SpicyLime

It's not officially translated. You can find the goolge translated below. I read it, and it's not that bad to follow. I recommend giving it a go. There are also random excerpts in the discussion board.

https://www-tianyashuku-com.translate.goog/yq/10696/?_x_tr_sl=auto&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

If I remember correctly... ML is 6 years older. She was 13 during the lantern festival. 15 when they are engaged. They are engaged for about a year. 21 when HBY returns. Just add 6 to to get HBY's age.

NP. Below are some chapter lists I kept track of.

Chapter 23 – Lantern Scene.
Chapter 56 – They are finally interacting and talking about their past.
Chapter 75 – LBY admonishes third princess and CSS is moved to tears.
Chapter 82 – Consort Yue Smack Down
Chapter 83 – CSS resolves to treat LBY better.
Chapter 99 – LBY tells CSS she is free to leave the palace.
Chapter 101 – LBY gets beaten for CSS.
Chapter 116 – CSS talks about having babies.
Chapter 133 – LBY bites CSS.
Chapter 148 – CSS finds out Empress Dowager Xuan asked LBY to return to the Capital.
Chapter 163 – LBY begs CSS not to be cruel.
Chapter 166 - Yuan Shen engagement broken off.
Chapter 173 - Finally reconcile.

It might have been a different stream where she mentioned it.

Yeah for sure in the drama. That version of HBY regrets his actions. But it's not like that in the book.

Sure Yuan Shen loves CSS. Buts it's a selfish one sided love.

It starts at 134 I think. When she tries to sneak out to find LBY as he carries out his revenge. She tells her mom that it's too late for her to start taking care of her now. The time skip happens in the following volume.

It's just what I heard second hand when they were doing the live stream. I'm not sure if it's the same one, but you can find the live stream on WeTV (Tencent's website). My understanding was in the drama version, HBY is not truly sorry for his actions. In the novel he really isn't sorry for his actions either. He's begging because he knows that CSS is just fronting and he's asking for another chance. What he is trying to apologize for is forsaking her, not the revenge. She is just being stubborn and doesn't want to admit she still loves him and wants to be with him. She's making him wait and he has to coax her. She is hella stubborn and doesn't want to submit to him. After CSS forgives him, she understands his need for revenge. Revenge was eating away his whole life. When the chance was there, no matter how slim, he had to do it. But, that doesn't mean he stopped loving her. She would've done the same. HBY has 2 priorities. 1) get revenge 2) love CSS, in that order.

Yes I hate Yuan Shen with a passion. IMO, he does not redeem himself in the novel. Everything he was doing had an agenda. Yes, he tried to take care of FL, but it was because he wants her to return his love, which she could never do, which he always knew she would never be able to. Guy needed to move on. I get upset when people try to justify why CSS made the decision to get engaged to him. Her hand was kind of forced. CSS in a moment of desperation and weakness agreed. Why else would she ask two other people before him. Because, she knows how he feels about her and doesn't want to give him the wrong idea. But, Empress is dying so, she didn't have a choice. IDAF that he was there for her during her 5 years. Being a friend for you, doesn't mean you need to marry them. She didn't need him. She only said yes, because of the Empress (but the Empress wanted her to marry HBY the whole time, not Yuan 'Dirty Shirt' Shen. Also she wants to use marriage as an excuse to avoid HBY. No one else would marry her. CSS was like a game to him. She is someone he needs to conquer. Since he was willing to stoop to such a low level, how can he turn back? He couldn't. He dug himself too deep and in the end he was alone, just like his master.

Know what I mean? Once you go too far, it's even harder to admit that you wasted all your time and energy for nothing.

As for his mannerisms, he learned them from his own master. He is like a mirror copy of him. He was aware of his master's unhappily ever after. He knew what not to do, but ends up doing the exact same thing anyways. Like, I'm trying to find pity for the guy, but when he keeps pulling his crap, it's REALLY difficult. Breaking off his engagement so he can keep chasing CSS is a stupid mistake.

I don't think so. I think the drama would've been able to pull it off. But for various reasons and I think ultimately directorial choice, they chose to go down a different path. I can get over Lusi saying that the begging scene was removed because it meant that he did not regret his decision. That's really telling to me.

Lol at your last comment. Yeah. He was considered a friend at that point I guess. So it may not have been that weird. But yeah, he shouldn't have been there. But we all know he is a creep. Some friend though. Have information that is kind of relevant but chose not to divulge it. He will always be scum in my book.

Extremely possessive and unapologetic. I was a little taken aback at first. But loved him in the end. CSS's feelings are also more clear. It was torture seeing them break up. But the journey of them getting back was o soo good.

Yes. Read it. It's a relatively easy read. The only issue is there are a lot of characters to keep track of. I suggest keeping a journal as the characters are introduced. If you don't care that much about the side characters, then it doesn't matter. At < 200 chapters, it's not too long either.

It goes into more detail of the characters and their motivations. There are also a lot more intimate moments with the leads if you are looking for that. The pacing is good and it doesn't feel rushed. The only part I thought was rushed was the ending. But, there are a few extra epilogue chapters that takes place after the original ending.

Time skip is 52. CSS considers getting engaged to Yuan Shen in episode 52, but in episode 53, it's confirmed that they did not get engaged. They reconcile in 55.

@SpicyLime - HBY asked CSS for tryst?!! I can understand why CSS wld refuse him since she would be engaged to YS then

No. What I mean is that CSS never refuses to meet him. HBY will just snatch her and acost her, but every time she accepts, even though she is engaged to Yuan Shen. When he first wants to tell CSS to end her engagement, Yuan Shen tries to stop him. He doesn't care and just asks Yuan Shen to come along as well. He tells the both of them they should break up their engagement as they are not suited for each other. During the rebite scene, CSS is the one that takes HBY into an area that is private so they can talk. She's totally aware what she is doing is wrong. When their tryst gets discovered she is apologetic towards Yuan Shen, since there are rumors throughout the Capital. She actually tells Yuan Shen to break off the engagement with her, but he refuses. Yuan Shen is just as stubborn as she is.

- I find it interesting that CSS’ reaction to HBY’s return after the 5yr gap was that of shock. 😆 Shows she’s really been in denial mode all this while. Her actions after that is understandable, getting engaged with YS….to avoid confrontation with HBY. I suppose she was scared she can’t resist HBY because she still hasn’t forgiven him?

She thought she had another year to prepare before HBY returned. But was totally caught off guard when the Empress told her he called him back. He was suppose to be in exile for 6 years, but returns in the 5th year due to the Empress's request. CSS was the last person to find out.
Yes she is afraid to see him. She later confesses it to HBY. My thoughts is that if she ever met him again, married or not (kids or not), she'd still choose to be with HBY. He is her one true love. To me the missing piece of the puzzle for CSS is empathy. In the beginning she has no concept of love. She slowly learns what it means. She treats HBY really poorly in the novel before she figures it out. HBY constantly has to apologize and clean up her messes. But after each event she slowly understands and starts to treat him better and with love. HBY was always a constant. He never changed. CSS is always evolving. The final missing piece is being empathetic towards her partner. When she finds the last piece she understands HBY and his need for revenge. He had to do it. So thusly forgives him and accepts him for who he is.

- oh I’d really like to see the scene where an unconscious CSS blurts out her desire to be with HBY. That’s the part that’s missing in the drama for me. I can’t see an ounce of CSS’ love for HBY after the massacre incident. So the reconciliation after the crypt/bunker explosion seemed abrupt to me. But I could still accept it becoz it was an extreme situation - a life and death situation. Btw did the novel have that part too? In the novel did CSS reconcile with HBY in the same way? Or was it at the scene right after their fight?

This scene was changed in the drama. During the confrontation with Wang Yanji, OTP have already reconciled. They reconcile after CSS defeats Luo Jitong. HBY shows up in the aftermath and they reconcile in a tent. There is no stakes like in the drama. CSS slowly tells him she now understands that no one can treat him better than he can and he loves her for who she is. She also tells him she loves him and he is the only person she wants to marry.

- You mentioned that “YS didn’t tell CSS what he heard”. What did he hear?

When CSS was in her coma after HBY was exiled, Yuan Shen went to visit her. She cried out for HBY to take her and not to leave her. If they die, they are to die together. She was ride-or-die. She wasn't aware of what she said in her sleep, but Yuan Shen knew. The whole 5 years, he refused to tell her. He confesses to HBY that he knew that CSS is most similar to HBY and HBY is the only person who is in her heart.

- I’m glad to know that the CSS in the novel was apologetic. I’ve always felt that her punishment towards HBY was a little over the top considering the “wrong” that he had done to her and under the circumstances then.

HBY's biggest "mistake" was abandoning CSS, not knowing how much she loves him. When he asks to break off the engagement and is able to look at CSS's face, he immediately regretted his action. He didn't realize how far she was willing to go. CSS was the one that kept HBY waiting. She figured out that he is indeed the best man in the world and that she was just being stubborn and didn't try to understand his circumstances.

I’m not sure if I fully understand you tho….so for my ques: Why would HBY and 3P even think CSS still loved HBY based on her actions and behaviour? Your answer is HBY knew becoz of the way she looked at him. Also from his deduction about her behaviour based on the shrimp analogy.

The way that CSS acts and looks at HBY is completely different than how she acts and looks at Yuan Shen. She also never refuses to meet HBY whenever he asks her for a tryst.

3P doesn’t know much abt CSS’ feelings. He only kept tabs on HBY.
Am I correct so far?

Whatever HBY wants, Third Prince is going to protect it. All he cares about is HBY's happiness. He probably just assumed that when HBY came back, the CP would be together again. So when he finds out about LJT, he gives his blessing for CSS and Yuan Shen and just planned to give his blessing for HBY and LJT. But, it's a total shit show, since HBY is like WTF are you talking about. There is nothing between us. And then it's so obvious that HBY still loves CSS. Third Prince realizes he messed up big time. If he knew the truth, he would've blocked CSS and Yuan Shen's engagement for sure.

In the drama the first time HBY saw how CSS was still looking at him was when they bumped into each other at the palace gate. Followed by CSS climbing a horse. Frankly I didn’t think I see love in CSS’ eyes 😆 More like pent up anger so much so she wanted to leave asap.

If we talk about the drama. The narrative is a little different than the novel. The horse scene, she definately still liked HBY. She was just trying to act indifferent. Actually in the drama she admits that she still has HBY in her heart. Everything she puts on in the drama is just an act of indifference. She still loves him, but just hasn't forgiven him yet. At the time, she doesn't believe she could ever forgive him. As I understand it, I don't think she ever planned to ever get married. She only agreed to Yuan Shen, in order to fulfill the Empress's dying wish. However, after consideration she still doesn't even get engaged to him. Most likely, cause she still only has HBY in her heart.

As for the shrimp analogy, is HBY likening himself to the shrimp — an item that CSS loves but pretends she hates? She said she hate the prawn becoz Empress was allergic to it. She didn’t want to make Empress feel bad abt depriving SS from something she loves. So in the case of HBY, because Empress was unhappy with him, SS then tells Empress she doesn’t love HBY so that the Empress wouldn’t feel bad about depriving SS of HBY?

So the whole reason why HBY brings it up is because CSS keeps saying things like she dislikes HBY and she wants to marry Yuan Shen etc. However, in her heart that's not what she really wants. If she admits to saying she avoids that shrimp because she is catering to the Empress's tastes, that would make her seem virtuous. How? Because, for the sake of others she is denying the things that she likes. So in order to avoid being seen as virtuous, she says she hates it. Now she wouldn't be seen as virtuous and she gets to cater to the Empress. The only person to suffer, is herself. So, she doesn't want to be seen as virtuous and she doesn't want pity. She wants to avoid any additional attention. CSS does this for everything that she actually likes. CSS doesn't outright say she doesn't love HBY to the Empress, but the Empress was mad at HBY for years. I don't think CSS ever took the time to really think about what she really thought about HBY. She just went with the flow. The flow was that the Emperor and Empress were mad at HBY, so she followed suit. When she found out that the Empress was no longer at HBY and that he was returning to the Capital, she is shocked. She didn't know why, but she knew that she wanted to avoid seeing HBY. Later in the novel, it's revealed that she was worried that her old feelings would resurface if she ever saw him again. Part of her plan in marrying Yuan Shen was to have an excuse to avoid ever seeing him again. For the rest of her life, she planned to avoid him. Deep down inside she knew she wouldn't be able to control herself.

After HBY does the whole shrimp example to CSS, CSS knows what HBY's intent was. He's asking her if she really means what she is saying, or if she is denying her own feeling for him. She can't answer, which is telling. She still loves him and doesn't hate him, just like her favorite shrimp.

The part you mentioned above abt Empress giving SS wealth protection, etc and SS start to think about what she wants is this at the start of the 5 year or after?
Pre-time skip. The Empress gave CSS everything including a dowry that set her up for life. CSS actually used the troops the Empress gave her to escape from the Cheng manor and to find LBY when he went to carry out his revenge.

For the YS part do you mean that SS agreed to marry him because she thought she has the same personality as YS? That is strange for someone like SS who makes firm decisions all the time and knows what she’s doing.
CSS true feelings were revealed to Yuan Shen after HBY is exiled. When she gets sick and is in a coma, Yuan Shen was there and heard her call out for HBY in her sleep. She wanted HBY to take her with him and to not leave her. If they die, they die together. Yuan Shen tells HBY that CSS is most like HBY. Yuan Shen never confesses tells CSS the truth of what he heard (He probably knew that if he revealed the truth, he would never have a chance with CSS). Yuan Shen later confesses to HBY that he knew CSS only had HBY in her heart. He still proposed to her cause he "loved" her. He's a dick. His love is selfish.

So why did CSS agree to marry Yuan Shen? Because of HBY.
1) She wanted to fulfill the Empress's last wish to get married (not knowing the Empress wanted her to marry HBY. Taking care of the Empress is like taking care of HBY's family. CSS got really good at pretending to be someone she is not. She could only be herself with LBY was around. When he was exiled, she tried to stay out of trouble by catering to others and following etiquette. The Empress, the only person that CSS truly loves, aside from HBY, it's not out of her character to sacrifice herself to try and make her happy. (But she is dumb, cause the Empress wants to marry her favorite child, HBY.)
2) She was still in denial mode and wanted to have an excuse to avoid HBY in the future. She still hasn't owned up to the fact that she still loves HBY. She is too proud to admit it. When she finally breaks after the "don't be so cruel scene" she finally puts away her pride and starts to empathize with HBY and all his actions. When she finally does this, she realizes the one who is wrong is her, not HBY. When she confronts HBY to reconcile and confess she loves him and won't marry anyone else, she is the one who is apologetic. How can she be mad at him, when he has given his everything for her? She never tried to put herself in his shoes, or consider his need for revenge. HBY always understood CSS, before she even understood herself. HBY just kept waiting and coaxing her until it clicked to her. She would've done the same thing that he did. HBY can marry much better girls than her, but he only loves CSS. CSS would be a fool to give him up.

Why would HBY and 3P even think CSS still loved HBY based on her actions and behaviour?

Third Prince knows that HBY loves CSS. He sent people to spy on HBY when he was in his exile. They reported that LJT had basically moved in. But, he didn't know of the actual situation. They never spent time in the same room or showed any intimacy. So Third Prince foolishly believed that HBY had moved on from CSS. When HBY returned he immediately denies it.

When HBY returned from his exile, he knew immediately that CSS still had feelings for him, based on the way she looked at him. When HBY confronts CSS and Yuan Shen and tells them to break off their engagement, HBY calls out CSS. HBY knows that CSS is the type of person that doesn't like to trouble other people and will deny her own feelings. The example that HBY uses is CSS's favorite shrimp. CSS has a type of shrimp that she loves. However, when she found out that the Empress Xuan was allergic to it, she started to say she hates it. She doesn't want the Empress Xuan to feel that CSS is catering to her and she doesn't want the Empress Xuan to cater to her either. So, to avoid the issue, she says she hates it, even though she actually loves it. HBY points out that she has always been this way. So, she is doing the exact same thing to him. She doesn't realize it, but HBY does.

CSS had changed when HBY was exiled. She turned into this virtuos, proper woman. But she really hates it. She was only able to be herself when HBY was around. CSS caused a lot of trouble when she was in the palace engaged to LBY. After HBY was exiled she had changed. All of this was to deny her feelings for HBY and to help please the Empress Xuan, who was also pretty upset with HBY for a few years. But, the Empress Xuan forgave HBY, so she lost any reason to still be mad at him (cause remember, she still loves him). So over the year and finally after the rebite of the scar, CSS finally realizes that HBY never changed, she did. So she wanted to start back at the beginning and consider all her decisions slowly and what she really wants.

CSS at this point was provided with everything that she needed. The Empress had given her wealth, protection (The Empress Xuan gave her troops) love and freedom to do whatever she wanted. So, she wanted to take the time to think about happiness and what she wants to do with the rest of her life and who she wants to spend the rest of her life with. Only HBY can give her the happiness and love she desires.

That's why I hate Yuan Shen. He knew from the beginning how CSS was. But he convinced her to marry him with his bullshit. He made her believe that they are similar (they are not), and never told her the truth of what she said in her coma when HBY was exiled. He kept it to himself because he wanted CSS to love him.

Yeah. That would totally make sense to me. It was just edited out the original cut of the drama completely.

My speculation was a reshoot and editing that changed the narrative. I think in the original they did they engaged. That's just my guess. Cause not getting married is a big change. If they cut the don't be cruel scene, I wouldn't be surprised if she did get engaged with dirty shirt.

Omg now I know what it is. They took Yuan Shen's character from the post time skip arc and kind of meshed it with the Cheng family instead. It's a stretch. But, in some ways not really. I need to think about this...

Aww. I know... I still need to go ham on it. I'm gonna include every little thing that I can remember, especially the engagement with Yuan Shen. Someone pointed out that he was an afterthought in the drama. He could've been cut and the story would've been fine. LOL. So true. I'll do him right, by doing him dirty. I still dislike him, but he's important to the story. He needs to be compared with why HBY is better in every way. I need to also explain Wang Yanji.

Legit. I believe it's just the original didn't make the snuff. Like I think divorce is pretty taboo for them right now. The young generation are starting to marry later. I heard Story of Xing Fu was suppose to have a divorce, but the original script that called for it didn't make the snuff.

So getting engaged with Yuan Shen (which should have been an arc of it's own), then breaking off the engagement. It doesn't meet their agenda.

Sigh... Politics. Sucks when it gets in the way of art.

Lol. Understatement. The butchered it. I mean it's fine for what it was. But if the rumors of the extra 10 episodes is true. We might get to see what the show was suppose to be.

CSS was just fronting with supporting LJT. It really just shows she still cares about HBY. Since HBY was the last surviving member of the Huo family. He needs to find someone to marry and continue the bloodline. She considered LJT as a good person, so I guess secretly she was happy for him. Again, she is already engaged with Yuan Shen at this point and made all these plans how things will be with him. But, again it's just a front. She doesn't realize her own feelings yet. She is in hardcore denial mode.

For HBY, getting CSS to forgive him doesn't happen overnight. HBY chases her for like a year until she finally forgives him. Cause the thing in the novel is HBY used LJT as his shield. The Royals believed that HBY was really going to marry LJT since they heard she was taking care of him and staying at his manor. CSS heard all of this. What they didn't know was that HBY didn't pay her any attention and they definately did not spend quality time together. It was really one sided.

He immediately clears it up once he returns. The Third Prince regrets letting CSS get engaged to Yuan Shen. Cause if he knew the truth he never would have given his blessing for the engagement. He immediately realizes his mistake and asks CSS if she really wants to marry Yuan Shen. It's so obvious to everyone that OTP still love each other. Everyone knew, even Yuan Shen. The only person who is still not aware is CSS.

During the time skip CSS got really good about hiding her true feelings and pretended to "hate"the things she likes. This included HBY. CSS was already betrothed to Yuan Shen. She was trying to move on from HBY. But, she was just lying to herself. She hadn't moved on. HBY knew and just kept waiting for her. IMO she just used Yuan Shen as an excuse to avoid HBY. Eventually she broke after HBY kept begging/coaxing her and she couldn't pretend anymore. She couldn't pretend she wanted to marry Yuan Shen. She definately couldn't pretend that she doesn't still love HBY. So afterwards goodbye Yuan Shen and welcome back my one true love HBY.