Fourth Prince (Yinzhen / 胤禛)- Strong Male Lead?

When a character gets both love and hate, it’s the first clue that it might be a well written character. That is the case with Ruoxi and the Fourth Prince (we’ll call him 4th for short) in the Chinese drama / novel Scarlet Heart.

In this analysis, we’ll take a look at the male lead 4th, aka Prince Yinzheng / Emperor Yongzheng with ten questions that cover flaws, consistency, development, etc. To each question, the answer would be either Yes (1 point), No (0 point), or Kind of (0.5 point).

WARNING: this analysis 1) contains spoilers 2) is humor-free

1. Does he have a story to tell besides romance?  Yes (+1)

Absolutely. Scarlet Heart revolves around the struggle for the throne during the years of Kangxi. While the love story between Ruoxi and 4th takes center stage, 4th’s own story arc has to do with his battle for the throne.

1/10

2. Does he make things happen or do things happen TO him? Yes (+1) / 3. Does he take action to accomplish his goals? Yes (+1)

Like the rest of his brothers, 4th wants the throne for himself, though he hides it better than most. 4th is a patient person by nature, but his sitting around is not inactivity, it is rather part of his long term plan to win the battle. And what do you know, he does in the end.

Concerning his relationship with Ruoxi, 4th also takes the necessary steps to win her love. Even if his approach is questionable and his reasoning is pretty off-putting to a modern-minded woman like Ruoxi, these mindsets change as he finds himself in love with her for real.

3/10

4. Does he have an interest? Kind of (+0.5)

The Fourth Princes loves calligraphy. This is seen a few times throughout the show and is, of course, also a source of inspiration for Ruoxi.

But this interest is largely ignored in the later part of the drama.

3.5/10

5. Does he act in accordance with his beliefs? Yes (+1)

This is a difficult one to go about, and it’s mainly because 4th doesn’t get as much screen time as Ruoxi, therefore his beliefs are harder to determine. We’ll say his most apparent belief is that you should fight fire with fire. He never forgives the people who wrong him and Ruoxi or the Thirteenth prince even though in some cases, it would have been better to show compassion.

4.5/10

6. Does he develop throughout the story? Kind of (+0.5)

4th started out as an aloof, intelligent and kind of calculating individual. After a series of events – namely the Eighth Prince’s betrayal, ascension to the throne, his love for Ruoxi – he becomes less trusting, and more ruthless.

In general, there is development, but not the kind of development that comes with time and experience. It is more like he has always been ruthless, but the powers he acquires later on allow him to show that ruthlessness.

However, it is also interesting to note that 4th’s love for Ruoxi does not change him. He does not become more compassionate because of her (even though SHE is), he does not abandon his beliefs because of her.

5/10

7. Does he have a flaw? Kind of (+0.5)

Perhaps the Fourth Prince’s biggest flaw is his tendency to underestimate his opponent. Because of this, he was defeated by the Eighth Prince and landed himself some punishments from the Emperor, dragging the Thirteenth Prince down the mud with him.

He is also stubborn and inflexible, while this rarely causes any problem, it certainly affects his relationship with Ruoxi later on.

However, for a male lead, his flaws are not as fleshed out as those of Ruoxi for the first 2/3 of the story.

5.5/10

8. Does he have meaningful relationships with other characters besides his love interest? Yes (+1)

4th is best friends with the Thirteenth Prince. His relationship with his mother is also worth mentioning. 4th is the brother of the Forteenth Prince. While the latter is their mother’s favorite, 4th is most of the time view as a source of trouble. A few of the things 4th does throughout the drama are to make his mother proud – fighting for the throne, making his mother the Empress Dowager – although he would never admit it.

6.5/10

9. Is he consistent? Yes (+1)

Absolutely, 4th is very consistent. His personality, skills, flaws, they all exist to put to exhibit his character, not for plot convenience like in many other cases.

7.5/10

10. Can you define his character by his personality? Yes (+1)

A young, calculating prince who fights against his brothers for the throne and learns many life lessons after each success and failure.

SO HOW WELL-WRITTEN IS THE 4TH PRINCE?

8/10

BOTTOM LINE

The Fourth Prince in Scarlet Heart is a character with substance. Flaws, beliefs, hobbies, goals, he’s got them all. He is no typical male lead who simply serves as a tool in a romance. 4th and Ruoxi’s love was first built on their understanding of each other and when they finally break apart, it is also because of this understanding. They know each other too well, hence, both agree to the separation, which is probably the best for everyone. Ruoxi is free to be who she is, 4th no longer has to hurt other people because of her. And it is by no mean an indication that they have fallen out of love.