- #1
General Score: Character-wise, I'm rating this as 5/5, not because the MC is strong, but because she's always proactive and planning things. Not to mention that she knows exactly what she wants—the ML. Plot-wise, there's nothing really new or unusual in it, but it's competently executed with enough tension instead of it being boring, so it gets a 4/5 from me. That ends up with an average of 4.5/5, and I rounded it up to 5 in rating it simply because the average rating is closer to 4.Characters: The male lead, Chu Jinglan, has experienced a lot of about turns and betrayals from his young life (including his fiancée just up and turning against him and marrying a different prince who became the current emperor, who also killed his parents). This is why is external behaviour and actions are cold and distant to most people except his most faithful retainers. Even as the MC chases him, he always tries to rebuff her, act cold, or push her away. It was just something he's used to, since anyone too close to him usually get ganked by the paranoid emperor.Ye Huaiyang, our MC, is a bit of a unicorn compared to other female characters in historical c-novels; she is technically the head of her entire house and thus holds a sizeable power in her hands. To the outside world, it would seem like her brothers held the power of her house/clan, but they agreed with their parents' assessment of her abilities and backed her. This gives her a lot of freedom and leeway to not just pursue the ML, but also throw her resources and use her network to help his cause.Character interaction: I think I've figured out why some people have difficulty enjoying this story, while I can read through it just fine. It's the ML's initial coldness in reception/reaction to Ye Huaiyang. Yet can you blame him for not being able to easily trust her, even as he eased up bit-by-bit from their initial distance? Some readers might not be used to reading betwen the lines, or being patient with the slow progress and feel disheartened by their early interaction. If others feel bad about the MC... heck, don't. She can read him far better than the average readers can read his reactions, and thus is always cheered up by the prospect of him unbending even by an inch.So, yeah, if a slow thawing/defrosting ML isn't your cup of tea, it's fine. Skip this story. A story doesn't have to be bad simply because it doesn't meet some readers' tastes. He does become much warmer later.TL;DR: Political intrigue and machinations in a historical Chinese setting with an unusual twist—the heroine pursues the hero. The female MC has power and decides to pursue the ML even if his status was an exiled prince/outcast prince at the beginning. He's paranoid about anyone trying to approach him and thus cold and distant, but she didn't let it to dissuade her (this attitude at the start might dissuade some readers, though, so be forewarned or avoid this work if it's not to taste).He has his plans and she also has her schemes. Her end goal is clear—to put him on the throne.Generally recommended for: If you get tired reading female characters always treating s*x like a chore or at least something they need to put effort into enjoying in c-novels. The MC's brashness in trying to seduce the ML is an entertaining change.Downsides: If you're not used to reading court intrigue novels. I followed it just fine, but considering some of the confused comments I've seen, I realised then that this novel does not always explain how and why the MC or ML thought this way or act that way. It might be a bit thin on the explanations if you're not used to it.