I am beginning to see this as Raise The Red Lantern sort of settings; not palace, but in a mansion, smaller scale but still as deadly. I don't see emperor. Anyway needless death, needless drama and evil shall began!
Susanna said to Lui Shan (who is Lady Wu by the way) "You were the one who tried to poison me!"
Lui Shan sorta shocked said "Me? No! It wasn't me!" and the rest each said how they discovered the poisonous substance, how the chopstick by Susanna was used to pick up food for her but she accidentally dropped the food, that the chopstick used now is not the one by her but Madam Choi made herself, how the poison (not arsenic but something else) which was supposed to be in the warehouse wasn't in the warehouse and Madam Choi said "Only I myself and you have the keys to that storage, so are you suggesting I was the one who poisoned Lady Yuen?" and Lui Shan stammering said "I lost the keys some time ago. I was afraid to inform you. It could have been anyone, anyone at all!" and then eunuchs came (I think it was Bo Gut Cheong) who said "As per your orders, we searched Lady Wu's room and found this pouch of poison" and immediately Susanna asked "How can you do this to me? Why? WHY?" and I was like YEAH WHY? WHY?!?!
and Lui Shan with emotions said "Why? So that I can get rid of competition and become a Madam! You are close to the empress dowager, surely you will be the Madam!" and Madam Choi said "We all know skills and not connections get you appointed as a Madam" and Lui Shan cried and said "Please Madam Choi, please don't let them take me to Empress Dowager Kwok, she will kill me! You can demote me, make me a palace maid, please!" as she begged and Madam Choi sadly said "You have caused such a huge commotion, now Empress Dowager Kwok is using this as an excuse to interfere with our depts. There is nothing I can do. Take her away" and as Lui Shan was dragged she escaped and madly laughing said "You! You all are hypocrites! What sisterly love? You won't even help me now!" and Susanna cried "You are still not repentent!" and Lui Shan cried "Repentent? I only regret I did not become more vicious! I should have put more poison, so that you and each and everyone of you will die a painful death!" and all looked scared as Kam Ling kept shaking her head in disbelief and Lui Shan cried "I will never let you take me to her! I will not be like Chui Ma Ma who died humiliated by all of you! NEVER!" and laughing madly, she took a hairpin and stabbed herself on the neck and fell and died.
Pause here.
This scene should be NG-ed because after she fell and died, she moved a little and then died again. Rather funny.
Anyway all looked shocked.
Me? Not shocked but pissed that Lady Wu is one character introduced and we have no idea what she does except furnishing but what furnishing, smiled slyly for entire appearance and then died. The purpose of her character is to die.
Anyway Empress Dowager met with Susan and Susan said "Well sister, well done. You did find the perpertrator in 5 days as agreed" as she looked at the chopsticks held on a tray by Susanna. But Susan wasn't finished, and mind you this is the best scene in this episode where Susan looked at Madam Choi and said "Yes this is solved. However my dear sister, it is not actually solved completely. One of the heads was poisoned and this is due to the mismanagement of Madam Choi who did not supervise well. I propose Madam Choi be stripped off her position and rank and punished duly for her incompetence" and Madam Choi looked shocked but Empress Dowager smiled and said "Sister, if I remember correctly it was Madam Choi who wanted to appoint a different assistant as Head Of Furnishing but it was you who insisted on Lady Wu, claiming her to be of good character" and Susan was very quiet as she continued "Moreover Madam Choi is well respected and well loved by the maids. All of you, what is your opinion of Madam Choi?" and each of them praised Madam Choi as someone of good character, encouraged them to treat others as sister, promote peacefulness, competent, etc and Madam Choi smiled a little and Empress Dowager concluded "Well, the problem with Lady Wu is because of her own problem. Madam Choi can't be blame for what happened. Therefore Madam Choi shall remain as she is, don't you think so too, sister?" and Susan just stood up, looked at all of them and walked out very very slowly, silent. Madam Choi looked at Empress Dowager and smiled a smile of thanks and she smiled back.
Pause here.
I feel this is the best scene in this episode, the way she just stood up, and walked out. She knew she lost power and influence. Now the thing is if she had been a benevolent Empress Dowager, the emperor and his mother would have given her greatest respect and let her run the depts. I see the current Empress Dowager as someone willing to share.
Kam Ling walked into Lady Wu's room I think with the eunuch who once flirted with her and she said "What a day of difference makes. Yesterday here was so noisy, today so silent" and the eunuch said "Poor Lady Wu" and Kam Ling said "Indeed, poor Lady Wu but she was doomed from the start. To aspire to be a Madam does not mean anything since in the end she will still be a servant who serves. Oh no, for real power, one must aspire to be the person who is served!" and the eunuch said "Don't talk like that! Look at General Ma. However powerful he is, before the Emperor he still has to follow the rites and traditions of a servant" and Kam Ling said "Which is why we must aspire to be more than the most powerful servant. Look at Empress Dowager Kwok. She may have lost her power but everyone still has to look up to her, greet her" and the eunuch said "I wish I could be in such a position too. Well, having ambition is good, however foolish in your case so best of luck to you" and Kam Ling looked very determined.
Sam Hou was helping the maids doing laundry and she smiled and said "Why not both of you go for lunch first? I will finish up here" and both of them said "You have been letting us eat first and finish our jobs for us. How can we ask you to do that?" and Sam Hou said "well, I still have 10 more days to do before I leave" and they said "We wish you could stay..but how can we ask you to stay here and suffer like us?" and Sam Hou kindly replied one of the girls "You will leave here one day too, believe me, just persevere, you will be fine" and they smiled at her and she smiled back kindly when June walked by and sneered "Don't you believe this liar. She is just the same like that deceitful Kam Ling, she caused my demotion, Kam Ling is such a conniving liar!" and Sam Hou for first time showed a bit of temper (you know, almost human sort of temper) and she scolded June "Don't you dare call Kam Ling a liar! You caused your own downfall. If you didn't persist in hurting Kam Ling, you wouldn't get this comeuppance!" and June sneered at her and handed her the bucket of dirty clothes and Sam Hou reluctantly took out her hand to take the bucket, walked away but June viciously bumped into her hard and Sam Hou fell hard and her (not sure left or right palm) hit a sharp rock face down and in extreme pain Sam Hou cried and June then poured a bucket of water onto Sam Hou and Sam Hou fainted. The other 2 girls rushed to her rescue whilst June smiled.
Pause here.
I know I am sometimes annoyed with Sam Hou's perfection but what June did was vicious. What did Sam Hou ever did to her? Well, we will know...
Doctors, Emperor, the 3 remaining heads, Madam Choi, Kam .. you know what, basically everybody by the villains came to see Sam Hou and the doctor said to Hin Yeung and gang "Her hand is seriously injured. It is swollen and I have to think of a way to reduce the swelling. There isn't much to do now" and Kam Ling looked worried. Hin Yeung met with the Emperor and said "How vicious! That woman did it on purpose!" and the emperor knew and said "On the orders of General Ma.." and I am sure they were thinking he was such a petty man.
Meanwhile June went before General Ma and June said "I did as you ordered. Her hand is seriously injured and she will unlikely ever to do any sewing ever again. May I have my reward now sir? Leave that god forsaken place?" and General Ma looked at a smiling June and said "Oh I have reward for you, a very good one" and June smiled happily.
Back to Emperor, he wanted to see General Ma but General Ma himself marched into the hall and declared "Your majesty, I am here with regards to Lau Sam Hou's injuries" and one must wonder why? What has Sam Hou got to do with him, realistically speaking? and the Emperor said "Yes I wanted to see you too. I have a question for you..." and General Ma interrupted and said "I bring to you the culprit! Bring her in!" and June was dragged inside, her body badly beaten. her face bloody and she was crying as Emperor and Hin Yeung looked at her with shock and saw that all her fingers were broken. General Ma said "She was the one who pushed Lau Sam Hou, so I took the liberty to punish her and break all her fingers" and Emperor knew she must have been ordered by someone else so he said kindly "Tell me, who ordered you to push Lady Lau? Don't be afraid, you can tell me and I will protect you" and June couldn't speak, she tried to mumble, I thought her tongue was cut out but apparently... "You are amazing General Ma. You have beaten her to the point she can no longer speak" and General Ma shrugged "I did only what is necessary.. so your majesty, I believe it is in order to decree that she shall be punished with death" and the Emperor couldn't say anything, Hin Yeung was shocked too at his viciousness and General Ma said "Drag her out" and June was dragged out, crying, but unable to speak". General Ma said "Since Lady Lau is so injured, I propose that she be allowed to be released from her remaining sentence and be allowed to return to the jewelry dept and rest" and what more can the emperor say? Nothing at all.
Sam Hou was back and guess what? THE ENTIRE PALACE (OR THOSE WHO MATTERS) WERE THERE TO SEE HER. LIKE SHE IS THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. Seriously, for a palace maid? I know she is kind and all and well liked and stuff but seriously, everybody? Except Susan of course. Anyway Hin Yeung couldn't see her and not allowed to but Kam Ling opened the window slightly and let him have a look at a sleeping Sam Hou.
Sam Hou was very sad and frustrated when Kam Ling saw her and she said "My hand.. I have wasted my mother's gift and I will be so ashamed when I do see her again! What am I to do Kam Ling?! I cna't even open this tool box, how can I thread the silver and gold threads?" and she cried and Kam Ling said "Don't cry Sam Hou. You will be fine. Don't cry!" but Sam Hou cried hard as Kam Ling held her injured hand.
Pause here. I have always had trouble with Sam Hou's so called natural talent in jewelry making. I never really see that when she was little, and since so little time has been spent in showing how naturally talented she was, it was assumed she inherited her mother's gift. I would have wished to see more of her training as a child.
The doctors came up with a solution that I couldn't understand but something to do with inserting needles into the hand until I suppose 7 inches deep? 7 steps deep? Anyway normally 5 is excrutiating but here 7 level deep is needed as her hand is very swollen and if they can do that, everything will be fine. But he has never done that before so he will need to experiment first. Hin Yeung immediately said "Take my hand, experiment on my hand" which the emperor looked in I suppose shock but the doctor said "I admire your courage, sir but male and female hands have a different so experimenting on you won't work" and Kam Ling said "Take my hand, experiment on my hand" but the doctor said "It will be dangerous. If I failed, your hand will suffer necrosis, it is far too dangerous" and the other 2 guys also advised her against it but she said "Sam Hou is my older sister, I must help her. And if my hand dies, then Sam Hou and I can use one of each of our hand to make jewelry" and everybody looked gratefully at her. "I only have on request; please don't tell Sam Hou about this, I don't want her to worry" which means Sam Hou will know. Meanwhile emperor gave her an amulet to bless her and Kam Ling looked at him and smiled happily.
And I thought how giving of her. It is a big risk. Well in the temple we see Kam Ling praying and we see her true colours; "Almighty heavens, please bless Sam Hou, make sure she recovers, so that this biggest gamble in my life with my hands pays off. Please, bless her, and bless me. Let me win, this time"
Pause here.
So she knows that the emperor is in love with Sam Hou and she also knows that the key to his heart is through Sam Hou. So by being nice to Sam Hou, she would impress him and get closer to him and hopefully get him to sort of marry her. Ambitious plan, very dangerous but smart too.
Day of the experiment. Kam Ling was lying on the lounge chair looked by Emperor, Hin Yeung and the doctor inserted the needles and Kam Ling cried in pain when level 6 was reached and fainted. The Emperor I think took her hand and massaged, can't quite remember and she woke up and insisted the experiment continue and level 7 reached and so Sam Hou can be saved.
Huh? Don't get it. Don't need to get it.
Anyway Kam Ling was in a big room when Sam Hou rushed in and said "Kam Ling, why didn't you tell me you took such risks? I am not worth all that risks!" and Kam Ling smiled and said "You're my sister, I promised myself I will treat you well, you're worth it. Sam Hou, promise me, do not give up. You must withstand the pain, you will make it!" and Sam Hou cried and smiled and said "I promise, I will not give up! I will complete the treatment!" and they hugged I think. Somewhere along the way Kam Ling did say "Empress Dowager was so kind to me, to allow me some time off and put me in this beautiful room (probably a concubine level room)" and Kam Ling was smiling happily. Greed...
Sam Hou was in her room when Michelle and Susanna both stopped by and Sam Hou was happy to see them and said "I am happy to see both of you coming here together" but Michelle said "Oh we just bumped into each other" and Susanna agreed and Susanna said "I am here to give you a gift." and she took out a large folded clothe and said "You can bite on this to help ease the pain" but Michelle said "I bring you some sweets, which you can suck on as you go through treatment. With the sweetness you will forget about the pain" and Sam Hou smiled and said thanks but said "I have a better idea! I was always sick when I was little and my mother would always play the piano and sing to me to ease my pain, can you both do that just for me?" and Michelle said "Me sing? Oh no, I can play but sing? I am afraid I can't carry a tune" and Susanna said "Me too" and Sam Hou said "I know you both were great pianists when played together, why not both if you play a duet for me?" and Michelle said "We have no songbook and it has been such a long time since I touched a piano" and Sam Hou pretended to be upset and said "Alright, fine, since you won't do it for me" and Susanna said "You're pretending to be upset. Your main purpose is to unite us both isn't it? You really do live up to your name Sam Hou" and Michelle looked at her affectionately and so both agreed to play nice and stop bickering (but for how long?!) and Sam Hou said "I will hum the song to you..."
Guess the song! Red Windmill lar!
Anyway d-day for Sam Hou, both played the piano, EVERYBODY WAS THERE except Susan and some important people but basically and unrealistically is the thing carried out in the emperor's hall?! Is she some concubine?! Over the top! Anyway Sam Hou cried, ahhhhhhhh and almost fainted and Kam Ling was worried (for herself I bet) and then reached 7th level and doctor declared "SHE WILL BE FINE!!"
Seriously, I expected the emperor to declare Lau Sam Hou day.
But the doctor said to have her heal faster it is better she has access to some cream I believe from Tibet? Only the emperor has such cream which is a gift so Susanna and Michelle rushed to see him when they bumped into General Man who again looked rather childish as he gloated "The emperor just awarded me this rare cream from Tibet!" and Susanna immediately asked "Since you may have no use for this, why not give it to someone who will have use for it?" and General Man looked at her curiously and Michelle immediately said "What she meant is she is asking on behalf of someone who needs it. Ok, let me ask that favour of you as well, take it that I am the one asking you.." and General Man looked slightly at Susanna and then said tersely "HERE! TAKE IT YOU BOTH NOSY WOMEN!" and he stalked off. I tell you, he has a soft spot for Susanna!
Anyway, Sam Hou's hands have reduced in swelling (General Ma, THAT THAT!) and she was practising her finger picking up flowers from that single white flower tree in the mansion I suppose when guess who passed by? The free-est bpdyguard, Hin Yeung. Seriously, he is so free but I reminded my sis who said that that he is the chief bodyguard and emperor is in the palace so he's safe but she's right; he is so darn free. Anyway he said "Don't stress yourself too soon, take a rest" but Sam Hou refused to listen and said "I need to practice. I will be fine" when Hin Yeung suddenly said "Oh my foot! It is hurt!" and Sam Hou panicked and said "I will get that cream, it is very good!" and Hin Yeung stood up and stopped her and said "I lied. I just wanted you to stop and relax a bit" and Sam Hou smiled coyly and said "You were teasing me!" and they laughed..
Meanwhile the supervisors for the remaining 2 heads plus the dead one are all vying for the open space for head of furnishing.
Empress Dowager was meeting with Madam Choi and said "Lady Yuen and Lady Chung are friends again?" and Madam Choi said "Yes, and it is thanks to Lady Lau" and she smiled and replied "Yes, Lady Lau is quite extraordinary, and so is Lady Yiu who proved her worthiness" and Madam Choi said "Yes. And there is still an open post to fill, that is the position of Head Of Furnishing and by rule and rank, only those of the rank of supervisor shall qualify to be considered" and Empress Dowager nodded and said "Yes indeed, but **name of supervisor for the funishing dept** may be of the rank but she lacks experience" and Madam Choi smiled and said "Yes indeed, my lady is very perceptive and knows your palace maids well!" and Empress Dowager said "So who do we have?? and I believe it was Madam Choi who said "Then there's Lady Lau but she is with the jewelry dept although she did come from embroidery dept" and Empress Dowager said "It is a credit to Lady Yuen for having taught 2 good students, Lady Lau and Lady Yiu and it is indeed not fair for one dept to have 2 such good students..." and Madam Choi knew where she was heading as Empress Dowager said "Well, Madam Choi, you know the choice then.."
All 3 heads plust 4 supervisors plus maids gathered before Madam Choi who said "The decision on the new head of furnishing has been made. The person chosen is ..."
Next episode, Empress Concubine Kwok was slapped by General Ma! Oh why can't she just stab him there and then?! Why are they so scared of him? And then she carried into the great hall in front of all the men the ancestor shrine thing and said to the emperor she will teach him on behalf of all ancestors. Oh lady, save your breath and just pull out a sword and stab General Ma to death. He is your problem, not the Emperor.
Anyway we all know who. Lau Sam Hou right? And Kam Ling takes over supervisor position in jewelry dept. But Sam Hou has talent in jewelry, not the mysterious furnishing dept. Can't expect her to do chopsticks!
Anyway, the problem lies in story development which is almost nil for almost all character. Even the emperor now comes to a standstill and the only 2 characters with any development belongs to 2 Empress Dowagers. This series is exciting thus far and that is because of the Moonlight Resonance format. A problem crops up, settles in 1 episode and then another and another. All these problems are exciting but none contribute to the continuity of the story. It doesn't help that the characters are so one dimensional.
I was very surprised with Kam Ling's sudden change. She is still ok but why she helped Sam Hou and took such a big risk is strange because earlier episodes whenever there's a problem she hides, she doesn't say anything and it was Sam Hou who comes to her rescue and admitted to everything. Kam Ling rarely owns up to responsibility and so to suddenly just say yes to such a dangerous experiment means she is beginning to become who she will. Of course she can be said to be being nice to Sam Hou and benefitting from it but I feel the only reason she agreed so readily is to up her good points in front of the emperor and no more. So she is beginning to use Sam Hou. It is an indication from last episode but I find this too sudden, not much continuity. I would have wish one decisive moment when she decided she will sacrifice her friendship with Sam Hou and gain what she wants.
As for Sam Hou, I am happy to see she has temper. She came to Kam Ling's defence and I like seeing that because there's some personality instead of nice benign kind Sam Hou with that cheshire grin. With such an aspect added to this character I find Sam Hou more believable and I do think Charmaine did well in that scene although I am disappointed with her crying scenes. She used to be the best in crying, now she seems to force herself to cry. I find it unnatural. So I'd rather she smile than she cry.
Kevin Cheng's Hin Yeung remains a cardboard. Justice isn't it? Women are mostly the wallpaper and now there's this guy who is the wallpaper. His performance not only lacked substance, it lacked emotion. His face hardly registers an emotion. Someone should have told Kevin Cheng to act and not just stand there like a log of wood. By far he is the worst actor in this series and you can blame it on his wafer thin character but surely showing concern, love, desire, flirtation, etc, that doesn't depend on a full fledge character? Remember Jewel In The Palace? Everytime Officer Man sees Janggeum, he has a small smile on his face, his eyes light up. I want to see all that! Officer Man has little role in JITP too but the actor did what he could and did it well. Kevin Cheng... was such an utter disappointment.
Moses is saddled right now with a character that is not moving and as the story shifts to Kam Ling, I am sure his emperor will take a back seat. I don't like the idea of General Ma as the ultimate villain until almost the end. I know he will find an ally in Kam Ling but I find General Ma such a caricature. I can't buy it he is a powerful eunuch, etc. I find Lee Kwok Lun has too much make up on and his acting is insufferable. Yes, insufferable. Why? He overacts. I find him a miscast. Another actor who can be as subtle as he can be bombastic would be great and I would have loved to see Ai Wai in this character. Lee Kwok Lun is a good actor but clearly the director did not brief him on this role. In fact the director seems to have no control on this series.
Tavia is only beginning but I don't like the sudden turn of her character. In fact I find Kam Ling also one dimensional and how can a nice girl grow into THAT. No justification and I would have wished for more rather than let's assume. Tavia's performance is typical of Tavia. I know she has lots of fans but her one performance is the same as the rest of her performances. I don't see any breakthrough. Not that she is bad, in fact she is good but boringly good.
Mary Hon continues to excell in her role that before I watched this series questioned her credibility. I shall question no more. However is this series going to make this character have verbal fight with Empress Dowager Kwok for the entire series? Because it is getting boring. I can see Empress Dowager Zheng very pre-occupied with just one person when she should be given more to do.
The saving grace is Susan Tse. She was regal in the face of defeat. I kinda pity her. That scene where she just walked out of the hall without a word with her head held high but knew she has lost favour and power was a fantastic scene. So much said without a single dialogue.
The rest are ok, no comment. But poor June though. The problem of this series apart from what I said above is also we always see people tortured and all and then dragged out to be executed but we never actually see them executed. Why? Such a scene too expensive to set up?
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