The Legend of Rosy Clouds 云秀行: Episodes 13-14 Discussion
Welcome to the discussions for The Legend of Rosy Clouds!
🌟This post is for episodes 13-14 please use spoiler tags for any eps beyond these🌟
🌟Other media spoilers: Please use spoiler tags when discussing significant plot points from the Saiunkoku Monogatari light novels, anime, or manga.
Links:
Index | Masterpost | Ep 1-3 | Eps 4-6 | Ep 7-8 | Ep 9-10 | Eps 11-12
Airing Schedule | MDL | Dramawiki | Flashcards
Discussion posts will be a day behind the iQIYI airing schedule, with your hosts posting according to their own timezones and availability. Next up will be me again with eps 15-16.
Previously on Legend of Rosy Clouds...
Episode 1's \"500 gold taels??\" moment, drama and manga versions
EPISODE 13
We learn some more background info on the Fan family as Fan Yun continues her work at the Commerce Bureau and Qi Zheng makes progress of the exam reform plan.
New characters: none
griffon finally gets invested in this romance
When I first heard about this show I thought wow Zeng Shunxi and Li Yitong, what a charming pairing, I gotta watch that. But despite their good performances Ive been feeling a little disconnected from Fan Yun and that has affected how the romance has landed for me. But now, I'm pleased to report I finally got I wanted, more of Fan Yun herself and more of her and Qi Zheng building a sincere mutual connection. Actually, I'm delighted by this premise of falling in love after your arranged marriage is over.
Escorting her home from the Commerce Bureau after her lightning fright, Qi Zheng notices Fan Yun is unusually quiet. She shares how her mother passed on a stormy summer night, hence her dislike for both storms and summer. With the recent focus on his romantic feelings we haven't touched on Qi Zheng's feelings about his own family in a while, but I think you can see it on his face as she opens up about this, grief recognizing grief. When she tells him how her father doesn't like to visit her mother's grave, he offers to go with her.
His offer clearly moves her as later, Gao Ran finds her out the courtyard in the rain, softly smiling. She tells him she's reconsidering her negative stance on summer. I've also been wanting more sibling scenes with Gao Ran, so far this ep is giving me everything I want!
While visiting her mother's grave, Qi Zheng gently prompts Fan Yun to share more about her. We learn Fan Yun was often sick as a child and seems worried she cause her mother's health to decline as well. Later as they sit nearby looking out at the landscape, Fan Yun also opens up about having some anxieties related to her life's goal. He helps her acknowledge her feelings and tells her he believes in her.
We also see a brief flashback of Qi Zheng quietly checking up on Fan Yun while she works. Please note he does not try to interrupt her and save that thought for a certain someone next ep.
Must have been a discount at the mask store
We get an absolutely incredible reveal about Jiang Shu. No, it's not what he looks like, but its what his room does ... simply covered in masks. A HUGE ONE ON THE WALL surrounded by smaller identical ones. MASK PRINTED CURTAINS hanging from the ceiling. ROWS OF MASKS lined up on shelves. There is a mask on nearly every surface of this room.
I've grouped all of the Fan Hui and Jiang Shu's scenes here in this section. First up, Fan Hui talks with Jiang Shu and explains some of the Fan family backstory. He and Fan Qi had a seemingly irrevocable falling out after Fan Qi gave up his position as head of the family. But he still cares deeply about his niece and wishes he could have a better relationship with her (without having to make up with his brother).
Fan Hui and Jiang Shu clearly have a long standing close friendship. We previously learned Fan Hui made him his main mask and here he gifts him another (did he make them all??) which Jiang Shu says is too ugly to wear only to wear it in his very next scene.
Jiang Shu meets with Qi Zheng who is testing the waters on where he stands on the exam reforms. Jiang Shu seems to have survived in the court by not allying with any particular faction and says he would like to keep it that way. He warns Qi Zheng of the consequences the reform could have.
How does Jiang Shu do these quick changes? Are the sleeves of his robes just full of masks?
Later Fan Yun learns that Fan Hui is her actual uncle and Qi Zheng arranges for them to meet, hoping to convince Fan Hui to support their exam reform plan. Qi Zheng bet pays off, Fan Hui's desire to be a supportive uncle wins him over to their side.
says man in a years long falling out with his brother
Fake Smiles
Zheng Shi visits his grandfather with a secret smile on his face. Zheng Yi tells him his grandfather stayed up all night in the courtyard worrying about the selection exam. Lord Zheng briefly exits his room to rant again about not letting his institutional power be threatened and as he walks away, Zheng Shi smiles even more than he was initially.
On his way to continue his rant to Qi Zheng, Lord Zheng spots Fan Yun in her Commerce Bureau Boy outfit. When he gets to Qi Zheng's office, our City Lord/Governor/Mayor/Definitely Not An Emperor tries to gaslight him into thinking they are on the same side by putting on a bit of his hapless ruler act. Lord Zheng seems suitably confused but satisfied by the lies Qi Zheng sells him. They fake smile at each other on his way out of the room.
let him cook
Fan Yun runs into Wei Shisan while on the palace grounds and invites her over to hang out. When Shisan tries to teach Fan Yun a self defense move, Gao Ran misunderstands what he is seeing and charges in to fight off Shisan on his sister's behalf. I wish he would charge in like this whenever one of the Love Rivals got too close. Later Gao Ran cooks them dinner but unfortunately we get zero footage of him doing so. By the end of the meal Wei Shisan is even more smitten than she was before. And Gao Ran, while still reserved, seems to be letting her get just a little bit closer.
EPISODE 14
Qi Zheng makes his proposal to the court and Lord Zheng throws a fit. Fan Yun leaves the Commerce Bureau to focus on studying, befriending Wei Rong in the process.
New characters: none, return of Wei Rong
A coming change
The ep opens with an ancient power point presentation and Qi Zheng making his case for the reforms. Since so many actions and events are not well explained in this show I figured we deserved the full pitch:
"This reform plan reflects the importance of the national selection exam in a comprehensive way. It not only offers commoners a chance to change their fate, but also injects fresh talent into many official posts across the Nine Cities. Both in public and private interests, it is an excellent way to rejuvenate the Nine Cities. In time, men and women of ambition from all over the Nine Cities will gather in Ling'an vying to serve the Nine Cities.
The happiness and well-being of the people within the cities, and the long-lasting prosperity of the Nine Cities, will be ensured from this day forward."
Lord Lyu, Fan Hui, and Jiang Shu listen to his proposal, all of them praising it in turn. Jiang Shu admits he did not think much of Qi Zheng at first but has changed his mind now that he sees his work first hand. Lord Lyu thinks they are well positioned to challenge Lord Zheng now but acknowledges it will may break apart the Three Elders.
Misogynist Tears
We don't see the full court session where Qi Zheng makes the proposal but we do see the aftermath. Lord Zheng is pissed.
In a meeting of the Three Elders after court, Lords Lyu and Zhao try to reason with Lord Zheng. Zhao even goes so far as to suggest Qi Zheng's plan is likely to fail and they should just let him try to prove how bad an idea it is. But Lord Zheng doesnt want to hear any of it. He just wants absolute loyalty. He busts out the tears as he expresses his terror at the thought of women being included in the exam and then leaves the room before the other two can say anything else.
Lord Zheng has another nightmare and when he wakes, he hands a letter of resignation to Zheng Yi to deliver to the palace but Lord Lyu intercepts Yi on his way.
Lord Lyu meets with Qi Zheng who is shocked to learn that misogyny is stronger than classism. He urges Lord Lyu to plead with Lord Zheng again.
Later, Lord Lyu visits Lord Zheng at his home, returning the resignation letter. Their interaction is a mix of petty bickering and serious discussion. I actually liked this scene for the most part despite how rough it is to watch Lord Zheng's on going crash out about women ruining things. However, as usual the show is just hop skipping from plot point to plot point. Their dialogue at the end suggests Qi Zheng's abdication was on the table?? Was Lord Zheng's resignation supposed to force this to happen? Is it me, did I miss something?
New Friends
Fan Yun resigns from the Commerce Bureau. As she bids farewell, we see she's won the support of her coworkers who are eager to welcome her back once she becomes an official. Jiang Shu gifts her some study materials on her way out.
On her way home, Fan Yun runs into Wei Rong, Wei Ying, and Yan Jiang in the market. First she spots the younger Wei sibling releasing caged birds from a stall. When she tries to start a conversation with him she notices his unusual mannerisms, attitude, and affect. Curious but not judgmental, she seems to win him over with her sincerity and sesame balls.
Wei Ying finds them and hands off a gift to Fan Yun from Qi Zheng. It's a carved figure she can't quite make sense of, but accepts anyway. Kind of the theme of this subplot.
Wei Ying struggles to keep track of both his brother and his boyfriend Yan Jiang, but everyone ends up finding each other in a fabric shop nearby.
Wei Rong has come to town to take the selection exam at the behest of their family and Fan Yun ends up inviting him to stay with her to study after he declines to stay with his brother, who he finds boring, and a night at Yan Jiang's doesn't work out.
He doesn't stay long (or does he? who's to say how much time has passed, certainly not the show...) but he and Fan Yun form an unexpected bond. Later Wei Ying thanks her, not many people have patience for Wei Rong's eccentricities and he lives a lonely life. Fan Qi shows us where some of his daughter's empathy and insight comes from as he too seems to have quickly understood Wei Rong and accepted him for who he is.
Through a modern lens, Wei Rong strikes me as neurodivergent and I was surprised to find this story line here and see how it was treated with relative care. His behavior is at odds with others in a way that is humorous but the humor didnt feel mean spirited. Fan Qi's insight into him at the end hit me a bit harder in my own neurodivergent feelings than I was expecting as well.
"He can see things others cannot. But conversely, what ordinary people can see, he cannot."
The ep ends on Fan Yun hard at work studying only to be interrupted by Lou Qiyan who seems shocked she doesn't immediately give him her full attention. I will hold off on further rant until we see where this full interaction is going next ep 😆
uh yeah dude, why are you just wandering into her house in the first place?
🎭MASK CORNER🎭
DISCUSSION
We got a bit of a break from the love triangle these eps so maybe thats why I enjoyed them more. Fan Yun was allowed to do things and be herself, not just be an object of affection. This let us have some deeper emotional beats with the grief and worries talk with Qi Zheng and her growing bonds to the Wei siblings.
Speaking of the Wei siblings, I was thinking about Wei Shisan and why her pushiness (which I did not love at the start of the show, I never like pushy pursuers in romance arcs) comes off a bit better than Lou Qiyan's. I think it feels more self aware coming from her? She is being over the top flirty on purpose but does not come off as feeling entitled to Gao Ran's affection. What do you all think?
Overall, I'm still having fun but also feeling like maybe I'm cursed to host shows that leave a lot of unanswered questions as to the creators' intentions (Sword and Beloved's journey off the rails, Unveil Jadewind's mystery of the cut content). If I did not like a lot of these actors, I think the unevenness and inconsistency of the storytelling would be putting me off more.
As always, looking forward to reading what you all have to say! Thanks for joining us!
Posted Jun 25, 2026, 6:35 PM UTC