If the County Prince were fine, would Zhen Huan choose to fake her death and give up everything to be with him?

The Choice Between Love and Family Dilemma for Zhen Huan

I really wanted to see how Zhen Huan would choose between her family crisis and the love of Prince Guo Jun.

Zhen Huan’s parents were still in Ningguta, where they fell victim to schemes and oppression, living in destitution and facing harassment from time to time.

As the eldest daughter who cared deeply for her parents, how could Zhen Huan disregard their plight and her younger sister?

Once she learned of her parents' predicament, her love for Prince Guo Jun became a hindrance. As a prince without real power, constantly under surveillance, he could never rescue her parents from harm.

So, how would Zhen Huan choose?

I think she would still give up on Prince Guo Jun and throw herself into the embrace of the Emperor. Because she wanted to save her parents and younger sister. She could forgo being the Emperor’s favorite concubine, but she must fulfill her responsibilities as the eldest daughter to her parents and older sister to her younger sibling.

Whenever there was a major family crisis in the past, it was always Zhen Huan who resolved it. Zhen Yuandao didn’t have much actual talent, but with Zhen Huan’s favor and cooperation, he rose to power and wealth. Although Zhen Huan was not the eldest son, as the eldest daughter, she had a natural sense of responsibility towards the entire family.

A person like her would definitely set aside love and let those around her willingly help her return to the palace. Prince Guo Jun’s connection with her was destined to be thin.

Even if Prince Guo Jun were alive, he would help her return to the palace. The Imperial Physician Wen and even Cui Jinxu and others, who initially supported her relationship with Prince Guo Jun, would support Zhen Huan’s return to the palace.

Zhen Huan possessed the ability to make those around her wholeheartedly support every decision she made, especially men.

Zhen Huan handled things just right, neither clinging nor acting aloof. The interactions between them achieved a deep connection of the heart.

Zhen Huan is full of confidence in the plan proposed by Guo Zi Li

She would give up everything and go with him, after all, in the television drama, Zhen Huan was delighted when Guo Zi Li proposed this plan, and during the wait, she did not show the slightest hesitation or wavering.

Did Zhen Huan consider her family’s fate when eloping?

I have always had a question about this plot: Did Zhen Huan consider the situation of her parents and younger sister who were still in exile when she was considering eloping with Prince Guo? Can someone please tell me if I missed any plot or dialogue that addressed what Zhen Huan planned for her parents and sister if she eloped?

I’m not trying to morally force Zhen Huan’s character, but rather I’m questioning the logical coherence of the plot. Zhen Huan’s character is portrayed as someone who loves her parents and sister deeply and cares about her family. When her father was charged with a crime, she even went to kneel before the emperor while pregnant to plead for mercy. So based on this character, I don’t believe that Zhen Huan would disregard her parents completely for the sake of love. Although she values love, she is not someone driven solely by romantic desires; she knows that there are things more important than love.

Moreover, once Prince Guo decides to fake his death and elope, it means that he would abandon his identity as a prince and lose the privileges and resources that come with it. Zhen Huan would be in the same situation; she would no longer be a noble lady or imperial concubine, but an ordinary commoner. In this scenario, neither of them would have the ability to bring Zhen Huan’s family back from Ninggu Pass.

Therefore, I find it difficult to understand how, with Zhen Huan’s deep concern for her family, she would allow her parents and sister to suffer for a lifetime in Ninggu Tower due to a wrongful accusation. Furthermore, not long after their exile, Zhen Huan’s father fell ill on their way to exile, which means that if Zhen Huan didn’t take care of them, they could have died within a few years. Initially, Zhen Huan’s family didn’t suffer much during their exile because Prince Guo took care of them. However, after Prince Guo encountered trouble and went missing, Zhen Huan’s family started to suffer. So if Prince Guo and Zhen Huan were to fake their deaths and elope as commoners, Zhen Huan’s family would truly become like driftweed in the wind, without any support, and could be easily devastated at any time.

I have always felt that, given the meticulousness of the TV drama “Legend of Zhen Huan,” this issue should not have been completely ignored. Did I miss something?

The Predicament of Zhen Huan and Prince Guo

If this was ten years ago, I think my answer would be “yes.” Naturally, there is still a possibility now, but it can only happen during the passionate period of Zhen Huan and Prince Guo’s love affair. When the “infatuation brain” kicks in, one can truly do anything.

However, if we consider the premise of not having children, the probability of this situation still remains very low. After all, Zhen Huan is a person whose rationality outweighs her emotions. Even the fact that she became pregnant before marriage with Prince Guo is already crazy enough. Even if she were willing to ruin Prince Guo, I don’t believe she would risk ruining herself and her family.

If it is for the sake of the child, then it is a different story altogether.

Imagine if Zhen Huan became pregnant at that time and wanted to give birth to the child. She would have to leave the jurisdiction of Ling Yun Peak and Ganlu Temple. Otherwise, if the situation were to be exposed, Zhen Huan, Prince Guo, and the child would have nowhere to go. In this case, it is not a matter of whether Zhen Huan wants to or not, it is a necessary decision.

So if Zhen Huan were pregnant and Prince Guo returned alive, she would most likely choose to be with Prince Guo. But looking back at this situation, it is best for Zhen Huan to “die” alone and leave alone. This way, both her and the child’s safety would be preserved, and Prince Guo’s identity would also be preserved. This way, not only Zhen Huan, but the entire Zhen family would receive the best protection.

But even if they fake their deaths and manage to leave, they would still face great risks.

These two people would essentially have abandoned their own families. For Zhen Huan, she would basically leave her parents and sister suffering in the cold and harsh Ninggu Tower. For Prince Guo, it would mean giving up the noble status of a prince and becoming a lowly commoner struggling to make a living. Not to mention that to hide their identities, many things would be impossible for him to do.

And once they truly leave behind the splendor and wealth of the royal residence, and leave behind the life of servants and maidservants, when these two people have to face the mundane tasks of chopping firewood, cooking rice, and doing household chores, it is hard to say how long their past romance and poetic pursuits will last.

Who knows if true love will eventually become resentment?

Furthermore, the reaction of the emperor is also an uncertain factor.

As we all know, the plot of what happened later has been revealed. Fat Orange did not give up on Zhen Huan. In case news of Zhen Huan’s death arrives, Fat Orange insists on going to pay a visit, staging a scene reminiscent of “Legend of Zhen Huan” meets “Scarlet Heart.” In such a situation, what will Zhen Huan do? If the emperor were to intervene, it would be difficult to bring Zhen Huan back to life even if she were to “come back from the dead.”

Who knows what would happen if the emperor were to arrive while Zhen Huan is awake. Would it be a crime of deceiving the emperor or would it be a scene of indulgence, just like Ling Yun Peak…

In short, Prince Guo wanting Zhen Huan is harder than reaching the heavens.

Actually, as long as Zhen Huan calms down, she will definitely not make such an irrational move.

If the relationship between Zhen Huan and Prince Guo had only stayed at the stage of being acquainted and had not crossed the forbidden line, that would have been so much better.

However, things in the world are unpredictable. Even if they don’t engage in intimacy, the emperor would still assign tasks to Prince Guo, and Prince Guo would still encounter accidents. In that case, what would Zhen Yuandao and his wife do if they were to meet with a disaster at Ninggu Tower? Even if Zhen Huan wanted to return to the emperor’s side through schemes, it would be difficult to guarantee success on the first attempt. It is thanks to Prince Guo’s child that they have assistance.

In the depths of fate, Zhen Huan still belongs to the palace. Perhaps this is the arrangement of destiny.

I am [Name], a writer born in the 1980s. I navigate the workplace during the day and write for my own enjoyment at night. I experience life with sincerity, express myself with authenticity, and live life freely while gracefully aging. I continue to update reviews of popular and classic dramas. Welcome to follow along and discuss life as we watch dramas together.

Zhen Huan’s choice

I think she definitely would.

Setting aside my belief that Guo Xiu is her true love, let’s talk only about Zhen Huan. For her, this is not “giving up everything” at all, but rather a pure act of redemption.

At that time, what does Zhen Huan have to give up?

A discarded concubine, who left the palace before reaching full term due to childbirth, with a weak body, feeling utterly hopeless, her family’s fortunes in decline, and her parents exiled. If it weren’t for Guo Xiu’s manipulations and Wen Shi Chu’s care, the empress wouldn’t even need to bother, as a moment of quiet would have been enough to torment her to death.

Guo Xiu’s feigned death scheme is almost equivalent to giving Zhen Huan a new lease on life. Although she may have to assume a new identity and cannot openly appear by Guo Xiu’s side, as the Prince Guo Xiu, she will always have numerous means at her disposal.

She only loses the miserable identity of the discarded concubine, but in return, she gains the love of the adored fifth prince. The possibility of wealth and glory may be out of reach, but a life far better than ordinary people is certainly achievable.

In her later years, she will be taken care of by Guo Xiu and her family, her daughter will be looked after by Jing Fei and Mei Zhuang in the palace. What is there that she cannot let go of or hesitate over? There is no precedent for a discarded concubine to return to the palace. If she doesn’t go back, the best ending is a lonely death outside the palace.

So, in this situation, I believe not only Zhen Huan would make this choice, but anyone would. Zhen Huan has long had nothing to give up; choosing fake death is simply her way to escape from imminent death.

However,

As the eldest daughter of the Zhen family, Zhen Huan has a strong sense of responsibility towards her family. This can be seen as a virtue, but sometimes, her excessive consideration can make her unlikable.

Let’s assume a change in the plot order: Zhen Huan has successfully left her identity as a discarded concubine using the fake death drug and is now together with Guo Xiu. Then, at this moment, Guo Xiu is sent away by Da Ju and dies in danger. Meanwhile, Zhen Huan’s father, Ning Gu Ta, falls critically ill, on the brink of death, with no one to help, and Zhen Huan is also pregnant. What should she do in this situation?

I believe that if Zhen Huan finds herself in a situation where she has no one to turn to for help, she is very likely to risk everything and make a dramatic entrance, even manufacturing a scene like the “Qing Qing-like Huan,” to forcefully save her family. (Ah, I feel like I could write a whole story about this.)

After all, she has nothing more to lose. In the face of adversity, our Huan Huan’s creed is: just do it.

Parents are the most important in Zhen Huan’s heart

Not necessarily.

Zhen Huan can let go of wealth and glory, but she cannot let go of her parents and family.

If Prince Guo Jun had no incident, but news came that her parents had fallen ill in the Ning Gu Tower, could she be at ease and enjoy her happy days?

The Conflict Between Love and Reality

Under the heavens, there is no land that is not the king’s domain, and along the borders, there is no subject that is not a vassal.

One is the Prince, and the other is the abandoned concubine that the Emperor cannot forget. They are both people with status. In the vast realm of the Qing Dynasty, where can they escape to?

I have always felt that the love between Prince Guo and Zhen Huan began inexplicably. Their emotional foundation was not stable. Zhen Huan has always been a person who admires strength. She has a high opinion of herself and has absolute confidence, or perhaps it is narcissism. Her ideal type has always been the best man in the world, the one who stands at the top of the pyramid and gives orders.

Zhen Huan is not a white lotus flower or a naive little rabbit. She has always been someone who knows what she wants and works hard to obtain it.

She is not moved by so-called true feelings. Isn’t it Wen Shi Chu who has given her selfless and unconditional love throughout the drama?

Since Zhen Huan entered the palace, Wen Shi Chu has helped her by lying about her illness and prescribing medication to avoid falling out of favor. When Zhen Huan met the Emperor, with just a few words, he adjusted her medication to gradually “recover” her health. Ye Dao promised to poison her, a poison that could cause confusion or even death. It was also Wen Shi Chu who noticed something amiss and saved her life.

When Zhen Huan was expelled from the palace and became pregnant with Prince Guo’s child, it was all thanks to Wen Shi Chu, the imperial physician, who concealed the true gestation period and allowed the Fourth Lord to be happy as a father. After entering the palace for the second time, she used the unborn child she couldn’t protect to shift blame onto the Empress. All of this could only be successfully executed with the help of Wen Shi Chu.

What Wen Shi Chu did for Zhen Huan, each thing involved immense risks. If it were to be exposed, the lightest punishment would be execution, and the heaviest would be the annihilation of the entire family. Zhen Huan is aware of this, as is Wen Shi Chu, but neither of them hesitated.

To Wen Shi Chu, who was willing to risk his life for her, Zhen Huan has never cared about his feelings. When there is nothing going on, there is no adult around, but when something happens, Wen Shi Chu is there.

In the book, Zhen Huan even expressed her feelings towards Wen Shi Chu through the words of Jing Xi:

Jing Xi said, “Master Wen is indeed not the best choice for Madam. Because… his feelings always come at the wrong time.”
I contemplate her words, and I smile as well.
Jing Xi lowers her gaze obediently, and smiles slightly, “This servant is only speaking the truth. However, Madam and I both understand very well that being moved is one thing, but it has no relation to emotions. If Madam doesn’t like it, she simply doesn’t like it. She won’t force herself for the sake of being moved.”
I smile back at her, “If we’re talking about understanding me, it is indeed you, Jing Xi.”

This is Zhen Huan’s attitude towards so-called true love. Wen Shi Chu went through fire and water without any regrets. But all they received was mockery and the phrase “the timing is not right.”

On their first meeting, Prince Guo’s words and actions were frivolous. After Zhen Huan left the palace, he drove away a raccoon spirit for her, played a tune on a rainy night, and lay down on the snow to cool down together. This behavior was more than just “untimely.” However, Zhen Huan was moved by it.

What Zhen Huan values to a large extent is Prince Guo’s status.

Recently, the weather turned cold, and Prince Guo went to Ninggu Pagoda to take care of Zhen Huan’s family, which touched many people. But don’t forget that on the same snowy day, Zhen Huan had a high fever on Lingyun Peak. The mountain road was already treacherous and difficult to traverse, and with the slippery snow, one wrong step would lead to falling off a cliff and certain death. On the other hand, Prince Guo, as a prince, had a carriage, a warm sedan chair, servants, and maidservants accompanying him. Along the way, officials flattered him. How much hardship could he endure?

It is because Prince Guo has this status that he can help Zhen Huan more.

If Prince Guo were to abandon his identity as a prince and leave with Zhen Huan, leaving aside whether it is feasible or not, if the two of them were to successfully escape, what could Prince Guo do to support Zhen Huan? Would he play the flute or draw pictures? Can you even tell Meijie and Jingfei apart from his drawings?

Zhen Huan also grew up in a wealthy family. She never had to carry anything or do any work. Would the two of them just stand in the wind every day? They would have to spend money on firewood, rice, oil, and salt. Even the strongest feelings would eventually be eroded by the hardships of a destitute life.

Furthermore, Zhen Huan’s family is still suffering in Ninggu Pagoda. Besides the Emperor, no one else can save them. Can Zhen Huan just abandon everything and leave with Prince Guo, living a shameless and carefree life?

The endings of fairy tales always involve the prince and princess getting married and living happily ever after. The story ends there. No fairy tale talks about what happens in their married life because life is never a beautiful fairy tale.

Unwilling to detach from the boundless ocean of love, constantly plagued by anxiety and uncertainty.

It seems that after Prince Guo fell in love with Zhen Huan, he followed in his mother’s footsteps. Once he entered the boundless ocean of love, he could no longer extricate himself, losing his previously carefree and suave demeanor, only left with constant worry and fear of loss. He loves Zhen Huan so much that he would still find ways to meet her family, hoping for their private world to exist, but it could also be discovered by the emperor at any moment.

The Happy Opportunity for Prince Guo and Zhen Huan

She would never give up on her parents and younger sister.

But if Prince Guo had not died, she would not have thought of any other ways to help her parents and sister — up until then, it was all Prince Guo’s help. Prince Guo had helped arrange for Zhen Huan’s parents and sister on their way to Ningguta. Prince Guo had even promised to help find a way to clear Zhen Huan’s family’s name.

So if Prince Guo had not died, I think she would have followed the original plan of faking her death and going with him, but it doesn’t mean she would have given up on her parents and sister, because as long as Prince Guo remained a member of the royal nobility, he would have had the ability to take care of Zhen Huan’s family. Zhen Huan would not have had to resort to returning to the palace to save her family.

However, in that case, Zhen Huan would have had to change her name and even alter her appearance in order to follow Prince Guo. She would have had to completely abandon her identity as Zhen Huan, and it’s highly likely that she would not have been able to openly and legitimately become Prince Guo’s main consort or side consort.

The issue of Meng Jingxian would still arise. Honestly speaking, I don’t believe Meng Jingxian became “critically ill” solely because she heard that Prince Guo would be marrying someone, to the extent that Duke Pei of Guo had to beg the emperor to let Meng Jingxian into Prince Guo’s residence. In the original drama, she was still within the normal childbearing age until she entered the residence, though a bit late, it shouldn’t have been a problem for her to bear children.

So I genuinely believe that even if Prince Guo didn’t publicly marry anyone, after a certain period of time, Meng Jingxian would still “fall critically ill” and Duke Pei of Guo would still set aside his dignity and plead with the emperor to grant Meng Jingxian the position of side consort to Prince Guo, regardless of formalities.

The emperor would also sympathize with Duke Pei and consider their status, and would demand that Prince Guo agree to give Meng Jingxian the position of side consort.

In the emperor’s eyes, as long as the other party is not a spy, there wouldn’t be anything wrong with marrying and supporting them.

But in this situation, even if Zhen Huan understood, she might not be able to accept it, and Prince Guo himself would also find it difficult to accept.

But Prince Guo couldn’t just fake his death directly; he had to wait for Zhen Huan’s family to clear their name and settle in a safe place before he could fake his death. I believe this was their only chance to be together and live a happy life.

The Choice Facing Zhen Huan

I believe Zhen Huan would not make such a choice. The situation at the time was that regardless of whether Guo Zilu encountered any trouble or not, Shen Meizhuang would have gone to Ganlu Monastery to inform Zhen Huan that Zhen Yuandao was critically ill and in danger of losing his life at Ninggu Pagoda. After learning about this situation, Zhen Huan would not remain indifferent. Even if Guo Zilu returned safely without any incident, they would not be able to openly and honestly grant amnesty to Zhen Yuandao and his family, allowing them to return to the capital for treatment. If Guo Zilu used other means to rescue Zhen Yuandao and his family from Ninggu Pagoda, they would forever bear the reputation of fugitives, destined to live as outlaws. Given the physical condition of Zhen’s family at the time, living as outlaws would be equivalent to seeking death. In addition, considering the special status of Zhen Yuandao, if he were abducted, it would certainly be reported to the imperial court. Zhen Yuandao being abducted, Guo Zilu disappearing, and Zhen Huan faking her death - when these events were connected, it would be difficult not to arouse suspicion from someone with ill intentions.

Therefore, even if Guo Zilu had returned at that time, Zhen Huan would not have had a perfect solution that could save her loved ones and have a fulfilling love life at the same time. The only choices she had were to either abandon her family or forsake her love.