We’ve seen our fair share of legal dramas, but rarely in a historical setting and Legally Ladies (刀笔娘子) aims to be just that with a story centered on legal battles and female empowerment, rather than the usual themes of idol romance and family power struggles. It stars Wu Jinyan, Deng Kai who’s certainly stepped up to leading roles since Pursuit of Jade and Zheng He Hui Zi who made an impression with her nuanced performance as the villain in Against the Current. The cast also includes Liu Chang and Han Yunyun in special starring roles, alongside Wang Jiangyi, Liu Kun, Shao Peiran, and Cao Yanning.
The story follows three women, Ruan Qingqing (Wu Jinyan), Xia Yu’er (Zheng He Hui Zi), and Mi Dali (Han Yunyun), who use their pens as swords and the law as their shield. They help women from disadvantaged backgrounds, trapped in troubled marriages, by drafting legal petitions on their behalf, defending their grievances in court. As the women take on different cases, Deng Kai plays Lu Feng, a constable who also becomes an important part of the story.
Legally Ladies, produced by Tencent and Haohan Yule has started production in Hengdian on October 17, 2026.
