The Deer and the Cauldron

Born a lowly street urchin, Wei Xiao Bao’s (Zhang Yi Shan) life should have been one of obscurity, but fate deemed it should be otherwise. With an extraordinarily sharp mind, Xiao Bao grows into a clever young man who never misses an opportunity to make his life just a little bit better. Thus, when a chance to enter the imperial palace presents itself, Xiao Bao takes it without a second thought. Disguising himself as a eunuch, Xiao Bao enters the palace where his quick wit and astounding wisdom soon gains him the favor of many. Trusted to deal with everything from jianghu gangs to court affairs, it isn’t long before Xiao Bao catches the attention of Emperor Kang Xi (Zhang Tian Yang) himself. While serving as one of the Emperor’s most trusted advisors, Xiao Bao meets Chen Jin Nan (Wayne Wang), the leader of the Tiandihui. Intrigued by the group’s philosophies, Xiao Bao becomes a disciple, and thus begins a drastic life transformation.  Once a self-serving cad who wished for nothing more than riches and power, Xiao Bao comes to realize it is better to live life surrounded by those he loves, rather than squander it in an endless pursuit of selfish ambition. But will the actions of his past lifestyle, and the consequences which followed, truly allow him to spend the rest of his days in peace? Adapted from the novel of the same name by Jin Yong, “The Deer and the Cauldron” is a 2020 action adventure comedy drama directed by Ma Jin.