Your Highness, Men Cannot Be Wives

Xie Baizheng, a history lecturer at a certain university, woke up one day as an ancient academic underachiever, a cannon fodder character wrongly accused and killed in history. And by his bedside— “You’re the goddess? I’m Huo Jingchuan. You’ve descended to marry me.” Unofficial histories record that the Imperial Preceptor of the Great Yong Dynasty divined that Prince Qing, Huo Jingchuan, had a noble destiny and could only marry a goddess. Prince Qing himself found this absurd and rode out of the palace alone for a hunt. His riding and archery skills were unmatched in the capital. No one could stop him. But on this particular day, his horse was startled, and he was thrown, landing headfirst. When he woke up again, he actually saw a “goddess” on the bed, her appearance perfectly to his liking. There was just one problem. It wasn’t his bed, and he himself was as light as a feather, able to float, seemingly having become a wandering soul from a storybook. Two months later, Xie Baizheng thought he was just taking it easy, only dealing with some unavoidable troubles, but the Imperial Academy sent him an acceptance letter, a prominent political figure who had established his own school of thought wanted to take him as a disciple, and even a notorious organization came to ask if he wanted to support Prince Qing as the next emperor? Xie Baizheng: “…” Huh? Prince Qing himself was annoyed. His wife was a workaholic, always getting promoted, always surrounded by bothersome people. How could he make his wife focus only on him? After some thought, Prince Qing decided to formally propose marriage. One hundred and eighty dowry gifts were still on their way when the entire court panicked: “Your Highness, a man cannot be a princess consort!” Young Master Xie was a national treasure and couldn’t be monopolized by Prince Qing! Xie Baizheng: “…” He had said it before, a man really couldn’t be a wife.

Original Publisher

jjwxc

Original Language

chinese

Type

Web Novel

## My Thoughts on *Your Highness, Men Cannot Be Wives* ### First Impressions Okay, so I dove into *Your Highness, Men Cannot Be Wives* with a certain set of expectations, given the title and tags. I was anticipating a heavy focus on the romantic relationship between the leads, but what I found was a bit different. It’s definitely a story that blends genres, throwing mystery, political intrigue, and a touch of the supernatural into the mix. Initially, I was a little thrown off, but I quickly adjusted to the shift in focus. ### What Works Well The characters are definitely a strong point. I found myself enjoying both the MC and the ML, and their dynamic, while not overtly romantic (at least initially), is engaging. They operate more like a well-oiled team, which I appreciate. The world-building, steeped in ancient China with a supernatural twist, is also quite interesting. The author does a good job of creating an immersive atmosphere. I enjoyed the found family aspect that slowly developed and the cross-dressing element added a fun layer to the story. I also appreciated the humor that was woven throughout the narrative, keeping it from becoming too heavy. ### Areas of Concern While the mystery and political elements are present, I did feel that they sometimes lacked depth. The mysteries felt more like episodic problems that needed solving rather than intricate puzzles that captivated me. I also felt that the political intrigue was somewhat superficial. While this might appeal to readers who prefer lighter reads, I personally would have liked to see these aspects explored in more detail. I also would have liked to see the romantic relationship between the leads developed a bit more. While their teamwork is enjoyable, the attraction between them feels somewhat superficial. I hope to see this develop more as the story progresses. ### Final Verdict Overall, *Your Highness, Men Cannot Be Wives* is an enjoyable read, especially if you're looking for a blend of genres with a focus on mystery and political intrigue rather than solely on romance. The characters are well-developed, the world is immersive, and the humor keeps things light. While the mystery and political elements could be more in-depth, the story is still engaging and entertaining. I'd recommend giving it a try if you're looking for something different in the shounen ai genre.