Lisamisamoo]

@@Winter74575 ohh i didnt realize huopo told the empress about the scandal

[@Winter74575]

@@Lisamisamoo yes, Yinglou figured it and she says it to the Step Empress at the crime scene 😅.

[@kayland.5724]

Even though I see where the seeds of romance between Yingluo and the emperor are being planted, I still don't like them as a couple. People asked for more romance between them in Haolan Zhuan. That was also a shitty relationship. People asked again in that modern show, didn't watch it because I know it'll be Nie Yuan's character being terribly mean to Wu Jinyan's character but they fall in love anyway. Fans asked for a drama with Xu Kai and Wu Jinyan. Royal Feast also had a crappy relationship. I don't trust this company with romance 💀

[@Winter74575]

Seems you have a big problem with romantic relationships in Tv shows 😂 This is based off reality and they did have a real romantic relationship, She had 6 children with the emperor and 1 of her sons became the Emperor in real life so it’s not possible to make a series about them without making them a couple so whether we like it or not Their characters are based off real Historical people that had a really had a real life relationship.😂

[@ThePamelaJordan]

Erqing acting as a maniac seems VERY unnatural. I couldn’t help but laugh AT not WITH her

[@zoequackenbush8087]

🎉❤

[@DianaDonineaux]

Yingluo is now a murderer what about Consort Dowager Yu?

[@yourbootyholeisyourbeautyhole]

if we go by the censored scenes, yingluo 100% killed yu taifei. however, mingyu killed erqing.

[@gravityg-bs8bc]

🎉🎉🎉