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9
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Intense, Action-Packed, Witty, Intelligent
If you want to watch justice being served—with the ML shooting a villain in the head right there and then, in public, with everyone watching—this is the drama to watch. No waiting. No fear. No hesitation. It’s so satisfying. The viewers cheer.
The story is set during the Ming dynasty, one of the most conservative periods in Chinese history, when Confucian values were followed to an extreme.
Women were confined to their homes like prisoners, while noble ladies were expected to marry suitable noblemen. Men could have mistresses and multiple wives, while women were barely allowed to be in the same room with unrelated men outside the household. This was also an era when innocent women could be killed over petty incidents or accusations.
This is the world Fu Tingyun grew up in, and the first few episodes do a thorough job of showing just how dark that world could be.
The story also incorporates real historical events from the Ming dynasty, particularly the salt trade and its reforms, as well as the real relationship between the emperor and his grandmother. These historical details make the story even more compelling.
I love both of the lead characters.
Fu Tingyun, later known as Xie Quanhui, portrayed by Deng Enxi (Ancy), is like a magnolia—elegant and beautiful, but also resilient.
She is well-educated, well-rounded, intelligent, and compassionate, despite growing up in a privileged noble family. She knows how to manipulate her villainous opponents' insecurities, greed, and lust to gain the upper hand, but she never uses those tricks on people who have done nothing to wrong her. She knows how to spot opportunities and, more importantly, how to hold on to them.
I love what she represents: "when your horse dies, you get off and start walking." I love her resilience. She'll do whatever it takes to survive, and she's willing to take risks.
Yet despite her own predicament, she remains upstanding and compassionate. She's never selfish. She starts as an innocent girl who has barely stepped outside her home or comfort zone, but she adapts quickly and learns. And grows into a person who is never the helpless girl again. She's tough, resourceful, and has a very strong survival instinct. Deng Enxi's portrayal is spot on, elegant, and convincing.
Zhao Ling, also known intimately as "Jiu Ye" (Master Nine—the head of the organization he hijacks, Jiuweijiao), portrayed by Ding Yu Xi, is basically a lowlife salt smuggler.
But he has integrity and valor. He's upstanding, has a strong moral code, and keeps his word. He's wanted by both his smuggling rivals and law enforcement, yet he's still a person of honor. He's chivalrous, streetwise, and magnanimous toward others.
He's not highly educated, but he's smart in the ways that matter. He's also a leader and something of a dark horse—an underdog who quietly becomes someone others can rely on.
Most importantly, he's fiercely protective of the people he loves. He's ruthless toward anyone who tries to hurt or wrong them. He has courage, wit, and integrity. He's someone you can trust completely.
I love how they style Jiu Ye, constantly putting him in a douli (a conical hat) that half-shadows his face whenever he tilts his head, giving him the mysterious aura of a wandering swordsman. His head is always slightly bowed, reflecting his lowly status, yet somehow, his charisma is impossible to hide.
And I have to say something about Ding Yu Xi.
He's not tall like Song Weilong or Zhang Linghe, and he doesn't have the kind of face that immediately screams "male lead" like Hou Minghao or Xiao Zhan.
Ding Yu Xi just looks... normal.
So normal that you can believe he's a real person.
And that's exactly why he's so good at playing characters like this. He doesn't come across as the shining hero everyone notices from the beginning—the prince, the general, the untouchable young master. He often plays the underdog. The guy no one is particularly chasing after. He just quietly goes about his own business.
Very normal.
But his charisma? Out of the ordinary.
And it's precisely this demeanor and aura that makes Jiu Ye feel like he belongs to Ding Yu Xi.
What seems like an impossible union during that era becomes a formidable partnership.
She's the brain. He's the executioner.
I love how these two go through tribulations together. They're not even married, yet they treasure each other deeply. Each would do almost anything to help and protect the other.
And the Villains...
Don't even get me started on Yu Jingxiu (portrayed by Dong Zi Fan).
He's literally a beast in human clothes.
What an amazing portrayal of a villain.
Everything Yu Jingxiu does feels so realistic—not because we necessarily encounter someone exactly like him every day, but because the type of hypocrisy he represents is very real.
He's a complete ragebait character, but there really are people like this in the world. We just don't always notice them until we open our eyes and look around.
That's what makes him so believable.
In today's world, I honestly can't even count how many people like this have graduated from elite schools, collected impressive credentials, and yet have morals and ethics about as low as our villain here.
He thinks he's the most desirable man simply because he's the top scholar. He assumes every family and every woman is desperate for a man like him and would gladly accept whatever "largesse" he chooses to bestow upon them.
The hubris!
Final Thoughts
At its heart, this story is a game of wit.
It's a story about two people fighting to maintain their own sovereignty and determine their own fate, rather than allowing others to arrange their lives for them.
It's also a story about people starting from the lowest level and working their way up.
And I find it particularly comforting that the leads know when to stop. They don't become power-hungry or obsessed with wealth once they gain some influence, like so many oligarchs eventually do.
Everything about this drama is top-notch: the acting, the script, the costumes, the production. The costumes are immaculate, with beautiful and delicate embroidery. Everything looks carefully made and authentic. There are no cheap-looking props or shortcuts.
And, honestly, the recent toxic political environment has given a lot of people a lot of anger. This drama provides a rather satisfying outlet for that rage. Watching the ML execute these obnoxious villains—villains who sometimes feel eerily similar to people we see in the real world—is incredibly satisfying and, strangely, relieving.
Finally, I think the moral of the story is beautifully summed up by Quanhui's sister-in-law: filial piety doesn't mean blind obedience. It means understanding right and wrong. Righteousness isn't about making empty claims; sometimes it means having the courage to break old rules.
And perhaps the story is best summed up by Fan Yake:
"The wise delight in water, the virtuous delight in mountains; the wise are active, the virtuous are still; the wise find joy, the virtuous live long."
So, very roughly: Wisdom lets you navigate life; virtue lets you stand firm in life.
Fu Tingyun/Quanhui is very much the “water” type. She observes, adapts, learns, takes risks, and finds ways around obstacles. She's intelligent because she knows how to respond to circumstances rather than simply accepting them.
Zhao Ling/Jiu Ye is more “mountain.” He's steady, loyal, protective, and guided by a strong personal code. He doesn't have the education or social status of the people above him, but he knows what he considers right and wrong, and he doesn't easily compromise those principles.
It shows the two leads aren't identical. One is more adaptable and strategic; the other is more steadfast and principled. Together, they balance each other.
There is also a particularly nice irony given the Ming dynasty's rigid social rules: the quote isn't really telling people to blindly obey tradition. It's about cultivating wisdom and virtue—knowing when to adapt like water and when to stand firm like a mountain.
What a great gem! Absolute must-watch! Two thumbs up!
The story is set during the Ming dynasty, one of the most conservative periods in Chinese history, when Confucian values were followed to an extreme.
Women were confined to their homes like prisoners, while noble ladies were expected to marry suitable noblemen. Men could have mistresses and multiple wives, while women were barely allowed to be in the same room with unrelated men outside the household. This was also an era when innocent women could be killed over petty incidents or accusations.
This is the world Fu Tingyun grew up in, and the first few episodes do a thorough job of showing just how dark that world could be.
The story also incorporates real historical events from the Ming dynasty, particularly the salt trade and its reforms, as well as the real relationship between the emperor and his grandmother. These historical details make the story even more compelling.
I love both of the lead characters.
Fu Tingyun, later known as Xie Quanhui, portrayed by Deng Enxi (Ancy), is like a magnolia—elegant and beautiful, but also resilient.
She is well-educated, well-rounded, intelligent, and compassionate, despite growing up in a privileged noble family. She knows how to manipulate her villainous opponents' insecurities, greed, and lust to gain the upper hand, but she never uses those tricks on people who have done nothing to wrong her. She knows how to spot opportunities and, more importantly, how to hold on to them.
I love what she represents: "when your horse dies, you get off and start walking." I love her resilience. She'll do whatever it takes to survive, and she's willing to take risks.
Yet despite her own predicament, she remains upstanding and compassionate. She's never selfish. She starts as an innocent girl who has barely stepped outside her home or comfort zone, but she adapts quickly and learns. And grows into a person who is never the helpless girl again. She's tough, resourceful, and has a very strong survival instinct. Deng Enxi's portrayal is spot on, elegant, and convincing.
Zhao Ling, also known intimately as "Jiu Ye" (Master Nine—the head of the organization he hijacks, Jiuweijiao), portrayed by Ding Yu Xi, is basically a lowlife salt smuggler.
But he has integrity and valor. He's upstanding, has a strong moral code, and keeps his word. He's wanted by both his smuggling rivals and law enforcement, yet he's still a person of honor. He's chivalrous, streetwise, and magnanimous toward others.
He's not highly educated, but he's smart in the ways that matter. He's also a leader and something of a dark horse—an underdog who quietly becomes someone others can rely on.
Most importantly, he's fiercely protective of the people he loves. He's ruthless toward anyone who tries to hurt or wrong them. He has courage, wit, and integrity. He's someone you can trust completely.
I love how they style Jiu Ye, constantly putting him in a douli (a conical hat) that half-shadows his face whenever he tilts his head, giving him the mysterious aura of a wandering swordsman. His head is always slightly bowed, reflecting his lowly status, yet somehow, his charisma is impossible to hide.
And I have to say something about Ding Yu Xi.
He's not tall like Song Weilong or Zhang Linghe, and he doesn't have the kind of face that immediately screams "male lead" like Hou Minghao or Xiao Zhan.
Ding Yu Xi just looks... normal.
So normal that you can believe he's a real person.
And that's exactly why he's so good at playing characters like this. He doesn't come across as the shining hero everyone notices from the beginning—the prince, the general, the untouchable young master. He often plays the underdog. The guy no one is particularly chasing after. He just quietly goes about his own business.
Very normal.
But his charisma? Out of the ordinary.
And it's precisely this demeanor and aura that makes Jiu Ye feel like he belongs to Ding Yu Xi.
What seems like an impossible union during that era becomes a formidable partnership.
She's the brain. He's the executioner.
I love how these two go through tribulations together. They're not even married, yet they treasure each other deeply. Each would do almost anything to help and protect the other.
And the Villains...
Don't even get me started on Yu Jingxiu (portrayed by Dong Zi Fan).
He's literally a beast in human clothes.
What an amazing portrayal of a villain.
Everything Yu Jingxiu does feels so realistic—not because we necessarily encounter someone exactly like him every day, but because the type of hypocrisy he represents is very real.
He's a complete ragebait character, but there really are people like this in the world. We just don't always notice them until we open our eyes and look around.
That's what makes him so believable.
In today's world, I honestly can't even count how many people like this have graduated from elite schools, collected impressive credentials, and yet have morals and ethics about as low as our villain here.
He thinks he's the most desirable man simply because he's the top scholar. He assumes every family and every woman is desperate for a man like him and would gladly accept whatever "largesse" he chooses to bestow upon them.
The hubris!
Final Thoughts
At its heart, this story is a game of wit.
It's a story about two people fighting to maintain their own sovereignty and determine their own fate, rather than allowing others to arrange their lives for them.
It's also a story about people starting from the lowest level and working their way up.
And I find it particularly comforting that the leads know when to stop. They don't become power-hungry or obsessed with wealth once they gain some influence, like so many oligarchs eventually do.
Everything about this drama is top-notch: the acting, the script, the costumes, the production. The costumes are immaculate, with beautiful and delicate embroidery. Everything looks carefully made and authentic. There are no cheap-looking props or shortcuts.
And, honestly, the recent toxic political environment has given a lot of people a lot of anger. This drama provides a rather satisfying outlet for that rage. Watching the ML execute these obnoxious villains—villains who sometimes feel eerily similar to people we see in the real world—is incredibly satisfying and, strangely, relieving.
Finally, I think the moral of the story is beautifully summed up by Quanhui's sister-in-law: filial piety doesn't mean blind obedience. It means understanding right and wrong. Righteousness isn't about making empty claims; sometimes it means having the courage to break old rules.
And perhaps the story is best summed up by Fan Yake:
"The wise delight in water, the virtuous delight in mountains; the wise are active, the virtuous are still; the wise find joy, the virtuous live long."
So, very roughly: Wisdom lets you navigate life; virtue lets you stand firm in life.
Fu Tingyun/Quanhui is very much the “water” type. She observes, adapts, learns, takes risks, and finds ways around obstacles. She's intelligent because she knows how to respond to circumstances rather than simply accepting them.
Zhao Ling/Jiu Ye is more “mountain.” He's steady, loyal, protective, and guided by a strong personal code. He doesn't have the education or social status of the people above him, but he knows what he considers right and wrong, and he doesn't easily compromise those principles.
It shows the two leads aren't identical. One is more adaptable and strategic; the other is more steadfast and principled. Together, they balance each other.
There is also a particularly nice irony given the Ming dynasty's rigid social rules: the quote isn't really telling people to blindly obey tradition. It's about cultivating wisdom and virtue—knowing when to adapt like water and when to stand firm like a mountain.
What a great gem! Absolute must-watch! Two thumbs up!
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