National Beauty

• Author: Xiao Jia Ren
• Genres: Romance, Cổ Đại, Trọng Sinh
• Status: Completed
• Chapters: 236
• Rating: ★ 3.8 / 5
• Published: 2026-10-04

Rebirth Setup and the Safety Trap

Spanning 236 chapters, National Beauty follows the rebirth journey of Song Jianing. In her previous life, she met a tragic end after being conned and murdered by her ex-husband.

Given a second chance, she plays it safe after her mother remarries into the Duke's mansion. However, her dream of a quiet life is constantly threatened by the unwelcome attention of her stepbrother, Guo Xiao.

Instead of growing a backbone or fighting back, she resorts to bribing Zhao Heng with candy to secure his protection. This cowardly approach makes for a highly passive start, sending the plot down a generic, overly safe path.

A Highly Controversial Heroine

The characterization of Song Jianing is the most polarizing aspect of the novel. While she possesses breathtaking beauty, her personality is initially exasperatingly naive and childish.

Some readers appreciate the heroine's realism, glad she doesn't magically turn into an all-powerful genius overnight. Her mother's death from grief leaves her orphaned, eventually forcing her to grow some resilience.

But for more demanding readers, her helplessness and weak-willed nature are highly frustrating. She relies almost entirely on the male lead to bail her out of family schemes and escape her creepy stepbrother.

Devoted Male Lead with a Flaw

The saving grace of the story is the male lead, Zhao Heng, a princes burdened with a stutter. His mother died giving birth to him, and his imperial father largely ignored and looked down on him.

Having endured a lonely, mocked childhood, he is deeply moved by the simple kindness of a candy offered by Song Jianing. His profound devotion to her blossoms from that single moment.

His rise to become the future emperor just to protect his beloved offers some emotional payoff. However, the power struggles among the princes are written with zero depth and lack any real tension.

Silver Linings

• A unique male lead in Zhao Heng, who despite his speech impediment is fiercely devoted and steadfast.
• A sweet romance that offers a warm and healing vibe for slice-of-life fans.
• The character development of Song Jianing from naive to self-aware is decently paced.
• The Duke's mansion setting and domestic conflicts are clearly mapped out and easy to follow.

Glaring Flaws

• The heroine Song Jianing is too weak and passive, depriving readers of any satisfying revenge.
• The stepbrother Guo Xiao's complex feelings are half-baked, lacking convincing psychological depth.
• The plot drags in the early stages, getting bogged down in trivial details with no real hook.
• The political schemes among the royal factions are laughably simple, resolved purely by the male lead's plot armor.

Community Feedback

• WTR-LAB: 4.3/5 (8 reviews, checked on 04/10/2026); readers praise the sweet romance and down-to-earth realism.
• Novel Updates: Highly polarized (checked on 04/10/2026); some praise the realistic heroine for not being an instant genius, while others bash her for being overly naive and useless.

Verdict and Recommendation

This historical romance is strictly mediocre and offers nothing groundbreaking. The combination of a damsel-in-distress beauty and a deeply devoted male lead is a tired, predictable formula.

If you are looking for a brilliant rebirth heroine or ruthless political scheming, skip this entirely. This is strictly a brain-dead, casual read.

Bottom line: National Beauty is a safe, fluffy romance that sorely lacks the grit and cleverness required of a good rebirth novel.

Tags: rebirth, historical, romance