Zhang Linghe and Bai Lu's 'Ning An Ru Meng' Lost! The Top 10 Power Struggle CP in Chinese Dramas is This Couple: Not Just Love, but Also Breaking Up, Both Striving for the Top

The most enchanting emotions in historical dramas are often hidden within court strategies, family interests, and struggles for the throne. Audiences prefer watching two intelligent individuals test each other and gradually build trust in dangerous situations, rather than instant love at first sight. The following 'Top 10 Power Struggle CP in Chinese Dramas' is compiled based on positive reviews, CP popularity, and the degree of involvement in the main power struggle plot from discussions on Weibo and Douban. Some couples break up after marriage, while others, despite knowing their opposing stances, cannot let go of each other. Which couple is the strongest power struggle CP in the hearts of the audience?

10th Place: Zhang Linghe and Zhao Jinmai in 'Du Hua Nian' In 'Du Hua Nian,' Zhang Linghe plays Pei Wenxuan, and Zhao Jinmai plays Li Rong. In their previous life, Li Rong became the Crown Princess Regent, while Pei Wenxuan, from a declining family, rose to the position of Chief Minister. Their marriage was gradually eroded by court politics, suspicion, and misunderstandings, ultimately leading to their demise. After returning to their youth, they remarried with years of political experience, investigating the truth of their past lives while re-evaluating each other. Their emotional line thus carries a double appeal of bickering like an old married couple and cooperating as power allies.

Some viewers directly describe their relationship as 'kill first, love later, and reunite after breaking up,' while others jokingly say that Zhang Linghe and Zhao Jinmai, despite their young age, have a 'middle-aged couple deja vu' when acting as a married couple. Audiences love that Li Rong and Pei Wenxuan know each other so well; they can hit each other's sore spots during arguments but can immediately stand on the same side when facing political crises. It's as if emotions can be revisited, but national affairs cannot be delayed.

9th Place: Ma Tianyu and Wan Qi in 'San Guo Ji Mi Zhong Qian Long Zai Yuan' In 'San Guo Ji Mi Zhong Qian Long Zai Yuan,' Ma Tianyu plays Liu Ping, and Wan Qi plays Empress Fu Shou of the Han Dynasty. Liu Ping was originally raised outside the palace and later secretly replaced his twin brother Liu Xie, who had passed away, becoming a puppet emperor under Cao Cao's control. Fu Shou knew his true identity but chose to help him hide the secret. Under the surveillance of Man Chong, Guo Jia, and others, they repeatedly resolved crises and gradually developed feelings from a political alliance of mutual suspicion.

Many viewers believe that this drama reinterprets the Three Kingdoms from within the Han Dynasty, praising its 'innovative perspective' and even giving it a high rating of 'almost no flaws.' When talking about the male and female leads, some wrote, 'Wan Qi's performance is very satisfying, and Ma Tianyu is also quite versatile.' Fu Shou is responsible for judging the court situation and uncovering traps, while Liu Ping grows step by step under her guidance. Their feelings are built on jointly guarding their secret identities and the fate of the Han Dynasty.

8th Place: Zhou Yirui and Zhang Ziyi in 'Shang Yang Fu' In 'Shang Yang Fu,' Zhang Ziyi plays Princess Wang Xuan of Shangyang, and Zhou Yirui plays Xiao Qi, the King of Yuzhang, who comes from a humble background but holds significant military power. Wang Xuan was originally an important chess piece in the power struggle of the aristocratic families and was forced into a political marriage with Xiao Qi. However, the two gradually understood each other amidst war and the struggle for the throne. Wang Xuan is familiar with the rules of aristocratic families and the hearts of the court, while Xiao Qi excels in military strategies. They transitioned from a married couple bound by interests to allies fighting against aristocratic clans and palace intrigues together.

Initially, Zhou Yirui and Zhang Ziyi faced criticism regarding their age and appearance, but as the plot developed, some viewers changed their minds, praising them as 'really well-matched and sweet.' The segment where Wang Xuan defends Huizhou and Xiao Qi leads the army to rescue her was particularly loved. Some even described Wang Xuan as 'intelligent and beautiful,' believing she can understand Xiao Qi's political ideals and has the ability to stabilize the rear while he is at war.

7th Place: Bai Jingting and Song Yi in 'Chang Feng Du' In 'Chang Feng Du,' Bai Jingting plays Gu Jiusi, a wealthy young master, and Song Yi plays Liu Yurong, a merchant's daughter. After an accidental marriage, Liu Yurong begins to learn business, while Gu Jiusi transitions from a frivolous young master to an official. The turmoil in Yangzhou changes their lives, with one entering the officialdom to promote reforms and the other managing business and procuring supplies. Together, they share the responsibility for the country and the people amidst regional divisions and court struggles.

The scene where the couple donates their property to help the people left viewers with comments like 'the greatest chivalry is for the country and the people' and 'the scale is maximized.' Many people appreciate that Gu Jiusi and Liu Yurong each have their own growth lines. Liu Yurong does not stay in the position of waiting for her husband to return, and Gu Jiusi's political path cannot do without her support in business, supplies, and people's livelihoods, forming a couple combination of one in literature and one in commerce, mutually supporting each other.

6th Place: Zhang Linghe and Bai Lu in 'Ning An Ru Meng' In 'Ning An Ru Meng,' Bai Lu plays Jiang Xueying after her rebirth, and Zhang Linghe plays Tai Zi Shao Shi Xie Wei. In her previous life, Jiang Xueying used the people around her to compete for the position of queen, ultimately committing suicide during a palace coup. In this life, she tries to make amends and change the fate of the Yan family and others. Xie Wei appears to be a noble imperial teacher but actually carries the blood feud of his family from many years ago, secretly plotting in the court. The two test each other amidst rebellion, royal power, and family struggles and gradually become the ones who understand each other's dark sides the most.

When talking about Xie Wei and Jiang Xueying, some viewers highly praise their chemistry, while others frankly say, 'Xie Wei is really crazy, but he indeed has feelings.' They also believe that he is the one who understands Jiang Xueying the most. Both characters carry scars and secrets from the past, and their interactions are rarely without sweetness, but rather filled with guessing each other's hearts, pulling each other, and losing control, keeping this relationship always on the dangerous edge of power struggles.

5th Place: Chen Xingxu and Peng Xiaoran in 'Dong Gong' In 'Dong Gong,' Chen Xingxu plays Li Chengyin, the fifth prince of the Feng Dynasty, and Peng Xiaoran plays Qu Xiaohong, the ninth princess of Xi Zhou. Li Chengyin, under the alias Gu Xiaowu, approaches Xiaohong to gain her trust and complete his political mission of striking Dan Chi and competing for the position of crown prince. After jumping into the River of Forgetfulness and losing their memories, they become husband and wife due to the interests of both countries. However, Li Chengyin, even after falling in love with Xiaohong again, still puts the struggle for the throne and royal power before their relationship, making this relationship a representative of power devouring love.

Some fans wrote, 'I really cried for Chengyin and Xiaohong,' and others believed that 'the drama version of the remake let me see Xiaohong and Li Chengyin from the book.' Chen Xingxu's performance of Li Chengyin's calmness and calculation in public and his collapse after losing Xiaohong shows a strong contrast. Peng Xiaoran retains Xiaohong's brightness and stubbornness. The reason why this CP is unforgettable is that the audience knows that the two once truly loved each other, but they also clearly see that every step of Li Chengyin's victory is pushing Xiaohong further away.

4th Place: Luo Jin and Li Yitong in 'He Lihua Ting' In 'He Lihua Ting,' Luo Jin plays Tai Zi Xiao Dingquan, and Li Yitong plays Lu Wensi, the daughter of the Censor-in-Chief. As the heir apparent, Xiao Dingquan faces long-term suspicion from his father, the power of the Qi Wang faction, and court struggles. After her father and brother were wronged, Lu Wensi enters the Eastern Palace under a pseudonym to secretly investigate the truth. She helps Xiao Dingquan handle crises such as the military horse case, and although they care about each other, they repeatedly hurt each other due to hidden identities, family grievances, and political choices.

Audiences praise the drama for being 'excellent from the opening scene of the teacher-student play in the snow to the group play in the court,' and when talking about the male and female leads, more people leave the sigh, 'the emotional line is too heartbreaking.' Xiao Dingquan and Lu Wensi are both intelligent and understand the rules of the court. The problem is that the responsibilities they bear often conflict with each other. Every protection requires concealment, and every concealment weakens trust, making this relationship highly oppressive.

3rd Place: Li Yunjie and Meng Zi Yi in 'Jiu Chong Zi' In 'Jiu Chong Zi,' Meng Zi Yi plays Dou Zhao, who lives again, and Li Yunjie plays Song Mo, who carries the family's mystery. Dou Zhao lost her mother in her early years and struggles with her stepmother to protect her family and fate. Song Mo, due to the secrets of the British Public House and the encounter with his family, takes the path of investigating cases and taking revenge. The two form an alliance and get married amidst the stepmother's manipulation of the marriage rumors and family crises. They transition from mutual suspicion to joint planning and finally join hands to stop the King of Jing's rebellion and clear the grievances of loyal subjects.

The pairing of Meng Zi Yi and Li Yunjie received a lot of praise, with some describing them as 'beautiful and handsome and well-matched,' and others praising the director for 'being good at shooting CP feelings.' Fans particularly like that Dou Zhao and Song Mo exchange information and discuss strategies when they encounter problems. The female lead is not a role waiting for rescue, and the male lead is willing to respect her judgment. Marriage becomes their pact to advance or retreat together, and the struggles in the residence and the intrigues in the court are thus naturally connected.

2nd Place: Chen Kun and Ni Ni in 'Tian Sheng Chang Ge' In 'Tian Sheng Chang Ge,' Chen Kun plays Ning Yi, the King of Chu, and Ni Ni plays Feng Zhimi. Ning Yi pretends to be dissipated and indifferent to power on the surface but has been plotting for many years for the death of his mother and brother. Feng Zhimi disguises herself as a man and enters Qingming Academy, later becoming an unparalleled scholar in the court, with her identity closely connected to the former royal family. The two admire each other's wisdom and aspirations but stand on different sides due to the throne, blood feuds, and the old subordinates of the previous dynasty, making their love always tied to political choices.

Someone watched the drama until they were 'knocked unconscious,' and a drama fan accurately described that it was precisely because Feng Zhimi and Ning Yi were 'equally matched' that there was a back-and-forth and endless continuation. Chen Kun and Ni Ni's acting rarely involves direct confession, but more often relies on probing, implied meaning, and changes in eye expressions to convey emotions. The two can understand each other's ambitions and also understand the responsibilities that the other cannot give up. Precisely because they understand each other too well, they find it even harder to cross the rift caused by their stances in the end.

1st Place: Feng Shaofeng and Zhao Liying in 'Knowing You, Knowing Me' In 'Knowing You, Knowing Me,' Zhao Liying plays Sheng Minglan, the illegitimate daughter of the Sheng family, and Feng Shaofeng plays Gu Tingye, the second son of the Ningyuan Marquis. Minglan has learned to restrain her sharpness and observe people's hearts since childhood, while Tingye, after experiencing family betrayal, supports the new emperor's ascension to the throne. After their marriage, Minglan reorganizes the marquis's estate and deals with the schemes of relatives, while Tingye handles political and military crises in the court. When facing the counterattack of the empress dowager and the old forces, the couple guards the inner court and the court respectively, the most