If the just dropped trailer for upcoming C-drama The Vendetta of An is anything to go by, I might just have witnessed Cheng Yi’s best role yet.
As, Holy Moley, just that 59-second trailer, without even a word of dialogue being spoken, makes his performance look spectacular.
And a role that seems to necessitate a plethora of disguises as well. (watch below)
Then again, from portraying the I’ll-just-die-quietly-in-silence Li Lianhua in Mysterious Lotus Casebook, to constantly-bickering demon hunter Tang Zhou in Immortal Samsara, Cheng Yi has already more than proven he can act, hasn’t he?
It’s just a pity the scripts he chooses don’t always live up to that talent. But I have a feeling this one will, as that trailer makes it look epic.
The Vendetta of An production details
The 32-episode Chinese drama stars the aforementioned Cheng Yi, who plays Xie Huaian, a man out for revenge, alongside the wonderful veteran actor Liu Yi Jun (Guardians of the Dafeng) as feudal lord, Xiao Wu Yang.
Wang Jin Song (The Legend of Heroes) is Wu Zhongheng, Zhou Qi (Legend of Zang Hai) plays Xiao Wen Jing, with Tong Meng Shi (The Journey of Legend) as Ye Zheng, and Xu Lu (Lady Revenger Returns from the Fire) plays Bai Guan.
The Vendetta of An is directed by Lin Feng (Sai Shang Feng Yun Ji), and written by Shuang Cheng (Heroes).
The Vendetta of An‘s plot looks like this and, yep, it sounds epic:
During the Wencheng era, the elite Tiger Warriors have entrenched themselves in Chang’an City for years, their influence deeply rooted.
Until Xie Huai’an, the chief clerk of Huainan County, receives a secret edict from Emperor Xiao Wuyang and is urgently summoned to the capital, Chang’an, to purge the treacherous faction.
General Yan Fengshan of the Tiger Warriors, unwilling to relinquish his power, rallies his forces in an attempt to split the empire and declares himself king. Using the hidden alleys of Chang’an as cover, he disperses his covert operatives and bides his time for a counterstrike.
With Xiao Wuyang’s support, Xie Huai’an joins forces with loyal general Gu Yu, swordsman Ye Zheng, painter Bai Wan, and young scholar Xie Ziling to outmaneuver the enemy.
Together, they work to dismantle the hidden alleys, crush Yan Fengshan’s plot to divide the empire, and restore peace and clarity to Chang’an.
A new poster was also released earlier today (see above) on the official YOUKU Weibo with the comment:
Blades unsheathed, gleaming with promise;
Torrents arrive, fields ripe with golden chance.
Grain in Ear approaches, Chang’an shall stand firm.
Swiftly wield your sickle—reserve now,
Join YOUKU to reap a bountiful year.
So, yep, with all the promo pieces dropping, and that epic trailer, this one looks like it will be premiering soon as well. Especially as it is on YOUKU’s release list for 2025.
I’ll keep you updated.
Update: February, 2026: Yes, for just about anyone who has watched The Vendetta of An, including me, this is one of Cheng Yi’s best performances. The drama is also one of his most popular, having grabbed more than 1.2 billion views so far.
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