I say 'start' because there's obviously going to be 2nd season since the ending was a cliffhanger. I wondered while watching if there'd be another season because they never got to solving the main mystery - who was behind the destruction of ML's family. I sort of dread the second season because knowing C-dramas, they'll find some way to ruin a good start. It was good because it lacked a lot of what makes a historical C-drama bad in my opinion - forced marriages (well, ML/FL were forced to marry, but nobody's forcing them to marry someone else), tyrannical emperors bestowing marriages, evil concubines/love rivals (yeah, there was a love rival for FL, but this girl wasn't too effective and gave up once ML resisted the aphrodisiac she gave him). I do have to wonder how long ML will be able to keep his secret (that he's not an eunuch) if he and FL make their marriage real. Guess FL will have to call in the local witch doctor for birth control, eh? I did feel sorry for ML's love rival - the pastry baking prince. My favorites character was ML's sidekick, General Gu. He was pretty funny, especially when he and FL's maid were have heated yet silent conversation behind ML/FL back while the couple were out shopping when respective love rivals (the couple was having a fight at the time). Although Gu and Tian didn't speak, they made expressive gestures while their conversation voiced over/written in subtitles. I think that was the cutest scene in the 1st season. ML looks sufficiently devastated/hurt when FL was forced to break off their marriage by the female love rival. Poor guy.

Overall, it was enjoyable, but I dread the second season since no doubt MC will be torn apart by some misunderstanding or meddling by love rivals or Lord Xian or this mysterious 'master' of Lord Qian Sui (ML).