From its initial premiere to the finale, ‘A Journey To Love 一念关山‘ never stopped receiving rave reviews from the audiences.
The drama entered the 10.1K Heat Index club on iQIYI, with over 200M barrage interactions, dominating the list of various ranking charts online. It’s safe to say that this drama is one of the standout hits of 2023.
As for the main leads, Liu Shishi successfully made her glorious return to the historical genre after a six-year hiatus. She was praised as the epitome of a ‘Martial Arts’ Queen for her ruthless yet elegant and graceful dancing-like fighting scenes.
Meanwhile, after playing a handful of costume dramas in a supporting role, singer-actor Liu Yuning’s performance was also loved by viewers in his first leading role in ‘A Journey To Love’.
Plot Summary: Spymaster Ning Yanzhou (Liu Yuning) and his Tang team are ordered to escort a Wu delegation to An State. Their critical mission is to secure the release of their captured rulers and the Emperor by paying a ransom. On the way, they meet deadly Ren Ruyi (portrayed by Liu Shishi); a ruthless assassin shrouded in a mysterious past and driven by vengeance. As their goals intertwine (Ren Ruyi & Wu-Tang Team) they form a wary alliance and start to work ahead together.
A Journey To Love Ending Explained (Spoiler Alert!)
In the finale, An and Wu, two long-term sworn enemy states, resolved their internal conflict and united against the Beipan Army.
They defended their motherland and fought until their last breath. The price of the war was heavy and unimaginable, with all five members of the Six Realms Hall perishing together heroically.
Audiences could not help but feel their bravery, and perseverance on the battlefield, simply leaving speechless and crying their hearts out.
Qian Zhao sacrificed himself to save the Emperor of Wu, while Sun Lang was hit by arrows. Yuan Lu fell victim to weakness while delivering military reports to An, and Yu Shisan gave up the world to save his love, Chu Yue.
The male protagonist, Ning Yuan Zhou, also met a heroic end, sacrificing himself to save Li Tong Guang.
Meanwhile, Ning Yuanzhou’s sacrifice led Ruyi to complete the mission, fully aware that she was going to meet her end.
She disguised herself as the Queen Mother of An states and infiltrated the Beipan enemy, lured the Beipan King using a Jade seal, and eventually died with them.
Ruyi’s heroic actions saved both states, leaving Beipan with no choice but leaderless and defeated. Her sacrifice brought victory and restored peace in the world, yet it was not without the heavy toll of countless sacrifices and bloodshed.
However, The story did not end there.
The series unfolded another surprising twist in its final scene where Chu Yue encountered a boy named Ning Shisan 10 years later, who looked more like a younger version of Yu Shishan and surprisingly his sister’s name turned out to be Ren Lu.
This coincidence led Chu Yue to think that their parents must be Ren Ruyi and Ning Yuanzhou.
This unexpected revelation sparked heated discussions among audiences, as some believed the two protagonists were safe and must have faked their deaths, just like they did before. Otherwise, how would their child come out of nowhere?
On the other hand, viewers think it was merely an illusion or a figment of the imagination of Chu Yue as she was heartbroken and left alone in the world.
What viewers find even more strange is that Chu Yue was never that close to Ning Yuan Zhou and Ren Ruyi; why would she imagine their child?
Even if she were to imagine someone, it should have been Yu Shisan, someone she is familiar with. However, the scene created diverse opinions and speculations regarding the mysterious boy and his conversation with Chu Yue.
It is quite obvious, that the writer deliberately left it open-ended, allowing viewers to shape the kind of ending they prefer.
So, If you are someone who prefers a bittersweet happy ending, you can assume that Ning Yuan Zhou and Ren Ruyi really faked their deaths, and ventured far from the political or martial arts world, where only peace can be found.
They even had a son and daughter and lived happily ever after. For those considering the possibility that the boy might be the son of Li Tong Guang and Princess Yang Ying, it is less likely to be the case.
If he were the son of those two, then Chu Yue would have recognized him, because both Chu Yue and Li Tong Guang, including Yang Ying, are important officials in the same state and know each other well.
On the contrary, for those who want to approach the story with a realistic vision, there is a hint that the main characters are truly gone when Chu Yue while hugging the boy, suddenly sees Ren Ruyi, Ning Yuanzhou, Yu Shisan, Yuan Lu, Qian Zhao, and Sun Lang—riding their horses happily together in the same world.
It’s like a big neon sign saying they’re all still together, even after everything. And, the reason Chu Ye was able to see them, including that boy, was that it was her time to reunite with them in another world.
Even though significant numbers of viewers expressed their disappointment as to how the drama wrapped up, some felt that the ending was fitting to the drama and its commitment to its realism.
Given the dire situations on the battlefield where they found themselves exhausted and outnumbered, their destiny was seemingly inevitable regardless of their strength.
Even after death, they remain united somewhere, free from the pain of separation, mourning, missing each other, and dwelling on the sadness and memories of their shared experience.
Source: (1)
Ning and Ruyi had their children ‘ in the afterlife ‘, and their son came to escort Chu. So bittersweet 💔❤️
I think I am one of those believer that Ruyi and Yuanzhou survived somehow. They are both injured but not dead yet. Besides, none sees their lifeless body after the war. Even Shisan, his deadbody wasn’t found. I mean it was not shown in the series. So i am crossing my fingers hoping that they are still alive somewhere. And Shishi, Yuning and Allen are now ready to shoot the next chapter of their series. Yaay! Can’t wait for “A journey to glow”. Can’t wait to see them again.