- Drama Title: Blossoms of Power
- Also Known As: 百花杀, Bai Hua Sha, Dong Feng Xin, Wo Hua Kai Hou Bai Hua Sha
- Director: Zhong Qing, Guo Feng
- Genres: Historical, Romance, Fantasy
- Cast: Meng Zi Yi, He Yu
- Episodes: 36+1
- Date of Release: July 9, 2026
- Original Network: Tencent Video
- Where to Watch: WeTV, Tencent Video, Viki
- Adapted from the web novel “Wo Hua Kai Hou Bai Hua Sha” by Jin Huang
Dear readers, how are you today? I was in a good mood and was all set to write this review when I got distracted by a TikTok video of small polar bear cub called Momota and its red traffic cone. I had to stop for a while and watch it for about ten dozen times.
The cub was hilarious and I can totally relate with the mamabear which clearly had enough with the cone already. But now I’m back, and I’m ready to talk about a drama that’s just as fascinating (and a little bit more complicated than just a traffic cone). Let’s dive in, dear readers to the Blossoms of Power drama review!
Blossoms of Power Drama Review
The Synopsis
In the 19th Year of Youning, the Gu family couldn’t escape extermination. The whole family was killed except for one, Gu Qing Zhi, the Princess Consort Xin. Unable to bear living alone, she chose to follow them into the afterlife. But fate has another plan for her.
Gu Qing Zhi wake up in the body of Shen Xi He, Commandery Princess Zhaoning and the only daughter of Duke Wei of the Northwest. With a second chance at life, she is no longer willing to let fate dictate her path. The once innocent and delicate peach blossom have now transformed into a flower queen above all others; cold, calculating, and determined to control her own destiny.
At the capital, Shen Xi He meet the Crown Prince Xiao Hua Yong. He is sickly and frail due to the poisoning, yet his mind is the sharpest. Cunning and calculating by nature, Xiao Hua Yong glides through the treacherous current of the court and the power struggle behind the palace walls.
Shen Xi He and Xiao Hua Yong form an alliance through marriage. They join forces and take the matters into their hand. Their goal is the peaceful country and the safety of their loved ones. Can they successfully turn the court and the people to their side?
The Review – Beautiful People Behaving Badly
Dear readers, at first, I had my doubts when I pressed the play button. I wasn’t really sure Blossoms of Power could offer anything exciting to someone who’s been wandering around Cdramaland for too long.
So I never imagined that Blossoms of Power was quite a surprise. In the beginning, I thought the story was so-so. A princess surrounded by eligible suitors competing to marry her is a familiar reverse-harem trope in Cdramaland.
There have been so many dramas using it, including Love Like the Galaxy, The Glory, Lost You Forever, A Splendid Match, or In a Class of Her Own. But Blossoms of Power particularly reminded me of 2011 Cdrama, Scarlet Heart and its 2016 Korean adaptation, Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo.
There were several similarities. Not the whole story, only a few aspects. Still, I couldn’t really overlook them. Well, probably because my brain was a bit too active today. 🤪
For instance, both Gu Qing Zhi and Zhang Xiao/Go Ha Jin woken up inside someone else’s bodies. Gu Qing Zhi woken up as Shen Xi He, while Zhang Xiao (Scarlet Heart) woke up in Maertai Ruo Xi’s body and Go Ha Jin (Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo) woke up as Hae Soo.
It all happened after a special eclipse appeared in the sky. There were more coincidences. Shen Xi He, Zhang Xiao, and Hae Soo have close ties with the royal families. Shen Xi He is about to marry into the royal prince, while Zhang Xiao and Hae Soo’s brothers-in-law were princes. All three were surrounded by several princes who wanted to marry them.
Actually, I’m more familiar with Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo than the Chinese version because I watched the Kdrama in 2016 and have rewatched it several times. It has become my go-to drama whenever I want to watch something familiar.
Back to the drama, dear readers.
Blossoms of Power stars the beautiful Meng Zi Yi, surrounded by handsome men like He Yu, Lei Wei Ming, Jeremy Xu, and Chen He Yi. There are also Peter Ho, Gao Wei Guang, and Kong Zu Er making appearances in this drama.
I love Meng Zi Yi, though I can’t remember ever seeing her in a modern drama before. All I remembered was she always acted in costume dramas. For instance, Royal Rumours with Jeremy Xu, Blossom with Li Yun Rui, Immortal Samsara with Yang Zi, and The Princess’s Gambit with Liu Xue Yi. So, watching her wasn’t exactly something I was desperately waiting for, since I assumed that she’d look the same, act the same, and sound the same.
But if Meng Zi Yi wasn’t the reason I pressed that play button, then He Yu certainly was. After watching him in Speed and Love with muscle tees showing off those unforgettable arms, I’ve been waiting for him to appear again in a drama. And since Blossoms of Power is a costume drama, it would probably be a bit hard to see those arms again. 😁
But although he appears in a long robe, I cannot escape He Yu’s charm at all. He looks so dashing as Xiao Hua Yong, and he plays him perfectly too. You see, Xiao Hua Yong isn’t an ordinary crown prince who always acts dignified. He is unrestrained and cunning at the same time. He can be cold and ruthless, but also playful and flirty. He doesn’t care how people see him, as long as Shen Xi He feel pity for him and pays him more attention.
And He Yu did everything perfectly. His face and gesture showed it all. There was something incredibly entertaining about watching him switch between the dignified crown prince everyone expected him to be and the shameless man he became around Shen Xi He.
What makes Xiao Hua Yong even more interesting is that beneath all that carefree attitude is actually a very calculating man. He knows exactly what he was doing. His weakness is sometimes an act, his foolishness is often intentional, and his playful behaviour is just another way to hide how frightening clever he is.
He Yu really surprised me this time. He managed to give the character so many layers to see. You could see the calculation behind his smile or the vulnerability behind his unhinged attitude. He made Xiao Hua Yong feel like a man who could be both incredibly powerful and ridiculously helpless at the same time.
So, yes. I pressed the play button for He Yu and stayed because of Xiao Hua Yong. And those arms? Well, it appears in some scenes, but it was not enough. So I prefer to wait for another modern drama for them. 🥺
Shen Xi He, on the other hand, is another strong willed, intelligence, emotionally guarded, and stubborn princess. A very common trait of the female lead. She thinks carefully before making a move and always tried to stay one step ahead of others. Shen Xi He and Xiao Hua Yong are almost complete opposite on the surface.
She keeps her emotions hidden, while he has absolutely no problem showing his. But beneath it all, they are actually quite similar. Neither easily trust people, and both know how to protect themselves when necessary.
At its core, Blossoms of Power is more about the relationship between Shen Xi He and Xiao Hua Yong. Although the political intrigue plays an important part in the story, it does feel more like a backdrop to Shen Xi He and Xiao Hua Yong’s journey.
Blossoms of Power is not The Double, The Rebel Princess, The Prisoner of Beauty, or Story of Kunning Palace. So, if you are looking for a story with cutthroat political intrigue, you won’t find it here. However, if you are looking for a slow-burn romance where the male lead does everything he can to win her over, along with an obsessive competitor, this is the right place. 😉
And if the main couple isn’t enough to keep you entertained, you also get a very interesting second couple, Bu Shu Lin and Cui Jin Bai. This couple light up the atmosphere. I really enjoyed how chaotic but sweet they were. Let me give you a heads-up.
Bu Shu Lin is a woman pretending to be a man. As the only heir to the Shunan Marquisate, she could only be a son. Cui Jin Bai is serious-looking official, a righteous and disciplined man who belongs to the Crown Prince’s faction.
When the palace wanted to arrange Bu Shu Lin’s marriage to a princess, she had to a way to avoid it. And that’s when she got to know Cui Jin Bai. The idea is simple: if she made everyone believe she was a man who attracted to another man, surely no woman would want to marry her.
So, she did everything to show her affection for Cui Jin Bai. From being friendly to outright pestering level. Everything Bu Shu Lin did managed to annoyed Cui Jin Bai to the point of anger. Of course, this happened because Cui Jin Bai is a straight man.
Being followed around by a playboy is infuriating enough. But he didn’t know Bu Shu Lin was actually a woman. So when she kept pestering him like a lecher, he must have been feeling afraid rather than simply angry.
I really enjoy watching Bu Shu Lin and Cui Jin Bai’s banter and interactions. Watching her teases him until he loses all his patience is sooo… hilarious. One side is hiding her smirk, while the other can’t hide his anger.
My favorite part is in episode eight, when Bu Shu Lin visits Cui Jin Bai’s office because Shen Xi He wanted to talk to Cui Jin Bai privately about a case. Bu Shu Lin’s method was a bit unconventional.
First, she made him angry by swatting his backside. Then, after a little tussle, Bu Shu Lin used a sleeping drug to make him faint. And then she carried him to Shen Xi He’s mansion. And that, dear readers, is Bu Shu Lin’s idea of a polite invitation. 😂
I love how convincing Bu Shu Lin is as a woman pretending to be a man. There have been so many dramas about women pretending to be men. But many were so unsatisfying. For instance, Yang Mi pretending to be a man in Eternal Love: Ten Miles of Peach Blossom, Yang Zi in Lost You Forever, or Zhou Ye as He Yan in Legend of the Female General. I know we viewers should know they are only pretending to be men, but at least it should be convincing even a little bit, right?
Only a few actresses can pull off this kind of character. For instance, Zhang Tian Ai as A Mai in Fighting for Love drama, Bai Lu in Arsenal Military Academy, and now Fan Shuai Qi as Bu Shu Lin. They didn’t have to be tall or particularly skinny. But at least their gestures and expressions showed natural masculinity.
Overall, I was quite enjoyed binge-watching Blossoms in Power. He Yu is the main reasons. The visuals are the second. I treat the rest as something you should appreciate, but I wouldn’t delve into it for too long. Just treat this drama as your daily dose of entertainment.
The Story – She Wanted Power, He Wanted Her
Essentially, Blossoms of Power tell a story of Gu Qing Zhi, who dies and reborn as Shen Xi He. With a second chance in her life: a new identity and family, Shen Xi He does everything she can to protect them from the tragic fate that befell the Gu family.
But it isn’t just about that. In this lifetime, she decides to control her own destiny. And it all leads her to Xiao Hua Yong, the sickly Crown Prince. And then, of course, the romance blooms between them.
Gu Qing Zhi and Shen Xi He were born into noble families. Gu Qing Zhi is the eldest daughter of the Gu family, couldn’t escape an arranged marriage with Prince Xin. But her family was exterminated because of the Fan family’s schemes. Gu Qing Zhi used her own death to trap the Fan family and drag them to the underworld. When she woke up as Shen Xi He, three years had passed since her death.
Meanwhile, Shen Xi He is the only daughter of the powerful Duke Wei. Her family commands military power and the massive frontier cavalry in the northwest. With such a background, she could only marry a prince.
But not wanting to fall into the same pit as Gu Qing Zhi, the new Shen Xi He asked the emperor for the freedom to choose her own husband. She didn’t believe in love, but she believe that power could provide the safety her family needed.
But of course, even though it was quite enticing to have handsome princes flocking around you, it wasn’t as romantic as it sounds. Because there were also people with political ambitions and hidden motives targeting only her family’s military power.
And this is where Blossoms of Power start to win me over while annoying me at the same time. What initially looked like another familiar reverse-harem trope gradually become something more complicated.
It’s interesting to see Shen Xi He calculate her options while choosing her husband. She makes plans, executes them, and in the end, choose the most suitable man for her. This goes against the common practice back then, when women were usually the ones being chosen rather than choosing.
Meanwhile, Xiao Hua Yong has his own missions: finding the one who poisoned him years ago and winning Shen Xi He’s heart. Usually, a revenge trope comes with angst, frustration, and everything else designed to drain your emotions.
But Xiao Hua Yong’s parts are always entertaining because despite his cunning mind, he is also a hopeless romantic. He helps her get rid of “unwanted suitors” while secretly paving his way into her heart. This makes him completely shameless and unhinged whenever it comes to Shen Xi He.
When trying to get her attention, Xiao Hua Yong loves using his fragile condition. He pretends to be sick, coughs nonstop, or simply looks weak. And Shen Xi He, despite her cautious nature, believes him wholeheartedly.
Why? Because his condition is actually real. And while most sick people try to appear strong, Xiao Hua Yong does almost the opposite. He uses his weakness to hide his capabilities and doesn’t even care if people look down on him.
Aside from Xiao Hua Yong, there were four other princes. All of them have the character “Chang” in their names, while Xiao Hua Yong is the odd one out. His position as the crown prince was also decided when he was young. If his constitution weren’t so fragile and the emperor didn’t dote him endlessly, I am sure he would have long been a target of his ambitious brothers.
Among them, Xiao Chang Ying (Prince Lie) and Xiao Chang Qing (Prince Xin) are the most prominent in the story. Xiao Chang Ying meets Shen Xi He early in the story during her journey to the capital. While Xiao Chang Qing has a connection to her because Gu Qing Zhi’s husband was the exact same Xiao Chang Qing.
I found that all the princes have something in common: they were all love-struck with their wives or lovers. I guess this trait was somehow inherited from their father, who also has the love of his life despite having so many wives.
Well, a passionate emperor is also a common trope in Cdramaland. I’ve watched the overwhelming love of Zhang Feng in The King’s Woman and the obsessive Murong Gao Gong in Unchained Love to the proud Bei Tang Yi in Oh! My Emperor, and the soft and gentle Emperor Wen from Love Like the Galaxy. My favourite one is the latter because his character is basically, “I have an empire to run, but first let me make sure my wife ate breakfast” kinda person.
Although I enjoyed this drama, that doesn’t mean Blossoms of Power is without flaws. Because the drama has a different focus, not all the characters are explored in detail. Some seem important to the story buildup, but the drama treats them like mere passerby.
They get limited screen time and little explanation, only to suddenly appear as a very important character in a subplot. Once is okay, but when it happens too many time, it’s a no-no for me. And that’s too bad because I feel the story was missing something.
The story plot feels slow but also fast at the same time. Well, the romance is being dragged out, this drama solves its problems far too quickly. For instance, when a prince rebels, he ends up dead. Later, remaining members of his faction were hunted down and killed. We don’t actually see any of this, we just get a news report from Xiao Hua Yong. 😂
Writing the story this way is very effective for saving screen time and showing just how powerful our male lead is. Plus, we aren’t bogged down by distracting subplots. But if you are someone who likes stories full of detail, this will certainly feel frustrating.
Blossoms of Power did a good job wrapping up the romances between he first and the second couples. But the villains’ closure feels mediocre. Some of them don’t get particularly satisfying ending, and their downfall ends up more like an anti-climax.
And unfortunately, the story also misses some explanation, especially on the end. There are good plot twists when all the questions are finally answered and all the secrets revealed. But somehow, the ending still managed to give me a headache (how am I going to write the Ending Explained article?😭). Some things involving Xiao Hua Yong and Xiao Chang Qing’s endings didn’t quite add up. And I thought the extra episode would give me the answers. But nope. It didn’t. And honestly, this kind of story that kept me guessing long after the end credits roll is my least favourite.
The Visual – A Visual Feast with a Few Cracks
Blossoms of Power truly made my eyes happy. Although I’m not too fond of the slightly yellow undertone, the atmosphere still feels romantic and warm.
Yet you could feel the tone changes slightly in the palace, on the battlefield, and at Prince Xin’s residence. When things become more intense, the scenes grow darker, making the danger more noticeable.
The camerawork is amazing. Sometime playful, too. You can see it in episode eight (yes, I mentioned it before), when Bu Shu Lin slowly emerges from the bottom of the screen. I really enjoyed how this drama could be so interesting and far from boring because of this dynamic camerawork. Mr. Directors, kudos for you. 👍🏻
The costumes and hairstyles are also worth praising. I love how the characters often changed their style. And surely you didn’t forget that I’m a bit of a hair-accessory aficionado. Those dangling hairpins on Meng Zi Yi’s temple and the blue hair-accessory set are sooo beautiful.
Although overall sets were beautifully arranged, I also felt some dissatisfaction. The Northwest scenes are unconvincing. Truly. It was said in the first episode that Duke of Wei commands 100,000 frontier cavalry in the northwest. But when the camp appears on screen, it was so far from what I imagined.
I was hoping to see a vast land full of tents like in Love Like the Galaxy or a camp full of people, training grounds, and military equipment like in Legend of the Female General. I didn’t expect it to be so small, and the portrayal was so far from what I imagined a military camp of that scale would look like. 😒
The Characters
Shen Xi He / Gu Qing Zhi (Played by Meng Zi Yi)
Shen Xi He is Gu Qing Zhi, so many of her personality traits come from her past life. The old Shen Xi He was an ordinary young girl, a little naïve and innocent. But Gu Qing Zhi had already gone through so much in her short life.
She marries someone she didn’t love for the sake of her family, went through the horror of knowing the entire Gu family get exterminated. She then decisively took her own life so her death could be used to drag the enemies down.
The new Shen Xi He is calculating, cold and composed, strong-willed, perceptive, resourceful, and vengeful. She seeks power not because she is greedy, but because it’s the only thing that could protect her new father and brother.
Shen Xi He’s life was blessed with good people around her. Her father, brother, even her attendants genuinely care for her. And because of this the Gu Qing Zhi inside Shen Xi He’s body becomes softer and warmer.
And with Xiao Hua Yong’s patient (and slightly unhinged) love, her frozen heart slowly melts. In her spare time when she isn’t busy scheming, Shen Xi He often makes incense. She is an expert at it. Her nose works like a K9’s, and she can recognize even the faintest scents on others.
Xiao Hua Yong (Played by He Yu)
Xiao Hua Yong, the Crown Prince, is the most spoiled prince in the kingdom since the Emperor treats him differently from his other children. He has been sickly since he was poisoned as a child. People see him as a humble and gentle person.
But behind his fragile physique, lies a creative, deceitful, calculating, and perceptive mind. He hides his intelligence and ambitions behind a harmless appearance. People underestimate him without realizing that he is the mastermind behind many shocking events.
When it comes to Shen Xi He, Xiao Hua Yong becomes pathetically in love. For her sake, he’ll do anything, including deceiving, lying, or pretending. His goal is to make her pity him, which he hopes will eventually turn into concern, and perhaps, love.
Xiao Hua Yong genuinely admires Shen Xi He’s bravado and decisiveness. He respects her and truly loves her. For him, there is no other woman who compares to her. On his spare time, Xiao Hua Yong loves growing his own tea leaves, painting portraits of Shen Xi He, or simply gossiping with his attendant, Tian Yuan.
Bu Shu Lin (Played by Fan Shuai Qi)
Bu Shu Lin born a woman. But she was forced to pretend to be a man to preserve her family’s nobility status because the title could only be passed down to a boy. And Bu Shu Lin really does her disguise perfectly.
The whole capital knows her as the cheerful and playful young master. She works diligently but also loves to spend her time in the brothels, making merry with the ladies. But Bu Shu Lin actually uses those places and the people to gather intelligence.
As the captain of the Imperial Guards, Bu Shu Lin shows her decisiveness, bravery, and military background. Her straightforward and authentic personality makes her completely steal the limelight whenever she goes. In her spare time, Bu Shu Lin could often be found in brothels, drinking and laughing with other young masters and the courtesans.
Cui Jin Bai (Played by Dong Zi Fan)
Cui Jin Bai works as the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review. He is an intelligent and disciplined, and he stays clear-headed under heavy pressure. Combined with his righteousness and reliability, Cui Jin Bai becomes one Xiao Hua Yong’s most trusted follower.
In person, Cui Jin Bai is composed and serious. He is decisive, protective, and always maintains a sense of decorum. He carries a scholarly air, yet he also quite skilled in martial arts. Cui Jin Bai hates playboy who spend their time in brothels surrounded by ladies. And that is exactly why he hate Bu Shu Lin so deeply. In his spare time, Cui Jin Bai could be found in… his office, doing even more works. 😂
Xiao Chang Qing / Prince Xin (Played by Jeremy Xu)
Xiao Chang Qing used to be Gu Qing Zhi’s husband. Their bond was broken after the Gu family fell and she died. Back then, it was Xiao Chang Qing who supervised the execution in exchange for her life. Xiao Chang Qing is a passionate man who never forget his affection to his late wife.
He remained single after her passing and never involved with another woman. Although the emperor treats him the same as his other sons, people knew that Xiao Chang Qing would likely to inherit the throne if Xiao Hua Yong were to pass away.
Xiao Chang Qing is a smart, strategic, patient, and calm. He is practically the perfect candidate for the throne. In his spare time, Xiao Chang Qing could be found praying in front of Gu Qing Zhi’s memorial tablet.
Xiao Chang Ying / Prince Lie (Played by Lai Wei Ming)
Xiao Chang Ying or Prince Lie is the ninth son of the emperor. He is talented in martial arts and will likely become a great general in the future. He is brave, strong, and confident.
But although he is skilled in warfare, Xiao Chang Ying is still young and immature because he has always been protected by his brother, Xiao Chang Qing. His composed façade falls apart when he met Shen Xi He.
He falls for her almost immediately and soon becomes an ordinary man whose emotional vulnerability is written all over his face. He is also anxious about her rejection, but at the same time, he can’t help showing how much he cares for her. In his spare time, Xiao Chang Ying could be found… doing many things. 🤷🏻♀️
The Conclusion
So, after all that, would I recommend Blossoms of Power? Yes, I would. Especially to those who are suckers for romance stories. The drama certainly has its flaws. But somehow, I still had a great time watching it. Xiao Hua Yong was simply impossible to ignore, and the Bu-Cui couple was hilarious.
Blossoms of Power might not be the most sophisticated political drama out there. But it knows exactly what kind of entertainment it wants to be. I came for He Yu, stayed for Xiao Hua Yong, laughed at Bu Shu Lin and Cui Jin Bai, and somehow ended up finishing the whole drama. Was it perfect? Nope. Did I have fun? Absolutely. So, brace yourself and press that play button, dear readers. I’m sure you’re gonna love it too. Happy watching!
