Some thoughts on the Liao Emperor Yeh Lut Hung Gei, after watching his debut in DGSD '81.
His martial arts: apart from the Deun Royal Family of Dali, national rulers in wuxia are rarely depicted as being extraordinary martial artists in their own right. I don't know how accurately or inaccurately DGSD '81 depicted him, but apparently, Yeh Lut Hung Gei was good enough a fighter to singlehandedly hold off a group of twelve assassins sent by Mo Yung F'uk to kill him until Kiu Fung came to his rescue. Later, Emperor Yeh Lut went with Kiu Fung to thwart a rogue prince who was trying to usurp his throne, and it looked like the emperor was killing as many enemy combatants as Kiu Fung was. Mo Yung F'uk wouldn't send scrubs for such an important job; his assassins were likely fairly good wulin fighters. Moreover, Emperor Yeh Lut was the only other combatant fighting the rogue prince's troops alongside Kiu Fung. Even if Kiu Fung took most of the heat, the emperor still had to protect himself.
His character: he was a likeable emperor, and a man of great character. He was a wise, benevolent, and courageous leader, and a man who took the concept of honor seriously. Positive depictions of rulers in wuxia are almost as rare as depicting them as great martial artists, and Jin Yong placed Yeh Lut Hung Gei in that rare breed of benevolent ruler along with the Deuns of Dali, (early) LOCH Genghis Khan, Kublai Khan, and Emperor K'ang Hsi of the Qing Dynasty.