It's not a palace drama, but I assume the emperor must be involved in the plot in some way or we aren't doing the period right. 😄 So there's scheming and intrigue, but it's mostly about the sects and their rivalries, and I didn't find it particularly tedious. It's just kind of what the characters do, and I liked the characters. So that all worked out okay for me! I'd definitely rec it for the toppy FL, and the toppy FL being Mao Xiaotong. <3