> This drama made me binge almost every night till 6 in the mornings. By the end of it, I was a certified panda. > Despite its flaws ~ this drama has been wonderful. I've never been more intrigued with a drama that doesn't have its primary focus on Romance. > Coming to the flaws, the one thing that I could never digest was that this show gave more screen-time to the villains than the heroes. In some episodes, almost half the runtime would be just of the villains drinking tea and scheming, or gloating over their stupid achievements. Honestly, I'd be lying if I said I didn't find this annoying because I really really hated the overachieving military baboon. I can't explain how much I wanted to kill that officer! I don't think I've ever felt this much hatred for someone — that too, someone completely fictional. I suppose I'd have to appreciate the writer and actor's talents despite it all. They did do a good job at making me loathe the character. But still, I always knew I'd have a reason to despise his very existence from his first scene. >Speaking of villains, I must say, apart from the military baboon and the other three villains, Chen Pi was the world's biggest idiot. Initially, despite seeing how cruel his character could be, I still had hope that he would have a better understanding because of his shameless love for his mistress (Lay's wife). But this boy didn't even want to seek reasoning or understand the situation. He just jumped in with the evil bandwagon and began making everyone else's lives miserable. Despite how adorable the fella looked, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have thought before smashing his face into a toilet because he was a complete shitehead**. > Although Romance is of a secondary issue in this drama, the romance between the main couple is amazing. It was very refreshing to watch the exchange between Da Fo and the female lead because Zanilia's character was so upfront about her emotions and motive and a complete sass machine! Once again, Zanilia did a wonderful job! (Complete fan after watching Boss and Me) > While we are on the topic of acting skills — Great acting by Lay! I'm very impressed tbh. I just confess out of guilty conscience, I didn't even know who he was until I thought I'd seen him somewhere while watching his second or third scene. Googled him up and BAMN! Kpop Idol! (Sorry, I'm not that into EXO yet. Although I'm very much into Lay now.) *clears throat* Back to Lay, he didn't make me feel like I was watching a 25-year-old~ somehow he had a very old soul vibe. I loved him! > Since I've mentioned Lay making me feel like he was an old soul. Even the first male lead looked younger than him tbh. And William (Da Fo — first male lead) is actually 31! Six years Lay's senior. > Again, Lay, I can not even explain how much I wanted to just reach into the screen at times, grab his face and apply chapstick on those lips of his during so many scenes! The boy really dealt with a bad case of chapped lips almost throughout the drama. I suppose it was completely freezing in China during the shoots and the poor lad has really susceptible lips. > My favorite character in this whole drama would have to be split between Lao Ba (fortune teller) and the Luitennent ~ They were quite the characters! And their bromance was something to watch! > At first when the drama moved to the 'Lao Ba and the lieutenant searching for Da Fo in a small village' angle, I was a bit apprehensive ~ but then I really began to get interested in how the village was structured, and the chieftain. What really pulled my heartstrings, however, was the bittersweet secret unrequited love angle there was between the Chieftain and Er Ye (Lay). It almost made me cry with how beautiful it was ~ it actually made me think "This could be such a beautiful drama on its own" > Speaking of Lay's love angle in this; ALMOST EVERY FEMALE IN THIS DRAMA FALLS FOR HIS CHARACTER! His wife, that evil Madame Hu girl, the Chieftain, EVEN DOCTOR MO! By the end of the drama I couldn't even deal anymore ~ I once even screamed that I'd take him just because there were so many females into him! > My personal eternal love in this drama? The lieutenant. I spent every second of his screentime wishing that he get his own main lead in a proper drama someday soon! Those acting skills and looks would really suit the role of a lead. Heck, he'd even look great as a Korean main lead because he has those looks! > Slowly moving to the more sour points in this drama — Er Ye's eternal, unconditional love for his wife slowly made me feel suffocated every time he refused to even try to give up finding a way to be with her. I mean the lady's dead. She said she's content with her life. Okay nevermind, maybe I don't understand the mechanics of true love. > While I adored this intriguing drama~ I got really tired by episode 39. Everything felt too confusing, and I got very bored of the folks still having to deal with the tombs. You'll need a lot of patience to pass through the episodes after 35, to be honest. > The ending? Open-ended tbh. I don't know.. I just somehow didn't feel it.