My Review
My rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
This is one of those dramas where other people can have their complaints, and I can still say I really enjoyed it.
I loved the couple dynamic. I liked the schemes. The male lead was extremely devoted, the chemistry worked for me, and the costumes were beautiful.
Also, that tower kiss? Yes. That definitely helped. 😂
I’m not going to pretend I remember every political move in order. The plot details below have been checked against episode summaries. What I do remember very clearly is why I liked this drama: Chu Zhao and Xie Yanlai, the scheming, his devotion, and all that gorgeous red.
What Is It About?
Chu Zhao gets another chance to change a fate shaped by betrayal and political ambition. Her relationship with Xie Yanlai develops alongside the struggle for power, with the two becoming important allies.
There are court schemes, dangerous people, and plenty of reasons not to trust everyone around them. The romance has to exist inside all of that, which is part of what interested me.
The Couple Was the Main Attraction
I loved Chu Zhao and Xie Yanlai’s dynamic.
For me, a drama becomes much easier to enjoy when I actually want to watch the leads together. I can follow the political mess, but I still need a reason to care about the people caught in it.
These two gave me that reason.
I liked their chemistry, and I liked having a couple I could enjoy while everyone else was busy plotting. The relationship was one of the strongest parts of the drama for me.
Xie Yanlai’s Devotion Absolutely Worked on Me
The male lead being extremely devoted was a huge plus.
That is something I consistently enjoy in a romance. Give me a man whose feelings actually matter to how he treats the woman he loves. I want to feel that she is important to him.
Xie Yanlai gave me that feeling.
His devotion was one of the things that stayed with me even after the details of the political plot started getting a little blurry in my memory. Apparently my brain has priorities. 😂
Zhou Yiran also earned his place in my Husband Hall through this drama. The devotion and chemistry made a very convincing application.
The Tower Kiss Deserves Its Own Mention
The kissing in the tower was hot.
That is the review. That is my official statement. 😂
But seriously, I liked the chemistry between these two, and that scene was a standout for me. The costumes, the red, and the romantic atmosphere all worked together.
Sometimes a scene is memorable because of a major plot reveal. Sometimes it is memorable because the couple looks that good together and finally gives you something worth remembering.
This one stayed with me.
I Actually Enjoyed the Schemes
I liked the scheming in this drama.
Political plots can become exhausting when I stop caring about what anyone is trying to accomplish. Here, I enjoyed that part of the story alongside the romance.
The couple dynamic and the maneuvering were both reasons I liked watching. I was interested in the relationships and in how people were trying to get what they wanted.
My enjoyment does not have to match everybody else’s reaction. If something worked for me, I’m going to say it worked for me.
The Costumes—and All That Red ❤️
I loved the costumes.
And I especially loved how much red there was. Red is my favorite color, so this drama was already speaking my language visually.
Give me beautiful historical clothing and rich red details, and yes, I am going to notice. The visual style was a real part of my enjoyment.
It also made the romantic scenes even more appealing to me. The tower kiss would already have had my attention, but the red certainly did not hurt its chances. 😂
Ending and Relationship Warning — Spoilers
The main couple gets a happy ending. The finale brings Chu Zhao and Xie Yanlai together in Yunzhong, with a shared life and family ahead of them.
However, a happy ending does not mean the relationship is free of distress. There is a serious conflict connected to her father’s death, reconciliation, and later separation involving war and apparent death.
The researched timeline below explains those points so readers know what they are getting into.
