Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 1

An impressive start

A dramatic scene opens showing grey earth and grey sky with rain pouring. The Commanding General, Xiao Wu Yi, is informed that the armory director drank poison in prison and the only witnesses left are the three registrars hanging upside down in trees adjacent to a memorial tablet. It is eventually revealed that the director accepted bribes and they gave blind eyes to the sale of repeating crossbows that were used to decimate his cavalry unit and that Prince ChangSha was the mastermind. He exits the scene riding through a field of gravesites that were once his loyal men. It segues to an impressive intro song that keeps the momentum going and returns to his scorched earth plans for the ones responsible. He uses himself as bait with plans to return flames and destruction. It shows him defeated in battle. The scene lightens up considerably when we are introduced to the Grand Tutor’s daughter, Xie Jia Yu , who has a fun scene planned to counter her mother’s attempt to introduce an unwanted suitor. Heads literally rolled as they entered.😂🤣 Her mom gave her credit for ingenuity but was fed up with her behavior and determination to commit to Li Mao. She takes the full blame and punishment for her servant while the Commanding General is entering the city via coffin. Her father is called in to stop the beating and mom discovers no pillow assist and felt guilty. Another guest arrives with loads of betrothal gifts. The actor playing Changsha does an excellent job of making you want to loathe him on sight. His pompous air, stance and overall bearing is distasteful while he obtusely looks down from his narcissist pedestal believing himself God’s gift for everything.😝 This time the mom wants daughter to be hidden from view and not promote any interaction. Her own plan of suitor backfired in a big way with all the luscious gossip floating about. He was not pleased at their firm statement of not wanting her in the palace. He opts to leave but makes a request for the Grand Tutor to show up at his poetry session to offer insight. I love her steampunk clock on the wall and how her mind works as you see her drawings. She is trying to con her dad out of a jade crown for her bf of choice. When that is unsuccessful, she has a servant pretend to be her and they go to make a deal with an unknown buyer. Here she is questioned about making a crossbow that can shoot four arrows at a time. She tells them she can make it but won’t because it was exclusive for the buyer she made it for. She gives the name Xiao Sheng but that’s most likely a name she made up on the spot. She is flippant about what it could be used for and didn’t think about loss of life…at all. She is in for the money and not a care in the world about what mischief her inventions can cause. She was smart enough for plan B where they swap coaches and still make it home. She tells her mom she was copying as told at Qi residence and her servant was with her as witness. They are rewarded with a trip to the celebration and told to have nothing to do with the poetry session. As if.😝🙄 Not even an invite would entice her to go. She apologized to Bai for her rudeness and tricks the cousin into spending way too much for a pottery piece. She made a tea pot that could be used for poison and tracked down the buyer. She convinced the buyer to not use it and was going to get the women snuck out of town when she was intercepted by Xiao’s investigators. She escapes them while the Commanding General makes his way to the poetry session. He brings the dancers with him and then demands impromptu poetry. All the ones bragging about helping kill him were quickly changed to a create a pleasing poem or die scenario. He finishes up with Prince Changsha. He let the Prince know that he originally could have cared less about who was on the throne…..until now. After this plot against the cavalry unit, he vowed to take anyone and anything Changsha wanted or already had and I did appreciate the top knot removal, 🤣😂 👏🏻 He had no clue who the Creator of Miraculous Craft was, but he did know that ChangSha wanted to marry JiaYu. So at the award ceremony, he only wants rewards for his men with a specific request to marry the Grand Tutor’s daughter. Excellent way to end first episode. 👏🏻

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I am so looking forward to see more of our leads!

I like that our FL is quite crafty and mischievous. Just what's needed for such a ruthless general, who lives just for his mission, right? 😈🤭 I am really looking forward for their arranged marriage and to see how they will drive each other crazy, because they are such opposites! 😏And I did love seeing a few recognisable faces among the cast — Peter Ho (from Unchained Love) and Liu Lingzi (from Archives: The Nanyang Mystery). And of course, above all, Hou Minghao, who is the main reason I am watching this! 🥰It also looks like Hou Minghao has taken part in all the OST songs. At least, that's what it sounded like to my ear! 😊

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