3
This review may contain spoilers
FROM AN UNBIASED POV
《逐玉》 Zhu Yu
What captivated me the most about this drama has to be the screenplay and cinematography. I firmly believe that an engaging screenplay can carry a story even through slower mid-sections and here, the story itself was compelling as well. The director is absolutely talented.Aside from one scene, I was satisfied with every sequence of the drama.
I also have to credit the comedy, which consistently managed to make me laugh. The director’s talent was evident not only in the storytelling but also in the visuals.Somehow, even already handsome and beautiful actors looked even more good looking on screen , which I didn’t think was possible.
When enjoying a drama, we can’t just like the leads while ignoring the supporting cast. A story only works if the entire ensemble is engaging, not just the romance. I found myself invested in the supporting characters too. Even some antagonists had arcs we could follow. There were no irritating negative characters forced into the story without purpose.
THE PARALLELS :
I appreciated how the author highlighted the parallels between the protagonist and the antagonist.Xie Zheng and Qimin share eerily similar pasts: both lost their fathers, witnessed their mothers’ ultimate sacrifices, endured childhoods marked by hardship, were rescued by women and eventually fell in love with their saviors. Their paths mirror each other closely, yet the outcomes are shaped by fate and the choices they make.
In a way, it could be said:
Don’t save just any man. If you’re lucky, you get a Xie Zheng, if unlucky, a Qimin.
Or consider it another way: don’t fall for your savior. Love may be returned, giving you a Changyu. If not, even your death won’t earn you a single tear.
MAJOR CHARACTERS:
《Changyu》
was a refreshing character in the beginning. She was neither cold nor emotionally distant nor did she adopt the overly boyish aura often imposed on strong female leads.
There is a recurring tendency in storytelling to equate strength with the loss of softness, as though a woman must become hardened to be taken seriously. This feels like praising a man’s qualities under the guise of celebrating a woman.
Another aspect worth noting is her love for the male lead. Unlike many modern romances where emotional effort feels one sided, Changyu’s affection was consistently visible, expressed through her care and attentiveness, making their relationship feel mutual
《Xie Zheng》
I initially began this drama because of Zhang Linghe and his portrayal of Xie Zheng was consistently pleasing to watch. From the very beginning to the end, his character maintained a sense of steadiness and composure that made him easy to admire. He was presented as an exceptionally capable general and later an equally dependable husband, embodying an almost ideal figure.
While this made him likable, I couldn’t help but feel that retaining some of his imperfections from the novel would have made him more layered and ultimately more memorable. Even so, I genuinely enjoyed his character and he was the only character consistently likable throughout.
《Qianqian》
can easily be perceived as a weak woman. However, I never saw her that way. Physical strength is not the only form of strength worth admiring, and her true resilience lay in her intellect and independence. Despite being completely alone in the world, coming from a poor background and showing strong hints of being transmigrated, she managed to survive through wit rather than force.
But she became the only major character who did not receive a happy ending in my opinion. What she valued most was her freedom. She did not hate Qimin himself, but the way he kept her captive.
While even the Princess Royal, who was raised under strict noble expectations, used to run away from home, Qianqian, who was far more free-spirited, ended up confined within the palace walls. Author was too cruel to her, denying her both a return home and a life of companionship, leaving her in a quiet and permanent isolation.
《Qimin 》
stood out as one of the most tragic and conflicted figures in the drama. While a handsome actor playing a tragic antagonist can naturally heighten audience sympathy, it was ultimately the performance itself that made him so compelling. Despite the recent trend of attractive actors portraying villains, I had rarely felt this conflicted or sympathetic toward one before.
He lived under an immense burden from a young age, with the desire for revenge constantly instilled in him by those around him. Everyone—his subordinates, servants, and even his nanny—either feared him, revered him or expected something from him.
Hints from both the drama and the novel suggest a traumatic upbringing: he was used, forced into fathering a child and later discarded.
The people who raised him were loyal to the bloodline rather than to him as a person. Baoer was born without Qimin’s consent and it’s understandable that he would feel a deep sense of resentment.
The timeline makes it even more disturbing. The fire happened 17 years ago when Qimin was four, so he’s about 21 now. Since Baoer is seven, that means Qimin was only around 14 when he was drugged.
His jump into the river felt less like an accident and more like surrender. Despite knowing how to swim, he made no attempt to save himself. In that darkness, Qianqian became a rare ray of light,someone who did not immediately despise him, yet he ultimately drove that light away himself.
Qimin was undeniably a tragic figure but he also became the source of further tragedy for others. He was hateable yet deeply pitiful.
I sympathize with Qimin for his past but I also sympathize with Qianqian. I love watching a story where a man changes for a woman, rather than a woman changing a man.
That might be why I got into this ship. The author never showed that it was Qianqian’s responsibility to change a man.They were doomed from the start, a tragedy I loved watching unfold, yet never wished to end happily in this life.
The visual storytelling mirrored this dynamic beautifully: Qimin’s grey hair and black mink shawl contrasted with Qianqian’s red ribbon, making them resemble a wolf and a rabbit,evoking a clear hunter and prey dynamic.
On top of that, the actors had top-notch chemistry, which made every scene between them feel emotionally heightened
WEAK POINTS:
The last ten episodes were where the drama began to lose its grip on me. The female lead’s character seemed to lack a fully authentic development during this phase.
Sure, some of it could be blamed on limited screen time but during her growth phase, I felt oddly detached from the main couple. If that part had been given more space, I’m not sure whether I would have felt more connected or more frustrated.
The female lead’s development began to feel unintentionally comical. It was already unrealistic to see a petite woman taking down a man of such a large build but the drama justified it by claiming she possessed unusual strength, so I accepted it as fictional exaggeration. In fact, it was satisfying to see a woman win in a fight, even if it stretched realism.
I totally feel it was wrong of them to keep main couple apart during the phase where so many changes were happening to her character. I understand that both characters were meant to be independent, the writers should have used the limited runtime more wisely. When the reunion kiss I had waited so long for failed to move me, I knew something was wrong.
Even if things got slightly better between them later. I can’t exactly pinpoint what changed but I miss the vibes they had in Lian and even in the war camp.
I was also dissatisfied with Qimin’s “what-if” ending. It was supposed to explore how things might have been if the events from seventeen years ago hadn’t happened. If he hadn’t done all the terrible things, why would he still be cursed and allergic to Qianqian? It felt more like a plot hole rather than a deliberate narrative choice
Again, the last ten episodes felt both rushed yet dragging. The editing was choppy and some scenes ended up looking lame. I was set on giving this drama a 10/10 before these episodes.
At the end of the day, it all depends on how you view the story. At first, it felt like a full blown romcom to me. I only cared about the main leads and was wary of new characters appearing.
But when the political and war elements unfolded, I realized that in this world, few rise to power or win wars without innocent blood being spilled. Take, for instance, the scene where Xie Zheng opens the dam, flooding Baxia and killing thousands of soldiers and civilians alike.
From a political standpoint, it’s far easier to influence a young emperor and his inexperienced mother with no background than to control a bloodthirsty and unstable ruler. So I get it
Yet, if I frame it as the love story of a general and a butcher rising to power, it becomes a happy ending in the larger sense. Both in this life and in every imagined life that could follow.
What captivated me the most about this drama has to be the screenplay and cinematography. I firmly believe that an engaging screenplay can carry a story even through slower mid-sections and here, the story itself was compelling as well. The director is absolutely talented.Aside from one scene, I was satisfied with every sequence of the drama.
I also have to credit the comedy, which consistently managed to make me laugh. The director’s talent was evident not only in the storytelling but also in the visuals.Somehow, even already handsome and beautiful actors looked even more good looking on screen , which I didn’t think was possible.
When enjoying a drama, we can’t just like the leads while ignoring the supporting cast. A story only works if the entire ensemble is engaging, not just the romance. I found myself invested in the supporting characters too. Even some antagonists had arcs we could follow. There were no irritating negative characters forced into the story without purpose.
THE PARALLELS :
I appreciated how the author highlighted the parallels between the protagonist and the antagonist.Xie Zheng and Qimin share eerily similar pasts: both lost their fathers, witnessed their mothers’ ultimate sacrifices, endured childhoods marked by hardship, were rescued by women and eventually fell in love with their saviors. Their paths mirror each other closely, yet the outcomes are shaped by fate and the choices they make.
In a way, it could be said:
Don’t save just any man. If you’re lucky, you get a Xie Zheng, if unlucky, a Qimin.
Or consider it another way: don’t fall for your savior. Love may be returned, giving you a Changyu. If not, even your death won’t earn you a single tear.
MAJOR CHARACTERS:
《Changyu》
was a refreshing character in the beginning. She was neither cold nor emotionally distant nor did she adopt the overly boyish aura often imposed on strong female leads.
There is a recurring tendency in storytelling to equate strength with the loss of softness, as though a woman must become hardened to be taken seriously. This feels like praising a man’s qualities under the guise of celebrating a woman.
Another aspect worth noting is her love for the male lead. Unlike many modern romances where emotional effort feels one sided, Changyu’s affection was consistently visible, expressed through her care and attentiveness, making their relationship feel mutual
《Xie Zheng》
I initially began this drama because of Zhang Linghe and his portrayal of Xie Zheng was consistently pleasing to watch. From the very beginning to the end, his character maintained a sense of steadiness and composure that made him easy to admire. He was presented as an exceptionally capable general and later an equally dependable husband, embodying an almost ideal figure.
While this made him likable, I couldn’t help but feel that retaining some of his imperfections from the novel would have made him more layered and ultimately more memorable. Even so, I genuinely enjoyed his character and he was the only character consistently likable throughout.
《Qianqian》
can easily be perceived as a weak woman. However, I never saw her that way. Physical strength is not the only form of strength worth admiring, and her true resilience lay in her intellect and independence. Despite being completely alone in the world, coming from a poor background and showing strong hints of being transmigrated, she managed to survive through wit rather than force.
But she became the only major character who did not receive a happy ending in my opinion. What she valued most was her freedom. She did not hate Qimin himself, but the way he kept her captive.
While even the Princess Royal, who was raised under strict noble expectations, used to run away from home, Qianqian, who was far more free-spirited, ended up confined within the palace walls. Author was too cruel to her, denying her both a return home and a life of companionship, leaving her in a quiet and permanent isolation.
《Qimin 》
stood out as one of the most tragic and conflicted figures in the drama. While a handsome actor playing a tragic antagonist can naturally heighten audience sympathy, it was ultimately the performance itself that made him so compelling. Despite the recent trend of attractive actors portraying villains, I had rarely felt this conflicted or sympathetic toward one before.
He lived under an immense burden from a young age, with the desire for revenge constantly instilled in him by those around him. Everyone—his subordinates, servants, and even his nanny—either feared him, revered him or expected something from him.
Hints from both the drama and the novel suggest a traumatic upbringing: he was used, forced into fathering a child and later discarded.
The people who raised him were loyal to the bloodline rather than to him as a person. Baoer was born without Qimin’s consent and it’s understandable that he would feel a deep sense of resentment.
The timeline makes it even more disturbing. The fire happened 17 years ago when Qimin was four, so he’s about 21 now. Since Baoer is seven, that means Qimin was only around 14 when he was drugged.
His jump into the river felt less like an accident and more like surrender. Despite knowing how to swim, he made no attempt to save himself. In that darkness, Qianqian became a rare ray of light,someone who did not immediately despise him, yet he ultimately drove that light away himself.
Qimin was undeniably a tragic figure but he also became the source of further tragedy for others. He was hateable yet deeply pitiful.
I sympathize with Qimin for his past but I also sympathize with Qianqian. I love watching a story where a man changes for a woman, rather than a woman changing a man.
That might be why I got into this ship. The author never showed that it was Qianqian’s responsibility to change a man.They were doomed from the start, a tragedy I loved watching unfold, yet never wished to end happily in this life.
The visual storytelling mirrored this dynamic beautifully: Qimin’s grey hair and black mink shawl contrasted with Qianqian’s red ribbon, making them resemble a wolf and a rabbit,evoking a clear hunter and prey dynamic.
On top of that, the actors had top-notch chemistry, which made every scene between them feel emotionally heightened
WEAK POINTS:
The last ten episodes were where the drama began to lose its grip on me. The female lead’s character seemed to lack a fully authentic development during this phase.
Sure, some of it could be blamed on limited screen time but during her growth phase, I felt oddly detached from the main couple. If that part had been given more space, I’m not sure whether I would have felt more connected or more frustrated.
The female lead’s development began to feel unintentionally comical. It was already unrealistic to see a petite woman taking down a man of such a large build but the drama justified it by claiming she possessed unusual strength, so I accepted it as fictional exaggeration. In fact, it was satisfying to see a woman win in a fight, even if it stretched realism.
I totally feel it was wrong of them to keep main couple apart during the phase where so many changes were happening to her character. I understand that both characters were meant to be independent, the writers should have used the limited runtime more wisely. When the reunion kiss I had waited so long for failed to move me, I knew something was wrong.
Even if things got slightly better between them later. I can’t exactly pinpoint what changed but I miss the vibes they had in Lian and even in the war camp.
I was also dissatisfied with Qimin’s “what-if” ending. It was supposed to explore how things might have been if the events from seventeen years ago hadn’t happened. If he hadn’t done all the terrible things, why would he still be cursed and allergic to Qianqian? It felt more like a plot hole rather than a deliberate narrative choice
Again, the last ten episodes felt both rushed yet dragging. The editing was choppy and some scenes ended up looking lame. I was set on giving this drama a 10/10 before these episodes.
At the end of the day, it all depends on how you view the story. At first, it felt like a full blown romcom to me. I only cared about the main leads and was wary of new characters appearing.
But when the political and war elements unfolded, I realized that in this world, few rise to power or win wars without innocent blood being spilled. Take, for instance, the scene where Xie Zheng opens the dam, flooding Baxia and killing thousands of soldiers and civilians alike.
From a political standpoint, it’s far easier to influence a young emperor and his inexperienced mother with no background than to control a bloodthirsty and unstable ruler. So I get it
Yet, if I frame it as the love story of a general and a butcher rising to power, it becomes a happy ending in the larger sense. Both in this life and in every imagined life that could follow.
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