Which is far better than episode 1 in terms of coherent storytelling. After watching the opening again, I just feel strongly again a ciplak JITP moment; hero carries the heroine (piggyback style).
Anyway Sam Ho's mother died but life goes on in the palace. However Kam Ling harboured a deep dark secret which she didn't tell Sam Ho. As she I think offered prayers next to the well or somewhere, can't remember, FLASHBACK!!
Sam Ho's mother was dying, Sam Ho went out to fetch the white flower, and Kam Ling cried really hard as she explained "Madam, I did something wrong! That night, I went to look at the phoenix jewelry, I was curious. I opened the box, it was dark so I held a candle and the red wax dripped onto the jewelry. I tried to wipe the wax off, but I couldn't do it cleanly.. Madam, I am the reason why you're punished. I am sorry.. Madam.." but not only was Sam Ho's mother not angry as she was dying, she gently brushed Kam Ling's cheek, as if to say "I forgive you". Which is really quite a darn scary moment for me. Why? How cruel, to put the cause of her death onto a 6 year old. How cruel, TVB! HOW CRUEL!! I wonder will this affect Kam Ling in a way? Or will it be brushed aside?
Anyway Susanna was ordered to destroy the last work by Sam Ho's mother as the empress deemed it to be a symbol of bad luck. Susanna argued with the head of palace maids "But that is a work of art, the very last perfectly made work of art by Lady Kong, a great artist. We can't destroy it!" and Michelle kindly interjected (why am I not surprised she would? Complete with a snigger, evil smile and laser eyes) "Well, what have we here? Someone just got her promotion by damaging her head's reputation, causing the death of a perfectly innocent party and made her daughter motherless. And here you are trying to save her last piece of work which means more to you than her life. How thoughtful of you" but Susanna ignored her and pleaded but the head of palace maids said "The Empress has made up her mind. Just do as she says".
The kind eunuch was with Michelle, giving her some purchased make up when she says "I paid you enough for some items but not all these" and the kind eunuch said it was a gift for her. Clearly he likes her and he said "Moreover you can do with a bit more make up. Your face is very dark these days, especially after Madam Yuen was promoted" and Michelle was fuming as she said "She is a pretentious nobody! She got her promotion by hurting so many people, she even caused the death of an innocent woman!" and the kind eunuch said "You both have been feuding for years. Isn't it time to stop? After all you were both such good 'sisters'" and Michelle said "She is no longer my sister. She once said I should remain in the palace forever, and since she says it that way, I shall remain and shall be a thorn in her existence". The eunuch sighed.
Pause here.
These 2 have a history, and I would speculate a man is in the middle. What surprises me was Michelle actually genuinely thought Susanna was of such shady character. So someone must have caused their friendship to break, that made Michelle think Susanna was dishonest and ambitious.
At night Susanna sat alone in her room and looked at the perfect jewelry. FLASHBACK!!
She did see Lady Kong that night, and gave her food and said "I am here to send you some food. I hope the jewelry is ready.." and Lady Kong kindly said "Yes it is ready. I never thought I could finish it on time" and Susanna said "Your reputation precedes you and I hope we can work together to create such piece of arts. Your artistry is amazing" and Lady Kong said "Without a good design, my artistry means nothing. You deserve the credit" which pleases Susanna who said "I met your daughter, Sam Ho. She has such delicate hands, like yours. I believe she will do well in the jewelry department" and that pleased Sam Ho's mother too.
And Susanna at present looked at the jewelry and felt deep regret. The light of the candle reflected onto the jewelry and it was beautiful with a golden glow. Susanna took the hammer, shut her eyes and swing it.
Pause here.
I never suspected Susanna as the one who sabotaged the jewelry. I didn't think it was Michelle either. So it was a big surprise to know it was Kam Ling but well, she is to be a villain and every villain must have done something they regretted earlier in their lives. Anyway I must admit Susanna is one very forthright character. She doesn't play politics, she voiced her opinion when she thinks she has something to say. A rather brave woman, considering the palace is currently occupied by one crazy scary empress.
Next day, Empress was with her adult son, turns out to be the Emperor, so that makes her the Empress Dowager. My mistake. From now on she is Empress Dowager. Susan Tse looks positively amazing in that get up, everything looks just right. But the emperor, looks more like some "hamsap" kuli. Anyway she was worried. She said "That jewelry is bad luck. My son, you ought to be worried .. about that lowly servant's son".
Pause here. She didn't say servant or lowly servant. What she actually said was "That feet washing girl" because Concubine Zheng was her servant who of course washes her feet, then the emperor took her as a concubine and then died and left the position to the son of the empress dowager.
The emperor arrogantly replied "Mother, he is only ten. What can he do?" and the Empress Dowager said "Never underestimate that lowly servant. Moreover you are still childless"
Then Susanna and Head of Palace Maids walked in and Empress Dowager said "So, is it destroyed as I have ordered?" and Head of palace maids said (I am at a lost as to how she is addressed in English so I will just skip that) "I apologise.Madam Yuen the head of jewelry was supposed to destroy it but she hurt her hand." and Susanna walked forward and held her bandaged hand and said "I tried to destroy it but instead the hammer hit my hand. I have never missed, but this one time I missed. I believe the jewelry can't be destroyed. It is cursed and brings bad luck not only to the wearer but the one who tries to destroy it. I would suggest we install the jewelry in a shrine and offer prayers to it so as to dim the bad luck" and the emperor scolded "Don't believe in such nonsense!" but the empress was listening and said "Leave the jewelry as it is for the moment" and Susanna and head of palace maids looked very very pleased. Even the head of palace maids doesn't want to destroy that one last work from one true great artiste!
Alone, the emperor said "Mother, you can't surely believe in such nonsense!" and the Empress said "I think I shall see Concubine Zheng about that..."
Sam Ho was at the tree feeling sad when young duke walked by and said "Hi! How's your mother? Was she pleased to receive the white flowers?" and Sam Ho replied "She was but she died" and the young duke looked surprised. And then said "You know what, I had a strange dream last night. I dreamt I was riding a dragon! Can you believe it? A dragon, and the dragon was flying towards the sky!" and suddenly Concubine Zheng arrived and said to Sam Ho kindly but urgently "Don't you dare tell this story to anyone, understand?" and Sam Ho looked surprised. The Duke was led away into the room (rather huge!) and his mother sat him down and asked "Did you tell this story to anyone else other than that young maid?" and the son replied "No. Why can't I anyway?" and his mother looking worried said "Son, you must understand, the palace is a dark foreboding place. You can't tell such stories aloud, more so you riding on a dragon flying towards the sky!" but he couldn't understand as she said "Just remember, keep such stories to yourself. With some luck, we can live our lives in peace and keep you safe"
Then eunuch or someone appeared and said the empress dowager wishes to see Concubine Zheng and son. Now she is even more worried.
Once there and sitting down, the Empress Dowager slyly said "My dear sister, you know I don't always ask much of you but there is one favour I must ask of you" and Concubine Zheng said "Anything my sister, ask me anything and I will do my utmost best to fulfil your request" and the Empress Dowager smiled and said "Well, all I need is your head" and both son and mother looked shocked and Empress Dowager laughed and said "Oh no, not your life. Don't misunderstand me my sister, what I need is someone to take care of my phoenix jewelry for me. As you know, my pheonix jewelry bled blood and it is a bad sign. However I was informed if I were to let someone of high rank to wear it for me, the bad luck will go away. In fact the entire empire's fate rests on your very deed of wearing it on your head."
and Concubine Zheng looked at the headpin, looking scared and said "Of course my sister" and so that bad luck hairpin was put onto her hair.
Pause here.
Sly cunning cruel Empress Dowager. How utterly heartless; Concubine Zheng must know the Empress Dowager is transferring all the bad luck to her!
The Empress Dowager then walked to the duke, knelt before him, touched his cheek and smilingly said "How strange. I do remember vividly how this handsome face used to light up and pleased our husband, your father so greatly. Why now so glum when looking at me?" and Concubine Zheng shakily replied "He is sick my sister. He just had his medicine, so he is a bit dull. It is late now. We must take our leave" and Empress Dowager said "Of course" and they hurriedly left.
The Emperor looked at his mother and said "You don't believe this will work do you?" and Empress Dowager smiled and said "It doesn't matter. If the rumour of the bad luck to the wearer is true, we shall know in a week. The point is, it doesn't matter at all. I will have other ways to getting rid of them both"
Pause here.
Susan Tse is scary in here.
As Concubine Zheng hurriedly left, she bumped into Susanna and gang who noticed the jewelry and I believe Michelle remarked "Congratulations Madam Yuen. You have just caused another innocent party to suffer because of your refusal to destroy that jewelry". Susanna looked guilty.
Somewhere before the next scene Michelle spoke with I think the kind Eunuch that she plans to take Sam Ho as her student, because she thinks Sam Ho is talented but more importantly because Susanna too wants Sam Ho.
Time has come for the young palace maids to go through some tests and be divided into different departments for training. And in one of the MOST IMPOSSIBLE SCENES E-VER, children as young as Sam Ho and Kam Ling are expected to sew and make jewelry and cook! Crazy! What? They all have natural talent? One particularly obnoxious looking girl doesn't want to be in Michelle's dept. I wonder who she grows into? Kam Ling said "Sam Ho, I too don't want to be in that scary woman's department" and Sam Ho said "Mother always says as long as we work hard and keep to our duties, it doesn't matter where we end up at; don't worry Kam Ling, we will be fine"
Oooohhhh, preachy preachy even at that age. Does she ever change?
Their work were on display. Susanna was impressed with Sam Ho's jewelry and took the I believe wooden plaque with Sam Ho's name on it at the same time Michelle did the same thing. And so the jostling began.
Announcement time. 3 names are to be in the jewelry dept and Kam Ling was very scared but Sam Ho cooly held her hand and Kam Ling calmed down. Kam Ling was one of the first 2 names announced and she was very happy and said "Sam Ho you will surely get into jewelry dept too!" but nope, she didn't and she got attire/embroidery dept instead.
FLASHBACK!
Jostling the name plaque and the head walked by and asked what was going on and Michelle showed the head the flower embroidery by Sam Ho whilst Susanna showed the head pin but the dangling jewelry of the head pin fell off and the head said "She will do better in embroidery" so Michelle won yet again!
Sam Ho wasn't disappointed as Kam Ling said "I don't understand how come you didn't get in. You're better than me at jewelry making" and Sam Ho said "I don't mind. It seems you mind more than me!" when Susanna walked by and gave them their creations and said "Here, keep your first creations as keepsakes. Always remember, no matter how beautiful you made your jewelry, if it is not made strong enough or tied correctly, it is worthless" and then she saw Sam Ho took her headpin and cooly reattached the fallen bead or something. Susanna was angry.
She bursts into Michelle's room who was with another palace maid and she said "You cheated! I saw Sam Ho reattaching the bead to the headpin, her skills are very good for her age, she couldn't have made that mistake earlier. You (pointing to the palace maid next to Michelle), you were in charge of placing the items on the display table. You must have did something before that!" and Michelle cooly said "Don't you dare accuse of me of such things. Look at yourself first, how you stepped over dead bodies for your promotion! Moreover Sam Ho is talented and she will do well in my dept" and Susanna said "I will report this to the head of palace maids now!" and Michelle retored "And then what? The selection is completed. If such is the case, most probably Sam Ho will be without a department and she will be shifted to that of lowly maid status and spend her days washing and cleaning up. Is that what you want?" and Susanna knew she lost her case.
Meanwhile the Empress Dowager got news that the duke was seriously injured. She went to see him and Concubine Zheng sadly said "He fell down from the tree, hit his head and the doctor says he will now always have the mentality of a 10 year old" and the Empress Dowager didn't believe and someone (maybe her) took a pebble from a potted plant and said "This is a sweet. Take it" and the duke happily said "A sweet! Yeah!" and took it and wanted to put into his mouth when kind eunuch interjected and said "My young lord, that sweet is bad. I will get you another one" and the young duke said "Are all those bad as well?", pointing to the pebbles in the potted plant. Concubine Zheng said "Sister, my son, will forever be this way. I wish to seek your permission to take him to a monastery out of the palace to live out the rest of his life from view" and empress dowager said "Yes I agree, but he alone. You will remain in this palace my sister. I wish to spare you the pain of seeing your son the way he is now"
Pause here.
Oh she is sly. Poor Concubine Zheng.
The heads of depts were sitting down and somehow got on well enough with each other to sit down for a chat and drink and they were commenting on poor duke and again Michelle blamed Susanna for everything. Sam Ho heard everything.
Next she rushed to the departing duke and told the kind eunuch she wanted to say goodbye to him and he let her and as the sedan was carried along she walked right next to it and saw the Duke, crying as he said "I have to leave the palace without my mother!" and he cried some more. So he was pretending to be sick or mentally handicapped. In a way this saved his life but he will have to leave the palace without his mother. How cruel of the Empress Dowager. Anyway Sam Ho kindly said "Here, take these sweets. Everytime you think of your mother, take one, it will comfort you" and the duke looked at Sam Ho and took the sweets. Inside the sedan he was still crying and he opened the small package and took one sweet into his mouth and cried some more as he held his pet turtle (not sure his or Sam Ho's).
And so Michelle and Susanna were diligent in teaching the children, Michelle was very impressed with Sam Ho's skills whilst Susanna was very patient with Kam Ling who struggled. At night Sam Ho and Kam Ling would meet in secret and Kam Ling said "I don't understand why we can't meet regularly and have to meet like this. Sam Ho, when I grow up and when I am head of palace maids, I will not impose such a rule!" and Sam Ho said "Kam Ling, then you can transfer me to Jewelry dept and we can always meet!" and the girls sat happily and then disbanded when someone approached their hiding place.
Then narration began. Curren Emperor died 4 years later. No reason given. 5th prince or someone took the crown and became the emperor. About 10 years has passed.
Pause here. If there is other princes, why empress dowager specifically targetted concubine Zheng's son?
Anyway we now see the duke, all grown up into Moses Chan who should be about 20. Life must be hard out there for a young man to look so old. Anyway he was pretending to be crazy and mentally handicapped as he was observed by evil eunuchs who was telling him something about summoning him back into the palace or something. Poor kid, grew up without a mother.
Meanwhile we see Sam Ho, praying by well I think to her mother saying something sickeningly sweet that I can't remember and also on how she tried to find father but couldn't (so the father is still alive) and she became Charmaine Sheh, looking rather lovely although my sister, a Charmaine fan said "My god, she looks old". I actually thought she looked normal whilst everybody looked scary. Why Sam Ho later have such pastel colours as make up is simple; the kinder you are, the more pastel. The more evil, the redder the lipstick, like the Empress dowager and later Kam Ling.
Kam Ling, now Tavia, also as old looking for 16 year olds or thereabouts called out to Sam Ho and mentioned something about being best friends since forever and teaching Sam Ho everything she learned from Jewelry Dept.
So why, OH WHY Kam Ling became evil I was asked. Simple. She became ambitious. Despite the fact she was the cause of Sam Ho's mother's death, Sam Ho was simply an obstacle, as I have said in Episode 1.
They walked together and Sam Ho spotted her mother's creation, that jewelry on the grass. She picked it up and smiled and said "It is mother's. I wish I have her skills. This headpin still look amazing!"
Sam Ho, how nice you have such fond memories of that wretched headpin. Surely there must be sadness attached to that thing that after all should remind you how your mother died? And Kam Ling, surely a flash of guilt or remorse will help?
Next we see Concubine Zheng looking frantically for the headpin and the maid said she couldn't find it and panicking she said "We must! You can just imagine how sister will react!" but too late. Empress dowager, looking even more resplendent than ever except for THE MOST RIDICULOUS HAIR EVER (why TVB why? It looks fine before, why now it looks like a big jumbo hotdog pinned onto layers of burgers?) saw her and said "My sister, you must have been in a rush. You forgot your headpin. You know how important you wear it always, surely you would not wish this empire bad luck!" and Concubine Zheng fell to her knees, shaking when Sam Ho rushed forward despite Kam Ling begging her not to and Sam Ho said "My Lady, the hairpin is cleaned to its former glory. Here I return it to you" and Concubine Zheng looked relieved and took the headpin and said "Thank you" and wore it. The Empress dowager looked at Concubine Zheng and sarcastically asked "Why my sister is thanking this servant for doing her duty?" and Concubine Zheng I think did say she felt thankful for Sam Ho's assistance or something. Anyway Concubine Zheng looked gratefully at Sam Ho (which means future mommy in law already likes her you see) and Empress Dowager also looked at her and let it and said "Sister, now, accompany me to the gardens" and as they walked the empress dowager looked back and asked "What is your name?" and Sam Ho replied "Lau Sam Ho, from the Embroidery dept" and the empress dowager raised her voice and said "If you're from the embroidery dept, why then it is your duty to take the headpin and clean it?!" and Sam Ho fell to her knees, unable to explain and Concubine Zheng looked scared when Kam Ling who hesitated ran forward, knelt down and said "It is my fault. I am Yiu Kam Ling, from the jewelry dept. I was sick so I couldn't return the headpin myself so I asked my friend Lau Sam Ho to assist me. Please forgive me." and the empress dowager looked hard at both of them and then simply walked away.
Sam Ho and Kam Ling sighed and Kam Ling said "You know, you're lucky you're called Sam Ho" and Sam Ho asked "Why?" and Kam Ling replied "If you're called Sap (Ten) Ho, not even if you have the 9 lives of a cat will save you!" and they both laughed.
But not all is happy as an older looking head of palace maids was there with older Susanna and Michelle who for once isn't bickering and they told Sam Ho and Kam Ling that the empress dowager wishes to break with protocol and have them 2 present the plans for this year's design. They looked shocked and Michelle said "You both have gotten yourself involved in this mess" and Susanna said "Surely you must know everybody in the palace will know. Do you think a simple lie could cover for Lady Zheng losing the headpin?" and I think Sam Ho did say it was her fault and the head said "Well, what's done is done. Now we must ensure the presentation goes smoothly so as not to implicate both depts"
Presentation time. There was another snotty looking concubine there. Why is every woman looking like that? I just wanna slap her!
Kam Ling presented the jewelry plan, went smoothly. Then Sam Ho who presented the Embroidery dept's plan with a smile. She stopped at something about using pearls as part of the design. The Empress Dowager wasn't pleased (I think she just hates Sam Ho for destroying her many many chances of bullying Concubine Zheng) and said "Pearls?" and Sam Ho looked up, smiled (maybe hoping one sweet smile will thaw the cold dark heart of the empress dowager?) and said ; "Yes, Pearl".
And then...
NEXT EPISODE.
What? You expect Sam Ho to die? Of course not! Beaten? Definitely not. I think she can explain her way out of this because Sam Ho is definitely SAM (THREE) HO (VERY) - HO (VERY) GING (GREAT), HO (VERY) YEAH (GREAT), HO (VERY) TIM (GREAT)! Yeah! She will survive. But in the preview someone sabotaged the embroidery dept (WHO?! KAM LING? TOO SOON!) and Sam Ho said "It is my fault"...
Sam Ho, you can't just take the blame for everything. With that rank of yours, you can't afford to take the blame for everything.
Sickening isn't it?
Anyway, I am still confused what was her mother's offense. Where is her father? And when I was about to accept the children, zoom! Fast forward 10 years or so. This series really can't wait to bring in the bitching and all. Oh come on, 1 more episode of the kids in training won't die. It's like what dept do what thing isn't important. Because the embroidery, the food, the jewelry all play no significant part in this story except to create a division between several groups. Later on all these will be even less important once these 2 became concubines. It is just an excuse for more bickerings.
But am I to understand that Sam Ho - Kam Ling is like Susanna-Michelle pararrel?
Performance wise, the kids first. Still bad acting but the little girl as Kam Ling can really cry. Unfortunately her eyes was looking elsewhere as she delivered her heartfelt confession to the dying madam. And I hate that the blame is on her. Kam Ling never had a chance to be decent isn't it? She is already corrupted whilst Sam Ho remains pure. I hate that. I want them BOTH to be corrupted but one chooses to do something good and the other something bad.
I was impressed with the young actor playing Moses' character. In fact when he tearfully sat in the sedan I felt more for that scene than the ep 1 big death scene. Poor kid. Sam Ho is sad too but her predicament is spoilt by bad writing.
Now the adults. Too soon to comment. But on Susanna Kwan and Michelle Yim, I am sorry to say their roles are still 1 dimensional. They don't really get away from 1 expression; Susanna that of worried guilty look, Michelle that of sarcastic look.
However Mary Hon was awesome. She did look scared, trembling all over. I thought her performance was amazing even if her make up is terrible.
But Susan Tse was awesome too. Such sly conniving evil woman. Great performance. But her hair.. oh her hair...
Costumes wise, can't fault the costumes.
I think I now not quite eager for Episode 3. Why? How many times must Sam Ho get away for taking blame? Surely at least one scene with her getting slapped? Or is Kam Ling the one of the receiving end.
I do look forward to Kevin Cheng because everybody seems to agree he was terrible, his character was terrible so I wanna see is TVB's Handsomest Actor who also is probably TVB's Most Boring Actor that bad? Oh Steven Ma, if only you were the golden boy of a certain someone in power, surely you would have made something wonderful of a cardboard character!
Posts
December 2, 2010 at 8:07 PM
Yes, I also see the parallel between Yuen Chui Wan/Chung Suet Ha and Sam Ho/Kam Ling.
Yuen Chui Wan - Sam Hou
Chung Suet Ha - Kam Ling
I won't call what going one between Chui Wan and Suet Ha as bickering. It's always Suet Ha attacking, Chui Wan defending. Chung Suet Ha is a very annoying character to me. She's intelligent, but, at the same time, childish, immature, foolish and unscrupulous (see how she snatch Sam Ho). She has intelligence, but, lack wisdom and a moral core. She jump to conclusion without concrete proof and take reckless action base on said conclusion and she is not above causing death. Pretty devious character. Only that she didn't go has far as Kam Ling.
As for the age, Sam Ho and Kam Ling are actually older than 16. I also thought they were in their late teens when I watch the series, but, later, when Kam Ling became concubine together with Bo Yin, who was in her early 20s, Kam Ling mentioned that Bo Yin was younger than her. So, Kam Ling and Sam Ho must be in their early 20s, or years have passed before Kam Ling became concubine.
"Sam Ho is definitely SAM (THREE) HO (VERY) - HO (VERY) GING (GREAT), HO (VERY) YEAH (GREAT), HO (VERY) TIM (GREAT)!"
Haha, this is true. Sam Hou has lots of LUCK. When she's in trouble, people will clamor to help her. She should take more blame for people, because she will ALWAYS be ok, while others won't be this lucky. Maybe the series tried to convey the message that when you always do good and have a genuine good heart, you will be well-liked and people around will always help you when you are in distressed, or that you will have good luck when you do good. But, there's just one hole in this reasoning. Only Sam Ho has this amount of good fortune. Some other palace maid doing good ended up dead. :P
Personally, I don't mind Sam Ho being nice and perfect. What is annoying is her amount of luck. It would be more interesting to see Sam Ho stand firm in her belief and continue to be good despite facing hardships.