I’ve said this before but historical dramas aren’t my normal genre of choice. I had recently watched another of Tian XiWei’s (FL1) dramas, “First Love”, & enjoyed it enough to watch more of her works. The synopsis of this one caught my attention & so I gave it a shot. It’s a pretty easy watch that I enjoyed. It’s got it’s fluffy moments, some great action sequences, laughter-inducing scenes, an element of uncovering & stopping the villain’s schemes, & the sweet love stories of two couples who were destined to be together.

The whole thing is set into motion when two powerful families from the same county plan weddings for their daughters on the same day. It’s definitely done in a competitive way as both are vying to be “top dog”. But that very competitiveness is what leads to the big mix up - by putting their girls in matching wedding attire & matching carriages, it’s no wonder that the girl’s get swapped around in the end.

Neither girl wants their arranged marriage, but they’re good girls who’ve been taught to submit to the will of their elders. That in no way means they’re weak, though. These girls both have their own degrees of strength that’s about to be put to the test. And the grooms have no idea what beautiful chaos is headed their way. 😆

The brides: FL1 (Tian XiWei) grew up with a martial arts instructor as her father. This led to her being a tomboy with great fighting skills. Anything the boys can do, she can do better. She’s outspoken, independent, & not at all familiar or talented in the arts the ladies of her day are supposed to train in. Her skills end up being a great asset in her marriage, though.
FL2 is a meek girl who rarely speaks up. She’s been raised to be submissive & genteel, a true lady of her time. But through her love of learning & her constant seeking of knowledge, she’s become a genius in many subjects. This is later shown when she tackles the world of medical aid for frontline soldiers, something she’d never imagined herself doing.

The grooms: ML1 is a seemingly sickly young man who spends his days indoors to help manage his health. In reality, though, it’s all a show for his family because someone wants to eliminate him due to his position as heir. He’s determined to expose the villain & protect his family from further calamity, hoping his arranged bride will help with his cover.
ML2 is a fierce warrior for the Emperor. He’s a leader of his battalion, quick-witted & a great strategist. He has no time for a marriage nor a desire for a wife. Familial duty demands he step up, though, so he allows the marriage to happen, never intending to have a real relationship with the bride. He’s focused on serving his country & protecting the people.

When the girl’s accidentally get switched after seeking shelter from a storm, much drama (& hilarity) ensues. They both have to hide their identities from their grooms & everyone else (FL2 even has to go so far as to hide her gender!) They each end up with only one other person knowing who they truly are (FL1’s maid & FL2’s “mentor”), which is a blessing for them since that person becomes their strongest ally & source of help as they navigate how to deal with this unexpected event. It truly seems as if they ended up at the wrong place as the girl with a warrior’s training ends up in a “home wife” role, while the gentle girl ends up in an army camp. Both duos seem ill-matched & doomed for failure, but fate seems to know better…

The Leads were a pleasure to watch. All four were wise, loyal, & kind-hearted people. Though there were initial misunderstandings due to the bride mix up, they all quickly came to care for their partner. I appreciated that the writer didn’t draw out their “animosity” scenes for too long. By ep.8 everything was out in the open & they were happy with the spouse fate gave them.

The storyline moved at a good pace. It wasn’t perfect & there were things I wish were done a bit differently, but overall I liked the plot. The support characters were an enjoyable addition with very few being annoying. I appreciated how the couples handled each obstacle as a team, recognizing the villains’ schemes & not succumbing to their sabotage attempts. In the MC’s case, I mean this particularly for when the “childhood sweetheart” character arrived to cause mayhem. I liked how the ML made sure to clear up any possible misunderstandings & assure his wife that she’s the only one he’ll ever love. In the SC’s case, I mean this for when the marriage decree came from the emperor & then later was enforced by the empress. The couple stayed true to their vows, even if it caused them to lose everything (including their lives). Seeing both couples so obviously & openly devoted to one another for 2/3’s of the show was a great relief. No messy breakups or separations for these lovers - they were devoted the whole way through. It was also beautiful how the grooms appreciated the brides for the women they were, never trying to change them or mold them into anyone else. They gave the women the freedom to be themselves, something both women longed for but had never fully experienced. And this earned the men the love of a lifetime - these wives would willingly stand by their sides to fight for their love.

So in conclusion, this is a sweet & easy watch where both couples shine with their chemistry & adoration of one another. 💖

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-⬇️ S P O I L E R S 🚫 B E L O W ⬇️-


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The things I always want to know 😏😉…
- First(real)Kiss : MC - ep.8, SC - ep.10 💋
- Together : MC - ep.8, SC - ep.8 👩🏻‍❤️‍👨🏻
- BreakUp : Nope 🫶🏻