Me too. It was meant to be.

Actually she was always attracted, but fear and distrust overrruled it for a long while. To her, love was still an alien and disquieting feeling that she'd rather do without. In fact, she had good reasons to fear and recoil from that warrior prince, so far above her in social status. He had showed up so many times to save her ; was that totally coincidence ? Or was he having her watched and controlled ? She knew she was lacking in many things that she ought to have been informed and taught about, remembering how she did not know that general Ling Buyi and (unofficial prince) Shiyilang were the same person (ep8). She had only been made aware of his more intimate courtesy name Zisheng because Lou Yao called him by that name. Despite her exchanging some views with him during the rain & debate episode (ep15) she still did not feel she knew much about him, and she was right. She knew more about Lou Yao than she did about Ling Buyi at that point, and suspected that giving in to her attraction to the general would lead her to a troubled life, in which she was once again seeing clearly. Also, Ling Buyi had not yet been that clear that he intended to marry her; the ambiguous words he had used when her family got back to the capital had alerted her parents that he might have some designs on her, but could be interpreted as warnings to her parents to better take care of her. The three choices questions here were more explicit, and she could not do anything else than obey and be controlled, a thing which she deeply resented since what she yearned for was carefree independence for herself. But she could rise to the challenge and if needed reject him as firmly and coldly as she had Yuan Shen, albeit more politely, since he was not in her plans. She still hoped Lou Yao could help her realize some of the ambitious dreams that she later revealed in the meeting, but he lacked standing in his own family and it could be difficult. Shaoshang did not know that Lou Ben was worried that Zisheng had designs on his brother's future wife, but was somewhat appeased when the general told him he would leave to war again, in the evening. The commendation she received made her realize several things : her heart had skipped a beat and she tripped and fell to Ling Buyi quite literally, in a fateful way! He had read this instead of leaving the message to a eunuch : he was telling her how he saw her, and even if she refused to believe it, wanting to think this was the emperor's assessment, she had heard it in Zisheng's own voice, which she would have to remember. The emperor was now aware of her existence, so she might have to submit to further imperial decrees : it was flattering but also worrying. The stunned audience had understood that they shouldn't dare give her offense, because she had imperial protection. So they looked (except Luo Li and Wang Ling) with sycophantic admiration, wanting to know more... And this would eventually be as awkward as that sentence Ling Buyi had dropped like a bomb in front of her parents, implying intimacy between the girl and the mysterious warrior prince. (Very fairy tale there, but hey! don't such things make audiences squeal and swoon ? It is so well woven in that we just chuckle when we have it in the drama : as if we'd caught a nice candy-wrapped peppermint cocoa bomb treat. And of course we keep on watching, admiring the leather outfit with the tassels, those sizzling gazes from the elegantly crowned general, and rooting for the general to gain victory in this sentimental battle...).

@@Lileyflor as for my POV, i think SS wasn't aware of her attraction towards LBY. She hates to be controlled by others so when she realizes (ep 13 when LBY sends her medicine) LBY is spying on her family and made her a tool to do his chores and misunderstood that he also double crossed her ... she was furious! She knew LBY is highly intelligent she can't see him through like others (lou yao even YSJ... she knew very well that he has a crush for her.. she directly said that on his face 😂🤣). That's why she was very guarded against LBY. It's a common psychological problem for child who were abandoned by their parents and grow up in a challenging environment. When LBY forced her to marry him she's even more guarded against him... unsure of his intentions and irritated because of his overbearing nature...she's a person who treats enemies with revenge and protect those who cared for her... that was her 1st feelings for LBY as he saved her many times.. gratitude...But she never opened up to him... LBY knew that ... thats why he applied a petty trick on her... getting himself injured!! 😂🤣 though she see through that but still moved by his efforts! She accepted him only after he started to change himself letting SS do what she like and supported her in her mischieves... that made her fall for him...then slowly he starts to open up to her that made her trust him...she never loved Lou Yao in a romantic way. He was just a friend who would help her to escape her mom's control.

@@shreyashidey9590 We agree in the main lines, although getting himself injured was not design, but happenstance, and cannot be construed as a petty trick. It was useful yes, to have her touch him voluntarily in the emergency. But her solution was better than the doctors, so therefore he was submitting to her care before being able to get the wound treated by imperial medicine. Having her retrieve the map was not just having her act as a tool for his chores : if she had not been the vehicle to relinquish the map voluntarily, it would have been recorded that he found it after it was refused and he needed to search (so there, CSS understood that what she was asked was : help to protect her family and allies ; therefore, she agreed, with the bonus that he would "help" her with her next plan/mischief/revenge which he had seen through). She recognized his power as an elder, since he was a general and known to have training in both martial arts and culture, and of a social rank far above her own. She felt his attraction, but refused to believe he was really interested in her beyond perhaps using her as a toy. The numerous times he saved her elicited gratitude yes, but grudging gratitude, as is clear in the episode when she is summoned back to have a talk with him in his dark mansion, interrupted by the arrival of Crown Prince with Princess Yuchang and Yuan Shen + Wang Ling in tow. She was just being polite, inquiring if his wound did not hurt or was healed (and he sarcastically answered that he would not have saved her if he'd taken his health into account). Nevertheless she might have had disquieting dreams, like those that had her toss and turn in bed before she decided to accept him and get engaged formally. The overwhelming declaration in the proposal scene was of course another element in the crumbling of the defenses she had set up against him, being convinced that she could not marry into a military family (since she loathed bloodshed) or into an aristocratic family (since her parents had not prepared her for that). Marrying into a scholarly family was a stretch, but Lou Yao seemed so safe and refreshingly friendly to be around. Of course she had no romantic feelings for him. But she did for Zisheng, as her friends helped her understand and after being surprised by his first "block mouth" kiss. From then on, she was ready to support him and his troubles, his crazy mom, his battles and his role in court politics ; eager to learn everything she could about his past and thrilled to share in his admiring the galaxy and hear that, to him, she was he brightest star there. Her heart had skipped a beat when she fell into him at the commendation, and it would skip many more later (like the hot self defense/tango scene) : so yes, it is slow burn romance, but still very hot. The girl was young and understandly shy and vaguely disgusted about the mechanics of love, unattractively set out as service in the "books" and incomprensible poetry inflicted on her by Yuan Shen as Confucean teacher, and animal coupling did not move her since she had no pets. She needed hugs and less invasive gestures until she'd be able to give kisses herself, after a tender gesture like wiping off the wine that dripped under his lips and chin.. In the beating scene orchestrated by the emperor, when she threw herself on him to protect him, she tearfully admitted to him that she had been in love with him already for a long time. But yes, her independence was still important, and she was not accepting the role of simply obedient wife like she bodly told Yuan Shen in the murder mystery episode. (Woah! how this drama has us react and reflect about those lovely imaginary characters!! LLTG has all the attraction of a good fairy tale designed by masters like Perrault or Grimm or Andersen, with hurdles, deaths, lovely princes who set their eyes on the commoner girl, like in the ancient Chinese Ye Xian story : the Cinderella theme gets a new twist here, with a girl who is not a weak waif, but a conflicted youth and would-be warrior herself - so satisfying 😂)

@@Lileyflor I truly enjoyed reading your in depth interpretation. This drama made me reflect as well. I wish I could read the book, but I heard it’s only in Chinese. Anyhow, this is the best period film I’ve watched since moonlovers scarlet heart ryeo. I loved the character development and the plot twists keep you on your toes. The leads let each other shine, and their chemistry is off charts. I’m looking forward to more dramas with both of them as leads.

@@Lileyflor 1st I mentioned the "petty trick" is to get beaten as a punishment by the Emperor... it's a collaborative effort of 3rd prince, Emperor and LBY to fool both ministers and CSS. 2nd she's unaware of physical attractions... as she asked QIQi about it while they are drinking 2gether. So she's not attracted to LBY rather she considerably feared him (LBY said so himself... and she didn't deny during their confrontation after the 5th princess incident closed)

Episode 19

Episode 18

@@twinflames8600 No : episode 19 (18 ended on her listening to the commendation)