LayarHijau – Chinese drama The Road to Splendor (花开锦绣), starring Ding Yuxi and Deng Enxi, is off to a strong start following its premiere. The new period drama has quickly drawn attention for its early popularity as well as several production elements that have impressed viewers.
Spoiler Alert: This article discusses story details and key scenes from the early episodes of The Road to Splendor.
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The Road to Splendor marks Ding Yuxi and Deng Enxi’s reunion after they previously starred together in Melody of Golden Age (长乐曲). Ding Yuxi has also gained widespread recognition through The Romance of Tiger and Rose (传闻中的陈芊芊) opposite Zhao Lusi and Love Game in Eastern Fantasy (永夜星河) opposite Esther Yu.
Before The Road to Splendor, Ding Yuxi also starred in The Southern Archives (南部档案), a companion series to Mystic Nine (九门). Meanwhile, The Road to Splendor made an immediate impact on its first day of release.
The drama secured nine brand sponsors at launch, while its popularity score on Tencent Video surpassed 23,000. It also climbed to No. 2 on Maoyan’s Chinese drama popularity chart.
That puts The Road to Splendor ahead of Genius Girlfriend (天才，女友), starring Tian Xiwei, among dramas airing during the same period. Mystic Nine (九门), led by William Chan, currently holds the top spot.
Beyond its early performance, Chinese viewers have highlighted three major strengths that have helped The Road to Splendor stand out and fueled expectations that it could become one of the summer’s breakout dramas.
1. A Fast-Paced, High-Intensity Story
The Road to Splendor is adapted from the novel of the same name by Zhi Zhi. The story follows Zhao Ling, played by Ding Yuxi, a salt smuggler from humble beginnings who may come from a rough-and-tumble background but harbors ambitions far beyond his circumstances.
His path crosses with Fu Tingyun, played by Deng Enxi, a young woman from a prominent family who is falsely accused of having an illicit relationship.
The accusation puts Fu Tingyun in serious danger and eventually forces her to flee with Zhao Ling. Together, they face threats from both her family and the imperial court as they struggle against the circumstances that have been imposed on them.
The first four episodes focus heavily on the turmoil surrounding Fu Tingyun inside the Fu family residence.
From childhood, Fu Tingyun has been raised as a tool for her family. She is expected to become a means of securing powerful connections and improving the family’s standing.
Behind the family’s obsession with reputation and honor, however, the household is filled with schemes and betrayals. Her widowed sister-in-law sets a trap intended to destroy Fu Tingyun’s reputation, while her close friend Fan Yake, played by Fan Shiran, ultimately betrays her when her own future is at stake.
Even Fu Tingyun’s grandmother, who appears to care deeply for her, has an ulterior motive. Her efforts to find Fu Tingyun a suitable husband from an influential family are not simply about securing her granddaughter’s future. They are also part of a desperate attempt to protect a family whose position is becoming increasingly unstable.
Once Fu Tingyun is no longer considered useful to the family, her own grandmother goes as far as deciding to poison her.
At the same time, Zhao Ling infiltrates the Fu residence while posing as an imperial official. He witnesses Fu Tingyun in critical condition after being poisoned.
The two eventually form an alliance. Zhao Ling helps Fu Tingyun escape the Fu residence, setting them on a journey from Jiangnan toward the northwest.
Viewers have praised the first four episodes for smoothly shifting from intense household intrigue and family power struggles into a full-fledged escape and adventure story.
The drama’s brisk pacing and tightly packed conflicts have become some of its most talked-about qualities. Rather than spending too long on exposition, the story moves quickly from character setup to major conflicts and eventually into the escape plot.
2. Numerous Iconic Scenes That Leave a Lasting Impression
The Road to Splendor has also delivered a string of memorable scenes from its very first episode.
One of the most striking moments comes in the opening episode, when a wedding and a funeral take place at the same time. The stark visual contrast between the two ceremonies immediately creates an unusual and eye-catching sequence.
By the fourth episode, viewers discover that both events are connected to Fu Tingyun. The funeral is staged, while the wedding involving Zhao Ling is also part of their plan. The two ceremonies taking place on the same day create one of the drama’s most distinctive early sequences.
Another particularly intense scene shows Fu Tingyun fighting to survive after being poisoned by her grandmother. Weak and caught in the rain, she is forced to eat leftover food in an attempt to induce vomiting and purge the poison from her body.
The first two encounters between Zhao Ling and Fu Tingyun also stand out for their clever visual storytelling.
During their first meeting, Zhao Ling is still using a false identity, so the two characters speak while separated by a screen. When they meet again and Zhao Ling appears in his true identity, he walks past the screen and finally faces Fu Tingyun directly.
The movement across the screen serves as a visual representation of the changing distance between the two characters.
Another memorable moment comes when the Fu family scatters salt across the floor as a display of wealth. Alongside the other striking sequences, moments like these have helped generate discussion around the drama’s opening episodes.
3. High-End Visuals and Production Design
Another aspect receiving considerable praise is The Road to Splendor’s visual quality.
Costume and production design play a major role in establishing the drama’s period atmosphere. The production reportedly created around 800 costumes and 500 different looks, with the garments handcrafted specifically for the series.
The hairstyles, jewelry, accessories and other details were designed with reference to clothing systems from the Ming Dynasty. As a result, the drama features a range of period-specific styles, including aoqun, yuanlingpao, xiapei, damao and mamian skirts.
The intricate embroidery and patterns further enhance the lavish appearance of the costumes.
Director Deng Ke’s visual approach has also drawn attention. The framing and composition are designed to reflect the characters’ circumstances and the changing dynamics between them.
The use of real locations is another factor contributing to the drama’s visual appeal. The Fu family residence and government offices seen in the first four episodes were filmed at actual traditional architectural complexes rather than being created entirely through green-screen effects.
That approach has led some viewers to praise the drama for having a visual texture that would be difficult to replicate entirely through digital backgrounds.
The series will also feature extensive scenes filmed in desert locations later in the story, giving viewers another reason to look forward to its upcoming episodes.
With its fast-moving story, memorable set pieces and carefully crafted visuals, The Road to Splendor is already emerging as one of the Chinese dramas with the potential to become a major summer hit.
Its strong early popularity also suggests that Ding Yuxi and Deng Enxi’s latest collaboration has managed to capture viewers’ attention despite facing stiff competition from several other high-profile dramas airing at the same time.
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