Mailyn

You're Welcome.

If you are interested, there are many short history videos on the various aspects of the lives of Ming and Qing Dynasty concubines on You tube - some better than others. And yes, I can name at least three dramas where this happens.

Concubines in the Ming dynasty were far worse off. If they had not given birth to a child they were killed and buried (in their hundreds) with the emperor on his death. This only stopped when the eighth emperor of that dynasty put a stop to it.

Yes, but in those days, the aristocratic class and the quasi-middle class males had to be responsible for women whom they had 'tupped' (especially if they were pregnant) by taking them into their home to live as part of the family - not that it worked, necessarily, or was a good idea by modern standards - but that was the moral attitude towards responsibility for women at that time. If you think about it, he did not discard her (by said standards) - he elevated her social position which brought her (to their way of thinking, that is) social standing and security. That was the prevalent thinking of a patriarchal society. No emperor would have spent a lot of time visiting his concubines. But yes, I get your point - by today's standards he used her and dumped her. But in our world, generally speaking, a woman can refuse a man. But you try getting a modern man to take responsibility for every woman (or even one woman) he had a one night stand with (whether she was pregnant or not).

Less truncated?

What episode are you on?

Finally - somebody who realises, well hang on, is he really an evil King? Does he really not deserve the throne? Does he really need to be killed and replaced? We have not seen what he was like before being, deceived, betrayed, drugged, and poisoned by his closest minister - so we cannot make that determination, can we? (In one episode we did see a flashback of the King and the Grand Prince as a child which gave a different impression of him.)

Actually, I would call his brother a jerk. Being a very superficial character, he could never be accused of having a complex personality with hidden depths. What you see is what you get. Somebody like him could never be redeemed - in life or in death.

Also, I don't use words that I don't mean. Had I written the wrong word by mistake, I would have edited my post. Having spent years as a copyeditor/proofreader, I still habitually edit, and re-edit everything that I write.

(With my tongue firmly in my cheek and my mind not quite in the gutter) I would have to say, it depends on what you mean by...ahem...'study'. Yes, I too, would rather be up close and personal with a Prince Charming - much more fun and much healthier - but the scientist in me would like to see how his mind works.

You're welcome. It's called 'critical thinking;' for a reason!

Too true. But I was saying more (and perhaps too obliquely) that even that which is explicitly shown is not understood by some people - which is painfully obvious from some of the posts that I read on MDL. As I said earlier, and not just to you, I was surprised to encounter not one, but two MDL members who had more insight about the characters whom they were watching than the average viewer.

Again, you are welcome.

You are most welcome. Some times, it seems that too many people have a very superficial understanding of the complexities of what they are watching.

Did you see the preview of ep. 14 (at the end of ep. 13) I doubt that he will finally realise that "People are people" but I think that he will at least help the Crown prince to save the FL.

@ Hanikas: Hmm. Not so sure about that - more like differences in biological mandate.

You are looking at him as if he were a two-dimensional cut-out. He is multi-faceted and very complex; certainly not your usual bad guy - unlike his father.

At least you are honest! I find him fascinating - he makes an interesting social study. I want to crawl inside his head and have a look.

Another mature and insightful post - on the same page, too. Unlike some of the really vicious, toxic, posts that I have read elsewhere this week!

It is also refreshing to read such mature and insightful comments, for once.

Does somebody - a complex somebody - have to be a jerk, just to have a redemption arc? I don't think that THAT was necessarily what @batatatamusic meant or even implied. I like some, not all, anti-hero types - but dislike all jerks in general. But I suppose it depends on what you think a jerk is. P.S. The sort of antihero personality that she was describing did not come off as being a jerk at all, but that is just my own opinion.