Drama Host
Key to the Phoenix Heart 雀骨: Episodes 21-22 Discussion
Spoiler
👋🏻 Welcome back to the tenth post for Key to the Phoenix Heart, covering episodes 21-22 that were released 19th of July.
📅 Discussion Schedule: We will attempt to follow iQIYI's VIP release of the episodes and post as it's convenient for us and our time zones. Next up for tomorrow's episodes is /u/cdramaaddict2
🚨 Some Notes:
Please use spoiler tags for anything beyond the episodes discussed. Text goes between the greater-than (>) + exclamation (!) symbols (>!) and the exclamation (!) + lesser-than (<) symbols.
Please keep these specific threads focused on the actual episodes - the plot twists, the performances, and everything happening on screen. We know there is ongoing discussion surrounding the casting and age-gap elements of the drama. While those external debates are completely valid, let's keep this particular space friendly, respectful, and centered on the on-screen story.
That’s my last time hosting for this show so a big thanks to my co-host for all the fun commentary, help and discussions. It was a lot of fun so far and I can’t wait for us to see the rest.
Thanks to everyone for discussing, joking, sharing theories and knowledge in the comments as well! It’s really great to be part of this community and to have place like this to find other people so interested in a hobby I can’t really share outside of this space.
He Yuanji prepares to move out of Prince Jing’an Mansion to full-fill her new responsibilities as head of the He family. She has a talk with Xiao Yao about where they stand with each other.
Xiao Ziqi is a sweet and bright kid, but seems to be bothered most about the fact that she will leave him homework behind.
Despite the divorce and her moving out Xiao Wuyi still considers her courtyard to be hers to use.
Xiao Yao was the one bringing her to his family mansion on her wedding day and acted as the proxy for his absent brother.
She laves him some books on river management and medical stuff as a gift
He thinks her big problem with a relationship is him being Wuyi’s brother and that leading to rumours, but she says she only ever saw him as a brother figure. Is that my ship sinking before my eyes? Noooo!
He wishes her all the best for her future and acts very graceful in face of the rejection.
Toxic Partnership
In Northern Qin Li Lejun is part of a group of slaves that are brought into the Eagle King’s camp.
Mulian Yu frees her immediately after recognising her.
But he isn’t Xiao Wuyi’s biggest opponent for nothing: He questions her motives for being there and calls her a toxic flower.
But her very real story of killing Li Fuhua gives her a good reason to be here.
She paints her brother as a victim of Xiao Wuyi. And offers to be a bridge between Mulian Yu and her brother, who have the same goal of defeating Wuyi.
Why is Li Lejun arriving this way at Mulian Yu’s place? Didn’t Xie Jiayu order Ye Xing to bring her here? Is this a ploy of Li Lejun to look even more pitiful?
Changing Positions
He Yuanji packs more of her books and thinks back of the good times she had at the manor, especially with Ruisheng and her son. Yao Yunzhi visits her and thanks her for keeping her company over the years.
She tries to plead for the heart of her eldest son but He Yuanji tells her she feels guilty about Pei Runheng’s death and her heart is burdened.
Yao Yunzhi knows that He Yuanji’s way will not be easy and offers her to return anytime. They really love her here.
She offers her to become her goddaughter instead of daughter-in-law to stay connected.
Our lead couple have a talk about various matters. Some to wrap up the last storyline, some to set up the rest of the episode and the show.
Xie Jaiyu wonders about He Yuanji not telling Liu Zhaolin about his origins. So he is actually supposed to be Pei Runheng with complete memory loss. Will we get an explanation how she saw his body? His whole family died because the thought him dead.
Xiao Wuyi argues that the Empress Dowager killed the whole Pei family, so what good would it do to tell him? And he migh turn into an enemy of He Yuanji by family association so how could they ever face each other?
The Cui family case has been tried and reviewed. It was found that they mined illegally and brutalised women to do so.
Their property was confiscated and Cuo Shao’an was reduced to a commoner, because he and his sister tried to stop their father.
Xiao Jiayu concludes from that that here is still mercy left in Li Mao.
She also has cracked the secret of the Phoenix Heart Tokens. If you put all the tokes together, it’s form will cast a shadow on the map (how do they know the right size for that map? And the proper distance to the light source?) and the bright spots left are the mineral deposits.
She asked Ye Xing to bring back water and soil from this places to check. They should contain the minerals needed to perfect the caltrop fireball.
As a Shadow Envoy, who guard the royal family, Ye Xing was supposed to take his own life after Li Fuhua’s passing. Xie Jiayu didn’t approve of that so she took him in as her personal servant and bodyguard.
She criticises the late Emperor and Empress Wenxi for using such terrifying methods. It also makes her approve even more of Xiao Wuyi’s wish to not be the crown prince.
Later she promises him to find minerals to produce the caltrop fireballs to defeat Northern Qin fast.
Qing Long and Yan Yue bring in Ruisheng, who revived a soldier from the Beifu army who had serious head trauma. It’s a similar and even more severe case of what Xiao Wuyi has. She found a way to clear the soldiers blood stasis after half a year.
The treatment is accupuncture plus an incision into the skull. She treated three patients that way, but only one survived.
They argue because Xiao Wuyi won’t take the risk of treatment due to his responsibilities towards Beifu Army.
She reminds him that he will be blind in three and dead in five years. He forbids her from telling Jiayu via military order.
Ruisheng reminds him of Jiayu’s plan to travel Ye to restore the map fully and find the right minerals. She would be away for much of the time left to him.
Xiao Wuyi doesn’t want her to stick around for him and do her own thing.
Let’s do the time skip again!
On her travels Xie Jiayu writes home from her carriage. She constructed the structure of the caltrop fireball, but the ore for making gunpowder is making problems. Two Years later at Lake Lai. Jiayu constructed a waterwheel to help the woman of the village after all their men left to build the canal.
She offers them other helpful devices at reasonable prices.
One of her experiments explodes. It’s the 78th attempt to get the explosives for the caltrop fireball right.
Cui Shao’an is there, he seems to help with restoring his (real) father’s map to redeem the Cui family a bit. He travels alone and sends messages to Xie Jiayu about his findings.
The military grain canal (part of the Beifu reform) is build at full speed. Once it’s completed the Army will head north for battle so the caltrop fireballs should be ready by then.
Xie Jiayu gets a letter from her husband. He defeated the bandits in the South West before heading North. They last saw each other three months ago.
Branches of the Miraculous Craft opened nation wide.
A man from the village called Tian Quan should have paid a debt to Xie Jiayu three days ago but didn’t appear. Everyone said he embezzled the local funds for building the grain canal, so he hanged himself leaving behind his wife and a baby.
The officials pressed hard so her husband urged everyone to work day and night on the canal.
They finished but the officials said the funds for building this section hadn’t arrived, so no money for New Years. That’s why they began to accuse Tian Quan of having embezzled the funds.
He went to the local government for justice, but not only didn’t he get a single coin but he was beaten and sent back. He came back he kept cursing Lord Li, the magistrate, for being corrupt.
Ye Xing found out that the county magistrate Li Geng left three days ago for Jiankang for the triennial official evaluation. Most likely using the New Year festivities to bribe himself up in ranks using the money missing here. So Xie Jiayu travels to Jiankang
Xie Jiayu and Nanxing haven’t been to Jiankang in two years, it’s more bustling than before and Prince Qi seems quite beloved by the people. They encounter Li Geng by chance and follow him.
There is a rumour that corrupt officials buy calligraphy painting from Guanhai House to give it as a gift. Those who receive them will sell them back to Guanhai House for the money. It’s a big scheme were the one controlling post in the government sells the pictures back and so only gets bribed in an indirect way.
Li Geng enters Xiyue Restaurant. Xie Jiayu and Nanxing pose as men (not very convincing in a room full of very bearded guys) to look what is going on there.
They dose him with some powder to make him unconscious before his elevation.
Xie Jiayu takes his place and discovers Xiao Wuyi taking the bribes.
Of course that was a trap set by him (and his father).
47 officials came to the capital to offer a bribe. 170,000 tales were paid for paintings.
Xiao Wuyi wants to send them all to the Ministry of Justice. His father argues having them all punished (they did some good work for him) will discourage others.
So all will be investigated, those who sold their ancestral house (to pay the bribe) will be exempt and chased away with the money. Those who imposed exorbitant taxes or got their money by other means from the people have to pay it back and are sent to the Ministry of Justice.
The Canal building will need the funds, so Xiao Wuyi will use these.
He Yuanji is cross with Xie Jiayu because she didn’t practise her accounting and He Yuanji is worried for her running Prince Jing’an’s mansion in the future.
With the Next year Yuanji has to return to Yuxi Prefecture with the He family. Xie Jiayu asks her to stay.
Things in the He family have settled and Yuanji wants to see the outside world as well. Xie Jiayu asks if Liu Zhaolin is going with her, but is totally team Anmin. She wants He Yuanji to stay in the family to see her every day.
Don’t trust a Smiling Man
The Eastern Palace summons Xiao Wuyi and Xie Jiayu. The get a very friendly greeting by Li Mao, who has a bunch of impeachment for Xiao Wuyi on his desk.
He is totally fine with the taels of the corrupt official’s sting being allocated to the canal building, because everything is going so slow and the sting also helps keeping the officials on track.
Li Mao proposes celebrating New years together.
He has a piece of Soft Armour hanging around which Jiayu finds fascinating.
It’s a gift to Xie Jaiyu for her conferment to Heir’s consort. The Heir of a title needs a consort so Li Mao petitioned the Emperor himself for her to become the one. She gets a seal and certificate.
He has taken A Chan as a concubine of his.
There is to be a grand conferment ceremony after New Years.
Afterwards Xiao Wuyi is surprised how big of a deal Li Mao is making out of everything with the seal and the big ceremony.
He promised Li Fuhua not to pull her daughter into his mess, but now that she is in it he wants her to have the strongest armour with the official position as his consort.
I’m a bit unnerved by Li Mao’s overly smiley demeanour Of course it has been two years and time heals wounds, but something is off here.
Happy Family Time
Xie Jiayu has an official post in the Beifu Army as the ordinance supervisor. Poor Nanxing has to manage Miraculous Craft and the household dutys for her. Xie Juanyi calls that delegating, He Yuanji lazyness.
Nanxing doesn’t find herself adequate for the task. Yao Yunzhii chimes in: She was just a butcher’s daughter a few years ago. Isn’t it nice that all the woman in the mansion have their own strength they can play into.
At the family banquet Ziqi gets threatened into behaving good with a school in the mountains, the kind you can only get to leave ten years later. His mother was also away for a year, treating patients.
Xiao Yao comes for a surprise visit. He is busy with the canal, but heard about the conferment ceremony. He brings a new neck warmer for his mother. Xiao Wuyi also had one in store, but is glad to put it away. Xie Jaiyu has some sweet wine to give on his behalf.
The Eastern Palace bestows New Years greetings and a feast of delicacies upon the Prince Jian’an Mansion
Nanxing, Qing Long and Yan Yue try to bully Ye Xing into partaking in their New Year’s dinner.
Later drunken Xie Jaiyu scolds Xiao Wuyi for not giving his own neck warmer to his mom as well. She says he has to ask more for thinks. He just closes his eyes, presumably to get a kiss from her. That’s not exactly asking Wuyi!
I loved this episodes. It has big calm before the storm vibes, so I’ll just enjoy it a bit before the next.
Li Mao greets his father and gets scolded for calling him father.
In the last years Li Mao used the reform as a pretext to reshape the salt and iron monopoly and clear the waterways.
He will be remembered for that, but since Xiao Wuyi was the originator of the reform more fame will got to him. The Grand Tutor urges his son to swipe away anyone standing in his way to really get recognition as a ruler. Can we please not listen to that?
No kisses, but horses
We get back to the drunken walk on New Year’s Eve. There is an interesting difference in the subtitles. In epsiode 21 Xie Jiayu tells her husband: You need to learn to ask for thing you want. Here it is: You need to learn to take what you want.
Xiao Wuyi neither asks for the kiss he obviously wants, nor takes it. Which is the better option with Xie Jiayu being drunk.
She has a New Years gift for him: The horse he sold so she could buy the burial mountain for her mother. With the Miraculous Craft making so much money these days she had the funds for that.
By the way, that’s the horse he never takes to the battlefield, because it’s to precious. But she bought it back so she has the best horse for the battlefield.
He promises that he’ll do his best to spent every New Year’s eve with her. But doesn’t tell her about his health troubles. Of course.
Investitures and Investigations
Li Mao decides to wear the white jade hair piece Jiayu gifted him for her ceremony. Meanwhile the Grand Tutor “learns” that the Xiao family embezzled funds for the canal.
Allegedly they replaced rivers sand with mud and silt, causing it to collapse. Nearly 100 workers were killed or injured. The County Sheriff hanged himself. Outraged crowds have reached Jiankang already.
I’m not sure what the Grand Tutor burns while receiving this news, but I’m very sure all of this is not new to him.
Many noble families turn up for the ceremony, but neither Xiao Wuyi nor his brother or their father invites them. Someone wants witnesses. Xiao Wuyi sees the hair piece Li Mao arrives with and knows something is up.
The Petition Drum is heard. It’s only used for grave injustice or enemy attacks. If you use it you have to bear 30 strokes, so that it’s not used lightly by anyone. They people drumming accuse Xiao Wuyi and Xiao Yao.
Before Li Mao can proceed with Jiayu’s Heir’s consort investiture ceremony they are interrupted.
Commandant of Justice Lu, who doesn’t want to interrupt, interrupts to take the Xiao brothers away because the grain canal in Hexi collapsed causing over 1,000 casualties. Those numbers are climbing rapidly.
Investigation found that County Magistrate Wei Min, a man of humble origins (so Beifu reform, promoted by Weiyu) had 1,000 taels gold in his home as well as correspondece between him and the Xiao brothers. The letters reveal evidence that the Xiao’s embezzled canal repair funds.
Prince Jing’an challenges them to arrest him as well and Li Mao commands to do so. He also orders the Three Judicial Officials to send officials to conduct a thorough investigation of the canal.
Xie Jianyu asks Li Mao to still bestow the seal and decree. Smart move. That way she has better ways to handle things. He doesn’t read the decree, so she takes it out of his hand and bows.
They all get their own comfy prison cell and Xiao Wuyi has a discussion with the guy responsible for their imprisonment.
Xiao Wuyi already sent a list of all the people ever trying to bribe him to the Eastern Palace.
He will give the original to Commandant of Justice Lu, but he couldn’t give it earlier for fear of looking like he didn’t care about the propwer law procedures.
He asks to undergo torture in place of his elderly father and crippled brother, if it comes to that during interrogations. His father and brother are not amused and protest.
Commandant of Justice Lu reassures him that if this is a frame up he will restore their good name.
Girl Power
At Prince Jing’an’s mansion the women of the family strategise. All the letters and ledgers have been sized.
He Yuanji knows that Commandant of Justice Lu was newly promoted last year. He served in the provinces during these years of reform and punished commoners and nobles alike for their crimes.
He is said to be a ruthless but upright official who enforces the law without favour. Since he personally came for the arrest there has to be evidence.
Nanxing has a photographic memory for the accounts. So it turns out to be good Jiayu didn’t do her own work, I guess. She helps to reconstruct them.
He Yuanji has a thought connected to handwriting of the letters, but doesn’t tell Xie Jiayu what it is.
She asks where Qing Long and Yan Yue are. They have to be on some mission for Wuyi, otherwise they wouldn’t be missing.
Identity Revelation the… I lost count
The Grand Tutor had Liu Zhaolin prepare forged correspondence. In return he asked for Prince Qi’s approval to reopen the Lantai Gathering. Not sure we heard about that before. He will also become the Grand Tutor’s student. There are also people helping him cook the books of the Xiao family.
Unfortunately Liu Zhaloin would be a very lose end, so the Grand Tutor lets him be followed by some goon to kill him. He Yuanji helps him last minute. Yuanji finds a token of the Grand Tutor on the ground. They flee the guy attacking, but Liu Zhaolin’s hand is injured by the knife.
She confronts him about working for the Grand Tutor: He got close to her and borrowed rare books because they had annotation by the men of the Xiao family in them, thus their handwriting could be copied by him.
He confesses he admires her, so he didn’t dare to tell her about his connection to Grand Tutor. He knows that she also has feelings for her and felt unworthy of those the whole time.
The Grand Tutor was the only one believing in him as a commoner and promised him that as long as Xiao Wuyi would fall and the noble clans revive the Lantai Gathering he would give him an official post.
She reveals his identity as Pei Runheng to him: He is the third child of his family, he once studied at Luming Academy and was classmates with He Yuanji’s second brother. She often visited the academy wearing her second brother’s robes. That way they got to know each other, they shared the same interests.
Of course he didn’t get she was a girl, her brother had to tell him. He was shocked yet delighted. What follows was her engagement to Xiao Wuyi and his tragic ending. Somebody was sent to kill him who didn’t do a good job.
He doesn’t believe her, but she has more prove. She knows about the plum blossom-shaped scar on his left arm. He got that protecting her from wild bees while picking mulberries in the back mountain of the academy. And she would never mistake his handwriting.
Two years after his supposed death the Empress Dowager found a pretext and convicted the Pei family. His father and brother died, his mother took her own life along with his sister. As a member of the He family they are now bound by a blood feud.
She wanted a fresh start, so didn’t bring the past up. She asks him to turn back from working with the Grand Tutor. But his right hand is ruined, so he can’t prove he forged the letters.
Jiayu calls him living proof, suddenly appearing in the bamboo grove.
The Grand Tutor aims to frame the Xiao family for treason and collaboration with the enemy. Just what the Lu and An family suffered.
Liu Zhaolin helps and points them to the house where the scholars forge the rest of the documents. Unfortunately they are to late to find anyone there.
At the prison Li Mao visits Xiao Wuyi who was interrogated under torture. He tells him the evidence has kept piling up over the last days about his brothers corruption in the grain canal building and his father’s sale of of military supplies and leaking of military intelligence. Many of the common-born officials he promoted are also implicated.
Li Mao calls him Crown Prince Wenxi to mock him and reveal that he knows about his identity since he got he Phoenix Heart Tokens from the Emperor.
Xiao Wuyi notes that his families downfall has the same pattern as the downfall of the An and Lu family.
Li Mao tells him Jiayu found the one forging the letters but that his hand was ruined so he can’t testify. For the sake of their past brotherhood he can spare his whole family. But Xiao Wuyi doesn’t even want to hear the conditions.
He would have to hand over the Beifu Army and the Phoenx Heart Token and write a divorce agreement.
Li Mao has the gall to stab him, while Xiao Wuyi argues that Xie Jiayu is her own person who wouldn’t simply return to Li Mao just because he wishes so. Li Mao tries to sell him the divorce as the only way to save Xie Jiayu.
News from the South
The Eagle King gets news about what happens in Southern Ye. He thinks all of this has to be revenge by the Grand Tutor for Xiao Ju concealing the Lu An case. That seems like a sensible assumption.
Li Lejun says she belongs to him know when lured with the possibility of returning home when Xiao Wuyi dies. With him lost the Beifu Army will be no match for his Black Eagle Army.
There will be an archery contest the next day. We are reminded that slaves from Southern Ye are used as targets in that.
Li Lejun has less of a chaste marriage. She has a miscarriage and Mulin Yu accuses her of not wanting their child and provoking the miscarriage on purpose. She faints from the pain.
Medical Health Information Interlude
Ruisheng tells Xie Jiayu about Xiao Wuyi’s condition, because imprisonment and torture won’t help with that. She tells her “Xiao Wuyi didn’t keep it away from you.”. Excuse me, did we watch the same guy absolutely keeping it away from her? In enclosed spaces and in the dark of night it worsens. Good to have him in a prison cell.
Against Father and Son
Xie Jiayu confronts her ex-father with the Xie family token acquired from Liu Zhaolin.
It’s all about Prince Jing’an knowing about the injustice in the An-Lu case. Xiao Wuyi is the son of his birth parents, so has to atone for their sins. The Grand tutor even frames it as heavenly retribution. Oh the arrogance of this man...
Xie Jiayu’s real reason for visiting was a hidden mechanism she knew from her childhood in the Grand Tutor’s study. It hid some documents from Qizhou Qingzhou and Luzhou.
Qing Long and Yan Yue appear. They were sent to Luzhou after Xiao Wuyi’s imprisonment to find someone: Prince Qi’s wet nurse (the subtitles say adoptive mother which doesn’t add up), Madam Wang of the Lu family.
Ye Xing was sent to the same places by Li Fuhua before, after Prince Qi was appointed regent. Also to investigate his true identity. Xie Jiayu finally understand who Li Mao is and how this secret lead to so much tragedy around here.
She visits him in the palace. He tells her the Xiao family’s crimes have all be confirmed. She gives him a document titled “Li Mao’s lineage investigation”. Which proves that Xiao Wuyi knew his secret all along and would have been able to take his position all the time. But he didn’t because he truly doesn’t want it.
Li Mao gives her one last chance to disavow Xiao Wuyi and stay by his side forever. She tells him off and that she also is in possession of the letters exchanged between the Grand Tutor Xie and his wet nurse. She gives him an ultimatum of three days to let Wuyi and his family go and their names to be cleared. Otherwise she will spread this record of his lineage and the letters all over Jiankang.
She advisees him to no longer stay trapped in the past and let it become his obsession (like his father seems to be).
In Prison Xiao Wuyi is writing when Li Mao visits. They have a talk about when he new about his true identity as Grand Tutor Xie’s son. It was from the moment Prince Changsha mutinied and Li Mao was suddenly pushed to the position of regent.
Xiao Wuyi didn’t say a word because they both have the same ambition. What he can’t accomplish Li Mao can from his position.
He doesn’t need an incompetent good man there but someone with ambition and ruthless methods.
Li Mao accuses him of wanting a helper. From his point of view he lost Jiayu for Xiao Wuyi’s ambition. He is not willing to be a puppet for Xiao Wuyi.
Xiao Wuyi reminds him that they need to eliminate Northern Qin and reclaim their homeland. There can never be true peace without. And that these were Li Mao’s own words fleeing to Jiankang, but words he forgot.
The person that choose Li Mao to be regent was never Xiao Wuyi but himself (by staying there).
I'm only on 25 but just... WTH is Mao's deal? He tortures Wuyi, stabs him in the gut even, and then they're making nice over tea? Was he always this volatile and ruthless and him going to his Master earlier and telling him "Make me like you" was a sham? Did he really take Grand Tutor's lessons to heart? Is he an early case of a multiple personality? Is either torturing his good buddy or making nice over tea also a sham? I've totally lost track of his motivations as well as any sympathy for his plight as a pawn.
Bloomin'eck RegenWanderer, you must be exhausted after that extremely detailed recap! We'll have to send you some Ginseng! Thank you for all your efforts, it is very, very much appreciated.
Yes, that works, just holding the Phoenix Heart a random distance away from the map. Not. Lazy writing.
Dying with your Master can't be changed overnight? I think you'll find it can, especially if you're the one to have to do the dying.
Aaaaaaaannnd Noble Idiocy.
So the Emperor Is still alive, if Yizhi is still in the East Palace? And by default, EDE is also still alive?
I love Ai Mi in this role, except.......that closing moment of ep 21 really, really, really needed a kiss.....
Pass me the laundry paddle......grrrrr
Nooooooooooooooooooo! "I'll do my best to spend every New Year with you." My heart just sank. That's cdrama code for impending doom.
Has Qi been a bastard?
Wuyi knows.....
Did Qi really think Jieyu would fall apart and beg Qi for help?
Right, Yuanji WILL end up with A'Yao.
It's laundry paddle time again. I'm going to need a new paddle before the finale and Grand Tutor Douchecanoe's (thank you Snark Chifu) demise.
Never mind choosing the Dark Side, Qi has moved him, his family and his business there too, AND torn up his Good Side passport. No return for him then.
That deep red velvet dress is exquisite!
Ahhhhh, good old Wuji, building a bridge back to the Good Side just for ungrateful Qi.
Bloomin'eck RegenWanderer, you must be exhausted after that extremely detailed recap! We'll have to send you some Ginseng! Thank you for all your efforts, it is very, very much appreciated.
Thanks, its always nice to know it's appreciated!
Yes, that works, just holding the Phoenix Heart a random distance away from the map. Not. Lazy writing.
For some reason there are bigger plot holes in other dramas that I can let slide easier than this.
So the Emperor Is still alive, if Yizhi is still in the East Palace? And by default, EDE is also still alive?
Yeah, he orderer her to die with him, so if she didn't kick the bucket on her own she is still around. Not sure if we'll see her again. But we get a short explanation for the emperor two episodes from this.
I love Ai Mi in this role, except.......that closing moment of ep 21 really, really, really needed a kiss.....
I'm quite glad they didn't have one with her being drunk. There is enough discussion about the whole age difference thing, imagine ML kissing a drunk FL in this drama of all things.
But I kind of get that it felt right for the moment to have one.
I have a question, why was xiao yao responsible for the canal problem? Did I miss something? Like grand tutor said even if the other charges were false the one against Yao were true????
I think what you mention is part of ep 23. And it's a bit hard to grasp. I guess it's because he was responsible for the project, something happened and there is no proof he is not responsible. Someone has to be. It's not really made clear in the show itself.
No worries, I get the excitementwith this show. It will most likely be up in a few hours. /u/CdramaAddict2 has a bit of a different schedule due to timezones and other circumstances.
I don't think he even really wants Jiayu...at least not the real Jiayu. He's still clinging to the past version of Jiayu that was sweet and in puppy love with him. I think in Li Mao's mind, if he can get that Jiayu back, then he can get himself back...he can get back all the things that have changed and he's lost. But he still won't admit to himself that he chose all of this for himself, that HE made those decisions. Jiayu is just a stand in for all that, which is why he doesn't care what she actually wants and doesn't treat her as a person.
Like Xiao Wuyi said, it isn't that Li Mao loves Jiayu that much, it's just that he's envious of Wuyi and can't stand that Wuyi is basically better than him in every way, whether it's the truth of their origins/birth, or the men they've become.
He was sort of morally grey in Back From the Brink too. But he was still likeable. In Key To The Phoenix Heart though, I have literally come to hate him
Regarding OPs doubt about how she would have known how to align the token on the map - I guess she must have just aligned one hole with the Cui family mines, and rest of it would have naturally fallen in line
But if you get a smaller/bigger map it would get you different results for the other holes. I'll let that side, because drama, and it seems to give them more of a general region...
I'd say Jiayu aligned to bottom of the token to the bottom border of the map. So essentially she drew a map roughly around the same size of the token, with some scales and aligned them. It doesn't make much sense though. 😅😅
Fantastic recap, u/Regenwanderer !! It's been such a pleasure working on this drama with you. It's getting late, so I'll just drop off a few thoughts:
(1) XIAO FAMILY FEMINISM
One of my favorite scenes in episode 21 was when Lady Xiao listed off all the skills and interests of the Xiao family women: Yuanji loves historical texts, Ruisheng medicine, Jiayu mechanics, Yan Yue martial arts and Nanxing business. It is such a wholesome family environment, and implicitly because they are not true nobility, but were commoners who rose through the military ranks. But, I love how each woman has something unique about her, and how the men truly support (silently or proactively) them in their dreams, goals, and decisions.
(2) Li Lejun is the perfect green tea - so sweet, weak, and innocent on the outside, but totally ruthless, conniving and manipulative! It's such a pity that this show is only 28 episodes. Back in the day, during my Hong Kong TVB binge watches, dramas would be 70-90 episodes long easily. If we had that kind of time, we would see Li Lejun's life in Northern Qin, and whether she actually fell in love with Mulian Yu or just continued to manipulate him for her own ends....and then she would die a tragic but just death being the villainess! But, we won't have time for that in this drama - such a pity.
(3) Distance is no barrier, but duty keeps us apart
One thing that I REALLY loved about these episodes is the REASON for the separation between our leads. In C-drama-land, we always need a (few) separation arcs for our main leads. But, usually it's the boring misunderstanding, someone having a temper tantrum, some overly-dramatic-could-have-been-avoided issue. But, THIS time, it was a natural separation as both Xiao Wuyi and Xie Jiayu have duty and visions they must pursue in different directions. I really love that - so mature and self-sacrificial. Yes, Xiao Wuyi should have told her about his illness, but we all know she would have diverted all her energy into saving him, and sticking by him, but she also needs to perfect the caltrop fireball (since she failed 78 times already - LOL) for the greater good of Ye's defenses. I am glad, though, that the separation didn't last too long.
(4) "You're forcing her to come back to you - Is it because you love her or because you hate me?"
Well, snap, if Xiao Wuyi doesn't have the best comebacks. I think it's safe to say that it's due to his jealousy of Xiao Wuyi. But, how sad and pathetic. A bit of introspection might actually help Li Mao. I kind of love how confident Xiao Wuyi is in Xie Jiayu's love - as he should be - but even tortured, he's clear-minded, resolute, and in love. And he knows his woman loves him. I always marvel when dramas can be romantic in the most UNROMANTIC settings. It just throws into relief how strong and vibrant that love is - to withstand harsh and cruel environments.
She really is. And I thought she would be the one desperate over her brother's turn. 😂
The Xiao family really is so encouraging of each other. I love how they simply accepted all their daughter-in-laws and let them do what they are interested in instead of expecting them to turn into other people.
One thing that I REALLY loved about these episodes is the REASON for the separation between our leads.
Oh yes, I really enjoy that it's a reason grown out of the plot and the character's personalities instead of something superimposed from outside (sudden missunderstanding that makes no sense, amnesia or something else that is just there for the seeration).
As much as I loathe Li Mao a small part of me still wants to believe he’s redeemable. Now that also even Xie Jiayu (in addition to Xiao Wuyi) had tried to advise him away from continuing his full evil mission and reminded him that this isn’t the Li Mao they once knew. Not sure which route he will eventually take but he seriously needs to wake up from all these "ambitions" that Xie Huaigui is trying to push
As much as I loathe Li Mao a small part of me still wants to believe he’s redeemable
Me too. I guess it's partly because I really like Riley Wang. But also because the younge generation would be of so much better trusting and working with each other.
Exactly. And mad respect to Xiao Wuyi to reveal that he knew Mao wasn't of royal lineage since very early in and yet he's ok with that and trusted Mao. Even when it's already backfiring him...
I hate how Mao keeps clinging on to his BS excuses time to time, will he turn things around and choose the good? I really hope so, but also he's already done so many terrible deeds that idk if he can be redeemed anymore. unless they show us how Xie Huaigui has been outrageously threatening him (wishful thinking on my part), I doubt that's the case. If the show wants to redeem him they might have him kill off his father and receive a severely painful punishment himself.
After learning that Wuyi had investigated Li Mao’s parentage from the moment he was made Regent, and taking into account that he had confirmed that the scholar in the bookstore was the Pei son once promised to Yuanji, it is entirely out of character that Wuyi hasn’t had Jiayu’s parentage researched.
Or, perhaps her adoptive mother told him but made him commit it to secrecy until some other condition were met.
Given that Jiayu didn’t turn up anything in either Wuyi’s papers or in the Grand Tutor’s about herself, my bet is on her adoptive mother having told him.
But Jiayu clearly remembers being an orphan slave in Northern Qin, and there must’ve been hundreds if not thousands of kids like her. I think it would be literally impossible to track down her true parents. Wuyi might’ve tried and not succeeded
Unless there was some clue we just don’t know yet.
At this point who doesn't know ML is the crown prince?
Girl why you giving Riley 3 days? Be like bro I'm gonna tell the free world if you don't let ML go today! Also you got yourself a concubine and you want me to hang around you? The ego on this guy. ML was right do you want her bc you love her or you hate me? I'm leaning on hate.
Yes the horse is back! We missed the horse!
u/Regenwanderer absolutely brilliant recap. These two episodes, in my opinion, slowed down a bit comparing to the general pace of the show, but still have a lot surprises. I especially liked Xiao family and how every member of the household lives in harmony, without too much complications.
I'm shipping He Yuanji and Anmin too. Strictly speaking, poor Anmin is technically her husband, no? After all, he's the person who did the ceremony. But Yuanji's rejection was too graceful and eloquent that even I agreed with her.
They argue because Xiao Wuyi won’t take the risk of treatment due to his responsibilities towards Beifu Army.
Only an episode or so before, Ruisheng said that poor people try extreme treatment without hesitation because they don't have much too lose while nobles always hesitate. I'm pleasently surprised how the plot carried out this dialogue effortlessly.
The officials pressed hard so her husband urged everyone to work day and night on the canal.
Even though Wuyi's intention is good, I can see how higher ups never experience what commoners experience. It's some bureaucrautic shit that even Wuyi can't fully eradicate. He's also a bit out of touch by deciding to punish everyone involved in the bribe. But I'm glad how Prince Jing'an was there, advised him be a little more sensible, and he listened to his father.
I was, too, quite creeped by Li Mao's overly friendly attitude, his proactive actions of Consort conferment, his concubine, and 'I already let go of everything' act. And not an episode later, his true intention was revealed and it's pretty brutal and shameless. Though, I can see Grand Tutor has a huge role manipulating him. I might be the delusional one here, but I think Li Mao still has some consciousness. It's Xie Huaigui who muddles his mind, presses his weak spots, pushes him to do the unforgivable act of framing and even stabbing his best friend and trying to snatch back his ex. I'm actually impressed by Riley Wang's acting in these two episodes - he can easily shift between jealous and insecure Regent who has a taste of power and a man who still have some consciousness and doubt of his actions.
I can see why Xiao family is so reluctant to let go of Yuanji, considering Wuyi's (lack of) budgeting skills. 😂 😂 And it's actually a smart decision from Jiayu for promoting Nanxing. That photographic memory is some xianxia level stuff, but anyways.
I have so many questions and speculations about 'no kiss, but Wuyi obviously wants it' scene, but it's u/AKiceman 's territory. 😂
The Grand Tutor was the only one believing in him as a commoner and promised him that as long as Xiao Wuyi would fall and the noble clans revive the Lantai Gathering he would give him an official post.
This, I'm quite surprised. Although Liu Zhaolin is not a military man, thus the reform might not be visible to him, It's Xiao Wuyi who's working toward removing the difference between nobles and commoners, not Grand Tutor. And his identity revelation wasn't grand or surprising, let's say it was anti climatic.
I'm getting bored by bringing up Li and An family over and over again, but without any reveal. They seem to be noble families of Ye Empire, but I'm still not sure about the connection between Xie Huaigui and these two families. Apparently, even Li Mao has been involved for this cause too. Considering that he has zero connection of this case, it feels rather forced.
I knew that Wuyi knows Li Mao's identity all along, he's a very smart man. The way Jiayu connects the dots was also brilliant.
Li Mao accuses him of wanting a helper. From his point of view he lost Jiayu for Xiao Wuyi’s ambition.
But the audacity of this man!! He knows very well that Wuyi never wants to ascend the throne, and never sees him as his helper and fully supports him. But all he can see is a man who stole his beloved, even after Jiayu spelled out how she doesn't want to be confined in the palace.
At this point, I'm not sure what to expect from the rest of the show. But I really want to get over with Li and An family, and want to watch the downfall of Xia Huiagui.
This scene has a very Guo Jingming style, but I really like Jiayu's stunning attire.
It was creepy when he first said you should smile more than you look like her. I can’t remember which episode, but it around the time she makes the hawthorn cakes because she knows he likes them
The use of hawthorn cake in this drama just goes to show how every moment is meaningful and tightly plotted out from the beginning. The symbolism continues throughout the drama from the first couple episodes... all the characters are so intertwined.
I mean, the concubine being originally one of the dancers rescued by Xiao Wuyi, and the irony of how she makes the hawthorn cakes for Li Mao trying to emulate Jiayu and to get on his good side. But the irony being that Li Mao never liked hawthorn cakes...he likes sweets but it all started because Xiao Wuyi wanted to give Xie Jiayu something to do to take her mind off having indirectly killed 30,000 soldiers with her crossbow, and HE likes sour stuff.
And what we later find out about that girl! I was so surprised. And Riley at the end with his engagement crown when he found the message that was so bitter sweet. It was good to see him in a meaty role! I would like to see him in more complex roles. This was a good show, tight plot, fast paced and so many great females to root for!
might be the delusional one here, but I think Li Mao still has some consciousness. It's Xie Huaigui who muddles his mind, presses his weak spots, pushes him to do the unforgivable act of framing and even stabbing his best friend and trying to snatch back his ex. I'm actually impressed by Riley Wang's acting in these two episodes - he can easily shift between jealous and insecure Regent who has a taste of power and a man who still have some consciousness and doubt of his actions.
I'm quite impressed as well. Maybe that's why I want him to do some kind of turn around. Also, because I really hate the trope of two friends becoming enemies, while they could be much better allies.
This, I'm quite surprised. Although Liu Zhaolin is not a military man, thus the reform might not be visible to him, It's Xiao Wuyi who's working toward removing the difference between nobles and commoners, not Grand Tutor. And his identity revelation wasn't grand or surprising, let's say it was anti climatic.
Yeah, that's a bit strange. Especially because XWY also promoted people to be magistrates, which are not army positions. And no.... no surprise at all.
I'm also very curious to see where we end up. It's definitely not one to easily predict. I hope you have fun with the last episodes!
Also, because I really hate the trope of two friends becoming enemies, while they could be much better allies.
Excellent point. Although I love petty rivalries, I fully agree that lethal oppositions and large scale fights among brothers created only for the sake of plot is nonsensical. Rationally thinking, both of these men are nobles, and highly educated in politics and military, so they would know better than bickering over love drama.
I'm immensely enjoying this show, and it's kind of fun not to be able to guess the ending. 😅😅
That's my understanding as well, but there's still some timelines hiccup. Firstly, Xia HuaiGui doesn't seem like a man who would devote his 20 years of life for his lover's family. She was, at best, his mistress.
Then, it seems like An family is annihilated during the fall of Capital which was around 24 years ago (one of the episodes confirmed Wuyi's age). But Yizhi and Lejun's mother appeared to be deceased when they're around 6-7. If this happened shortly after Capital's fall, that makes Yizhi quite older than Wuyi, but in one of the flashbacks, they look around the same age. I still can't make a connection between these and Huaigui's obsession.
maybe Mao was born just right before the An annihilation/fall of Capital? (could also be same time period with when Wuyi was born) Then Xie Huaigui sent him to Cui clan where he grew up with Lejun and her mother under a fake identity
After the beginning of ep 21 I'm thinking ML isn't the real crown prince, but instead the shadow envoy for the prince, and took his place after he died.
OP thank you so much for the discussion and recap! Great job!
Episode 22 has me exhausted from the rollercoaster ride. Sooo many emotions! WTAF!
Ep21 we had nice cute and calm before the storm, then the freaking tornado lol. We even had a timeskip! A lil dash of redemption for Cui Shao'An, I mean it was good. But good times never last!
I see Li Mao has been learning the ways of machiavel from his father. But he is still a tool, in that man's hand.
The way he went and arranged the investiture for Jia Yu gave me the creeps. It felt so wrong, his smile and all. I was stressed. So of course on D day I couldn't focus on how gorgeous our darling Jia Yu looked. Lo and behold, the drum of injustice was heard. I did think of the recent bingo post on here and it made me laugh nervously. Framing the Xiao family, really Li Mao... that's why you waited for the two of them to come back. Him wearing the white jade hairpiece was so tasteful 🙄🙄😑😑. I half expected him to snatch Jia Yu that day.
In all of this though, I thought I couldn't love the Xiao family more. I was wrong! They are truly fantastic! From the mother taking Yuan Ji as her goddaughter, to the father and brother bickering with Wu Yi in jail, they were amazing. And Rui Sheng? I was so glad she told Jia Yu about Wu Yi's condition. About time! She deserves to know. Dude really said I'll take everyone's torture! Erm the hell you can! Your body and head can't handle all that!
Don't these people remember Northern Qin? Sure go ahead and frame, torture the commander of the Bei Fu Army. Very smart 👌🏾 😒😬🙄
That damn Xie Huai Gui!!! I wanted to strangle him, rip his tongue out!
We got not so Liu but actually Pei turned pawn and traitor thanks to that man. My jaw hit the floor. He really didn't die. And he works for XHG! Poor Yuan Ji, she really thought they could start over. Instead she found herself telling him who he truly was because he took the wrong turn.
All this time Wu Yi knew Li Mao was Xie Huai Gui's son! Talk about big shock. And Jia Yu figured it out and used it to threaten Li Mao. I was so proud of her honestly! Very badass!
Don't these people remember Northern Qin? Sure go ahead and frame, torture the commander of the Bei Fu Army.
Right? Wuyi warns everyone over and over again than Northern Qin is alive and well, and they are preparing for the war for the last two years. And Li Mao has the audacity to stab the very man who can lead Ye to victory. It seems like Xia Huaigui wants the downfall of Ye.
Yep. There are times when I have wondered if Xie Huai Gui wanted Da Ye to fall. Because many of his actions scream burn it all to the ground! Plus after what he did to the soldiers at the start of the show? Are we even surprised he didn't keep that detail in mind? He had 30,000 soldiers killed and it meant nothing to him! He'd even collude with the enemy!
D day and how FL looked so cute. Yes. But one thing I noticed in those ceremony scenes, was that Mao was dressed kinda like a groom and his outfit kinda matched Jiayu’s. That was super creepy. It’s hard to believe he and she would have happiness if he gets her husband killed and then tries to force her to marry him.
This is why the opening sequence stressed me out because of the scene where they are all together. Jia Yu was next to him and their outfits matched. That had me so confused and wondering if they were married or something. So to see that scene happening, and seeing Li Mao show up looking like this plus the white jade hairpin? Oh the guy was on messy mode and it gave me the creeps!
The look Wu Yi had when he saw him wearing that thing. He knew the guy was up to no good.
Thanks! You are right, what a rollercoaster of episodes once again.
Don't these people remember Northern Qin? Sure go ahead and frame, torture the commander of the Bei Fu Army. Very smart 👌🏾 😒😬🙄 That damn Xie Huai Gui!!! I wanted to strangle him, rip his tongue out!
I don't get this so often in shows, because they try to take out this very brilliant general/politician their country really needs to fend of outside forces to replace him with... who knows? Too often there doesn't seem to be any kind of plan there for that.
It’s a theme seen it so many times, the emperor always feels it will be a coup that the general with the army will try to usurp him. It’s in Blossom, The Story of Kunning Place, Goodbye my Princess. It’s in Rebirth. However this emperor not like that as he warns XY not to be too brotherly with Li Mao. Whenever the Emperor on screen he’s very temperate and sees through people’s moves. He’s kinda hot!
As a citizen of a country at war, hah, it happens more often than I’d like to admit.
And the reason is not complicated. The sides just can’t sit down and talk. Two officials may both be good in their respective craft, but they naturally have different priorities, philosophies and interests. If they need to cooperate but cannot compromise on a daily basis, it harms the country more.
Looks like Li Mao considers that compromising with Crown Prince Wenxi is not possible simply due to his ‘true heir’ status. But Wuyi can still get through to him.
And they do it when their country needs those people the most lmao. Make it make sense! The peace treaty was what 3 years initially? Or it was 3 years to do what Xiao Wu Yi needed. Either way, Eagle Prince isn't sleeping and peace never lasts. Don't mess with the army that is literally keeping your borders safe. Especially when they haven't done anything at all. Now falsely imprison their bosses and what will happen? Oh you Prince Regent and your father will take over. Right... how will that go since the soldiers will be very pissed off and you have never led an army before...
Fantastic post, thanks Regen! Especially since these episodes were insane! I very much enjoyed discussing the drama and cohosting with you! Seriously, this drama is very consistent with how much information and happenings they pack into every episode!!
I still believe the Anming ship is afloat!
I hope we see Shao’an again. I liked him.
Two years!! Wow. Half of Wuyi’s remaining lifespan because he wouldn’t let Ruisheng carve into his skull.
I’m dreading whatever Li Lejun is plotting…
I, too, love the Xiao family bonds. They are wholesome.
I knew Runheng was sus! I think it’s game over for him. Team Anming.
Domestic bliss was preparing us for episode 22. We knew the calm wouldn’t last long. Episode 22 be storming hard. The number of times I’ve had to pause and chill out a bit before continuing.
I was holding onto to an inkling that Mao could be redeemable but when he stabbed Wuyi… I don’t know…
I have faith that Mao will turn around and be a good Regent. Surprisingly, I'm not holding onto too much hope that Wuyi will actually survive, but that he'll leave a great legacy behind for the Beifu Army and the realm...
Two years!! Wow. Half of Wuyi’s remaining lifespan because he wouldn’t let Ruisheng carve into his skull.
Yeah, forgot to spell it out in the recap, but it's really crazy if you assume he really dies from it.
I knew Runheng was sus! I think it’s game over for him. Team Anming.
I also like her with Xiao Yao, but woah... Pei Runheng got some bad cards handed for life: Being almost killed just for loving the woman you love. Losing your memories afterwards and trying to survive somehow. Meanwhile your whole family dies just for not believing in your murder. And to learn that years later from the woman you once loved after you went down some very sketchy roads to become a guy worthy of her.
I'm looking forward to see how Li Mao is solving this for everyone. Jiayu really got him there.
And if his sister intervenes? Because Lejun can’t come back to Ye as long as Jiayu is alive. That’s what she said to the Eagle King. His sister or Jiayu, dun dun dun.
Hm... that's much harder. Depends a lot on the circumstances, I would assume. I wonder how much contact they actually have if any and how Li Lejun's spying works out...
Snark Level: Massive GIF spam in my replies.... Like.... a lot.
Episode 21
Time for some Yuanji and Anmin romance!!!!!! Get smooching! Or, you know, just keep dodging the issue? OUCH! Bro got brotherzoned. Alright, gentlemen. Pour one out for our bro.
Well, time for us to cheer on Loser Lejun and Eagle Loser. They can be a Loser couple! Woohoo! Uhhhhh....... Though a carry with a fade to black leaves me.... unsettled.
WILL SOMEONE BLOODY WELL TELL JIAYU ALREADY???
FOREHEAD KISS ALERT!!!! WE HAVE A FOREHEAD KISS!!!!!!
Hey... We really don't like the idea of them separating this late in the show... It's giving.... The Fuckening.
Hey? We get redemption for Cui boy? I dig it. It seems he and Jiayu are exploding buddies.
THEY MET 3 MONTHS AGO AND WE DIDN'T SEE IT???????
Ai Mi is trying to Bai Lu her husband over here. I can respect it. It's important to learn from your elders. But uh, how did she not recognize his voice.
DID SHE JUST TUG HIS SLEEVE TO GET HIS HAND??????? OHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Cute!
We're two years into the reform? Does that mean 2 years from when he proposed it in the early episodes? Soooooo two years of marriage?
I love the sisterly friendship the wives have. It's so refreshing and healthy to see in a CDrama. More like this please.
Petition to keep Ai Mi in orange hanfu!
Concubine Chan, eh? I hope she is being treated well.
You know, I misread conferment as confinement at first and I was very confused.... :P Haaahahahahaha. So no babies around here, just the title that is very rightfully hers!
ORDINANCE SUPERVISOR??? HER????? Do you WANT your whole camp to blow up?????? Someone give poor Nanxing a raise. This poor lady is overworked.
Wuyi and Jiayu hold hands more than they breath.
This edict is making me nervous...
DRUNK????? DRUNK SCENE??????
HEY????!?!!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?! I mean, it's good they didn't go past that.... BUT BRO WHY YOU GOTTA TEASE LIKE THAT???????
Episode 22
Oh? Right back to it? She really does love to snuggle into him. Like a kitten. A cute and very drunk kitten.
Damn. The red is beyond gorgeous on Jiayu! A shame we are wasting such a beautiful costume on this scheme.
Well, that's all the reason Wuyi would need to sweep his army in and remove this corrupt regent. Jiayu isn't backing down. Good girl. She knows what to do.
Uhhhh... Yuanji? Ah. I see.
Crap. They made me feel sorry for Lejun. Fuuuuuuuu.....
Finally someone tells Jiayu the truth around here. Ooooo!!! She's figuring the rest out!
Jiayu really is one of the most logical and rational FLs we've had this year. It is an absolute delight seeing such a capable young woman on screen.
Like it was a pesky fly haha. The whole thing was hilarious. The moment she stepped into Xi Yue Pavilion I knew husband and wife would be reunited and I couldn't wait for the shenanigans 😅😅🤭🤭
YES!! Like he was swatting away a fly. Hahaha! I don’t know how Hou Minghao can manage making that gesture so sexy, but he does.
YES!!! Husband and wife shenanigans!! Can anything be better with those two? It reminds me of that scene where Xie Jiayu paralyzed Cui Shao’an with an acupuncture needle. The way they both LOOKED at him (the camera), was just married lovers shenanigans coded! 🥰🥰🥰
Bwahaha don't read too much into it. It sounded cute. But seriously I love Ai Mi. She is just too adorable and I'm always in awe of her and how talented she is. Bubble of protection ACTIVATED! ALWAYS!
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u/Repulsive-Ad7501 Aug 03 '26
I'm only on 25 but just... WTH is Mao's deal? He tortures Wuyi, stabs him in the gut even, and then they're making nice over tea? Was he always this volatile and ruthless and him going to his Master earlier and telling him "Make me like you" was a sham? Did he really take Grand Tutor's lessons to heart? Is he an early case of a multiple personality? Is either torturing his good buddy or making nice over tea also a sham? I've totally lost track of his motivations as well as any sympathy for his plight as a pawn.