Chinese Novel Review 1

National Beauty

Rate 5/5

COO 236 translation 3

Summary:

Song Jianing was charming and beautiful.

She accompanied her mother on her remarriage to the House of Guo Gong.

Though she tried to be dignified, she was still targeted by her domineering stepbrother.

Her heart trembling, Song Jianing secretly stuffed Zhao Heng with a piece of candy: I've been good to you, so you have to support me in the future.

Zhao Heng then supported her all the way, sharing the glory and beauty of the country.

Review:

It is a bit like Greetings, Ninth Uncle but with a bit more politics. Truthfully the title and MC are a bit faded and irrelevant with the story. All the other characters are way more attractive and great than the MC's personality. MC rebirth seems useless too. The story is more like the conflict in imperial family and conflict between ML and second male lead or the villain. The second male lead's death is a bit anti-climax... MTL is quite easy to read despite the setting is ancient chinese.

Song Jianing's(MC) father is a scholar who died early, she lives with her mother who is the daughter of rich merchant. MC mother soon died due to sorrow, leaving MC orphan. MC lives with her second uncle from her father, then her dowry is taken while she was sent to become a concubine of scholar. MC is said really beautiful, plump and enchanted type but since people prefer thin women, MC is a bit neglected. MC live with the scholar and felt they are a loving husband and wife for 7 years until the scholar drug her and send her to a general. The general is the scholar's distant cousin, for his career, he sent MC to please the general. The general is Guo Xiao, a great general. GX leave her in a city and forbid her to go outside, he will visit her repeatedly and pampered her. Then GX is about to marry his cousin, princess Duanhui. PD learned that GX is pampering MC for a long time, she called MC and make her kneel for a long time. ML who is the emperor, saw MC and stopped PD. MC ate lychee from PD and died choking. Then MC is rebirth to her childhood before her mother died. It was said after MC died, GX refuse to marry PD.

MC tried to cheer up her mother and make her walk out of house. The family structure is a bit complex... MC's father have a brother which is the second uncle who live with MC in previous life, he married Hu madam. Hu madam have a brother who like MC's mother. He tried to get MC's mother but never got a chance. once MC and her mother walk out, he kidnapped them. MC and her mother were saved by a general which is Guo Boyan, GX's father. GB like Lin (MC's mother) and want to make her as concubine but Lin refuse. She will only follow GX's father if he marry her as a wife to protect MC. GB agreed, he send MC and her mother to Beijing. MC and her mother live with her mother's brother. Soon GB ask Lin to marry him. MC met GX again, she was afraid of GX so she keep avoiding GX. GX already began to like MC but he never get close to MC.

MC met ML who is the third prince. There are 5 prince and 1 princess (PD), the first prince is ML's sibling, Chu Wang. The second prince is Rui Wang, the third is Shou Wang (ML), the fourth is Gong Wang and the fifth is Prince Wu. Once Prince Wu is born, the emperor make his mother as empress Li. ML's mother is dead when she gave birth to ML. ML is stuttering when he spoke so he never talk a lot. When he was small, he tried to excel both in literati and martial arts but the emperor never praise him so he stop trying. ML got attracted to MC because MC place bet on him. ML thought MC like him because of his face.

Later ML move out of palace and move next to MC's place, he plant a lot of fruit trees because MC like to eat. GX keep guarding MC against ML. Later MC is matched with a small soldier who has a promising future, the soldier like the third daughter instead of MC. GB is angry and broke the marriage tie, the third daughter resents MC because she actually like the soldier but she couldn't marry him. MC thought it was because she is plump and her status is not the real daughter of GB. ML said she is beautiful and fine, MC felt flattered since ML is the future emperor. ML asked the emperor to marry MC. The emperor promise him but MC need to follow the draft.

MC join the draft with GX's cousin from mother, Tan Xinyu. GX gave TX a drug to make MC's face show rash and making her failed. ML said to emperor that he still want to marry MC. Emperor promises him in exchange for him to join the official.

GX brought MC's second uncle and Hu madam to the capital, both of them sue Guo family who kidnapped their Song's child. GB make the second uncle divorce Hu madam and gave him 2 woman. The conflict is resolved but MC's reputation is getting worse.

ML told GB about GX's scheme. GB gave GX a choice, if he want to be with MC he will ruin his face and hide with MC but he will be expelled from Guo and his life has nothing to do with Guo. Or he will stay as Guo's heir and forget about MC, GB will make him join the army and leave capital for about a year. GX thought he will wait for a chance to get MC, for now he will stay in Guo and told his father he will forget MC. GX went to border before MC get married.

MC married ML and got pampered. Soon she is pregnant. GX save the emperor's live and got into comma, he insist to go back to saw MC. MC met GX again and become terrified, she is afraid that GX still obsessed with her. GX didn't do anything to her and went back to his family. He promised to marry his cousin, PD. Then a lot of conflict in imperial family. GX went to war again and fake his death. He went to Shu and start the rebel. He kidnapped MC for 3 months but ML force him to jump from cliff. MC went back to ML, no one else know that MC is kidnapped. Only GB knew it and realize that it is GX who kidnapped MC. He thought GX died for real when he jumped from cliff. ML still cautious and spied everywhere. GX went into PD after 2 years, he want PD to poison ML. PD heard that GX love MC, she lied to GX and said that she poison MC. GX panicked and tried to meet MC, he was shot to death by ML's guard. I thought "that's it?!"... GX defeated easily XD

ML become the emperor and MC become queen, ML refuse to take concubine.

There's some extra if in previous life, MC didn't die. PD plan to kill MC in fire but ML knew it. He saved MC and took her in palace. MC change her identity and served ML, when she is pregnant, ML make her as his concubine. The first child is girl and the second is a son. ML make her queen when the son is born.