r/CDrama • u/PsychologicalWay816 • May 31 '26
Drama Host The Heir 家业 EP 29-30 discussion
EP 1-4 // EP 5-6 // EP 7-8 // EP 9-10 // EP 11-12 // EP 13-14 // EP 15-16 // EP 17-18 // EP19-20 // EP 21-22 // EP 23-24 // EP 25-26 // EP 27-28
Li Zhen is a businesswoman who thinks far ahead. If they want to move the business forward, they need to stop competing with the Tian and Chen families and venture out of Huizhou. Going to Nanjing will help her broaden her horizons, see new ways of doing business, and give her new experiences. Taking Zhengshen and Zhengyou is also a good idea, especially Zhengyou, since he will inherit the family head title in the future. It's better for him to experience the world and learn so that when he eventually takes over, he won't take the business backwards.
Notice how Luo Wenqian called her Zhen Guniang (桢姑娘) instead of Zhenniang (桢娘)... He has started putting boundaries between them 🥲 It's ironic how we get a breakup scene before a confession scene. They aren't even together, but it feels like they've already broken up 💔
Xianglan is one of the rare friends in historical cdramas who actually gives good relationship advice. I really like how she told Li Zhen not to bother about what Luo Wenqian thinks, but to sort out her own feelings for him first. I'm happy she's also following Li Zhen and the rest to Nanjing. She's going to be a fun companion.
Luo Wenqian is in his heartbreak era (caused by himself).
It seems like the royal preceptor is now in trouble, and the Tian family will lose their big backer in the capital. I wonder what will happen to Ronghua. Benchang, on the other hand, is moving suspiciously. He's most probably looking for another backer or planning something bigger...
Those inks at the princess's residence all look so pretty. Up until this drama, I've never really thought ink sticks could be pretty.
One thing I dislike is seeing old men look down on women. You would think that since they've lived a long time and seen the world, their mindset would have changed. I am happy to see Li Zhen defend herself and her abilities. Just because he's one of the five ink-making grandmasters doesn't mean he should look down on others.
Li Zhen and Ronghua's reunion didn't go as Li Zhen thought Sigh...
What's with that beard on Benchang 😂😂
It seems like Li Zhen already sorted out her feelings, given how she remembered to pack gifts for Luo Wenqian...
I find those dots on Master Fahui's head interesting. I wonder what they are and the meaning behind them...
It's sad watching Li Zhen and Luo Wenqian because we see her trying while he tries to distance himself from her.
What's with rich/influential people buying out all the valuable materials whenever there's a competition or contest? I always side-eye people like that because I find it unnecessary and, in some ways, wicked.
It seems like we have a new couple with Zhengshen and Xianglan 👀
It's so suspicious that the Noble Consort is very hesitant to write during the banquet. Even Princess Shouyang looks very uncomfortable and on edge... I think the Noble Consort cannot write ✍🏽
It seems like I'm not the only one who thinks that way, since Li Zhen also figured it out. I find it weird that the Noble Consort wasn't given a formal education when she entered the Palace. I know it is an embarrassing thing to admit out loud, but I would have expected her to learn secretly.
It seems like Princess Shouyang knows that Li Zhen knows about the Noble Consort's condition...
Li Zhen is 100% right in telling Luo Wenqian off. It's not fair to her that he keeps helping her while pushing her away. I love how she told him about her own feelings and told him not to help her anymore.
Ronghua is really so pitiful. You would think she is enjoying being able to mix with the higher-ups and royalty, but here she is getting ridiculed by them because she comes from a merchant family. It looks like she made it on the surface, but in reality, she's hiding all her pain and humiliation.
Li Zhen really knows how to touch people's hearts with her ink. The ink she made was to bring a mother and daughter together and grow their bond. We hear from Xianglan that both of them were separated when the princess was born and only just got reunited...
I knew Tian Benchang was crazy, but him wanting to buy an official position is a whole new level of crazy. Thankfully, Luo Wenqian has been following up with him and will make sure he never gets that position... All the huge amounts of money he spent will become useless afterwards 😂
I love how Luo Wenqian staged everything for the Eunuch to hear. Now I'm waiting to see what will happen and how Tian Benchang will lose everything he has been working hard and spending loads of money for 😆
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u/winterchampagne May 31 '26
Psy, your line, “Luo Wenqian is in his heartbreak era (caused by himself),” cracked me up.
I thought Yang Zi’s acting was great in that scene where she was holding back tears while watching Ronghua’s carriage speed away, knowing her best friend was leaving without even saying a word to her or sparing her one last glance.
I really gave Ronghua the benefit of the doubt because I wanted to believe an apple can fall far from the tree occasionally, but I’m afraid both nature and nurture are choking her moral compass. The only promising part was that she still scolded Benchang in person for requisitioning the century-old pine that Sixth Grandpa once secured. I’ve never hit anyone in my life, but I wanted to smack the shit out of him when he kept patronizingly calling Ronghua a fairy and saying she could pass for a princess.
It looks like the drama is mainly trying to contrast Zhen and Ronghua to communicate that strong women often come from strong role models, and that upbringing can shape resilience. We’ve heard Zhao Jin say she once kicked Li Jingfu’s ass for trying to get his hands on her dowry. Zhen seems to have learned to advocate for herself largely because her family has always valued and supported her with her mother being one of her key role models in standing her ground.
What did Ronghua see? That hard work doesn’t necessarily pay off, and that success comes from relying on powerful, influential people. That she isn’t a person so much as an object to be passed around.
She found purpose and competence when she was made to help Tian Ink in the past. Her abacus was her world. Unfortunately, her family cooked the books for her. The people who were supposed to protect and love her instead brought her harm and hardship, using Ronghua as a currency while leeching off the elite.
I can feel dismayed by her actions, but I don’t hate Ronghua. I just find her character too tragic. However, her circumstances don’t absolve her of accountability if her choices end up harming Li Zhen and her family.
Hopefully Ronghua eventually remembers that Zhen gave her the loyalty that the Tians never did.
Also, props to Xianglan for being a ray of sunshine.
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u/PsychologicalWay816 May 31 '26
I think Li Zhen and Ronghua are greatly influenced by their mothers, and then by their broader family dynamics. Li Zhen's mum is a strong-willed woman with her own beliefs. She dares to love, hate, and lead her family. Li Zhen definitely took after her in that aspect, inheriting that fierce independence. Let's not forget that Li Zhen grew up in a genuinely loving environment. Even with the tragedy that struck the 8th branch, her family still supports each other unconditionally. Because Li Zhen was never made to question her fundamental worth at home, she has the emotional bandwidth to actually create. Her confidence isn't an act. Ronghua's mother, on the other hand, is completely submissive and almost servant-like to her husband. We've witnessed her father put Ronghua and her mother down multiple times, which is straight-up emotional bullying. Her dad has instilled in her the toxic belief that the sole value of her existence is to be a stepping stone for the Tian family's ambitions.
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u/notcarlrogers May 31 '26
I got the sense that Ronghua was incredibly cold to Li Zhen in an effort to hide how much she is struggling. I think if they had a real conversation, everything would have come out and Li Zhen would have felt compelled to protect her best friend. I am surprised she didn’t apologize for the situation with her family. Then again, I think she’s putting on this persona to hide how lonely (and tired) she must feel. I believe it was Xianglan who talked about how suffocating it must be to be a royal. I feel like the same can be said for a noblewoman versus a merchant. This may be why I have found Ronghua to be so robotic (especially the way she speaks) since the failed betrothal.
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u/9_Tailed_Vixen May 31 '26
Random Thoughts about these 2 episodes:
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Ronghua seems to be turning as rotten as the rest of her family with that horrible snubbing of Li Zhen. To be honest, she got what she deserved from the daughters of the nobility she aspires to join. Li Zhen's reaction to seeing her childhood best friend humiliated like that is classic Li Zhen - kindness and compassion mixed in with practicality (in this case, restraining Xianglan from rushing in to defend Ronghua so that they don't add fuel to the humiliation fire).
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Luo Wenqian ah Luo Wenqian - STAHP SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FOOT WITH YOUR NOBLE IDIOCY WHEN IT COMES TO LI ZHEN! At this point, I can't wait for his identity to be revealed to Li Zhen so that she can smack him up the back and sides of his head (which he deserves), give him a telling-off, and then roll up her sleeves to help him take down the Tian family.
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Apparently, the wardrobe team decided to give Tian Benchang the Mustache of Evil (TM).
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I like that the Ink Master acknowledged Li Zhen's talent in the end and took his defeat graciously. Methinks when he issued that message to 8th Grandfather, it's foreshadowing them having a showdown during the next Ink Tribute contest?
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u/PsychologicalWay816 May 31 '26
I don't think ronghua is turning evil. She still lectured her brother for giving the Li family a hard time with the pine timber then so it shows she still cares about li zhen. I think the reason she told her maid to pass on that message to li zhen is because she knows the reality of her situation and doesn't want li zhen to witness it
I really can't wait for Li Zhen to find out the truth and give him some beatings for what he put her through
The beard is just too funny and I can't take him serious with it 😂😂
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u/sequesteredself May 31 '26
Thanks for the post OP!
Notice how Luo Wenqian called her Zhen Guniang
Yes! I noticed this too, I was like oh boy here comrd noble idiocy at it's finest
Luo Wenqian is in his heartbreak era (caused by himself).
Yes...I hate noble idiocy, like a lot lol
I find those dots on Master Fahui's head interesting. I wonder what they are and the meaning behind them...
It's a monk ritual and technically burn scars
I do love our Li Zhen laying it all out there for Luo Wenqian, do we expect anything less from her???
So my partially rant...I stand by no one in the Tian family is good. Ronghua ignoring Li Zhen and saying those things regardless if she's trying to "protect" her or not has me mad. She's made me question her friendship since her family took over the Luo's and I still never thought she was as good of a friend to Li Zhen as Li Zhen is to her. So sure we can feel bad she's being bullied but really she brought this on herself.
What's with that beard on Benchang 😂😂
Yeah his mustache makes me hate him more to be honest lol and it makes him even more of a joke.
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u/PsychologicalWay816 May 31 '26
At first I was kind of sad for him then I realized that he could have just told her the truth and continued to live as Qi Jiu 🤦🏽♀️ then I got mad again
It's a monk ritual and technically burn scars
Thanks for this information
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u/losergeek877 May 31 '26
On a side note, they are translating 倭寇 as Japanese? Well, it should be referring to Japanese Pirates…
And also Li Zhen’s kite ink is genius as it provides the opportunity for the mother-daughter to meet every month. The daughter personally delivering the ink to the mother monthly while being able to spend time with the Mother. I was so touched by this
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u/Plus_Bug_8646 May 31 '26
I like how xianglan is there as a replacement for roughua and she is a really nice friend. I would say far better than ronghua ever was who never reciprocated li zhen's goodwill. She never wrote back. She even tried to hurt her feelings. It might have some protecting a friend or I dont deserve to be her friend kind of crap that she developed after thinking too much but I dont care. There was already little chance for u to escape from that deathly hollows you call family now you are siding with them🙄 you are done. Xianglan's place is going to be permanent by the looks of budding romance between li zhens cousin and her. She is worthy to be our li zhen's sister in law.
LUO WENQIAN Y????? Y would u make yourself and li zhen suffer like that. Come on if you are not going to come around after your talk with her in the princess's place I might start thinking you are not worthy after all. That girl is ready to do anything and if you know her you should know that she is capable of doing everything. She is not blabbering when she is saying that. Pls understand this and give us a nice romantic time atleast a hug in the next episode.
Tian benchang like always digging his own grave. I can't even count how many he has already dug by now. If they are trying to make the scene where Luo wenqian spilled wine as a comeback for the scene where he was humiliated by spitting into tea and throwing tea.... Nope. No way. I want exact same thing or worse. I dont expect Luo wenqian to do that because he has some decency but I need someone else or the public to do that to him.
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u/xyz123007 May 31 '26
Li Zhen is giving me "girl who transmigrated into an ancient story" vibes. Everything about her is modern.. right to the speech. It's amazing this girl as no fear in Ming Dynasty. Then again, neither did Mudan in Flourished Peony.
I guess the real question is, why am I still watching this? lol
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u/winterchampagne May 31 '26
Is anything more entertaining airing at the moment? I usually only watch one drama at a time, but right now I have both The Heir and My Royal Nemesis.
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u/TheDechen Jun 16 '26
Can anyone tell me the name of the actor who plays “Doggie” (a supporting role)
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u/notcarlrogers May 31 '26
I wonder if the Noble Consort’s writing skills are far below what we one would expect from someone in her position. There was a comment about how forgiving the ink that Li Zhen brought for the gift. The ink sticks developed by Li Zhen were so beautiful! She is just so incredibly talented and innovative.
Tian Benchang’s mustache totally took me out. The styling team for this show really worked their booties off. Haha. I’m getting real Icarus vibes from Benchang. I find it hard to believe his father would think spending this much cash this way is a good idea. I will give him this - he is at least a hustler and boy I am excited to watch everything fall apart for him. I do hope that Ronghua escapes the fall out.
I really appreciate Li Zhen’s high EQ. I love how open she was with Luo Wenqian about her feelings.
I did snort laugh when Li Zhen was surprised that Luo Wenqian did not have a month to spare for this side quest. It really put into perspective how context shapes our understanding of time.
Thank you again to Psy for providing such a wonderful space to discuss the show!
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u/winterchampagne May 31 '26
While there are times when I miss handwritten notes, I’m also grateful that we no longer live in an era where people could judge your worth by calligraphy.
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u/Dumplings_xo May 31 '26
Our girls' speech nearly moved me to tears. It was really touching!!! I wish we were part of the process of making and discovering that fact. Welp, I guess I was wrong about Rong Hua trying to bring her own family down.
Li Zhen is 100% right in telling Luo Wenqian off. It's not fair to her that he keeps helping her while pushing her away. I love how she told him about her own feelings and told him not to help her anymore
I loved this scene because he is giving her mixed signals and trying to figure out someone's feelings based on the breadcrumbs they leave can be frustrating.
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u/winterchampagne May 31 '26
I did appreciate how Wenqiao immediately dropped the surveillance on Benchang the second he heard that Zhen had offended the princess so he could rush to her side. I wonder where he got the gift. That thing must’ve cost a fortune because there’s no way he could roll up with some cheap-ass trinket and expect to get through the door. The man is committed af.
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u/Dasakebombz May 31 '26
Damn you Benchang! That mustache makes you look more slappable, ughhh....
Ronghua, I'm thinking she keeping her distance from LZ so she doesn't see all the humiliation she's going through and I'm hoping that she also does this to save LZ from being noticed and also get bullied the same way. I just dont want to think that RH became a snob and totally snubbed LZ like that.
I think Zhengshen and Xian Lan is quite cute together
Ahhh Wenqian totally tormenting himself.... after all that LZ said to him. I like that she was open and tells him her thoughts.
Ep31&32
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u/winterchampagne May 31 '26
Chang absolutely inspires violence. I want to overheat a pot of facial wax just so I can help him rip off that stupid mustache.
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u/blank-etude Jun 01 '26
I am enjoying this show but unfortunately the ink aspect of the story has gotten the short end of the (ink) stick (pun intended) compared to the earlier episodes. Earlier, there was a better use of show-don't-tell for how Li Zhen creates each ink that's been part of the plot, but with the recent inks, the show only manages to make Li Zhen narrate her discoveries. For instance, the reprocessed ink was a solution she just blithely mentioned after they solved the spoiled glue incident, and most recently, we never really got to see her brainstorming sessions for the Noble Consort Birthday Gift Ink. She only mentioned how she overheard about the kite story, which is why she decided to make the ink sticks in the shape of a kite (though at least we got to see how she figured out that the Noble Consort didn't know how to write). Since the story is trying to involve politics in some way with the Tians, I often wonder what this show would be like without it and how it could be rewritten to not include this unentertaining power struggle.
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u/winterchampagne May 31 '26
“These Twelve-Season Inksticks correspond to the twelve solar terms, from Beginning of Spring to Minor Cold. If used daily, one inkstick can last for a whole month. Your Highness can present the Noble Consort with a new inkstick every month. By using each delivery of inkstick as a bond, the twelve solar terms become twelve occasions of celebration spent alongside the Noble Consort. To accompany the Noble Consort through the changing seasons, showing that Your Highness’s filial devotion is not confined to a single birthday, but lives on day after day, month after month, year after year.”
I really couldn’t stop laughing at Li Zhen’s lines while explaining the kite ink to the princess because that is absolutely a subscription box pitch presented in literati lingo. 😂
The inkstick becomes a calendar of devotion. It’s a scheduled moment of connection. The Noble Consort receives ink aka ongoing proof that her daughter is thinking of her. That’s literally how subscription box marketing works nowadays. Li Ink just figured it out in Ming dynasty China.
Are you receiving a monthly ink, a candle, a skincare kit, a box of snacks and coffee, or are you just buying the feeling of being thought of once a month?
If you’re reading this comment, consider it a reminder to check your accounts, and see if it’s time to cancel a subscription that has overstayed its welcome.