I don't run into lots of dramas involving the "Girl in Pants" trope. I wish I did. I have loved it since I was a young girl myself. It's especially refreshing as a C-Drama with Ju Jing Yi. It's largely a trope that works in a historical setting of some kind. And that's the case here.

First, let me say the cast does NOT disappoint. Seriously, Ju Jing Yi is genius. The rest of the cast were also really, really good. But she just nailed it. She and Wang Rui Chang especially. And Zhu Sheng Yi was absolutely precious! Bi Wen Jun was sexy and funny and very human as a mechanism in this. And of course Song Wei Long was just such a perfect knight/hero.

I even enjoyed the villains of the piece. Seriously, from the brave to the obsequious to the cunning, the character acting in this was wonderfully entertaining. And the support cast made this rock and roll. All of them.

Now for the plot. There were no plot holes. This NEVER HAPPENS. You cannot imagine how excited I was by a world that while it had the staple elements of any historical C-Drama with hints of wuxia mixed in for fantastical effect, the plot was solid and definitely politically driven. Even the villains had consistent motivations.

I want to thank the writers for this one. It had everything. Mistaken identities, complex politics, tragic backstories, heartbreak, hidden agendas, love and romance, redemption, and action! And somehow it was all balanced with humor as well. It was laughable that it took dressing as an actual girl to get the hero to see the heroine for what she was, but the fact that no one thought the tiny, girly little man with delicate hands and porcelain skin was female was part of the fun. The almost ridiculous levels of willing suspension of disbelief is what makes the "Girl in Pants" trope work. It's also part of what makes it fun.

The archery contest was my favorite. The build up, the delivery, the comradeship, the tension. This whole story just was full of win. But the archery contest had a little bit of everything in it. It was like a shrunken down view of the entire plot. The villains, the heroine struggling, the heroes heroing, the politics a-brewing.

The music was nice. It was pretty and had good tension to it. But it wasn't amazing. It was the one area where a little more could have been thrown in to make it perfect.

The set was adorable, high quality and it swept you authentically into this world. So I can't really add any criticism there at all. The costuming was fun. The cinematography was on point. The production values were something to be proud of.

Do not pass this one up. Really. If you are at all a fan of Ju Jing Yi, or "Girl in Pants" stories, sit down and expect to have your mind blown. I have watched this drama front to back 4 TIMES! I have also re-watched my favorite parts standalone enough times that I forgot the number. You will love this.