A rebirth changes the destiny of a naive girl and silver-haired general.
九重紫
Network: Tencent Video
Cast
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| Li Yun Rui: Song Mo Yan Tang |
Meng Zi Yi: Dou Zhao Shou Gu |
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| Xia Zhi Guang: Ji Yong |
Kong Xue Er: Miao An Su |
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| Zhang Meng: Wang Ying Xue (FL's stepmom) |
Yan An: Song Han (ML's didi) |
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| Li Bai Hui: Dou Ming (FL's meimei) |
Li Xin Ze: Wei Ting Yu |
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| Shang Qi: Su Yan |
Quan Yi Lun: Wu Shan |
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| Zhu Jun Lin: Chen Jia |
Liu Mei Tong: Zhao Zhang Ru |
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| Wang Tong Hui: Dou Shi Shu (FL's Uncle (#5)) |
Ji Chen Mu: Dou Shi Ying (FL's Father (#7)) |
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| Mu Li Yan: Grandma Cui (FL's Grandma) |
Tian Lei: Zhao Si (FL's Maternal Uncle) |
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| Wang Jiu Sheng: Song Yi Chun (ML's Dad) |
Zhou Zhi: Jiang Hui Sun (ML's Mom) |
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| Ye Zu Xin: Crown Prince |
Dong Zi Fan: Prince (of) Qing |
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| Tan Kai: Emperor |
Zhang Cheng He: Jiang Mei Sun Duke of Ding |
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| Yumiko Cheng: Empress Wan |
Du Yi Heng: Wang Ge (Eunuch) |
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| Fu Wei Lun: Gu Yu (Empress' nephew) |
Zeng Yong Ti: Shu De (Elder Princess) |
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| Wu Qi: Chen Qu Shui |
Wang Jian Guo: Wu Yi Wen |
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| You Jing Ru: Zhao Gu Qiu (FL's mother) |
Lu Jia Xi: Little Dou Zhao |
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| He Yu: Young Emperor |
Ye Sheng Jia: Young Duke of Ding |
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| Bai Qing Lin: Wei Ting Zhen |
Wang Lu: Lu Zheng |
Romcom/Romance Checklist
How much of the plot is angst/romance?
0 / 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5The ML:
Cold–Lukewarm–Warm / Timid / Tsundere / Falls in Love First / Noble Idiot / CEO / GeneralThe FL:
Bold / Cute / Cool & Independent / Falls in Love First / Better than ML / Noble IdiotDescribe the Relationship (the tropes):
Annoying Love (F/M) Rivals +++ / Bickering Start / Childhood Connection / Cohabitation / Contract Marriage or Fake Couple / Enemies to Lovers / Hidden Identity / Harem / Love Triangle / Married Couple (Real) / Rebirth / Secretly in Love (F/ML) / School to Adulthood / Star-Crossed Lovers Relationship Progress (officially together; first (official) kiss; breakup*):
Ep 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18 / 19 / 20 / 21 / 22 / 23 / 24 / 25 / 26 / 27 / 28 / 29 / 30 / 31 / 32 / 33 / 34# of CPs (including main CP):
0 / 1 / 2+ / 3
0 / 1 / 2+ / 3
Ending:
Happy / Sad / Open Happy / Open Sad / Bad / Rushed+++Review
TL;DR:
- Best hair of 2024.
- Li Yun Rui’s squinty smiles will have you squinty smiling right back.
- Cheers to a photogenic drama.
The Too-Long Review Opinion:
First up: Li Yun Rui did it! He isn't Steve anymore. *Dabs tears*
Next up: The VISUAL storytelling. It’s vivid and compelling. The director elevated this drama. *Leans in, whispers* There might have been one too many transition/editing fails though.
Now here's where I stand: while I really liked it, I didn’t quite fall head-over-heels like the rest of the planet (domestically and internationally).
The writing? Efficient. It knows how to cut corners and dive straight into the action-packed climaxes. Which sounds thrilling – and it is – but here’s where I’m different and indifferent. I need more of the "small scenes"; I don’t know exactly what they have to be but something like regular back and forth conversations that don’t need punchlines, interactions that let characters just exist, etc. Take Dou Zhao squashing her in-laws with her wealth – which is great – but I would’ve liked if I could feel why her in-laws needed to be tamed in the first place. The pro: no family-drama tedium. The con: the victory felt a little hollow. In similar ways, a lot of the other “action-packed climaxes” felt diminished. For me, the big moments need those small setups to land with maximum impact but I felt the majority were thrilled to skip straight to the fireworks.
The plot, in my opinion, is so packed but doesn't have space for the main actors to really act their characters' nuances. Dou Zhao and Song Mo have incredible and near-perfect characters, but those are traits, and not personalities. What defines Dou Zhao beyond her competence and her goodness? Maybe you have an answer for this, but I couldn't quite pin it down in my watching experience.
Romance watchers, the climax does peak when they marry, but at least they stay strong together throughout. Good vibes.
To wrap this up, I feel like I need to emphasize I did enjoy this. Surface-level appreciation is still valid! While I might not be leading the fan club, I’m happy to wave a pom-pom from the sidelines. It’s worth watching/trying even if you're only here for the squinty smiles – you have to see the squinty smiles – and the glistening hair.
Rating: 3/5 ♥♥
The Best Part on this Page: Pictures!
Bonus
2. Director's magic. It's actually Zeng Qing Jie's re-debut into regular format dramas after accumulating experience+success over at mini-land: A Familiar Stranger, The Killer Is Also Romantic. Provoke, Butterflied Lover, Destined to Meet You, Never Too Late.
(I remember complimenting how Song Mo would naturally sink faster because he's heavier, but later I realized he had to have gone through her to be under her, hahaha.)
(A little sad that the clover blood-mark just disappeared.)
The way he frames our CP:
The theatre scene callback between the Song Mo and the Crown Prince:
3. Li Yun Rui's Squinty Smiles. I'm squnity-smiling right back! (Random Trivia: Li Yun Rui is called Xiao Lin because that's his little name. Some fortune teller told his grandma that he's missing Wood (木) in his 五行 (wǔxíng = five phases of Chinese philosophy: wood 木, fire 火, earth 土, metal 金, water 水). Lin has two woods (林), and so he's Xiao Lin.)
4. Highlights that TEASED. Did they live up to expectations?
5. Other characters.
Ji Yong. He was cooler as the mysterious baldie.
Wu Shan. Wu Shan is here ↓ This is the back....
...and this is his...wow.
(Netizens called this an onion scene because Dou Zhao kept stripping, and stripping, and stripping his layers until we got flesh.)
Twins. How long did it take you to catch the twins? They deserve character posters!
"We insist on punishing ourselves."
Not twins.
Chen Jia and Zhao Zhang Ru.
Love at first attack
Song Han and Miao An Su.
Should have let him starve to death here
Dou Ming.
6. The rest of the romantic screenshots. (Random Trivia: Li Yun Rui and Meng Zi Yi's first drama together is Parallel World. They said they had one scene together where she nearly killed him.)
I cry too at her sewing. (Nah, he's squinty-smiling)
He can't look her in the eye ~
"I'll marry you"
Mm-mm! Employment Abuse Tofu!
She says she likes him! It's the tofu!
Must find mother-in-law's wine – while blind!
↑ This was sweeter than the marriage.
He's thinking this:
She's doing this:
*Stealthily buttons collar*
:|
Back on track!
Nvmd.
The most useful scene in the entire drama ↑
He'd give her stars if she wanted, but she wanted this big colossal lantern
Back off Noble Idiocy!
At work vs. at home:
From Song Han's messengers: "They're breathing fast and their hands and legs are trembling. If they aren't injured then they are sick":
This is also the last scene they filmed for the drama.
And it's a wrap!
Recommendations
| General | General | General |
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