Plot Synopsis
"Fighting for Love" tells the story of Amai, a female general who fought through hardships and became a legendary warrior.
Amai, the daughter of the Duke of Nanya, witnesses her entire family being killed by her childhood friend, Chen Qi. Years later, disguised as a boy, Amai ventures into the martial world, seeking revenge against Chen Qi. Through a fortuitous encounter, Amai saves the son of the CrownPrincess, Shang Yi Zhi, and they become intertwined in each other's destiny. Amai repeatedly helps Shang Yi Zhi escape from danger, forming a deepbond between them.
As war breaks out, Amai discards her feminine attire and joins the military as an infantry soldier. With her extraordinary military talent, she achieves numerous victories and rises to become a respected general. Along the way, she assists Shang Yi Zhi, who is relentlesslypursued, in finding his true self and accomplishing great achievements.
On the battlefield, Amai clashes with the enemy general, Chang Yuqing, multiple times. Despite their enmity, they find themselves inadvertently experiencing life and death situations together outside of combat. They developan understanding and mutual respect. However, faced with the brutality of war, Amai sacrifices herpersonal attachments and devotes herself to defending her army with youth andpassion.
Ultimately, after the war is won, Amai leaves the military and resumes her identity as a woman. She retreats from the world and eventually finds her own happiness.
Where to Watch "Fighting for Love"
iQIYI (Subscription)Episodes Recap
- 1-4
- 5-8
- 9-12
- 13-16
- 17-20
- 21-24
- 25-28
- 29-32
- 33-36
Episode 1 : Shang Yi Zhi was deceived by A Mai.
Episode 2 : A Mai Shang Yi Zhi went to Qingzhou.
Episode 3 : A Mai saved Shang Yi Zhi.
Episode 4 : A Mai was mistakenly caught and taken to the prison cell.
Episode 5 : A Mai became involved in the war.
Episode 6 : A Mai is preparing to go to Qingzhou.
Episode 7 : A Mai and Shang Yi Zhi arrived in Qingzhou.
Episode 8 : Shang Yi Zhi was locked up by Qian Xiaowei.
Episode 9 : A Mai embarked on a rescue mission to save Shang Yi Zhi alone.
Episode 10 : A MaiShang Yi Zhi arrived in Yuzhou.
Episode 11 : Shang Yi Zhi's rescue of the prince outweighs his previous achievements.
Episode 12 : A Mai wants to join the military.
Episode 13 : A Mai was bullied in the military camp.
Episode 14 : A Mai found the camp of the Northern Desert Army.
Episode 15 : A Mai encountered Chen Qi on the battlefield.
Episode 16 : A Mai's identity was discovered by Xu Jing.
Episode 17 : A Mai Shang Yi Zhi looked at the shooting stars.
Episode 18 : A Mai saved Chang Yu Qing.
Episode 19 : A Mai strategized and repelled the Northern Desert Army.
Episode 20 : Tang Shao Yi and A Mai went to the city of Yuzhou.
Episode 21 : A Mai is preparing to marry Chang Yu Qing.
Episode 22 : A Mai was rumored against.
Episode 23 : Shang Yi Zhi suffered a great loss with the death of Shi Da Chun.
Episode 24 : A Mai and Shang Yi Zhi returned to Shengdu.
Episode 25 : Princess Shenghua learned about A Mai's true identity.
Episode 26 : The Crown Prince died trying to save Yu'er.
Episode 27 : A Mai learned the truth about what happened back then.
Episode 28 : Shang Yi Zhi was arranged to be engaged.
Cast & Role
Xu Xiu Er
(Jiang Yun Xi)
Shang Yi Zhi
(Zhang Hao Wei)
A Mai
(Zhang Tian Ai)
Chang Yu Qing
(Wang Rui Chang)
What makes "A Mai's Enlistment" appealing is the growth of the female lead, rather than giving the male lead a cheat to know that she's disguised as a man.
Even though nobody else knows A Mai's true identity, the second male lead and the female lead engage in a fierce and understanding battle of differing positions.
The third male lead and the female lead share a sincere and loyal bond, facing hardships together. Xiu'er and the female lead experience a fateful and unfortunate love that is destined to be missed.
Finally, we have a smart and courageous female lead! It's been a while since I've seen a historical drama where the female lead isn't just a decorative piece, but instead starts off with full force. She's brave, strategic, skilled in martial arts, loyal, quick-witted, and upright.
Additionally, the female characters from the beginning are also fantastic! I didn't expect the first action scene to be a stunning fight scene led by a woman! It's impressive and enjoyable to watch!
A Mai and Shang Yi Zhi grow together. Neither of them starts off as mature individuals with all the answers. Instead, they both experience setbacks and transformations. One grows from a determined avenger disguised as a man to a true military strategist, while the other evolves from a spoiled playboy into an emperor.
This kind of growth isn't guided by someone older; rather, it's supported and protected by each other throughout their journey. They encourage one another, and there is still a thread of growth between them.
The first six episodes had many touching moments, including the female lead's parents, the male lead's adoptive parents, the male lead's three masters, Ghost Hand Ah Si, and even the general who defended the city, and the little girl the female lead unintentionally saved.
Each character had limited screen time, but the emotions they conveyed were exceptionally perfect.
The TV drama's adaptation of the romantic storyline is more reasonable than the original novel. The romantic storyline in the novel is twisted and fragmented. The TV drama added more hatred between Mai Sui and Chen Qi, as well as the massacre and city destruction, making her path of revenge more reasonable.
The reason for joining the army is also better explained than in the novel. Changing the original male lead of the city destruction, Chang Yuqing, was a good move because it doesn't make sense for someone with a different stance, being an enemy general, to develop feelings.
As for Shang Yi Zhi, I don't know if it's a change in character or the actor's poor acting skills, but it somewhat hampers the adaptation. As for the female lead's experience leading troops in battle, it's portrayed well according to the novel, but there won't be many exciting moments in the beginning.
The exciting moments come much later.
This emperor is such a super villain! He clearly wants to establish his grandson as the crown prince, but on the surface, he claims to pass the throne to his nephew to make the eldest princess and others lower their guard. Secretly, he instigates conflicts between the second prince and the eldest princess, with the ultimate goal of eliminating all these people, so his grandson can ascend the throne without obstacles.
In the end, he didn't expect that it wouldn't be his biological grandson, and he went mad.
The character A Mai in the novel doesn't live an easy life. One wrong step could lead to irreparable consequences, so she remains cautious and vigilant, like a tightly stretched string. Throughout the entire story, she rarely gets a peaceful sleep and seldom feels relaxed and safe.
She's as cold as ice and doesn't easily trust others. In the drama, A Mai has a powerful cheat that allows her to thrive and make connections with different people, each with their own unique personality.
The actors in general are older and have mature appearances, lacking the spirited and youthful look of young men. They also don't give off the feeling of having grown up through a journey of ups and downs.
What attracts me the most is that the female lead is not foolish at all! She doesn't need to rely on men at all. In fact, men have to rely on her, whether it's being trapped in a station or a prison, or later escaping from the city.
The female lead's wit and courage far surpass everyone else.
The protagonist is clever, quick-witted, and exudes a martial arts aura. Despite cross-dressing as a man, her storyline focuses not on gender but on a revenge plot and struggles within the imperial court.
One by one, various characters are introduced, each with a distinct personality, making them three-dimensional supporting roles. The plot moves at a fast pace and has a touch of humor. I eagerly await the updates every day, completely engrossed in the story.
As a casual viewer, I've finished watching the first six episodes. The plot progresses quickly, and the story is tightly woven. I'm really looking forward to what will happen next. Even the supporting characters have great storylines, and each character is well-established.
The main characters are all on a journey of growth, and I'm excited to see their development in the later episodes. There's also a humorous element that I quite enjoy.
This ending was a disappointment. The character development for Xiao Houye was poorly explained. It's not believable that he wasn't surprised when he learned that Mu Bai tried to assassinate Qi Yu. It doesn't match his previous explosive anger when it came to protecting Qi Yu from his subordinates.
Even the later transformation into a villain came out of nowhere without any proper buildup. The pure, devoted, kind, and just Xiao Houye from before is completely disconnected. While it's true that people can change with their environment and status, their fundamental nature is not easily altered.
Moreover, considering the numerous life-and-death experiences Xiao Houye and A Mai went through together, their feelings and trust could have been resolved through communication. However, the director never gave them a chance to reconcile their differences.
Every time they met, one remained silent while the other didn't explain anything. This deliberate disintegration between them was forced by the director, solely for the sake of this ending.
This drama really starts off dumb and I had high hopes, but I ended up disappointed. Despite being the main character, A Mai constantly disregards military discipline and has a narrow mindset, prioritizing personal revenge over the bigger picture.
Doesn't A Mai, coming from a prestigious family and having knowledge of military tactics, understand that defeating the Northern Desert Army could ultimately bring justice for the nation? The show frequently sacrifices the entire army and the overall situation just to showcase the protagonist's compassion and let them be burdened for the sake of a small group of people.
The portrayal of war in this drama is truly childish. The internal conflict within the Northern Desert Army also makes the plot even more lackluster.
The ones actually doing their job are Prime Minister Lin and the Princess. The Crown Prince ruined himself. The Second Prince is cunning, selfish, and lacks virtue and talent. Shang Yi Zhi is love-struck and foolish.
A Mai is solely focused on seeking revenge, disregarding the stability of the court and the nation. The Emperor manipulates politics, is ruthless, cunning, and suspicious. In the end, he even kills the counselor who plotted against the Second Prince, using the Second Prince against the Princess.
It's a thorough exploration of human nature. Only the alliance between the Marquis's Manor and the Prime Minister's Manor, with both military power and influential ministers, not to mention Shang Yi Zhi's royal bloodline, can have the most advantageous position in the situation.
Only then can they resolve internal troubles. Often, a country's downfall begins with internal strife. Without internal corruption, there will be no external chaos.
I feel like A Mai's role in the military is like a prequel to "Qie Shi Tian Xia"! The storyline connects seamlessly and feels familiar. Interestingly, the male lead Shang Yi Zhi is actually the ancestor of Yu Wu Yuan in "Qie Shi Tian Xia," who was the first emperor of that country and led the seven generals to establish their dominion.
He later betrayed and killed his teacher, Tian Ren Yu Jia, just like how the main character, Yu Wu Yuan, did. He also wanted to marry the queen of Qingzhou, one of the seven kings at the time, who is similar to A Mai, a female general and war goddess.
However, because the emperor killed his loyal teacher after ascending the throne, Qingzhou's queen felt disillusioned and they didn't end up together. The emperor and the queen of Qingzhou had feelings for each other, but ultimately their values didn't align, and they couldn't be together.
I'm truly baffled by this female lead character. She's incredibly hypocritical. When she caused the deaths of so many people due to her personal feelings, she didn't acknowledge her own actions.
But when the male lead suggests sacrificing a small number of people, she blames him for not treating the soldiers as human beings. Her proposed solution is for everyone to die together. And then, she goes and saves others while being with the enemy leader.
Multiple times, she disobeys military orders and acts impulsively because of her own affairs. She lacks rationality and wants to kill people without thinking, especially in the later stages where her intelligence takes a nosedive.
I thought she had some brilliant plan when she rushed to kill Chen Qi, but all she did was attempt to kill him. At this point, even the screenwriter's intelligence drops. The enemy leader kills even the people who adopted her, let alone the daughter of the adoptive parents.
And yet, after not seeing each other for over a decade, she can recognize her on the battlefield with just a glance and then claims it's the female lead's accomplishment. This storyline truly disgusts me to the point of wanting to vomit.
I haven't read the original work, so I can't comment on how well this drama adaptation was done. But from a purely dramatic perspective, this drama is pretty good.
Especially the relationship between Xiaohouye and A Mai. I understand that for fans of the original work, my comments might not be pleasing, but I'm just a viewer.
Seeing these two people meet, understand each other, and fall in love, I deeply feel the hardships they've faced. Especially when I saw the Crown Princess, for the sake of the world and the overall situation, conspiring with Prime Minister Lin to marry his daughter to Xiaohouye, I felt even more heartbroken.
There's a line in the drama that I remember clearly. Xiaohouye says, "If I can't protect Shishu, how can I protect you in the future?" A Mai responds, "We're not about who protects whom, we protect each other." Do you all understand this sense of destiny?
It's about two people trusting each other, one being an emperor who protects the world, and the other being a general who fights on the battlefield for the other.
What kind of shared life-and-death emotional bond is that! But now, they have to let go of their feelings for the deeper and darker power struggle - how heart-wrenching it is.
And as insiders of the plot, they are still unaware, while we, as viewers, have already glimpsed their tragedy. And this is exactly where I want to speak up for this adapted drama.
A good drama captivates and makes us empathize with the characters' fate. I feel that this drama achieves that, making it a success. I also hope that everyone won't get caught up in whether the adaptation aligns with the original work.
This drama itself is not solely focused on small emotions and love, but excels in portraying the destiny of a nation and its people. Only in this way can it be considered a fine masterpiece.
After watching up to episode 26, I actually think A Mai should stay with Shang Yi Zhi to protect the world. When you love someone, you should be willing to share their burdens.
The heart is free, it can be at ease anywhere. If you lose your heart, the so-called freedom is just an illusion. It's like Ruoxi leaving the Fourth Prince, thinking that leaving the palace is freedom, thinking it's happiness.
But it's just trapping oneself in a different place.
From Episode 18 onwards, the character positioning becomes vague. A Mai himself is a soldier who repeatedly violates military regulations, goes AWOL, and causes trouble. I really don't understand it. It's so inconsistent.
If it weren't for the fact that the protagonist's halo has resurrected who knows how many times, A Mai could have had the courage to become a spy and kill Chen Qi on his own, without becoming a soldier.
Or he could have become a military advisor or disciple of Dingnan Marquis and come up with strategies and plans.
A Mai is both a lucky star and a wise strategist for Shang. Without her guidance, Shang would be a clueless fool. It's understandable that he doesn't suspect Prime Minister Lin because of his kindness. After all, it's the perfect alliance between Lin and the eldest princess that helped Shang secure his position.
He still loves A Mai, you can tell by how he lowers his voice and follows her lead in front of her. But he's no match for palace intrigues and power struggles. Shang's influence in politics is still weak, and he needs to go through another palace coup to grow.
And the one who will come to save him is definitely A Mai. A Mai joining the military is equivalent to fulfilling Shang's destiny. Who says A Mai doesn't love Shang? They love each other and have become indispensable to each other through life and death.
But the future developments will make them become people from two different worlds. Because A Mai, with her military background, despises scheming and power struggles. The love she desires is pure and unique. It's inevitable that she will eventually leave Shang, but she will silently protect him in her heart!
This is true love.
If A Mai had accepted the Phoenix Crown and become the Empress, Tang Da Ge would not have died. Here are the reasons: 1. Qi Huan and A Mai have experienced hardships and life and death together. Since Qi Huan feels lonely and helpless as the Emperor, A Mai should accompany and support him, persuading him to do what is right.
2. Qi Huan was originally the Marshal of the Northern Army, and if A Mai becomes the Marshal, the Northern Army would listen to her instead of Qi Huan. As the Emperor, Qi Huan cannot tolerate this, but if A Mai becomes the Empress, this problem would not exist.
The Emperor and Empress are united, and the military power still remains in the hands of the royal family. The soldiers of the Northern Army would no longer be suspected or distrusted. 3. If A Mai becomes the Empress, as the tutor of the young Crown Prince, his life would be secure.
The Huainan Army originally served the Eastern Palace, and they would also be loyal to the royal family because of the young Crown Prince. With the support of the Northern and Huainan armies, they could resist the Northern Desert together.
The plot of this drama focuses on the female protagonist and does not align well with reality. Firstly, if Qi Huan wanted to eliminate A Mai, it would have been very easy for him. Secondly, resisting the Northern Desert throughout the entire Southern Xia territory is already challenging, and dividing the country into different regions for governance would be self-destructive.
Sacrificing the entire nation for the sake of Jingyang City alone is unreasonable. It's best to view this drama as entertainment, but the screenwriter should have explained the political implications when Qi Huan gave the Phoenix Hairpin to A Mai, in order to conform to common political knowledge.
Yes, if he wasn't the emperor, they might have been together. Unfortunately, he desired the throne more. With gains, there are always losses. He could have killed A Mai, but it would have surely stirred up discontent among the military and caused rebellion.
As the emperor, he knew this well. The enemy forces would also invade Nanya without hesitation, and Changmeng would not spare him either. Nanya would be in danger, and his days as emperor would come to an end.
Everyone has their own desires, and regardless of A Mai's choices, she can justify herself to Nanya and to Qi Huan himself.