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 "excerpt": "Jiuliu Bazhu (九流霸主, Jiu Liu Overlord) is a 2020 Chinese costume romantic comedy starring Bai Lu and Lai Yi, streamed on Tencent Video from October 23 to November 27, 2020, about a lower-tier gang leader and an upper-tier silk merchant who join forces over a gold-thread theft in late Tang Yincheng.",
 "snippet": "Jiuliu Bazhu (九流霸主, Jiu Liu Overlord) is a 2020 Chinese costume romantic comedy starring Bai Lu and Lai Yi, streamed on Tencent Video from October 23 to November 27, 2020, about a lower-tier gang leader and an upper-tier silk merchant who join forces over a gold-thread theft in late Tang Yincheng.",
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 "markdown": "# Jiuliu Bazhu\n\n**Jiuliu Bazhu** (九流霸主, also known in English as *Jiu Liu Overlord*) is a 2020 Chinese costume romantic comedy television series starring [Bai Lu](https://www.edgepedia.org/bai-lu-actress) and Lai Yi, first streamed on [Tencent Video](https://www.edgepedia.org/tencent-video) on October 23, 2020<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup>. Set in the late [Tang dynasty](https://www.edgepedia.org/tang-dynasty), it follows a romance between the leader of a street gang from the city's \"lower nine streams\" and a wealthy silk merchant from the \"upper nine streams\", two social tiers that the plot treats as hostile classes<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup>.\n\n| Key fact | Detail |\n|---|---|\n| Original title | 九流霸主 (Jiu Liu Ba Zhu); English title *Jiu Liu Overlord*<sup>[2](https://ninenovel.net/2024/06/28/jiu-liu-overlord-2020-%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB/)</sup> |\n| First broadcast | October 23, 2020, Tencent Video exclusive<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup> |\n| Director and writers | Directed by Qiu Yu (邱钰); written by Qiu Yu, Liu Qiang, Fu Chong, and Ni Qu<sup>[3](https://www.tvmao.com/drama/YWBrIV5k)</sup> |\n| Lead cast | Bai Lu as Long Aoyi; Lai Yi as Li Qingliu; with Fang Yilun, Xu Muchan, Zhai Zilu, Hou Peishan, Zheng Xiaoning, and Huang Xiaolei<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup> |\n| Episode count | 36 episodes of about 45 minutes per most listings; some databases list 48<sup>[4](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/jiu-liu-overlord-2020)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://ninenovel.net/2024/06/28/jiu-liu-overlord-2020-%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB/)</sup> |\n| Production companies | Penguin Pictures (Tencent), Xinguangying, and Oxygen Pictures<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup> |\n| Finale | November 27, 2020<sup>[5](https://www.palmyule.com/news/detail/id/1434.html)</sup> |\n\n## Spoilers\n\n### Setting and premise\n\nThe story is set in the late Tang dynasty, after the [An Lushan](https://www.edgepedia.org/an-lushan) rebellion, when regional warlords carved up power. The fictional city of Yincheng (银城), located in Jiannan in the rich Sichuan basin, has become a silk-trading hub, but rival factions infest it. The city is split at the Wanhua Restaurant into a north city, home to officials, notables, and wealthy merchants of the \"upper nine streams\", and a south city, home to street rogues of the \"lower nine streams\"; the two tiers feud constantly<sup>[6](https://www.iq.com/play/%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB-%E7%AC%AC1%E9%9B%86-1wx1v62jhko?lang=zh_tw)</sup>.\n\nLi Qingliu (Lai Yi), master of the New Silk Road silk shop and the richest merchant of the upper tier, is about to display his prized gold-thread garments at the annual exhibition when the gold thread disappears. Long Aoyi (Bai Lu), leader of the Longzhu Gang and the dominant figure of the lower tier's south city, is fighting the oppressive Snake Gang outside the restaurant at the same moment. The theft case forces the two to investigate together<sup>[7](https://wetv.vip/zh-cn/play/vcoujqqn59t5f1c)</sup>. Li Qingliu begins the story distrusting poor commoners, whom he suspects of the theft; through Long Aoyi he sheds that prejudice, while she learns commerce from him<sup>[4](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/jiu-liu-overlord-2020)</sup>.\n\n### Plot development\n\nThe investigation of the gold-thread theft draws the leads into wider conflicts. A corrupt merchant's schemes leave commoners homeless, and Li Qingliu, as the representative face of the merchant class, is pushed to the center of public anger. His hidden identity as a prince is then revealed, and to protect Long Aoyi and the common people he enters the palace; Long Aoyi follows to seek redress for the people, and the two reunite there and expose the truth together<sup>[7](https://wetv.vip/zh-cn/play/vcoujqqn59t5f1c)</sup>. In the finale the merchant's plot fails, the upper and lower tiers of the capital live in peace, and the leads end up together<sup>[4](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/jiu-liu-overlord-2020)</sup>.\n\nSupporting characters interleave with the leads' story: the third prince [Li Zhao](https://www.edgepedia.org/li-zhao) (Fang Yilun), who arrives in Yincheng as salt-and-iron commissioner while concealing his own agenda; the account-keeping Du Xiaoxian (Xu Muchan); the steward [Yan Bin](https://www.edgepedia.org/yan-bin) (Zhai Zilu); and the blunt Xiao Qin (Hou Peishan)<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.iq.com/play/%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB-%E7%AC%AC1%E9%9B%86-1wx1v62jhko?lang=zh_tw)</sup>. Later episodes move into palace intrigue, including Li Qingliu being pressed into marrying Du Xiaoxian and Li Zhao's fatal attempt to assassinate the chancellor [Yuan Zai](https://www.edgepedia.org/yuan-zai)<sup>[3](https://www.tvmao.com/drama/YWBrIV5k)</sup>.\n\n## Production and broadcast\n\nThe series was produced by Penguin Pictures, Xinguangying, and Oxygen Pictures, directed by Qiu Yu, and filmed with Bai Lu and Lai Yi in the lead roles<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.sohu.com/na/426707521_99994018)</sup>. It premiered on Tencent Video on October 23, 2020, and ran to its finale on November 27, 2020<sup>[1](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.palmyule.com/news/detail/id/1434.html)</sup>. Listings disagree on the total episode count: Tencent's WeTV platform, TheTVDB, Douban, and TVmao list 36 episodes of roughly 45 minutes, while Ninenovel, JustWatch, and one Chinese synopsis site list 48<sup>[7](https://wetv.vip/zh-cn/play/vcoujqqn59t5f1c)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/jiu-liu-overlord-2020)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[9](https://movie.douban.com/comment/2607852641/?_spm_id=MjAzNTc4ODA4)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://ninenovel.net/2024/06/28/jiu-liu-overlord-2020-%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB/)</sup>. WeTV's own page also credits \"Du Du\" as director, whereas nearly all other listings credit Qiu Yu<sup>[7](https://wetv.vip/zh-cn/play/vcoujqqn59t5f1c)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[3](https://www.tvmao.com/drama/YWBrIV5k)</sup>.\n\nThe series was one of several costume dramas Tencent Video scheduled for 2020, announced alongside titles such as *Legend of Xiao Chuo* and *[The Chang'an Youth](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-changan-youth)*<sup>[10](https://stock.tianyancha.com/qmp/report/2/e22899039a5dec55e9aaf8619ce9610a.pdf)</sup>.\n\n## Viewership and reception\n\nDuring its run the series charted in industry tracking of weekly online drama viewership. In week 44 of 2020 (November 2 to 6) it ranked seventh among dramas and web dramas with 72.70 million weekly views; in week 46 (November 16 to 20), 24 days after release, it ranked ninth with 54.32 million weekly views and an aggregate heat score of 51.16<sup>[11](https://www.bj-xinghe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/%E4%BC%A0%E5%AA%92%E8%A1%8C%E4%B8%9A%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%EF%BC%9A%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E4%B8%89%E5%AD%A3%E6%8A%A5%E8%B6%85%E9%A2%84%E6%9C%9F%EF%BC%8C%E9%98%BF%E9%87%8C%E6%84%8F%E5%90%91%E5%85%A5%E8%82%A1%E8%8A%92%E6%9E%9C%EF%BC%8C%E5%85%B3%E6%B3%A8%E7%BA%BF%E4%B8%8B%E8%A1%8C%E4%B8%9A%E5%91%A8%E6%9C%9F%E6%80%A7%E5%A4%8D%E8%8B%8F-20201122-%E4%B8%AD%E4%BF%A1%E5%BB%BA%E6%8A%95-26%E9%A1%B5.pdf)</sup>. Its Weibo topic hashtag reached nearly one billion reads by the time of the finale<sup>[5](https://www.palmyule.com/news/detail/id/1434.html)</sup>.\n\nCritics split their verdicts between the two leads. A Sina Entertainment review published on premiere day called the show a formulaic but entertaining costume idol drama, praising Bai Lu for playing the character rather than her own celebrity and calling her comic timing precise, while criticizing Lai Yi's performance as expressionless line-reading<sup>[12](https://k.sina.cn/article_2492353974_948e4db600100rxwt.html)</sup>. Promotional coverage emphasized the reversed gender dynamic of the pairing, a domineering gang-leader heroine and a refined, timid merchant hero, as the show's distinguishing trait<sup>[13](https://yule.360.com/detail/2326021)</sup>. Viewer reviews on Douban described it as a serviceable \"two strong leads\" romance that works as light viewing<sup>[9](https://movie.douban.com/comment/2607852641/?_spm_id=MjAzNTc4ODA4)</sup>, and a retrospective fan review scored it 3.6 out of 10, finding the early mystery-comedy episodes enjoyable but the later palace-intrigue stretch rushed and under-explained<sup>[14](https://home.gamer.com.tw/artwork.php?sn=5717542)</sup>. On IMDb the series holds a 7.0 rating<sup>[15](https://www.justwatch.com/kr/TV-%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%A8/guryupaeju)</sup>.\n\n## References\n\n1. [九流霸主 - 快懂百科](https://www.baike.com/wikiid/7275238045040803896)\n2. [Jiu Liu Overlord (2020) 九流霸主 – Ninenovel TV Drama Series](https://ninenovel.net/2024/06/28/jiu-liu-overlord-2020-%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB/)\n3. [九流霸主剧情介绍（1-36全集）大结局 - 电视猫](https://www.tvmao.com/drama/YWBrIV5k)\n4. [九流霸主 - TheTVDB.com](https://www.thetvdb.com/series/jiu-liu-overlord-2020)\n5. [《九流霸主》收官在即，\"沙雕江湖\"另类励志引热议 - 掌娱快讯](https://www.palmyule.com/news/detail/id/1434.html)\n6. [線上看 九流霸主 第1集 – 愛奇藝 iQIYI](https://www.iq.com/play/%E4%B9%9D%E6%B5%81%E9%9C%B8%E4%B8%BB-%E7%AC%AC1%E9%9B%86-1wx1v62jhko?lang=zh_tw)\n7. [九流霸主 - 高清视频在线观看 - WeTV](https://wetv.vip/zh-cn/play/vcoujqqn59t5f1c)\n8. [《九流霸主》今晚首播 赖艺携手白露搞事业谈爱情 - 搜狐](https://www.sohu.com/na/426707521_99994018)\n9. [九流霸主 短评 - 豆瓣](https://movie.douban.com/comment/2607852641/?_spm_id=MjAzNTc4ODA4)\n10. [慧博投研资讯：2020Q2平台剧集排播](https://stock.tianyancha.com/qmp/report/2/e22899039a5dec55e9aaf8619ce9610a.pdf)\n11. [传媒行业动态研究报告（中信建投，2020年11月）](https://www.bj-xinghe.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/%E4%BC%A0%E5%AA%92%E8%A1%8C%E4%B8%9A%E5%8A%A8%E6%80%81%EF%BC%9A%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E5%93%94%E5%93%A9%E4%B8%89%E5%AD%A3%E6%8A%A5%E8%B6%85%E9%A2%84%E6%9C%9F%EF%BC%8C%E9%98%BF%E9%87%8C%E6%84%8F%E5%90%91%E5%85%A5%E8%82%A1%E8%8A%92%E6%9E%9C%EF%BC%8C%E5%85%B3%E6%B3%A8%E7%BA%BF%E4%B8%8B%E8%A1%8C%E4%B8%9A%E5%91%A8%E6%9C%9F%E6%80%A7%E5%A4%8D%E8%8B%8F-20201122-%E4%B8%AD%E4%BF%A1%E5%BB%BA%E6%8A%95-26%E9%A1%B5.pdf)\n12. [《九流霸主》首播，烂俗有趣，白鹿演技精准 - 新浪娱乐](https://k.sina.cn/article_2492353974_948e4db600100rxwt.html)\n13. [白鹿携赖艺共闯甜蜜江湖，《九流霸主》火力全开实力开播 - 360娱乐](https://yule.360.com/detail/2326021)\n14. [九流霸主網路劇觀後心得 - 巴哈姆特](https://home.gamer.com.tw/artwork.php?sn=5717542)\n15. [구류패주 (九流霸主) - JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/kr/TV-%ED%94%84%EB%A1%9C%EA%B7%B8%EB%9E%A8/guryupaeju)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Series and fictional screen worlds › International serial drama and telenovelas › East Asian drama series › East Asian web and streaming serials › Titles symbols to Co*\n\n*Initially written Oct 3, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n",
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 "speakable": "Jiuliu Bazhu is a 2020 Chinese costume romantic comedy starring Bai Lu and Lai Yi, streamed on Tencent Video from October 23 to November 27, 2020, about a lower-tier gang leader and an upper-tier silk merchant who join forces over a gold-thread theft in late Tang Yincheng."
}