I mean saying it’s a joke does change things, because he’s not seriously going to do it or has done it. If he had done it and said it was a joke, there’s no excuse. But he hasn’t so it can just be his joke and nothing else. And I don’t think his advisors or captains would support that nor would yeo-dam
But my man was laughing and the advisor brought up kiam’s points, as it represented a joke and if he meant it seriously yeo-dam would hate him….the least he would want is yeo-dam hating him. And remember he requested the child cause he wanted something that resemble yeodam and him. And yeo-dam also made it clear that he wouldn’t care about the child or stay behind for it,so even if he broke the kid’s leg, yeo-dam wouldn’t care. Idk what this whole situation is but from my perspective, he was joking and even if he was serious, he wouldn’t do that since this story focuses on character development and such, and the author wouldn’t do bs like that.

That people find excuses for the emperor’s plan to break his child’s legs is just beyond me.
That people think it’s cute and adorable that the emperor takes a knife in the back for Yeo Dam but conveniently forgets that he himself threw the damn thing is also beyond me.
In past life he killed his own child and raped Yeo Dam in front of his corps. In this life he plans to break their child’s legs if Yeo Dam tries to leave him. What a lovely, changed man he is. So adorable and loving. He is truly different now. #sarcasm