Jiu xiao han ye nuan

After dropping three other cdramas in succession, I also almost dropped this because of one of my pet peeves in Chinese dramas - a whiney female lead with high pitched voice. However, having appreciated Li Yi Tong in Royal Nirvana, Court Lady and Love Between Fairy and Devil before, I decided to watch a bit longer. And I'm glad I did.

This story about Su Jiu Er (Li Yi Tong), a young, female patrol guard in Qian kingdom who has sharp analytical skills, is engrossing. She meets a handsome stranger with superior martial arts skills, Han Zheng (Bi Wen Jun), who turns out to be a prince of rival Qi kingdom disguised as a commoner to be able to look for his missing friend. The two of them get involved in a series of interesting cases that could affect the relationship between their kingdoms, not to mention the very survival of the kingdoms. Would they be able to mend the worsening rift between Qian and Qi? Would Han Zheng find his friend? Would their deepening feelings for each other overcome hurdles such as the law forbidding intermarriage between Qian and Qi citizens?

This is a pleasant surprise for me. Li Yi Tong, Bi Wen Jun and other cast members portrayed their parts well. The leads have great chemistry. The cases under investigation were laid out well, with unexpected culprits. I enjoyed this drama immensely.