I started this drama because I had nothing better to do and I loved the actress in Scarlet Heart. Now that I've finished, I have mixed feelings. The Good: Her characterization was refreshing, even if you have to close your eyes to a few things (where exactly did she learn to fight?). Our ultimate hero is pretty swoony. I love his unique profile, and that fact that he never gave up on the woman he loved. He pretty much always insisted on being seen as a man rather than a friend, but he never pushed her too hard or was an asshole. That's pretty rare in dramaland. When our MC's heart got broken, I really felt for her, so the acting here is relatively good. The Bad: The palace politics were unecessary and dragged on forever. I skipped so many scenes because they had nothing to do with our main leads and didn't fit at all. I could not have cared less. I'm also in the tiny minority in which Hu Ge does nothing for me, so I had a hard time getting into that romantic aspect. I actually really liked the end, and the fact that when our leads get together the story doesn't just end. They're lovely together. I just rewatched it (but only the parts I liked) so it's not like I'd never see it again. Overall, give it a shot.