The Sword and the Brocade. More than amazing.

Made it! This was the longest asian drama I have ever watched but IT WAS WORTH EVERY MINUTE! People go to your couches and turn The Sword and the Brocade on. It's highly entetraining and goregeous show. From the begining I knew that it will be a love story and there must be a household drama as it is set in wealthy and high-ranked family. But what I got exceeded my expectations 😍👌 This is not a typical cheesy romance where the leads fall in love with each other in the first minutes of the first episode. Oh no 😆 .... it takes time! 😅 For a reason, the series has 45 full-length episodes. From start to finish, there is always something happening. Be aware that when you start watching The Sword and the Brocade, you can forget about a moment of peace, there will always be a new reason to hold your breath here.

What is this breathtaking story about? So we come to the Ming Dynasty and in a first place, in a rainy day, we are entering Luo household. Presented scenes are not the most enjoyable to watch, but they are of a great importance for the further story of the character - Luo Shi Yi Niang (Tan Song Yun). After years of living away from home, Shi Yi is summoned and she and her mother go to a house full of dark stories. Darkness still covers the family of Luo and Shi Yi is forced into an arranged marriage to Xu Ling Yi (Chung Hon Leung) to "replace" her deceased older sister (pictures below). Shi Yi most of all in this world, wants to be an independent single who, together with her mother, live in a small house and live off her beloved embroidery. Being a married woman was never her plan so she has attempts to run away. Unfortunately, a series of unfortunate events does not allow her to do so and her mother dies in unexplained circumstances.

Focused on searching for her mother's killer and adjusting to her new life as the wife of the head of the family, Shi Yi does not notice how her feelings for her husband grow. As she pledged to herself that she would never fall in love with a man who has multiple spouses, she falls in love with him because he is what others claimed him to be - a decent, lovable man who never forces himself on others and allows her to be herself.

This is only an outline of the history of Shi Yi and Ling Yi. Each subsequent episode presents new intrigues and obstacles that the couple must go through in order to live happily ever after. Female lead is a low born concubine's daughter that was married to general. That combined with her assertines, believe that a women shouldn't be limited to housekeeping and bearing children and thoughts that only embroidery is the way to the freedom are just asking for problems and social dangers. Since the begining things were not easy for her as Xu family favorises the concubines over new young wife. Nonetheless, she manages to win over thanks to her optimism and other numerous qualities.

 

Fun fact! While Shi Yi tries to win over the Xu family, Ling Yi tries to list the maritime ban. The ban on maritime trade is an authentic moment in the history of China and it was set as a result of Japanese piracy. Ling Yi may not actually have had an impact on lifting the ban, as the drama shows, but the historical fact invowen into the show always makes it more real and enjoyable to watch 👌😄

 

What I love in this serie is mentioned before lack of love at first sight and also intelligence and maturity of the main characters. Even though there is a lot of drama around these two, they are both calm, think first then do. This is definitely not a low-budget drama. The clothing and cinematography are more than insane. You look at them and feel that you have been taken straight to Ming dynasty 😍😍 Chapeau-bas producers! While watching, have a look at the clothing they are wearing and the interiors they are in.... aren't they gorgeous?! Every room and everyday clothing of each characters reflect their nature and it is an amazing undertaking.

When you look at the dry situation itself, there is nothing to be excited about. It's just a story about some families that have issues. But when you look at the overall, eveything was intriguing and the characters development was incredibly wholesome. Everything was executed and integrated so well that it's beyond everything. The shooting, script, costumes, editing, acting and music... they all deserve 9,5 points on 10. From nothing we have Chinese Cinderella story - from a girl who noone take into account to a powerful wife of a marquis. Motivating right 😁?