question to novel readers

 VincentGoh:

@missducky88 

You are right that in the novel Fan Xian has big harem. Only in the drama, the scriptwriter made Fan Xian a decent man and the Qing Emperor looks a bit humane. 

I kinda disagree about the big harem.

He had 1 wife, 1 concubine sisi and an ambiguous relationship with duoduo

He was r*** by the emperor and si liki so they do not fit in the harem.

It is quite interesting to read someone who read the novel and has some other perspectives

At the end, most of his family and friends went to exile with him. Few died but many survived. He had the life he wanted with his kids, wife, concubine (she was more a nanny than a concubine), friends. But some died too. Expect some teary moments.

 SoloHan:

FX and DuoDuo cared deeply for each other, tho it is fair to say FX loved himself more than he did DuoDuo. Still, he said DuoDuo was his woman and forbade DuoDuo to marry another, and DuoDuo complied.  They did spend nites together but the novel did not provide explicit details.  She was always there for him; they remain, at least, best friends. It was likely bittersweet for both of them. 

But she also said that sex was not her thing as well as romance. I saw them as true soul mates but not in a physical romantic way. She was the only one who truly understood him. So yes he was petty to forbade her to marry but she was never truly interested in marriage and kids anyway. But it was indeed very selfish. He had the almost same reaction with ruoruo.

 roro4:

who is Duoduo again? And Sisi??? What about WanEr?

Duoduo is a female martial artist of great renown in the north also surnamd The Saint and is close to the emperor. She is the beloved disciple of the north grandmaster. FX considered her to be his confidant, his soul mate, although their relationship was never romantic or physical. She understood him like no one else, and he was truly himself around her. However, she betrayed him at one point. FX was selfish and didn't want her to marry, so he made her promise to marry him.

Sisi was the young maid who grew up with FX. She is slightly older by 5-6 years. They messed around in bed when he was a teen but not the big act. He left without her because his grandma forbade it. She feared he would be too emotionally attached. 2 years after he left, his grandma changed her mind and sent her to him. He was married. She followed him when he left to handle the revenue and smuggling. It was obvious grandma sebpntsent her to be his concubine but he cared only about his wife. During a trip, wife left behind, he slept with her when she told him she was over 20 and still a virgin. She became pregnant after that. FX was never in love with sisi but he considered her as part of his family and his responsibility. His wife wan’er accepted sisi without jealousy. In this era having a concubine was normal. Later sisi took the role of many. During Sisi pregnancy, wan’er took care of her. Wan’er remained a living supporting wife but her role in the novel was minimum.

The doctor Fei (who taught FX poisons) prescribed a medication for her that she had to take regularly to cure and prevent her lungs disease to come back. For few years, FX and wife never knew that it also had a contraceptive effect. Warner and FX found out about this late. Warner wanted to have a child, while FX was still young and not in a rush, but wanted to please his wife. He was very displeased about the situation. After some time, she became pregnantt

 roro4:

who is Duoduo again? And Sisi??? What about WanEr?

Haitang Duoduo

 VincentGoh:

@missducky88 

Based on the novel, Fan Xian really like Haitang Duo Duo but Haitang Duo Duo is actually a princess of the grassland in the Northern part. Haitang won't marry Fan Xian because of her responsibility as ruler. Like Fan Xian cannot marry Emperor of Northern Qi ( ahem ahem Empress) even though they have a daughter but it was announce in Northern Qi that Si Li Li delivered a daugther. Emperor of Northern Qi still need to pretend be a man sigh... the most irony part lol.

if she is a princess, so why she stays and works for Bei Qi kingdom?

Where can I read the novel season 2, which translates into English? Is there any link? Thank you!