Chinese Novel Review 1

Thousand Miles of Bright Moonlight

Rate 5/5
Translation 28, COO 190 + 11 bonus chapter

Summary:
Yaoying transmigrated into a novel.

In the chaotic and troubled times, many nations were at war. Her father happened to be the most powerful of those vying for supremacy, her brother turning out to be the male lead that finally dominated the Central Plains.

As the male lead’s younger sister, Yaoying was ready to accept this benefit that came without her having to lift a finger.

But it turned out that the male lead hated her to the bone, going as far as to have her marry the sixty-year-old grassland tribe leader in place of the female lead.

Yaoying was forced to marry. Wolves in front, tigers in the back and wolves surrounding her, all coveting the lovely-as-a-flower Han Chinese princess.

At the moment of crisis, passing through with his troops was the novel’s young legendary lord who was destined to die young.

Shivering, Yaoying pointed at the sickly lord in order to escape from their clutches: This princess fell in love with you at first sight. If you won’t marry, I’ll seek you out with a dowry!

The lord’s subordinates turned pale with fright: Princess mustn’t speak so casually! Our king is a monk, a noble-blooded Buddha’s son!

Yaoying, with a face full of grievances: This princess doesn’t disdain that you’re a monk. In life, I am your person, in death, I am your ghost!

Monk: ….

From then on, the tale of the Buddha’s son and the Han Chinese princess began to circulate through the grasslands.

Monk whose reputation couldn’t be cleared even if he plunged into the Yellow River: ….

(Note: The title refers to an expression that for friends, family and lovers separated far away, moonlit nights would make them miss each other more.)

Raw: http://m.ruwen5.com/dushu/2515/
(Unfortunately this novel is not available in MTL website, but I could MTL with google translate. Tip to read on mobile, choose view as desktop to get rid all the porn ads)

Review:
It's been a while I found really good novel. Actually I got bored midway but overall the novel is a gem. I only read early chapters of Gu Fang Bu Zi Shang and stopped because I think it's too much politic. I think this novel is similar with GFBZS, but not too deep into politic. I keep crying on early chapters, every characters has a background story and make us know how they feel and why they act like that. Midway it turns to war between countries and romantic event between which I skipped a lot. Oh and ML show up I think around 50 chapters, before that it's like a prologue to explain MC background story.
MC is seventh princess, Li Yaoying. Her father Li De was a general, he married Tang shi and have a son Li Xuezhen (LX). Then due to war, both Tang shi and LX trapped in a city and everyone thought they died. LD married Xie shi in order to get Xie support. Xie family was military family but they decline and only leaving a sibling brother and sister. The brother is Xie Wuliang who is sickly and turns to become a merchant in order to survive. Xie family is rich and have noble status but they don't have a good general. Xie Wuliang decided to support LD but didn't want his sister to marry LD because he know LD only care about country and his subordinate, he won't be a good husband or father. But XW sister insist so she married LD. Tang shi and LX show up on their wedding and make a fuss. Li family support Xie family and despise Tang shi due to her humble background. Tang shi and Xie shi keep clashing. In the mean time LD try to rescue the emperor but late, he then become emperor. Tang shi plan to burn herself in front of LD but turns out she burnt herself in front of LX and ask him to take revenge. LD grieved and despise Xie shi, he make Tang shi as empress and LX as crown prince. Li Zongqian, MC brother (LD x Xie shi) realize he is doomed to die due to LX and LD hatred. He dropped martial arts with XW advise and keep lay low. Xie family died defending Jingnan and Xie shi become crazy. When MC is 5 years old she follow LD, then they got attacked. LD took 2 noble sons nearby and leave MC. MC guard died protecting her and she was buried in their corpse several days until LZ dig her out. LZ knew he need power to protect his mother and sister even if it will speed up his own death. MC is sickly and paralyzed, LZ took care of her and try to find doctors to cure her. MC got better, one day she dreams about her future and found out that they are in book with LX as male lead. MC, LZ and her mother are doomed to die in LX hand. MC tried to change it, she tried to get close to LX but failed. MC save her mother and brother, delaying their death several years.
LX already married Zheng Biyu but he love Zhu Luyun, former princess, she is the female lead in the book. Zhu Luyun was protected by LD so people won't riot. LX and ZL will have love hate relationship until finally they got together. ZL cooperate with Hu tribe to save her aunt who married to Beirong. ZL promise to marry Hu tribe leader, she destroyed LD plan. LD decide to marry her off but LX refuse. LX advisor said to marry MC instead of ZL. Zheng Biyu opposed it because MC is innocent and should not tangled with politic. LX still suggest it to LD and LD accept it. MC got an old family to back her and refuse the marriage. MC got news that her brother is dying, she asked LX to save him in exchange for her to replace ZL. When they are child LX met MC without knowing her identity, they got along well until he know she is Xie shi daughter. He try to kill her but hesitate. He keep asking her to severe relationship with Xie shi and LZ and he will spare her. MC keep refused it, instead she tried to make him let go LZ and Xie shi.
MC marry the Hu tribe leader, Yelu which is 60 years old. Zheng Biyu got angry and said LX will regret it. She knows LX hatred and pity him. LX asked her why she plead for MC. ZB told that MC saved her when Zhao family (her maternal family) was destroyed, without MC, she won't be LX wife. ZB said she still have a little conscience. MC forced LD to make Xie shi as empress and LZ as Duke Wei, heir of Xie family so LD can't kill them. When MC parade out, the people she saved kneel and crying, praying for her safety. ZB forced ZL to see out MC, ZB force her to choose either leave LX or marry him. ZL keep tossing around with LX but always reject him, making ZB despise her. ZL finally marry LX due to guilt, but LX never touch her. ZL got angry and leave Wei country. LX still felt guilty to MC and didn't care ZL. He went to Hu and asked MC if she want to go back, she has to choose him. MC said she choose him but he won't be able to save her. LX went back to Lingzhou in despair.
MC met Hua Li, Beirong prince who disguise as Hu. She realize he is about to attack Wei, she sent her guards and Hu slaves to warn the border, LX and an advisor who should be sided with LX but due to MC, LX want to kill him.  LX decide to save MC after the battle but he got news that MC died after sending her guards to warn the border. MC fame grew, making LD have to confer her as princess (some sort of title, previously only ZL have princess title).
Meanwhile MC keep trying to escape but got caught by Hua Ling, until she met Holy City royal guards. Holy City was lead by a monk which also a royal. When he was 13, he lead 2000 army and defeat 300.000 Beirong force. He was famous as Buddha reincarnation and unite Holy City in Buddhism. He was feared by all country. MC knew he will soon die and making Holy City in mess. MC boldly propose him and said she will become his moderna. In Buddhism, moderna love Buddha, she was advise to learn buddhism for a year before think about Buddha wife. After a year she was enlightened and severe her love, become Buddha accompany for thousand years. Tamaraga (I'm not sure what his name, it keep changing in MTL, let's jut say ML), save MC and let her as Holy City guest. MC met again with a monk who diagnose her mother and ask MC for permit to go out of Wei. The monk ask her a medicine for ML, MC said she has it in her dowry. ML sent troops to get her dowry. Some politic and romantic advance for ML and MC here. ML knew he love MC but can't keep her so he restain himself. MC got close to him but she only admire him because she thought he would not love her.
MC met ZL who become Beirong princess because of her aunt. ZL ask MC to follow her back to Beirong. MC threaten ZL and make her spill Beirong plan. At first it was said MC can't hurt LX because he was the male lead, but now she can hurt ZL even though she is the female lead 🤔
LX and LZ knew MC still alive, both of them went to Beirong to save her. Both of them try to kill LD. LZ told LX why Tang died, not sure why due to MTL mess up. LX found out that MC is not Xie shi daughter, she was found by XW, MC uncle, when she was a baby, later she become Xie shi daugther so LD won't kill Xie shi when Tang died.
Some of war here before MC met LX then LZ. MC become West Wei army leader, she gather Han people in Beirong and Holy City and make army to reclaim 16 province. So in summary Wei (MC country), bordered with Hu tribe, then a river to cross western country where Beirong and Holy City. From Holy City (it was said India, check the map for geography) need to cross Beirong and Hu before they can go back to Wei. So MC and ML fight with Hu and Beirong and ally with Wei. They plan to trap them from both sides. That's as far as I can get about the politic 😂. There are some small countries and other ally which I skipped.
In the end ML propose MC, LD was forced to accept it. He want to trap MC with LZ, LX try to kill LD again but got caught. He met ZL again (she is everywhere), LD promise he can make MC to be obedient like ZL now but LX refuse. ZL was brought to ZB but ZB didn't care her.
LD thought he trapped MC but MC come prepared. She leave with LZ, LZ settle in Gaochang a small country near Holy City.
The truth of past event. MC is daugther of Chen family, I skipped it so not sure who is Chen family. I only know it was enemy of Xie. LZ didn't care about it, she will forever his sister. LD actually knew Tang shi and LX still alive but he delayed the rescue and marry Xie shi for power. LX said that Tang shi was raped before they found LD, she chose to die not because of Xie but Li family who supports Xie and want Tang to die. LX force LD to abdicate, soon LD died due to illness.
The extras is about MC marriage and LZ love story which not clear enough. A Beirong princess love LZ but LZ didn't want to marry, previously he didn't want to marry because he is doomed to die and didn't want to implicate other. Now he still didn't want to marry because he saw LD love to Xie shi but in the end become sad ending. It was said LD actually didn't hate the princess but he don't know what to do. Then the end.