Would like to give 8* for overall story that writers build in this Drama.
They build a world with 4 kingdoms which has proper origin and characters with right personality.
Story is written will in which each characters playing off each other is done extremely well.
The cast and their acting is excellent. Maybe some can be better overall performance of the cast is above average.
Music score gives right amount of emotional impact on scenes.
But will give 3*.
Not sure how one person can conquer 4 kingdoms without even known by other kingdom leaders.
Sure there are some probability if one or two leaders are dump, but given knowledge and intelligence of the leaders it shouldn't be possible.
Northern Emperor's intelligence comes and goes episode by episode.
Chen Empire is not legible in story.
Martial skill of FL is coming and goes not sure why.
One human body can handle how many poison? FL been poisoned 6 times in two years’ span, all of them are fatal ones.
Never understood why Empress had to kill Lady Yun. Why did she kill FL's family? How did she become empress? How did she survive the fire and poisoning?
Why and how did she plan everything 20 years ahead? was she prophet to know every person to be born and their capabilities who may become significant officers in all 4 kingdoms to include in her plan?
Some might argue she had multiple contingencies but all her plans are rigid without margin of error even her failed plots.
Why did not memory poison work on her (she regained her memory almost immediately)?
Rong Qi has as much intelligence as fish, not sure why even bother trying to save man Er' and follow his mother’s order knowing bother are not mutual.
Other than this there are lot of small inconsistency all over the story, people disappear and reappear at random plots.
Characters skill changes from episode to episode.
So my score is 3/10 for this Drama