(My Chinese dictionary says “shè” = acting for; “zhèng = political administration; “guān” = government official.)
Mine says 摄政 shèzhèng means regent, so I assume that's where the translation comes from. But some of the old subtitles used "Justiciar", and I have no clue about that.
Great post! Yeah, the Regent is vile, but it's really interesting to contrast him with the other villains - all of them want to achieve something, while he just wants to hold on to what he's got and maintain the status quo. By any means.
He then cringes and toadies to Shen Wei in a manner that will become very familiar.
And it was so satisfying to see Shen Wei shout and snap at him like that! But it must have been incredibly frustrating for Shen Wei because they both knew nothing was going to change.
the Regent assumes his standard appearance, somehow acquiring long hair and a beard, but his obsequiousness remains
I always found it so fascinating that only the Envoy and the Regent were ever seen to do this kind of appearance swap! And the Regent's hair length change made me wonder if Shen Wei has long hair under that black hood, too ...
He may even have arranged the “assault” of An Bai and friends to embarrass Zhao Yunlan.
I think he did that to figure out how much of a meddler Zhao Yunlan was?
When in episode 20 he and the Secretary - who is already under Ye Zun’s control - see Ye Zun manifest out of the pillar he holds back: “One should not be too eager to take sides.” The Regent is always waiting to see which way the wind will blow.
Yeah, that scene is so telling! He really doesn't want to pick the wrong side, so he keeps waiting, which is the a big part of the reason Ye Zun gets as far as he does. When the Regent finally realises that defeating Ye Zun is the only way, it's too late to stop him. I do wonder if he learns something from that, because if he hadn't dithered for so long and had taken Shen Wei's side early on, that would have strengthened his own position. Whereas what he did - waiting to see who comes out on top, then supporting Ye Zun because he thought Ye Zun was winning, and then trying to play both sides - ultimately got him eaten by Ye Zun. (Not sure how much self-awareness he has under that slimy exterior of his ...)
“Dijun palace is the center of government of Dixing. Be it peace or wartime, if we abandon it, who will look after the people?” This is his ostensible justification, but he’s probably saying it not just because it’s true, but because it works on Shen Wei.
Yeah, I don't think he actually believes that!
What is the Regent’s power?
Other than "Extreme Sliminess" I have no idea! Maybe he doesn't have one, and that's how he ended up scheming his way to the top, because as someone without any powers he was never going to be important otherwise?
How does he resist coming under the control of Ye Zun?
IIRC Wu Tian'en says at one point that Ye Zun's powers only work on the vulnerable. I think the Regent just doesn't have an exploitable vulnerability in the same way most of Ye Zun's victims do because he wants to maintain the status quo. He's already in charge; he's got what he wants; he just wants people not to get in his way. And Ye Zun has nothing to offer him on that front. And Ye Zun wants flunkies who do things for him, which is the exact opposite of what the Regent wants, so that probably doesn't help.
How did he become Regent?
See above - he probably schemed himself to the top. But no idea otherwise.
What will he do in Dixing post canon? Has his character changed by the end? Does he have any redeeming characteristics at all?
I don't think he's changed. But what he'll do in the future depends a lot on how self-aware he is, and how much he's willing and able to admit to himself that his own actions (and/or lack thereof) undermined his goals, and that he would probably have ended up in a much better place if he'd worked with Shen Wei from the start, rather than obstructing him at every turn. (Chances are not good, but I don't think it's impossible? He's not stupid, after all.)
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Mine says 摄政 shèzhèng means regent, so I assume that's where the translation comes from. But some of the old subtitles used "Justiciar", and I have no clue about that.
Great post! Yeah, the Regent is vile, but it's really interesting to contrast him with the other villains - all of them want to achieve something, while he just wants to hold on to what he's got and maintain the status quo. By any means.
He then cringes and toadies to Shen Wei in a manner that will become very familiar.
And it was so satisfying to see Shen Wei shout and snap at him like that! But it must have been incredibly frustrating for Shen Wei because they both knew nothing was going to change.
the Regent assumes his standard appearance, somehow acquiring long hair and a beard, but his obsequiousness remains
I always found it so fascinating that only the Envoy and the Regent were ever seen to do this kind of appearance swap! And the Regent's hair length change made me wonder if Shen Wei has long hair under that black hood, too ...
He may even have arranged the “assault” of An Bai and friends to embarrass Zhao Yunlan.
I think he did that to figure out how much of a meddler Zhao Yunlan was?
When in episode 20 he and the Secretary - who is already under Ye Zun’s control - see Ye Zun manifest out of the pillar he holds back: “One should not be too eager to take sides.” The Regent is always waiting to see which way the wind will blow.
Yeah, that scene is so telling! He really doesn't want to pick the wrong side, so he keeps waiting, which is the a big part of the reason Ye Zun gets as far as he does. When the Regent finally realises that defeating Ye Zun is the only way, it's too late to stop him. I do wonder if he learns something from that, because if he hadn't dithered for so long and had taken Shen Wei's side early on, that would have strengthened his own position. Whereas what he did - waiting to see who comes out on top, then supporting Ye Zun because he thought Ye Zun was winning, and then trying to play both sides - ultimately got him eaten by Ye Zun. (Not sure how much self-awareness he has under that slimy exterior of his ...)
“Dijun palace is the center of government of Dixing. Be it peace or wartime, if we abandon it, who will look after the people?” This is his ostensible justification, but he’s probably saying it not just because it’s true, but because it works on Shen Wei.
Yeah, I don't think he actually believes that!
What is the Regent’s power?
Other than "Extreme Sliminess" I have no idea! Maybe he doesn't have one, and that's how he ended up scheming his way to the top, because as someone without any powers he was never going to be important otherwise?
How does he resist coming under the control of Ye Zun?
IIRC Wu Tian'en says at one point that Ye Zun's powers only work on the vulnerable. I think the Regent just doesn't have an exploitable vulnerability in the same way most of Ye Zun's victims do because he wants to maintain the status quo. He's already in charge; he's got what he wants; he just wants people not to get in his way. And Ye Zun has nothing to offer him on that front. And Ye Zun wants flunkies who do things for him, which is the exact opposite of what the Regent wants, so that probably doesn't help.
How did he become Regent?
See above - he probably schemed himself to the top. But no idea otherwise.
What will he do in Dixing post canon? Has his character changed by the end? Does he have any redeeming characteristics at all?
I don't think he's changed. But what he'll do in the future depends a lot on how self-aware he is, and how much he's willing and able to admit to himself that his own actions (and/or lack thereof) undermined his goals, and that he would probably have ended up in a much better place if he'd worked with Shen Wei from the start, rather than obstructing him at every turn. (Chances are not good, but I don't think it's impossible? He's not stupid, after all.)