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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 22
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Mao and dad’s loyalty to each other and Mao believing Tutor’s advice his best option. The Regent is loved by the people but the waterworks efforts will always be credited to WuYi. WuYi is to be removed like dust in the wind and Mao has worn a gift from JiaYu to mark the occasion. JiaYu has returned WuYi’s trusty steed to him with the funds from her Miraculous Craft. That was at least decent compensation for the kiss he never gets from her. 😂🤣The Xiaos feel something is off when so many in attendance for the investiture ceremony. With the petition drum interrupting, the peoples of the canal district believe the Xiao’s responsible for embezzling their wages and causing injury to 1000’s with shoddy work and want justice. The Regent used fake intel and had the audacity to present the charges to their face wearing the jade crown JiaYu had bought for him. His smug smile saying no one outside the law was the icing on his duplicitous cake.😝😡🤬 After they are removed to the prefecture, JiaYu turns and asks for the investiture and seal. The Regent is a bit slow and didn’t expect it. She takes it from his hands and bows to the audience remaining. 👏🏻 She is already arming herself with everything possible to provide defense for her and the Xiao’s. Starting with her new title. 👏🏻 It was her first slap back at Mao up close and in person. WuYi tells the official where all the evidence documentation can be found. The women are collected together and piecing information together. Nanking is being asked to recreate the ledgers so they can investigate from their end. It is also noted that his two top investigators are nowhere to be found. WuYi wants it to be clear for the people that justice is being served and their grievances have been heard. He has protected the official from any appearance of corruption and additionally offers to take whatever punishment is done in prison for his father and sibling. Looks like the scholar YuanJi cares for has made a deal with the devil as he bows at Tutor Xie’s feet. 😝Zhao Lin was convinced that if he forged evidence convicting WuYi of treason and Collusion and reinstated the Lantai opening for the nobles he would gain the status he felt he needed to be with YuanJi. How ironic that they had met in school where she was disguised as a boy so she could receive schooling. The had fallen in love when he found out she was a girl and planned to be married. Empress Dowager forced her to marry WuYi instead. She enforced this by killing off the Pei family and making YuanJi believe her betrothed was dead. The irony came full circle when he used the woman he loved to collect the handwriting of everyone they wanted to implicate. Then a group of scholars forged letters, documentation and ledgers to entrap the Xiao family. Had they communicated directly and earlier..all this could have been avoided. His hand was deliberately ruined by attacker so he could not prove his forging capabilities. Seems Tutor and son have covered every possible angle. WuYi’s people are directed to the location where the deceived scholars were held but they and proof of hired work was all gone. Mao has become his father’s puppet to use the fake evidence to convict the Xiaos and the commoners elevated to official status. He even comes to gloat to a tortured WuYi in jail where he calls him by his true title crown Prince Wenxi. He is very pleased with his machinations and offers a deal if divorce decree and confession are written. The tides have turned and the people are demanding justice. Regent and Tutor have made it a replica of the An and Lu case. It is now known that the Xiao patriarch knew of the deceit with the case but kept quiet. If because of cowardice or some other reason we don’t know yet. Even the Eagle King understands how the Xiaos will not be let go as a result and LeJun now has a way to go back home. It seems she is having a miscarriage but it is not known if she tried to abort or true health issue. Before her collapse Ye slaves were mentioned. I wonder if he is going to use his favorite game he told WuYi about. Mao is demanding a divorce decree be written for JiaYu not knowing one was written long ago when WuYi believed him an honorable suitor. 😝They both believe she should have choice. But the real question for Mao is what WuYi asked him….is it love for JiaYu or hatred for Prince Wenxi that spurs on this request? I am not sure even Mao knows the truth of this any more. JiaYu goes to her ‘father’ wanting to know about the An-Lu case. He is calling it divine retribution what is happening to the Xiao family. JiaYu boldly goes to the Regent for an audience. She shows him his lineage and that WuYi knew it all along. He never wanted the throne . She gave him three days to decide if he wanted his information posted for the general public or release the Xiaos. She went on to let him know whether or not she was with WuYi…he would never be an option. She had traveled far and lived happily. She urged him to forget the past and move on. Mao makes a visit to the prison where WuYi has been doing a lot of writing. Mao asks him how long he knew and WuYi gave him the date he was pushed in as Regent. Here Mao is ticked off because WuYi has often placed faith in commoners holding office because of ability not birth status. Mao finds this even more reprehensible that he fits in that category. He throws a tantrum but WuYi reminds him that it wasn’t his choice for Mao to get regent but that Mao himself chose the role. Now WuYi wants him to step up and do the things they had talked about for the people —do the things he would not live long enough to do. I don’t see Mao choosing the right thing, but do wonder if his ego will allow it for him to be known as a non royal. What exactly will JiaYu do with her leverage? And how will the Eagle King fit into this? I have to reluctantly agree the Tutor has a just cause of sorts, but to exact such damage from commoners to renew Lantai opening just to have nobles more powerful than the army is a self defeating objective. What happens to all the nobles when the Eagle King shows up and the army leaders have been cast aside or killed and the army scattered? Is being a northern puppet or slave the best choice for them? All the steps that had been taken the last two years have been tossed to the winds for political gain. Will Mao have the fortitude to truly care for the people as his office demands? That is the real question. Prince Wenxi has been the only royal to cast aside his title and truly be all in for the good of the people. Now to see what JiaYu’s next move will be. She now knows WuYi has little time left. The two main investigators are back but everyone is one step behind to get evidence. So has this changed her mind about how to proceed?
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 21
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YuanJi is moving out of the house and everybody wants her to stay. Yao tries to have her consider him more than big brother but she’s not ready. LeJun has made it to Eagle King’s camp and frankly admitted exactly why she ended up there. He has taken her challenge and literally carried her off. JiaYu figured out the mine puzzle of the tokens. When put together they outlined where the mines and deposits were located. She set off to find where they could mine the ores needed for the control fireballs. The Regent has set himself up well and is popular with the people. Two years have elapsed and progress has been slow but steady with Beifu reforms. JiaYu and brother Cui have been trying to find the right ores and so far success has been with fireworks. This site could make purple. JiaYu and WuJi have corresponded and she believes him to be fighting bandits up north. She finds out that the grain canal workers were embezzled of pay and the official has returned JianKang for open season of bribing to get higher tier official position. She promises the family of the worker framed that she would get their money as promised. She replaces the corrupt official to discover WuYi in a sting operation. Together with Prince Qi they are trying to rid corruption and get the misappropriated funds back to the jobs and people they were stolen from. Prince Qi seems to be on good terms with WuYi now but is it all for show as he plots with sister up north? He has light armor made for JiaYu to help keep her safer as she travels through mine territory. She has been given a new title complete with seal and a decree is being issued to make it official when the episode ends. JiaYu learns he has a concubine and considers that the responsibility of all princes to create alliances for the good of the people. While surprised at this new attitude, she doesn’t seem the least bit upset at his marital status. She attends a family banquet and chides WuYi for hiding his mother’s gift when Yao showed up with same item different fur. His attendance was opportunity to see YuanJi. JiaYu surprised WuYi with some forward mess about him asking for what he wants. 😂🤣 He is most likely wondering if he will live long enough to get his wish.
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The consort wannabe pretended to be a friend helping her hide the rash with a veil. But later her true colors showed when she had her friend debouched via aphrodisiac and then offered her plan B. She has her friend pretend to save Prince Ning from an assailant and take a drug that will make her appear dead for three days. This will let her marry the one she really wants and save face with the Prince because she rescued him. After the poor girl is stabbed, she realizes she has been betrayed and her ‘sister’ literally hugs her to death to keep her from revealing the truth. Huayong thinks a talking bird a good idea to present his wife. It sounds godawful speaking but as it tells on the prince with what he’s learned to say, she accepts the gift. The wannabe consort invites them to tea and makes it the same way the prince does with the same tea set. XiHe notes the similarities and excuses herself. Huayong says he will stay and teach her how to make it correctly.🤣😂Here I cheered for the Prince. There is no way in hell I want him married to that manipulative demon spawn, but XiHe can’t keep pushing him off to find comfort elsewhere and not expect him to consider it. He is pleased she is jealous but tells his aide to toss the matching tea set he has away and for it never to be in the palace again. 🤣😝Consort Rong had XiHe handle a memorial ceremony. The monks handed the emperor incense sticks that stopped burning not just once but twice. The one who put her in charge spoke up to assume blame. It was discovered that a monk and maid received gold to tamper with the incense. XiHe had a complete demonstration showing the difference of the incense and the emperor’s punishment was for the monk and maid to be beaten to death. This shook up Consort Rong who had instigated things. I am not sure if maid was additionally framed to look guilty or not. Lie and Changqing are pleading for a lesser punishment for their mother but their father is not having it. The one that used to be in charge was officially demoted and XiHe now finds herself in charge of the harem.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 20
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Yuan Ji confesses to what she did but was told WuYi already knew. What she did was gather her clan together, brought ledgers of her family’s corruption and their seal and declared support for the Beifu reforms. Prince Qi tore up the ledgers and said the reforms would not be put into place by killing the nobles. The one blackmailed to poison Prince Qi confessed when his family was brought in and declared safe. YuanJi asked for her marriage to WuYi be annulled and permission to be divorced which this time was granted. The coup the Empress Dowager planned turned into her son and Prince Qi having her removed to another palace to rest and reflect. Her son was kind compared to the poisoning he received. He kept all things accounted for by saying her life would end with his so she couldn’t use the pretense of being filial to reclaim the throne. She had tried to force her son to get rid of Beifu reforms, Remove Prince Qi as regent and to use her choice as crown prince. He refused all her choices and revealed he knew he was poisoned by the bird nest soup along with the other princes. After his mother is removed he grants Prince Qi the nine seals which lets him act with emperor’s authority without having to ask for it. He is given the Cui case and WuYi wasn’t happy with that news. It is countered by his token and the one from JiaYu’s mother being returned to counter the power Prince Qi has. Yuan Ji is now leading her clan while the Empress Dowager scoffs at the very idea. JiaYu lets LeLun determine her fate. She can head north and marry Eagle King and serve as Ye’s spy or she can die right there. JiaYu will let her leave but her life is forfeit should she step foot in Ye again. Tutor and son are playing chess and Qi is the mastermind behind it all. He is also certain WuYi is the crown prince WenXi. He has become even colder and more calculating than his father. After he hears JiaYu gets to determine his sister’s fate, he cuts all ties with WuYi.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 19
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The Empress Dowager has figured out that the Wenxi token was used rather than Princess Yunzhao’s. She agrees that LeJun plotted against the mother and believes JiaYu framed her to get her charged with murder. Yuan Ji is now recognized as the palace spy and released Cui Jun. Her entire clan is being held hostage if she doesn’t comply. They successfully kidnap JiaYu and conspire to get Mao and WuYi’s tokens by plotting them against each other defending JiaYu. WuYi follows an intricate plan that has him publicly shooting an arrow at the Regent. After a nice display of arrows dancing Cui Jun is killed and JiaYu is safe and Mao was tagged lightly by an arrow. JiaJu is charged with deceiving Empress Dowager and WuYi pleas for mercy and will take her punishment. When they get home JiaYu sounds like the doc wanting him to care about himself more. She chastises him for looking out for everybody else and that spiriting her away with armed guards the best choice to protect her. She then gives him the sweetest declaration of love I have ever heard. She wants their paths united and for them to be partners. She wants to walk by his side til the end and begs him sweetly to care for his life. She doesn’t want to be married to the villain but to the hero that commands Beifu army and able to do great things for the people. She wants him happy and healthy and to live a long and prosperous life. All the things he had waited a lifetime to hear from someone that truly loved him for who he was and not for what they could gain. He is so lost in her words barely daring to believe them. She is so strong and confident recognizing the man who loves her and who she loves equally. This completely upends all his plans but he now dares to hope. She now is the sweet that is his and not another’s.
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The wedding celebration shown was beautiful. He could use his frail disposition to come home early and sober. The trip thru the secret passageway gave her the unexpected surprise of seeing her father and brother. This joyful caring father compared to the one that slapped JiaYu is kinda mind blowing. 🤯🤣 But it’s easy to tear up yet again at how HuaYing handled arrangements so they could visit without being AWOL and had time to show courtesy and respect as a son and brother in law to her family. It was a touching scene and while happy words were said the father had a slightly sad look to his face before leaving. He actually likes the guy and doesn’t think his daughter will get enough time with him and his protection. Her shock he would use her chopsticks 🤣😂🫣 Him asking her to teach him. 🫣😁The stick to your pillow rule or find a new place to sleep. 🤣😂 Waking up in his arms and pretending more outrage than she actually felt. She just couldn’t let him think he was getting his way. The shrewdness of the catsctratch on neck visible to all the officials.🤣😂He has scored cool points thanks to tiny mighty claws.🤣😂 The two brothers are still mourning their loss of XiHe. Both watched from the sidelines as the wedding party traveled by. Mom checking up on both her sons to see if they are less love sick. Changqing promises the past is the last and even toasts his mom. It doesn’t ring true but at least the words were said. Changqing pretends to play a melancholy tune on an ocarina. The brothers have not let her go but are resigned she is now officially married. Lie is going to spend time with their mother and ChangQing is counting the days til HuaYing breathes his last. 😡🤬The Gma is already pushing consorts on to HuaYing who adamantly opposed them. XiHe smashes his heart by saying it is acceptable. I am annoyed she is insulted at his drawings and further encourages him to seek solace elsewhere. Ya have to appreciate how HuaYing upstages the fainting scene to get the wannabe consort in trouble.😂🤣 That was nicely done. She struck out with him and moved on to Lie who politely and firmly said not interested. And then resorts to stirring up allergies for another to get her booted from making an appearance. The machinations of that woman trying to get herself married and her mother framing XiHe for an incident in next episode. Frankly I am annoyed with XiHe for her easy pretense of accepting consorts. He has so little time left and has told her how hard her words sit in his heart. She really has no qualms serving his heart up on a platter to toss it and stomp on it at every opportunity. Act or not it is not the sort of games he has time for. She promised to be a good wife to him, not to just put on an appearance for the public. After all he has done for her, her flower watching isn’t really coming close to a comparison any more—especially for the shot regimen he will be undergoing. I really want her to stop being thoughtless and rather unlikable to him.😝🙄
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XiHe learns from her aunt that a cousin participated in cheating for an exam. Huayong had a different perspective as a student. He saw with his own eyes questions being passed around and test proctors turning a blind eye to the rich kids. He is determined to rout them all out of the system and wants them scared straight for the next decade. He is surprised when XiHe agrees with him. Even tho her weakest link is maternal family side she prefers weeding out corruption whether or not it implicates family members. What the prince doesn’t know is that her devotion to the night blooming flower is to provide a rare medicinal ingredient that will help lungs. She personally oversees their care and is quite meticulous in every aspect of farming the flower. Shulin is still at odds with Minister Cui and takes off for her leisure with the ladies. Cui soon joins the party and tells her interfering with official courtesans is an offense with up to ten years imprisonment. He turns out to be the know it all about the history of the dance she enjoys.😂🤣He then offers a critique of the song being played and how the musician played it too beautifully to render the true intent of the song. Shulin gives up and leaves in a borderline tantrum. She gets home to find out Doc Xie is out of town so while the servant gets her meds Cui is sitting right by her. She rants, requests and finally begs for him to stay distant promising to stay out of those places in future. He reminds her that if she forgets, she will have another day like today. 😂🤣 He is trying to remind her that acting like a man and being one are two different things. She needs to be more circumspect in places offering pleasure and drinks. She doesn’t have to be a teetotaler, but she needs to curb her drunken state habits considerably just for her own safety. There arguing lands them in a precarious position when the servant re enters the room. He very quickly runs thru med directions and then runs. 🤣😂 Minister Cui is enjoying his stay at the Bu residence but the host seems far less comfortable with the arrangement. 🤣This segues to the crown prince and doc Xie exploring new detoxifications methods. When his blood is tested there is a surprised and sad reaction. All his acts of bravery has caused irreparable harm to his meridians and sped up the toxins. There is one method left to try. It brings tears to the eyes to see what his friend endured for him as thanks for the honoring of his mother. And seeing the degree of pain, he chooses to accept the treatment to gain even one more day with the one he loves.😭Once again tears come to the eyes as he forthrightly tells her the news. He even tries to pass it off as good news.😭 He promises to do everything she wishes and that even if he had a change of heart, he would not live long enough to change anything. When asked if his prime objective was to find his poisoner, he said his view had changed. He no longer wanted to be imprisoned by the poison and wanted to do things that mattered for the future. He candidly told her how ever syllable she spoke weighed deeply in his heart and that if she wanted to say something heartbreaking to really consider hard before saying. He handed her a bundle of auspicious dates ti marry and warned ti not choose too far out because he might not be around for it. 😭She is now looking at the dates and pondering his words. He is so happy at her acceptance and she has chosen the earliest date. She goes to visit his Gma and runs into Prince Lie. Unlike his brother, he is every bit the gentleman assuring her he has no agenda but to wish her happiness. He does remind her of their pleasant times together and she congratulates him on his promotion in cavalry unit. His skills are truly best used there. Hua Ying is personally adding pearls to her wedding headpiece. He is picturing her in it while he fights off exhaustion. She must keep to the palace directives, but within that parameter he urges her to choose whatever is to her liking. He is so nervous waiting for her and so enraptured when she enters. She is exquisite in her choice of silk and his headdress. She claims to be in for the year as promised, but when she guarded the flowers for him and as she looks in his eyes and sees his wedding attire, there is a softness to her gaze she never really allows. When getting advice from his elders there is a respectful response to hold them to heart. This is the first time she has accepted his hand rather than servant’s to enter the carriage.😂🥰 As they prepare to leave, he changes to accompany her by his side rather than leading the procession. It is usually happy tears for a wedding, but this one hits the purest bittersweet note. There will be no growing old together, but every moment willl be a lifetime.❤️🌹
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 18
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WuYi knows JiaYu is exhausted and hasn’t eaten since kneeling before her mother’s memorial. He brings her flatbread and she immediately starts discussing her mom’s case. I don’t think they know that Cui Jun was a fake but the letter her mother wrote to Tutor Xie acknowledged it. Her mother hated his obsession with the case and it had driven a wedge between them she thought insurmountable, but as she pursued the truth of it for herself she found it had merit. She acknowledged he had reason and hoped they could remain friendly if not partners. JiaYu figured Tutor did not capture him or he would not have tried to make a deal for the letter. WuYi decides to use his own token to move things along. LeJun visits the Tutor and he is ready to choke her to death for killing his wife when she reveals Prince Wendi is alive and has the token. The very next day Empress dowager has a dream and wants them present at a banquet. Here WuYi shows his token and even has the guests pass it around to look. LeJun is definitely nervous and is ultimately accused because the token was slipped in her sleeve. Her mind worked in such a tragic way. She had no bottom line where her brother was concerned. She argued with Princess Yunzhao over a cliff and could not change her mind. She showed her ‘friendship’ by having JiaYu out of the carriage and taking her place. How would she not think her friend wouldn’t want justice for her mom as much as she wanted to protect her brother. It never once crossed her mind that if Prince Wenxi was still alive and hadn’t tried for the throne he might not be interested in the job. Her brother talked her out of killing the coachman’s family but when the wife showed up as a withness the lesson she got from that was she should have killed them all. Tutor Xie is still reeling from the loss of his wife and that Prince WenXi is till alive. Prince Qi is now officially at odds with WuYi over his sister. WuYi had a legitimate point that if he fancied himself a ruler to be, he needed to judge impartially and justly. There was no justification for his sister killing Princess Yunzhao. It was fun watching Empress dowager having to choose between JiaYu and Tutor Xie for the token she didn’t want pried from her hand. His identity as the crown prince is still covered because she didn’t know what the pieces looked like or understood the one was superior to the other three. Mao is going to be on the warpath now but so is JiaYu. She has found a site for her mother’s grave but the owner wants top tier prices. She assumes WuYi is wealthy and has no clue he gives most of his income to take care of his army. She thought he was begrudging her cash and took her sword back. He showed his love for her and respect for his aunt by selling his prized one of a kind steed and all his estate holdings yet still 200 taels shy. His wife brought these to her and informed JiaYu the lengths he had gone to to get as much cash as possible. Jia Yu gives him the coveted sword but he tells her what he really wants. They are moving closer as a couple as Mao moves closer to being their nemesis.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 17
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Tutor is delulu drawing his ex wife’s image over and over. He is definitely portraying the grieving husband. He has forbidden JiaYu from mourning by her mother’s casket but WuYi has given her a place where she can mourn her mother in peace. Mao has confronted the Tutor about whether or not he’s his father. He had the audacity to make LeJun the escort.🤬 Jia Yu finds out that while WuYi had phoenix heart tokens, they were different from her mother’s. He also learned that Jia Yu had not ruled out anybody and had cast a wide net to gather every suspect in to investigate. She finally is made aware of his injury but still not realizing he tackled a bear for her. The Tutor once again gave his speech to the family but this time was shut down when Crown Prince Wendi enters the room. His sword makes sure JiaYu gets to say everything she wants to say. She gives him the choice of the answer to the An Lu case or keeping her mother. He took the case and still tried for both. Everyone now knows they were divorced, that she wasn’t their biological child and that JiaYu keeps glaring at LeJun when she speaks of getting justice for her mother. They look like avenging angels as they march home with her mother’s casket behind her. They are all shaking the dust off their feet from Xie manor. She has officially denounced her ‘father’ and is heading on the path her mother wants her to follow. Wherever her spirit leads her. WuJi has declared his love for her and she is closer to accepting it. The actors did a magnificent job of making you love or hate their characters. Viewers get fully invested in wanting to know their outcomes.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 16
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Funny to see Prince Qi loves Hawthorne cakes as much as WuYi likes peach candies.😝He is trying to gild the cage for his obsession because love seems to have left the building. He has no interest in JiaYu’s wishes and she realized she was just as uninterested in his. JiaYu’s mom is sounding her out about what her dreams are and how current events impacted it. JiaYu is much more aware of the consequences to the masses while those making the decisions drink honey water and eat pastries. Mulian Ying has discovered his machine design in Cui Jun’s room, He sees things aren’t adding up and discovers there is an imposter posing as Cui Jun. he follows the order of northern empress dowager and has every intention of bringing down the fort and mine to poison everybody with the contaminated water underneath the mine. Mulian Ying makes a gallant effort to shut down his machine but is killed by a trap. His last words telling his lost love he would see her soon. The Cui son tells them the plans of his father and that Mulian Yung was killed. WuYi beats the crap out of the father, but his friend died before telling him it wasn’t the real Cui patriarch. Since he is not really Cui, I wonder if this will bring some leniency to the real family members that were set up by the north and fake father. JiaYu’s mom and Princess Pingning have an exchange where it is made clear there is no long standing alliance with the Xie’s. She tries to convince the young princess that it was all a lie about Prince WenXi still being alive. They part ways peacefully but LeJun confiscates the letter to see if the a Prince’s location is given. For now his identiand location still secret. It is also clear that the second she has any confirmation as to who and where that his life will be forfeit to keep place for her brother that lacks Royal blood to claim title. Mother and daughter decide to take a trip and it is noted that JiaYu doesn’t seems as happy with it as she ought to be. But she is determined to keep researching the catapult her master was working on. When her plans are revealed to WuYi, he too has a melancholy look. He knows that the search will be on for the Phoenix Hearts so he travels separately to offer mother and daughter safer travel. Lejun has communicated with he dad that she is all in protecting her brother. Tutor Xie has no clue why his wife would team up with WuYi. His arrogance has no limit thinking she would want any alliance with him when she despises him and resents the Regent title with Mao. There must have been something in the sweets he bought because JiaYu now is feeling ill and that leaves her mom traveling with LeJun. While mother and daughter now separated, WuYi is taking his prisoner back. The mother’s horse sets off in a frenzy and for the first time ever, somebody going over a cliff actually dies. 😱Lejun is rescued and the Phoenix Heart is missing. WiYi arrived just in time to keep JiaYu following her mother over the cliff. All evidence points to WuYi being responsible for the horse gaining access to contaminated feed. Since the coachman also died, any witness or further evidence thru testimony is lost. JiaYu has collapsed under the strain and from whatever she was given to make her ill. WuYi is doing his best to be her support and comforter but this is a bad scenario. He has no way to clear himself if the evidence. The Tutor is unaware of who he is but will make good use of these circumstances to better seat his son as ruler. Aster WuYi gets bear gall to heal JiaYu Tutor Xie shows up right in cue to blame JiaYu for the plan he devised with LuJun. He has the audacity to slap her and put her on notice with the Xie family. I want the earth to swallow him up right there. The only good thing from this is that I hope it broadens the chasm between Mao, LeJun and Tutor. The three deserve each other. The emperor is probably the only one currently in palace aware of the farce that is going on here.😝 That the Tutor deliberately attacked her when she was most vulnerable and his new villain son is distracted…is reprehensible.🤬she never was a member of the Xie family so he did her a damn good favor disowning her. 😡🤬😝I can’t wait til these stunts bite him in the ass. I hope his ex haunts him for the remainder of this life and the next.😝It is also hard to hate him so much in this drama and like him in the other one airing. 😝🫣Tutor has claimed no divorce so he can confiscate the body. She is already rolling over in her grave.😝🙄Now JiaYu thinks WuYi is guilty coveting the mine and tokens.😝🤬 I’d like to smack her other cheek but he does look guilty. He would be heartbroken to hear this conversation between her and Mao. Had she witnessed the conversations between WuJi and her mother she would have realized how wrong she was. This is where all the chatter with third parties rather than to each other directly is annoying,😝Nobody, not even her own mother, invested as much effort into JiaYu’s true happiness and protection than WuYi. For now, if she is really to marry multiple times, she deserves a lesson with her trusty Mao.😝 Let her see up close and personal what has happened to her old boyfriend and best friend. They can have each other til her blinders are off.😝WuYi has the stripes to prove his battle with the bear for the needed ingredient. He is the one who loved her unconditionally tho here I think he and mother on even par. They both wanted the best for her no matter what. What is surprising is that Mao now knows the truth. His sister killed the princess and coachman with the forage for horse. What that also means is someone got the tokens prior to accident and Mao now knows who daddy is. So now to watch them plot agains WuYi while knowing the truth. This will let Mao show his true colors….whatever they happen to be. Kudos to this fine cast for superb acting across the board. Intensity of feelings coming across with WuYi and Tutor shining in this episode. There are no weak links and they are scooping us up emotionally in their story and keeping us there. 👏🏻
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 14
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Jin Yu is trying to find divorce decree and finds her hair ribbon tucked away in a keepsake box. WuYi denies knowing where it is and says he tossed it. Mao is collecting concubines like butterflies. He sees his path to JianYu thru becoming the top power. At least he and WuYi both recognize her need for freedom if they want any hope of gaining her true affection. Mao is already changing as power never had anything to do with making JiaYu happy. She is traveling with her mentor and they are ambushed. She finds herself at the Cui’s mansion and introduced to the master of the house tho he’s far from impressed with her looks. 😝🙄 At Beifu Fort, they are seeing a breakout of what looks like a rabies epidemic. The source has been planted in the grain and spread to water supply. It effects humans and animals with dangerous violent behavior among other symptoms. The official is being interrogated for hiding evidence and killing witnesses. JiaYu has figured out it is associated with mine. WuYi also receives intel about the mine and that JiaYu has been captured by the Cuis. He boldly heads right to the residences as an envoy. He rescues JiaYu but Lady Cui recaptures them. In a two prong attack Prince Ji is in charge of Beifu troops to confront the father and get evidence and Lady Cui gives JiaYu her mother’s pendant. She was captured trying to get help for the girls in the mine. Tutor Xie is involved peripherally as he predicts the downfall of the Cui family. LingFeng fort and mine will be investigated for illegal activities and epidemic coverup. It is hard to tell who will fall permanently, but swift changes are taking place. The only thing I question is having his sister hold the token to strike down the steward. Is he steering her course or is this what she wants as protection? After all the crap she has endured because of Empress Dowager, it kinda makes sense. But it seems out of character for her. I also hope the next time she has a chat with her brother she won’t keep calling brother before every sentence.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 13
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Arrangements have been made for Consort An to meet Mulian Ying at a restaurant. Before they can exit, the Eagle King has sent guards to keep her secluded for her ‘protection’. Tutor Xie showed with guards of his own and managed to get the consort on her way. He sends his son there as it was the last chance to rescue his sister. Consort A lied to Tutor Xie that the An and Lu families had indeed colluded with the northern king and that there was irrefutable evidence with no framing of the families. At the restaurant, the once lovers now enemies both came prepared to kill the other. JiaYu interrupted after the tea to say she had swapped it and no poisoning happened. WuYi shows up at the wedding and says everything will go the general’s way once he signs the agreement. The royals brought up an argument of it being beneath nobility status to marry LeJun to a barbarian. This was knocked down, and the Eagle King countered with his plan to kill consort in Ye territory to kill the peace talks. Prince Ji enters with a decree from Consort An. It sets forth officially the turnover of the three precincts and the reforms WuYi wanted to establish. He was quite pleased with himself and smirked at Eagle King’s strategic loss. In spite of trying to kill the consort, he was the leading general for their people so she let him live. He asked the same question Tutor Xie did with a very different answer given. It was a great miscarriage of justice and Mulian Ying was well aware of that. She herself outlined the plan to have the emperor carry it out on the families. This is why he had that huge poison pill to kill consort. JiaYu’s interruption wanting them to reconcile let both of them agree to let bygones be bygones. It is worth noting that the Eagle King offered Lejun marriage that she would not be forced and a door always opened at his place up north. Here I wonder if she will consider it. JiaYu and Mao have a chat and she reveals her knowledge of his plans to stay in the palace and his arrangement for a consort from Cui family. She also acknowledged she had never asked him his preferences. WuYi is still delaying the divorce decree. He wants her to stay as long as possible. She looks him in the eye wanting to know about the woman he loves and he betrayed himself had she been the least bit aware of how he really felt. They are making deals for his forge and she is making plans to leave with her mentor and discover what her skills can become. Both men that love her realize they cannot keep her there and it’s just about time for her journey to start. When consort An referred to those in place in the south I wonder if she referred to the Tutor or the Regent?
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 12
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Mao has accepted villainy power as the best resource to gain his sister’s freedom. He has already asserted his new authority in all the wrong ways. He enjoyed beating the Cui butler’s face in with his bare hands. Here I have to give him a bit of a pass after the rude comments made referring to his mother. His next target was a fundraising stall to show gratitude with gifts to thank Princess Pingning for sacrificing herself for a peaceful alliance by marrying the general. Jia Yu and guest are sharing mechanical notes and military arms ideas. She got to the bargaining table showing the general the refined iron but what she actually offered was various farming and water mechanicals that would greatly assist in specific problems the northerners had with producing enough food for their people. The north Empress dowager discovered one she’s been looking for for two decades, Mulian YingHis location was revealed with the blue fireworks. She bargains with WuYi that she will save Princess PingNing if he delivers his guest to her. He is not convinced her story is true. She claimed they were lovers and that in her efforts to protect him, his entire clan was wiped out instead. He is the last. She wants to make amends before her heart condition kills her off. WuYi sees that as a case for mutual destruction and does not agree to provide opportunity for either of them to hurt each other. As usual JiaYu has other plans and makes a way for her would be mentor to meet the Empress dowager. It is also noted that she sees the changes in Mao and knows all about his concubines and palace plans even tho he hasn’t said a word to her. I’m glad she knows and that WuYi did not have to tell her. Tutor Xie also had a meeting with the north Empress dowager. 🧐 For as evil as her general is, she seems much kinder and more reasonable than the witch for Ye. It is not revealed what that meeting was about. But that smug look on his face just gets more dominant every episode. He is relishing the fact that his son is on board for the greater good. 😝🙄 Mao tried pleading ill, but the Empress dowager wanted him front and center for his sister’s wedding ceremony. WuYi has not made an entrance yet and the dowager mocks the princess about his absence. She looks absolutely beautiful in her wedding gown, but there is a very sad face behind the fan. To be fair, it looks like the General is honestly interested in her because of her defiant courage with the arrows. He appreciated her beauty and even had a softer look in his eyes and demeanor. The Empress dowager looks more and more wraithlike with each passing episode like her evil intent and actions are stealing her humanity from her. They are demanding Princess PingNing make the first wedding bow and she stops and turns toward the Empress dowager instead. Here is hoping WuYi, JiaYu or North Empress dowager finds a way to interrupt the ceremony. Whether or not he actually likes her, he is too sadistic to be a partner for her. The irony is the way things are headed she might be safer in the north than residing in the palace.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 11
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Mao wants a contest with WuYi and he complies. Mao accuses WuYi of liking JiaYu and he admits it. He admitted to love at first sight. The difference between them is he wanted to give JiaYu freedom of choice. Mao is unaware that WuYi has drafted his divorce decree as promised. Unlike his friend, WuYi loves her for who she is, not what he can gain from her. He sees her potential and offers her safe routes to the places she wants to go and a mentor to help her hone her skills. Mao wants her to dream about those places via books and stay shut up with him in the palace. Mao thinks he knows her best and that she would be more than happy to stay with him and kill her dreams for his sake. Even his sister chided him for being deceitful with JiaYu. WuYi is walking a tightrope between Empress dowager and northern general. He has promised the sister would not be a bargaining chip but circumstances changed that. The general is having a good time bargaining and so far is getting the best of the deal. Mao is determined to get the power he needs to stop him from taking his sister. What is incredibly sad is he doesn’t look to his friend for wisdom and strategy. He has been told by many that they would only bargain with WuYi because he has repeatedly proven himself on the battlefield and dealing with royals. Mao’s jealousy blinders are on so he heads for dad to get advice for gaining power. That traitor has already been colluding with the general because he wants the nobles to have a better power position than the military. WuYi is working behind the scene to save Mao’s sister even with the animosity he is getting from every quarter. The one surprising thing is there are no barbs from JiaYu. She is the one most like him in seeing what’s going on and understanding that WuYi’s hands are currently tied. She also recognizes he is not letting that stop him from interceding at the first possible moment. She comes as another bargainer the general didn’t expect. She is offering refining techniques that he really wants. WuYi has used the Phoenix heart to get access to the hidden visitor. Their chat reveals JiaYu is making a bargain for her friend. WuYi catches up with her at the temple and finds out what deal she made. Everybody this episode wants to make a deal. The stakes are huge and no one wants to lose any ground.
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The crown prince is adorable on his cloud nine of love happiness. Equally sweet is Minister Cui wondering at his anger at losing his new friend. Bu Shu Lin has cut ties and runs from Cui at every opportunity. 🤣 Big grin as the Crown Prince explains how Cui lost his heart to the man who isn’t a man. His encouraging signal on Cui’s shoulder to figure it out bro, I have taken you as far as I can.🤣 The crown prince acting like a smitten school girl with his stolen handkerchief talisman of love. 😂🤣The beautiful lantern display and his art showing the life he saw for them lit up in the sky and his jade hairpin betrothal gift.🥰❤️ His saving of the princess by literally fighting thru fire for her. This resulted in a true collapse right as edict was given. She had just given the royals her decision to stick by the crown prince no matter what when tagara bracelets undid their bond. The greatest of ironies that the incense keeping him alive just pulled out his heart and crushed it.💔 She is his match and quickly deduced his plans and abilities. Even knowing he shortened his time and risked his eyesight on the snowy mountains gathering the herb to save her, she could not take the risk based on sentiment. Love was not part of her plans and she returned his hairpin love token requesting him to break their engagement before a date was set. He knew once he realized her sensitivity to smells that he was undone with the bracelets, but there was no getting them back before she discovered them. His very love for her and sharing himself is what undid him. She is too calculating to rely on his heart and her prime objective is safety for her family. She does not currently see a way for them to coexist because of the strength he truly has behind him. They cannot afford to be enemies but she cannot see them as a united front. I am waiting to see how they have her change her mind. He is now just another unwanted suitor and she is out of options for husband choice. An episode that began in sweet first love’s bliss turned into the biggest of losses and heartbreak.💔
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