Emperor Phoenix (2021)

Awe-inspiring and mind-blowing series of 2021! Definitely a must-watch!!

To begin my review, just so you all know, after I finished watching "The Rebel Princess", I was definitely lost for words. I gotta say, I love everything about this fantastic series, from the epic glorious; breathtaking battle, the tender romance of the main characters, the never ending villains, and most of all, the character of General Yuzhang (Xiao Qi). Perhaps the only thing I can complain about is the tittle. For me, personally, the most suitable title for this series is "Princess and General" or "The Rebel General". If any of you have watched it, I believe you all agree with me here. I honestly think, this series is by far has the best cinematography (fantastic angle for capturing the battle of thousands of soldiers and the wonderful view of the empires/palaces).

With the total of 68 episodes, I must give myself a big round of applause for finishing "The Rebel Princess" in less than a week without skipping any scenes. Just like that, when I'm in love with a drama or series, I will give it all out. I'm addicted as well as determined to enjoy and finish it as quickly as possible. As I mentioned in the beginning, one of the reasons I enjoyed "The Rebel Princess" was General Yuzhang who played by the one and only incredible actor, Zhou Yi Wei. His character was undeniably the scene stealer of the series and he set the bar so high as a male lead in any other Chinese series I have watched so far. My first time watching him and I was completely struck by his stunning act. I guess, I will need time to move on from his character as he was undoubtedly so amazing as General Yuzhang and I must say I have the greatest respect for him. Bravo!!

I think we all know Zhang Zi Yi and I don't think I need to talk about her further. She is a very well-known actress in China and knowing "The Rebel Princess" was her first television series, I have to say, she's still without a doubt, one of the most beautiful leading ladies in the television series. Although, in the beginning I was a bit skeptical when she played the younger version of her character, Awu, but in the long run, I started to like her character as the older version.

On the whole, "The Rebel Princess" was awe-inspiring as well as mind-blowing series that I recommend you all to watch it right away. I can assure you all will love it from the very first start. Impressive!! Magnificent!! First-class!!

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Produção de alto nível, belíssimos cenários e um belo casal principal~

Um excelente começo, mas nem tudo é um mar de rosas em "A Princesa Rebelde"

Para aqueles que gostam de um bom drama de época/histórico, envolvendo um romance maduro,
além de ter todas as tramas/traições esperadas em um drama que envolve o poder imperial pode ser uma boa opção.
Um drama com 68 episódios, com uma trama aceitável, mas com um politica envolvendo a corte não tão boa.



A historia é boa, a primeira parte é realmente bem interessante, mas ao longo as coisas vão se tornando um pouco problemáticas, os primeiros 20 e poucos episódios foram excelentes e me mantiveram interessado.
Seu ritmo inicial é bom e consegue manter as coisas na linha certa, sem nunca se perder.
A direção sabe aproveitar os momentos certos para deixar a trama mais emocionante e envolvente.
Como é o caso de uma certa parte da historia que se seguisse a novel seria facilmente resolvida, mas no drama de forma acertadíssima, souberam aproveitar este trecho para explorar ao máximo e desenvolver personagens.
Mas como eu disse nem tudo é um mar de rosas, começando por algumas mudanças,
sem falar que a trama envolvendo o palácio se torna desinteressante em certo momento.

A qualidade da produção é de se surpreender, esta é uma produção de ponta.
Figurino belíssimo, além de ter boas coreografias.

A OST é boa e se faz presente quando necessária.
"Shang Yang Fu" por Vivian Tan e "At All Corners of the Earth" por Hu Xia & Zhou Shen são belas musicas~
São esses os nomes das musicas que tocam nas aberturas e enceramentos dos episódios.

O romance é bom, esse drama nos apresenta um romance mais maduro, são olhares, frases jogadas ao ar, um grande cuidado e em pouco tempo você se vê encantado pela atuação tanta da FL como do ML.
Realmente me fez querer ver mais interações deles juntos.

Zhang Zi Yi como Wang Xuan é convincente, sua atuação é incrível,
bem deveria dizer que este é o esperado dessa grande atriz.
Sua personagem incorporada de forma magnifica, A'wu é realmente um bom personagem que amadurece com o tempo. FL melhora no decorrer da historia, mas sinto que falta algo, ao menos A'wu consegue ser fofa a sua maneira.
Zhou Yi Wei como Xiao Qi é uma surpresa e sua atuação é excelente.
Seu personagem é incrível, quero dizer ele provavelmente é o melhor personagem da historia, seu personagem e a atuação do ator é tão perfeita que dispensa comentários~

O elenco no geral é bom.



Agora preciso dizer que, houveram muitas criticas negativas em relação a idade da atriz e na minha visão isso é um absurdo, essas pessoas viram quantos capítulos? dois? três?
Ela interpreta aquela jovem inocente por pouco tempo, no ep8 sua fase inocente é deixada para trás, parem e pensem este é um drama longo, pela logica ele vai mostrar a vida da protagonista principal, seu amadurecimento vem rápido e ela deve se tornar uma grande mulher, para aqueles mais atentos fica claro o cuidado em desenvolver a FL.
Sinceramente não consigo entender, como o fato dela não ser jovem o suficiente pra interpretar o papel por pouco tempo seja algo tão terrível, existem tantos dramas questionáveis e as pessoas se incomodam com esse pequeno detalhe? Esse tipo de critica negativa fraca, me faz lembrar de "Love and Destiny" quando fui assistir acabei vendo varias reclamações pelo fato do ML não ser bonito o suficiente pro papel de Deus da Guerra! Risível!!!



Minhas considerações finais... Esse é um bom drama,
mas longe de ser perfeito, ele comete alguns erros e sinto que se arrasta em certas coisas.
Mas tem seus acertos, com toda certeza se você gosta de dramas de época, essa é uma boa escolha.

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A Must Watch Masterpiece

I will not go over the plot as other viewers have already done so. Instead, i will focus on:

Acting (main leads): Superior acting by both ZYW and ZQY - they are able to capture the little nuances of emotion - anger, pain, love, consideration, etc
The ML (Lord YuZhang/Xiao Qi) - No, he’s not handsome by any means but what Masculinity - he’s gentle, kind and treats the FL with respect: protects her. He’s always patient with her and doesn’t interrupt when she’s speaking. While the male protagonists in C-dramas are supposed to protect their women, few are so gentle and treat their women so gently. Yet, he’s strong on the battlefield and doesn’t hesitate when he has to fight/protect his country/his soldiers and the people he cares about.
He’s got a new fan.

Roughly translated. I am not a translator by any means, so please excuse me if I got this wrong.

Wang Xuan asks: So many people have changed. Will you also change?
Xiao Qi: To you, I will definitely not change

Oh, we should all be so lucky …
The FL (A-Wu/Wang Xuan) - Many reviewers have leveled criticism that she’s too old to play 16. Yes, that is true but FL has the gravitas to convey different levels of emotion with her eyes, her face, her body movements - many other actors do not have this depth of skill. So, in the beginning (first 8 episodes or so), the disparity threw me for a loop but I got over as the drama continued.
Both are in an elite group of actors that are able to make the viewer feel for them, feel their happiness, feel their pain, feel their anguish. I must admit that not many actors have been able to do that me but in Rebel Princess, I feel what they are feeling.
Lots of characters die in the end, but I’m glad they lived on as commoners, with their children. This is an ending that I particularly liked.
(Other actors):
Gen Song (Lord YuZhang’s right hand) On his wedding day, he looks at A-Wu instead of Yu Xiu;
He changes from a good person to one who is greedy, wants power and covets A-Wu. Alas, he does not get a good ending. His wife (Yu Xiu) dies to protect him from rebelling … in vain though
Yu Xiu, ZiDan (sorry excuse for a man- he’s supposed to know A-Wu well yet he insists on just saving her from danger without realizing that she will not escape and leave the rest of the people to die): All did a good job and added to the drama as a whole. It’s rare in C-dramas that almost all the cast have strong acting skills.
OST: Beautiful and Emotive, especially the song at the end of every episode. When I listen to that song, there’s a longing, a melancholy and their love.
Costume + sets: Well done with much attention made to the details. Beautiful costumes.
Final Thoughts:
A few parts of the plot are not explained but that’s to be expected. Also, I felt that the last 4 episodes sort of rushed the ending. Still I would watch it again. This is a masterpiece that is hard to beat.

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What's not to love about Zhang zi yi?

Yes not having a 16 year looking face is really distracting in the beginning but once you reach ep 10 you'll probably enjoy the story. Even her personality in the story is like a 30 year old so I wish they made the character at least in her late 20s. They also could've slowed down the love between the ML & FL as she seemed to fall for him pretty fast. It picks up more ep 16 on so be patient with this title as the cast, the story is very good. Although the story with political scheming isn't new but the stellar cast makes this drama a good watch. The high quality production with amazing costume design & cinematography is impressive esp ep 28 I was absolutely in awe.

Helan Zhen being the stand out character. He played a similar role in Rise of the Phoenix but it was short lived so happy to see him in this role.

Now I am near the end, the story is slow but I can't stop watching it because it feels like a fashion show with the endless costume designs. There are quite a few character's development that made the story have some depth but it's not a captivating. I didn't feel the love story was epic and I felt the love development was a bit quick no fault to the actors of course. The cast of actors were all very good. In the end despite the production / stellar cast , the story is not on the same level as a Joy of Life or Rise of Phoenix.

And I still love Zhangziyi !!

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Tense, Political Romance

THE REBEL PRINCESS was really such a captivating drama. While the title of this series may be a bit misleading to some, there were so many aspects that I loved about this one, among them being the excellent writing, the steller cast and performances, the accurate and mesmerizing costumes and settings, and wonderful music. I have to say the writing and the characters really made this series for me. The characters were all dynamic and the superb acting made this one just irresistible to watch. For me, binge worthy...

The story is about a naive, somewhat spoiled Princess "Awu" Wang Xuan (Zhang Zi Yi) whose luxurious life is suddenly altered by her arranged marriage to the fearsome yet noble General Xiao Qi (Zhou Yi Wei) a common man of low birth newly conferred as a Prince, with growing power in the world stage through his vast military strength. The series follows the aftermath of this fated union as the world soon goes into chaos, as the noblility increasingly fears the growing power of the commoners, namely their leader, General Xiao Qi.

The story was really compelling and the settings were sometimes gorgeous and other times gritty, yet eye catching and superbly realistic throughout. One of my biggest praises is that the drama never felt that it leaned too heavily into common tropes. Lots of red herrings, as well. There were times when I said to myself "Welp, I know where this is going..." and then, it didn't go there at all, or there was a twist to the scene and it went the complete opposite direction. Really well done. That alone made this series a much needed breath of fresh air.

The relationships between characters was so believable and utterly palpable. The family dynamic is deeply contemplated here with Princess Awu at the center of many conflicts and dangers. The bonds of the Wang Clan were at time deeply touching, while other times, simply terrifying. While not a character of typical strength, whether physical or military strength, Princess Awu is exceedingly strong and gifted in her own manner and she was a very noble, worthy character. Fierce, brave, noble, merciful, loyal and cunning, albeit a bit tender-hearted, which made her character all the more endearing and realistic. Simply a great portrayal.

As for the romance between the main couple, Princess Wang Xuan "Awu" played by the stunning and yet subtle Zhang Zi Yi, and General Xiao Qi played by the brilliant Zhou Yi Wei. Both characters were excellent, and acting great, though it was the character of Xiao Qi that truly shines and stood out. I can't think of a better written or acted "General" character in recent years. He was able to seem both fierce and gentle, both powerful and humble. He commanded both respect and fear from those around him. A truly compelling and enigmatic hero. A brilliant and memorable portrayal. He played such an absolutely great role here and totally blew my expectations out of the water!

I truly loved the main couple and their dynamic relationship. Never did it feel corny, like some romances do. It was a natural realistic relationship with powerful chemistry to back it up, between the actors, as well as the written characters. It could be sensed both in body language (glances, posturing, displays of affection), in dialogue (tenderness, teasing, mutual respect) and in action as well (defense, trust, mutual alliance). The love that developed seemed so natural, and can be felt in almost every shared scene. The romance that bloomed from nothing, truly pulls you in and warms your heart, as well as becomes the cause of much suspense during the twists and turns that follow. And there there are many.

The entire cast was really excellent, all playing realistic imperfect characters, many morally grey and others simply memorable or unpredictable. This drama is highly political and compels the viewer to analyze characters and their individual motivations as well as interpersonal relationships. Morally grey characters abound and some act spontaneous while others plan their schemes years ahead.

Since there are many episodes of court politics, schemes and intrigue, the pacing did feel quite slower towards the middle. So in that way, it was a slow-burn, which might not be appealing to some. And as others have said, the subtitles and translations aren't the greastes, but for me that never gave me pause or slowed me down.

Notable mentions were the characters of Prime Minister Wang Lin (Yu He Wei), Awu's father, who was a deeply shrewd and cunning character, Prince Jianxia Wang Su Yu (Jia Yi Ping) Awu's brother, who was flawed yet understandable, Empress Dowager Wang Haun Xi (Shi Ke) was devious and yet pitable, Crown Prince Ma Zi Long (Guo Jia Ming) who was first despicable then somewhat commendable, Pan Gui (Cao Jun), loyal and clever, Helan Zhen (Yuan Hong) who was vengeful and obsessive, Yu Xiu (Drolma Suijun) sweet and heroic, Hu Lao (Hai Ling) and General Hu Guang Lie (Hou Xiao) who were loyal siblings that served under Xiao Qi, as well as Su Jin Er (Liu Yun), Xie Wan Ru (Zuo Xiao Qing), Prince Ma ZiDan (Tony Yang), General Song Huai En (Liu Duan Duan), and the Emperor (Jiang Kai) who was a very believable Emperor. Aslo, I must say, the baby (multiple babies?) that played Jing'er was really cute!

Overall, this series was a very good find, filled with court politics, love and war. It was an excellent story, with an exceptional cast, playing diverse characters and great writing that made it less predictable than other series out there. The costumes and sets were outlandishly great, though sometimes the story was slower paced, and lower grade subtitles (not great but easily overlooked). While, the title might feel a bit misleading, (don't expect a Mulan/she-warrior/rebel type story here) it certainly didn't disappoint in any way.

This was such a wonderful C-Drama that was deeply complex and memorable, especially if you like to see epic power struggles, plotting and scheming, assassins and military battles, as well as a memorable power couple...with a strong, heroic male lead along with a cunning, strategic main lead female, each supporting one another. Loved this one. <3.

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It will be hard to find another cdrama after this, my standards are now too high

I finished watching The Rebel Princess two days ago and came back to write a review since I couldn't get it off my mind. I even went back and rewatched some of my favorite scenes, that's how much I enjoyed this story, the characters, and cinematography.

I don't watch too many Chinese dramas since I am not a fan of dubbing or the "immature baby-like" female voices, and a lot of them seem to have idols/androgynous actors as the male leads instead of more mature/masculine actors, so when I came across The Rebel Princess it was like a breath of fresh air. The voices are not artificial, the female lead is mature (if you get past the first 4 episodes), and the male lead is capable/masculine/sweet.

I was already a fan of Zhang Ziyi since Memories of a Geisha/House of Flying Daggers/Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon, so seeing her at the head of this project was no disappointment. She can act, and so can Zhou Yi Wei who showed his capacity and range opposite her as the male lead and her love interest. Their chemistry was great, their relationship was not toxic, and it was refreshing to see such a mature relationship in a cdrama where the misunderstandings are resolved in the same episode instead of 30 episodes. Their relationship reminded me of *The Story of Ming Lan* with Ming Lan and Gu Ting Ye having such a stable, mature, and supportive marriage.

Woe is me that there are not many dramas like this one. I don't know when I will move on.

I made a video tribute if anyone is interested: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfVmdgd6sHw

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Loved it first watch. Hated it the second.

*First viewing*

Internal thoughts: Ok, wow, Zhang Zi Yi should not be playing a teenager but she pulls it off. Yay, so glad that the childhood love interest (simp) was discarded because, what a coward! Why does Zhou Yi Wei get to show his age but Zhang Zi Yi doesn't? And, oh wow, the chemistry between A'wu and Xiao Qi is nothing like I've seen in a Cdrama before. For the first time, I'm actually here for the romance plotline.

However! Something was nagging me throughout watching it, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Until I rewatched the series.

––––
*Second viewing*

So turns out the nagging feeling was that, despite the electric romantic chemistry, I hate A'wu as a character. She spends a lot of time condemning the bad deeds of characters who have been forced to make bad choices in desperate situations. Yet, at no point, is she ever forced to choose between her pride and doing 'the right thing'. She has never known real struggle and punishes those who have.

Once I started noticing her classist demeanour, I could not let it go. It just tainted the entire experience for me and I also started hating Xiao Qi for supporting it. His character, despite low class origins, does not call into question the classism of his wife nor the imperial system he helps uphold. Instead, he sees the emperor somewhat as a benefactor and himself as duty-bound to protect a system that, frankly has never protected him.

In this drama, we also have another classic Historical Cdrama example of an emperor who is protected as the 'rightful ruler' but not for any perceivable moral reasons. We have no reason to believe the emperor is a good ruler for his people and uprising is, of course, portrayed as bad and misled. Conveniently, it means that A'wu never has to worry about the legitimacy of her own privileged position.

----
*A note on acting*

While I could never watch this series again, I will say the acting from the leads is superb. Obviously, that goes without saying for Zhang Zi Yi. This is the first time I've seen Zhou Yi Wei (other than a bit character in Glamorous Imperial Concubine) and he is absolutely magnificent. It's a shame ageism is so rampant in the entertainment industry because I'd love to see older actors take the stage in these kind of roles more often.

I've now seen Tony Yang in Rebel Princess as well as Light the Night and, boy, does he have range! I hated his character in this series and that was due to some great acting on his part.

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has a satisfying ending

would have loved to see if she could safely deliver her child cause the doctor said it'll be hard for her to deliver
but seeing that she stopped taking the medicine to make her infertile guess she'll be able to have her child
they didn't let us know what later happened to that her cousin sister and her husband after he was released it would have been satisfying to know they took over that kingdom also

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An Epic Production in the same league as Nirvana in Fire

This drama is under rated on mydramalist. I say it is in the same league as Nirvana in Fire and a similar genre.

It is a rarity to see Zhang Zi Yi in a drama. For those of you who have watched Crouching Tiger and Hidden Dragon which is an international success, she acted the rebellious girl who ran away from a marriage.

This drama is very well produced. The story is convoluted and captivating, and the cinematography is fantastic, with costumes and a good looking cast to match. The acting is excellent and the chemistry (or animosity) of the various couples are impressive. There are many sub-plots, each with suspense and mysteries that keep you glued to your seat to find out what is going to happen next. The ending theme song is melodious. The backdrop is beautiful and the battle scenes are very well choreographed.

It talks about Princess ShangYang who is the daughter of the Prime Minister Wang Lin. She is in love with the Third Prince and aspires to marry him. They are forced apart by the Prime Minister who wants to strengthen his power and she is betrothed to a outstanding general from a commoner background, Xiao Qi. She is forsaken on the wedding day as Xiao Qi leaves her behind in the capital. Xiao Qi is in a bid to avoid being roped into the political side of the Prime Minister although he has become rather fond of her after a couple of encounters. Being captured by Helan Zhen who is exacting a revenge on Xiao Qi is the start of their adventure and the Princess shifts her affection to him when he risks his life to rescue her.

I feel a bit sorry for the main villain in the story. He is overly ambitious, very cunning and ruthless. Yet he has this soft side to him as a father. He is a capable person but unfortunately has set his eyes on the wrong goal.

I think this drama is almost perfect. There only two things I do not like about this drama. The first is the length - it is too long. With 68 episodes, you can expect some draggy moments. But overall, it is well paced. The second is the ending. I think the ending is a very weak - the choice of the eventual emperor to ascend the throne is too cliche, perhaps influenced by the last dynasty. I do not think there are many of such emperors in history. With no strong empress dowager behind them, they would all be overthrown by their imperial relatives.

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A pure GEM !! (ღ˘⌣˘ღ)

Large historical saga (Empress Ki type) on the journey of an imperial princess: her spoiled childhood, her marriage to 1 super general (savage and handsome). (arrives only at her husband's fort in episode 12). Their meeting, the romance, their fight against military adversaries and political conspiracies...
It's very beautiful, but it's long (68 episodes).... On the other hand, it's almost perfection ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ)

PROS:
+ A sublime CL, performed by great actors. FL is beautiful regardless of her age, and only Zhou Yi Wei could play Xiao Qi so masterfully.
+ The entire cast is excellent: the actors stick perfectly to their roles. The characters are complex and deep.
+ The costumes are really sumptuous, the sets superb, many scenes are shot on real exteriors, and the war scenes are more than credible. We can feel a production with (VERY) high budget!!
+ The epic OSTs rightly amplify the emotions.
+ The production is lively, intelligent. Well done !!

### some small flaws:
- scenes cut a little abruptly
- somewhat abrupt ending

=> Just excellent! It is very difficult to leave these characters behind.
*********************************************************************
Grande fresque historique (type Empress Ki) sur le parcours d'une princesse impériale : son enfance gâtée, son mariage avec 1 super général (sauvage et handsome). (N'arrive au fort de son mari dans que épisode 12). Leur rencontre, la romance, leur combat contre les adversaires militaires et les conspirations politiques...
C'est très beau, mais c'est long (68 épisodes) .... Par contre, c'est une quasi perfection ♡o｡.(✿ฺ｡ ✿ฺ)

AVANTAGES:
+ Un CL sublime, interprété par de grands acteurs. La FL est belle quelque soit son âge, et seul Zhou Yi Wei pouvait interpréter Xiao Qi aussi magistralement.
+ L'ensemble du casting est excellent : les acteurs collent parfaitement à leur rôle. Les personnages sont complexes, profonds.
+ Les costumes sont somptueux, les décors superbes, beaucoup de scènes sont tournées en vrai extérieur, et les scènes de guerre sont plus que crédibles. On a envoyé la production à (TRES) gros budget !!
+ Les OST, épiques, amplifient très justement les émotions.
+ La réalisation est vive, intelligente. Bravo !!

### quelques petits défauts :
- scènes coupées un peu brusquement
- fin un peu brusque

=> Juste excellent ! On a bien du mal à quitter ces personnages.

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Big Production, Great Acting but very SLOW

Completed - 11/1/2021

"The Rebel Princess" indeed is a big-budget production, where Zhang Zi Yi herself invested in and recruited many world-class experts that she works with in the movies. The costumes, music, cinematography and sets are beautiful and elaborate. There is nothing you can criticize in its production value. The drama boasts a huge cast and their acting is superb. My #1 complaint of this drama is the slowness. It's not the plot that is slow and draggy, which happens in almost all long, historical C-drama. But I find the show itself is full of slow movements and dialogues (too many pauses). To binge-watch this slow 68-episode drama is very difficult. Maybe if I am watching this when it's broadcasted live and follow along week-to-week, I might have enjoyed this more.

Plot:
I enjoy the overarching main plot. There is a lot of court politics in this drama. Everyone wants a piece of the throne, whether they are royal or entitled to or not. All parents sacrifice their children for power, and they all do it in the name of "love". It's ironic that our main leads are not one of them, and yet they are probably the most qualified to bring peace to the nation. There are many subplots and I do enjoy how they weave together to contribute to the full story. As mentioned above, I personally find this drama to be too slow. If everything is sped up a little bit, it might be easier to binge-watch. However, I do understand that directors and producers are not making dramas for binge-watchers. But if you are a binge-watcher like me, just be aware. The drama also is narrated from FL/Ah Wu's point of view. It's a little interesting/weird that her monologues happen quite often, instead of just the beginning or ending of an episode. I feel that the pacing of the last 20 episodes is faster. Since the assassination, there is a lot more action. This event also started the strong finish of the drama. I greatly enjoy the ending (last 2-3 episodes) and feel that it brings closure to almost all storylines and characters.

Main Romance/Leads:
There are so many complaints about Zhang Zi Yi (ZZY) acting as an 15- year old girl. It is somewhat hard to forget that she's 42 (even if she's a beautiful and young-looking 42-year old woman). However, she only needs to act like a 15-year old for about 6-7 episodes. Once she's forced to marry our ML and all the events happened around that time, she is forced to grow up and doesn't act young anymore. In fact, I feel that her character grows up too fast and she becomes too mature, to match our older ML. A big selling point of this drama is our awesome male lead played by Zhou Yi Wei (ZYW). He is an amazing general and and an even better husband. The leads have a very mature and trusting relationship. ZYW brought this character to life. A minor complaint that I have is that we need more ZYW. There aren't enough scenes of him, and even less with him and ZZY. Our leads are separated from each other most of the time. Although the chemistry was good when they are together, their romance doesn't give me the same feels as in my other favorite shows "The Rise of the Phoenixes" or "Legend of Fu Yao". When they are together, they are too calm and mature. It's lacking some playfulness and lightness to this romance to hook me in.

Costumes & Production:
They must have spent a lot of their budget on costumes. I feel like ZZY has a new outfit each day or each episode. You can see they are elaborate and expensive (though I do not always like her style). I also particularly enjoy ZYW's black casual outfit. It fits him like a glove and he looks so dashing it in. Additionally, the red and black court officials outfits might be my most favorite court officials costumes in all of the historical dramas I've seen. It's such a nice combination - simple colors but work so well together when layered. All the ladies also have very nice costumes, but none can be compared to our female lead's. On the other hand, I am most impressed with the war and battle scenes. You can see that they spend money in hiring extras to be in these battles. When they say it's a big battle, you see a big battle and not CGI fake people or comics (looking at you "The Long Ballad"). The Mount Lianyu battle is especially amazing and greatly shot. That battle is one of my favorite events - from the white horse running to the black horse and towards the enemies, to the tragic death and self-sacrifice of the general, and the black horse kneeling down to get our male lead on its back. Everything is perfect.

OST & Dubbing:
I really enjoy the background music in this drama. The music complements the scenes so well. The few songs that were sung were nice as well and I especially like the duet. I don't feel that the songs were overplayed but just enough at the right time. One of my personal pet peeves is when the music is so loud that it overpowers the actors dialog. For the most part, we don't have this problem here. However, because of the live recording, I feel that at times, the music is a tiny bit louder than I like. Speaking of live recording, it's a pleasure to be able to listen to almost all actors real voice, either live or post-production dubbing. Only a few actors and actresses were dubbed, mainly because they do not have the Mainland Chinese accents.

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