First off, I highly recommend this drama to anyone looking for a historical rom-com. I find myself laughing at almost every episode. Along with the comedy, this show packs several plot reversals that quickly advances the story. The pacing is quite perfect. A few episodes toward the end suffer from some rushed editing, but it does not affect my overall enjoyment too much.

I am very impressed by the character development and casting. Many characters have their own backstory and motivation for their actions. Each actor fits their role perfectly. Among the entire cast, I really can’t pinpoint a single bad actor. I am especially impressed by Neo Hou who can delicately depict Rong Xia’s emotional trauma. The cast members deserve praise for their outstanding performance. The production team have created interesting characters and select the most appropriate actors for them.

The show’s central theme is “family”. We see contrast between our two leads: Ban Hua, who is adored by her family members, and Rong Xia, who loses his family at an early age. It is also because of “family” that brings our two leads together: Ban Hua strives to protect her family at all cost and Rong Xia wants revenge for his deceased loved ones. As the story progresses, we see the interaction and competition between the different families. Despite the many hardships, the Ban family sticks together and manages to prevail. Unfortunately, some families suffer from greed for power, which lead to miserable outcomes.

Ultimately, what makes this show so heart-warming is the union of family. Rong Xia desperately longs for the family that he has lost. He tries to find another father figure but feels empty after certain events. Without realizing it, he internally torments himself over the issue of “family”. Thankfully, Ban Hua stops him from self-destruction through warmth and love.