I really wanted to like this drama. There are so many scenes where the characters are realistic and level-headed (love you Consort Yue), but then they're interspersed by unbelievable events or significant character butchering (Lou Ben, Madam Cheng, etc.) . There are also so many questionable plot holes or incredibly convenient moments in the story.
- How is Cheng Shao Shang able to forge an imperial pass in a night?
- Ling Buyi is now a wanted criminal after his actions. How is he able to have such a long conversation with Cheng Shao Shang on horseback while the army surrounds them? How have they not just shot/killed him yet?
- Ling Buyi just so happens to have a specific birthmark that can prove his identity (that the emperor also somehow knows about)?
- How do they know that he's still alive after falling off the cliff?

Also, I just couldn't get into Cheng Shao Shang and Ling Buyi as a couple. I felt no chemistry in Part 1, and Part 2 just amplifies that. I much preferred the scenes where they were doing their separate things.