Another drama I wanted to love and place firmly on my 'rewatch' list. I adore Wu Lei. Zhao Lusi, not so much, but when she finds a role that suits her, she does a fine job. The ensemble cast is the reason (and especially Wu Lei) that I rated this drama as highly as I did. For once, even the absence of smoking hot chemistry between the main leads didn't deter me.

There were aspects of Part I which were slightly better than the disorganized mess that was Part II - but the second part also underwhelmed and disappointed.

I had trouble keeping track of who was who - so many princes, so many princesses, so many ministers, evil and not evil, so many random characters popping up when a plot needed justification... it became tedious trying to remember them all and what their story was. Hence, the holes in the stories. So much time was wasted on slow-motion shots, repetitious angle shots, and pushing the revenge and petty spitefulness to the max. I get that FL was wronged in her childhood. I get that ML was traumatized and also suffered. Those points were played out so much that it got tiresome to watch it. So much so, that when it came to wrapping up the storylines, in that last episode, the viewers really got sold out. Even mid-stream, in the years FL was in the palace - one group scene with everybody in red was supposed to indicate the couples and marriages. Press 'pause' to see who got married to who... disappointing! And that last scene in the last episode - supremely disappointing!

We waited so long for this series and so much hype went into it. Fans of the ML & FL watched, and many may praise it because of their loyalty to these two actors. My opinion might not be popular, but it is just that - my opinion. I was disappointed and underwhelmed with the way the story was told and with the performance of the screen writers and the director. They ruined the piece.

Can I just add my admiration for the great job that Tong Lei did as the Empress? She evoked the only tears I shed in this drama. Her gentle, generous spirit was truly brought out in this actor's performance. I really loved so many of the characters in this series because they did such a great job of bringing their roles to life, and that is the reason I could give this show the rating I did. I also have to mention Wu Lei's fight scenes - and how magnificent he looks on a horse! I look forward to his next historical drama.