EPISODE 22

And so the deception continues. I feel very sad for Onn Sin.

Where did I stop last night? Let's see... yes, Onn Sin is determined to take down the Empress. Siu Luk Tzi, that selfish man encouraged her to formulate a plan that is long term but Onn Sin was saying "She is the empress, what could I do?". Indeed, what could she?

In perhaps this episode's most heart wrenching scene, Onn Sin was cutting a bit of her hair and inserting it into some clothes and sewing it. I was wondering she must really miss her grandma when suddenly an eunuch walked to the outside of the room and Onn Sin quickly hid herself as the eunuch called "Master Hung! Master Hung!" but Hung Mo wasn't there and so he left.

Pause here.

I almost cried buckets! I thought she was sewing for the grandma but she was actually sewing inside Hung Mo's always seen with it cape her hair, a symbolic gesture that she shall always be by his side as she sat in his room. She was teary eyed. And then she noticed his shoes, also needed mending which she did lovingly and then she sat on his bed and carefully slipped her feet into his shoes, remembering the Winter Sonata moment where I forgot to write these in, where she said to Hung Mo "I will walk on your footsteps, as long as you're walking, so shall I and when you wish to stop, just inform me and I shall stop with you". I was like "WHYYYYYYYYY ONN SINNNNNN WHYYYYYYYYY?!?!??!". She should have just let go and marry him because Hung Mo was on the rise. But how then could she forget her grandma and how her grandma died?! HOW?! It was a very sad scene.

Anyway as she was teaching the other maids to sew, the maids said "Ahhh Kuku is well loved by the empress!" and Onn Sin sadly said "Let me tell you all something. Never be too smart, never show yourself too much because if you do, the tasks will be more difficult for you. You need only to fulfil your obligation, send this blanket on time but never earlier because if you're too capable, they will never let you go and expectations will be higher and you may be bound forever by that expectation". I guess she was talking about herself.

I guess in a way I understood why the Empress wanted her, since Onn Sin is smart. BUT this must not be seen in the modern context of power struggle within companies or directors. Back in those days servants are nothing more than humble servants or in Cantonese literally "lower people". They are of such lowly status why would the empress care whether Onn Sin is in the palace or not? In a way I see the empress as desparate. She wanted to hold on to something that she was willing to hurt an innocent person.

Next scene we have Hung Mo, in the cold lonely winter guarding the temple when he overheard the empress holding Yu Fei's baby gloating away whilst Yu Fei, now in very simple clothing humbly submitted to the Empress' gloating. The Empress said "You should know that I am the empress and I will only stop being the empress upon my death or upon removal by the emperor but never will I stop being the empress by substitution my dear sister". Yu Fei could only look at her daughter longingly but could not hold her. The Empress promised to take very good care of her and yet whilst she was saying that she scratched the baby's face lightly with her very sharp nail cover, which alarmed Yu Fei but she could do nothing. In an attempt to appease the anger of the empress, she volunteered to remain in the temple to copy some very thick sutras and the Empress gladly allowed her to do so with very little help from the servants. In fact no servants at all. And the empress walked away laughing, Yu Fei teary eyed and Hung Mo for once saw the side of Yu Fei nobody saw before, the humble side.

Pause here.

No doubt the empress is evil. Not mean, not bitchy but evil. To scratch that poor baby's face, it is an act of evil. I pity the baby, no doubt the empress will be neglecting her. But strangely enough I do not pity Yu Fei. My reason because she brought this upon herself by being much too arrogant and flamboyant before, which as the empress I too would have acted that way. Yu Fei knew the consequence of her arrogance but why did she do it in the first place? That we shall know later into this episode.

Hung Mo served Yu Fei, by picking up the sutras she copied and yet discarded. I wonder why she did that? Anyway he was very quiet and she was very quiet but she had tears rolling down her cheeks.

Next scene Onn Sin was preparing for something, she walked with determination to see the empress who was doing something which I forgot when Siu Luk Tzi stopped her. Siu Luk Tzi asked "What are you doing? You want to die with her is that it? You won't be able to reach her, you will die first!" and Onn Sin emotionally said "I am only a maid, she won't notice much" and Siu Luk Tzi stopped her and said "You will die before she will" and Onn Sin with anger said "If anyone will die first, the empress will die first before me!" and Siu Luk Tzi struggled with her and Onn Sin accidentally stabbed Siu Luk Tzi in the arm with the hairpin and Siu Luk Tzi said "See! Only a small wound! Onn Sin, don't do this!". Onn Sin in anger left and walked straight into the temple and cried "Are you a God? If you are, how can you let *** (name of that maid who died earlier on the orders of Yu Fei's maid) and how can you let my grandma die because of me? Are you blind?!" and Yu Fei walked out and cooly said "People come here for blessings, thet expect something and that is why they pray" and Onn Sin angrily said "What about you? Have you resigned to your fate? Why aren't you doing something? Why aren't you stopping the empress from doing this to you?" and Yu Fei did not quite answer her as she continued to copy the text. Yu Fei said "You're to leave the palace soon aren't you? Well, you too hate the empress? But the empress' life is not for you nor I to take, only the emperor has the right to do that. There is a way to seek revenge. You must be the most favoured concubine of the emperor who will do any of your bidding, to have him on your side and that to the empress will be worse than death itself".

And Onn Sin struck gold with that idea where she decided to seduce the emperor and become the most powerful and well loved concubine to hurt the empress.

Yu Fei was right. That will be far worse than death and Yu Fei was so arrogant because she was doing that to hurt the empress. She also realised her arrogance would have such a consequence one day which was why she quietly took the empress' insults and bidding her own time one day to rise again.

Anyway, Onn Sin then uncharacteristically went back to Yu Fei and was very nice to her, her reason being she wanted to learn from Yu Fei on what were the emperor's likes and dislikes. She said "Whatever Yu Fei is doing, it must be to please the emperor and not to please herself" and so she began to plan. Siu Luk Tzi, that evil eunuch tried to persuade her not to take this road but Onn Sin made up her mind.

However she kept bumping into Hung Mo and she tried to avoid him as he sadly walked on his way and yet at the end of her road she bumped into him again. Siu Luk Tzi has mentioned that she must be able to bump into Hung Mo and not hide because the palace may be big, but it is not big enough for them to avoid one another.

At this point Yuk Ying became the emperor's favourite concubine and felt particularly smug about it, but she treated Onn Sin like her own big sister, even offering to share her bed with Onn Sin and Onn Sin was touched. But Yuk Ying couldn't help but walk to Yee Soon's room and started to say "Oh, how different we are. I am tired because I have to serve the emperor every night whilst you're so tired because you have nothing to do..." and Yee Soon wasn't not please, in fact she looked very cool about it and Yuk Ying boasted and showed Yee Soon a golden name plague/tablet which allows Yuk Ying to walk in and out of the emperor's office/room as and when she is called for. But Yee Soon said "Serving the emperor every night dressing like an eunuch and having that plaque does not make you a winner in this battle, the one to bear the emperor a child will emerge the winner" and Yuk Ying said "Well so let's see who gets to be pregnant first!" and she walked away. Onn Sin ran along.

Pause here.

For one, Yee Soon isn't upset because frankly she doesn't love the emperor. The only time she was upset was when Bak Yeung showed more attention to Yuk Ying than herself and now she is even cool about that. Yuk Ying also said she missed Bak Yeung who had not come to see her for days and still she did not realise he was in love with her. The one thing to like about Yuk Ying in this battle for the emperor's attention is she told Onn Sin how much she genuinely liked the Emperor, how witty and humourous the emperor was. I mean she really does love the emperor in her own way and that is something I like in Yuk Ying's character.

Anyway continue on shall we?

The eunuchs were doing renovation to the temple and some dared to disturb the copies Yu Fei made and she wasn't pleased but she said nothing. She continued writing until her former eunuch kneel before her and said "My lady, I beg for your forgiveness, I have not come to visit you" and Yu Fei quietly said (so as not to draw attention) "You have no need to apologise to me. I understand your predicament" and the eunuch said "My lady, I must inform you something. The little princess is still sick after all these while" and Yu Fei was alarmed and whispered "The Emperor knows of this?" and the eunuch said "He does not know as the empress does not let him know. The empress does not care for the princess and allowed her to remain sick" and Yu Fei looked strickened but did not show much emotion. Hung Mo saw everything.

When Yu Fei was alone, she was sitting in the temple looking tired and worried. Suddenly a bird flew in and Hung Mo caught it but Yu Fei asked for the bird and she kept the bird with her as company.

Pause here.

Empress definitely evil, very despicable, a baby also could not forgive. BUT again I must repeat I don't feel sorry for Yu Fei because again I feel she brought this upon herself. What is nice though is that the writer did not go overboard with melodrama and it was very realistic to show Yu Fei keeping very quiet about this because frankly what could she have done?

The emperor useless and lusty, not a very good combination.

Anyway Siu Luk Tzi warned Onn Sin about what she was about to do and he said "What about Mistress Yuk Ying? She has treated you well and why not you depend on her to seek your revenge? She is the emperor's favourite concubine" but Onn Sin said "She is a mere Kwai Yan, I need more than that" and Siu Luk Tzi said "But she will see you as her enemy, and you will have to fight her. She will not let you do what you're going to do, can you dispose off her?" and Onn Sin quietly said "I'll explain to her, I'll make her understand, she will understand".

Next thing she wore the emperor's favourite perfume which Yu Fei always wore. Pause here. The emperor did not favour Yu Fei because she wore this perfume but Yu Fei wore this perfume to entice the emperor as it was his favoruite scent. This was Onn Sin's reasoning and she was going all out this time. Poor Hung Mo.

Anyway Yuk Ying and Yee Soon were both playing chess with the emperor when Onn Sin, dressing rather nicely with her hair nicely combed (usually her style is simple) poured tea/wine for the emperor, making sure he could smell the perfume on her wrist and of course the emperor did and he looked at her and asked "What is your name?" and Onn Sin said "Your majesty, Onn Sin" and she got his attention.

Yee Soon knew what was going on as in Onn Sin seducing the emperor and Yuk Ying could feel it. When alone Yuk Ying asked Onn Sin "Did you wear that perfume to seduce his majesty?" and Onn Sin lied and said "I got the scent from handling the *** (I think a tree), I did not try to seduce the emperor" and Yuk Ying was relieved as she did not want to believe Onn Sin could betray her.

Tomorrow, Yuk Ying will shout...no scream...no YELL at Onn Sin and Onn Sin will become Onn Kwai Yan. And one heart breaking moment with Hung Mo.

I am ready to cry.

Anyway I do have some questions that I feel this series is shying away from or you can say this series is steering towards melodrama and thus forsaking the consistency in storytelling but I could attempt to answer some of my own queries about the consistency part.

How come Eunuch Tsui did not do anything and let Yuk Ying walk straight into the emperor's embrace? He has like totally disappeared from the screen!
Simple. The writer forgot about Eunuch Tsui and frankly what could he have done short of poisoning Yuk Ying?

I thought the process for a concubine to see the emperor was wrapped in blanket, naked and all? How come Yuk Ying got special privileges?
Easy. He's the emperor, he can damn well sleep with any concubine he liked, and whether they play dress up or not. Also to create tension with the character of Yee Soon but no tension so far.

Didn't Yu Fei ordered for the death of that poor young maid early in the series (friend of Onn Sin) and even bethroed Onn Sin to that dirty old eunuch. How come Onn Sin now on such great talking terms with Yu Fei?
First of all Yu Fei did not order for that poor girl's death. Her servants did their own execution, she probably never knew about that girl. Secondly, yes, quite an inconsistency about that eunuch part but hey, maybe Onn Sin understood Yu Fei's predicament? Maybe the writer forgot about that? In any way, Onn Sin was never friends with Yu Fei. She is being nice to Yu Fei because she wants to learn the likes and dislikes of the emperor from her. But one thing I can't stand though was Onn Sin apologising to Yu Fei about disturbing her in the temple. I feel there should still be some animosity between Onn Sin and Yu Fei BUT I also realise maybe Onn Sin now has so much hatred for the Empress, all else didn't matter.

How come there are so few eunuchs and maids? How come only Hung Mo one guard walking in and out? How come no princess, gege, gong ju, ah gor or whatever?
Simple. TVB does not have enough of manpower, girlpower and horsepower.

I do not understand why Maggie Cheung did not win an award for her performance. Her Onn Sin is such a great character, I mean the part on how she ended up as the concubine is silly and weak plot but still Onn Sin is such an interesting character compared to others. She did not have an agenda but circumstances forced her to have one, circumstances which if she walked away she would not have been the respected Onn Sin. I so love this character and I lover her scenes with Hung Mo. I find the scene where she wore his shoes and smiling softly so hreat wrenching and so sad. It was such a simple and yet beautiful scene and definitely very poignant in my opinion. And when she bumped into Hung Mo again and again, there I was screaming "Aiyah! Marry him lar! Forget about revenge!" and yet I wouldn't expect otherwise because then her Onn Sin would be very inconsistent. That's Onn Sin, ever thoughtful, ever faithful, ever filial and ever burdened by her conscience on what's right and what must be done. Maggie Cheung Hor Yee gave life to this character and if you say she is not the lead, you're wrong. She is one of the lead as she has equal amount of screen time, if not more than the others. What a beautiful performance.

Gigi Lai indeed gave Yuk Ying a certain sense of innocence. She has tone down a bit tonight but still talks with "I am huhhhhhhhhhh talking to you huhhhhhhhh about this huhhhhhhhh..". If I talk like that for a minute I will get a headache. What I like about Yuk Ying is her love for her mother and her genuine feelings for the emperor. She really treats him as a husband.

Charmaine Sheh had little to do these few episodes except to look way cool and not care about anything. I find Yee Soon a rather stagnant character right now. Very little to do. But quite frankly she did best in such scenes of quiet contemplation and quiet sarcasm. I would think she should have been nominated and won for Most Improved Actress instead of Most Favourite Actress as I genuine believes she has improved tremendously but not quite there yet for best actress as she is still as inconsistent as ever.

Bowie Lam no scene today I think. Kinda miss him.

Sheren Teng was ok. I think she did well with Yu Fei, bringing the sadness in her when she could not hug her baby and could see the empress hurting the baby but again I do not like Yu Fei. I can't pity her.

Rebecca Chan was both beautiful (best costume!) and amazing in her interpretation of the evil small minded empress. The way she hurt the baby, the way she talked, very excellent performance. She should have won for the award Sheren Teng won because she was awesome.

Yu Yeung, I pity him because I don't like his emperor.

Moses Chan is not a great nor is he a good actor but he is an effective actor with charisma. He is best with Maggie Cheung and tonight highlighted some of his good moments, such as the way he stared at Onn Sin. He can play a romantic lead like those in K-dramas.

Everybody else was ok.

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