The second novel in my alternate-history-and-geography series: a Northern Wei what-if timeline, with a happy ending
Tuoba Yu (Yuan Yu) x Feng Chu (courtesy name Ajini)
Reformist emperor x a minister who works herself to the bone
Notice: This novel is expected to go premium on May 30. Chapters 25–41 will be behind the paywall, and Chapter 42 will be a 10,000-word special.
Writing a blurb is really hard… It’s probably a story about childhood friends who understand each other, one raised by a big sister, and the tangled relationship between them.
The serious version:
Tuoba Yu, an only daughter, somehow found herself with the position of Crown Princess.
Beneath the glittering surface of a golden age, with power and prosperity at their peak, many factions were locked in a fierce struggle for power.
Tuoba Yu didn’t understand any of it.
Perhaps Heaven was looking out for her. One day, while sneaking out of the palace grounds, she ran into the current Empress Dowager’s niece by the lakeside.
Enchanted by her, Tuoba Yu found herself clinging to the “older sister” who had taken her in, all by a twist of fate.
Her older sister wanted her to become a good heir, so a good heir she would be.
She heard that her older sister wanted to make her mark in the history books, and spent every day imagining that one day she would grant her an official post and a noble title.
She had thought that, at the very least, they were sincere with each other.
But who could have guessed that after giving her her whole heart, she would discover that from the very beginning, she had been nothing more than a stepping stone to her older sister’s success?
Desire and devotion, which is right and which is wrong?
Love and hate, obsession and anger, who is right and who is wrong?
In Pingcheng, a bitter land of wind and snow, the lofty palace walls cannot contain an endless well of resentment.
Save others? Save yourself?
Feng Chu: Being a tutor is hard these days. Being a powerful minister is hard. Being a wife is hard.
Open this novel and you’ll be lucky enough to find (the unserious version):
The Northern Wei emperor telling her beloved Persian love stories
A tragedy of family ethics sparked by the Zoroastrian faith
A woman’s tangled love and hate with her aunt and childhood friend (the aunt part is familial affection, don’t get any ideas)
What do you do when far too many people want to control the emperor?
Even a literary type can have big ambitions
“Flavors of Northern Wei” (ummm, it really is about food... probably?)
All of the above was learned from reading the news. Welcome aboard! If you get scammed, call Crown Prince Murong Bao of Later Yan (a little gallows humor)
If none of that scared you off, then
Welcome aboard.
A few notes before you start:
1. Much of the cultural material in this novel comes from Professor Du Shiduo’s History of the Northern Wei, but don’t nitpick the research. This isn’t history, this isn’t history, this isn’t history.
The story is very, very far from historical events! The plot has little to do with actual history!
2. To reiterate the first point: it really is different
[No! The only thing! This gender-swapped! Emperor! Has in common! With history! Is the social background!!]
[The heroine! Won’t die young (sorry, that was a bit rude)! And the Northern Wei! Won’t fall as quickly as it did in history!]
3. I already have over seventy chapters written, so feel free to dive in. I won’t abandon it. This is another novel with long, complicated sentences, half-baked prose, and half-baked political scheming. I’ll aim for a serious tone and won’t make things too silly.
4. I may be a novice, but I’m stubborn. Please don’t tell me what to do. I can’t change the plot, and I won’t.
Theme: Promoting ethnic unity
Congratulations on the completion! ! "Crossing Pingcheng" is the best drama-style GL historical novel I have read in Jinjiang. I was very lucky to meet such a great Raspberry, such a great work and such a great Feng Chu this summer (yes, I really like Feng Chu so much!) When I was halfway through reading this article, I went to Pingcheng (today's Datong) twice, following the scenery in the book. I gained a lot of insights while traveling and observing history, so I wrote the following unorganized words early, thinking that I could post them here when I finish them to express my love for this book and my great respect for the author^_^ (This is also the first time I have written a review in Jinjiang in so many years, hahaha, funny):
Yisi Mengxia read this book and saw that it was written in a textual research style, depicting the past events of the Northern Dynasties through the clothes and hats of the past. Although the writing is in vain, the regulations, customs and customs are all based on the history of the Qing Dynasty. After the death of the scroll, I felt a sigh of relief and aroused the thoughts of greatness and generosity. Then he rushed to Yunshuo and rode westward, tracing back to Sangqian and visiting the ancient Pingcheng. When I arrived, I saw that the old site of Mingtang was newly renovated, the ruins of Fangshan were in ruins, and the abandoned site of Yongning was almost destroyed.
Looking back on the past, I especially miss a certain gentleman in the book - this gentleman's demeanor has truly become my favorite for the rest of my life. He was allowed to appoint hundreds of workers, be granted the title of marquis and worship the prime minister, and he got to know each other well with the emperor, and jointly planned the system of Chang'an. Today, my old friend is far away, but the shadow of the crane in the sky and the heroic figure given by God are still vivid in my heart. Alas! Sighing at the constant ups and downs, and feeling that nobility and purity were ever lost, he composed the music to pay tribute to the author, conveying his thoughts to the author, and wrote a poem about embracing the crane.
(Part 1)
After reading the long and long chapter, I feel a lot of sadness about the old days of Guanhe.
The wild geese gallop to the west, Huaishuo desert to the north, and pass Sanggan to the south to mourn Qingbo.
The bright hall will continue, the square mountain will be difficult to solidify, and Yongning will fall.
Wasted.
(Part 2)
We decided to settle in Chang'an and pay homage to the feudal lord, and protect Jin Ou with a coat of frost and snow.
Burn away all the suffering in the world and illuminate the path of the Nine Heavens.
Allowing for hundreds of works, it can travel thousands of miles, and the crane's shadow will remain forever.
Qianqiu.
(Congratulations again!! Looking forward to better works from Raspberry!!)
This is the first time I have seen an article with a Datong background. Thank you so much. If you haven't been to Datong yet, I recommend the Yungang Museum, the Huayan Temple Mingtang, and there are many places to visit in Southeast City. However, I don't recommend eating there [Panda Head]. There are not many people there just before the National Day.
[Dog Head] Sweet! One person writes in blood and begs the teacher to write ten more daily chapters
Wuhan Culture and Tourism: I have recharged [let me be healthy] [let me be healthy]
Let's just say, does Mr. Raspberry have any plans to write about the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the future? Wei and Jin are also okay [Rainbow Fart][Rainbow Fart][Rainbow Fart]
I like the author's article very much. Please give me a boost [let me be healthy][let me be healthy][let me be healthy]
Ah [Afraid] Isn't it Nian? ! How could you do this...
Let's get to the point. They all like me so much [poor] They are just trying to manipulate my xp [poor] Why is this Feng Chu even more annoying after not seeing him for several months?
It's well written. It's time for them to take a look at the world today.
Congratulations on the completion~Spread flowers [Spread flowers]
Congratulations on the completion! ! "Crossing Pingcheng" is the best drama-style GL historical novel I have read in Jinjiang. I was very lucky to meet such a great Raspberry, such a great work and such a great Feng Chu this summer (yes, I really like Feng Chu so much!) When I was halfway through reading this article, I went to Pingcheng (today's Datong) twice, following the scenery in the book. I gained a lot of insights while traveling and observing history, so I wrote the following unorganized words early, thinking that I could post them here when I finish them to express my love for this book and my great respect for the author^_^ (This is also the first time I have written a review in Jinjiang in so many years, hahaha, funny): Yisi Mengxia read this book and saw that it was written in a textual research style, depicting the past events of the Northern Dynasties through the clothes and hats of the past. Although the writing is in vain, the regulations, customs and customs are all based on the history of the Qing Dynasty. After the death of the scroll, I felt a sigh of relief and aroused the thoughts of greatness and generosity. Then he rushed to Yunshuo and rode westward, tracing back to Sangqian and visiting the ancient Pingcheng. When I arrived, I saw that the old site of Mingtang was newly renovated, the ruins of Fangshan were in ruins, and the abandoned site of Yongning was almost destroyed. Looking back on the past, I especially miss a certain gentleman in the book - this gentleman's demeanor has truly become my favorite for the rest of my life. He was allowed to appoint hundreds of workers, be granted the title of marquis and worship the prime minister, and he got to know each other well with the emperor, and jointly planned the system of Chang'an. Today, my old friend is far away, but the shadow of the crane in the sky and the heroic figure given by God are still vivid in my heart. Alas! Sighing at the constant ups and downs, and feeling that nobility and purity were ever lost, he composed the music to pay tribute to the author, conveying his thoughts to the author, and wrote a poem about embracing the crane. (Part 1) After reading the long and long chapter, I feel a lot of sadness about the old days of Guanhe. The wild geese gallop to the west, Huaishuo desert to the north, and pass Sanggan to the south to mourn Qingbo. The bright hall will continue, the square mountain will be difficult to solidify, and Yongning will fall. Wasted. (Part 2) We decided to settle in Chang'an and pay homage to the feudal lord, and protect Jin Ou with a coat of frost and snow. Burn away all the suffering in the world and illuminate the path of the Nine Heavens. Allowing for hundreds of works, it can travel thousands of miles, and the crane's shadow will remain forever. Qianqiu. (Congratulations again!! Looking forward to better works from Raspberry!!)
This is the first time I have seen an article with a Datong background. Thank you so much. If you haven't been to Datong yet, I recommend the Yungang Museum, the Huayan Temple Mingtang, and there are many places to visit in Southeast City. However, I don't recommend eating there [Panda Head]. There are not many people there just before the National Day.
[Dog Head] Sweet! One person writes in blood and begs the teacher to write ten more daily chapters
Teacher Raspberry, Shino Kamitoya [Spread flowers][Spread flowers][Spread flowers]
Wuhan Culture and Tourism: I have recharged [let me be healthy] [let me be healthy]
Let's just say, does Mr. Raspberry have any plans to write about the Northern and Southern Dynasties in the future? Wei and Jin are also okay [Rainbow Fart][Rainbow Fart][Rainbow Fart]
I like the author's article very much. Please give me a boost [let me be healthy][let me be healthy][let me be healthy]
Ah [Afraid] Isn't it Nian? ! How could you do this...
Let's get to the point. They all like me so much [poor] They are just trying to manipulate my xp [poor] Why is this Feng Chu even more annoying after not seeing him for several months?
It's well written. It's time for them to take a look at the world today. Congratulations on the completion~Spread flowers [Spread flowers]