autumn carrot

Is there any record of how much screen time each character has?

I think the reasoning behind her actions were very good. the problem was with the execution of the actual behavior. It's like the khatun herself sees herself as a villain. She had no self-righteous air to her. I've noticed as long as a villain believes in their righteousness, they can be very charming. She lacked that.
I don't know if it's the editing, the acting, or the writing of the show but once she turned evil, she really went too hard on the disney villain style. A little bit more of her initial vulnerability or residue of her trauma could make the character appear more complex and sympathetic.

I think passage of time is not consistent in the show. For example, twenty episodes show just a few weeks but then two episodes show the passage of multiple months.

I know from the coup to Li Shimin becoming emperor took two months.
There's a lot of things that confuse the timeline though.
Like I think Leyan was lost for about four months maybe.
And Changge had her first period since she left home in Eagle division which would imply the whole thing took three weeks-ish maybe. Otherwise, that would have been a real problem earlier. Also apparently Asun took Shouzhou in 10 days so it all holds up.
But after that, I have no idea. There's also the confusing snow during the scene where Changge yielded the city. Otherwise, the seasons barely change. No one even changes their clothes in any way that would imply colder or warmer weather.
The traveling time from one location to the other is really messy too. Like Changge walked to Shouzhou on foot but Leyan was in a human trafficking cart and they took longer to get to a neighboring town!
They also move from north to south pretty fast.
Honestly, I've stopped trying to understand time in cdramas. Time moves in circular motions in dramaland.

Yeah, I just don't like this type of character, I guess. I can't think of any like her off the top of my head but I'm sure I have been annoyed by characters like her before. It's like she's just there to create trouble!

Thank you so much for the offer but I don't think that's how I personally work.
I don't need explanations. I'm perfectly capable of empathizing with most characters in the show. If a character needs an essay attached to it for it to be understood then that's a failure of the writer in conveying the character's identity.
Here, I don't care that she is forced or poor or that she has a little brother they are keeping hostage or that she is bullied.
She's annoying despite everything. She is bratty, whine-y, and clingy. It also makes no sense that an ill-treated slave is so bold and handsy with the masters. That's just illogical. If I was in the show, I would think it was shady how she immediately started bossing people around. I hate how she thinks she has some right over Changge and the way she always whines about being with Changge even when other people are in mortal danger around her. She didn't even apologize to Leyan for stealing her moneybag. In fact, every time she messes up (like starting a freaking plague aka the most boring plotline in the show) she never apologizes, just does this sniffle-crying thing until people tell her it wasn't her fault.
So really, I don't need an explanation. We don't have to like every single character in a show, anyway.
I'm perfectly comfortable with disliking this extremely meddlesome, irritating character, tbh! She's just the type of character I would dislike, there's nothing to do about it. I just wish there was less of her in the show. It really puts a damper on my enjoyment.

I kind of understand the khatun but yeah it's a bit boring. She also talks very slowly so I always watch her scenes with a 1.5 speed!

pffffft that kissing scene...hahahahahaha
#they tried!

I am. I only tolerate her in scenes that she is in with the main characters. I don't want to miss the important plot points.

Update: I am still annoyed by mimi guli and every episode, it's getting worse.

*grabby hands* give.it.to.me.now.

The covid dance king, the dance-off, mini-Changge running around the place, the whole Khan stuff, Mu Jin with all those blisters, and
Master Qin dressed up and DANCED?!??!?! I-...

Episode 36 feels like a fever dream.

You are totally right! The moment a character starts annoying you, there's no going back.
I don't think I'll change my mind. I might think she's a good person or a tragic one or something but I doubt I'll find her less annoying!

And mimi keeps getting more and more annoying with every new plot development. A truly amazing feat!

Not yet.

Yes, Mu Jin is so pretty that it's a shame I can't tolerate his scenes!
I'm still pissed at mimi since she stole Leyan's moneybag. I know Leyan got it back but mimi is now just too irritating for me to watch. I do like her friendship with Changge but overall she's too annoying.
I have watched some of Game of thrones... didn't really like it.

I like most of the plotlines in the show. I just can't stand the romance between mimi and mu jin. It's just so boring for me. Every time they show up, my watching speed drops to half an episode per day!

Yeah but the way he immediately takes his support and love away from Hao Du the moment he expresses his opinion is an entirely different thing than his childish agenda against Changge.
I've noticed from the start of the show, Hao Du is clearly desperate to gain his father's approval and the way minister Du withholds that from him is very shady.
I don't doubt that he cares about the emperor and the dynasty and is very hardworking and whatnot but he is a terrible father anyway.
tbh, dads have a bad record on this show. They all kind of suck!

I'm not talking about people's ability to change, though. Of course people change. I don't need a tv show to tell me that. It's about the fact that I won't feel bad if the character dies later.