it took me a while to finish, I started while it was airing at the beginning. At last got more interesting pass ep 30.
I wouldn’t recommend to someone who wants to watch this only for romance, the romance was mostly a side plot and slow burn. It was more at the end. We’ll get back to it.

The good for me :
- the acting from everyone I would say
- the music
- the costumes, makeup and hair. Everything was good and pretty
- cinematography and setting were good
- both FL and ML are very good and interesting characters. Smart, strong in their own way, beautiful and capable. Them working together. I like how they overturn the evil people plans and were often on step ahead. Like against concubine and the aunt. ML can fight.
- no annoying problems or misunderstandings between the leads
- I was particularly interested in ML story. How he rises to his position, getting first place in the exams one by one and become top scholar
- I think my fav thing about this drama is Duke Ying. Probably became my fav character, I loved him a lot. Such a good and caring dad, a good person, etc… Awnn how he cried when she got married. When they first met, how he seemed nervous and rearranging his clothes and hat. Such a good and refreshing character. Also… for a “middle age men” he was hot ahahaha
- the relationship between FL and her father and biological family. How she got close to her siblings. I liked every interactions of FL and her dad
- I love both grandma
- I really loved the mother character, how she both cared for them as her own children. She’s a good mom and good person.
- second couple was cute I guess even if I didn’t really like them much
- The wedding was beautiful, even if trash guy interrupted.
- happy ending, pretty good and decent ending. Wasn’t rushed and it’s good we got to see them with a kid. The last scene with everyone was very good, seeing the siblings and cousins back (we haven’t seen them since first master wife exile I think). Satisfying everyone on good terms and happy I guess (not really the dad for me, but we have to accept it)
- the last few eps were good and exciting for the most part

Negatives point for me :
- I feel like this at some point for almost every cdramas, even more 40 eps dramas (that’s very long), it get dragging and boring at some point in the middle mostly. But here, not gonna lie, I was bored a lot compared to normally even with the great leads characters. I watched a lot at 1,5-2x. The beginning was good, we were getting to know the characters, ML doing the exams, but I was bored and then after ep 30 got more interesting again. 5 eps+ could have been cut and that could’ve help. 40 eps was too long, Maybe this kind of drama was not for me. Felt slow at time, a lot of talking, scheming family members and not much action. little ML actions moments and fighting were good though. I watched before some cdramas maybe a bit more oriented on family and less on romance too, but I was more hooked. I honestly can’t point out why I wasn’t that into the drama. Maybe if I watched it last years or at another time it could have been different, I will never know
- Personally it was too long for the reveal (it dragged for me, but not surprise Cdramas writers almost always drag things), almost ep 30. FL with her biological family was one of the best thing, we could have got 5 more eps of that at least
- ML dad, he was trash, treated them badly for years, no consequences whatsoever, redemption arc. He became just fine all of the sudden and happy with them at the end
- I don’t think the romance was that good. I say some chemistry and enjoyed scenes. They were cute together though. Few peck kisses and hugs, bed scene was cute in ep 30. they also look good together
- SML was such a lame and annoying character. The actor did a good job I would still say, he’s handsome and a good actor, second time I see him. He was doing the annoying guy with unrequited love in “A date with the future”. The guy had nothing going on except being obsessed with FL, wanted to be with her and force her. It the only thing I will remember him has. Did he even do anything else ? I honestly don’t remember, wasn’t paying much attention since I just find him annoying and uninteresting. He could have been an interesting character maybe if his point was not only being obsessed with FL. he still got some good moments against ML. Every scene was just repetitive and annoying at some point, I was rolling my eyes at the end. Him and FL “running into each other”, the same interactions all over again through the episodes. It wasn’t necessary… But at least he wasn’t that present and FL was pretty clear. I liked how she wasn’t swamped by him and was trying to keep distance and didn’t care about him. He was delusional till the end. Kidnapping her on her wedding night… that was too much…. and was not needed. Ah can’t stand this guy. At least he’s dead, but kinda easy death… and why did they make him die saving her, just nah
- I’m sorry, but the worst things in all of this for me was FL calling him THIRD BROTHER till the very end, even when they are a couple, married and with a kid! it was already kinda turned off for me to enjoy the developing romance because she still called him “brother” after she find out he was not her brother. that was just so weird to me that she called him that till the end, I don’t know why they wrote this
- FL’s voice is not that bad, people were exaggerating. Maybe a bit at first, but got over it pretty fast. not something to make you drop at all

I still rated it pretty high regardless of these because of the positive point

So since the leads are great and the plot is interesting in general, friendship and good family moments, happy ending, I would recommend