Li Chuan, the emperor could not sleep with Shangguanya and kept vomitting after the deed. Just like him, Shangguanya also vomitted after. They were both disgusted, but their fate was alreaday tied the moment they were born in the same clan. Shangguanya needed a son, albeit disgusted with the emperor. Li Chuan had to stabilize the country and be filial towards the clan, hence he offered himself to Shangguanya -at least his body-, albeit unwilling. It was even said later that both even had to take medicine before seeing each other at night.

When Shangguanya still could not get pregnant, the surpressed clans worked togetehr. The Su and Shangguan clan made a decision to send Su Ronghua in order to make Shangguanya gave birth to an heir. It was the best night for the two of them. Yet, they also knew that they were doomed. Just like Su Ronghua said,

The moment he entered the palace, he knew it would be his funeral

Su Ronghua knew that the emperor only favored Qin Zhenzen, so he tried to poisoned her son, yet QZZ always tasted everything given to her son, thus making her poisoned. Her death made Li Chuan crazy, he surpressed the clans, and no longer cared about the country. The Su clan was wiped clean, and Su Rongqing was saved by Li Rong

I became disappointed at first when Su Rongqing chose to go againts our leads, but he also knew about the past life, he knew that he lost many of his loved ones, can I really blame him? Even so, Su Ronghua still told him that he might make a mistake

esp when he's like on his remarriage day, "it's ok if u end up with your old lover bc I know you love him & I want you to be happy in this life"

(idk if it goes through but) her considering a marriage with her old lover in front of the evidently upset ML

a ML considering another marriage even if the MC was saying they were ok with it but here it's switched

Once reincarnated, the ML looks at his mistakes and choices, and re-evaluates them all. He doesn't become genius right away, but through struggling and self-reflection he realizes his own negative qualities and works to change them. This starts for our ML around like chapter 1, and it's a continuous growth while debating which path to take. This happens for our FL around the 2nd to last chapter, like chapter 165. ALL throughout the novel, the FL does not recognize her feelings shoving them down instead. She also makes ML jealous by connecting with her past 'lover' in first life, and doing s*upid ass stuff like calling a harem of men to entertain her for the night. Ya really... She is just a bit*h for 160 chapters, hurting the ML the whole time, and in the last few chapters she realizes all her mistakes and gives one apology, so now their a happy family of course. what bulllllllshiittttttt. That's why I think this novel is too gender oriented. The FL is upset that the ML thought he loved another girl in his first lifetime. HE NEVER laid hands on her, or made romantic advances, he was just like a friend. So FL decides to cuckold him by having a male eunuch (no pen*s so no sex) servant that she makes out with and has an 'emotional connection' towards.

The only reason to like this guy, is because he was described as wealthy (wealthy origins, like amazing family) and he is somewhat smart. He also 'understands' MC (FL) feelings pretty well, but he doesn't act to help her, instead he uses this knowledge to actually make her life much worse. In both lifetimes. So I don't personally see any positive qualities. He is a HONEYTRAP, he took advantage of female at her lowest emotional state, for his own political purposes. He may have liked her eventually, but not enough to not kill her haha, what a JOKE. so not that much. And he still has this perspective in second life, and you guys STILL want him to win??? f*cking insane.... I feel like some people just want to go against the grain for the sake of it.. or they wanna see FL die again.

Realistically think about what he did in the first lifetime (and even second). He is a POS. He acted as a honeypot and assassin for the princess, destroying the possibility of a relationship between FL and ML. After doing this, HE KILLS THE FEMALE LEAD (MC). He kills her, and blames it on the husband so that she kills him. This right there is enough for me to say f*ck him, no redemption necessary, he's done, goneso. But for some reason FL doesn't care that much now that she realizes it was him and not her husband. when it was her husband she was PISSED though..... so s*upid...

The reasoning for why she is close to the 2nd ML is because they both have the same emotional distrust of others, so neither fully fall in love, as their more concerned about politics... that's just not convincing.... It makes for a really shitty couple though that's for sure. Where they are constantly lying to each other and willing to kill the other person to advance their political goals... And some readers still ship the 2nd ml.... Anyone who ships the 2nd ML should delete their novel updates account, or at least stop leaving reviews.

I ship the 2nd ml, ONLY IF the ML could have another girl. Then the ML would actually be respected and loved, and those 2 psychopaths could love and eventually kill each other. That would've made this novel 10/10 for me.