This is a novel that I've been waiting to read for awhile and I'm so glad it's being translated. I feel like it deserves an initial review/impression to give people an idea of the story since the summary does not give much away and the title should really be updated from its too literal meaning. The novel is more popularly known as At Her Mercy, which feels a lot more apt for the story.

To start off, this is not a transmigration novel. It's grounded more in historical fiction and the... more>> reality of ancient times with all of its political intrigue and social class struggles.

Alai, our MC, is a s*ave born to a servant mother in the rich Xie family. Her father is the manor's lord who r*ped her mother when she was injured and seeking shelter at the manor in her youth. Categorically a bastard, Alai is not acknowledged as part of the Xie family. She and her mother are treated as s*aves and isolated in their own little hut with the bare minimum to survive. Nevertheless, Alai's mother, Xiaoshi, has a mysterious background. Knowledgeable in materials arts, she passes all of her skills onto Alai as a child in secret to give her a fighting chance.

In this political landscape, the Xie family who backs the Emperor, is at odds with the Wei family, who backs the Elder Princess who is fighting to claim the throne. Alai is thrust into this fierce and bloody struggle, coerced to become an assassin to kill the mastermind of the Wei family, Wei Zizhuo.

What follows is her training and gradual attempt to insinuate herself close to Wei Zizhuo in order to assassinate them. The writing is tense and graphic. Violence is described in gruesome detail and there is very little romance at the beginning. This is a slow, slow burn but the characterization and cat and mouse chess game between Alai and Wei Zizhuo is fascinating to experience.

This is a very solid 4.5/5 (rounded up) novel and everything I was expecting. I'm very grateful for the quick uploads and I hope more people give this a read. <<less

If you're curious on whether you should read, I Am Fish Meat, I sincerely urge you to do so. The story so far is exquisitely written, the schemes are so well devised and the humor, though sparse is done well and gives a great visualization of the characters. I binged read this over a week and it is sincerely one of my favorites if not one of the best historical baihe novels out there.

TL;DR: Trained to seduce, ordered to kill, but instead, she fell in love. If that doesn't hook you, what will?

I don't even know where to start with this one. If you're looking for a novel that pulls you into another world so completely that you forget about your own worries, your own life, this is it. It's long, yes, but every page is worth it. The world-building? Incredible. The characters? So complex and layered that they'll feel real to you. And the plot? Twists and turns that'll keep you hooked.

If... more>> you're into enemies to lovers, this one nails it. If court intrigue and political scheming are your thing, you'll devour this. And if you love morally gray characters, those you can't decide whether to hate or root for, this story will give you chills. The women in this book? Oh, they're strong. Not just strong, but relentless, ruthless, shaped by their circumstances in ways that make you ache for them.

There's angst, there's heartbreak, and there are schemes so clever you'll be left stunned. And yes, you might cry (I did). But it's the kind of story that sticks with you, that lingers in your mind long after you've closed the book. It'll make you think, make you feel, and leave you wishing you could read it again for the first time. Trust me, this one's special. <<less