Volume 4 continues where the cliffhanger
ending of the previous book left things: Cui Buqu injured at the hands of Feng
Xiao who has seemingly become a member of the Thirteen Floors conspiracy group. But
things are never as they seem with the two espionage masters. In no time at
all, they’ve created chaos and fled the caves.
They were lured there with the promise that
they get to meet the leader of the group, but that person never shows up. All
is not lost though, because they learn the leader’s identity anyway, someone
they’ve met already, though someone neither of them thought much of.
Safety is fleeting. On Empress’s orders, Cui
Buqu heads to a region pestered with floods. He’s accompanying an imperial
censor who suspects foul play in distribution of aid. What looks like a simple
matter of embezzlement turns out to be more sinister. And once again, the men
are in mortal peril.
This was an excellent book. The number of times
Cui Buqu almost died is incredible, yet he soldiered on. And Feng Xiao finally
decides that Cui Buqu is the only person worthy of his attention. Too bad he
has great trouble making the other man take him seriously. But the banter is spot
on.
The volume doesn’t conclude the flood case,
but it’s not a cliffhanger as such, merely it leaves the wrapping up unfinished.
But the men now know who they’re fighting against and the rope is tightening.
And of course, there’s the romance to root for. Looking forward to reading
more.
The story really gets going in volume 3. It
starts at the encampment of the Western Khaganate where Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao
had been honoured guests until the second prince was suddenly murdered at the
end of the previous volume. Now the men stand accused of the deed. The way out
of the situation is to solve the crime themselves. But instead of Cui Buqu
doing the investigation, he volunteers to stay as a hostage while Feng Xiao
investigates. Only, the latter has no intention of doing so.
Cui Buqu has an ace on his sleeve though,
and doesn’t need Feng Xiao—until he does. In the end, the mystery is solved
rather fast, and not in any way I thought it would. The men are now free to
travel back home where they are hailed as heroes.
Their adventures at end, they continue
their separate lives as heads of their rivalling secret service organisations.
But Cui Buqu has promised a rare musical instrument for Feng Xiao as a reward
for saving his life. It turns out to be in the hands of Cui clan, and the men
travel together to fetch it. But the instrument is all but forgotten when Feng
Xiao has a chance to learn about Cui Buqu’s past and his connection to Cui clan.
It’s an interesting and sad story, but Cui Buqu has a chance to air old
grievances and eventually emerge on the top.
But the men haven’t forgotten the mysterious
secret organisation that seems to be behind all their troubles. Going after it
again leads to a sudden gut-wrenching twist and betrayal the kind that’s familiar
from the author’s Thousand Autumns novel. The end is a huge cliffhanger that
leaves Cui Buqu in mortal peril. It’ll be an agony to wait for the next volume.
This was maybe the best volume so far. A
lot happened and the men really became their own characters. Cui Buqu
especially had a chance to shine. There wasn’t much in the way of romance, only
brief teasing moments, and after this volume, the road to a happy ending will
be long. The secret organisation and its motives remain a bit over the top, but
as an adversary, it’s interesting. Side characters from previous volumes didn’t
really show up and new ones didn’t take their place. All in all, an entertaining read.
Second volume of Peerless sees Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao, the brilliant leaders of Sui empire’s
secret agencies, embark on their journey to west to form an alliance with one
of the khaganates there. With them is the khan’s favourite concubine, and Cui
Buqu’s trusted underling. But since two women and two men who are not married
or related travelling together is seen improper, the group poses as two married
couples, though not in obvious kind of pairings.
The journey
through the desert is arduous and the small group pauses at Qiemo, the remotest
outpost of the empire. They soon discover, that the actual power in the town
isn’t in the hands of the empire’s representative, but a former bandit and a
descendant of a former king who have divided the town between them. Since they
have a bit of time in their hands, Cui Buqu and Feng Xiao decide to do something
about it, with their now familiar method of causing chaos and seeing what’s
what once the dust settles. What emerges is a discovery of a secret
organisation that neither agent had heard of before.
From there,
the journey continues to the khaganate. There they discover that the favourite
concubine has lost her position and the enemy and the khan’s second son now have
the khan’s ear. They’re determined to see the representatives of the empire
dead, concocting a scheme after another. The pair prevail, though not unscathed,
turning the tides for the empire. But just as they’re about to form the
alliance, bad luck—or a hidden enemy—strikes again, ruining everything. The
book ends at this cliffhanger.
This was in
some ways better book than the first. The story was more straightforward, and
the dynamics of the odd pair started to settle in. Cui Buqu wasn’t sick the whole
time, so his brilliant mind could shine. Feng Xiao wasn’t quite as obsessed
with his own beauty and excellence, and he got to show off his martial arts skills—and
his acting skills as a woman, which he made the most of. But the power struggle
between the pair wasn’t so prominent, with fewer funny scenes between them, and
there were more battle scenes, which paused the story several times. Not as
many as in Thousand Autumns though. Nevertheless, the grumpy-sunshine(ish) pair
is wonderful and I can’t wait to see how they get out of the latest scrape and
where they’ll head next.
Peerless starts a new danmei series by Meng Xi Shi. According to the back cover text, it’s set in the same world as their Thousand Autumns series, but in this first volume the connection is mostly the jianghu, as the author calls their martial arts world. Here, jianghu only plays a secondary role though.
The main characters are Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu, leaders of rivalling secret agencies of the new dynasty. Feng Xiao is a martial arts expert, beautiful beyond belief, and self-centered in a way that’s both aggravating and amusing. Cui Buqu doesn’t know any martial arts and he’s sickly and weak, but his mind is sharp. He’s on a secret mission on a remote border town, working under cover when Feng Xiao arrives to town to investigate a murder of a foreign emissary.
Feng Xiao immediately suspects Cui Buqu, who seizes the opportunity to hinder Feng Xiao’s investigation. But soon, the two must start working together. There isn’t love lost between the men, but some kind of respect forms in between the endless bantering.
This was a fun start to a series, and very different from Thousand Autumns. The beginning was a tad confusing, as it was told from the points of view of random characters, and it took several chapters before Feng Xiao and Cui Buqu came to fore. The main plot is a murder mystery, although a convoluted and highly illogical, the suspects springing up at random. The men manage to explain everything in the end though. The start of their relationship is rocky, but very entertaining, each holding their own. And the next mystery is already waiting for them. Looking forward to reading it.
Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu has ended with the fifth volume. It ended like it began, more
focused on the politics of the empire and the cultivation world (called jianghu
in this series, “rivers and lakes”, like the author explains in the afterword),
and on the questions of morality and human nature than on the romance.
At the
beginning of the volume, Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi help Puliuru Jian to free his
children from being held hostage by the emperor, and subsequently to seize the
throne. It’s a fairly fast affair, compared to some in the previous volumes.
From there,
the men part ways and Shen Qiao finally heads back to Xuandu Mountain to handle
the traitors in his sect and to assume the leadership once again. But he’s
barely done when he learns that Yan Wushi has challenged the best cultivator in
the world, Hulugu of the Göktürk Khagnate, to a duel. Everyone knows it’ll be
to death, and so Shen Qiao rushes to be by Yan Wushi’s side.
At this
point, I thought the romance would finally bloom, but no. Only in the final paragraphs
of the last chapter does Shen Qiao show some emotions towards Yan Wushi, but it
isn’t until the last of the seven epilogue chapters before the men finally
become a couple. Even then, they both remain true to their characters.
The story
began with Yan Wushi trying to corrupt Shen Qiao to prove that everyone would
put their self-interest first, a thread that prevailed over the romance
throughout the story. In the end, he was forced to admit that Shen Qiao was
unique, and therefore worthy of his admiration, the basis of his romantic
feelings. Why Shen Qiao would love him in return was never clear, but his
ability to forgive was great and Yan Wushi managed to manipulate Shen Qiao into missing
him. Of the two, Yan Wushi changed more, but only with Shen Qiao. Their coming together was kind of cute, but
if the reader is looking for high emotions, great declarations, and carnal relations, they’re bound to be disappointed.
The main
story is followed by several short stories that show that while the men never
settle down to living together, they remain a couple and always return to the
other after roaming the empire. The stories aren’t very romantic or emotional
either, but they show cute glimpses of the men’s lives from past and future.
Despite the
lack of great romantic emotions, I was satisfied with the ending and the series
as a whole. It remained true to its premise, the political plots were
interesting, and as I realised early on that the romance wouldn’t be there, I wasn’t
disappointed with what I got. I’m happy where the men ended up, and the lives
they live seem interesting and rather carefree. After everything they went
through, they deserve happiness.
The story of Shen Qiao, the good Daoist cultivator, and Yan Wushi, the leader of the
demonic cultivating sect, has reached the second to last volume. After the excitement
at the end of the last volume, the start of this one is fairly calm. Shen Qiao
takes Yuwen Song, the last heir of the previous emperor, to safety with the Bixia
Sect. Life for them would be serene even, if Yan Wushi didn’t insist on
accompanying them.
Yan Wushi
has had a great change of mind—or heart—since the previous book. All of a
sudden, Shen Qiao is the most wonderful and perfect person in the world for him,
and he’s determined to make the younger man his in a very forceful way. Shen
Qiao is equally determined not to believe a word that comes out of Yan Wushi’s
mouth, and he most definitely won’t open his heart after the way Yan Wushi
broke it earlier by betraying him.
The
political turmoil catches with them when they attend the Sword Trial Conference
where the rankings of the cultivation world are determined with several battle scenes. An old grandmaster,
long believed dead, shows up. And he’s someone even Yan Wushi isn’t willing to
face. So he whisks Shen Qiao away, and the pair head to save another contender
to the throne. The book ends in the middle of a scene again, before that
storyline finds conclusion.
This was
the most romance filled book so far, if one can call it such. At least for the
first time, it dominated the narrative, and we get Yan Wushi’s point of view of
things. But it’s difficult to see how everything could be solved between the
men in the last book that’s left, the misunderstandings and mistrust are so
strong. But I’m definitely eager to find out.
Thousand Autumns, the story of Shen Qiao, the pure and good Daoist cultivator, and Yan
Wushi, the leader of the demonic cultivation sect, set in imaginary 6th century
Chinese empire has reached its third volume. It continues where the previous
one left, Shen Qiao rushing to save Yan Wushi from an ambush he couldn’t
possibly survive—only to arrive too late.
Yan Wushi’s
enemies learn that they and Shen Qiao are on opposing sides politically too, no
matter what Shen Qiao thinks of Yan Wushi personally. Reluctantly, they give
his body to Shen Qiao who has now made powerful enemies. But Yan Wushi is not
dead.
Tides have
turned for the two men. It’s now Shen Qiao’s turn to nurture Yan Wushi back to
health. It’s not an easy task and comes with a curious twist. A head injury
surfaces multiple personalities in Yan Wushi, most of whom are more likable
than the man himself. Some tender feelings rise, but those hoping for a proper
romance are again disappointed. In the end, the original personality returns
and Yan Wushi pulls yet another shitty move, leaving Shen Qiao to deal with the
political ramifications of what his alleged death has caused.
This was a
great volume. Shen Qiao and Yan Wushi spent most of it together, and even
though there weren’t many scenes from the latter’s point of view, there were
some insights into him. Mostly though, it’s still the story of Shen Qiao
growing to become the most powerful martial artist in the realm. There were
even more battle scenes than before where he fights against an overwhelming
enemy, surprising them with his skills. The volume ends after one such scene,
not quite with a cliffhanger but leaving everything open-ended. It’s impossible
to tell where the story is going from here, but I’ll definitely read on to find
out.
The second
volume of Thousand Autumns: Qian Qiu, a xianxia set in alternative 7th
century China, picks up where the previous left, at the banquet where stunning
revelations have ruined the party. Battle after battle ensues, barely giving
the reader time to adjust. In the end, Shen Qiao has to step in to save the
night and reveal who he is.
Pace calms
a little after that, but not by much. The narrative is much tighter than in the
first volume. The politics of the backstory have been set aside, the cast of
characters is smaller, and Shen Qiao has a clear goal: finding his treacherous friend
who poisoned him. He parts ways with Yan Wushi, only to have the man return in
his life in a most unfortunate manner possible.
It’s clear
by now that this isn’t a love story. It’s the story of Shen Qiao’s trials and
tribulations. He’s tested time and again, beaten to near death, only to rise
back up and grow even stronger. Yan Wushi barely makes an appearance, and there
are no scenes from his point of view. But I still read it like a love story,
rooting for the pair, only to have my hopes crushed.
Even
without a romance, it’s a wonderful story. Shen Qiao is a great character with
excellent morals and kind personality. It’s wonderful to follow his journey. Yan
Wushi is ever the schemer and it’s difficult to get a hang of him. The volume
doesn’t end with a cliffhanger, but there’s a promise of an interesting story
to come. And I haven’t given up on Yan Wushi yet—and neither has Shen Qiao. I
absolutely have to read more.
Thousand Autumns is Chinese xianxia fantasy set in three 6th century empires near
Yangtse river, one of which lasted thousand autumns. Not being familiar with
Chinese history, I can’t say anything about historical accuracy, but since it’s
mainly cultivation fantasy with elaborate fight scenes, it doesn’t really
matter. However, the plot is more political than in other xianxia I’ve read.
Shen Qiao
is the leader of the top ranked Daoist cultivation sect. He and the entire sect
have kept themselves secluded from the outside world, but when he’s challenged
to a duel by a leading martial artists of a nomadic Turkic tribe, he accepts—only to
lose and almost die.
Yan Wushi
is the leader of a demonic cultivation clan (demonic, I understand, is the word
used by the translators of xianxia fantasies and not original; mainly it seems
to mean here that they’re not followers of Daoism, Buddhism or Confucianism,
but their own hedonistic intents). He’s been cultivating in seclusion for ten
years and has emerged more powerful than ever. He has a lot of catching up to
do, so when he comes across the mangled body of Shen Qiao, he almost leaves him
to his fate. But a sparkle of secret cultivation energy in Shen Qiao that Yan
Wushi covets makes him change his mind.
Shen Qiao wakes
up blind and weak, without memory and any of the cultivation power he’d had. He
sets out to make a slow way back to his sect, encountering all sorts of trouble
along the way, slowly gaining his memory but not his strength or eyesight. When
a hidden scroll about the secret cultivation method emerges, his and Yan
Wushi’s paths cross again. The two travel together, with Yan Wushi challenging Shen
Qiao to a duel after another so that he can learn the other man’s martial art
secrets.
The book
description gives to understand that this is a story of an evil man trying to
corrupt a good man. There’s certainly a lot of talk about human nature, and Yan
Wushi makes a lot of fun of Shen Qiao while trying to make him become his
student. But Yan Wushi isn’t nearly as evil as some men they encounter, and
Shen Qiao isn’t a paragon of virtue either and is capable and willing to kill
when needed. Mostly Yan Wushi is a person who won’t help others until he
himself benefits, and Shen Qiao helps everyone regardless of consequences for
himself.
It’s also
listed as a gay romance, but there isn’t even a hint of that between the men,
even if Yan Wushi occasionally teases Shen Qiao by holding his hand. If there
is going to be romance, it’ll be in later volumes. The men were very different
and there wasn’t much interaction between them, so I’m not sure what kind of
romance it would be, but I’m looking forward to finding out.
What this
is, is a cultivation adventure with a political undercurrent. There are many
players and dynasties in play, most of which are a confusing jumble, but
luckily everything is repeated several times. There’s famine and refuges and
several wars brewing. Shen Qiao learns that his loss wasn’t due to his lack of
skill but political machinations, and Yan Wushi seems to have his own agenda in
play. The book ends in a cliffhanger just as things became interesting.
While this
wasn’t the book I set out to read, I was well entertained by it. I’m looking
forward to reading the next volume.
