Tigers Sniff the Rose ending explained

Short answer: a happy ending for the leads

The production's filed synopsis says Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang bring down the corrupt officials together and end up together. Yan Shang rises to chancellor. Not everyone makes it: Yang Si dies in battle.

What the official synopsis says

Before filming, the production filed a full-story synopsis with China's broadcasting regulator. It is the most reliable spoiler available because the producers wrote it. In our own words:

Mu Wanyao, Princess Danyang, is sent by imperial order to Lingnan to pray for her late mother.
On the way back her carriage axle breaks, she meets the scholar Yan Shang, and feelings grow between them in the Lingnan hills.
With her help, Yan Shang goes to Chang'an and starts a career in government.
With the country in trouble at home and on the border, the two of them root out treacherous officials, protect the peace, and end up together.

Production filing synopsis (via Baidu Baike)

What the official character profiles reveal

Baidu Baike's character profiles go much further than the synopsis. In short:

Yan Shang is the son of a disgraced official. He places third in the palace exam (tanhua), looks into his family's old case, rises to chancellor and stays with Mu Wanyao.
Mu Wanyao, the legitimate princess of Great Wei, was sent at fifteen to marry into the Wuman tribe and lost her husband and her child there. Back in the capital she sets out to win real power, and in the end she holds it.
Yang Si, her childhood friend, was the match the Crown Prince wanted for her. He has feelings for Yan Xiaozhou, Yan Shang's sister, but they can't marry; he keeps only the gold bell she gave him. After the Crown Prince's rebellion fails, Yang Si is exiled to Jiannan, rises from common soldier to general, and dies taking the enemy general Meng Zaishi with him.
Liu Wenji loses Chunhua, the woman he loves, when she is sold as a concubine to a prince's household, and he is injured in a drunken fight. In despair he castrates himself, enters the palace and becomes a power-hungry eunuch.
Chunhua, the princess's maid, went with her into the marriage alliance. She and Liu Wenji love each other but don't end up together.
Wei Shu, a son of the Wei clan of Luoyang born to a concubine, loves alchemy and firearms. He comes first in the palace exam, serves as an envoy abroad, and helps in the war against the Wuman.

Baidu Baike: official character profiles (角色介绍)

What the first 7 episodes already show

Yan Shang has a vendetta. He recognizes the one-eyed captain Zhang Renjing as his family's enemy in episode 1 and is ready to take him down at any cost by episode 7.
The princess has one too. In episode 4 she learns the eunuch Yu Cheng'an imprisoned her mother, who then took her own life, and allies with the Crown Prince against him.
Yang Si is back. He returns to propose in episode 6, which starts the love triangle the profiles resolve with his death.

Does the drama's ending match the novel?

On the main couple, yes. Baidu Baike's entry for Yi Ren Kui Kui's novel says Yan Shang rises to chancellor and marries Mu Wanyao, while the Great Wei dynasty still faces upheaval at home and abroad. Whether the side characters meet the same fates in the book is not confirmed. More on the book: the novel. Baidu Baike: the novel 尚公主

FAQ

Does Tigers Sniff the Rose have a happy ending?

For the leads, yes. The production's filed synopsis says Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang end up together after rooting out treacherous officials, and Yan Shang becomes chancellor.

Do Mu Wanyao and Yan Shang end up together?

Yes. Both the drama's filed synopsis and the official character profiles say they end up together; the novel ends with their marriage.

Does Yang Si die in Tigers Sniff the Rose?

Yes. His official character profile says he is exiled after the Crown Prince's failed rebellion, rises to general, and dies taking the enemy general Meng Zaishi with him.

What happens to Liu Wenji?

After Chunhua is sold as a concubine to a prince's household, he castrates himself, enters the palace and becomes a scheming eunuch, according to his character profile.

Do Liu Wenji and Chunhua end up together?

No. Chunhua's profile says they love each other but don't end up together.

Does Yan Shang become chancellor?

Yes. His character profile says he starts as the son of a disgraced official, places third in the palace exam and eventually becomes chancellor.

Does the novel have a happy ending?

Yes for the couple: Baidu Baike's entry on the novel says Yan Shang becomes chancellor and marries Mu Wanyao.