Spring Scenery At The Imperial Palace

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*Disclaimer: They are not actually cousins.

In the third year of Changping, the Empress Dowager brought back a girl from outside the palace, naming her as her niece and the emperor’s cousin.

This cousin was exceptionally beautiful, captivating the entire nation. The young gentlemen of the capital were all eager to marry her. Various gifts flow like a river, sent to the palace.

One day, the emperor went to the Cining Palace. Observing his beautiful cousin sitting on the pavilion, flipping through portraits of young men from the capital, the emperor approached her and asked in a low voice, ‘Which one catches your eye? I shall decide for you.’

The beauty trembled slightly, about to rise, but the emperor chuckled, “Cousin, no need to be polite.”

From then on, everyone knew that this cousin was the apple of the emperor’s eye.

***

The young lady of the Prime Minister’s Mansion has always been predicted to be the future empress since she was young, but unfortunately the emperor has shown no interest in her.

Upon hearing about the emperor’s beloved cousin, she decided to win his favor through her. Xie Yan (the cousin) truly spoke to the emperor on her behalf.

After Xie Yan brought up the matter of choosing the empress, the young emperor, with lips curved in a smile, absent-mindedly caressed the green jade cup in his hand.

Just as Xie Yan finished asking for his opinion, he nonchalantly drawled, ‘Regarding the Empress… Why don’t I choose cousin?’

Xie Yan: ‘…No, she won’t do.

#I treat you as my cousin, you want me to be the queen#
#Why is it so difficult to be a good cousin#

Associated Names
One entry per line
帝台春色
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Chongfei Manual (1)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Chef's Kiss II
  2. Ancient China Romance 2024 (BG)
  3. Chine female protagonict

Latest Release

Date Group Release
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10/15/24 Whispering Ink c10 part5
07/31/24 Whispering Ink c10
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07/17/24 Whispering Ink c6
07/17/24 Whispering Ink c5
07/10/24 Whispering Ink c4
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07/07/24 Whispering Ink c2
07/07/24 Whispering Ink c1
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4 Reviews sorted by


midori_13
midori_13 rated it
July 14, 2024
Status: Completed
The story is... ok? "૮₍ ˶•⤙•˶ ₎ა

Read with Machine Translation, kinda readable... just a little comment, but I'm not sure if the novel is still being written until this present moment or if the final of the story is really the chapter 78... but I couldn't find further chapters and if the final of the novel is really chapter 78, then the end is really abrupt and rushed...

Anyway, the novel is not horrible but at the same time, nothing amazing... just by the plot, it's ok to pass time... more>> if you like fluffy stories... because the novel is basically romance...

A cold and perfect Emperor that turns into a domineering love pursuer

A shy and calm young lady from the boudoir that can have slight unexpected qualities but it's still mediocre (in my opinion) being pursued

There's no deep political intrigues or extreme boudoir schemes... just the development of feelings between the main couple...

The only problem is that the female lead is so...

Spoiler

(੭눈 _ 눈) ੭ - boring, meek and bland to the point you want to yawn...

At first I got interested... the author portrayed female lead as calm and virtuous... but then, it showed her practicing sword dancing and playing chess all the time...

Of course that aroused my curiosity... who doesn't love a heroine that kick ass?

But then... that's it... she sword dance a couple of times and never showed off her martial skills again... she practices chess every night before bed, but lost badly when playing against the Emperor...

(Omg just read a novel before with female lead and male lead meeting for the first time in a festival and while watching a competition of chess, they started playing against each other in blindfold chess - Playing chess in your mind, also known as blindfold chess, is a challenging and impressive skill that requires a strong memory and visualization abilities... you basically set the board in your mind, memorize all the positions of yours chess pieces and the opponents and play mentally by telling to your opponent your chess moves... omg! It gives me goosebumps of just imagining this scene!) But sadly this female lead, in this story, practices chess every night and it's still mediocre...

(-﹏-。) sad

the author said that she's virtuous and knows chess, painting, calligraphy and zither... but she never demonstrated any of her "talents" during the whole story... the author also made a mistake (or was a problem in the machine translation?) by saying that the heroine learned swordsmanship and archery... but in the scene which she was in the soldiers camp practicing archery, she shot the arrows so badly that didn't even reached the target...

(--_--) Oh dear, so embarrassing and she still got praised (to save some face maybe?)

And lastly and the worst of all, is that she refused to discuss politics with the Emperor because women discussing politics is taboo and deemed to disaster according to her own thoughts (and obviously the thought of every Ancient Chinese people) and despite being a reality, it doesn't make less sad that the female lead is so mediocre that still abide by that patriarchal and chauvinist rule... what about the story of being an outstanding heroine that is bold and intelligent enough to understand and discuss politics?

Her goal in life is also boring and mediocre (surprise! (ॣ•͈૦•͈ ॣ) to find a good and nice husband)... argh, so sad... a typical noble girl from the inner house...

But... the only good point is that she's pretty and cute... but besides that, she's nothing special and is extremely boring...

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There's a second male lead...

Spoiler

his participation in the story is really little but he's also boring and really pitiful since he's the nice guy that doesn't get the girl (but kinda his fault since he was indecisive)...

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All in all,

Spoiler

the male lead Emperor is a little overbearing but not excessive (in my opinion, I saw worse Emperors) and female lead is blah but still a little likable (way better than those hateful female leads in some novels)... so a 3 star rating...

The imperial family is also cute, with the Empress Dowager and the Princess with her male concubines... the heroine's adopted father is really nice too (he's the general that loved her mother deeply)

The people that normally is always the villains in other stories, such as second female lead, is really nice in this novel...

A nasty family and ex fiancée like majority of Ancient Chinese novels... but despite that, I think that her father's behavior of not liking her if it's not accepted at least can be understandable, since... (big spoiler)

Spoiler

The alleged biological father always harbored suspicions that the female lead's mother was not a virg*n when they married and that she was already pregnant with the female lead. As a result, he was always distant and neglectful towards both the heroine and her mother. Instead of confronting his wife and seeking a divorce if he truly doubted her fidelity, he chose to save face by staying married and accepted the heroine as his daughter. However, if he had truly committed to this decision despite his suspicions, he should have treated the heroine with fairness and honesty. While his behavior was misguided, it's understandable considering human emotions; he may have been biased towards his second daughter, the only one he was certain was biologically his.

And the suspicion proved to be true... he wasn't the real father and in the end he was also a victim by being used... despite a bunch of twist and turns in the story made everyone involved being relatively innocent... so he might be a villain but a kinda of justified villain?

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Oh, just a reminder for those who feel uncomfortable... male lead is probably in his twenties (actually it doesn't mention in the novel, I'm justing estimating?) and started liking female lead of 14 years old (since her coming of age ceremony only happens at the end of the novel, and normally happens when the girl is 15 years old).

It's kinda ok for me... read worst novels with female lead of 12 years old and male lead really older than that (pe*ophilia for some, but normal in Ancient Times?) One was even "funny" with the Emperor becoming a father at 15 years old and falling in love with a young heroine and getting jealous of his older son, since his son and his lover of 15 years old, are practically of the same age and the oldest son really started harboring some romantic feelings for the heroine (funny and tragic? (ᗒᗜᗕ) ՛̵̖)

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But don't give up to read the novel and take your own conclusions... it's not so bad in the end...

Ah, one last interesting spoiler...  

 ——- ∩ ∧_∧

  ノ ヽ (´´ิ∀´ิ`)

⊂´______∩

Spoiler

The s*x diary of the Emperor...

In the novel, an eunuch record every time the Emperor and Empress sleeps together and it seems that even the amount of time that they do it is recorded (that's how it's described in the novel...)

I read about this in another novel and it's seemed that they recorded it to prevent the concubines cheating in case they get pregnant? (Don't know if it's true... goggle said that some of the s*x diary was only for records per si and even described the position they had s*x... I don't know how they recorded... the eunuchs kept trying to listen the noise in the room or he keeps inside the room to witness everything or the Emperor described after he finished?

ꉂꉂ (ᵔᗜᵔ*) ʱªʱª⁎*.*

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sayuummi
sayuummi
July 2, 2025
Status: c80
You know when you start a story and feel it will deliver exactly what it promises? That’s what happened to me with this novel. I already had good expectations from the synopsis, because it makes clear that it’s not a story full of drama, explosive twists, or heavy conflicts. It’s a calm, light, and sweet read. And in that regard, it really delivers.

The protagonist is described as an extremely good woman—in the best sense of the word. She is gentle, delicate, talented, and has a serene demeanor that conveys peace.... more>> Even when she gets emotional, she remains thoughtful, which is one of the things I liked most about her. She is simple but captivating. The kind of person you’d like to have around because she respects boundaries, is pleasant, and doesn’t force her presence. You understand why the emperor starts to care about her: because she truly is a comforting presence.

Speaking of him... the emperor also pleased me a lot. He has a serious demeanor, is diligent, and seems to carry the weight of the throne responsibly. He’s not cold, but he’s not impulsive either. And the most curious thing is that, at 20 years old, he still didn’t have any wife or woman by his side. Maybe because he took the throne so young and knows too much about the behind-the-scenes of power, he has shielded himself from such attachments. Until, little by little, he begins to approach the protagonist. It’s not love at first sight—and that’s good. Their relationship starts subtly, through coexistence, through the calm way she behaves. It’s an interest born out of respect and admiration.

There’s also a mystery regarding the protagonist’s past—something that hasn’t been fully explored yet. There are suspicions that she might not be the legitimate daughter of the man who raised her, raising the possibility that she is the daughter of a general who happens to be the uncle of her ex-fiancé. This is still developing, but it adds an extra layer to the narrative.

Even with these points, there’s no turbulence. No forced drama. It’s a work that I really like. It was exactly what I needed right now. Sometimes, we need that. A simple story, well told, with good characters and a narrative that just embraces you. And above all: I’m a logical person. If the synopsis promises something, I expect to receive it. And in this case, I received exactly what I expected. So, in the first part of the reading, my rating would be a solid 4 or even 5. Because I value when a work is honest about what it offers.

But now, after finishing, I need to make some final observations.

Even liking the lightness and the novel’s proposal, the relationship between the protagonists is poorly developed. We don’t really understand why he likes her, nor why she likes him. There’s no moment that makes the reader think, “Wow, now I get this love.” There’s a lack of emotional build-up. Lack of conversation. Lack of real closeness.

The protagonist, despite being described as charming, rarely has space to show her personality. The text tells us who she is but almost never shows it. The script doesn’t give her the chance to develop or truly express herself, which is frustrating.

The subplot about her past—with secrets about her origin and family connections—is confusing. It seems to have been placed only to support certain present-day events, but without cohesion or planning. It feels improvised and lacks depth.

The secondary characters do have charisma, but for some reason, the script gives them more memorable scenes than the main couple. Sometimes, the supporting characters feel more alive and interesting, which takes the spotlight away from the protagonists. By the second half of the story, the narrative starts to drag. Even though I liked the calm and sweet style, I confess the reading became tiring. The romance doesn’t evolve, the secondary relationships get more space but without enough strength to support the plot.

And then there’s that feeling that the story is ending because... there’s nothing left to tell. Lack of content, lack of emotional involvement, lack of a decent conversation between the couple. There’s no real exchange that makes you think, “Wow, now they really connected.” And that weighs down.

So, in the end, I keep my rating at 4. Because the work delivers exactly what it promises: lightness, sweetness, and a gentle experience. But if you’re looking for a romance with more depth, emotional consistency, or even more memorable scenes between the couple, this isn’t the right choice. It’s a read for moments when we want to rest our minds—but not when we’re looking for a love that truly captivates us. <<less
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Mystiqueeee
Mystiqueeee rated it
April 23, 2025
Status: Completed
What a very relaxed (if we're not going to mention what happened in the past) palace drama. You know, I'm quite fond of reading historical stories like this, the problem is, I usually avoid it because of some usual elements or plots in such setting such as women pitting against each other to gain leverage or to marry well, brothers killing each other for the throne, women drugging other women and framing them, etc. While I know it really happened during the ancient times, I still like stories like this.... more>> A good plot, a positive relationship between in laws, and romance that gradually happened and not just because they've encountered some schemes from someone and thus met. It's more relaxing and enjoyable.

The FL wasn't the heroine type but she's not a damsel in distress either. She's very gentle but not a pushover. I think, she's very suitable to be the Empress, the mother of the world. Because she has the gentleness and tenacity of a mother. The ML, on the other hand, is a wise emperor. He's maybe cold but he has the people in his heart. He's neither suspicious nor arrogant. The romance was great since neither of them got together because of a mutual benefit, it's just pure liking. There were no annoying rotten peach blossoms either so their love life can be considered peaceful and harmonious.

The other supporting characters, especially the Empress Dowager and Princess Changping, were very great too. They added more colors to the story. Both of them are what you call the ideal mother in law and sister in law.

The author also did a very great job in setting the atmosphere, especially when it's the snu snu part hehe. It wasn't explicit but the ambiguity was there. The tension was 10/10. But for me, if such parts were usually described as hot as fire, I can say that the author wrote in a way where there's some sugar in fire (what?) Anyway, it was sensual but sweet and gentle.

However, I really hate their elders' past, especially the complicated love triangle story of the FL's mother. Her mother indeed suffered so much. Despite being loved by outstanding men who remain chaste for her until death, she was unfortunate because neither of them managed to save her. How great if the side story really happened, isn't it? Speaking of which, I like the side stories too. But if I were to choose my favorite, then it would probably be the modern day story.

Overall, I like the story a lot. It wasn't fast paced but neither a slow burn. It was relaxing but full of depth too. 10/10. <<less
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mysweetescape
mysweetescape rated it
February 2, 2025
Status: Completed
this novel focuses on the story of how the fl, the adopted cousin, search for her husband-to-be with the help of ml. if you're hesitating to read this bc of the imperial harem tag, don't worry bc the ML don't have a harem nor will he ever have one except the fl. both are pure and each other's firsts, so feel free to proceed.

as I said, the story was focused more on the journey of how the FL look for a husband to marry. the novel is set in a... more>> peaceful era governed by the ml, so there's not much political intrigue. this is just a light-read ancient novel bc there's not much schemes and if there is, it's only little and don't fully affect the FL negatively bc the antagonists are not powerful compared to fl's backer.

the FL is a typical boudoir girl in the novel—gentle, calm, and shy tho she's not a always a damsel in distress since she knows some martial arts thanks to her uncle.

the ML is a gentle person to FL from their everyday life to their bedroom activities. he is very doting to the FL and follows her demands and always let her win. the only time he let her lose is
Spoiler

when he made a bet on the fl's marriage, setting a trap on her without her knowing. whether she win or lose, the outcome will be the same. she will enter the palace.

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most side characters are likeable and the antagonists from the beginning to the end remain as the antagonists. I was worried at first that the other female side characters might change and become a villain (yk the ML is an emperor so...) but thankfully, they got their own happy ending bc honestly I'm tired of women vs women so it's a relief in this novel.

although there's not much intrigue, there's still some mystery regarding the fl's mother and the fl's true background.

if there will be a list of my fave character in this novel, it'll be the uncle. his devotion and unconditional love for the fl's mother really moved me and it also pains me how
Spoiler

he never got the chance to love and grow old with her. if only she chose him...

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the extra about the alternate universe of
Spoiler

if the fl's mother married the fl's biological father, (even tho I'm much in favor of the uncle perhaps bc I read more of his than the fl's bio dad), makes sense since if they didn't end up together, the FL will not exist. it just saddens me that the author didn't add an extra for the uncle and fl's mother.

[collapse]

the second ML and the fl's story is almost the same with the uncle and fl's mother in a way that
Spoiler

the 2nd ML only love her and never married anyone even when he didn't end up with her.

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if this is another story or the ML isn't part of the picture, he'll be a good choice of a husband bc he has all the attributes the FL wants in her husband. there's just one thing that he didn't ticked the checklist—the FL have no feelings for her. and this one thing is the most important to FL that he does not have.

it's actually surprising to read that there were plenty of chaste male characters and only loved one woman in this novel even tho the ML said it's rare occurence bc the FL mentioned to him how she wants her husband-to-be to only have her.
Spoiler

including the ML (who only have his first and only loved the fl), there's also the fl's adoptive father—the uncle (unmarried, no concubines), the fl's biological father (who only had his first and only with fl's mother), the 2nd male lead (who remained unmarried) and even the 2nd male lead's father (the prime minister) who only have one wife.

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overall, a light-read and I'm rating this a full five stars since I'm satisfied with how it didn't stress me much lol. <<less
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