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extrapenguin...but first, if you've wanted Xiao Jinghuan's Downfall icons, I have an album of medium-sized square-or-almost screengrabs on Imgur. (The size is so you can crop it closer if you feel like it.) Feel free to use wherever. I might make a more inclusive (ie, includes people other than Yu) version and requests are welcome. Do you want people being all down and defeated, or is happiness allowed? There'll be a Nihuang in armor atop horse with spear, and a Jingyan holding up hand in armor atop horse (that scene from ep 44), but other than that, suggestions welcome.
Now, on to the main program.
The scheming comes to a resolution! Princess Laiyang was the one behind Consort Shu's death and the Donghai Vermillion Glue plot – at least, the investigation ended there. Puyang Ying seems to be kinda-sorta masterminding that/using it for his own purposes, as well as masterminding the other, Duan Tongzhou-using schemes against Changlin. Laiyang is also the worst at lying, but I suppose sexism would work to her benefit and no-one would suspect her in the first place.
How'd Laiyang get poison that the Imperial Doctors didn't detect, anyway? Surely it should've come up in the autopsy? What did Prince Laiyang Sr do, anyway, that would cut off Jingyan's favor for him and also have Tingsheng kill him?
Lin Xi only appeared briefly in these eps, but her deductive skills were excellent – from the nature of the crime, she deduced it was possibly a noblewoman. Pingjing's being surprisingly mature about his betrothal. Yun-jie behaved a tad suspiciously in ep 9; she might come up later. The Empress was behaving quite suspiciously with the letter-handover, and while the Emperor might've missed it, Pingjing and Pingzhang didn't seem to.
Pingzhang and Meng Qianxue are very cute together, and Meng Qianxue is good with her sword. I see that Tingsheng inherited Xiao Xuan's (granddadperor?) tendency to throw things when angry. The empty tablet in the ancestral hall was a nice touch, and the speech on what it was for was inspiring. (Jingyan probably wanted to give them one that read Prince Qi.) The fact that Pingzhang is adopted, too – idk what they'll go for here, but it sort of fits that the adopted son would name the adopted son as heir. Also, Pingzhang is way more mature. (For maximum drama, Pingzhang should be Prince Yu's posthumous son – he even looks a bit like him – but the ages don't match at all. Alas, Yu-son would be the Emperor's age.) The mention of Prince Ning was nice – it seems that Jingting lives/lived as a valued uncle.
Pingjing and Feizhan's investigative partnership was fun to watch! They seem to get on well together. Much better than Pingjing and politics. (Someone get the kid on a politics course stat.) He certainly didn't inherit that aptitude from his father. Pingjing is, however, a genuinely open and honest person, and good at comforting eg Yuanqi. His shocked face in reaction to the Pingzhang is adopted revelation was also adorable.
Nirvana in Fire had a much more vivid color palette with way more warm colors and reds and shiny stuff. NiF 2 seems much cooler and blue-greener. Best dressed so far are Pingjing and the Empress.
Now, on to the main program.
The scheming comes to a resolution! Princess Laiyang was the one behind Consort Shu's death and the Donghai Vermillion Glue plot – at least, the investigation ended there. Puyang Ying seems to be kinda-sorta masterminding that/using it for his own purposes, as well as masterminding the other, Duan Tongzhou-using schemes against Changlin. Laiyang is also the worst at lying, but I suppose sexism would work to her benefit and no-one would suspect her in the first place.
How'd Laiyang get poison that the Imperial Doctors didn't detect, anyway? Surely it should've come up in the autopsy? What did Prince Laiyang Sr do, anyway, that would cut off Jingyan's favor for him and also have Tingsheng kill him?
Lin Xi only appeared briefly in these eps, but her deductive skills were excellent – from the nature of the crime, she deduced it was possibly a noblewoman. Pingjing's being surprisingly mature about his betrothal. Yun-jie behaved a tad suspiciously in ep 9; she might come up later. The Empress was behaving quite suspiciously with the letter-handover, and while the Emperor might've missed it, Pingjing and Pingzhang didn't seem to.
Pingzhang and Meng Qianxue are very cute together, and Meng Qianxue is good with her sword. I see that Tingsheng inherited Xiao Xuan's (granddadperor?) tendency to throw things when angry. The empty tablet in the ancestral hall was a nice touch, and the speech on what it was for was inspiring. (Jingyan probably wanted to give them one that read Prince Qi.) The fact that Pingzhang is adopted, too – idk what they'll go for here, but it sort of fits that the adopted son would name the adopted son as heir. Also, Pingzhang is way more mature. (For maximum drama, Pingzhang should be Prince Yu's posthumous son – he even looks a bit like him – but the ages don't match at all. Alas, Yu-son would be the Emperor's age.) The mention of Prince Ning was nice – it seems that Jingting lives/lived as a valued uncle.
Pingjing and Feizhan's investigative partnership was fun to watch! They seem to get on well together. Much better than Pingjing and politics. (Someone get the kid on a politics course stat.) He certainly didn't inherit that aptitude from his father. Pingjing is, however, a genuinely open and honest person, and good at comforting eg Yuanqi. His shocked face in reaction to the Pingzhang is adopted revelation was also adorable.
Nirvana in Fire had a much more vivid color palette with way more warm colors and reds and shiny stuff. NiF 2 seems much cooler and blue-greener. Best dressed so far are Pingjing and the Empress.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-23 21:17 (UTC)I'm so curious about what happened with Yuanqui's dad. Generally I prefer "what will the characters do" to "what do the characters know that we don't" stories, but I liked the reveal of Pingzhang's adoption. It neatly explains why Pingzhang is totally fine with it that the Emperor prefers Pingjing and that Pingzhang also thought Pingjing should be the heir of Chang Lin. I'm looking forward to finding out the story behind it. (And where Pingjing ran: either to his father or just somewhere to clear his head.)
I really like Pingzhang and Qianxue together. (Not too thrilled that he's keeping secrets from her, but I hope he'll tell her eventually and just wanted to tell Pingjing first.)
I wonder where Duan Tongzhou is. Did Puyang just not bother with him anymore once he got Marquis Mozi to come? Is he still around?
I'm really curious in which direction the Empress' storyline will go. She seems like someone who's not really originally suited to the scheming in the Inner Palace, who had to learn but isn't that great at it. I was surprised that she knew what Laiyang did (except the curses), she's lucky nobody found out yet but Tingsheng and Pingzhang definitely noticed how nervous she was. I hope she'll grow a backbone and see through Puyang, but I kind of doubt it.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-24 08:45 (UTC)I do like some "things are slowly revealed about backstory" plots, as long as there's also a sufficiently interesting front-story going on. There'll be more about backstories, and I never felt like we were intentionally being kept away from information.
With the cosmetics box, I understand Pingzhang wanting to confirm the information before telling Qianxue about the fact someone intentionally hurt her/the potential for a cure that may not exist. They're cute, but Pingzhang definitely has a bit too much of MCS's attitude towards explaining things to his loved ones.
Duan Tongzhou should still be around. The Empress... well, you'll see eventually. Laiyang was a Prince and did shit Jingyan would've disapproved of heavily, so I don't think it was that heavily covered up/might've been used as a warning example and in any case is part of the Imperial family, so I'm not surprised she'd know. The Emperor probably mentioned it when they got married, if she wasn't told before. (One thing that does sort of confuse me is how younger bro Laiyang has an adult son, while big bro Emperor's eldest isn't even a teenager. What gave?)
no subject
Date: 2018-01-24 22:23 (UTC)I just assumed that the Emperor either had many older daughters, who are by now married off, or that several children were stillborn or died early.
I was surprised to learn that Jingyan had five sons: one became the Emperor, we know one died, but I would have expected to see the other three in court. In season 1 even Prince Ji, who had no interest at all in politics, was at court often. If none of the other Imperial Brothers show up at court then it's even more understandable the ministers are worried about Tingsheng being there all the time. Or maybe the others died too? Maybe I'll find out what happened to them later.
no subject
Date: 2018-01-25 07:39 (UTC)Lots of daughters works.
It's mentioned later on that Jingyan had four sons plus Tingsheng. The Emperor and dead Laiyang are the Empress's kids, the other two are by different consorts/concubines. One of them gets mentioned as having an adult son. Both of them would seem to be alive? IDK. Focus and cast herd limiting, I guess. Even if Prince Ji (or an equivalent persona) were present and alive, I don't think the Xuns would be happy, since Ji stayed out of politics, despite coming to chat with the Emperor.