To be honest, I wasn’t expecting much when choosing this drama, especially since I did not watch the original Nirvana In Fire before watching NIF2. Personally, watching the series backwards made it much more meaningful for when I went and watched NIF, I had flashbacks to their descendants and the lives they were able to lead guided by their morality and righteous upbringings and also saw how the predecessors decisions and sacrifices ultimately became the foundation of that. Watching the passionate and driven youth of NIF, I had to remind myself that these people were the grandparents / elderly of NIF2 characters which was mind boggling. What makes me want to rewatch NIF2 is because I now know Pingjing is the rightful heir to the throne, and he doesn’t know it...that in itself gives me yet another perspective and makes me pay that much more attention to detail. How is he the actual heir? Tingsheng is the son of Crown Prince Qi, whom was wrongfully accused of treason and killed off by poison via wine, while Tingsheng is also Pingjing’s father. You might be asking me how since Pingjing also has an older brother, however you can only take the throne if you’re from the same clan/apart of the imperial family with the same last name which is Xiao AND have imperial blood running through your veins, Pingzhang is adopted therefore removing him from the line of successors. I believe Tingsheng was never told of his actual birth story and till his death only saw himself as the adopted son of Jingyan while in fact, he is his imperial nephew. Pingjing’s growth from beginning to end and the way the actor conveyed and carried out this character and his highs and lows/emotions is stellar. The overall idea of family first makes this both heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. There is something lacking though which is the supporting characters, they were good and something that I could settle for but I wasn’t satisfied—which is something I cannot put into words. The love story was okay in this one, I think both have their pros and cons. I like the fact that both Mains, men and women alike have a strong moral compass and sense of self. MCS spent his literal last breath for his brotherhood, family, and country and is both cunning, loyal, and intelligent, Nihuang chose to stand by MCS and his decisions despite knowing he’ll leave her by death and is a badass general, Pingjing is righteous and intelligent he comes off as dandy and reckless at first yet comes out of his painful experiences a well rounded person who accepts people as they are, Lin Xi comes off aloof but spends her life helping others and doesn’t allow Pingjing’s path to change her nor does she expect to change him, she knows when to recede and when to proceed which is commendable—hoping NIF 3 can give us more romance and give the supporting characters their own storyline that won’t go off or affect the main storyline and plot.