Ximmich

I don` t know if you read the novel, but i just want to mention that this drama is not a very authentic adaptation from the original source at all.
Is at most trying to be a good adaptation, but nothing more, as it didn`t manage to mantain the essence of the story. Is the best adaptation drama from a bl novel writed by Priest at most.
The drama deviated a lot from the novel by;
- changing the characterization that the characters have in the novel; ZZH is very differently portrayed in the drama compared with the character in the novel starting to ep 6, little changes was made to the character of WKX too.
In the novel both of them have a tainted and bloodly background, because they had to kill people, but as they come to accept and reconcile themselves with their past because they realised they were victims of their circumstances and didn`t have much choice in the path they had to take, both of them don`t judge the bad guys, and don`t try to stop their evil intentions or intervine in their affairs, if they don`t have anything to do with them. Also because they both have this background, they just understand each other better and don`t hypocritically try to stop, influence and judge the other character decissions, but just be there for each other but give a helping hand when the other need it.
That`s the overall dynamic ZZS and WKX have in the novel.
- other changes made to the main characters dynamic that started from the premise that they should meet as strangers, and not have any connection between them before meeting each other,
- the slow but consistent development of their relationship that they have in the novel is hard to spot in the drama because they made ZZS open up and trust WKX much more early in the drama than in the novel, and other things,
- added storylines to bring unecessary and unrealistic drama between ZZS and WKX,
-changing the sequence/order of a lot of important events that happens in the novel
-ending the drama differently than the novel.
They are many aspects where the drama didn`t manage to stay true to the novel, so i wish at least people wouldn`t say that the drama is a completely faithful adaptation from the novel or a very authentic one, as is just discrediting other dramas that were a better adaptation of their respective novels than this drama, and in the end is just unfair to read people say this so easily, when many things could be improved and people who are fans of the novel read comments like this and is just sad.
By writing that WOH is a very authentic adaptation, is implied that we shouln`t expect to get nothing better than the way this drama adapted the novel as this dramas is the highest standard. It`s can also be tought that all the hard work that other danmei dramas did or will do in the future in adapting their respective novels are in equal ground or at a level of staying true to the novel similar with WOH, when they put or they can put much more tought and hardwork to adapt the novel better than this drama.
If this drama is a very authentic adaptation of the source material because it didn`t have love interests for any of the leads, and they adapted a lot of the events that happened in the novel, portrayed one of the main character similarly as how it was in the novel, while everything else was changed, then all the hard work Untamed for exemple did to try to stay as true to the novel that was adapted from as it could, it`s not getting the appreciation/acknowlegment it deserves.
I know you didn`t mean to start this discussion, i`m talking in general.
I just wanted to start this topic, as i just wish people will say what you wrote only after reading the novel WOH was adapted from, read the novel Untamed was based off then watch the drama, and do the same for other danmei dramas adapted from a novel and only then make a comment like this. I`m sure your opinion will change.
As people are different, maybe you already read the novel Faraway wanderers, and did other things i said, and still think WOH is a authentic adaptation from the novel.

In conclusion, as maybe it was not answered clearly enough the relationship between Scorpion King and Zhao Jing as being this close as a result of this adopted father plot, simple don`t exist in the novel.
Between Zhao Jing and Scorpion King, the later was described more in the novel. In the novel their relatiosnhip was implied to be just business like, both parties were using each other.
Zhao Jing has hired the organization of assassins Scorpion King was the leader of to do his dirty work, and at the same time Scorpion King was not on anyone side, as he worked for many people at the same time, wanting to get all the money and benefits as possible but also fooling almost everyone.
Scorpion King ended up killing almost all the people who he worked for, just so when the others will find out that they were betrayed they will not turn against him and kill him.
Scorpion King in the novel was a really psycho.
To be fair WKX is a bit of a psycho too, but at least he has some morals, didn`t kill everyone just to cover his tracks and he is not cruel in purpose with the other ghosts in Ghost Valley, he is even a bit sympathetic towards them.
Zhao Jing was not described that much, the author didn`t ever described anything from his perspective, everything about him was described from other people impressions of him, and from his actions.
These two made a really creepy pair in the drama lol, when i saw they will release a drama about them, a drama, not a short movie like how Untamed did for the side characters, i was, hell, do we really need to know more about their story.
If it was only about Scorpion King, maybe i will watch, as the actor portrayed well his character, and Scorpion King was presented much more lovable than in the novel but if i have to see both of them interact more i will give this a pass.
They could use the budget for making this drama to make instead an adaptation of the novel Lord Seventh lol, as is as interesting as Faraway wanderers. But, i do understand that producing an adaptation of the novel Lord Seventh definitely needs a higher budget than this drama to be pulled off realistically, and is possible the rights to adapt Lord Seventh was already buyed by another production company.

" I don't want actors cast together for different roles just because they worked as a pair in previous drama; if the new roles suit, sure"
I so agree with you, in Thousand autumns page they are also people who made posts that they hope Gong Jun and ZZH will be cast as YWS and SQ, just so that the two of them act together again. I do agree that if the characters that they are recommended for, suit their appearance and vibe, sure, why not, but if not, why bother to comment.
The chance for the two of them to act together is small anyways, but if they will ever act together again who would risk to cast them in roles that don`t suit them.
I don`t know, i wish people will stop doing this.
Just how the people who loved the novel Faraway wanderers wished the actors casted to suit the roles and portray well the characters, people who loves Heaven Official Blessings and Thousand autumns novels, also don`t want to see those characters be portrayed by some actors who use the drama as a stepping stone to act together again, and be played by other actors who can portray well the characters.

https://m.manganelo.com/manga-ku98714 - volume 1
https://m.manganelo.com/manga-or102963 -volume 2
Mangadex is the best manga website, but is down for the moment.

So they took them down already, sigh. I told you before, this is the second time this happened.
It's because the cast was added without being confirmed

Hahaha. I get you.

So relieved, i least for now. I'm frustrated that MDL keep adding and then taking down rumored cast actors, without anything being confirmed. It will only create useless discussions

The casting don't seem to be confirmed. Be optimistic
I also don't like the main actors that much, but nothing is confirmed yet, just rumors. This is the second time MDL add the rumoured main actors in the cast section, to take them soon after down.

Xie Lian is not weak and he don't look that weak in the novel.
He should look as being able to defend himself well and get himself out of dangerous situations, he survived alone for hundreds of years. He is presented as being especially caring and soft toward Hua Cheng. He is still a tough guy, his willingness to live with his head high after all the humilliation he has been through, all the hardships he has been through is very admirable.
He should be played by someone who at least is very talented, even if don't have much experience. I'm not that pleased with Ding Cheng Xin also, as he is similar and he looks as young as Winwin, but at least he had some dramas under his belt, and he really impressed me in Painted skin short movie made by Gou Jingming.
If someone who don't have decent acting, but he also looks young, inexperienced plays XL, it will make the character a naive, fool, weak, easy to take advance kind of character, that it's the opossite of how XL is in the novel.

I think the rumour that they are in talks with Wayv Winwin is not true. I would be too hilarious, he don`t have any acting experience, is too much of a risky move.
He looks too young, he still looks like he has baby fat, he is also tall and lean, he would look like a joke in ancient costumes
I like him as a singer, and i think that he received some training in acting , as i think SM does have in plan to let him act in China in the future, as he is a rapper in the group, and they are a lot of rappers in NCT better than him. But i don`t think they will try to cast him in a main role that has this much high expectations and can put a lot of pressure on him, as his first role.

No, is not yet. Hoping someone would start translated it when more is know about the drama.
This drama has Wang Duo in the cast, a really exceptional actor, and Cheng Yi too, it should get some hype.
将军令 by the author 偷偷写文- name of the novel and author in chinese.
I would post here, if i got news of the novel being translated.

I don`t know if you watched and liked Word of honor, is based on a Priest novel too, named Faraway wanderers, that is really good too, completely translated as well
The next drama adapted by a bl novel writed by Priest will most likely be Light the Darkness, as is started filming already, adapted from the novel Silent reading, that is completely translated too, you can check it out. If you ever start reading it, read from the website E.DANGLERS, i the only translator that has the novel translated completely.
In my case, the bl novels i read, as if i think deeply, they aren`t that many that i finished reading, as i learned from countless mistakes to be more selective to what i read, and judge based on many things before i start reading a novel, as it`s time consuming. Continuing what i said, the reason i love reading bl novels is because of the unique stories, and dinamic between the characters, that i couldn`t find in many BG (boy- girl/heterosexual) chinese novels.
In my opinion, they are too few chinese BG novels that are writed as well and charming are the most oustanding bl novels, but don`t take my opinion as valuable, as i haven`t read as many BG novels as BL novels.
They are a lot of great and very interesting, charming chinese novels that are BL.

It`s because you are asking recommendations of chinese novels similar with Sha Po Lang, in a damnei adaptation drama page, for a novel that is bl as well, so that`s why all the recommendations are bl novels, hahaha. I can`t help you more too, as i read mostly bl novels.
Priest is a popular and known author, so a lot of people who frequent the page at this point are her fans , fans who like to read bl novels or fans who watched others danmei adaptation dramas, and want to watch this drama next. Only when the drama will be closer to be released, other fans of the actors, or bromance stories, or wanting to watch a good drama, will start to come and comment more on this page. This is what i observed happening in others pages in MDL of danmei adaptations.

They aren`t many pure historical bl novels out there like Sha Po Lang, in fact, is one of a kind, you wouldn`t find any other that will give you a feeling similar with the one this novel will give you.
The best bl novels out there are like this, the ones that differentiate from the others in being unique, and amazing in is one way, it will give you a nostalgic special feeling that will linger for some time.

And also, as you start reading a certain amount of bl novels you will become more picky, and your taste of what you thought at some point in the past that is a good novel will change.
A novel that you tought is not that good or mediocre, after you experience reading some really bad or mediocre ones, you will start to realise that the one novel that you thought is bad in the past, is one of the good of the few amazing bl novels out there.

Really, as someone who read a lot of bl novels, who checked the writing of all the bl novels translated curently in NU, they are not many that has decent writing, realistical and logical story development and exciting and consistent character development of the characters.
Most of the novel translated in NU have cliche and predictable stories, violent and cruel or trash like characters, that make you beat them until they can`t stand, or mary sue characters, ones with low intelligence, dependable personality, who can`t think on their own, who don`t have any balls to defend themselves, who are too kind, naive, who will frustrate you to no end.

I saw you said you`re reading Lord Seventh, some of the Priest novels can be hard to get into, some more earlier, other more later, but really Priest writing ability is really good compared with others authors in NU.
Meng Xi Shi is the best of the best when it comes of writing historical, and cultivation bl novels in my opinion, the romance is how to put it, STINGY, hahaha, as in Priest case, but her ability to write vivid complex characters and complex and easy to imagine world building and connections between the characters is the best in my opinion, she is really good.
I read Meng Xi Shi excels more on writing historical and cultivation novels, and is not that good to modern stories, but until now she don`t have any modern novels translated, so i hope this is wrong, as really her writing ability is very good.
The novel writed by her i love the most is Thousand autumns, followed close by Peerless and Fourteenth years of Chenghua, Estranged is still new translated, so i don`t know how is it yet.

The novels i recommended before i think are worth reading more than any other historical bl novels out there, as they have a balance of everything. All of them are characterized by one of the folllowing; If for a novel the writing is not good as compared with the other authors, then the characters are much charismatic, or has a very interesting story.

The author style of writing is more important than you think, is important for the story to be to your liking, but tastes in a genre or particular theme changes.
The tought that oh, i really like the way this author wote this novel will remain, and you will always return to reread the novel that the author wrote or want to start reading other novels of that author, that you hesitated to pick because you taught is not your cup of tea.
When you find a novel that you really like, check the other novels writed by the same author, is highly likely you will like those novels as well.

In my opinon, the authors that are the best are: Priest, Meng Xi Shi, Mò Xiāng Tóngxiù (MXTX), Fei Tian Ye Xiang, Huai Shang, Tang Jiuqing, Yue Xia Die Ying, Mu Su Li.
They are some very good authors in NU who aren`t that popular, some has their name wrote in chinese as well, who has some novels writed at the level of Priest or Meng Xi Shi, but are hard to spot if you don`t have experience of reading many novels.
Even me, i sometime miss some of the good ones, and regret not reading them sooner, when i give them another chance later.

Yes, like Bluess said, i also think, from the photos, the budget it does seems to be high.
And this is a Tencent Production, usually they give high budget to their dramas, like how it did to Immortality and their donghuas too. I was amazed by Untamed too, they did spend a lot for all the different filming locations and sets, costumes, the ost especially for Untamed was very good.

I know some historical bl novels that are similar with Sha Po Lang, and similar in quality, but not all of them are completely translated, so i will clasify them in completely and incompleted translated.
A. COMPLETED TRANSLATED
- Like Lessa replied to you, Peerless by Meng Xi Shi. In my opinion MENG XI SHI, is really as good as Priest in writing historical, cultivation, sometimes a mix of them, how is in the case of Peerless and Thousand autums, so i recommend you to check all her novels, she only has 4 novels picked up to be translated until now.
- Lile Salome87 said as well, Lord Seventh by Priest and Golden Stage by Cang Wu Bin Bai
- Those Years In Quest Of Honour Mine by Man Man He Qi Duo

B. INCOMPLETED TRANSLATED YET.
- Thousand autumns by Meng Xi Shi- in NU, it has only until 69 chapters translated, but in the discussion section in Thousand autumns page, here in MDL, you can find the remaining, until the latest chapter translated,and it will be translated soon. I replied to Lassa who replied to you, just a moment ago, you can find more details in that post.
- Fourteenth years of Chenghua by Meng Xi Shi, pure historical
- To Rule in a Turbulent World (pure historical), Joyful reunion, Tianbao Fuyao Lu, Dinghai Fusheng Records (these last 3, are a mix between hist/cultivation. All four novels by Fei Tian Ye Xiang
- Qiang Jin Jiu by Tang Jiuqing
- Back To The Beginning Of Ming To Do Charity
-The Wife is First by Lu Ye Qian He- realistic story, the title is misleading
- The Mystery of Zhang Gong
- Royal Road
-Transmigrating to the Ming Dynasty’s Imperial Examination
-The Tyrant’s Beloved Empress- realistic story, don`t be turned off by the title
-Forensic Traversing Notes- mix of historical and forensic elements, like mystery and historical coming together.

Lessa, if you don`t know, Thousand autumns is about to be completely translated, if will not take much longer. They are some good translations out there, aside from that by Snowy codex in NU, and a new translator picked up the translation from chapter 91 to translate the novel until the end, and the translation is really fast, the last translated chapter is 99 already.
All the links where the novel can be translated can be found here, in MDL, in the Thousand autumns page, in the discussion named Thousand Autumns English Novel, in the first fixed post.
The translations are really good, not edited mtl or something like this.
Obviously the ideal for this novel, and all novels really, would have been for the novel to be translated by only one translator, as they will always be some subtle difference in quality/the words used, when they are a lot of translators working on a novel. But, there is nothing we can do in this case, as there is not any translator who is willing to translate from the start until the end, or that is planning to continue with Snowy Codex translation, so we have to conform with this.
Really, the translation for Thousand autumns started in 2017, and only now we will have a completed translation, and even there, it can`t be found in NU, as the translators who translates the novel in continuation from that of Snowy Codex has not intention to put these translations there.
I`m very pained what happened with this novel, as it`s in my top 3 of favorite bl novels.
And Meng Xi Shi is the best when it comes to writing historical and cultivation novels, alongside Priest and Fei Tian Ye Xiang, it`s really unfortunate.

Those are some minor but i think significant differences in the characterization of ZZS in the novel:
1) ZZS is not described as quilty or remorseful for being a cruel and bad guy by killing the people in the time he was under Tian Chuang, but just showed as accepting and embracing the things he did, and feeling sad and a bit depressive that he had to do all that. And because of that, for not even one moment he hypocritically condemned any of the bad characters
2) ZZS is described similarly in the novel, as cold in the surface but affectionate to some degree, but that degree is very low, he don`t show his feelings almost at all, you have to spot and fish for them. He is rejecting WKX feelings for more than half of the novel, even when he is opening up to him, he consistently acts similar how he is described at the beginning of the novel, he don`t suffer major changes. It`s easy to spot when his feelings for WKX changes in the novel, by reading what he thinks, but he would not acknowledge those feelings for a long time. I liked that he didn`t suddendly shown interest, he did think properly if he should accept WKX.
Priest manages to portray ZZS as a charming and mysterious individual in the same way he is describing WKX. He is like that until the extra chapters lol, he is pretending to be cold towards WKX if he thinks he has to.
In the novel, actions are speaking louder than words, and this is the way for almost all of Priest novels.
I think they toned down the coldness and the baddass feeling ZZS gives in the novel, and they made him being in friendly terms and letting down his defenses on WKX much more early in the drama, not mention they made him treating everyone with more warm and courtesy than in the novel.
3) ZZS is also a bit more shameless in his bickering with WKX than in the drama, he gives almost equally what he is given to him, not as much as WKX too. I think only Yan Wushi from Thousand autumns is more shameless than WKX . I think WKX is at the same level with Feng Xiao from Peerless and Wei Ying from MDZS. But, this is not that much difference from the novel, as ZZS has his moments in the drama when he is subtly flirtling with WKX.
4) The novel manages to show the many sides and facets that ZZS has more clearly, he is as complex and fascinating as WKX. He is like a super badass tsundere who has seen the worst of the world, and can handle the pain and loneliness well, and who is looking for a meaning of his existence.
He is not trying to find redemption, but by chosing to do some good and compassionate acts at the right time, he manages to live and retire together with WKX.
The novel is so well writed that the ultimate fate of all the characters made sense for the choices they made and the environment they were in.
All in all, i`m really thankful to Zhang Zhe Han for the way he brought the character to life considering the way he is writed, he was brilliant in the first 6 eps, and when he is fighting . I think is because of him, i stll see a part of ZZS in him, he was brilliant in showing ZZS being conflicted, restrained or uterly indiferent, and i`m thankful that he made the warm/soft part of the character, added to the drama as not too much, just enough.
To be fair, WKX character was changed too a bit, especially when it come to also being portrayed as being remorseful and being uncertain and having doubts if he is doing the right thing, related to his revenge, and all those moments of fainting and weakness related to his having dificulties in remenbering the memories of his parents death. I was surprised that they make him feeling remorse, as it`s opposite to how is in the novel, he suffered to much to have the power and status he has, to having doubts about killing anyone who stay in his way to take his revenge. But his changes don`t last for a long time, so it don`t make that big of an impact.
In my opinion, the drama is indeed a faithful adaptation of the events that Priest describe in the novel, of the plot itself only, but because of the changes made to ZZS and some changes in the sequences of the scenes, the drama do gives a different feeling, atmosphere or mood than the novel, so i have mixed feelings about this drama being the most faithful adaptation of a novel made until now. Especially because of the slight changes made to the ending, it strays a lot more for the novel, but this, i will brush it off, as i know the novel is short, and they probably had to go around the ending of the novel and change things to make more eps. It would have been perfectly, if they would have opted for about 26 eps like A League of nobleman or 30 eps like Light the Darkness.
They were people who argue that this is the results of the changes they have to made to pass censorships and maybe they toned down ZZS character because they wanted the two male main characters personalities to have a higher contrast, and this is a valid opinion too. I`m sure they are people absolutly satisfied to what he drama turned out to be, and don`t see why other people think that the drama did not do justice to the novel as they wished.
It`s still a good adaptation of the novel, just not as faithful as it could be, as in my opinion they didn`t manage to show the essence of the novel and the coherence in the development of the relationship between the characters at the level the novel has. If i have to compare the danmei drama adaptations made until now, as a reader of bl novels for years, and who had read the novels Faraway wanderes, Guardian, MDZS and S.C.I Mistery series, in my opinion, the best adaptation are Untamed followed by S.C.I Mystery, Word of honor and Guardian. My ranking takes in consideration the overall impression the dramas made to me compared to the novels they were adapted after.

I`m one of the people who likes to at least find some of the important characteristics of the characters from the novel in the characters from the drama, and i`m delighted when a drama manage to give me something as closer as they can to the atmosphere/impression that the novel did to me.
I can only hope that the majority of novels that those dramas are based off will also get a donghua adaptation, as they manage to make the adaptations from novels much better than a drama, for exemple how MDZS, Heaven Official Blessing, Legend of Exorcism and currently Thousand autums did.
I really can`t take a drama and a novel as separate things completely, i can spot easily when some changes were necessary, or even better than the novel and accept them, but i`m against changing a character personality and habits that define him, not matter the reason, so i understand why people will not agree with me.
I`m always thinking from the perspective of what the author wanted and if drama did my favorite characters and the story justice, so keep this in mind.

How did a gave you the impression from what i wrote until now, that not grateful, i' m grateful for everything the drama give'us.
I did said before, in the first comment i wrote to the person i was talking about, that i was satisfied with almost everything, and that the scriptwriter did a great job to everything else, and i understand why she couldn't do better.
Liking a drama, don't mean i can't see when something could be better.
I did also said that the changes the scriptwriter did to ZZS were not that big, compared to other dramas.
If you read some of my comments before, i don't go out here writing repeatedly negative comments for people to see, how other people do here. I haven't commented here for a long time, and i think i will take a break again for this site again.
It`s hard to write here nowadays a honest opinion, because of this and after i saw the site becoming most abundent with the comments until i couldn`t keep up anymore, it was the reason i distanced myself from this page, and only now after i knew the end, i was sucked up again in this site.
In my case, as long as a person don`t write repeteadly about his/her opinion and stress people out, i`m upset when i see people writing about someone opinion as thinking they aren`t satisfied or why you aren`t they content with what they get, people can`t never be content not matter what they get.
Those people and me included take the time to write their comments, they put themselves out there, taking the risk for someone to react badly or in a negative way about what they wrote, they should get more than that, and at least not being treated like this, having their opinion disregarded and criticized as " those people can`t never be satisfied" or" we should feel more grateful", who said they aren`t.
This is not an okay behaviour as those people can easily hurt someone with their words, we should be more understanding. People are different, i enjoy reading a lot of people comments here, even if they`re different from mine, and i end`up even understanding why they think like that, where they comes from, if i felt their sincerity when they wrote the comment.
In the last comment i was trying to explain myself in an convincing way that changing a character personality is never good, even for a good contrast between the characters, as it can change a lot of things, in general, and how i wished the scripwriter didn`t do this at all, or at least to do only some small changes.
I was burn a lot of times seeing this, it hurts a lot more to see the main characters having their personality changed or be portrayed differently than the source material aka novel here, than a change of events or adding original content. I wasn't criticizing the scriptwriter in a bad way, it was a good criticism on how i wish she could improve and other scriptwriters won`t do this as much as they do.
I wanted to explain that i understand why some fans out there are not that happy.
I'm not happy about'it, but i don't mean i don 't love the drama and the characters at all. I still like the dramas as much as i like'it at the beginning, but i just, would love ZZS more if he was portrayed much closer to the novel.

Yes. I took that into consideration when i wrote you before, but in my case, it was because WKX and ZZS were more similar in the novel, that i liked their dynamic that much.
It was the scriptwriter decision after all, and maybe the drama wouldn't have grabed this much attention if the characters were writed more similar, but she shouldn't have at least changed one character this much, in this case ZZS and let the other be almost the same as in the novel. I wish the scriptwriters will take much more risk in making the characters as closer to the novel as they can, maybe this will work better than changing one of them to have a contrast.
Two characters can be similar but have different way to be portrayed, the characters had different past and experience, they aren`t the same, the actors in this drama has a lot of experience to pull off almost everything.
I can accept a lot of changes to the story, from adding, not adapting scenes, but not to the personality of a character. If you change someone personality, you change the dynamic between the couple too. If the changes are a lot, you will not longer feel is the same character from the novel, and feel what did they even bother to adapt the novel, if they changed how a main character is.
For exemple, ZZS character was not a lot changed as he still acted at the character from the novel similarly in some eps.
But if, let`s say, a character who is portrayed as really being bad by the author in most of the novel, who don't feels guilty towards any bad stuffs he does, this is what it defines him, the perfect exemple is Yan Wushi from TA. So if him is writed as being quilty at some point, the scriptwriter may as well change his name or writed him completely differently, as that lack of remorse is what it defines him , this is the essential thing that make him charming in the eyes of the fans of the novel and this is why he is so charming.
For exemple, now that i remember, the way ZZS was writed in the first 9 eps, and especially the first 6 eps were as closer to the novel as he could be, after i felt a rapid change in his behaviour in the next eps, and that change was not that smooth made. I also think the first 9-10 eps are the reason the characters charmed the viewers so quickly, and the drama attracted so many viewers so quickly, the scriptwriter should have more small, short term changes to him after those eps.
Another exemple of what damage changing a character personality can do to a drama as well , because as a danmei adaptation it didn`t grabed any attention and didn`t make any impact as well, is Tang Fan, from the drama The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty, based on a novel from Meng Xi Shi.
They changed his character to the point it was a caricature to the one from the novel, lol, they made a perfectly smart, intuitive, confident man, for him to be more funny, more comedic because, just because, and more importantly made him be much more feminine and defenseless that the counterpart from the novel. I love Meng Xi Shi novels, much more than Priest, but i couldn`t watch more than two episodes for this drama.

Yes, i agree with this. I`m a huge fan of the novel, and while i was satisfied with the drama as a whole, it`a a very good drama, the best danmei adaptation until now for me.
But i have no way to like this version of ZZS as much as i like the one in the novel. The scriptwriter writed ZZS too soft hearted, easy to give in, too powerless and have to relay on people a lot more compared to how is in the novel. But the most important thing that bothers me beside losing a lot of that mysterious, cold impresson he gives in the novel, is that the scriptwriter change him to be too righteous.
In the novel, it didn`t exist any moment where ZZS is trying to convince WKX to give up on his revenge, or convince him he is not a bad person, and that he should try to think more before he does something bad.
In the novel, Priest presented them both as gray characters morally, they both knew they did bad stuff, so they didn`t expect the other to be any less and more than they are.
But, after i read that this was the scriptwriter first work, and she admited herself that she is sorry she couldn`t writed him better, i appreciate more what he has managed to do, she did a very good job for everything else. And i also know what she managed to write and wanted to write and managed to be adapted depends a lot of the censorship, she was limited by this too, and she had to think of this too and take onto consideration when she wrote the character.