OK:

- The first part with the set up of the characters. Fast paced, fun and intriguing. Many couples and potential couples look cute (main couple, Sheng brothers and their love interest, Han couple, Pirate man and the girl hitting on him). Good for nothing ML becomes a reliable son and a general. FL enters the palace as maid. Some actions and they find each other and loose each other again.

- The third and final part. The evil guys have to come into the light as they need to finalize their schemes. The plotline is clearer but it is full of plot holes as the finale is rushed. The end is not satisfactory but there are some enjoyable plot twists. The main villain's demise is too easy. The schemers who caused so many deaths get away with it because they suddenly turn good and they are royalty. But it is ok because the ML and FL mend their relationship while fighting the bad guys and they have their happy ending.

NOT OK:

- The second part full of atrocious or illogical moves and schemes from most Royals and people seeking revenge, influence or Love or a way to own someone... People start to be beaten for free,. They drop dead like flies for a word, a paper, an accusation, bad luck... Or they are saved by a scroll or by Deus ex machina .The main couple's relationship is nowhere as ML is relagated to an extra role. More schemes from people completely immature, perverted, evil with no other goal than to have your blood boil.

OVERALL:

The drama could have been a lot more enjoyable. It had numerous and interesting characters but passed their introduction, the plot becomes messy piling schemes on schemes by unsufferable characters for rotten purposes just to enrage the audience. It was annoying and destroying the entertaining quality of the drama. I had the feeling the writer piled outrageous situations just to add episodes and make money without trying to tell a comprehensive and consistent story using the characters. Some important parts of the story are obviously missing and make the drama even more erratic in his storyline.

RECOMMENDATION:

This drama seem to have been quite successful in China. I don't know how people can like this kind of drama. All these inhumane palace plots are just physically hard to tolerate. Maybe they are people to like these "palace plots" dramas.

Would I recommend this drama? No. Because:

- The leads have a too little part. It's a sham. It is not a drama about them. It is a drama about Royals and their court and palace schemes.
- There is a huge part of this drama which is only made of useless schemes, useless violence and deaths, outrageous rotten or completely dumb illogical people you can't sympathize with. At some point you just don't care about them anymore.
- Many people get away easily with their wrongdoings. The end is like : Everyone is suddenly nice nice people.
- 55 episodes but not many opportunities to laugh and cry with the leads. Surely I won't say : I spent a good time watching this.