There's Something Wrong with the Chief: Du Zhu You Bing (Novel) Vol. 1

There’s Something Wrong with the Chief: Du Zhu You Bing (Novel) #1

by Yang Su

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…

Genres: Romance, Fantasy, LGBT, Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Queer

364 pages, Paperback

Published November 4, 2025

Reviews

[Stacie · Rating 5 out of 5]

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?!

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 'justice & revenge' stars



I admit I struggled a little bit with this book at first. It might've been the wrong choice to start this after just watching Blood River. But I wanted more assassins and to continue riding that high that Su Muyu & Su Changhe gave me, however it's not entirely the book's fault of being unable to deliver what precisely I wanted because the story is very different and so are the characters.



We start this volume with both MCs being twelve and by the end of vol 1 they are fourteen. So, of course, no romance to speak of whatsoever yet. It's also hard to say anything about characters' development because they are practically still just kids, and I'm not gonna judge them for some stupid choices they'd made in trying to survive without practically any help. I might have started this review sounding like I didn't enjoy this book, which is not true. I liked it just fine but it took me some time to get properly invested, so I would not exactly count it among my favourites. At least not yet, but I belive this can change in vol 2. We'll see.


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"Don't... don't be reckless," Xie Jinglan muttered, his face tucked into Xiahou Lian's neck. Xiahou Lian could barley make out his words.
[...]
"Relax," said Xiahou Lian. "I won't do anything stupid." He tugged Xie Jinglan upward and continued. "Don't fall asleep, Shaoye. Talk to me. Don't die on me."
A little less groggy, Xie Jinglan closed his eyes. "If I die, you won't lose much," he said. "After all... you're going to leave anyway."
"But I'll be torn up. I don't have many friends. You're my first real brother," Xiahou Lian said, resting his head gently against Xie Jinglan's. "How about... how about you come with me?" I'll take you back to the mountains. We're poor there, but there's planty of game, so you won't go hungry. My mother won't mind having another son."
Managing to tug his lips upward, Xie Jinglan offered a listless smile. "Are you asking me to elope?"

As I said already, both main characters are just kids at the beginning of the story. Xiahou Lian comes from a family of assassins. He's not assassin himself yet because he's still too young but he doesn't have much other choices. He's been a part of the Qiye Garden - the assassin organization - since he was born. So, it's either he becomes an assassin and gains partial freedom or never leave Qiye Garden mountain. On the other hand, we have Xie Jinglan, who's been born into privileged family but his father neglects him, his mother is dead, and because she was just a concubine, the official wife, of course, hates him and bullies him all the time. However, Xie Jinglan is determined that he will rise above everyone, and get his revenge.

Step by step, Xiahou Lian walked into the distance, lit by the slanting sunlight. That light turned his figure hazy, as if he might vanish into the sunset at any moment.
Suddenly, Xie Jinglan felt un uncontrollable fear. Would he and Xiahou Lian ever see each other again?
"Xiahou Lian!"
Xie Jinglan suddenly chased after him. At the sound of his voice, Xiahou Lian turned around just in time for Xie Jinglan to pull him into a tight embrace.
Xiahou lian sniffled lightly. Xie Jinglan smelled of soap.
"Don't forget our talk in the study the other day," Xie Jinglan murmured into his shoulder.
"I won't forget. I took it to heart."
"I'll find you."
"Mm-hmm. I know."

These boys met by chance and almost immediately formed some kind of connection with each other despite being so different in their personalities. Xiahou Lian, who is destined to become a heartless killer but who is actually kind and sweet and mischievous, always prepared to do everything for his Shaoye. And then Xie Jinglan, who is intelligent and cold and sickly, who is supposed to become a scholar and serve the country, but is instead brimming with merciless desire to kill everyone who ever wronged him in any way. But they have something in common - they had always had to fend for themselves and they are practically alone in this world. They only have each other to rely on, so despite all the differences, they mean everything to each other.

Xiahou Lian touched Shen Jue's fingers. "It's been hard for you, Shaoye."
"Yes, A-Lian." Shen Jue's eyes darkened, becoming deep and unfathomable as an ancient well. He leaned close to Xiahou Lian's ear and murmured, "Stay here and protect me, okay?"
"I..." Xiahou Lian hesitated.
Shen Jue's voice held an unyielding determination. "I saved your life. It belongs to me now."

I was a little surprised by the dynamic that established between them. I thought that Xiahou Lian is gonna be the bad boy type. I mean, he is (will be) an assassin, compared to delicate, pretty, could-probably-mistake-him-for-a-girl young master. But it's actually Xie Jinglan/ Shen Jue, who is already very possessive over Xiahou Lian, so I guess that their relationship in the future will be kind of different that I initially thought.



There are some side characters I really liked and I hope we'll get to see more of them. The first is definitely Xiahou Pei. She might not be the best mother out there (but certainly far from the worst) since she chose career over motherhood and she excels in being an assassin, however even if she mainly doesn't care much about her son, she's still always there for him when he needs her the most.

The other ones are two unexpected characters that barely had any page time but somehow managed to stole my heart. We'll probably see more of Situ Jin in the next volumes but I have no idea what kind of role will he play in this story. He already helped Shen Jue once, so maybe that's the direction his character will go. We've met Mingyue only twice, I think, and I also have no idea if she will have any significant role to play in the grand scheme of things. But this scene ⬇️ was so adorable, I hope these two will get HEA together. I'm very supportive of her decision; girl saw Situ Jin once and was like 'I'm gonna make him marry me, even if I'll have to cross half the country for it'.

Mingyue wiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm sixteen this year, Lord Situ. I'll wait five years for you." [...]
He hesitated for a moment before stammering. "Five years is too long. Miss Mingyue. You-"
"What?" Mingyue sniffled and raised her chin. "You have that saying - 'Even four horses couldn't break a gentleman's word.' Well, my word can't be broken by ten of them."
[...]
Situ Jin sighed. "Fine," he said hoarsley. "If I haven't returned in five years, Miss Minqyue, please find someone else. Don't wait for me."
Minqyue shook her head. "No. If you haven't returned in five years, I'll go north to find you. I'll wait for you and you must wait for me."

4 'justice & revenge' stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
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[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, I've read about 90 danmei novels and this is in my top 3: what more can I say? I can't wait to reread the rest and suffer again and, most importantly, I can't wait for Chiyan's appearance!!

[Nel · Rating 4 out of 5]

alright, twice ive dropped the FTL, but third time was the charm. the 7s translation was excellent as was the art. (no, we still dont talk about the white hair.)



ok its a fun read but u gotta roll with the bullshit as they say and make sure miss suspension of disbelief is in the same room as u. if not drag her in and hold her by the tiddies - ull need that energy, trust.

its very dogblood, unrealistic and has the subtlety of a freight train busting into a building. i mean all the people ur supposed to be sympathizing with are hot supermodels and all the nasties are ugly toads (not that i was counting but at least 3 baddies in vol 1 were fat. and if ur sensitive to fatphobia, ur butt will be on fire for a while). most problemos are solved by deux ex machinas in the form of an X and Y person who shows up at just the right place and the right time.

also one of chars is a eunuch, but if u expect some eunuch sauce, dont. the eunuch is fake.



somehow shen jue managed to enter the palace unsnipped. how? je ne sais pas. a better question, how he managed to last that long without his jewels being detected even?? maybe he mastered the art of tuck idk. (technically someone did learn his secret but he got a shiv in the neck real quick bcs shen jue is a badass.)

i dont think i like shen jue very much, that bish gives me too many whiplashes, but im partial to the himbo energy of xiahou lian. his mum, too, is kinda cool.

there is, believe it or not, a third mc, Situ Jin, a guard at the palace. idk what his role in this mess is going to be for now, but he seems like that guy who keeps getting stamped on for doing the right thing.

anyway, its a fun but a very messy novel - it actually reminded me of a show i watched, yanxi palace, they are kinda similar in spirit.

[Poisonivy_Seastars · Rating 5 out of 5]

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 😭🙏

[ollie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot express how much I loved loved LOVED this book. Only one volume in and I feel it in my heart that this danmei will become one of my favourites. My current favourites might have some competition…

“Xiahou Lian was about to blurt, only to turn and see Xie Jinglan gazing at him with the utmost seriousness, eyelashes fluttering like delicate wings, his face as fair as fine porcelain. Xiahou Lian had never seen a youth so lovely in his twelve short years.”

“Xie Jinglan turned over and gazed serenely at Xiahou Lian’s face. Moonlight filtered through the paper window, casting a gentle glow on his porcelain cheeks. He stared at the other boy for a long time before finally closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep.”

Xiaohou Lian and Xie Jinglan immediately hit it off and became quick friends. Though as they interact more throughout the story it’s clear that friendship isn’t the only thing they feel towards each other. It’s more so of a puppy love without either party being aware. I can’t wait to read how these characters grow, inside and outside of their blooming relationship.

The plot is easy to understand and there is never a dull moment. The reader isn’t thrown into the deep end with dozens of names, titles, and roles of characters. You are eased into the world of ‘There’s Something Wrong with the Chief’.

If you’re new to historical danmei or are looking for a historical danmei that is both compelling and not too complex, I highly suggest you read this one. I would’ve read this in a day if I wasn’t purposely slowing myself down.

[Queens Love Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"My mother said that hugs can cure all sadness—and you, Jinglan-shaoye, are the only person I've ever hugged, other than my mother. You should feel honored."



I’ve been impatiently waiting for this book, and a white or gray haired main character was honestly all it took to have me sold from the start. I pre-ordered my copy and spent far too long side-eyeing Fully Booked while I waited, but at least it arrived before Christmas. The wait ended up fitting the story’s mood: restrained, tense, and quietly relentless. From the opening chapters, the book establishes a direction that doesn’t rush to comfort the reader. It moves steadily from secrecy into confrontation, with each choice tightening the path forward instead of offering easy exits.

The core of the story rests on its two leads. Xie Jinglan is defined by control and buried fury, shaped by deprivation rather than idealism. His intelligence feels sharpened by necessity, and his calm never reads as gentle. Xiahou Lian stands in sharp contrast: impulsive, reckless, and emotionally exposed, shaped by violence he hasn’t fully processed. On their own, they feel raw and incomplete. Together, they form a volatile but functional balance. Their connection develops through action rather than confession, built on protection, defiance, and shared survival. Every shift in their dynamic feels earned, not granted.

This is not a comforting read. Suffering lingers, safety is rare, and justice rarely arrives cleanly. Power and cruelty shape every interaction, and the story commits fully to long-term consequence rather than quick resolution. Readers drawn to slow devotion, psychological tension, and moral complexity will find this deeply absorbing. Those hoping for swift romance, emotional softness, or clear relief may struggle with the weight and pacing. It’s a demanding story, but one that stays with you precisely because it refuses to soften its edges.

Date Read: 2025.12.22

[Kate♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Becca ☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5☆ for xiahou pei she is the mother

[Bibliothecat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Member of the Qielan assassin clan Xiahou Lian finds himself acting as the servant of Xie Jinglan, the youngest and neglected son of the Xie family. The two form a friendship as they support each other through the hardships and neglect of the Xie family, but outside forces drive them apart and back together again. Both are set out on very different paths in life and yet their friendship seems to hold fast.

Interestingly, I picked this up as a result of negative reviews and, while I can partially see where they were coming from, it had a wholly different effect on me. While it is always difficult to rate a single volume of a danmei series, this first instalment was very promising - the first 60% felt a little like a long prologue which is what might have put some off. Depending on what you look for in a story, it could indeed appear boring. Personally, I loved reading about Xiahou Lian and Xie Jinglan's time growing up together - it's worth noting that both are 12 years old when the story begins and there is no romance yet. The conditions under which they live were harsher than I expected and it seems this series generally doesn't hold back with some more gruesome elements. I think having spent such a good chunk of time getting to know these two characters as children will add to the overall depth and character development of what is yet to come.

I really enjoyed the writing - as far as one can judge a translated work - and I also especially enjoyed the main characters. They are in ways opposites attract but I also feel like they are a little in reverse roles; Xiahou Lian is an assassin in training, and while he is certainly roguish, he doesn't seem to have a single bad bone in his body and is constantly being told he is no good material for being an assassin. Jie Jinglan on the other hand is frail and scholarly but he is also driven by ambition and revenge. He is much more manipulative and cold hearted. I am truly intrigued to see where things go. For the latter half of the book, the characters are 14 years old and hints of a possible romance are creeping in very slowly.

Another complaint I have seen a few times is Jie Jinglan being depicted with white hair; while it is true that he is not stated to have white hair in the novel, all official art including the original Chinese, seems to depict him with white hair. My assumption would be that the first artist took that liberty to show his physical fragility and other artists followed suit. Personally, I felt not bothered at all and appreciated the art. The English Sevenseas edition has quite a lot of illustrations on the inside too and they are very beautiful indeed - my only complaint is that on all illustrations, pretty as they may be, the characters look much older than 12 years old.

[mara - hyrulevalkyrie · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Faith]

DNF 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

[K · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Niki.reads.rainbow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Xiahou Lian is sent to Xie household to do a mission for the Qiye Garden enclave. Here he meets the youngest son Xie Jinglan, who looks sickly, but is full of ambitions. They become friends, but they ways eventually split.

They meet again after two years in the imperial palace. Xie Jinglan changes his name to Shen Jue, and becomes an eunuch. Meanwhile Xiahou Lian, who was excited to become an assassin, don’t want to do it anymore, but he’s willing to stay by Shen Jue’s side and help him.

We meet the characters when they’re young, and watch them grow up a bit. They’re still young at the end of the book (14). I like the characters, and how they interact together. The plot is getting interesting as well, so I’m quite excited for the next volume.

I’m rating it 3*, because it was ok, and while I finished it quite quickly, some parts just weren’t that interesting.

A lot of people told me this is quite angsty, so I’m curious about how the story progresses.

[Miryam Drakon · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

this one was going great, I loved half the book, even what came after but then it was lost somewhere, the plot i mean. I get the gist of it, but still. I'll see about the next volume, if the mood hits.

[Say · Rating 4 out of 5]

More like a 4.5/5 for me.

Devoured this volume. I just love it when the bond starts out young. And I do love how they are solid with each other. I am looking forward to them meeting again.

So I will probably head out to the bookstore today ang get volume 2. 😅

[goblin · Rating 4 out of 5]

i want his mommy.

[Stacie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one but it low-key stressed me out the whole time 💀.

[Alastair · Rating 5 out of 5]

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

[RK Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really like this story, so it pains me to give 2 stars but there are just some tad bits that stick with me. Positives first; hilarious characters and story. Lian was an interesting protagonist to follow, his attitude towards most things and life. Jinglan was the perfect foil, uptight and determined; his love for books and studying paired with Lian reminded me of Wei Ying and Lan Zhan in certain parts. I don’t have much to talk about in this book, as much as I’ve liked it I’m not dying to get my hands on the next volume. The world exploration, for me, feels a bit stale. I cannot remember much about the worldly afaird, other than the garden and eunuchs. I do think this first book would’ve been better focusing only on their childhood and having the cliffhanger be the day Jinglan runs away from the massacre; it just feels rushed at bits and certain plot points I feel don’t sit right with me. Jinglan killing someone feels too sudden, maybe having more time before it for the reader to see his situation? And Lian, oh boy… I love him but it feels as if he hadn’t changed much; which don’t get me wrong, sometimes happen, but I’m not sure if it’s boys going through puberty later but I expected some personality changes. This isn’t bad mostly, just an improvement that could’ve made the characters feel more 3D. I do like he’s taken Qiu Ye’s offer and become a disguiser; it feels in character of him to choose that. I know this has been a lot of criticism , but yk what was beautiful… his mother. Omg I haven’t met an actually insane character that’s felt fresh in such a long time. Xiahou is everything and more; her dismissal of trivial things and no hesitation to do whatever her son wants. Yes, she’s not perfect, but she tries to be in what she deems important. I could talk about this woman for days, her hilarious personality. Also the art in this book is just so great. Overall it’s a fun read, but could’ve been improved in a few places.

Story: 2/5
Characters: 3/5
World exploration: 2/5

[Kay · Rating 5 out of 5]

🗡️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! 🥰

[Cassie Renais · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really nice balance of realistic angst/plot without getting too gory/trauma-porny. There's difficulty and struggle baked into the world, but the characters are built to overcome their trials without being victims or whipping boys. I was quickly invested in the story and the writing deals really nicely with the tensions within their characters. For example, Xiahou Lian makes a terrible assassin. He doesn't even remotely have the drive, discipline, or talent necessary to succeed his talented mother - and the story uses that, rather than just pushing forward with an impulsive, stupid guy who is just miraculously good at being an assassin when all evidence would contradict that. The same goes for Xie Jinglan. We really get to see his journey from stubborn, unbending young master to a cunning, spiteful social climber who has learned the wisdom of swallowing his pride.

I also really enjoyed the world-building that went into this. All the settings from palace, to the mountain home of the assassins, to the Xie compound, all had believable politics and daily lives. There was a good amount of characters without getting overwhelming, and a strong plot that drives the story forward even though it's unclear exactly where the overarching story is going. The day-to-day survival of the characters is compelling enough that I'd keep reading even without a more active destination.

Overall, this was an excellent introductory volume. I immediately started the next one, and I think it'll eventually end up one of my favourite danmeis when the rest of the series is released.

[- _ - · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I really enjoyed this book so far especially the political environment and the characterization. i feel like the characters are really well written or they’re just entertaining for me to read. I’m surprised i ended up really caring about side characters who, to me, dont feel important yet like Situ Jin. My only issue is that it just didnt hook me unfortunately. There were definitely moments that I binged certain chapters, but there were a lot of moments where i was counting down the pages until i was done. It had me hooked a lot of times but other times it lost me and that might be bc of my attention span😭 It does seem like this volume is setting everything up for the rest of the series and im super excited to continue reading :p

[Shaun "AceFireFox" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love these two characters and how they changed, and stayed the same, after the 2 year time skip.

Xie Jinglan is quite the stoic character but holds a deep resentment and hateful heart and a desire for revenge. He also is incredibly cunning and has a strong need to survive which later leads him to do some pretty bad things, which could very well be justified.

Xiahou Lian is upbeat and bubbly. He's positive and quite gentle, taking pity and a liking to Xie Jinglan straight away. He's quite arrogant and egotistical, relying heavily on his mother's reputation, to mask his insecurities and inadequacies. But also his lack of desire to actually kill anyone.

I really look forward to seeing how this one develops.

[Kerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

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

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A super fast read, and way more interesting than I originally expected. You would never expect the personalities of the two main characters just based on their descriptions when they first meet— an assassin’s son and a fragile young master who dreams of being a scholar. Even in this initial book you can see the devotion from the two of them protecting and caring for each other like they are the only person who cares for them.

[暁名 · Rating 3 out of 5]

FALLO DE EJECUCCION
Me han gustado mucho los personajes, simplemente siento que han sido bastante desaprovechados por el manejo, ya que la edad juega mucho. Cuando son dos chicos con 12 - 14 años eso hace que la narración esa más Young Adult y eso es una época que ya pasé.
Simplemente creo que no es para mí aunque he cogido bastante interés en los protagonistas así que pueda que siga leyéndolos

[Lissel · Rating 3 out of 5]

*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.

[Ta · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning was a bit slow (basically half of the book is about the childhood of the protagonists and what is essentially the backstory of the main plot), but I am enjoying the court politics and the scheming. Hopefully, the next books will have more of that.

[sydney ☆ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5