Rating: 5/5- This novel reads like poetry, so well written, intriguing, intelligent and absolutely magnificent. It’s a must read for everyone!

I was really blown away by how beautifully this novel was written. From start to end it feels like you’re on a very well paced journey that thrills you, sweetens you up only to throw you into chaos. You always feel like you’re on the edge of your seat.

The characters created by the author are so well developed and portrayed, you can’t help but feel deeply attached to them and... more>> their various flaws and highlights. I think especially because the story felt well developed for me for such a short novel of its kind.

I must say it took me a lot longer to finish this novel than I usually would, and that’s probably because I was a bit slow to process all the politics and warfare. Yet even through all the details of monarchy and this prefecture and that emperor- I was still drawn and hooked by how this story was woven together and how everything came to its conclusion. I also came to find that I really enjoy reading historical dramas just as much as I enjoy watching them: which amounts to ALOT!

The romance is not too subtle and gets incredibly saccharine at times, but it’s not terrible. The communication, respect and maturity in both leads make this relationship the healthiest I’ve ever seen in my history of reading BL! If you look past the sickly sweet fluff between our wonderful leads, this is an intriguing and brilliantly played out action packed political drama. In my honest opinion this was one of those few novels that had me focused on the intrigue of the monarchy and its complex plotting more than the couple (which was a first for me). I still loved the couple and their interactions though, so it was a big win as a whole.

You will enjoy the side characters as well as the realistic portrayals of each person and their own situations, insecurities and struggles. I liked that the author didn’t dwindle on excessive commentary for characters or plot points. It made this novel really enjoyable for me without me getting bored.

The translation of this book was magnificent and I think that made reading this even better. Both the author and translator really helped with complex terms and references to a very complex history. I felt like I learned so much after finishing this book.

Overall, this is a must read for those who have particular tastes for solidly written novels and intelligent and wholesome characters!

This author is a gem in my eyes! <<less

Golden Stage is a very important story to me, it's simple perfect how it touched my heart and gave me so much joy while reading it. If you're looking for a heartwarming story gs is the right choice for u, it doesn't has heavy angst so it allow you to recover from the sadness others novels gives you. In conclusion, Golden Stage can be described in a single word: PERFECTION.

Amidst political and military unrest we’re met with a beautiful story of two people that simply learn to love each other and want to stay in each other company be it when the situation is peaceful, dangerous or life is uncertain...

This work is smoothly written and well translated. I’ve swallowed this book in 3 days but digesting it will take me some time.

A few back flashes are really well positioned and very tasty, they give us answers to some uncertainties we meet along the way.

This work won’t make u cry... more>> but for sure you’ll be plenty annoyed and unsatisfied with what world has to offer to our General Fu, but this will be balanced by the sweetness of the unconditional love and support from his Consort Yan.

Beautiful story... <<less

Best novel I've read, the summary didn't do this novel justice

The settings are like Sha Po Lang by Priest but not the same (I personally liked this novel better). You can really feel how the MC and ML are just really in love with each other. The author wrote just the right amount of sweetness in their relationship and it feel pure and real, not cringey like some other bl novels.

Though the plot revolves around historical era its not too thick nor shallow, so dumb ppl like me can understand... more>> em but its clear enough to follow through.

All in all, 10000/10 <<less

In my opinion, this is the quintessential historical danmei novel. No one who enjoys political intrigue and heavy doses of history in their webnovels should go without reading this one, period! The writing, first of all, is stupendous, and chichi is a fantastic and reliable translator. The plotline is engaging, the characters are well-rounded, and it also happens to be a really genuinely funny work at times as well. It's just a really solid body of work in all ways, none more so than the romance, in my opinion. I... more>> mean, who doesn't love a tale about enemies to lovers in an arranged marriage rife with misunderstandings that ends with one of the healthiest, most realistic couples in probably all of danmei? Yan Xiaohan and Fu Shen are incredibly engaging characters in their own right, but their dynamic together is just as enticing and exciting to read, and the way their love develops and blossoms as both the main story and their history together unfolds is excruciatingly satisfying to watch. There's a little bit of angst, both caused by each other and by outside influences, but tons and tons of sweetness to make up for it as well. I will say these two main characters are by far the most interesting out of anyone in the novel, so if you love large ensembles of side characters you might be slightly disappointed, but it honestly didn't bother me because YanFu's relationship is just that good. You can rely on them to remain strong for each other and love each other no matter what throughout all the political ups and downs and I think that's really important. Rather than their love being the central driving force of drama, it's their love that carries the reader through other plot-based drama, which is, dare I say, a little bit rare in danmei (especially the novels I usually read) so it made for a really nice change of pace here! Overall, I could not recommend this novel more enthusiastically. Even if you don't normally read historical novels, I think this one is a must! <<less

This novel is a gem. I really love the relationship between MC and ML. They both respect each other. They also switch! This shows that their relationship is equal. They both dote on each other. Its funny how ML acts like a child and big vinegar jar when it comes to MC.

I totally recommend this novel.

I just had to write a review for this. The translation done for this novel is PROFESSIONAL TIER, so good that it goes far beyond a literal translation. Chichi makes it an art.

It's not always easy to understand what's being said because there the meaning is sometimes veiled behind metaphors and twisted phrases, so maybe not the best novel if you're looking for a quick fix. But you won't regret reading this novel. Golden Stage is so good.

I liked it a lot. The plot is well made, the couple interactions are perfect! If you enjoyed Sha Po Lang this one is similar.

Be aware: kinda of political.

This was such a great read. The plot is very interesting full of conspiracies and mysteries.

The main couple... they're just perfect. The chemistry between them is amazing. The fluff, tenderness, hurt & comfort 10/10. Their interactions never failed to make me smile. Definitely a must read.

great story and plotline! I like this kind of genre, schemes and something like that! I'm crying so much the main cp is so sweet, and side cp too 😭

If you like something like Sha Po Lang, you can try read this! Friends to enemies to lovers with arranged marriage whoOooo amazing!!

Also thank you sm to the translator too! Great translation! Thank you so much for providing us with a great novel translation!

Well I found first few chapters a little boring but I guess that was because all the background was described but as the story progressed I could not stop reading. Its a very good read, MC and ML are adorable. Their relationship is filled with sweet nothings and fluffy bickerings. The political drama is not heavy just a bit that moves story forward and main emphasis is on romance.

Translators have done a superb job. Thank you for translating this novel.

Historical Novel with a splash of love
Just like "Sha Po Lang" Novel...
The story is about two lover trying their best to meet each other and fall in love despite the war conditions
Where there is no mobile phone to video call and whatsapp each other
The story remind me of another novel called "Those Years In Quest Of Honour Mine"

Everything is OK

I came in conclusion that historical novel is quite tiring to read... so I will take a break from it

NOTE:
There is a audio drama... just search it on youtube... it's good

"beautifully written novel". 5stars!!!!!!!

heartwarming congratulations to the translators for finishing GS.a job well done indeed. We owe you tons. Thank you for your hardwork.

worth your time so go read this novel! Highly recommended!

T-this novel..

I honestly love it.

There are only a few ones that I really really loved and this one is one of them. I started it on a whim since I didn't know what to read next only to be hit with a hidden gem!

... more>> I loved the story, the characters, the relationships and developments. The plot is really good and managed to keep me interested throughout the story.

The romance is slow burn and I enjoyed every. Single. Second. Of. It. Their whole relationship is just so precious, from their first encounter, friendship, betrayal, animosity to a sincere marriage.

Both of them are EQUAL and treat each other with imense respet. When one was in need, the other would be there to help and vice versa. I haven't come across such a beautiful couple in quite some time. And the fluff! It's just- *tears up*

I want to mention the translator who did an AMAZING job with the translation and I want to thank them for giving us the oportunity to read this novel at all. <<less

Overall: 5 of 5, no contest

The love is so beautiful.

It's an overstatement in the summary that the MC and ML are arch nemesis. In fact they're far from that. Like every historical story, it's all about political plotting, but this story, it's not too heavy on the political that the romance is pushed to the back. I feel the political help propel the story forward, but the romance is at the centers of it all. It's very well written and both the authors and translator did a great job.

Definitely a... more>> recommendation. <<less

The novel was very well-written and keeps you invested in the story and it's world. Our main characters are goals. Both of them are equally strong but in different fields yet compliment each other.

I've always regarded Mo Dao Zushi as the no. 1 BL novel I've ever read but Golden Stage is now my new favorite.

For me, the writing was easier to understand here. And the story flows very well. I can follow the schemes and palace intrigue without getting a headache. Maybe MDXZ has more intricate plotline but GS... more>> plot was woven very well too.

I really enjoyed making guesses, forming theories, and following along the mystery and war.

But most of all I love the cute interactions of our main couple. Both of this people are so cool and handsome I could fawn over them all day. Too bad they only have eyes for each other. <<less

My buddy reader AvariciousImp (over on animeplanet) was able to get her review out of the door before mine and I agree with it. So I'm going to repost it here. Dw I got her permission.

Story 2/10

Characters 4/10

... more>> Overall 3/10

Dry, flavorless, expensive, badly made. A quadrangle of terrible traits for a novel to have. The prose is absolutely chock-full of moments where the author reaches through the page to tell me something, without ever actually showing me why or how that's the case. Nothing is ever actually described, much less enriched by powerful imagery or scene setting. Worse, the emotions are all rendered in jankily translated poetry, which came off as painfully out of touch when combined with the dry, tediously mechanical prose. Half the time, character actions are rendered in the passive voice, even, which further saps any life from the narrative. It's not the worst prose ever, but considering the other factors I'm about to get into, it does itself no favors in being written like a middling doorstopper fantasy novel from the 00s, much less a 'masterpiece' like the blurb suggests.

The characters would have been okay, but as a fan of enemies to lovers, this ain't it. They already know each other, fine. They're already friends? Less fine. They're already friends and their dynamic is some painfully generic hurt/comfort fanfic stuff? Considerably less fine. I like hurt/comfort, but you've got to give me more tension to work with! Some hurt to go with the comfort, perhaps! Combined with the above issues with the prose, and you get some shallow interactions that won't hold my attention, bickering over taking medicine, and snuggles. It's so basic I find myself gasping, begging Cang Wu Bin Bai for any scrap of nuance or spice, but no, I get nothing. I lose. Besides that, the court politics are braindead, to the point where our seasoned schemer, Yan Xiaohan, has to have every step of an incredibly obvious innuendo explained to him by the emperor. It's jawdropping how slow on the uptake almost everyone in this story is, and it destroys my suspension of disbelief. Like, if you can't write from the POV of an intelligent character, maybe don't write your leads to be high-ranking politicians in a political drama, just saying :/

The translation by E. Danglars is really good for a chinese webnovel, but really bad for a professional translation job. They did much better with the funnier, livelier prose of Peach Blossom Debt, but here it's just awkwardly-phrased and janky. There are often really basic grammatical problems that any editor worth their salt would have caught, had this book seemingly had any QC at all. It did not. The translation is too literal, just like their Silent Reading translations, and the end result is like sandpaper on the brain if you're paying any attention to the flow of the prose (which I was, because I was bored af).

The novel itself is $20 per volume, physical release only. What Peach Flower House provide you for this modest sum is one of the cheapest, nastiest-feeling books I've ever bought. I literally feel like Golden Terrace is going to fall apart in my hand whenever I pick it up, and the cover is basically made of photopaper glued to the text block, so it creases immediately, and I've heard horror stories about the entire thing just peeling off of a brand new copy.

I would not recommend giving any of these people your money, because they will deliver you a hackjob reminiscent of kindle self-publishing, and charge you a premium for your trouble. So much for 'support the authors'.

Buddy read with Montero, dropped at chapter 16. <<less

It's very sweet, but I am bored; there is no conflict when it comes to their love life.

I read this novel long ago and liked it. Although it's no longer free to read, I still remember some plot points and the warm feeling the romance of these two exude. There are a lot of complications and schemes that cause the couple headaches but they work together and individually to solve each one. Both MC and ML are intelligent, scheming, and strong... one does not fall behind the other.

Although MC is disabled, ML never looks down on MC and instead shows tender care. They have a happy ending... more>> and the empire does also.

Spoilers can be read in other reviews but this is something that stayed with me...

Spoiler

About the couple switching... maybe in the future but not currently. There are no scenes in which they switch, only a scene where MC mentions it but then changes his mind. Although I do believe that ML would have been agreeable with the change if MC didn't change his mind.

Another spoiler that might be mentioned elsewhere but I haven't seen it. ML is the Emperor's son. His mother was his grandfather's concubine. However, when his grandfather died, his father coveted his mother and slept with her. She became pregnant with ML. His father didn't know.

[collapse]

<<less

This was one of my all-time fav novels and I def recommend to others. One thing I would bring up about this novel though, is the lack of side-characters. Though it may not feel like it for you, but there were a lot of times I had to question myself and ask where the other characters were. The characters overall were adorbs, head over heels for each other and loving in the most romantic way. Their development didn't pop out of nowhere, and they were able to overcome misunderstandings rather than dragging it out for years to go. I enjoyed how the MCs also didn't put their whole diverted attention onto the mysteries, but were able to carry on like regular whilst still searching for clues; other novels will have the MCs face solely on the bigger plot which sometimes makes one wonder about all the other needs such as jobs, etc.. Which seem to be ignored sometimes. It was overall a beautifully written piece and a great read for when bored.