The Film Emperor's Princess

Xiao JiarenJinjiang Literature City2017

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Word count
388.8K words
Series
A Modern Urban Tale of Memory
ISBN
9787559411235

Tags

Featured Fiction Romance FictionFilm and TV Tie-Ins Entertainment CircleUrban RomanceAmnesia TropeLoyal HeroGrowing AffectionSweet RomancePlay Within PlayHeroine Perspective

Summary

Ming Wei, a freelance translator, joins a foreign client for dinner with the film emperor Mu Tingzhou and accidentally witnesses her boyfriend Cheng Yao on a date with the actress Wang Yingying, so she breaks up with him on the spot. Soon after, Ming Wei and Mu Tingzhou star in a period drama together, she as a princess and he as her imperial tutor. On the night filming wraps, Mu Tingzhou is in a car accident and his memory becomes disordered; he firmly believes he is the imperial tutor from the drama and, upon seeing Ming Wei, kneels respectfully and calls her Princess. From then on he treats her with reverence while meddling in everything she does, frequently causing comedic scenes. The two gradually fall for each other through their clashes, but once Mu Tingzhou regains his memory he forgets Ming Wei entirely. She walks away with poise, and the proud film emperor must court her anew in a fresh collaboration. An extra story follows the romance between the manager Xiao Zhao and Ming Wei's younger sister Ming Qiao.

Editor's review

A light, sweet romance of the kind Xiao Jiaren excels at, its main draw being the way it places the well-worn amnesia trope inside a play-within-a-play: the cold, proud film emperor mistakes reality for ancient times and addresses the heroine as "Princess" at every turn, producing a dense stream of contrast-driven comedy. The heroine Ming Wei is independent and dedicated, and she ends her relationship decisively, so her character holds up. It suits readers looking to relax and fond of the loyal, contrast-driven trope. Its weakness is a heavy reliance on misunderstandings and coincidences to move the plot, and the later courtship section is somewhat long-winded; readers who insist on logic may find it melodramatic.

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Reading tips

  1. Read it in three stages—the princess-in-the-drama period, the memory-recovered courtship period, and the extra story about Xiao Zhao and Ming Qiao—for a clearer rhythm.
  2. Focus on the comedic contrast of the male lead speaking love lines in the tone of an ancient imperial tutor, and don't worry about real-world plausibility.
  3. The extra story is a separate romance between supporting characters; if you don't care for Xiao Zhao and Ming Qiao, you can skip it without affecting the main plot.
  4. The courtship section is the book's climax, so don't give up midway because of the many misunderstandings early on.

About the publisher

Jinjiang Literature City

Jinjiang Literature City focuses on publishing online literature. Its catalog covers categories such as premium fiction, time-travel and alternate-history fiction, ancient romance, women's fiction, modern romance, and quality web fiction, reflecting a sustained interest in women-oriented reading and genre storytelling. Representative titles include Splendid Years, Where Do the Swallows of the Old Home Fly, The Starlight in My Pen Is Not as Good as You, Song of Mortals, Lin Daiyu the Great Writer, Fake Slackers, and Judge of the Soul, spanning both historical settings and contemporary themes. Authors include Lingxi Gezhu, Nanfang Chihuo, Xiaomeng Zhihuansheng, Dajiang Mingyue, Lumenke, Muguahuang, Tuige, and Ziwei Liunian, whose works often built readership through online serialization. Public information on its founding background and scale is limited, so this profile presents its publishing characteristics based only on the catalog.

FAQ

Is this book sweet or angsty? Overall it is a light, sweet story with a little heartache from misunderstandings, but they are resolved quickly.
Are the male and female leads both clean, and is there a love triangle? Both are clean; the heroine breaks up with a scumbag at the start, and there is no long-term love-triangle entanglement.
Is the physical book different from the online version? The physical book is published based on the Jinjiang online version, which includes extra stories and runs about 109 chapters.
Whose story is the extra about? Mainly the romance between the manager Xiao Zhao and the heroine's younger sister Ming Qiao.
Is there a TV adaptation, and is it worth reading the novel first? There is a same-title web drama adaptation. The novel is short and fast-paced, so you can read the original before watching.

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About the author

Xiao Jiaren Author

Xiao Jiaren is a romance author active in the field of Chinese online literature. Her real name, place of origin, and dates of birth and death are not widely available in public sources, and eleven of her works are included in this collection. She is known for ancient romance and emotional fiction, with works often listed under categories such as women's fiction and premium ancient romance. Her representative titles include "The Lu Family's Young Wife," "The Road to Becoming Empress," "The Film Emperor's Princess," "Warm Spring, Rich Fragrance," "Deep Blue," "The Prince's Young Wife," and "The Delicate Beauty." Judging from the titles and categories, her writing tends to center on ancient family life, love and marriage, and character growth, while also venturing into modern film and television themes—"The Film Emperor's Princess," for instance, is classified as a film or television original. Her style is generally warm and delicate, with smooth plotting, appealing to readers who enjoy light romance and ancient romance stories.