EPISODE 24

Very headache inducing episode because so many things happening that can be quite confusing.

Yuk Ying met Onn Sin and agreed to work with her to oust Yee Soon. Onn Sin, very uncharacteristic of her offered a fool proof plan, where they will create a fictional affair between Yee Soon and a man within the palace, that way Yee Soon will be out of the picture. I say uncharacteristic because if this is successful and Yee Soon can't explain the fictional affair, Yee Soon could get executed and I can't see how Onn Sin could do just that. Anyway Yuk Ying agrees but exactly the plan don't know yet.

Meanwhile Hung Mo arranged and successfully helped Yu Fei to see the little princess. Yu Fei sadly said to her daughter "I never knew how to appreciate you until I have lost you" and she gently hugged her daughter. On the way back to her place whilst walking on the snow in the wide place, Hung Mo was walking ahead when Yu Fei said "I wish to thank you with all my heart for helping me. I realise now I was so arrogant, I didn't see the error of my ways and when in my worst, you have helped me without conditions attached. I am thankful for you" and Hung Mo said "Oh don't say that, it was nothing" and he looked back and he saw Yu Fei was walking in his footsteps like Onn Sin did! He remembered what Onn Sin said to him and he sadly looked away. Then Yu Fei twisted her foot and he volunteered to carry her back and find a doctor. Yu Fei shyly accepted and as he carried her in the thick snow, she looked at him in a different light.

Pause here. A very moving scene if you ask me. To see Yu Fei finally acknowledging she was a bitch before and see her mellowed down is great as well as seeing this woman walking in Hung Mo's footsteps is indeed very interesting.

Anyway, Bak Yeung came to see Yuk Ying and Yuk Ying exposed him for the painting incident. She then asked "Are you in love with me?" and Bak Yeung could not answer and he quickly begged for forgiveness for making a fake painting. And then knowing full well Yee Soon was watching them, she deliberately fall onto Bak Yeung, dragged him into her room and closed the door, which to Bak Yeung may look like a mistake but to Yee Soon she thought Yuk Ying was trying to harm Bak Yeung by seducing him. Bak Yeung was smart enough to suspect something was amiss but he let it be.

Yee Soon could not sleep as I think she may fear Yuk Ying was planning something to harm Bak Yeung. She immediately asked her maid to deliver a letter to Bak Yeung, requesting to see him some place to discuss some important issues. I think she wanted to warn him about Yuk Ying.

The next scene reveals the deception of Yuk Ying. She said "I may hate Yee Soon and I will deal with her soon but I hate you more" and you meaning Onn Sin! She asked her maid to intercept Yee Soon's letter and she wrote her own with her own name because she knew Bak Yeung may not come out to see Yee Soon but if the letter was by her, he will come see her because he was in love with her. Yee Soon will meet Bak Yeung at the original place whilst Bak Yeung was asked to meet Yuk Ying at the theatre which is forbidden for men to enter. Meanwhile Yuk Ying wrote secret letters to the Empress to say a secret affair between a man and a woman from the palace was going on there and definitely the empress will place her spies to catch that person. I think the empress must know there was infighting amongst the concubines. She should be happy someone is helping her to get rid of someone else. So the trap has been set.

Meanwhile Onn Sin found out the fictional affair would involve Suen Bak Yeung and she confronted Yuk Ying asking her why Suen Bak Yeung and Yuk Ying said "You were the one who wanted to oust Yee Soon. You were the one who came out with the plan. What is Suen Bak Yeung to you? Do nothing and I guarantee Yee Soon will be ousted this time".

But Yuk Ying knew Onn Sin would not stand and see Bak Yeung falls because like she said "I am betting on your conscience that you will stop this meeting and then you will be the one suspected of the affair!". She really wanted to harm Onn Sin.

Onn Sin was battling with her conscience. She blamed herself for coming up with this plan but Siu Luk Tzi said "Yuk Ying was the one who came up with the methods, don't be too hard on yourself" and Onn Sin said "Why shouldn't I be? Remember when I was forced to reveal Yee Soon's identity and I didn't? That was the most dangerous times but I couldn't do it, more so now. I must stop Suen Bak Yeung"

So at night as Bak Yeung left his room for the theatre, Yee Soon left hers for somewhere else and Onn Sin walking towards the theatre to intercept the meeting with Yuk Ying looking on, Onn Sin suddenly heard the flute music she loved to play and she thought it was Hung Mo. She walked towards that music and came to the temple and in darkness she couldn't see who and she gently said "Hung Mo?" and the person revealed herself and it was Yu Fei. Onn Sin was shocked and asked "How did you know this song? You never came from that are I came from" and Yu Fei cooly said "It was Hung Mo who taught me and he gave me this flute as well" and Onn Sin looked hurt and Yu Fei knew and Yu Fei said "I know you may not hear me on this but I am going to give you a piece of advice. You have chosen this path, so you better stick with it. Do not wander around of what ifs because you can't change your destiny now. I am not saying this to save you but I am saying this with the hope that you will recognise that if you let your feelings linger on, in the end Hung Mo will be the one hurt most because he could be punished for this" and Onn Sin looked very sad.

Meanwhile Bak Yeung was arrested on suspiscion of having an affair with either a palace maid or a concubine whilst Yee Soon was waiting elsewhere thinking where was Bak Yeung. Onn Sin was informed that Bak Yeung was arrested and she knew that she has been betrayed by Yuk Ying. Yuk Ying meanwhile found out Onn Sin never turned up and she was very upset when Onn Sin came to her and said "Feeling disappointed I didn't fall into your trap?" and Yuk Ying said "I thought you would have a conscience, at the end of the day you're just like everybody else, and you would rather protect yourself and see Suen Bak Yeung dead than to help him. You're despicable". Onn Sin said "How could you? I was trying to help you" but Yuk Ying screamed "You betrayed me first! I am just following your footsteps, you taught me well!" and Onn Sin said "The fight is between us, why involve Suen Bak Yeung? He saved you and he helped you, how can you do this to him?" and Yuk Ying said "You are aware he likes me don't you?" to which Onn Sin didn't know and Yuk Ying said "He is just a mere casualty, I am not bothered with that. What I was betting on your conscience but apparently you haven't any left" and as Yee Soon was walking back Yuk Ying screamed "Don't go noble on me. You wanted to harm Yee Soon first, if not you then her!" and Yee Soon shocked said to Onn Sin "You set this trap on me?" and Yuk Ying happily clapped and said "Well great great, now all is gathered here, great! What a great show!". Yuk Ying refused to save Bak Yeung.

Next day Bak Yeung was under house arrest and investigation by the guards. The Empress met with the 3 of them and said she was not pleased with the turn of events. She asked them to investigate which maid was meeting with Bak Yeung.

At the same time Bak Yeung was being watched over by Hung Mo. The Emperor was not in the palace to judge this and Bak Yeung was hoping the judge will clear his name since "I was accused of adultery, but there is no proof without the adulteress".

As the 3 walked out of the empress' room, Yee Soon was very angry but she silently walked on and she almost tripped and Onn Sin tried to help her but she said "Don't pretend to be nice with me!" and Yee Soon finally said "What are you going to do about Dr Suen? (To Yuk Ying) He has helped you so much and yet you could set this trap on him! (To Onn Sin) What has he done to you that you could do this to him? He is going to get hurt, what are your plans to save him?" and Yuk Ying said "I don't plan to do anything. If you wish, why don't you go and admit that woman was you?" and Yee Soon was very angry she walked away. She in a way blamed herself since she first wrote the letter.

Hung Mo was walking through the garden when he heard that music that Onn Sin always played. He smiled and walked towards the music and saw a female figure and he smilingly said "Yu Fei, you have improved" and she turned it was Onn Sin. Hung Mo was surprised and suddenly stopped smiling whilst Onn Sin felt hurt to know that he was on such friendly terms with Yu Fei. Onn Sin tried to warn him about people in the palace by saying "You should be careful of whom you befriend" and Hung Mo sarcastically said "I have been betrayed before so I think I can judge a character, so don't Onn Kwai Yan worry for me" and he walked away leaving Onn Sin feeling hurt.

Meanwhile Bak Yeung was still under house arrest. His father marched into his room and it was to me the most memorable scene tonight as the father said "I do not know what you were doing there, but you must know, you have to reveal this woman's identity" and Bak Yeung said "The emperor is coming back soon, he will give me justice" and senior Suen said "The emperor? Do you actually believe you can live long enough to wait for the emperor to return? The empress is a devious person. Whatever she wants, she will get and she will strive to get it. She wants to know who is the other woman. If you refuse to tell, of course you will be punished. But she can also punish you by the 9 generations rule. Do you know that? I am old and you have always hated me, so if I die first, I am sure you won't feel anything, you may even feel happier. But have you thought about your wife, Hau Shu? She too will be punished. Bak Yeung, who is that woman? You have to choose now, to save either woman, whether the woman in your heart or the woman who is your wife. Bak Yeung, please..." and Bak Yeung was thinking hard.

Hung Mo was having dinner with Bak Yeung when Bak Yeung suddenly asked "Do you think what I am doing is foolish?" and Hung Mo said "I can't judge you on that. I myself have been betrayed and have betrayed others. And that is not the most important question. The most important question is is this woman worth protecting?" and Bak Yeung did not know the answer.

Meanwhile Yee Soon could not bear to see Bak Yeung hurt. She blamed herself and she confronted Yuk Ying but Yuk Ying refused to do anything and all she said was "If you so care, why no turn yourself in?" and Yee Soon said "I am not that stupid!" but there she was, Yee Soon was walking very fast and she could not breath when eunuch Tsui stopped her. She said to Eunuch Tsui "Godfather, I know I have disappointed you. But Dr Suen landed himself into trouble because of me. Godfather, I must save him. I will say he was bringing me medicine. I am going to surrender myself" and Tsui said "I am not going to stop you because I know you will blame me if I do". Surprise surprise! I can't remember what else was said but in the end Yee Soon did not go and again Yuk Ying was furious because she was hoping Yee Soon will surrender herself. I think Yee Soon wanted to but by Tsui not stopping her she felt a duty towards Tsui not to spoil the entire plan. And so she didn't go.

Yuk Ying was in fear that Bak Yeung will reveal her identity sooner or later as she wrote the letter. Her maid said Bak Yeung did not do so and no one can find any letter to that effect which meant Bak Yeung burnt the letter. But Yuk Ying was still in fear and so she thought of a plan and said to her maid "Get me some rat poison". She made some dessert with the poison and went to see Bak Yeung disguised as an eunuch. Bak Yeung said "I appreciate you coming here but it is very dangerous" and Yuk Ying faking it all said "I just wanted to see you to discuss some matter, I did not know it will end up like this! I am so sorry" and Bak Yeung looked like he knew she was faking it. "Anyway I bought you some dessert, maybe you want to have some" and Bak Yeung looked at the gluitonous rice and looked apprehensive and he slowly took a piece and was about to bite into it when the young assistant walked in and he said "Oh Master Suen, don't eat that! It's gluitonous rice, not good for your injured finger. Here you have this and I'll take this to share with the other eunuch" and Yuk Ying looked furious that her plan was spoilt when the young eunuch was about to take a bit Bak Yeung screamed "DON'T EAT IT! IT IS POISONED!" and the eunuch was shocked whilst Yuk Ying looked straight up shocked as well. Then he said "You will not reveal what happened in here tonight, understand? Leave us alone now".

Yuk Ying walked right up to Bak Yeung and tearfully said "You knew it was poisoned and yet you still willingly wanted to eat it. You will die! Why did you do it? Why? You think I will be thankful, that I will return your love? How foolish can you be to protect me, when I wanted to kill you. Why?" and Bak Yeung was silent and Yuk Ying said "I am a devious person, I wanted to hurt you, I set the trap on you, do you think I am worth all these trouble?". I can't remember what he replied when the eunuch walked in and said another top eunuch was coming into his room. Bak Yeung immediately said "Quick, take Yuk Ying out of this room now before anyone sees her" and Yuk Ying slapped Bak Yeung hard and ...

tommorow, it will be a waiting game. It is either Yee Soon or Yuk Ying who will save Bak Yeung. BUT let me guess here. I think Fook Nga will save Bak Yeung? Very unlucky man to have the woman he loves set him up and yet very lucky man to have so many women worried for him.

Tonight's episode is weird. It feels like so rushed especially Yuk Ying who at the beginning of this episode was at one end and at the end of this episode is at the other extreme end. It may be confusing to some why she would trap Bak Yeung. She is not trapping Bak Yeung but using Bak Yeung to trap either Yee Soon or Onn Sin. She knows Onn Sin has a conscience whilst Yee Soon is in love with Bak Yeung. To her Yee Soon could have done worse to Yuk Ying but didn't because her love for Bak Yeung held her back. And she thought Bak Yeung was genuinely in love with her and yet was one gang with Onn Sin so she didn't think twice of hurting Bak Yeung. And Bak Yeung that stupid man allowed her to hurt him without even thinking about his father and his wife. I like the fact that Senior Suen is his voice of reason which he refusd to say. He was right about the implication on Hau Shu which is not fair. He got himself into this mess he must figure a way out to get himself and others out.

I also like the more subdued Yu Fei but suddenly she is like the Aunt Agony of an advice column. She is suddenly so subdued, she is beginning to give advice that others are willing to listen to. The familiarity in the way Hung Mo called out her name as in Yu Fei in one scene was interesting; interesting because his relationship with Yu Fei has got to such level without the viewers knowing. It is like so rushed that some plots just jumped the gun and we are made to make assumptions when clearly I would love to see Yu Fei warming up to Hung Mo. I would like to see how on earth he gave her the flute and why she was interested in accepting it. None of these tonight.

Can't blame the director though. Already episode 24 and 6 more episodes to go and

a. Yuk Ying is still not having an affair with Bak Yeung

b. Onn Sin is still nowhere near the empress, in fact she seems too far away embroiled in in fighting when she should be finding ways to bring the empress down

c. Yu Fei is still down and out and not quite in love with Hung Mo yet

d. The empress is still reigning as the empress

e. Yee Soon still does not have a definite role and purpose in these rivaly and Eunuch Tsui is still silent in his plans for her

f. Fook Nga has yet to reveal that she loves Bak Yeung

g. more importantly, still don't know Yu Fei's background. I still don't quite like her BUT it would be nice to see her background earlier than later

All these not done yet and still only 6 more episodes to go! What to do? No time! Must rush!

And the whole "I must avenge this" involving Bak Yeung is so out of character for Onn Sin, Yee Soon and Yuk Ying. Involving Bak Yeung is just an excuse to make us misunderstand Yuk Ying, draw Yuk Ying and Bak Yeung closer and make us like Yee Soon again. But it is getting tiring you know; to like and hate and like and then hate, I feel like my feelings is being manipulated by this series without a sense of specificied aim and purpose. This series just shows one devious then nice then bad then nice and it is neverending. It's almost boring actually. I am hoping to see they all gang up to get rid of the empress but of course why should they? Which brings back to the old problem of the plot of an evil empress to make Yu Fei look good and to give Onn Sin something to do instead of just being the follower. But it is interesting that Yu Fei recognised the fact that she herself deserved her downfall for first underestimating the empress and also for forgetting what's most important to her; her child. She realised she was ruthless and she didn't like that. That is quite a change.

So far only the men seems consistent since they follow what the women do. Bak Yeung is consistent throughout and Hung Mo is very consistent. Nothing too dramatic for them which surprisingly is good because too much going ons can be confusing and also if not written well with a solid plot, it may fall flat. Tonight's episode is one of that example but why it didn't fall flat because of the performances.

Charmaine Sheh I must say did a marvelous job tonight. I always thought her Yee Soon looks depressed and sickly and tonight she was able to convey her Yee Soon's desparation and worries to save Bak Yeung and her love for him. She may earlier pretend she has no more feelings for him but tonight it is clear she still loves him, and she loves him enough to want to turn herself in and she didn't do so because of her loyalty to Eunuch Tsui. So Yee Soon is like stuck between love and loyalty. And the way she said "You set the trap on me?" when she overheard what Yuk Ying said to Onn Sin (which the line was meant for Onn Sin) was also very revealing in the sense she was in disbelief that Onn Sin could do that. I think in a way she viewed Onn Sin as a friend and it hurt her to know Onn Sin may think otherwise of her. Charmaine Sheh may not be great but she is effective in her performance tonight, her best being the scene where she scolded both Onn Sin and Yuk Ying.

Maggie Cheung on the other hand had to deal with a sudden change of character to her Onn Sin which I am sure may be baffling even to the actress herself. So her best scenes are not those devious plotting scenes which did not make sense since her target was the empress and not Yee Soon or Yuk Ying. Her Onn Sin is supposed to be a person burdened by her kind heart and conscience so what she planned to do to Yee Soon was out of character since Yee Soon has yet to do anything evil on her. Her best scene remains the one with Hung Mo and the way she heard the song and surprised that it was Yu Fei and the hurt in her eyes when Hung Mo called out Yu Fei instead of her name and then said what he said. Very good performance and it is the subtle changes in her eyes and her stares that made this episode a good one in terms of performance.

Sheren Teng did not have to get involved in plotting so there are more expressions to her face instead of mean or worried. In here she looked rather sad but in a way contented with the way things are. However I do not think she gave the best performance. I never thought Sheren Teng was awesome in any role but she is a good actress and an effective one in moments that require her to give a different interpretation for her role. And I do think with lesser make up she looked simple and yet pretty, like refreshed type of beauty. Compared to the excessive make up on Gigi Lai (scary, like 6 inches thick foundation) and Maggie Cheung (even more scary, like 10 inches thick foundation), her make up in here was minimal and beautiful.

Moses Chan was effective as the hurt Hung Mo and the helpful Hung Mo whilst Bowie Lam gave an excellent performance as the love sick Bak Yeung who is torn between protecting the woman he loves and ... well protecting the woman he loves. He doesn't quite seem to care about his father or Hau Shu. Useless character but GREAT performance.

Chan Hung Lit did very well tonight as he confronted his son in my choice for the most memorable scene tonight. Everytime these two men meet, there will be some great dialogue and glad to note that I am getting used to his accent.

Tonight is best because of performances and therefore fans of any of the above mentioned must not miss this episode. BUT fans of Gigi Lai will also say the same thing but I am not her fan so this is what I have to say.

Gigi Lai probably gave the worst performance tonight. Less Godzilla moment but amazing eyebrow action tonight, the way one eyebrow could lip up so high, the other remained in place whilst she smiled that evil smile and smirk a lot. Her performance tonight was not just over acting but painful to watch as she overdoes her facial expressions; she could win the extreme facial expression competition. I was like why her? Why Gigi Lai? She practically killed this episode if not for Bowie Lam's performance. That scene of her screaming and crying at Bowie was particularly painful to watch because again, she cried too prematurely and then she was screaming so loud. Her visit is supposed to be private, quiet and forbidden and this woman screaming away, I think the entire forbidden city can hear her! She could learn a bit from Charmaine Sheh who thus far did neither scream not whisper but simply delivered her lines to good effect. Charmaine should have been Yuk Ying because I feel Yuk Ying shouldn't scream, she should whisper as it is more threatening. What a horribly bad performance.

Anyway I wanna write a bit on the women's make up. Rebecca Chan remains as the most beautifully made up actress in this series, her costume amazing, the head gear amazing, her make up just right. The worst has to be Maggie Cheung with her 10 inch foundation and powder, making her look old. Next is Gigi Lai with her 8 inch foundation which was unnecessary because she has good skin, no need for such extreme make up. Charmaine Sheh surprisingly had not to say little make up but subdued natural looking make up that makes her look pale. I think Yee Soon is supposed to be sickly. Sheren Teng has the simplest make up and she looks better like this. But the prettiest amongst them all, that kinda surprised me because I never thought of her as that pretty looking was Jade Leung. She looks great in costume series and in here she looks very beautiful eventhough her costume is not elaborate.

Out of the 4 female characters in this series, Onn Sin is still my most favourite but for tonight I will choose Yee Soon as my favourite for just this once because she almost gave herself up to save Bak Yeung. She may have been temperamental, she may have been calculative and plotting but she wasn't really evil in that sense. Yuk Ying is evil because she can be very nice but like tonight she can be very destructive. I am beginning to hate Yuk Ying and like Yee Soon again as after all Yee Soon was just a woman scorned.

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