I'll keep this review short.

Story: Detective Dee is a legendary official in Chinese history and many of his dramas involve the likes of him solving mysteries. However, the difference between Dee and Justice Bao is that Detective Dee's mysteries often have a fantastic element, as opposed to Bao whose cases are much more realistic and down to earth. This TV adaptation isn't really well thought out in terms of the mini-arcs, the masterminds use really OP equipment and all. Things are also very drawn out, but I'd say that it's entertaining if you can keep going.

Acting: I personally don't like Ren. I think he's really objectively unattractive and looks like a scrawny kid. But he and Jiao (Empress Wu) have some strong chemistry. Unfortunately, them being based on historical characters meant that that aspect cannot be explored. The female lead was forgettable, a romantic interest for the sake of having a romantic interest.

Music: Not much to talk about, but I liked the opening theme a lot.

Overall: An okay watch if you like Ren or Jiao. Otherwise, it's unnecessarily draggy and needs some help shedding all its fat. Kudos to you if you can get past the first 20 episodes.