I actually adored how she immediately turned on the waterworks, copying the bitch mistress, to rile up her brother's protective instincts.
I'm so, so, SO glad she's not one of those idiotic characters who refuses to use every weapon she's entitled too, up to and including "womenly wiles". If bitch mistress can do it to gain sympathy from bitch emperor-husband then FL can do it to gain her brother and father's very powerful backing, too.
Women in this world, like the vast majority of Asian Romance Fanantasy aka RoFan/Ropan world building, do not have a lot of power. What they have is only what they're given in relations to the men in their lives. The more powerful the men -> the powerful the women. Therefore, not using the men to gain power is just plain fucking stupid.
I'm relieved FL understood this.
Too bad it doesn't last.
It seems like FL mentally regressed back to being about 10 years old when reunited with her loving, smothering family.
I wish the ML explained who he was and didn't deceive FL.
The brother finally showing up broke the ice between them. I can't believe her dad and brother ever thought she hated them because they never received her letters nor she their's.
10 whole years of this nasty Dowager Empress blocking yheir communication is insane. The first two years or so with zero communications from a literal child to her father and brother should have sent both men to the imperial court to ask and meet their child in person. Wtf.
The artwork is sooooo underwhelming. 😭
The powerful spirits and such look so pathetic. There's no majesty or gravitas to any of them, especially their king. The Vadell's namesake. It's so tragic when he showed up, looking like an NPC but bizarrely with a costume design meant to impress.
The villains aren't punished. Thoroughly unsatisfying. I'm enraged.
Dowager Empress kept her title and royal standing. She's being investigated for her abuse of power but considering her son, the bitch emperor-husband of FL and his bitch mistress, are not only not being punished but get to keep their royal status and given the title of Count while being allowed to marry...yeah, I doubt the punishment Dowager Empress gets will be appropriately meted out.
What a waste.
