just because the ML is too dull and can't read the room. However i've read many historical novels and it seems that men in those times are always s*upid and dumb about the tension between women in their harem but are somehow a geniuses in court or other areas. Idk what to say about it

other than the fact that he's not a pushover as a en emperor

I genuinely don't like the consort though. She has a scheming mind but not the ability, it's laughable.

for example at one point when ML's main wife asks him to give FL a title and let her join the place other his other women live, he easily agrees and he lets FL to deal with his main wife and concubine on her own (although he knows how much they can be cruel from his past life since in his past life his main wife said it herself how she and one of his concubines killed eachother's sons.) He still acts so clueless and just lets the FL who untill that moment was just a low ranking servant to deal with his main wife and concubines. And that is not the end....

And author always have the same crap of this is just to make the main character stronger and to make their relationship develop and blah blah blah, but the author's logic only makes the ML more annoying.

I am not approving nor saying what the male lead did at the beginning was correct, not at all, but you have to acknowledge that he is very ignorant and doesn't have the experience nor EQ to understand from her point of view, until the age of 6 he stayed forcibly hidden in a dark room not allowed to make a sound nor see anyone, with a crazy and paranoid mother, I am sure everyone would not be able to grow up soundly under these conditions. But, he learns, he realises his mistakes and feels sad he caused her pain.

Based on the title, I expected a smart and witty MC and she is, until the ML started spoiling her and she lost half of her brain cells. I actually liked her passive personality in this story because she was a servant after all, and it would be unrealistic if she suddenly became overbearing. But, sometimes I can't stand her. For example, when the ML wanted to leave her to go to the capital to fight for the throne, she insisted on coming along and even threatens the ML using their children. I understand her feelings but when she involved their children, I dont understand her anymore. What mother would use their children's lives ? Yes, she did that because she loves him but don't she love their childrens too ??

For the ML, I dislike him. While he is wrong for tainting her, especially with the uncomfortably large age gaps, there are many more of his traits I found that I dislike. Firstly, he is too possesive over the MC. Hell, he even got jealous of his own son for being hugged by the MC even though his son was just back after a journey where he almost got killed. Secondly, this he didnt explain things to the MC even though she was having negative thoughts about him leaving them and that bugged me so much. Like, the misunderstanding could easily be resolved if he actually communicate with her.

As for the plot, it was alright but I do found it hard to believe that the court officials and nobility would accept an empress who had a lowly background so easily. I am also unsatisfied with their eldest son's story. The author basically just repeated his parent's story by having him favouring a concubine who also have a low background (better than his mother's though) that also gave birth to dragon and phoenix twins. I dont know, I feel like the author didnt spend much effort when coming up with a story for him.

But, I love and I mean LOVE Ruan Siyi's side story. It's so much better than the main story and I was very invested in them.

LQW: She was just an annoying and unnecessary part of the story. Like, sometimes I hate it when transmigrating characters from the future come in and try to impose their views on monogamy on the people of the time. She may not have done so, but istg, I keep feeling like she did. Maybe it's trauma from previous transmigrating novels I've read, LMAO.

Crown Princess: She's just completely unsuited for the Crown Prince. An idiot whose incredibly timid, and to be honest, pretty pathetic. Honestly, she is quite possibly the reason for the -2 stars. Just a horrible choice for the crown prince. I would have thought, with his mother as the example and his personality, he would choose a steady, calm, and mature partner. Instead, he chose some bumbling country hick. Ruined all the good feelings I had for the novel.

Moreover, the fact that he doesn't have a harem was also a little disappointing and out of place. I know that with examples like his parents, he would be inclined towards monogamy, but his parents were like this because of their experiences together, not just because they loved each other. I could maybe understand if it were some childhood friend he has deep feelings with, but some little moron? That he what? Fell in love at first sight with?

He's an emperor. His child will be the future emperor. With a mother like that, I don't have high hopes for the empire.

One thing that I didnt know before reading this novel was that it's actually less painful to give birth standing up/squatting compared to how it's done now, while laying down. It was really interesting to learn about such stuff since I usually read novels to kill time but dont really learn anything from them.

"To refuse, she definitely didn't dare refuse, and didn't dare think of the consequences of such a refusal. He was the master, and she was the servant. She was already scared of Eunuch Fu, let alone Eunuch Fu's master his highness the Jing Prince.

The hands unbuttoning her clothes continued to do so.

She should reach out and grab his hands, preventing him from doing so. But she was shaking all over and didn't dare resist.

In that instant Xiao Hua thought about many things. She thought about all the implications in Eunuch Fu's actions, including his favorable treatment and his taking advantage of the situation. She also thought of Xiu Yun who was beaten to death, and thought of her past life.

So be it, so be it. She was a servant after all, no matter how she tried she couldn't escape from her lot in life... a servant never had any so-called innocence to speak of, why still care about her body?

At this moment, Xiao Hua even remembered her initial suspicions regarding whether the Jing Prince was a man or not, and inexplicably found it to be rather amusing...