This review may contain spoilers
How to gain his Majesty's favor unceasingly | The forbearing and relentless revenge.
"The person who speaks of love first is the loser." - Wei Yingluo
I knew that this drama was great, but never did I expect that it was in an extraordinary level! I thought it was just another imperial in-fighting between the consorts but damn, was I so wrong. Through this drama, I was able to consciously understand how harsh life was back then—specially to those of the royal lineage. A reminder of how sinister polygamy is and how tragic power struggle can truly be. Constantly having to be cautious and vigilant, at the same time clever and crafty in order to survive and stay alive is definitely not a task I am willing to take on in my lifetime. It also made my eyes wide open on how excessively lecherous and fickle men back then. I may have watched over 150+ costume dramas but this is the only show that made me genuinely realize how disgusting and loathsome the situation was during those times. This also made me realized the painstaking and the weight of the ruler's responsibility—dealing with the state and political issues while keeping ones internal/family issues on check.
The storytelling, pacing and narration of this drama is a cut among the finest production out there. It exhibits complexity in the most ingenious way. Every episode is carefully and intricately crafted to connect to the whole story. The plots are unpredictable and thrilling, making me pace back and forth trying to guess what's about to happen. They excelled in ensuring that all plot device are unravelled and addressed, preventing any plot holes in the story. This is a mind game that's difficult to predict which is miles different to the dramas nowadays where the plot is being shoved right in front of our faces. This drama made me miss the good old times when people are still thinking about the value and quality of the story, how should it unfold and ended in a justifiable and rational way; and not just by carelessly throwing everything just to speed up the process and forcefully make the scene look appetizing/good—like a forced marketing.
"I, Wei Yingluo, have never been afraid of fights. The more I fight, the more energetic I become." - Wei Yingluo
Dare I say that Wei Yingluo is one of the best (if not the best) female character I have watched ever. Her presence makes people with bad intention cautious and afraid that they don't dare take any action when she's around. She's quick-witted, bold and fearless. Her unwavering passion in seeking revenge for her loved ones using tactical and definite scheming ideas against the perpetrators she deemed unpardonable is one of her striking traits for me. I admire her resolute determination in eliminating anyone who plot against her regardless of their status without showing mercy. An audacious, persistent, unyielding and remorseless character I have been looking for. The type of woman who can succeed whenever she wants to. A real expert in climbing the social ladder by executing thorough, ingenious, and flawless strategies and plans. This show is like her chess game; she keeps on eliminating sinister people like it's some kind of elimination game. lol
"Managing life is all about finding appropriate ways to fight troubles that come your way. if you're always worried and frightened, then there's no fun in living." - Wei Yingluo
This drama also has the best "good turned bad" characters. Clearly shows how you shouldn't push kind people to their limits because they can be extremely dangerous once pushed to the edge.
I also just wanna mention Yuan Chunwang & Wei Yingluo's chemistry. Their siblings energy was so strong and truly entertaining to watch; too bad Yuan Chunwang became an enemy towards the 3/4 part of the story.
Lastly, the ending was great! I appreciate that they allowed us to witness the princes' in their teenager/teen adult years and although it's unfortunate that they never showed us the Princesses, I am just happy that we at least got to see how Yingluo protects the kids even at the risk of her own life.
Fuca Fuheng: "Wei Yingluo, with this life, I've guarded you. I've guarded you enough. in the next life, can you be the one to guard me instead?"
Wei Yingluo: "Okay. I promised you."
P.S. I'm still heartbroken at Fuca Fuheng's death. Huhu! He never even got to say his final words to Yingluo personally. Well at least I can deduce that Yingluo truly loves him...it's just that she's true to her words "Strangers upon meeting" when he chose to left her and marry that bitch Er Qing. Anyways, I genuinely admire his love and devotion.
Story - 10, It was outstanding! Deserves multiple round of applauses for how closely knitted the plots to the story was. It's slow-paced yet never boring, as each episode is packed with crucial scenes and information that connect directly to the main narrative. No episode or scene was wasted. Job well done!
Acting/Cast - 10, I love all of them so much to the point where I can't imagine anyone else playing their respective roles. I appreciate Xu Kai even more here and ghad! he fits that bald head very well. Wu Jinyan's laughing/mocking face threw me off at first, but I eventually got used to it and find it sinister instead (in a good way when she's dealing with the enemies).
Music - 10, For some reason, I really have a thing for c-opera songs, so I find the opening really interesting. The ending song was good, as I am sucker for ballad and I never felt off with the insert songs/tunes; reason why I'm still giving it a 10. Just for the fact that it never bothered me. lol
Rewatch Value - 10, I highly recommend this drama to those who are looking for a well written and entertaining imperial struggle drama.
Overall - 10, I've been watching dramas that were released back in 2015-2019, and this one never disappointed me. It was a gem that everyone should discover and watch. The script was well-written, and I am just so grateful that the subtitles I watched it with were so informative, which helped me better understand the poems and context of the story.
IF you find this review helpful please let me know.
I knew that this drama was great, but never did I expect that it was in an extraordinary level! I thought it was just another imperial in-fighting between the consorts but damn, was I so wrong. Through this drama, I was able to consciously understand how harsh life was back then—specially to those of the royal lineage. A reminder of how sinister polygamy is and how tragic power struggle can truly be. Constantly having to be cautious and vigilant, at the same time clever and crafty in order to survive and stay alive is definitely not a task I am willing to take on in my lifetime. It also made my eyes wide open on how excessively lecherous and fickle men back then. I may have watched over 150+ costume dramas but this is the only show that made me genuinely realize how disgusting and loathsome the situation was during those times. This also made me realized the painstaking and the weight of the ruler's responsibility—dealing with the state and political issues while keeping ones internal/family issues on check.
The storytelling, pacing and narration of this drama is a cut among the finest production out there. It exhibits complexity in the most ingenious way. Every episode is carefully and intricately crafted to connect to the whole story. The plots are unpredictable and thrilling, making me pace back and forth trying to guess what's about to happen. They excelled in ensuring that all plot device are unravelled and addressed, preventing any plot holes in the story. This is a mind game that's difficult to predict which is miles different to the dramas nowadays where the plot is being shoved right in front of our faces. This drama made me miss the good old times when people are still thinking about the value and quality of the story, how should it unfold and ended in a justifiable and rational way; and not just by carelessly throwing everything just to speed up the process and forcefully make the scene look appetizing/good—like a forced marketing.
"I, Wei Yingluo, have never been afraid of fights. The more I fight, the more energetic I become." - Wei Yingluo
Dare I say that Wei Yingluo is one of the best (if not the best) female character I have watched ever. Her presence makes people with bad intention cautious and afraid that they don't dare take any action when she's around. She's quick-witted, bold and fearless. Her unwavering passion in seeking revenge for her loved ones using tactical and definite scheming ideas against the perpetrators she deemed unpardonable is one of her striking traits for me. I admire her resolute determination in eliminating anyone who plot against her regardless of their status without showing mercy. An audacious, persistent, unyielding and remorseless character I have been looking for. The type of woman who can succeed whenever she wants to. A real expert in climbing the social ladder by executing thorough, ingenious, and flawless strategies and plans. This show is like her chess game; she keeps on eliminating sinister people like it's some kind of elimination game. lol
"Managing life is all about finding appropriate ways to fight troubles that come your way. if you're always worried and frightened, then there's no fun in living." - Wei Yingluo
This drama also has the best "good turned bad" characters. Clearly shows how you shouldn't push kind people to their limits because they can be extremely dangerous once pushed to the edge.
I also just wanna mention Yuan Chunwang & Wei Yingluo's chemistry. Their siblings energy was so strong and truly entertaining to watch; too bad Yuan Chunwang became an enemy towards the 3/4 part of the story.
Lastly, the ending was great! I appreciate that they allowed us to witness the princes' in their teenager/teen adult years and although it's unfortunate that they never showed us the Princesses, I am just happy that we at least got to see how Yingluo protects the kids even at the risk of her own life.
Fuca Fuheng: "Wei Yingluo, with this life, I've guarded you. I've guarded you enough. in the next life, can you be the one to guard me instead?"
Wei Yingluo: "Okay. I promised you."
P.S. I'm still heartbroken at Fuca Fuheng's death. Huhu! He never even got to say his final words to Yingluo personally. Well at least I can deduce that Yingluo truly loves him...it's just that she's true to her words "Strangers upon meeting" when he chose to left her and marry that bitch Er Qing. Anyways, I genuinely admire his love and devotion.
Story - 10, It was outstanding! Deserves multiple round of applauses for how closely knitted the plots to the story was. It's slow-paced yet never boring, as each episode is packed with crucial scenes and information that connect directly to the main narrative. No episode or scene was wasted. Job well done!
Acting/Cast - 10, I love all of them so much to the point where I can't imagine anyone else playing their respective roles. I appreciate Xu Kai even more here and ghad! he fits that bald head very well. Wu Jinyan's laughing/mocking face threw me off at first, but I eventually got used to it and find it sinister instead (in a good way when she's dealing with the enemies).
Music - 10, For some reason, I really have a thing for c-opera songs, so I find the opening really interesting. The ending song was good, as I am sucker for ballad and I never felt off with the insert songs/tunes; reason why I'm still giving it a 10. Just for the fact that it never bothered me. lol
Rewatch Value - 10, I highly recommend this drama to those who are looking for a well written and entertaining imperial struggle drama.
Overall - 10, I've been watching dramas that were released back in 2015-2019, and this one never disappointed me. It was a gem that everyone should discover and watch. The script was well-written, and I am just so grateful that the subtitles I watched it with were so informative, which helped me better understand the poems and context of the story.
IF you find this review helpful please let me know.
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