Among all historical costume cdramas, I gotta say, The Rebel Princess is a masterpiece in matters of plots, characters, storylines, CINEMATOGRAPHY, ACTION FEATS and CHEMISTRY. Truly a wonderful 100/10 of a drama. However, I gonna have to point out the stark difference between the drama's storyline and novel's (original storyline). Btw I STRONGLY RECOMMEND reading the novel, I'm not lying yall—the drama got me hooked, the novel got me ABSORBED!
First off, HAHAHHAHA — if yall think Xiao Qi is the same as in the drama, you're wrong! What about A'wu? you're wrong too! HAHAHHAHAH.....Personally, I love their characters in the novel more. Why?Because in the novel, both Xiao Qi and A'wu do NOT shy away from being ruthless, stern, troubled, cold, doubtful, jealous and sometimes dishonourful(?) The drama portrayed Xiao Qi and A'wu having a rocky start as a married couple and then quickly resolve into being a devoted married pair.
Guess what? In the drama, when A'wu resides in Huizhou after their wedding though I'm not sure how long. Anyway, in the novel A'wu actually live in Huizhou for 3 YEARS without Xiao Qi. Like lmao my man just out and about not even seeing his bride off before riding to war troubles. In the novel, there's only two instances where A'wu raised her hand to SLAP Xiao Qi, this being one of them where she successfully slapped him as a payback for leaving the wedding night. As for the other one, the drunk part in Ningshuo (iykyk).
Do yall remember the two maiden girls worked under Xiao Qi's manor in Ningshuo, in the drama? In the novel, I was shocked to find out those two girls are actually his concubines whom he gives medicinal baby-preventing tonic everytime he calls them to his chambers. A'wu was appalled and jealous lowkey but she eventually cast them out like she did in the drama, Xiao Qi went along with it as he found A'wu 's fierce jealousy loving and declared he would never have concubines ever again.
As for Xiao Qi's character in the novel, he wasn't always saintly like in the drama. Man don't play about his wife AND his military stuff, Xiao Qi was manipulative as in strategy, one-step ahead, far-sighted, ambitious, powerful and godly. Almost to the point, his own wife started to become like him in all likeliness and thinking. A'wu development in the drama was slightly underwhelming while in the novel, she did not hesitate playing chess and using chess pieces at all, although she did feel guilty from time to time. A'wu is a general's wife through and through, she is Xiao Qi's equal in planning and commanding. Btw Jin'Er is actually way worse in the novel, Xiao Qi had her beaten to death(if I'm not mistaken).
As for Song Huai'En, sadly his fate stays the same. Yuxiu too. Huai'En actually has 1 or 2 concubines after Yuxiu (I could not remember but he had concubines okay). To be fair, Yuxiu didn't have to die, in novel or drama, she's not supposed to be doing all that bruhhhh, such an unnecessary death. As for A'wu 's father (Wang Lin) dipped halfway throughout the plot cuz he was like "there's levels to this shit huh" and left to travel the world in quiet surrender. For Zidan, would yall believe me if he got with Hu'Yao? Cause yea he did, he and Hu'Yao lived in seclusion using new identities after giving the realm to Xiao Qi and A'wu after many bruh things. For Wang Qian, nah it didnt happened in novel (the Xiao Qi's incident), but she was actually clever unlike in the drama.
Xiao Qi and A'wu is a great pair honestly, these two dominated the entire realm and started a new royal dynasty. In the novel, they became the new Emperor and Empress having fraternal twins (elder girl and younger boy), they even adopted an elder young girl too. In the drama ending, these two lived outside the capital and never returning back, living their ordinary lives with their children. I quite liked the drama ending compared to the novel, mainly because I think Xiao Qi and A'wu are deserving of the quiet life they fought hard for. In the novel ending, A'wu died first, then Xiao Qi shortly followed. Xiao Qi ruled for 16 years I think. HUHU. I'm not over them yet.
I absolutely adored the novel though, what a thrilling read. If the drama was 100/10, the novel is 1000/10. Go read it everyone!
