The Northern Shuo volcano arc seemed very side-questy when compared to the rest of the novel, despite being probably the climax arc. Southern Shen's war arc was a lot more the edge-of-your-seat type thriller that I was expecting. The ocarina coincidence seemed slightly contrived as well, and it seemed like a terrible idea to have Qin Nuo dress up as the spirit maiden long-term; it worked out pretty well for him, but considering how many things could have possibly gone wrong in that whole arc, I pity his poor ministers. However, I very much enjoyed the resolution to the arc, despite its slow middle section.

There is a little BL subtext but it's a hetero ending for the MC. Another character/s is reveal to be the BL storyline but the ending for them is open ended.

the MC and his bodyguard. The reason being is that we saw the whole process of how their whole relationship developed. I swore I cried at one point. If this story had been BL, they would would have been definitely the main pair. Unfortunately, the main pair in the ending is straight. Here is a brief summary of how I grew to love their relationship.

• • The bodyguard was a war s*ave in the gladiator arena, so a person who was from an enemy nation. MC saw him in the ring and decided to buy him as a martial arts instructor.

• • Throughout the story we read events, where the bodyguard protects MC, and see how MC
    slowly beings to depend on and trust him. (Kyaa~! MY BL TINTED EYE!) In one event, the bodyguard offers to take part in a polo game for him, in concern for his safety. On the other hand we watch MC benevolently reform his country, while the bodyguard stands with him.

• • There was a hilarious scene where Pei T-something and Ren-something, thought the two gay couple. This scene does eventually play a surprisingly important role in Ren-something's story.

• • MC's country general Pei, later tells MC that the bodyguard was the one exposing their plans to the enemy nation. However, MC says he believes in the bodyguard. It made the scene, where the bodyguard claimed he leaked the military intel, all the more saddening. MC was so sad in the scene where he repeatedly says "why". MC was incredibly patient with him and was waiting one day he'll tell him his story. We later find out, MC already had an idea of who the real culprit was, but was hoping the bodyguard would speak the truth.

• • We eventually find out the bodyguard was previously the big general of the enemy nation before he became a war s*ave. The bodyguard hadn't cared previously whether he died or not because he essentially lost his family in the previous war. From my perspective, MC was his healing life. (WHY IS THIS NOT BL?!)

• • The real culprit who leaked was the enemy's nation's ninth prince. The bodyguard knew this so he took the blame instead. However, just because we knew that the ninth prince leaked the intel, I the guy wasn't dislikable. The ninth prince had a fairly sad background. The enemy nation previously had a loving royal couple, however the ninth prince was born out of a pure accident with another woman. Due to this accident, the ninth prince's mother was never acknowledged as a concubine. In contrast, the nine prince gets acknowledged as a prince after meeting the bodyguard and his eighth brother. The bodyguard was essentially his martial arts teacher. Later the mother gets in trouble due to her family. In order to save her, the ninth prince agreed to act as a spy in MC's nation. This is the reason why the ninth prince eventually creates a spy network in MC's country. Since the ninth prince was acting as spy since he was young, his spy identity was really special. He had been acting undercover as the country general's Pei adopted son, named the Ren-something, who I had previously mentioned. It was quite interesting reading the story because the ninth prince had mixed feelings towards the general growing up. He was after all the reason his country was in tatters and his adoptive father. The reveal was quite surprising and heart breaking. Ren-something was definitely the caring mother hen character in his group of friends.

• • Eventually, the bodyguard completely switches over to the MC side and becomes MC's country naval general. T_T (WHY ISN'T THIS A BL STORY?!?)
  • There is however an open-ended BL relationship at the end. It did catch me by surprise. It was with the Ren-something guy, and MC's cousin.

• • MC has a brother who essentially grew up with him because of their close age, but the brother (tenth prince) was heavily influenced by his mother to hate him. Although, they grew up essentially as enemies, anyone who grew up together are bound to feel familial with one each other, so the ending between the two was bittersweet. Near the beginning of the story MC accidentally kills the tenth prince's mother. I'm pretty sure, if this event had not occurred, the MC would not have become emperor, but rather the tenth prince. They sounded very cordial when the tenth prince still did not know about the truth of his mother's death. Unfortunately, the truth came out and the confrontation event was just as emotional. MC pleaded to him to give up his revenge. You must note, even though the MC only transmigrated for a couple months and the tenth prince constantly attempts to bully him, the tenth prince spent a considerable amount of time with him since he transmigrated there.

• • MC and the country general Pei have a very friendly relationship. Pei is very open-minded and he essentially is the go-to-guy whenever he wants to talk about new ideas from the modern ages.

• • MC loves his sister. I find it hilarious how he constantly crossdresses her. Moreover, crossdressing becomes a very important plot device. (I mean he essentially "marries" himself. LOL)
  • I honestly could not see the romance between the MC and FL, but their willingness to confide in one another was very refreshing and nice. They were like two besties.

The main character, Qin Nuo, is the ninth prince and a reincarnator who also had the same name from her past life, Qin Nuo, before 'she' became a 'he'. Also, the body she inhibited has a twin a sister named Qin Zhin (from Foxaholic), (or Huo (from Wattpad)).

Qin Nuo only wanted to live a peaceful life until his (her) ill Emperor Father was suddenly bedridden that that's when everything started to fall apart as a certain Noble concubine and her son tried to get him (her) killed only for that Noble Concubine getting what she deserves in the process (she ended up being stabbed by a sword that slipped from the hands of a maid). Qin Nuo escaped death and upon witnessing a servant that tried to kill him, he wasn't that merciless enough to implicate a pitiful ex-former maid of the Noble concubine as the prime suspect in killing said Noble Concubine as he (she) only instructed her to do what he told her so as the Noble Concubine's son wouldn't kill her.

Throughout the chapters on what was given here on NU, his siblings and other people, except his sister and his attendant (a eunuch) and a few other maids, still see him (her) as the dim-witted and s*upid ninth prince but soon, all of that will change...

*DUN DUN DUNNNN!!!!!!!!*

Me @ the extras: cries @ author "ty for giving me the spice of life!!! The bl.... Ty so much cries" if any of y'all are hating, get real. It's not realistic if there wasn't any bl. c'mon we're talking ancient china ppl.

Next is tidying the inner court such as the military power and the empress family clan. The empress dowager and 10th Prince plotted to kill the MC but failed and are eliminated. Betrayals. Dealing with man-made plague, coming up with the idea of a bank, inventing bbq, better wine, better glass, gunpowder, messenger bird, etc.

Plot against the southern tribes by cross-dressing as his sister to marry over and bomb the southern king's forces. Later escaping and becoming a saintess to plot with the southern tribes to turn against each other (not united)... took 1 Yr.

20 chapters of extra chapters that included dreaming into 500 years later where the later generations of historians converse of MC having 2 sons and one daughter, CP rumors with another emperor, guessing his plot...