episode 5 spoilers ahead

again, this will be revised as 70%subbed viki (I couldn't wait for 100%....)



1.Someone decides it's a good idea to replace the He Shi Bi with a fake one ( I have a feeling this will backfire).



2.The emperor personally lends the He Shi Bi to Zhang Yi who makes it clear that he trusts the king, unless he were to give him a fake jade (....which seems to imply that he can differentiate). The emperor wishes him a safe trip.



3.Elsewhere, the emperor is busying teaching the royal kids. One continues to yawn, Zhi Heng. (Most of this is unsubbed). Little Brother Lan earns his respect; the elder brother replies that his father can do as he wants and commoners are poor people and nobles are noble. (Unbeknownst to the two kids) shifu takes this personally and snaps at him. The emperor happens to be walking by and again dismisses class (do these two learn anything?). He has a private meeting with Yuan'er (most unsubbed). Yuan'er likens the state to a pool of water and the people in it water; without the people it is steam. He explains the people currently follow him but if they suffer famine or drought, would they still follow? (Essentially he reminds him to rule with the people's needs at the forefront of his thinking). The three days are up....it seems he will be an official.



4.Minister of War drags his son before the ancestors and not only makes him bow for being unfilial (he pretty much does what he wants) he tells him he will not allow the emperor to make him an official (somehow I think he is doing this to protect him). Yuan'er refuses, earning him a swift kick. He asks his father to explain. His father tells him that just because he wrote some poems he knows what to do. FLASHBACK: his father not only told him their ancestors helped forge the empire he told him he hopes he can help the Chu state when he grows up (Bwahahaahah)



5.His mother appears and scolds him. but his father allows him to speak.. His mother explains why his father is like this: he received a fortune related to his birthday , it must not have been good, (why don't they tell us?????) because of this fortune his parents won't allow him to learn martial arts or become an official to create trouble. He bows to his parents, who are happy he understands, but Yuan'er says something to anger his father. (whatever he is saying is enraging his father)



6.The emperor visits with the queen mother (these two are awfully close). She sees him as a poet, the king views him as a contemporary genius. She agrees to support this appointment but states she hopes he does not get into trouble (if this is a Cdrama, he will get into all the trouble).



7.Elsewhere, Chou Nu is repairing a fishnet for her father. They talk about her brother. She insists she is fine. They encourage her to forgive Yuan'er because he is a noble, and thus, is ignorant of their reality. He reminds her she isn't young and should find a husband but she does not want to marry yet. Her little brother rec. Yuan'er (he is wealthy, smart, good looking...in these times that's a pretty good choice)



8.There is another festival and their troupe performs. Chou Nu dances and unfortunately attracts the attention of the extremely icky Brother Liu who would go so far as to try to molest a woman in public. They all fight and try to flee (where is chivalry) she stands up to him and accuses him of daring to abduct girls in broad daylight; he reveals that his family IS the law. Angered that a woman hit him, he begins to beat the women in broady daylight. She uses her acrobatic skills to kick some ass. The girls all hide behind her. He removes her mask and is in love (this guy....is like a big oaf). He calls her a celestial fairy and promises to let them go if she goes hime with him but she b**** slaps him. He is also a pervert and seems to like her slapping him. She ultimately agrees to go with him and he releases the girls but the girls don't want to leave her. She has to make them leave (going to bed with this kind of guy would make her a saint because he is pretty gross).



9.He brings her home and shows off his possessions. He wants to do a Pretty Woman, and like Richard Gere take care of her but she insists that he must marry her properly if he wants her. He promises to marry her and gives her servants to serve her, and states in 3 days he will marry her (what makes him so gross is his behavior and attitude....so gross)



10.Yuan'er and the emperor overlook Chu and (most of this is unsubbed) He tells him that if he can assist him in taking care of the city he will be able to help him take care of the empire. We learn he is very ambitious...(Yuan'er does not think of his lady love 24/7). He suggests the king is more poetic than himself.(Yuan'er really enjoys his confidence; I have a feeling Yuan'er does not really know him)



11.Yuan'er's father expresses concern that his son will into someone's plot. Because Yuan'er is over confident and does not fear. He warns him to be wary of friendship, and that he always him, his father (I agree Yuan'er is extremely over confident, but his father loves him so much!). His mother visits his father and she reminds him of the time he made him stand in the show as punishment (it seems he tried to learn martial arts)he was beat pretty bad and was so stubborn he would not admit he was wrong (it seems he almost died because of this stubbornness). (if I were his parent, I wouldn't be reassured)



12.Chou Nu tries to escape but there are guards outside. She is tied up (she just had to be the hero...)Master Liu seems to like her enough that he genuinely wants to persuade her and feels bad that she is crying (however he is still a jerk for not wanting to let release her). Meanwhile, Yuan'er goes into the palace. His father can't see him off but he does write him a letter. (It isn't subbed entirely).



13.Quing'er and her father and brother try to save Chou Nu using the law but they are ignored. Meanwhile, she is tied up and dressed as a bride. She pretends to be sick and they leave. Master Liu is upset and he has them loosen the ropes....He promises to bring her father to the wedding. And reminds his men to watch her (he isn't that dumb). He bows to his future father and brings out a robe to wear to the wedding....but her father spits on him! He refuses to have a son like him, but Master Liu promises to marry her. Her father tries to attack him but is knocked to the ground, so is little Yi'er (I admire there bravery). They are disinvited but Liu makes a point to say the rest of her life belongs to him. (Why haven't they gone to fetch Yuan'er yet?) Father prays to his dead wife to protect their daughter. They forge weapons from gardening tools, and fortunately, Yuan'er arrives! (How did he hear about this???) he learns the woman he loves is about to marry someone else...



Comments: This show is interesting. I just don't like the character of Master Liu he is way to one dimensional. I also want to know what that fortune was!



Comments: We know that Yuan'er is stubborn to a fault and is the type of person to bite off his nose to spite his face (he almost died to prove he was right once)

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ep 2 spoilers ahead

Spoilers ahead:

2/81

Characters Introduced:

Queen Mother: Chu Wei Hou

Minister Zhang He: Delivers the He Shu Bi (precious jade)



1.Enraged that Qu Yuan stubbornly refuses to repent, the King of Chu orders his and Wu Ming's execution for the following day. This command is interrupted by the Queen Mother (the mother of his Queen), who asks him to reconsider executing Qu Yuan (Wu Ming should die, she admits). Her reasons lay in his family: she worries that the stability of the empire would be put at risk because the Minister of War/Qu family are important to protecting the empire. Also, Yuan'er's intelligence should not be overlooked. The Emperor argues that even if Qu rebelled he would still have the Zhao and Jing families. He also argues that it would weaken his authority if he released suspected traitors. Empress Mother compares the stability of the empire to a cauldron supported by the three families; if one were to disappear the entire cauldron would collapse (Chu is not that stable...)



2.The King visits the cell where Wu Ming is being held (I find this interesting since normally one might expect the prisoner brought to him, or he sends someone else). Wu Ming is unconscious, and there is a message on the wall--it appears to be a long poem that earns the king's disdain. He raises the Qu sword as if to kill him (the scene changes) then he visits Yuan'er. He throws the sword at him and calls for wine. Yuan'er assumes he is to be poisoned and sarcastically says he could become a wine spirit before drinking. He even thanks the emperor for sending him off (sarcasm). What follows is an interesting conversation about loyalty. Yuan'er challenges the King: do you really think this is about friendship, and the King agrees. This seems to earn Yuan'er's disdain. He essentially reminds him that there is no way he could kill every 'Wu Ming' who springs up and challenges him to use Wu Ming to mend a divide instead of creating more but the King believes that this effectively ends the problem because the son of an enemy will be dead.



3.Eventually, Qu Yuan becomes intoxicated and begins to brag about his reputation as a prodigy, which began when he was 16. He admits he once admired the emperor however he has lost his respect entirely because he chooses to solve his problems by cruelly killing (he killed King Yue, now he would kill his son)(it should be noted that no one talks to the King like this and could get you killed) The king asks him what he should do. Yuan does not directly answer the question but insists he would die a thousand times to uphold his beliefs and then Yuan'er blacks out from the drinking.



4.We learn that that the King already decided to free Wu Ming when he swung that sword (he cut his chains). The narrator relates that Wu Ming is released, the King pardoning him since he was only trying to avenge his father. It isn't clear what Wu Ming thinks however the emperor hopes to rebuild the relationship with Yue. Meanwhile, the Minister of War is given Yuan'er, on a stretcher. He seems dead. But he is extremely mad when he learns that he has been drinking all night while he was pleading for his life. At home he angrily lectures him for making poor choices and picking the wrong friends.



5.We learn that Yuan'er is extremely proud and the type who cares more about honesty than self-preservation. He insists that 1)the rules of their culture are bad 2)he didn't do anything wrong 3)the emperor let Wu Ming go because he heeded his advice (his father disagrees with all of this and each comment makes him more angry and convinced his son is foolish, impertinent, shameless, and selfish). He begins to beat him with a whip. Qu Yu asks to take the beating since Yuan'er hasn't learned martial arts and is weak. His father is angered more and hits him, and when Yuan'er defends his brother, his father is furious and beats them both. His mother is able to stop him but his father accuses him of spoiling him.



6.Yuan'er and You'er (elder brother) return to visit our female lead, Chou Nu. As she collects donations, she runs into the brothers. She ignores him, but Yu'er is more blunt and stands in her way, insisting she give his brother her attention. He goes so far as to pull rank. Yuan'er attempts to lure her into conversation by discussing poems. She quotes Qu Yuan's poems, and deeply admires him and believes that Yuan'er (remember, she does not know his name) could never understood the poems (...but he wrote them). Feeling a bit smug, Yuan'er asks her to tell him more about the poems(naughty). Eventually, a challenge is issued: can Chou Nu prove that he doesn't know more about the poems? It seems she has no choice as the crowd now wants to see her challenge (and hopefully humiliate a noble).



7.(It seems Yuan'er is a celebrity; even the commoners are familiar with his poems) He recites a poem (that he wrote 2 days ago, about his Mountain Spirit). She doesn't know it, but because she believes she has read them all, she insists Qu Yuan would never write about a scantily clad woman, and that he would never write something so low class.



8. Qu Yuan is unnerved by Chou Nu's analysis of his poems: she clearly understands the desires he has embedded in the poems. She insists that Qu Yuan is a sorrowful person because he is unable to achieve his ambitions; Yu'er laughs and states that Yuan is not sad. Almost like he is trying to defend how exposed he feels, Qu Yuan insists that he has no deeper desires and would only write nonsensical poems. This deeply angers Chou Nu since he is speaking poorly of her idol. She kicks him. This angers You'er, who knocks her to the ground.This angers Yuan'er, and his brother (he is pretty narrow minded) accuses her of starting it! Brother Meng, from the troupe, naturally is angry and fights back (he doesn't know he is fighting a general).



9. Another fight unfolds: You'er hits Brother Mo so hard he spits up blood. Yuan'er only cares about Chou Nu but her little sister begins to slap him, accusing him of bringing only trouble (true). Yuan'er tries to apologize, and offers money to have him taken to a doctor but little sister slaps it away. The two brothers leave.



10.THIS IS IMPORTANT:

The King of Qin visits Zhang Li. Zhang Li explains he is worried for Qin's future. Why? He goes to a map and explains that the King has been campaigning against the three Jins for quite a while. Currently, Su Qin is trying to build an alliance with Ju. If he is successful, he will go to Chu, who could easily withstand a long military campaign due to their economic prosperity and history of political stability. If this happens, there is a strong chance that the three Jins will align with them. If Northern Yan sees this, then they will probably jump on board, and their will be six states against Qin. The message is clear: they need to ensure this does not happen.



Elsewhere, Ministers are giving gifts to the emperor. Zhang He offers up the He Shi Bi Jade, something which had been missing for years but has returned. Qu Yuan is there to represent his family and gives nothing but a lovely song.



11.In the gardens, the King explains to Yuan'er that he is the best poet, and he hopes he can use his intelligence to help the empire. Elsewhere, the official who delivered the elaborate lotus gift expresses anxiety at Yuan'er's appearance. Essentially he talks to his lady wife about how Yuan'er overshadowed all the other officials with his poem and also evaded execution--they conclude he is someone to watch out for and is a new favorite of the king.



12.Meanwhile, Yuan'er visits Chou Nu's home. He is upset at how poorly she lives. When she, Brother Mo, and Quing Er (her little sister/friend) arrive, Yuan'er tries to give her medicine for his injuries. She denies the offer and kicks him out. He yells at her that he cannot understand why she is refusing him when he could provide the best doctor, but she slams the door in his face (this is a complicated situation. Either she is worried that she may have to return the favor, or have to worry about gratifying the sexual needs of a much more powerful lord, or she is just prideful, I don't know--on the other hand she is making a risky decision if she could have access to a doctor)



13.He left the medicine there, and the more practical Quing Er doesn't care where the medicine came from and insists that if it helps Brother Mo then they should use it (I agree). Quing Er also tells Chou Nu that she thinks Yuan'er doesn't seem like a bad person? Chou Nu asks why, and Quing Er says his eyes are not bad (bwahahaahah oh if only life were that simple....). A terrible storm comes, and Yuan'Er waits outside in the rain. After some time, Chou Nu goes to the window but doesn't see him....



Comments: I like Yuan'Er's character a lot. I thought he would be 'naive' but he is in fact very smart and often uses his non-martial background as a way to deflect attention. I think he is a little too honest, and has the potential to be pretty ruthless. He is (I think) going to become increasingly clever. Ruthless too.



Chou Nu's character hasn't had a lot of screen time. So far we know she is intelligent, and stubborn. I don't know if she is playing it safe, but I sense she has some shields up because she is trying hard to keep Yuan'er at arms length, at a time when woman would kill for the chance to catch the eye of a powerful noble like Yuan'er so I want to know more about her.

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episode 30 reviews ahead

30/96!



In memory of the dearly departed, gone too soon:



1.Zheng Wei/tutor/chancellor

2.Chungxin (Crown Prince's Valet/best friend/lover)-Killed by the emperor

3.Zhuang Yuanji/Minister (technically moved to death row, probably dead) called the crown prince inept

4.Commander Wu (killed to satisfy the prophecy)

5.Wang Yanan (I believe she is Xu Hui's personal attendant)-murdered by Xu Hui

6.A lot of soldiers during the rebellion



1.We open to Consort Yang speaking with her attendant. Now that Meniang is in Yeting, it is highly unlikely she will be released. Her attendant believes her search was a waste of time even though she discovered something. The Consort believes that Meniang is different, and that as long as she is alive anything is possible (I cannot tell what Yang's motive is). Her attendant reports that Meniang had a childhood friend, Li Mu (recall she once wanted to marry him) who was connected to the Li Xiaocheng rebellion. He was banished but is on his way to Chang'an.



2.Li Zhi will recover but the emperor is concerned for his health....The emperor visits Meniang and it is a continuation of their conversation only he wants to know if she told Li Zhing to kneel in the rain, she said that she told him not to bother the emperor and to protect the crown prince. The emperor must be confused if he is visiting her...elsewhere Li Mu fights free and is allowed to escape after servants from Consort Yang assist him...



3.Meanwhile, the emperor hesitates to announce the edict to depose the crown prince. Elsewhere Li Zhi bursts into Consort Yang's room and asks for her help and Consort Wei decides that Meniang needs to be killed after learning the emperor visited her. Back to Li Zhi, he and Consort Yang learn that someone, we don't know who, went into Yeting (I can only assume it is Consort Wei's people) She rushes to save her (is this part of her plot?)



4.Meniang has a nightmare that the emperor is killing her--she awakens and sees someone trying to kill her! Meanwhile, eunuchs won't let Consort Yang and the prince in. they use force, and a soldier (Li Mu?) essentially slaughters everyone. He kills everyone, saves Meniang who passes out (Is prince Wu almost killed?) (he has a ring on...)and the emperor arrives (having learned that something was happening) and Li Mu gives him Meniang...



5.Elsewhere Consort Wei is terrified her people will turn on her. Xiao Q overhears her (maybe she can do something now?) While Consort Yang meets with Li Zhe and cautions him to be careful. Meniang awakens with Xu Hui beside her. Meniang explains the emperor knew all along and somehow thought she was colluding with crown prince and she doesn't know what went wrong (she also tells her that Li Mu is in the palace).



.....Not the most interesting episode.

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episode 29 spoilers ahead

29/30!

REVOLT!



1.General Hou stirs his troops with a rousing speech. He insists that they must regain their honor that the crown would rudely humiliate him with a demotioin. The revolt begins, and the slaughter is on.



2.Elsewhere, Crown Prince prepares his soldiers. Meniang bravely walks up to him in a dramatic scene. He looks at her, and she tells him this is foolish. She says he is cruel to do this to his father, because his father would never abdicate he would rather die. he refuses to stop, so she pulls his sword and points it at him. He walks towards her, and she cries because she cannot kill him. He orders her to be tied up but not hurt, and he promises to spare her for past help. She says he will regret this.



3.Zhangsun is told by Chong'er that the Crown Prince has revolted. Zhangsun calls them imbeciles...



4.Xu Hui is taken away by the emperor, ignoring her warning that the revolt is actually happening. The emperor confronts his son head on. He says he must be his son if he led his army into this courtyard. They are surrounded. He learns that the emperor summoned Li Ji, another general, and we learn that the emperor has known for 2 weeks that he was planning a revolt! The soldiers ares slaughtered, the prince is betrayed by his own lietunenant, and Rui'an discovers Meniang and unties her.



5.the emperor says he will spare his life. But Crown Prince says he is not an idiot and knows how the politics work. He tells him that he can never please him, and wonders if he hadn't rebelled, would he have disappointed him for not revolting? He fights him in a kind of duel, but loses. He also learns that the emperor never intended to depose him, and he glares at Meniang who has arrived and accuses her of betraying him.



6.the emperor immediately sees Meniang in private and wants to know what is going on. She explains she did not collaborate with the prince. he slaps her. She says it clearly doesn't matter at this point what she says so he should kill her. The emperor refuses to kill and says he will (basically) keep her around as a reminder that a woman did not bring him down. She is arrested. Li Zhi defends her innocence. he wants to save her. She says he should try to plead for crown princes life.



7.Elsewhere, Prince Wei is practicing his look of grief/concern when he hears that his brother has betrayed the emperor (this guy is something else). He sees Consort Wei and is burning paper. (I finally realize that Crown Prince Wei has been deceiving her, using his mother as a means to manipulate an alliance with Consort Wei. He probably doesn't give a fig about his mother, or Consort Wei. This guy might be a sociopath). Both are confident that Meniang, now in Yeting, is beyond redemption.



8.Fuji reports that even Zheng Wei was involved. His ministers say he should lose all posthumous honors; the emperor refuses to do this and say his good acts outweigh his bad acts. Outside Li Zhi kneels in the rain on behalf of crown prince. Prince Wei arrives and joins him. The emperor tries to get him to stop but he refuses. The emperor wonders who to give the crown to. He knows Prince Wu is not an option. He knows Prince Wei is capable but admits that the thought o f giving him the crown makes him his skin crawl (Justice!) He finally sees Li Zhi as a candidate....



9.Li Zhi passes out, and Prince Wei tells an unconscious Li Zhi that he needs to stop upstaging him (bwahhahahhaa)



Comments: I don't know how I feel about Meniang's actions. She chose to do the nice thing, and it landed her in prison. I am not a fan of killing people, obviously, but she will have to survive....especially if she wants to prevent the really bad people to get power (People like Consort Wei and Prince Wei, who enjoy toying with peoples lives and destroying them for fun)

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episode 28 spoilers ahead

28/96!



1.Emperor discusses with his servant, Wang De, how he has learned that Hou pillaged and allowed his men to take concubines (wasn't that the norm back then?). he also thinks he is too close to the crown prince and he is aware he has been pretending to be drunk. He plans to make him a Minister in order to keep an eye on him and to also reduce his clandestine meetings with the crown prince. I believe he has him arrested to send a message.



2.General Hou is arrested by guards at a brothel and he appears to be quite drunk. Meanwhile, the servant girl's body is found. Xu hui, Meniang, and Rui'an are at the morgue. She seems to have drowned. They dismiss her head injury as being due to the rocks (rather, Xu Hui supplies that info) but Rui'an believes she was murdered. He begs to go to her room and look for clues. With Meniang there, Xu Hui has no choice but to relent. While going through the room, he notices that the candlestick he gave her has gone missing....(!)



3.the emperor visits the general who is suddenly sober. He tells him he wanted to see him away from the prying eyes of the courtiers and offers him a position of minister. Since the emperor himself is offering, he can't really refuse. He appears gracious and accepts it. During this meeting he says that the Li Xuchang rebels may have been related to Sui/Consort yang but the emperor dismisses this since that has been taken care of.



4.The emperor visits a dying Zheng Wei and he promises to honor his service by having one of his daughters marry his son. He also tells him if he will depose the prince (but we don't get to see it)



5.Crown prince burns veneration people and he explains to his wife why he was so close to Chengxin. She laughs and bitterly says she wished he told her sooner. The paper is for his shifu, who he knows even into death tries to help him (referring to the message about the coffin)



6.Soldiers are watching the new Minister Hou (he is putting on an act) while a white cofin carrying Zheng Wei goes through the city. Crown Prince knows he will revolt. Xu Hui runs to the emperor and tells him the crown prince will revolt, and the emperor says 'let's see what happens' (he has to know)



7.Menieng decides to see if she can dissuade the crown prince. Xu Hui tells her that is not a good idea but she does it anyways (I agree with Xu Hui. That is pretty dumb)

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episode 27 spoilers ahead

27/96!



1.The episode begins with a serious confrontation. It is rather odd, as both Xu Hui and Meniang are clearly not acting like their usual selves. Meniang seems to be walking on egg shells and Xu Hui is clearly fishing. Xu Hui asks her if she would actually help the crown prince, after reading the note. Meniang asks her what she would do. Xu Hui says that if she were her, she would help them, but she is not as kind.



2.Xu Hui explicitly tells Meniang that the choice is hers to make but she is on her side (I cringe every time I hear that). Meniang admits that she plans on delivering silk to the crown princess. She also admits that she plans on telling the emperor that the crown prince is revolting (the scene is so weird, like Meniang is being very careful about what she is saying, and it almost feels like she is testing Xu Hui). Xu Hui expresses surprise that she would do that, knowing that the emperor will probably hate her for delivering that kind of awful news....



3.Elsewhere, Crown Prince is satisfied because General Hou has returned. Meanwhile, the eunech, Rui'an continues to flirt with Xu Hui (or is it Meniang's) servant. They seem close. He gifts her with a candle sick with her name on the bottom.



4.Xu Hui makes a copy of the note she found, only she reverses the signals so black=deposed white =crowned prince. She asks her servant (the one Rui'an likes) to slip the note in with the silk going to crown princess (Xu Hui is crazy! this has to do with national security!) Crown Princess receives the note, gives it to the prince....



5.Meanwhile, General hou arrives. He has a drink with the emperor and appears to get very intoxicated. The servant asked to deliver the note confronts Xu Hui, and Xu Hui finally admits that she is trying to frame Meniang. She has wanted to know for a while. The girl is upset by this says she won't do anything like that again, and will tell Meniang.



6.Crown Prince meets with General Hou, who faked being drunk it seems. He says his crown is in jeopardy. the general hesitates, hoping that they will not have to revolt, but ultimately agrees to support him as he detests the courtiers.



7.Xu Hui kills the servant! (this murder reminds me of the American film unfaithful). She bashes her head with the candle stick the girl received as a gift(!) This is an extremely poignant scene because it shows the horror of what people do in the palace to achieve their ends. Xu Hui did not plan to do this, she clearly panicked and clumsily kills her. The saddest part is as she lays dying, she hears Rui'an say that he loves her and wants to be a couple with her....Xu Hui is in shock at her own actions. She panics, and rushes to find Mo gong gong in the laundry, who hides the body by dumping it in the river.



Comments: I found it interesting that they show how one might dispose of a body in those days. Up until now people have just vanished, but this was a process that could easily get you killed if you were caught. For Xu Hui, who has never killed, she has to deal with the mess, the clean up, the disposal. It isn't as easy as these shows make it sound. It's also pretty awful and has a profound impact on a person. Like, imagine how de-sensitized people came to killing?

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ep 26 review spoilers ahead

26/96!



1.Menieng is shocked that Crown Prince plans to revolt. She insists that this plot is a foolish idea and threatens to tell the Emperor. Crown Prince is confident that she won't tell the Emperor because 1)she has no evidence of a revolt 2)He only plans on abdicating and 3)He believes that she might endanger herself since she has supported him up until now (I sincerely pity Crown Princess because her husband is making a foolish mistake; he's already seen one failed rebellion did he learn nothing? On the other hand, if the Emperor does depose him, then it's only a matter of time before his brother has him killed. So at this point it is sort of all or nothing. So complicated! These plots and schemes essentially force people to do crazy things!)

Crown Princess begs Menieng not to tell the emperor. What will she do? Would the emperor even believe her?



2.Elsewhere, the Emperor speaks to (Xu De? The servant always with him) and learns that the Crown Prince has been drinking again. This seems to annoy him. This servant also reports that Menieng was sent going to the Eastern Palace but it is unclear who she was visiting. After the servant leaves, Xu Hui, who listened in to the entire conversation, appears with a towel. He tells her she must have been standing there for a long time because the towel she brought is no longer heart. Xu Hui falls to her knees and basically plays dumb (but he knows she is pretty smart) and she reveals she has been uneasy and concerned for Menieng because she has been assisting the crown prince as she feels obligated that he saved her life. She also makes a point to say she is worried that Menieng is going to 'go to far' in helping him.

(The emperor is not an idiot. He has also seen the machinations of many concubines and consorts, like Consort Wei. I am certain he sees through this)



3.Elsewhere, Xiao Q is still trying to figure out what to do. She wants to see the emperor, but she learns that it is a harem rule that pregnant women not see the emperor in case he is repulsed (basically) by their pregnant bodies. She becomes close with one of her servants and is able to manipulate her into eating her heavily medicated food. She considers escaping, and is able to bribe a servant to help her see the king. She considers using jewelry but decides that is too much, and decides to give her a few coins. The girl agrees.



4.Consort Yang (haven't seen her in a while) confides in her servant and essentially assesses that Menieng is sinking fast; she chose to root for the wrong time and will have to suffer the consequences. In my opinion, it is unclear how Consort Yang will use her. She has her servant dig into Menieng's background in order to see if there is anything in her family that stands out (perhaps she wants to blackmail her?)



5.Xiao Q is caught by her Aunt before she can see the emperor. Xiao Q has displayed no cleverness thus far, and it is actually to her advantage. She plays dumb and insists she missed the emperor and didn't tell her Aunt because she did not want to put her in an awkward position. Consort Wei makes a point of listing several horrific cases of concubines being killed, never naming the culprit, but incidents include dying from infection after blush essentially turns to acid and burns peoples faces off, people being poisoned, people having miscarriages, and you finally realize that she is listing all of the horrible things she has done to women in the harem. It terrifies Xiao Q, especially after she learns her Aunt had the girl who helped her killed.



6.Meanwhile, at morning curt, Prince Wei is there. It seems clear: someone plans to announce that the Crown Prince be deposed. In a surprise, Honorable Wei, who is basically at death's door, arrives and the deposition does not occur...



7.Elsewhere, Chancellor Zhangsun is visited by his son Chong'er. Chong'er wants to know why Wei attended court even though he was so ill. Zhangsun says it was a political move: he wanted to say that he is still here, hasn't died and is a pillar of the state. As a result, no one would dare to suggest impeaching the crown prince, but once he is gone the crown prince will be alone. He explains essentially that Hon. Wei wants to not have a repeat of the previous prince he tutored (emperor's brother, whom the emperor killed for the throne)



8.In a bold mood, Meniang meets with Zheng Wei for the first time. He expresses satisfaction at being able to meet her, and she humbles herself before him, insisting the honor is hers. She tells him she wants to repay him helping her, even though he explains he did not do it for but the king and crown prince. She tells him that the crown prince plans to revolt and force the king to abdicate. Wei appears tired as he thinks on this. He wonders if the Crown Prince is destined to walk the same bloody path as his father. He asks her to relay a message to the crown prince: that a forced abdication is possible, but he must not kill his brothers. Also, he must not act until he knows for certain the emperor will depose him. Wei believes this may make him hesitate and even change his mind. Menieng is surprised he doesn't want her to tell the emperor. He says that is not a good idea, because should she tell him, the emperor will be furious (like shoot the messenger) and hate her. Also, he believes that there is time to prevent this from happening. He explains that after his death he will ensure that 1)he finds out if the kind is going to depose him 2)have his coffin paraded through the city 3)black cover on coffin means deposed, white means not deposed He says this is all he can do for the prince. Uneasy, she agrees to help him....



9. Finally, Zheng Wei tells her that at the court, every person, even he, puts on an act and thus you should always do what you must do without regret, only then can you be happy. He has no regrets. He did his best (basically) and she shouldn't mind the future. They bid farewell, and it is understood that she will probably never see him again. She tells him she is lucky to have met him in her life.



10.In her room, she writes a simple note that says black=deposed white=not deposed. It is for the crown prince. Xu Hui suddenly entrs, and she hides it. (She is Extremely suspicious as she hides the note. It is a very contrived scene, but necessary to push the plot forward). Xu Hui finds the note and looks at her....



Comments: Things are heating up. Xu Hui's true colors are coming out and Menieng still needs to learn how to play this game. She hasn't really dirtied her hands yet because of her powerful friends, but that may change. Currently she has involved her self in some serious things and so the consequences will have a long lasting impact....

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ep 23 spoilers ahead!

23/96!



1.We open to morning court. The emperor would like to know where the crown prince is. Someone suggests he is out hunting (this is like saying 'the crown prince would rather play than take on serious matters of state'). This greatly angers the Honorable Wei (Tutor). He calls this man out for slandering the crown prince with no evidence.



2.Fortunately, a guard announces that the crown prince is just outside. Court is dismissed, and the crown prince enters...carrying a box (I cannot emphasize how sad this is, that his father ordered him to essentially kill his lover. I think it makes the emperor something of a hypocrite, because was he not going to allow Meniang to live by having her flee the country? But the person with the power gets to make all the rules...) The prince offers it up like a trophy and promises to turn over a new lead (essentially). His father congratulates him for finally acting like a crown prince.



3.Meanwhile, Crown Princess learns that Chengxin is dead and is so happy that she decides to throw a celebration. She also learns that the courtiers were impressed with the crown prince's display of authority (essentially it is a good sign because it means he is choosing to put the state before all else, including personal attachments).



4.Elsewhere, Meniang (looking almost like she is in withdrawal from drugs, I am not sure if she is still recovering from her arrow wound or if this is from stress) goes to the private candle room and lights her first candle for General Li (this would be the man who was killed as the Lady Wu). She apologizes to his spirit (this doesn't sit very well with me if only because he literally stood no chance; it isn't like fighting to survive in the harem when you know you are in a battlefield....maybe I am wrong)



5.Meanwhile, Xiao Q is very pregnant. She manages to slip out of her palace and spies on her aunt in her garden area. She is happy to hear her discuss how happy she is that Xiao Q is pregnant...until she learns that her Aunt plans to kill Xiao Q and adopt the child as her own (very common--a midwife or doctor would use a knife and make a cut in the right spot and you essentially bleed to death). This horrifies and shocks Xiao Q, who never once thought her Aunt would plot against her (she has had a big reality check and needs to find some friends fast unfortunately she alienated just about everyone in the harem, probably just as her Aunt wanted. Wei must have been planning this since she entered)



6.Consort Wei receives an invitation from Crown Princess to attend her party. She has been hiding Xiao Q to 1)Keep her under her thumb but 2)to bring her out at the right time. She believes this is the best time to show her around, so no one speculates about the pregnancy or her intentions. She can play the part of adoring Aunt (she is so wicked but I really like her character). Xiao Q hopes to find the time to meet up with her old friends (remember the two girls who were always following her around?)



7.At the party, Xiao Q breaks her bracelet and while the maids frantically pick it up she sees her friends. But before getting there she over hears them talk--one has been promoted to Cairen, the other is a Jieyou, and they both talk about how much they hated sucking up to Xiao Q and how she is only good for the connection to Consort Wei--they also wish she and her child dies in birth (close call there...) Menieng and Xu Hui walk by, overhear it, and defend the child as innocent. Xu Hui also condemns them and says that while the girls did not get along it is in the past and they never held a grudge. (Is there hope for Xiao Q? How ironic to ask Menieng for help...)



--CRUEL IRONY: Xu Hui states that the palace is full of backstabbers like them...to Menieng....I can't wait to see her taken down...they say they lowest circle of hell is reserved for traitors...--



8.Xiao Q is able to use the high emotions of a pregnant woman to disguise her tears but she is feeling pretty hopeless. She is being watched by her Aunt and seeks to speak to Meniang. Unfortunately, she runs into Xu Hui first. She is able to get Xu Hui to come visit her, under the guise of starting a new beginning (man, bad luck to get Xu Hui...)



9.When Xu Hui visits, Xiao Q is able to get the servants to wait outside while she speaks to Hui. She writes on the table that the walls have ears. They retreat somewhere secluded and Xiao Q begs her for help and explains her situation. Xu Hui tells her that she came to the wrong person, that she couldn't support her against Consort Wei who is too powerful. She then (and this is pretty messed up), with an empathetic voice, repeats how awful it is by clearly explain that Xiao Q can look forward to a painful death, her child being taken away and never knowing her, and no one mourning her death (Xu Hui was always this twisted?) she then tells her that she could survive if she aborts the baby...(I am certain this is a capital crime) and she might be able to help her there, but she has to let her know what she decides. Consort Wei's people arrive only to walk in on a (staged) argument between the girls. This reassures Consort Wei that Xiao Q has no one to depend on her but her.



(Random: I kind of think of Dr. Evil when I see her petting that cat.)

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episode 2 spoilers ahead

I have to list names in order for this episode to make sense. It is clearly setting the stage by introducing an enormous amount of information early on. Thus, this episode is less about plot advancement and more about flooding our minds with info.



People:

1.Xu Yourong 'Rong'er': Gives the Impression of being Serious, Reserved, and Respectable; daughter of Mrs. Xu and Sheng's Marriage Partner (neither know what the other looks like)-Lishan Academy

2.Nan Ke:Gives Impression of a daring, proud, loyal girl. In love with Qiu Shan

3.Black Gown: Nan Ke's Shifu/Wants to take down the Holy Empress

4.Qiu Shan Jun 'Quishan': Tiandiao Academy-Impression is that he is Capable, Rigid, Skilled, Moral (I think he is smug and judgmental)(I also think he is in love with Rong'er)

5.Bai Lougheng, Princess of Beast Clan: (My favorite) Seems to be adorable, playful, a bit of an airhead but extremely (book)smart and good at solving puzzles

6.Uncle Kim/General Yu Jui of Beast Clan: Caring/Babysitter for Lougheng/Capable

7.Mrs. Xu/Engagement Master: Presents as proud, arrogant, and concerned about status/images, Ruthless but seems to have Rong'er's best interests at heart

8.Mo Yu:No-nonsense, a favorite of the Holy Empress

9.Prince Chiuliu: No Opinion yet

10.Ya'er: A Cassanova-type, flirtatious and arrogant, direct

11.Tang Thirty Six: A little narcissism, disdainful, clever/inventive, respects intelligence



Places: They were just named by Mrs. Xu

1.Tianshu Musuem

2.Abyss Bridge

3.Li Gang Palace



Academies:

1.Tiandiao Academy: Considered the Best & Most Difficult to Enter

2.Guojiao Academy: Shut Down for Doing 'Unacceptable Things'

3.Star Hunting Academy: The Army

4.Qingyao Academy: Ladies Only

5.Cultivation in Zongsi Academy: Considered the Cruelest

6.Lishan Academy: Does not pull from the exam/Hand Picks members



Items:

1.World of Zhou Dufo/Holds a Great Power (accessed via Zhou Garden?)



Episode Guide:

1.Before leaving the mountain, Sheng receives an engagement agreement. When he was young his shifu saved the life of a girl, Xu Yourong. The grandfather of this girl engaged her to Sheng. Sheng plans to break the engagement since there is no guarantee if he will past the age of 20. As he leaves, he bows dramatically, and Yu Run, his buddy, is holding back tears and tells him he will wait for his return (but he probably thinks he will die and will never see him again)



2.In the next scene, Yourong is practicing her music when another girl engages her in a sword fight. It is actually a serious fight, this girl is Nan Ke of the demon clan and she wants her astrolabe. She succeeds, and she injures Yourong. As she is stumbling back, Yourong (who I will refer to as Rong'er) encounters Sheng. He gives her medicine to suppress the poison (also tells her she is poisoned) and tries to help her out with his mighty powers of negotiation. Nan Ke does not want to negotiatie, and pardon my language, she essentially b**** slaps him (this was funny) and Rong'er must intervene. She entraps her in a bubble that briefly makes her unable to move. Sheng and Rong'er flee.



3.Quishan intervenes (his entrance is very dramatic) and Nan Ke halts at the site of him. She says she likes him and does not want him involved. Quishan reveals himself to be a complete jerk by trampling on her feelings and essentially saying a demon is a demon (basically, you are evil, I won't be with you)(I feel bad for her, no girl should be spoken to like that! enemy of women). Because she does not want to fight him, she returns the astrolabe and leaves.



4.Sheng offers to give Rong'er treatment for the poison that will help suppress it but she explains she can use cultivation to take care of it (this gives the impression of a strong girl who does not like to rely on others). He respects this and they part ways, without learning each other's names...Sheng dubs her Ms Chijan (I think)(meaning first meeting) and describes her beauty as 'like the clouds' (OMG bwahahaha)



5.Meanwhile, Nan Ke returns to Black Gown (because, you guessed it, he wears a black gown) who expresses concern that her weakness could get in the way, but she insists she is loyal and will do her best to support the plan of trying to defeat the phoenix clan (human clan)



6. Qishan returns the astrolabe to Rong'er. She rejects his aid. We learn that in 2 days time they will meet the empress together and discuss the Zhou Dufu--apparently Rong'er can calculate the trajectory/has access to the key which can open it via Zhou Garden (I think they said this they talked very quickly/subtitles were fast). Both demon and human clans are looking for because inside is a strong power. (I have no evidence to support this but Quishan seems a bit off I wonder if he is black gown; plus you usually meet these masked people early on in the show case in point, Journey of Flower)



7.Sheng enters the city, is both awkward and interested as he explores the new things the city has to offer...



8.We are introduced to Bai Lougheng of the beast clan (I like her a lot) she has just awoken from studying but it seems to be the last thing on her mind. She wants to go play. Uncle Kim (general) explains she must go to Tiandiao Academy. It seems her Meridians are blocked and they need some good doctors to fix it. We learn she also enjoys breaking sword formations (a puzzle lover?)



9.A silly scene unfolds as Sheng enters a restaurant entitled golden wings and expects the real deal. He runs into Lougheng here who brings him to an Inn. She also sniffs him and concludes he 'smells wonderful'. A shady guy has been following her but he runs off every time he spies Uncle Kim.



10.Elsewhere, Black Gown meets with this shady guy, who complains it is hard to track beast princess. She has something called the Interspacial Bug, a powerful tool of some sort. Black Gown will go to the demon king and obtain his Demon Smoke to use against it.



11.Elsewhere, in a scene that is purely fan service, Quishan swims half naked in order to achieve a green glob of 1,000 year old lotus seed. He delivers this glob to Rong'er who acknowledges his act because apparently it is guarded by dangerous beasts (this guy has to be up to no good I am really getting that vibe from him). I think he is in love with her.



12.In the 'capital' )I am not sure what to call it, Holy Empress is holding morning court. The empress acknowledges the importance of preparing for an attack from the demon clan (her outfits are so pretty). She also declares that the Examination period is to begin and people should begin to select scholars, and she confirms that Guijao will not open for apparent crimes committed.



13.Meanwhile, Sheng visits the engagement master. There he meets Mrs. Xu, the daughter, I believe, of the man who engaged him, and the mother of his fiancée. She is extremely cold and rude, and basically implies that Sheng has no class because he hasn't seen any of the sites the city has to offer nor has he tasted the rare tea she prepared for him (as if to say he could not recognize or appreciate its worth). She insults his shifu, says he is a nobody, and will not marry Rong'er. He then says that he planned to break the engagement (offending her) and now he is not going to break it unless she apologizes to his shifu. He leaves.



14.Outdoors a girl who serves Rong'er explains that he should just agree to Mrs. Xu's terms because she will try to kill him. He refuses. (Mrs. Xu has her left hand man 'take care of this' and she says that Rong'er only has eyes for Quishan...somehow I think that is wishful thinking)



--This feels like a Grimms Fairy Tale, like when the prince meets the poor girl, not realizing she is a princess and insults her--



15.Holy Empress says the 6 Ivy Examination will start, Mo Yu will assist the Prince of Chiuliu. She meets with the empress and is close enough with her to have a bet. She insists that Ya'er will be the star of this year's examination, but the empress finds him to be frivolous and immature. She would bet on Rong'er if she would participate (I don't think we find out who she thinks will win)



16.We meet Ya'er who is exactly as the empress describes him. Mo Yu feigns indifference when she sees him, he calls her Sister Mo, and he basically announces that he is arrogant and domineering--just as his clan is perceived...



17.Sheng accidentally wanders into the area where scholars are applying for the exam. We learn all about the schools. Before we learn why Giajiao is shut down, a guy shows up with mechanical wings. He is Tang Thirty Six, a show off who normally rides mythical beasts. He is the Eldest Young Master of Wenshui Tang Family, renowned, and known for their wealth. He pulls the wings in and makes it rain silver, and everyone greedily tries to grab the silver but Sheng, who looks bored and uninterested. This attracts Thirty-Six's attention, and Sheng compliments his wings but points out some failures in it. This (I am so glad he is not unable to take criticism) seems to earn Tang's respect and he seems to respect intelligence. He wants to know more about what could be improved...is this a new friend?



Comments: No real plot advancement yet. I find Sheng's character a little hard to pin down because he will seem mainly smart/wise and yet suddenly naïve and innocent, like when it comes to the battle. The jury is still out on him. Some of the characters seem promising. The sets are nice. The opening song, I personally don't like but the shows music so far seems good. I don't like fan service and hope to see less of that. I hope to see more of demon clan as they interest me.

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episode 22 spoilers ahead

1.Xu Hui seeks out Mo Gong Gong who relays Prince Wei's message: she should focus on the harem. He will help her get rid of Meniang and she must help him depose the crown prince (where does Consort Wei factor in because she does not like to share power....)



2.Meanwhile, Xiao Q throws a tantrum about the medicine she must take. But she really does throw it up every time she tries to drink it. I have a bad feeling every time her Aunt appears, and worry what her plot is...Elsewhere Cr. Prince makes plans to send his lover away...for his safety



3.At the horse track Li Zhe and Crown Prince race horses together (Li Zhi is often portrayed as innocent). The emperor arrives and tells Crown Prince that he liked his apology and then walks him to some records. They are all about his lover, Chengxin, and Crown Prince implores the emperor to believe him when he says that he is not connected to the prophecy. The Emperor believes him, burns the reports (which was delivered to him in a twisted way) and tells him that he must kill Chengxin because it will solidify his hold on the crown and prove to the public that he is strong.



4.Elsewhere, Prince Wei is so happy he might bust. At the same time he learns that Crown Prince is sending his lover away (he wants to implicate him in the prophecy) he also learns Xu Hui has committed to his cause.



5.Xiao continues to suffer under the strange medication she must take and endure her Aunt's extremely controlling behavior. I wonder if she is poisoning her or plans to take the baby as her own after killing her?



6.The prince takes Chengxin hunting but is unable to kill him...upon his return his tutor lectures him and tells him that it is Chengxin's honor if he can die to serve him and that the Crown Prince's own worse enemy is himself.



7.Elsewhere Crown Princess walks with Menieng. Menieng and her both believe that the person being executed for 'Wu' is some Commander from nowhere. Menieng seems to not have any qualms over this (she's becoming more ruthless--she doesn't want to die). She empathizes with Crown Princess who shares (essentially) that even if she is not the crown prince's lover she wants him to value her. Menieng tells her that for a man like the crown prince, who values power, she needs to prove herself his equal and stop bowing down to him.



8.Li Zhi and Menieng have a random encounter in the library. He gives her the art of war, and tells her he has been studying to support his father when he challenges the rebels in the north. She compliments him and says he has really grown up.



9.The Emperor and Menieng meet up. he confirms he is going on an expedition soon and wlll be gone for 6-12 months. She wants to go. he says no, she says she will be like Mulan. he basically says he wants to protect her from the horrors of war. He then takes her to a private room where many candles are lit (like over a hundred) and shares every time he has felt uneasy about killing someone he has lit a candle in memory of the dead.



10.Elsewhere, the crown prince gets up in the middle of the night and meets with Chengxin. He drinks a lot and Chenxing seems to know why he is there with a sword. He begs him to be sober when he sends him off. They then go to a spot on the woods, that Chengxin has picked, and he closes his eyes and the both cry as Crown prince swings the sword....



END EPISODE

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episode 21 spoilers ahead

---And Here Xu Hui a.k.a. Jieyou Xu Confirms What We've Been Dreading: She Hates Meniang...



1.The Emperor meets with Fuji and discusses the incident with Li Xiao. He is extremely distraught because he understood Li Xiao to be loyal, having served him well for ten years (hence why he selected him for such an important task). Fuji explains that perhaps Li Xiao misunderstood when the emperor talked about taking care of Meniang in 3 months time...and so he acted on his own. The emperor reads between the words and asks if Li Xiao was acting under Fuji, however Fuji 'wouldn't dare'. The emperor is so angry he tells him to get out.



2.Elsewhere, Prince Wei or is it Wu (they look so similar to me, sorry) I think it is Wei, is angry that Crown Prince saved Meniang. He must now try to light another fire in the Eastern Palace (a.k.a. set him up). His servant suggests that he find a courtier who is reliable but expendable and have him mention the Wu prophecy and suggest that the only way to address it is to impeach the crown prince. Prince Wei says that will only start the fire in their backfire but his servant points out that the Crown Prince has a strong tendency to panic and reveal his worse traits when he is frightened (all true). They go with this plan.



3.Elsewhere, the Crown Prince has written a very good apology that he plans to present at morning assembly and humble himself before the courtiers and emperor, earning respect and showing he has grown.



4.At the Morning Assembly, a minister points out that perhaps now is a good time to face the rebel army in the North now that they have been successful in the desert. But the emperor says they cannot afford two campaigns back to back and points out that the Sui dynasty was made so weak it fell because they tried (and failed) to conquer the rebels in the North.



5.Before the Crown Prince can speak, Zhang Yuanji speaks: he basically says the crown prince is inept and worthless and perhaps the only way to clear up the issue of the prophecy is in impeaching him. This inspires outrage in everyone, and he looks around for support (I feel so bad for him; I strongly think whoever told him to do it made it sound like he would be completely safe and it was the right thing to do; he was thoroughly used). The emperor has him placed on death row. The meeting is ended and the crown prince is unable to deliver his apology (awww...circumstance keeps turning against him...if he were more ruthless he could turn it around but he cannot...)



6.A furious crown prince returns and immediately wants to send a letter to the emperor calling for Menieng's death. His tutor, Chancellor Wei, stops him. He explains to him that is the worse thing to do because Meniang is doted on by the emperor and is even liked by Pure Consort Yang. He explains that she has the harem behind her, and that is something he will need to succeed. he also points out that if he kills people every time they slander him he will, basically, be a worthless tyrant. The crown prince calms down however he proposes he cannot enter the harem how can he contact her. Crown Princess steps in to help.



7.Elsewhere, Fuji is speaking to the emperor and they are discussing the incident in morning meeting. Fuji reports that it is strange. He does not believe that Wei Zhangsun is behind this (that is Consort Wei's Uncle,I think) but is someone more smart and clever. he says whoever put Yuanji (the man on deathrow up to this) is working to undermine the crown prince in a manner similar to how Sui was undermined. The emperor says that whoever is responsible deserves to be executed...



8.Crown Princess visits Meniang. She immediately guesses the reason for her coming: the incident that occurred during the meeting. She tells her that the crown prince must want her dead and hate her. (This is very blunt, meaning the crown princess must prove to her if this is not true). Crown Princess is just as blunt: she tells her that initially the crown prince wanted to write to the emperor to have her executed, but he changed his mind after speaking to Chancellor Wei. She explains that they believe that only in protecting (uniting) with Meniang can they stand against the forces who are trying to undermine both of them. Meniang is persuaded (she's so grown up, beginning her own plots and schemes! However, historically Wu was known to have schemed a great deal. But the show puts her in a more favorable light. Instead of appearing ambitious for power, she is painted as someone forced to act out of self defense.)



9.Meniang tells the Crown Princess that when Master Li (the Taoist monk) died , he had not finished the prophecy but only had a name. She tells her to tell Chancellor Wei that they should finish the prophecy, and he will know what that means (very cryptic)



10.Chancellor Wei more than understands her message. He visits the emperor and reports on the crown prince. He explains that the crown prince is filled with fear because the emperor put Yuanji on death row instead of executing him and believes he is considering taking away his conferment. The emperor essentially says yes I have thoughts, but not that, and the crown prince maybe shouldn't be crown prince if he is so easily frightened. Chancellor Wei explains to him that he believes someone at court is using the prophecy, now a double edged sword, to target the people the emperor cares for (today it is Cairen Wu, tomorrow the prince). He then gives him a name: it is a Commander Wu (also a Duke) who served ad Xuanwu Gate and is called 'Lady Wu' by his friends. The emperor seems happy with this and tells him that he 'leaves it to him' and that this man shall be switched to an Inspector...



-I assume they plan on having this guy be the real 'Wu'?-



11.The emperor speaks to Fuji, and Fuji understands the plan, supports it, but is worried that Cairen Wu will have a son, and that might interfere with succession. The emperor is annoyed and tells him she will not become pregnant by him and so he need not worry. He gives him explicit orders to not harm her.



12.Consort Yang is walking with her personal servant and explains she is happy to see that Menieng is thriving under her nurturing. She has developed into a balanced woman capable of controlling the harem because she is not weak (like Consort Yin) and she does not use her power cruelly (like Consort Wei). She is happy to see she is learning how to manage on her own, and views her movement with the crown prince as an act of securing her position. She laments the fact that her son could not use the opportunity of saving Menieng to his advantage. She hopes Menieng is sentimental and will choose to support Wu over the crown prince.



13.Elsewhere, Prince Wei binge eats because his plot to impeach the crown prince has failed. He realizes that Menieng is now a threat, that Consort Wei was not short sighted, since Menieng now enjoys the attention of the emperor, is favored by Consort Yang, and has the Eastern Palace on her side. He needs to kill her. His plan? To use someone close to her (Xu Hui!)



14.Xu Hui is directly approached by Prince Wei, who essentially points out that Menieng has risen while her position stagnates and that as long as she is around, the emperor will never look her way. He tells her to seek out Mo Gong Gong in the laundry if she should want to work with him...



15.Menieng meanwhile pleads on behalf of Xu Hui and is successful in getting the emperor to take her back into the library as an assistant, since she knows how much Xu Hui loves him (this just makes her seem so nice and benevolent--I am skeptical this would have happened in real life but it makes for a more likable and sympathetic female lead)



16.Xu hui, menieng, Consort yang, and Prince Wei have lunch (I thought men were not allowed in the harem, however she is his son, and there is a eunuch present throughout the entire dinner). menieng dances around the topic of Wu and basically remains neutral, stating all the princes have their pros and cons and they should focus on happiness. Afterwards, Yang talks to her servant and says that Menieng has essentially said she supports the crown prince by not committing to anything. They do however point out that things seem different between her and Xu Hui...



17.On the way back, Menieng repeatedly asks Xu Hui if she is mad at her or if she has angered her. Xu hui evades answering her but Menieng wants to know why she is ignoring her/avoiding her (well, I will say this: Menieng is likable. but she is so perfect that it is difficult to confront her head on. Many people struggle with confrontation, and menieng is a skilled conversationalist and very clever, perhaps even without realizing it. Someone like Xu Hui might feel inferior, especially upon realizing that she is getting scraps--if they maybe talked about it like adults like, hey, I feel like you get all the attention and I feel inferior yadayadayda they might get through it....but that is not what happens. And Xui Hui is so wrapped up in all the exiting things happening to her that she can't even name a reason for Xu Hui being mad--notice how she never says 'Listen, I know you love the emperor and I've been monopolizing him. I love him too, that's why, but I want to make sure you see him too because I love you too. Nope. She says 'what did I do wrong' which puts it all on Xu Hui to be the 'mean one' and point it out' It means that Xu Hui will be extremely upset because even if Menieng hasn't done anything wrong she is completely insensitive to Xu Hui and unable to notice/see that her behavior has hurt her)



And of course this won't justify the inevitable betrayal that we now can see Xu Hui will take part in, but we can at least see that maybe it could have been prevented, or talked out.



18.Our episode ends with Xu Hui, looking crazy, staring into a mirror, talking to herself as she essentially sobs and says she hates Menieng and her hypocritical kindness and believes she can't have the emperor with her there and shatters the bracelet (she also says she hates that she is disposable)--I think it is interesting the director used a mirror. Because Zheng Wanyan (recall they were a trio of friends) hated looking in the mirror and believed that Menieng was a barrier to her success in the harem, because the emperor only saw her, now Xu hui is the same way (this is like a lesson against trying to have 100% attention of the emperor; share the love otherwise the others go crazy with jealousy) however Xu Hui keeps staring into the mirror, I wonder what she is seeing?

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episode 20 spoilers ahead

In keeping with tradition, here is a list of the dearly departed, gone too soon...:

(more to come when we hit the 30 milestone)



-Prince Qi 'You'er' Son of Virtuous Consort Yin (murdered by his Uncle, Honorable Yin)

-The Honorable Yin (suicide/throat slit; brother of Virtuous Consort Yin)

-Virtuous Consort Yin (suicide, drowning)

-Zheng Gong Gong (loyal Yin servant, executed for treason)

-Prince Q's teacher/Governor of Quizhou (murdered by Honorable Yin/betrayed)

-Most of the Quizhou army (killed by Imperial troops for treason/rebelling)

-Zheng Wanyan's father (assassinated for almost derailing the rebellion, learned Consort Yin killed his daughter right before he died...)

-Hao Gong Gong of the Imperial Kitchens (betrayed Prince Qi in order to gain brownie points with the Crown Prince, who he tried to persuade to kill the emperor....killed by Crown Prince)

-Yuling (planted by Consort Yang to spy on Consort Wei, was caught and never seen again, presumed dead)

-Li Chunfeng (Taoist/astronomer)(suffocated after eating crab meat due to allergy/death arranged by Consort Wei)

-Shizicong (horse, gifted to Menieng, killed by Meniang in order to save Prince Jin's life)



Important New characters:

-General Hou, loyal to Crown Prince, dislikes courtiers



Milestones:

-Ru Yi's name is changed to Wu Menieng by the emperor

-Menieng consummates with the emperor (episode 15)

-Wu Menieng is predicted to be a calamity, and will one day usurp the Tang dynasty hence everyone wants her dead



1.Crown Prince considers visiting Chancellor Wei with his problems but chooses not to. Elsewhere, Prince Wei refuses to kill Meniang as Consort Wei demands because he thinks the timing is wrong: the emperor's feelings towards her are unclear and none of the courtiers have tried to kill her in three months.



2.Later, a drunk Crown Prince returns and his tutor is waiting. He has a candid talk with him. He asks him how he perceives him, and Crown Prince explains that he sees him as a man so honest and wise that even his father would not execute him for his comments. Tutor shares that this was not always the case. That after the emperor seized power, he was very angry since he served Yuang, and tried many times to provoke the emperor into killing him. He not only failed, but the emperor seriously considered what he had to say. In time, he developed the reputation he currently enjoys. Tutor says he always regretted that he failed to protect the prince he was serving and does not want to fail again. He also says he sees a repeat of what happened at Xuanwu Gate: the crown prince is disgraced and lacks the power to fight Prince Wei, who is smart and a great schemer. But the Crown prince is more virtuous, his loyalty has been proven, and he believes Prince Wei is too caught up in scheming. He thinks Crown Prince is a better choice, and he believes he should disobey the Emperor's orders and....save Consort Miniang (!)



3.Elsewhere, the Emperor plans to dump Meniang, completely. He tells Li Xiao that he will pick her up, take her to an inn where enough money is for her to leave Chang'an and have a new life. (What a nice guy...that was sarcasm....also, isn't this completely unheard of for this time period? To send off someone you love? Emperors took their concubines to the grave with them!)



4.We go to the hunt, and Prince Wu and Wei are there. As is Li Zhi, Prince of jin, and he is al grown up and looking extremely good. (it is kind of weird because she is like a step mom and yet we know she is going to marry him someday...). The game begins, and it is actually like paint ball. They shot arrows, the head removed, and a paint mark appears on the armored people they are 'hunting'. The only thing I do not understand is why a woman is here, partaking in a sport clearly designed for men. I guess it is the only way the emperor can 'dump' her?



5.Meniang gets separated from the other. Men attack her, and Prince Wu disposes of them but no one but Meniang is there to see it (recall that Consort Yang had a plant that he would save her...). Li Xiao turns traitor, tries to kill her, actually puts an arrow in her, but the emperor' arrow stops him, as does crown prince. Crown prince is thanked by the emperor, Li Zhi watches all of this go down in the woods (like a guy secretly watching the love of his life be with another man....because that's what it looks like) and Li Xiao kills himself before he can tell who ordered him here.



6.Back in Chang'an, Meniang awakens and seeks out the emperor. He is standing on the walls edge, and it almost looks like he is contemplating suicide. She appears, and we learn that as a kid he used to play up on the wall and is used to it (!). Meniang echoes my thoughts: what kind of game is that? She joins him, and essentially confronts him, asking if he sent the assassin. The emperor denies it. She then accuses him of believing in the calamity prophecy (which he does not deny). She prepares to jump but he stops her, calling her crazy.



7.We also learn that General Hou is successful in his crushing of the rebellion and is returning. The emperor is notified that Xiao Q is pregnant (Meniang doesn't seem to care and congratulates him). He visits her, and we learn that she has kept it hidden for four months, since the night he visited her, and hid it because she foolishly believed the harem rumor that you keep such things secret. The doctor tells the emperor that she must not have any excitement because she is in danger of losing the baby (B.S! I beat she isn't pregnant and they plan to fake a miscarriage to implicate Wu. Just wait!)



8.Xu Hui visits Meniang and they drink together. Xu Hui admits she has been avoiding her because she was jealous, and Meniang is happy she has returned to her side. Xu hui asks her if she has ever been in love before, and she says once, when she was a little girl (we're talking like 8) she gave a man named Li Mu her jade pendant and wanted to marry him (this seems like it will bite her later). She shares that she does not regret falling in love with the emperor but believes he might believe in the prophecy, which essentially fills her with fear....

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episode 19 spoilers ahead

19/96!



1.The Emperor visits Wu Meniang because he is curious: if she knows why he is ignoring her, then why is she making all these efforts to see him? She explains that even if she knows his reasons, her love is her own business (this scene is a bit dramatic but it looks pretty)



2.He invites her to Ganlu Hall to dance the Prince of Lanling. Her entire face just lights up. However, in Ganlu Hall, Xu Hui is performing the Prince of Lanling dance. (I feel a bit bad for Xu Hui who is being used by the emperor like this)(his goal seems to be to make Meniang hate him)(and ruing their friendship, pretty messed up). Meniang comes in, is naturally shocked, and the emperor takes Xu Hui in his arms and flatly tells Meniang that she is replaceable and anyone can fill her shoes.



3.Meniang runs away after saying she won't approach him anymore (oh I love the cliché-ness!) and it is pouring rain (of course) and her make up does not run (of course). She very prettily collapses on the edge of the lake and then a eunuch returns to the emperor and reports that Menieng has thrown herself into the pond. The emperor rushes to see her...



4.Elsewhere, we see Consort Yang who wants Menieng healthy (I think her survival ensures Yang's survival as it prevents Wei from overtaking the harem)



5.The emperor rages at the doctors who are doing their best. Consort Yang intervenes and soothes his anger and tells him Menieng will be fine. He thanks her and then she is dismissed. The emperor removes his outer robes and carries Menieng into a hot bath with tons of petals (it is a really pretty scene)--it seems the steam bath is to help her body, which has lost a lot of heat.



6.Elsewhere, Consort Wei is tending to her flowers and talks to them like they are her enemies (for example, a rose is too pretty and overstepping its boundaries, so she clips it) however when she learns Menieng is alive she destroys some plants (where doesn't she have eyes?). She sends a message to Prince Wei that Consort Menieng must be killed at once.



7.Meanwhile, Menieng awakens. Consort Yang is beside her. Menieng explains she did not try to kill herself, that she was irresponsible and ran out into the rain and because she was outside too long, she collapsed from the cold. Consort Yang believes her, knowing that Menieng is not the type to resort to those kinds of foolish antics for attention. Menieng apologizes but asks if the emperor came to see her. Consort Yang lies (the emperor probably ordered her to lie).



8.Elsewhere, the emperor is in bed, surrounded by doctors. We learn he is healthy but became ill since he went into the steam bath, and now his body has 'too much heat in it' (not even sure what that means). Everyone continues to wonder why he cares for Menieng.

I can answer that. 1)Have you seen her? 2)Have you SEEN HER? 3)She is so lovely she could make a gay man want her or straight woman want her--that's how lovely she is and she's written to be perfect but likable COME ON that is a tough balance to achieve when your audience is mainly women



9.Meanwhile, Menieng visits the emperor who is asleep (only she could get away with bull dozing her way into his chambers--somehow I think this is like a capital offence but we will ignore it) and lovingly strokes his face and tells him that she 'felt his presence' when she was ill but everyone says he was not there. She says she knows he is deliberately distancing himself from her out of concern. She sighs and then leaves. The emperor (who we all know was faking) awakens and touches his face and is visibly happy with her words//he seems to be falling more in love with her.



10.Meanwhile, we cut to Xu Hui who is doing the Prince of Lanling dance, alone, and the music has an ominous sound. She is presented like someone on the edge of snapping--almost like she has an obsessive kind of love. (this should be comparable to Consort Wei; Consort Yang I don't know if she loves the emperor, however, Menieng I think would gladly share the emperor with Xu Hui because she loves him and wants him to be happy....Xu Hui is envious of someone being number one is heart. Menieng wasn't jealous of Xu Hui, who was dancing, more like offended that the emperor would have her do something that is special to them and then trample on her feelings)



11.Meanwhile, Prince Wei is hosting a celebration in honor of the emperor giving him a commission for his completion of the epic Journal of Geography. He is meeting ministers, is all smiles (he is like a politician you see on t.v.). He sends an invitation to the crown prince, who has been drinking (surprise) and is extremely annoyed about the invite. He shows up, and proceeds to make scene....



12.The emperor receives word that the crown prince is on his way to see Prince Wei (and drunk)(I wonder who tipped him off...) The emperor arrives just in time to see the crown prince kicking the Journal and pouring wine on it while Prince Wei looks the picture of upset. The emperor lectures him in front of everyone, humiliating him, and then reads out an edict that awards Prince Wei 3,000 taels of silver, permission to expand the library, and to hire scholars at his discretion. (I hate to say it but the crown prince is not behaving like a crown prince, more like an angry and insecure child, and he is playing right into Wei's hands, and he knows this but he can't seem to do anything right. he's a bully himself)



--I respect Prince Wei's meticulous scheming. He doesn't resort to murder but instead, kind of like Othello, uses peoples fears and insecurities and manipulates them so that they act on their own accord. Consort Wei could become this if she weren't so hotheaded/emotional. She is also so used to being unchallenged that she is becoming sloppy while Prince Wei is playing his game very carefully, and safely--



13.Later, the emperor has a dream in which Menieng and her horse are asking him to run away with her and leave behind the palace. He is about to go but states men call his name. Distracted, he looks back, and when he turns back, she is gone, frightening him. (I think this speaks to the weights of responsibility that are holding him back from pursuing her 100%) He awakens, startled. Perhaps because of the dream, he orders that Menieng join him on his trip to Lishan.



14.Xu Hui continues to bribe a eunech and learns that her name is not on the list to accompany the emperor. She also learns that Consort yang will not be going because of illness but Menieng will be...making her anxious.



15.Elsewhere, Consort Yang meets with her son, Prince Wu, and tells him to stay close to Menieng. She believes 'something will happen' on the hunting trip. He is confused and wants to know why she changed her mind (recall, earlier she warned him to stay away from her). She does not elaborate. (I wonder if she is going to set up an attack and have her son save her, earning the attention of the emperor?)



16.Meanwhile, Crown Prince is practicing archery (it is deliberate, I think, that he continues to almost hit the target, but miss it, as if saying he is just not able to hit his goals the way Wei is able to) and is looking forward to the trip to Lishan (it sounds like he goes regularly) however he receives a message from the emperor that he is not to come and should study. This upsets him, and he chooses to drink, party, and act recklessly (I hate to say it but he is not able to handle criticism or competition; Prince Wei probably would make a better emperor he is smarter and more confident and he knows how to handle the courtiers HOWEVER the crown prince has the loyalty of many of the generals who dislike the courtiers)



17.Xiao Q, meanwhile, is aware of the emperor leaving with Meniang, throws a tantrum and is set to confront him when her aunt arrives. Xiao Q has consistently shown respect and fear of her aunt, who has slapped her (as she does today) to get her under control. Her aunt again tells her that it won't be long before they win, and that she loves Xiao Q (I think Xiao Q is a disposable tool for her. her horrible experience in the harem as a young woman combined with her inability to have children as a result has made her bitter and hateful, and I don't blame her. she doesn't let anyone into her heart and all she has is the desire to dominate others, almost a kind of way to get revenge on the people in power who did this to her)



--Things are heating up! What will happen on the way to Lishan? How will the courtiers act since the emperor is unable to distance himself from Meniang? When will Xu Hui betray Meniang (it's a matter of when, at this point, I think). Is Consort Yang to be trusted yet (probably not).

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episode 18 spoilers ahead

18/96!



1.The emperor tells Fuji to be patient, that a woman is nothing before the state, and he need not worry. He then issues an order that Xu Hui be summoned to the Imperial Library and replace Wu. Wu will not come back for the job (he specifically picked her because she was Wu's best friend). His goal is to keep Wu away from state matters.



2.This makes Xu Hui's day. Meanwhile, Rui'an tells Wu, who is working on the lantern, that Xu Hui has replaced her in the study. This doesn't bother her until she learns it is permanetly. She is sad, but will trust the emperor. She asks Rui'an to have the emperor meet her at the pond at 7 to light the lantern.



3.Elsewhere, Consort Wei gets rid of Yuling, Consort Yang's mole, and tells Chun Ying to send a warning to Yang to stop spying on her. The emperor must choose between seeing Consort Wei (whom he promised to see after she defended Yin when died) or Wu. He chooses Consort Wei. There, Consort Wei drugs him and it seems like Xiao Q sleeps with him (the emperor calls her Meniang)



4.Wu waits...and waits....he doesn't come. She lights the lantern herself...so sad....



5.The emperor awakens and quickly leaves. Yang learns her spy is dead and the emperor spent the evening with Wei and Xiao Q. Yang believes that the emperor was unable to write off the horse incident and so now is distancing himself from Wu in order to protect her. She decides she must help Wu out of this, and plans to re interpret the prophecy....



6.Wei has Xiao Q fake pregnancy symptoms, to gain the attention of the emperor, and then they will deal with the matter of her actually becoming pregnant next (she is so cocky she thinks she can get away with this?)



7.Consort Yang visits Wu, who asks her how to gain the attention of the emperor again. She reminds her that she told her this could happen. Wu (naively) says she will trust the decisions of the emperor. Elsewhere the emperor orders Xu Hui to ignore Wu (this makes no sense I don't understand why).



8.Fuji reports that every night Wu waits for him, lighting the lights, and the emperor coldly tells him he need not worry. He isn't going to see her because he does not want her to be killed; he is tired of innocent people dying....



--This episode was not as interesting as other episodes. I am interested to see what they do next--

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ep 17 spoilers ahead

17/96!



1.Consort Wei discusses the murder of Li Chunfeng (the astronomer) with Chun Ying (her servant). Chung Ying confirms everything went as planned and Noble Consort Wei gloats. Chun Ying reveals she accomplished this by learning he cannot eat seafood and slipped crab meat into his meals. He suffocated. Quinfeng (I cannot recall who this is) is picked up by Minsiter Wei's people and is taken care of.



2.Prince Wei is furious when he learns that Conosrt Wei ignored his order to be patient, lay low, and not allow her personal grudges get in the way of the plan. She disrupts his plan by acting alone and killing Li Chunfeng, This is unfortunate because it means 1)she cannot be trusted 2)she is going to create more problems. Unfortunately, Prince Wei needs her.



3.Elsewhere, the emperor summons Wu to the track and gifts her a beautiful white horse named Shizicong. (The emperor is so happy to see her happy). Meanwhile, Consort Wei is furious that the emperor has essentially ignored the calamity making her efforts at killing Li Chunfeng useless. (Is she in love with him?) Worse, his death only made it easier for the emperor to reject the calamity. Unfortunately for Wu, everyone, including Chancellor Zhangsun, wants Wu dead.



4.Meanwhile, Consort Yang is speaking to her servant and is convinced that Wu is not a threat because while she is daring and smart she is not calculating. She does not believe she would hurt the Li Clan (surname of Tang dynasty). Her servant tells her they have a mole in Wei's palace (she can read lips).



5.Based on the info from the mole, Consort Yang visits Wu and after a quick search of her room they find a voodoo doll. Consort Wei's people come claiming that they are looking for her cat (it is an innocent request that a low ranking Cairen like Wu could not deny). Chung Ying i s not pleased to find that the doll is gone.



6.Consort Yang and Wu speak privately. Wu thanks her for her help, and Consort Yang explains that she has been watching her and knows that she is not calculating or scheming, and she believes she sincerely loves the emperor. Yang tells her she needs to be careful and gives her tools to help her check for poison. Yang also reveals that she Wu reminds her of herself (I cannot tell if she really means this or not). She reveals that she has not been sick her whole life but that when she was young, someone poisoned her for 7 months with green silk worms (that is crazy!). She says Wu, like her, is considered a threat. Afterall, she is Yuang Guang's daughter (last Sui emperor)(although historically, Li Shimin took a consort by the name of Yang who was once married to his brother, whom he killed...same woman?)



7.Wei is angry the voodoo doll didn't work, but it does tell them that they have a spy. Elsewhere, the emperor is visiting with Wu. They plan to make lanterns together, and he teaches her how. They plan to set them off together, and she tells him three of her wishes: 1.That he eat her cooking (he says she has never cook and this is a bad idea) 2.to dance together again (he likes this) 3.she doesn't say this one but says she will tell him when it happens (I think she is talking about a pregnancy)



8.Wei has a new plan: to poison the horse so it goes crazy and throws her. At the tracks, Wu rides the horse for the emperor and watching Li Zhe (Jin Prince), Consort Yang, and Xu Hui. Li Zhe gets on the horse it goes crazy. Wu saves him but must stab her horse to do it. They almost go off the cliff. She is in shock.. The emperor is like their rock as he hugs both her and the prince.



9.In a pretty scene, Wu bathes in a pool of gold petals (on my bucket list: bathe in a flower bath) she is still in shock. She also recalls that Consort Yang told her that if the emperor had to pick between her or the state, he would pick the state.



10.Prince Wei expresses frustration with Consort Wei, who he believes acts on her anger and her plots always hurt others, never the target. However he can use this to his advantage; apparently in killing the horse Wu does something incredibly unladylike and fearsome....Wei is gloating over the same thing.



11.Courtiers petition the emperor to have Wu killed. The emperor continues to refuse, and calls them out for fearing her. Even Fuji, his 'brother' believes it would be good in that it would squash rumors. Sadly, Wu is listening to them talk about taking her life like it is so easily done. I can't imagine how powerless she must feel.



12.Alone, emperor talks to Fuji and Fuju admits that things are different now that the emperor has to consider the needs of others. Here we also learn that the so called Li Clan rumor, which has been used throughout the series to prove the truth of the Wu reading, in fact was a rumor made up by the emperor to help him transition into the throne (a prophecy was started that the Li Clan would take over the Sui Clan....and circulated until people believed it) Rumors, they admit, can destroy lives.

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