The reason I think it works for him is because the character had to grow up quickly. He's had more pressure and…
ZLH have a very mature look…for a 17 y/o. His character only have a mind set of an adult bc he’s forced to grow up faster and taller…his acting portrayal of the character is not the issue, it’s his mature older look of someone late 20s that doesn’t fit the theme of this drama’s majority (middle/high school) part of the drama.
A young adult with a lost innocence. —-I just can’t see it with this handsome older looking ZHL
this drama will most likely not see their debut date due to china want to limit boy love theme dramas/novels/anything! it's quite sad and sucks for everyone involved in this production!!!
Zhang Ling He is an amazing actor and one of my favorites...however, for the role of a high school/middle school adolescent, he's too old for it! the other actors have that youthful charm and innocence but ZLH looks too much in his mid/late 20s to pull off a 17 y/o.
Overall, this drama is well executed (so far) w/ the story and direction/theme of the drama. Total Go Ahead vibes for family dynamics and adolescence growing up and struggles.
i was not expecting much watching the drama since i read the novel...but even so, the drama fell suuuuuuuuuper short. the casts' acting was not the issue. the costumes and details are beautiful. it's more of the script/writers issue. it's poorly executed and it sucks b/c this drama/novel would have been very entertaining if they follow some or even partial story line arc ...but the plot is all over the place or felt super rushed. it is best made in 2 seasons with the first season focusing on the ML and 4th prince story arc and the second about FL's story. it will flow more smoothly and allow character development for plots and storylines to develop.
they made the ML and FL both love sicked puppies when they both carry so much more and aspire to do so much for their countries. they are both supposed to be smart/cunning and very scheming, but this drama made them the opposite. the FL's maid's repetitive line 'i will kill you' even though it's very laughable b/c she's a weakling and could beat no one. the ML's sister (not blood related) is not even in the novel and even she has a stupidity to her that's just plain annoying.
also, in royal lineage and privilege, he must be complete, w/ no scarring, disability or deformity. cutting off changjue's finger is pretty much making an unworthy candidate for the thrown. he won't be able to inherit the thrown with any deformities.
2 of the most funniest/cute characters were axed from the novel: FL's mentor (he's not too old, probably 1-2 years older than ML): Qian BaiMei (a very skilled/master of martial arts, seduction master, vixen/good looking. he teaches FL the art of seduction and how to win a man's heart and FL's brother martial arts. he's given a high official post in Zhao court only b/c the king is scared of him and he can't kill him off (he tried a couple of assasin attempts). ML's shadow: Xu YinGui (he's supposed to be invisible and hidden) helper/friend/assistant/master of this jiangwu sect (it seem like both of them knew each other in their childhoods). he's the guy who sleeps with all ML's harem, except FL. He needs the yin from the women to learn his martial arts or keep his 'hing gong' fast/improving. whenever he sleeps w/ the women, the curtains are all closed/drawned and no lights are lit. he is a master of voices and mimics the ML in the dark where the women does not suspect that he's a fake.
tidbits from novel:
from their first encounter at the brothel.... FL said this: it is a man's talent to take the woman to bed, but it's a woman's talent to make him want to stay.
FL is 18 y/o. due to the poison FL had, ML planned everything where FL have no worries left and he took her to a secluded mountain villa to spend the rest of their days together. she was pregnant already. that's the conclusion to FL's story arc after she reclaim what was hers and set things in the right path for her country. the villa mountainside/outside area is full of peach trees; all planted for her by ML.
ML secret identity is Wu citizen. 28 y/o. he is a skilled martial artist but only use his soft sword (hidden/part of his belt) when absolute needed to. other times, he feign being a scholar (official) w/ guards. he was disown and deleted from the family tree b/c of his role in the struggle in the wu royal family. He went undercover and made himself a greedy, treacherous, nympho (thus the many women in his house) power hungry chancellor so he could better plan for the long road ahead to place 4th prince on the throne. his marriage to the mei (main wife, in the drama, it's meng but she's actually a concubine only) daughter and other concubines are political ties to balance out power and leverage for what he wants to achieve. he is the wei king's must trusted advisor and why the princes all wants to win his favor. w/ his help, the prince will win the crown prince position. he doesn't mind how others see him and doesn't care to correct it. the main wife and the other concubines met their end/demise and either died for their maternal family or returned to maternal family as a divorcee, which is a shame to the family name.
ML and FL do it a lot in the novels where they are loud/noisy. they are each other's first and only. zhan lu and qing tai sometimes are stuck w/ hearing them b/c they are on night duty/beck and call. there was one time where zhan lu passes cotton balls to qing tai to stuff her ears. hahaha...
qing tai (maid) is actually queen empress lu's people. it was her who fed the poison to FL. the queen will only let FL leave Zhao if she took the poison (as a way to control her and put her in her place). FL knew all this time qing tai's real identity but played along anyways b/c maid is actually slow/dumb but is skilled in self defense and kind. at one point FL told the maid that she knows she works for the queen and went along w/ taking the poison so she leave Zhao to seek better opportunities. FL figured best to settle w/ her being slow/dumb than have the queen send someone smarter to deal with her. maid eventually grew loyal to FL and sides w/ her more. maid does as told by FL but never overstep or threaten anyone like the drama at all times. their relationship is strictly master/servant, not family/sister like in the drama. FL is not super mistreated by the palace like in the drama. FL and her brother were just invisible w/ no one to care for them, thus leaving them to do everything on their own: mending clothes, cooking, washing/cleaning. they have limited/little resources but not to the point where they were nothing. they were in a remote courtyard out of view. the king pretty much forgot about their existence and don't care for them since he has the queen and the older princess. their situation got better when bai qian mei came into their lives. FL was engaged at a young age/when the mother was still alive. the fiance caught the eye of the older princess and broke off their engagement when he was offered more by the older princess.
4th prince (16 y/o) secret identity is an unfavored prince of Wu. the crown prince of wu and queen killed his mother and sister and tried to eliminate him. he assumed the identity of the 4th prince when the hostage consort (from wei) returned to wei. book never explained what happen to the real 4th prince, assumption he died young/sick on the way back to wei. even thoug his past history was full of violence and tragedy, he was not jaded. he sticks to his beliefs and want to do things his ways, even if it takes longer to succeed. ML pledge his loyalty to the 4th prince and is the only one who knows his real identity. so his story arc is the pseudo 4th prince fights his way for the throne of wei to assume power/leverage to attack and kill his enemies: wu royal family....which he succeeds. he basically succeeds in becoming the only ruler of the three kingdom: wu destroyed and zhao surrenders and becomes a vessel state to wei. he would be the 3rd main character in the series. he's wise, patience and very grounded, unlike the drama version where he's kid-like, slow and impulsive.
empress lu dies as a prisoner of the wei army/camp. she was abducted by ML was trying to force her to reveal the anecdote for the poison (which is a form of 'gu'/voodoo/worm and not the peach flower poison in the drama). upon hearing the death of her daughter and zhao being under FL party, she went crazy and kill herself. empress lu doesn't have a creepy relationship w/ the 3rd prince. the 3rd prince did killed the oldest prince and handicapped the 2nd prince, ultimately become the crown prince (according to ML's schemes) but only to be ousted by ML to make room for 4th prince. 3rd prince was charged and sentenced to death for the death of the king and palace coup. FL actually play the meng er character b/c 3rd prince was obsessed w/ her and treated her very well that FL actually felt bad about lying to him and help set him up for failure. she schemed to have 3rd prince (at the time crown prince) and his wife killed in prison and sent them out to live a new life as commoners.
the novel has a lot of good story arcs and the personalities of the ML and FL is smart and bold...balancing each other...but ultimately, FL come out on top b/c ML bended to her, therefore mastering the highest level of seduction rules (have a man who will do anything for you unconditionally).
novel readers should never ever ever have any anticipation when it gets adapted into a drama version.not at all…
in the novel, FL and her brother was given the gu poison by the zhao queen. there is antidote to clear it, but only monthly medicine to stay alive. even so, their life spans ends in 3 years (also mentioned 5, not sure if that was a typo or what). only the zhao queen knows this but was giving empty hopes to FL to keep her under her control . queen purposely mislead FL thinking that due to the poison, pregnancy is impossible. FL's mentor found out from the queen that there is no cure.
FL faked her pregnancy at first to avoid ML's chase when she left wei to return to zhao. her pregnancy was only confirmed when she arrived at zhao. she thought it was just luck that she was able to get pregnant.
after ML learn of her poison and her shorten life span due to no antidote, he sped things along (the war/fight between zhao and wei) and have everything settle where both kingdoms call a truce and agreed to a treaty. FL's brother became king. ML then take FL to his peach (named after her) manor in the forest to rest, take care of her pregnancy and prepared for what to come. after given birth to a daughter, FL's life slowly faded out and dying. ML was thinking of dying with her until he realizes she still have breath. mentor's doctor friend was the one who confirmed her pregnancy in zhao and given her some medicine and advised to use it in the case of life and death. FL was able to survived post pregnancy due to that. shortly after, her mentor arrived with more info on her poison. it turns out that her poison was passed/absorded by the baby/pregnancy and that the baby inherited the poison and cured FL. the baby was born a lilac/purple skin tone due to the poison. mentor took the baby to the west (where the gu poison was invented) to research and find antitode. mentor told ML to keep FL away from world affairs for the next 3 years.
after 3 years passed, ML found out that FL's brother died of gu poison and surrended zhao to wei as a vessel country. FL's brother hope that in doing so will avoid war, death and hardship for his people.
Please don’t tell me there is a love triangle in the novel as well. Kinda tired of that but guess that’s slow…
well, the title pretty much gives you an idea of FL being the apple of every men's eyes lol. The men in her life...all loves/attracted her in a different way. Shen ZaiYe Qian BaiMei (her mentor) Xu YinGui (ML's colleague and secret helper) Le Dian (ex fiance who married her sister) Mu Wuyin (3rd prince) Mu Wuxia (4th prince)
Wow! Ep 15 is really something else. Divorced 3 wives in one stone! 😮💨👏🏻
in the novel, ML pretty much find ways to disposed, divorce, killed or get rid of all the women in his manor. they all represent political power in the government and ties to the princes. after ML and FL got to know each other better, FL help carry out his scheme to get rid of the women once they are no longer needed in the struggle/game.
Novel readers: after watching episode 15 and seeing the trailers for 18 and bed scene on Weibo, do you think this…
novel readers should never ever ever have any anticipation when it gets adapted into a drama version.
not at all accurate haha...the drama seems to loosely adapt their characters and personalities, but changed a lot of details and dropped a lot of plot/story arc.
the characters revolves around 3 kingdom: wei, zhao and wu...but the drama changed all of it. wei zhao and wu kingdoms were once one kingdom until the royal family split ways and form their own kingdoms. overtime, each kingdom have their own culture, etc. zhao weaken over time due to internal corruption and lack of wise rulers. this is one of the reason why zhao marry off the princess (FL) to secure a friendly relationship with wei. wu is strong in military combat and resources, wei is more of in the middle, but with internal royal conflicts. wei sent one of the consort to wu as a royal hostage. when the consort arrived at wu, she was 1-2 months pregnant already. due to the timing, the wei king never acknowledge the 4th prince (prince nan; mu wuxia) and suspects the consort was having an affair while she was a hostage in wu.
ML schemed to have FL in the very first chapter of the novel. Through error, she became his concubine. ML is super smart, cunning and a scheme master and does everything for a reason/goal. FL is a female version of him, which is why they are the battles of wits when it comes to goals/surviving. ML's main wife and all his concubines are a political exchange of power and advantages. in the novel, he doesn't sleep with anyone at his manor. xu yingui is his colleague (never really explain much of his background but rather they both shared the same goal and that they grew up together). xu yingui is basically the one who secretly sleeps with all his women and the women all this time thought it was the ML. ML has no interest in any of the women and believe that not being emotionally attached will keep him have a clear mind and more focus to do things. Xu yingui needs to consume yin (women/sex) to master his kungfu/wugong. so they have this set up where they both could get what they want.
FL's pregnancy is a key point to her survival...and if they follow the story line from the novel, this will happen in the drama.
The fourth prince's naivity is astounding. He has no power, official position, or a clan to back him up. I'll…
from the novel, the 4th prince background is not who he is. but his story arc seem to be dropped by the drama version... alot of changes, although minor but it seem like they dropped one of important story arc from the novel.
I hope she'll feel shy before kissing him next time..... She was aggressive and confident with zero hesitation…
she was given seductress training from the 'master' before she was married off. since she's a political bride between 2 countries, she has to be train to be likeable/desired by her husband.
A young adult with a lost innocence. —-I just can’t see it with this handsome older looking ZHL
Overall, this drama is well executed (so far) w/ the story and direction/theme of the drama. Total Go Ahead vibes for family dynamics and adolescence growing up and struggles.
they made the ML and FL both love sicked puppies when they both carry so much more and aspire to do so much for their countries. they are both supposed to be smart/cunning and very scheming, but this drama made them the opposite. the FL's maid's repetitive line 'i will kill you' even though it's very laughable b/c she's a weakling and could beat no one. the ML's sister (not blood related) is not even in the novel and even she has a stupidity to her that's just plain annoying.
also, in royal lineage and privilege, he must be complete, w/ no scarring, disability or deformity.
cutting off changjue's finger is pretty much making an unworthy candidate for the thrown. he won't be able to inherit the thrown with any deformities.
2 of the most funniest/cute characters were axed from the novel:
FL's mentor (he's not too old, probably 1-2 years older than ML): Qian BaiMei (a very skilled/master of martial arts, seduction master, vixen/good looking. he teaches FL the art of seduction and how to win a man's heart and FL's brother martial arts. he's given a high official post in Zhao court only b/c the king is scared of him and he can't kill him off (he tried a couple of assasin attempts).
ML's shadow: Xu YinGui (he's supposed to be invisible and hidden) helper/friend/assistant/master of this jiangwu sect (it seem like both of them knew each other in their childhoods). he's the guy who sleeps with all ML's harem, except FL. He needs the yin from the women to learn his martial arts or keep his 'hing gong' fast/improving. whenever he sleeps w/ the women, the curtains are all closed/drawned and no lights are lit. he is a master of voices and mimics the ML in the dark where the women does not suspect that he's a fake.
tidbits from novel:
from their first encounter at the brothel....
FL said this:
it is a man's talent to take the woman to bed, but it's a woman's talent to make him want to stay.
FL is 18 y/o. due to the poison FL had, ML planned everything where FL have no worries left and he took her to a secluded mountain villa to spend the rest of their days together. she was pregnant already. that's the conclusion to FL's story arc after she reclaim what was hers and set things in the right path for her country.
the villa mountainside/outside area is full of peach trees; all planted for her by ML.
ML secret identity is Wu citizen. 28 y/o. he is a skilled martial artist but only use his soft sword (hidden/part of his belt) when absolute needed to. other times, he feign being a scholar (official) w/ guards. he was disown and deleted from the family tree b/c of his role in the struggle in the wu royal family. He went undercover and made himself a greedy, treacherous, nympho (thus the many women in his house) power hungry chancellor so he could better plan for the long road ahead to place 4th prince on the throne. his marriage to the mei (main wife, in the drama, it's meng but she's actually a concubine only) daughter and other concubines are political ties to balance out power and leverage for what he wants to achieve. he is the wei king's must trusted advisor and why the princes all wants to win his favor. w/ his help, the prince will win the crown prince position. he doesn't mind how others see him and doesn't care to correct it. the main wife and the other concubines met their end/demise and either died for their maternal family or returned to maternal family as a divorcee, which is a shame to the family name.
ML and FL do it a lot in the novels where they are loud/noisy. they are each other's first and only. zhan lu and qing tai sometimes are stuck w/ hearing them b/c they are on night duty/beck and call. there was one time where zhan lu passes cotton balls to qing tai to stuff her ears. hahaha...
qing tai (maid) is actually queen empress lu's people. it was her who fed the poison to FL. the queen will only let FL leave Zhao if she took the poison (as a way to control her and put her in her place). FL knew all this time qing tai's real identity but played along anyways b/c maid is actually slow/dumb but is skilled in self defense and kind. at one point FL told the maid that she knows she works for the queen and went along w/ taking the poison so she leave Zhao to seek better opportunities. FL figured best to settle w/ her being slow/dumb than have the queen send someone smarter to deal with her. maid eventually grew loyal to FL and sides w/ her more. maid does as told by FL but never overstep or threaten anyone like the drama at all times. their relationship is strictly master/servant, not family/sister like in the drama.
FL is not super mistreated by the palace like in the drama. FL and her brother were just invisible w/ no one to care for them, thus leaving them to do everything on their own: mending clothes, cooking, washing/cleaning. they have limited/little resources but not to the point where they were nothing. they were in a remote courtyard out of view. the king pretty much forgot about their existence and don't care for them since he has the queen and the older princess. their situation got better when bai qian mei came into their lives. FL was engaged at a young age/when the mother was still alive. the fiance caught the eye of the older princess and broke off their engagement when he was offered more by the older princess.
4th prince (16 y/o) secret identity is an unfavored prince of Wu. the crown prince of wu and queen killed his mother and sister and tried to eliminate him. he assumed the identity of the 4th prince when the hostage consort (from wei) returned to wei. book never explained what happen to the real 4th prince, assumption he died young/sick on the way back to wei. even thoug his past history was full of violence and tragedy, he was not jaded. he sticks to his beliefs and want to do things his ways, even if it takes longer to succeed. ML pledge his loyalty to the 4th prince and is the only one who knows his real identity. so his story arc is the pseudo 4th prince fights his way for the throne of wei to assume power/leverage to attack and kill his enemies: wu royal family....which he succeeds. he basically succeeds in becoming the only ruler of the three kingdom: wu destroyed and zhao surrenders and becomes a vessel state to wei. he would be the 3rd main character in the series. he's wise, patience and very grounded, unlike the drama version where he's kid-like, slow and impulsive.
empress lu dies as a prisoner of the wei army/camp. she was abducted by ML was trying to force her to reveal the anecdote for the poison (which is a form of 'gu'/voodoo/worm and not the peach flower poison in the drama). upon hearing the death of her daughter and zhao being under FL party, she went crazy and kill herself. empress lu doesn't have a creepy relationship w/ the 3rd prince. the 3rd prince did killed the oldest prince and handicapped the 2nd prince, ultimately become the crown prince (according to ML's schemes) but only to be ousted by ML to make room for 4th prince. 3rd prince was charged and sentenced to death for the death of the king and palace coup. FL actually play the meng er character b/c 3rd prince was obsessed w/ her and treated her very well that FL actually felt bad about lying to him and help set him up for failure. she schemed to have 3rd prince (at the time crown prince) and his wife killed in prison and sent them out to live a new life as commoners.
the novel has a lot of good story arcs and the personalities of the ML and FL is smart and bold...balancing each other...but ultimately, FL come out on top b/c ML bended to her, therefore mastering the highest level of seduction rules (have a man who will do anything for you unconditionally).
FL faked her pregnancy at first to avoid ML's chase when she left wei to return to zhao. her pregnancy was only confirmed when she arrived at zhao. she thought it was just luck that she was able to get pregnant.
after ML learn of her poison and her shorten life span due to no antidote, he sped things along (the war/fight between zhao and wei) and have everything settle where both kingdoms call a truce and agreed to a treaty. FL's brother became king. ML then take FL to his peach (named after her) manor in the forest to rest, take care of her pregnancy and prepared for what to come. after given birth to a daughter, FL's life slowly faded out and dying. ML was thinking of dying with her until he realizes she still have breath. mentor's doctor friend was the one who confirmed her pregnancy in zhao and given her some medicine and advised to use it in the case of life and death. FL was able to survived post pregnancy due to that.
shortly after, her mentor arrived with more info on her poison. it turns out that her poison was passed/absorded by the baby/pregnancy and that the baby inherited the poison and cured FL. the baby was born a lilac/purple skin tone due to the poison. mentor took the baby to the west (where the gu poison was invented) to research and find antitode. mentor told ML to keep FL away from world affairs for the next 3 years.
after 3 years passed, ML found out that FL's brother died of gu poison and surrended zhao to wei as a vessel country. FL's brother hope that in doing so will avoid war, death and hardship for his people.
The men in her life...all loves/attracted her in a different way.
Shen ZaiYe
Qian BaiMei (her mentor)
Xu YinGui (ML's colleague and secret helper)
Le Dian (ex fiance who married her sister)
Mu Wuyin (3rd prince)
Mu Wuxia (4th prince)
not at all accurate haha...the drama seems to loosely adapt their characters and personalities, but changed a lot of details and dropped a lot of plot/story arc.
the characters revolves around 3 kingdom: wei, zhao and wu...but the drama changed all of it.
wei zhao and wu kingdoms were once one kingdom until the royal family split ways and form their own kingdoms. overtime, each kingdom have their own culture, etc. zhao weaken over time due to internal corruption and lack of wise rulers. this is one of the reason why zhao marry off the princess (FL) to secure a friendly relationship with wei. wu is strong in military combat and resources, wei is more of in the middle, but with internal royal conflicts. wei sent one of the consort to wu as a royal hostage. when the consort arrived at wu, she was 1-2 months pregnant already. due to the timing, the wei king never acknowledge the 4th prince (prince nan; mu wuxia) and suspects the consort was having an affair while she was a hostage in wu.
ML schemed to have FL in the very first chapter of the novel. Through error, she became his concubine. ML is super smart, cunning and a scheme master and does everything for a reason/goal. FL is a female version of him, which is why they are the battles of wits when it comes to goals/surviving.
ML's main wife and all his concubines are a political exchange of power and advantages.
in the novel, he doesn't sleep with anyone at his manor. xu yingui is his colleague (never really explain much of his background but rather they both shared the same goal and that they grew up together). xu yingui is basically the one who secretly sleeps with all his women and the women all this time thought it was the ML. ML has no interest in any of the women and believe that not being emotionally attached will keep him have a clear mind and more focus to do things. Xu yingui needs to consume yin (women/sex) to master his kungfu/wugong. so they have this set up where they both could get what they want.
FL's pregnancy is a key point to her survival...and if they follow the story line from the novel, this will happen in the drama.