The Grandmaster Strategist

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This is an alternate history. Decades after the fall of the Eastern Jin Dynasty, the world is still in chaos, although there is hope for reunification.

Of poor background, Jiang Zhe, styled Suiyun, has finally, after ten years of hard work, passed the imperial examinations and become a scholar within Hanlin Academy. Unwittingly, he becomes involved in the succession dispute of the Great Yong Dynasty. He faces conspiracies and machinations and countless battles of strength and wits. Intending to avoid court politics, he ultimately has no choice but to become involved. With no alternative, Jiang Zhe can only follow the crowd, joining the chaotic political turmoil. In this conniving world, he uses his intelligence and knowledge to provide for himself and his companions a stable environment to survive.

Watch nations fall, great men rise, and supreme martial artists kneel before the quiet whispers of a frail, unassuming scholar.

Associated Names
One entry per line
TGS
一代军师
随波逐流之一代军师
Related Series
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Latest Release

Date Group Release
11/28/16 Wuxiaworld v1c20
11/27/16 Wuxiaworld v1c19
11/27/16 Wuxiaworld v1c18
11/23/16 Wuxiaworld v1c17
11/22/16 Wuxiaworld v1c16
11/29/16 Wuxiaworld v1c15
11/22/16 Wuxiaworld v1c14
11/22/16 Wuxiaworld v1c13
11/18/16 Wuxiaworld v1c12
11/17/16 Wuxiaworld v1c11
11/17/16 Wuxiaworld v1c10
11/15/16 Wuxiaworld v1c9
11/13/16 Wuxiaworld v1c8
11/13/16 Wuxiaworld v1c7
11/12/16 Wuxiaworld v1c6
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67 Reviews sorted by


Chiaroscuro
Rhealora rated it
December 7, 2016
Status: c30
Let me open my review by saying that If most novels here are fast-food, then this one is a gourmet 5 star meal

Admittedly this novel is not xuanhuan or xianxia but rather wuxia-esque with focusing in strategizing and poetic things

I'm absolutely in love with the black bellied MC
He might not look like it but he's OP af
He might be not the strongest but his brilliant mind made up for it. He is the embodiments of calm, ruthless, and genius MC
This novel is also greatly written, the phrases... more>> and the poem used are beautiful
The plot are engaging and the characters are alive and not 2D

Well If anything to be of complaint, the first romance kinda sucks but still somewhat understandable

Salute to the translator! It must be hard translating it lol just look at the footnotes! But Damn aside from sometimes missing words or misspell (I mean, it's also long) it's been a smooth ride

Read it! I'm sure you won't regret it <<less
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Empress
Empress rated it
December 7, 2016
Status: --
This... Such amazing and intriguing plot with well made side characters which possess interesting personality. each one of them is very Interesting and not half-assed characters, especially the main character.

Spoiler

Feared and respected by both rulers and their subject, He is too talented and smart, his strategy is vicuous and scary. many city and contry falls with a simple sentences. With a single song, a king of a certain country commit su*cide. Geass can't even compare to him.

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InvincibleDespair
InvincibleDespair rated it
November 18, 2021
Status: v5c24
Cringe palace drama. Overrated MC. S*upid romance (a virg*n dude falls in love with a prostitute after getting f*cked by her, asks to marry her in the spot)
Spoiler

she dies lmao. Ps. She gets r*ped before dying. MC doesn't even kill the woman responsible for that shit, just wipes her memory and author calls that demonic and cruel. Wat a bs. Second one is also a used good who aborted her child. Guess author really wants a tragic beauty shit. It's just disgusting.

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cleesus
cleesus rated it
August 14, 2019
Status: v5c8
It is unfortunate that I have to come here and say this, but this story and its writing is overhyped.

There is a couple of flaws that get more and more annoying the more you read.

This story reads like a play thats meant to be acted out or an essay, the dialogue is overly verbose, uncreative and frankly often boring as hell.

You will frequently read several paragraphs in a row where nothing is happening. Every conversation requires both characters to acknowledge that they are starting to have a conversation. It might... more>> not sound that bad but since 60%+ of this novel is people talking to each other, it can wear on you fast.

IF you are used to witty and interesting dialogue, great comebacks and other methods to keep conversations interesting, just stop, you won't find that here.

Another major problem is the characters and to a certain extent the several failed attempts at romance. None of these characters really give you a reason to care about them, almost none of them really grow or progress through the story.

All the villains are basically super evil mustache twirling dorks with no redeemable qualities, the author goes out of his or her way to try to make you hate them. Most of the villians end up being women so it gets to the point that when you see a new one you know they will cause trouble.

All of the characters besides MC are pretty s*upid, the MC is actually dumb as well but he has plot armor and OP skills and the ability to do or create just about anything. He is a master at anything medical including poisons, he can invent everything on a whim, he is a mastery straigest, he is great at outwitting people and turning things around, he has unnatural physical senses that only appear when the plot demands it but is strangely absent when it could be useful, everyone wants him since he is a genius and everyone else will try to kill him.

It just gets old knowing that he will magically make his way through each problem, all the enemies in the world frequently team up against him and somehow he always wins. Him vs 200 "bright minds" amd yet he never loses.

The romance literally consists of a female showing up and instantly failing in love with the MC in a couple of sentences. It happens the same way for the other characters too, you will see them introduced at the start of the chapter and half way through the chapters with nothing really happening they are both suddenly madly in love.

The author doesnt develop it at all so he literally says wow they are in love and then tries to throw tragedy at them right after and you are supposed to care for some reason.

Another problem is there is too much damn exposition, it is insane how much filler text is thrown at you.

The book is actually not too bad if you stop at the end of the third volume and pretend that's the end, volume 4 + just reuses the same plot points and most of the same characters, once you realize that you are reading about another prince rebelling and the same few people in the same few countries doing the same things against the same people, you start to stop caring.

Overall ill give it a two, I have seen much better writing in historical theme, political Chinese novels than this <<less
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keialpha
keialpha
January 23, 2019
Status: c30
I can only give this story 2 star, for the author being dishonest about his writing. Despite how it appears, this is a soul transmigration story, and the MC has a rather generic OP power often seen in these kind of stories, which is the knowledge obtained in a modern education. However, rather than regular stories where the modern knowledge is explained by a modern MC reborn into history, and this OP power is acknowledged; the author just pretend the MC has no OP power, somehow obtained these knowledge naturally,... more>> and call that "natural talent". That is being very dishonest.

There are a lot of poetry here. They are important plot points, as these poetry are well written and make him into literary genius. All the beautiful girls and women welcome him with open arms because he can write these legendary poems. These poems are also used for political purpose to shame and kill people. From the translator's notes, all the poems are from legendary poems by legendary poets. The MC just claim them as his own creation without batting an eye.

And when he needs money, all of a sudden he can design something new never before seen, so he changes from a poor scholar into a rich inventor overnight. The only real explanation is he takes modern design into the past and no one has seen it before so he looks like a genius.

In similar stories, the MC at least acknowledge he is using other people's work to get ahead, it is not his own fruit of labor, and it is an OP power no one else has. But here, the MC claim it as his own. The MC is not a genius, just a plagiarist.

It is not surprising this is a Chinese novel. Intellectual property theft is very common in China, and this story just take it for granted that to be OP and obtain power, stealing intellectual property is a natural thing to do. I just cannot accept this way of thinking and enjoy this story. <<less
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conrath
conrath rated it
December 5, 2016
Status: c28
Speechless. I have been on this site reading novels for nearly 3 years now and I have never felt compelled to register and review a novel until now, despite having read many addictive novels.

There should be so many more works like this - but what makes it stand out is its complete uniqueness. There are no convenient plot devices, no over-powered cheats, or any unrealistic behavior favoring the protagonist. There is only a beautifully crafted world filled with richly fleshed out characters that behave completely in line with their nature.

The... more>> main character is a brilliant scholar with humble beginnings who values freedom, peace and a long life above all. He would be happy surrounded by books and idling the days away composing poetry - for which he is world renowned. However, there is no rest for the talented and his genius is recognized by the power players inside the period of warring empires. Walk along him as he is flung into the midst of political storm and forced into the battlefield. If you do, you will encounter both catastrophes that will jar your heart as well as surprising moments of beauty and peace serendipitous stumbled upon. Be ready, however, for your emotions to be violently stirred by this magnificently realistic work. <<less
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Gopper
Gopper rated it
December 5, 2016
Status: c27
Absolutely fantastic novel and translation. The quality is up there with Deathblade with the footnotes and grammar.

The novel is not your typical wuxia novel. The MC can not cultivate, the story has nothing to do with cultivating. Instead it focuses on the political intrigue set in ancient china. The MC is a scholar, and stays a scholar throughout the novel, but the way he impacts the majority of lives around him, the country, with his masterful prose/poetry is astounding. The drama is nail biting.
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Mehmeh713
Mehmeh713 rated it
January 8, 2022
Status: Completed
Loved this novel!! 👌🏻 The book captured everything I would want in this ancient Chinese political genre from the grand and reserved writing style, to a slow yet dramatic plot line to an array of fascinatingly complex characters. Also it seems to be inspired by tang taizong's time period. I thought that was pretty cool.

Writing: one thing I love is the subtlety. The narration and dialogue is written in a way that feels deliberately slow and reserved yet elegant, with things bubbling up below the surface waiting to be unveiled... more>> and unleashed as the story unfolds. I think the way it's written helped to convey the expectations, grandeur and weight of the ancient Chinese era so it fully feels like the novel is a very immersive experience

Plot: I think that within the setting and world that the author created, all the intricate strategies that were planned, all the actions taken by various characters and countries and all the consequences of these actions and strategies were explained and fully justified in a way that still felt very engaging and dramatic. Even stuff that might have been unrealistic were weaved in and explained in a way that conversely made it feel natural.

Characters: the main character is awesome. He's a genius that's super scheming, cruel and ruthless and yet he's kind and idealistic and truly loyal. Despite his extremely sinister plots, he's also likably childish and carefree. I mean really, some of his plots are truly truly scary and as I read, it really feels like a noose is slowly being tightened around his enemies' necks as each part of his multi-part strategy plays out. He's really fascinating and fun and super awe inspiring as the main character. Of course the other characters are amazing as well. I think almost all the major characters in the book are really fleshed out in showing their thought process, their motivation, and the actual actions they take and subsequent consequence they face. In addition, his opponents especially are generally people who are pretty grand themselves so their battles are quite epic.

Super must read if you like this genre of historical political fiction. <<less
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cylh
cylh rated it
May 22, 2021
Status: --
The best novel I've ever read from NU.

Characters are well developed and the story never feels boring. It's a very well written story but it isn't light reading, so don't go into it expecting the tr*sh quality writing in your typical cn/jp web/light novels... its more apt to label it as art.

Translators have done a wonderful job and the footnotes are super helpful (And yes, footnotes! not disruptive comments in parentheses)

That tragedy tag isn't for show though... Be mentally prepared to shed some tears.
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Kerai
Kerai rated it
April 18, 2021
Status: v6c32
This is not your usual web novel. It has complicated historical court intrique and war strategy plot. The romance part is very light and superficial. Its not light read so start it if you want to read something deeper and more complicated.

Translator has done very good job on this one. I found it when its main ark was not fully translated and looked up mtl like usual but... the novel is too complicated and mtl is just not readable at all. So thow the translation was slow I very very... more>> much apriciate this translator - truly profecional! <<less
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pablich
pablich rated it
February 5, 2018
Status: v6c5
I'm so incredibly happy it's back. To me, it is one of the best wuxia novels I've read so far (including Gu Long's and Jin Yong's novels).

Sorry for any grammar/spelling mistakes, English is not my first language.
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iampsyx
iampsyx rated it
December 4, 2016
Status: c26
This novel is short of a masterpiece.

World-building is excellent, characters are brilliantly fleshed out, and the prose is beautiful. If only it had more focus on wars and strategies then I would have loved it all the more, but it is a great story all in all. The translator did a terrific job! The chapters are pretty long (about 5-6k words?), and some knowledge of Chinese historical events might make it easier to read, but a clueless person like me whose only background was reading Kingdom (manga) and Chang... more>> Ge Xing (manhwa) was still able to join the ride. The Grandmaster Strategist needs more love! <<less
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FeiShen
FeiShen rated it
July 16, 2021
Status: v6c26
Great Novel!!!

I did not find this as "info dump" and this info definitely not useless. I've never used skip/skim reading on this novel. Every words in this novel is important there's no "fillers"
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artix003
artix003 rated it
May 5, 2021
Status: v2c11
I've always seen how highly rated this novel is so tried a lot of times to read this but have never built any interest in the past; so as a lazy last resort reading instead of searching up unknown novels I got back to reading this. I've still got the same disinterested feeling while reading it for many reasons until near the latter half of the first volume when I finally got hooked on it.

The first half of the the first volume was an infodump prologue. MC was not at... more>> all the focus of the story but the world building is; which is very boring if you got no characters you are attached to and it doesn't help the MC was not doing anything to be interesting. He says he doesn't want to do one thing but he is constantly being forced to do that thing he doesn't want to do. The story jumps all over the place and you got characters that you have no impression of with their confusing names. There was also no description of their appearance when their names pop up and you get confused who is who; only the females get an actual description the usual chinese novels description of them.

The latter half of the first volume is when MC starts being proactive. After a spoiler event MC starts thinking for himself instead of going with the flow. Up to the events im reading right now at the beginning of volume 2 is getting more interesting and is a spoiler heavy story so I wont be explaining them. As of now im scoring it a 3/5 i'll change it maybe after reading more volumes.

The beginning of the story is like 2/5 and the rest of the story that i've read is at near 4/5. In my opinion it still doesnt deserve the 4.6 score right now but we'll see in the future if it deserves it.

Edit: I've basically caught up with the recent chapters and it has never gotten worse from the infodump prologue but still has some problems. Story still keeps jumping around like before but as stated before now that the characters have been introduced before its not as bad. Also there is a "quotation" paragraph in some chapters that seems to state history (irl?) but its just basically a summary of the chapter; its just fluff. Also some reviews have praised the poems and such but you will only appreciate that if you know how (ancient?) chinese poems are structured and would never be translated without changing its structure.

The pros are what the other reviews say I'm not gonna repeat them here. If only I can rate this out of ten it will be 7.5/10. It still is overrated. <<less
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Pradeepwinks
Pradeepwinks rated it
May 12, 2018
Status: v6c8
This is a well written novel that doesn’t try to be excessively intelligent, yet constant praise of MC as intelligent is a little annoying. He alone will be scheming and nobody will scheme against him. There were some interesting schemes, yet few places that’ll be annoyingly childish. It’s slow, good mix of characters, good plot, yet some people might find its not interesting. Regardless it’s notch above most of xinxia/wuxia novels I read.
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Nashi00
Nashi00 rated it
March 5, 2018
Status: v3c11
GOTTA LOVE THIS NOVEL!

I admit, it was a little too bland and dry for me to keep reading in the beginning before 10 or so chapters with too much information so it was hard for me to read. I was going to put it on-hold but then I kept reading anyways... I DON'T REGRET IT.

The MC looks weak but he's actually smart af, cool and black bellied.
Xiaoshunzi is perfect loyal to the MC, he's so cool and cute, I actually ship those two but we all know they're completely... more>> straight.

It is so well written, detailed and interesting, I'm just happy I read it... I NEED MORE STRATEGY NOVELS LIKE THIS ONE. <<less
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feyries
feyries rated it
December 11, 2017
Status: v4
This novel is definitely extremely different from your usual, standard wuxia novels. I'll elaborate below:

Read this novel if you like:

  • Incredibly detailed, complicated plot points where there is buckets of foreshadowing and it seems like the author actually has a plan and is following it
  • Minor characters that you will end up falling in love with, and that actually also go through character growth and aren't there just to prop up the MC (hello Prince of Qi you gorgeous man >.<)
  • A realistic (well, more realistic) depiction of court intrigue and politics
  • No harems
  • Beautiful poetry (seriously sublime, 10/10 would recommend)
Thank you to the translator for their incredible work and their faithful reproduction of the text's meaning! Thank you for somehow managing to translate the elegance and insidiousness of Imperial politics into English.

The... more>> one thing I didn't like about the novel: (SPOILERS AHEAD YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED)

Spoiler

The first half of the novel depicted the Fengyi Sect as the grand overarching enemy. What made me uncomfortable about the author's depiction of the Fengyi Sect is that they demonized these traits in women: independence, participation in politics, strength. There was a huge emphasis on the traditional role of wives and a preference for the ancient patriarchal system. I'm not trying to defend the Fengyi Sect's other terrible actions though, and I agree that arbitrary killing of innocents and insufferable arrogance are just bad, no matter the gender. It's just that I think the author should have said the Fengyi Sect should be destroyed and their members condemned because of their criminal actions period, and not also because they were trying to 'usurp the patriarchal system'.

The author's depiction fits with the culture and way of things during that particular period of ancient Chinese history. However, as a modern reader, it was uncomfortable for me the way that patriarchal values were promoted with great deference. This won't be a problem to some readers of course, and this shouldn't stop you in any way from reading the novel. The novel is worth a look into! Just fair warning that it's not actually okay to treat women like this in real life.

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boredwayfarer
boredwayfarer rated it
May 6, 2017
Status: v5c37
This story has a very deep plot that spans a long way since the beginning, and highly intricate plots which may seem incredulous amazing and truthfully sometimes even lucky. But what I like most is the way the characters are so fleshed out, giving such personality to each character and their thoughts, in a way that shows warfare between people aren't even bad people, but very loyal, steadfast and righteous people born in different countries. Of course, there are other stories that may have done the same, maybe even better,... more>> but it doesn't mean this is not important nor makes this story any less better.

If you are interested in schemes, subterfuge, and characters who can make you tear (cry) for their deaths, I would like to recommend reading this <<less
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Chippo
Chippo
October 21, 2020
Status: --
Honestly this novel can be summed up with you will love it or you won’t

This review is more a personal bias towards this review and I personally won’t say anything negative Besides the “you love it or you won’t bit”

Honestly this novel has cost me sleepless night reading this I first pick the novel up a week or so ago and after about 100 chapter of no sleep day and night I decided I should put it down and go to sleep. Skipping a few days without reading I finally... more>> decided to finish and once again here are the sleepless nights.
that’s honestly the best description for the grandmaster strategist. <<less
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siddharth
siddharth rated it
December 26, 2017
Status: --
An absolute GEM!!!

This is one of my favorite novels. The strategies depicted in this novel are truly awe-inspiring. Seriously, how can a person without enough strength "to truss a chicken" can be so damn scary?! Even the emperor shits his pants just hearing his name. I would recommend everyone to give this one a try and try to brave the heavy Chinese words.

PS: I request the translator to please complete the last volume _/\_
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