I think the writer must have knocked his head senseless to have written this mother of all twist; well not the best twist nor most shocking since we know the direction of this series; the more it professes to promote sisterly love, the more you know the sisters are all holding parangs ready to strike one another. It is a facade and thanks to this episode for making it typical and stupid and I threw my hands up, surrendering to this nonsense since there's no better justification to get rid a character than to get rid of that character with the audience going "YEAH!".
But first, some shocking turn of events where we have here the evidence of Sam Hou's meteoric rise because
1. her skills
2. she's terribly nice
which are mutually exclusive but it is good of course to promote positive stuff although seriously this is not a palace; a palace has protocols and this one just threw protocols out of the window, trampled by stampeding bulls and buried 100 feet underground, never to be heard again.
Yes, I am being dramatic as this series is.
Anyway, Madam Choi made the decision.
"The decision on the new head of furnishing has been made. The person chosen is ..."
drumroll...
"Lady Yuen"
and I was like "Say what?!"
Nice twist.
Naturally everyone wasn't happy. Lady Yuen herself asked "But Madam Choi, I am a jeweler, I know nothing about furnishings and interior decorating"
and also chopstick making...
"How can I be qualified for this position?"
and Madam Choi said "You are bright and you can learn. I believe in your capabilities. Moreover the Empress Dowager made her decision so we will have to follow" and those supervisors weren't happy since they thought they had a chance. Lady Yuen said "If that is the case, I accept this position. Who then will take over mine?"
TAKE A BIG GUESS...
Madam Choi replied "The new head of jewelry will be Lau Sam Hou" and Sam Hou looked up in shock with her even bigger eyes whilst Madam Choi continued "Yiu Kam Ling will take over the position of supervisor of the jewelry dept" and Michelle didn't look too please.
And I was thinking; why? Since this is the same rank moving to the same rank. So what's to be jealous about? Not that furnishing is one step above?
Anyway we shall know with that one scene that made me wanna throw my twisties towards my 42 inch Plasma TV.
Kara was alone with Madam Choi and she looked very distressed as she held Madam Choi's hand and said "Auntie (yes they're related), how can Lady Yuen takeover furnishing? That is so unfair. She will have unfair advantage over me! She can learn from different depts and her chances of being top madam is increased. You promised me auntie, you promised me you will make me top madam!" and Madam Choi in a 360 degree turn of character said slyly "What can I do? It is the empress dowager's decision. I already told you many times; the palace is not some friendly sort of place. You will have to fight to get what you want and believe me, I am on your side since day one. However this may look bad, it is actually to our advantage. Lady Chung and Lady Yuen have always fought over everything so now that Lady Yuen has this position, we both must make it a point to stress how favourable the Empress Dowager is to her to make them drift further apart. And that would be easy with that idiotic Lady Chung and her jealousy. In fact this is to our advantage!" and Kara laughed and then asked "But Lau Sam Hou will be a threat!" and Madam Choi said "I wouldn't worry about Lau Sam Hou. She is the weakling in this. You can walk all over her with her constant need to do good. A complete idiot" and Kara said "Auntie, so I still have a chance?" and Madam Choi said "Don't worry. Things are favourable to us"
Pause here.
What the heck just happened? Is every single woman in this series gonna go evil or is evil except the perfect Sam Hou who is in all respect just perfect? I am horrified by Madam Choi's true nature. I thought at least there is one decent woman who does things decently despite being strapped by protocols and feuding women and power play and her she is supposed to be the biggest fake of all, having supposedly played her cards right and convincing everybody she is nice when she is as manipulative as the other. I hate this sudden change of character, this spoiler, this twist of all twists. It is so unfair to Madam Choi. This series is going downhill, but don't worry, not just yet.
Kara went to see Michelle and said wanted to make Michelle an ally or something but in her own way Michelle rebuffed her knowing Kara herself is as manipulative as the other but she did become rather jealous of Lady Yuen. And so the peace time between these 2 lasted exactly 1 episode.
And here we have these women fighting over top madam's position when we all know all these will come to naught as at the end the story will shift to the concubines' war. And Kam Ling is the smartest of them all. She doesn't care shit about the top madam's job anymore. She has set her eyes on something better; she wants to be rid of being a servant (even as top madam she will still be a servant kow towing to even the lowest ranked concubine) and become a concubine (well at least she knows she won't be the empress). That is what I called ambition. So these dumb women plotting fighting bulldozing when this one mere low class servant knew exactly how to get ahead. For once I applaud Kam Ling's ambition. At least THAT is worth all the plotting fighting bulldozing and some may say murder.
Sam Hou meanwhile was very happy. She was in tears as she prayed to her mother by that well. She better say her mother's name since that well houses many many many dead maids. Presumably when she dies her ashes will dumped into that well too. For a palace so darn nice to the maids, surely the first order of the day for our emperor and his mother is to give the maids a decent burial ground?
And the first order of the day for our Emperor is to restore the name of men branded as rebels years before. The Emperor after investigations knew these officials and so called rebels were simply victims of politics and so decided to pardon them all, give the dead a decent burial ground and the living a full pardon to return to the city. Kam Ling heard this as she was serving the empress dowager (who really likes her) as the emperor told the empress dowager his plans. Kam Ling looked emotional, and I believe her emotions here is a mix of true emotions and happiness at a rare case of extreme good luck for the opportunist. The Empress Dowager praised Kam Ling for massaging her to good health and asked what she should award Kam Ling and immediately Kam Ling played her cards right and kneel and said "I ask for no rewards except for your majesty to carry out your plans. Sam Hou's father was one of those implicated in this scandal and he has been exiled for many years and I would only hope for Sam Hou to be reunited with her father" and do remember this father is Kam Ling's master as well so I suppose she was sorta genuine. The emperor looked curious and since Sam Hou's name was dropped, of course he would do his utter best.
He announced his decision to his ministers and whilst General Ma looked shocked (since this is a wise decision), the ministers and generals applauded the Emperor's decision to pardon those in exile and bring back potential hundreds of thousands of soldiers following these generals in exile (which may explain why General Ma looked alarmed). Emperor was very happy when suddenly a eunuch ran in and said "Your majesty, it is Empress Dowager Kwok. She insists of barging onto this hall.." and Emperor said "A woman has no place to interrupt this proceedings, tell her to leave" and Susan walked in all regal and eunuchs carried wooden plaques and she said regally "I may not have the right but your ancestors do!" and she said "I am the widow of the late Emperor, the mother of another late Emperor and the grandmother of 2 late emperors and here I represent them to teach this useless unfilial descendant of theirs!" as she pointed at him.
Pause here.
I was a bit confused. She has been there for the past 5 emperors? I know first was her husband, then her son, then her grandson. I thought only one grandson but that scene as explained by my sister suggested at least 2 grandsons as emperor. Can someone perhaps explain how many grandsons were emperors under her?
Anyway Emperor looked shocked as she commanded "Have you lost your manners? Why do you not kneel before your ancestors and forefathers?" and he reluctantly kneel and she said "You're indeed the most unfillial son!" and Emperor stood up and asked "Why did you say that?" and she thundered "You have insulted your ancestors! You claimed to pardon these rebels which only meant that now you claim your ancestors made the wrong decision to punish them. They were lucky they weren't beheaded but only in exile. But what you do today tarnish the image of this empire and insults your ancestors!" and Emperor said "I was only righting the wrong after proper investigations. They were wrongly labeled as rebels for their crime was to have different political ideologies" and Susan thundered "So if they weren't wrong, then those who put them in exile, those who did things to punish them must surely be the guilty ones then. I remember General Ma was the most active of all, gaining recognition and awards for his deeds in finding and punishing the rebels whom now you claim were no rebels. So that would mean General Ma should be punished for wrongfully arresting the innocent!"
Good point. And I was hoping the Emperor would say "Yeap, right, ok, kill him" since this is a good opportunity to get rid of the biggest enemy. But nope...
General Ma panicked (for someone so fearless and arrogant, he does panic easily) and Emperor said "General Ma, you are the biggest culprit and should be punished!" and General Ma kneel and said "I am wrong! I shouldn't have punished these men! I was following orders to capture them! But I realise I am wrong! Please forgive me your majesty! I was only acting to the best interest of the empire! Please forgive me!" and Susan looked pleased as Emperor said "Yes General Ma was wrong but he was only representing the empire. He did what he was ordered to, as what a loyal servant would do to follow his master's instruction. In fact, General Ma (and he held him up) should be commended for his loyalty. There were too many innocent men prosecuted and now we shall talk no more of such prosecution. Let us be in peace, right the wrong and not dwell anymore in such atrocities!" and so General Ma was forgiven and Susan looked shocked and she tried to interrupt when Emperor said "I understand you concern, however you have interrupted the peaceful rest of my ancestors by bringing them into this hall and you have interrupted important proceedings in here by barging in without permission. Leave now before I show no mercy" or something like that and Susan of course knew she was lost and General Ma looked more arrogant than ever.
Ahhhhhhh... wasted opportunity!
Sam Hou was by the well when Kam Ling walked in with an old man (realistic to show him rather old after years of hard labour) and she knew it was her father and she rushed to him and cried "father" and he seems to know she is Sam Hou despite not seeing her since she was before 6 and he cried "Sam Hou!" and all that as Kam Ling too wept as Sam Hou dragged her father to the well and she said into it "Mother! It is father, he is back!" and the father said to the well "My wife, I am sorry to have caused you so much hardship!" and then he said "Kam Ling told me you're head of jewelry now! I wish I could see you often!" and Emperor walked in and said "And you will. I shall need help with the gardens and I heard you're good at that. So you can enter in often and visit your daughter" and Sam Hou tearfully said to the emperor "Thank you for bringing back my father!" and here is another reason why she should love him back! He said humbly "I take no credit in this, if not for Kam Ling begging me to find your father" and Kam Ling said "Really, it is you who was forgiving and allowed my master to come home" as she actually looked at him, smiling sweetly. I do think Kam Ling genuinely likes him and sort of admired him. Sam Hou held Kam Ling and cried "Thank you Kam Ling! Thank you!" and Kam Ling again said the most quoted word "We are sisters, of course we must help each other". A tearful reunion.
Huge commotion. Kam Ling and Empress Dowager ran to the top of the ermmm.. palace? Gates? Fort? I say fort and they saw eunuchs surrounding Susan who was standing by the edge of that fort. Empress Dowager asked gently "Sister, what are you doing over there?" and Susan sadly said "Your son will be the death of this great empire!" and Empress Dowager confused asked "What are you talking about? Just come back here, it is dangerous there" but Susan said "He does not even respect his ancestors' decision. He refused to listen to me. He will bring back those rebels who will run this empire to the ground. How dare he insult his ancestors? How dare he humiliate them in the eyes of the people by making such a shameful decision? What more use have I here? Oh, only by death will your useless unfilial son listen. I will jump to my death here and the people will know how their empress dowager was pushed to her death by your useless son!" and Empress Dowager said "Your opinion will be respected if you conduct yourself respectfully!" and Susan looked at her and pointed maliciously "I do not need any advice from your useless unfilial son and especially you, you with your title as empress dowager, in my eyes you are still the feet washing lowly servant who seduced the late emperor with that pretty face of yours! I shall die and maybe then someone will listen.." and so she prepared to jump but Kam Ling rushed forward (after a moment of hesitation, weighing perhaps this is the best option-real opportunist at work here) and grabbed Susan and Susan fell and Kam Ling also fell hard and hurt herself and eunuchs grabbed Susan who cried "Let me go! I demand you to let me go now!" as Empress Dowager reluctantly said "The Empress Dowager Kwok has lost her sanity! Take her away into the cold palace" and Susan cried "Cold palace? You dare to throw me into the cold palace?!" and Empress Dowager looked away and motioned the eunuchs to drag her away.
Susan with all her jewelry taken off sat in a huge room with her messy hair when suddenly the door flung open and it was General Ma, angry and arrogant. He said "So you tried to bring up old takes and pin the blame on me?!" and Susan looked at him squarely and said "I was the one who promoted you and now this is how you repay me?" and he said "I do not need to listen to you anymore! For 5 emperors, empire changes its emperors BUT I AM STILL HERE! Emperors come and go but I am here, surviving with my wits, using different approaches to different emperors, adapting myself. Now I need no longer adapt to you! The emperor listens to me, I put him there and I shall control him!" and Susan walked slowly to him and slapped him! What a woman! She can take care of herself I tell you. Shocked he looked at her as she said "You really think you can control him? If he can do what he did just now, he can certainly be rid of you one day. The only reason he listens to you know is because he is consolidating his power. Once he has enough power, you will be first to go! And who will you pass your throne to? Your sons? (Laughing madly) Oh I forgot, you're not a complete man! You can never have children! You have no one to pass the throne to!" and she laughed and he rushed to her and slapped her very very hard until she bled. He said maliciously "Do you think I will listen to you mad woman? You are no longer Empress Dowager! You have no power! You are insane and committed to the cold palace! THE COLD PALACE! And how care you carry out those wooden plagues and tried to implicate me?! Who do you think you are? That glorious Empress Dowager you were, no more?" and he laughed and suddenly Susan stood up and held on to him and talking like a mad woman she said rapidly "So what if I am in the cold palace? I am still the empress dowager! I am still me! What? You think you can win? Oh no you don't! No you don't!" and on and on she went on and he was scared of her that he roughly pushed her and her head hit the pillar hard and then she dropped to the floor and was very still. He rushed to her and checked and knew he had murdered her.
Pause here.
GREAT! The most interesting character had to die so darn early in this series. So what am I to watch now? This Empress Dowager Kwok is the single reason why this series rocks! And she dies so insignificantly. This is terrible! This is possibly this series' worst move, apart from making Madam Choi a villain! Dead! DEAD! DEAD!!!!!!!
He reported to the emperor that she killed herself I think. Emperor said "She was however still the empress dowager who has seen through 5 (?) emperors. She may not have been an empress but arrange the funeral befitting that of an empress" and General Ma said yes. Alone with Hin Yeung, they have said something but frankly I can't remember what.
Pause here.
Strange how the emperor took his word for it. Surely since this IS empress dowager Kwok, he should have sent a doctor or someone important to check the story and would have discovered her bruised lips/cheek and her head bruised, etc. To just accept General Ma's version of events in the face that they don't even trust General Ma would mean they trust him completely or they really hate Empress Dowager Kwok so as not to care how she bloody died.
Kam Ling was dreaming and had a nightmare and woke up to find the empress dowager very concerned about her. She asked "Are you ok?" and Kam Ling crying said "I had such a horrible dream. It must be the Empress Dowager Kwok's soul, she is not resting in peace, so she is coming after me for sabotaging her suicide!" and Empress Dowager held her and hugged her and said soothingly "Now now.. child.. don't be silly. You did what you are supposed to do. Don't be scared... I am here.." and Kam Ling hugged her close but we see her smiling slyly.
Ooohhhhhhhhh... sly...
Empress Dowager having meeting with the 4 heads plus Madam Choi and said "In memory of my dear sister, I have decided to cancel my birthday celebrations. Madam Choi, make sure you see to that" and Madam Choi nodded.
Good of her to miss Susan you know? Despite the years of abuse.
Anyway something about Susanna asking Sam Hou to co-ordinate with her and to combine both dept's help to create some furnishing whish Madam Choi encouraged and Kara rubbed it in and Michelle being exceedingly jealous. Strange; haven't they all cooperated some time in their past before?!
Susanna and Sam Hou were alone and Susanna showed Sam Hou a very finely maid jewelry which Sam Hou said was beautiful and Susanna said "Since all celebrations are banned, I am afraid we can't celebrate Madam Chung's upcoming birthday. This was meant for her" but Sam Hou said "I am sure you can still give this to her privately. I am sure she will love it now that you both have reconciled" and so Susanna decided to do just that.
Maids gossiping in the attire dept, like Fei Yin making gifts meant for Lady Yuen and Sam Hou and Michelle overheard, disappointed it was not for her as she heard Fei Yin said "Oh Lady Chung is out of favour! The ones in power now are Lady Lau and Lady Yuen! Who is Lady Chung anyway!" and Michelle stomped inside and they all silenced as Michelle said tersely "Didn't I order you all to dye fabric?" and the supervisor said "We don't have the dyes" and Michelle shocked said "I remember we ordered some a month ago and some arrived this morning" and supervisor said "Yes indeed but the eunuchs carried them to jewelry dept".
Michelle was rightly pissed.
She was walking and saw Susanna who smiled and walked to her and about to bring out the jewelry when Michelle said tersely "Did you take the dye I ordered for 1 month ago?" and Susanna said "I did remember receiving some dye. I will check and return them to you if true" and Michelle said "Don't think you can just simply take what's not yours, there are rules and protocols to follow" and Susanna knew she is in for war again and so put back the jewelry back into her pocket when Kara and Madam Choi walked past and they told Madam Choi the problem and Madam Choi decided to make things worse as she said "Eventhough we have protocols in this palace, however if Lady Yuen requires these dyes urgently, perhaps Lady Chung should just let Lady Yuen use them first" and Kara smiled and poked some fire by insinuating Michelle has lost power and Susanna looked rather reluctant after what Madam Choi said and Michelle looked like her usual look; jealousy.
Will they ever reconcile once and for all? Pretty tiring!
Next episode; Kam Ling told Sam Hou she is in love, Empress Dowager asked if it was the emperor, Kam Ling fell deliberately on the Emperor who looked at her with mild interest and when Empress Dowager suggested marriage, he looked longingly at Sam Hou who was chatting happily with Hin Yeung but when Sam Hou asks him to do something, including marrying Kam Ling, he will do it! Spineless. So if Sam Hou ask you to die, will you?
You know how disappointed I am with the two aspects of this series; the true nature of Madam Choi which is just a complete dud and the death of Empress Dowager Kwok, the single most interesting character in this series, and this was during her most interesting moment as well! So not fair!
I also feel all these infighting for the top madam position is just pure dud. So if you're top madam, so what? In Jewel In The Palace, whoever controls the kitchen, controls the trade of the kitchen and in some ways help officials to eliminate certain people through food (poison, etc). In this series, I see no benefit in being top madam except you know, the idea of top madam. Which is why Kam Ling got it right!
The reunion scene between Sam Hou and dad is also a complete dud. As if Sam Hou sort of expected it. No surprise. I would rather the father died, they recovered his bones and I am sure Sam Hou will still be as grateful to the emperor and Kam Ling as him being alive.
Performances wise...
Tavia is ok. She played the opportunist part rather well even if rather typical Tavia style. She is a capable actress but I find her style the same everywhere. And she talks too loud in certain scenes.
Charmaine is ok except for the reunion scene; terrible acting. Oh she cried and all but I just feel she sorta expected the old man walking in. I don't see genuine surprise or even shock. Come on, you haven't seen your father since you were 6, surely that scene demands for a bit more... shock? Even a moment longer to check your eyesight? However the actor whose name I forgot playing the father was the worst. You haven't see your daughter since she was 6 and when reunited, don't you think that demands for some serious hugs? And what is that nonsense over that well.. the way they spoke, the actors, I find this scene just lacking the emotional punch. Still not an explanation why her mother was scared to return to the palace in the first place. Who was her mother? Was she afraid because of the father's status? Spell it out!
Moses is now back to his dazed self.
The rest are ok.
Susan Tse, last time we shall see you in here, what a magnificent end. I love the way she went all crazy over General Ma. How dare he slapped her. A pity she didn't have a pin with her; she should have and would have stabbed his neck with it. I thought I would cheer when she dies but surprisingly I felt rather sad. For all her abusiveness, arrogance, etc, she was someone from high status so she acted the way she did. She genuinely hated Empress Dowager Zheng, so her behaviour is as such. I love how she reacted to General Ma's rudeness for slapping her, her genuine believe that the emperor did do wrong to the ancestors and such. She may be crazy evil sometimes but she does have her own opinion on things and terribly smart too. A pity she is dead! I shall miss her!
So new villain coming soon!
Posts
December 20, 2010 at 12:09 PM
Maybe the Emperor knew General Ma killed her but didn't have enough proof. He didn't want to implicate someont innocent, so, he let it be. Just a though.
Empress Dowager's cancellation of her birthday is just good PR in my imho. Good protocol, or maybe to set a good example. Getting abused for so many years and nearly got killed, she couldn't have missed Empress Dowager Kwok. But, this is a very good move.
As for Madam Choi. TVB loves to do something like that. There are countless times in TVB series where a good man/woman suddenly turned out to be a big evil at the end.
I'm sorry for the great lost of the magnificent Empress Dowager Kwok too. Empress Dowager Cheng just paled in comparison in terms of grandeur and power.
You know, I think the Emperor will really kill himself if Sam Hou want to him die. He will do anything for Sam Hou.
Li Yi is a wise Emperor overall, but, he still act with emotions, not only towards Sam Hou, but, some other issue (will discuss later when the time come. I really applaud General Man in that scene. Great speech).