This review may contain spoilers
The Rebel Princess is the cdrama that I go around try to make people watch and they think 68 episodes is too long, but every so often, I will be rewarded for my perseverance and someone will watch it. Then I enjoy myself as I watch them absolutely lose it over Xiao Qi and A'wu. I am at peace.In all seriousness, I absolutely adore this show. I've watched it through all the way twice, but I also go back and re-watch my favourite episodes (like 13, 18, 33). I was definitely lost for the first few episodes since I wasn't sure how everyone was related, but once that was sorted out, I didn't mind the court intrigue stuff. The highlight was the romance and the relationship between Xiao Qi and A'wu though. There's this lived-in intimacy with the two of them that's just so gorgeous to watch.
Spoilers after this point!
I was so relieved that this show had a happy ending. There's some bittersweetness due to so many people dying, but the main couple is happy together so it's happy.
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Worth watching
Zhang Zi Yi and Zhou Yi Wei are both superb in portraying their characters, their chemistry is so good. I really enjoy watching this drama. The cinematography and costumes are beautiful; the production, plot, scenery, setting, story and acting are outstanding. I love how Awu's growth and maturity develop as the story progresses; her behavior before she was married to the general and after she became the general's wife. Overcoming so many, challenges, betrayal, and trials; their love and devotion to each other develops with honesty, respect, openness, trust and caring. This is how a strong and relationship is formed. Zhang Zi Yi is a great actress, extremely talented and very versatile; her acting is believable.Was this review helpful to you?
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How to survive royal family and court
Clearly this is a very amazing show but if you are no a very stubble some drama story type then this is not meant for you.Fl is truly definition of beauty with brain and its amazing I like how Awu is respected in the court and her brilliance is just outrageous .
Their love the main leads is sooo perfect I just love them.
the acting was top notch can't get any better chemistry
I really like that in this drama that there is no custom where the deal can be only touched my husband even the father or brothers can't touch .
the costumes are breath taking .
OMG! OMG! I loved it so much I cried when Song general died love it
According to rather this drama being an emotional rollercoaster it portrayed the awful condition(physically and mentally) that the royals lived in past.
In the beginning it was Avery amazing drama the FL was fun the court was thoughtful but after Awu got married you know there is a black time period go there kingdom that started .
Around episode 30 things were starting to get messy and at episode 40 I felt that you really required all the focus on understanding the concepts of previous episodes and connect them .
Its like how
the FLs mother just died the father then felt a bit of guilt but when she was alone he was crying for his concubine .
the FLs brother just became manipulative and over powering like his dad.
The King was killed by the Queen. like with..
Crazy the new Empress wants to kill XQ and Awu and also the Empress Dowager wants to divide the Generals army and kill the him too, Helan Tuo wants to kill the General with the Help of third Prince..
and also Awu is not being helpful here with meeting Helan Tuo to safe that spoiled brat...Su jn'er is useless as always...
General song have crush on Awu and also he is hiding something else from XQ..
Like at this point to may things are happening at the moment .
but then further it was a very well develop and scripted drama each an every character had its own story and a meaningful one loved it.
A GREAT SHOW
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All cast are the best. You will fall in love with main lead
This drama make me fall in love slowly slowly. I can’t stop thinking what is going to next Ep. Watch it please . I am not sure how many time I rewatching again and again . Time with the most favorite drama will not waste . I do love lead actor Xiaoxi a husband of Princess . If the real life have a guy like this how happy I am . He is very kind and loyal . Please have a happy ending for my happy ending. I want to be happy for them and for myself.The cast are amazing, why are they so good at acting.
The dress , costume OMG ? .
Anyway , for me I do love lead actress first but after I m watching it I love ❤️ lead actor too . Why he is to handsome, hard to handle if in real life that’s impossible.
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One of the best shows out there
I had to admit Zhang Ziyi was the main reason why I clicked this title. I thought she’d play a great empress or wife of a seasoned general. Was taken aback when she came up in 1st episode playing a teenager(15/16yo i think) instead. Wth? She looked like she could be the wife of the father! How ridiculous. And they didnt even put much effort in make up to have her look like a teenager. She looked bare faced throughout, although I admire her beauty, it’s definitely the beauty of a matured woman. I could accept if her role had been a princess in her 30s, but come on, to have 39yo to play a teenager/young adult role is pretty hilarious. She looked as old as the rest of the cast who plays the ministers and their consorts ??♀️However, I stuck through the show because it had a good storyline. She’s a talented actress, of course she could pull through despite the obvious seasoned look. I must say that this series is really fast paced, there are no wasted pointless scenes, and I can’t seem to put down the screen. One episode seduces me to continue to another and I feel bad when I had to put the screen down so my life wont be halted. I even brought the phone into the bathroom to watch while doing no 2 and bathing, finished bingeing all 68 episodes in 3 days!
Now this is the real palace conspiracy and politics is all about, it kept the audience on edge with one intense episode after another. I truly admire FL and ML. ML, although not handsome with rather big nose which bothered me during the earlier episodes, had me charmed with his outstanding performance. He looked perfect as the boorish man from a poor family background who spends his whole life on the battleground. He’s not flawlessly handsome with boyish look like the typical ML, he’s not ‘mad’ madly in love like any typical ML (and yet we can still feel his ultimate love for FL), and he carries the countenance of a courageous intelligent general and strategist really well. I like ML’s look with the goatie in the final parts though. He looked so much more handsome this way. I never liked men with face hair but he’s one of those men who looked extremely handsome with them.
This show is so good it even has one of the most intense, believable and astonishing battle scenes that I’ve seen on screen. My heart was pounding throughout the battle as I was anxious to see what would happen next. I’m not sure how accurate to the book this show is, but I’m glad I didnt read the book beforehand else it wouldve ruinned the suspense.
Im just frustrated that in every scene of them reuniting, there are no moving moments. They just look at each other longingly and then the next scene came up where everyone’s safe. So frustrating. But honestly this is one of the best shows ive seen so far. Although I wouldnt rewatch the entire show, I definitely would rewatch some real good episodes.
The only thing I dislike about this show is the fact that almost every other male character who is supposedly around the same age as FL’s character, and not related to her immediate family, seem to fall head over heels for her. Come on, they even made the supporting character to fall in love with her too! One of my pet peeves on dramas like this is when the FL seem to be the love interest of every other male characters. Come on, so she’s a beauty, but to be the centre of everyone? So cliche!
Oh and I agree with other reviewers that the title doesnt really reflect on the story. Definitely not a Rebel Princess, FL was like one of the most obedient ones out there. Intelligent, yes, rebel, definitely a no. I guess they chose that title to make it intriguing. At least I clicked because of the title, then after reading the synopsis only knew that ZZY was in the lead casts. The story did not disappoint of course.
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Alternative title: Love in Times of Royal Conflicts
OVERALLThis is a feel-good drama, not because of fluff or comedy (there's literally none in here!) but because it has a "good always wins" plot that gives you little frustration, and as a bonus, is actually gripping enough to binge. Watch it if 1) you like strong female leads, 2) you're picky about production and you need good cinematography, 3) you enjoy political intrigues. Think twice about it if 1) you like well-written and emotional love stories, 2) you like when the good guys sweat a bit, 3) you prefer dramas with a light mood/feel.
THE STORY
The best thing about this drama is its production. You can tell this was produced by someone used to film production because they really made clever, significant choices with lighting, sound and décor. All of it converges to create a dark and depressing mood/feel, which echoes the claustrophobic and tragic environment of nobility and royalty. And that's what the story is essentially about; the toxicity of the political sphere in Great Cheng era. (Just needed to fangirl over technical stuff!)
The plot is also, for the most part, quite fine. Political intrigues are coherent and they level up as the drama progresses (which is great because sometimes schemes get dumber as the story evolves). Characters have depth too, even (and especially) secondary ones. The title is misleading, main girl isn't really rebellious (she sometimes even comes off as submissive), but she is definitely strong and mature. Main guy is quiet but he's not the cold brooding type (yay!), he's actually pretty nurturing and kind. The biggest problem with The Rebel Princess is that the romance is meant to be an important part of the drama but it doesn't convince at all. Part of it is lack of chemistry between the leads, but part of it is the fact that the love story is SO underdeveloped. The protagonists go from strangers to lovers in the space of...1 episode? And then spend the rest of the drama being deeply in love. We definitely needed to see the process of them learning to care for one another. Plus, conflicts are important for relationship growth, and it doesn't feel like there's any growth in the OTP because they literally never fight.
Apart from the relationship, another downside to the drama is the way the good guys ALWAYS win. Except for once in the drama, you never really get the impression that they took on a serious blow. This isn't terrible, it makes for a more enjoyable watch, but it feels somewhat unrealistic. The ending (second half of the last episode) is also very rushed and incoherent. THAT BEING SAID, the drama is totally binge material. It's gorgeous and the never-ending schemes keep you watching until the last minute. Even though the OTP isn't swoon-worthy, you still end up rooting for them.
THE ACTING
Other reviews already mentioned the age situation, so I won't - plus, to be honest, I don't think it matters. Sure, the cast is older than the characters they play, but they look compatible with one another, so what's the problem? In general, the cast did well, especially Zhang Ziyi, but in terms of chemistry between actors (not just between the main leads but also with the secondary cast) I didn't feel much. Dramas like this highlight how acting isn't just about individual performance, it's also about the dynamics with other actors. In this case, they weren't that great. It doesn't stop you from enjoying the drama, though, so I guess it's okay.
THE MUSIC
It was fine, though there wasn't any song I felt like listening to on my own. Honestly, I was just grateful the music wasn't excessive and loud like in some other C-dramas (*cough* Oh My General *cough*).
REWATCH VALUE
It's quite high. Not super high because the drama is lowkey depressing, but it does end well and it is an enjoyable watch so I just know I'll watch it again.
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Cheating & Shameless Wife
I especially created this account to write this review!I found those top reviews misleading.
Some one wrote 'Doting Wife!' - its absolute shit.
I can put up with poor acting , cinematography but WTF is wrong with story writer.
Who would want to have such shameless wife like Awu.
First she shows her affection to ex-boyfriend both in front of her husband and behind his back not once or twice but she does it continuously.
Then she secretly begins to meet her husbands greatest enemy - Helen Prince who once kidnapped her and who openly admitted his sexual desires towards her and even tried to sexually assault her in a closed room.
To make the things worse she agrees to become his friend and shamelessly dances intimately with him while she had already refused to dance for her husband (who after learning that her Princess wife was famous in capital for her dance wanted her to dance for him to see).
I was so disgusted that i did not watch it past 48th episode.
In the end i can only conclude that she is a Shameless and Cheating wife.
It was UTTERLY DISGUSTING to watch this drama ????????????
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This review may contain spoilers
There is so much I want to say about this series but only one word really sums it up – masterpiece! It has been a while since I’ve been on edge, waiting, anticipating but thoroughly enjoying each episode! I end up binge-watching this within a short time because I couldn’t wait to see what happen next!
What I like about this series:
The chemistry between the leads. I know FL is a big star and she has done a lot of movies rather than series so I wasn’t expecting much. But I was taken by surprise. Being an experienced actor, she really did a great job here! Half the time besides admiring each and every different outfit she had on, I kept watching her expression and her gestures. I also enjoy ML performance. I forget what a great actor he is. He plays the great warlord, he is able to conquer all his enemies on the battleground as well as the emperor court. I can’t stop thinking about his love for FL. He was a man with principle, integrity, and love for his wife and his brotherhood. Often his choice was for the good of the country, his wife, or his army. Quite honestly, I was expecting a bit of a rough time when they got married. ML was not her first choice but as a chess piece, she was thrown into an arranged marriage. I love how the plot opens with them having an open heart to heart conversation, kicking off their relationship to a good start. I gotta admit I stayed because I knew from that point on, this was going to get good! I’m glad I stay for the whole ride! It was very impressive. There was so much that happened! It made you questioned who can you trust? Is blood thicker than water? Can you really hold your integrity as a poor humble being or will you fall for the beautiful temptation of what the emperor court offers? I’m actually glad we got seasonal actors because I don’t think a new face can pull off such beautiful acting, chemistry, and feelings!!
The plot and storyline. I was on edge and couldn’t wait for the next devious plot. If you read my previous reviews you know I don’t like fighting for the throne and emperor politics but this series got me thinking so hard I could barely sleep. All I can think about is, what are they planning next!
Cinemograph - the colors, the details, the outfits, everything was so appealing I didn’t know where to look.
The bad:
Just small little things that I chuckled at. There were a lot of scenes where it was slowed down to emphasize and heighten the emotion that was going through your head. One, in particular, got me chuckling, the scene where FL ran to the gate door after seeing that it was ML on the other end.
The other scene was when ML found out about her miscarriage, the doctor told him that she won’t be able to give conceive anymore and if she did, she can die from it. He grabs onto his heart from the attack. It was a bit over the top for me. His character was always this calm demeanor, no how bad the situation is. He took his time listening to the complaint, took his time understanding the issue, thought through the situation before taking action. I kept thinking about the time he stood outside waiting for her to respond.
What I often thought about:
The chemistry between the two. There is this mutual understanding, this love they have for each other. ML will do anything for her, even risking his life with his army to save her. They even had a fight for the first time about money, why can’t every couple's fight be this cute! I want and demand a Xiao Qi now!!!
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Amazing production and acting :)!!!!
What can I say!!! This is the best drama so far in Chinese dramaland :)!!!! I really love the OTP, Awu, and XiaoXi are a powerful couple who fought for peace and freedom for the people. Awu's not a very complex character, but her soul and heart are so pure :). She is all about love and forgiveness. I don't think I have watched any female lead as kind as her?? Her kindness is also a weakness because it seems like so many bad people are betraying her, but in the end, she came out as a winner as her heart is always in the right place. XiaoXi is a warrior that is all for peace and equal-ness. He marries Awu and they built their life on love, kindness, and trust. Their relationship was so nice to see because they are just loving and caring towards each other. They are far from being perfect, but they still trust each other. The plot was great in the way that it makes one think about the hardships within the court and outside of it. One important aspect Awu mentioned is that "if the capital is at peace, then the world----people. citizens will also live a peaceful life..." In the end, Awu and XiaoXi turn the situation around; and bring peace to the world :). The osts amazing too!!!!Was this review helpful to you?
Actors ages do not ruin this otherwise MUST SEE series
Hiya,My first C-Drama ever was RUYI'S ROYAL LOVE IN THE PALACE. I knew watching it that it was a masterpiece, because only a masterpiece would keep my attention that long on such a depressing series of events.
The problem became what in the world to watch afterwards? Since I was new to this world I tried MISSING PERSONS (Two Ruyi Co-stars featured) and that was fun but nowhere near as slick. I also watched a ton of Chinese films during Ruyi and some after. That's when I caught some Zhang Ziyi and felt, yeah, let's give REBEL PRINCESS a try.
Firstly, the jerks that call these 'costume dramas' need to be thrown into the Cold Palace and forced to watch Wonder Woman 1984. It's like calling Westerns 'saddle dramas'. Give me a break. This genre is Epic Imperial Romance, okay?
Secondly the title simply doesn't work. Or translate. I have a sublime title to offer but it would spoil to explain why I chose this.
Call it FOR THE LOVE OF AWU and you'll see why about halfway thru.
Unfortunately the series isn't as good as RUYI. That doesn't mean it isn't watchable and entertaining. And, in fact, for reasons I cannot divulge, it has a higher 'rewatch me' factor than RUYI. So it's better in a sense as well.
My personal big problem with this series is the initial ages of the actors. Where Zhou Xun completely tricked me into thinking a woman in her 40s is really a teenager, that didn't happen here. Many major players tried their best but simply looked old.
Deeper into the story we're introduced to a young woman that (we're told) is so like Zhang when she was young. SPOILER: she looks NOTHING like her. I was so confused I went to an eye doctor. (JK. NK.) And in THIS character SOMEONE should have realized lied a solution.
Rewind. You look for a young actress that looks a lot like a young Zhang. Then you shoot the first episodes using her. Then, and get this, when you need to introduce to the young woman who allegedly looks like Awu? Use the same actress, perhaps with a little rubber on her face to make her look a little different. Two problems solved.
The other unfortunate casting issue is Zhang Zi Yi herself. After having experienced the WOW that is Zhou Xun in RUYI, Zhang seemed a little... flat. It was like she was playing not only a noble Princess but a Goddess, who -- somehow -- is detached from reality. Often when Zhang is hearing something she doesn't like -- she starts staring off into an emotionless abyss. She looks catatonic even. This emotive distancing pushes the characters annoying her back a bit, but so too have we the viewers lost critical access into her thoughts and feelings. It took me halfway thru the series to get used to this.
With this out of the way, almost all of the other characters are terrific. Where Zhang is the blank canvas, everyone else is the paint. The series grows more and more endearing as each episode passes. Where RUYI slowly waterboards you into giving up all hope, REBEL offers hope.
Every great series has a breakaway character that you'll then want to see a LOT more of. In RUYI it was Princess Jia (Xin Zhi Lei) who is the most beautiful b!tch to hit TV or cinema. In REBEL it's Helan Zhun (Yuan Hong) who I called Aquaman the entire time because he looks (kinda) like the Chinese version of Jason Momoa. His character does some pretty awful things but MAGICALLY you hold some compassion for him too. He really made Tong Yang fight for screen time.
(By the way, in America, the CW took the world's largest POO on the classic Kung Fu series. I don't mind the remake as a show but recognize it's plainly not based on the original series at all. It's like renaming THE OFFICE as KUNG FU. But Tony Yang's intensity in the back half of the series tells me China should do an actual remake of KUNG FU, starting and spending a lot of time in China. Starring Tony Yang. He'd make a solid Caine.)
Now, of the romance. This story was a welcome soapy affair after RUYI. I don't want to spoil but I will say Awu attracts men the way an open KFC dumpster attracts flies. If you take this story literally you won't like it. If you accept its instead a feel good romantic fable -- and need that in your life before embarking -- this series will charm you SILLY.
FUN TRIVIAL FACT -- At the end of each episode is an absolutely beautiful duet between a man and a woman trying to find love inside the Kooky Backstabbing Kingdoms of C-Dramas. If you open your heart to it you'll watch the complete ending every time. The song is even featured within maybe 6 episodes.
But there is a BATTLESHIP sized detail about this song. The lovely woman who's singing? As Austin Powers once said, "She's a MAN, baby!" It may be worth watching this show just to experience that.
Oh and the production values are through the roof and puncture a hole right thru the Moon. But that can't carry you further than 3 episodes. This ensemble will. But know the series takes time to really grab you. Under 10 episodes for most.
Now, there was on character I felt was handled poorly. General Song started out great, but in the interests of romantic drama, took a series of turns that... well... I don't believe the audience appreciated. I've saved this last note for people who have seen the series, and so the next paragraph is SPOILER SPOILER SPOILER.
***************************** SPOILING BELOW *******************************
At the end of the story, Song watches his wife beg him to save himself (and his soul) and let Awu and Lord be. When he refuses to abide by her wishes, she does (something) that should have changed his mind. Minutes later, at the end of his sword, he does something that wasn't intended. The audience says YAY but then (the pig) grabs Awu's face and makes a play for her. That was done for drama but wasn't the least bit believable. If memory serves Helan never even pulled that stunt, was more of a gentleman.
Since I've written a handful of stories myself, I'll offer what I consider a cleaner (more appropriate) resolution of Song's arc.
Song witnesses his wife jump to her death. Later (before he confronts Awu) he looks down at his dead wife on the ground. He realizes his folly. He might even say to someone how she only lived for him. And how he didn't appreciate that.
When he's with Awu, her father explains that he will be emperor. And that nothing and no one can stop him. He stands close to his daughter when he says this, meaning even Awu. This threat is critical, and was missing from the story. And the fact it was missing kinda screwed up the ending. Because in the story she later talks to her father as if all the crap he's pulled was okay with her because of blood relation. Except we the audience know it wasn't.
So it's CRITICAL that Away abandon any love of her Dad she has upon being threatened. At this moment Awu should pull out the small knife the Lord handed her a long time ago in the story. I believe they intended to have her use it here but chickened out at the last moment. I wouldn't chicken out. I'd have Awu tell her father it's over. That's when he takes the knife and attempts to turn it on Awu herself. And it is at this point Song ends Wang Lin.
After doing so, Song looks completely broken. The Lord and his soldiers arrive, but it's clear from Awu's face it's already over. Song sees the Lord and Awu stand beside each other and wipes a tear away. He says words to the effect of, "I see what I always should have seen. That you two belong side by side. And that my place was always... elsewhere."
Song would leave the chamber. Moments later a servant would run in and tell the Lord Song will kill himself. They run out to and catch Song just as he jumps off the ledge his wife did. They look down and find him dead... beside his wife.
What I'm trying to suggest is that Song was more noble throughout the story. That he didn't need to become a 'demon' in the last moments of the series. Even Helan had this figured out.
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This review may contain spoilers
The Forgiving Princess
The drama should have been titled "The Forgiving Princess" as the FL forgives everyone that has plotted, betrayed, and used her in order to gain power.I was really impressed with Zhou Yi Wei's portrayal of Xiao Qi (the ML). Loyal, faithful, honorable, stoic, and strong. I don't normally cry while watching Chinese drams, but I cried when Xiao Qi wept over the death of Gen Song Huai En.
I wasn't impressed with Zhang Zi Yi as toward 2/3 of the drama, she was essentially wooden and expressionless. The sets and costumes were gorgeous. And the song End Of The World was simply beautiful.
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Good story with some pointless characters
A lot of people criticized this show for casting older 40+ y/o actors to play teenagers. This is the least of the show's problems. Although I like Zhang Ziyi, she is not an extraordinarily beautiful woman as Wang Xuan is supposed to be, and of whose unmatched beauty we were constantly reminded throughout the show. There are plenty of prettier and younger actresses who would've been more suited for the role. For this reason, I think Ziyi was miscast. Everyone else was on point. It was very refreshing to see a more mature actor playing the role of a battle-hardened, undefeated general, instead of a 20+ y/o idol with mediocre acting skills and baby fat still intact.** SPOILERS **
The titular Wang Xuan/Awu "rebel princess" hit her peak character development half-way through the show. She matured from a care-free and spoiled princess to a level-headed young woman who learned the meaning of duty and country and was able to skillfully navigate through the court intrigue. Wang Xuan wielded the power of the Wang clan to shape the course of the empire and produce future kings. Unfortunately, after Ma Zilong took the throne, her character was reduced to nothing more than a beautiful object of men's desires with an abnormally large number of braindead males chasing after her. Even the mighty Helan Zhen regressed from an arrogant warrior to a lovesick fool bringing her wedding dresses and begging her to love him. One of the most ridiculous twists was Song Huaien going through a 180, becoming a traitor and wanting Awu to be his "empress". What a way to turn an interesting character into a cliche. The drama basically dumbed down from a political thriller-ish to an uninteresting soap opera regurgitating the same old tropes.
One of the dumbest things about the drama was a complete lack of insight from most characters. They either wanted Awu or to kill Xiao Qi. Wanting to kill Xiao Qi was an especially ridiculous plot idea because he was the only honorable and loyal subject who was the less likely to usurp the throne. Yet, all of the royal inbreds continuously plotted against him thinking he wanted power, which backfired in the most ridiculous way. Some of Wang Xuan's motivations were also very confusing. She tried to sit on two chairs at once - being Xiao Qi's wife and a member of the Wang family, which led to some questionable choices. One of those questionable choices was her fraternization with Helan Zhen, drinking and dancing with him, something that was completely inappropriate and put a wedge between her and Xiao Qi.
Zitan was one of the least interesting characters and the biggest waste of screen time. Tony Yang was an absolute eye candy to look at, but his good looks weren't able to save the character from being unbearable. The writers could've done so much with him instead of reducing him to exist solely to pine after Awu. And even that was comical because he had one chance at the beginning of the show to be with her and he completely squandered it. Even Awu had to spell it out to him why he was unworthy because he had no spine and couldn't care less about anything other than his childhood crush. And, that hasn't changed throughout the show, which later led to a lot of people getting killed just so he could get into Awu's pants.
Contrary to the criticism, Wang Xuan and Xiao Qi's big production in the throne room to get Zitan to confess his crimes was actually quite clever. I did not particularly enjoy her spending so much time with Zitan afterwards trying to save him, but I attribute it to her still caring about him as her childhood friend and not to some lingering romantic feelings. This was later confirmed in her conversation with her father when she told him that her love for Xiao Qi and Zitan was "different".
The most complex character was Wang Lin. Cynical, pragmatic, and unrelenting, he understood the complexities of ruling a country and the responsibility that came with it. Usurping the throne wasn't just his blind quest for power but to also remove an incompetent ruler and to bring stability to the empire. He was truly the only person who was fit to sit on the throne.
The drama did a good job at characterizing the relationship between Wang Xuan and Xiao Qi. This is probably due to the fact that the characters were played by mature actors and not idols. Their relationship had chemistry, meaningful interactions, mutual understanding, and respect. The drama did a good job at flushing out why Wang Xuan fell in love with Xiao Qi and let go of her childhood love for Zetan. Zetan represented her care-free childhood. Xiao Qi was mature love where she learned duty, loyalty, and the hardships of life. She appreciated Xiao Qi for his bravery and heroism and looked down on Zetan's continued callousness and immaturity. I appreciate the fact that the drama did not go down the cliche route creating a love triangle between the three of them.
The ending was ok, although I wanted to see stricter justice served against the characters who did wrong and vindication of their victims. Overall, the drama was very entertaining for the first half and for the last 10-15 episodes, but it could've gone without some storylines. And, I definitely wanted to see more of Xiao Qi, instead of ridiculous Helan Zhen arcs and Zitan's forlorn expressions.
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