Shhhh.
Shhh.
I know.
I received a really nice email from someone asking where I was and if I was going to continue writing about this series because they enjoyed my posts. I’m going to be completely honest when I say that message gave me the spark I needed to start writing again. It’s not that I don’t care about my site (I do), it’s just with my Real World Responsibilities, this naturally took a backseat. And honestly, sometimes when I write, it just feels like I’m shouting into the abyss, and after a while my drive to make posts just fizzled out.
So before this burst of energy and inspiration slips through my fingers, I might as well get this post out! Yes, I’m going to hate myself just a little that I haven’t written anything about episodes 26-38, but if I don’t get this out now, I’ll regret it.
Anyway, episode 39 – “Ice” – was a delight to watch. I’m always thrilled whenever Xiaolan shows up, even if wasn’t the best circumstances this time around. The episode stayed pretty faithful to the source material, which I appreciated, but I do have one major complaint: we were robbed of this iconic Maomao expression. I kid you not, I laughed for five minutes straight the first time I saw this in the manga.
You can’t look at that panel and tell me it shouldn’t have been included. That would’ve been the perfect reaction shot for Maomao, especially with how reluctant she was to ask Jinshi for help. It’s such a missed opportunity!
One thing I really enjoyed, though, was seeing Maomao’s softer side peek through. As viewers, we already know she struggles to express herself—and we understand why. We’ve seen glimpses of her upbringing, we’ve also seen how detached she is when she talks about it. So watching her face gently shift as she saw Shisui and Xiaolan happily chasing each other around with their ice cream, or when she quietly observed the Princess and Gyokuyou, was incredibly sweet to me.
And speaking of Gyokuyou—what an amazing woman. I continue to be impressed by how composed and perceptive she is. She’s rational, thoughtful, and never quick to judge. The way she gently reminded Hongniang not to take everything at face value when it comes to the former emperor and empress? So good.
Anyway, that’s all I got for now. It’s nice to be writing again.
And to the person who sent me the email, thank you. I appreciate you. May your skin always be clear, your belly always be full, and your wallet always be too full to close.
