okay, as someone asked, many believe that MC died right after ML returned, right? as i mentioned, in the chapter where MC reminises as a baby, it was mentioned that MC got to be the empress and lived alongside ML for a long time. well, now i know that i was only half right: MC did become the empress, but he didn't live for very long. as mentioned, he was ill and nearly dying, so he only lived for 2 more years, right after he finished his version of "civil law". (this info is mentioned in chapter 15) oh, an MC was invited to Empress Dowager's 60th birthday feast. the empress dowager had plans for MC (bc he was known to be very, very smart as a 4 year old), so when it was time to choose ML and JW's schoolmate (a childhood "friend" that go to school alongside them), she wanted MC to be brought there, too. she used her birthday feast as a fixed date to bring all the young children over 6 years old from prestigious families to the palace.
sooo, i can clearly say that the empress dowager is on ML's side, she loves her grandson and wants the best for him, that's why she wanted to see MC and decide if he will be a good help for ML in the future. ML's enemy is the current "inofficial" empress (i say inofficial bc she is the most favoured concubine), who birthed JW and wants to get rid of ML. bc of this dynasty's law, it's possible to get the throne by merit and not by age (ML is a bit older than JW i think), so the concubine empress wishes her son to be the next emperor. the official empress died at childbirth, btw. she was the biological mother of ML, then bc of her death, the empress dowager raised ML.
Not that sort of blackening lol. I mean she spreads nasty rumors about MC to tarnish his name/reputation. That's what I got too, at least initially. But later in story you'll see it's all an act. She hates the Emperors down to her bones and 100% wants to kill them all. She was nice to ML because she was grooming him to be her puppet. She metaphorically starts flipping the table later when she kicks steel board (where I'm at). So this Empress Dowager? Scaryyyyyyyy.
Also forgot to mention: Empress Dowager ('Queen Mother' in MTL I guess) tends to refer to herself as 'aijia.' It's a royal form of address/pronoun like how Kings, Princes, Emperors tend to use 'benwang.'
Also what i got from the characters‘ meaning is: aijia is to refer to themselves, but only used by widowed empresses or imperial concubines. So a widowed noble woman or the wife from a king (not emperor) doesn‘t use this form. Note that only WIDOWED empresses/imperial concubines can use this, i guess it’s bc the „ai“ from aijia means „to grieve/mourn“ Otherwise they would use „bengong“ or smth like that But not 100% sure, it‘s just my guess
Oh wow, really??!!! O__O poor ML... I‘m currently at ch 38(?) where they are preparing for the spring season hunt.
Yup, I usually only see Empress Dowagers use 'aijia.' The form used for concubines and such tends to be 'qie' or 'chenqie.'
Finally got some time for more spoilers: -mostly it's a lot of politics and preparation (for ML's plan to unify the whole world) -Empress Dowager is vicious but also sad. She once loved 1st Emperor deeply, but then ended up hating him equally strongly for some reason. That's why she's so bent on killing Emperors. ML at this point has been able to put aside revenge because Empress Dowager's hate is going nowhere -- she's just a sad old woman now. She dies at seventy years of age. At least they both get a last conversation and conclusion. -ML's dad is cured by MC's antitoxin ice snake. Well, technically the snakes consider them both their masters. -a side arc about MC and ML taking a trip on a ship that leads into pirates, creepy mummified bodies stuffed in the paneling, and a poor prince who got his tongue cut out and crippled (?) and used for making schematics. They were able to save the poor prince. -they clean up some rebellious people. -enter this other country's king? prince? He's important later, for reasons I'll explain below. His name is Lin Jie Fei. He's cautious of ML because of ML's meteoric rise. This is spoilers for Lin Jie Fei much later back when I was skimming the end of the story: Lin Jie Fei plays a major role because he eventually gets friendly with MC and ML. But he also falls in love with MC and later fights against them. He also destroys MC's martial arts... :x I don't care if he regrets it, MC's health is no longer as great after this and poor ML hovering over MC and trying to make sure he doesn't catch a cold. Back to the point: ML is 200% out for blood after MC is hurt. Ending climax is a very tricky battle ending with ML's victory. He's very p-ssed off at this guy for hurting MC because MC's his reverse scale. ML of course is quite vengeful and Lin Jie Fei is imprisoned ever afterwards in solitary confinement having to live with knowing that he's lost his country and the war, and that MC would never love him, not even in another life. As MC says, there's a major difference between Lin Jie Fei and ML and it's also part of why he loves ML so much. ML willing to use MC to change the world, while someone like Lin Jie Fei would use the world to change the MC. So basically ML loves MC as he is and is the best supportive husband ever (LOL). MC's answer to Lin Jie Fei asking to die is cruel but also amusing in a way. He just shakes his head and says it wouldn't make ML happy. LEL
OH man, what‘s with these twisted plots and villain characters x.x I would have liked it better if it ended with first part where MC and ML are married, plot against people, people suffer and they live happily ever after!
It started out nice, but then that...... not really sure if there would be really so many twists and turns in royalty....
They still live happily lol. I had to skip the cute moments in between because they’re shorter compared to the plot going on. For example, one moment has dark guards looking away because ML says to MC that if he’s angry, they can solve it in bed. Shamelessness is amazing. XD MC & ML also say things showing they love each other a lot. :3 Yeah... but that’s the last instance I think. So far MC isn’t hurt, it’s just him and ML’s lovey-dovey and plotting. There is lol. I’d say this is minimum required for royalty. Plus ML’s goal is to unify the world, which is even more complicated.
So I finished it (skimming) and ending is pretty much as I summarized in bottom half of last summary: -they meet Lin Jie Fei. Originally there were in an alliance and it was supposed to be friendly all around. Then he catches sight of MC and... well... sorta love at first sight? But more subdued since even he doesn't really know his own feelings. MC and ML are too busy flirting lol, esp. since ML just picked up MC and smooched him in public. -as time goes on, Lin Jie Fei can't control himself anymore. He breaks the alliance and kidnaps MC. He also blackmails MC (threatening people I think) into taking the medicine/pill that destroys his martial arts. He doesn't touch MC because he wants to 'respect' MC but he's still intent on having him...... (SMH at this Lin Jie Fei, please go punch him in the face ML) -ML in a snit. Lot of warfare going on, MC eventually gets reunited with ML. ML is ashamed/guilty because he feels he didn't do enough to protect MC and thinks he's just as bad as Lin Jie Fei. He'd like nothing better than to chain MC to his side, you see... MC can only sigh because ML doesn't get the difference lol -- ML might feel like that, sure, but when he has done something so shamelessly cruel as crippling MC's martial arts just to get him to stay? (actually, there has never been a single instance in this story of ML being anything other than doting/protective/shamelessly pleading to eat MC's tofu) -a lot more war, now it's Lin Jie Fei vs ML. As I said, wheels within wheels for the last climax fight. It looks like Lin Jie Fei about to win, then ML pops out with people, and so on. Lin Jie Fei even blows up the ship? island? they were on I think so it almost ended in double suicide/loss. But ML and co manage to make it back. MC was super worried over ML and there's a touching line about how ML noticed that MC was trembling while they were hugging. All ML can think about is how precious brave MC is shaking right now and afraid all because of him, so he just hugs MC and keeps apologizing over and over again... -of course, Lin Jie Fei captured alive. Oh, did I mention that ML crippled him? Cut his tendons good before the place blew up. *happy vengeful face* -Lin Jie Fei in solitary in prison, having lost everything. Conversation with MC in which MC basically says he wouldn't fall for Lin Jie Fei, not even in a gazillion years and that ML is his one true love. Lin Jie Fei presumably lives miserably ever after. -MC and ML rule wisely and live happily ever after, at least until MC dies (of old age) and ML takes poison and follows right after him. It's very touching because what ML says this time is different from his words in last life, telling MC not to go. This time he tells MC to 'wait for me' because he's coming with him. ;-; *gross ugly sobbing* -some other info: they choose and groom as heir this other kid from ML's royal family (his relatives have kids they can sorta 'adopt') who grew up at their knees to become Emperor. This kid has a close relationship with them and was sad they died. He constructed a huge glamorous tomb for them, but bodies mysteriously disappeared. He knows the dark guard took them and disappeared as well. -many years later, archaeological digs in a frenzy over the tomb, but can't find the bodies (because the dark guard took them lol, but only their heir back then knew about it and he didn't say anything). They even came across ML's 'unique' calligraphy lel. -interesting factoid: Calligraphy is supposed to show a person's personality. Interestingly (and funnily) enough, ML's calligraphy is said to be unusually crazy and domineering (*cough, terrible, cough*), not at all refined like the persona he puts on. MC isn't surprised since only he gets to see the true personality of ML as the shameless rogue. We can assume MC's calligraphy is like him -- MC is said and known as being a well-rounded in every aspect genius gift from the heavens kind of person.
Aaaahhhh the spoilers are basically all over when I got hereeeeee Kinda glad tho I read everything in one go \o/ Any other cute or note-worthy moments between MC and ML??
Lots! Even when things get plot heavy later, MC and ML are very sweet and supportive of each other as well as codependent. ML devolves more and more into shamelessness, which can get funny because he becomes super forward about chances to eat MC's tofu. The people around them (especially the poor dark guards who have to be around them in close proximity all the time) sort of cough and look away whenever it happens. MC and ML also share their worries and comfort each other a lot, whether it be about business or their own personal issues. For example, ML wanted MC to be more careful at one point because he almost went into breakdown when MC disappeared/seemed to have died -- ML pulled through because he believed that MC was too smart to die. MC comforted ML and promised him, even though they both knew that it was impossible to keep that promise for sure.