Love and Crown

A Drama With Brilliant Acting & Political Scheming Written By Truly Awful & Incompetent Writer

A little disclaimer before I start my review. 4/10 is my true ratings for this drama. 😂 Having used to Ren Jialun's impeccable high quality scripts, this drama is certainly a challenge to watch. He basically was forced to film this drama by his agency Huanrui in order to end his contract. So, knowing the poor quality of Huanrui's script in general, I've been dreading this drama for 2 years already. This drama is filmed basically to highlight Huanrui's other actors by using Ren Jialun & Peng Xioran's names.

But why on the mediocre ratings? This is because aside from the many problematic things in the scripts and also the writer's inability to write a good and coherent story, the acting & chemistry simply elevate the drama to a whole new level. I also find the schemes and mind games to be very brilliant. So, in my review here, I would highlight on the reasons why this drama still has some redeeming quality that made it worth to watch.

THE ACTING

Ren Jialun is one of the few actors with naturally majestic aura so he really excelled in charismatic Emperor role like this. His regal bearing and magnetic presence is truly one of the best in the industry as his posture, presence and gait effortlessly sold off this role. Thus, you are seeing him as an Emperor instead of seeing someone acting as an Emperor. I like the immersion I get when I watched his dramas since he usually very committed in becoming the character. And he is just so reverting to watch here since angst role is what he does best. He made Xiao Huan so layered, complex and with depth despite the terrible script that made you question your logic since how well he sold this character. Xiao Huan is just so heartbreaking to watch -- he is so love-starved that he lights up to every tiny little things that his wife did for him. His heart yearns for her desperately and Ren Jialun show this part of Xiao Huan so excellently with his expressive eyes, little gestures, gentle caress, soft tender voice and tortured subtle acting.

Peng Xioaran lived up to her iconic roles in Goodbye My Princess. Again in this role, her innocence and pureness is what define her as a character. And what amazed me is the nuance she put in her character. In the script, she is supposed to hate Xiao Huan for all the things he did to her but Peng Xiaoran show the kind of conflict so well on how in love is she with her husband that she cant help but to automatically smile everytime he told her good news. This balance is hard to achieve as someone can look like a like 'a fool in love' but the complexity and heart she gave to the character is portrayed excellently on how she loves this man despite all the reasons pointed out on why she shouldn't.

And Gala Zhang did such a wonderful job as Xiao Qian Qing. Part of the reasons he is very easy to read for me regarding his real moral and intention since the very beginning is due to the his acting. He understood that the 'eye for the throne' narrative is only on the surface so thats just the image he has to show to other people but most of his scenes involving only 2 or 3 people so thats where he show his 'real' personality. Everytime Xiao Huan accuse him for the throne, he has the genuine expression that he really not interested in the throne at all. Or when he saved Xiao Huan with his fan at the boat, he truly didnt need to do that, but he did anyway -- that itself is a crack to the façade he put upfront.

THE CHEMISTRY

Honestly, the chemistry between Ren Jialun & Peng Xioaran is just so amazing to watch. Usually chemistry that Ren Jialun bought in his dramas are the calm type (my kind of favorite) but this one? It is different. I can feel the tension, passion, desire, longing and intensity and most of all, how their hearts ache and yearns for each other despite their conflict and circumstances.

Aside from that, one of the highlights of the drama is the royal siblings' dynamics with Xiao Huan, Xiao Qian Qing and Xiao Ying. I thought Ren Jialun & Gala Zhang have great great chemistry everytime they are on screen together, like everything just light up - - whether it is their petty fight, snark remarks or how you know they both care for each other despite refusing to admit it. I like how Xiao Huan knows Qian Qing's sensitive spot, tease him with it with a smile and knew how his brother, despite sharing a different mother would defend him with his life. This positive siblings dynamics between the two of them and also Princess Ying made the drama enjoyable to watch.

THE CONFLICT

What I love about this drama is how the misunderstandings are deliberate, not stupid but to achieve goals. It might hurt but at the same time the angst is earned. It's not dumb but as a result since both of Xiao Huan's hands are tied. And no amount of communication can solve this since to matter how much Cang Cang asked everyone, they are not going to tell her the truth. What we see is from viewers' POV where we see everything but for Cang Cang, she only knew her supporting and lovely family so she has zero reasons to suspect them.

Viewers also need to understand that Xiao Huan doesn't have any evidence of Grand Tutor's evil deeds until much later in the drama. The awesome thing about Grand Tutor's schemes are that he always have 3rd party to do it for him so all leads would never point out to him. Thus, telling Cang Cang the truth would cause more misunderstanding between them.

Its a character flaw that remains consistent for Xiao Huan unfortunately. He tried to minimize everyone's pain. He thought 1 year lie (Xiao Huan) will hurt less than 20++ years of lie (Father & Shifu). He obviously miscalculated since he didnt consider how much Cang Cang actually love him. Even Princess Ying, he never tell her the truth since knowing her mother trying to kill her is worst. Or like Preceptor Du, he was condemned by the court for saving her but despite of that, he used his little 'pardon' power to do that -- to a stranger that he didnt know at the cost of his reputation. What I like about him is that this character flaw of him is consistent and not due to 'love' or 'infatuation'. Thus, it appear more impactful, logical & valid when you see it that way. He will do this for everyone if he can. Trying to protect them with every power that he has, thinking the best for them.

The drama also touched that while Xiao Huan did love Cang Cang genuinely, it also deal with a fact that he needs to use her due to her Empress position. The position that she has can helped him doing good thing for the nation but at the same time, it also meant he needs to use his wife for his political ambition. Is it wrong? Or is it allowed? Thus making this whole dilemma very interesting and thought provoking. Also, they add another layer while he also used her for his political ambition, he also need to protect her as well. Like the cold attitude -- it is to protect her so Empress Dowager wouldn't give her a hard time in the harem since she is an 'unfavored' Empress.

SYMBOLISMS & METAPHORS

There is a lot of symbolisms used in this drama. Dragon basically refers to Xiao Huan as an Emperor while Phoenix refers to Cang Cang as an Empress. While Qian Qing is a Peacock which refers to his flashy and flamboyant nature. Also, I love the part that when Qian Qing said 'A tame peacock is like a fowl' since he is so right -- whether they are so showy or secretive, people who meant harm will find them eventually.

I also loved how the writer used foods as a metaphor. Like Xiao Huan gifted Cang Cang the candy so she can eat them everytime she feel sad since 'the sweetness of the candy can overcome the bitterness in her heart'. Or how Xiao Huan stopped eating sweets after his mother's death to remind him the bitterness of life so he can strive harder to be a better Emperor for his people. Or how they show Qian Qing is eating grape with skin which differ greatly from his mother's way -- to show that these 2 people are absolutely different from each other despite sharing the same blood. This 3 scenes are not filler scenes but scenes that add depth to both of their their characters.

And during the conflict between 2 cities, I love the metaphor Xiao Huan made when he ask Grand Tutor to chose which one of his sons he wants to save -- Xian Xue or Jue Ding to show it wasn't an easy decision for him as both cities are important to him -- both people in the cities are his citizen that he wants to save. He cant just chose one and abandoned another like the Grand Tutor wants him to do initially. So, Xiao Huan literally used Grand Tutor 2 sons as examples -- which the Grand Tutor reluctantly agree to give grain & supplies to the army.

Xiao Huan also always said 'I'm used to it.' to all the suffering he faced in the drama. But when he was tied outside of the pole during the cold winter night, the weight of that 4 words meant so much more when you realized what he actually meant. He didnt mean the weather or coldness of the winter -- but the suffering, loneliness and also the isolation that he has faced his whole life. Also, referring to the cold disease that he suffers -- so, this cold weather is nothing to him. We never know what is the things Xiao Huan experienced since he is so steadfast, composed and nonchalant in the surface -- but simple sentence like this give us the sneak preview on the weight that he has been carried around.

THE POLITICAL SCHEMING

Truth to be told, I'm actually very impressed with the level of political scheming in this drama. It is complex, multi-layered between 4 parties and some of the scheme, you can only see after 5, 10 or 20 episodes -- it's layered, usually camouflage with something else until you realized that Xiao Huan is actually playing the long game. His first scheming is as early as when he is 14 years old and the result of the scheme only materialized 10 years later.

For scheming part of the drama (which I convinced was written by a different writer 😏), they did a lot of 'show instead of tell' thus you need to connect dots and dots together to realized how amazing are the layers of it. First, lets cover one of the first things that happened in Episode 1. What I love in scheming dramas since you can traced back the scheme when it first started. Going back to the scene when Xiao Huan made Cang Cang begs to marry him -- all in my mind at that time is that really necessary for him to make her begs like that? And the answer is 'Yes' since we knew later that he actually prepared 2 moves by doing that -- first goal is to tell the Grand Tutor that Cang Cang meant nothing to him -- thus in the future, Xiao Huan can actually use her to make the Grand Tutor agrees to his political proposals while the second goal is to protect Cang Cang so she will appear unfavored in the harem thus she will be free from Empress Dowager's schemes. Its like a domino effect of how one scheming resulted with the trail of effect that benefited the schemer at the end on different levels -- this is what chess game is like on how you can planned a move 2 or 3 steps ahead.

We can also take examples when Xiao Huan gifted Cang Cang the 'finger' of Xian Xue. The first time we saw that scene, all we could feel is how twisted he is in the head. But later, that scene actually show his grace instead of how ruthless he is. By right, Xian Xue's crime is punishable by death, but having his index finger chopped is a way for Xiao Huan to cripple his martial arts and also served as a warning. He gives us the insight on why he cut Xian Xue's finger with his question to Grand Tutor; 'Why do you think I only cut his finger?' and this question will have a whole new meaning after 20 episodes later on why Xiao Huan always purposely let Xian Xue go multiple of times -- viewers might think he is 'soft in his punishment'? Well, think again since he always has reasons for his decisions -- since his aim is to catch the bigger fish as his 'mercy' was never meant to be taken literally. I love how cunning and manipulative he is despite his intentions are always pure and good.

Also, the part where Xiao Huan gifted Cang Cang the golden bird gift from general Ling Jue Ding. And once she got it, while she reluctant for him to go back home with her, she instantly agreed as she perfectly understood what he meant. We initially have no idea who is this General Ling Jue Ding -- but he has the same surname as Cang Cang and table work at the capital would kill him as he is a war general. That little clue is for us to connect how he & Cang Cang are family and Xiao Huan just used this to threaten her and let her do things 'willingly' according to what he wants.

I also enjoy how layered and multi dimensional are the schemes. Its not just between Xiao Huan and Grand Tutor but it was everyone against each other -- 4 layers of multi-dimensional schemes between various parties at court. Due to this, Xiao Huan hiring Qian Qing to accompanied his scholars are truly a brilliant move that use his brother -- that he knew is very capable but at the same time put threat towards the Grand Tutor and the Empress Dowager which is his arch enemies. He didnt have to dirty his hands since he just play around with their own political ambitions with each other to achieve his goals. Everytime I analyze Xiao Huan's action, I'm just more impressed with how brilliant, graceful and calculated he is. There are always layers in every of his moves.

I also like the fact while Xiao Huan is the cleverest in the room, yet sometimes, he also miscalculated and lost. Thus he has no plot armor to shield him making watching the drama quite nerve-wrecking aside from the angst.

THE MIND GAMES

The mind games in this drama is another aspect that I really enjoy. Everything that characters said, have meaning and some you can only get after a few episodes. When Cang Cang was captured by Kumor, there is a conversation between Xiao Huan and Grand Tutor where Xiao Huan said that 'I don't have soft spot for women'. The whole conversation is to plant doubt on Grand Tutor that he actually didnt give Cang Cang his antidote -- that Cang Cang was saved using 'other' antidote that he has. I wondered why he uttered that word at that time and his scheming later when Cang Cang was captured made complete sense. Thats why the Grand Tutor convinced that Xiao Huan has no love for Cang Cang. Why? Notice how he purposely delay in seeing Grand Tutor and made him waited outside of his room for nearly 12 hours? He wanted Grand Tutor to see he has no plan to save Cang Cang. Instead, he will use this opportunity to use Jue Ding since he knew Jue Ding will go all out to save his sister -- whether he win or lose will benefit Xiao Huan politically.

Grand Tutor has no way to verify whether Xiao Huan going to do this but the 1st option, he lose no matter what happened so he cant take the risk. Thats why he agreed on the 2nd option with Qian Qing as a regent since he could still win. The icing on the cake of the whole scheme is that Xiao Huan gets to do what he wants which is to save Cang Cang personally and getting back Jingzhou's army using his own hands and most of all, a peace talk with Kumor to end the war.

CONCLUSION

So while the drama might failed scriptwise in all levels, there is something worth to watch despite of that. The intelligent political intrigue, complex conflicts, high stakes and long game political strategies are just like a treasure box you can discover slowly while watching this drama. Also, the acting of the casts are simply brilliant. They put depth and substance to otherwise awful script. The casts put nuance in their characters that made all this analysis possible and that indeed talents when you can shine even with terrible materials.

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Love and Crown: A well-acted melodrama, but with a forced and exhausting plot.

I am a fan of both Ren Jia Lun and Peng Xiao Ran's acting work, and I have seen several of their previous projects. I knew more or less what to expect in terms of emotional intensity, especially with the type of roles Ren Jia Lun usually plays. However, on this occasion, “Love and Crown” failed to fully hook me.

The biggest obstacle was the constant and, at times, exhausting emotional weight. The decisions and actions of the protagonists created a sense of deliberate anguish that, far from immersing me in the story, ended up distancing me. There were secondary characters with interesting, complex, and selfish profiles, whose psychological motives promised a lot, but who were unable to shine due to the development of the plot. Many narrative twists felt unnatural and forced, as if the author were trying to pile on tragedies to justify the ending.

And speaking of the ending, that's exactly what it was: too many tragic events and forced twists led to an abrupt and sad conclusion that, rather than feeling like an organic resolution, seemed like the result of an accumulation of unnecessary misfortunes.

The protagonist, played by Peng Xiao Ran, made decisions that sometimes felt silly or illogical. However, I understand that these actions were driven by the extreme circumstances of betrayal, hatred, and love that both protagonists fell into. The drama explores well how intense feelings can cloud judgment, although that doesn't always justify the forced nature of some situations.

Conclusion: “Love and Crown” is a recommended drama if you are looking for an intense melodrama and enjoy solid performances in a highly emotional context. However, if you expect a fluid plot, well-developed secondary characters, and a happy ending that does not depend on forced twists, you may feel a little frustrated. It is a roller coaster of emotions that, although well acted, can be heavy and unnatural in its execution.

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GOLDEN RULE OF C-DRAMAS??

I KNOW forgiving mass murderers and villains and all kinda evil people is a TREND in c-dramas but this one is TOOOOO MUCH
two people almost ALL their lives KILLED, TORTURED and MASSACRED innocents, and they were forgiven JUST LIKE THAT? why? just because they are parents of ML and FML? this is beyond RIDICULOUS.
GOLDEN RULE in c-dramas:
ANYONE can getaway with anything as long as they are friends or relatives of the main leads. beside that and a couple of loopholes I liked the plot generally I think it doesn't deserve 6.5, I've seen literal TRASH with a score higher than 8.5. this already shows how some people are on MDL and you can never really trust the scores here. I'll give it a 10 not because it deserves a 10 (I think it's a 7.5) but because 6.5 is tooo low for it.

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A ridiculous series.

I've never seen such a ridiculous series. It's the worst script I've seen lately. I'm not criticizing the director, but the script is terrible. This is unacceptable. They've practically mocked the audience. Especially from episode 21 to 35, it's a series of nonsense. Mistakes, mistakes, the non-existent, a series of illogicalities, unrealistic things. You name it. It's so poorly written. What's the director supposed to do? What's the actors supposed to do? Believe me, if it weren't for these actors, I wouldn't have watched this series. I watched it just to see what would happen and where it would connect. I had a nervous breakdown while watching. It was that bad. It was bad for those who watched and understood. So what, isn't a series made up? If you watch it thinking, "What would happen if it made sense, what would happen if it were closer to reality or farther from reality," you're not watching it anyway. You're having fun. You're joking. I saw people giving it 9 stars. I'm astonished at what they gave it for. I gave it 5 stars, and that's for effort and acting. Believe me, there's not a single consistent point. There's not a single positive frame you can think of. It's that bad. It's that ridiculous. If I gave examples, this criticism would take 5-6 pages. That's why I can't write. A scholar, a wise man, a teacher, whatever you want to call it, rebels in the empire. It completely destroys the empire. Imagine you're a chief or a manager at the lowest level in this institution, overthrowing the company and becoming the boss. You bark orders at everyone, killing and torturing everyone in sight. If you think this makes sense, I'm signing out of here right now. I'll never watch another series, I won't comment, I'll keep my mouth shut, and I'll issue an apology series. I'll bray like a donkey during that apology. By voicemail. I wonder if the screenwriter who wrote this disgrace will apologize to us and bray like a donkey? Let him watch. These are true, these shots were shot well, and he'll say, "Yes, there's absolutely nothing in this that fits the essence." Here's another example: the prince catches this rebellious woman alone and squeezes her throat. He could have killed her. He doesn't. Why? There's no reason. No consequence. This woman, who committed so much evil and rebelled, is imprisoned in a cold palace. The screenwriter is Ugandan, not Chinese? So, are you that far removed from Chinese history? The consequence of rebellion is execution, no matter who it is. Trying to kill the Emperor, or killing the Queen, Prince, Princess—anyone—is also punishable by death. Acting with your eyes wide open is not a sign of madness, anger, or a desire for revenge. This actress, even trying to portray herself as crazy by constantly opening her eyes, is a disaster of a series in itself. This is a shame for the leading actors, the veteran actors. Perhaps if it had been filmed properly. If they had focused a little on making it a bit more decent, it could have been a very good series. I didn't see anything decent. I saw no reality, no semblance of reality, no logic, nothing decent. I watched utter nonsense. I apologize to those reading this for having to write such things. I'm furious. I don't recommend it to anyone.

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DO NOT GO BY THE ONE STAR RATING, THESE PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT! AWESOME STORYLINE!

This Drama Is Not Only Great, It Has A Great Story Line, And AWESOME SCRIPT!!! I Have Watched The 1st 6 Episodes, And There Is A Secret That JiaLun's Character Has To Keep From The Female Lead, And That Causes Conflict Between The 2. At 1st There Is A Lot Of Anger Between The 2, Because Of This Secret, And It Is Confusing At 1st, But If You Watch Pasted 2 Episodes Unlike Some People That Wouldn't Even Give The Drama A Chance, You'll Come To Understand The Drama... And In All Honesty I Am A Taiwanese Born American, I Learned Mandarin Thought My Chinese Friends In High School... So I Am Self Taught Chinese. I'm Not Trying To Be Mean Or Rude, But I Have To Say If You Don't Understand Chinese, Your Pretty Sc*ewed, Because The American Translation Is NEVER RIGHT, All From Right, And NEVER CORRECT!!! I Truely Have To Say If You Don't Understand Chinese, Why Are You Even Watching Chinese Drama's. If You Don't Understand Chinese, And Your Reading The Translation, Which Is Usually Not Correct, Of Corse, Your Not Going To Enjoy It. BOTTOM LINE IS 9 TIMES OUT OF 10 IT'S WRONG!!!

Anyways As I Stated Above, I Have Really Enjoyed The Drama, Ren JiaLun Is One Of My Most Favorite Actors, And If Not For Him, I Would Not Watch This Drama... Plus I Like Wang ZhuoCheng, Which I Didn't Know He Was In This Drama... Anyways I Am So Thankful I Am A Fan Of Ren JiaLun, Because If It Wasn't For Him I Probably Would Have Never Watched This Drama, And I Would Have Missed Out Such A Great, And Awesome Drama.
There Is One Other Secret JiaLun's Character Kept From The Lead, But She Will Son Find Out About This Secret, But As Far As The Other Secret, He Can Not Tell What It Is, Because It Will Destroy The Female Leads Character.
At One Point The JiaLun, And The Female Lead Did Get Along, And Were Happy, But Because Of These 2 Secrets, They Ruined There Happiness.
November 15. 2025 @ 3:08 P.M.

Will Write More When I Finnish The Whole Drama, If This Will Allow Me To Edit This Review.

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Worth Watching for the Stellar Performance from the Leads

Despite receiving criticism and negative feedback from viewers who were not satisfied with this drama, especially the ending, I found it to be enjoyable for its quality content and brisk, watchable pace. It is not a perfect drama but definitely worth watching if you are a fan of the main lead actors because their performances will not disappoint. The drama skillfully weaves together elements of palace intrigue, thrilling swordplay, and heartfelt romance. Each aspect is given careful attention, resulting in a compelling narrative that keeps viewers engaged throughout. The tension of palace politics is artfully balanced with dynamic action scenes, while the romantic subplot adds emotional depth to the story.

The acting throughout the drama is superb. The chemistry between the main leads is undeniable, and their performances contribute greatly to the show's effectiveness. Their dynamics make the characters’ journeys captivating and emotionally resonant as they navigate intrigue, danger, overcome conflicts, misunderstandings, learn to trust each other and stand united in achieving the same goals and purpose. Both RJL and PXR deliver nuanced and brilliant acting, elevating the drama beyond its flaws. Their portrayals bring out the angst and tension present in the early stages of their characters' relationship, making these moments compelling and memorable. PXR is noted for her beauty and talent in expressing her character’s emotions, which adds a layer of authenticity and relatability to the narrative. The scene in which her character wakes up after being poisoned demonstrates the actress’s emotional depth and range. Her reactions are layered, conveying heartbreak, pain, and inner turmoil as she confronts the reality of her situation. Despite the distress caused by her husband giving her an herbal concoction intended to prevent pregnancy, she chooses to drink it. The camera lingers on her face, beautifully framed in tears, allowing viewers to witness the full extent of her suffering, fragility, and despair. Throughout her ordeal Cang Cang never wavers from her principles, she may be hurt and betrayed but never broken.

RJL masterfully brings to life an emperor living a double life, one who is perpetually engaged in a strategic battle to outsmart his adversaries. Surrounded by enemies both inside and outside the palace, he must always remain vigilant, anticipating threats and maneuvering to stay ahead in a tactical political chess game. His leadership is marked by a shrewd and calculating approach, showcasing his ability to survive and thrive in a treacherous environment. Xiao Huan’s character stands out for his unwavering steadfastness in the face of adversity. As events unfold, he consistently demonstrates resilience which earns him public recognition. Over time, he learns to bear the weight of both the crown and his conscience. Despite his ruthless tactics against his foes, the emperor reveals a compassionate side in his personal relationships. He earns Cang Cang’s trust and reconciles with her through sacrifice and transparency. From the time he recognizes his love for her, he is determined to shield her from the painful truth of her father’s betrayal and carefully stages her rescue on several occasions. This protective instinct, however, comes at a personal cost, as his actions often lead to misunderstanding and resentment from his wife. His willingness to bear this emotional burden underscores his deep sense of loyalty and devotion. The emperor’s complexity is further highlighted by his treatment of those he cares about. While he is unyielding in eliminating his enemies, he shows remarkable leniency toward loved ones. This is exemplified by his relationship with his half-sister, who, despite her repeated attempts on his life, continues to receive his forgiveness and restraint. His capacity for mercy, even in the face of betrayal, sets him apart from the typical image of a ruthless ruler.

Many viewers have commented on the perceived lack of romance in the drama. However, this criticism often stems from the absence of kissing scenes and overt physical intimacy. Viewers familiar with RJL’s career know that he typically avoids roles focused on pure romance and prefers to perform tender kisses rather than passionate ones out of respect for his wife. Romance is not solely defined by physical displays; the drama effectively conveys love and devotion through the characters’ actions and willingness to make sacrifices for each other.

The depth of the main leads’ affection is portrayed through nuanced acting, such as longing gazes, gentle caresses, and heartfelt hugs. These subtle gestures are powerful indicators of their connection and enhance the emotional impact of their relationship. The visually gorgeous onscreen presence of RJL and PXR is so enticing that they make every scene consequential, so much so that I the supporting cast failed to hold my interest. As a result, I often skipped episodes that did not feature the main leads, underscoring the strength and appeal of their performances.

While there are noticeable script and editing issues, the overall quality is redeemable due to several outstanding elements. The drama starts out strong and manages to keep the momentum all the way until episode 20 before stalling which is common many C-dramas, although this was primarily because the storyline focused more on the supporting actors. However, it was short-lived and the drama resumed its footing again after episode 25. The ending was deliberately left open leaving viewers to question whether it set the stage for a potential sequel.

In summary, while the drama may not meet every viewer’s expectations for romantic content, it excels in delivering a heartfelt story through exceptional performances and emotional subtlety. Ultimately, its unique approach to romance, production design, and OST make it a standout experience for those willing to appreciate its depth and can put up with the adaptation liberties as well as an ambiguous ending.

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However, I don't like the ending

After a long time, a drama truly touched my heart. Though “Love and Crown” doesn’t have an extraordinary story, it left a deep impact on me.
The king had been struggling since childhood. Despite all the harshness he faced, he coped with everything and never expected much from life because he believed nothing good would ever happen to him. As a king, he had responsibilities toward his country.

During his journey, he met his soulmate. No matter what the circumstances were, he never let go of her hand. Although she misunderstood him and thought he was a cruel king, he never left her, not even once. Eventually, things started going well.
Unfortunately, fate wasn’t on their side. His most trusted person betrayed him and created turmoil in his life. His family fell apart. He was heartbroken.
However, his only hope was his wife. He handed his entire empire over to her. A few years later, she followed him in death, leaving everything under their son’s reign.

This was the story.
The drama had a sad ending—an ending that made me cry a lot. I felt bad for the lead characters, but I felt even worse for the king’s brother. He was left completely alone. Everyone left him—his brother, his brother’s wife, and even his own love.

Even though the drama had a tragic ending and didn’t have an extraordinary storyline, the actors’ performances definitely captured the viewers’ hearts. Especially Ren Jia (the king), Peng Xiao (his wife), Gala Xiang (his brother), He Nan (the brother’s wife), Liu Meng (his sister), Luo Ming (the sister’s love), Wang Zhuo (his wife's father’s adopted son), Li Yu (his doctor), Gao Shu (his father-in-law), and last but not least, Estelle Chen (the villain). They all delivered outstanding performances.
The story revolves around conspiracies, hatred, and revenge.

I am truly going to miss this drama.

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Pretty good best strategies .

Actually this drama have 2 endings Happy and sad one but it's youku and production team who selected the sad one,

This one have best fight scenes so cool , chemistry is fire 🔥 best strategies,ml always ahead of his enemies.but he loves his cang cang (FL) Soo much that you can't even imagine.
Story is pretty good but it's screen writer , director and production team fault with the camera angle ,edits issues , overall its pretty good.
I think this drama have not that much mis understanding. As I see a lot of misunderstanding dramas where other person keep making ml and FL against each other is more frustrating.
‎But in this one FL is confused but doesn't hate him or putting him in danger . She wants to believe him but the matter is the evil one is her own family. But still she never plot any thing against him
‎So what I want to say is misunderstanding in this drama is normal because she still with him and no other person turn her against ml and didn't said anything bad about him . And if they do she doesn't make a scene.When I see a lot dramas where other person keep ml and FL apart that's more frustrating.
‎And they get back together at 15 ep and before that they are still together but misunderstanding.
‎So it's just FL is a emotional person easily trust.

‎they should give us special ep of HE .

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No Love, No Crown, the Winner, Poison!

Ok, my mind has to get around this drama because I am SCREAMING! Not in a good way mind you. WTH did I just watch. And mind you it was 35, yes 35 episodes of my time, which I freely gave because I felt there would be a glimmer of hope at the end. But the joke was on me! No glimmer. Just darkness.

First can we just stop, stop doing this to Allen Ren (Xian Huan/Bai Chi Fan) ok? The man has freaking died in almost every one of his dramas of late. What gives? Enough. We get it. We honestly do that the man is not, I repeat is not going to do ANY LOVE SCENES. But that does not mean the man has to be killed off every drama! For the love. Cut him some slack. Maybe don’t use love in his dramas and he possibly could survive, just sayin.

Then Peng Xiao Ran (Ling Cang Cang) did the writers despise her or what. What was her deal? Oh wait, she WAS the LOVE interest, or was she? We couldn’t tell because of her ATTITUDE of crying, endless drinking/drunken stupor, walking away, not listening and raging anger that she was on my last nerve and that was all of 5 or so episodes. Yep, most ditch this after 4 episodes because of all of that.

What really got me about Ling Cang Cang is her always believing the wrong person. Case in point, when her OWN, yes, I said own, father tried to KILL her with poison mind you poison was big in this drama she could not believe her father would do it. Even with proof presented to her she STILL didn’t believe Xiao Huan, who was her husband mind you at this point. I personally draw the line when someone would be trying to kill me. My own father at that. I’m taking door 1 and going with the man who tried to safe me, oh, I don’t know numerous times. What do you think?

Then we did sprinkle in OTHER romances that fizzled out and they died too.

- Xiao Ying (sister to Xiao Huan and Xiao Qian Qing) was the Poison Ivy of the era. She wanted to see Xiao Huan die because he didn't safe her when there was a fire in the palace. She had every poison known to man. And yes, she was out to get Xiao Huan. But it was Empress Dowager Liu (mama) who did set the fire. But needless to say, Xiao Ying died by poison by her mother, see she killed her anyway. Empress Dowager Liu died by poison by Du Ting Xin.
- Li Hong Qing (right hand to Xiao Huan) was in love with Xiao Ying but he was hit with an arrow and was MIA. Tried to find him but didn’t and Xiao Ying died before he could see her.
- Zhong Lin love interest to Xiao Qian Qing but both of them were poisoned too.

See where I went with that, everyone in this drama was poisoned. How they made it beyond 20 episodes because everyone was poisoned, I have no idea.

The only person who was just allowed to have free rein and just basically said, “I’m going to have a blast” was Du Ting Xin. The Imperial Preceptor. This chick was just off the rails. I mean, the WHOLE basis for these last episodes revolved around her wanting to be the emperor. Why? Because she found out that she was royalty and was part of the bloodline of Xiao. But wait, she read the stars, right? Why didn’t she read that she was royalty? Go confront Xiao Huan and move on. Nope, she just went buck wild and had a good time while everyone else in the drama were the side chicks.

As we drew closer to the end, everyone knew that death was imminent, but as I said in the beginning, we all had hope against hope that Xiao Huan would survive. But alas, that went out the window because Xiao Huan did it again. You got it. Gave Ling Cang Cang the ONLY pill that would save him to live. Sigh.

Now, get ready to really have your mind blown. Ling Cang Cang finds Xiao Huan because she makes Lin Hong Qing take her to him. She confronts him and tells him to stop running from her. Low and behold we cut to the next morning with only Ling Cang Cang in the bed. You got it. We are SUPPOSED to surmise (since we saw the sunrise of a new day) they slept together so we can explain why she is pregnant.

Fast forward five years and you see their son is Ning and he holds Ling Cang Cang because, you got it, she is going to die. Why? Because Du Ting Xin tortured her and she was slowly dying. (see how well the sacrifice of the pill that Xiao Huan gave her worked). So, you thought we were done with the grim reaper, nope. We have to have someone else die too, who do you think? Bet you didn't see it coming because we only knew when she spit up blood and that was.... Zhong Lin, her bestie. She died right after Ling Cang Cang did.

So, it was pretty much a bloodbath all around at the end. Oh, you want to know what happened to Du Ting Xin. She was allowed to live in the palace until her death. But here's my thing. No one could have just killed her at any given point. I mean so many opportunities and she lives. Go figure.

This drama did have potential, but the writers just didn't know where or how to go with it. So. sad. Exhausted. Annoyed. Because the best they did was to poison everyone which clearly was the winner!

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Hear me out on this one..

**sigh**
Ok.. first this show stressed me tf out.. there were so many things and misunderstandings going on left and right ONLY with the ML and FL.. the rest of the characters seemed like they were more grounded and had very little conflicts with eachother.. it was so frustrating watching the ML/FL go from one misunderstanding to another.. other viewers say oh its a trust thing cuz she was being manipulated by everyone.. ok i get it but its a tv show we have very limited time on episodes so they need to wrap this sht up..
It was around ep16 i think where the story got a little less stressful between the ML/FL so i began to relax and enjoy the story more.. was then upset that after all i went through the writers couldn't even spare me in the end.. and thats all im gonna say about that..
And just some other side remarks.. this show had the noisiest foot steps 🤣 like elephants walking around.. and the weapon of choice here is poison.. idfk how many people and how many times the characters got poisoned and every time its a "rare" poison but somehow everyone survives then gets poisoned again 🤔 😮‍💨
I literally watched this all becuz i love the entire cast.. ive watched their shows and theyre great actors/actresses but damn the writer of this story i just want to kick u in the throat..
Would i recommend this to a friend.. mmm..yes but with warning. Would i watch it again? Probably once was good enough to traumatized me.. i mean try it.. some may like it.. tomatoes.. to-ma-toes 💜

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