budoboo

People actively trying to fight the rating. Best way to battle it is go to each and every episode and rate it.

Right there with you.

Thank you as always for all your shares. I appreciate them!

From day one the absolute star of this drama was the screenwriter Shuang Cheng. To that end, for me, this drama goes one of two ways:

1. One of my all time fav Cdramas– if we end up with a short-armed Emperor indicating that I did manage to both connect with this drama and understand, at least in part, the writer and his mission/vision.
Or
2. One of my all time least liked Cdramas – if we end up with a baby emperor indicating I wasted my energy and time without understanding a damn thing about what the writer was trying to convey.

Spoiler verdict below! 😅

I do not disagree with your logic regarding the doctor. For me, I see the ML of this drama as killing and the SML as death. And, the classification of good vs bad killing tied to the why kill: vendetta, vengence, revenge, retaliation, and meaningless killing - which all have different meanings - and the how kill. Each viewer has their own interpretation for what is okay killing and what is not okay killing and identifies that with the many characters. Makes this drama writing a masterpiece.

It the one question that drives me nutters. Beyond the descriptions of the dramas there should be a seperate listing & classification. BIG PHAT ROMANCE RIGHT HERE PEOPLE (BFRRHP).

If I am coming across as a 'killer' tree hugger that is bad communication on my part. Not talking about a good person or a bad person or that no one should kill. You can be a good person and kill and you can be a bad person and kill. I am talking about a good killer/good killing vs a bad killer/bad killing.

Repeating myself - this dramas' ML is killing and its SML is death. The when, why and how of killing is at the centre. The writer is demonstrating the contrast between vendetta, vengeance, revenge, retaliation and meaningless killing and each concept has a different meaning including a good vs bad killing classification. We end up with something like:

Bad Killer
For the fun of it
For enjoyment
Impulsive (felt like it)
Anger (heat of the moment)
Ego (feel better about self)
Without real reason

Good Killer (e.g., an emperor)
Love of country
Love of family
Protection of country/family
Self Defence
For a good/righteous cause

Then there is the subject of the act of killing and the treatment of the body after death - the honourable way and the dishonourable way. An example demonstrated in the drama is the dishonour of disfiguring the person during the killing (e.g., head axing/head smashing). Setting aside removing the head which has its own meanings that places two characters in this drama at the bottom of the honourable killer list and the top of the bad killer list - baby emperor and Su Chang Lin in the scumbag psycho category of killers. Irredeemable killers.

When the brothers were having their scene the older brother was re-enforcing/recontextualizing the notion of killing for the country and its people is okay. And, that the younger brothers ability to be able to put himself in the position to be able to kill the older brother was a badge of strategic merit. IOW - he was educating him and in turn hopefully modifying the baby brothers impulse to kill.

True. Though the father died because of politics and the children died because of politics. Both ML & master are looking at retaliation in the same light - that its justifiable.

This is a male centric violent vendetta drama that has no room for romance. Not that romance is not part of peoples lives or that it is not important. Its just not part of this drama nor is it important for this drama.

Revival of SCL does not need to take up action time. He would be a good character to leave hanging in the crowd in the ending scene's.

Tnx.

Looks like Ye Zheng Think he fought his way out and is coming for his master?

Will definately read your review. Looking forward to it.

That was his teacher/king who gave him a snake in his childhood to confirm what kind of person the teacher thought he was. The king tested all these students for further reference. He knew these where the people he would need or need to exploit or need to kill in the future. I would make an argument for him being more controlled than frightened? Either way I get your point.

It was the same stab technique the Tiemo king taught the other guy. It incapacitate them. Difficult to recover from. Long term damage. Everything we have seen the little emperor do is exactly what he has done - on his own valition in most cases. There was no back story to him hacking his look alike in the head. There was no back story to him chopping the stocker to pieces. We are not going to see eye-2-eye on this one. Nor come close like we typically do. 😅 Still, as always, I respect your opinion, enjoy your posts, and look forward to catching up with you again next year. Have a lovely holiday!

Well the second thrust was on purpose. Broke my heart. Biggest emotional drama reaction for me since the beginning of 2025. Okay, it might be xmas too and my brothers are driving me MAD.

WP point is on point. Agree 100%

Wow. Going to call this a generous holiday spirit view. You are a nicer person than I. My view on snake poisoning, head hacking, chopping a body to bits, and stabbing a brother/family member tends towards a black and white view. You are and evil SOB who will do it again or you are not. Not unlike managing a large group of people - believe what they show you not what they say.

OMG!!! < --- This. He had options!! It makes me beyond annoyed that so many here can not see the truth of it. The need to make excuses or a stone cold killer or cling to a redemption arch leaves me disheartened.

Well put! 👏