In the first episode of Guardians Of The Dafeng, we witness Yang Ling in the present timeline celebrating a promotion, while his counterpart in Dafeng, Xu Qian, takes on and resolves his first case.
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Guardians Of The Dafeng Ep 1 Story: Yang Ling’s Promotion and Xu Qian’s First Case
Here’s my Review of Episode 1 of Guardians of the Dafeng.
We kick off with Yang Ling, played by Wang Hedi, celebrating his promotion at a hotpot dinner. It’s refreshing to see him in this sharp, dynamic role after rewatching Only For Love for the fifth time this year! This character feels like a mix of his historic vibe from Love Between Fairy and Devil and the mischievous charm of Meteor Garden. Plus, his pairing with Tian Xi Wei? I’m hoping for chemistry on par with Bai Lu or Esther Yu.
The dinner scene takes a sharp turn when Yang Ling’s senior colleague, Mr. Zhu, insults his Mandarin accent (and Wang Hedi does a great job exaggerating it). Yang Ling flips the situation with his trademark wit and boldness. He grabs a bottle—momentarily making you think he’ll do something reckless—then opens it with his teeth, downs it, and forces his senior to drink until he’s passed out. A memorable moment that shows Yang Ling’s sharpness and resolve. Lesson learned: “You can’t sell if you can’t drink.”
But the celebration is short-lived. Yang Ling soon finds himself in a cage in Dafeng, an ancient world, with no memory of how he got there. Despite the confusion, he adapts surprisingly quickly. In Dafeng, he’s known as Xu Qian, and his family is in shambles. His father is sentenced to execution, the women are sent to the Imperial Office of Music (a fate hinted to be dire), and the men are exiled. His brother, Xu Xinnian, is the only one safe—for now.
Xu Qian doesn’t wallow in despair. In prison, he convinces the guard to take him to the Lord, admits his brother gave him the case files and dives headfirst into solving the mystery of the 150,000 liang of tax silver. His investigation uncovers a shocking truth: the supposed “demonic attack” was staged using metal sodium, which reacts explosively with water. With the help of the female protagonist, Xu Qian produces electricity and recreates the substance, proving the silver is fake and exposing a conspiracy that framed his family.
How Does the Episode End?
Spoiler Alert: The episode concludes with a more comedic rather than dramatic cliffhanger. After escaping prison, Xu Qian stumbles upon his brother, Xu Xinnian, in the heart-wrenching act of attempting to hang himself, overwhelmed by the tragic downfall of their family. BTW: I love the actor playing Xu Xinnian!
Why Episode 1 Hooked Me
This thrilling opener masterfully blends mystery, betrayal, and high-stakes drama. Wang Hedi brings undeniable charm and intensity to his dual role, and the story’s unique mix of ancient world politics and scientific detective work is captivating. It’s the perfect hook for a series that promises even greater twists and turns ahead.
What did you think of Episode 1? Share your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your take!