Im on ep 22 now, and this is one of the best drama of this year for me, great plot, nice brain battle back and forth, intense, brutal, many surprise, decent character development, beautiful shots too, it would be better if some parts were a bit longer for better flow but i guess they have ep number limitation, now i just hope the endings wont crash.
In this Cdrama, Cheng Yi is at the level of these veteran actors. A rewatch story in the future for sure. It will linger in my mind for a while. And the ride isn't over yet with three more episodes to go. Twists after twists followed with another twist to twist other twists along the way. I've just unsaddled my horse that I have to "ma shang" right now get on my horse and gallop another ride. My head is spinning. This cast is devillish to its viewers. When was the last time my head kept on spinning non stop like that. Nirvana In fire ? Joy of Life ? Sword Snow Stride ? etc ... This story is flawless.
I watch each episode twice. First for this intelligent script and its rhythm. Second to embrace it all like watching the back of a maestro spreading his arms when conducting his orchestra. And I seat still in a field of diverse flowers which scents sing the Summer...i feel so good.
Youku Certification: "Cheng Yi's The Vendetta of An is This Year's Dark Horse"
It was initially expected that this year's historical drama season would end uneventfully, but unexpectedly, The Vendetta of An bucked the trend and became this year's undisputed dark horse. This original drama starring Cheng Yi achieved viewership ratings of over 2% on its premiere day, setting a new record for CCTV-8's prime-time slot this year. On the Youku platform, its popularity index surpassed 7,000 in just three hours after its premiere, and has now surpassed 10,000, firmly occupying the top spot on Youku's charts for suspense dramas, historical dramas, and legendary dramas.
Beyond its popularity, The Vendetta of An has also garnered strong critical acclaim! Not only are the veteran actors' performances commendable, but the younger actors' acting skills have also shown improvement. The solid and meticulous plot structure and vivid, three-dimensional characters have captivated many fans. With its strong logic and fast-paced narrative style, "The Vendetta of An has successfully achieved a resurgence for an original IP.
In its character development, *The Vendetta of An* breaks away from traditional patterns. Its protagonist, Xie Huai'an, deviates from the ideal hero archetype who is "skilled in both literature and martial arts, possessing unparalleled secrets." With mediocre martial arts skills, his survival and revenge depend entirely on his extraordinary memory, meticulous logical reasoning, and unerring insight into systems and human nature. The information network he has secretly built over ten years, combined with his knowledge, intelligence, and mental maneuvering, becomes his strongest weapon.
Outwardly, Xie Huai'an is a cunning and ruthless strategist, skilled at manipulating people's hearts. His saying, "A gentleman takes revenge without leaving a single piece of armor," reveals his decisiveness. When confronted with his uncle, Liu Ziyan, with whom he has a blood feud, he listens to no explanation and acts mercilessly. Upon learning that the deposed emperor has harmed his former servant, his eyes immediately turn cold, and his subsequent counterattack is equally ruthless, earning him the nickname "The God of War Shovels."
But behind his cruelty, hidden a heart full of warmth and a sense of morality, always showing generosity to those who intend to repent. He understood the coachman's plight and refrained from killing him, saved the mortician Pu Nichuan, and helped him realize his long-cherished wish; he is sincere and warm-hearted towards his close friends, happily cooking for them himself, and willing to endure the pain of disowning his sister in order to protect his; when the country is in danger, Xie Huai'an can temporarily put aside his hatred and ally with the Tiger Warriors against the common enemy. The combination of rational calculation and human warmth is what makes Xie Huai'an feel real and moving.
TBH watching one episode felt like watching multiple episodes of other cdramas. It was so fulfilling, full of interesting twists, and had such high-quality acting from every character just wow 😍🔥👏👏. I commend the directors they must have given the actors really detailed guidance and the writing team definitely deserves a raise. ❤️
Many viewers were puzzled by how the rescue occurred in " The Twenty-Four Stratagems of Chang'an." Since this part of the drama is only narrated by the male protagonist, I'll make a reasonable deduction based on clues from the show. After his father was stabbed, the male protagonist, Liu Zhi (Xie Huai'an), knew he couldn't fully trust those around him, so he hid in the city for several days. While the Yan faction was busy eliminating the remaining three thousand members of Liu's faction and neglecting his young, forgetful sister, he secretly went to the Grand Preceptor's residence and escaped with his sister. During their escape, they might have been escorted by someone with ulterior motives like Uncle Long, or perhaps by the remaining members of Liu's faction. In any case, by the time Liu Zhi left the city, there was no one else in the Liu family who could protect the two children. However, from the storyline in the reed marshes, we know that there were still members of the Liu family who had benefited from his kindness, but they were all hidden.
The Grand Preceptor's punishment was being sent to the palace to become a eunuch, with Yan Fengshan euphemistically saying he hoped he could spend his remaining years peacefully in the palace. For Yan's faction, guarding against Liu Zhi, who is intelligent and has memories, is sufficient, as Liu Zhi has already demonstrated his exceptional intelligence. His three-year-old sister, who doesn't remember anything, isn't even on Liu's list of targets. What's there to guard against in a child who doesn't remember anything? Even if Xie Huai'an didn't take his sister away, Yan could raise her just like he raised Wang Pu. Even if his sister becomes an adult, she's merely a tool Yan uses to stab Xie Huai'an in the heart, a retaliatory act to force Xie Huai'an to admit defeat, not a genuine desire to kill her.
Replying toEramHasan•Dec 23, 2025•Liked Dec 23, 2025
why's nirvana in fire on top of the recommendation list?It's disturbing. not every revenge drama is NIF! this…
Probably because people think that if you're a fan of revenge dramas you'd enjoy both? I think it's valid, though I agree with you it's a completely different genre of revenge (and personally I probably prefer VoA, since here I can cheer on the ML against enemies who are a genuine threat, whereas I never felt like the enemies were a threat in NiF, the lead was so flawlessly omnipotent that I just felt sorry for anyone unwise enough to cross him.) But if no other similarity, there's leads with vendettas wearing fur cloaks in both XD
He looks so innocent at first. He gives some comedic relief when his character is introduced, but... I am deceived…
Exactly. The thrill of the kill he’s basically a serial killer but it seems like a lot of people from that country up north are. Kind of reminds you of Ted Bundy though right? Looks innocent kind of cute nice to everyone, but then flipped the switch and holy crap. This role really gives him that opportunity to show something different of himself.
Replying tokdramaddixxion•Dec 23, 2025•Liked Dec 23, 2025
This is such a powerful and beautiful (in a bloody/tragic way) drama, I don't want it to end 😭 It's absolutely…
The actor himself is also not a fan of HEs so I don’t think he’ll be coming out of this one. But I do hope at least some of his friends survive. But I agree with you this one out many of his characters would make the most sense for not surviving. In death, he will find peace finally because he’s just one man on a mission that just keeps taking people he cares about. And he himself I mean, how much can he take and this is a pretty big enemy to fight. But I think if he gathers enough smaller forces into one larger force, he will be the David that beats Goliath.
This is such a powerful and beautiful (in a bloody/tragic way) drama, I don't want it to end 😭 It's absolutely a 10/10 for me. ✨👏Everything is SO well done, from the story, the acting, the cinematography, the music, the costumes, the fight scenes to the plot twists that slap you out of nowhere and give you whiplash. 😱This will most probably end up being in my TOP5 of the BEST Dramas of 2025. 🔥They truly kept the best for last.🤌
The recent episodes, especially 21+22 made my heart BLEED for my poor Huai An... 😭He looks so tired of his life, it's so heartbreaking to see how much the losses he's endured are weighing on him. 😞I truly want him to survive, especially since all his loved ones wished so badly for him to go on and have a peaceful life but I don't know if he'll be able to function... I can see he's almost on the road to madness. If he dies, this one would be the Cheng Yi character death that would make the most sense, to finally find peace and reunite with his loved ones in the afterlife. I still really hope he can survive of course.🤞 But there's at least one more serious injury he will sustain, it's in the official trailers and BTS clips and I don't know if he can be saved from that...
Up to ep 20. By now I have given up trying to guess where the plot is taking us and who’s ahead in the game. I’m just along for the ride now—relishing the intrigue. What surprised me most, though, is how the story has made me feel emotional for the fallen on both sides. When a show can blur the lines that well, you know it’s doing something right.
2 
A rewatch story in the future for sure. It will linger in my mind for a while. And the ride isn't over yet with three more episodes to go. Twists after twists followed with another twist to twist other twists along the way. I've just unsaddled my horse that I have to "ma shang" right now get on my horse and gallop another ride. My head is spinning. This cast is devillish to its viewers. When was the last time my head kept on spinning non stop like that. Nirvana In fire ? Joy of Life ? Sword Snow Stride ? etc ... This story is flawless.
It was initially expected that this year's historical drama season would end uneventfully, but unexpectedly, The Vendetta of An bucked the trend and became this year's undisputed dark horse. This original drama starring Cheng Yi achieved viewership ratings of over 2% on its premiere day, setting a new record for CCTV-8's prime-time slot this year. On the Youku platform, its popularity index surpassed 7,000 in just three hours after its premiere, and has now surpassed 10,000, firmly occupying the top spot on Youku's charts for suspense dramas, historical dramas, and legendary dramas.
Beyond its popularity, The Vendetta of An has also garnered strong critical acclaim! Not only are the veteran actors' performances commendable, but the younger actors' acting skills have also shown improvement. The solid and meticulous plot structure and vivid, three-dimensional characters have captivated many fans. With its strong logic and fast-paced narrative style, "The Vendetta of An has successfully achieved a resurgence for an original IP.
In its character development, *The Vendetta of An* breaks away from traditional patterns. Its protagonist, Xie Huai'an, deviates from the ideal hero archetype who is "skilled in both literature and martial arts, possessing unparalleled secrets." With mediocre martial arts skills, his survival and revenge depend entirely on his extraordinary memory, meticulous logical reasoning, and unerring insight into systems and human nature. The information network he has secretly built over ten years, combined with his knowledge, intelligence, and mental maneuvering, becomes his strongest weapon.
Outwardly, Xie Huai'an is a cunning and ruthless strategist, skilled at manipulating people's hearts. His saying, "A gentleman takes revenge without leaving a single piece of armor," reveals his decisiveness. When confronted with his uncle, Liu Ziyan, with whom he has a blood feud, he listens to no explanation and acts mercilessly. Upon learning that the deposed emperor has harmed his former servant, his eyes immediately turn cold, and his subsequent counterattack is equally ruthless, earning him the nickname "The God of War Shovels."
But behind his cruelty, hidden a heart full of warmth and a sense of morality, always showing generosity to those who intend to repent. He understood the coachman's plight and refrained from killing him, saved the mortician Pu Nichuan, and helped him realize his long-cherished wish; he is sincere and warm-hearted towards his close friends, happily cooking for them himself, and willing to endure the pain of disowning his sister in order to protect his; when the country is in danger, Xie Huai'an can temporarily put aside his hatred and ally with the Tiger Warriors against the common enemy. The combination of rational calculation and human warmth is what makes Xie Huai'an feel real and moving.
#Chengyi #成毅 #长安二十四计 #TheVendettaofAn #Youku #优酷 #Netflix
https://weibo.com/7408272691/QjCjGAWA3
Many viewers were puzzled by how the rescue occurred in " The Twenty-Four Stratagems of Chang'an." Since this part of the drama is only narrated by the male protagonist, I'll make a reasonable deduction based on clues from the show. After his father was stabbed, the male protagonist, Liu Zhi (Xie Huai'an), knew he couldn't fully trust those around him, so he hid in the city for several days. While the Yan faction was busy eliminating the remaining three thousand members of Liu's faction and neglecting his young, forgetful sister, he secretly went to the Grand Preceptor's residence and escaped with his sister. During their escape, they might have been escorted by someone with ulterior motives like Uncle Long, or perhaps by the remaining members of Liu's faction. In any case, by the time Liu Zhi left the city, there was no one else in the Liu family who could protect the two children. However, from the storyline in the reed marshes, we know that there were still members of the Liu family who had benefited from his kindness, but they were all hidden.
The Grand Preceptor's punishment was being sent to the palace to become a eunuch, with Yan Fengshan euphemistically saying he hoped he could spend his remaining years peacefully in the palace. For Yan's faction, guarding against Liu Zhi, who is intelligent and has memories, is sufficient, as Liu Zhi has already demonstrated his exceptional intelligence. His three-year-old sister, who doesn't remember anything, isn't even on Liu's list of targets. What's there to guard against in a child who doesn't remember anything? Even if Xie Huai'an didn't take his sister away, Yan could raise her just like he raised Wang Pu. Even if his sister becomes an adult, she's merely a tool Yan uses to stab Xie Huai'an in the heart, a retaliatory act to force Xie Huai'an to admit defeat, not a genuine desire to kill her.
The recent episodes, especially 21+22 made my heart BLEED for my poor Huai An... 😭He looks so tired of his life, it's so heartbreaking to see how much the losses he's endured are weighing on him. 😞I truly want him to survive, especially since all his loved ones wished so badly for him to go on and have a peaceful life but I don't know if he'll be able to function... I can see he's almost on the road to madness. If he dies, this one would be the Cheng Yi character death that would make the most sense, to finally find peace and reunite with his loved ones in the afterlife. I still really hope he can survive of course.🤞 But there's at least one more serious injury he will sustain, it's in the official trailers and BTS clips and I don't know if he can be saved from that...
I’m just along for the ride now—relishing the intrigue. What surprised me most, though, is how the story has made me feel emotional for the fallen on both sides. When a show can blur the lines that well, you know it’s doing something right.