If novel Zhen Huan before leaving for the nunnery is already this ruthless when dealing with enemies, I wonder how terrifying she becomes after she returns to the palace? Seeing what Zhen Huan does in the drama, I can only imagine that novel Zhen Huan post nunnery is going to be a monster that will make her enemies wish they never schemed against her or her family and friends.
@@dramarecaps4217 You might like story of Minglan. It is a slow burn series exploring the dynamic of families of an ancient dynasty (Not sure wich one) and it contains many realistically intelligent male AND characters.
The novel just makes me hate lingrong more. Sure, Zhenhuan wasn’t the most sincere friend but she has done nothing to intentionally hurt lingrong, and lingrong immediately jumps to baby killing and murder. She took the easy way out instead of acknowledging the actual root to her problems. There is nothing in her backstory that could redeem her in my eyes. Same goes for hua fei and the empress.
Right there's many instances when I felt pity for her but the way she never goes out to resolve things face to face or at least just talk it out was just frustrating. She would bottle it up and make her own broken judgements
For duan it make sense for her to think this is the end for her in old times girls over 18 or 17 are past marriage age and it would be hard to have kids (that's what they think not me 🙂) plus some consider any girl get her period is ready to be married off not to mention some in-laws would get mad if the wife isn't pregnant after a year of marriage duan is in her late 20s can't get pregnant locked in a harem where every year new young girls come so i can see why she thought this was the end for her
I cant sympathise with novel lingrong at all I know zhen huan wasnt sincere with her but she and her family took such good care of her and even arranged stuff for her to enter the palace shes too much for participating in their downfall
Agreed. She starts SO EARLY with the scar-musk-gel, long before any of the ZhenHeng drama, and that gel is the true reason for ZhenHuan's miscarriage. LingRong was ready to hurt her "friend" in such a heinous way, so quickly. I almost feel like even if ZhenHuan _had_ treated her better and trusted her more, LingRong still would've gone over to the dark side.
I freaking binged watched this series last week again because of your recaps and now i will binge watch your recaps again and listen to your story book version. AHHHH ❤
Someone already responded and they're right. I only meant to do book 1 because I never discussed it in the video, the rest of the books were recapped along with the series so I see no need to do it again.
If you see this comment BEFORE 12:16, please share your thoughts/theories on *this* comment about how this whole ZhenHeng thing will work out. I'm just curious to find out what you guys think will happen before we find out in the book. No cheating! :D
Hello! I'm shocked how I can't predict how Zhen Heng's character will develop in the novel since so far he's a main character and quite important to the overall plot for the series to completely wipe him off the story lol (I also think the series gave Wen ShiChu more screen time to replace Zhen Heng?). I'm guessing Zhen Heng would arise the emperor's suspicion, he's gonna view him as a threat and eventually kill him?? He's already suspicious of Xuan Qing I'm guessing Zhen Heng would plot/help Xuan Qing get with Zhen Huan later idk maybe even help Zhen Huan scheme to take down the Empress (the Empress dowager better stay out of it and not write that damn edict) and Ling Rong later ooooh that one would be exciting lol. Buttt if he dies early maybe Zhen Huan would take revenge on the Empress and Ling Rong idk I'm so excited for the novel updates I love them thanks alot!! Sorry what a long rant 😭
Caught this at 11:52 xD ok so ..... Lingrong uses her concubine money to hire Jiayi and live vicariously through her. However lingrong has a "2 birds. 1 stone" plan. Because Jiayi is of low status it implodes in a plot twist of "if I can't have Zhenheng nobody can!". Not to mention it makes Zhenhuan look bad and by default Lingrong looks better to the emperor.
@@1997aiya ooh good point! But hold on Ling Rong is poor her one motive is to get the emperor's interest so she can help her family's finance. I think the Empress knows LingRong likes Zhen Heng shes using Jia Yi to both scheme against Zhen Huan and blackmail LingRong? LingRong doesn't have enough influence to elaborate such big scheme I think the Empress is good with politics since the emperor got rid of Hua fei and her strong family she also wants Zhen Huan gone along with her family's rising power
Keep in mind, the lifespan back then was greatly reduced, especially for people in the Palace such as the Emperor and the concubines. Average life expectancy in Ancient China was 22-35 years in the 1700s, so she was right about being old LMAO
@Raunak-kq4dm Infant mortality =/= life expectancy. The average life expectancy was 22 - 35 in the 1700s, with the mean age of Emperors being ~45. Emperors often died young, even their own doctors would sometimes out live them, probably due to stress among other things. This is why girls married at 15 to replace themselves (Zhang, 1991) and why it was hard for Palace maids to marry once they were allowed to leave the Palace. They were allowed to leave at 25, however, they were already considered older, and most eligible bachelor's had been married off already. Outside of the Palace, the life expectancy on the high end was 30-40. The same goes for infants; inside the palace, they died early, whereas outside the palace they lived longer. Zhang D. (1991) Changes of marriage in Ancient China. Ren Kou Xue Kan, 2, 34-37.
Notes (WIP) the way I went literally breathless when you included clips from "Hwang Jin-i" (the 2006 drama), especially ep. 1 aka my most favorite moment aka the first few minutes when Baek-mu's _kisaeng_ were doing the _jeomgo_ (점고 點考, basically an attendance check in front of the Household/Census District Officer (호방 戶房, also in charge of a magistracy's _kisaeng_ roster))
Hwang Jin-Yi is my number 1 historical korean drama, absolutely adore that story and I'm pretty much going to be using JinYi as a JiaYi stand-in (even their names are similar!)
@@dramarecaps4217 1. imo "Hwang Jin-i" marked the start of the current trend of Korean historical dramas going for flashy visuals (e.g. period inaccurate attire) yet diminishing substance (e.g. plot points with forcedly "modern contexts" but no educational value) 2. Jin-i's name _hanja_ is 真伊 though...
@@盧璘壽로인수 I know nothing about Korean pronunciation/writing, I just remember seeing it romanized as "JinYi" watching the show and movie when I was younger. I see KBS now has it up as Jin-I and and movie still goes by JinYi. Looks like either one works 🤷
I don't know if you know, but there's a manga version of the books. Though it's hard to fallow, in each book of the mangas it covers a character outside of Zhen Huan. Look it up if you want. Can't do website cause I want this comment to show.
😮 Also Dr Wen helping to kill someone? The lovesick panic stricken doctor from the drama is a cold killer in the book? R we sure it was him? and not Dr Jiang from Ruyi? 🤨😒
OMG Ok, since you asked- Dr. Wen is so lovesick, and so NOT a cold killer. He absolutely hates hurting people and only does it for Zhenhuan. Just when they're having the conversation about Cao's death, Duan comments that this must have been hard on Dr. Wen 我略了低首，为了我，温实初总是肯的，哪怕是杀人，只要能保全我，他亦下了手，尽管他心底是不忍的。I bowed my head slightly. Wen Shichu was always willing as long as it was for me. Even if it meant killing someone, as long as it would keep me safe, he would do it, even if he couldn't bear it in his heart. 只是我，尽管感动温实初的所作所为，却并不十分放在心上。不知世间的女子是否和我一样，不爱的男子再付出，亦是不上心在意的。I was touched by his actions, but they didn't truly move my heart. I wonder if all women in the world are like me. No matter how much effort a man makes, if I don't love him then I don't care much. Dr. Wen is just as lovestruck and panicky, and Zhenhuan pretty much just uses him whenever he can be useful. What's tripping me up with that line is that she says he would do anything to keep her safe (which is true) but Cao posed no immediate danger to her, so she must have been at least a little dishonest when she explained to Dr. Wen why he needed to kill her (we didn't see that conversation).
@@dramarecaps4217 😂 thank u for explaining that! U r the best! 👏 but ZH is so cold and manipulative she knows he loves her and she will never love him but it won’t stop her from using that to her benefit.. if this was to take out Hua I get it but Cao wow 😬
Yea this first person stuff makes no sense in this context like 3:29 so ZH says “I asked my sister in law for a favor”, but I can’t/don’t know what it is? “ now we as the audience don’t know but at this point neither does ZH? 🤷♀️🤣🤦♀️
9:40 I thought Ling rong escaped the palace at nigth and turned herself into a courtesane just to be with the Zhen huan's brother xD Also I want to know where is 4° prince here? where is our "beloved" next emperor?
@@dramarecaps4217 same context as to when Shen Meizhuang & Wen Sichu "did it" despite the composition of the room and the servants ready to hear everything
@@盧璘壽로인수 I also wonder, in the novel, since this isn't based in Yongzheng's reign, what the total number of children born to the emperor is? I know that all the emperor's sons are born from Yixiu, Rouze, Consort Que, Zhen Huan, and Meizhuang, but I'm curious as to how many princesses are present in the novel.
@@SolitaryBee-wd5wf I already replied to this but it's not showing up for some reason... Edit + huge spoiler alert *11 surviving children in total* : 4 sons & 7 daughters sons: 1. *Zhou Yuze (周予澤)* - Zhu Yixiu's only child, *died 3 years old* 2. *unnamed fetus* - Zhu Rouze's only child, *died in utero* 3. *Zhou Yuli (周予漓)* - eldest prince, later Prince Qi (齊王); Tang Jing'yan, Consort Que's biological child; later *Zhu Yixiu's adopted son* 4. *Zhou Yupei (周予沛)* - 2nd prince, later Prince Jin (晉王); Xu Yan'yi, Consort Zhen's only son, born a few minutes earlier than Yuhan 5. *Zhou Yuhan (周予涵)* - 3rd prince, later Prince Zhao (趙王); Zhen Huan & Xuanqing's only son, twin brother of Princess Lingxi (see below); later *adopted into Xuanqing's lineage* 6. *Zhou Yurun (周予潤)* - 4th (youngest) prince, Shen Meizhuang & Wen Sichu's only child; initially Prince Chu (楚王), then Crown Prince, then *Zhengzhang Emperor (正章帝)* (changed his taboo name to "Shurun" (紓潤)) daughters: (note: Zhou princesses gain their titles upon marriage, and only have a sort of nickname as their name placeholder) 1. *Zhou Yunfei, Princess Shuhe (淑和帝姬 周雲霏)* - eldest princess; Lu Yingfei, Consort Xin's only child; prince consort not stated 2. *Zhou Liang'yu, Princess Wen'yi (温儀帝姬 周良玉)* - 2nd princess; Cao Qinmo, Consort Xiang's biological child; later Qi Yuebin, Consort Duan's adopted child; prince consort not stated 3. *Zhou Wan'wan, Princess Long'yue (朧月帝姬 周綰綰)* - 3rd princess, Zhen Huan's only child with Xuan'ling; later Feng Ruozhao, Consort Jing's adopted child; later *married off in Moge's khanate (prince consort unidentified)* , but in the supplemental epilogue *the prince consort is one of Moge's other sons* (probably the basis of why in "Legend of Ruyi" Dowager Empress Chongqing's eldest daughter Hengchou was a Mongolian bride) 4. *Zhou Zhen'li, Princess Hemu (和睦帝姬 周珍縭)* - 4th princess; Hu Yun'rong, Consort Xian's biological child; later Xu Yan'yi, Consort Zhen's adopted daughter; in the supplemental epilogue, *marries Lou Guiyuan* , 7th princess's original betrothed (see below) *after reaching 20 years old* (because Zhen Huan is a petty biotch and doesn't forget past grievances) 5. *Zhou Wenhuan, Princess Lingxi (靈犀帝姬 周韞歡)* - 5th princess; Zhen Huan & Xuanqing's eldest daughter, twin sister of Yuhan (see above); in the supplemental epilogue *tragically falls in love with her "cousin" Yuche* (Xuanqing & You Jingxian's only child), obviously Zhen Huan had to break up the Sweet-Home-Alabama romance without actually revealing the dirty truth, in the end *became a devout Buddhist in the palace* 6. *Princess Huaishu (懷淑帝姬)* - 6th princess, name unknown, _zhaoyi_ Jiang Qinshui's biological daughter with another man; Zhen Huan relocated the biological father away for mother & daughter's sakes 7. *Zhou Qian'yu, Princess Xuepo (雪魄帝姬 周芊羽)* - 7th (youngest) princess, Zhen Huan & Xuanqing's youngest daughter, supposedly Zhen Huan's favorite daughter; in the supplemental epilogue *underwent a prince consort selection contest (鳳台選號)* and the chosen winner was Lou Guiyuan, the eldest son of a provincial governor; the *pairing was later annulled when Qian'yu fell in love with Buddhist monk Song Yifeng (dharma name Chiyi (持逸))* when she went out of the imperial palace once and worshipped at Qingshui Temple, and since the pairing was obviously forbidden (Chiyi later left the temple for Qian'yu's sake) outdid her full-blooded sister Wenhuan (see above) by *becoming a bhikkhunī, supposedly for Zhen Huan's sake* ("為太后追福")
YanXi, definitely. I would love to do JinYi but korean drama companies are much more strict about hwo much footage is allowed on youtube :/ I may give it a try but a Korean drama I did in the past was deleted almost immediately
I wish you can see me watch this video because of all the gasping I was doing !!! a roller coaster of emotions and definitely adds to the pain of why ZH would decide to leave and only coming back for revenge.
Just how I feel reading the books! It would be so fun to somehow share reactions, the number of 'excuse me??"s and "WTF?!"s I blurt out while reading lol
@@dramarecaps4217 lol the closest I get to that is when I read books with Libby and I see hundreds of people underline or highlight the same area it makes me go "oh this part must be extra juicy"🤣🤣
Hey, question: do we ever get anything in this book of Zhen Huan being upset over this JiaYi scheme? If not, this really changes my understanding of the character i know she wanted to bring down Hua Fei, but damaging her brother's reputation to the point of no return? For revenge? I can see the Emperor doing this and not caring, but Zhen Huan? I mean everyone, including YuRao, even believed that it was true. I know they got lots of rewards, but nobody saw this coming back to bite them in the butt?
Sure! Zhenhuan's thinking is that their family is 100% all in on the emperor. They have to do whatever he asks, banking on him returning the favor later. Her brother's reputation is damaged but he now has the emperor's full respect, gratitude, protection, etc. It's not as if the emperor can't get him into any position he wants, or just give him a steady salary. The only reason they would need to worry about her brother's future is if something happens to the emperor, and at that point they have bigger issues.
Zhenhuan brainwashing herself in her internal monologue is so funny. I dislike it when character brainwash themselves for a reveal. It’s super cheap and it feels you’re obviously trying to have your cake and eat it too.
I'm glad they deleted the lingrong x zhenheng plot compared to all the romances in the drama it kinda leaves a bad taste in the mouth (even the emperor relationship with his old consort jing and duan were good for eye to watch)😅 they meet after lingrong was already imperial concubine so she can't really blame zhen huan for this she even killed a child if she treated zhen huan with absolute sincerity until hua fall i would be a bit understanding but she's more of Obsessive love interest(trope i hate)and feelings being mutual doesn't make it better lingrong was young and vulnerable but zhenheng is old and educated enough to know nothing should be between them so if he made a move or gave in to her attempt then he's nothing but a spoiled brat who took advantage of naive only to back off to live a happy life with his wife(from good background) and child 😑 The point is i like drama lingrong better i don't support her she's more of a young girl trying to find her place in the world and be her own person but fail because of her surroundings
That's a fair point about ZhenHeng being more mature than LingRong, he was only 19 when they met which is still very young in the modern day but should be pretty mature in that time period. Certainly more mature than a 15 year old in any case...
Yeah. Ngl but I really empathise with Linrong in the books. She really was done dirty. Also isn't it ironic how ZhenHeng brother's wife pulls a HuaFei.
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