C-drama Pursuit of Jade with Tian Xi Wei and Zhang Ling He has Final Ten Episodes Leaked a Week Prior to Finale
So Pursuit of Jade (Chasing Jade) with Zhang Ling He and Tian Xi Wei has been the hot drama of March 2026, and to date has just surpassed Love Between Devil and Fairy to sit at #4 in Tencent’s most popular dramas. But on the cusp of the final arc and last ten episodes releasing this week, the drama over the weekend saw a leak posting the final episodes online in pirated sites. It was immediately a hot topic and the pirated episodes were swiftly watched or downloaded. This will definitely impact the viewership of the final episodes since it’s already out and savvy viewers can just marathon the remainder.
How will it impact viewership? It has AI viewers from the start.
saw people said that it was leak for two days yet nobody discuss about it, ao they have to buy trending topic to inform people about the leaks 😬
This plus DB ratings opened with only 80k raters. It rose to around 100k following C-Netz’ mockery
People say those on this forum are too critical, but Cnetz is so much worse. Right now, they’re calling him the great general with liquid foundation ROFL. I’m really going to watch this drama because i want to understand their criticism.
I dodn’t know about china. But in many other countries this drama is really popular. Many of my non c drama fan- friends also watching this. And this leaked episodes are not available to us so i think netflix global chart about drama popularity will not be affected
lol this was done on purpose for hype. Then nobody cared, even though this is supposedly a more popular show than Joy of Life and they had to buy a hot search.
Everything about this artificially “popular” drama is a major embarrassment.
It was a good drama but for some reason there seemed to be some awkward editing here and there that the story kind of felt confusing. Almost like they were rushing to finish the drama so it was odd but not terrible. It would have been nice to see actual fight scenes and more details that seemed to have been cut out. But I heard in the novel that their intimacy was barely their in the beginning of the story and that the male lead was more cold and curt to the female lead and how his discovery of his love was a process unlike the dramas portrayal. I read some reviews of novel saying the second females transmigration felt like it added nothing to the plot so I could sense the dramas awkwardness in implementing this awkward aspect to the story. Regardless of whether ratings were faked or not over here it is popular so to each their own. The female lead did such a good job and I know many are fanatical fans are upset the male leads scenes seemed less but overall they did well as a whole. I hope the villain actors find more roles because their acting was so on point. The veteran cast and children too were just so awesome too.
Theeeee best C-drama. FL centered, but balanced storytelling with ML. Top tier casting! I’ve never seen a story with proper development for a FL’s band of merry friends 🥹 so happy to know it CAN be done. Though condensed, they gave us just enough of the side characters’ stories for viewers to fill in the blanks (even those of us who didn’t know the source material). The story is full because all the actors delivered. And cinematography! The most beautiful and consistent I’ve ever seen in a C-drama! Maybe any drama! May there be more visual story telling like this in the future. 🙏🥹
I think sufficient shoutout should be given to actors: Lin Muran, Deng Kai, Tian Xiwei and of course supporting casts. They did a fantastic job. The director and cinematographer also did them a huge favor with filming characters in certain angles to keep the aesthetic clean and soft and casting these people specifically for their roles.
Snow Xue’s character is supposed to be a beauty worthy of an emperor and she fit the bill perfectly. Tian Xiwei is sporty, frail-looking but strong. She nailed it. Lin Muran has got to be one of the biggest breakout stars in this series – i was amazed at the dimension of his characterizations – the chaotic deranged vibes coming off his eyes *chef’s kiss*
Oh hey! Chrome is working again for commenting on this site – hooray!
Anyways, continuing my comments: Deng Kai has always been good at villainous roles – this time’s no different. There’s one actor and i cant remember if it was him where he was interviewed and asked how he feels about being typecasted as a villain again and i felt bad for him back then because i know he has potential. But this character gave him so much opportunities to display his acting prowess that im glad his career is finally kicking off and making him big. About time!
Someone might wonder why im not listing ZLH in here and it’s because i dont feel he carried the drama as much as the three mentioned above. They made the drama worth watching. His character is a supporting role and didnt require as much effort. To be frank, he’s also been typecasted into serious, dark and broody roles and there’s just not much he can inject into them to give them the intensity needed. I felt he had more gravity in Story of Kunning Palace than in here. He’s the beauty in this drama and a vital piece to make the plot believable but his contributions aren’t as prominent
Agree, their performances are noteworthy to me as well. My beef is with their writing tho, specifically the antagonists’. I was hoping for more depth to their backgrounds because of how intriguing they appeared when they were first introduced. Deng Kai’s character had me thinking up all sorts of things lol, but at the end, they were reduced to the typical obsessive nutjobs I’ve seen before. I guess we can’t have it all.
Yes, that part i agree with you. What on earth happened to these two men to cause them to behave like lunatic psychopaths? At least Deng Kai I can understand since he has a traumatic past history and painful burden to carry. But Lin Muran?? He’s just a lunatic lol. A vengeful sociopath, but who seemingly loves his brother?! And his family. But, like, what the heck was his upbringing like and what compels him to be so crazy? That was largely never answered and there’s no backstory to it
Tian Xiwei’s performance is spot-on, but her character’s writing is clumsy. I was hoping to see a diamond in the rough in her. C-dramas tend to rely on certain tropes for female characters, making them come across as sap and underdeveloped. I feel like Changyu is stuck, despite what she’s been through and what she wants to achieve. On the other hand, Zhang Linghe’s performance is weaker than hers, but since his character is presented with a more solid writing, he is more memorable. Audience will remember his qualities, not hers. And that will mean a greater increase in popularity for him and a lesser one for her. There are actresses like Wu Jinyan whose acting is questionable, lol, but her most recognizable characters are more charming. Yingluo here, Yingluo there lol.
While Pursuit of Jade has been a nice surprise, C-dramas still have a long way to go before they can produce well-rounded productions. I can barely count on one hand the number of series that feature solid writing in both the plot and the characters.
Haha we have opposite views. I find ZLH as consistent, but not much change in his demeanor. The only thing that got people upset with Tian Xiwei’s character was her constant rejection of ZLH once his identity was revealed. I actually think she has a lot of foresight in understanding the level of differences between them and what her lack of status would mean. In addition, then she found out she’s the ***spoiler alert*** daughter of one of the biggest villains that might’ve caused ZLH’s parents’ downfall. I think that’s significant enough for her to put some distance between them until she can clear things up.
Her character is consistent, and there’s also character growth – her acknowledging that being merciful to the enemy is being cruel to herself and that sometimes there’s greater kindness in being cruel. Her slow ascension to being confident in herself also shows – she doesn’t want to be just an accessory. She can withstand anything alongside those who fight with her.
ZLH is solid but I still see some past mannerisms here. Maybe it’s because his past characters are somewhat similar? For my part, it didn’t bother me that she rejected Yan Zheng, I even said, “Well done.” Lol. My complaint is more about her still being a illiterate. For someone who wants to find out what really happened to her parents and seek justice, I expected her to have more fortitude to learn about her potential enemies and the territory she’s getting herself into. I expected her to be sharper as she was in the novel.
@Rayo, the novel’s story was condensed quite a bit. They would have been able to include her cultural and academic growth if they hadn’t focused for several episodes on useless scenes (e.g. pig squad) that didn’t contribute anything to the course of the plot. LOL. For me, her dialogues in court were not satisfactory compared to the novel.
I think this drama really stands out in the visual department. No one is ugly. Main leads and all the major supporting characters are good-looking. Zhang Linghe finally gets a female lead that matches him visually (yes I find Bai Lu, Zhao Jinmai and Esther Yu mid), and Tian Xiwei finally has another watchable drama after New Life Begins.
Plot wise I don’t think its anything special. Its your standard costume drama with romance, comedy and some badly written political schemes. Its the visuals of both leads and director Zeng Qingjie that makes it work. I do enjoy Tian Xiwei’s performance – she plays a convincing butcher/general and her rapport with various supporting characters (especially Master Tao!) is the biggest reason why I enjoy the drama. Zhang Linghe gets sidelined in the story but he plays dark brooding roles well; and his good looks are finally highlighted by the right director.
Downsides: Too many supporting characters taking up screentime here and there makes the whole plot incoherent.
There’s so much hype about the second couple but I don’t really get it. Its the usual forced love trope and all they do is roll around the bed and kiss. The piggy squad is cute at first but it goes downhill when the leader falls in love with the female lead. Even the sidekick and the villian gets a romance line for reasons only god knows why. As a result, the last arc of the drama is rushed because they tried to pack the whole political conflict in 10 episodes. But then again, this is a idol costume drama so maybe we are only supposed to care about visuals and cute scenes.
Well said! You’ve voiced some of my opinions that I have no better way to elaborate.
I also think his other co-stars, Jing Tian and Deng Enxi, are nice looking or at least above average but I don’t think anyone cares about those dramas lol. Overdo with Wang Chu Ran is coming soon btw.
I love this drama sm. I don’t get why Mainland viewers are so hostile to it, but I know it is very popular with us oversea fans. The chemistry is what elevates it for me. I am begging for ZLH and TXW to work together again but i know it’s slim with their managements at odds (i even feel like that’s why they are doing less promos than other dramas). I know the script is kind of clumsy but it’s doing a heck better job than most other Chinese drama in recent year. The last drama I could finish was Blossom. Speaking of which, this director is just *CHEFS KISS*
I am loving the drama as well:) ZLH and TXW are perfectly cast- great visuals and awesome chemistry. Director Zeng Qingjie deserves all the accolades he is getting! I have heard that the drama is quite popular in China as well- YouTube channel Marcus Here cited Vlinkage data to say as much. Either way, I hope it bodes well for the rest of the year and we get many more good dramas.
This? Popular in China? They hate it!
It’s the most hated drama of the last few years. They injected so much water in it that it “achieved” more than legendary dramas. Chinese absolutely hate them now.
@Lmao, data inflation is a dishonest practice, and a lot of Chinese celebrities have artificial followers judging by the fact that only few actually get authentic deals from brands with projection to results and expansion. But if the audience in the West enjoyed Chasing Jade overall, why do they care about the opinion of the Chinese? LOL.
@Shayeli
Because these dramas are meant for Chinese audiences. If it is in trouble there, it’s all that matters to the investors. I don’t think it’s fair but it can negatively impact the actors too, especially ZLH who is copping most of the criticism. I would care if I were a fan of these two.
Take that guy from hidden love, czy. International audience thinks he is a major star but he is only holding on because of the powerful backing. The drama with LQ that people thought was a hit flopped there. A few more of those and even capital will stop prioritising him. So intl should care if they want to keep watching their idols
I’m not critiquing but just sharing my personal observations:
1. Pursuit of Jade is extremely popular outside China. It’s in the top 10 list of Netflix global non-English shows, beating a few Kdramas. PoJ is officially more popular than my own fav’s hit drama last year outside China.
2. There are reasons why international audience favor PoJ over most of the Cdramas. Romance is a huge factor. The PD, the camera team, and the editors did a great job to make romance scenes beautiful and swoon worthy.
3. The characters, main or supporting, are colorful. Character development isn’t perfectly fleshed out, but the writer and the PD have obviously done due diligence to show a rich collage of characters’ individual stories and backdrops. It’s not easy given that the series is capped at 40 eps on top of petty censorship.
4. This is one of the C dramas that have done a better job in casting. Visuals are enjoyable; both leads meet the expectation for outstanding looks usually depicted in the original source for an idol drama. Even other key supporting actors are handsome. This is the first time I can’t have any qualms about visuals in an idol drama. lol. All the actor also gave their own memorable moments on screen, regardless of whether they are main, or supporting, or even just extra (lol I did notice certain extras had very believable expressions in the crowd). The PD paid great attention to detail.
5. I love TXW’s acting and styling as the pivotal heroine. The plot gave her a lot of gravitas, and she did not disappoint. I don’t want to criticize ZLH as many have already done. I just want to say he did a good job fitting the role and perfectly satisfying fangirls’ fantasy in the romantic scenes. LOL. He’s not given a lot of screen time as a leading man was supposedly given. Nonetheless, his presence is well balanced switching between a valiant & intelligent general and a devoted lover. Unlike others scathing about his acting, I think ZLH is commendable in this role. I’m sure he will gain a substantial fangirl following at least outside China. lol
6. The drama has quite a few noticeable plot holes, not sure due to writing oversight or editing. Nonetheless, they don’t affect how entertaining the overall drama is. I agree the last 10 eps felt a bit rushed and incoherent. At some points, I felt like watching Disney in a kid’s mood. lol.
PoJ is entertaining and funny. It’s easy to watch without much burden from unexpected shocks like sad ending etc. It doesn’t entail a lot of mind power to digest either. Some thrilling dramas got me on the edge of my seat very often. But I finished PoJ on the treadmill most of the time. lol. It has all the major ingredients to be a commercial success. That being said, I don’t consider the drama something I’d re-watch. While everything is artfully shot and beautifully laid out, it lacks those mesmerizing arcs That I’d miss and revisit from time to time. As a comparison, I personally think the Double has a more gripping story and entrancing moments.
Since you don’t believe that objectivity exists, what basis did you use to claim that the plot has holes? Genuine question C:
Are the ingredients for creating a commercial success also based on a proven or objective formula?
Those are just based upon my casual observations of the past record as a drama fan. lol. It’s my personal opinion. One can argue my opinion is either objective or subjective. Either way is ok. I don’t really care. lol.
Chinese dramas are made for China. They don’t care about the international market. If they did, then that Xu Kai slop where he is a gamer would have made him into something more. And it did not.
In China, it has a horrible reputation due to how much it got inflated. It’s simply a done deal. I don’t know why they couldn’t at least try to water less and make it a bit more believable but for some reason they decided they needed to make this drama more popular than JOL or Knockout or some other iconic dramas. They buried it with this.
Anyway, I hope it doesn’t affect the actors because they didn’t do anything wrong, the production did but who knows.
A pretty butcher asks for pigs and gets a good-looking, powerful man in return. Amen!
I’m not going to write too much in case my comment doesn’t get posted. Lol. Besides the plot holes that have already been mentioned multiple times, what I didn’t like is that they kept dragging out the plot focusing on the male lead’s true identity, which could have been revealed to Changyu before the end of episode 26 (an unnecessary dilemma if they quickly and easily make amends). It got out of hand and they forgot they had a main plot to wrap up and as a result, the palace arc feels as though it has been built over time. The villains are the reason the protagonists meet and embark on their quest for truth, revenge, and justice. The ones driving the tragedy from 17 years ago, never got any decent screen time. Qi Min, who had been plotting his revenge for almost his entire life, was defeated easily in the middle of an episode. LOL. I was expecting frustrating moments and scenes from bad guys on duty. It used to get on my nerves every time Princess Wan Ning appeared on screen.😂
I’ve watched several scenes in 2x, I found them redundant and corny. Anyways, I liked the drama overall, and I’d rank it higher than the last 15 C-dramas I’ve watched from December of last year until now. LOL. Yep, that’s how questionable the bar is.
Sui brothers had more sex appeal than the ML IMO.
Lin Muran’s character was sexy to me because of his playful and teasing nature, but only during his first appearances. From then on, he was just another deranged guy on the list. LOL.
I’d keep away from those personalities as far as possible in real life. I don’t want to come across any psychopaths. lol.
Really loving this drama. Probably one of the few cdramaa that captured my attention from start till end. But the political side is slightly boring lol. First time watching Tian Xiwei and now I’m a fan of her! Heard there is some beef between her and zlh ‘s agents but I’m really liking their chemistry in the dramas. Got sucked into their Cp videos but trying to get a clear head that it’s just acting!
I love her as well!
Talented & prety