 |
| Beautiful People, Beautiful Pain: Inside the World of Love in Pavilion (2025) |
If you’re in the mood for a Chinese xianxia that delivers deep feelings, divine aesthetics, and way too many couples to keep track of (in the best way possible), Love in Pavilion (淮水竹亭) might be your next binge. Airing on iQIYI with 36 episodes, this 2025 release is part two of the Fox Spirit Matchmaker trilogy — sandwiched between Red Moon Pact and Sword and Beloved.
Let’s just say… it’s complicated, emotional, and weirdly satisfying even when your heart’s in shreds.
⚠ Spoiler Alert!
🎭 Plot Vibes: Bamboo, Beasts & Bittersweet Bonds
Set in a world where humans and demons co-exist but barely get along, Love in Pavilion follows Dongfang Huai Zhu (Liu Shi Shi) and Wangquan Hong Ye (Zhang Yun Long), two nobles from powerful but opposing clans.
 |
They’re thrown together by fate (aren’t they always) to rebuild the Union Alliance — a fading coalition meant to protect the world from chaos.
They meet at a quiet bamboo pavilion by the Huai River.
That peaceful beginning? Deceiving. Political drama, magical chaos, bloodlines, betrayals, and a slow-burn romance that’ll tug at your soul follow.
And oh — yes, it’s sad. But it’s that poetic, "we did our best, and our love meant something" type of sad.
 |
❤️ Main Couple: Tragedy, But Make It Meaningful
Wangquan Hong Ye & Dongfang Huai Zhu — let’s talk about them.
Midway through, their romance feels like the least exciting out of all the sizzling CPs in this drama. But stick around. Because by the end, they hit you like a freight train of feels.
Their love is gentle but all-consuming — the kind where they really see each other, support each other, and in the face of inevitable doom, still choose to love.
Episode 17? First kiss.
 |
Finale? Pouring hearts out before the end.
Ending? Sad.
Almost everyone dies. But their legacy continues — literally, through their future kids (yes, if you watch Sword and Beloved, Cheng Yi plays their son).
Wangquan Hong Ye, played by Zhang Yun Long, is hands-down the emotional core.
 |
From dorky-in-love to war-torn and vulnerable, he gives a performance that grows on you every episode. LSS... well, she does enough, but ZYL really carries the weight.
🫶 Too Many CPs? Nah. Never Enough. Here's a Quick Breakdown:
 |
 |
And then there’s Li Qu Zhuo & Dongfang Qin Lan — tiny tots who may or may not be Gong Jun’s fictional parents. (Yes, timeline is wild.)
Haha
 |
⚔️ Mask, Flame, Fox & Feels: World-Building Done Right… Mostly
There’s a lot of lore packed in here: masked rebels, divine flames, black fox domination plans — the works.
Sometimes it’s a bit much (final boss literally turns into gas... okay), but it’s held together by the strength of its characters and those rare but powerful team scenes.
 |
The entire series is basically a tribute to self-sacrifice and love — romantic, platonic, familial.
Even the CPs that don’t make it out (and most don’t) leave behind echoes strong enough to carry the story forward.
🎬 Visuals, Acting & Vibe Check
This drama is a visual treat — no complaints there. From bamboo forests to otherworldly battle scenes, it’s peak xianxia elegance.
Performance-wise:
✅ Zhang Yun Long = MVP.
✅ Ding Yu Xi and Meng Zi Yi = underrated and excellent.
✅ Zhai Xiao Wen = not everyone's cup of tea, but improved.
✅ Liu Shi Shi = just enough, but not standout.
✅ Shen Yue = charming side story.
 |
💔 Ending Spoiler (Sort Of): Prepare to Cry... but Nicely
Most characters? Dead.
Main CP? Dead.
Legacy? Lives on.
Kids? Exist, and star in the next parts.
Your heart? Will ache, but thank you for the experience.
And if you’ve already seen Red Moon Pact, you probably got spoiled anyway. But even knowing what’s coming doesn’t ruin the journey. It somehow makes it feel even deeper.
⭐ Final Thoughts: More Than Expected, Sad But Satisfying
Overall rating: 3.5/5
Not perfect, but heartfelt. Beautiful to look at, full of emotion, and brimming with couples that aren’t just pretty — they’re meaningful.
If you're okay with a little heartbreak and a lot of love, this one’s worth it.
🗣️ What Our Team Said:
“One of the best dramas I’ve watched this year.”
“CP chemistry is great across the board!”
“Not the best, not the worst – solid 7/10.”
“More dramas like this, please!”
✍️ Quick Info Recap:
 |
-
Title: Love in Pavilion (淮水竹亭)
-
Network: iQIYI
-
Genres: Romance, Xianxia Fantasy, Historical
-
Episodes: 36
-
Director: Du Lin
-
Screenwriter: Miu Wen Jing
-
Producer: Wang Yi Xu (Stellar)
-
Main Cast:
-
Liu Shi Shi as Dongfang Huai Zhu
-
Zhang Yun Long as Wangquan Hong Ye
-
-
Air Date: 28 April 2025.