EPISODE 19

An excellent episode marred by some repeated boring scenes but still entertaining and at times thought provoking. This is the PITNOL I want to watch.



Abahai was injured by Sai Hin and gang but Sai Hin decided to back off far away so that the stronger Manchurians will chase after them and get tired, then Sai Hin and gang will ambush them and defeat them. They need food and money of course and the king for once spared no expenses. In fact he was ready to bankrupt the treasury to offer a glimmer of hope to the Ming citizens. Yes, he was very desperate but can't blame him.



Problem is Superman. After being raped, ditched and insulted by Po Lun, she became the joke of the palace. Problem is her father even glorified her humiliating experience, he called it a success that the lust in Po Lun was done away with the offer of Chiu Yan and that Po Lun went back to Shanxi to stop the rebellion caused by Po Lun himself. Chiu Yan of course saw that as an insult and blamed Cheung Ping. She couldn't understand why Cheung Ping was supposed to marry Po Lun and she ended up being the sacrificial lamb. Cheung Ping asked Chiu Yan the same question and an argument almost broke out until father arrived and wanted to have dinner with them. Sulky Chiu Yan ran to Tin and gang and lied through her teeth, saying how the King will do this and that to their detriment. Even Tin believed her, but then Tin was insecure. So they all planned to cheat the Ming of their money. Though funds and donations were pouring in, these useless selfish ministers lied that Sai Hin and gang were spending the money like nobody's business. The King believed these liars. Chi Chiu knew the real truth since he was the one who sent food and money to the camp but useless future Ming King Chi Chiu said nothing but looked lost. In the end Sai Hin and gang received far lesser fund and the army were getting restless. Ambushed again and again, they lost hope and were hungry and desperate. Many ran away and Sai Hin had to do something to stop them so as punishment they all had to be chopped off their heads. About 400 heads were chopped off but Sai Hin made sure whatever they had to say, it will be recorded and sent back to the King.



At the meantime Tin and gang (including brainless jealous Chiu Yan) took these money and bought expensive carps as investment, just in case the palace is relocated somewhere else, they will have some funds. Stupid and shortsighted. I mean if the army losses, there goes Ming Dynasty. Their selfishness caused the army to lose greatly. In fact Sai Hin who knew of these greedy ministers asked Shih Ho Fatt whether they will lose the war and in one moment of brilliant scripting, Shih Ho Fatt said, "Yes, but not because of the Manchurians, it will be because of these ministers". Betrayal by your own people, that would be the worst kind of losses.



Anyway, the King was having his feet cleaned and some massage by Cheung Ping herself when news came that heads were chopped off and there were some recorded statements before these people died. Cheung Ping read one by one and all of them did not blame Sai Hin but blamed the Ming King, the ministers. They felt that they lost not to Abahai (which they feel if they lost then it will be a good loss) but they lost because of a useless king, greedy ministers and a kingdom that failed them. It was a very good scene, as Cheung Ping took the paper rolls and read out their names, and we get to see the real soldier screaming his anguish and how Sai Hin looked as he ordered one by one to be executed. In fact I thought it was brilliantly filmed. The King after a while stopped being angry and realised something was amiss. Tin's relative who was a high ranking minister kept telling the King to not believe such lies and for once the King stood up angry and perhaps clear minded. What happened thereafter I will have to wait for the next episode.



Thus far this episode may yield the shortest summary but I feel the scripting, the acting, the focus were all genuine and well acted except for Charmaine Sheh who has this perpetual puppy dog look. Yes, there are still some scenes of them praying to the moon and talking to each other like the moon is the SMS service of their time, there are over the top screaming by Sing Hing (all that was understandable, he was panicking of course, I would too) and Sonija Kwok's acting is still horrible. But I find myself tolerating her performance more when she was acting in those bitchy back stabbing emotional mode, she fared a bit better. Charmaine Sheh still remained as bland as ever.



As for Maggie Siu, she had so little to do except to look concerned, shocked, surprised, hurt, sad. Moses did quite ok though it's quite funny seeing him jumping up and down when he is angry. As for Steven Ma, I thought he was very good in those scene where he looked at the soldiers that were about to die; he had the look of a man torn by duty and by conscience. I actually pitied Sai Hin. The best acting came from a second liner who played Shih Ho Fatt. I thought he was super cool with his stories with lessons and the way he backed Sai Hin in all his decisions. Michael Tong was over emotional and a bit annoying as he raised his voice more and more. Someone should tell him to just shut up please when everybody was worried about the war and all, I am sure they do not need something nagging, shouting next to them as if he is the only one doing something and the rest doing nothing.



Overall this episode illustrates why Ming Dynasty fell but the real reason will be the next 5 episodes as we get to see Ng Sam Kwai. He is the reason why Ming fell in the end and frankly I do not see him as a traitor. After all he owed no allegiance to Lee Chi Seng though of course he is a Han and so he must defend his Han heritage. It's very complex and I hope the focus will be on Ng Sam Kwai, Lee Chi Seng, Chan Yuen Yuen and of course the Ming King. I have had enough of Cheung Ping and Sai Hin together or Cheung Ping alone. By the way I do not see Chiu Yan as cunning and deceitful, she is more stupid than cunning, short sighted than deceitful.



By the way poor Yoke Han. Not even one mention of her in this episode. Gone and very forgotten.