It usually doesn't take me very long to get tired of a drama but I've had better luck sticking with Chinese historicals than most other genres. I was a bit skeptical about starting this drama and the first time I did try it, I lost interest within the first 15 minutes. However, I powered through and at the end of this very long drama journey, I think it was worth sticking with it. Story - 8.0/10 The story in this was actually quite good, very entertaining but at times a bit unrealistic and far-fetched. It did keep me hooked right to the end. Down to the last minutes of the drama, I was wondering how on earth the conflict would resolve itself. The weakest parts for me were the final episodes since I almost didn't bother with finishing it and the ending felt weak. However, the majority of the storyline was highly entertaining so I'd give it a higher rating. Acting/Cast - 7.5/10 I've never seen any of these actors before so I thought they were all good. The actors accomplished the characters' motives well - the villains most notably. When they were evil, boy they were evil. Unfortunately, the characters themselves didn't work for me. I can't think of one character I liked in this drama, which is unusual for me. But still, the actors played their parts well and there are some whose works I'll definitely follow up on. Music - 7.5/10 I'm an OST kind of girl but sadly I couldn't find one song from this that I liked that much. The music was appropriate most times, just nothing memorable for me. Rewatch Value - 4.5/10 At the end of the day, this drama feels too long for me to rewatch it. Give me a year or two and maybe then, but not the whole thing. There was just so much in this that I feel exhausted thinking about it. OVERALL - 8.0/10 Definitely a good drama. Not great or magnificent but one worth watching. Just don't try to marathon it - you'll get exhausted quickly (because I know I did - I had to take several breaks in between!)