Entertaining C-Dramas

For me the year 2020 had very few ups and a whole lot of downs, especially when it came to my viewing entertainment. All the restaurants and movies were closed, gatherings were forbidden, so there was no going out for distraction, and production of highly anticipated shows was shut down due to COVID-19. By the end of March, I was working from home happy as a clam or so I thought.

I loved working from home, I was exactly where I wanted to be all the time. I was able to binge my favorite shows in between service calls and zoom doom meetings. I was front and center whenever a new show dropped on the many streaming platforms I subscribe to; things were good.

That is until May.

I had watched, streamed, binged every show that interested me and I was out of options. It was difficult for me to work because I didn't have the background noise I was used to. So I turned to Youtube and after a few hours of Markiplier and Jacksepticeye I came across a thumbnail that grabbed every bit of my attention:

In order not to be sold to men, she deliberately painted scars on her face to conceal her beauty.

It took one 3 min clip, and I was hooked on The Legend of Haolan. I need to know more about why she did that. I scoured Youtube looking for episode 1 with English subtitles to begin my journey with Haolan.

The Legend of Haolan is the story of Li Haolan and her constant overcoming of one adversity over another. Li Haolan is smart and crafty and though try as she may, she can't stay off the radar for trouble. When her father promises her hand in marriage to an older abusive man, to avoid marrying him she begs her first love to save her by marriage...which he does not. Her wicked stepmother and I do mean wicked, is embarrassed that Haloan does not accept the older man as her husband and worries about what the town will think so she decided to do what any evil stepmother would do: have her killed. Haolan survives, but thanks to her evil stepmother saying she ran off with another guy Haolan's reputation is shattered. Haolan then meets a merchant who buys her named Lu Buwei and they strike a deal to help each other when the time comes.

Lu Buwei has a lofty aspiration to climb the social ladder in the palace and gifts Haolan to Qin Prince Ying Yire who is being held prisoner, but he's treated more like a guest who can't leave. Now as time goes on both Lu Buwei and Ying Yiren develop feelings for Haolan and both men go about expressing this in very different ways leaving Haolan confused about the direction she should turn. Lu Buwei aggressive, but protective from afar as to not ruin his chances at success or promotion, and Ying Yiren soft and overly doting. Now Ying Yiren falling for Haolan would not be an issue except for, The King's daughter who is a class 4 stalker/psych0, Princess Ya who believes she is in love with Yiren and that she owns him. The more Yiren tries to push her away the more Princess Ya becomes unstable.

The love triangle between Haolan, Lu Buwei, and Yiren is unbearable, and throw Princess Ya in the mix makes your head explode. I found myself screaming at the tv whenever my preferred duo just couldn't make the connection. I couldn't stand it! I would hold my breath for just one kiss or stolen moment and boom! a misunderstanding, misplaced priority, or war would happen.

There is one character that will have you watching her every move carefully and that is Queen Li. This woman has everything that makes a show worth watching. She has style, Charisma, and a deadly no-nonsense way about her. Her eyes tell you her mood and whether or not she is with you or against you. This woman could move statues with her glances. Watching the characters interact made the 62 episodes season the most entertaining 2 weeks ever. To me, the sign of a good show is when it can bring out emotions and the Legend of Haolan will have you screaming every episode.

Why do they keep bothering her!

What the hell!

OMG!!!! LEAVE HER ALONE!!!!

I highly recommend this next show.

After I finished 62 episodes of Haolan, I was still in the mood for drama. It was the most interesting show I had watched in a long time and needed more drama. I had to have scrolled through a hundred thumbnails when I came across this video and description I had to find episode 1.

When took off the veil, her beauty surprised everyone & emperor fell in love with her at first sight

When I saw this clip I wasn't aware who the protagonist was, but when I was introduced to Qingying/Ruyi I knew this was binge-worthy.

A young woman from the Ula Nara clan betrothed to the brother of her lover and childhood friend Hongli. To get out of the marriage, she disgraces herself by passing gas. Hongli hears this and is excited, and tells Qingying she should become his wife because what better person for a wife than a best friend? Qingying doesn't have a desire to be Empress she only wants to be with Hongli and tells him she will think about if she will participate in the ceremony. When QingYing shows up for the ceremony it has already begun and Hongli has already chosen another girl, but when he sees Qinying he changes his mind and hands Qingying the Ruyi scepter Making her the main wife. This choice of Qingying is not approved by the Empress dowager and Hongli is forced to make Qingying a consort and the title is basically given back to Hongli's initial choice.

This show is not without drama just like in Legend of Haolan, Qingying is constantly targeted by the women of the palace so much that it gave me anxiety. The harem is jealous of Qingying for having the true affections of Hongli and the fact that she belongs to the same clan as her aunt the former Empress Yixiu who was accused of killing the former Empress and now lives in the cold palace. Knowing all this Qingying asks Hongli's mother Empress Xiaoshengxian to change her name and erase the past Qingying is renamed Ruyi.

The women in this harem are malicious, manipulating, deadly social climbers with the agenda to not only take out Ruyi but each other. These women are not above hurting children, animals, or those that serve them to get what they want. Their favorite pastime is manipulating Hongli now Emperor Qianlong with complements, dances, drugs, liquor, and lies.

Ruyi only wants to love her husband, it doesn't matter if he was the Emperor, the Prince, or just Hongli, she loved him even though he had other wives, other priorities, and problems. She was there for him even when he couldn't be for her.

The storyline between Ruyi and Qianlong will have you on a true emotional roller coaster. From episode 1 to 87 you become apart of their relationship, touched by their love and torn by their fights. When they cry, you cry and when Ruyi can't cry, you cry for her. I often found myself pleading with Emperor Qianlong to see that he was being manipulated only to remember it's just a show.

This show has amazing actors, beautiful sets, colorful costumes, and scenery, and a script that will keep you watching through to the end and the fashion will have you on eBay looking for Qixie shoes...Size 9 1/2

If Legend of Haolan, Then Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace.