Story:
I just can't put my finger on what the author wants. This whole story is just so frustrating that I'm wondering whether it'll be the start of a theme for masochists exclusively. In the pro-prologue you see the protagonist striving but then you get like around 90 ch of her suffering??? The author can't write anything else besides that for 90 chapters. And it's not even a dark psychological story! It's bright, bright but depressing. It doesn't make sense. (edit: I can't possibly consider this angst since there's nothing to choose between. There's only aimless suffering).
And the reasons for the protagonist's suffering are so weak in the sense that the author tries too hard to force suffering on her. First, she can't communicate. Our empress who excels in all areas can't communicate with her husband to tell him what he's doing wrong and just expect him to know it himself (which he should, but if he doesn't at least try and explain. You have to put up with him for the rest of your life (she didn't know she would remarry then)).
Now I get that communication isn't always easy so I'll let that slide. But why in the world is the husband, a whole ass emperor, so stupid as not the know that it's obvious that his wife won't like the concubine??? And he expects his wife to organise everything for his concubine????? Let's just suppose his concubine is a sweetheart (which is also what he thinks), it's still perfectly logical that his wife will still dislike her right? His stupidity as a normal man doesn't make sense, let alone as the emperor. Where's his education?
Now the only logical character is the goddamn concubine Trastha. Despite f*cking hating her, I'd rather read the story from her perspective cause that girl is smart. Just imagine what it's like for one of the most hateable characters to be the most realistic and understandable.
Art:
The art is sooooo stunning. The protagonist is so pretty, It definitely helped the story. Too bad the story didn't help the art.