The Sword & The Brocade 锦心似玉 2021

[OsmanthusTea]

10 minutes ago, SnT said:

Our xu men will only love 1 lady haha... 

 

 

To break the circle of those scheming between harem's members.....

 

Ruyi and YunXi are just idol dramas with teenagers as the target audiences. JJY only has few expression mainly big eyes wonder thru out the whole drama. She is quite easy on the eyes especially in Ruyi that has better styling. ZZH is wasted in both Ruyi and YunXi. He was reduced to a wallflower.  He can do much much more....

[SilverMoonTea]

@NiteWalkerthe opera brother Xu Ling Kuan also doing a good job here. Never heard about the actor before Cui Er Kang. And I think he's quite eyecandy leh.... But here's the thing he looks better in period costume rather than in modern look. Actually this also applied to Wallace Chung... haha...

[NiteWalker]

Ahem here we are collections of ShIYi crying lols

 

 

46 minutes ago, SnT said:

Ruyi m yunxi weakness is the script which is vety illogical in many places. N jjy acting which is somehow wooden esp her eyes. Zzh is fabulous in look m acting. Ruyi is better thsm yunxi in every sense.  But the ending also not so satisfying. No kids n no kiss too but final bed scene at least is sweet. 

well Ruyi was definitely string written better

[OsmanthusTea]

 

 

Another HuaYe's gorgeous robe....

[SnT]

I love his beginnih grey ones too. Esp the one he wore to receive the shoes n the grey one when he first reach home. 

[Funnypeopleswim]

Did they show what clothes she made for him? You know after the measurement?

[AwkwarDerp]

I'm rewatching episode 31, ShiYi and Danyang's scene. I feel Danyang's words are very true, cause she said "men, they can't help themselves". As a princess and as the only wife, she prob felt very insecure, especially witnessing LingYi's multiple marriages. It also hit me pretty hard how the women in that period of time to have to accept that, one day your husband will find another woman (I know in this case, he was set up) but for these women to have these thoughts are pretty sad. 

 

I also liked that Danyang can talked to ShiYi like sisters, rather than like before, the whole smirking and criticizing ShiYi. 

11 minutes ago, Funnypeopleswim said:

Did they show what clothes she made for him? You know after the measurement?

I didn't see it. He prob didn't want to wear it either (just like the shoes) LOL 

[OsmanthusTea]

14 minutes ago, SnT said:

I love his beginnih grey ones too. Esp the one he wore to receive the shoes n the grey one when he first reach home. 

 

This one???

 

 

 

[SnT]

11 hours ago, SilverMoonTea said:

@NiteWalkerthe opera brother Xu Ling Kuan also doing a good job here. Never heard about the actor before Cui Er Kang. And I think he's quite eyecandy leh.... But here's the thing he looks better in period costume rather than in modern look. Actually this also applied to Wallace Chung... haha...

Interesting how they pick a guy w smallish single ey lid almond eyes as houye. Through the whole script they talked about their children eyes. See the eyes know they are xu kids. Haha except chunge all hv single eye lid smallish almomd eyes. 

9 hours ago, OsmanthusTea said:

 

This one???

 

 

 

 

Yes. N i always wonder which set is the one she 'made' for him. Looks lik shoes more precious haha. 

[Mouse]

16 hours ago, SnT said:

 

Totally agree. In the old days in most culture u do it only on ur wedding night. Even when u fall in love, u wait till marriage. Showing thst the deed is love pure n sacred. 

 

I believed nature of men don change much over time. When u truly love some u can wait till they love u with their body n heart. N men dont think so much. If they like a gal they would court n woo them. So when HouYe realise in ep 22 he want to open his heart to her. He had the patience to wait till it is fully reciprocated. 

 

But i believe all fans wanting the consummate scene fast fast is because we want to see them in love. Haha... But we hv our fun watching the courtship of houye, the I dont know if u like me stage is always so fun to watch as well. 

 

At the wedding night, Houye actually made a move to kiss Shiyi but she turned away (or got up? I can't quite remember). If they had done the deed that night, we would all interpret it as Houye doing it out of obligation. Much in the same way I imagine he did it with the concubines.

 

I actually appreciate the fact that the writers of the drama made it so that they only consummated the marriage with Shiyi once they had both fallen in love with each other. In this way, not only do we see them develop feelings for each other first but it also sets Shiyi apart from all the other women. Houye "made love to her" and this is the only interpretation we - the audience - can derive from it.  This makes it even more meaningful.

 

In this sense, we also can't ever imagine sleeping with anyone else other than Shiyi since his heart truly belongs only to her.

 

 

13 hours ago, Mizv said:

Finally caught up with subs at ep30.   It’s seems most here are caught up to episode 36.  I don’t have much input now. I am too far behind relying on subs.  This thread moving faster and I seem to can’t keep up.  It’s not a bad thing means the drama is good.  I’ve enjoyed reading the comments here and very happy with YAMH and Love is Sweet recommendations. This is a first for me, currently watching more CDramas than Kdramas! 
 

Am guessing next week this  drama will be done airing.  since am so behind, I probably won’t be peeking in. 
 

thanks again for the recommendations.  

 

@Mizv you are not alone. I also rely on subs and so I've only seen until ep 30. I've technically watched up to ep 36 but I have no idea what is actually happening since there are no subs. I am glad to hear you are enjoying YAMH and Love Is Sweet!

 

11 hours ago, gracebkk said:

I wonder if Erniang could have had a happier/better marriage with Wangyu had she not deceive him? Although he'll still have his philandering ways, I feel like he would have treated Erniang amicably, especially since Wangyu liked Erniang's looks. But because Erniang's reputation in front of Wangyu is somewhat tarnished already, Wangyu had no intention of being nice to her (since he was tricked in the beginning). I don't expect Wangyu to treat Erniang nicely, but at least, Wangyu wouldn't have harmed her that badly... What do you guys think? (To be honest, I skipped most of the Wangyu & Erniang's scenes because these two just annoy me so much, so I might be thinking too good of them)

 

I actually wondered about this too. Wang Yu did have a bad reputation - drunkard, philandering, abusive man. But some men do change after they fall in love (albeit very very very rare). With Wang Yu though, he seemed rotten to the core in that he showed a lack of respect even to his mother. So even if he had fallen in love with ErNiang and she hadn't tricked him, I think he would have still treated her harshly. Also, ErNiang's personality isn't necessarily sweet or thoughtful. She acts a bit spoiled too so I think it was only a matter of time before things blew up.

 

 

[SnT]

@Mouse it was obvious he recall yusnning words to give shiyi all her rights as the main wife. She used the word ti mian which is dignity. So he tried. St thst point he prob went in his head... Ok i tried.. Don blame me hahaha n felt secretly relieved.

 

My thoughts on his journey to fall in love:

 After that un consumated session, all his actions esp up to kidnapping saga ep 12 is about keeping his promise to yuanniang to give shiyi the dignity accorded to the first wife. So he kept an eye for her. Maybe it is like taking care of a young person under his care. Defend her in front of madame luo, pick her up when he got back found his family send her to country home over sonething like silly superstition, indirectly scold qiao with 5 poison flower analogy over the brocade issue, reminding her about the account holding rights. 

For me through this events, his protecttive instinct is activated. N of course he stsrt to notice she is different. Cause she doesn't want him nor the money or power bit. 

 

Only after chunge illness he started to see how responsible n calm she can be n how gentle and understanding she is. I remembered i saw him looking at shiyi tapping chunge hand n later when he wss w linbo at the militsry office, when he recall what happen, the shot shows his hands rubbing against each other. Subconsciously, these are shiyi quality that start to attract him. I think them spending so much time together taking csre of chunge really sooth him too. I see him as a man yearning for gentle, soothing n a peaceful family life w a wife who understand him. After 5 wives imckuding tong, he gave up n just hide in his cold hard shell. N remember linbo says he used to laugh n go with his heart desire like play polo n zither. He is after all not the elder son.. So now he is highly suppressed. So shiyi stsrt to bring out those suppressed qualities like his cheekiness (he love teasing her, linbo n zhaoying) boyishness (asking for return present, throwing temper at his surbodinates when shiyi ignore him,  wearing those shoes, keeping those shoes, haha). Its like she light up something in him. 

 

Porridge saga is a big cstalyst. This is not only a gentle n soothing woman that dont go petty over the usual women stuffs, she is actually amazingly unselfish, responsible, clever, think big and very all rounded. N she doesnt ask for his favour or reward after that. He was the one rushing to give her rewards. And It is like what he says wow if she is a man, she will do big things. He saw a woman who is worthy to stand by his side n he saw a good partner in her.. U cam see he start to discuss things w her like ou family grievance, when feng ching arrive he look for her, 

 

Settling feng ching again show her ability to be a good partner to him by giving him the peace of mind.everytime they talked, he felt comforted. N he felt so good she understand n trust him enough. Well we all know he is a goner by then. He just doesnt fully acknowledge that till ep. 22. 

 

 

 

Edited March 18, 2021 by SnT

[N3buLa84]

On 3/17/2021 at 7:34 PM, NiteWalker said:

hahaha unfortunately HouYe only want ShiYi....u see how he forgave her and also how he still thought of her despite him wondering whether did she stay with him is out of guild and not out of love.....

A girl can dream 😂.  Poor HouYe I can’t blame him for not being sure of Shiyi’s love. She really hurt him by doubting him. But it’s okay the misunderstandings will be gone and we get more sweet scenes. 

[NiteWalker]

1 minute ago, N3buLa84 said:

A girl can dream 😂.  Poor HouYe I can’t blame him for not being sure of Shiyi’s love. She really hurt him by doubting him. But it’s okay the misunderstandings will be gone and we get more sweet scenes. 

 

there is always up and down in a relationship....one thing that is lack from both sides is that communication in between the two and the two of them are too worried or too scare to trust one another to open up their heart fully to one another....

 

General Fu gave a very good advise to HouYe once....

 

"You need to open up your heart, if you want the other person to open up to you, if not you will forever have this wall in between you guys that cannot be penetrate"

 

HouYe listen to General Fu and did what he said...however ShiYi didnt have this particular someone besides her to tell her this....she rely on her instinct most of the times to survive in a world where women are belittle at and need some under handed methods or another to survive especially in such a big upscale family household.....

 

so the rift that is cause between them cannot be avoided, however i'm glad that ShiYi realize her mistakes and instead of running from it and blaming others, she took it up and tried to make amend and seek forgiveness to HouYe, she didnt let go and hold on tight...which in turn luckily HouYe is already in love with her and so much that he is willing to forgive her and re-accept her back into his heart where it belong

 

[N3buLa84]

4 minutes ago, NiteWalker said:

General Fu gave a very good advise to HouYe once....

 

"You need to open up your heart, if you want the other person to open up to you, if not you will forever have this wall in between you guys that cannot be penetrate"

 

HouYe listen to General Fu and did what he said...however ShiYi didnt have this particular someone besides her to tell her this

Excellent advice and yes you are right ShiYi doesn’t have someone who advices her in many things. 

7 minutes ago, NiteWalker said:

however i'm glad that ShiYi realize her mistakes and instead of running from it and blaming others, she took it up and tried to make amend and seek forgiveness to HouYe, she didnt let go and hold on tight.

I am glad too. She quickly realized her mistake and was willing to accept her fault in it. I’m glad she’s trying to show HouYe she is genuinely sorry and is willing to stay by him regardless of how distant he may be or how his mom treats her. These are the realistic types of relationships I like to see. Not everything is only happiness between a husband and wife. There’s challenges you must face together and good communication is key in a marriage. 

[oppasaranghaeyo]

On 3/17/2021 at 10:03 AM, gracebkk said:

Mann.. I really thought it was only me who was feeling frustrated with the comments in MDL. It reached to a point where I went "are we really watching the same drama?

 

On 3/17/2021 at 7:59 AM, SnT said:

She was like wow... Is there anything u cant do. N he went uh huh now that has some truth. Haha... So cute!!! 

Isn't that the distinct trait of a very smart person? That's Shiyiniang all right. I'm scratching my head a lot lately when I read MDL's comments. How on earth could anyone conclude that she is evil? Or hasn't been honest in what she has done so far? I think we are all watching this drama while they are watching something else, perhaps? 

@SnT

@AwkwarDerp

@gracebkk

@Funnypeopleswim

 

On 3/17/2021 at 10:25 AM, OsmanthusTea said:

Love these Moon Gate Arches (月亮门) so much...

I love these too, ever since they were featured prominently in The Story of Yanxi. 

Here, I love that they have this similar theme for their windows too. Stylish and beautiful.

 

[SnT]

Anyone has any idea whose daughter is wuniang. She is kind n innocent n like not being tortured like Erniang n shiyi Niang. Is she a younger daughter of madame luo too? 

 

Maybe a concubine daughter but no mother d, so wuniang was rear under madame luo? The brother n yuanniang is definitely the first born son n daughter of madame luo. Maybe madame luo grievances are always for the concubines not really to the children. Erniang n shiyi mum were the one around..so she controlled them more? 

Edited March 19, 2021 by SnT

[SnT]

Also i still don understand shiyi for madame luo. She n her mum was obviously tortured n abused by her. Madame luo only want to use her for chunge n alliances w xu. I never get the feeling shiyi is scare of her but she seems quite demure and obedient whenever madame luo summon her. I don understand this bit. Should she not at least dislike her n don want to put up w her demands? She was never never rude to her.

 

Looks like besides Erniang who is avbit screwed. All the luo children are rather well brought up, kind n gentle. I believe yuanniang wasn't bad too. Just taught by her mum to play the scheming game too. much. 

Edited March 19, 2021 by SnT

[NiteWalker]

1 hour ago, SnT said:

Also i still don understand shiyi for madame luo. She n her mum was obviously tortured n abused by her. Madame luo only want to use her for chunge n alliances w xu. I never get the feeling shiyi is scare of her but she seems quite demure and obedient whenever madame luo summon her. I don understand this bit. Should she not at least dislike her n don want to put up w her demands? She was never never rude to her.

 

i think mainly because she didnt want to bring harm to those besides her? because she tried to rebel and stand up against her before.....and look what happen to her very own mother and maid, they were beaten right in front of her, while she didnt touch her since she still has use of her...she hurt those besides her....

 

i remember at the beginning of the scenes where she was just 12 or 13 and was held down on the bench to get a round of beating under the rain and her mom tried to shield her and took some of the beating? the mother had a miscarriage right?

 

its not a dream? i believe it one of the tremor / horror that she still held insides her and the guild she had towards the unborn siblings?

[Funnypeopleswim]

1 hour ago, SnT said:

Also i still don understand shiyi for madame luo. She n her mum was obviously tortured n abused by her. Madame luo only want to use her for chunge n alliances w xu. I never get the feeling shiyi is scare of her but she seems quite demure and obedient whenever madame luo summon her. I don understand this bit. Should she not at least dislike her n don want to put up w her demands? She was never never rude to her.

 

Looks like besides Erniang who is avbit screwed. All the luo children are rather well brought up, kind n gentle. I believe yuanniang wasn't bad too. Just taught by her mum to play the scheming game too. much. 

 

I think Shiyi respects Madame Luo, and understands her love of her own children. But she doesn't necessarily loves her or her father. She says to him: "I never really expected you to anything, considering how much you abandoned me and my mom after she lost your child." The best way to describe the relationship is how you would act to your boss, manager, CEO. You are afraid of them, and you know that you have to depend on them. So you are respectful towards them.

 

Also Shiyi is logical, so if she can understand peoples reasons for their actions, she can respect their decisions. She knows that Madame Luo is trying to protect the family and that she loves her daughter and grandson. So even if she doesn't "like" the woman she can understand her reasons.

 

I think Shiyi has developed over her life (since her mom was beaten on her behalf) a way to control her feelings. Even to Madame Xu when she's obviously being bias to Qiao, you see Shiyi bright (kind of fake smile).

 

I think Seven who is famous for her bright smile decided to exaggerate it whenever she is really annoyed or angry but can't show it. 

Because Shiyi is powerless in the Luo family she has to rely on her patience and wits.

 

Erniang is the daughter of Madame Luo's maid. She is also a concubine's daughter, but because her mom has devoted her life to kissing up to Madame Luo, I think Erniang hasn't had to suffer as much as Shiyi. Also not everyone can control their emotions. And she's terrible at it. Who she likes and dislikes is very clear. I don't know why she's seems to always hate Shiyi, unless it only started because the sisters were set up as rivals for the two grooms. And she wanted to be married to Houye. In a way Erniang is a simple person, love, hate, jealously, anger she reacts very clearly.

 

Shiyi is much more complicated. She holds everything in and grew up only relying on herself. Even thought there are people who love her (her mom and maid) they aren't very clever. So she is used to having to internalise everything. In that way she and Houye have that in common, so for both of them they need learn to relay on each other. And that's what solidifies their relationship.

 

[NiteWalker]

15 minutes ago, Funnypeopleswim said:

Erniang is the daughter of Madame Luo's maid. She is also a concubine's daughter, but because her mom has devoted her life to kissing up to Madame Luo, I think Erniang hasn't had to suffer as much as Shiyi. Also not everyone can control their emotions. And she's terrible at it. Who she likes and dislikes is very clear. I don't know why she's seems to always hate Shiyi, unless it only started because the sisters were set up as rivals for the two grooms. And she wanted to be married to Houye. In a way Erniang is a simple person, love, hate, jealously, anger she reacts very clearly.

 

HouYe is definitely a better catch than WangYu.....

 

somehow ErNiang is also always jealous of ShiYi i found?

[OsmanthusTea]

2 hours ago, SnT said:

Also i still don understand shiyi for madame luo. She n her mum was obviously tortured n abused by her. Madame luo only want to use her for chunge n alliances w xu. I never get the feeling shiyi is scare of her but she seems quite demure and obedient whenever madame luo summon her. I don understand this bit. Should she not at least dislike her n don want to put up w her demands? She was never never rude to her.

 

 

 

 

Well, that's filial piety all about. Filial piety was/is instilled and took roots strongly in the mind of Chinese to these days (majority, I won't say all). Like it or not, Madam Luo was also her mother. Madam Luo and her mother were "JieMei". That was harem's system. All wives/concubines were mothers to the children and treated at such by the children that were conceived by the man of the house. Even though the concubine was lowborn or unfavored, the children should treated her with the same respect they gave to their own mothers because of the hierarchy.

 

Madam Luo held a strong reins over her household which is a common thing during that time. In a way, women in modern Chinese household are holding a tight reins over their own household too, minus the harem....

 

 

 

Edited March 19, 2021 by OsmanthusTea

[Funnypeopleswim]

2 minutes ago, OsmanthusTea said:

 

 

Well, that's filial piety all about. Filial piety was/is instilled and took roots strongly in the mind of Chinese to these days (majority, I won't say all). Like it or not, Madam Luo was also her mother. Madam Luo and her mother were "JieMei". That was harem's system. All wives/concubines were mothers to the children and treated at such by the children that were conceived by the man of the house. Even though the concubine was lowborn or unfavored, the children should treated her with the same respect they gave to their own mothers because of the hierarchy.

 

Madam Luo held a strong reins over her household which is a common thing during that time. In a way, women in modern Chinese household are holding a tight reins over their own household too, minus the harem....

 

 

 

 

If you read Crazy Rich Asian, you know mistresses have replaced concubines. Sad but true facts :-(

 

Does anyone know how the one child rule worked if a man has a child with his wife and another with his mistress? I know this is probably not the right forum for this question but I always wondered.

[OsmanthusTea]

9 minutes ago, Funnypeopleswim said:

If you read Crazy Rich Asian, you know mistresses have replaced concubines. Sad but true facts :-(

 

Mistresses are miles apart from harem though.... Harem and concubines were legal during those time. The children also carry the name of the father. They were one big "happy" family. Unlike the mistresses' case during modern time. Don't let the translated subs confuses you because they use the terms "legal wife" or "legal child" for first wife and her children, they used that term because there is no equivalent term to described it.

Edited March 19, 2021 by OsmanthusTea

[NiteWalker]

17 minutes ago, Funnypeopleswim said:

 

If you read Crazy Rich Asian, you know mistresses have replaced concubines. Sad but true facts :-(

 

Does anyone know how the one child rule worked if a man has a child with his wife and another with his mistress? I know this is probably not the right forum for this question but I always wondered.

 

you  mean in China in the now world?

[Funnypeopleswim]

17 minutes ago, NiteWalker said:

 

you  mean in China in the now world?

Yes well when China had the one child law.

 

France is famous for mistresses.

 

@OsmanthusTea you're right it is different legally. Women in general just had so little rights back then.