In the Bible, God says to men and women: Share your breakfast, but not from the same bowl; share your happiness, but do not sip from the same cup. Like two strings on one harp, you are separate, yet inseparable; like two pillars of a temple, you are independent, yet cannot stand alone.
This is the idea I like: I am me, you are you, and we are together.
But my husband says this is the dross of Western culture. He insists that I am his other half. I say I am a whole person, not someone else's other half.
I've always wondered: Was the Fourth Prince already so reserved from the moment he was born? What transformation did he undergo on his way from Fourth Prince to Prince Yong? And who was the person who always stood by his side?
The Fourth Prince at the beginning of the story is in his youth, still in the midst of that transformation, and a little rough around the edges.
The heroine, Nala Minhui, is Prince Yong's principal wife, a woman like a cypress tree. She's exactly my type, and I adore her.
What readers see is a story whose ending is already known, so the ending itself isn't important. What matters are the moments of love, the thoughts that pass between them, a single glance, and all the years they spent at each other's side...
This story leans toward the literary, rather than politics or history.
It focuses on small perspectives and small romances. So if you're looking for grand spectacles, political struggles, or the dark side of court life, please look elsewhere.
I wanted to remove the VIP restriction from the final chapter, "A Real Afterword," but apparently that's not possible. So I've put some important things I felt needed explaining here. If you don't need to read them, you can skip buying the last chapter.
1. Why choose Nala as the heroine?
I once read an essay saying that people who write and read Qing transmigration stories are playing a very simple game: role-playing. That's quite right. I wrote this because I couldn't find a Fourth Prince I liked, or a heroine I liked. I chose the Fourth Prince's principal wife because I'm a supporter of the Fourth Prince, and that will never change, no matter where or when. His wife lived with him for forty years, accounting for eighty percent of his life. If the historical Nala had not possessed a resilient will and an inexhaustible capacity for love, she would have suffered even more than Minhui in Autumn's End.
There is no doubt that the Fourth Prince succeeded, and his success was the success of his whole team, including his wife and children, his advisers, and his allies. So I'm certain this woman was no ordinary person.
I also once considered a hypothetical: What if the Fourth Prince had married the Eighth Prince's consort? The conclusion is almost obvious: either he would have divorced her, or he would never have become emperor. The path was too difficult. Without emotional support and companionship, walking it alone would have been even harder. The Eighth Prince's wife didn't understand how to read the situation, and cared too much about her own demands and desires. Of course, that's just my personal interpretation. There's no way to know what these real people were truly like, unless I actually transmigrate there.
2. Why transmigrate?
I saw one reader say, "The author seems to live in America, so I really don't know why she would write a Qing transmigration story." Some readers first read my modern story Childbirth before reading Autumn's End, while others have only read the modern story. Another reader commented that the heroine is too passive: if she's not going to change anything, why transmigrate in the first place?
Here's how I understand transmigration as a literary device:
If the sole purpose is to change history and escape reality, that's not what transmigration means to me. Of course, you can write it that way; it's just a shallower approach. It's like putting the main conflict in a rivalry with other women: that doesn't deal with the conflict on a deep enough level. This story does have jealousy and romantic competition, but those are only some of the many issues that have to be worked through in a relationship.
To me, transmigration means looking at an issue from a different angle and standpoint, then considering what people living in that time would think, feel, and do. The questions I raise in this story are these: No matter how much social systems, rules of conduct, moral standards, ways of life, and all the other constraints may change, people are still the same when facing themselves, those around them, their loved ones, their children, and everything beautiful or ugly in life. We feel afraid, we find courage, we are at a loss, we make solemn promises. We all want beautiful love, a perfect marriage, wonderful children, and a vibrant sense of self. Even if we know how things end, so what?
Knowing how to face reality will always matter more than changing an unchangeable past. And in my view, facing reality is far more constructive than changing history, so I never thought Minhui was passive. She does what she ought to do and loves the person she wants to love. She may have wavered, but she always persevered, and self-discipline is definitely a virtue.
The rest of the afterword contains spoilers, so I'll say no more here. Anyone interested can choose to buy and read it.
[A tip for readers]: Many people who have read this story say it leaves them with a strong aversion to other stories where the Fourth Prince has affairs with concubines and other women. Some have even decided never to read another transmigration story about him... Uh, I take full responsibility. It's all my fault. But whenever I hear someone say that, I can't help feeling secretly pleased for a long time.
I love recommendations, and I love comments even more.
I love your tears, and I love your smiles.
November 2009
[Background music]
Contents page: The Street Where the Wind Resides, by Yuko Isomura
Chapter 66: Water Lilies, by Jia Pengfang
Chapter 117: Dusk at the Forbidden City, by S.E.N.S.
Theme: Even if you're dealt a terrible hand, do your best to play it well
It's so mean. A modern person travels back in time to ancient times, knowing that the ancients' three wives and four concubines are inevitable, but he can still give someone a heart to trample on. A man has obviously moved on to another relationship and still says he likes his wife until his death. It's so mean. The two of them are beautiful and happy, but the onlookers feel like they are stuck in their throats. What is the meaning of this time-travel setting, just to let people see a person who has received modern education go to ancient times and only talk about love without himself? As if this relationship, which has already involved infidelity, is something precious. With this kind of plot development, it would be better to directly write that the heroine is a native of ancient times. Maybe I can also sigh for the relationship between the two of them when they were young and have many bumps and tribulations. By the way, I sigh a few words about the injustice of the times. After all, natives of ancient times have received the ideological education of having three wives and four concubines since childhood, and being a virtuous and generous mother. She is limited to the times set by the times. The outside cannot be seen within the walls of thought, and those tolerances and generosity can make readers sigh for such a woman who carries the burden of love. However, the heroine is a woman who has experienced women's self-improvement, and a modern society where laws and regulations and public order and good customs advocate monogamy. I really can't imagine a person who has seen the vast world. I can be willing to tie myself up in a small wall. Time travel is a fact that cannot be changed. Facing a charming person is inevitable, but after my lover cheated on me, I can pretend that nothing happened. I am really puzzled by taking care of everything for him. The heroine did not even miss her family harmony when she was in trouble. She has free thoughts and great career prospects in modern life, as if she is a person who does not need to have her own independent spiritual comfort. As long as she has a man's love, she can face all hardships and devote herself to solving men's problems. She laughed to death when she saw the heroine in the middle having an awkward separation or something. Isn't this an ancient time-travel version of "washing underwear with a cold face"?
Is there a modern chapter? Oh my god, it's so sad.
I read it again and missed the author's writing.
Coincidentally, I saw someone looking for a screenwriter elsewhere, and I was inspired by this article. It took me more than a day to read it. During this time, because of Jinjiang's article, I felt that I had missed a century of plot, so I had to shamelessly ask the friend who was looking for the screenwriter for the document.
I prefer reading it here, because you can see the author's communication with other people, and there are more long comments from more people.
When I was watching it, I felt that I was watching it carefully, but I also felt that I was reading too much and needed to watch it a few more times. I really like it if I like it, and I'm really sad if I'm sad. Sihe Minhui in the article is simply the best in my heart, the most relevant, and the most suitable for them.
Minhui's character can't be said to be something she likes or dislikes too much, but she takes it for granted. Living in that environment, and considering the thoughts of women in the new society, she has to follow the trend in the end. The requirement of being together for the rest of her life is too difficult for the royal family.
The same goes for four.
What saddens me the most is that when Minhui lost Honghui, she refused to let him see her.
The other characters are also well written and impressive.
What the world sees, if not the person involved, will probably never be able to relate to it.
Thanks to the author for writing this article. I was still in junior high school when Qingchuan was popular, and I only read a few famous ones. I always liked Si, but I didn't agree with the four and the heroine in most Qingchuan stories.
What makes Qingqiu different from those stories is that everyone and all the stories, good and bad, sad and not sad, anger, jealousy, love, and life, all make me feel that they are natural and natural.
I'll give it a second try if I have the chance, and I hope I'll have different ideas then.
I was very depressed and heartbroken after watching it. Although the heroine is strong, she is also very pitiful. She endured the pain and pushed Sisi to another woman. How much courage does it take? But after reading this novel, I was very angry with Si Si, because Si Si should not have been tempted by Nian. Being tempted means betrayal, which is more hurtful than physical infidelity. As a prince, Sisi is allowed to have many women and is allowed to have physical contact, but he is not allowed to betray the heroine mentally. Although he has always loved the heroine, there is definitely a place in his heart for the Nian family, and other women are really just tools. Maybe Nian's gentleness, cuteness, vitality, etc. Have infected him, but he is not allowed to do so. The heroine is really tired, but she is willing, and she still forgives him! Heartache!
I was very touched after reading this postscript. The author is really a very smart and insightful woman who understands life, and her words are very philosophical. It was because I read this article that I recharged my money in Jinjiang for the first time, haha. In the past, I only read free ones or reposted from other websites. Yesterday I went to read the regional VIP blog. I really like Big M and Little M. Little M's dependence on her sister is so cute.
Like some other readers, after reading this article about April 4th, I no longer want to read other April 4th time travel articles. Some of them are really boring and have no meaning and are just made up. I am addicted to the regional VIP. The article "Qingqiu" is worth pondering over and over again. It is very interesting. The insights about love, marriage, getting along, other men and women, and life are real and philosophical.
From my personal wish, I hope that Sisi will only love Minhui, but Yinyin is really a very good girl. In that kind of living environment, the lively, lovely, coquettish and sweet-smiling Yin Yin can relieve Si Si's pressure and depression. Si Si can't help but be tempted. Everyone will like people or things that can make them feel happy. Even if they don't reach the level of love for Min Hui, they still like it a little more. I think that in the quarrel before Sisi knelt down on the washboard, Sisi said he was not angry with Nian but Minhui for hiding him. In fact, it was not entirely true. I think Sisi still cared a little about Yin Yin's love for another man. Minhui had hidden many things from him, and he never got that angry. But this one incident made him react very strongly. I am a person who prefers female protagonists. When I saw Si Si admitting that he was attracted to Nian, I felt quite sad. Later, when I read Nian's extra story, it contained some changes in Four Four's attitude, gentle words, hugs or changes in loving attitude, which made me feel even more uncomfortable. Besides, they have so many children. It is really like the author said, this is an extramarital affair. It's love, that's love. But when I think back to the whole story and the ending, I still feel that Sisi actually loves Minhui very much, much more than Nianshi. Most of what we see from the author's tone is Minhui's pain. In fact, Sisi is not in pain. He endures it for Minhui, persists for Minhui, and never gives up on Minhui and the love between them. In order not to let Minhui harm their child anymore, making the decision to send away their legitimate son was not a form of protection. Minhui didn't want to look at Sisi's back, so Sisi looked at Minhui's back most of the time. Minhui turned around countless times, Sisi was silently behind her, and never flinched because of Minhui's rejection. Even if she stood and watched from a distance, she still cared. Minhui was tired, and Sisi was tired too. Moreover, Sisi had to worry about his great cause, so the torment of love for these two people, Sisi suffered even more. If Jiangshan accounts for 50% of Sisi's heart, Minhui accounts for at least 45% of his heart, then it doesn't matter if the remaining bit is given to others. No matter whether Yinyin falls in love with Sisi or not, I hope she will have a suitable and happy new life where she can be the heroine. She should not see each other again in the next life. This is the best ending.
When I thought about it in my heart, I felt less sad. I was happy for their love and marriage, and that extramarital affair was nothing. In reincarnation, let Dr. Fang and Na Shumin fall in love. Come on, author, I really like your article and hope to see more insights from you.
Does your wife still write articles now?
Why doesn't Mao publish a book? Why? Why? I want to buy it for collection! Find a publisher quickly. Rolling all over the floor!
The writing is good, but it's very confusing and sadistic. Alas, I think I prefer something a little warmer, but the writing is very good and the feelings are very real. Thank you for your hard work.
Finally finished reading it completely~ Not a single chapter left
Very good~ Really well written~ It is the Sihe Nala in my heart~ The most consistent~~
It's so mean. A modern person travels back in time to ancient times, knowing that the ancients' three wives and four concubines are inevitable, but he can still give someone a heart to trample on. A man has obviously moved on to another relationship and still says he likes his wife until his death. It's so mean. The two of them are beautiful and happy, but the onlookers feel like they are stuck in their throats. What is the meaning of this time-travel setting, just to let people see a person who has received modern education go to ancient times and only talk about love without himself? As if this relationship, which has already involved infidelity, is something precious. With this kind of plot development, it would be better to directly write that the heroine is a native of ancient times. Maybe I can also sigh for the relationship between the two of them when they were young and have many bumps and tribulations. By the way, I sigh a few words about the injustice of the times. After all, natives of ancient times have received the ideological education of having three wives and four concubines since childhood, and being a virtuous and generous mother. She is limited to the times set by the times. The outside cannot be seen within the walls of thought, and those tolerances and generosity can make readers sigh for such a woman who carries the burden of love. However, the heroine is a woman who has experienced women's self-improvement, and a modern society where laws and regulations and public order and good customs advocate monogamy. I really can't imagine a person who has seen the vast world. I can be willing to tie myself up in a small wall. Time travel is a fact that cannot be changed. Facing a charming person is inevitable, but after my lover cheated on me, I can pretend that nothing happened. I am really puzzled by taking care of everything for him. The heroine did not even miss her family harmony when she was in trouble. She has free thoughts and great career prospects in modern life, as if she is a person who does not need to have her own independent spiritual comfort. As long as she has a man's love, she can face all hardships and devote herself to solving men's problems. She laughed to death when she saw the heroine in the middle having an awkward separation or something. Isn't this an ancient time-travel version of "washing underwear with a cold face"?
Is there a modern chapter? Oh my god, it's so sad.
I read it again and missed the author's writing.
Coincidentally, I saw someone looking for a screenwriter elsewhere, and I was inspired by this article. It took me more than a day to read it. During this time, because of Jinjiang's article, I felt that I had missed a century of plot, so I had to shamelessly ask the friend who was looking for the screenwriter for the document. I prefer reading it here, because you can see the author's communication with other people, and there are more long comments from more people. When I was watching it, I felt that I was watching it carefully, but I also felt that I was reading too much and needed to watch it a few more times. I really like it if I like it, and I'm really sad if I'm sad. Sihe Minhui in the article is simply the best in my heart, the most relevant, and the most suitable for them. Minhui's character can't be said to be something she likes or dislikes too much, but she takes it for granted. Living in that environment, and considering the thoughts of women in the new society, she has to follow the trend in the end. The requirement of being together for the rest of her life is too difficult for the royal family. The same goes for four. What saddens me the most is that when Minhui lost Honghui, she refused to let him see her. The other characters are also well written and impressive. What the world sees, if not the person involved, will probably never be able to relate to it. Thanks to the author for writing this article. I was still in junior high school when Qingchuan was popular, and I only read a few famous ones. I always liked Si, but I didn't agree with the four and the heroine in most Qingchuan stories. What makes Qingqiu different from those stories is that everyone and all the stories, good and bad, sad and not sad, anger, jealousy, love, and life, all make me feel that they are natural and natural. I'll give it a second try if I have the chance, and I hope I'll have different ideas then.
I was very depressed and heartbroken after watching it. Although the heroine is strong, she is also very pitiful. She endured the pain and pushed Sisi to another woman. How much courage does it take? But after reading this novel, I was very angry with Si Si, because Si Si should not have been tempted by Nian. Being tempted means betrayal, which is more hurtful than physical infidelity. As a prince, Sisi is allowed to have many women and is allowed to have physical contact, but he is not allowed to betray the heroine mentally. Although he has always loved the heroine, there is definitely a place in his heart for the Nian family, and other women are really just tools. Maybe Nian's gentleness, cuteness, vitality, etc. Have infected him, but he is not allowed to do so. The heroine is really tired, but she is willing, and she still forgives him! Heartache!
I was very touched after reading this postscript. The author is really a very smart and insightful woman who understands life, and her words are very philosophical. It was because I read this article that I recharged my money in Jinjiang for the first time, haha. In the past, I only read free ones or reposted from other websites. Yesterday I went to read the regional VIP blog. I really like Big M and Little M. Little M's dependence on her sister is so cute. Like some other readers, after reading this article about April 4th, I no longer want to read other April 4th time travel articles. Some of them are really boring and have no meaning and are just made up. I am addicted to the regional VIP. The article "Qingqiu" is worth pondering over and over again. It is very interesting. The insights about love, marriage, getting along, other men and women, and life are real and philosophical. From my personal wish, I hope that Sisi will only love Minhui, but Yinyin is really a very good girl. In that kind of living environment, the lively, lovely, coquettish and sweet-smiling Yin Yin can relieve Si Si's pressure and depression. Si Si can't help but be tempted. Everyone will like people or things that can make them feel happy. Even if they don't reach the level of love for Min Hui, they still like it a little more. I think that in the quarrel before Sisi knelt down on the washboard, Sisi said he was not angry with Nian but Minhui for hiding him. In fact, it was not entirely true. I think Sisi still cared a little about Yin Yin's love for another man. Minhui had hidden many things from him, and he never got that angry. But this one incident made him react very strongly. I am a person who prefers female protagonists. When I saw Si Si admitting that he was attracted to Nian, I felt quite sad. Later, when I read Nian's extra story, it contained some changes in Four Four's attitude, gentle words, hugs or changes in loving attitude, which made me feel even more uncomfortable. Besides, they have so many children. It is really like the author said, this is an extramarital affair. It's love, that's love. But when I think back to the whole story and the ending, I still feel that Sisi actually loves Minhui very much, much more than Nianshi. Most of what we see from the author's tone is Minhui's pain. In fact, Sisi is not in pain. He endures it for Minhui, persists for Minhui, and never gives up on Minhui and the love between them. In order not to let Minhui harm their child anymore, making the decision to send away their legitimate son was not a form of protection. Minhui didn't want to look at Sisi's back, so Sisi looked at Minhui's back most of the time. Minhui turned around countless times, Sisi was silently behind her, and never flinched because of Minhui's rejection. Even if she stood and watched from a distance, she still cared. Minhui was tired, and Sisi was tired too. Moreover, Sisi had to worry about his great cause, so the torment of love for these two people, Sisi suffered even more. If Jiangshan accounts for 50% of Sisi's heart, Minhui accounts for at least 45% of his heart, then it doesn't matter if the remaining bit is given to others. No matter whether Yinyin falls in love with Sisi or not, I hope she will have a suitable and happy new life where she can be the heroine. She should not see each other again in the next life. This is the best ending. When I thought about it in my heart, I felt less sad. I was happy for their love and marriage, and that extramarital affair was nothing. In reincarnation, let Dr. Fang and Na Shumin fall in love. Come on, author, I really like your article and hope to see more insights from you.
Does your wife still write articles now?
Why doesn't Mao publish a book? Why? Why? I want to buy it for collection! Find a publisher quickly. Rolling all over the floor!
The writing is good, but it's very confusing and sadistic. Alas, I think I prefer something a little warmer, but the writing is very good and the feelings are very real. Thank you for your hard work.
Finally finished reading it completely~ Not a single chapter left Very good~ Really well written~ It is the Sihe Nala in my heart~ The most consistent~~