The most popular Wuxia drama in December is undoubtedly “A Journey to Love“. It has been hailed as Liu Shishi's comeback work and an original road costume drama. Since its premiere, it has attracted countless viewers and its popularity has soared. With a gathering of talented individuals and impressive techniques, the quality of “A Journey to Love” is evident. Whether it's the plot or the visual presentation, it is a rare surprise at the end of 2023.
In the chaotic era of multiple countries at war, the An and Wu countries stand out, with An gradually devouring the neighboring cities, causing Wu fear. The encounters between the two countries have led to a turbulent situation, with spies infiltrating both sides. Ren Ruyi (played by Liu Shishi) is one of them.
Ruyi pretense as the lowest-ranking spy in the Country An Imperial Guard and is arranged, along with her sisters, to serve as a dancer in Country Wu. With her beautiful appearance, she catches the eye of the crown prince of Wuguo and naturally takes on the task of gathering intelligence.
However, their originally foolproof plan takes an unexpected turn. The Liudao Hall of Wu orders the execution of all the dancers, including Ruyi and her sisters, on the grounds that their songs contain disrespectful lyrics. At this critical moment, Ruyi is forced to reveal her true identity for self-preservation. Despite her usual portrayal of herself as gentle and sweet, she is actually a highly skill, striking swiftly and decisively.
Only she and her sister Linglong (played by Ye Qing) manage to escape from the group of dancers. Linglong tries to pass on the message internally but is betrayed by someone within the An Imperial Guard, resulting in the death of all the spies hidden in Country Wu. Ruyi is once again forced to conceal her identity and take refuge in the old mansion of Ning Yuanzhou.
On the other side, the former master of the Liudao Hall, Ning Yuanzhou (played by Liu Yuning), is framed and sent to serve as a military leader in the marching troops, accompanying the emperor on a personal expedition. Ning Yuanzhou had originally planned to use this position to leave the team and depart from the capital. However, the emperor's blind arrogance and credulity in rumors led to a disastrous defeat, and the emperor himself was taken captive and imprisoned in Country An. After surviving this battle, Ningyuanzhou no longer wishes to serve Wu, he leaves gracefully.
After Ning Yuanzhou is removed from his position as the hall master, his successor Zhao Ji (played by Wu Hong) focuses solely on plundering the wealth of the people, causing the Liudao Hall, which used to specialize in investigation and espionage, to gradually decline. It is only when the Liudao Hall's leader Zhang Song (played by Zhang Lei) seeks to dominate Country Wu through his own means that he realizes the Liudao Hall has long lost the order it had under Ning Yuanzhou's rule.
At that time, the queen of Wu, Xiaoyan (played by Chen Duling), is pregnant. If she gives birth to a prince, he will be able to inherit the throne. However, if the queen and Zhang Song want to hold real power, they must obtain the emperor's decree. For this reason, Zhang Song has no choice but to find Ning Yuanzhou, who once infiltrated Country An. Ning Yuanzhou has no interest in politics. However, if it is for the sake of his fallen brothers, he is willing to die a thousand deaths. After weighing the options, he agrees to escort the Princess Yangying (played by He Landou) to An. He also summons several capable subordinates.
It goes without saying that Yuanlu (played by Chen Yuwei), who has been skilled in calculations since childhood and has followed Ning Yuanzhou, is part of the team. There is also Sun Lang (played by Li Huan), who excels in defense, Yu Shisan (played by Fang Yilun), who was imprisoned for kidnapping a wealthy daughter, and Qian Zhao (played by Wang Yizhe), a member of the imperial guards.
The five of them form a small delegation for the mission. Meanwhile, Ruyi, hiding in Ning Yuanzhou's mansion, is recognized by him as a member of the Imperial Guard at first glance. However, he does not expose her true identity and refers to her as his cousin to outsiders.
After parting ways in Wu, Ruyi managed to find the mastermind behind the betrayal of the An's secret envoy. However, due to her inner strength not yet fully recovered, she nearly lost her life. At this critical moment, the Ning Yuanzhou and its crew happened to pass by and came to their aid, leading to an unexpected reunion. From then on, Ruyi's true identity was exposed. Her original name was Ren Xin, and she was the Left Envoy of the An Kingdom, surpassing tens of thousands beneath her. Even Ningyuan boat showed great respect upon hearing her name.
Years ago, Ren Xin was falsely accused of killing the Empress Zhaojie (played by Wang Yan) and was believed to have died in prison. After changing her identity to Ruyi, she had been relentlessly investigating the murderer. After meeting Ning Yuanzhou, they made a deal: Ning Yuanzhou would help investigate the cause of Empress Zhaojie's death, while Ruyi, who was skilled in disguise and knowledgeable about the An, would train Yang Ying, who would later cross-dress as a man, to handle the challenges in the An.
Ruyi, regardless of whether she was a princess or not, never resorted to deceit. If she couldn't remember the relationships between characters, she would spend an extra hour studying; if she couldn't eat, she would go practice combat techniques. The princess was still immersed in the affection between her brothers, but only Ruyi ruthlessly shattered the illusions that enveloped her.
The eldest brother, the Dan Yang prince, did not want her other brother to return safely. If the emperor died in a foreign country, he would rightfully inherit the throne. The sister-in-law didn't care if she and the emperor returned to the country or not; she only needed to obtain the imperial edict of succession. It would be best if she and the emperor were imprisoned in the An Kingdom for the rest of their lives, so she could be the empress dowager in peace. Therefore, her only goal was to learn how to pretend to be an envoy prince, successfully reach the An, and escape to survive.
At this point, the main storyline of “A Journey to Love” is already clear: Ruyi and the Ning Yuanzhou's journey from Wu to escort the princess to the An. Along the way, they face countless dangers and ambushes, with Xiao Yan and the Dan Yang prince each hindering them, one wanting them to live, the other wanting them to die. They can only face the challenges that await them in the next moment.
Before her death, Empress Zhaojie had entrusted Ruyi not to trust men easily but to bear a child of her own. Ruyi had always kept this in mind. After careful consideration, Ning Yuanzhou became the best candidate to be the father of Ruyi's child: he came from a prestigious family, possessed great martial arts skills, and had a bit of strategy. Such a person indeed had excellent genes.
So, along the way, Ruyi pursued Ning Yuanzhou, insisting on having a child with him. Although Ning Yuanzhou was experienced, it was the first time someone had persistently pursued him. At that time, Ning Yuanzhou was not moved by the beautiful Ruyi and repeatedly refused her. However, as they fought side by side and confided in each other along the way, their affection gradually blossomed.
Under Ruyi's careful guidance, the naive princess transformed into a competent envoy, and her growth and change in mindset were also remarkable. The reason why the princess became an envoy of Wu was that she was disregarded in the palace. If she could successfully welcome back her elder brother, she would gain the power to choose her own husband and be with her beloved. During the journey, the princess not only learned to ride horses but also learned close combat using a dagger. However, she never expected that the first person she would stab with her dagger would be her long-awaited love interest, Zheng Qingyun (played by Zhao Huanran).
Throughout the journey, she faced the reality of sibling rivalry and palace struggles, and she experienced the suffering of the people due to war. When Zheng Qingyun wanted to elope with her, she resolutely refused. Her mission was not only for her own happiness but also for the well-being of the world. Initially driven by love, she now fights for the people.
As the plot unfolds, Ruyi, who appears to be decisive and ruthless, became a member of the Imperial Guard out of necessity. Ruyi's mother died in childbirth, along with her newborn brother. Her father considered her a burden and sold her to the Zhu Yiwei for a mere sum of money.
After joining the Imperial Guard, she didn't even have her own name and was only given the code name Ren Xin (壬辛). It was fortunate that she was talented and determined, relying on her martial arts skills and courage to rise to the position of the Left Envoy, surpassing tens of thousands. She felt that as she traveled the rivers and lakes, she should have a surname, so she added a radical to her name, becoming Ren Xin (任欣). Later, Ruyi was betrayed and witnessed the murder of the trusted Empress Zhaojie. Ruyi had to fake her death and leave the An to investigate the true culprit.
As the team gradually approaches the An, Ruyi's past memories are all awakened, and her trusted subordinate and another disciple, Li Tongguang (played by Chang Huasen), may become a connection between her and the small team when they arrive in the An Kingdom. Both Ruyi, who is determined to make a career, and Ning Yuanzhou, who hopes to retire to the mountains and forests, face a crossroads in their relationship. Perhaps after reaching the An, the entire situation will be reshuffled.
