2Cat's paw.
The disturbingly elegant and noble Lan Jue, courtesy name Peizhi, is the picture of a rising young Vice Minister of Rites. Beneath his urbane facade, he conceals a burning purpose to clear his father's name in a two-decade-old treason case. In this quest, he is quite bendable with regard to the means that justify his ends. He is stymied at each turn by Zhang Ping, an impecunious scholar, noodle maker, and truth seeker. Zhang Ping is convinced Peizhi is a villain and is determined to bust him. Peizhi is cynically amused by Zhang Ping's naive righteousness and impressed with his deductive talent. He means to make use of him if he can and if not, dispose of him. Watching Zhang Ping go from being Peizhi's cat's paw to someone he raises kittens with is the best part of this drama for me.This high-production-value drama conjures a sinister, suspenseful aura that permeates the stylish, lavish existence of the Dayong elite. Everything from the set design to that ridiculously mysterious and beautiful opening dance, to Peizhi's floaty diaphanous costumes, to Peizhi's long, sensuous unbound hair reflects, elegance, refinement, and impeccable taste... aside from Song Weilong who obviously drew the short style straw starting with the rigid wig and the way his outfits look like they were slept in. It is no wonder Peizhi's old flame is less than impressed with the goofy, big-boned, toothy peasant with a big nose to boot that Peizhi traded down to. It does require suspension of disbelief considering how utterly appealing both the ardently devoted Mowen and frostily sophisticated Shulin are. The only explanation is Peizhi must be an eyelash man.
This is a bit unusual for the mystery genre in that it is far more of a character-driven story than it is plot-driven. As far as the cases go, they are well executed and unfold more as procedurals. Outside of certain aspects of the main conspiracy, the viewer is not given a fair chance to solve any of the cases. There are plot design shortcuts such as resorting to the water illusion trick to bridge memory gaps and uncover long-lost evidence and there are logic holes, such as crime scenes staying undisturbed for too long. While the over-arching conspiracy is well conceived with decent twists, it is not that original. The villains reveal themselves early on so it is also anti-climatic. But for once I don't really mind because Jing Boran's Peizhi is just too bloody distracting. How can a man look so damn indecent, almost naked with just his hair unbound? And my mouth goes dry at the subtle multi-partied flirtations - those deep searching and revealing looks these gorgeous men keep exchanging with one another. It is such a big upgrade from the typical stunned dead duck stare of conventional romances. I freely admit my brain went on strike so often I am grateful the solutions were just spoon-fed to me.
This drama is superbly well executed and gets all the important things right. Any shortfalls in the plot are made up for in excellent character design and heartfelt, immersive performances by the cast. Jing Boran and Wang Duo deliver standout performances but even Song Weilong, whose acting is still a work in progress, is so well cast he just somehow fits this Zhang Ping character. It is a shame that his scenes with Jing Boran obviously suffered heavy cuts. After all of the build-up, I was really looking forward to seeing Zhang Ping and Peizhi shine in the final arc. Instead, it is pretty much hijacked by Shulin's unfinished business with Peizhi and his abandonment issues. Everyone else including Mowen and the emperor is sidelined. As much as I love Shulin's complexity and Wang Duo's phenomenal acting, I have mixed feelings about the final arc. The tone feels a bit off and succumbs to a tad too much cliched, dog's blood melodrama. I think that Zhang Ping's newfound pragmatism and epiphany that the right outcome can be more important than the truth is fitting. It demonstrates enormous character growth even though justice proved to be ultimately elusive.
Moral of the story: Don't be a cat's paw - be careful who you date!
Overall a feast for the eyes and the senses - 8/10.
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Curiosity Kills The Cat
“Curiosity kills the cat” refers to Zhang Ping (Song Weilong), the Ramen Detective who, time and time again, places himself in great danger in determining to find the truth. Together with the elegant gentleman Lan Jue (Jing Boran), who initially seems like a “fu hei” (black belly) because he crosses the line which Zhang Ping tenaciously upholds, their fate intertwines and they solve cases after cases which provides them with more clues and leads them to unravel a greater conspiracy. The whole drama is intense and fast-paced, sinister with danger lurking in every corner, spurred on by the background music.Acting:
The drama is adapted from the novel "The Case of Zhang Gong" 《张公案》written by Da Feng Gua Guo, on the encounters of the naïve, honest and upstanding Zhang Ping, and the diplomatic and graceful Lan Jue. I love both portrayals. Jing Boran has a natural air of elegance and grace. His Lan Jue is brilliant and convincing. At times of his torment and uncertainty, viewers feel for him and his sorrow. Song Weilong has a boyish demeanor and fits the character of the naïve Zhang Ping. His acting here is very believable and lovable. The other cast members are equally good, especially Wang Duo''s Gu Qingzhang who is mysterious and evil-ish, Guo Cheng's Chen Chou who is a true friend, and Hong Yao's Wang Yan character which unfortunately is only one dimensional.
Plot:
The plot is layered with plot within plot and plot twists. Here we have a power-hungry Empress Dowager, a seemingly useless Emperor, a perverted royal blood who would do anything to get his revenge, an upstanding official who is forced to compromise his integrity due to the rot of the system, and a scholar who is obsessed in solving unsolvable cases. What seem like unrelated cases all lead to a big conspiracy. The attention to detail is laudable, with spectacular crime scenes leaving clues for the discerning eyes. The lavish use of hallucination, hypnotism, illusion and deception further enhances suspense and mysteries. There is also a hint of BL for Lan Jue and Gu Qingzhang which further fools the viewers with Zhang Ping’s reaction. It’s only revealed at the end that Lan Jue is a widower with a son. I’m grateful that there is no infuriating Mary Sue characters.
Music:
The opening music, “Red Bloody Fog”, is interesting, mono acoustic drum beats add on the mystery and suspense. I am actually very impressed by all the OSTs and the background music. Some tunes are upbeat with hope, most are sinister and dark, depicting imminent danger, evil and death. The OST “The World is Blessed” gives viewers an image of the common scenes on the street of the ancient time in the ancient city. The vocals accompanied by piano depict the simple life of the commoners, upbeat, and filled of hope for better tomorrows. I even love the tune sung by Zhang Ping’s shifu, “The Cow Wakes up to Eat the Grass”; I find myself humming to the tune repeatedly. There is an extended use of drums to give the feel of something ominous coming. The drop of each beat signifies a find of a jig-saw piece for the puzzle. The music can be mesmerizing, like the tune “Demon of the Heart”, sending listeners into a trance. In darkness and despair, there is hope because there is a person like Zhang Ping who insists on finding the truth as depicted with his tune on “The Ramen Detective's Noodles”.
My Verdict
A great watch for almost everyone. Don’t miss this wonderful drama.
Bravo!
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Spliced Jigsaw Puzzle
This spliced jigsaw puzzle drama was originally only picked up to see Jing Boran in costume as I'd seen him in a modern and he did a great job here. I liked the overall mystery and intrigue. But it definitely had a bunch of flaws.Pros: Peizhi which was Lan Jue's (JBR's beautiful portrayal) courtesy name was all around favorite character from his line delivery, to his expressive eyes, and as many have mentioned almost effervescent long locks of hair and ethereal clothing. He carried the charm, grace, and elegance of a man more worthy of the nobleman position than those around him. JBR did a fantastic job playing the hallucinations bit, it was very believable and authentic. The only really noticeable bromance in this series was between him and Mowen (an actor who redeemed himself tenfold for me after a drama a few years back that I dropped because of his insanely stalkerish vibes). Here the long, almost like drinking from a waterfall looks between these two characters, the not so subtle backup and care was very good to witness. Even though Mowen went off to fight and disappeared from the story until the ending, he made a huge impression as a man that would have Peizhi's back through thick and thin.
Zhang Ping was like-able though he was just a bit too forceful until faced with adult personal trauma. Mr. Lan as he called Peizhi, would always fuss over him like a mother hen. It felt more like a teacher/student relationship than anything else or an uncle and nephew growing together. Other favorite characters included Chen Chou the best friend of ZP who was literally like a leash to a constantly runaway puppy, Shifu, the emperor who was probably the most forthright and intelligent unlike his ruthless adoptive mother. The empress dowager was a very convincing and great antagonist who you wanted to put out of her misery the moment you met her. The aides of Peizhi were great men too.
The cases started off as open and shut or leading to a greater conspiracy which Peizhi, Mowen, and then ZP as well were trying to solve; absolve Peizhi's father of erroneous treason charges and learn more about ZP's own humble beginnings. However, the deeper into it we got, there were more questions than answers. The jigsaw puzzle grew instead of shrank.
Cons: ZP really had to constantly wear pajamas and walk around like he was either pissed off or stoned. Other emotions didn't exist or couldn't manifest until much later. What was the deal with Shulin? He came out of nowhere and already knew how to find Peizhi. He kept saying he'd been planning his revenge for 10 years. So what about the other 10? His whereabouts were never explained. Where did he get so much money to pull off everything he did. Bringing him into literally the last 8 or 9 episodes with totally new information then had previously been known was a whiplash. Even his supposed shared affinity with Peizhi just seemed off. The man was as ruthless and insane as his biological mother. He turned this mystery drama into essentially a silly Halloween movie.
Which begged another question; when they switched babies; who did the baby that would become the emperor belong to? Was he just kidnapped from somewhere? Why the need for the last minute fake empress gab? Back and forth. They rushed so many things, that it felt like you were running to catch up with a new and confusing development. Not to mention the opening credits were just stuck in wherever without a solid beginning. Though many questions were haphazardly answered, many things were not or forgotten altogether. It did seem like the latter half of the series was more or less just spliced together to find some form of ending balance.
Would I recommend it? Actually depends on how you feel about the genre. I liked the majority of it and it always kept me guessing especially when I was tremendously confused. So try it for yourselves and see what conclusion you reach. Perhaps you can solve this puzzle on your own.
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A mockery and travesty of justice! With possibly the most whitewashed ending I have ever seen.
This could have been an excellent drama had it stayed true to its original spirit, premise and accomplished it's goal of seeking justice and closure. I think there was a running theme in the drama on how a criminal act could never really tell the entire story. We got that on the numerous crimes that were commited in this drama and investigated by Lan Jue and his band. And I agree, the criminals in this show through the investigations of our leads were caught, confessed their crimes, and explained their motives. Everything was brought to light. Yet what happened in the end?For a drama that begun on the premise of searching for truth and justice. In the end we got a giant cover up in the guise and in the fake mask of doing the greater good and choosing the lesser evil. What a bunch of intellectual nonsense!
For once I wanted the meddlesome and scrupulous Zhang Ping in the early drama to come back to at least expose this charade. Nope we didn't get that in the end. Zhang Ping joined Lan Jue in abandoning all manner of ethical considerations, honesty and objectivity. Instead of revealing the truth they covered it up. I'm sorry justice was not done in this drama. Yes the Dowager Empress and his real son who turned evil got their deserved end but the real truth of the conspiracy was never revealed. And that for me is the true injustice. Everyone was faking it in the end. Our leads got their benefits and rewards. An impostor in the throne is now free to call the shots. In the the end the truth was buried for good. There was not an ounce of honesty and sense of justice remaining in our leads in the end.
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A PERFECT MISMATCH
Honestly, 2022 wasn't the best even if on record it polled the highest number of BL series that aired and hit our big screens. It was awful that of all series that were expected to air in 2022 from China never made and since the success of WORD PF HONOUR and KILLER AND HEALER back in 2021, I was very worried that I wasn't expecting too much since A league of Nobleman aired having made its way through the rigid severe BL censorship of China's NRTA, in fact, news of its release on YouTube hit me hard the past couple of days.
Anyway back to the point of interest, even though the series doesn't really have the highest budget you are in for a rollercoaster ride, the chemistry between the Make leads is so on point and they have the cutest gazes they share that Will just blow you away, on top of that the storyline being original is filled with a remarkable twist that evolves from a mere investigation to a relationship that brings the two main characters together.
additionally, there are tropes that I feel tired of in the BL industry like bodyguard issues and Senior Junior plots, the sudden mixture of suspense makes the story worthwhile while I also found myself in love with the fact that our cute BL couple might not seem like it but they are perfect polar opposites that fit their characters just right and give us a kinda hard to get feeling which I really love.
I can't ignore that some scenes are hilarious but I fear any moment from now I might end up spoiling it. However I appreciate that the drama is mature, acting well executed and the cast is lovely and lively the OST at times makes me feel like crying but this is a *bromance* that will get you screaming your lungs out.
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Historical Mystery Detective Bromance
Finally this was released in 2023! There's been plenty of CDramas held up for whatever reasons and glad this one made it out alive. I saw the trailer for this last year and it seemed good which floated up to the top of the watch list. It looked like a high quality mystery detective drama coupled with a serious darker storyline. I hate getting excited about the trailer and then being disappointed once I start watching the drama.So far it has lived up to expectations. The first few episodes really started to pick up with the mystery of the first ML who is the Minister of Rites. The other ML is entangled in the intrigue as a scholar amateur detective trying to figure out the murder of a member in the acting troupe. Imperial palace politics are weaved in, the empress does a good job carrying her role as the one who is in charge and with the power. The cinematography is excellent and high quality, attention was paid to the details of the costumes and settings, and the details within the story have been developed pretty well. As each clue is being discovered by Zhang Ping, it feels like the story tellers are carefully unwinding the puzzles of the case for the viewers as it is being solved by the amateur detective. Are there a few situations where it is a bit far fetched? Yes but the positives of the show outweigh those.
The ML played by Jing Boran, the Minister of Rites acted pretty well in his part, an official who is a son of a traitor embroiled in intrigue due to his desire to solve the mystery of his past but has to hide and be deceiving of his true intentions. The other ML is the amateur detective played by Song Weilong. He is so-so in his role. I have seen him in other dramas, I found him to to be on the stiffer side and not quite on point with his acting abilities in his roles. A fair number of viewers find him eye catching in the eye candy department and he doesn't disappoint in that area.
No M/F romance so far and not really expecting it. There isn't too much action involving martial arts, the heavy hitting part of the drama relies on the detective storyline with cases that are investigated and the developing bro-love between the MLs and other SML characters in a male centric drama.
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A Superb Chinese Historical Drama
A League of Nobleman was a superb drama. It was also intriguing, entertaining, and amusing. I think the cinematography, CGI, music, and costumes were remarkable. The cinematography was practical and realistic. Some of the costumes were dapper and exquisite. The actors and actresses look good in their costumes.Speaking of the actors and actresses. The ensemble cast was a match made in heaven if you know what I mean. The main actors had great chemistry. All the actors had great chemistry with each other.
The main actors acting performances were splendid.
You know what I like about the main protagonists, Lan Jue and Zhang Ping. I like that they weren't warriors, fighters, or immortals. They're just humans with strengths and weaknesses. They are just humans trying to get through life.
Zhang Ping's detective skills were fantastic. He was intelligent and clever. He solved cases like they were nothing. Not only was Zhang Ping smart and clever, but Lan Jue was also smart and clever. The crime cases were visceral. There were some visceral moments in the drama that left me breathless. The twists throughout the drama were clever and unpredictable. The season finale was bittersweet.
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Captivated BL Mystery Drama with Disappointing Ending
Storyline: The twists and turns plots will keep you engaged till the end. The quartet's (Lan Jue, Wang Yan, Zhang Ping and Chen Chou) stories were fun to watch...until the last twist when Gu Qing Zhang (Shulin) showed up...The last plot just didn't make sense when Shulin turned into a villain after spending over a decade as Lan Jue's very close friend. It was real disappointing to see how Empress Dowager got away with all the crimes she committed. Would have been a better ending if Lan Jue could help his friend whom he knew over 10 years accomplished the goal of taking Empress Dowager down rather than supporting her lies and helping her get away with all her crimes...what a pity. The fact that Zhang Ping with the straight forward personality who obsessed with truth would bend at the end and told lies for the empress just doesn't make sense...Acting: The quartet did an excellent job in their roles. I also enjoyed Gu Qing Zhang's acting.
Music: Nothing to write home about.
Rewatch Value: Although the first time was great, I won't go back and rewatch like some other great dramas.
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A Delightful Dose of Gentlemen
On paper A Noble League of Gentlemen is a show that’s… in the vernacular… very much my jam. It feels like we’ve been waiting for this one for the longest time. It’s first and foremost a whodunit that is set in a politically-charged imperial court where a ruthless Empress Dowager rules behind the scenes with an iron fist. The show inevitably ventures into the realm of political negotiation which raises the stakes for the show’s primary sleuths. It’s clear too even from the start that survival (political or physical) takes precedence over the truth. The detective side of things reminds me of a television favourite, the UK series Jonathan Creek — certainly in its use of illusion and misdirection all throughout the series. The show, I believe, is at its best when the team are solving cases and getting deep into the weeds of how the perpetrators got away with it. This is where the writing shines in its eye for meticulous detail.I started this for the very charismatic Jing Boran. I last saw him in The Psychologist (and its concluding follow-up He Dun’s Happiness) where he was one of the show’s bright spots. In my opinion he’s even better here when his versatility is given room to breathe. Jing Boran is Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Rites, Lan Jue (style name: Peizi). Much of the show sees him solving mysteries in the capital of Great Yong with Song Weilong’s Zhang Ping that seem to have links to a horrific series of events 20 years earlier in a place known as Moluo Village. On that occasion Lan Jue’s father was accused of treason and was executed accordingly. The son, however, is now on a secret mission to clear his father’s name. The relationship between Lan Jue and Zhang Ping is born out of suspicion and conflict but when they find common cause, it’s Mycroft and Sherlock against some rather formidable foes. And yes, there is a Moriarty lurking in the background pulling strings. It took me a lot longer to warm up to Zhang Ping whose rigid adherence to rules makes him impetuous and lands him into all kinds of proverbial hot soups — an appropriate metaphor considering that he runs a noodle street stall to pay for his living expenses. He comes to the Big Smoke as a scholar studying for the imperial exam while moonlighting as a detective who sticks his nose into everything suspicious for love of truth. At times he’s a bitter pill to swallow. But the sugar that helps the medicine go down is the repeated acknowledgement by the script that this is a flaw and backs that up with actual consequences for his busybody restlessness. He’s trying to be a black and white guy in a world of grey power plays. It’s akin to playing his own game in someone else’s backyard with no clue as to what their rules are.
As the title suggests, this is a male dominated cast that is unabashed in it celebration of masculine archetypes — father figures, mentors, protectors, warriors, brothers — just to name but a few. The beauty of this show is that it isn’t just about the leads Lan Jue and Zhang Ping. It’s a team effort that is underpinned by a brotherhood that transcends status and wealth. Deep connections can be made not just among intellectual equals but even between masters and servants.
The inclusion of the mysterious Shulin so late in the story feels like a double-edged sword. The actor, Wang Duo, is very good at drawing out the character’s complexity and yet even with all the nuance in the performance, his part in the narrative and its resolution ends up far less satisfying than it might have been because the show is determined to say something about the corrupting tendency of absolute power. The resolution is logical for the show that transpired but one is left wondering if making justice a casualty in all this is worthwhile for the individuals who worked so hard to gnaw at the truth.
It is hard to say much more without giving away spoilers. While there are seemingly disparate cases, it becomes increasingly obvious that they are intertwined. As a rule I have nothing against Bad Guy plots making bombastic statements about the world. However, it has to be done well. When it isn’t done well, it’s like moustache twirling villains doing a monologue and bragging giving their adversaries time to get their act together. It’s about theatre. Restoration takes a back seat. The purpose too with the Bad Guy plot is to create a moral dilemma — an unnecessary one — that’s probably meant in part to be a coming-of-age moment for Zhang Ping.
This is one that I found thoroughly immersive and beautiful to look at. I’ve heard that this was heavily censored but this is one occasion I had no problems with the editing because I never felt that I was missing out on anything essential. In fact, the pacing of this show not bogged down by fillers or detours was very much my cup of tea. Frankly I wish more C dramas would be equally disciplined in its storytelling.
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When learning how to lie is a good character development, and more on the blind righteousness...
I did not expect to like this drama this much. From righteous heroes, gray leads, vile villains and broken antagonists - it serves a variety of great characters that drive the plot forward, keep the tension high and deliver many laughs.Name me a drama where the character development that is seen as a positive one is the lead actually starting to learn how and when to lie - that’s the unicorn we’ve got here. My sweet child Zhang Ping had an OCD level of truth seeking. Not only did he ignore the danger, he did not even see the danger when he was investigating, blinded by his pathological need to find and speak the truth. Adjusting the approach to the situation was not part of his innate pattern of behavior. At first annoying, later endearing. Taking into consideration how easily other characters turned their blind eye to the truth, it was also a source of many comedic moments.
I never knew watching characters gaslight another character could be this entertaining. Lan Jue and Wang Yan made that magic happen. The way they initially tried to sway and manipulate Zhang Ping was low-key evil and yet, the moment they stopped, I started to miss it. Throughout the whole drama these two truly radiated the “tricksters with solid skills” energy. Easily my favorite relationship of the show, whenever you call it friendship, partnership, bromance, or like me: married couple.
Then we have a sweet potato Chen Chou. I’m so grateful they did not write him as a generic best friend to fill the space in the scenes. He had an adorable personality, he was loyal and brave when needed. He tried his best to support Zhang Ping, but also was not afraid to call him out when he came out with an especially dumb idea.
Gu Qing Zhang was quite a surprise. Could not wait for him to show up, and when he did, the tension skyrocketed. On the other hand Wang Xuan brought this balanced energy to every scene he was in - gave me the impression that things will work out fine no matter what, even though he did not really do that much…
What’s important? These fine gentlemen do not really form a Scooby Doo Gang to fight crime and corrupt officials. All of them interact with each other in various moments, but they are never one united group. Did I go into the drama expecting and wanting to see them going full Power Rangers against Rita Repulsa? Sure. Was I disappointed it never really fully happened? No. Them having conflicting morals, ideas, goals and approaches to reach them is what made the drama so interesting in the first place.
The acting was almost perfect. Song Wei Long was a bit stiff and emotionally restricted in his performance for sure. Compared to the other actors and actresses, he lacked the depth needed to truly sell his character to the public. My favorite performance? Shi Yue Ling as Empress Dowager - what strength and power she showed with just some tiny movements and stares. The character was truly scary with how approachable she felt. Shi Yue Ling also did an amazing job showing the subtle change in the character’s feelings when something did not go the way she wanted - enough for the viewers to see it clearly and understand, hidden enough so we can believe the other characters did not notice.
As for the plot itself: the pacing of when and how they dropped the hints was so good, even though at the end of the day the plot was rather simple, it was presented in quite a skillful manner. While watching you will most likely always be one step ahead of the show, guessing what’s about to happen, but not necessarily the whole mid side picture. Why mid size? The past, conspiracy, crime - all do not feel that grand, even if they concern the people of the highest power in the country.
The story showcases the differences between justice and revenge. How trying to seek punishment on the people who hurt us can turn us into the same people we hate and want to fight. How while we are hiring, we can become blind to the pain of other people. Can we justify all of our actions just because we are victims?
What’s more to love? The visuals! So many beautiful scenes, good special effects. What I especially appreciated is how they knew how to film performances. A few scenes showing plays were a perfect balance of artsy and straightforward.
At the same time I cannot wrap my brain around the EXCESSIVE use of blur in the edges of the scenes. Why oh why? They used it even during scenes when the important character for that specific scene was standing closer to the edge of the shot. It also takes a moment to get used to the grainy filter for the “flashbacks” - not all flashbacks. In that aspect the drama lacked consistency.
One thing that made me lower the rating was the confusing scene that blurred the motivation of the main villain - what did they want to present with it?
Overall, fun and addicting. Best at showing the diversity of the characters which led to many entertaining, moving, thrilling and at times frustrating moments.
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Acting wise, Jing Boran half carried this show, I'm sorry. His portrayals of Lan Jue is just so natural and flowing. His beauty and elegance is so soothing and the way he smoothly changes from being soft and elegant to crazed and half mad with revenge is just too good to see.
Chemistry wise, Lan Jue with Mowen and Shulin gives off a great give and take dynamics. With Zhang Ping there's this feeling of on and off dynamic for me, like it's there but very slow and subtle,and sonetimes before you're done seeing it it just ends(?), people say it's because of the editing but I'm not sure.
Plot wise, it's pretty neat and simple, where they're solving this small cases, only to realize its building up to the big revelation that ties up everything. It's done very well. The episodes are also not too little, not too much, just the right amount.
If you like a simple historical chinese drama with a procedural mystery theme, this might be your show.
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