1:55-2:16 references to SA, not explicit 0:53 I really had a whole theory about HaiLanCha just pretending to be a good guy. I think he's been in the palace as long as FH has (so when YL's sister was there) and had access to FH's clothes... But nope! He's just a good guy 😌
The way his mom acts, it’s like she has trauma from her own time in a harem drama. “I’ll kill those maids to protect my son” it kinda reminds me of Ruyi characters
At 6:43: the reason why the Emperor looks so horrified at Li Yu's suggestion is because at this stage in the drama, he's starting to develop a small crush on Yingluo. You can also see in her questioning scene at 5:15 that she's wearing a gold cloak - that cloak belongs to the Emperor! He had a servant give it to her so she can cover up.
When I tell you I *cackled*. Been doing that alot. This series is great about keeping you on your toes about the real enemies and real friends around the heroine. Most accurate harem experience ever.
I think the emperor doesn’t want to kill her not only cause of the empress but he’s struggling with his own feelings for Yinglou.. he dislikes her cause she’s not subservient to him but her attitude also intrigues him which confuses him so what he doesn’t understand he doesn’t like
Notes: -During the tea scene with the Emperor's relatives, we see ZhenHuan's kid, Hongyan! (In history, she was instead the child of Consort Qian.) -More speciality tea! Qianlong mentions that '三清茶/san qing cha', or 'Three Clear Tea', is being served. It's Longjing tea, brewed with snowmelt water, pine nuts, plum blossoms and fingered citron, which is also known as 'Buddha's hand'. Apparently, it was one of Qianlong's favorite teas, given that he invented the mixture himself, and even wrote poetry about it. He also intended it as a lesson--the 'three clears' he mentions while talking about it are 清廉/qinglian' (honesty), '清正/qingzheng' (clarity) and '清民/qingmin', (accountability). -The 6th Prince recites a poem which, historically, is attributed to him, called the 'Golden Goblet Hymn' (金樽吟/Jinzun Yin); it is about drinking wine and enjoying a carefree life. It's thought to have been written to clear himself of suspicion from his brother--to prove he was just a careless layabout, like Guo from LoZH, and therefore beneath notice. -Yingluo's father is so trashy. He tossed her in a river as a baby, left her sister to raise her instead, and then practically disowned her sister for 'shaming the family' and tried to discourage Yingluo from even going into the Forbidden City in the first place. Then, he threatens to kick her out of the family if she doesn't take Hongzhou up on his offer! All for a promotion and some money. Father of the year, right here folks. (I can't find any records of Hongzhou having a mistress from a Wei clan--he had a princess consort Hegong (with whom he had 5 sons and 1 daughter), and two side consorts, from the Janggiya and Cui clans.) Every time I watch that scene, with how smug and unapologetic he is, I get angry. I swear I wouldn't have lasted a week in that time period, because I'd snap and smack someone higher-ranked for me. -I cackled out loud when I looked back at the episode and realized what 'Ye Olde Nyquil' is: mantuoluo, AKA jimsonweed, devil's trumpet, thornapple, or Datura stramonium. It contains high levels of atropine, and has ritual uses for its' hallucogenic properties; it's also associated with witchcraft and vodou. In small doses, it induces unconciousness and disorientation, and was used in TCM to treat epilepsy and inflammation, and as an anesthetic. In large doses, it induces violent hallucinations, delirium, tachycardia, and amnesia. Hongzhou never saw it coming. -Doctor Ye Tianshi was a real person who wrote an influential medical treatise called 'Wen-re Lun', 'Discussion of Warm Diseases'. He put forth a theory that feverish diseases progressed through four stages: wei (defensive), qi (active), ying (nutrient-based) and xue (blood-based). He also recommended types of cooling remedies for treating fevers, and was the first to diagnose scarlet fever in China. He was never an Imperial Doctor IRL, but it makes sense to put a famous doctor from the era in the show, even if he was in his 70s at this point historically. -Hongzhou's mother, Dowager Noble Consort Yu (not the same Yu as Yu Pin, which means 'pleasant', the yu meaning 'prosperous', 裕.) was the longest surviving consort of the Yongzheng Emperor, dying at the ripe old age of 96! Her final title was Imperial Noble Consort Chunque ('pure and honest').
-"Chunque (純愨, 'pure and honest')" Really makes Consort Dowager Yu's character ironic in the show. -Also hate Yingluo's father for just being a terrible parent to his daughters (and if it's true, I especially dislike his part in keeping Yingluo away from Rongyin and Yongcong prior to the Lunar New Year fire scene since there's no consequences on his part for contributing to it).
(Spoilers ep 39) What do you mean about her dad keeping her away? Wasn't he simply injured so she went back to see him and take care of him? There wasn't anything deliberate on his end as far as I could tell
@@dramarecaps4217 Yeah, I know he's not technically at fault, but I still blame him for expecting Yingluo to take care of him even after all the crap he's put her through.
@@KC-ne1vithe audacity of expecting the baby you threw in the river to nurse you in your old age. Hope dude's wounds got flyblown as soon as our girl Yingluo left. 😒
I know Fu Heng unwittingly made things worse, but I respect him for trying to bring about a resolution via "lawful good" route. It's for Yinglou's protection and it's thinking about the future. Lawful good and chaotic good will clash terribly if both are hard-headed, but if they're willing to open their minds and consider each others' perspectives, they'll be good allies. After all, there is a season for every reason--a time to reap, a time to sow, etc. Yinglou is the heroine I need these days. ❤
I kinda disagree, and while the show definitely shows both perspectives, I think it also shows that Fuheng was wrong. He made the woman he loves bow and thank her sister's rapist. The episode also shows the Empress isn't impressed at all with his meddling, and she calls him out for it. Ultimately Fuheng is an upper class man who, while he is trying to help Yingluo, can't understand the humiliation A'man and now Yingluo went through at the hands of the Prince.
I remember thinking it must be fuheng or hailancha being the bad guy and by the end of the series, I was heartbroken for hailancha and fuheng. It was like they were only apart of the show in the beginning and then got sidelined for Yinglou's romance arc. Bros both deserved so much better. 😢
I never suspected FuHeng but I did wonder if they were messing with us by having HLC be such a good guy and he would turn out to be the one who attacked YL's sister!
I feel so awful for Ning and Yinglou. Their father is garbage. Like, if in the afterlife I found out I was somehow posthumously married to my r*pist, I would haunt the sh*t out of everyone in the forbidden city.
It's been some time since I watched this drama and I forgot this scene were the empress speaks so bluntly to Yingluo and makes her swear to give up on vengeance. But it is actually such a good scene because it shows all the affection the empress has for Yingluo, and how much potential she sees in her. She is not berating her servant because of some petty drama. No, she is talking honestly to her servant because she wants to protect her and wants her to realise the danger she is in. Yingluo is hurt by the cold words of the empress, but she also realises that the empress is only looking out for her and trying to protect her. Yeah I'm a big fan of the empress, she such a beautiful character. Strong and protective, yet also caring and nurturing. She stays true to herself until the end (kinda like Ruyi) and that makes her such a beautiful character 🥰
I think Fuheng was jut trying to prevent Yingluo from the fate LiYu proposed, she wouldn't get justice because the one who wronged her sister is from the royal family, it would be covered up, she would be killed. And I think the Emperor not liking the idea of that it's either: 1. they are trying to portray the emperor as a high moral person. 2. She's his wife's favorite maid. 3. He likes her enough to not want to kill her.
i think the emperor's reaction is also a way to tip the audience off that it wasn't him who ordered to kill a'man, even though he usually covers up for hongzhou
I was quite naive at first when I watched this drama , I thought that Yingluo did not forgave him but since his father made the choice to forgave him she would stop her revenge !!!
So Daddy Wei is just the worst parent alive. He threw Yinglou in the river as a newborn because another girl was useless, tried to stop her from coming into the palace to investigate her sister's innocence and disowned his victimised dead daughter for his reputation. I wont even go into him giving up his daughters life for a promotion and status. As for YingNing I don't see a better path than her being a posthumous concubine. Its a sad fact that you had to marry your rapist quickly to save your reputation in those days. Women basically had no rights and had to fight tooth and nail for power. Its tragic but if I was Ying Lou I would abuse it. This legally makes a prince of the royal family linked to the Wei family and I would publicize it. That would make the Emperor more reluctant to kill the last in- law for Hongzhou’s reputation plus the status as the Empress’ maid and then I would take him down. I really wish Fuheng made Hongzhou take responsibility without involving Ying Lou because then he would be none the wiser; the worst father of the series would still have his promotion and Ying Lou would have the status with it afterwards. The Wei family would be one of the most powerful baoyi families for their loyalty to the royal family.
your recaps always strike just the right balance of detailed recap, character analysis, and personal opinion. I'm amazed how fast you produce them as well! thanks for sharing them
Thank you! It actually takes forever to make these, I just upload them all at once when I'm just about done- I couldn't actually produce at this pace haha 😆
It's not the actor's fault, but Hongzhou just has way too many teeth stuft into his face, and the evil voice in my head keeps calling him Prince Teefs 😬
omg yes!!! i just wrote my own comment about his teeth lol They're so distracting and odd looking. Obviously they're veneers or something but they're so bad!
Those veneers glow in the dark😅 everything is under a yellow filter and his teeth are just blindingly blue white It's so anachronistic it's insane. I don't think he can play a non villainous character with those teeth😅
@@dramarecaps4217 I didn't know it was the teeth at first but something about him hit the uncanny valley for me in the Hailan one they did and it finally clicked that it was his teeth after somebody else mentioned it.
This is one of favorite Yinglou takedowns and also my least favorite.. her set up of Hongzhou and her begging the emperor to save her was perfect.. he was so speechless,but to me where it went wrong was she made the emperor suspicious, she has immediately regained composure and her mind is working like she’s her own defense attorney considering the emperor already dislikes she should have played it like a wronged servant.
I gotta admit, while I logically understand why Fu Heng did this, I was so angry when he exposed YL like that xD Even before I finished the drama I felt like she could handle this. (I mean look how well she handled him when she's just a maid!!!) Telling the prince only ensured he would know who yingluo is. But also, as someone who finished the drama, this is not out of character for the dummy. Not even addressing, potentially, one of the shittiest fathers i've ever seen in a Cdrama. Though, to FH credit, he obviously couldn't have anticipated that part. And oh man, that judgment on the mom, just gonna save that audio clip to post ironically in a future episode of yours uwu Also, I agree with the others, it's not that the Emperor doesn't *know* that he could kill YL. It's just to show that he's a better person than most, because when someone actually dared to speak the idea, he shut it down. Hongli, as we will learn, can absolutely be savage as an emperor. But he's got a good head on his shoulders ultimately.
See what's hard about FH is that we as the audience have this view where we know nothing will ever happen to YL, she is 100% protected at all times. But in the story world, FH doesn't know that so of course he does things that he thinks he has to to protect her. Like you said, it's not out of character. And for me though it can annoy me at times, I never feel really angry at him because it's clearly coming from having a good heart and wanting to do everything he can for the person he loves. YL's dad should be drowned in a lake Yeah.... Dead wrong about her 🤣🤣 Mmmm yeah I guess I can see that? But also, are you really being a good person if the reason you're being nice to someone is that you're attracted to them? Would he be like this for any random maid? Idk...
@dramarecaps4217 That is a big part of why I forgive him, unlike a later scene where he really just jumps the gun being overprotective, here he was just afraid because he knew what both YL and the prince were like and was terrified if she would survive the inevitable clash she was going to head towards. As for the mom, don't worry, I fell for it too on my first watch. Was gobsmacked at the reveal. Also, while the emperor DOES like YL, I don't think his refusing to kill her had anything to do with that here. He just knows his beloved wife adores her, his brother was very obviously in the wrong, and while he's not going to kill or seriously punish his brother for a random maid nor is he going to kill his wife's beloved servant for his brother. If it was a random maid? I'd like to believe, in those same circumstances, he still probably wouldn't have her killed. But Hongli never hears about YL's sister and so we don't get to hear how he might react to a similar but more distant situation.
@@imogencrusader6306 That's a very fair stance. And he does seem to have a strong sense of justice, he certainly doesn't seem cruel to his servants (aside from the kicking 😂). The reason though that I think it had more to do with his attraction to her than his love for the empress is that when it comes to choosing between the two(when the empress begs him not to split up FH and YL), he chooses his attraction to YL. Then again, there's quite some time between that and this, so feelings changing over time is perfectly natural. It makes sense that it started from wanting to do right by his wife, and then changed into something else
These episodes are the reason I never really supported Fu Heng/YL. Fu Heng, time and time again, makes decisions for YL without including her in them. He thinks he knows best for her future. Yes, it's to keep her safe, but it's immensely unfair to her to not even be included in these decisions. It just leaves a sour taste in my mouth.
He crosses over into lawful stupid for me. Like he's always doing so much to be good that he's willing to do damage in the name of his morals. That's what he said to his sister He just doesn't get why what he did was wrong
I do support them, but trying to consider things from the other side, this ended up being the conclusion I came to as well. And I can understand that argument. A partnership should be just that, not one person taking on the role of a parent and making unilateral decisions.
First time I watch the DC Yu, I struggled distinguishing the DC Yu from Yu Pin and sometimes from the Empress... the three of them look the same from certain angles!
Im surprised dowager consort yu whipped hongzhou herself. They usually get their maids to do it on their behalf. Or maybe by doing it herself in front of the emporer's palace for everyone to see it makes it more dramatic that she is personally punishing him
At that point, the only thing she *could* do for her son was punish him so very publicly, harshly, and with her own hand. In doing so she underlined to the Emperor how any harsh punishment of Hongzhou would also impact her since she loved him so fiercely and took full responsibility for failing to raise him properly, and the very shameful public whipping would strike a tiny touch of sympathy. Those were her only chances to impact the punishment and hopefully have it reduced. And hey, it worked; her son's head is still on his neck!
You totally nailed it with this breakdown 👏 (Spoillerrrssssss) Yu is quite interesting to me in that she practices what she preaches to her son about hiding his true desires, laying low, not competing with those who are on top, etc. Seeing her true personality come out, it's crazy to think how many years she's spent playing the docile dowager. She must spend so much time calculating her moves and how she will be perceived
YESSS she's doing this on purpose, taking this matter ( his punishment) into her own hands so her son won't suffer too much at the hands of the emperor .. ..
Mom of HongZhou did it to show to Emperor that he already had a punishment. She beat him to show that supposedly the punishment had already been carried out and the Emperor would have had no choice but to agree with her and not punish HongZhou harder.
That episode was one of the saddest of the whole series for me because of how much Yingluo’s sister meant to her and others. She was so loved and to have dead because he raped her is so unfair. To say he would marry her is an insult! The sad reality is, what does Yinglou want? Punishing him won’t bring her sister back, and even killing him won’t. Will this make her happy or satisfy her want for revenge? It’s the sad reality this world just isn’t fair. The empress calling Yinglou a victim and not a witness touched my heart, that she couldn’t let the victim be killed. Then Yinglou put herself in a dangerous position because I was scared Hongzhou was about to get the right to marry her! I thought he was about to claim her, and what happened if he did in fact over power her. She’s taking such risks I’m so worried for her.
@@imogencrusader6306 Ya because what is left for Yinglou? I feel the reason she is borderline superhuman in her ability to plot and plan is from her drive of revenge. I imagine her sister didn’t want this life for her. It’s also the biggest flaw to her character that she let the possibility of love and happiness go forever in her quest for revenge.
Thanks so much again for covering this series, it has a very special place in my heart! Would you be willing to also cover Yanxi Palace Princess Adventures? It’s a mini sequel to this drama only about 6 episodes long? I’m curious to see your recap/opinion on it!! 🥰🥰
@@dramarecaps4217 Yeah it’s about one of her daughters, Zhaohua! When I first discovered it on Netflix I was very surprised since most dramas I’ve seen usually don’t have a sequel 😊
I knew yingluo cunning and smart It's when yingluo makes this plan to kill the prince in the garden I realized wow 😅 yingluo vicious and wicked also realized yingluo and fuheng flaws yingluo is literally seems that she never cared about consequences of her actions yes mostly were necessary but either way worst case her death she only had recently people she cares doesn't realized it would harm them I mean they're lucky the emperor cares about the empress that he won't blame her for not putting her maid in the line or even defending her in front of him As for fuheng he's almost like his sister she wants to be perfect empress and he wants to be a perfect subject which i feel like one of the reasons he told the prince the truth and just like her now thanks to yingluo he's becoming this daring to his superiors
How YingLou ever considered marrying FuHeng after this I don’t know I would have never forgiven him let alone want to marry him. I don’t ship FuHeng and YingLou because he’s always doing things HE thinks are best for her without even asking if it’s what she wants. He considers her but really doesn’t.
Actally, considering how raped women were treated at the time, offering to marry her posthumously (thus allowing her to be considered pure ) is sort of the least he could do.
Have you seen The Legend of Hao Lan? It has Yinglou and the Emperor and the head eunuch. I don't like it as much as this one or Ruyi, but it's still interesting.
I have not! I haven't actually seen many Chinese dramas of this sort since starting this channel because I kept thinking I might recap them one day so I wanted to hold off. And now I'm like 4 years behind haha 😂
Not at all, I'm saying his being so disliked is one of the reasons why this has become such a big deal (with people calling for his head). My point is that the act itself isn't what's got everyone pulling out the pitchforks, it's the other factors. We find out in the next episode that he did not kill her, his mother did in an afford to make sure she couldn't tell anyone
I couldn't take the prince mom nice act seriously for she totally dress up like villain and her action are just to not make things get worse for them not because of morals 😑 i mean her beating made it sound like they're seriously repenting publicly and was able to shut and pull her son away before he makes things worse as for her kneeling and begging it's more like in some stories where the villainess acts pitiful and people can't help but be lenient with her
Did you feel that way before seeing the future episodes? You're more perceptive than I am then because I thought she seemed sincerely disappointed in her son
How am I just realizing that Yingluo burned the ye olde Nyquil to make Hongzhou fall unconscious?? 😭😭😭 Edit: wait, now that I think about it, she was burning the candles, but she couldve burned the wax and mixed in the YON to make it possible. can someone help? :(
It's my fault! I said the smoke from the candle knocked him out but what she actually lighted was a 火折子 (flame stick) which is used to light candles. The smoke was coming from that. WuXua wanderings has a great article on flame sticks, let me give you an excerpt: "Basically you ignite the material in the tube, then extinguish it, but not all the way, instead leaving some smoldering embers you then carry around in the tube so you can reignite it later." wuxiawanderings.com/flame-stick/ But you're spot on about the YON, she somehow introduced it to the burning materials so that the smoke would have that effect, it's why she was covering her mouth
Fuheng.. I love him 😍he knows that Hongzhou is a disgusting human being but he is completely protected and Yinglou could be possibly/probably be killed by going after him.
I know hongzho is a horrible person but I love that actor so much lol. If anyone hasn’t seen “Arsenal military Academy” you should definitely give it a watch! He plays a very good man lol. 🤍
![YanXi Palace [Episodes 23-25] Recap + Review](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
