I imagine intelligence work is probably very much like portrayed in this drama. No thrilling chases or big action scenes, but rather a group of weary men, drinking tea or alcohol, in a series of conversations that circle an enigma. This doesn't mean the story it's not fascinating to watch, after all we are looking for a double agent who is more likely to be among our lead characters than in some far away location pulling at strings.

This is a slow paced drama and it will ask things of you as a viewer. You will have to pay attention to details in the story because they might be important later on but, at the same time, you have to keep an eye on the bigger picture these characters are trying to paint. It's easy to get lost in the small things and miss out on the glaring obvious. The narrative can be a little confusing in the first few episodes but around episode 5 to 7 things started to take form as we got all of our players on the board, with different missions and objectives.

The strongest point of this drama is probably technical aspects. Superbly atmospheric in the hands of director Lu Yang. His camera work is implacable, its moves sinister, the rooms are filled with uncertainty, and the characters warily circle around — well, each other, really. The Wind Blows From Longxi looks, sounds and feels exactly right. The drama is faithful to the time period in all aspects, from the locations to set designs. The costumes, hair and make up are incredible tactile and you can feel the roughness of piece of fabric as you watch a scene. The cinematography, tho, it's the true star. The use of light and lenses in this drama are planned to the tee. It enhances and hides the characters' personality and true intentions, giving you clues through visuals instead of exposition. It's perfect.

The performances from all the cast are on par with the production, but particularly Chen Kun and Bai Yu. They prove to be at the top of their craft in this drama. The story asks a lot of them to be portrayed in a whisper, almost. There are times when physical conflicts happen and they are really well done but not as interesting as what came before and after.

I am aware this is is the kind of drama that it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I think you should at least try a couple of episodes and then decide because, I promise you, it's worth it.