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Like Reading a Perfectly Written Novel
I decided to watch this show with no particular reason other than seeing people rave about it everywhere. Every social media platform I use was flooded with people calling it the No. 1 Chinese drama of the year, so I finally gave it a try. And you know what? After finishing it… damn, it’s really fucking good.
The storytelling is genuinely excellent — detailed, profound, and careful with the small but important details. It portrays the real lives of women in ancient times, the politics within the household, social classes, and the characters’ growth incredibly well. Every character has their own storyline and their own goals. Many of the female characters feel multi-dimensional. Tan Songyun as Xu Lanxiang and Liu Xueyi as Lin Jinqi gave outstanding performances. Their eyes convey emotions so well, and their chemistry is strong and layered. It’s not just pure romance — it’s mature and has real depth. The visuals, cinematography, and atmosphere are beautiful and meticulously done, with a strong Ming dynasty feel. The daily life in the noble household and among the servants feels very realistic. The soundtrack is also good. The only things I’d nitpick are that there are so many female characters that at times I couldn’t remember exactly who was related to the ML family, and because the supporting characters each have their own arcs, some of those side plots felt a bit boring.
Overall, if you’re looking for a drama with excellent storytelling, careful attention to detail, where every character matters and character development is solid — almost like reading a perfectly written novel — with great lead performances and chemistry, then this is for you. If you’re mainly after pure romance, it might not deliver that as strongly. Still, I highly recommend it because the storytelling is truly outstanding.
The storytelling is genuinely excellent — detailed, profound, and careful with the small but important details. It portrays the real lives of women in ancient times, the politics within the household, social classes, and the characters’ growth incredibly well. Every character has their own storyline and their own goals. Many of the female characters feel multi-dimensional. Tan Songyun as Xu Lanxiang and Liu Xueyi as Lin Jinqi gave outstanding performances. Their eyes convey emotions so well, and their chemistry is strong and layered. It’s not just pure romance — it’s mature and has real depth. The visuals, cinematography, and atmosphere are beautiful and meticulously done, with a strong Ming dynasty feel. The daily life in the noble household and among the servants feels very realistic. The soundtrack is also good. The only things I’d nitpick are that there are so many female characters that at times I couldn’t remember exactly who was related to the ML family, and because the supporting characters each have their own arcs, some of those side plots felt a bit boring.
Overall, if you’re looking for a drama with excellent storytelling, careful attention to detail, where every character matters and character development is solid — almost like reading a perfectly written novel — with great lead performances and chemistry, then this is for you. If you’re mainly after pure romance, it might not deliver that as strongly. Still, I highly recommend it because the storytelling is truly outstanding.
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