Æs Concubine, the heroic journey is not as straightforward as that of Jing Ke. There is a lot more compromise in ideals and relationships. Some of the heroism and honor gets lost in the political intrigue. For example, in The Great ConquerorÆs Concubine, the leader of Chu (Xiang Yu) and the leader of Han (Liu Bang) decide to work together to bring down the Qin emperor, who is viewed as a tyrant and a despot for trying to control everybody rather than letting regions rule themselves (Ebrey 1 60). Outwardly, it is Xiang Yu, an aristocratic general, who demonstrates the noble characteristics of the hero. He swears loyalty and brotherhood to Liu
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