Beyond The Realm Of Conscience [TVB][E]

Who should know of the would be attempted assasination if not Sam Hou the super woman? Bo Gut Cheong told her and she worried incessantly. She stood by the pond and who else to bump into her but Hin Yeung, although he did do it deliberately. He asked why she was so glum and she said "I worry for the duke" and he said what is there to worry, they're out of the palace and all and Sam Hou cried "He is not who he pretends to be! I received news that the empress dowager wants him dead! The duke has led a hard life, he doesn't deserve any more hardship. He is a good man, he has normal mentality, he has been pretending to be an idiot to safeguard his own and his mother's life. Why can't they leave him alone?" and Hin Yeung finally realised what was disturbing her and he said "He is my student, so to speak and it is therefore my duty to see that he is safe. Leave that to me" and Sam Hou worried said "No.. it is dangerous" but Hin Yeung said "I will do this for you because the last I want to see is you being sad".

How moving. But won't anyone do anything that isn't Sam Hou related?!

Anyway poor duke. Living as a commoner with his mother in commoner's clothes in a commoner's shack, they were packing, ready to flee when in bursts 2 highly skilled assasins and the duke knew enough kung fu to protect himself a little but not enough to save himself and his mother and he fell to the floor, his mother clutching him when in bursts a man dressed in all black with his face covered, fought and the 2 assasins were killed. The man revealed himself as Hin Yeung. The duke acknowledged his help and Hin Yeung said "I will escort you as far as I can, go, run now!" and so they ran.

Bo Gut Cheong was making medicine and he was upset when so happens Sam Hou again bumped into him and Sam Hou asked "Why are you so upset?" and Bo Gut Cheong said "When I am in trouble, no one helps. When everyone is in trouble, there they are, in my place. First the maid, then Kam Ling and now Hin Yeung. What do they take my place as to come in and out as pleased?" and Sam Hou asked "Hin Yeung?" and he said "Yes, he was in a fight, injured himself, now he is hiding in my place. What has he been up to? Oh I am late. I must deliver this medicine before going for my duties!" but Sam Hou volunteered to deliver to Hin Yeung and she went.

And what happened after is just plain corny.

First of, I never knew Hin Yeung was hurt, or seriously injured, at all. But there he was, on the bed, bloodied and all and this gives Sam Hou the opportunity to feel sad, regret, love, whatever as she fed him medicine and so they became deeper in love.

Sam Hou went back to her place the next day and Kam Ling asked sternly "Where were you? You know a maid can't stay overnight elsewhere unless she invites punishment" and Sam Hou was mum about it and Kam Ling sincerely asked "I am your sister, you can trust me. What are you up to?" and Sam Hou explained Hin Yeung was sick and she took care of him and Kam Ling knew where this was heading and said gently "Sam Hou, in ordinary circumstances, Ko Hin Yeung is an ideal man to be a husband whom you can depend on but we are not under ordinary circumstances. You're a maid, he is the officer. You're not meant to be!" and Sam Hou sadly acknowledged the truth and said "I am the Emperor's woman.. I know that..but I can't help myself, I admit I am falling in love with him..." and Kam Ling can only sigh sadly for Sam Hou.

Pause here.

How many emperor's woman? Because already changed 3 emperors already!

Anyway, Hin Yeung met with Sam Hou at night by the pond and he was better and he said "Sam Hou, you know how I feel about you. Let us run away from this place, we can be together then"

which came as a surprise considering their love affair is like so superficial. Sam Hou considered it, seriously considered it.

THe next day or night or whatever, she has made up her mind as she recalled back how they had fallen in love, like 3 or 4 scenes since that was how "deep" their love was.

Pause here.

Sorry for the sarcasm but their love story is one of the worst written love story ever. How am I to feel for them when there's not enough; I still don't get why she fell for him when the man for him in terms of back story, personality, etc is the duke? Ok, Hin Yeung was valiant and all BUT sorry, I see Hin Yeung, and I immediately went into zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Anyway, she was walking towards a waiting Hin Yeung when who was there to meet her but HIS father. Shocked, she looked at him with bigger eyes than usual as he said gently "I think you know why I am here. I must confess Lady Lau, I do not know you so I asked Bo Gut Cheong and he had nothing but praises for you and I can see for myself you have led a virtous life and is a lady of virtue, that I do not doubt. My son does not make his decisions lightly and he would know eloping with a palace maid would be the same as the life of a fugitive, never to rest, never to stop running. I do not question my son's love for you..so I will not try to persuade him.." and Sam Hou asked "Then why are you here?" and he sadly said "I am here hoping you will persuade him. My family has been generations of official and I do not wish to see when it came to my generation, my family would have to bear the shame of a son eloping, and bringing disrepute to the good name of his family, built upon the generations of good deeds by our forefathers. I can't bear that shame and I will not be able to explain to my ancestors. Please Lady Lau, you know how futile his plan is, if he can't see sense, at least you can..." and Sam Hou knew what she must do.

She met with Hin Yeung who was making tea and somehow Hin Yeung knew her answer when she said "Hin Yeung, I..." and he stopped her and said "Let's have a drink first" but Sam Hou said "You must listen to me.. I.." and again he said "Wait! You can still say what you want to say later, let's drink first" but Sam Hou insisted "Hin Yeung, please, I am here to say what I want to say and I shall leave and you know what I want to say!" and he frustrated said "Sam Hou, we love each other, why can't we.." and Sam Hou said "I am a palace maid. I do not wish to elope or run and hide. Our love is impossible and I would appreciate if you would call me Lady Lau the next time you see me as I shall call you Sir Ko. Goodbye" and she left and he looked distraught.

Pause here.

This scene alone convinces me that next to Kevin Cheng, Charmaine should win an Oscar because he was god awful terrible! It felt like an audition scene you know. He was stunted in his emotions, his body language just isn't there and I felt like I was watching someone rehearsing a scene rather than properly film it. Charmaine didn't do any better when she like swing her body left and right. The body language of these 2 were the reasons why I laughed at this scene rather than feel for these doomed lovers. And what so doomed anyway? They seem to be able to walk and meet and chat and all so openly. Seriously, Kevin Cheng quite simply embarassed himself in this scene alone. I would have thought Steven Ma would do better than that, even BENNY CHAN could do better than that!

Anyway Kam Ling came back and saw Sam Hou looking very distraught and she quickly went to her and asked "What happened?" and Sam Hou cried bitterly "It is really over! It is truly and really over!" and Kam Ling asked "With Officer Ko.." and Sam Hou cried "I told him I won't be with him! We are over!" and Kam Ling went to her and cried as well as she said "Sam Hou, don't be like this. You still have me, we are sisters, I will forever stand by you, don't cry, don't be sad" and they hugged each other as they cried together.

Pause here.

I feel Kam Ling's pledge of friendship to Sam Hou here is real and heartfelt. Everytime Kam Ling tries to go on with her life, be fair to Sam Hou and all, somehow some circumstances pushes her back and towards unreasonableness. But this scene shows she genuinely cares for Sam Hou, offered her advise and all. What a pity this good woman had to succumb to temptations and power. By the way, Sam Hou can cry all she wants, I feel more for her in this scene with Kam Ling than with that god awful Kevin Cheng.

Again.. why is she not in love with the duke? What is so attractive with a walking comatose zzzzzzzzzzzzz botoxed zombie? My sis said "when I look at Kevin Cheng I don't see sexy, I don't feel like ripping his clothes off, he is just so asexual" which is such a pity for someone so darn good looking and yet lacking that sex factor.

Anyway the emperor in his highly skilled "Let's blame the duke for EVERYTHING" reasonings was again having nightmares and demanded to know where the duke and his mother was since they escaped. General Ma knew as he received a tip and was ready to present that to the emperor who unleased his temper on him and so General Ma kept the letter and the emperor demanded to General Ma and the I suppose Prime Minister (who seems like a good man but why is he on that woman's side???) "If you don't find him and bring their bodies back to me in 3 days, I will order for the temples to be razed to the ground and the monks killed!" and of course Prime Minister said "No no no, your majesty will lose the trust of the people, don't!" but Emperor said "I AM THE EMPEROR!" and General Ma slyly said "Yes, he is the emperor, your majesty can do as he pleases, so a few temples and monks are nothing" as the PM looked at him like are you crazy? and empress dowager said "Indeed. Do as the emperor says!"

Stupid idiot.

Duke and his mom were in a temple and the duke bade farewell to the chief monk who said he will disband the temple and hide so as not to reveal the duke's whereabouts and the duke was touched when suddenly the door bursts opened and in came eunuchs, guards and General Ma. Duke and mom were scared but General Ma dismissed everybody and once alone as Duke slipped back into his idiot disguise with his mom shielding him, General Ma knelt before Concubine Zheng and said "Your royal concubine! How have I searched for you!" and they were shocked at his politeness as he said "You do not realise how evil the emperor has become. He has ordered for temples to be burnt and monks to be killed simply because he couldn't locate you. You can always run but he will always find you. The only way to ensure your safety is to return to the palace and the duke as emperor!" and Concubine Zheng asked "Is that even possible?" and General Ma said "Leave the arrangements to me. I will ensure this will be a success" but Concubine Zheng said "But this is being a traitor..." but the duke in his idiot mode smiled and clapped and said "Yeah! Can go home! Yes mother, let's go home, I want to be emperor!!" and so Concubine Zheng agreed. Finally the duke who is sick of running needn't run anymore.

Pause here.

But surely he would know General Ma would have to kill the emperor? How can he condone that?!

The Emperor was outside hunting and was upset since he didn't get any killings done. Storm was gathering outside the tent. To cut the long story short, General Ma came in, forced the emperor to take those pills he took before and basically ensured he died like he was poisoned. The eunuchs, guards and all were on General Ma's side. Poor Emperor, he really had no idea what was coming. Actually he did but what a way to die. I feel no pity for him but surely this can't be the way. The Duke is now held for ransom so to speak by General Ma!

PM and Empress Dowager were worried; she didn't feel right, more so when reports said the emperor have set up a tent in an area out of the normal hunting grounds. Eunuch came back and reported "Empress Dowager! The emperor...the emperor... is dead!!!" and Empress Dowager and Concubine Wong ran to anothe room ...

Pause here.

Susan Tse's dress and lack of make up looks great on her!

Anyway they ran there and so he was there, quite dead, deader than dead, very very dead. Concubine Wong cried, Empress Dowager asked "WHAT HAPPENED?!" and General Ma explained "His majesty consumed those poisonous pills and died as a result" and Empress Dowager didn't quite believe him and then calmed down and said "We must not let the empire die ... we must appoint a new emperor.." and General Ma said "In fact we found a will written by his majesty" and Empress Dowager shocked said "A will? Read it!" but General Ma said "I can't read it before the arrival of .." and a man walked in and he said "Empress Dowager, I am Man Gim Fung, general of the imperial army and I have placed 5000 of my men at the palace to safeguard this place" and the empress dowager began to understand there was a mutiny and then in came the duke and his mother, concubine Zheng looking stern and brave as she faced up to her nemesis and Empress Dowager quickly said "That woman! What is she doing here? Good, now that she is here, guards arrest her!" but General Ma said "They're here because the will concerns them" and Empress Dowager shocked said "Fine.. read it" and General Ma gave the PM who read it with a pale face and he read aloud "I hereby pass my imperial throne to my uncle Lee Yi who is a man of upstanding reputation" and Empress Dowager shocked and then knew what was happening smiled and said "General Ma, you're indeed a loyal servant of our empire and of many emperors! Why would the emperor pass his throne to his uncle when he had sons?" and General Ma said "There was a witness" and an eunuch came forward and said "Yes I can confirm that will is valid" but she took the will and tried to tear it as she angrily said "This will is not his will! I will never let this feet washing servant and her idiot son take the throne!" but the PM cried "Empress Dowager! No! That is the Emperor's will! You can't defy it!!" and all guards kneel before her and so she threw the will to the floor, gave dagger stares to Concubine Zheng and left.

Pause here.

Everyone knows the will is fake. But how come the PM never challenge it? Could it be because he knew the dead emperor was evil and Lee Yi a better choice? Isn't this whole grabbing the throne scene most juvenile and darn stupid? There must be a better way, like that of often speculated and dramatized fake will of Emperor Kangxi. This one is just so darn dumb. I laughed. I laughed out loud. Seriously TVB, seriously...

Anyway Empress Dowager was fuming when she saw Concubine Wong crying and she said "If you so miss him, then I decree you shall be buried with him and to follow the emperor to the afterlife so that he won't be lonely" and Concubine Wong cried "No empress dowager, no, let me stay and serve you, please" but she was dragged out and I suppose that's the end of Concubine Wong. What is with this series, killing people so easily and yet never show how they're killed? Anyway Empress Dowager was talking I suppose to PM or someone when she said "I will fight that will, I will fight that woman's son as the new emperor!!"

Next episode, indeed she would fight him in front of every ministers as Lee Yi revealed himself "I AM NOT AN IDIOT" to the shock of everybody as Concubine Zheng now Empress Dowager Zheng went head to head with ex Empress Dowager. Exciting stuff.

Story wise, you know how I feel. What a load of rubbish.

Performances wise, only 3 people deserve a mention; Moses who did well. Susan Tse who was magnificent. Mary Hon who equalled her in magnificence.

Tavia did well too but too little for me to comment. Charmaine Sheh isn't that bad but frankly I wouldn't have noticed her at all since she is rather insignificant in this episode even if there's this love story that I doubt anyone cares about.

Kevin Cheng...HELP ME!!

So glad no Susanna or Michelle in this episode so no need to watch them bicker.