- Title: Under the Moonlight
- Also Known As: 锦囊妙录, Feng Yue Tips, Jin Nang Miao Lu, Feng Yue Jin Nang
- Director: Guo Feng
- Genres: Historical, Mystery, Comedy, Romance
- Cast: Hu Bing Qing, Zhai Zi Lu, He Peng, Ding Xiao Ying
- Episodes: 36
- Date of Release: January 14, 2025
- Original Network: CCTV, Youku
- Where to Watch: Youku
- Adapted from the novel: “Jin Nang” by Shui He
Hello dear readers! Can we all agree that “just one episode” is the biggest lie we tell ourselves? I started this Under the Moonlight drama thinking I’d watch one episode and suddenly it was episode 7. Sound familiar? Let’s talk about the show that stole my day and left me with a pile of work to do the next day… 😅. This is Under the Moonlight drama review.
Under the Moonlight Drama Synopsis
Luo Shu is a young woman born into a harmonious family that later falls into hardship. At a young age, she was sold to a brothel, where her intelligence and creativity earned her the nickname Jin Nang. Luo Shu’s life took a drastic turn when she helped solve a high-profile criminal case and caught the attention of County Magistrate Han Mu Zhi.
The young magistrate was soon impressed by her wit and resourcefulness, and allowed her to temporarily join the Yamen as a constable. This sets the stage for Luo Shu to solve a series of perplexing and dangerous cases.
As she begins her journey to become the first female constable, Luo Shu meets Qi Meng Lin. As the son of a governor, Qi Meng Lin has lived a carefree and reckless life. However, he is a passionate man who dreams of exploring the world.
Together, Luo Shu and Qi Meng Lin form an unlikely partnership as they navigate through the dangers of their investigations. As they uncover layers of corruption and dark secrets, they realize they are up against a powerful conspiracy that threatens their lives and those they love.
Under the Moonlight Drama Review
Dear readers… If you were thinking about whether to see or flee from Under the Moonlight. The answer is SEE. Although there were moments I thought fleeing was a good idea, I am glad I stayed until the end. And in this review, I’m going to explain why.
The Story-Unique Dynamics
Under the Moonlight offered you a case-solving mystery drama. With a little bit of reverse harem romance to spice things up. The plot is pretty cliché. It’s about a strong, hardworking, smart woman from a humble background. She is surrounded by two opposite male leads.
The first is a spoiled, stupid, but loyal man of higher status. The second is a highly principled, intelligent and compassionate, but too reserved. There have been many reverse harem dramas, such as Love Like the Galaxy, Story of Kunning Palace, and Jun Jiu Ling.
However, the dynamic and love triangle between two opposite male characters who both fall in love with a serious female lead makes this one quite refreshing.
Hang on, did I forget the second female lead? Oh, well, whatever! 😅
This drama actually reminded me a bit of The Story of Ming Lan, where the male lead mostly relied on the intelligence of the female lead. I found it amusing that Qi Meng Lin was raised as a “boudoir girl” instead of Luo Shu. He spends most of his time inside the house and his only window to the world is through the novels and stories.
However, even though Qi Meng Lin is lacking in a lot of aspects, there is still something about him that is much better than the second male lead, Han Mu Zhi.
The Story-Women Empowerment
Many historical dramas tell us the story of strong women who break the social norm in a positive way. For example, Blossom in Adversity or Fighting for Love. Back in the ancient world, women were bound by a strict set of social norms. Their lives were controlled by the men around them – their fathers, their brothers, and their sons.
Women couldn’t show their faces in public, let alone conduct business. This situation made them vulnerable and dependent on others. Those who were forced to work in the brothel or as slaves had a harder time.
Luo Shu was not a person who waited for her freedom to come. She ran to get it. Living in a brothel seemed better than being a slave, she could have a pampered life. Courtesans were also eloquent and well-educated. They never do menial jobs. So Luo Shu’s decision to become a constable was a contrast to her previous life.
Being a constable meant doing a hard job, being exposed to all kinds of weather, not to mention that visiting the jail or the morgue was a normal thing. And that was not the only hard thing. Luo Shu was exposed to the ridicule of people, both men and women, for being the only female constable in the Yamen.
But for Luo Shu, this is freedom. She can do what she wants. She has the right to think, speak, or act as she wishes without hindrance or restraint. People don’t look down on her. They had as much respect for her as they had for others. This kind of drama often made me grateful to live in a modern world.
The second female lead, Liu Wan, came from a high-status family. However, just like another lady who came from a prominent family, Liu Wan didn’t have the freedom to choose her own husband. It was her father who decided, and unfortunately, this is also determined by how much profit the prospective husband has.
The Story-The Goods and the Bads
Perfection is elusive, dear readers. Even Under the Moonlight has its share of upsides and downsides. The pacing of the story was good. It wasn’t too fast or too slow. The story emphasized details since this drama is a case-solving mystery drama. But the romance has a fair share of duration, just like Melody of Golden Age drama, only less kissing scenes 😆.
In my opinion, Under the Moonlight is very engaging because of the cases. Each case was told in excellent storytelling. Cases were presented with great detail, and case resolution was very well explained.
My favorite case was the headless woman. Luo Shu and Qi Meng Lin slowly investigated the case by talking to many people around. We could also see the different POVs of the victim. Some say that she was a seductress, and some say that Liu San Niang is a shy person.
The crime of passion happens in both the ancient and modern world. In Under the Moonlight, the murder happened because of jealousy and anger fueled by rumors.
Apart from the case, I also admired the character development of each character. From the beginning of the drama, Luo Shu was known for her calm demeanor and great intelligence. She looked like someone walking on thin ice after years of oppression. She lives her life cautiously, afraid of making mistakes.
Slowly, she is starting to open up emotionally. You can see it in the way Luo Shu smiles. In the beginning, her sincere smile was only given to Jin Miao Cui and Bao Zi. Later, she could smile and laugh with many people, including Qi Meng Lin and Han Mu Zhi. Luo Shu became more confident and started to trust others. Her investigative skills also improved with Han Mu Zhi’s careful guidance.
Qi Meng Lin started out as an annoying person who could only whine and stubbornly maintain his stupidity 😅.
Yes, stupid indeed. It takes him 6 episodes to realise that Luo Shu is a woman. And it was because he saw her wearing a piece of female clothing. Not because of her female stature, her voice or the lack of an Adam’s apple. Duh!
Meanwhile, the entire Yamen was aware that Luo Shu was a woman. The funny thing is that Lian Shu, Qi Meng Li’s servant, was as clueless as he was. 😒
Qi Meng Lin is a spoiled young man who just wants to see the world. He is naive. He has a good heart and a strong moral compass, but lacks logic. He learned a lot about the world from Luo Shu. He learnt that evil people often appear to be kind, while bitter people aren’t necessarily evil.
Qi Meng Lin, who spends money like water, only realised the origin of the money he spent after hearing Han Mu Zhi’s words. But the time he spent in Yamen slowly made him less whiney and more thoughtful before doing something stupid.
Han Mu Zhi also has his own character development. While Luo Shu and Qi Meng Lin’s development was more subtle, Han Mu Zhi’s character development was more significant. From being a cold person to a more compassionate one.
This could be seen in Han Mu Zhi’s vivid expressions. And also in Chen Mei Qing’s exasperation. The more Han Mu Zhi strayed from his original character, the more upset he became 😆.
It was nice to see good character development written soooo smoothly. They are all changing, but it doesn’t change the whole personality of them. Qi Meng Lin has become more responsible, but his hot temper and childish behaviour remain. In the end, he still annoyed me. Can I please smack him in the head? 😉
The downside of Under the Moonlight is unfortunately more than one. In my opinion, although the case was carefully written, it lacked thrills. It was different from the Riverside Code of Qingming Festival, which has high-profile cases.
In Under the Moonlight, the criminal cases seemed like a common thing. I don’t know whether it was the script or Luo Shu’s lack of expression that made it feel banal.
The chemistry between the main characters was also a bit lacking. You could not feel anything romantic between Luo Shu and Han Mu Zhi, let alone between Luo Shu and Qi Meng Lin. The kissing scene was also not impressive.
I was more attracted to the sibling bond between Constable Cai and Cai Bao Zi, the friendship between the Yamen employee, or the bond between Qi Meng Lin and his foolish servant Lian Shu.
To be honest, the acting of Hu Bing Qing, Zhai Zi Lu, He Peng and Ding Xiao Ying was not bad. They just didn’t have the right chemistry together.
After Luo Shu decided to return to her hometown, I started to lose interest in Under the Moonlight. There were no more interesting cases in this part. Luo Shu diligently investigated the truth behind the fire accident that killed her parents.
Qi Meng Lin, who had just opened his eyes to the real world, now realized the truth behind his family’s fortune. And Han Mu Zhi was also preoccupied with his future.
However, this part of the drama was still worth watching. It made you understand more about the personality of Luo Shu and Qi Meng Lin because it showed you how the past shaped them. This part was quite entertaining, but it feels like watching a different drama.
I still wonder how the spoiled Qi Meng Lin managed to become the deputy commander of Pingyangwei. Did I miss an episode? Please enlighten me, dear readers…
Another downside you wouldn’t miss is the bad CGI. You could see it when Luo Zhu’s past was shown in a flashback. I couldn’t believe that the team couldn’t produce a more convincing fire. Well, lack of funds might be the reason.
The ending of the story was predictable. It was a happy ending for our main characters. The villain gets what he deserves and who was meant to be was meant to be. But the good thing was that the ending was not a fairy tale. It was more logical.
I would have been disappointed if the ending was a “happily ever after” kind of thing with two people walking off into the sunset.
The Characters
Luo Shu / Luo Shu Xiang / Yu Lan
Luo Shu (played by Hu Bing Qing) was born into a good and harmonious family. Her parents died in a fire, leaving her alone. Later she was sold to the brothel and eventually became the most sought after courtesan due to her talent and intelligence.
Luo Shu was known as Jin Nang because she was good at solving problems. Jin Nang’s creative mind won the hearts of many customers. Meanwhile, as a constable, Luo Shu’s intelligence, perceptive mind, determination, and resilience solved many cases. Combined with her rational thinking and calm demeanor, Luo Shu was a great help to Yamen.
Although the living conditions in Mingke House are not bad, Luo Shu didn’t like this way of life. She wanted freedom. For Luo Shu, living in a harsh environment and doing menial work in Yamen is much better than living a lavish life as a courtesan. In Yamen, Luo Shu is a free person who can make choices in her own life.
Luo Shu had always admired Han Mu Zhi’s upright and serene personality. It was when she began to feel the kindness and gentleness of Han Mu Zhi that Luo Shu started to fall in love with him.
Qi Meng Lin
Qi Meng Lin (played by Zhai Zi Lu) is a spoiled brat throughout the drama. I was really annoyed by his impulsiveness, hot temper, and stupidity. As the third son of a prominent Qi family, Qi Meng Lin has always lived a lavish life. He spent money like water, and nothing piqued his interest except the outside world.
It was understandable because Qi Meng Lin was raised like a boudoir girl. He lived in a secluded courtyard and rarely went out. All he did to pass the time was to read novels and stories.
The passionate, inquisitive, and idealistic Qi Meng Lin only learned that the real world was very different from the one that was depicted in the stories. It was Luo Shu who showed him that some people were good and kind, but there were also people who were deceitful with evil minds.
Still, Qi Meng Lin was fascinated by this new world, and it awakened his innate sense of justice. With his loyalty and determination, Qi Meng Lin became a faithful companion to Luo Shu. Not perfect, but a good one.
Qi Meng Lin’s feelings for Luo Shu grew after a misunderstanding. He thought that Luo Shu had secret feelings for him. However, being in love and heartbroken with Luo Shu had a strong effect on Qi Meng Ling’s personality. Slowly, he learned how to be a better person and became more reasonable and responsible.
Han Mu Zhi
Han Mu Zhi (played by He Peng) was known as an upright and highly principled official. He had a high sense of justice, but never lost his rational mind. He would give careful consideration to every case that came to his desk.
Han Mu Zhi was strict but never lost his moral compass. His path crossed with Luo Shu’s when he noticed her abilities during the Incense Hall investigation. Though skeptical at first, he ended up teaching her many things as they worked together in Yamen.
Although being cautious is good in his line of work, it has caused Han Mu Zhi to be a bit hesitant in making decisions, especially when it comes to Luo Shu.
Falling in love with her reveals a different side of Han Mu Zhi. Secretly, he is a compassionate and loving person. Han Mu Zhi really wanted to be with Luo Shu, but unfortunately, fate was not on his side. Just like Qi Meng Lin, being loved and brokenhearted by Luo Shu made him a better person who was honest with his feelings.
Liu Wan
Liu Wan (played by Ding Xiao Ying) only appears in the middle of the drama. So I always forgot that she existed. Han Mu Zhi has been engaged to her for a long time. But not many people knew about this engagement because it was rarely mentioned.
Liu Wan is the only daughter of Minister Liu. He is a prominent and powerful official. Han Mu Zhi has good prospects in his career, and that made Minister Liu willing to betrothed his only daughter to him.
Like any noble daughter of a prominent family, Liu Wan was proud of herself. She was both stubborn and confident. When she heard about Luo Shu, she looked down on her and tried many ways to humiliate her.
By calling Luo Shu with Jin Nang and ordering her to entertain her guests, Liu Wan wanted Luo Shu to realize that her worth was nothing because of her low-born status.
I am sure that Liu Wan feels threatened by Luo Shu. As a top courtesan, Luo Shu didn’t lack talent, and her appearance was superior. As a constable, Luo Shu has many accomplishments, and she has daily interactions with Han Mu Zhi.
In Liu Wan’s mind, the only thing that makes her a winner is the high status of her family and her engagement to Han Mu Zhi.
The Conclusion
Under the Moonlight is a good mystery drama. Although it almost lost its charm in the middle of the story, it was still enjoyable. The mystery was well written and the character development was worth the wait.
For those who like a mix of mystery and historical drama, this series is a must watch. But don’t worry if you start to lose interest, just keep watching. OR you could read my Under the Moonlight Ending Explained post. It would save you time 😉.
Thanks for stopping by, dear readers. I hope you enjoyed my review. And let me remind you, this is based on my preferences. You may have a different perspective on Under the Moonlight.
So take everything I wrote with a grain of salt. And don’t forget to write your opinion in the comment box below. I’ll see you in another post, dear readers. Happy watching!
