Mei Gongqing

Description

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After burning herself to death, Chen Rong finds herself waking up in her 14-years old self in the past.

Set in the Eastern Jin era when bureaucrats and their lofty yet equally hypocritical and oppressive ideas once ruled the empire, Chen Rong is made to use her past life’s experience to survive and hopefully find happiness this time around.

Associated Names
One entry per line
The Bewitching Courtier
เสน่ห์รักขุนนางหญิง
媚公卿
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
The Princess Wei Yang (9)
Chu Wang Fei (7)
To Be A Virtuous Wife (6)
The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage (5)
Chongfei Manual (3)
Black Bellied Prince’s Stunning Abandoned Consort (2)
Recommendation Lists
  1. My absolute faves
  2. Rebirth Stories
  3. books i enjoyed
  4. My roman empire
  5. Historical Romance

Latest Release

Date Group Release
09/06/22 Hamster428 c205-208
04/28/22 Hamster428 c202-204
01/01/22 Hamster428 c197-201
10/04/21 Hamster428 c195-196
05/25/21 Hamster428 c193-194
02/17/21 Hamster428 c190-192
11/16/20 Hamster428 c188-189
08/31/20 Eila Mai c85 part1
08/13/20 Eila Mai c84
04/05/20 Hamster428 c181-184
01/19/20 Hamster428 c180
01/12/20 Hamster428 c179
11/03/19 Hamster428 c178
09/22/19 Hamster428 c177
08/25/19 Hamster428 c176
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97 Reviews sorted by


Leili_jb
New Leili_jb rated it
March 18, 2024
Status: c208
I hate this novel to my bone

MC: pure doormat how? this girl is lovesick bird she thinks about nothing but love that frustrates me like GIRL there is other things in life too love isn't it all of life OKAY? and she is s*upid not like low IQ like not rational at all

ML: OMG how can a pure sh*t can be ML first of all dude don't admit marrying her (taking her as wife) until very end and f*cking every thing up MC told him from beginning that she only... more>> wants wife position but this dude plays around and only offer he make is concubine position like bro she told you accept her or go f*ck your self this if you have nothing more to offer don't bit around the bush. their whole relationship felt like two s*upid toxic

recap:

Spoiler

MC is concubine born low status girl 15 yr and orphan her strongest feature is big T I T S and big A S S that put me off so bad through the novel descriptions about her body is so much that is disgusting. ML is a super high status perfect in every thing handsome as hell but brain of child this bro cant decide whether I want this girl or not pure playboy vibe. all the novel's problem lies with FL's low status and ML is untouchable guy and they cant be together novel is in war era after reborning she solves some problem and accumulates credit she immigrates south she meet's ML and 2ML and 3ML on the road then reach's city and settle's down then her family plans to use her as concubine for officials and get benefit she knows and she tries to stop it and tangles with ML their relationship is like we like each other but this is not possible. on the other hand 2ML (ex husband from past life) have a promise marriage coming up with Chen family Fl's family and the candidate is her cousin (2FL past life, wife, villain) but FL tries to make general (2ML) fall for her for revenge and she succeed general says marry me as wife but she says no cause love and hate relationship of past life. one night ML's servant drugs ML and FL so they sleep with each other then ML f*cks her out of his system. and they do the thing then ML says be concubine girl says no and then she goes to capital to ask emperor to decree her to be nun that she can be unmarried till rest of her life she becomes nun ML still mingles around still offering concubine position dude doesn't even think about taking her as a wife or giving up thins get twisted ninth princess stabs FL while she is pregnant with ML's child from one night stand in that moment FINALY ML says okay I will marry you as wife but FL is a bit broken and says I need time he says I was wrong pls stay then stab him self in the chest to recuperate for shitty things he done with princess and after a week girl says okay and shalalala....

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if you come looking for something like The Rebirth of the Malicious Empress of Military Lineage or Greetings, Ninth Uncle you came to wrong place don't compare that gems with this shit <<less
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eunmook
eunmook rated it
May 14, 2017
Status: c208
It makes sense that this novel rubs a lot of people the wrong way as it is the least escapist fantasy historical I've read so far. The world-building is intricate, meticulous and compelling. The moral ambiguity (some might say amorality) of all the characters as well as the social landscape they inhabit makes for a very realistic read, so that the sense of urgency and desperation of the protagonist is transferred to the reader and not merely conveyed at a cerebral level. This is not an overpowered MC despite the... more>> cheat of a rebirth, and gender and class restrictions are not, and can not, be simply wished away or washed away by one, or countless, acts of brilliance or uniqueness. Why would a Qilang, brilliant, handsome, gifted, and lauded by the world, not be this arrogant? Why would rich kids not be both bored and petty given the luxurious worlds they inhabit without thought since birth? All of us are products of our upbringing and shaped by our social environments, and this is a novel that never loses sight of that fact, or allows its readers to do so.

I especially like that it breaks with the conventional romance standards for a heroine, who might be threatened but will never actually be r*ped, mol*sted or in any way violated, because only a "pure" female body is allowed - even in romances written for women by women - to get her HEA. This inability of the female mind to escape patriarchal indoctrination which shames and guilts women out of ever truly gaining control over their own body and the choices they make for it

- so that women inhibit themselves even in the space of escapist fantasy romance from being lusty, or s*xual - is a tension that is actively explored in this novel through the MC's obsessive need (and heroic struggle) to gain respectability and status in the only way allowed to a woman: become a wife. A female MC who refuses to feel guilt or shame for her ambition or her self-respect, is indeed a rare occurrence. I cannot think of another novel here that offers us this much. <<less
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rdawv
rdawv rated it
February 25, 2016
Status: --
Review as of Ch.74.

Very slow paced, and I don’t see how the series will end when it’s listed as complete at 5 volumes (who know how many chapters per volume). But I am intrigued by the journey of the MC, a woman who was given a chance to return back to her past to change her foolish ways and doomed future.

Written in a languid way and set in a backdrop during the uncertainties of a decaying empire beset by barbarians, it reminds me of the novel “To Be A Virtuous... more>> Wife” which is considerably more forceful due to the difference of status of the two MCs. The MC of “To Be A Virtuous Wife” had the benefit of being the legal wife and thus was able to quell the infighting between the concubines and monopolized the attentions of the master of house on herself. Mei Gongqing did not have such benefits, she is like a willow reed forced to bend with the winds. She can only use her foreknowledge to avoid the mistakes of her previous timeline, and yet cannot completely extricate herself from the pitfalls of being a single woman in a clan-dominated society of ancient China.

It’s not a fantastical story like “Descent of the Phoenix” or “A Mistaken Marriage Match – A Generation of Military Counselor” where the MCs are powerful equals to their respective love interests. Mei Gongqing doesn’t even have a set love interest as yet, having to concentrate on her own survival first; given the chance to float between the attentions of two attractive men with wildly different qualities, while beset by the unwanted attentions of the corrupt and lecherous, compounded by clan elders who are more than willing to pawn her off like a chess piece to secure the favors of the powerful.

Mei Gongqing is a more realistic and historical setting where daughters of the family are still subject to the whims and orders of the clan elders. It is a story about a woman’s struggle to re-do her life, limited by societal norms and by her gender. You want to root for her, for her to overcome the various challenges that are flung in her path; and yet you still get the sense that she can never fully escape those limitations. A detached reader might feel it’s like watching a drama where concubines fight each other to get the position of the mistress of the house, but in the end the winner is still just confined to the house and remains dependent on the husband.

There is romance in here, but not yet solidified within the translations and I can’t tell you how it goes. Unlike the burning passion found in “To Be A Virtuous Wife”, everything here is layered with caution and propriety. The dialogue, the plots and the characters all have different qualities, meanings hidden in the spoken word, subtext in movement and action.

It is an interesting read, and the translator should be praised for the meticulous care in translating it. <<less
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Nocturne
Nocturne rated it
September 8, 2017
Status: c90
Greetings my Loves,

this had such a great start but somewhere (fairly early) it lost its charm and turned into, what I like to call, bad writing. Dropped.

Nevertheless big xi

... more>> xie to the translator who has done a beautiful job. The story really flows pleasantly!

I've recently found myself enjoying all these Chinese Palace dramas (Princess of China, The Princess Wei Yang, The Legend of Lu Zhen etc). So, I thought I might as well give this one a try. It might turn out interesting, refreshing even.

I have to say that the beginning and the entire premise were really nicely done. There were no info-dumps. I'd even go as far as saying that this book has one of the best handled expositions in its genre. Palace Drama and reincarnation/soul transmigration.

This was or to say is the only saving grace of the novel, beside that there is nothing much.

Let's get straight to the problems and why this story wasn't good, to me at least that is.

The Story

It started good. Problems thrown at the heroine and she has to showcase her wits and cunning to solve them. Giving the reader a more vibrant and clear view of not just her character but also the way she is going (most likely) to handle all the problems that will come at her in the near future.

Then it turned downhill fairly fast once the first male love interest appeared.

All that is mentioned about him is his heaven-defying beauty - no problem there. But it's mentioned way too often. Girl, we get it - he's hot. Is there a need to repeat it over and over and over and over again? No. No, there isn't. What I hated even more was the way she was addressing/calling herself when talking to the first ML. Praising him and condescending herself. I found that extremely off-putting to me. Don't understand me wrong, I know that Chinese nobility liked to beat around the bush, talking in riddles, using certain phrases to explain certain things yada yada. But she was way too bold, more so if she had lived one life already. She should surly know better that 'face' is everything, especially to the Nobles.

But what I hated even more was the way she interacted with the third love interest.

Author, did you even read your effing first chapter?! She killed herself because of him? How come that she is to fall again for him? Am I really reading the same story? Is she s*upid or something? This makes no sense!!

Why even kill yourself if you love him so dearly? What I find even more ridiculous if the fact that she isn't driven by revenge or anything like that or other human emotions - hate, angst, sadness when facing him. Keep in mind that we're talking about Ancient China here - Face is everything, dignity means everything. Shame, bringing dishonour to yourself and/or your family is a legitimate reason to end your life, to 'atone' to your sins, disgrace you've brought over your ancestors.

Am I still reading the same book, is she really the same heroine that was outlined so beautifully?!

Things went downhill from there. Inconsistencies, questionable decisions and the beauty of the First love interest that gets greater and greater with each passing chapter.

The Worse

    • Chang Rong claims that she went into war with her Ex. So one might imagine that she should have a sense of maturity when facing bloodshed, killing and blood - or at least not faint and cry like a sissy when an arrow was shot at her? She claimed herself, that she not just went to war several times with the General but he also taught her about war strategies. What kind of war and which strategies is she referring to, honestly?
    • I honestly can't even begin to comprehend what the boys see in her, how they fell in love with her. It's not like her personality is anything special?! Or they interacted with her for a reasonable amount of time to show any kind of emotions
    • I simply can't get over the fact that it looks like she will once again fall for her Ex. This killed the story for me. Regardless of it being the final outcome or not.
    • The way she acts and carries herself around, I'm not very surprised that she had lost her face in her previous life...
    • Her s*upidity knows no boundaries. She has for god's sake reincarnated, don't make the same questionable decisions...
All in all, I didn't enjoy it very much. The beginning was superb, the way she outsmarted the people who wanted to take advantage of her (thanks to her first life's memories), her don't eff with me attitude but sadly it turned into some kind of third grade romance BS that I cannot bear to continue on reading.

Prosperity and happiness <3 <<less
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unniie
unniie rated it
May 4, 2017
Status: c208
It started out interesting, but after 70+ chapters this novel transformed into a horror trip (in my opinion anyway).

Usually, we are presented with a scorned daughter of some dead main wife as MC, who changes for the better and refuses to be toyed with by guys. Here, we have a concubine born daughter foolishly chasing after the idea of true love, even after having died pitifully as a result of her idiocy. Love is blind, I guess.
CR was quite frustrating to watch and after some chapters, it became quite... more>> clear, that by the ancient times she really was acting like a vulgar woman. (The author introduced her as a character with a seductive appearance but proper young girl. It quickly fell apart, tho).

She was so wishy-washy, not likable at all. I really wished she would have just ended up a nun without any male lead by her side.

Don't even get me started on the love interests, they're all terrible. Just because a mysterious pretty boy makes her heart race doesn't mean she has to let him play with her like an idiot. You'd really think the MC would learn, but nah, no real character development with this one. <<less
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Lotus200
Lotus200 rated it
August 3, 2017
Status: c135
I hate the novel. It frustrates me to constantly see the MC being helpless about her own life and future. She has to struggle all alone against the schemes from both family and outsiders and she has continuously suffered from the sacrifices that she makes for people, who would not do the same for her. The one she loves refuses to give her a respectful position by his side, the one who is willing previously trampled upon her love, and the most decent one is not man enough to fight... more>> for her. The novel deserves a high rating for the reality and the depth that it portrays, but I have decided to rate according to my opinion of the novel. <<less
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trippy-chan
trippy-chan rated it
July 9, 2017
Status: c1
Jfc, I'm shook. The translation is superbly done. I'm in awe; I never thought that a translation could be so clear and so poetic. MC...I just want this girl to be happy is that too much to ask? She's trying her best to eke out a life in a time that is quite cruel towards women, and even more so towards those unattached to a powerful figure. I've been so disappointed in the MLs that I could vomit blood.

... more>>
Spoiler

On one hand we have the love interest that spurned her to her death and is very likely to be abusive. On the other we have the love interest that "loves her" but has the (historically accurate) character that thinks it's ok to make lover*pe her when she's roofied.

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I really don't want a romance anymore in this story. Just let her and Sun Yan be platonic life partners and for her to finally attain a peaceful and content existence. I think another reviewer said it best: this really is the least escapist historical romance you could conceive of. That may turn some people off, but I think it allows you to bond deeply with Chen Rong on a level that's kind of scary. When will my heart stop hurting *cries* <<less
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Rosy36
Rosy36 rated it
December 25, 2018
Status: Completed
I have mixed reactions about this novel, but most are negative. Read this novel only if you can handle angst.
Spoiler

The male lead is one of the worst I have come across, so bad, he made me want to stop reading. As the end was nearing, I thought the angst was gone and it's going to be a fairytale for them. Well, I thought wrong! Not going to say it here, but the Male Lead does something so despicable, that I'd never want to see his face again if I was the FL. Whatever good he'd done in the past, had been reduced to dust. At least the male leads in other novels protected their FL from physical harm, unlike a certain someone who expected it but chose to do nothing about it. I couldn't understand how the h*ll the FL forgives him after that. If that were me, he would never see my shadow, ever again. Sorry for the rant btw, I'm just so frustrated.

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haruhi91
haruhi91 rated it
August 16, 2017
Status: c138
This is a rebirth story where Chen Rong wakes up after her su*cide and sets up to change her past for a chance happiness. Being born from a low-status family, everyone expects her to conform to the unspoken rules of that age: being grateful to become a concubine of some other low-status family. Except that her goal is quite different, being a concubine means constant bickering in the male harem, being looked down for her status. This time, she does not want to accept being only a concubine, she wants... more>> to become a respectable wife, living with dignity. Relying on her strong will, beliefs and knowledge of past key events, she fights against her family during a war time to realize her wish. It is not an easy journey, she is just a lone girl without power who tries to go against conventions and hyprocrisy, so it is enevitable when she cries at the injustice of life. In her past, she is brought to su*cide because of the indifference of her husband, Ran Min, so, this time she tries to avoid him at any cost without success. Changing the present allows her to meet an handsome young man, Quilang, from a rich family, who is not as perfect as he appears to be. Who is the male lead The characters have defined, flawed personalities, moved by selfishness most of the times like Chen Rong. It would be much easier is she bent her head and accepted a shallow marriage, but why should she bend? She is a second change at life, it is right to fight for her happiness. As the story progresses and the male leads disappoint her time after time, I can't help thinking Chen Rong would be much happier if she could live alone without the support of any feeble men. <<less
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KKristen
KKristen rated it
February 25, 2017
Status: c115
This novel is really great. It has some of the best and most engaging writing in any Chinese romance LN I've read. The translation is excellent, the characters are well-developed, and the story is unique and well-executed. The pacing is particularly good -- it moves just fast enough to keep you desperately reading, but doesn't feel rushed. I finished all 115 of the translated chapters in a single day.

PLOT:
Chen Rong lived an unfortunate life chasing after a man who never loved her. Betrayed in the end, she sets her... more>> house aflame and burns herself to death... only to awake as her younger self. As war looms on the horizon, this jaded woman decides to live a better life on her own terms.

MAIN CHARACTERS:
Chen Rong is pretty unique as Chinese heroines go. She isn't reborn with any over-powered abilities, godly knowledge, amazing debate/social skills, or gifted strategies. She's just an average girl who has a temper, is fiercely determined, cries when she can't help it, and is well aware of her own flaws and limitations.

Even her memories of her past-life are realistic -- they're blurry, she only remembers bits and pieces, many things can't be predicted or prevented, and not everything goes the same as before. Because she lived an entire other life, she is well aware of her own personality (and her own negative character traits). This is a character who is fully aware that she's no longer a clean and pure flower.

Her social status is poor (low-ranked daughter of a concubine) and she's often misjudged for her looks (curvy and too sexy to look like the usual "pure girl" characters favored in most Chinese LNs). Everything is difficult for her and it often feels like the world is conspiring against her... this story's realism makes it so I can't even predict if it'll have a truly happy ending.

OTHER CHARACTERS:
All of the prospective male leads are interesting and their characters develop in their own way. The interactions with them constantly make your opions change and you can't decide who to root for as the story goes on. I was surprised that I ended up liking several characters that I didn't care for in the beginning.

(UPDATE)
Something I find very interesting about the female and male leads is that none of them are perfect. All of them have real character flaws that become apparent as the story goes on. They all make promises but can't follow through, are prone to moments of weakness and temptation, make assumptions about each other... It's realistic (and I appreciate it) but tragic. There are moments that make your heart flutter and pound, but nothing goes smoothly. This isn't some perfect romance.

There aren't many side characters, but the ones that are there are fleshed-out well enough.

RECOMMENDATION:
The best part of this story is the writing and pacing. It really is an entertaining read, and I highly recommend it. The story is unpredictable without having unnecessary plot twists, and I really ended up loving all of the characters.

However, it's not complete and the chapters are released very slowly, so you might want to wait so your heart isn't broken when you become invested in it and realize you've run out of chapters. <<less
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Kaylee
Kaylee rated it
March 23, 2019
Status: --
............ The MC is a strong willed reborn woman, but with how the author put her here, felt like I read some weak willed woman that wants to change her fate but walk into her destined fate instead but still doesnt realise it and kept struggling in the sand pit.

I felt like I'm reading a maiden adulting into a geisha.....

I dont get with half MC schemes. All men want is s*x, pretty face, obedience, I get that, and this is in ancient china, I get it.

However, those males (all... more>> the ML) pov are also very doubtful, how come everyone like her when they rarely talk, they like her coz she has curvy and vulootuos body....... such ridiculousness reason to keep reading.

And it felt.... degrading, the way author/translation wrote MC, I felt humiliated as woman, and as a reader who always put myself in MC shoes, I couldnot say but maybe it's better to just go with the flow, marry whomever and be done with it rather than kept scheming only to fall into hell like MC.

About the ML and the men view on women in this era, I wont say anything, about ML's demise character is just a moot imo. What I couldnt accept and make me annoyed is the inconsistency of MC characteristic. One minute she wants this, she thinks this, one minute she changes her mind.

So I stopped. <<less
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Corgibutt
Corgibutt rated it
January 15, 2021
Status: c189
This is a random critique, but I don’t think the author has ever ridden in a carriage or understands maneuvering or driving carriages in crowded places. Nearly half of all the main character’s scenes and interactions happen with her sitting in a carriage but somehow she has a 360 close-up view of everything through the tiny carriage window, she quickly goes up to anyone, and can hear everything outside perfectly despite being in a massive horse-driven wooden box. It’s so implausible that it completely takes me out of the story
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dysry
dysry rated it
April 22, 2016
Status: --
MGQ starts off really well, with the lowly born female lead (pretty much the bottom rung of nobility unlike various daughters of dukes and prime ministers) trying to navigate through war, lechers and opportunists to live a dignified life, with the occasional suitor dropping by. However

... more>>
Spoiler

having skimmed through the raws, the story fails to keep this pace and tension after the war. Having been emancipated, she’s relatively carefree and while the male lead is very clear by now, and their interactions are basically:
ML: Be my concubine.
MC: No
*falls into bed together*
*repeat above*
Until one of them caves in (no prizes for guessing who). And the author manages to drag this for almost 100 chapters.

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Overall it’s a really good story, and quite different from the high-born but bullied wives that are usually the leads in Chinese romance stories, who secure their positions early and watch the rest of their story play out. Instead the MC is placed in a fast paced, high-strung story and needs to survive war, famine and her family’s attempts to sell her off, with no decent male lead to constantly protect her. Unfortunately the second half of the story fails to live up to the first, though the overall series is still quite memorable.

Other Notes:
Spoiler

I was kind of dismayed over the personalities of the other female characters and how they ended up. But I guess throughout the story, women are worth so little just one tiny mistake can ruin them for life.


Also Chen Rong and Ran Min were just too similar since they both wanted love/to be loved unconditionally but weren't able to match up their feelings or truly understand each other in either life. Instead she went with the guy who could make her happy.
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Juleee
Juleee rated it
October 7, 2020
Status: c152
This one had me pulling my hair. I kept reading because I really hoped the male interests to redeem themselves and to prove me wrong. But there were only disappointment, and more disappointment.

... more>>
Spoiler

Qilang is the type of person I pray no one falls in love with. Qilang fans may curse me, but it is how it is. He is too cowardly and ambitious to accept her as a wife, but he is too greedy and selfish to let her go. He knows he cannot give her what she wants, but still ties her to him. He offers her concubine position after deflowering her (in grey area of consent) as if he is making highest offer despite her stating it very clearly she will not accept being a side piece. It makes me question if he respects her and if he takes her seriously at all. Their status difference is also used to constantly make her small and unworthy. It is such an unhealthy relationship.

[collapse]

As for people calling ML just an imperfect human being, I think it's quite contradictory to him being described as pristine angelic being far away from reach. In fact, I couldn't feel him human at all, because of author's routinely reminder of his "divine presence". His ever elegant smile came off as robotic.

But the other male interests aren't better either. I just wish she never fell in love. I had a hard time reading her being in love.

I also found inconsistencies in FL's character.
Spoiler

She is shown to be very clever in the beginning but as it went on there were no significant display of great intelligence. Her schemes are subpar. I thought she would be able to break out when she's locked, but she did bare minimum. One second she isn't afraid of death, other second she is.

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and even at 150/180 chapter there's no much progress to her miserable situation at all.

So frustrating!!! <<less
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asinensis
asinensis rated it
July 12, 2020
Status: c184
This started out with a lot of potential. It was refreshing to see the FL reincarnate and instead of revenge, decides to just pursue a happier life for herself. The downside is that... all the potential MLs is severely lacking. Maybe I've been spoiled by MLs in other stories but the romance was really hard for me to digest.

... more>>
Spoiler

Constant descriptions of how "naturally elegant" the ML is, how because he was born with a golden spoon he is suddenly impervious to any criticism. Descriptions of how lowly born MC is, how by her own admission believes she cannot even amount to a strand of HAIR on the ML's head. Just driving me insane. ML at this point hasn't done anything profound or groundbreaking to deserve the MC. But the most frustrating part is how infatuated MC is for ML that she is willing to overlook many things for him. At one point when MC decides to become a nun and leave ML, I was cheering for her. I honestly think she's better off alone than being with him.

[collapse]

The novel is pretty realistic in terms showing how the unequal the power dynamic is between men and women. Applause for the MC for overcoming so many challenges and struggles. I guess I'm just disappointed by the romance. If this had been just a pure redemption story with no romance, I would have infinitely enjoyed it more.

Lastly, props to the translator because the translation is spot on! <<less
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ragingmisandrist
ragingmisandrist rated it
October 4, 2021
Status: --
At first I really loved this novel but slowly it just paints all women besides the MC to be hypocritical greedy and awful witches.

These appaling men toy with & ruin the Female leads life for selfish reasons yet are overall deemed acceptable compared to the conniving women in this story which is very disturbing to me.

It really could have been something great if the authors misogyny didn't drown out every decent thing about this novel
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Clandestine
Clandestine rated it
May 12, 2018
Status: c157
I really like this novel.

I love how the author can make such beautiful sentence in some chapter. I couldn't help but recite the sentence as it is really beautiful to be spoken (but if course it is beautiful because the translator has the wise in the word picking! Thank you translator)

And yes, because I often read a perfect ML that head over heels from the MC, I got really dissapointed at first with the ML. But as the chapter is going on, I came to realize that yeah that's... more>> really normal to be imperfect. No body is perfect and so does the ML. He has his own reason.

The stories went well so far, still not get bored. Although in some chapter, the emotion of the MC is hard to be grasp. Like how can see thinks A in some chapter but then think B in another chapter.

Overall it's a really good read that make me read from chap 1 to chap 157 only in 2 days! (Thanks for the holidays!)

Thank you so much for the effort of the translator! <<less
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DaBrick
DaBrick rated it
March 31, 2018
Status: c8
I was really waiting forward to reading this novel alas.. I got pretty disappointed in it in the early chapter (20~30). I keep reading for only one reason, that is to see when Chen Ron (FL) to achieve her happiness. But as I keep going on, it is no where in sight.. My heart often ache for her, why are there so many bastard in this novel.

Past 70 chapters, my hearth is already in angst everytime I see the ML action to her. It is not that the ML... more>> is a scoundrel, but please.. Can't you leave her alone?

Past 100 chapters my heart already went completely cold. I already hate the ML to the bone. Especially with that scene

Spoiler

yes, the r*pe. Why must you force her? Forcing her to become one of your concubine?? Yeah I know you don't have any wife/ concubines now and you will definitely pamper her, but did you not see why she will definitely not become one of your concubine?? Rather than man up and take her as your wife, you dare to force her by taking her v**ginity! Forcing her no way to escape but to become one of your own in such a disgusting way. This ML is my second hated after the ML of PTW

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After 150 chapters, my only wish is for her to achieve her happiness. That's the only reason I can still drag my body to read this novel. I'll even hate it if she end up with the ML. Basically at this point, I don't even know how I want this novel to end. At first, I want her to end with an ordinary life like she expected before, but now it doesn't seem possible.

And kudos to the translator team who always have excellent translation. <<less
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Gluttony
Gluttony rated it
October 17, 2016
Status: --
Seriously decently well written, engaging and well developed world building with within a complex context of values and politics which make zero sense and are as frustrating to me, as they are to the protagonist. The plot is well paced and refined in comparison to many other novels I've read recently (which are hmmm, I think the term is 'wuxia' omg I'm far too noob to these online novels).

The only bone I have to pick are to do with the romance. I mean, I adore many of the... more>> male characters but... I seriously don't get the main romantic interest. Like. He's some ethereal, universally praised, cultured guy.. who the protagonist has barely interacted with.. and much of the romance is delivered through these strange cultural nuances and silences which I probably miss half the time. And as if the most recent chapter, her turn of behaviour has puzzled me even more!

Overall however, the characters are well drawn out, the protagonist is realistic and endearing, and the plot is complex, engaging and actually somewhat worrying because in its realism I'm very unassured of my happily ever after for these characters. <<less
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Naeddyr
Naeddyr rated it
May 10, 2018
Status: c60
Spoiler

Dropped around 60 chapters in.

Chen Rong burns herself to death because of her loveless marriage to Ran Min, a stone-faced general or king, and is sent back to the war-torn past of her youth. Using all the guile, presence and knowledge she can dredge from the ruins of her first life, she tries to survive and thrive in the extraordinarily suffocating flesh market of ancient Chinese aristocratic courts.

Combined with a twisted love polygon, a reactive (and pre-reactive) MC, the sense of powerlessness and the distasteful mores and world of the day, it didn't feel good continue reading this.

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endspell
endspell rated it
May 27, 2017
Status: c124
Honestly? This novel was so good until the latest chapters mercilessly punched me in the gut.

... more>>
Spoiler

ML, that is so, so not okay. Gods. The angst is so real. I'll kick something if MC isn't happy by the end of this. The men in this story are idiots. I really need to vent.

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Aside from my dissatisfaction towards the male leads (excluding Sun Yan as from the three, one of them is a jerk while the other disappointed me so badly I could cry tears of blood), the story is powerful with good pacing and wonderful female lead. I love Chen Rong because she is strong and unyielding even when all the world threatens to bring her down. She has beauty and experience but the author emphasizes on how imperfect she can be even with the help of her time traveling. Chen Rong continues to struggle to stay standing in a land where her status makes her tr*sh in the eyes of the people but she works with her skills and charms to try to find a good person for herself and live a peaceful life. She manipulates, loves, fears and hates but it makes her as a vibrant character that truly deserves eternal happiness after all the suffering she went through (I say as I blankly look at the latest chapters yet again). I admire her very much.

This story continues to hurt me. Throughout the journey, some of Chen Rong's actions and words touched me. Her will to live and her constant efforts in trying to thrive in a discriminating environment encouraged me too. Unlike the perfectly OP MCs in these types of novels, Chen Rong just felt more relatable, in a way.

Also, the style of writing is actually very unique to me. It's a nice change of pace.

Overall, I honestly would rate this a 5 if the MC gets the ending she rightfully deserves, which is everlasting happiness. <<less
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