This review may contain spoilers
The last few episodes are dragging
This series was not on my watchlist; after seeing it, I immediately started watching it. The first few episodes were amazing. I love Hou Ming Hao and Ai Mi. Including this, I watched four series Hou Ming Hao played, and three series Ai Mi played, though this is the first time I've seen Ai Mi as the main female actress. And after Lu Yu Xiao, I can say that this is the only time I've loved a female actress with Hou Ming Hao so much. I love their chemistry.
I'm not going to comment on the age gap, because even if they haven't cast Ai Mi, they would still choose someone young to play Xie Jia Yu.
Obviously, the team behind this series planned it to be plot-driven, instead of a romance series. I watched many dramas that put plot first and subtle romance second, but this drama is not like that. At first, it was plot-driven, but as I'm writing this review, I have watched 23 episodes, and now it is more focused on a romantic relationship, even though there is no romance to see. Xiao Wuyi and Xie Jiayu just say that they love and care for each other, but we don't really see that love in their actions.
Since Ai Mi was 17 years old when this was filmed, we are not going to see any intimate scenes, but then they should fill that space with something else. They could have done it with plot and action, but I don't see any of it as of now; they used all of that in the first episodes. Another thing they could use is another romantic relationship; there are a few hints of that with Xiao Yao (the eldest son of Prince Jingan) and He Yuan Ji (the first wife of Xiao Wuyi), also with Li Lejun and Mu Lian Yu. But only hints, it is not enough to draw our attention away from the main couple.
At first, I thought Xiao Wuyi was a more cruel and battle-hardened person, but he lost that; he is very merciful and soft now. He has no will to be emperor or to rule. I don't want to see such characteristics from a general. Xiao Wuyi wants to achieve things through Li Mao; he put his hope in someone like Li Mao to rule, and we are seeing the results of that hope: He was stabbed and tortured by Li Mao. And the weird thing is, sometimes Li Mao is like his friend, and sometimes his enemy. After being tortured by Li Mao, Xiao Wuyi drinks tea with him, as if his life were not on the line because of him.
So, I am not very happy with how this series is going. I will probably watch it until the end; there are only five more episodes, but I am already disappointed.
I'm not going to comment on the age gap, because even if they haven't cast Ai Mi, they would still choose someone young to play Xie Jia Yu.
Obviously, the team behind this series planned it to be plot-driven, instead of a romance series. I watched many dramas that put plot first and subtle romance second, but this drama is not like that. At first, it was plot-driven, but as I'm writing this review, I have watched 23 episodes, and now it is more focused on a romantic relationship, even though there is no romance to see. Xiao Wuyi and Xie Jiayu just say that they love and care for each other, but we don't really see that love in their actions.
Since Ai Mi was 17 years old when this was filmed, we are not going to see any intimate scenes, but then they should fill that space with something else. They could have done it with plot and action, but I don't see any of it as of now; they used all of that in the first episodes. Another thing they could use is another romantic relationship; there are a few hints of that with Xiao Yao (the eldest son of Prince Jingan) and He Yuan Ji (the first wife of Xiao Wuyi), also with Li Lejun and Mu Lian Yu. But only hints, it is not enough to draw our attention away from the main couple.
At first, I thought Xiao Wuyi was a more cruel and battle-hardened person, but he lost that; he is very merciful and soft now. He has no will to be emperor or to rule. I don't want to see such characteristics from a general. Xiao Wuyi wants to achieve things through Li Mao; he put his hope in someone like Li Mao to rule, and we are seeing the results of that hope: He was stabbed and tortured by Li Mao. And the weird thing is, sometimes Li Mao is like his friend, and sometimes his enemy. After being tortured by Li Mao, Xiao Wuyi drinks tea with him, as if his life were not on the line because of him.
So, I am not very happy with how this series is going. I will probably watch it until the end; there are only five more episodes, but I am already disappointed.
Was this review helpful to you?
