Mu Dan is portrayed as intelligent, resilient, and ambitious—she doesn’t just endure her misfortunes, she tries to build something of her own (a flower business, of course, with peonies as a central motif).
Yang Zi and Li Xian make a solid pair. Their interactions reflect both tension and mutual respect, and Li Xian’s character, who appears corrupt on the surface, has hidden depths which add intrigue.
The show is gorgeously made—lavish sets, detailed costumes and accurate Tang‑era styling, lush imagery. It’s a feast for the eyes.
It’s more than romance—there’s strong exploration of what it means for a woman in that era to survive, to assert agency, to lift other women up, and to navigate both business and societal expectations.
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