Pursuit of Jade

Pretty Privilege and Biggest disappointment

This drama is the perfect example that if you are beautiful or handsome you can get away with anything. What I mean is this drama is getting 10/10 because is Zhang Linghe and Tian Xiwei if not that it would be at most a 7/10.


I am all for female centric drama only if it’s believable. Fiction does get to a point. Lol they had the butcher girl defeat a season general in 2 strikes . If I had not read the tags would have thought it’s a cultivation deal and she has some mysterious powers.Taht was the first flow

Second is the story line . What was this drama even about . Revenge? War? Politics ?Romance? you couldn’t two because it struggled to grasp one or two concepts and stick to it . It was everywhere and nowhere at once .

Talk about the Feared Marquis of Wuan lmao what a joke. Not even one serious fight scene to show his power but hey the butcher girl is killing everyone 2 weeks after joining the army .


I have a lot to say but in conclusion this a drama that can only be rated 10/10 by a teenager or a fan girl who only cares about looks because that’s all there was to this drama . THUS WHY I SAY PRETTY PRIVILEGE AND BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF 2026

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Good But A Classic Case of Poor Pacing

Pursuit of Jade has all the ingredients for a memorable drama: compelling leads, a strong premise, and emotional depth. But in trying to do everything, it ultimately sort of fumbles its own story.

EP 1 - 18
We open in Lin'an (a cosy little village) and before you know it, we have an arranged marriage between 2 good looking people who clearly have some tension. One who is thought to be dead and the one who saved him. A great combination.

We get to play house for a while, butcher pigs, make friends with single moms, build a found family and beat up ex fiances all while fighting off judgemental neighbours and avoiding the problems in the capital like all Marquis and their wives do.

And then slowly but surely, reality catches up to them and they face a major disaster (EP 18).

EP 18 - 27
The next few episodes we see Changyu navigating grief from the horrible massacre of her village people, the loss of her little sister, separation from her husband and the conscription of her loved ones. She perseveres through it all and even gets conscripted into the army as well.

She goes to the camp in EP 24 where she sees Zheng and her little sister and then we spend the next 3 episodes setting BACK her character development and making her look like a fool.

She becomes this reckless, almost arrogant person who somehow thinks it's okay to flout military laws and bait prisoners, and instead of Zheng to allow her to deal with the consequences of her actions, he wants to be whipped in her steed because he's low-key a masochist.

Zheng still lies to her about his identity and then he proceeds to make a bunch of other people lie to her about it as well.

She also DRUGS him before a BATTLE and miraculously kills a GENERAL with no substantial wounds to her person and what does Zheng do when he shows up? Carries her away from the battlefield of course, to go and have a lover's spat because his true identity has now been revealed.

Does she face any repercussions for DRUGGING the Marquis at such a critical time? No, because she's Mrs. Fan Changyu and the rules don't apply to her. After all she was only trying to be a good wife right?

EP 28 - 30
Prince Changxin is finally introduced in EP 28 and by EP 30 he was dead. I kid you not. Just 2 and a half episodes we spare for this guy. This is someone they hadn't even SHOWN since the beginning. This big bad character shrouded in mystery, only to be killed in 2 strikes (as Changyu so humbly likes to remind us) by a 19 yr old who has alarmingly little experience fighting wars and seasoned, battle hardened generals.

She suddenly has superhuman, Avengers type strength and prowess and the fact that Zheng left her to fight him and went after SUI YUANQING of all people only to LOSE him at the end was the cherry on top of our delusional cake.

Notice how there hasn't been much worth mentioning about Zheng well that's because he's basically a background character when he's not interacting with Changyu and even then she overshadows him. He spends a lot of his time sick/riddled with injury and his only character trait is being Changyu's malewife.

EP 30 - 40
At this point, we have 10 episodes left and then suddenly the weight of the capital and it's schemes comes crashing down.

Changyu becomes a commander, the truth about her parentage, the Li clan's alliance with Qi Min, Qi Min betraying the Sui clan, Wei Xuan's parentage, Wei Yan and his past lover, Wei Yan and the puppet Emperor, Qi Min's plans of taking the throne, the truth about Eastern palace fire that happened 17 years ago, the truth about the Chongzhou massacre that also happened 17 years ago, etc.

So many plot lines, stories to follow, truths uncovered, loose ends to wrap up and it all ends up condensed and mushed together with a mildly satisfying ending.

The first half takes its time (maybe a bit too much) building an intense, character driven story with emotional stakes and the second half loses restraint and nuance. It's a bit poorly written and things aren't given the time they deserve. I found myself skipping through the last few episodes just to get the end quickly.

Overall, Pursuit of Jade was a promising watch in the beginning and an exhausting one in the end.

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Had so much potential, couldn't utilise it fully.

UNPOPULAR OPINION!

No hate, I do think it was entertaining. But in a guilty pleasure sort of way, rather than intellectually stimulating. It had all the elements of a satisfying story, but somewhere along the way it lost sight of its purpose.

What I liked:

1. Tian Xiwei as Fan Changyu- TX is apt for the role. Her character has a "Hagrid" energy to it- Brute strength but a softy at heart. Someone who does not know her own worth at the beginning, but later realising and using it. The drama has a lot of situational comedies and she nailed her expressions in them. I hear she herself is a fitness enthusiast and it shows in her movements. She communicates well with her body language as well. I watched some of the BTS and she came across as someone very professional and easy going with charisma. I am not sure I would describe her portrayal as sensual, but that is perhaps because of the second leads in the story.

2. Which brings us to the next thing that fascinated me- The story of the second leads. Yes, it was toxic. But it was also layered, it gave off the images of desire and vulnerability clothed in pitifulness. Both leads played the part and worked together well. Kong Su'er had that sensual quality, and her character displayed intelligence. I read somewhere that her character had actually transmigrated from the future, and that shows, she displays a modern air about her. Deng Kai- Phew. He played that obsessive villain well! The whimpering, whipped, possessive madman had so much to offer.

Which brings me to the parts I didn't like:

1. Wasted storylines- The Second leads packed a lot of intrigue which was criminally under explored. Makes me think the writers actually wanted this drama to be their story, but given the toxic nature of their relationship it wasn't viable so they hid it in the larger premise. I also did not understand why every character had to have a romantic subplot. The Strategist-Grand Princess arc was well portrayed, but could have been avoided to leave some breathing room for the rest of the story. Same with the bandit boss- villain brother arc, with a scene with the cousin. They are not bad, but they made the whole thing so dense and did not feel impactful. The villain brother also had sizeable chemistry with the FL., but to my disappointment it never got explored. The story with adoptive father arc- a long scene with a lot of dialogues, which could've been either shortened, or explored in detail and connected in a larger context.

2. Pacing that destroyed character development: Everything was good initially, but so much of it was "told" rather than "shown". I get that watching idol dramas demands the viewers to suspend belief to a considerable degree, but even fictional universes obey some rules. I see that this is one of the most common complaints about this drama, even fans found it hard to believe the FL climbing up the army ranks just like that. Still, not a big red flag.

3. The Politics: Again another common complaint- I found the mystery extremely confusing. The who is who. The Why's. It is explained, yes, but in the last two episodes! Why are there so many people dying in so many fires? Anyway, my point is that there is no "main villain", instead there are many villains. and it was overwhelming. The motives were unclear, and I found it impossible to track the relationships. Uncles and nephews all fighting with each other. Also, Fan Changyu's mother is also from a General's family but that arc is also not deeply explored. It was tiring to keep wondering what is going on while the acting and the scene setup were gorgeous, affecting the viewing experience.

4. ZLH: He looks gorgeous. So good looking. But I felt he displayed a limited range of emotions, not quite convincing, but not too bad either. His story was overshadowed by the other stories, so despite being told many times that he is traumatic I did not feel the connection. Something was lacking.

I loved Blossom. This one pales in comparison. Maybe that is the problem with the people who rated this one low- they had very, very, very high standards.

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Qi Min, the villain yearner my heart aches for

All the Qi Min yearners gather here with me, let our emotional turmoils peak together. One of the biggest reasons I could keep up with so many episodes was because of this second love arc which enticed me beautifully. And I appreciate the makers of adaptation for giving us this beautifully, painfully captivating arc that keeps gnawing at some ( unstable ones like me) of our hearts. *Spoilers Ahead* While the pacing for our main cp slowed down or sometimes got boring, I had this delicious, unhinged villain’s schemes, obsession with his woman, and love tribulations to look forward to. Oh my man YEARNS. The yearning he yearned, made me yearn for a villain’s happily ever after too. Now I know that this man is the ultimate villain, BAD BAD. A sinister schemer, merciless kil!er, a villain without redemption. But perhaps, perhaps, not so much irredeemable in love; Perhaps. And this made me so desperately want a real alternate ending for him and QianQian. Where he gets to move her heart, where he is ready to give up everything for her, if it means he can earn the littlest love and space in her heart. And by the ending point? That possibility may not have been so far fetched either. My tears shed with him during the last scene, as he lay there in her lap, and as he listened to her voice in his final breaths. My heart HURT.

Even if in a universe he still remains unhinged, I know my girl QianQian could keep him in check. Even then, I wished for his happy ever after with a new beginning.

Before anyone comes at me with how unokay I am, I know, I KNOW 😭 A girl can be weak for Qi Min, okay?

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Promising start, empty payoff !

I’m pretty strict with the ratings I give because I have high standards when it comes to dramas. Pursuit of Jade had all the ingredients to be amazing, but it ended up falling flat.

The biggest issue is the narrative. It opens up too many plotlines and doesn’t properly develop any of them. The story keeps moving, but without direction, weight, or a clear purpose. It feels like it’s going somewhere, but nothing ever truly lands or gets resolved in a satisfying way.

More than being a bad story, it feels like one that never figured out what it wanted to be. And that’s what makes it so frustrating. The potential was there, but it was wasted.

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A Beautiful Empty Shell

I have a love hate relationship with this one. This drama is like a beautiful empty shell. Zeng Qing Jie rocked this drama with its stunning visuals. The angles, color grading, lighting, color theories, visual effects, all work in synergy to create such an immersive visual feast. But that’s about it. This is too much of an idol drama that lacks depth, logic, and effort to its story and character development.

Most of the drama centers around Fan Chang Yu and Xie Zheng’s fake marriage relationship in Xigu Lane. It was beautiful and sweet. It was a cliché kind of love story that high school me would have loved very much! There were mentions and hints of politics here and there but it was all talks without any real impact whatsoever. The politics mentioned during the Xigu Lane arc felt less like an introduction or teaser, but more like unimportant fillers. If this was a short drama, Xigu Lane arc would have been cute.

Once we move out of Xigu Lane, everything starts to falter. The writer needs to research on how to write political arcs, while the director needs to research how to shoot action scenes and war scenes because whT the hell was all that!

The politics feel so messy and careless. There was no real impact to the politics and even the solution felt flimsy. I don’t even want to bother laying it out but it was just so bad. Worst of all is the action scenes. While Chang Yu had two empowering action scenes, Xie Zheng’s felt like a commercial. No action, only visuals. Like an idol shooting their ending fairy shots. Also, what was episode 39! What is supposed to be an intense most climactic final battle turns out to look like a comical comedy. Why rent such a big space only for that little group of people.. no.. only a duel to take place. Everything was clean and bright! No smoke, no dirt, no blood, nothing. It’s more like a practice duel than a real battlefield.

The character writing also disappoints me. Does butchering pigs really give this tiny stick woman that much strength?! Also, Chang Yu is one country bumpkin. It’s so frustrating how she’s unable to connect the dots herself and act so impulsively at the army camp. I also can’t believe she just acts so imprudently and talk so freely in court. Xie Zheng is no good either. First of all, Zhang Ling He being cast as Xie Zheng is definitely for the visuals. I love ZLH but he does not look anything like this dark ruthless marquis. Also, Xie Zheng literally spends most of the drama being injured and sick.. Where is the commanding aura that his character is supposed to have?! He does have some impactful scenes but it’s not enough, and most of it are just stupid. One of the examples is the scene at the tent when he said commands are not a joke or something. The speech, impactful. But the context behind it is just dumb. Why would you hesitate to tell your woman who you are. Stupid logic. Also, why are all of Xie Zheng’s action scenes close ups of his face?! Agh.

I need to stop before I start spiraling. Do I enjoy it? Only Xigu Lane. Do I like it? Only the visuals. Do I recommend it? Only if you don’t care about story depth and logic.

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Half-time check in--plus final assessment

Having now watched all episodes of PURSUIT OF JADE, I have to agree that–although in places this story is unbelievable, and certainly brutal--it’s one of the most entertaining and original Chinese dramas of the year.

What I like:

1. There are certain cliches that pop up in Asian dramas again and again. This series has fewer of those than almost any drama I’ve seen up to this point. The slight, skinny FL is no helpless victim. If anything, she’s almost unbelievably strong and assertive. I said “almost” because, well, I questioned a couple of her physical feats. But I suspended my disbelief for the sake of the overall narrative, which never flags.

2. Speaking of the plot, it’s unusual for me to be so engrossed in the action that I have a problem turning off the TV when my own life is calling. That’s how this drama affected me–it’s utterly absorbing.

3. The originality of the plot, the physical details of the house and yard, plus other visuals frame the story in a way that adds authenticity. For example, the uneven and ramshackle fences that encircle the Fan house looked altogether real (I looked them up–and, yes, rural fences do sometimes look like that).

4. The way the impoverished villagers help each other out, the malicious gossip, even the slaughtering of the pigs–all contributed to the overall credibility. The main characters, and many of the minor ones, are appealing and likeable. The plot is succinct. If there’s any filler in the first 23 episodes, I couldn’t find it.

5. Some of the visuals are clever–others are downright stunning–for example the scene where the camera follows the white hawk as it soars through the clouds. (AI generated, of course.) Still, it’s breathtaking.

6. Delightful little touches like the ML sneezing when his wife and teacher each sing his praises without either realizing that they’re talking about the same dude. (In East Asian cultures, many believe that sneezing indicates that someone is talking about you behind your back.)

A few difficulties--

1. Suffice it to say that this story is brutal in places. You probably shouldn’t watch it with young children. There are a few graphic sequences where a pig is slaughtered, or at least seems to go unconscious before its killed–although we’re told that “no animals were harmed in this episode.” In another scene, a young child is psychologically tormented.

2. The political machinations were too convoluted, and culture specific, for me to follow. Luckily viewers don’t need to understand the details to understand who the villains are–and who’s trying to off whom.

3. I counted four times in the first 23 episodes that the ML was out of commission because of injuries sustained in a fight–and I might have missed a few. Too repetitious for a drama that mostly avoids this kind of overkill.

4. It’s usually a good idea not to confuse the actor with the character he plays. Linghe Zhang has been criticized--I’d say unfairly--as being a bit subdued and tepid in his role as the ML. That’s how the character is written, folks. Zheng Xie is supposed to be a serious man with heavy responsibilities.

If you want to see the same actor’s wild, zany side, watch his performance as Changheng in LOVE BETWEEN FAIRY AND DEVIL, especially the sequence where he’s been reincarnated as a fun-loving mortal.

LATER–I’ve now seen all episodes. We spend much of the second half of this drama in the company of people who are basically trying to shiv one another. Also, the English subtitles were sometimes a bit muddled and incoherent.

If I were a foot soldier putting my life on the line for the Marquis of Wu'an, I might be a tad annoyed that he spends so much energy on the vicissitudes of his love life--instead of figuring out how he’s going to defeat the bad guys. At one point, he even recruits his underlings to create a performance to trick the FL...

Villains in C-dramas seldom get their due. So I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out the magnetic, sultry presence of Deng Kai who plays the role of Qi Min, in a way that makes the character both compelling and horrific.

NOTE to those still watching PURSUIT OF JADE–or are about to begin it:

If you want to promote quality cinema in China please boycott pirated versions. The people responsible for this fine production deserve to profit from it. Each decision, each costume, the ost, and everything about this drama shows the care and artistry that were poured into it. Any discerning viewer can see it. Please make sure you’re viewing it through legitimate outlets, so that the original director and producers can recoup their considerable investment. (Just to be clear--I have no connection with the company who made PURSUIT OF JADE.)

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《逐玉》 Zhu Yu — Honest Review

The cinematography of this drama is one of the greatest I've seen so far. The director definitely knows what he's doing and I am all for it. From the first moment Fan Changyu entered the screen to the war scenes to the end, the cinematography never falter. To me, this is what 2026 cinematography should look like. I'm not going to lie, I have watch a lot of Chinese dramas and I always think to myself how can the cinematography be so lacking when we're in the age where it shouldn't be so lacking. But this one... it was beyond magnificent.

To me, this drama was really well done. From the casting to the set to the clothing. Everything was well done. You can definitely tell that the director pour his love into making this drama for us to watch. I haven't read the book so I don't know much about the plot or the characters, but I can definitely say that everyone did an AMAZING job!

Fan Changyu —
She was a breath of fresh air. I know that a lot of Chinese dramas make the female lead weak, even if they are supposed to be strong, but Changyu, she broke the stereotype. She was blunt and arrogant but she can back it up. She was not the smartest in terms of what a woman should be in that time, but she was wonderful in her own way and I am glad that Xie Zheng never tried to change her. Her love for those close to her may lead her to do reckless things, but it comes from a good place. I know that she received a lot of criticism for drugging Xie Zheng or knocking out Li Huai'an, but she did that because she cannot afford to lose anymore people that she love and care for. She had lost so many along the way and she didn't want to lose more. Her entire village was slaughtered by a psychopath who was not only intrigued with her but also vengeful towards her. So, I can understand why she did that. To me, her recklessness actually play towards Xie Zheng's greater cause. No one, not even the enemy, expected a young lady to be so strong so they underestimated her. She killed two important people just because they underestimated her strength and well.

I love Tian Xi Wei so I went into this drama rooting for her, but I am not one to watch because of my favorite actress or actors. I started because of her but I stayed because of Fan Changyu. Tian Xi Wei did an amazing job portraying Fan Changyu. What I really love about Tian Xi Wei is her expression. Her eyes, her eyebrows, her face were able to convey what she was feeling without saying a word.

Xie Zheng/Yan Zheng —
The great Marquis of Wu'an. He was cunning and adorable, but he lacked communication. I enjoyed him as Yan Zheng though. As Yan Zheng, he was gentle, protective, and caring towards the Fan sisters and the Zhao couple. As Xie Zheng — I wished we were able to see more of Xie Zheng. I mean, even when he was Xie Zheng, he was still acting like Yan Zheng. He was the clingy, matrilocal husband. I wanted to see more of the ruthless Marquis of Wu'an. What I loved about him is that he never wanted to change her. He let her be herself throughout the entire drama. He knows that she doesn't know the military laws, so he concocted a scheme to make her understand. He was, to me, the only one who understands her.

Zhang Ling He — I first watched in Love Between Devil and Fairy and I thought that he did an amazing job there. I didn't watch his other dramas -- actually, I tried to watch his other dramas, but the storyline was not doing it for me, so I dropped them. Honestly, he was perfect as the Marquis of Wu'an. I can definitely say that his acting improved since Devil and Fairy.

Qian Qian—
She was one of my favorite character from the drama. From the beginning, she was always independent and we don't see a lot of that in dramas. What I loved about her is that she never wavered and kept true to who she was even when she was held captive by Qi Min. I wished she had a better ending than just being stuck in the palace. She only ever wanted her freedom and now she's confined within the palace walls. I hope that she had a better ending in the novel. She deserves to be carefree.

Qi Min —
I pitied him the most. He was the most tragic character in this drama. I know that a lot of people were only giving him grace because Deng Kai is handsome, but I looked beyond that. I looked into his motives, his story, and his reasons. To me, his life parallels Xie Zheng but with different outcomes.

Two boys who lost everything overnight but one was good and the other evil.

HOWEVER, I gave Qi Min grace because he was different from Xie Zheng. Yes, he lost both of his parents over night, but he was subjected to undeniably and horrible pain just so that one day he can take the throne. AND that is why I pitied him and gave him grace.

He was a man who spent 17 years of his life living as someone else while enduring so much pain. He was burnt and was treated via skin graft — which I can only imagine how painful it must be for him. He endured all of that pain just to be hated and neglected by Lord Changxin.

His relationship with Qian Qian is a suffocating, terrifying obsession born out of his own broken psyche. To me, he was so broken that just by having Qian Qian by his side, even if it meant she is going to hate him, he didn't care, as long as she was with him.

Sui Yuan Qing —
Honestly, I don't have anything against him. He did what he was told. He followed his father because his father truly believed that they are the rightful heir to the throne. As psychotic as he is, he really did love Qi Min and that to me, was his redeeming character arc.

He truly believe to the end that Qi Min cared about him and he was so broken when he realized that the older brother he loved so much had no feelings for him whatsoever.

I would love to see him fight with Changyu again. They had so much chemistry during their scenes together that I almost forgot he wasn't the male lead.

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What I didn't like —

I wished that this drama was longer. It needed more than 40 episodes. I feel that they can pull a "Love Like the Galaxy" and do a 2-part drama. I feel that the political and court scenes were reduced to make it all fit into 40 episodes. I wanted them to spend more time in the court and in the capital. It feels rushed to me.

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I loved that they went back to Lin'an. The scene where she was walking through the town and those that have died was calling her was so heartwarming. I wish that it was real. Lin'an Town lost a lot.

Overall rating: 9/10

I only gave this a 9 because of the last few episodes. I wished that they extended this drama to 50 episodes to fill in all of the political stuff and what happened 17 years ago. I really do feel that that was not fully explained. I was craving for more. I wanted to know more about what happened.

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Wow

I have to admit that it's close to impossible for me to watch a full Chinese series without skipping or dropping it, no matter how great it is, the last show I remember that I managed to finish was the prisoner of beauty, and I skipped a lot while watching, I remember rating it less than it deserves cause I had a thing or two I didn't like.
Also I'm a serial binge-watcher "if that even make any sense lol" so I get bored when I watch a show while it is being aired.

But I guess I found the perfect formula to enjoy long Chinese series cause that's how I managed to finish and enjoy this show.
A couple of episodes every other day.

Now the real review, the beginning was very strong! I was really mesmerized by the FL she was so beautiful and of course the ML, the reverse damsel in distress was a nice touch, if it wasn't for the way they overdid it, I mean a butcher's daughter who can fight is one thing, but to kill a very strong worrier "a leader nonetheless" who is an expert during a war when she has always lived her life in a small countryside Is just a stretch, I could understand the whole saving the ML thing, but not that.
However, I loved her character, her stubborn personality, her relationship with the ML and their great love.

The whole fighting for power was boring to me, but it was well written so I have nothing to complain about, I knew this isn't my cup of tea from the beginning, and I was watching for the bits that I like so that's completely fine, I can't have my cake and eat it too.

The comedic relief was amazing, I had a few good laughs while watching specially in the beginning.
And the way everything ended was amazing.

One thing I didn't like but still couldn't decrease my rating was the Hypothetical scenario in the end where the massacre did not happen, I loved every thing about it except for the second couple "QianQian and QiMin" and how they ended their story, I mean I loved them together, I completely loved how they ended them in the original timeline, he deserves it, but the second scenario, I don't understand why couldn't they end it happily.

I still found it unnecessarily stretched like most Chinese shows, but again, it's what it is, I can't buck the trend ~~

Overall I think it was a good series, I recommend it for whoever likes the genre ~~

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You can cast the boy out of a cinnamon role, but you can’t cast the cinnamon roll out of the boy.

The first twenty of so episodes of this drama are very good. It totally fulfils the “fit for purpose” specifications of a historical action romance. There’s a whack of very good chemistry, sweet romantic interactions, some deliciously dastardly baddies, a couple of kick arse women, lots of good supporting roles and a plot that meanders along with enough in it to keep you on your toes.

Admittedly there’s the obligatory total suspension of disbelief required in some areas, not least of which concerns our reputedly ruthless hero, Xie Zheng played by Zhang Ling He. Sorry, but however much he frowns and barks: looks like a cinnamon roll, is a cinnamon roll. I’m probably going to be pickled in brine and strung up to cure for this remark, but then again, I’m known for saying it like it is, so—I genuinely think he was miscast. He simply doesn’t have the hard edge of suppressed emotions to pull off tsundere, which is what this role required. But I have to admit he makes a perfect, sweet, romantic lead.

You know when someone has been working too hard with not enough sleep, because the plot gets infected by fevered dreams and all types of ridiculousness follows. Look, I’ve watched a lot of dramas and I’m prepared to accept a heap of wince-making unbelievable situations before I totally give up on something that I decided to review. But starting about half way through, the shenanigans around false identity and military procedure got way beyond the rolling eyes and LOL stage and had me banging on the pause button and going off to do anything other than endure any more of it. I did my best not to give up and it was an excruciatingly close call. Episode 26 was the low point and I did think if anything else happens, I’m out. If you’ve got a strong enough stomach to survive that episode on top of what comes before it, then the rest is plain sailing, if a little predictable.

Until the last couple of episodes that is, which were badly edited and try to solve too many plot lines at once in a disjointed hash of scenes that don’t have enough time to really impact properly. Some of the plot lines needed more support earlier to be tied in properly. The unfolding of mystery should be a procession of tempting tasting dishes that lead you to the finale and is not best served by starving everyone then slopping everything on a plate at the end in an as-much-as-you-can-eat buffet, followed by pie in the sky to finish it off.

The prize for the most romantic line, sweetly delivered in a love scene goes to Xie Zheng for “Every morning I woke up to the sound of you slaughtering pigs.” And the prize for the sexiest psychotic villain that I’ve seen in a long while goes to Deng Kai for his portrayal of Sui Yuan Hai. Irresistible…

So it’s a very compromised rating, the start is an 8, the middle is a 5 and the end is a 7 which I’ve balanced out to a 7 overall.

Edited to add: Oh, I've just discovered, to my great amusement, that I align with the official Chinese government line on Zhang Ling He's portrayal of Xie Zheng! There's always a first time...LOL.

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First half the best but second half lost that charm .

Overall, a very good drama despite its many flaws I listed below. One of the very few period dramas I really enjoyed from the first to the last.

What I liked
1. First half is just beautiful. The leads, every single characters that you come across has a personality and you recognise their quirks at the get go. Even the Xigu Valley is a character in itself. This is so rare these days to see that kind of immersive narration.
2. The leads. Their acting and chemistry from the get go is sizzling. The Linan arc for them is just so so fresh and good. I loved how they setup the leads. The way FL recognises that ML was the one who fought those goons at the house was chef's kiss. She is not dumb and naive. She is strong, resourceful, smart and kind. I love that about her. She is such a lovely character through and through. ML as well . You can see from the get go that he is not someone he pretends to be with his subtle expression changes.
3. The child artists specially ChangNing is such a cutie and did so well.
4 The little detailing and having almost every character shelved out well.
5. Absolutely loved the cinematography. The lighting, the setup, costumes and makeup. Both the leads looked stunning throughout in their different attires. Be it in village, military or noble attires. Specially ZLH look was the best out of all periodic dramas he did so far.
6. Comedic effects in the first half was too good. I laughed out loud many a times.

What could have been better and ended up dropping my overall rating

1. Second half in general. It was rushed with a lot of cuts confusing what is going on. I guess 40 episode limit was the major culprit.
2. Rushed growth of FL. Yes they showed her learning but it was not enough for the level of growth they showed. She is treated equal to ML by episode 35 which seems unrealistic.
3. Ridiculous court scenes. The comedic route they took for court scenes and the emperor did not work for me. Specially the way FL treats the senior members of the court too was a bit too arrogant considering her status compared to others. I know she is a simple village girl but when she knows how to behave in front of judicial officer back in Linan it is not like she is naive enough to speak rudely in the court. I know they are bad people but that does not mean a newbie can talk however they want. Her breaking Li grandfather's carriage was something I loved because she did that in private but not the court scenes. It felt as if FL had too much leeway just because she was FL and the director need to show her brave and strong. She does so many questionable things throughout like drugging ML, knocking out a commander officer when she just joined army minutes ago with zero repercussions. Instead the commander kneels to her and apologises because he thinks he was wrong. What!
4. Too much preachy. I have seen that many of modern sensibilities are sort of forced on these periodic dramas which pulls me out of the story. In the story setting, ML is older and has more experience but even then they have the need to show that when they fight she is holding back if he wins. When they are in battlefield, she has to fight beside him and refuses to stand behind him. Instead she gives the option whom to fight with to ML so she will fight whoever he leaves out. That does not make sense. He is Marquis and she just joined at most a few months back. I don't get it. It is so unrealistic in a historical setting. Women can be strong but still be second to someone more experienced. They are mutually exclusive. FL can be allowed to be second to ML and other senior officers in terms of prowess (not in the relationship mind you). That does not make her weak. It shows her grit to better herself . But no she will not entertain such things.
5. Too many unnecessary scenes of villain forcing himself on the woman he is obsessed with. Showing one or two scene was enough for us to get the equation. But they literally have more kisses and so called sensual (it is r**e scene basically ) scenes romanticising them which did not sit well with me. Instead they could have showed more of leads.

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