You either hate it, or you're absolutely obsessed with it. There's no in-between.

This drama is not for everyone.

But it is for people who have an open mind and an open heart. Because this drama gives you the story you need, but maybe not the one you wanted.

Let me explain.

This drama is a typical costume drama with court politics, schemes, epic battle sequences, and stunning costumes. Now, what makes it special is that there is a fantasy element to it. And it comes in the form of a mermaid. Unexpected, I know. The fantasy element plays a small role in the overall story, but an important one, nonetheless.

Also, there’s a romance between a student (Haishi) and a master (Fang Jianming).

With this information in mind, you expect that you’ll get a mix of court drama that ends with the main characters falling in love. And at its core, that’s exactly what the show gives you.

Except, it also gives you three very unlikeable characters at the start of the show (Haishi, Fang Jianming and the Emperor). One struggles with unrequited love, one is emotionally inept, and the other is taking grieving to a dark level. So, naturally, there are moments where you might dislike the show because the characters are dislikeable.

But this show makes it very clear halfway through, that it’s a story about massive character transformation. All these characters go from unlikeable to immensely likeable. And the acting is strong enough to make these transformations convincing.

And what keeps you watching the show, despite the frustrating slow-burn romance and some annoying subplots, is how unpredictable the show is. Trust me, once you start the first episode, you’ll see what I mean.

To me, the show really picks up from episode 30 onwards. It took me 30 episodes to realize this show would be on my favourites of 2021. But, because of how unpredictable the plot is, it’ll be a breeze to get to episode 30 where everything starts falling into place.

Finally, if you’re like me, and you hate sad endings, you might be surprised how much you won’t regret watching this show despite the tears you might shed at the end.

Favourite thing about the show: The dialogue and character banter (I would pause, rewind, and replay a lot of lines).

Technical elements: Obviously, the OST is stunning. Diamond Zhang is on the record which is an automatic green flag. Also, this is a high-budget production so expect epic battle scenes, rich costumery and lush cinematography.

Some trigger warnings: sexual assault, self-harm, major character deaths, violence.

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WHAT A TRAGIC AND SAD DRAMA. I'M SPEECHLESS.

This drama is unbelievably sad. I was not ready for the ending and how things played out. I usually can predict how things might go and I got some things right, and some things completely shook me.

I haven't cried so much over a show since Empress Ki or Prince of Lan Ling. Those shows made me avoid tragic stories for YEARS. And yet here I am again, but there are so many good reasons why this show was not a waste of time.

(1) THE OST is stunning. Whoever sings the end credits has the most haunting voice ever and I could hum along to that melody for weeks. It's so beautiful and the soundtracks used were well-timed throughout the show.

(2) THE CINEMATOGRAPHY & FIGHT CHOREOGRAPHY is 10/10. 100% some of the best battle choreography I've seen. The rhythm of the fights along with the perfectly planned shots and angles for each moment of the battle made it so easy to follow who was getting stabbed and who was doing the stabbing.

(3) THE ACTING. I was so hesitant about the male lead for 50% of the show for personal reasons, but by the end, like most of the characters in the show, I also fell for him too and believed that he truly was a hero. Bai Lu can do absolutely no wrong. I only saw her in Love is Sweet which is a contemporary drama, but I'm so impressed by how natural and subtle her facial expressions are. As an editor, it would be a dream to edit an actor whose emotions are so subtle and hidden in small actions. It makes a story easier to tell.

(4) The COSTUMES were obviously gorgeous. Shiyi wore blue 99% of the time throughout the entire show, until the end where she wore red. I loved the black dragon outfit for the Emperor's enthronement and the beautiful white outfits for the General/ML.

(5) THE MESSAGE is so deep and I'll be honest, it's not a new concept in the historical drama category. Two princes - one prince is desperate to have the love of people, Shiyi and fate and seeks it through evil. The other prince doesn't care to have the love of anybody, not even fate, and lives righteously. In the end, it's the latter prince who ends up with Shiyi's, the people and even fate's (shout out to the sequel) love.

(6) THERE'S A SEQUEL SO EVERYONE CALM DOWN WE'RE GETTING A HAPPY ENDING. I hope. I shall find out.

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