For me it’s The Forbidden Flower (2023) with Xu Ruo Han and Jerry Yan. I loved the passion, the rawness, the cinematography..everything felt so sensual…sexual …without ever feeling vulgar. The behind the scenes are even more passionate and sexy!!! This drama felt ..quite adult , for a cdrama which was so refreshing . You know also what felt refreshing ? The ML being the poor one for once!
The chemistry 🔥🔥 between Xu Ruo Han and Jerry Yan was amazing despite Jerry Yan would be old enough to be her dad.. i don’t care about huge age differences as long as both are adults and one of the older main leads (male lead or female lead) hasn’t been around the other since he/she was a baby/child (gives me yikes!) but if they met as adults it’s all good with me.. Jerry Yan ages like fine wine 🍷I would never have guessed he’s like 46+ years old!! He looks much younger! I remember watching him in Taiwanese meteor garden (2001-2002) he’s still as fine as back then 🔥

What is your favorite modern romantic cdrama??

Link to previous discussions:

1-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 | 11-12 |

Episode 13:

Finally a heartwarming talk between the brothers before Dr Liu leave for the south. It is so good to see them having dinner without any arguments and talking about family, their lives and their futures.

And such contrast in departures. While his former colleagues received his parting gifts in contempt, his current colleagues in Little West Heaven were so open and forward and thankful with the gifts.

And awww, the previous Dr Liu would not have accepted any gifts from the family of patients. But here we are, Dr Liu has gratefully accepted the nominal monetary gift from Jiao Jiao’s mum. He, of course, secretly used the money to pay for Jiao’s medical expenses.

https://reddit.com/link/1xfvt9i/video/n9myo94u4txh1/player

Say what you will about Ai Chen but at the very least she dares to act on her feelings. And this was the first time I felt Dr Liu was so direct with his feelings. And who would have thought Ai Chen really have dyslexia? And also such a sad childhood? No wonder she grew up with such a feisty and independent character.

Episode 14:

Really liking what Ai Chen said: ‘She can be the wife of xxx, but she cannot be only the wife of xxx’ 

And Dr Liu chose the right timing to leave as it begins to snow in Dongbei.

https://reddit.com/link/1xfvt9i/video/41ebuv0q4txh1/player

No good deeds go unpunished! Who would have thought helping a pregnant lady to give would result in our poor Dr Liu being arrested by the police?! lol. To be fair though, his bloody jacket really does make him look like a depraved killer lol. And his job in Fuzhou has evaporated because the hospital director has been arrested for corruption?? I am sorry, but it is so funny in such a dark, morbid way.

Table of Contents: 🔗 Airing Schedule | Master Post | Character Flashcards | All Discussion Index |   

Hey Guys!  

We have 11 more episodes to go, and I am not ready; now I wish we could go back and start over.😑 

Just some reminders for those who are just joining us:   

1. We are following the Netflix and YOUKU SVIP schedule till further notice. ❤️   
2. Please no negative comments about the actors and actresses, but we can be angry at characters; that's fine. I get angry at characters all the time, so this is a safe space. 😊   
3. Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing any episodes beyond this post, or I cannot be held responsible when Wei Rao decides to slap you or asks you to slap yourself.👍🏼

I am shocked that Lady Li even does the greetings in court.😂  

• The empress dowager and Empress sort of gang up on her for asking the emperor to grant a divorce to Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo.  
• She explains that the two simply did not love each other and had many differences.  
• Other concubines also put in their 2 cents.  
• Empress Dowager says that the Emperor's reputation has been stained by Lady Li, she says that they need to find Wei Rao another husband at once.  
• She suggests Han Liao, who just lost his wife, and she says he won't mind marrying a divorced woman. Empress Dowager got mad jokes😂😂  
• She continues her stand-up comedy routine by saying that Wei Rao should stay out of the public eye and focus on being a dutiful wife...Wei Rao??😂😂😂😂  

The Empress lets us into her recent memories, and look... 

• When the Empress refuses, he explains it's to take back the lands and estates taken from the Han family.  
• And get leverage over Lady Li.  

Anyway, Mama Bear says that the Emperor is hosting an event to help get a husband for Wei Rao.  

Does she know?🫣  

• Grandma Lu says that Lu Zhuo should not participate in the event because he is ill.  
• The annoying Duke of Ying says he has to participate so their family can win...I think he forgot that this man was fine before he beat him up.  
• The Duke of Ying says that he has found a match for Lu Zhuo...Xie Hualou; apparently, she is beautiful, talented, and virtuous, and fit to be the mistress of the Lu Household.  
• Grandma Lu tries to protest; Lu Zhuo says he will make his own decision on marriage; the Duke says Xie Hualou is better than the reckless Wei Rao.  

 While preparing for the military competition, Wei Rao sends for Bitao. 

• She tells Bitao she isn't used to other people doing her hair, and asks Bitao to do it.  

As she is leaving, the 4^th Prince shows up to see her.  

• He says he's been wanting to meet her, but Lady Li kept stopping him.  
• He came to escort her to the palace. 

• When she gets to the competition, Wei Shu sits with her and explains some details about the competition.  
• Han Liao asks a guard to take his spoils over to Wei Rao to show how good he is on the battlefield.  
• General Qi sends over a platter of fruits.  
• Wei Shu is advocating for Han Liao, lol, I can sense it.  
• Lady Li calls her daughter over to sit with her. 

• The Empress asks Rao'er what she thinks about Han Liao, who remains undefeated in the competition.  
• General Qi says he will go fight Han Liao, but gets dizzy as soon as he gets up...low iron, maybe?  
•  Turns out his wine was drugged.  
• Watching Lu Ya fight Han Liao stressed me out; Han Liao was so rough, and the Empress Dowager smiling annoyed me.  
• Lady Wu'an worries for her man... ex-man as he takes on Han Liao.  
• Lady Wu'an educates these entitled nobles on what a real competition is.  
• In the meantime, Han Liao continues fighting dirty, but our man is smarrrrrtttttttttttt!!  
• He passes out, and when Lady Wu'an goes to see him, she is taken to Han Liao instead, who wants to take advantage of her so he can marry her.  

• Lu Zhuo gets there and stops her from killing Han Liao lol; he is happy she had come to see him. It turns out he had passed out on purpose to get her attention.
• The maid leads the empress, Lady Li, and the other ladies to look for Lady Wu'an.  
• Instead of Han Liao, they find Lu Zhuo instead. 

!!The EMPRESS is not IMPRESSED😂😂😂!! 

• Lady Li asks if Wei Rao has feelings for Lu Zhuo; she denies this. 
• On their way back to Zhuyu Estate, someone shoots an arrow, and it hits Bitao. 

 Thoughts:  

• Wei Rao being cold to her little brother annoyed me a bit lol, but she isn't used to a brother caring for her. Runsheng wasn't the world's ideal brother, and would have sold her off had he known she was pretty underneath all those clothes and grime.  
• Guys, I don’t know about General Qi ragebaiting Lu Zhuo anymore; did you guys see the way he was looking at Wei Rao when she walked in?  
• HAN LIAO Pisses me offffff!!!!! The Empress pisses me off more!!🙂  
• The Empress Dowager PISSESSSS ME OFF EVEN MORE!!!  
• I really loved how Lu Zhuo saw her crazy, and he embraced it lol, and even helped her hide the body.😂  
• And how he played the empress...👏🏼  
• Bitao??????? Bitao?????😭  
• The Empress really said No more time for jokes; let's get to it. This is the start of the Palace Drama. How are you guys feeling about it?  
• I wanna start a body count for the Palace drama; for example, if Bitao really dies in the next episode, she could be the 1st casualty. I wanna see how dirty these royals play; what do y'all think? 

Welcome to the discussion posts for The Lament of Autumn 玉簟秋! This drama will be hosted by yours truly and u/BasilOrdinary3617

🗓️ Discussion Schedule: The latest airing schedule dropped yesterday, with express episodes package available to SVIP members on November 1st. Click here for the airing schedule.

📋 Reminder: Use spoiler tags for anything beyond the episodes discussed. Text goes between the greater-than (>) + exclamation (!) symbols (>!) and the exclamation (!) + lesser-than (<) symbols.

🔗 Helpful Links: Masterpost | Character Flashcards | All Discussions | Episodes 1-3 | Episodes 4-5 | Episode 6-7 | Episodes 8-9 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12 | Episodes 13-14 | Episodes 15-16 | Episodes 17-18 | Episodes 19-20 | Episode 21 | Episode 22 | Episode 23 |

Lanqing's addiction to opium was alluded to in the previous episode and is now becoming a more significant part of her storyline, especially in these 2 episodes.

Opium had been used in China for centuries, mainly for medicinal purposes, but recreational smoking became increasingly widespread during the Qing dynasty. By the late 18th and early 19th centuries, British merchants were bringing large quantities of opium into China from British-controlled India. The trade was extremely profitable, especially for the British, who used it to help offset their enormous demand for Chinese tea, silk and porcelain. The Qing government's attempts to put a stop to the illegal trade eventually led to the First Opium War (1839–1842), which ended in China's defeat.

By the early 20th century, opium addiction had become a serious social problem. The Qing government launched a major anti-opium campaign in 1906, and efforts to suppress the trade continued after the establishment of the Republic in 1912. Unfortunately, the political instability of the warlord era made enforcement difficult. Some warlords even encouraged opium cultivation and taxed the trade to fund their armies. So while the authorities were supposedly trying to stamp out opium, others were making a tidy profit from it!

Lan Qing's addiction offers a glimpse into how destructive opium addiction could be. It's rather sad to see how far she's fallen, especially when we remember the confident and glamorous opera singer we met earlier in the drama.

References:

^{McDonagh, J., & Wickes, B. (2020}. The nineteenth-century opium complex: From Thomas Love Peacock to Sherlock Holmes. Literature & History, 29(1), 3-18.) ^{https://doi.org/10.1177/0306197320907437}

^{Windle, J. (2013}. Harms caused by China's 1906–17 opium suppression intervention.) ^{International Journal of Drug Policy, 24(5}, 498–505.) ^{https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2013.03.001}

Episode 24

Baoru is worried about Changxuan, who has been spending increasingly little time at Yu residence since bringing Pingjun back to Fengtai to recover. When she expresses a desire to visit Fengtai, the other female members of the Yu family persuade her not to, explaining that Changxuan has issued strict instructions that Pingjun's rest must not be disturbed.

At Fengtai, Xiao Tang wonders why Pingjun seems so determined to keep Changxuan at arm's length when everyone can see he is clearly devoted to her.

Unbeknownst to them, Changxuan is standing outside the room and overhears Pingjun telling Xiao Tang that although she knows Changxuan loves her, she cannot shake the feeling that they come from two completely different worlds. She wonders how two people with such different backgrounds could have ended up together.

That night, a brooding Changxuan sits in his car, reflecting on Pingjun's words about their different worlds. He looks down at his wedding ring and lets out a heavy sigh, clearly tormented by guilt and frustration.

Later that night, Pingjun wakes up and accidentally spills some water while attempting to pour herself a drink. Changxuan, still troubled by what he overheard earlier, isn't in the best of moods. When Pingjun repeatedly refuses his help, he sarcastically asks whether her maid doesn't deserve some time off too. Pingjun finally relents, allowing Changxuan to help her change into fresh clothes.

I really have to give Cheng Lei credit for his eye acting here. The way his gaze lingers on Pingjun, with that mixture of tenderness and longing. There's barely any dialogue needed, but you can practically feel everything Changxuan is holding back. His eyes really do speak volumes.

Changxuan then takes a small bell out of the drawer and places it beside Pingjun's bed, instructing her to ring it whenever she needs anything. Outside, rain is pouring heavily, and Changxuan is having trouble sleeping. A window in Pingjun's room blows open, allowing the wind and rain to drift inside. But despite the disturbance, Pingjun stubbornly refuses to summon Changxuan for help.

Little does she know that Changxuan has been standing outside her room the entire time, waiting for her to ring the bell. When she still refuses, he finally enters the room himself and closes the window. Changxuan approaches the bed, pulls Pingjun into his embrace and explains how she should use the bell.

One ring means she wants water. Two rings mean she needs another blanket. And three rings? It means she misses him. Lmao, this man is smooth as fudge.

Changxuan then cheekily walks around to the other side of the bed and lies down beside her, declaring that since she refuses to summon him, he might as well stay right there and make himself available whenever she needs anything. Of course, Changxuan is only teasing her, and he eventually leaves the room.

Elsewhere, Lanqing visits an opium den, intending to purchase some opium to feed her addiction. Unfortunately, she doesn't have enough money and is turned away. Outside the den, she encounters Tong Chunhai, the fellow Changxuan auctioned off in Episode 1. Tong Chunhai invites Lanqing to visit him sometime and gives her some opium as a gift. Uh-huh.

Meanwhile, Kuang Bingwen secretly follows his wife and is noticeably jealous when he sees her in the company of another man.

Back at Fengtai, Changxuan instructs the servants to lay out mats on the floor so that Pingjun can practise walking. Our man then adds yet another role to his ever-growing list of responsibilities: Pingjun's personal physiotherapist. He gently supports Pingjun as she practises taking steps, patiently guiding and encouraging her throughout the exercise. Now we come to my favourite scene in Episode 24.

https://reddit.com/link/1xfsn3g/video/olqwijwjipxh1/player

Next on Changxuan's carefully curated rehabilitation programme for Pingjun is a rejuvenating soak in a hot spring. Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa this scene. First of all, the cinematography is gorgeous. The hot spring itself looks like something straight out of a luxurious 5-star resort. Then you have a handsome personal masseur like Cheng Lei, gently MASSAGING your limbs and even your fingers? Where do I sign up?? I was blushing and giggling so hard throughout this scene. I swear, it was so difficult to remove my Cheng Lei fangirl goggles.

But I digress. Forgive me. I promise to tone down my fangirling a little. I haven't forgotten my hosting duties, I swear! Please excuse any false starts hahah. Anyway, Changxuan continues juggling his duties as househusband, physiotherapist and personal nurse until Pingjun finally manages to walk independently. Pingjun sincerely thanks Changxuan for everything he has done for her. When Changxuan asks what she would like as a reward for all her hard work, she replies that she wants some zongzi candies.

Meanwhile, Ruitong is interrogating a suspect involved in smuggling defective firearms into the Yu Army several years earlier. The suspect initially refuses to cooperate, but when Ruitong threatens his family's safety, he finally confesses that he acted under the orders of Cai Fuhu, a brigade commander in the Fourth Company.

Ruitong decides to keep the investigation from Changxuan for the time being so that he can focus on helping Pingjun recover. Li Boren reminds Ruitong that he should stop addressing Pingjun as Miss Ye and instead refer to her as a married woman. Ruitong awkwardly agrees, almost as though part of him still hasn't come to terms with the fact that Pingjun is now married. Ahhhh, my poor Ruitong💔

Back at Fengtai, Xiao Tang brings Pingjun some books and magazines to keep her entertained., and Pingjun soon becomes engrossed in one of them. Changxuan joins her a little later, all smiles and tenderness, and even praises her choice of reading material, that is, until he notices the name "Jun Guan", Xueting's pen name. The warmth in Changxuan's eyes immediately disappears, replaced by a cold, menacing expression. He snatches the book from Pingjun and demands to know who brought it to her.

The next thing we see is poor Xiao Tang kneeling on the floor, trembling with fear, while the book burns to ashes beside Changxuan. Xiao Tang desperately begs Changxuan not to send her away. Hearing her pleas, Pingjun rushes into the room to find out what is happening.

After Xiao Tang and Nanny Zhao leave, Pingjun confronts Changxuan, unable to understand why he has become so angry over something seemingly insignificant. She warns him that she may have to reconsider their relationship if he continues treating her like a possession rather than an equal. Changxuan responds coldly that he is the one who calls the shots in their relationship, not her. Furious, Pingjun storms out of the room.

Later, at Hsiang Hsi, Changxuan drowns his frustrations in alcohol, accompanied by his loyal wingman Li Boren and his completely unsuspected romantic rival, Gu Ruitong. Changxuan laments that despite everything he has done for Pingjun, and even after their supposed marriage, there still seems to be an insurmountable wall between them.

Boren and Ruitong suggest inviting Lanqing to spend time with Pingjun, hoping that having a female confidante might help her feel more comfortable. That night, both Changxuan and Pingjun lie awake, separately reflecting on their confrontation earlier in the day.

The following day, Changxuan visits Lanqing, who is overjoyed to see him. Unfortunately for Lanqing, he has come to ask her for a favour: to keep Pingjun company and talk to her about the days before she lost her memories. During Lanqing's visit to Fengtai, Xiao Tang arrives with Pingjun's daily medicinal concoction. Pingjun is reluctant to drink the bitter medicine, but Xiao Tang reveals that Changxuan personally visited several shops just to find candies that would help make the medicine more palatable.

Lanqing listens with a darkening expression, clearly jealous of the lengths Changxuan is willing to go to for Pingjun. Pingjun later confides in Lanqing that although she knows Changxuan has treated her exceptionally well, she cannot shake the feeling that something is standing between them. Lanqing advises her to give herself more time, suggesting that she may eventually come to understand the true nature of their relationship.

Meanwhile, Li Boren and Gu Ruitong arrest Cai Fuhu outside a brothel and bring him before Changxuan. Changxuan is furious that Cai Fuhu's greed and involvement in smuggling defective weapons into the army contributed to the deaths of so many soldiers during the Battle of Luanjiang. Without hesitation, Changxuan personally executes Cai Fuhu on the spot, but he isn't finished, and his attention turns to Cai Fuhu's son.

As Changxuan advances menacingly towards him, memories of his comrades dying valiantly during the battle flash through his mind. Consumed by anger and grief, Changxuan raises his gun and fires at Cai Fuhu's son. However, when he turns around, he is shocked to discover Pingjun standing there, who has come to visit him at Xiao Tang's suggestion. Pingjun looks utterly horrified and disgusted after witnessing Changxuan's execution of the two men. Forget about being dismissed from Fengtai. At this rate, Xiao Tang is lucky if Changxuan doesn't throw her into prison. Seriously, this girl either has the worst ideas imaginable or she's secretly a spy planted at Fengtai to drive a wedge between Changxuan and Pingjun.

Episode 25

Changxuan returns to Fengtai, only to find Pingjun giving him the silent treatment after witnessing him execute Cai Fuhu and his son. He attempts to explain why he had both men killed, but Pingjun tells him that this isn't the kind of life she wants. All she desires is a quiet, ordinary existence, far removed from violence and bloodshed.

When Pingjun expresses her wish to leave, Changxuan's expression immediately darkens. He tells her coldly that it isn't her decision to make. Pingjun asks whether he intends to lock her up, to which Changxuan replies that he certainly can if he chooses to. Before leaving her room, he orders the servants not to allow Pingjun to leave Fengtai.

Meanwhile, Lanqing seeks out Tong Chunhai. Having pawned all her jewellery to feed her opium addiction, she hopes to purchase another supply, but Tong Chunhai has something else in mind. He offers her a premium opium pipe, but in exchange, he wants Pingjun.

That night, Xiao Tang falls asleep while guarding Pingjun's room, giving Pingjun the perfect opportunity to escape Fengtai. Unfortunately for her, this isn't Changxuan's first rodeo when it comes to chasing after a runaway Pingjun. And our amnesiac heroine is about to discover that for herself.

As she hurries away from the main residence, a car suddenly flashes its headlights at her. To her horror, Changxuan gets out of the car and, with a brooding stare, slowly approaches her. Changxuan reminds Pingjun of her promise to give herself time to reciprocate his feelings, but she remains adamant that this isn't the life she wants. When she continues insisting on leaving, Changxuan loses his patience and drags her towards the car. Why does this feel like déjà vu all over again? Bro, have you forgotten everything Li Boren told you about wooing your wife the right way?

Inside the car, Pingjun is both frightened and furious. She tells Changxuan to take back the wedding ring. Changxuan grips her hand as his mind flashes back to the wedding vows he made on his own. He gazes intensely at Pingjun, almost as though willing her to remember that they are husband and wife, but Pingjun manages to escape from the car.

Changxuan immediately goes after her, catches her from behind and pulls her towards him, demanding to know where else she could possibly go if not to him. Pingjun falls silent for a moment, and before she can react, Changxuan scoops her up and carries her back to her room, ignoring her protests.

Later that night, Changxuan enters Pingjun's room and embraces her from behind. He apologises for frightening her earlier and explains that a man in his position has to be decisive and ruthless when dealing with the wolves surrounding him. His tone turns remorseful as he tells her that all he wants is to protect her from the ugliness of the world. Unfortunately, he failed to shield her from that ugliness today, and he sincerely apologises. Pingjun gradually stops resisting his embrace. It's difficult to tell whether she's simply exhausted and resigned to the futility of trying to escape him, or whether his apology has genuinely reassured her. Whatever the case, the two eventually fall asleep beside each other.

Elsewhere, Ruitong briefs Changxuan on the establishment of an aircraft manufacturing office at Changping Mountain. This is another important part of Changxuan's long-term vision for the Yu Army: strengthening its military capabilities through aviation. Although European countries have imposed restrictions on transferring aviation technology to China, Changxuan believes they can still learn from Cheng Jun's aircraft and flight crew to develop their own expertise.

Meanwhile, Lanqing accompanies Pingjun on a shopping trip. Unfortunately, the outing is actually part of a trap Lanqing has arranged with Tong Chunhai. Instead of taking Pingjun back to Fengtai, the rickshaw driver abducts her and delivers her to Tong Chunhai.

When Pingjun regains consciousness, she finds herself tied to a chair inside an abandoned warehouse. A grinning Tong Chunhai introduces himself as a great admirer of hers, simply because she is Changxuan's woman.

At Hsiang Hsi, Lanqing rushes in and informs Changxuan that Pingjun has disappeared on her way home. Almost immediately, Changxuan receives an anonymous letter:

"Hurry to Nanyuan Warehouse No. 15 within two hours, or prepare to collect your wife's corpse. Remember, come alone."

Changxuan immediately sets off for the warehouse, forbidding Boren and Ruitong from accompanying him. Ruitong subsequently leaves to gather reinforcements from military headquarters. After the men depart, Lanqing begins to grapple with the gravity of what she has done. It finally dawns on her that Tong Chunhai's real target has been Changxuan all along.

At the warehouse, Tong Chunhai paces impatiently, like a hound eagerly awaiting its prey. Changxuan soon arrives alone, much to Tong Chunhai's delight. After surrendering his gun, Changxuan asks a question that instantly wipes the smug grin off Tong Chunhai's face: Who the hell is he?

LOLOLOLOL. I'm sorry, but I couldn't help chuckling at this. Tong Chunhai has apparently spent years nursing his humiliation and plotting an elaborate revenge against Changxuan, only for the man himself to have absolutely no recollection of him. Imagine putting all that effort into kidnapping someone's wife but you discover that you were so insignificant to him that he doesn't even remember your existence.

Tong Chunhai is understandably furious and indignant. My friend, pre-war Changxuan probably managed to offend more than half the wealthy young masters in Nanhuai. You will have to take a number and join the queue.

Tong Chunhai finally reveals that he lost a kidney after being beaten by Changxuan's men following the auction in Episode 1. Only then does Changxuan remember who he is. Tong Chunhai orders Changxuan to kneel before him. When he points his gun at Pingjun, Changxuan immediately complies.

Tong Chunhai bursts into maniacal laughter at the sight of the once-arrogant, powerful and seemingly untouchable Yu Changxuan kneeling at his feet. Changxuan tells him to release Pingjun and take his revenge on him instead. But of course, that isn't going to happen when Pingjun is Changxuan's greatest weakness.

With Pingjun forced to watch helplessly, Tong Chunhai orders his henchman to beat Changxuan. Changxuan stoically endures blow after blow, refusing to retaliate despite Pingjun's increasingly desperate pleas for him to fight back.

Pingjun tearfully begs Tong Chunhai's men to stop, but the beating continues until Changxuan begins coughing up blood and eventually collapses to the ground. Overwhelmed with anguish, Pingjun cries out that she isn't worth such a sacrifice. But even as he lies battered and bleeding, Changxuan's first instinct is still to comfort her, telling her not to cry and not to be afraid. Pingjun recalls all the time and care Changxuan has devoted to her recovery. Seeing the same man now willingly endure such a brutal beating to protect her moves her deeply.

With great difficulty, Changxuan struggles to lift himself off the ground and once again begs Tong Chunhai to release Pingjun. Tong Chunhai finally agrees, but there's a catch. Pingjun must pick up a knife and kill Changxuan herself. Only one of them will be allowed to leave the warehouse alive.

Changxuan tells Pingjun to do as Tong Chunhai says. Sobbing, Pingjun slowly approaches him with the knife. Even now, Changxuan continues reassuring her, gently telling her not to be afraid and encouraging her to come closer. However, Pingjun suddenly turns the knife towards herself, leaving both Tong Chunhai and Changxuan stunned.

Turning towards Changxuan, Pingjun tells him that she owes him her life, and this is the only way she can think of to repay his sacrifice. Meanwhile, Ruitong and Boren arrive at the warehouse with a contingent of armed soldiers.

When Pingjun defiantly challenges Tong Chunhai, he loses his temper, draws his gun and fires at her. Changxuan immediately throws himself in front of Pingjun, taking the bullet meant for her. As Tong Chunhai prepares to fire a second shot, Ruitong and his men storm in and shoot him. Changxuan drops to the ground and PIngjun cradles the injured Changxuan in her arms. Even now, his first concern is whether she is safe, and only after reassuring himself of her well-being does he finally lose consciousness. Lmao, the background music that immediately starts playing is so dramatic and clichéd,

But you know what? This is my guilty pleasure. I am not ashamed to admit it. I LOVE WATCHING HANDSOME, POWERFUL AND ARROGANT MALE LEADS THROW THEMSELVES INTO HARM'S WAY TO PROTECT THE WOMEN THEY LOVE, THEIR OWN LIVES BE DAMNED! (In fiction only, okayyyyy?)

At the hospital, Changxuan receives treatment for his gunshot wound. Although, I must say, that wound looks suspiciously more like a deep cut than a bullet injury lol. But never mind, he's the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Yu Army, after all. I suppose I will just have to accept that his body is built differently from the rest of us.

Once the doctor finishes treating him, Li Boren and Pingjun enter the room. Pingjun immediately begins fussing over Changxuan, who looks positively delighted by her concern, that is, until he notices Li Boren standing nearby, giggling to himself as he watches the tender interaction. Changxuan shoots Boren a pointed look that says: "BRO, ARE YOU DONE WATCHING? CAN YOU PLEASE GET LOST?" Being the perceptive and ever-loyal wingman that he is, Boren immediately catches the hint and invents an excuse to leave the room.

Once Boren is gone, Changxuan happily encourages Pingjun to continue fussing over him. His eyes barely leave her face. It's like watching a dying man suddenly being granted a second lease on life. Changxuan is practically on cloud nine, happy that their quarrels over the past few days have seemingly evaporated.

He then declares that he's hungry and asks Pingjun to sit beside him and feed him. When Pingjun thanks him for saving her life, Changxuan makes her promise never to sacrifice herself for him again. He tells her that her safety and well-being matter more to him than anything else. Pingjun then asks whether the two of them had been deeply in love before she lost her memories, and Changxuan awkwardly confirms that they had.

As Pingjun tucks him into bed, he asks her not to leave his side. She assures him that she will stay with him, and Changxuan finally closes his eyes. But after Pingjun leaves the room, he opens them again. His expression is troubled, because despite all the tenderness between them, Changxuan knows he has once again lied to Pingjun about their past.

Meanwhile, Baoru rushes to the hospital after hearing that Changxuan has been shot. There, she encounters Pingjun for the first time in two years. Baoru is delighted to see that Pingjun has recovered and warmly reassures her that she can take all the time she needs to regain her memories. She tells Pingjun how her condition nearly devastated Changxuan and how tirelessly he devoted himself to looking after her.

Baoru considers their ordeal a test from heaven and believes that if the couple has survived such a difficult period, they can surely overcome whatever challenges lie ahead. She then informs Pingjun that once Changxuan has recovered, the two of them must move back to the Yu family residence. Pingjun reluctantly agrees.

Later, Pingjun brings some food to Changxuan. Assuming that his mother prepared the meal, Changxuan is surprised that it doesn't taste good and openly criticizes it. However, a passing remark from a nurse makes him realise that Pingjun actually spent four hours in the kitchen preparing it herself. Deeply touched, Changxuan pulls Pingjun into his embrace.

Cradling her head against his chest, he tells her how happy he is that the day's events have finally shown him that he means something to her after all. For the first time in a long while, he feels as though he can finally see some light at the end of the tunnel.

Later, Pingjun helps Changxuan shave. Our shameless man announces that he intends to enjoy being pampered by his wife as much as possible before he fully recovers. Once again, Changxuan's eyes are practically drinking in the sight of Pingjun, whose face is now just inches away from his.

Haha, I don't know what naughty thoughts are running through Changxuan's mind, but he starts teasing her, and at one point, he even gulps. Episode 25 ends with a sweet domestic moment between Changxuan and Pingjun.

Thoughts

The thing most compelling about Yu Changxuan is how deeply flawed and contradictory he is as a character. He's possessive, unreasonably jealous and, despite all the growth we have witnessed, still struggles to accept that loving someone doesn't give him the right to decide how she should live. However, Changxuan is also capable of extraordinary tenderness and devotion. This is a man who patiently nursed Pingjun back to health, tended to her every need and, without a moment's hesitation, willingly sacrifice his own life to protect hers. He can lay down his life for Pingjun, but he struggles to let her walk away from him. That contradiction lies at the heart of his character. Some people might be moved by his willingness to take a bullet for Pingjun, while others feel frustrated when he threatens to confine her to Fengtai once again. One act doesn't cancel out the other. His willingness to die for her proves the depth of his devotion, but it doesn't automatically make him a good partner. Learning to love her without controlling her is a much harder lesson, and one he clearly hasn't mastered.

His recent behaviour is particularly fascinating to watch because you can clearly see the guilt and emotional torment lurking beneath his happiness. I have noticed how Changxuan unconsciously rubs his wedding ring several times throughout the last few episodes, almost as though he's reminding himself of the marriage he so desperately wants to believe in. He knows that the relationship Pingjun thinks they have isn't quite the relationship they actually had. His tenderness is genuine, and so is his love, but both are now intertwined with the knowledge that he hasn't been truthful with her.Changxuan is never completely at peace, even during their sweetest moments together. Every second feels like a ticking time bomb, because the life he's carefully built with Pingjun could come crashing down the moment she regains her memories. All those lies could collapse like a house of cards.

Cheng Lei portrays that underlying melancholy so beautifully. Even when Changxuan smiles, there's sadness behind his happiness, almost like a man living on borrowed time. He treasures every little gesture of affection from Pingjun because he's never quite certain how long it will last. His joy is genuine, but it's also fragile, shadowed by the possibility that she might remember everything and choose to leave him again.

I love the way Changxuan looks at Pingjun. His eyes seem to devour her, and I don't mean that in a sexual sense. It's the sheer intensity of his gaze, as though he wants to memorise every little detail of her face and hold on to every moment they share. And also the way he often caresses her face. There's reverence in those gestures. Sometimes I feel that Pingjun has become his religion, his salvation, the very essence of life itself. She gives meaning to a life that has otherwise been dominated by military responsibilities, political calculations and his lifelong struggle for his father's approval. But when you make another person the centre of your entire existence, love can so easily become suffocating. His devotion is touching, but the intensity of CHangxuan's attachment also fuels his possessiveness.

Pingjun telling Changxuan that all she wants is a quiet, ordinary life is precisely what stood between them two years ago. Even without her memories, Pingjun instinctively longs for the same kind of life she wanted before. Changxuan may have changed, and their circumstances may be different, but the fundamental incompatibility between their worlds hasn't simply disappeared. He's still a military commander whose life involves violence, danger and political intrigue, while she still dreams of peace and simplicity. Her amnesia hasn't magically resolved the conflict that once drove them apart.

I don't need Changxuan to be a perfect romantic hero. In fact, I find him far more interesting precisely because he isn't one. I just hope that when the truth eventually catches up with him, he will finally understand that the greatest expression of his love isn't how much he's willing to sacrifice for Pingjun, but whether he can respect her freedom to choose a life that may not include him.

Interestingly, I don't think Pingjun is quite at the same place emotionally. At least for now, she seems more indebted to Changxuan and deeply moved by the sincerity and intensity of his devotion than genuinely in love with him. Her concern and affection are certainly growing, but being deeply moved by someone's devotion doesn't mean you're in love with them. I think that's an important distinction, especially when Changxuan is so desperate to interpret every little gesture of tenderness as proof that she loves him.

Who is the most memorable or best female character in a main role? Who comes to your mind that fits this? And why?

• If you have several nominations, please mention it separately. Explanations help as discuss, and Visual aid like gifs or photo can also help.
• PLEASE DO NOT DOWNVOTE nominations you disagree with, combat that nominations by upvoting ones you agree with or nominating your own.

How this works

1. Nominate the drama you think is the best fit by commenting its name. A single name per comment please (several dramas in one comment makes it complicated 😅)
2. If the drama has already been mentioned, please upvote it.
3. The winning drama will be decided through the number of upvotes
4. We are doing one block/ one category per post.
5. For the purpose of this exercise, Hiding the name of the drama behind spoilers is not required, but if you are discussing the drama's plot, use the spoiler tag.
6. Our experiences with dramas are subjective, so what one might find to be "good" might be "bad" to another. So please remember that😉

Here is a snapshot of Douban ratings for several recent dramas: Blossom through the Cloud, Against the Current, The Long Watch, Shadow Punisher, In My Prime, The Old Story of Yu Hong, Rising Justice, King of Comedy (2026), Spring of the Blade, Cold Hunt, A Prophet, The Vanishing Beauty, and Irreplaceable. These scores were recorded on October 25, 2026 at around 10:30 pm, China Standard Time.

In case you are curious about how dramas are performing in terms of domestic viewership, I have included rankings from Yunhe (streaming) and Kuyun (live TV and streaming) from October 24, 2026.

I also added English translations to the Yunhe and Kuyun charts.

Yunhe estimates streaming viewership rankings while Kuyun includes both live TV and streaming.

The above images are:

• Images 2 to 14: Douban ratings recorded on October 25, 2026.
• Images 15 and 16: Viewership rankings from Yunhe and Kuyun, recorded on October 24, 2026.

The dramas and their Douban scores are:

These links lead to their Douban pages.

Blossom through the Cloud 飞到我心上, MangoTV 🥭 and Viki - 6.0 based on 7K+ ratings

Against the Current 兰香如故, Tencent 🐧 and Viki - 7.5 based on 134K+ ratings

The Long Watch 交锋, Tencent 🐧 - 7.2 based on 38K+ ratings

Shadow Punisher 魅影神捕, iQIYI 🥝 - 6.4 based on 25K+ ratings

In My Prime 生逢其时, iQIYI 🥝 - 6.1 based on 11K+ ratings

The Old Story of Yu Hong 余红旧事, iQIYI 🥝 - 7.8 based on 52K+ ratings

Rising Justice 蒸蒸日上, iQIYI 🥝 and Tencent 🐧 (regional availability) - 7.8 based on 17K+ ratings

King of Comedy 喜剧之王 (2026), iQIYI 🥝 - 6.5 based on 6K+ ratings

Spring of the Blade 一瓯春, iQIYI 🥝 and Youku 👖 (regional availability may apply) - 5.4 based on 18K+ ratings

Cold Hunt 冬城猎凶, Youku 👖 - 7.0 based on 21K+ ratings

A Prophet 我不是大师, iQIYI 🥝 and Tencent 🐧 - 7.3 based on 47K+ ratings

The Vanishing Beauty 美人余, Tencent 🐧 - 6.7 based on 17K+ ratings

Irreplaceable 无可替代, Youku 👖 and Netflix - 6.1 based on 18K+ ratings

Recently released and upcoming dramas:

These dramas do not have Douban scores yet.

See You Later…Maybe 囧徒之预演告别, Tencent 🐧

Gladiator in the Theater 云雀叫天录, MangoTV 🥭

Once Upon a Time in Longfan 法医秦明之龙番往事, MangoTV 🥭

Thunder Chaser 雷霆令, Tencent 🐧

Death is Coming 死刑将至, Tencent 🐧

Good Night 此处通往繁星, Youku 👖 and MangoTV 🥭

The Great Long March 伟大的长征, iQIYI 🥝 and Tencent 🐧 (regional availability)

The Lament of Autumn 玉簟秋, MangoTV 🥭, Viki and iQIYI 🥝 (regional availability)

Light the Dark 把黑夜点燃, iQIYI 🥝

Dream 醉梦, Tencent 🐧

Where the Mask Ends 嫁金钗, Youku 👖 and Netflix

Overseas Security Guard 莫语者, Tencent 🐧

Small Town Remedy 小城良方, iQIYI 🥝

Tigers Sniff the Rose 尚公主, Tencent 🐧 and Viki

Viewership rankings: Yunhe (streaming)

See image 15: From Yunhe – Top 10 dramas for streaming playbacks on October 24, 2026 (just a snapshot for that day)

Note: These are daily rankings, not actual viewership numbers. Yunhe and Kuyun provide third-party rankings and estimates, which are not fully accurate. They offer an idea of how dramas are performing relative to one another and should not be considered absolute.

I added English translations for drama names, etc. on the Yunhe chart. There are more details such as episode counts, streaming platforms, etc. on the chart.

Rankings, drama names and market share of viewership:

✅ Completed airing based on SVIP schedule including express episodes.

1. Where the Mask Ends 嫁金钡 - 27.7%
2. Small Town Remedy 小城良方 - 12.7%
3. Against the Current 兰香如故 ✅ - 8.7%
4. Tigers Sniff the Rose 尚公主 - 8.2%
5. The Lament of Autumn 玉筆秋 - 8.1%
6. The Vanishing Beauty 美人余 ✅ - 6.9%
7. The Great Long March 伟大的长征 - 5.9%
8. Rising Justice 蒸蒸日上 ✅ - 5.2%
9. Dream 醉梦 ✅ - 4.2%
10. Shadow Punisher 魅影神捕 ✅ - 2%

Note: If a drama has ended its run, its viewership ranking will eventually decline.

Viewership rankings: Kuyun (live TV and streaming)

See image 16: From Kuyun – Top 10 dramas for all live broadcasts and streaming playbacks on October 24, 2026 (just a snapshot of the day)

I added English translations for drama names, etc. on the Kuyun chart. There are details such as streaming platforms, live TV platforms, etc. on the chart.

Rankings, drama names and market share of viewership:

✅ = completed airing for SVIP schedule including express episodes (streaming) and/or the first round of airing on live TV. Some dramas can have a second or third round of airing on live TV.

1. Where the Mask Ends 嫁金钡 - 21.74%
2. Small Town Remedy 小城良方 - 18.35%
3. The Great Long March 伟大的长征 - 13.12%
4. Tigers Sniff the Rose 尚公主 - 5.85%
5. The Vanishing Beauty 美人余 ✅ - 5.74%
6. The Lament of Autumn 玉筆秋 - 5.72%
7. Against the Current 兰香如故 ✅ - 4.72%
8. Spark of the Long March 征途 ✅ - 4.63%
9. Ai Zai Shan Hai Jian 爱在山海间 ✅ - 3.93%
10. Rising Justice 蒸蒸日上 ✅ - 3.50%

Note: Kuyun includes live TV (e.g., CCTV, Hunan TV, Jiangsu TV). Some dramas are streaming only and not broadcast live on TV (e.g., Tigers Sniff the Rose).

For more viewership rankings dating back to late August 2025, please check the comments of the weekly Behind the Scenes posts. I added Yunhe and Kuyun viewership rankings in the comments.

The previous Douban scores for dramas such as The Royal Betrothal, Mystic Nine (2026), The Early Spring, Pull Strings, The VI Group of Fatal Case (2026), The Trembling of Cicada, Abyss, Forging Justice, The Road to Splendor, Cang Feng, Genius Girlfriend, Wind-Born Warriors, Awaken, Remnants of Gold, and Ren Yu can be found here: Douban scores for recent Chinese dramas, September 16, 2026. Viewership rankings, September 14, 2026.

🔗 All discussions about Douban in r/CDrama

🔗 Previous compilations of Douban scores since February 27, 2025

Note:

In general, Douban scores tend to skew lower for CDramas.

You might find that some highly rated dramas just aren't your cup of tea, while others with more average or mixed scores turn out to be really enjoyable. I've definitely experienced both. That said, ratings can be helpful just as a general reference for what others think.

I am sharing this information for folks who are curious about Douban scores but may not be able to access them quickly or easily. I have also included viewership rankings since Douban scores don't always correlate with a drama's popularity with the broader domestic audience.

This is just a small snapshot of how Douban users are rating dramas and what’s currently being watched in China.

Some people use ratings to gauge interest while others don't – it's entirely optional. Douban scores are just one data point, not a verdict on quality. If they’re not useful to you, please feel free to skip.

I usually compile them every month or so when there are enough new Douban scores available for an update.

🗨️ For those of you who've watched these dramas, what did you think of the shows? Do you feel that the scores line up with your experience?

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Hyia, friends! It's Spam again. Thank you all so much for your warm welcome yesterday. My awesome partner Shale, aka u/Rebelarkey will be back tomorrow.

Today's episodes were full of surprises! Let's get to it, shall we?

-------

🪴But first, a few housekeeping rules!

• We bash characters and not actors! If a character does something stupid, it's not the actors fault. This is not the place to complain about actors or acting choices.
• We will be following the VIP Schedule, which means those of us on SVIP need to remember to keep your spoilers in check.
• Spoilers need to be under the spoiler markings OR put in its proper post.
• Have fun! Dramas are supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable. If you're not enjoying it, it's okay to duck out and drop.

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Masterpost - Airing Schedule - Table of Contents - Character Flashcards

1-3 || 4-5 || 6-7 || 8-9

EPISODE 6 : Flirting and Plotting

I thought this episode was going to be all flirty, teasing cuteness. But uh no.

We start episode 6 with poor little baby wretch Wei Shu being cornered by Danyang. Again. It's after school, and he's been kidnapped invited to the Princess' palace. Again. She teases him incessantly, and he's ready to jump off a cliff. But luckily, before that happens, she strikes a deal with him. They'll play along in the boytoy skit, and she'll give him protection and his very own space to work on his mixmastering. I was so surprised at how earnest she's being. It's about time she gave his poor baby heart a break.

Later, Chunhua reveals a truth to Danyang. The Princess sleeps best when Yan Shang is around. The Princess is not convinced. Kinda sorta not convinced. Maybe not convinced.

Meanwhile, Liu Wenji is distracted as hell, thinking about his dream girl, Chunhua. He decides to go see her, because he's way too distracted to study.

He runs into her in front of the Princess' palace, and they have the cutest exchange. The look of happiness on their faces when they see each other is everything. Chunhua leaves a message for Yan Shang to come visit the Princess later. And gets invited by Wenji to the Peony Festival.

Yan Erlang comes home and is so pleased the Princess invited him over. He packs a painting he's made for her, and happily heads over.

Meanwhile, we finally meet Yang Si, Crown Prince and Princess Danyang's childhood friend, who evil CP wants as brother-in-law. Yang Si seems like an easygoing, simple minded, roguish sort. He goes to see the Princess, and she's onto him. She knows her brother send him over. Yang Si is straight forward, and tells her he wants to marry her, to keep her safe. She gives it right back, and asks him if he loves her. He's honest enough to say no.

Right then, Yan Shang walks in. He's surprised, the Princess is pissed, Yang Si is jealous. Hilarity ensues. Danyang is really angry. She tells everyone to scram, and kicks Yang Si out. Literally, again. I like Yang Si. He brings levity, which is much needed. And he seems to have some awareness and a conscience, he knows the evil CP is just using his own sister.

We get introduced to the Director of the Imperial Academy, and Retired Chancellor, Liu Huaiyan. Chancellor Liu is visiting the academy, and they talk about the students hanging out in the courtyard. Chancellor Liu notices something about Yan Shang, and keeps looking at him.

So far we've had a mostly, fun and light episode, but of course it can't stay that way. It's after school. Wei Shu goes off to the Princess' palace. And both Feng Xianyu and Yan Shang go off to find powerful backers for recommendations.

Feng Xianyu surprises us by going to see Grand Princess Luling. She's in her red-draped abode, looking very much like she's going to eat him whole. She takes a liking to his pretty face and figure, and tells him to move in. He freaks out, gives an excuse of having a wife and chid, and runs out. Does he really have a wife and child?

Yan Shang also surprises us by going to evil Captain Zhang. He wants the Captain to be his powerful backer. So this is where knowing evil Captain is illiterate comes in handy. Erlang gives the evil Cap a random essay, and the evil Cap is too embarrassed to say anything that might expose him as being uneducated. So evil Captain Zhang tells him that if he can get Xu Mian Mian (the dancer he was abusing, who was saved by Yan Erlang) to sleep with him, he'll give Erlang the recommendation he wants.

EPISODE 7 : More Plotting

A scheme-y looking Yan Shang writes the names of evil Grand Princess Luling, evil eunuch Yu Cheng'An, evil Captain Zhang Renjing, and Xu Mian Mian down. He's coming up with a plan.

He goes to visit the garden where the Peony Festival will be held, and thinks back to the time he visited with his mom and Dalang.

Retired Chancellor Liu approaches him, and they play mind weiqi. Yan Shan can feel that the Chancellor is there to examine him. They play, and Erlang tells the Chancellor, he's in town not to find fame and fortune, but to right a terrible wrong. The Chancellor is impressed. They get interrupted, but the Chancellor tells him that their game is not over.

Chunhua and Danyang talk about true love, and the Princess promises to send her off in the grandest style when Chunhua marries. We learn that too any fishes bring bad luck. Indeed!

The perpetually well informed Feng Xianyu tells Yan Shang and Wei Shu that the Grand Princess keeps a private pavilion during the Peony Festival for her dalliances. She doesn't like to be interrupted, and has killed people who've done so. We can see a lightbulb go off in Erlang's head. He convinces a rich, not very smart fellow student to pay him giant amounts of cash in exchange for well written essays.

Erlang goes back to the garden, and gets confirmation from a gardener that the Grand Princess has indeed killed people who've entered her pavilion. We can see what he's planning, right?

Erlang gets the payment from the rich student, and uses it to buy Xu Mian Mian's indenture in exchange for a favor. On the way home, he buys a small knife. He tells gross, evil Captain Zhang that Xu Mian Mian will meet him at the Peony Festival. Okay, okay, I see what could be going on.

Back at home he uses his new knife to cut his hand. Is this the blood baptism thing (I learned that from Pursuit of Jade, hahaha)? Whatever it is, he's in tears afterwards. I think it's from pent-up anger and anticipation. Yan Shang is much more complex than I expected!

Another character gets introduced. We meet Liang Lingyi, Princess Consort of Jin. She's cluelessly complaining to Danyang about her lack of children, and wants some commiseration. But she gets none. She also wants Danyang to go to the Peony Festival with her, to pray for children and a good marriage. She is indeed clueless. The other clueless person, Yang Si barges in to invite her to the festival also. But she decides she'll go with her sister-in-law instead.

It's nighttime, a restless Yan Shang wanders the streets of Sheng'An, and ends up in front of the Princess' palace. Chunhua invites him in, and the Princess asks him to tell her another story. Today's story is about a snake and a hornet. The hornet stings the snake, and when he tries a second time, the snake throws itself under a carriage, and a wheel crushes them both. The Princess is wondering why the snake sacrificed itself in order to kill its enemy, but realizes that this kind of sacrifice might be needed some day in order to take out her enemy.

Random thoughts:

• I'm loving the cute and sweet flirting between Weiji and Chunhua, but we all know such pure relationships don't last in Chinese dramas. I'm really really hoping theirs will end well.
• Retired Chancellor knows Daddy Yan, right? He recognized Yan Shang, and might a good ally later.
• What did you think of Yang Si? I'm hoping he'll prove helpful.
• Feng Xianyu seeking Grand Princess can't possibly end well, can it?
• Is Yan Shan luring the evil Captain Zhang to the Peony Festival, hoping the Grand Princess will kill him when he barges into her space accidentally?

What did you guys think of these two episodes? There was a lot going on. Lots of plotting!

The Chinese drama title 逆途 can be translated as “Against the Tide” or “The Reverse Path.”

The production team announced their main cast today, October 26, 2026, and released their first set of character posters. The cast list is in the next section below.

Filming officially started today. The booting ceremony photos are in the comments.

Poster description:

“Fateful Confrontation”

Shadows cast by curtains divide light from dark; a single table sets the stage for a standoff between two hearts. Beneath identical appearances lie conflicting fates, locked in a struggle between good and evil.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 4️⃣ Wang Yang 王洋 (stage name: Wang Yang 王阳) as Yang Gengxin 杨更新 / Liang Tianbao 梁天宝 * 7️⃣ Su Ke 苏可 as Wang Zheyong 王哲勇 / Liang Tianyou 梁天佑 * 🔟 Tao Hui 陶慧 as Wu Fang 吴芳 * 1️⃣2️⃣ Jiao Junyan 焦俊艳 as Su Liu 苏柳

• Episodes: TBA
• Streaming platform: Youku 👖
• Official cast announcement: October 26, 2026
• Official filming started: October 26, 2026
• Estimated filming time: 2 months
• Estimated filming wrap-up: late December 2026
• Filming location: Gansu Province
• Genre: suspense (according to Baidu Baike)

• 🎬 Director: Lenseng Lou / Lu Lunchang 卢伦常 (Truth, Watch Your Back, Enemy, The Liar Hunter, War Flowers, The Master of the House, Bonds of Blood)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Fei Huijun 费慧君 (A Better Life, Our Interpreter, Draw the Line, Broker, Negotiator)
• 📽️ Production companies: Youku, Li Long Pictures (郦隆影业)

Synopsis from MDL:

Yang Geng Xin [played by Wang Yang], a widower who has fallen on hard times, seeks out his older brother, a murderer who has been on the run for twenty years, in order to save his sick young son. This sets him on a journey to save his son and seek revenge.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

With blood ties above all else and hatred as the foundation, the intense conflict between two biological brothers overturns conventional distinctions between good and evil, right and wrong. The two men, mirroring each other, become embroiled in a fierce psychological battle carried out in the name of love but destined to end in hatred.

One step onto the wrong path may lead to eternal ruin, with no possibility of return.

(Source: Chinese = Douban || Translation = MyDramaList)

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Spoilers

Okay, first of all, I know I said "the" viewing experience but it's not a secret that we all have different views, experiences, and stances when it comes to this topic.

I honestly encourage everyone to share in the comments how spoilers affect (or do not affect) your unique experience.

What defines a spoiler?

Honestly, it's different for everyone.

To some people, a spoiler needs to be something as big as "this person is the villain" or "yeah, they all die at the end".

To some people, even the slightest hint at what might happen in an episode is enough to count as a spoiler.

It's a very nuanced topic, but it does come from the idea that a certain piece of information "spoils" something about the viewing experience for someone.

How it's affected me

I only just realised exactly how spoilers change things for me.

Let me give an example from years ago.

I was on episode 49 of a 50-episode drama and someone went and said "you know he does in the end". I still haven't watched episode 50. I don't know if I ever will because a) a big part of what kept you attached to your screen for the majority of the drama was that "maybe he can be saved" feeling, and b) well, I just honestly lost interest.

It's only recently with Where the Mask Ends that I've been able to pinpoint how certain spoilers really can have a detrimental affect on how I approach and experience a drama.

So, through two separate social media interactions, I now know that in episode 15 someone betrays someone and that people are very upset with Bitao. So, clearly when you put two and two together, you can tell exactly what's going to happen.

I was watching this episode and I actually paused and started doing other things because I could see that spoiler coming and I don't want to deal. Even if something is not a big spoiler we all knew Bitao is going to have to betray our FL at some point the fact that you know when it's going to happen takes away from any feelings the drama is trying to evoke from its audience for the moments before said spoiler happens.

This incident also had me reflect on why I took so ridiculously long to finish Fangs of Fortune.

There was a certain beloved little screaming character's death that was spoiled for me and I took about a month to finish the last few episodes.

The thing is, I didn't want to feel that pain. And by the time I did, it didn't hit as hard because I had been building a mental wall.

Still couldn't keep the sobs away though.

The interesting thing about this is that Ying Lei's death wasn't spoilt for me. So that hit me out of nowhere and I was able to feel everything up until that point without any sadness or fear in the buildup.

In conclusion

As someone who has had to go for two operations less than 8 months apart from each other.

I would compare the effect a spoiler has on me to the feeling I get when I'm in the hospital just waiting for the procedure to start.

The waiting is the worst because you know what's coming. Sitting in that white room, there is no Cdrama you can watch that takes away the foreboding feeling you get once you are in that building.

Anyway, that's just my rant, I'll get to the rest of episode 15 of Where The Mask Ends soon enough.

The Chinese drama title 唐朝诡事录之蜀道 can be translated as “Records of Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty: The Shu Roads.”

The Shu Roads 蜀道

The Shu Roads 蜀道 (Shǔdào) refers to the ancient roads leading into and through the region of Shu (蜀)), in present-day Sichuan Province. * It is a “system of mountain roads linking the Chinese province of Shaanxi with Sichuan (Shu), built and maintained since the 4th century BC.” Source * During the Tang dynasty (618 to 907), the Shu Roads connected the capital, Chang’an (present-day Xi’an), with the Sichuan region and served as important routes for travel, trade, and military movements. Source * These roads crossed steep mountains and deep gorges, making travel to Shu difficult. * Jianmen Shu Road 剑门蜀道 (Jiànmén Shủdào) was known for its dramatic mountain passes and ancient plank roads. * The Shu Roads are also well known through the Tang dynasty poem 《蜀道难》 (The Hard Road to Shu) by Li Bai, which vividly describes the formidable terrain and difficulty of travelling to Shu. * The poem was previously featured in Brocade Odyssey – the full poem and translation are available here.

The production team announced their cast and that filming officially started on October 25, 2026. They released a new concept character clip and booting ceremony photos (see comments).

Clip description:

Sorry to keep you mystery-solving friends waiting! We've got good news for everyone~ The investigation team is assembling once again to head to the Shu Roads and solve mysteries!

Cast:

There is no official text with the cast list and role designation (e.g. leading, special appearances), but the following list is according to the booting ceremony photos.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Starring: * 7️⃣,6️⃣,4️⃣ Yang Xuwen 杨旭文 as Lu Lingfeng 卢凌风 * 7️⃣,7️⃣,6️⃣ Yang Zhigang 杨志刚 as Su Wuming 苏无名 * 9️⃣,9️⃣,1️⃣2️⃣ Gao Siwen 郜思雯 as Pei Xijun 裴喜君 * 7️⃣,6️⃣ Chen Chuang 陈创 as Fei Jishi 费鸡师 * 6️⃣,1️⃣1️⃣,1️⃣5️⃣ Sun Xuening 孙雪宁 as Chu Yingtao 褚樱桃

• Episodes: 40 (according to Baidu Baike)
  • According to an interview with producer and screenwriter Guo Jingyu, Seasons 5 and 6 will be filmed together – 80 episodes. Both seasons will be based on Sichuan Province.
• Streaming platform: iQIYI 🥝
• Official start of filming: October 25, 2026
• Estimated filming time: 180 days
• Estimated filming wrap-up: mid to late April 2027
• Filming location: Sichuan Province, Hengdian World Studios
  • 🍉 Rumours say that they will be filming in various parts of the Shu Roads in Sichuan Province.
• Genre: costume, suspense, detective (according to Baidu Baike)

• 🎬 Director: Ju Xingmao 巨兴茂 (Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty 3: To Chang’an; The Ferryman: 10th Anniversary; Ferryman 1, 2 and 3; Ferryman: Manjusaka; Braveheart 1 and 2, Contenders)
• ✍️ Original creator and screenwriter: Wei Feng Hua 魏风华 (screenwriter/original creator: Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty series; screenwriter: The Nameless Time Traveler, Brave Heart 2)
• ✒️ Producer and screenwriter: Guo Jingyu 郭靖宇 (executive producer: Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty series; screenwriter: My Destiny, The Red Cradle, Contenders, Heroes (2020), Perfect Youth)
• 📖 Novel: Tang Chao Gui Shi Lu 唐朝诡事录
• 📽️ Production companies: iQIYI, G.H.Y Culture & Media Holding Co.

Synopsis translated from Baidu Baike:

The series continues the franchise’s signature High Tang-style zhiguai 志怪 (tales of the strange) aesthetic system, centering on supernatural elements while incorporating mystery case-solving elements. It innovatively constructs a geographic and cultural space around the Shu Roads 蜀道, deeply integrating detective investigations with fantastical settings to form a narrative structure driven primarily by zhiguai elements.

This drama is the fifth installment in the Strange Tales of the Tang Dynasty 《唐朝诡事录》 series. Framed around the theme of “Tang people retracing the route of the Three Kingdoms,” it follows a small investigation team as they venture into the common folk to solve bizarre cases. The story setting extends to Sichuan, incorporating cultural elements from Bashu 巴蜀文化 such as Sanxingdui 三星堆 and the Three Kingdoms. The timeline continues from the previous installment, set against the backdrop of the Xiantian Coup 先天政变; due to shifts in the political situation, the investigation team leaves Chang’an and heads to the Shu region.

From MDL:

~~ Adapted from the novel "Tang Chao Gui Shi Lu" (唐朝诡事录) by Wei Feng Hua (魏风华).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses and information I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu Baike, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

I was really enjoying the first few episodes of Small Town Remedy and then the latest ones clearly show they intend to add romance into this story, which 1) I think is sooo unnecessary as the drama is good enough without it, 2) I’m not satisfied with the character they want this romance to be with.

This female lead is annoying me! In what world is it okay to hit someone on the head with an object? In what world is it okay to hide a friend’s passport because of what you think is “good for him”? The second one makes me feel like she’s unbearable - who are you to decide what I should do with my life?

It’s like the writers wanted her to show her tough side and through daily interactions you’d see how she means well and actually has this beautiful heart, but sorry I feel like that failed miserably. Deciding someone else’s future with good intentions does not this action okay.

Can you imagine actually having a relationship with someone like this? She’ll beat you up because you made her unhappy and make decisions for you without letting you have a say.

Nowadays drama lovers are hating that dramas have strong powerful women where the story favours them and the ML doens't have as much role as the FL and the romance is also a bit one sided from the Mls end.

In male centred media, women are notoriously side characters who serve nothing but fanservice and love for the hero, not to mention in a lot of them they barely have screen time and have to share the space with a ton of random girls as a lot of male mc stories are harem ones 🤮🥀

For very long time, this pattern was in female centred stories as well. Rather than stories about women, female centred shows also centred around men and their lives and now greatly they lived while the so called female MC would be a submissive weak mess only acting as a self insert for women who fantasize about hot guys treating them like shit

Now for the first time ever, stories are about the WOMAN. And the man is there to support her, they're still not as one sided as male oriented stories yet women themselves have a problem with it usually shaming and hating on the FLs for apparently treating the ML like shit 😭😭

We're NEVER making it out of the patriarchy

Women y'all will never make me hate:

Li rong from Princess Royal ✨ Princess Danyang from Tiger sniffs the rose ✨ Wei Rao from WTME ✨ Xihe from BOP ✨ Mc from Against the Current ✨ Jiang from Kunning Palace

⭐ Welcome

❗❗There are a few images of the battlefield in this post that might cause discomfort in some, so please proceed with caution if you are sensitive to such things.

Hello and welcome to the discussion series for The Great Long March! Post frequency will be at least once a week, likely during the weekends, but no promises.

🎬 Premiered: Oct 9, 2026 on CCTV-1🐑, iQiyi 🥝 and Tencent🐧 (MDL, Youtube)
🎬 # of Episodes: 60
🎬Genre: History | Chinese Civil War | 1934 - 1936

🔗Links: Trailer | Masterpost | Link to all Episode Discussion Posts | Map of the Long March

❗ For any content beyond these episodes, please remember to use Spoiler tags ❗

⭐The Xiang River Campaign - Part II

We are entering the most devastating stage of the Xiang River Campaign, as the Central Red Army fights desperately to secure a crossing while suffering catastrophic losses across multiple battlefields.

🔶 5th Division of 3rd Red Army Corps (at Xinxu)

• Peng Dehuai, commander of 3rd Red Army Corps (at Guanghuapu) learns that two regimental commanders, Shen Shuqing (沈述清) and Du Zhongmei (杜中美), have been killed. His Chief of Staff reports that the Guangxi Army is launching attacks on their positions at Xinxu from all directions, backed by aircraft and artillery. The 5th Division is suffering devastating losses, and the list of those killed or seriously wounded continues to grow. Most of the officers below battalion level have already been killed.

• On the battlefield (at Xinxu) and under the command of Li Tianyou (李天佑) and Zhong Chibing (钟赤兵), soldiers of the 5th Division repeatedly leap from their trenches and engage the enemy in brutal hand-to-hand combat. While they manage to repel repeated enemy assaults, but the fighting comes at a tremendous cost.

🔶 34th Division of 5th Red Army Corps (at Guanyang)

• Division political commissar Cheng Cuilin (程翠林) and numerous other commanders and soldiers are killed in the relentless fighting as the 34th Division was eventually left stranded on the eastern bank of the Xiang River.
• Commander Chen Shuxiang (陈树湘) led the remaining troops towards southern Hunan, intending to fight as a guerrilla troop to continue the struggle.

• Chen Shuxiang was shot in the abdomen during an engagement in Jianghua, and was eventually captured in Dao County on December 17, 1934. While being transported by his captors, he took his own life by severing his intestines. He was 29 years old.

🔶1st Army Corps (at Jiaoshanpu, western bank of Xiang River)

• The 1st Army Corps suffered devastating casualties as they held exposed positions under overwhelming pressure.

• We also get a glimpse of the 5th Regiment political commissar Yi Dangping (易荡平)'s final moments...

⭐Central Command Crosses the Xiang River

With the Red Army facing a crisis of survival, Li De and Bo Gu are overwhelmed by the deteriorating situation and the consequences of the military leadership's decisions. Li De repeatedly turns away from providing strategic directions, and seems to push the fault unto others, including Zhou Enlai. According to Li De, it's Zhou's responsibility to ensure that the crossing is as efficient as possible.

At this critical moment, Zhou Enlai and Zhu De make the decisive call to abandon heavy equipment and luggage to accelerate the river crossing.

By the morning of December 1, 1934, the Central Committee, the Central Military Commission, and their directly subordinate institutions finally crossed the river.

However, this is far from a complete escape. Eight divisions of Red Army troops remain on the eastern bank, and most of the 5th, 8th, and 9th Red Army Corps are yet to cross.

🔶 To Seek Life Through Death - 向死而生

Witnessing the devastating losses along the Xiang River, Mao is overcome with grief.

At the temporary encampment at Jieshou, Wang Jiaxiang and Luofu openly question the military strategies pursued since Li De’s arrival in the Central Soviet Area, particularly the concentration of command in the hands of the "Group of Three" (ie Li De, Bo Gu and Zhou Enlai). Li De gives blind commands, Bo Gu agrees blindly, and only Enlai is left to do real work.

Turning to Mao, the two urge him not to lose heart, reminding him that there is no greater sorrow than a heart that has given up. Mao acknowledges his grief, but insists that his heart remains unbroken. His sorrow is for the comrades who have fallen, while his self-reflection is directed at his own shortcomings. He also recognizes the painful reality that even sound ideas are powerless if no one is willing to listen. Yet this is not the time to dwell on blame; what matters now is finding a way forward.

With the remaining Red Army forces facing an uncertain future, Mao declares that they must embrace the spirit of "seeking life through death", and writes to Commander-in-Chief Zhu De, in which includes his poem Bodhisattva Barbarian: The Great Cypress Ground (菩萨蛮·大柏地).

🔶Tension at the Military Headquarters

At the temporary military headquarters, Zhu De and Zhou Enlai grapple with the urgent question of how to secure the crossing of the remaining eight divisions. Li De offers no advice, and instead blaming the troops for failing to seize the earlier opportunity. With time running out, frustration and uncertainty continue to deepen within the Command.

Amid this tense atmosphere, Mao’s letter arrives. Zhu De interprets Mao’s poem as a call to hold on to hope and persevere through the darkest moments and its message of confronting death without surrendering becomes a source of resolve for the embattled Red Army.

The Military Commission subsequently issues orders calling on the frontline troops to fight desperately for a chance to survive, launching a decisive effort to hold back the enemy and protect the crossing of the remaining main force.

⭐Aftermath

The human cost of the Xiang River Campaign is staggering.

The Central Red Army's strength falls from more than 86,000 soldiers to just over 30,000, with countless commanders and ordinary soldiers killed.

The verse that was widespread among the locals as a tribute to the Xiang River Campaign captures the immense human cost of the crossing:

英雄血染湘江渡，江底尽埋英烈骨；
三年不饮湘江水，十年不食用湘江鱼。

The blood of heroes stained the Xiang River Crossing,
The bones of martyrs buried beneath its waters;
The Xiang River water shall not be drunk for three years;
The Xiang River fish shall not be eaten for ten.

⭐Survivors on the East bank

On the eastern bank, the young Xie Xingguo survived the earlier bombing at the Xiang River crossing and is pursued by local militia. He was rescued by Peng Guangwen (彭光文), who hides him inside a cave (耳木洞, Ermu Cave in Bantang Village, Quanzhou, Guangxi). As Xie walks deeper into the cave, he finds a group of wounded soldiers who have become separated from their units.

Rather than surrender to despair, the survivors came together and established the Xiang River Independent Company (湘江独立连).

⭐The Pursuit Continues

As the remaining Red Army makes its way through the mountains of northern Guangxi, Mao encounters a young Deng Xiaoping (邓小平), who is serving as editor-in-chief of Red Star (红星报), the newspaper of the Party Central Committee and the Central Military Commission. Deng admits that the paper has been struggling since the devastating losses at the Xiang River, with morale running low and few soldiers willing to contribute articles or share their experiences.

Mao reminds him that precisely because the troops are going through such difficult times, they need spiritual nourishment more than ever.

Note that Deng was one of the four figures associated with the so-called “Deng–Mao–Xie–Gu” group (邓毛谢古), alongside Mao Zetan (毛泽覃), Mao’s younger brother; Xie Weijun (谢唯俊), and Gu Bai (古柏). In 1933, all four faced criticism or punishment for their association with Mao’s political positions during an internal Party struggle. Deng was demoted and sent to work as an inspector in a rural county before taking up his editorial role at Red Star.

Yet Deng has not allowed these setbacks to discourage him. When Mao asks what he has learned from the experience, Deng answers simply: “Follow the Party” (跟着走). Mao sees in those words the loyalty and perseverance the Red Army needs at this critical moment, and encourages Deng to write an article around this based on his own experience.

And speaking of following… Chiang is certainly doing his best to follow the Red Army too -- only with less friendly intentions! 😂

🔶Chiang & the Guangxi Warlords

A brief telegram exchange between Chiang and the Guangxi warlords, Li Zongren (李宗仁) and Bai Chongxi (白崇禧), reveals an interesting dynamic between the two. Although they shared the goal of defeating the Red Army, the Guangxi clique was equally determined to prevent Chiang’s Central Army from entering and expanding its influence in Guangxi.

• Chiang accuses the Guangxi forces of disobeying orders and allowing the Communists to escape by opening a vital route between Sichuan and Guizhou, undoing years of effort to annihilate them.
• Bai & Li sends a rather pointed reply, claiming that the Guangxi Army has only 18 or 19 regiments to defend a front stretching over 1,000 kilometers, while Chiang commands a vastly larger force. They question why Chiang's troops failed to exploit the Red Army’s vulnerability and even challenge him to account for the enormous resources consumed by years of warfare, and asks how many enemy troops Chiang's forces have actually annihilated.

🔶Chiang's Response

Chiang was expectedly furious over the level of disrespect and defiance in Li and Bai's response, but he controlled his anger and ordered the below strategic arrangements to continue the pursuit:

• 1st Pursuit Army Group: Formed by joining the 1st, 4th, and 5th Route Armies with Liu Jianxu as Commander-in-Chief.
• 2nd Pursuit Army Group: Formed by joining the 2nd and 3rd Route Armies and placed under the command of Xue Yue.
• The 1st and 2nd Pursuit Armies were to advance from the Huangsha River and Quanzhou areas toward Xinning, Chengbu, Suining, Jing County, Huitong, and Zhijiang.
• Guizhou Army: Wang Jialie's forces were assigned to block the Red Army along the Jinping -Liping line.
• Guangxi Army: Two divisions were ordered to pursue from behind, while another two were to advance toward Longsheng to intercept the Red Army.

💬Questions

1. What struck you the most in these episodes? The sacrifices in the battlefields, the decisions from central leadership, or the fates of the soldiers left behind on the eastern bank?
2. What's your interpretation of the "red scene at Xiang River"? Any other memorable moments from a cinematic point of view that you would like to share?
3. As we continue to see the divide between Chiang and the regional warlords, what are your thoughts on how this could have impacted the success of his campaigns?
4. There are various scenes where we see people like Wang Jiaxiang and others questioning the current central leadership, yet they continue to be loyal to the greater cause. What are your thoughts on how loyalty can coexist with disagreements to its leadership?

I’m really confused by Spring of the Blade's writing. Why does everyone, including the male lead and now the county princess, just barge into the Xie family's private meetings? Household privacy and decorum usually matter a lot in these dramas, and guests should be waiting in a guest reception hall right?

It can be intimidating to make your first post in the sub. You're new to Chinese entertainment and you have all these questions about Chinese drama and culture. Perhaps you are even new to Reddit and don't really know how it works.

This is the place to ask them!

Treat this place as a tea room where you can sip tea (or chat about it) and ask questions you have about Chinese dramas and entertainment.

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Link to previous discussions:

1-4 | 5-6 | 7-8 | 9-10 |

Episode 11:

https://reddit.com/link/1xf4bkz/video/0w1cht2wlmxh1/player

Ah, what is a medical-related CDrama without some unruly families of patients protesting against perceived medical negligence? But alas, this incident triggers Dr Liu’s previous trauma. However, I have to admit it was brave of him to personally face up to the family of the deceased and showed that he was determined to deal with his trauma and move on with his life. And awww, so heartwarming to see his colleagues stepped up to protect him when the deceased’s family turned violent.

https://reddit.com/link/1xf4bkz/video/t3tbs45ylmxh1/player

And ohh, they do love each other. Zhengguang rushed to his brother’s defence and vice-versa. Funnily enough, the former brought a shit broom as a weapon. 

Luckily, the incident ended satisfactorily with the intervention of Ai Chen’s dad and with an autopsy which revealed the deceased died from her husband’s poisoning. Although they came too late, it is quite comforting to see that Director Long steps up and tried his best to protect Dr Liu by rushing out to get the police to come.

https://reddit.com/link/1xf4bkz/video/rwtsjrj0mmxh1/player

The thawing of the ice-cold Dr Liu as he treats his colleagues to a meal in gratitude!! Gosh! His tenure in Little West Heaven has really been good for him. Same restaurant, same people, different atmosphere!

https://reddit.com/link/1xf4bkz/video/ldx3csk4mmxh1/player

But OMG, what Dr Liu imagines himself to be…lolol. So talkative and capable of holding a drink…

Episode 12:

Really liking what Ai Chen says about not being scared about living/staying alone in a funeral shop. The people that others are afraid of are actually the loved and cherished ones of many who would do anything to see them again.

https://reddit.com/link/1xf4bkz/video/8wphdyaammxh1/player

OMG! Jiao Jiao, the comatose little girl with the severe head injury from a vehicular accident, has finally awaken! I really got all teary here…and that happy smile of Dr Liu. Awww…

Just when I was teary with joy, the episode hit my feelings with a hammer with the portrayal of the death of a young child, barely the age of two. Damn…

Alas, Dr Liu is still determined to leave Little West Heaven. But more alas, they only show Dr Liu drying his wet hair but not his shower scene in this episode!

Welcome to the discussion posts for The Lament of Autumn 玉簟秋 cohosted with u/a_HerculePoirot_fan and all GIFs courtesy of u/EasygoingEnigma!

🗓️ Discussion Schedule: We are following the VIP schedule. Click here for the airing schedule.

📋 Reminder: Use spoiler tags for anything beyond the episodes discussed. Text goes between the greater-than (>) + exclamation (!) symbols (>!) and the exclamation (!) + lesser-than (<) symbols.

🔗 Helpful Links: Masterpost | Character Flashcards | All Discussions | Episodes 1-3 | Episodes 4-5 | Episode 6-7 | Episodes 8-9 | Episode 10 | Episode 11 | Episode 12 | Episodes 13-14 | Episodes 15-16 | Episodes 17-18 | Episodes 19-20 | Episode 21 | Episode 22 |

Episode 23

First off, we need to add another entry to Herc’s Trauma Log for Ye Pingjun. 

• Episode 23: Zhongquan attempts to kill Pingjun via a suspicious nurse and a mysterious vial of liquid. (Does it count if she was unconscious?) 

So, of course, Changxuan storms into his father’s office and demands answers. 

Zhongquan justifies his actions by claiming Pingjun threatens his future. Changxuan immediately corrects him, making it clear that if anything happens to Pingjun, Zhongquan will lose him as a son. As his wife, he intends to stand by her no matter what. If Zhongquan wants to take her life, he’ll have to take his too. 

The argument escalates to the point that Zhongquan actually points a gun at him, prompting Baoru to intervene. Changxuan reminds his father that he cannot control him the way he controlled Mingxuan. He is determined to call the shots in his own life.

Even Baoru tries to get through to Zhongquan, begging him to let Changxuan live his own life. Zhongquan stubbornly insists that she’s being “delusional”, but she reminds him that they have already destroyed one son. 

When he fails to understand her point, she spells it out for him. They pushed Mingxuan into both the Military and an arranged marriage despite his own dreams and ambitions. Had that path not been forced upon him, he might still be alive today. By her reasoning, Mingxuan’s blood is on their hands. 

Zhongquan maintains that everything he’s done is for Changxuan’s benefit, insisting that he plans to hand command of the army over to him one day. Baoru follows up with the question he’s never bothered to ask: Is that what Changxuan wants? Because he should be a father first, and military superior second.  

Baoru: 1; Zhongquan: 0. Go, Mama Bear!

Changxuan officially registers his marriage to Pingjun. This seemed odd to me at first, but the more I thought about it, the more it made sense. Shuwan and Xueting are both gone and there’s no way he’s handing her over to Tao Zili after he nearly murdered her. By marrying Pinjun, he formalizes their relationships and eliminates any rumours or scandal that might arise from him personally caring for her. More importantly, it firmly places her under his protection.

He signs the marriage certificate and “puts a ring on it”. 

Fun fact: During the Republican era, an agreement to marry was expected to be made by both parties of their own accord, meaning a marriage without consent could be considered legally invalid, as per the Civil Code of 1929-1930. This was a major reform that moved away from arranged marriages.

In this drama, Changxuan is still able to marry Pingjun while she is in a coma because of his political and military influence. This situation can be interpreted as reflecting a grim reality of the period, in which powerful military figures could sometimes act beyond ordinary legal constraints. By forcing the marriage, Changxuan is seemingly able to bring Pingjun into his estate and keep her alive.

Two years later…

During this time, Changxuan patiently cared for her. The Yu household rarely saw him anymore because every waking moment seems to be spent either working or tending to her bedside. Things are as usual at the Hsing Hsi Hotel with Jin Zhongfang and Lanqing, while Wenxi Liang seemingly continues his pursuit of the Marxist movement. But no news of Xueting or Ziyi?

Extra, extra! New political developments!

News of Cheng Jun’s impeachment spreads like wildfire. The Yu Army is grateful that Changxuan anticipated this outcome two years earlier and avoided moving forward with the alliance. Zhongquan and Gu Yigang discuss the future of the Yu Army*, but also oddly compare Ruitong and Bingwen, praising both men for their loyalty to Changxuan and the Yu Army.* 

The conversation then transitions to a more pressing concern: Mou Linsen’s next move. Cheng’s downfall naturally weakens Chu Wenfu, meaning General Mou will likely move in to join forces with Governor Chu. This would unfortunately place Changxuan in a very difficult position. 

As expected, Mou and Chu meet to discuss exactly this. Mou expresses concern over Changxuan’s acquisition of a German steel mill and his expanding weapons production. He proposes an alliance based on mutual profit, offering Chu a share of his gold mine along with access to customs and trade routes as a gesture of good faith. 

Ok, forgive me here, but I lost some understanding in this next part: Changxuan receives reports that Wu Zuoxiao (who?) has entered into secret contracts with the Italians to strip engines from their bombers? In response, Changxuan orders the arsenal to modify their weapons for freezing conditions and convert service rifles into aircraft guns to compensate for their lack of firepower. They have also tracked down the arms dealer responsible for selling them defective weapons back in Luanjiang. He fled to Heihe, but will be apprehended soon enough. 

Then comes the moment we’ve all been waiting for: Pingjun finally wakes up.

Changxuan immediately rushes back to Redleaf to go see her, though he hesitates outside the room as memories of their last encounter before the fire flash through his mind.

Cue the amnesia trope! While it is one of my least favourite tropes, given where these characters currently stand, this will surely make for an interesting arc.

Doctor Dai informs Changxuan that Pingjun’s memories could return in a few months… or never at all. It all depends on whether the blood clot in her brain resolves on its own. Surgery is out of the question given her fragile condition. And because she cannot withstand any emotional shock, Changxuan is forced to lie about their relationship and her family. He explains that after she graduated, she took a job copying scripts at the Grand Vernal, and while they initially clashed, they also weathered storms together and eventually fell in love. As for her parents, her father remarried and moved away, while her mother died from lung disease after surgery failed to save her. To be fair… there are grains of truth buried in there. They did weather hardships together, her father did marry another woman, and her mother did die. He’s just missing the heavy details of their relationship, the father who tried to murder her, and her mother who was clearly murdered.

Later, Changxuan drowns his sorrows with alcohol while the ever-wise Jin Zhongfang tries to comfort him. Changxuan partially blames himself for Pingjun’s condition, but he also recognizes that this situation presents an opportunity for a clean slate between them. The problem is that he has no idea whether she will remember tomorrow, in ten years, or ever. He’s knowingly taking a gamble. And he fully understands that if he loses, he’ll be the one paying the price. 

Meanwhile, we see Lanqing again for who knows what reason in this drama… She looks ill and refuses to see Changxuan (as if he cares) because she’s upset that he neglected her over the past year. 

Again, we still don’t know what became of Xueting or Ziyi during this time, but we do catch up a little with Bingwen, who is seriously the most patient schemer. Two years have passed, and Jinxuan is still every bit as cold toward him as before. Maybe she sees straight through him. 

Pingjun asks Changxuan to sleep elsewhere because she’s uncomfortable sharing a room with a man she barely remembers. Changxuan teases her about it (which brings me back to Episode 4 vibes, yay), but he doesn’t hesitate to drag his sad little cot outside the bedroom door so she’ll feel more comfortable. Truthfully though, he doesn’t actually know how to face her.

Changxuan remains by her side as Pingjun slowly works to rebuild her strength and regain control of her muscles. The two share a sweet moment together stringing beads until they are rudely interrupted. 

So… are you all ready for the amnesia arc? At this point, I have no idea where the drama is headed, but things are clearly reaching a boiling point on the political front. Between the shifting alliances, military developments, and growing external threats, Changxuan is about to have a lot more on his plate. Something tells me he’s going to have to start rebalancing his priorities very soon, because both their safety and their future may depend on it. 

Are Changxuan's actions justified? He married Pingjun and kept her alive the entire time she was in a coma. He didn't anticipate the amnesia, but he can't risk her life by telling her the truth right now. IMO, he didn't have much of a choice, but how can he face her, knowing that their clean slate is built on such deception? And for how long can he protect her, before someone else tells her everything?

Table of Contents: 🔗 Airing Schedule | Master Post | Character Flashcards | All Discussion Index |   

Hey Guys!  Kinda late today lol, sorry...🫣🫣

Many people were not happy with Wei Rao requesting a divorce yesterday, and while I understand why, I also get why she did it, and I support her lol. 

She has spent all her life working hard not just for herself, but for her family, and then she was forced into a marriage that she stayed in for survival. 

Now that she has discovered her identity, I think she needs to live for herself, even for a while, instead of just spending her life now serving another family. 

So...I support the divorce arc lol.🫣 

Just some reminders for those who are just joining us:   

1. We are following the Netflix and YOUKU SVIP schedule till further notice. ❤️   
2. Please no negative comments about the actors and actresses, but we can be angry at characters; that's fine. I get angry at characters all the time, so this is a safe space. 😊   
3. Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing any episodes beyond this post, or I cannot be held responsible when Wei Rao decides to slap you or asks you to slap yourself.👍🏽   

Episode 18: 

The Lu family is confused about the divorce; they are wondering why because there wasn't even a hint of trouble. 

• 3^rd Aunt says they never should have married because her birth mother is immoral and despised, and also that Wei Rao grew up with no proper guidance; that’s why she is headstrong, arrogant and reckless...(Okay. I won't say anything because her daughter Changhui is a very disciplined girl, must take after her father.)  
• While they discuss Lu Zhuo's mom Wanniang, comes running in, crying for help, she asks Grandma Lu to find a way to keep Wei Rao there, whatever it takes, she says if the two part Lu Zhuo might die. 
• 4^th Aunt says she will try convince Wei Rao. 

• Lu Zhuo as sick as he is refuses to stay in bed, he wants to see Wei Rao. 
• 4^th Aunt asks Wei Rao if she is feeling mistreated by the Lu Family. 
• Wei Rao assures her that she has been treated well. 
• She acknowledges Lu Zhuo's past good deeds that were done on her behalf, but she has to leave him because he is good to her. 
• Her internal monologue is that she knows nothing of love, so she cannot reciprocate his devotion; she is sparing him a wasted life. 
• She says she also can't stay at the Lu house because it would basically feel like a cage, and she has things she wants to do. 
• Lu Zhuo overhears this, and also that she feels nothing for him...so he tells her to leave. 💔He thanks her for being honest and showing him who she really is. He says he can live without her and that the marriage was a mistake. 

• Lu Zhuo gives her the money his family had promised her when she married in. 
• Grandma Lu and Wanniang show up to also try stop Wei Rao. 
• He tells them that he also wants this divorce, also letting them know that during their marriage he always confused Wei Rao for Jundai, and that because of this he never consummated the marriage. 
• He says she is unfit to be his wife because she wasn't raised as a noble lady; his mother slaps him. 
• Grandma Lu says to leave them alone since they have made the decision. 
• She stops at Jundai's grave...aww man🩷, she finds Huo Jue there. 
• A flashback to when Jundai passed... oh, so this is why they didn't show us, got it. 
• Anyway, Jundai told Wei Rao that she was never taught to love; she spent her whole life fighting for fame and status. 

• She gets to her estate and finds Lady Shou'an and her old family there waiting. 
• Madam Qiao (I forgot her name lol, but her adoptive mother) says she doesn't mind dying by a thousand cuts, but she asks for her children to be spared. 
• Wei Rao says she forgives them 
• We get a glimpse of Bitao. 
• Lady Shou'an tells her she made a mistake divorcing Lu Zhuo. 

• Anyway, Wei Rao sets up her old family in Suzhou. 
• General Qi goes to visit his friend and asks for permission to court Wei Rao. Lu Zhuo refuses; General Qi says that he won't listen this time. 
• Lu Zhuo says that he won't stop General Qi. 
• After hearing that she left some stuff behind, Lu Zhuo decides to take the stuff to her. 

• He says he arrived late because he had a funeral to plan. 
• General Qi brings a cute white horse over to help Wei Rao ride; he and Han Liao compete for her attention. 
• Lu Zhuo arrives and watches from his carriage. 
• After he leaves out of jealousy she stops entertaining the two. 

While reviewing renovation plans, they are disturbed by nearby landowners who have come to her for protection as well. 

• I forgot the rude scholar's name; I didn’t think he'd be significant along the line...hehe, but he tells Wei Rao to accept the land and protect the farmers, and she shouldn't fear anyone because she has close connections to the royal family. 
• The other advisor says she shouldn't risk it. 
• She comes up with her own plan. 

Grandma Wei refuses to see Wei Rao because she is too ashamed. 

• Grandma Wei apologizes to Wei Rao. 
• Wei Chan comes rushing in, blaming Wei Rao for her mom's death. 
• Wei Shu says their mom was wrong, but Wei Chan does not care about the truth.
• Later on, Wei Shu goes to Wei Chans room, and tells her they need to be good cousins to Wei Rao. 

Thoughts: 

• "Hurt people, hurt people". - Lu Zhuo didn't really mean any of those words; I think he just wanted to hurt her because he was feeling hurt by her. 
• This episode was just me admiring pretty women, to be honest lol. 
• Wei Chan is so annoying; let her go join...nvm nvm...I was getting dark thoughts again. 
• Wei Shu is actually nice.... 

Spill the tea on the dramas you've dropped! 🍵 Tell us why it didn't make the cut for you.

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Welcome to the Weekly Stylish Sunday Celebrity Spotting thread!

I know we have Thirsty Thursdays, but I have a feeling that you want more!

Here's the space to share and enjoy images of celebrities in old or new magazines, ads, or other promotional materials. Saw an ad that your celebrity appears in? Share the fashion spreads, quirky advertisements, or promotional campaigns they've been in here.

Here's how it works:

1. Share Your Finds: Post any interesting images you’ve come across of celebrities in vintage magazines, ads, or other promotional content.
2. Describe the Find: Include some details like the celebrity's name, the magazine or ad they were featured in, and the year if you know it.
3. Enjoy and Discuss: Check out other members' posts, upvote your favorites, and join in the discussion about these nostalgic gems!

Can't wait to see what you all have to share!

Happy posting! 📸✨

The Chinese drama title 河清海晏 can be translated as “the rivers are clear and the seas are calm.”

He Qing 河清 is the name female lead played by Zhang Zifeng.

Hai Yan 海晏 is the name male lead played by Arthur Chen.

The production team announced that filming officially wrapped up today, October 25, 2028. They released a couple of CP teaser clips and wrap up ceremony photos – they are posted in the comments.

Filming officially started on August 21, 2026.

Stills description:

Beginning with a promise, ending with a lifetime of protection, we grow through love.

Cast:

More information regarding the actor credit guidelines in this summary here and the full notice here.

(I put the character stroke count as: 1️⃣2️⃣3️⃣)

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 7️⃣3️⃣6️⃣ Arthur Chen Feiyu 陈飞宇 as Zhou Haiyan 周海晏 * 7️⃣3️⃣8️⃣ Zhang Zifeng 张子枫 as Tang Heqing 唐河清

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Bai Bingke 白冰可 as Shen Linxi 沈临熙 * Ren Zhong 任重 as Tang Shiguo 唐世国 * Wu Junting 吴俊霆 as Wang Yanli 王砚礼 * Zhou Zhengfang 周正芳 (stage name: Fang Fang 方芳) as Grandma An Qi 安齐奶奶 * Zhao Da 赵达 as Geng Weiguo 耿卫国 * Hu Jing 胡静 as Zhou Jiqiu 周寄秋 * Tong Lei 童蕾 as Chen Wanrou 陈婉柔 * Lai Weiming 赖伟明 as Fu Yuan 赖伟明

• Episodes: 20 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧
• Official cast announcement: August 21, 2026
• Official filming started: August 21, 2026
• Official filming wrapped up: October 25, 2026
• Filming time: ~66 days
• Filming location: Quanzhou, Fujian Province
• Genre: romance (according to Baidu Baike)

🔗 Previous announcement, posters, etc.

• 🎬 Director: Zoe Qin / Qin Zhen 秦榛 (In the Moonlight, Tigers Sniff the Rose, Love beyond the Grave, Lost You Forever 1 and 2, Love Scenery, Demon Catcher Zhong Kui)
• ✍️ Original creator: Ju Zi Bu Suan 橘子不酸
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Zhang Ying 张盈 (Almost Lover, Lucky's First Love)
• 📖 Novel: He Qing Hai Yan 河清海晏
• 📽️ Production company: Tencent Video, Shanghai Films & Media Corporation

Synopsis from MDL:

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

It tells the story of Tang He Qing [played by Zhang Zifeng], a young girl from a seaside town, and Zhou Hai Yan [played by Arthur Chen] as they stand together against domestic violence and drug-trafficking forces. Zhou Hai Yan, whose father died in the line of duty, abandoned his police academy studies and hid in a small town with his mother to escape a drug gang’s retaliation.

Tang He Qing’s arrival rekindled his dream of becoming a criminal police officer, and during their mission to dismantle a campus drug-trafficking network, the two gradually developed feelings for each other. After Tang He Qing’s father revealed the truth behind Zhou Hai Yan’s father’s death, Zhou Hai Yan chose to hide his identity and undertake an undercover mission.

(Source: Chinese = Baidu || Translation = MyDramaList)

~~ Adapted from the web novel "He Qing Hai Yan" (河清海晏) by Ju Zi Bu Suan (橘子不酸).

⚠️ Note: The synopsis from Baidu Baike is quite detailed and tells the story from beginning to end. ⚠️

Synopsis translated from Baidu Baike:

⚠️ Major plot spoilers! ⚠️

Tang Heqing [played by Zhang Zifeng], who grew up in a seaside town, met Zhou Haiyan [played by Arthur Chen] when she was sixteen. He stood up to her drug-addicted, abusive father, and after she lost her mother, he helped her recover the last glimmer of hope.

In her despair, she pulled out the only ten yuan she had and asked him to “collect protection money” from her. Under the protection of Zhou Haiyan and his mother, Tang Heqing was given a new lease on life. She also came to learn about the burden of Zhou Haiyan’s past: after his father was killed in the line of duty, Zhou Haiyan abandoned his studies at the police academy and came with his mother to the small town to escape retaliation from drug traffickers.

Tang Heqing’s arrival brought light back into the family. Zhou Haiyan rekindled his ideals and became a criminal police officer, while she quietly followed his example and was admitted to medical school.

During a joint operation to dismantle the drug network on campus, they finally acknowledged their feelings for each other. But once again, the wheels of fate began to turn. Tang Heqing’s father resurfaced, revealing the truth behind Zhou Haiyan’s father’s death in the line of duty.

To protect the woman he loved, Zhou Haiyan chose to break up with her, then disappeared under an assumed identity to work undercover.

Five years later, Tang Heqing quietly waited for him while running a clinic in a border town. When they reunited, the two once again fought side by side. After completing the mission, however, he disappeared once more, leaving her only an unidentifiable body and that ten-yuan bill.

It was not until the Mid-Autumn Festival the following year, somewhere between a hazy dream and reality, that she finally saw the figure who had once stood between her and the sunlight, shielding her from its glare.

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📖 Novel Introduction – translated from Douban:

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Ten years ago, if I had never pushed open that door, would my life have turned out differently?

Ten years later, if I had selfishly asked you to stay, would the ending have been different?

My life was once like a wilderness –

desolate, barren, with no light in sight…

until I met Zhou Haiyan.

He made me believe that everything in the past was as good as dead,

and from that moment on, my life had a whole new beginning.

Surrounded by the boundless love of him and his mother,

I, who had once been battered, broken, and utterly beaten down, gradually grew new flesh and bone.

To be loved, to have light and laughter…

I had everything I once never dared to hope for.

I once thought this fairy tale would never end.

But it turned out to be nothing more than a beautiful dream.

As I slowly grew up,

Mother Zhou, who had always treated me as her own daughter, eventually chose to let go and leave this world;

and Zhou Haiyan, who had once promised to stay by my side forever, had to leave for a distant place.

In this vast and unpredictable life, I was once again left all alone.

Before he left, he told me, “Don’t cry… I’ll come back.”

I believed him,

because the man I love has never lied to me.

Translated Synopses

Note: All translated synopses and information I share in the "trailers & posters" posts are based on the original Chinese sources (Douban, Baidu, Chinese Wikipedia, etc.) and were first published here. If you see them elsewhere, please know they originated from our sub. Thanks for reading!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Hey! I'm u/spamkimbap (you can call me Spam, like the overly salty and fatty, canned, ham-like, delicious food that pairs so well). This is my first time hosting a discussion. It took me three hours to create this post. Yikes!

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🪴A few housekeeping rules!

• We bash characters and not actors! If a character does something stupid, it's not the actors fault. This is not the place to complain about actors or acting choices.
• We will be following the VIP Schedule, which means those of us on SVIP need to remember to keep your spoilers in check.
• Spoilers need to be under the spoiler markings OR put in its proper post.
• Have fun! Dramas are supposed to be entertaining and enjoyable. If you're not enjoying it, it's okay to duck out and drop.

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Masterpost - Airing Schedule - Table of Contents - Character Flashcards

1-3 || 4-5 || 6-7

EPISODE 4 : Back to the Capital

This episode starts off with Danyang teasing Erlang. For a split sec, poor Yan Shang almost had to choose between career advancement and his, uhm, bits. Our Princess sure is spirited, for a lack of more polite words.

​Yang Shang shares how, ten years ago, he and his family became refugees, during the Rebellion of the Seven Military Governors. She reflects on her own losses during the rebellion ten years ago. He's trying to say goodbye, but she asks him to tell her a story to help her sleep. If it helps her, she'll take him along to the capital. Her and her games!

He tells her the story of a woman who encounters a tiger, and strikes a deal with it. If the tiger can eat all of her, she will accept her fate. If it fails to consume all of her, she'll become its master. The tiger eats almost all of her, but one of her pinkies falls into a crack, and the tiger can't get to it. The next morning, the woman rides the tiger back into town as its master. We get a flashback of when she received an edict marrying her off to Meng Bai Yu, to ensure peace in North Jing. The tiger story is a watershed moment for Princess Danyang. She realizes that she had been living in fear, but no longer has to be restrained because if she loses, at the most she dies. If she wins, she becomes the tiger's master. There's a tiger in her heart that needs to be conquered, but there are also tigers in the capital that will need taming.

She rewards him with a KISS, and a promise to get him into the Imperial Academy. They take off for the capital. At a pit stop, while he's writing letters to his family, she makes a passing comment that she's never ever received a letter. We already know what he's going to do, right? They are close to the capital, when it starts to rain again. While they take refuge in the carriage, he tries to calm her fear of thundering and lightening (which I learned is called astraphobia, who knew? Now we do!), only to be rebuffed. He, stupidly, tells her that he knows she's probably been traumatized by someone trying to kill her on a stormy day.

She does not like that he can see through her so easily, so he gets the boot from the carriage. Literally and figuratively. He will have to walk the rest of the way.

​Back in the capital, we meet evil eunuch Yu Cheng'an, Duke of Zhao, Cavalry General, and Army-Inspection Commissioner. Phew, that's a lot of titles. He's the owner of the weird house with the giant hallway-fishtank. His last name is Yu (fish in Chinese), therefore no one is allowed to eat fish. Is it a rumor that people can't eat fish, or did he decree it? It doesn't matter. Problem is, Crown Prince Mu Xu was gifted a couple of sea basses (I caught a sea bass! No, wait - it's at least a C+!), and the fish were eaten. The point of the interrogation was for Lord Yu to assert his power over the Emperor, who's sick (obviously), and the Prince.

​Prince Danyang comes in, and distracts Lord Yu long enough to let the Prince off the hook. Kinda sorta. The Prince's cooks still get killed.

​The Princess and the Crown Prince strike a deal to team up, and defeat the evil eunuch. He tells her that he suspects her mother killed herself after a failed attempt to bring down the evil eunuch. Really? Weird story. Then immediately tries to marry her off to one of his cronies "for her own protection". Uh, huh. He's so not trustworthy.

EPISODE 5 : Back to School Day

The Princess' uncle, Li Chi, Vice Minister of Rites, has arrived at her home, and has brought along a very pretty and very young man, Wei Shu. Apparently, Uncle has been bringing men to entice her to marry. She tries to seduce Wei Shu to get a reaction. Poor Wei Shu, he's just a baby and really freaked out by everything. He's not interested in her, but Uncle is forcing him to marry her. And that's exactly the answer she wanted. She wants to surround herself with smart people who are not trying to marry and control her, and who won't betray her.

We get a bit more insight into the Crown Prince. He's a schemer indeed. We find out that Princess Danyang's abusive husband is dead, and she's now consider a disgraced, fallen woman. His sidekick-assistant repeats a story that the Princess' offspring is destined to rule the country. Ooooh, is this where the story is going? The Crown Prince decides it's time to get his buddy back to the city to marry him off to his sister.

Yan Shang finally arrives in Sheng'an! He drops a large stack of letters he wrote the Princess during his long walk at her palace. Later, Chunhua hands the stack of letters to the Princess, but she lets the wind blow them away without reading them.

And almost immediately, he runs into Lui Wenji. Wenji decides he'll move out of posh ancient China Waldorf Astoria, and move in with Yan Shang at some Motel 6 (local temple). Nothing like slumming it.

They talk about the most important person in Sheng'an, evil eunuch Lord Yu. He gained power when he put down the Rebellion of the Seven Military Governors. Wenji very strongly refuses to ever kowtow to the rich and powerful for a court position. Yan Shang had a look on his face after Wenji's speech. What was that all about?

​Next day is Back to School Day. Yan Shang talks his way into the Imperial Academy. It turns out the Princess didn't leave his name at the door, but someone mentions they are expecting a noble young man. He hints that it's him, and gains entrance. Meanwhile, a hapless Wei Shu also shows up, wearing Danyang' pretty in pink cape, and is about to be denied entrance, but Yan Shang smoothly gets both of them in. They become friends. I mean, both being Danyang's non-boytoys and all.

They meet up with a third student, Feng Xianiu who hasn't attained success in years because he doesn't know anyone powerful. All three become friends, and while having a drink, they witness Captain Zhang abusing a dancer. We find out that his name is Zhang Renjing, he's a favorite of evil eunuch Lord Fish, and he's illiterate. I have a feeling this information will come in handy later. Yan Shang distracts the very drunk ogre captain, and saves the dancer.

Outside, they witness Grand Princess Luling's security team brutalizing the people. We learn that she is cruel and keeps a lot of her own boytoys in her palace. She's also in cahoots with evil eunuch Lord Yu. Her carriage goes by, and poor Wei Shu is allergic to the strong scent coming out of her carriage (another important detail for later?) Danyang's carriage is blocking Luling's carriage, but she chirpily greets her Aunt, and lets cranky Aunt go first.

Yan Shang sees Danyang, and their eyes meet. Awww. He is making his way to her, but she calls out to Wei Shu instead. Poor Wei Shu, he's like a deer caught in headlights. She talks to him, but ignores everyone else, and demands that he keeps her company that evening. After school, she sends him her carriage. He is so embarrassed, and looks so unwilling to go to her. Yan Shang knows Danyang is playing her usual games. Side note, Yan Shang joins a street hockey team. He's obviously very likable, and I bet he will be very popular in school.

.​Some thoughts:

• There's been a lot of fish imagery throughout the episodes, and now that we've met evil eunuch Lord Yu, we know why! But I'm still curious about how he has that giant aquarium, complete with a shark. How was that possible back then?
• There was a lot of discussion yesterday about whether or not Wenji is a trustworthy person. Will he turn on Yan Shang later? I don't want to think that, because he seems so sweet and earnest. What do you all think?
• Did the Princess actually let all of Yan Shang's letters fly away, or will she have kept at least one?
• Are you a little suspicious of Feng Xianiu? He looks sus.
• I'm miffed at the usual double standard of men keeping a whole harem being totally accepted, but when women do it, they are considered to have loose morals. Sigh.

What did you all think of today's episodes? Will evil eunuch Lord Yu be the ultimate tiger to take down? Or maybe the Crown Prince?

edited for typos, etc.

Light the Dark!
ACTING ACTING ACTING!
Chen ZheYuan is KILLING IT.

I don’t love modern dramas but his work in this is superb. All of his mannerisms are 💯 like a teenage boy and this role gives him a massive range of emotions. I just finished episode 3 and I am super impressed with him.

I’ve seen/heard his acting called “wooden”. If this is you or if you’re already a fan, I highly suggest you catch Light the Dark.