One more warning sign? Liu Xueyi’s portrayal of Murong Jinghe, the Prince of Great Yan, in Kill Me Love Me (春花焰), exemplifies the stereotypical “red flag” male lead—a deadly combination of crazy anti-hero and black-bellied schemer. The drastic actions he takes against the heroine demonstrate his vicious nature. However, Wu Jinyan’s portrayal of the female lead this time seems as strong and insane as he is. Wu Jinyan excels as Mei Lin, a heroine who is motivated to exact revenge on Murong Jinghe for the murders of her family, rather than being typecast as another revenge-driven character.
An Enraged Assassin and a “Mad” Prince
The tale, which is based on Hei Yan’s (黑颜) novel Weariness of Spring Flowers (春花厌), centers on Prince Murong Jinghe, who was previously a nobleman who was set to take the kingdom. After the city of Qingzhou burns to the ground and hundreds of people are killed, he is notoriously referred to as the “Butcher General.” As reports circulate that he ordered the city to be burned in retaliation for its betrayal, his reputation and sanity begin to decline. Murong Jinghe keeps up a front while surreptitiously looking into what really caused the event.
Mei Lin, a fire survivor, vows to exact revenge for the deaths of her family in the meantime. After grueling training to become an assassin, she joins a covert group known as the Shadow Works. Disguised as a political marriage arrangement, her initial goal is to assassinate Murong Jinghe. She is unaware that Murong Jinghe planned her entire course of retaliation.
The Supporting Cast adds depth
For now, it’s difficult not to feel sorry for Yue Qin, played by Bi Wenjun. He is the unpopular prince, a hostage in the enemy country, and the kind second lead who has affection for Mei Lin. Only time will tell what happens in the future. Baron Chen plays the emperor’s ambitious oldest son, Murong Xuanlie, whose apparent modesty belies a vicious character, while Zhao Xiaotang plays Luo Mei, the country’s renowned female general. Zigu, a princess from Xiyan who was transported to the Great Yan as a bride to reduce tensions between their warring nations, is brought to life by Huang Riying.
Their Chemistry Is Burning
The show has had a sophisticated visual appeal and a dark aesthetic thus far. Since this is a heroine who will stop at nothing to achieve her objectives, the kiss scene that is hinted at in the trailers takes place early in the series and is just as dramatic as one might anticipate. There is little doubt that Wu Jinyan and Liu Xueyi get along, and both performers have a history of portraying historical dramas. Of course, it can also go a little too far. Some people criticized Liu Xueyi’s voice acting because they thought his delivery was too slow. After all, he has said things like, “I can take you right here, or I can kill you,” which, depending on your taste, may seem like too much or simply the sinister charm that keeps you captivated.
