A very decent drama with many interesting characters

What you need to know:

The story is entertaining and logical and dragged only a little in the middle putting much attention to the restaurant business.

The characters are awesome: there are very moral people, just common people and people who change a great deal to good or to bad. But they are believable and their interactions in many cases are not clichés.

The surroundings and music are very pleasant; the whole series is performed in a very aesthetical way.

And now, hello longread! :) What you possibly needn’t know but I just want to say:

The Dream of Splendor is a beautifully made series, almost flawless. That’s the impression after completing the whole work. When I ask myself if there are any plotlines which haven’t got logical solutions, I can’t find any I can't explain at all. That’s rare.

Speaking of the plot, I really appreciate the feminist topic but not driven to absurd extremes. The three gracious, beautiful and more than once distressed women unite to stand up for their rights and build a better tomorrow for themselves. In a process they prove that women can be respected no less than men, they can be artistic and yet have a successful business. They may be deceived or betrayed by the men they choose but still rise with their heads up and find more sincere and caring husbands. They may be wise and forgiving or passionate and revengeful – in other words, they are living people with their rights and wrongs and only their choice defines their destiny.

There have been many political schemes as well, which is cool, although I felt a little puzzled at all those names and double agents (the reason is not narration, though, but the auto subtitles – with a complete translation everything would be easy to understand). I really loved how the plot shows the main bone of contention – the painting of the Night Revels which is being mentioned since the very beginning but actually appears only in the end. Family matters, politics and social morals are all intertwined. The way some people serve different masters and switch their allegiances is also intriguing. Some seek glory and others try to be noble and just. Some would sacrifice anyone to save their own pride and others are able to walk in different people’s shoes. That’s so interesting to watch – mainly because the story is character-driven and they are so alive, complicated and real you can actually believe them.

More about characters. Zhao Pan Er is the main of the female trio. She’s elegant, smart, decisive and proud. The way she’s almost always right makes her a bit too ideal but her character is still believable. Still, some of her deeds might have been a mistake. For example, I feel her responsible for Ou Yang Xu becoming a villain. All he wanted was a glorious career; when Pan Er took her revenge (made a fuss around his house galling his pride, frightened him so badly he was eager to ban himself from a city) she created a devious foe desperately clinging for an opportunity to rise again. She also rushed with a decision about (a main lead) Gu Qian Fan’s ‘betrayal’. He disappeared but not for years or even months – anything could have happened, so why assume he broke up with her in the most unbelievable manner?

Apart from these, Pan Er’s actions are full of dignity and intelligence. She’s a grown-up woman, which gives the series a new vibe of a serious piece of art. No girlish foolishness and clumsiness! Though she also may be seen having fun, entertaining others or solving misunderstandings. Finally, a decent FL character! Heavens, we do need more of them.

And there are some. Sun San Niang is another lovely woman, who is a talented cook and a bit less skilled mother, getting round all kinds of life troubles. While Pan Er suffers from her low status of a musician, San Niang is misfortunate as a wife and mother. When her son disavows her, she wants to die but finds strength to begin once again. She’s very reasonable, calm and caring (although she is shown as a fighting kind of a lady in the beginning). She’s Pan Er’s right hand both in business and life matters. She also improves as a mother of the family since she regains her son and turns a pathetical scientist, her future lover, into a noble man and always motivates him to get better at things.

Song Yin Zhang is a complicated character. She begins as a very naïve girl growing into a very haughty one. She is talented, true, but she has no right to hurt her sisters’ feelings and act like a princess. She’s impulsive, jealous and hungry for attention and admiration. She’s also a dreamer who knows nothing about what’s going on around. She’s in love with Gu Qian Fan but never notices he’s ready to marry Pan Er. She’s deceived by seducers twice. In the first half of the series, she becomes quite unbearable. She really gives a problematic teenager’s vibe.

Later, though, there’s a great deal of a character development for her. She becomes more mature and less pretentious. She learns how to put herself in someone else’s shoes. She even settles very troublesome incidents. All in all, she a great character and is really accurately depicted.

Gu Qian Fan is a ML and in the first episode he’s seen as he must be: a cold and merciless ‘devil’ whose job is investigation and torture. Later on, we learn he never took pleasure in such work; he only needs a higher rank to give a status to his mother and is also deceived by someone he trusts. Actually, he’s quite a contrast to the image the others see. (Although Pan Er guesses he's a good person surprisingly soon.) He’s a softhearted, dignified, caring, humble and generous man who needs some friendly support. He’s trapped in the political battle of wills; he also has got a father whom he loves (and who loves him) but doesn’t accept due to the difference of their life attitudes. He’s also very vulnerable (somehow the characters in these series don’t have the ability to heal in ten minutes, which is a good call) and is wounded like half a dozen times. Once he finds friends and a woman he loves, he is loyal to them. He may be prudent, daring, passionate, unsure, professional and respectful to ancestors or not quite – but he’s always a noble man.

Interestingly, Qian Fan and Pan Er are really well balanced as a couple. While he is so hard on the surface and warm and mild in heart, she is a woman who has limited physical strength but her will is as an iron bar. The actors have done a fantastic job as a chemistry of the main couple is great. (You can find such a description almost anywhere but only here I see what this phrase actually means.) The very first time Pan Er saves Qian Fan it must be seen as a happenstance but you feel it’s a fate. Not a cliché one you can find in any drama. The best artistically solid life-changing moment one you can only hope to identify in real life. Their romance is so sweet and touching! Qian Fan is ready to marry a low status woman; he even accepts her desire to be a business lady, although it will ruin his status. Pan Er is like an angel saving the ever-wounded Qian Fan again and again. He doesn’t find it ashaming to share his unrealized expectations and show her his sorrow – but would break up with her in order to conceal the truth about the blood revenge between their families. She’s ready to step through it just to be with the one she loves. The flower symbols, the hairpin, the chats on the boat and on the doorstep, the warmness in their glances and tenderness in their guiltless touches – everything is so esthetical, so romantic!

What I love most of all are the interactions between characters – the main four and the supporting cast (for example, I really loved Chen Lian, Zhao Di and Pan Er’s standing customers). The plot is sometimes really gripping and sometimes not (there have been so many episodes about tea, music and competitors – well, that’s logical since this story’s about the restaurant business! At least they are depicted very artistically.) Personally, my favourite one is the first arc (about 5-6 episodes on how the main characters got to the capital) and the last one (where all plotlines, personal and political, are well combined).

There is one more thing I appreciate: there aren’t any 100% villains. People are not evil just because the script tells them to be; it’s life that changes them. In this work, they are mostly seduced by the ‘city’, they want to grab its ‘splendor’ and this is a serious motivation for a political life of the capital. I also like that a person isn’t changed in a moment; that’s a long process when one may surrender or fight his or her destiny. Being proud isn’t a bad thing – but choosing immoral ways is. I don’t think, for example, Ou Yang Xu to be the rotten soul from the beginning. His expectations of his future career were just too high and the means for obtaining glory weren’t of unassailable integrity. But he acted as is still acceptable in his kind of social life. We understand he’ll be an antagonist almost from the very beginning but he seems so innocent and powerless that he doesn’t look like a villain. He’s almost always a victim – Pan Er hates him (although he still loves her), his career and marriage are ruined, he is lost and starving, scorned and beaten. I really like the way the viewer is deceived as we can’t help but sympathize him. Moreover, that’s the key to his decline: since he pities himself and blames others for his misfortunes, he gets used to the idea he can revenge and use others as tools (and later even commit crimes – he hates it but there’s ‘no choice’ for him if he still wants to pursue his goal, which to that point has become a fixed idea). It’s also interesting that his schemes are smart but lack either timing or luck; he’s overplayed by ‘good’ characters or just by circumstances. As a successful scholar, he knows he just must outsmart others but his obsession with power plays a cruel joke on nonother than himself and drives him crazy. Xu Hai Qiao did a great job portraying such an ambiguous character – I wish there were a bit more of him in the series but even so it was very interesting to watch this transformation.

To sum up, this series has been very pleasant to watch; thrilling when the characters were overcoming dangers, educating in terms of art and culture, funny at times and with a very balanced romantic line. The soundtrack is also great, as well as costumes and surrounding. But all of these wouldn’t be of a high importance if not for such alive, different, interesting characters.

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Beyond Expectations

The longest post is ahead, so there are some key thoughts that might be useful for you if you're guessing whether to watch a drama or not. Then I’ll go praising every single aspect of this brilliant series. And probably only those who, just like me, have watched the whole drama and now strive to stay (if only one more hour) with the story, will read the post till the end. We’ll see.

Topics: quite modern and universal, dealing with females’ rights, working ethics, balance between work and love, friendship, family issues, unhappy childhood and rivalry.

Characters: adorable, likeable and very alive. Even supporting roles have got some bright and believable personalities you enjoy watching. The main characters are well-thought and portrayed really well. All of them are possible to be someone’s favs.

Plot: logical, well-written, at times dramatical and doesn’t contain too many cliches (if they look like ones, they at least have good reasoning and don’t happen just for the sake of a genre).

Music: nice and cozy, in the process of watching you grow into loving it and smiling broadly whenever hearing the familiar tunes.

Pace: not really fast, since every case needs some episodes to be solved. Relationships also make progress very gradually but it’s worth it. There’s no rush and everything looks realistic.

Rewatch value: I’ve watched the drama twice in a row and don’t feel like parting with it now. I must translate it into my native language just to stay with this story a bit longer!

Ending: some little things were unexpected, some unexplained, but mostly I’m satisfied. All the main storylines have logical and happy endings.

Well, it’s been already a lot of words said here. I don’t have to justify a reason why I’m writing all this. This series just deserves some estimation. If you’re not afraid of long reads, come along!

***

This is the best drama about modern times I’ve seen so far. Like many others, it sticks to a narration about the main couple and their friends who also have some relationships. The characters mostly solve their working or romantic problems. But unlike many others, the drama seems very real and suggests very live issues for any person: protecting the people one loves, telling good from evil, following professional ethics, working responsibly, facing deception, treating people around with kindness and respect, learning to trust or distrust the close ones, standing against injustice and keeping one’s heart pure and tender even in an imperfect world.

Even if the story weren’t flawless, it would be interesting to watch due to the characters. Fan Shu Chen is the main character and he’s probably one of my most loved male heroes by now. He combines a great professionalism, luck, charm, energy with such less seen traits as honesty, idealism, being true to his dreams and beliefs no matter what it would cost him. From the very beginning it’s obvious that his company ‘Feilin’ owes him its flourishing state – and yet we may feel a foreshadowing of an upcoming misfortune. The higher you rise, the harder you fall. The scenes when Shu Chen realizes how quick his company is to turn on him are really heartbreaking. Even love hardships don’t compare with the thought that his life principles are so vulnerable before the world of dishonest and manipulative people. Shu Chen isn’t perfect (he has some shortcomings as well) but he’s too pure and softhearted for this cold world. The way he faces problems, professional and personal, shows his unbreakable spirit, though. He may suffer and even receive a setback but he won’t lose himself remaining a good people’s protector and a star-catcher he’s always wanted to be. Now let us combine all said above with Zhang Yun Long’s fascinating attractiveness, especially his sincere and altogether worth his salt smile; calm, cute and gentle manliness; a perfect depiction of the character… and all girls’ hearts are sure to melt. I wonder if there’s just one woman watching this drama who hasn’t asked herself where to find such a hero in a real life.

Lin Zi Yu, who is the main female character, is very cute and makes us sympathize her a lot. She’s mostly naïve but is not either clumsy, shallow, stupid or weird (we’ve had enough of such cliches by now). She’s just young and still learns her way through this world of adults. She gets some life lessons and proves herself a good friend, sister and lover. For a person who’s been an outcast for who knows how many years she’s very sociable, kind and innocent, although sometimes she seems isolated from the others. She reminds me a lot about Pollyanna and I wonder if the author’s got some inspiration from this character. She’s a poor girl without parents and money who is just good enough herself to bring light and support around. She’s like an angel she’s carrying around as a guardian. Ironically, she believes herself to be a person who brings misfortune to those who surround her. Finally, she has to choose sides between her relative and a loved one – and what a cruel choice it may be for a person who truly loves and cherishes both of them!

Although there weren’t many romantic moments between Shu Chen and Zi Yu, they make a very harmonious couple which is pleasurable to watch. They have a sweet and calm kind of romance followed by the shadow of conflicts around them. They have been compared to Romeo and Juliet more than ones and actually arise more sympathy since they are more mature and yet more pure and innocent. They seem to be in love for the first time and would sacrifice all they have for each other’s sake. That’s totally classical but, while situated in a real-life environment, it’s much better.

Shi Wei Cong appears as a stupid, clumsy and immature person at the beginning but then he realizes his limitations and learns from his mistakes. He’s a rare person who’s more than that he seems to be. He protects his friends in the ways he can think of, he’s not afraid to leave home, the place where he’s spoiled and treasured in any ways, to find his true self. He doesn’t care about property and money and he is eager to help and share even if he won’t get anything in return. What’s more, he puts up with the way others treat him (playing tricks, comparing him to an almost perfect friend, not trusting with any serious problems, teasing and using him). He’s the one who errs the most but then unites all friends. The most touching moment is when the three friends find his belongings that he’s been keeping to save the good memories of all his friends.

Ji Xuan Li is the person who has the most difficult set of personal traits. She’s a nice girl but poses like a queen. The three friends are used to it and tease her when treating her like a royalty. But her lover has a difficult time with her; no wonder they end up constantly quarrelling and breaking up. At the same time, friends are the people that just can’t leave her. Who’s there to comfort her, to protect her, to take her, drunk and crazy, home from the clubs? She’s really lucky to have them by her side. At the same time, she’s tender hearted, passionate and brave. She makes the most radical decisions and demonstrates the free will of the woman who is not afraid of letting go, perfecting herself and changing stereotypes.

Li Yang Yang is a sweet workaholic whose image is very familiar to many working women and feminists. The drama has a very vivid topic of defending woman’s rights and is very up-to-date with this question. She’s a quiet soul preferring to suffer secretly, reserved and kind. At the same time, she’s quick to act when there’s injustice. She’s also very professional and energetic which makes her in a good balance with Shu Chen. She selflessly works to give her parents a better life but eventually learns that life can give her something in return. Sometimes you don’t have to hide from relationships just because of work or fears. What’s great is that people in this series get what they deserve: if not by the laws of our real life then just by rights.

What I loved most of all, was the feeling I got from the relations between all the four friends (later – main female character included). We mostly cannot claim we have even one true friend – by saying this I mean someone bigger than a polite and friendly acquaintance but the friend to whom one’s true self can be revealed. For one, any inmost dream or fear, any suspicion or obvious nonsense. This friend seems to read minds and knows your greatest talents and shortcomings. They may have different ideas and estimations of the life’s situations but eventually share your mindset. This is what we see in these characters. They are a combination of talent, childishness, diligence, vulnerability, righteousness and willingness to protect each other. The characters in this series mostly have unhappy family background but make their own family which is united not by blood but by spirit and shared memories from the saddest to the most joyful ones. I couldn’t help smiling when watching these four’s interactions. They give such a warm and cute vibe of care and belonging that you also start seeing friends in them. Friendship in this drama is not a cliché and isn’t shallow: it’s an almost palpable representation of the souls’ unity.

The plot is quite good, too. It is mostly predictable but you are enjoying all way through. The comparably low rating may be explained by the slow burn relationship between the main couple on the one hand and by the number of business-related situations at work. Personally, I loved both. I’m really a fan of well-written love story and the accurate depiction of working relationship in two teams. The motivations of all characters are very logical and psychologically believable. Neither love, required by the genre, comes unmotivated nor misunderstandings appear from nowhere. I also love the way the creators of this series combined hilarious and almost tragic moments. The comic reliefs and very tense moments are interwoven well. The flashbacks are also given logically when they are really needed to remind the viewer of some facts or explain one’s background. No teary fillers or repetitive memories are there to annoy the audience. Till the end there is a question of how Shu Chen will deal with his rival. Forgiving, letting go, doing right by and revenging seem possible options. If not pay too much attention to the credits there is one more intrigue: Yang Yang’s choice. By the way, I’ve noticed a great thing about the ending credits: the scenes are mixed up so well that you don’t get the actual events of the story in the sequence you expect. There are also a few moments when the credits have even deceived the viewer about the things that would come (I’m really impressed by them not being the ever-spoiling ending credits).

Shooting is nice as well. The office of ‘Feilin’ is quite colourful, the sea is lovely, the contrast of light and darkness is so alive. Flashbacks are shown in a slightly different technique and yet give the feel of really important scenes of one’s past. Opening and ending are dramatic, and the actual drama is interesting to watch. There are only few dramas you can watch without fast-forwarding. I also like how the symbols and other artistic devices are used. I really adore the metaphor of being a star catcher and how Zi Yu then paints the starry picture when parting with Shu Chen. Stars are the most romantic, tempting, distant and everlasting things we can find in the universe. No wonder an idealistic Shu Chen associates his beliefs with stars and Zi Yu eternizes her love this way.

Music matches the drama well. Initially I thought the ending titles’ mood was strange but not until I realized the story to be more dramatic and complex than it seemed in the beginning. The opening song is really motivating and is as pleasant as a sunny day. I never had heart to skip it because it’s so nice. Zhang Yun Long’s voice is very likeable. He’s done a great job in this drama. There’s nothing the audience could wish to be improved about his performance. Thanks to him and all other people who made this drama come out.

I keep finding more things to analyze in order to not part with the characters and a wonderful story that happened to be beyond any expectations. The morals, obvious and not, (such as taking care of parents or children, forgiving mistakes and treating others with respect, living a full life every single moment of your existence, protecting nature, accepting oneselves the way they are) teach us how to build a better society. True, this drama might seem a bit too idealistic but we do need such heartwarming and positive lessons to keep going on in a more complex and often crueler world. If even a few people fight for a harmonious community, they might change the world for the better. How can they not be heroes? We all are, so let us protect the lights in our hearts and around us just as the characters have suggested.

If you’ve read everything till the last word, you’re my hero as well. Thank you! 😉

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Start watching from the third episode and it'll be interesting!

What is the first impression of this series? Dynamic scenes, a promising plot and a cool hero, of course. He’s the type many girls like: good mannered, with a memory loss, slightly awkward with girls, but not a mush-head. He will take the initiative into his own hands, and protect his girlfriend even if she’s a police officer and is supposed to be able to take care of herself. It was also fun to watch this series together with my family ‘cause there were some occasional flaws such as medically strange actions and weird technical equipment and everybody’s been commenting on it.

Liu Zi Guang is just lovely. Life has given him a chance that he would have never had if not for those eight years. Not only he has learned how to fight, he has returned not as an undecided schoolboy but as a young man desperately looking for his place in this world. And this is just the way he creates this place for himself. If he spent his youth happily, he would not have to seek answers: with his inner compass, he would always know what was right. But the dark side of his past raises his doubts and makes him a hero.

I really enjoyed the scenes when Liu Zi Guang met his sort of madness and despair, breaking through his memories - not entirely by accident, but in order to remember something else and defend himself. The way William Chan shows Liu Zi Guang’s despair when he realizes who he really was is just great. The audience, however, already knows the truth about the main character’s past, so I highly recommend to start watching from the third episode no matter how emotional the first two are (you can watch them afterwards, but do spare yourself a bit of intrigue).

The main female character is nice, you can sympathize her at times. She is brave, and weak, and smart, and too impulsive. She is desperate to claim a dangerous job, proving to everyone that she can handle it. But the more the plot develops the more she is shown as a daughter, as a girl in love - and the image of the tough and rude Hu Rong evaporates, showing a vulnerable young woman. The story would be more interesting without this sentimental pliability. After all, undercover relationship is risky and interesting but the plot drags too much at that part, showing the heroine’s immaturity and putting the whole mission under an unnecessary risk. Hu Rong’s always making her father give her a chance to participate in the missions is rather irritating. And of course, it's hard to forgive her going to the base without a bulletproof vest, I mean, where’s the logic here? It was so easy to come prepared. She’s a police officer, not a school girl! But she is an interesting mirror for Liu Zi Guang. That’s very common for such kind of the stories that the two end up as a couple but still nice to watch.

I also liked Officer Han. He was the third person in a love triangle, but he deserved Hu Rong no less than Zi Guang did. Interestingly, Han's sincere affection for both Hu Rong and Zi Guang seems not a plot flaw but a realistic life twist, although a typical rival would prefer to get rid of Zi Guang when he had a chance. Surely my favourite character after Zi Guang, brave and smart. (What would the police do without him? I mean, they don’t seem too quick.)

Finally, the villain is fine. All other don’t seem too dangerous or witty, though. But mister Nie has been plotting all this time. His observations and predictions are quite accurate. Still, his kind of fondness of Zi Guang is kinda strange even if they are sworn brothers. Why be so shocked by Zi Guang’s possible betrayal if you are ready to betray him as well? I wish they had shown us more of Zi Guang’s past in short bright flashbacks just to explain why Nie is so attached to him.

In general, the series went even deeper into my heart than it seemed. I fell in love with its music, too. The combination of characters and plot conflicts also seem appealing for me. I just wish it was a bit darker, without so much romance.

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The emperor makes a difference

This drama has been one of the best I’ve seen so far. Kept me interested during the whole story and had so many plot twists even I was content. From the very beginning it was obvious that there couldn’t be a perfect solution for everybody; the main character’s ever forgiveness had to bring trouble over his friends’ or someone else’s heads. Still, the cruel way to fight for the throne and power shown in the very first episodes would also be meaningless if one really strives to save and unite the people of the suffering and crumbling country. The dark times consist of many doomed destinies and the whole story has this scent of finality.

Still, the creators of this series did manage to confuse the audience (and when I say it, I really mean we’re good at predicting plot twists and making up ‘oh, these motivations are surely way better’ solutions). True, I guessed how it all would end but it was closer to the final episodes. In the progress of the story, I just kept praying the emperor would survive and did not hold much hope for anyone else due to the plot’s violence. Still, the script writers were a bit more generous and spared more than one character, what I’m really grateful for.

The events in-betweens of the series aren’t that predictable. The obvious mistakes not always result in a defeat. Not all schemes are welcomed even by one’s supporters. You can see more than just two parties or sides fighting; that’s the conflict of interests of many-many people with different mindsets. Only those who are wise and able to see the broader picture or who are close enough to try and understand the reasons that initially differ from their ‘best strategy’ can gain the real grandeur and – suffer all the same. Moreover, even the best ones are tied by the limitations their time dictates: the way one should act, be or not be trusting and humane. Only the emperor himself seems to cut away these limitations being ahead of his time, which is so true for the stark reality of life; even provided that people have the chance for salvation they are likely to misinterpret it and set the new chain of historical mistakes because of their greed or fear.

I was really lucky to find this series since not only the main leads are interesting to watch. The story looks multi-faceted and yet holistic. When you finally learn to tell one face from the other (I have to admit I’m really bad at doing so – especially when watching Chinese dramas), the story gets really intriguing. The characters are alive and able to change. You learn to sympathize those you initially didn’t like or vice versa. You really see how the main character matures and how the empress gradually progresses (although she may also be seen as gaining vulnerability). Ma Tian Yu is really great in a role of Liu Xie as we see a really different emperor here; he’s smart but not violent, independent but as gentle and meek as a lamb. I felt like he would break or learn to be cruel; however, he is true to himself but his image is still believable. He’s is easily understandable as the people of the twenty-first century have different standards but he strikingly differs from the people of the other epoch portrayed in the series. I really enjoyed his slowly developing relationship with the empress – he’s so cute when he always apologizes without having made a mistake and gets embarrassed when he shows his love to the empress. This romance isn’t lighthearted at all; it’s really touching and fascinating to watch how they struggle to survive and protect their love. Liu Xie is definitely stronger than he looks; not crushing under the pressure of pretending to be another man, participating in a war while believing any life is untouchable, following his beliefs when others set a more obvious path for him. In fact, he’s the only main character for a long time of watching different series who hasn’t even fainted or got ill. How come he’s so strong? I really admire him. The empress gives the feeling of an ice queen at first; so dedicated to the previous emperor, so cunning and ruthless… and yet starting to develop a feeling towards a human being, for the first time in forever. She’s the one who changes a lot, and this is one of Liu Xie’s victories nobody except few ones would ever know.

Zhong Da is a great hero, too; you can feel how delusive the balance of good and evil in him is. The outstanding mind he has, the great will to reach power and yet some principles and affections which can be seen as both weakness and salvation. It’s really a pleasure to see him plotting and untangling someone else’s plots. If I were him, I would feel awful at this ‘you’re clever, settle this or that dreadful situation for us’. But his only problem is his family that could suffer; he is generally eager to outsmart everybody and seems so mischievous and boyish and cunning at the same time! The side that claims him probably wins (and he knows it oh so well). As he says, he joins the side of the winners but it is clear that he is the one who creates the right conditions for one side to thrive.

The most intriguing one is Cao Pi, who seems trapped between the powers of light and darkness. It’s been funny when he took up his training as a Sith (sorry, I can’t unsee this parallel). His emotions are so boiling, twisting and turning that he’s probably unaware of where and why he’s supposed to come in the end. I was watching with the certain impression he would die having committed a crime and regretting this but I was only partly right. He’s the most ill-fated character who would be hurt, emotionally and physically, almost killed and spared by almost everybody, friends and foes. And he also gave me the impression he would harm either his friends (are they really?) or his father he is devoted to (is he?). His relationship is bittersweet since he was deprived of unconditional love and never seen as a person with his own perspective of life. He paid with his vitality for the opportunity to prove his father that he was a worthy son – was it really beneficial? Did he even want to follow this course in the end? As many others, he created (due to his deeds and the flow of merciless dark epoch) a certain future he had to reach no matter what. The moment when he – for once – feels his father’s (maybe even misinterpreted) concern is so emotional! This is when you understand how broken and lost this character is. Actually, he is a kind of a villain that would be awful in reality but inspires sympathy within the fictional work.

Some other characters also arose my interest and I felt sorry for them. They mostly were on the opposite side – how ironical, many clever and talented people could be emperor’s supporters but the sides were decided before he even had a chance to step into the palace (not to say to free himself out of it and gain the chance to act on his own will). At the same time, many supporters appear certain fools and give their lives for nothing. The emperor is left alone – such an impossible scene for the watcher who is used to mostly European tales when the mighty king decides everything and doesn’t have to fight for his life and a bit of respect towards him.

I really enjoyed the setting, the costumes, music (especially the ending song) and the way the story flows. I feel that the few years the story skips could also be interesting but it’s the character development we’re interested in, so it’s been probably right to shorten the narrative. I just mean the whole story is very engaging and I would watch on if there were more episodes.
The end of the story is tragic at least for one of the characters I liked (actually more than one, but they died sooner) and yet it’s influential. I also like the circular composition of the series; we compare the first and the last chapter and see that somehow life is very logical. We could feel the echoes of their future when we met the characters for the first time. I think the emperor has made the best decision in order to prevent the darkest times of chaos and the characters got what they were destined to. I really liked the line about how differently historical records would save that story - future generations would learn the sadder one. If only in reality it happened in the same way!

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The first 12 episodes are the best

I’ve not yet seen such a lifelike drama. What do I mean? Well, life’s never perfect, and so are the plot lines of this series. Actually, the story is quite catchy and the main couple is pleasant to watch. But something goes awry over and over again with the logic of storytelling and motivations of some characters. If you are OK with that, the whole story is waiting. If not, I highly recommend to perceive the first, like, twelve episodes as a story of its own (and maybe stop watching after this). Actually, many people have already said the same thing. In case it still helps you to decide, there's my kind of summary of the drama's structure.

I have the feeling that the drama consists of several smaller stories. The first one is intriguing, well-rounded and bright. The second one is about family matters and would have been alright if shortened or fast forwarded (I couldn’t stand a foolish girl pursuing the ML (Li Qian) as well as a scheming girl whose character is interesting but there’s too much of here in the storytelling). The third one is about rescuing Li Qian from the enemy’s city (which is thrilling but totally unrealistic) and the last long one is about political interactions (which has a good potential but is too long and doesn’t seem lively due to Bao Ning’s depressed state of mind).

That’s all you need to know. Why write the rest of this long review? Well, I just loved the drama no matter how many flaws it had. If you want to compare your estimations of the heroes, you can look through these descriptions.

***

I really appreciate smart and daring main characters. Here are two: a princess Jiang Bao Ning and a guard Li Qian. Both risky and a bit sly, they work together quite nicely and overcome their difficulties with the energy and passion of young and talented people. Li Qian’s troubles come when he approaches Bao Ning too close; she’s meant to unwillingly put his life in danger after they develop a feeling towards each other.

Bao Ning is manipulative but not mean; she also proves to be quite forgiving towards her enemies and desperate when saving her wounded husband. I like how balanced her strong mind and weak body are. To protect herself, she needs to think carefully both when it comes to scheming and inventions. Alas, though she is shown as an inventor, her best creation is not shown in the last ‘biggest’ battle; otherwise, it would have been a good symmetrical storytelling since the story began with a constructors’ competition and ended when the secret weapon was finally made.

Li Qian’s my favourite character here. He’s the best warrior (though oh my, it’s really fun to see him running over the air when fighting or pursuing somebody), he’s quite independent to make his own judgment and he’s the one who… must have nine lives like a cat. Honestly, that’s where the story is unrealistic at all, because Li Qian’s being injured over and over again but somehow is capable of recovering very fast. Although it’s done to make the audience sympathize with him, I laughed nervously when Li Qian got several shots almost at the heart in just like two or three episodes in a row.

Their wedding – that’s what was really unexpected! Not in the last episode, but after the first ‘castle’ part of the story! This gave us the opportunity to see the family life of the main couple (and it covered the half of the story…) That’s what so lifelike about it. The princess has become the part of the common family and has to adjust to a new social role. What a waste it could have been for the country! She, who has manipulated herself out of the wedding with the emperor himself, must protect her dower from being stolen by the family members, vie with all kinds of sneaky or dumb girls for her husband, solve family matters and in the end find that her family’s still easily suspected being guilty of the 20-year-old crime. No wonder she was so offended, for a princess deserved a better treatment! I still think she overreacts in the last ten episodes, maybe she’s just stressed-out and thus unreasonable. But life never lets a person remain a carefree young girl and Bao Ning inevitably becomes more serious and tried.

Not only Bao Ning changes in the progress of the story, Li Qian does as well. To be honest, his boyish version of himself also suited him more but the adult and high-powered Li Qian is a decent image, too. I really enjoyed his affection to Bao Ning (risking his life is one thing but being on her side in everyday matters and being willing to refrain from intimacy due to her poor health is the other). I feel quite sorry for him because he suffers a lot due to his love to Bao Ning; firstly, when he saves a princess and must be executed for this, secondly, when Bao Ning’s marring him is seen like a mismarriage to her, after that – when his career development seems the princess’ meddling rather than his competent effort, then – when Bao Ning’s ex-fiancé constantly hurts him, and finally Bao Ning turns against Li Qian and almost divorces him in a painful manner. Although he matures and changes within this story, I can’t see much of a character development there. Rather, he is shown as a persistent variable, the one who will nobly do his duty. He’s skilled, brave and kind-hearted and mostly shows his devotion to Bao Ning, his family and country.

***

Long story short, watch the beginning and you’ll be hooked by the plot and the characters. Later you can create your own storylines ‘cause there’re many missed opportunities to the plot (though there are several cliches unused in the moments when you highly anticipate them).

My predictions did not come to fruition multiple times. I really believed Li Qian would be thought dead after disappearing on the battlefield (in the second arc of the story). That would have given either the emperor or Zhao Xiao a chance to marry Bao Ning. This would engage her into political schemes a bit earlier and would threaten her health since those two men wouldn’t be as patient with the wife as Li Qian was.

I also believed that the empress would be more important for the plot, as well as some second leads (such as Bao Ning’s friend’s family). As for Li Qian’s sister, she was enough present in the story but sometimes the logic was weird. Brother is captive? Never mind, the girl is in love and doesn’t care. She doesn’t seem too caring or intelligent since she behaves in a childish manner; nevertheless, I liked the part when Dongdong helped her lover who suffered a serious brain injury. I only wish they have developed that story a little bit to make it deeper.

The mother-riddle has solved out not in the way I’ve expected, too. Although it left the sad emotions, this part was alright. They would make a great small family of clever people, though: Bao Ning, Li Qian and his mother. But those who hope for Li Qian to find his mother won’t be satisfied.

Miao Rong was a character who was to be interesting to watch but somehow, she arose too many negative emotions in me. This is rather unusual because don’t get so emotionally invested to hate fictional enemies. She really did have some character development but I’d rather she didn’t. It would be more menacing if she remained that delusional girl thinking that Li Qian must be only hers. But she could gain more powers from the castle and therefore make her revenge brighter. She’s such a liar that it would be only logical to see how she manipulates the guy who loves her and deceives the new empress. Anyway, it was she who was manipulated and deceived in the broad daylight. Did becoming a positive character make her stupid?

Whom I really liked, though, were a new emperor and Bao Ning’s grandmother. These characters were really believable and sure to stick to their logic. The emperor is just a child who is full of moral virtues and dearly loves Bao Ning and her grandmother. He’s even nice to his step-mother’s son. Sometimes he lacks experience and can be manipulated but that’s what you should expect from such a young ruler. But he is fast to react and fix his mistakes, as well as to show his true emotions which makes his image both likeable and fragile.

Bao Ning’s grandmother is a quaint character. She combines the image of a prototypic caring grandmother and an intelligent ruler. She has enough power to change some castle outcomes. Sometimes she is merciless, so she isn’t perfect. But at least we believe such a person could have survived in the castle till the old age. Her love to Bao Ning, her clever pieces of advice, her sense of humour and the sympathy she arises with her image make her really one of the best characters.

***

The story has left a strange impression due to a very simple ending battle. I was sure everybody would be fighting fiercely before Bao Ning’s triumphal appearance with a super weapon. But everybody came running and watched from the distance how wounded Li Qian tried to fight all alone. At least Qing An should have had a spectacular fight with his step-brother for his country and throne, too! They should have added some background movement to show how many people were actually involved. (Did they run out of money while filming?) And it wasn’t a ‘good’ super weapon that destroyed the enemy. So… the ending episode was unbelievable and clumsy. Maybe that’s why although I liked to see the main characters and their friends all alive and living happily ever after the ending wasn’t that satisfying.

After watching all episodes, I feel that this story could have been more balanced in terms of editing, script and effects. But I really loved the characters and if I had some time, I would write some fanfiction to fill in the gaps of this story. All in all, the drama is the one I will remember due to some bright characters, the storylines (which were good or not quite) and some esthetical images of people, clothes, architecture and nature.

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A romcom rollercoaster

In general, that’s been a fine series, which began as a romcom, then resembled almost a classical story about characters’ inner demons, then traditionally slipped into a million flashbacks and tearful quarrels and reunions, but still ended quite believably. It turned out to be a slightly glossy story, in places resembling a humorous show, about the life of ordinary people, and this is not so bad. What I really liked it's that there are many ever-changing pairings.

Some words about male characters. Mostly you watch dramas for an exciting plot, and if there isn’t one - because of the cute male characters. Here, I liked both He Han and He Mu. Although He Han’s love line could have been even more complex, his psychological motivations are shown convincingly and, if the lines are translated terminologically well, they are plausible. I also have to say that I equally enjoyed the villainous image of He Han and his determination to fix the consequences of his deeds. He Mu’s image also changed dramatically, and if I saw that change as a character development part at first, then it became clear that it has been done for the sake of melodrama (at the one hand, he actually was nice from the very beginning, at the other hand, it was a bit confusing that in the final episodes he looked too timid for a lively and arrogant young man you first met). True, maybe his image does not seem holistic if you analyze the whole story and not the parts of it, but it’s fine in all its manifestations. I'm especially glad that in the first few episodes He Mu is really shown as a selfish rich boy, and only later the same deeds are seen from a different angle. Ma Tian Yu has become one of my favourite actors after this series. What’s more, he struck me with the ending song - I fell in love with it just to the point of insanely replaying the same song countless times. I didn’t even realize at first that it was he who was singing. I mostly associated that song with the story of He Han and Zi Ji.

Some words about female characters. It is noteworthy that in this series the main female character is not infuriatingly silly, although she is shown as an average girl, not super smart, naïve and too trusting; she’s at the same time cheerful, cute, and very cozy. She’s so sweet and her cactus as a symbol of love is cute as well. That’s what she really got: love is not without thorns but sometimes they make a feeling meaningful. She really is a typical younger sister who needs protection and deserves to live in a fairy-tale but actually has enough energy to face the real world and unite the people around her. Apparently, this is the merit of the actress: Xiao Xiao turned out to be so lively and comfortably simple that you see no obstacle to the plot development in her. Sadly, the main couple lacks the storyteller’s attention that Zi Ji’s relationship has attracted. In the progress of the story, Zi Ji evokes one-at-a-time irritation, sympathy, and admiration. She is a lost soul, broken and healed anew. In contrast to Xiao Xiao, she meets a moral dilemma when fighting for her love and after a few mistakes finds her way. I also really liked He Mu’s mother and the way she treated both He Mu and He Han.

The plot itself has been a fast developing one in the beginning and began to sag mercilessly in the second part. In general, it is watchable, but sometimes overly sentimental and draggy. And FLASHBACKS! They should have given the characters the equal time throughout the whole plot and avoid numerous repetitions in the end. The part when everybody was trying to save the family business could have been shortened and some more complex plot solutions could have been found. Anyway, I definitely got more than I expected starting to watch a love melodrama just to kill time. If I ever rewatch it I’ll just skip the repetitive parts and watch the emotional ones.

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A happenstance, or My instant crush with the very second drama I 've watched

Unlike American films, this series has kind of fragile happy ending for some of the characters, showing the complex reality they have to face. That’s great (I love open endings where nothing is decided by a static ‘they lived happily ever after’ without any spark of adventure and a chance to develop), although when I was watching this for the first time, I decided that everybody was doomed to a certain death and only then I realized it was on the contrary their chance to save each other (still, I haven’t watched ‘The Lost Tomb’, the continuation of the ‘The Mystic Nine’, so I don’t know). So be warned those who seek fluff in the end, there isn’t much of it in this drama at all.

My favourite character from this series (and probably from anything I’ve seen so far) is Fo Ye (or Zhang Qi Shan). I think William Chan is awesome in this role. We first meet the character as a full-hearted energetic man who does not believe in any mystic curses and performs his duty while defending his city. He will risk his life but also handle anything. Being a human he at the same time seems almost invincible (which isn’t quite accurate and sometimes only luck and his friends can save him). He can be humorous, serious, friendly and menacing and all mentioned is natural for him. I really love him teasing people and showing the bright and dark sides of his nature. He’s pretty much exploring himself as well as the tomb he has to search through.

I really enjoyed Zhang Qi Shan and Xin Yue's relationship. A wonderful mischievous music shows how they would probably like to see their relationship, but how much tragedy and seriousness they actually had to face! I was inspired by the way she was ready to sacrifice everything for him and did not want to leave him no matter what. This is an image of a multifaceted heroine: a capricious, gentle, but very strong and proud woman. Xin Yue's probably one of the most memorable characters there although she only sometimes influences the plot.

Ba Ye and Lieutenant Zhang are great, and it’s really fun to watch how they compete for Fo Ye’s attention and approval, while all being friends. Ba Ye is quite cute because he’s the most human of all; he fears the dangers and expresses his emotions freely. Still, his predictions are not entirely tricks and this intrigues the watchers of the series. Lieutenant Zhang is just amazing. When even Zhang Qi Shan can’t handle everything, his lieutenant can. So devoted to Fo Ye, so loyal and talented; Zhang Qi Shan is very lucky to have him on his side. I’d never get enough of watching these characters interacting.

Er Ye is a great character, too. He’s passionate as well but seems either calm or self-contained. Still, his warmth towards his wife is almost palpable. Why did Zhang Yixing say in one of the interviews he could have shown more love for Ya Tou? He did it just perfectly! Er Ye as a character is very restrained but suffers deep inside as his family business contradicts his unfailing love to Ya Tou. From the first episodes, we can see a foreshadowing of their separation. Despite fate and common sense, I still was hoping they would save her and the episodes with Er Ye and Ya Tou were the most emotional ones. The impression does not wear out even when you rewatch the series. It is interesting that Er Ye seems to exist in his own world, as if he could not quite return from an underworld. I think, that’s shown in a right way psychologically. And definitely looks right aesthetically. Ya Tou seems really fragile and yet protective as she wants her husband to live a happy life. She never complains and always takes care of Er Ye, be it some new clothes, dinner or flowers only she can attend. She feels as if very young and quite adult at the same time, so noble, even-minded, resigned and eager to share the blink of happiness with her close ones.

The antagonist, Chen Pi, can be despised, pitied, despised and pitied once again throughout the entire series. He is a perfectly conveyed restless archetypal disciple. He might seem very impulsive and crazy. But in general, he has some motivations, and his torment, illness and unknown fate still make you feel kind of sympathetic for him.

There are some flaws or questionable parts in the story as well. The American dug up a gold trinket from the place where it was buried half a meter in the ground. How come? What happened to the meteorite in the end? This series does not answer to that. Despite the title, there was almost nothing mystical in the story. And you know what, it's still good, because a good story is the one that seems realistic. This rises it up to a new level. The heroes of this series are almost common people, I mean, they can be injured, deceived, and they cannot solve all the problems by magic. Nevertheless, the story would be more logical if there were some mysterious events explaining what was happening to Zhang Qi Shan (you can get an idea if you watch the cut-out scenes). And finally, my biggest question is where the members of the Nine have been throughout half of the series. (Ok, not half, about 80%, right?) The story is about Fo Ye (plus his friends and a bunch of ever-plotting enemies) but what about the Nine? Never mind, I do love Fo Ye, I don’t ask for the detailed storylines of all nine families.

Some plot twists also seem strange when you watch it for the first time. I believe, the pace of the narration’s a bit unbalanced (the first half of the story is really catchy and the events keep happening one after another but later the pace slows down until we almost have a typical ‘ending’ episode; after that, though, some more of them follow giving us some plot-related answers in a rather hurried and yet believable way). However, it’s one of the best dramas I’ve seen so far. And I rewatch it like once in a year, so it’s definitely stolen my heart.

The music is also great in this series. I loved many tracks but the most memorable ones were those of Ya Tou’s fate foreshadowing and the opening songs. So awesome and setting the mood!

Actually, even I’m surprised at how much I’ve written and I believe one can read as much only if they are totally into this series, just as I am. Still, I feel I haven’t said everything I wanted to. This series created not only great alternative universe, a personal new world for any of the characters. It has done so for me as well. And sometimes you don’t want to give up an illusion for the real world, right? This is the question the characters should answer but we as watchers can just… enjoy it with our whole heart.

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Sometimes the series is predictable but the characters make it very alive and the message is good.

The series seemed to have many episodes but it didn’t take too long to watch them.

I’ve really enjoyed the series, especially the first part of the story where the setting is only being introduced to the viewer and the characters are presented. I love how the ML and FL develop their relationship later as well, but, again, in the beginning it’s the best. Even though the actors are not teenagers they’ve managed to show us exactly this teenage type of the first falling in love, naïve and breathtaking at seemingly simple matters like hugging each other or sharing one’s treat or punishment with someone.

As for the continuation of the story, it becomes darker as the plot unravels but it is a good thing, too. Even though it is definitely a fairy-tale, it presents the world as if from a realistic perspective; the ‘good’ characters who claim to be saving the peace turn out to be as good as villains opposing the main character. The work actually shows the very familiar classes of the immortals, mortals and demons and the later are not unambivalent villains (as usual). But no one is black or white. The ‘good’ side-characters always err saying they mean well; the villains have their right to bear malice but their means cannot be forgiven. Only ML is somehow always right, poor Si Feng, the world simply doesn’t deserve you yet.

The elderly people are mostly shown as old fools talking big but actually giving the villains all morals rights and opportunities to succeed. They are really irritating at times but the concept is somehow refreshing; it’s not that the script is poor and that is why the deeds of the characters seem ridiculous but it’s the kind of a take-off. The five schools of Dao and martial arts meet their well-earned ending; those who have been corrupted just die out, those who have been blind and stubborn to accept somebody else’s but their own reasoning - in the end begin to see clearly and find strength to face up to the reality.

On the other hand, the negative characters are generally smarter and more developed in terms of personalities. Their motives are clear, too, and even can make audience sympathize with them sometimes as their situation is historically sticky. (The demons are being oppressed by the ‘good’ peoples and want to survive or to become the rulers of the world to stop hiding.) But the means they choose as well as their blinding greed make sure they meet their wages of sin in the end.

The challenges the characters meet are also realistic; learning to love and trust in spite of the hearsay and other people’s judgment, choosing from the unspoken (in terms of sacrificing the lives of the close ones or preaching peace), dealing with treason, abuse and neglection.

Sometimes the plot seems too predictable, though, recollecting all the typical plot turns and clichés. At times there are also too many characters for one arch of the story although they don’t do much. The pace of the narration is uneven, too, with its ups and downs. The ending of the next-to-last part of the story (where the true identity of Si Feng and his fellow students was discovered) was the strongest and the last part was more predictable and sometimes even ridiculous. Probably it is because the whole story is rather long and it was hard to make it function as one solid work.

The series are full of characters and some of them are irritating, funny and adorable or influencing the plot only accidently. Anyway, I like the portrayal of the Snake who is being huffy, loyal, boyish, sneaky, hungry and reasonable at the same time. He is a very lively teenage immortal and has a well-rounded personality although he appears only in the middle of the story and is not a main character.

The role of the Heavenly Lord is the most controversial. Indeed, he is needed to move the plot and to make Si Feng suffer but the motivations of the Lord Hao Chen are jumbled as he has two identities. Probably it would be better and more dramatic to show that the ideas of Hao Chen as a deity and as a mortal were opposite to one another. He could as well had lived as a mortal without knowing much about the purposes of the glass vessel they were protecting and only catch glimpses of the past-life memory. He could also have competed for Xuan Ji’s love and manipulated her not to keep her from learning her identity but to make her his obedient puppet (a younger fellow student and a future wife) forever. Obtaining the senses would give Xuan Ji critical thinking as well and Hao Chen wouldn’t want it. Anyway, we are shown a corrupted and later reclaimed Lord which is an interesting decision, too. Liu Sue Yi portrays such a complex personality brilliantly. It is just that the plot motivation is shaky; the character is either mad or corrupted by very strange evil 'darkness' in his soul.

As for the main characters, they are the most enjoyable part of the story. Not only Yuan Bin Yan and Chen Yi look very cute together and act really great. Their characters undergo the most serious character development.

Zhu Xuan Ji is deprived of her six senses since birth that is why she is so childish and doesn’t understand people’s feelings and intentions. But unlike many other FLs from other stories she is not as stupid as a coot; she is even quite insightful. Without even knowing what the world is like she develops several family-, friends- and even love-relationships. She acts theoretically and even though seldom seriously mistakes while the ‘wise’ characters with all their feelings and room for moral growth keep making wrong decisions and doing cruel things to their close ones. Zhu Xuan Ji reminds of a child; an optimistic, open to everything new, brave and innocent little girl. Indeed, sometimes this childish behavior gets in the way with logic and we might want a more mature character. But again, here it is not a Chinese cliché of the FL but a solid personality. How could she have matured by her twentieth birthday if she was learning the world since the middle of the story? How can she not be confused when she learns that the truth of one close person contradicts the truth of the other? In the beginning, of course she seems more likable as she supports the ML and then is a bit irritating when she doubts Si Feng, too. But her approach is understandable and can be justified by her being really confused between the new sensations and her Shaoyang sect members. I wish her confusion was more emphasized as many watchers don’t understand and blame her for her behavior. In the end, she repents and thus breaks the ‘spell’ of the glass heart. This is what seems very fairy-talish in this story but at least the message from it is positive and clear. Genuine care and devotion are able to warm even a cold heart.

I was really impressed at two things. First of all, how Si Feng never held a grudge against her no matter how hard it was to firstly explain her what the feelings are and then faced all those pieces of injustice he had to suffer through the fault of Xuan Ji’s sect family and Xuan Ji herself. And secondly, how different Xuan Ji was from her previous reincarnations. Actually, I don’t really see why exactly it happened. Maybe, it is all a game of fate (or the plot). Maybe, Si Feng was so much more capable of winning her love than in the previous lives. And maybe she didn’t drink enough water of forgetfulness in the beginning of the story and some of the memories were still there. The nine previous lives were adorably painful and I was really fond of how Si Feng’s unconditional love and Xuan Ji’s cruel indifference were shown. She was not wicked or black-hearted! She was just hollow, never able to understand the true intentions of the people beside her. I did not understand how that little trope of a bloody stamp on the ML’s cheek in those nine lives could be logically explained (why was she doing it again and again if she did not have the memories?) but I totally loved the aesthetics of it.

As for Si Feng, he is the only ever upright person in the story, the character who is ready to suffer physical and moral pain over and over again but will not betray his feelings. In the very beginning he was mocked for his ‘friendship and love’ motivations when they seemed as a try of a schoolchild to socialize; but he actually proved how deep and noble his devotion was. Indeed, many times the other people did not deserve the sacrifice. Si Feng is very stubborn in receiving all kinds of punishment for others but he never becomes malignant. He is quite realistic in what he should wait from others and in the beginning, he even does not expect much from Xuan Ji, knowing she cannot yet love anyone. That is why his image is so emotional; he becomes overjoyed when he gets more than he expects, and shortly after he suffers greatly when the hopes against all odds are smashed by all kinds of accidental misfortune. I particularly liked the moments where Si Feng is the only one to state the ugly truth right up front. His poignant words to his tortures express an intelligent person who has grown up and sees the bigger picture while others prefer being deceived. He is also capable of some schemes to overplay the evil characters and it also demonstrates his intellect. It is a good thing he is a promising apprentice not only because of power given him from his birth but due to his diligence and being quick on the draw. On the other hand, I like his identity of an extra powerful golden-winged bird as an explanation of how a person can be that strong to survive so much physical torture – otherwise the plot would seem totally unrealistic.

I’ve enjoyed the aesthetics of the series, too. As for the clothes, natural sights and magical signs Si Feng creates – they are great and pleasant to watch. Some things seem too simple, though, as I was watching a series some years after it was aired. It is also very funny to see the Heavenly realm with so much boredom and so little people to live there and to defend it. The devil-may-care (well, at least the devils do care here!) and lazy Emperor as a motivation of all ruckus happening is one more doubtful decision for me. Can it be a satire on the bad administrative?

All in all, the series has been good. Sometimes it seems predictable but the characters make it very alive. The things I enjoyed most were the path and personality of Si Feng and the ambiguity of Good and Evil in the story.

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The name should have been “The Rustic Charm and Hardships of the Rural Living”.

I started watching this drama almost at random; romantic things don’t attract me much and neither does the farming. Zeng Shunxi must have been the one who attracted me to watching it after all. But there was a delightful discovery: I simply loved this series! Firstly, I never expected Realism to be there in a drama! But it was the closest one to a slice-of-life series (which I haven’t watched before) that I can imagine. The plot follows the realistic logic, the desires and grudges of the characters are realistic, as well as their relationships. The problems the series raise – oh my, they are so believable! You might ask why strive for realism if we’ve got enough troubles in a real world. But way off the mark! For some that’s a kind of an escape, for others it’s a thing that, on the contrary, will wake them up to see the reality. But that’s what shows a true quality of the work. It seems not at the least the show for solely entertainment but a solid and considerate work of art – something I never hoped to find after reading a title. The name of the series is misleading; it should have been called “The Rustic Charm and Hardships of the Rural Living” based on what we actually see in the drama.

Speaking of the plot and the storytelling, it was a bit strange that everything began from a game but the main female character got stuck in the game without coming back to her world during the whole plot. I believe that it could have been more understandable if she showed more anxiety about being unable to go home (she seemed to be quite busy and sometimes happy about the game family affairs and never worried about the amount of TIME it was going to take her to finish the quest – in other words, the time she would be missing from her reality). I also think that the complexity of the NPCs and the depth of the problems she faced (the family ones, please note – and she is the person who actually has the problems with her ‘real’ family) suggested it was not the gameplay but the quest from Heavens for her. Only provided that she matured and solved the unsolvable family problems could she return to a real family, ready to deal with her real problems, too. I haven’t read the novel if there’s any – probably it was that way there, I don’t know.

As for the characters, they are all great (in the end there is a scene where the FL is asked to rate the NPCs – what she does is the same I would have done characterizing all the cast, and, evidently, the heroes of the story). That’s the great ending of the calendar year – I have seen some dramas where I finally feel that not only a couple of characters can be appealing. The people are quite different here: the timid and caring members of the family, the ones showing spiritless tenacity, the selfish cowards, the manipulable enviers, the ones who undergo a serious character development or stick more or less to their original personality but somehow become smoother and more tolerant. And this describes only the family members (there are many – the original Chinese families are so big!) and there are others! The corrupted officials, the secret agents who have to act on their own, the outlaws so realistic and at the same time righteous that they reminded me of Robin Hood’s men – and the main characters, of course!

Lian Man Er seems a typical traveler from one world to another in the beginning but later she proves to be a very strong and cheerful personality. Perhaps her image illustrates what a good businesswoman should be like far better than those in the business-oriented modern dramas. She’s come up with so many ideas of how to make money – and actually succeeded! Sometimes she uses knowledge from the modern world but she would have failed if she only relied on that. She’s just born to be a founder of start-ups. At the same time, she a believable and charming girl with very human emotions whenever it be love, family troubles, business or injustice of the world. I believe that this type of a role suits the actress very much and I was never bored of watching her – which cannot be said about many other Chinese representations of female characters (in various genres portrayed by different people) who usually come short of the character development compared to the male characters. This girl is lovely and she’s a genuine core of both the plot and the family she acquires.

Shen No is the main male character and he’s excellent… and seen really seldom. Actually, the plot doesn’t suffer as it is planned this way – Shen No is for sure a mysterious character if not for the audience, then for the characters. But ah, if only we could see more of Shunxi! His portrayal of the secret agent is so brilliant and the personality of Shen No is so attractive! And yet he is shown less often than any other Man Er’s family member. If you ask about the romance, well… it still can be found! But you better say to yourself ‘less is more’ as it is of a very good quality and not the main topic of the narration at all. It is given as a subtext; it is always there as the characters keep their identities a secret from each other and both suffer from a perspective of being driven apart. You can feel how deep their relationship is when they just help, trust and forgive each other for granted, the things which are so rare both in life and in series. And no! There haven’t been all kinds of these stupid misunderstandings just for the sake of melodrama! The characters are so reasonable and mature that my heart is grateful to the script writers. Well, returning to Shen No, he is smart and a rather good strategic thinker, he is brave and righteous as a hero should be, he’s an excellent fighter and not so brilliant farmer especially when he tries to avoid the job but actually, he learns extremely fast. Add to this that he does not look at the family that gave him shelter only from this perspective; you can tell from his behavior that he is a kind and a noble man. Ah, again, if only there was more of him in the plot!

A young doctor, Wang You Heng, who is Shen No’s rival in love, also deserves all kinds of respect. Not only he doesn’t do anything that would put the viewer off liking him (to resolve the love triangle) – he does many noble and selfless deeds. He does not fight with Shen No for Man Er’s love when he sees where her sympathies lie. He saves the lives of the villagers working as the doctor even if he has to do it in secret. And, more importantly, after a crisis in his work, he does not give up continuing the most difficult path he has chosen to be his calling. He is a very likable man who, I feared, could have met a sad ending if the script writers wanted to solve the love triangle in a common way. But no, everything settled quite peacefully and harmoniously.

As for the settings, they’re gorgeous, but this has been noted by many reviews before mine. And I also appreciate that even though we don’t get as many locations as in other dramas, the sights don’t get old.

Now to the topics that are raised in the narration. Actually, there is nothing you cannot find in dramas and life – but the proportions are so accurate that it is not just a brutal life – it’s a masterpiece. The corrupted officials and the illegal syndicates leading to higher taxes, the forceful removal of the villagers, pressure on the family members to get what the officials want, and people not knowing how to confront this oppressing force. The power of the officials seems so devastatingly omnibus that it is very true to life indeed. And you never know how a bunch of the good characters would stand up against it. In a reality, they would not have had a chance; but in a game they DO (because finally – it’s a game, remember, they have quests and even though a player can lose a game, she/he is supposed to win after some attempts!) It is so inspirational but creates a sense of longing as well – where to find enough chances, guidance and characters as brave and upright as these ones to raise and bring justice to the people? I am just being wishful but the good questions should be stated before they can be solved, too.

I never expected this drama to be this good (and I’m telling this after watching a ‘Mysterious Lotus Casebook’ – but again, they are so different that you can’t compare them – if only in the way how well-rounded both stories are). It may be not everyone’s cup of tea as the topics are serious and the characters are sometimes painfully realistic probably reminding of the people we might know in real life. If you want to see a love story – that’s a very specific one, a piece of art but hidden from the sight. If you want to see a farm – you see the atmospheric setting with growing rice and (thank you, script writers x3) without (almost) any harm done to animals which you must expect when you deal with a ‘farm’ topic. There is no animals protecting topic here, of course, but at least some family members treat their ox and a dog pets and not meat and that’s a start. But if you think from this description that there is no humor at all – no, there is some, and it is decent and unintrusive. The interactions are really interesting to watch.

To sum up, everything has been really well developed, beyond expectations. I fell in love with the visuals, with the issues, with the music and songs and with actors – even more. Sometimes you should give a drama a try even if you don’t understand from a title or an abstract or a poster what genre and depth it is going to be.

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