I have now watched the full 76 episodes no less than four times. This is the only cdrama I have rewatched more than twice. But it's still so good and I discover new details every time.

If you're into palace dramas, like me, Zhen Huan Zhuan is just really carefully plotted, shot and acted from beginning to end. Sun Li put on an incredible performance but Jiang Xin (Hua Fei) and Ada Choi (the Empress) are both amazing as well. My only major nitpick is that some of the minor concubines are annoying and simple, but it's balanced by the detailed and complex main characters.

We start off the show when Zhen Huan is just a clever young girl, who has ideals about romance. Coming into the palace, all the concubines want the same thing. However Zhen Huan is an idealist, so she still overcomes the scheming of her rivals and falls for the Emperor. But in the end, the other concubines are not the real enemy.

Zhen Huan's journey from naive girl to the powerful but lonely empress is masterfully depicted by Sun Li, who can convey changes in emotions through the smallest changes in expression. It's really her greatest work. But I am still hoping someone can make another one like this.