I read the novel translation and one of my favorite character is Rouran. She was pitiful yet brave, her bad upbringing didn’t make her a villain yet she played as the villain.
This is a pretty late reply BUT it was explained that he (Rakan) was going to "buy" her from the brothel but then he was stationed to the frontline of the war by his family. When he returned, it was three years later and it was also because Maomao's mother sent the tip of Maomao's pinky finger. Also the reason he can't buy her at first is because he has limited savings as he was kicked out as a heir of their family. Maomao also clarified that it wasn't as if her mother was forced by the guy. It was hinted that MC mother, Fenshen, was well aware of the consequences of servicing Rakan and that she also consented being pregnant. It was just that she didn't expect that Rakan would be called to war for such a long time and im not even sure if Rakan managed to tell her of his situation. I have mixed feelings about MC's mother because, by the gods, Maomao didn't deserve to be harmed by her own mother. In the LN, Maomao's mom is still alive. It is also reflected on the Manga as well. This is what the translator posted about LN vs WN Their story is very bittersweet. Rakan is someone who views people as shogi pieces but this woman was the one for him. If circumstances were different, they would have lived a life together. Unfortunately, I don't have any more info about the Light Novel I am really hoping for an official English release at the very least or an Anime
Excuse me. I just read the latest chapter (of manga) 32. And haven't read the novel at all. I wanted to ask if mao mao's father raped her mother or not. It's been told already above but in the manga, it's heavily indicated he did. First of all, he tells jinshi that he really liked a courtesan and wanted to redeem her but the price was too high. He had to play 'dirty' and pull some tricks to lower her price. When jinshi asks mao how this happens, she says if a pure high ranking courtesan has been plucked by a man, her value halves and if she gets pregnant, she becomes worthless (she's sad when she says this). And when jinshi mentions rakan's name (mao's father), she shows a disgusted and hateful expression. She also avoids the military area since her father is a military strategist. So I just want this matter to be clarified because the father is giving me bad vibes.
Nope, Rakan didn't rape Maomao's mother. They had a consensual relationship* and were in love (or at least, he was in love, the story is less clear about her feelings). He wanted to redeem her and getting her pregnant was their bid to lower her price so that he could. When his family learned about the plan, though, they sent him away for a while, so he couldn't redeem her and couldn't contact her to let her know what happened. She lost her worth as a high-class courtesan because of the pregnancy and had to work as a low-class prostitute, all while believing that he was an asshole who lied about wanting to redeem her, which made her understandably bitter and not-understandably abusive to Maomao. Maomao only knows her mother's side of this story at this point, though I think she learns his side later? But he's also... quite a personality and I think later on she just finds him off-putting and annoying, rather than an Awful Person. Anyway, when he gets back he visits the brothel all the time to try to meet her again but the Madam doesn't let him. He's lovesick to the very end (for some plot reasons, but those aren't really relevant to your question I guess). * as consensual as a relationship where one party is owned by a brothel can be, in any case
Thank you so much. I was so off-put and disgusted with the father during those chapters. Im glad that wasn't the case although the guy still looks shady.
Actually spoiler he might act be the son of the current emperor which was why the consort which was with the current emperor since he was a crown prince
Hmmm actually I’m pretty sure he kinda knows he looks a lot like his mum besides maomao noticed their resemblance
Ok for those asking about the parents I do not know much here goes nothing Some context Weirdo-bio dad Xiangqi is his expertise Foster dad - bio grand uncle GO is Feng Shen ( Mao Mao bio mum ) expertise So when the weirdo was young he could not recognise anyone faces, his uncle ( Mao Mao foster dad) taught him Chinese chess aka xiangqi and said that use chess pieces and try to recognise the voice so that you can know who are the people you meet? So he goes to the brothel to play a game of GO with Mao Mao‘s bio mum she’s a courtesan and a virgin which rises her price. So when ever they meet to play the game of GO or xiangqi, there will always be a crowd cause she is known as the best player of GO. Because of her having many suitors, her price rose as stated and he could only afford to see her 3 months. One day she became a bit more talkative and when will he visit he said 3 months later before they had a conversation about a plant that is an antidote to insect poisons and about how when y tough it the seed pod explodes and touched each other accidentally . So 3 months he meets her and she said let’s play a game GO or Xiangqi he choose GO she also said whoever wins can tell the loser to do a thing eventually the game stopped? Cause they touched hands and did their things she said *she wants to play another round of GO he thoughts were xiangqi only? * so apparently the uncle he looks up to was demoted his father mocked his uncle and uncle went away, sent weirdo away for 3 years and made his step-brother the heir. He thought he’d be back in a few months but no. When he was back he took the head of family title drone his dad chased his whole family out adopted his nephew. He was seeing some of his old documents realised a pouched and letter blood stains. Opened the pouch saw a **severed pinky and was shocked and rushed to the brothel to find Feng Shen but she wasn’t there. Everyday he went there until one day he saw Mao Mao and was reminded of the plant which was the insect antidote as she was picking up that plant and said was making medicine. He was about to talk more until his uncle arrived and Mao Mao said dad. He at that moment regrets loads of things saying he didn’t want anything he just wished to be with his daughter but that’s all I read till. * according to the translators there is 3 possible meanings 1 that mum wants a girl weirdo wants a boy 2 wish that they could remain like this forever 3 that cause since each was thinking / saying about the game they are expertise they wanted to have their own ways ** according to translators During that time severing a pinky and sending to their lover is to say promise me that you will get me/ buy me. Cause courtesans send their pinky’s to their lovers saying that their lovers promise to buy them. If it is broken the guy has to each 100 needles as punishment phew that was long
According to the wiki (the reliability is so-so) Jinshi's actually the first son of the current emperor and Ah Duo, yes. Swapped at birth because they knew that the pedo!emperor's child would get priority and both children were born around the same time. Then Ah Duo's maid ended up accidentally killing the pedo!emperor's actual son with the honey. Shit happens and suddenly the pedo!emporor's grandson becomes his son and Jinshi's father becomes his brother in the public's eyes. Not sure if Jinshi himself is truly aware of things though, he might be but I lack spoilers XD The biggest plot twist I've seen so far is the fact that Maomao's "father" is actually her biological uncle. Like, holy shit I haven't seen this kind of plot twist outside One Piece XD (If it's true, the Emperor actually being Jinshi's father is a close second lol) People originally thought that her mother sent Maomao's actual pinky. Seems like the other *courtesans stopped her before that could happen so she sliced off her own and sent that lol Hence why Maomao's pinky was malformed but her father still had a severed finger waiting for him at home. As for her "father" (AKA: uncle) he got kicked out for the Jinshi incident remember?
The Rakan and Feng story in latest chap made me tear up. I'm so glad they didnt do the forcing part and it was the mother herself who wished for Rakkan and getting pregnant. I do believe she was devastated after he left ( Nothing he could help really) and she further cutoff her pinky ( its not of mao mao, she cant have that big half finger at her age and fingers dont grow again magically) and ruined herself just so she wont be in anymore prostitution. And Rakkan uncle has been raising Nephews daughter all these years which further shows how much his uncle loved him. I really hope they are united and atleast get a happy married life even if maomao doesn't want to dig in deep, But I think she is doing it just to have them reunited and gain a proper family. Cheering for them
I appreciate the foreshadowing People seem to have thought that it was forced because of how Maomao said it, but the author left hints about it not being all it seemed lol and yeah. Maomao's pinky wasn't sliced. We were told earlier that the she tore out a nail at most before the rest of the *courtesans stopped her remember? The chapter also showed us her mother getting ready to slice off her own finger. Bit of a bonus spoiler though, they won't get a perfect happy ending. Her mother has syphilis remember? She dies a little after they marry in the LN and before the story even begins in the WN (apparently.)