EPISODE 31

This entire episode is what I shall juvenile writing and a total farce. Not contented with one reunion scene, we have two, not contented with one betrayal, we have two and not contented with just showing the doom of Ming once, we are shown repeatedly.



The entire episode SHOWS but falls short of actually enlightening the viewers the problems faced by the survivors of the Ming Dynasty. In fact, I was watching King Of Yesterday And Tomorrow and there was this one scene Kong Wah explained to Maggie Cheung why fight when Ming was doomed years before and even Qing fell later on. That one single scene, Maggie's teary eyes and Kong Wah's bitter voice did more for the emotions than this series' in its entirety. I find PITNOL very detached, too preoccupied with Sai Hin and Cheung Ping without realising their many separation, reunions, separation and more reunions have a direct connection to the fate of Ming. This was not highlighted, we are just shown. The connection is not there and I felt bored watching this entire episode except for some very emotional scenes, that all added up to a total of a 5 second scene, that is where General Shih finally died. May I add he is the real hero, not the so called royalty and all. He defended his country without question, did his duty without conditions and died a hero without once thinking of quitting or running away. To give him a mere 5 second mention and a mere 5 second scene to see his death was all too much for me; it was like he didn't matter because what mattered is seeing how devious Chiu Yan is and how many times Cheung Ping can stand, look shocked at seeing Sai Hin again, say loving words, both hug and then both cry. That I have it almost every episode but the presence of General Shih is all too little.



Anyway, as the story goes, Chiu Yan was caught red-handed by Cheung Ping for selling Ming info to Qing. Cheung Ping slapped her (YEAH! Finally an appropriate reaction from Miss Useless but I suspect the slap was more for stabbing her than for selling top secret info!) and she was arrested, and subsequently sentenced to death. She didn't die of course as she made a deal with Duke Fook to do something devious. On the day of Cheung Ping and Sai Hin finally married (but not quite because before mother can drink the all important tea to complete the process she received news that Chiu Yan tried to kill herself by hanging in her prison cell-where she got the chair is a mystery to me but we all know it was all thanks to Duke Fook), Queen was shot by her beloved Chiu Yan who was then released from prison by Duke Fook. Subsequently she ran to the Qings, became Princess of the Qing Dynasty, got herself some nice costume, found herself a lover in top Duke in the Qing Dynasty and even volunteered to lead an army to Sai Hin and gang to get them to surrender. That will be later of course.



At the meantime, the Queen died. Again only 5 second worth of scene but the camera kept zooming to Cheung Ping crying, Sai Hin crying, everybody crying except for the Queen who was the one lay dying there. I thought more lines should be given to Maggie Siu in that important and heart breaking scene. After all she was done in by her own precious ungrateful daughter. Anyway, she died but before she did she said "Remember, remember to do as I told you" and then dead. So next scene I was wondering what did she tell Chi Chiu to remember? I thought maybe a plan to oust the Qings, a plan to get rid of Po Lun and Duke Fook. Nope. What we have in the next scene is one of the stupidest scene in this series.



Duke Fook said if Chi Chiu didn't surrender the throne, there will be a war. So Chi Chiu said and I swear this actually took place;



Chi Chiu : "Alright, I agree but we will be rulers together!"



Duke Fook : "Alright I agree but I want Sai Hin to be fired, his army given to the Dynasty and Sai Hin to be banished away to *** (couldn't remember where but must be far) and General Shih to surrender his army"



Sai Hin looked confused, Cheung Ping looked a tad worried but nothing too alarming. At this stage I was still labouring under the thought that this might be a strategy the dead Queen taught Chi Chiu.



Chi Chiu : (looking dumb and with a Ming King like this, no wonder Qings won) "Alright, but I want Tong Po Lun to be demoted to the rank of ordinary citizen and I want him to surrender his army men".



Po Lun said "No, Duke, No" and the Duke quickly said; "Alright, deal but since Cheung Ping being a royalty and loved by the people, I want her influence to be diminished so I want her to be sent to the temple and become a nun for the rest of her life and she must be sent to the temple by *** o'clock, failing which I will strike!".



Sai Hin again looked a bit worried, Cheung Ping looked remarkably normal and Chi Chiu looked quite alright and said; "Deal!"



At this moment I was still thinking this must be a plot, must be a red herring for the Duke. It turned out that it was all real, no ploy, no scheme. Chi Chiu wanted to avoid a civil war and so practically sold out his most trusted side kick, his beloved sister and even his dignity. He should have just stabbed that Duke. So we have first scene of Sai Hin and Cheung Ping hugging, crying, refusing to let go and then parted ways in slow mo.



One and a half years later Sai Hin came back and saw Chi Chiu running after women. Chi Chiu's reasons was "I couldn't do anything, they were all on his side, whatever I tried to say was not accepted, so what was I supposed to do?" Well, why not try to be like your father, try and try again until his last breath instead of just giving up and become a total loser? Of course then I found out what the Queen said that she asked everybody to remember. Sai Hin said; "How can you do this? How can you not remember your father and the Queen's dying words, that every good rule starts from it citizens? Cheung Ping and I made the sacrifices and what are you doing?!"



You know Sai Hin, I believe Chi Chiu should learn by example, that is the King and the Queen never die spirit but he should never learn how to rule the country from them. Look what happened to both of them?



Anyway, then we have second scene where Sai Hin saw Cheung Ping at the temple, she denying she was Cheung Ping for like 2 seconds and then they were hugging, crying and yes, talk about love. Of course Sing Hing (now a cripple but very optimistic cripple) saw them and they had a happy reunion. Sing Hing told Sai Hin his leg was broken thanks to Chiu Yan, Sai Hin cursed Chiu Yan and Cheung Ping looked absolutely demure and nothing else.



Next scene Chiu Yan arrived and sent a letter to Sai Hin saying if he were to see her she will not kill anyone once Qings enter the city. This is on the honour of her words, and why should Sai Hin trust her? Of course Cheung Ping, "Sai Hinnnn, don't gooo". I totally agree, since this woman could murder her own mother, why believe her words?



So what happened? Have to wait for final episode.



You know as I sat watching this episode I concocted some scenes which I felt should be in here, like how Cheung Ping saw Sing Hing again, maybe to show her compassionate and all there should be a scene where she cries when she realises it was all Chiu Yan, some people should be stabbed instead of being let go. The one scene which I really wanted to see was Chiu Yan suffering, that in the end this is justice. What I have is she running to the Qings, like I was supposed to be disgusted with her treachery. What more to be disgusted when she just shot her mom earlier without remorse? Oh come on, get real. Show me something that I can emotionally connect to, stop showing how devious she can be, start showing how she will be paid for her betrayal. I suspect even to the last minute she will have a good life. Someone said Chiu Yan is the ultimate survivor, I agree but I don't want to be her because there is no honour living the life she is living.



Anyway what I didn't understand was why Sai Hin was still saying to Chi Chiu to investigate the Queen's death. It's so simple; Queen entered Chiu Yan's cell, she got shot, Chiu Yan disappeared. What more to investigate? Can the script be anymore stupid? Until now Yoke Han's death (yes I still remember her) is still under investigation and now the Queen's death. How come the Queen never said, "It was Chiu Yan!"? Maybe she loved her daughter too much? This only shows she may be the most dedicated Queen but she can't even settle family disputes and kept protecting her daughter until the end. Am I supposed to feel sad that she died? No. Nothing to feel sad about. I was hoping to see Cheung Ping so mad that her mom is dead and knowing that Chiu Yan did it that she personally went in search of Chiu Yan and just stab her, be violent, DO SOMETHING! But nope, she dutifully stayed in the temple, knowing very well her own useless brother is probably being bullied, Chiu Yan out there some where. Again, useless Cheung Ping.



Also how come Po Lun gave up his army so easily? A shrewd man like him would have done something. Aren't all these ending too convenient??



In the end I feel great injustice has been done to the various characters in this series, and to the viewers for having to bear with such a junk. Of course from episode 1 one would hope that by the last episode justice will be served in dramatic value but I suspect whatever dramatic value that the last episode will serve will be reserved for Cheung Ping and Sai Hin not dying and living happily ever after whilst the other characters will be treated as carelessly as General Shih's death was treated. Whilst this series may be about Cheung Ping and Sai Hin, I am sick to death watching their love story which is like a CD on a repeat button. Same old, same old.



Anyway tomorrow is the last episode. TVB, surprise me!