This ML character feels very similar to Qimin from POJ, from being drugged to falling for a transmigrated woman.…
There's also a dialogue in the drama where fl says that perspective decides your position. Like, in novels which are written in 1st person POV, we understand the character as we are living in their POV. But, if you get out of their POV and read all the events in some other person's POV, it becomes totally different. In dramas, it works in favor of main characters because we are watching it from main characters POV, and already expect romance between main characters. So, if a male lead is a tyrant, we will not mind it as long as he is good to fl. Also, ml will be changed by the fl as it's the whole point. Otherwise, both XHD and Qi Min has past traumas. In Qi Min's case, if he was the main character then we would have expected the fl to change him and writer would have done it, too. Also, here in XHD case he was raped so I don't blame him entirely for his behavior towards his son. Also, it's not shown in the drama but in the novel, before the death of XHD in the novel world, his son actually tried to kill YW. So, he banished him from the kingdom. It also feels like he passed down his trauma to his son, and YW couldn't do anything about it. Also, YW is not to be blamed for this because no matter how good you are, you can't do everything for everyone, and even in real life, good people sometimes overlook others struggles. We all are somehow a villain in someone's story, and we can't escape this in real life. From XHD's son POV, his father never loved him and his mother died after his birth, his father and step mom tried to kill his grandmother who was soo good. See? This is all about POVs.
To watch this drama do we need to watch the first 2 fox spirit matchmaker dramas
It's not necessary to watch red moon pact but watching love in pavilion might help. Still, if you don't want to watch love in pavilion it's completely okay.