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| The Vendetta of An Gains Momentum as Cheng Yi Holds His Ground Against Acting Heavyweights (Photo: |
The Youku's Tang Dynasty revenge drama The Vendetta of An (長安二十四計) officially premiered on 12 December, and it didn’t take long for the series to make itself known. Led by Cheng Yi, the costume drama arrived with strong pre-release buzz, largely thanks to its high-level cast stacked with award-winning veterans and its promise of intense political mind games.
Early performance numbers suggest the hype wasn’t misplaced. The drama reportedly crossed a CCTV rating of 2, while its online popularity index surged past 9,500.
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Viewer interaction has been just as eye-catching, with real-time danmu comments said to exceed 900 million.
On its first day alone, The Vendetta of An landed 2nd on Maoyan’s c-drama popularity chart, confirming its status as a rare “dual-platform hit” across both TV and web streaming.
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Promotional materials boldly described the production as featuring “five yingdi and shidi” — industry shorthand for performers who have won top film and television acting awards.
While the phrase raised expectations, it also set a high bar, especially for Cheng Yi as the sole young lead standing among a cast of seasoned powerhouses.
Cheng Yi stars as Xie Huai’an, a strategist with no martial skills, outwardly gentle and physically frail, yet driven by a decade-long, carefully buried vendetta.
To fully inhabit the role, Cheng Yi reportedly lost around 7.5 kilograms, adopting a white-haired, sickly scholar look that amplifies the character’s vulnerability and inner tension. The result is a lead figure who appears breakable, but never weak.
Audience reactions to his performance have been largely positive. Many viewers praised Cheng Yi for holding his own opposite veteran co-stars, especially through his restrained expressions and emotionally loaded eye acting.
His cold, hatred-filled gaze in key moments has been described as unsettling in the best possible way, adding depth without overplaying the role.
That said, feedback hasn’t been entirely one-sided. Some viewers feel that his deliberately understated presence leans too heavily into a “commoner” image, slightly softening the commanding aura typically expected of a central strategist.
A few have also pointed out that his line delivery, particularly in poetic recitations, could be more polished. Even so, most agree that his performance fits the character’s long-game nature rather than aiming for instant dominance.
From a storytelling standpoint, tight pacing has emerged as one of the drama’s strongest points. Within the first ten minutes, the series establishes the brutal family tragedy that fuels Xie Huai’an’s actions.
The opening two episodes alone deliver multiple sharp twists, including a failed assassination attempt that Xie cleverly turns into an opportunity to eliminate enemies through calculated manipulation.
Viewers have widely commented that the drama leaves little room for filler and is difficult to watch on accelerated speed without missing key details.
Production quality has also earned praise, particularly the large-scale, practical sets recreating Chang’an, which many viewers say feel closer to cinema than standard television fare.
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The grounded visual design helps anchor the complex political manoeuvring in a believable world.
The veteran cast is widely regarded as the drama’s backbone. Liu Yijun delivers a chillingly calm performance as Emperor Xiao Wuyang, a ruler whose few words can quietly shift the balance of power.
Wang Jinsong’s portrayal of Wu Zhongheng adds an element of unpredictability, while performances from Ni Dahong and Zhang Hanyu further enrich the series’ layered political landscape.
Unsurprisingly, comparisons with the classic drama Nirvana in Fire have surfaced, particularly around the shared archetype of a brilliant tactician driven by vengeance and patience rather than brute force.
The Vendetta of An OST:
While some viewers see echoes in character framing and narrative structure, others caution that it’s too early to draw firm parallels. Whether The Vendetta of An earns a similar legacy will ultimately depend on how its long-term storytelling unfolds.
For now, one thing is clear: The Vendetta of An has made a confident opening move, and all eyes are on how far its carefully laid plans will go.