This review may contain spoilers
A Slow Burn That Boils Over
I have never had such confusing emotions watching a drama. Even up until the last episode, I still didn’t fully know how I felt. There was just something about it that kept pulling me in. I wanted to keep watching, but the whole time I was unsure of what I was actually feeling. It was definitely a journey.
But when I finished it, I realized this is the kind of show where you have to watch the whole thing to form a proper opinion. Seeing how they wrapped everything up so nicely really hit the right mark for me.
The best way I can describe this drama is like a pot on the stove slowly boiling — just waiting to overflow. It requires patience. The entire time, it’s building. You can feel it building toward something strong, and in my opinion, they did reach that strong point in the end.
That said, I really think people need to know what they’re getting into before starting it. I went in expecting a dark romance-heavy story because of all the edits of the couple. I thought the romance would be central from the beginning. Instead, it’s very political — much more political than I expected — and the romance comes very late. If I had known that, I think I would’ve adjusted my expectations better.
Now let’s talk about the male lead.
He is honestly one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever watched. He is dark — like truly dark — and he stays that way for almost the entire show. He’s a walking red flag 90% of the time. There’s no sudden soft transformation early on. Even when love enters the picture, his aura stays heavy and intense.
And I have to give credit to Zhang Linghe because I genuinely don’t think just any actor could’ve carried this role. I’m so used to seeing him as a green flag, so watching him portray an obsessive, manipulative, borderline psychopathic character was fascinating. He was cruel, controlling at times, morally gray — but somehow you don’t fully hate him. You’re still drawn to him. That’s 100% the actor’s presence and performance.
Also… I have never seen a character frown that much in my life. He was frowning the entire show. Not even resting face — a full-on permanent frown. And somehow it worked.
His character development by the end was satisfying. Seeing that shift, seeing him soften just enough, felt earned.
Now Bai Lu — I will watch anything that woman does. She’s exceptional. Knowing how bubbly she is in real life makes it even more impressive to see her play such a strong, layered character. I loved that when she got her second chance, she actually learned from her past life. She was kinder, smarter, more self-aware. And her Empress arc? She absolutely killed it.
The chemistry between them is amazing — that’s not even a debate. But my biggest complaint is how late the romance actually happens. This is almost a 40-episode show, and they properly fall in love around episode 34. That’s wild. It felt rushed at the end. Her realization of her feelings especially felt pushed rather than gradually built.
I wish we had more romantic moments, more emotional development between them earlier on. There wasn’t even a proper “dating phase.” It felt like the writers didn’t fully know how to balance such a dark male lead with a steady romantic build-up. Thankfully, the actors’ chemistry carried a lot of that weight.
I also appreciated that both characters are morally gray. They match each other. It wouldn’t have made sense for her to end up with someone purely good and upright. Which brings me to Zhang Zhe — he was the obvious “right choice.” The green flag. Moral, steady, kind. But that wasn’t the story being told. I actually liked that they didn’t darken him just to justify her choice. And I liked that in the end there wasn’t unnecessary bitterness.
As for the side plots… I honestly think too much time was wasted on certain characters (the Xue family especially — I could not stand them). That screen time could’ve been used to deepen the romance or explore stronger side stories.
Fang Yin and Shen Jie broke my heart. Their story had so much potential, and it felt underdeveloped. Same with some other side relationships that could’ve been explored instead of dragging out less interesting conflicts.
Visually though? Stunning. The styling was beautiful. Bai Lu looked incredible in those soft pinks, reds, and blues. Zhang Linghe’s wardrobe fit his character perfectly — structured, sharp, powerful. The production overall was gorgeous.
The political storyline was actually very well done. Intricate, layered, and engaging once you settle into it. This isn’t a light romance drama. It’s heavy on power struggles, strategy, tension, and push-and-pull dynamics.
Overall, I would recommend it — but only if you know what you’re getting into. If you’re expecting fluffy romance, this is not that. It’s intense, political, morally gray, and slow-burning.
Very different from your typical green-flag love story — but that’s kind of what makes it special.
But when I finished it, I realized this is the kind of show where you have to watch the whole thing to form a proper opinion. Seeing how they wrapped everything up so nicely really hit the right mark for me.
The best way I can describe this drama is like a pot on the stove slowly boiling — just waiting to overflow. It requires patience. The entire time, it’s building. You can feel it building toward something strong, and in my opinion, they did reach that strong point in the end.
That said, I really think people need to know what they’re getting into before starting it. I went in expecting a dark romance-heavy story because of all the edits of the couple. I thought the romance would be central from the beginning. Instead, it’s very political — much more political than I expected — and the romance comes very late. If I had known that, I think I would’ve adjusted my expectations better.
Now let’s talk about the male lead.
He is honestly one of the most interesting characters I’ve ever watched. He is dark — like truly dark — and he stays that way for almost the entire show. He’s a walking red flag 90% of the time. There’s no sudden soft transformation early on. Even when love enters the picture, his aura stays heavy and intense.
And I have to give credit to Zhang Linghe because I genuinely don’t think just any actor could’ve carried this role. I’m so used to seeing him as a green flag, so watching him portray an obsessive, manipulative, borderline psychopathic character was fascinating. He was cruel, controlling at times, morally gray — but somehow you don’t fully hate him. You’re still drawn to him. That’s 100% the actor’s presence and performance.
Also… I have never seen a character frown that much in my life. He was frowning the entire show. Not even resting face — a full-on permanent frown. And somehow it worked.
His character development by the end was satisfying. Seeing that shift, seeing him soften just enough, felt earned.
Now Bai Lu — I will watch anything that woman does. She’s exceptional. Knowing how bubbly she is in real life makes it even more impressive to see her play such a strong, layered character. I loved that when she got her second chance, she actually learned from her past life. She was kinder, smarter, more self-aware. And her Empress arc? She absolutely killed it.
The chemistry between them is amazing — that’s not even a debate. But my biggest complaint is how late the romance actually happens. This is almost a 40-episode show, and they properly fall in love around episode 34. That’s wild. It felt rushed at the end. Her realization of her feelings especially felt pushed rather than gradually built.
I wish we had more romantic moments, more emotional development between them earlier on. There wasn’t even a proper “dating phase.” It felt like the writers didn’t fully know how to balance such a dark male lead with a steady romantic build-up. Thankfully, the actors’ chemistry carried a lot of that weight.
I also appreciated that both characters are morally gray. They match each other. It wouldn’t have made sense for her to end up with someone purely good and upright. Which brings me to Zhang Zhe — he was the obvious “right choice.” The green flag. Moral, steady, kind. But that wasn’t the story being told. I actually liked that they didn’t darken him just to justify her choice. And I liked that in the end there wasn’t unnecessary bitterness.
As for the side plots… I honestly think too much time was wasted on certain characters (the Xue family especially — I could not stand them). That screen time could’ve been used to deepen the romance or explore stronger side stories.
Fang Yin and Shen Jie broke my heart. Their story had so much potential, and it felt underdeveloped. Same with some other side relationships that could’ve been explored instead of dragging out less interesting conflicts.
Visually though? Stunning. The styling was beautiful. Bai Lu looked incredible in those soft pinks, reds, and blues. Zhang Linghe’s wardrobe fit his character perfectly — structured, sharp, powerful. The production overall was gorgeous.
The political storyline was actually very well done. Intricate, layered, and engaging once you settle into it. This isn’t a light romance drama. It’s heavy on power struggles, strategy, tension, and push-and-pull dynamics.
Overall, I would recommend it — but only if you know what you’re getting into. If you’re expecting fluffy romance, this is not that. It’s intense, political, morally gray, and slow-burning.
Very different from your typical green-flag love story — but that’s kind of what makes it special.
Was this review helpful to you?
