I expected more. What I saw in the trailer & what I watched is totally different. The first 10 episodes were great. But then it turned into a typical historical political drama. There is no problem with having two different stories, but it wasn't executed & written well. The second half would've been great if they wrote it correctly.

The ending was a very big disappointment. I read in comments that Murong Jing He did many questionable things like in the novel, but still Mei Lin forgives him & ends up with him. Here they totally changed his character. I mean he pretended to be a red flag, so I don't think the ending was necessary.

I really wanted to see a red flag ML to green flag ML like Till the End of the Moon, but alas, he turned out to be our regular ML.
Liu Xue Yi would've killed it by his acting as a red flag ML. But they didn't provide it to us. That doesn't mean he didn't play Murong Jing He well. His portrayal of Murong Jing He was great. I loved how he played the crazy & scheming Murong Jing He in the first few episodes. I also loved the way Murong Jing He talked seductively in the first few episodes.

I loved Liu Xue Yi & Wu Jinyan chemistry.

The way Murong Jing He eats the thrown bun uff.

Laughed how Mei Lin's behavior in her hallucinations. Thinking of Murong Jing He as a tree, describing trees benefit. The way she held him down to describe an imaginary tree.

Laughed so hard with Murong Jing He tactics in ep 10. Helping Mei Lin in her punishment, watching her all time either lovey-dovey eyes.

The way Qing Yan died was heartbreaking.

I love the OST.