I don’t usually tend to read a lot of BL manhua and novels because they like to use the same tropes and romanticise rape and torture, and the bottom is always so weak esp during smut.
So this was honestly such a breath of fresh air, and the author of the original novel meant for that too. She wrote in a note at the end that she wanted to show that even it’s pure slowburn romance, people will like it. And I absolutely did.
The story started off with a common enough trope - transmigration, imperial court, emperor as main lead etc., But it was quickly clear that the plot wasn't going to fall into the common forced-smut-with-borderline-Stockholm-syndrome trope, instead it focused on really establishing the relationship between the male leads - how they fell in love through various small acts and storylines. It was super sweet and the main character was really lovable and overall just a good person.
The story was also generous with establishing the storylines of the side characters and how they connect with the main character, which was such a highlight for me because it gave the main character a lot more depth. He didn’t just exist in a vacuum or only in relation to the other male lead.
The manhua itself is not finished, but I couldn’t wait so I went and read the novel, and honestly the only dissatisfaction I had was that I wanted MORE. I really wanted to read more about their story, and the side characters’ stories.
I highly recommend this esp if you have read too many BL manhua or novels and need a good break from all the rape-y scenes and asshole tops.
