Major spoilers. No structure to this.

There are 4-10 episodes worth of runtime that weren't necessary, because:

• We already know that Yan Wenxiu is a scheming hoe with a hard-on for Ni Chang/Xie Xiaoni.
• Su Wenyu is obsessively 'in-love' with NC/XXN, but he isn't the one for her. (I started to dislike his character after that whole, "You're a weak woman, I'm a strong man" speech.
• Yuan Daocheng is corrupt. Su Gongming is corrupt. They look like they're winning and the wheel of karma is turning slowly.

All of this was dragged out for too long.

I didn't mind all of the hardships NC/XXN faced; the assassination attempts, the sabotaging of her business ventures and generally the constant dead ends she would run into over her family's scandal. All that she has faced, I'm reminded of Fu Yao and how she is ALWAYS going through some kind of crisis because of externals.

Either than that, the drama was good.

I've seen Nicky Li in two other dramas and I love her. I haven't watched any of the other characters, ever, but they quickly became my favourites. The drama really has an entertaining and unique story (imo). I liked how they didn't centre the whole story around her getting revenge.

Some of my favourite moments:
- when she was accepted into the embroidery and design school,
- starting up Yuanxiang's family's business (again and again),
- learning new tricks-of-the-trade, continuously improving herself and her skills.

NC/XXN is certainly one of my favourite characters.

The OST is also beautiful.

Don't be turned off by my rewatch value. It's a good drama, but I don't rewatch costume dramas....