EPISODE 18

A very interesting episode which I feel if this series is scripted this way from episode 1, it could have been a better series.



The first half as usual is dedicated to Cheung Ping and Sai Hin. This time they did not pray that much nor did they talked to one another miles apart. However they still talked to one another in very close proximity and well, they hugged once too many. One very intimate scene had Cheung Ping clinging to Sai Hin like there was no tomorrow. Can't fault her on that since Sai Hin was going to war again Wong Tai Gik (ASTRO translator called this man Abahai and I believe they're right so I shall call him Abahai).



The second half was closely related to the first half in the fate of Chiu Yan. She of course dissed about her sister in front of her pale looking dad, declaring Cheung Ping was the one who loved Po Lun, so why was she being married to Po Lun instead of Cheung Ping? Father for once said something right; "Yes, I saw Cheung Ping but all I can hear from her is she is willing to marry Tong Po Lun if I wanted her to do so...all I can hear from you is you do not wish to marry Tong Po Lun. You will marry him!". End of discussion. So Chiu Yan was sent off to the camp like as she described, a whore, and after a very short ceremony where Po Lun pushed her head to the floor three times, he carried her into a room and basically ravished her. She woke up in the morning to discover the army was moving back to Shanxi. She asked Po Lun what about her luggage and Po Lun treated her as if she wasn't there. Apparently Po Lun had every intention of using her for a one night stand like a prostitute and dump her at the camp. So she went home, insulted and her father was also insulted but what more could he do? Chop off his head when Po Lun was very powerful? For once I pitied Chiu Yan a bit until I saw her jealous eyes when Cheung Ping tried to console her and when she saw Cheung Ping in a red wedding gown sending off Sai Hin to war.



The nice part was the war scene, where Sai Hin was trying to think of a way to defeat the great Abahai whilst Sing Hing was busy panicking. Someone should just tell him to shut up. Sai Hin was lead by a very illustrious general Shih Ho Fatt (I think that was his name) and whilst doing what the Manchurians never thought they would do, I think that won the war, but not in this episode. A good scene showed Abahai being way too confident that he offered anybody who captured Sai Hin a dollar, which meant how demeaning this would be to Sai Hin. Osama Bin Laden should be proud his head could fetch loads of money.



This episode showed little scenes but filled with good scenes that I feel were very entertaining. I believe this series depicted the fall of Ming Dynasty this way;



Even with the best army on the part of Abahai, they could not topple Ming Dynasty because Sai Hin and gang had spirit and dedication. But with so much of energy put into getting rid of the Manchurians, the Ming gang neglected to take care of the rebels within their own kind. So Lee Chong (or Lee Chi Seng the rebel) managed to topple the Ming (and not Manchurians who were waiting patiently) until I guess Lee Chi Seng lusted after Chan Yuen Yuen, the favourite mistress of Ng Sam Kwai and out of anger Ng Sam Kwai owing no allegiance to the new king Lee Chong opened the last gate that was defending the Han rule of China to Manchurians who formed the Qing Dynasty. Lee Chong I think became king for only 100 days. For more on this you can check out Crimson Sabre which is more accurate in terms of the fall of Ming Dynasty. I do not know how much changes this series will make to the real story, but I would stress that Ng Sam Kwai would play a pivotal role in this series and so will Chan Yuen Yuen.



Anyway, one scene had me scratching my head and convinced that Cheung Ping is as shallow as she looks. She was hugging Sai Hin as Sai Hin was worried he may die in battle but Cheung Ping asked;



"Can't you not go to war? Why must there be war? Maybe father will not need you there or maybe Abahai will surrender?"



This coming from Cheung Ping, princess of the Ming Dynasty is I believe an insult. What more could I say to such a dumb question? It seems they would rather be with one another and just stand by and let the dynasty fall. I mean if she was a nobody, he was a nobody I say fine, wish it that way. But as a princess of the Ming dynasty and as a son of a dedicated ex minister who loved his king and his country, such a line is utterly ridiculous. They love each so much that they're so selfish! I longed to slap that girl and tell her; "Ok, why not just ask Abahai to come into the palace and give him the emperor's throne? Why not ask your dad to surrender? Why not all change your surnames to a Manchurian surname?".



Anyway, two persons were missing in this episode when I thought their presence would be necessary. Where was Tin and grandma when you need them? Must it all about Sai Hin and Cheung Ping hugging, reminiscing about their childhood and asking dumb questions?



As for the acting, I feel Charmaine Sheh injected zero personality into a very shallow Cheung Ping, so her performance itself is shallow, thoughtless and dare I say, fake? I longed for Ah Bee, that character she played so well in An Herbalist Affair. Nothing to say about Steven Ma whilst Moses Chan is too young for this demanding role. I will explain more in my review. As for Sonija Kwok, I thought for once she did quite ok in the scenes where she was practically raped by Po Lun and later on when she snapped at Cheung Ping. Perhaps she is good at being bitchy? The problem now with Po Lun gone, I know Chiu Yan will do all she can to get Sai Hin and again I will be subjected to an overdose of blindness on the part of Cheung Ping whom I suspect will forgive her sister again and again and again and again.



As usual, Maggie Siu is the ke-le-fe in here. Why not just get another actress for this role since she is so useless, does nothing and utters no lines at all?