When he brings up the fact that many of his people resent him for his apparent betrayal of Dixing's interests, not understanding that he's just trying to keep the peace, he's also talking about Zhao Xinci.
This is how I've always read that scene, since the very first time I watched it! That Shen Wei was being conciliatory to the effect of, "We people who're hell-bent on performing our duties are sometimes resented by our own; some Dixingren regard the Envoy as a traitor to their kind, while you think your father turned his back on his family when he decided to put his job first. But I think you should give him a chance: just as I still love Dixing, I believe your father still loves you and your mother."
Then when I got into the fandom and saw people criticising Shen Wei for the "inappropriate" way he was behaving while visiting someone's grave, I was like ??? Zhao Yunlan didn't seem to be bothered by what Shen Wei was saying at all, imo. His response ("You've gotta tell me all about your experiences as the Envoy later) was basically him saying, "I get what you're hinting at, but things are still a bit too delicate between dad and me for me to be ready for that discussion now."
As for his courteousness towards Zhao Xinci, the motivation is likely twofold: One, as a foreign diplomat, it'd be unprofessional of him to be openly hostile or disrespectful towards an influential member of another country/dimension. Two, as you said, is likely his consideration towards ZYL. For all ZYL's attitude towards his father, I don't think he'd much appreciate his lover/love interest being threatening towards the old man.
ETA: Another thing is that I think Shen Wei has, if not respect, at least some degree of regard for the rigidity of ZXC's principles. He's the kind of guy who can be counted on to keep his word, and whose motives are straightforward and unwavering, making him one of the safer people to enter into an agreement with re: delicate inter-dimensional relations... And possibly interpersonal ones as well. Also, it's obvious that he'd never willingly put ZYL in danger, which definitely gains him a good chunk of Shen Wei's cordiality, imo.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2019-09-23 12:51 pm (UTC)This is how I've always read that scene, since the very first time I watched it! That Shen Wei was being conciliatory to the effect of, "We people who're hell-bent on performing our duties are sometimes resented by our own; some Dixingren regard the Envoy as a traitor to their kind, while you think your father turned his back on his family when he decided to put his job first. But I think you should give him a chance: just as I still love Dixing, I believe your father still loves you and your mother."
Then when I got into the fandom and saw people criticising Shen Wei for the "inappropriate" way he was behaving while visiting someone's grave, I was like ??? Zhao Yunlan didn't seem to be bothered by what Shen Wei was saying at all, imo. His response ("You've gotta tell me all about your experiences as the Envoy later) was basically him saying, "I get what you're hinting at, but things are still a bit too delicate between dad and me for me to be ready for that discussion now."
As for his courteousness towards Zhao Xinci, the motivation is likely twofold: One, as a foreign diplomat, it'd be unprofessional of him to be openly hostile or disrespectful towards an influential member of another country/dimension. Two, as you said, is likely his consideration towards ZYL. For all ZYL's attitude towards his father, I don't think he'd much appreciate his lover/love interest being threatening towards the old man.
ETA: Another thing is that I think Shen Wei has, if not respect, at least some degree of regard for the rigidity of ZXC's principles. He's the kind of guy who can be counted on to keep his word, and whose motives are straightforward and unwavering, making him one of the safer people to enter into an agreement with re: delicate inter-dimensional relations... And possibly interpersonal ones as well. Also, it's obvious that he'd never willingly put ZYL in danger, which definitely gains him a good chunk of Shen Wei's cordiality, imo.