The Wife Comes First: Qi Wei Shang (Novel) Vol. 3

The Wife Comes First: Qi Wei Shang (Novel) #3

by Lv Ye Qian He, foxghost (Translator), furifuricchin (Illustrator)

“OVER TWO LIFETIMES, I HAVE ONLY EVER LOVED YOU.”

Welcomed back to the capital with unbelievable rewards, Jing Shao and his princely consort Mu Hanzhang fall into a new routine at home and at court—involving challenging but satisfying duties that Mu Hanzhang takes on with pleasure.

While the two men contend with scheming princes, unexpected visitors, and volatile in-laws, new trouble is brewing. The earlier revenge taken on Mu Hanzhang’s behalf set off a chain reaction that now threatens his father’s clan and his mother’s life. And when a death unearths secrets from the past, Jing Shao may have to use all that he’s gained just to survive the machinations threatening him.

But with his brothers—both blood and sworn—at his side and his wife in his arms, Jing Shao vows that this time, no matter the danger, he’ll find happiness with Mu Hanzhang.

Genres: Fantasy, Historical, Romance, LGBT, Asian Literature, Historical Fiction

396 pages, Paperback

Published July 21, 2026

About the author

Associated Names:
* Lu Ye Qian He (Pinyin)/Lv Ye Qian He (English)
* 绿野千鹤 / 綠野千鶴 (Chinese)
* ลวี่เหยี่ยเชียนเฮ่อ (Thai)

Reviews

[anaya (s-ia) · Rating 4 out of 5]

“over two lifetimes, i have only ever loved you.”

i'm a master at writing unnecessarily long, boring, off-topic, terrible reviews. so here goes another one.

there are some things i hated and others that made me swoon. i guess i'm a pessimist, so let's start with the negatives.

the issues i had with the previous volumes still linger. the way men in this book talk about women, along with the brief scenes focused on childbirth and postpartum, left me seriously exasperated. then again, it's historical fiction, so i guess i can't hold grudges against fictional characters, especially considering that, in the real world, women in some places are still deprived of basic human rights. without the occasional misogyny, it would probably feel out of character for the genre itself. anyway, i'll stop there instead of listing every minor grievance i have.

now, moving on to the romance. that eyesore of a man, jing shao, has a single brain cell, and its only function is to lust after his own wifey. as the title suggests, “the wife comes first” indeed.

their dynamic is undeniably spicy, but i can't help nitpicking. i really didn't agree with what happened in that one chapter. our prince gets jealous, and instead of talking things out, he decides to have rough, violent sex, a perfect example of someone who thinks with his dick. yep, that lone brain cell failed him spectacularly.

now, some people might argue, "if that bothers you, you should stay away from bl." but that's not the point. it's not about feeling morally superior. this kind of behaviour shouldn't be labelled as healthy. plenty of people enjoy these tropes, and this book is, of course, filled with clichés, but this particular scene is so overused. i've come across it countless times, and more often than not, it ruins the flow of the story by creating unnecessary drama. they could have shared a genuinely sweet night together, but no, the author had other plans.

overall, i liked the romance. they have plenty of sweet moments, but the main character is often pushy and entitled. the idea of "you're my wife, so you must always satisfy my needs" gets pushed throughout the series. considering the protagonist was given a second life, a second chance, i expected a stronger redemption arc, but it didn't quite meet my expectations. ugh, i should probably stop here before people start calling me the moral police. just know that i have very mixed feelings. it's trash, but it's enjoyable trash. the writing is engaging enough and it fulfills exactly what it sets out to do.

there are plenty of tense moments, battle scenes, and court intrigues, which thankfully get resolved soon enough mostly thanks to the one-dimensional, cartoonishly dumb villains and jing shao's knowledge from his previous life. i figured out who the real villain was pretty early on, but i have to admit that some of the twists still managed to keep me curious.

another thing i loved was the brotherly bond showcased in this series. his brothers, both by blood and sworn, are genuinely interesting characters, and the relationship that develops toward the end is a pleasant surprise, all thanks to the founding emperor.

the characters i absolutely adore are little tiger sunbeam, mu hanzhang, and gu huaiqing. hanzhang is resilient, kind, and loyal, whereas huaiqing is somewhat mercurial yet incredibly well written. the light-hearted banter between prince cheng and his sworn brother brightened the story considerably.

so, final verdict: this series has both its merits and its flaws. another piece of enjoyable trash. i'm choosing to pretend some of the problematic moments never happened, switching my brain off, and simply enjoying the ride. ★ 3.5

(it's already past midnight, and i can't think of anything else to add. i'll edit this later.)

[Queens Love Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I do feel bad for Junqing, but more than that, I know that I will never love anyone aside from Junqing, and I don't see how he'd be happy just because he was away from me either. So, as long as I can be with him, I'll always do my utmost to give him whatever he might want and make sure he never has to settle for less."

I closed this volume feeling satisfied. It had exactly the right balance of story and extra chapters for my taste, so I never felt like anything dragged or overstayed its welcome. Every chapter gave me something to enjoy, whether it was the main plot moving forward or quieter moments with the characters. I also like seeing the story return to the capital because it opened the door to new conflicts without losing the charm that made me enjoy the series in the first place. Watching the characters deal with family issues, court politics, and the consequences of earlier decisions kept me interested from beginning to end. The only thing I refuse to accept is that “founder” situation at the end. It was completely unhinged, and I honestly laughed because of how crazy it was. I’m choosing to pretend I never saw it, even though I can’t deny it was funny. Aside from that, I really loved how this volume wrapped everything up and left me feeling happy after I finished reading.

I also loved seeing how much Jing Shao and Mu Hanzhang have grown as a married couple. Their relationship feels so comfortable now, and I enjoyed watching them trust each other through every situation they faced. Jing Shao still has his possessive and childish moments, which honestly make me smile because they fit his personality, but it’s obvious how much he has matured. His focus is always on protecting the life he has now, and I appreciate seeing that side of him again and again. Mu Hanzhang continues to be my favorite character because his intelligence always feels genuine. I never felt like the story was simply telling me he was smart. You actually get to see it through his decisions, the way he handles people, and how naturally he understands both political and family matters. I also really like seeing Jing Shao surrounded by people he could trust. Knowing what happened in his previous life made those relationships feel even more meaningful, and it was nice seeing him build a life where he wasn’t carrying everything on his own.

I did have a couple of small issues. The political conflicts sometimes felt a little too convenient because Jing Shao and Mu Hanzhang were almost always several steps ahead. I never found myself worrying much about how things would turn out since many of the people working against them made such poor decisions. Some of the villains also felt pretty one-dimensional, so I never became very invested in their side of the story. Even with those complaints, they never took away from my enjoyment because I was having such a good time following Jing Shao and Mu Hanzhang. Their growth, their marriage, and the people around them were easily the strongest parts of this volume. Finishing this series left me with such a good feeling, and I genuinely think this was my favorite volume. It gave me exactly what I wanted from the story, a satisfying conclusion, plenty of heartwarming moments, and just enough humor to keep me smiling… even if I’m still pretending that final founder situation never happened.

Date Read: 2026.07.28

[V~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.6/5 🌟

When I read the manhua, I could not understand a lot of the politics in this story because the translation was such ass. I just was trying to follow. It I like how simple this was written where I didn’t feel confused by it unlike some other stories... *(cough cough... QJJ and Golden Terrace lol)*

Though there are some things that were rushed and some things left unsaid, I still loved it. It was a happy ending and to me, that was the cutest thing ever. However, going ack to the whole pacing issues, mainly because I feel like the author wanted to just be done and over with the story, which isn’t bad, but when the pacing changes within the last 10 chapters, it certainly starts feeling different.

Like… whatever happened to the shop owner and the vice minister of war?? What about the shop? Did they open more shops? Did they open more ports? That would have been nice to see. Also, the Left and Right generals deserved an extra. I believe they are canonly together just like I feel like Muqing and Fengxing from TGCF are together. Lolol there was wayyyy too much chemistry to not be together.

Also, holy hell side couple! Bottom emperor and top male wifey empress??
Staaaahp! >///<

Now, the main couple. I love how jealous Mu Hanzhang can get too. Hehe! I love me some jelly wifey. (⸝⸝ᵕᴗᵕ⸝⸝)

🔹 “I won’t allow you to take concubines…” Mu Hanzhang lowered his eyes and whispered.
“What did you say?” Jing Shao drew close to his lips, and his smile grew bigger and bigger.
“I won’t allow you to take concubines…” Mu Hanzhang’s voice was still low, but it was very firm.”🔹

But jealous hubby… oh man… he fucked up. He deserved that month of rejection and celibacy. Turd! (｡•̀ ⤙ •́ ｡ꐦ) !!!

I love and I cried at two main parts. One is when Mu Hanzhang got his dream to come true. He got a title and became recognized as more than just a male wife to the 3rd prince! 

🔹 “Being conferred the title of marquis meant that he would be qualified to enter court, that his talent had been recognized, and that he had the right to bring his mother into his residence to take care of her when his father was gone… Because he was married to Cheng Wang, he wasn’t able to take the imperial civil service exam, and he thought it would remain like that for all his life. Later, in the history books, he would only be mentioned as the “Cheng Wang Fei” – someone perpetually mentioned in relation to another person. He never expected things to take a different turn!” 🔹

🔹 “By the Mandate of Heaven the emperor calls upon Cheng Wang Fei Mu Hanzhang, of great erudition and scholarship and exceeding intelligence. He made many miraculous achievements on the battlefield and has been of great use to the empire. As a royal heir, he is now granted the title of ‘Wen Yuan’ and appointed as a military general and a minister of the civilian court. The ceremony to grant him the title of ‘Marquis’ will be held in seven days. This is the emperor’s decree!”🔹

One of the cutest things of this all is that Jingshao really did such a good job as a faithful husband to protect and uplift his male wife- helping him feel secure and loved. He really made him happy! Junqing deserves the world! 💕

🔹 “Today’s Mu Hanzhang had washed away the repression and anxiety he felt. He was like a treasure sword drawn out of its sheath, shining with glorious colors. Even through so many tribulations, his sharp edge wasn’t eroded. It was now clear to everyone, and no one would dare bully him again.”🔹

They truly became the best power and badass couple with cute nephews running in their home playing with their fur-ball lazy tiger haha. I love you, Xiao Huang! May you get many cuddles from your owner. I hope he gives you more love. The extra made me sad at the end! T^T
(˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥) I'll hug you baby!

The saddest moment that had my ass shedding tears! The emperor's death. I’ll just leave this quote from the emperor. He truly loved his son and I’m glad Jingshao got the chance to see that in his new life. (இ﹏இ`｡)

🔹 “Your mother gave you the name Shao because she hoped that you would be like the phoenix from the nine movements of Xiao Shao and bring peace and prosperity to the country of Da Chen.” Emperor Hong Zheng sighed, “Zhen has watched you grow from a little boy to an invincible Prince. What reason is there for me to feel unhappy? I hope that the two of you can protect and help each other and not disregard all the hard work your mother has put into raising both of you.”
“Imperial Father……” Jing Shao raised his head, his eyes tinted slightly red. He had never heard his Imperial Father praise him like that before. It was the first time he had heard those words of praise from his father in two lifetimes.”
“Jing Shao is your biological brother. If he makes a big mistake in the future, you must keep in mind the brotherhood both of you share today.”🔹

Remember to embrace and love your loved ones. You never know if you could ever get second chances with them.
₍ᐢ. .ᐢ₎ ♡( ˶˘ ³˘(⋆❛ ہ ❛⋆)!♡

[akira · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wish I could go back and relive what made me enjoy this story when I read the fan tl, because I do distinctly remember enjoying it. Having finished all three volumes of the official english translation for the wife comes first, I honestly can't say why.

The story is narratively weak and devoid of any real stakes or tension. There's never a time when you feel that the protagonists are in any real danger, and that includes all the times when the book tells you that they're in danger. Jing Shao is the strongest, most valiant warrior, and Mu Hanzhang is the smartest, most shrewed strategist. The book makes an attempt at courtly politics and intrigue, but like everything else, it feels very shallow

The best part of the story is the relationship the emperor has with his sons and Jing Shao's resentment and regrets from his past life where his father and brother are concerned. But nothing is really done with it besides Jing Shao righting his mistakes from his first life, like he's going through a checklist.

It's also quite frustrating that the worst thing you can be in this book is a woman. Every single male character is a misogynist, including the man that is canonically called a "male wife", something that was used to restrict his husband from gaining political power and also prevents him from finishing his studies. You would think there would be some self-refelction or deeper commentary on this, but no. The women are either entirely loyal to our male protagonists or scheming, conniving concubines that don't have two braincells to rub together. That's not even mentioning the amount of times we have men hitting their female partners, be it wife or concubine, as a rebuke for her actions and it being presented as a good thing, as something she deserves.

gods, I'm tired of this book. I'm glad I'm through with it. it was a very unremarkable three volumes.

[JAne mayhead · Rating 5 out of 5]

A glorious ending to a great tale!

I read this last volume in one sitting ...Couldn't put it down. From the opening chapter it's a roller coaster ride of romance, political intrigue, murderous schemes before it ends in the most satisfactory way. I will miss all the characters but I'm sure it won't be long before I visit them again.

For all lovers of historical danmei...no slow burn romance this, but full on steam!!

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book, and the whole series, a lot. It was a very fun read and a very satisfying ending.

I did have one problem with it though, and that’s Lady Xiao’s storyline. It was very clear that she was suffering from postpartum depression and anxiety and I wish the narrative treated her better or at least addressed it in a substantial way. I felt bad for her and in the end she just died. Not to mention, she kept thinking that Jing Chen had already told the main couple that he wanted to give them one of his children, when they had no idea he was planning to do that, sowing unnecessary discord between them. She had every right to feel upset about her child possibly being taken from her. I thought perhaps they would eventually address it and clear the air but that didn’t happen either. If the author wanted to clear a path for Gu Hauiqing to marry Jing Chen, I think instead of doing all that, they could’ve just had Lady Xiao pass away during childbirth along with Xiao-Si and then figure out another way to introduce the poison that killed the emperor and former empress.

[Cassie Renais · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't really enjoy this volume because it was poorly paced and ultimately anticlimactic. It took a solid 70% of the book for anything to actually happen- for most of it, I was left grasping at straws to figure out what the plot actually was.

The only thing the book has going for it is the fluff. But even that leans heavily into the whole coy-pretending-to-be-coerced thing, and Jing Shao regularly comes across as pushy and entitled, not loving. Add that to the time he gets violent with Mu Hanzhang because he's jealous, and it just doesn't have the charm of proper fluff because there's too much bad/morally questionable behaviour being presented as cute and wholesome.

Overall, I was pretty disappointed in this ending. The story meanders and goes nowhere before suddenly finishing with a thoroughly undeserved bang.

[Mrs. Strawhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

so surprised this was the end

I loved it. Worth the wait, although it wasnt long for me.

It wrapped up pretty nicely.

I think maybe 1 or 2 questions, but i cant even remember them right now.

A happy ending, and the secondary couple was cool too i guess.

I didnt really get their love but it happened.

I really loved that it was the end but it was a bit rushed, but i think it was okay because they were in love and that was the point of this story.

Im seeing a lot of similarities with these stories, which isnt bad yet because each author has their own take but i feel like i missed some ancient chinese class.

[Jocelynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a sweet, fun series and I'm so glad that I devoured it. I will admit that I found the final volume to be a lot of fluff and it was mostly that the last 50 pages of the book contained the real meat of the plot. However, considering the exhausting state of the world, I was due for some happy, loving fluff. The final volume was probably closer to a four, but I'll say overall the series was a solid 4.5 - 4.75 stars.

[san · Rating 5 out of 5]

| How many chances to begin again would this world ever offer? Do not wait until that treasured one has been lost before realizing that wealth and glory are but mere illusions, leaving only regrets…|



Legit the most coziest danmei I've ever read. And my ship sailed!! What more can a girl ask for?
What's even more shocking is that the all the political plot was engaging. I wasn't bored, even for a second.

[Meredith Burnett · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don’t know how I feel about this last volume, the whole series has been a fun turn your brain off read. but this volume disappointed me a bit. I was just trying to get through it. I got a bit annoyed with the main couple dynamic this book. I can’t recommend this series at all if I’m being honest and also lowkey it feels like it has some misogynist undertones but that’s just me. Glad to be done with it.

[Dalila · Rating 4 out of 5]

The definition of a fun cozy fantasy with no stakes that doesn't concern itself with asking too deep questions about its own plot.

How was Jing Shao able to go back and relive the last year and make amends? Don't worry about it.

The good guys win, the evil is defeated and banished, and the man gets to laze around with his wife for the rest of his life. What more can you ask for?

[Leah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made the mistake of reading BL for the plot, which is not why one comes to read The Wife is First. However, I got very caught up in the political intrigue of it all only for it to have a kinda meh conclusion. Good for those gay people, though, I guess. Sorry about your wife and child, Prince Rui

[Sonia Nainwani · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The human heart is never satisfied. Ultimately, it all comes down to greed"

Entertaining 💃