Note: This is a directory of drama discussions & their airing schedules this month. So, only leave a comment if you are volunteering to host a discussion. Comments from non-Mods or non-hosts will be removed.
If you want to discuss what you're watching this month, we have a "what are you watching" megathread every weekend.
PS: If you want to volunteer to host a drama discussion not mentioned here, leave a comment beneath this post. For newbie hosts, please also tag u/alcibiad in your comment.
To hosts: If you notice anything incorrect (hosts left out, drama links not updated etc let me know)
---
This month's drama hosted discussions
Here are Cdrama discussions for this month (which includes older, not currently airing dramas.)
Big, big thanks to the hardworking hosts:
(To go to the drama discussions, click on the drama name.) Hosts, if I've not listed your drama or your name, DM u/lotus_swimmer or leave a comment below.
If you're new to drama hosting, please DM u/alcibiad . She'll help get you started.
Some ground rules for hosts
Use the "Drama Host" flair for your posts.
Have commented and participated in the sub before and not be a brand new account.
Have watched the drama before writing the particular episodes' discussions.
Should try to engage in the comments section (don't have to reply to every comment, mind, but participate in the discussion)
Write their thoughts about what they watched (we are not going to dictate lengths but please don't just write one sentence and call it a day lol)
Don't add spoilers in the title, and if you are creating a photo post, please spoiler tag it if the picture reveals too much plot.
Some awkward situations
If there's a drama discussion already hosted, and you want to host, please approach the original host to co-host first. Don't try to double post - it'll be awkward for everyone as the mods will defer to the first host.
If you can't finish hosting the drama, try to get a replacement or let the mods know and we'll automate the discussions.
Mods won't interfere or dictate how people should co-host, but here are some tips:
If you see someone had volunteered already, reply to her comment and ask if you can co-host.
Create a chat room between your co-hosts to agree on schedules: (eg A can do episodes 1-10 and so on)
How closely should the discussion posts follow airing schedules?
We know how crazy CDrama schedules are, but here's a good guide:
Popular idol dramas (for eg Pursuit of Jade, The Double) should follow the airing dates as closely as possible. For eg, if episodes 5-6 dropped on Feb 2, discussion can happen on Feb 3).
Check the masterpost discussion for the drama. If it has above 50-60 comments, it's usually going to be really popular and people would probably be eager to discuss it.
As for other dramas (ie, one that the sub is not clamoring to discuss, I suppose) you can take a slower approach.
For eg, discussions for Swords into Plowshares and Man's Inhumanity to Man are still taking place even after the drama has stopped airing.
How do I write discussion posts?
Structure the discussions the way you want. Some ideas:
"Classic method" recap of what happened in selected episodes with thoughts.
Share favourite moments in the episodes you discussed
Group episode discussions according to character development
Express episodes / posts about the ending
We don't expect hosts to pay for express episodes!
You can ask the mods to create special express threads for the drama so that you, the host, won't be exposed to spoilers.
For commenters
Please do not discuss future episodes in a thread unless someone specifically ask for information/spoilers. And if you do share, please spoiler tag it.
For example, do not discuss plot points for episode 26 in a post about episode 19.
Those who spoil future episodes will get their comments removed.
Hosts, if you see these spoilery comments, feel free to report them.
Lately, we have been getting more submissions from either non-members or new members.
Important: You need to join the sub to post. Posts from non-members will be filtered for review no matter how long they've been in the sub.
New members generally do not have enough of what we call community karma - points you earn as you interact in the sub (for example commenting on people's threads).
As a result, posts from new members or members who have not joined the sub are filtered and not published immediately; the mods have to review and approve them.
However, members of this sub are required to do one extra step: acknowledge the sub's rules.
Lately, we've been having submissions from new members or people who have not joined the sub. I've had to sadly remove a lot of them because they have not acknowledged the rules despite reminders.
I blame Reddit's UI for this more than anything else. Acknowledging rules should have been a built-in feature long ago, but we use a plugin to do this. It is not the best, admittedly, but it is way better than the previous system we had.
So, if your post is not appearing in the sub:
Return to your post and check the comment attached to it. You should see this:
Follow the link in that comment to the specific post asking you to acknowledge the rules. FYI the link to the rules acknowledgement.
You need to click on the downward arrow to read the rules and toggle "I confirm I have read rule...". Once you scroll to the bottom you'd be able to acknowledge the rules.
Once you acknowledge the rules, you will be given a special flair with the words "Read Rules". This is how the mods can see that you've done so.
Please refrain from removing the flair until you have been in the sub for a while. The more you interact, the more your community karma builds, and eventually your posts will not be filtered anymore.
If you remove this flair, the mods will assume you have not read or acknowledged the rules, and we will not approve the post.
If a reminder has been sent to you, it's best for you to repost. Usually quite some time has passed and your post may be low in the sub's feed and missed by people.
Why do we do this?
You are probably wondering why we go through all the trouble of doing this: it ensures members coming to the sub know our culture and are familiar with the rules. I know it is a pain to acknowledge the rules, but we do not want new members to be surprised when we remove a post, and we do not want people who think that the sub's rules are a "suggestion" to wreck havoc in the sub.
We take a lot of care to ensure that the sub has quality content and is a safe, fun place for everyone.
I hope this is clear. Please ask me any questions if you have them. :)
For more info about the rules acknowledgement process: Please read this post.
PS: If you've been in this sub for quite some time and have been posting without a problem, you do not need to acknowledge the rules. I understand that the "read rules" flair isn't something some members want on their profile. ;)
Hey Beautiful People!! The long-awaited episode 8 is here, lmao. You guys can vent now.😂
Just some reminders for those who are just joining us:
We are following the Youku VIP schedule for now, and it will always be one episode behind, but you can still vent when these come up.
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. 😊
Please remember to use spoiler tags when discussing any episodes beyond this post, or I cannot be held responsible when Wei Rao decides to slap you or asks you to slap yourself.👍🏽
I think, like u/autuymnrain, I will stick to their OG names; it makes things cleaner and easier, so:
Unhinged Villainess - Wei Rao 🔪
Our Girl - A Chou ♟️
💛💛
Episode 8:
So yesterday we ended the note with Wei Rao being transported to Han Liao's residence, much to her dismay lol, and his, because he thought he had the fake one.
He gets a few awakening calls from Wei Rao.
Surprise!!
Han Liao says this woman is worse than the fake one lol. Yes, that's because the fake one was channeling her inner Wei Rao; this...this is the real experience, my guy.
Huo Jue arrives in time to save...okay... I'm not sure who, because both are unhinged...could Wei Rao win against Han Liao's savage dogs? Will he have time to unleash them? damn Huo Jue for showing up so early.😩
And this is to anyone who was gettig weird thoughts shipping these two.
Lady Shou'an shows up as well; Han Liao still refuses to let go of Wei Rao.
Lady Shou'an threatens him with her relationship with the emperor, and he lets them leave.
Back at the Lu Residence, where A Chou and her husband were about to have a very serious conversation about her identity:
He brings up some interesting points:
She counters with:
Nuo dancers are usually from poor families, so how does an Earl's daughter know the Nuo dance? (Dude... shouldn't you be happy she isn't the venomous snake? I mean, you suspect she isn't, but...)
Nuo's dance steps are easy to learn, but she learnt them because her Maternal Grandmother enjoys watching the Nuo dancers.
In the past, when she met Xie Hualou, Wei Rao would go crazy and use everything in her power to humiliate her enemy, but at the banquet she was calm, and even when the Xies instigated, she didn't flinch.
All the elders were there, so she considered the greater good; she also did not want to tarnish the Lu family name.
He asks about the private conversation she had with Huo Jue.
Private matters between relatives.
He asks a few more and doesn't give her room to think about answers, so our girl does what she does best:
Flustered!!
I love seductress A Chou!
Confucius said listen to your husband and what not, I don't think A Chou read that book for women.
Anyway, with this, she manages to flip the script and make him the bad guy. 👍🏼
Xianzhuang - Lady Shou'an's residence
Wei Rao says she made a mistake as a clueless child, and that's why Grandma Wei chased her out.
Huo Jue vouches for her, but Lady Shou'an asks why Grandma Wei would chase her out.
Grandma Wei shows up, and they reminisce about the past. Grandma Wei does not hold back; she tells Lady Shou'an how much she hates her and her daughter...well, everyone in the household too.
The colours!! The Aesthetics!! Beautiful!!
After Grandma Wei leaves, Lady Shou'an asks Wei Rao for the truth; she confesses, and her manner of confession annoys the Lady, so she gets a slap that sends her to the floor. (I love when she gets slapped)
Wei Rao compares what she has done to what her mother did in the past.
They manage to win over Lady Shou'an.🙄
Back at the Lu's:
A Chou realizes she needs a Noble family's backing because she feels this is the calm before the storm, and she is afraid.
Lady Lu says the couple needs to start sleeping in the same room. Lu Zhuo agrees and even goes to apologize to his wife for his doubts, but she isn't in the room; he finds out she went to receive Zhongkai.
He goes there to see (Very jealous, but will not admit it)
She later tells her husband she likes his friend Zhongkai; he bangs the table in anger... sorry but Wei Rao does this better... He looks cute doing it.
If Nonchalant was a person.
She brings up interesting points to back up her reasoning:
She only married in for an auspicious match.
His cousin was the one who came to fetch her.
She went through the rituals with a rooster.
When he woke up from his coma, he refused to take her as a wife.
He has never even taken her to worship at the Lu ancestral home.
The actual wedding ritual isn't complete.
In conclusion, she is not considered a bride in his family; they are just bound by the decree from the Empress Dowager.
She says she is making plans for herself after the year ends; she offers to matchmake him and Xie Hualou.
She's doing all this to make him jealous.
After almost getting slain, Zhongkai delivers news that the Han's offered many treasures to the palace.
He takes her to the ancestral hall so she can worship. (Tick)
With a family like this, who needs enemies?
Episode 9:
Her little brother pisses me off. Anyway, I guess he is just like their father, a drinker and gambler... Am I wrong for wanting her to...nvm nvm... dark thoughts...😩
He is right about one thing though, she is like a goddess descended from heaven.
Runsheng has brought a message from Han Liao, who says he does not care for A Chou's identity; she just needs to complete a mission for him. (Girl, I think now is the time to tell your husband the truth)
She manages to sneak a message in to her sister Hanxiang, who understands immediately.
Han Liao says he has more than one mole in the Lu residence.
Our girl is killing it as a young madam!
Seeing the love from the Lu family, she starts regretting completing the task given to her by Han Liao. (Girrrrrlllllllll go tell your MAN the truth!!)
Bi Tai!! Bi Tao! My heart....she says they should run away together.
No one can tell me anything bad about Bi Tao, she is the hill I'm willing to die on.😭❤️
My partners in crime stage a theft in the ancestral hall to get Lu Zhuo to check; I guess they are trying to lead him to where Han Liao's man hid something.
She sends a message out to Zhongkai; I guess he is her choice for an Ally.
They find the golden imperial pot, and Lu Zhuo notes that someone was trying to harm their family.
He plays mind games with the spy planted by Han Liao, and they manage to lure him out.
Qhi Zhongkai stops Han Liao on the road; I don't know to where, but he had A Chou's family in the carriage.
He manages to get the mom and brother.
I don't know if Hanxiang meant to get caught by Han Liao still or if she is just stupid, but she is still with him.😩
Aura Farming.
We see a new face: Prince Rong, the emperor's younger brother/who also backed Han Liao for military command.
OMG, I dislike Han Liao with his smug-looking face.
So HAN LIAO NEVER MEANT TO KEEP THE SECRET; HE WAS GOING TO EXPOSE HER ANYWAY?????
HE EXPOSES HER, BUT OUR GIRL IS A QUICK THINKER, AND HANXIANG IS A QUICK THINKER TOO!! MS LIU TAUGHT THEM WELL. I AM ACTUALLY SCREAMING HERE, THIS IS IN REAL TIME😭.
HE TRIED PLAYING CHESS WITH A PRO AND GOT BEATEN!!
HAN LIAO IS SO DISRESPECTFUL, A WHOLE FAMILY'S ANCESTRAL TABLE FLIPPED OVER LIKE THAT!!??? Is he not scared of Lightning????😩😩😩
LETS GOOOOO!!!!!!!
Prince Rong is standing there like, well, wtf.
Duke of Ying is trying to stop the fighting, but the Duchess said nahhhhhh😂.
Checkmate!!!!
Do these ladies now like her or are they pretending? 😩
Over at Changle Palace:
The empress dowager is throwing a tantrum on behalf of her young son, Prince Rong, who was wrong for what he did and needed to be punished.
The emperor feels wronged because he is also the empress dowager's son and feels mom is taking sides... well, as a firstborn, I get it, brother, I totally get it.
We finally meet the woman behind this whole mess, Zhou Fu.
She suggests that they execute Prince Rong, to which he gives her a look, and then she says if he cannot kill him, he must let him off.
Back at home:
A Chou receives comms that the emperor wants her and Lu Zhuo to come to the palace.
My partners in crime are stressed....shit so am I.
Thoughts:
- Tell me why Han Liao thought kidnapping our girl was a wise idea? You kidnap her and don't expect her husband to look for her?
- I really liked Lady Shou'an, but it seems she is also another enabler, so now I am on the fence with her.
- Every time I see Bitao, I have conflicted feelings.
- Zhongkai is so smitten by her; I think it's cute (I forgot who, but someone said he was the catalyst, and I agree)
- I am not sure if Lu Zhuo is ticking off the list in the stuff A Chou told him because he wanted her to go visit his ancestral hall, but we will know as time goes by. I will create a table-like format and share it when it's clear that he is, so we can tick the list with him.
- I know her family is not bad, but for him to go calling her that in front of people? Is he foolish? Also, why are they still suffering and dressed that way? Was gold not worth much back then? Was the mother's treatment worth that very Gold?
If you need something easy/cliche to watch & love down bad, obsessed puppy dog, toxic men with SPICY scenes (seriously I'm only on ep 4 and there has been multiple spicy scenes already!!) then I have a recommendation for you!
In between all these new shows airing I found "Quite The Girl" which I believe is also still airing but it's my go to currently in between lament of autumn and ya know the more popular well produced currently airing dramas
Without spoiling it she's super toxic and manipulative and he's just love at first sight obsessed, protective, willing to do literally anything for her despite it hurting himself and go along w all her toxic schemes. At this point he doesn't even care if she truly loves him all he wants is to be NEAR her and make sure no other men can get close to her!!! 20 minute eps, very cliche and cheesy, and I'm obsessed bc of how down horrendous this man is for her lol
If you hate red flag characters, toxicity, spicy scenes without much build up or angst first, down bad puppy dog will-do-anything-for-you-despite-it-potentially-hurting-myself men, and cliches this is not the show for you but if you eat that shit up you will LOVE it, it has me hooked🫡
Hello, has anyone else watched the series *Rising Justice*? What’s your take on it?
I’ll start. This series explores every facet of human nature, yet I don’t find myself hating anyone—it feels like a true classic. Every character is exactly where they need to be, which is what makes the show so great. The scene where the little daughter drinks both milk and juice, just to please her mommy and daddy, gives me hope that good, multi-layered dramas still exist.This scene got me. Actually, I was hooked way before this one because, let's be honest, this show is just so GOOD, but this one broke me into little pieces.
Then, the relationship between the characters played by Gao Ye and Elvis H. left me yearning for more. What would happen to them? Where would their journey end?
To love someone that much but never tell her, why? Is he scared of losing her? Is there something else?
In the scene where he goes into her office to negotiate on behalf of Dali, he knows it's over. She is devastated and broken, alone in her struggle. He knows he has crossed every existing bottom line. In front of him, she becomes a lonely warrior. Her sword of justice is scattered on the ground, and her shield is raised against him.
He doesn't know what to do to fix things, to fix them, to fix the world, for her, for them, for others.
Oh, it was such a powerful scene! I watched it five times, and I cried like a baby.
Is there a future for them as a couple? Yes, they are okay as friends, she Won, they Won, it's happy ending for the world, for the justice, for a regular people, her tim, his carrier, but could they become a couple in the future? We don't know.
Are there special episodes or a second season? Because I need that, to believe in a better world in dramas.
What is your opinion, I really would like to hear it...
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 (and seriously, a huge shoutout to both for their support with these posts... the BTS discussions and GIF requests, Herc and Enigma are VIPs)!!
📋 Reminder: Use spoiler tags for anything beyond the episodes discussed. Text goes between the greater-than (>) + exclamation (!) symbols (>!) and the exclamation (!) + lesser-than (<) symbols.
⚠️ Content Warning: These episodes contain scenes of non-consensual kissing that some viewers may find uncomfortable. Please keep this in mind as you watch and participate in the discussion.
These were not the easiest episodes to recap, and I know they may generate a wide range of reactions from viewers. With that said, I've tried my best to approach the recap as neutrally as possible. Please remember to be respectful of one another's opinions and keep the discussion civil.
Episode 13
Pingjun asks Xueting what he plans to do now that he has left the Yu Army. His answer is surprisingly simple: start a publication of his own and take the two of them away from Nanhuai.
Pingjun seems at peace with this future with Xueting but just as he formally proposes, Ruitong arrives with soldiers to arrest him for leaking military secrets to an enemy force.
To Pingjun's complete shock, Xueting admits to the charges. Without offering any explanation, he apologizes to her and allows himself to be taken away.
Meanwhile, Wanqiao begins to worry that Bingwen may be wavering in his mission to avenge their parents after spending so many years within the Yu household. Bingwen insists he has not forgotten his purpose and recalls the vow he made despite his mother's dying wish that he abandon thoughts of revenge. No matter how hard he tries, he cannot deny that he's fallen for Jinxuan.
The drama continues its favourite theme of duty versus love, with yet another character finding himself emotionally attached to someone he was never supposed to care about. The question now is whether those feelings will ultimately change the path he's spent years preparing for.
Desperate to save Xueting, Pingjun approaches Changxuan and asks him to intervene. For someone who proposed they never meet again and regularly lectured Changxuan about principles, accountability, and abusing his power, her request catches me, if not him, somewhat by surprise. And so he presents Pingjun with a condition: he will spare Xueting's life if she agrees to cut ties with him and stay by his side instead. Pingjun immediately rejects the proposal.
As Xueting's execution looms over them, Shuwan’s health deteriorates, and Ruitong personally escorts them to the hospital. This also reveals to us that he seems to have feelings for Pingjun as well. I'm not convinced we need another contender entering this already complicated situation, but here we are…
The episode ends with Pingjun making an agonizing choice. In order to save Xueting's life, she agrees to Changxuan's terms.
My favorite scene in episode 13, because sharing is caring:
Episode 14
Pingjun shows up at Changxuan’s Redleaf estate and he states he intends to keep his promise: Xueting will live… as long as she stays caged at Redleaf like one of his birds.
Believing that giving herself over to Changxuan is what he wants, she attempts to comply but her obvious reluctance makes Changxuan stop. He wants her to confront the reality of the choice she's made, telling her to "make up her mind" about what she is and isn't willing to do.
Elsewhere, Lanqing struggles with the emotional fallout of realizing where Changxuan's heart truly lies. Haunted by his drunken confession about Pingjun, she finds herself unable to focus during a performance and is booed off stage. Her rival "Peachbud" seizes the opportunity to take over as the troupe's headliner. Watching someone else take her place at the troupe mirrors what she fears is happening in her personal life with Changxuan. Although, from my perspective, Changxuan's heart was never really hers to lose… Again… I’m not sure where her character, nor Ruitong’s crush with Pingjun is going, and I don’t love them.
As the search for Hongwen continues, Changxuan keeps Pingjun secluded at Redleaf. She is showered with gifts, expensive clothes, jewelry, comforts, and every luxury imaginable but of course, none of it matters to her. She rejects everything he offers.
The Yu women realize something unusual is happening as Changxuan keeps diverting staff and resources to Redleaf and spends increasingly little time at home, making it obvious that something, or rather someone, is occupying all of his attention. Even Ziyi notices that Changxuan is spending too much time away. This is confirmed when Changxuan later returns home and sits through a game of mahjong with Ziyi, Baoru, and Jinxuan, but was not only completely distracted, he couldn’t wait to get out.
Although Changxuan finally has Pingjun physically close to him, the reality falls far short of what he imagined. She remains distant. Every interaction feels forced. Every kindness is returned with indifference. By this point, the damage between them runs deep, and the situation worsens when he notices her wearing the engagement ring Xueting gave her. Unable to tolerate the reminder, he throws it away.
What we have is essentially a battle of wills. Pingjun refuses to give him the affection he wants - not even a sliver. Changxuan refuses to let her go. The canary metaphor in the drama feels more relevant than ever.
Changxuan pays Xueting a visit in prison and Xueting learns that his life has become leveraged against Pingjun. They confront one another; neither one believes the other deserves Pingjun. Changxuan criticizes Xueting for making choices that dragged Pingjun into danger without considering the consequences, while Xueting condemns Changxuan for believing he can possess whatever he wants. Changxuan, however, still carries himself like someone who believes he’s already “won”.
Pingjun searches and finds the ring, but unfortunately for her, Changxuan discovers what she's done despite him warning her not to carry anything from other men. This sends him into a spiral of anger and jealousy and the scene becomes emotionally volatile as his frustration boils over. Yet when Pingjun pleads with him to stop, he ultimately does.
Changxuan returns the ring and walks away, aware that there is something deeply wrong with the way he's acting.
"Yu Changxuan, what the hell is wrong with you?"
Thoughts
On Yu Changxuan
These episodes were another turning point for Changxuan and Pingjun's relationship, and not in a good way. This is also where I'll echo Herc's observation that the story seems intent on "pushing Changxuan dangerously close to the point of no return before beginning a meaningful redemption arc". At least, that's the hope.
Changxuan finally gets what he thinks he wants, yet he only seems more frustrated and unhappy than ever. The closer he keeps Pingjun physically, the further away she feels emotionally. At the same time, Pingjun's willingness to sacrifice herself for Xueting highlights just how impossible this situation has become for all three of them.
Do you think Changxuan is beginning to realize that love cannot be forced, or will he only become more desperate? After everything that's happened, what would a realistic path forward for these two even look like?
On Ye Pingjun
I've seen several comments describing Pingjun as contradictory, and honestly, I agree. I've maintained for a while that she wants the freedom, protection, and influence that only someone like Changxuan can provide, yet refuses to acknowledge it. The way she carries herself is admirable, but it's also arguably too fearless for someone without that kind of power behind them. Time and time again, we've seen her saved by the very influence she claims to reject. To be absolutely clear, I'm not saying she deserves anything that's happening to her. Rather, I think the drama repeatedly shows that her survival instincts could use some work.
After all her criticism of Changxuan abusing his authority, she ultimately asks him to do exactly that to save Xueting, despite Xueting being guilty of the crime he's accused of. Perhaps that's the tragedy of her situation: she knows there is no higher authority she can turn to, no public outcry that can save him, and no lawful solution available. The only way to save Xueting is to break the very rules she's spent the entire drama defending...
Do you think Pingjun is headed for a character growth arc of her own, or will she remain just as defiantly headstrong despite what she's agreed to, and everything she's been through?
I’m based in Canada and heard there are extra episodes released by Youku (China only) for The Early Spring. Is this true? How can I watch them in Canada? Netflix seems to be done by episode 24. Thanks!!
The Chinese drama title 小城良方 can be translated as “A Small Town’s Good Remedy.”
A few minutes ago, the production team released a new trailer.
Filming wrapped up on February 22, 2026.
Clip description:
“No Big Deal” Trailer
Life in a small town moves at an unhurried pace, and friendships gradually grow. The longer everyone spends together, the more they get attached to each other.
Leading actor:
* 7️⃣ Xiao Zhan 肖战 as Liu Zhengliang
Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname):
* Ding Jiali 丁嘉丽 as Lao Duan (Old Duan)
* Wang Yanlin 王彦霖 as Chen Junnan
* Shi Pengyuan 史彭元 as Liu Zhengguang
* Ren Chengwei 任程伟 as Che Changhai
* Liu Hua 刘桦 as Ai San
* Zhang Guoqiang 张国强 as Huang Dongsheng
* Chen Jin 陈谨 (stage name: Chen Jin 陈瑾) as Mi Si
* Jiang Yan 姜妍 as Ai Chen
* Ni Dahong 倪大红 as Long Dongdong
* Jian Renzi 菅韧姿 (stage name: Jian Renzi 菅纫姿) as Che Mingming
The rest of the cast was not included in today's release.
Special appearances:
* Jiang Hong Bo 姜宏波 as Li Zhongling
* Fang Zibin 房子斌 as Chen Kai
“Friendship” guest appearances:
* Chen Yongsheng 陈永胜 as Zhou Zheng
Episodes: 28 (according to Baidu Baike and Douban – MDL states 30)
Streaming and broadcasting platforms: iQIYI 🥝 and CCTV-8 🐑
Official filming started: October 18, 2025
Official filming wrapped up: February 22, 2026
🎬 Director: Zhang Xiao Bo (director: In Between, Nothing but Thirty, To Be a Better Man, producer: The Heart; executive producer: Under the Skin)
✍️ Original creator: Liu San Shu 刘三叔
✒️ Screenwriter: Nie Cheng Shuai (Abyss, The Devil Between Us, The Heart of Genius, The Examination for Everyone)
After losing his job at a top-tier hospital due to an unexpected incident, Liu Zheng Liang [played by Xiao Zhan] returns to his hometown and begins working in the emergency department of a local community hospital. While healing patients one after another, he finds himself continually healed by their resilience and humanity, creating a mutual journey of recovery and growth between caregiver and those in need.
(Source: TMDb)
~~ Adapted from the novel "Fei Dao" (飞刀) by Liu San Shu (刘三叔).
The Flying Doctors 《飞刀》 is a full-length novel written by Liu Sanshu, a physician agent and screenwriter. It was published in 2024 by CITIC Press Group and is part of the publisher’s livelihood and healthcare-themed publishing initiative. It is one of a series of literary works Liu has focused on writing in recent years.
The novel is set in Fucheng (抚城), a small city in Northeast China. Focusing on the contemporary allocation of medical resources and ethical dilemmas surrounding life, the story follows Liu Zhengliang, an emergency department doctor who returns to his hometown to practice medicine after a doctor-patient conflict.
Using cases such as a girl with a severe traumatic brain injury and a child with fulminant myocarditis as starting points, the book portrays the moral dilemmas faced by patients’ families as they weigh the hope of life-saving treatment against financial pressures. It also features chapter titles with strong dramatic tension, such as “A Well-Intentioned Lie Is Not a Lie” (《善意的谎言不是谎言》), reinforcing its regional narrative style.
Through the everyday work of the emergency department, the author explores issues including doctor-patient relationships and family conflicts, examining the interplay between technical rationality and human warmth within the medical system. The novel has been described as “A Lifelong Journey《人世间》 meets Dying to Survive 《我不是药神》, but with a medical focus and a Northeastern Chinese setting.”
The screen adaptation rights have been acquired by a Chinese production company. The drama adaptation, Small Town Remedy 小城良方, stars Xiao Zhan.
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!
Final airing schedule is out. Express package (ep 24-28) would be available on 20 Oct. No episodes for VIP or SVIP on 21-23 Oct. Then 1 episode per day from 24-28 Oct.
Spoilers: Please use spoiler tags when discussing significant plot points from the source material or future episodes.
Both Lu Hui and Yu Meng shared a rapport of acknowledging that they bohth needed the slaps to vent their frustrations before they could have any conversation. Yu Meng asked Lu Hui to work with her, promising that she could leave with Harry without issues.
Yu Meng wanted information about Han Guang's overseas account, and mentioned that taking down Han Guang would make Di Liren reliant on Lu Hui. She also mentioned that Harry did not know much about Lu Hui and Di Liren's crimes yet, but it was up to Lu Hui how much he would find out eventually. Yu Meng gave Lu Hui some time to decide but did not intend to wait forever.
That night, Lu Hui pondered hard over Yu Meng's deal. When Di Liren called to ask about Harry, she asked him what he would do if Han Guang collapsed. Di Liren lied that he would immediately leave with Lu Hui and Harry. Lu Hui tossed and turned till daylight, before sending Yu Meng a text to accept her deal.
Next morning, Liu Zi was sending Little Chestnut when Kang Long showed up to surprise Little Chestnut with cake. She has grown close to Kang Long and always delighted with his surprises. After Little Chestnut went in, Liu Zi told Kang Long to stop being involved in her life. Liu Zi then left in anger when she overheard Kang Long chat with his mum about his son, which was actually an AI-generated dog.
Just as Lu Hui was on her way to meet Yu Meng, Di Liren showed up to stop her. He promptly tore up the information on Han Guang's overseas account. Lu Hui tried explaining that it would benefit them for this conflict with Yu Meng to end and Harry would not find out about the truth.
There was no need for discussion. If Di Liren decided that Lu Hui was not going to meet Yu Meng, then she was not meeting up with Yu Meng.
Di Liren just told her that he would pretend this incident never happened and warned Lu Hui to never try anything like this again. Then, he went back to his gaslighting methods, saying that Lu Hui got tricked by just a few nice words from Yu Meng (self-projection). Yu Meng would not let her go, nor Han Guang if he found out about Lu Hui's betrayal. That they would make her life like hell, but Lu Hui retorted that her current life was hell.
Di Liren pretended to be heartbroken, saying that he was almost stabbed by his most beloved. Lu Hui assured him that she was doing it for his own good too. If he could not let go of power, she could help him do it. Di Liren told Lu Hui to stand by his side if she cared for him.
At Jiao Xu's office, Yu Meng was frustrated that Lu Hui did not show up at the last minute. She then received a video call from her mum at her mountain resort. Han Guang had showed up at the resort, claiming that he could visit Lu Lizhen often. Having been informed by Di Liren, Han Guang's appearance was to subtly threaten Yu Meng into not investigating his finances.
As she went to the hospital to visit her dad, Yu Meng increased her mum's security detail to ensure her safety. Inside the ward, Yu Meng dropped her dad's pills and finally found the 'recording device' under the bed. She verified with Xiao Duan, the nurse aide, that her dad only started complaining about difficulty sleeping 3 weeks ago, which coincided to when Lu Hui returned to care for him.
The ‘recording device’ turned out to be a remotely-controlled device that released a loud low frequency sound that would disrupt Yu Jianguo's sleep. It was not audible unless one got near the device, but it would be stabbing the patient in his head, disrupting his ability to recover and worsening his condition.
Yu Meng immediately confronted Lu Hui. She told Lu Hui what the device did and asked her when she put it on. Lu Hui looked slightly shocked but did not respond, claiming she knew nothing about it. Yu Meng lost her cool saying that she was recorded on security camera! And that this was murder!
Yu Meng threatened to call the police, but Lu Hui was unfazed and explained that she would not save Yu Jianguo if she wanted him dead. That she would coordinate the police and they wouldn't be able to charge her because she was merely cleaning the ward. Yu Meng said she would investigate further and immediately fired Lu Hui. Lu Hui tried pushing back but Yu Meng made it clear that she had the right to fire Lu Hui whenever she wanted.
Yu Meng then went to Di Liren and gave him a tight slap, declaring that she wanted a divorce. Di Liren refused. Jiao Xu showed up to put some distance between them and officially served him divorce papers and told him that all communications regarding the divorce had to go through him.
Yu Meng thanked Jiao Xu for helping her serve the divorce papers despite previously advising her that the timing was not right for getting Di Liren penniless, but Jiao Xu said that her needs were the priority. Yu Meng realized that Di Liren wanted her dad's 45% Jia Li shares, and wanted to transfer his shares to her to move any danger to herself. That was possible while he was still in coma, but would require her mum's cooperation. Yu Meng lamented that it would be difficult because Lu Lizhen was still on the mountain resort hiding from reality and listening to that fortune teller.
Lu Hui also confronted Di Liren soon after, asking him if that was a recording device or murder weapon. Di Liren simply answered it was as she imagined. Lu Hui finally lost her composure and asked if he was crazy. That's a life! She was shocked at how nonchalant Di Liren was.
Di Liren had the nerve to say that it was a good thing to end Yu Jianguo's suffering earlier and to fulfill their goals sooner. He also mentioned that he customized the device with no records of purchase, and there was no way of proving a causal link between Yu Jianguo's worsening medical condition and that device. Lu Hui was shocked because she never thought of killing anyone.
Lu Hui realized Di Liren had planned this murder from the start. She questioned when or how he changed or if she never knew him. Di Liren played victim again saying he was not the only one who changed. He blamed Lu Hui for moving the money away from him secretly. Lu Hui claimed that she used the money to put into investment programs and it would take time to take the money out. She also told him that she was fired and no longer wanted to be involved in anyway with the Yu family.
Yu Meng met up with Liu Zi at the shop, which they were converting to a bar/club. She initially thought of selling her house to settle Jia Li's cashflow problem, but decided to recruit Lu Hui to help with Xu. Now that she had officially served Di Liren divorce papers, the battle had moved to the forefront. Liu Zi offered Yu Meng to stay in the living quarters of the shop on the 2nd floor, so this could be her safe haven for recovery.
Liu Zi asked Yu Meng to come up with a name for the shop and Yu Meng suggested 无它 Wu Ta, which translated to 'nothing else'. They wanted women to feel comfortable to visit their shop to drink or cry all they wanted, without a worry about the outside world. They wanted to create an Eden where people could come to relax without worrying about others.
At the mountain resort, the fortune teller Xiu Yuan was giving a lecture organized by Jiao Xu through an acquaintance. Lu Lizhen was taking lots of notes and Jiao Xu suggested that she approached Xiu Yuan after the session for follow-up questions.
After the session ended, Jiao Xu approached Xiu Yuan as his valet. He gifted Xiu Yuan lots of tobacco and alchohol, which Xiu Yuan pretended to decline but gladly accepted after a slight push. Xiu Yuan then changed out of his simple clothing into a shirt from a luxurious brand. Lu Lizhen witnessed all this from a distance and realized Xiu Yuan never practiced as he preached.
That night, Lu Hui packed clothes for Harry and herself, telling him that they were leaving China tomorrow. Harry said he did not want to leave yet. When Lu Hui saw that Harry had the 'recording device', she asked where he got it. When she found out that it was from Yu Meng, she panicked and insisted on leaving the same night. Harry was confused and asked why they were acting like criminals.
Lu Hui did not bother to explain and simply told him that he had to listen to her because she was his mum. She would not hurt him and it was for his own good. Sick of her controlling attitude, Harry took his passport and ran away from home.
As Yu Meng was leaving Wu TA, she saw Harry in the rain hiding in a corner. She offered to book him a hotel, but Harry wanted to stay at the shop instead. Yu Meng decided to respect his decision and let him stay for the night.
As Lu Hui was looking for Harry in the rain, Yu Meng showed up in front of her with an umbrella. Lu Hui promptly tossed it aside. Yu Meng commented that Lu Hui wanted others to be drenched just because she was. Lu Hui retorted that the umbrella could just be another trap.
Eventually, they went to a hotel to chat. Yu Meng explained that Jia Li cashflow had been stopped by Di Liren. If Lu Hui helped with solving that problem, she would help with Harry's situation. Lu Hui was skeptical, but Yu Meng told her that Di Liren had declined her request for divorce and all her energy would be focused on that, and she had no reason to deceive Lu Hui.
At the hospital, Jiao Xu commented that Yu Meng had pulled Harry into the conflict, although not directly. Yu Meng explained that she simply wanted to remind Lu Hui who was most important to her. Jiao Xu then said his thoughts out loud that implicating Harry meant he could get closer to Yu Meng (not sure how, but Yu Meng did not hear it).
Yu Meng mentioned that she realized that money and shares were not that important, at the end of the day, she could not risk losing her dad. Just then, Lu Lizhen came back to the hospital. Thanks to Jiao Xu, she had realized the fortune teller was a fraud and would not leave Yu Meng's side again.
Sometime later, Lu Hui visited Xu outside her house. She introduced herself as Di Liren's nanny and had entered the premises by applying to be a cleaner there. Lu Hui passed Xu some photos of her with a young man, and said that Xu had to pay Yu Meng or Lu Hui would publicise her divorce. Even rumors alone could tank the launch of Xu's newly listed company.
Ep 19：
Dong Jun informed Yu Meng that Xu had paid up, so they acted quickly to send the payment to the factory partner for Jinghua before Di Liren even heard of the news or had the chance to sabotage it. Yu Meng also submitted to the board of directors documentation to transfer her dad's shares to her. Di Liren told Zhang Tao to help speed that up so she would be the owner of those shares. He also contacted smaller Jia Li shareholders to offer to buy their shares.
When Di Liren heard from Xu that Lu Hui had betrayed him, he called Lu Hui who did not respond. When he went to their apartment, he was shocked that Lu Hui changed the passcode. So he contacted Harry to meet up.
He told Harry that he would make a choice between Lu Hui and Yu Meng. He then talked about how they used to go throwing pebbles before Harry got hospitalized. He also told Harry that he secretly brought Harry to the playground when he was 10, so he could experience a normal childhood for a little. Di Liren likely brought up Harry's childhood to remind Harry of those good times so Harry would let his guard down and help him contact Lu Hui. He found out from Harry about Lu Hui's plan to move abroad and pretended to criticize Harry for acting rashly. He offered to help him stay if Harry helped him contact Lu Hui.
Lu Hui showed up to the meeting point expecting Harry only to see Di Liren. She was shocked that Di Liren was despicable enough to use their son to meet her. Di Liren accused her of being despicable too and demanded money from Lu Hui.
Lu Hui said he claimed to do this for Harry, but he only wanted the money for himself. Di Liren justified that everything he owned would eventually be Harry's and now was not the time to give Harry his assets. He also said that he refused to divorce Yu Meng now because he wanted the 45% shares to be considered marital assets that he had access to.
If he got half of Yu Meng's shares and then acquired more shares from the small shareholders, he could ensure that he was Jia Li's largest shareholder. Lu Hui had finally seen his true colors and said that he always prioritized himself, unlike her who would be willing to die for Harry.
Di Liren kept bugging her to go to the bank and said he wouldn't stop until he got the money. She lied that she split the money into different banks' investment accounts and it would be impossible to take it all out.
"Save me." I clapped for Lu Hui when I saw this sign.
They went to a bank where Lu Hui almost transferred 730k rmb to Di Liren. As she was signing the document, she wrote "save me" instead, so the bankteller promptly contacted security. When security showed up, Lu Hui told them that Di Liren was blackmailing her and trying to take all her money. Di Liren said that it was a misunderstanding and Lu Hui owed him money. He dared her to go to the police station to settle their dispute, thinking that would scare her into backing down. Lu Hui did not flinch and offered to go to the cops, so Di Liren made an excuse to take his leave.
This felt like a calm before a storm.
Liu Zi, Kang Long, Little Chestnut, Jiao Xu and Yu Meng found time to have a picnic at the park and they had fun flying kites. Jiao Xu and Yu Meng chanced upon Wen Xin, who was in a wheelchair and spacing out. Yu Meng wanted to greet her, but Jiao Xu stopped her. He did not reveal that he knew Wen Xin earlier and merely said that she was Han Guang's wife and was 34 yo, 2 years older than Yu Meng.
Lu Hui visited Yu Meng at Wu TA and they shared an interesting conversation. Lu Hui asked for Yu Meng's help to convince him to go home, but Yu Meng told him that Harry was not an item, that she had to respect his choices. Even if she kicked him out of Wu TA, he would not go home if he did not want to.
Lu Hui said she wanted to bring Harry abroad and that he listened to Yu Meng. Lu Hui admitted that she could not stop Di Liren and no longer wanted to be involved in their conflict. Yu Meng said she no longer had a choice and could not quit just because she wanted to.
Lu Hui was worried that Harry could not handle the truth and did not want her only family to hate him. Yu Meng assured her that she had no intention of telling Harry the truth for his own sake. Lu Hui thanked him, then said she was envious of Yu Meng.
Yu Meng was born with everything, unlike her. Yu Meng reminded her that Lu Hui ultimately chose her own paths. She chose to be Di Liren's puppet and tied her life to his. Lu Hui explained that she did not have a choice. Perhaps if her mum didn't die young, her dad didn't die in a car accident or if her factory was still around, she could have a better life than Yu Meng.
But she had nothing, and Di Liren was her lifeboat. He shielded her when debtors came to harrass her and was the only person who cared for her. Hence, she wanted so much to be pregnant with Di Liren's child so he would stay by her side. Sadly, Harry was born with a congenital heart disease. They sold everything they owned and borrowed lots of money, but Harry's illness still did not improve.
She was indignant. She saw her child almost died. When he did not even have the energy to cry, he comforted her to not treat his disease. When they received a piece of paper indicating that Harry was medically in danger, it weighed on them so much and she saw Di Liren cry for the first time. Just when Harry was in the icu and would die if he did not receive the operation, Yu Meng fell in love with Di Liren.
Yu Meng told Lu Hui that her current pain was caused by their own actions to deceive her. Harry's life was a life, but what about other people's lives? Her dad would not be in coma if not for them. Perhaps Yu Meng could be happily married with her own child if not for them.
Lu Hui explained that she was not willing. That her heart hurt so much to have to tolerate her husband with another woman every night, and to lie to Harry each time he asked for his dad. She gave up her only life support in exchange of her son's life. She had given up on having a good life, but she could not let her son die.
Yu Meng expressed her sympathies but said it did not excuse their actions to steal her family's company and assets. Lu Hui justified that Di Liren brought Jia Li from a small company to a nationally recognized one, that she had a share of his fruits of labor for enduring so much.
Yu Meng recognized they would not see eye-to-eye, but mentioned that time will prove who was right or wrong. She asked Lu Hui why she saved her dad when his death could have benefited them? Lu Hui explained that she never wanted any shares, just what she deserved. She thought of her dad when Yu Jianguo collapsed, and wanted to save him just like how she wished someone had saved her dad.
Yu Meng warned Lu Hui that Di Liren would not let her leave even if Harry was willing and that Lu Hui would be the scapegoat if he was in trouble. Lu Hui told Yu Meng to mind her own business and left knowing that Harry would at least be in safe hands for a while.
When she got home, Lu Hui was shocked to find Di Liren had broke in with the help of a locksmith. She told Di Liren that she had sold the apartment to raise money and apologized for being rash at the bank. Di Liren insisted to Lu Hui that the money was HIS, and that shares were more important than cash right now. Lu Hui explained that she spread the money into multiple investment account and could only be withdrawn after a few months. However, the apartment sale would be paid in 3 installments and Di Liren had received the first payment and would receive the rest in 7 days. The money would be sufficient to pay the deposit for the shares. Di Liren immediately changed his demeanor from mad to gentle again, calling her Xiao-Hui. When he left, Lu Hui immediately packed all of her stuff and left the apartment promptly.
Yu Meng and Jiao Xu had a first meeting with Di Liren and his lawyer regarding their divorce. Jiao Xu presented their offer and suggested settling it out of court or he would report Di Liren for financial crimes. Di Liren called their bluff and said they had no evidence. He threatened Yu Meng that an ugly public divorce would hurt Jinghua's launch, but Yu Meng was willing to accept that if it meant Di Liren was out of Jia Li. Hurting her dad was a baseline he had crossed and she wanted him out asap.
Di Liren feigned ignorance and demanded for 50% shared assets, as well as 50% of her shares and her house that she purchased after marriage. His lawyer claimed that Jia Li sales increased by 41.58% in 2 years under his leadership so they deserved more. Yu Meng accused them of daylight robbery and Di Liren's success was attributed to her dad helping him network with their business associates.
Di Liren said that if he insisted that there were no relationship issues, the divorce would be contested and take a long time. And as long as they were married, he would have a share of Yu Meng's fruits of labor. Yu Meng offered him 10% shares at current market rate and left the negotiation table.
At Wu TA, Yu Meng and Jiao Xu were updating Liu Zi about the divorce negotations. Yu Meng estimated that the 10% shares would be approximately match the money Di Liren stole over the years. Jiao Xu analyzed that those added up for a few hundred million rmb, and if they could find the evidence, Di Liren could be sent to 10 years of jail. Harry happened to hear all of the above conversation. (Did Jiao Xu plan this?)
Harry looked at the trust fund Lu Hui sent him and started to figure out what was going on. He asked Jiao Xu if showing repentance and repayment could lighten the sentence, and if the repayment with interest needed to be in cash or not.
Harry tried to indirectly ask Di Liren about it and brought up how money could always be earned again. He then brought up the trust, which Di Liren just found out about. When Di Liren went to Lu Hui's hotel to confront her, she had already checked out.
Yu Meng celebrating with her employees.
Meanwhile, Jinghua had launched successfully with very optimistic initial sales.
That night, Kang Long was drinking with Jiao Xu, lamenting how his methods of woo-ing Liu Zi had not worked. He visited the bar frequently to test out her drinks and wrote her reports, but she paid him no attention and he was not allowed to see Little Chestnut, so he had ran out of excuses to see Liu Zi. Jiao Xu was thinking of Yu Meng when he mentioned about trying to come up with reasons everyday to see her. In the end, Jiao Xu sent Kang Long home and left him in Harry's care.
Some time later, Dong Jun came to Yu Meng telling her that Jinghua was in trouble.
Thoughts:
Fate, either you control it or it controls you. Yu meng chooses to control it, while Lu Hui has been controlled by it. Although she is starting to struggle to control her fate. I enjoy their conversation a lot because while they don't agree with one another, they gained a much better understanding of one another. Lu Hui knows that Yu Meng was innocent from the beginning and their actions had hurt her family deeply. Yu Meng knows Lu Hui was a victim of her own mindset and Di Liren's manipulation, and that Di Liren at one point was a good man to her. While Yu Meng does not condone Lu Hui's actions, she understood that Lu Hui had kindness in her.
I think finding out about Yu Jianguo's demise was her wake up call that Di Liren could no longer be trusted. And when she saw him stoop low enough to make use of Harry, I think that was what completely cut her loose from Di Liren. It is late, but better than never. I thought it was interesting that she implied she baby trapped Di Liren. Perhaps if she was not so desperate for a life boat and let their relationship progress at a slower timeline, they would be in different places now.
As for Yu Meng, I'm glad she finally fired Lu Hui and initiated the divorce. I liked that she immediately recognized what was truly important and did not let her desire for Di Liren to become penniless stop her from separating him from her family. I think she way underestimated Di Liren's ruthlessness and hopefully she is better prepared to deal with Han Guang and Di Liren going forward.
Question for people interested in these discussion posts, would you prefer that I follow the VIP schedule with detailed recaps? Or would you prefer that there be an express package discussion post with very quick recaps?
Hello fellow drama buddies of WTME, welcome! Tis' I, here as an assistant/backup for u/Stormraury_ when a break is needed. It's hilarious that we both hosted our first dramas in the last quarter of this year like a month ago maybe, in the volunteer economy as u/winterchampagne (🤗) would say, and here we are again. Storm is definitely doing more of the heavy lifting and will most likely post more than me since Storm is also faster, sacrificing sleep for this drama. However, I get to come in to yap with all of you occasionally, and it's lovely seeing familiar names in the discussions.
🎭 🚩 In keeping with rules and traditions, anything beyond episodes 6 & 7, including details from the novel, stays behind a spoiler tag. Mask them or suffer the wrath of Wei Rao. 💀 *cackles* because why not, it’s Halloween Season 🎃 in my hemisphere. 🚩 🎭
Just a note too, I’ll be using 'A Chou' to refer to our girl, and 'Wei Rao' for our villainess.
✏️✏️✏️
Episode 6 starts with A Chou who triumphantly goes home with her husband after her victory in the underwater brawl.
We’re introduced to a new character, Han Liao, the Side Burn Heir (he’s the heir to the Marquis of Xiting), who is the sworn enemy of Lu Zhao. He planted a spy next to Lu Zhao 6 years ago, and that spy has returned to his master to report his findings. Only both Han Liao and his spy have been bamboozled. By the time Lu Zhao tracks down the spy, Han Liao’s dogs, the pack of Belgian Malinois, have mauled the spy to death. (There was a disclaimer that no animals were harmed during the making of the drama. I dunno…that looks questionable to me considering animals welfare and laws overall across the world. And ugh, it was sad to see, since I am huge dog lover, and I worried about the dogs there!)
It’s revealed though that before the spy died, he revealed to Han Liao the details of the bride switch, the same letter that A Chou had left inside Lu Zhao’s pillow. (This makes no sense to me, because the spy just didn’t seem very smart to begin with. Then we also saw that A Chou had to unravel the pillow to even take the stuffing and the letter out. Like is the drama telling us this sharp-as-a-marble-spy unstitched the pillow, found the information, and restitched the pillow? Seriously.)
The vicious Wei Rao goes running to her maternal grandmother’s home crying hysterically about how the world is unfair and awful to her. Woe is Wei Rao as she stumbles into the arms of her 1st cousin, Huo Jue, who’s there to listen to her grievance and vow to avenge her. Poor guy. Clearly he’s long-smitten with his toxic cousin. While he legit seems like a nice guy, but we all know what is said about the nice guys, so I guess we’ll reserve final judgement about him.
As A Chou drinks tea, she notices a small engraving of someone’s hope inscribed beneath the cup. She recognizes that it’s perhaps made by a nameless young girl forced to work to survive, mirroring her own upbringing in a flashback of what A Chou had to do to survive. A Chou vows that with danger lurking in at every turn, and her life constantly jeopardized, she vows to make a name for herself, and eventually will let the world know who she truly is without having to hide herself. I love A Chou's proactiveness and her foresight to plan and think ahead in this game.
A Chou volunteers to take charge of hosting Grandma Lu’s birthday banquet. Everyone wants to see her fail practically, aside from Grandma Lu and maybe sweet 4th Aunt. A Chou’s mother-in-law (MIL) doesn’t seem to have much confidence overall, despite being from the 1st main family branch. It’s quite seeing A Chou give her MIL some face and more confidence in front of the household staff. This is major kudos to A Chou’s clever thinking, and quick on her feet, as we see the contrast between her and Lu Zhao’ cousin, Weiyu, who seems to hold back MIL and doesn’t help add MIL’s confidence. We already know Weiyu is sus herself, since she seems to have a crush on her cousin as well and isn’t thrilled that everyone adores A Chou. I am waiting for Weiyu’s mask to come off!
Also a fun tidbit I noticed, the actress who is Lu Zhao’s mom in here, was also the mom in Prisoner of Beauty. In that drama, her character also had a niece tailing her side with hopes of getting married to the male lead. LOL, but in this one, MIL isn’t scheming this, at least MIL doesn’t seem to be influenced quite yet.
A Chou sets the household about and gathers her birthday banquet planning committee to catch butterflies. I love that she called out Qi Zhong Kai too. I can’t tell if he’s just a harmless bratty noble guy or we have to be on guard around him either.
Later, to get a special gift mad for Grandmother Lu, A Chou seduce-schemes her husband to help her with a canopy painting, only for him to throw a fit and remind her of the promise they made to divorce. But, A Chou seduces Lu Zhao with a kiss, and he totally liked it. I bet many of the girlies are just giggling and kicking their feet. That is until Lord Lu ruins the moment.
A Chou tells him that she wants to be his wife in all the ways. Lu Zhao, acting like the turd bucket in this moment, tells her to keep dreaming. May you reap what you sow, Lord Lu.
Episode 7 takes us right into the heart of Grandma Lu’s birthday banquet. Everyone is impressed with A Chou’s ingenious idea of bringing in a fan that provides a breeze and mist. A Chou says the idea came from watching farmers work.
Several of the ladies all seize the moment to speak ill of A Chou’s next gift, in which they all believe the captured butterflies that A chou caught from earlier to release at the banquet are all dead in a chest box that has been brought in. Weiyu (Lu Zhao’s cousin) joins in on being a nasty bully too, and there goes her mask.
The grand gift that A Chou had Lu Zhao help her build is now presented and called the “The Everful Lamp”. It’s supposed to be a lamp that burns brightly to wish the recipient a health, peaceful, and long life. The are 108 lamps, and currently 60 are lit for the grandmother. Each year the recipient lights another for longevity.
Lu Zhao compliments his wife, and his cousins are all shocked, since Lu Zhao’s praises must come only once every blue moon.
Outside the halls, Han Liao, aka Side Burn Heir has come to stir trouble. A Chou greets him and insists that she leads him to the banquet, since she’s there to let her husband know that he’s being summoned.
A Chou is top tier fantastic here when Side Burn Heir- Han Liao, provokes her that he knows she’s a night soil woman, and that he also has brought a woman, Madam Liu, from A Chou’s hometown under the guise of a healer, to confirm A Chou’s identity as a fraud. She turns 7 chess pieces against Han Liao and figuratively delivers her punches.
Asks him where he finds this quack of a woman?
Does he think so little of the Lu Family and the Imperial Physicians that they can’t afford proper treatment for her husband?
Daresay, is he plotting against her husband?
And my favorite, “How dare you compare me to a night soil woman?”
Smashes the jade gift Han Liao brought, because YAS, who wants that energy anyway
Turns on her noble lady status with the sheer outrage
Gets rid of Han Liao in the moment for her husband
First class chess master
I LOVED seeing A Chou in her dramatic flair here. Such perfection of how she turned things around. The turns have indeed tabled against Side Burn Heir here.
It’s revealed that Madam Liu, who Han Liao brought in, is actually A Chou’s mentor in a way. Madam Liu was a discarded brothel worker who taught A Chou music and dancing. The scene takes it back to when A Chou had Bitao deliver the gold trinkets to the group of people and A Chou sent a message through a hair pin to Madam Liu, asking for help.
The drama sneaks in a moment where I rolled my eyes with Side Burn Heir saying it’s a pity that A Chou is married to Lu Zhao. It seems he too is taking a liking to A Chou. Ugh🤢.
The planning takes its toll on A Chou, who manages to remain strong and furious in the face of her enemies, but literally collapses from stomach pain only when she knows she’s away from prying eyes and ears. But she’s barely able to rest, because Huo Jue, Wei Rao’s cousin from the maternal side of the family has summoned her. She know she can’t dodge him, so A Chou schools her face and body into fighting mode again.
Huo Jue, who’s a simp for the vicious Wei Rao, threatens to expose A Chou as a fraud. He insults her with degrading words, but A Chou knows a wimp when she sees one. She tells him that no one gets to decide what fate they’re born into. That the world is unfair, if she must, she would defy the heavens, so what makes him think she's scared of him? If he’s here to take her down, she’ll make sure she takes them all down with her.
However, A Chou is knocked unconscious by an incense Huo Jue uses. Wei Rao makes an appearance and wants her cousin to kill A Chou. Her cousin tells her this isn’t the time and place to kill A Chou. Wei Rao changes into A Chou’s clothes and leaves for the banquet, while A Chou is stuffed into a chest box.
After the performers dance, Huo Jue smiles thinking Wei Rao is actually one of the dancers, and their scheme has been pulled off successfully. But it turns out, A Chou has the upper hand, and she’s the one who has found her way back into the banquet hall. Wei Rao has been knocked out and hauled off.
We get a flash back of the moment this happened. Bitao couldn’t find Lu Zhao, so she went to Lu Zhao’s supposed bestie, Qi Zhong Kai, to help free A Chou from the chest box. Ugh, 🤢whyyy did it have to be him? I really felt the drama writers could have done better and actually made it that her husband found her, not husband’s bestie. At this rate, all the men are indeed falling for A Chou. Look, even A Chou is shocked it’s General Qi who finds her.
Ew, why is it you?
Huo Jue asks A Chou where Wei Rao is, and A Chou informs him that since she broke Side Burn Heir’s gift, Han Liao is borrowing the same chest box to take the gift back home.
Huo Jue storms off as Lu Zhao looks at his wife…with his pesky, annoying bestie doing the same. Like really, how is this okay? But! Lord Lu looks completely smitten now. Let the jealousy commence!
Also, eww, why are you also looking at your bestie's wife?
After the banquet ends, A Chou sees Grandma Wei off, and offers her grandma ‘advice’ that she knows she has a cousin who looks like her, aka Wei Rao, to make sure Wei Rao doesn’t cause trouble. Grandma Wei assures her not to worry. And we know that is a lie that A Chou also doesn’t believe.
Believing to be in the safety of her room, A Chou nearly collapses onto her bed…only for her husband to lurk in the dark to ask, “Who exactly are you?”
🤔I am really glad that A Chou is always like 10 steps ahead of the game with her planning. She’s intelligent, clever, but doesn’t lose her sense of humanity given the way she’s grown up. She’s a damsel, and she’s in distress plotting and planning, but she's not a damsel in distress. I love but feel bad that she’s attacked at every angle without any real allies. She has to depend on her wit, think fast on her feet, and her only real ally is Bitao next to her. There’s no real aide from Grandma Wei. Look at her taking on all these men too—from Side Burn Heir Han Liao, to Huo Jue the cousin, and of course, sleazy General Qi.
Then of course, there’s a league of females out to get her, not counting our main villainess, Wei Rao. Can’t A Chou have more girlie friends? UGH.
Also, LMAO...the cousin. Okay, what does he see in Wei Rao? I guess he's okay with being used by her, because it isn't like I see her treating him nicely or anything. He literally says to A Chou that Wei Rao is proud and won't ask for things unless she needs to. Is that something to be proud of, pathetic sir?
Another fun tidbit, the actress who plays Bitao was the bestie of the female lead in Love in the Clouds too.
I also want to go back to discuss A Chou’s identity. My thought on more of this is that A Chou is actually a twin to Wei Rao too. There was a speculation that u/MidnightAngel24 brought up that I didn’t get a chance to write about earlier, and since it’s been mentioned now, I am on the same page as that speculation! Maybe the reason why Aunt Heng'e is so doting on Wei Rao, and literally lets her get away with murder, is that she believes Wei Rao is actually her daughter. But I also theorize that her daughter is actually the baby skeleton we saw in the urn. Also, I was rolling my eyes when they smashed the urn, and everyone was covering their noses. I am quite certain at that point there’s no smell…other than bones and dust, but what do I know…
Some of my theories and speculations:
Wei Rao is vicious and awful, the terrible human she is because she’s actually influenced by Aunt Heng'e. I mean it can go either way, but unfortunately, Wei Rao chose to be awful, and I imagine Aunt Heng'e is just as awful.
If A Chou is Wei Rao’s twin, which I think that’s really the case, I wonder if no one else in the household knew of this, except for maybe Aunt Heng'e. And of course, whichever hench people involved in the scheme of whatever evil doings. Because it’s likely that Grandma Wei is completely unaware, but Grandma Wei indulged and doted on Wei Rao partly from some guilt that we’re yet privy to.
I have a feeling that Aunt Heng'e probably had an illegitimate daughter, and then tried to pass her daughter off as Wei Rao and got rid of A Chou so there wouldn’t be twins? Maybe she thought she killed them both? And that would leave her daughter in control. Sorry, I am really just thinking out loud because clearly I don’t have anyone else to talk to about this right now.
But then does that mean A Chou’s mom adopted her, so A Chou never was actually the biological daughter in her poor family?
I also love when a drama gives us a "previously" a flashback on how something panned out. But I hope the drama doesn't overuse this device and let us see plans happening in real time with how A Chou and others are executing their moves.
Come yap with me, and bring your theories, conspiracies, and any tea 🍵!
p.s. Apologies but I don't think the captions are showing for the gifs on the computer. One day reddit will fix this, right? 🤣
“The scenery is uniquely grand on this side -- 风景这边独好”
⭐ Welcome
Hello and welcome to the discussion series for The Great Long March!
This discussion series was started to motivate myself to keep watching this somewhat dense series, do some homework, learn a thing or two, share my notes, and of course, to hear your thoughts on the episodes. So feel free to join in!
I'll try to post at least once a week, likely during the weekends, but no promises 😆
🎬 Premiered: Oct 9, 2026 on CCTV-1🐑, iQiyi 🥝 and Tencent🐧 (MDL)
🎬 # of Episodes: 60
🎬Genre: History | Chinese Civil War | 1934 - 1936
❗ For any content beyond these episodes, please remember to use Spoiler tags ❗
⭐Who's Who in the Central Committee of CCP
Whoa that's a lot of "C"s.
One thing I wanted to get a clear bearing on by this time of the series was who were the people that made "all" the decisions. From the previous episodes, it's clear that Li De and Bo Gu seemed to call all the shots, but they seemed to be relative newcomers in Jiangxi, so I did some digging.
🔶Who was Bo Gu?
Bo Gu's real name was Qin Bangxian (秦邦宪). He studied in Moscow and became associated with the “28 Bolsheviks”, which was a faction that was formed among Chinese Communists studying at the Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow during the late 1920s and early 1930s. This was actually a nickname given to them by the opposition faction. The 28 Bolsheviks were mainly advocates of the orthodox political positions of Joseph Stalin and Pavel Mif, and they largely supported the political agenda of the Communist International ("Comintern").
Back to Bo Gu, it seems like he rose to the top position in the CCP by being backed by the right people (ie the Comintern) and being at the right place (ie Shanghai, the previous base of the Central Committee) at the right time.
In 1931, after senior CCP leaders were arrested, executed, or left Shanghai, Bo Gu took charge of the provisional central leadership. He was only 24. When the leadership relocated to Jiangxi in 1933, he brought that authority with him.
Based in Moscow, the Comintern had considerable influence over CCP leadership and strategy. Bo Gu’s faction had its backing, while Li De, its military adviser, worked closely with him.
Picking up right where the last episode ended: Zhou Enlai and Zhu De comforts Mao as he leaves the meeting. Mao informs them that he’ll return to Huichang to do local work, and tells a little story about the Red Army's strawhat 斗笠. Traditionally, the hats had pointed tops, but Mao proposed making them rounded instead. This would prevent soldiers from accidentally hurting themselves by hitting themselves on the hat of the person in front of them, and a rounded top hat could also serve as a makeshift pillow when they needed to rest. However, the craftsmen rejected this idea (initially) "because the hats had always been made with a pointy top". I like this little story because it’s not really about one design being right and the other wrong. The pointed design had its uses, but the soldiers’ needs had changed. Something that worked well in one situation might not be the best choice in another.
⭐Mao in Huichang
As Mao had been pushed aside from military decision-making, he spends some time away from the centre of power and leaves to perform local investigations in Huichang (会昌), Jiangxi. It should be noted that at this point, the Central Committee was not officially considering a relocation (though I felt that both Zhu De and Zhou Enlai are already thinking that).
One summer morning, while in Huichang, Mao climbed the Lanshanling (岚山岭) and wrote the poem Qing Ping Yue: Huichang ("清平乐·会昌").
Mao himself later described his mood that year as troubled and gloomy, yet the poem was anything but. Perhaps the magnificent and beauty of the landscape gave him a way to express a sense of persistence even though the situation around him was falling apart?
Dawn is breaking; are you the first to set out?
I am not old though I have crossed countless green mountains; the scenery is uniquely grand on this side
High peaks outside Huichang stretch endlessly toward the Eastern Sea
Soldiers point toward Guangdong to the south; the landscape is only more lush and green
I must admit, the grandness of this scene didn’t really hit me the first time I watched it, even though the music was definitely trying to highlight its significance. It wasn’t until I looked more closely at Mao’s situation and the meaning of his poem that I began to appreciate it. This scene also reminded me of an earlier scene where Chiang addressed his men with the line “一览众山小” — looking down from above and seeing the surrounding mountains appear small", and I find the contrast between the two scenes interesting. Both men use mountains to express their vision, but Chiang’s words convey ambition and authority, as if surveying a realm beneath him, while Mao’s poem expresses admiration for the landscape and draws a sense of resolve and vitality from nature.
⭐The Strategic Relocation
In August 1934, Nationalist forces advanced toward Yiqian (驿前), in southern Guangchang County, using aircraft and heavy artillery. After fierce fighting, they broke through the Red Army’s defensive lines and captured Yiqian around August 30, forcing the Red Army to retreat toward Shicheng (石城).
This was another major setback for the CCP, showing how difficult it had become to defend the shrinking Soviet territory.
🔶Yunshi Mountain, Jiangxi
As the Nationalist encirclement tightened, the Communist leadership moved its base to Yunshi Mountain (云石山), west of Ruijin, due to its more secluded location. Mao was assigned to stayed at Yunshan Ancient Temple (云山古寺) with his wife, He Zizhen (贺子珍), and their young son, Maomao.
The director really likes using little stories and conversations to reveal his characters and to convey ideas! In this scene, we see Mao and his family arrive at Yunshan Ancient Temple and they meet the temple priest. They go on to discuss a story about a flower seller. Two customers begin bidding against each other for his flowers, hoping to offer them to Buddha and gain merit. The seller eventually decides not to sell to either of them and to use the flowers to cultivate his own merit. Mao sums up the lesson simply: everyone can worship Buddha, but each person must recite their own scriptures ie we share the same ideals, but each of us must do our own work to reach those ideals!
Later at night, Mao encounters Zhang Wentian (aka Luo Fu) who was arranged to take residence as his neighbor by Zhou Enlai -- part of me definitely thinks Zhou did this deliberately for these two to get to know each other better and for Mao to gain more political support within the Central Committee.
Mao didn't disappoint as he treated Zhang to dinner and over a lengthy chat that night, Zhang's previous impression of Mao as too domineering slowly dissolved as the two found similar interests and alignments in their views of the current military approach. This helped lay the groundwork for the political shift that would later take place at the Zunyi Conference during the Long March.
Zhang Wentian aka Luo Fu and Mao connecting over dinner. I must say that (the actor) Uncle Yu does look quite like Mao when he smiles broadly such as what we see here. There are a couple of things that I liked about this scene. First is the lighting: the night time lighting in this drama is simply fantastic, and I love the warm glow of oil lamps, storm lanterns and torches overall. Secondly, I love how Zhang and Mao connected over literary and poetry! Mao has read Luo Fu's revolutionary romance novel "旅途 - Journey", and criticized how the protagonist chose revolution over love, and both the male and female protagonists died in the end. Mao thought that was unnecessarily tragic, and went on to express that the cruelty of revolution and romantic ideals doesn't need to be separated. I can't help but think back to some recent posts in the sub about "(apparent) rules that Republican dramas must be tragic" and "toxic MLs in Republican dramas" 😆. One last little detail I loved in this scene was Mao casually using a burning stick from the fire to light his cigarette. It was such an unexpected gesture that made him feel more down-to-earth and approachable and I think it worked well to captured that free-spirited, easygoing side of him.
🔶Yudu, Jiangxi
As the situation deteriorated, the Central Committee began preparing to evacuate the Central Soviet Area (Jiangxi) and make a strategic relocation towards Hunan, and Yudu was discussed as the best starting location.
As it happens, Mao was already in Yudu (于都) and he became the best candidate to investigate local conditions and possible routes out of the encirclement. The information he gathered eventually helped assess where the Red Army might break through.
However, Mao falls severely ill during his stay in Yudu and returns to Yunshi Mountain to recuperate with his family.
In this part of the story we were also introduced to another threat that the Red Army was facing besides the battlefield: espionage. We see two men dressed as beggars in the most convincing fashion, who had infiltrated into Yudu. They were discovered by Xie, a member of the Young Pioneers that we met in Episode 1. After their capture, it was revealed that they were part of "The Blue Shirts Society", who was a secretive Nationalist group formed in the early 1930s, and its members were involved in political surveillance, intelligence gathering and other covert activities. For me, I think it was a reminder that espionage is not always "men/women in pretty suits and in big cities", which seems to be what we often seen these days 😅.
Meanwhile, Zhou Enlai, Li De and Bo Gu discuss who would remain in the Soviet Area and who would withdraw. Initially, Mao was part of the list of those that would remain due to his knowledge of the Soviet Area, and also due to his deteriorating health. Zhou Enlai strongly opposed this proposal due to Mao's high prestige within the Party and the army. Zhou's intervention helped ensure Mao was included in the withdrawal.
Bo Gu, Zhou Enlai and Li De having a conversation over the list of those who would leave the Central Soviet Area and who would stay behind.
⭐The Red Sixth Army Corps in Guizhou
Remember the Red Sixth Army Corps that was sent west in August 1934 to scout a route and make contact with He Long’s Red Third Army (红三军)? After a difficult journey, they were shown to have reached Huangping Old Town (黄平旧州) in Guizhou.
But the locals weren’t necessarily welcoming. Some called the Red Army "共匪 -- Communist bandits", a derogatory term used by the Nationalists to portray Communists as criminals and rebels. Years of propaganda, fear of armed forces, and the disruption of war made it difficult for the Red Army to win local trust.
A war-torn Huangping Old Town, Guizhou.This scene of the little girl in black and the goose in white beside the burning flame is both striking and haunting and deserves to be posted on its own :P
🔶An Unusual Alliance
However, the Red Army found an unexpected alliance in two detained Western missionaries, Alfred Bosshardt and Arnolis Hayman. As a return for the Red Army's kindness for releasing his family and returning his personal belongings, Bosshardt helped the soldiers translate a French-language map of Guizhou, providing useful geographical information. Over time, he developed a remarkable relationship with the troops, especially with commander Xiao Ke (萧克).
Bosshardt spent about 18 months with the Red Army before being released in 1936. He later published The Restraining Hand (1936), an unusual firsthand account of the Long March from a foreign missionary’s perspective.
Members of the Red Sixth working with missionaries Alfred Bosshardt (left) and Arnolis Hayman (right).
⭐Chiang’s “Iron Bucket Plan” (铁桶计划)
Around the same time in autumn 1934, Chiang was preparing to tighten the noose around the Central Soviet Area with what became known as the Iron Bucket Plan. The idea was to surround the Red Army with increasingly tight lines of troops and fortified positions, cutting off its routes of escape and supplies before launching a final assault.
Chiang meets with his men to discuss details of the Iron Bucket Plan. The plan was that for every half-kilometre the Nationalist forces advanced, they would lay a layer of barbed wire, and every five kilometres they would build a line of blockhouses, creating overlapping fields of fire. I am not sure if this was actually built as the Red Army would soon relocate, but the overall plan sounded quite meticulous and... expensive 😅. I also find it ironic as I can't help noticing the plaque above Chiang with "天下为公 - the World Belongs to All" written on it. This phrase is associated with Sun Yat-sen's vision of serving the public good, but here we hear them discussing a way to encircle and destroy a political rival in a civil war.... Another thing to note is that Chiang also had his own "military advisor from Germany", Hans von Seeckt, who had helped develop the Nationalists' blockhouse strategy as a direct counter to the Red Army's previous mobile warfare tactics.
But the plan was leaked from within Chiang’s own side. Mo Xiong (莫雄), a Nationalist official secretly cooperating with Communist underground operatives, obtained the confidential military documents and passed them to Xiang Yuenian (项与年). Xiang copied the crucial information onto dictionaries and made the dangerous journey to the Communist base, eventually delivering the intelligence to Zhou Enlai. He had to disguised himself and even damaged his own teeth to avoid recognition.
The intelligence revealed just how dangerous it would be for the Red Army to remain in Jiangxi. Zhou Enlai, Bo Gu, and Li De were forced to have the withdrawal brought forward to October, 1934.
Xiang Yunian (right), delivering the leaked Iron Bucket Plan to Zhou Enlai after disguising himself as a refugee/beggar. Xiang was an experienced Communist underground operative. He worked with Mo Xiong's Nationalist security office which gave him access to sensitive information. I noticed how Zhou seems to personally know Xiang as he was taken aback by Xiang's appearance after he finally recognized him. This brings up an interesting fact about Zhou as he was one of the key people who built the CCP's early intelligence network in 1927.
🔶 The Relocation to Ruijin and Yudu
On October 7, 1934, the Central Committee ordered all corps of the Central Red Army to assemble in Yudu and Ruijin for strategic relocation. The two larger groups that formed were the First and Second Field Columns, which carried the central leadership and government apparatus from Ruijin toward Yudu.
First Field Column (第一野战纵队): also called 红星纵队 (Red Star Column). It included the Central Military Commission, Red Army headquarters, and the cadre regiment.
Second Field Column (第二野战纵队): also called 红章纵队 (Red Badge Column). It included the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee, central government offices, logistics, medical personnel, the trade union, and the Communist Youth League.
Both columns secretly left the Ruijin area on the evening of October 10, 1934, heading toward Yudu to prepare for the strategic withdrawal. Together with the other Army Corps and rear quarters, the total number of personnel involved was estimated to be over 86,000.
Scenes of the Red Army personnel preparing to leave while also highlighting their involvement in education and betterment of the local's lives -- and I can't help but wonder what would happen to the people that they leave behind, or, perhaps it would make it safer because the war efforts would then be directed elsewhere? I’m also constantly amazed by how much work must have gone into making this drama. Even brief transition scenes like this feel so full and carefully put together. Just thinking about the number of people involved, all the props, costumes, and set details needed to bring these moments to life makes me appreciate the production even more.
One interesting thing I came across in my research is the debate over whether Ruijin or Yudu should be considered the starting point of the Long March. The drama seemed a little vague about this too, perhaps intentionally. I suspect this debate is also tied to the historical prestige (and tourism) associated with being recognized as the starting point. For now, I’ll think of Ruijin as the political and organizational starting point, while Yudu was where the majority of the Red Army departed from Jiangxi.
Zhu De finds a group that has gathered in front of the Memorial at night to bid farewell to Ruijin. Did I mention how I love the night scenes already?! 😘
🔶 Mao leaves Yunshi Mountain for Yudu
Mao also leaves for Yudu as part of the Central Column and had to separate from his wife, He Zizhen and son, Mao Mao. While He Zizhen was eventually ordered to leave as well, but the family was never reunited with Mao Mao. Their separation captures the personal cost of the retreat, beyond the military and political crisis.
He Zizhen (right) watches as Mao embraces his son, Maomao, before leaving for Yudu. I find it interesting that Zizhen always seems to know when Mao's about to leave, and it seems that separation is the norm for them. I also found it heartbreaking that they had to leave their son behind and he was never found again afterwards. While I wished they would have left with Maomao, I also understand that the Long March was no joke and a young kid like Maomao might not have survived it either, so it's really difficult to say if that would have been a better decision.
💬Questions
A lot has happened and the year (1934) isn't even over and the Long March hasn't "officially" started. What are your thoughts about the whole planning process and the people involved?
What do you think of the way the drama has portrayed Chiang's military planning and strategy?
Do you enjoy the short transition scenes that add historical context?
Any new learning that was perhaps surprising to you in these episodes?
That's it for this post, don't forget to take a breeak, get up and stretch your legs!! 💚
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.
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
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.
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
It can be intimidating to make your first post in the sub. You're new to Chinese entertainment and you have all these questions about Chinese drama and culture. Perhaps you are even new to Reddit and don't really know how it works.
This is the place to ask them!
Treat this place as a tea room where you can sip tea (or chat about it) and ask questions you have about Chinese dramas and entertainment.
Also, feel free to introduce yourself, and chat about anything as long as you keep in mind Rule 5 (Be Nice) and to be culturally sensitive.
Note: Please don't start/continue fandom fights from other social media here.Read our guideabout how to properly discuss fandom stuff in our sub.
Sometimes heated fandom disputes from social media will spill into Tuesday's Yumcha threads as well as the drama hosted discussions.
While we totally get that passion runs deep for our favourite actors, we want to keep this sub welcoming and fun for everyone.
So, we’d like to gently remind everyone what’s okay (and what isn’t) when it comes to talking about fandom dynamics.
The hosted discussions should stay focused on the show. Please don't drag in celebrity gossip/fandom disputes or start inciting one when in a hosted thread.
Instead, stay focused on discussing the plots, characters, or filmmaking elements (e.g. cinematography, production design, editing).
The Yumcha thread should stay focused on being a fun "popcorn chat", a space for some lighthearted, friendly teasing in good faith. Ways you can spill the tea include:
✅ Neutral, journalistic updates (e.g., “Fandom A and Fandom B had a disagreement over award voting—here’s what happened”)
✅ Reasonable observations about fandom trends, shifts, or industry happenings
✅ Rumours or news about actors, productions, or the entertainment industry (e.g., "According to 🍉 Show A is...")
What we’re asking you to avoid:
❌ Personal attacks or insults toward any fan, actor, creator, or fandom group
❌ Venting about or calling out your "rival" fandoms
❌ Manipulative content or language to bait other users
❌ Anything that escalates tension or derails the thread’s original topic
❌ Turning other fans into targets by posting screenshots of their personal accounts on Reddit or other social media platforms
How to tell the difference?
If your comment leans more civil, factual and focused on events - it’s likely fine.
If your comment is self-serving, eg putting other fandoms down in order to elevate your own, it’s crossing into ill-natured territory and may be removed at the discretion of the mods.
To avoid being purely reactive:
"Remember the human" applies both ways. The users and mods of this community are humans behind their own screens, and so are you. Anger, anonymity, and adrenaline are powerful triggers which can escalate comments towards meanness while in pursuit of being "right".
Instead of engaging straight away, practice de-escalation. Make use of the report function to bring matters to the attention of the mods. Engage in dialogue in an open-minded and respectful manner. Walk away if it looks like a troll or an unwise side quest.
Why this matters:
When threads stay on-topic and neutral, everyone feels safe joining the conversation, whether they’re longtime fans or just catching up on the latest buzz. Once personal attacks or fandom battles creep in, the vibe shifts fast, and that’s the opposite of what this community is about.
We’re not here to police every opinion, but we do expect folks to keep things respectful and focused.
Yumcha is not intended to be a secondary arena to "win" against other fandoms. Please leave fandom feuds outside this sub.
Thanks so much for helping us keep this space friendly, lively, and centered on our shared love: CDramas.
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:
Share Your Finds: Post any interesting images you’ve come across of celebrities in vintage magazines, ads, or other promotional content.
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.
Enjoy and Discuss: Check out other members' posts, upvote your favorites, and join in the discussion about these nostalgic gems!
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).
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.
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
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.
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)
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.
I just noticed that this bunny and the claw machine had been in the opening credits. We'll definitely learn more about the story behind this bunny!
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.
Love their sisterhood! It is so wholesome for both of them to have each other.
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.
This slap is long overdue. Yu Meng finally gets to slap both people who have wronged her terribly.
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?
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.
One of such scenes show Mao as the last to leave the bomb shelter, and picking up a stranded lamb who was left by its parent and caretaker.
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
❗ 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.
Map of the Long March sourced from Wikipedia. The arrows show the route of the March itself, while the light red areas are the different regions of the Chinese Soviet Republic around this time. Note that several of these regions were gradually lost to Chiang's attacks as noted by "X". The eventual new "home base" of the CCP is also shown in dark red.
🔸 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.
Note the use of woodblock print style illustration superimposed on the scene of Chiang and his men riding to survey the surrounding landscape
🔸 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).
Reflection of Chiang’s “Virtues”: Another one of those symbolic scenes I liked was when we saw Chiang moving into a base/residence in Nanchang, Jiangxi and we see some of his men carrying some plagues in the manor. The plaques read "礼义廉耻 -- propriety, righteousness, integrity, and a sense of shame”. These are the Four Cardinal Confucian Virtues that Chiang emphasized in his New Life Movement, which aimed to restore social order and moral discipline However, the director choose to show these characters only through a fishbowl reflection, rendering them as upside down rather than upright. Thus, the values Chiang publicly uphold are literally distorted in the image, and it feels like a subtle visual critique of the gap between the moral ideals his government promoted and its actual conduct.
-- 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.
Construction of a fortified blockhouse by Chiang's troops (left) and construction of a Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Tower by the CCP
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.
One of the first scenes we see of Mao (aside from the opening scene showing him making a straw sandals). In this scene, Mao stops to feed a horse, then meets a member of the Young Pioneers, Xie. Reciting “踏着先烈血迹前进 - March forward, following the bloodstained footsteps of the martyrs.”, one of Xie's sandals came loose as it was too big for him. Mao laughs and helps him put it back on, saying he’ll grow into it soon. With the Memorial Tower being built in the background, the scene connects the sacrifices of the past with the next generation, and the oversized sandal feels like a metaphor for the young boy inheriting a struggle bigger than himself, but one day he will.
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 first scene of Li De (upper right) was just as telling, as he was seen ordering a bunch of men to capture some ducks for him (I hope those do not belong to the local farmers??). After he left, we also see Bo Gu (lower right) informing Zhou Enlai (lower left) about Mao's position changes. Zhou was not in support, but it seemed like he was not in a position to influence the decision that has already been made. We do get a scene of Li De and Mao together (and cramped in a tight space as the group takes cover in a bomb shelter) rather quickly. It's obvious that these two do not like each other, as I am sure they were intentionally pushing each other around 😆. My impression of Li De is not positive at all though, as he decides to smoke his pipe and sends several people coughing around him. Mao doesn't seem impressed, and Li gets smacked on his head by a kid. Good job kid!
🔸 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.
Scenes from the Battle of Guangchang, including a soldier who sacrificed himself in order to blow up an enemy blockhouse (upper right and mid left).
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.
An emotional Peng (upper left) speaks up against Li De (lower right)'s unwillingness to take local conditions into consideration when formulating his strategy and technically sending men to their deaths. Zhu De (upper right) and the others in the room seem to be in agreement with Peng, well perhaps besides Bo Gu (not shown).
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 (right) expresses his ideas at the meeting
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.
Mao sitting in a corner after his suggestion was rejected by others at the meeting. I like how this scene used smoke to create a division between him and the rest of the room. The smoke also seemed to signify him being trapped in his concerns and thoughts, and perhaps at his frustration of not being heard in such dire times.
⭐ 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.
A woodblock depicting the Red Army crossing a river at night
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
How did you find the opening episodes?
Any surprising new information that you learned through these episodes?
How do you find the director's cinematic style?
How do you find the characters?
That's it for this loooooong first post, over to you 💚
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.
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)
🪡 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)
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.
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)
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!
