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The Road to Splendor Episode 15
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Fan Ya Ke’s contempt for her father’s craft shows and now Yu Jing Xiu regrets his preemo choice for a bride. 😝I call it karma. 😁He is predictably contrary to any choice made for him so Ms Yu easily steers him to daddy’s choice for career path. Once there he is envious that Zhao Ling has made more progress in a year than he has.😝🙄His bias against what he perceives as special treatment immediately shows to all leadership in Ganlin. That a scumbag like Li has nothing bad to say about Zhao speaks volumes. Officer Yu did not bother to really investigate or get the lay of the land. He considers himself Mr know it all about all things pertaining to Ms Xie. 🙄 He selectively forgets the degree of ruin he gave an innocent bride candidate. 🤬🙄 Yu’s hypocritical diatribe at Zhao shuts up with the horseshoe thrown back at him. For all his education, Zhao’s school of hard knocks meets him eye to eye and toe to toe. 😝👏🏻This education can’t register to the book-smart but street dumb of the scholar. And he really has no clue why he’s not higher up the ladder. For all his spurning of nobles’ privileges, he’s made no effort to understand the lower classes and in fact, looks down on them except theoretically in government matters. He’s such a spoiled hypocrite. 🙄😝I am glad Sen and Zhao made up. 😁 Ms Mo at Zhao’s gate.🤣😂 She really is a decent person putting up with her husband. He let the Lu woman ruin his family life and career by overlooking the horrendous deeds of the brother and choosing her openly as favorite bed warmer. 🙄😡 TingYun was very gracious to offer assistance and had some forewarning about Yu’s arrival. Zhao’s plan backfired when TingYun saved Yu. Yu’s perplexed look said it all. She let him know it was not because she respected him in the least but wanted a confession from him to clear her name. This shows how little he understood her. She is a true jewel, but just because he has the barest hint of her brilliance, doesn’t make him eligible in the least after the grief he caused her. 🤬😝🙄Zhao will again doubt himself because of what Yu said. But he has the best bead on what she truly values and he needs to trust that and his heart. I had to smile when Zhao kicked his hurt leg because he deserved it. Yu will have to acknowledge the stalemate here because Zhao has both a witness and the guilty party.😝 I loathe Yu’s hypocrisy and fickleness with women, he plays his part too well. He was such a good guy in BoP so it’s playing with my brain cells he is equally good at being evil.🫣🤯This story continues to be told well and the cast is brilliant at bringing these characters to life and drawing us in.🌹👏🏻
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The man in the wall was holding Wu’s whistle. Wu confesses to killing the men of Unit 401 to escape. Hatoyama was experimenting on them and promised a cure if Wu helped them get the black sand. The vats in the sun-moon area are filled with the black sand. Wu’s drawing was a clock with 12:08 time. This was the stopped time in clinic where Unit 401 disappeared. The leader of unit 401 was mutating to become a Zainiangniang and tried to attack Wu. Hatoyama threatened this for all the men and said he could cure the one infected if Wu was compliant. Yin Changsheng used mutated humans as a barrier to the tower. They existed between the tower and miasma forests. Hatoyama could not clear the forests without the Zainiangniang. They were immune because the black sand came from them. The cycle for the sand is people are mutated to become Zainiangniang and over time scales are shed from them that over time becomes the black sand that plays with people’s minds by distorting memories. Wu believed the sand caused hallucinations and Hatoyama believed the sand made Changsheng’s spells reality. Animals forgot their masters and humans lost track of time. Past, present and future twisted around in imagination made them unaware of time passage between events. Repetitive trips were filled in by their minds making it seem like a time jump. Hatoyama wanted to use the sand to win the war. Huo found the ledgers from the original silk shop and realized her mind made them her relatives rather than giving an account from a disciple. Her ledger confirmed multiple trips with the sand playing with her mind. Everybody is now on the same page about what the sand does, just still to be determined to what degree they are effected by it. They are still not completely clear on what was fact and what was fiction in their multiple trips. They have surmised that Hatoyama has a way to neutralize its effects and that originally QianSui had been released, but he knew too much so he was killed and body brought back to look like the spell worked. They are all clear now that Hatoyama’s primary goal is to get the sun-moon sand. Very convoluted plan this episode.
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I didn’t care for the heavy drinking opening. I waited til third episode to decide if worth watching. This was not an ideal way to introduce the story, but it did improve enough to add. The cast is decent and has potential.
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Jin I Su starts the show in Mexico where they catch those involved in a pyramid scheme. When he returns he discovers a bomb and made to look like an idiot on tv. At his whiskey launch, bomb two goes off. While he is headed for a safe house, bomb three is located in back seat. They have just made it to a marina as the clock hits zero. Who is targeting him and what do they want? Flex X Cop is back with a new interim boss til bomber is found. Fast paced and new boss’ ojt is trial by fire as she makes it her new mission to protect the nut job that was constantly showing off in training.
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As the meeting comes to order blame gets tossed at Zhang QiShan for not finding whatever the Japanese did and losing Wu. Huo looks a bit guilty because she has the item. Chen picks up annoyance factor after general’s departure. This actor is very good at playing self righteous annoying characters. He did this in Paper Dreams in Ink too. Zhang QiShen finally gets their full attention reminding them what will be lost if the Japanese succeed. So now that the childish taunts can be thrown aside they ask how to assist. It is agreed that merchants and informants will garner intel and Ban will assist navigating the underground waterway. This is most likely how they escaped undetected from the tower. Xie agrees to continue dealing with General Huo. Zhang and Huo have a chat where she reveals Ding QianSui as her contact. She acknowledges supplies her clan purchased and that she learned he was colluding with the Japanese and now has her clan implicated. When asked what she found, she did not disclose. She wants to know what she’s dealing with to not be used as a pawn. She made it clear she was tired of that role from all of them. Zhang is candid that he gave her this time to talk as a colleague but that if anything became public he would be forced to deal with her in a military fashion with no mercy. She understands the terms and leaves to assist with the search for Wu. Qi mentions the picture of otherworld patriarch and hair. He noticed such a person visited his father, but he doesn’t know where she came from or where she went. Qi is good with ambiguous supernatural details. Zhang QiShan wants to target Ding QianSui because he believes the eunuch is backed by the Japanese and Americans which is giving him a stronghold in China. I gotta say I am hoping Zhang is successful in wiping out that old lech—the sooner the better.😝😡 Xie is left to greet the general when he wakes up and calmly tells him why mystic nine visited and how Zhang had admonished them and guards for oversight. General Huo is left to reprimand his men as he sees fit while Xie leaves early as not feeling well. General Huo is advised to rest well so he doesn’t become ill.😝 In the divination hall Qi is pouring through notes on the hair statue. The woman with the lustrous hair is traced to the Xishan monastery. Qi leaves a letter and preps to go. General Huo is tattling on the mystic nine like a bested bully. 😝🤣🙄The top ministry of war leader respects the mystic nine but acknowledges their days are numbered. Xie and Chen have a chat about that very thing. Xie is already well aware that General Huo is desperate to cut ties and that mystic nine will be ended because they no longer have a reason to exist. However, Wu gives them a new variable that changes things. The scene changes to Caopan Mountain where Wu is being held. Hatoyama says they have a creature they want him to tame. His refusal is countered with the lives of Unit 401. He is reminded he cannot gain his wish if Zhang’s men aren’t returned. The Japanese dealings with Ding started four years earlier when the Huo clan were eventually purchased and provision providers. Their logistics were outside Zhang’s view, so delivered to the tower secretly. Hatoyama is almost as annoying as Gen Huo.😝🙄 His sleazy laugh at how clever he is manipulating Wu. They do keep the creep factor going with their many armed creation. 👀He is also told the Huo will have to deal with the spy execution squad if her clan’s provision assist is made known. He thinks he has every angle covered to ensnare Wu. Third Master doesn’t seem to be appreciated at home. They want him packed up and gone with Zhang ASAP. 🤣😂 We aren’t told why they don’t like him home. He and Zhang are within a few days of waterway entrance. He won’t retire because he has even more wanting to kill him than he supports. His killer isn’t born yet so he bides his time doing what he can in the interim. There is a deceptive peaceful Mountain View that is soon going to change to a warzone of waterways. It is still unclear what the Japanese plan, only that Hatoyama is quite confident of their success. The mystic nine hold secrets from each other even as they ally to find Wu and how he serves Japanese and American plans. The one who knows Japanese finds no records of the eunuch locally. He remembers that American backing is involved and thinks of a new place to look, but we aren’t told where that is. Both sides are bracing for impact and both sides want first strike. Hatoyama disposes of the supernatural theory and replaces it with technology. One the Chinese have forgotten and that the Japanese want to perfect. The eerie factor still stays up there because of their creation and what exactly do they want Wu to tame?
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The Chief Commander, Zhang Qi Shan, arrives on the scene at Changsha Military Hospital to find a freaked out nurse, a child’s ball and all clocks stopped at 12:08AM. We are walked through the nurse’s rounds which go from a routine check on women and children to a spellbound unit of men, eerily silent and filling the entranceway. She is sent out to gather herself and returns to find everyone gone except her. The commander’s unit 401 were right on schedule until they weren’t. The nurse is too unstable to account for anything except the location where everybody disappeared. Evidence points to her truthfulness with medical supplies littering the floor. Further investigation leads to a cavern under the hospital with evidence Unit 401 had been there and now behind a wall. The scene shifts to a temple where 8th master, Qi Tie Zui, has already figured out Zhang is looking for him and tries to escape city posing as a plague corpse in coffin. 🤣He believes he escaped to find himself relocated via coffin to the wall site. 😂 He is told he will be buried properly if he can explain why Zhang was led to the wall. 🤣😂 Here a special seal is noted with a living house on the other side. Unit 401 and medical staff were invited to enter. Here Qi points to 5th master, Wu Lao Guo, having the means to open the mechanism—his dog. There is a flashback where rescued people ate the dogs that rescued them resulting in Zhang killing Wu’s brother right in front of him. Ironically the people that can help Zhang the most with this mystery are those he offended most. Qi is sent via coffin and deposited in front of Wu’s home. 🤣Negotiations met a stalemate. Further clues lead them to Liuyang Kiln where the gold wire basalt bricks were made, a group of self sacrificing brick makers found and two wall messages. Karma will uncover itself. And My Sovereign awaits you. The scene shifts to Wu watching a play where a monkey is opposing the wrong rules inflicted on him by making a mess. Wu never watches the end because the monkey is always caught. He doesn’t like that nobody ever questioned why the monkey made a mess. He is curious why Zhang would request his help with the enmity between them — so he agrees to a meeting as episode closes. This introduction acquainted us to the main players who have very good reason to not get along. Interesting clues and a mystery introduced. The only thing that truly mars this are the very pristine uniforms of the investigating officers as they explore all these ancient, dusty sites. That does take you out of the story a bit as they are doing rather than narrating. Other than that misstep, an interesting introduction.
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We finally get a short and sweet update of the Cui family. Twins🥳👏🏻 Mama has a good plan of one a scholar and one a soldier……just like mom and dad.😁🥰 haha I guessed right that the loyal lady will marry the decoy and Shulin can be the long lost sister. One big happy family. 🥳👏🏻 From this sweet scene we are seeing the delusions of Changqing. He has replaced XiHe’s guards and imprisoned her in her own home. Her men are now in a e mth stint away from the palace and are refused entry until it is accomplished. XiHe calmly tells them no big deal and to come back in three months. He disgustingly refers to Huayong’s child as his…..as if…😝🤬Everything seems in his favor but XiHe recalls her chess game with Huayong. She had played an excellent game as a general in battle…but what she failed to see cost her the game and gained Huayong wontons.🤣😂 Make a diversion to accomplish your real goal. Changqing is pushing a wedding…she counters a trip to a far off temple to introduce her child to Huayong. Changqing ruins the moment by commenting on how this Buddha did indeed bring together long lost spouses.😝😡His actions of ‘love’ are becoming more and more binding. His wedding invitations are like a zealot saying agree or die. He has real and/or fake charges read that are punished by execution. The only hopeful outcome is that the officials will get tired of his craziness and overturn his rebellion. Xihe has been called in and has received an edict declaring JunShu the royal heir- the true bloodline. Mummy Rong shows up to either detain or execute the witnessing officials, frame Xihe for frail health of emperor and endanger the unborn child. 🤬Prince Lie must be adopted because he is the only honorable one in this family. 😝Where Changqing is making quick progress with officials praying for emperor, Xihe has had much better results with the soldiers Consort Rong has in place to kill the palace women. They are reminded of their service and who put them there and took care of their families. They ended up kneeling at her feet. Consort Ring still thinks she has cards to play with the Shushan army. With the Bu token they are making their way to the palace. They are building up the intrigue and still no reveal of the actual poisoner yet. Huayong and Xihe are very well matched. She has equally laid it all on the line to root out the rebels and make way for Junshu to have proper place. I hope there is a closeup on poisoner’s face when true lineage revealed.😝
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I despise Changqing and do not trust him, but he did a damn fine job of taking care of that Gen traitor, unlike Changtai who tried his best to take out the Crown Prince. The Shen family gratefully received the son in law’s help to turn the tides of the coup attempt. XiHe showed up just in time to show off her archery skills defending her husband. As victorious as the battle felt for him, I don’t think it compared in his heart to seeing the woman he loved fight for him and kiss him soundly in the middle of the battlefield. ❤️ If ever a pair proved worthy of each other, this moment stands out as the one that cements their bond. I had hoped Changqing recognized the futility of his moves on XiHe, but his shameless wonton feeding shows his heart has not changed on the matter, 😝Changtai is greeted at home by a loving wife that recognizes the dead end her path has become. I believe she loved him and tried to help him become his better self but he was not capable of getting past his ego. He proves his love is after his own when he watches her with the knife and then makes no effort to cover the wound but let her bleed out. She is well rid of him and died with no regrets tired of being his blade rather than his partner. He did not value the life he had nor has hopes for the future. I do not think he has the courage to take his own life like Ning did. He will just have to find a rock to hide under because going home will not be an option and his rebel friend is now dead. In much better news, XiHe has admitted her love for HuaYong and kept her promise of mentioning it as soon as she was sure. She is given a list of royal court officials and she wants to know what he thinks of Changqing’s claim she is his ex. His response was beautiful.🥰❤️ His only concern was the woman before him. The name or title was irrelevant. It took forever, and she annoyed the hell out of me with her tests and delays accepting him, but, she is the same as Huayong. Once she gives her heart, it is a done deal and completely without further reservations. I think a young heir will show up sooner than later now. 😂🥰 The Duke of Wei is a shadow of his former self, but he is alive and looking to the future. He sees his daughter is happy and he is confident she has chosen well. He is pleased that Huayong puts the family relationship first when they are at home. He gives his second father the respect he deserves and fights for the brother in battle when he was too injured to go. He wants his wife’s family to prosper and put his life in the line to make sure it happened. They had a gift filled send off from the locals thanking and praising them for protecting their hearth and home. Changqing unfortunately wiped out all my good feelings when he shows up to escort them back shamelessly being the third wheel with no apologies. It is clear he is up to something , but no matter what it is, he is too late. Her heart is now committed and her devotion to the crown prince will not be changed. Reflecting back on the battle his young guard handled himself well and knows the Prince values his life above his abilities. What stands out with this group is how slowly and completely they love and depend on each other. They are truly family in the actual meaning of the word. Both by blood and bond they accept each other as is and will care for and fight for each other as long as they live. This episode was about love and family, bonds and betrayals, and the ties that bind or needing cut loose. The cast brings this to life and holds our interest in their characters and relationships, making us love, hate or despise them as they choose to tell us their roles. This episode did not require a second couple boost and for once the main couple shined brilliantly. ❤️👏🏻
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 27
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Wuyi let the third arrow fly going thru LeJun just as Mao was reaching her. He made himself appear the traitor and headed north with Eagle King. His two guards were presented to him and he played the traitor masterfully. They left in disdain to complete the facade for the Eagle King. As things played out, he knew there was no way WuYi would join the north, but, he did not anticipate how willingly WuYi would give his life for his people. JiaYu showed a demonstration of the caltrop fire and it was a shower of hellfire to earth. It then continues to seize on mineral deposits to continue burning and water would not put it out. They plotted an area where the army could be blocked in and prepared for the last battle. LeJun left her wishes behind so her brother would know. She even hid the battle location to blockade them in on the bottom of her shoe. WhenWuYi fired that last arrow he successfully pierced the heart of Mao and the Eagle King. Even staying for three years spying on him, their peoples’ history could not let her love or hate him. This was the hardest thing for the northern general to hear. He was stunned that she willingly drank the poison over considering even for a moment to beg for her life. JiaYu leaves Mao on good terms. Their friendship has been severed due to circumstances but they can respect each other because of the positions they hold. They candidly talk about how her friendship was cut when her dear mother was murdered and that is what LeJun planned when WuYi killed her with that last arrow. Even knowing it was truthfully a mercy because of the poison it was still an action that cut thru their friendship tie as well. Before he left for the north he impressed upon Mao the importance of shifting the army’s loyalty from a single person to the people of Ye. Once no single person controlled them, the balance of powers could be balanced for the wellbeing and security of the people and not an individual’s power to rule. It was a powerful entrance when father and brother Xiao rode in to the battlefield. They fought bravely. Once the father was struck down by two halberds, he died knowing he had protected his sons as best he could. The oldest brother needed to pour out his grief later and continue fighting. When he would not leave their dad’s body, Wuyi whistled for his steed, knocked his brother out and returned the favor his dad had done for him by sending his brother to safety. JiaYu had visited and given him the life saving pill from the doc, but he sneakily returned it to her. While she was working in the prison camp, she helped instill Ye spirit back into them to fight to go back home. The people finally stopped being cowed and realized they had the means to defend themselves. Wuyi and Eagle King have locked swords in battle and WuYi is holding him there. The Northern Emperor showed up at last and he was the real target. Caltrop fire was taking care of them. Wuyi pointed out that they both were pawns of their emperors no matter how loyal and bravely they fought for them. Wuyi is content to hold them both there until fire strikes. But at the same time he is hearing JiaYu entreat him to value himself and live.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 26
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There is some light heartedness as JiaYu and Mao pretend they are fighting. Like a scene within an acting scene.😂 Here her fake design for caltrop fire is bargained for and his concubine reveals herself. The sad irony is that she did really care for Mao as well. They will be executed as the army makes its way north. WuYi’s trusted two guards are together in torture chamber of Eagle King. The two northern Kings are vying for power. The Eagle king is in the middle…will he go with his Emperor to defeat WuYi or team with WuYi to defeat his emperor? The maps are being tested and squadrons are dying to prove if real or not. WuYi’s plan is unfolding exactly as intended but LeJun gives him a wrinkle. She has taken poison and soon to die but she wants WuYi to kill her. This will make Li Mao a true rival and able to stand on his own should his path with WuYi diverge. I am sure WuYi had other intentions for that last arrow, but he hears her request and explanation. The episode ends as he makes his choice of destination for the last arrow. I wonder if he knows JiaYu is by Mao disguised as a soldier? That she and Cui son have found the ores to make caltrop fire? As much as I despise what LeJun did, she truly laid it all on the line to protect her brother and his title to her very last breath. The generals are playing chicken with troops waiting to see who will veer first. There will be no walking this back with Mao. With his family held in the palace, does he really want to fulfill LeJun’s last request?
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 25
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Omg this episode 🫣 Right when I was ready to tear Li Mao’s hair out and wish every curse on his character, the plot unfolds to see the eunuch is a spy and all an act for his benefit. All of this was a very elaborate hoax to get WuYi in Eagle King’s camp to weigh the situation from inside. I don’t know if the Xiaos are really dead but there were a lot of guards lives on the line. There is still the mystery doc with the hood. Wuyi is given two months at best even with these meds. I really don’t know what to think of Li Mao. He acts his part too well. 😝 Hopefully the Xiaos are hid well somewhere and he already has the others WuYi cares about in the palace. JiaYu is far from happy to hear they plotted without including her. I don’t know what all the pages were scattered around whether written by her or WuYi. The hairpin made from his mother’s melted Phoenix Heart token is most likely his last gift to her. It is hard to know how the concubine that has served as the fake JiaYu will accept the real one. My heart is still pounding at their shenanigans.😝 The loyal few is a very finite number and they are guarding and waiting. It is still very murky for me to decide if Li Mao is good or evil. He plays grey characters well. They are playing it too close for comfort with the Eagle King. I am not sure how WuYi felt seeing his family armor as a war trophy. But that smirk on his face at the end of the episode says things are far from over. Wuyi and Mao are working on balancing military power and waiting to see how all this comes about. Not happy for JiaYu if she really has to marry Mao. I think she’d rather spit in both men’s eyes than deal with either of them right now. I guess Mulian Ying’s prediction of three marriages just might be correct.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 23
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Prince Qi is in a mood. His fits of rage are getting him nowhere. JiaYu’s next move was to empty the house of any he could jail and burn the divorce decree with the message he had one day left to decide. When JiaYu goes to get WuYi, she finishes dictating his military book that has all his teachings for future generals. He is determined to leave a legacy that helps the people rather than himself. Tutor and Xiao Ju have at it and Xiao is reminded that the canal collapse is one thing that proves they were wrong in how constructed. As Mao goes through his anger at WuYi he is reminded that there existed a royal that gave freely to any in need. He saw the scholars in ragged clothes and asked his concubine about second chances. She made a very valuable point citing her feelings when redeemed. They would be willing to serve him for life in gratitude. He allowed commoners in to take the exam and YuanJi finally had her turn. YuanJi placed first class in the exam and Tutor came in to disrupt her receipt of reward. He deliberately had veered the exam question toward waterways. She had the correct solution that would prevent collapses and loss of life. Zhou Lin testified that the bamboos column filled with stones had been studied for decades. JiaYu brought in a working example to prove it’s efficacy. The demonstration proved that the system the An and Lu families had worked on was viable and that the Wenxis lied and falsely accused them. Here Yao Xiao took the blame for mishandling the construction and vowed to spend his life correcting it. WuYi declared Crown Prince Wenxi had died and that the Ans and Lus should be cleared of any wrongdoing. This untied the heart knot for Tutor Xie and he confessed his guilt and was told to stay out of politics and go back to school and teach.Yao was to go and implement the columns to atone for the collapse. The scholars were forgiven and Zhao Lin was sentenced to stay 800 li distance away from the city. WuYi then boldly asked for Spring exams to be reinstated to accept commoner and noble in the grounds of merit to become officials and Prince Qi followed through and granted the request. Together they all corrected an old wrong and longstanding bias against commoners being educated and holding office. WuYi was more than happy to let the Regent take care of the politics while he took care of the army reforms. This was a most excellent day for the people of Ye. This episode let everybody be heroes or repentant villains. Not sure where the story will go from here but hoping for some miracle doctoring for WuYi.
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That whole Gu memorial visit was surreal. That had to feel weird offering incense to your own memorial followed by the crazy ex testing you with poisoning himself. She has clarified it as much as she can that while she had no feelings for him, she knew he would do anything for her and wished him to live well. It is not likely he will heed this sound advice but we can only hope. That was a sad irony that his efforts to save her cost her her family. It is funny that Shulin had to be told to wash her hands like a schoolboy before getting her hands on the pastries. 🤣The princess again runs into the Crown Prince at her family New Year celebration. He even managed to twist her arm hard enough to give him a pity knot.🤣Traveling home her ex again makes his presence known. The waterfall fireworks were quite beautiful, but his refusal to let go is more than obssessive. The Crown Prince had his own fireworks display that reminded me of the winter flowering trees . His outstretched arms played right in her hands as she asked his sibling how did he stand a chance for the throne with a crown prince like that? He is relentless in his pursuit of her. Shulin has a shock when she runs into her new house guest….Minister Cui🤣😂 Whether true or no he claimed to not get along with his younger brother and deemed bad fortune. So he asked the Emperor to reside in the Bu household. Can’t defy the Emperor now can we? 🤣😂He has already made breakfast plans and looks like he is being his entire house along with him. 🤣😂👏🏻The Crown Prince has rubbed off on him.🤣It segues to het another palace intrigue as a new marriage alliance is in the works and nobody wants to move that far away. A princess is bribed by one seeking to steal the bride of the crown prince and make her his own. She doesn’t want to be forced into a. Alliance so she agrees to the plan. She is drugged and waiting for the kidnapper when the episode ends. It is not shown who the hooded man was that was mastermind behind this action.
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Key to the Phoenix Heart Episode 15
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It was unexpected for the Emperor to burn WuYi’s divorce decree. He has already surmised the tainted actions of Prince Qi. Princess Pingning has become the pawn for Tutor Xie to use. He has twisted her love for her brother to be his assassin. She might have been better off with the Eagle King. Cui Jun used the Princess letter to lure JiaYu there and plans were already set for WuYi once the disease hit his camp due to soaked grain. Prince Qi will have one less concubine because she was willing to die to expose her father’s illicit dealings with the mines and women workers. She felt responsible because her suggestion pointed out that women would be less traceable than men. The brother unleashed one of the rabid men to test EuYi’s abilities. He is trying to undermine his father but all depends on the timing of the reinforcements. Now with the Tutor’s counter Princess added to the mix the waters are muddy and no guarantees who will make it out alive. Mulian Ying shows up at an opportune time to help rescue and lighten the mood. Once he showed up I had more faith that they could hold out til help arrived. I am not sure how dark a path Lu Jen is willing to go, but I am sad that she most likely will turn out to be worse than her brother. Her protective nature for him will have no bottom line and the Tutor has tapped into that. I cannot blame him for wanting the families cleared now that opportunity has presented itself. But what is reprehensible is his poisoning the troops and using his own children to expedite his revenge. He is truly a loathsome character. There was a rapid rearrangement of pawns as the fake sister was killed and JiaYu’s mother brought out. A soldier’s amulet revealed the northern troops colluded with the Cui’s long agon and Cui Jun instrumental in accusing the An and Lu families. It is revealed that WuYi is the long lost Prince WenXi. Princess PingNing was on board on the right side but the news of one able to oppose her brother has given her pause. The real question is who will get the last Phoenix Heart token? And how will she respond to who WuYi really is.
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The opening scene is the Emperor looking at a pouch Prince Qian had given him. They were celebrating Qian being made crown prince and he had vowed allegiance to him. Prince Jian welcomed him as a brother and had complete trust in him. Dr Xie is sent back to town and the Crown Prince is giving the Duke some rest time before interrogation. He agrees to head back in two days and take the princess with him. He then shamelessly flirts with her at how well they can work together. She is interested but very reluctant about it. At the carriage to head to the Duke of Wei’s mansion they banter with her using her servant’s assist and pretending to check him for fever to slide her hand on by. She is now 2 to Crown Prince’s 0.🤣😂 His attempts to have his servant toss them back and forth on the journey was stymied by her servant. 🤣😂 He did score once in teasing her at finding him so capable with determining who and how many can get into east palace.🤣 was it poison or antidote the Duke took when they arrived? He admitted to buying the poison but that it was meant for Xiao JueChong who betrayed Qian in battle. He told him his dad was the adopted son of the Empress dowager but treated as a brother by Qian. The look Qian sent back towards his brother and the Duke said he knew something was off. But instead of exploring it he charged off to battle. When the flare signaled, the Duke was ready to go out with the troops but JueChong told them to keep the gate shut and defend the city unto death. He left Qian to be surrounded and defeated. The duke said the poison was to avenge Qian and never intended for a child. Duke Ying warned him to not trust his father as the throne was his objective over brotherhood. It is likely he would make the same choice between son and throne. The emperor is guilty of betrayal, but his face suggested something else was going on. That someone was forcing him to do the unthinkable. Whose life was more important to him than his brother’s? Was he forced between choosing his brother or son and then betrayed with his son being poisoned? The Crown Prince is very disappointed he has hit a dead end. He feels that the Duke paying with his life for that one bad action was equitable and that he should be buried with his ancestors. There was still a mystery about who used the poison meant for his father to poison him. All we have seen was a woman’s hand putting the poison on the cherries given to the prince while he played with his father in the hallway and the emperor giving his son the cherry. Did he know it was poisoned? It looks that way but why would he have the pouch Qian gave him as a keepsake if he wanted him dead? There is a poignant moment where the crown prince and princess discuss what is next. He has spent ten years investigating and has not known joy since he was nine until that day. His appreciation of her assisting with the investigation and being there as support he considered a memory for a lifetime. He puts a blossom in her hair and she respects his request to leave it there. Prince Lie has a conversation with the princess thanking them for allowing the duke to be buried in the ancestral plot. He is leaving to take his uncle’s place and guard Anlan while ChangPing will stay in the capital. They have a candid moment wishing each other well while the brother looks on in resentment. He does have a right to be angry. She is his ex and he looks insane calling her on it. The Princess’ father arrives and he is very determined to get the Crown Prince out of the picture. The more he complains to her, the more she reminds him that no man would measure up to him in comparison. The Prince adeptly responds to all his snarky remarks in equal measure holding his own. I wonder what the dad really thought when he grabbed the Prince’s shoulder. 🤣 The ploy to get his daughter away to visit gpa backfired when the Prince came out to meet them. 🤣😂 He is well liked by gpa so there are no seeds of discord that can be sown there.😂 He challenges the prince to a martial arts challenge that he quickly accepts. I am very curious how that will play out. One thing is certain. The prince will prove to the dad he can keep his daughter safe. How they negotiate with the prince’s family about his real strengths and weaknesses remains to be seen. The dad has tagged him the northwest wolf and I think the crown prince is pleased with the moniker. 😁Minister Cui has opted to be direct in letting ShuLin know his feelings. She has been sent by her friend to get out of a position in his office and Cui suggests she take his place. He vows secrecy and no concern about being a couple. ShuLin on the other hand, has made it quite clear that she has been and always will be the male heir of the Marquis. I feel sad for both of them. Preview shows the crown prince demonstrating his undeniable protective skills surprising the dad.
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