To be honest, the name #TheLongBallad made me think this #cdrama was going to be slow, long, sad, and somber. I did not expect it to be fun and exciting and full of midnight capers.
Thanks to @Forestofglory and their current love of crossdressing-girl stories encouraging me to watch this. It is fun so far!
My favorite character right now is the young street rat with dimples. 😊
I am getting real tired of Changge's bullshit. Acting without caring about anyone else. "Saving" people only for them to die anyway less than an hour later. Getting people tangled up in her half-baked plans only for them to get hurt saving her dumb ass.
Too many people told her she was the best and she seems to have had too few opportunities to actually be humble.
Sun is not much smarter, letting her overhear key war strategy discussions. 😤
On the one hand, Sun deciding to go find Changge is necessary for the story, but dude touched ONE BOOB and now he's obsessed.
On the other hand, I respect that he heard Xiao Khan's struggle about always needing to compete against Sun, and Sun deciding to just opt out entirely and let Xiao Khan perform without him.
I also appreciate Xiao Khan recognizing the antagonistic BS that one guy was spewing, and instead giving Sun grace towards Da Khan.
LOL at Sun's attempt to make the wine drinking a marriage ceremony and Changge saying, "uh, no! This is just gratitude, not matrimony!"
I had to re-watch the scene where Princess gives Hao Du a damn straight talking to, because he betrayed her trust and she wasn't going to let him forget it. 😤
Changge remains clueless or just uninterested in Sun's affection for her. I foresee him storming off in frustration in the near future. We've got almost 20 episodes left!
"Are you questioning me?!" The sure sign that the person saying this prefers pride over facts.
EPIC BATTLE AT THE NUNNERY
I'm glad Changge recognized Madam from the grasslands, because I certainly didn't. 😅 I thought she was the same person as Sun's chess partner's wife!
Hao Du, thinking back as a child how he promised he'd die for his adoptive father or the prince. Me, the unfilial American, aghast that anyone could demand something like that from a small child.
Ope, the back-to-back we're surrounded team up against the baddies! 🤩
Oh, I didn't even think of that! The fact that Changge chastised the crown prince in front of Sun means she didn't consider him an outsider! That's kind of a Big Deal!
(As the Princess threatens the crown prince in front of Hao Du, also treating him as not an outsider, but Xiao Wei reminded her.)
Who is this kid that just collapsed outside the yurts? He looks like the same actor of the kid that died on Princess's back... 🤔
Whaaaaaaaaat
It was Khatun behind the antagonizer AND Da Khan's side piece?!
Khatun wants Sun dead!
Here we thought Da Khan just didn't like her for surface reasons... and Sun warned Changge to be wary of her... and now we know why!
Damn, this show is about strong ass women!
Chess partner Wei KNOWS who Sun is! 🤯
They comment about if they'll ever meet on the battlefield but missed the chance to joke about what happened when Sun and Changge met on the battlefield... 🤠Or what kind of strategist Changge was. (Is?)
How will Sun re-introduce Changge to his Eagle division? And Da Khan?
So, the obvious choice here for a marriage between Great Tang and the Ashile tribe is Changge and Sun, but if Sun faked his death and his dad Da Khan is poisoned brainless, can he still count as a member of Ashile tribe?
And Changge's dad - the former crown prince - is dead, so is she still a princess? Technically?
I have hopes that She'er will see through his mom's schemes and choose Da Khan's safety, but will he?
Yes, there is no fewer than a dozen handsome young dudes in this show, but Geng Le as Li Shimin could absolutely get it. Helloooooo nurse.
Princess YueYan putting all those old dudes to shame: "The only thing you've learned is how to accept others' requests." She is absolutely my favorite character in this show. If i wasn't already in love with Zhao Lusi, I am now.
"No matter where you are from, you can sign up for it." Opening the door for Hao Du!
Princess Yueyan is the bravest moodra foodra on the ding dang planet. Changge is just fearless, but not brave. Changge doesn't think about implications towards herself or others when she runs towards the danger. But Yueyan knows. She thinks about how her actions affect everyone around her. That's why she is the bravest. She knows the danger and faces it head on.
Jill