EPISODE 30 [LAST EPISODE]

It's so hard to believe, it's the end. It's really the end and what an ending it was. An ending to fit all endings. Fans may not like it but I thought for once TVB got it right and even managed to make it look so beautiful cinematography wise. I wanted to write this as soon as I finished the last episode but I was so emotional I kinda let myself rest for a while. This episode certainly reached the pinnacle of all pinnacles of all emotions, and funnily enough the pinnacle came from nowhere. For me this is one episode you can watch by itself and forget the previous few episodes.

But before I begin I must thank my friend Wyone. You see I was really late after some heavy duty shopping so I dropped by her place as she got ASTRO. But alas, 10 minutes into this episode, her ASTRO got some problem like every 10 words uttered, 2 impotant words were muted. So I was like OKOK I can watch the repeat. My friend cooly walked to the TV, took out a golden looking disc, put it into the VCD player and I was like "Hey! I'm watching" and she was like "Yeah lor, for you to watch" and guess what? She had the final episode's VCD! All that drama and aiyah...anyway thanks to her I got to watch an uninterrupted version.

So let's begin the final episode and my final episodic thoughts.

Chan Song was in the palace and he looked furious. Yu Fei was advised to leave for the empress' place since it would be heavily guarded but Yu Fei refused as she rightly deduced, the empress had her own plans in destroying Yu Fei using the rebels. So everyone was panicking and since palace is very big, it took the rebels some time to reach them. Yu Fei asked her servant to find Hung Mo fast.

Pause here. You may wonder how the rebels can enter the palace so easily. I have 2 explanation. One is this is War & Beauty and not on the rebels so really it doesn't matter. Second is a more valid one. The emperor left for official business and I am sure with him most of the guards followed him. So security was low in the palace which explained why they can get in so easily.

Meanwhile Bak Yeung was escorting the coffin of Fook Nga out of the palace with this huge entourage. What a scene! They were all in white, with the white snow...very gloomy looking. But Yee Soon was hiding inside the coffin. Ermm no sign of Fook Nga's body. I wonder what happened to her body? Anyway half way through Yuk Ying appeared looking ghostly white and she ordered everyone a few steps back and in her loudest ever voice asked Bak Yeung why he was leaving. I mean what a horribly bad performance. As if now no one will know there's something going on between the two. Anyway Bak Yeung advised her to go back to her room as "I am awakened now. I realised now and I intend to leave" and Yuk Ying was like "How can you leave me? How can you leave our baby?" and Bak Yeung was like "I have done all I could for you and I have done everything I shouldn't for you. There is nothing more for me to do for you. My heart is dead. For me this is the end of my journey. I am leaving" and Yuk Ying was like in tears but I guess more like thinking she was gonna lose her ally. Anyway selfish Yuk Ying, never knew at that point was she asking hik to stay because of love or selfish needs. Anyway Bak Yeung continued his journey leaving Yuk Ying crying in frustration.

And he continued on and again he was stopped. Longest funeral march ever. It was Hung Mo with his sword. Bak Yeung was saying "Lord Hung, why are you at the funeral with a sword?" and Hung Mo said "I am here to kill someone" and Bak Yeung was like "Who?" and Hung Mo was like swinging the sword at Bak Yeung and said "Suen Bak Yeung, you have been charged and found guilty of treason. By the orders of his majesty, I am here to execute you" and Bak Yeung was like knew it was because of Yuk Ying's matter and before either of them could say anything the snow was wet and slippery and the coffin slid down the long stairs and Bak Yeung panicked as Yee Soon was in there and indeed once it reached the bottom of the stair, the coffin broke into several pieces and in it an injured and depressed looking Yee Soon. Hung Mo was surprised but cooled down and Bak Yeung was reaching for Yee Soon when the rebels appeared in hundreds. Hung Mo immediately went in aid of Bak Yeung who was carrying Yee Soon as they were running away and they went hiding near the rocks as the rebels searched for them. Hung Mo told Bak Yeung "You leave now, let me handle here" but Bak Yeung was like "I can't. Promise me you will escort Yee Soon out of this palace" but Yee Soon was teeling Bak Yeung not to go since she knew he would look for Yuk Ying risking his own life but Bak Yeung said he had to go, and so he left. Hung Mo meanwhile had to go back to Onn Sin you see so quite funny as one by one left Yee Soon. He told Yee Soon to leave the palace through some door and Yee Soon who was very distressed agree. Hung Mo walked out of the rocks when someone called out his name as an arrow flew by him. Yee Soon was scared and she was hiding. Hung Mo turned and it was Chan Song with an arrow pointing at Hung Mo. "Well we meet again Hung Mo. So how does it feel like to be accepted into the manchu clan and become the manchu dog?" said Chan Song but Hung Mo now very angry since he really had no time for all this bravely said "Song, if you want to kill me, you kill me now" but Chan Song said "Oh no, I don't intend to kill you so soon. I want you to know all the wrongs you have done to me and I intend to avenge for Po Shim's death" but Hung Mo said "For all the wrongs I have done to you, I have nothing more to say and for all the wrongs you have done to me, I do not wish to explain. Song, don't do this, don't work for the rebel, turn bakc before it's too late" but Chan Song said "You take me to that bitch Yu Fei now! NOW! or I'll kill you!" and Hung Mo thought since he must get to them he lead the way. Yee Soon was now worried about Bak Yeung and so she rushed to find Yuk Ying.

Yuk Ying was in I think Fook Nga's room saying her final goodbyes to Fook Nga whom she felt helped her for reuniting her with Bak Yeung. She was dressed in the same dress the night she slept with Bak Yeung and she sadly reminisced about that night and thinking about Bak Yeung. Then Yee Soon appeared and said "Where is Bak Yeung?" and Yuk Ying was like "What are YOU doing here?" and Yee Soon said "We have no time. We must leave. The rebels are in the palace!" and Yuk Ying was "Oh please, don't lie to me with that stupid excuse. Rebels in the palace..." but Yee Soon was panicking and said "If it is not for Dr Suen I wouldn't have come back for you! We must go now!" but Yuk Ying refused to move. Bak Yeung then reached them and Bak Yeung said the same thing but Yuk Ying refused and Bak Yeung said "You must leave. The emperor knows the baby is not his" and Yuk Ying was shocked and she had no choice but followed them. Half way through Yee Soon couldn't breath and Bak Yeung said "We can rest for awhile" but Yee Soon urged Bak Yeung to leave and said "No no you go, leave me here, don't let me slow you down" but Bak Yeung said "The rebels will take some time to reach here, you rest first" but Yee Soon was in tears as she frantically told Bak Yeung "No! No! You leave, you leave now! Listen to me, don't do this for me or for Yuk Ying or for anyone else. Do it for yourself! Leave for yourself! Leave!" but Bak Yeung refused and said "I promised Fook Kwai Yan I'll escort you out. I must leave with you! Don't give up now! Your sister may be out there somewhere waiting for you! You still have to find her! It may be important for you to do everything for your parents but you're now a parent yourself, you must think about your baby. We will leave together!" and Yee Soon agreed. But Yuk Ying having heard the word mother suddenly stiffened and turned back to her room. Yee Soon and Bak Yeung asked where she was going and she said "I am going back to my room". Bak Yeung was very angry and shouted "Why? Why even now you can't leave all this behind?! Why even now you have to hold on to the power, to your materialistic needs?!" and Yuk Ying was screaming "Yes, I am materialistic, selfish Yuk Ying. I will not leave. I will never lose. I cannot lose! Never!" and Bak Yeung slapped her but she recomposed herself and walked back. Bak Yeung let her go and went back to Yee Soon and told Yee Soon "Even now she has to be so stubborn. Why should I still care for someone who doesn't wish for me to care for her?" and Yee Soon said "I understand your feelings, because we are the same. I care for someone who doesn't wish for me to care for him" and Bak Yeung looked guilty and said "I understand your feelings towards me and I appreciate it" and after a moments thought, Yee Soon knew he can never leave Yuk Ying alone. So Bak Yeung bid his good byes to Yee Soon who could not understand why Bak Yeung can't leave that woman and he ran back whilst Yee Soon now too sad to do anything else.

Back with Yuk Ying, Bak Yeung reached her and Yuk Ying angrily said "Why everytime I Push you away you keep coming back? Go away!" and he tried to drag her with him but Yuk Ying refused and Bak Yeung said "The emperor knows! Do you think he will let you live? Do you think you can lie through your teeth again?" and Yuk Ying said "I don't intend to lie anymore. I know I won't live" and Bak Yeung said "Why then are you staying?" and Yuk Ying tearfully screamed "Do you think if I leave with you the emperor will let my family go? My family will be punished and my mother will bear the blame of having a slut of a daughter who ran away and my mother's position in my family will further worsened. No one will respect her anymore. I can't let that happen. But if I were to stay here, and kill myself, with the rebels in here, the emperor may find it in his heart not to expose my deception. After all he asked for you to be secretly executed, so I guess he may want to save face. He may even give me a grand funeral befitting of my status, then my death will worth something". Bak Yeung was shocked but he refused to let her stay and dragged her along as Yuk Ying kept saying no no when suddenly outside a bunch of eunuchs locked her door. It was the empress' eunuchs who were ordered to get rid of competition taking advantage of the rebel situation so the empress can then blame it on the rebels. The eunuch said "Courtesy of the empress herself my lady" and they set fire to her room. Bak Yeung and Yuk Ying knew they had nowhere to run, and so they sat down by the bed waiting to die. As they were coughing from the smoke, Bak Yeung looked tearfully at Yuk Ying and Yuk Ying tearfully said "I know you have always wondered if what happened that night was because I loved you or because I wanted to use you...I want you to know.." and she tearfully and lovingly kissed Bak Yeung on the lips and as they kissed the fire raged on and black out. I can say probably they choked to death and then burnt. It was quite sad.

Meanwhile back to Yu Fei. Hung Mo reached them with Chan Song behind him and Chan Song said "Finally you bitch Yu Fei! You killed Po Shim!" but Hung Mo screamed "Song! Wake up! It wasn't Yu Fei!" and even Onn Sin said "Chan Song, how can you do this to Hung Mo? He is your brother! Yu Fei did not kill Po Shim!" but Yu Fei angrily walked in front and said "I have hurt may people, I have ordered many killed, so one extra blame is not difficult for me to bear. But I never killed Po Shim!" and Chan Song looked confused but he refused to believe and he aimed for Yu Fei when Hung Mo ran in front of Yu Fei and blocked the attack and Yu Fei surprised said "Lord Hung, what are you doing? Don't do this" and Chan Song angrily said "Even now you have to be a manchu dog faithfully serving your servant! Do you think you can protect her forever?" and Hung Mo angrily said "I am trying to protect you! If you kill her, you will never live! Leave the rebels, don't be foolish anymore! Song, I will never harm you! Look! Look!" and Chan Song thought for the longest of time and then he lowered his sword and then rebels rushed in and everybody was fighting but Chan Song suddenly returned to Hung Mo's side and decided to help Hung Mo. As they rushed out and killed the rebels, another set of rebel looking people rushed in but these new rebels killed the old rebels and was aiming for Yu Fei. Chan Song fought along but he got hurt and fell to the ground and Hung Mo killed the rest. After that he held Chan Song in his arms and said "Song, Song.." and Chan Song as he breath his last breath whispered "I believe you my brother" and he died. Hung Mo sobbed holding Chan Song and Yu Fei and Onn Sin looked sad. Yu Fei then asked her eunuch to pull the trousers of the rebel down and check and indeed "My lady! They're eunuchs!" and Yu Fei knew the empress had wanted to take advantage of the situation and kill her off. Anyway Yu Fei, Onn Sin, eunuch and Hung Mo ran out into the open but the rebels were closing in. Hung Mo was holding the hands of Onn Sin on his left and Yu Fei on his right as they ran along but Yu Fei knew the rebels will kill them if the empress' assassins did not get to them first. Yu Fei said "Hung Mo, you take Onn Sin and leave now! I''ll divert the attention of the empress' assassins, at last you two can escape!" but Hung Mo said "No! You'll leave with us!" and Onn Sin too said "Yes, you must leave with us Yu Fei! You can't stay here. You don't want to stay in this horrible dangerous place" but Yu Fei said "But I want to. What can I do if I leave here? I may have always wanted to go outside and see what's out there but to survive out there, I really am not that capable. I entered the palace since I was 16 and I have never known what it is like out there, I will never make it, I'll just be a burden to you" but Hung Mo said "NO! If I am to leave, I will leave with both of you, now!". Yu Fei looked at Hung Mo as he held both their hands and she said "Alright, alright, so if we leave, once out there Hung Mo, you have to choose either one of us! Who then?!" and Hung Mo thought for awhile and then he held their hands tighter. Yu Fei pushed Hung Mo's hands away and said "Go! GO! GO NOW! LEAVE BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE! JUST LEAVE!!!" but Hung Mo couldn't leave Yu Fei but Onn Sin said "Go brother Hung! We have to go now" and reluctantly Hung Mo took Onn Sin's hands and ran. Yu Fei looked at them sadly and she herself ran the opposite way.

Half way through running, Onn Sin saw a very confused looking Yee Soon who was walking slowly in the line of shotting arrows. Onn Sin rushed to her and an arrow struck Onn Sin but she had no time to bother with it and she said to Yee Soon "Yee Soon! Are you alright?" but Yee Soon looked too confused, too sad by the sudden departure of Bak Yeung who left her alone. Onn Sin took Yee Soon and ran with her and on the floor the camera zoom into a broken arrow laced with blood.

Meanwhile the empress was in her room looking anxious when her eunuch came back with good news. "My lady, the rebels have been defeated! It was 2nd Prince who subdued the rebels my lady!". Imagine that. Your own son just did a great dead killing the rebels and what do you say? "What about Yee Soon and Onn Sin? Where are they?! Find them!". I tell you the empress is going mental. And then Yu Fei strolled in and the Empress said "YOU! YOU!" and Yu Fei cooly said "Onn Kwai Yan and Soon Kwai Yan were both killed by the rebels and their bodies burnt" but the empress for the first time shouted "You dare to use the story I have concocted?! Why Yu Fei? Why do you have to be a pebble in my shoes? Why do you have to go against me in everything?!" and Yu Fei angrily said "It has always been us, this fight for power. It was between us, it is between us and believe me, in future, it will always be between us. I intend to fight you till the end of time, and you mark my words, I'll go against everything you do!" and Yu Fei walked out and the empress, having lost favour of the emperor and now unable to destroy her biggest rival felt both angry and frustrated as she reflected of her failures.

Yu Fei then went to Yuk Ying's room and knew it was burnt. She was told "There are two bodied in there my lady, a male and a female. The male did not have 3 fingers" and Yu Fei sadly reflected "I want to see them" but she was advised "My lady, their bodies are badly burnt. You will not wish to see them like this" and he gave to Yu Fei a broken I think jade ring. Yu Fei was about to take it when a crow swooped down and took the ring and flew away. The ring passed outside an open field and dropped the ring in front of Senior Suen who was waiting for Bak Yeung. Senior Suen knelt down and saw the charred jade ring and knew it was Bak Yeung's. He tearfully cried "I understand my son! I understand you do not wish to drag me into this! I understand my son!" and he sobbed emotionally into the ground thinking about Bak Yeung.

Pause here. This scene made my tear welled up. I mean Yuk Ying and Bak Yeung dying was kinda sad but it was Senior Suen's tears that got to me. Useless son.

Anyway more tears.

It was outside the palace and Yee Soon, Onn Sin were both in a horse driven cart and Hung Mo stopped for awhile to get them drinks. Onn Sin weakly told Yee Soon "You must live on, you have a baby to take care now. You have always been dictated what to do, first by Eunuch Tsui so you can now live freely. You must be cold now. You must dress well, take care of your baby" and Yee Soon was very frustrated and said "Why is it everybody tells me what to do..." and suddenly Onn Sin didn't look too good and Yee Soon panicked and held on to Onn Sin very worried and when Yee Soon touched Onn Sin's back, and she saw blood on her hands. Yee Soon was in tears now and said "Onn Sin, what's going on?" and Onn Sin weakly said "Don't worry. It is nothing" but Yee Soon said "I must get Hung Mo. He will find you a doctor!" but Onn Sin refused and said "No, don't tell him. Please don't" and Yee Soon said "You will die" and Onn Sin said "I know. But if Hung Mo knows, he will turn back, he will do everything he can to find me a doctor and this will delay our escape, your escape. I cannot afford that to happen" and Yee Soon tearfully said "Why even now you have to think of me? Why are you doing this for me?" and Onn Sin gently said "Yu Fei has asked me to live a life she could not live but now I am not able to do so. My hope now rest with you, you will live a life that I could not live, a life free from the ghostly dangerous sinful forbidden palace, a life of free will and a life where you can do all that you want to do" but Yee Soon tearfully said "I have no one. I have no family, I don't even know where my hometown is" and Onn Sin smilingly but weakly said "Well, go to my hometown. My hometown will be your hometown, the people I knew will be the people you know. My hometown is very beautiful, surrounded by rivers and mountains, you can go there" and Yee Soon gently nodded.

Next scene Yee Soon was sitting very quietly at the back with Hung Mo smiling and sitting at the front with Onn Sin's head on his shoulders, both smiling as Onn Sin held Hung Mo's arms. Hung Mo said "You look tired, why don't you close your eyes and rest for awhile. Once we reach our destination, I'll wake you up" and Onn Sin weakly smiled with her head on his shoulders and said "Alright but don't forget to wake me up" and Hung Mo promised he won't. Yee Soon saw Onn Sin's wound dripping with blood and she tearfully looked away as she knew Onn Sin was dying. Onn Sin then closed her eyes, holding onto Hung Mo as Hung Mo placed his own head on top of hers lovingly, and then they rode towards the sunset.

The sun was setting, casting a sad veil of darkness over the palace and Yu Fei was standing by the sunset on top of the building overlooking the forbidden palace. She remembered how she first met Hung Mo and she remembered the handkerchief with the poem and she recited the poem by heart. As she recited the poem, we see scenes of Yuk Ying and Bak Yeung and Onn Sin and Yee Soon and Hung Mo and Yu Fei ended the series by saying "If I leave the palace, I shall leave it happily, if I stay in the palace, it shall be with a heavy heart. Dear stranger, fated as it may be, if you found this handkerchief, I wish you well and I wish you shall live a life I wished I could have lived outside as you're living now. Live well..."

THE END

Ok, maybe the poem not in exact words but that's the meaning of it.

I tell you, when Onn Sin closed her eyes with Yee Soon looking so depressed, I was like trying very hard to hold back my tears. I wanted so much to cry at the injustice of it all! I mean at least ONE HAPPY PAIR won't kill you right TVB! RIGHT?! I really wanted Onn Sin and Hung Mo to have a happy end. I knew Onn Sin was going to die, but I didn't know it would be like this!

Sheren Teng once said her Yu Fei had the saddest end since she remained in the palace. Well she had a choice to leave and wisely the script did not write that she left and all because Yu Fei was right; she had lived in luxury all these years, she can't live an ordinary life out there however she wished she could. Onn Sin wasn't the saddest. Because she died in Hung Mo's arms. Yee Soon also not saddest as now she will have Onn Sin's memories as her own and she has her baby. By the way silly isn't it? Emperor's baby...Anyway it is an apt ending for Yee Soon who all her life lived on the instruction of others, now she like Onn Sin said must live a life on her ownb instruction so to speak. Yuk Ying for all her flaws until the end did everything for her mother. I think that is a virtue. Bak Yeung died simply because he couldn't escape in time.

For me the two saddest are ..

Senior Suen. No descendants, now alone. His daughter in law also, very sad.

And of course Hung Mo who didn't even know Onn Sin was dying. I was thinking she could tell him and he could find a doctor somewhere, surely Yu Fei will ensure the empress will not send anyone after them but then they wouldn't know whether Yu Fei survived or not. Hung Mo saddest because Chan Song died, and now the one woman he did everything for also died. If there is a sequel, I bet Hung Mo will spend the rest of his life taking care of Yee Soon and her child whilst he himself will remain unmarried and childless. I can't bear to think about that. It was just so sad.

My tears....no no no must not cry....

What's great about this ending is essentially the empress' end. I was thinking the emperor wil strip her off her power but surprise surprise she is still the empress! But great is in the end she didn't die, the emperor knowing what she did also won't strip her off her power because after all she is the empress and her 2nd son destroyed the rebels in the palace! I mean what a great ending man! So realistic! The emperor will continue to tolerate her but I doubt he will listen to her anymore and Yu Fei will pray she will die before the emperor because once he's dead, believe me her son will be emperor and she will torture Yu Fei to death.

You know what, Sheren Teng is right. If I think so far ahead in future, Yu Fei has the saddest end and will be doomed.

What an ending!

Performances wise, I must say Charmaine Sheh impressed me with her very melancholic depressed sad looking Yee Soon. I think she truly did well in the last 4 or 5 episodes and frankly I think she deserves a most improved artiste award. Very impressed. Her best scene was of course her short talk with Onn Sin on the horse cart. Very sad.

Maggie Cheung as usual turned in a stellar performance. Her Onn Sin even in the end died thinking about others. Such a kind hearted character and as I have said Onn Sin's doom is her kind heart and well this episode kinda proves it. Maggie Cheung deserves a best actress if there is one based solely on performance and not popularity. She was consistent even if her character was not. I mean the empress didn't die right? What a waste for Onn Sin's character to turn the way she did and then die the way she did but a good end. I mean I hate it but I will accept it.

Sheren Teng did well but frankly I didn't think she was all that great as everybody said she was. At times she was shaky. Anyway I decided that I don't hate her Yu Fei anymore, doesn't mean I like her very much at all. But I'll admit all she did in the end was for Hung Mo and love is so powerful. Very noble of her. What I like about the scripting of this character is she knew she did bad things before, she repented and she will admit if she did it.

Moses Chan really didn't act much but he was effective in scenes that requires him to be loving, forceful, angry, etc without changing his facial expressions much. Mr Botox minus the real Botox. But I like him in here and I thought he was ok.

Chan Hung Lit gave a stellar performance these 10 episodes or so and tonight he was so great. I cried as his Senior Suen cried for his son's death.

Rebecca Chan deserves an award that was given to Sheren Teng, as in the veteran award because her performance amongst all was the most consistent and the best. She looked so beautiful throughout but tonight she showed to us the paranoid side of the empress. Excellent performance.

Gigi Lai was ok. Inconsistent but short of being horrible. Still bad but I said OK because compared to her previous performances in previous episodes this is not the worst. I wonder thought why she won that award.

Bowie Lam unfortunately didn't do too well. A great actor but when his character is like down and out and emotionally spent, he didn't covey the emotions well. I find Bowie unable to portray well Bak Yeung who was emotionally vulnerable, something Charmaine Sheh did very well with her Yee Soon.

Wai Kah Hung was bad. Performance very stiff. And his Chan Song was like in fast forward mode, die so fast. I mean why bring back this character? Quite ridiculous how it was dealt with.

No Yu Yeung, thank god.

Funny stuff. Now the emperor will discover lacking in many concubines!!

Funny isn't it? After 30 episodes of fighting, in the end I realise all those fights of the concubines, at least in this series is not really about power but about personal feelings. Yee Soon fought Yuk Ying because of Bak Yeung, Yuk Ying fought everybody because of her mom in a way, Onn Sin against the empress because of her grandma, Yu Fei against empress because of hatred and empress against Yu Fei because of jealousy. In the end it's all personal.

Anyway a few questions you may wanna ask. The most important being, who made that handkerchief with poem which is so significant to this series? The writer may have forgotten to answer that but the hints are all there. Yu Fei could recite the poem even without really reading the handkerchief. I was and am still convinced it was Yu Fei who made it and I think Hung Mo knew when Yu Fei said something she quoted from the handkerchief where she said "If we are fated we shall meet again out there". Something like that. And nope, Yee Soon never knew Fook Nga was her real sister or that Eunuch Tsui had separated them.

Ahhhh so sadddddddd...Onn Sinnnnnn...WHYYYYYYY...

Anyway more in my review of this series which will be long.

Thank you very much for reading my thoughts night after night. I hope you had as much as fun as I had in sharing my thoughts with you but I must thank you for posting feedback and trivias as well. I learned a lot from your posts which were all informative.

Feel free to continue your feedback and again, thank you for reading.

Funn Lim, out.

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