It’s Better to be the Empress Dowager

Description

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Tang Shishi was the number one beauty in the court. She was arrogant, domineering and aggressive. She accidentally picked up a book and learned that she was just a vicious female second lead in a palace struggle. Later, she would fight for favor with the female lead, and eventually she was ruined and died miserably.

Now, they have just entered the fief of Jing Wang, and the first meeting of the male and female leads has not happened yet. There are two paths before Tang Shishi. The first is to hold the heroine’s thighs tightly and join the female lead camp early; the second is to please the male lead and steal the favor of the female lead.

Tang Shishi chooses the third way.

Tang Shishi knew that the male lead’s adoptive father Jing Wang seemed to be low profile, but in fact he was overly ambitious. In the near future, he will invade the capital and proclaim the emperor before the imperial court, but it is a pity that he passed away before passing the throne to the male lead.

This year, Jing Wang is twenty-four years old, still young, and has yet to marry a wife.
Anyway, she already in the Forbidden City. Instead of being the concubine of the male lead, it is better to be his adopted mother, the empress dowager in one step.

————–

Zhao Chengjun had no intention to get married, so he adopted his subordinate son as his heir. He thought he would be with his army in his whole life.

Later, the imperial family sent a team of beauties to Prince Jing, and the leader was named Tang Shishi.

His young, adopted son and his subordinates also persuaded: Your Highness, this is a beauty trap.
Jing Wang: I know.

The so-called beauty trap was merely a bait for those who wish.

Associated Names
One entry per line
宫斗不如当太后
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
I Became The Stepmother of My Ex-husband (5)
Greetings, Ninth Uncle (4)
Second Marriage (3)
The Crown Prince in the Jade Pendant (2)
I’ll Be the Male Lead’s Sister-in-Law (1)
Married To The Male Lead’s Father (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Memorable Reads
  2. Most Popular Historical BG
  3. BEST CN NOVELS
  4. Historical Romances
  5. Novels I've read in 2024

Latest Release

Date Group Release
12/31/21 Just for Fun Trans c143
12/29/21 Just for Fun Trans c142
12/28/21 Just for Fun Trans c141
12/26/21 Just for Fun Trans c140
12/25/21 Just for Fun Trans c139
12/23/21 Just for Fun Trans c138
12/22/21 Just for Fun Trans c137
12/20/21 Just for Fun Trans c136
12/19/21 Just for Fun Trans c135
12/17/21 Just for Fun Trans c134
12/16/21 Just for Fun Trans c133
12/14/21 Just for Fun Trans c132
12/13/21 Just for Fun Trans c131
12/11/21 Just for Fun Trans c130
12/10/21 Just for Fun Trans c129
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122 Reviews sorted by


theliongirl
theliongirl
June 14, 2023
Status: Completed
Quite good. The summary is kind of misleading - it's more like the MC failing miserably to seduce the original male lead while inadvertently having the actual male lead fall for her. The plot is solid, the romance is cute, and the first half of the novel is quite humorous.

The MC is unique, she's really fitting to be a brainless and vicious supporting female lead, but her luck is so good that she gets out of trouble often lol. I like her very much. The male lead treated her very... more>> well and was quite charming; I found both of them and their relationship very likeable.

I only have one major issue - their first time was while the MC was under an aphrodisiac and wasn't the best. Tbh I'd consider it r*pe. If you can skip that chapter the ML is great the rest of the time. <<less
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izznis
izznis
October 14, 2022
Status: c143
If you want a scheming MC with the perfect brains and vicious plans.. Then this is not for you.

This is not a rebirth story where the cannon-fodder died and reborn with all the knowledge and experience. This is a story of a cannon-fodder that got her hands on a prophetic book which she can use as clues to avoid troubles. So keep in mind, her character is a cannon-fodder who just want to survive and can only depend on her beauty and her husband's favours. There is a scheming and... more>> vicious FL, but it's not MC.

Spoiler

You can see the difference when the author made an extra of how it would be if MC was reborn instead of having a prophetic book in her hands

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I think it's an interesting setting, especially for those who is looking for something a bit different from the usual MC from rebirth/second chances tags like me. You can see her character growing and the ML thankfully smart and reasonable enough to support all her mischiefs while clean things up rationally. MC also knows not to go to far with her means, she always play around with his bottom lines but never cross it lol

What's also interesting is that the oriFL and oriML were the typical characters you would normally support in a imperial harem story. But their viciousness and things we know they shouldn't have done but somehow justified in their pov were highlighted. This show a whole lot of different perspectives. For example, one of them is instead of having a ML that's blindly love, engage in passionate affairs while indifferent to everything else and make s*upid conclusions, it's better to have a ML that can love just as passionate but can still think clearly and keep his intelligence at the same time.

If there's one thing I would complain about, I think the author should have add one more extra chapter in the last extra or at least a few more paragraphs from the MC's pov T^T <<less
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Solunter
Solunter rated it
July 7, 2022
Status: Completed
This was actually a great read. Good plot, decent writing, nice characterizations. Anyway, I just want to express that the synopsis is a little bit inaccurate. Reading it, we could get the idea that the MC chased the ML actively, but she did not. Some readers hoped it was like that only to get disappointed. It was only at the later story that she changed her goals!

I gave 4 stars because there were instances where it seemed gray, it's kind of uncomfortable. I'm thankful I was born at the modern... more>> era. I wouldn't like to be born back then, especially as a woman.

Spoiler

Examples of those scenes were when ML decided to take advantage of MC when she was delirious with drugs. It's r*pe whenever there is no proper consent! It was even worse when the ML said something as if it was fine because the MC didn't give him a choice as she was the one throwing herself towards him. I don't like this trope where people just romanticize r*pe like that. Stop this kind of thinking, ah! The rampant use of drugs too. Then the in*est vibes too with ZZX and TSS, and the royals. These issues are disturbing.

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The MC had many flaws. She was selfish, petty, has sharp tounge, etc. Although the characters are not perfect, we could say that they are more human. Yes, some readers may not like them because of this, especially the MC, but it has perks that this story showed such human ugly sides. I've gotten used to characters being overly perfect, they looked flat. In reality, humans could be selfish and would prioritize their interests first. That's what's TSS's nature really is, and the author emphasized that even clearly at the story. Some might think that TSS doesn't genuinely love ZCJ, but I don't think so. She did really at first just wanted to take advantage of the benefits that he could give her, but I could read with her actions that she cares, and she just doesn't notice it. And with multiple POV, it's hard to express that since the ML believes she doesn't like him, the MC doesn't notice her feelings too, even the others thought she was just climbing ML's bed for favors.

ML had his shortcomings with his communications too. If only the ML could communicate and empathize more, then the book would not be written at all LOL. Lots of misunderstandings because he wouldn't tell MC directly despite believing that she could be dense. (Calls her s*upid, but she's just dense and not brainless).

It's not just the two leads who showed their flaws. ZZX showed how a human could be ungrateful even if given favorable things (this guy's a scumbag through and through). ZSH showed how a person could present herself as a nearly perfect protagonist, but actually has a very dark side. The Empress Dowager and MC's mother showed the side of the women who were unfavored during the old times, but with completely different outlooks with life. ED showed how a woman could be ruthless, jealous and manipulative even with her own family, while MC's mama was naive passive and accepting of the unfair treatment she was given, but was a loving mother. The beauties showed how hypocritical people can be.

It was a diverse set of personalities, and that's how it was more human-like despite being fiction. I like this story because of that. It wasn't perfect, sometimes predictable, but kept me high up even though I could guess what will happen next. I also loved the extras too. The kids were cute, the other parallel world story was written nicely. It was just bad because I needed more, but those were the last chapters. <<less
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wan-wan
wan-wan rated it
June 22, 2022
Status: Completed
Funny at the beginning, some drama in the middle, good end. (Plus happy bonus chapters)

So funny how "common sense" decision of normal people, like FL, is not the same as "heroine's decision", and that makes FL so confused.

The ML is good, good in everything, so FL's live is good too.

Considered easy to read, not so cliche' plot, have some boring parts but still passable.
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EmeraldStrawberry
After finishing this novel, I immediately vowed that if my husband to be won't be as patient as Zao Chengjun, then I will probably never marry.

Jokes aside, this is one of the best, if perhaps the best novel I've read.

It's not just because the plot is entertaining, nor how good the translation is.

... more>> What hit this close to my heart was how real, truthful, and morally zealous Tang shishi is. With all the books I've read, it's so rare to see one of her character.

She knows her likes and dislikes, prioritizes what she think is right and REASONABLE, straightforward and unassuming, and even if some would hate her because of how vicious, harsh, and heartless she is, I can't help but recall the scene where:

Spoiler

Even though the Empress Dowager plotted so many times to kill Wangye, she always couldn't stand to see him dead and always rescued him. This is most especially true when the dowager decided to test her and ordered her to make Wangye drink the poisoned drink. Tang shishi loved him and knew in her heart that the moment she took that cup, even if she pretended, it will destroy her relationship with her husband. So instead she said resolutely, "I'm sorry Empress Dowager. I cannot."

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She was so true to herself, and I loved how she always bullied Zao Chengjun which led to the latter always coaxing her and indulging her. I loved it because she knew she has suffered so many grievances and she doesn't want to pretend that nothing happened. She also would not settle for less and bite back at those who bit her first. She's so fierce by the end that I couldn;t help but scream in joy whenever she used her power to slap people left and right. GO TANG SHISHI!

It's just so precious because it's rare for a novel like this to have such a simple, straightforward MC. Yeah she's not that simple and she knows how to pretend but she stays true to the people she cares about.

And that my pals, is the reason why you should read this book.

I also love Zao Chengjun because he also had realness in him. He did not immediately fall in love with Tang shishi. In fact, both of them fell in love with just the right pacing and realness that by the middle of this book you'll probably cry and empathize with both of them because of the hardships they've been through, especially Tang shishi.

Anyway, I really want to say more but I want you, my pals, to appreciate the gem the same way I did. <<less
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RaiderKay
RaiderKay rated it
March 18, 2022
Status: c78
Dropped. I liked the main character because I thought she was smart and stubborn. Nope. She didn't plan things out and when she did, they went horribly. She continued after the son despite knowing he's bad, and against logic? Choosing his father is the actual good choice. He's the patriarch, he's royalty, rich, and has no lovers. Nope, son.

I really liked it, even though the main character was dumb and refused to learn from her mistakes. My biggest problem and why I stopped is...

There's r*pe in this novel and I... more>> have requested that tag be added.

Spoiler

Chapter 65. She got drugged and male lead sleeps with her. She gets pregnant and he leaves her at his house for two months. Until she is nearly forced to have an abortion and become infertile. He saves her, they get married, they both don't thinks the other loves them.

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<<less
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Ai-hime
Ai-hime rated it
January 19, 2022
Status: Completed
FL (Tang Shishi) is s*upid and malicious and vain and an idiot but ever since the first chapter, the author had already declared her character settings to be so. She really is just like a cannon fodder villain who dies in the early chapters because of her evil and malicious ambitions against the female lead. If readers keep in mind that this is FL and she is never going to be smart, never going to be brave, never going to be like all the amazing FLs from other stories, then... more>> readers can read this and be satisfied. She does have her shining moments however, she still has the s*upid cannon fodder villain personality everyone despises and that's never going to change until the last chapter. She is s*upid but her s*upidity is what makes this novel.
Spoiler

In her past life, she was defeated by her rivals and died without even knowing why. In her current life, she does not learn and will never learn, will remain s*upid and unrepentant. The only difference was that Jing Wang noticed her early on and thus had time to fall in love with her s*upid self and thus made her happy and made her be the victor.

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I have read reviews and resigned myself to follow a s*upid MC. In the end, my only regret is that it ended too soon and I could not follow her anymore.

Solid 5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ <<less
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Fungiball
Fungiball rated it
January 1, 2022
Status: Completed
11/10

  • Perfect story
  • Perfect translation
  • All in all, it is perfect
This one has become my one of the best favourite and hidden gems romance story with historical genre. Thank you for the author making this story and for the translator translating this story. It is just that good which made me moved to tears and made my eyes perfectly swollen.

Spoiler

especially after reading the extras.

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I will surely re-read this novel again after some times.

In conclusion, highly recommended.
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kkp666
kkp666 rated it
November 9, 2021
Status: c22
Honestly I expected to have a lot more court intrigue than what I have read until now. Granted the MC is the bold but kinda no brain type but not the extreme type, the ML I have seen till now is just maybe inexplicably developing fondness for the MC and the plot still hasn't arrived to the point mentioned in the summary. Zhao Zixun is also a somewhat lame personality man who is very indecisive about ladies including Mc
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YeongEunJi
YeongEunJi rated it
September 5, 2021
Status: c65
I love it! It was interesting and at the same time a touch of hilariousness would be seen from time to time. ML FL are adorable and funny. I love their interactions. Their relationship was also interesting. Just a warning tho it is really a slow romance. It took a long time before they developed something but it was worth it! The characters (ML FL) were pretty much flawed, they're not perfect and they're not just all about unicorns and rainbows and I love them for that!

A must read!
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Yufeng
Yufeng rated it
September 26, 2023
Status: Completed
The FL will annoy you to heaven and back again. Her personality is actually what you'll get from other novel's "dumb female supporting character". While it's true that this is true to the character setting for her since this is her role in the "Heavenly Book" but it still gets on my nerve. The way she refuses to let go of her ambition to cling on to the OG!ML is even after ... more>>
Spoiler

being pregnant and marrying his father

[collapse]
is just uuugghhhh!!! Like she clearly realizes he's tr*sh but still want for cling to him. I can only face palm.

Spoiler

their oldest daughter is an absolute demon.

[collapse]
<<less
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Vortex15
Vortex15 rated it
August 20, 2023
Status: Completed
I love the story but hate the extras. The most infuriating thing is the child rearing. Can't stand their second child. This is how you not only harm your kids but also harm other people. There is nothing wrong with being mischievous and annoying your siblings but she is being malicious to her older brother. Destroying someone's hard work repeatedly and then gets defended and the victim gets scolded is horrible parenting.

Anyway, the extra triggered me but the rest of the novel is really good!
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tedy2004
tedy2004 rated it
July 24, 2022
Status: Completed
Shortly, I'll say, this novel was nicely done. The characters FL and ML were a half shoujo-like but in an ancient china place, the shoujo tag is felt in the middle chapters and up, I'll say. It has a good plot, because of its uniqueness, even though it's a simple plot and you will know what will happen here and there, it's a good read. Oh and the synopsis is not entirely accurate, glad I didn't read it attentively.

What was disturbing:

... more>>
Spoiler

Is how their author rushed their relationship in the middle chapters of the story. FL was drugged with an aphrosidiac by FQ on a boat, and FL didn't know at first, but found out some important information and decided to rush back to ML's mansion, then FL (status: beauty maid) had *** with the ML. Yes, although I understand that it's explained that ML gave in, because of his greed of her, but another important fact is that ML decided to marry FL sooner because of that. With that author's reason, came another reason, their child from that bed scene, before marriage... Thus FL was tied to ML forever "yeey..."

This is where the r*pe tag came in, as "romantic" and a tag to rush their relationship...

Although it was told that they just did the bed scene with no details, which fortunately that's where the shoujo tag came in. But this r*pe tag, is always a bad thing in every novel, it is not a romantic thing at all, nor is it healthy to be used just to rush a relationship in a story.

I would rather wait for the author to patiently make more chapters, like 40 to 70 chapters for example, about their relationship and later marriage status. Not to use this shitty tag to rush and destroy a part about the novel that I will dislike, and surely many did and will...

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Funny spoiler:

Spoiler

Author did not write even a single time about them kissing 0-0...

[collapse]

Overall, it's a good novel with it's own shoujo flaws and some things that were not explained, but it was written nicely. The extras were really entertaining, which is rarely seen, maybe for me.

P.S. Bed scenes without details

Good night. <<less
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s1003
s1003 rated it
June 10, 2022
Status: c143
Very fun and entertaining read.

MC is different from your typical protagonist, she is not omniscient or calculating, and instead bumbles along trying to take advantage of situations (due to her knowledge from the book) but usually messes up in the end. It's hilarious and cringey, which I think was the point. The "cheat" book gives a very one-sided account of events and she cannot control what happens outside of it. It's refreshing in the case that situations and circumstances are influenced by other characters and their actions. Not just how... more>> it was "depicted" originally.

I also love how flawed MC is as a FL. She is vain and ambitious, and wants to live a life of luxury, but these qualities are very realistic given her situation. It also aligns very well with the ancient culture - she knows the advantages her beauty can bring her and uses it in order to live a well-off life.

The relationship between the MC and ML is funny. Lots of bantering, lots of ML feeling helpless against the MC and just pampering her in the end. I like how their relationship developed throughout the story, how the two were very cautious around each other and how the ML slowly fell first. The development was slow (sometimes a little too slow - mainly on MC's part), but again, it was believable based on their personalities and their motivations.

I also liked how the ML was flawed as well. Too often, the ML is a Gary Stu (cold, domineering, perfect), so it was nice to see the ML grow - especially learning from mistakes he's made in terms of his relationship with both the FL and his adopted son.

I actually really liked the extras in the end about the previous and I think it would have been a great story in itself! <<less
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Aria064
Aria064 rated it
March 31, 2022
Status: Completed
I really hated the MC at the beginning, to the point of dropping the novel halfway, but I'm glad I didn't. MC (Tang ShiShi) is typically the type of girl that becomes villainous cannon fodders. She is beautiful but arrogant about her beauty, thinks she is smart and capable but extremely s*upid in reality, selfish to the core but she is very hypocritical about others. She steps on other people without any rhyme or reason and likes to fear the strong while bullying the weak. I was really tired of... more>> her childish schemes to snatch Zhao Zixun from Zhou Shunhua to the point I rooted for ZSH to defeat TSS. As expected TSS was defeated multiple times by ZSH because let's face it, TSS is really s*upid.

Since TSS's character started as a character with so many negative points her character growth in the story is really appearant. I'm glad the author didn't try to make her character as a smart or capable character like another novels where everyone praises MC for her intelligence while she is brain dead in reality. Here everyone know about her s*upidity, ML knows it, Empress Dowager and her supporters know it, her other 'sisters' know it and sometimes even MC herself knows it. Since she became aware of her failures and capabilities, she gradually realized that she can't be compared with 2nd FL ZSH. So she started to become cautious and focused on finding a backer to help her in difficult situations which developed her relashionship with actual ML, ZCJ.

What I liked the most in the novel is ML. Honestly he is such a gentleman and one of the best MLs out there. At the start he found MC amusing, he probably considered MC as a jumping clown while he is watching her (failed) schemes. He gradually found himself falling in love with her because MC is cute in her own way and less vicious and pretentious than other beauties sent by Empress Dowager.
Spoiler

How they spent their first night and got together could be dub-con to some readers but this is one of common troupes in C-Novels and is considered normal. After MC had gotten aphrodisiacs, she came straight to ML but ML didn't have s*x with her until she recognized him and gave her consent in a roundabout way by hugging him when he tried to leave. After they met again ML apologized from MC which I rarely see in other C-Novels. The only time I was dissatisfied with ML is that he didn't communicate with MC or at least a leave a note before he went on a military expenditure which made MC think their first night was a one night stand. I can understand his concerns to some extent since he was afraid of our s*upid MC running her mouth around and spoiling his plans since his departure and returning dates were secrets. In return, he arranged his close servants to protect and serve MC while not allowing other people to bother MC.

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I love how Zhao ChengJun didn't go all possessive psycho mode to stop MC's crazy obsession with 2nd ML, instead he waited patiently until she realized her own feelings. He is always protective over her, loved her as the way she is and ultimately made her secure and loved to the point that she tried to willingly sacrifice herself to save him. Their love story is such a nice journey from suspecting each other and being on guard against each other to understanding and loving each other for who they are.
Spoiler

At the end of the novel they have such a happy family life while extras reveal another story that could have happened/already happened in a parallel universe or in another lifetime.

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This novel doesn't have a much complex plot nor schemes that keeps readers in suspension but it has its own positive points. The author is really talented in writing different MCs & MLs who are not perfect, but relatable. If you are interested in other novels from the same author read "Greetings ninth uncle" is recommend. <<less
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Tyarena
Tyarena rated it
March 3, 2022
Status: c79
The blurb is very misleading!

... more>>
Spoiler

MC kept on trying to win the original ML from the book for 1/3 of the novel. She have only unintentionally ended up with the father after she was drugged by aphrodisiac. She did NOT decisively pursued the Jong Wang as hinted by the blurb.

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Novel is alright from beginning to middle, then it kinda became boring because the MC became another helpless female who only relies on the OP ML.

MC is naive, although not a helplessly idiotic in the beginning as she does have self-awareness and she is flawed but she was determined to achieve her goal of becoming the empress dowager. It is a fine read at first, until the MC married the ML and then her IQ couldn’t handle the court politics and she became one of those helpless FL who can only rely on the ML like other novels, at which point it became boring for me. No character growth, which was disappointing. It could have been a better novel if the MC have continued to be strong and holding her own weight instead of just relying on the ML.

The translation is good, better than a lot of the other novels. <<less
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silent hobby
silent hobby
February 14, 2022
Status: Completed
The MC in this novel is the most realistic one in my opinion. She has many flaws, but the flaws made her real.

There is no smart female MC, no deep scheming, no righteous and innocent MC.

If I was in her shoes, My attitude would not be far from her. She is not smart but she understands that she is gorgeous and beautiful, that’s her weapon to survive and have a better future.

Some of reviewers despise MC and branded her as toxic and s*upid, well maybe she is not your ideal... more>> MC but her character is realistic as normal human being.

When you wanna try to read this novel, throw away your expectation for ideal MC, just think of normal teenage girl, you’ll enjoy the plot. <<less
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Njtrisha
Njtrisha rated it
February 10, 2022
Status: Completed
At first I liked it, the starting was interesting.. after few chapters I liked the FL and her s*upidity. But she was too s*upid to bear 70 chapters or more. It would have been better if her character showed some quicky and smart moves but unfortunately it didn't. The story was slow paced... Too slow to read but I like the ML very much
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SweetLove
SweetLove rated it
February 3, 2022
Status: Completed
This definitely tops as one of my favourite c-novels.

Very plot-driven with smooth storytelling. The translation was good, kudos!

There's a balance between political and harem intrigue as well as the romantic development between TSS and ZCJ.

I'd say this is a novel I would keep on coming back to re-read! ❤️
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CaliforniaMaki
CaliforniaMaki rated it
January 28, 2022
Status: Completed
I really like this one! And great job by translator too!

FL is so sassy, I love it! ML also takes time to get to know her. His bullying and her stubborness is the perfect combination lol
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