I don't read the ln so I can't compare it with that, but I like this version more than the other manga.
The late emperor feels more like a person than a concept due to how he's shown and depicted, the hate feels stronger and nastier with page 9 being its peak, and page 12 is just really nice.
I think I also like this because the emperor's mother feels more like a person too instead of a oneshot character.
the mother of the banished baby, Taihou, was died a few months before Maomao was abducted and entered the Inner Palace. The baby, the so-called Banished Princess, was murdered by Shenmei in order to usurp her position as Shisou's wife. Poor Suirei
No. However this child is kinda the linchpin for the entire arc that hasn't even fully revealed itself in this manga yet.
I've tried putting together a timeline from the explanation at the end of LN vol 4, but it gets a bit webby and I'm not 100% I've got it right.
Massive spoilers for the next couple dozen chapters of the manga probably. And I hope you brought your pens and graph paper as this will be on the test.
Pedo Emperor takes power
Consort has illegitimate child - the child and attending physician are kicked out.
Physician seeks shelter with a branch member of the 'Shi' Family who hold the northern territories
Said Branch member, over time, gains power and influence, joining the main Shi line and gaining the name Shishou, becoming betrothed to Shenmei and getting to be next in line for head of the family. As part of his growth in influence, he becomes buddies with the palace.
The palace demands Shenmei join the rear palace to keep the existing Shi head in check.
The Shi head dies, Shishou takes over, and has the trust of the palace.
Emperor tells Shishou that the illegitimate child isn't illegitimate and, now that she was of marriageable age, asks Shishou to marry her to give her the life she deserves.
They get married and have a kid - named Shisui at the time (important!)
After a short time, everything was stable in the palace and since the Shi family had regained their favor, Shenmei was gifted back to Shisou who took her as his second wife.
Shenmei was pissed that her life was fucked up by the palace keeping her hostage and pissed as Shisou for taking another woman.
Shisui's mother (the original 'illegitimate child') dies of 'illness' and Shisui is taken away by the former physician.
The pedo emperor goes into seclusion and whiles his days away painting toxic paintings.
Shenmei has Loulan. She also steals Shisui's name to distance her from the family and that girl was now known as Suirei.
Many years pass as Shenmei builds anti-imperial sentiment.
Shenmei forces Suirei to attack the empire through a mess of schemes. Maomao stumbles upon her plot. Suirei dies, but then gets better.
Shishou sends Loulan to the rear palace as a high consort. Shenmei tasks her with another plot to harm the empire. Loulan uses her sister's old name, Shisui, when she sneaks out and acts as a maid around the rear palace.
Then Maomao stumbles upon their plot again.
Whoops.
No. However this child is kinda the linchpin for the entire arc that hasn't even fully revealed itself in this manga yet.
I've tried putting together a timeline from the explanation at the end of LN vol 4, but it gets a bit webby and I'm not 100% I've got it right.
Massive spoilers for the next couple dozen chapters of the manga probably. And I hope you brought your pens and graph paper as this will be on the test.
Pedo Emperor takes power
Consort has illegitimate child - the child and attending physician are kicked out.
Physician seeks shelter with a branch member of the 'Shi' Family who hold the northern territories
Said Branch member, over time, gains power and influence, joining the main Shi line and gaining the name Shishou, becoming betrothed to Shenmei and getting to be next in line for head of the family. As part of his growth in influence, he becomes buddies with the palace.
The palace demands Shenmei join the rear palace to keep the existing Shi head in check.
The Shi head dies, Shishou takes over, and has the trust of the palace.
Emperor tells Shishou that the illegitimate child isn't illegitimate and, now that she was of marriageable age, asks Shishou to marry her to give her the life she deserves.
They get married and have a kid - named Shisui at the time (important!)
After a short time, everything was stable in the palace and since the Shi family had regained their favor, Shenmei was gifted back to Shisou who took her as his second wife.
Shenmei was pissed that her life was fucked up by the palace keeping her hostage and pissed as Shisou for taking another woman.
Shisui's mother (the original 'illegitimate child') dies of 'illness' and Shisui is taken away by the former physician.
The pedo emperor goes into seclusion and whiles his days away painting toxic paintings.
Shenmei has Loulan. She also steals Shisui's name to distance her from the family and that girl was now known as Suirei.
Many years pass as Shenmei builds anti-imperial sentiment.
Shenmei forces Suirei to attack the empire through a mess of schemes. Maomao stumbles upon her plot. Suirei dies, but then gets better.
Shishou sends Loulan to the rear palace as a high consort. Shenmei tasks her with another plot to harm the empire. Loulan uses her sister's old name, Shisui, when she sneaks out and acts as a maid around the rear palace.
Then Maomao stumbles upon their plot again.
Whoops.