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This review may contain spoilers
Manman, Prisoner of Wei Shao's wits.
Rewatching this almost a year later, my notes and reactions still line up with how I felt the first time. If anything, the rewatch made me appreciate the character writing and relationship progression more because I could see the setup and payoff more clearly.
❁✿❀❁✿❀
⁂ My type of enemies to lovers
What I appreciated most is that this is an actual slow enemies-to-lovers story, not the kind where they argue once and then spend the rest of the show bickering like it's what being enemies are all about. Manman and Wei Shao actually start with actual hostility rooted in family history, bloodshed, and political betrayal. There is distrust baked into every early interaction.
Wei Shao does not warm up quickly and the show does not rush him. He is competent, disciplined, and principled, but emotionally blocked by grief and revenge. The drama does not pretend he is gentle from the start, because he still has to unlearn things. He is suspicious of Manman’s motives, reads almost every move as possible manipulation from the Qiao clan, and reacts badly when his trauma gets triggered. There are episodes where he is honestly very hard to like. He jumps to conclusions, lets anger drive his actions, and hurts Manman emotionally and nearly physically more than once. Still, even when he is harsh and guarded, he does not reduce her status or treat her cheaply. He keeps her position as Lady of Wei intact, which says a lot about his baseline principles even when his emotions are driven by revenge.
The drama also feels like Wei Shao’s personal emotional journey. He eventually softens, but it does not happen magically. What makes the shift a nice watch is that it happens in layers. First comes reluctant acknowledgment of Manman's wits and intelligence. Then respect for her political instincts and strategies. Then trust in specific situations. Then emotional dependence. He goes from seeing her as a threat, to a useful ally, to someone whose judgment he relies on, to someone he loves, actively wanting to protect and listen to. The change shows in how he speaks to her, how he believes her over time, and how often he checks himself after reacting badly. When he realizes he is wrong, he adjusts. He may not be good at apologies, but he changes how he handles similar situations later.
Also, it is ironically funny how often this undefeated battlefield warlord loses every verbal match with Manman and retreats with a pout and a side eye instead. His jealousy streak shows up a lot too, but the timing is usually comedic. Manman getting jealous and pouty over misunderstandings herself was also a cute balance.
Speaking of Manman, on the other hand, she never forgets that she walked into enemy territory through the marriage alliance, and she carries her clan's guilt with her. Even if Manman herself had no part in it, she never pretends the debt does not exist. A lot of her restraint and caution comes from knowing she walked into Wei territory carrying that history. Many of her decisions are made with the goal of not deepening resentment and not adding more burden to what her clan already owes.
She carries a huge part of why this drama works. She is not written as a damsel or a passive genius who only reacts. She is proactive, strategic, emotionally aware, and politically sharp. She adapts her approach depending on Wei Shao's mood, his triggers, and the political climate. She reads rooms well, understands power, and knows when to act gentle and when to be firm.
What I also really liked is how she treats Wei Shao not just as a political counterpart but as a partner, even with her own goals and even before their relationship becomes emotionally secure. She adjusts her behavior to protect his authority in public, redirects credit toward him when needed, and makes choices that strengthen his position with the people even when it might cost her own reputation. This is because even early on, when trust between them is still thin, Manman already recognizes that beneath his anger and prejudice of the Qiaos, he genuinely cares about civilians, which aligns with her own values. That becomes her anchor for how she deals with him. Instead of trying to melt him emotionally which she knew won't work, she works alongside his values. She treats him like someone capable of being better, not someone she needs to fix or submit to.
Even when she is cornered or treated unfairly, she thinks before reacting. Manman let people witness why while she is and will always be a Qiao, she is also the Lady of Wei. She uses timing, framing, and evidence to turn situations around. Most of her wins come from observation and planning, not luck or rescue. She saves situations again and again through her wits and negotiation skills.
When their relationship improves, I love that they do not become stupid for love. Neither of them gets watered down. When they soften, it is not because one becomes submissive, but it is because Wei Shao becomes more willing to meet Manman halfway, and vice versa. They stay sharp, stubborn (in good and bad ways), and capable. I also liked how their shared values become clearer over time. While they have their own priorities clear, both pushes for solutions that protect civilians, long term peace, and stability.
❁✿❀❁✿❀
⁂ Why it’s a 9.5 and not a 10 for me
Not everything worked for me, but it's not something I consider a flaw. Just a nitpick lol.
E Huang absolutely overstayed her narrative welcome. She kept circling back into the story long after her role was already clear. The leads already felt something was off about her, but eventually couldn't do anything because evidence could not be pinned on her. This allowed her to have too much screen time for my liking, eventually letting her in Liu Yan's plans. Too many schemes, and not enough payoff shown on screen for her. Sure, I guess her realizing Bogong actually loved her even after seeing through her lies was already enough for her to stop everything, including her life. But man, we should've seen that part lol. I wanted to see more regret from E Huang and Liu Yan.
Qiao Fan’s father dying at Liu Yan’s hands instead of facing fuller consequences for his own greed and decisions felt like a lazy way to write his doom. He caused massive fallout, contributed to the chain of events that led to tragedy, and then exits without properly facing what he has done. For me, he would have been one of the biggest and far more stressful villains if E Huang and Liu Yan weren't in this drama lol. Because unlike others, he was just driven by greed and power. So, his end felt veryyyy unsatisfying.
And I am still not over Fan and Wei Liang’s death. On rewatch, Wei Liang's death still feels unnecessary. I can understand Fan's decision because it also freed Bi Zhi's undeniable love for her that also became his shackles, but for Wei Liang, I just could not understand at all. It was so sudden for me that the first time I watched it, I really thought plot armor would save him. Apparently not. And I am still blaming the writers for that one.
❁✿❀❁✿❀
❁✿❀❁✿❀
⁂ My type of enemies to lovers
What I appreciated most is that this is an actual slow enemies-to-lovers story, not the kind where they argue once and then spend the rest of the show bickering like it's what being enemies are all about. Manman and Wei Shao actually start with actual hostility rooted in family history, bloodshed, and political betrayal. There is distrust baked into every early interaction.
Wei Shao does not warm up quickly and the show does not rush him. He is competent, disciplined, and principled, but emotionally blocked by grief and revenge. The drama does not pretend he is gentle from the start, because he still has to unlearn things. He is suspicious of Manman’s motives, reads almost every move as possible manipulation from the Qiao clan, and reacts badly when his trauma gets triggered. There are episodes where he is honestly very hard to like. He jumps to conclusions, lets anger drive his actions, and hurts Manman emotionally and nearly physically more than once. Still, even when he is harsh and guarded, he does not reduce her status or treat her cheaply. He keeps her position as Lady of Wei intact, which says a lot about his baseline principles even when his emotions are driven by revenge.
The drama also feels like Wei Shao’s personal emotional journey. He eventually softens, but it does not happen magically. What makes the shift a nice watch is that it happens in layers. First comes reluctant acknowledgment of Manman's wits and intelligence. Then respect for her political instincts and strategies. Then trust in specific situations. Then emotional dependence. He goes from seeing her as a threat, to a useful ally, to someone whose judgment he relies on, to someone he loves, actively wanting to protect and listen to. The change shows in how he speaks to her, how he believes her over time, and how often he checks himself after reacting badly. When he realizes he is wrong, he adjusts. He may not be good at apologies, but he changes how he handles similar situations later.
Also, it is ironically funny how often this undefeated battlefield warlord loses every verbal match with Manman and retreats with a pout and a side eye instead. His jealousy streak shows up a lot too, but the timing is usually comedic. Manman getting jealous and pouty over misunderstandings herself was also a cute balance.
Speaking of Manman, on the other hand, she never forgets that she walked into enemy territory through the marriage alliance, and she carries her clan's guilt with her. Even if Manman herself had no part in it, she never pretends the debt does not exist. A lot of her restraint and caution comes from knowing she walked into Wei territory carrying that history. Many of her decisions are made with the goal of not deepening resentment and not adding more burden to what her clan already owes.
She carries a huge part of why this drama works. She is not written as a damsel or a passive genius who only reacts. She is proactive, strategic, emotionally aware, and politically sharp. She adapts her approach depending on Wei Shao's mood, his triggers, and the political climate. She reads rooms well, understands power, and knows when to act gentle and when to be firm.
What I also really liked is how she treats Wei Shao not just as a political counterpart but as a partner, even with her own goals and even before their relationship becomes emotionally secure. She adjusts her behavior to protect his authority in public, redirects credit toward him when needed, and makes choices that strengthen his position with the people even when it might cost her own reputation. This is because even early on, when trust between them is still thin, Manman already recognizes that beneath his anger and prejudice of the Qiaos, he genuinely cares about civilians, which aligns with her own values. That becomes her anchor for how she deals with him. Instead of trying to melt him emotionally which she knew won't work, she works alongside his values. She treats him like someone capable of being better, not someone she needs to fix or submit to.
Even when she is cornered or treated unfairly, she thinks before reacting. Manman let people witness why while she is and will always be a Qiao, she is also the Lady of Wei. She uses timing, framing, and evidence to turn situations around. Most of her wins come from observation and planning, not luck or rescue. She saves situations again and again through her wits and negotiation skills.
When their relationship improves, I love that they do not become stupid for love. Neither of them gets watered down. When they soften, it is not because one becomes submissive, but it is because Wei Shao becomes more willing to meet Manman halfway, and vice versa. They stay sharp, stubborn (in good and bad ways), and capable. I also liked how their shared values become clearer over time. While they have their own priorities clear, both pushes for solutions that protect civilians, long term peace, and stability.
❁✿❀❁✿❀
⁂ Why it’s a 9.5 and not a 10 for me
Not everything worked for me, but it's not something I consider a flaw. Just a nitpick lol.
E Huang absolutely overstayed her narrative welcome. She kept circling back into the story long after her role was already clear. The leads already felt something was off about her, but eventually couldn't do anything because evidence could not be pinned on her. This allowed her to have too much screen time for my liking, eventually letting her in Liu Yan's plans. Too many schemes, and not enough payoff shown on screen for her. Sure, I guess her realizing Bogong actually loved her even after seeing through her lies was already enough for her to stop everything, including her life. But man, we should've seen that part lol. I wanted to see more regret from E Huang and Liu Yan.
Qiao Fan’s father dying at Liu Yan’s hands instead of facing fuller consequences for his own greed and decisions felt like a lazy way to write his doom. He caused massive fallout, contributed to the chain of events that led to tragedy, and then exits without properly facing what he has done. For me, he would have been one of the biggest and far more stressful villains if E Huang and Liu Yan weren't in this drama lol. Because unlike others, he was just driven by greed and power. So, his end felt veryyyy unsatisfying.
And I am still not over Fan and Wei Liang’s death. On rewatch, Wei Liang's death still feels unnecessary. I can understand Fan's decision because it also freed Bi Zhi's undeniable love for her that also became his shackles, but for Wei Liang, I just could not understand at all. It was so sudden for me that the first time I watched it, I really thought plot armor would save him. Apparently not. And I am still blaming the writers for that one.
❁✿❀❁✿❀
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