The story follows the love and conflicts among the three main characters: Xiao Wu Xia, Jiang Ci and Pei Yan. Xiao Wu Xia, a lord of Yuelou, has infiltrated the Liang royal court under the name Wei Zhao. His purpose is to uncover the truth behind his clan’s downfall. Pei Yan, the marquis in Liang Kingdom, carries the mission to revive his family’s former glory. Finally, Jiang Ci, a kind-hearted and freedom loving girl, whose fate changes forever after she encounters Wei Zhao and Pei Yan. In the end, for the greater good, the trio set aside their differences and join hands in the battlefield.

Although the show is adapted from a novel, the plot is not particularly well written. One can argue that the author approved of the changes. However, it does not justify the unnatural flow of the story. Many viewers can clearly see the efforts to put the male lead on a pedestal. It is understandable that the male lead, Xiao Wu Xia/Wei Zhao, is described as dashing, smart and caring. After all, he is our handsome and wise hero! But to highlight these qualities, the plot writers sacrifice the second male lead, Pei Yan. The marquis Pei Yan is reduced to the fool, who is hopeless in investigating anything related to Wei Zhao. Unfortunately, outsmarting a fool does not make a person look smart! Furthermore, there is almost no justification for Pei Yan’s obsession with Jiang Ci. Is it a quick way to increase Pei Yan’s screen time? And we should not forget our heroine, Jiang Ci, who at the beginning of the series is shivering every time she is near Wei Zhao. But somehow in her inner dialogue, she sounds as if she is fond of him! Although one can attribute this fault to dubbing and translation, it is still something the production team should have anticipated. Overall, the show carries certain entertainment value; but with logical flaws and plot holes, the story is proven to be that typical idol drama many of us once enjoyed!

In terms of acting, supporting actors and actresses have done a good job! But my focus is the three main leads! Jeremy Tsui has acted as the second male lead in many shows. By now, he has mastered the arts of being the villain, who is nonsensically obsessed with the female lead! In many scenes in Love of Nirvana, he is able to express his feelings and emotion entirely with his eyes, which is not an easy task! Generally, his performance is satisfying! As for Allen Ren, who is undeniably the biggest star in the series, it is another story! Earlier in his career, he was crowned “the prince of tears” for his emotional characters. Unfortunately, in recent years, his performance has not been up to bar. I applaud his effort to step out of his comfort zone, using his own voice in Burning Flame or trying out a multidimensional character in Love of Nirvana. Perhaps he will follow Yang Mi’s footsteps and will consider attending an acting class in the future! Finally, the least impressive person to me is Li Landi. She can totally be the cute, young and naïve girl. But she is not able to deliver the “freedom loving” aspect of Jiang Ci. This quality is essential to the female lead character. It helps to explain why Jiang Ci will never fall for Pei Yan. Her love for Xiao Wu Xia also presents her love for independence and freedom. However, Li Landi shows her potential and hopefully she will shine in her next project.

In the end, if you are a fan of those actors and the actress, by all means, please watch the show to support them! Repeat if necessary. But if you are someone who looks for a good script or who is a fan of the novel, you may find your time more beneficial somewhere else!