Beyond The Realm Of Conscience [TVB][E]

Blahhh, all the drama but nothing of that drama happened.

Remember episode 1 where we see present day Kam Ling scolding Sam Hou about what she sacrificed for Sam Hou? Including a certain lips being sewn? Blahhh, nothing of that sort happened and moreover Sam Hou didn't do anything to cause her that. I think I am on Team Sam Hou on that.

Anyway Empress Dowager has had enough of Susanna and Michelle bickering and so threw them both in jail. The Head of Palace maid whose name is Madam Choi (Choi Seung Gung - JITP, again and I was readfy to think she is like that Choi Seung Gung, and I was very surrprised at the outcome) begged for time to investigate and so Empress Dowager gave her 3 days to find out the truth, if not OFF WITH THEIR HEADS!!!!!!!

Madam Choi went to see General Ma and asked for assistance but General Ma arrogantly said "The eunuch in question is already dead. I believe my part in this is no more" and Madam Choi said "However he was from your dept. Surely you must assist me in finding the truth, if not how can both of us be answerable to the Empress Dowager?" and the eunuch retorted "You are answerable, not me since both suspects are from your dept" and she said "If that is the case I shall investigate on my own and if I should find any evidence against you I will not hesitate to use that evidence" and he retorted "As you pleased"

Poor Madam Choi!

In jail, again Susanna and Michelle bickered, non stop and suddenly Susanna said "It wasn't you? You weren't the loan shark?" and Michelle said "Of course not! You didn't plan evidence in my room?" and Susanna said "Of course not! How can you think I did that?" and Michelle said "Well you were despicable, I never trusted you!" and Susanna retorted "Neither do it" and so in between bickerings Michelle didn't do what she was accused of. So who did? Don't worry yourself, answer will be revealed in today's episode because today's episode is about unity. I mean how much more can they bicker? We must move from bickering to evil plots and to the ultimate, killings.

Suddenly they stopped as guards came for them and they were brought out and it was Chui Ma Ma there and she said "I have been sent to interrogate you by any means" and Michelle were like what?! and Susanna was like huh?! and Chui Ma Ma, probably the most disgusting person next to the Empress Dowager said "Confess! No? Fine, you're both artistes who lives by your fingers and your hands, let's squeeze them and see if you'll confess" and so 2 wooden apparatus were brought out and their fingers squeezed till red and swollen and then Susanna said "I didn't do it!" and Michelle said "I will not confess!" and so Chui Ma Ma with glee said "Fine, pull out their fingernails!"

Ouch.

And they were about to do it when Madam Choi and said "Stop! On whose order are you carrying out these punishments?" and Chui Ma Ma refused to answer and just said "I am to interrogate them!" and Madam Choi said "By using torture? Stop!" and Chui Ma Ma said "Continue" and Madam Choi said "I say stop! The empress dowager gave me 3 days to complete my investigations, I still have time, stop I say!" and Chui Ma Ma said "Ignore her! Continue!!" and Madam Choi said "I want to see the Empress Dowager!"

and so they went to Empress dowager busy enjoying dessert made by the concubine for the emperor (the snotty looking one) and Madam Choi explained the situation and Chui Ma Ma said "I did have orders, from the imperial concubine herself" which is the snotty one who admitted she did give such orders and Madam Choi was shocked and Madam Choi knew she was set up and fallen into a trap in angering the empress dowager who angrily said "How dare you accuse my family of impropriety? I have given you enough chances Madam Choi! Guards, throw her in jail to be stripped off her titles and ranks after 3 days period is up!" and poor Madam Choi was dragged away. Concubine smiled, Chui Ma Ma smiled but Empress dowager said loudly "Don't think just because you're family and brought me nice food that you can act as you wish, you're not above me, the only reason I punished Madam Choi is so that scandals such as this stays in the family" and the concubine nodded and she continued "And Chui Ma Ma, never forget you're my servant and no one else so you take orders from me, understood?" and Chui Ma Ma said "Yes"

So she wanted to save her own reputation and potentially sacrificed 3 innocent people.

The other 2 heads heard what happened and gathered the entire 4 dept's girls (so few of them but I suppose this is an exclusive club) and went to the Empress dowager asking to see her but the Empress Dowager refused to see them and Chui Ma Ma relayed the message and they said "We will kneel until Empress Dowager will see us and hear our appeal to let Madam Choi go!" and so they all knelt. Chui Ma Ma just went inside.

Pause here.

I always thought Kara and Lui Shan both a bit evil looking but well, this is a surprise; they risking their titles, jobs and lives to plead not for Susanna and Michelle but for Madam Choi which shows

a. how well liked Madam Choi is

b. someone is stepping on your palace maid dept's head so surely this is the time for unity

Susanna and Michelle were given 2 bowls of porridge and with their fingers swollen and hurt and both weaken by the torture, they crawled slowly to the porridge but was unable to pick up the bowls when they saw Madam Choi thrown into the same cell with them. Shocked they asked "Madam Choi, not you too!" and Madam Choi sadly lamented "Yes, I fell to the concubine and Chui Ma Ma's trap. I heard the other 2 head of depts have gathered all girls to plead for our lives, they're risking everything for us. I already said if only the both of you were to think more clearly and not be influenced by your hatred for one another, maybe things wouldn't be this way at all" and Susanna said "It is my fault; I have risked everyone's life" and Michelle said "No, it is my fault" but Madam Choi said "It is no one's fault, forget the past. Whatever happened in the past is the past. This is the life in the palace; everyone looks forward to that 1 day leave to see their loved ones, to walk out of this palace for 1 day, so did I but in the end if we look back the leaves, they're all in the past. You 2 were such sisters, bury the grudge, it is not too late" and Michelle said sadly "What if we are too late?" and suddenly she kinda fainted and Madam Choi grabbed her and asked with concern how was she and Susanna said "She was tortured, weakened by her lack of food as well" and Madam Choi said "Feed her some of the porridge" and Susanna took the one bowl of porridge left (the other was knocked over) and began to feed Michelle slowly.

Outside they were still kneeling and the girls were beginning to faint one by one but the heads urged them "We must never give up, for Madam Choi, be strong!" and suddenly duke and Concubine Zheng appeared, looking with concern and promised to plead for Madam Choi on behalf of the 4 depts (not that she will have any influence on that woman). Duke playfully went to Sam Hou and said "Sam Hou what are you doing?" and Sam Hou explained without smiling and Kam Ling had to take that moment to say "It was that Chui Ma Ma's fault, such arrogance" and the duke laughed loudly and Kam Ling continued "I bet she didn't even relay the message to the empress dowager, that selfish bitch" and at that moment Chui Ma Ma heard what she said and went to Kam Ling who knew she was in trouble as Chui ma Ma said "What a dirty mouth you have, speaking too much, so annoying. Bring me needles! I will sew her lips shut!" and the other girls looked on not saying anything, Sam Hou I suppose was too shocked to do anything and Chui Ma Ma slowly approached her lips with the needle as Kam Ling cried but said nothing when Concubine Zheng walked in front and pleaded for Kam Ling, of course her words meant zero, then the duke suddenly ran in front of Chui Ma Ma and said "Chui Ma Ma! This is great! So if anyone talks too much they have their lips sewn together?" and Chui ma Ma said "Of course, anyone who talks too much will have her lips sown together" and duke suddenly cried out "Ohhhhhhhh! Chui Ma Ma! You spoke the most!! So you must have your lips sown! I will do it personally!" and he grabbed the needle and ordered to the eunuchs "Grab her!" and she avoided and he tried to sew her lips much to the amusement of Sam Hou and Kam Ling and girls when he saw his mother silently shaking her head to say enough and as he chased Chui Ma Ma he stopped when the empress dowager walked out to see what was the fuss and Duke caught side of the loan shark book and he looked concerned. Empress Dowager refused to listen and told Concubine Zheng to go to the gardens with her. So they left.

Sam Hou suddenly stood up, looked at the book and like one big drama was standing very still as the heads said "Lau Sam Hou! You must kneel! Are you trying to defy our orders and break the unity?" and she said nothing, looked at Kam Ling and Kam Ling stood up and said "Sam Hou I am with you" and as they left the heads screamed "Lau Sam Hou, Yiu Kam Ling, you're no longer a member of our depts!"

And I was like what was all that about?!

Well, Sam Hou explained to Kam Ling "I saw the book's back cover and it has a very special imprint on it, a symbol like this (she took a wire and bent it into an S shape) and I recognise this from somewhere. The dye... I remember reading it was a gift from a foreign country, recorded in the books as a gift for one of the concubines and it was very beautiful except the dye was of lesser quality and so easily smudged and imprinted on another item." and Kam Ling said "So whoever has this item is the loan shark" and Sam Hou nodded but said "But who?" and they spent time searching for the record books but one was missing.

Concubine Zheng had that missing record book which the Duke stolen just before that and the duke explained "I recognised that symbol, mother, it was sewn onto a pouch and I remember when I came back to the palace mother the pouch was with you" and Concubine Zheng said "Yes it was a gift given to me. You're afraid that whoever find this book will connect the pouch to me and so suspect me as the loan shark?" and duke said "Of course you're not the loan shark mother, but I do not wish to give that woman any excuse to give you and I trouble, so the pouch must never be found, where is the pouch mother?" and Concubine Zheng said "I no longer have it. She saw it, she said she liked it and I had to give it to her" and Duke knew immediately who that she was and he said "Chui Ma Ma" and Concubine zheng said "Chui Ma Ma is the loan shark, we can tell Empress Dowager that!" but duke said "She will never believe us, moreover Chui Ma Ma can just deny it and on record the gift is with you, we must destroy the book as well" but Concubine Zheng said "But Lady Yuen is our saviour, we can't let her die, if we destroy this book, we destroy all evidence" and Duke said wisely "I will have to think of another way to expose Chui Ma Ma without exposing you".

Sam Hou and Kam Ling were at a lost when kind Eunuch appeared with another eunuch (the one who flirted with Kam Ling previously) and I think Hin Yeung as well and said "I'm so glad to find you here! Why are you not out there kneeling?" and they explained everything and Kam Ling showed him a drawing by Sam Hou, a camel with the S symbol inscribed in the middle of the drawing and asked if he knew who got a gift with this sewn on it and he couldn't remember when the duke walked to offer Sam Hou some sweets when he saw the drawing and said he recognised that and pretended to think about it when he said "Ahhh yes! I saw it on a pouch, that bad woman has, the one who wanted to sew people's lips together" and so they knew who. But kind eunuch said to get her to let them see the pouch will be difficult since she is the empress dowager's servant but Hin Yeung said "I have a plan".

Meanwhile Michelle woke up and thanked Madam Choi for taking care of her when Madam Choi said "Lady Yuen helped too, she gave you the only bowl of porridge, she herself suffered hunger for you" and Michelle was very touched and looked at the sleeping Susanna who opened her eyes and looked back and they I suppose will finally stop bickering.

Kind eunuch cornered Chui Ma Ma to offer her money to help give some kind words on behalf of Michelle in front of Empress Dowager, real purpose is for her to take out the pouch for him to ascertain but she didn't accept and was running away and kind eunuch knew he failed when duke jumped out and cornered Chui Ma Ma and said "Mother said I should apologise to you for what I tried to do to you, here take a sweet as sorry" and she took and popped it into her mouth and duke cried "Ahhhhh you took my sweet! Pay! Pay!" and chased after her and said to her "So you never pay for stuff! Pay! Pay!" and she couldn't stand him and took out the pouch which was the pouch they were looking for and he grabbed the pouch and ran as she ran after him and deliberately held the pouch high for kind eunuch to see and deliberate fell so that the kind eunuch picked up the pouch and looked and Chui Ma Ma took back the pouch and angrily left and the duke left but looked back at the kind eunuch who said to himself "It is the same pouch. Thank you duke, for your unintentional help".

So it was confirmed but how to tell the empress dowager? Hin Yeung said "I will do it" and Sam Hou said "But you could be punished if she is not happy" but Hin Yeung said "I will figure out a way".

Chess time, empress played happily and Hin Yeung said "Like chess, even in life, we can be surrounded by fake people who contribute nothing to our betterment but will destroy us" and the empress dowager knew and said "the last time you gambled your life for the empire over a game of chess, today you're gambling your life over someon else. Tell me, what's your plea this time?" and Hin Yeung said "We are often surrounded by people with bad intent" and the empress dowager said "Be careful with what you're saying..." and he continued "Even in the face of punishment I must say what's on my mind as this is for the betterment of the empire. You're surrounded by a person of bad intent and you can get the truth out of of her.." and she continued "By using torture?" and he nodded and she said "No, I shall refuse that. I am sick and tired of the howls of pain, no more!" and Hin Yeung was stuck and had to figure out another way.

Chui Ma Ma was in the palace maid hall and sat on the head of palace maid seat and pretended she was the head of palace maid. Then Kam Ling appeared with a big wooden stick on hand and scared she said "What do you want?" and Kam Ling said "You'll never be in that position so don't dream about it. So you wanted to sew my lips together huh?" and she said "So what?! What will you do about that? Kill me?" and Kam Ling said "I never thought of killing you but since everybody is out there kneeling, and no one is here, well I suppose I will do just that!" and Chui Ma Ma turn to run and Kam Ling knocked her unconscious.

Chui Ma Ma awoke and she was in a dark place and Kam Ling's voice disguised as a ghostly voice as she appeared with messy hair and all said "You're under the well" and Chui Ma Ma scared asked who she was and she said she was the maid she killed, then Sam Hou appeared as another maid she killed and then Hin Yeung appeared as the eunuch who killed himself and then Chui Ma Ma confessed that she was the loan shark, and that if there's anyone with more sin, then go get the empress dowager and right at that moment dramatically the black cloth fell and there saw Empress Dowager, the concubine and almost everyone. Chui Ma Ma shocked fell to her knees and said "Don't believe them! I lied to save myself!" and Empress Dowager angrily said "Enough! You have said quite enough in defense of yourself. I didn't want the truth by torture so I let them do this. Chui Ma Ma, so you think you can sit in the position of head of the palace maids? In your dreams! Arrest her to be punished later!"

Yeah! Death! Anyway even the empress dowager thinks she is not qualified to be head of palace maids!

Then she said "Release Madam Choi, Lady Yuen and Lady Chung!"

Last scene of all 3 of them leaving the prison in official garb, Susanna holding the weakened Michelle who smiled gratefully and the kneeling maids saw them was overjoyed and the 3 plus Kam Ling and Sam Hou all kneel before these maids as Madam Choi did that first and Madam Choi said "Please accept my deepest gratitude for your support". And then they left that compound together, hand in hand, united by this incident.

Next episode, a lowly concubine begs Sam Hou and Kam Ling for help which Sam Hou did and was for the first time slapped by that snotty concubine.

Yeah!

I will add my comments later as I am dead tired from typing this recap at 1 am in the morning.

COMMENTS
New day, fresh mind. I have to say this is an exciting episode in terms of comeuppance for that evil Chui Ma Ma. I hated her and I hope the empress dowager will have the same comeuppance.

However the whole unity amongst the maids is a tad rainbow and teddy bears you know? So idealistic. I never thought Kara and Lui Shan would be so giving as to risk their lives since they were always talking with some shifty eyes and all and in real world this is powerplay; meaning someone stepping on your depts, of course you must act. In this series however, their concern is genuine I suppose. But frankly even through such hardships I still find the characters absolutely 1 dimensional and I was just happy for some peace and quiet when Susanna and Michelle stopped bickering.

I also didn't quite get it when Sam Hou suddenly stood up and she was scolded and threatened and then with Kam Ling she walked away. I find that part there confusing until explained a scene later. It would have been better if the camera zero in on the S symbol and Sam Hou's eyes looking at it intently. At that moment all I can see is Charmaine Sheh pouting for no reason. There is supposed to be some dilemma on her face; like should I go, should I stay but I didn't see that dilemma on her face. It was for me a poor performance at that point and whilst I find Sam Hou a very brave character who lived by her principles, I still find her incredibly boring and 1 dimensional. She is still lacking personality; she has spunk but yet still boring to watch.

Kam Ling should learn to keep her mouth shut which she has failed. For someone who has been through so many harrowing experiences, she is also very determined and brave as well, however unlike Sam Hou, she chose to be evil.

Now what I am interested in is how this series showed how the duke actually helped them to solve some mysteries about the loan sharks and all without exposing himself. Yes Hin Yeung was brave too but the bulk was the Duke's effort. So how can someone so intelligent and perceptive married a woman and condone her killing off other people? Was he in coma? Please don't tell me. I shall discover for myself how such an intelligent man became useless in the end since he can't even control 1 wife.

The most shocking character was Madam Choi. I was thinking she must be evil, etc but she is actually a very kind and caring Madam. That I find very surprising and a good twist to the story.

As for the performances, Susan Tse still commands every scene she appears in and Mary Hon did very well as the suffering Concubine Zheng. Moses did well too in my opinion; I felt there was conflict in his expressions as there should be. I feel he has improved much in his acting.

Tavia I have no comment since Kam Ling is still stuck in that 1 dimensional mode, as well as Susanna and Michelle, 2 of the most annoying characters in this series. I will be happy if they just disappear.

Kevin Cheng is not that bad, except he really has nothing much to do and his range of expressions from 1 to 10 is at the moment is ranging from 1 to 1.5. Yes his face hardly changes and everytime I see him in official costume I just had to sigh, not with swooning over his handsomeness but a pity he looked so scrawny. You know the terms dress like a prince and yet looks like a pauper? Something like that.

Lily Lee really brought on the vindictiveness. Oh how I hated her Chui Ma Ma and her well deserved end. I was happy to watch how the Empress Dowager herself said Chui Ma Ma is not qualified to dream of sitting as Head Of Palace Maids.

As for Charmaine Sheh, she is still burdened by a character with the personality ranging of 1 to 1. Meaning her character is still terribly developed. But her performance is terrible too at that pivotal moment when her character should show some conflict, some indecisiveness. Or maybe Sam Hou is not plaqued by indecisiveness at all is it? But to be fair to her, the story revolving her character is still poorly developed. As least Kam Ling has some development even if I still feel her character is still angry-dissatisfied and no more.

Anyway I still feel a bit cheated. I was hoping to see Kam Ling's mouth sewn shut, which will contribute to her hatred for people of ranks and her desire to be of rank so that she can kill them off.