The Cross-Dressed Union (2025)

A refreshing series about double crossdressing

PLOT: The FL is a woman disguised as a man to hold an official position at court. The ML, a general's son, is a fake girl (to escape the extermination of generals' sons, ordered by the previous emperor). The new emperor, trying to maintain a civil-military balance, orders the marriage of ML and FL. Both of them (plus the FL's brother, in charge of spies/intelligence) will help the emperor in his fight to eradicate corruption and maintain prosperity and peace on the borders.

+++ Good casting: ML and FL are androgynous enough to be believable crossdressers.
+++ The entire cast is convincing.
+++ Lively and effective direction, and the storytelling is coherent and intelligent.
+++ Great OSTs

### The budget is limited, there aren't any particularly spectacular scenes, and there are few extras (10-15 soldiers; about 20 evacuees, etc.).

=> A nice and enjoyable series, where ML (Liu Ye) particularly shines. I hope to see him again in longer dramas.

***********************************************
A refreshing series about a dble cross dressing

PLOT: La FL est une femme déguisée en homme pr être officiel à la Cour. Le ML, fils de général, est une fake fille (pr échapper à l'exterminat° des fils de généraux, ordonnée par l'empereur précédent). Le nouvel empereur, qui essaie de garder l'équilibre civil-militaire, ordonne le mariage ML/FL. Ts les 2 (+ le frère de la FL, chargé des Espions/Renseignements) vont aider l'empereur ds sa lutte pr abattre la corrupt°, maintenir la prospérité et la paix aux frontières.

+++ Bon cast : ML et FL sont assez androgynes pr être des cross dressers crédibles.
+++ L'ensemble des acteurs est convaincant.
+++ Réalis° vive, efficace et la narration est cohérente et intelligente.
+++ Bons OSTs

### Le budget est limité, il n'y a pas de scènes très spectaculaires, peu de figurants (10-15 soldats ; une 20aine de personnes évacuées, etc.)

=> Série sympa et agréable, où le ML (Liu Ye) brille particulièrement. J'espère le revoir dans des dramas plus longs.

Read More

Great Story, Great Acting

This drama was kind of unique. It had my interest from the very beginning all the way to the end. Nan Chen Xiao (played by Liu Ye) was a young general who had to dress up like a woman. He was pretty much under cover. Liu Ye was a very good character meshed well with the female character, Rui Yu (played by Tan Xiao Fan). Rui Yu was a young woman who dressed up as a male for all of her life. She never played as a girl, as she grew up. Rui Yu was a great minister in the emperor's court and she was a great orator / strategist. The young emperor, Yan Lin (played by Liu Guo Hao) was very likeable. He knew that Nan Chen Xiao was a man dressed up like a woman and he knew that Rui Yu was a woman dressed up like a man. Emperor Yan Lin issued a decree to pair Nan Chen Xiao and Rui Yu in a marriage. This marriage decree drove the two marriage partners crazy, as well as their respective families. Nan Chen Xiao's family could not believe that their son was decreed to marry another man (Rui Yu). Rui Yu's family could not believe that their daughter was decreed to marry another woman. The families had to honor the emperor's marriage decree or risk being destroyed. The marriage took place. It was so hard for the Rui Yu and Nan Chen Xiao. By the way, Nan Chen Xiao was also a young general. When Rui Yu was ordered to go somewhere to be an envoy or in some other capacity, Nan Chen Xiao said that he was going along to accompany his new spouse and to also protect Rui Yu. The emperor's sister, Princess Yan Luo (played by Dai Jia Li), always snuck along almost everywhere. She was a princess that only cared about herself and she kind of got on my nerves. The princess was so bossy and wanted everyone to cater to her. When did Rui Yu find out that her spouse was really a man? Some bad people where trying to kill Rui Yu and they shot an arrow at her; Nan Chen Xiao moved over to block her from being hit and took the arrow to the chest. He grabbed Rui Yu and they jumped off the cliff, landing safely below. Rui Yu helped Nan Chen Xiao to a cave. He told her that the arrow had poison on it and that he was really a man, not a woman. Rui Yu was surprised by happy. She sucked the poison from Nan Chen Xiao's arrow wound and left the cave to get help, after Nan Chen Xiao passed out; he woke up and di d not see Rui Yu so he left the cave to find her. Skip forward and Rui Yu was slashed by a sword while trying to protect her husband Nan Chen Xiao. He carried her to safety and started to tend to her wound when he realized that Rui Yu was not a man, but a woman. He was confused, but probably very relieved. After several other trials and tribulations, the spouses bonded and decided to be a real couple. After the bad guys were dealt with and peace was upon the empire, Rui Yu announced to the minister of the court that she was a woman, not a man. The ministers were shocked, but they wanted her to stay in the court. Nan Chen Xiao was called into court and the ministers found out that he was not a woman, but a male general. Their respective families were really relieved. The emperor already new the identity of the spouses. He later decreed that the would be married as themselves and not undercover.

Read More