I really love this drama. Its literally the greatest love story ever told in the history of movies/dramas imo. Forget Romeo & Juliet, the Shakespearean tragedy is so paled in comparison with this one. The level of heartache (lol) that I suffered when watching this drama is like what I have never felt before -- it makes the drama highly addicting and engaging. No wonder that this drama is the most watched television series in China as per this moment despite the many flaws that it may had.

Yang Mi as Bai Qian as a character is very interesting and fun. The kind of dedication that she showed and how headstrong she is in everything despite never act recklessly that can ruin her Master's sacrifices are really admirable. Plus, she got all those legendary script which is hilarious and funny as hell like when she tell her Master Mo Yuen having the face of a Boy Toy in stage plays as he is so handsome or telling Ye Hua she has no problem in having lots of children after they are married as long as Ye Hua is the one who gets pregnant lol. Her character is so savage and she didnt back off in facing evil people either makes her character as someone easily to root for. The fact that he actually propose twice to Ye Hua says everything.

Mark Chao as Ye Hua/Mo Yuen is really fantastic in my opinion. I'm actually really amazed with his acting skills. Both Ye Hua & Mo Yuen, despite having the same face, really feel like a different person since they totally have different vibes and mannerisms. His crying scenes are really well done that you can literally feel his heart is breaking everytime that he cried. He didnt care how he looks when he cried so you feel all those raw emotion even more. He didnt hold back, that is why you can feel Ye Hua's deep love to Bai Qian in another level. I have never seen someone love as deep as Ye Hua loves Bai Qian. The things he has to go through, the waiting, the sacrifices that he made for her are really selfless. The things that made Ye Hua really iconic is the fact that it one of a rare occasions when you can truly feel his deep love. Ye Hua actually wants Bai Qian desperately and sincerely and it shows in all his actions and words. His love is selfless, it didnt matter if he got her or not but as long as she is alive and happy, its all that matters to him and it is enough -- it is enough for him. That is why his love is great while at the same time sad as well. The writer made a good job writing such an excellent character and Mark played the character to perfection like he understood the very deep of Ye Hua's soul. And I love despite how much he loves her, he still never neglects his duty as a Crown Prince which in turn making his character as a whole really admirable and awesome. Or the fact that he is a great father to A-li -- who play with him, tuck him to bed, hands on towards him and give him warm childhood that he didnt have just make him even more dreamy as a character.

While I love the drama and understand the popularity behind it, the drama itself is not without faults. The CGI in particular are horrible and mostly all characters aside from the leads are merely a tools that do not have individual character's arch -- its like they are just there either to assist of hinder the leads from each other. It makes them one dimensional and uninteresting. But the biggest major complain about the drama that I have is that they shouldn't put A-Li in the equation as the writer wrote Bai Qian as someone with literally zero motherly instinct. While I super love the love story between the 2 of them, A-Li's story arch leave a bad taste in my mouth with how indifferent Bai Qian is towards him. My guess is the writer is not a mother thus she didnt know the natural instinct that all mother should have towards their children.

But despite it, the drama deserved 9.5/10 for the beautiful love story and 100% rewatch value. It is without doubt love with many trials & tribulations but stood the test of time.