Wonder what the implication of nicknaming her "canary" is. The only reference I can think of is the phrase "canary in the coal mine," which doesn't seem applicable. So why is she that bird over any other songbird that might be kept in a cage?

Canaries are also songbirds that are commonly kept as pets. And "songbird" is a pet name for a pretty girl with a nice voice that I've heard used in multiple places.

Wonder what the implication of nicknaming her "canary" is. The only reference I can think of is the phrase "canary in the coal mine," which doesn't seem applicable. So why is she that bird over any other songbird that might be kept in a cage?

Do we know for certain this is the bird being named in the original? It might be a translation choice for a familiar cage or song bird for a more unfamiliar word in Mandarin?

Yes. If I made an alteration to the original, I'd have noted it for something like this.

If this manga devolves into these two pairs and puts the politics subplot on the back burner, I wouldn't mind.

Well, the reality is, the General is not just trying to get laid, but is also pursuing the Emperor's party political agenda in this latest chapter. The princess is the Dowager's creature in the Empress' court, while Tantai Lan is firmly aligned with the Emperor. By seducing her, she simultaneously counters whatever the Dowager is planning, and potentially gains a double agent in her court.

Wow that was one heck of an annoying chapter!

Well, I am pretty sure both the Empress and the Princess know who pushed the latter, so this is going to be a test of her true allegiances. Looking forward to how exactly the Empress is gonna turn this one back on the Dowager. :-)

Considering they've established our Empress has been living up to the role lately this uh. Skit? These handmaidens are doing feels pretty damn risky, especially purple there shoving the princess in clear view. I can't imagine Yu Dingdang's gonna feel cowed by this or let someone hurting her friend go free.

Wonder what the implication of nicknaming her "canary" is. The only reference I can think of is the phrase "canary in the coal mine," which doesn't seem applicable. So why is she that bird over any other songbird that might be kept in a cage?

Hi, from what I have searched on the internet, in Chinese, "canary" here is to describe a woman that has been overprotected , or that her life has been in a protective environment (meaning that this lady here could be born with a golden spoon/ or that in this case, she was chosen by the empress Dowager to live a privilege and a wealthy life (with conditions of course) and has never been to the 'outside' world and face difficulties of her own. Therefore, she will have difficulties to cope with a hard life that's different than what she has now because she is lack of necessary life skills to live-- in this case, she is too used to be taken care of her subordinates, or empress/emperor etc. Therefore, she could only rely or depend on them for survival.

Do we know for certain this is the bird being named in the original? It might be a translation choice for a familiar cage or song bird for a more unfamiliar word in Mandarin?

And yes, you're absolutely right! The reason Chinese named them as 'canary' because in the olden days, the 'canary birds' are often put in a cage and they are being fed well and taken care of (though if they release the bird, I am pretty sure the canary can still survive by its own but basically that's what it means)-- a lady that's been 'caged' in an environment and been taken care of and fed well that she need not worry about the reality of the world. She is basically 'taken care of' like the canary bird in the cage, with no freedom to explore different lives that she could have the possibilities of.

Though I am pretty sure there is a more concise word for the translation of it.
I hope this answers your question.

last edited at Jun 10, 2024 6:49AM

I am honestly confused what that servant is trying to do, because literally everyone involved knows what's happening. She could have been trying to sully Yu Dingdang's reputation, except that even if people did believe she pushed Ming Wei, that wouldn't affect her much... Maybe she just thought her acting was better and expected to fool Yu Dingdang and Ming Wei ?

Anyway, that aside. Anyone has some OST that could be played over the chapters every time the Empress Dowager is speaking ? Because she is radiating such strong villain vibes that her not having a musical themes makes me feel that something is missing.

Yeah, if anything the handmaiden just gave Yu Dingdang the perfect excuse to completely shut down the Empress Dowager's game here with that last stunt. She was clearly acting strange before this, with both herself and Ming Wei clearly speaking as such.

Thus obviously, this whole incident was an assassination attempt on Ming Wei's life, and any actions Yu Dingdang or the Emperor take here are merely them defending the princess. The handmaiden was obviously a saboteur, initially trying to sully Ming Wei's reputation through the deliberate leakage of confidential and/or false (it doesn't actually matter here) information, and when that plan failed decided to attack her target directly.

Seriously, for an all-powerful villainous power behind the throne, the Empress Dowager is really not bringing her best here. Maybe she underestimates Yu Dingdang that much?

last edited at Jun 10, 2024 11:52AM

That may have finally truly crossed a line the Empress Dowager can never walk back...

I am not a violent person, but if she tried that on MY friend, my Hood would pop out, the earrings would come off and she would CATCH THESE HANDS!!!

So this servant thinks that she can, in view of the Empress, push someone and blame the Empress for it?

I'm trying to wrap my head around why anyone would think this was a workable course of action. Someone tried that in a real Imperial court, I don't care if it's Asian or Roman or Persian or whatever, they would find themselves getting forty lashes double quick. This isn't a case of your word against hers--she's the Empress, your word is NOTHING, what happened is whatever she says happened. Heck, even if Yu Dingdang HAD pushed the princess, it would be amazingly stupid of a servant to say so, let alone in an admonishing way. I guess maybe she has some protection because she serves the Dowager, and she's probably a noble in some way, but still there are limits.

I'm thinking of a bit from Blackadder; the Queen and her stupid courtier Percy are playing some little ball game--
Percy: "Caught it! I win!"
Queen: "Percy. Who's the queen?"
Percy: " . . . Whoops! Butterfingers!"
This servant has not properly internalized this concept.

last edited at Jun 10, 2024 5:45PM

Ah, so that's how it is.

I can only imagine the Empress Dowager's relying on assuming she can force the Emperor to take her side via filial loyalty and/or threatening to out her gender, and if either could actually work then we wouldn't be reading this story lol.

I think the servant is assuming that the Princess will back her play and corroborate her story, and probably fake being more hurt than she actually is, to suit the Dowager's schemes. Still super risky to do without knowing that the Princess is actually on-board. Laying hands on a royal sounds like a good way to get brutally executed.

I think the servant is assuming that the Princess will back her play and corroborate her story, and probably fake being more hurt than she actually is, to suit the Dowager's schemes. Still super risky to do without knowing that the Princess is actually on-board. Laying hands on a royal sounds like a good way to get brutally executed.

Based on the Empress Dowager's words, she may actually expect the exact opposite outcome. The plan is to turn the current Empress against the Princess by making it look as if the Princess planned this all along, so the Princess would be left having the Empress Dowager as her only ally in the palace and therefore having no choice but to play along with her schemes.

last edited at Jun 11, 2024 4:08AM

I think the servant is assuming that the Princess will back her play and corroborate her story, and probably fake being more hurt than she actually is, to suit the Dowager's schemes. Still super risky to do without knowing that the Princess is actually on-board. Laying hands on a royal sounds like a good way to get brutally executed.

Based on the Empress Dowager's words, she may actually expect the exact opposite outcome. The plan is to turn the current Empress against the Princess by making it look as if the Princess planned this all along, so the Princess would be left having the Empress Dowager as her only ally in the palace and therefore having no choice but to play along with her schemes.

...And I was reading it as a third course wherein the aim is to convince the princess that Dingdang is jealously possessive and can't tolerate her continued "interference", forcing her into the shelter of the empress dowager's influence.

Not that any of these plots are mutually exclusive.

Not that any of these plots are mutually exclusive.

That is also possible, yes. The initial play with the dressing gown was obviously meant to affect our little Empress, but the push from behind could only target the Princess. Trying to play the two against each other, convincing both that the other is out to harm them.

And hopefully failing at that.

Although all things considered, it's also difficult to tell whether that final push was an actual part of the original plan or just something the servant came up with one the spot when she realized it wasn't working.

last edited at Jun 12, 2024 4:04PM

Hopefully the princess stands up and hits the stone cold stunner on that assistant

Hopefully the princess stands up and hits the stone cold stunner on that assistant

Prophetic words. Smack!

Oof, the Little Empress is finally showing her claws. I hope she understands that she is officially declaring war on the Dowager at this moment, and has made off-screen preparations accordingly. :-)

last edited at Jun 14, 2024 4:11AM

Did Moyan (symmetric-haired servant) even do anything besides being present? Punishing her seems mean.

That aside, can anybody identify what they're eating on the last page?

(it's the part of the court romance plot where I'm expected to cheer for a disdained noble putting the haughty/conniving servants "in their place")

That aside, can anybody identify what they're eating on the last page?

Mooncakes, potentially?

last edited at Jun 14, 2024 11:19AM

Clever girl. Can't play our little Empress that easily. Dowager has made the wrong enemy.

Oof, the Little Empress is finally showing her claws. I hope she understands that she is officially declaring war on the Dowager at this moment, and has made off-screen preparations accordingly. :-)

I mean the Dowager's scheme here was already kinda declaring war on her. What was she supposed to do otherwise, let them smear her as a violent abusive empress?