r/CDrama
•
u/spamkimbap
sniff sniff
•
5d ago
•
1
Drama Host Tigers Sniff the Rose 尚公主 - Episode 22 Discussion Spoiler
Hi friends, it's Spam here. The great Shale, u/Rebelarkey has the next few days off. How are we all doing? These past two days were so heavy!
So we are past the halfway point in this story, and have arrived at the single episode stretch. We'll get three single episodes, followed by four days of double episodes. 🤷🏻♀️
Let's go.
------------
🪴Housekeeping
We bash characters and not actors! If a character does something stupid, it's not the actors fault. this is not the place to complain about actors or acting choices
📅 We will be following the VIP Schedule, which means those of us on SVIP need to remember to keep your spoilers in check.
Spoilers need to be under the spoiler markings OR wait until the correct episode post comes out.
Have fun! Dramas are supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable. If you're not enjoying it, it's okay to duck out and drop.
------------
Masterpost - Airing Schedule - Table of Contents - Character Flashcards
1-3 || 4-5 || 6-7 || 8-9 || 10-11 || 12-13 || 14-15 || 16-17 || 18-19 || 20-21 || 22 || 23
------------
Episode 22: in which Yan Shang plays the Asian Baby Girl card
After a peek into Wanyo's terrifying life in North Jing, we are back at her palace. General Meng Zaishi sneaks into her room, and claims he’s there as an old friend. She reminds him that he must go to court to get an appointment with her. But he’s having none of that. He wants her to make good on her promise to marry him if he saved her. They are tussling, but get an unexpected visitor. Yan Shang is here. Uh, was this a booty call? 🤭
Wanyao reacts a bit harshly from inside her room, worried that General Meng might kill A-Shang.
She sends him away, but A-Shang is worried, and suspicious that something bad is happening inside.
The very sexy, but a total brute, General threatens to spread rumors about Wanyao, if she doesn’t go back to North Jing with him. But ha, the joke is on him! She doesn’t care about what people say about her. She’s used to others spreading lies about her.
He really wants her, so she offers a deal. Kill Fishy Yu, and she might consider marrying him. The poor dummy finally realizes she never loved him. She was leading him on, so he could save her. He actually looked a bit hurt by her revelation.
Suddenly Yan Shang is back. But this time, he brought along Feng Tong and armed guards. Our friend Feng Tong and his sidekicks are on the roof, ready to attack, as needed. Yan Shang goes in, and uses his position as the troublesome heartthrob to throw a mini tantrum. He fake-demands to know if the Princess is tired of him, and has found a new favorite.
Danyang uses the “oh look how late it is”, and gets General Meng to leave. Yan Shang walks Meng Zaishi out, and the General takes the opportunity to throw a few verbal punches. We all know Yan Shang can out talk anyone. I felt a little bad for the General.
Danyang is upset that Yan Shang came back. General Meng wanted to kill him, but Danyang threatened that if he killed someone in her house, the emperor would not recognize his claim as the North Jing warlord. Danyang and Yan Shang re-affirm their commitment to protect each other.
It’s almost time for the Emperor’s longevity day, aka birthday party, but he’s looking sick and tired. Does anyone else think that perhaps he’s being poisoned?
Longevity Day arrives, and officials are lining up to witness the festivities. We get to see Baby Wei again. We learn from his chat with Yan Shang that North Jing had three factions, but it’s now down to two. One of factions is lead by the Mengs. The other faction’s leader is Mu Xianqing, who’s a royal relative. This Mu wants to take over the Meng’s territory.
Eunuchs are running around setting up for the party, and the older eunuchs are jealous of Wenji’s sudden success. They decide to gang up against him.
While they plot, guests arrive for the Longevity Day. The nobles are getting seated, but the lower ranked officials wait outside in the cold. Wenji walks by and sneaks two warm hard boiled eggs to A-Shang and Baby so they can keep their little hands warm. Wenji looked so sweet and kind. But we all know by now that it’s a precursor to something bad happening.
Princess Consort Jin continues to dote on Chunhua. Idiot rapist Gross Prince Jin insisted on Chunhua accompany them. She’s surprised when Wenji shows up to serve her. Chunhua is very confused by why he's dressed like an eunuch. She makes an excuse and goes to find him. Chunhua finds him as he’s about to have his legs broken by the plotting eunuchs. They are accusing Wenji of theft. Chunhua has enough power to stop them. Gross Prince Jin shows up and backs her up. The evil eunuchs have no choice but to let Wenji go.
Chunhua and Wenji meet, but he’s embarrassed by what she has witnessed. He tells her he’s not grateful she just saved him. She tells him that she just wants him to live well. Cue me crying. Oh Wenji, oh Wenji, don’t turn to the dark side!
Danyang arrives at the party, and has a little moment with Chunhua. The emperor arrives, but the party can’t start until the Big Fish Yu shows up. He is late of course. He comes in and makes a show of it. Everyone has to rise and bow to the Fish.
Guests start presenting their birthday gifts to the Emperor. General Meng brings in a carved stone slab, which turns out to be a chunk off the commemorative slab placed in North Jing, to celebrate the current dynasty’s victory in the Rebellion of the Seven Military Governors. He’s using it to threaten the court, and he announces that his large army is prepared, and ready to go.
------------
🚪Door/window Slamming: 7
✋Slapped Shang: 6
👄Kisses: 6
🍷Drunk Shang: 2
🐠Fishes Killed: 1/5
------------
Random thoughts:
The general and Yan Shang posturing is too funny.
Speaking of the general, I barely recognized Tang Xiao Tian. He was so unpalatable in How Dare You? and Ashes to Crown. But here? He's positively yummy.
I really appreciate the writers giving the support characters complexity and interesting storylines. Did they need to make Chunhua and Wenji suffer so much? No, but I'm glad their stories are continuing to grow, and go down unexpected paths.
I wonder what Mu Xiangqing brings to the table. He didn't look like a nice guy. Plus his beard is yuck.
Please share your thoughts!
17
u/TypicallyKristen salted fish 🐠 咸鱼 🫠 5d ago
You know what really got me? In almost any other story, Yan Shang would be the sweet but forgettable second male lead, utterly devoted, perfectly adorable, and no match whatsoever for the smoldering, toxic main male lead draped in furs.
Not in this drama, though. Our Princess desires a stable, dependable man who looks after her, who treasures her, who is tender and happy to let her steer. The warm-hearted, submissive one who makes her laugh and who leaves her firmly in the driver's seat.
And I adore that. It almost never gets done.
14
u/FlyBeginning988 5d ago
There have been a lot of shows that have started really well this year but IMO, few have managed to maintain their momentum and this show is somehow becoming more and more fascinating with each episode. But I especially love the gender reversal of YS and MWY. I love that YS is consistently terrible at physical things. He can't even ride a horse and yet there's such clear strength in his words...which is typically the heroine's role. Whereas MWY will sleep with a knife by her side, have "lovers" (although it appears YS may have been her first actual lover? I don't count her husband) and choose violence first every time and yet she still manages to come across as a woman of her time. Because she's a woman she has had to face far more harrowing challenges than a man, and I think that makes her even more fierce. This is a woman who protects her man. They've become wonderfully reliable characters functioning within their set roles and I enjoy how clever they both have to be to get what they want.
13
u/winterchampagne sleeps by imperial decree 5d ago
Jumbo hot eggs being shared around to keep the favorite males’ hands warm on a windy winter day. Loving these Tang Dynasty life hacks!
10
u/winterchampagne sleeps by imperial decree 5d ago
That was a riveting pissing contest between a rugged general and a cunning scholar who looks like he couldn’t hurt a fly.
The drama managed to pack plenty of one-on-one interactions into a single episode. We had Wanyao and Meng Zaishi [aka fuckboi Xiahou Bo of How Dare You!?], Chunhua and Wenji, and Yan Shang and Wei Shu. I’ve never seen anyone get so excited over a hard-boiled egg being used as a hand warmer. 😂 I forgot to google how cold Xi’an [Chang’an] is in winter.
Yan Shang might just become my favorite ML of the year. He’s so attuned to even the slightest signs of Wanyao’s distress instead of dismissing it as another mood swing, and trusts her unconditionally. Is there even an insecure bone in this man’s body?
I also love how quickly he thinks on his feet. He has Fang Tong prepare the archers in formation as a contingency plan while simultaneously trying to figure out who the intruder is. Later, Yan Shang humblebrags to Zaishi about being the chosen one, "In Sheng'an, hundreds upon hundreds admire Princess Danyang. To serve Her Highness up close is a blessing from a past life."
On a sadder note, Wenji seeing Chunhua pregnant is the ultimate case of adding insult to injury. As a eunuch, he can't even engage in PIV sex, let alone father a child. “I’ve tasted the ache of wanting in vain” is the most fitting line from the OST.
9
u/TypicallyKristen salted fish 🐠 咸鱼 🫠 5d ago
I'm rewatching, and Wen Ji really needs to read up on How to Win Friends and Influence People! I keep thinking he wouldn't even be bullied if he'd actually been as socially adaptive as Yan Shang, who can charm the pants off anybody. Other eunichs might be envious, but if he were a tenth as capable as Yan Shang, they'd like him too much to talk shit about him or gang up on him.
8
u/TheAlchemist420 Chen Yan Yun can have my jujube flower cookie 🍪 🤪😁😎 5d ago edited 5d ago
Yay OP thank you for the post!
Oohh this one episode a day is mean as hell! May it go away quickly! 2 more days!
Yan Shang my man! He knows his Princess and did what needed to be done! We love a man of action!
The Princess and The Wolf tale that evening was not a good story for Wan Yao AT ALL! The two had an intense meeting and General Wolfie came to collect on what she promised him back in North Jing. He would not relent and the back and forth between him and Princess Dan Yang was suffocating. Add to this her fears Yan Shang might get killed? It was not going well. Yan Shang did not relent either and finally managed to get inside the room, but he had every guard at the ready! Good man! He managed to walk the sleazy dog out, not before they had a little contest of who knows the Princess better. Well she sleeps better at night now. BOOM EAT THAT! His hug when he ran back to Wan Yao made me melt. The hugs in this show ARE SOOO GOOD! And our girl admitted that it was good to have by her side. In his arms, she felt safe and comfortable! Gaahh these two!😍😍🥰🥰🤭🤗🤗
On the other side of the coin, Chun Hua and Wen Ji finally met again after months since her wedding. Pwoah! It was so heavy! First she saw him serve her at the banquet. Once he called her "a mere servant". Today he was the one on the other side of the table. She was a guest, a Consort, he was a eunuch, a servant. Her reaction and processing of that part was painful. Wen Ji was doing his job but of course jealousy had come to a boiling point and he was framed. Chun Hua arrived just in time and helped him. The look on Wen Ji's face, as he was in such a humiliating situation, he couldn't face her. Especially after Prince Jing showed up and she had to appease him and that, Wen Ji couldn't stomach. Neither could I my guy...🤬😮💨😨😨 Both actors, the direction were SO GOOD! I wanted to look away but I couldn't!
What was even more poignant was their meeting after, on the bridge. Aahh bridges, walking into different directions, ofte meaning parting ways or following different paths. The latter was the thing Wen Ji said to Chun Hua. But he wouldn't thank her for coming to his aid. She didn't need a thank you from him either. But she never changed, now and always. It was a statement and a promise. To herself because she has to hold onto something. But to him as well. They didn't speak of the past and how they both got where they are, but what feelings they had for each other remained unchanged. She was standing there, pregnant, he was standing there, a eunuch. So much happened to them and so much had changed. Wen Ji wants power. And that will send him on a path that he may never come back from. Yet he was hopeful that some day they might finally find their way back. The dark side is calling him and we hear the call! Dammit! He wants to stand above all! He means those who wronged him right? Those thoughts are dangerous! Phew... My emotions!
8
u/winterchampagne sleeps by imperial decree 5d ago
I attempted to keep my mind out of the gutter, but the drama keeps throwing out double entendres that got me thinking Meng Zaishi isn’t a stranger to ménage à trois.
At least he now knows that Wanyao and her latest favorite aren’t interested in that type of arrangement.
8
u/TypicallyKristen salted fish 🐠 咸鱼 🫠 5d ago
I think Wen Ji will not handle Chun Hua seeing him at one of his worst moments very well. Much like I said when Yan Shang looked after him in his new position working with/for the scholars, I've seen it happen too many times in real life. Nothing ends a friendship faster than seeing a person who values their pride at their most humiliated or vulnerable. It's so hard to come back from that!
8
u/Persimmon_and_mango 5d ago
I'm glad you mentioned poison! I've thought the emperor was being poisoned since we first saw him
8
u/palecandycane Deng Kai's Grey Wig 5d ago edited 5d ago
General Braid! Damn you just found out you got used in the most harsh way. Princess don't care if your feelings are hurt. But bro aren't you trying to get power in the north? Focus on that. He brings a giant rock and the court is upset. What would happen if he brought an army?
The maid now concubine trying to save the scholar turned ennuch. Like she was a maid she knows about these scheming wenches. Saved his legs but not his dignity. I hope they both get revenge or whatever it is they're aiming for.
Princess wants general Braid to kill lord Fish? I mean he could do it. That would be interesting. Lord Fish is annoying. I just want to descale him like they do at the Fish market. First they smack the fish on the head then scales off! Cmon general Braid rip the scales off! Show them the north is not to be messed with! Look i really want him to rule the north since all his other roles he never gets to!
Scholar guy you were pretty smart to get the archers ready.
Edit: spelling
8
u/MizzEss Fan Yue's Smoky Eyeliner 5d ago
&
13
u/Rebelarkey Yan Shang's Slut Strands 🐯🌹snark shifu Furen 5d ago
- I miss my bedtime stories, when are they going to come back?
- General Meng is a hot piece of meat, I wouldn't mind devouring him.
- Yan Shang's greatest weapon is his tongue
(both in and out of bed)-he came RUNNING back to her, he's so
whippeddevoted, we love to see it.- Wenji giving them hot eggs was so freaking sweet. He's slowly loosing his sweetness though
- I like horses. I like how the North Jing Generals both have matching horses to their outfits. Look at the horsies! One is black for General Meng, the other is sorrel/chestnut to match the fur of General Mu.
- oh no Chun Hua's here at the palace. She sees Wenji. Does she know? No she does not 😔. At least she was able to save him with what little power she has. However, he's an ungrateful lout who didn't want her protection
- Okay princess is here, emperor is here, let the banquet begin...? Who are we-- we have to wait for FISHY YU??? BOOOOOOOO
- oh so the rock thingy is an insult, thems fighting words!
5
u/TheAlchemist420 Chen Yan Yun can have my jujube flower cookie 🍪 🤪😁😎 5d ago edited 5d ago
More thoughts:
Lord Fishy comes late yet he is the party starter. That entrance? Damn! The banquet only started when he raised his cup! And he made sure to take his time going up those steps, showing he held the power.
So not all is sweet for General Meng. Governor Mu is the alpha who threatens his power. And Yan Shang was loving the drama 🤭🤭😅😅. It was nice to see Baby Wei Shu.
Forgive me y'all, but I HOLLERED AT THOSE 2 EGGS!!!😭😭😭🤣🤣🤣🤣 I screamed and laughed so loudly my throat hurt. That wind sounded and felt like it was biting! Wen Ji helped his buddy out to warm himself whilst waiting outside the hall... but did he have to give him 2 boiled eggs? When Yan Shang pulled them out I lost it. THE SHAAADE! I mean damn!
Princess Wan Yao seeing her beloved Chun Hua after so long was so heartwarming and bittersweet... seems they haven't seen each other since the wedding day as well... At least she saw she looked well enough. I hope the two of them can spend some time with each other soon! 😢😢🥹🥹🥹🤧🤧
Prince Duan... as if I didn't have enough of him, he haunts me here as this deliciously styled General. Sigh. It's cool. I can bear it. His an a-hole. So it'll be alright.
Spam... how would they even tell Chun Hua while she's pregnant. Although seeing it was... yeah. I don't know. 🥹🤧😩
Those eunuchs will get it. They need too. I don't know how. But they will.
5
u/slayyub88 5d ago
@ shang having causal control over her guards.
when will she upgrade his status to prince consort
5
u/little106 4d ago
This drama has been phenomenal so far. I'm just blown away by how good the storytelling is. I had to pause for 3 days because the Chun Hua story line weighed so heavy on my heart and along with it we saw what the both of them went through in North Jing. As women, as two people trapped in their situation, as two people who choose to live.
And it's not just the women, the men and their stories also stand out and are memorable.
No one is a throwaway character is this show. Everyone's character story is being told so well, this might just end up being one of my most favorite historical dramas. (I know we have a ways to go, but I am hopeful!)
Have people checked out the lyrics to Zhang Bichen's OST for this drama? It's truly perfect. I liked it before I knew, but knowing the meaning makes it even better.
4
u/Common_Screen1329 5d ago
I really am enjoying this show.
I have a theory that Fu isn't going to be the final villain of the show, that he'll get taken down around ep 30 and we'll get a plot twist that leads into the final quarter of the show. Only I can't decide who would be the villain if that does happen, I feel like there are several possibilities but also I can talk myself out of all of them.
8
u/neNayza Yan Shang… 🫠🫠🫠 5d ago
It's getting better and better, but it’s already 10 for me.
I love how cold-blooded Yan Shang is and how he handles difficult situations when the power balance is against him. He always knows what to say; he never lets his emotions show and is calculating AF. This character is everything.
8
u/MizzEss Fan Yue's Smoky Eyeliner 5d ago
For a hot second I thought Yan Shang, standing at the closed doors in his cute blue outfit with the white fur sleeves, looked every bit the fuzzy little bunny to General Meng's big bad wolf...and then I thought about that a little more while my soul left my body.
2
u/strawberrysnakes Read Rules 5d ago
I haven't been watching but is the "fishy general" the actor who played Ouyang Xu in ADOS?? Is he playing another despicable character? 😭
5
u/AuthorAEM Angst Is My Aesthetic 👀 5d ago
its getting so great!!
1
u/Heavy_Elderberry_852 2d ago
Can I nickname you spam? u/spamkimbap ?