Plot Synopsis
In the land of Xichuan, conflicts erupted, and tensions rose between the Zichuan and Sairong tribes. Zichuan's skilled warrior, Xiu, who had achieved great victories in the border defense, returned to the imperial capital, bringingpeace and stability to the homeland. However, as one wave subsided, another rose, as Yang Minghua, aprominent minister in the imperial court, harbored ill intentions and launched a rebellion. Xiu, along with his swobrothers, Di Lin and Si Yilin, joined forces and eliminated the threat from within and without, restoring tranquility to troubled Zichuan.
However, the ambitious Sairong tribe, with eyes fixed on Zichuan, officially declared war before Zichuan could fully recover. Amidst the flames of war, the three brothers, Xiu, Si Yilin, and Di Lin, left their homeland and embarked on the battlefield, driven by their determination toprotect their homeland, their loved ones, and topursuepeace. Together, they created apassionate and magnificent story.
Episodes Recap
- 1-5
- 6-10
- 11-15
- 16-20
- 21-23
Episode 1 : Zichuan Xiu fell victim to a conspiracy.
Episode 2 : Zi Chuan Xiu was imprisoned.
Episode 3 : Zi Chuan Xiu remains in the capital to serve.
Episode 4 : Zi Chuan Xiu and Lu Di had a martial arts contest.
Episode 5 : Zi Chuan Xiu pretended to be Ka Dan.
Episode 6 : The Zichuan-Lu State contract negotiations have collapsed.
Episode 7 : Di Lin took the initiative to march to a distant state.
Episode 8 : Zi Chuan Xiu is investigating Yang Ming Hua for treason.
Episode 9 : Zi Chuan Xiu discovered a secret in Chunfeng Garden.
Episode 10 : Zi Chuan Xiu exchanged information with Xiao Long.
Episode 11 : Stalin was falsely accused and imprisoned.
Episode 12 : The Zi Chuan brothers are preparing to take action.
Episode 14 : Zi Chuan Xiu found out the truth about Ge Ying Xing's death.
Episode 15 : Zi Chuan Xiu established the Xiuzi Camp.
Episode 16 : Zi Chuan Xiu sought help from Di Lin.
Episode 17 : Zi Chuan Xiu is looking for the whereabouts of Zi Chuan Ning.
Episode 18 : Di Lin decided to thoroughly investigate Gu Lan.
Episode 19 : Zi Chuan Xiu established the Wealth Hall.
Episode 20 : Zi Chuan Ning and Zi Chuan Xiu bid farewell.
Episode 21 : The barbarians launched an attack on Purple River.
Cast & Role
Luo Ming Hai
(Zhang Yi Wen)
Yang Ming Hua
(Zhang Fan)
Zi Chuan Shen Xing
(Ma Shao Hua)
Ka Dan
(Cai Zhuo Yin)
Regarding Yang Ming Hua's blacksmithing, there's an important aspect to add: the reason behind this setup is actually related to a certain contract or unfinished brotherly bond between Yang Ming Hua and Zi Chuan Yuan Xing.
The design for these weapons was given to him by Zi Chuan Yuan Xing. After completing the weapons, he was later betrayed and the weapon designs were burned, indicating a potential betrayal.
You really need to savor it to notice many details. On the first watch, like many others, I was a bit confused about Zi Chuan Xiu's feelings towards Zi Chuan Ning. I thought he didn't like her and was avoiding her.
But on the second viewing, during the carriage scene, I realized the look in his eyes, the subtle facial expressions, and body movements when he saw Ning... It's really obvious that he's in love.
In the end, during chaotic times, it's the power of the gun that determines who holds political authority. Besides balancing the various factions, does Cen Xing have any leverage of military power?
Otherwise, he could easily become a puppet. Is it possible that he was later overshadowed by Di Lin? Di Lin's massacre of those military officials was ultimately to replace them with people who are absolutely loyal to him.
The estrangement among the three brothers is a stereotype; their relationship is actually very good. When Di Lin is about to kill someone, you could say he's forced to do so out of necessity, but the most important goal is to save Zi Chuan Xiu.
Otherwise, Cen Xing might think that Xiu deliberately wanted to win over the military and would find a way to get rid of him. This part is the first touching moment for me in the book. "My Xiu," Di Lin says next to his ear.
I wonder if they'll portray it in the drama today.
Living a peaceful life in modern times, we may find Di Lin's actions too ruthless and decisive. However, from the perspective of a general seeking justice in ancient times, forgiveness would be equivalent to planting hidden dangers. Rather than worrying about whether these individuals with wavering convictions would be swayed by the enemy's threats and temptations in the future, it is better to eliminate them now.
Having such thoughts can also be understood.
Xiu clearly has strong feelings for Zi Chuan Ning, but he has to hide them because of their different identities and social statuses. One is a poor boy, while the other is an heir to a family. The difference between heaven and earth, yet they both have genuine feelings for each other.
That particular scene made me cry. They truly love each other.
Yang Ming Hua's inevitable betrayal and Ge Ying Xing's inevitable death were all calculated by Can Xing. Among the Three Heroes, only Si Yi Lin is a loyal member of the Zi Chuan family. Due to his background, he is destined to be on the opposite side of Zi Chuan.
Although Di Lin has achieved great military accomplishments for the Zi Chuan family, in his heart, his brothers, wife, and children are more important than the Zi Chuan family. That's why he directly opposes the Zi Chuan family when Zi Chuan Ning, in collaboration with Can Xing, wants to eliminate him.
He deeply regrets the killing of Si Te Lin by his subordinates. Therefore, he willingly hands over the obtained power and territory to Zi Chuan Xiu. However, the three brothers, whose values do not align, just like their predecessors, are destined to eventually break apart.
I'm not very interested in the romantic storyline, but I enjoy the mentor-disciple relationship between Lord Xiu Chuan and Lord Ge Ying Xing. It's heartwarming yet funny, with both master and disciple being extremely cunning and always ready to put on a performance, but the master still outshines the disciple in wisdom.
I also like Lord Xiu Chuan and his three comedic lackeys, who are like comedy actors themselves. It seems that later on, they will accompany Zi Chuan Xiu in establishing the Xiu Camp and go through life and death situations together.
They are his most loyal subordinates.
Cen Xing doesn't come from a military background, so it's unlikely that he would have his own people. His own people are more like Luo Ming Hai, who only knows how to sow discord and lacks any strategic vision in warfare. So, later on, Xiu should see through this and, combined with what his master told him about putting Zi Chuan first, he will find a new balance with Zi Chuan.
He's not one to rule through violence or manipulate power. However, many years later, there may still be a loss of balance because long-lasting equilibrium is difficult to achieve when driven by self-interest.
Zi Chuan's martial arts skills were showcased prominently in the first episode but weren't seen again later on. It seems like no one knew it was him using those skills in the first episode, except for Lord Ge who received the message from the hidden note.
Zi Chuan's return to the imperial capital was probably to give Lord Ge a reason to lead the troops back to the capital, otherwise Lord Ge would have to stay in the Far East fighting continuously.
This time, it's reasonable for him to bring Princess Ka Dan back for peace talks.
During the dispute among the brothers, Di Lin said a very important statement, but unfortunately Zi Chuan Xiu didn't sensitively grasp it. Di Lin's words were, "I can disregard anyone, except for you three." Zi Chuan Shen Xing couldn't tolerate Yang Ming Hua's followers, even if they were just observing during the palace upheaval and not taking sides.
As long as they didn't pick a side, it would touch a nerve in Zi Chuan Shen Xing. It was inevitable for him to execute them, and Zi Chuan Xiu's plea would only displease Zi Chuan Shen Xing.
Even though the male lead is still in the process of growing up, he still believes in brotherhood and dreams of love. He still has that immature and rascally appearance, pretending to be lecherous and money-hungry.
But once this male lead grows up and becomes a bit more mature, the drama might come to an end because the beginnings of their three stories were already filmed with the three elderly characters in the first few episodes.
To speak or not to speak, the first time I encountered Xiuning. It was their first time facing difficulties together, and whether it was the bridge effect or not, they should have become closer after today.
Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned. After the betrayal overnight, they are now standing in different positions. The chessboard of Zichuan has been reset, and everyone will embark on different destinies.
I went back and rewatched their conversation several times and finally understood that Canxing, the old fox (without demeaning Ma Shao Hua), set a trap for everyone. Thinking back to the historical books I've read, similar situations of deceiving and killing the donkey have appeared throughout history.
I'm amazed at how Zichuan has put so much effort into portraying the complex aspects of human nature. It's no wonder the novel became a top-ranking male-oriented fiction in its time.
Getting better and better. Initially, I only watched for Liu Yu Ning's parts. But in this episode, I didn't skip any scenes and found it really captivating. The brutality of the war was truly shocking.
The male lead also performed exceptionally well, and of course, Liu Yu Ning's acting was outstanding too. Watching a drama where you can clearly see the actors' natural skin is really pleasing.
Hopefully, they won't add any filters in the later episodes.
Let me point out one thing: The position of Di Lin not only does not weaken military power but actually strengthens it. This position is responsible not only for military law and local supervision of various military forces but also for intelligence work both domestically and internationally.
It can be understood as an enhanced version of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. In terms of rank, this position is higher than the average commander and only slightly lower than the President's position held by Luo Ming Hai.
It is not part of a structured system, which creates the perfect opportunity for Luo and Di Lin to clash with each other.
I was attracted to watch it because of General Zhong Lang. The role of Xiuren is quite challenging. It requires natural transitions between playfulness and aloofness, which demands honed acting skills.
The portrayal of the antagonist is quite three-dimensional, and Yang's inner world is rich! I haven't read the original work, but it's said to be a Western fantasy adaptation.
I feel like the drama is a bit mixed. There are too many indoor scenes and dialogues, which drag down the pace. If there were more fantastical portrayals of the background world, it could greatly enhance the viewing experience.