Mysterious Lotus Casebook

Really good drama for Wuxia fans

MLC team Hi6 show attracted me to watch the drama and I was drowned in it…
I am literally not a fan for all 3 actors before but I found myself truly fond them after watching.
Chengyi’s swordsmanship works is so so amazing. Joseph is heartwarming cutie pie and puppy eyes at here, love him so much. The 3rd ML cast is also good and his chemistry with other really cool. Overall it’s worth watching for my time.
Less romance and energetic bromance….
👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

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A review from a chinese speaker :) (watched 2 yrs ago)

I will keep this review straight to the point than reviews I normally write because this is by far my top one favorite show at the moment. I usually like to break everything down but this show is a lot harder to in this review because my english and chinese brain isn’t working lol so bear with me.

I love our main character, acted by Chengyi (成毅). I speak mandarin thus I watched the show in mandarin, but I chose to give this review in English since I wanted others to see my view or whether the translation might be different in English :)

PLOT
After going back and forth through the show for about 10 times…. not exaggerating — I would always find new details to Li LianHua (李莲花) and how he had lived his life somewhat peacefully for ten years until the final goodbye. I thought this show was made to show how ten years was enough for him to understand that it’s okay to have regrets and that like a lotus, one should turn away from the past and focus on the present. He was such a beautiful character, acted by Chengyi who had a very special kind of acting different from actors you have never seen before, his acting makes a character come to life — by first, adding his own style, interpretation and also taking the time to live this character’s life to fully understand him. I think he did it because this is the 李相夷 (Li Xiangyi) or 李莲花 (Li LianHua) we see.

I really really enjoy this show not just because Chengyi’s acting but because I see Li LianHua as an actual person with a kind soul — someone who should’ve existed or had existed. I saw him as a character who has the ability to understand 众生 (common people) and thus, became just an ordinary person. This was a story where 李相夷 (Li Xiangyi) who believed his arrogance made 四顾门 (the sect that stands for righteousness) whom he was the leader/master of the sect back then, turn into shambles and people blamed him for his arrogance which added to his hatred of his past self. Then again, I believe it’s a beautiful story of someone falling from a high pedestal in society to just an ordinary being like the common people. He blamed himself when he saw how many people died because of him — but I FELT BAD for him. He didn’t do anything wrong, sure he was young, but the jealousy of other people made me see how ugly humanity can be.

Li Xiangyi, now Li Lianhua saw how he was betrayed by his very own sect, the person who he used to be his friend and now hates him for no freaking reason (OMG if you have watched the show — you know who), married his love and the other people of the sect who couldn’t even recognize him when he came back while Di Feisheng (老笛), his nemesis (“so called enemy”) and soulmate hahaha — more like confidante, recognized him first. Even the bad guys who wanted him dead too, recognize he was 李相夷 — sometimes I wonder if people from his sect don’t want him back — because he’s a burden that should be dead and if alive would make other people feel guilty. I hated how Li Lianhua is too kind to the people who betrayed him even if they’re evil to us. I guess he just doesn’t care anymore. 老笛 was portrayed in the beginning as an enemy but when you have finished watching the show, you will see how lovable and kind he is to Li Lianhua. He has a cold heart due to his past, but his actions are warm towards people he cherish. I think he loves Li Lianhua as a very dear friend and nemesis but don’t want him to die, so his way of showing his affections appear harsh to the audience. I love their dynamic so much, wish Li Lianhua didn’t have a love interest though and I hope the three of them can live their life all together (I mean they have each other right?).

This show told us a lot about friendships, people you meet along the way, and how you never know what someone is going through. Fang Duo Bing (方多病) was Li Xiangyi’s Senior brother’s son whom his Senior Brother neglected and abandoned while he was trying so hard to kill Li Lianhua for the last time in ten years. His hatred for our Hua Hua has come so far that I am laughing AT how much he will fail when he realized no matter how strong he becomes (he didn’t even become stronger lmao, killed their master who was like a father figure to them and stole his master’s sword/strength) and how much poison he tries to inject into our Lotus, he can never kill it. Someone who has kindness and compassion for others will never lose even without the Wuxia context. Li Lianhua’s swordsmanship (少师 & 刎颈), his two swords, even till this day only belongs to him. I hate how much this jealousy could make him kill someone who was trying to find him… who thought he was dead…who bared the guilt of making him die…who hurt the most when he found out the truth: that his brother whom he loved was jealous of what he had — the skills — all along. There was no brotherly love, it was all fake and a facade.

I remember the quotes Li Lianhua mentioned:
“有人弃剑如遗 有的人终身不复
人和人的信念 总是有所不同的”

“Some will abandon their swords as if discarding a burden, while others never break their promise for a lifetime. People's beliefs are always different from one another.”

This means everyone is different, if one day you are tired holding the sword, then maybe this is a burden you are not able to carry. Li Lianhua wanted to start a brand new life and thus want to acknowledge Li Xiangyi is dead, his past life is over and now, only the lotus in his heart exists that is the real him.

I remember wanting to hug Hua Hua, and now this poison he had within him for 10 years will truly kill him in the end — the only medicine he gave to the emperor and now he is truly making the audience cry for him. But I am happy, even with the skills, his skills are unmatched and no one would be able to beat him. I guess in the beginning, he wanted to hide that it was poison and he trusted Di Fei Sheng (笛飞声) so he didn’t care if he was related to the one who gave him poison or what — he doesn’t care. If 笛飞声 wanted first place then he can have it — but I don’t think Fang Duo Bing (方多病) would be happy hahaha. Li Xiangyi is the number one in the audiences’ and his heart.

I guess the answer is, maybe Li Lianhua (莲花花) never wanted to live and after that incident 10 years ago, he has always blamed himself and now he’s free from that burden so perhaps dying is the best ending.
BUT….
That was originally what I think, yet the alternate ending made me think otherwise! I think Li Lianhua’s two buddies found him since I remember he said he didn't have anything to regret or miss — but now he does! He has two people who genuinely cares about him :) and would risk getting hurt to save him.

So maybe…. just maybe — he chose a secret ending — an ending we don't know because now his life is starting as the actual Li Lianhua. However, in the book's ending, he lost the normal mentality of a human being — and his two buddies are taking care of him while Di Fei Sheng help him get crabs to play hahaha. i love this show since it made me so happy when I was sad.

It’s a nice gift after I legally became an adult :)

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a wuxia drama that EVERYONE HAS TO WATCH

You know that feeling after completing a show and one of your first thoughts are "Wow, it'll take a long time to find a drama like this again."? This was what I felt after watching MLC.

As someone who loves whodunit shows, I liked how they incorporated about 8-10 different mysteries in these 39 episodes while linking all of them for the overall story. The chemistry between the 3 male leads were also great and their personalities were all so extremely different but ironically complemented each other well. The pacing of the story was also to my liking. I can't exactly point out how and why, but it reminded me of the drama "the Untamed" - the vibes at least. The story continuously moves, so there's no filler episodes and the drama had me SEATED. I think what made me rate this drama a 10 instead of a 9.5 was the final plot twists in the last few episodes which had me gasping.

Overall, this drama is easy to watch and very suitable for wuxia and bromance shows lovers to watch!
p.s. the women in this drama are all SOOOO GORGEOUS

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Three bros, one mission: solve crimes, argue over swordsmanship, and look dramatic doing it

When I picked up this drama, I did not know the hype surrounding it. I just clicked because Cheng Yi is in it, though I was somewhat disappointed at first because it took me about 10 episodes to get used to Cheng Yi’s real voice. After overcoming that hump, it didn’t take long for me to be engaged in this intricate story about the once-glorified martial arts master becoming Sigu’s Sherlock Holmes. With unlikely side-kicks, Li Lian Hua traverses the pugilistic world, solving mysterious cases.

This is the third drama I’ve watched of Cheng Yi’s and he has proven again that he can definitely act. I loved how he portrayed Li Lian Hua’s brazenness with an ample amount of impertinence without coming across as arrogant. His comedic timing is impeccable without trying too hard. His facial micro-expressions were nuanced, but subtle. It was entertaining to watch him at work and the investigations were never dull.

For their part, both Joseph Zeng and Xiao Shun Yao delivered their roles respectively as Li Xiang Yi’s past rival and an ambitious wanna-be hero. It was funny to see how Di Fei Sheng stubbornly clings to their past conflict, to determine who is the best swordsman in the world, while begrudgingly admiring Lian Hua. Fang Duo Bing, on the other hand, is an over-eager neophyte trying to prove his mettle. Together, the three of them form an odd friendship that stands the test of time as they fight against the injustices of the world like the three musketeers.

The rest of the cast were not as memorable, but they were not one-dimensional and served their purpose. The major strength of this drama, aside from the trio, is the intricate plot. It’s thrilling but not too convoluted nor difficult to follow. Explanations brought forth by Lian Hua were plausible and not too farfetched. A drama that kept me on my toes and is not predictable is a plus in my books.

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Cheng Yi nailed it again....

I swear to God, Cheng Yi perfectly suits wuxia and xanxia roles. He plays each character as if they were made for him and seemed like his other selves in another world.

I rarely watch series without romance in it, but MLC was another exception. Instead of a fast-paced drama, they focused on solving each case, like a detective novel. My fave part was the Yipin Tomb. The martial arts scenes were on point. Was quite entertained everytime Fan Duo Bing got duped by Li Lian Hua, being the gullible and a kind-hearted guy that he is. Di Fei Sheng's character was a bit impressive as well, being the formidable leader of the Jinyuan Alliance but later on became friends with the two. Having highly skilled friends traveling along with you, LLH doesn't even have to lift a finger. They can wipe out any sect, honestly. If there's one thing I didn't like in this series, is Qiao Wan Mian. Her role may have been Li Xiang Yi's former lover, but she wasted a decade of her life pining for someone who might've been dead. She could've made use of the time to revive the Sigu Sect, as she was also considered a senior member and a master. I would've wanted her to become someone dependable, just like Shi Shui.

As for the open ending...Well, It would've been perfect if they just found a way where Styx flower grows and have Li Xiang Yi / Li Lian Hua take it. At least give him another couple decades to live and roam the martial arts world with his two buddies. Any maybe give Su Xiao Yong a chance to be LLH's end game? Haha.

Anyway, kudos to the staff and cast for a great show. Congratulations to MLC for bagging high spots in Weibo rankings as well.

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“Everything will be okay in the end. If it's not okay, it's not the end.” ― John Lennon

This story is the perfect example for this because i was having a mini heat attack followed by a short deppression because of how the 40 th ep ended, and i have not been happy like that for years(well the time between untamed and this)to find that there was a special ep. the story is quite messed up unless you are interested in something less romantic and more thrilling if you are a sherlock homes fan i would ask you to have a go with this. it is indeed a mysterious story. the author talent is making things believable was what is to be mainly appreciated.
there aren't may too unusual "coincidences" like other xianxia and wuxia drama i have watched lately.
casting cheng yi as li xiang yi and li lianhua was so stupendous and he did a great job bringing the character to life.
although li xiangyi and li lianjua are the same person there is vast diffrence in their attitudes and the way ot show the transition of the world famous li sect leader of sigu sect, li xianyi to a wandering physician(fake)who doent seem to care about anything but about how to die.
he meets a person fang duobing, who claims to be li xiang yi's one and only disciple and ends up teaming up with li lianhu(who is li xianyi)and solves a bunch of myserious cases togather and finally becomes friends and confidents.
they solve that that are related to a 100 year old conspiracy that is related to li xiang yi himself and about his lineage.

IT IS NOT A ROMANCE DRAMA AND HAS GOT A LOT OF MYSTRIES AND THRILLS AND IT IS NOT FOR SOME ONE WHO WANTS UNBELIVABLE STORY AND TWISTS.
YOU CAN GIVE IT A TRY BUT CANNOT GUARANTY ANYTHING TO EVERY ONE BUT IS THE SECOND MOST FAVORATE DRAMA IN MY LIST.

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! MUST WATCH !

the more people ask me to tell them more about this show, the more i can’t stop talking about how amazing and breathtaking it is. music, acting, plot and everything is just too perfect. the ending was really bitter but i loved every part of it because Li Xiangyi finally got what he wanted and needed for 10 years. i did kind of wished for him to stay alive and see him with Fang Duobing and Di Feisheng but after all, he didn’t want to be saved. the friendship between the trio, Fang Duobing, Li Lianhua and Di Feisheng was everything for me,
the reason i watch this show over and over.

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Good Watch

One of the strongest points of this show is the plot itself. The pacing to me was great, the scenes would always feel important to the plot, and every case was related to the main story. The way it was all weaved together was amazing: the mystery reveals would take place at the perfect moment, the action scenes were very satisfying and the relationship development among the characters were well fleshed out. It is so refreshing to find a drama that let the plot naturally explore the relationships that would form among the characters rather than let the relationship (the romance, for example) drag the plot along. The action scenes were also all amazing - they really showed us how mighty these characters were, especially Li Xiang Yi/Li Lian Hua. The audience could truly feel that he was the best who was around! The choreography and execution really lived up to the hype that the scenes were trying to make us feel.

However, what truly kept me glued to my screen was the acting. I have some gripes about the acting of some of the supporting characters BUT the main trio was amazing throughout the entire drama. Special shoutout to Cheng Yi, who was nothing but only brilliant in portraying Li Lian Hua. He truly brought the character to life. He weaved in certain mannerisms and behaviours that may have been subtle and even unnoticed but they filled in Li Lian Hua's personality tremendously, to the point where I could feel his emotions - his feelings of grief, regrets, affection and betrayal - very, very deeply. Joseph Zeng and Xiao Shun Yao also showed that they understood Fang Duo Bing and Di Fei Sheng greatly, and their performances allowed for the perfect chemistry among them three as they journeyed towards uncovering the mystery that had been haunting them for years now.

Overall, you should give this drama a chance! It was definitely worth watching.

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a masterpiece

Mysterious Lotus Casebook (also known as The Lotus House) follows the journey of Li Lianhua (played by Cheng Yi), a wandering healer who lives in his humble home—a serene, simple life reminiscent of a peaceful lifestyle. For a decade, he's been traveling around and he's also known as the "miracle doctor" for his rumored ability to bring the dead back to life. However, Li Lianhua’s tranquil existence hides a deeper mystery tied to his past, which unravels as he gets drawn into solving complex cases.

The drama shines in its storytelling, particularly the clever handling of each case. From the beginning, the show pulls viewers in with intriguing mysteries that keep you guessing at the mastermind behind every twist. The cases start small but eventually grow into something much larger, all connecting back to Li Lianhua’s own history. The plot's biggest twist towards the end is especially jaw-dropping and well-executed, making it one of the drama’s strongest moments.

What sets Mysterious Lotus Casebook apart is its refreshing approach. While many dramas rely heavily on romance, this one focuses more on the action, investigation, and brotherhood. Romance may play a small role, but it doesn’t overshadow the story. The martial arts is top notch, and the story flows smoothly, keeping the audience engaged without dragging on for too long.

Overall, this drama is a great pick for fans of mystery, martial arts, and character-driven plots. The chemistry between the characters and the carefully crafted mysteries make it a thrilling watch from beginning to end!

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