Copy paste for every fox spirit story out there.
I’m mainly watching this for the female lead—her acting is genuinely impressive. The male lead, however, doesn’t appeal to me, and the plot feels like a mix of Yuehong and a classic fox‑spirit storyline, stitched together with cliché scenes. It’s not engaging enough, and I find myself losing interest. Still, the female lead remains the highlight and the only reason I’ve stuck around this long.Was this review helpful to you?
A Small Dream
The direction in this series is rare to come by—top‑notch for its time in the drama world. The acting is immaculate, with each performer embodying their character beautifully. The casting choices are strong overall, though Tong Dan feels like a slight mismatch.For someone who has spent years watching angst‑ridden dramas that make you clench your teeth, this series feels like a healer. The pacing at the start may seem slow, but it gradually settles into a rhythm that works. Miao Miao is truly fortunate, and Xiao Meng shines with the boys who treasure her like a gem in their hearts.
It’s a well‑crafted script, layered with tenderness and a sad twist that lingers.
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This review may contain spoilers
Men who say they will protect...
This drama is dark, tragic, and sophisticated—cinematic in its pacing, slow and deliberate, with a melancholic atmosphere. The story is compelling, though it could have benefited from a tighter episode count. Still, its orderly rhythm suits the tone.As for the characters, He Ye stands out as a hypocrite. The conflict began because he broke the rules, and then his parents—suddenly consumed by ancestral ambition—led a brutal slaughter of a peaceful neighboring tribe. Their tribe was punished, and rightly so. Yet after his own people are wiped out, He Ye turns his vengeance toward the Muyun family. But didn’t they just annihilate the Suqin clan moments earlier? If that was justified, then so is this. His moral compass feels selectively applied.
Muru Shuo, on the other hand, is a portrait of blind loyalty gone wrong. Yu Xin Ji did what Muru Shuo should have—he actually tried to protect both the Muru clan and the empire, which was a surprising and admirable move. Muru Shuo, despite his reputation, fails to protect his soldiers, his sons, his wife, even the emperor. He clings to honor but takes no real action to uphold it. In my eyes, he’s more ornamental than effective.
Muyun Sheng, Han Jiang, and Su Yu Ning represent something different—a path toward destruction and eventual rebirth. Sheng follows his own priorities, Han Jiang is manipulated because his family offers him no protection, and Su Yu Ning stands at the edge of transformation. These three feel like the seeds of a new world.
But He Ye and Muru Shuo? They’re relics of a broken system—frustrating, self-righteous, and ultimately hollow.
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A Classic but not for me.
I stumbled upon this drama by accident, and as an avid admirer of Wu Zetian’s history, I decided to give it a try. To my surprise, I enjoyed the setting—the direction, costumes, acting, and even the music felt realistic and chilling. Yet, it seemed tailored more for an older audience. I binged episodes 1 through 10 in just two days, emotionally invested and hooked.But once she became empress and the politics took center stage, finishing became difficult. The endless teachings and moral preaching drained my attention. It felt less like a drama and more like sitting through a spiritual class at school. I couldn’t bear it, and slowly I distanced myself from the show.
Today, after nearly five months, I realized I’ve only made it to episode 14. It now sits as an eyesore in my current watchlist. So, it’s time to say goodbye.
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