And so, the palace intrigue drama instantly transformed into a suspenseful mystery.
The audience, as if unearthing a treasure, scoured the characters' seemingly casual dialogues for clues and details, comparing them with the unfolding plot.
The metaphors planted earlier found astonishing parallels later on.
However, most of these connections could only be discovered after Concubine Hua's death.
For after Concubine Hua's demise, Zhen Huan, framed by the Empress, had her entire family exiled, and she herself went to a convent to cultivate.
Just as Zhen Huan told the Emperor, the Zhen Huan who had just entered the palace was already dead; this concubine is Niohuru Zhen Huan.
All the foreshadowing would be revealed one by one after Niohuru Zhen Huan returned to the palace with a child conceived outside its walls.
Thanks to Jiang Ling’s proactive use of bullet comments, allowing viewers to appreciate the brilliance of "The Musk Legacy of Chun Yuan,"
The drama enjoyed a successful premiere, not securing the top viewership rating but comfortably landing in the top three.
Concurrently, the hashtag #ConcubineHua also trended on hot searches.
In the early stages, Concubine Hua's screen time and captivating presence even surpassed Zhen Huan's. She was not the lead, yet felt like one.
Furthermore, with Jiang Ling, the actress, possessing her own following, she managed to delve into the pitiable and likable aspects beneath the villainous facade, within the framework of her character.
Her likable traits were numerous, such as her puffed-up pout when she couldn't get her crab roe pastries, resembling a pufferfish.
Or when the rare and high-end cosmetic, luozidai, ran out, her furious scolding of Zhen Huan for being seductive, that exasperated charm, was unforgettable.
Her pitiable moments were even more abundant.
On a stormy night, the Emperor abandoned her to seek out Zhen Huan. The consecutive pregnancies of other concubines deeply affected her. She ate pickled cucumbers until she vomited. Seeking an imperial physician from outside, she was thoroughly deceived by the Empress Dowager's masterful manipulation, only learning upon her death that the Huan Yi incense was what caused her infertility.
Such a hateful, likable, and pitiable character truly made the audience love and hate her simultaneously, making her unforgettable.
It is worth mentioning that as the drama reached its twentieth episode, the palace was preparing for the New Year, and so was real life.
Concubine Hua indulged in luxury and was generous with her spending. Every festival, she would bestow lavish rewards.
As she herself put it: "To make people in the palace obedient and convinced, imperial favor is one thing, but most importantly, one must distribute money as rewards for them to truly work for you!"
These words resonated with the sentiments of countless overworked employees grinding away at their 996 schedules.
With the New Year approaching, the year-end bonus is meager, or perhaps non-existent.
“Sister Hua spoke so well. I hope my boss can hear these words!”
“If my boss were half as generous as Concubine Hua, I would dedicate myself to the company for a lifetime!”
“When I was young, my parents always talked about other people’s children. After entering the workforce, the drama features other people’s bosses. It’s truly heartbreaking!”
“Come on, being generous with money doesn’t necessarily make you a good boss. Concubine Hua often made her subordinates do wicked things. Her money wasn’t earned honestly; it was blood money!”
“The person upstairs must be sent by capitalists. You're so good at whitewashing; how much year-end bonus did your boss give you?”
“Exactly, exactly. Generous bosses might not be good bosses, but stingy, tight-fisted ones are definitely bad bosses!”
“We work for money. Making money isn’t shameful. Whoever gives milk is mother; it doesn’t matter if they’re good or bad, as long as they pay, that’s the real deal!”
True art lies in its ability to be appreciated by both the refined and the common, to resonate with the masses.