EPISODES 11 - 13

3rd wife did not appear in the next 3 episodes so now I know how this series managed to drag until 50 episodes. However these 3 episodes are very interesting if not very confusing, like something was not told or was edited out.

I seriously can't remember where I stopped last episode and my episodic thoughts did not help. The series started kinda abruptly with a meeting between HES and WXB was there giving his opinion of trying to mend the rift between HES and the Mu of Taiwan by rescuing the 2 Mu girls and sending them back. Meanwhile WXB went and see the Emperor and before he could say anything, the Emperor confessed that the 3 assassins caught were all still claiming to be from the Wu clan eventhough they were tortured. But the Emperor was convinced they were not from Wu can and wanted to find which clan they belonged to and so asked WXB to secretly let them go like a favour and find out where they lead him to. WXB was quite shocked because he planned to rescue the girls and not the guys AND the girls but since the Emperor asked him to do that, he said he will think of a way. And the Emperor reminded him to make the rescue in such a way that they will feel indebted to him and trust him enough to reveal their true identity.

Pause here. Sometimes I do think the Emperor may think too highly of WXB to think that he can persuade others he was on their side instead of the Emperor's side despite wearing the empire's costume. And WXB of course use his ties with HES as an excuse but in the eyes of the Emperor, the Emperor didn't know he has ties with HES. So for me to have the Emperor ask him to do what he was asked to do is like a big leap of faith on the part of the Emperor. Or did the Emperor know something??

Anyway he went to the 3 rebels, spectacularly held in half filled water tanks half naked with many spotlights. He taunted them, teased them, humiliated them and he kinda figured out who is Liu Yichung, the one Fang Yi was asking about. He said things like "Fang Yi must be very disappointed with the man she cared about who revealed himself as a coward and a traitor for working for Wu Sangui, the biggest traitor that all would love to destroy and kill". That sort of things. By the way I think it is Liu Yichung, didn't quite catch the name. He revealed himself as a friend of Fang Yi but they didn't believe him.

Anyway he went to the 2 girls, still bedridden and scantily dressed. I am amazed whole day locked in the room (WXB locks the doors-and by the way why no one ever sweep his dirty messy compound? He forbids them? Looks like a desolute abandoned temple!) and he has yet to FEED them. No food, no drinks at all. No water to wash up, no dress and no medicine for Fang Yi who still has some faint scar on her cheek. In these areas I find this series lacking in realism but what realism should I be looking for when an emperor could ask his most loyal subject that everybody knows is his favourite guy to play friend friend with the rebels of unknown origin? Who would believe that?

Anyway he told Fang Yi that guy is still alive with 2 other guys. MJP (Mu Jianping) and Fang Yi revealed the identities of those 2 guys. So WXB said he will rescue them, which he had to anyway since he was ordered by the Emperor but he didn't tell them that. An opportunist I tell you. Then WXB said rescuing them would mean possible death for himself, his mom, dad, bro, sis, uncle, aunt, grandmother, grandfather, etc etc etc which he said on and on and on all the relations he never had. Fang Yi nodded quietly and said "I know it is not fair for me to ask this of you, this is too much of a burden for you alone to bear" and she looked sad but WXB jumped right onto the bed and said he was willing do risk his life for her but with a condition, that if he fails he will be her slave for the rest of his life but if he succeeds, she will do as he bids. Fang Yi quickly added "If you fail, you will do as I bid but if you succeed, I will willingly follow you to the ends of the world and do as you bid, to be your servant girl and serve you even if you no longer require my service, I will still serve you faithfully and diligently". WXB smiled, MJP looked like she always looked like DUH and Fang Yi suddenly thought "But you work in the palace and I can't follow you in the palace without being found out. How am I to be your servant serving at your side?" and WXB too was thinking about this when she said "Never mind, we think of that later". Then WXB asked MJP "Do you have any lover need saving?" and MJP was like "I have no one special, why?" and WXB teased "So that you too will serve me as my servant girl!" and Fang Yi revealed her possessiveness by kicking him in the face with her bare feet (big deal mind you! bare feet!) and WXB bleeding from his nose laughed and happily hoped to be kicked by her feet again. When Fang Yi refused, he turned to MJP and happily said "Here you kick me too then you will agree to be my servant girl. Come on kick me! No kick? Ok, throw something at my face, come on..." and MJP wanted to shut him up and so threw a cup of tea on his face and WXB was very happy at what she did. MJP did not understand what happened when Fang Yi explained "He said throw something at his face and you will be his servant girl, and by doing what you did, you just agreed to his terms. I suppose you might as well just agree to be his servant girl.." and MJP knew she was tricked. WXB laughed but didn't laugh for long when Fang Yi observed "I am older than you, so I shall call you my little brother" and WXB was quite offended by that term but decided to accept it since Fang Yi is quite a temperamental older woman. So that was that and he was to rescue her man when he asked her "Why don't you write a letter to him? So that he will listen to what I ask him to do" and Fang Yi didn't know what to write and she asked WXB "What should I write?" and he said "Well, like listen to this man who is an honourable brave close friend of mine, like those. Anyway whatever you write it doesn't matter since I can't read and write anyway...". Fang Yi and MJP looked at him with wide eyes and Fang Yi especially looked shocked at the revelation and suddenly she started crying.

Pause here. One thing to be an eunuch servant girl for the rest of her life but to be a servant girl to an eunuch who is also illiterate may be a bit too much for the much educated Fang Yi.

So Fang Yi cried at her circumstances and WXB knew why she cried and flustered he said "Ok! Ok! After I rescue him, I will take you both leave the palace and you're free to return to him. I consider this to be free work, ok? Just write the letter" and when she did, he took it and left his place huffing with frustration that he just agreed to do something for nothing. Fang Yi was grateful though.

He met with the official taking care of the prisoners and revealed what the emperor told him to do. He hatched a plan and he met with the 3 guys. He taunted again and again and who broke first? Who else but Fang Yi's hero who begged WXB "Please save me oh great one, please save me, I am Liu Yichung!!" and that was before he knew for sure who he was. The other 2 guys scolded him for his weakness and then WXB showed them the letter from Fang Yi who told them to follow WXB's instruction and the 3 of them became very grateful. He explained the deputy from HES named WXB saw him and begged for his help to rescue them and they bought his story.

Next scene wine were brought to the torture chamber and all the guards were there and WXB invited them to drink the wine laced with sedatives I think. Can't be poison, too many own guys he had to kill. Suddenly the Empress Dowager's men arrived saying WXB was wanted by the Empress Dowager. WXB didn't want to leave with them and so forced the guys to drink as well, and when they all felt faint, WXB pretended to feel faint as well and they all fainted. WXB then took his faithful all purpose knife and stabbed the men from the Empress Dowager's chamber and killed them all. He released the guys and insisted Fang Yi's lover dressed as an eunuch. Then they were openly smuggled out by HES man, the wine delivery guy. The Mu clan was very grateful and pledged loyalty to HES.

Next he went to the Emperor and told him what happened and what he found out. The emperor already suspected the Mu clan and was glad his theory was right and that it wasn't Wu Sangui who sent them. WXB of course added compliments for the emperor saying the rebels wanted to frame Wu Sangui whom they hate and not really to hurt the emperor whom they love which the emperor just listened with bemused expression. Suddenly the Emperor said he wanted to bring WXB to see the Empress Dowager, and WXB was scared and said no way but the Emperor said this was the only way to save his head.

The Empress Dowager wanted WXB to serve her from now on and the Emperor being a filial son could not say no and so he left alone and poor WXB begging the Emperor to save him, pleading with his eyes and the Emperor could do nothing. Once alone, the Empress Dowager quickly threw the cup to the floor and held his neck, angrily counting how many men she had sent to find him and to bring him to her but none came back. She called for her personal assistant, a big woman and they wanted to kill him when he said "If you kill me you will never know where are the other books of 42 scriptures!!". She ordered the maid to stop and she wanted the books and he said he can get them to her. The empress dowager told the maid to follow him and that "I never ever want to see your face again, understand me?" and I suspect neither do WXB.

Back in his room, Fang Yi and MJP heard the commotion and hid behind the veil whilst still bedridden. So many episodes and still bedridden. Once inside WXB struggled with the maid, attempting to kill her but she was more skilled and powerful and he fell to the ground, desperately trying to grab his faithful knife when suddenly the woman wailed and fell dead. He stood up and saw Fang Yi with a big sword dripping with blood and MJP saying innocently "She was such a mean woman" and WXB quickly destroyed the body with that acid he carried around. Then he told Fang Yi and MJP to dress as eunuchs and leave with him since he can't stay in the palace anymore. Hiding in the scary training room where surprisingly it was Fang Yi who freaked out and hugged WXB tightly instead of MJP who seems awfully quiet in this scene, Fang Yi suddenly said she left behind the hair pin her mother left her. WXB too needed the books he had and some money so he said he will go back. Fang Yi thought he was doing that for her and was touched when in reality WXB is a by the way kinda guy. He never does thing for someone else solely without having an element of himself in everything he does. Selfish yes, but then he would also do what he promised others he would do, however reluctantly so in a way he is selfishly giving, if there is such an oxymoron.

Anyway he went back and was shocked to see a pair of legs remaining of the maid. He took them and the books and the pin and the money and left and bumped into the Empress Dowager having an intimate talk with a man dressed as a palace maid. He thought since the empress dowager was no longer in her room he would play a trick on her. He took the legs with an aim to shock her when she comes back into the room.

Pause here. Security so lax, the empress dowager has ONE maid only and her entire chamber nobody else!

Anyway he went to her bed, and discovered a secret compartment and in it he found 3 books of 42 scriptures which means he now has 5 books. He wondered, "What is so great about this book that everybody wants?". He put the legs in there and closed it when he heard someone coming in so he hid under the bed and it was a palace maid rummaging through the room looking for something. Then the Empress Dowager came back with the guy and the Empress Dowager saw her room was ransacked and went to the secret compartment and discovered a pair of legs and the books missing. The man accused her of killing her own maid and keeping the books to herself and they two argued when they heard something and the other maid appeared and the 3 fought and the Empress Dowager was knocked out whilst the other 2 struggled and WXB stabbed the guy at the back and then a young eunuch appeared and I think WXB killed him too. The maid escaped with WXB and she was very grateful for him help. WXB was quite touched at how kindly she spoke to him and she found out her name which I can't remember, Tao I think and she was the personal maid of the princess of the previous dynasty, Princess Chang Ping. WXB was surprised and wondered what she was doing there and I suspect it had something to do with the books because next she revealed that she suspected the Empress Dowager having connections with some Red Dragon sect or whatever and that they were all looking for 8 books of 42 scriptures. WXB exclaimed "8?!" and she said "There was this hidden great treasure of such immense wealth and all would like to lay their hands on it. The map was divided into 8" and WXB concluded "and hidden in 8 of such books!" and she said "yes". Hmmm why everybody tells WXB everything voluntarily? Anyway she said it was better for him to run and be careful and to take good care of himself. And she said "You may call me ku-ku" and WXB I think thought to himself "I have never had a ku-ku" and he was touched by how concerned this stranger was towards his well being and he remembered his mother. The woman bade him farewell and left and that left a lasting impression on WXB who was very impressed with this woman's sincere concern about him.

Frankly I find this scene a bit odd. What did she do that made him feel so strongly for her?

WXB didn't leave. He in fact went to the emperor and together they went to the Empress Dowager's chamber and discovered dead bodies. The Empress Dowager explained the maid and guard were fighting, thus the commotion. Yeah, like as if they can fight into the room eh? What a story. The Emperor didn't believe it and was confused, as he had confessed to WXB. WXB felt it didn't matter anyway since he was leaving and he took his leave, intending to leave the emperor forever when suddenly he looked back and his eyes met with the emperor and suddenly the emperor lightened up and smiled at him and he smiled back. The Emperor said "Wait for a moment" and he took a special box, opened it and inside were I think western cookies that only the Emperor had the privilege to taste. The Emperor offered them to WXB and said "I am sorry you had to run everywhere today. You must be exhausted. Have a piece" and WXB looked at the Emperor his eyes brimming with tears and thought to himself "I have not been truthful with you, how can you treat me so well when I had lied to you all these years?" and the Emperor thought he wanted to wrestle and so he said "Ok, like old times? Come, I am ready. Let's wrestle!" and the Emperor readied himself and WXB walked foward and said "Are you Xiao Xuan Tzi now?" and the Emperor said "Didn't I tell you when we are alone I am Xiao Xuan Tzi?" and WXB said carefully "Because there are somethings that if I had told the emperor he would not forgive me so easily but if I were to tell Xiao Xuan Tzi, as a friend he may be more willing to forgive me. Should I tell you, are you now the Emperor or are you now Xiao Xuan Tzi?" and the emperor was confused when suddenly WXB kneel down and confessed... "I am not the real Xiao Kwei Tzi. When I was little, I was kidnapped by Hai Da Fu and I blinded him and then killed the real Xiao Kwei Tzi. I wanted to escape but I got lost and that was how I met you...I am not a real eunuch!" and he stood up and the Emperor looked offended and said "Show me" and WXB was like "Huh?" and the Emperor sternly said "SHOW ME" and WXB pulled his pants and the emperor peeked and then suddenly the emperor grabbed him THERE really hard until WXB was in pain and then the emperor walked away and laughed "So what? It was only an eunuch you killed (Emperor sir, you are so compassionate you know?-Funn). It is no big deal But since you're not an eunuch you can't stay by my side and serve me. I will have to give you a different rank..." and then WXB continued "There is more. When I was little, I heard Hai Da Fu's conversation with the Empress Dowager. I heard Hai Da Fu said it himself; that the previous emperor did not die and was living in seclusion as a monk" and this the emperor was totally shocked. He was very emotional and said "What? He's not dead? He is alive? Are you sure? I can send for him to come back! I can do that!" and WXB continued that "I also heard.... that Hai Da Fu was investigating the murder of several concubines (and I think also the empress then) and it was his conclusion that the perpetrator was... was.." and the emperor was shocked over the revelation and said "No, not her..."

Pause here. I always thought the empress dowager, fake as she may be, was faking as his MOTHER but I kinda heard the emperor said she murdered HIS mother. Now I am confused. Can someone confirm whether the fake empress dowager was supposed to fake as his mother or not? At this point he still doesn't know she is fake.

The Emperor quickly went to the empress dowager's chamber with WXB but they hid, hoping to see what was going on when they saw some maid throwing something into the lake. He sent for guards to quietly get what was in the lake and it turns out to be the man dressed as a palace maid's body which was missing when he went to see her earlier. The Emperor was so angry he took a knife and stabbed the body several times and when WXB who was shocked by his behaviour wanted to say somethintg the emperor said "That shameless woman! The adulteress woman! How dare she do what she did? How dare she?!" and then he calmed down. I think he thought she was having an affair.

Anyway he asked WXB to find his father at the temple and decided to give WXB the title of Deputy of Civil Service, I suppose that's how you call it in modern world. And then he cococted a story, that WXB was in disguise as an eunuch to assist the emperor in destroying Aobai and since Aobai is dead, he need not pretend anymore. Actually whatever the emperor says, people will say Yeahhhhhh.

WXB went back to the girls and took them out of the palace and to HES headquarters.

Pause here.

If by this time the emperor still doesn't suspect his connection to HES I don't know what will. Never had I seen someone dressed in full official garb and walk into enemy headquarters and now suspected of anything. Don't the palace have some intelligence department or something?

Anyway he was there and Fang Yi and MJP was disappointed he would not go to the Mu clan with them. He said "I have an errand to run for a friend but I will visit" and the errand was to find the emperor's father and the friend is the emperor. Meanwhile Chen Jinnan was there (I may have confused this with the earlier scene where some unknown young guy appeared, fought them, declared his hatred for Wu Sangui and then left) who promised yet again to teach him kung fu and WXB explained the Mu's plan to frame Wu Sangui never worked anyway and Chen Jinnan curiously asked why and WXB explained that the method was too obvious, with the rebels so readily confessing they're from the Wu clan, so no one would buy it and moreover at that time Wu Yingxiong was in the city and in the palace as well and Wu Sangui would never put his son in such jeapordy where the emperor can hold him hostage. Chen Jinnan was impressed with WXB's analysis and felt WXB was right. WXB smiled and thought to himself "Well I was just repeating what Xiao Xuan Tzi told me!". Meanwhile Chen Jinnan playfully patted WXB's head like a father would to a son and walked away and WXB seemed pleased.

Next episodic thoughts probably he will meet more wives, meet the old emperor and return a decorated hero.

Story wise like I mentioned above loads of holes and illogical scenes but I do enjoy the interaction between Fang Yi and WXB. Especially that scene where she started to cry when she realised he was illiterate! That guy never made an effort to learn kung fu or read and write. Funnily he found out some phrases he always said was wrong! I also enjoyed that scene where he confessed to the emperor of his true identity, especially that line "Are you Xiao Xuan Tzi or are you the emperor?" because there is a big difference between the 2. Like he observed, some secrets can be told to a friend but not to the boss, the emperor. The emperor has yet to realise the difference between the 2 but WXB already knew and the fact that he is the deputy of HES kinda makes the whole situation even worse.

What I didn't like was the confusing storyline with the Empress Dowager who really wants WXB dead, the sudden touching moment between the palace maid and WXB which was weird since what did she do that made him feel so bloody grateful and the sudden aggression and violence depicted by the emperor towards the dead body. I am still confused who is the emperor's mother. That I blame it on my bad Mandarin.

Now, the performances.

I am beginning to enjoy HXM's performance once he just stop acting cute, cuddly, insane, over excited, hyper happy, etc. I like him more grounded and his best scenes are always when his WXB's loyalty is tested or when he wonders whether the emperor is the emperor or his friend. You can see the confusion, the fear, the hesitation, the relief, everything and not one word spoken. I like that kind of acting and not like throwing a chair to show aggression, you know what I mean. I can see him as WXB the scoundrel. He really displayed that scoundrel part in these 3 episodes, at times I find him really disgusting. Everytime I find WXB disgusting, he will do something that makes you feel maybe he is not that selfish after all even if everything starts with him first. He may be a reluctant good guy, but more importantly in the end he chose to do the decent thing, like what he did for Fang Yi and letting her go back on her promise. That was a decent thing he didn't have to do. HXM depicted that well. I can understand also why this voice which is less heroic voice than in the Condor Heroes. Now I am not sure which is his real voice, my bet is Condor Heroes but the voice in here is more slimy, less heroic, less booming so it fits the character. I am getting used to this voice.

Wallace Chung not that good. His worst moments are those aggressive moments or sad moments, anything that requires him to act in a dramatic sense. He falters, he seems confused, he seems beyond his league here. But his bests are those light hearted moments, playful moments which I think he did well although I still can't see the emperor element in him like I see in the young boy who played the same role. Maybe later on since this is still a young emperor in training.

The wives were ok, nothing more I can say since they were bedridden for 3 episodes. But Liu Zi who plays Fang Yi did her role well when she had to, her desperation to save her spineless lover and her sadness that she just agreed to sell herself to an illiterate eunuch! I wonder what she would think now that he isn't an eunuch? I find her quite pretty as well although stern pretty.

Of all the other actors, I am most impressed with Zhu Yanping who plays Chen Jinnan. He really has this heroic father figure face and I find him perfectly cast based on looks alone. Now I really wonder how Wu Sangui looks like! I also like Gao Yuan who plays the Empress Dowager. I find her the prettiest of the lot and she did very well in her role of the Empress Dowager, the restrained anger, the sudden panic, etc. You want emotion without hair flying everywhere? Look at her.

Everybody else was ok, good actors but none particularly memorable. But then these 3 episodes had very few recognisable characters.

All in all very interesting 3 episodes which differs slightly from the previous versions, doesn't mean it is less good but more confusing. And ever since they grew up, we see less and less of the palace and more and more of studio sets! Getting boring here!