EPISODE 30

So the story goes on and on and on. We are shown why Sam Kwai opened the gates. He regretted being so stubborn and unreasonable and sat through the days drinking and feeling like a total jerk and a loser. Then came an official from Qing who gave him a proposition; open the gates and receive us as your own and you will be given the title of Duke of Ping Sai (actually more like King of Ping Sai) and anything you want. So he wants:-



1. Lee Chi Seng's head;

2. Tin Wang Yu's head; and

3. of course, Chan Yuen Yuen.



Though it was never shown whether Tin Wang Yu was captured but I will assume he died. He got his Yuen Yuen at last (who was for a while Lee's play thing - poor thing) and Lee Chi Seng will die in a few more episodes since the final episode is coming very soon. At this moment I must express my happiness that this series will soon be over because I can't stand this junk anymore.



Now back to Chiu Yan and her devious way. I admire this woman. She will make a very good wife because if she loves you she will scheme and steal and kill for you, in this case Sai Hin. She and Sai Hin escaped but barely. Sai Hin was very sick and so Chiu Yan, had dead with hunger stumbled upon the King's faithful eunuch who fed her and took her in. They told her what happened to the King but of course she went home and told Sai Hin the version the king wanted everybody to hear. Sai Hin thought Cheung Ping was dead and he lost the will to live. At the meantime Chiu Yan needed money to buy Sai Hin some medicine and she asked the eunuch who was with the other princesses in hiding. He had only a few dollars left all of which he gave it to her. She went way brimming with tears only to stop in front of a rebel army and asked them how much will they pay for info on princesses in hiding? They say $100 and so she betrayed them and they all got killed. She took back the money, fed Sai Hin whilst telling a sob story like how she had to carry corpses to earn some money to feed him.



She will be a great publicist if she lives today because everything she says is to glorify herself in the eyes of the people she thinks matter. Oh my, she was absolutely devious and all. I am lost for words to describe my disdain for her because really the dictionary of words to describe spineless mean evil devious people has already been used in her case to the point of no more words can be used to describe her. No, one more.



Traitor! She secretly went to the Qings and offered to sell out Ming (or what's left of it) for a title of Kak-Kak (Ge Ge), some land and some money. So she went home with Sai Hin to Chueng Ping as a spy!



Anyway back to Cheung Ping, now an accountant and still as meaningless and useless as ever. I have lost all hope of seeing Cheung Ping saying or doing something politically decisive. Nope, her mom was the one who handled the politics and squared it off with disgusting Po Lun and greedy Duke (can't remember his name at this point of time). Luckily she had Shih Ho Fatt but unluckily Empress Dowager still had to meddle into her affairs and insisted on Chi Chiu to take over from her. Chi Chiu can't ever change his underwear without asking anyone for help, so how can he run a country or even a state? Definitely he will be bullied but luckily the Queen spurred on by the King's last wishes braved it all and emerged the winner in a battle of words between the evil gang and herself. So they sent men to assassinate her, luckily Shih Ho Fatt realised their evil plans and saved the day. So far the only way the Queen will die is because of Chiu Yan since she is now the traitor. Wonder what they'll do to her when she is caught, if ever?



As for Cheung Ping, FINALLY (and again) she was reunited with Sai Hin and AGAIN talks of wedding being held and AGAIN they said later and AGAIN the mother said better do it now and AGAIN they looked at each other with puppy dog eyes and AGAIN said yes but AGAIN we all know it will not happen because in episode 1 they finally got married under the Qing rule inside the palace.



As for performances, I am surprised by Cheung Ping's eternal optimism in the face of her father's suspicious death and her eternal worry and love for Sai Hin when I would love to see one scene of her crying over her father's death. She's quite heartless.



As for Sonija Kwok, I thought she did well, especially the scene where she jealously eyes Cheung Ping looking lovingly at Sai Hin who was lovingly squeezing her hands. Yes, if I was Chiu Yan I would have stabbed my chop sticks into Cheung Ping's eyes.



Anyway it's ending soon. If not I wonder how I can gulp down all my rage at the twisted historical facts and the defacing of the character of Cheung Ping.