Martina

I admit I had very high expectations for this drama, especially because it was heavily promoted and received a lot of praise. I decided to wait until it had finished airing before watching it, and honestly, I think that was the right choice, because otherwise I probably would not have continued it.
The story itself is not bad, but unfortunately there are several aspects that simply do not work very well. First of all, I really enjoyed the beginning of the drama, especially the part set in the village of Li’an. The main couple truly shines there, although, in forty episodes, the amount of time they actually spend together without arguing is surprisingly limited.
Chang Yu is a very likable character, but as the story progresses, he becomes a bit too stereotypical and less believable. As for Xie Zheng, I have to admit that I did not enjoy his character very much. At certain moments, his behavior was so frustrating that I almost wanted to slap him. I also would have liked to see more fight scenes, particularly considering that he is supposed to be a marquis and a general.
On the other hand, the villains are definitely the highlight of the drama. They are extremely well written and much more interesting from a character-development perspective.
The secondary couple, Qi Min and Director Yu, works far better than the main couple, even though Director Yu is an enormous red flag. Their relationship simply feels more natural and engaging.

Overall, I would still recommend this drama to people who enjoy the genre or who are fans of the actors. It is light, entertaining, and easy to watch, but in my opinion it is far from the “masterpiece” that so many people claim it to be.