Mysterious Lotus Casebook (Chinese: 莲花楼) is a 2023 Chinese mystery wuxia drama starring Cheng Yi, Joseph Zeng, and Xiao Shun Yao. It's based on the novel, Auspicious Pattern Lotus House (吉祥纹莲花楼) by Teng Ping.
Ten years ago, Li Xiangyi (Cheng Yi) was known as one of the most skilled martial artists in the world who created the Sigu Sect at the young age of 20. When his senior was suspected of being killed by Di Feisheng (Xiao Shun Yao), the leader of Jinyuan Alliance, Li Xiangyi swore to avenge his death and confronted Di Feisheng in the battle at sea. However, the battle became inconclusive as both men disappeared without a trace and both the Sigu Sect and Jinyuan Alliance suffered heavy losses.
At present, it turns out that Li Xiangyi is alive and has a new identity named Li Lianhua, a traveling village doctor who owns a mobile base called the Lotus Tower. While he prefers to live in peace away from the pugilistic world, he gets drawn into it again after meeting Fang Duobing (Joseph Zeng), a naive young martial artist who works as a detective for the Baichian Court. At first, the two men are at odds with each other due to clashing personalities but they both help each other in solving cases. Meanwhile, Di Feisheng is alive and wants to settle a score with Li Xiangyi after discovering that he and Li Lianhua are the same person.
The series is available on the iQiYi streaming platform with the first five episodes being available for free.
The series contains examples of:
- All for Nothing: Li Lianhua's search for Shan Gudao's body is pointless once he learns that the man faked his death and plans to overthrow the emperor.
- Arbitrary Skepticism: Many characters do not believe in ghosts, spirits, or anything related to the supernatural despite that they're in a wuxia setting with Supernatural Martial Arts. Though the martial arts they practice rely on pure training rather than magical means. Likewise, the cases are more on logic rather than magic.
- Big Bad: Jiao Liqiu, who is Di Feisheng's second-in-command and the one who masterminds the poisoning of Li Xingyi.
- Broken Pedestal:
- Upon learning that Shan Gudao is alive, Li Lianhua is distraught as he realizes that his old friend has lied to him.
- Cerebus Rollercoaster: The tone of the show keeps fluctuating from serious to comedic usually due to the bickering and slapstick between Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua.
- Clueless Mystery: While the show has Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua investigate and gather the clues, there's no hint on who the murderer is until Li Lianhua identifies them.
- Everyone Is a Suspect: This happens in the Yucheng case where the town's castellan falsely accuses all the people inside the inn as suspects for her sister's murder.
- Fire-Forged Friends:
- Li Lianhua never gets along with Fang Duobing when they first met but as time goes on, the two become best friends.
- Di Feisheng sees Li Xiangyi as his rival but as the story goes on, he and Li Lianhua see each other as friends.
- Gender Flip: In the show, Shi Shui is played by a woman instead of a man.
- Genius Bruiser: Both Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing are not only skilled in martial arts but also in solving mysteries.
- Freudian Excuse Is No Excuse: In Episode 12 when Guo Huo admitted that he killed his bride and his father's second wife because his father is controlling his life, Fang Duobing calls him out for this because he murdered innocent people as part of his revenge.
- He Knows Too Much: In the Yucheng Case, this is the reason behind the victim's death. She found out that her fiancee was cheating on her with her older sister. Then, she also discovered that her brother-in-law was having an affair with her best friend.
- Heel Realization: After fighting Di Feisheng, Li Xiangyi travels back to the city only to hear the civilians complain about constant battles between the martial arts sects which cause only misery. When he reaches the Sigu Sect headquarters, most of the members suffer heavy losses with his disciples arguing with each other as some of them blamed Li Xiangyi for their suffering. Because of this, Li Xiangyi realizes the damage he has caused and decides to retire from being a martial artist.
- Hero-Worshipper: Fang Duobing and several people in the Baichian Court look up to Li Xiangyi after his disappearance. The man himself prefers them to stop worshipping him.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: When Li Lianhua saw that his former lover, Qiao Wanmian, is now in a relationship with one of his former disciples, Xiao Zijin, he let go of her after knowing that Mian plans to break up with him before his duel with Di Feisheng and seeing that Xiao Zijin has feelings for her.
- Internal Reveal: In episode 10, Di Feisheng learns that Li Xiangyi was infected by the Bicha Poison, meaning that their duel ten years ago is rigged. He also learns that his most loyal lieutenant, Jiao Liqui, is the mastermind behind it which doesn't please him.
- Obfuscating Stupidity: Li Lianhua has to pretend that he's not good in martial arts so that no one would realize that he's Li Xiangyi.
- One Degree of Separation: Fang Duobing is related to Shan Gudao, who was Li Xiangyi's senior. Li Xiangyi also met Fang Duobing when he was a boy and was the one who inspired him to train harder so he could be his disciple. Unbeknownst to Fang Duobing, Li Xiangyi is also Li Lianhua.
- Parting-Words Regret: Li Xiangyi and Shan Gudao argued when the former signed an agreement with the Jinyuan Alliance causing Shan Gudao to tell him that he quit the sect. Then, Shan Gudao is found dead and his corpse is stolen by the Jinyuan Alliance which led an all-out war between the two sects. At present, Li Lianhua regrets what had happened.
- Secret-Keeper:
- The Fobi Baishi, who are Li Xiangyi's closest disciples, are the only ones who knew that Yun Biqui poisoned Li Xiangyi with the Bicha Poison. But they don't know that their former master is alive.
- The Abbott Wuliao who rescues Li Xiangyi at the beach is the only person who knows that he's alive and has changed his identity.
- Di Feisheng is the first to know that Li Lianhua and Li Xiangyi are the same person but he agrees to keep his identity a secret in exchange for letting him cure his body.
- Summation Gathering: This is usually done after Fang Duobing and Li Lianhua gather enough evidence and reveal their findings to the parties involved before they identify the culprit.
- That Man Is Dead: Li Lianhua emphasizes several times that Li Xiangyi is gone. Even though his old friends and enemies are dismayed at what he has come, Li Lianhua doesn't care about it at all as he just wants to have a normal life.
- Wham Episode:
- Episode 8 reveals that the kid who accompanied Li Lianhua, Fang Duobeng, and the grave robbers to the Yipin Tomb is actually Di Feisheng in disguise who also immediately recognizes Li Lianhua is Li Xiangyi.
- Episode 9 reveals how Li Xiangyi was poisoned: His disciple, Yun Biqiu, is the one who poisoned him because Jiao Liqiu tricked him to prevent Li Xiangyi from fighting Di Feisheng. Ji Hanfu, Bai Jiangchun, and Shi Shui are the only ones who know about it.
- In episode 12, Li Lianhua finds the corpse of his senior and adopted brother, Shan Gudao. It's also revealed that he and Shan Gudao had a falling out after he signed an agreement with the Jinyuan Alliance.
- Episode 13 reveals that Shan Gudao resigned from the Sigu Sect before he was killed. Then, Di Feisheng reveals to Li Lianhua that Shan Gudao had a son who is no other than Fang Duobing.
- You Have Failed Me: The Yucheng castillian executes all of her sister's bodyguards because they failed to protect her. Li Lianhua and Fang Duobing are dismayed by this because the guards are potential witnesses in the case.
- Your Days Are Numbered: After his battle with Di Feisheng at the East Sea, Li Xiangyi gets poisoned by the Bicha poison which is one of the deadliest poisons in the world. A monk told him that he had ten years to live so, Li Xiangyi decided to give up as a martial artist and lived the rest of his life as a wandering doctor named Li Lianhua.
