Legend of Lu Zhen (Female Prime Minister) 2013

Legend of Lu Zhen

To escape her cruel stepmother, Lu Zhen enters the palace as an attendant. She was quickly promoted through the ranks for her pottery-making skill. During this time, she captures the heart of crown prince Gao Zhan. However, she can never be with him as social status and jealous enemies work against her at every turn. She devotes herself to politics and helps Gao Zhan defeat a coup d'etat. Though Gao Zhan can not make her his wife, he bestows her with the highest position in the land, the female prime minister.

I really liked this Ancient Chinese Series, which is not quite political or a harem drama but has aspects of both. It largely deals with the romance of our two lead characters and some of the supporting characters too. As the synopsis eludes to Lu Zhen has to deal with the issues of why she has to leave home and enter the palace and what happens when she enters the palace and tries to work her way through the dangers and politics of being in the palace.

Zhao Liying as Lu Zhen

I liked the relationship between Lu Zhen and Gao Zhan.  Initially the chemistry didn't really come across but it changes when it seemed like the actress became more comfortable with her co-star and the story. Also their were other relationships that I liked, though some of them did not get a lot of focus. One was between Gao Zhan and is older brother Gao Yan, they had a good relationship and wanted the best for each other but you knew that Gao Zhan could not be completely forthcoming with his brother because Empress Dowager Lou killed his mother, changed Xiao Huanyun's marriage and was also responsible for the Emperor never getting well and numerous attempts to murder Gao Zhan and Lu Zhen.  The relationship that finally developed between Gao Yan and Xiao Huanyun was also nice considering everything they went through. Danniang and Yuan Lu were a nice fun relief to some of the tension.  Also is was good that both Lu Zhen and Gao Zhan had a nice small group of people that they considered friends and could often go to.  Though, Shen Jiayan was for both. 

Chen Xiao as Gao Zhan

I think most of the actors did a good job with their roles.  Yang Rong, who was in Swordman with Chen Xiao.  I did not even realize it was her until I saw her picture out of costume and I thought she looked familiar. 

Yang Rong as Xiao Huanyun

I really liked the costumes.  They were bright and well done.  There was so many that I just wanted to wear if only once.   Although, I like a lot of Ancient Chinese costumes, I often think most of them are not practical unless you are just sitting around with attendants for everything, but the costumes that Lu Zhen wore especially when she was outside the palace looked very nice and practical.  Although I did notice that the costumes for being in the palace always had more colorful and decorated than those worn when outside in the world. Some off the colors were a bit much or to me seemed to clash.  The scenes were also nice, though the sets at times seemed repetitive .

Qiao Yinliang as Gao Yan

I also really liked the opening theme, Treasure (Cherish) by Li Yu Chun.  I listened to it endlessly even before watching the show.

Xuehua as Empress Dowager Lou

Below are somethings that contain spoilers so be warned.

There were somethings that I thought were funny when watching. An example was the scene when Lu Zhen is running away from the forced weeding and runs into Gao Zhan.  We see how the scene cuts from here flying backwards with her hands untied then suddenly when they are face to face it is suddenly tied again.  Besides this scene there is the scene with the yellow flower that is later mirror with Shen Jiayan though these never went anywhere.

Tang Yixi as Shen Bi

In the beginning we see that Lu Zhen helps her father with the business, which is why she is so knowledgable about pottery and accounting.  What I did not understand was her insistence on not getting.  I could understand that she wanted to continue doing some king of work and be reliable, but where did she get the idea that women were completely equal to men and that she did not need to get married because there was no one or anything in her environment or upbringing that even alluding to this idea.  I know they wanted to show here to be more independent and unique from the other woman but some of it did not make sense.

Wu Jinhao as Danniang

(I really like the simple hanfu Danniang is wearing. I want to own it)

There were also times when I did not like Lu Zhen, such as when she be angry that things were not fair when she got help and assistance that no one else.  There was also the issue of social class and how she always brought up the issue that Gao Zhan was looking down on her because of it when he had not brought up the issue.  Plus what she did to Ling Long was upsetting. If she just took 5 minutes, so much would have been resolved.   This also includes incidents with Shen Bi, particular the pregnancy arc.  Lu Zhen knew that Gao Zhan had been set up but she acted like he had forced himself on Shen Bi. Despite that I did understand when she was arguing with Gao Zhan when he wanted her just to stop working an marry him. I also wondered why they created such a strong tension around her hand when later it never was really an issue. She still wrote up edicts and carved pottery.  Lu Zhen had always wanted to contribute and work so it was nice that this was something she fought to get Gao Zhan to understand. 

Li Yixiao as Gao Xiang

Towards the end I think the story was resolved nicely for the most part.  It was sad how Lady Lou was complete abandoned and thrown out by the Empress Dowager Lou.  I was surprised just how Lu Zhen and even Gao Zhan thought Shen Bi was some king of victim.  Shen Bi knew what she was doing and thought nothing of it because she thought she was better than other.  Shen Bi kept saying she loved Gao Zhan but I don't think she ever really stopped to care of his feeling.  It's sad what happened to her in the end, but she knew that Empress Dowager Lou didn't care about abandoning her own niece, what did she think would happen to her. 

Gao Yan and Xiao Huanyun had a tragic end though they were a good couple and their son gets to live and be Emperor.  Although the title Female Prime Minister was advertised, she only becomes it at the end and we never see her actually do anything in that role. 

I have to say I really like an appreciate when there are really emotion and display of love in Ancient Chinese series. There were real kisses here not those petrified barely touch frozen lips, but then why did they just quickly pull away. 

I was also a little disappointed with how they ended the story. I did not know there was any magic in this show because the Empress Dowager Lou just got engulfed by the sacrificial flame and disappeared. Where did she go? Gao Yan, Xiao Huanyun and even Danniang had this devastating, critical meaningful death but Gao Zhan just died. Not that it wasn't sad that Lu Zhen lives 15 more years with most of her loved ones not around but I felt there would have been a scene where Gao Zhan is fighting to hold on but his body is giving out.  Lu Zhen also doesn't want him to leave and he doesn't want to leave because she says she will soon join him. But finally she tells him to let go and rest and that she would be joining him soon

This story was inspired by a real woman in Chinese history. While trying to research the real person I found that Lu Lingxuan is probably the inspiration for Lu Zhen.  Lu Lingxuan seemed to be the inspiration for Lu Zhen not only in name but also time period being Northern Qi and being a wet nurse to Gao Wei.  At the end Lu Zhen had adopted Gao Wei, Gao Yan and Xiao Huanyun's son.   Also there was no emperor named Gao Zhan and Gao Yan was actually Gao Wei's brother. Aside from being a lady in waiting and becoming a lady of commandery, Lu Lingxuan was actually to be devious and for a brief moment her husband had been Emperor.  Despite all this I did not find any info that stated that Lu Lingxuan was actually named Female Prime Minister.  However, I did find some information on an archaeological dig from 2013 that speak of Shangguan Wan'er who served China's first Female Emperor Wu Zetian and married her son.  Shangguan Wan'er effectively took on the role of Prime Minister, although this was during the Tang Dynasty.