To Be A Virtuous Wife

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As a virtuous wife, does it include tolerating his cousin, enduring his concubines, bearing his mother?

If you will not let me live freely, why would I let you live in satisfaction?

Did fate let women time-travel so they could learn the three morals and four virtues?

Rather than act like a coward and live, it would be better to live in satisfaction and die.

Associated Names
One entry per line
He Wei Xian Qi
Thế nào là hiền thê
ชายาผู้มีคุณธรรม
何为贤妻
Related Series
N/A
Recommendations
Eight Treasures Trousseau (31)
Chu Wang Fei (14)
Husband, Be A Gentleman (12)
Chongfei Manual (10)
Demon Wang’s Golden Favorite Fei (8)
Mei Gongqing (7)
Recommendation Lists
  1. Historical novels (CN)
  2. want to read
  3. Ancient China
  4. Fave Chinese Novels
  5. Female protagonists

Latest Release

Date Group Release
09/22/15 Dreams of Jianghu c18
09/21/15 Dreams of Jianghu c17
09/20/15 Dreams of Jianghu c16
09/19/15 Dreams of Jianghu c15
09/18/15 Dreams of Jianghu c14
09/17/15 Dreams of Jianghu c13
09/16/15 Dreams of Jianghu c12
09/15/15 Dreams of Jianghu c11
09/14/15 Dreams of Jianghu c10
09/13/15 Dreams of Jianghu c9
09/12/15 Dreams of Jianghu c8
09/11/15 Dreams of Jianghu c7
09/10/15 Dreams of Jianghu c6
09/09/15 Dreams of Jianghu c5
09/08/15 Dreams of Jianghu c4
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370 Reviews sorted by


aienmoon
aienmoon rated it
June 10, 2019
Status: Completed
I never liked reading slow romance, slice of life and with politics. I find it boring. For some reason I tried reading this to pass time. And just on the first chapter I got hooked! This is one of the well written and translated novels I found here in NU.

MC is not too arrogant not OP but not weak. She just wants to enjoy life but will not scheme just for the fun of it. I also love that her revenge schemes are well thought out and not petty and... more>> her word play are always smart.

ML dotes on her a lot and their interactions are always fluffy.

I feel bad for the other brother though. He kept his unrequited love till he died. It really made my heart ache for him. I was really hoping that he will fall in love with his wife.. Its sad that not really all stories have HE. <<less
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makana
makana rated it
June 5, 2019
Status: Completed
Before I review the story, I felt that it is necessary to address the translation. For myself, who can read Chinese just fine, I have no issues with the translation at all, and I found it really well translated. However, I can see why readers may have gripe with the many terms left in pinyin, as it is rather tiring to have to keep going back and forth trying to understand and remember the meaning. After all, Chinese isn't exactly the easiest language to pick-up. I do agree that some... more>> terms could be translated and not remained as pinyin, i.e., taiyi can be translated to imperial physician, without the essence of it being lost. At the same time, I can see where the translator is coming from when these terms were retained and I respect that. For readers, who may find the translation an issue, I implore them to not give a poor rating, as it is does not do the story any justice.

For the story itself, it is sightly different from your regular transmigrate and revenge plot. It is rather interesting how the MC manages the situation in the household, and taking back her rightful position within the household. The ML is the typical ML you find in most novels of similar genre. There isn't really anything too interesting about him per se. The romance portion is more of them respecting each other as husband and wife. I do enjoy this story because of how it was executed and is an easy read. <<less
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Lynkaster
Lynkaster
May 25, 2019
Status: c1
maybe I'll make it past the first chapter one day, maybe *look to the far horizon*

For now, my best has been 3 paragraphs... 8 words I didn't understand, it was a chore to try to read it on phone, then on a computer... not much better. Then trying to look at a few chapters at random => more unknown words, too many characters' names to remember, then they call each other with different names, and there's more words I didn't understand added on those I didn't before... I'll try again... more>> someday, or maybe if I got the motivation to make another version by replacing on a word doc -_-" <<less
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sharl
sharl rated it
December 29, 2018
Status: c123
This was one of the best court intrigue novel on the site. World build up, characters, their motivations - everything was well thought out. The only thing people might not like is the pace - it's pretty slow paced, going along day-to-day building up quiet tension.

I read this because it's the same author as Eight Treasures Trousseau, and the author didn't disappoint.
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yamibae
yamibae rated it
December 27, 2018
Status: Completed
Decent novel, the MC is a strong woman which is good. The male lead is not too bad if a bit dull and without any real personality. Plots are pretty basic given her status which is also good as those are usually done terribly.

Translation is done well but I take issue with how unnecessary a lot of the terms are, it just gets confusing even with the glossary.
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ScholarlyAF
ScholarlyAF rated it
November 20, 2018
Status: c123
I've finished read this novel early last year and still remember the feeling it gave me. I've read probably thousands of novels in NU since I first found out in 2014. This novel is among my top gem read.

If you want a novel with no cultivation and just daily life of historical people then this is for you. If you want a novel that give you fluff and in the same time make you a stan for the rest of your memory, this is your novel.
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Edenplushie
Edenplushie rated it
November 3, 2018
Status: Completed
When I first saw this novel, and description I've already didn't wish for it to be like all the other. FL falls for the mysterious guy, but at first they play mouse-cat but I was wrong.

The story more of was, they've got married and things just progressed. The thing mistake it is that the FL is going to go and purge everyone who wronged her in the past, but she actually doesn't care. Author half of the story keeps describing her as lazy. Only when she's confronted and has no... more>> way put but to fight, she doesn't back down. She doesn't scheme much, it's more of her shaming people through her vicious words, and most opponents are rivals who are jealous so ML, usually meddles and helps her in Shadows. There is no cuteness on the side of FL to ML, mostly because FL is cold and doesn't show love, but there is plenty on the side of ML towards FL, as he cares for her like shes the sun. But that doesn't start at the beginning, so yall have to read to come to it ;)

The most I loved about this novel was

  1. The FL or QQJ, is a logical person, being time-traveled from modern era, she uses her head over her heart.
  2. They do love each other but, as many readers who haven't still finished, noticed, she doesn't completely love him for she knows he won't keep his promise of forever being with her. So what attracts me is how the ML is hopelessly trying to prove to her that he won't be unfaithful, and she somewhere in the middle starts getting jealous.
  3. Hu Yuan, my favorite character. For the ones that read only little and are shocked as to why he is my fav character, finish it and you'll get it. Spoiler
    Spoiler

    From the way he was favored by emperor to him coming to reality that he's too arrogant and actually becoming mature, to loving our FL to some level yet not going for her just silent watching to the end where he had a good wife who he may not have loved but was nice to unlike..... And at the end when he got buried with a pic of FL he painted :-: I actually cried

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I don't know whatever spolier thing worked for this is my 1st review ever..

And I could go on many things, but the story was amazing with few fluff and lots of playing between FL and ML at night. How she took care of dumb women who didn't know their places....

And at the end, our ML kept all the promises he made to her, as he lied in the tomb together with her :-: <<less
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Maria Jasmine
Maria Jasmine rated it
October 31, 2018
Status: c123
This is a really good novel. As someone who like romance historical, I would recommend this. Although it have a few of concubine, but at last the emperor is with the FL. It so sweet. There's no saying 'I Love You' between the FL and ML but it more to their action as the ML loyal to FL as he doesn't take another concubine (beside the one before he married the FL). But he also doesn't touch others concubine when he married the FL. The story is not full of... more>> emotion as half part of it is focusing to politic. <<less
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draw2much
draw2much rated it
August 29, 2018
Status: c123
Ah, it took me three days to read this story and it was worth it! This isn't what I'd call a passionate love story, but it's a moving one. Both the FL and the ML never say outright that they love each other, but they really don't need to. AS the FL mentions through out, words don't matter, actions do. In a world where men get bored with their loyal women and chase after the next young thing, it's more important for a man to stay true than to whisper... more>> sweet nothings. And, most importantly, the ending was great! There's nothing more beautiful than an ending that gets you misty eyed (positive) ! <<less
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KhaleesiYlena
KhaleesiYlena
August 8, 2018
Status: c123
This story is serious. No funny moments. I like the character of the MC. She's not evil yet not also kind. She punish who deserves it, she rewards who deserves to. She's not like some MC who takes revenge or laugh when her enemy falls. She understands what others were feeling and she's considerate.
Spoiler

Although her husband have concubines, she wasn't jealous and made their lives miserable instead she gave them a comfortable life coz that's how considerate she is. I love how her husband was monogamous until their death. I wanna cry when the archaeologists found their bones together in a coffin with her gift from the emperor. I pity San Di for his infatuation/affection towards the Empress and how he change from arrogant and tyrannical man to what he became now. It's just so sad that this novel's finished. I first hate it when the MC doesn't love the emperor coz she's thinking that a decade later the emperor's feelings will change with time but then when the emperor saw the empress cried without make up on her face, clothes disheveled and messy hair waiting on his side while his sick, I wanna cry coz even though she doesn't say it, she shows it how much she loves the emperor. And also I read a review about her that has nothing to do of helping her husband taking the throne, yes she did not help her husband but she is the only worthy to become an empress. It was all thanks to her popo; He Heng's mohou. If it weren't for her acting skills, the emperor might not change his mind to crown He Heng. He Heng and He Ming also joined hands together to eliminate He Yuan out of the competition. I like also the character of the ML, even though his brothers are still alive and has the chance/maybe to take the throne, he spared their lives and gave their titles and properties. Indeed he is a wise ruler. I'm glad that the author didn't make the characters cruel, lust for power and any bad deeds exaggerated. It has a satisfying ending.

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Although the story was a bit slow but at least it shows how their feelings gradually developed and how the characters changed their ways and accept defeat.
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Crimadiro
Crimadiro rated it
June 29, 2018
Status: Completed
Romantic, fluffy, realistic, and bittersweet. A good read and a truly touching story. Other reviews describe it better than this one will.
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usag1
usag1 rated it
June 23, 2018
Status: Completed
Another transmigration MC but definitely has to read... the translator did very good job and so many line that can give us inspiration and motivation... have read more than 3 times and never feel bored.. ML has many concubines and after he slept with her... He never been with another woman... as MC's his lucky star and he love her so much... Read it and you will understand why I love this novel.
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lin1339
lin1339 rated it
June 22, 2018
Status: Completed
This is really beautiful.. Beautifully written, as if I was reading trough a time machine.. Not only depicting about the story that was happened in the past, but also describing the viewpoint of modern people. The story is well written, light and adorable love story and yet still touching the reality, the struggle of being a wangfei, the favor she has to get and the bullying of the women in the hougong is beautifully written.

Unlike the most reincarnation and imperial family novels around, not much bloodshed were there so this... more>> makes the novel light enough for fun reading. The epilogues also clear and precise, statisfying the heart of a reader, allowing no uncertainity, sweet, touching, with a pinch of tear jerking. Both the author and the translator team did awesome job for this novel. Unlike the most popular titles, the whole novel only took 120 chapters and 3 epilogues so it's not a stretch to read, and yet not abruptly ended. I'll give more stars if possible ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ <<less
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whatdoyoumeanihavehpv
whatdoyoumeanihavehpv rated it
June 14, 2018
Status: --
While I like the novel and it's characters, I really dislike the translation style. The translators left too much untranslated Chinese in the translation for it to be a smooth reading experience. I know that they justified this by saying some meaning will be lost in translation if they fully translate. That is fine, I accept that but even words that can be translate with little to no lost in meaning are not translated. This is the only novel I have read in a long time that the MTL is... more>> about as understandable as the translation (in term of difficulty anyways).

Really though, a better example for this style of translation would be "Princess Wei Yang", it still have plenty of Chinese words that can't be translated due to their meaning leftover. However, it's still easy to read and you don't have to return to glossary every 2 minutes. <<less
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Bebopbeats
Bebopbeats rated it
June 11, 2018
Status: c1
I was put of reading this novel at first by the many, many untranslated titles that make things hard to follow if you don't make the effort to read the chapter supplemental. After that I could muddle my way through using the context. I think it was worth the effort though as this is a very well written and translated story. I was actually saddened when I realised I'd reached the end of it.

The MC is probably the coolest protagonist I've ever read. Nothing phases her, and her moral path... more>> and world view are as strong as stone. Some may find this boring but I prefer a protagonist who is sure of themselves and has plenty of inner strength to face the problems life brings. Maybe it's to make up for not being an assassin or mercenary in her previous life.

I didn't think the husband would end up being the ML of this story. He ignored and neglected his original wife which helped lead to her death, so MC starts of thinking of him as nothing more than a slightly useful bed warmer. It takes plenty of time and effort on his part for him to prove to MC that his feelings are sincere.

Spoiler

I wouldn't have read this story if I knew that ML would become the Emperor. Having to share your man with countless other women doesn't really give off a romantic feeling. But if the ML started out lower than the average man then by the end he is far, far above them. The fact that he abstains from the constant temptation he's surrounded by for an entire lifetime practically elevates him to godhood.

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The villains are a little simple but that they're dealt with in a timely manner and I felt satisfied seeing them defeated. I liked that there were female characters who weren't enemies even if they weren't friends with the MC. All up a bit hard to get into but an easy, enjoyable read. <<less
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docaniketp
docaniketp
May 27, 2018
Status: --
The best romance and Josei novel by far. Having read it multiple times, I just love it. The character depth is like no other seen in any other novel.
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XiaoSha
XiaoSha rated it
May 12, 2018
Status: c123
I really fall in love with the story. The storyline isnt cliche and wait till you reach the end of the story! Omg you will be needing MORE of their love story. Not really lovey dovey but one that come from understanding. Therefore to conclude, ill give this story ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ thankyou author and thankyou translator!
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FlufflyLittleRabbit
FlufflyLittleRabbit rated it
March 23, 2018
Status: Completed
At first, when I saw this novel, the first thing that came to my mind was: 'meh, I don't like this story cuz the male lead has a concubine and is not really fond of women fighting for a man. Then later I was bored to death and once again saw this novel, so I made a decision to read this novel. Seriously, I never thought that this story was interesting that I could not help myself but keep reading it.

Anyway, I truly fell in love with this novel. I... more>> really like how loyal the male lead is to our female protagonist. <<less
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roake
roake rated it
March 11, 2018
Status: Completed
I won't mention what a lot of other readers already mentioned. This is probably one of my favorite novels. I feel immersed in this world. There's not a lot of plot twists, it's more Slice of Life but it is wonderful to experience the story. I have reread this several times when I want something to immerse myself in, especially when I'm stressed in my real world.

A great escape.
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andrometic
andrometic rated it
March 3, 2018
Status: Completed
This story was... disappointing.

But you still gave it a 4 star, you may ask - well, I managed to stick with it til the last two chapters of the epilogue, so I think it deserves that much. And the writing was truly beautiful - the translators did an amazing job, and there are some really nice passages. They also put together a wonderful glossary, which was very helpful during the first several chapters, and periodically included a visual compilation of the jewelry, fabrics, and other such things, which I thought... more>> looked absolutely beautiful. Technically, this was a wonderful piece of writing - it was the soul that was lacking.

I don't mean the romance between the two main characters. That was another thing I enjoyed - it was delicate, well planned out, and honestly, the two were super cute together. You could really feel the love even coming out of the pages! (Well, the computer screen, lol.) The scenes where HH and QQJ are together and in love, they're really well done. The scenes like sharing a bath, playing a board game, they were so cute, and the... shall we say, steamier scenes were deftly handled and so good! Plus, the MC's approach to her life - don't dedicate your life to a man, treat yourself best first - was refreshing and tbh, actually some pretty good advice.

The sad thing is the plot, because this was basically the super powerful best at everything stallion novel hero dressed up in women's court dresses. The MC is just the best at everything, the prettiest, most virtuous, most perfect woman, whose charms are so great her husband would never stray, not once. Nothing bad happens to her and nothing bad reflects on her, or at least not once she finds out about it. Everything goes perfectly for her; the book reads more like a gloss than an actual story, there's next to no plot that doesn't either happen to her or happen around her. And for a modern woman, she certainly had no internal issues with completely destroying people's lives, just with the vague thought that 'oh, they brought it on themselves.' Whether that's true or not, you can't even find one shred of sympathy or guilt that comes from a human place? The MC had very few moments of being an actual character, not the hand of the plot gods - I loved the small moments where she does stuff like cheat at a board game and plays a naive idiot with her mother-in-law, and how she's like, 'but actually I really like all these pretty jewels and robes, ' but other than that she's just a dream archetype with faint personality.

Plus, it seemed like so many of the women were punished for 'not being the MC.' I mean, they even make a note of that in the story - that women are judged far more harshly than men - and yet, it feels like empty lip service when you see characters like Rui Wang/He Yuan beat and (possibly, I skimmed over the scene because it was kind of upsetting) r*pe their concubines and wives, act like spoiled brats, and generally have an evil personality, and yet what happens to him? He's demoted for five years and in the end gets to divorce Qin Bai Lu and marry a new, younger, more beautiful wife - approved by MC, naturally - and suddenly he is more faithful to her. Meanwhile, MC's half sister, one of his concubines, whose greatest crime is being kind of mean to the MC when they were children because they were step sisters and her mother clearly hated MC, ends up as his concubine because her parents are power hungry, and is beaten by him, if not r*ped then is violently treated by him in bed, and eventually, once she dares to ask him to spare her family because her parents have been coming to beg her about it, he casts her to the side for having the temerity to ask him for anything, then she gets sick and dies because Qin Bai Lu and He Yuan both refuse to call a physician and even mock her for it. Similar things happen to everyone who's even halfway interested in the ML, the MC doesn't even hesitate before skipping straight to crushing them, and it's only the women who are interested in ML or have wronged MC. So many families destroyed, not unjustly but each chapter it happens the characters and the narrative make a point of blaming the woman interested in the ML as the source of all her house's troubles. MC has no relationships with anyone not her husband or (barely) Jin An Princess (maybe her mother in law? but they disappear midway through the novel) that isn't one where she's in a superior position; her closest people seem to be her personal servants who exist mostly to give an in-universe account about how she's so great, she's wonderful, she's the best.

And for all that this novel pays half a mind to what a modern woman might think living here - there's a couple of great sections where MC and Jin An Princess are watching a play or MC reads a novel and she comments on how obnoxious and wish fulfillment they are and how women are always the villain in them even when they are the ones being wronged, or MC thinks about how much she wants internet because she is so bored, or that they should think about the poor people who are starving as a result of embezzlement and raised taxes for nothing more than some new clothes for the wang ye - they never follow through on anything. I'm not saying she has to single handedly revolutionize industry, I'd just like something to come of it! How hard is it to introduce some tension or conflict between her own views and the world she is living in? The MC was a dancer and worked as a manager in the entertainment industry, ostensibly (we get no memories and no information on this) - you're telling me you can't work this into the novel as anything more than an explanation for why the MC is The Best at dancing and The Best at reading people? Somehow she instinctively knows all the proper manners and way of speaking of a world hundreds of years before her own and never makes a mistake? How boring.

Which brings me to a repeating theme in the story, especially at the beginning - the idea that life isn't a fairy tale. And it's not - unless you're the MC. I've seen some comments both in and out of the text that lean towards parts of this story being a deconstruction of fairy tales, specifically when touching on Yun Qing. But rather, it seems that this is a fairy tale, it's just the MC's fairy tale. Which is fine, but shouldn't be billed as a story where the MC works to make her future happen, and succeeds due to her skill and practicality. She's an incredibly passive agent throughout the whole story, and that just doesn't make for interesting reading, to me. I much preferred her mother-in-law, who was principled, loved her son, but still pretty scheming, and didn't drag down every woman her man came into contact with. <<less
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