COO 123 + some extra chapters
Rate 4/5
Summary:
Li Zhi was reborn as a curse, destined to bring ruin to an empire already in decline.
At the age of fifteen, her ethereal beauty caught the attention of Prince Rui, who fell in love at first sight, and beseeched the Empress Dowager to arrange a union between them.
At the age of sixteen, Li Zhi’s unparalleled allure captivated the heart of the reigning Emperor, who resorted to abominable tactics to abduct her as his own concubine and keep her hidden away in a gilded palace.
With the Emperor’s favor, she rose to the position of a highly sought-after Noble Consort that was envied by all.
Only she knew…
In three years’ time, the Emperor and Prince Rui would turn against each other, and their once great empire would be ravaged by war.
As they fled, a formidable army of one hundred thousand soldiers stood in their way, pleading with the Emperor to order the execution of the treacherous Noble Consort. The Emperor could not bear to see her suffer such a fate, yet in the end, he offered her a three-foot length of white silk. Without hesitation, Li Zhi turned to Pei Ji and flung herself into his protective embrace.
Review:
This is a good story but I think I won't reread it. I expect it's either a romance with a bit smut/adult genre or revolved around the politic. Turns out it is romance but no smut at most kissing and fondle. The politic become a lot towards the ending but it's not heavy, just narration about wars.
MC lost her parent from early childhood. She and her eldest sister was nurtured by their uncle. The uncle plan to use them to advance his own career. He want to send them as concubine due to their pretty face. MC elder sister had an engagement but was denied by the uncle. Her fiancee is only a small soldier so the uncle refuse him. The elder sister ruin her own leg to avoid being married as concubine. MC was seen by Prince Rui, he took her as his consort. The emperor who saw her after their marriage, forcefully took her as his own concubine. Prince Rui resent the emperor and rebel. The emperor was forced to flee, he gave back MC to Prince Rui to delay and appease the people. Prince Rui humiliated MC, then ML rescued her and took her back to the emperor. The emperor gave her white silk and killed her.
ML is a young general, his father is military prime minister while her mother is the emperor's aunt so he is the emperor's cousin.
MC who rebirth want to use ML so she can run away from palace during the rebel. She had affair with ML and gradually they love each other. ML was from loyal family. In the last life even if the emperor become worse and not wise, he is still loyal and safe the emperor from rebel army.
Now he knew about MC who was forced as Noble Consort and become infertile because of the emperor. Some accidents also blamed to MC even if she is not the cause. ML's loyalty falter when his own father dying in front line. ML father still lead army even after the emperor framed him for treason. ML questioned his own loyalty because he didn't agree with the emperor. The emperor found out about ML and MC affair, he sent away ML. Then a general demand emperor to kill MC who is rumored as calamity and caused the rebellion. The emperor want to kill MC. Then ML went back and rescue her. He openly break his loyalty to emperor. He promise to repel the rebel but he won't come back as minister.
ML took MC and his mother away. He went to front line. His father passed away. MC and ML mother got closer since they are together when ML in war. ML killed prince Rui and stabilized the country. The emperor was killed by his consort. They make the young prince ascend and control the court.
ML is mourning his father in his hometown. Later he said to MC that he want to become the emperor and ask her to marry him. MC agreed. ML generals make him as emperor and abolished the young emperor. MC become empress.
The extra is about MC pregnancy then she gave birth to a son, soon she gave birth to a daughter. There's also ML mother and father past, I didn't read it.
It was a good novel, I can feel ML was torn between his loyalty and heartache to MC. He indeed love MC, he want to elope with her but he constraints himself due to his family and loyalty. He also respect MC who want to get her freedom, he knew there's no him in her future plan. Despite all of that he still love MC. At first I kinda don't like to read because MC was the emperor's concubine. She had intimate relationship with both men. It's just like after she slept with the emperor then soon she slept with ML. The story didn't move much on early phase.
