let me just say, I was super amped after watching part 1. I was so invested and though I could predict thw events happening it was written in ways that I enjoyed and felt all tied well. part 2 started out swimmingly... and then fell to ruins.

unfortunately it fell victim to one of the worst curses in c-dramas I've seen: it had such a lame ass ending that was too slow in the wrong places, and too fast everywhere else. the last 5 episodes take place 5 years later in an attempt to quickly resolve all remaining drama and push that last bit of character development.

the drama slowly matures shaoshang, different crises throughout teaching her different lessons that serve to correct each one of her "flaws". she's an entirely different person by the end. I understand the last lesson she learned was that of forgiveness, and I understand all characters had five years of thinking that we didn't get to see, but God dammit seeing that would have been better than serving life threatening drama up to the last minute. in a drama thats dialogue heavy that rush of action they force at the end is always gonna feel excessive.

I will say I absolutely, positively LOVE the emperor. he is by far my favourite character. he made me laugh so much along with buyi's two attendants. their comic relief was the best.

I wish, oh how I wish, that we could have more slice of life at the end than absolute depression. show healing that doesn't involve explosives and voluntary confinement.

that being said, though the last 10 episodes were dissapointing, it was otherwise a very pleasing drama and I would recommend it to anyone willing to trudge thru. the story of minglan, a drama based on a book authored by the same as that of love like the galaxy, fell victim to a similar muddled up ending.