LayarHijau – The Chinese drama Against the Current (兰香如故), starring Tan Songyun and Liu Xueyi, has finally reached its finale. Theories about the drama’s ending had already circulated on Weibo on September 25. Then, on October 5, discussions about the ending gained renewed attention after spoilers about the final episode began circulating on social media.
Spoiler warning: This article discusses the ending of Against the Current, including the fates of Lin Jinqi, Xu Lanxiang, and Han Liang, as well as several key scenes from the finale. If you have not watched the final episode and do not want to know how it ends, it is best to stop reading here.
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After several changes of emperors, Lin Jinqi eventually resigns from his position and returns to his hometown to live with Xu Lanxiang. After everything they have been through, the two finally get to enjoy life together as husband and wife.
However, their happiness does not last forever. Lin Jinqi’s old injuries from the war cause his health to deteriorate. On the day of his death, he seems to know that his time is running out.
He first teaches his daughter how to use a sword, reminding her that once she draws her sword, she must act without hesitation. Lin Jinqi then tells her, “Remember, your parents want you to live.”
The way Lin Jinqi teaches his daughter feels like a final message to her, making the scene even more heartbreaking. Afterward, he goes to Yue Lao’s temple to pray that his bond with Xu Lanxiang will continue into their next life.
That night, Lin Jinqi sits with Xu Lanxiang on their bed and expresses his wish that they will become husband and wife again in their next lives.
Lin Jinqi then takes a red marriage thread and wraps it around their hands. He continues winding the thread until it connects their bodies. Xu Lanxiang looks at him with a gentle smile, but the mood changes when Lin Jinqi says that if he had known from the beginning that he would eventually marry Xu Lanxiang, he should have taken better care of his health when they were still in Jinzhou.
Xu Lanxiang immediately realizes that his words sound like a farewell. Tears well up in her eyes as Lin Jinqi embraces her and tells her that they were destined to become husband and wife after all.
“I already spoke to Yue Lao. When my wife was engaged to me, her name was Shen Jialan. When she married me, her name was Xu Lanxiang. The red thread has always been tied to the same person. Don’t get it wrong.”
After saying those words, Lin Jinqi gently touches Xu Lanxiang’s face for the last time. His hand then loses the strength to rise again. He takes his final breath in his wife’s arms as Xu Lanxiang breaks down in tears.
Lin Jinqi’s death becomes one of the most heartbreaking scenes in the finale. Although he eventually returns home and gets to live with Xu Lanxiang, his old injuries prevent him from growing old. Xu Lanxiang, meanwhile, continues living until her hair turns white and sees her granddaughter grow up to the age of 20. She also continues writing operas that encourage women to live independently into her later years.
The finale also brings a tragic ending for Han Liang (Niu Junfeng). Han Liang was previously a scholar who nearly became engaged to Xu Lanxiang. However, after Lin Jinqi obtains an imperial decree to marry Xu Lanxiang, Han Liang has no choice but to accept the situation.
Despite his disappointment, Han Liang continues helping Lin Jinqi and Xu Lanxiang whenever they face danger. He later meets Dong Qingzhu (Dong Qing), who becomes his wife.
Han Liang is known as an upright official who is not afraid to speak his mind to the emperor. However, his willingness to speak out ultimately costs him his life. In the finale, Han Liang advises the emperor not to place too much trust in the eunuchs. Angered by his words, the emperor punishes him by ordering him to stand outside the imperial study throughout the night while snow falls.
Han Liang eventually dies from the cold after spending the entire night outside in the freezing weather. After his death, Lin Jinqi helps take care of Han Liang’s wife and children.
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