This had the potential to be an epic hit because the comedy, drama and politics was the right amount but the production team and writing team just decided to say wth let's fuck it all up coz we can.

It started of well then in the middle the story archs are not well developed. A lot of characters were not given airtime to develop their stories all because of SRQ screen time to make him into something he was not and palatable. I wanted to see more of the other clans, the crown prince, SRQ brother and his love interest. And the conflict between the concubines and empress which spilled to the children. But no the writers were like SRQ is the one you need to see like 😡

SRQ is not anti hero or someone who was a good person who happened to make bad decisions. He is a downright evil selfish person who seeks his own benefit not even his family's shame . He lacks self reflection, accountability and thinks he is the smartest person on earth when he is not. In the 1st life his bad decisions affected his family in the 2nd life he made the same dumb decisions affecting his family and putting them again at the risks of being rebels, but the producers were like nope this is the person you should focus on and love.

Its not lost on me that the whole lighting on him and LR is cinematography meant to highlight that these are the main characters that are meant to be for each other. And there was nothing for PWX the so called real love interest for LR. The shared screentime with longing gazes, slow motion shots and the soft romantic music and the stupid twirl to the bottom of the lake all meant to say this is the real cp that you should look at and ship. Now let's look into the characteristics of the person person I am supposed to support

SRQ

1st life time he manipulated everyone to kill the king and the so called woman he loved LR . Reason: he wanted to put on the throne a bastard child not belonging to the king and the Li clan. Qualification of the child he is the nephew to SRQ and has Su bloodline. And this is precisely why the noble clans were dangerous and needed to be dealt with. This type of bs they are capable of pulling. Mind you let's forget that the child was conceived out of adultery and making the king a cuckold. That does not matter coz the child is a Su everyone else be damned 😂😂. Mind you it was these actions from these people that made Li Chuan make the extreme decisions he made. Also he happily came in between LR and PWX. Exacerbated their issues and essentially killed PWX and LR to get ultimate power. But yes he is a good guy 😭.

In the 2nd life time again he wants to kill the future king who is really just a sweetheart, pure and kind and genuinely loves his family and sister. He is caught in the power struggle and he is powerless but of course let's forget about all this but I SRQ I want again to put on the throne a substitute who knows where this fake prince comes from. The fact that he is commiting treason that leads to a clans death is treated like eating ice cream. He supports the consort who hates his so called love of his life and wants to put a fake prince on the throne. How is this even acceptable morally. Let's say this had worked out did he stop to think the implications of his actions on LR. Every change of dynasty means the losing side gets killed LR and her whole clan would potentially have been murdered of that concubine fake son sat on the throne and the writers are selling me this as a long enduring love.

This is f'd up big time. They must be mad and on shrooms. I want what they are smoking. There is nothing good and reedamable about SRQ and the fact that the producers and writers liked his characters is a cause for concern. He is not a morally grey character he is an outright evil person who manages to convince himself that he is good therefore continually makes wrong decisions placing everyone around him in danger. He even says it that he can't be wrong like with his own mouth. His path is the only right one. He is beyond mad. He is a downright psychopath and they tried to romanticize him with all those shots and wanted the public to feel for him and root for him. I'm sorry I don't root for evil people who show no remorse or repentance. Goodbye my princess is how you write a good antihero.


For Pei Wen xuan I have no words except I hope in your next life you make smarter choices in your love life and fall in love with a better person with better morals, virtue who is willing to give the same amount you give out and not a person just wants to receive.

I will never understand LR justification for her treatment of PWX and demanding of PWX love, trust and affection. She was not the only one betrayed by her family so was PWX, they murdered his father and tried to kill him too. Yet he remained a beautiful soul, who kept giving his best unconditionally. PWX deserves the same from the person he chooses to love it's a shame LR did not deserve PWX at all. I found LR character very selfish, unwilling to take accountability for her actions and extremely entitled especially towards his brother.

In the 1st life she played a major part, shaping the environment that turned Li Chuan into the person he was. She never listened to him yet made decisions saying they were the best for him. How can they be the best when you don't listen to your brother or understand him. I am very salty about this part becauseLi Chuan was a good person but had an overbearing father, mother and sister. Worse I t he 1st life she never accepted his love and LR hated her brother's child who came from the love of his life. Please spare me I would never ever want a sister like LR.

LR and SRQ deserved each other if we are going to be honest. Both were extremely delusional they made extremely terrible decisions that affected heavily people around them but they think they are smart and are doing making the best decisions. The only thing that saved LR was PWX decisions that gave LR a safe environment to have character development and girl was not even grateful I'm looking at your stupid decisions in the last episodes.

The only good thing about this drama is I discovered Zhao Jin Mai and girl can she act. She deserves everything the other characters I know them from other dramas. The crazy concubine from the Xiao clan is sublime in joy of life. The way she was directed in this drama you would never think she is that amazing of a veteran actor. Zhang Linghe showed a different side of himself and he has such great comedic timing. It's something that cannot be taught it's either you have it or you don't. And he has it in spades. I was pleasantly surprised. He should try a full on comedic drama. The character I desperately wanted to see more of was the crown prince but damn that production crew. SRQ was a downright terrible person and character and I probably would have loved him more if he was played by a person with better acting chops like the bad guy in the double.