“Story of Ming Lan” — Up to Ep. 9

May I just say how much I love this child?

This drama sure is taking its time getting started. Though the title is “Story of Ming Lan,” Ming Lan appears in maybe 10 percent of each episode, if that, and so far has no active role in any of the conflicts and crises around her.

Part of this is deliberate, I’m sure. As a child, the clever Ming Lan is admonished repeatedly by her mother not to stand out in any way, but she’s stubborn and knows right from wrong and innocently wants justice, so she ignores her mother’s caution and restraint and goes to complain loudly about the injustices her mother is suffering to her father.

Her drive to make things right sets off a tragic cascade of events as various members of the household become triggered to cover their own asses, and it quickly becomes apparent that no matter how intelligent or resourceful or passionate Ming Lan is, she is only 8 and cannot outmaneuver the malevolence and cunning of desperate adults. She loses her mother.

So she learns.

And now as an adult she is the very essence of tepid mediocrity. The only thing that makes this bearable is that you know she is cultivating this image by design. She excels at nothing. She may know how to do the homework, but she doesn’t do it if her spoiled sisters don’t. The cutest guy in their social circle may like her, but because her sisters both want him, she carefully ducks him and his gifts at every turn, even though she also likes him.

The wannabe boyfriend.

She defers to her sisters every time, so while they battle each other, she pretty much stays out of the fray. Fifth Sister has clout because she is the only legitimate daughter; Fourth Sister has clout because she’s the daughter of their father’s favorite concubine. Ming Lan, aka Sixth Sister, is motherless, and being raised by her “grandmother,” who is not even blood-related to her but is wise enough to be aware of Ming Lan’s precarious position in the world and warn the girls’ tutor to avoid praising Ming Lan so the other girls don’t get jealous of her.

The sisters.

So I do get it, but… it’s not a lot of fun watching a meek, mincing heroine studiously stay out of trouble, hahaha. I’m waiting for her to BUST OUT!! Show ’em ALL who’s boss!! Start kicking some ass, woman! LOL. sigh. So I may be doomed to disappointment if ass-kicking is not the point of this drama despite the awesome beginning.

But at the very least, when does the story’s plot actually start to center on Ming Lan instead of everyone else and their issues?? If they’re just setting the stage for what’s to come, wrap it up already! It’s been almost 10 episodes and this title is starting to feel deceptive! Maybe I’m just too impatient…

#feng-shao-feng, #story-of-ming-lan, #zhao-yi-ling

chingu123 10:30 am on May 20, 2020

Hmm..I feel like if I would want to skip the first few episodes and get directly to the meek and docile Ming Lan…because of your brilliant recap I can almost hear the clock ticking..can feel her deliberate calmness..can understand her calculating logic in keeping under the radar..can sense her vulnerability as she struggles to keep afloat given the restrictions of her birth..but..surely she must have a master plan in place???? I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it will be revealed soon..though methinks that it would not be an explosive plan..but rather one which will trickle drop by drop..can’t wait to hear Yolette!!
Timescout 5:29 am on May 21, 2020

Yes you are, too impatient that is. 🙂 Things do move on but the pace is not going to change much and if you are waiting for some ‘action’, I’m afraid you are going to be disappointed. There are periods that are more…. well, lively and even some that might be considered actiony but that is not the norm. The plethora of characters is also going to be there till the end. They are part of Ming Lan’s story and all have some sort of effect on how her life will shape out to be. There’ll be plenty of scheming and battles of wits. Palace politics too, later on.

The ‘kick ass’ Ming Lan is also a thing of the past. Acting out, being rash and outspoken only brought tragedy so she learns to hide her true self behind a placid facade and cultivate endless patience. It’s only when you are in a position of power that you can loosen up somewhat. She plans long term and tries to calculate to all eventualities, not that it always works out quite as planned. Ming Lan is a pragmatist, even when it comes to love and marriage, she knows what is appropreate in her position and how ‘high’ she can ‘aim’. Her’s is a society with strict social boundries that are not easily crossed. Going against the grain will have repercussions. You’ll see, if you decide to go the distance but it may be that this is not your cup of tea in the end. I loved Story of Mingland but then, I tend to like slower paced, more slice-of life type of dramas.
- yenchan69 7:13 am on May 21, 2020
  
  It’s not action I was looking for as much as “focus.” For a title that indicates it will be centered on a single character, it devolved into a surprisingly ensemble story, with the lead given no time to shine until about Ep. 15 or so, when she finally FINALLY takes center stage in her own drama, hahaha. Now we’re talking! But for too many episodes, imo, the central story was about Big Madam and Concubine Lin and Ming Lan’s silly father and quarreling sisters while our girl hovered around like a limp rag, saying less than 10 words per episode. Now that she’s been given the keys to the household, the camera gets to dwell on her and follow her around as it should have done from the start, imo.
  
  So thus far, though it is a sumptuous drama very rich in detail, it does have some problems with pacing, imo. But they have 50 more episodes in which to make it up to me! One cannot say the groundwork has not been thoroughly and exhaustively laid! LOL.
  - Timescout 8:25 am on May 21, 2020
    
    Well, the English title is a bit… should I say, misleading. The actual Chinese title is a line in a famous poem (by a female poet no less) that ties in to the drama being about the lives of women in that period of time. AvenueX has a video (in YT), where she talks about the Chinese tiltle and where it comes from. I found that quite interesting and informative.
    
    Yes, this is a story about Ming Lan but also much more, so the focus on the other females of the family and her father is quite merited. Going forward there’ll be even more women (and a couple of men) who’ll have an impact in the story. Ming Lan may be the main character but I don’t think she was ever ment to be the sole focus.
    - yenchan69 8:35 am on May 21, 2020
      
      Ahhhh, that makes more sense! It is indeed fully a story about the lives of women!! I will embrace it as such then! Thanks!
      - chingu123 3:10 pm on May 21, 2020
        
        judging by your combined comments I’m quite impressed by the fact that this character is so well written..there is obvious growth and maturity and actions (or non actions) make sense because of her life experience..that’s quite impressive in my mind. I really like characters who make sense and who don’t feel the need to be “in your face” but rather proceed with caution, cunning and in a realistic way…after all..it’s all about the end result and the goal that they are trying to achieve..

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“Story of Ming Lan” — Up to Ep. 9