The First Jasmine (Mo Li): Ep 39 - Battle Couple? (Normal Release)
Previous recaps: Ep 1-4, Ep 5/6, 7/8, 9/10, 11/12, 13/14, 15/16, 17/18, 19/20, 21/22, 23/24, 25/26, 27/28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38
Main characters:
Bai Lu as Ye Li
Cheng Lei as Mo Xiuyao/Prince Ding
Novel fan translation: Mo Li
Ep 39: The rebel troops are setting everything on fire. Han Mingxi faces the blue-eyed guy from way back at the beginning again.
Li Feibai joins on Han Mingxi's side. They get exploded.
Prince Li is fighting his way into the palace dressed as a palace guard. This fight is wild because I'm having a very difficult time knowing who is on whose side, I think blue sleeves is rebels? Yes. I understand the tactic but help a viewer out! Mo Xiuyao is just sitting at the city gates, not fighting.
It's dark and they look VERY similar
Emperor: Mom, I am a big boy now (we never actually see him fight)
The duke has joined the battle? Can't he barely even walk? He's not even on a horse! Mo Xiuyao IS RIGHT THERE!
It's a weird decision at this point to show people fighting who aren't the leads. Like they literally skipped all of Mo Xiuyao's battles so we can watch some old dying duke fight? Why? Baffles me. Okay good, Ye Li is here. Finally.
Both of them! Nope...
Their fight lasted 0.3 seconds
Why can I not have battle couples? Why are we already at the talking stage? FIGHT SOME MORE! They turn Prince Li into a porcupine. Good riddance. Ye Li imagines playing chess with her grandfather... that's it? Rebellion over?
Five month time skip. Ye Li in hanging out at home. The emperor knows what his mom did but hasn't acted (he shouldn't, it would threaten the legitimacy of his rule, not that I'm a royalty expert or anything). Mo Xiuyao is leading troops. (why not just take Ye Li with him???)
Wen Ran is dragging Ye Li everywhere so she won't feel lonely. Ye Li has headaches. Her sister-in-law is making friends, but Ye Li is solitary.
Ye Li runs off to see Mo Xiuyao. He correctly points out that it was very dangerous for her to come but at least we get to see the main couple. We hear from Ye Li that Han Mingxi is gone. I wanted him with Ye Ying!
These episodes would be fine in a slice of life sort of drama but I feel like there haven't been any stakes in ages. Like all the possible tension was deliberately skipped.
Posted Jul 4, 2026, 2:32 PM UTC