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The Job of an Imperial Concubine
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Web Novel (CN)
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Rating(4.6 / 5.0, 578 votes)
5    78% (448 votes)
4    14% (80 votes)
3    4% (22 votes)
2    2% (9 votes)
1    3% (19 votes)
Language
Support Book (#ad)
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One entry per line
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N/A
Year
Example: 2012
2014
Status in COO
Status in Country of Origin. One entry per line
Completed (117 chapters + 4 extras)
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Completely Translated
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English Publisher
One entry per line
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Release Frequency
Every 1659 Day(s)
Activity Stats
[Graph]
Weekly Rank: #9367
Monthly Rank: #4633
All Time Rank: #746
Reading List
[Graph]
On 4588 Reading Lists
Monthly Rank: #587
All Time Rank: #1581

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To pass as an imperial concubine, one must be professional.

Actually, the profession of an imperial concubine is pretty good. The emperor will accompany you in eating and drinking, and even pay you for it. What’s not good about that?

Associated Names
One entry per line
Nghề làm phi
ว่าด้วยอาชีพนางสนม
妃嫔这职业
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
To Be A Virtuous Wife (10)
The Dreamer in the Spring Boudoir (7)
Eight Treasures Trousseau (4)
Pampered Consort’s Acting Awards (4)
The Times Spent in Pretense (3)
Chongfei Manual (3)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Binge worthy Ancient China (BG)
  2. Imperial theme [BG]
  3. Best Female Protagonists
  4. Memorable Reads
  5. The BEST Historical Novels (BG only)

Latest Release

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Write a Review
148 Reviews sorted by


timma
timma rated it
February 6, 2022
Status: Completed
Good court intrigue, but for something that aims for realistic court politics + transmigration without golden finger, it fell a tad short. I think mainly the emperor doesn't seem flushed out. After constantly telling us men favor the new and forget the old, he seems too stable.
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DojaDoge
DojaDoge rated it
January 29, 2022
Status: Completed
Nope. Not a romance. No fluffy, warm feelings-- although there's a happy ending of sorts. This is court intrigue and political drama at it's best. It's about the relationship between seduction and power. Many parts were hair raising and thoroughly engrossing. If you want more of a Cinderella style ending, I recommend following with the book I describe briefly below.

If you want something romantic and fluffy from the same author, read Pearl in the Imperial City. The characters are very similar. I like to think of it as a romantic... more>> sequel to this book. It has lots of dog food. The emperor meets a concubine and falls in love. And he is faithful only to her. They have an adult son, who is the emperor's favorite, who is getting married... <<less
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MajorGPuff
MajorGPuff rated it
November 28, 2021
Status: c100
So refreshing!

Currently up to ch 100, and it's so refreshing, so novel, so... Refreshing. Lol.

Did this novel have romance tag? Because so far, our FL kicked love to the moon, and used her brains instead. She knew that back then, women depended on men, & she subtly, cleverly helped herself by using ML. No sudden doki2 or unplanned ticklish heart.

... more>> She deserves her own shonen manga, she is that cool.

In a crowd of transmigration stories, this one stood out beautifully. This author is really unbeatable. Most of her historical novels are my favorites, thanks to NU, who compiled all this author's novels, did I find this gem of a story.

The translator? OMG, they kickass. Amazing translation, I wish them all success (since they did say they were starting nursing course, amazing how they can TL beautifully yet still pass the test). Wish them all the best in life! <<less
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nightintale
nightintale rated it
November 10, 2021
Status: Completed
This is one of an enjoyable read. I've just realized this one has the same author with TBAVW, which I really like, that's why at some point I find it very familiar. The stories of the author always have some deep melancholic feeling. They always tend to be a realistic one but heart moving at the same time. I adore MC's way of thought, how she sees her position, the emperor, the other women and the overall situation, maybe especially towards the other women, MC didn't make it hard for... more>> others when they're at their lowest point. The thing that I like the most from author is how the author always make the MC has a smart, optimistic, strong character and a different approach of seeing and handling things in the story.

Overall this is a great realistic historical story with great plotline and characters.

Also thank you sleepchaser for making this a smooth read because of the translation. <<less
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Moxiii
Moxiii
November 10, 2021
Status: --
If I would have to rate what's the most realistic imperial harem novel, The Job of an Imperial Concubine is the 1st. I thought the "To be a virtuous wife" is the first, but after I finished reading it, this is the most realistic of how imperial harem works. The FL is not Mary Sue, she's smart and sly. She's a good actress.

... more>>
Spoiler

I like how she didn't manage to be the empress because the empress is really pitiful. But the FL had a good ending.

[collapse]

Spoiler

I think the emperor really love the FL, but he's in denial.

[collapse]

Spoiler

I'm kinda uncomfortable how the emperor treats his other concubines and other sons

[collapse]
<<less
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SerialReader
SerialReader
November 8, 2021
Status: c121
I really love this novel, I reread it even after I just finished reading it. I never really like rereading unless I really like the novel. Romance is almost nonexistent but that's what made it good.
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Saphie
Saphie rated it
October 30, 2021
Status: Completed
It pains me that I have already finished this masterpiece. As always, Yue Xia Die Ying never fail on making strong mc's! I am absolutely enamored with this novel!

MC is a mature, cool and calm collected with a high IQ and EQ. She's a really wonderful person, someone you have to think twice before facing headon. Based on the summary, I had actually thought this was light, who knew that there's a lot of scheme? This id why I adore inner court novels!

But, those inner court novels I mention, I... more>> wanted the ML to only have the MC— this one, however It actually makes sense. I dont feel any resentment that the others stayed and she didn't become the empress. To be the empress in this novel is more of a burden than anything. So it is good that she stayed as the highest rank, imperial consort.

ML is... Well, he's the emperor. Hundreds of beauty, a scum. But hes also a rare good one (if we look into the more serious novels that have this theme) I like it so much. How he unknowingly fell into the MC's trapped was so mwah!

Spoiler

unlike the other inner court novels, this one didn't specify if the MC truly loved ML. But judging from the extras, it seems that she didn't. Not even like in TBAVW where it was implied, this one. Literally none. But the emperor, however, was smitten with her.

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divinelove
divinelove rated it
October 25, 2021
Status: Completed
One of the very rare realistic harem story out of there. Actually I've read similar thrope where the wife is not in love with her husband until the end, thus she didn't have slightest jealousy at all but she makes her husband fell in love with her. The title is Fugua Ronghua.

Anyway, I like how in the end FL and ML is kinda in an open relationship. We've got enough of a perfect and happy ending where the lead couple is fall in love and loyal to each other until... more>> death do them apart, which is very unrealistic but everyone love those kind of ending. <<less
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bingereaderv
bingereaderv
October 23, 2021
Status: Completed
There are already great reviews down below, so I won't say much. Overall novel is well written and characters development is very good. I am satisfied.

Life in the harem is tough and tragic. FL clear headedly strategize her survival. I like her because she is true to her cause, rational, decisive and steady. ML is scummy, but it is his nature as an emperor and as a human he has his own scars and difficulties. Watch FL use those to her advantage. ML somehow is a bit pitiful.

Some people may... more>> dislike this novel as it is quite realistic, especially when it come to feelings. It lacks romance, unlike other harem novel but it is not a bad novel. The main theme is survival in polygamy. <<less
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BL-lover
BL-lover
October 19, 2021
Status: --
Good and its more realistic than other palace drama.

This would be great to adapt to a tv drama, unfortunately im sure they will put romance on it. But the schemes in the palace is worth it.

4.5☆ for me because im still more into romance >●< I mean I read novels to escape reality
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sprihau
sprihau rated it
October 19, 2021
Status: Completed
Great story and most realistic characters. The novel correctly shows what happens when the female lead is not from all powerful family but has to plan for her future. I like that the book is mostly from the female's perspective but it also has parts to show how the male lead thinks. At one point I did think that male was planning to confer the female lead as the empress but on further read it looks like he just wanted to see if the female lead was okay staying as... more>> concubine. <<less
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AnOddPerson
AnOddPerson
October 19, 2021
Status: c121
A really well-written story, with many points of difference from a typical transmigration novel.
The levels and kinds of schemes are really good, very interesting without being unreal. In general the whole mood is very realistic and not too over-the-top in any manner.
There's definitely a reason that this is marked with the Drama genre and not the Romance genre. It's not a love story. It's a survival story.
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Annalise202
Annalise202 rated it
October 17, 2021
Status: Completed
This is a really good story.

It had me hooked from beginning to end. Each and every character was either fascinating or entertaining. The empress, Noble consort shu and naturally our leads. Many people may want this fantasy romance where the emperor declares his love for the MC to the world and dismiss his concubines but that's not the kind of story this is.

... more>>
Spoiler

The ML does love the FL but his job as emperor is the most important thing to him. Till the end he couldn't admit his love for her, even the empress realised he loved her while he's still in denial (BTW the empress is a decent person. Couldn't help but feel sorry for her.) He knows he's a bad person but the crown prince is everything he wants but was rob of as a child. He and the FL raised him with love and patience. The former emperor and his overly favouring of a greedy concubine and her son mixed with his mother never giving him affection are basically why he's scum and he knows it.

[collapse]

He is the emperor. Him sleeping with multiple women and keep powerful families in check is his duty. Compare to other emperors he is not lustful and is fully aware of what going on inside and outside the harem. After all, the best schemer in the harem is naturally the emperor. Oh, and I loved the schemes. All of our major characters especially our leads were intelligent and true to their nature.

If both of them were in the modern world, they would be a happy loving couple but they are not and that is where the bitterness in this bittersweet story comes in. She will never love him to protect herself and she will never be his priority. <<less
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dramamonster
dramamonster rated it
October 17, 2021
Status: Completed
Marketing manager FL transmigrates into the body of a lowly Imperial Concubine. It's a life of luxury, but in the Imperial harem, either she succeeds or she dies. If it's a choice of either the Emperor training her, or her training the Emperor, she'll choose the latter. She clearly sees the Emperor as a competent ruler, yet a scummy husband. In her first life, she'd either divorce or castrate a husband like him. But since she's in the Imperial harem, in her own words, it's either succeed at her Job... more>> as an Imperial Concubine, or die.

Spoiler

She creates a flawless image of a silly, loving concubine, and quietly trains the Emperor into pampering her. The Emperor, for all his experience, starts to fall for her because of her love for him. Over the years, she's clear that she can't choose or afford to love him, and the Emperor knows he can't afford to be ruled by his heart or fall in love with any one woman. Yet, somehow they have a lifetime together where they put each other first in their relationships.

Whether they're really in love with each other despite their best efforts, deep down inside, is open to interpretation. (I tend to think they really love each other, but she won't admit it to herself because she can't love him if she is to survive in the harem for the rest of her life, and he won't admit it himself because he has to be a good Emperor who isn't ruled by his heart, and continues to visit other members of the harem.)

[collapse]

There's a large harem, slice of life pace, and many unfamiliar ranks (perhaps the translator could put the ranks in parentheses after each title, like Shuyi (5), Zhaorong (7), Cairen (19), etc.) The women are complex and many. The Emperor is a bit of a cipher, but he does have a POV chapter in the epilogue.

If you like slice-of-life harem/historical josei plots, or any of Butterfly Beneath The Moon's books, you may like this. If you want fluff and a saccharine love story, you should skip this and read Don't Discriminate Against Species instead. <<less
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bookmunchies
bookmunchies rated it
October 15, 2021
Status: c121
I loved it but it could've had a few more extras. As the name says, the MC considers her new life post transmigration a lifetime job position, and the emperor is never seen as a love interest. She doesn't involve herself if she doesn't have to and she scams him his whole life. Not much to say cause I followed it as it updated and then waited a few days to write a review.
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hpae
hpae
October 14, 2021
Status: c121
Enjoyable rather pragmatic way of being a consort in the palace FL had the advantage of being an actress who had transmigrated, and slowly moved through the ranks to outlast everyone without having the burden of being the empress.
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CrazyJill
CrazyJill
September 23, 2021
Status: c118
I really loved the story. It was slow and very subtle. MC is clever and independent always observing before acting. Not malicious but never a punch bag.

If you are looking for a great romance or strong love you are going to be disappointed though

The translation quality is high, I enjoyed the text as much as the story line.
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everylittleflowers
everylittleflowers rated it
September 21, 2021
Status: c117
This novel is wonderful, one of my favorite concubine story novels. The MC is smart and always calm in every situation. The ML wasn't anything too special, but I love his relationship with the Empress. This novel is quite short, so, many of the conflicts got resolved quite quickly and I think this novel is both typical of this genre and unpredictable at the same time.
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kristel_m
kristel_m rated it
September 13, 2021
Status: Completed
I really like this novel, as it depicts the life of an imperial concubine to some extent. Of course you should not judge the characters and their actions by the standards that we have today, they live in a different time and they all must learn how to fight and survive in a place that have no mercy towards unsuspecting and naive people. I love how realistic ZL (our MC) in facing this new life and treating it as a job, because why not? She is smart in her actions... more>> and she never bothers dealing with other people if they don't touch her first.

The plot is really simple, it follows our girl ZL and how
Spoiler

she slowly work her way as a noble consort, though she never became the empress.

[collapse]

As for the emperor,
Spoiler

he is manipulative and controlling to all the girls living in the palace, in a way, they serve as a political tool to balance the power in the imperial court. I have quite complicated feelings about him, but yeah he's a jerk and an a**hole.

[collapse]

Lastly, love the translation. <<less
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lkimi
lkimi rated it
July 16, 2021
Status: Completed
this novel is great I highly recommend it. Whats puzzling to me is that even tho MC is acting as a lovestruck girl and this is clearly a slice-of-life kind of novel I KEPT CRYING!! The story has comedic undertones but it can't hide the melancholic lives MC and women in the imperial harem have to live by that I keep shedding tears. In the end, the ending felt bittersweet and I enjoyed it thoroughly !!!
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