I finished it after having it on hold for almost a year. The reason is that i didn't really like palace and political dramas much back then, plus it had too much angst for my liking. Once i started watching it, i was intrigued and really liked it a lot. But the angst being too much for me, i kept it on hold and only now finished it.

Story: This drama is very heavy on the politics, and light on the romance, yet it has a heart touching love story between ill fated couples. The story is very well written, intricately with not many plotholes. So sometimes it may even feel boring or repetitive because of the heavy politics. The main couple remain true to each other throughout. For the main fl, although she was taken as a consort, she never once faltered in her feelings for the ml. She helped him with her strength as an imperial consort just like he did for her. The ml was just as true to his beloved. The empress was in love with lang kun, as i grasped from the subtle indications. There were disgusting people causing trouble everywhere, but with their own wits, they found their way out, which was rather satisfying to see. Nothing was rainbows and unicorns about this story although it has a happy ending for the main couple. It was a rather realistic story in which an obsessive amorous emperor tears two lovers apart, but fails to get her love, while the low born subject of his interest stays true to her own love and strives to be together with him, all while maintaining conduct of decency. Being honest, the things that fl was able to do couldn't have been possible without power, and the ml would've long been killed by the king. The king desires her, what could a mere general with an incriminated father do to keep her? So the power and status of the fl came in handy. There were villains, but more than them, the non villains were horrible. The king's death was just as satisfying as the villain's. The fl's sacrifices for the ml and her country were touching. But this wasn't a tearjerker, maybe because it was so low on the romance.

Characters: All the characters were highly complex. Let's begin with the most ungrateful, greedy, foolish, horny, wicked and undeserving scumbag of a king- NOTHING was good about his character. He kept using the ml, then trying to get rid of him like a grade a asshole. He stole the fl from the ml, then dared to treat her as his property. I hated him more than anyone. Now onto his beloved b*tch, Ban ling er. Just like her dear husband, she was a pretentious backstabber, greedy, ungrateful, cunning, demon with a nice innocent face. The two of them really suited each other actually, a hypocritical couple. The two villainous siblings of the king were meh and kinda pitiful (one suffering in love, the other got disowned by his own mother as a tool to stop the war) and rather easy to manipulate and fool. Yan Kuan and yan zheng were actually impressive with their wits. The villains were more interesting than the king. Now onto the protagonists who grew nicely throughout the story. The empress was seemingly petty and obnoxious, but she was an ill tempered girl from a big clan, with a good heart. Her death was rather sad just like her love story with Lang Kun, the one who came off as a loathsome villain, only to be later revealed as the good guy. He suffered a lot, and loved the empress truly, but they never got to voice their feelings for each other, poor couple. Now the fl. An innocent, poor lovesick girl from a circus troupe who tries to get close to the ml and in the process becomes the king's object of desire and thereby the consort. She wins hearts with her kindness and wits, makes enemies with her intelligence, yet remains true to her only beloved ml, and doesn't get swayed by the temptations of luxurious life of a royal consort. From an innocent girl, she grows to be a mature lady, protecting her loved ones with her power and wits, and caring for the people. Now the ml. He was such a loyal guy, level headed, very intelligent, decent and dedicated to the fl and devoted to his country. Never swayed by his emotions, he helps everyone, tackling the numerous threats to his own life and the FL's. The tolerance he had to the king that spoiled every effort of his to help him, was really impressive.

Production: This one went all out on the costumes, they were absolutely beautiful. The makeup was flawless just like the sets. The music was nice, but didn't really leave any impression. Overall, it was very well done.

Although i wouldn't watch it again, doesn't change the fact this was a very good drama. And i will never understand why it is so underrated. Hope it gets the recognition it deserves. I really recommend watching it to people who love superior level of palace politics and don't mind a heavy story, with less romance.