Love Like the Galaxy: Part 2 (2022)

The best novel adaptation I've seen

If you're looking for:
- A female lead that falls in love right away
- Protagonists without flaws
- Characters that always are the "bigger person" and will always do the right thing
This drama isn't for you.

If you're looking for:
- A golden trio and their imperial antics
- Breaking the repetitive tropes
- Characters who are realistic and "grey" (good people can make bad decisions too)
- A kind emperor (who isn't suspicious, murdering his subjects, and is a literal mother hen?!)
- Organic growth in relationships
- A strong female lead who doesn't fizzle out at the end
You're at the right place!

Wow - finishing this drama I have so many feelings. It's so bittersweet. I have laughed so hard through it all, and cried buckets too. It's so hard to organize my thoughts but I am absolutely blown away with the director, the script, and the cast. I have been a fan of Zhao Lusi and Leo Wu for a long time, and this is absolutely one of their best performances. It was such a treat to have them voice their own lines, it gives us so much more emotion. As a side note, Leo did so much of his own action scenes including all the horse riding. The cinematography and the music score was perfection - I can't even name the number of times I had goosebumps!

I had read some sections of the novel and was wondering how they would be able to pull off that content in the remaining episodes. Not only did they condense, and change some content to fit - they kept all the important dialogue and really made the story finish beautifully. I'm so pleased with the ending despite it being a bit rushed (I'm sure none of us wanted this to end), and that they kept CSS and LBY true to who they were while showing us their growth individually and as a couple. Love that they showed us both their strengths without compromising either individual's journey. There are no useless side characters, or filler side stories here. I will be probably sitting on this for a while, and suffering the sadness of finishing such a masterpiece. 💖

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Love Like the Black Hole - sucking the energy out of me.

It was just truly not a good follow-up after part 1. They limited/removed all the good aspects of it, and the new things they added/developed did not grab my attention or were just ridiculous.

One of the things I struggled with was the random shifts of tone - from drama to comedy, sometimes happening multiple times in one scene. I did not feel the emotional impact because of the random comedy lines, but I could not quite laugh about the comedy, because of the serious tone and situation the characters were in. This lighter tone fitted part 1, since the setting was less serious and less prone to major incidents. The moment Shao Shang entered the palace, it all changed, and I feel like her character and how the scenes were carried should have been tweaked to fit the new environment. I’m not saying make Shao Shang a completely different person, but character development exists in writing for a reason.

Yes, some of her behavior could be excused because of her young age and the lack of education/neglect. Some things though were so out there, it was too much to take even for me. Random treason? Why not? Making more or less the same mistake a few times in a row? Shao Shang will deliver. Here’s the thing - she was never that impulsive in part one. We saw her plan and scheme a sweet revenge quite a few times. Rarely ever she just randomly jumped into action without prior preparation. They amplified her hot-headed temper so much in part 2, it was hard to watch, and she went from one of my most beloved characters, to one of the most frustrating ones.

Not to mention, she demanded from everyone to accept her for who she is, while not doing the same for others. The egocentrism made it hard for me to like her.

With all that, there was one thing I liked about her character - her strong belief that women are as capable as men. That women can be individuals with their own goals, plans and motivation. That she can be happy and fulfilled without a man. Yes, sometimes they presented it more as her being just stubborn and not wanting to communicate/cooperate, but the overall sentiment stays the same - she knew her value and she knew she was capable.

Here’s another thing about her age though - it makes the romance creepy. I do not want to hear how “time period accurate it is”, because the whole drama is NOT accurate and realistic. Shao Shang with her bevarior in that time period would be dead in a few episodes. There is no reason to keep the semi-pedo age difference between the leads for accuracy, while also making sure everything else does not follow the time period customs and norms. On one hand I had to mentally age Shao Shang to be 18, to feel fine with the romance, but then I had to constantly remind myself she is just 15 to excuse her stupid behavior.

On the stupid behavior - what the heck happened with Buyi? The last few episodes were especially ridiculous. He was known to be meticulous, able to turn any situation for his benefit, and patient with his schemes. Now - all out of the window, left in the trash as he slays his way straight to treason and basically exile. He did not even try to find a different way. The Emperor was so painfully biased towards him, I’m sure he would agree to execute his uncle under false allegations, if it meant keeping Buyi safe.

And what’s up with the massive self-victimization of the leads? Both acted as the most pitiful people on the planet, acting as if they were the only ones who ever suffered hence their actions, no matter how egregious, were justified. Buyi thinking he never felt real love since his childhood is basically a slap in the face to the Emperor, Empress and even Consort Yue. All these people literally cared for and loved him more than their own children. Buyi had literally such a huge support system, and he willingly refused to use it. His loneliness is on him. It’s his own choice. He literally refused all the love people were giving him.

In the eariler episodes I was joking around saying he is basically a psychopath, because he distresses by torturing prisoners and hunting down traitors, but the closer to the end of the show I got, the more real it became. Dude was a psychopath. Machiavellian might be a better term.

Family drama, all the tea spilled during the dinners and gatherings was an easy 10/10. Shao Shang went from 10 to 5, back to 7 on good days. The romance was lukewarm, and Leo Wu carried it all on his back. Sorry, but Shao Shang gave me nothing in that aspect. Technically she did say she loves him and all that, but did she really? Like, really? I felt nothing, not a tiny bit of romantic feelings from her to Bu Yi. One day she was questioning what love really is, and how it feels, next day she was making some random love declaration and lecturing others about her undying love for Bu Yi. And my brain went - since when? How? It was literally: she doesn't love him, next scene: she loves him. And even then it felt more like her trying to convince herself she loves him, rather than her actually having these feelings. So since I did not understand when and how she fell for him, even the more emotionally impactful scenes felt a bit flat.

As much as I disliked the writing, I have to say the performances were truly strong. Especially Zhao Lu Si - this girl has such an emotional range I am amazed every time I watch her on screen. Leo Wu did well delivering the emotionally broken man too, especially during the more intense scenes. Other roles were not as demanding, but the performances were just as solid.

Another really minor and random thing that was good - some kills. They did not shy away from blood and truly showed the injuries and pain that comes with slashing someone up and running someone over with a horse.

Overall, I think I just feel disappointed? It hit me while watching the last episode, how good part 2 could have been if it was focused mostly on the separation and what happened after they reunited. The more serious and dramatic tone would make sense with the characters being older, the angst would be more impactful if it lasted longer than a few episodes. They would have had more time to show how Shao Shang changed through the years, and how she matured. I also feel like it would make much more sense if she truly fell for him after they reunite in the future.

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Perfect tale of love, relationships, family and politics

I am not an expert by any means of cdramas, hence my username. Though I can say I have watched quite a number of dramas this year and this is the first that made me so invested in it.

I also tend to watch modern dramas more and really like “My little Happiness”, “Go go squid” and “You are my glory”.

Period pieces fascinate me, as costumes are really nice! I like seeing how people lived in ancient times, some martial arts scenes and palaces.

Not generalizing but I usually find the actors a bit stiff , dialogues sometimes dragging and romance scenes pretty tame. The catalyst for the shift was who rules the world, where the cinematography was excellent, even if its more on the fantasy side I liked how it played out.Intense love attracts me to watch and the martial arts was amazing that it git me hooked.

Then my recommended list showed LLTG. I liked the poster and the actors both looked attractive. So I watched episode 1 and it wasn’t conventional. The cinematography was off the charts (coloring was so alive) and the actors were not stiff at all!

It was slowburn in the first part for romance which normally would make me skip scenes, but the storytelling on the side characters was superb! Want to know more and then I got hit with the soundtrack. It wasn’t just a song playing in the background but it felt like it was building up the scenes. Perfect for comedy scenes and moreso the emotions bubble up when you hear it most specially when it was about the main leads romance.

My love for this drama is unlike any other. It’s a perfect blend of family, politics and romance with sprinkles of comedy/culture. The author and script writers are amazing as each role contributes to the whole , it brings the viewer along on the journey. You feel/emphatize with the characters, the emotions are brought out as you feel sad, happy, resentful, giggly - all emotions. You actually will think they’re real.

It also isn’t purely fictional as you would find it realistic and relatable even with the time period setting. You will root for the Leads and hate the villains with so much passion. You will relate to what they are going through and imagine being in their shoes.

And what more, is you can totally rewatch episodes for so many times and not get tired of it. You will hate weekends and look forward to tuesdays when new episodes are available. You will find yourself looking for folks who watched this and try to engage about your opinions.

It also gets you in a state of trying to understand the characters actions and get into debates on what they did.

Comparing this to all that I have watched, it’s not on the same level at all. Might be the greatest of all time. Everything pales in comparison.

Upcoming dramas have it tough to give
this a run for it’s money. It’s a complete, balanced story and excellent translation to the small screen. Kudos to the director for having this vision and bringing this to life!

Hope they make this into a movie. Would love to watch that!

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IT'S TOTALLY PERFECT!!!

This drama managed to affect my emotions up and down significantly. It's really wreak-havoc on my emotions in an amazle way. What have impressed me even more is the fact that the various elements of emotion; romance, comedy/ slapstick, joy, fear, angst, tragedy, etc are arranged proportionally and balanced.

Especially for the best part is the chemistry of the two main players, Zhao Lusi as Shaoshang and Leo Wu Lei as Zisheng. The chemistry between the two is really on another level. Lot of sparks between both, bring audience to enjoy a lot of swoon-worthy moments in the name of Yishang fufu❤️‍🔥.

In other side, I was also touched by the story of Wendy and his magnificent both wife.

This drama feels totally perfect to me in every way

10/10
================💜💚===============
I will remember the drama for the rest of my life, and it has a special place in my heart. ❤

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A well-balanced drama

This is my favorite drama this year and it’s one that will have a special space in my heart because of its charms.

The show did start off slow initially in part 1 to build up the backstory for the characters. However, it was necessary for you to have the emotional connection with some of the characters in the last several episodes of part 2. The drama was great in being able to tie a lot of the loose ends and giving you closure to each issue/character that you encounter. It has a good balance of humor and angst for most of the show. The latter episodes were a bit heavier than normal but it’s necessary for the situation.

What’s great about this show?
1.) Wonderful Emperor, Empress and Consort Trio (it’s refreshing to see that they all respect one another and aren’t scheming against one another)
2.) Realism - the tribulations and time for character growth; development of feelings; shades of gray in characters (not everyone is perfect - even the main characters are flawed); variety of characters and their priorities (flawed or not, it’s their perspective and priority)
3.) Good balance of humor and angst in most of the episodes
4.) Side Villains/Issues/Mini Arcs are solved in a timely manner and not dragged. I hate shows where I feel like there’s so many misunderstandings or if the villains are screwing people for so long without karma.
5.) The ability for me to still sympathize with unfavorable characters at some point in the story. Surely, some characters are bad. But not all of them are truly just bad. Some have their own reasons and it’s understandable but you don’t have to agree with them. It’s a difference of opinion.
6.) I’m shocked and happy that they keep characters like Yangyang, who is genuinely good until the end. There was always a fear that she will turn evil since it showed that she was interested in Yuan Shen at the beginning.

Did I feel like the latter episodes were a bit rushed? A little bit. They had a lot of content to fill and it did help by minimizing certain scenes during the 5 years gap (ie. Luo Ji Tong poisoning her husband - it would’ve been a waste of minutes to see her doing it at a normal pace vs. the hints and highlights that they gave us) I appreciated that because it allows for us to focus on more important scenes. I don’t blame the team for the rushed scenes because the number of episodes were limited and they’ve lost many scenes. People argue that they could’ve tried to pace things better by shortening earlier scenes, but it would’ve affected the feel of those scenes as well.

The thing that I’ve seem to realized from this and other novel adaptations is that people have expectations. I haven’t read the novel but I’ve been so obsessed with this that I’ve read a lot of excerpts and discussions about things from the novel to satisfy my obsession while waiting for new episodes. I feel that sometimes it’s better to just treat the novel and the adaptation as 2 separate things. I’m sure it’s lovely to see all of your favorite scenes from the novel come to life, but not at the expense of not enjoying the show for what it is.

What could have been better?
1.) More episodes to include everything that the director and team had envisioned originally. It’s unfair to them as well when they have to cut episodes/scenes and be mad at them for not including everything or rushing.
2.) I do believe some scenes are longer than I personally care for - but it could be their artistic approach and what they want to capture or have us feel. Personally, there’s only a handful of times where I felt that things didn’t have to be so slow for particular scenes.

Overall, with everything considered - I feel that the show is very successful and one that I love dearly. I’m sure the show could’ve been better if they were able to showcase everything that they wanted and had more time for edits. Considering what they had to work with and what they were still able to produce - it’s a 10/10 for me.

At the end, this is a story about family, love, friendship/companions, life, revenge, growth and learning. Not everyone is perfect and everyone have their own individual strengths/weaknesses. There’s a lot to learn from others and don’t be too rigid in your thoughts. There’s a reaction to each of our actions and we should be mindful. Life isn’t always fair and right but we are in control of what we do.

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Already Missing This One...

Binged the end as soon as express pass was available. Didn't want this one to be over but also could not wait to find out what happens. IMO this is the best drama I've watched this year. Acting, pace, plot, etc. were great. Let's also not forget about the directing and production.. this was such a cinematic piece.

Story: I really enjoyed the pace of this drama. Aside from the first 5 episodes (which I know was needed to set up the story), I was constantly intrigued and never bored. Even all the heartbreak and angst scenes never really dragged out for more than 1-2 episodes. My only complain is the end felt a little.. random? Was satisfied with the ending but felt like there could have been more. I wanted a little more out of their reconciliation moment and could have done with a marriage/baby scene (cliche I know, but everyone else in the Cheng family got it!). What I was most impressed with was how they were really able to sway my perception of characters and understand the struggle each individual endured.

Acting; The entire cast was superb, no complaints about anyone's acting skills. I have been a fan of both WeLei and LuSi for a while now and I have to say this is their best drama yet. WuLei's emotions in this gave me chills.. the struggle/pain of hiding secrets from NN, him losing his family/aunt the revenge scenes, the battle scenes, I could go on. I still cannot believe he's only 22 and cannot wait to watch more of his future works. LuSi has really shown her range of acting in this one and all the haters need to seriously STFU. Her crying scenes in this are unparalleled. Both actors used so much emotion in their eyes, esp WuLei, and I could truly feel their chemistry.

Music: This is the first drama I've watched without an original OST with lyrics and it still did not disappointed. Didn't feel any different and the music really paired well with each scene and emotion. Traditional Chinese instruments is s just so beautiful.

Rewatch Value: I've already watched episodes 1-48 about 3x each... will continue to repeat in the next few days.

It's been a while since I've felt so attached to the characters and drama... truly thought this one was a gem and loved it. The ENTIRE cast of this (whether it be actors, writers, producers, etc.) really deserve all the recognition for this one.

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It's never good when I start talking back to the TV.

People have written long, well-informed reviews expressing their love for this series. Other than the fact that the male lead tends have five expressions that he runs through given whatever scene he's in, I was in total agreement with the other reviewers. Part One of this series makes for riveting viewing; cast, story, and visuals, from writing to execution, the first instalment of LLG is hands-down wonderful. Please don't throw things at me for what I'm going to say next. Part Two of Love Like the Galaxy really disappointed me. I kept muttering, what has happened here? Did they run out of time or money? Did they change writers? Did production or the director side suddenly flex their muscles? Granted, LLG contains a big, complicated consipiracy story and maybe they didn't have enough time to properly unravel all the plot twists within the time constraints.

But seriously, those story edits were too roughly done. I was pulled hard out of the narrative midway through Part Two. At the beginning of that particular episode there was a time skip that felt like someone read the script, shook their head, and slashed through pages and pages of the story, while muttering, "they won't even notice this if we flash ahead and get one of the characters to spew a ton-load of exposition. " Well, I noticed. I flipped twice between the end of the prior episode, and the beginning of the time-skip episode to make sure I hadn't inadvertently missed an entire episode. What should have been a defining moment for an important character--a place where that character would have stepped up for their family, throwing on the hero-challenge-cape to reveal the truth--was flattened into a short paragraph of wtf exposition, given by a character who'd suddenly been rendered from fiery to helpless. There were a lot of those type of viewing moments in the episodes that followed. What made those jarring time skips really frustrating for me was the screen time given to things that didn't drive the plot, or develop the characters. How long does it take someone to die?

Watching the second half of LLG was a frustrating experience for me, probably because my expectations were set so high by the prior instalment. If it had just been plain bad, I could have moved on, but there were definitely episodes in Part Two which were heart-rending and well-nuanced which kept me hooked and hopeful that the end of the series was going to be as amazing as the beginning. Here's the thing: those wonderful scenes felt like they were written by the same pen that created the first instalment. Just perfect writing, illuminated by amazing acting, and gifted directing. But those jewel-like moments were overwhelmed by scene after scene penned by the B-team. For me, there was just a lot of bad writing, and bad directing choices in LLG2 which thoroughly flattened the excellence of a story that I had such high expectations for. So, for what its worth, that's my opinion. Okay, I'm going to leave now, before everyone starts throwing things at me.

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Love this drama!!

Great acting and storyline so far. A drama that tugged at heartstrings, provided much laughter (many cast members contributed to this) and is at times, suspenseful. Great casting overall. Even though love the chemistry between ML and FL and can’t wait for more development between them, the other cast members are really worth watching as well. All the elements just tie together really well to create a highly enjoyable drama. Wouldn’t mind 80 eps if there were more great scenes with the 2 leads. Though I am not too impressed with the OST, it doesn’t affect the enjoyability of this drama. Highly recommended!!

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The Best on screen couple. Our Galaxy Twosome. THE BEST DRAMA

This is my third review, as I just finished watched all 56 episode. And this drama is DIVINE, absolutely perfect!

Watch and rewatched it. And just enjoy the journey. They did justice on the production. So the quality is spectacular.

I missed them already. I am very used of looking out for Tuesday. Expecting anything for my favorite pairing Ling Zisheng and Cheng Shao Shang. I adore their relationship here. Wu Lei and Zhao Lushi you guys leads this drama with ultimate excellence. You both will forever be my favorite onscreen couple.

This drama has everything and it is told with balance. So my earlier review stands legit!

1st Review:
I am in shocked… To think I have seen it all, Chinese drama and historic genre that is. This is so next level experience. An addiction.

Everyone in this drama is such an amazing people. Like, they nailed it this genre. Romance, Bromance and Courtship. I have never been this high on a drama ever since Grey’s Anatomy first released.

Wu Lei and Lushi, they have plenty in the store hidden or perhaps endless. Really can’t think of anyone in this planet would bring ‘live’ to Ling Bu Yi and Cheng Shao Shang, epically perfection. Our Galaxy Couple. I don’t use this word often, but they do mesmerized in all of their scenes. Tears, Laughter, Comedy, Action, Despair and so much more. Just went on and on notable.

I never calls favorites, but I MUST references Ep 37 & 38 worth all my anxiety of waiting for Tuesday to come.
And not just them, the cast is just magnificent in portraying their character. Everyone put justices in it. From maids to King and Queens and Prince and Princess. This is like what drama evolution looks like.

The best serial drama in 2022, I dare say. Their story. Their dialogue. The rendition. It feels similar but up a million notch higher more enchanting. Sometimes it felt like cramming the plot but it stretch in perfect length.

This Part 2 is worth the anticipation. No I don’t fear if next episodes would go south or whatever. It would just mean keeping the balance. Nothing is perfect but perfections.

Cheng Shao Shang is brave. And whenever she seek comfort towards Ling Bu Yi’s (chest, hugs, cuddle), our planet is warm again.

Ling Bu Yi’s stares at Cheng Shao Shang is fiercer than the early days. With extra drips of affection, passion, tenderness and whole-lotta-love. He is very sexy. And scary, well as a General Heroes should be.

Third Prince and Fifth Prince. They have colors. And it’s rainbow and chic.

Although all the Palace girls are mean and shallow. They walk the part and so we can bitch about them later for fun. Just some salt to balance the sweetness dose of lovey dovey scenes.

Let’s be brave with upcoming nasty breakups. Do not worry… I’m sensing the make up session will be all hot and steamy and tears jerking and beautiful… it will be worth the wait.

**** (2nd review) My review after episode 40 & 41:

Never have I seen such an ensemble of cast performs with genuinely good acting quality..

The cinematography is so on point. It’s bleak. It’s rains. It’s never sunny as bright as a sunshine would go. It tends to get cloudy. So where the lights go? Who shines in this drama? The answer to that is : Everyone casted in LLTG. Seriously, all of them shines.

Their costumes tailored for perfection. And the set is just keeps representing it self. It reminded me of how I missed watching colossal movie production. I think the best movie for me was, John Woo’s Red Cliff Part 1 & 2.

I made this second review right after finished watching (and re-watching) Ep 40 & 41:

1. LBY and CSS closeness is on another level. Nothing can beat how they stare at each other. Speak to one another. Stare in each other’s eyes. Kiss and kisses and …. Hugs and holding hands like they’ve owned each other. Truly star crossed lover. Natural and organic with their gestures, dialogues, ad-libs and expressions.

2. The Families. Court and off-court, both are played beautifully with their version of comedy, angst and seriousness. How perfect and imperfect the nobles with their clans issues.

3. ShanJian. I like him, like a lot. Sure he was an arse in the early days. Swag here and there being pretentious and untouchable royal. Then with only these two episodes, he shines to me. He probably has the genuine affection which accepts CSS features honestly. That calm and deep conversations he had with his dear Mother about having crush for CSS and helplessly dotting her even knowing it’s impossible as he got late in the game. As so he thinks.

It is going to be tough love for next week episodes. As the fixation towards this drama keeps building like reading Harry Potter next volume for the first time. Tuesday come soon….

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this just in: zhao lusi hospitalised with severe backpains from carrying the entire cdrama industry

I make it no secret that ZLS is my favourite actress and i always watch every drama that she's in; I find a lot with her dramas she will always be its main saving grace that will make watching anything bearable.

I did not have to worry about that in this case.

PREMISE:
Cheng Shaosheng has grown up without a mother or father - they aren't dead, they just kind of, accidentally, maybe on purpose abandoned her and left her in the care of her abusive aunt and grandmother. Now that her parents are back, her mother is adamant on teaching her daughter how to be a proper lady.

Not exactly easy when you suddenly walk into your daughter's life fifteen years after abandoning her and are like "yeah, i'm gonna be a mother now".

Intricately woven through the story is SS connections to other characters; first is the seemingly cold and meticulous Ling Buyi - a general who has made a name for himself both on and off the battlefield as a fierce warrior and cunning war hero. His morals trump his feelings and often acts on what he believes is right, not what the law or his emperor say. Then Yuan Shanjian - a scholar who is well known in the capital for his brilliance and also his snide personality. His intelligence gives him this lofty air, but also this disconnect from being able to connect with people and his own emotions. Finally, baby boy Lou Yao - gentle, sweet, gullible but kind and genuinely a good person. He isn't stupid by any means, but naive and led by his feelings and his heart in the face of all reason.

While there are many, /many/ storylines in this drama, its main focal point is SS and LBY and their romance, the trials and tribulations that come with it and eventually overcoming all hurdles to be together.

OVERARCHING THOUGHTS ABOUT THIS DRAMA:
As stated in the beginning, I started this drama knowing nothing save for ZLS being in it and that was enough to sell me on it. This drama does have a more "rom-com"-esque feel about it the first ten episodes, but it never fully drops the comedy entirely; there are still funny scenes and I find most of them surround the palace life which is SUCH a breath of fresh air considering palace life is always shown as being dark, cruel and unliveable. Many stories and characters are connected to one another; characters you think are gone are not actually gone and come back, backstories of forgotten encounters, you name it. There wasn't really one constant flow of a main storyline save for the romance, but rather different ones being picked up, carried out and finished with and i am glad that we didn't get a constant storyline dragged out for a total of 56 episodes.

I will state that the show really shone and bumped itself up into a 9 star rating with the last ten episodes; LBY's own storyline, now that i reflect on it, had been peppered in so silently and subtly throughout the show once it was revealed i had to pause and be like "HOW THE HELL DID I MISS THAT OH MY GOD?!". The last ten episodes are honestly the BEST episodes out of the entire drama; that isn't to say the remaining previous ones are bad or boring, they were a delight and i enjoyed them greatly, but episode 46 onwards really just sucks you into the drama in a way that it wasn't able to before.

But what really made the show, was its characters.

THE CHARACTERS:
Cheng Shaosheng is a beautifully tragic yet also someone who has an indomitable human spirit. She's quite innocent and naive to begin with, playful, wilful and has learned to look out for herself since her paternal grandmother and her aunt have been abusive to her since being abandoned by her parents as a baby when they went out to fight their emperor's wars. This is an extremely important part to both the story and to SS character; without having ever felt loved or experienced kindness, SS is incredibly insecure. She chases after love yet is also afraid of it too. She wants it, but is scared that once she has it, she'll be abandoned like how her parents abandoned her. It's not that she believes she doesn't deserve love, it's just she believes she is simply unlucky that love is something that will always be unattainable to her in this life - because if even her own parents could abandon her, how could anyone else decide to stick around?

Because of a lack of any parental love or guidance and a formal education, SS isn't exactly the typical noble lady. She's crass, rude, arrogant, stubborn, informal and acts on her own accord without regard for other people. I don't see these as bad qualities, in fact i would say that these traits are foundations for her own growth and therefore are impossible to hate because she never crosses that line of being detestable or selfish. She's learning her way around this new world that was previously closed off to her and she approaches it like an excited child, but learns as much as there is good in the world, most of it is off limits due to her gender.

One important aspect that is consistently hammered in is that SS has learned to put and love herself first, but she still feels empty; one of the most important things to SS character is her endless desire to gain her mother's approval. I never really understood WHY Yuanyi was so harsh on her daughter; i know it said it was because she wanted her daughter to become a proper lady, but... it just never made sense. Yuanyi is a general's wife and also fought alongside him on the battlefield; if anything, she goes against what a noble lady should be. She continuously shuts down her daughter's desperate attempts to form a bond with her, tears down her self esteem and self worth so much so that SS internalises all of this and it results in her reiterating her mother's cruel and harsh words time and time again every time someone praises her or is kind to her.

That is why I first want to talk about her relationship to Empress Xuan before I talk about any other relationship in the show.

Maybe it's my own personal projection, but I saw a lot of myself in SS throughout the entirety of their relationship. EX is a mother who is not close to her children, be it because of propriety and rules of palace life, or because she recognises that they are cruel and shallow and do not care for their mother as they should. EX suffers with the realisation that she is not truly loved by anyone, though care as they might and her predicament is exactly like SS, which results in honestly the most heart wrenching and beautiful depictions of a mother-daughter relationship I've ever seen.

In EX, SS finds the mother she should have gotten and always deserved; the empress always empathises with SS, she reminds her of her better qualities instead of her worse ones, she's kind and caring, understanding and always quick to help SS with problems she doesn't understand, such as marriage and being filial. You can really see how much SS yearns for EX to be her mother and even despite not being biologically related, EX actually DOES become her mother, just as SS becomes her daughter. For EX, SS is the daughter she always should have had; SS is kind and attentive, she tries to make the empress happy with even the smallest of things, she seeks her wisdom and her advice and cares for her above all others, even LBY. In the midst of everyone scheming and these two women having little control over their fate, they find comfort and love where they never found it before. It's honestly got me emotion writing this because as little time as they got, the fact they got any time at all was a blessing enough.

Personally, my interpretation, is that the rift between Yuanyi and SS never fully heals once YY realises that SS has chosen EX over her and she recognises that another woman has taken her place as SS's mother. SS might now accept her mother's affections as YY might now decide to give them to her, but there's this sense that they will never have that mother and daughter bond that SS always wanted and YY was too late to give.

The importance of family/found family is also shown through LBY and his own arc.

Ling Buyi is presented as this archetypical main male lead character who is feared, cold and calculating but he's never really actually cruel; he has his own ambitions and his own view of what justice is and should be, and he does a lot to achieve this and I never found myself really disagreeing with him or being against his actions because the show took great lengths to get the audience to understand and empathise with him, which I found impossible not to do so. Like SS, LBY is unsure of how to love and be loved, therefore he stumbles a lot when he's pursuing SS; for most of it, he keeps his feelings silent because of missed opportunities that arise that prevent him from telling her his feelings and also would not be beneficial for him to tell her his feelings for her. In my own interpretation, I don't think LBY fully understood the scope of his feelings until a sudden snap realisation; he knew he cared for her, but it wasn't an instant love at first sight for SS, but rather a curiosity that stemmed into caring for her before making way for love.

I want to talk about LBY character first before his relationship with SS; as I stated before, the last ten episodes of the show are honestly the peak of the show. Before episode 46, I wasn't sure how I felt Leo Wu/LBY as a main character; i definitely didn't dislike him by any means. I think he did perfectly with the role that he was given considering LBY characterisation - someone who was suffering with major trauma and PTSD who learned to shut his emotions off from the world and himself, therefore not leaving Leo Wu much to work with outside of the many heart fluttering moments he has w SS during their honeymoon period.

However, once episode 46 hit I honestly can say I was completely and utterly blown away by LBY character arc in a sense that I've not felt since I watched the red wedding in game of thrones.

LBY is a deeply traumatised person who never got the chance to heal and recover and internalised all that he suffered until he met his breaking point. Episode 48 of this show is one of the best pieces of media that I have ever watched and Leo Wu put his entire Wussy into it. You could see every single thought and feeling coursing through LBY - the realisation that he finally achieved all that he wanted, and how empty it felt now that he had it. Watching him break into tears before laughing, switching from completely breaking down to an empty realisation that all that he did meant nothing, brokenly laughing at how many years he wasted and that it didn't fill that void as he thought it would. I remember watching that entire episode completely stunned by the performance given by Leo Wu, showing how LBY was simply an act to cover up the man he truly was - a man who lost everything and now the only thing keeping him going left him more empty than ever before. All his suffering and he received no solace in the end and ended up ruining his own chance at happiness and at a normal life. I literally cannot encapsulate the emotions that ran through me watching that scene of LBY finally confronting his demons, his past and the reason behind it all because there are no words to fathom my thoughts into writing at it all.

From that point on, LBY becomes this ghost of the man he was; you can sense the difference in his demeanour from who he was before and who he became, how empty he is once he realised that vengeance did not put old ghosts to rest and now he has to live the rest of his life with regrets, compared to before where it was only fuelled with rage. He becomes despondent, unattached, a shell who cares not if he lives or dies. It's truly heartbreaking because at the same time you can understand WHY he did it, you can empathise with him while also wondering why he couldn't just move on.

This leads to the problem that I have with SS and LBY relationship.

Before I talk about anything else, I want to talk about my problem with how SS, as much as she says she understands, isn't really capable of it, and it's down to her own trauma that prevents her from doing so. Considering what LBY was forced to go through especially at a young age, a lot of the time it's SS asking him to forget the past and choose the future with her while not understanding the immense amount of suffering and trauma that he has been struggling with since being forced to witness a genocide as a child. This stems from the difference in their traumas: SS begs LBY to let go of the past not because she knows it hurts him, but because she wants him to choose her, to love her, to not abandon her as her parents did, whereas LBY is unable to fulfil that because of the trauma he was forced to undergo and believing that only when he achieves justice that he will be able to give himself to SS wholeheartedly without forcing the burden of his own demons onto her. As much as SS states she does understand, I don't think she truly does because her own trauma makes her incapable of it since she is still stuck in that mindset that if she isn't number one in someone's heart, it means that she is not in their heart at all.

But I truly feel like their relationship was all the better for all that they went through; learning to trust one another and be open with one another, accepting the parts of each other that they believed unacceptable before. SS is terrified that once married, she will lose her identity as her own being and simply become LBY's wife, but he constantly reiterates to her that it will never happen and that he would never want to take away her freedom and her identity. SS constantly tries to make sure LBY understands she will not leave his side (until breaking point but let's ignore that) and she accepts every part of him, going with him to see his mother, comforting him when he feels helpless, defending him when everyone keeps saying he's cold and cruel. LBY fell first and he fell harder, but that doesn't diminish the scope of SS's own feelings - she loves him truly and deeply, to the point she would join him in the afterlife than be without him, but she never lets her love erase her own self of being and identity and LBY never makes her do so. The respect that they have for one another goes beyond what I've seen in other drama couples, and it was slowly built up over time and I have a feeling will last forever.

One other important aspect I want to talk about is the palace life and the relationship between Empress Xuan, Emperor Wen and Consort Yue Fei. Whereas other dramas might pit the two women against one another (the latter is the childhood sweetheart and first wife of the Emperor and the former is his official wife), there's nothing like that in this show. In fact, I honestly have to say all three people were the least toxic characters in the entire show. While EW and YF are childhood sweethearts, they are never cruel or callous the EX; EW is kind and caring to EX, but we know he does not love her in the way she wants, while YF continuously sees EX as a friend and even as a sister. True, EX is an outlier, watching YF and EW be in love and act like teenagers, but they actively never exclude her. They both deeply respect EX and care for her, even if they are unaware that their actions make EX feel alienated.

Also, I just want to say i love Emperor Wen. Like, i think he might be my favourite character. While he does provide the bulk of the comic relief towards the latter half of the show, he's not a comedic character; he sees LBY as his own son, only wants what's best for him and to live a happy and normal life, protecting him as much as he can without making him untouchable, acting as a doting father to LBY without letting LBY walk all over him. we stan Emperor Wen in this household.

There are a lot more characters I could write about such as the other two male love interests, but I don't really have many thoughts on them that are important in this review.

FINAL THOUGHTS:
This show took me the better part of a week to finish and I have no regrets. Everything about this show was simply sublime, the pacing, the romance, everything. I don't know if I will rewatch it simply because I have the attention span of a goldfish and 56 episodes was a LOT to watch for me to begin with, hence why it took me so long to finish (hence the 8.5 rewatch value).

OTHER COMMENTS:
- the cinematography, acting and soundtrack in this show was fantastic and once again I round back to episode 48 which is where this show really, and I mean really, became a masterpiece. That episode is one of the best episodes of any show that I have ever watched. The acting from Leo Wu was PHENOMENAL, I am expecting that man to win a lot of awards for this episode alone. The music score and switching the scenes back from LBY and SS trying on her wedding dress honestly tore my heart into pieces. Even if the show was terrible (which is absolutely wasnt) this episode and the following episodes would have entirely made up for the rest of the show.
- personally, I'm glad they dropped most of the comedic element of the show after the first ten episodes. It was nice to have it peppered in throughout, but not have it constantly.
- The editing and VFX for this show was AMAZING; there are so many beautiful shots in this show that doesn't look cheap and tacky with the use of CGI. It's honestly the best use of CGI and VFX that I've seen any drama, but specifically a cdrama, ever use.
- The production and sets were also so aesthetically beautiful, god everything about this show was BEAUTIFUL to look at.
- episode 48? episode 48.

CONCLUSION:
The cast better invest in massive bags because they're all going to be walking away with all of the awards this season.

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