The Lady in Butcher's House (2022)

The meek shall inherit the earth.

This is a very funny, romantic romp through the antics of an unlikely couple in a marriage of convenience that turns into the real thing. Xu Qingjia is a talented young scholar who jilts a highborn lady to fulfil an old promise to marry Hu Jiao, a butcher's daughter. At surface, they could not be more different - he is book smart, humble, meek and measured in his actions while she is street smart, commercial, direct impulsive and a total gangster when provoked. As Qingjia hilariously navigates the challenges of his new assignment as a backwater county magistrate, they discover their differences are complementary and where it counts, their core values are the same.

The surrounding plot of this drama is yet another age old corruption case involving the previous generation with some decent twists. What's different about it is that it unravels slowly over the daily lives and trials of a group of humble merchants and working level government officials. The characters are colourful, often comical and avoid the most cringeworthy familial and love rival archetypes. The romances unfold at a realistic pace and have an honest, down to earth appeal about them. No one character is super smart, infallible or is the main driver of the plot. They all have strengths and weaknesses that make them at times succeed and other times fail. But together it is immensely satisfying to see their combined abilities enable them to prevail over the petty neighbourhood bullies, business rivals and corrupt politicians and win the day with their sincerity, persistence and hard work - the meek shall inherit the earth. Best of all, the ensemble cast is fun, witty and can be very, very funny without being slapstick.

I wouldn't say that the actors are among the best out there (its so great to see Tong Meng Shi/Uncle Wu Zhu from JOL as ML) but everyone delivers very solid performances and the cast somehow just "clicks". I really love how Tong Meng Shi manages to convey the henpecked husband with immense inner courage. Although not a huge Baby Zhang fan, I think she also managed to play the husband training shrew while retaining her femininity. I really enjoyed Gao Zheng and Yu Niang's story as well and I think the casting of Hu Jiao's bovine butcher brother is simply brilliant I laugh just looking at him!

This lively, riotously humorous watch that conveys some grains of wisdom about honour, friendship, love and marriage is a fantastic way to pass some time. I rate it a very enjoyable 7.5/10.

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Underrated fun, hilarious and sweet show!

Starting with the opening scene illustrations, I found this drama funny and quirky. It did not feel like a big-budget production, the sets were nondescript, and the costumes were not that memorable. Still, those did not detract from the show's charm. Instead, it is ultimately entertaining, mixing cute romance, just the right amount of melodrama, and on-point comedy.

I thought that the drama did well in combining romantic and "slice of life" scenes featuring the different characters with the political shenanigans in the palace and courts. It stood out for me because it was a historical drama accompanied by non-traditional touches like the gender role reversal between the main couple. In this show, the male lead played the traditionally weaker and gentler role, while the female lead was the strong one, unpolished like a diamond in the rough.

As individual characters, the leads were likable, and together, they were endearing. Hu Jiao, played by Baby Zhang, was strong and domineering, the daughter of a butcher with some impressive knife skills. She had no formal education and was blunt as well as impulsive, but she was perceptive and street smart. She was also honest, principled, and upright, just like the male lead, Xu Qingjia, played by Tong Men Shi. In contrast to A'Jiao's physical strength, Xu Qingjia can be considered a xiǎobáiliǎn or pretty-faced boy, delicate and frail. However, he was incredibly intelligent, a learned scholar who was rational and thoughtful. His level-headedness tempered A'Jiao's fiery personality.

I enjoyed the sincere and simple romance between A'Jiao and Xu Qingjia. Their love was adorably dorky. Despite being new to marriage and still trying to work through their feelings, both did not shy away from sharing their thoughts. I also appreciated their care and respect for each other, especially regarding their relationship and life goals. Even when one did not want the other to make sacrifices, they still listened to each other and understood that they wanted to protect each other. There was no noble idiocy which is a trope I find most annoying.

It was great to see A Jiao's character develop. Typically straightforward, she did not usually mince her words, but she slowly started to consider Xu Qingjia's feelings. She learned to yield, saw things from his point of view, and did not hesitate to show her admiration for his brilliance. Xu Qingjia, on the other hand, would acknowledge that even though A'Jiao's words hurt, there was truth in them. He was always sweet towards her, so giving, but he would stand up for his beliefs when it came to important matters, at the risk of being beaten by A'Jiao.

These two managed to find common ground and reveled in each other's strengths, rather than expecting each other to possess the traditional gender-related skills. When conflict appeared, it was not a test of whether it would break them up but more of a testament that their relationship was strong enough to adapt and overcome. They were partners through and through.

The second couple, Yu Niang and Gao Zheng were equally delightful, with Gao Zheng just as dorky as Xu Qingjia but more emotionally clueless. Yu Niang was another awesome female character, and along with Lin Cui, A'Jiao's best friend, and other characters, there was a message of female empowerment. Actually, both ladies and men shone in this show. I liked the sismance, bromance, and the lack of tiresome third parties or love triangles. My favorite aspect of the show was the emphasis on wholesome masculinity and strong female characters.

It was also fun to watch the dynamics of A'Jiao's family members. They were hilarious and so supportive and protective of each other. Some characters fell flat, like the villains, but the cast did fine overall. It is the first time I watched the main actors, and while they were pretty good, they do need to hone their acting skills.

Musically, the song tracks were memorable, and by that, I mean the songs were effective in evoking memories of the scenes for me. I like the closing song, sung by our main couple, Baby Zhang and Tong Men Shi, but my favorite is Guòmén (Cross the door) by Liu Fengyao. It is incredibly romantic and, when played during the scenes of the couples, heightened the watching experience for me. For posterity, I included the track list at the end of this review.

Whether you need to cure bad-day blues or just a distraction, this drama might do the trick. I recommend that you try this drama out and decide for yourself.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4liQrjrq1M&t=547s

佟梦实&张含韵 - 春日愿 (Spring Day Wish - Tong Mengshi & Zhang Hanyun)
入梦 - 袁咏琳 (Into a Dream - Yuan Yonglin)
过门 - 刘凤瑶 (Cross the Door - Liu Fengyao)
许你清嘉 - 戴欣梦露 (Xu Ni Qing Jia - Dai Xin梦露)
牵红 - 曹璐 (Bringing Red - Cao Lu)

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