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The Job of an Imperial Concubine
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Web Novel (CN)
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Rating(4.6 / 5.0, 577 votes)
5    77% (447 votes)
4    14% (80 votes)
3    4% (22 votes)
2    2% (9 votes)
1    3% (19 votes)
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2014
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Completed (117 chapters + 4 extras)
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Completely Translated
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Release Frequency
Every 1747 Day(s)
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Weekly Rank: #9367
Monthly Rank: #4825
All Time Rank: #746
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On 4583 Reading Lists
Monthly Rank: #556
All Time Rank: #1582

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To pass as an imperial concubine, one must be professional.

Actually, the profession of an imperial concubine is pretty good. The emperor will accompany you in eating and drinking, and even pay you for it. What’s not good about that?

Associated Names
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Nghề làm phi
ว่าด้วยอาชีพนางสนม
妃嫔这职业
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Recommendations
To Be A Virtuous Wife (10)
The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (7)
Eight Treasures Trousseau (4)
Pampered Consort’s Acting Awards (4)
The Times Spent in Pretense (3)
Chongfei Manual (3)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Binge worthy Ancient China (BG)
  2. Imperial theme [BG]
  3. Best Female Protagonists
  4. Memorable Reads
  5. The BEST Historical Novels (BG only)

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Write a Review
148 Reviews sorted by


ak4hoshi
ak4hoshi rated it
July 8, 2021
Status: Completed
(Spoiler alert!! It may contain some superficial spoilers)

It's very good, in a lot of ways. First of all, it's realistic, second, the characters, and third, the build.

ZL is awesome, not because of her abilities, the four arts or whatever, she is an ordinary woman as she says herself, she's smart, but not overly, her greatest feature are her ability to read people and situations, to endure, not be shortsighted, and her power over herself.

FJ is honestly a great emperor, though a scum man. The most important thing to... more>> remember is: when one achieve the peak, there's always things one have to sacrifice. In his case, the sacrifices are his feelings and his women. He doesn't allow himself to love any women, including ZL, and for the sake of the court (inner and outer) stability he would dispose of any of those women in the harem.

The 'plot' is simple, ZL's ascending as an imperial concubine, from a small Wanyi to a honorable Zhao Guifei. The characters are well written and likeable.

Though I have complaints, the readers and a specific character.

About the character: Consort Rou, in the beginning the author presents her to be gentle looking, but at the second half she was carefree? She's acts pretty different in the first half pf the novel.

The readers: a disappointment in my opinion, I saw a lot of comments alomg the story, and honestly people are so unreasonable. Cursing at every new concubine, when one of them met with misfortune, people would be happy and applaud their ending. It's kinda sad, instead of people take ZL's thinking "all women in the harem are pitiful", there were a lot of people just saying thoses women are a bunch of b*tches. So distasteful to see. Prob was not the public this novel was made for, for readers with a little more maturity, which those people lack.

And one more thing, the translation is good BUT!! It's so bothersome to have the titles and so in Pinyin, like the emperor referring himself as Zhen instead of We/Our, and calling the concubines niangniang over Her Highness. In Pinyin so much more comfortable. For readers who'd like this novel, it'd be better like so. <<less
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Fulminata
Fulminata rated it
July 12, 2020
Status: --
It's just so-so. The author's other works, To be a virtuous wife and the eight treasure trosseau, are definitely much better than this.

Like in those works, the author seems to strive for a balance between "easy going, smart, 'independent' and sensible modern world FMC" and the ancient world's perception; where woman are seen as "flowers" that adorn the clothes of their husband. If this premise is properly wield, it might become a powerful tool of storytelling.

Alas, the author failed to do that. Some of the MC's 'modern world' musings failed... more>> to sound like a 'cynical commentaries', and somehow turning into a patronizing thoughts on 'how to be a proper wife' instead.

Still, it's a light-hearted read. The translator is very helpful with their explanations of unfamiliar terms. <<less
7 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
silent hobby
silent hobby rated it
December 8, 2019
Status: Completed
I loved most of this author's novels. All the main characters are independent, strong personality and smart/wise.

For this story, I also enjoyed it very much. Although there weren't any true love in the story but I could understand and support the MC's principal.

Basically she was trying to have a good live in dangerous harem. She guarded her heart with clear headed reasons and logic.
Spoiler

she didn't fall in love with the emperor because she knew if she gave away her heart, she would live miserably or die early

[collapse]

She just wanna live a peaceful and comfortably.
7 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
hutaoist
hutaoist rated it
March 11, 2022
Status: Completed
I was surprised by how satisfied I am with the story. I even had a slight difficult time parting with it. I find this story refreshing since it is much more realistic. Truly shows the vast difference between the favored and the unfavored, and how the emperor can change his heart instantly.

ZL is not OP and she's not dumb either. She's actually cunning which is needed when you want to survive in the harem. For people who wanted warm romance, this is not for you! However if you give this... more>> novel a chance, you wil surely not regret it. <<less
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
sheenachandrab
sheenachandrab rated it
January 7, 2022
Status: c121
What I loved about this novel is that this is completely different from other novels where the female lead always starts as smart and cunning but later on completely depends on the male lead after they fall in love for everything like a dead weight. This heroine on the other hand stands true to her personality and moves forward smartly without falling head over heals. She is absolutely brilliant.
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Ritu
Ritu rated it
August 24, 2020
Status: c63
Only read this novel if you are able to forget your morden morals. It's the ancient world and the author very clearly depicts how even losing one favour of the king can lead to you being left penniless and alone or get killed. It's a very very harsh world and you have to remember that.

The MC very very cleverly adapts and manipulates the emperor. It's a joy to read tbh.

Personally some parts of it could have been done better but overall it's a pretty solid story and really one of... more>> a kind. <<less
6 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
BoriCats
BoriCats rated it
August 29, 2022
Status: --
Im a bit taciturn with this one. It could have been a good read. It just so happen that this not my cup of tea. Im a feminist through and through and I never liked reading harem books.

This was the first harem book I've read in the perspective of a concubine. The goal of this book was adequate to the author's intended intent and she did a good job doing it. But sadly Im one of those person who never like sharing what's mine. Especially of it's a guy. Couple... more>> with me being mysophobic, possessive and prideful, I can't just emphasize with the MC as we have different opposing views and actions if I was put in her position.

I know it's not right for me to show my dislike as this book has another intended goal. I respected that. I'm just showing my opinion.

Objectively speaking, it's indeed an intriguing and interesting book. For those who like this genres, this is a good choice for you. <<less
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Lemon_Teae
Lemon_Teae rated it
August 21, 2022
Status: Completed
I register an account JUST to leave a review here. I have to say this is one of the best novel I've ever read in this app. And I just realized that the author also wrote a lot of my favorite titles, but this is the best one so far for me.

  • The plot is great and realistic, i've been looking for a palace drama with purely survival story without any bullsh*t romance getting in the way. Rather than a story about a girl conquering a man's heart, it is more like a woman pleasing her boss and gaining a stable career. Exactly like the title says. Complex calculation in the harem will leave you guessing and won't leave you bored. Nice amount of face slaps but not too exaggerated.
... more>>
Spoiler

The way the story ends is also satisfying. She is the biggest winner of the entire harem. The emperor is still favoring her even after so long, the queen has to tolerate and give her face, her son is crowned as the crown prince, and everyone has to respect her. Even though the emperor will never made her the only one, she is content because she already know from day 1 that an emperor won't settle with a woman. What she seek is not his love but a comfortable and stable life in that shitty place, and she succeeded. Perfect.

[collapse]

  • MC's personality is very satisfying for me. Ruthless, cold, calculating, lowkey, patient, clear headed, but not overly ambitious. Her heartless style is an advantage and a disadvantage, it is very suitable for harem lifestyle but I think it is very tiring and a little bit lonely. Oh, well. She won't trouble others for fun, but she won't be bullied for nothing. She will calculate people who calculated her, the type who pretends to be a pig to eat a tiger.
Spoiler

When everyone realizes that she is not a simple as she looks, it is already too late, she already won the emperor's favor and will continue to act according to the emperor's preference. This will be her key to success

[collapse]

So far I didn't find anything to complain. I think I will be back to read this when I'm tired of romance again. Overall, totally recommended. <<less
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fallinlight
fallinlight rated it
January 31, 2022
Status: Completed
One of the best novel about ancient chinese harem I've ever read. The Emperor is very realistic, he loves the MC but did not cast aside the other concubines and the MC is very likeable.

Honestly, after finishing it, I felt empty for a couple of days since I was sad that it ended.

All in all, I loved this novel very much
5 Likes · Like Permalink | Report
Lizzytoria
Lizzytoria rated it
January 2, 2022
Status: Completed
I feel blue after reading this novel. Actually, I started reading this novel when it was not finished and put it in my on hold list.

When I first read this novel I was so supportive of FL not falling in love with ML (because he really is a jerk when comes to being husband). So after it’s translation completed, I started reading it again from the start because I forgot where I left it (I guess I was around ch80 or so) and names of the characters, too.

But after... more>> second time reading this novel I don’t know what to say, because I actually started to feel sympathetic towards the ML and even FL, too. And how lonely they seem (I guess I should say not seem but “feel”, because it was actually described as they were happy or quite contented in their life).

ML is actually pitiful man who doesn’t see how many people actually love him, because he doesn’t know what is love. But wants to believe, no actually he is sure of FL loves him, because he doesn’t know what is love.

FL is not in love with ML, that is why she can give him pure love he wants. She can act like she doesn’t care anything if she can just be beside his side. But is love really such a beautiful thing? Love is not as beautiful as he thinks, because it makes us unsure and anxious or even jealous. And love comes with great hatefulness, too. But ML doesn’t know. In the end ML doesn’t even recognize he became just like his father whom he hates so much.

And here we comes to our FL. Yes she indeed won, but is that really the end. Because she still has to fight till the end. I think, towards the end of the novel she felt tired of everything, so she actually wanted to end everything. But she still can’t because she has her precious baby. The love she can’t give to ML, she gave it to her son. But even so I think she is lonely and tired. She can’t rest, because she has her job. So she must work until she dies...

PS: I think in ML’s heart FL is around 30% (his country 50%, other woman and children 20% haha). He can’t give higher than this but it can decrease over time. Because there is other beautiful woman in his harem. And for FL... Does she really feel nothing towards ML? I think no.

But she can take her feeling under control, because she knows she will be hurt in the end if not. That is why in her heart ML is only around 10% or even less. I guess this is indeed bittersweet novel. Who won in the end? In my opinion the winner was concubine Jiang? (I actually don’t remember her name, but she has her own extra chapter so you can tell who it is if you read the novel until the end) <<less
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SN_02
SN_02 rated it
March 7, 2021
Status: c90
For me, this novel is the best and most realistic historical novel by far. I don't know about other novels, but I really like the setting of this novel. It's not like I support polygamy, but consider the time period and the background of the novel, this is realistic. We have a calm-headed FMC, that tries to survive in the imperial harem. I don't need a super lovey-dovey relationship between the ML and FMC, there's plenty of fluffy novels out there. I need this novel because it's intriguing to see... more>> the realistic fights and schemes in the imperial harem and how our FMC will survive as an imperial concubine. That's all. <<less
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Dragon_Reader
Dragon_Reader rated it
February 2, 2021
Status: Completed
If you are looking for a romance story, this is not the book for you. If you are looking for a novel where the MC has to face political cliffs, has no status and has to fight to gain the emperor's attention and affection and survive, this is the novel for it. MC goes to great lengths to ... more>>
Spoiler

gain the emperor's trust (as much as he is capable of) and to some extent, his love while making sure her heart remains free of true love. That's right. MC doesn't love the emperor. She considers them to be in an employer employee relationship where her job is to provide warmth and 'true' love to the emperor. The emperor never suspects her love and that makes him most pitiful man in the harem.

[collapse]

This author can write beautiful, poetic stories filled with women (including the antagonists) who could have ruled the world but were born in wrong times and forced to try and rule the harem filled with 1000 beauties. <<less
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peerlesscucumber
peerlesscucumber rated it
January 17, 2021
Status: c108
Really really good so far! This has a very episodic feel to it, where Zhuang Laoyan faces different problems as they come and doesn't worry too much about a distant future. As the MC, she's definitely the appeal of the story: she's sensible and clever, and I like how lazy she is, too. Very glad that this isn't a romance, a lack of emotional entanglement on Zhuang Laoyan's part is very fitting and satisfying to read. The imperial concubines are good for their position as cannon fodder: though they never... more>> really threaten Zhuang Laoyan's emotional competence in the story, they still feel real to me. It would have been very easy for this to be a story about a transmigrator making a mockery of her new environment, but it ends up being very respectful of historical women. There are moments where I am starkly, horribly aware of the depth of these concubines — not what I was expecting at all, and more compelling for it.

The emperor is actually a surprise for me, I was not expecting to enjoy reading his perspective. It's very fun to balance up his thoughts against Zhuang Laoyan's, because they are matched in temperament and in skill — seeing them coldly calculate each other is a hoot!

The translation is lovely, too. Clearly the translator has done a lot of research, and it's a joy to read! <<less
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Gushishi
Gushishi rated it
October 23, 2020
Status: Completed
It's redeeming that she didn't love the ML, the emperor eventually. Sigh, he is not like the ML tho.

... more>>
Spoiler

FL's son is a prince and most probably will become the next emperor.

[collapse]

The story felt like want to describe the ancient times philosphy, that emperor is the god, but why...... The emperor/ ML impreg lowly concubines, not the higher ranks instead? What's the logic of this?

All four most highest ranks concubines, drank the miscarriages' soup after the deeds, but the lowly did not and even gave birth? I don't know, but....... I think I missed something.......

Spoiler

the lowly concubines gave birthed to princes and princesses for the emperor, while those higher rank concubines were barren until the old ages, even the emperor's ex-most fav Noble conc. The logic? I don't know either, only the author can answer..

[collapse]
<<less
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Ainslee
Ainslee rated it
April 30, 2020
Status: c46
MTL complete.

The story focused on life in Imperial harem only. There's no politic or intrigue with outside world at all.

Even the romance is shallow, it's easy to get bored reading the story as reader you are allowed to know every character POV.

... more>> ML & FL has affection for each other, they settled their life to the best they allowed to. But it's not a passionate love as they restrained themselves too much since the beginning or perhaps the society or timing when they met was wrong.

Compared to other novels by this author, I'm not fond of this one. <<less
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Wildroyal
Wildroyal rated it
December 9, 2023
Status: --
One of the best harem novels I've read, it tries to get as realistic as possible and shows the reality of relationships in that time.

The ML is the emperor, and he is above all, someone who has seen the harem schemes play out first hand and is totally distrusting of harem women. He enjoys the joys that come with being an emperor and is one who will never forget his duty to favour one woman solely. In an era where polygamy is acceptable, and I'm really glad they did not... more>> make the ML suddenly become monogamous for the female lead, as that will make no rational sense. The female lead wasn't his first woman, and she won't be his last as such the best thing he could do for a woman he loves in such setting, is raising her to the highest pinnacle where no one can touch her and giving her an assurance of becoming an empress dowager in future... That for me is a happy ending.

I love the MC so much, she clearly knows her situation and faces it squarely. She is scheming in such a subtle way, letting everyone think she's a fool, while slowly but surely getting what she wants. She sheds every single character trait that might suggest her to be a liberal mordern woman, and fully immerses herself into her role as an imperial concubine. And most importantly, she holds no illusions of love or genuine affections, for her, the emperor is but a tool to live a comfortable life, and this big golden thigh, she firmly latches unto without scruples. She knew what she wanted, knew her place and kept her head leveled, thus emerging as the final winner.

I'll forever give this book a 5 🌟, and I wish I could read more books like this <<less
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Lazygoddess
Lazygoddess rated it
March 13, 2022
Status: Completed
Wonderful, as many have said this is not your typical love story, the MLs relationship won't suit everyone and I too I'm not that fan of it, but it was realistic that was probably the closest of love an emperor and a concubine can get in reality.

What make this story so perfect is not just the MLs but also all the characters that seemed so real and authentic that it brought life to the whole story. It was an enjoyable novel to those seeking a good story to read but... more>> not for those wishing for a healing, fluffy, and warmth feelings, there a bit of those emotion in this story but not enough and most are but act from the characters to reach their goals. <<less
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Bellablue
Bellablue rated it
November 17, 2021
Status: Completed
Highly recommended. This is the most realistic story about the imperial harem I ever read. In the end it will make you ponder if the main leads really love each other. I think ML absolutely ended up falling in love with FL but he just didn’t want to admit it and also didn’t dare to love deeply. He was a wise and capable emperor. His childhood experience taught him to be wary of people and to always conceal his own feeling. He put reason before love and who he favored... more>> was not about lust but more towards a balance of political power.

I really love FL’s character. She was strong and understood what she needed to do to be able not only to survive but also to live well in the imperial harem. What came to my mind when I read how she interacted with ML was “ you fake it until you make it”. At the end of the story, I think she never really fell in love with ML and I also think she didn’t dare to as she saw how heart broken other concubines were and how they ended up when they lost his favor. FL was a smart person. She didn’t want to be the empress but only aimed to capture his heart so that she could live well.

I feel empress was the most pitiful one. She was his main wife but never had his love and ended up holding an empty title. She was childless. Her interaction with ML made me feel she was like his subordinate rather than his wife.

I also think it is fair enough for ML to not really have FL’s true love. (Although he thought she loved him deeply) since he still has many other concubines and can’t really make her feel secured. <<less
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Emaris
Emaris rated it
September 29, 2021
Status: c119
Loved this novel. Don't get why people expect romance from a realistic harem novel.

I love that it is realistic, but at the same time not a tragedy. Because, let's be honest, the things MC did to get the Emperor's favor could have easily back-fired on her. The fact it didn't was because she was the heroine of an easy going novel - all her schemes work out, she never fails and the main villain who was built up through out the novel fizzles herself out without any action from the... more>> heroine (the Concubine Shu).

I like that she never fell for the ML. I like that the ML never fell for the MC. If they did, it would be unrealistic.

It is strange how the ML believes MC so much, but no overly so. MC's life honestly seems tiring, because she's always at "work". Even her close maids think she is ardently in love with the ML. Honestly, I feel tired for her.

However, to those people who want MC to run away or just leave the whole situation.

A. She lives within the Imperial Palace. Unlike those C-Dramas where the heroines are always jumping the walls, the entire palace has multiple walls dividing the entire area into compounds. Each area will have guards, patrols, eunuchs and maids walking around. Unless she is trained in martial arts and has a lot of spy-tactics, it is impossible for her to sneak out. Because this is literally, the Emperor's backyard.

B. Ancient China had women's feet bound. They believed that the smaller the feet, the prettier. Women marrying into the palace will be women who had their feet bound at a very young age. This is why all the women will have servants helping them walk, why they can't run, why any physical exertion makes them very tired.

C. MC also has a family and an entire clan behind that family. Her running away from the harem would implicate hundreds of people. It would be an incredibly selfish thing to do.

Realistically speaking, the only option she has is stay within the harem forever. Once you enter the walls of the harem, it is very difficult to leave. Which is why Concubine Shu leaving to meet her family for a few hours is a big deal. <<less
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lkarivp
lkarivp rated it
July 26, 2021
Status: Completed
I love this novel. It was a nice read. Good plot and kind of realistic.

I love the main character, she's really down to earth and makes the best of her circumstances.

Thank you to the translator. They picked a great story :)
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