WM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMsxaeQ_7_s (hard subs)

One more movie with her playing the FL (as a Policewoman in a rather cheap-looking action comedy), which isn't listed here:
计中计之密钥奇缘 (The Secret Key)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vd90MzEnA0M (hard subs)

https://www.haixingduanju.com/duanju/info-7650078591861935128.html (Queen of the Assassins)
New drama featuring her playing as 3 FL, with the main female lead (Yi Yi) also high in badassery.

Whoa - thanks for this one.
It also features her playing as the 3FL - https://kisskh.at/people/93975-sun-wen-xue

If the writers had any consistency regarding the female lead character/abilities, she should have made her uncle overthrown or at least his advisor die a gruesome death when she went to visit his country alongside the ML.

One of the many examples when writers shot themselves in the foot is by creating a very strong character (FL in this case, and it's usually them) and then having to inexcusably downgrade her to move the storyline forward.

I don't complain about evil characters doing evil things; I complain more about the otherwise smart female lead who is clearly a good person to end up with him, especially after what he did in episodes 27-28 (?).

"You kidnap my friends, and you keep manipulating me, putting me in awful situations, hoping that I will still help you. Oooooh, I'm so in love".
It's difficult to buy that with someone like Cai Zhao. Either she should not be as smart/perceptiwe, or more evil herself or give away a stronger masochist vibe.

At least Mu Nian Ci in LOTH had an excuse to be quite dumb.

And this one still works:
https://www.bilibili.tv/en/video/4796885301990912 (hard subs)

Yes, it's the one.
Also, this one still works - https://www.bilibili.tv/en/video/4797275231753728 (hard subs)

Yes, it is, but it should be 3:17 long.

Appreciate such a detailed reply, even if it differs a bit from previous comments I've read on this topic.
Either way, it does sound like something I probably won't enjoy much.
I just wish authors wouldn't give false hope about FL-centric novels with female lead-centric titles.

I didn't, so thanks for the warning.
And now I saw a picture with ML wearing some god-awful mask; it's like a double punch to my gut :(

On a more serious note - in case of "Malicious Empress", I'm more interested in when he will start helping her, as I've been told the female lead was perfectly good on her own for quite some time, and the ML arrived quite late in the story.

Blossom is much, much better, but also much more serious and heavier in tone.

My personal list would be:
Blossom>POJ>POB>Romance of the Female Soldier (this should be a real title)

Interesting conundrum - when I'm watching Big Dramas, I am often tired of the 2nd and 3rd couples boring the hell out of me, even if I understand why they are there.

Here, it was an opposite problem - everything was happening in such a breakneck fashion that after some episodes I was getting tired. Especially when it got combined with the FL getting a bit weaker and more useless after her big move in Episode 20.

Still, it's an above-average Drama for sure; probably would rate it higher if I hadn't watched a million Harem/Palace dramas before and got tired of some tropes. But, the writers here were able to surprise me a few times as well.

The actress playing the female lead definitely deserves a step up; I also liked the emperor, even though their Romance was rather weak (but at least I didn't want to kill him every few minutes).

Good use of flashbacks and sharing internal thoughts.

1) Rather slow-burn, doing it differently from the level of their distrust, would be plain stupid. But, it's not like it leads to some explosive moments...
2) A little bit; ML's brother has his obsessive moments over FL, but this aspect was done poorly.

Thank you.

"Kill my Sins" has been on my radar for quite some time; not only because of the storyline and Liu Shi Shi playing the female lead, but also because I like Shawn Dou, so unlike with many MLs, maybe I won't be wishing him to die every 5 minutes :).

Okay, done.

You should check your own temperature, probably summer heat is affecting you too much.

Very nicely put.

So, if I enjoy FL-centric dramas with capable female leads, what is a better choice - this one or Glory with Gulnezer Bextiyar?