I REALLY wish these drama adaptations of novels would stop messing with the original story’s ending…especially changing happy endings to sad ones. Why would you want to do such a thing??
A brief overview of the ending in the novel:
- Mama Qiu used her and her son’s death to force Zhi Wei to swear that she will revive the nation of Da Cheng. (This is a bit complicated but in the novel Mama Qiu was actually tricked by her husband into believing her son is dead and the baby boy she was raising was to be sacrificed for the sake of Da Cheng. Zhi Wei eventually figures out the whole messy truth and realizes that Mama Qiu would’ve never had allowed her own son to die over some grandiose loyalty to a nation that no longer exists. Along with that realization, Zhi Wei also lost all her motivation to raise a rebellion because she knew what the common people really want is peace and prosperity.)
- At this point, Zhi Wei had already been declared Empress over the “nation” of Da Cheng which makes her and our hero (now the King of Tian Sheng) enemies. Fully aware of the oath Mama Qiu had forced upon Zhi Wei, Ning Yi allowed Zhi Wei to claim half of his land without putting up too much of a fight believing that our heroine would come back to him once she finished what she promised her mother.
- Meeting Zhi Wei in an old palace hall that should’ve brought back many sweet memories they shared years ago, Ning Yi thought he and Zhi Wei can finally have their happy ending but Zhi Wei laughs mockingly and points out that Ning Yi should be feeling ill from the wine he was drinking by then. Amused when Ning Yi seems certain that there is no chance Zhi Wei could’ve poisoned him under so many watchful eyes, Zhi Wei reveals that the wine Ning Yi was drinking…the wine that had sat undisturbed in the underground of the palace was the very wine she had poisoned way back when they were still in their lovey-dovey phase. His heart shattered by Zhi Wei’s words, Ning Yi accepts his impending death calmly but tells Zhi Wei bitterly that even if she manages to kill him, the Da Cheng she just built will still dissolve. Unfazed, Zhi Wei replies with a smile “That’s alright. It’s my pleasure to be able to die with you.” Ning Yi stares at Zhi Wei, her smile is still gentle just like the first time they met. He had always thought all his effort is to create a bright future for them. That belief has allowed him to be patient all these years but in the end, it was all his own imagination. Slowly opening his eyes, the jade cup in Ning Yi hand shatters. Ignoring the blood dripping from his hand, Ning Yi summons his men and commands “Take her to the dungeon. Three days later…” Closing his eyes, Ning Yi continues “to be executed.”
- The ever faithful Gu Nan Yi shows up in Zhi Wei’s prison cell. After quietly listening to Zhi Wei’s decision to die that day, Gu Nan Yi gently answers her “Alright. Together then.” Gu Nan Yi easily breaks Zhi Wei out of prison but things get complicated again when Gu Nan Yi’s adopted father and biological father show up. A big battle ensues, Gu Nan Yi steps in between his two fathers and was hurt badly. Gu Nan Yi turns around to look at Zhi Wei only to see her neigh unto death. Turns out, the moment Gu Nan Yi showed up at the dungeon Zhi Wei had immediately taken a pill that will end her life. With Gu Nan Yi’s arms around her, Zhi Wei swallows her last breath as she cast a longing look towards where Ning Yi’s direction. Covered in blood, Gu Nan Yi lets out a grief filled howl and jumps off the palace wall with Zhi Wei in his arms.
- Ning Yi knew instinctively what had happened when he saw the faraway figure looking towards his direction. The distance and the drifting snow between them makes it impossible for him to see her clearly but Ning Yi could clearly feel her gaze and the farewell sigh that seems to break the connection between them. Collapsing to the ground, a gush of blood spilled from Ning Yi’s mouth.
- Gu Nang Yi survives the fall and wakes up to find himself on his faithful horse but Zhi Wei is nowhere in sight. Gu Nang Yi searches for Zhi Wei but eventually realizes if Zhi Wei is determined to hide then she can’t be found. Going through all the places Zhi Wei has been before, Gu Nang Yi writes notes to Zhi Wei and buries them underneath trees at each place he visits.
- Zhi Wei didn’t poison our hero after all. The wine was poisoned, but the poison was actually meant for Ning Yi’s dad, the old emperor. The poison in the wine combined with the special fragrance on Zhi Wei’s body became a special medicine for an old poison that had been troubling Ning Yi since he was young. All the “poison symptoms” Ning Yi had was actually the medicine chasing out all the bad stuff in Ning Yi’s body. When Ning Yi collapsed after coughing up blood, that was the very last of the bad stuff in his body so his health recovered quickly after that.
- Ning Yi had fainted right after Gu Nang Yi jumped off the wall. When Ning Yi finally woke up, he promptly dragged himself into the snow to personally look through the dead bodies one by one. Ning Yi lets out a long sigh of relief when Zhi Wei’s body is nowhere to be found. However, if he can’t be certain of Zhi Wei’s fate, how is he suppose to go on living with the big question hanging over him each day? If never seeing her again meant she can be alive elsewhere then he is willing. But his big fear is what if she died? Then he wouldn’t even know where to go to visit her. Tossing all the work to 10th Prince, Ning Yi begins his own treck through the world searching for Zhi Wei…including all the places they have been to together.
- For all of their seemingly endless patience to go on searching for Zhi Wei forever, our two male leads finally got smart and came up with a plan to trick Zhi Wei out of hiding. Gu Nan Yi pretended to be an assassin and “killed” Ning Yi.
- After waiting outside of the palace for 10 days, Gu Nan Yi finally sees the figure on a horse he has been waiting for. Touching his own face to find a smile on it, Gu Nan Yi thought “So this is a smile…”. Gu Nan Yi had in an instant understood everything when he had held Zhi Wei in his arms and she cast her last look towards the palace. He had understood then who is in her heart and came to realize that there are many ways to love, it doesn’t always have to be one way. She had given him everything so in return, he will give her back a life of happiness. As for him…he has been here, has loved, has cried, has laughed. That’s enough. With the first smile of his life still lingering on his face, Gu Nan Yi turns around and walks off. Goodbye, my love. From now on, you will be in my heart.
- The rider unconsciously looks up towards the hillside but there is no one there. Taking a deep breath, the rider continues on. Easily making her way into the palace, the rider feels her knee going weak when she saw the golden casket. Instinctively reaching out to stable herself, the rider jumps in surprise when her hand touches something smooth and warm. It was someone’s hand. Her body stiffening, the rider looks down and sees a long shadow by her side. The rider keeps her eyes wide open in fear in that if she blinks everything will disappear like a dream, only to see a smiling face turning around and her hand is enclosed in a familiar grasp. (The novel doesn’t clarify but the rider is obviously Zhi Wei and the man is Ning Yi who faked his death.)
- Previously, Ning Yi had asked Zhi Wei if there is a way for them to be together. Zhi Wei’s answer is that they need to redeem their wrongs and go past death. Before Zhi Wei’s “death” she had paved the way to make sure many people (such as those who were in Xue Futu) would be taken cared of. Zhi Wei’s death also meant the whole Da Cheng empire mess is really a done deal and while she can’t bring back those who died, Zhi Wei gave peace back to the common people. So the redemption part was more or less done, which meant our two leads have to figure out how to “go past death”. Zhi Wei faked her own death to give Ning Yi a clean slate to be the emperor but turns out, our hero really didn’t want to be an emperor if it meant being without Zhi Wei so he had himself “killed.”
Postscript:
- Despite his short reign, Ning Yi goes down the history as a great emperor who did many things for the good of people. Of course, there are many historians who can’t figure out the many glaring questions concerning the whole re-establishment of Da Cheng empire period. For example, why would such a strong empire such as Tian Sheng take such a lax attitude towards the establishment of Da Cheng empire on half of its land?! What’s even more ridiculous is that Tian Sheng’s own palace history records what should’ve been seen as a rebellion simply as “the re-establishment of Da Cheng empire”?! Because of the emperor’s puzzling peaceful attitude, which meant all those who should have been considered traitors didn’t receive any punishment at all! In fact, the Da Cheng’s first female general was allowed to leave and made herself a queen on some island.
- A little fun side note is that there were court officials who loudly complained Ning Yi didn’t punish the “traitors” and suggest that the emperor should make sure they are killed to prevent any future problems. Nodding, Ning Yi tells the court officials since in warfare it is always best to kill the leader first, then he will place those court officials in charge of leading the army to go battle against the Da Cheng’s first female general. Their face draining of color immediately, the court officials knew this was like being banished forever since who can promise they will actually be able to find the nebulous island the female general is on…plus, they will most likely lose against the most feared general even if they end up finding her. Needless to say, Ning Yi had no more troubles with his court officials from then on.
- The commoners who lived on the re-established part of Da Cheng (but now part of Da Cheng again) also have great things to say about their previous empress because they remembered how generous of a ruler she was and they are forever thankful that instead of fighting a hopeless war for her own greed, she let go of what most would not have been able to.
Sitting underneath a willow tree, a certain person jerkily closes a book. The cover of the book has a tacky drawing of a woman with a title that reads “Where is her spirit now? The secrets of the alluring empress!”
“What?” Someone lazily asks with a smile in his voice.
“Nothing” Quickly calming herself, the one who held the book stares at the gaudy woman with countless jewelry on the cover intently for a moment and sighs “This is what an empress looks like? She looks more like some street vendor selling trinkets.”
“Let me see.” The man takes the book and stares at it for a long moment. “She is ugly compares to you.” Taking a closer look at the drawing’s clothing, the man nods with approval “Not bad. The clothing is appropriate, not revealing.”
“So what if instead, it was like “The nights of the alluring empress” and the woman was scantily clad?”
“So nothing.” The man answers causally “I send a letter to 10th Prince and tell the guards to figure out who drew it. Find the guy, kill him.”
Silent for a long moment, the woman quickly puts away the book and stash it in the bottom of their trunk, trying to valiantly save the life of some no-name artist…the cover was decent looking but inside the book, there was another picture that was on the racy side.
- After 13 years of tribulations, our hero can finally have his happy ending with our heroine.
- The poor 10th prince ends up becoming the next emperor despite his desperate begging. Resigned to his lot, 10th Prince strikes a deal with Ning Yi that he and Zhi Wei would not live too far from the capital so the new emperor can always have his two advisors nearby.
“Speaking of 10th Prince…” Zhi Wei smiles “Do you think his hair will turn white overnight when he finds out we have disappeared?”
“Let his hair turn white.” Completely unsympathetic, Ning Yi replies “He comes to me for every little thing. Did he think I have lots of time to waste?”
Not bothering replying, Zhi Wei smiles and thought silently “Aren’t you indeed full of free time? Who was the one that was so bored last night that he wanted to go “chat” in bed?”
“It’s not like 10th can’t handle things himself now. As long as I am around then he has an excuse to be lazy.” Ning Yi declares with a righteous air “I can’t be a crutch to him. He is the emperor so he needs to carry the burden. It’s time for us to go.”
Still silent and smiling, Zhi Wei thought “What a great excuse. But I am so nice so I won’t say anything. In the end, the problem still lies on 10th Prince’s end. Such a naive kid, that 10th Prince. He comes to his brother over everything, be it big or small. The issue is that he doesn’t distinguish between night and day either. Just when his good brother gets ready to have a “chat” in bed, then there he is wanting to “discuss important national issues…”
So, after another certain night when they are interrupted once again, the next morning Ning Yi sits up in bed and after staring into space for a moment suddenly declares “Let’s run away.” Dragging a still sleeping Zhi Wei out of the bed, Ning Yi gave Zhi Wei only enough time to get dress, grabs a few things then immediately takes off without telling anyone.
“Let’s go.” Zhi Wei stands up and pulls on Ning Yi “A while ago you said the sun was too bright so you didn’t want to go. Now it’s almost sunset. If we wait any longer then you are going to say it’s too late, it’s time to sleep.”
“The one who knows me is none other than my wife Zhi Wei.” Letting Zhi Wei pull him up, Ning Yi whispers against her ear “Should we give you a new name? How about Know Yi?” (It’s a play on word of her name and his name.)
“Know Yi? I think it should be Walk Difficult.” Zhi Wei slowly replies “When one is with Mr. Ning then walking is difficult.”
Caressing Zhi Wei’s face as he laughs heartily, Ning Yi thought silently “What does it matter if we walk slowly? We have all the time in the world…”
ps. Next week I will post another epilog that actually has the two leads from Fuyao in it so be sure to look for it.
All text copyright @ www.Ninja-Reflection.com
Oh my god I am at work and can’t read your post. I am dying. The show is really pick up after ep 15 and I am finally really like it much more.
Thanks so much dear, indeed this is a much better ending. 😅
Just finished reading your recap of the ending. Thank you so much! I hope this is the end they show on Netflix.
It won’t be because it’s already done filming. There isn’t a double ending and they wouldn’t refilm it just because Netflix licensed it.
<3 <3 <3
that is a much much much much better ending TT ^ TT. It doesn’t ruin the essence of the themes of the drama at all. WHY production team WHY…
‘After 13 years of tribulations, our hero can finally have his happy ending with our heroine.’ – he went through enough tribulations to become buddha but all he needed was 1 girl =.= . Worst luck award goes to our poor hero
I don’t understand what do chinese historical show makers have against a Happy Ending. If that is what they want to do why do they even adapt a famous book and then ruin it for everyone. Why not think of an original plot by themselves and go do whatever however do they wish to it. Why raise the reader/viewer’s BP along the way for the way their favourite tale is mishandled!!
BTW, you are an angel for translating the book ending for us which is so much better than what the show is gearing towards. Two endings?? Which one will Netflix pick??
Gah! I won’t watch anymore historicals….till the next one that has a pretty face I mean snares my intellectual interest comes along.. 😀
man, i really love this ending!!!!
still dreading in watching the series from Netflix…. I wish i start this series when they have release all the subs! Why do I always end up watching it RAW?
Anyway, I do agree, why did the PD always ruin the Happy Ending? or should I say, all ending?
sometimes they rush it, sometime the ending doesn’t even make any senses!
Hope it’s better than Fuyao, I really disappointed on that one. Even the Three Lifes too…
I hated Fuyao after ep 30… what a mess. The acting was so bad too, especially compared to Chen Kun and NiNi.
Holy Shit this was the real ending? God damn the drama was just fucking sad. All that pain that they went, they definitely deserved a happy ending. I couldn’t believe the drama’s ending >O
I’m so disappointed that the drama won’t have this happy ending, and that it will be a sad one. After all their suffering, they didn’t end up together. I will never understand why dramas don’t give their leads the happy ending they deserve. 🙁
I know. I am watching it on Netflix and finally getting into it but am debating if I should stop. I get very emotional affected for days.
GAH. I finished the TV series today and I’m SO MAD AT THE ENDING. I wish they kept it the way it was in the book. It’s so melodramatic it SUCKED and ruined everything for me!
Can you tell me how it ends? I’m so invested in a the couple. Maybe I should stop watching.
This is better. Just done watching it. Very sad but Chen Kun was really good in the drama.
If only they make it a happy ending.
Thank you
Yes -I’m of the same opinion because I’m a romantic and escapist. I want, despite everything for them to finally be together. I watched every episode waiting for scenes between Ning Yi and Zhi Wei . Why did they have to ruin it with such a desperately sad ending where NingYi was never rewarded for his unfailing dedication ? Remake the ending1
100% Agree with you.
I am echoing all of your thoughts. I think it would have been a much better drama if the two ended up together. Ning Yi’s devotion to Z should have paid dividends. When i found out there was going to be a sad ending, i stopped watching. I am completely turned off of these dramas now. I have watched a plethora of drama and love stories and this was at the top. The chemistry that was between the actors is hard to find. The storyline was awesome. The cinematography, costumes, and hair artistry was out of this world. All ruined. Why did the author allow it.
Absolutely agree with you. Wish they would have stuck with the novel ending. Love Chen Kun as Ning Yi and Ni Ni as Zhiwei….
Is it a well deserved happy ending here.
They gone through so much together and Ning Yi promised her that he will make her happy,but the movie is having a sad ending.
Netflix should do a second season for this movie,as is absolutely lovely.
I m trying to buy the book but I cannot find it at all😫😫
OMG! I love the book ending… thank you so much for translating. I am half way thru the movie but debating.. don’t want it to end with a sad ending. But this translating of the novel make up for it…
Wow, novel ending is way better than the drama ending. So many people will be so upset when they find out it’s a sad ending. Love the novel ending. Did u translate the section where Fuyao in it?
Are there English translations for the two songs. They are so hauntingly lovely in Mandarin, Id like to know the lyrics
They are very beautiful. Songs like these are more like poems so they are fairly difficult for me to translate because they just end up sounding weird. I will keep your request in mind though and when I have a chance I will write a post that covers the general meaning of the songs.
hi, my friend told me you have translated the song , but i couldn’t find it, can u share it with me ?pls
Sorry, I haven’t translated the songs yet…they are on my “get to” list. BTW, the songs in this shows are more like poems which makes them really difficult to translate (at least for me) so it will be more like a general meaning translation.
Glad to have stumbled upon this. My boyfriend, who introduced me to the show, finished it a night before I did. He told me the Netflix ending is drastically different from that of the novel. It somewhat gives me joy knowing that in another universe they got the happy ending they deserved. 😀
Is there any way you will be translating the entire novel? I would love to read the original story but I don’t think they have published it in English. I know, big ask, but I just had to. This made up for everything that went wrong in the last 10 episodes of the show (plus the horrific subs from Netflix).
Yes! I want to read the original story, too. I prefer this ending so much more. I am sooo miffed with the drama ending.
Ah…sorry. To be completely honest, while this particular author has obviously created memorable stories and leads for us, I am afraid I actually don’t particularly enjoy her writing style. She tends to meander A LOT when it comes to her story so that we end up reading chapter after chapter of our heroine going off on some random adventure with “yet another male second lead who is in love with her” while our hero has all been forgotten. The show already spent a lot of time on the palace intrigue but imagine if that power struggle actually were expended AND then we have to put up with episode after episode of our heroine going off with all the different male second leads (which for this author, are always many…and the poor male second leads always seem to have bad endings…as in they all have to die still yearning for our heroine.) while our hero is completely absent…that will be painful for you to read and simply a torture for me to translate.
However, judging by the popular response on the show though I do think a lot of people are not ready to say goodbye to our two leads yet, so while I can’t bring myself to translate the whole novel, I will pick out a few sweet scenes between our two leads for translation.
Wasted my time for such a pathetic ending on Netflix. Was dreading to watch the last ten episodes fearing a sad ending, my perdiction came true!
I agree with all the comments and the person who created this site and gave us all hope. What the hell with this pathetic ending? After episode 50, everything became convoluted and rushed. If anyone in this show deserved a happy ending, in my opinion, it was Ning Yi. He was wise, smart, just and calculative when necessary with a big heart and his devotion to our heroine was relentless and the director gave him the worst ending, really to both of them. I am glad the novel is so different after all the hardships. Many thanks for this translation of the last part of the novel. It was a relief.
In the late episode when Zin Ziyan refused to be the Prime Minister and walked out without respect for Ning Yi, l knew things were askew. The 70th episode synopsis on Netflix gave hint that FZW was not on board win NY, and was believing the manipulations that her brother has set up so deceptively.
This is where I felt betrayed by the writers; after all NZW had always been smart enough to see through the BS and with NY their combined genius was part of the romance that was what this whole romantic series was built on: their love for each other, a sense of justice, and their ability to always find a satisfying solution to obstacles together.
Very disappointing.
Ok when I wrote that last post I had only gotten to the 68th episode. I read about FZW being swung by her blood feud obligations, and thought she was going to do something to ruin Ning Yi. The writers were smart enough to show that NY was not to be taken down, and the final meeting with FZW and the Emperor (NY’s father) summed it up. The Emperor must put empire above personal matters. FZW chose to take responsibility for her fate without any more unnecessary bloodshed.
SO in that sense the principles won out in the end. I’m satisfied.
It was actually not so much about principal but about an illusion/yearning they held on to of an old dynasty that had already been dead. People around them constantly manipulated towards the end especially FZW’s brother and deaths on both sides created more resentments, hate and divisions. However NY and FZW were very intelligent and had a combined genius together not to mention a deep love to go beyond this which the director did not choose . They cut from 100 episodes to 70 so who knows what the director would have done in 100 episodes. Maybe a different ending ?
I think this will be the last Chinese historical drama I watch. Almost every one I’ve seen, the leads never get each other or a happy ending. I can’t have my heart break over these Chinese dramas anymore.
Ok, so overall the drama was pretty flippen amazing. Amazing acting from both leads (I’m so in love with Chen Kun), very strong and intelligent characters, and pretty good story arcs (though I feel like sometimes the conflicts were resolved to easily). It’s just the ending that stabs at my heart.
Watch it for a great journey and incredibly smart characters, but just be prepared to have your heart pulled out, stabbed, and stomped on at the end.
Have you watched Lost Love in Times? Dramafever has it. I highly recommend it if you need something addicting to watch AND to restore your faith in happy endings. 🙂
I absolutely love you for writing this😊. Thank you soon so much. I don’t get it, this was a perfectly thought-out written ending. Why the hell did they have to turn it tragic on TV.
Thanks again.
This ending would’ve been beautiful!!! I’m stopped on ep68 of the drama on netflix because I don’t know if I can handle the angst they’re building up to. 🙁
The drama shouldve gotten happy ending as well😭😭
Im crying when I saw the last episode
They share same stubborn attitudes, sharp minds, and most important same feelings
Why cant they just be tghtr? 😭😭
Thank you for the translation of the HAPPY ENDING! Thank goodness! I so appreciate it. Just like in Princess Agents, Yuwen Yue and Chu Ciao had a happy ending too. Don’t trust the dramas! Stick to the NOVEL!
OMG, after a marathon thru all the episodes in less than a month am now sadly reflecting wishing there’d be more episodes as I really really loved it. Having to read subtitles I may have missed a fair bit so ….lucky for me…will be watching all 70 episodes AGAIN. The music score superb, acting perfectly synchronised and storyline…well storyline just took me away into another time. Priceless.
Omg thats how i feel also =( Wished there was more episodes.
I have to make a another comment here about our hero and heroine. As much as I wanted a happy ending and to see them end up together in the TV drama, I don’t understand why FWZ did not see how much Ning Yi did for her to the end. He Saved and protected her many times and loved her relentlessly and everything especially towards the end got blamed on Ning Yi and FWZ could not see the truth because she thought they caused a lot of death and other problems which was actually caused by all the scheming evil brothers, the emperor, old dynasty people and other kings/princes, etc. All Ning Yi did was to constantly protect and to clean up other people’s mess and wrongdoings to protect everything and everyone. Even his long time time friend and court counsel at the end deserted him. Watching the show infuriated me how Ning Yi was treated from the beginning to the end even by FWZ who supposedly loved him. If anyone deserved a happy ending more than anyone else was Ning Yi which I am glad he at least received in the book.
Omg thank you. I was so angry at the ending. All those hours of put into the drama to not have them together…specially since I felt she would have given up that Easley.
i cried many times
Love the whole story but hate the ending…..
What a lovely story with tortuous plot, I was fully attracted by the story development. Ning Yi and Zhi Wei are beautiful and smart, but the ending in the TV production makes me feel so sad and disappointed. After reading the post above and learned the ending in the book, it almost feels like the TV production was running out of budget, they had to end the story abruptly. It ruined the original intent of the story.
I need to add a few frustrations I have with the drama…why did Ning Yi forgive the Emperor so easily after what he did to his mother? He locked her up in a dungeon for 20 years? And what happened to Zhi Wei after she went to Sinshi…she looked beautiful in all those gowns but her brain wasn’t like in the earlier episodes from 1 to 49. I think the best episodes ended at 50…and then after that…the characters weren’t right anymore. Ning Yi wouldn’t have forbid Zhi Wei to go back to the Sinshi at the end or force her to be his Empress. And Zhi Wei wouldn’t just cowardly kill herself at the end. She is too clever and smart to do that. She would have found a way out for them. After all the things she did during her time as the Ultimate Scholar, how could she not figure a way out for them both? Or at least come up with a better plan than taking her own life. She owed too much to her mother who told her to live on when she was dying in Zhi Wei’s arms. Overall, the acting is superb! The Emperor character was one of the best Emperor characters I’ve watched in Chinese dramas. I also like Ziyan’s character too. I enjoy that this drama was more about the feudal among the princes instead of the harem (among the Empress and concubines like most of Chinese dramas out there. The costumes in this drama are top notch. And I give Ni Ni and Chun Ken applauds for their outstanding acting abilities. Chun Ken is my favorite Chinese actor right now. I wish him the best and hope he stars in another romantic historical period. His face and acting fit well with a period drama.
Hear, hear Ally, I agree with all that you have writen.
Second your opinion that the acting is superb. The language in the show is classy and funny (at times) since it mingles Classical Chinese and modern Chinese in the character’s dialogues. I’ve seen a couple Chen Kun’s movies before, but I think this one is his best!
She is too clever and smart to do that. She would have found a way out for them. After all the things she did during her time as the Ultimate Scholar, how could she not figure a way out for them both?
– she values more her oath to her mother than her love for Ning Yi.
Going to play devil’s advocate here, but I’m not watching this as “escapist romance” so maybe that’s why I can’t possibly see a happy ending for these two. They are an ill-fated couple, and that is the reason why those short and sweet scenes of them together are so achingly beautiful, and why I’m so in love with the pairing as much as it HURTS to see them apart. In Japanese drama, Soredemo Ikite Yuku, the brother of the murder victim and the sister of the murderer fall in love. Much the same, we want to see them together despite the tragic circumstances that brought them together, but they don’t. Even though the man is willing to let go of the past, the woman decides to leave to atone for her brother’s sins. Why? Because their relationship will always be marred by that one event. Because of Ning Yi’s father, Zhiwei’s mother and brother were killed. In order to protect each other, they both endangered other people’s and their own lives. I can see that they deserve a happy ending, but realistically, it wouldn’t happen.
What I want isn’t a change in the ending. I want ANOTHER drama with Chen Kun and Ni Ni with a frikkin happy ending.
I think you have made some really convincing points here. In the novel, the conflict point is a bit different. Our heroine’s (adoptive) mother and brother’s death in the novel were more directly related to the grandiose dream of certain people that wanted to bring the Da Cheng empire back. Our heroine’s mother was a tragic character who was fooled by her own husband and unknowingly sacrificing her own son for “the cause.”
Often in these epic C-novels the conflict is so huge that there just doesn’t seem to be any way for our two leads together…which is why one or both of our leads in these kinds of stories will often “die” because death has that magical ability to force one to really figure out what’s important.
Thanks for clarifying. I honestly think they should have followed some of the plot points in the novel instead based on what you said. I appreciate you doing the novel translations because that’s the ONLY thing keeping me sane after finishing the trainweck that was episode 70 on Netflix last night. Actually make it anything post-Minhai. I understand now why people are so upset. Heck, even I was raging mad at how things turned out. I think this may be partly due to bad editing and censorship more than anything. If it comes out on blu ray in Japan, I’ll buy it 100%, but I’ll still come back to read these novel endings to savour the sweet moments hah.
Wasn’t expected it will end that way also but the ending does not seem so bad at all. Zhi Wei kept her promise to her mother and the her death provided Ning Yi his ultimate goal as a ruler.
I agree, not too bad once we see that there is a thread of reality running through which gives it gravitas… an emperor must think of the future of the nation state. FZW taking her own way reflects her respect fo rthat.
BTW the Quin Empire on NF is a good one too. I watched it for a second time while waiting for NF 15 epi dumps each week.
SO UPSET…I couldn’t believe that it ended that way like Princess Agents. It’s kind of put me off Chinese dramas for a while. I need to emotionally recover. Has the novel which this drama is based on been officially translated in English?
Ha, I like the comparison to Princess Agents because they really cheated the viewers in the same way. I don’t think the novel has been translated in English…yet.
What is about tragic endings? Do film makers think it is more intriguing? A farewell scene of Ning Yi and Zhi Wei in JingShi, he said “going forward and giving up is different”. This ending is a 100% give up!
Thank you so much for giving me a much better happy ending. I was soooo depressed after watching the ending in Netflix. I wished I could go back in time and unwatched it. I wished I stopped on ep47 when Ning Yi promised to marry Feng Zhiwei. UGH. But thank you, i can now sleep peacefully and dream of that happy ending. Love Chen Kun and Ni Ni, they are perfect together. Looking forward to seeing them again in another drama with a happy ending.
Thank you for this. This is the only thing that has had a positive effect on the bad mood I’ve had after watching that disastrous 2d half of the show. This was my first Chinese drama and after watching 70 episodes with subtitles (mind you I don’t understand a single word of Mandarin) , that ending left me feeling like i was cheated and robbed. I don’t understand how a show that started off so so good would go down in flames like that.
I hope the book gets translated into English. But for now, your post has quailed my deep deep rage.
This is a reasonable ending. An Ultimate Scholar should be smart enough to live and protect her people. She shouldn’t waste her life just because of a minor stuck in her life. The filmmaker should think of a logical ending for an Ultimate Scholar if they want to change the ending.
I just watched the 70th episode WTH!!! Now I’m going to read the book to get that happy ending!!
Thank you so much for this. I have seen 70 episodes with the last 20 episodes being very half-ass cut and put together hastily. It was so weird that the show creator feel the need to bend over backwards just to make sad ending. For a show that was so much fun and grand set up it ended annoyingly and sadly. Actually it’s not even sad it’s bad and your summary gave me some hope. I went to read the books but oh god, like your other comment, it is frustrating. All these second male leads. It is almost like Harem anime with female protagonist. Except Ninyi is like barely there? What the heck? I had to skip to the point that I couldn’t engage with the story anymore just to find what I liked in the show (Ninyi and Zhiwei chemistry). This misery seems to have no end or any resolutions lol. Thank you so much for being kind and doing this. I used to feel like “this show deserves better”. I read the book and I feel like the show is already somewhat an improvement of the book. So I think in the end, we all deserve better than this lol.
If you don’t mind could I ask you to recommend other Chinese drama that you like? I’ve already finished Nirvana in Fire but it doesn’t give the same/similar thing to Rise of the Phoenixes. Thank you again for this post.
Yes, the first 50 episodes were more extensively crafted to show the amazing chemistry and magic between ZW and NY’s romance and ability to handle all obstacles, then they detoured with rapid fire plot narratives and character arcs to take care of how ZW shifted her focus to internal issues with her blood/clan/political circumstances that were hidden from her all the while before., which led to her demise.
I have to remember that while for me drama and romance are the most compelling elements, without a sense of realism and historicity. the value and quality of a period piece story is diminished.
So in the end, the producers had to juggle the elements of the story; their story, and I just take it as a wild wonderful ride.
From the majority of responses to the show it amazes me that viewers seem to demand that it be just the one way; a romantic drama, dismissing the element of realism and historicity which IMO would give the show a narrower focus.
I don’t think the way they ended is the realisms path tbh. We saw how smart Zhiwei is. How she resolve the problem in the first 50 episode. The last 20 episode we saw her being out of character. Making weirdly dumb decisions along the way. Not only her but we have to see characters in the first 50 episodes being out of character in the last 20 episode. Ninyi become weirdly disinterested in Zhiwei. Master Xin Ziyan turned against Ninyi in very uncompelling manner. (To note I don’t think the shoot in rush. They shot this with this ending in mind and edit it later to make it shorter than 100 eps so it was calculated)
It’s just uncompelling that Ninyi and Zhiwei would make these decision to be enemy in this fashion :/ imo
Exactly, the way ZW and NY ingeniously overcame obstacles was very delightful and we came to expect that; I would have loved it to continue and I felt the same way; like What’s going on now? I was angry too. I put up with all the changes and focus on Dacheng and FW’s brother, and when Xin Ziyan dissed NY (which seemed to prove to be a ruse in the end btw)
But in one of the last episodes it was the emperor’s (NY’s father) last discussion with FW when he said it; they could never be good with each other once NY was emperor because all those issues would get in the way of NY putting his state first. After agreeing to marry NY she seemed to tie up loose ends by ensuring safe passage and a commitment from the Dacheng elders to live pacified lives. In the end she also confessed that she always did and will always love NY, and thats why she committed suicide out of love for him.
I would have loved for it to go on with more episodes and a better transition, but I’m not going to complain with 70 well produced episodes as it is.
The first 50 or so episodes were delightful and I was fully enchanted. I’m just saying that a part of me was reconciled to the ending because it is a period piece after all, which realism lends more authenticity and gravitas to the series even if the romance and excitement was more compelling. I rate it a great series overall even though it changed gears at the end.
Ha, I am glad someone agrees with me about the novel. This particular author does have a talent in creating memorable leads and even writes great scenes for her leads but I REALLY can’t stand her habit of surrounding her heroine with male second leads. What’s more, the horrendous practice of ignoring her heroes for chapters at a time in her novels. Why would you go create such great heroes than insists on writing LONG chapters where our heroine wastes her time with male second leads who are obviously not going to measure up to the hero?!
As for Chinese drama…have you seen Love Lost In Time? That’s one novel adaptation where I think the drama did a MUCH better job than the novel itself.
Thank you for this. I always looked forward to the romantic scenes between Ning Yi and Feng Zhewei. I was so upset at the ending because I really wanted to see them together in the end. Reading this makes me feel better.