After his Empress Mother was deposed, she passed away, and his maternal Uncle made one mistake after another.
Lu Mingyu had always kept a low profile, counting down the days to when he could go to his fiefdom, wishing to stay away from the Capital.
However, his cautious behavior only earned him disrespect and humiliation, even to the point where he was sent to someone else’s bed with a drugged cup of wine.
After that night, when Lu Mingyu met the interested gaze of General Fuyuan, Yan Yunge, many years of sadness and hatred welled up inside his heart.
At that moment, Lu Mingyu finally realized that the consequence of not competing was to become a pawn in others’ hands.
So, he had to fight.
After several years of feigning courtesy and conformity, he was steadfastly determined to take revenge.
Then, the young Princes failed one by one, while the Emperor’s eldest son, whom none of the Ministers had ever taken seriously, finally ascended the throne.
After taking power, Lu Mingyu was determined to remove the General from his position.
After making the General drink a cup of poisoned wine, the Emperor thought back to the few good moments they shared in the past, and regret filled his heart as he realized the consequences of his actions.
However, the Emperor soon heard the news that the General hadn’t died, but had lost his memory instead.
Before Lu Mingyu could decide how to deal with the situation, he felt an unusual movement inside his belly…..
sh*t 💀🤮
In a nutshell, my reading experience was a delightful surprise. Despite the emotional intensity, I came prepared after researching the novel on jjwxc, which helped manage my expectations. It's surprising how often new releases lack adequate tags or synopses, so I decided to share what I discovered, despite spoilers ahead!
Spoiler alert:
The plot summary provided by the author hints at a significant turning point: the main character (MC) poisons the male lead (ML), who then becomes amnesiac. The story takes a tragic turn, involving crematoria for both characters, eventually leading to a heartwarming ending.
Initially, I expected a chaotic narrative, but the book surprised me with a well-structured timeline that traced their relationship over several years. What stood out was the portrayal of the MC as a competent emperor, independent of ML, which was a refreshing change from the typical emperor x general trope where the general often dominates the relationship dynamics.
The main characters' relationship is complicated. While there are feelings involved, it's a mutualistic arrangement marked by distrust on both sides. Lu Mingyu, the ML, is a prince struggling to survive, and his bond with Yan Yunge is built on practicality rather than blind devotion. The General's Mansion aims for power, and Yan Yunge's loyalty is to the family's ambitions, not necessarily to Lu.
In the story, Lu laments that he would have accepted a lesser role for Yan's affection, but the Yan Party's ruthless approach to seize power raises questions about their true motives. It's understandable that the MC might struggle to prioritize ML, given the disrespect shown towards him and the awareness of his own low status.
Ultimately, the couple faces their challenges and finds happiness together, which is satisfying. Despite the pain, the ML's actions don't excuse his past wrongdoings, but they work through it.
Rating:
Despite a few minor shortcomings, I rate the core story 5 stars. However, I won't be exploring the additional content, as I fear it might dilute the unique aspects that made the story stand out from its genre norms.
The summary, unfortunately, somewhat misleads as it suggests the main character's remorse over drinking wine with the general. However, it's only when the general reveals a significant secret that regret surfaces, and even then, the pregnancy aspect is left unaddressed. In summary, save yourself from an emotionally draining and inconclusive read unless you specifically enjoy complex characters – ruthless emperors and impulsive, untrusting generals whose actions lack forethought.
Rating: 1 star