Michael_0718

A light-hearted, easy to watch and comically entertaining drama ~

A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED drama to those looking for Fun-Naughty drama genre.

This drama brought so much comfort and laugh to me for the past few days I was watching it. This may not be the most outstanding when it comes to plot twists and story schemes but it is far ahead when it comes to providing good entertainment and bliss to viewers.

Something I like about this is how light-hearted the overall mood of the drama is. Like even when there seemed to be a terrible scheme awaiting the protagonists you'll be assured it won't be that bad and will surely not ruin the joyful mood of the story. A breath of fresh air from those heavily-plotted drama that continuously give us bloody scenes to satisfy peoples great expectations.

Another thing is the bond, trust and harmony in the Family. It shows great love, affection, understanding and forgiveness towards every family members and exhibits good relationship overall.

P.S. It has my Favorite ending of ALL! A family taking care and pampering each other with not just love but also respect and mischivousness that makes it even more interesting.

Story - 10, Despite it's flaws I still want to give it a perfect score for being different from others and for giving me such enjoyment and entertainment during the whole duration i'm watching it. The unique way they made this story filled-up all its flaws and mishaps.

Acting/Cast - 10, I love them all. Good acting and they just brought so much smile to my face. They did great doing the casting and I can't ask for more. They all fit their roles and even lived up to their characters emotions and actions with such great portrayal.

Music - 10, I'm kinda 'meh' with the opening theme at first but once you settled with the drama and put your mind and heart in place with how drama wanted to cater to its viewers you'll gradually love it. The insert BGMs are quite defent too, specially the sound effects. They're reallu fun. Hahaha. Very creative and good editing.

Rewatch Value - 10, Of course! It's a feel good drama that can make you feel at peace and excited just by thinking about it. It's really a laid back drama that can make you consider watching it If you feel like to.

Overall - 10, Honestly I've been giving straight 10s to the dramas I've watched for the past few months but I don't care. I'm giving such perfect rating not because I want to but because they deserves it. Dramas tend to appear similarly to some people but it should never be treated or classified as one in general because there's a reason as to why we have different 'Genres', and that's to keep them apart. Indeed a Good Piece. =)

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Enchanting & Enticing production that will fill you w/ great laughter & Happiness. Highly Recommend!

Ahh~!! Where to start? I'm disappointed that it has ended since I had so much fun watching and laughing with this production. How I wish to have more episodes of them taking care of their kids while being chaotic. I felt robbed that they didn't have any kids during the entire 36 episodes.

This drama has brought me excitement, irritation, sadness and pain but more so smile and laughter. Its unique story is maybe identical to other dramas out there but it has its own identity that sets it far different from others as well. It may not have the best plot and drama elements but it can surely cater to variety of people. I must say that it will be suitable for anyone who enjoys Chinese Period/costume drama generally.

Looking at how this drama was created you'll immediately know that it has a great budget backing it up and it was not wasted any one bit. From the location, production, artists, music and other elements that contributed to make this drama as it is now, I have nothing but high praises. It is well produced and lived up to my expectations indeed.

SPECIAL MENTION!!! The passionate, soft and tender kisses always ended me with nothing but jealousy. How can they be so in love? Ghadd!!! Their shallow and/or torrid kisses never failed to leave me awestruck!

Story - 10, I initially thought of giving it a 9.5 since I felt like something is missing and felt that my satisfaction wasn't met entirely but the Final Episode did its magic and filled those empty spaces with great pleasure and satisfaction. This story had so much potential dramatic scene wise but they didn't completely dwell into that and focuses more on the fun and romance side of this drama and that made it extra special and unique.

Acting/Cast -10, FITTED PERFECTLY!! From Li Qian & MingYue's love-hate and passionate moments to YunSi & Aimaila's unfortunate and tragic fate to JinYu and Kanle's naughty and playful romance and to Li Qian, JinYu and Sikong's friendship everything just fell according to how they should be and It never felt lacking. Acting is an absolute Top Tier. God knows how I enjoyed and love the characters and actor of this drama.

Music - 10, I never read the English translations of the BGMs while it's playing but the Music of this drama is in a completely different level. The music are enticing and hypnotizing that I ended up going back and forth with each scenes just to make sure that i'm reading and understanding them wholeheartedly.

Rewatch Value - 10, I would definitely rewatch it IF given that I don't have anything to watch anymore. Cause this is such a precious production and I want to miss and enjoy it as much as possible every single time.

Overall - 10, It's Glory deserve every single piece of acknowledgement. I really hope that people who are contemplating to watch this drama can read and discover my review so that it can help them decide. Cause this drama truly brought so much fun moments and memories to me. A phenomenal and unique drama that can effortlessly put a big smile and let out hearty laughter's to everyone.

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An interesting drama that is overwhelming with colors and varieties. P.S. Watch out for KISSES!!

I ended this drama with the words "好可爱/ Hao Kei Ai"~!! Their Little Soldier look so cute and fluffy.

This drama may not be the most strategic, complex and well funded but it do live up to peoples satisfaction with its best.

Honestly, up until the last couple of episodes I'm still feeling annoyed at some cliche twist but it all went well and those things are the 'common elements' of a drama so I just accepted it. Anyways, despite all those scenarios I still wouldn't take credits off of this production for such silly reasons.

I'm lost for actual words and phrases so let me just enumerate the things I like and dislike about this drama.

✖ Dislikes...
- It's more of the disappointment I have with some plot that supposedly the MAIN HINT for the dramas development but ended up being unexplained and useless; and I'm talking about the Phoenix Flower. I mean, Why? Why?
- I'm really irritated during those times Chu Xiuming is being unreasonable and immature same goes with Shen Jin's lack of retaliation and self-worth during those moments she's trying to show his feelings to CXM. Like, Why Miss? You're better than that.
- I HATE the 2nd & 4th Shen Sisters. Those 2 bitches seriously got nothing to do but to go around being toxic and envious.

✖ Likes
- I love how common yet original the story is. They obviously followed the norms but they made it sweeter and more playful.
- The kissing scenes. Like there is so much of them that I always felt like floating over cotton candy's. Hahaha
- Story development of this drama is something I commend. The pace of how things worked out just felt so right and I never felt it was purposely slowed down or rushed.
- Character development and such felt so nice as well and I love how they cover and showed us their share of happy endings.
- The Final Episode.. I hope it was longer... It really hit me when all of the important character went to the General's Manor to witness SJ unexpected Delivery of her child; that scene felt so conventional and warmth my heart so much.

Story - 10, I would admit that it's not the BEST but it surely deserved this perfect rating as this drama satisfies me with it's own colors and varieties. I just can't think of a reason why this production deserve a lesser point or two when i absolutely enjoyed it.

Acting/Cast - 10, Well executed and they really played the colors of their characters pretty well. Aside from the Main Leads the Supporting Character couples made this drama extra special. They're indeed a sight to see.

Music - 10, Honestly? I only heard 1 song the entire drama duration LOL. Maybe i'm just so engrossed with the drama itself that I didn't notice all of the sounds used for each scenes. Hahaha~! It only means that they never bothered me and instead made me more comfortable watching those moments as well.

Rewatch Value - 9, Up till this point i'm still contemplating whether to give it a perfect 10 or not but i still ended up giving it a 9, not because I'm dissatisfied or something but more of 'contented'. This is the type of drama that feels right just by watching it once but will surely recommend it to other people.

Overall - 10, Definitely a Perfect 10. It's a one of kind drama that will make you feel different emotions just by watching it. It offers a wide variety of feelings that is very comfortable and relatively easy to watch.

Please let me know IF you find my review helpful. Thanks!!

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A simple yet decent & mysterious intro for The Lost Tomb Series

I'm writing this review months after watching this drama but the feeling and impression it left me never faded away; so I would like to take this opportunity to encourage and invite people on watching this Series through my words.

This drama started with Wuxie and his friend escaping from a set of people who is after the ancient relic they've obtained and how he met his 'Best Buddies' Wang Pangzi and Zhang Liying. As a fan who have watched the entire Series at this point, I may say that this drama does consist some trivial scenes that shouldn't have existed in this drama yet it worked out greatly and did make people more interested about it (I'm talking about the copper fish auction).

It also showcases the different attributes and characteristics of our Iron Triangle Trio and left us hanging with anticipation on how awesome they can be once they work it all out together.

Story - 8.5, This is a rather decent introduction for the 1st season oF TLTS and they did great on making the people curious about it but I felt like they could have done better. They did a big leap showing some scenes that shouldn't be there in the first place and watching it being included on the other Seasons like Lost Tomb 2 & Ultimate Note made me a little confused.

Acting/Cast - 10, Li Yifing and Yangyang did well with their execution and the cast did great portraying their own characters as well.

Music - 9, I can vaguely remember the BGM of this drama but I remembered not skipping the opening and ending of it just to check the music out.

Rewatch Value - 8, Would probably rewatch if I feel like watching the entire thing again. Nonetheless this 1st installment is a fundamental to start when you're planning to watch the whole series.

Overall - 8.5, Despite all the things I've mentioned above about this drama, It still highlighted the crucial points and characteristics of our Main Leads and how the story will unfold.

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An interesting drama that shows how great yet restricted and loving Women are.

Where do I even start?! Hmm, actually I'm contemplating whether to give it a 9.5 or 10 cause there're some part that I felt upset about but then I realized that this is a drama and that is its plot twist. So the moment i get my emotional involved only means I'm sold. Hahaha~! Definitely a 10, Story wise.

×× Dislikes
→ I hate how Kyoko even thought of keeping his relationship with his husband after he cheated. Like, I know she almost forced him to marry her but cheating is cheating. Sooner or later he will do it again. Sighs.
→ I symphatized a lot with Yuri but i'm kinda irritated on how she's bearing with his authoritative husband.
→ I hate how Women need to go through such pain and stress and act as if nothing has happened! They deserved the BEST!
→ I HATE how SHORT this drama is, I need MORE!

×× Likes
→ I just love the passion and kindness inside Nami. Someone who's very determined to change herself and to seek for peace and normal life.
→ I enjoyed the moments when she's with her Friends learning new things and it made me excited to see what she's up next.
→ Fighting Scenes! It's not the smoothest and cleanest but she DELIVERED! Some of it maybe corny or ridiculous to others but as I drown deep into J-Dramas, I simply understand their unique way of making their own masterpieces.
→ Nami's interesting way of cutting the vegetables and how she cut it perfectly when she confronted her husband. That gave me the "Bitch she's real mad" feeling.

Story - 10, I enjoyed it a lot. I was swayed and got myself excitedly anticipating for each coming scenes. I love how they highlighted Housewives/Women's concern as a whole and how Men shouldn't be trusted in any possible way. (I'm a guy btw)

Acting/Cast - 10, They delivered and it was fun watching them act. It was able to sent me warmth and place a refreshing smile ony face. I hate all the guys (their Characters) though. Hahaha.

Music - 10, That one sound they always play when something's about to happen just set the scenes for me. I guess i didn't notice the other BGMs if there is? but i'm satisfied.

Rewatch Value - 10, No questions needed to be ask. Release a sequel and i shall rewatch it right away. Hihi

Overall - 10, Well deserved! This drama made me think IF giving a 10 is okay? then I started re-evaluating the entirety of the drama itself and found myself uttelry satisfied. I realized that every drama has its own flavor and taste. The genre doesn't lining up to my usual standard doesn't mean it should be a level lower but it's more of ME finding another genre I'm starting to get into.

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1 of the BEST~!! A Loving and Lively Family relationship. + Women Empowerment ♔

EXCEPTIONAL~!! Let me start this with such heavy remark to make it even more easier for people to decide on selecting this Series.

Probably the BEST drama I've ever encountered this year in the Chinese Drama Land. It contains not only the spontaneous, exciting and naughty sides but also represents Women's worth, power, grace and capabilities. It was so well made that I have indulged myself on each of it's episodes making me almost forget that I was watching a 40min+ drama. The scenes were always so fun that it made me felt like it's only taking me 5-10mins to finish each episodes; I was even disappoonted whenver I see the ending credits and such. Hahaha!

There's so much I like about this drama in which I won't dare to specify but I want to say that this drama production as a whole is indeed a PERFECTION~!!

Story - 10, It's well created and written that I barely notice any mishaps and even made me praise and love it more everytime an episode passes by. I also love how the entire Ban Family almost didn't lose anyone (aside from the Grand Princess) and was given such beautiful, satisfying and Happy endings. The scenes were not Heavy but instead is full of Fun, thrill and Excitement.

Acting/Cast - 10, No Words needed. They're perfectly in-sync with their characters and even made me love them so much. Oh, God! This drama gave me so much hearty laugh and adoration towards the artists. I am a big fan of Neo Hou and I watched it because of him but I also started it Bcoz Guan Xiao Tong is here (I'm a big fan of Luhan) I was never fond of her but this drama just gave me so much of her and she impressed me greatly to the point where I love and finally approved her as she is.

Music - 10, Great choice of music. It do fits the scenes specially the Song they're using on the Main Leads Romantic and intimate scenes. Ballad can never go wrong!!

Rewatch Value - 10, A drama i wouldn't be tired watching over and over again. Probably the 2nd Chinese Drama after The Word of Honor. It's actually on par with it. Both exceptionally outstanding.

Overall - 10, IF you read my review do I even need to explain. It is a MASTERPIECE that doesn't require any explanations. Just watch and fall in love with it.

Please let me know if you find my review helpful.

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What do y'all mean Mediocre? This is a Gem!

I honestly started watching this drama because of Choi Sooyoung and was quite surprise on how many people left reviews with the word "Mediocre" so i'm hear to rip that off.

This drama actually started rough for me, during those moments i kept asking "I need a 2nd lead" & "This drama lacks a 2nd leading man to console the Female Lead" but after few more episodes it all comes to me as to why the writer made it that way. It's simply because the Female Lead is a grown up woman who thinks rational and can decide for her own and that's her charming point that sets her apart from other FL out there.

I must agree the ML is a bit toxic at first but you just gotta hang in there and see how he turns out to be the nicest and most compassionate of them all. This drama doesn't follow the norms of the current trendy drama of 2020-2021 and that's the main reason why I love how this drama was delayed till this year, since it was able to give off such different vibe and made me nostalgic of how dramas were created 3-5 years ago.

Story - 8.5, The story is very unique that will remind you of how dramas were usually created back then. It helps me open my mind to various ways of how people can deal with tons of situations in a mature & rational way.

Acting/Cast - 10, Definitely!! The set of Artist of this drama made me feel so much and they all deserved an applause or two for that.

Music - 9.5, I may not have notice the Music and BGMs at first since I was too engrossed to the story but it will definitely hit you hard when you're at the middle part of the drama. Every song suits the scenes well.

Rewatch Value - 8, This is the kind of drama that i may not watch for months or so, unless I need to remind myself on how to deal and cope up with situations in a rational way. It has that significant Rewatch Value.

Overall - 9, Definitely a MUST watch specially to those people who needs inspiration and is on a pinch situation where it's hard to find motivation to remain positive and optimistic.

Please let me know how do you find my review. Hope it helps. =)

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Sensual, Lustful and Arousing Making out scenes from the Main Leads~

Okay! come on, calm down. Lol~ I know some people might be weird-ed out by my Drama Highlight but when I think of something that left the most impact on me watching this drama I got nothing except for Yang Mi & Mark Chao's kissing and Making out scenes. Hahaha~

For someone who've watched tons of dramas with such heated scenes I must say that the way they deliver and execute them is by far the most utterly jaw-dropping and drooling among all. They exude the passion, devotion and very intense emotion that can make you feel differently. Hahaha~

P.S. I finished watching this drama 1 week before I complete the entire series. Hahaha~ So, apparently I was so busy with work that I can't watch the whole show in one go, so I ended up spoiling myself by fast forwarding, Jumping and Leaping through its scenes episode per episode on Youtube. So I watched this drama completely spoiled and aware of what's to come. The very first drama I felt impatient about. HIHI~

Anyways, let's move on and discuss some other things I love and some other stuff I felt like the production felt short of.

→ Likes...
×× Probably the way they kept Yang Mi's character look and feel proud and regal 80% of the time. The way her character was created is something that I love. Whenever Sujin tries to harm her and way she retaliate always satisfies the real-b*tch out of me. Like "Yes Girl feed her with humiliation" Hahaha~

×× Next is the side characters/couples. This drama just made sure that it is giving justice to almost anyone they start a story with. Most specially with how Zi Lan and Yan Zhi's story ended. It is really heartbreaking and saddening but that only shows how much the producer tries his/her best to end the other relationships they built to make sure that nothing is left hanging even after the drama ends.

×× Oh God, Here we are!! Zhe Yan && Bai Zhen's subtle Bromance, Kyahh! Aside from the Main Couple their cute-sweet-tiny moments gave me so much joy whenever they appear on screen. They're like an old couple who silently takes good care and pamper each other most of the time. I hoped to get more from them. T.T

→ Dislikes...
×× This is tough but I gotta say that the first half of the drama kinda bored me out. I felt like most of the early stuff could've been shortened and it would be more perfect. 58 Episodes is really a lot but it's all worth it. However I felt like they could've used some of the unnecessary fillers to give us Bai Qian && Ye Hua's story enjoying their time with A-Li. They really felt short in showcasing that cute and wonderful child.

×× Next is some questionable plot materials that felt odd & ridiculous. First is Ye Hua's custom-made prosthetic arm that shouldn't be useful but right after his Heavenly Trial in Mortal Realm he was able to use it instantly and even utilized it in fighting the Former Ghost Lord. Like, common! Second is how the Soul-gathering-lamp was broken after Bai Qian threw it. I mean, I know she's a High God but that thing is supposedly an old artifact that should've been sturdy and magical... So how? Third is the power scaling... Being on that position of High God means that you got prestige and insane power, right? yet most of Bai Qian's fighting scenes is simply lacking and unimpressive. I don't wanna pick on this but it just stood out like a sore-thumb and it truly bothered me.

×× Finally! The fight scenes in general. It was so underwhelming and unimpressive to the point where I'm quetioning how come how are they defeating their opponents with such slow and pathetic movements. This is one of the areas where this drama left a huge hole for me and made me quite disappointed.

Story - 9.5, I went through so much contemplation and consideration before giving this rating cause the drama is certainly not perfect but I felt like most of the things I find underwhelming about it doesn't necessarily affected the story in a bad way and I felt like although some of them do affects my mood while watching the drama I just can't discredit it for how well-made the main story is. It was still a brilliant plot that gave us so much character development and story progression.

Acting/Cast - 10, Definitely! I must say that they got one of the FINEST among the C-dramas I've watched so far. The artists in this drama are magnificent in their role and I never felt bothered by anyone's acting even one bit. Even the side and extra's felt so damn good. The set of artists casted in this production is really remarkable.

Music - 9.5, The Music started as SO-SO during the first half of the drama but eventually redeemed itself towards the latter half. Although I find 50% of this dramas BGMs as flat and unimpactful they were still decent and never affected my mood in a bad way.

Rewatch Value - 9.5, I would Probably skip some of the scenes on episode 10-20 but I'll still surely watch it nonetheless. This drama gave me so much emotion and feels watching it. A drama that gets better and better as you watch it.

Overall - 9.5, Considering the things I felt underwhelmed about... I feel like this is the perfect score I can give to this production as a whole. This drama is truly impressive specially with its story progression and its highlight scenes but I can never overlook some of its flaws that made me a little bored and dissatisfied. Overall A Great drama that depicted Passionate True Love even after several misfortunes and challenges.

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An eternal, unwavering love first blossomed & later bloomed deep within the vast Red Sorghum field.

"You're a man. Even if the sky falls, you have to hold it up." - Dai Jiu Lian

Before anything else, let me just clarify and reiterate that this drama is titled Red Sorghum primarily because that's where they performed the 'deed' and where the tragic ending occurred, and not entirely because of the essence of winemaking. 🤣

I don't think I can start this review any other way than to express my indifference and contemplation on how I should feel about this drama. I am torn trying to decide whether to start a rant about how revolting the narrative was—completely brushing aside the fact that it is closely referenced on real life events—or give this production a staggering round of applause for its impeccable depiction of the excruciating, harrowing, and impoverished quality of life during the Minguo period. I am in distress!

From the very start, I was welcomed with multiple layers of explicit, disturbing, and violent content on top of one another, which on the surface may have seemed like a friendly reminder but in reality was a blatant warning that the journey ahead will be an utterly appalling, despicable experience—one that's heavily centered around scornful, contemptuous, and revolting events. Therefore, anyone planning to watch it better brace themselves and proceed only after taking extreme precautions by setting up proper expectations, performing thoughtful deliberation, and adopting a more receptive, broader perspective of the writer's intentions, as it is a piece that will undeniably induce growing animosity the more you watch it.

If there's a collective characteristic I truly disdain and feel disgusted by in this drama, it would be the legion of vile and nasty elements (abuse, cruelty, violence, murder, abduction, infidelity, rape, to mention a few) that were brazenly woven together and later meticulously wrapped in profound devastation, injustice, and suffering to create a seamless facade that masks the underlying inherent grim nature of this story. I was literally speechless after watching the first quarter of the drama because I never expected the theme to be this heavy and messy, that if someone were to ask me if I liked it or enjoyed it, I would answer, "Yes, with still reluctance and misgivings." Because despite my unquestionable irritation and frustration towards the narrative's brutal and unvarnished abhorrent depictions, there still are several aspects that made me stay seated and stick to watching the show. However, I don't think I can ever deny the reality that I was completely horrified, disturbed, and revolted multiple times due to the extremities of the story's premise—this is despite the fact that I grew up watching soap operas heavily induced with such content, yet I still struggle to sit through the show without flinching, especially since it's mostly women who are subjected to those atrocious and unjustifiable acts.

Conversely, I want to commend this production for effectively executing its core concept by masterfully embodying the turbulent, chaotic, and messy plot devices. It allows the story to retain its raw, bold, passionate, and unadulterated depiction of the scenes without holding back, serving us an exceptionally poignant and realistic presentation that enabled viewers to remain deeply invested in the narrative despite the inherent dark and sadistic nature of the writing.

Looking back at the time I spent watching this show, I must say that this is truly an interesting, bewildering, and evocative story that relentlessly went against and defied my expectations. It kept me guessing and had my anticipations high because nothing ever went the way I anticipated. The sheer unpredictability of the plot left me at my wit's end countless times for how uniquely unconventional they moved the story forward and how vastly unexpected and different the direction they took in each plot point compared to the majority of the dramas out there. I even reached a point when I started questioning my own comprehension as I struggled to determine if I was simply getting lost in translation or the story was just too eccentric and audacious that I ended up feeling led astray and lost multiple times. It was a writing style that never ceased to render me in shock for how frustrating and annoying it was, but at the same time, satisfyingly entertaining the entire time.

This is a drama that left me dumbfounded, seething out of frustration countless times because of the multiple scenes that never failed to make me go "Huh? This doesn't seem right...?" yet never failed to entertain me with their unconventional, audacious takes. It's one of the rare dramas I completely enjoyed despite its unusual storytelling. A production that left me in utter awe and made me realize how Minguo rural dramas are truly done differently—raw, dull, and almost bleak yet simultaneously full of hope because of the invigorating will, resilience, and enthusiasm of people to simply survive and live a better life.

The part of the story that left me completely speechless, out of sheer disappointment, was seeing a solid, promising climax wasted by an anticlimactic ending. Up until this point, I still cannot comprehend how we ended up with such a tragic, open-ended story when it could have easily been a satisfying, closed-ended one, especially considering its staggering 60 episodes. Like, what was their intention in leaving us hanging after killing almost everyone? Even the FL was not spared! They could have easily utilized her death as fuel to ignite the fire and retaliate even harder—but they did not. Seriously, where is their commitment? Geez! I was genuinely waiting for more, as I somehow thought it had 65 episodes given how much was left to uncover, so I was utterly baffled when they just ended it right there and then. This is a total disrespect I never foresaw and will never forgive. Ever!

That said, let me list down some of the scenes that stood out to me in a negative way for how ridiculously questionable and infuriating they are:

• The relentless and blatant drive to persecute the male lead, Yu Zhan Ao. They cornered him so hard that it eventually forced him to become a fugitive—or, as Jiu Hao San claims, a bandit. He was pushed beyond his limit, leaving him at a point of no return. It's absurd how he was always blamed for the inadvertent deaths of the people around him when it's technically not his fault, making it feel heavily contrived after the third instance. Those people died due to their own misactions and incompetence, yet he still ended up being blamed anyway. It's like the heavens were playing games with him, forcing him down a corrupted path when all this time he had been working hard to live a simple, earnest life.

• The countless times Jiu Hao San committed such immoral and wicked deeds. I've lost count and totally forgotten the many instances where he crafted such vicious and vile plans, so I have decided to simply provide a couple of examples of his heinous acts. Among them were how his insecurity and doubtful views of Yu Zhan Ao inevitably forced him to become a fugitive, and how he opted to use Jiu Er and Yu Zhan Ao's children as hostages. Absolutely despicable!

• The plot in which Jiu Er was forcing her son, Dou Guan, to address Shu Xian as Mother—that entire sequence was so exasperating that I was left with nothing but pure rage toward Jiu Er the whole time. I can't imagine how horrified and traumatized Dou Guan must have been! One of the most incredibly loathsome plots in the story.

• Jiu Er's uncalled-for remorse after her plan succeeded as retaliation for Shu Xian's failed abduction scheme. I commend Shu Xian for keeping an unapologetic stance—acting as if she had not orchestrated such a malevolent act—as it proves her unwavering commitment and dedication to her goal. What I can't stomach though, was her audacity to act victimized over her ruined reputation right after the success of Jiu Er's payback scheme, when she was literally being shamelessly unapologetic about her own actions just one episode prior! What a hypocritical crybully! However, believe it or not, what pissed me off the most was how Jiu Er immediately felt remorseful and tried to appease and console Shu Xian. I understand Jiu Er's actions given how kind-hearted she is, but she should remember how Shu Xian ordered the bandits to have her abducted and killed, whereas she only planned to ruin her reputation. If Shu Xian cannot accept such retaliation, then why act so vilely in the first place? She deserved it! If she wished to take her own life after that, then that was her choice. She brought it upon herself as a direct consequence of her own atrocity!

• Luo Han's double standard in blaming Jiu Er for Shu Xian's demise. He was a total hypocrite. I will never fathom how he could blame Jiu Er for Shu Xian's demise, considering it was simply the aftermath of her own actions. I was so mad when he directed all the blame toward Jiu Er, especially since all this time he had been standing right in front of Shu Xian—defending her, shielding her, and justifying her wrongdoings. So he should be held responsible instead! I appreciate his initiative to save Jiu Er and how he kept his morals and logic intact most of the time, but I can never overlook how he always undermined and passed off Shu Xian's obsession, greed, and misdeeds as a mere byproduct of her long years of suffering, endurance, and hard work serving the Shan family, expecting people to just move on after damage had been inflicted, trust broken, and respect lost. Grrr! I am so infuriated. The only redeeming factor of his character was his devotion to his passion and to the women of the Shan family—even though it's as clear as day that he is biased toward Shu Xian.

• Jiu Er blaming Yu Zhan Ao for Luo Han's death. It was one of the scenes that made me go, "Whuttt?" Yes, Yu Zhan Ao failed to save him, but it was never his fault that Luo Han's unyielding morals and principles inevitably led him to his own death. I would even argue that Luo Han was insensitive and selfish for not thinking about his wife before taking that action, which eventually resulted in her choosing to die with him.

If I were to mention a remarkable scene that will forever be etched in my mind whenever I think of this drama, it would be Jiu Er's childbirth scene. It was hands down my favorite scene in the story. From the schemes, the build-up, the panic, the tension, and the emotional payoff right after, everything came together and created an unforgettable experience that went above and beyond! It was absolute perfection in every way, which also proves that kindness always pays off.

What stood out the most though was Zhou Xun's portrayal. What a stellar actress! She's the backbone of the story, and this drama would be nowhere near as phenomenal without her. I especially loved all of her juicy confrontation scenes, where she uses sharp, paradoxical wit to mask her sarcasm—frequently leaving the other person in utter disbelief and deep reflection. Those scenes were satisfyingly delicious. I consumed them very well.

In retrospect, I think this show's greatest underlying message has always been: In turbulent times, all you need is a woman—one who lightens your gloomy day, pulls you up when you are down, puts logic into your life, and guides you back to the right path. One who will stay and always choose you at all times—over and over again, no matter how dangerous and tough life gets. This passage ironically explains the ending, because after Jiu Er died, the whole show ended. Hahaha!

In conclusion, this story is packed with unconventionally frustrating plot points that left me feeling helpless and dumbfounded by how insanely unreasonable they were. What made it even worse, aside from the ending, were the tactless and thick-faced characters who shamelessly lectured everyone on righteousness while their own actions contradicted their every word. It pissed me off endlessly, yet I just couldn’t bring myself to walk away.

P.S. I just want to dedicate this final section of my review to our Female Lead, Dai Jiu Lian/Jiu Er. She is Audacious, Bold, Courageous, Decisive, and Resolute. She is in a league of her own, a force to be reckoned with, and the very definition of "Who runs the world? GIRLS!"

Story - 8.0, Trust me, I so wanted to rate this higher, but the ending just spoiled everything for me. I had already ignored and exhausted every ounce of rationality within me just to look at the logical side of the narrative—no matter how harrowing and heinous it had become. So, giving us such a disappointing ending in return after all that tolerance was just too much for me to forgive.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, Truth be told, this show got an overall impressive ensemble. I will never be able to stress enough how satisfied I am with this lineup. Aside from the dubbing on Zhu Yawen—which was such a pity—the only performance I found lacking among the main cast was Wang Zijia as Xiao Yan. My top high praises still go to both Yu Rongguang and Qin Hailu, while my highest praise goes to none other than Zhou Xun. She's the very epitome of calm and collected to me, and I just love her unbreakable composure amidst all unprecedented calamities. She is the reason why I can't hate Jiu Er, no matter how annoying she is sometimes. Her face etches the very word kindness—one where, no matter what, you know she will do you no harm. Truly an immaculate portrayal.

Music - 8.0, The only song that left a lasting impression on me was the poignant opening theme. It is the only song I can recall from this drama, aside from the woeful, melancholic tunes played during the heartbreaking scenes.

Rewatch Value - 7.0, The sole reason you can have me watch it again, given its daunting episode count, is for Zhou Xun and her alone. Although I can grasp the logic behind the scenes—only after undergoing rigorous reflection—even those upsetting and seemingly illogical ones, it was still completely disappointing for a lengthy drama to have a tragic ending, given that they could have used the overwhelming 60 episodes to produce a much more reasonable and worthy conclusion. What a letdown.

Overall - 8.5, Watching this was never an easy journey, given its heavy and dark theme, but despite that, I still found myself binge-watching the entire show without even a tiny skip within 8 days, which says a lot since I can typically finish a drama of 30 to 40 episodes within 6–7 days. One thing is for sure: this show got me utterly hooked and greatly entertained, despite all its negative aspects.

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From Gripping to Deplorable: How Careless, Incompetent Writing Ruined the Final Arc | Stellar Acting

"Remember this, Jiang Taohua. I'm not someone you can just call on and cast aside. This marriage was your choice. Even if it leads to nowhere, you have to see it through with me." - Shen Zai Ye

My main purpose for writing this is to refute and debunk the negative reviews posted for this show here on MDL. I feel like they have gotten completely out of hand, unfairly tarnishing the drama's reputation that it clearly doesn't deserve. It's just concerning how the review section was swarmed with massive backlash when, in reality, three-quarters of the show was well-made, making the story not bad at all. I think it is about time we give this story the love and appreciation it rightfully deserves.

Completing this drama made me question the immense hate it has received here on MDL. Honestly, I don't understand where those reviewers are coming from by dragging the entire story down, because contrary to the critically panned reviews I have read here, I, on the other hand, was deeply captivated and entertained while watching this show. It was not bad at all compared to how people described it—be it the storyline, the plot, or even the execution. I would even argue that this is far better than most historical C-dramas you can find out there that utilize the same plots and over time suffer from overwhelming plot holes left and right.

The story was thrilling and compelling. The main plot was tightly woven, while the sub-plots became a great foundation that carried the story forward. Although I will admit that there are plot holes towards the final 6 episodes, but most of them are considerably minimal and did not entirely ruin the show for me. It did cause annoyance and irritation, sure, but definitely not to the point where I thought of dropping the show. Truth be told, throughout my watch journey, it never crossed my mind to drop this drama.

Even the midpoint part, which I thought would finally make me utterly frustrated—based on other viewers' reviews—because of the worn-out amnesia trope, surprisingly didn't put me off at all. In fact, it was executed with the utmost care, attention, and control, adding just the right amount of drama needed to progress the plot and develop the MLs (Shen Zai Ye) romantic feelings for the FL (Jiang Tao Hua) while keeping the story logically sound. I can go as far as to say that this is among the top 5 best executions of the amnesia trope I have watched in C-dramaland to date.

Let me also commend the deliberate utilization and execution of the espionage and political plot devices. I appreciate that they were not utilized mindlessly for some unnecessary drama, and were instead used in a more rational sense that maintains the harmony and consistency in the narrative. What's more admirable is that both of our main leads are not just intelligent but are equally experienced individuals who are capable of easily adapting to any situation they are thrown into, by anticipating outcomes and maintaining contingency plans. Those traits put me at ease and allowed me to enjoy the story without worrying much that one of them might suddenly make a dumb move that may put them in a dire situation. They both work independently but are always there to help one another whenever one is in need of assistance. Which actually leads to my next point...

Although I was particularly annoyed with Jiang Taohua in several instances for stubbornly rejecting Shen Zaiye's help and offers, I just appreciated how he was always there, instinctively, whenever she needed him. It was delightful to witness how he gradually evolved into a companion who knew how to read and understand her without words, and vice versa. This made their cooperation much more wholesome because both of them were present for each other's tough times, even without being asked.

If there's one factor that baffled and disappointed me, one that deserves fierce criticism, it would be the writers' careless decision, combined with their incompetence in providing us with formidable enemies capable of rivaling our highly intelligent main leads. I understand the reason why Empress Lv was kept as one of the main antagonist. However, I think it was otherwise an utterly foolish decision to take out Meng Huaijin—the most promising enemy we could have reserved for the climax—early in the story, only to replace him with the obsessively smitten Mu Wuyin, who has a severe nanny complex. It was just preposterous how they confidently committed to the decision of eliminating their most capable and promising character but failed miserably to develop their chosen one to his full potential—later on even reducing him to a mere, pathetic, highly deluded, lovesick guy. It was just absurd how Mu Wuyin turned from a seemingly clever man into an insane, melancholic, heartbroken damsel in distress towards the pre-climax. They did him dirty, which eventually backfired as it reflects their miscommitment and haste in choosing their main antagonist.

To be clear, I initially wasn't bothered by Meng Huaijin's early death, as it was reasonable and an inevitable outcome at the time—a crucial move to intensify the conflicts in the story and what I presumed would help the plot move forward to a more groundbreaking climax, especially since I had high expectations that they had something more impressive in store for us. However, it was after the pre-climax when the realization finally sank in how they had wasted Meng Huaijin's potential just to make way for the undeserving Mu Wuyin, who ended up being a pathetic and incompetent character in the end. I was left in a state of disbelief, disgust, and disappointment, to the point where I wished Meng Huaijin had not been killed. It's just unforgivable how they sacrificed what could have been an ultimate battle of wits and intelligence for a plot that's merely driven by lust and romantic obsession. It was even more frustrating that the main antagonists we ended up having are a pair of shallow individuals who are only capable when using underhanded schemes, but are greatly overwhelmed and outwitted once faced with unprecedented adversities.

In conclusion, the antagonists designated for the finale are a pair of pathetically disappointing and underwhelming individuals. The only praiseworthy villain that comes to mind is Meng Zhenzhen. I appreciate how they further developed her character in the story while maintaining her rationality until the end! She always had a redemption path laid out for her to choose from, and it's satisfying how she always chose that option.

The next point I want to talk about is the last six episodes, which encompass the climax and the ending. This is the part where minor absurdities and plot holes started spawning left and right. My review will be much longer if I expound on them one by one, so I will just list down my frustrations below:

• The blatant act of letting the main antagonists escape a couple of times: First, in episode 30 towards the end of the Luocheng Arc, they could have easily apprehended Mu Wuyin while his spirit was broken and he was in a state of total devastation after realizing Empress Lv's betrayal, yet they did not. Second, in episode 33, when they were trying to suppress Empress Lv and Mu Wuyin during their attempt to usurp the throne, they yet again allowed them to escape when they were literally right in front of their eyes.

• The hasty assumption of their deaths: In episode 33, I also cannot fathom how they almost immediately concluded that both Empress Lv and Mu Wuyin had died in the fire, without harboring any doubts that it might be a scheme.

• The cliché negotiation: In episode 36, Shen Zaiye tries to talk rationality into Empress Lv's head as if she would ever listen. Thank God Jiang Taohua was there. It was an utterly ridiculous scene to watch—a very worn-out, cliché element.

• The logical oversight with the Yinghuo Flower: In episode 36, when the Yinghuo Flower was burning, they could have literally used their feet to kick the flowers away, since some of them were visibly not engulfed in flames yet, but they did not.

• The frustrating inaction: In episode 36, after Jiang Taohua is freed from the cage cell, instead of helping Shen Zaiye escape as well, she simply stands in front of it in a daze, looking at her master, Qian Mochen, as he dies. At that point, I just gave up.

It's farcical how the script diminished their foresight and sharp judgment towards the end, reducing them from highly perceptive leads into sloppy and careless individuals who overlook obvious things just to create additional drama.

Lastly, I just want to express my gratitude to the writers for keeping the overly annoying and impulsive Xiang Qingying (Shen Zaiye's sister) at bay. She was initially my greatest character frustration in this show, and I am just glad she did not turn out to be even more irritating towards the end. I was even happy that her skills were finally highlighted during the Luocheng arc.

Story - 9.0, To keep facts straight, I totally enjoyed the first 30 episodes of this drama. My dissatisfaction only kicked in when they finally revealed the utterly deplorable path they had woven for Mu Wuyin, alongside the several narrative hiccups and plot holes I mentioned above.

Acting/Cast - 10, What a solid ensemble. What was shown here were top-notch, emotionally expressive, and controlled acting performances from the actors and actresses. I'm extremely impressed by how they truly embody their characters' emotions as if they were their own. Above all, I have to give it to our main leads—Meng Ziyi's big, round eyes made me deeply fixated and absorbed in her acting, while Liu Xueyi expressed his character masterfully in every aspect.

Music - 10, What I love most about this drama's OST is that it's entirely ballads, and they exquisitely carried and heightened the emotional depth of the story.

Rewatch Value - 8.0, If only they didn't degrade Mu Wuyin into a nasty piece of lovesick shit and did not incorporate all those plot holes that tainted the main leads' formidably established attributes, I could have rated this higher.

Overall - 9.0,  Even with my complaints toward Mu Wuyin and the several plot holes in the story, I can still bravely declare that this is a nice watch overall. The last six episodes caught me off guard and left me completely baffled, but I don't think it was to a point where it entirely destroyed the foundation of the story. It is underwhelming, yes, but definitely not to a destructive level.

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A Great Catastrophe: Born of the Insurmountable Obsession w/ Cai Pingshu—the De Facto Protagonist.

"To judge a person, you should not look at how good they are in good times, but how bad they can be in bad times." - Mu Qingyan

I don't think I can start this review any other way than to address how our main leads were thoroughly utilized as mere instruments to honor the legacy of the valiant Cai Pingshu and clean up after the mess of several other crooked-minded predecessors.

What I thought was a simple flashback—a tribute to their predecessors' prowess—turned out to be the main plotline little by little. It was a narrative progression I had never foreseen, and something that caught me completely off-guard. It was an element of the story that utterly bewildered me upon discovery because, as the plot progressed, it gradually took over and soon revolved heavily around them instead of our two main protagonists. This deviation overshadowed, and ultimately stole, the story's focus from our "supposed" main leads, stealthily stripping away their identity as the legitimate main characters of the story. This structural subversion significantly reduced them to being mere icing on the cake—ones who were bestowed with life and characteristics for the sole purpose of unraveling and denouncing the hidden, filthy truth behind the atrocious events of the previous generation, revisiting the connection and friendship they built, honoring the sacrifices they made, and ultimately taking revenge for Cai Pingshu—the de facto protagonist of this show.

Was I disappointed? Damn, Yes! How could I not be when what I thought to be a simple, prolonged flashback appearing every now and then—one that lasted through approximately the first 10 episodes and that I assumed ended for good—suddenly came back several episodes later and became the core narrative the story goes back to every time, and later permanently rotates around? I am still in disbelief! I felt like I was tricked, because little did I know that they simply took a quick break from those flashbacks to "somehow" develop the main leads' story, only to shortly go back to the same track again. This progression was definitely not on my bingo card when I picked this series. At this point, it won't even be an exaggeration to declare that this story is a memoir, a grand tribute to the legacy of the legendary Cai Pingshu.

One distinctive attribute of this story's writing style that utterly mystified me—and totally deserves a resounding round of applause—was their flawless ability to manage the story's flow and transitions without seemingly overshadowing the main protagonists, simply because they are still technically the ones fighting the antagonists. *Eyerolls* It was meticulously executed to the point where it may have gone unnoticed by some, unless you're like me who's extra sensitive to and incredibly invested in the main leads.

To be fair, I was not hypercritical of the flashbacks at first. It only became a concerning factor for me when they finally went overboard by investing more than half of the show's runtime in the previous generation and their unresolved conflicts, instead of focusing on the new generation's growth and journey—as they should, since they are the main leads being promoted.

That said, just because they provided an excessive amount of exposure to the previous generation—more than I think should have been given—doesn't mean the leads lacked sufficient character development. It was never like that. In fact, I can say that the leads' arcs were still compellingly realized. Their story, although highly influenced by the past generation's conflicts, was still properly developed with steady pacing, consistent growth, and a beautiful ending—all of which were nicely dissected and delved into through different means, but most commonly through flashbacks. Countless, endless flashbacks... since that is something they are experts at. Lol

At the end of the day, it's just a mix of accumulated emotions—feeling disappointed, bewildered, and in total disbelief. Imagine, even the time that should've been spent exclusively on the main leads was instead spent on yet another batch of countless flashbacks that heavily included the past generation's shenanigans. *Sighs* Mind you, I was initially curious and interested in the past generation's story too, but as time passed, I gradually got tired of it because they were just being shown way too much.

In addition, despite the good flow of the story, there really were some scenes that made my forehead crease, my eyebrows raise, and my eyes roll at the farcical plot devices. Some of those scenes include:

First, the male lead creating their own demise. Mu Qingyan repeatedly stated his desire to kill Nie Zhe once he captured him. Yet, he allowed himself to be manipulated by Nie Zhe's diversion technique, which used his emotional weakness and caused him to escape—when he could have easily slit his throat, since his sword was literally half an inch away from his neck. I understand that he still wanted to squeeze more information from him, but I never expected him to be a victim of such schemes given how smart he is.

Second, the frustration toward Cai Zhao's parents. They forced her to leave Luoying Valley to train at the Qingque Sect and enter the Pugilistic world, when all she ever wanted was to become a businesswoman—even with the infamous knowledge that their Cai lineage has been known to produce the so-called "Demoness" for the past several generations. Thus, I find it infuriating how they reacted with shock upon learning that Cai Zhao has a mutual romantic relationship with Mu Qingyan, when they should have fully expected it following their family's historical pattern. It's just ridiculous that they have the audacity to react this way when they are equally responsible for this foreseeable outcome. On the positive side, I loved how they finally grew to accept and support Mu Qingyan toward the climax.

Third, Cai Zhao's misplaced trust in her sect mates and master, Qi Yunke. It was grating to watch her stay in denial about her master's involvement and identity as the "Man in Black," even when the evidence was pointing directly at them. More so, it is outrageous how she cried and felt conflicted about what to do with him when he deserved nothing but a painful death for the countless innocent lives he took to achieve his utterly crooked revenge.

Fourth, the leads' pitiful state. It made me scoff out of frustration to see how vulnerable, weak, and miserable both of our leads were during the final fight scene of the climax. This entire situation could have been avoided if the FL hadn't hesitated to suspect or doubt her master in the first place.

Fifth, the excessive amount of blood splattering. The sheer volume of blood in this drama felt completely unnecessary. 😅

After completing this series, one issue that totally stood out to me was the production's greed to introduce most, if not everyone, in Cai Pingshu's circle of friends from her generation. This became a considerable concern because the majority of them don't even participate in the main story's timeline—and even if they did, it was just for an irrelevant, ephemeral scene—yet the show constantly jumped between flashbacks of their younger selves and scenes of their older selves in the present time. This created so much confusion because, aside from the fact that they were never given enough individual screen time to establish themselves, there are just so many of them. So keeping track of who is who became a truly overwhelming struggle for me, especially when they were all clumped together. It reached a point where I just didn't give a fuck at all by the end.

On a brighter note, I want to praise them instead for their seamless buildup and execution of the final enemy's identity reveal. Up until the very end, I didn't dare conclude who the final antagonist was until it was officially revealed—my primary suspect was Li Wenxun. The production did an impeccable job crafting Qi Yunke's identity as a righteous, pure-as-white man, to the point that I didn't dare doubt him even a little. I know that this is an extremely cliché plot device, but I have to say they did a stellar job with it; I never held any suspicions toward him, nor did I ever doubt him.

To finally conclude this review, I just want to say that I still thoroughly enjoyed this story despite all my rants, unfavorable feedback, and complaints. I love how our main leads match and rival each other's wits—he was an excellent manipulator and she was highly perceptive—leaving no room to develop any "I'm oblivious to your schemes" drama because they could see through each other's plans along the way. I also love the ending so much! I appreciate how he stuck true to his word about marrying into her family and settling down in Luoyin Valley. There is simply no better way to end their perilous journey than this.

"Cai Zhao, listen to me. We can never be separated. So what if my meridians are severed? Even if I am reduced to ashes, I will return to find you." - Mu Qingyan

Story - 9.0, The story was actually well-crafted—fast-paced and progressive. If they had at least halved the number of flashbacks, everything would have been perfect. It's just frustrating how I came here for the main leads but ended up drowning in Cai Pingshu and her generation's unresolved drama.

Acting/Cast - 9.5, I was planning to give this a 9.0 rating, but I was reminded of how the actors pulled off the excessive amount of blood splatting and vomiting, and I thought I should give them credit for that. lmao This is my first Zhou Yiran drama, but the one who captured my attention the most remained to be Bao Shang'en—despite this being my third drama of hers. Her styling here was insane! It was simple, plain, and muted, with absolutely nothing fancy about it, yet it looked exquisitely crafted for her, making her naturally beautiful features and body proportions stand out in a graceful, striking manner.

Music - 8.0, The songs beautifully accompanied every scene from the beginning until the end. I don't particularly have a favorite, but I certainly love the ballad track the best.

Rewatch Value - 7.0, Despite it being beautifully and evocatively written, I don't think I can sit through all of the flashbacks ever again. This rating is solely based on the narrative's positive aspects.

Overall - 9.0, Honestly, I think the writer and the entire production team should go back on set to film a prequel to this show focusing on the previous generation, just to fulfill their unconcealable obsession with them. Dang! I still feel a bitter distaste in my mouth whenever I think of how our leads were discreetly stripped of their roles as the main protagonists.

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The chaotic escape in pursuit of reclaiming riches, living a better life and obtaining true love. <3

"Paths are made by walking. No path is predetermined. If we don't want this path, we can choose another. Follow your heart, and reach where you wish." - Luo Lingyu

Stumbling upon and picking up this drama brought back great excitement and nostalgia to me. It took me back to the times when I was new to C-dramaland and was binge-watching idol dramas non-stop without much expectation or prejudice—just watching for fun, a good laugh, and a silly, cringey love story. It was a great reminder of how my obsession with C-dramas started and how much my tastes have matured since then—especially regarding production quality and value—after consuming countless S+ tier dramas.

Although this series exhibits the eccentric, unrestrained antics of a typical idol drama, what sets it apart—both past and present—is its narrative cohesiveness and impressive characterization. These elements feel like a long-lost art, especially since most costume idol dramas feel so hastily and carelessly put together nowadays.

Right from the start, the engaging plot piqued my interest. Even though it gets cringey at times due to typical idol drama tropes, I’ve never once felt irritated watching it. In fact, bingeing it episode by episode has been incredibly fun. It brings back a nostalgic feeling—something I've sorely missed. It feels like rediscovering a spark I thought was long lost, especially since the quality of costume idol dramas has plummeted over the years while my own standards have risen.

This show started strong and compelling, and it ended just as beautifully. Although there were occasional slip-ups, they were just minor plot holes that were resolved almost immediately within the same episode. So, whining and complaining about them feels nonsensical since they were literally addressed right away. Additionally, each plot point was indulgently thought out, resulting in a highly anticipated narrative that was incredibly entertaining to watch.

I had a lot of fun binge-watching the entirety of the story. Even though I found the entire Obsessive Ex-Husband (Fan Qing Chen) arc grating to watch, it actually wasn't bad at all. In fact, it flows and connects nicely to the main plot. If anything, my frustration stemmed from the choice of the final antagonist. I expected the climax and final conflict to revolve around defeating and convicting Prime Minister Chen and Mr. Kong of their crimes, not around Fan Qing Chen’s obsession and delusion regarding the female lead, Luo Ling Yu.

Anticipating a grand showdown with the story's true ultimate villains kept me on edge, so pivoting to a lovesick lunatic—who should have been dealt with ages ago—really ruined my mood. While Prime Minister Chen and Mr. Kong's downfalls were thoroughly satisfying, I still have a bitter taste in my mouth because they deserved to be the final hurdle—ending act. Imagine gearing up for a high-stakes chess match, only to end up in a psychological thriller about an ex-husband. *Exasperated sigh*

All things considered, having Fan Qingchen as the final antagonist worked surprisingly well. His aspirations and determination were entirely valid; he simply took the wrong path because he was oblivious to, or directly disregarded Luo Lingyu's feelings and predicaments. This ultimately led to his miserable situation and downfall. Furthermore, given that the romance spanned three-quarters of the plot alongside the heavy political intrigue, positioning him as the final enemy feels entirely justified upon reflection.

The ending, on the other hand, fascinated me and at the same time made me extremely happy. At last, she found herself a matrilocal husband—fitting what she was originally looking for—who was wholeheartedly willing to be one.

"From now on, I live as a member of the Luo clan, and in death, a spirit of your clan." - Lu Yun

Moving forward, let me mention the plot holes, flaws, and some other factors that affected my experience watching this show.

1. Her sister's age doesn't make sense. She said that it was 10 years ago when their parents sent them to their uncle in Shouzhou City. However, during that flashback, her sister looked like she was at least 3 to 5 years old. Therefore, her sister should be between 13 and 15 years old in the current timeline, but she appears to be around 6 to 9, which doesn't make sense at all.

2. I was so flabbergasted that despite their tough upbringing, this little sister (Luo Yun Hua) of hers remained spoiled and unable to read situations. She's reliable, I'll give her that, but her unruly behavior completely negates her good traits. It totally reminded me of the time Luo Lingyu lectured her on the boat. What a whiny, annoying kid.

3. I read a MyDramaList (MDL) review last month by someone hating on a child actress for her irritating portrayal. At the time, I found it harsh and unnecessary. But man, weeks later, here I am getting so irritated by this child actress (Li Zhi Mo) for being unbearably annoying as time passes! This is one of the reasons why I was grateful that she received little to almost no screentime at all during the second half of the show.

4. In episode 25, Lu Yun invading the enemy camp alone was just utterly stupid. It was a total suicide mission. I get that his emotions got the best of him, but wouldn't it be way wiser to actually plan things first instead of attacking blindly and unprepared? Gracious!

I read through several MDL reviews and noticed how some people hated the FL (Luo Ling Yu) for how brazen, shameless, unapologetic, and merciless she was during the first half of the show. However, by contrast, those exact qualities are what made me like her and drew me to her character. I view her behavior as a coping mechanism, given the harsh environment she grew up in after her parents passed away. She was simply hardened by her own tough experiences, which is entirely reasonable if you look at it from a different perspective. Moreover, her strange ways and beliefs made her more interesting in my eyes. She was unconventional, impertinent, and clever, which became the ultimate catalyst for her chemistry with the ML (Lu Yun), making them far more chaotically entertaining to watch.

In addition, one striking quality I genuinely love about her is her unwavering optimism. She views every problem as just a minor setback. She’s like a human power bank—someone you can always recharge your positivity and energy from during tough times.

"Face challenges bravely, and deal with obstacles wisely. We'll overcome all hardships. Things will be resolved." - Luo Lingyu

Lastly, I’m incredibly grateful that this production didn't force another CP into the story. That wise, magnificent decision allowed the two existing CPs to truly shine without crowding the plot with too many pairings.

P.S. I really love the royal family in this drama. They are all on the same wavelength, characterized by a light vibe, a kind demeanor, and an innocence that leaves them blissfully oblivious to certain things—which makes them incredibly adorable and pleasant to watch.

Story - 9.0, I could have given it a higher rating if they hadn't messed up the final antagonists and the order in which they were supposed to be dealt with. This element was a total game-changer for me because it changed the trajectory of the story from a nerve-wracking match of wit to a psychological thriller about an ex-husband. Additionally, I wish they had controlled and balanced the facial expressions and actions of the child actress playing Luo Yun Hua. I'm sorry, but she was really annoying! Huhu

Acting/Cast - 9.5, ​I have decided to give this rating given that this is an idol drama and they should be acting silly, goofy, and playful most of the time. If anything, I want to commend our main cast—Allen Fang, Jelly Lin, Charles Lin, Zhao Qing, and Guo Jianan—for their exceptional execution of their characters. Dare I say that they're certified masters of idol drama acting. The reason why this is lacking that last 0.5 is because of Li Zhi Mo, the child actress. I am so sorry!

Music - 9.5, This show reminded me exactly what an idol drama OST sounds like. The entire playlist is the embodiment of the genre, perfectly capturing the vibe and complementing the mood of the show. The tracks exude a vibrant, playful, and beautiful energy that fits the drama perfectly.

Rewatch Value - 8.5, The story as a whole is nice and recommendable for people looking for a light and fun drama. Personally, I'm just not into idol dramas anymore and probably won't rewatch it. I'm giving it this rating because the plot is nice and it really is an enjoyable show to watch.

Overall - 9.0, It was truly an entertaining show to watch, and I think this score is the best rating I could give it, given my issues with it and considering my entire experience watching the show.

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Strong premise & buildup ruined by the uncalled-for Climax | Agonizing blindspot crossdressing trope

"When above others, treat them as equals. When below others, maintain your integrity." - Yin Xiang (Chu Zhao's Maid)

First off, this is actually my second attempt at this drama. During my first try, the cliché opening scene made me drop it immediately. Now that I have mustered enough mental stability and patience to finally give it another shot, I have to admit it’s not bad at all. In fact, it is an entertaining show. You just really have to feign ignorance and act convinced by the 'obviously a girl but somehow fooling the entire army' trope they're trying to establish and you will be fine—which can truly be challenging for people who despise such illogical, cliché plots.

I honestly don't want to dwell too much on the negative aspects of the story. Instead, I want to write a genuine review by avoiding sarcastic and shady remarks, and the only way I can do that is by addressing the elephant in the room firsthand. So, let me start this review by saying that the major flaw of this story—one that baffled me and stuck with me throughout the entire first half—remained the "renowned female general disguised as a man who was never discovered despite obviously looking like a woman" trope. It was just not convincing at all, no matter how hard I tried to force myself to believe it.

The FL (He Ru Fei/He Yan) was short and slim—a true embodiment of a woman from her childhood until her adulthood. So, I cannot wrap my head around the logic that her classmates, and more so the ML (Xiao Jue) who knew her and interacted with her since her teenage years, failed to notice and/or see through her disguise at all—with or without her full-face mask on. What's even more flabbergasting is how he didn't notice her being a woman, or recognize her as He Ru Fei, when she joined the army as He Yan without her mask. I just find it ridiculously impossible that Xiao Jue failed to recognize He Yan's uncanny resemblance to He Ru Fei, given their history together, her height, physique, build, voice, and other similar factors—especially since she never deliberately attempted to change her pitch, gestures, or movements at all. I think it's utterly stupid and absurd how it took them so long to catch on to her act of deception when the similarities were as clear as day. Are they really that dumb and dense? I have long accepted that masks can be a huge factor in Chinese costume dramas, but I just can't fathom how, even without them, they are getting deceived. Ghad!

In conclusion, The Female General title would have been perfectly fine, if only they didn't ask the audience to swallow the unbelievable and unconvincing fact that no one noticed He Ru Fei/He Yan was a woman all along. *Sighs*

The storytelling during the first 32 episodes was completely entertaining. It was fast-paced and highly compelling. My prejudice against the show was gradually vanishing with every passing episode. At one point, I even regretted not watching it through to the end on my first attempt. One reason I could think of for this is that they didn't waste much time re-telling or looking back at the past of the main leads together. Instead, they dedicated a 30-second to 1-minute time span—right after the opening theme—for roughly 3 to 5 episodes to show us a brief recollection of their past. This gave us enough general knowledge of how their relationship was formed without wasting a huge amount of time on flashbacks. It was such a clever and efficient idea that saved plenty of time, piqued my interest, and made me more invested in how their romantic relationship would bloom in the current timeline.

One instance that completely threw me off during the first 32 episodes occurs in Episode 26, right around the 21-minute mark, when He Yan panics while looking for Xiao Jue in the middle of a battle, thinking he is gravely injured or, worse, killed. It honestly would have been a fine, natural reaction—if only she hadn't gone frantic, shouting and running around. Like, girl? You can't seriously be having a mental breakdown, lowering your guard in the middle of a freaking war, aren't you? If Xiao Jue hadn't survived and saved her, she most certainly would have been killed.

While this trope is incredibly common in dramas, this was truly one of those moments that made me roll my eyes and scoff at how ridiculously absurd the scene was. She's a general with hundreds, if not thousands, of people under her command, for Pete's sake! She shouldn't be letting her guard down and making herself completely vulnerable in the middle of a battle, especially since the enemies haven't been fully defeated yet. Ugh! At least in other dramas I've watched that utilized this trope used a character's "death" as great motivation, fueling their will and tenacity, compared to how she immediately became a damsel in distress open to assault. *Facepalm*

I should also mention that although I found the filler episodes unnecessary at first, it was only as the story progressed and reached the climax that I understood why they were included. They give us crucial background information about what transpired in the past so we don't get lost when the narrative shifts back to the main conflict. That way, we aren't left wondering where the hatred and grievances came from and how it all started.

Finally! Let me talk about the rather disappointing ending that disturbed and sullied the trajectory of the story's otherwise seamless flow for me.

Although the main conflict wrapped up sooner than expected, it was actually brilliantly executed. It concluded satisfyingly through the main leads' well-crafted plan of convicting the main antagonists (Xu Jingfu & He Ruifei) of their crimes by using their own scheme against them.

What truly bothers me is the realization that the main conflict ended four episodes ahead of the drama's conclusion—in episode 32. At that point, I was contemplating whether to feel disappointed that the main conflict ended ahead of the show's actual finale, or grateful that they wrapped it up early, which would theoretically allow us to enjoy some relationship progression and the casual, day-to-day trivialities of the main leads and supporting characters. However, that feeling of confusion and contemplation completely vanished when they started bombarding us with uncalled-for tragedies (Yan He 😭) and extremely late, unnecessary conflicts in the main leads' relationship. It felt like it was done for one specific reason: to eliminate Chu Zhao and have him disappear completely.

If they wanted to bring down Chu Zhao so badly, wouldn't it have been much more reasonable to do it much earlier? I understand that they wanted to show us how madly deluded and crazily in love he is. But wouldn't it be more satisfying if he was convicted sooner for his collusion with and crimes alongside the Prime Minister, rather than the crime he was actually convicted for—which was just sowing discord and creating suspicion in the Emperor's mind? What's more infuriating is how he got such a light punishment after all the tragedy and casualties he caused. It was maddening how, at the end, he was only dismissed, barred from ever being reinstated, and banished never to return. When he clearly deserved execution for all the lives lost because of his schemes! *Throws hands up in frustration*

The climax to ending was truly anticlimactic! I don't know why they couldn't just allow the story to end happily by omitting the tragedies, especially when they easily could have done so. It seems to me that the writers fell into the classic trap of dragging out a conflict for cheap, late-stage drama, completely sacrificing a satisfying conclusion just to force a more "dramatic" ending—which turned out horribly.

This drama really should have ended at episode 32 or 33, as all the conflict they fabricated in the last 3-4 episodes could have been left up to the viewers' imagination. It brought nothing positive to the narrative; it only ruined the perfect impression we had of Xiao Jue's strong, unwavering devotion to He Yan and stripped Yan He of the highly anticipated—and what should have been a greatly celebrated—meeting with his firstborn. I'm still mad that they deprived him of seeing, carrying, and embracing his child because they suddenly decided to kill him. I'm still mourning his death. He was such an adorable character and is my absolute favorite in this show. Good grief!

Additionally, I've realized that no matter what, the Emperor will walk away unscathed—like he was never associated with, or part of, any problem he took part in. What a privilege. lol

P.S. In Episode 28, around the 30:20 minute mark, when the Xiao family was having dinner, Xiao Jue served He Yan the 'Mushroom and Chicken Stew'—acting all caring, attentive, and mushy. I just knew his brother was thinking, 'What gay shit is this?' because he had introduced her as a guy friend, yet was acting all whipped! Haha!

"Since you're already at rock bottom, every step you take next, will be upwards." - Xiao Jue

Story - 8.0, This easily could have been a 9.0 if they hadn't ruined the last 3-4 episodes with uncalled-for conflict and tragedy, which only smeared the show's otherwise smooth run. I already overlooked the "obviously a girl but somehow fooling the entire army" trope and bore through the absurd, sudden "damsel in distress" scene in episode 26. However, I can no longer turn a blind eye to the blatant and stupid execution of the climax.

Acting/Cast - 9.0, I like the cast, and their performances are truly impressive. However, I feel that some of the actors do not fit their roles perfectly. A couple of good examples are Bai Shu as He Ru Fei. While he executed his vile and ruthless character very well, it is hard to shake my overall impression of him as a naturally goofy and mischievous person. Similarly, Zhou Ye as He Yan is fine, but her physical frame is simply not entirely convincing for the Female General role. Although her exceptional acting, partnered with her radiant and cheerful persona, naturally masks her inadequacies—convincing the people around her that everything is alright and overshadowing her physical stature—seeing her side-by-side with the male actors still makes me shake my head.

Music - 10, I love every single song featured in this drama. In fact, I'm listening to the entire OST on Spotify as I write this review. Looking at the tracklist, I realize it's impossible to give the music anything less than a perfect score.

Rewatch Value - 7.0, The show was truly enjoyable! However, I don't think I can tolerate watching that mood-killer climax a second time, or force myself to buy into the cross-dressing disguise plot again.

Overall - 8.0, Sometimes, I hate the fact that I am too tolerant and considerate, as it becomes a factor that makes me go easy on providing a just review for anything I evaluate. However, for this drama, I think this rating is just right. The climax may have been totally disappointing, but my experience watching this show was still considerably great.

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A Total Fan Service! Great pacing & storyline spoiled by FL's rigid morals | Cloying make out scenes

"Every lonely journey ends in a fated encounter." - Postscripts/Ending Quotes

PRO TIP: Try to be EXTRA patient and bear with the FL's behavior during episodes 10–20. if you can get through that, you'll be fine.

I eagerly want to start this review by talking about the FL, since the majority of my negative feedback is focused on her. However, I was afraid I might drift away from sharing the narrative's positive sides and get carried away by all the negative aspects. So, let me commence this review by highlighting the strengths and redeeming qualities of the show first.

The pacing and progression of the story were excellent. The narrative is fast-paced and doesn't dwell too long on a single plot point. It moves from one arc to another without going in circles or overly dramatizing conflicts to force a desired result. This helps the story move forward effortlessly without leaving plot holes behind. It also makes the story more coherent and entertaining, preventing it from dragging—even if it was admittedly frustrating for a couple of reasons.

In addition, each plot was compact and well-crafted that after the first ten episodes, it completely slipped my mind that Liao Tingyan was from the modern world. This was the story's ultimate strength, defining its value until the very end.

The story moved at a steady pace during the first 10 episodes; however, it fumbled significantly between episodes 11 and 20 by overemphasizing the female lead's rigid morals. This was the most difficult part of the show to sit through. Fortunately, it regained its momentum from episode 21 onward, recovering from that grating phase to become exciting once again.

One piece of advice I’d give is: do not let yourself carry the irritation or resentment you have for the FL once you cross the halfway mark. Doing so can cloud your judgment regarding the trajectory of her character progression. I'm saying this because I was exactly like that. I immediately judged the FL when the second half started, assuming it would be another tiring "amnesia leads to manipulation" trope. At that time, I thought it was regrettable to see her change from a clever, funny lead to someone so easily schemed against. But as the story unfolded, I realized the amnesia was actually a catalyst. It forced her to adopt the mindsets she’d previously resisted or lacked. By using a well-worn cliché, the writers managed to deliver the exact character evolution the story needed.

Talking about the climax: I initially found the sudden shift to the mortal realm an unusually odd decision, at least until I witnessed how the plot developed. I guess I was just stunned that they had the nerve to go 'Sima Jiao' hunting while still having a final villain to deal with. However, that sense of conflict and discontent eventually diminished once I understood that the entire Mortal Arc had been prearranged by Sima Jiao—even before he perished—to subdue and defeat the main antagonist.

The ending, on the other hand, is equally delightful and baffling. While it nails the main antagonist's downfall and provides a satisfying "happy ending" as the leads meet in the real world, the reason behind her journey to that cultivation world remains unexplained. After her accident, she suddenly begins "dream traveling" into this fantasy realm while in a coma, yet the story never establishes a clear cause. I suspect it relates to the project proposal she was working on, but the narrative fails to explore or confirm that connection. This sadly remains a riddle, even after finishing the show.

Additionally, I find the symbolism and depiction of corporate serfdom, burnout culture, and hyper-capitalistic exploitation to be both alarming and commendable. In this story, the female lead, Zhou Yan, has literally just been discharged from the hospital, yet she has to rush to her company to respond to her boss's summons regarding a proposal she failed to submit due to her accident. What is even more disturbing is how their conversation centers entirely on work—focusing on her failure to submit the proposal and a "make-or-break" ultimatum for her career—while completely ignoring the fact that she is clearly injured and bandaged.

While the creators’ inclusion of this reality is significant—as it accurately represents the grind ordinary citizens must endure to survive, even in life-threatening predicaments—it is truly abhorrent to witness this reflection of our own world. We live in a reality where corporate slavery and the transformation of a person into an "industrial human machine" are being normalized, which is both saddening and maddening.

Finally venturing into the 'negative rant' portion of my review. Shall we start with the biggest issue I had with the show: the female lead herself?

I was relatively fine with the female lead's (Liao Tingyan) slacker, vigilant, yet witty attitude—until I noticed two distinct changes that increasingly made me dislike her. First, when she finally earned Sima Jiao's trust, she gradually started voicing her opinions and doing whatever she thought was right without thoroughly considering the overall situation or consulting Sima Jiao. Second, she is slowly turning into a "know-it-all," complacent girl who prioritizes feelings and kindness—even toward individuals who wouldn't think twice about killing her and have every intention to do so. This shift has led her in the wrong direction and caused nothing but negative outcomes. While I understand she isn't used to such brutality, I find it unbelievable that she fails to grasp Sima Jiao's intentions. She is trying to survive a world where "kill or be killed" is the rule, so I can't stomach or comprehend her convictions and principles. Even if I technically understand her perspective, it feels incredibly unwise and, frankly, dumb. That’s why I was beaming with satisfaction during the Desolate Lands arc when Yan Huan tried to kill himself and his daughter, Zhou Zhi Ming. It was such a wake-up call for her—a reminder that she can’t just look at the "morally correct" side of life. She also has to look at the darkest side to understand the real struggles and bottom-line issues of the people around her.

Spoiler: I really thought she’d come to a realization and learn something from this, but unfortunately, she didn't! Grr!

What’s funny is that she knows she’s weak, yet she still won’t take extra precautions or train harder. She’s a slacker, and I love that she’s fully committed to it. However, it contradicts her desire to stay alive. Since being known as Sima Jiao’s most favored servant is basically a death warrant—a literal invitation for people to kill her. I really can’t comprehend how she lack the sense of urgency to sharpen her skills or master enough magic to defend herself.

She was such a total liability during the entire first half of the story that I got so fed up and pissed off watching her survive, every time, solely because of Sima Jiao's protection. She became fully reliant and complacent, tending to overlook a lot of things due to her carelessness and simple-mindedness. It was frustrating how she practically needed saving 99.99% of the time, when she could've been more powerful due to the 'cheat code' power-ups Sima Jiao had granted her.

In fact, halfway through the show, I became so irritated with Sima Jiao’s mantra about not letting her die unless he allowed it. Honestly, one big reason she stayed useless and incapable was because he pampered her so badly. Good grief!

As I grow older, I’ve realized that while sacrifice is noble, it’s often a foolish choice. This is why I’ve started avoiding Xianxia dramas over the last few years. I've grown tired of them being infested with constant sacrifices and multiple lifetime reincarnations, especially after consuming so many of them over the years.

Lastly, all the kissing and sensual scenes are nice and romantic at first. However, this show overdid it to the point of indifference and disbelief. Such scenes should have been greatly anticipated and celebrated, but the frequency and intensity with which they were presented were way too excessive. The romantic essence gradually dissipated after the 3rd time and completely vanished from the 5th time onwards. I am a person who typically enjoys such erotic scenes; however, due to the ludicrous number of times they showed them to us, they have become completely bland and even an eyesore to me. It transformed from a symbol of affection into "soft-porn" used to showcase the main leads making out and touching each other pleasurably.

In conclusion, 'Partnership Cultivation' is entirely synonymous with sexual or erotic scenes. While the authors were clever in utilizing the 'her coldness eases my burning fire' trope, they ultimately went overboard with it.

In Episode 28, at around the 40 minutes mark, it’s implicitly confirmed that the leads entering each other's 'Soul Minds' is a metaphor for sex. What absurdity! lol

Story - 8.0, My conscience wanted me to provide a rating at least 0.5 higher in consideration of the progressive plot and nice pacing. However, my mind opposes this due to the indifference and frustration I felt during episodes 11–20, the totally unnecessary kissing scenes, and the fact that the reason for the transmigration was never fully addressed.

Acting/Cast - 9.0, This is my first drama from both leads (Arthur Chen and Wang Yinglu) and they executed their roles well. However, I'm just not a fan of the FL's characterization, which turned me into a total critic. I was hyper-sensitive to her every movement, making some of her expressions feel exaggerated. Another person I scrutinized with an eagle eye was veteran actor Bao Jian Feng. His ingratiating acting style put me off, reminding me of his performance in LLTG. The difference is that his character here forced too many smiles while trying to depict a duplicitous person, which I found awkward and unnatural most of the time. I don't know why I was so sensitive to facial expressions with this show! lol

Music - 9.5, I love that the majority of the songs are melodic ballads. My personal favorites are 'In This World, I Only Love You' by Tia Ray and 'Old Wounds' by Huang Xiaoyun. I was actually about to give this a lower rating, but after listening to the drama's OST playlist on Spotify, I realized I almost did this show a total injustice!

Rewatch Value - 8.0, While I like certain elements of this drama, specifically the plot progression, pacing, and how it uses a cliché premise to facilitate the FL’s growth. I just don't see myself watching it again. The FL is simply not my cup of tea; I have outgrown the 'willful and rigid' female lead trope common in idol dramas, and she embodies that to a fault. Furthermore, the excessive skinship felt repetitive; by the fifth time, the sensual scenes lost their impact entirely.

Overall - 8.0, Had the FL's characterization not spoiled the mood and nearly caused me to drop the show, I would have given it a higher rating. That single aspect permanently tarnished the series for me. Regardless, I'm glad I stuck with it instead of dropping it like many others did.

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A love that withered, like the Green Plum Blossom | Greatest betrayal of all.

"I am the Empress. Here I am, sitting on the throne of the phoenix that you so desire. Therefore, any gift is your punishment, and any punishment is your gift." Empress Ruyi to Consort Jia

Wanna know how good this drama is? All I can say is, despite all the brutality and cruelty in this show, I only have good memories of it. Not because I disregard those atrocities, but because I was utterly captivated by Ula Nara Qingying (Ruyi)—the woman who kept her feet grounded and her conscience pure, no matter how hard the situation was or how high her position became. Her never-changing magnanimity lasted from the very start until the end.

I fully expected her to exact revenge, especially after her aunt, the late Empress Ula Nara, used her own death as a catalyst for her to vie for power. However, she never did. She truly believed that distancing herself from conflict would keep her safe. I even thought she had finally learned her lesson after being imprisoned in the Cold Palace for several years. I was excited to see her seek vengeance, but again, it never happened. Her values and integrity remained so unfazed that I was actually quite pissed off by how forgiving she was, constantly disregarding the schemes against her. Yet, as I continued watching, I realized it was because she never desired power or fame. She wasn't hungry for revenge; the only time she would make a move was if someone touched her loved ones. Her patience and tolerance are as vast as the universe. She is definitely the purest FL I have ever seen in a drama.

There are plenty of imperial consorts vying for the Emperor's favor, but she is the only one who never fights for his attention. Some may think it is because she knows he loves her, but for me, it is more than that. It is not because she is confident in his love, but rather because she fully trusts him—despite the many times he has disappointed her. This is proven by Ruyi's favorite phrase of his: "Do not worry."

That single sentence had been her assurance of his trust and affection; it is why, despite the multiple instances where he disappointed her, she kept holding on. She trusted him and his love, just as she expected him to trust hers. Consequently, the moment he stopped trusting her and began doubting her—probing her continuously—was the moment she finally lost her trust in him as well. The man she loved in her youth is no longer the person she is with now. This became the breaking point of her unconditional trust for the person she once loved and wished to spend her entire life with.

In retrospect, the most heartbreaking element of this story is knowing that the young man she once dearly loved, and sacrificed so much for, had changed. Despite her faithfulness and utter commitment, he still chose to doubt her and trust others more than her. It was truly agonizing and enraging to watch a once lovely, cheerful woman get depleted to the very brim by a single man. It is a stark reminder of how fickle men can be and a portrait of what the ultimate betrayal looks like.

Another sad realization while watching this show was how much pent-up emotion, resentment, and how many grudges Ruyi must have accumulated over the years of being married to Hongli. She stripped herself of jealousy and greed, striving instead to be considerate, compassionate, and tolerant. Despite constantly being on the receiving end of attacks from the harem, she remained completely devoted to him—only for him to doubt her. She must have been in so much pain that, eventually, all she wanted was to break free.

Initially, I assumed it was a coincidence that the scenes I found most compelling involved Ruyi’s growing disillusionment with Hongli. However, by the end of the drama, I realized I loved those moments because they were the only times she genuinely expressed her emotions. It was her moment of truth: realizing that nothing is permanent and accepting that some things are bound to change...sadly, even his trust and love for her.

NOTE: Nothing compares to the satisfaction of seeing Ruyi looking so done with Hongli. Every time she vindicates herself, I can almost taste the disgust and dissatisfaction she wants to slap him with.

This review would be much longer if I were to write out my personal thoughts on each of the scenes I loved about this show. So, let me just list them instead.

×× My absolute favorite scene was in Episode 81, when Hongli threatened to depose Ruyi and she shot back: "I don't need you to depose me. I am sick and tired of being this Empress of yours. I don't want to endure it anymore." Then she proceeded to cut her hair. Dang! Peak drama! The most satisfying scene of the entire series.

×× I find it fascinating how imperial consorts facing an untimely death—whether by poison or suicide—are almost always depicted in their full ceremonial dress. It serves as a final display of dignity and power, even at the very end.

×× Another scene I liked the most was the consorts' daily greetings to the Empress. I find so much enjoyment in seeing them constantly dissing each other. it feels like being in a cockfight arena, waiting to see who lands the heaviest blow and who ultimately emerges victorious. Hahaha!

×× The most unexpected, yet most precious, aspect of this story is the unbreakable bond between Hailan and Ruyi. I deeply admire their mutual devotion and loyalty. It is truly one of the most beautiful friendships depicted in an imperial harem drama.

There are plenty more, but this is getting so long. To cut it short, let me just mention one of my most hated and most aggravating scenes in this show.

In Episode 72, when Emperor Qianlong (Hongli) said that while Ruyi was his childhood sweetheart, Consort Rong was his 'love at first sight.' He argued that because he met her as an adult, his emotions were harder to control. Man! I wanted to slap him then and there. Left and right, multiple times. He truly was the worst!

Lastly, the ending. I totally admire and look up to Ruyi for ending her relationship with Hongli so thoroughly and without reservation. I love how she blatantly declined his offer to be Empress again and kept her terminal illness a secret from everyone. Also, while I appreciate that Hongli eventually understood Ruyi’s wish to no longer be Empress, I hated that he allowed her to be buried without the posthumous titles she deserved, even going so far as to destroy all records of her existence. I understand why he did it, but I still hate it.

Anyway, kudos to him for finally giving her a rest and lowkey letting her go by not being buried with him. She cut ties, and I am glad he understood.

"When people's minds turn to evil, even dogs are greater in character." Consort Jia (coming from her? lol)

​P.S. I feel so heartbroken for Ling Yunche. Wouldn't it have been wonderful if he’d stayed by Ruyi's side until the end? Huhu! Here I go again, letting my imagination run wild with "what if" scenarios!

Story - 10, Absolute perfection! It was well-paced, compact, and a lengthy yet extremely worthy drama. This is one of those series that made me realize the length or number of episodes doesn't equate to quality. I was never bored, and I even felt heartbroken when there were only a couple of episodes left. I wish C-dramaland would allow creators to go "all out" again without restricting episode counts, which often ruins stories by forcing scenes to be shortened into incoherent pieces.

Acting/Cast - 10, An ensemble of excellence. The execution from every single actor is flawless. The lines are delivered eloquently and articulately, emphasizing the weight and deep meaning of the script. It is a cast you could not improve upon—a total powerhouse. Kudos to Zhou Xun above everyone else. I was amazed by her absolute, unbreakable composure. Everything from her movements to her facial expressions shouted "calm and collected." It was very fitting for her character.

Music - 10, I love them all! The entire soundtrack radiates heartbreak caused by betrayal, disappointment, and deception, which perfectly complements and elevates the drama’s emotions.

Rewatch Value - 10, This is one of the few shows I wouldn't mind rewatching if someone asked me to—even though I just finished it and have a mountain of other C-dramas waiting for me.

Overall - 10, This is a peak masterpiece! It’s the ultimate drama—one I’ve sincerely loved and enjoyed more than anything else in years. Each episode was masterfully directed and crafted to perfection. I highly recommend this show to everyone and would advise people not to be intimidated or daunted by the number of episodes.

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