(Credit to JayneStars)




Kenny Wong as Yip Seung Luk
Maggie Siu as Fa Yui Hung
Matt Yeung as Chik Chi Chau
Joel Chan as Sze Ma Chau
Katy Kung as Chuk Siu Moon
Rachel Kan as Chik Ying Ha
Glen Lee as Mak Sau Sing
Elaine Yiu as Yuen So Sum
Akina Kong as Concubine Man Jing Yee
Jess Shum as Empress
Stanley Cheung as Emperor Zhu Jianshen
Hugo Ng as Lei Ji Sang
Jimmy Au as Dai Wai Yan
Bowie Wu as Official Fa





My Thoughts:

1. Many would give this a pass seeing the cast but this is a very underrated drama. It definitely deserves the TV ratings it received.

2. The cast is not the usual idols/big names of TVB nowadays such as Linda Chung or Tavia Yeung. However, the good thing with this cast is that everyone knows how to act because there are no newbies taking on meaty roles that they can't handle at all yet. Ranging from the main leads to the supporting cast, everyone played their parts well.

3. Besides the acting, the characters itself are well-developed through the storytelling. We witness as Kenny changes from the start to the end. Initially thought Kenny's inability to see red is just a minor characteristic, I realize towards the end that it serves as a metaphor to the change Kenny experiences.

4. The story itself is very hooking but it doesn't really pull you in from the beginning. It takes some time to develop and I personally think the story starts to unwrap as Maggie is summoned by Akina into the palace to help her give birth.

5. The cast/characters:

• Maggie Siu- 5/5, TVB should learn to cherish its talented actors. I hope from this drama, TVB would give more lead roles to Maggie as she can definitely handle them. She reminds me of a Sheren Tang back then who wasn't quite promoted by TVB but eventually took home the Best Actress award due to audience support. There is not much change in her character from the start - her personality/story is revealed as the series move on. Scenes such as her commemorating her husband and her stressing out due to her father-in-law's disorder builds her character. 
  

• Kenny Wong- 4.5/5, Another actor TVB should cherish especially now that he has two well-received dramas to start the year for TVB. His other drama Speed of Life is actually pretty good. The cast except for Sisley Choi is doing a good job but I think it's also the genre and storyline that contributes to its success. As an executioner, his character here is reserved and dislikes talking. It doesn't really need much work to act wooden/stoic but it is his character that really makes him interesting especially how he became an executioner. 
• Matt Yeung- 4/5, A rising actor in TVB who has starred in numerous productions throughout last year. His character is not completely likable but he has layers. He is not completely a good character as seen in the scene where he killed Wing Siu (the guy who always torments him). The reason he is like this is because of his sister who worked at the brothel to support him. It is really emotional to know how his sister cared for him although he is not her blood-related brother. 
  
• Katy Kung, 5/5, She usually plays the annoying little sister or the third-party in a relationship in other TVB dramas but she plays a totally different character in here. I really like her in here and this definitely showcase her acting and proves that she can actually act not just the bratty roles but also the gentle and kind woman.
• Joel Chan, 5/5, He can no doubt act since he has been around in TVB for quite some time. His performance doesn't disappoint and his character as the imperial guard that protects the future emperor is slowly revealed. He first appears as a mysterious magician but he is actually a guard that is sent to guard the baby prince. 
  
• Akina Kong, 5/5, She left and then returned and then recently left again. TVB lost someone big time since I love her as an actress. Besides acting, she is also good at maintaining her youth since she still looks young when she is in her 40s. I've watched Tavia Yeung as Concubine Man in The Emperor's Harem so I know about her character. I kind of knew she is the one after the baby prince because after all she is notorious in Chinese history for forcing concubines to abort their babies. The writing is so much better compared to The Emperor's Harem especially with much more interesting leads than the two musicians in TEH. Her down hairdo though not correct serves to make her look younger since after all she is almost 15 years older than the emperor. So in order to stay young, she must maintain youthful looks. 
   
  

• Jess Shum, 4/5, Going against Concubine Man, she fails to triumph as she is not as evil as Concubine Man and she isn't as loved by the emperor. She is very pretty and I like how she spoke her line in one part because it really adds to the tone of that particular scene where she is giving trouble to Concubine Man. 
  
• Hugo Ng, 5/5, A veteran actor that returned to TVB to act. I've first seen him as the father of Sammul Chan in Beauties at Crossfire. In here, he is the main villain but he is not given much to do until later on in the series. With a great historical backstory and the character of Concubine Man, it doesn't really affect the story much when his character is not as well-developed and well-focused on. 
  
• Honorable mention: Rachel Kan, Glen Lee, Elaine Yiu, Bowie Wu and many more --- all are actors who have the acting chops and I sincerely hope they will continue to act more meaty roles. Elaine won Best Supporting last year so hopefully she will lead a drama soon.