The translation is not easy to understand. It takes longer than it should to gather what is (or might be) happening because the grammar is off and the tenses are constantly changing. The translator did do a great job of direct translations & making footnotes explaining the Chinese proverbs.
However, that is a minor flaw compared to the, excuse my French, sh***y plot.
The gender roles and idealization of "feminine" beauty is revolting enough, but the fact that the male lead actually had her surgically upgraded to his standards without her consent? I want to gag but I'm too angry.
His excuse is that he expended resources saving her off a battlefield, so having the doctor change her face and body while saving her life was okay. The MC gets angry she's in such a "weak/slender/frail" body, while the characters generally make comments about her new aesthetics, and emphasize the correlation between beauty and fragility.
She asks how she's supposed to go out and win battles for him (the emperor) now? He says she never has to fight again. Because ofc, women should be delicate, and stay at home where they can be protected/controlled.
(To be clear, he says, "...my Ming dynasty doesn't need a female general..." and "my imperial harem will be open for you.")
Unsurprisingly, there is no body dysmorphia, or any consideration as to what this kind/amount of surgery would do to a person's mobility and psyche.
Also unsurprisingly, the male lead is rich, powerful, beautiful, commanding, persistent, and selfish. There's some foreshadowing she will end up with him, not only in the plot/cliches used, but in his dialogue. Like this line: "I'm sure one day you be willing to become mine."
I'm just not interested in seeing that happen, much less in torturing myself up until that point with this constant barrage of sexism. & idk anyone who would enjoy reading this - not even my tween niece.
Hard Pass.
Edit: I decided to try skimming through the other four released chapters to see if there was anything to change my mind on dropping this, but I was right to pass. Chapter Eight has the emperor telling he he doesn't want to "cut off (her) eagle wings but sometimes, when the eagle flies too far..." when she doesn't respond to his advances as he'd like her to. Disturbing af. Glad to drop this permanently.