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玉鶯は、蝗害は異民族のせいで起きたと憤る民を鎮める名目で、
砂欧に戦争を仕掛けようとしていた。
壬氏は戦を避けようと頭を悩ませていたが、
玉鶯の暗殺という思わぬ形で戦を回避することになる。
しかし、領主代行を失った西都の舵を取る者がいない。
壬氏は、いやいやながら西都の政務を執ることになった。
猫猫は、心身ともに疲弊する壬氏を気遣いながら、
怪我人や病人を診る日々を送っていた。
そんなある日、壬氏は、領主代行だった玉鶯の息子たちを、
西都のために後継者として政治を教え、育成してほしいと頼まれる。
しかし、玉鶯の長男・鴟梟はどうしようもない無頼漢であった。
他の二人も後継者教育を受けたことなどないことがわかり、
猫猫は頭を抱えてしまう。
だが、猫猫たちは否応なしに西都のお家騒動に巻き込まれてしまう。
玉鶯の三人の息子たちを後継者として育成してほしいと頼まれたうえ、
鴟梟の息子・玉隼は中央から来た猫猫たちを目の敵として邪魔をしてくる。
誰が西都を継ぐのか……多くの思いが交錯する中、猫猫の元に事件が舞い込む。
玉鶯の孫たちの不仲。
醸造所で起きた食中毒。
謎の病を訴える異国の娘。
そしていつも以上に不可解な行動をする雀。
彼女の本当の目的とは一体何なのだろうか。
そして、雀の本当の顔も明かされることになるのだが---。
猫猫は無事、中央へと帰ることができるのだろうか。
そして、壬氏との関係をはっきりさせる時が来るのだろうか。
砂欧に戦争を仕掛けようとしていた。
壬氏は戦を避けようと頭を悩ませていたが、
玉鶯の暗殺という思わぬ形で戦を回避することになる。
しかし、領主代行を失った西都の舵を取る者がいない。
壬氏は、いやいやながら西都の政務を執ることになった。
猫猫は、心身ともに疲弊する壬氏を気遣いながら、
怪我人や病人を診る日々を送っていた。
そんなある日、壬氏は、領主代行だった玉鶯の息子たちを、
西都のために後継者として政治を教え、育成してほしいと頼まれる。
しかし、玉鶯の長男・鴟梟はどうしようもない無頼漢であった。
他の二人も後継者教育を受けたことなどないことがわかり、
猫猫は頭を抱えてしまう。
だが、猫猫たちは否応なしに西都のお家騒動に巻き込まれてしまう。
玉鶯の三人の息子たちを後継者として育成してほしいと頼まれたうえ、
鴟梟の息子・玉隼は中央から来た猫猫たちを目の敵として邪魔をしてくる。
誰が西都を継ぐのか……多くの思いが交錯する中、猫猫の元に事件が舞い込む。
玉鶯の孫たちの不仲。
醸造所で起きた食中毒。
謎の病を訴える異国の娘。
そしていつも以上に不可解な行動をする雀。
彼女の本当の目的とは一体何なのだろうか。
そして、雀の本当の顔も明かされることになるのだが---。
猫猫は無事、中央へと帰ることができるのだろうか。
そして、壬氏との関係をはっきりさせる時が来るのだろうか。
440 pages, Paperback
First published July 29, 2022
330 people are currently reading
1794 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 213 reviews
October 18, 2024
8.9/10
Justice for lahan's brother 😤
Justice for lahan's brother 😤
September 13, 2024
I'm so proud of Maomao for starting to figure out and accept her feelings towards Jinshi... it only took 12 volumes haha. But I really really liked the development in Maomao and Jinshi's relationship in this volume. The plot with the bandits was very exciting and the Chue lore drop really moved me. I feel so bad for being suspicious of Chue in the past I love her so much now.
March 13, 2025
JINMAO 😩💚
June 18, 2025
Forgive me Miss Chue, I wasn’t familiar with your game
November 19, 2024
Let's see...what can you look forward to in this volume?
1) The running gag with Lahan's Brother
2) Maomao doing her weird little dance when she discovers cucumbers growing in a greenhouse
3) Chue's sad backstory and world-building on the Mi clan, the dark twin to the Ma clan
4) The surprisingly sweet relationship between Chue and Baryou
5) Maomao getting kidnapped for the second time, pulling out all the stops to poison their captors and escape, and performing her first field surgery
6) The mess left behind by Gyouku-ou's death
7) And, as always, Maomao and Jinshi moments
Favourite quotes:
1) "People with a strong sense of responsibility soon grow sick at heart.
Maomao knew: just because you were a good person didn't mean good things would happen to you."
2) "Do you think he's all right? That was some slap she gave him," the quack said, much concerned about a child who had shown no repentance.
"Aw, every parent gives their child a good whack now and then, buddy. Most men can remember doing sword drills until they went unconscious from shouting," said Lihaku.
"Exactly. It was nothing much. He's just lucky she didn't use a closed fist," Chue added.
"An open palm isn't such a big deal. Although it's trouble if there's an injury somewhere it can't be seen. The solar plexus is a good compromise—it hurts, but it doesn't show," offered Maomao.
"What kinds of homes were you three raised in?" the quack asked, drawing back a little.
3) "People needed a haven, something to support them—and sometimes that took the form of a silent statue."
4) "Gods were like medicine: the could be dangerous if used the wrong way."
5) "Only say that you will remain here in the western capital, Moon Prince, and I will gladly tear off my head with my own hands!" Hulan said.
"I don't want you tearing anything off," Jinshi replied.
Who would clean it up afterward?
6) Maomao didn't normally come to this room without a summons from Chue or someone, and she found it required more courage than she expected to knock on the door. She took a deep breath in, then let it out, then knocked.
She waited. There was no answer.
She gave the door a curious look. Maybe no one was home. She felt a bit like the wind had been taken out of her sails, but anyway, she turned to go back to the medical office.
At exactly that moment, the door burst open. Maomao turned back in surprise to see Jinshi standing there.
He looked haggard. Maybe he was pulling yet another all-nighter—overestimating how much his body could take, again. How many days had it been since he'd slept? The sight of him might have inspired pity in some people, but to Maomao he just looked like a man who had overworked himself. His eyes were puffy, his skin dry. His hair lacked luster and his lips were chapped.
"How many all-nighters have you pulled?" Maomao said.
"I could ask you the very same question!"
There seemed to be something Jinshi wished he could say, for he reached out. He caught Maomao's hand and drew her into the office. He pulled so hard that she thought she might tumble right onto the floor, but he caught her first.
Oh!
They lay on the floor, Maomao on top, Jinshi underneath. There was a nice, thick carpet to land on, but even so, Maomao wondered if it didn't hurt falling down like that.
After a moment, Jinshi said, " Don't go running off like that again."
"I'm very sorry."
"Try to think before you act!"
"I did think. And look what happened."
She felt a warm breath on her head and knew he was sighing.
She couldn't move. She tried to look up at Jinshi, but found his chin was in the way.
"I brought you here because I thought it would be safe. How could everything have gone so wrong?"
"Because things don't always go the way we plan. If I'd stayed in the capital, the same sort of thing might have happened."
"True enough."
Why were they lying there on the floor, trading what amounted to banter?
We should at least close the door. What if somebody saw them? I've got to get up.
How long did he plan to lie there holding her? To be perfectly blunt, she hadn't bathed in days. She'd hardly even changed her clothes. It must have smelled gross, lying there with a woman covered in sweat and dust.
What the hell? He's actually taking a whiff!
"Master Jinshi?"
"What?"
"Maybe you could let me go one of these days?"
"You could always push me away yourself."
Maomao took Jinshi's hand. It felt very heavy, but he wasn't specifically pushing on her. It was just...
I'm sleepy.
Maomao could hardly think straight. Maybe it was the release of all that tension, but she felt oddly safe. Was it the thick carpet that felt so nice? Or was it the warmth of another body right next to her?
"True enough..."
She tried to brush his hand away, but couldn't. Instead, her breathing gradually evened out, and slowly, so did his.
What do I do here?
Her eyelids were trying to close, but she felt like there was something she had to tell him.
"I know you have your circumstances, Miss Maomao. It's important not to get carried away by your emotions!"
I'm not getting carried away by my emotions, she thought.
She looked at the face of the beautiful man before her. With his almond-shaped eyes closed, the lashes that fringed them looked even longer than usual. His facial features were perfectly formed, his lips neither too full nor too thin. There was the scar running along his right cheek.
For someone with such a pretty face, he was surprisingly well-built. That accursed brand was still on his flank.
Maomao couldn't comprehend it. To get what he wanted, Jinshi had tried to remove himself from a position at the very zenith of power. If his goal was indeed Maomao herself, then she could think there was something wrong with him.
It was a heat like molten metal. She wasn't sure what to do with it all—for the temperature she could return was no more than that of lukewarm water.
Slowly she reached up toward Jinshi's cheek and pressed her tepid warmth against it. It felt a little cooler than her hand. His eyes were completely closed, and he nuzzled her hand like a kitten being petted. He was asleep—perhaps he had finally relaxed.
There's nothing I can give him back in return.
Maomao brought her face close to Jinshi's. His breath and hers mingled. His lips were even colder than his cheek.
A short while later, Maomao's breathing, too, took on the even rhythm of sleep, and she slept soundly for the first time in more days than she could remember.
7) Jinshi's first good sleep in days went a long way toward restoring his energy.
He looked at the bed, where Maomao was curled up, caked with dust and blood. She had been so tired that she hadn't woken up even when JInshi had picked her up and set her on the bed.
It killed Jinshi to realize he had fallen asleep before her; Maomao must have been through far worse things than he had. He wished he could have gotten her tucked into bed sooner, with a nice, soft blanket around her.
She hadn't been able to resist her first sleep in days, and she looked as comfortable as if she were in a pleasant bath.
On Maomao's cheek, Jinshi could see a spot where it looked like she'd been struck. The rest of her was covered in scratches, and there was even a blade mark on her neck. He gathered that her blood-soaked clothes were from treating the badly injured Chue.
"You look awful," he murmured.
Jinshi suspected that if he asked Maomao what happened to her since he had seen her last, she would give him only the most businesslike report. There would be no attempt to make him worry for her or sympathize with her. None of the unctuousness with which the ladies of the rear palace used to approach him. Did she do that so that she wouldn't be a burden to him? Or simply because she saw no point in getting emotional about it?
If the former, then Jinshi wouldn't be content until he had done something about this infuriating, catlike creature.
Since he had stopped taking the medicine that allowed him to pass for a eunuch, he had fully regained his male functions. Did she realize he would be nothing but a beast if the cold chains of rationality hadn't bound him?
"Young master?" called his attendant, Suiren. She came in bearing a change of clothes. "It's almost time. You need to have your food."
"I know, I know."
"What about a bath?"
Jinshi considered. "I think I'll pass. Not enough time, is there?"
"Some might say it's not very sanitary to leave yourself covered in blood."
Despite her little quip, Suiren was smiling more than usual, Jinshi thought. "Shall I at least prepare some hot water?" she asked.
Her gaze had alighted on the bed. Even if Jinshi didn't want to wash, he should probably allow Maomao to do so.
"Yes," he said. "And a change of clothes too." His clever attendant would know exactly whose clothes he was referring to.
"Certainly." Suren gave a respectful bow of her head.
Jinshi stretched mightily, then went over and stood by the bed once again. He leaned close, but was careful not to disturb Maomao, who was deep in sleep.
"Perhaps I might charge myself up this much?" he said, almost to himself, and then he gently brushed his lips against Maomao's cheek.
8) "If he had known it would turn out this way, Jinshi reflected, he would have charged up even more back in his room."
9) "What do I want to do? You know, there is one thing..."
"What's that, sir?"
Jinshi's hand brushed Maomao's, settling against it, emphasizing how much bigger his hand was than hers.
"Is this what you wanted to do?" Maomao asked.
"There are other things too."
"Oh, is that so?"
"But I can't." His eyes drifted down to the spewing figure on the deck. "I'm restraining myself as hard as I can. It's not easy."
Maomao was by now well acquainted with Jinshi's feelings—and she knew that he no longer had to pretend to be a eunuch. It made it slightly awkward to be perched up her so close to him. But at the same time...it wasn't that unpleasant.
10) "Maomao," Jinshi said.
"Yes, sir?"
At the same time she turned to look up into Jinshi's face, she found Jinshi's face coming down toward hers.
The touch of his lips was so light, so casual, that for a second she didn't know what had happened.
At first, he didn't say anything.
"What? Are you embarrassed?" she exclaimed, when she realized he'd flushed red at even this most chaste of kisses.
"No, ahem, I just... I've restrained myself, and I meant to continue restraining myself..."
Before she could stop herself, Maomao exclaimed, "Restraint! You didn't restrain yourself so much before!"
"I didn't..." Jinshi appeared to remember something, and turned grim. Presumably he was thinking of "before," when he had forced a kiss on her, and she'd turned the tables and given him a taste of his own medicine.
"Don't worry, sir. I won't get you back for it this time."
"Er... That's not what I..."
"You'd rather I did?"
1) The running gag with Lahan's Brother
2) Maomao doing her weird little dance when she discovers cucumbers growing in a greenhouse
3) Chue's sad backstory and world-building on the Mi clan, the dark twin to the Ma clan
4) The surprisingly sweet relationship between Chue and Baryou
5) Maomao getting kidnapped for the second time, pulling out all the stops to poison their captors and escape, and performing her first field surgery
6) The mess left behind by Gyouku-ou's death
7) And, as always, Maomao and Jinshi moments
Favourite quotes:
1) "People with a strong sense of responsibility soon grow sick at heart.
Maomao knew: just because you were a good person didn't mean good things would happen to you."
2) "Do you think he's all right? That was some slap she gave him," the quack said, much concerned about a child who had shown no repentance.
"Aw, every parent gives their child a good whack now and then, buddy. Most men can remember doing sword drills until they went unconscious from shouting," said Lihaku.
"Exactly. It was nothing much. He's just lucky she didn't use a closed fist," Chue added.
"An open palm isn't such a big deal. Although it's trouble if there's an injury somewhere it can't be seen. The solar plexus is a good compromise—it hurts, but it doesn't show," offered Maomao.
"What kinds of homes were you three raised in?" the quack asked, drawing back a little.
3) "People needed a haven, something to support them—and sometimes that took the form of a silent statue."
4) "Gods were like medicine: the could be dangerous if used the wrong way."
5) "Only say that you will remain here in the western capital, Moon Prince, and I will gladly tear off my head with my own hands!" Hulan said.
"I don't want you tearing anything off," Jinshi replied.
Who would clean it up afterward?
6) Maomao didn't normally come to this room without a summons from Chue or someone, and she found it required more courage than she expected to knock on the door. She took a deep breath in, then let it out, then knocked.
She waited. There was no answer.
She gave the door a curious look. Maybe no one was home. She felt a bit like the wind had been taken out of her sails, but anyway, she turned to go back to the medical office.
At exactly that moment, the door burst open. Maomao turned back in surprise to see Jinshi standing there.
He looked haggard. Maybe he was pulling yet another all-nighter—overestimating how much his body could take, again. How many days had it been since he'd slept? The sight of him might have inspired pity in some people, but to Maomao he just looked like a man who had overworked himself. His eyes were puffy, his skin dry. His hair lacked luster and his lips were chapped.
"How many all-nighters have you pulled?" Maomao said.
"I could ask you the very same question!"
There seemed to be something Jinshi wished he could say, for he reached out. He caught Maomao's hand and drew her into the office. He pulled so hard that she thought she might tumble right onto the floor, but he caught her first.
Oh!
They lay on the floor, Maomao on top, Jinshi underneath. There was a nice, thick carpet to land on, but even so, Maomao wondered if it didn't hurt falling down like that.
After a moment, Jinshi said, " Don't go running off like that again."
"I'm very sorry."
"Try to think before you act!"
"I did think. And look what happened."
She felt a warm breath on her head and knew he was sighing.
She couldn't move. She tried to look up at Jinshi, but found his chin was in the way.
"I brought you here because I thought it would be safe. How could everything have gone so wrong?"
"Because things don't always go the way we plan. If I'd stayed in the capital, the same sort of thing might have happened."
"True enough."
Why were they lying there on the floor, trading what amounted to banter?
We should at least close the door. What if somebody saw them? I've got to get up.
How long did he plan to lie there holding her? To be perfectly blunt, she hadn't bathed in days. She'd hardly even changed her clothes. It must have smelled gross, lying there with a woman covered in sweat and dust.
What the hell? He's actually taking a whiff!
"Master Jinshi?"
"What?"
"Maybe you could let me go one of these days?"
"You could always push me away yourself."
Maomao took Jinshi's hand. It felt very heavy, but he wasn't specifically pushing on her. It was just...
I'm sleepy.
Maomao could hardly think straight. Maybe it was the release of all that tension, but she felt oddly safe. Was it the thick carpet that felt so nice? Or was it the warmth of another body right next to her?
"True enough..."
She tried to brush his hand away, but couldn't. Instead, her breathing gradually evened out, and slowly, so did his.
What do I do here?
Her eyelids were trying to close, but she felt like there was something she had to tell him.
"I know you have your circumstances, Miss Maomao. It's important not to get carried away by your emotions!"
I'm not getting carried away by my emotions, she thought.
She looked at the face of the beautiful man before her. With his almond-shaped eyes closed, the lashes that fringed them looked even longer than usual. His facial features were perfectly formed, his lips neither too full nor too thin. There was the scar running along his right cheek.
For someone with such a pretty face, he was surprisingly well-built. That accursed brand was still on his flank.
Maomao couldn't comprehend it. To get what he wanted, Jinshi had tried to remove himself from a position at the very zenith of power. If his goal was indeed Maomao herself, then she could think there was something wrong with him.
It was a heat like molten metal. She wasn't sure what to do with it all—for the temperature she could return was no more than that of lukewarm water.
Slowly she reached up toward Jinshi's cheek and pressed her tepid warmth against it. It felt a little cooler than her hand. His eyes were completely closed, and he nuzzled her hand like a kitten being petted. He was asleep—perhaps he had finally relaxed.
There's nothing I can give him back in return.
Maomao brought her face close to Jinshi's. His breath and hers mingled. His lips were even colder than his cheek.
A short while later, Maomao's breathing, too, took on the even rhythm of sleep, and she slept soundly for the first time in more days than she could remember.
7) Jinshi's first good sleep in days went a long way toward restoring his energy.
He looked at the bed, where Maomao was curled up, caked with dust and blood. She had been so tired that she hadn't woken up even when JInshi had picked her up and set her on the bed.
It killed Jinshi to realize he had fallen asleep before her; Maomao must have been through far worse things than he had. He wished he could have gotten her tucked into bed sooner, with a nice, soft blanket around her.
She hadn't been able to resist her first sleep in days, and she looked as comfortable as if she were in a pleasant bath.
On Maomao's cheek, Jinshi could see a spot where it looked like she'd been struck. The rest of her was covered in scratches, and there was even a blade mark on her neck. He gathered that her blood-soaked clothes were from treating the badly injured Chue.
"You look awful," he murmured.
Jinshi suspected that if he asked Maomao what happened to her since he had seen her last, she would give him only the most businesslike report. There would be no attempt to make him worry for her or sympathize with her. None of the unctuousness with which the ladies of the rear palace used to approach him. Did she do that so that she wouldn't be a burden to him? Or simply because she saw no point in getting emotional about it?
If the former, then Jinshi wouldn't be content until he had done something about this infuriating, catlike creature.
Since he had stopped taking the medicine that allowed him to pass for a eunuch, he had fully regained his male functions. Did she realize he would be nothing but a beast if the cold chains of rationality hadn't bound him?
"Young master?" called his attendant, Suiren. She came in bearing a change of clothes. "It's almost time. You need to have your food."
"I know, I know."
"What about a bath?"
Jinshi considered. "I think I'll pass. Not enough time, is there?"
"Some might say it's not very sanitary to leave yourself covered in blood."
Despite her little quip, Suiren was smiling more than usual, Jinshi thought. "Shall I at least prepare some hot water?" she asked.
Her gaze had alighted on the bed. Even if Jinshi didn't want to wash, he should probably allow Maomao to do so.
"Yes," he said. "And a change of clothes too." His clever attendant would know exactly whose clothes he was referring to.
"Certainly." Suren gave a respectful bow of her head.
Jinshi stretched mightily, then went over and stood by the bed once again. He leaned close, but was careful not to disturb Maomao, who was deep in sleep.
"Perhaps I might charge myself up this much?" he said, almost to himself, and then he gently brushed his lips against Maomao's cheek.
8) "If he had known it would turn out this way, Jinshi reflected, he would have charged up even more back in his room."
9) "What do I want to do? You know, there is one thing..."
"What's that, sir?"
Jinshi's hand brushed Maomao's, settling against it, emphasizing how much bigger his hand was than hers.
"Is this what you wanted to do?" Maomao asked.
"There are other things too."
"Oh, is that so?"
"But I can't." His eyes drifted down to the spewing figure on the deck. "I'm restraining myself as hard as I can. It's not easy."
Maomao was by now well acquainted with Jinshi's feelings—and she knew that he no longer had to pretend to be a eunuch. It made it slightly awkward to be perched up her so close to him. But at the same time...it wasn't that unpleasant.
10) "Maomao," Jinshi said.
"Yes, sir?"
At the same time she turned to look up into Jinshi's face, she found Jinshi's face coming down toward hers.
The touch of his lips was so light, so casual, that for a second she didn't know what had happened.
At first, he didn't say anything.
"What? Are you embarrassed?" she exclaimed, when she realized he'd flushed red at even this most chaste of kisses.
"No, ahem, I just... I've restrained myself, and I meant to continue restraining myself..."
Before she could stop herself, Maomao exclaimed, "Restraint! You didn't restrain yourself so much before!"
"I didn't..." Jinshi appeared to remember something, and turned grim. Presumably he was thinking of "before," when he had forced a kiss on her, and she'd turned the tables and given him a taste of his own medicine.
"Don't worry, sir. I won't get you back for it this time."
"Er... That's not what I..."
"You'd rather I did?"
November 12, 2025
Apothecary Diaries Light Novel, volume 12
A historical fiction YA slow-burn romance set in Imperial China.
*What works*:
The setting: Maomao travels to new provinces and cooks with their food supplies (potatoes)
Humor: Lahan's brother's Name--we'll never know.
New side character: One-Eyed Dragon from Bandit Town
Characters: Chue is a fun and interesting character who gets more time in this volume.
Romance: Maomao is finally experiencing growth and admitting her feelings! Lots of moments of tension with Jinshi both physical and emotional, still clean romance.
Slice of Life in the Palace and Western provinces
Chinese medicine: demonstrated through Maomao's medical skills and ongoing treatment of her patients who continue to need her care. Jinshi does too! ;)
-What doesn't work, unfortunately-:
Some of the subtleties of the slow-burn romance humor get lost in the translation.
A historical fiction YA slow-burn romance set in Imperial China.
*What works*:
The setting: Maomao travels to new provinces and cooks with their food supplies (potatoes)
Humor: Lahan's brother's Name--we'll never know.
New side character: One-Eyed Dragon from Bandit Town
Characters: Chue is a fun and interesting character who gets more time in this volume.
Romance: Maomao is finally experiencing growth and admitting her feelings! Lots of moments of tension with Jinshi both physical and emotional, still clean romance.
Slice of Life in the Palace and Western provinces
Chinese medicine: demonstrated through Maomao's medical skills and ongoing treatment of her patients who continue to need her care. Jinshi does too! ;)
-What doesn't work, unfortunately-:
Some of the subtleties of the slow-burn romance humor get lost in the translation.
December 31, 2024
That was one small step for Maomao, one giant leap for us, JINMAO STANS 😭💚💜
FINALLY THE SLOW BURN IS BURNING, MAOMAO HAS BEGUN TO ACCEPT HER FEELINGS FOR JINSHI, AFTER 12 VOLUMES, AFTER NEARLY 4000 PAGES, THEY’RE IN LOVE YOUR HONOR!!!
I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY MANGA VOLUMES WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TO THIS MOMENT BUT I’M USED TO SURVIVE WITH CRUMBS SO I’LL WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT DECADE STARTS IF IT’S NECESSARY!!!
FINALLY THE SLOW BURN IS BURNING, MAOMAO HAS BEGUN TO ACCEPT HER FEELINGS FOR JINSHI, AFTER 12 VOLUMES, AFTER NEARLY 4000 PAGES, THEY’RE IN LOVE YOUR HONOR!!!
I DON’T KNOW HOW MANY MANGA VOLUMES WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO GET TO THIS MOMENT BUT I’M USED TO SURVIVE WITH CRUMBS SO I’LL WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT DECADE STARTS IF IT’S NECESSARY!!!
October 23, 2024
4.5! Great end to the western capital plot
January 13, 2025
I feel like this volume confirms that Maomao is aromantic. She knows that she doesn't, and perhaps can't, love Jinshi the way he loves her, and just coming to accept that gives her the ability to think about the relationship she can have with him, because I think she does want one. It's not an easy place to be emotionally, and the story is doing a decent job feeling its way around that.
Also, kudos to the author for making me understand why Chue is so annoying.
Also, kudos to the author for making me understand why Chue is so annoying.
October 22, 2024
One of my favorites in the series.
I was very invested in this one since Chue was said to be a big role on it and she grew on me a lot, but oh boy, did the author deliver.
With the introduction of the three sons, I expected things to be slow and to not care about them, but their time was enough to make me invested about their role. I didn't expect Luhan to turn to be another freak as much as Lahan is, but I don't dislike the development.
The dots connecting at the end with their mother disappearing and being revealed to be Chue's mother too and how did this play in her upbring was really nice. I was very happy to know how her and Baryou met. Even if they don't have much time, I'm really invested in their little familiar space.
This brings me to Maomao's feelings.
I really like how this author writes women who can have their happy relationships even if they are not the "mold" of ideal "bride/wife/woman in love" if this make sense. Be it Taomei, Chue with her traumas regarding her mother or even Maomao, who is kind of cold towards her own feelings. There was a bit of discussion regarding her own sexuality, if she could be ace/aro, but this volume really reinforced my idea that she isn't either of these, she's mostly a really pragmatic person, who has tad bit of repulsion towards these subjects because of everything she lived regarding her parents/ where she came from. She's a person who thinks about surviving the most, irrational feelings such as romance or lust be danmed.
Either way, I really like the way her and Jinshi's relationship has been progressing, even if it was waaayyy too little content of them in this volume for my heart.
Anyway, I cannot wait for the next volume. I'm very excited to what the next arc will bring.
Also, the whole joke with Lahan's brother in the book was hilarious lol.
I was very invested in this one since Chue was said to be a big role on it and she grew on me a lot, but oh boy, did the author deliver.
With the introduction of the three sons, I expected things to be slow and to not care about them, but their time was enough to make me invested about their role. I didn't expect Luhan to turn to be another freak as much as Lahan is, but I don't dislike the development.
The dots connecting at the end with their mother disappearing and being revealed to be Chue's mother too and how did this play in her upbring was really nice. I was very happy to know how her and Baryou met. Even if they don't have much time, I'm really invested in their little familiar space.
This brings me to Maomao's feelings.
I really like how this author writes women who can have their happy relationships even if they are not the "mold" of ideal "bride/wife/woman in love" if this make sense. Be it Taomei, Chue with her traumas regarding her mother or even Maomao, who is kind of cold towards her own feelings. There was a bit of discussion regarding her own sexuality, if she could be ace/aro, but this volume really reinforced my idea that she isn't either of these, she's mostly a really pragmatic person, who has tad bit of repulsion towards these subjects because of everything she lived regarding her parents/ where she came from. She's a person who thinks about surviving the most, irrational feelings such as romance or lust be danmed.
Either way, I really like the way her and Jinshi's relationship has been progressing, even if it was waaayyy too little content of them in this volume for my heart.
Anyway, I cannot wait for the next volume. I'm very excited to what the next arc will bring.
Also, the whole joke with Lahan's brother in the book was hilarious lol.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2024
This was more adventurous than I expected it to be. But Chue...my child, you need a hug and a big one at that. Besides, there were so many characters I loved. Xiaohong and Shikyou's relationship was so nice. Maomao is definitely a "girl child" girl. And now, Jinshi and Maomao? Omg, Maomao, in her own way realizing her affections slowly is my drug.
I am so sorry, Lahan's Brother. I hope he finds his way back home xD
I am so sorry, Lahan's Brother. I hope he finds his way back home xD
June 7, 2024
That was a lot.
January 20, 2025
These books just get better the further I read looking forward to reading the next one soon. I always love the characters and learning more about them I like that Jinshi and Maomao are getting closer. I even liked learning Chue's backstory it added so much to the story. These books always are amazing reads looking forward to reading more soon. The plot is really interesting it starts with the aftermath of the previous book and goes into another mystery that add so much to the story.
December 24, 2024
Maomao is literally a walking encyclopedia. I finally can breathe once the family drama in I-sei is finally resolved, even though i still despise Hulan. Exchanging him with Lahan's Brother will be worth it, i guess?
July 2, 2024
8/10. A little predictable at times but overall fantastic!! So happy with Maomao’s development EEEEEE
February 3, 2025
I cant believe they left Lahan's brother 😭 Inadvertently Junjie's fault. I don't know whether I should cry or laugh.
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𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒌.
𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒛𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓. 𝑰𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎.
𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍—𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧.
Maomao thinking she couldn't possible reciprocate all the sacrifices Jinshi has been doing for her 😭
---------------
“𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓬𝓲𝓻𝓬𝓾𝓶𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼, 𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓜𝓪𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓸. 𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓫𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼! 𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓷 𝓮𝔁𝓬𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓮𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻.”
It took Chue's words (and nearly dying) for Maomao to face her feelings for Jinshi.
---------------
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒂 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆.
Finally! It only took 12 volumes.
I can't wait to read the next volume and see their progress. It would be the last translater volume and i'm dreading it 😭 I'm still thankful I only discovered it this year and it already has this much update.
-----------------------
𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒔𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒂 𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒚 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒚 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒃𝒖𝒊𝒍𝒕. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒄𝒄𝒖𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒍𝒍 𝒐𝒏 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒇𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒌.
𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒉𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒊𝒕. 𝑻𝒐 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒕𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒂 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒊𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚 𝒛𝒆𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒑𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓. 𝑰𝒇 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒈𝒐𝒂𝒍 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒈 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒉𝒊𝒎.
𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒂 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒍𝒕𝒆𝒏 𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒂𝒍. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒅𝒐 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍—𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒓𝒆𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒅 𝒘𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓.
𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧.
Maomao thinking she couldn't possible reciprocate all the sacrifices Jinshi has been doing for her 😭
---------------
“𝓘 𝓴𝓷𝓸𝔀 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓱𝓪𝓿𝓮 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓬𝓲𝓻𝓬𝓾𝓶𝓼𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓼, 𝓜𝓲𝓼𝓼 𝓜𝓪𝓸𝓶𝓪𝓸. 𝓘𝓽’𝓼 𝓲𝓶𝓹𝓸𝓻𝓽𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓷𝓸𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓰𝓮𝓽 𝓬𝓪𝓻𝓻𝓲𝓮𝓭 𝓪𝔀𝓪𝔂 𝓫𝔂 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓮𝓶𝓸𝓽𝓲𝓸𝓷𝓼! 𝓑𝓾𝓽 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓬𝓪𝓷’𝓽 𝓵𝓮𝓽 𝓽𝓱𝓪𝓽 𝓫𝓮 𝓪𝓷 𝓮𝔁𝓬𝓾𝓼𝓮 𝓮𝓲𝓽𝓱𝓮𝓻.”
It took Chue's words (and nearly dying) for Maomao to face her feelings for Jinshi.
---------------
𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒍𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒆𝒅, 𝒂 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒑𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒎 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒏’𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒐𝒑𝒍𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒍𝒅 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒘𝒉𝒐𝒎 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒆𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒂𝒇𝒆.
Finally! It only took 12 volumes.
I can't wait to read the next volume and see their progress. It would be the last translater volume and i'm dreading it 😭 I'm still thankful I only discovered it this year and it already has this much update.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 3, 2025
she slept on top of him like a cat :’)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 10, 2025
LETS GOOOOOOOOO
May 23, 2025
Had a very hard time deciding which volume is my favorite😩
March 22, 2025
This volume was soooooo good, I am so sad I only have one more to get through and it is so short compared to most of the novels in the series so far. I am so happy they are finally home though, I have loved most of their time away (especially the romance progress) but I missed my girlies.
August 29, 2025
I hope that was the last time they travel to the western province…
July 22, 2025
lots of pieces of the puzzle coming together
“To be loved, even just for a little while—that’s a wonderful thing. You almost...start to think it means there’s a place you belong.”
“To be loved, even just for a little while—that’s a wonderful thing. You almost...start to think it means there’s a place you belong.”
June 7, 2025
Dkdjhahdjd omfg
November 19, 2024
I love to see Maomao in action and this volume is packed with that. Reading the bandits chapters was nerve-wracking. I enjoyed how things unfolded in the end with Maomao being this brave and that smart. I love her.
Most importantly, Chue turned out to be such a unique and cool character. And who'd thought that her relationship with Baryou was this lovely? I loved reading their little backstory through Baryou's POV.
Also, finally, a development in Jinshi and Maomao's relationship. It's so sweet to read their moments in this volume, it truly put a smile on my face to see Maomao finally understanding her emotions and to actually make a move? I'm seriously impressed and my heart is pleased. Kudos for Jinshi for not giving up all this time.
At this point, I'm quite invested in this series and reading a new volume have become a thing that keeps me going everyday. Such a strong discovery this series is.
Most importantly, Chue turned out to be such a unique and cool character. And who'd thought that her relationship with Baryou was this lovely? I loved reading their little backstory through Baryou's POV.
Also, finally, a development in Jinshi and Maomao's relationship. It's so sweet to read their moments in this volume, it truly put a smile on my face to see Maomao finally understanding her emotions and to actually make a move? I'm seriously impressed and my heart is pleased. Kudos for Jinshi for not giving up all this time.
At this point, I'm quite invested in this series and reading a new volume have become a thing that keeps me going everyday. Such a strong discovery this series is.
Read
November 14, 2024Love the development of Maomao and Jinshi 🫶🏼
Oh nooo Lahan’s brother so unlucky 😭😂
Oh nooo Lahan’s brother so unlucky 😭😂
November 19, 2024
the slow-burn is real and i'm LIVING for it
August 11, 2025
⋆.˚✮ 5/5 ✮˚.⋆
⋆˚࿔ 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 ࿔˚⋆
12 volumes for this...but it was worth every damn second, every page, every letter, EVERYTHING. I love how the author throws new arc after new arc at you, and it's all strangely intertwined. I just got a handle on the whole politics, lineages, and so on. By far one of the best books in the series/saga. #JusticeForLahan'sBrother
ᵎᵎ ˚. ୭ 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
I'll just get to the point because I'm SO excited.
- The whole Gyoku-ou family arc (the children, the grandson, the granddaughter, and everyone else) was excellent, and to be honest, it entertained me too much.
- Maomao's 100000000th "kidnapping," poor girl, can't rest anymore. The way it unfolded was also great.
- Poor Chue, I was so worried that something was going to happen to her. They told us a bit of her story and it devastated me, so all I can say is that she's a character I adore, and that she surpasses many others.
- JINMAO AHHHHHHH. They fed me well in this one. You don't know how happy I am to see Maomao slowly coming to terms with her feelings. It took 4 years, but it was great! Am I crazy, or did Maomao kiss Jinshi before falling asleep?
"«𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑩𝒖𝒕... 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.»"
"𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊'𝒔. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒅. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒌."
"«𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆», 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐'𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒌."
"𝑨𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅."
(I couldn't put just one or two parts/phrases)
────────── ·𖥸· ──────────
⋆.˚✮ 5/5 ✮˚.⋆
⋆˚࿔ 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏̃𝒂 ࿔˚⋆
12 volúmenes para esto...pero valió cada maldito segundo, cada pagina, cada letra, TODO. Amo como la autora te tira un nuevo arco tras otro y esta todo extrañamente enlazado. Recién le pude tomar la mano a todo el tema de la política, linajes y demás. Por lejos uno de los mejores libros de la serie/saga. #JusticaParaElHermanoDeLahan
ᵎᵎ ˚. ୭ 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
Voy al grano porque estoy DEMASIADO emocionada.
- Todo el arco de la familia de Gyoku-ou (los hijos, el nieto rompe quinoto, la nieta y demás) estuvo excelente, y me quedo corta, me entretuvo demasiado.
- El "secuestro" Nº100000000 de Maomao, pobre chica no descansa más, también estuvo genial como se desenvolvió.
- Pobre Chue, me angustie tanto pensando que algo le iba a pasar. Nos contaron un poco de su historia y me destrozó, así que únicamente puedo decir que es un personaje que adoro, y que supera a muchos otros.
- JINMAO AHHHHHHH. En este si me alimentaron bien. No saben lo feliz que soy de ver como Maomao de a poco va entendiendo sus sentimientos, tardó 4 años, pero bien! Estoy loca o Maomao lo beso a Jinshi antes de dormirse?
"«𝑺𝒆́ 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒔, 𝒔𝒆𝒏̃𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐. 𝑬𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒆
𝒅𝒆𝒋𝒆 𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔. 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒐...𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒄𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒋𝒂𝒓 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒆𝒔𝒐
𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒖𝒏𝒂 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒂.»"
"𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐́ 𝒔𝒖 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐 𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊. 𝑺𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒚 𝒆𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒛𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒏.
𝑺𝒖𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒖́𝒏 𝒎𝒂́𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒊́𝒐𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒔𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒋𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂."
"«𝑻𝒂𝒍 𝒗𝒆𝒛 𝒑𝒖𝒆𝒅𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒄𝒐», 𝒅𝒊𝒋𝒐, 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒊 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒔𝒊́ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒐, 𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒈𝒐 𝒓𝒐𝒛𝒐́
𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝒍𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒋𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒅𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐."
"𝑨𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒐 𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒔𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒓 𝒂 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒂 𝒍𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒂, 𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐́
𝒄𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒅𝒆 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒂 𝒍𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒚𝒂. 𝑬𝒍 𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆 𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐, 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍, 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒓 𝒖𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒐 𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒆́ 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊́𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒐."
(no podía poner solo una o dos partes/frases)
⋆˚࿔ 𝑹𝒆𝒗𝒊𝒆𝒘 ࿔˚⋆
12 volumes for this...but it was worth every damn second, every page, every letter, EVERYTHING. I love how the author throws new arc after new arc at you, and it's all strangely intertwined. I just got a handle on the whole politics, lineages, and so on. By far one of the best books in the series/saga. #JusticeForLahan'sBrother
ᵎᵎ ˚. ୭ 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
I'll just get to the point because I'm SO excited.
- The whole Gyoku-ou family arc (the children, the grandson, the granddaughter, and everyone else) was excellent, and to be honest, it entertained me too much.
- Maomao's 100000000th "kidnapping," poor girl, can't rest anymore. The way it unfolded was also great.
- Poor Chue, I was so worried that something was going to happen to her. They told us a bit of her story and it devastated me, so all I can say is that she's a character I adore, and that she surpasses many others.
- JINMAO AHHHHHHH. They fed me well in this one. You don't know how happy I am to see Maomao slowly coming to terms with her feelings. It took 4 years, but it was great! Am I crazy, or did Maomao kiss Jinshi before falling asleep?
"«𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒎𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒔, 𝑴𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐. 𝑰𝒕'𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒃𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑩𝒖𝒕... 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒏'𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒆 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓.»"
"𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒃𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒐 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊'𝒔. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒍𝒆𝒅. 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒄𝒐𝒐𝒍𝒆𝒓 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒌."
"«𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒆 𝒂 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆», 𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒂𝒊𝒅, 𝒂𝒍𝒎𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒚 𝒃𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒕 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐'𝒔 𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒌."
"𝑨𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊'𝒔 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒐 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒄𝒉 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒍𝒊𝒑𝒔 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒐 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒔𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍, 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒔𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒅 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒅."
(I couldn't put just one or two parts/phrases)
────────── ·𖥸· ──────────
⋆.˚✮ 5/5 ✮˚.⋆
⋆˚࿔ 𝑹𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒏̃𝒂 ࿔˚⋆
12 volúmenes para esto...pero valió cada maldito segundo, cada pagina, cada letra, TODO. Amo como la autora te tira un nuevo arco tras otro y esta todo extrañamente enlazado. Recién le pude tomar la mano a todo el tema de la política, linajes y demás. Por lejos uno de los mejores libros de la serie/saga. #JusticaParaElHermanoDeLahan
ᵎᵎ ˚. ୭ 𝑺𝒑𝒐𝒊𝒍𝒆𝒓𝒔 ୭ ˚. ᵎᵎ
Voy al grano porque estoy DEMASIADO emocionada.
- Todo el arco de la familia de Gyoku-ou (los hijos, el nieto rompe quinoto, la nieta y demás) estuvo excelente, y me quedo corta, me entretuvo demasiado.
- El "secuestro" Nº100000000 de Maomao, pobre chica no descansa más, también estuvo genial como se desenvolvió.
- Pobre Chue, me angustie tanto pensando que algo le iba a pasar. Nos contaron un poco de su historia y me destrozó, así que únicamente puedo decir que es un personaje que adoro, y que supera a muchos otros.
- JINMAO AHHHHHHH. En este si me alimentaron bien. No saben lo feliz que soy de ver como Maomao de a poco va entendiendo sus sentimientos, tardó 4 años, pero bien! Estoy loca o Maomao lo beso a Jinshi antes de dormirse?
"«𝑺𝒆́ 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒄𝒊𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒏𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒊𝒂𝒔, 𝒔𝒆𝒏̃𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒕𝒂 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐. 𝑬𝒔 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒆
𝒅𝒆𝒋𝒆 𝒍𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒂𝒓 𝒑𝒐𝒓 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒄𝒊𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔. 𝑷𝒆𝒓𝒐...𝒕𝒂𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒄𝒐 𝒑𝒖𝒆𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒅𝒆𝒋𝒂𝒓 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒆𝒔𝒐
𝒔𝒆𝒂 𝒖𝒏𝒂 𝒆𝒙𝒄𝒖𝒔𝒂.»"
"𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐 𝒂𝒄𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒐́ 𝒔𝒖 𝒓𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐 𝒂𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊. 𝑺𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒐 𝒚 𝒆𝒍 𝒅𝒆 𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒆𝒛𝒄𝒍𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒏.
𝑺𝒖𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒂𝒏 𝒂𝒖́𝒏 𝒎𝒂́𝒔 𝒇𝒓𝒊́𝒐𝒔 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒔𝒖 𝒎𝒆𝒋𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂."
"«𝑻𝒂𝒍 𝒗𝒆𝒛 𝒑𝒖𝒆𝒅𝒂 𝒓𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒈𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒆 𝒖𝒏 𝒑𝒐𝒄𝒐», 𝒅𝒊𝒋𝒐, 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒊 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒔𝒊́ 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒐, 𝒚 𝒍𝒖𝒆𝒈𝒐 𝒓𝒐𝒛𝒐́
𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒐𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝒍𝒂 𝒎𝒆𝒋𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒅𝒆 𝑴𝒂𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒐."
"𝑨𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒐 𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒔𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒃𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒎𝒊𝒓𝒂𝒓 𝒂 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒂 𝒍𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒂, 𝒔𝒆 𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒐́
𝒄𝒐𝒏 𝒍𝒂 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒂 𝒅𝒆 𝑱𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒉𝒊 𝒃𝒂𝒋𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒐 𝒉𝒂𝒄𝒊𝒂 𝒍𝒂 𝒔𝒖𝒚𝒂. 𝑬𝒍 𝒓𝒐𝒄𝒆 𝒅𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒔 𝒍𝒂𝒃𝒊𝒐𝒔 𝒇𝒖𝒆 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒐, 𝒕𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒂𝒔𝒖𝒂𝒍, 𝒒𝒖𝒆 𝒑𝒐𝒓 𝒖𝒏 𝒔𝒆𝒈𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒐 𝒆𝒍𝒍𝒂 𝒏𝒐 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒐 𝒒𝒖𝒆́ 𝒉𝒂𝒃𝒊́𝒂 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒅𝒐."
(no podía poner solo una o dos partes/frases)
July 7, 2025
3.6⭐️
A bit cruel and misleading to mark this as 3 stars when 3.6 is actually closer to 4? Yes and I'm sorry, I just needed to distinguish it from the rest of my Apothecary Diaries ratings/reviews since those are all marked as 4 stars despite covering a range of ~3.75-4.3.
And AH it hurts me to not rate this one higher, especially when I feel like it has iconic status. But listen, Chue's backstory and Maomao accepting her feelings for Jinshi (+ progress in their relationship) are not enough to completely carry a book to being a 4-5 star read.
I feel like this volume has so much going for it in terms of the interesting and revealing information/problems it covers, but especially considering that, it is just kind of boring. Or not executed as well as other volumes.
I think it starts off strong.
Lahan's Brother and Maomao destroying the gardens to grow food/medicinal herbs
The mystery of Gyoku–ou's wife
The winery and the rare drunk Maomao
Lahan's Brother's name!
Maomao treating "the foreign girl"
But then I guess where the story fails for me is the duration of Maomao's kidnapping. I think it was ripe for potential, but the communication of information and the description of Maomao's time do not reach the heights of other volumes. Part of why it suffers is not really its fault but is rather informed by my experience with Kushiel's Dart, which does a pretty great job of exploring the heroine's time at the mercy of a Bear-like man. With Maomao, Bear-Man comes off as too dumb and her time there is rather rushed. Maomao's cleverness in taking down her captor even lacks satisfaction for me.
Everything with the Mi Clan is quite interesting and fun, at least in theory, but I think it could have been woven in better. It ends up feeling more like an information dump. It should elevate and recontextualize the entire volume, but falls a little flat. Some more of Maomao gradually putting the pieces together would have helped. I also think seeing more of things on Jinshi + the Western capital's end would have been good.
After Maomao's journey, I think the end, like the beginning, is pretty strong. I suppose the volume just sags in the middle when it feels like it really shouldn't.
Also reading about how that last scene is mistranslated...Kevin, why'd you do this to me? Translation truly makes it clear how much word choice and small changes matter!
A bit cruel and misleading to mark this as 3 stars when 3.6 is actually closer to 4? Yes and I'm sorry, I just needed to distinguish it from the rest of my Apothecary Diaries ratings/reviews since those are all marked as 4 stars despite covering a range of ~3.75-4.3.
And AH it hurts me to not rate this one higher, especially when I feel like it has iconic status. But listen, Chue's backstory and Maomao accepting her feelings for Jinshi (+ progress in their relationship) are not enough to completely carry a book to being a 4-5 star read.
I feel like this volume has so much going for it in terms of the interesting and revealing information/problems it covers, but especially considering that, it is just kind of boring. Or not executed as well as other volumes.
I think it starts off strong.
Lahan's Brother and Maomao destroying the gardens to grow food/medicinal herbs
The mystery of Gyoku–ou's wife
The winery and the rare drunk Maomao
Lahan's Brother's name!
Maomao treating "the foreign girl"
But then I guess where the story fails for me is the duration of Maomao's kidnapping. I think it was ripe for potential, but the communication of information and the description of Maomao's time do not reach the heights of other volumes. Part of why it suffers is not really its fault but is rather informed by my experience with Kushiel's Dart, which does a pretty great job of exploring the heroine's time at the mercy of a Bear-like man. With Maomao, Bear-Man comes off as too dumb and her time there is rather rushed. Maomao's cleverness in taking down her captor even lacks satisfaction for me.
Everything with the Mi Clan is quite interesting and fun, at least in theory, but I think it could have been woven in better. It ends up feeling more like an information dump. It should elevate and recontextualize the entire volume, but falls a little flat. Some more of Maomao gradually putting the pieces together would have helped. I also think seeing more of things on Jinshi + the Western capital's end would have been good.
After Maomao's journey, I think the end, like the beginning, is pretty strong. I suppose the volume just sags in the middle when it feels like it really shouldn't.
Also reading about how that last scene is mistranslated...Kevin, why'd you do this to me? Translation truly makes it clear how much word choice and small changes matter!
August 10, 2025
بلاخره داریم برمیگردیم پایتخت. سفر خیلی طولانیای بود.
یکم این جلد به نسبت جلدهای قبلی سادهتر بود. بد نبودا، ولی من گذشتهی ریوکسن رو بیشتر دوست داشتم. اتفاقات این جلد رو میتونستی حدس بزنی. و اون قسمت دزدیدن مائومائو و بلایی که راهزنها سرشون آوردن؟ meh. تکراری. حتی نفهمیدم چرا همچین اتفاقی باید برای چوئه میافتاد. یکم ناامید کننده بود.
ولی!! ولی!! بعد از ۱۲ جلد!! بعد از چهار هزار فاکینگ صفحه!!!! بلاخره مائومائو احساسات خودش رو پذیرفت. البته بازم یکم نامردی کرد چون بعد از تمام این مدت که جینشی منتظر بود تو باید درست وقتی خوابه احساساتت رو بروز بدی؟
ولی خب انقدر حرصم داده که دیگه بیحس شدم نسبت به کارهاش :))) الان دیگه فقط دلم برای جینشی میسوزه.
بریم ببینیم تو پایتخت قراره چه بلاهایی سرمون بیاد.
پ.ن: ولی الان که دارم فکرش رو میکنم، بدبختتر از جینشی برادر لاهانه. نمیدونم بخندم یا بهحالش گریه کنم.
یکم این جلد به نسبت جلدهای قبلی سادهتر بود. بد نبودا، ولی من گذشتهی ریوکسن رو بیشتر دوست داشتم. اتفاقات این جلد رو میتونستی حدس بزنی. و اون قسمت دزدیدن مائومائو و بلایی که راهزنها سرشون آوردن؟ meh. تکراری. حتی نفهمیدم چرا همچین اتفاقی باید برای چوئه میافتاد. یکم ناامید کننده بود.
ولی!! ولی!! بعد از ۱۲ جلد!! بعد از چهار هزار فاکینگ صفحه!!!! بلاخره مائومائو احساسات خودش رو پذیرفت. البته بازم یکم نامردی کرد چون بعد از تمام این مدت که جینشی منتظر بود تو باید درست وقتی خوابه احساساتت رو بروز بدی؟
ولی خب انقدر حرصم داده که دیگه بیحس شدم نسبت به کارهاش :))) الان دیگه فقط دلم برای جینشی میسوزه.
بریم ببینیم تو پایتخت قراره چه بلاهایی سرمون بیاد.
پ.ن: ولی الان که دارم فکرش رو میکنم، بدبختتر از جینشی برادر لاهانه. نمیدونم بخندم یا بهحالش گریه کنم.
February 6, 2025
This was the best one yet honestly. Engaging and much less confusing. Maomao was actually almost kind which was surprising. I like that she called him out in the epilogue. But I do wonder how much more this story has to tell? I understand the end goal for the love aspect but I truly wonder what all these adventures mean for the emperor overall.
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