This one genuinely won hearts; it won’t leave you craving for more because they gave us everything.
The initial lack of romance pointed out, is a crucial stepping stone for the development of the relationship between the main characters. This might change from person to person but the trust, bond, and belief they had in each other that came together the way it did due to all those episodes that literally serve this purpose.

In many dramatic works, the characters are often portrayed as one-dimensional and lack the depth that is required to fully engage the audience. However, this particular drama stands out in that each character possesses a unique set of traits and motivations. The character, Xue Shu, is a prime example of this well-developed and multi-faceted approach to characterisation. Her actions not only facilitated the meeting between the female lead and the second male lead, but also had a profound impact on the entire court, leaving the powerful Duke Xue speechless in the process. Moreover, her actions served to reverse the plans of the female lead which was a strong move from Fl’s side. This is a rare and impressive feat in the realm of dramatic works and serves as a testament to the author's ability to craft complex and nuanced characters.

Initially, I thought that there would be a couple of episodes specifically devoted to flashbacks. However, it turned out to be surprising as we were able to get an idea of the events and storyline from the past through brief glimpses, without actually having to witness them visually.

Kudos to the actors who made those characters alive.
Jiang Xuening is definitely a rebel to the social norms back then when it came down to the people she cared about, she went all the way to not let the past repeat.
Xie Wie, if confident, visionary, scheming, cold, possessive, and talented was a person he is the one. He’s a 10 (only for the FL *cough possessive cough*) but definitely can’t fight.
Yan Lin grabbed us with his charming, extroverted personality, let’s not mention the fight scene which definitely hooked and gave us relief with his entry when Duke Xue surrounded Xie Wie and Zhang Ze.
Zhang Ze (the righteous man who can’t be real) has the kind of judgement everyone would crave, his vision into other's perceptions and diverse view of the situations will leave you all wondering his IQ level. He’s a 10 and there’s no but…
Xue Dingfei, Dao Qin, Lyu Xian, You Fangyin, Xiao Bao, Princess and Jiang family each have unique personalities, which will keep us invested in their character build up. Each of them true to their character had one or another scene where the attention to the drama reaches maximum.
Duke Xue, Xue Shu, The Emperess and Zhou Yinzhi will keep the edge and rage alive, that itself says how well the characters were portrayed.

Even though politics and drama rule this drama, the scenes cut to a different level will bring you back to laughter immediately from the tense situation. The realization of getting finally attached might be too late. For me, it was You Fangyin’s fate that made me realize this.

The scheming plots were executed with great precision, and many aspects of the plan felt natural and logical. The decisions made were not forced or repetitive, and everything flowed smoothly even in the most challenging situations. This was definitely a 10/10 for me.