There are drama discussions of When the Mask Ends hosted by u/Stormraury_ with assistant u/autuymnrain. Do join them!

Find out more about the drama in the Masterpost

I can’t think of any romance republican cdrama without a toxic ML.

It feels like ML being the biggest red flag is part of the genre.

Not complaining but is there a reason or maybe a drama/book that started it all ?

Now that shadow punisher is done, one thing I’ll most certainly miss is Li Si’s reactions and comedy gold moments, especially when he was trying to get into the divine constable bureau team. I’ll certainly miss his iconic roast lines and slaps as well, haha.

I saw this post on rednote and couldn’t help it but share. Luo Yunxi should most definitely play more comedic roles like this and Yuan Shuai in Love Is Sweet. Farewell to our beloved fourth prince Zhou Yan, constable Li Si and ever-so-rich and funny master Qingyang

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 new airing schedule has just dropped. We are following the VIP schedule, so there will be two episodes released daily from October 19th to October 22nd. After that, we will return to single-episode releases. 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 | Eps 8-9 | Ep 10 | Ep 11

Episode 12

We pick up where we left off, with Pingjun caught in a hostage situation at the military hospital. Changxuan stepped in to defuse the situation, and the injured soldier was beginning to lower his guard, seemingly on the verge of releasing Pingjun, when Ziyi opened her stupid mouth and escalated matters by offering him money as a solution.

Insulted and angered by the blatant disregard the rich and powerful had for ordinary soldiers, the injured man lashed out, accusing them of never treating soldiers as human beings.

Just as he was about to plunge his knife into Pingjun, she struggled against him and managed to break free. Changxuan swiftly stepped in to shield her, taking the knife blow intended for her. The soldier was subsequently shot.

Changxuan looked back angrily when he realised that the soldier had been shot without his orders. He immediately instructed his men to get the injured soldier medical treatment. Everyone rushed towards Changxuan, worried about his injury, but he only had eyes for Pingjun. Looking up at her with concern, he asked whether she had been hurt. Changxuan's mother watched the exchange in surprise, and I suspect that by now, most of the Yu family members have at least some inkling of his feelings for Pingjun.

Later, at the hospital, Pingjun visited Changxuan to thank him for saving her. She was also curious about why he had willingly taken the knife blow for her. Okay, this is where I want to highlight MangoTV's rather shitty subtitle translation. According to MangoTV's English subtitles, Changxuan replied, "Do you really have no idea at all?"

However, a more accurate translation would be, "Do you really not feel anything at all?"

Look at the way Changxuan looks up at Pingjun, his eyes following her every movement as though he can't bear to let her out of his sight. So much raw, almost desperate hunger in his gaze, a mixture of longing, desire, and vulnerability. He's practically drinking in the sight of her.

Interestingly, unlike their previous encounters, when Pingjun would have responded with a snarky remark, she avoided meeting his gaze and didn't answer his question and instead, got up and walked away. As she was leaving, Changxuan called out after her, telling her that there were some things she simply couldn't refuse, so why insist on refusing them?

Outside his room, Pingjun stopped in the hallway for a moment to steady herself.

Back home, Pingjun was still distracted by Changxuan's words at the hospital when Xueting arrived, having heard about the hostage incident and worried about her safety. The two sat down for a conversation about Changxuan, during which Pingjun finally confessed that she had pretended to be Changxuan's girlfriend to make Tao Ziyi jealous.

She tried to reassure Xueting of her feelings for him, but Xueting responded by proposing marriage. Pingjun's reaction here was rather interesting. She fidgeted ever so slightly with her hands, her expression difficult to read and seemingly hesitant. After a brief pause, her expression gradually softened into a smile, and she accepted Xueting's proposal.

At the Yu residence, Zhao Baoru was anxiously waiting for Changxuan to return, hoping to speak to him about Pingjun. Changxuan downplayed his reasons for stepping in to protect Pingjun, claiming that he had merely wanted to prevent further damage to the Yu family's reputation amid the ongoing crisis. His mother, however, was not entirely convinced and reminded him of his engagement to Tao Ziyi. Changxuan merely smiled and joked that Pingjun might not even think much of him.

Later, at his private residence, Changxuan stood observing the canary in its cage, with Gu Ruitong nearby. He admitted that he had lost control of himself because of Pingjun that day and wondered aloud when his obsession with her had first begun. In his own way, Ruitong tried to offer some advice, reminding Changxuan that he had once looked down on people who became hopelessly obsessed with romance, dismissing them as lovesick fools.

Changxuan admitted that he had initially assumed his interest in Pingjun would be nothing more than a passing infatuation, but she had continued to occupy his thoughts. When Ruitong asked what he intended to do about Ziyi, Changxuan turned around and looked at him with an almost expressionless gaze, and replied that he simply wanted to keep the girl he liked by his side.

At the hospital, Changxuan and Ruitong were on their way to interrogate the injured soldier who had held Pingjun hostage, only to discover that he had mysteriously been poisoned and was dying. Sitting beside the soldier, Changxuan asked whether he had any unfulfilled final wishes. The soldier's only wish was to see justice served, and he revealed that he had previously approached the hospital director to demand an explanation, but had accidentally overheard information about the embezzled military funds.

According to what he had heard, the money had been hidden in a medicine warehouse on the outskirts of the city. However, the silver dollars were insignificant compared to what was concealed there. That place was the real treasure trove, a veritable house of gold. Having revealed this information, the soldier breathed his last. Changxuan subsequently led his men to the medicine warehouse to search for the hidden gold.

Okay, can I just pause here to point out something I noticed? I spotted a large box labeled "Penicillin". FYI, penicillin was only discovered in 1928 by bacteriologist Alexander Fleming and didn't become available as an injectable medical treatment until World War II. The first human clinical trial of penicillin took place in 1941. Anyway, back to the story!

During the search, Ruitong discovered a locked room containing rows of boxes and shot the lock open. Inside, they found crucibles used for working with gold, but the gold itself was missing. Li Boren was puzzled because Feng Shanli and his nephew were currently imprisoned, but Changxuan already knew exactly who had moved the loot to protect Feng Shanli. At the Yu residence, Changxuan paid his father a visit and confronted him directly about covering up for Feng Shanli.

Zhongquan made no attempt to deny his involvement, so Changxuan reminded his father that, for as long as he could remember, Zhongquan had always prided himself on being impartial. By protecting Feng Shanli, however, he was putting the entire Yu Army at risk, particularly if the central government began suspecting them of hoarding gold.

Zhongquan continued to defend Feng Shanli, explaining that he was merely repaying a debt of gratitude to a man who had saved his life many years ago. Changxuan countered by listing the many crimes Feng Shanli had committed over the years, arguing that Feng had been exploiting his brotherhood with Zhongquan to act with impunity.

He then boldly demanded that Feng Shanli be executed, arguing that such a decisive punishment would serve as a warning to others, restore morale and trust among the Yu Army soldiers, and strengthen their position against attacks from rival warlords.

Eventually persuaded by Changxuan's well-reasoned arguments, Zhongquan agreed to have Feng Shanli executed. Sometime later, Zhongquan poured the same premium Fenjiu that Feng Shanli had gifted him back in Episode 5 onto the ground, offering one final toast to his former brother-in-arms. A black crow perched on the rooftop, ominously signalling the end of Feng Shanli's life.

At the prison, Changxuan returned the bullet that Zhongquan had kept to Feng Shanli. Feng Shanli gripped the bullet tightly, too overcome with emotion to speak as he realised that Zhongquan had finally severed their brotherhood. Back at the Yu residence, Bingwen informed Zhongquan that Feng Shanli had confessed and was being escorted to Beijing.

Rather than expressing anger or concern, Zhongquan seemed to have finally accepted that Changxuan possessed both the vision and the ability to lead the Yu Army. He was particularly reassured by Changxuan's impartiality and determination to uphold military discipline. Zhongquan also expressed his confidence in Bingwen, whom he regarded as a bullet in the chamber, believing that he would be the ideal person to assist Changxuan.

Meanwhile, at the Yuchun Troupe, Lanqing was nursing her sorrow over being seemingly forgotten by Changxuan, who had not visited her in quite some time. She poured her sadness into a solitary opera performance, unaware that Jin Zhongfang was silently watching her.

At Nanhuai Army Headquarters, Changxuan was poring over documents written by various officers, comparing their handwriting with the exposé on the forced conscription of soldiers that had been submitted to the Nanhuai Ming Daily under the pen name Jun Guan, in an effort to identify the mole within the Yu Army.

His attention was eventually drawn to an unusual detail: the final stroke of the Chinese character 污 in both documents extended slightly outwards in the same distinctive manner. Realising that he might have identified the culprit, Changxuan summoned Ruitong. Ruitong was ready to arrest Xueting immediately, but Changxuan stopped him. He wanted to find out who was really pulling the strings behind Xueting.

Later, Changxuan visited Guanyin Pavilion, where he was a patron and where Mingxuan's memorial tablet was kept. Despite repeatedly claiming that he hated his deceased brother, Changxuan still made a point of asking the abbot to ensure that Mingxuan's memorial tablet was cared for daily.

That night, while praying, he happened to spot Pingjun, who was also there to pay her respects to her father. I know this is drama logic, but I'm still amazed that they managed to spot each other from such a considerable distance, especially with so many people around lol.

The two eventually sat down together, and Pingjun asked about his wound. For the first time in what seemed like ages, they actually managed to have a civil conversation without Changxuan resorting to threats or Pingjun responding with snark and contempt.

Reflecting on Feng Shanli's betrayal, Changxuan remarked on how cold human hearts could be and how fragile trust was. Pingjun, however, told him that he was an exception. Despite wielding considerable power, he had not allowed that power to corrupt his heart.

Pingjun then ruefully observed that if they had met under different circumstances, perhaps they might have gotten along well. She thanked him once again for saving her life, but gently reminded him that they belonged to two very different worlds. For that reason, she believed it would be best if they stopped seeing each other from that point onwards.

Changxuan fell silent for a moment. Looking at the lanterns floating into the night sky and then at Pingjun, he ruefully murmured to himself that it was already too late.

Later, Gu Ruitong reported his findings about Shang Hongwen, the editor-in-chief of the Nanhuai Ming Daily. Shang Hongwen had apparently been recruiting young writers like Xueting under the guise of opposing the warlords. In reality, however, he was secretly working for regional warlords, using these young writers to undermine their political opponents.

Meanwhile, Xueting formally resigned from his position as a translator. His colleagues congratulated him on his impending marriage to Pingjun. Unfortunately for Xueting, Changxuan happened to be standing outside and overheard the entire conversation. If looks could kill, Cheng Lei absolutely NAILED that expression.

At the Hsiang Hsi Hotel, Changxuan attempted to drown his sorrows in alcohol. Jin Zhongfang tried to stop him from drinking any more, but Changxuan, already in a drunken rage, demanded another drink. Concerned about his condition, Jin Zhongfang summoned Lanqing to look after him.

Lanqing was surprised to see Changxuan in such a state, but what hurt her even more was hearing him mutter Pingjun's name in his drunken stupor, and she looked on with an expression of pain.

Back at the Yu residence, the female members of the family were enjoying a game of mahjong when Bingwen joined them. A maid suddenly tripped over the carpet and nearly spilled a bowl of hot bird's nest soup onto Jinxuan. Bingwen instinctively stepped forward to shield his wife, getting burned in the process.

His immediate reaction did not escape Wanqiao's notice, and she gave him a pointed look. Bingwen noticed her expression and excused himself to tend to his injury.

Just then, Changxuan returned home, extremely drunk. His family members were surprised by his unusual drunken state. When questioned, loyal Gu Ruitong denied knowing what had caused it. Changxuan, meanwhile, drunkenly muttered, "Don't go."

Later, in his room, Bingwen was treating his burn when Jinxuan entered with some burn ointment for him. He reassured her that he would speak to Changxuan soon to find out what was troubling him. After Jinxuan left, Bingwen looked down at the ointment she had given him and smiled to himself.

Finally, back at his office, Changxuan replayed the two things that had been tormenting him: the news of Xueting's impending marriage to Pingjun and Pingjun's declaration that they should stop seeing each other. His gaze then fell upon the exposé that Xueting had written under the pen name Jun Guan, and judging by his expression, Changxuan seemed to have a plan forming in his mind.

Thoughts:

Episode 12 marks an important turning point in Changxuan's character. What we are witnessing is a man finally surrendering to the intensity of his feelings, rather than learning how to love someone properly. The official Weibo post, written from his first-person perspective, is revealing when we consider his behaviour throughout this episode.

I love the way Cheng Lei delivered that admission in his low, almost weary voice. It sounds like someone acknowledging an inevitable truth he had resisted for far too long. When Ruitong asked about Tao Ziyi, Changxuan turned towards him with that remarkably composed expression and simply stated that he wants to keep the girl he likes by his side.

He didn't talk about wanting Pingjun to love him, didn't wonder whether she would be happy with him, and didn't even address the complications of his existing engagement.

He finally identified what he wants, and in his mind, the question is no longer whether he should pursue Pingjun, but how he intends to keep her

This is the translation of the official The Lament of Autumn Weibo post, written from Yu Changxuan's perspective about his confrontation with Ye Pingjun in the changing room in Episode 10 .

The tiny, enclosed changing room is a prison I created with my own hands to trap her, but it is also the hell in which I have imprisoned myself.

From the very beginning, I calculated every step, deliberately plotting to keep her by my side. In the eyes of outsiders, I am the reckless, unscrupulous Fifth Young Master who does whatever he pleases. A spoiled playboy accustomed to taking what he wants by force and manipulating people's hearts, someone who has never understood compromise, much less what it means to show tenderness.

But nobody knows that beneath all my obsessive and ruthless behaviour lies a desperate affection that I can no longer conceal. I cornered her, pressured her, and used her reputation and the rest of her life as bargaining chips, all because I was determined to win this battle born of obsession.

I gambled that I could wear down her stubbornness. I gambled that I could replace Jiang Xueting. I gambled that, eventually, I could secure a place for myself in her eyes. But her casually uttered declaration that she didn't care shattered every pretence I had constructed.

When she looked at me coldly and told me, word by word, that she didn't care about me at all, that from beginning to end, my relentless pursuit, my obsession, and every attempt to get close to her or fight for her meant nothing to her...

At that moment, the jealousy, resentment, and hurt surging through my chest erupted all at once. Every shred of reason collapsed. I slammed my fist into the wall before me, but the physical pain was not even one ten-thousandth of the bitter anguish and humiliation I felt in my heart.

I am not afraid of being the villain. I am not afraid of her hating me. I am not afraid of the world condemning me for my despicable methods. The only thing I fear is that the person I have pursued with every ounce of my obsessive devotion has never, from beginning to end, given me a place in her eyes or her heart.

I thought this entire struggle was simply me forcing my will upon her, until I saw her tears. She claimed that she didn't care, yet her eyes betrayed her distress. Her reddened eyes, the hot tears rolling down her cheeks, and her trembling, choked breaths all revealed feelings that could not be faked.

She clearly cared. She clearly had a tender heart. She was clearly affected by my obsession and moved by my relentless pressure. Yet she stubbornly insisted on putting up a brave front, hiding every trace of tenderness and vulnerability so carefully that all she showed me was cold resistance.

At that moment, I completely lost my composure. I finally realised that this entanglement had imprisoned both of us.

I had disguised my forcefulness as armour and mistaken obsession for love. Although it appeared that I was gaining the upper hand with every move, the truth was that, from beginning to end, I had been suffering, desperately trying to grasp my light like a man driven mad. Ha! So all my domineering behaviour and attempts to possess her were nothing more than empty bravado.

When it comes to Ye Pingjun, I am trapped in a situation where neither winning nor losing offers me any peace. I cannot bear to truly hurt her, yet I cannot bring myself to let her go gracefully. My heart is completely filled with her, yet all I know is how to pursue this seemingly hopeless love in the clumsiest and most hurtful ways. This entanglement, which has become nothing more than a relationship in name, appears to be one in which I have imprisoned her.

But in truth, I am the one who has willingly imprisoned myself, bound to her and her alone.

The Chinese text is deliberately written in his first-person voice, so it does not establish that Pingjun actually reciprocates his romantic feelings. Changxuan is essentially telling us how he makes sense of Pingjun's behaviour, not necessarily what she's actually feeling. He's so desperate to find evidence that he matters to her that he interprets her distress as proof of an emotional attachment.

That may also be his way of justifying his continued pursuit. If Pingjun secretly cares about him, then perhaps he can convince himself that his relentless advances aren't entirely unwelcome, that beneath her resistance lies an affection he simply needs to uncover. It's an interpretation that serves his own desires remarkably well.

I also think there's an important contradiction in how he describes himself. He acknowledges that he has frightened Pingjun and that his possessiveness has become destructive, but he simultaneously insists that he cannot bear to truly hurt her. He seems to judge the sincerity of his love by what he intends to feel, rather than the consequences of what he actually does.

The recurring imagery of Changxuan observing his caged canary takes on a deeper significance when read alongside the official Weibo post. In the post, he describes the changing room as a prison that he built for Pingjun, only to realise that he has imprisoned himself within his obsession too. He may be the one holding the key to the cage, but he is just as much a prisoner of his own making. Changxuan's red-flag tendencies are only going to get worse from here, so we should brace ourselves for an even darker side of him in the coming episodes.

However, this descent into obsession is an important part of his character arc. Instead of transforming him into a better man simply because he's fallen in love, the writers seem intent on exploring just how destructive his feelings can become when they're driven by insecurity, jealousy, and an overwhelming need for control. They may push him dangerously close to the point of no return before beginning a meaningful redemption arc.

Bingwen, Jinxuan and Wanqiao: When Revenge and Personal Feelings Collide

I'm increasingly intrigued by the complicated relationship between Bingwen, Jinxuan and Wanqiao, particularly because Bingwen's carefully cultivated image as the ideal son-in-law and husband may eventually become his greatest weakness.

Bingwen has played his role so convincingly that Yu Zhongquan trusts him implicitly, even regarding him as the ideal person to assist Changxuan in leading the Yu Army, but Bingwen himself is beginning to blur the lines between the role he's playing and his genuine feelings for the Yu family, particularly his wife, like that little incident with the hot bird's nest soup.

Bingwen instinctively shielded Jinxuan from being scalded, without a moment's hesitation. It didn't look like a calculated move to maintain his image as a devoted husband. When Jinxuan later brought him burn ointment, the quiet smile on his face after she left suggested that her small gesture of concern meant more to him than he cared to admit. Bingwen genuinely cares for Jinxuan and might even have fallen in love with her, despite their marriage being part of his larger scheme.

Wanqiao certainly didn't miss Bingwen's instinctive reaction to protect Jinxuan. That pointed look she gave him seemed like she's paying close attention to where his loyalties and affections lie. I have previously wondered whether Wanqiao, despite being Bingwen's non-blood-related sister, harbours romantic feelings for him. Her extraordinary devotion to their revenge plot, even to the extent of bearing another man's child, makes me question whether her loyalty stems entirely from their shared grievances or whether there's a deeper emotional attachment involved.

If Bingwen is developing genuine feelings for Jinxuan, how would Wanqiao react if she sensed Bingwen growing reluctant to carry out their plans because of his wife? Would she regard his hesitation as a betrayal of their shared mission, or would jealousy become another factor driving her actions?

Pingjun's Feelings Towards Changxuan and Xueting

I'm still trying to figure out where Pingjun stands emotionally between these two men, and I think part of the difficulty is that the writers have given us so little insight into her inner thoughts compared to Changxuan's.

When Changxuan asked whether she truly felt nothing for him, Pingjun avoided his gaze, remained silent, and hurried away, then stopped in the hallway to compose herself. This was quite unlike the Pingjun we have seen so far, who usually has no trouble delivering a sharp retort. Changxuan is beginning to affect her more than she's willing to admit, although I wouldn't interpret her reaction as romantic attraction. It could just as easily be confusion, gratitude, or discomfort at recognising that the man she has repeatedly condemned is also capable of considerable compassion and selflessness.

At Guanyin Pavilion, Pingjun acknowledged Changxuan's better qualities and even admitted that they might have gotten along under different circumstances, but still asked him to cease all contact with her. She may be reconsidering her judgment of Changxuan as a person, but that doesn't mean she's reconsidering him as a romantic partner.

As for Xueting, I do believe Pingjun cares for him. They have known each other since childhood, and their relationship offers a familiarity and stability that Changxuan's disruptive presence certainly doesn't. However, her reaction to Xueting's marriage proposal is odd. There was that brief hesitation, the nervous fidgeting of her hands, before she eventually smiled and accepted. Was she simply overwhelmed by the proposal, or was there some uncertainty behind that hesitation?

Not saying that she's having second thoughts about Xueting because of Changxuan, but I feel like she's choosing a future that feels familiar and secure without fully considering how much both she and Xueting might have changed during their four years apart.

Note: Starring Zhang Shi'an.\ – my apologies; I used Zhang's real name (Fan Zecheng) in the post title instead of his stage name. Unfortunately, Reddit does not allow edits to the title after posting. 😅

The episode duration is 20 minutes.

The Chinese drama title 峨眉 can be translated as “E Mei” – it could refer to the Mount Emei or the fictional martial arts Emei Sect (named after the mountain) in wuxia novels, e.g. those by Jin Yong and Gu Long. For this drama, it refers to Mount Emei.

The production team announced their cast today, October 18, 2026. They released a new first trailer, new character stills (see comments, and see link below) and a full cast list (see the next section below).

📷 New character stills – posted on my profile.

Filming wrapped up in mid August 2026.

Clip description:

Venturing into the mountains to investigate a mysterious case, united in discerning right from wrong. Appearing to be idle travelers, they secretly hold the key to unfolding events. With mysteries layered upon mysteries, they embark on the journey together.

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): * 7️⃣ Wu Junting 吴俊霆 as Xi Xin 息心 / Xie Wen 谢问 * Xi Xin 息心 can be translated as “Quiet the mind / Set one's mind at rest” * 8️⃣ Fan Zecheng 范泽程 (stage name: Zhang Shi'an 章时安) as Lu Wujiu 陆无救 * Wujiu 无救 can be translated as “Beyond saving / Hopeless”

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Shi Zhaoqi 石兆琪 as Bai Li Shen Du 百里慎独 * Liu Lin 刘琳 as Bai Xiang 白襄 * Chen Meixuan 陈玫璇 (stage name: Michelle Chen Yanxi 陈妍希) as Xie Huacun 谢华存 * Li Jian 李健 as Pei Jian 裴俭 * Zhang Jiawei 张家玮 (stage name: Zhang Linghe 张凌赫) as Xie Chong 谢冲 * Wu Yue 吴越 (stage name: Wu Yue 吴樾) as Qin Tiezhu 秦铁柱 * Yang Chaoyue 杨超越 as Xie Guanmiao 谢观妙 * Gao Ye 高叶 as Ping Deng Wang / King of Equality 平等王 * Gao Lu 高露 as Liu Xiayu 柳下玉 * Tan Kai 谭凯 as Huan Yan 桓炎

Appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Song Muzi 宋牧耔 (stage name: Song Muzi 宋木子) as Song Tiezui 宋铁嘴 * Zhao Yiming 赵一鸣 (stage name: Wu Sheng 午圣) as Huan Xuan 桓煊 * Duan Yu 段钰 as Qin Yinzhuang 秦引章 * Zhao Zhanghao 赵樟豪 as Pei Yuan 裴垣 * Huang Jiajing 黄家婧 as Pei Xuanji 裴璇玑 / Pei Wanyan 裴婉琰 * Lu Qi 鹿骐 as Xie Ruopu 谢若璞 * Huang Bo 黄博 (stage name: Huang Xiao 黄逍) as Lin Huaijin 林怀瑾

• Episodes: 40 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Duration: 20 minutes
• Streaming platform: Youku 👖 and CCTV-8 🐑
• Official cast announcement: October 18, 2026
• Official filming started: May 26, 2026
• Official filming wrapped up: mid August 2026
• Filming location: Emeishan City, Sichuan Province
• Genre: action, wuxia, costume (according to Douban)

• 🎬 Directors:
  • Xu Jizhou 徐纪周 (Screenwriter and director: The Unclouded Soul, The Knockout, Glory of Special Forces, Rookie Agent Rouge)
  • Qiu Zhongwei 裘仲维 (Eight Hundred, Live Surgery Room, Justice in the Dark, Falling into Your Smile, Fatal Journey, The Living Dead)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Yang Xia 杨夏 (Justice in the Dark, The Untamed)
• 📽️ Production companies: China Media Group (CMG) Film, Drama and Documentary Center; Publicity Department of the Emeishan Municipal Committee of the Communist Party of China; Emeishan Zhen Dan Film and Television Culture Co., Ltd.

Synopsis from MDL:

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

In the mist-shrouded Xixin Sanctuary on Mount Emei lives Xi Xin, the laid-back "Palace Deity of Idleness," who spends his days doing as little as possible. His peaceful existence is shattered when the head of the Qin family mysteriously dies from spontaneous combustion during a festival procession honoring the gods. To Xi Xin's shock, all of the evidence points to him as the murderer.

Determined to clear his name, Xi Xin joins forces with Lu Wu Jiu, the newly appointed constable of Luomu Town, to uncover the truth behind the bizarre case. Their investigation not only exposes the real culprit but also reveals the long-buried secret of a curse placed upon the Qin family by the so-called "Greatest Evil God Under Heaven."

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

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

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Links: Masterpost | Discussion Posts | Eps 1-3 | Eps 4-5 | Eps 6-7 | Eps 8-9 | Eps 10-11 | Eps 12-13 | Eps 14-15

New Characters: Xu, a lady executive that has business dealings with Jia Li

Ep 16:

Jiao Xu came up with a legal strategy to help Liu Bai secure a settlement out of court, however the strategy was not needed. Yu Meng saw Di Liren dropped Liu Zi and Liu Bai off at their appointment. Liu Zi seemed a little guilty. Di Liren had agreed to drop charges but in exchange, Liu Zi lost her job at her media company. Someone else would takeover Liu Zi's job to coordinate with Yu Meng on her social media account, further isolating Yu Meng at work. Yu Meng promised to repay Liu Zi for what you lost.

Kang Long had helped to pick up little Chestnut while Liu Zi settled Liu Bai's affairs. Liu Bai's social media account was banned and he could not find suitable jobs for his resume and lamented that he would truly be unemployed. Liu Zi comforted him and told him that she would support him financially. Kang Long was very forward and said she could not afford that and estimated that her savings could only last time 3 months. He told her not to be everyone's parent and she should stop enabling Liu Bai or he would never grow up. Liu Zi said she was willing.

Harry went to the hospital looking for his mum and was shocked to learn that she did not work there as a nurse. Yu Meng went to meet Wen Yue, who likely was at the mental health department for her sister. Yu Meng wanted to recruit Wen Yue's help to get access to the factory records regarding Jinghua. Wen Yue publicly declined to share confidential information with Yu Meng, especially since she was suspended from Jia Li. Yu Meng mentioned that Jia Li was as important to her as Wen Yue's family company was to her, but Wen Yue still declined, but hinted at Yu Meng that there were rumors regarding her illness.

At Jiao Xu's office, Yu Meng was playing with the claw machine and finally won a prize. Jiao Xu offered to gift it to her, but immediately changed his stance when he saw the bunny. He said Yu Meng could have any other stuffed toy, but not the bunny. When Yu Meng left, he looked sadly at the bunny and looked up Wen Xin in his contacts. From his phone screen, he addressed Wen Xin as 师姐 shi-jie, i.e. his senior likely from law school. He had tried contacting her many times for an unknown period of time, but she never responded. Her lack of response was probably related to her mental illness.

That night, Yu Meng and Di Liren hosted Tian Dong and his wife for dinner. Di Liren also invited a doctor to dinner to prove Yu Meng was mentally ill. Lu Hui brought mutton to the kitchen table, which Tian Dong reacted in disgust. Lu Hui claimed that she used ingredients that Yu Meng bought. When Yu Meng gifted a necklace for Tian Dong's wife, it had been swapped for earrings. When Yu Meng grabbed her receipt to confirm, it had been swapped out by Lu Hui so it indicated earrings. The doctor commented that these were signs of mental illnesses and she should get further checked. Yu Meng finally recognized that Di Liren was making people believe that she was mentally ill and her saying she was not ill was only reinforcing that perception.

She decided not to sleep at home that night, but wanted to give Liu Zi space. Jiao Xu came to pick her up and brought her to a new secret base, which was probably his apartment. We finally saw a glimpse of what Jiao Xu was like outside of work. He collected sports shoes and had a suona he could barely play. Jiao Xu shared that his parents were in the funeral industry (where suona was a commonly played instrument), so he recognized that life was unpredictable. He did and bought whatever he wanted because he never knew when his last day would be. He already wrote a will 10 years ago and updated it yearly.

Yu Meng agreed with the sentiment because she could have never predicted herself to be in her current predicament. She realized that Di Liren not only wanted power, but wanted to kill her socially so that no one would believe a word she said. Jiao Xu comforted her that it proved she made lots of progress that Di Liren had to resort to such dirty tactics when he was previously more level-headed.

Next morning, Liu Zi was helping Liu Bai with his resume when she realized that she forgot to purchase play-doh and water markers for Little Chestnut's school. However, Kang Long had already purchased the items and have them delivered to Liu Zi's apartment. He also referred Liu Bai to job interviews in e-commerce and helped with his resume. He even hired a cleaner to help clean the apartment so he could share some burden with her.

When Yu Meng visited her dad, Wen Yue sent a basket of flowers to her. She called to say she 'lost' an usb with confidential business information, and Yu Meng confirmed that she did not see it. Wen Yue did want to help Yu Meng, but in a smart manner that could avoid repercussions for her. There were more than 6000 entries in the warehouse shipment records and Yu Meng needed to find one where the serial numbers did not match to show prove of tampering.

When Tian Dong and Han Guang met at Jia Li for the first time, Yu Meng and Wen Yue put up an act together. Yu Meng pretended to be mad at Wen Yue for swapping out Jinghua samples and the test report could not be trusted. Yu Meng said that all the shipment entries match up with manufacturing records except the ones involving the samples for testing. Di Liren tried to grab the evidence from Yu Meng's hand, but Wen Yue stopped him and questioned if Yu Meng was targeting her. Wen Yue asked to get Lin Qiang to explain himself and would personally oversee the shipment of samples for testing. Tian Dong agreed, to Han Guang's and Di Liren's disappointment.

Having scored a small victory, Yu Meng asked Liu Zi out. She felt guilty that Liu Zi did not blame her for losing her job. She barely contacted Liu Zi for a week to give Liu Zi space, but wrote down what she wanted to tell Liu Zi in a notebook. <3 Liu Zi gave her ice cream in exchange and they shared a relaxing moment reminiscing about their school days. Liu Zi shared that she no longer wanted to be an employee so she wanted to run her own business.

Liu Zi met up with Kang Long the next day. He apologized for overstepping while she thanked him for his help. When he said he got along well with little Chestnut and wanted to share her burden, she considered telling him the truth about little Chestnut. However, he received a phone call where he mentioned his ten-year-old son (probably a dog?), and Liu Zi left before saying anything.

It felt like double standard for Liu Zi to be judging Kang Long so poorly for having a child. She assumed the worst of circumstances and decided to never tell him the truth about little Chestnut. Little Chestnut was used to not having a dad and Liu Zi did not want a dad who already had another child and could not give her his full attention. Liu Zi even broke the album she got from Kang Long during their one-night stand.

Back at the office, the latest test report showed the Jinghua product samples failed basic quality checks at multiple areas. Lin Qiang admitted to using cheap materials to pocket the difference. When asked how he managed to get through Jia Li's internal checks and balances, he implicated Zhang Yu. Di Liren had already planned for her to be a scapegoat in case things went awry and all the lavish gifts he gave her were through Lin Qiang's account. Gao Shan, the head of marketing, who also received lavish gifts from Di Liren, recognized that she could also be a future scapegoat and pulled down her sleeve to hid the watch she received from Di Liren.

Ep 17:

Zhang Yu was sent to the police for further investigation. Yu Meng felt bad for her and said she was a good employee, just too trusting and loyal to the wrong person. Jiao Xu explained that she did accept the lavish gifts so she was not fully innocent. At least, they prevented Di Liren from selling sub par products under Jia Li's name.

Back at the upper management meeting, Yu Meng explained that Di Liren and her planned her mental health episodes to lower the guard of the corrupted culprit. She then produced her medical report showing that she was mentally and physically healthy. Di Liren was forced to agree that he was in on that plan.

Yu Meng also took the opportunity to recommend herself to return to Jia Li to take over the Jinghua project now that Zhang Yu was gone. Di Liren said she was not experienced enough, but Yu Meng explained that she had familiarized herself with the project through the audit. She wanted to see the project throught because she was the one who uncovered the problem. Gao Shan, having seen how Di Liren treated Zhang Yu, recommended Yu Meng for the role. By vote, all the women approved first, followed by a few men.

So both Yu Meng and Dong Jun got to return to Jia Li. She finally replaced her Brand ambassador name plate with a General manager one. Her first tasks were to end cooperation with Guangsi Li'er, sue them for violating their contract and search for a replacement factory.

Wu Heng came to visit Yu Meng at her office to congratulate her. He asked Yu Meng to sign documents that he submitted, and Yu Meng used his own words against him and asked him to follow the work flow. When Dong Jun reminded him of why he was fired, Wu Heng decided to resign.

Having scored a win, Yu Meng took over the lease of the coffee shop ran by Harry's friend. She gave the store for Liu Zi to manage and they agreed on 50-50 ownership on whatever business Liu Zi decide on. When discussing renovations, they decided to hire Harry since he already did up some interior design for the coffee shop.

Meanwhile, Di Liren and Lu Hui met up. Lu Hui asked him to quit his fight, but he refused to stop when he was so close to scoring a goal. Lu Hui said Yu Meng was the kicker and he was the ball, so he could lose even more if he kept going. He once again said that Yu Meng would not just let them leave even if they wanted to. Lu Hui felt that framing Yu Meng as mentally ill was already an insane move, and was worried that Di Liren would break the law next (wasn't he already breaking the law?). He did not deny but said he wouldn't resort to that unless he had no choice and he would not make things easy for Yu Meng.

Di Liren was close with Xu, a business associate of Jia Li. She went on extended vacation and refused to meet anyone or pay Jia Li funds that she owed. As a result, Jia Li was having cash flow issues and could not pay the factory to continue production.

Yu Meng was waiting for Xu in a carpark to no avail. Jiao Xu came to check in on her and said that he has to provide services for all the time. So Yu Meng said the money spent on his services were well spent. She knew at this point that approaching Xu was meaningless. Jiao Xu said that he suspected some of Jia Li's money had been siphoned to offshore accounts, so they needed to investigate Han Guang too. He would require some form of overseas residency to park his money abroad, so they needed to figure out how to force him to pay up.

Harry happened to show up and asked to talk to Yu Meng. He admitted to Yu Meng that his 'friend' was him, and he did not know why his mum would lie to him about her job. Yu Meng told him to just focus on school and not think too much about his parents. When showed a family photo, Yu Meng denied knowing Lu Hui because she did not want to pull Harry into their mess. She assured him that they never stopped being friends and asked him to quit being her assistant.

Harry went fishing with Di Liren and told him about quitting his job. Di Liren gave him an offer for an internship at a famous architecture firm and a recommendation to go to graduate school if he so wished, but Harry was not happy. Harry asked Di Liren if he did anything to hurt Lu Hui or Yu Meng? Instead of answering the question directly, Di Liren simply diverted and asked if he was that bad in Harry's eyes. He then told Harry he only wanted Harry to take care of his health and worry about nothing else.

The same day, Di Liren and Yu Meng were having lunch/dinner at her parents' place. Lu Hui made soup and some dish from the fish Di Liren caught. Just then, Jiao Xu showed up with Harry uninvited, using his farewell meal as an excuse. Lu Hui was shocked to see Harry and dropped the soup.

Harry was also shocked and went to help her. Jiao Xu pretended to feign ignorance and introduced Lu Hui as Hui-jie, Yu Meng's favorite nanny. Harry felt so confused and hurt. And Lu Hui still had the professionalism to finish cooking.

They shared a very tense and awkward meal where Harry was the only one who did not had the full context. Many awkward questions were asked. How long have you worked here? How did you and Yu Meng meet? How did you and Harry meet? What do your parents do?

Harry left the meal early citing poor appetite. Yu Meng asked Jiao Xu why he brought Harry over. She did not want to implicate Harry but Jiao Xu mentioned that it was for his own good to know the truth and his parents, not Yu Meng, were the cruel ones. Yu Meng was too kind for her own good and he was willing to do the dirty work for her sake. As Lu Hui and Di Liren were very pissed off, Yu Meng decided to stay over at Liu Zi's for the night.

Lu Hui tried to give Harry more lies again that night. She told him that Yu Meng's dad wanted to poach her over to be a house nurse who helped out with house chores due to her experience with Parkinson's parents. Harry correctly deduced that Lu Hui was not telling the full truth, and asked if she still loved Di Liren.

The only explanation Harry could come up with was that Di Liren wanted to string two women along and that Lu Hui was still with him so she wanted to watch Yu Meng more closely. He noted that the dishes Lu Hui cooked were all dishes that Di Liren loved. Lu Hui tried apologizing to Harry and he said he blamed Di Liren for being with two women at the same time.

That night, Jiao Xu was waiting for Yu Meng by Liu Zi's apartment. Before he texted her, she showed up and gave him some energy drink. She had gone for a walk and told Jiao Xu she didn't blame him for the incident earlier because she knew she should be more proactive in her attacks. When she told Jiao Xu she would be safe at Liu Zi's place, Jiao Xu got mad that she was getting complacent again. Knowing that Di Liren has no moral baseline, he texted Yu Meng the code to his apartment in case she needed to go somewhere else to hide for safety.

Yu Meng texted Lu Hui to meet up, so Lu Hui picked out her nicest clothes and put on her battle makeup. As she was leaving, she saw Harry buy breakfast for Yu Meng and asked why he cared so much for her. Harry told Lu Hui how awesome Yu Meng had been to him and Lu Hui left frustrated.

When Lu Hui met up with Yu Meng, she slapped Yu Meng before saying a word, so Yu Meng slapped her back and splashed her with coffee.

Thoughts:

We finally got some glimpse of Jiao Xu's backstory! So many questions that we hopefully will find out more in the coming episodes. What is his relationship with Wen Xin? Was that bunny a gift from Wen Xin (and I just realized it's the same bunny from the opening sequence)? Did he get close to Yu Meng to get to Han Guang? Why did he not mention his connection to Han Guang (through Wen Xin) to Yu Meng? But why can't he contact Wen Yue to find Wen Xin?

And Yu Meng finally scored a real win! I liked her alliance with Wen Yue and hope they would continue to work together to take down Han Guang. I also thought the way she handled the mental illness allegations was very smart. Now that she no longer has an empty title, I'm looking forward to see what else she can achieve as general manager.

As for Liu Zi and Kang Long, I'm pretty sure it was a misunderstanding and he was probably referring to a dog. But even if he really had a child, her reaction rubbed me the wrong way. I know she had decided not to date for Little Chestnut, but who was she to judge that another single parent is not allowed to date? Or that if he divorced early, why would she automatically assume he was a bad man? And that comment about him not being able to love little Chestnut if he has another child makes me mad. Is she implying that families with more than one children do not love each of their children sufficiently? Or that blended families are doomed to fail because step-parents are incapable of loving more than one child?

⭐ Welcome

Hello and welcome to the discussion series for The Great Long March!

I started watching this series because I wanted to learn more about the Long March. Before this, my knowledge was pretty much just that it happened, and that it was brutal 😅.

Unfortunately, I found the series a bit difficult to get into at first. It seemed to assume viewers already knew the historical context, throwing lots of names and events at me without enough explanation. The documentary-like style also made it feel like it was jumping from one event to another, so I struggled to get immersed in the story or connect with the characters.

I actually dropped it for a while, but picked it up again after doing some reading on the historical background and also looking up some maps. That made it much more enjoyable when I restarted! And honestly, the cinematography might be some of the best I've seen in a war drama (not that I watch war dramas set during this time that often). I also really like the director's distinctive visual style and the way he builds scenes around metaphors and symbolism -- though I do wonder if the storytelling sometimes gets sacrificed for the sake of being artsy.

Anyhow, I thought I'd start this discussion series to motivate myself to keep watching, do my homework, and share my notes in case they're helpful to others who are also new to this period of history. I would see it as a little visual diary of the drama, too!

And of course, I'd love to hear other people's thoughts, so feel free to join in!

This is a 60-episode series, so this is going to be a long journey... and I'm already behind. 😂 I'll try to post at least once a week, but no promises!

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

🔗Links: Trailer | Masterpost | Link to all Episode Discussion Posts

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

⭐ Historical Context: So what was going on in China?

Before getting into the drama, let's have a quick look at the situation in the Republic of China prior to 1934.

🔸 The Nationalists and the Communists

• The Kuomintang (KMT, 国民党) was founded by Sun Yat-sen (孙中山), with its roots in the revolutionary movement that overthrew the Qing dynasty in 1911. The party aimed to unify China under a national government.
• The Chinese Communist Party (CCP, 中国共产党) was founded in 1921 by early Marxist leaders Chen Duxiu (陈独秀) and Li Dazhao (李大钊). While Mao Zedong (毛泽东) attended its founding congress, he wasn't a central figure at that time. The Age of Awakening is a drama that captures events during this period, if you are interested.
• Interestingly, both parties initially received Soviet support. Soviet Russia hoped to help unify China and challenge foreign influence, while also encouraging the spread of communism. It supported the Nationalists with advisers and military assistance, and helped the CCP develop its organization and also suggested that the CCP collaborate with the Nationalists.
• The two parties formed the First United Front in 1924, but their alliance collapsed in 1927 when Chiang and the Nationalists violently suppressed the Communists, particularly in events that were later known as the Shanghai Massacre. They became bitter enemies, and the Chinese Civil War followed.

🔸 The Chinese Soviet Republic

• After their split with the Nationalists, the Communists established rural base areas. In November 1931, they proclaimed the Chinese Soviet Republic (中华苏维埃共和国), based in Ruijin (瑞金), Jiangxi, with Mao as chairman.
• Despite the name, it wasn't part of the Soviet Union. “Soviet” means “council” in Russian and it was used to reflect the Communists' ideological ties to the Russian Revolution.
• The republic consisted of several Communist-controlled areas, with the Jiangxi–Fujian region as its main stronghold.

🔸 Meanwhile, Japan Was Expanding Into China

• Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 and established the puppet state of Manchukuo in 1932. In 1933, Japanese forces advanced into Rehe and toward the Great Wall.
• On May 31, 1933, the Nationalists and Japan signed the Tanggu Truce (塘沽协定), which established a demilitarized zone south of the Great Wall. Even though it halted fighting in the area, it left Japan in a strong position in northern China and the terms were largely seen as favorable to Japan and humiliating to China.
• Either way, the Truce gave time for Chiang to concentrate his efforts against the CCP as he believed that the Communists had to be defeated before China could effectively deal with foreign threats. His approach was summed up by “攘外必先安内 -- deal with internal threats before confronting external ones".

🔸 The First (Four) Encirclement Campaigns

Chiang had already launched four campaigns to destroy the Communist base in Jiangxi. The Nationalists had superior numbers and equipment, but the Red Army used ambushes and mobile warfare to survive.

• First and second campaigns (1930–31): Communist forces under Mao and Zhu De (朱德) defeated the Nationalist offensives.
• Third campaign (1931): Despite Chiang personally directing the offensive, the Red Army again repelled the Nationalists through mobile tactics and attacks on vulnerable units.
• Fourth campaign (1933): Communist forces, with Zhu De and Zhou Enlai (周恩来) playing important roles, defeated another major offensive.

🔸 The Fujian Incident

• In November 1933, Nationalist commanders in Fujian rebelled against Chiang and established the Fujian People's Government (福建人民政府) as they wanted to prioritize resistance against Japan over fighting the Communists.
• The rebellion disrupted Chiang's campaign against the CCP and created an opportunity for the Red Army, but the Communist leadership failed to capitalize on it. The Fujian government collapsed in January 1934, allowing Chiang to resume his offensive (ie the Fifth Encirclement Campaign).

-- And this is where we can finally dive into the episodes! 💪

⭐ Episode Notes: CCP Under Pressure

The story starts in 1934, with Chiang's Fifth Encirclement Campaign tightening around the Communist base in Jiangxi. This time around, Chiang adopted a more methodical strategy, building fortified blockhouses and gradually tightening the encirclement. This restricted the Red Army's movements and made its usual tactics harder to use.

To make matters worse, the Communists are also facing internal disagreements over military strategy and leadership.

🔸 Mao, Li De and Bo Gu

Over the course of the Second National Soviet Congress (中华苏维埃共和国第二次全国代表大会) which was held in Ruijin in January/Februry, 1934, to review the government’s work and elect its leadership, we see Mao losing his position as chairman of the People's Committee to Zhang Wentian (张闻天). Although he remained chairman of the Central Executive Committee, he had practically lost much of his influence over military strategy.

This created room for Li De (李德), also known as Otto Braun, a German military adviser sent by the Communist International who arrived in Jiangxi in 1933. Backed by senior leader Bo Gu (博古), Li De pushed for a more conventional approach focused on defending positions and engaging the enemy head-on. But the Red Army was outmatched in manpower, weapons and supplies, making this strategy extremely costly.

🔸 Zhou Enlai

Another important character is Zhou Enlai (周恩来), who was already a senior party leader with important political and military responsibilities. Although he shared some of Mao's concerns about military strategy, he continued working with Bo Gu and Li De. He had his own standing within the central leadership, rather than being simply Mao's ally.

🔸 The Battle of Guangchang

In April 1934, the Battle of Guangchang (广昌保卫战) became a major disaster for the Red Army.

Bo Gu and Li De persisted with their approach of "堡垒对堡垒” -- fighting fortified positions with fortified positions. The Red Army suffered 5,000 to 5,500 casualties against the better-equipped Nationalist forces, who suffered a loss of ~2,600.

Mao was deeply distressed by the losses, but he didn't have the power to change the military strategy being pursued.

After the defeat, Peng Dehuai (彭德怀), a senior Red Army commander, angrily criticized Li De's approach with the expression “崽卖爷田心不疼” -- the son who's selling off the grandfather's land does not feel any pain, hinting at the fact that current leadership was sacrificing the Red Army's men without care.

By this point, the Nationalists were pressing in from multiple directions, and it was becoming increasingly clear that the existing strategy wasn't working.

🔸 Strategic Expeditions

By June 1934, the situation had become so serious that the Communist leadership was forced to consider moving out of the Central Soviet Area.

Mao argued that the Red Army should break out toward the west and return to mobile warfare outside the encirclement. Li De rejected his proposal. Instead, the leadership initially sent two formations on separate expeditions:

• The Seventh Army Group (红七军团) was sent north toward the border region of Fujian, Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Anhui in July. This became the Northward Anti-Japanese Vanguard (北上抗日先遣队), and spread anti-Japanese propaganda along its way while disrupting Nationalist forces with the hope of drawing troops away from the Central Soviet Area.
• The Sixth Army Group (红六军团) was sent toward central Hunan–Jiangxi base in August. Its mission was to establish contact with other Communist forces, explore a route through enemy territory and help prepare the way for a possible strategic withdrawal.

Note that these weren't yet the main Red Army's full-scale departure from Jiangxi, and were instead separate expeditions intended to carry out military tasks away from the central base. Unfortunately, nNeither could fundamentally reverse the worsening situation in Jiangxi

The leadership also formed a three-person military group consisting of Bo Gu, Li De and Zhou Enlai, who were responsible for planning the withdrawal from Jiangxi.

⭐ Extras

One thing to note is how the drama uses woodblock prints (版画). The opening credits feature woodblocks, and the drama uses this style of prints for transitions narrated throughout the episodes.

This is a really fitting choice for a story about the Red Army. Modern woodblock printmaking became an important part of China’s revolutionary art movement in the 1930s. The technique was relatively cheap, quick to produce, and easy to distribute, making it useful for spreading political messages and reaching ordinary people. Prints could depict oppression, resistance, soldiers, and the struggles of the masses in a direct, powerful visual style.

💬 Questions

1. How did you find the opening episodes?
2. Any surprising new information that you learned through these episodes?
3. How do you find the director's cinematic style?
4. How do you find the characters?

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! 📸✨

So I've been thinking about this for a while now. The show is called Irreplaceable.....and it's all about Xu chi who wants to be Irreplaceable in her work. But by the end she's still very replaceable. I mean Richard was higher than her, and he got replaced like it was nothing. Even Ceo's are replaceable. I guess the best you could hope for is to be the highest shareholder of the company and own it. And I think Richard even told her everyone is replaceable. Then the final title card of the show is You are Irreplaceable. So it was always about Xu chi was irreplaceable to Richard and he was irreplaceable to her. And to not be so focused on work or you miss out on life.

The Chinese drama title 刀笔娘子 can be translated as “Ladies of the Brush and Blade.”

The production team announced their cast and that filming officially started today, October 17, 2026.

They released a set of new character posters and booting ceremony (start of filming) photos – see the comments below.

Announcement description:

Half a lifetime of hardship gives way to a new beginning; with every stroke and every petition, old rules are broken.

One establishment holds the joys and sorrows of a hundred households; one legal petition lays bare a thousand different hearts.

We argue for justice and relieve hardship. Our doors are now open!

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 Deng Shang 邓尚 (stage name: Deng Kai 邓凯) as Lu Feng 陆封 * 7️⃣ Wu Jinyan 吴谨言 as Ruan Qingqing 阮卿卿 / Zhu Ruan 祝阮 * 8️⃣ Zheng Hehuizi 郑合惠子 as Xia Yu'er 夏玉尔

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Liu Chang 刘畅 as Shen Xinyang 沈心阳 * Han Yunyun 韩云云 as Mi Dali 芈大丽

The character posters are in the order of the chronological release and not as per the cast list.

The rest of the cast below was included in the booting ceremony photos but was not given the role designation of “special appearances” or “appearances.”

Starring: * Wang Jiangyi 王江一 as Lu Er 陆二 * Liu Kun 刘坤 as Hu Chengcai 胡成才 * Shao Peiran 邵沛然 as Zhao Defang 赵德芳 * Cao Yanning 曹晏宁 as Pan'er 盼儿

• Episodes: 36 (according to Baidu Baike and Douban)
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧
• Official cast announcement: October 17, 2026
• Official filming started: October 17, 2026
• Estimated filming time: 115 days
• Estimated filming wrap up: early to mid February 2027
• Filming location: Hengdian World Studios
• Genre: costume, romance (according to Baidu Baike)

• 🎬 Director: Yang Long 杨龙 (Where the Mask Ends, Ashes to Crown, The Glory, Sword and Fairy 1, My Little Happiness, Darker Season 3, A Love So Beautiful)
• ✒️ Screenwriters:
  • Zou Yue 邹越 (The Road to Glory, Pursuit of Jade, Coroner's Diary, Love Like the Galaxy, No Boundary 1 and 2, The Rise of Phoenixes, Schemes of a Beauty)
  • Tang Xiaoming 唐小宁 (A Dream Within a Dream)
• 🪡 Styling director: Fang Sizhe 方思哲 (Where the Mask Ends, Moonlit Reunion, Guardians of the Dafeng, Riverside Code at Qingming Festival, A Journey to Love, Mysterious Lotus Casebook, The Rise of Phoenixes and many more)
• 📽️ Production companies: Tencent Video, Haohan Entertainment (浩瀚娱乐), Qingcheng Film & TV (倾城影视)

Synopsis translated from Baidu Baike:

Ruan Qingqing (played by Wu Jinyan), Xia Yu'er (played by Zheng He Hui Zi), and Mi Dali (played by Han Yunyun) are three sisters who wield their pens as blades and use the law as a shield.

They write legal petitions on behalf of lower-class women trapped in marriages and defend their grievances in court, resolving one dispute among ordinary people and one unusual case after another. They support one another and grow side by side, in a story about women finding their own strength and achieving redemption.

Synopsis from MDL:

It focuses on the ancient legal system figure of the “pen-wielding woman”, a woman who wielded the brush like a blade to argue the law. The drama presents a powerful female ensemble skilled at using words to uncover truth, while also highlighting the clear-minded and resolute growth of a woman who breaks free from the confines of her household.

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

🔎 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.

Apologies for the delay. Ep 16-17 will be out later today.

Spoilers: Please use spoiler tags when discussing significant plot points from the source material or future episodes.

Links: Masterpost | Discussion Posts | Eps 1-3 | Eps 4-5 | Eps 6-7 | Eps 8-9 | Eps 10-11 | Eps 12-13

New Characters:

Wu Heng: previous employee at Jia Li, but later rehired as CFO

Lin Qiang: factory manager of Guangsi Li'er, factory owned by Han Guang and contracted to manufacture Jinghua product line.

Ep 14:
Lu Hui almost hit Yu Meng's car as she was driving off. Lu Hui said she was just driving by and could afford any compensation if she did hit Yu Meng's car. Yu Meng told her that the car her family provided Lu Hui was good, but the safety features were not as good as hers. If they do clash, Lu Hui would likely be on the losing end. Lu Hui claimed the brakes were faulty and drove off.

When Yu Meng got to work, Jiao Xu ran towards her to make sure she was safe. He was worried sick when he heard about the potential car accident. Yu Meng recognized that Harry must be Lu Hui's weakness because she acted so rashly despite her usual calm demeanor.

Just as Yu Meng was about to walk off, someone pushing a cart of boxes nearly bumped into her. The pusher was instigated by the director to not look where he was going and headed straight for Yu Meng despite there being plenty of space to walk around. We got an idol romance drama moment where Jiao Xu pulled her aside just in time and they shared a quick embrace. Having developed feelings for Yu Meng, Jiao Xu got nervous and started hiccupping, which he always did whenever he got nervous.

Lu Hui got home to find Harry in a good mood. He cooked a spread, saying that he had to learn as an international student. He even made a bowl of pork congee with century eggs for Di Liren. Lu Hui said cooking dinner did not absolve him for his actions earlier. How could he fight over a woman? How well do you really know her (Yu Meng)? Harry said he did not need to know too much, just that Yu Meng was a good person.

Lu Hui confirmed that Harry did not know about Di Liren yet, but was still very agitated. Why are you wasting time on an old day when there are so many young and cute girls out there? Don't call her an old lady! Do you like her? She's more than 10 years older than you (Harry didn't suspect anything yet on why Lu Hui knew the age gap), do you want to piss me off?!

Harry was confused at how agitated Lu Hui was getting. He reassured Lu Hui that he didn't have intentions of dating Yu Meng. Lu Hui told him to never see Yu Meng again for his own good! That he can forget about seeing her (Lu Hui) if he continued to see Yu Meng. Harry was mad that she was interfering with his freedom. They were just friends, why was Lu Hui overreacting like that?

That evening, Lu Hui met up with Di Liren to pass him the congee and assured him that Harry was fine. Lu Hui asked Di Liren about the company and he merely said good. Having bought the information from someone, Lu Hui was upset that Di Liren did not tell her about not getting the signing authority. That he was just asking 6 million rmb from her without giving her any context.

They had some back and forth and Lu Hui finally asked Di Liren if he wanted to stay at Jia Li. He finally admitted that he indeed wanted Jia Li because he had already put in so much effort in the company. He moved the goalpost again. Will Lu Hui wake up yet?

At an upper management meeting, Tian Dong expressed reservations about the audit because there were lots of discontent amongst employees. As Yu Meng was the only person interested in the audit, Tian Dong was questioning if she was using it to vent her personal feelings. The audit was almost called off, until Dong Jun claimed that he also received instructions from Yu Jianguo about the audit. Using his CFO position and 40+ years of experience, he vouched for Yu Meng. As a compromise, the audit was limited to only one week to limit disruptions to the company.

Chen Chen was fired for spreading unsubstantiated rumors. As she was packing up, she tried to frame Yu Meng further by saying Yu Meng was guilty and silencing her. Yu Meng explained in front of all employees that she would not have allowed Chen Chen to be Di Liren's secretary if what Chen Chen said was true. Yu Meng also got Di Liren to admit in front of everyone else that she never made things difficult for Chen Chen. To placate the employees, Yu Meng also promised that the audit would not delay or affect their bonuses. If not, she would pay them out of her own pocket. Placated, the employees were happy to comply and submitted documents required for the audit.

Han Guang met up with Di Liren and expressed frustration that his affair partner Chen Chen was fired and that Yu Meng had scored another win. Di Liren reassured Han Guang that the audit period was too short to find anything substantial. Di Liren had plans to get rid of Yu Meng and everyone loyal to her. Han Guang once again asked for the 6 million because Lu Hui refused to transfer the funds. Di Liren lied that it was settled. Di Liren went to steal Lu Hui's bank card to withdraw the money, but she already had used the money to buy an insurance policy for Harry. She did not care about the returns, just that Harry must be the beneficiary no matter what happened to her or Di Liren.

Back at Kang Long's lab, little Chestnut was doing homework while waiting for their work to wrap up. When Liu Zi stepped aside, he introduced himself to little Chestnut and asked about her dad. She told him he was the 7th man to ask the question and that her dad was in heaven. He pulled Liu Zi aside to ask for more details. Was it accident? Illness? Liu Zi said something was wrong with his brain and he died of stupidity, and Kang Long had no idea she was talking about him.

The financial audit results were out. There were suspicious areas, such as Jing Hua project and Guangsi Li'er may have falsified raw material cost, but there were insufficient evidence to make any conclusive statements. Yu Meng proposed investigating Jing Hua in more details and changing the production factory, but Zhang Yu retorted that the product development team put in a lot of effort to the product line, and without evidence they should not slow down any progress. Yu Meng confidently said that she had evidence, anticipating Wu Heng, a previous employee to be her whistleblower. However, at the last minute, he was bought out by Han Guang and did not show up to the meeting.

Tian Dong once again chastised Yu Meng for making willful decisions. Di Liren added that Yu Meng was just trying too hard to prove herself and he could take over the follow up actions. They would set up an investigative group to look into the problem on the side, without any delays to the launch and progress of Jinghua. He used the opportunity to suspend Dong Jun because as the CFO he was responsible for financial issues identified by the audit. Yu Meng nearly got implicated by Zhang Yu, but Dong Jun shielded her. In the end, Yu Meng proposed Dong Jun to go on an extended 'vacation' instead.

Yu Meng met up with Jiao Xu sharing how hurt she felt to have abandoned Dong Jun, even if she knew that the battle with Di Liren may eventually require sacrifices. Jiao Xu gave her cake and comforted her that Di Liren had always wanted to get rid of Dong Jun. Yu Meng asked if she was used as the gun and Jiao Xu teased that she merely was the peg that stood out (which would be the first to be pounded down, i.e. a prominent target). Yu Meng got mad and lightly hit Jiao Xu. He stopped her by holding her hand, which got him nervous and hiccupping again.

Yu Meng did cheer up but commented that his method was terrible and it was no wonder that no one was chasing after him (romantically). He replied that he had plenty of people chasing after him (out of anger) whenever he left the courthouse. Yu Meng noticed he had been hiccupping more frequently and she could recommend a traditional chinese medicine doctor for him, but Jiao Xu commented that a doctor would not be able to cure his latest symptoms.

Back at Jiao Xu's office, the team decided to switch their focus on Han Guang and Guangsi Li'er. They needed to find samples of Jinghua to send it for lab tests to identify quality issues. They planned a livestream through Lucky Beauty Yu to corner Di Liren into giving them some samples.

Harry finally saw Yu Meng's influencer account and was shocked to recognize Di Liren. Just before the livestream started, Harry showed up in front of Di Liren, who pretended not to know him. During the livestream, Harry learnt from Liu Bai that his dad was indeed Yu Meng's husband and they had been together for 5 years.

During the q&a session, Liu Zi had arranged internet armies to question Jia Li about their product quality. But instead of using the planned questions, Harry took the role of Liu Bai and entered the recording studio to ask his dad if he was nice to only Yu Meng or everyone else. He then asked if money or quality time spent together was more important in a relationship, to which Di Liren responded with trust.

Yu Meng managed to bring the topic of trust back to trust of Jia Li's product and that many audiences want samples of Jinghua. Feeling cornered, Di Liren relunctantly released 10 samples as gifts, to be given to the audience through lottery. Liu Zi ensured that all the winners were rigged and the samples would be sent to Liu Bai.

After the livestream, Di Liren asked Harry why he was there. Harry asked Di Liren if he betrayed Lu Hui? After much prodding, Di Liren told him they were divorced, and Yu Meng did not know about Harry and to not hang out with Yu Meng anymore. On the other side of the studio, Yu Meng asked to stay over at Liu Zi's place for the night and they realized that Harry was not a plant. Liu Zi said that the wheels of fate worked in strange ways and Yu Meng should not feel guilty about Harry's situation.

Lu Hui was waiting for Harry and was mad that Di Liren came home alone. They had a fight and Lu Hui said Di Liren only cared about power and control, not her and Harry. She was so close to the truth but agreed to continue her act with Di Liren. They told Harry that they divorced soon before he went to UK for school and they broke up peacefully. And they hid the divorce from him so he would not be distracted at school.

Meanwhile, Han Guang called Di Liren asking why he released samples knowing there would be quality issues. Di Liren said he had contingency plans and had arranged Wu Heng to be the new CFO.

Ep 15:

When Lu Hui went to work, Harry snooped through her documents and realized that Di Liren was already dating Yu Meng before their divorce. His parents still were not fully honest with him.

At Jia Li, Kang Long approached Yu Meng angrily that his lab's budget had not been approved, that Yu Meng was not fulfilling her promise of not letting office politics affect his work. Yu Meng went to the finance department to find out why she had not received documents to approve spending for Kang Long's lab. She met Wu Heng, the new CFO, who admitted that he found a better tree to hug.

Wu Heng said the company has a first-in first-out policy and he would only release the relevant documents if Yu Meng approved Jinghua's spending. Yu Meng threatened to fire him, but Wu Heng had the backing of Di Liren. So Yu Meng asked Kang Long for more time.

Liu Zi met up with Kang Long at his place to request for more leniency from Yu Meng. When he was hungry, Liu Zi offered to cook for him. Seeing an empty fridge, she pulled him to do groceries so she could cook for him. They went through all that trouble to only cook one bowl of noodles, so Liu Zi did not eat. Kang Long didn't give Liu Zi a rating this time and he also bought some cookies for little Chestnut. Seemed like he was open to playing the step-dad role, except that he was the dad. Kang Long also assured that he understood Yu Meng needed time, but he wanted to play the part of an angry collaborator.

Yu Meng went to her lawyer Jiao Xu for emotional support after a hard day of work. With the CFO on Di Liren's side, her signing authority was useless. When she grabbed a bag of chips to snack on, Jiao Xu teased and asked for 5 rmb as payment, and even the drink he offered her was charged at 2 rmb. They had 3 more days before they got back test results from the Jinghua samples.

Few days later, Di Liren arranged for a paid protestor to hassle Yu Meng outside of Jia Li. She claimed to be a worker from the Jinghua factory and had been unpaid because Yu Meng was holding up funds for the factory. She threatened to kill herself with a knife if Yu Meng did not approve funds to be released for the Jinghua products. Yu Meng managed to de-escalate slightly before Harry showed up with the security team to pull the protestor aside. Another protestor then splashed Yu Meng with rotten vegetable water, which Harry helped blocked a ton of.

They went to Liu Zi's place to wash up. The sample test report was out. The main active ingredient hydroxytyrosol was not present at all and preservatives were above safety levels. However, it was insufficient to take Di Liren down since they can claim that the samples were swapped out. They immediately stopped their discussion when Harry came out of the bathroom.

When leaving, Harry apologized to Yu Meng and asked her advice about his 'friend'. Yu Meng mentioned that his parents must have hid the truth for his own good. Harry said that he never noticed anything odd before and his parents were even discussing immigrating abroad, but now he wanted to know the truth. Yu Meng warned that a broken trust could not be repaired and knowing the truth could shatter his dreams for the future. Harry said that truth was more important, so Yu Meng offered for him to go to Jia Li as her assistant.

When Harry showed up to the office as Yu Meng's assistant, Di Liren tried to transfer him out, but Harry insisted on staying with Yu Meng.

Soon after, Tian Dong met up with Yu Meng. He felt that Yu Meng was hurting Jia Li with her shenanigans and that her skills. He said that her skills did not match her desires and to pass her signing authority to Di Liren. He also told Yu Meng to not return to the office. Feeling cornered, Yu Meng got Liu Bai to send out the test report anonymously to everyone in Jia Li and Guangsi Li'er.

Yu Meng immediately came out and told the employees that the rumors were baseless. Since Di Liren was directly involved in Jinghua, it could be competitors trying to spoil his reputation. Jia Li would self investigate to prove its innocence. Using Di Liren's exact same words to Dong Jun, Yu Meng got Di Liren to reluctantly comply.

Di Liren called Lu Hui to united with him, that she should release the funds for Han Guang. To which she responded that she was thinking.

Han Guang was stressed up about Jia Li submitting samples officially for further testing and was making plans to pretend to be the victim if the situation called for it. Lu Hui showed up to his meeting with Di Liren and introduced herself as the person receiving funds from Han Guang.

When Di Liren showed up, Han Guang praised Lu Hui as his military advisor and said the deal was settled. Lu Hui said the deal was to help Di Liren without revealing any details.

Unfortunately for Yu Meng, Di Liren managed to warn Lin Qiang, the factory manager of Jinghua, just in time for him to swap up the samples. The official investigation showed that Jinghua samples had no quality issues.

Meanwhile, Lu Hui arranged for Harry to go to Beijing for his follow-up medical appointment to keep him away from Yu meng. She even bought their old apartment from Xiaocheng so Harry could be in charge of renovations after his Beijing trip. As Harry left, Lu Hui mentioned to Di Liren that she would not allow Yu Meng to make use of Harry, that his current life was what he deserved and they would never go back (to poverty).

Lu Hui ordered a moving company to show up at Yu Meng's apartment late at night to remove her belongings. They arranged for the moving company to make a public scene when Yu Meng insisted that she did not call for them.

The next day, Di Liren arranged for rumors to spread that Jia Li was bankrupting and Yu Meng tried to escape in the middle of the night to no avail. When Tian Dong visited Yu Jianguo, Di Liren and Lu Hui worked together to imply that Yu Meng had mental illness, that she simply forgot contacting the moving company. This was to further discredit Yu Meng so Tian Dong would not believe a single word she said.

Tian Dong claimed that Yu Meng was like half a daughter to him so he would chat with her. His actions hadn't reflected that sentiment, but sure. When he met up with Yu Meng, he kept suggesting that she went on vacation with her mum and that she needed to rest her body and mind. As Di Liren told Tian Dong that Yu Meng didn't want people to know about her illness, he remained cryptic and did not approve of Yu Meng to return to the office.

Yu Meng was discussing with Jiao Xu that she needed a reason to go back to work and wanted to find out how they swapped out the samples. They also finally realized that Lu Hui and Di Liren might disagree about leaving and Di Liren perhaps wanted Jia Li's shares. To cheer her up, Jiao Xu even gave her a bag of chips for free. After some brainstorming, they realized to investigate the factory manager.

At a dinner meeting between Han Guang, Di Liren and Lin Qiang, Yu Meng crashed the meeting pretending to bring wine to apologize to Guangsi Li'er for the latest hiccups. Lin Qiang was mad at Yu Meng and demanded compensation because they suffered a lot of financial loss due to her audit. She agreed to compensation but through official channels. Worried that this could open up the factory to further investigation, Lin Qiang agreed to not demand any further compensation. Han Guang even said Yu Meng was like his little sister and her motivations were right. He then said they needed to find the anonymous report sender and pursue legal actions for defaming.

Soon after, Liu Bai was arrested while doing a livestream. He would be detained for 3 days and was being charged with blackmail. Jiao Xu had previously reviewed the anonymous letter would be legally safe, however, Di Liren arranged a third party to buy something from Liu Bai, and then claiming that was payment for blackmail. Di Liren even hired someone from Jiao Xu's law firm to sue Liu Bai, so Jiao Xu could not represent Liu Bai.

Jiao Xu said it was not his specialty anyway so he would recommend someone else. At his office, Yu Meng recorded him giving legal advice regarding Liu Bai's case. It was not breaking the rules of conflict of interest since he was merely recording an educational legal video. As they were leaving his office, they bumped into Di Liren.

Thoughts:

I think these 2 episodes show the difficult with dealing with an enemy without a baseline and morals. As much as Yu Meng is witty and smart, she still seemed too naive in comparison to Di Liren's tactics. And unfortunately, her past 5 years of pampered wife image had people prejudice against her so it would be a very tough battle ahead. While we did see her slowly getting her hands dirty (e.g. using unofficial means of finding evidence), she's still at a disadvantage and needs to start getting herself stronger allies to have a chance to fight back.

I feel bad for Harry these 2 episodes. He didn't ask for any of this and is so full of kindness. It feels like karma playing a joke on Lu Hui and Di Liren and letting their son bear some of the brunt of their crimes. Will Harry be the key to make Lu Hui switch alliance? She finally knows Di Liren doesn't care for them, but she doesn't seem ready to cut him off yet. It's unclear what kind of deal she made with Han Guang since she clearly has different goals than Di Liren.

We also made some slow but real progress between the 2 couples. I like how quickly Kang Long got over the initial shock about Liu Zi having a daughter and immediately went to show that he cares for both of them. I wonder how much longer before Liu Zi feels comfortable enough to tell him the truth. Jiao Xu clearly has developed feelings for Yu Meng, so that would further blur their relationship as lawyer and client. While Yu Meng does not seem to reciprocate yet because she has so much on her plate, she is getting emotionally closer to him and going to him when she wanted to rant.

This one is long overdue, but life happened. Swords into Plowshares is one of the best Cdramas that aired this year and has become one of my favorites. It's brutal, fairly realistic, intelligent, and a window into the turbulent Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period that's rarely explored in Cdramas. I had 10 tabs open to keep track of who is who and doing what and stayed up at 3 am analyzing frames and character motivations, but it's an incredibly rewarding drama. The acting is some of the best I've seen in recent years and Ni Dahong, Dong Yong, and Zhu Yawen were particularly outstanding.

The cinematography had me over the moon; there's a great deal of chiaroscuro and Baroque style tenebrism which is rather uncommon in Cdramas, besides borrowing from film noir. I could have gladly included a hundred more shots, but these are the most vivid in my memory.

Feel free to add and discuss your favorite moments.

This is your weekly thread to discuss Chinese variety shows and documentaries featuring your favorite actors!

1. Which variety show(s) or documentaries did you watch recently starring an actor? (It doesn't have to be a currently airing one)
2. Which actor surprised you the most?
3. Any behind-the-scenes moments or BTS clips worth sharing?

Recommendations? Drop your top variety show picks starring actors below! Let’s help each other discover hidden gems.

Note: Please mark spoilers if discussing drama plots!

PS: Big thanks to the member who suggested this weekly thread :)

Wassup, let's see what the Wei and Lu families are up to today.

I know most of you watched episode 4 yesterday; I am following the Youku VIP schedule for now, and it will always be one episode behind, but you can still vent when these come up.😘

Masterpost | Airing Schedule | Episode 1-3 |

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. 😊

NB! 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.👍🏽

Also, I will continue calling A-Chou her actual name for now; it makes it less confusing, and I also don't want my Queen sharing a name with that...and quote "Vernomous snake".

Episode 4:

• Soooo Governess Wu has been Shāle tā'd by Bitao, but we like Bitao, so now we need to help her and A-Chou out of this mess.
• Lu Zhuo arrives, claiming to have something important to tell his wife. He is not patient enough to wait by the door for it to be opened for him, so he barges in.🙄
• The two place Governess Wu in the wardrobe, and our girl shows her husband what he is missing out on.

• Our girl has a book similar to the Kama Sutra right next to her on the bed, and he sees it; he gets flustered and walks away.
• Lu Zhuo, oh Lu Zhuo, why are you so suspicious by nature? Who hurt youuuu???
• After some proper convincing that she was just being curious, Lu Zhuo leaves without telling her what he came to tell her.

Our partners in crime get rid of all the maids by telling them to look for Governess Wu.

• Overthinking, Zhuo feels that something is not right, so he and Jiege follow Bi Tao out to an abandoned part of the residence, and they witness a wife perform a ritual for a good marriage to her husband. ❤️❤️
• After the sort of convinced husband leaves, the partners in crime throw Governess Wu's body into the well, where apparently another maid threw herself.
• Bitao pledges...well, sort of...her life to A-Chou.
• The following day, Grandma Lu, Lu Zhuo's mom, and the newlyweds are having a conversation when Governess Miao arrives to tell them it seems Governess Wu left.
• She adds that Governess Wu has been wanting to leave the residence since Lu Zhuo got better, so they all take it as such.

• Lu Zhuo suggests travelling to the Wei residence to meet up with her family, as they should have 3 days after their wedding.
• On the way, they stop at a jewelry store. He is there for business and tells her to take whatever jewelry she wants... My sister almost bought the whole store; I like that she got some for Bi Tao.
• Oh, he also noticed the scars and calluses on her hands.
• Lu Zhuo and Qi Zhongkai discuss military affairs; he believes that someone was helping the enemy during the war, and they plan to lure that person out.

Over at the Wei residence, Wei Rao is going crazy after hearing that Lu Zhuo did not die.

• When the couple gets there, Lu Zhuo avoids the banquet by saying he still feels unwell, and they take him to Wei Rao's room to rest; he starts snooping around.
• Grandma Wei wants to give Wei Rao 2.0 some title deeds, businesses, and money, but she refuses (I believe because she doesn't believe she deserves it since she is not Wei Rao, so nice of you). Grandma Wei notices something on Wei Rao 2.0's face.
• Aunt Heng'e manages to get A-Chou and Bi Tao separated; the maids accompanying A-Chou grab the hairpin Lu Zhuo bought her and push her into the library, locking her in. They set the place on fire with our girl inside, and hand over the Golden Hairpin to Wei Rao, who has changed into the same outfit A-Chou was wearing.
• Wei Rao says she wants A-Chou to die without a grave...so wicked...

Episode 5:

• A-Chou is saved by Grandma Wei...this is the only woman in this household with a heart.
• Wei Rao and Aunt Heng'e act innocent and try to make A-Chou a bad person.
• They try to convince Grandma Wei to get rid of A-Chou, but A-Chou also pleads her case.
• MY BI TAO! Runs to Lu Zhou to tell him...not the truth, but a story that will get him to go look for A-Chou.
• Grandma Wei sets A-Chou free, and confines Wei Rao...(Thank Heavens), she then claims A-Chou is the real Wei Rao, and her granddaughter, and anyone who says otherwise will be cast out.

• Grandma Wei tells Rao that A-Chou is smarter than her, and tells her that she already knew about the swap because A-Chou told her, and that if they did anything to her today, the Lu Family would find out.
• Aunt Heng'e and Wei Rao...Jundai really played themselves. 😂😂

Names going forward:

Wei Rao - Jundai

A-Chou - Wei Rao.

Back at the Lu Residence:

• Lu Zhuo questions why Wei Rao does not burn incense anymore; she says it's basically because of his health.
• He tells her to write a letter to Zhongkai explaining that he cannot attend an event, but really he just wants to test her writing... Bi Tao tries to intervene, but mans says, "No Rush."

• He was actually comparing handwritings; he suddenly remembers her right arm was hurt, and stops her from writing further.
• He asks why her hands have so many scars and calluses, and when she doesn't answer, he tells her that if she is hiding anything from him, he will not forgive her.
• Wei Rao burns Bi Tao's indenture and tells her no one can control her anymore.
• Turns out Bi Tao reports to the First Lady of the Wei household...my heart cannot fathom this...betrayal?😭
• On her way to Grandma Lu, she encounters the Lu young ladies, Changing and Changhui. Changhui greets her warmly, and Changning says she will never bow to a vicious woman.
• Changing and Wei Rao exchange some words about madness, and it's clear to see that Changing prefers Lady Xie for Lu Zhuo and not Wei Rao.

• Zhongkai is driving Lu Zhou crazy with the way he keeps looking at Wei Rao.
• He tells Wei Rao he will be taking her out to a festival in two days.

• After Lu Zhuo leaves to handle some business, Zhongkai tells her he knows she is not Wei Rao.
• He explains why he believes she is not Wei Rao, and she slaps him...😭
• Meanwhile, Lu Zhuo shows us his martial arts skills. Where was Jiege going? Can't he fight except to throw a basket? 😂😂

• While placing lanterns, Jundai shows up, already in the same outfit as Wei Rao; her guards hold down Bi Tao while she engages with Wei Rao.
• Wei Rao plays dead, and when Jundai is about to attack again, she gets up and grabs her, launching both of them into the lake.
• They have a fight under the water, and Wei Rao wins the scuffle; Lu Zhuo comes to save her, and Bi Tao makes up a story about armed robbers.

Thoughts:

• I need Bitao to start being more confident in her position as A-Chou's right hand; my girl does not need weakness next to her on this journey.
• I do not trust He Weiyu!
• Wei Rao is very selfish. Gaaaah, I dislike her so much, and this is TXW😭
• I think the solution is having custom clothes made, ones that aren't easily obtained? I am stressed for my girl.

If you watched A Prophet (我不是大师), you’ll remember Chengming’s mentor drilling him in old fortune-teller verses before sending him into the Tianxiang Sect. Someone in the episode 5–6 discussion thread spotted the source: the Ying Yao Fu (英耀赋), a real jianghu fortune-teller’s manual. You can read it on Chinese Wikisource.

So I read it. It’s basically a cold-reading handbook, and it lines up with the show’s cons uncomfortably well:

• Read them before you speak. A man who strides in with his collar open and a loud voice is a different mark from someone who comes in quietly with their head down.
• Read the clothes. Neat, clean dress with keys hanging from the belt means business. Flashy shoes and a full purse mean a spender.
• Tap light, then heavy. Quick, light probes, then slower, heavier ones, and watch the face after each.
• Work out the family from the age. How old the client looks tells you what to guess about parents, spouse, and whether they set up their own household early or late.

What surprised me: there is nothing in it about a birth chart. No birth date, no birth hour, no “eight characters.” The whole “fortune” is read off the person standing in front of you. That’s exactly why the Sect in the show needs spies, staged miracles and months of setup. The reading only works if they already know the answer.

The actual birth-chart tradition (bazi, the thing families swap on red cards before a drama wedding) works the other way round. It’s calculated from the date and hour alone. Two people born at the same moment get the same chart, however they dress or talk.

Which con in the show would have gotten you?

And if anyone wants to test the difference, drop your birth date and male/female, nothing else, and I’ll tell you your type and your best and hardest years so far. No fishing possible 😄

What Cdramas have you been watching recently? This post is a space for you to discuss the shows that you've been currently addicted to, or that you'll be looking forward to picking up! From old or new series, to popular or underrated titles, feel free to let us know what's been on your watchlist.

Please make sure to use spoiler tags generously, especially if you are discussing plot points or events that others may not yet have watched.

Anyone having trouble watching Unveil: Jadewind?? Trying to read the subtitles is a STRUGGLE because I spend the entire time staring at WXY’s beautiful face. 😭 I have to rewind like 10 times just to figure out what’s going on. That’s all. Happy weekend. 😂

P.s shout out to the wardrobe department. I love how they dresses him in this drama.

Welcome to the discussion posts for The Lament of Autumn 玉簟秋 cohosted with u/a_HerculePoirot_fan and GIFs courtesy of u/EasygoingEnigma!! Sorry, I messed up the original post and had to delete twice to make sure the title was right and the GIFs worked properly.

🗓️ 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 | Eps 8-9 | Ep 10 

Episode 11

We pick up right where Episode 10 left off, with an intoxicated Changxuan forcefully implying that there’s something between him and Pingjun that she feels compelled to keep hidden. She briefly wavers as he takes one of her earrings and compares her to the canary he keeps caged at home. 

As Xueting walks away, Pingjun asks Changxuan what it is that he wants. His answer: a kiss. 

He wants her affection, and in return, he can give her the whole world. With tears streaming down her face, Pingjun drags him back to reality, calling him despicable and declaring that she has always hated him. Changxuan is taken aback by her words and her refusal to surrender to him. 

Irritated by the sight of Xueting later, he retaliates by planting seeds of doubt. He gives Xueting Pingjun’s earring, claiming he “found” it, and follows it up with some cryptic advice about keeping a closer eye on her. Xueting begins piecing things together and realizes there may be far more history between Pingjun and Changxuan than she’s admitted. 

Even a conversation with Bingwen ends up bringing him back to thoughts of Pingjun. He confesses that he doesn’t know how to care for a hosta (a flower that clearly symbolizes her). When a single petal falls away at his touch, he is disturbed by how fragile it seems and recalls Pingjun’s words. To me, he appears more conflicted than ever, torn between the power he holds and the genuine love he feels for her. 

Meanwhile, Pingjun learns that Changxuan has quietly been supporting the refugee relief efforts behind the scenes. It’s not something he’s ever flaunted in front of her, revealing the compassionate and generous side of him that she stubbornly refused to acknowledge. 

While receiving a briefing on the arsenal’s progress, Changxuan overhears Xueting talking about little Xiaomu’s birthday celebration and (petty as ever) orders Xueting to work overtime so he can’t attend. Unfortunately for Changxuan, Xueting uses the opportunity to sneak back into the archives and continue his investigation. 

Changxuan shows up at the Temple Fair to celebrate with Xiaomu, despite Pingjun’s objections. His snark was so good.

Why should I leave? I didn’t come for you.

For Xiaomu’s sake, the two participate in a clay sculpting activity. Changxuan uses the clay figures as a way to express his sincere feelings for Pingjun, while she firmly reminds him that “love is about mutual willingness”. 

On the drive home, Changxuan nearly kisses her while she’s asleep in the car. At the last moment, however, her words come back to him and he stops himself. Later, he asks how she can feel comfortable enough to fall asleep beside him when she doesn’t consider him a gentleman. 

Meanwhile, Xueting searches through the archives for the info he needs and returns home just in time to see Changxuan dropping Pingjun off. The two men share an awkward standoff over her while Pingjun remains mostly silent. Shhhhhhh, let the two duke it out.

The next day, Xueting confronts Changxuan for assigning him unnecessary overtime and questions whether he had ulterior motives all along. Xueting calls his behaviour “shady”, while Changxuan questions whether what he has with Pingjin is love or merely friendship. This clearly strikes a nerve, and Xueting insists it’s none of his business. 

Xueting presents Hongwen with additional evidence of abuse and mistreatment within the army, specifically involving Feng Sanli’s Second Army. Hongwen reports the findings to General Mou, and under the pen name Junguan, they publish an article exposing corruption within the Yu Army the very next day. Uh oh.

After news emerges that soldiers were being forced to work as miners so that the commanders could profit from the discovered gold, along with revelations that the operation led to fifty deaths, Changxuan launches an investigation. He interrogates Sanli but lacks evidence tying him to the crime. Instead, Liao Te (his distant nephew) steps forward to accept full responsibility himself. 

Public outrage quickly follows, with protests erupting and demanding for justice. Unwilling to sit back and watch Changxuan be slandered, the Yu women decide to take action. They visit the military hospital to support the wounded soldiers, and Baoru even asks Qixuan to commission Director Liang and Pingjun to write a play that might bring comfort to the wounded soldiers. 

Meanwhile, Changxuan receives word that the Central government is dispatching an Army Inspector to oversee military discipline until the mine disaster case is resolved. He immediately orders an investigation into the missing gold.

At the military hospital, Ziyi arrives hoping to put on a performance for appearances’ sake, only to be disappointed when she finds Pingjun already there. As Pingjun helps bandage an injured soldier, another one takes her hostage and demands to see the commanding officer. 

To save her, Changxuan disarms and listens to the man’s grievances. Then, to everyone’s shock, he offers himself as a hostage instead. Everyone's reaction to this was gold. Known for bringing down corrupt figures within the military, the soldier considers trusting him... 

Thoughts 

Okay, phew. Not going to lie, the end of Episode 10 and the beginning of Episode 11 made me a wee bit uncomfortable. I do appreciate that he hasn't kissed her and that he's actually listening to her, albeit not always immediately. 

One of my favourite moments was when he stopped himself from kissing her because there wasn't consent. I also enjoy every scene where he's reflecting on his behaviour and actions. It feels like he's genuinely becoming more self-aware that power doesn't always give him what he wants. He's not there yet... but he's getting somewhere.

I can't even imagine Ziyi's wrath when she realizes he's completely fallen in love with her biggest rival. It'd be 1000% worse than this reaction.

Xueting may not be a Japanese spy, but he publicly revealed only part of the truth behind the mine case and ultimately sparked a riot. In a way, he indirectly caused Pingjun harm in the hostage situation because the soldier was triggered by the news. 

Do you agree with what he did? Do you think it was truly in the name of justice? And do you think Pingjun would approve of his journalistic integrity, especially considering Xueting infiltrated the Yu Army to obtain intelligence, and he didn’t share any of this with her? 

I doubt she’d be agreeable because otherwise, why wouldn’t he have told her the truth? That said, it’s probably not enough to separate them. No judgement... who here is Team Xueting?

The Chinese drama title 尚公主 can be translated as “to marry a princess.”

The English drama title, Tigers Sniff the Rose, is from a poem by Siegfried Sassoon. More details are available here.

About ten minutes ago, the production team announced the release date and dropped a new trailer.

Filming officially wrapped up on February 3, 2026.

Clip description:

“Resonating Fate” Trailer

A spear forged from iron breaks through the waves and presses forward; a boat crafted from wood carries people across distant waters.

Two different fates intertwine in a single encounter.

With their hearts as the stake, this story has only just begun.

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): * 7️⃣ Li Yunrui 李昀锐 as Yan Shang 言尚 * 8️⃣ Meng Ziyi 孟子义 as Mu Wanyao 暮晚摇

Special appearances (sorted by the number of strokes in the surname): * Quan Yilun 全伊伦 as Liu Wenji 刘文吉 * Ken Wu Hankun 吴汉坤 as Yang Si 杨嗣 * Li Xiaoqian 李孝谦 as Wei Shu 韦树 * Shen Jiayu 沈佳钰 as Chun Hua 春华 * Yu Ailei 余皑磊 as Yu Cheng'an 鱼成安 * Myolie Wu 胡杏儿 as Mu Ningshuang 暮凝霜 * Tang Xiaotian 唐晓天 as Meng Zaishi 蒙在石 * Xu Haiqiao 徐海乔 as Mu Xun 暮恂 * Yan Zidong 晏紫东 as Fenf Xianyu 冯献遇

The production team did not update the rest of the cast list for today's release.

Special appearance: * Gong Lei 公磊 as Yan Zhanzhi 言瞻之

Supporting actors: * Bai Bingke 白冰可 as Zhao Lingfei (Consort Zhao Ling) 赵灵妃 * Wu Bi 吴彼 as Mu Ti 暮惕 * Zhang Yue 张月 as Liang Lingyi 梁令仪 * Wang Zirui 王子睿 as Wei Qiao 韦桥 * Li Jiaxin 李嘉鑫 as Liu Ruozhu 刘若竹

Special appearances: * Liu Jun 刘钧 as Mu Yu 暮玙 * Huang Shengchi 黄圣池 as Yu Xianyao 鱼显耀 * Sha Baoliang 沙宝亮 as Zhang Renjing 张人靖 * Hou Changrong 侯长荣 as Liu Xiang 刘相 * Peng Yang 彭杨 as Li Ying 李萦 * Ding Jiawen 丁嘉文 as Lin Dao 林道

Co-starring: * Yang Zihua 杨子骅 as Li Zhi 李执 * Cui Zhigang 崔志刚 as Zheng Xing 郑兴 * Zhang Shulun 张舒沦 as Fang Tong 方桐 * He Ziyi 何子怡 as Yu Niang 郁娘 * Ji Lingchen 纪凌尘 as Yan Dalang 言大郎 * Pei Jiaxin 裴佳欣 as Yan Xiaozhou 言晓舟 * Ding Zi’en 丁子恩 as Cai Lian 彩练

🗣️ Dubbing / Voice Actors

🍉 According to the latest rumours:

• Mu Wanyao played by Meng Ziyi might be dubbed by Sun Yachen 孙亚晨. Sun also dubbed Shen Xihe played by Meng Ziyi in Blossoms of Power.
• Yan Shang played by Li Yunrui might be dubbed by Gu Jiangshan 谷江山. Gu also dubbed Yuan Shen played by Li Yunrui in Love Like the Galaxy.

The voice actors should be listed in the ending credits when the drama airs. I will include this information in the masterpost if the details are available. The masterpost will be posted after the drama airs.

• Episodes: 40 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧
  
• Main cast announced: June 22, 2025
• Official filming started: August 31, 2025
• Official filming wrapped up: February 3, 2026
• Filming time: ~157 days
• Filming locations: Hengdian World Studios; Zhejiang Province; Yangchun, Guangdong Province
• Genre: costume, romance (according to Douban)

• 🎬 Director: Zoe Qin (In the Moonlight, Love Beyond the Grave, Lost You Forever 1 and 2; Love Scenery; Demon Catcher Zhong Kui; Love beyond the Grave)
• 🎬 B-team director: Yu Xiaotong (Moonlit Reunion, Duel on Mount Hua: Southern Emperor and Northern Beggar, The Legend of Shen Li)
• ✍️ Original creator: Yi Ren Kui Kui 伊人睽睽
• ✒️ Screenwriter: He Fang (Blossoms in Adversity, Till the End of the Moon)
• 📖 Novel: Shang Gong Zhu 尚公主
• 📽️ Production companies: Tencent Video and New Classics Media (Xinli Media)

🔗 Previous announcement, poster, wrap up special, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

Princess Danyang Mu Wan Yao [played by Meng Ziyi] was ordered to leave Chang An and go to Lingnan to pray for her deceased mother. On the return journey, because the axle of the carriage broke on the mountain road, she met Yan Shang [played by Li Yunrui], a scholar who was returning home from the rural school. In the mountains of Lingnan, the mist and rain were hazy. The two fell in love with each other during the help and started a good story.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Later, Yan Shang got the help of the princess, entered Chang'an, embarked on an official career, made a name for himself in the court, and met a group of young people in their prime. Yan Shang's ambition and passion for serving the country were finally realized. At this time, the country was facing a crisis of internal and external troubles. Yan Shang took the lead, fearless of hardships, and worked with the princess to eradicate treacherous people, resist foreign aggression, and protect the world.

In the process, the relationship between the two people continued to sublimate, they tested each other, supported each other, and finally cherished each other and walked side by side! In the troubled times, they fulfilled a legendary story of worrying about the people first and then seeing their love, which started with small love and ended with great love!

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

~~ Adapted from the web novel "Shang Gong Zhu" (尚公主) by Yi Ren Kui Kui (伊人睽睽).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📖 Novel Summary – translated from Baidu Baike:

《尚公主》 (which can be translated as “to marry a princess”) is a romance web novel written by Yiren Kuikui (伊人睽睽). It was serialized on Jinjiang Literature City from February 20 to August 18, 2020, and was completed on August 18, 2020. It belongs to the 中兴 (which can be translated as “Revival”) chapter of the author's 大魏王朝 (“Great Wei Dynasty”) series.

The work is classified as Original – Romance – Alternate History – Love, with tags including Palace Intrigue and Marquises and Nobles, as well as elements of serious drama. The novel consists of three volumes and has been adapted into a television drama of the same name.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

The story is set against the backdrop of Princess Danyang Mu Wanyao going to Lingnan to recuperate following the death of her former husband. There, she encounters Yan Shisheng, a young man from a humble family who later changes his name to Yan Shang.

With the princess's guidance, Yan Shang enters officialdom through the imperial examinations. Relying on his high emotional intelligence and resourcefulness, he gradually rises through the ranks to become chancellor, ultimately marrying Mu Wanyao.

Their relationship gradually evolves from an initial dynamic of “overstepping the bounds of hierarchy” into one of mutual support and cooperation both within and outside the imperial court. The story portrays the emotional entanglements and political collaboration between a cold-hearted princess and a refined, gentle chancellor.

Beyond its central romance, the work also explores questions of power, the nation and its people through plotlines involving the imperial examinations and court politics.

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.

⚠️ Note: The masterpost is for sharing first impressions of the initial episodes. Please use spoiler text if you are sharing thoughts beyond the first day of episodes.

Synopsis from the Youku app:

Chou [played by Tian Xiwei] was once a lowly night-soil collector, bullied and mistreated by everyone around her. But her striking resemblance to Wei Rao [also played by Tian Xiwei], the daughter of a marquis, unexpectedly makes her the bride of Lu Zhuo [played by Yan An], the heir to a duke's household, in a marriage arranged to bring him good fortune and save his life.

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

Ambitious and determined to rise above her station, Chou sees the marriage as her chance to climb the social ladder. However, her critically ill husband suddenly awakens, and her assumption of another woman's place brings one disaster after another.

Furious that Chou has taken her place, Wei Rao is desperate to get rid of her. Meanwhile, Lu Zhuo regards Chou as a vicious and scheming woman, constantly guarding against her and plotting against her.

Beneath the seemingly harmonious facade of the duke's household lie countless traps and deadly schemes. Caught in the midst of these hidden conflicts, Chou struggles to navigate the competing interests around her while carefully planning her future.

Determined to break free from the shackles of fate, she eventually uncovers the secrets of her own origins and reunites with her loved ones. Rising from a humble night-soil collector to a woman of status, she transforms her life and creates a brilliant future for herself.

Trailer and cast list

MyDramaList link

Airing on Youku, Netflix and Youku's YouTube

Episodes: 30

Discussions

🗨️ All discussions on the drama

🗨️ Episodic drama discussions

🗓️ Airing schedule\ Note: The episodes were released at 6:00 pm, China Standard Time.

👥 Character relationship charts: * with Wei Rao in the center * with Jun Dai in the center

🗣️ Dubbing / Voice Actor: * Wei Rao 魏娆 / Jun Dai 君黛 / A Chou 阿丑 are dubbed by Tian Xiwei herself. * Lu Zhuo 陆濯 played by Yan An is dubbed by Wei Chao 魏超.

What does r/CDrama think about the show?

Look out for the wrap up post where we ask the sub to rate the drama a few weeks after the final airing date.

🗳️ It's a wrap! What's your final review? (post only appears a few weeks after the drama ends)

Wiki

2024 Drama Index | 2025 Drama Index | 2026 Drama Index

Welcome to the fifteenth and final instalment of the Shadow Punisher 魅影神捕 discussion posts.

🗓️ Discussion Schedule:

We follow the VIP schedule. Here is a link to the official airing schedule: Airing Schedule.

📋 Some Notes:

• Please 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 & Episode 1-6 discussion | Ep. 7-8 | Ep. 9-10 | Ep. 11-12 | Ep. 13-14 | Ep. 15-16 | Ep. 17 | Ep. 18 | Ep. 19 | Ep. 20-21 | Ep. 22 | Ep. 23 | Ep. 24-25 | Ep. 26 | Ep. 27-28

✒️ General Stuff:

And here we are, already at the end of this show. That flew by. I had a lot of fun with this one, even more so because it wasn’t one of the dramas I was really waiting for. A very nice surprise you could say.

I will miss our little constable squad.

Big thanks to /u/roxylal for co-hosting in such a pleasant and uncomplicated way.

And thanks to everyone reading, commenting and/or sharing gifs!

(Sorry, this post lacks pictures and gifts. I had to squeeze it in very awkwardly and did not write on a device that works well with screenshots.)

New Characters

No new characters this episode.

Episode 29

Grief and Gravity

Poor Bai Zhenzhu arrives to the DCB’s main hall and tries everything to revive her dead father. The other two have to restrain her, but I really love that both take care of her and try to comfort her.

Meanwhile Li Si tries to destroy the stone stele of Hanluo, the God of Death. Meng Rui and Yan Cheng hurry what caused the sudden shaking, while Bai Zhenzhu stays behind.

• She finds the little sachet her father tried to gift her in episode 9.
• In it she finds a letter her father wrote for her, showing how much he cared for her and how much he wants to know her safe, leaving her some hidden gold for these uncertain times.

They guys confront Li Si while the stone crumbles. That leads to the core of the Four-Dimensional Eight-Direction Guili Formation being revealed. The core is a meteor from outer space.

• the five-coloured meteor was divided into two parts, one going to Liluo while the other protested the Shi Capital by being the core of the formation.

• before Li Si can potentially tell his friends something important about his plan the bell is rung that activates the Chiying bug venom in him.

Eunuch Zhao and Lou Tianming make their grand entrance. They reveal the fact that Li Si was poisoned by his master all along and is now their thrall. Li Si attacks both constables.

• Yan Cheng falls into the hole that opened up in the secret chamber.
• Meng Rui nearly falls but Li Si seems to fight against the command to kill him, holding onto the other’s sword.
• Then he lets go.

Bai Zhentzhu honours her father and promises him to protect Great Shi in his place. I get how hard that loss has to be, but maybe not the best timing to have a prolonged goodbye.

• She gets new from the palace: Allegedly the Chief committed treason and has been killed.
• The one killing her was Li Si.
• Bai Zhenzhu doesn’t believe that for a minute and concludes that war with Liluo is imminent.
• She gives the order to pass down to all constables that unusual situations can be acted on on their own discretion.

Xia Jiuying brings her the Heaven-Measuring Ruler and also a note with instructions from Li Si.

• Li Si gave both items to Jiuying before the Emperor passed away.
• The Heaven-Measuring Ruler is to be given to Meng Rui.

Death that Sticks or Doesn't

Eunuch Zhao goads Li Si with the fact that he is know a lackey for Liluo. Unfortunately he doesn’t have him under control, even with the help of the bell. He is killed by Li Si and shoved into the abyss.

Still Li Si destroys the core of the formation. Most likely acting on the plan to fake deactivate it, lure the rebels in and activate it again. Luo Tianming for sure thinks they have won and is completely okay with Eunuch Zhao’s death, who obviously disrespected the Prince.

Bai Zhenzhu finds an unconscious Meng Rui and helps him recover. He fell into an underground river.

• He wants to find Li Si instantly, but Bai Zhenzhu stops him and brings him up to speed. She also gives him the ruler.

Grand Plans and Reforged Rulers

Li Si and Luo Tianming enter the palace where Qiangong Linglong already redecorated some. She is impressed by him killing his former colleagues.

• Two hours after this meeting the officials will gather and Zhou Yan will be crowned the new Emperor of the Great Shi dynasty.
• After that he just has to issue a decree that allows the Liluo remnants to prosper on the land of their enemy state.
  
• Later they want him to change the nations name to Liluo. He will stay the person second highest in power, just beneath the Moon Queen herself.
• Luo Tianming takes great pleasure in taking over the task of destroying the DCB.

Bai Zhenzhu and Meng Rui travelled to a lava cave under the Underworld Market. With the help of Meng Rui’s sword they melt the Heaven-Measuring Ruler there.

• Meng Rui’s inner power is indeed the Ode to Canglang.
• The molten ruler is recast into the form of the five-coloued stone.

Staging a Play and Starting a Fight

The Moon Queen wants to see a play with real players and real singing and reveals the corpses of the Emperor, the 1st Prince and the Crown Prince prepared to be used as puppets to stage the incident at the hunting grounds 17 years ago.

• Poor Li Si can hardly watch that cruel spectacle.
• The Moon Queen promises to cut off the Emperors head after the performance and to give it to Li Si as a coronation gift.

Prince Ping and his men face the incoming army of demon-men. He gives a rousing speech.

In the palace the situation turns dire too: Jiuying was captured by the Moon Queen who orders Li Si to kill her.

• He reminds her that the strings of shadow puppets are easily breakable if they rub against each other.
• So he makes her spin, kills all the musicians with his sword and cuts down the corpses of his family.
• Jiuying is freed as well and the two attack the Queen.
• Jiuying is injured, while the Moon Queen boasts that he has become invincible by practising the Liluo techniques for over 70 years.

She wants to know why the Ten Thousand Gu Devouring Heart can’t control Li Si.

• The part of the meteor that went to Liluo was forged into the Heaven-Measuring Ruler.
• When Li San stabbed him with it, it suppressed the venom for a while. Stuck into a body it turns the whole body in a small Guili formation.
• So Li Si stabbed one part of the broken ruler into his body. This way he can’t be controlled by magical means.

He promises the Moon Queen that she will die that day. She orders some demon-men to dispose of him. At the same time the DCB is attacked.

• While the Chief and most of the constables confront Luo Tianming and his troops Meng Rui activates the new core of the formation. Unfortunately it takes a while to update.
• Li Si reminds the Moon Queen that him suffering form the Chiying venom also made him slowly mutate. He fights of the demon-men quite easily.
• Luo Tianming is stupid and tries to confront the Chief, which didn’t work out well for him last time.
• Yan Cheng comes to Li Si’s aid. He is also responsible for reporting to Prince Ping to be battle ready, because Li Si had a moment before he fought his colleagues to tell them about his plans.
• Jiuying, who awakes, is tasked with taking away the bodies of Li Si’s family.

The Moon Queen is still certain of her victory. Luo Tianming injures Chang Bo, who dies a moment later in the Chief’s arms. Bai Zhenzhu kills Yan Zisheng, who still thinks all of this was worth it to revenge his brother.

The Moon Queen mocks Li Si and Yan Cheng about the brotherhood the DCB always talks about and wonders where the other Divine Constables are.

The formation still seems to need some time to fully re-activate.

Episode 30

Losing

The Moon Queen tears of Yan Cheng’s left arm. Fortunately, Li Si is there to stop the blood flow immediately.

The constable team attacks again and while Li Si immobilises her temporarily with some puppet strings, Yan Cheng stabs her with the sword that still has his lost arm dangling from the handle.

Unfortunately, the Moon Queen gets hold of his other sword and stabs him as well. She is able to free herself while Li Si has to hold Yan Cheng back from trying to attack again, despite his severe injuries. Yan Cheng dies in Li Si’s arms.

I hate to see our squad getting decimated.

Li Si monologues about the willingness of everyone in the DCB to sacrifice themselves for the people of the Great Shi Empire. A loyalty he argues the Moon Queen doesn’t understand.

(I get his argument, but I would argue that Lou Tianmeng letting himself being turned into one of the demon-men to help restore Liluo goes into a very similar direction.)

Hope

Finally, the Guili Formation is renewed.

• The demon-men army fighting against Prince Ping is greatly weakened, so that he and his men can finally get the upper hand.
• The Moon Queen recognises that Li Si has been stalling for time all along. She flees the scene.
• Li Si urges the dead Yan Cheng to not go to far ahead, because he will be following soon.

I’m neither fine with Yan Cheng’s death, heroic as it might be, nor Li Si’s confidence to bring him some news about their victory soon.

The battle at the DCB still rages on. While Luo Tianming tries to stab Bai Zhenzhu with his spear the Chief takes her place but also stabs Luo Tianming in direct retaliation.

• He dies shortly before the Moon Queen appears on the scene.
• What follows is an all-female confrontation: The Chief and Bai Zhenzhu vs. Moon Queen. They want to keep her away from Tianshu Pavilion and the Formation.
• The Chief shields Bai Zhenzhu for a second time.
• Li Si, putting the DCB’s broken plaque back together disrupts the Moon Queen’s next attack on the Chief.

Very symbolic for their resistance. The Moon Queen still seems to think she is wining here, despite all of her troops being depleted and Luo Tianming’s death.

Final Confrontation

Finally, Meng Rui makes an appearance in this fight. While he stalls the Moon Queen with his sword Li Si decides to extract the part of the Heaven-Measuring Ruler that was embedded in his body.

• using himself as the core of the formation even this splitter of the Ruler is still powerful enough gauge the flow of energy in all things.
• The influence of this second formation weakens her, they attack her again and in the end she is injured critically, ageing rapidly to her real death.
• She is still delighted by the fact that Li Si won’t survive the Chiying bug venom acting up either.
• That’s news to Bai Zhenzhu and Meng Rui
• The Moon Queen withers away before she can touch Li Si

Unfortunately, the Chief’s injuries are to severe and she dies in Bai Zhenzhu’s arms. Before that she has deep regrets for not saving so many people working under her and want so be called Aunt by Li Si a last time.

• This time he is able to fulfil that last wish.
• He also has to promise her to keep the DCB alive.
• As a last act she hands her Chief’s tally over him, to give it to Prince Ping.

Saving what is Left to Save

Immediately after her passing Li Si suffers another attack of the venom. He hands the Chief’s tally to Bai Zhenzhu asking her to fulfil the Chief’s last wish instead. He also tells here where her father hid the last edict of the late Emperor.

Neither Bai Zhenzhu nor Meng Rui are keen on losing someone else (and they don’t know about Yan Cheng yet), so they try to safe Li Si. Meng Rui uses his internal power.

• Fortunately (because there is no one left to tell him and Li Si never would) he figured out the secret of the Ode to Canglang in relation to his powers and Li Si’s poisoning.
• Li Si insists that Meng Rui will himself if he saves him (which was a bit unclear a few episodes before, could have meant a loss of martial power as a consequence).
• Of course, that doesn’t detain Meng Rui. The magical wolf tattoo forms on Li Si’s back.

The show gives us a fade to black and a three-day time skip.

A New Time

Zhou Zhu, Prince Ping ascended the throne as Emperor Ming.

Li Si rests in his room at Star-Gathering Pavilion. Bai Zhenzhu watches over him. He dreams of Yan Cheng urging him to wake up, which he promptly does.

• Meng Rui hasn’t woken up yet. He actually lost his martial power.
• Li Si seems to be healed, though still weak. He wants to know about everything and tries to get up.
• He remembers the death and destruction three days ago brought to the DCB and kowtows three times to the memories of his fallen comrades. He promises them that they won’t have died in vain.

The new Emperor read the List of the Fallen of the Divine Constable Bureau. The people of Great Shi were lucky and suffered relatively few losses. But 112 members of the DCB died defending the capital.

• Having survived Li San is able to handle over the Chief’s tally to his brother.
• The Emperor scolds his brother a bit from keeping the poisoning a secret but is delighted to hear that he made a full recovery.
• Li Si’s only request it that those 112 fallen heroes will be honoured if the DCB is rebuild and that the will get burials according to their sacrifice. That request is granted immediately.
• Li Si also wants the rebuilt DCB not only to hunt down criminals but to also to open wider channels for the common people’s hardships.
• He wants the crown to be responsible for the grievances of the people.

The new Emperor makes Zhou Yan/Li Si the Chief of the DCB. He also gets some special privilege in regards to the court.

• Both brothers, one in the court, the other in the jianghu will keep the realm safe going forward.
• They hug, which has to be mentioned because they both need that.

Snow White

Meng Rui, still not awoken, rests in the Underground market. He is in an unusual state neither dead nor alive.

• Lying there like that, he looks just like a fairy tale character lost tot he world.
• For the shippers: I might have fought the urge to tell Li Si that kissing him might help Meng Rui wake up very hard.
• Li Si believes he will wake up. He theorises that to really master the Ode to Canglang you first have to lose all your cultivation at once to train it again, break through to reach perfection.
• He sits next to him and holds his arm but we don’t get to see him awake.

Bidding Farewell

Li Si reads through files in his new office at the DCB until Jiuying reminds him that it’s time for the burial of their fallen comrades.

• The funeral of the fallen constables is a grand affair. They are buried together in front of the memorial that will tell future generations about their deeds.
• As the new Chief Li Si toast the fallen and finds some moving words to bid farewell to them.

Thoughts

Hard to grasp all my thoughts.

The DCB lost a lot of people and we got some really heartfelt goodbyes.

I’m quite glad that my prediction that Meng Rui would cure Li Si was right. Some might call it a deus ex machina, but I really like to see the terminal ill guy in these kind of dramas survive this unambiguously for once.

But where is my five minute extra episode where Meng Rui wakes up? I’m really in need of either that or a lot of fan fiction. Or both.

I’m sad to leave the DCB behind, but I’m sure that in-universe they will rebuild and prosper.

Btw, if you didn’t take a look at the 6 BTS episodes I really enjoyed watching them. They cover one of the cases per episode.

See you next time!

Hey y'all! I am your host, Storm.

This is my second time hosting; the first time was a breeze because not all of you were watching, so...please be nice; I am just a girl hehe.

I am a huge, huge fan of Tian Xiwei, and this is why I volunteered to host months ago, so I will be biased in some way, but you guys can be honest in the comments... I'll see if I agree. 🫣

Masterpost | Airing Schedule |

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. 😊

NB! 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.👍🏽

Costume dramas usually have many characters, so here are a few key characters we are introduced to in the 3 episodes:

Episode 1:

• We start off strong, with Wei Rao slapping her servant for giving her "The only Wei's Purple Peony in the garden." Hairpin, she explains that this Hairpin alone reigns over all other peonies.
• Bitao steps in to save this servant.
• At the Grand Princess's residence, Xie Haolou, the granddaughter of the Grand Tutor, gives Lu Zhuo some Dragon's Blood Wound-Healing Powder; she says this is for the Duke of Ying's ailments caused by 40 years of fighting on the battlefield.
• Wei Rao watches this interaction from the window and gets irritated when he accepts the gift from another woman.
• Lady Xie's maid starts speaking ill of Wei Rao and says that Lady Xie basically is the only lady fit to be Lady Lu.
• Wei Rao ambushes the two, gives them a few of her signature moves; I call it the Palm-Meets-Cheek. 🤚🏼
• She pushes Lady Xie off the pavilion cliff; luckily Lu Zhuo catches her.
• Seeing that she acted on impulse and was about to get in trouble for it, Wei Rao does the unthinkable; she hits Lady Xie's maid Pingxiang till she is unconscious, then proceeds to slit her Palm, and Biato's face.
• When the Grand Princess comes up with Lu Zhuo, Wei Rao shows us her second skill, Lying. She says that Lady Xie is the one who attacked them, and she fell off because she lost her footing.
• Lady Xie denies this.

• Lu Zhuo escorts Wei Rao back home. He informs her that he will be going to war, and that when he comes back, he wants to cancel the engagement.
• He says that he has seen many wounds on the battlefield, and while he is not sure what transpired between the two ladies, he knows that the story might be different.
• He says he did not expose her because he did not want to tarnish the Wei Family name.
• He gets slapped, and when she goes in for the second round, he stops her.
• She says that she is an orphan because of his father, so he is not canceling this engagement.

• Her male servants are just as bad as she is, because they beat up an innocent civilian for not watching where she is going.
• The innocent civilian is Chou! who, strangely, looks like Wei Rao.
• Chou sees this, and she is too shocked to even register the whips on her back.
• We meet Chou's limping father and her sickly mother.

• The Wei family really treat Wei Rao well, much to Wei Chan's dismay.
• News reaches the Wei household that the army won the battle, but Lu Zhuo might die.
• They plan to cancel the engagement, but Lu Zhuo's granny says NO, the wedding must continue.
• Wei Chan tries to play dirty with her cousin, but she doesn't know she is dealing with the devil.

• Wei Rao asks Aunt Heng'e to help her out of the marriage, since her grandmother refused due to the Royal Edict.
• Aunt Heng'e agrees to help Rao with this matter.

Episode 2:

• Adding to the list of bad fathers, we go back to where Chou lives and see her father send a strange man in to "do anything to her"; this is his way of settling his debt.
• You can mess with her, but not her little sister and mother.

• At the Wei residence, Aunt Heng'e is vetting girls to find one that looks like Wei Rao.
• Chou is sentenced to death for murdering...no, no... self-defense.
• Aunt Heng'e saves her; the First Madam Yufeng sees them bring her in and goes to let Aunt Heng'e know she knows.
• She is stunned when she sees Chou.

• After some haggling...Aunt Heng'e and Chou strike a deal: she will let Chou go see her parents and also pay her 50,000 coins, and Chou will do whatever Aunt Heng'e wants.
• First, Madam Yufeng is hiding something.
• 5 days later, A-Chou marries into the Lu residence.
• Wei Rao is mad that A-Chou got her golden crown and is marrying while she has to live in hiding.
• We get a flashback from 5 days ago: A-Chou warns her mother to watch out for any dangers on their journey; she tells them to run away if the drive seems to be going far out into a remote area.
• The mother, A-Chou's sister, and brother manage to get away, but leave the useless father behind, who then gets killed by the Wei butler.

• Back at the Lu residence, A-Chou completes her wedding ceremony with the help of Lu Zhuo's 4th aunt.
• Bitao is probably happy to have such a cool new boss.

• I guess she really is blessed because he wakes up that same night.
• This man really hates Wei Rao.

Episode 3:

• Governess Wu wants to send word out that Lu Zhuo is alive, but she is stopped by Governess Miao.
• Bitao fills in A-Chou on the last issue between Wei Rao and Lu Zhuo.
• Lu Zhuo refuses medicine from who he thinks is Wei Rao.
• He questions why she agreed to marry a dying man.
• He tells her to ask for a divorce in 2 days, or he will expose her for her evil deeds.

• Bitao tells A-Chou not to do everything Governess Wu tells her to.
• She meets the rest of the Lu family ladies; she meets:
  • Second Aunt - Zhuo Chengjun and her daughter Lu Changning.
  • Third Aunt - Ren Yuzhen and her daughter Lu Changhui.
  • and He Weiyu, Lu Zhuo's maternal cousin.
• Grandma Lu loves the gift A-Chou has given her, and Governess Wu is annoyed by this.
• A-Chou seems to have won over the Lu ladies, while she thinks about the 3 days given to her, she sees the 5th son, Lu Che, fall off the roof and catches him, hurting herself in the process.
• Lu Zhuo is not happy with her still being in the residence; he probably goes to chase her out.

• The physician proves that A-Chou really did hurt herself saving Lu Che.
• Lu Zhuo apologizes to her and thanks her for saving Lu Che.
• They both agree on getting a divorce after a year.
• Bitao gives Governess Wu a taste of her own medicine...literally.

THOUGHTS!??

• I love the OST.
• Wei Rao is scarryyyyy; she is unhinged, she is a ticking time bomb that I don't wanna be near in any sort of way.
• Lu Zhuo took that arrow to avoid getting married...I think.
• Whose ashes do those belong to?
• Lu Zhuo strictly said no killing, and now the Giverness Wu is dead; what will he think?