EPISODE 10

Excellent episode tonight, full of intrigue, suspense and a show of true character in the face of temptation and dangers. Tonight Onn Sin and Bak Yeung truly shone with integrity and honour.

Where was I? Kinda confused as to where to begin since can't remember where this episode actually started off on. I shall start with Onn Sin I guess.

Onn Sin was still very anxious about her grandma and she couldn't get the eunuch's permission to leave palace earlier to visit her grandma. Siu Luk Tzi knew this and softly said "Is this why you were harsh on the younger maids?" and Onn Sin was shocked by this and sadly said "I am not harsh on them because of this. You know as as a servant one word we must learn is never to make mistakes. We don't pay for our mistakes with punishments or kneeling on our knees, we pay for them with our lives. I am leaving soon and I hope the young ones will learn fast, at least I can leave with a peace of mind".

She was summoned by Yu Fei who again asked her if she knew who was the trouble maker amongst the Tap Ying as Yu Fei suspected Eunuch Tsui planted someone inside amongst the Tap Yings. At first I was confused why Yu Fei was so concerned then I understood why. To Yu Fei, she wanted to ally the stupid ones by her side and get rid of the smart ones. She knew Sook Ling's incident wasn't about ghosts and conscience as Eunuch Tsui told Yu Fei so she wanted to get rid of that smart one. She knew Onn Sin knows who but Onn Sin pretended not to know and said everybody was living in harmony there. Yu Fei could do nothing but warned Onn Sin that "If you help me find this person, I'll ensure that you could leave this palace". Onn Sin was in a dilemma. But did she tell Yu Fei?

Ahhhh that was when this episode shone in terms of Onn Sin's character.

Siu Luk Tzi wanted to help and so Siu Luk Tzi stole a painting from the Art Gallery in the palace where he was serving and went straight to Hung Mo and Chan Song whom he knew were selling stuff on the outside. Hung Mo pretended not to know what he was saying until Onn Sin suddenly appeared and dragged Siu Luk Tzi away. Before they left, Hung Mo overheard Siu Luk Tzi said something about the handkerchief he sold on her behalf and immediately Hung Mo suspected the person he was looking for was Onn Sin.

Anyway Onn Sin was very angry with Siu Luk Tzi for stealing but Siu Luk Tzi said he wanted to help. Siu Luk Tzo said "Why don't you let Yu Fei have this favour? Tell her the person she wants to know". I think Onn Sin suspected Yee Soon. Anyway, Onn Sin said "No, if I have wanted to gain from this, I would have told Yu Fei but I refuse to. What's the use of my love for my grandma if I were to betray my conscience for material gains? I can't do that."

This has my vote as the best scene in today's episode and tonight's best dialogue. I so love Onn Sin at this moment and she is such a great person, as she is genuinely concerned about others. She tries to survive in the palace by not betraying her integrity and in a way she is a bit like Bak Yeung, except Bak Yeung did do those stuff for material gains but for Onn Sin, it was for peace of mind. Great character!

Anyway Hung Mo asked Siu Luk Tzi about the handkerchief he bought, whether it was by Onn Sin and Siu Luk Tzi said yes. Then Hung Mo showed Siu Luk Tzi the pink one with words in it and Siu Luk Tzi couldn't be sure but said it could be by Onn Sin. Hung Mo was very happy and told Siu Luk Tzi he wanted to help Onn Sin.

I must pause her. For sure the purple one is by Onn Sin but the pink one with words which in a way pushed Hung Mo to do what he did to get into the palace apart from finding fame and power is still unclear whether it is by Onn Sin. I will predict here since no reviews I have read have ever revealed this thus far. I predict that the pink handkerchief is actually by Yu Fei when she was younger, alone and powerless in the palace and out of loneliness she sew that poem about loneliness within the palace. Don't tell me if I am right. I think this is possible as it will act as a connection between Hung Mo and Yu Fei because if not I can't see why Hung Mo could fall for Yu Fei and how Yu Fei can be redeemed because right now she is bitch no. 1 in this series.

Anyway Onn Sin was told Hung Mo wanted to help to track down her grandma and she was grateful. Must stop here to ask a question.

I thought Siu Luk Tzi was in contact with one of Onn Sin's village friend who was accompanying the grandma to Beijing? Even Onn Sin knew the town the grandma was staying now so how come Onn Sin then asked Hung Mo to find where her grandma was and giving him description of her? I thought she knew all along where the grandma was? If not how can Siu Luk Tzi send money to this village friend to pay for medical treatments of the grandmother's injured leg? Why? WHYYY??

Assuming she didn't know, anyway Onn Sin then apologised to Hung Mo for ignoring him the other day as "A female servant must not be seen speaking with a man inside the palace, at that moment there was so many people, I had to walk by fast. I am sorry for ignoring you" and Hung Mo understood. At that moment Hung Mo was in love with Onn Sin as he found the mystery woman. BUT my guess is she is not the mystery woman!

Earlier, after Eunuch Tsui saw Yu Fei, he went home and ordered the now crazy Sook Ling to be hanged. Mrs Tsui saw her lifeless body and tearfully asked Eunuch Tsui "Why? Why did you have to do that? She is now crazy, she doesn't need to share with anyone else, she doesn't need to fight with anyone else, why can't you let her be? She is of no use to you anymore, why can't you let her live?" and Eunuch Tsui simply said she had to die because Yu Fei knew.

Well Yu Fei knew but she was not stupid. With Sook Ling's abrupt death, she was sure Eunuch Tsui was up to something. Again, Yu Fei again summoned Onn Sin and again Onn Sin said she didn't know who the culprit was and Yu Fei was not pleased with Onn Sin's steadfast loyalty to those she knew. But she said to Onn Sin there was something Onn Sin could do and that was to spread the news that Yu Fei knew someone in the medical dept was involved with Sook Ling sudden insanity and that Yu Fei will dig out that person. When Onn Sin left, Yu Fei finally revealed her plans. It was simple. Once this news spread, the person under eunuch Tsui will be very anxious as Eunuch Tsui may be in danger and so whoever leaves that night after the news is spread, that is Eunuch Tsui's planted "Tap Ying" and that's the person Yu Fei will get rid of.

Yee Soon heard the news and indeed at night she was about to leave to meet Eunuch Tsui when suddenly Onn Sin appeared and said "If you leave now, your identity will be revealed and you will be caught" and Yee Soon doubted Onn Sin's sincerity and asked "Why are you telling me this?" and Onn Sin said "All the rumours were spread by Yu Fei. She wanted to know who was the mole in here and if you leave now, you will surely be caught and I can't help you" and Yee Soon said "The more I must leave to meet with my godfather. I must warn him of the dangers" and Onn Sin asked "Your godfather?". Onn Sin didn't know who Yee Soon was working for but knew she was working for someone. Yee Soon then said "Why would you help me?" and Onn Sin said "I have a conscience. I must obey the orders of my master but that doesn't mean I must follow every word" and Yee Soon then slyly said (and I hate her for doing this to Onn Sin) "If you do have a conscience what you should do next is up to you. I am leaving now, and since I am your master, perhaps you should obey me?".

Next scene a mysterious woman was leaving the quarters of the Tap Yings and indeed a eunuch followed her but that was Onn Sin. Yee Soon meanwhile was going the other way when she was spotted by some eunuchs who ran after her. She ran fast but was almost caught when Bak Yeung suddenly pulled her aside and ran with her until they reached the pond and since the eunuchs were near, they had no choice but to jump into the pond. Must stop here for awhile.

I thought the pond was shallow? Well it wasn't.

Anyway the eunuchs arrived and saw some bubbles rising from the pond (it was dark so they can't see well) and so one eunuch took the pole he was holding and started to stab on the water when he hit something which drew blood. What happened next and how they escaped I do not know since the scene stopped there and moved to Yu Fei.

I am curious. How did they escape? Inconsistency here, and we have suspend our disbelief and logic and just assumed the eunuchs never jumped into the pool, that they kept stabbing on the pond but wasn't successful in finding Bak Yeung and Yee Soon and that both of them could hold their breath until the eunuchs finally left and climb out of the pond and ran back to Yee Soon's room without being spotted. I mean so many things could have happened in so many ways! Anyway just assume lar.

Next Yu Fei knew there was a mystery figure and Po Shim suggested why not check the Tap Ying's place now and Yu Fei said they can't just enter like that and Po Shim said leave it to her. If whoever was hurt or missing, that was the mystery figure. Well once there Onn Sin tried to stop Po Shim but bitchy Po Shim just barged into Yee Soon's room when she saw water at the courtyard. Once in she found Yee Soon in the bath tub. Po Shim asked a lot of question like why bath in the middle of the night and all but Yee Soon handled the crisis cooly and demanded Po Shim to leave. Po Shim didn't believe Yee Soon and on the pretext that Yu Fei lost her jewelry when one of the Tap Yings went to greet her at her place and that this person was hurt (something like that)so Yee Soon was very angry and she stood up naked and Po Shim was shocked at Yee Soon's action. Onn Sin was shocked too and she quickly went to Yee Soon's bed to take the clothing when she saw Bak Yeung hiding by the side of the bed. Anyway Po Shim left.

Next scene Yee Soon was helping Bak Yeung tend to his injured hand (thanks to that pole) and Onn Sin gave Bak Yeung his wet clothing. Bak Yeung was wearing a eunuch's uniform and Onn Sin apologised that she couldn't give him better clothes and Bak Yeung jokingly said "Well I should be grateful you didn't give me the palace maid's clothes!". Onn Sin left and Yee Soon thanked Bak Yeung for helping her. Bak Yeung explained that the eunuch Yee Soon asked to inform Eunuch Tsui of the meeting could not find eunuch Tsui and he bumped into Bak Yeung who quickly went to assist Yee Soon. Then Bak Yeung said "Yee Soon, have you ever thought of helping yourself first? You're a tap ying now, the rest of your life is in the palace, have you ever thought of your own future instead of your godfather's?" and Yee Soon sadly said "Godfather took care of me since young, I have to repay his kindness" and Bak Yeung said "Have you ever thought he is using you? When you're useful he will remember you but there will come a day you will no longer be useful to him and like many others, you will be cast aside and forgotten. No one will remember your name and no one will care to know your name. Think about your own future". Yee Soon thought deeply what Bak Yeung told her.

Next scene Po Shim the poke fire agent of Yu Fei saw Yu Fei had in her hands a bloody handkerchief and Po Shim said she was lucky that she searched the rooms and found that piece of evidence. Sorry to say I did not know she picked up that handkerchief. A missing link here like that pond scene. Anyway Po Shim said "My lady, do you want me to have Onn Sin arrested? After all she foiled my lady's plans tonight" and Yu Fei said "Onn Sin is not the one I want. I have a better way, why not give Onn Sin some favours to push her to reveal the mystery person instead of punishing her?"

And next week, major drama as Yu Fei intends to marry Onn Sin to an old eunuch in a way to force her to co-operate with Yu Fei whilst Yee Soon finally knew Yuk Ying's rotten heart. Major major drama.

Tonight's episode is all about Onn Sin. I really pity her situation. Now that Yu Fei is forcing her as well I do wonder why Onn Sin didn't just reveal what she knew? Of course that scene with Siu Luk Tzi explained it all. It is a matter of honour and I am impressed with Onn Sin's integrity. All she wants is to leave the palace in one piece but not at the expense of hurting others. I find Onn Sin such a beautiful character with tons of personality and I am curious why not many find her interesting? Next week will surely test Onn Sin's character and I wonder what she will do?

Bak Yeung also seemed very concerned about Yee Soon. Earlier in the scenes there was one scene which showed the softer side of Bak Yeung who went to visit the forgotten Fook Nga and he said Eunuch Tsui sent his regards and Fook Nga was touched by Tsui's concern for her although she was no longer the emperor's favourite concubine. Before Bak Yeung left Fook Nga asked Bak Yeung to give some hand made socks to Eunuch Tsui and Bak Yeung asked "You have very little clothings yourself, why waste it to make socks for eunuch Tsui?" and Fook Nga of course said it was nothing. Once back at the brothel/hotel, Heung Fau looked at the socks and said "This is a beautifully sewn sock, a pity the person intended will never see this. I pity Concubine Fook" and Bak Yeung said "I could not bring myself to tell her Eunuch Tsui has forgotten her. I still kept her dreams alive, because that is the only way she can survive in there" and so Heung Fau kept the socks in a trunk where many items were in there also, I assume made by Fook Nga for eunuch Tsui. Then Heung Fau teased Bak Yeung that Concubine Fook seemed to make stuff that were rather suitable for young man and not old man like her godfather and Bak Yeung just smiled and told Heung Fau to stop teasing.

Is Bak Yeung in love with Fook Nga or simply pity her? I believe he likes her and pities her. I think this was why he was so helpful with Yee Soon. In Yee Soon he saw Fook Nga and he kept advising Yee Soon so that she doesn't end up like Fook Nga. Today's episode shows the good side of Bak Yeung who did what he did without any conditions attached to it. Curious though, how come later he didn't fall for Yee Soon first instead he fell for Yuk Ying? I find him having more reason to love Yee Soon that Yuk Ying. Anyway great advancement for Bak Yeung and Onn Sin's character.

Performances wise, Sheren Tang is still the scheming mean Yu Fei. Not much to do yet.

Maggie Cheung excels tonight with her inner conflicts and showed first class acting. I love her in here and I love the fact that she no longer moves her head when talking or pointing left right and centre like she did in other series. Excellent performance.

Charmaine Sheh did well to show the more concerned side of Yee Soon but really she had little to do than to look blank, worried and well different variation of worried. But to me that's good enough as my expectation is lower than usual. I enjoy the stories more so I tend to let the not so good performances go by as long as the necessary facial expression is there. Another actress would have given Yee Soon more substance, more conflict, more human side. By the way, Jade Leung looks more like same age sister of Charmaine Sheh rather than older sister. And if Sook Ling is 18 (as mentioned by Mrs Tsui) so Yee Soon must be 18 and lower. Sorry to say everybody is too old for their roles but never mind, I'll just let it go.

Bowie was wonderful tonight and shared very good chemistry with Charmaine Sheh.

Gigi Lai thankfully had little scenes tonight BUT that one scene she was in again she overacted.

I am beginning to enjoy Moses' performance. Like Charmaine, another actor may give Hung Mo more personality but in Moses' standard, it is good enough. I like the look of recognition when he heard Siu Luk Tzi said something about the handkerchief when Onn Sin dragged him away. I like the scenes between Moses and Maggie, both of then are surprisingly well matched and shared an irresistable chemistry together.

Loh Hoi Pang, no need to say is wonderful. Wong Tak Bun is ok, a bit bland and expressionless but since he is not so important, it's bearable.

Tonight is a showcase of strong plot with more intrigue and tension than other episodes. It is not much about bitching against one another but involves something deeper thanks to Yu Fei's character. Onn Sin has from the 1st scene become my favourite character and I am beginning to like Bak Yeung as well. Concubine Fook looks sad and interesting and it would be interesting to see her story and how it ends. I am sure it ends in tragedy.

Next 5 episodes will be jam packed with tension. Right now I can't see how Yu Fei can be redeemed because she is such a bitch. I really am hoping to see her fall from grace and I think as the Empress I too will push her down from her high horse. But I also know Onn Sin's grandma will die in the hands of the Empress. It would be interesting to see how that is done and what Onn Sin and Yu Fei will do.

The plot thickens. Unfortunately the performances, except for those highlighted is either average or mediocre. Sad isn't it?

Tonight is also great because finally Hung Mo knew Onn Sin was the one he was looking for but like I said, I am sure Onn Sin didn't make that pink handkerchief so the mystery person's identity is still a mystery.

- For screencaps of this episode do check out Sehseh's WAB page -