The Lament of Autumn (Chinese title: 玉簟秋) has arrived. The Chinese Republican-era romance drama premiered on October 12, 2026, bringing Cheng Lei and Xu Ruohan together on screen for a story built around a ten-day murder investigation, a forced marriage, and a country at war. The show is based on Ling Xi’s novel of the same name and is airing on Hunan TV and MangoTV in China, with international viewers able to watch through several streaming platforms. Here is a full guide to the episodes, cast, release schedule, and what the stars have said about the series.
What The Lament of Autumn Is About
Set in 1920s Republican China, the story follows Ye Pingjun (Xu Ruohan), a poor student who takes a job at a meeting house in western Hunan to pay for her mother’s medical treatment. On her first day at work, she is caught in an assassination attempt targeting Yu Changxuan (Cheng Lei), the fifth young master of the powerful Yu family and the only surviving son.
Pingjun is wrongly accused of being involved in the attack. To clear her name, she makes a bet with Changxuan: he has ten days to find the real person behind the plot. Changxuan accepts, but he also uses the investigation as a cover to get closer to her while hiding his own military and political plans. As the two spend more time together, real feelings grow between them.
The story then moves into a forced marriage, the tragic death of Pingjun’s mother, a separation, and a reunion years later during the War of Resistance. The drama mixes romance, family conflict, power struggles, and wartime action across its run.
Full Cast and Characters
The series features a large ensemble led by Cheng Lei and Xu Ruohan. The main cast includes:
- Cheng Lei (Ryan Cheng) as Yu Changxuan, the young marshal of the Yu family
- Xu Ruohan as Ye Pingjun, a student pulled into the Yu family’s world
- Zhang Fengyi as Yu Zhongquan, commander-in-chief of the Yu Army
- Xu Fan as Zhao Baoru, the senior madam of the Yu household
- Liu Dongqin as Jiang Xueting, a returning officer whose arrival changes the balance
- Guo Yuxin as Tao Ziyi, a woman whose presence creates tension between the leads
- Chang Long as Li Boren, a staff officer
- Dai Yunfan as Gu Ruitong
- Ye Qing as Yu Jinxuan
- Cai Heng as Kuang Bingwen
- Lü Xiaoyu as Yu Qixuan
- Wang Likun in a special role
- Zhang Yunlong and Zhou Jieqiong in friendly appearances
- Xu Zhengxi in a special performance
The drama was directed by Kuk Kok-leung (also known as Ju Jueliang), with Guo Hao and Wang Hui also directing. Ye Yang and Quan Ying wrote the screenplay.
Episode Count and Release Schedule Explained
Viewers will notice different episode totals depending on where they watch. MangoTV lists the drama as 40 episodes, while iQIYI shows 38 episodes. Both numbers appear across official and news listings, and the difference is tied to how each platform has divided the episodes.
The release schedule on MangoTV works like this:
- October 12: The first 3 episodes arrived at 12:00 PM Beijing Time for VIP members.
- Monday to Thursday: 2 new episodes are released each day.
- Friday to Sunday: 1 new episode is released each day.
- SVIP members get one extra episode ahead of VIP members on update days.
- The finale is expected around November 4, 2026 on MangoTV.
On Hunan TV, the drama airs at 20:10 Beijing Time. The first two episodes aired on October 12, and the channel shows two episodes per night from Sunday to Thursday. The television finale is expected around November 5, 2026.
For viewers outside China, Rakuten Viki is following the MangoTV VIP schedule. Viki has not published a separate full international episode calendar, so the exact arrival time of each episode can vary by region.
Where to Watch The Lament of Autumn Worldwide
Streaming access depends on the country. Here is the breakdown for major markets:
- United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Australia: Rakuten Viki carries the series with English subtitles. Viki reached the number one spot on its TV chart in the United States on October 18, 2026.
- India: MangoTV is not available in India. Rakuten Viki is the main option for Indian viewers, and English-subtitled episodes have also appeared on Dailymotion after the original broadcast.
- Indonesia: Bilibili offers the drama with Indonesian subtitles. iQIYI and Rakuten Viki also list the series for Indonesian viewers.
- Taiwan: Hami Video and Viu carry the show.
- Southeast Asia: Viu streams the drama in several markets across the region.
- Global: iQIYI lists the series for international audiences, and Rakuten Viki is the most widely available English-subtitled option across North America, Europe, and Australia.
Viewers in regions where MangoTV is geo-blocked may need to check Viki or iQIYI first. Availability can change, and a subscription is required on most platforms.
What the Cast Said During Promotion
Cheng Lei, Xu Ruohan, and Guo Yuxin attended an offline promotional event for the drama on October 15, 2026. Xu Ruohan painted a portrait of Cheng Lei live on stage, and Cheng Lei signed the finished artwork. The painting was then given to an audience member through a game.
Cheng Lei also spoke about a bathtub scene involving his character that became a talking point online. The scene features Yu Changxuan and Ye Pingjun in a misty bathroom, and it led to renewed jokes about Cheng Lei’s fan-given nickname, the “Bath Emperor.” Cheng Lei responded with a light joke:
“Everyone dreams. It’s just that some people do it in a bathtub.”
The bathtub moment became the seventh drama in which Cheng Lei has appeared in a bathing or soaking scene. Some viewers joked online that he might need to bring his own bath products to future sets.
Xu Ruohan and Cheng Lei also switched roles at the event to recreate the first meeting between their characters, giving fans a playful look at the dynamic that drives the series.
Check out more C-Drama News
How the Show Is Being Received
The drama drew strong early attention. Before its premiere, reservations on Hunan TV and MangoTV passed 3 million by October 3, 2026. On its first day, the series crossed 10 million valid plays across platforms.
Reaction from viewers has been mixed. Some praise the visuals, the lead pair, and the tense romance. Others have called the story uneven. One viewer on MyDramaList wrote that the show is “deeply unserious and I am in love with it,” while another review said the drama felt “disjointed and choppy.” A separate viewer noted that the series changes parts of the original novel, which left some book readers relieved about the direction of the story.
The show continues to release new episodes daily on MangoTV, with Hunan TV airing episodes nightly. International viewers on Viki can follow the VIP schedule as the drama moves toward its finale in early November.
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