What do you think?
Rate this book
There’s Something Wrong with the Chief: Du Zhu You Bing (Novel) #1
There’s Something Wrong with the Chief: Du Zhu You Bing (Novel) Vol. 1
The Qielan Clan’s youngest assassin, Xiahou Lian, needs to get inside the aristocratic Xie family. He manages to gain a post serving Xie Jinglan, the family’s youngest son. However, the boys’ friendship soon undercuts Xiahou Lian’s treacherous ruse, causing him to make a choice that will follow him long into adulthood…
Xiahou Lian, the Qielan Clan’s youngest assassin, needs to get inside the aristocratic Xie household for his next assignment. He secures a post under Xie Jinglan, the family’s youngest son, and all players are in position. Yet as the date of the planned assassination approaches, the two boys find that they’ve become fast friends. Thus, Xiahou Lian takes a course of action that will haunt him for years to come…
As fates turn, Xiahou Lian is reduced to working as a dog for the chief of the Eastern Depot, a Ming dynasty spy agency. But the chief is the very boy Xiahou Lian once saved! What’s more, he seems more charming than resentful. There’s definitely something wrong with the chief…
364 pages, Paperback
Published November 4, 2025
735 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
November 11, 2025
I don’t know what’s to come later but I absolutely adored this first volume! I’m a little wary of the misunderstanding and separation tropes that I know are coming so🤞 fingers crossed my love for the characters makes everything okay. And as always, Zolaida’s art is incredible. Xie Jinglan’s white hair is so pretty 🥰
📚Childhood friends (they are 12-14 for this entire volume- feels coming of age-ish)
📚Young aspiring assassin x young aspiring scholar (in this volume lol)
📚Really believable and lovable friendship+ bond
📚Rascal MC x Tsundere ML
📚Another horrible step mom 🤬
📚Easy, somewhat fast paced read (at least this volume is!)
I’m looking forward to see where this story goes given the polarizing reviews. I feel like this was a strong introduction that really drew me in with the characters and plot so hoping I continue to love it!
Spoilers:
I need more Situ and Mingyue! I shed actual tears for them
Hope we get more of the Assassin’s club
Wei De can just go ahead and die. I hate him so much
Twin brother?!
📚Childhood friends (they are 12-14 for this entire volume- feels coming of age-ish)
📚Young aspiring assassin x young aspiring scholar (in this volume lol)
📚Really believable and lovable friendship+ bond
📚Rascal MC x Tsundere ML
📚Another horrible step mom 🤬
📚Easy, somewhat fast paced read (at least this volume is!)
I’m looking forward to see where this story goes given the polarizing reviews. I feel like this was a strong introduction that really drew me in with the characters and plot so hoping I continue to love it!
Spoilers:
I need more Situ and Mingyue! I shed actual tears for them
Hope we get more of the Assassin’s club
Wei De can just go ahead and die. I hate him so much
Twin brother?!
November 16, 2025
This was soooo good omg!!! I really loved the pacing, and the characters were definitely going through enough drama to keep me intrigued. (Though I am really scared for Shen Jue’s revenge arc next book 😭 he’s just a little dude and he deserves peace)
And also Xiahou Lan’s mom is so HOT and I really hope we see more of her in the next volume 😭🙏
And also Xiahou Lan’s mom is so HOT and I really hope we see more of her in the next volume 😭🙏
November 16, 2025
3.25/5stars
This danmei was just okay for me. It's only volume 1, and it follows the characters when they're quite young (12 and 14) so I'm hoping it will improve in future volumes as I'm not usually a fan of the set up of starting off when they're kids and going up to when they're adults. BECAUSE I find it a bit boring.
Boring is a strong word for this book, but i felt almost meandering - there were very few truly interesting parts, or parts with any type of stakes/plot to it. The beginning was cute where they first met and were getting to know each other under such strange circumstances, but after the timeskip to where they were 14, I lost a LOT of interest. It felt like nothing was happening and I didn't really care for any of the plot points or characters.
I'm hoping the next volume will be better because I think the overall premise of this one sounds so good!
This danmei was just okay for me. It's only volume 1, and it follows the characters when they're quite young (12 and 14) so I'm hoping it will improve in future volumes as I'm not usually a fan of the set up of starting off when they're kids and going up to when they're adults. BECAUSE I find it a bit boring.
Boring is a strong word for this book, but i felt almost meandering - there were very few truly interesting parts, or parts with any type of stakes/plot to it. The beginning was cute where they first met and were getting to know each other under such strange circumstances, but after the timeskip to where they were 14, I lost a LOT of interest. It felt like nothing was happening and I didn't really care for any of the plot points or characters.
I'm hoping the next volume will be better because I think the overall premise of this one sounds so good!
November 12, 2025
A good start to a series! Overall a pretty easy read, but I do feel like the pacing was a little weird from the start. I love Shen Jue though, I feel like he’s gonna be my favorite character going forward
Read
November 11, 2025DNF at 17%
Ahhh I'm bored. I usually DNF books after the first chapter if it's not catching me. But my love for Danmei has me in such a chokehold that l'll read much past my usual limits to try and take interest in the story. I see how the premise would captivate someone but it's just kinda boring here.
Maybe later I'll try this again later, but for now it's a soft dnf from me
Ahhh I'm bored. I usually DNF books after the first chapter if it's not catching me. But my love for Danmei has me in such a chokehold that l'll read much past my usual limits to try and take interest in the story. I see how the premise would captivate someone but it's just kinda boring here.
Maybe later I'll try this again later, but for now it's a soft dnf from me
November 16, 2025
More like 3.5 stars, close to 4. The story was fascinating, with good characters, and just had a few silly elements that disrupted it for me.
The main one was the whole idea of the elaborate wax masks that somehow let the assassins pretend to be other - well-known!! - people for MONTHS. It's one thing to slip in and out of the shadows for brief glimpses, but Xiahou Lian made a mask of a eunuch he'd never even seen, based on a drawing Xie Jinglan made for him, and lived as that person for a considerably long time, with no one suspecting a thing? Even when the guy he was pretending to be had been explicitly described as being very overweight, and no one ever commented on the fact that the "smallpox" he'd contracted had made him shrink from like an XXL to a Medium.
Another plot point that made very little sense was Xiahou Lian being installed in Xie Jinglan's household to begin with. At 12 years old, he talks big (to himself) about being an assassin, just waiting there for his mission to be assigned to him, but it turns out that he was not only not an official assassin by any means, the only thing they ever had him do was go into Xie Jinglan's father's office to read some letters. One time.
Which wasn't even necessary, because the same day he did that, another seasoned assassin (the expert at the appearance-masking skills) entered the same office on his own infiltration mission.
So why was Xiahou Lian there, other than for story-related reasons? It's a kind of gaping hole that I'm willing to ignore because I obviously enjoyed the relationship build with Xie Jinglan very much, but it does drop the overall rating down a bit.
Another point of confusion: the abbott, the leader of the assassins, is described as both an extremely old man on the edge of death, and also an assassin of such immense skill with the blade, he can even defeat Xiahou Lian's terrifyingly powerful mother. I assume he'll actually be a character we'll see more of in future volumes, to better understand what he's actually like, but I couldn't reconcile the different portraits of what he was supposed to be.
The heart of this story, though, is the relationship between Xiahou Lian and the neglected third son of the Xie household, who is the only one to escape the head eunuch's paid-for slaughter. Xie Jinglan is fascinating because he has a cruel, ruthless core that everyone except Xiahou Lian seems to recognize. He is far more of an assassin than good-hearted, kind, friendly Xiahou Lian could ever be...and in fact, by the tender age of 14, he's killed more people. Meanwhile, Xiahou Lian is mostly just being sent off on information-gathering missions because he hates killing people so much he fumbles every job.
I found their relationship really interesting. Right now, it's very unbalanced: Xiahou Lian keeps sacrificing for Xie Jinglan, while considering him a friend and a brother. Xie Jinglan is very clearly the only one who is developing romantic feelings at this point - or at least, in a way where he's actually recognizing that he sees Xiahou Lian in a pretty non-platonic light. Xiahou Lian is devoted to him, but Xie Jinglan is desperate for him: he has a very small, selfish heart with very little room in it, and right now Xiahou Lian is taking up the entirety of it.
There's a two year timeskip before they meet again in the imperial palace, and I'm assuming there will be several more years passing before the next volume begins, since this one ends with them parting ways again. Definitely looking forward to seeing more of them as adults.
My biggest surprise was how attached I was to the secondary, straight couple: the shy and honorable imperial soldier and the pretty, outspoken doctor's daughter who promised to follow him into exile if he didn't come back for her. Maybe the rating is reduced a little too because I ended up being more interested in following their story...
But this was an intriguing start to a series, and it's always refreshing to read one that's grounded more in real-world intrigue and sword skills that are developed from boots-on-the-ground hard work. Except for the silly reality-bending wax masks.
The main one was the whole idea of the elaborate wax masks that somehow let the assassins pretend to be other - well-known!! - people for MONTHS. It's one thing to slip in and out of the shadows for brief glimpses, but Xiahou Lian made a mask of a eunuch he'd never even seen, based on a drawing Xie Jinglan made for him, and lived as that person for a considerably long time, with no one suspecting a thing? Even when the guy he was pretending to be had been explicitly described as being very overweight, and no one ever commented on the fact that the "smallpox" he'd contracted had made him shrink from like an XXL to a Medium.
Another plot point that made very little sense was Xiahou Lian being installed in Xie Jinglan's household to begin with. At 12 years old, he talks big (to himself) about being an assassin, just waiting there for his mission to be assigned to him, but it turns out that he was not only not an official assassin by any means, the only thing they ever had him do was go into Xie Jinglan's father's office to read some letters. One time.
Which wasn't even necessary, because the same day he did that, another seasoned assassin (the expert at the appearance-masking skills) entered the same office on his own infiltration mission.
So why was Xiahou Lian there, other than for story-related reasons? It's a kind of gaping hole that I'm willing to ignore because I obviously enjoyed the relationship build with Xie Jinglan very much, but it does drop the overall rating down a bit.
Another point of confusion: the abbott, the leader of the assassins, is described as both an extremely old man on the edge of death, and also an assassin of such immense skill with the blade, he can even defeat Xiahou Lian's terrifyingly powerful mother. I assume he'll actually be a character we'll see more of in future volumes, to better understand what he's actually like, but I couldn't reconcile the different portraits of what he was supposed to be.
The heart of this story, though, is the relationship between Xiahou Lian and the neglected third son of the Xie household, who is the only one to escape the head eunuch's paid-for slaughter. Xie Jinglan is fascinating because he has a cruel, ruthless core that everyone except Xiahou Lian seems to recognize. He is far more of an assassin than good-hearted, kind, friendly Xiahou Lian could ever be...and in fact, by the tender age of 14, he's killed more people. Meanwhile, Xiahou Lian is mostly just being sent off on information-gathering missions because he hates killing people so much he fumbles every job.
I found their relationship really interesting. Right now, it's very unbalanced: Xiahou Lian keeps sacrificing for Xie Jinglan, while considering him a friend and a brother. Xie Jinglan is very clearly the only one who is developing romantic feelings at this point - or at least, in a way where he's actually recognizing that he sees Xiahou Lian in a pretty non-platonic light. Xiahou Lian is devoted to him, but Xie Jinglan is desperate for him: he has a very small, selfish heart with very little room in it, and right now Xiahou Lian is taking up the entirety of it.
There's a two year timeskip before they meet again in the imperial palace, and I'm assuming there will be several more years passing before the next volume begins, since this one ends with them parting ways again. Definitely looking forward to seeing more of them as adults.
My biggest surprise was how attached I was to the secondary, straight couple: the shy and honorable imperial soldier and the pretty, outspoken doctor's daughter who promised to follow him into exile if he didn't come back for her. Maybe the rating is reduced a little too because I ended up being more interested in following their story...
But this was an intriguing start to a series, and it's always refreshing to read one that's grounded more in real-world intrigue and sword skills that are developed from boots-on-the-ground hard work. Except for the silly reality-bending wax masks.
November 19, 2025
5☆ for xiahou pei she is the mother
November 2, 2025
★★★ - 3.5/5 stars
November 22, 2025
Very charming, however it's obviously written by someone who does not really know how exactly things worked in ancient times. If it was leaned more into fantasy (which was my firts thought because of the white-haired beauty on the cover), I wouldn't pay it any mind, but every now and then the silly situations catch me off-guard and chip away at the immersion, lol. I feel like many small things were mentioned in passing just to die off and not be mentioned again through the entire rest of the book. Or, even worse, events that were explained in the most roundabout way possible. (the wrist weapon... Qiu Ye's offer... why didn't Xiahou Lian just leave when effects of That started settling in... for how long was Garuda concealed... being vague on purpose in order not to spoil things, but, damn!)
Nonetheless, this was a pretty good read. It went into a completely different direction than what I'd expected. Especially the latter half and the palace intrigue plotline. I'm a sucker for "this cold character has one special person they have a soft spot for" trope, so it was wonderful to see Xie Jinglan retain that despite his personality getting thornier and thornier by the second. I'm hopeful to see side characters' stories develop in the next volumes (especially Situ Jin, though I can't help an odd sense of foreboding when I think about his possible future, lol). Xiahou Lian's mother is a fascinating character, and so is Qiu Ye, despite their few scenes. The familial relationships here are so full of potential, I'm /praying/ for the author to go there and explore them. All this talk of Xiahou Pei not caring, but her behavior... I'm hooked, lol
Overall, if you'd like a more chill and less politics-focused version of BoSW, then I'd recommend giving this one a try? The more somber tone was a pleasant surprise and I flew through the volume in about a day (despite the, at times, awkward pacing). If the author wrote any more stories, I'll certainly check them out as well!
EDIT: I also wish Xiahou Lian's backstory and the assassin world was given more care, since it feels like Xie Jinglan's motivations and family lore take priority in the mind of the author... That aspect just isn't as finely developed, not given enough depth, especially in how it would affect the boy. But for the entertainment value I won't deduce any stars :p
Nonetheless, this was a pretty good read. It went into a completely different direction than what I'd expected. Especially the latter half and the palace intrigue plotline. I'm a sucker for "this cold character has one special person they have a soft spot for" trope, so it was wonderful to see Xie Jinglan retain that despite his personality getting thornier and thornier by the second. I'm hopeful to see side characters' stories develop in the next volumes (especially Situ Jin, though I can't help an odd sense of foreboding when I think about his possible future, lol). Xiahou Lian's mother is a fascinating character, and so is Qiu Ye, despite their few scenes. The familial relationships here are so full of potential, I'm /praying/ for the author to go there and explore them. All this talk of Xiahou Pei not caring, but her behavior... I'm hooked, lol
Overall, if you'd like a more chill and less politics-focused version of BoSW, then I'd recommend giving this one a try? The more somber tone was a pleasant surprise and I flew through the volume in about a day (despite the, at times, awkward pacing). If the author wrote any more stories, I'll certainly check them out as well!
EDIT: I also wish Xiahou Lian's backstory and the assassin world was given more care, since it feels like Xie Jinglan's motivations and family lore take priority in the mind of the author... That aspect just isn't as finely developed, not given enough depth, especially in how it would affect the boy. But for the entertainment value I won't deduce any stars :p
November 9, 2025
🗡️4.9/5❤️
This novel! I'm genuinely blown away by some of the reviews calling it boring—I felt like the story was just the beginning and incredibly intriguing, keeping me hooked on what comes next. I've really grown to love assassin danmei with angst, and I'm hoping the assassin elements play an even bigger role in the later volumes' plots.
Xiahou Lian was a huge surprise for so many reasons! He’s extroverted, gets bored easily, and yet has a kind heart under specific circumstances. I'm fascinated by his character; I don't want to give too much away since I'm still getting to know him.
Xie Jinglan is equally interesting. He goes through a lot throughout the novel, but his outward character remains surprisingly consistent, but he also doesn't move on. Instead, he seems to endure or process these events internally.
Volume 1 starts when Xie Jinglan and Xiahou Lian are both just 12 years old. They built an unexpected and quick bond, even if they didn't know how to name their feelings at the time—but we all know they're in love! Not quite yet though! I can't wait to see what is going to happen with how their dynamic is going to be in Volume 2, and how it'll affect them. (Nothing explicit happens in this volume, by the way; my guess is that will wait until they are adults, of course.)
Happy reading🥰
🩸Spoiler Territory🩸
I wanted to focus on the characters for a moment. Honestly, I thought Xiahou Lian would be the ruthless, treacherous, and murderous one since he's the assassin, but I was so wrong! He’s actually kind and free-spirited. He wants to be an assassin but lacks the desire, or perhaps the skill, to actually kill.
Conversely, Xie Jinglan is the one who possesses those killer instincts. I knew he was smart, but not that smart! He's a fast learner and knows how to calculate perfectly. I've also noticed a distinct possessiveness showing in Xie Jinglan towards Xiahou Lian. I absolutely can't wait to see what happens over the next ten years! 🥰
This novel! I'm genuinely blown away by some of the reviews calling it boring—I felt like the story was just the beginning and incredibly intriguing, keeping me hooked on what comes next. I've really grown to love assassin danmei with angst, and I'm hoping the assassin elements play an even bigger role in the later volumes' plots.
Xiahou Lian was a huge surprise for so many reasons! He’s extroverted, gets bored easily, and yet has a kind heart under specific circumstances. I'm fascinated by his character; I don't want to give too much away since I'm still getting to know him.
Xie Jinglan is equally interesting. He goes through a lot throughout the novel, but his outward character remains surprisingly consistent, but he also doesn't move on. Instead, he seems to endure or process these events internally.
Volume 1 starts when Xie Jinglan and Xiahou Lian are both just 12 years old. They built an unexpected and quick bond, even if they didn't know how to name their feelings at the time—but we all know they're in love! Not quite yet though! I can't wait to see what is going to happen with how their dynamic is going to be in Volume 2, and how it'll affect them. (Nothing explicit happens in this volume, by the way; my guess is that will wait until they are adults, of course.)
Happy reading🥰
🩸Spoiler Territory🩸
I wanted to focus on the characters for a moment. Honestly, I thought Xiahou Lian would be the ruthless, treacherous, and murderous one since he's the assassin, but I was so wrong! He’s actually kind and free-spirited. He wants to be an assassin but lacks the desire, or perhaps the skill, to actually kill.
Conversely, Xie Jinglan is the one who possesses those killer instincts. I knew he was smart, but not that smart! He's a fast learner and knows how to calculate perfectly. I've also noticed a distinct possessiveness showing in Xie Jinglan towards Xiahou Lian. I absolutely can't wait to see what happens over the next ten years! 🥰
November 25, 2025
3.5, rounded up because i think the volume ended on a strong note
the premise of there's something wrong with the chief is really interesting, and i think for the most part i like the writing style, but something about the first half of the book struggled to draw me in, i guess? i really liked the characters, though, especially xiahou pei, and the idea of the qiye garden is catnip to me, so we shall see how this one shakes out
the premise of there's something wrong with the chief is really interesting, and i think for the most part i like the writing style, but something about the first half of the book struggled to draw me in, i guess? i really liked the characters, though, especially xiahou pei, and the idea of the qiye garden is catnip to me, so we shall see how this one shakes out
November 15, 2025
*3,5 STARS
I enjoyed the story. It did spend quite a long time with the main characters as kids, more than I expected, but I still enjoyed the story. I like both Xiahou Lian and Xie Jinglan and will continue reading because I want to see how their relationship will develope.
I enjoyed the story. It did spend quite a long time with the main characters as kids, more than I expected, but I still enjoyed the story. I like both Xiahou Lian and Xie Jinglan and will continue reading because I want to see how their relationship will develope.
November 17, 2025
A very solid start; the main characters and their dynamic are enjoyable, and there's a lot of interesting setup. I just hope the story doesn't lose momentum as it continues.
November 17, 2025
this volume is a lot of set-up, but the set-up is DELICIOUS, shen jue my lil vengeful baby you are everything
November 21, 2025
[4.25] xiahou pei, you may be a deadbeat mom but you're so HOT 🫦😏
November 11, 2025
Terribly boring despite an intriguing premise. It also has rather uncomfortable noncon scenes (more than one) later on in the story.
And don't let the cover fool you, this guy does not have white hair at any point in the novel. I'm curious, too, why the cover depicts them as adults when they're quite literally young children throughout this whole first volume, and they don't even reach adulthood for about half the story in general. Just heads-up in case someone out there wanted to read for the white hair or expected the protagonists to be older.
And don't let the cover fool you, this guy does not have white hair at any point in the novel. I'm curious, too, why the cover depicts them as adults when they're quite literally young children throughout this whole first volume, and they don't even reach adulthood for about half the story in general. Just heads-up in case someone out there wanted to read for the white hair or expected the protagonists to be older.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews