Les Belles (2025) Chinese Drama Review | Plot & Cast

Details RATING: (6.5/10) NATIVE TITLE: 怎敌她千娇百媚 – Zěn dí tā qiān jiāo bǎi mèi YEAR 2025 EPISODES: 26 DURATION: 45’ DIRECTOR: Huang Ying Xiang SCREENWRITER: Wang Hong, Yu Kun, Yu Xin Xin ORIGINAL CREATOR: Yi Ren Kui Kui (怎敌她千娇百媚 - How could anyone resist her captivating beauty?)

In a world where women play a secondary role, Jelly Lin presents herself as a bold and unconventional heroine. With its sophisticated Tang Dynasty setting and sumptuous costumes, Les Belles transports us to an era where feminine charm is a double-edged sword and every smile can conceal a hidden agenda.

In this Les Belles drama review, I'll explore the series' plot, cast, and setting to help you understand whether this production truly captures the viewer's attention or whether, behind so much beauty, lies only appearances.

Plot

Luo Ling Yu and her younger sister Luo Yun Hua are the sole survivors of the Luo family of Jingyang, wiped out ten years earlier during the invasion of the enemies of Beichu. Since being orphaned, the two have been staying with their greedy aunt and uncle in Shuozhuo, where Luo Ling Yu is considered the city's first beauty.

On her twenty-fourth birthday, Luo Ling Yu is forced to sign a marriage agreement with the wealthy Fan Qing Chen, Young Lord of the Fans, an Imperial Merchant Family, but she refuses to marry him and plans to run away. During the wedding, she attempts to escape several times, but is unwittingly thwarted by Lu Yun, Third Young Lord of the Lu family of Yuezhou. Lu Yun is in Shuozhuo to gather evidence to clear his father's name after he was accused of defection in the Battle of Jingyang.

On the journey to Yuezhou, Luo Ling Yu saves a mysterious masked man — who later turns out to be Lu Yun — from drowning and then abandons him. However, when the two meet again at the Lu Residence, where the sisters are sheltering, Luo Ling Yu doesn't recognize Lu Yun, and he doesn't seem to like her very much, despite her repeated attempts to seduce him. Luo Ling Yu, in fact, must marry to recover the family inheritance deposited at the Government Office, but she doesn't want her groom to take her assets, so she decides that Lu Yun should become her matrilocal husband.

The relationship between Third Young Lord Lu and Miss Luo continues amidst misunderstandings, bickering, and misunderstandings until the two discover that they love each other. They decide to join forces to pursue their mutual goals: expose the sinister plans of the Beichu spies and uncover the truth about the fall of Jingyang.

Together, they will face countless difficulties and unexpected events, even risking their lives, but with the help of the allies they meet along the way, they will ultimately achieve justice and a romantic happy ending.

Les Belles Drama Review (No Spoilers)

Plot and Screenplay

Les Belles is a light-hearted romantic drama, but it ends up being less captivating than it promises. The premise of revenge and the restoration of the family name often takes a back seat, overshadowed by the protagonist's far more invasive marriage plans. This choice, while consistent with the overall tone, ends up weakening the plot, relegating it to the background of the protagonist's sometimes ridiculous and childish antics, with which she tries to attract the attention of the protagonist and, more generally, those around her.

The story flows easily, supported by lively moments and a lightness that makes it easily accessible, but it stumbles with questionable script choices. The inclusion of the genre's inevitable clichés, which result in often implausible situations, repeated misunderstandings, artfully constructed misunderstandings, and unbelievable dynamics, ultimately weighs down the pace. And it is precisely in these moments that the narrative loses momentum, expands beyond what is necessary and becomes, at times, more flat and predictable than engaging.

Characters

In terms of characterization, Les Belles leaves a rather mixed impression, favoring the secondary characters more than the main characters.

Luo Ling Yu, as written, struggles to be credible in the role of the heroine: her actions are driven by opportunism and a constant focus on personal gain, which often leads her to ignore—if not exploit—those around her, including the male protagonist, who nevertheless intervenes several times to her aid. The relationship between them is, in my opinion, forcedly unbalanced: Lu Yun describes her as lucid and unscrupulous, yet with each encounter he seems increasingly fascinated by her, as if her insensitivity paradoxically attracts him, in a mechanism that ends up being counterintuitive and, at times, irritating. Added to this is a general lack of chemistry between the two, which makes their bond weak and unconvincing.

On the contrary, I found the secondary characters to be decidedly more successful: her younger sister, Luo Yun Hua, is a surprisingly mature girl, capable of acting with intelligence and a quick wit that often makes her more effective than her older sister, especially in managing human relationships. Her integration into the Lu family — with whom she manages to form genuine emotional bonds — is one of the most successful aspects of her characterization.

Ling Xi also stands out for her down-to-earthness and resourcefulness. She possesses a practicality that her mistress lacks, which allows her to often be more effective than her in practical situations.

And then there's Zhou Yang Ling, a character I simply adored: she embodies an idea of ​​femininity that is strong but not rigid, independent without being distant, fragile without appearing weak. She embodies all the qualities that the drama would like to attribute to the female protagonist, but doesn't quite manage to do so.

Cast

As for the cast, Les Belles relies on a ensemble performance that works: no performance stands out as truly memorable, but the ensemble still manages to engage and demonstrate a certain cohesion.

Alen Fang, despite being an experienced actor, seems to once again stray within the confines of his most recurring role — that of the charming and charismatic tombeur de femmes — but ends up being excessively flirtatious and, in the long run, annoying.

Jelly Lin, for her part, delivers a performance made of smiles and coaxing that conveys the image of an overly affected protagonist — even though the character seems to require it.

Equally disappointing is Charles Lin's performance. Although he convinced me in Love Between Fairy and Devil, here he appears truly too stiff. His unnatural gestures and facial expressions only accentuate his character's flaws.

Deng Xiao Ci, who proves particularly effective in the more deviant and obsessive roles, makes his Fan Qing Chen believable and disturbing just the right amount, definitely works better.

Guo Jia Nan's awkward and clumsy acting — worth seeing in An Ancient Love Song — is also positive, as is Zhao Qing's brilliant performance, capable of infusing her character with passion and spontaneity, making her extremely believable.

Li Jia Xin, who delivers a composed yet intense performance, manages to give Chen Xiu depth without ever overdoing it, rounds out the picture.

Visual Aspects and Soundtrack

Visually, Les Belles displays overall good direction, offering carefully crafted shots and framing scenes with a certain aesthetic attention. This visual precision, unfortunately, occasionally slips into questionable choices, such as the color palette: while consistent with the historically rich and sumptuous Tang Dynasty setting, it doesn't skimp on colors, resulting in over-saturated scenes at times. The consistently high brightness, while making the scenes clear and legible, also removes a sense of realism that would have benefited the overall atmosphere.

CGI, where employed, appears generally well-managed, but fails to counteract a certain artificiality in the settings. Likewise, the kung fu sequences, while spectacular, often indulge in excessive emphasis that makes them unbelievable, while the battle scenes betray clear budget limitations.

What stands out positively are the Tang-style costumes and hairstyles, which, while not aiming for rigorous historical accuracy, are visually pleasing and contribute significantly to the drama's aesthetic identity.

On the musical front, the series proves surprisingly more refined than the average short drama: the soundtrack alternates romantic, classically inspired melodies with lighter, more ironic, and easily catchy pieces, creating a varied and recognizable soundtrack. Particularly interesting is the use of less conventional solutions, such as the beatboxed background music to emphasize the comic moments, an original device that adds personality to the ensemble and helps define the drama's stylistic signature.

Les Belles Drama Review (Spoliers)

What Works

The Political Plot

Among the most successful aspects of Les Belles, in my opinion, is the political plot which, while relegated to the background, is based on insights that are anything but banal. The idea of ​​intertwining the destinies of the children of two key figures linked to the Battle of Jingyang—an event that marked not only the fate of the kingdom but also their lives—gives the narrative a solid and potentially highly engaging foundation.

Similarly, the introduction of the element of collusion with the Beichu by prominent figures such as Minister Chen Hao and Military Advisor Kong Ling Feng, driven by the ambition to increase their prestige even at the cost of betraying the kingdom, works well.

Also interesting is the mechanism that ties Luo Ling Yu to the investigation: the fact that it is her parents, albeit indirectly, who push her to investigate the fall of Jingyang, exploiting her materialism and desire for independence, thus drawing her closer to Lu Yun's path, is a well-crafted narrative device.

And perhaps this is precisely why the drama is somewhat disappointing: these premises, which could have supported a more incisive narrative, are often submerged by the emotional dynamics and constant bickering between the protagonists, which even extends to the strategic choices made during the investigation. The result is that the political component, while interesting, struggles to emerge consistently, leaving room for a repetitiveness of situations that ends up dampening its impact and, at times, slowing the story's pace.

The Secondary Love Story

In the romantic realm, it's hard not to notice how the secondary love story between Prince Chang Yi and Zhou Yang Ling is decidedly more believable and engaging than the main one. Despite occupying a more limited narrative space, the two characters build a clear and coherent emotional connection from their first interactions, which develops naturally throughout the story.

Chang Yi is immediately impressed by Zi Bo not only for his knowledge and determination, but above all for his ability to firmly uphold and convey his ideals; similarly, Zhou Yang Ling recognizes in him a rare moral integrity, loyalty, and open-mindedness, which leads her to approach him with sincere curiosity.

Despite the mutual awkwardness and awkwardness that often characterize their encounters, what emerges is a relationship founded on genuine respect and silent but constant admiration. Even before Zi Bo's identity is revealed, their involvement is already perceptible, constructed through a believable narrative progression that the viewer can follow and internalize effortlessly.

The result is a sentimental journey that seems organic, almost inevitable, and which finds fulfillment in a love capable of overcoming even imposed constraints—such as the imperial marriage decree, dissolved by Chang Yi's own will before he learned that Zi Bo was actually his betrothed—leading the two to a union that represents a sincere and delicate meeting of souls.

What Doesn't Work

The Main Love Story

Since Les Belles is a romantic drama, one might expect the series to invest significant energy in making the main love story compelling and engaging. In reality, as the narrative progresses, one constantly gets the feeling that something is missing from the relationship between Luo Ling Yu and Lu Yun.

Rather than a bond built on complicity and progressive intimacy, their relationship appears devoid of real emotional involvement and true harmony: it's never clear whether the constant arguments between the two are the result of strategic pretense or a genuine conflict, ultimately generating more confusion than emotional tension.

It's not surprising, then, that moments of genuine closeness feel rare and artificial: the first significant gesture of affection from Ling Yu comes only in episode 23, when, on the eve of his departure for war, she gives him an embroidered bag with the message "Give me your word that our love will remain as firm as a rock." A statement that, precisely because it's so late in the story, seems almost belated and unconvincing to a viewer who has despaired of seeing tangible displays of tenderness from the FL.

Even more revealing is her indifferent, almost cruel, attitude toward the letters sent to her from the front, which she initially refuses even to read, arguing that, had he been alive, they would have spoken to each other in person anyway, while otherwise she would have had no reason to know his final words.

In this context, the comparison with the couple formed by Prince Chang Yi and Zhou Yang Ling is inevitable and, in some ways, merciless. This contrast further highlights the fragility and coldness of the main relationship, accentuating the shortcomings of a relationship on which the series was supposed to be based.

The Abuse of Romantic Stereotypes

Despite presenting itself as a light-hearted romance series, devoid of any particular ambition, Les Belles doesn't do anything to exceed expectations — in fact, it seems to unabashedly embrace the genre's entire repertoire of stereotypes.

The narrative thus proceeds through an accumulation of familiar situations: from Prince Heng Yang's love at first sight for the protagonist to the classic rescue of the injured male protagonist by the FL, which serves to establish their first connection; from the predictable reversal of dynamics when he discovers he's in love, to more mechanical devices such as the scene in which Zhou Yang Ling, disguised as a man, inadvertently catches her lover, Prince Chang Yi, naked. Added to these are equally unoriginal developments, such as Luo Ling Yu's sudden change of plans—after being promised by imperial decree to Prince Heng Yang, she suddenly finds herself in love with Lu Yun and tries everything she can to have the decree revoked—or the usual lantern show organized by the male protagonist for the female protagonist, culminating in the FL's kidnapping by the man obsessively in love with her and determined to force her into marriage.

This last element fits into a recurring trope in Chinese romantic dramas, that of the male antagonist's morbid obsession with the protagonist — already seen in titles such as Jun Jiu Ling or Wonderland of Love — here embodied by Fan Qing Chen's toxic love for Luo Ling Yu.

To complete the picture, another element is added, one that has become almost a mandatory topic in recent years: the feminist theme. In theory, this would be an interesting narrative idea, capable of enriching the story if developed coherently and respectfully within the socio-cultural context depicted; in practice, however, Les Belles uses it in an often didactic and anachronistic manner, with outcomes that are more rhetorical than incisive and that end up clashing with the setting itself, further weakening the credibility of the overall film.

Narrative Inconsistencies

In addition to the flaws already mentioned, throughout the viewing I often had the feeling that the screenplay resorted to forced solutions to make the drama more compelling, ultimately making the plot even more implausible than the plot already allowed.

The relationship between the two princes is emblematic in this sense: presented as rivals, they never actually harm each other, either physically or politically, resulting in a surprisingly bland opposition, almost devoid of concrete consequences, which seems incredibly unrealistic when placed within a historical drama.

I found the same impression of artificiality in the plans hatched by the protagonists to unmask the Beichu spies, which often seem needlessly contrived, almost as if the story needed to stall rather than advance: it's natural to wonder why it's necessary to stage the fake engagement between Luo Ling Yu and Prince Heng Yang to investigate Kong Ling Feng, or why Chen Xiu and Lu Yun had to pretend to be about to get married to search the Chen Residence, when there would have been simpler and more credible alternatives, such as using spies.

The problem is exacerbated in some key sequences, such as the one in episode 24, in which Luo Ling Yu's late father appears to her in a sort of hybrid version—halfway between a memory, a vision, and a hologram—to show her where the family treasure is located. This moment could have been rendered with greater visual elegance, but instead ends up looking almost amateurish, breaking the narrative immersion rather than strengthening it.

But it's with the final confrontation in episode 25 that the drama perhaps reaches its most extreme point: Fan Qing Chen's plan, which involves dragging the protagonists up a mountain, him tied to a cross and her locked in a cage, and forcing them to choose who to sacrifice under threat, appears so over the top as to border on the grotesque. Making everything even more difficult to accept is the way the subsequent action unfolds: once freed, the male protagonist doesn't seize the opportunity to escape with Luo Ling Yu, but knocks her out and loads her onto his horse to send her back to face his rival alone. Then, instead of defusing the explosive set off by Fan Qing Chan by cutting the fuse, he engages him directly in combat, waiting for the charge to detonate. This sequence of choices not only defies logic, but also ultimately compromises the dramatic tension of the story, turning the climax into an unintentionally ridiculous moment and giving the impression of a writing that, in attempting to up the ante, ends up losing narrative coherence.

Characters and Cast

Primary Characters

Luo Ling Yu/Yu'er (Jelly Lin) the twenty-four-year-old eldest daughter of the Luo family of Jingyang. After being orphaned, she and her little sister found refuge with their greedy uncle and aunt in Shuozhuo, where she is considered the city's first beauty. However, her uncle and aunt hope she will marry soon to rid themselves of her and collect the wedding gifts, so they insist she sign a marriage agreement with the wealthy Fan Qing Chen. However, she wants to regain the family fortune, and to prevent her husband from seizing her assets, she wants a matrilocal husband That's why she flees the marriage and go to Yurzhou, where her paternal aunt lives.

Lu Yun/Xue Chen (Alen Fang) third young lord of the Lu family. He is the only son of General Lu Jie and Lady He. His father was assassinated during the Battle of Jingyang but is suspected of desertion because his body was never found. To clear his name, the guy travels to Shuozhuo to investigate the Fan family's shady dealings and stumbles upon Luo Ling Yu, who is attempting to escape her arranged marriage to Fan Qing Chen. After a fleeting initial meeting, the two meet again when she saves him from drowning and later meet again at the Lu Residence.

Prince Heng Yang/Liu Mu/A'Jiao (Charles Lin) Fifth Prince of the Nanyue Kingdom and Grand General of the Northern Army. He returns to Yuezhou after more than ten years stationed in Shuozhuo protecting the northern borders and appears to be on uneasy terms with Lu Yun. Luo Ling Yu seeks his protection to escape Fan Qing Chen, and he falls in love at first sight. However, when the Emperor issues an imperial decree sanctioning their marriage, the girl backs out because she discovers she is in love with Lu Yun.

Prince Chang Yi/A'Man (Guo Jia Nan) Seventh Prince of the Nanyue Kingdom. He assists Lu Yun in searching for clues to clear his father's name. Despite being in love with Zhou Yang Ling, he agrees to dissolve his arranged engagement to her to satisfy her desire for independence, but ultimately asks her to marry him.

Zhou Yang Ling/Zhou Zi Bo/Zhou Zi Tan (Zhao Qing) daughter of Zhou Tan and betrothed to Prince Chang Yi. To escape the arranged marriage to the Prince, she disguises herself as a man and, at the Shuozhuo pier, accidentally encounters Ling Yu. Thanks to her cunning, she helps Ling Yu escape Fan Qing Chen's henchmen and lends her a boat to reach Yuezhou, where the two will later meet again. Here she also meets her future husband, whom, despite the annulment of the imperial decree, she eventually agrees to marry.

Fan Qing Chen (Deng Xiao Ci) eldest son of the Merchant family Fan from Shuozhuo. He is obsessed with Luo Ling Yu and wants to marry her, but she rejects him every time because she is not in love with him. After kidnapping her and attempting to marry her by force, he is exiled by Prince Heng Yang and moves to Beichu. Here, thanks to his revelations, he becomes Grand General and later attempts to kidnap Ling Yu again before being killed by Lu Yun. He is implicated in the illegal saltpeter trade with Beichu.

Supporting Characters

Luo Yun Hua/Hua'er (Li Zhi Mo) Luo Ling Yu's younger sister. She is smart and intelligent, and during her stay at the residence, Lu becomes everyone's favorite, especially bonding with Lu Cheng.

Ling Xi (Liya Cui) Luo Ling Yu's maid. She is capable and resourceful and a key assistant to her mistress.

Luo Zhao Wen (Wang Bin) Luo Ling Yu's and Luo Yun Hua's father, and the Prefect of Jingyang. He died with his wife during the Siege of the Beichu Army, which occurred ten years before the events narrated, leaving his daughters orphans.

Li Gui Yi (Luo Xi) Luo Ling Yu's and Luo Yun Hua's mother, and Luo Zhao Wen's wife. She died with her husband during the Siege of the Beichu Army, which occurred ten years before the events narrated, leaving her daughters orphans.

Lu Ying (Xue Jia Ning) paternal aunt of Luo Ling Yu and Luo Yun Hua. She helps her nieces receive hospitality at the Lu family.

Old Lady Lu (Xu Mei Ling) matriarch of the Lu family of Yuezhou. Despite her stern attitude, she becomes very fond of Luo Yun Hua and often seeks his company.

First Lady Lu (Liu Min) lady of the first branch of the Lu family and the mother of Lu Tan, Lu Xian, and Lu Chan.

Minister Lu Mao (Guo Qiu Cheng) first lord of the Lu family. He is the chancellor of the imperial court and the uncle of Lu Yun.

Lu Tan, eldest daughter of the first branch of the Lu family. She is the daughter-in-law of the Xie family.

Lu Xian (Dan Jing Yao) Second young lord of the Lu family. He is the eldest son of the first branch and is very close to Lu Yun, with whom he grew up.

Lu Chang (Xia Tian) Fourth young lord of the Lu family. He is the youngest son of the first branch and is almost the same age as Luo Yun Hua, with whom he often plays.

General Lu Jie, Second Lord of the Lu family. He was one of the commanders involved in the Battle of Jingyang, accused of desertion after disappearing during the battle. In reality, he was killed in an ambush by Chen Hao. After Lu Yun clears his name, the Emperor posthumously awards him the title of Marquis of the North.

Lady He, Lady of the second branch of the Lu family and mother of Lu Yun. She commits suicide by drowning in a river after her husband is accused of treason.

Zhao Yuan (Bellamy) Lu Yun's bodyguard.

Jin Chuan (Liu Ze Ting) Lu Yun's attendant.

Miss Han (Wang Zhu Yue), Miss Liu (Sun Jing Xuan), Miss Zhu (Yin Yue), Miss Jiang (Jiang Lai) young noblewomen attending the Lu Family's etiquette school and suitors of Lu Yun.

Princess Ning Ping/Liu Tang/A'Tang (Rao Jia Di) Princess of the Nanyue Kingdom. She attends the Lu Family's etiquette school in disguise, posing as the daughter of a concubine. She is the most modest and reserved of the young noblewomen attending the Lu Family and becomes very fond of Luo Ling Yu because she is the only one who shows her sincere friendship.

Chen Xiu/Xiu'er (Li Jia Xin) daughter of Minister Chen Hao. She is the most well-mannered and sensible of all the young noblewomen staying with the Lu family and is sincerely in love with Lu Yun, who comforted her as a child when she ran away from home. She later agrees to help Lu Yun frame her father for the murder of General Lu.

Qiu Yue (Luo Jia Wen) Chen Xiu's maid.

Chen Hao (Lu Xing Yu) Minister of Nanyue. During the Battle of Jingyang, he was the commander who guarded Qianya Pass and colluded with Kong Ling Feng to kill General Lu. He is implicated in the saltpeter trade with the Beichu of the Fan family.

Kong Ling Feng (Lu Zhong) Military advisor to Prince Heng Yang. He was the military strategist of the Northern Army and guarded Baiwen Pass during the Battle of Jingyang. After General Lu's alleged betrayal, he was dismissed and later returned to his old position as advisor to the young Prince Heng Yang. He is implicated in General Lu's assassination and in the saltpeter trade with the Fan family's Beichu.

Huo Dao (Li Dong Ting) Lieutenant General of the Northern Army and Prince Heng Yang's right-hand man.

Xiao Liu, servant of Prince Chang Yi.

Zhou Tan, father of Zhou Yang Ling. He is a scholar of humble origins, originally from Wuzhou, highly esteemed by the Emperor and Prince Chang Yi. To gain his cooperation, the Prince proposes to bind himself to him through an arranged marriage with his daughter.

Seventh Miss Mei (Jade Cheng), director of Xunmei Hall, the most renowned Music Hall in Yuezhou, where the refined Qipan Dance is practiced.

Cui Jian Ye, Sun Yi Cheng, and Yu Xiang Xian are scholars who are accomplices of Chen Hao and Kong Ling Feng in the Fan Family's saltpeter trafficking.

Wang Chong Ming, former cryptographer of the Northern Army who has taken refuge in Xiaomei Village. He is the only one who can decipher the secret messages of the Beichu, which is why Lu Yun is on his trail.

Zhao Jie (Jiang Xiao Lin), Beichu general who competes with Fan Qing Chen for command of the Beichu troops and is killed by the latter.

Favorite Character: Zhou Yang Ling

She is wise, cultured, and capable.

She embodies a solid and self-aware femininity, far removed from the excesses and contradictions that characterize her protagonist. And, in many ways, she appears to be her opposite: strong but never haughty, independent but not aloof, sensitive without being affected.

Driven by the desire to assert herself in a context that penalizes women, she aspires to become a court official, but does so without arrogance or egocentrism: her commitment is guided by civic sense and responsibility, rather than personal ambition.

Humble and thoughtful, she seeks neither glory nor wealth, but consistently dedicates herself to studying and disseminating the principles of good governance among her peers, demonstrating rare maturity.

Even on the emotional level, she remains consistent with this nature: little interested in marital conventions and social advantages, she views relationships with authenticity.

Despite Prince Chang Yi's initially awkward and unattractive demeanor, she immediately recognizes and appreciates his integrity — especially when he chooses to end their engagement rather than force her into marriage.

It is precisely this honesty, combined with the Prince's candor, that gradually wins her over and makes her capitulate, pushing her to reconsider her priorities and choose to support him, not as a sacrifice, but as a natural progression of her own journey: at his side, she will continue to contribute to the good of the people, putting her skills at the service of a shared journey.

Un-Favorite Character: Luo Ling Yu

She's an irritating protagonist, and her characterization often ends up being more off-putting than interesting.

A sycophant, opportunistic, and intensely narcissistic, she almost always acts for her own gain, using others without real consideration for their feelings: emblematic is the way she manipulates Prince Heng Yang to secure her protection from Fan Qing Chen, only to then reject him when he develops a genuine interest.

Added to this is a haughty attitude that sometimes betrays her deep-seated presumption, as when she believes she's won over the Third Young Lord Lu with a little flirtation, or when she believes she can solve every problem alone, unaware of the constant support from those around her, without whom she would be unable to accomplish anything.

Her behavior, sycophantic with those in power and cold — if not downright aloof — with those who truly care about her, proves irritating in the long run, as does her intolerance for any common-sense rule.

In a context where women are already severely disadvantaged, her stubborn refusal to acknowledge her own limitations translates more into arrogance than strength. However, she is often forgiven for her cutting remarks and, indeed, sometimes even praised for her supposed boldness and freethinking.

Her plans, though presented as cunning, often prove superficial and succeed only thanks to her ability to persuade, the intervention of others — most often Lu Yun — or fortunate coincidences, such as when she deduces that Seventh Miss Mei taught Qipan Dance to Chen Xiu only because she smelled her perfume on her.

In this context, even potentially important themes such as female emancipation or family loyalty end up being overshadowed by her self-centeredness.

Only in the final stages of the drama do we glimpse a hint of evolution, with a greater emotional openness towards the male protagonist, but this is a belated correction, which hardly compensates for the long series of nonsense that precedes it.