Beyond The Realm Of Conscience [TVB][E]

I have been missing the last episode so I didn't know how 1 thing happened; how did Susanna found out Siu Shun is her son or presumed to be her son?

The rest, I didn't miss much. In fact I just saw the trailer for the next series replacing this series, which means this series is coming to an end. Very fast and very good because I am darn bored with it.

This episode started with a triple dose of tragedy, all in one or a few connected scenes.

We found out Hin Yeung's father was pardoned but stripped off his rank but could still live in the palace since Hin Yeung was now promoted and is an officer of high rank. I suppose this was the emperor's way of saying sorry for all the miseries inflicted on him just to get to General Ma where one stab of a long knife would have solved the problems. And Sam Hou's father was in the palace visiting and both elderly men got along well, with Hin Yeung's father teasing the compatibility of both Sam Hou and Hin Yeung and both were rather shy about that. Hin Yeung's father wanted them married but Hin Yeung said "Not at this time father, we still have the country to worry about first" which is true. But who says they can't be married and still fight for the country?

Anyway both of them went away to cook for the 2 men who spent their times together playing chess. Sam Hou and Hin Yeung were walking back into the hall of Hin Yeung's residence as Sam Hou said "I hardly spent any time with father, and we were separated for so many years. I am glad today we both finally have a chance to have a meal together" and HIn Yeung heartily agreed. As they entered, they found both men slumped onto the table and so they went to them and gently said "Father, father" and Hin Yeung lifted his father's face which were bruised and black! Sam Hou lifted her father's face and it was the same and both cried "FATHER!"

The doctors told the emperor "Both men were poisoned but we are not sure how "

Well since they haven't eaten my bet is in the drinks.

"Mr Lau is too far gone to be saved. But we are trying our best with Mr Ko, who is still clinging onto life, barely"

Sam Hou was with her dead father and she cried.

Pause here.

This is the 1st tragedy I mentioned. Not that old Mr Lau is dead, because I hardly knew him and I have said before, his character is to appear and then die. Oh no, the tragedy was Charmaine's performance which was abysmal. Picture the situation; the father you missed for more than a decade who just reentered your life, ok so you hardly knew him but you love him enough as your father, you found him poisoned, and he is dead, very dead and how do you cry? To me she cried like that was her father's uncle's brother's best friend's father's uncle's friend's father. It was very cold, very deliberate, very rather inhuman. And she cried as if he just dropped dead from an innocent heart attack. For heaven's sake, he was poisoned! No questions, just tears but not hard tears. This is why I said she is a scene per scene actress. There is simply no connection in her performance in this scene and the previous ones. However she was not the worst. Because the next scene is like a gathering of who's the worst actor.

Hin Yeung came and held her and Emperor walked in and they greeted him and he said "Please, let's do away with formalities and please accept my condolences" and Sam Hou crying said "Thank you your majesty for your kindness" and they spoke about how this tragedy could happened when Hin Yeung was told his father was barely clinging to life and they rushed to him.

Here is the 2nd tragedy. But I suppose Sam Hou felt more for Mr Ko since she cried harder. She is much too damn calm considering how these 2 men were poisoned! Anyway Mr Ko was very very sick, and dying and Sam Hou pulled Hin Yeung away and said quietly and way too calmly "We should get married now. I didn't know what father's last wish was but I know Mr Ko's last wish is to see you married" but Hin Yeung...

Pause here.

Kevin Cheng... is the absolute worst here. Charmaine may be scene per scene but at least ignore the previous scenes and just see this scene in itself, she is decent but Kevin Cheng, what the hell is wrong with him? He didn't look sad, he didn't look doubtful, he didn't sound mournful, he sounded calm but looked like he is having constipation. Is acting such a difficult effort for him?

Anyway Hin Yeung said "We can't, not without the emperor's permission. We are duty bound to him and if we just get married like this, this is illegal and General Ma will use this as weapon against his majesty"

True.

And then they looked and saw the emperor looking at them at the doorway and the Emperor sighed and said ..

Pause here.

OMG, Moses Chan so much make up! Anyway he is not the tragedy, amongst the 3 young actors in the room, he is not the worst but what he did next was absolutely insensitive and I wonder why the director asked him to do so.

Anyway Emperor sighed and said "There is nothing more important than that of filial piety, the duty of a son to his father" and so they had their blessing. The Emperor turned and walked out, suddenly beaming with a smile. Emperor oh emperor I know you're happy they're getting married but the reason for the wedding is a tragedy and beaming with smile is insensitive. Moreover, why can't the emperor sort of award marriage to 2 people who have served him well? He can just do it and what can General Ma do? Yes he can complain and all but in the end, he is the emperor and he can do whatever he darn well like.

Anyway they married in front of Mr Ko (but still a secret since they technically can't marry yet and General Ma being so petty will use this against Sam Hou and the emperor will throw away his dynasty to save her) who said a lot of things I can't remember but before he could drink the tea, he died, but peacefully. Sam Hou and Hin Yeung cried "FATHER!!"

So what's the 3rd tragedy? Well, Mr Ko's death of course.

Anyway Sam Hou and Hin Yeung later found out their fathers were poisoned through the teas they were drinking with very powerful poison but like the emperor they wondered when? How? Sam Hou was keeping her father's gardening tools and I can't remember who was there with her? Hin Yeung definitely and yes, Susanna. Anyway Siu Shun walked past and heard them discussing how anyone can poison tea without knowing and Siu Shun said "Actually I saw General Ma's assistant the other day who accidentally knocked the teapot of Mr Ko and then picked it up for him" and Hin Yeung said "General Ma's favourite eunuch, the one who is by his side all the time?" and Siu Shun said "Yes" and both wondered how that can be done when Siu Shun said "Actually it is easy. Let me show you. Lady Yuen, can I have your wallet?" and Susanna gave him her wallet when he deliberately missed taking it, fell to the ground, he bent down to take it and gave it back to Susanna and said "See if there's anything missing" and Susanna poured the contents and found lots of dirt in it. Hin Yeung said "But how?" and Siu Shun explained when he was picking up the wallet he quickly put in the dirt. But Hin Yeung said "But that requires some trickery, with fast hands. General Ma's assistant isn't skilled at that like you" but Siu Shun said "Who said so? I was a little boy when he showed me how it is done. In fact he taught me this trick" and so they all knew who did it and by whose order. No one asked why. Hin Yeung said "Siu Shun, you must help us to uncover the truth. You must help us identify the culprit in the internal palace investigations" but Susanna quickly said "No! He is General Ma's favourite assistant, General Ma is too powerful. If Siu Shun succeeded in doing so, his life will be hell from now on. I can't let that happen. Siu Shun musn't get himself involved in this! He musn't" And Siu Shun was very touched by Susanna's sudden protectiveness (this was when I knew she knew this was her son but how she arrived at that conclusion, I do not know) and in the end all agreed General Ma is too powerful to be offended by someone like Siu Shun and Susanna said "Siu Shun, remember, this conversation never took place, remember!" and Siu Shun agreed.

Pause here.

If Siu Shun was her son, how the heck she can get away from being exposed as pregnant years before? After all this is not Korea where the dress is loose.

Anyway Hin Yeung was with the emperor and they both knew now who did it and how. Again, no one asked why. General Ma and his assistant walked and General Ma said "I am investigating this poisoning tragedy and I will report back on the culprit!" and both eyed him warily, Hin Yeung who should look at him with hatred looked far too zen like. And the emperor ordered General Ma to look into the matter urgently. Hin Yeung noticed the assistant's few fingernails were blackened.

General Ma walked away with his assistant and said arrogantly "That stupid emperor brought this upon himself! Those 2 men were just part of the pawn! Who told the stupid emperor to use that Lau as the intermediary between him and that rebel outside the palace?" and the assistant said "But sir, Concubine Yin is pregnant now, should we do so many things against the emperor at this time?" and General Ma sneered "That stupid emperor's own fault! He can't blame me! He had it coming"

If microphones existed at that time, this conversation can be recorded and used as evidence against him. They talked so loudly. Anyway prior to this scene, it was explained Sam Hou's father was the contact with a rebel out of the palace which the emperor is trying to recruit to fight against General Ma. Sam Hou's father entered the palace in the name of gardening but in actual fact as the intermediary. Hence, General Ma killing Sam Hou's father. Not sure if this is true.

Sam Hou, Emperor and Hin Yeung sitting together and Emperor said "I should have allowed both of you to leave the palace and live your own lives" but Sam Hou said "Your majesty, when Hin Yeung and I agreed to stay, we have agreed to see this through" and Hin Yeung agreed and Emperor said "I owe you both too much for me to repay..." and I think they went on to discuss about the blackened fingernails and poison and what to do next.

Hin Yeung and Emperor suddenly appeared at General Ma's place together with General Man who was tasked with investigating the poisoning incident and Hin Yeung said "Arrest that eunuch!" as he rushed to him and held onto the eunuch and so the assistant was arrested and he cried "What did I do wrong? What is my crime?" and Hin Yeung said "You poisoned Mr Lau and my father. Your blackened fingernails show that you had contact with poisonous subtance!" and he cried "Just because I have blackened fingernails, you say that is evidence of me poisoning 2 men?" and General Ma said "Didn't you tell me there were rat poisons and you were using rat poison to kill rats?" and assistant said "Yes, yes!" and General Ma said "Don't simply accuse my assistant. You can search his body if you like!" and Hin Yeung agreed and General Ma said "For fairness, General Man will do the body search" and General Man did and voila! Found a pack of poison in his belt at the back and assistant shocked said "What? How did that ended up on me?!" and Emperor cried "So it was you!" and the assistant knew he was trapped as General Ma said "You insolent fool! How could you do that?!" and assistant went down on his knees and cried "Sir, please forgive me! Please forgive me!" and General Ma took a sword and swiftly killed the assistant then and there to the shock of everyone and then cried "I will not tolerate such actions! Chop him up and feed him to the dogs!" and the dogs must have a taste for human flesh by now. General Ma then apologised to the stunned emperor who said "Let this be a warning General Ma. If you can't even control your own men, what more can you do? If this ever happened again, I will personally see to it that you will be punished for your men's actions. Understood?" and General Ma sheepishly said "Yes your majesty".

Hin Yeung was at the top of the fort, Emperor next to him and Hin Yeung said "I am determined to see this through. I am determined to see the downfall of General Ma and your majesty, you will have my full support" and the Emperor looked at him gratefully and both agreed to work towards getting rid of General Ma as their first priority. Hin Yeung said "General Man is a fair and loyal servant. Having him on our side will help us greatly" but the Emperor noted "Yes indeed, but he is General Ma's man" and Hin Yeung said "I will try to convince him to open his eyes against General Ma"

Somewhere along the way, Sam Hou was paying respects to her father and we find out the fathers will be buried later out of the palace as permitted by the emperor but allowed to be paid respects in the palace when Kam Ling and Fei Yin came and Kam Ling who has since had a change of hairstyle and dress said "Sam Hou, you and I are like sisters, Mr Lau was the man who saved me and gave me a life. I am sorry for your lost" and Sam Hou said "Thank you madam for your kind words" when Po Yin's maid came in and said apologetically "Lady Lau, due to the many taboos with regards to Concubine Yin's pregnancy, she is unable to pay her respect in person. She sent me instead and told me to offer you her condolences for your lost" and Sam Hou said gently "Please thank Concubine Yin for her kindness. I am grateful for her kind words" and Hin Yeung said "Please advise Concubine Yin to take good care of herself and her unborn child" and the maid nodded. Kam Ling, for whatever reason chose that time to be petty and take offense at what was said motioned Fei Yin who said loudly "Oh dear, Madam, aren't you not supposed to be attending funerals as such during this month if not your luck for the year will be badly affected?" and Kam Ling said "Fei Yin, didn't I tell you not to reveal that?" and Fei Yin said "Well, it just shows it is a matter of sincerity. If one is sincere, does one really care for such superstitions?" and Po Yin's maid looked offended and Sam Hou, now very pissed said loudly "If one is sincere in offering their condolences, one does not need to use this sad occasion to insult others. Anyone wishing to do so can leave right now. I don't want to make my father's funeral as a mockery" and yes Sam Hou, you're so right! Kam Ling slightly embarrassed left with Fei Yin and Sam Hou bit her lips trying to control her anger.

Like I said, Kam Ling is now very very petty. Why argue with a mere maid? To show herself in better light in front of Sam Hou? Sam Hou is not dumb. You may say Sam Hou was harsh with her but frankly Kam Ling deserved that.

Susanna was making shoes when Sam Hou came in and Sam Hou seems to know Siu Shun is her son. Anyway Susanna said "I would like your permission to borrow your name in giving these shoes to Siu Shun"

Susanna met with Siu Shun and said "Lady Lau was very thankful to you for helping in exposing General Ma's assistant and so asked me to make you some shoes. See if these fit!" and Siu Shun was very happy and said "Yes they fit perfectly! I never received gifts before! Thank you!" and Susanna said "Here are some boiled eggs (tea leaves eggs actually) for you to offer to Eunuch Bo" and Siu Shun was very touched as he said "This was godfather's favourite! Thank you. Lady Yuen, I knew I have been rather rude to you in the past. But you have shown me nothing but concern these past few days. Thank you very much. I promise we shall be friendlier in future!" and Susanna happily said "Yes indeed! We shall be friendly from now on!" and Siu Shun and Susanna both promised to meet each other the next day to offer prayers in the palace temple.

Even the eunuch is so darn free in this haven known as the palace!

Michelle came to visit Bo Gut Cheong's place.

Pause here. Episode 23 I think revealed the killer of Eunuch Bo, which was none other than Kam Ling. Bo overheard Kam Ling and Fei Yin bribing and threatening the doctor who lied about the miscarriage and so as he ran, Fei Yin ran after him and tried to threaten him but without warning, Kam Ling picked up a stone or something and hit him hard on his head to which he died. This we know as flashback when Fei Yin was suddenly very scared of Kam Ling as Kam Ling was scolding her about something and waving a sciccors in front of her. I suppose this is to show Kam Ling is going crazy. Kam Ling did had nightmares but then reasoned Eunuch Bo had it coming and quickly recovered from her own demons.

Michelle saw the eggs and liked them until Siu Shun said they're from Susanna and she basically threw the eggs and when Siu Shun showed the shoes she said "Give me the shoes, I want to burn them!" and Siu Shun refused and said "I thought you both reconciled! Why are you so against her now? She is nice!" and Michelle said "She is nice simply because of guilt. She is nice simply because you're Gut Cheong's godson and she wanted to repay for her sins" and Siu Shun confused said "What? Why?" and Michelle said "I can't tell you. The less you know, the safer you will be" and Siu Shun refused and asked "Why?!" and Michelle finally said "That woman killed your godfather! I have no evidence right now but she did it! She was the one! She killed him because he knew her dark secret and she wanted to keep him quiet!" and Siu Shun suddenly changed, and threw the shoes onto the floor.

Wahh.. so easy to believe. But then Michelle is his godmother.

Siu Shun saw Susanna in the temple and he coldly asked "What's these?" and Susanna said "Some standard offerings for the gods" and Siu Shun picked up the fruits and said "This? Such poor quality!" and threw it and picked some more and threw some more and Susanna confused asked "What is wrong?" and Siu Shun angriy said "You know what is wrong! You don't deserve to pay respects to my godfather! Get out! You're a hypocrite!" and Susanna very confused as she was pushed away cried "Siu Shun, what is the matter?!" as General Man walked past and stood by the door listening as Siu Shun said "Why you care? Why? Because you did something awful to godfather, so you want to pay for your sins by being nice to me!" and Susanna said "No, no.. I.. I..." and Siu Shun cried "What? WHAT?! I am a young man, I won't be interested in an old woman like you, caked on the face with powders and such! Have you no shame in trying to seduce me?!" and Susanna was so angry she raised her hand wanting to slap him but couldn't but Siu Shun said "What? You want to slap me? Well, you can't? Well, I CAN!" and he raised his hand about to slap her when General Ma rushed in and held his hand and angrily said "If I didn't see it with my own eyes, I could scarcely believe a mere junior eunuch would dare to breach protocol and slap a Madam! You will come with me to the internal investigations, I will personally ask your superior how he teaches his subordinates to be so damn rude!" and pushed him along as Susanna held onto General Man and said "No, no, please let him go! Run Siu Shun, run!" and Siu Shun run and General Man said "But he wanted to slap you! How can you let him go?" and Susanna said gravely "I have my reasons, I can't tell you" and General Man said "If you can't tell me, so be it. But remember, if you have any trouble, I will help you" and Susanna thanked him.

Hin Yeung met with General Man at the tower and General Man said "I wouldn't have thought that eunuch was capable of such acts. I am glad the matter is exposed" and Hin Yeung said "Thanks to you too General Man, for acting fairly in this investigations" and General Man placed his hands on Hin Yeung's shoulders and said "You and I have been through hell together during our last mission, and I have since considered you as my brother!" and Hin Yeung smiled and said "Then perhaps you may wish to listen to your brother's advice. Try to act fairly against the emperor. You seem prejudiced against him ..."

Well he did kill his wife...

"the emperor is a good king. Put away your prejudice, and you may see clearly who is the hero and who is the villain" and General Man confused said "What do you mean?" and Hin Yeung said "Why would General Ma's assistant kill 2 innocent old men whom he had no quarrel with? Perhaps he was acting on orders. See clearly General Man, see this clearly and you will know where your loyalty lies" and General Man looked at him thoughtfully.

General Man was walking by and General Ma was with an eunuch when he saw him passed by and signalled the eunuch who cried "I am sorry General Man! I should have said so earlier!" and General Ma cried "You're useless! Leave now!" as General Man walked in and asked "Is there something the matter?"

Pause here. General Man calls him "Yan si" which is "Benefactor" and he address himself to General Ma as I remember I think "Tou yi" meaning your student. So he sees General Ma as his benefactor teacher and himself as his teacher.

General Ma looked sad as he said "I should have seen this coming. Mr Lau apparently had some quarrel with my assistant in terms of money. So Mr Lau insulted him, calling him a castrated man. You know how sensitive we are, even if we are eunuchs to be called castrated man, to be implied we are not even "man" so he decided to poison Mr Lau" and General Man nodded. Ahhh, the fool is convinced by such a lie. Does Mr Lau strike you as a gambler and a person who utters such tasteless insults? But then General Man hardly knew him.

Sam Hou was lightining candles on floating lotuses by the pond (that place must be congested with rubbish by now at the rate she goes there to do that) when she saw one floating lotus without light on. So she rushed there, pushed that lotus and was going to light it when she saw a note and she took it, and saw it has Kam Ling's name on it. Curious, she opened it and saw it was a note to her dead fetus on I believe the 2nd day of the month where the baby died and Sam Hou remembered all those black magic allegations and that it was supposedly on the I believe 8th day or 9th day but for simplicity I will just 8th day where she suffered miscarriage. She thought to herself "Why would Kam Ling write the 2nd day as the day her son died when it was on the 8th day?".

Next episode, Sam Hou went gung ho and asked Po Yin was there black magic in the first place and then confronted Kam Ling and then knew Kam Ling did the unthinkable and so threatened to expose Kam Ling to the empress dowager, which she did but we only saw intro. So we will know if she succeeded.

Here Sam Hou was a bit rash and a bit rush and a bit harsh. Of course Kam Ling deserved to be exposed but well, to do just that would mean Kam Ling's death. Surely decades of sisterhood Sam Hou would hesitate exposing Kam Ling knowing that Kam Ling will face certain death?

Story wise, boring. I mean I am tired of Susanna and her quest for her son, Michelle and her quest to hurt Susanna, Kam Ling and her pettiness (if I were her, now I have the perfect excuse to hate Sam Hou) and the insanely dumb note! Maybe that was written on the day of death of the fetus so can't blame her for her carelesness but if you wanna be a villain, for heaven's sake smarten up a bit. General Man is honourable but naive. General Ma seems like he is perpetually plotting against the emperor when in actual fact, he is perpetually covering his backside everytime the emperor is plotting against him. But that man has such a huge ego he doesn't even realise he is under the emperor's thumb. And the emperor can just solve all problems by

a. awarding marriage to Hin Yeung since everyone knows Hin Yeung is his best buddy

b. just knife General Ma to death and just say General Ma was treason since everyone knows General Ma is despicable anyway. Again goes back to so called powerful friends and students but so far only General Man and General Man seems too honourable to know such stuff.

Performance wise, Kevin Cheng has my vote for the worst ever performance thus far. Please don't blame it on his half baked character, because a decent actor could have make this half baked character an honourable decent man. Kevin Cheng just made him look constipated. But his fashion improved, he looked less skinny with layers of clothing.

Moses Chan is not the worst but had the worst written part. I am beginning to see his emperor as someone who is an imbecile. Not that imbecile but after so many recaps I think you know what I mean. That beaming smile was just stupid.

Tavia is now reduced back to one note character, petty, villanous and perhaps TVB's most boring villain ever. I am not even interested in what she's going to do because she just seems to go towards the crazy path and nothing is worse than a villain who has no grand schemes and is just petty. I can't even pity her.

Lee Kwok Lun is ok except he overacts and his has one of the worst written villains ever who is a total imbecile. This episodes explains why if the last 20 episodes did not adequately explain that.

Michelle is given a 1 note character. Susanna back to 1 note acting.

Cheung Kok Keung (haven't check Wiki so I hope I got his name right) as General Man is decent but his character is so impossibly honourable and yet devoted to General Ma I find it impossible such a man exist and can be so experienced and yet so darn naive. How can anyone trust a general like that? I do like him but his character is half baked.

Those death scenes were not touching at all quite simply because the acting were horrondeous.

Charmaine may not be the worst but her performance in this episode will explain why I see her as a scene per scene actress without much substance. Her best scene is still with Tavia and both their personalities shine when in each other's presence. In Charmaine's case, her acting improved when her Sam Hou has a bit of temper and in Tavia's case, she is a good actress but her character is made interesting when confronted by Sam Hou headon. When they're apart, Tavia can cry and scream and kick for all she wants, her Kam Ling is darn boring. Charmaine when she is alone or with the rest, her acting suffered tremendously. I don't think Charmaine was looking at the material and asking herself the most important question; What would she do as Sam Hou? How would she cry? That scene or scenes of her father's death, Mr Ko's death, the confusion, the questions, the pain, that's the time she should let go and just cry and cry and cry and show a bit of anger also. Because 2 men were murdered, for no good reason. But she didn't cry that hard, she didn't question, she didn't even look mournful except for some pale lips in one scene. Her eyes wasn't bloodshot, nothing seems real and substantive. For Tavia, I would understand if her eyes wasn't bloodshot when she was crying bloody murder in front of the emperor, since it was calculative but for Sam Hou, I just find her lack of emotions, or appropriate emotional outbursts very disturbing.

As for the rest, no comment.

Well, actually I do. The garden... too modern. I think I saw tarred road. You may think this is a grand production, but the budget should have gone to more believable sets or locations. It didn't feel like Tang Dynasty, it didn't feel like a custome period drama and it certainly didn't feel like palace. Every maid, eunuch is so darn free. Too few eunuchs. And I think it is a big mistake to show Moses perpetually in what I shall call the emperor's rest clothes. He should just walk around with the crown everywhere because at times I forgot he was the emperor.