Chinese Novel Review 1

It's Better to be the Empress Dowager

Rate 4/5
COO 135+8 extra translation complete

Summary:
Tang Shishi was the number one beauty in the court. She was arrogant, domineering and aggressive. She accidentally picked up a book and learned that she was just a vicious female second lead in a palace struggle. Later, she would fight for favor with the female lead, and eventually she was ruined and died miserably.

Now, they have just entered the fief of Jing Wang, and the first meeting of the male and female leads has not happened yet. There are two paths before Tang Shishi. The first is to hold the heroine’s thighs tightly and join the female lead camp early; the second is to please the male lead and steal the favor of the female lead.

Tang Shishi chooses the third way.

Tang Shishi knew that the male lead’s adoptive father Jing Wang seemed to be low profile, but in fact he was overly ambitious. In the near future, he will invade the capital and proclaim the emperor before the imperial court, but it is a pity that he passed away before passing the throne to the male lead.

This year, Jing Wang is twenty-four years old, still young, and has yet to marry a wife.
Anyway, she already in the Forbidden City. Instead of being the concubine of the male lead, it is better to be his adopted mother, the empress dowager in one step.

————–

Zhao Chengjun had no intention to get married, so he adopted his subordinate son as his heir. He thought he would be with his army in his whole life.

Later, the imperial family sent a team of beauties to Prince Jing, and the leader was named Tang Shishi.

His young, adopted son and his subordinates also persuaded: Your Highness, this is a beauty trap.
Jing Wang: I know.

The so-called beauty trap was merely a bait for those who wish.

Review:
The author is the same with Greetings Ninth Uncle. The story also have the same style, around politic and ML is too OP overtime. Some part of the story is similar to other novel which I forgot the title, it is where MC is pregnant then ML didn't say anything and left. MC thought ML didn't want to acknowledge their relationship.
MC family is a merchant. Her grandfather Lin only has a daughter. He recruit a son in law Tang Mingzhe. Soon after MC is born and Lin grandfather died, MC father took a concubine. He favored the concubine and oppressed MC mother. MC was neglected even though she is a legitimate daughter. Her mother close friend propose marriage between her son and MC. But the concubine submit MC name to imperial selection. MC was forced to enter imperial palace. Her engagement is switched to her younger sister which is the concubine daughter. MC was trained for 3 years and sent to Jing Wang by Empress Dowager Yao as maid. Empress Dowager is not Jing Wang birth mother. Jing wang mother is imperial consort Guo who was favored by late emperor. When late emperor died, empress dowager forced Imperial consort guo to be buried together. Empress Dowager neglect her sons. Her first son died due to illness. Empress Dowager then send the 2 sons to border. The 2nd died due to plague in the border. The 3rd is Jing Wang who survived and hold military power. Jing wang and empress Dowager have bad relationship. Empress Dowager send 10 beauties to spy on Jing Wang. MC is the spy.
MC then found a book which show the story of OFL. MC realize that she is only supporting character which will die. Jing Wang will rebel but died and shizi will become emperor. OML is shizi and OFL is one of the beauty from empress Dowager. MC then tried to get close to shizi but she attracted Jing Wang aka ML. ML knew MC won't betray him since MC only care for vanity and her mother. Due to trap, ML slept with MC. The he leave for battle. MC got pregnant. One of the beauty try to trap MC. OML and OFL try to force MC to say who's the father and force MC to die. ML come back and scold them. OFL at this time is OML concubine, OML has wife and other concubine. ML marry MC as his wife. MC is shock because she thought she will be concubine. ML promise her that he won't take concubine. MC gave birth to a boy. Then OML wife badmouth MC, MC then stuffed OML with more concubines. MC realize she need to make her son as shizi and estranged OML with ML. OML is ML adopted son, their age didn't differ much. MC read in the book that OML will promote his own birth family after he become emperor and there's no mention about Jing wang. So MC tried to ruin OML.
In the end ML become emperor, he read the book and try to give OML a chance. He fake his injuries then come back to capital. OML framed MC and want to kill her. Then ML come back and kill OML and OFL.
The extra is about MC and ML 4 children. They have 2 sons and 2 daughters. Then it told about the past life. MC died in cold palace and become ghost. She wander and knew the truth. OML is the one who killed her because ML love her secretly. She heard OML conversation with his guard that ML is actually alive and live as monk. He then went to Linqing which is MC hometown.
The MC ghost when to the past and met ML when he was a child. ML can see her then they got close. Before MC disappear she remind ML not to adopt a child and beware of empress dowager yao. Then MC rebirth to 6 yo. She try to find news about ML. But then she realize she couldn't do anything. She avoid entering imperial palace. She got engage with her mother's bestfriend son. Then ML come and said she is his. That's the end.