- Title: Blooming Days
- Also Known As: 岁岁青莲, Everlasting Serenity, Xifei’s Royal Love in the Palace, Xi Fei Zhuan, Sui Sui Qing Lian, Story of Qing Lian
- Director: Gao Han
- Cast: He Hong Shan, Peter Ho
- Genres: Romance, Historical, Politic
- Number of Episodes: 36
- Date of Release: October 23, 2023
- Original Network: Tencent Video
- Where to Watch: WeTV, Tencent Video, Viki
- Adapted from the web novel “Xi Fei Zhuan” by Xie Yu
Hello readers, how are you today? A couple of days ago, I decided to pick up this Blooming Days drama. There was something unbelievably unbearable about it, but I chose to keep my faith and keep watching until the very last episode and wrote the review. Blooming Days was a Chinese romance drama, starred He Hong Shan and Peter Ho as main casts that released in October 2023.
Well, in this drama review post, I will explain why I continue with this cliché plot. So, enjoy the post!
Blooming Days Synopsis
Luo Qing Lian had a plan for her dream life with her lover Lv Bei Yi. Unfortunately, her mother ruined it by forcing her to participate in the concubine selection of Prince An, the ruler of Qiulang. Luo Qing Lian didn’t want to sacrifice her happiness for her foolish brother’s career. However, she had no choice. Her face which resembled the late princess consort made her trapped in the royal life.
He Lian Xin is the third son of Prince An and an adult man who already had a wife, side consorts, and several concubines. However, for personal gain, he had to snatch Luo Qing Lian away from his father. So after some scheming, He Lian Xin managed to bring Luo Qin Lian into his harem as a servant concubine.
Luo Qin Lian had to survive in the backyard of He Lian Xin’s mansion. Her innocent and carefree attitude turned 180 degrees, and Luo Qing Lian had to learn how to scheme and manipulate others to keep her life and the people she cared about. Meanwhile, He Lian Xin, who initially wanted to use her, began to develop feelings for Luo Qing Lian.
Their relationship lasted for years amid the power struggle between brothers and relatives. As they were in the same boat, Luo Qing Lian did her very best to help He Lian Xin rise to the top. Their relationship evolved from companionship into romantic love.
Blooming Days Drama Review
Blooming Days tells the story of a power struggle, not just between the young masters, but also among their wives. This drama ought to have a harem tag written in bold and capital letters as a warning to those who avoid this kind of troupe. Every young master, including the Prince, has multiple wives in their harem. And most of them fight each other for the favors of their husbands.
Watching Blooming Days is like a marathon on an unfamiliar track. Just when you think the finish line is around the next turn, you realize there are still five kilometers to go. It’s tiring, but you can’t give up yet. And when I thought the story would end with Quliang’s new ruler, there were still unfinished schemes and plots. The villain, who had calmed down, suddenly runs amok again.
This drama managed to make me full of anger, and I needed a place to vent. The story plot was the main reason for my anger. Witnessing injustice prevails and adults’ jealousy causing harm to children was very difficult to tolerate.
I got sooo angry when Mu Hai Yao used every possible means to drag Luo Qing Lian into her mansion. She was trying to use Luo Qing Lian as a pawn to win Prince An’s favor, and I was also very sad when Hui’er died at the beginning of the drama. I was getting emotional even though I had only watched four episodes. The tension remained constant throughout this 36-episode drama.
I wish I could drop this drama and replace it with something sweet and less thrilling like Love is Panacea drama. But, oh boy… I could not do it. The reason was because of Peter Ho. He wasn’t my preferred actor, but he was a seasoned actor. His acting is always good and he surely had good judgment in choosing drama projects.
I seldom watched his shows. I reviewed only two of his dramas, Side Story of Fox Volant and Unchained Love drama. Both had good storylines, but I did not give this drama a high rating because of some issues.
First, this drama suffered from bad cuts. As if the editor just counted the time and immediately put in the ending scene before moving on to edit the next episode. And I like… “Aaaarrgg… Come oooonnn!!! Can you put more effort into this thing?”. Every-single-time.
The character introduction was brief and rushed. He Yun Shou had many sons, but only a few appeared consistently throughout this drama. The others were just passersby.
However, I need more information about them, For instance, He Lian Xiu’s interactions with his family instead only with his wife Ruan Zhi Mei. And He Lian Zuo was a character with a fiery temperament, always ready to explode. He ought to be an interesting character, unfortunately, I know nothing about him except that he was obsessed with horses and his wife’s crying was hilarious.
Additionally, I disliked the use of fake babies in the drama. It would have been better if they had used a doll instead of a bundle of cloth held to the chest.
The fourth thing is that at the beginning of the drama, the makeup was terrible, especially on Huang You Ming (Lv Bei Yi). His skin was so pale that the foundation appeared too thick. Peter Ho (as He Lian Xin) also had this issue, but not to the same extent as Huang You Ming.
The story in Blooming Days spans 20 years, and the male characters suddenly develop facial hair, either a beard or a mustache or both. In the meantime, the ladies are still as fair as they were in the first episode. Could you add wrinkles to make them look more realistic?
Also, when you get to episode 18 when Prince An held a hunting festival. The hunted animals were made of stuffed animals. They tried to make it look real, but I wasn’t convinced.
I could add more to the list, but these five are sufficient. Blooming Days is a story filled with intrigue and politics. It reminded me of a 2017 drama titled Rule the World. The show tells the story of Dong Ge, the most beautiful woman in Jurchen, who was the concubine of Nurhaci the king. However, Nurhaci’s son Hong Tai Ji falls in love with Dong Ge.
The drama also tells us the power struggle between the princes and the dark schemes of the harem woman. If you asked me which drama would have a higher rating, I would say Rule the World, because the cinematography aspect was much better than Blooming Days.
The storyline itself, although clichéd, had some positive value in my opinion. I like the way the writer wrote the relationship between Luo Qing Lian and Lv Bei Yi. They both started as lovers. But in the middle of the story, they became competitors. Later, they still maintain the value of each other as friends, even if they stand on a different side. Luo Qing Lian devised a plan for He Lian Xin while Lv Bei Yi worked for He Lian Xiu.
I have a mischievous thought: If Luo Qing Lian and Lv Bei Yi ended up as a couple, wouldn’t they make a formidable couple? At the beginning of the story, they work together to rescue Luo Qing Lian, but they always end up miserable. This showed that at the beginning of the story, what Luo Qing Lian and Lv Bei Yi lacked was experience. Once they fully adapted to the situation, they were able to unleash their abilities.
Does this mean He Lian Xin was being foolish? No, he simply lacked in some aspects such as trusting women too easily and following the unwritten rule that men should not interfere in women’s affairs. However, does this create a double standard as women can meddle in men’s affairs?
I was unsure about continuing this drama because of the relationship between Luo Qin Lian-He Lian Xin-He Yun Shuo. I was worried it would be like the drama Dong Ge-Huang Tai Ji-Nurhaci, where the father and son share the same romantic feelings for the same woman. However, I was pleasantly surprised to find that He Yun Shuo’s character was nowhere like Nurhaci’s. He treated Luo Qing Lian like a daughter, despite her resemblance to his late wife.
Overall, I enjoyed the episode and thought the cast did an excellent job with their acting. Peter Ho was the star of this drama. He played the role of He Lian Xin, a character who is idle and unambitious but capable and has a good heart. He had good chemistry with He Hong Shan, but his chemistry with Chen Yu Qi in Unchained Love drama was even better.
The Story
“Do you know my favourite phrase in this world? ‘There’s a whole lifetime ahead’. There are many things in this world that are worth waiting for. Be it women or Quliang. And what I have is patience.”, said He Lian Xin to Lv Bei Yi.
Another warning: When you watch this drama, do not think about the timeline. Just pretend that they don’t exist. The story pace was quite fast and often they did not tell us exactly how many months/years had passed. You have to do your own math. I did it at first, but I stopped midway.
The tale of Luo Qing Lian and He Lian Xin was within a span of 20 years. Time passed quickly, so a few months or a year would pass in the blink of an eye. For example, Luo Qin Lian lived at He Lian Xin’s house for two years before being demoted to a commoner and relocated to the secondary mansion.
Luo Qin Lian lived in the outskirts for two more years. When she came back to the mansion, it had been four years since she first stepped into He Lian Xin’s house. But honestly, it did not feel that long.
Luo Qing Lian used to participate in the bride selection for Prince An, He Lian Xin’s father because she bore an uncanny resemblance to the late princess consort. She later married He Lian Xin as a servant concubine, a rank lower than an ordinary concubine. Nevertheless, Prince An is still kind to her.
I thought the Prince still harbored some romantic feelings for her, but he treated Luo Qing Lian as a friend or comrade who understood him. Little did Prince An know that she could understand his thoughts because of the teachings of Jin Fang, the late princess’s maid.
Since joining the mansion, Luo Qing Lian has attempted to escape with Lv Bei Yi several times, but they failed. Luo Qing Lian was caught in Mu Hai Yao’s trap and was accused of murdering Hui’er, the son of He Lian Xin and Fang Huai Rui.
After going through many hardships, Luo Qing Lian finally realized that she had to change her weak personality. With all the knowledge she acquired from Jin Fang, she became an accomplished master. Luo Qing Lian defeated Mu Hai Yao and managed to get He Lian Xin to send Mu Hai Yao into exile.
Luo Qing Lian understood that having trustworthy allies was crucial for survival. Fortunately, she had already treated all of her servants and maids as her family from the beginning, and as a result, she had won their affection, and each of them sincerely respected her. Additionally, Luo Qing Lian became friends with Madam Rong and Madam Rou. They became her closest friends and she regarded them as her sisters.
He Lian Xin started to appreciate Luo Qing Lian’s intelligence and kindness, and he began to develop feelings for her. She also felt the same way but was reluctant to show it. Luo Qing Lian felt that being in the spotlight because of He Lian Xin’s affection was like inviting the enemy.
Besides, when their relationship started to get better, He Lian Xin took in another woman as his side consort, Nan Ruo Zhen. She was cruel and manipulative. With the aid of her devious maid, Nan Ruo Zhen made Luo Qing Lian lose her son. Luo Qing Lian was deeply hurt and asked He Lian Xin to demote her to the rank of commoner and send her to the suburbs. He Lian Xin was feeling guilty for falling into the scheme that resulted in his son’s death and Luo Qing Lian’s suffering. He agreed to her request out of regret.
Luo Qing Lian spent two years devising a plan to avenge her son. But when she finally succeeded, she was the one who was sad because she had been lying to He Lian Xin.
Even though He Lian Xin was more capable than his second brother, He Lian Chu. He Lian Xin would never compete for the position of heir. He knows his father truly loves He Lian Chu because the late princess consort was his mother, and He Yun Shuo had promised her that he would make He Lian Chu the heir to Prince An.
He Lian Xin realized that his father had painstakingly cultivated He Lian Chu as a ruler. So he wanted to make He Yun Shuo’s wish come true. But alas! The heir was too foolish! He even considered killing the baby in Luo Qing Lian’s womb because he was afraid that the baby would make He Yun Shuo change his mind and take back his heir position.
Meanwhile, He Lian Xiu and his wife, Ruan Zhi Mei, were eyeing the position. They used all means to bring down He Lian Chu. They sent a mole to spy on He Lian Xin. He Lian Xiu got help from He Lian Zuo who was naive, while He Lian Yi always supported He Lian Xin. In the end, the power struggle was between He Lian Xin and He Lian Xiu.
The drama’s ending was a happy ending for He Lian Xin and Luo Qing Lian. However, they had a long way to go to be together. There were many obstacles in their way. Luo Qing Lian must rack her brain to ease He Lian Xin’s worries. You can read more detail about it on Blooming Days ending explained post.
The Character
Luo Qing Lian
She’s a clever woman who’s skilled at perceiving people. Despite this talent, Luo Qing Lian (played by He Hong Shan) was a bit inexperienced when it came to matters of the heart, like falling in love. She would deeply fall in love with Lv Bei Yi, going so far as to sacrifice everything for him, including her own life. People might be smart, but when it comes to matters of the heart, some of them tend to be blind.
Fortunately, Luo Qing Lian met He Lian Xin, someone who was older and more mature than her. However, the relationship was not very good right from the beginning. He Lian Xin’s side consort wanted to use Luo Qing Lian to pave the way for He Lian Xin. This was the beginning of Luo Qing Lian’s royal life.
Luo Qing Lian didn’t like living in the mansion. She might have lived a luxurious life, but she only wanted a simple and ordinary love. Whereas, the woman in the mansion had to have some ability to win the young master’s favor. Otherwise, they would not be able to survive.
Luo Qing Lian is skilled at strategy and predicting the future. Unlike most women, she is open minded and devoted to her country. Her actions are motivated by two reasons; to protect her family and her own life, and to contribute to the country. She decided to help He Lian Xin when she realized he was different from other young masters.
However, she often assisted him in secret, going to great lengths and harboring guilty feelings for years.
He Lian Xin did not know how she felt about him for years. Luo Qing Lian didn’t want to be like other women who could be satisfied with luxurious things and plenty of rewards. He Lian Xin never found anyone like her, everything about Luo Qing Lian frustrated him.
He Lian Xin
He Lian Xin (played by Peter Ho), the third son of He Yun Shuo, lived a very wealthy life. Despite being considered idle and unambitious by his brother, he was just as driven as the other sons of Prince An. However, He Lian Xin has his own ideas about the title. He did not pursue power or title. His sole motivation was to ensure the well-being of Quliang and his father.
He Lian Xin was born to Madam De and has a younger biological brother named He Lian Hua, who is the 8th son of He Yun Shuo. He Lian Xin was raised by Madam Yi until he turned 9, while He Lian Hua grew up with Madam De.
He Lian Xin grew up in a desolate background. He had both parents, but it seemed like he had none. His birth mother, Madam De, never cared for him, and his father, Prince An, was preoccupied with government affairs and had too many wives and sons. The only person he considered to be a mother was Madam Yi. And he regarded He Lian Yi as his closest brother.
Although they were not from the same mother, He Lian Yi was also sent to Madam De when he was young. He was raised by 9-year-old He Lian Xin. Throughout the drama, He Lian Yi remained the most loyal to his third brother.
When they were trapped in a man-made landslide, Luo Qing Lian realized that He Lian Xin was completely different from other young masters. After losing his son, He Lian Xin noticed a boy among the refugees and saved him. This act caught the attention of Luo Qing Lian, who gradually changed her opinion of He Lian Xin.
He Lian Xin had multiple wives, including one legal wife named Fang Huai Rui, two side consorts named Mu Hai Yao and Li Qian Mo, and three ordinary concubines named Madam Song, Madam Ye, and Madam Rou. There were also many lower-level concubines and servant concubines.
Before Luo Qing Lian arrived, He Lian Xin favored Mu Hai Yao because her Mu family became his stronger support. After Mu Hai Yao and Luo Qing Lian were sent to the suburbs, he favored Nan Ru Zhen. He had never thought of Fang Hui Rui as a lover, just a legal wife. However, Luo Qing Lian was the only one he cherished in his heart, despite having many wives.
Lv Bei Yi
Lv Bei Yi (played by Huang You Ming)was once Luo Qing Lian’s lover. He worked as a physician and his family owns a medical clinic. He loved Luo Qing Lian so much that he tried to win her back when Mu Hui Yao plotted against her in order to get her into the concubine selection.
Unfortunately, all of his efforts were in vain. Due to his mistake, the Lv family lost their social status and their clinic. As a result, Lv Bei Yi’s parents could not bear the difficulties and decided to end their lives.
Lv Bei Yi appeared to be kind and humble. But he is ambitious. He wants control over his life because he believes that only when he can live without being controlled, he can obtain everything he wants, both woman and ambition.
Luo Qing Lian initially did not know about Lu Bei Yi’s ambition. She thought he only wanted to be a physician like his father. It was He Lian Xin who discovered that Lu Bei Yi secretly took an examination to become an official.
For years, Lv Bei Yi struggled between his ambitions and his love for Luo Qing Lian. He befriended He Lian Xin because although he was jealous of him for being Luo Qing Lian’s husband, He Lian Xin was also the person with good prospects for the future. Later, Lv Bei Yi switched sides and joined He Lian Xiu’s faction.
However, regardless of which side he was on, only Luo Qing Lian could see his loyalty to the country. Lv Bei Yi might help the wrong person, but as long as they did not have any intention to ruin the country for their personal gain, he did not mind doing it.
He Lian Xiu
He Lian Xiu (played by Shen Tai) is the fourth son of Prince An. This drama did not mention anything about his personal life, so I did not know about his concubines and only saw his legal wife, Ruan Zhi Mei. But of course, he had more than one wife.
He Lian Xiu presented himself as a capable and humble person. His appearance was gentle and kind, and was skilled at pretending and concealing himself so that no one suspected him as the villain. Although He Lian Xiu was ambitious, he was a spoiled young master who couldn’t tolerate any grievances.
Whenever he felt disappointed, he would express his anger through drinking and cursing. He Lian Xiu always took advantage of situations. He was also an impatient person and a henpecked husband.
Ruan Zhi Mei
Ruan Zhi Mei (played by Zeng Yi Xuan) is the legal wife of He Lian Xiu. She is a calm and composed person, never letting her emotions be shown. She enjoys spending her time embroidering. Unlike her husband, Ruan Zhi Mei is patient and is willing to wait for the right time to do something.
No one knows that behind He Lian Xiu’s deviousness, Ruan Zhi Mei is his top strategist. She will handle every aspect of the power struggle. Ruan Zhi Mei is not just intelligent, but also cruel and ruthless. She excels in manipulation and is willing to take risks. Her ultimate goal is to seize the heir position for He Lian Xiu.
Mu Hai Yao
Mu Hai Yao (played by Huang Sheng Yi) was born into the influential Mu family, and her father held a very important position in the country. Despite being one of He Lian Xin’s side consorts, all of his concubines, including his legal wife, had to respect her.
Mu Hai Yao was an ambitious woman, as well. But she was nowhere near Ruan Zhi Mei because of one thing, she genuinely loved He Lian Xin. Additionally, Mu Hai Yao’s possessiveness and jealousy often motivated her actions. She wanted He Lian Xin to be the next Prince An so she could become the princess consort. Once she held the highest and most powerful position, she had the absolute power to control the woman and her husband.
However, she didn’t want to control Quliang like Ruan Zhi Mei. Mu Hai Yao only wanted to capture her husband’s heart so that nobody else could take her place.
As someone with determination and love, Mu Hai Yao was willing to endure anything, including years of exile. In her heart, Mu Hai Yao believed that He Lian Xiu needed Mu family as his support, and she was the key to that power. Her family, particularly her brother Mu Tian Shu, loved her dearly. During the early years of their marriage, He Lian Xin was really fond of her.
Fang Huai Rui
Fang Huai Rui (played by Niki Chow) was from the renowned Fang family. However, the Fang family was not as influential as the Mu family. She is a gentle and tolerant person who is willing to endure anything.
Fang Huai Rui lived a sad life as the legal wife of He Lian Xin. He only treated her with respect without any romantic feelings. Fang Huai Rui had to watch from the sidelines as her husband chose new women to enter his harem, and she also had to send them gifts after he had favored them.
Fang Huai Rui’s son, He Hui’er, died young because of Mu Hai Yao. Mu Hai Yao framed Luo Qing Lian and accused her of murder. Although she is a tolerant woman, Fang Huai Rui also feels threatened by Luo Qing Lian because she dominates He Lian Xin’s affection.
He Yun Shuo
He Yun Shuo (played by Chang Chen Kuang) is the Prince An who ruled Quliang. He arrived there many years ago when Quliang was still a barren place. He is skilled in governance, a just person, with a high level of perception and discernment. He is also a kind person, with unwavering loyalty to the emperor.
While He Yun Shuo is a competent ruler, he lacks in certain areas as a father. Because of his never-ending love for the late Princess Consort, he chose He Lian Chu as his heir. Unfortunately, He Lian Chu was not the right man for the position. He Lian Chu was arrogant, despotic, and selfish.
Although he was a good person who treated Luo Qing Lian kindly and justly, I did not find him as nice as he portrayed himself to be. He Yun Shuo may have anticipated that his sons would compete for the heir position, but he allowed them to do so anyhow. As a ruler, he must choose the best person to be his successor. But as a father, isn’t too cruel to let them fight each other?
The Conclusion
I have been writing a lengthy review, and I am sure all of you understand why I couldn’t stop watching this drama. Once you’re inside the world of Luo Qing Lian and He Lian Xin, there’s no turning back. You might have ended up like me, grumbling about this Blooming Days drama, but unable to stop watching.
Make sure to stock up on food and drinks because the 36 episodes are quite long and you will need something to chew on to get rid of your frustration.
So, tell me your opinion about this Blooming Days drama when you finished/not finished it. Don’t forget to write it in our comment box down below. I’ll see you in another post of Drama Review. Enjoy the drama, Bye!
