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Gu Dali knocked his TOOTH out?! 🤣🤣🤣 And he seems a lot less ... uptight ... around his step-mom now that he had a night with Dali.

I did NOT expect the younger Cui to go to bat for Shang Xi Rui like that! Wow! He really teamed up with his young uncle Cheng Fengtai, didn't he?

Oh, I didn't connect the dots that Father Cui is supplying the Japanese and Son Cui is fighting for China... 😳 Yipes!

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D'aw, Shang Xi Rui just got adopted by an opera elder! One who respects his teacher's skills! He even kneels down to serve him tea, this scrappy opera singer! 🥹 Liu Hanyun.

"If I go to Shanghai with you, will you get me a godmother, too?" 🤭

So many politics. Godfather politics. Storefront politics. School friend politics. Cha Cha'er isn't even exempt!

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When Cheng Fengtai asks Shang Xi Rui if the performance was fun, I did NOT expect Xi Rui to grin at him like that! "It was fun. Dangerous and exciting!" ... "Bring it on! Call me anytime." 😆

Cha Cha'er is nonplussed, however. 😬 and understandably so. Using her and her school friend as leverage like that. Now she's *really* not going to have any friends at school.

Shang Xi Rui dares to sit on the Emperor's throne!

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I love this scene where the all-powerful military commander is rendered mumbling and nervous between two strong women. His wife, who, only a moment before, was all doe-eyed and innocent and meek with him, feeding him food she had prepared. And now, "How did I not know you had coronary heart disease?" 😤 I love this duality of handling him. But also the power struggle between Madam and Doctor over the commander.

Is Doctor Japanese...?

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I FUCKIN' CALLED IT!

So is commander *really* fighting for the Japanese or just compromised by this Japanese doctor interfering?

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Shang Xi Rui gets to pick what Proprietor Huo sings next and it's like he just got free reign at a candy store. How big his eyes got! 😳

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What is this Royal Mother freaking out about?! She didn't keep the Little Prince? Is Xi Rui the orphaned prince?!

"Is there even something that bothers you?!" Cheng Fengtai usually has 3 plans up his sleeve and a fourth in one shoe, but he is bothered today. Shang Xi Rui says to just be direct and ask, not sneaking around.

"Commander, i refuse to be a traitor." Xi Rui was right. You have to speak directly to someone like Commander.

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... Commander specifically yells about this, being able to protect his brother-in-law's insignificant family, in front of the Japanese doctor. He even stands UP when the Japanese doctor walks in.

Dude is VERY compromised and walking around with a live grenade in his hands.

Cheng Fengtai now holding freight instead of shipping it for Commander.  Shit just got serious.

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Shang Xi Rui absolutely was right about Seventh Young Master having too high of taste and would eventually write the dang script for him. 😂

Cheng Fengtai telling his nephew that it's even more troublesome that they aren't on the same side. 😬😬😬 "If he finds out, he will execute me twice."

Thoughtful and cowardly describes me, but surely not Cheng Fengtai!

Oh, that excited giggle upon the news of buying the Prince's theater!

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Jealous wife does NOT want her too-young-to-retire baby-daddy to perform with the woman he really loves. 👀 But conveniently that woman will sing for Shang Xi Rui's new opera!

I like how Shang Xi Rui admits to her that he is very strict and her working for/with him will not be easy. At least he's honest.

Oh, I hope this kid gets to learn under Shang Xi Rui!

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Gu Dali isn't alone?! She's getting her prophesied son! D'aw, and Cao was worried about her, too! Ha ha, that he's scared of her! And he seems so gentle with her, too. Does he actually really care for her?

Bwahahaha "it only took one shot." And that baby will be either king or queen of the forest bandits!

And Cao can be used to save the young singer! Or Gu Dali pretends to be a young lady once again!

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Shang Xi Rui looks triumphant and smug as soon as that poor kid walks in.

"I don't know about his singing, but he sure eats like you." LMAO

I really hope his new roommates don't haze him or anything cruel like that. 😰 He's already been through a lot. That kind kid with the two gold bracelets. 🥹 But he got kicked out in the middle of the night anyway! 😡 Kick their asses, Xi Rui! Or teach the kid how to.

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I guess busking isn't more cruel than walking home naked in public, but still super scary!

Ruh roh. What is Gu Dali going to do in that crowd? LOL "Bring that woman to me. Wait! You can't do it alone. Bring two more people." LMAOOOOO So he brought a group of FIVE SOLDIERS to bring the pregnant lady over.

"Now you admit the child is mine?" 😅 He's going to let her call herself his wife in public? I think he really is soft on her!

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I think he might actually marry Gu Dali!

Is Shang Xi Rui hiding somewhere to see how the kid performs? Yesssss, finally Shang Xi Rui gets to give some dudes an ass kicking.

This younger Cao is so brash all the time (except around Gu Dali), I love it. Just pushes his way past that Japanese doctor.

OMG i didn't put 2 and 2 together to realize that Shang Xi Rui's new godfather is the guy Gu Dali wants to kill! 😳

Cheng Fengtai: 💡

This #cdrama #WinterBegonia is SO GOOD.

I thought it had only 30 episodes or so and I was SAD today, thinking it was almost over (I completed ep 22 at the time).

Even now, knowing I've completed 23/49 episodes, I am loathe to be done.

It is intelligent and sneaky and silly and infuriating and endearing and and and and

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"The show onstage and offstage are now up to you." I'm so glad Cheng Fengtai let Shang Xi Rui in on his plans. Because they could get VERY disruptive and it is a brand new play!

Ho ho, the godfather knew Cao was coming! "Master of military theory but have never fought in a fierce war." Them's fightin' words!

I actually thought the head would be Commander Cao's. 😬 Bandits killed the Japanese lieutenant? Gu Dali's bandits?

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Younger Cao explicitly stated the ammunition was his and he *made* Cheng Fengtai get it for him. He did NOT mention Gu Dali's people, though. 🤔

ACK! NO! The kid smacked his own head into the door frame! Fuck!

AND THE PRINCESS DIES?! What a night!

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Oh wow! So Ning is the reason why Liu loves opera so much! He saved his life with opera!!! And Liu is forever grateful and appreciative of the art form, since.

That conversation amongst Xi Rui, Cheng Fengtai, and disguised Prince Qi is the basis for this whole show, isn't it? That theater and war are integral to human nature and both will always exist. (And Fengtai asks a merchant gets stuck in the middle!)

I love this so much!

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Shang Xi Rui considers Cheng Fengtai as family! That was pretty obvious, but I'm glad it was said. He still left a giant bite mark on Fengtai's arm! 😂

Pregnant lady assassin! I think Young Commander Cao is really getting soft on her, and not just because she is pregnant. I wonder how things will change when the baby is born!

And Fengtai's older sister really working hard to stay with Elder Commander Cao. As a spy...? 🤔

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The dichotomy of Xi Rui beating somebody up because Fengtai is his family, and Fengtai's older sister telling Madam Fan that she is the closest family to Fengtai... right as Madam Fan kicks Fengtai out. What is family?

It is so hard to believe that Madam Cheng would SELL their younger sister in order to keep their family house. It is Fengtai who keeps the family together, isn't it? Working so hard to keep them all from unraveling...

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I guess we have not seen the last of that baby's mom! She runs into Shang Xi Rui in Shanghai!

Will she run into Cheng Fengtai and maybe her performing brother will get to meet his niece who already loves opera?

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Wow, Shang Xi Rui has a whole family now! Sister, niece, and ... fake brother? 😬

Will he treat the baby differently now that she is his biological niece?

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"Whoever beats Fan Lian to death gets a hefty reward!"

Shang Xi Rui definitely changed his tune about babies now that he knows he's the biological uncle!

"You really do deserve to be beat up by him!" Are they ever going to tell him why? He really was a snake, though, getting a woman pregnant, not wanting to own up to it, not wanting to take care of the baby, and only NOW wanting to play with, er, raise her. 😤

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The crossed lines of love here. Fengyi's mom taking care of her older brother, but a false older brother. But the real older brother recognizing it and cherishing it. And recognizing that *he* doesn't need her sacrifice but the false older brother does. And just ... letting that happen. Because clarifying would be more hurtful to all parties. 🥹😭

And all is settled, until war comes.

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Prince Qi is going to die, isn't he?

"The two of us can sing a duet in front of him." WHATTTTT Commander Cao wasn't the dummy he was playing for so long! 😲

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No, Xiao Lai!

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When they say Ning Jiulang became a monk, did he ... kill himself after Prince Qi left? Is that why they asked if he was in Shangrila already?

Or was becoming a monk a way to make it so no one would force him to perform against his will?

Woe be to whatever soldier tries to fuck with Shang Xi Rui. Chang Fengtai ain't someone to mess with, either.

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I had to see how this performance went. I literally got chills and goosebumps when Proprietor Hou got on stage for the revised performance. Wow.

Wow, I've never seen Chang Fengtai so mad at Shang Xi Rui before! Those soldiers are really putting the squeeze on everybody.

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"My niece Dali"... heh heh heh heh heh those mountain bandits will come in handy.

"If I had so many mistresses, how could I sing opera? I'd be too busy!"

I just love Chang Fengtai's perfect smarminess. He knows how to put on that smiling air of conviviality with whatever schmuck he's trying to sell to. Love it.

Shang Xi Rui does not just go along to get along. And does not want to be a Japanese scapegoat!

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"Before you government officials threaten me, how about recovering the lost lands first?" Damn, Shang Xi Rui says respectability politics don't mean shit when the government just gives up land.

"Baby brother, how much money do you have? ... Can you give me all of it?"
Shang Xi Rui, without pausing even a moment, "Sure!" 😰

Whoa, barfing that much, he got a nasty concussion!

I love Gu Dali.

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Shang Xi Rui's busted ear drum! 💔😭

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Ah, and now we see how the lyrics of the opening song tie into the show itself...

Selective hearing loss could be quite helpful when Second Madam gets on her lecturing kicks.

Second Madam isn't the only one who lectures. 😂 *door slam*

BWAHAHAHA trying to scare a "ghost" and the ghost punches him in the face! 😂

Uh, how long was he in the toilet? Jumping off the roof to fix his hearing?!

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You would think these people better understand that Shang Xi Rui does not need much to go into murder mode. Who thought up thay dumb bandit idea?! How are they so certain that this fixed his hearing problem?!

Uh oh. Did Mr. Xi go nuts? Is he going to ruin Xi Rui's return to the stage? But that's not Mr. Xi walking through the crowd on a deadly mission... 🫣 I can't watch...

Not even 30 and he has so many people gunning for him!

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"He wasn't likable when he was normal. Now that he's insane, he is even more annoying." 🤭

I don't like the idea of giving Shang Xi Rui painkillers when he's explicitly said to NOT use them. 🤨

Uh, I don't think that guy is SLEEPING. Murderous singing crazy? Yikes.

What amount of money could POSSIBLY compensate for the loss of your beloved child? 🥺

Oh no, giving up Fengyi. 😩

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This song of primary vs secondary, where the primary just got married first and isn't necessarily better than the secondary...

Is this Shang Xi Rui formalizing his successor? Really introducing him, ensuring he will be known enough for when Xi Rui is gone?

Oh, yep! He will officially debut soon! And he will be stronger than Xi Rui in the future, Mr. Young Proprietor Zhou. ☺️

Now Shi Jiu! He's ensuring they'll last beyond him!

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Oh, the simplicity of youth. War makes everything complicated. There are no good choices in war - merely life and death and chance.

Shang Xi Rui kowtowing in order to record the Fairy Steps. Trying to save what little he can before possible destruction.

Cha Cha'er is so fierce and righteous, unwilling to continue to see her brother compromise his values, not knowing the larger strategy ahead.

Cheng Fengtai stares down a gun again!

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"The man inside the coffin died because he didn't have access to penicillin. Now his body is surrounded by it." 😥

Risking his pride, "confirming" he's a traitor, yet quietly saving hundreds of lives in his community. 💔

OMG, we knew his adoptive father was cruel, but he really STOLE Xi Rui from his family and hid them away. And beat his own name out of his memory. 💔😭 After paralyzing and killing his own biological son! 😨

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And now, after his name Shang Xi Rui is confirmed as a traitor, further risking his own life and safety, along with those in his troupe, his brother tells him to take his previous name and live a new life with his first biological family. To save himself.

But, even if his family would take him in, that "brother" seat at the table is already sat in by the poor man he beat up. Everyone fighting for scraps of a decent life. 😥

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Cheng Fengtai is completely DEFLATED with how disappointed in him Cha Cha'er is. He has been a steadfast, strong, smiling man who can conquer anything and anyone, but his little sister calls him a traitor and his pride is shattered.

Shang Xi Rui has an unshaken confidence in both who he is and what kind of person Cheng Fengtai is. Cheng Fengtai really needed that, because he's even doubting if he's a traitor himself!