This review may contain spoilers
A medley of complex, relatable characters in a refreshing execution *SPOILERS*
Plot discussion:
Born enemies but brought together with a shared duty to the people. I cannot express how fascinated I am with Wei Shao Qiao Man couple. It was so refreshing to see how well they understood each other and the absolute trust they both had in each other despite the underlying fact that they were raised as enemies. I also enjoyed the development of the Bi Zhi Qiao Fan couple as well. We will get into that later. Su Ehuang made a very interesting villain that I would also like to discuss later.
The Wei Shao and Qiao Man pairing worked despite their family histories because they both shared a common goal and that was putting the people first and working towards realm peace and prosperity. The absolute trust they had in each other and all the communication that happened between them were so refreshing to watch. Su Ehuang tried everything to separate them but their complete trust in the other was so strong that Ehuang's attempt was nothing more than an annoying pest. After every argument, they sat down and communicated how they felt, why they did what they did and all conflicts were resolved. They listened to each other, understood, and made changes to themselves so that their relationship could grow. In the beginning, Wei Shao's actions were completely out of his own need: He opened her mail in front of his subordinates, not thinking about how she would have felt; he used her Qiao family to belittle her; he forced her to pick Wei clan over her own family. I often think about how hard it was for Manman to go through an entire year, not only living in an unknown enemy territory but also to have to completely cut off all her memories of the people who raised her and who she grew up with. How can she sit still while the Weis constantly made remarks about how scheming and evil the Qiaos are? At the end, Wei Shao changes; he realized how difficult it must have been for her and even reminds her that she never was and never is at fault for what happens between the clans. He was willing to set aside his pride and his hatred to visit her family to actively understand them as people and not just as the scheming Qiaos. What have I learned from this couple? That marriage takes a willingness to change for the better of both parties.
All the times that Wei Shao was in war, he placed complete trust in Manman to back him up (when she could not borrow Boya forces) and protect Yujun in his absence (when she was literally pregnant). That last battle was definitely killing two birds with one stone. On one hand, Wei Shao trusted Manman so much that he did not have to turn around. In the other hand, he knew the world came before their little family. He was willing to put an entire 4 generation's worth on the line if it meant he could save the world. The cherry on top? Not only was Manman in complete agreement with his decision, she was even worried about whether or not HE would survive, completely brushing over the fact that HER life was also on the line; completely shooting down Su Ehuang's intended blow.
All this aside, I am a little confused as to what kind of person Manman is supposed to be outside of the fact that she deeply cares about the people. When we are first introduced to her, she is said to be intelligent and is shown to be a woman of few words. Even as she married into Wei clan, she absolutely displayed her compassion and wit in handling home affairs in a way that still maintained the family's, as well as her own, reputation. The drama did also show snippets of her feisty personality when she and Wei Shao got in their first big fight and again when she had too much to drink. I am confused as to whether she is meant to be an untamable, feisty female lead or is she a quiet, gentle, soft character?
A Fan is different from Manman. From the beginning, we already know that her aspirations are smaller; she just wanted to live a peaceful life with Bi Zhi. It was just unfortunate for them that they were caught in a bad time. Manman guided A Fan into convincing Bi Zhi to take up his position as a general. While, with good intentions, was their ultimate downfall. When Manman rides to Boya to request aid from A Fan, she is turned away because not everyone is meant to be a hero. A Fan does not need to save the world, and truly she owes the world nothing. Some people can argue that Bi Zhi had this position of power in the first place because Manman made it possible and how ungrateful A Fan is. I don't agree with this argument. Manman, while also worrying about her cousin's well-being, also had ulterior motives for pushing Bi Zhi into the position as general. She was weary of her marriage to Wei Shao and had to make a plan B in case the marriage failed. Bi Zhi's character is simple; his sole goal in life is to make A Fan happy and he is willing to go to any lengths to please her. And the result? He is clutching her in her dying moments as he expresses his regret in becoming a general in the first place. He really was not meant to be one. Like A Fan, his aspiration was simple and that was just to live out his days peacefully with her. Two hearts with one simple dream caught in a storm and didn't make it out alive. I don't understand the people blaming A Fan. How many people can put their whole life, the love of their life, the father of their unborn child on the line for a world of people you don't even know? The Bi Zhi and A Fan pairing was absolutely a perfect juxtaposition to the Wei Shao and Manman pairing but the former felt so much more relatable.
It is so easy to be caught up in your own misfortune that you can't see how fortunate you are; that is the very definition of Su Ehuang. While yes, how unfortunate that her lover dies EVERY TIME, but how fortunate it is that they all loved her with all their hearts. Su Ehuang did everything out of self-preservation but quite frankly, I cannot use her poor background as justification for her egocentric behavior because she makes evil decisions EVERY TIME. Su Ehuang was given so many chances and had a choice to live a better life but she was constantly drawn to hurting others like a moth drawn to a flame. I was caught by surprise by the extent she was willing to go to get what she wanted. A lot of times, dramas won't be as "gruesome", if you will, but I was surprised at the cruelty I witnessed as the audience. She always realized it too late. In the end, she blamed it on fate that she missed her love every time but really, she turned a blind eye to her fortune out of an insecurity that she was not enough and her power-hungry addiction. Honestly an intriguing villain because I do think it is easy to fall into self-pity and forget to see how fortunate you really are. What did I learn? Start a gratitude journal and don't focus on your misfortunes; it really isn't good for you lol.
I don't have much to say about the Wei Liang and Xiaotao pairing. Really just another couple caught in the wrong time.
Casting:
Casting was excellent! I have always been a fan of Liu YuNing. Maybe my type is just tall? I think Song ZuEr is starting to grow on me. I know much of the plot revolves around her being absolutely gorgeous and to be completely honest, she did not quite his the nail on the head for me at the beginning. I wasn't used to seeing Xuan Lu in a villain role but am so glad that she got a chance to try something different and she did great! Ao Zi Yi tho was IMMACULATE casting! From when we were first introduced to Qiao Ci, Ao Zi Yi perfectly captures the innocent, naive warrior look. A Ci is a little awkward but that was his charm! How Ao Zi Yi carried himself in this role absolutely shows me a little warrior who is a little hot-headed from his lack of experience but is also humble also from his lack of experience. While a great warrior, was not arrogant. Overall great selection!
Music:
Liu YuNing. Singing. Heroic music. Need I say more?
Overall a very enjoyable experience! I'm surprised I did not cry. Instead, I learned so much more about what I can do personally to improve myself. Highly recommend.
Born enemies but brought together with a shared duty to the people. I cannot express how fascinated I am with Wei Shao Qiao Man couple. It was so refreshing to see how well they understood each other and the absolute trust they both had in each other despite the underlying fact that they were raised as enemies. I also enjoyed the development of the Bi Zhi Qiao Fan couple as well. We will get into that later. Su Ehuang made a very interesting villain that I would also like to discuss later.
The Wei Shao and Qiao Man pairing worked despite their family histories because they both shared a common goal and that was putting the people first and working towards realm peace and prosperity. The absolute trust they had in each other and all the communication that happened between them were so refreshing to watch. Su Ehuang tried everything to separate them but their complete trust in the other was so strong that Ehuang's attempt was nothing more than an annoying pest. After every argument, they sat down and communicated how they felt, why they did what they did and all conflicts were resolved. They listened to each other, understood, and made changes to themselves so that their relationship could grow. In the beginning, Wei Shao's actions were completely out of his own need: He opened her mail in front of his subordinates, not thinking about how she would have felt; he used her Qiao family to belittle her; he forced her to pick Wei clan over her own family. I often think about how hard it was for Manman to go through an entire year, not only living in an unknown enemy territory but also to have to completely cut off all her memories of the people who raised her and who she grew up with. How can she sit still while the Weis constantly made remarks about how scheming and evil the Qiaos are? At the end, Wei Shao changes; he realized how difficult it must have been for her and even reminds her that she never was and never is at fault for what happens between the clans. He was willing to set aside his pride and his hatred to visit her family to actively understand them as people and not just as the scheming Qiaos. What have I learned from this couple? That marriage takes a willingness to change for the better of both parties.
All the times that Wei Shao was in war, he placed complete trust in Manman to back him up (when she could not borrow Boya forces) and protect Yujun in his absence (when she was literally pregnant). That last battle was definitely killing two birds with one stone. On one hand, Wei Shao trusted Manman so much that he did not have to turn around. In the other hand, he knew the world came before their little family. He was willing to put an entire 4 generation's worth on the line if it meant he could save the world. The cherry on top? Not only was Manman in complete agreement with his decision, she was even worried about whether or not HE would survive, completely brushing over the fact that HER life was also on the line; completely shooting down Su Ehuang's intended blow.
All this aside, I am a little confused as to what kind of person Manman is supposed to be outside of the fact that she deeply cares about the people. When we are first introduced to her, she is said to be intelligent and is shown to be a woman of few words. Even as she married into Wei clan, she absolutely displayed her compassion and wit in handling home affairs in a way that still maintained the family's, as well as her own, reputation. The drama did also show snippets of her feisty personality when she and Wei Shao got in their first big fight and again when she had too much to drink. I am confused as to whether she is meant to be an untamable, feisty female lead or is she a quiet, gentle, soft character?
A Fan is different from Manman. From the beginning, we already know that her aspirations are smaller; she just wanted to live a peaceful life with Bi Zhi. It was just unfortunate for them that they were caught in a bad time. Manman guided A Fan into convincing Bi Zhi to take up his position as a general. While, with good intentions, was their ultimate downfall. When Manman rides to Boya to request aid from A Fan, she is turned away because not everyone is meant to be a hero. A Fan does not need to save the world, and truly she owes the world nothing. Some people can argue that Bi Zhi had this position of power in the first place because Manman made it possible and how ungrateful A Fan is. I don't agree with this argument. Manman, while also worrying about her cousin's well-being, also had ulterior motives for pushing Bi Zhi into the position as general. She was weary of her marriage to Wei Shao and had to make a plan B in case the marriage failed. Bi Zhi's character is simple; his sole goal in life is to make A Fan happy and he is willing to go to any lengths to please her. And the result? He is clutching her in her dying moments as he expresses his regret in becoming a general in the first place. He really was not meant to be one. Like A Fan, his aspiration was simple and that was just to live out his days peacefully with her. Two hearts with one simple dream caught in a storm and didn't make it out alive. I don't understand the people blaming A Fan. How many people can put their whole life, the love of their life, the father of their unborn child on the line for a world of people you don't even know? The Bi Zhi and A Fan pairing was absolutely a perfect juxtaposition to the Wei Shao and Manman pairing but the former felt so much more relatable.
It is so easy to be caught up in your own misfortune that you can't see how fortunate you are; that is the very definition of Su Ehuang. While yes, how unfortunate that her lover dies EVERY TIME, but how fortunate it is that they all loved her with all their hearts. Su Ehuang did everything out of self-preservation but quite frankly, I cannot use her poor background as justification for her egocentric behavior because she makes evil decisions EVERY TIME. Su Ehuang was given so many chances and had a choice to live a better life but she was constantly drawn to hurting others like a moth drawn to a flame. I was caught by surprise by the extent she was willing to go to get what she wanted. A lot of times, dramas won't be as "gruesome", if you will, but I was surprised at the cruelty I witnessed as the audience. She always realized it too late. In the end, she blamed it on fate that she missed her love every time but really, she turned a blind eye to her fortune out of an insecurity that she was not enough and her power-hungry addiction. Honestly an intriguing villain because I do think it is easy to fall into self-pity and forget to see how fortunate you really are. What did I learn? Start a gratitude journal and don't focus on your misfortunes; it really isn't good for you lol.
I don't have much to say about the Wei Liang and Xiaotao pairing. Really just another couple caught in the wrong time.
Casting:
Casting was excellent! I have always been a fan of Liu YuNing. Maybe my type is just tall? I think Song ZuEr is starting to grow on me. I know much of the plot revolves around her being absolutely gorgeous and to be completely honest, she did not quite his the nail on the head for me at the beginning. I wasn't used to seeing Xuan Lu in a villain role but am so glad that she got a chance to try something different and she did great! Ao Zi Yi tho was IMMACULATE casting! From when we were first introduced to Qiao Ci, Ao Zi Yi perfectly captures the innocent, naive warrior look. A Ci is a little awkward but that was his charm! How Ao Zi Yi carried himself in this role absolutely shows me a little warrior who is a little hot-headed from his lack of experience but is also humble also from his lack of experience. While a great warrior, was not arrogant. Overall great selection!
Music:
Liu YuNing. Singing. Heroic music. Need I say more?
Overall a very enjoyable experience! I'm surprised I did not cry. Instead, I learned so much more about what I can do personally to improve myself. Highly recommend.
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