Am actually writing this review for the first part after i completed watching the whole part 1 and part 2, so might probably mix them up (the rating is for the whole series though. Lol)

Ok first of all. Niao Niao here is barely a 15yo girl who has grown up without any (good) parental figure and was left to her own account to survive. Nevertheless, i spend almost 2/3rd of part 1 really trying to stop myself from not completely disliking (hating is a strong word) Shaoshang’s a-mu. That woman imo is completely ridiculous. I know she loved shaoshang silently (because viewers are shown that) but the way she acts with regards to shaoshang is completely ridiculous! Everyone said she is a just woman, and in trying to treat SS and YY justly, she just appears as a mean mother. And i dont even think she knows the word ‘fair’ well, because the way she coddled YY is basically putting down her own daughter and walk all over her. Lucky YY is a good girl nevertheless, because if any girl else being treated to such a pedestal and being backed up to such a level, it was no wonder if she end up being a villain. All in all, i completely am very much frustrated with Xiao Yuanyi. Lucky SS has her a fu and brothers at her side, or else i might end up more frustrated! Lol

And as I said, when they told you it is slow burn, you better believe it. Lol. The first 10 episodes are so slow I basically just grit my teeth and keep on watching because it’s Wu Lei and Lusi’s drama. Nothing much important happened, and LBY and SS also has minimal interaction together. And i am quite surprised that they spent sooo many episodes on SS and A Yao’s relationship +- courting even though i did appreciate how kind and honest Lao Yao is. My heart hurts when he needs to break up with SS (though at the same time happy because well, this is a chance for the main couple to start shining!).

I like the 2 sidekicks of LBY the most. Lol. Those 2 are such a comedic add ons to LBY’s cold face. Haha. And I also very much appreciate that the emperor and his harem is portrayed as so, it was a fresh breath of air from other emperor and his harem which is full of conniving backstabbing villains from other dramas. I love that the emperor dotes on LBY so much, he was treated almost better than the emperor’s sons themselves. Hahahha. Comedic lighthearted characters aside, this part 1 also has a lot ( and i mean a lotttt) of very annoying screechy characters. Basically all of the ladies (aside from Third Shumu and Qiqi) are annoying little shits and their mothers usually are no better. Sometimes, you just felt like pulling your own hairs watching their petty little conversation/trial of one upping each others, they are just that fickle!

Now, on to the main couple. I love that LBY treated SS so well in silent, it shows how much he loves her to me (as a viewer). But well, if i am SS, i also would not just make my own conclusion that he loves me just like that, without any words at all from him. He never mention that he likes her or at least saying anything towards that before he threatens her that she is agreeing to being his wife if she didnt agree to meet him in the forest during her engagement day to a yao. I was like woahhh where is that coming from? Lol. And yes, he could not completely gave himself towards building a relationship at that time just yet because his revenge is still not paid, so he basically can only let SS pass him by on another man’s arms. Lucky fate has its own plan, and A Yao has to be wedded to someone else, or else LBY will be left licking his own nails with his revenge to accompany him.

The cinematography is really nice i think, especially scenes such as the lantern festival and the place where SS meet LBY at her engagement day. However, i must say that the costumes are less flattery than other dramas’, but i think it is mostly due to the era/dynasty that LLTG is based on, rather than the costumes team itself. I can only see one main design for the costumes, be it the females or the males’ costume and the pastel colour itself doesnt seem so flattering. Usually i can feast my eyes on the costumes while watching chinese dramas, and this handicapped seems quite glaring to me.

OST during part one is basically non existent. I cannot remember much of it if it exists lol.