Bob N

Came to this after watching Yanxi Palace and put it off for a long time because I was still getting off the high from Yanxi Palace. Although they feature people from the same era, I felt Yanxi Palace was more of a face-paced story about revenge while Ruyi was a slow-burn romance. I'm really glad I watched this drama because everything about it was top-notch. The casting was stellar, and the characters all had depth and each had their own purpose. I found myself liking the toned-down, mute costumes in Yanxi Palace more, but the costumes, especially Ruyi's empress attires, were also glamorous in their own right. I found the pacing of the last 20-or-so episodes a little rushed but the last two episodes were absolutely amazing. Highly recommend watching this.