Overall the story flow is awesome. There's a lot of military plots as well, which can be tedious in understanding these. Character development is also great. It's very interesting to see how Yan Si Kong plot his revenge. I like how the front part of the story is all sweet, starting from how MC and ML met during childhood (the scenes are very cute), and then how they got together in a relationship during their teenage years, and then gradually proceed to knife scenes in the middle of the story... more>> to build up the climax. It's also amazing how the significant side characters interact with MC and ML and how they play a part in the plot. I also like how SQC took the time to write the extras that are telling the budding love story between 2 significant side characters.

PS: took me months to figure out how this review editing works LOL <<less

I am shocked that this novel isn't that popular yet.

Love the story so far, sounds very promising. The historical setting, plot and characters seem very intriguing. Similar vibes to when I was reading Qiang Jin Jiu.

Cant wait to read more.

I love it so far. The pace is good with not boring parts. I'm looking forward to read more of their story as they grow.

Hands down for the author for creating such an interesting great story that makes the plot flow smoothly and steadily which makes you hooked from the beginning till the end, the characters the scheming the plotting everything is satisfying that I can't wait for the upcoming chaps.
Not to mention the MC sikong such an interesting character intelligent, smart, caring knows how to act in the most difficult situations and our ML powerful has great achievements and caring towards the MC and there's more that we will know about them.

The translator left a ps that they're thinking about dropping this which is saddening, I really hope and beg whoever knows Chinese to pick this wonderful story don't let it go to waste it has such a great potential and im sure it'll become one of the most popular novels.

Yan Si Kong (MC) is a smart, capable and ruthless. I really love his tenacity and cleverness to get what he wants. He has everything really tough and my heart hurts so much for him. Feng Ye (ML) was raised by wolves when he was young thus he earned the nickname of "Lang Er". He's strong, brave and a total golden retriever and he's 5 years younger than MC. Story revolves around MC wanting to overthrow the current court and wipe out the corrupted officials and the useless emperor so... more>> the political fights are really interesting.

The story is very long, spanning over their adolescent period (Si Kong was 13 and Feng Ye was 8 when they first met) to their 30s. The details to the era were good, SQC really did a lot of historical research in this. Their romance was really an emotional roller coaster and Yan Si Kong's love is very humbled. As usual, SQC stories always has a scum gong and I was so frustrated with ML's double standards. He straight up won Shao Qun. The distrustfulness and constantly digging up Si Kong's past actions to rebu*t him really hurts Si Kong so badly. He also couldn't put himself in Si Kong's circumstances.

The side characters were well fleshed out. They were pretty memorable and there was a lot of foreshadowing. I really like Feng Hun his wolf brother!

Spoiler

I cried a bucket when he passed!

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I liked how they worked together when planning on war strategies and they had this chemistry between them. They are really the best pairing when it comes to planning and scheming. The crematorium was good enough because Si Kong had always loved him and so is Feng Ye so it didn't need to be overdone. There's so much tears and angst in this and Si Kong probably one of the most pitiful MC in SQC novels. <<less

this novel was very promising at first. The battle scenes and schemes in the earlier chapters were really good, to be honest. And even the romance itself had a pretty good potential too. Just imagine, childhood bestfriends to lovers helping each other achieving their own goals in such a corrupt nation. That would be amazing.

but the romance definitely ruined it for me. Especially the ml. I'm not that bold enough to say that he's childish but yes he is— at some point (many times actually) — unreasonable, in my opinion.

... more>>

Spoiler

"wdym? He just lost his own father, and now everything is only up to him to continue his family's legacy and take revenge. And his emotions were blocking him at that time and made him unable to think clearly" he treated the MC like sh1t and disrespectfully too. Not realizing until like years later the fact that the MC clearly, at that time, helped him escape and did what he did for the sake of the ML and himself.

the MC had always been like that, in front of him, the ml. Let's be real here. It's a 300+ chapters long novel. Idk maybe it's just me who doesn't like the miscommunication trope.

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and I don't know about anyone else here but I /personally/ think that the ending was a little too rushed for me.

i have read a few of the author's other works and have come to the conclusion that her works are not for me. And I guiltily think that one of the reason why I don't like this novel was because at first I was comparing it a lot to Qiang Jin Jiu. My fault, I know. It is not very recommended to baselessly compare 2 completely different works.

overall, this might be your favorite but definitely not mine. <<less

The description says that both MC and ML are scum but I disagree.

*sigh*

Its a sad one. The character (main+ side) growth is too brutal. So much so that you can hardly trace back their original cores.

If you're ready to delve into this quagmire of half-truths, vengence, depression (MC), strategies, loyalty, huge sacrifices, love-and-hate, this is for you.

I became a big fan of this author after this book.

I was originally going to DNF this book but I was really in the mood for political intrigue drama so I ended up reading this really mammoth book. This book is really really politically complex plots, lots of tragedy, angst, and betrayals.

I really liked twists and turns that happened in the story - there were some really shocking and depressing turns that took place. I really enjoyed reading about the crazy things that happened and it was really fun to... more>> go on this twenty-year long story. So much happened! The main couple is extremely unhealthily codependent but damn fiction is the only time where I'm really living for this unhealthy codependency lol.

Lots of unrealistic decisions and plot developments for the sake of angst, and main characters are whumpified and woobiefied as well. But this author is so skilled at describing the two characters' emotions, feelings and their psyches that I'm totally lapping up this melodrama.

Overall, a melodramatic (dogblood) book, but quite fun to read if you enjoy complex political intrigue, emotional rollercoasters and angst lol. <<less

Really good. I especially enjoyed it when MC was still young. His first real battle to protect the city was amazing! But then later it was ok there was just too much back and forth battle, it got a little boring. But nevertheless still a good novel.