Hit drama revives buried history

Updated: 2025-10-24 09:49 ( China Daily )

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Undercover heroes like General Chen Baocang (left), Zhu, and Nie Xi, Wu's adjutant, dedicated their lives to the covert operations. Their enemies included Kuomintang spies, with one major villain being Gu Zhengwen, played by actor Yu Ailei (right). [Photo provided to China Daily]

It was a decision he knew could cost him his life.

Following the betrayal of Cai Xiaoqian, head of the CPC's underground network in Taiwan, Wu was arrested. He was executed along with three senior comrades: Nie Xi, his adjutant; Zhu Feng, a CPC member from a wealthy family who served as Wu's direct contact for transmitting intelligence; and Chen Baocang, another high-ranking Kuomintang officer and one of Wu's close friends.

Scriptwriter Lu explains that, to intricately weave the lives of the four unsung heroes into a nerve-wracking plot, the 39-episode espionage drama is set within the short time frame between August 1949 and June 1950.

Actor Yu Hewei, known for popular dramas like the revolutionary classic Awakening Age, portrays Wu and also serves as the executive producer. With an acting career spanning around 30 years, Yu has been reflecting on how cultural works can contribute to society and convey meaningful, thought-provoking values.