Episode 18: All About Han

Everyone says that Li'er smartens up so maybe this is her last 'dumb' episode

1.Zheng discusses Li'er with Zhao Gao and Li Zong, his closest retainers. The issue is the conflict between her and Han's stories. Li Zong believes that the two have a relationship that is deeper than just that of servant and master because most would not go to such an extent to protect someone.

2.THEN guards arrive to report 'hey, you know we just saw Madame Li sneaking into Han's cell disguised as a maid' ROFL

3.Meanwhile, Li'er confronts Han. She accuses him of making an extraordinarily stupid choice (pot meet kettle) but she apologizes that he has suffered on her behalf (she gave Qing'er like no real apology) and she tells him she knew she would be safe because she is certain the Emperor would never hurt her.

THIS IS IMPORTANT

4. Han points out that she is wrong because she was imprisoned. But she says no, he just did this to make me reflect (HER THINKING HAS CHANGED BECAUSE SHE IS DEFENDING THE EMPEROR VERY CLEARLY)

5.Han points out that the harem is a dangerous place and anyone could use her time in here to hurt her. Instead of addressing this valid point she changes the subject and focus back to him and starts to cry about how awful it is that he is in this situation

6.At this point, the emperor has arrived and is so slowly walking towards the cell, watching the two of them...

7.Han tells her that he was ready to die the moment he entered the palace so its okay (OMG these too are so similar in their desire to die for love) just as she is promising to save him the emperor interrupts them with a 'what's going on here?'

8.he orders her to not bother leaving and has the door locked and then she admits to him the 'truth' that Han is her senior brother and that they grew up together, so she didn't consider it abduction when she left with him (semantics) . Everyone doubts this, because she has lied so much, so she suggests that a master be brought in to watch senior brother train--he would know they trained together. the emperor agrees why not, he can duel the same guy you fought, and she says he's injured but the emperor says it doesn't matter your fighting stances would be the important part

9.Zhao Gao periodically jumps in to give his little digs, but he also raises some valid points, mainly he asks why she didn't ask to visit her family the palace isn't a dungeon and she says palace law forbids her to leave the harem; Gao then says that she doesn't sound very apologetic even though a lot of people died because of her actions--or almost died (so this is personal he is mad because he almost died for her) and she doesn't answer this

10.For reasons unknown, she is released from the cell even though he said she would remain there, and he confronts her in private. he wants to know if she is actually telling the truth and she admits half of it is true and half is a lie. she admits she left the palace not to see her family, but to see Jing (she is smart enough not to say his name). the emperor is sort of so blown away by her audacity that he can't even get mad. he quietly accuses her of treating him like a joke and basically cheating on him. she informs him that she planned to come back because she knew he would never let her go, and she wanted her child to have a happy life, so she told Jing that Tian Ming is his child. At first this makes him happy, but when he realizes the reason--that it is all for Jing to be protected--he becomes upset

11.the day of the duel arrives and Jing is such a bloody mess. he duels the general and loses easily, like she predicted, and everyone is convinced that he is not a childhood friend and the king orders him to be executed. she steals his sword, jumps onto the field, and says something her grandpa said that resonates within jing. they duel--and beat the general together--but their movements are so coordinated it is obvious

12.Zhao gao still has negative words and focuses on her taking the sword but the emperor yells at him to stop already, that she did it to make a point and he promises her not to hurt him

13.alone with han, he questions him. he tells him that he knows she is not in love with him and basically implies that he thinks that Han is in love with her. he allows han to remain as a guard, to protect her, so long as he swears fealty to her. what convinced him to allow this is the fact that han asks him if he could give up his life for her--and states he knows he can't because he is the emperor and has to put the state first in the end, but he can do what the emperor can't, and that is to die for her if necessary.

14.elsewhere, jing is basically drinking himself into a grave. lan'er remains by his side even though his father tells her to let him go because he is not in a place to acknowledge her but she is patient. jing constantly has memories of her bombard her, and it is interesting because he always sees her as he remembers her, sweet and kind, not the somewhat reserved woman she has become, who looks and talks differently

15.Jing finally addresses his internal conflict--his love for her or his desire to do great things and he decides to let her go and be a sword, but not just any sword, it's like he is resigned to do whatever necessary, even if it means he dies....

16.the king visits Li'er who still looks at the scarf sometimes and she thanks him for sparing han but asks him why he isn't angry. he says he isn't mad that she has a fellowship with han, but he is annoyed that it's been a year and she still won't open her heart to him....

Thoughts:
So like everyone thought, they used the interlude with Jing to illustrate that she will never try to leave Zheng, even if given the opportunity, and it shows a shift in her thinking of him--in the palace everyone loves the emperor but back at home, when others insult him, she defends him since she knows him better--and while she doesn't perceive it as change it really is because prior to this she never would have thought that about him. it shows the beginning of her opening up.

And the stupid choice to see han, well, they needed to have a plot opening for him to stay. there you go.
I hope the show starts to improve now that they have laid the foundation for her falling in love with him, as she has 100 percent decided to stay and the revenge storyline, as Jing has decided to focus completely on the sword, not on matters of the heart.

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