The Crown Prince only laid his eyes on him but he didn't really harm him yet he's hell bent on his life. Okay, I understand, but the way he used Shen Huaishi is way too much. Also, was there any difference between him and Xi Rong? At least Xiao Jie was innocent, he knew early on that Xiao Jie isn't fit for this position and his heart was so pure yet your favorite MC ruined his life. When Xi Rong pointed out his crimes and told him about retribution, I really hoped he would get his karma.

I also like how the author straightens out the bad traits of original MC (the actual MC in the novel where ML transmigrated) where previously he always forgave original ML (the main villain in the first arc, the crown prince) so easily even though the crown prince had indirectly killed his entire family.

MC quickly takes control over the family's resources and plants his own people inside. soon the family falls from grace; the half brother dies, half sister cast away, and the stepmother goes insane. ML dies from his illness, MC is widowed and left with his riches.

unbeknowst to MC at the time, ML is a transmigrator who was given a second chance at life after he died in his original world. ML transmigrates into the body of a general and they reunite. ML explains the phenomenon as a "transfer of souls" and lets MC in on the details of the novel he transmigrated into. together, they work to bring down the crown prince and the emperor who are both after mc's body. in order to avoid being turned into a concubine, MC marries ML for the second time. MC falls in love and they confirm their feelings for each other. using the knowledge they have of the novel, they gather key allies and uses the crown prince's shadow guard against him to bring him down. once the emperor dies and the crown prince disposed, they install a puppet emperor and MC takes control over the court. but the puppet emperor's reign is short lived and he is disposed for his close relationship with a scheming eunuch who allied himself with a hostile foreign country. MC installs another prince who is the empress's biological son.

ML goes to war and dies. he transmigrates again into the body of of this new brand emperor who was once thought to be a dullard because he had 'lost his soul' as a child. unexpectedly, this body is near identical to his original body. the emperor's dullness recovers, MC and ML reunite (again), they marry (for the third time), and live happily ever after~

honestly the political intrigue was SOLID like it had a bit of dog blood face slapping moments but overall it was engaging and easy to follow. and I love the story snowballed into catastrophic proportions like lin qingyu went from scheming against a bunch of annoying in laws to scheming against the crown prince to scheming against TWO emperors before finally installing his own husband as the emperor while taking control over both the court and the military. bro went from 0 to 100 all because hes knows how to keep a grudge and I gotta respect that

honestly I LOVED lin qingyu as a character. wasnt expecting the MC to be a big scheming villain when I started it but loved it. a classical ethereal beauty poisoning his enemies into submission is DELICIOUS. also I especially love the part where he lead an insurgence against xiao jie and xi rong, physically trapping everyone inside the court, demanding the empror to step down and then straight up told his eunuch that hes gonna kill him lmaoo. hes literally got the empress dowager around his finger and the entire military at his beck and call despite being "just a doctor" hes such a bad bit*h I love it.

also im losing my mind at how outsiders would think of their relationship like everyone knows lin qinyu went thru 2 dead husbands before climbing the emperors bed and making himself empress like if thats not the most c*ntiest thing idk what is. bro is the ultimate femme fatale hes capable of causing the downfall of the nation he puts daji to SHAME!!!

anyways, jiang xing and lin qingyu invented love like the number of times this novel had me swooning is insane. also I love how the author kept reminding us that lin qinyu is a GREAT BEAUTY the MOST BEAUTIFUL PERSON IN EXISTANCE as if we could forget

honorary mention to xiao cheng aka the evil crown prince hes such an as*hole but I kinda dig his character. he was a pretty good antagonist and rivalled lin qingyu's smarts so their back and forth was fun to watch. especially loved the unravelling of his relationship w shen huaishi. kinda wish we had a scene of the assassination because I just know it wouldve been so fking good. friends to unrequited lovers to f*ckbuddies to one sided enemies whats not to love!!!!!! AND I WAS SHOCKED WHEN I SAW THAT HE LIVED I didnt expect shen huaishi would use the fake death pill on him omgg you soft hearted cutie

but I lowkey dig the og storyline with xiao cheng and shen huaishi. 1000% be the type of tr*shy wife chasing crematorium novel I would read and enjoy the f*ck out of.

lowkey sad for xiao jie aka the idiot emperor who only held his seat for like a year lmao. im thinking his relationship with with xi rong was the romantic/suggestive kind so its sad how it ended like that. imagine seeing your most precious person beheaded in front of you like yikes. I think it was meant to be a cathertic moment for the readers since xi rong is a bastard through and through but it was a bit upsetting to me. either way, xiao jie got a dose of ancient versed and all is good (haha not)

anways rip to all the gay couples in this novel except for jiang xing and lin qingyu. its tough being a cutsleeve out there

supportive empress dowager is the cutest thing actually :') honestly thought she wasnt gonna make it out alive since shes the one who decreed qingyu's marriage with lu wancheng in the first place

the modern extras are so unserious I loved it. but rip to shen huaishi who had to be separated from his toxic malewife for seven years lmao

also I kept thinking if its possible that jiang xing's og body was xiao li but he transmigrated to modern day as a baby (so he didnt know he transmigrated) and now hes transmigrating BACK to his og body?? like theres gotta be an explanation why xiao li and jiang xing look the same right??

also just WHAT is up with the guoshi like is he a transmigrator as well??? he was sus from the very start and the story never explained what his whole deal was

fav scenes

ngl all of jiang xings death scenes were an instant fav looool *laughcry* his first death where hes out of his mind delirious but even in that state he was still subconsciously trying to comfort lin qinyu with his little white lies, and qinyu not understanding the affection he felt at the time yet hes willing to go above and beyond for symoblic gestures (wearing his wedding dress again??) because that was his husband's last wish. the second death didnt hit as hard BUT the lead up to it was more painful because they were aware of their feelings and had much more to lose this time around. lin qinyu's offering his body the night before his departure because he needed the reassurance that his general would come back... and the poem at the end was beautiful :' (

also their first time in a dream was really tender and kinda sad :' (qingyu really thought this was the last time he would ever see his beloved and the weight of that realization once he woke up just broke me

"PRIME MINISTER GEGE" sobbb this is so cute

ML's 1st death kind of had deep impact on me. I was very prepared for his death but then the author had to make moment so heartbreaking. If he had just died I would have been ok but before he died, MC wore the wedding dress as ML always wanted to see it but then MC finds that ML lost his vision and couldn't see him....... I am not crying. ML apology for not being able to keep living on and wanting to rest...... who the hell cutting onion!!!

Seriously ML first death had bigger impact on me than his second death but his second death was also so heart wrenching, Mixed with MC's reaction.

It's a bit pity that the OG gong didn't die..... but well, even despite what he gone through OG shou still want to save OG gong and be with him, what can I say?? You better treat him better than ever you bastard OG gong.

Like the crown prince using him as a substitute cause he looks like the crown prince's white moonlight, the emperor (the old man) wanting him to join his harem, etc.

the crown prince faked his death and still pursues Shen Huaishi. Which would have been both interesting and in line with the plot of the original novel. It felt really underwhelming that he just died off-screen despite being one of the big antagonists. But this scene never went anywhere and nothing was ever mentioned again.

the MC found out his world was originally from a novel - aka not real, and he just never reacted to it. It also wasn't very believable that the ML had no reaction to having transmigrated into a book - there was never any moral dilemma about how he perceived the people in the book, and it was weird how he just made his peace with dying in his first life without any real reaction to his own transmigration and previous death in the real world. The was something that hinted a system (normal to transmigration novel) since he told the MC that a 'she' had told him that the MC was the most beautiful person in the whole world of Dayu, but then this never got mentioned again.

sometimes to some pretty cruel retribution like forcing the person/s they love to commit s------ in front of them or manipulating a ex to mu*der his former lover