What do you think?
Rate this book
The Fourteenth Year of Chenghua [成化十四年]
It is the fourteenth year of Chenghua.
As the harem has Imperial Consort Wan, the Western Depot has a Commander named Wang Zhi. Crown Prince Zhu Youcheng is merely eight years old—and no one knows if he will be able to reach adulthood without issue.
The Emperor has nothing to his name, despite putting on an act that suggests otherwise, the eunuchs deceive their superiors while taking advantage of those beneath them, and the subjects of the Imperial Court are patching up the leaks. As there are those who are arrogantly savage for the sake of evil, there are those who sigh helplessly for the sake of good.
With the ways of the world like this, how could the ways of the heavens possibly be just?
As the harem has Imperial Consort Wan, the Western Depot has a Commander named Wang Zhi. Crown Prince Zhu Youcheng is merely eight years old—and no one knows if he will be able to reach adulthood without issue.
The Emperor has nothing to his name, despite putting on an act that suggests otherwise, the eunuchs deceive their superiors while taking advantage of those beneath them, and the subjects of the Imperial Court are patching up the leaks. As there are those who are arrogantly savage for the sake of evil, there are those who sigh helplessly for the sake of good.
With the ways of the world like this, how could the ways of the heavens possibly be just?
368 pages, ebook
About the author
Meng Xi Shi
62 books211 followersAssociated Names:
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)
* Meng Xi Shi (English)
* 梦溪石 (Chinese)
* เมิ่งซีสือ (Thai)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
June 8, 2023
4.5/5
I really loved the main pairing and many of the secondary characters (Wang Zhi most of all), and most of the investigations were super interesting. The amount of historical background however was staggering and at times hard to go through. Still, it's a lovely novel, highly recommended!
I really loved the main pairing and many of the secondary characters (Wang Zhi most of all), and most of the investigations were super interesting. The amount of historical background however was staggering and at times hard to go through. Still, it's a lovely novel, highly recommended!
May 8, 2021
3.5 stars. this is much better than 北斗 Bei Dou and more like what i expect from Meng Xi Shi.
PLOT:
this is a detective novel with a lot of political intrigue. set in ancient china, the main character, Tang Fan, is a lowly court official who solves a lot of cases and maneuvers around political plots. he 'levels up' by the end of the novel and becomes the prime minister iirc. i really liked his personality. he actually reminded me a bit of Xie Lian from Heaven Official's Blessing.
there are about five arcs/cases that Tang Fan resolves, and the secondary cast is really fun. i really loved Wang Zhi... wish there had been more of him.
the author is a history buff. she talks a lot about the history of the time in the author's notes, the biographies of these characters (she based them off real world people), her interpretations of their actions etc...
ROMANCE:
i have to mention the romance coz i thought this book was primarily romance-centric but i was totally wrong. his love interest is Sui Zhou, but don't go into the novel expecting it to be about the two of them (like i did) because it was REALLY light on the romantic development. i was kinda disappointed actually, coz some of the key scenes in their relationship weren't shown and Sui Zhou disappears for chapters at a time.
TLDR:
read it for the cool sleuthing/mystery solving and political intrigue. romance is a major backseat in this one.
PLOT:
this is a detective novel with a lot of political intrigue. set in ancient china, the main character, Tang Fan, is a lowly court official who solves a lot of cases and maneuvers around political plots. he 'levels up' by the end of the novel and becomes the prime minister iirc. i really liked his personality. he actually reminded me a bit of Xie Lian from Heaven Official's Blessing.
there are about five arcs/cases that Tang Fan resolves, and the secondary cast is really fun. i really loved Wang Zhi... wish there had been more of him.
the author is a history buff. she talks a lot about the history of the time in the author's notes, the biographies of these characters (she based them off real world people), her interpretations of their actions etc...
ROMANCE:
i have to mention the romance coz i thought this book was primarily romance-centric but i was totally wrong. his love interest is Sui Zhou, but don't go into the novel expecting it to be about the two of them (like i did) because it was REALLY light on the romantic development. i was kinda disappointed actually, coz some of the key scenes in their relationship weren't shown and Sui Zhou disappears for chapters at a time.
TLDR:
read it for the cool sleuthing/mystery solving and political intrigue. romance is a major backseat in this one.
November 25, 2020
Me demoré en leerla. La traducción no era tan buena, pero lo suficiente como para entenderla.
Me emocioné con los casos que debía investigar Tang Fan, y como poco a poco su fama fue aumentando, atrayendo la admiración de muchos y convirtiéndose en el blanco de corruptos poderosos en la dinastía Ming.
La química entre la pareja principal es fenomenal. Por un lado el funcionario erudito con un cerebro a lo Sherlock, y al otro el experto espadachín que puede frustrar cualquier atentado por más bien orquestado que esté.
Sufrí y sentí por ellos a lo largo de la trama, y pasando las páginas ansiando que todo saliera bien.
Aprendí mucho de la historia de la dinastía Ming, al menos de 4 emperadores, y de personajes famosos de la época. Siempre me han gustado las novelas históricas, y comparar los hechos reales con la ficción.
El drama me gustó, me enganchó desde el primer episodio y allí amé a Tang Fan, pero la novela es mucho más. Más detallada, algunas partes son totalmente diferentes del drama, arcos y personajes que no aparecen en uno u otro, y sin embargo más rica y emocionante. Y más años!
Los extras de la novela son bellísimos. Me estrujó el corazón los bellos momentos, escasamente narrados, de la vida doméstica de la pareja principal. En especial la completa devoción de Sui Zhou, y su compromiso desde el inicio sabiendo todo lo que le iba a costar elegir a la persona amada.
Y el emperador HongZhi (sucesor de Chenhua), me enterneció tanto! Todo un fan!
La recomiendo!
Me emocioné con los casos que debía investigar Tang Fan, y como poco a poco su fama fue aumentando, atrayendo la admiración de muchos y convirtiéndose en el blanco de corruptos poderosos en la dinastía Ming.
La química entre la pareja principal es fenomenal. Por un lado el funcionario erudito con un cerebro a lo Sherlock, y al otro el experto espadachín que puede frustrar cualquier atentado por más bien orquestado que esté.
Sufrí y sentí por ellos a lo largo de la trama, y pasando las páginas ansiando que todo saliera bien.
Aprendí mucho de la historia de la dinastía Ming, al menos de 4 emperadores, y de personajes famosos de la época. Siempre me han gustado las novelas históricas, y comparar los hechos reales con la ficción.
El drama me gustó, me enganchó desde el primer episodio y allí amé a Tang Fan, pero la novela es mucho más. Más detallada, algunas partes son totalmente diferentes del drama, arcos y personajes que no aparecen en uno u otro, y sin embargo más rica y emocionante. Y más años!
Los extras de la novela son bellísimos. Me estrujó el corazón los bellos momentos, escasamente narrados, de la vida doméstica de la pareja principal. En especial la completa devoción de Sui Zhou, y su compromiso desde el inicio sabiendo todo lo que le iba a costar elegir a la persona amada.
Y el emperador HongZhi (sucesor de Chenhua), me enterneció tanto! Todo un fan!
La recomiendo!
January 26, 2022
2.5 stars
My first non-wuxia read from mxs and while i love her signature humour and am deeply invested in her MC and the CP (the way i vibed with the MC's love of food and romance novels! And sui zhou is downright swoon worthy) i was not vibing with the politics and mystery aspect At All. Which makes me think I'll just stick to her wuxia stuff next time i read her works...
My first non-wuxia read from mxs and while i love her signature humour and am deeply invested in her MC and the CP (the way i vibed with the MC's love of food and romance novels! And sui zhou is downright swoon worthy) i was not vibing with the politics and mystery aspect At All. Which makes me think I'll just stick to her wuxia stuff next time i read her works...
February 4, 2023
This book is lengthy but jam-packed full of action and sleuth work. It’s also rather funny, which I didn’t expect. Tang Fan solves multiple increasingly high stakes cases while trying to unsuccessfully avoid becoming entangled in court politics. Sui Zhou is there to back him up. Everything’s wonderful and absolutely nothing hurts. Long and plot-heavy but very much worth the read, if you can find the time.
January 30, 2022
★★★★★ [4.5/5 stars]
I'm an absolute fan of mystery, crime-solving cases, historical and politics. And if all of that rolled into one? Yes, please. This is what this novel is about! Every arc is just as intriguing as the last, if not more! I've always said this, but I'm always into clever characters, and this novel gave me exactly that! Both the MC (Tang Fan) and the ML (Sui Zhou) are smart and competent characters with calm and compose demeanor. Though there were times when I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how they're able to solve the cases when they're already cornered, I was also anticipating what kind of step they're going to take to outsmart their enemies. I loved how both of them were made into deep characters with great substance. I prefer that kind of characters.
This novel has a tiny bit romance, but if you're only looking for a full on fluff, I don't think this one is for you. This has a very slow romance and their romantic relationship is not really the focus of the story. They have this tacit, mutual understanding of their feelings, a feeling that doesn't need to be said aloud to understand, and it reflected on why their romance was not narrated directly and explicitly. I also love the familial love that was portrayed here. I would have loved to be a part of Tang Fan's family. And also his bizarre 'friendship' with the arrogant and proud Wang Zhi is just so entertaining, despite of them having an opposite personality. They have this not so ordinary connection from the very first case and their verbal sparring is always so interesting to read.
I've watched the drama adaptation a few months ago but decided to drop it after a few episodes in, but I think I'm going to pick the drama up again because I really enjoyed this novel so much. This is absolutely, highly recommended. Just trigger warning for deaths in every arc.
I'm an absolute fan of mystery, crime-solving cases, historical and politics. And if all of that rolled into one? Yes, please. This is what this novel is about! Every arc is just as intriguing as the last, if not more! I've always said this, but I'm always into clever characters, and this novel gave me exactly that! Both the MC (Tang Fan) and the ML (Sui Zhou) are smart and competent characters with calm and compose demeanor. Though there were times when I was on the edge of my seat, wondering how they're able to solve the cases when they're already cornered, I was also anticipating what kind of step they're going to take to outsmart their enemies. I loved how both of them were made into deep characters with great substance. I prefer that kind of characters.
This novel has a tiny bit romance, but if you're only looking for a full on fluff, I don't think this one is for you. This has a very slow romance and their romantic relationship is not really the focus of the story. They have this tacit, mutual understanding of their feelings, a feeling that doesn't need to be said aloud to understand, and it reflected on why their romance was not narrated directly and explicitly. I also love the familial love that was portrayed here. I would have loved to be a part of Tang Fan's family. And also his bizarre 'friendship' with the arrogant and proud Wang Zhi is just so entertaining, despite of them having an opposite personality. They have this not so ordinary connection from the very first case and their verbal sparring is always so interesting to read.
I've watched the drama adaptation a few months ago but decided to drop it after a few episodes in, but I think I'm going to pick the drama up again because I really enjoyed this novel so much. This is absolutely, highly recommended. Just trigger warning for deaths in every arc.
June 8, 2022
Case fiction AND domestic fluff? Plus well- developed mysteries and political plotting that are both well explained, by a genius detective who's not a jerk? Yesssssssssssss. I love it.
April 20, 2024
wow naprwde meng xi shi nie zawodzi. nowleka mnie przez cały czas trzymała w napięciu i praktyczne cały czas czegoś wyczekiwałam. sam fakt, że autentycznie ją skończyłam dużo o niej mówi (zostały mi jedynie dodatki). w sumie wszytsko skupiało się na intrygach cesarskim dworze i nawet nie było za dużo akcji. jeżeli miałabym na cos narzekać to było naprwde mało romansu (ale dodatki prawodpodobnie nadgonią), co nie zmienia faktu, że był and i loved it. tang fan i sui zhou podbili moje serduszko i oczywiście eunuch wang, po którym na początku całkowicie nie spodziewałam się, że będzie tak ciekawą postacią.
September 23, 2022
Its mystery novel with many sub plots which the main protagonist resolves with his wit , observation and intellectual skills!! I loved all the mini arc and political intrigue in ancient china monarchy!! I just wish there was more romance!! The romance lead is compatible with the protagonist and complement him too well!!! They don't need words to communicate!!! At least in this book, the slow burn wasn't that slow compared to author others works! They got together before the book ended!! Hooray!
March 5, 2023
Wow what a ride. Truly a slow burn, but amazing plot and detective novel. I love the historical setting. The humor is so on-point. Tang Fan does gets a little too protagonist halo, but I love how both clever and empathetic he is. Also the descriptions of food in this book made me so hungry sometimes. The ending is a little abrupt, but I'm use to that with this author. Still a satisfying ending with all the extras, but It is a little strange. One of my favorite webnovels so far.
June 27, 2023
I can read a 1k chapter typical xianxia bg novel but I can't sit my ass to read this 150 chapter detective danmei😭
May 17, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It's much more story driven more than romance driven, so I'd recommend this book for folks who like detective stories set in ancient China that are separated into multiple arcs. And when I say it's light on the romance, I mean it. It's there but pretty subtle, which is typical for books from this author. The MC never even confesses properly to the ML; he just gives him a jade token which is an obscure literary reference to having feelings for someone XP
There are 11 arcs total, some with both Sui Zhou and Tang Fan present, and some with only TF there to solve the case. I was taking some quick notes per arc for my review so I'll include them here under a spoiler tag.
One last note - I love that TF is a foodie. All of his food descriptions, especially of the amazing wontons at his go-to wonton stall, had me drooling and craving wontons! And the dishes served at Immortal Cloud or the ones cooked with love by SZ all sounded amazing as well...
There are 11 arcs total, some with both Sui Zhou and Tang Fan present, and some with only TF there to solve the case. I was taking some quick notes per arc for my review so I'll include them here under a spoiler tag.
One last note - I love that TF is a foodie. All of his food descriptions, especially of the amazing wontons at his go-to wonton stall, had me drooling and craving wontons! And the dishes served at Immortal Cloud or the ones cooked with love by SZ all sounded amazing as well...
March 21, 2023
definitely longer than 368 pgs in the translation I read. Probably closer to 1150
July 11, 2022
AMAZING.
February 18, 2022
成化十四年 is an exquisitely written mystery novel featuring tight interwoven arcs within the larger frame story of political conspiracies that threaten the dynasty. The novel is rich in poetry references and historical details of Chenghua's reign which I greatly enjoyed -- largely thanks to the work of the wonderful translator Chichi.
Our main characters, the affable civil official/judge Tang Fan and taciturn leader of the Brocade Guards Sui Zhou, share an effortless chemistry as they work together to solve crimes, ranging from murders and ghostly sightings to the wrongdoings of a nefarious cult. Tang Fan and Sui Zhou bring their respective strengths to the table -- the former in deductive reasoning and verbal skills, and the latter, in martial prowess and sheer oppressive force. They are intelligent and decisive, and even when in hot soup, they manage to overcome their enemies. One word: 帅!
In terms of romance, this novel is definitely a slow burn, but that does not mean that romance and feelings take a backseat to our main characters. I really enjoyed seeing more layers to their relationship as the plot unfolded, including Tang Fan's unexpected shyness and Sui Zhou's increasing shamelessness, both of which are so different from their public personalities. Throughout the novel, their feelings for each other are more than evident even if the ever-intelligent Tang Fan is uncharacteristically slow to catch onto his own. I relish the little moments they share, from Sui Zhou waiting for Tang Fan to eat dinner together; them whispering to each other while pondering a case; and knowing each other's thoughts with just a glance! They're soulmates, I tell you, soulmates!!!
The supporting side characters shine as well, especially my favourite foul-mouthed eunuch Wang Zhi, the Brocade Guards and fellow civil officials, and the best family Ah-Dong, Tang Yu and Tang Cheng. I also like that the women are well-characterised, from "nation-toppling" beauties to sassy sisters and favoured consorts. Writing women well should not be a surprise but sadly it is an infrequent sight in BL novels.
Overall, great story, a solid 5. The exposition may get lengthy at times and it does take quite a bit of stamina to get through. But from the imperial tombs arc onwards I couldn't put it down.
Our main characters, the affable civil official/judge Tang Fan and taciturn leader of the Brocade Guards Sui Zhou, share an effortless chemistry as they work together to solve crimes, ranging from murders and ghostly sightings to the wrongdoings of a nefarious cult. Tang Fan and Sui Zhou bring their respective strengths to the table -- the former in deductive reasoning and verbal skills, and the latter, in martial prowess and sheer oppressive force. They are intelligent and decisive, and even when in hot soup, they manage to overcome their enemies. One word: 帅!
In terms of romance, this novel is definitely a slow burn, but that does not mean that romance and feelings take a backseat to our main characters. I really enjoyed seeing more layers to their relationship as the plot unfolded, including Tang Fan's unexpected shyness and Sui Zhou's increasing shamelessness, both of which are so different from their public personalities. Throughout the novel, their feelings for each other are more than evident even if the ever-intelligent Tang Fan is uncharacteristically slow to catch onto his own. I relish the little moments they share, from Sui Zhou waiting for Tang Fan to eat dinner together; them whispering to each other while pondering a case; and knowing each other's thoughts with just a glance! They're soulmates, I tell you, soulmates!!!
The supporting side characters shine as well, especially my favourite foul-mouthed eunuch Wang Zhi, the Brocade Guards and fellow civil officials, and the best family Ah-Dong, Tang Yu and Tang Cheng. I also like that the women are well-characterised, from "nation-toppling" beauties to sassy sisters and favoured consorts. Writing women well should not be a surprise but sadly it is an infrequent sight in BL novels.
Overall, great story, a solid 5. The exposition may get lengthy at times and it does take quite a bit of stamina to get through. But from the imperial tombs arc onwards I couldn't put it down.
July 4, 2022
作者的历史功底不错，对于现代人比较难以理解的明朝官场中错综复杂的关系也理得比较清楚（至少能让我这个外行人明白，至于是不是瞎掰我就不知道了）。但弱点在于虽然打着破案的旗号，推理并不强，故事的推动较简单顺利，而且人物性格描写比较单一薄弱，纸片化，感觉像是漫画人物。第二卷里古墓的案子读起来的感觉就像在读“盗墓笔记”。这套书是我在图书馆借的，原本还以为是推理小说，后知后觉读完上卷发现原来应归到言情类，只看到第二卷结束。只能作为娱乐小说来读。 PS. 写完读后感之后留意到这样的书豆瓣的评分都居然有四星，看来还是不能太相信豆瓣评分。
July 3, 2022
Really 4.5 stars. I loved it overall, I just wish Meng Xishi had gone into more detail about...a certain thing...
May 1, 2021
I think everyone who has seen The Sleuth of Ming Dynasty knows that this novel is that drama's source material. Much as I liked Jackie Chan's funny adaptation, that series wasn't even close to how complex the novel's politics are. The characters are so different, too, especially the title character Tang Fan. Another thing: There are several strong women in this story that balance out all the testosterone. And I don't mean strong as in physical fighters. Each woman is unique in her own way (a slave, a merchant, a doctor, a spy). Cases are elaborate and engaging. Couldn't stop turning the pages. They make me wish a kdrama studio would pick this up and depict its real spirit. I mean, ok, I was entertained by Jackie Chan's adaptation, but the soul of the novel deserves a Kingdom (2019) treatment. One of the best, if not the best, danmei titles I've ever picked up (but that's probably because it repeatedly summoned the nerd in me).
Additional Notes:
The Ming Dynasty's Chenghua Emperor's politics have interested me so much for several reasons.
1. His favorite concubine, Consort Wan, a woman 17 years older than the emperor, wielded so much power (because emperor was head over heels in love) that anyone who wanted to be empress must be approved by her. Because of this, all the court politicians' machinations revolved around the Wan faction. Consort Wan probably inspired so many oneesan/noona fiction. 😂
2. The Crown Prince in this story would become the future Hongzhi Emperor. His era is known as Hongzhi Silver Age. He was also a monogamous emperor, and never took concubines. His court was considered to be one of the most progressive. (I had to read this aspect of history because I was getting anxious about whether the Crown Prince would survive Wan faction's attacks.)
Additional Notes:
The Ming Dynasty's Chenghua Emperor's politics have interested me so much for several reasons.
1. His favorite concubine, Consort Wan, a woman 17 years older than the emperor, wielded so much power (because emperor was head over heels in love) that anyone who wanted to be empress must be approved by her. Because of this, all the court politicians' machinations revolved around the Wan faction. Consort Wan probably inspired so many oneesan/noona fiction. 😂
2. The Crown Prince in this story would become the future Hongzhi Emperor. His era is known as Hongzhi Silver Age. He was also a monogamous emperor, and never took concubines. His court was considered to be one of the most progressive. (I had to read this aspect of history because I was getting anxious about whether the Crown Prince would survive Wan faction's attacks.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 5, 2022
It was so good. And surprisingly I like this better than 1000 Autumns and Peerless. Tho i feel like the author has something with not having those dramatic ass scenes when the villain meets their end. But as a whole, I really like it. So many dumb characters made me want to punch a wall. Many characters I grew fond of too. I wanna know more about them. Like Tang Cheng, ah-dong, and even miss du. The author had done a good job with the characters in this book
April 20, 2022
holy shit this book is so good. the cases are extremely well plotted, and although the romance isn't exactly the central focus, the development felt realistic and the relationship was slow but worth the wait. the characters are also complex, and the political intrigue is captivating. wang zhi you will always be famous. 10/10, would restart five (5) times for months and binge over spring break again
June 7, 2022
4.5 stars! i guess i didn't expect myself to like it as much as i did!
the cases were quite interesting, and although the romance was severely lacking, in the end, it did not affect my overall rating.
i enjoyed the way it was written and just the overall content. definitely not for you if you really must have a majority of it be romance. there's a tremendous amount of case solving as well as court politics. definitely a book full of plot the whole way through.
the cases were quite interesting, and although the romance was severely lacking, in the end, it did not affect my overall rating.
i enjoyed the way it was written and just the overall content. definitely not for you if you really must have a majority of it be romance. there's a tremendous amount of case solving as well as court politics. definitely a book full of plot the whole way through.
January 18, 2022
4.75*
January 31, 2022
Un bon gros 5 étoiles vraiment les danmei ne me laissent pas tomber
February 26, 2022
I really enjoyed the story, but once the story moved beyond Tang Fan solving cases I didn't enjoy it as much.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews