Horror Stories of Tang Dynasty (2022)

The Making of a Di-tective

Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty is 2022's surprise hit and a must watch for mystery wuxia buffs. Inspired by zhiguai xiaoshuo 志怪小说, this is a collection of slightly supernatural mysteries set in Tang dynasty. This form of folk literature was very popular during that period and is not limited to ghost stories but also strange or anomalous phenomena. Fifteen centuries later, these fantastical tales continues to set imaginations afire and is a well explored genre in contemporary media. Well before Tsui Hark's wildly entertaining and successful movies from 2010 onwards, Detective Dee was already by far the most ubiquitous protagonist of this genre.

The Tang Code is one of Tang dynasty's great accomplishments and was the model for all future dynasty's legal codes in China and East Asia. Di Renjie was a Tang judge renown for numerous fair and impartial judgements and one of the heroes of ancient China. He twice ascended to rank of chancellor during Wu Tzetian's reign. The popularity of zhiguai xiaoshuo and this rich historical backdrop makes this period rich fodder for fantastical Di Renjie inspired ancient detective stories like this. This is set during Wu Tzetian's son Ruizong's second reign. Ruizong was a pretty useless emperor and his sister Princess Taiping was the real power behind the throne. Harboring ambitions to be another Wu Tzetian, Princess Taiping was engaged in a power struggle with crown prince Li Longji (Xuanzong). In terms of recent Tang dramas, this takes place after Luoyang and before Longest Day in Changan and The Imperial Coroner. This drama is well researched, largely respects history and is true to the societal, institutional and legal norms of the day.

The county sheriff of Chang'an, the capital city is found dead under spooky circumstances. Su Wuming, a disciple of the revered Di Renjie is summoned hastily to Changan to assume this position. His path keeps crossing with that of Lu Lingfeng, a proud and ambitious young general of the jinyiwei or imperial guards. Their relationship starts off as adversarial as Lu Lingfeng clearly resents that Di Renjie once rejected him as a disciple While not his match in rank, resources or martial arts, the crafty Su Wuming runs circles around Lu Lingfeng and manipulates him (and his resources) into aiding in his investigation. As they race to unravel their entangled cases they encounter sorcery, shape shifters and battle adversaries with unworldly powers. Inevitably a grudging mutual respect and comradeship forms between the men. While Su Wuming is clearly the master detective, Lu Lingfeng is also smart and has great instincts but is foiled by his quick rush to conclusion and lack of experience. This is not another cliched and static brains vs brawn investigative combo where the brains (Holmes, Poirot) is elevated by how dumb and naïve their sidekicks are (Watson, Hastings). This is just as much Lu Lingfeng's story as it is Su Wuming's. Under Su Wuming's discreet tutelage and hilarious machinations that fall barely short of hazing, we see the makings of a Di-tective out of Lu Lingfeng.

Lu Lingfeng''s overweening pride and arrogance would come off as off-putting if it were less charismatically portrayed by Yang Xuwen with the subtlest sense of self-awareness and irony. Although the Tang rulers made imperial exams a mandatory prerequisite, scions of noble families such as Lu Lingfeng's were able to secure coveted positions and advance on the fast track as a result of patronage. This explains why at such a young age he was a fourth rank general in the elite imperial guard. I think most don't appreciate how ignominious it is for Lu Lingfeng to accept a subordinate position to a county level official such as Su Wuming. He rolls with the punches and learns from his mistakes to discover a greater sense of accomplishment by earning his way back to the top. After a long hiatus, it is good to see Yang Xuwen come back with such a multi-faceted, well interpreted character that is arrogant and quick tempered on the outside but pragmatic and even mushy on the inside. He has amazing rapport with veteran actor Yang Zhigang who delivers a flawless depiction of the astute, seasoned detective with keen survival instincts and a slightly diabolical sense of humor.

While Su Wuming is the maestro that pulls all the threads together, the cases are tackled by a motley team of talented and engaging characters they pick up along the way. Master Fei Ji is the extraordinary doctor who sells his soul for a chicken a day, Pei Xijun is insightful beyond her invaluable photographic eye for detail while Xue Huan and Ying Tao round out the formidable martial arts team. They are all lost souls who become found family and find meaning in their work together. It is rare to see such excellent character development in this genre, which tends to be more plot heavy. The team dynamics and witty repartee is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this story. There are two romances that don't take center stage but are quite charming although the second one in particular is not necessary. This is a wonderful ensemble cast that put a lot of heart into their performances. While some of the acting lacks finesse, it is yards better than all the boring posing by overpaid and entitled idol actors that the industry keeps cramming down our throats. It is clear from the production values, the well choreographed action scenes and the CGI that the budget was spent on all the right things.

This intriguing and engaging collection of strange cases from the Tang dynasty hooked me from the start. In a year where too many high profile Chinese dramas have started strong only to fall down on plot, this drama delivers into the final mystery. There are eight cases that wander down an intriguing path of murder, mayhem and all kinds of odd happenings that pay homage to real records of such occurrences from that period. The cases are well written and littered with clues that will allow the attentive viewer to participate in the solution. The supernatural elements end up mostly but not entirely debunked, leaving a nice eerie aftertaste. To me the most frightening case is the one involving the scholar Dugu Xia (shout out to the most underrated actor Han Chengyu), where true evil is not some supernatural phenomenon but resides within man's nature. The drama finishes strongly with an excellent cold case, one that evaded Su Wuming's mentor Di Renjie. If I have one complaint, I would have liked to see the whole team crack the final case together. Instead they traded in two favorite characters for two that are introduce late in the game. I also didn't like that Su Wuming and Lu Lingfeng pursued separate leads for most of the final case although I understand that is to show Lu Lingfeng has come into his own.

I expected this low profile drama to be one of a long string of forgettable Detective Dee wanna-be dramas that is just good to pass some time. I am still rather befuddled at how enjoyable it is. It is on par with, if not slightly better than Ancient Detective, 2020's sleeper mystery wuxia hit, which I also rated 9.0. This has toppled many higher profile dramas to rank #2 on my watch list for 2022.

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A Surprise

There has been a slew of dramas which started out promisingly and only to end with great disappointment!BUT Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty does no such thing, its captivating, intriguing and exciting from the first episode! The character development of the character is great, especially LLF, the ML, from a hard and arrogant man to a mature and developed gentleman is quite pleasant. Though there are female interests in the drama, they never became a handicap to the drama's main storyline, which I am very grateful for, as the genre doesn't warrant romance in it. This drama is definitely about two men, the Male Leads and the strange cases they encounter. I am so looking forward to the Second Season! Meanwhile, I shall rewatch the drama this weekend.....

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An Underrated Gem

I love this drama. It is a gem under the radar. It has a great plot with unusual and interesting criminal cases filled with man-made supernatural phenomena, magic and mysteries. Each case is different with unpredictable outcomes. The main characters are intelligent and lovable. The pace is good, the story telling is excellent and logical. All these are built upon a real historical background which is authentic and fascinating, albeit violent and stormy. Most of all, it’s a page turner and very addictive.

Set in the Tang Dynasty during the tumultuous second reign of Emperor Ruizong (r. 684-690, 710-712) (not explicitly stated) who was one of the sons of the infamous female Emperor Wu Zetian, the era saw the Dynasty as the center of the world with exquisite material life and fusion of diverse cultures. Consistently behind the scene is the power struggle, which is historically recorded, between the Emperor’s younger sister, Princess Taiping (youngest daughter of Wu Zetian) and the Crown Prince, Li Longji. It was said the Princess was the real power behind the throne. Many court officials and military personnel flattered to join her camp, and her power exceeded even that of the emperor’s. In this drama, we see deadly political conflicts and manifestation of conspiracy between the Crown Prince and the Elder Princess. And both of our main leads are embroiled in the conflicts which are linked to the cases they have to solve.

Yang Xuwen as Lu Lingfeng is convincing as the proud general who is not too flexible but very good in martial art fighting especially with his long spear. He is upstanding and will do anything to uphold justice. He is loyal to the Crown Prince but is warned to hands off from his investigation of the Chang'an Tea mystery which he's deeply involved and couldn't withdraw himself. So after the mystery is being solved, Lu Lingfeng is stripped of his title and ordered to leave the capital. Behind his background, he has a secret which he doesn’t know himself. Yang Xuwen has a rather rigid look and his portrayal of Lu Lingfeng is very believable.

Su Wuming (Yang Zhigang) is a student of the genius investigative judge Di Renjie. He is humble and resourceful, and is appreciated by the Princess. Su Wuming doesn’t want to be involved in the royal court disputes and is sent away from the capital to the regional office. He is meticulous and observant of the tiniest details, and he is wise but often underestimated by his enemies. Yang Zhigang’s portrayal is very authentic with his suave demeanor, bringing the character alive and loved by viewers.

On their way out of Chang'an, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming meet again. Lu Lingfeng initially has a grudge against Su Wuming over some personal issues. After solving their first case together, they become rather fond of each other and the two become good partners, and from thereon, jointly solving cases after cases. Both characters have opposite personalities and strengths, complimenting each other in their investigative work. The bromance between the two is funny and lovable. Their formidable team later includes a talented artist who is in love with Lu Lingfeng, a brilliant doctor disguised as a beggar who loves to eat chicken, and a boy who is talented in martial arts and later becomes Lu Lingfeng’s disciple. I really enjoy watching all of them working together, fending off enemies and solving cases.

My Verdict

If you love The Imperial Coroner, The Detective, Ancient Detective, or Miss Truth, you may love this drama as well. Though with less romance than the other aforementioned, this drama has, among others, few plot holes, good storytelling, and high quality plops. The cases are intriguing and complicated, and the characters are equally lovable and intelligent.

The drama showcases phantoms, illusions, legendary beasts with the ample use of CGIs, some very good as (such as those with the giant crocodiles, phantoms), some less so (such as those with the giant bear). Every seemingly unimportant detail is a clue. Each case is different like an adventure. The case solving techniques involve new way of thinking, understanding of human psychology and most of all, common sense. The culprit in each case has compelling human reasons for committing crimes. A lot of the plots and dialogs are oxymoronic and comical without brazenly admitting so.

Romance is not the focus here as both men are tsunderes and practically run away from romantic relationships despite both men so have love interest with two women. For me, no romance is better than bad romance.

A great watch for thriller buffs.

TWO THUMBS UP! BRAVO!

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A delightful detective series with lovable characters

I love crime mysteries so i decided to watch this. No high expectations as it was not hyped by any media outlet. But to my delight, it surpassed most if not all the dramas I was watching at the moment. It has no traffic stars to draw audience but as you watched it, it grows and grows to be a favourite. It relies on strong/tight plot line, fast pacing, humorous dialogues, excellent acting and interesting antoganists. Yes, one can guess quite accurately who did it or how it happened. Yet there was a freshness to the storyline...which I can't explain. I was not bored nor tempted to fastforward any scene. I sympathized with the characters and chuckled at their wittiness. I proudly watched as the younger ML grows in character as if he was my own 'child'. No character was redundant nor silly. The ending tied up nicely yet it hints that there is more to come.. If it is developed into a regular series (like the American detective shows), I will watch it. The only sore point for me was the CGI as I am used to better ones but it is acceptable. Yes, I will rewatch it when I run out of good shows to watch.

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A sleeper surprise and a very worthwhile watch

I started watching Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty with no expectations at all, and this drama continually surprised me with its excellent acting, high quality worldbuilding, and creative plot that never grew stale.

For starters, it's worth noting that this is neither a "traditional" historical mystery nor a fantasy series: instead, it falls within a niche genre blend of wuxia and gong'an, perhaps most commonly associated with Judge Dee films. In this drama, the action is grounded in a real historical milieu but with a "high wuxia"/"low fantasy" twist, in which cultivation and illusionary magic allow individuals to defy the laws of physics and take on superhuman powers, ranging from elite fighting skills to shapeshifting and manipulating remote objects.

This genre sets up multiple potential challenges for the drama, yet it succeeds on all levels. First, each mystery solved by the protagonists is well-developed, tightly plotted, and consistently paced: it begins with a heinous act, often flavored with a deliciously "creepy" vibe, and then our leads piece together the evidence. The cases always resolve logically and our leads' investigative techniques are never implausible for the genre: they aren't using 21st-century methods set in the Tang dynasty, but rather a mix intuitive methods available to real officials from the time, techniques from the Judge Dee novels, or (in the case of our younger lead Lu Lingfeng and the resident doctor/raconteur Chicken Fed) their own wuxia-genre skills from fighting to herbal healing. And each individual mystery brings its own rich cast of supporting characters, each bringing their own quirks and pathos to the table.

As for the acting, it's outstanding. The lead character of Su Wuming - shrewd, quirky, and somehow both innately curious and danger-averse - comes to life thanks to the acting of Yang Zhigang. Whether he's cracking a case, wrangling his way out of high-stakes interactions with the powerful, awkwardly kindling a romance, or protecting the legacy of his beloved mentor Di Renjie, his emotions come across as real and believable, and he's a delight to watch. His counterpart, Lu Lingfeng, is ably portrayed by Yang Xuwen and undergoes a highly believable transformation as the drama progresses, maturing from an imperious young soldier with a lot of raw potential into a savvier, more empathetic, and less self-conscious man of action. The early stiffness and arrogance of this character won't please all viewers, but as his character developed more fully, his initial deportment seemed all the more believable to me, particularly when his origins and the reasons for his at-times self-righteous approach are revealed. And to my view, the main supporting characters were well-portrayed, with Pei Xijun evolving from a lovesick young woman into an essential part of the team, Chicken Fed adding well-timed humor and his own contributions to the mix, and the youthful Xue Huan helping to humanize Lu Lingfeng.

It's also worth noting the high quality of the drama's production. The sets are vibrant, colorful, and pay close attention to detail, effectively recreating a Tang dynasty setting with period-appropriate fashion and accoutrements. The CGI is handled with surprising care and quality, avoiding garish displays of poor computerized animations; while it's perhaps not exceptional, it certainly doesn't detract from the drama's quality.

The historical accuracy of the worldbuilding is also quite impressive, easily exceeding that of many more "traditional" historical dramas. During our leads' visit to the south, for instance, they encounter the phenomenon of recreational tea-drinking among rural scholars (which indeed bloomed from this region during this time period); and while in Chang'an and Luoyang, they are drawn into the struggle for power at court between the Emperor (historically Ruizong), his sister (historically Princess Taiping), and his son (historically Li Longji, the future Emperor Xuanzong). And wherever they go, they encounter realistic challenges inherent to Tang society: the highly stratified nature of the government in which several elite families lorded it over the rest, frustrations with the examination system for selecting government officials, and the various deeds and misdeeds of the low-level officials sent to manage far-flung areas of the empire.

Ultimately, the drama fuses all these elements together into a coherent, engaging, and very enjoyable watch. It's one of the highest-quality period dramas of the year, in my opinion.

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Ancient Chinese Detectives Go Sci-Fi

In a year when I’m getting far more out of C dramas than K ones, Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty still manages to be a standout. It’s been hailed an underrated treasure where its been seen and indeed, I don’t disagree. While the title and cast might not inspire hordes of viewers to take a peek, it is a worthwhile entry into the crime genre. What makes this series shine ever so brightly is the meticulous and painstaking world building. Of course the show wouldn’t be quite as entertaining without the core male characters, Lu Lingfeng, Su Wuming and Fei Ji Shi who are wonderfully penned to be as alike as chalk and cheese. There are female characters too but are relegated to support roles and love interests. While I wouldn’t go so far as to say that they aren’t needed because they do have significant parts to play especially those within the investigative team, the joy of watching this 36-episode drama is not found in their exploits.

The world where all these crimes are staged bears a strong resemblance to the Tang dynasty probably during the second reign of Emperor Ruizong due to the presence of the powerful Princess Taiping and her equally powerful nephew, the crown prince Li Longji. The politics matter quite a bit as it influences how the lead characters navigate their way around key crimes involving nobles and the royals in Chang’an, Nanzhou and Luoyang. After cracking a major case involving the sale of a tea with dubious ingredients in the capital city, Lu Lingfeng and Su Wuming are banished for their good work to the south. One has the feeling that it’s done in part so that Lu Lingfeng can get his delightful growth arc and for the two men to do some much needed cleaning up in these places.

Both men are observant and intelligent but the advantage that Su Wuming has over Lu Lingfeng is the passage of years — wisdom and experience and the privilege of being the only apprentice of the great Di Renjie, the great Tang statesman. It becomes increasingly evident that the older man is meant to instruct the younger in the error of his ways and turn him into a law enforcement officer worth his salt. Lu Lingfeng, who begins his career as a martial arts pugilist, embarks literally and metaphorically on a journey that sees him go from being a rigid arrogant hothead to a far more circumspect, methodical and adaptable detective. There's even an old-fashioned nobility that comes across as quaint. To further assist him in that goal of growth is the persistent Pei Xujin, his love interest who is an accomplished artist in her own right. While the two don’t have the type of chemistry which raises the temperature in the room, some of his character building (on hindsight) does depend on having her hanging around especially when she has her young family retainer Xue Huan in tow.

Along for the ride is the obligatory physician Fei Ji Shi whose greatest pleasure in life is boozing and chomping on chicken. Despite his bedraggled appearance he has real skills and useful medical/scientific knowledge that comes in handy in various cases. He is entirely his own man, wandering in and out of the narrative largely at his own convenience.

Strange Tales is unabashedly a classic detective story modelled after the golden age era. The quirky Su Wuming has the shrewdness of Agatha Christie’s Hercule Poirot and the self-deprecation of Peter Falk’s Columbo. He is certainly the man to have around when the bodies pile up and the culprits are nowhere to be found. What distinguishes this show from others in the genre are the science-fiction/ fantasy elements. The weapons used to perpetrate these murders are often tools of another world although the investigation process is grounded in the familiar strictures of the genre.

What keeps the show from being deadly serious and unerringly enjoyable is the humour. It is a funny show and the show does have fun at the characters’ expense. But the dialogue is for the most part witty and there are genuinely hilarious moments that emerge from an intelligent script. It’s certainly and easily one of the best things I’ve seen this year.

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Tang Dynasty Investigative Drama with Stipples of Fantasy

In history, Di Ren Jie was a chancellor during the Tang Dynasty and Wu Zhou Dynasty who was celebrated for his capacity in giving fair trials and judging cases. In fiction and popular culture, he's also depicted as a government official, and a highly intelligent detective with an acumen for solving difficult and bizarre cases. The drama's main protagonists are Su Wu Ming, protégé of Di Ren Jie, and Lu Ling Feng, a general of the Imperial Guards.

The story goes that both Su Wu Ming and Lu Ling Feng once vied to be the pupil of Di Ren Jie when they were younger, but Di only accepted one of them - Su Wu Ming. The result of this constantly became the underlying cause of Lu Ling Feng's grudge against Su Wu Ming for the first half of the drama. The reason that Su Wu Ming was picked was clear. The man was much shrewder, more cunning, intelligent, and he was not above himself to employ tricks of deception as his means for greater good. He presented himself as an awkward official, but beneath his deadpan face was a sharp-witted, eloquent, and possessed a humourous persona.

Lu Ling Feng's character was upfront, straightforward, reckless, and coming from a distinguished family, he puts himself on a high pedestal, sees himself as honourable, thus his exuberant arrogance. He was not as intelligent as Su Wu Ming, but he had show a level of simple-mindedness that was indirectly the cause of his own downfall. He was initially the favourite of the Crown Prince, being entrusted to investigate the case of the black tea which caused high addiction amongst its drinkers. The Chief General was apparently "jealous" of his vast achievements, so through scheming and slanders, he was eventually cast away. Lu Ling Feng's constant outbursts were honestly tiring to watch and he could get annoying over time, but he did have his moments that made up for the shortcomings of his character. He was overall, a good combination with Su Wu Ming as an investigative partner, and on some occasions as the rebellious patient of Chicken Master Fei, a skilled physician and an occupant of the "red district" Ghost Market.

The cases, which spanned four to five episodes each, were paced well and easy to follow. There were elements of magic that centered around witchcraft, giving viewers the CG effects of illusions of monstrous creatures and giant beings larger than humans. The first case led the two protagonists to solve the mystery of abducted and murdered brides together, but instead of being rewarded after solving the case, Lu Ling Feng was framed, stripped from his high ranking position and thrown out of the capital of Chang'an. Hence, the quest to reveal the person behind this scheme begins after this case.

Romance is not the center of the theme for this drama, that's the feeling one gets when watching this for the first five episodes or so. Nevertheless, we were introduced to Pei Xi Jun, daughter of Pei Jian, who was bethrothed to Lu Ling Feng's cousin, General Xiao when they were children. Before General Xiao was due to depart for the battlefield, Pei Xi Jun had held a banquet for this fiancé whom she only met once during childhood. But instead, Lu Ling Feng went to the banquet in his stead, causing Pei Xi Jun to mistake him for her fiance. She developed a deep crush and obsession with him thereafter. Of course, the story stipulated that he had feelings for her, too, so it's all mutual. All she wanted was to marry him, even when the imperial edict brought the announcement that he had died in battle. She threw tantrums at home, refused food, crying to her dad all day long, "I want to marry General Xiao! I want to go and look for him! I don't care!" And it was all because she met him once at the banquet she held, where they presumably had some shallow conversations about the sparrows in spring or water lilies in Suzhou. She was also willing to go as far as to enter in a "nether marriage" with him. Her role in the drama is to perpetually pine for Lu Ling Feng, and to be the eventual love ending for Lu Ling Feng. It didn't matter if her father, who had doted on her her whole life, broke his foot, or fell ill. She constantly whined about Lu Ling Feng. In a way, I think both of them deserved each other.

While I understand not every female character can be written to resemble Zhao Pan Er from A Dream of Splendour (2022), it is incomprehensible to me that some writers only tend to present female characters on extreme ends on the spectrum. They're either implausible, unconventional feminists in their era, or they're insufferable, whiny brats. They want what they want, and they want it now (which also reminds me of the unbearable female lead from My Roommate is a Detective). Some of these female characters are either accompanied by a superficial sob story that lacks in effort in giving them depth, or the female characters are over-victimised to the extent of "mary-sue" martyrism (which is the case for Cheng Shao Shang in Love Like the Galaxy). These are just a few mentions among many others.

I like this drama, and if it weren't for the superfluous character Pei Xi Jun, I would have rated it even higher. The second half of the series introduced us to a new female character named Li Ying Tao, who quickly became Su Wu Ming's love interest. She is adept at martial arts that rivals Lu Ling Feng's level, hot-headed, and definitely not a tsundere. While I don't mind the second coupling, I do find the age difference between her and Su Wu Ming a little unsettling. I know this was the Tang Dynasty, but my modern mind has been hardwired in such a way I find it hard to divorce the belief I held from the practice in that era. Su Wu Ming himself acknowledged that he's a bit older than Li Ying Tao, but his affections for her were clear. The male chauvinism and inflated male ego were also rampant in this drama, traits that honestly aren't uncommon 1500 years ago, but like I said, it doesn't mean it's right and it doesn't man my mind can embrace it.

In history, Emperor Xuanzong and his aunt, Princess Taiping were locked in a struggle for the throne upon the imminent abdication of Emperor Ruizong. Princess Taiping's followers were all swiftly dealt with before his ascension, and she was forced to take her own life. This drama, however, implemented an arc where the Princess' life was in jeopardy following her use of a toxic face "tonic". The Crown Prince was portrayed as someone who cared deeply for her. Because of traitorous subordinates and this and that, a fierce battle ensued where the Crown Prince received a sword injury. Both of aunt and nephew came to a compromise and began to repair their relationship thereafter. Soon, Lu Ling Feng was revealed as the Princess' long lost son, a plot twist that I didn't particularly like.

This had been an enjoyable drama, but I just couldn't warm up to Lu Ling Feng and Pei Xi Jun. I could barely tolerate Lu Ling Feng's attitude by the end of the series, and to me Pei Xi Jun's character is completely expendable.

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Good acting & interesting characters, but low production value & poor romance.

Subjective Rating - 8.0
Objective Rating - 8.5+

Usually, “Strange Tales of Tang Dynasty” is not really my go-to type of genre, but due to the rave reviews, and I haven’t seen Yang Xu Wen in a while, I figured I would give this a try. However, I think I picked the wrong time to watch this as my mood changed and I was sick and stressed out. Thus, I was unable to fully be invested in the drama and the investigations.

I was not immediately hooked on the drama. Initially I thought the drama started really slow and took me about 10 episodes to get into the story. But looking back, I actually quite enjoyed the first arc, compared to the next couple stories. Not all the strange tales were interesting to me. I find that I am more interested in the character development, friendships and the politics more than the actual strange tales and investigations. But this is of course a very subjective view and most watchers are probably watching this for the investigations.

The best part about this drama for me is the friendship between the two main leads. Lu Ling Feng is an intelligent, young general who follows and enforces all rules. Su Wu Ming is an experienced investigator and the bright disciple of the famous Detective Di. They clashed when first met as they have very different personalities and styles of investigation. Seeing how their friendship develops and how they complement each other is really fun. I also enjoy the character development of Lu Ling Feng, under the guidance and friendship of Su Wu Ming.

Another bright spot for me is the teacher/student relationship between Lu Ling Feng and Xue Huang. Once a reluctant teacher, Lu Ling Feng has come to care for Xue Huan as a teacher and big brother. Anson Shi, who played Xue Huan, is a promising young actor. I really enjoy all his scenes, including his fight scenes.

Unfortunately, my biggest criticism would be the romance storylines. As much as I love romances and I am not looking for it in this drama, the writers really shouldn’t have included them if they can’t do a great job writing. The romance between Pei Xi Jun and Lu Ling Feng was not developed well. They don’t have any chemistry and I don’t see how all of a sudden they became a couple. Then their romance disappeared like nothing happened until the very last couple episodes when it was mentioned again. The romance between Su Wu Ming and Ying Tao is just as awkwardly developed. Well, at least they have some fun banters. Having said all that, the romances took up very little screen time and can be ignored or fast forwarded.

The production value isn’t very high. The CGI is not good, especially with the animals and the fake-looking magic tricks in the last arc. It gives an even worse impression in the last arc when the story moved back to Chang’an. I can’t help but compare (unfairly, I know) the beautiful cinematography in “The Longest Day in Chang’An” to this drama, especially the night scenes and scenes of the tower. The fight scenes are not that great either. Not horrible, but not great. I know it’s another unfair comparison, but after just finished watching “Side Story of Fox Volant”, seeing these fight scenes is not a good experience. Yang Xu Wen couldn’t convince me that he was a great fighter or an actor that is good with fight scenes. Again, he’s not bad but he’s not Leo Wu or Qin Jun Jie. Although the main characters all use their own voices (thank goodness), the dubbing wasn’t done well. Sometimes, the voices and the mouths don’t match.

To end on a positive note, I do enjoy seeing many smart people in this drama. There isn’t anyone annoying. The main leads, Lu Ling Feng, Su Wu Ming, Pei Xi Jun, Ying Tao, young Xue Huan and funny Fei Ji Shi are all smart people making smart choices. There is no damsel in distress and the female characters contribute in their own ways. The acting is pretty good, even for the guest roles and supporting cast.


Other Random Observations:
1. There’s something about the way Su Wu Ming speaks that bugs me. Not the dubbing, but the rhythm of his speech and the pauses. I know I am weird.
2. The Crown Prince does not look very princely. I can’t picture him being the emperor next. On the other hand, the princess looks like she could be the next empress.
3. I was very impressed by the way Lu Ling Feng stopped the disaster from happening in the last arc. He couldn’t fix the issue, but found a workaround! Smart!
4. FL’s introduction is annoying, but I am glad she got so much better.


Completed: 10/23/2022

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The Relationships in this world are predestined.

The Dynamic Duo and their Friends.

The story is set in Jingyun Reign in the Tang Dynasty. The gorgeous Tang Dynasty is like a mirror: one side is false, shows peace and prosperity while on the other side ghosts are everywhere.

One of the MOST INTERESTING aspects of this show was the working relationship between Su Wu Ming and Lu Ling Feng(reminiscent of Sherlock and Watson). Su Wu Ming is the brains of the operation and Lu Ling Feng the brawns. Though later Lu Ling Feng becomes more attuned to all aspects of cases.

* Su Wu Ming is often sarcastic and resorts to manipulating people to get results, he has great deduction ability and uses his foresight to solve the problems. Chicken Fed(Mr.Fei)in his first meeting rightly pegged Su Wu Ming, he looked mean and cunning, quite untrustworthy.

*With Lu Ling Feng, what you see is what you get. He is the most honest, upright, rules following General of the Imperial guards. In their first meeting, Chicken Fed(Mr.Fei) pegged Lu Ling Feng as good-looking and righteous, who would keep his promise.

We see these two officials caught in a power struggle between The Crown Prince and the Eldest princess of Tang(Crown Prince's aunt) . Su Wuming and Lu Ling Feng have to soothe the ruffled feathers of the royals while trying to seek justice and solve bizarre cases.

*Another issue highlighted in this series is the struggle of common people. For Common people what matters the most is living their daily life peacefully, they do not care about the power struggle between the rulers. The ruler who gives importance to their welfare and ensures they are provided with basic necessities is the ruler they would choose.

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Episode 1 to 5 - Chang'an black tea and missing brides

Su Wu Ming(Yang Zhi Gang) Sheriff of Chang'an County, the discipline of great Detective Di Renjie, is of the opinion that there are no ghosts and no demons in this world Then who or what is responsible for the cases of missing brides of chang'an and what do all these disappearances have to do with Chang'an black tea that is in rage and so much in demand that there is a black market for it, even Her Highness drinks it. After drinking this tea the elderly will feel refreshed and their physique will stretch after drinking it. After young people drink it, their yangqi will overflow and they will have infinite energy. It is said if someone drinks it often, he can even reach the fairyland and dance with the deity.

Sheriff Su Wu Ming a replacement for the recently deceased Sheriff Wu Daqi, has stumbled upon a strange case. Since last one year, every month one bride goes missing and corresponding the missing brides' cases the price of the infamous expensive hard to find Chang'an black tea's price is increasing every month. Strange deaths are associated with the drinkers of the tea. Sheriff Su suspects that there is a prohibited ingredient mixed in the tea causing people to hallucinate and then become mad due to excessive addiction, leading to their premature death.

Sherif Su Wu Ming teamed up with General Lu Ling Feng(Yang Xu Wen) of Jinwu guards who also wanted to be the disciple of Detective Di but was rejected whereas sheriff Su Wu Ming was a disciple of Detective Di. Lu Ling Feng holds a mild grudge against Sheriff Su at the beginning. Slowly both people with opposing temperament and different working methods merge their efforts to solve the cases. Sheriff Su has been assigned the case of missing brides, in the first few episodes only four dead bodies have been discovered the brides dead bodies had been kept in four directions like a ritual, Sheriff Su from the private notes kept by Lu Ling Feng of the missing brides deducts that rest of the eight bodies of other missing brides are hidden in strategic places. Lu Ling Feng is assigned the case of the mysterious Chang'an black tea by the crown prince himself who instructs Lu Ling Feng to assist the Capital Tea Alliance to investigate the case however as the prince doesn't issue a written order, Lu Ling Feng has to investigate this alone without the support of imperial guards. Also there is a strange mystery surrounding the deceased General Xiao, fiance of Miss Xijun, the daughter of Pei Jian, Assistant Minister of the Ministry of personnel. General Xiao Bozhao died on a battlefield but Miss Xijun insist on marrying him and the picture she has drawn of a General Xiao is actually a portrait of General Lu Ling Feng.

The killer killed the bride Dou Cong and stuffed her body with spices so that the body would not decay for days, later the spice was identified as Soul Returning Incense by Chicken Fed. Answer to this could be obtained in The Ghost Market, two people seem to be behind these mysteries, one is a masked person addressed as Immortal Venerable, wearing the mask of Fang Xian God and the other person, face and form changing masked, omnipotent Yin Shilang/Lady Shiyi. Yin Shilang claims to be a dead man using Soul Returning Incense to prevent his body from decaying. It was believed that Yin Shilang became immortal a few days ago.

After the Lu Ling Feng is asked to handle the black tea cases without imperial guards, Su Wu Ming cleverly uses greed for more money to convince the 19 constables of Chang'an county to help General Lu. Chicken Fed, an eccentric, poor, chicken stealing brilliant doctor, reveals that the backyard of government office of the West market have some bizarre herbs growing. It was later discovered that flowers for making Soul Returning Incense are grown in that backyard. Su Wu Ming also deduces that the prohibited ingredient in Chang'an black tea was Western Magic Grass.The toxic Western Magic Grass/Hades Grass has been listed Prohibited since Sui dynasty. Lu Ling Feng breaks into three isolated suspicious yards in Chang'an and discovers Western Magic Grass growing there.

The link to the missing brides and Chang'an black tea was, All the brides disappeared at the beginning Or end of the month, while every new batch of the tea was released during the third and fifth day of the month. It suggests the two cases are related.

::::::::::The riddles presented to the viewers are:::::::
1.why are the brides being murdered?
2.who is behind the distribution of Chang'an black tea?
3.what is the real identity of Immortal Venerable and Yin Shilang/Lady Shiyi?


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Episode 6 to 8- Deserted Gantang post mystery

No good deed goes unpunished. Caught in a power struggle between the eldest princess and the crown prince both Su Wuming and Lu Ling Feng suffer . Lu Ling Feng is ordered to be flogged 30 times by the crown prince, his house and lands are confiscated, he is expelled from chang'an. Su Wuming is appointed as the military commander of Nanzhou by her highness and ordered to walk all the way to his post and think carefully. Lu Ling Feng becomes personal staff of Su Wuming and they continue their journey to Nanzhou on foot. They come across a deserted government Gantang post, only a corvee is staying there, Liu Shiba. He seems to be hiding many things and warns these two not to wander around at night as there are ghosts in other rooms. (It was supposed to be scary and mysterious but I couldn't stop laughing at the sheer number of people who wandered into that deserted government post in one single night???)

* who is Liu Shiba? Why is he alone at this deserted post?
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Episode 9 to 13 Four scholars of Nanzhou

The day Su Wuming arrived with Lu Lung Feng, Pei xijun and Xue huan to Nanzhou, Su Wuming's friend died and his funeral procession was underway. Su Wuming's friend Yuanfu was one of the four renowned scholars of Nanzhou, soon after that, another scholar, Lu Gongfu succumbs to death.. Is it coincidence or conspiracy.. What does it have to do with the famous painting of the stone bridge and stolen Guqin?
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Episode 13 &14 - Back to Gantang post.

Who is Liu Shiba? The question was unanswered the previous time, all the events precipitated. Circumstances made Su Wuming ans Lu Ling Feng leave the post immediately after they had apprehended Liu Shiba. Suddenly Lu Ling Feng realises in his dreams that he had missed some important clue, so he along with Su Wuming after disguising themselves go back to the deserted Gantang post. Upon knocking the door of the Gantang post,the person who opens it is Liu Shiba.. Why is Liu Shiba back at the post? What clues did these two miss the first time around?
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Episode 14 to 18- scholar Dugu Xiashu hallucinates

Dugu, the scholar preparing for the exam on one rainy day, through a hole in the window sees his wife having an affair with his friend, he throws his books on their heads and runs away. He plans to commit suicide by jumping in a well, suddenly he blackouts and a farmer passing by the well asks him why he isn't using his umbrella to cover himself, at least he should cover the books. Hadn't Dugu thrown the books at his wife and his friend? Dugu's friend, Liu Youqiu is killed.. Where is his wife, Qinghong? What is happening to Dugu?

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Episode 18 to 21 - Ju County's new sheriff is Lu Ling Feng

Lu Ling Feng is appointed as the new sheriff of Ju County. There is a corpse chopping case from 40 years ago that is still unsolved. A woman named Guan Zijun's body was dismembered 40 years ago. Twelve women have been raped and killed recently, then they were decapitated. Lu Ling Feng accepts the challenge to solve the case in seven days. Who is the white haired ghost? Is the house rented by Lu Ling Feng, Hall of Life really haunted? What is the secret of the backyard of the Hall of Life? Who or what is causing the mysterious headache that most of the people in Ju County are suffering from?

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Episode 22 to 26 - Tuo God's wine.

Lu Ling Feng after being dismissed again by imperial decree, leaves the post of sheriff of Ju County. Lu Ling Feng gets impeached and dismissed while Su WuMing gets a promotion. (someone powerful is using these two people to accomplish their personal agenda). Su Wuming, is promoted to be the military commander of Ninghu, it is a prosperous place located South of Chang Jiang River . Su Wuming tells the legend of Tuo, ancient people say that when crossing the rivers and lakes one must not leave his or her blood on bushes.Otherwise once it is licked by Tuo living in the water one will be possessed by the soul of Tuo and they will be doomed. Tul means alligator. There are two groups in Ninghu, one who wants to burn down the temple of evil God, Lu Yong with his accomplices. Another group led by chief Shen, who wants to generate fear in hearts of people in the name of Tuo God. Everything in Ninghu is controlled by the worshippers of Tuo God. There are many superstitions stories as to how Tuo God would punish non believers. Everyone is forced to worship Tuo God. People believe, Tuo God who is alive meets his worshippers from behind the curtain every year on the 3rd of March (double third festival) , the day of God's birthday he shows his body which is several feet high. Is administrator of Ninghu, Gu Wenbin corrupt or just a coward? Is Prefectural Governor Li Yu really dead? What is the Governor's daughter, Yingtao's role in the events? What is the list of Tuo's worshippers that is Circulating? Do people actually see Tuo God on 3rd March every year?
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Episode 27 to 31- Deadly Face Flower

Su Wuming has received an order from imperial Court to go to Luoyang immediately. A letter had been received from prefectural governor of Luozhou, who sent someone from Dongdu. Su Wuming thinks it is weird to receive a letter from the Governor in the name of imperial Court so he decides to go to Dongdu immediately. Su Wuming and Lu Ling Feng are getting more involved in the political struggle between the eldest princess and crown prince. The eldest princess keeps on promoting Su Wuming but Su Wuming thinks for the stability of their dynasty, they should support the crown prince. Su Wuming is informally appointed as the administrator of Luozhou, he refuses to accept the position because he is not given a formal appointment. However he decides to accept the case for which he had been summoned by the princess there. All women are applying a new rouge, face flower for beautifying. It is said once the flower is soaked and applied on the face, it melts into skin. However after 81 days instead of transforming the women into beauties, it is burning their cheek flesh. Even the princess has used it and if the culprit is not found in time to get an antidote, the princess also may suffer the same consequence as other women. The Benevolent side of the princess is revealed. What is the connection between paradise inn and the face flower? What is the mystery of Lu Ling Feng's childhood?

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Episode 32 to 36 - Magicians and The Sky Scraping Tower of chang'an

The Emperor is going hold the completion ceremony of the new sky-scraping tower of Chang'an that has taken 40 years to be completed during the mid-autumn festival. It has a total of 36 floors, allusion to Chinese myth of heaven. 3 floors in the underground and 33 floors above the ground. A magic show will be presented. The emperor will invite all officials, envoy of different countries and the people of Chang'an will enjoy the magic show together. An arrow shooting wooden bird that seems to be the creation of magican Sass seems to threaten the peace. Sass wants to settle score with the court, he is a magician as well as a killer. Where is Sass hidden? What is the real identity of the author of The Tales of Sass, a banned book? Will Sass come to take away Helan Xue? Who is the real mastermind?

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Overall: A good mystery series with interesting protagonists and short arcs of mysterious events having elements of the supernatural but at the end there is a logical explanation for all events. Even better is the revelation of mastermind at the end... I would never have thought that person was responsible. Must Watch.

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I am biased here so heads up

Where to watch: iQIYI

Where to watch: iQIYI

Yang Xu Wen - character is too arrogant that sometimes I think the writer overdid this character (or the director maybe?)
Lu Ling Feng - his character role


Yang Zhi Gang - disciple of Det. Dee, already love the character. He played his character so well that I’m hoping there’s a sequel to this series. (After writing this, i found out sequel is currently in production and filming Yay!)
Su Wu Ming


I enjoyed this series a lot. I am partial to period/costume series that is more mystery, thriller, and/or political than romance.
The ending truly made viewers aware that there is a sequel. Although the ending solved the mystery, it still left me wondering about the emperor.
The production is excellent from wardrobe to props. Everything got arranged and set perfectly.

I highly recommend and since the sequel is already being filmed, best to watch this now and be ready for the sequel.
As to rewatch value, i rewayched this 3 times and still enjoying it.

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