Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

YAY! Finally a locked down for a new drama project. It’s adapted from the novel Do You Know? It Ought To Be a Red Flower Amongst The Leaves (知否知否应是绿肥红瘦) or aka The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan (庶女明兰传) written by Guan Xin Ze Luan. The team behind the production is a strong one and the heroine is quite the leader in her own right as well. The story follows our heroine through her youth, into her adulthood, and well into her marriage life as well. She’s the 6th child of the Sheng household. Though she is an intelligent and beautiful child, she was not loved by her family (her dad, her sisters, her mom dies early.) She has to hide her intelligence and suffers through the years, hoping to avenge for her mom. During this process she will meet many friends and foes, one of which is our male lead, Gu’s second son, Gu Ting Ye. He has helped and mistreated her before, but also the one to witness her sharp wits and lonely soul. After they get married, they will work together as a power couple, managing the new King’s regime as well as harvesting a world of happiness on their own. This is what they have released today about the synopsis.

I haven’t read the novel so for book readers who have, please let me know if it’s good! Now I’m gonna bite my nails for the male lead…. Ma Tian Yu, why you so busy?!

Confirmed Poster:

 photo Ming 1.jpg

Where to Read the Translated Novel?:
01. Being translated by Alpenglowpaled

Produced by Hou Hong Liang (Nirvana In Fire, Ode To Joy), directed by Zhang Kai Zhou (Battle of Changsha, Ode To Joy 2), and written by Zeng Lu & Wu Tong (both writers of Battle of Changsha), The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan plans to have 70 episodes and filming starts in June 2017.

Via: 01

  1. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    What’s the genre?

    I was hoping for a palace drama. Anything will do for now lol

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      And the waiting game for the her costar lol

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      It’s definitely an ancient drama with palace intrigues (supporting the Zhao’s family to the throne) involved but not a straight-up palace drama. I wanted a modern drama next but this will do. XD

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        Oh ok. It sounded like a pre-modern drama. lol

  2. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Her casting for this has been rumoured for aaaaaages lol. It’s apparently a really popular book, but I’ve never even heard of it.

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      I feel like all the actors go through the rumor mill frequently. Lol. This is just the one of many rumored projects.

      It has high ratings on douban and solid praises throughout.

  3. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Wow was hoping for the modern drama rumor to be true, but this is excellent as well, given that its produced by Daylight Entertainment. In a way, it reminds me slightly of The Princess Weiyoung’s original plot. I’m hoping for Wang Kai to be the male lead since he’s under Daylight.

  4. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    It is a very good book! Not a political intrigue type but more of a family drama, with troublesome relatives, with some politics in the background. The author set out to write a story about a family (Minglan’s own family) slow rise to propserity and she did quite a good job showing different people with different interests and how they interact etc. The best part of the story was Minglan’s close relationship with her grandmother. 😊

    Have a fan made vid for a look: http://video.tudou.com/v/XMjE4NDY3NjU4OA==.html

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      interestingly, the video had Ma Tianyu portrayed as her first love (or unreciprocated love from him to her), which was what crossed my mind when I saw his name mentioned in the post. I thought he would make a good Qi Xiao Er, rather than the male lead.. haha.. the video’s choice of the male lead is quite close to what i imagined him to be, though my imagination of him was slightly more rough, maybe with a beard or goatee..

      i love the grandmother-minglan relationship too! hope the last part when she lost her temper over how her granny was treated would be kept.

      i thought the book was an introduction (for me at least) on how helpless women were in the past, like being raised for the sake of marrying, which drove many to become unscrupulous in order to obtain a good marriage, and even after marriage have to fight for the attention with all the concubines.. quite sad actually..

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        I agree! Ma Tianyu would make a good Qi Xiao Er! He has the look and feel. Hahahaa I felt the fan vid did quite a good casting choice all around.

        The part where her grandma was threatened and Minglan flipped her lid was the highlight for me too! I hope they do keep it.

        Agree too on all you said about how helpless women were in the past. In fact, considering the family, Minglan and her sisters had a relatively “open-minded” father. As least he didn’t marry his daughters off to bad husbands, but tried his best to at least ensure the sons-in-law were relatively ok people. There were many fathers who didn’t even bother, and just married their daughters off to what they considered ‘advantageous’ marriages, even if the sons-in-laws turn out to be violent, or crazy etc….

        • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

          Ma tian yu on any project and I’m on board haha. I’m such tian yu trash TT.TT

        • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

          true, but he’s really quite bad towards his mother (though not blood related), and his attitude towards his concubines are not any different from other men of his times..

          yup I thought the video’s selection is quite good too, liu yi fei looks so cute in her younger years..

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      I hope by family drama, you don’t mean the type like Korean makjang weekend dramas lol…

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        Don’t worry, no birth secrets or swapping babies! There are some family disputes due to inheritance etc, but in the book, they were pretty quickly resolved by the female lead and male lead. That said, not sure whether the drama would heighten and drag out such disputes though…..

  5. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    YESSSSS it’s finally confirmed! XD Love the production and writing team! Haven’t read the novel so I’ll be happy with whoever they cast as the male lead(s) haha as long as he matches with ZLY.

  6. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    i love the book and I think it’s good, in fact it’s my fave book of this genre (though I haven’t read much). Can’t wait for the adaptation! But the male lead’s supposed to be much older I think, in terms of seniority he’s her Uncle (?) haha

  7. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    The genre is called 田文, sort of slice-of-life. The novel sometimes reminds me of Dream of the Red Mansion, but much happier of course.
    Ming Lan is the prettiest and smartest in the story’s universe. Her hubby is known to be a rake/prodigal son sort of guy and they are somehow distantly related, and he much older, so she always calls him “2nd uncle” which raises his hackle haha.
    Gu Tingye is also in the military, so I dunno if Ma Tianyu would be a good choice.

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      Lol maybe Wallace Chung, Wang kai, or Hu Ge would be good choices since they fit the older lookinf and general types.

  8. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Hoping for Yangyang , Liu yi fei( not satisfied with the ending 🙁 ), or Shifuuuuu Aka Wallace Huo(The best wuxia) 💕💕💕

  9. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Seems like from what I hear, the male lead is supposed to be old.
    There goes my dream combination of Yang Yang and Liying….
    Hopefully they get someone along the lines of Wallace Chung, Jin Dong, Wang Kai etc… who are mature but still handsome hahah.

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      From the summary I read, he’s indeed older and has kids with his ex. Lol. Oh, the complications!

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        OH! Yuckie! That’s complicated, unless she knows he has kids from the start and doesn’t mind it then that’s ok. But if it was one of those arcs again where he hid his past from her and kids pop out of nowhere later I wouldn’t like it.

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      Lol my thoughts the same with the male leads you chose.

  10. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Oh I read this too. Despite the long chapters, I also finished it. I think there is 3 male leads. But Ming Lan is so level headed, the other two male leads didn’t have much of a chance given their complicated background (she only wants to marry someone who can promised her fidelity – only one wife!). For the sake of the drama, I suppose they could flesh out the other two. But this is first and foremost, a story where the lead is Ming Lan and everyone comes in second lmao. It was also a time travel book but of course that can be removed and wouldn’t affect much, the time travel element only serves to mold her personality and modern sensibility about marriage. She mostly overcome all obstacles on her own lmao. But not sure where the drama/angst will come, because really its about how she holds her own in her home despite her lower status as daughter of a concubine, and later in her husband’s home.

    I’m kinda sorry I read the book but I’m still so happy there’s another drama from LiYing to look forward to.

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      Maymay, I feel like you’ve read every book under the sun. LOL.

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        Yeah kappy 😆. I went on a reading spree after journey of flower and read most of the popular web novels 🙈. Then I slowly realize that most of them had been or are going to be made into dramas lmao.

        @yoyo_oy: it’s nothing like cuodian yuanyang (that book is really flimsy and bad btw, the drama way better). Here there is no fake marriage. It’s really about how Ming Lan fight for a marriage best for herself. And she doesn’t fight, not physically. She is just really smart and utilizes that and her looks to her best advantage.

        And the male lead has two kids from a previous…err…attachment with a lady. They were never married…but there’s a story behind that as well. She knew about the kids and that woman as well before marriage. She went into marriage with male lead with eyes wide open. I think he had another woman (something like a servant girl who followed him since young) but he was faithful to her after marriage. Hope I am not spoiling too much lol.

        • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

          Whew that’s a relief to know and I’m actually always happy to get spoilers so thanks!

          I actually did not like Cuo dian yuan yang overall because I didn’t feel Qi Ji treating her good enough even after remarrying her, he only seems to enjoy being all over her but he only do what he likes regardless of what anyone will feel. ZLY love life in drama-land are not that satisfying, most of her male leads never treated her as good as she was to them, especially in legend of zu… and JOTF, well Legend of Chusen kinda…, most of them were jerky jerks in their own way.

          I can’t imagine this myself but I wonder if anyone would be interested in a bullied poor man who is Cinderello with good looks and brains, while the girl gets to be powerful and ambitious with many exes? It might not be a good story that’s why the women never really get to be the powerful ones instead, sigh.

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      TIME TRAVELING? LOL!
      I think the description sounded a lot like Cuo dian yuan yang where she was the hated daughter and got into a fake marriage. Or Wei Young like somebody pointed above. Can she fight in the drama?

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      Isn’t that exactly why ZLY took it up though? She’s at the stage of her career where she doesn’t have to play second fiddle to anyone (in dramas), that’s why we have Princess Agents and now Ming Lan. It makes sense that the male leads have less presence. Imo female centric dramas most definitely will do better ratings wise as well.

      I’m just curious what sort of roles she’ll get now that she’s entering her 30s since she has a babyface.

  11. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Literally screaming out of my bed in the middle of the night. Been forever waiting for another project news from her. And now anxious for the male lead to be. Thinking if mark zhao had a look mature enough for the role. But he had been done someone whose hundred thousand years old aka mo yuan, so thats not supposed to be trouble for him to play it well. *smirk*

  12. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    I’m slowly reading the novel as it is translated and it is a full lifetime – family, schooling, romance, palace life, intrigue, etc. Personally, I’ll be hoping they skip a bit of her childhood drama. It will be fun to see this someday, though!

  13. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    this is confirm confirm?? Yay! now the wait for the male lead casting- pray for a good good one

    • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

      Rumour is that the male lead is either Yang Shuo (Ode to Joy 2) or Zhang Bo (The Qin Empire). ZB is the more popular choice.

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        Ok based on looks i prefer zhang bo too.. but haven’t seen any of their works before so cannot really tell if they suit the character..

        quite excited for this adaptation!

      • 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

        thanks for the info, i;ve seen Yang Shuo but overall am not familiar with both. Went to google them ZB would be a popular choice- but for superficial reasons in my case.

  14. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Looking good. I thought we would be deprived of her but guess not. I am pleased there’s another project to look forward to. Hope they choose someone good looking as male lead and not someone too old.

  15. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    So happy about this news…

  16. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Awesome news! So happy to hear about a new project for ZLY.

  17. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    I love zly so much

  18. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    yessss,i’m her hardcore fan since ‘The Female Prime Minister’ ,and noww yesss,another new drama ,hahaha joust hoping her co-star is someone who look tough(of course with six pack) but has a very pleasant heart and cool face ,hoping her co-star not to old.

  19. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Any news on the male lead yet?

  20. 42 thoughts on “Zhao Li Ying confirms new drama The Legend of the Concubine’s Daughter Ming Lan

    Hope this turn out good. I love the novel.

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