5 days ago
China's rising superstar Zhou Ye headlines the much-heralded "Legend of the Female General" in iQIYI's new starry historical series
The historical romance drama "Legend of the Female General", starring Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei and directed by Jiang Jiajun, is now streaming on iQIYI International.
The drama started its broadcast this week. Led by amazing and elegant Zhou Ye and Cheng Lei, this drama is adapted from the web novel by Qian Shan Cha Ke.
This drama also stars Zhang Kang Le, Zhang Miao Yi, Li Qing, Bai Shu, Han Dong, Xu Jia Qi, Peter Sheng, Miao Wei Lun, and many others.
Since its premiere, the series has drawn viewers with finely tuned pacing, layered character arcs, and set pieces that flow between taut action and tender intimacy. It centres on a dual-protagonist redemption arc that weaves disguise, rebirth, and loyalty into a cinematic narrative.
He Yan (played by Zhou Ye), the He family's eldest daughter, once took her brother's place in the army, concealing her identity while earning military merit.
At the height of her glory, she was betrayed —poisoned, blind, hunted down, and driven off a cliff.
She survives, regains her sight, and returns under a new identity, again disguising herself as a man to rejoin the ranks—vowing to reclaim what was hers.
In the Yezhou Garrison, she crosses paths with the reserved commander Xiao Jue (played by Cheng Lei). Their rapport shifts from wary tests to shoulder ‑ to ‑ shoulder trust as battles harden their resolve and draw them closer —from a crackling hot ‑ spring duel to the quiet intimacy of a lantern ‑ festival scene.
Early episodes hit fast and hard: the cliff fall, the taming of a wild stallion, a life ‑ or ‑ death standoff against wolves, and a narrow escape from identity exposure. The hot ‑ spring sequence bristles with kinetic energy, while the river ‑ lantern chapter layers fingertip brushes and wind ‑ shielding gestures for restrained romantic heat.
In this lead turn, Zhou Ye charts He Yan's transformation with conviction —from dutiful endurance to reborn self ‑ possession —backed by crisp action work in spearplay, riding, and archery.
As Xiao Jue, Cheng Lei pairs steel ‑ edged command with measured tenderness; his now ‑ viral one ‑ arm lift with Zhou Ye has already earned him the affectionate 'dad ‑ type boyfriend' nickname among fans.
In the latest developments, He Yan's vow of vengeance surges to the fore —'I'm the ghost you killed, back from the underworld to claim your life.' Xiao Jue witnesses the moment, tilting their relationship into new uncertainty.
"Legend of the Female General" totals 36 episodes and airs every day on iQiyi.
About the Leads -
Zhou Ye:
At the age of 27, Zhou Ye is now a rising superstar in the C-drama/movie world. She is best known for her roles in the films "Better Days (2019)" and "Moments We Shared (2024)", and the drama series "Word of Honor (2021)", "Back From The Brink (2023)", "Scent of Time (2023)", "Love Me Love My Voice (2023)", and "Everyone Loves Me (2024)".
Zhou Ye was born in Chongqing, China, in 1998 and moved to Huizhou, Guangdong, when she was five years old. There, she attended Hua Luogeng Middle School.
In 2017, Zhou starred in her first film work, "Beyond Belief", which was released in 2019. And there has been no stopping her since then.
In 2019, Zhou made her debut in the film Better Days, earning recognition for her antagonist role as a bully. For her portrayal of the role, she was subsequently nominated for the "Most Promising Actress" on the China Movie Channel (CCTV-6) M List as well as the "Best Supporting Actress" at the 27th Huading Awards, 14th Asian Film Awards and 33rd Golden Rooster Awards.
On March 1, 2024, the urban romance series "Everyone Loves Me" was aired on Youku and aired on March 19 on Netflix, in which Zhou co-starred with Lin Yi and played the game concept designer Yue Qianling. On June 22, the film "Moments We Shared," she co-starred with Peng Yuchang, was released, in which she played Cheng Shuang.
Besides the "Legend of the Female General" this year, Zhou Ye will also star in "Dream of Golden Years", also set to premiere on iQIYI's channel this year.
Cheng Lei
Professionally known as Ryan Cheng or Cheng Lei, he is a fast-rising Chinese actor. He gained recognition for playing the role of Xiao Hansheng in the drama "A Familiar Stranger (2022)" and "Gong Shangjue in My Journey to You (2023)".
i QIYI presented him with the "Potential Actor of the Year," and he has also impressed fans in many C-dramas since his breakthrough in 2019.
Besides the "Legend of the Female General", Cheng Lei will be seen in another four C-drama series in iQIYI this year -- "Shadow Love", "How Dare You!", "Zu Ji", and "Mo Li".
H e also won many fans with a superb portrayal of Cheng Huang in the drama "Fangs of Fortune" on iQIYI last year.
