This will focus more on the 2nd half of this drama.

It starts directly where it left off. No unnecessary recaps, thankfully. You notice as the series progresses that the seriousness slowly creeps in. The comedic reliefs become less frequent and you can feel it start to brew trouble ahead. I personally think this was well done. The characters involved acted it out well.

The growth of the FL here is more steady, but I also think that the reason she has for feeling betrayed by the general was petty. While I can understand she feels betrayed, but thinking about it from a more logical standpoint, I definitely would do the same as the general. Implicating the whole Shang family would indeed be stupid. She admits herself that she understands it, but still decides to break things off. It does use this as the final element where her character becomes more mature and let things go, it also felt more like putting another layer on top of something, to hide the flaws.

One of the most memorable episodes to me, was when she left for the palace to stay next to the deposed empress and her mother rushing to the palace gates. The emotions portrayed by the mother, when realizing the meaning behind her daughter's words was acted out well.

The warmth that the empress shows for the FL was also done well. It works to show how different things might've been, if her mother did the same.

The last episodes and the conclusion did feel somewhat out of place, but despite that I think it was executed well. It did tie up some lose ends. The battles was done well too. I somewhat wish there were more of this throughout both parts, but hey, I'll take what I can get.

I think this series was the biggest surprise in dramaland for me, in 2022. I doubt I'll find something which'll get me as invested as this, for the remainder of the year.

Recommended.