The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty

Veils of Power

This detective story is an intriguing mix of suspense and drama, building up to a tense attempt at a palace coup.

In this gripping drama, Tang Fan, a brilliant scholar poised to take the top honor in the imperial examinations, found himself denied a place among the top three due to the disdain of courtiers who resented his youth. Meanwhile, Sui Zhou, born into nobility, defied his family’s expectations by choosing a path as an imperial guard. He stirred the jealousy of his superior, the ruthless Commander Wan Tong, who stopped at nothing to make his life miserable. Enter Wang Zhi, a young astute eunuch who earned the favour of Concubine Wan, the Emperor's most beloved consort. His sharp intellectual and strategic mind earned the trust of the Emperor and he held a powerful position as the head of the West Chamber of Guards.

As fate wove their paths together, these three unlikely allies had to navigate a treacherous web of court politics, high-stakes crimes, and deadly conspiracies. With their sharp wits and unbreakable resolve, they worked together to unravel sinister plots involving corrupt officials, foreign infiltration, and an audacious attempt to seize power, all while facing dangers that threatened their very lives.

Here's a closer look at the positives and a few areas where it could have been stronger:

The Highlights:

Stunning Costumes: The costume design was a visual delight, with Wang Zhi standing out in a series of striking outfits. His wardrobe changes were a highlight of the series, adding a touch of elegance and grandeur to the storytelling.

Authentic Backdrop: The setting was rich with historical accuracy, creating a vivid portrayal of the Ming Dynasty.

Charming Leads and Strong Supporting Cast: The three male leads were undeniably handsome , while the supporting actors and actresses added their own charm. Notably, the supporting actors playing the villains, especially Commander Wan Tong, delivered performances so compelling that they made me despise their characters with every scene.

Emotional Ending Theme: The melodious and sentimental theme song wrapped up the drama beautifully, leaving a lingering emotional impact.

Engaging Story: Though the plot has a few glaring flaws, it was overall captivating, keeping viewers hooked as the story unfolds.

Villains Get Their Due: It was satisfying to see the evil characters face justice, a nice touch that makes the narrative feel more rewarding.

Darren Chen's Transformation: A surprising twist – Darren Chen, usually seen in a more masculine role, was shockingly beautiful disguised as a woman, showcasing his versatility as an actor and his fine facial features.

Heart-Warming Moment: One of the most touching moments came when the Empress Dowager, long known for her deep-seated dislike of her daughter-in-law, stood firmly by her side in a moment of crisis. It was deeply moving—a glimpse of wisdom and grace from a woman who, despite past grudges, chose justice over personal vendetta. In that pivotal moment, we saw not just an Empress, but a true matriarch who recognized the greater good and stood on the right side of history.

A Few Weaknesses:

Opening Theme Song: The rap-like opening theme felt jarringly out of place for a period drama set in the ancient Ming Dynasty. It was too modern and clashed with the overall historical tone.

Unbelievable Youth: Eunuch Wang, supposed to be barely 20, appeared far too mature and intelligent for his age. Similarly, Dong Er, around 15, was portrayed as a genius, which felt a bit exaggerated for the historical setting.

Villain from a Bygone Era: The main antagonist was revealed to be a descendant of the illustrious Tang Dynasty’s Li family—a classic trope that dramas often lean into, drawing on the grandeur and mystique of one of China's most celebrated dynasties. While the nostalgia for the Tang era certainly adds a sense of legacy and depth, it stretches historical plausibility. After all, the Tang Dynasty ended nearly a thousand years before the Ming era. Would it not have been more fitting—and more believable—to trace the villain’s lineage back to the Yuan or Song dynasties, which were far closer in time and relevance? The connection felt more like romanticized embellishment than credible backstory.

Over-the-Top Poison Scene: The scene where Tang Fan tested a deadly poison in a desperate attempt to save his love was overly dramatized. It lacked the subtlety and depth needed to truly convey genuine love in a believable manner.

Overused Names: The name "Qingge" was already used in another drama for a heroine, which felt like unoriginality creeping in. Why must so many dramas recycle names and locations from each other?

Dramatic Ending: The ending was nothing short of dramatic, but it felt a bit at odds with the sharp wit of the three lead characters, who were portrayed as exceptionally intelligent. Despite their brilliance, they were outsmarted by the key villain in a surprising twist, nearly losing the showdown with him in the process. It was a tense conclusion, but the leads' momentary lapse in strategy left me questioning how such clever minds could be so easily outmaneuvered.

Additional Thoughts:

Tang Fan's Emotional Turmoil: As brilliant and intelligent as Tang Fan was meant to be, he often behaved like a drama queen, making impulsive decisions that feel more emotional than logical.

Predictable Plot Twists: Heroes rarely die midway through a drama, so the outcome of the poison testing scene was all but predictable, reducing the emotional stakes.

The Pipa Scene: Baby Zhang's (Qingge) performance on the pipa was less than convincing. Her fingers seemed out of sync with the music, making it clear she wasn’t playing the instrument convincingly.

Final Verdict: Despite a few flaws and some over-the-top moments, this drama is highly entertaining and well worth your time. The performances are strong, the costumes are gorgeous, and the plot is captivating enough to keep you hooked. If you're looking for a mix of mystery, drama, and historical intrigue, this is a solid choice.

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For everyone that isn't into romances

I started watching this drama a while ago, but gave up after the second episode because I couldn't follow the plot. I'm glad I came back after watching other dramas. They gave me more background knowledge to follow the complex political structures and plots.

While the plot was interesting, it was the characters that really got me hooked, especially Wang Zhi. His character and story had so much more potential and I would love to see a whole show with him as the main character. It kind of blew my mind that he was so young - and while his actions sometimes made you forget that, the show manages to remind you of his youth in some really great scenes.

Overall, the show suffered from the same problems that many shows do: the plot gets too convoluted, the stakes don't fit the established tone of the show and some plot holes are hard to overlook. For example, there should have been a better way to introduce the Empress as a warrior, as it came out of nowhere (twice). While the action scenes were great in the beginning, when they tried to raise the stakes in the last few episodes, it became over the top and felt out of place. Also, some of the serious issues they were trying to address (e.g. PTSD, domestic violence, human trafficking) went nowhere and had no consequences.

Despite these problems, I really loved the show and its main characters. They had great chemistry, and I'm curious to see what a BL adaptation of this show would have been like.

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Okay

The first half of the drama was quite good but the second half was a bit of a mess. There were a lot of plotholes and inconsistencies which made you wonder whether you accidentally skipped an episode that explained some of the things that were happening. I would have also liked to see more endings e.g. what happened to the street children who were part of Wang Zhi's network? Did Tang Fan and Sui Zhou get promoted after the incident? etc.

I expected more fight scenes in the series but I wasn't severely disappointed by the few that happened. My favourite was the fight between Gao Yi and Amasanj. As for music, it wasn't memorable but it wasn't bad.

I liked most of the characters. Wang Zhi was a favourite when he wasn't infected with a plague called 'Tang Fan'. Sui Zhou was also very impressive whenever Tang Fan wasn't around. As for Tang Fan, I had an 'on' and 'off' like for him. He was very good at times but in others, he was the egotistical person who took advantage of the affection of those around him. It was also strange how he could be knowledgeable about politics in one instance but a novice in others. For example, he once asked Wang Zhi to request supervisory power from the emperor which inevitably risked Wang Zhi's life. At that point, he seemed unaware of the implications of his actions. However, he also told Wang Zhi that it would be good if a day came when the emperor forgot him which shows that he understood the threat to Wang Zhi's life due to how powerful he had become. There are such many contradictions that leave you wondering. There were also instances of him causing trouble because of his self-righteousness and belief that he couldn't possibly be wrong. Overall, Tang Fan wasn't my favourite.
I also liked her highness Wan Zhen'er. She was a badass woman but also soft when it counted. She was great, especially in the last two episodes.

The bromance was just okay. The chemistry is incomparable to some of the greats like 'the untamed, word of honour, advance bravely, love is more than a word, guardian, etc' but it was okay. There was a total lack of ambiguity though which was a bit disappointing. Luckily, neither Tang Fan nor Sui Zhou ended up with a woman.

I don't think I will rewatch this drama any time soon but I will probably do so in a few years.

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Too much sleuthing for me

Tang Fan’s features and movements make him seem almost effeminate in a way. I later found out that this was possibly intentional since the source material for this drama seems to be a BL novel. But make no mistake, Darren Chen is definitely still a cutie.

Playing his uh… best friend, is Feng MengPo as Shi Zhou. Opposite Tang Fan, this guy is clearly a man’s man. He has that silent type, brooding and thoughtful character that I have come to expect from children born to high class families. He has a strong sense of justice and is very sympathetic to the common people.

Let me be extremely honest. I am a simple person who does not like to complicate things. By episode 12, I got tired of all the sleuthing and the secrets and the conspiracies.

For the full review, here is the link:

https://thislifehappened.me/the-sleuth-of-ming-dynasty/

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Perfect Detective Drama

I purposely watch this one slowly because I didn't want it to end. There aren't many ancient detective dramas so I consider this a niche drama. Great Bromance brewing slowly over series of events. Even minor characters are written so well that I didn't skip one minute.

3 ML it was hard to determine who's the favorite. Wang Zhi by far was the most complex calculating. I could not believe he's just starting in his career as his facial expressions were so on point. Make it seemed like he acted all his life.
Tang Fan at times seems childish and annoying but also provided so many comical moments
Sui Zhou the manly loyal guard with his sexy accent (I rather hear this than some random dubbed voice) was the protector of all.
The 3 unlikely characters worked together to solve so many crimes. All the characters are interconnected in the end.
Supporting cast were all interesting - the doctor that loves Tang Fan's sister, Dong Er with her photographic memory, the funny noodle shop lady, Wu Yun the archer who end up staying. Too many to name.

The icing on top is all the food displays from cooking methods to explaining the symbolism dishes expressing the importance of love and family.

Lastly the fight scenes with Jacky Chan style displayed. This was just a perfect executed drama all around. I am going to miss this drama that's for sure!

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Game Of Thrones-ing the Past with the Food Network

Rated= 4 ~ 17/50 ~ 3.4
RPG Scene // Troll hunting me through a Haunted House. About to beat me to death with my own club.

I prefer to go into show blind as I find it better to reach my own conclusion and/or opinion on a show.
I normally like detective style shows but this is one of those ones that I dropped simply because I didn't like the characters.

This show uses some pretty heavy material for it's mysteries which if you are anything like me, will put the anxiety through the roof as your watching. This show was not good for my heart in that aspect. So if you are sensitive to very violent source material, be warned here. When I meet material as dark as this, I need to have something to counteract that kind of information. I need deeply heroic people and compassionate people. I am fully aware this stuff happens in life and the people responsible get to walk. I do not find it entertaining to watch it in a show. I am a viewer who doesn't need step by step reality in my shows.

Having said that, the characters fail me in this. The leads are the only truly likeable people, at the start. Everyone else is a truly an evil person. There are no excuses here. It's a kill or be killed kind of reality. I get it. The past sucked.

Our 3 main leads are a stoic and solemn guy with a violent past, the effeminate baby girl genius guy with a sad past and the hard nosed palace eunuch that you're not sure whether or not to trust, and I couldn't be bothered to find out his past.
I can understand this set up in the beginning but they were still the same by episode 20. I knew nothing more about them other than Stoic guy is kind, everyone hates the eunuch and the effeminate ML is as annoying as all hell.
I don't do tsunderes. I don't find them cute or endearing or even funny. They just annoy me. 20 episodes in and our ML is supposed to be exceptionally intelligent. He is the 'sleuth' in the main title and yet he will pout and stomp is his feet like a baby, rush into a situation on emotion and will straight up tell the Emperor to go away because no one is above the law and I just don't want to. I'm sick, I'm getting married, I'm dead. Seriously? This is our Genuis ML? The Emperor could have you and your friends gutted on the spot. Is a bit of tact too much to ask for from our supposedly competent genius? Am I supposed to cheer this on?
The surrounding characters aren't very fleshed out by episode 20 either. We've got the super genius adopted sister who remains in the background eating sweets until she's useful and two foreign characters that are just kind of there. They fell into the plot randomly and now there's a romance trying to be pushed between foreign girl and the ML.

Also, the food p@rn. I really don't care for. Am I supposed to feel something? Was this to counteract the absolute devastation of the mysteries? It does nothing for me.

First time in my life, I also found the cinematography annoying as well but perhaps that's just the mood I had when watching. Someone really loved getting picture-esque shots between doors and at side angles with lots of props in view. After a while, this started to give me a slight headache as I tilt my head with the camera. Yes, the surroundings are beautiful but every other angle doesnt need to be up and down and side to side.

Overall, I can see the appeal if detective shows are your thing. Not alot of action. It's all sleuth or at least until 20 but it is an exhausting show to watch. From the annoying lead, the camera angles, the dark material and deep web of lies and deceit in the royal court, there was just too much going on for me to be able to enjoy it properly.

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The best drama.

3 main roles are perfect.I love Tangfan the way he talks so lovely.I love Sui Cho because of his quiet manner.Wang gonggong looks so lovely.Every support roles are perfect too.I love Doctor Pei,Ting rong,Tong Aer and the son of Tangfan's sister. The story is very good for me because I never read the book before I see this drama.For someone who ever read the book may be get a little disappointed that I understand.The Emperor is good too.I think he the most handsome Emperor.Listen his voice! so powerful.I'm waiting for part2 . Pleaseeeeee

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This drama is really really awesome. Those who like to watch comedy, mysterious and suspicious can come and watch it. I really love its cast.
I really liiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeddddddddddddddddddd this drama.
I appreciate the hard work of the cast.
It is not typical .loveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee3eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee xxhjdfdjgdjdidjkdyduzvdyjjsfhrudhgaiajgdjjzhbegxhdhdhdhdhdhgdgdgduhdysyeyrhrhfhdidhudgfihfhhfhfufihfhdhfhfhuhgdgdhgcgdggdhsggcgfhdfggxghdhxgxhxhhxgxhxhbxhxjqbxdghdghzgdszsdsfgxgchxuxhhdgsyehxggxhsvfsgxvxvxvgdhdhbdvdhdhgdhfhrjxhwgufhvxvchjiwyuejxfssb

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Excellents acteurs

Le sujet de la série, c'est la résolution de cas par un limier, Tang Fan, petit fonctionnaire, magistralement joué par Chen Guan Hong, Sui Zhou de la garde impériale et Wang Zhe, eunuque de haut niveau, qui est l'espion de l'empereur.

Ce que j'ai aimé :
- les acteurs, tous très bons, avec une mention spéciale à Chen Guan Hong ! Il joue un personnage très compliqué : fantasque, revanchard, impulsif, pétulant, très efféminé par moment et toujours en train de manger (ne pas regarder la série si on a faim).
- La production, très grosse. On se retrouve comme souvent dans les studios Hengdian et c'est toujours aussi beau.
- La cuisine et les repas, toujours très appétissants et instructifs ! Cela donne l'occasion d'avoir de belles scènes familiales avec tous les amis réunis.
- Le scénario, pendant 44 épisodes, est toujours intéressant, parfois drôle.

Ce que je n'ai pas aimé : (attention spoiler)

- Avec toutes les misères voire tentatives de meurtre que le dépôt de l'est et le chef de la garde impériale font à notre trio, c'est improbable qu'ils les laissent sans rien faire.
- A partir de l'épisode 45, ils deviennent tous idiots, et font n'importe quoi ! A la fin c'est même un coup de chance que l'empereur ne soit pas tué, sa fille ne retourne pas sa veste au dernier moment, il est mort !

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Aspetto con ansia la seconda serie, quale miglior biglietto da visita?

Un drama veramente appassionante, che consiglio vivamente a patto che non vogliate a tutti costi romanticismo e storie d’amore, perché qui ce n’è giusto qualche piccolissima scintilla. Inoltre, benché tratta da un romanzo BL, questa serie esplora ben poco anche la bromance. Sì, ci sono diverse scene che fanno pensare ad una profonda amicizia a tre fra i personaggi principali, ma ben poco di particolarmente suggestivo, anche se alcune sono particolarmente emblematiche. Non aspettatevi però Untamed o Word of Honor, perché rimarreste delusi.

Quello che c’è qui, e in abbondanza, è suspense, intrigo, combattimenti magnificamente coreografati e di incredibile energia. La storia non si perde troppo nelle vicende dei personaggi secondari, che sono tutti funzionali alla trama. Perfino quelli delle prime puntate verranno ripescati alla fine, quando nemmeno ci ricorderemo più chi fossero.

Noia è parola sconosciuta, qui. Manca soprattutto l’irritante gioco al fraintendimento tanto caro a molte serie, così come mancano gli intrighi nell’harem fra donne isteriche per la noia. Anzi, le donne qui, pur avendo ruoli secondari, sono per la maggior parte combattenti o comunque molto intelligenti. Non sono messe lì per farsi salvare, e questa è una buona cosa.

Le vicende sono narrate in maniera comprensibile e non assistiamo a troppi comportamenti illogici, tranne forse nelle ultime puntate. In effetti verso la fine si ha l’impressione che alcune cose accadano (o non accadano) perché altrimenti i buoni perderebbero, ma sono piccole manchevolezze che si perdonano volentieri perché nel complesso la serie è veramente adrenalinica. Il finale, pur chiudendo le vicende in maniera soddisfacente, e lasciando ben pochi fili appesi, ci lascia sull’iniziare di quella che potrebbe essere la prossima serie di indagini.

Mi par di capire che ci sarebbe materiale per poter fare una seconda stagione e mi auguro proprio che la facciano, possibilmente con gli stessi attori. Già, gli attori. Magnifico cast. Buone le attrici ma, essendo donna, preferisco focalizzarmi sugli attori, che hanno fatto un lavoro davvero strepitoso.

Diversamente dal solito, voglio partire dal nemico pubblico n. 1: il cattivone di turno è stato talmente bravo che se avessi potuto l’avrei fatto fuori con le mie mani. L’ho odiato, davvero. Ottimo lavoro!

Darren Chen e Fu Meng Bo mi erano sconosciuti, e sono stati una piacevolissima sorpresa. Attraenti e, soprattutto, espressivi il giusto. Ma Vogliamo parlare di Liu Yao Yuan? Questo ragazzo, prima di partecipare a questo drama, ha fatto ben poco. Catapultato in un ruolo principale, se l’è cavata veramente alla grande. Come se non bastasse, il suo personaggio, l’eunuco Wang Zhi, è forse il migliore di tutta la storia, un tipo veramente intrigante.

E vogliamo parlare degli splendidi costumi, delle magnifiche ambientazioni, dell’ottimo commento musicale e, soprattutto, della straordinaria cinematografia? L’unico vero difetto che ho potuto trovare a questo drama è che non abbia 96 episodi, accidenti!

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Drama policiaco de época con un bonito bromance y artes marciales

Un drama policíaco de época muy entretenido!!! Con unos personajes entrañables, una trama bastante interesante, buenas luchas de artes marciales y una ambientación exquisita! Los tres protagonistas tienen muy buena química y sus actuaciones son perfectas. Como muchos saben, el drama es una adaptación de una novela BL pero aquí el bromance es más suave y sutil que en The Untamed o ni qué decir Word of Honor. De todas maneras la relación de Tan Fang y Sui Zhou es muy especial, muy preciosa, son de verdad almas gemelas y no pueden vivir lejos el uno del otro. Ah!! no puedo dejar de destacar los muchos momentos familiares alrededor de la mesa o en la cocina que nos ha regalado esta serie. Escenas muy cotidianas, momentos íntimos en que todos los protagonistas, como una verdadera familia, compartían comida o cena en medio de conversaciones y charlas. Un encanto!! No os echéis para atrás por los 48 capítulos que tiene porque de verdad se pasan en un santiamén!!!La recomiendo mucho!!!! Además no temáis por un mal final, para los de alma romántica este drama tiene un bonito final y deja el corazón bien satisfecho!!!

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