AmelieLucan:

@Yidenia  I've seen people commenting that this drama needed to be longer, but from your assessment it sounds more like it needed to tighten up the writing and eliminate needless characters and dialogue (though the image of the villain who just won't die is funny).

I'm not a fan of long dramas as they rarely can keep my interest for 40 eps and I find they often either have fillers, start repeating actions or have too many characters that are uninteresting and don't contribue anything to the story.  

I think there are certain dramas that need to be more than 40 episodes. A faithful adaptation of the Romance of Three Kingdoms would be one example, and unfortunately even classics like Journey to the West faced technical limitations so the show we got was nowhere near what was in the original novel (there were supposed to be 81 different challenges and we only got like 40 episodes, including an intro). It would have been nice to at least have on hand, even if no one can watch it all the way through in one go. But you're right that it's rare for a single story to sustain itself for that long. Probably one reason so many western shows get canceled after the first or second season.

I think people who want this drama to be longer want a more faithful adaptation of the original novel, which was 150 chapters and millions of words long. Even if a picture's worth a thousand words, there's no way 40 episodes would have been enough. Still, if you went into production knowing that you weren't going to be able to stay completely faithful, it makes no sense to maintain that same scale. Plenty of other productions changed the script drastically in order to fit the requirements of the medium, and it's often an improvement, because these web novels tend to be written in a Charles Dickens sort of way; loquacious, full of filler on their own, minimal proofreading (littered with typos) and with a lot of juvenile plot devices, all meant to generate income through quantity of posts rather than quality. I don't know if Pursuit of Jade is also like this since I haven't read it, but if it's 150 chapters and millions of words long, it probably is. This isn't adapting a century-old classic, there's no need to stay so true to the details. To attempt to do so, knowing you're guaranteed to fail, is just idiotic.

 HaruhiMimi:

Too many fillers throughout.

 IFA:

I feel like the sudden shift to politics felt abrupt. I wished the drama had sprinkled more political developments or court conflicts earlier on so the transition would feel more gradual rather than switching from slice of life to political drama almost all at once.

A huge YES to both of these points for me.  Main reasons I dropped my rating for this show.  The beginning was so great (10/10), but then the politics started and then the fillers came in and the show slowly lost me.....

Why ask something so negative before starting a drama? Why not ask “what do you guys love about this drama?”

MOURNING THE BEAUTY OF THE LIN’AN ARC THAT GOT RUINED BY A WEAK FOLLOWING STORYLINE

Pursuit of Jade is actually good—engaging, with strong potential to be something substantial and mature. The Lin’An arc was beautiful, but the strength of the first part just wasn’t maintained in the later arcs. What came after felt like a different story altogether, disconnected from the beginning. I’ve already written a review about this, but here I want to go deeper into the things that really disappointed me and made this drama end up feeling average.

For me, the first problem lies in the messy mix of genres. From the start, the director never clearly defines what this drama is: is it POLITICS–romance, romance–POLITICS, or an equal POLITICS + ROMANCE? If it leans toward politics, the opening should’ve laid out the broader context—what happened 17 years ago—before taking us into Lin’An, like most historical dramas do. If it’s romance, then the opening should’ve focused equally on both leads—their individual introductions and how they meet. If it’s both, then the narrative should flow like two rivers side by side with equal weight until the end.

What actually happens in Pursuit of Jade is this: the Lin’An arc is overwhelmingly romance (90:10), the Xigu Lane arc is still mostly romance despite the military setting (70:30), and only in the final arc does it become balanced (50:50). Romance dominates too much, even though the core issue of the story is political, not interpersonal relationships. So when we finally get to the last arc, the political side feels confusing. It was never properly developed from the start, and the plot doesn’t evolve creatively—it’s too typical. And yet, this political aspect is what triggers the whole story.

Second, the narrative structure. A good story has a clear trigger, goal, buildup, climax, and resolution. Pursuit of Jade lacks a striking climax, and its conflict resolutions feel weak—even questionable. I think the story should’ve had three major climactic points, shaped like a fish (head, body, tail):

(1) Head (Arc 1): The reveal of Yan Zheng’s true identity in Lin’An. This should’ve been the peak of the Lin’An arc, right after the city was successfully defended from the rebel attack. Instead, the leads separate without the female lead ever learning his biggest secret—even though the plot made it very easy to create a moment for that reveal. That reveal would’ve given real weight to her decision to divorce her matrilocal husband. The reason wouldn’t just be “he’s leaving,” but “something forces him to leave.”

(2) Body (Arc 2): The reveal of Fan Chengyu’s identity as Wei Qilin’s daughter. This should’ve been the peak of the Xigu Lane arc, after Prince Changxin is defeated and General He sacrifices himself. Instead, the female lead realizes the male lead’s identity too late (a ripple effect from arc 1’s failure), while the male lead learns hers through vague deduction—not clear evidence or direct knowledge. Her identity is treated like ordinary information, when it should’ve deeply affected their relationship, especially considering his trauma from 17 years ago. There should’ve been intense internal conflict when he realizes she’s the daughter of his enemy. Something should’ve happened that led them to consciously rebuild their commitment as husband and wife while uncovering the past together. But that “something” never comes. The story just drifts on to the capital, leaving unresolved issues behind.

(3) Tail (Arc 3): The final war against the biggest enemies in the capital. This should’ve been high-stakes, with both leads working together. Instead, the stakes feel low. There’s no real threat anymore—to their relationship or their lives. Their romance is already settled and overly sweet, with no room left to grow, and both characters are already too powerful, so their victory feels guaranteed. The stakes could’ve been higher if the female lead wasn’t made too powerful too early. Her rise as a military figure should’ve come at the very end as a reward after going through trials alongside the male lead.

Third, the inconsistent themes and values.
Unexpectedly, Pursuit of Jade turns into a “woman’s story,” promoting modern ideas of female emancipation. For me, this doesn’t quite fit the traditional Eastern cultural setting, which emphasizes hierarchy, harmony, and a balanced partnership between men and women in their respective roles. Because of that, something feels off. The story becomes too fictional, detached from the sociological context we usually understand in historical settings—especially after the Lin’An arc.

Ironically, the drama had very strong and unique material at the start. In the Lin’An arc, it introduced bold cultural themes: the social position of orphans, neighborly relationships, the concept of a matrilocal husband (domestic role), limits on women’s work (a female butcher as the lead), and war as a social disaster. These ideas could’ve been the foundation for the entire story—a lens for reflecting on society, even today. But instead, all of that gets abandoned in Lin’An. After that, the story just falls into generic tropes we’ve seen many times: “female general legend,” “revenge-driven general,” “power struggles and rebellion,” “love conquers all.”

Fourth, character development that goes in the wrong direction.
There’s something off about Fan Chengyu’s growth. Why does she have to become a soldier—and then a general? There’s no strong justification. And if the answer is “because of her contributions in war,” then what about all the other soldiers? War is never a one-person show. A caterpillar doesn’t just turn into a butterfly overnight—there’s a process, and that process is missing here.

If I were directing, I wouldn’t put her on the front lines. I’d place her in logistics or as a cook, considering her background in Lin’An as a butcher, trader, and household manager. That would open up a different angle on war—the logistical struggles we rarely see. She could still contribute meaningfully within her domain, without overshadowing the male lead. And honestly, keeping her as a “small person” isn’t a problem—it would actually reinforce the idea that a person’s worth isn’t defined by their position in the social hierarchy. That’s the kind of value this story should’ve delivered.

The biggest mistake, for me, is forcing her upward into the military hierarchy, when her real strength lies in influencing people horizontally—like she did in Lin’An with her circle. She doesn’t need recognition from the world—only from the man she loves, the one she once divorced. That fits her original character as someone rooted in everyday society.

Meanwhile, Yan Zheng / Xie Zheng’s character is severely diminished. Something is psychologically missing right from episode 1. After surviving betrayal—possibly from the Wei family—there should’ve been shock, anger, confusion, even helplessness. Instead, he’s written as calm, cautious, and immediately strategic. The lack of emotional response makes his time in Lin’An—where he experiences safety, care, and love—feel less impactful. There’s no real reflection on war, peace, or what a normal life means, even though he’s a general known for past massacres. All he seems to gain from Lin’An is romance—and that’s far too shallow for a character like him.

His character only gets worse in later arcs. He starts to feel like someone enslaved by love. He’s no longer a seasoned general or nobleman, but someone acting like a teenager who just discovered love. And it’s not even a mature kind of love—it’s the cliché “I want to stay with you forever and never leave you until death.” On top of that, his military and political role gets overshadowed by the female lead’s presence.

There were so many opportunities for him to take stronger, more active roles: leading battles even while injured (which would’ve made him truly charismatic and heroic), or personally killing his greatest enemy (which would’ve served as emotional closure for his 17-year trauma). And then there’s the whipping—108 lashes—to prove his love. It makes no sense. It doesn’t address the social issues introduced earlier: a general choosing to marry a “common woman” with a double stigma (a butcher, a criminal’s daughter). What should’ve mattered was public acknowledgment and restoring justice. That would’ve been the real proof of his love—and it should’ve been shown clearly in the story.

In episode 37, what's with FL? She is behaving like she's been attending the court since before her birth; her screen presence has no main character or any character energy. I mean, I would have loved the scene without her. She is so unnecessary. Also, a general who fought with techqniue or brute force or whatever, cannot just be promoted like this and starts behaving like that. Even if they do, as FL is doing, she won't be invited to banquets - as such promotions are majorly nominal. 

 AmelieLucan:

What people loved about the drama is 98% of the comments. People who tried to share criticisms of the drama or things that disappointed them were often called haters. This gives them a space to discuss what bothered them while watching without getting attacked. 

Yes it's annoying when all we can say are praises and gushing over the leads. We can like a show but still dislike parts of it. The main comment section is not tolerant of this. Honestly i love the front but hate the back.

If we say negative things or give bad reviews, we are haters.

If the ratings drop,  antis are trying to sabotage the show. 

If the show is not doing well, the platforms are spending zero money and effort to promote it. 

Its never the show's fault. 🤣🤭

 Joa:

Im at 39 now and hoping to finish this mess of a drama asap. Hahah. The writer is feeding the audience with a tonne of WTF moments with no logic. The one i really couldn't stand was where Li HuaiAn came crawling on his knees to CY for forgiveness and punishment (with a cane no less! Is she his mom?)  when she was very very wrong in the first place. She had became the saviour of the entire country and everyone bows down to her. So her obnoxious behaviour in court seems to be justified. 

Oo that one too, I started hating her from then and also when she made the Marquis faint. WTF. I mean how, why, no, it can't be. And went off to fight. And that one fight made her so brilliant and well-versed in court logic that she was able to stand neck to neck with Wei Yan and tell him that there would be court records of the tiger seal. I cannot tolerate her presumptive behaviour; it is like watching some other character. Li Huain's character is actually well developed, and I had fallen in love with that scene in Lin'an where he and the Marquis first met. And that chess scene was so romantic, I felt finally, a cool drama. Sigh! What a waste. Also, this Yu female, why is the old crown prince so obsessed with her is just so so, no real personality, nothing, and given that, her son is also irrelevant, truly. I wouldn't have cared less if both characters did not make through. I did not get close to them anyway. Maybe Grand princess, Gongsun and their mother, scenes were well developed, and I would have felt much better if the drama was about them. I am imagining a drama, where Changyu dies and the Marquis marries someone who is a peer and there is a lot of politics and lot many court characters. I think I would like that.