LayarHijau— The Republic of China-era drama The Lament of Autumn (玉簟秋) concluded on November 1, 2026, with a tragic ending (a “bad ending,” or BE). Cheng Lei, who plays Yu Changxuan, dies on the battlefield, while his wife, Ye Pingjun, played by Xu Ruohan, lives on with their son, holding onto her memories of her husband. According to Taiwanese outlet Upmedia, the ending differs sharply from the original novel by author Ling Xi, and it has drawn widespread praise across the Chinese internet.
SPOILER WARNING: This article reveals the ending of The Lament of Autumn, including the death of the male lead, the fates of other characters in the final three episodes, and the ending of the original novel. If you haven’t finished the drama, you may want to stop reading here.
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The changes affect three characters at once: Ye Pingjun, Yu Changxuan, and Jiang Xueting, Ye Pingjun’s former fiancé, played by Liu Dongqin.
Ye Pingjun: From mental breakdown to reunion with her child
In the final three episodes of the drama, Ye Pingjun is kidnapped by Jiang Xueting. Her son with Yu Changxuan has already been rescued by her husband’s family. When Jiang Xueting tries to force himself on her, Ye Pingjun stabs him with a knife. As he lies dying, Jiang Xueting lets her go. Ye Pingjun finally makes it home and is reunited with her husband and son. Soon after, the Sino-Japanese War breaks out, Yu Changxuan is killed in action, and Ye Pingjun spends the rest of her life with her son, longing for her husband.
In the novel, Yu Changxuan misunderstands and believes Ye Pingjun deliberately terminated her pregnancy, and the couple separates. Ye Pingjun is then kidnapped by Jiang Xueting and tortured until she suffers a mental breakdown, and she is driven out to the countryside. The simple ox cart carrying her out of the city happens to pass Yu Changxuan’s wedding procession as he marries a new wife, a deeply heartbreaking ending.
Yu Changxuan: From remarrying to dying as a patriot
In the drama, Yu Changxuan looks after his son until Ye Pingjun returns. After the family is reunited, he chooses to bid his wife farewell and heads to the front to defend the people. He dies there. Many viewers are said to have been moved and to have admired his patriotism.
In the novel, Yu Changxuan is not portrayed as having any sense of duty to his country and lives a smooth life. At the end he marries another woman, and when his wedding procession passes Ye Pingjun’s cart, he fails to recognize the former wife he once loved.
In an extra chapter of the novel, Yu Changxuan begins a romantic relationship with a female student. He later learns that the girl’s parents are close friends of Ye Pingjun, and mistakenly assumes the girl is his own biological daughter with Ye Pingjun, who had been entrusted to that friend. To cover it up, he kills the girl’s parents and their son. In his final moments, he learns that the boy was actually his own son with Ye Pingjun.
Jiang Xueting: From getting his comeuppance to atoning for his sins
In the drama, after being stabbed by Ye Pingjun, Jiang Xueting regains his conscience. Though badly wounded, he still lets Ye Pingjun go. It turns out he had already resolved to die alongside the Japanese troops to atone for his actions, having realized that a Japanese military outpost he had approved caused the deaths of hundreds of his fellow countrymen.
In the novel, Jiang Xueting tortures Ye Pingjun until she has a mental breakdown and ultimately gets what he deserves.
Chinese netizens’ reaction
According to the report, all three plot changes were very well received and have earned The Lament of Autumn positive reviews across the Chinese internet. The tragic ending also reportedly left many viewers in tears.
The Lament of Autumn stars Cheng Lei and Xu Ruohan and is adapted from the novel of the same name by Ling Xi.
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