Tonight, true love shall be separated and a good but foolish man shall be harmed by bad men, literally as said by chinese proverb. And this series turns not just stupid, but idiotic for the sake of drama that wasn't there. But one good news. Finally, General Ma did something evil that actually works.
Last episode, General Man then came to the temple, closed the door and we see Hin Yeung and emperor walked out from behind.
General Man told them about General Ma's devious plan to insert his favourite guy into favourable position so to speak and General Man denied him and Emperor said the time is near to act now rather than later and Hin Yeung suggested trapping and arresting General Ma in General Man's stronghold somewhere I can't remember instead of General Ma's stronghold, giving excuses such as visiting countryside but in effect planning a trap and did I say General Man was foolish? He was because he said "Since Ma Yuen Tzi still trusts me, I will make the arrangements" and so it was decided.
I don't know what made General Man thinks General Ma still trusts him when obviously by offending him he wouldn't anymore. General Man is darn stupid. If you want people to not be wary of you, then do agree to their demands like the Emperor, perpetually Mr Yes Man in front of General Ma.
Anyway Siu Shun officially becomes General Man's god son and at the same time Susanna was very happy that Siu Shun also agreed to take her on as godmother. Even Michelle was happy for Susanna and they two finally stopped fighting, AT LAST.
Back to more important but stupid stuff.
Kam Ling still busy plotting to get rid of the baby, Po Yin still naively dumb when she has no excuse to be, both walking and Kam Ling showing fake concern and Po Yin showing genuine gratitude when General Man walked by to see Po Yin and Kam Ling decided to go when General Man smell something and asked Kam Ling who said it was flower fragrance and General Man was suspiscious. With Po Yin he asked "Are you eating well?" and Po Yin said "Not much appetite these days" and he asked "Are you sleeping well?" and she said "Used to but these days, I do have difficulty in sleeping" and General Man said "When did Concubine Lai become such concerned friend of yours?" and Po Yin smiled and said "Father, she is a good sister. The only reason there ever was any misunderstanding was because I was rude to her first. We have since reconciled and she treats me very well, like the emperor who treats me well. Don't worry father, I will be fine"
Kam Ling in her room smirking as usual when General Man just walked in and said "Concubine Lai, heed my warning. Leave my daughter alone" and Kam Ling was like "Why are saying that?" and he said "I have been in wars for years, I have seen many devious plots and tricks but I haven't seen any as devious as your plan. Clever, using such flowers as fragrance, for yourself and your clothes and then spend every moment with my daughter when such fragrances will induce early labour and even miscarriage" and Kam Ling cried "WHAT?! I didn't know! I only know it is fragrance! Fei Yin, get rid of these at once! Thank you General Man for telling me, if not I will be a sinner to my dear sister!" and General Man said "Drop your act now. If anything happens to my daughter and her child, I will not hesitate to inform the emperor and the emperor dislikes concubines hurting one another for the sake of favours. Remember that!" and he walked away as Kam Ling smirked some more.
General Man was in his camp and ordered his trusted assistants to find some old generals or whatever for him but it seems either one is retired or the other left for urgent matters. General Man was given a cup of tea to drink by his assistant as he asked for someone else but his assistant seems to have excuses for the sudden disappearance of General Man's probably more loyal men. General Man then realised something was wrong, he felt dizzy and he knew he was duped by his own assistants.
Emperor in room planning the trip when General Ma walked in and Emperor said he wanted to go to General Man's stronghold but General Ma said to go to his, prompting Hin Yeung to sarcastically say "Are you disobeying his majesty's order?" and General Ma's standard line "Your servant dares not" and so was agreed General Ma will represent the emperor in the outing somewhere. Suddenly General Ma said "General Man however is back in the palace" prompting shocked looks of the pair of lovers (you know who!) and General Man was carried in with his assistants in tow and General Man looked paralyzed and couldn't move or speak. His eyes speak of anguish and both lovers shocked, as Emperor demanded "WHAT HAPPENED?" and the assistants said "General Man was poisoned! We are still investigating who did this" and we all know who did since General Ma openly smirked. Emperor was very devastated and said "Call the royal doctors now!"
General Ma alone with his favourite assistant, also a eunuch and smirking as 2 of General Man's assistants walked in. He said "Well done! Well done!" and General Man's men, one of them said "I was hoping the poison will kill him off. Who knows that bastard has so much willpower in him!" and assistant eunuch said "Since he is good as dead, shouldn't we get rid of him once and for all?" and General Ma said "Well, he is good as dead so why bother? Let him live his pitiful existence the way he is now so that he and that imbecile king can see with their own eyes the consequences of going against me, Ma Yuen Tzi!!" and I was thinking there should be thunder and lightning here for effect.
Hin Yeung and Emperor were told by the doctor (probably one of the few loyal ones left in the palace) "By all accounts, General Man should have been dead. The poison was powerful but because of General Man's will to live, he survived" and Emperor asked "Will he be alright?" and the doctor sighed "In what sense? Well, he will live. But he will for the rest of his life live as a vegetable, unable to move or speak".
Hin Yeung and Emperor alone, Hin Yeung sulkily said "I can only conclude those close enough to him could have done this and that would be General Man's trusted men who fought with him for decades in war. And if these men can turn, what more is left in loyalty?"
Pause here.
Hin Yeung is damn right. And this series seems to suggest there's no Romance Of The Three Kingdoms here. No loyalty, no servitude, no honour, no integrity, no respect, every man can be bought, every woman selfish, every villain obviously villain, every good guy obviously the good guy. The distinction is clear and stupid. Why stupid? Not one loyalty. Everyone seems to be loyal to General Ma only because he can give them something. So why don't the emperor say "Whoever kills General Ma for me shall be awarded a dukedom and a land to govern"? I mean that can be quite an effective measure in getting rid of General Ma. And General Ma is only supposedly so powerful because someone of someone of someone is willing to do the dirty work for him. Remove that someone, then he is powerless.
Anyway General Ma proposed that 2 assistants to be new head of army taking General Man's place and guess what Emperor said? As usual, yes.
Anyway Concubine Yin was very sad at what happened to her father as she, General Man, Emperor, Hin Yeung and one trusted eunuch were in the room when Emperor said to General Man "Don't you worry about Ma Yuen Tzi. I will fight him and I will win, I promise" and then he noticed General Man looking at a row of books and Hin Yeung went to search each book until General Man blinked at that and it was a love story, strange for a man like General Man until a yellow feather dropped out between the pages and Emperor held it and General Man looked at it intently as Po Yin explained "That feather of the ball! I remember that! Lee Chun, the Prince of Qi.."
Pause here. I didn't catch the name but checked wikipedia and I suppose this is him.
".. eldest son of the late emperor Mou Tsung but his mother was out of favour so he was banished together with his advisor at the age of 10, came to live with us for 2 months. (FLASHBACK) He was an impatient young boy, but father connected with him well and for that 2 months were inseperable. In father he learned to be patient and to rise up from failure and when he left, he gave father this feather as remembrance. Over the years father and the prince have communicated through letters, he often sought father's advice and is therefore very close" and Emperor asked General Man "Are you asking me to seek his help?" and he could see General Man's eyes blinking and Emperor said "Prince of Qi has army and if he agrees he could greatly assist me!"
Alone with Hin Yeung, Emperor said "But will he assist me? After all we are rivals" but Hin Yeung agreed it was worth a try and so they planned to use taking General Man back to hometown for retirement as an excuse and along the way meet up with Prince of Qi and seek his army for help. They then congratulated themselves for the brilliant plan.
Pause here.
First of, how old is the Prince of Qi? He was 10. Po Yin looks the same then as she is now. We don't know how many years passed. So are we to assume Prince of Qi is an ultra capable 18 year old General with loyalty by his men? Because if so why would Prince of Qi help the emperor? He is happy being his lord of some land. And if he helps, why not he install himself as emperor then? Moreover there must be rumours how Emperor became emperor, by killing his father with Ma Yuen Tzi's help. So even if he was a banished unfavoured prince, father is still father and a murdered father must be avenged. So why should he help and why are these 2 so darn optimistic?
Meeting with useless officials and ministers. Emperor said "General Man has contributed greatly to this empire and he is a great hero. Therefore I decree that he be allowed to return to his hometown in retirement in full military glory" but General Ma immediately said "Your majesty! Concubine Yin is giving birth soon! Separating father and daughter in her times of need will put unnecessary stress on her!" and Emperor bellowed "Having Concubine Yin looking at her father like this every day will put unnecessary stress on her! I have already decided" and Hin Yeung said "A great decision your majesty. If I may suggest building a temple in General Man's name so that when he passes on, his good name can be remembered and his memory can be paid respect to by those who wishes to do so" and Emperor said "Yes, this is a brilliant suggestion. I would like to show to everyone whoever that contributes to this empire shall be duly respected and honoured as General Man shall be. Let this be an example for all who serves me!" and General Ma smirked whilst robots nodded happily when Emperor said "If that is the case, I hereby order Officer Ko to lead the full military honour in accompanying General Man back home" and Hin Yeung agreed whilst General Ma immediately suspected something not right.
Meanwhile it is debated that when Po Yin gives birth to a son, he will be crown prince and almost agreed she will be empress. But emperor decided not to make any baby crown prince first but General Ma was very angry but again that led to nowhere.
Hin Yeung and Sam Hou together, saying good bye and Sam Hou said she made some blankets of different colour and all nonsense until she got straight to the point and told Hin Yeung she was pregnant and Hin Yeung happy said he will return in 3 months and be triumphant and they can then leave the palace and be happy again and he also said something about flowers blooming and he will be back, blah blah blah.
Pause here.
3 months? So optimistic. And Sam Hou pregnant is just a plot to push for another plot. It means Hin Yeung is doomed.
Time for General Man to leave. Suddenly General Ma appears and said "To ensure General Man's safety, I have asked the generals to accompany General Man's entourage!" and what can emperor say? "Great" was his reply whilst Hin Yeung looked at him pleadingly for whatever reason. Oh yes, "Good bye my love. And oh by the way please take care of Sam Hou for me, but you're my true love!" sort of eyes. I tell you, Kevin and Moses have more chemistry together than Charmaine with either of them. Everyone looks at everybody else, Po Yin included and it was bye bye as Susanna and Siu Shun hid in a corner looking at General Man go.
Meanwhile Po Yin and Sam Hou went back to Po Yin's place when suddenly she felt intense pain.
Sam Hou rushed to the emperor who was with Kam Ling and Kam Ling was hoping the emperor will share his worries with her but he said nothing. Sam Hou came and reluctant to say what's on her mind, so Kam Ling said "A secret I can't know?" and Emperor asked her to leave. But we all know she hid behind to eavesdrop when Sam Hou said "Your majesty, Concubine Yin is showing signs of early labour. Her baby will either come this month on her 7th month or the next, before Hin Yeung can return!" and Emperor surprised at such a news and also Sam Hou knew so much as she explained "Hin Yeung told me of Ma Yuen Tzi's evil plans. If the baby is a crown prince, then he will kill your majesty to usurp your throne by way of the child!" and Kam Ling heard all these and immediately went to empress dowager and told her what happened.
Empress Dowager shocked to the core said "The day the child is born is the day my son shall die? No... no...I can't let that happen!" and I was thinking is this becoming like The Ring or some horror movie? Demon child on the way! Kam Ling tearfully said "Then something must be done. Sister can't be allowed to give birth to that child!" and Empress Dowager said "It could be a princess!" and Kam Ling said "It is a risk we can't afford to take! I love sister but I love the emperor more! We must help him! She must lose the child" but empress dowager now conflicted said "But... that is my grandchild. I can't kill my grandchild. Moreover, she is already in her 7th month, the child is formed. I can't commit murder of my own grandchild!" but Kam Ling forcefully said "It is a choice between your grandchild or your son! You must ask sister to choose! If you can't do it, I shall do it, let me do this for you!" and empress dowager looked at Kam Ling, crying.
Kam Ling goes to see Po Yin, Po Yin's maid dragged out as Kam Ling said to the eunuchs with Fei Yin there "Guard the entrance on the order of the empress dowager" and she walked in and sat down next to a sleeping Po Yin who woke up startled and said gently "Sister..." as Kam Ling smiled deviously.
Next episode, Kam Ling forced Po Yin to abort the child, whilst General Ma made a big issue out of Sam Hou's pregnancy leading to the inevitable that I have been waiting for for episodes since bad news say Hin Yeung disappeared without a trace.
You know Kam Ling is even more petty and a person so petty can only be as evil. In her mind, and she has only 1 track mind, she must kill the child, kill Po Yin, kill her chances as Empress and so out of competition. The fact that Ma Yuen Tzi is trying to usurp power using the baby does not concern her, it was just one of the facts. Whatever she suggested, it was to get rid of child and Po Yin so she can be empress herself. Like getting rid of competition when she herself probably induced that early labour with the fragrance. And that's when the entire series just turn even more stupid. Kam Ling is such a stupid silly petty villain. And poor Tavia given a character where she is required to just smirk, smirk and more smirk.
The fact that the empress dowager agreed to killing the 7 month old baby and Po Yin without first consulting the emperor doesn't show her as desperate but just stupid. All these plot about with baby will kill emperor and usurp power, don't the emperor have any loyal men left? Using a baby to usurp power is quite simply treason, and the moment General Ma acts, Emperor can legitimately kill him. And if I were Prince of Qi, I will then kill the baby and usurp the throne! Don't anyone treat the emperor like an emperor? Even his own mom doesn't treat him as one.
And Po Yin is another stupid character. I know she is kind and all but frankly her 100% non wariness of Kam Ling is just impossible. Some people are just waiting to be duped, tricked, harmed and killed.
Not one credible plot about power struggle, concubines fighting, etc. What this series shows tonight is just total and utter lunacy. Just a few more episodes and this lunacy will end.
Let's not talk about acting. You know how to I feel about most anyway.
Posts
January 11, 2011 at 2:16 PM
Just a thought.
If it was Empress Dowager Kwok in this baby situation, what do you think she will do?
I don't think she will kill her grandchild. She will think of some other way out.
I think Empress Cheng didn't consult her son because she knew her son will not agree to killing the baby. So, to protect her son and the nation, she acted without consultation. It was a mother's great love for her son and also, I believe, the misguided intention of saving the nation.
As for early labour, I guess Kam Ling hope the labour will be so early that the child will die at child birth. When she heard what Sam Hou said, she use this to make sure the child die.
From the look of it, Prince Qi is in his early teen. He's played by a child actor. I don't remember if it's the same child actor in the flashback. He's young but wise.