Fated Hearts Cdrama review

The Story

During the Battle of Pingling, Jinxiu Kingdom’s red-clad female archer, Fu Yixiao, struck the eldest prince of Susha, Feng Suige. Seriously injured, the Susha army was forced to withdraw.

However, shortly after the battle, Fu Yixiao falls off a cliff. When she comes to, she has lost her memories and is pursued by assassins. She is rescued by a healer, who patches her up, but Yixiao later encounters her old enemy, Feng Suige, who is also seeking treatment at the same medical clinic.

Seeing Fu Yixiao in this state, Feng Suige believes that there’s something more to the Battle of Pingling. Why is someone trying to kill the hero of Jinxiu? Suige believes that there’s a mastermind underminding the Susha army.

So, he offers Yixiao a “partnership”: work together to uncover the mastermind behind the conspiracy

Thus, the two, sworn enemies a month ago, now rely on each other to get to the bottom of this. And eventually, relianced turned to love.

Characters

Fu Yixiao (played by Li Qin): Fu Yixiao was once a renowned archer and military commander of Jinxiu.

Feng Suige (played by Chen Zheyuan): Feng Suige is the eldest prince of the emperor of Susha Kingdom.

Xia Jingshi (played by Chen Heyi): As a prince and military comnander of the Zhennan Army of theJinxiu Kingdom, Xia Jingshi appears to be gentle and reserved, but in reality he is powerful and ruthless.

Feng Xiyang (played by Xia Meng): The beloved princess of Susha Kingdom fell in love with Xia Jingshi at first sight when she was young.

Murong Yao (played by Zuo Ye): Suige’s best friend is the son of a Marquis who defends the border up north. He spends his days enjoying himself and has a reputation as a useless nobleman and a playboy.

What I Liked

Great pacing, tight plot: I’m not the sort of person to binge a drama, but it captured my attention so thoroughly that I binged 10 episodes in one day. And unlike most dramas, it didn’t have the final arc failure – the story was steady and believable till the end.

Its sophisticated approach to character development and moral complexity: The writing adds genuine nuance to every character, showing how people can be foolishly focused on the wrong priorities, failing to recognize what truly matters right in front of them and falling into evil deeds because of it.

Compelling parallel character journeys, such as that of Suige and Xia Jingshi, both princes of their kingdoms Both characters face similar circumstances. They have unfavored positions in their respective courts with limited support, yet their responses reveal their true natures. Suige builds genuine loyalty and develops real skills through honourable means, while Xia Jingshi manipulates others through false kindness, ready to discard them when convenient. Suige always fights at the front of his army while Jingshi hides behind people whom he has brainwashed to protect him to the death. Even Suige and Yixiao had similar journeys, mishaps and betrayals, which makes them one of the best-matched couples in CDramaland! ;D

The sibling relationships are deeply moving. I have gotten so tired of the murderous royal sibling trope, so this was a breath of fresh air.

It’s probably the best enemies-to-lovers romance I’ve seen: a true partnership where both leads fight side by side. No noble idiocy, “I’ll keep this from her for her own good” situations. Li Qin and Zheyuan have fiery chemistry!

The best female general/warrior of the year: This is the year of female generals, and most have failed. Shadow Love probably had the worst female general I’ve seen. But Li Qin radiates and projects lethal competence without trying to be masculine.

The acting is stellar: The argument between Murong Yao and his father, and the emperor’s soliloquies. There are many standout moments and scenes in this drama.

Story complexity and coherence: I’ve gotten so used to uneven pacing, logic fails, snooze-worthy arcs that to have a drama with such a coherent, well-aced story was an utter miracle. The drama strikes an excellent balance between explicit storytelling and leaving room for audience interpretation.

What I Didn’t Like

Chen Heyi’s (Jingshi) poor acting: No hate for the actor, but let’s name a spade a spade – he cannot act. This made most of Jiangshi’s arc unbearable. He is outacted by everyone, so his weakness is very apparent in this drama.

The cinematography occasionally becomes unintentionally comedic with its excessive use of dramatic lighting where strobe-like spotlight effects during romantic scenes. Amusingly over-the-top, but this director is known for his flares, though he has toned it down a lot in this drama and it doesn’t distract me too much.

Thoughts about the ending

The ending is one of the most satisfying I’ve watched; it had a conclusion that honours the characters and their journeys. The drama excels at building that foundation. They invested significant time making the characters nuanced and complex, clearly establishing their motivations and desires.

For example, when Suige doesn’t immediately claim the throne at the end of the drama, it felt completely right because the groundwork has been thoroughly laid: Being emperor was probably the last thing he wanted for himself and Yixiao.

The “why” of their choices is crystal clear.

While some say the succession question was unrealistic, I actually appreciate how they handled it.

Suige not becoming emperor turns out to be the happiest possible outcome for him. Being trapped on the throne would have meant constantly watching his back, dealing with a court where he lacks widespread support, navigating palace politics filled with duplicitous courtiers, and managing people he fundamentally doesn’t want to deal with. Both he and Yixiao have consistently expressed their desire to live peacefully with the people they love, and the drama delivers exactly that.

The ambiguity around the Chenyang, the second prince’s status works well. He’s spending time away guarding the tomb—whether he’s abdicated or will eventually return remains purposefully unclear.

I feel that Suige understands his younger brother isn’t suited for the ruthless world of court politics. The second prince is too pure, too genuine for a life surrounded by two-faced schemers.

Even if he could develop the necessary skills, as we’ve seen in recent episodes, it would destroy his gentle nature and leave him miserable. He deserves a happy, simple life, and Suige cares too much about his brother to force that burden on him.

As for Xiyang, with Suige serving as regent, she’ll receive proper training for leadership. As he told her many episodes ago, he will be the first to defend her and fight for her rights.

So, in the end, Suige is Regent, living peacefully with his beloved Yixiao, whom he now calls “fu ren” (wife). They have married and I’m pretty sure am on the way to having many kids.

The revenge arc also provides deeply satisfying closure, with each villain receiving consequences that fit their crimes—from Murong Yao’s death at Suige’s hands to the poetic justice of various other antagonists meeting their ends.

Personally, although the Alliance arc slowed down the pace, I felt that the lull served a crucial narrative purposes. Suige had always idealized his mother and viewed the Alliance through rose-tinted glasses. Part of his rejection of his father’s edict stemmed from wanting to live his mother’s life. He needed to discover that even in a supposed utopia, life is difficult because people remain flawed. Despite his mother being a founder, it meant nothing—no privileges, and the sect had become toxic despite her ambitions.

Suige also needed to understand the value of imperial power. Being reduced to his weakest state through severe injuries taught him how powerlessness impacts not just himself but everyone around him. Being forbidden to leave represented another form of helplessness.

His romantic ideals about life away from the palace needed that reality check. Eventually, he realizes that without power, he cannot protect his people. This arc is where his character embraces power, though I’m confident he won’t become as Machiavellian as his father—he’ll avoid repeating his parents’ mistakes while living the life he wants and using his authority responsibly.

I really appreciated that they showed the true costs of his injuries. He didn’t bounce back with a magical cure; he had to claw his way back to health and lucidity. This makes the eventual vengeance feel even more justified, and we as the audience can fully enjoy it with him. He didn’t know how good he had it until he lost everything, including his mind—a very necessary character arc.

Anyway, I enjoyed this drama so, so much. Probably the most satisfying costumed romance drama this year for me.

Conclusion

Story: The narrative exceeded expectations for an idol drama, delivering surprising depth and complexity. The character arcs feel authentic, with protagonists who are genuinely flawed yet entirely believable in their motivations and growth.

Acting: Except for Heyi (Jingshi), the actors’ performances were all strong, with standout moments. Of particular note was the veteran actor who played the emperor – he had several soliloquys that made me just stare in amazement. I didn’t know Chen Zheyuan at all before Fated Hearts, but he really delivered Suige’s ruthlessness and his battle scenes were really well down: He was athletic, filled with brutal punches, kicks and sword swipes.

Costumes and Sets: Gorgeous costumes, but I wish they didn’t make Suige so beautiful and pale. He is a battle-hardened general, after all! Oh, but “I ate well”, as us Chinese would say.

Camerawork: Okay, in general but the excessive dramatic lighting effects during romantic moments ended up being funny.

Rewatchability: High

Final Rating: 4.5 out of 5

When a drama can make this binge-reluctant viewer to abandon all restraint and devour multiple episodes in one sitting, that’s the mark of genuinely captivating television.

#45Stars #CDrama #cdramaReview #CDramas #CostumedDrama

Minning Town (review)

The villagers of Ningxia were told to move from their ancestral village in the mountains to the edge of the Gobi desert. However, most of the villagers who made the trek left by the second day.

Ma Defu tries his best to get the villagers to stay and build the Minning Town. But how do you fight the brutal desert to build a thriving town?

Characters

Ma Defu (played by Huang Xuan): A young cadre chief who works hard to convince the villagers to move to Minning. His determination to bring a better life to his community often puts him at odds with the villagers, but he never gives up.

Ma Huashui (played by Zhang Jiayi): Ma Huashui is Ma Defu’s father and a stubborn, traditional farmer. As one of the older villagers, he is initially resistant to change and deeply attached to his way of life in the mountains.

Li Shuihua (played by Reyizha Alimjan): Despite her family’s many challenges and hardships, she always has a smile, and never allows her difficulties to stop her from striving for a better day.

Yang Xuecheng (played by Guo Jingfei): A government official in charge of overseeing the relocation program. He works closely with Ma Defu to improve the conditions in the town.

Chen Jinshan (played by Huang Jue): A government official from Fujian responsible for implementing the poverty alleviation policies. A city slicker, he’s initially out-of-his-depth by the villagers’ different way of life, but he is incredibly pragmatic and plays a key role in encouraging industrial projects to improve the economic situation of Minning.

Professor Ling Yinong (played by Zhang Jiayi): An agricultural scientist who was initially very reluctant to help the town, he eventually comes to play a critical role in helping the community develop new agricultural technique which becomes an important part of the village’s economic growth and success.

Thoughts

“Minning Town” is a drama in a genre of Chinese dramas called fupinju, or poverty-alleviation dramas.  While some may call it “propaganda”, I call it a drama of hope.

There are precious few dramas that uplift you or give you hope these days. Especially Western dramas where it’s far more de rigeur these days to focus on the dark, perverse side of humanity.

Personally, I think we need more hopeful dramas to remind us that humanity can be capable of wonderful things too, so I’m glad this genre exists in China.

The town, by the way, is a real-life place that has since become an attraction thanks to the drama. Many people around the world now visit the place to learn how poverty alleviation was done there.

What I liked

• Despite being labelled “propaganda”. The drama does not shy away from criticising the missteps from the government in the relocation programme. You see villagers yelling at government officials all the time!
• The show has an unerring commitment to realism. The cast spoke in thick, regional dialects. There was dusty, brown, dry miserable desert everywhere. The drama’s unflinching portrayal of poverty was a character of its own.
• The humour! In a few hilarious scenes, Defu had to act as Chen Jinshan’s translator because not only do the villagers speak a Northern dialect, they didn’t understand Chen’s “big words”. But they sure understood two words: “make money”!
• The fantastic acting made me weep with joy. Sometimes you’re so used to idol drama standards that when you finally watch superb acting, you realise what you’ve been missing!
• The message of hope and resilience. Honestly, it makes you think twice about whining about your modern-life problems when you see what these villagers go through.

What I didn’t like

• It can get overly idealistic and dramatic with the message. If you’re familiar with Michael Bay movies and the speeches made with the sound of soaring orchestra music in the background, yeah, we get that here. I have a feeling a lot of Western viewers would probably cringe at the overwhelming positivity, though I recognise how Asian cultures, generally very community-focus rather than individualistic, could actually react this way when officials leave.
• Pacing issues. Although short by Chinese drama standards, there are some episodes that were far too plodding, especially at the beginning.

Conclusion

Dear lord, I didn’t understand what poverty really felt like or meant until I watched this drama. What I liked is that they didn’t tell us but showed us what it meant to be dirt poor.

A villager has to hide under the blankets when visitors arrive at his home because his brother was out trying to find work that day, and they only had one pants that they shared with each other.

Li Shuihua had to literally pull her family and belongings in a cart for miles to get to the new village.

A woman quietly follows the researchers until they had to turn around and ask her why, and she asked if she could have the vegetables they had just bought from the market, saying that her husband was sick and they had not eaten anything fresh for days.

The floors of most of the homes being literally dirt floors.

So, it was absolutely delightful to see people learn to create something that could give them better lives. Not begging for handouts like beggars, mind you, but actually building something with their hands. The villagers gained not only livelihoods, but confidence and pride.

When you finally see their present-day lives in the final episode, you almost can’t comprehend how far they’ve come.

(And it took me a quick moment to realise that Ma Defu is around my age. I imagined having to grow up from dirt poor poverty to middle class modernity the way he did and just could not wrap my head around it.)

It was also educational and delightful to see such a strategic and communal approach to poverty alleviation.

What is impressive to me is how these experts will stay in this dusty village to help out and dig ditches with the villagers. For example, our professor literally goes to the market and helps sell the mushrooms alongside the villagers.

When you think about it, poverty alleviation is very logical and simple.

Management consultants will be familiar with the “change management” principles that China used in their poverty alleviation programme. While fancy management consultants implement the change management principles for companies so that they can be more profitable, China uses it to improve the lives of the poor.

Here’s how it roughly works: Representatives of the government are sent to live and work with the villagers so that they can intimately understand their pain and suffering. And each village has a cadre that can act as a bridge between the officers and the villagers. These people are the champions for the mission among the villagers; they play a vital part to convince villagers to make the change.

It is no wonder when these government officials finally leave their post, often after many years as a part of the village, there’s a huge outpouring of emotion. I stumbled on this post on X about one such event in Xinjiang.

It makes so much sense to do this. Not only is it an efficient way to solve problems, it gains the political party invaluable goodwill.

Yet, so many countries around the world do not have politicians or experts that are willing to step away from their comfortable, gilded lives to live alongside the people they supposedly want to help.

Instead, we have a sad situation where politicians, academicians and the intelligensia live in mansions and ivory towers, lecturing their masses about their shortcomings and dictating new policies to the poor.

As they do not live the same lives as the poor, they do not know what they really need.

How are they supposed to help the poor if they don’t know their struggles or how their live?

Final rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

There’s a reason why the drama is rated 9.4 at the notoriously picky Douban site.

It is an inspiring piece of work, and it will probably make you jealous that your government is not as organised and efficient when trying to help the poor and disenfranchised in your country. Well, at least for me!

#45Stars #CDrama #CDramas #China #ChineseDrama #TV

Joy of Life (Season 2)

Joy of Life, season 1 and 2, is not a drama to binge.

It took me a couple of months to watch season 1 because the plots were so heavy. I took many breaks, often detouring to lighter dramas.

I stopped at around five episodes of season 1’s end, and once I knew the season 2 air date, I watched those last episodes.

I think this strategy helped me embrace season 2 better.

Podcast episode

You can also hear my thoughts about the drama.

PS: it’s not an audio version of this article, by the way. This article has a lot more depth.

https://spotifyanchor-web.app.link/e/x6iI2vcyfKb

A word about Joy of Life season 1

Joy of Life season 1 was a big, big, bit hit.

For many, it seems strange that the drama was a hit. For one, it feels like a typical guzhuang drama (costumed drama) with costumed characters strolling around Hengdian studios. What made it stand out?

For one, JOL is a rare fantasy historical drama that is not dominated by idol actors. (Idol actors usually come from non-acting backgrounds. They are often “high traffic” stars that have a huge following due to social media savviness or they got famous as singers or were stars in reality show. As a result, most are not professionally trained.)

JOL has A-class actors, directors and scriptwriters running the show. So there’s better acting, script and cinematography than the average fare. There are a number of veteran actors like Chen Daoming in the drama, and it’s a delight to watch them.

JOL’s story is also “genre-bending” and very unpredictable. And better, almost every side character is well-written, acted and are so unique, even if their appearances were brief.

Not that it was perfect – the first 12 episodes of season 1 was was draggy, but it built the foundation for us to fall in love with the story and the characters.

The comedy, however, is not for everyone. It has a very typical Chinese flavour with many Chinese puns and cultural references.

The story

In season 1, we meet Fan Xian, a man with 21st-century memories who finds himself in ancient China.

Or at least, what he thought was ancient China.

He led a charmed life, even if he was an illegitimate son of a prominent minister. He is protected by powerful men, among them a seemingly ageless and indestructible bodyguard named Wu Zhu, and the head of the kingdom’s secret service. And the emperor seems to be interested in him, for some reason.

At the end of season 1, Fan Xian “dies”, stabbed by Yan Bingyuan, the man he travelled to the north to rescue.

But is he really dead?

When season 2 begins, we discover that Fan Xian has faked his death to elude the schemes of the second prince. But faking your death is akin to lying to the emperor, and if the Emperor finds out what he has done, it’s off with his head!

How does Fan Xian get out of this fix?

FYI, one of the major reveals of season 1 is that Fan Xian is the emperor’s son through Ye Qing Mei. Fan Xian grapples with this reality and also navigates the court, knowing that if his identity ever comes out, he and his loved ones will be in more danger.

Season 2 covers the middle of the 730+ chapter novel; season 2 gets into more “scheming” territory as Fan Xian tries to build his alliances to survive vicious court politics. So, all those big questions about his mum and the mysterious temple are pushed aside, though not utterly ignored, for now.

The characters

There are so many interesting characters in Joy of Life that it’ll be difficult to list them all, but these are the most important ones, and some of my favourites:

Fan Xian – Our lead hero who has memories of the 21st century. Gary Stu and terroriser of chief eunuchs. Admittedly, due to his Gary-Stu-ness, it took me awhile not to feel like slapping his face each time I watch him on screen. But in season 2, he truly grew on me as he became more embroiled in court politics and has become more flawed, conflicted and ruthless.

Uncle Wu Zhu (sixth pic)- Everyone’s favourite killing machine uncle. He has watched over Fan Xian since he was a baby. He is ageless, mysterious and is a match for Grandmasters. Like Fan Xian’s mother, Ye Qing Mei, Wu Zhu comes from the mysterious “temple”.

Emperor of Qing – The emperor who is always in his loungewear but is probably planning your assassination while pouring you a nice cup of tea. Fan Xian once said that he always felt like the most intelligent person in the room with everyone … except the emperor. He is always ten steps ahead of everyone, is very unpredictable and ruthless, even to his family.

Cheng Ping Ping – My second favourite uncle. Looks like a nice uncle but is a murderous bastard with a nice smile. The head of the Overwatch and possibly the second most powerful man in the Qing kingdom.

Fan Jian – Fan Xian’s adopted dad and a minister of revenue. He loves Fan Xian like his own, and among Fan Xian’s many dads, probably loves Fan Xian in the most unconditional way, without agenda or motives.

Princess Royal– Otherwise known as Fan Xian’s batshit crazy future mother-in-law from hell. She once owned the Imperial Treasury and Ye Qing Mei’s legacy, but is forced to give it to Fan Xian once he marries her daughter, Lin Wan’er.

Crown prince – Son of the empress. Many assume he’s not very bright, but it is a facade; he hides his ruthlessness behind a genial personality.

First prince – A military man who prefers to stay out of the capital, he has been summoned back to the capital to marry the North Qi eldest princess.

Second prince – He doesn’t do much to hide his viciousness. He kills, schemes and discards people like used handkerchiefs, but meets his match in Fan Xian, who has now decided that he is Enemy No.1.

Third prince – The youngest of the princes. Largely ignorant of his father and brothers’ scary ways, he is the most sheltered of the princes.

Haitang Duo Duo – The Saintess of Northern Qi. Will beat up all the men without breaking a sweat and has surprisingly not done so with Fan Xian yet. But it’s coming, pretty sure of it. Fan Xian’s good friend, despite what everyone says about it being something more.

Wang Qi Nian – Fan Xian’s right-hand man. He made lying such a cute, loveable thing to do.

Fan Si Zhe – Fan Xian’s brother has brain cells that are focused on enhancing money acquisition. He may be a doofus in many things, but he’s a genius with money.

Fan Ruo Ruo – Fan Xian’s little sister and biggest cheerleader. She wants to be more than a married woman and Fan Xian wants to make it happen for her. She plays an important role in the grand scheme of things.

Li Wan Er – In season 1, she was a character so bland, I only remember her as “Chicken drumstick girl”. Fan Xian’s love interest – she truly grows into a more unique character in season 2.

Episode logs

Do not proceed if you have not watched Joy of Life 2! This sections has spoilers galore.

(Episodes 1 to 6) Ressurection & brothels

People, especially Chinese viewers, were actually quite upset with the first six episodes because they were not in the novel and also because it seemed awkward.

As usual, I seemed to go against the crowd – I loved them LOL. They seem like a light transition from the heavy events of season 1’s last arc and a gentle reintroduction to the Joy of Life universe.

I particularly enjoyed the introduction of Wang Qi Nian’s family, which humanised him even further. And I’m loving Fan Xian’s stepmother more and more as I watch these episodes. Scenes that stood out for me:

• Fan Xian getting angry at Si Zhe. This was a rare time, after Teng Zijing, that we see lose control and act out on his anger.
• Of course, that scene with the vegetable seller in front of the brothel. How he literally hung on to tell him what was inside only to die from his wounds.

One criticism I agreed with is that sometimes, Joy of Life’s comedy doesn’t always land and is, well, lame. For example, that moment where Ba Ba told Fan Xian her name. His reaction to her name made me ask if there’s some cultural element I might be missing, but it turns out that it was just that – he was amused that she was called 爸爸, the modern word for “father”.

And the product placements! As much as I am happy for JOL2’s financial success, they were so distracting.

Also, I actually wished they hadn’t reenacted the last scene of season 1, because it felt so weird to suddenly seem him, er, thin. If they had just started with the scene where the emperor was running down the halls after hearing the news of Fan Xian’s “death” and then to Fan Xian arriving at the gate, I would’ve totally accepted his weight loss as due to his “walk” back home from Bei Qi.

(Episodes 7 to 15) Vegetables & the Censorate

I suspect that this is the arc where most people will fall off because it’s very “talky”. Yet, some of us adore this, because we see the beauty behind the “talkiness” – it takes a masterful scriptwriter to hold your attention in a static stage like the hall where ministers hold court with the emperor. In episodes 10 and 15, I marveled at the fact that most of the episode took place in that boring room, yet I was absolutely riveted.

In the course of watching this show, I thought to myself – why doesn’t everyone appreciate Joy of Life 2 the way I do? Why did some people go in the opposite direction and deem it a deep disappointment?

One can only conclude that Joy Of Life 1, if you think about the 3-part structure of a story, is at the beginning where new discoveries of the world and characters are taking place. There are new and exciting revelations throughout the season.

Season 2, which is the second part of the 3-part structure, is bound to lose that sense of newness and excitement as it builds upon the discoveries of the first part. As a writer, this is the “shit gets real” arc where our hero stumbles, and discovers he’s not as invincible.

As I said before, I didn’t really like Fan Xian in season 1 because I thought he was a Gary Stu who got everything handed to him. He has powerful protectors and allies, is highly intelligent, wealthy, and has a cocky attitude on top of all that.

It is in this arc that I truly ended up liking Fan Xian as a flawed, real human being.

It is also in this arc that Fan Xian discovers that while he may be smart enough to outwit ministers, he cannot outwit the emperor.

He must have gotten his ability to use people as tools for his plans – to quote Minister Lin “to use them to do his dirty work” – from his real dad, the emperor. (But we will discover that the emperor is way more adept at this game than he ever will be.)

And I enjoyed the “fun and games” feel of the first few episodes of the arc as we try to figure out what Fan Xian is doing with Eunuch Dai and the bribes. It was hilarious to see everyone confused, and as usual, Zhang Ruo Yun acted the heck out of it. It turns out that this was Fan Xian’s convoluted way of forcing the court to investigate the second prince. If the emperor won’t do it, I’ll make the court do it! A dangerous game to play, especially with someone like the emperor.

But at the end of the arc, when Fan Xian’s “tool” – the Chief Censor, Minister Lai, – got out of control, accusing everyone including the emperor of corruption – he knew that his fun and games and overconfidence was going to hurt someone.

And in that poignant scene in the rain, as he tries to vainly shield Minister Lai from the rain, knowing that he had caused this man’s death … it hits Fan Xian hard that his schemes will get innocent people killed if he’s careless or fail.

It turns out that accusing the emperor wasn’t Minister Lai’s big mistake, as Chen Ping Ping later explained. His mistake was going to Fan Xian and work with him on a joint investigation.

The emperor wants Fan Xian to be a “lone minister”, one with no allies in court. Not only does this isolate him so that Fan Xian is easier to control, but because the emperor wants the Overwatch as his personal “blade” to do whatever dirty work he wants. He doesn’t want anyone else in the pot, nor does he want anyone influencing Fan Xian. The Overwatch is his and his alone. And Fan Xian’s allegiance must belong to him 100%.

Yes, Fan Xian got his cunning and scheming from his dad, the emperor. But he got his idealism and kindness from his mother. Unlike his father, his heart would bleed if his “tools” end up hurt in his schemes. And that what makes him different … and a threat to the emperor, because while he understands the Crown Prince and Second Prince’s thirst for power, he doesn’t understand kindness.

(Episodes 16 to 23) The imperial examinations

This appears to be a simple arc where Fan Xian champions poor scholars, but turns out to be even more complex than Fan Xian (and us viewers) anticipate.

It seems like an odd arc to follow the heavy and depressing Censorate arc. Indeed, the transition was awkward at first, but eventually I think becomes a good transition for Fan Xian’s arc where he realises that the emperor is always 10 steps ahead of him (and 20 steps ahead of everyone else). It gives the audience a clear view of how absolutely frightening the emperor can be. (Woe to the sons to have a father like this, seriously!)

We eventually find out that the whole thing with the examination, is the emperor using Fan Xian’s idealism and heart for justice, for his own purposes. Fan Xian ends up inevitably being the emperor’s tool to remove the prime minister.

I can’t remember which character said this (I think it’s either the Chancellor or the Grand Princess), but the emperor is the kind of person who will not get his hands dirty to achieve his plans, but by manipulating other people to do something without them even realising that they’re being used!

The “banter” between the emperor and the prime minister was astounding. Like Fan Xian, we are absolutely clueless at what’s happening, but it turns out that the chancellor was literally fighting for his life in that scene. (And even then, he got only a temporary reprieve because the emperor sent assassins after he headed off to his “retirement”, something Fan Xian only managed to only prevent after figuring out Cheng Ping Ping’s riddle at the very last minute.)

The plotting, machinations, the hidden meanings behind the layered dialogue is what makes JOL2 such a delight for some … and utter boredom for others.

This is the kind of drama for people who loves to puzzle out things, who prefer to have their plot hinted at, not told, but it can be frustrating for those who don’t feel like doing all this work.

Definitely not an arc that will spoonfeed you the plot or the characters’ motivations. I think this arc is primarily to demonstrate the depth of the emperor’s machinations, and what a dangerous opponent he is.

My favourite moments:
Fan Xian riding down that lane in view of all the scholars like some hero to not just show the scholars but also to the plotters that “he’s watching”.

The chancellor’s “banter” with the emperor made me sweat eventhough I had absolutely no idea what was going on. I knew shit was happening but I have no idea what that shit is lol.

Favourtie character moments:
Fan Xian taking in that poor scholar (whose whole village was killed) as his retainer. For a poor scholar like him, during those times, having his village destroyed meant that he is now impoverished and homeless. Fan Xian literally saved his life by doing this.

Random thoughts

What is it about Chen Dao Ming that when he walks into a room, you just have to pay attention??

Fan Xian cooking pastries for Deng Zi Yue and Wang Qinian is a nice touch to show his care and regard for his subordinates. I’ve never seen a guzhuang hero doing this!

Don’t you just love it that the characters do not tell you they hate each other through internal monologues, but through polite dialogues with each other? I particularly enjoy the smarmy, fake smile, hate-laced interactions between the Crown Prince and the Second prince.

Deng Zi Yue – that intense scene between Fan Xian and the groveling Deng Zi Yue was fantastic to watch. Surprisingly some Chinese netizens hated that scene, saying that Fan Xian was hypocritical for treating him that way. I thought the scene was appropriate – Fan Xian was forcing DZY out of his meek, hardened shell. The man was so used to making himself so small to protect himself that he needed shock therapy. At one point, Deng Zi Yue admitted to Fan Xian that was all he could do – to protect himself. I enjoyed seeing him emerge into the righteous, brave man he was before court politics ground him down.

(Episodes 24-26) A marriage lull

I call these episodes “a nice break”, because we all know that’s what they do before all hell breaks loose. (I find it interesting that in the novel, the wedding happens much earlier. I think the scriptwriter thought as I did, what better way to create a lull before future explosive events than a wedding?)

Of course, the events leading up to these “joyful” episodes weren’t as joyful, because Ling’er had to bid her father goodbye as the emperor decided to get rid of him in the most elaborate conversation about retirement ever.

That scene where Fan Xian had the audience with both his fathers – one biological, another his “real” dad, was hilarious. The whole “show” they put on for the emperor was so hilarious that you could almost feel the emperor rolling his eyes hard.

Frankly, I expected far more trouble for Fan Xian but it turned out to be a rather uneventful wedding. Well, except for the whole second prince barging into his wedding reception thing and Ye Ling’er trying to tell Wan’er about Fan Xian being involved in her brother’s murder.

And I thought it was hilarious that Shi Zhe and Da Bao tried to interrupt Fan Xian’s wedding night, with Si Zhe in the couple’s bedchamber preventing them from enjoying some alone time! And Uncle Wu Zhu visiting at that time too!

Come on, guys. Give them that time alone – they totally earned it!

It’s so sweet that the Overwatch came to greet the couple in the morning.

There were many other beautiful moments in this mini arc, but my favourite moment was Fan Xian insisting that his stepmother sit in the chair beside his father, so that he could give her his full respect, and that in his eyes, she is his mother. The joy in her eyes was beautiful to see. Quite a journey for their relationship, because when he arrived in the household, they were suspicious of each other, and she seemed like a typical scheming stepmother, but has stepped up to be a full-on mum to Fan Xian.

This is what I love about this show, that you end up loving all the characters, no matter how small they are in the scheme of things, that you’re genuinely happy when they are happy.

Episodes 27 to 28: You are a mistake.

“You are a mistake,” says Wu Zhu.

This, of course, raises many questions. How did Fan Xian get his memories? DNA? Soul transference? Did he get his memories from an actual person? Was he that person? So many questions.

Seems like Fan Xian’s mother was hiding literal bullets in a secret room. Why did she not destroy them according to the temple’s rules in the end? I think at the end of her life, she realized that Fan Xian would need this to fight the Grandmaster, whom Wuzhu casually implies is a monster.

Also, Fan Xian’s Poison Master Dad is such a sweetheart. He gave Fan Xian the cure for his wife’s illness, which is tuberculosis, apparently.

Treasury Bonds: Si Zhe comes to the rescue as he explains a 21st-century concept to this ancient kingdom folk.

This is Fan Xian’s ingenious way of restoring Nei Ku’s coffers which the Princess Royal had emptied.

Side note: There was this hopeful moment when Shi Zhe came really close to coining the term for this “new” (or rather, recreated) financial organization and system only to flub it towards the end.

That scene was so funny. Unfortunately, this is one of the moments where you really need to understand Chinese to get the joke. I relate to Fan Xian’s frustration, by the way, because Shi Zhe came so close to coining the word 银行 (yīn hǎng), which is “bank”.

Shadow’s obsession with Uncle Wu Zhu is rather cute but will be very problematic for Fan Xian in the next few episodes.

Episode 29 to 30: Chrysanthemum Viewing

In one very sweet scene, Fan Sr plays dominoes with Si Zhe and his family. This is a tradition that Fan Xian started in Season 1 if I’m not mistaken. So, it’s sweet that they are carrying on this tradition.

As with most Chinese families, love is not expressed with words, but with gestures. And this was a very elaborate gesture from the dad saying that he loves Shi Zhe and wants him to stay.

Meanwhile, Fan Xian is confused as to why the emperor is showing him favoritism during the Chrysanthemum Viewing Festival. I don’t think it’s coming from a place of love, if you know what I mean.

While he may be one step ahead of everyone when it comes to the emperor, Fan Xian could never figure out what the emperor is up to, and that makes him nervous.

Also, each time I see Chen Daoming, I just get so inspired. Honestly, with the quality or lack thereof of scripts for costumed dramas these days, Joy of Life 2 is a miracle. So many dramas just collapse towards the end so, it’s just amazing that we have a coherent plot and superb acting till the end of season 2.

We also have an indication that the Emperor is more than what he seems in this episode. Can I say that the fight between Fan Xian and the man in white is spectacular? That little spin he decides to do to create that wind effect? So cool!

Also, that little moment when the Emperor decided to risk his internal energy to save Fan Xian gave us a little glimpse of his humanity.

Fan Xian’s problems with his internal energy come to a head in episode 30 and Shadow’s obsession with Wu Zhu causes our hero some problems.

I’m touched, however, by how his adopted and real families reacted. Poor Fan Sr! Of all of Fan Xian’s dads, I feel that he’s the best, and the one who genuinely loves and cares for him, though Poison Dad is a close second.

Though, I could never really figure out if the Crown Prince was genuinely worried for Fan Xian or putting on a show for everyone.

In the novel, it seems that he was putting on a show.

Meanwhile, the Second Prince is probably off celebrating somewhere.

(Speaking of which, I’m going to miss the crown prince, or rather, the actor Zhang Haowei. The actor was involved in numerous scandals recently, and he “decided” to take a break from acting. It feels, however, that the “break” is rather permanent.

There’s no doubt that Zhang Haowei be replaced. I wonder who will be the lucky actor? It’s going to be so bizarre to see somebody else, but since they replaced another actress in season 2, I don’t think the team will hesitate, but the crown prince is not exactly a bit role….)

The whole sequence with Fan Xian hallucinating and laughing is so funny. He was also speaking modern Chinese, which confused the heck out of everyone. Of course, again, this is another moment where you need to understand Chinese to appreciate the humor.

But this funny moment has the unfortunate effect – the emperor now realizes that Fan Xian is like his mother. Meaning, that he probably has knowledge that nobody else has. The knowledge that the emperor probably covets and is also afraid of.

I could almost see the emperor already scheming. How does this change the game?

Final rating: 4.5 out of 5

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