Ah, the heartache that revenge brings! You’ve got to wonder why it’s such a popular pursuit in the Asian culture when it causes so much angst. Yep, that’s right. This is another revenge-based drama, specifically ML is out to avenge his family that was annihilated during some past incident. And a whole bunch of other characters are also engaged in petty revenges and grievances that ultimately become their downfall. These people really need to learn the art of forgiveness. They’d lead much happier lives. Well, let’s get started.

First off, this drama is way, way too long at 56 episodes, and it could have been shortened by eliminating a few characters. We have to watch so much extra stuff with these side characters, and honestly, it’s difficult trying to remember who is who, especially when the princes and princesses are added to the mix. The first 3 episodes are brutal a.k.a. boring as we’re introduced to FL’s family. We have to listen to Grandma Sheng wailing – I recommend ear plugs – and watch ‘never happy with her daughter’ mom show unabashed favoritism toward Yang Yang while scolding and punishing FL. Granted, FL is a sly girl, but she’s only mimicking the behavior she's seen from her granny and 2nd aunt who raised her (if you can call it that). There’s very little romantic interaction between FL and ML in the first 15+ episodes (unless you call removing an arrow from a dude's well defined pec romantic) so we've got us a slow burn romance here. Oh, he’s smitten right away, but FL isn’t interested in him. Instead, we get the story of her first love with the puppy-like A’Yao. ML watches longingly from afar while SML, Yuan Shanjian, watches with sour expressions and snarky comments. The 2nd half of the drama, starting at episode 28, we watch this odd couple (Ling Buyi & Niao Niao) gradually grow closer, but it’s not until the final two episodes that they become a cohesive pair, in the sense that they're finally communicating and working together as a unit. They're finally walking side by side.

Mixed into their relationship progression, we’re treated to a lot of bullying by the cocky chicks, some political intrigue as ML continues to pursue his revenge and, thankfully, some cute moments and subtle humor. I think one of the best things about this drama is that the villains get justice applied fairly quickly. 3rd Princess, 5th Princess as well as the old hag, Princess Ruyang, get their just desserts after only a few episodes of bullying, and honestly, it’s fun to watch these characters go down. With 5th Princess’s takedown, ML also applies discipline to the fathers/brothers that spoiled the girls who assisted 5th Princess in her bullying. I cheered and laughed heartily! Parents who don't discipline their children are largely responsible for that child's bad behavior so yes, they ought to suffer the consequences along with the child. Just an aside, during the bullying of FL by 5th Princess, a snake is released into the pond. Honestly, I think the snake would have swam the other way instead of pursing and biting FL. Most animals just want to get away from humans. Just saying, ok?

Comments on ML – he’s the poster child for the phase ‘still waters run deep’. Most of the time, he looks like a stone statue yet it’s clear that he has some very intense emotion raging beneath those abs of steel for FL. It’s a very subtle change of expression when she appears, but it’s clear he’s smitten with her, and he’s also quite forthright about it. He even tells her earlier on that he admires her. He’s definitely a frightening sort of fellow – I believe it was FL’s dad who says ML gives him chills – and it takes FL (as well as the viewer) quite a while before she starts opening up and drawing closer to him. This is a result of his overall ‘aura’ (he's like a tightly wound spring of steel, if you ask me) as well as her personality. I didn’t love ML like I did Dongfang Qing Cang in ‘Love Between Fairy and Devil’, but I appreciated him and wanted this lonely, intense soul to get the only woman he’d ever love. Unfortunately, fallout from his revenge causes him to lose her for five years (thank God for time jump or it would have been another 20 episodes!). So, how are you enjoying that revenge now, ML? Feels real satisfying, doesn't it? You chose revenge over love, and now, you're trying to kill yourself on the Northwestern front. But dang, he looks hot with that unbound, wild hair! I hope people watching this film will learn that revenge isn't sweet at all. You might feel satisfied for an instant, but it doesn't last, and you're back to hating the world again. One last comment on ML – this guy drives a massive carriage! It’s the ancient equivalent of a Cadillac, the Batmobile or maybe even a tank! I don’t think even the emperor drives such a huge carriage.

FL – it was difficult to like her at first because she is scheming and sly. It wasn’t until episode 8 when she punches the bullying bitch, Wang Ling, in the face that I started genuinely liking her. I get so tired of FLs who just take the bullying instead of fighting back. Then her cleverness in rigging the bridge to collapse with those idiot girls was amusing as well – although doing something like that in real life would be very dangerous. We also see her enacting payback on both 3rd Princess and 5th Princess, the latter leading ML to feel hurt because she didn’t confide her troubles to him. Basically, she’s the type of girl that solves her own problems, and she doesn’t easily put her trust in others because of her family experiences. This, as well as general immaturity, is what her character overcomes as the drama progresses. Her final hurdle is learning how to forgive ML for what she considers the greatest sin of all – abandonment. Just a note: ML really has no moral ground to be hurt for her not confiding in him - he's keeping a lot of secrets from her as well. He was definitely wrong to not share his burden with her, and he was damn scary looking after the massacre, but after five years, you'd think she would have softened a bit, but no, she continues on being righteously stubborn. Heck, I'd be more upset about the massacre than his so-called abandonment.

For a few brief moments, I wanted her to go ahead and accept Yuan Shanjian, our grumpy but patient scholar. He was the last man standing of her trio of admirers, and honestly, I think they were better suited in temperament. I could just imagine them sniping at each other into old age. But, I couldn't damn ML to a lonely life. He was too pitiful a character. So, I was glad in the end that she didn't accept Yuan Shanjian.

Crowned Prince & wife - poster children for why people should be allowed to marry who they want to marry instead of being forced to marry someone else. It's even worse when one or both are in love with other people. Business/political marriages are a stupid tradition in any culture and should be done away with. Now if the children want an arranged marriage, then go ahead and arrange it but don't force them! Thankfully, the multiple wives thing has gone by the wayside; all it does is cause power struggles and discontent among siblings.

Best characters:

1) The Emperor – finally we get an emperor who has a sense of humor and doesn’t act like an absolute tyrant. He was approachable, reasonable and kindly. In many ways, you could say he’s been too lenient since he’s got a pack of rotten kids. He’s also willing to let ML chose his own bride. He nagged, but he didn't force. Honestly, he just wants him to marry; he doesn’t care who she is. The Emperor adds a lot of humor and warmth to this drama. I loved him despite having two wives.

2) Qi Qi – FL’s friend and future sister-in-law. She’s not the typical dingbat bestie. She’s got spunk without being annoying.

3) ML’s chubby sidekick guard, A’Fei. He just provided a lot of humor.

4) Prince Ruyang, the unfortunate husband of Princess Ruyang. He’s so funny because he wants to be rid of his loud, mean-spirited, arrogant wife. I was glad to see him stand up to her bullying for once in his life.

5) Consort Yue – I loved her cynical observations, her disgust with annoying family members and the smackdowns she provided to everyone who needed one. She was the complete opposite of the Empress who was kind to all.

Worse characters:

1) FL’s mom – this woman is a disgrace to motherhood. The best thing I can say about her is she wasn't loud or scheming; she was just overly stern and critical. She shows obvious favoritism towards Yang Yang and is continually disappointed in her daughter. She even runs her daughter down in public with the excuse that she was trying to save her from an engagement with ML. This was such a humiliating scene for FL - to listen to your own mother agreeing with the bullies! Even when FL does something noble (I'll die with the family rather than get special treatment bc of my engagement), mom still isn't happy with her and slaps her. This mom continually uses the same failed methods to discipline her daughter rather than using warmth and acceptance like the Empress, who basically becomes the mother the FL never had. Under the Empress, FL begins to blossom and flourish as her strengths are praised and her faults gently corrected.

2) 90% of all the female characters. This drama is packed full of bitchy, cocky and sometimes delusional women (those who thought they had a chance at marrying ML) that you want to slap. Also, wailing old ladies that split your ear drums - so annoying! By contrast, 90% of the male characters were likeable, which makes me wonder if this is a true reflection of Asian women, or if this is sexism that views men as poor, suffering creatures and women as devils straight out of Hell.

I didn’t like this drama as much as 'Love Between Fairy and Devil', mostly due to its length, so many side characters, and I guess, for me, Orchid and Dongfang Qing Cang were just a more romantic, loveable couple - but despite that, there were a lot of enjoyable scenes so you won’t be wasting 56 hours of your life, if you decide to watch. Also, I think I liked the message of the Fairy/Devil better since it was a message of overcoming hatred with love. I'm not big into revenge-based dramas because I think in the end, revenge only brings more suffering so it's better to forgive. The message I got from this drama is revenge is ok, but make sure you include your woman/man in your plans or they might get pissed at you and make you suffer for five years (or forever as FL was intending to do).

Although the music was mainly instrumental, it was quite beautiful and emotionally stirring.

My one disappointment - I wish we could have seen them married and living together in the house she built along with a couple kids. Maybe a scene showing them playing zither and flute. That, for me, would have been a more satisfying ending.