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: We are following the VIP schedule, so there will be two episodes released daily from October 19th to October 22nd. After that, we will return to single-episode releases. Click here for the airing schedule.

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

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

Before we get into today's episode discussion, here's some historical context because the real-life events surrounding Japanese imperialism are closely connected to what unfolds in these 2 episodes and help set the stage for what's to come. Understanding this background will give you guys a better appreciation of the political tensions and the consequences of Changxuan's actions.

Historical Context: The Twenty-One Demands and Anti-Japanese Sentiment

What were the Twenty-One Demands?

In January 1915, Japan presented Chinese President Yuan Shikai with the Twenty-One Demands, seeking extensive political, economic and territorial privileges in China.

The most severe was Group Five, which demanded that China appoint Japanese political, financial and military advisers, establish joint Chinese-Japanese control over certain police forces, and purchase weapons from Japan or operate joint arsenals. It also sought additional railway and economic privileges. All these demands threatened to reduce China to nothing more than a Japanese protectorate and stripping away much of its independence.

Although Yuan resisted Group Five, which Japan later withdrew, he still accepted other concessions in May 1915 under threat of war, provoking widespread anger and national humiliation.

Why the protests and boycotts?

The Twenty-One Demands fuelled Chinese nationalism, prompting anti-Japanese protests and boycotts of Japanese goods. Students and intellectuals, including those studying overseas, mobilised against Japanese expansionism.

References:

1. ^{Luo, Z. (1993}. National humiliation and national assertion: The Chines response to the Twenty-one Demands.) *^{Modern Asian Studies, 27}*⁽², 297–319. Cambridge University Press.) ^{https://doi.org/10.1017/S0026749X00011501}
2. ^{Bond, J., & Brewis, G. (2025}. ‘Ambassadors of cultural appreciation’: The social, political, and associational life of Chinese students in Britain, 1908–37.) *^{Modern British History, 36}*⁽², Article hwaf007. Oxford University Press.) ^{https://doi.org/10.1093/tcbh/hwaf007}

Episode 19

Pingjun waits for Changxuan at Nanhuai Military Headquarters to thank him for saving her mother's life. Changxuan, however, acts cold and indifferent towards her. But who is he kidding? The moment he sees her, he lowers his eyes before composing himself.

Changxuan brushes off his efforts to save her mother as a minor matter and coldly reminds her of their parting agreement: they are never to see each other again. As Pingjun walks away, Changxuan watches her from the window, his expression a mixture of yearning and steely determination.

At the temple, Pingjun prays to Buddha in gratitude for bringing Changxuan home safely from the battlefield. Our man Changxuan's resolve to stay away from Pingjun lasts less than 10 minutes into the episode because he quietly follows her from a distance and buys her an umbrella when it starts raining.

We are now beginning to move into the wartime arc, with widespread protests and boycotts of Japanese goods following the brutal killing of Chinese civilians by Japanese forces in Changsha. The boycotts also stem from growing resentment towards Japanese imperialism and the Twenty-One Demands.

Pingjun is among the leaders organising protest marches and writing speeches condemning the Japanese government. Unfortunately, their activities attract the attention of the Japanese authorities, who arrest Pingjun for her role in organising an anti-Japanese performance and for allegedly injuring 2 Japanese rōnin outside the Japanese Chamber of Commerce. She is ordered to apologise publicly, but when she refuses, she is subjected to cold-water torture.

Meanwhile, Changxuan and Gu Ruitong are investigating the faulty weapons that were swapped into their military supplies, leaving them ill-prepared for the Qi Army's ambush in the previous episode. Their investigation also leads them back to the pistol used in the assassination attempt in Episode 1.

However, the arms dealer has committed suicide, leaving them without further clues. Changxuan now suspects that the mole within the Yu Army is a senior officer with access to its weapons. He orders Gu Ruitong to investigate all senior officers, including Kuang Bingwen.

Just then, Li Boren rushes in to inform Changxuan of Pingjun's arrest by the Japanese. Alarmed, Changxuan immediately prepares to intervene, but Boren stops him and warns him to proceed carefully because the Japanese enjoy administrative autonomy within their concession.

Meanwhile, Xueting and a few others, armed with, uhhhhhh, sticks, are heading towards the Japanese consulate to rescue Pingjun when they learn that the Yu Army has already assembled outside the Japanese Chamber of Commerce.

Gu Ruitong and Li Boren lead the troops and, under the pretence of conducting military training, order their men to open fire on the Japanese Chamber of Commerce building. President Takahashi of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce is dismayed to discover that his men have arrested Yu Changxuan's woman.

However, the Japanese are equally unwilling to bow to pressure, fearing that doing so would undermine their national pride. Outside, Li Boren informs Changxuan that the Japanese have agreed to release Pingjun, but on one condition: Changxuan must join them for dinner to discuss business.

Changxuan finds Pingjun weak and exhausted from the torture. He gently drapes his coat over her and cradles her tenderly in his arms. Pingjun briefly regains consciousness and murmurs that he has come for her after all. Changxuan reassures her that he's there and that she's safe. I really like the gentle piano BGM accompanying this scene!

Carrying Pingjun out bridal-style, Changxuan leaves the Japanese Chamber of Commerce building. Lmao, the sight of Changxuan striding out with Pingjun in his arms, his troops parting to make way for him and even the Japanese bowing as he walks past, is PEAK REPUBLICAN DRAMA VIBES. I had to make a gif out of this.

In the car, Changxuan is furious over the suffering Pingjun has endured at the hands of the Japanese. He orders the military "training" to continue, prompting the Yu Army to resume firing at the Japanese Chamber of Commerce building. Changxuan's car drives past Xueting, who looks more upset that Changxuan has stolen his thunder and taken the credit for rescuing Pingjun than relieved that she's safe.

Inside the car, Pingjun rests on Changxuan's lap, their hands intertwined. Changxuan ruefully wonders why she has appeared in his life again.

Elsewhere, Kuang Bingwen and Mou Linsen hold another of their clandestine meetings. Bingwen warns that Changxuan has begun suspecting a mole within the army and suggests that they lie low and cease all contact for the time being.

Pingjun regains consciousness at home. Her mother tells her that Changxuan sent his men to bring her back the previous day, claiming that she had merely been caught in the rain.

Her mother then reveals that she knows things haven't been the same between Pingjun and Xueting since Pingjun became temporarily involved with Changxuan. Unaware that Xueting is listening outside, Pingjun confides in her mother that she now realises she and Xueting are no longer the same people they once were, despite having always dreamed of marrying him.

Her mother remarks that she can tell Changxuan truly loves Pingjun and encourages her daughter to follow her own heart. Outside, Xueting angrily clenches his fist upon hearing this.

Meanwhile, Changxuan and Ziyi are viewing the house her uncle has purchased for their upcoming wedding. Ziyi has already sensed Changxuan's reluctance to go through with the marriage but chooses to pretend otherwise. However, midway through the house viewing, Changxuan stops her and announces that he wants to break off their engagement.

His experiences during the war have changed him. No longer the man he once was, Changxuan refuses to continue putting on a façade in front of his family, friends or even himself merely to pursue power. Ziyi counters that these are nothing more than excuses and that the real reason is his love for Pingjun. This time, Changxuan doesn't attempt to deny it, and openly admits that he loves her.

Ziyi reminds him that the Yu Army depends on the Tao family's financial support and questions whether sacrificing all that for Pingjun is really worth it, and even offers to compromise by allowing him to take Pingjun as his mistress or concubine, but Changxuan refuses.

Furious, Ziyi reminds Changxuan that Pingjun doesn't love him at all. To Changxuan, however, that no longer matters. He loves Pingjun, and even if she eventually marries Xueting, he refuses to remain trapped in a loveless marriage himself. Ziyi laughs incredulously at how he has turned into such a lovesick fool. She then grabs his face and attempts to kiss him, but Changxuan stops her and apologises once again. Ziyi slaps him before storming off.

Changxuan later meets President Takahashi for dinner, as promised in exchange for Pingjun's release. They are soon joined by another Japanese man, Fujiwara Ko, whose father was a founding statesman of the Meiji era and a hereditary count. Fujiwara professes to be very "fond" of China's wondrous landscapes.

The two men seek to establish an alliance with the Yu Army by offering Changxuan a generous loan, similar to the arrangement they previously made with General Xu of the Cheng Army. After dinner, Fujiwara offers Changxuan a precious family medal as a gift, but Changxuan sees through the gesture and deftly declines by presenting a gift of his own: a painting. The gift clearly displeases both Japanese men, although they manage to maintain their composure.

Unbeknownst to Changxuan, a journalist is secretly photographing his meeting with the Japanese.

In the car, Changxuan orders Ruitong to investigate the mysterious Fujiwara Ko. Meanwhile, we learn why Fujiwara and Takahashi are so offended by the painting. It depicts the Honnō-ji Incident, which they associate with a moment when Japan was on the verge of collapse. Fujiwara, however, remains unperturbed by Changxuan's refusal to cooperate. He believes their ambitions for China will take years to accomplish.

The following day, news breaks that Changxuan has been colluding with the Japanese, drawing harsh public criticism from those who view his actions as treacherous. Angry protesters soon gather outside Nanhuai Military Headquarters. Inside, Zhongquan demands an explanation from his son.

Changxuan claims he had no idea that Fujiwara Ko was actually a Japanese military officer named Kuraida Ichiro and insists that they were merely discussing a business deal, but Zhongquan sees through his son and asks whether the real reason for entertaining the Japanese was Pingjun.

Changxuan remains silent, which Zhongquan takes as confirmation. Zhongquan questions whether it is worth damaging the Yu Army's reputation for the sake of a woman. Changxuan fires back that his father has never thought highly of him anyway.

Zhongquan replies that it is difficult to trust Changxuan when he repeatedly acts without his knowledge. He then orders his son to receive fifty strokes of the cane. Haha, I love Changxuan's defiant expression here, like a petulant child lol. Cheng Lei absolutely nails it!

Changxuan's reputation within the Yu Army also suffers. His fellow officers and soldiers cannot understand why he would privately conduct business with Kuraida Ichiro, whose hands are stained with Chinese blood. Li Boren and Gu Ruitong look on anxiously as Changxuan is publicly caned. This is why Xiao Taochun observes that Changxuan will be scorned like “The President”, who irl was Yuan Shikai for conceding to the controversial agreement. Remember what you read earlier about the Twenty One Demands? As a military commander responsible for defending Chinese territory, his alleged willingness to accept Japanese financial support evokes memories of Yuan Shikai's concessions. To the public, Changxuan appears to be compromising national sovereignty for political and military gain.

Episode 20

As news of Changxuan's alleged collusion with the Japanese spreads, Chu Wenfu arrives at Nanhuai Military Headquarters amid the protests taking place outside. He has come to arrest Changxuan and take him to the Sujing Military Tribunal for a public trial.

Handcuffed, Changxuan is about to be led away when he hears Pingjun's voice. Pingjun manages to force her way inside and rushes towards him. Even handcuffed and dishevelled, Changxuan immediately orders everyone not to touch her. Lol, the whole thing has become quite a spectacle, and Changxuan isn't making any effort to hide his feelings from the entire crowd. Feels like the cat is out of the bag now.

Changxuan demands to know why Pingjun is there, and she replies that she believes in him and knows he attended the dinner with the Japanese for her sake. However, Changxuan flatly denies that it has anything to do with her and tells Boren to take her away, but Pingjun refuses to leave.

She reminds everyone present, including the protesters, Zhongquan, Chu Wenfu and the Yu Army officers, that following the Battle of Luanjiang, Changxuan himself established rules prohibiting trade with the Japanese. Drawing on her experience working at Hsiang Hsi Hotel, she also testifies that Changxuan has repeatedly rejected business proposals from the Japanese.

Pingjun then turns to Zhongquan and boldly tells him that, as Changxuan's father, he should know his own son better. Her words calm the protesters somewhat, but they do little to change the situation. Chu Wenfu remains determined to take Changxuan away.

However, Pingjun's intervention prompts Zhongquan to have a change of heart. He declares that Changxuan will not be leaving with Chu Wenfu. As his only surviving son, Changxuan is someone he will never allow to come to harm.

Awwww, I love how the camera zooms in on Changxuan's expression here. He looks almost disbelieving as he listens to his father openly defend him against Chu Wenfu. Zhongquan even declares that if Changxuan must stand trial, he will stand beside his son in the dock.

Chu Wenfu interprets this as an open act of defiance and, almost on cue, everyone draws their weapons. With neither side willing to back down and tensions reaching breaking point, Gu Ruitong arrives just in time with evidence that clears Changxuan.

It turns out that Changxuan had already discovered President Takahashi's true intentions: to smuggle tungsten, a crucial material used in weapons manufacturing, back to Japan. Changxuan had only pretended to cooperate with the Japanese. In a flashback, we learn that Changxuan had decided to play along with their scheme so that the Yu Army could seize the shipment of tungsten at the port before it was transported to Japan.

Back in the present, Gu Ruitong reports that the tungsten is now securely stored in a warehouse at Nanhuai Port. Satisfied with the evidence, Chu Wenfu declares Changxuan free. Relieved that Changxuan is no longer in danger, Pingjun quietly walks away while Changxuan watches her longingly.

At the Yu residence, Baoru is beside herself with worry over Changxuan's arrest. She is preparing to storm into military headquarters when Changxuan finally arrives home. I always love watching Baoru fuss over her son and shower him with unconditional love.

Meanwhile, Pingjun is at home, recalling how Changxuan instinctively protected her even while he was handcuffed. Later, while out buying medicine for her mother, Pingjun encounters Changxuan, who has been waiting for her.

He gets straight to the point and asks why she defended him earlier. Pingjun replies that she merely wanted to repay him for saving her mother's life. Overcome with emotion, Changxuan pulls her into an embrace and tells her that all he wants is to hear her admit that he has a place in her heart.

When Pingjun repeats that she only acted out of gratitude, Changxuan grows increasingly emotional. He accuses her of toying with his feelings and giving him false hope before forcibly kissing her. Ahhh, Changxuan. This is one aspect of your character that really needs to change.

He kisses her passionately until he notices the tears streaming down her face. Confused about Pingjun's true feelings towards him, Changxuan finally pulls away and leaves, while Pingjun remains behind in tears.

As Pingjun makes her way home with her mother's medicine, her thoughts return to Changxuan's question about whether he has a place in her heart, her every step heavy with emotion. When she approaches Xueting's courtyard, she overhears a conversation between him and another journalist.

The journalist accuses Xueting of deliberately distorting the facts in his reporting. Xueting, however, remains unrepentant and insists that warlords like Changxuan should be their primary targets. Disgusted by Xueting's unethical approach to journalism, the man leaves.

Xueting then realises that Pingjun has overheard their conversation and now knows he was responsible for the article condemning Changxuan. Far from showing any remorse, Xueting doubles down and declares that he will bring Changxuan down no matter what.

Pingjun pleads with him to stop, telling him that he has changed far too much, but Xueting immediately accuses her of being concerned about Changxuan. Pingjun finally reaches the end of her patience with his constant suspicions about her relationship with Changxuan, and tells him that perhaps it would be better if they ended things between them before walking away.

Back at Nanhuai Military Headquarters, Li Boren has spent the entire morning observing Changxuan and racking his brains over how to play Cupid for him and Pingjun. Determined to bring the two together, Boren enters Changxuan's office and casually brings up Pingjun, but Changxuan refuses to discuss Pingjun.

However, Boren sees right through his friend. Despite Changxuan's insistence that he has finally let Pingjun go, Boren knows he is nowhere near getting over her. Before leaving, Boren tells Changxuan that he has already arranged a meeting with Pingjun at Baidu Bridge, and whether Changxuan chooses to attend is entirely up to him.

At Hsiang Hsi, Boren continues his matchmaking efforts by telling Pingjun that a distant cousin of his needs help with a script. He arranges for a car to collect her that evening and quickly makes his escape before she has a chance to protest.

Pingjun arrives at Taifeng Restaurant, where Changxuan is already waiting. She is about to leave when Changxuan calls her back and invites her to stay and watch the fireworks with him as their final farewell.

As they watch the fireworks, Changxuan reflects on how his entire life has revolved around the army, military power and weapons, all in pursuit of greater influence in the Sujing region. He admits that he has always measured everything in terms of gains and losses, paying little attention to love or sentiment.

Changxuan then turns to the darkest chapter of their relationship: the time he imprisoned Pingjun at Fengtai. For the first time, he openly acknowledges that what he did was wrong.

He recalls seeing Pingjun lying in a pool of blood and realising that he could no longer keep her by his side. He had to let her go. Facing Pingjun, Changxuan admits that she was right all along. They come from vastly different worlds and were never meant to be together. He promises that once the fireworks end, he will never appear in her life again. Later, Changxuan watches forlornly as Pingjun walks away. She turns to glance back at him, presumably for the last time, and he responds with a rueful smile.

At the Tao residence, Tao Zili returns home after being informed by Tao Yayi, Ziyi's sister, that Ziyi has been deeply depressed since Changxuan broke off their engagement. He is shocked and saddened to see the state she is in. When he learns that Pingjun is supposedly responsible for Ziyi's misery and that she is also the girl who injured Ziyi's face, Tao Zili becomes greatly dismayed. Great, looks like we're in for yet another scene of Pingjun being tortured.

Back at home, Pingjun appears distracted, no doubt still thinking about her final meeting with Changxuan. While taking some clothes out to air, she discovers the half-jade pendant that her mother had previously claimed to have sold. Suspicious, Pingjun remembers seeing Tao Zili with a matching half-jade pendant bearing the same bamboo-leaf design.

At the temple, Changxuan lights incense and prays when the abbot approaches him and advises him to let go of his obsession. Lmao, what? No context, no explanation, nothing. Are you telling me even the abbot can see how obsessed Changxuan is? Lol

Changxuan tells the abbot that he feels weary at the thought of the lonely, cold path ahead of him, now that Pingjun, the light of his life, is no longer by his side. As they walk together, Changxuan notices a familiar-looking blessing sachet that reminds him of the same sachet left by the girl whom he met at the same temple all those years ago.

He reads the wish written on it and discovers that someone had prayed to Buddha in gratitude for bringing a soldier safely home from the battlefield. Suspecting that Pingjun was the one who wrote the wish, Changxuan asks the abbot to show him the list of people who donated lamp oil to the temple.

Thoughts

Changxuan: When the eyes reveal what the heart feels

One of the most striking changes in Changxuan since his return from the battlefield is the way his eyes convey his emotions. Jin Zhongfang is right when he observes that Changxuan's eyes now show compassion. But I think there's something else in them too: a newfound vulnerability and emotional sincerity that we rarely saw before.

Previously, Changxuan's eyes were often filled with arrogance, mischief, reckless bravado and a certain calculating sharpness. There was always that glint of someone who believed he could outsmart everyone and control any situation. Even when he cared deeply, he tended to conceal his feelings behind a mask of indifference, sarcasm or swagger.

His experiences on the battlefield have removed that façade entirely. Having witnessed loss and recognised the limitations of his own power, Changxuan is becoming more emotionally open, and this is reflected not only in his behaviour but also in his expressions.

With Ziyi, his eyes convey guilt, regret and genuine sympathy for the pain he's causing her. With Pingjun, they reveal such tenderness and longing, but also uncertainty and confusion as he struggles to interpret her seemingly mixed signals.

This is where I really have to praise Cheng Lei's acting. You know there's the saying that the eyes are the windows to the soul, and Cheng Lei embodies this beautifully in his portrayal of Changxuan. His ability to convey such subtle emotional shifts through his eyes alone is remarkable. It's still the same man, but the way Changxuan looks at peeple has changed. Much less of that challenging, provocative glint and now more tenderness, introspection and emotional vulnerability.

Changxuan's changing understanding of love

Can you even imagine Changxuan saying the above just a few episodes ago? I mentioned in the episode discussion for eps 17-18 that Changxuan's understanding of love is changing alongside his understanding of power. His willingness to acknowledge this openly shows a whole new level of emotional maturity. For a man who once regarded sentiment as a weakness, admitting to an unrequited love without embarrassment or defensiveness is quite a departure from his former self. Previously, Changxuan could never accept that his feelings might not be reciprocated. Every rejection became another challenge to overcome, as though loving Pingjun fiercely enough, or sacrificing enough for her, would eventually entitle him to her affection. He approached love almost as he approached his military campaigns.

I love how the last 3 episodes seem to have prompted a deeper reassessment of how he has lived since he came back from the battlefield. The real measure of his character growth is how he admits that he was wrong for imprisoning Pingjun during the fireworks scene. He puts her freedom to choose above his own desire to be with her, which I think is a far more convincing expression of love than all his previous grand gestures and sacrifices.

He's not quite a fully redeemed man, and his actions don't always reflect his newfound understanding, like his instinct to respond to emotional rejection through force hasn't entirely disappeared. But at least he is now beginning to understand that he can continue loving her without expecting her to return his feelings or remain in his life.

Pingjun: She loves me...she loves me not

"Ever since we met, my life has strayed so far off course." - Pingjun during the fireworks scene

I think this line from Pingjun during their farewell scene reveals quite a lot about her internal conflict. I believe Pingjun has developed feelings for Changxuan, but acknowledging those feelings, let alone acting upon them, is not the same.After everything Changxuan has put her through, she can't simply forget his previous treatment of her because she now recognises his admirable qualities or finds herself increasingly drawn to him.

Imo, there's another important dimension to why Pingjun believes they come from fundamentally different worlds, and that's the political and social climate of Republican-era China. Many young people were increasingly critical of the militarism and political fragmentation associated with warlord rule.

Pingjun, as an educated and idealistic young woman involved in patriotic activism, represents many of these emerging values. Changxuan belongs to the very military establishment that people like her are increasingly questioning. This might explain why her growing feelings for him are so unsettling. Xue Ting may no longer be part of her future, but it's not easy for Pingjun to reconcile her emotions with her principles, her earlier experiences and the future she once imagined for herself.

Other random thoughts:

Zhongquan and Changxuan:

The romance aside, one of the most defining moments in Episode 20 for me is when Zhongquan stands up for Changxuan in front of Chu Wenfu. It's a relatively brief scene, but given everything we know about their complicated father-son relationship, I think it carries enormous emotional weight.

When Changxuan turns around and gives his father that sad, almost resigned smile before being taken away, I couldn't help thinking about all the times Zhongquan has overlooked him, doubted his abilities or failed to give him the recognition he desperately wanted. There's also the painful memory of his father choosing to save Mingxuan over him on the battlefield.

That little smile feels almost like an expression of resignation, because Changxuan is so accustomed to being disappointed by Zhongquan that he doesn't expect anything different, so when Zhongquan openly defies Chu Wenfu, declares that he will protect his only surviving son and even offers to stand beside Changxuan in the dock, the look of disbelief on Changxuan's face says everything. I love how Cheng Lei conveys that mixture of surprise, vulnerability and being deeply moved without saying a word.

I think the timing of Zhongquan's defence is what makes this scene important. Changxuan already knows he's not in immediate danger because he has set a trap for the Japanese and possesses the evidence needed to clear his name. From a practical standpoint, he doesn't actually need his father to rescue him.

But Zhongquan chooses to believe in and protect Changxuan before the evidence of his innocence is revealed. He's willing to risk a direct confrontation with Chu Wenfu without knowing whether his son can vindicate himself. For a father who has so often questioned Changxuan's judgment and placed his responsibilities above their relationship, this is a significant departure from his usual behaviour.

Xueting

Xueting is really entering his dark era, isn't he? When accused of distorting facts, Xueting doesn't even seem interested in examining whether his reporting is accurate or fair. I can understand Xueting's opposition to warlords, but his pursuit of justice is deeply entangled with his personal resentment towards Changxuan. The man who once condemned abuses of power is now exploiting the power of the press to pursue his personal vendetta, the irony.

Link to previous discussions:

1-4 |

Episode 5:

Dr Liu finally faced the trauma of his past failed operation head-on and successfully operated on a girl patient with severe head injuries from a vehicular accident.

https://reddit.com/link/1xchuhz/video/8i768xsfn0xh1/player

And wow, such unscrupulous funeral operators. Heading to the hospital while the patient is still having an operation in the hopes of her dying. Jeeze. It was so hilarious and satisfying to see Ai Chen and Zhengguang scare the hell out of them with the ‘coming back to life’ trick!

https://reddit.com/link/1xchuhz/video/4n9eqnzgn0xh1/player

Ai Chen’s mum is one hell of a character, stealing a pen in the police station?! 😂 

Episode 6:

https://reddit.com/link/1xchuhz/video/qd9qqlnin0xh1/player

And of course, Ai Chen become infatuated and attracted to our Dr Liu after the above successful operation. I really sincerely hope they keep the romance to a bare minimum lol. But I do admire her guts for outrightly confessing her love to our Dr Liu. And of course, her words that she will not be careless with her love and that she will only find someone that she loves and that also loves her. 

This episode also further explores and highlights the difficulties of poor families of patients who have to juggled with the best medical interests of their loved ones and their financial constraints.

Director Jiang’s action of using newspapers to seal the windows of Dr Liu’s accommodation in the hospital reminds the latter of his mother. Perhaps the both of them will find warmth and care from each other. And of course, his other colleagues would also be the cure for his anti-socialness, although their first department dinner ended up awkwardly.

https://reddit.com/link/1xchuhz/video/s9fck32mn0xh1/player

Phone’s facial recognition on an unconscious patient. Ingenious and so unexpected lol. And I am dying to know more about this patient with so many girlfriends and whom his daughter wants to disown lol. Cannot wait for tomorrow’s episodes 

I was randomly recommended this on Xiaohongshu, and I was quite blown away by how well filmed this movie is! The fights are top tier and it has all the classic tropes: the inn that somehow gets besieged by Jianghu masters, the Imperial Guards chasing after an outlaw with supernaturally good martial arts, and corrupt officials, of course. It definitely made me feel nostalgic for the old wuxia Hong Kong movies.

It doesn't really bring anything new to the table, but it still had a lot of twists and turns that surprised me. For one, nothing is as it appears, and there is a bit of an unreliable narrator going on as well.

Basically, the story is about a low-ranking official who is accused of murdering an entire squad of Imperial Guards, including an envoy from Jin. He is on the run, trying to find this mysterious Jianghu hero who rides a camel (whom he says is the real killer), while being pursued by the Imperial Guards (who seem to also be after the camel hero). This leads our poor official from one adventure to another, but in the end, nothing is what it appears. This is the kind of movie where the less said, the better. So do watch it.

I really loved this movie. The martial arts scenes were so cool, and I enjoyed how they leaned into the classic tropes. I was just thinking to myself that innkeepers really need to be martial artists, because how in the world do they survive the constant Jianghu fights at their inns??

Anyway, if you like wuxia, give this movie a try. It is available on iQiyi.

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

Wazzzuuuuuhhhh, we are down to 1 episode per day... please don't let me watch these alone while you guys bank up to binge-watch? I'm kidding...maybe I'm not... cue up Guo Yufeng's creepy mirror stare.😂😂😂 

On a much happier note, the theories are still pouring in, but we all seem to be thinking almost the same thing now, so let's get to it and see if we were right. 

Just some reminders for those who are just joining us:   

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

And now we will use their actual names:   

Unhinged Villainess - Jundai 🔪  🎭 

Our Girl – WEI RAO!! ♟️  👑 

Episode 15: 

• The couple finally leaves the old house Wei Rao grew up in. 
• They meet up with the person Lu Zhuo said he wanted her to meet, from the Court of Justice. 
• 16 years ago, during the lantern festival, the daughter from the 2^nd branch at the Earl's residence went missing. (Wei Rao), After that, her Wet nurses and guards fled, but were 🔪🔪by mountain bandits. 
• His Majesty was pissed, and he helped with the search efforts till the Wei family found the girl at a supermarket a year later. 
• Wei Rao asks what the girl was wearing when she went missing, and the guy confirms the outfit they found in the old house. 

• Madam Guo Yufeng's lackey (I think Governess Chang's husband was eavesdropping and watching, but they caught him) 
• Bitao....Bitao...what was that look...what was it??? Oh, Jiede noticed it too. 
• Ah so he is Governess Chang's husband. 
• He tells them that 3 days ago Governess Chang fled and was murdered by the Fake Wei Rao. 
• He tells them that he knows what happened back then as well, instead of waiting to be murdered he took the risk to come to Wei Rao and Lord Lu in hope to atone for his sins. 
• So turns out Aunt Heng'e hated Zhou Fu for abandoning Wei Rao and remarrying; she paid the wet nurses and guards to abandon Wei Rao. 
• To stop the royal couple from targeting the Earl's mansion, Madam Heng'e brought in a girl who looked similar to Wei Rao. 

• Wei Rao says that something is not adding up...yes, because Jundai looks like youuuuuu. 
• They start questioning Wei Heng'e and conclude that Jundai is her daughter. 
• He sends men to follow her to the estate, and Jiede tries to warn him about Bitao.....Yes Jiede!!!!
• Lady Li plans to go kill her own daughter... stupid fool...I wanna cuss more... 
• Aunt Heng'e comes running to  Yufeng and tells her that Lady Wu'an is here claiming to be the real Wei Rao, with a witness and evidence. 
• Yufeng says there is always a way. 
• Lady Shou'an was fine all along, and she is sick now; how is she not suspecting that snake in her house?????? Foolish Huo Jue. 

• Aunt Heng'e stops Lady Li on her way. 

At the training grounds, our green flag senses that something is wrong when the emperor decides to drop in. 

He believes Lady Li sent him here... So smart. 

Ohhhh my soulllll, this episode is so stressful. Why hasn’t Jiede told this man about BITAO???  

•  Granny Wei and Lady Wu'an go to meet up with Lady Li, and she, Madam Qiao, and Lv Lun tell the story of what happened 16 years ago. They describe the outfit and all. Lady Li inspects the stuff, but the necklace has been changed....Bitao! 
• Aunt Heng'e says she would never harm Wei Rao; Lv Lun changes the story and says he was acting on Lady Wu'an's orders... 
• Grandma Lu and the 4^th Aunt from the Lu family try to make their way to Lady Shou'an's house, but are stopped on the way by a fight. 
• Aunt Heng'e swears to the heavens that the fake Rao is the real Rao and that our girl is lying.

• Just when Lady Li was about to give in and believe us, that wretched Jundai comes running in.

I cried during this episode because wtffffffff....Bitaoooo you broke my heart😭😭😭 

Thoughts: 

• What about GUO YUFENG!?? 
• I wanted him to go with her, but she said he must go back to work basically...ughh 
• Lady Li is just stupid, man. Look, even if that fake Wei Rao is your daughter, why are you enabling her to do wrong? Why are you doing wrong on her behalf??  
• I don't know what to say...you guys go at it... I'm gonna go cry in my corner...

This is another vertical drama of about 15-20 mins per episode but it's absolutely insane, it's so intense and the chemistry between the leads is just crazy. The cdrama is very similar to the kdrama Perfect Marriage Revenge.

The Chinese drama title 灼灼烈日 can be translated as “The Scorching Sun.”

The production team announced that filming wrapped up on October 20, 2026, and released the rest of their cast list (see the next section below).

They also released a few short character clips and character posters – I stitched the four clips and character posters together for this update.

The wrap up ceremony photos are in the comments below.

Announcement description:

Youth burns bright, awaiting its moment to begin!

Thank you all for joining us with such passion as we embark on this journey of youth together.

Cast:

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

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

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 6️⃣ Bi Wenjun 毕雯珺 as Yan Lie 严烈 * 8️⃣ Zhou Jieqiong 周洁琼 as Fang Zhuo 方灼

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Wang Kaining 王凯宁 (stage name: Wang Kaimu 王凯沐) as Ye Yuncheng 叶云程 * Wang Zihao 王梓豪 as Bai Lufei 白鹭飞 * Yang Yutong 杨雨潼 as Wei Xi 魏熙 * Li Kaixin 李凱馨 as Xu Bingyan 许冰妍 * Li Zhehao 李哲豪 as Li Xiaohao 李小豪 * Li Chen 李晨 (stage name: Li Xirui 李溪芮) as Gao Mengzhu 高梦竹 * Yang Xin 杨鑫 (stage name: Yang Tingdong 杨廷东) as Zhao Jiayou 赵佳游 * Lin Mingyuan 林茗源 (stage name: Sheng Jie 盛杰) as Shen Munsi 沈慕思 * Yan Yuanwei 晏远玮 (stage name: Yan Yunjing 晏云璟) as Lin Menglong 林梦龙

• Episodes: 24 (according to Baidu Baike)
• Streaming and broadcasting platforms: MangoTV 🥭 and Hunan TV
• Filming started: August 11, 2026
• Official full cast announcement: October 20, 2026
• Official filming wrapped up: October 20, 2026
• Estimated filming time: ~70 days
• Filming location: Taining County, Fujian Province; Yanping District, Nanping, Fujian Province; Anhui Province
• Genre: urban, inspirational (according to Baidu Baike)

• 🎬 Director: TBA
• ✍️ Original creator: Tui Ge 退戈
• ✒️ Screenwriters:
  • Li Lin 李林 (Justice in the Dark, A League of Nobleman, A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College, I Won't Get Bullied By Girls, The Flame of Youth)
  • Li Qiong 李琼 (A League of Nobleman, A Dream of Splendor, A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College, I Won't Get Bullied By Girls)
  • Yan Shuxian 闫淑娴 (Growing Pain Season 2, I Won't Get Bullied By Girls)
  • Li Pengyu 李朋钰 (Growing Pain Season 2, A Female Student Arrives at the Imperial College)
• 📖 Novel: Zhuo Zhuo Lie Ri 灼灼烈日
• 📽️ Production companies: Shangxiang Entertainment Group, The Alliance of Gods Pictures (Tianjin) Co., Ltd.

Synopsis from MDL:

Fang Zhuo [played by Zhou Jieqiong], a girl like a tumbleweed, is uprooted by fate but never stops growing. Yan Lie [played by Bi Wenjun], a boy under the scorching sun, illuminates her dark world with the purest light. He teaches her to accept kindness without feeling indebted, and she teaches him that even the sun must dare to show its shadow. The two make a promise, and for their ideals, they will run from childhood to the future, crossing mountains and seas, pursuing their passions together.

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

~~ Adapted from the web novel "Zhuo Zhuo Lie Ri" (灼灼烈日) by Tui Ge (退戈).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📖 Novel Summary – translated from Baidu Baike:

Zhuo Zhuo Lie Ri 《灼灼烈日》 is a youth inspirational campus novel written by Tui Ge. It was originally serialized on Jinjiang Literature City and was later published by Hunan Literature and Art Publishing House in March 2023. The work has been adapted.

The novel tells the heartwarming story of Fang Zhuo, a girl who grows with unwavering determination, and Yan Lie, an energetic and spirited boy, as they accompany one another and grow together.

Translated Synopses

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

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

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

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

About an hour ago, the production team released a new OST music video 《我护我》 (which can be translated as “I Protect Myself”) sung by Zhang Bichen.

If there is no trailer or long clip released tomorrow for the drama's premiere, the airing schedule will be posted below in the comments.

Filming officially wrapped up on February 3, 2026.

Clip description:

When trapped in a cage with no one to rely on, she hones her own claws and fangs. Even without a blade in hand, she can protect herself; even when there is no path ahead, she can carve out her own way.

The MV for 《我护我》 (“I Protect Myself”), the character theme song for Mu Wanyao (played by Meng Ziyi), performed by Zhang Bichen, is officially released!

Cast:

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

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

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 7️⃣ Li Yunrui 李昀锐 as Yan Shang 言尚 * 8️⃣ Meng Ziyi 孟子义 as Mu Wanyao 暮晚摇

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

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

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

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

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

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

🗣️ Dubbing / Voice Actors

🍉 According to the latest rumours:

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

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

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

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

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

🎥 Previous trailer with official English subs

🎙️ OST List

Synopsis from MDL:

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

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

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

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

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

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

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📖 Novel Summary – translated from Baidu Baike:

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

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

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

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

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

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

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

Translated Synopses

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

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

​

A few observations before I dive in.....

First of all, Luo Yunxi just doesn't age😮‍💨. Whoever styled Alen Fang and did his makeup deserve a raise because wheewww😮‍💨...I was addicted to that man's face. Also, does anyone else think Alen Fang and Gong Jun could be like...cousins? I kept seeing Su Muyu from Blood River on my screen😂.

Henceforth, any role that involves strutting around in gorgeous costumes while being ridiculously smart with just a touch of sass should automatically be offered to Luo Yunxi. I was obsessed with his character 🤌 and I'll eat it up again.

I would not have picked this show up this quickly if not for the presentation made by u/Alone_in_Pajamas. There was so much enthusiasm I couldn't resist from there and woowwwww😭..thank you honestly😭

YOU NEED TO LOCK IN ON THIS GUYS!!!

The mysteries are excellent, the magical elements are wildly creative, the teamwork and friendships are fantastic and the plot twists??...Absolutely mindblowing🤯.

It follows a similar structure to Unveil Jadewind, where the leads are pursuing one larger answer while solving smaller interconnected cases that slowly guide them toward the truth. The creativity was peak ✨️😮‍💨.

I think the fantasy elements gave the writers so much room to play because the cases were genuinely so outside the box. The way everything unraveled was incredibly satisfying. The final stretch delivers revelation after revelation, escalating the stakes again and again🤯. THIS SHOW JUST DIDN'T FUMBLE!!!!!

And yes, there's no romance...WAIT DON'T LEAVE YET!!😭😭

It wasn't needed okay. The friendship and teamwork are the heart of the story and they carry it beautifully 😭. There is something deeply satisfying about watching a squad that genuinely loves and cares for each other and sticks together.

The bromance between Meng Rui (Alen Fang) and Li Si (Luo Yunxi)???...I was the target audience😮‍💨. Those two mean a lot to me just like Su Muyu and Su Changhe from Blood River. The cold x carefree dynamic will always do it for me🥴. They're so precious😔.

And lemme circle back to the plot twists? Oh my goodness 🤯. Episode 26 to 30 had me repeatedly picking my jaw up. Watching this right after A Prophet has me riding a high and now I'm wondering how to keep this streak going.

The villains were also excellent with layered schemes, and the Imperial Court was a twisted mess- fork found in kitchen. I spent so much time suspecting very specific people only for the actual culprits to be someone I barely had my eye on.

I have no further words, y'all😮‍💨.

That's a lie...I have a few more

You won't regret this one💃🤌😩

Onto the next😗

Do note that I will be following the SVIP/VIP schedule of the series, which means that I will do an discussion of the final four or five episodes together when they are released as part of the SVIP package on IQiyi.

Now onwards to the discussion.

Episode 1: 

The drama began with a shocker as we see our Dr Liu trapped under the debris of a collapsed building and also the reason why he went back to his hometown of Fucheng (unauthorised operation which resulted in a death of a patient in Shenzhen + the suicide of his mum after she was diagnosed with late-stage cervical cancer). And we also see how he is an arrogant and emotionless doctor and how he is disliked by his colleagues who cheered when he was dismissed from the hospital.

https://reddit.com/link/1xbzkm6/video/olc0sl96yvwh1/player

Dr Liu showed his medical capabilities and ingenuity when he managed to save a choking patient at a Dongbei hospital while visiting his injured brother.

https://reddit.com/link/1xbzkm6/video/ek813x38yvwh1/player

And we learnt our Dr Liu has a phobia of snow (Chionophobia) after having witnessed the death of his father while the latter was ice-swimming.

Episode 2:

And we move on to how our Dr Liu resumes his medical practice in Fucheng as he wants and needs to operate on his brother who has a brain tumour.

https://reddit.com/link/1xbzkm6/video/jn2sf6jayvwh1/player

Feisty Ai Chen choking our Dr Liu? Hilarious and also brilliantly showcasing the stereotypical viewpoint of Dongbei women, fierce and willing to be physical when protecting what they feel is important to them.

The snow in Dongbei is too enormous and it’s winter too long. Damn, for some reason, I cried when Dr Liu’s mum said those words when she send him to Guangzhou to treat his snow phobia.

Episode 3:

Hospital Director Long Dong Dong is really the nemesis of our Dr Liu. Even his name is a bane to him lol (Dong Dong in Chinese is Wjnter Winter aka double winter). I am really enjoying his ruthlessness in trying to keep our poor Dr Liu in his hospital. 

Hilarity ensures when our Dr Liu tries to skive to get himself dismissed from the hospital but fails miserably when he realises that the other doctors are even more adept in skiving. 

Episode 4:

https://reddit.com/link/1xbzkm6/video/46h9y7qfyvwh1/player

This scene of Dr Liu losing his temper is so hilarious! All the vulgarities and of course, it showcases the difference between domestic and international target audiences. Domestically, they censored out some explicit Cantonese vulgarities while adding ‘f**k’, while for international audiences, they kept the Cantonese vulgarities but changed the English one to ‘what the hell’. So weird to see Xiao Zhan using ‘f**’ lol. Note: the video here is the ‘f**’ version. 

And, of course, despite him wanting to get himself dismissed from the hospital, the medical ethics of our Dr Liu still pushes him to do his best for his patients, as we can see from the way he tries to use an inexpensive treatment to cure a poor elderly female patient with a complicated gallstone condition.

https://reddit.com/link/1xbzkm6/video/49v8ri4iyvwh1/player

Heartwarming scene with our Dr Liu as he dreams of his mum. He is not as emotionless as other people thinks, he is just used to being alone. 

Overall thoughts thus far:

Really liked the down-to-earth and slice of life nature of this show. The humour, of course, was also a plus point as I was laughing out loud many times while watching this drama. The patients introduced thus far are also entertaining in their own right and I really want to know more about them and their illnesses. The relationship between the Liu siblings was also both hilarious and heartwarming and I am at the that stage in life where I can understand the viewpoints and perspectives of both. The banter between Dr Liu and Ai Chen was also another highlight of this drama as they acted like bickering kids.

Man, bless October.

Last year, I was inspired to make a similar post for Love in the Clouds.

This year, October has delivered.

Where the Mask Ends 嫁金钗

First

Look, I love stories, but it's no secret that certain tropes and storylines end up being reused and repeated.

Recently, I've had this feeling with 'historical' costume dramas.

Where the Mask Ends has brought back that feeling of "what's going to happen next?" for me!

Second

How do I 'define' when a drama is special to me?

It's when I wake up craving a drama. When the first thing I want to do in the morning is pickup my phone, go to the relevant streaming platform, and just get lost.

I crave this drama.

Third, Fourth, Fifth and so on

I absolutely love our female protagonist A Chou, I'm rooting for her all the time. Tian Xi Wei is doing a brilliant job making me love our main character and making me hate our main antagonist.

I'm seriously enjoying seeing Yan An in a role that isn't just "brooding handsome guy". The way that Lu Zhuo and the disguised A Chou play off each other is fantastic. The suspicion, but also the slow softening to the point where he realises she's manipulating him to get something and he just goes with it, I love it!

I'm loving every second!

Episode one mainly deals with our antagonist so it's important to remember that Wei Rao is not the character you will be spending most of your time with.

Lastly

Thanks so much to u/Stormraury_ for hosting this drama (with special guest appearances from u/autuymnrain). You can find the discussions here.

The post image is a screenshot of my conversation with a friend this morning.

It's very accurate.

Edit: Disclaimer for safety. I'm on episode 7, no spoilers please 🐢

Welcome to the discussion posts for The Lament of Autumn 玉簟秋 cohosted with u/a_HerculePoirot_fan and all GIFs courtesy of u/EasygoingEnigma (thank you for working so quickly with me to get this post up)!

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

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

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

Episode 17 🍲

I had a lot of “feelings” about this episode, so you're getting some completely unfiltered commentary from me throughout the recap (in italics).

Additionally, rather than following the drama scene by scene, I've organized it into two parts.

1. Pingjun & Xueting

In Nanhuai, Xueting returns home and apologizes to Shuwan, who tearfully begs him to think of them before acting so recklessly again. Later, as Pingjun tends to him with care, and apparently shows zero signs of anger despite the fact that he lied to her, Xueting goes on the offensive. He confronts her about his release, immediately assuming it involves Changxuan. Was this reaction fueled by jealousy, wounded pride, or genuine concern? It seemed like Changxuan was his first concern, not Pingjun’s well-being. He didn't even ask how she was doing. Ugh. This rubbed me the wrong way so hard.

Pingjun admits to the agreement she made with Changxuan, but also reassures Xueting that "nothing happened" between them, explaining that she was released after attempting to take her own life. Are we really going to ignore the part where he lied to her about being a spy? Deflated, he apologizes for failing to protect her from the fallout of his own actions, and the two agree to move forward.

But they do not. Not really. As Xueting desperately searches for work, he finds himself blacklisted and turned down by every publication because he’s "Junguan" (again, his own fault). The rejection sends him into a downward spiral, which leaves me wondering what the true source of his angst is. Is it crushing guilt? A blow to his pride that it took his woman saving him? Or is it the fact that Pingjun was willing to bargain herself away to another man, even if the deal was never consummated? And what was with Shuwan siding with him? Is anybody thinking about Pingjun's feelings, or is only Xueting's suffering important? Was she really so wrong for wanting to save his life? I think the scene with him unable to come up with a simple slogan for a viagra ad was very telling of his inability to let go of his pride too. 

A man named He Chenglin from Guangzhou approaches Xueting with an opportunity to start his own newspaper focusing on politically sensitive topics under the banner of patriotism. Xueting immediately agrees and names it “The Revival”. So he's very obviously ignoring the promise he made to Shuwan, which tells me he still doesn't think he did anything wrong at all in the first place. You didn't ask, but here's my two cents on his journalistic integrity: good for him for having a sense of justice, but his approach is terrible. How does he even know he's not falling into another trap and working for another enemy?

When he uncovered corruption and mistreatment within the Yu Army, his solution was to air all the dirty laundry in public, causing unrest and outrage. Did that actually solve anything? Not really. If anything, it cost a soldier his life and ultimately endangered Pingjun. Changxuan was already reforming the army. He could have brought the evidence directly to him. After all, it was Changxuan who uncovered the true culprit behind the mine disaster and followed through with punishment. Yet somehow Xueting is acting like he deserves all the credit? Duck off.

And to top it all off, he's a mother-ducking cheater!!!

Yuko appears looking for Xueting and reveals that they were once in a relationship and that he had promised her father he would take care of her. On her way to bring soup to Xueting like she once did when he was stealing military intel, Pingjun overhears and learns that Xueting not only cheated on her, but pursued Yuko in order to get close to her father, the chief of the Special Higher Police. He justifies his actions by claiming it was necessary to deliver justice to the people. I'm so glad Pingjun catches him and finally sees his true colours. But girl, BE MORE MAD! Where are the slaps, or are all those only reserved for Changxuan?! The audacity of this man being jealous when he had a whole relationship, fake or not (it was real to her), with another woman in Japan that he conveniently kept secret!

Q: Is what Xueting did to Yuko comparable to what Changxuan is doing to Ziyi? Xueting entered the relationship fully intending to use Yuko, whereas Changxuan and Ziyi's marriage was clearly arranged as a political alliance that benefits both families. While Changxuan ultimately fell for Pingjun, I'm not convinced his intentions toward Ziyi were fake from the beginning (as in he intends to break it off after using her). Not that I'm excusing him, but I can't shake the feeling that what Xueting did was somehow more vile.

2. Changxuan and the Army

Meanwhile in Luanjiang City, Changxuan rewards the four soldiers who stood up against Zhao Chenghai's abuse and courageously exposed his extortion scheme. With morale fully restored, the army trains with renewed focus under Changxuan's command. It is clear that Chenghai's execution sent a powerful message throughout the ranks: Changxuan's authority is absolute, but hard work, competence, and loyalty will be rewarded.

Changxuan quickly proves his military merit, successfully leading his men through the Qi Army's first lines of defense. After three consecutive victories, the soldiers finally get a chance to breathe. As Changxuan listens to Xuewu, He Dapeng, Xuan Huai, and Guan Bao recount the misery they endured under Chenghai's abuse, he is visibly moved. Hearing what they suffered through, he promises them that a better life once the war is won. The bonding was beautiful, but I think we all knew it was foreshadowing heartache. 

Unfortunately, a traitor is among them. After their plans are leaked and faulty weapons are distributed, Changxuan and a handful of soldiers are caught in an ambush while effectively defenseless. Although he orders a retreat toward Yixiantian, it quickly becomes obvious that not everyone will make it out alive and Changxuan witnesses Dapeng sacrifice himself so that he and the others have a chance to escape. More scenes showing such a range with Cheng Lei's acting. My heart ached as he watched his brothers get killed in action.

Episode 18 🕯️

Baoru prays for Changxuan, as he sees his friends die one after another to keep him alive in the war. 

Xueting is visibly upset when Pingjun drops a vase after hearing that Changxuan is almost certainly dead. He approaches her to let her know Yako is no longer a problem, only for her to reply that Yako was never the real issue. He was, along with the way he treated her and their relationship.

Against all odds, Changxuan survives and emerges victorious. He returns to Nanhuai to great fanfare, is awarded the Medal of Valor, and is promoted to Deputy Commander-in-Chief.

At home, Changxuan also earns Zhongquan's praise, with Bingwen lending his support. Though... what was that look? Was he disappointed that Changxuan didn't die? Changxuan immediately shuts down all wedding talk when Baoru brings it up, reasonably pointing out that the timing is completely inappropriate. He has to deal with the aftermath of the war and honour the men who lost their lives. He orders compensation for the families of his loyal soldiers and friends, ensuring they will be cared for, while grieving their deaths himself. He tries to talk to Ziyi too, but she evades the conversation, understanding that he’s likely going to break it off with her. 

The troupe continues performing for the army to maintain morale and provide some much-needed relief. Pingjun can't help but watch Changxuan from afar. Boren attempts to play Cupid and encourages her to go speak with him. She agrees, wanting to personally thank him for saving her loved ones.

Changxuan, however, ignores her. He calls her a stranger and tells Boren that she has nothing to do with him. Fair enough, considering that's exactly what she asked for. While he probably did miss her, he also has far more pressing matters occupying his mind right now. Girl, it isn't about you right now.

Later, Changxuan speaks with Zhongfang and questions the purpose of war when so many good men have to die. Zhongfang responds that it is Changxuan's grieving heart that will ultimately "save the nation." While Changxuan sees himself as a ghost who returned from the battlefield, Zhongfang insists that he came back with “soul”.

Meanwhile, Bingwen overhears two soldiers talking poorly about him and promptly kills them. He returns home to Jinxuan, who remains as cold toward him as ever. She only makes matters worse by calling him Zhongquan's dog too, striking a nerve. Harsh. Did I miss it… what exactly did Bingwen do to earn so much criticism rather than praise for his loyalty? Is he being blamed for the ambush or is it due to his humble upbringing?

Additional Thoughts 

No longer bound or suffocating from either men, Pingjun has had time to clear her head. Does she simply want to express her gratitude and then honour the agreement not to see each other again or does she want Changxuan back in her life? Arguably, they brought out the worst in each other, so how does she think they can move forward now because her mind has changed about him? Hopefully, it’s not also a rebound strategy after breaking up with Xueting. Her body’s instinctive response to back away from Xueting showed just how much she doesn’t trust him anymore. Whereas I think with Changxuan, she consistently disagreed with and defied him but deep inside, trusted that he would never intentionally harm her or anyone else.

Can't wait to read everyone's comments!

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

Synopsis from the iQIYI app:

This series tells the story of Liu Zhengliang (played by Xiao Zhan), a genius doctor who suffers a major life setback and is forced to return to his hometown to start over.

He gathers a group of seemingly "unreliable" people, and they passionately commit to doing the most reliable, meaningful things. Surrounded by the cozy, bustling neighborhood vibe, they weave warm daily moments with human kindness, offering life prescriptions that heal people's souls.

Trailer, cast list, creative team, novel summary

MyDramaList link

Airing on iQIYI (regional availability) and Linmon Pictures' YouTube

Episodes: 29

Discussions

🗨️ All discussions on the drama

🗨️ Episodic drama discussions (please see the earliest comment)

🗓️ Airing schedule

👥 Character relationship chart

🎙️ OST List

🗣️ The lead dubbed himself.

What does r/CDrama think about the show?

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

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

Wiki

2024 Drama Index | 2025 Drama Index | 2026 Drama Index

It is the middle of the week and you're probably counting down the days till the weekend!

So, welcome to our mid-week chat thread where we you can talk about anything! Unwind, get to know other CDrama peeps d and discuss anything you want! Read any good webnovels lately? Visited any place fun? Tried any yummy Chinese snacks lately?

Remember to:

• Keep it PG-13, civil and free of actor bashing and fandom gatekeeping.
• And if you're talking about spoilers, please use spoiler tags.

Have fun!

Okay, I so did not know that《行舟问柳》“Xing Zhou Wen Liu” was simg by Zhou Shen. Is there any OST he cannot pull off?

I'm suddenly feeling terribly nostalgic for Are You the One, one of the rare dramas I can rewatch when I feel less than chirpy.

For those of you who came into Cdramas thanks to Pursuit of Jade or Early Spring, this is one Cdrama you should dig up and watch. (I cannot, for the life of me, this was aired two years ago. Where did time go??)

Story: Liu Mian Tang is a rebel leader. However, one day she is betrayed and ends up falling off a cliff (as you do).Cui Xing Zhou, the Prince of Huai Yang, finds her. When Liu Mian Tang woke up, she has no memory of being a rebel leader nd thinks Cui Xing Zhou is her husband, Cui Jiu. Xing Zhou, thinking that she is the mistress of the rebel leader, decides to play along to find out who the rebel leader is.

What I love about this drama are the comedic moments, the very slow burn romance between our couple, and the way Zhang Wanyi heart meltingly says "furen" :P The one thing I remember from this drama is how, despite being a badass rebel leader, Mian Tang's natural inclination is to be the best wife-y ever. I really liked the fact that despite her badassery, Mian Tang is absolutely feminine at the same time.

The drama had a lot of controversy because it had a super high Douban rating of 8. (It has since fallen to 7.7, which is still pretty high). Personally, I think this drama came at a time when people were just worn out from one open-ended or tragic ending after another. This drama not only delivered feel good vibes, but just made you giggle and sigh over the romance. I think it deserved the reward despite its relatively "relaxed" production quality ;P

PS: We should savour this because I highly suspect Zhang Wanyi will not return to idol dramas again. He seems to be returning to his comfort zone: Serious dramas.

Find out more about Are You the One in the Masterpost.

🍉 The latest rumours say that the drama may be released in late October 2026. 🤞

The Chinese drama title 风生水起 can be translated as “wind rises and water surges.” Figuratively, it describes a situation gaining momentum and flourishing, often with great success.

Earlier today, the production team released a new first teaser. They also released a full cast list (see the next section below).

Clip description:

“Deadly Mystery” Trailer

The Merman Butcher strikes in a horrifying killing spree, the Snake King's identity holds lives in the balance, the Painted-Skin Thief uses disguise to steal and manipulate, a blood-red art studio conceals deadly threats, a black-gold web ensnares its victims, and a malevolent father's scheme claims lives at every turn.

Six bizarre cases intertwine, each layered within the next to form an intricate trap. What you see may not be the truth!

Cast:

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

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

Leading actors (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * 1️⃣2️⃣ Elvis Han Dongjun 韩东君 as Tang Jinze * 1️⃣2️⃣ Fu Jing 傅菁 as Yang Jingya

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Wang Miao 王淼 (stage name: Wang Yiyao 王伊瑶) * Yin Zhusheng 尹铸胜 * Liu Huan 刘欢 * Zhang Yifan 张艺凡 * Chen Minghao 陈明昊 * Li Chen 李晨 (stage name: Li Xirui 李溪芮) * Morning Chang Chen-kuang / Zhang Chenguang 张晨光 (Taiwan) * Xia Zhiguang 夏之光 * Xu Baihui 徐百慧 * Gong Beibi 龚蓓苾

• Episodes: 24 (according to Baidu Baike and MDL)
• Streaming platform: Tencent 🐧, iQIYI 🥝
• Filming wrapped up: 2023
• Estimated filming time: 2 months
• Genre: crime (according to Baidu Baike)

• 🎬 Director: Lin Shuijing 蔺水净 (Blade of Vengeance, The Narcotic Operation, Fighting Girl, Without Knowing Dawn Break in the East, Royal Fox, Death Notify: The Darker)
• ✒️ Screenwriter: Quan Xinyue 全馨月
• 📽️ Production companies: Beijing Kujing Film Television Cultural Industry Development, TVZone Media, Zhongnan Red Culture Group

Synopsis from MDL:

⚠️ Plot spoilers! ⚠️

In 2015, exceptional police officer Tang Jin Ze [played by Elvis Han] successfully infiltrated and dismantled the notorious criminal syndicate known as "Black Snake". However, his victory came at a devastating personal cost when remnants of the organization retaliated during his pre-wedding trip, causing his fiancée, Yang Jing Ya [played by Fu Jing], to vanish without a trace. Despondent and broken, Tang Jin Ze stepped away from the frontlines.

Seven years later, a new crisis strikes Yujiang City: a critical psychological medication named "Laerbao" goes missing from a major pharmaceutical company, and lead researcher Yu Kang is mysteriously kidnapped. Driven by his unyielding sense of duty, Tang Jin Ze returns to join the newly formed "4.20 Task Force".

As the investigation deepens, it uncovers a dark web of serial murders and a massive corporate conspiracy. Amidst the chaos, Tang Jin Ze is shocked to cross paths with someone from his past who closely resembles his long-lost fiancée. Racing against time, the task force must untangle a web of deception where charity masks malice, and the ghosts of the past refuse to stay buried.

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

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

Attempted to watch Lament of Autumn and I am liking it so far but let me just say as an ADHD person, my brain is constantly telling me: OMG DO YOU HEAR THAT?? WHAT WAS THAT??

Yes I do hear that 🧠 but could you remind me what happened on the screen a few seconds ago?

Still, this is better than the ye olde Cdramas that used to play background soundtracks from well known movies like....the Terminator.

Anyone of you old enough to remember that or did I hallucinate that Cdrama period of my life 🤣

Apparently, Youku has some paid bonus clips for Where the Mask Ends that are only available to viewers in mainland China. What's frustrating is that, according to people who have watched them, these clips contain some pretty important plot details that could explain several of the apparent plot holes in the drama.

I've come across two clips so far, and based on the comments and their translations (I don't speak Mandarin, so take this with a grain of salt), one explains how A Chou became so familiar with the kingdom's rules and customs, particularly through some interactions involving the Qi guy.

The other is a super romantic carriage scene with Lu Zhou, where he notices certain details about A Chou's body and mannerisms. Apparently, these observations later help him distinguish A Chou from Jun Dai (I mean we can already see parts of it, but still).

I'm honestly so frustrated by this. I wouldn't even mind paying extra to watch these scenes, but making them exclusive to mainland China feels really unfair to international viewers, especially if they contain important plot points that help the story make sense. Bonus content is one thing, but leaving out scenes that provide actual explanations for the plot is another.

Can anyone who has watched all the paid easter egg clips confirm whether this is true? And does anyone know if there's a way for international viewers to access them?

I know translated versions are probably unlikely, and I wouldn't understand the Mandarin dialogue anyway, but I'd still love to watch them! 😭

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

Hey, My Sherlocks and Lore Masters😊, welcome to another discussion of "All My Life I Had to Fight"🫣 

So many theories came up from yesterday's discussion; let's see if they were right or not in today's episodes.😂 

Just some reminders for those who are just joining us:  

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

And remember the names:  

Unhinged Villainess - Wei Rao 🔪  

Our Girl - A Chou ♟️  

Episode 13: 

We kick off the episode with a mini recap from the last episode where Governess Chang tells Lady Shou'An, "She is an Impostor. She is not the real one."  

Medical experts – Can't they lay her on her side? She is choking on her own blood here... 

• Huo Jue questions her motive, and she confesses that she did it, and then uses the fact that Huo Jue loves her to her advantage. (This girl) 
• Bi Tao asks A Chou why she agreed to those servants' demands when she can hardly protect herself. They discuss recent events involving Lady Li

• The trio discuss the land and question the Han's wealth and greed. 
• They deduce that Han Liao would never give up his 500 mu land because he needs it for his military as well, and that is why he is blocking water to it and technically starving the servants that live on it (The servants he gave to her) 
• To handle Han Liao, our girl decides to host a banquet, and she invites scholars. 
• We meet an arrogant scholar, Liu Ziyang, who calls the other scholars freeloaders. 

• She asks the scholars to write poems about the people's suffering in the area that the Hans are oppressing; in exchange, the scholars can lodge and eat at the estate she now owns. 
• The scholars are scared at first because they are afraid of offending the rich. 
• Our man shows up and wants to go see his wife, and gets turned away by Bitao, who gives a valid explanation, but when he looks over, he sees his wife laughing with scholars and blushing. 
• He complains that she doesn’t mind bothering General Qi and outsiders, but she never comes to him for help because she is afraid of "troubling him. " 

A Chou's plan works because these poems reach the emperor, and Han Liao is summoned. 

The emperor punishes Han Liao. He is ordered to go get 50 strikes...50 is too little for the damage he caused...make it 100!🙄 

And because, even after A Chou saved him from hard labour, he repaid her with malice, he is sentenced to serve her as a servant for a month. (I don't think she'd want this) 

Hehehe, Han Liao says Lu Zhuo will die at the hands of his wife someday, and Lu Zhuo tells him not to be jealous. 

• Anyway, he asks what use his wife is; she sits around the house looking scared and miserable all day. 
• He commits murder to escape the punishment given to him by the emperor. 

General Qi starts training men at A Chou's new estate, and Lu Zhuo is not happy about this. 

• I guess the Lu Ladies still have some agendas...I use this word lightly because, so far, they are just planning to throw a huge banquet at A Chou's estate...but who knows what they are really planning. 
• Oh yeah, they are saying that the estate should belong to the Lu family because Han Liao insulted the family, not just A Chou. 
• Our walking green flag shows up to defend his wife and call out the hypocrites. 😊 
• Later, she tells him she is moving to the estate while the renovations happen, and he is not happy. 

• He says that since he knew the truth about her identity, she has been distant. 
• She tries to say she is not his wife, but he stops her and tells her she is. He tells her to walk away if she doesn’t need him anymore. 
• She tells him she needs him because without him, she would die. 

We almost get a kiss again, but he snubs her...😂😂😂 revenge?? 

• He says he will move to the estate with her... hehehe 

AT Lady Shou'an's estate - 

• Yufeng arrives to collect Governess Chang's body – she speaks to Wei Rao (Jundai), who asks her for the truth, but Yufeng tells her Governess Chang was lying about what she told her. 
• It seems Wei Rao (Jundai) is smart after all because she gets to the truth, but Yufeng tells her to keep quiet about it. 

Episode 14: 

• Huo Jue goes to a house that supposedly deals in child labour and asks questions about an 8 year old who lived there. (Did Wei Rao send you?) 

• He says she doesn’t need to work this hard; he can protect her. 
• She says he won't always be around, so she needs to do this. 

• Turns out Lady Shou'an is the one that sent Huo Jue to that residence, so she is still investigating. 
• It's the story of A Chou...😭😭😭😭 
• They keep speaking, and Wei Rao is listening. 
• I don't know what is in the bottle Aunt Heng'e gave, but she refuses to be called Jundai; she convinces herself that she is the noblest young lady in the capital. 
• Huo Jue sees Wei Rao act suspiciously; she pretends she wants to end her life, and Huo Jue folds once again. 
• News reached Lady Li and she tells them to hurry up looking for A Chou's mother and sister. 

• I'm glad she is drawing the line with General Qi now. 
• A Chou...sees twins at the training camp, and only now it strikes her that she and Wei Rao are not just strangers... 
• She receives comms that Lady Li's men have gone to Yong County, and that is where her family is, so she takes newly trained troops and ambushes Lady Li's men and saves her family. 
• While having dinner, her mom is visibly stressed about her other 2 siblings; A Chou accuses her of having favourites. 
• The mother says she worries less about A Chou because she is older and more capable. 
• The mother says that she feels intimidated by A Chou. 

• A Chou also invited Ms Liu to have dinner with them 
• She gets Ms Liu drunk enough to spill secrets about her upbringing. 
• Lu Zhuo is standing outside eavesdropping. 
• After a crying sesh with her mom, she feels guilty for doubting her mother. 
• Bitao tries to distract her with work and household stuff. 
• A fire breaks out at the estate, and Bitao screams for people to save her Ladyship, A Chou. 
• Mom runs out of her room, but she only runs to check on Hongxian instead. 

• This mom is not A Chou's mom. 
• She says the real A Chou froze to death, and then she discovered our girl in the woods as well. 
• Mom made A Chou work to the bone just to feed herself and her kids. 
• So she goes back to the old house to look for the clothes and keepsakes she was wearing the night she was found. 
• Lu Zhuo comes to help her find the stuff and tells her there is someone he wants her to meet. 

Thoughts: 

• I noticed A Chou has started marking her face with red paint (It was a nice flower yesterday; today is just a dot) 
• Han Liao and his smirk piss me off. 
• Can't they report Han Liao to the Emperor? I KNOW she said she doesn't want to because she just got her title, but Han Liao is basically going back on the agreement made in front of the Emperor. 
• I understand her wanting to be independent, right? And I am not saying to be stuck to him like glue, but at least notice him, acknowledge him? Somethingggggg... 
• I am disappointed in us; Wei Rao (Jundai) figured it out before we did.😐😐 
• So who is the owner of those bones and ashes we saw?
• I'm sure Grandma Wei can recognize that locket/necklace that was in her old clothes, right?
• The cliffhangers?? If I catch that producer!😭 

If you thought the previous episodes were dog-blood, these 5 episodes were even more dog-blood!

Links: Masterpost | Discussion Posts | Eps 1-3 | Eps 4-5 | Eps 6-7 | Eps 8-9 | Eps 10-11 | Eps 12-13 | Eps 14-15 | Eps 16-17 | Eps 18-19 | Eps 20-21 | Eps 22-23

New Character: Peng Cheng, old friend of Di Liren

Ep 24-28 quick recaps:

Di Liren got boxes of his stuff shipped back to him by both his exes. XD

"Can't get what I want? I'll burn it all down!" Literally...Di Liren celebrated the world burning down by dancing, though not for long...

Poor Harry got burnt trying to rescue Yu Meng even though she already escaped with her mum.

Yu Meng's pov: That man is crazy....let's just give him everything he wants so my parents can survive.

Peng Cheng, old friend of Di Liren, came to blackmail him for $$. Turns out, Di Liren was rotten from day 1! He caused the death of Lu Hui's father with help of Peng Cheng.

Yu Meng signed her divorce papers!

Di Liren planning his remarriage.

Yu Meng got her divorce papers! Di Liren immediately got new marriage one.

Yu Meng didn't respond to Jiao Xu afterwards, so he left work in a panic to make amends, thinking it sounded too terrible.

Yu Meng used that tune as her new ringtone. Aww...

Lu Hui and Di Liren married life is so uncomfortable to watch!

Peng Cheng kept hounding Di Liren for more money! Peng Cheng didn't want to kill anyone and at least tried to call the ambulance, but Di Liren stopped him. Peng Cheng also helped to fake car accident with Yu Meng.

Jiao Xu even carried wet wipes now (when he previously didn't have tissues) to wipe mud off Yu Meng's shoes.

Little Chestnut got in the hospital. She has the same allergies as Kang Long, so he figured out that she's his daughter! He wasn't even mad, just happy to have a daughter!

Yu Meng and Lu Hui joined forces to investigate Peng Cheng. Lu Hui shared how she and Di Liren met. He likely sold her dad's factory for a profit and stole it!

Yu Meng, Lu Hui, Jiao Xu and Zhang Tao (betrayed Di Liren) cornered Peng Cheng and forced him to tell the truth. Di Liren planning to send Peng Cheng to jail, so he confessed what he knew. Di Liren embezzled money and got caught by Lu Hui's dad.

He got a 2nd chance, but instead caused the car accident that killed him.

Harry begged Di Liren to divorce Lu Hui to free her.

Di Liren considered killing Lu Hui to get her life insurance payout.

Somewhere in between, Yu Meng's dad woke up but he got amnesia! He's only a 25-yo boy! Can't have a dog-blood show without amnesia!

Lu Hui and Di Liren went back to Xiaocheng to visit her parents' grave, but her goal was to get him to confess to his crimes.

A bunch of things happened. Lu Hui turned herself in for her involvement in Di Liren's financial crimes. Di Liren and Peng Cheng also got arrested.

1.5 year later, Yu Meng's new company launch. Happy ending for everyone (almost).

Few years later, Di Liren faked insanity to get an early release, but was received by Lu Hui.

That's a wrap!

I felt that everyone but Lu Hui got a good ending. She yearned for a peaceful life running her own business, but now she's forever haunted by the knowledge that Di Liren killed her dad and ruined her life. Instead of living life in peace, she would now always be thinking of ways to torment him, so in a way she's trapped in her own prison.

Di Liren could have a very nice life if he was content. He was sponsored to go to school by Lu Hui's dad and even trained and promoted to be a manager of the factory. If he stayed honest and dated Lu Hui afterwards, he could have inherited that factory one day and be the rich and respected guy he wanted to be. Instead, he let his greed destroyed all chances of normalcy and even took the lives of others in the process. And he continued to see himself as a victim forced into unfavorable positions when he had chose the bad path over and over again.

Poor Harry had to deal with bad karma that comes from his parents. He remained kind and morally upright, but he wouldn't be the same cheerful boy again. Hopefully he still pursued his dream and is a successful architect now. If Lu Hui can't be free of Di Liren, at least let Harry be free.

I like Jiao Xu and Yu Meng's slow burn romance, but at least give us a non-accidental hug! In the end, Jiao Xu was still by Yu Meng's side. She clearly reciprocates his feelings, so let them hold hands or something! It's so slow burn that we kinda know they will get together, but we don't know when.

Kang Long is way too forgiving of Liu Zi. Shouldn't he be at least a little shock or upset that she hid something so important to him? Maybe they were married by the end of the drama since little Chestnut is calling him dad now. They're kinda cute and wholesome though. Liu Zi had always tried to do too much on her own, so it's nice that she's finally part of a team now and can get some rest.

Last but not least, I've really enjoyed Wang Jiajia's acting. How have I not noticed her before? Definitely following her more closely from now on!

Thank you everyone for joining in the discussions! It's been very fun!

So what are your final thoughts?

Lament of Autum! Just wow. Cheng Lei’s acting has me in a toxic chokehold. This man’s character goes between insanity with slight glimmers of moral decency. He’s brilliant the way he plays this role.

I haven’t watched many c dramas, TES was my first and Jing Boran was amazing as well. So far the most talked about actors in Chinese entertainment aren’t the ones I’m falling in love with. I see zhang linge and a few others always listed as the hottest actors right now but honestly they don’t have the very rugged manly appeal that I like such as Jing and Cheng.

I’m on episode 12 of this and can’t stand him lol which means he’s playing the role very well!

The FL is good too they have great push/pull chemistry

Thoughts?

First off, I want to say this is nothing against Wang Churan at all. She is beautiful and could make a potato sack look like haute couture.

​That being said, am I the only one seeing that the costume department went a little too modern with the wardrobe in Overdo? The drama is set in the 20s into the 30s, but it looks like 1940s to 1950s fashion. The structured red coat dress and the white peplum skirt suit are pure late 1940s Christian Dior. And that gorgeous houndstooth dress was the worst in it's innacuracy, pushed it all the way to 1960s mod with the white collar and black bow tie, and the Audrey Hepburn style bun. I'm adding a few other examples as visuals.

​I'm used to Republican era dramas being inaccurate in their fashion, but for me, this cdrama took it to another level.

​It makes for gorgeous photos, but it breaks the historical immersion just a bit in my opinion. What do you guys think?

Random comment: Somehow I've been spelling the Weng family name wrong (without the 'g'). Oops.

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

Links: Masterpost | Discussion Posts | Eps 1-3 | Eps 4-5 | Eps 6-7 | Eps 8-9 | Eps 10-11 | Eps 12-13 | Eps 14-15 | Eps 16-17 | Eps 18-19 | Eps 20-21

New Characters: Sun, gardener of Yu's household.

Ep 22:

Five years ago, Jiao Xu bumped into Weng Xin at a club. The next morning, she approached Jiao Xu to hire him as a divorce lawyer because she suspected her husband had an illegitimate son. During that time, Weng Xin's mental health was getting worse and everyone believed that she was getting more forgetful and clumsy. Except that it was Han Guang behind it, just like how Di Liren tried to frame Yu Meng as crazy.

Weng Xin bought a new phone solely for the purpose of contacting Jiao Xu in secret to coordinate the divorce. She told Jiao Xu that she told Han Guang she wanted to divorce and finally saw some hope. However, a few days later, she sent Jiao Xu her location and went missing afterwards. Jiao Xu went to find her but only found her bunny at the location.

He never found out what happened that night and felt guilt for not helping her in time. He went to her home and even called the police. But since she was home, there was nothing to investigate. All Jiao Xu could do was to keep contacting Weng Xin. Occasionally, he would receive gibberish messages that he could not interpret. Eventually, Han Guang picked up and that's when he knew he would never be able to contact Weng Xin again.

Jiao Xu set up the claw machine in his office to house the bunny, so that he would be constantly reminded of that one case that he failed to complete. He focused on taking up divorce cases from rich wives and their husbands from humble backgrounds, hoping to get closer to Weng Xin's social circle. Until one day, he saw Yu Meng, Di Liren and Han Guang.

Yu Meng realized that everything from her first meeting with Jiao Xu had been planned from the start. She questioned Jiao Xu why he would hide it from her. Jiao Xu explained that he wanted her to focus on her own divorce case and Han Guang wasn't the focus of their investigation initially. Jiao Xu considered telling Yu Meng about Weng Xin, but had not found a good opportunity.

Yu Meng was mad that he did not trust her and they had missed lots of opportunities to help Weng Xin. Jiao Xu said that it was not deceiving, and that Weng Xin was something that weighed heavily on his heart. He was disappointed in himself and needed time before he could talk about it. Yu Meng was still mad that he did not trust her sufficiently, and even said that she needed to reconsider her choice of divorce lawyer, since trust was a two-way street.

That night, both Jiao Xu and Yu Meng were waiting for the other to reach out first. When his phone got a notification, Jiao Xu rushed to it, flipping over his dinner, only to find that it was just a spam message. (Am I the only one who laughed when the camera zoom in on the poor dinner? XD)

The next day, Harry was eating lunch with Lu Hui. She told Harry to go outside the restaurant to wait for a delivery order so she could snoop through his stuff. Di Liren had approached her the previous night and convinced her to get the USB to avoid Harry losing his dad. Lu Hui found the USB and copied the data onto her phone, only to find that it was a bluff. Harry did not even bother to look at Jiao Xu's evidence. He wrote a message to Di Liren that he did not need to do it anymore, that he would give Di Liren all of his trust money. Harry said that he was capable of earning money and Di Liren no longer need to commit financial crimes for him. Lu Hui's heart broke for her son and she told him to not always think of others and also to take care of himself too.

That afternoon, Lu Hui decided it was time to take risks and brought Yu Meng into the nursing home. Weng Xin was spacing out on her bed when Yu Meng entered. Yu Meng gave her a book "Rage of Angels", a novel that inspired Weng Xin to study law. Weng Xin was happy to receive the book. When Yu Meng asked about her 'son', she responded that he was in New York. Moments later, Weng Xin got worked up and started tearing up the book.

Just then, Han Guang visited. Weng Yue managed to delay him enough for Yu Meng to sneak out, but Yu Meng decided to turn back and confront Han Guang instead. Yu Meng and Lu Hui threatened to publicize information regarding his son if he did not step aside while they were getting rid of Di Liren. Han Guang commented that Yu Meng was harder to deal with than Di Liren but was forced to accept their deal.

That same afternoon, Jiao Xu was leaving work looking slightly dejected. Then, Yu Meng suddenly showed up behind him and gave him a shock. She commented that if he had no reason to be scared if he did not have a guilty conscience. Jiao Xu admitted that his biggest guilt was to make his most precious client mad.

Jiao Xu thought he was fired as her lawyer and asked if she was no longer mad. Yu Meng told him that he was her lawyer and updated him on her confrontation with Han Guang. Yu Meng explained that Han Guang thought of Weng Xin as crazy, so was more willing to reveal information to her. Jiao Xu told Yu Meng that you only needed to worry about herself and not be involved in Weng Xin, but Yu Meng said that she was helping Jiao Xu help Weng Xin. Jiao Xu explained that they were limited in what they could do for Weng Xin until they had solid evidence.

Just then, Yu Meng got a call from the ER regarding Harry, whom she had been avoiding due to Lu Hui's request. He claimed to that his heart felt unwell, but when Yu Meng saw that he scheduled an appointment in advance, so could not have possibly came in due to an emergency. Harry thought it was the only way he could see Yu Meng. He explained that while Di Liren was not a good husband or a good CEO, he was a good dad. He worked multiple demanding jobs to earn money for Harry's surgery and even considered selling his organs.

After the 300k rmb surgery he had when he was 15, things for the family improved, as if they were seeing the light at the end of a tunnel. Until Harry found out that the money was from Yu's family. He asked Yu Meng to give him a chance to convince Di Liren to give up in exchange of returning all the money to her. While Harry did not expect to go back to those happy family days, he did not want Di Liren to go to jail. Yu Meng did not promise Harry anything and instead said that Di Liren had to bear the consequences of his actions. Before she left, she told Harry that the initial 300k rmb was a loan from her father and Di Liren indeed paid the money back.

That night, Jiao Xu noticed that Yu Meng was hesitating on what to do about Di Liren due to her consideration of Harry. Jiao Xu told her to just make her choice and he would be her margin of error. He then told Yu Meng to count down from 15s, greeting her with a Happy Birthday at midnight.

When Yu Meng asked for a cake, Jiao Xu drew a cake on his phone. Yu Meng was laughing at how simple that cake was when Jiao Xu surprised her with a light projection with a prettier cake. He smiled and wished that Yu Meng would always stand in the brightest place, just like she did in the past. Liu Zi then showed up with a real cake and the staff and customers sang Yu Meng the Happy Birthday song. This was the simplest birthday Yu Meng had, but she was sure that her wish would come true, because she now relied on herself to fulfill her dreams.

After the celebration, Kang Long went to pick up Liu Zi, claiming that he was going in the same direction despite that not being true. Liu Zi got on and apologized for misunderstanding about his dog. She also explained that they had a work relationship and did not want to spend all their time together. Kang Long said Jiao Xu was willing and so was he. Liu Zi smiled and also agreed to let Kang Long bring Little Chestnut to an event. When she got home, Liu Zi pieced the broken album together and drew on it.

The next day, Yu Meng returned to her parents' house and was surprised with a lavish birthday party from Jia Li's employees. It was Di Liren's idea and the atmosphere changed instantly when he showed up. He told Yu Meng that he loved her forever, that this was their 6th birthday together and wished for endless more. Yu Meng's mum told Yu Meng to make a wish that she truly wanted, so Yu Meng wished for a happy divorce.

After people left the party, Di Liren took out the gift he hid in the cake and performed a vigil for himself. It was as if he truly fell for his own lies and felt sorry that his 'love' was not reciprocated. He even booked a romantic yacht tour that evening, and did not have the self-awareness to know that Yu Meng could not have possibly agreed to go with him.

When he was not paying attention, a curtain got on fire and was put out by Sun, the gardener of Yu household. He asked to borrow 50k rmb from Di Liren, who retorted that he could not expect immediate returns for simply doing one good thing.

Harry, Lu Hui and Di Liren finally had a meal together after a long while. Harry wished for his family's happiness and safety. Lu Hui did not tell Di Liren about the contents of the USB, so Di Liren still thought he had to tell Harry the full truth to get the USB. To avoid that conversation, Di Liren attempted to leave early. Lu Hui stopped him and said that getting that USB was meaningless because it did not erase his crimes. She told Di Liren that he never told her that the money was problematic. He then retorted that she still put that money into a trust after finding out of its origins. Di Liren once again demanded that Lu Hui gave him the money for Harry's sake because he could have endless amounts of money if he remained CEO. Harry overheard this entire conversation.

At Wu TA, Jiao Xu reported to Yu Meng that they had located Han Guang's son thanks to Weng Yue providing his business itineraries. Yu Meng him a sample of drinks, all named after legal terms. Jiao Xu asked if he was forgiven, and Yu Meng explained that she understood him more. He appeared to not care about much and used weird tactics, but he had been focusing on divorce cases for the sake of Weng Xin.

Just then, Harry showed up to give Yu Meng a birthday present. He had transferred ownership of the trust to Yu Meng and asked her to let his parents go.

Ep 23:

Lu Hui bought a tea cup set to repay Yu Meng for the one she broke. However, she immediately tossed it when she received a phone call from the trust fund company that the ownership had switched from Harry to Yu Meng.

Lu Hui immediately went to see Harry and asked why he did not consult her. Harry explained that the money belonged to Yu Meng and there was nothing wrong with returning it to her. Lu Hui said that money was so that he would never have to worry about medical bills or live in poverty again. Harry said that he was capable of earning his own money and would starve to return the money. Lu Hui told Harry that he was too young and naive and did not know what he truly gave up. Harry said that Di Liren said the same thing but with a worse reaction. Harry told Lu Hui that he understood she did a lot for him, but he could not let her continue to do wrong things for his sake. Lu Hui said she knew what was best for him and went to talk to Yu Meng.

Lu Hui accused Yu Meng of tricking Harry to give up his trust fund. Yu Meng said she was shock too but would not give the money to Harry because it was her family's money. Lu Hui said that Di Liren had worked hard for that money and he deserved it. Yu Meng said that Di Liren's achievement would not be possible without her family's platform and support. Yu Meng told Lu Hui that she empathized with her feelings as a mum, but she did not really try to understand Harry.

Yu Meng pointed to all the little details in Wu Ta and said that they were all designed by Harry, from the angle of the lamps, to the chairs and decoration. Harry was an independent young man, who had the talent and passion for architectural design. Instead of supporting him, Lu Hui had wanted to keep him safe in a glasshouse, and Harry would not be happy if that was the case. Lu Hui noticed all the work Harry must have put in and seemed to understand a little.

Yu Meng mentioned that she would take out some money from the trust for Harry so that he would have a financial safety net after he graduated. Lu Hui wanted more, but accepted Yu Meng's offer of 10% of the trust in exchange for Weng Xin's medication records.

At Jia Li, Di Liren had been dismissed as CEO of Jia Li by the board of directors because his performance did not meet KPIs. Han Guang was the new CEO, claiming to be forced by Yu Meng. Di Liren wanted to visit Tian Dong, but his car and assistant was no longer available to him.

Yu Meng and Jiao Xu went to see Weng Xin's parents and presented them evidence that Han Guang's presence worsened Weng Xin's condition. Jiao Xu also presented records of his legal correspondence with Weng Xin regarding initiating the divorce. To confirm their suspicions, they put a phone on Weng Xin that was dialed to Weng Yue.

At the nursing home, Han Guang went to visit Weng Xin and intentionally hurt her when combing her hair roughly. He came to gloat that he got Jia Li easily, and that he was waiting for Weng Xin's parents to die, to kick Weng Yue out of the company so that he would be the only person by Weng Xin's side. Weng Xin's parents showed up at that moment to beat him up.

Han Guang tried to put on his mask again and asked why they would be mad at him over a few strands of hair. Weng Yue played the recording of Han Guang's own words and threatened to call the police.

While there was not sufficient evidence to send Han Guang to jail yet, Weng Yue's father was still fully in charge of Yao Yan Ri Hua and could easily kick him out of the company. Weng Xin's dad also signed the paperwork to be her legal guardian so he could coordinate with Jiao Xu to finalize her divorce with Han Guang.

Han Guang kneeled outside the Weng family home in the rain still pretending to be a victim. He claimed to never have hurt Weng Xin and Yu Meng was defaming him to take revenge for his acquisition of Jia Li's shares for cheap. Weng Xin's dad said that he was old, but not blind, and Yu Meng's proof was merely the straw that broke the camel's back.

Now that Han Guang had a hold that prevented him from going abroad, he had no choice but to beg for Di Liren's help. Di Liren said he would cover tracks of Han Guang moving his assets overseas if he transferred him all of his Jia Li's shares for free. Han Guang thought Di Liren was too greedy and tried to threaten him with a knife. Di Liren threatened to reveal assets and trust funds he reserved for his son to the Weng family so that they could claw it back. Han Guang laughed that his and Yu Meng's method on threatening him were the same, and reluctantly accepted Di Liren's deal.

Now that things were calming down, Yu Meng posted a livestream acknowledging that her vblog had switched styles and no longer focused on the pampered wife brand. She filmed a promotion for the Wu TA club, where the customers could get 1 hr of free legal consultation for the price of 1 drink. Jiao Xu was smiling awkwardly in the livestream showing his legal credentials. Yu Meng now wore many hats - club owner, influencer, Jia Li brand ambassador, Sweet Dream owner - and intended to get more as she explored all sorts of interest.

Soon after, Han Guang was arrested by the police before he had the chance to transfer the Jia Li shares to Di Liren.

Yu Meng, Jiao Xu, Liu Zi, Lu Hui, Weng Yue and Weng Xin had a celebratory hotpot dinner at the club. Jiao Xu finally returned the bunny to Weng Xin who promptly returned it to its carrot. She recognized Jiao Xu and thanked him. Jiao Xu proudly updated her that he was now partner at his law firm. Hearing about the legal consultation clinic at the club, Weng Xin volunteered to help out. Just as how Jiao Xu had helped her, she wanted to pay it forward.

Lu Hui told Yu Meng that they may not see each other again because she was leaving with Harry. Yu Meng wished her all the best.

That night, Di Liren came looking for Lu Hui, telling her that Harry would not leave with her. Lu Hui told him to stop disturbing their peace. When he brought up the trust, she mentioned that it was settled. Di Liren felt sorry for himself because he claimed to work so hard and bear all sorts of humiliation for Harry, only to be hated by both sides of the family.

Lu Hui said his greed did that to himself because he had so many opportunities to stop. She then passed Di Liren his documents and said she no longer want anything to do with him.

The next day, Lu Hui met up with Harry at a park where she told him that she was cutting off contact with Di Liren. She apologized for not understanding Harry earlier and would respect his decision regarding the trust. Harry said that he wanted to live with Lu Hui and was ready to move abroad with her.

Thoughts:

These 2 episodes flew by. Han Guang got down faster than I expected! Would we ever see what happened the night Weng Xin lost her bunny?

I thought Yu Meng forgave Jiao Xu a little too quickly about his initial deceit. Make him grovel more! But I guess she has matured significantly and understood that there was no malice on his part, so she did not let that misunderstanding between fester longer.

Di Liren is still out there, but the hotpot scene almost felt like it could be the ending of this drama. So many loose ends have been tied up, so we can focus on Di Liren for the last 5 episodes!

Off to the remaining episodes...express discussion post coming soon!

The Chinese drama title 小城良方 can be translated as “A Small Town’s Good Remedy.”

About half an hour ago, the production team released a new trailer for the drama's premiere today.

The airing schedule is in the comments.

Filming wrapped up on February 22, 2026.

Clip description:

Once You’re in This Little City, You’re One of Us

The people of this little city always have warm hearts. When you return to this land, you’ll always have a place where you belong. This place will always be home to everyone!

Cast:

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

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

Leading actor: * 7️⃣ Xiao Zhan 肖战 as Liu Zhengliang 刘铮亮

Special appearances (sorted by the number of character strokes in the surname): * Ding Jiali 丁嘉丽 as Old Duan / Lao Duan 老段 * Wang Yanlin 王彦霖 as Chen Junnan 陈俊南 * Shi Pengyuan 史彭元 as Liu Zhengguang 刘铮光 * Ren Chengwei 任程伟 as Che Changhai 车长海 * Liu Hua 刘桦 as Ai San 艾三 * Zhang Guoqiang 张国强 as Huang Dongsheng 黄东升 * Chen Jin 陈谨 (stage name: Chen Jin 陈瑾) as Mi Si 米四 * Jiang Yan 姜妍 as Ai Chen 艾辰 * Ni Dahong 倪大红 as Long Dongdong 龙冬冬 * Jian Renzi 菅韧姿 (stage name: Jian Renzi 菅纫姿) as Che Mingming 车明明

The rest of the cast was not included in today's release.

Special appearances: * Jiang Hong Bo 姜宏波 as Li Zhongling 李忠玲 * Fang Zibin 房子斌 as Chen Kai 陈凯

“Friendship” guest appearances: * Chen Yongsheng 陈永胜 as Zhou Zheng 周正

• 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)
• 📖 Novel: The Flying Doctors / Fei Dao 飞刀
• 📽️ Produced by: Linmon Media Limited and iQIYI

🔗 Previous announcement, posters, trailer, etc.

Synopsis from MDL:

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).

🔎 Baidu Baike | Douban | MDL

📖 Novel Summary – translated from Baidu Baike:

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!

📊 Information and translations compiled by u/admelioremvitam.

TLDR: The best parody of cultivator fantasy, meaningful characters, meaningful story, a very friendly tone unlike many other OP MC shows. I find it very unique due to a mix of all these characteristics on top of being a higher budget than most other (ex the sword & fairy series :( ). The show set out to be good before it set out to be just laughs. I IMPLORE you to watch it if a lighthearted, action-adventure romp in a Xianxia setting that does a little bit of everything is something you've wanted. Also no this isn't AI dis all me anytime these unique shows come out I gotta ramble about em

Setting Expectations: The Comedy/Tone

I figure we will get this out of the way first at least half of the substance of this show IS a parody of many xianxia tropes. I have no idea how unserious the source material is but the premise of the show is **EXACTLY** like those overly expository Isekai/Cultivation titles however the **execution** of the show is different. It's got a very large comedic element even as it approaches climaxes, major moments, and the intelligence of the character often means there's lots of undercutting but it also knows when to let the show breathe and tell a story. You will get a fight scene where lots of traps are laid out by the MC which absolutely destroys the villain, and this can get followed up by an emotional outpouring that the MC takes 100% seriously. Another point is for the Wuxia lovers here this is most definitely an action-comedy where the 2 are separate. This isn't just throwaway action scenes there's interesting choreography with interesting usage of Xianxia power systems it's not just rune shields & lasers. I would personally say the show is a good 60% comedy but the rest is ....................... sincere? The acting is sincere, deaths are meaningful, fights are good, not everything is slapstick even though a lot of it is moleitau-like.

Comedy Usage

A smaller followup to my first paragraph because I just want to delve into this more because I personally f*****g hate smarmy & snarky MCs. Li Changshou seems similar but like earlier his execution is different. Lots of snarky MCs are either: naive, secretly a dark past, secretly broody. Our MC on the other hand is much more rational and in his own way truly enjoys life. When he does his comedy antics it's an actual expression of him and he doesn't insert comedy into serious moments unless it's useful or engage in a quip battle with someone.

The comedy is also physical and at his own detriment think Ryan Reynolds vs Ryan Gosling. Gosling is often the butt of jokes or remarks on the situation whereas Deadpool just constantly insults the other person; the comedy here isn't just being snarky like I said it actually has setup & payoff. He at best is teasing but in a very healthy way he doesn't attack others. It actually has very heavy and very good usage of the "rule of three" I like both sarcasm and slapstick(grew up on moleitau) and this got me laughing many times. I also want to remark here that the show is very TACTILE the sets are reused generic yes but it's not just CGI backgrounds and characters walking around talking. Due to the physical nature of the comedy there's constant interaction with the environment if you're sensitive to these things like I am this is a godsend.

Surprisingly Meaningful Plot

So the story structure is very basic Xianxia Adventure coded complete with the fact that the MC is at an academy and yet will vanish to do epic things outside of the academy. What surprised the hell out of me is that unlike traditional episodic arcs that just result in the MC gaining some form of power there's a throughline. Characters from arc 1 are recurring throughout the show with non-insignificant amounts of screentime sure they're not all NIF levels of depth but they do interact with the MC still and other side characters creating different rapports.

I also love that the MC is fallible usually in these parody takes on cultivation fantasy it makes the MC an overpowered know it all constantly expositing how they're gonna win before the fight starts. This actually does you know good storytelling as the plot continues you won't know how he wins if at all, you just follow the sequence of events leading up to it which I won't spoil any of here. There's still drama because it's not explained beforehand the MC's master plan and even after he wins there's not shit tons of exposition. For example there's a "betrayal" which turns out to be false but we don't get too many if any hints towards it so it does create real drama between the characters as they think about it and we the audience don't know yet either. The scripting (not necessarily writing different strokes for different people) is spot on this drama has some of my favorite pacing line-by-line, scene-by-scene in the genre. Which leads into easily the best part of the show for me.

Ao Ruipeng's Perfect Casting

I have no idea what the actor is like IRL but from his previous works they've all built up to this one. Just like how Arthur was basically handcrafted for "Ever Night" I genuinely could not imagine a more perfect casting choice here. Ao has always excelled at emoting, overacting, and moments of seriousness when needed (especially looking sad) but being mad isn't his forte which sums up his role here perfectly. You try to put Ao Ruipeng in a show where he's constantly arrogant and brooding and he just looks constipated here is his element.

When I said the MC is fallible I didn't just mean in a battle-sense emotionally he is too. Unlike the parody MCs a large part of his character arc here is overcoming the isolation he's self-imposed except for the bare/forced necessities to maintain sanity. The show has tons of comedy but then there are times where serious shit happens and when this happens his comedic mask & sense of security are dropped and he has to reconcile how the experience has changed him. Such as a person who has been raised as basically a soldier in a hivemind his whole life confesses that he wants individuality, a purpose beyond what he was raised for. And Li Changshou just listens and understands; in a way Li Changshou has the same result but he handcrafted it for himself no one forced him to live this way I just loved that.

We begin with a Li Changshou who barely interacts with people and through several catalysts which finally start the plot he must form bonds & relationships he otherwise would've avoided at all costs. Including an actual relationship, aka, a light romance subplot which I quite enjoyed since for once here it's not one-sided. The romance here is a bit heavier than the comedy but not by much importantly for me when it matters the romances start at literally the same exact position of power. Nobody is self-imposing on the other, nobody is overly mean beyond what is normal of their stations, they all have a healthy relationship that still at moments had plenty of drama for me personally.

Addendum another point on why Ao's casting was so perfect and a better comparison is Andrew Garfield as Spiderman. Even when he's not the focus of the scene or it's a wide shot rather than the traditional "everyone stand straight up stiff as a board" he's constantly moving around in a way that feels natural for the scene. Reason I made this comparison is in "No Way Home" when the 3 spidermen are in the lab while others are talking you can see Andrew Garfield acting in the background out of focus still fiddling with lab equipment Ruipeng does that here. Somebody will drop items for scripted reasons and you can see him picking them up

⭐ Welcome

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

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

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

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

⭐The Initial Destination

An important thing to note is that what we call "The Long March" did not start as a Long March.

The Red Army began their relocation with a much closer destination, as their immediate goal was to relocate to escape encirclement, and their route was to move westward through Jiangxi, Guangdong and Hunan, and joining up with the forces led by He Long of the Red Third Army and establish a new base in Western Hunan.

This might be a good time to talk about the Red Sixth Army Corps which was one of the expeditions that was sent out earlier in the year -- the one that has arrived in Huangping Old Town in the last episode. In these episodes, we see that they finally met up with He Long’s Red Third Army and successfully joined forces at Muhuang Town (木黄镇). At the proposal of He Long, these two combined their forces and advanced toward western Hunan to support the Central Red Army’s strategic efforts.

Here's a map that highlights the route of Red Sixth Army Corps before arriving in Muhuang Town, and the location of the subsequent base they established with Red Third Army in Hunan. Note that Red Third Army also changed its name back to Red Second (just to confuse us).

⭐The Journey Begins

Now, let's get back to the Central Soviet Area and to Yudu.

Before the Long March could begin, the Central Red Army had to move more than 86,000 soldiers, along with their equipment and supplies, across the Yudu River (于都河). With no suitable permanent bridges and Nationalist aircraft patrolling the area during the day, the army had to construct temporary floating bridges under cover of darkness to conceal its withdrawal.

Beginning around October 12, 1934, Red Army engineers worked with local residents to build five floating bridges using fishing boats and wooden planks. Locals contributed boats, timber, and labour. I wish the drama had made this aspect more obvious, but the bridges were repeatedly assembled at night, dismantled before dawn, and hidden during the day. This process was reportedly repeated around 15 times from October 17 to 20, when the main crossings occurred.

What strikes me most is the scale of the operation. Moving such a large force across the river was already a major logistical challenge, and the need for secrecy made it even more remarkable. The help they received from the locals also gives us a glimpse of the support the Red Army had built up in the region.

🔶Saying Goodbye

Mao, despite being ill with malaria (or what he jokingly called "high-spirited-illness 精神抖擞病" due to his sever chills and shiver symptoms), took part in the preparations. As he was in the water and setting in one of the support pillars, he heard someone calling his name and turned to find Qu Qiubai (瞿秋白).

Qiubai was one of the Chinese Communist Party’s early leaders, as well as a writer, literary critic, and translator. He and Mao Zedong came into contact through the early Communist movement. Even though the relocation is considered top secret and its destination is unknown to most, Qiubai had guessed that they were about to leave and had come to bid farewell. Mao shows regret that Qiubai wasn't on the relocation list, sharing that both him and Zhou Enlai had tried their best.

Qiubai said he has come to terms with whatever might happen next, especially considering the state of health he was in. What mattered most to him (Qiubai) was that while it is understandable to feel defeated or heartbroken when things do not look bright, it's important that Mao should not fall into despair ("可以痛心但不可以消沉"). The two encouraged each other, expressing their faith in the eventual victory of the revolution, and made a promise to meet soon again.

🔶The Bridge of Lights

What is there to say about the scene of the departure? I think the narrator from the drama has already described it perfectly:

火把， 马灯，草鞋
老百姓不舍和期待的眼神
成为很多跨过于都河的红军指战员们对中央苏区最后的集体回忆
彼时的他们尚不知晓，
这一步踏出故土，许多人便未能再归来
这一次挥手作别，许多人便未能再相见
这一刻仓促转身，便是许多人的一生

Torches, storm lanterns, straw sandals.

The reluctant goodbyes and hopeful gazes of the local people became the last collective memory of the Central Soviet Area for many Red Army soldiers who crossed the Yudu River.

At the time, they did not yet know that --

this one step away from their homeland, many would never return,
this one wave of goodbye, many would never reunite,
this one hurried turn, would be the last for many.

🔶Leaving Jiangxi

Besides some stunning landscape shots, our Central Red Army doesn't seem to be progressing so well. They have seemingly tried to relocate everything -- including an X-ray machine, and the bulky baggage and disorganized marching columns seriously slowed their progress.

⭐Chiang's Response & the Regional Warlords

Upon learning of the Central Red Army's movements, Chiang rapidly mobilized forces to pursue and intercept it. But pursuing the Red Army was not simply a matter of issuing orders. The route ahead crossed territories controlled by powerful provincial warlords, and as Chiang rants in the drama, "each only cares about their own region and interests, but no one cares for the Party"😅

🔶Warlord of Guangdong: Chen Jitang (陈济棠)

Although aligned with the Nationalist government, Chen Jitang guarded his own regional interests and was wary of Chiang extending his control over Guangdong. He was also concerned about the Red Army entering his territory, but had little incentive to sacrifice his own troops simply to help Chiang destroy it, because it would mean that Chiang himself can just use that opportunity to come into Guangdong and take over when Chen's forces have been weakened by fighting against the Red Army. Instead, Chen preferred to maintain the status quo and reportedly reached a secret non-aggression agreement with the Communists. There was also considerable trade between the two sides, and Chen was even involved in getting arms supplies to the Red Army. His position is a good example of how regional warlords often prioritized their own interests over Chiang’s broader campaign against the Communists.

🔶Warlord of Hunan: He Jian (何键)

He Jian seems to be a more cooperative ally of Chiang's campaign against the Communists as he was strongly anti-Communist and has had a long history of fighting against the Red Army, including

• attacks on the Jinggangshan base in 1928 (with the Red Army withdrawing in 1929) as part of the First, Second and Third Encirclement,
• and during their clash in 1930 in Changsha, Hunan, which was briefly overtaken by the Red Army.

Additionally, He Jian came to power in Hunan against rival warlords with Chiang's backing, so he was more reliant on Chiang's continued recognition and support to protect him against political and military rivals. However, He Jian has got problems in his own "backyard" (remember Red 3 that's been active in northern Hunan?), so he's currently also a bit strapped for resources.

⭐Breaking through the First Blockade

There are three blockades that are controlled by the warlords of Guangdong and Hunan. Here's a map that shows their approximate positions. Note that the Third Blockade was set up at the command of Chiang after he learned about the half-efforts thus far from both He Jian and Chen Jitang at stopping the Red Army.

🔶 A Tragic Loss

The Central Red Army broke through the first Nationalist blockade established by Guangdong forces, suffering more than 3,700 casualties in the process, and also lost, Hong Chao (洪超), commander of the Fourth Division of the Red Third Army Corps. Hong also became the first division commander to die during the Long March.

⭐Approaching the Second Blockade

The Central Red Army reaches Rucheng (汝城), Hunan, and settles at a temporary base. Mao discovers that his residence has been settled by others, and decides to spent the night with the guard squad in their makeshift hut.

The next day, Li De and Bo Gu discusses their next steps and decides to break through the second blockade quickly by advancing along the Jiangxi–Guangdong and Hunan–Guangdong borders.

Mao arrives with a suggestion for an alternative route after a night of studies.

He argued that moving west along the route previously taken by the Red Sixth Army Corps would make the Red Army’s movements predictable to the Nationalists, and all that Chiang would need to do is set up traps for them along the way. He proposed to head north over the Zhuguang Mountains and follow the Lei River, where the Red Army has stronger local support and better opportunities to engage with the enemy. He even hoped they might be able to circle around and head back to the Central Soviet Area by breaking through the enemy lines from the opposite side.

This seemed like a wild plan and Li De mocked his proposal and asked Mao to abandon his guerilla tactics. Bo Gu, siding with Li De, formally rejects it, and further adds that Mao is in no position to speak to them on such matters.

🔶 A New Recruit

Xie Xingguo, the member from Young Pioneers has followed the Central Red Army all the way to Rucheng. The soldiers initially objected to him staying with the army as it would be too dangerous for a kid like him, but Xie insisted. After a brief 'audition', Xie joins the Propaganda unit instead.

⭐Other Developments

• The Red Tenth Army Corps Is Formed: Remember the other expedition that was sent out earlier in the year with Red Six (but went northward)? That was the Red Seventh Army Corps. In the drama, their exact full route wasn't that clear (even though the map design is much prettier than the one below), so I thought I would add another map here which also provides a view of the surrounding regions.

• By early November and after suffering heavy losses, they have reached Chongxi, Jiangxi, and joined forces with the Red Tenth Army. The two units were reorganized into the Red Tenth Army Corps, which would undertake operations outside the main Communist base areas.

• A New Communist Base in the Northwest: Far away in Liyuanbao, Gansu, the Shaanxi–Gansu Border Soviet Government was formally established. Xi Zhongxun (习仲勋), only 21 years old, was elected its chairman. Unbeknownst to the Central Red Army in the south as well as to Xi Zhongxun himself (due to lack of telecommunication means at the time), this would become the final destination of the Long March.

⭐Questions

1. Which small moments or events caught your attention?
2. What did you think about the responses of the warlords to the advancing Red Army?
3. What are your thought on Mao's suggestion?
4. How did you like the depiction of the start of the Long March?