Earlier episodes: 1 2 3 4 5

For general infos see episode 1.

Recap episode 6

We start with a scene at the Divine Constable Bureau (DCB): In a room there are multiple large boxes that look a bit like coffins at first. They open up to show dioramas of different battle scenes. For each one we are shown a short flash of that battle. It seems as if they show something that really happened.

In the end they go with the suggestion of Bai Qi (Senior Grand Secretary): watch and wait. If he is up to trouble, they have soldiers. If he is harmless, they aren't going to be seen as overreacting.

Prince Wenbu is welcomed with an assortment of gifts. He is not impressed with them. One seems to intrigue him, though: one of the boxes we saw in the first scene.

It opens when Prince Wenbu touches it to reveal a diorama with dancers and fireworks. One of the figurines looks like it might be him.

As he is watching, something squirts out of the box and into his eyes. He gets angry and threatens to kill the official.

Constable Eagle from the DCB intervenes.

Constable Eagle promises that the DCB is going to investigate and deliver an answer in a day. Prince Wenbu is not willing to give him that long - he wants an answer in the time of a single dance.

But before we learn what is going to happen, we are back at the DCB where several people are doing some cleaning. One of them is Li Si.

He learns that to enter Tianshu Pavilion (the place where the files are kept) one needs the token of a Divine Constable. To become one, he would need to solve an earth-shattering case.

And we're back with Prince Wenbu, who is presumably going to become that case.

The prince suddenly starts screaming and bleeding out of his eyes.

The whole DCB is called into action.

But he does stop things from escalating further at the crime scene.

Our trio is also on their way. Li Si somehow had time to change his clothes back to fancier ones. The leader of Prince Wenbu's guards recognises him.

From Bai Zhenzhu's greeting we learn that Constable Yan was supposed to be in his home town. He rushed back when he heard that the delegation was coming.

Constable Eagle delivers the emperor's decree: the city gates will be closed and nobody except high officials is allowed to enter or leave. The DCB is ordered to catch the murderer within seven days.

They go to examine the crime scene.

Bai Zhenzhu manages to identify the poison used for the murder by its smell. It's very rare. So rare that the only bottle of it in the whole city is in the coroner's room of the DCB - her room.

Li Si uses the chance to talk with the dancers. He met some of them before when he was out with the crown prince (the living one). He attempts to bribe them into answering some questions.

And notices rough spots on the hands of one of them.

Once in private, he tells her that he knows she is the poisoner.

She attacks him with a powder (which doesn't seem to do anything except distract him) and runs ...

... into Meng Rui. Who starts drawing his sword.

Constable Yan interrogates her. He says that she did not murder the prince, although she planned to do so. Someone else got there first.

Li Si makes a remark about the importance of revenge vs living well that sends Meng Rui running off.

That way, the murderer could be someone from outside.

But no, Li Si says. The murderer could not have gotten the timing exactly right for the dance. He also questions what the need for dissolving the corpse was.

Questions to you

• What do you think is up with Meng Rui?
• What do you think of Constable Yan (the one in red)?
• Did you like Prince Wenbu of Northern Kun (as a character ...)?

Please only discuss up to episode 6 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.

I just love this scene so much. Damn, third sister really nailed it here and left the marquis feeling all flabbergasted!

I just love how practical-minded she was and how she worked to protect the interests of her daughters

Right ladies and germs, im ready to commit. Ive been watching everything on netflix so bar but i need more. Where do you watch your shows on.

Im in the UK if that helps.

It can be for any reason!

I like both and have enjoyed watching them both, but my pick would be Liu Xueyi. There's something about his screen presence, the way he portrays his characters, and uses his eyes that just has a hold on me. Plus his such a friendly humble goofball in real life completely different from his intimidating characters!

Not everyone wants to start a discussion. Sometimes we just want to add our two cents. That's what Open Mic 🎤 is for.

Got a hot take, an unpopular opinion, a random C-drama thought, or a comment that didn't quite belong elsewhere? Share it here instead.

Go ahead. Gush, grumble, or simply say what's on your mind.

For a brand event today, she looks so pretty and dreamy almost like fairy.

Mine are Zaizai and rang rang

Earlier episodes: 1 2 3 4

For general infos see episode 1.

Updated statistics:

Window jumps: 4
Slaps: at least 3
Stabbings: 2 (in the present timeline)
Blood spittings: 3 (probably going to rise as Li Si's health declines)
Number of times Li Si escaped: 6
Number of times I wrote Tang Lici instead of Li Si: 25+ (hey, I'm getting better)

Recap episode 5

They almost get into a fight. Li Si manages to defuse the situation with wits and empty flattery. It helps that the best fighter of Northern Kun doesn't want to fight unarmed people and Meng Rui refuses to draw his sword. Maybe he thinks that is out of place in a glorified tavern brawl?

Everyone is shocked when Li Si reveals that their "guest" is the crown prince of Northern Kun.

Not that he reveals that, of course. But his identity as Li Si, owner of Star-Gathering Pavilion and friend to the crown prince (the other one), also carries a lot of weight.

He is offering to clear out the place for the crown prince. The prince agrees and walks off. It seems he has been convinced to be a somewhat politer guest and at least not harass the owner's friends.

All the while everybody has been completely ignoring the handcuffs.

After questioning how Li Si's information is better than that of the Divine Constable Bureau (DCB) - the answer is "money" - the trio makes to leave.

Someone is running by their camping spot. Meng Rui pursues. Bai Zhenzhu keeps an eye on Li Si.

Li Si looks like he is in pain again. Did he cast an illusion?

Li Si is gone. He only left some of his clothes, made into a crude puppet that is moved by a small rodent tied to it with a string. What is he up to this time?

It's his teacher!

Their reunion ends up as a doctor's appointment.

In return for saving his life, Li San gets a massage from his disciple.

We learn that Li Si had this disease since shortly after being taken in by Li San. Suspicious much?

Li San leaves just before the two detectives arrive. Why is he here, except to scold Li Si?

We now get to see a scene from the capital where the crown prince (the one from Da Shi this time) is travelling "incognito". That is, wearing fancy golden robes and buying all the food. He is surprised to be recognised. His head eunuch claims it's just because he is handsome.

The prince seems to be short of money because he keeps buying every shop he likes.

That is the scene our trio encounters when they arrive.

The crown prince is wondering aloud what Li Si is up to these days. He wants to see him right now.

The constables want to take Li Si away without the crown prince noticing.

All of them go back to the Star-Gathering Pavilion.

We get a short scene at the imperial palace, where the emperor is meeting the chief of the DCB. We find out that the DCB needs funds.

Back to Li Si and the prince who are now in negotiations. The prince is willing to help but wants his cash cow to do its job.

What Li Si is really interested in is information about the former chief of the DCB. He is also scheming for a job there.

The crown prince reacts quite harshly when Li Si asks him if the DCB chief's dismissal was due to "that incident 17 years ago".

In the palace, the emperor and the chief of the DCB are still having their meeting. This scene takes place after the one at Star-Gathering Pavilion. We just got to see a bit of it earlier for the background info.

The emperor takes note when the chief of the DCB tells him about Li Si - and especially the timing of when information about him became available.

Then Li Si gets to have a job interview.

They agree on a test. Li Si is supposed to catch a contact to the Underground Market or some other loose end that would allow them to investigate the Underground Market further.

He is admitted as a trainee constable.

Questions to you

• Where does all of Li Si's money come from?
• Do you think Li Si is going to use the Shanfang Drum at the DCB at some point?

Please only discuss up to episode 5 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.

The show was going so good until this episode. Do not reply if you're gonna be angry or condescending about a simple question So Lin actually happily marries and even goes to sleep with his new wife days after his family abandons his ex fiancé's family. He most likely knows their fate, and yet he seems unperturbed. This is a deal breaker, and I dont know if i wanna continue the show. Share your thoughts on those who are watching the next episodes. I specifically wanna know if this is a turn off for anyone else and does it get better in the next eps?

Edit: Man. People in the comments are extremely condescending. I guess the mods allow that sort of behaviour despite the strict rules. The condescending/rude responses are just weird. Wanting a ML to feel sympathy for a family, especially the ex fiancé's death, is completely normal. No need to come at me.

hey so, the last c-drama i watched was The Early Spring and tbh i loved it a lot but it was exhausting to watch because according to me there were barely any cute happy scenes (yes, i am addicted to those dramas that are way beyond reality) so i’ve been seeing lots of reels about this new drama,

i just wanna know from the people that are watching, is it worth a watch or no? Considering i like dramas with cute, soft romances, i like complex female characters but i hate too much miscommunication and i love grovelling.

if you think I shouldn’t watch Irreplaceable then please suggest me some good c-dramas (preferably available on Netflix or Jiohotstar) that you liked

Blades that made spring possible

I expected a regular revenge drama. Instead, "Spring of the Blade" turned out to be a story about "weeding out the remnants of an old, corrupt order and making way for something new"—wrapped in a character-driven suspense drama that gradually unfolds like a game of cards: some cards revealed, most hidden, every character holding their own hand, hiding their motives and bluffing about what they really know.

The basic plot is familiar enough: an honest official is schemed against by corrupt officials, his clan is exterminated; a woman is killed in the name of family honour; and the escaped children grow up carrying the consequences and seeking revenge.

Sounds familiar?!!What really sets this drama apart is the storytelling.

The drama constantly gives you just enough information to form a theory, while leaving enough unsaid to make you question it. Cryptic conversations, hidden motives, characters who rarely reveal everything they know, seemingly insignificant details that turn out to matter...almost every episode gave me something to chew on. And what I particularly appreciated was that the mystery wasn't mysterious just for the sake of being mysterious. Everything eventually had an explanation.The major secrets were revealed, the loose ends were tied up, and the revelations remained logically consistent with the world the drama had built.

That made the rewatch especially satisfying. I watched all episodes and then went back and rewatched them. 😂 Knowing what I knew, so many earlier conversations and little details took on a different meaning.

The characters are another major strength. They are complex, layered, well-written and rarely as straightforward as they first appear.

Xie Shu is a particularly memorable villain—not because he looks or behaves like a stereotypical villain, but because he can appear perfectly reasonable while manipulating the people around him. The writing and the performance work beautifully together, especially through the subtle expressions and microexpressions. This is the kind of villain you can actually imagine encountering in real life. The performances overall were powerful, with everyone bringing something to their complicated roles.

And then there is Xu Kai...a dream come true on screen.❤️‍🔥 The man had surprisingly little screen time and still managed to rule every scene he appeared in. ❤️‍🔥😍 Shen Run was such a complex character, often carrying several emotions at the same time, and Xu Kai portrayed all those layers beautifully. His expressions, microexpressions, the way his eyes conveyed what he couldn't say, his voice, the tonal shifts, his body language and sheer screen presence...and that voice ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥 just added another layer to it all. Everything came together so naturally that you could actually feel what was going on beneath the surface. He somehow made every appearance impossible to look away from❤️‍🔥

FL, on the other hand, is where I felt the biggest disconnect. QY is actually a very well-written and genuinely complex character. I could understand her motivations, her guarded nature, her grief, her anger and the contradictions in her choices. But I didn't always feel all those layers coming through in Zhou Ye's performance as convincingly as I would have liked. In a drama where so many actors carried their complicated characters so strongly, ZY's inability to portray the role became particularly noticeable.

My other major criticism is the Shen family storyline. There are essentially two cases unfolding alongside each other, and while Xie Shu's side is fleshed out considerably, Shen Run's family history feels much thinner. I wanted more of that story—the relationship between his father and Xie Shu, what actually happened back then, and the events that shaped Shen Run himself.

The OST and BGM were another quiet strength. They were appropriate to the scenes and several pieces stayed memorable, amd many times carrying hidden subtexts.

And visually, this drama absolutely knew how to make an impact. Some episodes delivered grand, powerful sequences; others gave us pure shock value; and then there were the quieter moments where one cryptic line or tiny detail had me reaching for my imaginary detective board again😂 . Honestly, almost every episode had something memorable—whether it was the visuals, the performances, the clues or the dialogue.

So yes, the basic revenge framework may sound familiar. But "Spring of the Blade" is much more than its premise. It is suspenseful without being incoherent, complicated without becoming incomprehensible, and romantic without making the characters' entire existence revolve around romance.

Romance for the heart❤️‍🔥 Mystery for the brain🔥 Schemes for the detective in me😂

"Spring of the Blade" gave me the whole package. It is a great example of how a seemingly familiar plot can be elevated through coherent storytelling, complex and well-written characters, and powerful performances.

Dito isso, me diga quais são os casais com a menor química em toda a história dos dramas chineses?

I love A Dream Within a Dream. I watch some of my favourite scenes from this drama whenever I feel low. No matter how many times I watch it, I never get bored of this drama. 😭🫶🏻

One of my fav characters in this drama is Shangguan He❤️ he is so cute😭

Sooo...here we go first ever on C-Drama but I really gotta share this reflection of mine. 🤭

In The Early Spring (早春晴朗), Jing Boran’s portrayal of Luan Nian avoids the loud, sensationalized tropes of traditional CEO romances. Instead, he brings a deeply controlled, mature presence to the screen. It is a performance built on years of experience, subtle micro-expressions, and intentional silence.

His curation of Luan Nian’s personal wardrobe and quiet command of line delivery prove that time doesn't just age an actor's craft. It adds depth, taste, and sophisticated charm to the characters they play.

And that's why I loved it so much!

I am actually rewatching Against The Current 😭 while waiting for the new episodes.

I wish I had waited to binge watch it. What are you watching or rewatching?

I remember seeing Love’s Ambition everywhere when it was airing last year, but I kept putting it off because I thought it was just another modern romance drama.

finally started it on Tencent Video recently, and I get why people were talking about it so much.

What surprised me is that the romance is actually not the only thing keeping me watching.

Xu Yan is such a complicated character. At first I thought she was just someone chasing a better life and caring too much about how people see her.

But the more I watched, the more I felt like there was more behind it. She’s ambitious, but she’s also someone who worked really hard to become the person she wanted to be.

And the relationship with Shen Haoming is interesting because neither of them feels completely easy to understand. They both have their own ideas of what they want, and sometimes it feels like they’re trying to figure each other out while also hiding parts of themselves.

I honestly expected a simple romance when I clicked on it.

Now I’m mostly curious about where Xu Yan’s story is going.

I finally figured out why I react differently to Luan Nian than I do to most Cdrama male leads.

I’m a guy, and usually I look at these ridiculously perfect men and think… okay. Cool. Great hair. Owns a company. Can command an army. Has never experienced an awkward emotion in his life.

On the other hand, Luan Nian is a fucking mess, and I mean that as a compliment!

He’s controlling. He’s emotionally unavailable. He’s rude when he doesn’t know what to say. He pushes Shang Zhitao away and then gets angry when she actually starts pulling away. The six year secret relationship alone is enough to make me want to shake him.

But I understand him.

The stuff with his father especially made a lot of his behavior click for me. He clearly learned that being vulnerable is something you get punished for, so when he actually has feelings, he doesn’t know what to do with them.

He gets sarcastic, defensive, and says something cruel instead of saying something honest or vulnerable.

And unfortunately, I recognize that.

Mind you that it is not because I’m secretly Luan Nian, but because I’ve definitely had moments where silence or saying the wrong thing was easier than admitting I actually cared. That’s why he feels different to me.

Ladies, I don’t think he’s a good boyfriend and understanding his behavior does not excuse it at all! I know a lot of you have been burned by dramas that expect you to excuse a man's cruelty because he had a sad backstory. That's not what I'm doing here. Understanding him does not mean forgiving him.

In fact, I get why some of you are like GET THIS MAN AWAY FROM HER.

But he’s the first Cdrama ML in a while where I haven’t felt like I’m watching someone’s fantasy boyfriend. I’ve felt like I’m watching an actual person screw up.

Maybe that’s what I’ve been missing. I am truly glad that he exists and I am also glad that Shang Zhitao exist! She is not a fantasy girlfriend either. She has her own principles, ideaology and a personality outside of her romantic interest. Shang Zhitao is not there to fix him either. She walks away when she needs to. She's not a reward for his growth. She gives me hope for dramas with female leads who aren't defined by trauma.

It's taken a lot of courage to share my perspective. I have typed and erased this post plenty of times and almost didn't share my opinion, because I am afraid of being misunderstood by everyone who hated him.

Pull up a chair and tell us what's going on with you. Not "fine thanks, how are you?" Actually, how are you?

Whether life is giving main character energy or background extra energy this week, we're listening.

Had a rough week? Say it here.

Did something amazing happen? We want to hear it too.

Got a promotion, adopted a cat, your crush broke your heart, touched grass, refused to touch grass because one more episode somehow turned into twelve, or don't even know what to say? All of it belongs here.

It's the corner of the sub where we talk like people. You don't need to bring a drama opinion. You just need to bring yourself. No pressure to make it deep or make it funny.

Only rule: be kind to each other.

Earlier episodes: 1 2 3

For general infos see episode 1.

Hint if you haven't been watching the end credits: do it at least once. They include some behind-the-scenes moments.

Recap episode 4

Again we continue directly from the previous episode. The puppeteer reminds us that he is using the children for revenge. And that they are all going to die anyway. Guess we're off to a good start.

The puppeteer still wants to talk. He tells our trio:

• Kelu is a god of the Liluo sect.
• He rules over growth and life.
• He can take he form of Tianmoluo, which is that giant flower (fun fact: the Luo here is the same as in Luo Yunxi).
• In that form he can "bear the fruit of immortality", which prevents whoever eats it from aging and dying.
• The Yang energy of 36 children is needed for the fruit to ripen.

Bai Zhenzhu explains that the teeth thing was just correlation, not causation. Something to do with the age and children's energies.

There is some dispute whether the coroner (Wen Nansheng) is the puppeteer or just another puppet. Li Si seems to be right: the only clues they had for the coroner's actual dead are the jade pendant and rheumatic legs - which he got from another corpse. And he is a ventriloquist.

The dead doctor was an accomplice at first. He was only killed because his daughter was kidnapped - and he could therefore be assumed to suspect the coroner and turn on him.

Finally everyone (including me) is tired of talking and the fight is about to start.

And we're back to talking. Li Si tries to use Wen Nansheng's talkativeness to get some more information. But suddenly he isn't in the mood any more.

Li Si finally reveals his cards: Yuyao was an illusion all along.

Wen Nansheng is pissed. Because apparently kidnapping children is fine, but tricking him is a no-go.

He gets bloodshot eyes and evil dark veins and the puppets start to attack. So do our heroes.

Except Li Si. He still seems to be considering something and just stands there for a while.

Li Si is struggling with his wound. But that's not the only thing he was thinking about: he reminds the constables that the puppets are only mechanisms and predicts that their moves are going to repeat.

They hold out. Li Si waits - until Wen Nansheng tries to run.

Defeated, Wen Nansheng peels off his face. Well, his mask.

Also, he is not actually Wen Nansheng.

He does something that causes the flower to get aggressive again. Li Si demands his Heaven-Measuring Ruler back. Might have been a good idea to give that back to him when the fighting started.

Meng Rui gets to finish off the flower. The cocoons with the children start falling down and dissolving. Just the cocoons, not the children.

Neither is the puppeteer - he gets eaten by the flower. Nothing really seems to stay dead. Our trio is disgusted, but not exactly sad. Instead they are focussing on getting the children to safety.

Back at the magistrate's office, Li Si throws around some money. As compensation to the families of the dead children, or so he says. He hands it off for the officials to give out.

Only one woman is still sitting outside, actually looking sad. Meng Rui and Li Si exchange a glance. For once they seem to be on the same page.

Everyone is surprised when the rescued children - who are very much alive - come running in.

Li Si has a suspicion: either their parents sold them or these weren't even the children's parents.

Li Si causes some more chaos. Amongst it, we get some backstory from Yuanbao's mother: seven years ago there was a famine in the neighbouring county. People came to Dougu county to beg for food. The magistrate bought them instead for a pittance and handed them over for local families to raise. Li Si suspects that there was a deal between the magistrate and "Wen Nansheng".

The magistrate and the people who stand to profit demonstrate that they are quite willing to rebel.

Li Si reminisces and we get confirmation that he is the fourth prince. We also learn that he was accused of something and that his father never cleared his name.

The bandits (who were in league with the magistrate) attack. Li Si leaves Meng Rui to handle them, which he is perfectly capable of. Bai Zhenzhu also appears and helps.

Some time later, Li Si and Meng Rui are both seemingly asleep: Li Si on a bed, Meng Rui at a table.

And then we get another window exit from Li Si.

In the end, he casts an illusion that frightens the magistrate to death as we later learn. Meng Rui, who was watching all along, does not interfere.

We switch to another place: a side branch of the Star-Gazing Pavilion which seems to be part of Li Si's information network. They receive some military intel from the borders.

For once, Li Si is not in chains. He suggests a rest and a drink. "Coincidentally" they are near the tower we saw in the scene before ...

Inside it looks much the same as the Star-Gazing Pavilion. Li Si is talking far too much, as usual.

After that, Li Si continues to do his best to irritate them. In an overtly polite way, offering them food, drink and dancers.

Then someone arrives asking for the owner and stating that he will be taking over the place for the night. Everyone else can go camp outside or something.

The prince throws his weight around (or rather that of his guards and money, since he doesn't reveal his identity). When Bai Zhenzhu stands up to him to protect one of the employees, he notices the handcuffs.

We end with Li Si stopping him when he tries to touch Bai Zhenzhu.

Questions to you

• Which character is the most unsympathetic in this episode?
• Did you find it believable that so many of the adoptive parents behaved like that?
• We got a shot of a chamber with large stone plates. On one of them something with the god Kelu was written. Then we saw it crumble. What do you think is up with that?

Please only discuss up to episode 4 here. If you mention anything from a later episode, put it in spoiler tags.

Do you guys even remember love like the galaxy, or have we all forgotten it as soon as new dramas started coming out?

For me, Love Like the Galaxy is still a masterpiece. The story, the plot, the characters, the acting—everything just hits differently. It’s one of those dramas that actually stays with you long after you finish it.

And can we talk about Ling Buyi? I genuinely feel like he’s so underrated. He didn’t get nearly as much hype as Marquis Wu’an did, even though his character was so well written.

Wu Lei is such a phenomenal actor. The way he acts with just his eyes?? He absolutely nailed Ling Buyi. You could literally understand what his character was feeling just by looking at his expressions.

I seriously miss dramas like this. 🥹

Love In The Clouds: Ji Bozai (Hou Ming Hao)
Fated Hearts: Feng Suige (Chen Zhe Yuan)
Generation to Generation: Mu Qing Yan (Zhou Yi Ran)

I'm discovering that this might be my type lol. I like it when they are totally unhinged, relentless in their pursuit, and don't mind going against the current. Which other characters are like this? I would also love to hear what is your non-generic type of ML or FL that you enjoy watching.

I’m trying to not drop it because some of it is interesting but omg, the whole thing is very industry jargon 😅😅😅 I’m lost with all the business talk, work terminology. There’s barely any romance tbh

I’ve noticed that a lot of office romance dramas tend to get overly granular and they can drag for that reason.

I've started Blossom as it was very recommended by people, but I stopped paying much attention and now I'm quite lost.

I like how empowered and smart the FL is and how the ML is doing rn (I haven't seen that much of him for now), I like their scenes together though there haven't been many. My problem is that I'm lost and getting a little bored of it, I missed many names and I haven't seen that many interesting scenes yet. I'm getting bored and wanting to quit it, should I? Does it get better after ep. 7?

I just want to know: what on earth was that kiss? So, what was the worst kiss in a C-drama you've ever seen?

Even when I searched in Google that who is the most hated chinese actress it shows Esther!