dkeila

I also agree with you about the actor’s portrayal of the character, and I think this is reflected in my point. My criticism is that people often overlook an actor’s skill in favour of attractiveness, which is wrong, and then ship characters based on the actors themselves or even on the novel. We have to remember that this storyline is adapted from a novel, so changes are inevitable. Besides, I have no issue with the real people promoting a drama, as that is part of their work. Character shipping and real-person shipping are completely different. The reason I brought up shipping is that it leads back to statements like, “they look good together,” which often causes people to overlook how well the characters were actually portrayed. I know your comment was not about shipping, but I think shipping and the failure to recognise his acting skills are related to your point.

I think you’re the one making it weird. What people are actually annoyed by is the blatant shipping of Ye Xian and Jin Zhao. No one is forcing anyone to like Ye Xian because of the actor, but let’s stop pretending the obsession is about good writing or deep character appreciation. A huge part of it is clearly the actor's attractiveness.

And honestly, if Ye Xian had been played by an actor people did not find good-looking, I highly doubt this ship would be getting pushed so hard. That is the truth people do not want to admit. They are not defending the character because he is well-written or morally compelling; they are defending him because pretty privilege makes people excuse things they would normally criticise.

That is exactly what makes this so irritating. People will hype up a bad or questionable character simply because he is played by someone handsome, and then act as if it is about the character’s depth. It is not. If anything, it just shows how easily people let appearance cloud their judgment.

There is nothing wrong with finding an actor attractive. The problem is when that attraction turns into glorifying a character who does not deserve that kind of praise, or forcing a ship that many people clearly do not support. Instead of appreciating the actual effort and skill that go into portraying a character, people reduce everything to looks and then wonder why others are annoyed. That is exactly why the criticism is valid.

Ooh yeah, once a man hits you, just know he will not hesitate to do that again, and in marriage, he will do worse than hitting .

That's so heroic of him tbh because we know he has a heart condition and by doing so, he'll be truly remembered

Spill the spoilers 👀 Care to share some hot chai? ☕
I have to agree that shipping Ye Xian with Jinzhao makes no sense 🤦‍♀️, or maybe they like being beaten by their partners, and we don't know 😂. He can’t handle our FL and keeps acting childish. A different upbringing doesn’t mean the world owes him anything. Jinzhao is a loyal friend, and instead of appreciating her, he wants her to beg for help whenever he hears she might need help. Disgusting behaviour🗑️😒

My new couple pair is Xue Xing Lan and Ye Xian and I’m literally screamingggg 🥹💕 Please let my delulu ship become real and give them the happiest ending everrrr 😭💖✨

Well said, 😊

I was laughing out loud on that part, like, was it necessary to cover the horse back too... it was a funny scene to me

Grandma and Xia Zi almost look identical with similar facial structures... they did well with the casting

You can try the Blue Whisper, it was great and has amazing soundtracks, as well as being one of his rare HE dramas

I get you... Personally, what I liked during this time is that the writers didn't just focus on him chasing after her alone. We got to see the void world and its leadership within, He Simu's personality in her world, which was quite different to the human world. Also, our sovereign got to learn to take care of Duan Xu and gradually started to fall in love even though she wasn't aware cos her lack of senses. Unlike some dramas, which will have almost the whole drama as a cat-and-mouse game on love until the last 2 or 3 episodes, where they rush to wrap up things without proper story development.

I also feel the same way. The trailer seemed like a very good drama, but after its release, the story and character development are everywhere. And I’ve been thinking about why the FL feels weaker in this sequel, and I can’t help but wonder if the director may have intentionally toned down her character because the actress herself is still a teenager in real life. If that is the case, then I honestly think it was the wrong decision. A character should be written based on her story, background and established personality, not reduced because of the real-life age of the actress playing her. Besides, youth in real life should not automatically mean weakness on screen. Strength, intelligence and leadership are not defined by age, and this actress has clearly shown she can embody all of them.

Fr... I went into this sequel with high expectations because the prequel (PA) gave us such a strong, fearless female lead, someone strategic, skilled and worthy of being called a general. But so far, this sequel has honestly been disappointing. The FL is still portrayed as “strong,” but her actions say otherwise. She constantly falls into obvious traps, struggles with basic spying (like being easily noticed when following someone) and makes questionable decisions that don’t align with her background or training. One of the most frustrating moments was when her friend was captured and publicly displayed. Instead of making a decisive, strategic move when outnumbered, she hesitated and engaged in a fight she couldn’t win, ultimately costing her friend’s life. That scene alone felt like a huge disservice to her character. What makes it worse is how the story continues afterwards. She goes on to make a partnership with the same enemy responsible for her friend’s death ( will be in ep 18 and hoping she just kills that monster tomorrow to avoid future problems). For someone who was once a slave, trained in martial arts and shaped into a feared general, her softness toward enemies feels completely out of character. The supporting characters don’t help either. The 2ML is overly obsessed with possessing the FL instead of focusing on the war and his responsibilities, even going as far as harming innocent people to expand his reach. Then there’s the 2FL, who was once helped by the FL but is now seeking revenge over a man who doesn’t even value human life. The lack of genuine sisterhood among the female characters is honestly disappointing. It feels like the plot keeps circling instead of progressing. The characters aren’t developing in meaningful ways and conflicts aren’t being resolved, just repeated. That said, I have to give credit where it’s due: the acting is excellent. The FL’s actress, despite being young, carries the aura of a general so convincingly, and the rest of the cast also delivers strong performances. They’re doing the best they can with what they’ve been given. For me, the biggest issue is the writing and direction: weakening such a powerful female lead makes the entire story feel less impactful. I’ve watched 17/40 episodes so far and I’m still hoping it improves… but right now, I can’t help but feel frustrated. What do you all think? Is it just me, or has the character writing really fallen off compared to the prequel?

I absolutely agree on that. There was also a time when ML started falling for the FL and the friend had the AUDACITY to advise him that he should not think about having a relationship with FL based on his past because it won't work out. I find his character behaviour jealous and bitter.

You're right. She acted as the younger version of ZLY in Princess Agents and she nailed that role while still a child.