I am looking for spoilers for the novel: https://www.novelupdates.com/series/luoyang-brocade/ RAW: http://www.quanben.io/n/luoyangjin/list.html The novel follows MC who was abandoned by her husband and killed by her aunt in her previous life. No one in her family helped her or they just traded in her misery for some personal benefits. It is unique because all (or most) of the people who wronged her are gathered in her family manor within 9 chapters (truly a happy family *cough*). So I want to know: Who is ML? Is it Lu Qian? Is Lu Qian also a reborn character? Did Lu Hong really abandoned MC for the princess? I feel like there is a lot of missing background information. Will MC find a way to cure the blindness of her twin brother? Is MC going to get her revenge on Lu Hong, the grandmother, her father (?) and the current wife of her father? Is the luoyang Brocade symbolic in meaning or does the flower play a significant role? It's probably symbolic but I dunno Thanks in advance
Ml is not Lu Qian N lu qian also a reborn character. No husband didn't abandoned mc for princess. Lu hong loved her n didn't want to marry the princess n was imprisoned in his uncle house . N mc was given aphrodisiac n raped by lu hong father. N ml is doctor I hope my spoiler satisfies ur need
Thanks a lot. I was really hoping that Lu Qian wasnt the ML because of the last two chapters. I even mtled the last chapter for ML name (it's Wei Yan, I believe). So Lu Hong was forced. The poor guy. Did MC get her revenge or she is more trying to live her life to the fullest?
She did get her revenge. Little twist n turns bt she did her happy ending . N i really sorry for lu hong .he is a really poor guy .he really liked mc .when mc rejected his confession in her 2nd life time he cried.
Thanks for warning, I was about to start this, but i do not like to read stories where one of the "bad guys" is also a victim
Currently reading the mtl of this. Lu Hong was a victim, but he was also responsible for MC's fate, even if it was unwillingly, he promised her things he couldn't accomplish because he himself was weak and at the mercy of his elders and superiors. I feel pity for him to a certain extent, but he did fail to protect MC in the previous life because he trusted too much his wife would be OK staying with his elders to pay her filial piety. He could had find ways to bring her with him to the Capital before everything started to go downhill, but he would had never thought the villains were his own parents. MC's family is no much better. I am currently at the 60+ chapters and her First Uncle is already showing signs to want to exploit her for profit. Even his son (her Eldest cousin) has foreseen this and is afraid of the poor fate MC may have at his own father's hands. What I like of this novel is that it treats in a quite realistic way the trauma and effects of it from the past life, but it also goes deep into each character's feelings and impressions whenever they interact with other people. The MC isn't OP and her evolution is more believeable than your usual revenge-thirsty MC. She is aware that she is weak, she lacks knowledge and power, and she needs to figure out carefully how to proceed in order to not just avoid the past life's events, but also to get revenge. I don't even find annoying that she, most of the times, can't keep her temper on check and ends offending people, because she always tries to use proper rethoric to vent her anger, and it is also realistic. Most people can't contain themselves when poked, why would a reincarnated and traumatized MC do so? He father sucks, her step-mother is evil but she isn't the main evil, her grandmother is her source of protection but is also her source of disgrace, and the rest of her relatives are opportunists on most of the cases. Her twin brother is too weak and a drag, but that is also realistic, the poor kid got his future trampled when he became blind due to an "accident" and no one -except for MC- ever cared for him anymore. Even his grandmother just raised him as a charitable act, not putting any effort on trying to make the boy self-sufficient somehow or, at least, not stop his education. I wonder what's the role to play for the Imperial Family, especially the Grandson (Crown Prince's son), the Prince of Yan, and the presumably even more evil Empress (meaning she may had got rid of the previous Empress, after all). Especially knowing the ML (the doctor) is related to the "Empress camp" or so it seems on the surface (his sister could as well be her hostage). _____ ML, Wei Yan appears for the first time in the chapter 96. He's been talked about numerous times before that, however, because MC (Ling Jing Shu) keeps meeting noble young men whom seem fascinated/obsessed with her, the author sort of plays with the readers a little in order to assert whether Wei Yan is the ML or not. Also, for one time, the FL stating she doesn't plan to marry in this life is more believeable than in other novels because of her trauma and her PSTD (she vomits everytime she's touched by a man, and feels nausated by those who were lustful to her and/or harmed her in the previous life). So, it is hard to guess for sure -unless you've read spoilers- whether Wei Yan will be the ML or it'll be one of the princes. ___ Spoiler: People whom FL wants to seek revenge on Madam Li, the stepmother, because she is behind her brother's accident (he became blind). She also pinned the blame on FL's father's most favored concubine, Aunt Xia, which ended up killing her earlier. Lu An, past life's father-in-law he R* her repeatedly while they were keeping her captive so Lu Hong could marry the Princess. Madam Ling, her Aunt and mother-in-law of previous life. She imprisoned her, then she ruined her reputation twisting facts (when Lu Qian claimed he loved her), then she drugged her so her own husband could R* her as much as he wanted. Finally, she killed her. Princess ChangPing, the favored daughter of the Emperor and Empress Xu that fell in love with Lu Hong and insisted on marrying him. She appears for the first time in chapter 112. Of course, FL hates her as much as she hates her in-laws, but she also knows she's no match for her when she first encounters her. Spoiler: Holy Molly WAIT. This Princess ChangPing -who is already 20 years old- already HAS/D A HUSBAND! Which means she not only had to get rid of FL in her previous life but also get rid of the man (he was killed in a horse "accident"). It is explained that her husband is the nephew of Empress Xu, unfortunately their marriage isn't good, so he spends most of the time in the brothel, while she likes to keep male attendants rotating into her bed-chamber... Empress Xu, the mother of Princess ChangPing, she clearly indulged her own daughter into committing such heinous act and also made a secret decree to kill FL so her daughter could marry Lu Hong without ruining her own reputation. Prince Yan, as colateral damage. He is the Fifth Prince, brother of Princess ChangPing (son of Empress Xu). He became the Emperor in her past life, getting rid of the Crown Prince (eldest di son from previous Empress) first, which implicated the Eldest Master of the Ling Family (FL'). In order to save this Eldest Uncle, the Ling Family spent all their fortune as well as asked the Lu Family for help. Because of this debt, the Lu Family became the master of FL's family and the Lings didn't back her up when she was imprisoned, nor when she got humiliated by her in-laws and her husband (well, in fact Lu Hong was innocent). Lu Hong, despite he's innocent, FL doesn't know. She only suspects that he must had, at least, left a letter for her to explain why he was abandoning her and her son. FL hates him regardless he could be innocent and not trully intend to abandon her or not, because due to his promise she fell into the fire pit of the Lu Family but he failed to fullfill his oath to her. In the words of the author (MTL) He does get raped (implied in previous life too) because of his Second Uncle's machinations, but he fails to even rebel and fight for himself, because he is only thinking about the disgusting family's wellbeing. In one hand, he is a true victim in both life-times, it is despicable what his Uncle (and brother) do to him (of course, the Princess too). But then, after the damage is done, he doesn't stand up for himself against his family because he is more worried of causing them to be persecuted by Princess ChangPing than the fact he's been raped. Spoiler: People FL doesn't regard in high steem/plans to cut ties with Ling Fifth Master, her disappointing father. Honestly, the most disappointing thing is the fact there's and eldest shu brother. FL says her deceased mother hadn't a firm foothold back then when she married, but it is such a disrespect to allow a former tongfang to get pregnant before the legal wife... the man even kept pampering that woman over his main wife, despite it hasn't been touched at all, I do have my doubts on why the woman died so early (not suspecting the also deceased Aunt Xia, thought). She doesn't plan to directly harm her father, but she also doesn't plan to mantain their relationship further once she can accomplish her goal of healing her twin brother and become more powerful. Ling Old Madam, FL's grandmother did protect her in her previous life and current... only to abandon her when she needed her backing the most (when she was being humiliated by her in-laws). FL dislikes her a lot, but she knows she can't tear her face up until she's become independent. Of course there's people from the Second branch of Ling Family, but not worth mentioning. Lu Qian, FL doesn't want to mistreat him at first, because she thinks he's innocent. However, when she learns that Spoiler: Lu Qian He's also reincarnated, meaning he is the creepy obsessed dude who caused her to fall out with her mother-in-law and end up being R* by Lu An she has also to make plans to stop him. ____ Annoying people that pester ML: County Princess Fuming, she is the cousin of Princess ChangPing, daughter of a Prince brother of the current Emperor. She is arrogant and always tries to appear in front of the ML to catch his attention. Someone you may not want to know yet Spoiler: The key of Wei Yan's disgrace Empress Xu is just like her two children, a lecherous and lustful person who's been predating on ML for years without success. However, she already killed a Palace Official that was in good terms with him and who was obviously in love with ML (he wasn't with her) and she immediately becomes weary of FL when she gets to know ML also met her several times due to her brother's blindness. There's another reason for both leads to get revenge on this woman. Annoying people that pester FL: I must said every case is justified, except for 1, and the fact many men want her doesn't make her a Mary Sue. Lu Qian, her cousin, biological son of Madam Ling (her Aunt and past life mother-in-law), brother of Lu Hong (his husband in past life). Spoiler: He pesters her because... He was obsessed with her in the past life. Honestly, this is the less justified case. The little brother of Lu Hong simply becomes psyco-obsessed with her from the moment he meets her when he's only 12 years old. In this lifetime, he just keeps deluding himself that they are fated, because he soon discovers she reincarnated too, and he believes Ling JingShu will love him back. It takes quite a few strikes to make the boy back off a little. Not until he gets to know the girl has PTSD and he obviously knows why (his father raped her), he realizes FL will only hate him more and more, because she fell into Lu An's hands partially thanks to his own pestering in the past life. The Emperor's Grandson (son of Crown Prince), he is the most tolerable of these men, Spoiler: because His loving doesn't come out of the blue. He saves her from being kidnapped, and he soon gets impressed by her cold temper (he witnesses how FL kills her own kidnapper) as well as the fact she won't immediately go to flatter him. But it isn't the usual "I want what I can't have", as he is an observant man and he genuinely likes her for how she is, however when he is rejected, as much as he'd want to impose on her, he carefully debate inside about what he wants to do and always ends up deciding to respect her wish. There's a point he's about to ask her to be his legal wife (it's a rush, and boy soon realizes this couldn't happen anyway), because despite he's told to himself that is OK to just accept her later as a side-wife, he knows in his heart he only wishes to marry her. He pesters her but he also helps her, the biggest trouble he causes her (for the moment) is provoking the Crown Princess (his mother) dislike and prejudice of FL, because the woman sees her as a seductress. He is the most complex but human character that's after FL. He continuously struggles between what he should do and what he actually wants, only to end up regretting some of his actions in the end. He is also able to self-admit when he's not as good as others or has been defeated. Prince Yan, he is the biological son of the current Empress and the brother of Princess Changping. Spoiler: I dislike him so much The guy is not only arrogant and self-absorbed, he is a playboy that already has many women in his backyard despite he has yet to marry a legal wife. He never questions the fact FL may reject him, and forcefully thinks he can easily make her become his woman. He doesn't even consider the fact about accepting her after getting married, he immediately hands her his Palace card in hopes of getting FL visit him and snatch her flower. A Bonus Spoiler: Better not open if you don't want MAJOR spoilers The Emperor, the disgusting 60+ year old is no much different than predator Lu An. It isn't enough that Empress Xu imposed on ML's sister and took her to the palace to use her as a tool for seduction (the poor woman even had a sweetheart before that); After some major changes happen in the Palace, the Emperor -who has already seen FL once or twice- redeems her from prison (yes, she ends up there but not because of her own doing) only to get her to serve him. FL tries to play dumb when the Emperor tells him he'll concede her a grace, even expresses that she wants to go back home (as she entered the Palace only because Empress Xu forced her), but she's forced to become his woman official in his Palace. By this time, ML has already had enough, so he won't let her fall into his grasp. He takes advantage of a consultation to let the Emperor know FL cannot touch any man due to her disease, right after he's told him the Emperor should practice abstinence -among other things- for half a year (he's harmed his body pretty much). Later on the Emperor recuperates and uses Taoist drugs to invigor himself, but this is also a scheme from ML. While the Emperor is unstoppable in bed, FL coincidentally falls ill. There are a couple more of twists and turns into the Emperor's health and vigor, but every time he's up for it, FL is indisposed or out of reach. In the end, due to a series of circumstances/schemes, his body is too damaged, so he even loses his thirst and grows attatched to Concubine Wei (ML's sister) instead, because the woman knows how to play her part as a gentle, compassionate and affectionate wife. He eventually sort of lets go of the thought of catching FL. ________ Shameless elders: Lu Ping (the Uncle of Lu Hong and Lu Qian) Spoiler: Greedy for power He is the one who gets Lu Hong served to the Princess ChangPing (it is implied he did the same in the previous life) so she can rape him while he's drunk (and also served aphrodisiac). He only sees the possibility to climb higher, as he has already defected to Prince Yan's side, and he expects him to be the next Emperor. In the past life, it was also thanks to his actions that the Ling family became indebted when the First Master was implicated due to the fall of the Crown Prince. Madam Ling (FL's Aunt and past life's mother in law) Spoiler: Crazy Aunt She falls off with FL on the first life because her son claims he loves her while she's married to Lu Hong. She also prefers to get rid of her, so Lu Hong can marry the Princess. Later, she ends up being the master-mind behind Lu An's rape of FL. She knows her husband is also lusting for their daughter-in-law, and because her own son is obsessed with her, she decides to just throw FL at the hands of this predator. Lu An (FL's past life's father-in-law) Spoiler: The disgusting predator He is a lecherous man, quite disgusting and with a huge lack of morals... and that is already way before he sets his hands on FL on the first life. He doesn't even hesitate when his wife proposes him to get FL raped, and after the first time, she just gets repeatedly forced by him until she's killed. Ling First Master (FL's uncle) Spoiler: he would be a good man If it wasn't for the fact he is the first ready to sell his niece (or his own daughter if it happened) for money and glory. He just can't stop when he sees the chance with the Emperor's Grandson, even when he's told FL has a disease and can't approach men, he just keeps stubbornly pushing people so he can get her into the Crown Prince's mansion as one of his son's concubines or side-wife. Ling Fifth Master (FL's father) Spoiler: another 1 for the sitty fathers league He is already quite despicable for the mere fact he forgot his twin di children for his new wife and, later, he even forgot them more when Ling Xiao got blind. But things get even worse (even though his role on the first life is also disgusting) when he sees the oportunity to use Ling Xiao if he gets healed and then to climb the throne if Ling Jing Shu (FL) can marry to the Emperor's Grandson. He is greedier than his eldest brother, as he even deludes himself into thinking FL can marry as his consort (legal wife), which is obviously impossible due to her family background and status. It is annoying how he tries to regain a relationship he never bothered to build with his twin children, thinking they owe him, when both kids (FL and her twin brother) are already quite done with him. At the beginning Ling Xiao is just a little disappointed for being neglected, but he trully doesn't start to grow apart from his father's figure until he realizes his father doesn't even care to give him an education. Later, when FL starts explaining how he pretends to use her as a chess piece, Ling Xiao is furious and by then whatever filial feelings he still may have for him, have already disappeared. Madam Sun (wife of Ling First Master) Spoiler: another greedy person She doesn't mistreat FL, but she does scheme behind her back to follow her husband's plans to use her for glory. _______ THE FATES Spoiler: Empress Xu ML has had enough of her predating on him (take note that she never gets to touch him) and continuously threatening FL, who she has brought into the Palace to become a female official, so he sets a trap for her to be caught by the Emperor with one of her lovers (apparently, they're all eunuchs, though). The Emperor doesn't kill her immediately, due to the plea of Prince Yang, but he does kill most of his eunuchs and some maids, the rest get imprisoned (even FL, who spends two months in a cell). He also feds her medicine that will leave her weak and even make her vomit blood. When the Emperor interrogates her staff, he does it one by one and separately, so FL plays well her cards and admits that although she's been there for a short time (less than half a year), she knows that the Empress keeps several eunuch lovers and even gets to name a few. So she does play her part in this revenge. Unfortunately, the fall of one of her enemies from the previous life, also means that she's now at the mercy of the predator Emperor. Spoiler: Princess ChangPing The idiot keeps having an affair with Lu Hong -who after the first assault, just kept going there just to follow his Uncle's orders, even admits he's caught some affection- and wants to divorce her husband. However, Empress Xu just gets mad at her and enrages her to the extent, she ends up blabbing everything to FL (who is now working for the Empress). FL is determined to execute her revenge, in the eyes of Princess ChangPing she's always been a sweet coaxing girl, so she uses her chance to throw some words that will instigate her to kill her husband from the Xu family. FL is brilliant, because she doesn't say anything about getting rid of her husband, but what she says is enough for her to decide to get rid of her Fuma herself. After ChangPing has set her mind, FL let's the Emperor's Grandson know (one of her maids is his spy, so she can work for him in secret) so he is ready to catch her after she's already killed the man. The idiot is so focused into this, she misses the fact Empress Xu has fallen, she's completely ignorant of what have happened, so when the Xu family drags her to the Palace to seek justice in front of the Emperor, her father is even more enraged by his most pampered daughter and faints again. ChangPing ends up being sent to a nunnery from the Imperial Family, where woman go to be imprisoned and suffer. She's instructed to spend the rest of her life praying for her deceased husband. When she gets sentenced, she ends up regretting ever meeting Lu Hong. I wonder how things ended up in the previous life for her, as the Emperor was already gone and her brother ruled. Did she trully get to marry Lu Hong and live happily? Or Lu Hong was too hurt for losing FL he'd never be able to get any affection for her? In that lifetime there was no Emperor's Grandson anymore (he presumably died), so Emperor Yan had no oposition and Empress Xu became a powerful dowager, I guess. Spoiler: Lu Hong Well, the man was initially a victim, but we can guess more or less he might had ended up also going to the Princess repeatedly on the first life, and never done anything to avoid it. This time he even admits to have caught some feelings for her when he recieves the news ChangPing has been sentenced to become a nun. The Emperor gets to know he's been the cause of his daughter's crime, as well as his uncle's misdeeds to please Prince Yan, so he sentences him to become a monk and his uncle Lu Ping is only punished to reflect at home for a month (for the moment). Despite people may think he is only a victim, as I've said before, he is at first, but then he literally does nothing to avoid keeping the affair with the Princess, it is also hinted that he didn't do much in the previous life. In the words of the FL in chapter 348: His greedy uncle cries a lot with regret when he is informed his promising chess piece has been sentenced to become a monk forever. Lu An/Lu Ping/Madam Ling/Lu Family Spoiler: what's left Lu Ping is only scolded with a month of reflection when Lu Hong is accused of the affair with the Princess. It isn't until a lot of chapters later (and an assassination attempt to the Emperor and Crown Prince), in chapter 401, that they finally fall. Lu Ping is trully involved in the scheme to assassinate the Crown Prince while using a fake attempt to assassinate the Emperor so Prince Yan can play the savior and benefit from it. It takes quite a while for the Emperor's Grandson to fully demostrate Prince Yan is behind everything, despite Prince An (he is a discarded son of the Emperor that was sent to his fief early) and his mother (Concubine Li Shu) part in both assassination attempts. When the Emperor's Grandson finally closes the whole investigation, Lu Ping is sentenced to death, as well as the rest of his clan. Lu An is first summoned to the capital so they can imprison and sentence him. Those who won't be killed, will be imprisoned or exiled. Madam Li (FL's stepmother). Spoiler FL instigates her eldest brother Ling Tong (he is a shu brother, see how shameless her father is) to go after the step-mom, revealing him that she was behind the accident that caused Ling Xiao to become blind and killed his Auntie Xia (Ling Tong's mother). She personally suggests different ways to get their youngest (di) brother, Ling Luo, have an accident that either kills him or leaves him useless. After a while of FL being into the Palace, she gets once released to visit her Uncle's home, then she finds out that her father (who had joined them into the Capital in hopes to use her to climb the throne) has gone back to Dingzhou (their home town). Ling Wuye (5th Master, FL's father) had to rush back because his prodigal son Ling Luo climbed a tree and fell and now he has a useless leg, which impeds him to become an official in the future. FL reacts coldly to these news and both her Uncle and his wife scold her for her reaction (literally she isn't sad at all, LOL), but she doesn't care. Little is said up till 400~ chapters about them, only that during his time in the Capital, FL's father took a maid as a concubine, something that might cause trouble since Li Madam doesn't allow any other women to enter the door (and that's why he's always at the brothel). FL may seem blood-thirsty but, honestly, can't blame her for targetting a child, after knowing how her step-mother dealt with both the twins in the previous and current life. Not only she caused Ling Xiao's blindness, she also killed him at the age of 16. Then, she also cut the shu son's future by getting rid of his mother and having her husband hate this son. Knowing that Ling Wuye only had attention for the little di brother, the obvious choice for FL is to harm the innocent child to hurt both father and step-mother in return for what they did to her in both lifetimes. Not only she would think she's retributing them, she does have no affection for that little brother that robbed her and her twin from their father's care (and replaced Ling Xiao in the past life). Lu Wuye (FL's father) Spoiler he first gets served some coldness from both twins, whenever he tries to lecture them or even "reward" them, they either refute him with brilliant arguments or show no joy for his gestures. In chapter 405, after the Lu Family has all been sentenced to either death, prison or exile; the rest of the Ling Family travels to the Capital, when they see that FL isn't sad about the Lu's nor her Aunt, her grandmother scolds her, so does her father, but FL refutes them saying that getting sad is of no use after what they've done and that is better to think of ways to not let Madam Ling and her son suffer in the prison. Her father wants to scold her, but Ling Xiao just comes at her defence and even gives him a piece of truth: After this speech, even the Old Madam dared to scold her Fifth son and his wife, who had obviously instigated FL's father so he would make a fuss trying to control her. Old Madam Ling Spoiler: her retribution Despite being the one to "care" for the twins, she did turn her face in the past life when FL needed her aid, so when is her turn in this life, FL is determined not to help her. Not just that, Old Madam wants FL to intercede using ML to plead for the Lu's and Madam Ling. Of course FL doesn want to! FL doesn't want to help her but in the end, she has a sudden change of mind because she wants to take advantage of the situation. She makes the Old lady promise her three things, being one matching the rich dowry the Empress has prepared for her (LOL, FL has been extorting them money from the beginning XD), the other two are for the Ling Family to be eternally indebted to her upcoming hubby and the third is to take Ling Xiao to live with her. She also doesn't promises that ML will actually speak out for her Aunt. FL justifies her taking her twin brother because she suspects Li Madam from being behind his accident years ago. She doesn't want him to be at her mercy. In the end Wei Yan and his Empress sister "intercede" for the Lu's but only get to save them to be exiled miles away in the bitter coldness, while still having Lu An and Lu Ping beheaded. FL is disappointed, because she only wanted ML to make a show, not to save them, but he tells her in a letter that he had to do it for her own good, because it would had damaged too much her relationship with the Ling Family and her reputation as a result. Also, he tries to convince that Madam Ling's fate is worse than death. ------ Progression of the leads relationship. ML first appearence is in chapter 96. He doesn't like her at first, despite of her beauty, but he gradually starts looking at her due to empathy. He recognizes his own situation with his sister (she's a concubine for the Emperor) Wei Xieyu in FL and her twin brother's predicament so, after he initially scolds her a few times and even kicks her out of the room where he treats Ling Xiao, he starts being more appreciative of Ling Jing Shu's love for her twin brother and consequently starts looking at her differently. The reason why ML is always aloof to any women and bowed he'd never marry Spoiler: isn't the usual one Is because Empress Xu is overbearing and obsessed with him and she already killed one of her female officers, Luzhu, that was in love with ML (but ML didn't like back, just was in good terms with her). Wei Yan (ML) is aware that him showing any hints of closeness with any woman means putting that woman's life at risk, so he never dares to entertain the young misses of the Capital that seek his medical help. Due to this same reason, when he realizes he likes FL, he has to be cautious to not expose it, however, the unusual often contact with her due to treating her brother's illness, still makes FL a target in the end. I forgot to record which chapter is when he realizes he likes her Spoiler: but... It is after the Empress Xu deliberately summons FL into her Palace (she was invited first by ML's sister) to embarrass her, with the excuse the Empress knows her son Prince Yan has fallen (he's just extra lecherous) for her and wants to accuse her of seduction. FL reveals her illness (she vomits whenever a man touches her) to the Empress to convince her that she hasn't attempted any seduction. FL already knows that Empress Xu is obsessed with ML (he told her), so she knows she needs to show her that she is no threat, and Empress Xu forces ML to try to diagnose her pulse (means touch her wrist), so FL ends up convulsing and throwing up. At that moment ML is trully angry at the Empress and feels too sad for FL and also acknowledges that in her worst appearence, he finds her the most beautiful, because she is doing her best to protect herself. It is when he realizes he has fallen for her. Also forgot to record the exact chapter when he subtly confesses his feelings, but it is past the 300. Not that he hasn't already exposed his care to her and FL hasn't noticed before, but it is when he "openly" let's her know of his feelings and intentions. Spoiler: A couple of steps First it is during the time FL is in prison, her 15th birthday comes. It is quite sad that being a noble girl, she has spent her last years of being "underage" in turmoil, especially the last few months when she had no choice but to be in the Palace. She's attended 2 hairpin ceremonies (from to acquaintences that happen to be the candidates to marry the Emperor's Grandson), but she can't even have her own, as she's in a cell with only the company of her maid, Baiyu. The ML has some people working for him secretly, and he manages to pass her things while she's in the prison, because he knows someone who's in charge of it. He keeps sending her letters to inform her of the situation outside, but that day he makes a maid send her longevity noodles, as well as a letter that's almost a confession, with a wooden hairpin he carved. FL uses that hairpin for a very humble ceremony (Baiyu combs her hair in a bun and inserts it), and once she is finally out, despite she falls in the hands of the Emperor, ML manages to keep her safe and meet her. The first time he can talk with her in private, he let's her know that he was afraid of his life because of Empress Xu, until someone who he liked had appeared, implying that he is ready to take action only because he's fallen for FL. Of course, Ling Jing Shu is no stupid, and she recognizes his subtle confession. Despite she feels sad at first (due to her illness and situation at the Palace), she is moved by his words, saying he will do his best so they can both leave the Palace and be together, and she sort of answers his feelings back. The first kiss happens in chapter 344 Spoiler: Not just that Well, she is out of the Emperor's Palace and under the protection of now Concubine Wei (ML's sister), who raised to manage the harem once the Empress was abolished and imprisoned (house arrest). ML meets her again after a long time (he's been taking care of the Emperor who is "sick") and their yearn for each other makes them unconsciously get closer to each other while speaking. He can see that she seems to return his feelings as they are too close, but she still seems a little affected by her trauma. However, after speaking things out, she manages to calm down and dares to touch his hand. He helds her hand in response and there's a moment the ML tells her he is afraid of getting to excited and offend her, FL blurts out that she doesn't mind the offense when is between two people that love each other. That's how she ends up confessing her feelings without having time to notice. ML is so excited that he ends up kissing, and for a first kiss, it becomes quite passionate. Whether Ling Jing Shu ever tells ML about her past life? Spoiler: click to know This is funny, because her determination to reveal all her secrets comes from a while ago, however she doesn't have a chance until they're out in a summer Palace (Concubine Wei arranges all their meetings) and she has just given ML a boner (LOL) that took him some time to deflate. She opens up in chapter 359, he feels her pain and can't help but embrace her. He always suspected that she was hiding the truth of the cause of her illness, so it doesn't surprise him to know why she feels repulsed by the touch of men. Something steamy happens in chapter 383 Spoiler I am not quite sure whether she gives ML a hand-job or a blow-one... but he just sneaks into her room after a Palace banquet and he is already too thirsty than the usual due to the fact he is drunk and he hasn't met FL for 6 months! Add into the fact the ML is 27 years old by then and a virgin that has contained himself for around 2/3 years now (ever since falling for FL and also being able to be intimate with her). FL is not a prude, due to her past life's marriage (while she enjoyed the love of Lu Hong for 2 years), she is not strange to these matters, so she stops ML before he goes to far but embarrassedly tells him to lay down and she takes action. It is not much specified what she does but, obviously, it means servicing him without compromising her body's chastity. Do they get married? Spoiler: read at your own risk Chapter 393-395 cover the smooth way Empress Wei has to manipulate the Emperor into personally decreeing marriage to Ling Jing Shu & Wei Yan. I think it is better not to spoil much on the details, only say that at the time, ML's sister has succeeded into her path of pleasing the Emperor for a lifetime.
Making a new post because I just wanted to comment that this author has many other works but those aren't listed on this site. I'd like to add, at least, 2 of the works I've read/I'm currently reading, but I can't even find how to proper translate those, not sure of the right pinyin title either as well as I am not familiar on how to make entries in the novels database. I'd gladly like to open spoilers' posts for the novels I've completed, but I'd prefer to have those listed first. This is the page for the author on one of the official sites (? I guess) https://my.qidian.com/author/1772493/ Here is the novel I've completed reading: https://book.qidian.com/info/3472593/ And here's the one I am currently reading: https://book.qidian.com/info/3269908/ I think it's a pity that only Luoyang Brocade is listed out of all her works, because I like this author's style in terms of how she settles her protagonists' revenges and also how she doesn't make them omniscient. I also love the fact she explores every single old trope from the genre but tries to give a twist to them. The novel I've completed, Rong Hua Xijin, sets the female lead as someone who ended up pretty bad because she went to the wrong relatives' manor to be sheltered, along with her widow mother and eldest brother. The one I'm currently reading, Nian Chungui, has a female lead who also ends up badly due to being the daughter of the second wife of an scholar with some family prestige. The author gives the twist to what would usually be the villains of a novel: the relatives who come to visit and end up stealing your husband or ruining your whole family to climb over your head; and the little sister whose step-mother is vicious and ruins the life and reputation of the pure and noble First Daughter and her closest relatives. She takes these characters and makes them the protagonists, makes them the victims of who would usually be the heroine of a reincarnation/transmigration with revenge theme story, and she also makes sure the way they seek revenge is accurate, not overdone, and only cruel in proportion to what the others did to them before. Also, the villains remain villains that do scheme against them and even harmed them previously on the second life, so is not like comming at people who're still innocent and don't know what they did wrong. The second aspect I love from this author is: she gives plenty of steamy kisses passages, despite the relationships with the main couple may develop further in the novel. She explores different type of male leads so, some may not be likeable and come as too much forceful, but others come out as adorable and proper towards the female lead. Some works are easier to read than others, meaning some novels have too many filler passages, but still those aren't badly written so you can chose to skip or read, depending on what you're anxious to know. She likes to plant seeds on different plots unfolding and leave you hanging for a while, distracting you with other matters that may or may not be too relevant to the main plot. Sometimes she does it brilliantly, sometimes you want to curse her for inserting 20-something chapters of different matters to the one you're trully interested in; but she knows how to give shape to her stories by complementing the main archs with other side stories that often contribute to the progression of the story. *EDIT* After finishing the second one, I've started a new one from the same author https://book.qidian.com/info/2086494/ This one starts trully promising! Spoiler: brief intro I'm just at Chapter 5, the female lead is a loyal maid who got pregnant in stead of her master only to be killed right after giving birth to a son. It seems her master is some Prince's side-concubine, so we can expect she is a wicked woman who wants to usurp the main wife's position. However, is not explained yet whether that Prince has a main wife already or she is only trying to ascend on an empty spot. The girl transmigrates into a young miss' body, a concubin born soft-tempered girl, and she's just waken up and trying not to show she isn't the same person that drowned at the pond, because the boy that drowned with her alerted everyone when he woke up from the coma, saying he didn't know where he was and who was the boy they were calling. It seems the boy transmigrated from a contemporary future! He died in a plane crash, and now he is trying to meet the female lead alone to find out whether she also came from the same place, but he will only freak her out, because the girl is definetly an ancient person, and she must have transmigrated not far away from her death date, so she can execute her revenge. I've finished this one already and I can say it is slow at times, it is more a slice of life perspective, with a minor touch on revenge and there are no politics nor imperial stuff involved, but it was quite nice to read. Now I've started this one that seems to be titled "The Phoenix Returns to the Nest" https://book.qidian.com/info/1004866790/#Catalog Spoiler for what I am seeing on the first 3 chapters, the protagonist got to become Empress Dowager with a lot of power on her hands and died of illness around the age of 30 (not killed, it seems). She ressurects when she's 13 years old, she is the daughter of a Marquees Manor. Her father died at war and the title was passed onto her eldest concubine born uncle, with the condition of passing it back to her little brother later when that is of age and marries. Here the principal villain seems to be the female lead's own biological mother. She even revenged on her past life but, like in most of this author's novels, getting revenge didn't make her happy, because her mom had already killed her most beloved people and messed up with her life. If anyone can help me with setting up entries with these -at least- two novels, I am not quite familiar with how to fill every field, but if someone can help, then I'll gladly open spoiler threats for those, before I forget the most important things of each novel.
My friend, it's so complete. Hard work! Thank you for the rec. But, I might pass this one. So many chapters. I still have queue list to finish. Maybe later, let's see.
Adorei que contaram tudo e não deixaram eu morrer aqui de infarto sinceramente... Manokkk essa vida dela é muito sofrida!!! Sinto cada vez mais pena dela, na moral. Essa família dela não é a toa que se chama todos Ling (pássaros RUINS da mesma pena voam juntos). Adorei o ML e fiquei triste pelo príncipe que gostava dela, mas esse livro foi muito bom . Só uma coisa, meu Deus ESSE ROSTO DELA SO PODIA TER MEL PORQUE PELO AMOR DE DEUS "VAI ATRAIR EMBUSTE ASSIM LÁ NA CHINA"!!!!!