The weeds are everywhere, set fire to them

This is the story of three people from very different backgrounds that are investigating the same case for very different reasons, with the backdrop of Empress Wu Zetian's rule.

Gao Bingzhu(Huang Xuan) comes from the bottom rugs of the society (even lower than slaves). He wants revenge for his friends' death. Baili Hongyi(Want Yibo) is the son of a minister but he himself isn't interested in politics. He wants to find out the mystery behind his father's death. And Wu Siyue(Song Qian) is the assistant head of Inner Guards. She- well she just wants to protect the general public.

And all three of them are against a mysterious organisation called Four Seasons Clan. Nobody knows what this clan is, where it is based or who works for it. So they're left to investigate an invisible enemy. Which is really difficult given all their leads are mysteriously killed by the clan itself.

The best thing about this drama apart from the suspense is the cinematography and overall production quality. The camera work in this drama is exquisite. The choice of music is pretty unique but fits well with the theme of the story. I love love the sets, especially the interiors, it's really beautifull. The characters are individually good.

One problem I have is Wu Zetian's character. I understand that it was probably a creative choice but I must say I was hoping she would die/ be deposed by the end of the story, which never happened. In this drama she is really a useless but ruthless empress that only knows to order people around. She wants to control others but is so dumb she repeatedly ends up controlled by others. She keeps on trusting the wrong people every single time.

Anyways I love the supporting cast too! Shen Fei, Prince DongChang and Bai Lang are my favorites. I like how the villains are not over dimensional. You will really sympathize with them.

The Romantic plot:

Gao Bingzhu and Wu Siyue: I adored their friendship and kept rooting for them since their first encounter. But when they finally got together I wanted to skip the scene lol. It just kind of felt unnatural (which is only natural given their characters)

Baili Hongyi and Liu Ren: Now this is what I call character growth. They started off as total odd balls. Hongyi had zero interest in her while she blindly kept chasing him. She went through so much. At the end Hongyi was not only not so cold anymore but he learnt empathy, and how to express his emotions. He truly changed for the better all thanks to her. It wasn't until the last episode that I realised he wasn't the only one who changed. She changed too. She was no longer chasing him blindly instead she learnt that slow but steady wins the race. She learnt to trust! I love how they developed it felt really organic.

The small side love story between the dancer Pei and Liu Ren's younger brother was so idiotic. I know it's a plot device but they both are unlikable and so is their connection.

Overall definitely watch if you are into historical thrillers!

P. S: loved the intricate workings and the mysterious vibes of Wu Zetian's Secret Guards. I love how they are portrayed from start to finish and ofcourse it's head.

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Beautiful bones are rare in this world

A tragically beautiful love story between a quite young lady from a scholarly family and her shifu, a righteous war general.

Our FL, Cui Shiyi comes from a family of Literary noblemen. After an incident where her father was killed she looses her voice. Shiyi is one of the most lovely FL I've ever seen. She is considerate and kind. Despite being considerably physically weak than the people around her she never comes across as annoying.

Her Shifu, our ML Zhou Shengchen is a military general. To avoid suspicion he has vowed to never marry or have children. Let me tell you this is the nicest man you'll ever see in any drama. He just so kind, he has the biggest heart of all. He is soo good that it almost makes him look impossible to exist. Also he isn't cold unlike other MLs, he treats our Fl really well since the start.

These two people's relationship albeit tragic is filled with warmth and gentleness which goes really well with the overarching tragic tone of the drama.

Of the side characters, I love each and every single one of them. Especially the soldiers in our ML's army.

Here are the side ships:

-A hot blooded female general × ex-crown prince, currently a monk!
-A soft hearted scholar-general × hot blooded female general 2.0
-a crazy Prince who only wants power x a bratty princess
-an emperor who is imprisoned by his own mother × his pregnant empress

The drama has brilliant cinematography and amazing Osts. Definitely watch it if you want something short and beautiful

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A rare find

This is one of those rare finds. Well to start I agree it's kind of low budget. But the VFX ain't that bad actually and the cinematography although nothing special isn't half bad. The female lead was extremely annoying in the first few episodes but after that she changed into a cute little fl. I loved the characters, everyone including the plough department, the imperial family, general cao, Dou Cheng, Xingyiand even the biyou sect. Despite being a low budget idol drama this has a very well throught of story, paired with compelling acting. It was really fun to watch. I'd definitely recommend this drama!

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Excellent adaptation with great cinematography ( +ost)!

I read the novel this drama is adapted from, “Marriage of the Di daughter ”, a few years back. Most adaptations change the story too much, or make the plot worse. Even though I am a book fan, this drama only changed a few things which I think made the plot even better.

In the book, Xu Fangfei actually died and possessed Jiang Li (who also died by falling into a pond). So technically she was not Xue Fangfei anymore. I like how the drama changes this plot due to censorship, but also acknowledges the changes and bends the story along with it. Jiang Li is much more likable here.

I think Xiao Heng is the character that is the most faithful to the book. He is absolutely perfect in both the drama and the book. One word: Swoon worthy.

I love the supporting characters in the drama. The villains especially. Most of the villains were pretty one dimensional in the book. But the drama added backstories. Even though they're still evil, atleast we get to see why they are the way they are. The princess is a psychotic character. But you get to see why and exactly how she becomes that way in the drama. I'll admit I loved her scenes a lot. Shen Yurong seems more evil to me, just because he lacks a backbone yet dares to be envious.

My favorite scene in the drama is the confrontation between the grand princess and Shen Yurong in the rain. Such a heartbreaking scene, filmed appropriately. I absolutely love the cinematography in this drama. And the OSTs are the cherry on top. Beautiful work!

Over all the plot is really good, the acting is better than most dramas these days, and the music + camera work is top notch. Highly recommended!

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The beauty of pain is virtuous

Love, longing, pain and virtue.

The story of a blind boy Po Xiao who has the boundless heart sutra tattooed on his body and a guard Feng Ren tasked to protect him. The setting of this short film is beautiful and exquisite but the most important thing is the way it portrays emotions. Two forlorn boys alone in this world find comfort in each other.

I adore the melancholic theme of this film, it tugs on your heartstring perfectly. The amount of plot twists this film managed to fit into just 37 minutes is beyond me. The story surprisingly does not feel rushed, instead it has a well written ending.

A bit about the actor Ding Chengxin. He is apparently a singer and not a professional actor. But his acting is impeccable, he plays the role of being blind to such perfection you feel worried for him. The emotions portrayed seem genuine and heartfelt. And he is really good looking. This young actor has a very rare face. I seldom see someone so beautiful as if their features were drawn with a brush. Upturned eyebrows and peach blossom eyes, he indeed fits the description of the most beautiful men in Xianxia novels. I really want to see him in more xianxia/historical dramas or films.

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Xianxia but it.actually has something new!

Absolutely breathtaking cinematography., Honey-sweet chemistry. Yes it might seem trope-heavy but that's what this is a "class Xianxia". You won't find Xianxia anywhere else and there's hardly one good Xianxia drama in a year. So this is a treat. Tencent does CGI like no one else, it's grandiose. The OSTs??? It's the best you'll here in quite some time- Zhou Shen, Liu Yuning, Mao Buyi all together. It's a blessing to my ears. I loved it to the core. I found it kinda absurd how the scene changed after 15 episodes but I got used to the new setting real quick. The side characters are all memorable and very cute. I'd recommend it 100% if you like wuxia/ xianxia.

P.S: Just wanted to say that Tian Qi (Liu Xueyi) blew my mind. I was swept off my feet by him. I guess I really like that kind of a character a little bit dark but with a strong will and protective of the people he loves. I loved this drama much more than I'd have if he wasn't present!!

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A cute love story to make you giggle

This was such a refreshing breath of fresh air. I adored the two main leads. The fl is a very intelligent character who as a strange obsession with being the country's no. 1 weakly fragile beauty, even though she is actually really strong and good at fighting. I love that at no point in the story does she loose her intelligence. The ml on the other hand is an equally intelligent crown Prince who tries to appear as a non-caring playboy good for nothing prince, while he is actually really hardworking and cares for the people deeply. These two odd pair of dorks quickly find out about the others secret and fall in love. Then the story becomes even more adorable.

I also really liked the side pairs. The first prince and the princess were such a cute pair. I also liked fl's maid/sister Yuan Wei with the ml's guard Pei Ji Huai. The constant bickering was actually enjoyable this time.

But my favorite side couple gotta be Yun Han and Du Xiu Ying (the imperial censor's granddaughter). I'm totally surprised by their chemistry. Not to mention the set up of the characters was so unique. A high ranking minister's granddaughter, who has no parents and is actually lonely yet tries her best to be kind, falls in love with a double agent who works as a courtesan and is an assassin. Such a good set up, I might even have liked them more than the main leads lol. The comedy aspect of the drama seems to not apply to this couple, it's passionate but also heartbreaking.

I liked the other characters too. The comedy really hits this time around. I found myself laughing at the jokes or giggling at the romance throught the entire thing. If you need a short dopamine rush kinda drama this is it for you.

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Sweetest Family Drama (minus creepy villain)

Among the dramas this year, Rise of Ning seems like a breath of fresh air. The main characters Luo Yinning and Luo Shenyuan are, as you can guess from there surnames, siblings (But not really!) A lot of people might feel uneasy shipping them but I do think there's not much problem. First, the Fl lived separately for most of their lives. Once they met again ML almost immediately found out they are not biological siblings. From FL's pov it can be a little grey but then again it doesn't really affect much. I love love love the family. Lin Hairu, ML's (and FL's) sort of step mother is much better than most bio moms in cdramas! The grandmothers are absolute OPs. This story has all the things I love, the trope of di daughter takes revenge on concubines, and a ML that's not cold for once. The villain is the only part that kinda irked me but that only shows his great acting. The villain Lu Jiaxu is a creepy, stalker that obsesses over Fl but still hurts everyone around her. Overall, I really enjoyed this simple and sweet drama. Nothing too melancholic, just fun and enjoyable.

P.s: the side character's romance is soo cute. I love how they include body positivity and show the chubby sixth sister is lovable inside out.

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What could be and what wasn't— a rant

This is a proper quality production. The prairies are a beautiful place and the drama manages to capture the wild yet freeing beauty of it perfectly. Be it horse riding beneath the blue sky on the vast green plains or colorful costumes to show the nature of the Liao people in contrast to the more subdued Northern Song Dynasty, this drama has it all. The cast has great acting, especially the older generation. Everything is enjoyable.

However, I really really hated the female lead's character through and through. Tiffany Tang is not a bad actress but she is just annoying in this drama and I think it's because of the character.

The fl is supposed to be Empress Xiao Yanyan, an actual historical figure that managed to bring mighty generals from the many time more powerful Song Dynasty to their knees. But this fl starts as the most annoying, bratty, Marry Sue character ever. But that is the least worst part of the drama beleive it or not. As the drama progresses her character goes from Annoying to just downright unlikable or even hateful. Sometimes I find myself supporting the villains over her. She's the worst FL I've ever seen.

Midway through the drama she goes off to marry the Emperor despite promising her love to the ml. Don't even think she was forced to do so. This mf just wanted power. Okay we can forgive her for that. She chose power over love good for her. But what does she do after getting the power? She forced the ML to be her right hand man. Gets jealous when the ML finally decided to move on. She has a freaking grown up child already mind you with someone else yet had the audacity to go scare the fiance of ml so much so she died. This is horrible, this fl is not at all a good person which would be okay if the drama didn't try to portray her as the epitome of good. Disgusting character. I'd give this drama a 0/10 if it was only her. I wish she died a horrible death at the end instead of getting the poor ml.

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