This drama got popular cuz of the two main leads and it shows. I started the drama because I'm Zhao Lusi fan and right before it aired I found out Liu Hai Kuan had a role too (that turned out to be insignificant). This is the first drama I watch with Dilraba and Leo Wu and I'm NOT impressed.

First, I don't like the leads, especially Ashile Sun who felt like a Gary Sue (or should I call him Gary Sun?). None of his acrtion had consequences since no matter how he did, Great Khan was all over him he didn't face anything. The only thing about his character was him having a crush on Changge. Hell, the two leads have no romantic chemistry. Changge didn't think about him at all while he didn't mind others. Her falling in love with him was so forced I rolled my eyes. Maybe the fact neither of them had an actual character growth. Somehow they were always right (especially Ashile Sun) and EVERYONE listened to them. After Ashile Sun "died", I skipped almost everything.

Mimi was annoying. I don't hate Shuyu-gege, but never cared for him. Also, he shot Changge and it didn't affect anything??? Also, the plot was her getting revenge on her uncle but she dropped it without any apperent reason other than it would might contradict history (Li Shimin was an empror during Tang dynasty, that much is what I know). The truth is revealed later, but she drops her revange too early. So the whole plot is pointless. Also the story with Khatun is the one I skipped and I'm okay with that. It was so boring and predictable.

And don't let me start how much I hated the animation. Either do it properly or don't do it at all. There are drawings of a battle, but the pictures and the sound don't match. People talikng- real poeple- over the animation and it doesn't look good. It a shame since I do like the art style and it doesn't have to be in motion, but the anumation director should be fired. There were only two time there the animation was used in the right way. It was a very lazy way to save money. So many of the scenes could be live. Not to mention there episodes with no animation- I like it but it made the animation stand out more in a bad way.

Few points I liked- Leyan and Hou Du however are superior both in romantic plot line and indivitual character development. Leyan's story and growth was much more interesting than Changge's most of the time. I'm one of the few people who like Hou Du from the beggining and by the end I was completely in love. I think he is what Ashile Sun was meant to be only he was done better. Situ Lang Lang should have had more screen time, he was so much fun. Also, I've supported Sher from the begining, maybe because he was right for hating Ashile Sun.