The Journey of Legend (赴山海)

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This was one of my most anticipated productions of the year. It seemed forever before they aired it. Was the wait worth it? In some ways, yes. In some ways, it was disappointing.

Starring:

• Cheng Yi (成毅) as Xiao Ming Ming (肖明明), Xiao Qiu Shui (蕭秋水), and Li Chen Zhu (李沉舟). Being three different characters, how was he? Technically, two because of how Xiao Ming Ming still have memories of himself versus how he acquired Xiao Qiu Shui’s memories later as well. Yet, he did wonderful, showing different sides of the two important characters of the story. One was still young and on the rise, still having a lot to learn. A stubborn flame that won’t extinguish in the name of justice. The other was more experienced, having seen a lot and was calmer in a sense because he’d saw most if not all the tragedies of this world.
  • As Xiao MIng Ming (肖明明). He was a ghostwriter for a game company. He designed his stuff and worked his ass off but was shrugged off when he mentioned about starting his own thing. Yes, probably because the other guy no longer benefitted from it. Yet it was frustrating to see how things turned out. Even if he did good, he still couldn’t survive. Was this the moral of the story? Good people don’t have good endings? Or because it was Cheng Yi, so he had to die since most of his productions are tragic anyway?
  • As Xiao Qiu Shui (蕭秋水). He was a young master who had a lot of ambition and hope for the future. He wanted to become the best (like most who had those dreams of jianghu and all) but he also had a righteous heart to help others. He couldn’t stand and watch the injustice of this world. So, his righteousness was his strong point but could also be his downfall because of how he was still too young to see the effects of his actions. But he did learn and grow overtime, allowing him to protect those around him who he cared for deeply.
  • As Li Chen Zhu (李沉舟). He was a leader of the Power Gang. He started it when he was young with his lover by his side and they’d been through a lot together. He want to help his country yet was sabotaged by a jealous emperor who only wanted him to die. His shadow was too big, even if that was part of the blood and sweat that he went through to gain such a momentum and reputation.
• Guli Nazha (古力娜扎) as Xiao Xue Yu (蕭雪魚). If I say that I couldn’t count on one hand regarding the number of times she appeared, I would be exaggerating. But I wouldn’t be if I say I can’t complete the count on both hands. Because seriously, what in the world was that? I said it to my sister many times already and I will say it here again: I can’t believe there comes a day when I have to defend Nazha’s honor. Seriously, people? I like Nazha, so I didn’t mean for it to sound negative with needing to defend her even if I don’t like her. In fact, she was one of the top reasons that I was looking forward to this in the first place. Yet I thought Nazha had already established herself and got a good foot in the door. I didn’t realize she was so robbed to the point that I had to be outraged because of it. This gave me flashback of the time I was watching When Dolphin Met Cat because I wanted to watch Eddie and Angela together YET was robbed because she appeared so little. Of course, I know different productions and all, but still something to compare. Anyway, I sure hope Nazha at least got a good deal in exchange for them to use her name to promote this and sold it like she was the main lead and all. Pushing aside all of that, how was she? I felt Nazha had gone a long way. Although she had limited screen time, she did really well with her scenes. Her emotions were delivered nicely and there was a grace about her character that others couldn’t replace. Her character was somewhat of a gentle nature person up front and seemed to know how to act according to rules and traditions. However, she wasn’t stupid or down right a doormat. She knew how to navigate out of sticky situations regarding her family and still keep the peace. Yet, when she found out some people were irredeemable (her second adopted brother), she cut ties with him and was stern on her belief. She was also quite stubborn in situations and wouldn’t give in to others so easily, like that one guy at the beginning who was trying to pursue her. Even if her character seemed to be trapped in the fate of being married off somewhere, she never give up on trying to change her situation. Even if that one time she was tricked, she distanced herself with the two older brothers after finding out the truth. She also had a strong sense of righteousness and morality.

Supporting:

Xiao Family (蕭家):

• Ding Yong Dai (丁勇岱) as Xiao Xi Lou (蕭西樓). The leader of the Huan Hua Sword Sect, Xiao Qiu Shui’s father and Xiao Xue Yu’s adopted father. He seemed to be strict on tradition and was harsh on his kids but deep down, he cared for them a lot. Sounds like a bunch of excuses, but he truly meant well. He didn’t want to spoil them too much that would cause them to be arrogant but also want them to grow up taking responsible for their actions and being able to survive on their own. Upfront, it seemed like it was about reputation and family honor, but when it came down to it, he just wanted them to survive.
• Hu Ke (胡可) as Sun Hui Shan (孫慧珊). Xiao Xi Lou’s wife, Xiao Qiu Shui mother and Xiao Xue Yu’s adopted mother. Her image was based on Xiao Ming Ming’s mother. It was a shocking revelation for him too but he came to accept it and was easily drawn to her (even if knowing it was all a fictional world). She was a kind and gentle mother as a typical ancient family often portrayed but she wasn’t a doormat either. She was willing to punish her kids and teach them responsibilities just like her husband. However, she was protective of them when she was needed and often forgiving regarding some matters. It was sad to see her death scene and so frustrating to see how forgiving she was. (Yeah, it was an accident BUT also very frustrating because the other dude never learned from it and blamed it on Qiu Shui later too. He was too far gone, but seriously.)
• Johnny Zhang (张峻宁) as Xiao Yi Ren (蕭易人). The family’s oldest son, Xiao Xi Lou and Sun Hui Shan’s oldest son, Xiao Qiu Shui’s oldest brother, Xiao Xue Yu’s adopted oldest brother. The problem with him was he had too much pride. Not saying this because I took Qiu Shui’s side. I totally understood why he was upset when Qiu Shui didn’t take the whole competition seriously. Yes, Qiu Shui had a good heart and he was trying to use his knowledge of Xiao Ming Ming to fast-track the plot details to save them all, which he couldn’t say. But to Xiao Yi Ren, it was very careless and reckless, claiming he wanted the leadership spot but can’t tell him why. He was the oldest sibling after all and not giving him some face was indeed frustrating. It was how it was back then. What pushed it for me with him was his hypocritical nature and how he was willing to sacrifice his sister (and possibly brothers later if he wasn’t stopped) for the restoration of the Huan Hua Sword Sect. His parents wouldn’t want that anyway. What mattered to them was all four staying safe and live the rest of their lives happily away from the conflicts of jianghu. Even if they no longer had the Huan Hua Sword Sect, they would still have their family. Yet sacrificing his family for an empty title? Having said that, I was glad he was able to see the truth before his death and redeemed himself. Once he put aside his pride, he was able to see some things and could deduct from the details that was given. What was more, he shielded Qiu Shui from harm at the moment and delivered a heartfelt apology. That was when I realized Johnny was a good actor, not just an out of control lunatic who kept blaming his brother like before. Because even if his redemption arc was brief, it was convincing and genuine.
• Edward Zhang (张晓晨) as Xiao Kai Yan (蕭開雁). The Xiao Family’s second young master, Xiao Xi Lou and Sun Hui Shan’s second son, Xiao Qiu Shui’s second brother, Xiao Xue Yu’s adopted second brother. He gave me the creeps major time throughout but especially the wedding scene. I guessed him being the main villain before the spoilers were out. Because he was seriously suspicious. The whole quiet and only listening to his oldest brother was a dead giveaway. Then the whole playing the peacemaker within the household with his words were always quite edgy. Sure, he could be sarcastic all he wanted. But his role of the peacemaker was rendered useless by his reaction each time. His problem was he only saw himself and the flaws of others but not knowing how to take accountability. Yes, he kept seeing how the parents cared more about Qiu Shui or being proud of the oldest brother but that was just through his own eyes. We, as viewers, saw the parents more caring toward Qiu Shui because we were witnessing the story from Xiao Ming Ming’s point of view. That didn’t mean that his parents didn’t care for him, as Xiao Kai Yan, tried to justify. They were just glad he wasn’t causing trouble like Qiu Shui or be a stubborn head like Xiao Yi Ren. If he wanted to compare, what about his sister? Well, he was obsessed with her but through our POV, she barely appeared so did that mean the parents didn’t care for her? No, they just didn’t have to worry because she never caused them to worry before. She only focused on her journey of learning medicine and wanting to help the others. Yes, being the middle child could present so much pressure. But I felt he wanted to justify his actions by blaming others. It was easier. If he said his parents didn’t care for him, would his mom jump to his defense in her dying breath to prevent her husband (his father) from hurting him (because he accidentally killed her)? They were all going through their own emotions at that point, but it showed how much they cared about him to be able to hold back. It was a heartbreaking moment. I knew he was equally affected by it. Yet after he calmed down, he still chose the wrong path. He chose self-preservation thus throwing Qiu Shui under the bus for the crime (aka the narrative that it was Qiu Shui’s fault for allowing Liu Sui Feng to be around them hence the massacre of the Xiao family).

Power Gang (權力幫):

• Julian Cheung (張智霖) as Yan Kuang Tu (燕狂徒). The one who established the Power Gang. There were many tales about him, both good and bad. It was hard to separate because no one really know anything. They often exaggerate about his craziness yet he was an oddball most of the time. He did what he wanted and didn’t care about what others thought of him anyway. Well, that was until he was reunited with his sister, Xiao Xue Yu, again. He had to listen to her regarding his health and all. It was so funny. But it took a lot to be reunited so a little sacrifice (if at all) was worth it.
• Ding Xiao Ying (丁笑滢) as Zhao Shi Rong (趙師容). Li Chen Zhu’s wife. She was a gentle person upfront but was quite determined in her way and could be fierce when the time called for it. She was indeed an equal force to be feared like her husband. That was regarding both martial arts skills and authoritative aura she exuded at times. She might not agree with him on some stuff but supported him throughout their journey together.
• Xu Zhen Xuan (徐振轩) as Liu Sui Feng (柳隨風). Mixed feelings throughout. But I sided with him versus the rest of the parties who claimed to be better (for the supposed good side) and more powerful (regarding the internal struggles of the Power Gang). His past influenced the majority of his thinking and he only looked up to Li Chen Zhu and his wife because they saved him and helped him throughout, allowing him another chance at life and to help him on his revenge journey. In other ways, he was hilarious because of how hard he struggled to go against Qiu Shui. Mostly, because he thought Qiu Shui was too positive and didn’t understand the way of the world. Yet, in the end, he admitted that Qiu Shui was right to have hope about the world in general.
• Liu Meng Rui (刘梦芮) as Song Ming Zhu (宋明珠). Nicknamed Red Phoenix (紅鳳凰), a member of the Power Gang. She was Liu Sui Feng’s subordinate but we learned she also liked him and would do anything to help him, regardless of consequences. I actually quite liked this role of hers. Yes, she had a lot of blood on her hands (regarding different power struggles throughout) but the fact that she was unapologetic for it made her likeable for me. Yes, at least, she was upfront with her intentions and stubbornness. They were on the opposing sides after all. Why should she be sorry for supporting her side? When it came down to it, there weren’t that many supposedly good people around anyway. They all had alternatives one way or another. So, what made her wrong for following her young master? What I also liked about her was how she covered for Qiu Shui that one time, knowing her young master would be upset. She did save him after all. So, it was only right she paid him back for that incident.
• Cao Xi Yue (曹曦月) as Purple Phoenix (紫鳳凰). She wanted to kill Liu Sui Feng yet was offed by him first.
• Qiu Xin Zhi (邱心志) as Qu Han Shan (屈寒山). Nicknamed Sword King (劍王). He was revealed to be an important member of the Power Gang, leading the eight kings. Although he had that much power and all, he still wanted more like a typical greedy psycho. He also wished to eliminate Liu Sui Feng without consequences because he hated the latter since ages already. It was funny that he was so arrogant that it ended up being his downfall, because he was tricked by Qiu Shui and fell into the trap.
• Wang Yi Cheng (王奕珵) as Zhao Qiu Xi (兆秋息). Nicknamed Saber King (刀王).
• Yang Chen Yi (杨辰一) as Ju Xiu Shan (鞠秀山). Nicknamed Water King (水王).
• Gao Yu Qing (高玉庆) as Mo Fei Yuan (莫非冤). Nicknamed Medicine King (藥王).
• Huang Cheng (黄成) as Deng Yu Ping (鄧玉平). Nicknamed Human King (人王).
• Li Chang (李昶) as Kong Yang Qin (孔揚秦). Nicknamed Triple Swords Extraordinary Monster (三絕劍魔).
• Chen Zhi Hui (陈智慧) as Liu Qian Bian (柳千變). Nicknamed Shadowless Demon Master (無影神魔).
• Ji Chen (季晨) as Kang Chu Yu (康出漁). Sword King’s trusted underling. He pretended to be friends with the Xiaos so he could get near them to find the token that would control everything.
• Li Jun Chen (李俊辰) as Kang Jie Sheng (康劫生). Kang Chu Yu’s son. He loved to gamble and caused a lot of trouble because of that.
• He Gang (贺刚) as Fu Tian Yi (傅天義). Nicknamed Iron Fist Demon Master (鐵腕神魔).
• Chen Guo Liang (陈国良) as Zuo Chang Sheng (左常生). Nicknamed One Cave Demon Master (一洞神魔).
• Yang Chun Rui (杨春瑞) as Yu Ku Yu (余哭余). Nicknamed Epidemic Humane Demon (瘟疫人魔).
• Wang Kai (王凯) as Sun Ren Tu (孫人屠). Nicknamed Flying Saber Humane Demon (飛刀人魔).
• Huang You Tian (黄宥天) as Sheng Jiang Bei (盛江北). Nicknamed Powerful Fist Heavenly Demon (神拳天魔).
• Yukee Chen (陈钰琪) as Mo Yan Xia (莫艷霞). Nicknamed White Phoenix (白鳳凰). She was the leader of Heng Shan Sect but was revealed to be a member of the Power Gang. The thing was her appearance was very brief. Like she risked her exposure to help Liu Sui Feng and then was killed off by a mystery figure in the robe. It was a shame because her character seemed interesting. She was another player in the whole story yet was kicked out so soon.

Tang Clan (唐門):

• Zhu Ya Ying (朱亚英) as Old Madam Tang (唐老太太). An elder of the Tang Clan. I didn’t care for her one way or another. That was because I didn’t care very much for the Tang Clan in general. She was at the top yet failed to change some stuff? That was on her for maintaining the usual toxic stuff going on. Perhaps, it wasn’t anyone’s business how they ran their family. But when what they did or other clan members did to the rest of jianghu, it was only right to say something.
• He Zhong Hua (何中华) as Tang Yao Shun (唐堯舜). The leader of the main branch, also the leader of the Tang Clan. He lost his inner energy (or was losing it severely) and need to seek out a way to regain it. However, he was trying his best to conceal it so the other branches wouldn’t overthrow him. Do I feel pity for him? No. Yes, call me heartless but after learning what happened to Liu Sui Feng and his mother, I don’t feel an ounce of sympathy for him or the rest of his clan. They were just throwing their family members out there for the wolves. The strongest would rise up and the weakest would sink, right? If they lived by that principle and he never cared to change it, don’t expect me to sympathize with him. I actually suspected him throughout because it seemed too convenient that he was just an sickly old man waiting for someone else to find a solution to cure him. It was too much.
• Eleanor Lee (李凱馨) as Tang Fang (唐方). What to say? I was annoyed with her for the majority of the time because she wasn’t that likeable to begin with. I did side with her regarding the internal conflict and how the other pair of siblings treated her. But she wasn’t my favorite. It had nothing to do with rumors off screen because I only learned of that afterward when a page posted about it and clarified some things. I didn’t even know who she was and rarely paid attention to TW dramas in the past years, so yeah. But her character was just there to add another ally to Qiu Shui. That was all. Making her having a link to two major characters (Qiu Shui and Liu Sui Feng) of the story made her character important. That was all. Yes, that was for me.
• Zhao Hua Wei (赵华为) as Tang Rou (唐柔) and Tang Xu (唐旭). Tang Rou was probably the most naive or innocent among the Tang Clan, because his mind was so pure and kind. It was indeed unbelievable with how kind he was. He didn’t care if others thought he was stupid but he still followed Qiu Shui and believed in him. Yes, he also wanted to help his father in regaining their past fame and glory but through appropriate means, not underhanded tricks. His image was based upon one of Xiao Ming Ming’s real life roommate/ friends, Tang Xu. So, it was easy for Ming Ming to feel attach to him as he began his journey as Qiu Shui at the beginning.
• Lin Ze Hui (林泽辉) as Tang Song (唐宋). He conspired with the Power Gang, wanting to overthrow the main branch to take over. He also wanted to marry Tang Fang, so that was another gross thing. Okay, they probably weren’t related in that sense with stuff. But still gross. He was also quite despicable and used all the underhanded techniques he could. To think of it, he fitted in fine with the rest of the clan.
• Zhang Yi Ge (张祎格) as Tang Qing (唐晴). Tang Song’s younger sister. She was the most flaky person ever but dared to criticize Tang Fang. It was ridiculous with the cat fights. (Mostly her doing the fighting because Tang Fang didn’t care to fight.) She was sure up another notch compared to her brother. Because she used the crying tactic to seek sympathy and then strike when the others’ guards were down. Funniest thing was I thought she could be cute in some other role. Who knows? In the future when she gets more opportunities.

Others:

• Cao Cui Fen (曹翠芬) as Old Madam Wu (吳老夫人). She was a special guest that the Xiaos was hiding for a while. It turned out she held the secretive scrolls that controlled half of the world. They were supposed to help escort her safely to her son’s place.
• Jiang Zhen Hao (姜震昊) as Zhang Lin Yi (張臨意). Nicknamed Yin Yang Swords Master (陰陽神劍). Old Madam Wu’s bodyguard.
• Yuan Yi (袁伊) as Chi Li (赤漓).
• Jackie Lui (呂頌賢) as Zhu Xia Wu (朱俠武). Nicknamed Iron Robe Master Detective (鐵衣神捕). He was revealed to be the mysterious The Great King Zhu (朱大天王), the leader of another faction who wanted to rule the jianghu realm.
• Benny Qian (钱泳辰) as Meng Xiang Feng (孟相逢). Xiao Xi Lou’s junior.
• Chen Qiu Guo (陈秋果) as Qu Jian Chi (曲劍池). Nicknamed Rinsing Jade Swords Master (漱玉神劍).
• Zhang Bo Nan (张博楠) as Gu Jun Shan (顧君山).
• Justin Li (李俊逸) as Deng Yu Han (鄧玉函) and Deng Zhe (鄧哲). Another one of Qiu Shui’s buddies who others wouldn’t think much of. Yet his righteousness was one of the reasons they were friends and how he was always there for his friends. His image was after another roommate/ friends of Xiao Ming Ming, Deng Zhe.
• Cheng Xiang (程相) as Zuo Qiu Chao Ran (左丘超然) and Li Chao Fan (李超凡). Another one of Qiu Shui’s buddies who would move heaven and earth for him. He image was after another roommate/ friend of Xiao Ming Ming, Li Chao Fan.
• Xiao Yan (肖燕) as Nan Gong Xiao Yi (南宮小意). Nan Gong family’s oldest daughter, Xiao Yi Ren’s fiancée. Half of the hate Xiao Yi Ren got from me was actually due to her. Yes, extreme but seriously, at one point, I wasn’t sure if I hated her more or him. They were indeed a match made in Heaven and were equally dumb. She made me feel like she was not her own person and only repeated what he said. It was ridiculous and frustrating at the same time. She kept butting into matters that didn’t concern her. Sure, she could treat herself like Xiao Yi Ren’s wife all she wanted, but to join forces with him and gang up on Qiu Shui? It was ridiculous. It was like trying to score points with Xiao Yi Ren just because. Others would have try to make peace between the siblings or calm him down by saying it might be a misunderstanding. Nope, she just went ahead and chided Qiu Shui although she didn’t have the full information. Okay, NOT her job to be the peacemaker or whatever. But once she interfered, I thought it was fair game to criticize her ridiculous attempts. The strangest thing was how much she was involved in the fiasco, they never mentioned her again after his death. Was she going to return to her home and attempt to find another perfect match or would she just leave to another place to find that suitable candidate instead? Yeah, you think I’m overboard for picking on her. But she chose to center some man in her life so I don’t care to hold back anymore.
• Jing Mei (荆媚) as Weng Yue Ying (翁月影). A member of Bi Shan Sect.
• Lu Xing Yu (卢星宇) as Deng Qing Feng (鄧清風). The leader of Hai Lin Sword Sect, Deng Yu Han’s father. He was super suspicious to me too. Considering how all characters in here had some kind of secret. It turned out, he was just scared for his life. And his death proved his point.
• Du Jun Ze (杜俊泽) as Liang Dou (梁斗). Prince Liang of Da Xi. He was a good friend of Qiu Shui’s parents.
• Wei Wei (魏巍) as Triple Talent Swords Master (三才劍客) and Li Cai (李財). He was a character that Xiao Ming Ming created as part of the special bags to help him along the way for the game. He was also initially three characters but Xiao Ming Ming merged the characters into one. It was kind of funny how he had all the knowledge that Xiao Ming Ming had or at least the majority of it and was trying to help.
• Ryan Zhang (张赫) as Qie Xing Yue (鐵星月). Nicknamed Fart King (屁王). He was someone who wanted to establish himself in the jianghu realm and initially wanted to join the Power Gang or some similar force to gain some reputation. However, Qiu Shui convinced him and his friends otherwise. I haven’t seen him in ages. Exaggerating here but might not be. Because I just didn’t watch stuff he was in. It was strange seeing him in a comedic role. But can’t complain because it was a different role for him.
• Wang Jing (王靖) as Qiu Nan Gu (邱南顧). Nicknamed Iron Mouth (鐵口).
• Cheng Rang (呈让) as Yu Wen Dong (宇文棟).
• Xu Chang Chao (许长超) as Jin Bei Wang (金北望).
• Cheng Long (橙龙) as Meng Dong Lin (孟東林).
• Lin Jia Hui (曲暮霜) as Qu Mu Shuang (曲暮霜). Qu Jian Chi’s daughter.
• Chen Xi Xi (陈熹熹) as Qu Min Miao (曲抿描). Qu Jian Chi’s daughter.
• Zhang Chun Zhong (张春仲) as Wei Chi Qing (尉遲清). He posed as Du Yue Shan to trick Qiu Shui and frame him.
• Shen Bao Ping (沈保平) as Tian Zheng (天正). The leader of Shaolin Sect.
• Guo Jun (郭军) as Taoist Tai Chan (太禪真人). The leader of Wu Tang Sect.
• Cynthia Khan (楊麗菁) as Zhi Chen (止塵). The leader of Emei Sect.
• Ye Peng (叶鹏) as Yin Ping (銀瓶). The head of the Wu Tang Sect.
• Li Pei Ze (李沛泽) as Tie Qi (鐵騎). The head of the Wu Tang Sect.
• Yan Pei (延霈) as Fan Hua (梵花). The head of the Shaolin Sect’s Discipline Chamber.
• Zhang Gong (张弓) as Bai Dan Shu (白丹書). West Sword of East West Double Sword (東西雙劍).
• Wang Jiu Sheng (王九胜) as Lan Fang Qing (藍放晴). East Sword of East West Double Sword (東西雙劍).
• Zhang Ji Kun (张继坤) as Zhang Can Jin (章殘金).
• Ryan Kuo (郭鑫) as Wan Sui Yu (萬碎玉).
• Liu Yi Jiang (刘一江) as Qiu Wu Yi (裘無意). The head of the Beggar Clan.
• Zhang Hai Feng (张海峰) as Tian Xiang (天象). The new head of Shaolin Sect.
• Tong Meng Shi (佟梦实) as Emperor of Da Xi (大熙皇帝). I hated his guts throughout. Because he didn’t know how to keep the talented by his side but let jealousy get the better of him. Well, we know all kings are bad anyway. But he took it up to another level. He wanted to use Li Chen Zhu yet would poison him like that. It was beyond despicable. So, it was strange that he seemed shocked Li Chen Zhu was dead. Didn’t he want him dead? Seriously. Or was it because he wanted Li Chen Zhu to die by his hands? In some ways, he did. The poison had suppressed Li Chen Zhu’s power.
• Shi Yu Fei (施予斐) as Cai Qi Shen (蔡泣神). Nicknamed Inferno Master (烈火神君).
• Cheng Cheng (程诚) as Shao Liu Lei (邵流泪).
• Jin Cheng (金城) as Nan Gong Wu Shang (南宮無傷). Nan Gong Xiao Yi’s older brother. He forced Xiao Yi Ren’s hands to marry Xiao Xue Yu yet it was another layer of deception.
• Zhang Ba Bo (张霸波) as Nan Gong Han (南宮漢). Nan Gong Xiao Yi’s older brother. The actual person who was to marry Xiao Xue Yu if Xiao Qiu Shui hadn’t interfered and broke through the deception.
• Li Xin Ze (李欣泽) as Li Nan (李楠). Xiao Ming Ming’s superior who loved to steal others’ ideals and make it his own. He was despicable yet acted like it was in his right to use those ideas. It was also revealed later that he was selling government secrets to another foreign nation for benefits. It wasn’t surprising, considering his morals. It was just a bit off with the storyline in general.
• Ma Qiu Zi (马秋子) as Deng Yu Lan (鄧玉蘭). Deng Yu Han’s older sister.
• Yu Qing Hui (喻庆辉) as Fei Yu Qiao (費漁樵). The head of the Fei family.
• Lu Yong (卢勇) as Wu Xie (吳頡). General Wu of Da Xi, a famous general who was guarding the borders, Old Madam Wu’s son.
• Li Qi (李奇) as Baili Han Ting (百里寒亭).
• Li Xing Yu (李星宇) as Qian Li Gu Mei (千里孤梅).
• Zhang Xi Lai (张喜来) as Wan Li Ping Yuan (萬里平原).

Likes:

• The outrageous plans that Qiu Shui cooked up at times. It was hilarious. Because no one in their right mind would think that way, etc. Yet somehow, it worked. He was from the modern world after all, so he had a lot of new knowledge and details from the source of the novel that others didn’t. So, they were indeed taken aback, but soon were on board with it.
• Cheng Yi/ Li Chen Zhu and Ding Xiao Ying/ Zhao Shi Rong. I loved them together. Even if their times together were so limited. I cherished those moment because they were an actual couple. Can we please have another series of them together and they get to live happily ever after? Serious. I liked their chemistry. Subtle yet showed a lot than some flashy relationships.

Dislikes:

• The whole Tang Clan. Yes, every single one of them. Okay, maybe I’ll exclude Tang Rou because he was indeed innocent and had sacrificed his life for Qiu Shui. As for Liu Sui Feng, I don’t count him as part of the Tang Clan, considering how they didn’t want him in the first place. They disregarded his existence from the start and how they treated him and his mother. So yeah, I only count him as part of the Power Gang. Tang Fang? She was a product of her upbringing. She was equally arrogant and fitted right with them. NOT saying she deserved suffering or anything. Because she did learn a lot, especially trusting them as a group, right? But I felt if they didn’t include the part where she liked Qiu Shui, she would be like the rest of her clan too. Did I root for her when she was going against those pair of siblings? Yes, but that was about it for me regarding her.
• How Li Chen Zhu and Zhao Shi Rong died. Okay, I got it, they were ambushed. It wasn’t their fault they couldn’t think of everything. But to let his guard down afterward? The part where he carried her and said that they would save the general together. I know, it was a way to comfort his wife. But why didn’t he think there was another trap? Or did he want to die with her anyway? It was really tragic and frustrating, so yeah.
• Makeup and costumes arrangements were inconsistent. Okay, I get it, they’re trying to be different. But seriously, I felt it was really inconsistent. Once again, I can’t believe I have go defend Nazha’s honor once more, but here were are. Yes, most of my issues had to do with her inconsistent makeup. The production team just didn’t care, right? Because sometimes, she was fine and other times, she looked like she hadn’t slept in days and looked like someone punched her in the eyes. What was with that? Because she didn’t appear much anyway, they didn’t want to try? Not to mention how at first, they introduced her by letting her wear red and she showed great authority with trying to get her brother home. Then it seemed like they wanted to abandon that plot or something, so they just let her drift into the background, not caring much about her brother or something. Then they had two other characters wore red (less obvious with one versus the other). I’m actually not that sore about the red anymore since it wasn’t outright blood red (except for the wedding scene). But seriously? I know different characters could wear different colors and it didn’t have to be consistent all the time. But usually in series, they did it on purpose with making people wear one color with various shades to emphasize their personalities. So, don’t say they didn’t know what they were doing.
• Very sloppy post-production work. Yes, I usually seek out the production team’s info and appreciate the BTS people more because if it wasn’t for them, everything wouldn’t come together so nicely and coherently. First off, the background sounds were horrible. They didn’t turn it off or not put in sound when different characters were speaking. They turned it off at times when it seemed like they noticed it BUT bam! They turned it right back on again. So that made it hard to hear what the characters were saying. It made it sound like people were whispering but it wasn’t so. It wasn’t just the main cast that it was happening to either but the majority of the characters were like that when it was time to talk. It gave me flashbacks of some productions during the late ’90s and early 2000s when they were doing that with not removing background sound before dubbing. It was very hard to endure.
• The hook into the game. Yeah, doing the whole patriotic theme got the character tons of points because of what he did for his country but that was a bit random. They already included the plagiarism theme. Was it not enough? Or because people don’t care about plagiarism as much unless it affects them?

Discussions:

• Novel vs. Adaptation. This is one of the cases where they could go crazy on the changes. Why? Because it was said that the character Xiao Ming Ming adapted the story for this game he was working on, so he made changes to the plot. Then he got sucked into the game. So the incidents got changed because of him and R.
• That weird sudden argument/ comparisons between Cheng Yi and Chi Lam fans. I accidentally stumbled upon it on one of the Facebook pages and curiosity got the better of me. So, yeah, saw some arguments about it, etc. Some other unrelated people got dragged in as well. The point? It was ridiculous to compare the two anyway. People looking back didn’t think that Chilam also endured a lot of backlash for his popularity back then too with people questioning his abilities or if he had some strong backing (i.e. through his wife being a Miss Hong Kong)? I don’t believe those rumors, okay? I knew he worked hard to get where he was and established himself. The point I’m trying to make is everyone had their own journey. If you’re trying to compare and knock someone down, at least make it equal. Like pick on someone who come from the same generation, not compare people who have varied experiences because I guarantee you that the person with more experience would win every time. Personally, I felt Chilam’s looks helped heaps in his journey. Let’s not be dense about it. So, when saying stuff like Cheng Yi being a pretty boy, that was how and/or why he became popular is ridiculous. The majority of the people in the e-circle have good looks. And let’s face it, the majority of us audiences are vain as hell, so we played a great part in boosting those people up too. So, if you like someone, don’t like someone or whatever, just don’t watch them. Or you can criticize any way you want. (Who am I anyway to tell you not to, right? I’m just a nobody somewhere else.) But don’t make it like your favorite idol is on a higher moral ground than some other celebrity. (Because honestly, no one knows them on a personal level anyway. Of course, I’m excluding those who indeed know them on personal level. I just meant general fans elsewhere.) Also, if you’re a true Cheng Yi fans, stop making him look bad. Seriously. The poor guy has been through enough. Stop making it even worse. You’re not going to win that battle. Just move along and support him in a positive way.
• Criticisms about Cheng Yi’s dubbing being whispery, not loud enough, etc. Um, I actually wanted to do a post addressing about the dubbing of TV series in general yet decided against it because I don’t have time and didn’t want to start some war by accident. But since it’s addressed regarding Cheng Yi, I’m going to put it in here to get it out of my system once and for all. The questions I want to ask people are: Where were you when everyone else was whispering too? Why pick on Cheng Yi now? Because he’s an easy target? Yes, I read somewhere about his response and it indeed was a lame answer to address the matter. But know this, I was wondering why the dubbing for the male leads (when they didn’t dub their own voices) were always whispery. Well, that was except for certain rare actors who didn’t whisper. (I won’t name them here or it would get even uglier.) But the point? I didn’t know why the main male characters were always whispering. The funniest thing was I didn’t think Cheng Yi was whispering in here (and I’m hard of hearing). And the issue I mentioned above already covered why it felt like whispering. The only times I would accept when main male leads are whispering would be: (1) sharing some secrets with someone or small group of people so they didn’t want others to know, (2) need to stay quiet during a certain spy mission or something so they’re trying to stay safe, (3) whispering sweet words to their lovers (aka they’re trying to be romantic). What about the female population? The majority (especially younger leads) often have a sweet voice and sound so cute that it seems really fake. I understand the actresses don’t have control over the dubbers unless they dub for their own characters (which is the same for the actors). But seriously? Try to make it sound more convincing. Unless their character is trying to act cute, which calls for overly sugary voices. Other than that, I can’t stand it. Yes, this is going on a tangent. But like I said, I want to address this matter for a while now. But suddenly people are picking on Cheng Yi as if it’s a new thing. So, yeah, it’s ridiculous to me. Now that I got it out of my system, that’s it.
• The next time Nazha sees Zhang Feng Ning on the cast list, she should stay away from that production. Reason? They were in Fighter of the Destiny together and she didn’t have any luck with her role either. Even if she appeared a lot, her character seemed useless because of how it was written. Yes, he jinxed her. And I’m so kidding. Because it wasn’t like he had that power to jinx her, lol.

Recommended? If you’re willing to look past its many flaws, yes. But I wouldn’t recommend it if you’re a major fan of Nazha. Because it was really frustrating to see her appear so little, as said many times before. There’s no point in torturing yourself. Maybe you can watch clips of her and that’s it.

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