Episode 14 Summary: A Daring But Incredibly Stupid Choice

-Li'er sits almost in the place reserved for the Queen as 'Han' a.k.a. Elder Brother is asked what kind of reward he would want. During this period, Li Zhong notices his injury but Li'er redirects the conversation back to the reward. Han asks that he be given some time off to visit his family. -The Emperor reveals yet again how obsessed he is with her as, like a puppy, he seizes upon the fact that she refers to Tian Ming as 'the Emperor's son' which to him is a major victory. She sidesteps this and complains she is tired and goes to rest. -Madame Min continues to try to curry favor with Li'er by sending gifts -In the next scene Lu Buwei is being visited by his servant who informs him of all the visitors who have stopped by: Zhao, Wei, and Chu states have all sent people and gifts to try to get him to come and be their chancellor. Lu Buwei is no fool, and points out all the reasons why he won't: Li Xanling of Wei died, and ever since their foundation is gone, Chu is prosperous but the in fighting of its ministers makes it unstable and while Zhao has Li Mu, the king is incredibly weak and relies entirely Guo Kai a villain. Essentially Lu Buwei says he is too old for this sh*t. -He asks his servant his opinion and his servant states he likely wants to return to Qin but the emperor is suspiciious and won't invite him back. Lu Buwei states this is true, and speaks of his former retainer, Li Su who betrayed him to serve the emperor, and remarks that he will probably slander his name to curry favor, that is his concern. -Speak of the devil; Li Si is meeting with the spies sent to observe Lu Buwei and concludes that Lu Buwei is merely pretending to be loyal in order to regain the emperor's trust. He visits the emperor and basically implies 'hey isn't it odd that all these foreign emissaries are visiting Lu Buwei? isn't it likely he will betray you?' The emperor admits that Lu Buwei is the biggest threat at home because of his wealth and number of loyal retainers -The emperor naturally falls for this as he is incredibly suspecious. He decides to secretly visit him. But first he sees his mother and in a very telling scene asks her a series questions. He asks if she regrets coming to Qin with Lu Buwei (although she wants to be with him) because his father was weak and could not get the crown without Lu Buwei and were it not for the fact that she was his father's wife she would have been ignored. She says she was a tool for both men. He replies that he owes his position to Lu Buwei (but it seems implied that he doesn't have real power because Lu Buwei is the real man behind the king) He asks if she would not have abandoned him if he were not the emperor, and she is visibly surprised by this and tries to convince him that it was never her intention to abandon him but he becomes agitated and makes it clear he does not believe her and that she only cared about using him, like Lu Buwei, to obtain luxury and power. He admits that sometimes he wishes he were an ordinary man (implying that being an emperor opens the door to a lot of pain and loneliness, and not having anyone you can trust, and difficult choices) ---this is like such a common trope in these shows He leaves her alone, and she just cries. -MEANWHILE, Han sneaks in to see Li'er and when he learns that the emperor is leaving on a secret trip they can escape, because he has memorized the patterns of the guards. -Lu Buwei is preparing for the New Year when the emperor visits (OMG THIS WAS FILMED SO DRAMATICALLY I ALMOST FELL OUT OF MY CHAIR LAUGHING) to confront him. He states he should dismiss his retainers, and when Lu Buwei says these are his loyal friends, the emperor says that maybe he should execute them, leading Lu Buwei to tell him he is not raising an army, that he is his flesh and blood (so he thinks Zheng is his son) and that he wants him to be successful in reaching his goals -Just when it looks like the emperor believes him, a bunch of people outside congratulate him for becoming the chancellor of chu. This shocks Lu Buwei, who tries to tell him this is a rumor, and the emperor does a 180, and tells him he is a liar and banishes him and says he never wants to see him again. I actually felt bad for Lu buwei. -Han and Li'er are making their escape--she disguised as a soldier. She tries to take the baby but he won't stop crying. Han convinces her to leave and come back for him later. So she sneaks out... Thoughts: Li'er's character is incredibly inconsistent. She can be very smart and practical, and then she does extraordinary stupid things like this. She thinks she can actually escape arguably the most powerful--and obsessed man--without consequences. In addition, she leaves her son behind, the one thing that makes her extraordinarily vulnerable--and she knows how manipulative Zheng is and how he would go to any length to get her back or punish others whom he feels have hurt him--I am sorry but this is just EXTREMELY stupid on her part. Anybody would want to escape a situation like hers, but it seems like she should know that it will fail and likely end up in some bad consequences. It isn't fair, but that's just the reality of her situation and she seemed to be written as a very practical person. I guess not. I think the writers did this in order to re-invigorate one of the shows big points--that the emperor is not a nice person--and wants to make him go back to being really mean to her in order to push triggers in the audience. Everyone will feel so bad for her, but to me, this is just extraordinarily dumb. It's a losing battle. i'm not saying she is asking to be mistreated, but I think that she knows her weaknesses and she knows his strengths and she knows his personality so it's like she is literally walking into a bad situation that may have been avoided if she used her smarts and fought with the tools she has--giving her more power in a situation where she would otherwise have none . She can't win this battle at the moment, not without sacrificing her kid, and she won't do that. So this is only going to provoke him and endanger all the people she cares about. Oh sure it will make for some interesting television but i think they could have tried a little harder to make her character consistent. He is very consistent. Maybe we could have some depth in her story and figure out why she makes really dumb choices. Or perhaps have her character shift into a more ruthless person that takes advantage of his feelings for her in order to plot her own power game/revenge. End of rant.

Read More

Episode 13 Summary: The Missing Prince

Just a Heads Up: The drama is beginning to slow down, I imagine, in order to begin the arduous process of setting up for an epic second act and to develop the characters more. The missing prince may either be 1)just one of many crimes that will be brought up later to punish someone or 2)a way of keeping some action in the episode as it sets up for later.



--The episode begins with Li'er interrupting the emperor yet again threatening the servants with death and questions and instead showing her more practical side: we are wasting time by questioning these people focus on finding my son



-Li'er is granted permission to leave the harem and to search the entire palace. He sends Zhao Gao (bwahahaha) to accompany her in the search. They check everywhere, some places twice. Zhao Gao makes an insensitive request, asking her to halt the search because he doesn't seem to be in the palace. Always observant, Li'er in the midst of all her worry and concern, (maybe this is her battle mode) notices this but says nothing. Her servant rebukes him for his comment and points out that he cannot empathize with her because she has no kids (I disagree with that) and he shoots back with 'well just because you have a child doesn't make you an expert' ( an uncommon acknowledgement of servants having children in a drama)



-Li'er doesn't have time for this and shuts them down before telling him that if he is tired he can rest but she will keep searching. This makes him look bad so he will keep searching.



-Meanwhile, Ru'er is happy to hear that Li'er is upset over her child being stolen but when she learns from her servant that she intervened on behalf of the servants, she interprets it as Li'er scheming, even during difficult times instead of a genuinely practical request (but it is normal to interrupt it that way given the scheming environment Ruo'er has survived in for years; Li'er is the strange one for not scheming)



-Elsewhere, Senior Brother, who is apparently a guardsman going by the name of Han, must submit to a search as Li Zhong searches for the assassin. For reasons unknown, instead of simply asking the guards to remove their armor and shirts to check for injuries inflicted on the assassin, he administers a test believing the injured person will stand out (clearly the guy who broke in is skilled and would be able to survive this kind of test)



-Li'er thinks longingly of Jing in the privacy of her room, stroking the scarf he gave her, and apologizes for losing their child. Elder desciple sneaks in despite the risk, to check on her, and she learns he tried to kill the emperor. Now this is an important scene because she ALMOST tells him that the emperor is actually kind of kind, but realizes it and stops before she completes her sentence. She informs him that she suspects Zhao knows something



-The Grand Dowager, meanwhile, thinks the emperor will get over this, she tells her servant (does she even know her grandson? when has he EVER gotten over anything? he is an eye for an eye vindictive man, and patient too--he wouldn't let anything go!) she just hopes that Ruo'er doesn't do anything stupid and restrains herself (so she knows her)



-Ruo'er pays Li'er a visit and is not only insulting but basically says even if I have no kids, i am close with Fusu who will likely be emperor one day. Li'er does not rise to her provocations and instead is, as always, very direct. She tells her that it is great she is close to Fusu, but advises her that she should not have any children. Why? She explains that if she had a son, she might try to get rid of Fusu. As a result, the emperor would have her killed off early on. Also, being from a foreign state, her son, if crown prince, would also contend with her family trying to use him and harm the Ying family. No, she tells her that if she wants to live long, she should be happy with Fusu and also encourages her to not be too controlling because it could backfire. Li'er tells her that she is telling her this because she doesn't want her son to be involved in the fight for the crown and that she could care less if the emperor likes her or hates her. So she implores her to stop wasting her time on her before leaving.



-Afterwards, Li'er tells her servant that she believes Ruo'er is involved--that she is like an arsonist coming back to see the result of her actions.



-Elsewhere, Jing looks like a hot mess. He is leaving Lan'er and family, despite Tuang's suggestion that he try to walk and work through the depression basically and Lan'er telling him that he should wait for her father to return. He thanks them and is on his way.



-Li'er meanwhile requests a private audience with the king, and she makes this request while looking at Zhao. The room empties, and she proceeds to tell him that she thinks the emperor kidnapped her son (at first I was like OMG really? but then they are almost giving her the qualities of a modern day investigator---she has to question and rule everyone out so to her everyone is suspect). She reminds him that he even killed his own brothers in front of his mother, and he tells her that while he did those things it is not his style to sneak around and act covertly--and I believe that he would do it in front of her because he is pretty vindictive. And he doesn't need to sneak around. He's the emperor!



-She states that even if he didn't do it she believes the person who did it is int he palace



-Meanwhile, in the barracks elder brother hears the guards talking about a ghost at the southern palace, and it CRIES. HMMMMM. Sounds awfully SUSPICIOUS.



-He goes directly to the king, which is pretty bad since he could have been killed on site, and explains what he has learned. Ghao Zhao urges the king not to listen to such nonsense--and as smart as he is, the emperor doesn't find this behavior strange at all--and he investigates. They find the baby with the Queen Dowager.



-She hands the child over without question and explains that a servant girl said it was an abandoned baby. The emperor challenges this and how she could have thought this and yet again, Li'er jumps in and points out that in her isolation the Queen would not have known a prince was born. The emperor let's it go and turns to his retainers, including Ghao Zhao, and promises to punish them on (I presume for their failure to find the child)



Thoughts: SO there have been some reasonable little cracks in the plans of persons in the palace who don't seem to have Li'er's or the emperor's best interests at heart. And Li'er is increasingly comfortable bringing out that purple scarf so it's just a matter of time before the emperor finds out. Lady Min's hopes that Ruo'er will basically be the reason for her own downfall will also happen, and the Grand Queen Dowager continues to state she is getting old and feeble...so that'll be interesting. If and when Ruo'er falls, Min Dai would be a far more intelligent enemy in the harem for Li'er to contend with. And Zhao is basically gunning for war so it is all a matter of time....



I just don't like some of the more ridiculous plot holes in the show. But overall it is good.

Read More

Episode 9: Welcome To The Harem

I really like this episode because it focuses on harem politics and clearly explains it to viewers who may not be familiar with the harem (perhaps taking into consideration a foreign audience).



-Our episode opens up with Zheng yet again in Li'er's room. He straight out tells her that he has just decided that the child is his (perhaps this is the only way he can accept it) by telling her that Lord Zhao is the father's child (Lord Zhao, in case you forgot, was the identity he took when pretending to be a merchant). He basically tells her that he will always want her (like saying I love you without saying it, I think, but she won't think that of course).



-Outside of the chambers is a servant of Ruo'er spying. Just when I was wondering how the heck she managed to sneak past the guards, Lord Zhong (chamberlain) shows up and catches her in the act but I think he lets her go.



-Ultimately, the emperor leaves without sleeping with her. Elsewhere, Jing Ki is led away for hard labor but swears he will return to rescue Li'er.



-Zheng is walking with Zhao Gao and basically says he feels guilty for spending every night in the harem. Zhao Gao assures him that this is good because the foundation of the state is the harem, after all, that's where heirs come from. But to avoid in-fighting, he urges him to pay attention to the other women, and he accepts this as sound advice.



-Meanwhile, Ruo'er is happy to brag about the emperor visiting her and Madame Jing (the woman he sleeps with after leaving Li'er each night) is out of sorts because of this. Elsewhere, a guy who I cannot remember--some random spy--seems to be very much interested in what is going on the state of Qin. He listens to gossip about how Li'er has quickly managed to get pregnant and this surprises him. Sorry, but I just cannot remember who he is.



-The Grand Queen Dowager holds a meeting with the emperor and basically is hyper critical of Li'er, citing all of the bad things she has done from attacking servants to the general. Ruo'er sits next to her. The emperor chooses his words carefully as he does not want to offend her and rationalizes her behavior as natural as she came from a military family and reminds Ruo'er that it was her suggestion that led to the duel. With no other fuel, the Grand Dowager acknowledges that it is still good that he is bringing in new women and that Li'er is pregnant. She again tries to get him to name a queen, but he states that while he isn't ready, he does want all of his concubines to have children.



-After he leaves, the Grand Queen Dowager makes it clear that she will not have Li'er as Queen. She wants Ruo'er to be Queen and plans to feed Li'er medicine to make her miscarry. She also lectures Ruo'er on working harder to get pregnant. Now all of this sounds atrocious but this is just harem politics. Li'er's arrival has not only disrupted this bubble, but it is incredibly insulting that the king favors a commoner warrior woman, while these women have been groomed from the cradle to possess certain qualities that are the 'ideal woman' in addition to working hard to maintain their status in the harem. In this way, I can understand their anger. This is all basically acceptable behavior, so long as you aren't caught, because you are expected to fight to win the ultimate prize, which is giving birth to a son who may one day be the emperor--it's like the ultimate in prestige and honor.



-Ruo'er decides lady Jing will be the one to get the medicine in her food. This is pretty smart because it gives her power over her, the only other competition she really has, and could also be a way to get rid of a rival.



-Li'er falls suddenly ill and is in danger of having a miscarriage. The emperor is furious by this and orders Zhao Gao and the chamberlain to investigate. If they fail to find out who is responsible he will kill both of them and the servants serving Li'er. On the one hand, it is normal to order an investigation, but that is a pretty big deal.



-Jing visits Ruo'er who is extremely confident that she is safe. After all, Ruo'er tells her that Zhao Gao is her guy (so earlier, when he suggested that the king visit other concubines, it wasn't to prevent disharmony it was really because he wanted him to visit Ruo'er) and the medication is actually a prescription prescibed to her--so she can't be to blame. It is heavily implied that Jing is in danger.



-Jing visits Li'er and essentially is there to curry favor. She is smart, and responds to Li'er's direct and blunt dialogue by being as direct as she can be while making herself sound like a friend. After she leaves, Li'er naturally expresses skepticism for her visit. Her servant explains to her that women like Ruo'er and Jing have solid positions because they are from powerful states, other concubines go to them to curry favor. But Li'er is pregnant and has the favor of the king, so Jing would want to curry favor with her. She implores Li'er to think of her child and consider taking advantage of the kind's attention to protect her unborn child.



My Thoughts:

I strongly think that Li'er may actually be more submissive to the emperor to protect her child. She has the mind of warrior, and it is almost like being pragmatic and tactical. She will stand to gain much more for her child's safety if she shows the emperor some affection, and it could also send a message to the other women.



I think that Jing is a bigger threat than Ruo'er. Maybe it's because I watched a lot of Empress of China. But the quiet ones always seem to be the ones who pull the biggest surprise.

Read More

Episode 8 Summary: Rejection & Coercion

-We open up where we left off: the emperor learns that Li'er is carrying another man's child and insists that she abort it. She basically tells him over my dead body, and he holds a sword to her throat. He is so furious that he actually looks like he might cry. He orders his men to keep an eye on her and threatens to kill anyone who fails at their task.



-Before leaving, he issues an order to Li Zhong to make sure the doctor keeps the news a secret. (This was a bit surprising. I thought he would order the doctor to be killed but then I guess that is even more suspicious).



-Now during all of this, Jing Ke has been riding to the city to rescue Li'er. This is awfully filmed and you have to see it to really see why. It looks incredibly fake, like he is riding a stationary horse and a movie of the forest is behind him, playing.



-In the next scene, the emperor's highest ranked concubines are all invited to a special dinner. This is cause for excitement since he largely neglects them. He introduces his newest concubine and his language is very specific--he basically says this is Miss Gongsun Li--so write off the bat he is telling them she is a commoner--and confers upon her a title of Virtuous Lady, something that is not usually earned unless you are very special, like a princess, or birthed a child.



-Ruo'er (Madame Chu) is the highest ranked harem member as she is the eldest, and she proceeds to administer tests clearly meant to humiliate her in front of the other women, to basically put her in her place. And the emperor's smug expression is telling, because he usually only wears it when he has plotted it--so we, the audience, can infer that he planned all of this, wanting to punish her for her behavior, which has hurt him. Very immature.



-She is asked to recite a poem, and Li'er's response is awesome--she maintains an incredibly flat affect as she recites a carefully picked poem--it is a poem composed by Xui Gui, a Queen from the state of Wey, where Ruo'er is from, and it describes her love and loyalty to the Duke of Xui, who was very domineering and how she never took it personally but was always calm and devoted. Both the emperor and Ruo'er are surprised by this, Ruo'er because she cannot insult her, and the emperor because it is like a sarcastic jab since she loathes him--she again regains control and does not allow others to shake her--



-Ruo'er next asks Li'er to showcase some of her martial arts talent, and the emperor is only too happy to oblige. He wants her to miscarry, showing that he is so filled with anger over the fact that she is pregnant with another man's child and not his own that he would risk her health.



-Naturally, Li'er is upset. And the person she is to face is General Meng, easily the best martial artist in the State of Qin. Ruo'er ups the anty by offering a spectacular prize of 500 gold pieces and ten horses to the winner. She also makes a point to tell General Meng that he would lose face if he lost to a concubine. Li'er asks the emperor that if she wins she would like her bronze dagger back, and he never agrees.



-Li'er almost loses but she waits until she finds an opening and wins. General Meng takes the loss well, and she asks for the dagger but is denied, upsetting her. The emperor then quietly tells her, out of earshot to everyone else, that his gift to her is allowing her to keep the child.



-That night, Jing Ke infiltrates the city and knocks out a guard and steals his army. What he is attempting is basic suicidal but his anger and worry for the woman he loves overrides all of that. He fails, and is captured.



-Also that night, the emperor visits Li'er and makes her promise to never leave Qin in order for keeping the child and to also swear to name him as the father. She agrees. He gets a bit physical but because of her utterly flat affect--like a person going to execution instead of going to bed, he does not force her. The fact that she also tells him she hates him because Qin has killed her parents and grandfather doesn't help. I mean, to say 'well, at least he didn't rape her' is pretty stupid. He has established that he isn't a very lovable or likable guy. I can only point out that at the very least it is reflective of history.



-Apparently, after this episode he left and visited Madame Jing, something which angers Ruo'er who has admitted to her servant that she is afraid the emperor will never visit her, I guess she is aware that she is getting older, and newer, younger women will come in. It is a sad fate, so she uses her power as a senior member of the harem to basically threaten Madame Jing later. Throughout all of this it is apparent that the harem has lived in harmony because the emperor has basically ignored them all. They want this, but they also want to see him, which creates conflict. Ruo'er monitors the emperor's visits to Li'er, which tend to end in him never staying the whole night and him leaving angry. She hopes that he will grow tired of her once the newnesss fades away.



-The episode ends with Jing Ke getting more brutal torture and the emperor finally deciding that he can't wait for Li'er to like him, and it implies that he is going to coerce her into sleeping with him.



My thoughts: The episode is important because it continues to affirm that the emperor is incredibly insecure where Li'er is concerned. He wants things from her almost without even working to earn them: love, respect, friendship--this is all part of his personality, he is like a bulldozer and up until now he has gotten what he wants through force and coercion. But matters of the heart are not the same, and while in matters of the state this may earn him the respect of others, it won't in the bedroom. It only reaffirms all the reasons why she dislikes him and adds fuel to the fire.



The fact that he has let her keep the child can mean two things: either he isn't quite as ruthless as one would think (which isn't saying a whole lot) or he plans to use the child to manipulate her. I am guessing the latter is more likely because he is very cunning and very ruthless. For now, I think he would be satisfied if she showed him any kind of consideration even if it is fake, because he is that desperate for her to want him back. Of course, these are only shallow gains and he will be greedy for the real thing. Whether or not that happens would be on Li'er, because I don't know what he could do that could make her genuinely love him without it being mistaken for Stockholm syndrome. He would have to do something that would earn her respect, regardless of how he has treated her.

Read More

Episode 6 Summary: Antidote

-Li'er makes the life altering choice to ride to the city, just as the Emperor planned her to, in order to obtain the life saving antidote for Jing.



-The details of their meeting are very specific. As she rides to the city the emperor is shown getting ready. As she walks into the city on a cloudy, misty day escorted by guards the emperor is shown walking towards his throne flanked by his guards. It is all very stark. In the very empty throne room (which I think essentially describes Zheng: alone) she waits, looking tired and worn out from her ride. And the emperor observes her from the shadows, first asking her why she does not kneel, and so she drops to her knees, head bowed in supplication. The emperor makes some personal remarks 'you've lost weight since I last saw you' and then she looks up, and the camera slowly rises, filming everything from her line of vision, beginning with his feet, and up his robes, and then his face. This is all for dramatic effect to show the viewer how shocked she must be to see that the emperor is the merchant she met.



-She doesn't understand why he is doing this, and basically says so, and he is direct: I want you (yes, he says that). She is given the illusion of choice: you can enter the palace and be mine, and in return receive the antidote, or choose not to and not receive the antidote. But then Jing will die. She asks for three months in return for the antidote, and he agrees.



-After she leaves, the emperor remarks to his retainer 'Am I not clever?' with the statement that she is the only person who can arouse jealousy in him. This is so far about as close as he has ever gotten to admitting out loud that he actually loves her.



-Li'er returns with the antidote, and explains to Tuan the nature of her ordeal, and her promise. She rationalizes her choice, and explains that this is not necessarily a bad thing because now she will no longer be an obstacle in Jing's lofty ambitions of helping the world. This is probably the optimist in her but at night, she cries herself to sleep (so sad!) and has to hide these fears and pains because she does not tell Jing the truth. Why she lies, I don't know, because he will find out eventually. Maybe she just wanted to enjoy these last few weeks.



-Meanwhile, during this time the emperor thinks about her a lot and maybe he feels a smidge of regret but I think he has reached a point in his way of thinking that he must be cruel to achieve his goals--for instance, solidifying his power, stabilizing his state, and ultimately conquering the other states all require him to be extremely ruthless. Why should he be any different in his personal affairs, and can he even afford to be different in his private affairs?



-Li Su, a retainer of Lu Buwei, who so impressed the emperor earlier, continues to offer advice. In front of the ministers, when asked what he should do, he advises the emperor to focus on toppling Han as it has grown weak and is near them. it will shock the other states. The advice pleases him, and he is promoted to officer.



-Jing plans to go on a journey, a short one, and I think she plans to use his time away as her chance to return to the Emperor. Tuan is her ally in fabricating lies in order to make the transition as painless as possible.



Note: I think it is interesting to note note that the relationship between the Emperor and Li'er is essentially one built out of lies, mistrust, and coercion. Now anyone can tell you that this is not a good recipe for romance. In fact it has everything you should try to avoid in a healthy relationship. But that is modern day views. Let's go back to the ancient world. Now women in China were never greatly empowered. And the emperor is basically a god. Given the war and the disease and chance of death at any moment, this is actually a pretty good deal for her. Especially since he seems to really like her.



But Li'er is no ordinary ancient world woman, so we can reject all of that. What I think makes this so pitiful for Li'er is that her childhood is so different from Zheng. She was loved, she was raised by an extraordinarily honorable man who sacrificed his life for his country. There was always someone there for her, and that allowed her to grown into such a positive and happy person.



In stark contrast, Zheng has been deceived and hurt by everyone around him, and he has grown into an extremely ruthless man who relies only on himself. This is a recipe for disaster. She even grew up free, without the restraint of palace rules and intrigue. If two people could be more different, then this is it. Just some thoughts.

Read More

Episode 5 Summary: When What Needs To Be Cut Is Not, The Consequences Are Unfathomable

So This is Likely the Beginning of the Dark Episodes



Characters Added:

Tian Guan: A very wise and smart man, friend of Gien Nie



Yao Jia: A 'sorcerer' who is a close confidante of the Emperor, in charge of handling secretive and 'dirty' tasks



-The episode opens up to a misleadingly calm scene: The emperor is leisurely feeding fish when a retainer reports that the wanted posters of Li'er have been posted everywhere. The emperor explains that Yao Jia has been given a special task, and if he fails, he promises to give him a horrible death--what is that task I wonder?



-Elsewhere, Jin and Li'er are bidding goodbye to Lan'er and her father. Jin continues to state he does not know why Li'er is being pursued. Lan'er suggests it is because they stood against Qin in the battle of Pyang. Gie Nie gives Jin a note and tells him that if they are in trouble, give it to Tian Guan, someone who could surely help them (Let me just say I hate this--how the heck are they going to know where to find this fellow?)



-Meanwhile, Zheng stops by to visit the Chancellor whose retainer reports he has a cold and cannot see him. The retainer is different from other retainers, and a bit bold. The emperor learns that he is named Li Si, and is a desciple of Meng Ke. This interests Zheng, as he is not a fan of Confucius teachings. At the emperor's suggestion, he correctly deduces that Zheng's goal is to unite the other states by defeating them, and that now is the right time because they are weak. He then explains that Confucius teachings are restrictive and impractical if one wants to rule a country. He also offers advice when asked: that the Emperor essentially do whatever must be done, and to be ruthless if he is to succeed other wise weakness will basically lead to ruin--advice he takes.



-Meanwhile, Li'er and Jing meet their first obstacle. Li'er is again disguised as a boy, extremely poorly since she doesn't even try to conceal the fact that she, you know, has a chest. They say they are going to a wedding. It is extraordinarily suspicious, and naturally they attract attention. They barely manage to escape.



-Back at the capital, in a truly brutal but historically acurate scene, the Grand Queen Dowager (so his grandma) and Zheng stand while the Dowager Queen kneels with her young children from the Marquis who rebelled. The Grand Dowager essentially reubukes her for her poor judgment and action and then Zheng hands down judgment: that the children must die. The Queen Dowager begs and cries and pleas but he coldly tells her that she basically should have known better, and that if he weren't the Emperor they could live. So they are executed.



-While camping after their escape, Li'er again explains her dream is to live a normal life with Jing, and that she wants peace.



-Back to the emperor, who hosts a lavish dinner with his top ministers. Lu Buwei is present, as is the Queen Dowager, invited back to the palace from exile. Dancers perform a scandalous song, We Feng, about a woman's adultery, which prompts Lu Buwei to express his outrage. The emperor accuses him of plotting to usurp the throne by spreading false truths, that he is his child, and when his mother intervenes to explain Lu Buwei has only protected them, he takes the opportunity to humiliate her, and she realizes he has brought her back just for this. It is extremely cruel, and showcases his desire to accomplish revenge is achieved only to well. he is angry. He demotes the chancellor to prime minister, his mother is banished to the southern palace and no one may enter or leave without his permission. (Lu Buwei, by the way, stood up for his mother)



-In the aftermath Lu Buwei decides that it is time to step down, in spite of all that he has done for Qin.



-Elsewhere, Jing and Li'er are attacked by the Fire element soldier. Jing is injured but they are allowed to escape--it seems this was the plan all along, and the soldier states that she should soon be coming to the palace on her own free will.



-She runs into Tuan, how convenient, who is possibly one of the most spry old men out there, and she learns from him that Jing has been poisoned and she must go to the palace for the antidote. He also explains that this has all been a cleverly constructed plot by the emperor, which shows he wants her more than anything. She doesn't know why, and he says what I was yelling out the t.v.: because you are beautiful (basically, he wants to f**** you--that is the message. come on you were all thinking it)



So five episodes in, and the plot is established for her to enter the palace.



Notes: I think it is interesting how both Jing and Zheng love her, and while I am sure they appreciate her, she seems to represent things for the two of them. For Jing, I think it is hope, and for Zheng, I think it is something like innocence and loyalty--they both are things that they want-

Read More

Episode 4 Summary: Isolated & Alone

Note: I think this episode is important because it clearly establishes the foundation for understanding why the Emperor becomes incredibly domineering in his future relationship with Li'er (in my opinion).



New Characters:

Lan'er: The daughter of Legendary Martial Artist Gie Nie (recall he has fled Qin and is even stronger in combat than Gongsun a.k.a gramps)



Crown Prince Yan, Yan Dan



Madame Min: A royal concubine to Zheng

Maname Chu: A royal concubine to Zheng



-We open up where we left off. Chengjiao raises his sword and the Qin army General orders the army forward but Zheng harshly rebukes him to stop. He the focuses on his little brother, whom he coldly and calmly implores to abandon his futile plan. He explains to him that this is a battle he cannot win however Chengjiao retorts that he is honor bound to do this, for their father. This seems to provoke Zheng a bit, who almost out of derision points out that he would sacrifice the lives of Qin soldiers, in a battle he knows he cannot win, for something that happened so long ago and may or may not be true.



-And then, in my opinion, the director DESTROYS the tension by having Zheng break out into a childhood song about family. The effect is oddly similar to the First Hobbit film, when the dwarves break out into song, but it lacks the same impact because a)it is a kid's song and b)seems so out of character for the emperor to do. Still, it has the desired effect of uniting both armies. Chengjiao drops his sword, recognizing his army will no longer fight for him and in the woods, the Prince of Zhao (who is heavily painted as a coward given he is colluding with Lu Buwei for protection and operating in the shadows but heck you do what you have to do to survive)



-Zheng decrees that in the future no soldier in Qin is to raise arms against a fellow soldier. He then banishes his brother, severing their ties and says he is never going to see him again. In a poignant moment he turns his back on him, literally and figuratively and Chengjiao, realizing what he has lost, screams 'brother' dramatically (that was a bit over the top in my opinion but everything about this show is).



-Elsewhere, Jing is practicing martial arts in the woods (this must be some time skip because it was cold and winter where the battle with Zheng was but here it is a green forest) and Li'er paints. In the spirit of many shows and films, she is something of a contradiction: on the one hand she can fight but on the other hand she is very feminine. It makes her a little over the top perfect: she's beautiful, she can sew, she is smart, she can do just about anything it seems. What is her weakness?



-Jing stops to view her drawing and she explains to him that she would very much like to withdraw from the world and live together with him. But Jing says that it's his responsibility to live for the world. She hastily states it's a silly idea and realizing he's hurt her he grabs her hand and tells her that he would try this with her, to see how long it lasts.



---Let's just point out how he is likely Very different from the Emperor--



-Meanwhile, the Crown Prince of Yan drinks with the emperor, who wonders what he did wrong and is clearly upset by the fact that Chengjiao committed an act that left him no choice but to exile him. Yan points out that being the emperor is to blame, and were he not, this never would have happened. He tells him that Chengjiao was likely manipulated--and asks the emperor to think about who would benefit from that?



hmmm.....I wonder who??



-In the next scene, the emperor sits on his throne in the dark, completely alone. The only person there is Lu Buwei who tells the emperor that he will never abandon him. And this infuriates the emperor, who coldly explains that Chengjiao was always with him, that in spite of him being the emperor he never asked for anything or expected anything, and he's gone now. he accuses Lu Buwei and his mother of taking away everyone who has ever meant anything to him and for making him completely alone--he tells Lu Buwei that he never wants to see him again



-Meanwhile, Jin encounters a skilled female martial artist by the name of Lan'er. Apparently she is the daughter of Gie Nie and looking for him. They find him, and Jing asks to be his desciple but he is rejected. Lan'er clearly likes both Li'er and Jing (I somehow think she will fall in love with Jing) and she and Lan'er, who essentially have the same life history except her father is alive, swear to be best friends forever (not going to last...)



-Back in the harem, the Grand Queen Dowager sits with the top concubines and learns that Zheng has never once slept with them. The only heir to the throne is Fusu, a child of a long dead concubine. That's it. Most emperors and kings have like 50 kids. So this is a big deal. She learns from Zheng that he wants a queen who is both smart and a warrior....and until that person is found he won't name a queen.



-The episode ends with the Emperor issuing an edict that Li'er be captured and brought to him.



My Thoughts:



I think that the scene in the throne room is important to really gaining insight into the emperor's actions , that follow. Everyone he has loved has been taken from him due to the scheming of others. The people he was supposed to trust, who were supposed to care for him (mother and 'uncle') used him for their own gain and everyone wants to kill him. Li'er is the only remaining person whom he cares about. It isn't surprising that he will likely do everything in his power to force her to his side and prevent others from taking her. I feel very bad for her. And for him.



I gave the episode an 8.5. because of some of the writing--the plot devices don't bother me because chinese dramas are chock full of tropes but the execution could be improve upon. The contrast between the emperor, and then Li Er whose living a strangely upbeat life in spite of everything that has happened to her--is odd. For comparison, Journey of Flower had an extremely cheerful female lead, but the show was fairly consistent with her being cheerful--I think that if Li Er was less of a paragon of womanhood than maybe it might seem less jarring--she transforms from confident swordsman, to someone with thoughts about the state, then to a girlish person so quickly that while not unbelievable it is a bit difficult to execute into seamless plot.

Read More

Episode 19 Spoilers Ahead

Spoilers Ahead!



1. We open to Father Mao who continues to warn Chou Nu that nobles should not be trusted and that she will essentially get burned by Qu Yuan who is young. Eventually he will grow up, tire of her, and abandon her. She defends Qu Yuan but her father is relentless in his condemnation.



2.Elsewhere, King Qin continues his military preparations. He is told that they have only 5,000 men despite his edict. This is because many people have fled once they learned of the edict. The prime minister suggests that they kill 2 birds with 1 stone and use their men, disguised as Chu soldiers to execute these deserters. They will leave some people alive to spread the tale of the Chu attack. This will keep people at home and give them a reason to invade. This plan is carried out successfully.



3.Following this bloody scene King Qin reflects on his actions with his young queen. He knows he is cold blooded but in order to defeat Xirong (the Western states that have been warring with Qin for centuries) he must go to war and crush them. He vows he will get revenge for the Qin lives lost over the years...



4.Meanwhile, back in Chu Tian Ji demonstrates to the Queen how well she can dance. Not only does this delight the Queen (who sees her as a tool to supplant Consort Zheng) she even orders her a dance outfit and tells her she likes her. Later, Tian Ji reveals to her servant she is extremely confident that she will soon ensnare the king....



5.Back in Qin, the King and his queen and royal brother and youngest son, Ji'er (son of the Queen) tour the military training fields. They watch the eldest royal son (and probably heir) show how strong he is (I had to laugh out loud this scene is so over the top he lifts guys up with his arm and throws them across the field). While this strength earns the King's praise, Ji'er condemns his elder brother for lacking strategy/smarts. Prime minister acknowledges both are important. (these princes clearly don't get along).



6.Next, General Wei demonstrates his archery skill. Apparently he is one of the best generals they have but Prime Minister warns the king to be careful so that his skill does not, essentially, eclipse his his own image and make him look bad. Bai Qi arrives late, and shoots an arrow that can turn corners (I am not lying). Apparently he is so skilled one arrow shot can kill 3 men at once. The king is so impressed he promotes him 6 or 7 ranks and chastises General Wei who criticizes him for this. All I can say is CHU IS GOING TO NEED SOME ALLIES.



7.Back in Chu, the Dowager's birthday is under way. Consort Yin gives a gift of a red robe embroidered in gold while the Queen gives a painting of peaches. Consort Zheng performs a dance (clearly for the emperor's benefit). After this, the Queen suggests they tour the lotus's. The Dowager retires but insists they all go look without her. In the lotus garden Tian Ji performs a jaw dropping dance that makes Consort Zheng look like a joke. Even Consort Yin is visibly jealous. That night, the king takes her to bed and she further ingratiates herself to him by appearing extremely innocent and kind, defending servants who gossiped about her....she is good.



8.Back at the Ling Family Wine Shop, Lord Jing hires a professional to kill Lord Qu. He gathers some men, and they chase Qu and Chou Nu while they are spending time together in the woods (here Lord Qu proposes marriage and tells her he will speak to her father, and she shares that her father has his reservations because of their status difference but he tells her he will convince him). They fall off of a cliff and the assassin returns to Lord Jing who reports they must be dead and that he killed the men who helped him. Lord Jing thanks him by poisoning him.



--I want to know who taught Chou Nu martial arts. She saves Qu Yuan CONSTANTLY-



9.Miraculously (because this is a drama) the two managed to survive a fall from thousands of feet and are at a scenic waterfall. Qu Yuan awakens and finds Chou Nu's still body. He holds her tightly, yelling at her and cries ugly tears while ordering her to live again (this scene is so dramatic it actually touched me a bit) but then I laughed because he squeezed her so hard she coughed up water and began to breathe. She promises to never allow anything this war to separate them before passing out, and he notices the blood on her back (she was cut by a sword earlier).



10.Meanwhile, the magistrates office is in chaos. They send people to search for them. Her father searches.



11.Using his robe, she stands behind it and we see some naked shoulder. He is so respectful of her modesty they he applies a salve to her back, without facing her (this is a little too much for me, but I am trying to respect the fact that she likes him BECAUSE he is so respectful). They spend the night in each others arms and he sort of imagines a scene of simple married life....



12.Meanwhile, Tian Ji prepares a secret message. I think her servant sees her writing something secret but she is dismissed. She then sends it by carrier pigeon and it seems there is an elaborate chain set up, of spies in Chu and Qi....



13.Meanwhile, the king of Qin addresses his advisers. There are not enough rations. He will cut his meals in half and basically tells them they are unpatriotic if they do not donate rations to help the soldiers (one guy warns him that this could be a warning sign but the king counters that Qin always plays risky and wins). The nobles agree to donate rations. Qin is in to win! (elsewhere, the king of chu is...frolicking with his new love)



14.Following this scene, the Queen prepares to donate her dowry to help the King. Her son is kind of spoiled and states that the soldiers should eat dirt if they don't have food. She orders him to donate his jade and tells him he can do whatever he wants when he is king but until then he has to suck it up. They present this to the king, who is so touched he admits he is shamed to take their things but will pay them ten fold.



15.Elsewhere, people continue to look for Qu and Chou Nu. The Qu family is finally notified and You'er goes out to immediately assist with Qu soldiers. In a cutscene, his fiancee admits that she hopes he is found alive because she wants revenge for Cang Yun.....Meanwhile, You'er arrives and immediately Qing'er points the finger at Liu Zui, who wanted to marry her sister and basically says he must want revenge. Liu and the other guy (not Jing) are arrested and essentially tortured for info in front of the town. They light a fire under them (literally) and they still don't confess!



16.Meanwhile, Qu and Chou Nu discover they can escape their area by following the fish. After being treated to an extremely funny scene of Ma Ke almost drowning, they escape, and return just before Liu is burned alive. At the same time, an assassin is recovered who may know who ordered the attack. They go to visit Jing....



17.Lord Jing is not only arrested but beaten in front of Qu. They only have circumstantial evidence, nothing really to arrest him. They want him to admit. Lord Jing tries to pull status but Qu tells him he could care less. Qu states he won't even spare nobles from justice.



All I can say is that Qu Yuan is making a TON OF ENEMIES>

Read More

Episode 1 Spoilers Ahead

Spoilers Ahead!



-1 Year Ago-



1)In Canada, a piece of rope falls to the ground in front of people outside of a skyscraper. Shortly after, a body lands on top of it. The viewers learn that she is an old woman, and the grandmother of Han So Yoon. This devastates Han So Yoon, as she is her only known living family. After her grandmother's funeral, she is boxing up her grandmother's belongings and discovers a letter from Korea addressed to her (opened). Her grandmother not only hid this from her, but opened it. Inside is a news article: family of four killed when a tractor trailer collides with car. Victims were parents, two daughters. One of the daughters listed as deceased is Han So Yoon (she knows her family is dead) but she is clearly alive. This crash occurred in Achiara.



-2 Years Ago-



2) In Achiara, an elegant woman hosts her own art show. Her name: Yoon Ji Sook. She is married to Seo Chang Wan, local businessman and politician. He praises her success and they seem to be in love. A pretty woman who is not identified slips through the crowd after exiting a bus that stops in Achihara elsewhere. Yoon Ji Sook attempts to identify her but she moves to quickly for her to really to tell. This woman discreetly slips a folder to her before leaving. Inside are snap shots of her husband having an affair with a beautiful woman.



3)After the art event, Yoon Ji Sook stops by the art studio of teacher Kim Hye Jin. Yoon Ji Sooks young daughter, Seo Yoo Na is there and she seems rather shy and quiet. She is a wonderful water color painter. Her mother tells her to go outside and she confronts the other woman for having the affair. She slaps her a few times (while her horrified daughter watches from the next room) before the art teacher finally fights back (and it is an all out cat fight).



-Present-



4)Han So Yoon accepts a teaching position in Korea in order to investigate the reason why she is listed as deceased. Since she grew up in Canada her English is excellent and this will be the first time retuning to Korea in over 23 years.



5)On a dark, stormy, rainy Wednesday she sits on the bus with a young man whose face is turned away. He continuously rubs walnuts in his hand together, making an eerie noise. On the radio, a news report explains that another body of a young woman was found outside of Achiara in Gyeonggi Province. The latest in a string of serial killer + rapist murders. He/she is known as the 'Rainy Wednesday Killer' because he seems to only strike on Rainy Wednesdays. The bus driver warns her to stay in on nights just like this.



6)She gets off the bus, and then the young man gets off, and apparently follows her. She, not being a moron, immediately runs for it and he follows. She hides in an alley and trips over a garden hoe, and picks it up as a weapon. She turns to protect herself, and a woman is there. She takes her to the local pharmacy (where she works), gives her directions, and explains that there is nothing unsafe about a rainy day Wednesday (very odd).



7)Han So Yoon lives in a fully furnished apartment. It seems that the woman who lived their previously had excellent taste, and just left everything (FYI there is a flickering light in her hall, to add to the ominous atmosphere). The woman across from her is very eccentric, she is Mrs. Hong and implores So Yoon to 'not disappear' like the other girls....



8)The next day she begins teaching. It seems that in spite of it being far from any major city the school is very good, almost like a school for wealthy people. She is introduced and meets Art Teacher Nam Gun Woo. Meanwhile, Yoon Ji Sook is visiting a fertility doctor. She wants a child it seems (is in her 40s). She returns to her husband who is preparing for a hunting trip who brushes her off and states she already has a son, Seo Gi Hyun (what about their daughter?).



9)Seo Gi Hyun, meanwhile, returns to Korea after being abroad for a few years. He seems like a warm person, and seems to care for his mother. He visits with his grandmother later, who clearly does not like his mother and warns her grandson to be wary of his mother because she 'wants the family money' and explains he is the hope of their family (in the hall his mother listens to this and seems unsurprised).



10)While enjoying an outdoor retreat with the school by the lake, So Yoon learns from the extremely creepy art teacher Nam that the lake has a brutal monster living in it, and if you get to close it will grab your ankles and trap you in the village. Another teacher brushes this off as a joke but he repeats this again to the art teacher and it seems like a warning. Then some boys go into the woods and So Yoon goes after them to bring them back. They are smoking. She jumps over a small ravine to reach them, falls, and discovers a human arm (bones) sticking out of the ground, almost beckoning, with a distinct blue bracelet around it. A corpse!



11)Authorities and forensics comb the woods for evidence. Locals are convinced it is a serial killer. Creepy teacher Nam visits the woman in the pharmacist (they appear to be lovers) and he states that it is funny that a woman arrives from the outside and finds a body (and he laughs). He also steals money from her....



12)Over dinner, Seo Yoo Na shows up in a rather outrageous outfit for Korea and talks about a corpse, says a few inappropriate things before she is sent away. The grandmother states she is 'disgustingly strange'. No one sticks up for her. Then the next day, a chair is tossed out the window at the school and Seo Yoo Na is extremely angry and insists that the corpse is not the missing art teacher Hye Yin. Nam is able to calm her down and says he knows for CERTAIN that the corpse is not her (how does he know that?). Later, on the way home, Seo Yoo Na confronts her mother and accuses her of being happy that Hye Jin is missing. Her mother explains she does not care and begs her to not tell her father about this incident (odd)



13)Officer Park (who does not seem to command a lot of respect although he is rather smart if a bit clumsy) believes that the corpse is related to the serial killer. Later, he learns that the corpse was 1-2 years old, she was raped and suffered a fracture and was likely strangled...Park decides to collect DNA from the villagers to see if she is from the area.



14)Meanwhile, Seo Chang Gwon is furious with the police Captain. He wants to keep the corpse a quiet affair because he plans to have people invest in developing the area and fears a dead body will delay his development plans (because of the investigation) but the Captain explains he tried but really has no control...Later, Seo Chang Gwon explains to his son that while his uncle managed their company (which employs half the town) his uncle now believes the company is his and he, Gi Hyun must wrest back control to avoid the business slipping into another's hands. He also explains that he plans to run for governor soon....



15)That night, our female lead seems to be losing it in her apartment (she's been dubbed the corpse teacher and is frightened because she has learned the missing art teacher actually was the woman who inhabited her apartment before her thus everything belongs to her--her neighbor believes that since the art teacher is the only person to go missing in the town then the corpse must be hers...). At her door she finds a filthy and confused Seo Yoo Na who calls her Hye Jin....



Comments: This is an EXCELLENT start. Reminds me a little of the Killing.

Read More

episode 39 spoilers ahead

Spoilers Ahead



1. Before making his choice, Li Mu tells the emperor that he has confirmed what he has known all along: that he does not love her. He asks that should Meniang live, he wants the emperor to allow her to choose to stay or not. The emperor agrees. He drinks both cups of wine (called it!). And dies.



2.Elsewhere, the emperor summons Meniang to his candle room and lights a candle. Again he asks her what she wants. She tells him the same thing as last episode. He embraces her and tells her that because of Li Mu's traitor parents and plot to kill him, he had to kill him. He did it secretly. She breaks down in tears and tries to kill herself but he stops her, embraces her, and states that he owns her and decides when she dies. She begs for death. He gives her poisoned wine, she passes out.



3.She awakens in a cottage outside the city, dressed as a boy. Li Mu is there. First he states that Prince Jin saved them, but then he reveals the truth: the emperor staged his death because Chancllor Zhangsun would have had him killed. The emperor had a candid conversation with him and revealed that he was right, he could not love appropriately, but he admits he loves her enough that he doesn't want to see her condemned to Gonye Hall (where consorts without children go when the emperor dies, to live as nuns). He wants her to be free. And he believes that he will likely die during this expedition but has no regrets. He makes Li Mu swear to protect her for the rest of her life.



4.Li Mu then releases a very emotional Meniang from their childhood marriage promise and explains to her that he wants her to be happy, she can go her own way. She embraces him and promises to love him in their next life.



5.Elsewhere, the emperor leaves for war. He and his soldiers clash with the enemy on the battle field it is bloody. Meniang is racing to see him. She is attacked by men, but Li Mu appears and admits he has been protecting her from the shadows this whole time (he has an oath to the emperor). Together they plan to see the emperor.



6.Back at the palace, Li Zhi continues to avoid his wife. Concubines are chosen , and he seems to like one, much to the discomfort of his wife. Elsewhere, Xu Hui, who was named Able Consort for saving Meniang's life, is selecting concubines for the emperor. At first she seems nice but then she dismisses each one because of crimes she discovered their families had committed (not sure if she actually had them killed). While walking around the palace, she overhears some maids gossiping about her and one plans to ask for retirement. She has the women locked up in Yeting and their tongues removed. She explains she must use the harsh ways of Consort Wei to everyone watching to ensure she can control the harem.



7.(she seems to be a little crazy) She then lovingly talks to the candle holder used to kill Wenniang, her personal attendant, and asks her if she knows if the emperor can see how she is taking care of the harem for him. She wonders if she should plan for her future, since she is childless and does not want to go to Gonye hall.



Comments:I think that the plot is being developed in certain ways to account for a few historical things:

1)Wang, the crown princess, never bore the crown prince any sons even though he had children with other concubines. Perhaps him not sleeping with her can attest to this (as in he did not like her)

2)Wang had a famous rivalry with another concubine (other than Wu)

3)Meniang was said to be extremely good and fair in developing her friendships and was said to have befriended everyone in the harem, ensuring her control, while others were rude or used harsh methods. In this way she seized power not by being a tyrant or disdainful but by respecting others.

4)Multiple times in the series, the emperor is seen to have his consorts remembered well and events are framed a certain way. Even Consort Yang reports that the history of the emperor was washed down to make him seem not so evil. In this manner, the story tellers can effectively reframe Wu Meniang since her story could easily have been doctored, historically making her look far worse than she was. While this is likely true, I think the show makes her seem more innocent than she should be and I also think that as a woman, her actions are simply viewed as worse because were she a man, no one would care. But I do agree that history probably made her seem worse than she actually is. The biggest challenge to this statement is the fact that accounts of her fairness and kindness have survived, but I am not sure if that is all taken from the same source.



This episode was much less interesting than other episodes. It gets a an 8 still because they are clearly transitioning into new plot lines and it is difficult to do that effortlessly/seamlessly.

Read More

episode 38 review

spoilers ahead



--this episode ties up a lot of loose ends--



1.The emperor is told that Prince Wei's followers tried to rescue him and he was stabbed. He visits him. He takes note of Li Mu, who is there. Beneath the blanket is not Wei, but an assassin. Several men try to kill the emperor. Li Mu watches for many minutes before raising his sword and helping the emperor. After the traitors are killed, he learns from Li Mu (who confirms his identity) that while he hates him and blames him for his parents death, he could not kill him and face his parents. The emperor agrees to clear him of any and all wrongdoing. But Li Mu requests that the emperor give him Ru Yi (Wu Meniang). This enrages the emperor, who is about to kill him, but consort Meniang appears at the right time and jumps in front of his sword, saving him. She pleads with the emperor to spare him and takes full responsibility for everything. The emperor has her imprisoned and Li Mu exiled.



2.The emperor meets with his advisors who report that the Northern rebel leader has stopped pillaging once he learned that the emperor was seeking to make peace and sent an envoy offering a truce. The emperor refuses. He has the envoy arrested and states it is too late for this rebel leader. He plans to launch a rebellion before winter. Next he officially names Li Zhi crown prince and Fang Xuanling and Lhu Suiliang (advisors of the emperor) are to remain in the city and assist Li Zhi in managing the nation while he leads the military expedition. Consort Yang is given a proper burial because of her sons actions in defending the crown.



3. The emperor angrily defends his actions for not having his sons killed because it is punishment enough that he can never see them again. They can live their lives in exile, because after all, he is still a father. Next Wang Yoyou is to be his crown princess.



4.During the official ceremony of Li Zhi, we see that the marriage to Wang Yoyou has also occurred. He declared a general amnesty in honor of this, deliberately done to have Meniang released. The emperor agreed/permitted this declaration. Prior to this ceremony, Li Zhi had met with Meniang and his inner monologue reveals he is desperately in love with her and trying to get her to see him as a man however nothing he does seems to work. In addition to this, he is in no way excited for this marriage.



5.After his ceremony, Li Zhi meets up with the deposed crown prince and the former Prince of Wei outside of the city, stops their caravan, and has a tearful farewell with his brothers. It seems that in spite of all the plotting the brothers can sit down and have wine and say goodbye since they will probably never see one another again. Unfortunately, Prince Wei is unable to drink the wine out of paranoia but Li Zhi tells him it is okay and he understands.



6.Meanwhile, Wu Meniang kneels outside of the emperor's palace. She is worried he will have Li Mu executed (her audacity knows no limits). The emperor listens to her explain that she saved him in order to repay him for saving her and that he is like a brother to her. He essentially tells her 1)I still cannot figure you out and 2)you are no different from all the other schemers and I knew when I chose the state I would be alone.



7. Li Zhi abandons his wife on their marriage night. That evening, Li Zhi visits her and she scolds him, telling him that now that he is a man and married they cannot be friends. His visits will only promote gossip and ridicule. This angers and upsets him and he tells her he has tried for so long (he does not say he is in love with her, but it is somewhat implied) but he sees he sees he is only a bother. She angrily insists he isn't and she is doing this to protect him. He replies that she is a fool, kneeling because his father has no desire to kill Li Mu. He asks her if she ever considered if by kneeling she makes the emperor angry--and states she might get him killed because of her actions.



8.The emperor visits Li mu in his cell. There are two wine cups in front of him. He explains to Li Mu that because Meniang has been kneeling for him his anger was aroused. So he can only allow one of them to live. One of the goblets is poisoned. If Li Mu is not killed, he will personally escort him out of the city and she will die. If he dies, she will be allowed to live but will be condemned to live alone in the Imperial palace. He states he has to do this because she belongs to him, no other.



(did anyone think: so clearly I cannot pick the wine in front of you a.k.a. princess bride??)



--What will happen? I think Meniang will drink both.--

--also, it is nice to see Li Zhi begin to develop some backbone--

Read More

ep 13 spoilers ahead

spoilers ahead



1. We open to Cang Yun, who is begging to be spared as he is getting the beat down. He is given some gold and told to get out. Cang Yun thanks him for sparing him before hobbling out. Cai Wei is reminded to keep this incident silent before fetching Xia'er (Poor Xia'er....and now she has to marry some guy who is in love with another...)



2. Yu'er discusses with his brother the possibility that this epidemic was a plot. After all, a number of corpses suddenly appeared in front of civilian homes. His brother reminds him that he has made a number of enemies and perhaps should leave but Yuan is stubborn (his brother is not wrong; as mentioned earlier animal corpses were a frequent form of biological warfare the olden days). His brother teases him for living it up in a powerful position and with a beautiful woman...



3.Xia'er (this is quite sad however her robe is so pretty). Cai Wei tells her that when aw Mr. Cang leaving he said he had to visit his sick mother. Xia'er is doubtful and remains hopeful that he will return because he would never abandon her (interestingly her type is sometimes the main character in a series).



4.Yu'er admits that he was sent by their parents because they want him to get married. Naturally, he is shocked (he didn't even know he was engaged). Although Xia'er is both beautiful and intelligent, not to mention from a good family, our hero can't love her because he is in love with Chou Nu. He begs his brother to help him dissolve the engagement (why doesn't General marry her?) This is reality little Qu. His brother reasonably suggests that Chou Nu become his concubine but alas, that would remove a lot of the drama from the series. He refuses to forsake her. He admits that she understands him the most and is the only one for him. Because of his love for his brother, and his adamant feelings, he agrees to help.



5.Elsewhere, Tian Ji is on her way into the city, having left Qi. The maidservant is extremely suspicious. A Mole? At the same time the emperor walks with the Dowager. Even he believes that Xia'er and Qu Yuan is a good marriage. His mother disagrees (her reasons are unsubbed) She believes that the marriage could make the court unstable because the ministers have always served them however this alliance could destabilize the empire.



6.Dowager Queen suggests that given the problems in the harem, her son check out the woman from Qi (little do they know what they are getting). Meanwhile, Xia'er is extremely upset. I wonder f this Cang Yun will show up later to create some drama? Xia'er continues to be hopeful that he will return (I pity her).Xia'er believes Cai Wei will one day betray because she cannot look her in the eye. Oh no--Xia'er locates the bag of clothes that Cang Yun hid under a bench just before being dragged out by her father. This makes her even more skeptical. (Cai Wei you are an awful liar). She finally confesses that her father threw him out. Xia'er is upset and wants to look for him but her parents lock her up.



7.Tian Ji is placed in Fu Rong palace. Her servant continues to be impertinent (she is extremely rude). Tiang Ji essentially tells her that while she knows she is watching her every move she should be careful with what she says. Elsewhere, the empress finds it odd that the king has not summoned Tian Ji since he always summons them right away. The empress wants a background check on Tian Ji.



8.Does the king actually love Princess Yin? He tries to make love to her to give her another child, and she says he can do that but none can replace the child taken from her. He tells her to do as she wishes. He notices her hair is turning white. He finally tells her she can continue to torture herself (Poor Yin. Wait until she finds out her baby was murdered) before storming out.



9.Consort Zhen learns that the emperor continues to visit Consort Yin. This makes her angry, but when it is reported that Yin has a few white hairs they view this as a victory since the king will likely abandon her soon. She does not view Tian Ji as a threat since the king did not even visit her.



10.Meanwhile, a dead pregnant woman is delivered to the door of Magistrate Que. He reports that Zhao Yue did this (he was extorting money and kicked his pregnant wife away and she hit her head) (the baby was 7 months along!) Yu'er is especially disgusted. He immediately goes to visit Zhao Yue who (IMPORTANT) points out that killing a servant isn't illegal under Chu Law. However, I am certain that someone as powerful as the general could kill him, no problem. (This guy mocking him is a fool). Yu'er stabs him and the peasants all cheer him for doing so (he was supposed to bring him back alive).



11.Qu Yuan learns that Yu'er killed him and Yu'er is completely unregretful. It seems they killed someone who is connected to the troublemakers who have repeatedly created problems (this men also have some people in court). The man killed was related to Liu, and Lord Jing states he died well (I bet they are going to use this incident they would be stupid not to).



12.(the scene changes to another but it is not subbed)



13.The emperor receives a report from Jing Qin that a civillian was murdered by an official--he notifies them of Qu Yuan's involvement. (recall the three powerful families are Jing, Qu, and Zhao) (this is so easy to twist into self defense but because of the male lead's commitment to truth I doubt he would compromise himself). (most of this scene is ubsubbed--they bring in someone to make a report).



14.The final scene, with Yu'er and his family is essentially untranslated.



No Chou Nu this episode :( But the plots are being plotted. I am curious to see how Consort Yin recovers from this and the Emeperor remains something of a mystery. I can't pin him down yet.

Read More

ep 33 review spoilers ahead

Summary, Spoilers ahead!



33/96!



1.Meniang and Rui'an continue to reflect on the rebellion, focusing on the miscommunication that led to the rebellion. They need to find out how the prince learned about the crepe on the coffin. Under Meniang's guidance, Rui'an retraces his steps the day he delivered the box and he relates to her that he remembers Wenniang (dead girl) briefly distracted her. He can't believe that she would betray them. Meniang believes she may have been ordered to do this (logically, the person who would do this is Xui Hui. But she is convinced that Xu Hui is innocent, nevermind that others have betrayed her. This is a bit odd)



2.In the next scene, she and Zhinu are sitting in the Imperial Library (he is not allowed to be in there so this is covert). She is helping him as he has decided to compete for the crown prince title because. She receives some of the things that the emperor is working on; she encourages him to use them as guides and to study military tactics and reports related to So Louhoun (the leader of the northern rebels). He is impatient and wants to prove himself but she encourages him to be patient and take the time to study and prepare himself. (It should be noted that present Meniang as someone merely tying to reduce the family conflict and stabilize everything/and because she loves the emperor but history would explain her closeness with Zhinu as an opportunity for an affair in order to stabilize her own power base not to mention he is significantly younger thus probably more...er, virile and exciting than an old person....personally I don't care either way)



3.Part of her goal in working with Prince Zhinu is to investigate all the people who helped trick the crown prince and institute the rebellion. Of course she knows Prince Wei is involved, but there are others. Gathering evidence could help derail Prince Wei's plans.



4.Meanwhile, the emperor receives a background check on Meniang. He wants to learn more about the man who saved her, as he is suspicious because it was too convenient that he arrived. He quickly discerns that Li Gu (Li Mu's fake name) is a fake because his background is 'too perfect'. Immedaitely after, Xu Hui shows up with a diary that she says is owned by Meniang and showcases an intense infatuation with Li Mu (even a portrait). (the emperor is not a moron. i don't think he trusts her at all. he doesn't trust anyone). She tells some truths (that Meniang knew Li Mu from childhood/loves him) but embellishes it with lies. She even states she tried to dissuade her but is concerned about her well being and the emperor's happiness. When the emperor asks why she is showing him this she states its because she wants him to be happy and Meniang to be safe (uh-huh).



5.Elswehere, Prince Wei learns that Meniang is tutoring Meniang and trying to prepare him to address his father. Prince Wei is confident that he is going to be crown prince, and believes it will be announced soon because his father cannot go to war without someone in the eastern palace (to look after the kingdom while he is fighting). He smugly says he will let them continue to play.



6.At morning court, Ministers encourage the war and argue against it. The emperor asks his sons what they think. Prince Wei believes they should postpone it because of So Lohoun's military expertise. Prince Wu believes that with good soldiers, they should be fine. the emperor wonders what he should do since one postpones it, one wants to go. Zhinu arrives and surprises everyone. Prince Wu tells him to not worry (it makes him look bad but Zhinu does not take the bait). The emperor is both surprised and pleased that he bravely arrived.



7.Zhinu's suggestion surprises everyone. He presents a clear analysis: He states that Louhoun is a poor ruler and his state will likely collapse. However, he cannot be ignored because his military skill means he can be a threat. He believes that they should not postpone because of this. However, he disagrees with Prince Wu and believes that a big expedition would be dangerous: they would need to consider the weather and distance; it would require a lot of provisions. he suggests that the neighboring states could provide them, since they detest louhoun, and this is confirmed by ministers. However the states cannot be trusted because they probably want to see Tang collapse. So they are not reliable. thus, the best option would be to plan for many small expeditions, over ten years. This way they can completely annihilate the rebels.



8.Everyone is impressed. However, the emperor admits that he may not live that long and expresses a desire to nip this in the bud sooner rather than later. Still he is impressed. His brothers immediately leave once it is dismissed, and the ministers discuss what happened. Zhinu is emboldened and feels confident.



9.Elsewhere, Meniang is with Xu Hui, pushing Xiao Q. on a swing. (I wonder if Xiao Q is pretending to be mentally ill) Xiu Hui explains that she doesn't understand why Xiao Q is so nice because Xiao Q is 1)crazy and 2)would have hurt her but Menaing explains that Xiao Q helped her by rooting out Consort Wei. Xu Hui asks many questions (fishing) about what she will do with Li Mu (she tells her about her conversation with Yang) and tries to understand why she is supporting Zhinu. In an interesting scene, Meniang asks her who she believes might be responsible for betraying them because she suspects a mole: Xui Hui blames Chenji, and she agrees with her but Menaing revals in a monologue that there is no way that it could be Chenji (is she beginning to doubt Xu Hui??) Meniang asks how he could have betrayed the general, and Xu Hui says people are like furniture and eventually rot (!) and Meniang reports that anyone can go bad.



--she later is pushed on the swing by Xiao Q and Menieng continues to repress her uneasy concern that Xu Hui is responsible and believes that she couldn't do it...



10.Afterwards, he relates to Meniang what happened. She asks him if he was close to the throne, and he says he was very close. She tells him the closer he is to the throne, the more the ministers will look at him but the more distance there will be between him and his brothers. She wants him to know he can turn back, because it is a lonely road. But he does not want to give up. He is confident he can protect her and have his brothers live a peaceful life (so naive).





11..Zhinu sees Li Mu walking by the library and has consistently noticed that he looks at her. After Meniang is summoned by the emperor, he corners Li Gu who insists that he is not interested in Meniang. Zhinu challenges him because he does not believe him, and Li Gu wraps his arms around his neck!

Read More

episode 32 spoilers ahead

1. Consort Wei is beside herself with anger. Once it is learned that she ate poison, the doctors believe it came from a sachet that Wu delivered (on behalf of Xu hui...). Consort Wei tells them to arrest Wei. They torture her, but she does not confess, and she believes she is buying time. Sadly, we also learn that the poison Xiao Q took has actually damaged her mind and she may never recover.



2. The emperor learns of Xiao Q's situation, immediately heads over, and intervenes in the nick of time. He listens to Consort Wei, who believes Meniang did it out of jealousy but the emperor states that half his harem would be guilty then. He points out that her people were the only witnesses. Xiao Q emerges, and in her mad ravings she expresses fear at her Aunt, begs her to not make her drink the awful medicine, and thus Consort Wei becomes the prime suspect. They investigate and find dregs in her daily soup and in the kitchen. Consort Wei is arrested for this and also for sending people to kill Meniang.





3.LIke a house of cards Consort Wei's web collapses (and so quickly!) all of her 'people' begin to confess to save themselves, and she is named in countless incidents. Someone warns Prince Wei that Consort Wei is in trouble and he acts fast..



4. Fuji advises the emperor to move now if he wants to stamp out the Wei clan. The emperor agrees to this. They also discuss how stopping her clan is important because Prince Wei hoped to rely on her and the power of the harem to obtain the throne.



5. In her jail cell, Consort Wei remains proud as Consort Yang visits her. Consort Wei admits that Yang is just as malicious as she is and has always wanted to pull off the innocent mask she has been wearing. Yang revels in the plight of her enemy and tells her that its been fun. Consort Wei also tells her she is not afraid of anything, not death not hell, that she regrets nothing. As Yang leaves Consort Wei screams at her that she cannot defeat Consort Wu and she will be in the same spot she is in someday because of her.



6.Meanwhile, Meiang visits Consort Yang and Yang takes the time to essentially list all of the things she has done for her--like rescue Li Mu, and go to Yeting when she was in danger. Meniang feels like she owes her and wants to assist her but honestly admits that she cannot support Prince Wu because of his lineage. Conosrt Yang agrees and admits she only ever wanted him to have a quiet life (I cannot understand why Meniang would believe this because no woman in the harem doesn't want their child to be emperor, except maybe Yin, who is now dead. However, in Meinang's defiance, Consort Yang has given her no reason to not trust her. I imagine her and Xu Hui's betrayal will be the biggest life lessons)



7.Meniang will help Yang to expose Prince Wei. She requests records of the crown prince rebellions and explains she always thought it was strange how they knew so much information about them. She suspects that someone close to them has betrayed them and is a spy (watch out Xu Hui...) she also asks that Li Mu be sent away however Yang delays this by suggesting it would look suspicious so they will wait until Yeting clears up.



8.Prince Wei visits Consort Wei in disguise. (This actually made me tear up because we see a vulnerable Consort Wei). She believes he is there to kill her. He admits that Da Qing submitted a report to have her tortured. She doesn't want to betray him, but admits she does not have the courage to kill herself (she is crying). She asks him to kill her. (I ALWAYS wondered if they loved one another or if it was an act, and this scene convinces me that they genuinely loved one another). He is upset, and she asks him to hold her. he tells her to look away that way it hurts less. He grabs a piece of pottery and kneels in front of her and slits her wrists. She makes him promise to kill Meniang and he admits some regrets (it implies, I think , that maybe he regrets choosing power over love) before she quietly dies.



9.The next day, Prince Wei is extremely upset (he cannot even eat, and he eats to cope with his problems). He vows to kill Meniang. Meanwhile, the emperor visits Consort Wei's cells and essentially tells her body that he spoiled her, and ultimately she chose this end. We also learn that Chenji killed himself. The emperor does not bother to launch an investigation because he knows Prince Wei is responsible.



10.Rui'an visits Meniang and seems out of sorts. They get to discussing his dead lover and Meniang tries to convince him to move on, until he learns that she was murdered, because when he looked in her room, he noticed a candlestick he engraved her name on was missing, and he believes that to be the murder weapon.



Comments: I thought that Consort Wei's end was a superb illustration of how quickly the tides can turn against people. She was on top for years but in a matter of moments was brought down, not because of the words of her niece, but more like it created an opportunity for the emperor to push charges at her (in the past he might have ignored Yeting but he has enough now to move against her). In addition to this. She worked hard to be on top and just as quickly was brought down, when she should have been welcoming a child. I really liked her as a villain and will miss her.

Read More

ep 31 spoilers ahead

31/96!



1.We begin with Meniang's memories of Li Mu/brother Mo and the time when she gave him her jade (recall she once told Xui Hui she fell in love with an older boy as a little girl and made a marriage promise). While walking outside, he explains that after his role in the rebellion, Prince Wei planned to have him executed since he was no longer useful. Consort Yang's people just happened to be passing by (this is a pretty weak plot--at this point she should know that no one just 'happens' to be anywhere unless they are her) and saved him. Li Mu expresses happiness to finally see her again and explained that after all the horror he has been through she is the one thing keeping him going; and that he is here to see her. He explains he planned to leave after a glimpse but upon hearing about all the tragedy that has befallen her, he wants her to run away with him. They can go West, where she always wanted to go...(I am certain anyone reading this is bound to think that Yang will use him to either spirit her away or set her up as a cheater or continuing to support traitors)



2.For a moment, Menieng indulges in this fantasy (this scene is so dramatic) but she tells him that he knew Ru Yi, and she is no more. She is different, and that she has killed and is no longer innocent. She tells him to leave, that she will not go because she can't. He says some people 'persist because they have no choice' however he is offering himself as an alternative to Li Shimin (if I could get away with it I would totally run off with him) She tries to persuade him to leave but he counters with: I survived hell to see you and she is the only thing keeping him going. He ends this dramatic conversation with: you never forgot me, did you? And she is forced to admit she has not. He dramatically disappears into the shadows....



3.Meanwhile, Li Zhi 'Zhinu' appears (he is just so darn innocent!) because he has been looking for her. They discuss the topic of crown prince. Essentially she tries to nudge him towards naming himself as a good candidate but he persists, believing that both his brothers are better candidates in spite of the fact that Prince Wei possesses sociopathic tendencies (though I don't think he is a sociopath) and Prince Wu's lineage makes him a poor selection. Upon realizing that she is suggesting he could be emperor (he is a little slow) he immediately rejects this and insists he cannot be emperor. Menieng tells him that he could end this dispute between father and sons if he stepped forth, and also warns him that chances are he will be killed by his brothers once one of his brothers becomes emperor (Prince Wei would different do this and the Sui have a history of doing this). Still, he refuses (....I understand he wants to be nice but his life is on the line? Was he really that simple?)



4.Elsewhere, Fuji makes his report to the emperor on Meniang's involvement in the crown prince's rebellion. He learns that while she was not involved, she did not report it. He will spare her life but her punishment is to live in Quinqing palace and copy all the classics (that is a light punishment). She later arrives to serve out her punishment and relieves an old granny (I think the message is this is what her future looks like).



5.Meanwhile, Consort Yang considers what has happened to Menieng and is convinced she is still useful because she received a very light punishment. She explains to her attendant that she understands why she chose to support the crown prince however she cannot overlook her intelligence because she also managed to make friends with prince Zhinu (prince of Jin) (interestingly, Yang is looking at her through the eyes of history: as a smart, clever, manipulative person but the show portrays Meniang as a clever but innocent girl who is forced to act a certain way because she has no choice or acts on impulse/her feelings making her much more empathetic).



6.We go back to the emperor who receives Zhang Yuanji's full confession (many, many episodes ago he was placed on death roll for suggesting that the crown prince be deposed. I thought he was dead.) His confession details plots with Prince Wei. While Fuji is delivering this report, Xu Hui comes in to deliver tea, and then leaves. She listens in (I am certain that the emperor is aware she is spying on him because nothing seems to surprise him or ruffle him. I have no idea if he is lacing this report with false information). She listens long enough to hear that the emperor is critical of Prince Wei but Fuji suggests that the Prince of Wei should not be targeted (she leaves, I am not sure if the emperor plotted this)



7.What makes me think the emperor plotted that piece of info is the fact that while Fuji states that someone is pulling Prince Wei's strings, he continues to produce evidence that makes Prince Wei the string puller/culpable person. He also reports that Consort Wei's men were responsible for Yeting (I think that the emperor needs more evidence to go after his second son and is hesitating/fishing). Ultimately, Fuji concludes that there has been collusion between the harem (likely Consort Wei), Prince Wei, and a courtier (Zhang Yuanji, I think)



8.The emperor dines with General Hou. He is in prison clothes and chains, but they share wine and a good meal. They reminisce over past times and it is a strange scene, likely intended to show how utterly cynical and jaded these two men have become that friends, then foes, can enjoy dinner. Both men have seen enough to know that the imperial palace makes friends enemies and enemies friends so nothing surprises them. Hou admits he feels uneasy during peaceful time and the emperor apologizes for appointing him to minister. Hou says he was surprised how Chenji betrayed him (the guy who held the sword to crown prince's neck during the rebellion) and the emperor points out 'well you betrayed me'. The emperor then rises and with a cold voice tells him that he should not have done that. Hou immediately begs forgiveness (kind of sad to see someone so great begging) and the emperor throws a dagger on the table and tells him that his son and wife will be spared. He will be taken to Lashing (I think he left the knife so he could honorably kill himself, if he so chose).



9.Meanwhile, Xiao Q continues to feign disdain at her gifts but then receives a note from Xu Hui 'It's Time' meaning if she wants to act, she should act now. Xu Hui is in tears because of the choice she is making but ultimately takes the poison. The next day, doctors panic because she has a miscarriage. It is very bloody, and even Consort Wei almost vomits. In a fit of madness, she tries to strangle her own Aunt and accuses her of stealing her baby.....

Read More