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| Love and Crown Faces Harsh Reviews as Controversial Scenes Dominate Discussion (Photo: Weibo) |
The controversy surrounding the Chinese costume drama Love and Crown (鳳凰台上) just refuses to die down. Starring Allen Ren Jialun and Peng Xiaoran, the series has already spent weeks battling criticism, from confused storytelling to the very public disagreement between the original novel’s author Xie Lounan and lead actress Peng Xiaoran. And now, fans say the show has crossed into outright head-scratching territory.
Ever since its premiere, viewers have labelled the plot outdated and needlessly dramatic. But the latest episode — featuring a chaotic miscarriage scene — has pushed frustration to a whole new level, leaving audiences facepalming and calling it one of the most baffling historical romances of the year.
Currently sitting at a low 4.8 on Douban, the drama has struggled to convince even its most loyal viewers. Ren Jialun’s portrayal of Emperor Xiao Huan initially earned sympathy, especially once he finally made peace with Empress Ling Cangcang (Peng Xiaoran).
After numerous marital quarrels, the couple’s long-awaited pregnancy was supposed to be the turning point that softened the storyline.
Instead, it turned into a plot twist that many say “defies logic entirely”.
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A Miscarriage Scene That Viewers Say Makes No Sense
The drama spirals when Princess Xiao Ying (Liu Mengrui), still grieving the loss of her lover Li Hongqing (Luo Mingjie), loses control and blames her brother for sending him to war.
Adding fuel to the fire, Du Tingxin (Chen Yihan), a once-respected preceptor, uses forbidden practices to manipulate the princess’s emotions.
Driven by fury and confusion, Xiao Ying storms into the palace to attack the emperor.
And here’s where viewers say things fall apart: Emperor Xiao Huan — previously portrayed as a skilled martial artist — suddenly becomes helpless, unable to defend himself against a princess known for being gentle and physically weak.
Ling Cangcang rushes in, heavily pregnant, and tries to calm the situation. Instead, she ends up taking the blow meant for her husband, leading to immediate complications and the loss of the baby.
Within minutes of airing, the sequence drew an avalanche of complaints across social media.
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Netizens’ Reactions: “Do They Think We Don’t Pay Attention?”
Comments poured in:
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“Pregnant yesterday, miscarriage today. This pacing is wild.”
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“A mighty emperor defeated by someone who can’t even lift a chicken? And the pregnant empress becomes his shield? Stop it.”
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“It’s 2025. Why are we still watching storylines like this?”
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“Ten episodes left. I need strength to continue.”
Many viewers believe the scene wasn’t just overly dramatic — it completely disregarded the show’s own internal logic.
The Adaptation Debate Heats Up Again
As if that wasn’t enough, the earlier conflict between the author and the cast resurfaced. Xie Lounan had previously criticised the adaptation for removing key emotional elements from the original novel My Queen (我的皇后).
She felt the drama erased the depth and devotion that defined Ling Cangcang in the novel, shifting instead toward a more modern, independent portrayal.
Her statement became even more polarising when she praised Ren Jialun but described Peng Xiaoran’s performance as “cold”, which many fans thought was unfair and unnecessarily personal.
Peng Xiaoran eventually issued a detailed clarification, explaining:
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Actors don’t control the script — decisions lie entirely with the production team, and even during filming, scripts were incomplete and constantly changing.
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Maintaining a collaborative environment is crucial, especially during broadcast.
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Judging the drama should be left to the audience — forcing opinions helps no one.
The clash sparked speculation that the drama’s controversies were intentional strategy, though many argue the issues stem more from the adaptation process than the people involved.