I think the problem with Jinshi is shown constantly. He has a much higher status than Mao Mao and has always been rewarded for his charming act. He can't adjust. He is shocked and saddened to know that Mao Mao had to make herself ugly to reduce the risk of being raped, because a woman wanting to make herself ugly or a little girl being raped is not part of his world. When She asked him to execute her with poison if he had to, he was horrified that she would think he would do that to her. But as she said: "It doesn't matter if you would do it or not. The important thing is that you have the power to do it". He knows the power he has over her, but doesn't realize the extent of the impact it has. For him it's personal while for Mao Mao, it's sadly normal. He knows that Mao Mao doesn't like his flirting and seeing her reactions amuses him, but doesn't realize what's sick about it. He doesn't know how to do otherwise, . He has a blockage on this point. He is in love with her and tries not to treat her like a possession. But that's all he knows. I think he will improve over time, because he wants a romantic relationship with Mao Mao. And for that, not 36,000 solutions: he must understand her and adjust to her. Edit:My mind kept spinning on this topic and I realized other things about the very construction of Jinshi's character. 1) He's not supposed to be the perfect Prince Charming. As has been said, he has his faults including immaturity. It makes it more credible and alive than if it had been an ideal that never makes a mistake. 2) Jinshi lives in the equivalent of ancient China, he is not a pro-feminist 21st century man who has isekai. He was raised with the thoughts about women of a man of his time. 3) The modern Japanese consideration of what is romantic or cringe. Even now, a lot of things in Japan regarding the status of women raise eyebrows, so trying to make Jinshi endearing by making him do gestures considered romantic to the author, makes our hackles stand instead. 4) The central problem between Jinshi and Mao Mao is precisely the power difference between them. Jinshi will abuse this power because he can and is used to it but will try, but Mao Mao cannot afford to forget her place at any time. Jinshi will let his guard down where Mao Mao will not allow it because to make a mistake would be condemnation. Jinshi would take it personally, but for Mao Mao it's something she won't be able to forget this sword of Damocles.
I like how u worded ur points. I dont like jinshi or him not understanding maomao dont like him nor his attention. And having his attention is very dangerous. Jinshi put him and maomao in danger with his obsession. If he was any other type of noble he could just demand her, but he is supposed to be enunch (or how ever u spell it) and probably can't date or shouldn't.
@@TheVander245 This is another point that makes Mao Mao different from 99% of the protagonists of fiction, but particularly Japanese fiction. I say particularly because my memories of Japanese children's cartoons tell me that aiming high is good and Westerners tell me that you have to know how to be satisfied with what you have. The majority of fictional characters at the bottom of the social ladder want to climb, earn money, recognition, love, pursue the profession they want, be number 1, etc. Mao Mao does exactly the opposite. For 99% of the characters, what Jinshi would do is hand her dream opportunities on a silver platter. But she wants to remain in anonyma, because this anonyma protects her. This is not something Jinshi understands. Here's why (I like making points)^^: 1) First of all, voluntarily staying in the shadows is not a concept he knows so it's not something he would think about. 2) Mao Mao doesn't tell him clearly so he can choose to ignore it or just completely miss it. That she looks down on him, gets it, but doesn't want to improve her position and quality of life? This idea is completely foreign to him. Someone would have to tell him straight, in words that he can't twist intentionally or accidentally. 3) If he knows the danger of the harem and the competition between the concubines, he does not know personally anyone (to our knowledge) who has directly suffered from it. At least for now. It's guilt per kilometer or rather, awareness per kilometer. The principle is “the further it is from you, the less you care”. Even if you recognize that what's happening is wrong, it's just too far away from you for you to be emotionally involved and truly understand 100% the seriousness of what's happening. Like Covid for example, we started to worry about it when it was on our doorstep (some still don't worry about it even though it's in their beds). There is “understand” and “get it”. Jinshi understands, but don't get it. What it doesn't get is that what happens to others may very well happen to Mao Mao. In absolute terms he knows it, but it remains in absolute terms. He doesn't realize it. This kind of thing happens to other people. 4) Mao Mao takes pleasure in solving investigations. He likes to please her as much as he likes to annoy her. And if it also helps him in his work, it's a win. 5) Jinshi is shown to be an intelligent but immature and ignorant young man. Ignorant in the sense of overprotected. A bit like a Sansa Stark in season 1 (well, not to that extent, but you get the idea). Jinshi is the one to whom Mao Mao will explain the harsh realities and dangers of which he does not even suspect the existence. 6) Eunuch or not, feelings are feelings. Just because you're castrated doesn't mean you stop feeling. Jinshi doesn't know how to act on his feelings, he's an immature kid. From his point of view, he loves Mao Mao but I don't think he understands that he has romantic feelings towards her. I don't think it's a social area he's familiar with. In what he knows, he plays on his charms or is sexually harassed (finding underwear made of hair in his dresser is somewhat repulsive). He's missing the point for anything deeper than the superficial "they'll do anything for my pretty face." 7) He thinks, more or less rightly, that the fact that Mao Mao is considered as his by others (servants and women being basically property) would repel disturbing or even threatening people. Being Jinshi's servant would obviously protect her from a lot of danger, at least just that of being raped at the brothel. 8) He fully expected her to get a better position given her intelligence. A better position leading to more authority and Mao Mao not being naive like poor lady Lishu, it's likely he would think she wouldn't have to worry. 9) Jinshi is self-centered. Because he is educated like that. Being around Mao Mao makes him open his eyes little by little and he is on the right track, but for the moment he is self-centered. 10) His ego. He is desired by everyone, why wouldn't Mao Mao be happy to have a relationship with him? Once again, his environment works against... him? Her? Them? In short, he needs a shot of humility, but it's a work in progress. I understand that I blame a lot of his behavior on incomprehension, but honestly, even outside of the difference in worlds that inevitably leads to misunderstandings, the main romantic characters are clueless every time. It's such an ingrained cliché that it's almost a screenwriting necessity. At least in Jinshi's case, it's justified and the problem is going to be resolved by Jinshi's future evolution, it's not just because he's stupid. The fact that Mao Mao doesn't realize that Jinshi has a crush on her feels much more artificial. Additionally, I often give the benefit of the doubt about misunderstanding because I am someone who misses social cues so much that I was given a three-day test to find out if I was autistic. I'm not, I'm just a social disaster who has trouble just reading facial expressions. Wow, that was long.
@marieguillou8808 Once again loved all this, read every part twice lol. Mao Mao has told Jinshi a few times of their social situation, she told him multiple times he is high rank she is low rank, if he want her gone, dead, bed etc it's just a word away and stated their won't be anything she could do about it. It confused him at first but understood somewhat and get sad when she says stuff like that. In her world she can't straight up turn his advices away becuz it would 1. Bring trouble and 2. unwanted attention. Which is why she go out her way to miss/ignore key details or observations about him. I also blame the rest of the cast becuz they think his crush is cute
@@TheVander245 Glad you like my brain knots so much. To everything I have said, I would add one thing that I realized around 3 a.m. while half asleep. Mao Mao is not a concubine and given the tastes of the emperor and her lack of political power (her own or of her family), she is not likely to become one. A discreet relationship is therefore less serious than if it had been a concubine or a wife. But she is an "insignificant" servant in the outer courtyard, if it's discreet no one would make a big deal out of it. If she had been a wife or a concubine, therefore an unfaithful wife especially of a powerful husband, it would have been unacceptable. But she's nobody. At the same time, Jinshi is a eunuch so he cannot marry or sleep with her (at least, cock in lady parts, there are other methods even if just one less ball greatly reduces sexual desires) . Jinshi seems to have somewhat understood that the power differential is a problem (not the full extent, but he's starting to get a sense of it). He even consciously decided not to treat Mao Mao like a toy. When he thought she wanted to leave, he let her go even though he wanted her to stay and could have made her stay. When he realizes that he was wrong, he offers to buy her back. The key word is “offer.” He doesn't try to force her into bed, he tries to seduce her but goes about it very badly (partly because Jinshi has never had to make an effort in this area so does not know how to move forward with Mao Mao). He wants her to want him too. He shows a will but also actions to treat her as a person in her own right (even more than what a woman, a commoner at that, would have been treated) rather than a toy. The reaction of others is something that makes one cringe. It's true that Jinshi's entourage treats his crush as something cute. They also compare Mao Mao to a toy. It comes from their perception of Jinshi. They treat him like a kid. For them, it's like a primary school child who has found "a girlfriend", but also a toy. They find it cute when not only would this configuration not have been cute if it had been accurate, but it is also inaccurate. Jinshi has a crush, that's a fact. But an adult crush, not the first childish “boyfriends”, not the first teenage flirts. He wants a relationship that works with Mao Mao, person to person and not owner to toy, but has no idea how to go about it, no idea of delineating what he wants, and no one gives him of advice. If he was properly guided, I really think he would improve much faster because he has the will to do so. He actually has a better regard for Mao Mao than almost everyone around him. If someone close to him sat him down and said "listen Jinshi, here's what you need to stop doing with Mao Mao if you want her to like you", he would listen and act accordingly. Except that no one does it, because everyone finds it funny (or a lever) and cute and those who have the power to do it don't do it. Thank you for your analysis of Mao Mao's ignorance, it seems much less artificial now.
I've had an argument with someone because they don't like the age gap of maomao(17) and jinshi(19). I am fully behind the relationship because not only does jinshi fall hard for her to the point he gets depressed when she is not around but also because she brings out his true nature which is childlike
That's not a bad age gap at all! It's good that she brings out his truer nature, but it'll also be good to see what good Jinshi brings out in Maomao, and not just her love of booze. Hahaha!
Half the time Jinshi acts like a 30 year old with a million problems but MaoMao makes him sulk and joke around like he's 15 years old. Honestly he feels like a teenager who never had a chance to be a teenager and is compensating for that now. You can tell in this scene he's messing with her for a reaction because he stops when he sees she zoned out and isn't paying attention to the game anymore. I do hope that he acts a bit more mature in the future if their relationship becomes a bit more serious but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy watching them clown around.
@@hurricaneofcats I think that's a very accurate assessment of Jinshi's character, a guy who missed out on being a kid/teenager when he had the chance. Now he's the emperor's agent and responsible for order in the rear Palace plus checking legislation. So, when someone like Maomao comes along and gets that younger side of him going, he acts like a goof.
@@hurricaneofcats Maomao is so bubbly and energetic when her special interest is involved, so I can totally see why that would rub off on him! Notice how he's always trying to involve her in cases that might fit within her area of expertise _specifically!_ He clearly loves seeing her like that and enjoys when he can jump in on the fun.
I'm also genuinely surprised that you missed some dialog that greatly hints at one of the grand conspiracy in the imperial family. The pieces are almost all there but I'm sure you can get a pretty good idea of what is actually happening.
I'm getting there. I've also had a few people drop massive hints and spoilers about upcoming events and reveals. I'm just letting myself enjoy the mystery as it comes. :)
I’m a manga reader and even after reading it many times, I’m very impressed and happy to hear your thoughts about it from a completely new and unique perspective😭 I’m really grateful for review videos like thesee Personally I really like jinshi’s appearence but I can never seem to like his attitude when interacting with maomao. I suspect that maybe I’m influenced by the heroine’s perspective on him personally, and that’s why his actions comes as uncomfortable for me too…but from your explanation about jinshi paints a whole new perspective of that character for me and I’m actually in awe on what he actually is as a person😭 So he isn’t just a simple pervert after all🥹
Thanks! I'm always glad to make these reviews! And yeah, Jinshi is a little more complicated than we sometimes give him credit for. We can be limited by a character's perspective, which is a great narrative tool. But it can prevent the audience from picking up on everything that the author had in mind for a character. What Jinshi did was bad, and his flirting reminds me of my own stupidity as a teenager... But when we look back at everything we've been told and shown of him, we can better understand how that situation with the honey came about. And I expect that we'll learn and see even more about him soon that will challenge what we saw of Jinshi in episode 10.
The thing is, everyone makes poor decisions. Whether they’re in the heat of the moment, misguided, or planned out decisions, everyone makes them. Do while I can see that bad decisions were made, I can’t be entirely angry at them, especially if they come to regret those poor choices. Regretting a poor decision is a telltale sign of character growth, both in stories and in real life. Even in my own stories I have my characters make bad choices, and most of them they end up regretting. It’s all about showing your readers your characters true personality through their actions.
I enjoy writing mistakes that my characters, or even outright failures. In my Legend of the Ten Lords series, there is a great comparison between multiple characters. They are all dealt crippling military defeats, and we see how events unfold for each of them. For one, it embolden him to do better and gain confidence and experience, for another he withdraws into himself and actually squanders a chance to crush his rivals, and another absolutely refuses to learn from his defeats and just blames others. Each one goes on their own path, even separating the villains in nuanced ways.
@@camillesharem each person deals with failures in their own ways. In my book “the Mage”, my main character Yuen offers a plan that exposes a weakness in the enemies line of defense. Upon carrying out this plan, a trap is sprung, and 3 members of his squad are killed. This makes him doubt himself, and just as he’s starting to recover a little bit, he makes another mistake that costs many innocent people their lives, including a friend of his. This heavily impacts his decision making skills for fear that he might suffer another catastrophic failure and cost more people their lives. He pushes through by making the safest decision he possibly can. Until, however, he’s backed into a corner where he’s forced to make a practical decision, or his loved ones will die, to which he makes his choice, and it proves to be the right one. He still suffers from hesitance when it comes to making decisions, but after this, he’s no longer crippled with anxiety when faced with a choice. Another example would be Steve from my story “Shadow Bound”. He and my other protagonist Alice spend a significant amount of time together throughout the story, growing closer as they go. But when he learns of the Umbral Sigil that’s imprinted on her neck that marks her as contracted to the Primordial Shadow, he is torn between his oath to protect the world from the influence of the Primordial Shadow and his feelings for Alice. His immediate response is that of betrayal and anger, and he tries to kill her. Needless to say, he regrets this decision immediately, but his response is to blame the Primordial Shadow for taking even more away from him. He later comes to terms with the fact that it was his own fault, and I’m still planning from there.
Sorry, ich schreibe dieses Mal in Deutsch (normalerweise auch englisch), ist in dem Fall für mich einfacher! Zitat, sinngemäß ,aus dem K-Drama The Glory: "Es ist wie Go spielen, du bleibst ganz ruhig, du verführst und wirst verführt!" Ich denke, dass Mao Mao gezielt in den Palast verschleppt wurde und auch im Palast geboren wurde, da sie mit dem alten Eunuchen/Apotheker aufgewachsen ist, das selbe für Jinshi, das angeblich verstorbene Baby, das als Eunuch getarnt im Palast arbeitet. Er zeigt ihr die Eigenheiten im Palast und bringt ihr bei damit umzugehen, da sie ja außerhalb aufwuchs. Ich denke, er hat von Anfang an eine Ahnung wer Mao Mao eigentlich ist (werden wir später sehen, genauso wie sie seine richtige Identität herausfindet). Beide mussten schnell erwachsen werden und benehmen sich deswegen auch nicht wie Teenager im entsprechenden Alter, da das für sie Gefahr bedeuten würde. Schon klar, dass jeder seine Lücken hat, er im flirten, da das im Palast anders stattfindet und sie hat durch das Freudenviertel schon zu viel gesehen und so ist sie nicht begeistert von seinen Versuchen bei ihr zu landen. Aufmerksam wird sie erst als er sich altersentsprechend verhält und mehr sein wahres Ich zeigt. Ich denke bei den beiden spielt Schicksal eine Rolle und die Pfade wurden nicht zufällig wieder zusammen geführt. Der alte Mann war jedenfalls nicht sonderlich überrascht, dass sie im inneren Palast ist, genauso wie der ältere Eunuch (?), der sich um Jinshi kümmert und ihr mit Aufzeichnungen der Vergangenheit hilft. Fakt ist, der palast ist nicht weniger gefährlich als das Freudenviertel, besonders wenn's um Eifersucht geht, da Jinshi Mao Mao Aufmerksamkeit schenkt. Ich denke, ich werde mir die light novel besorgen (mir geht der upload zu langsam 😉).
I feel like it’s meds mixed into the honey, like an antidote mixed into it I feel that whole thing with the young concubine not allowed honey is a red flag. Those ladies in waiting dgaf about her.
I'm now waiting for those ladies-in-waiting to get their comeuppance for how they've treated and manipulated Lady Lishu. Mwahahaha! You're probably right about it being meds mixed into the honey. However, i have met a couple of people who are allergic to honey, so it's not out of the realms of possibility.
One of the reveals I'm looking forward to is Lishu's place in the rear palace. As noted she's not asked to preform her 'wifely duties' and yet she was deliberately brought into the harem from the previous Emperor's, then was placed very highly rather than just one of the crowd, and on top of that has been presented as too naive to really play the game of intrigue. Yet I don't think I've seen any speculation on what _exactly_ she's doing there.
That's something to look forward to! It's clear to me now that each concubine has a very significant role in the Rear Palace and expectation attached to her. The emperor is not just some lecherous guy pumping the Rear palace full of pretty women. There's a point to it, and I think we're in for a real emotional gut punch with Lady Ah-Dou in this arc. I suspect that it'll be the same as we dive deeper into Lady Lishu.
I'm waiting for that as well. Looking at Chinese history, it was scandalous for an emperor to want to have one of his father's concubines. From what I've read, for a long time the concubines of a dead emperor were sent off to live as nuns. Not sure if that practice would have been in use in the 15th century, but I very much doubt that bringing your dead father's concubine into the palace as your own was easy. What would make the emperor go through all that effort just for a little girl who can't yet give him children? It'll be interesting.
@@mitsusah2612 I agree, this is very irregular behavior. I bet that if we got more of the palace's perspectives and politics, and not just the Rear Palace, we'd get even more juicy gossip about what it is going on. And that actually works well in the story's favor. We are largely limited to only the things that Maomao learns (with a few brief exceptions), which means that we are stuck in the same confused boat as her, learning from episode to episode. When we get the whole story and history, I'm hoping it's another emotional gut punch like what we got back with Princess Fuyou!
@@camillesharemFuyou is basically the Aura of this series. She's only there for two eps but everyone remembers her coz she's the only one who managed to say so, long, suckah! to the emps.
Recall Maomao’s comment regarding Ah-Duo would be well suited to be a free spirit riding a horse. This option is not available in Rear Palace so maybe she is not against moving out. Given the implication of how close she and the Emperor are, he will take care of her after she leaves. In fact, it is hinted that any concubine who leaves is not simply abandoned but has a future either with her family or perhaps marriage. Emperor and Jinshi seem to be aware of the challenges facing the concubines and while they realize loyalty to the Emperor and bearing royal heirs is their mission they may try to not make it their doom. His taking Lishsu back into the Rear Palace, allowing Fuyu to escape, and perhaps (I emphasize perhaps) even helping Ah-Duo after the leaving the Palace. In so far as Jinshi feels guilt on Maomao kidnapping, empathy for Fuyu (recall his pensive look after she leaves and did he help keep her pure with guards and playing along with her illness), as well as maybe encouraging not visiting such a mere child consort.
Leaders within the palace might be sympathetic to the concubines, but enter accountants and more ruthless politicians and the concubines can easily become liability. I don't think the emperor would just throw Ah-Dou out on her rear, but the positions that she and her ladies-in-waiting command would easily be something that someone lower ranking would be willing to kill for. There's a great what-if kind of anime that explores the politics and economics that swirl around keeping concubines, and how one empress moves to dissolve it because of the drain it has on her resources and the political shenanigans it engenders. The show in my opinion leaves it up in the air if Jinshi suspects that Fuyu duped the emperor. Its hinted that Maomao is the one who really has that secret pinned down. But the emperor did thread the political needle just right, letting a soldier from her region marry her once she's been deemed mentally unfit. And it was a real gamble that Fuyu and her lover made. And I really liked how episode 8 winks and nods back that event, showing how what Fuyu accomplished was the exception rather than the rule. A real fairytale ending by the measures of their world.
Maomao and others live within this world and society. None of them wants to create a social revolution. There is a certain resignation towards the injustice of status and loyalty to family/clan. A acceptance to the reality of women being exploited, yet an underlying admiration/empathy to the tenacity, courage, and intelligence of some of these women - whether they do good or evil. I think this series in some small way celebrates these women as they compete and try to succeed. It doesn’t sugar coat their reality but it does celebrate the rare successes and love shown. Jinshi, Emperor, … are aware and within the boundaries allowed support them. They must also act for their royal and the Empires survival/success. This may involve the appearance of selfishness or as Maomao says the necessity of cruelty. They cannot walk away from their duty just as the concubines can’t.
Straigth up sexual harassement. But, like Game of Thrones, It has sense in the context of the story. Still, It Is not convey clearly to the viewer if its right or wrong. Regardless, I like that the characters have flaws, and that the story allows interpretation from the viewer.
IDK. Gyokuyou made it pretty clear that shit wasn’t ok. She was ready to throttle Jinshi over it when she saved Maomao from his harassment. The shitty one in that situation was Gaoshun (other than Jinshi himself for doing it) for turning away from Maomao’s obvious distress. Jinshi isn’t tooooo bad because he clearly got carried away by the heat of the moment and did not actively force his fingers into Maomao’s mouth but he’s on thin ice rn.
@@grapeicies I know, and that's It. The story Is respectful enough to the viewer to give ITS own interpretation. I dont think It was that clear because It was portrait as a gag, not as harassement (even with Gyokuyou presence, cuz It was part of the gag)
I view Jinshi here more as an annoying brat with attachment issues who took teasing his crush too far. The parenting style given to him is well... not the best which caused a lot of issues in his personality and his approach to things when he's not acting as "Jinshi" and he's still young so he can be taught not to do these inappropriate things.
It is a very intriguing scene from a writer's perspective. Because while it is played for laughs, it is clearly a bad situation, but it it is also handled as such. It's very mature when you step back to think about it and its consequences, as well as the events that obviously led up to this. You can understand where Jinshi is coming from, though it doesn't excuse his behavior. At the same time, historically speaking, a man would be in his right to act in that manner. And that was emphasized by the abuse the courtesans received back in episode 8. Ultimately, this is not a perfect world with perfect characters, but a story that is meant to challenge us and get us thinking. We are entertained thanks to the charisma and antics of people like Maomao, which carries us through the much heavier themes and material within the plot.
Question: Can't the emperor have more than three concubines? Honestly it's fascinating. Jinshi might be well-meaning, but he's not used to people pushing back. Due to his status and his pretty face, people often aren't able to outright refuse him. It's up to _him_ to know when he's gone too far, and here he makes a mistake. He's so used to overstepping Maomao's boundaries that he fails to see the line between annoying, and repulsive. He's so caught up in the excitement of seeing her squirm he hasn't fully... considered the actual implications. It's a very human mistake, but not one he's allowed to make. Maomao ticks a lot of the boxes for being aromantic and possibly asexual, especially in the way she admires beauty from all genders without really wanting to _do_ anything about it. So I don't really understand the shipping - Maomao despises him most of the time, and grudgingly respects him at most. I want them to be friends, to see Jinshi change, but I don't want romance.
I think the problem with Jinshi is shown constantly. He has a much higher status than Mao Mao and has always been rewarded for his charming act. He can't adjust.
He is shocked and saddened to know that Mao Mao had to make herself ugly to reduce the risk of being raped, because a woman wanting to make herself ugly or a little girl being raped is not part of his world.
When She asked him to execute her with poison if he had to, he was horrified that she would think he would do that to her. But as she said: "It doesn't matter if you would do it or not. The important thing is that you have the power to do it". He knows the power he has over her, but doesn't realize the extent of the impact it has. For him it's personal while for Mao Mao, it's sadly normal.
He knows that Mao Mao doesn't like his flirting and seeing her reactions amuses him, but doesn't realize what's sick about it. He doesn't know how to do otherwise, . He has a blockage on this point. He is in love with her and tries not to treat her like a possession. But that's all he knows.
I think he will improve over time, because he wants a romantic relationship with Mao Mao. And for that, not 36,000 solutions: he must understand her and adjust to her.
Edit:My mind kept spinning on this topic and I realized other things about the very construction of Jinshi's character.
1) He's not supposed to be the perfect Prince Charming. As has been said, he has his faults including immaturity. It makes it more credible and alive than if it had been an ideal that never makes a mistake.
2) Jinshi lives in the equivalent of ancient China, he is not a pro-feminist 21st century man who has isekai. He was raised with the thoughts about women of a man of his time.
3) The modern Japanese consideration of what is romantic or cringe. Even now, a lot of things in Japan regarding the status of women raise eyebrows, so trying to make Jinshi endearing by making him do gestures considered romantic to the author, makes our hackles stand instead.
4) The central problem between Jinshi and Mao Mao is precisely the power difference between them. Jinshi will abuse this power because he can and is used to it but will try, but Mao Mao cannot afford to forget her place at any time. Jinshi will let his guard down where Mao Mao will not allow it because to make a mistake would be condemnation. Jinshi would take it personally, but for Mao Mao it's something she won't be able to forget this sword of Damocles.
I like how u worded ur points. I dont like jinshi or him not understanding maomao dont like him nor his attention. And having his attention is very dangerous. Jinshi put him and maomao in danger with his obsession. If he was any other type of noble he could just demand her, but he is supposed to be enunch (or how ever u spell it) and probably can't date or shouldn't.
@@TheVander245 This is another point that makes Mao Mao different from 99% of the protagonists of fiction, but particularly Japanese fiction. I say particularly because my memories of Japanese children's cartoons tell me that aiming high is good and Westerners tell me that you have to know how to be satisfied with what you have. The majority of fictional characters at the bottom of the social ladder want to climb, earn money, recognition, love, pursue the profession they want, be number 1, etc. Mao Mao does exactly the opposite. For 99% of the characters, what Jinshi would do is hand her dream opportunities on a silver platter. But she wants to remain in anonyma, because this anonyma protects her. This is not something Jinshi understands. Here's why (I like making points)^^:
1) First of all, voluntarily staying in the shadows is not a concept he knows so it's not something he would think about.
2) Mao Mao doesn't tell him clearly so he can choose to ignore it or just completely miss it. That she looks down on him, gets it, but doesn't want to improve her position and quality of life? This idea is completely foreign to him. Someone would have to tell him straight, in words that he can't twist intentionally or accidentally.
3) If he knows the danger of the harem and the competition between the concubines, he does not know personally anyone (to our knowledge) who has directly suffered from it. At least for now. It's guilt per kilometer or rather, awareness per kilometer. The principle is “the further it is from you, the less you care”. Even if you recognize that what's happening is wrong, it's just too far away from you for you to be emotionally involved and truly understand 100% the seriousness of what's happening. Like Covid for example, we started to worry about it when it was on our doorstep (some still don't worry about it even though it's in their beds). There is “understand” and “get it”. Jinshi understands, but don't get it. What it doesn't get is that what happens to others may very well happen to Mao Mao. In absolute terms he knows it, but it remains in absolute terms. He doesn't realize it. This kind of thing happens to other people.
4) Mao Mao takes pleasure in solving investigations. He likes to please her as much as he likes to annoy her. And if it also helps him in his work, it's a win.
5) Jinshi is shown to be an intelligent but immature and ignorant young man. Ignorant in the sense of overprotected. A bit like a Sansa Stark in season 1 (well, not to that extent, but you get the idea). Jinshi is the one to whom Mao Mao will explain the harsh realities and dangers of which he does not even suspect the existence.
6) Eunuch or not, feelings are feelings. Just because you're castrated doesn't mean you stop feeling. Jinshi doesn't know how to act on his feelings, he's an immature kid. From his point of view, he loves Mao Mao but I don't think he understands that he has romantic feelings towards her. I don't think it's a social area he's familiar with. In what he knows, he plays on his charms or is sexually harassed (finding underwear made of hair in his dresser is somewhat repulsive). He's missing the point for anything deeper than the superficial "they'll do anything for my pretty face."
7) He thinks, more or less rightly, that the fact that Mao Mao is considered as his by others (servants and women being basically property) would repel disturbing or even threatening people. Being Jinshi's servant would obviously protect her from a lot of danger, at least just that of being raped at the brothel.
8) He fully expected her to get a better position given her intelligence. A better position leading to more authority and Mao Mao not being naive like poor lady Lishu, it's likely he would think she wouldn't have to worry.
9) Jinshi is self-centered. Because he is educated like that. Being around Mao Mao makes him open his eyes little by little and he is on the right track, but for the moment he is self-centered.
10) His ego. He is desired by everyone, why wouldn't Mao Mao be happy to have a relationship with him? Once again, his environment works against... him? Her? Them? In short, he needs a shot of humility, but it's a work in progress.
I understand that I blame a lot of his behavior on incomprehension, but honestly, even outside of the difference in worlds that inevitably leads to misunderstandings, the main romantic characters are clueless every time. It's such an ingrained cliché that it's almost a screenwriting necessity. At least in Jinshi's case, it's justified and the problem is going to be resolved by Jinshi's future evolution, it's not just because he's stupid. The fact that Mao Mao doesn't realize that Jinshi has a crush on her feels much more artificial. Additionally, I often give the benefit of the doubt about misunderstanding because I am someone who misses social cues so much that I was given a three-day test to find out if I was autistic. I'm not, I'm just a social disaster who has trouble just reading facial expressions.
Wow, that was long.
@marieguillou8808 Once again loved all this, read every part twice lol.
Mao Mao has told Jinshi a few times of their social situation, she told him multiple times he is high rank she is low rank, if he want her gone, dead, bed etc it's just a word away and stated their won't be anything she could do about it. It confused him at first but understood somewhat and get sad when she says stuff like that. In her world she can't straight up turn his advices away becuz it would 1. Bring trouble and 2. unwanted attention. Which is why she go out her way to miss/ignore key details or observations about him. I also blame the rest of the cast becuz they think his crush is cute
@@TheVander245 Glad you like my brain knots so much. To everything I have said, I would add one thing that I realized around 3 a.m. while half asleep. Mao Mao is not a concubine and given the tastes of the emperor and her lack of political power (her own or of her family), she is not likely to become one. A discreet relationship is therefore less serious than if it had been a concubine or a wife. But she is an "insignificant" servant in the outer courtyard, if it's discreet no one would make a big deal out of it. If she had been a wife or a concubine, therefore an unfaithful wife especially of a powerful husband, it would have been unacceptable. But she's nobody. At the same time, Jinshi is a eunuch so he cannot marry or sleep with her (at least, cock in lady parts, there are other methods even if just one less ball greatly reduces sexual desires) .
Jinshi seems to have somewhat understood that the power differential is a problem (not the full extent, but he's starting to get a sense of it). He even consciously decided not to treat Mao Mao like a toy. When he thought she wanted to leave, he let her go even though he wanted her to stay and could have made her stay. When he realizes that he was wrong, he offers to buy her back. The key word is “offer.” He doesn't try to force her into bed, he tries to seduce her but goes about it very badly (partly because Jinshi has never had to make an effort in this area so does not know how to move forward with Mao Mao). He wants her to want him too. He shows a will but also actions to treat her as a person in her own right (even more than what a woman, a commoner at that, would have been treated) rather than a toy.
The reaction of others is something that makes one cringe. It's true that Jinshi's entourage treats his crush as something cute. They also compare Mao Mao to a toy. It comes from their perception of Jinshi. They treat him like a kid. For them, it's like a primary school child who has found "a girlfriend", but also a toy. They find it cute when not only would this configuration not have been cute if it had been accurate, but it is also inaccurate. Jinshi has a crush, that's a fact. But an adult crush, not the first childish “boyfriends”, not the first teenage flirts. He wants a relationship that works with Mao Mao, person to person and not owner to toy, but has no idea how to go about it, no idea of delineating what he wants, and no one gives him of advice. If he was properly guided, I really think he would improve much faster because he has the will to do so. He actually has a better regard for Mao Mao than almost everyone around him. If someone close to him sat him down and said "listen Jinshi, here's what you need to stop doing with Mao Mao if you want her to like you", he would listen and act accordingly. Except that no one does it, because everyone finds it funny (or a lever) and cute and those who have the power to do it don't do it.
Thank you for your analysis of Mao Mao's ignorance, it seems much less artificial now.
@@marieguillou8808👏 👏 👏
Thanks for pointing out the Jinji going to far. I still don't know what to make of him.
He's a dumb, young man who needs to be told NO more often.
I've had an argument with someone because they don't like the age gap of maomao(17) and jinshi(19). I am fully behind the relationship because not only does jinshi fall hard for her to the point he gets depressed when she is not around but also because she brings out his true nature which is childlike
That's not a bad age gap at all! It's good that she brings out his truer nature, but it'll also be good to see what good Jinshi brings out in Maomao, and not just her love of booze. Hahaha!
Half the time Jinshi acts like a 30 year old with a million problems but MaoMao makes him sulk and joke around like he's 15 years old. Honestly he feels like a teenager who never had a chance to be a teenager and is compensating for that now. You can tell in this scene he's messing with her for a reaction because he stops when he sees she zoned out and isn't paying attention to the game anymore. I do hope that he acts a bit more mature in the future if their relationship becomes a bit more serious but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy watching them clown around.
@@hurricaneofcats I think that's a very accurate assessment of Jinshi's character, a guy who missed out on being a kid/teenager when he had the chance. Now he's the emperor's agent and responsible for order in the rear Palace plus checking legislation. So, when someone like Maomao comes along and gets that younger side of him going, he acts like a goof.
@@hurricaneofcats Maomao is so bubbly and energetic when her special interest is involved, so I can totally see why that would rub off on him! Notice how he's always trying to involve her in cases that might fit within her area of expertise _specifically!_ He clearly loves seeing her like that and enjoys when he can jump in on the fun.
Jinshi is actually just a year older than MaoMao, when he's said to be 19 it's a year in so MaoMao is 18 by then
I'm also genuinely surprised that you missed some dialog that greatly hints at one of the grand conspiracy in the imperial family. The pieces are almost all there but I'm sure you can get a pretty good idea of what is actually happening.
I'm getting there. I've also had a few people drop massive hints and spoilers about upcoming events and reveals. I'm just letting myself enjoy the mystery as it comes. :)
@camillesharem691 okay enjoy your time
@@amandabernard8179 Oh, I definitely am!
I’m a manga reader and even after reading it many times, I’m very impressed and happy to hear your thoughts about it from a completely new and unique perspective😭 I’m really grateful for review videos like thesee
Personally I really like jinshi’s appearence but I can never seem to like his attitude when interacting with maomao. I suspect that maybe I’m influenced by the heroine’s perspective on him personally, and that’s why his actions comes as uncomfortable for me too…but from your explanation about jinshi paints a whole new perspective of that character for me and I’m actually in awe on what he actually is as a person😭
So he isn’t just a simple pervert after all🥹
Thanks! I'm always glad to make these reviews!
And yeah, Jinshi is a little more complicated than we sometimes give him credit for. We can be limited by a character's perspective, which is a great narrative tool. But it can prevent the audience from picking up on everything that the author had in mind for a character. What Jinshi did was bad, and his flirting reminds me of my own stupidity as a teenager... But when we look back at everything we've been told and shown of him, we can better understand how that situation with the honey came about. And I expect that we'll learn and see even more about him soon that will challenge what we saw of Jinshi in episode 10.
The thing is, everyone makes poor decisions.
Whether they’re in the heat of the moment, misguided, or planned out decisions, everyone makes them.
Do while I can see that bad decisions were made, I can’t be entirely angry at them, especially if they come to regret those poor choices.
Regretting a poor decision is a telltale sign of character growth, both in stories and in real life.
Even in my own stories I have my characters make bad choices, and most of them they end up regretting.
It’s all about showing your readers your characters true personality through their actions.
I enjoy writing mistakes that my characters, or even outright failures. In my Legend of the Ten Lords series, there is a great comparison between multiple characters. They are all dealt crippling military defeats, and we see how events unfold for each of them. For one, it embolden him to do better and gain confidence and experience, for another he withdraws into himself and actually squanders a chance to crush his rivals, and another absolutely refuses to learn from his defeats and just blames others. Each one goes on their own path, even separating the villains in nuanced ways.
@@camillesharem each person deals with failures in their own ways.
In my book “the Mage”, my main character Yuen offers a plan that exposes a weakness in the enemies line of defense.
Upon carrying out this plan, a trap is sprung, and 3 members of his squad are killed.
This makes him doubt himself, and just as he’s starting to recover a little bit, he makes another mistake that costs many innocent people their lives, including a friend of his.
This heavily impacts his decision making skills for fear that he might suffer another catastrophic failure and cost more people their lives.
He pushes through by making the safest decision he possibly can.
Until, however, he’s backed into a corner where he’s forced to make a practical decision, or his loved ones will die, to which he makes his choice, and it proves to be the right one.
He still suffers from hesitance when it comes to making decisions, but after this, he’s no longer crippled with anxiety when faced with a choice.
Another example would be Steve from my story “Shadow Bound”.
He and my other protagonist Alice spend a significant amount of time together throughout the story, growing closer as they go.
But when he learns of the Umbral Sigil that’s imprinted on her neck that marks her as contracted to the Primordial Shadow, he is torn between his oath to protect the world from the influence of the Primordial Shadow and his feelings for Alice.
His immediate response is that of betrayal and anger, and he tries to kill her.
Needless to say, he regrets this decision immediately, but his response is to blame the Primordial Shadow for taking even more away from him.
He later comes to terms with the fact that it was his own fault, and I’m still planning from there.
@@Iso20227 All good examples that I am looking forward to seeing in the story! :)
Sorry, ich schreibe dieses Mal in Deutsch (normalerweise auch englisch), ist in dem Fall für mich einfacher!
Zitat, sinngemäß ,aus dem K-Drama The Glory: "Es ist wie Go spielen, du bleibst ganz ruhig, du verführst und wirst verführt!"
Ich denke, dass Mao Mao gezielt in den Palast verschleppt wurde und auch im Palast geboren wurde, da sie mit dem alten Eunuchen/Apotheker aufgewachsen ist, das selbe für Jinshi, das angeblich verstorbene Baby, das als Eunuch getarnt im Palast arbeitet. Er zeigt ihr die Eigenheiten im Palast und bringt ihr bei damit umzugehen, da sie ja außerhalb aufwuchs. Ich denke, er hat von Anfang an eine Ahnung wer Mao Mao eigentlich ist (werden wir später sehen, genauso wie sie seine richtige Identität herausfindet). Beide mussten schnell erwachsen werden und benehmen sich deswegen auch nicht wie Teenager im entsprechenden Alter, da das für sie Gefahr bedeuten würde. Schon klar, dass jeder seine Lücken hat, er im flirten, da das im Palast anders stattfindet und sie hat durch das Freudenviertel schon zu viel gesehen und so ist sie nicht begeistert von seinen Versuchen bei ihr zu landen. Aufmerksam wird sie erst als er sich altersentsprechend verhält und mehr sein wahres Ich zeigt. Ich denke bei den beiden spielt Schicksal eine Rolle und die Pfade wurden nicht zufällig wieder zusammen geführt. Der alte Mann war jedenfalls nicht sonderlich überrascht, dass sie im inneren Palast ist, genauso wie der ältere Eunuch (?), der sich um Jinshi kümmert und ihr mit Aufzeichnungen der Vergangenheit hilft.
Fakt ist, der palast ist nicht weniger gefährlich als das Freudenviertel, besonders wenn's um Eifersucht geht, da Jinshi Mao Mao Aufmerksamkeit schenkt.
Ich denke, ich werde mir die light novel besorgen (mir geht der upload zu langsam 😉).
I feel like it’s meds mixed into the honey, like an antidote mixed into it I feel that whole thing with the young concubine not allowed honey is a red flag. Those ladies in waiting dgaf about her.
I'm now waiting for those ladies-in-waiting to get their comeuppance for how they've treated and manipulated Lady Lishu. Mwahahaha! You're probably right about it being meds mixed into the honey. However, i have met a couple of people who are allergic to honey, so it's not out of the realms of possibility.
One of the reveals I'm looking forward to is Lishu's place in the rear palace.
As noted she's not asked to preform her 'wifely duties' and yet she was deliberately brought into the harem from the previous Emperor's, then was placed very highly rather than just one of the crowd, and on top of that has been presented as too naive to really play the game of intrigue. Yet I don't think I've seen any speculation on what _exactly_ she's doing there.
That's something to look forward to! It's clear to me now that each concubine has a very significant role in the Rear Palace and expectation attached to her. The emperor is not just some lecherous guy pumping the Rear palace full of pretty women. There's a point to it, and I think we're in for a real emotional gut punch with Lady Ah-Dou in this arc. I suspect that it'll be the same as we dive deeper into Lady Lishu.
I'm waiting for that as well. Looking at Chinese history, it was scandalous for an emperor to want to have one of his father's concubines. From what I've read, for a long time the concubines of a dead emperor were sent off to live as nuns. Not sure if that practice would have been in use in the 15th century, but I very much doubt that bringing your dead father's concubine into the palace as your own was easy. What would make the emperor go through all that effort just for a little girl who can't yet give him children? It'll be interesting.
@@mitsusah2612 I agree, this is very irregular behavior. I bet that if we got more of the palace's perspectives and politics, and not just the Rear Palace, we'd get even more juicy gossip about what it is going on. And that actually works well in the story's favor. We are largely limited to only the things that Maomao learns (with a few brief exceptions), which means that we are stuck in the same confused boat as her, learning from episode to episode.
When we get the whole story and history, I'm hoping it's another emotional gut punch like what we got back with Princess Fuyou!
@@camillesharemFuyou is basically the Aura of this series. She's only there for two eps but everyone remembers her coz she's the only one who managed to say so, long, suckah! to the emps.
@@andrewsuryali8540 Yup! Pretty much!
Jinshi and Ah Duo are mother and child.
Jinshi and Xiao Mao are age mates.
Recall Maomao’s comment regarding Ah-Duo would be well suited to be a free spirit riding a horse. This option is not available in Rear Palace so maybe she is not against moving out. Given the implication of how close she and the Emperor are, he will take care of her after she leaves. In fact, it is hinted that any concubine who leaves is not simply abandoned but has a future either with her family or perhaps marriage.
Emperor and Jinshi seem to be aware of the challenges facing the concubines and while they realize loyalty to the Emperor and bearing royal heirs is their mission they may try to not make it their doom. His taking Lishsu back into the Rear Palace, allowing Fuyu to escape, and perhaps (I emphasize perhaps) even helping Ah-Duo after the leaving the Palace.
In so far as Jinshi feels guilt on Maomao kidnapping, empathy for Fuyu (recall his pensive look after she leaves and did he help keep her pure with guards and playing along with her illness), as well as maybe encouraging not visiting such a mere child consort.
Leaders within the palace might be sympathetic to the concubines, but enter accountants and more ruthless politicians and the concubines can easily become liability. I don't think the emperor would just throw Ah-Dou out on her rear, but the positions that she and her ladies-in-waiting command would easily be something that someone lower ranking would be willing to kill for. There's a great what-if kind of anime that explores the politics and economics that swirl around keeping concubines, and how one empress moves to dissolve it because of the drain it has on her resources and the political shenanigans it engenders.
The show in my opinion leaves it up in the air if Jinshi suspects that Fuyu duped the emperor. Its hinted that Maomao is the one who really has that secret pinned down. But the emperor did thread the political needle just right, letting a soldier from her region marry her once she's been deemed mentally unfit. And it was a real gamble that Fuyu and her lover made. And I really liked how episode 8 winks and nods back that event, showing how what Fuyu accomplished was the exception rather than the rule. A real fairytale ending by the measures of their world.
Maomao and others live within this world and society. None of them wants to create a social revolution. There is a certain resignation towards the injustice of status and loyalty to family/clan. A acceptance to the reality of women being exploited, yet an underlying admiration/empathy to the tenacity, courage, and intelligence of some of these women - whether they do good or evil.
I think this series in some small way celebrates these women as they compete and try to succeed. It doesn’t sugar coat their reality but it does celebrate the rare successes and love shown.
Jinshi, Emperor, … are aware and within the boundaries allowed support them. They must also act for their royal and the Empires survival/success. This may involve the appearance of selfishness or as Maomao says the necessity of cruelty. They cannot walk away from their duty just as the concubines can’t.
Straigth up sexual harassement. But, like Game of Thrones, It has sense in the context of the story. Still, It Is not convey clearly to the viewer if its right or wrong.
Regardless, I like that the characters have flaws, and that the story allows interpretation from the viewer.
IDK. Gyokuyou made it pretty clear that shit wasn’t ok. She was ready to throttle Jinshi over it when she saved Maomao from his harassment. The shitty one in that situation was Gaoshun (other than Jinshi himself for doing it) for turning away from Maomao’s obvious distress. Jinshi isn’t tooooo bad because he clearly got carried away by the heat of the moment and did not actively force his fingers into Maomao’s mouth but he’s on thin ice rn.
@@grapeicies I know, and that's It. The story Is respectful enough to the viewer to give ITS own interpretation. I dont think It was that clear because It was portrait as a gag, not as harassement (even with Gyokuyou presence, cuz It was part of the gag)
I view Jinshi here more as an annoying brat with attachment issues who took teasing his crush too far. The parenting style given to him is well... not the best which caused a lot of issues in his personality and his approach to things when he's not acting as "Jinshi" and he's still young so he can be taught not to do these inappropriate things.
It is a very intriguing scene from a writer's perspective. Because while it is played for laughs, it is clearly a bad situation, but it it is also handled as such. It's very mature when you step back to think about it and its consequences, as well as the events that obviously led up to this. You can understand where Jinshi is coming from, though it doesn't excuse his behavior. At the same time, historically speaking, a man would be in his right to act in that manner. And that was emphasized by the abuse the courtesans received back in episode 8.
Ultimately, this is not a perfect world with perfect characters, but a story that is meant to challenge us and get us thinking. We are entertained thanks to the charisma and antics of people like Maomao, which carries us through the much heavier themes and material within the plot.
@@Maytel143 overall, we all like the story XD
I don’t know what think about Jinshi… I’m reading the novel and in 2 situations Jinshi disappointed me!
I don’t like what happened
Question: Can't the emperor have more than three concubines?
Honestly it's fascinating. Jinshi might be well-meaning, but he's not used to people pushing back. Due to his status and his pretty face, people often aren't able to outright refuse him. It's up to _him_ to know when he's gone too far, and here he makes a mistake. He's so used to overstepping Maomao's boundaries that he fails to see the line between annoying, and repulsive. He's so caught up in the excitement of seeing her squirm he hasn't fully... considered the actual implications. It's a very human mistake, but not one he's allowed to make.
Maomao ticks a lot of the boxes for being aromantic and possibly asexual, especially in the way she admires beauty from all genders without really wanting to _do_ anything about it. So I don't really understand the shipping - Maomao despises him most of the time, and grudgingly respects him at most. I want them to be friends, to see Jinshi change, but I don't want romance.
I was never a big fan of Jinshi because of how creepy he is no matter how review i watch.
Eehhh... I like jinshi even if he is weird and kinda gross. Because he ain't real he is fictional
Jinshi and Ah Duo are mother and child.
Jinshi and Xiao Mao are age mates.