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The Road to Glory (Gui Luan) details for the C-drama’s plot, cast, director, writers and more

Michelle Topham February 9, 2026

Chinese Title: 归鸾
English Title: The Road to Glory
Also Known As: Gui Luan
Genre: Historical, Romance, Drama
Episodes: 40
Director: Chu De Jian (Return of the Queen)
Screenwriters: Zou Yue, Quan Ying, Wang Meng
Original Work: Novel “Gui Luan” (归鸾) by Tuan Zi Lai Xi (团子来袭) .

Plot Synopsis

In the winter of the fourth year of Shaojing, Xiao Li (played by Zhang Ling He), the head of the East Market in Yongzhou, unexpectedly rescues Wen Yu (played by Lin Yun), a fallen princess of a kingdom who has traveled south to the state of Chen to seek military support for restoring her throne .

As they spend time together, love blossoms between them. Xiao Li, who once bluntly asks her, “How about marrying me instead?” risks everything to help her eliminate the traitor Pei Song and reclaim her kingdom . Throughout their arduous journey, Xiao Li rises from a mere street rogue to become the powerful King of Wei, commanding half the realm .

However, as both approach the summit of power, the once-simple love that began in humble circumstances grows increasingly complicated and entangled, putting their bond to the ultimate test .

Main Cast & Characters

Lead Cast

Zhang Ling He as Xiao Li
Lin Yun (aka Jelly Lin) as Wen Yu

Full Supporting Cast

Huang Yi as Jiang Yichu
Gu Zi Cheng as Pei Song
Huang Zu Xin as Wei Ping Jin
Jin Kun as Wang Wan Zhen
Edward Zhang as Song Qin
Rao Jia Di as Wei Jia Min
Zhou Lu La as Prince Chen
Zuo Xiao Qing as Xiao Hui Niang
Du Chun as Wei Qi Shan
Yang Yun Hao as Zheng Hu
Xu Mu Han as Tong Jia
Xiang Xia as Zhao You Cai
Yu You Zi as Mian Yue

Production Details

Original Work: Adapted from the popular web novel “Gui Luan” (归鸾) by Tuan Zi Lai Xi.
Production Companies: Tencent Video, Haohan Entertainment, and Zhushenlianying Pictures .
Filming: Filming began on January 10th, 2026, in Hengdian World Studios. The production officially wrapped up on May 18th, 2026 .

Episodes & Airing

Total Episodes: 40
Episode Length: TBA (likely 45 minutes)
First Aired: TBA
Original Network / Platform: Tencent Video

Where to Watch

China: Tencent Video
International Platforms: WeTV (expected, though not officially confirmed)

Why The Road to Glory is Worth Watching

Fresh Lead Pairing: The Road to Glory features the first-time collaboration between popular stars Zhang Ling He and Lin Yun, breaking away from the common “recycled pairings” often seen in the genre.
Compelling Source Material: The drama is adapted from a highly popular online novel with a “slow-burn” and “revenge and growth” storyline, appealing to fans of intelligent, strong-willed characters.
Ambitious “Dual Strong” Leads: The story centers on an “ambitious beauty” and a “ruthless street rat,” a refreshing trope that focuses on power struggles and survival rather than a typical “sweet” romance.
High Production Values: Positioned as an S+ level drama by Tencent Video, the budget and attention to detail are expected to be significant.

Articles About The Road to Glory

The Road to Glory begins filming – Jelly Lin and Zhang Ling He booting ceremony photos released

Zhang Ling He and Jelly Lin’s The Road to Glory filming ends, Tencent drops MANY character visuals

About the Author

Michelle Topham

Editor

British-American journalist obsessed with C-dramas, a subject I have been writing about for more than two decades. How many C-dramas have I watched? Many many hundreds. How many are still in my backlog? Hundreds more.

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