Legend Of The Female General Review

Legend Of The Female General (锦月如歌) has caught a lot of people’s attention but the reviews have been rather mixed. I suppose the pairing of Ryan Cheng and Zhou Ye have managed to work its magic to attract viewers regardless of the criticisms. This is also partly why I started watching this drama apart from the curiosity of how Zhou Ye woud fare as a female military commander. My Legend Of The Female General review below will have my full take on this drama.

My rating: 7.5/10
Episodes: 36
Type: Historical romance
Aired: August 2025
Images Credit: WeTV Official Facebook

The Cast Of Legend Of The Female General

• Zhou Ye as He Yan
• Ryan Cheng Lei as Xiao Jue
• Zhang Kang Le as Chu Zhao
• Li Qing as Cheng Li Su
• Zhang Miao Yi as Song Tao Tao
• Bai Shu as He Ru Fei
• Zhang Zhi Xi as Mu Hong Jin / Princess Meng Ji
• Hou Chang Rong as Xu Jing Fu
• Rao Jia Di as Ying Xiang
• Han Dong as Liu Bu Wang
• Zhang Yi Long as Wang Ba
• Ruan Sheng Wen as Shen Han

Main Characters

He Yan

He Yan is the daughter of the He family who is forced to take on her stepbrother’s identity since young to maintain the family’s honor and reputation. To outsiders, she is a masked soldier known as He Ru Fei who rose to become General Fei Hong of an army battalion. He Yan is smart and determined with a strong ability to withstand hardships.

Xiao Jue

Xiao Jue is also known as Xiao Huai Jin. He is General Feng Yun and a son of General Xiao Zhong Wu, the fearless commander of Xiao Army. Xiao Jue is a serious and unsmiling man with a strong sense of duty. He is assisted by Fei Nu who is his righthand man.

Supporting Characters

Chu Zhao

Chu Zhao is also known as Zi Lan. He is a protege of Xu Jing Fu who is a powerful official in the capital. Chu Zao was born out of wedlock and hence, is looked down upon by the Chu family. However, he is a smart and tactical man with a scheming mind.

Cheng Li Su

Li Su is Xiao Jue’s nephew although they are both about the same age. He is a doctor and has a playful temperament. Li Su is betrothed to Song Tao Tao but has no intention to marry her.

Song Tao Tao

Tao Tao is a daughter of the Imperial Physician. She is also into medicine and has a compassionate heart. Tao Tao is arranged to be married to Li Su but wants to break off the engagement.

He Ru Fei

Ru Fei is He Yan’s stepbrother. He is a ruthless and ambitious man who selfishly snatches back his identity and glory that comes with his stepsister’s achievements.

Mu Hong Jin / Princess Meng Ji

Princess Meng Ji rules over her family fiefdom of Jiyang. She is a widow with a young daughter.

Xu Jing Fu

Xu Jing Fu is the Prime Minister of Wei kingdom. He is a corrupted man but has a vast network and influence over other officials. He is also Chu Zhao’s master. Prime Minister Xu also has a daughter, Ping Ting, who is in love with Chu Zhao.

Ying Xiang

Ying Xiang is Chu Zhao’s personal assistant and bodyguard. She is a skilled martial artist and has secret feelings for Chu Zhao.

Liu Bu Wang

Liu Bu Wang is He Yan’s master. He is also known as Master Yun Lin and is a highly skilled martial artist.

Wang Ba

Wang Ba is a Yezhou Garrison recruit. He is a big-sized man who stutters. Other recruits to the garrison include Huang Xiong, Jiang Jiao, and Lei Hou.

Shen Han

Shen Han is the training instructor of Yezhou Garrison and reports to Xiao Jue.

Synopsis

He Yan was forced to disguise as a male to take over her stepbrother’s identity since young. As her sickly stepbrother was sent away for treatment, she was tasked to carry on the family’s legacy and maintain their social status. Hiding behind a mask, He Yan became her stepbrother, He Ru Fei, without raising any suspicion. He Yan was enrolled in the same academy as Xiao Jue and went on to prove herself as a capable general.

However, a battle resulted in the death of Xiao Jue’s father who led the Xiao Army. He Yan and her soldiers were supposed to provide reinforcements but they arrived too late which resulted in the defeat. Xiao Jue’s father was blamed for being a warmonger while Xiao Jue was suspicious of He Yan for being late during the battle which caused his father’s death.

At the same time, He Ru Fei returned home and wanted his identity back to ride on He Yan’s achievements. He tried to kill He Yan who survived and joined Xiao Jue’s garrison as a recruit disguised as an ordinary young man. Now, He Yan wants her revenge while Xiao Jue wants to clear his late father’s name. Gradually, she earns Xiao Jue’s trust but stops short of revealing that she was He Ru Fei in the past.

Legend Of The Female General Ending & Recap (Spoilers Alert!)

Legend Of The Female General has a happy ending. Xiao Jue and He Yan successfully defeated the neighboring Wutuo state who has invaded Wei. The Emperor rewards them for their loyalty and victory by granting them marriage which was denied earlier. They have a grand wedding ceremony. The drama ends with the newly married couple sneaking off to the mountains to spend time alone under the moonlight on their wedding night rather than entertaining the guests.

As for Chu Zhao, he is stripped of his position and exiled to the border. He has selfishly advised the Emperor to break up Xiao Jue and He Yan due to his feelings for her. For the war with Wutuo, Xiao Jue and He Yan were sent to different locations which scattered their resources and strength. This resulted in greater casualties. He Yan blames Chu Zhao for his selfishness. He is regretful but it is too late.

When Did He Yan’s Gender Get Exposed?

Chu Zhao knows He Yan is a woman in Episode 7 when she enters an entertainment club to follow He Ru Fei’s minion. He Yan had approached Chu Zhao earlier to peddle some medicine disguised as a man to earn some money. Chu Zhao lets He Yan know that he is aware of her secret in Episode 10.

Xiao Jue knows He Yan is a female when she falls asleep due to fatigue and her chest is pressed against his back on a horse ride with him. He confronts her about her gender in Episode 9. He Yan spins a tale that her mother brought her up as a boy due to a seer’s advice.

In Episode 12, Li Su learns He Yan is a woman when he has to check on her health due to her injuries following a duel with a tribal general. Tao Tao also discovers He Yan’s gender after insisting on feeling her pulse to check why she is weak in Episode 15. He Yan’s fellow recruits already know she is disguising as a man in Episode 25 after seeing her dressed as a woman to pretend to be Xiao Jue’s wife for a mission.

Ping Ting learns of He Yan’s gender from He Ru Fei to make use of her jealousy to expose his stepsister in Episode 29. Ping Ting reports to the Emperor about it during a banquet but her action proves useless because Xiao Jue has already told the Emperor about He Yan’s disguise earlier in Episode 24. With the report, He Yan’s gender becomes public knowledge. She is even promoted to be a marquis with the Empress’ support in Episode 30.

When Did The Leads Get Together?

Xiao Jue appoints He Yan as his personal guard in Episode 11 to keep her close as he still didn’t fully trust her then. They begin to get closer and Xiao Jue starts to feel pangs of jealousy whenever He Yan meets Chu Zhao. He asks her if she likes him in Episode 15 but the suddeness of the question prompts her to say no. This causes Xiao Jue to reply that it’s for the better as she needs to pretend to be his wife for an upcoming mission.

In Episode 20, Xiao Jue uses mouth-to-mouth resuscitation to save He Yan after she was knocked into the waters during a fight with an enemy tribe leader. During a battle in Episode 26, He Yan is dejected when she thought Xiao Jue has died. Her dejection is replaced by relief when she sees him again and runs to hug him. Later on, Xiao Jue tells He Yan that he will always trust her no matter what happens.

Xiao Jue acknowledges He Yan’s significance in his life during his prayer to his late parents in Episode 28. He Yan also learns from an ex-classmate that Xiao Jue had secretly helped her numerous times when they were studying together in the past. They confess their feelings o each other and become a couple in Episode 29. Xiao Jue proposes to He Yan in Episode 34. She has the same thought and agrees to his proposal.

He Yan’s Past As He Ru Fei

Xiao Jue learns He Yan was He Ru Fei in Episode 22. A conversation with an entertainer who could tell He Yan is a female triggers Xiao Jue’s suspicion about He Yan’s past. A fight with her confirms his suspicion due to the sword techniques that she uses. He Yan admits that she was He Ru Fei and reveals everything about her past to Xiao Jue. She also states her intention to expose her stepbrother’s crimes.

Chu Zhao suspects He Yan was He Ru Fei in Episode 27 after a battle with neighboring Wutuo in Episode 26. This is after she took up the pretense to be He Ru Fei again to confuse the enemy camp. He Yan tells Chu Zhao herself about her past identity swap with her stepbrother in Episode 30 in order to convince him to betray Prime Minister Xu and expose the latter’s crime in the interest of the state.

Is There Any Breakup?

Just when Xiao Jue and He Yan are getting closer and comfortable with each other, he learns that she was He Ru Fei in Episode 22. Thus, he is angry at her deception and unsure if she was involved in the delay to provide reinforcements to the Xiao Army which caused his father’s death.

As more details emerged from investigations, Xiao Jue knows He Yan is not the current He Ru Fei who had met Prime Minister Xu while still in seclusion due to his illness. This softens his heart towards He Yan again in Episode 23.

After they agree to marry in Episode 34, the Emperor listens to Chu Zhao to break them up due to their combined military power and decrees He Yan to marry Chu Zhao instead. The Emperor then gives Xiao Jue a choice. If he wants to marry He Yan, either one of them will have to surrender their military power.

Xiao Jue couldn’t give up his family’s army. He also knows he can’t expect He Yan to give up her dream to be a general. So, he opts to let He Yan go but requests the Emperor to give her the freedom to choose whether she wants to marry Chu Zhao or otherwise. He Yan refuses to marry Chu Zhao in Episode 35 and would rather be alone if she can’t have Xiao Jue.

Both He Yan and Xiao Jue have the same thoughts and couldn’t let go of each other. They promise to be together even if they are not allowed to marry.

Is There A Love Triangle?

Chu Zhao is also interested in He Yan. He asks her if he could blaze the trail for her in Episode 21 in her effort to prove that women can be just as capable. However, He Yan replies that she doesn’t need anyone to blaze the trail for her. She wants someone who could pave the way together with her instead.

He Yan rejects Chu Zhao’s invite again to leave Yezhou Garrison with him in Episode 24 after she has gotten a promotion for her bravery. But Chu Zhao remains fixated on He Yan.

In Epsiode 34, Chi Zhao becomes extremely jealous and desperate when he sees He Yan and Xiao Jue kissing. To break them up, he advises the Emperor that Xiao Jue and He Yan cannot be together as they are too powerful militarily as a married couple. He offers himself as He Yan’s potential husband and the Emperor issues a decree for them to marry.

However, He Yan pleads with the Emperor to opt out of the marriage with Chu Zhao in Episode 35. The Emperor gives his consent to her request. He Yan then tells off Chu Zhao that she doesn’t like his scheming and that he is turning into Prime Minister Xu. She breaks off their friendship from then on.

The Villains

He Yan exposes He Ru Fei’s crimes to the Emperor in Episode 31. She also admits that she is the real General Fei Hong. Her mother manages to steal the correspondence letters between He Ru Fei and Wutuo to prove his treason. She also confirms He Yan’s claim that she had swapped identities with He Ru Fei.

He Yan also exposes Prime Minister Xu as the mastermind. Prime Minister Xu had plotted to kill Xiao Jue’s father who was his political rival. Chu Zhao betrays his master to accuse him of colluding with Wutuo as well. Prime Minister Xu and He Ru Fei are left with no choice with the evidence stacked against them. They try to rebel but their soldiers have already been suppressed by Xiao Jue earlier. Hence, both of them are arrested to be executed.

Both the He and Xu families are stripped of their status and assets. Prime Minister Xu dies in prison in Episode 32. He knocks his head against the prison door in a frustrated attempt to grab Chu Zhao who has betrayed him and has only pretended to like his daughter. While Chu Zhao doesn’t like Ping Ting, he knows she is innocent and moves her to his residence. But he also makes clear to her that she should know her place.

Ping Ting tries to stab Chu Zhao after learning about the Emperor’s decree for him to marry He Yan in Episode 35. Ying Xiang shields him and dies from the stabbing instead which caused him to lose someone who truly cares for him.

Other Key Events

• He Yan’s master and Princess Meng Ji are revealed to be ex-lovers in Episode 18. He dies in Episode 20 due to fatigue and poisoning after fighting off a group of enemy soldiers who have infiltrated Princess Meng Ji’s fief.
• Chai An Xi is killed on Prime Minister Xu’s orders in Episode 21. He is silenced as Chai An Xi may have evidence to implicate him in the death of Xiao Jue’s father.
• He Yan’s mother dies in Episode 31 after revealing He Ru Fei’s secrets to the Emperor.
• Xiao Jue’s father is cleared of wrongdoing and honored in Episode 32 after Prime Minister Xu’s and He Ru Fei’s crimes are exposed. The Emperor decrees Xiao Jue to rehabilitate and take over his father’s position as commander of the Xiao Army. He Yan also gets back her General Fei Hong title.
• Li Su confesses to Tao Tao and proposes to her in Episode 34. She says yes and they have their wedding in Episode 35.
• Yan He dies in the war with Wutuo in Episode 36. His wife gives birth to a baby girl on the day he died.

Legend Of The Female General Review – Wasted Potential

In my opinion, Legend Of The Female General could have been much better written. This is a story about female empowerment and the determination of a woman to chart her own path after being tossed aside and almost got killed by her family. A big part of the plot also involves the woman having to disguise as a man to become a soldier. This is where the usual tropes start to play out – the wait of when she will get exposed about her real gender.

Unfortunately, the script fails to build up the anticipation. How she was found out by the male lead is an anti-climax and happens pretty early in the drama. Once that is out of the way, the story trudges along with subplots of wars to pave the way for the female lead’s rise to be a capable military person. These happen as she and the male lead work together to gather evidence to bring down the villains who are also scheming to kill them off.

So, there is no thrill of unmasking the villains which is known right from the beginning unlike Legend Of Zang Hai. Like The Princess’s Gambit, the screenwriter in Legend Of The Female General also fails to capitalize on the distrust of the male lead towards the female to fuel the story’s intensity. Thus, the drama feels a bit flat to me. The other notable loophole is the disguise itself which is unrealistic.

Obvious “Disguise”

The female protagonist in the story is forced to swap identity with her stepbrother and become a man. This is because the stepbrother is not expected to live long due to an illness and the family needs a heir. As a result, she has been hiding behind a mask since young to cover up her real identity. But with the actress’ physical build, she isn’t convincing as a man in disguise, what more as a general.

Later, her stepbrother assumes back his identity with outsiders being unaware about the inital swap. But the physical and mannerism differences between the 2 of them are glaringly obvious. In the story, this is glossed over. No one notices the differences and the plot pretends this dissonance doesn’t exist. So, you will have to ignore this obvious discrepancy as a viewer.

This reminds me of Yang Zi in Lost You Forever S1 whereby her feminity was toned down when she had to play the role of a man in that drama. Perhaps Zhou Ye’s styling doesn’t go far enough in Legend Of The Female General. Thus, the “manliness” isn’t there and hence, it fails to be convincing especially when she has to play an army man.

I guess it doesn’t really matter if you see this as a romance rather than a serious female empowement or war drama. But if you can’t stand unrealistic casting and subpar scriptwrting, then this might well be a waste of time for you.

Poor Ending

Personally, Legend Of The Female General could have ended at Episode 32. But the producers have to lengthen it further by a few episodes to give room to a last villain which isn’t necessary. This part is short and rushed. It also makes the Emperor look inconsistent and silly. At the same time, the second male male is reduced to a jealous and bitter bloke. Well, he is no saint but he is supposed to be smarter than that.

36 episodes is certainly too long for this story. Of course, the plus point is there is fan service for the longer lead-up to the ending. The romance and skinship for the main couple should be enough to give viewers the sugar rush. Basically, this drama is watchable largely because of the leads’ chemistry rather than the script. The plot holes and tropes could make you roll your eyes but you will still continue watching because of the pair.

Acting & Chemistry

Ryan Cheng is fast gaining popularity. He becomes more well-known after My Journey To You and A Familiar Stranger about 2 to 3 years back. He is also under the spotlight with lots of rumors swirling around currently due to his partnership with Song Yi in Shadow Love.

But Ryan Cheng’s good looks will always attract fans. In the Legend Of The Female General, he is wonderful as the cold and unsmiling Xiao Jue. He nailed it with his sidelong glances towards the female lead that speak out longing, suspicion, and sometimes, jealousy.

Zhou Ye will never look the part of a general. After bursting into the scene in Word Of Honor, she has slowly gained more and more followers especially after Back From The Brink. In Legend Of The Female General, her role seems to be written to be flirty and teasing with the male lead. So, forget about her looking like a real soldier. But I think she did the fighting scenes well which should be complimented.

Together, they exhibit clear chemistry between them to drive the romance. There are glances, stares, swoony moments and kisses to adequately feed the sugar cravings of a romance drama addict. This is mainly why this production still sells despite the poor script.

My Verdict – Not A Must Watch

Frankly speaking, I’m not a fan of Legend Of The Female General. It doesn’t have the aura of a female general that you would expect given the title. There is no war tactics and strategies that will make you hooked and hence, admire her brilliance. She is supposed to be a battle-hardened general who earned her stripes the hard way. But when the mask is off and she has to start all over again, that character is gone and replaced with a cutesy soldier.

So, the whole drama’s focus shfits from going after the villains to the relationship between the 2 leads. Not that the villains aren’t important part of the story but the script does not offer any excitement in that direction. As a result, the romance between the leads becomes central to the drama rather than any compelling plot of bringing the villains to justice and female empowerment.

For this Legend Of The Female General review, I woud still give it a 7.5/10 score largely because of the romance. At the very least, the leads’ chemistry is there and hence, the drama becomes more enjoyable. I guess if you are in this just for the romance, then this would be a great choice. But if you want more than a trashy idol romance drama, I fear this may not meet your standards. Not when you have to put up with cheesy tropes, substandard script, and a very ordinary female general. In exchange though, you will get a sweet romance, skinship, some action, and decent acting.