Dominator domineering

The story was very intriguing, engaging and keeps people going from start to finish. First, let me start with the character. It was very well written for both protagonist and antagonist. Xu Fengnian is not your usual aristocrat's son. His character is very convincing and realistic. Usually, the story always beautifies ml, meaning that ml usually considered as a good guy, never does anything wrong, never lies and somehow always gets fooled. But Xu Fengnian is different. He carries the charm domineering aura of Grand Commander while still had that humor of foolishness here and there.

Oh this drama had some serious humor where it was super funny in the place you least expect. Sometimes even makes you confused, do you want to laugh or do you not.

I like that he was in full control of his emotion - we can see the determination, intelligent and affection. Zhang Rou Yun is truly a great actor. I don't even know how much screenshots I take because every scenes that he's in just mesmerized me. Jiang Ni actually surprised me a little. Her character justifies her personality. A little bit necessary proudness in the name of a princess make me understand why (the actually scary) Fengnian keep it cool about all the 'assassinations'. Don't forget that Xu Fengnian take after Xu Xiao's charm and aura, so he is actually scary not in the way that he hurts you, but in the way that he studies you. Enemy who study their enemy is lot more dangerous than you think. I won't say about Jiang Ni's acting, I found a bit lacking from Fengnian but the eyes of affection and determination was still there so it doesn't disturb their chemistry and acting in general. Xu Xiao, Old Huang, Shu Xiu, Ning Emei, Qing Niao and that Lin guy, I can say that they give their all.

Secondly, I was relieved that it doesn't mix romance in there just because they want it to be interesting. The story is not of romance genre, but I can definitely see the affection and longing, which was 100 times better that romance. I'm a sucker for slow burn so this is my tea, and if you're not, I suggest don't watch for romance. I'll always ends up complaining if the strategy and revenge kinda drama always mix up romance as if the main lead doesn't have the strong resolution at all. They suddenly become weaker while I myself believe love is about become stronger (and smarter). Fortunately SSS doesn't have that bullshit. Their story was interesting thorough and thorough, it makes everyone a third wheeler.

For the plot, the story buildup was perfect. The rising action was a bit confusing since you can't see the 'chess board'. But I promise it was super engaging. They played well. Really hope season 2 can came out soon, tho I don't want they rush things and make a ruin out of it. SSS, signing out.

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As elegant as the tea in jade cup

I finished it! I finished it! I'm informed that this one is a brotherhood focused kind of drama and it has Cheng Yi- Cheng Yi my legendary blood spitter. After watching Immortal Samsara last year (I still use Immortal Samsara's wallpaper on my laptop), naively I thought MLC is not romance based genre, so Cheng Yi can't possibly spit that much blood. I'm wrong. I'm totally wrong, I'm laughing when I wrote this.

Our legendary blood spitter spits /vomits blood THE ENTIRE SHOW, it was his identity now. I'm not complaining here, I'm amused. I don't remember watching Cheng Yi in any contemporary drama, (I knew he'll do great) but Cheng Yi definitely suits historical/ period drama, he has that charismatic demeanor if he carries it properly. MLC bring out the "attitude" out of Cheng Yi and it was refreshing to see him sass out people and being a cunning old fox. And how can we not praise Di Feisheng, Fang Doubing and Rain Wang? They are splendid, they carry the show so well it was a 'smooth' journey of watching (I'm not complaining much acting wise throughout the show)

As an intermediate martial art learner myself, I'm glad to say that the execution of the show are not just blindly swinging the sword left and right, but it has a little technique here and there, it look solid enough to be believable. The plot twist had my eyes glued. I'm waiting for Fang Doubing to acknowledge Xiangyi as master formally (bow for student to master) but I'm not getting it till the end, it will be touching scene if it was added in :[ The romance part is a little suffocating. Thankfully it's not to much like The Blood of Youth, who had constant barge of new romance/ fling/ ex in any way possible,... but MLC is not stingy with romance either, at least it had a sprinkle of it as flavor and love how they move on very maturely later on.

Oh the ending; the special episode one. I need to say I'm a little glad they didn't outright show Xiangyi's death or live but the disappointment is undeniable... they can do better- come onnn.

That's all I can remember to comment on for MLC,
till the next of ChengYi's work,
Rubiy Young.

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A love no one can afford

I would like to say that this show is a love that no one can afford. I'll start with part 1. When you watch part 1, everything is great. Acting is great. Storyline is great. Toward the end, it shows A LOT of misunderstandings which you will think that it was so unfair to be there. Like why YunHe did this? Why the Senior did this? Why to this extend? Warning: you do be feeling like you want to flip the table around.

And then, part 2 came. This time you will be SUPER frustrated at both of them. ChangYi and YunHe. At first, you might think that ChangYi trap YunHe is so unfair when he knows that YunHe likes freedom. I actually spend some moments to think about this annd,.. none of them are fair to each other from the beginning. They want to show their love, but unfortunately in a very extreme and confusing - not confusing to ChangYi and YunHe, but to us the watcher! You know that kind of love where, 'even if I just glance, you know what I'm thinking'. Yes. That kind of love. They love-hate each other because they knew he/she hurt them to save them.

There's this major shortcoming in Dilraba and RenJialun's acting. Their expression look like someone who are in love, but not to each other. So, when the storyline is great, you are searching for that little spark- you don't found it. They look like they are holding hands and smiling sweetly to their partner but it's someone else. So this is a little weird. They express the longing and love better when they are not in each other's present.

I honestly know that YunHe will died because I accidently see the spoiler. And yes, how frustrating the part 2 is? You keep asking when YunHe will die. This doesn't sound normal, but yes. And once she died, the story becomes super engaging, I watch the last 9 episode in binge-watch.

Lastly, the ending. It is a bit confusing but it will not take you too long to realize what makes YunHe have a mermaid tail. You can make a quick guess on this one but I do feel like they should at least show a little bit on how they transform the fox's tail to a mermaid's tail. Tell me you're lazy without telling me you're lazy.

Overall, the acting is good but can be improved. The scene is sometimes picturesque (Flower Valley) and sometimes plain (North Abyss) and I don't have any comment on that. The storyline is super, super great. <3 If you like that slow-burn romance and understood-you-like-no-one-else kinda love, hit this up! You'll love it! <3

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Love grows and people too

Honestly thought that they shouldn't even divide this into 2 parts. I get it that it shows volta, or jump mood- switch mood, in literature jargon but it just makes the difference a lot more obvious and affected the judgment. Part 1 is just a rising action, so a lot of praises go to it because they build the story well. Very well and entertaining I'll give them that. But part 2 starts with climax. When a story starts with climax, if it isn't engaging enough it is easy to get ruin. And the in-story is heavy too. Politics and all. But I still like it cause apart from this, the story was so well done that everything else is forgivable.

I like that that they use human emotions well. Not every good man is a bad man and not every bad man is a good man. Because we're human. Things that we do have justifications. What comes around goes around. They played with family institutions well too. You know that in family, once you count the others fault, it will never end. Because family can do the worse to us but also can be the only person stand for us. So nothing should be calculated cause nothing should be count.

'Kan ai kan hen' - dare to love, dare to hate. I thought it was a rare personality too. Since she made clear what she want- often things we can't do nowadays Because she made a very clear line, ngl sometimes you want to screw flexibility in her head. Girl just take a hint. But that what make the show goes I guess. I take a long time to finish part 2, because how heavy the story gets and I can't handle it. (The unpredictable of Zisheng's action make it worse too). I thought Niaoniao doesn't show enough love to Zisheng when she said she love him in the beginning. I always thought that she said she's in love but she didn't look like it. I'm about to complain through the eps, but interestingly it does feel like Niaoniao's love grows, stronger day after day. It was so interesting like she went from 'no i don't love him' to 'yes he's my world'. Zhao Lusi acts well I guess?

I'm glad that they don't rush things. Much. So any complain I had about person's personality or story just dissipate cause they solve it well. Like I said, they use complex human emotions well and solve every complain that I had. All in all, I had a good laugh in part 1, I had a good cry in part 2.

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Romantic Circle

The most romantic drama I've ever seen.

If anything, this drama instill the elements of romantic to its core. The cinematography, the camera panning, the scenes, the voice echos, the colours,.. it's just, romantic. Even in the sad scenes, the upset scenes, more so the happy scenes, all of it are just romantic you'll feel kinda fluff, kinda melancholy.

The plot is easy to follow, overall story mainly follows the female lead as a butterfly slave hence the title, so it's kinda forgivable that most pov revolves around her. The world building is interesting and I personally think the actors/ actresses chosen fit well with the character. I love the second lead couple tho, they're the typical one-sided love story where they eventually fall in love.

But let's talk about the ending. I don't know if it's intended to feel like a dream from start to finish, or just its ends. My thoughts are, if it's from start to finish is a dream, it will be too much and too wasteful of a plot. If the dream is only the ending, means the story is not yet complete, she still waits for her husband and it will become an open ending story.
The other possibilty is, they really survive and have a happy ending but honestly it's a boring end. That Yuan popo said, she is one in a million but then the other two survive? So she's not even one in three (1/3) now. It breaks the logic immersion and honestly I'm disappointed. For the first time in my four years of becoming an avid drama watcher, I am expecting a sad ending. The writer can kill these husbands and the drama is a good and worthy watch. Writer needs a bit of a courage I see.

Last note, if you watch the last eps, last scene, and rewatch the first eps, first scene, it is the exact spitting scene and I love that. It shows they study their drama well and it was so lovable to know that. That is also why I call it romantic circle because the whole drama is soo romantic and it has a perfect loop. ✨

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