Reviews

How Far Can a Butcher Knife Go? The Lady Who Defined War w/ a Butcher’s Blade | Perfunctory Finale

"The old saying is right—spending money on men only invites divine punishment." - Fan Chang Yu

What an unexpectedly entertaining piece!

I dove into this show without any expectations despite the explosive praise on my SNS feeds, and heaven knows those reviews were correct. From the first episode, it already had my attention, and as the story progressed, it became even more entertaining—to the point where I binge-watched it continuously.

One major aspect that amplified this drama for me was its perfect depiction of a wholesome, laid-back rural life. To be honest, I was getting impatient during the first half of the story, thinking they had already spent too much time developing the lead characters' relationship. Little did I know that I would eventually wish the show had stayed focused on those moments. It was only when the plot moved toward the rising conflict that I realized we should never be careless with what we wish for; instead, we should learn to treasure every moment. Because even though I enjoyed the friction and turmoil of the story, at the end of the day, I still find myself longing for their eventful daily lives more than the bustle and conflict of the plot.

The series' turbulent arc—encompassing the abduction, the rescue mission, the climactic battle, and the truth behind Xie Zhang’s identity—is masterfully executed. Those episodes provided the raw emotional depth that defines the show, which, for me, also signifies a transition that perfectly illustrates "the calm before the storm." After the initial focus on the characters' vibrant lives, the narrative has shifted into a high-stakes midpoint where conflict must be confronted. Furthermore, I'm particularly impressed by the production for its staggering depiction of the antagonists' unreasonable viciousness. Their visceral brutality is consistent with their roles as violent, merciless psychopaths. This commitment to their unapologetically cruel nature drives the plot forward effectively and keeps the audience in a state of high anticipation for whatever insanity they're about to pull off next.

On a side note, can we talk about Qi Min and Yu Qian Qian for a second? Aside from the main couple, I was completely obsessed with their toxic 'love' story. The pure madness and intense sexual tension they brought to the screen were unmatched—I was glued to the screen every time they appeared!

Let me tease you with a sneak peak. 🤭

Qi Min: You told me not to kill, so I stopped. I have also promised you not to hurt that little brat (their son) again. What do I have to do for you to willingly be my empress?
Yu Qian Qian: Kneel before me, and beg me.

Everything from the start until the midpoint conflict was fantastic. The story never faltered during those arcs and seamlessly served as the backbone of the series. The show's downfall, however, was its climax—specifically how disappointingly the court politics, schemes, and trivialities were handled. Typically, such a plot would have been a peak moment that could pique the interest of viewers and keep them at the edge of their seats. However, this show executed it so underwhelmingly that, after finishing the drama, I am still ambivalent whether to feel upset or plain disappointed about it.

The entire scheme was unveiled and wrapped up completely, but personally, I think it was dealt with in a dissatisfyingly abrupt manner. I expected so much more from the uprising, anticipating total chaos—given the buildup established since the first episode. Yet, to my surprise, it was resolved in less than 20 minutes, leaving me confused and absolutely flabbergasted. I found myself asking, "Is this really how they’re going to end it after all that tension?" The scale of the scheme seemed grand based on the initial setup, so the fact that it ended almost instantly—as if with the flick of a finger—is unacceptable. This flaw tarnished my otherwise perfect impression of the story and left me with mixed feelings regarding the underwhelming execution of the plot's conclusion.

Another matter I want to address is the lack of clarity regarding the relationship between the previous Crown Prince (Qi Min’s father) and the current Emperor, Qi Sheng. Although the 16th Prince was mentioned once, it was never explicitly stated that Qi Sheng is the 16th Prince, which caused considerable confusion.

There was a specific scene where Emperor Qi Sheng addressed Qi Min as 'Wang Xiong' (Royal Brother), despite Qi Min actually being his nephew. This completely baffled me and left me distracted, searching for the truth behind their relationship. Thankfully, Gemini cleared it up: Qi Sheng’s address was an act of calculated humility. He lowered his own status to match Qi Min’s to avoid appearing as a threat and, ultimately, to stay alive. As someone who pays meticulous attention to details, this discrepancy really bothered me until I understood the subtext.

"You've been a good pig in this life. Be a good person in the next life!" - Fan Chang Yu

Admittedly, the comical and often crude humor surrounding the pigs was what first grabbed my attention. However, Fan Changyu’s enduring charm is what ultimately anchored my interest. By offering something new in every episode, she adds layers to the plot that keep the narrative engaging. Her natural, unconventional presence allows her to deviate from typical tropes, making her stand out among other female protagonists. She truly embodies the 'small but terrible' archetype.

Huge shout out to my favorite scene ever in Episode 26! I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve rewound the part where she defeats General Shi Hu with his own Golden Melon Mace. She is such a badass! It was a totally intense, proud moment for our favorite feisty soldier.

There is something about Tian Xi Wei’s portrayals that fascinates me, and watching this show allowed me to finally unravel why I’ve been so drawn to her since her early dramas. Despite her small, fragile-looking figure, it is her dedication to her craft—showing full confidence and commitment to every character—that makes me certain she can pull off any role. She possesses an aura that is instantly convincing, whether she is delivering angst, cuteness, or a feisty attitude. On top of that, her facial expressions are incredible, effortlessly conveying whatever emotion the scene requires.

As for Zhang Linghe, he has this enchanting quality that demands your full attention. His stares are so mesmerizing they practically scream, 'You're mine!' Hahaha~ Gayshitzz!

Lastly, I want to commend the styling and CGI teams for their impeccable craft. I’ve always loved the winter aesthetic, but the cinematography and costumes here were just absolutely stunning. Truly jaw-dropping work.

"Only those with enough to eat and a roof over their heads worry whether their actions are crude or refined. For people who spend all their energy just to survive, no one has the right to judge them." - Yan Zheng

Story - 9.5, This could have been an easy 10/10 if only they hadn't fumbled at the end with a rushed ending. Every single aspect—both light and dark—of this drama captured my attention, so to suddenly be met with such a rushed, carelessly executed conclusion was a level of disrespect to the story that I simply cannot overlook.

Acting/Cast - 10, I'm highly satisfied with the casting; the actors executed their roles perfectly. I have to give it up to both the main couple (Zhang Linghe & Tian Xiwei) and the supporting couple (Deng Kai & Kong Xue Er) for their stellar performances. I was also thrilled to see Nine Kornchid (Man Di) in this project, though I was so sad when his character was killed off.

Music - 10, I loved the soundtracks! It fit the show's theme perfectly and did a great job of heightening the mood. Kudos to the music department for such smart and lovely song choices.

Rewatch Value - 9.5, I was tempted to rate this a 10, but the rushed conclusion makes that impossible to stomach. If you asked me if I’d watch it again, I would say, "Certainly, yes!" any time of the day. However, I can't ignore the underwhelming ending, which truly spoiled the viewing experience for me.

Overall - 9.5, This story was a solid 10 for me until I was forced to consume the underwhelming execution of the finale. You can't expect me to skip the ending of a drama I was truly addicted to; that was never an option.

IF you find my review helpful please let me know.

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Plot went on vacation in the middle and never came back…

First of all, let me start with the great points of this series.
1. Cinematography
2. Action Scenes (in the first half)
3. Acting…. Sure..

That’s kinda all that I can give on for now. Definitely not something I would rewatch. What hooked me on to the series was the BGM ngl. The plot…. OOO BOY let’s get into it.

So first it’s kinda explained that there are 2 obvious foxes who are ‘thousand years old’ and they smart and shit and then the demon hunters, one who SEEMS to be male lead and the other who SEEMS to be the second lead characters…. The OG ML is also portrayed strong and not easily trusting yet kind… contradicting but okay i took it at face value. Through out the plot it’s interesting cause their missions or objective of these characters keep aligning and each character doesn’t always stay on the same side.
It’s when they try to fight the sand demon and enter into like a mirror dimension, AND EVEN THEN, it’s okay. The story inside that mirror dimension is quite interesting and all BUT it kinda irked me on the OUTSIDE of this mirror dimension that exists inside that stone, where some side characters try to keep this ummm ‘stone’ from breaking, IT GOT ME LAUGHING BRO IT’S RIDICULOUS, no matter how much you wanna throw logic out the window…
They say the mirror dimension works on a different time space so the time outside might not be much while the time inside could be 50 years (this is when a lot of feelings develop understandable), but the guy who is keeping this thing alive is using a lot of energy and THIS OTHER GUY JUST STARESSSSS HAHAHAHAH he just LOOKS HAHAHAH omg and this WEASEL,,, TOOKA DAY TO GO AND GET SOME TOOL FROM HIS HOMETOWN AND MY OTHER GUY WAS STILL STARING HAHAHA

Anyway after this is when the plot decides to take a permanent vacation cause wtf… from this point you don’t know who is the ML and who are the side character and who is the villain in this big “plot” cause my DRAGON DEITY LOVES SINGLE TEAR SCENES it’s almost in every episode at least once, the ‘thousand year smart old foxes’ are suddenly sad and just ‘omg how could this happen,,, i mean i still know a lot but i don’t know why this is happening’. We see more of Ji Ling and Lu Wuxi and honestly heartbreaking but like WHAT ARE YOU GUYS DOING??? Out of no where there is TIMETRAVEL and new identities at the last min and THE WEASEL FALLS IN LOVE in the middle and umm THE DEMON IS EVERYWHERE APPARENTLY?

And there’s this battle of ‘no I’m going to sacrifice,,, no me,,, no me i would give life for you,,,nooo let me sacrifice myself insteaddd” moments and then an anti -climatic demon battle WHERE THERE ARE FIVE OR MORE HEROIC CHARACTERS AND ONE DEMON. ONE. They defeat the OG demon body in one shot. Then the demon shift into Lu Wuyi and THE DEMON DETROYS THE OG ML IN ONE HIT and it takes SEVERAL HITS for them to WOUND HER WHEN SHE NOT EVEN MOVING FFS AIWUEFBAWIF, at this point Ji Ling is confirmed dead. BUT THEY BRING HIM BACK ALIVE TO STOP ONE DEMON (and i say this is ridiculous cause they have to travel SO FAR AND COME BACK AND THESE GUYS ONLY MANAGE,, ONEEEE MF HIT ON THE DEMON LIKE BROTHER SHE NOT EVEN MOVING THERE ISNT EVEN A TALK NO JUTSUGOIGN ON HERE THEY JUST HAVING A BLOOD SPITTING MOMENT AND THEN SOME HERIOC DIALOGUE BEFORE THEY HIT A NON MOVING DEMON,,, and then JILING who ISNT EVEN THE OG ML COMES TO SAVE THE DAY WHEN HE’S NOT EVEN THE ALMIGHTY DRAGON DEITY WHAT DO YOU MEANNNNNN HAHAHAHAHHHAHA

And then boom everybody comes back to life and everybody dies and comes back to life AGAIN AFTER THEY TIME TRAVEL AGAIN.

I don’t know what i watched ngl.

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Came for Li Fei, Stayed for the Second Leads

This was a strange watch for me. I love Li Fei—he’s one of my top three favorite performers, and I’ve followed almost all of his historical dramas since early in his career (with only two drops). I was really looking forward to this one because of him, But I didn’t really feel his presence in this until later in the story. I also struggled with the female lead. Her character felt impulsive and was absent from the screen for much of the drama. I don’t blame the actress—she’s been excellent in another role I’m currently watching—so I suspect it was a directional choice I just couldn’t connect with.

Instead, I was drawn to the second lead storyline—it was so tragic and powerful that it stole most of my sympathy and attention. I found myself deeply invested in them, hoping they'd get more than the story allowed. By the final episodes, though, the female lead’s character shifted, and that’s when the main storyline finally clicked for me. Li Fei’s magic came through. So in the end, I really enjoyed the drama—but not in the way I expected. It was the second leads and Wang Xingwei who carried most of the show for me.

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Not The Best, But Still Good

I’m honestly shocked that a series I love this much has a 9.1 rating kwhsjs. Not everyone may connect with it, but for me, it's everything.

I found Duang With You on the exact day it was released. I randomly came across with it, then found its pilot and got captivated from the very first scene. Still, I didn’t expect much at the time since it was just a pilot.

But when the first episode dropped, I was surprised by how much I loved it. Watching felt like I was living through their moments. I got completely hooked. I waited for it every week at the same time, and with each new episode, I was pulled in even deeper. I’ve never connected with a series like this before. A 1hr. episode would take me 4–8 hours to finish because I kept pausing, rewatching, and writing down my thoughts and interpretations. I just wanted to absorb everything.

The series also added a lot of content that wasn’t in the novel, which gave more depth and drama to the story. Some moments felt especially real because of how immersed the actors were, like in Episode 6, where Duang wasn’t even supposed to cry, but the emotion just came out naturally. Also rushed scenes (?), like the NC scene in Episode 12, which I believe was improvised, but was still delivered well.

I could honestly say so much more, but I’ll stop here. I’m really happy that this series and the actors getting the recognition they deserve, though I can’t help but feel a bit nervous about possible negativity. Hopefully, it continues to be appreciated for what it is.

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Devotion Without Payoff

Based on a quintessential “trashy girl fantasy” novel, the series follows a slave girl turned general who commands the obsession of three rival princes. Picking up where Princess Agents left off, the story opens with a high stakes reversal: the female lead has already rebelled against the male lead’s empire and spurned the man who secretly protected her. Now, crushed by the weight of her misunderstandings, she races to save him from a lethal trap set by her own partner, a man whose descent into madness has turned FL herself into bait. It is an intriguing premise that hooked me early on.

Her awareness of past mistakes does little to stop new ones. ML is once again forced to operate in the shadows, repeatedly saving her life only to be rejected because he will not, or cannot, reveal everything. Meanwhile, FL gravitates toward a third prince framed as comic relief: a charming, playboyish, and hapless man-child hopelessly in love with her, yet one she feels inexplicably beholden to in ways that feel lost in translation between the novel and live action adaptation.

The main couple briefly reconnect when ML swears he will no longer hide things from her or leave her side, a promise that should carry emotional weight. It does not. Almost immediately, FL rushes off without consulting him to marry her first love rival in a harebrained plan to protect the second love rival and his empire.

From there the story spirals. FL returns victorious to the capital largely through ML’s planning, despite both having opportunities to eliminate the rival prince and end the war sooner. Instead, sentimentality and the love rival’s plot armor prolong the conflict, demanding even greater sacrifice. FL then makes yet more life altering decisions, again hypocritically without consulting ML (because love rules apply to thee, not me), entering a tragic marriage with the second love rival and adopting his child, becoming consort regent of his empire. She chooses to shoulder the world alone rather than trust ML or honor the bond between them, even while knowing he is gravely poisoned and desperate for an antidote.

The plot grows increasingly contrived, making it difficult to feel genuine sympathy for FL even under duress. Rather than arising naturally from character choices, much of the drama feels engineered for maximum angst, weakening the emotional payoff. At the same time, ML’s unwavering devotion becomes more frustrating than romantic, repeatedly directed toward someone who neither fully acknowledges nor consistently reciprocates it. What the series presents as epic love instead drifts into emotional masochism: obsessive, self destructive devotion mistaken for grandeur. The result is a widening disconnect between what the story wants the audience to feel and what actually lands on screen.

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A 400 Year Old Ghost Queen and the Young General Who Loves Her

The series kicks off with the male lead fighting like crazy—totally badass! The battle scenes are so intense, it's thrilling as hell. The female lead, a 400-year-old ghost queen, is unbelievably beautiful! Sometimes, I get so distracted by her face that I forget to read the subtitles, The storyline isn't boring at all, and the CGI is top-notch, with every scene looking amazing. Dilraba and Chen Feiyu have incredible chemistry, and you can feel the love between them throughout the show. Just the way they look at each other makes you smile. Without a doubt, this is my favorite series of the year so far.

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Admittedly Choppy But Beautifully Poignant!

There are a lot of back-and-forth scenes that admittedly can be a bit hard to follow and could have been tightened up to make the story flow better. I still ardently enjoyed this series. Mainly due to the solid performances of the protagonists and the supporting roles. Plus, admittedly, the arc of the story is so entertaining. These actors took their roles and seasoned the characters, matured them, and gave them fervent personalities. That is quite an accomplishment. I was actually surprised as to how deep that sentiment was conveyed. I felt as if each fully intended to go through life without anyone else because they had lost the love of their lives 5 years earlier. That is remarkable to be able to get that strong of a sensation from a series that is frankly not all that intensely developed. Overall, this is an emotionally intense series and is as satisfying as Season One. Even more so because it now felt complete.

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Ji Bozai <3

Positives:
- Not much I liked about this except for Ji bozai and Ming yi. I also liked their animal companions. I cried like a baby Mingyi was mourning twenty-seven.
- I thought Hou minghao was perfectly cast for this. I also really liked his styling in this drama.
- My favorite scenes were whenever Ji bozai shamelessly flirted (i.e. Nirvana scene)

Negatives:
- I was so close to dropping this. Start was slow and the last couple episodes were both chaotic and draggy for me.
- They’re infuriatingly bad at communicating and staying together 🫠.
- I hate how they butchered Situ Ling’s character to create last-minute conflict. His admiration and devotion for Mingyi used to be so wholesome. It was my favorite thing about him.

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Bai Feng Hei Xi rules their own world!

This drama is definitely a mixed experience for me— frustrating in some parts, but still enjoyable overall because of its strengths. It’s one of those dramas where I can clearly see why people love it, while also understanding why others struggle with it.

The biggest reason I stayed invested was the story between the Yin and Yang duo— Bai Fengxi/Feng Xiyun and Hei Fengxi/Feng Lanxi. From the very beginning, even their smallest interactions were overflowing with sparks. This is exactly why I love slow-burn romances: every glance, every subtle shift in tone, every shared moment feels charged with tension. Even scenes that should feel simple— like Bai Fengxi hugging Hei Fengxi to keep him warm— somehow carried so much intensity. Their romance never needed exaggerated gestures to feel convincing. It thrived in restraint, banter, trust, and years of unspoken feelings.

What I also loved was Bai Fengxi herself. She’s strong, capable, witty, and most importantly, a true girl’s girl. I really appreciated the girlhood in this drama, especially the mutual respect between the women— Qiwu and Xiyun's friendship truly added warmth. Zhao Lusi's portrayal of Bai Fengxi/Feng Xiyun is definitely one of the best parts of the drama. She showed so much range— playful and sharp as Bai Fengxi, wise and regal as Feng Xiyun. She handled every version of her character convincingly and perfectly. On the other hand, Yang Yang felt uneven. He looked the part perfectly, and he was charming in lighter teasing moments with Xiyun, but in many emotional scenes he felt stiff and less expressive than the material required. Although him saying, “Seeing her off will give birth to yearning,” as if he wasn’t already yearning for her the entire time was unintentionally hilarious. The jealousy, the possessiveness, the tsundere behavior— it all worked for me. His subtle “who did this to you?” moments were especially satisfying.

The sibling and family dynamics were another highlight. I genuinely liked the First Prince and his older-brother energy toward Lanxi. That made the misunderstanding arc between the Feng brothers even more frustrating because I just wanted my Feng brothers back— which thank God was resolved immediately. On Xiyun’s side, I loved the relationship with her family as well. They were supportive, loving, and deeply human. Qingzhou’s emotional arc especially hit hard. Her father’s line, “I wanted to hold the weight of the sky for you so that you could be free of worries. But now, you’ll have to hold up the sky yourself” was one of the most emotional moments in the drama, so much that it felt like the main turning point. Zhao Lusi’s crying scenes truly elevated those episodes; her emotional acting lands every time.

However, the politics and pacing truly felt messy— it lost momentum for me. There were so many schemes, betrayals, hidden agendas, and shifting alliances that at times it felt like everything was happening while nothing was happening at the same time. The Yongzhou arc in particular dragged heavily. It became an endless game of cat and mouse: the Second Prince and Queen scheme, Lanxi counters, the Emperor knows the truth, everyone gets spared, then the cycle repeats again. Instead of building suspense, it often felt repetitive. It honestly felt like the drama spent over twenty episodes on worldbuilding and power scaling, which unfortunately weakened the pacing and delayed the emotional payoff.

There were also character writing choices that disappointed me. Langhua’s accusation toward Xiyun felt especially out of character. I kept waiting for some deeper explanation or hidden twist, but it turned out to be exactly what it looked like— an impulsive mistake. While Langhua had already been shown as immature and reckless before, it was still disappointing to see her fail to trust her sister again after everything they had been through. It felt less like organic character conflict and more like forced drama. The Tianshuang Sect., overall lacked depth in a way.

Some reveals also lacked impact. The truth behind certain identities was surprisingly underwhelming, and the aftermath or punishment of characters like Baili and the Third Prince felt somewhat unsatisfying. Many antagonists, particularly in the latter half, came across as flat and were subdued too easily for the scale of threat they were meant to represent.

The ending, unfortunately, was where the drama stumbled the most for me. The final battle against Wuyuan felt flat and anticlimactic when it should have been the grand payoff to everything that came before it. Han Pu’s death felt abrupt, and Lanxi being left with only ten years to live— with nothing to reverse it with— added a bittersweet layer for me. Still, the silver lining of it all was that they chose each other over power, politics, and endless responsibility. In the end, a life together away from all the chaos was exactly what these two needed. It was fitting for their story, even if it remained heartbreaking underneath the happiness.

Overall, the drama was strong production-wise. The battlefield scenes were well done, despite it being mostly CGI but I appreciated how the fight scenes were shown instead of skipping it instead. The OST was also excellent— it genuinely made me feel like I was riding into battle beside them. While it has its flaws: uneven pacing, repetitive political arcs, and an underwhelming final stretch, I still truly enjoyed it. Bai Feng Hei Xi were more than enough reason to stay until the end. They were always exciting to watch. Definitely a must-watch, if you are into Wuxia genre!

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The Crimson General's Love Strategy (2026), aka Red Makeup Adorns the Land (2026), is a very good rebirth romance fantasy set within a historical era with ML Chen Ming Hao (as Gu Jing Hui) and FL Anna Liu (as Han Ying Xue) in the leading couple's role. The cast did a good job bringing their characters to life, and the leading couple had strong communication, steadfast love and mutual protection, a tender emotional connection, and great intimate chemistry.
In the meantime, you can watch the drama on YouTube: "Reborn, on her wedding day she avoided fleeing, mended her cold husband’s heart, and won his love." (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bvf8CEn2nw0)
Also watch here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G-Yx9jnkss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bM4O9pFiq6c
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9LTktSc4N2Y

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