More plans

In this episode, Yin Xue seems to be back in play, Ji persuades Lei to visit Ge'er, Ge'er continues to develop her counterattack, and we have something of a mind freak in a flashback of Anye Luo....

1)Ge'er continues to explore the Pear Quarters after Miss D leaves.  The dead trees are beginning blossom....and she takes away a branch from Yin Xue's room.  I guess to grow it?  The blooming blossoms give her hope that there is still time to fix things.

2)Joaqin, MW, has hair as white as Dong Hua and is very weak.  He meets the wife of the town leader he is in who offers to assist him if he needs help and then he panics, believing his mentor has left him.  then Yin Xue saunters in typical fashion, and Joaqin says he will go buy rice, and Yin Xue tells him to get wine as well.  While they eat, Yin Xue angrily lectures Joaqin for depleting all of his inner force to bring him back.  Yin Xue now has a 1/3 of his power and complains that if they run into Anye Luo they will both die.  

3)Back at the villa, Uncle Murong visits Ge'er.  He tells her that Dark River Palace is stirring, and is now out in the open.  She tells him all the mishaps of late are traced to them.  Uncle Murong reveals that during the battle between the Villa and Dark River, flame villa won, so Dark River became the enemy of everyone and they were hunted down (this is to emphasize that good and evil may be determined more by strength and power and less by morality).  She asks about Anye Luo, and he reports that Anye Luo was untamed and arrogant, wore clothes of bloodred and was basically a monster.  She wonders if Anye Luo is behind her father's death, and Murong says he believes it might be possible.   She asks if her father ever asked him to silently watch Feng, and it seems that yes, yes he did and knew all about the Thunderbreak Manor incident--he just kept giving him chances.  Currently he reports the minor pugilist sects are watching the three great sects and hoping that they destroy one another.  She reveals that she is looking for an opportunity to prove Lei's innocence.

4)After he leaves, she states that Murong visited because of the 9th festival.  MW, Feng continues his super annoying behavior of bothering Ge'er with medicine.  It is like watching a repeat of the King's Woman--he just does awful things and thinks that he can still have some sort of relationship with the FL.  Back at the capital, the emperor lavishes praise on Yu and then Feng reports to Anye Luo: 33 sects support Flame Villa, 19 are with Thunderclap and 20 are hesitant, all of which is good news to him.  He reveals that the blue sapphire earring he wears belonged to his mother, whom he says was the most wonderful woman alive.  In a flashback, we see a woman who looks just like Ge'er embraced by a young Anye Luo; he says that she is the best big sister and hopes to marry her (they are not really related).  MIND FREAK.

5)MW, Ji is able to visit Lei, who initially believes he has harmed Die Yi once he shows him the star sign.  He gains his trust and Lei agrees to meet Ge'er, however phoenix is furious and says that he is walking to his death (I sort of agree).  He tells her that this is his last opportunity to protect his name, and no, he is not going there to see Miss D because it would cause trouble for her.  Anyways, the plan is that JI will create a fake fight to distract the eyes of those looking for him, and he will then have a chance to see Ge'er.

6)The episode ends with the noodle man--the same one who Yin Xue and Ge'er ate with way back when--reporting rumors that the flame lord was actually evil, framed the Dark River Palace, and now that they are out of hiding they are actually good.  Bwahahaha.

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Ji sets out to bring Master Lei Back

In this episode, Ji confronts Zhan Feng for his b.s. excuses and then goes on a mission to ensure Master Lei of Thunderclap can safely meet Ge'er; Yu fails to persuade Ge'er to leave Flame Villa in addition to finally asking her to marry him.

1. Word spreads fast as Feng learns that Yu has returned and this news does not please him but then very little, besides making bad medicine, does please him.  MW, Yu continues his heartfelt reunion with Ge'er and urges her to get well.  She reveals to him that she has been faking her illness in addition to bringing to light the cover-up being perpetuated by Feng and Evil Housekeeper Yi Li.  In spite of her explanation, Yu, always rational, informs her that they can't say Lei isn't responsible however his motive is nonexistent; it would make far more sense for Lei to focus on the mess he was already in before her father died a.k.a. the great coup of second madame--he would be focusing on reclaiming his namesake and would not risk a death sentence move like going after her father, even if he wanted to.

2.Yu shifts the attention to Ge'er.  He tells her that as long as she is the official leader of the Flame Villa, she holds the final say--and therefore the most power--in the affairs.  This makes her a threat, and he urges her to leave with him.  He tells her that after the war they can return together how she flat out refuses.  She also insists that she is safe here (something that fills me with a great deal of doubt).  Unable to convince her, Yu informs her that he must return today because he is only here to pay his respects and to linger would increase the probability of him making the capital upset.  He leaves Hueng Cong behind and advises her that sometimes it is better to admit defeat and then counterattack later (isn't this basically what evil dark palace did?).  She escorts him to see her father.

3)Elsewhere, Bi'er reports to Ji that the Villa moves to apprehend Lei.  He also leaves to greet Yu.  They meet up at the place where are father's urn is, and Feng and Yi Li are also there.  (This is very deliberately filmed, with Yi between Feng, who still can't seem to look anyone in the eye, and Yi Li, who stares directly ahead and looks well evil, while Ge'er looks so weak in the middle).  Yu gives his bows and Ji expresses surprise at Yu's arrival, perhaps to break the awful silence.  He tells Ji that he leaves Ge'er to him while he is gone, and the meaning is not lost on the evil guys flanking Ge'er.

4)Miss D confronts Feng and calls him out for his false accusations of Lei.  He gets in her face and tells her that she is an accomplice by keeping her silence, and that to reveal the truth would be to destroy her brothers so she better keep quiet.  She is very angry, and I assume, utterly alone.  Then, in an odd move, Feng visits the site of his master's death and burns paper to send him off, a move that again emphasizes his utter lack of accountability because anyone could do this he is doing this just to feel better for himself and could care less about everyone else.

5)Yu, Ji, and Ge'er then head out.  Ji jokes with the other two that he always felt intimidated by Yu and Ge'er admits that this is the best they ever got along.  He gives them some time alone, and Yu proposes to her.  Ge'er is about to let him down gently when he interrupts her and tells her that her father wanted this (manipulative) and also tells her to give his answer when she returns.

6)Feng continues to pester Ge'er.  Upon her return with Ji, he insists he is only there to speak to Ji because he was not at his residence.  Ji storms off, Feng follows, and he tells Ji that he will be leading the hunt to find Lei.  Ji calls him out and states that finding Lei would be easy, everyone knows where his haunts her.  He accuses him of trying to to send him away in order to completely isolate Ge'er.  He wants to know why it would be so bad for Ge'er to lead the villa, and Feng coldly says that the pugilist world is malicious and she could not handle it.  Ji calls him out and says that's an excuse--when has Ge'er ever been bullied or let anyone bully her?  All of her suffering has come directly from Feng and the branch masters at the villa who have treated her worse than a stranger.  Feng insists he will protect her and asks Ji to trust him, which blows my mind that he could even ask at this point--

7)Meanwhile, branch masters volunteer to go since Ji does not want to. Feng insists that Ji will go even if he has to tie him to the horse.  MW, Ge'er meets with Ji and tells him that he must go.  He must do this because it would be in the name of avenging her father and only he can safely ensure that Lei will be safe, and that he can convince him to meet with ge'er in secret in order to work on clearing his name.  Unsure of how to get him to meet Ji, Die Yi steps in and draws the symbol, which is given to Ji.  MW Lei hangs out on his bed and reads his wanted poster.  At this point he isn't even phased by the nonsense thrown his way, although Phoenix lectures him for being both dumb and naive....then back at the villa, Xun Yi and Ji say goodbye.  Ji meets with Bi'er who, after gaining permission to journey with him, reveals that she is actually from the Azure Hall and is a secret, basically her job was to take over for Zhongli if he died.  She also admits she has a plan to get Zhongli back in his job again....Feng sees Ji off and tells him not fight enemies if they overpower him (?)

8)Believing her medication/doctor to be ineffective, Feng brings in his own doctor to take care of Ge'er, who reports that she should be fine but seems to be suffering from depression.  He prescribes new medicines.  MW, Yi Li visits Feng to congratulate him for winning the people over through his make Ge'er great again campaign and making her medicine.  Feng tells him if he made her ill he will end him, however he says he hasn't.

9)Meanwhile, Joaqin continues to heal Yin Xue (how we need him back....not just to help Ge'er but to  bring back the romance).  MW, Ge'er chooses to visit the Pear Villa and runs into Miss D there.  They walk, and Ge'er admits she faked her illness.  Miss D wants to know why she trusts her, and she admits that she believes she is a good person since she helped warn them about the frost curse.  Miss D admits that she has been spoiled her whole life by her brothers and that Lei was the first person to challenge her.  Finally Ge'er asks her if she is ready to tell her the truth about Thunderbreak Manor, and Miss D says that the Manor is gone, so who cares, and Ge'er says she swore to get them justice.  No amount of pressure or guilting can persuade her, or Ge'er's belief that Miss D is not connected to what happened--she refuses and tells her she cannot tell because of her family.

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Framing Lei

Ahem, I believe it is important to acknowledge that the Rat Housekeeper Li is likely a sadist hungry for power.

1)Zhongli chooses to brush up on his music skills in retirement.  I say this because Die Yi discovers him moodily playing the flute in his biggest display of emotion yet.  Die Yi does her best to force him to confess to her and fails though it is painfully obvious how he feels.  She is successful in luring him back to Plum Palace a.k.a. Ge'er's quarters as the resident cook in order that he can serve her.  This is a huge asset for Ge'er since Zhongli is very informed and a skilled healer.

2)Elsewhere, Ji returns to Pine Court (his living quarters) and immediately coughs up blood.  He downplays the fight but his head maid, who I completely forgot is Bi'er who, for all of you have forgotten, was told to live in secret beside Ji many, episodes ago by flamelord.  anyways, she tells him that he must rest for two weeks and hide his injury to protect his reputation.  He can use the fight with Li as an excuse to seal the court off.  Also, she tells him that Li, whom Ji was convinced was weaker to him, is far more skilled than Ji in martial arts to deliver such a complicated injury and must have been trained by a master pugilist.  (She also reveals that she is the secret third keeper i.e. the known two are Li aka housekeper and zhongli of azure hall; she was trained to take over Zhongli's position in the event he were to suddenly die.)

3)Xun Yi stops by to visit and forces her way in.  She tells Ji she is afraid that by the time  Ge'er awakens everything will be different.  Ji swears that he will do his best to protect his mentor's last wish of having her succeed.  When she asks what they will do, Ji surprises her (and me) by saying nothing.  Clearly this was a well staged coup, he explains, everything is to their advantage and right now they need to figure out how to counter attack (my respect for him has increased ten fold I did not know he was so smart).

4)Miss D is updated on Ge'er's status

5)Meanwhile, Ji tries to leave only to learn he is grounded to his quarters, it seems, because of his fight with the evil houskeeper.  He is extremely dissapointed in Feng but at this point all I can say is take a number as Feng has shown without fail that he will betray and hurt everyone around him without fail and find an excuse for it.  He may believe he is protecting Ji, but it's some lies.  Evil housekeeper tells him that he is being too lenient however Feng'er is adamant that no one is to bother the residents of Pine Hall or Plum Court.

6)MW, Ge'er awakens.  Unlike Feng, who uses his power to make others fear him, she is a foil in that she treats others with respect.  She goes to see Zhongli instead of having him come to her.  She asks how he is, and she tells him that they must observe the enemy and plan their counterattack.  In the meanwhile, she will feign her sickness to throw off Feng.

7)MW, Hueng reports that evil house keeper punishes anyone who questions Feng's actions, so everyone is afraid to speak out against him.  Ge'er is ill and has not investigated anything.  Hence he has taken the lead, and in spite of his questionable ways, he has made flame villa even more powerful than her father--no one can doubt that.  He plans to blame Thunderclap clan for the attack as the explosives were made by them.

8)Eveil housekeeper leads a slander campaign against Yu, whom he accuses of sheltering the enemy--Lei--during the next branch meeting.  However the branch masters defend Yu, whose virtue is without question.  And Thunderclap was already pardoned by the Imperial Clan after feng's wedding--they insist that they not get involved in what is likely an imperial issue.  However evil housekeeper insists that Lei set the explosives up while Yu was sheltering him.  He insists that they arrest him.  Uncle Murong says that they cannot act hastily, and that there is no motive.  Housekeeper says you will find out his motive when you arrest him.  (That is some good detecting).  Anyways, Feng says that he believes they should not be hasty.  First they will gather the evidence.

9)MW, Yu is completely fixated on Ge'er.  He desires to visit the villa and ignores the advice of his men who tell him he should not go because the imperial spies will give a negative report to the capital.  He journeys back under the guise of visiting his mentor's memorial.

10)Feng visits Ge'er in the meanwhile (and like Yu, he has her on a pedestal. if Yu believes she is perfect and needs to be protected, so does Feng, although he sees her as a carefree child only Yin Xue has ever treated her as an equal and respected her wishes )  She keeps her act up and is polite, though I think he needs to accept reality that he is on team evil and accept responsibility for breaking the hearts and shattering the trust of everyone who cares for him--he tells her he has evidence that Thunderclap did this.  She tells him that it isn't possible. He says its true.  She asks him if he really believes this.  He asks her if she thinks he murdered her father,and after a long silence she asks him how he could think she suspects him of murdering her father.  And then she asks him his plan.  He says wipe them out, and she says fine, just know that I won't spare anyone who killed my father, no matter how close we are (shots fired).

11)She then meets with Zhongli who reports that the branches he is meeting with were all expelled for stealing.  She wonders how he could find such people reliable, but then the thunderclap sect is divided at the moment.  how will he frame Lei?

12)Well, this is how Feng frames him.  The first branch letter he has is tied up and he threatens him to tell the truth, that Lei did this, and tries to give him silver but he refuses.  After two more men appear and testify Lei did, this one man is basically threatened that you can die or lie.  Ge'er appears suddenly and questions him, even though she is able to show an inconsistency in the man's reliability as a witness, he nevertheless offers false testimony, and so she leaves.  Meanwhile, Miss D is pissed to learn of Feng's decision to frame Lei.  She tries to confront him but he basically tells her she can do nothing since her silence makes her an accomplice and her brothers would be in trouble.

13)MW, Yu learns that Lei is now wanted as a criminal and anyone who aids him will be treated as an enemy of the flame villa.  He is reunited with Ge'er, who is so happy she breaks down in tears....

YIN XUE NEEDS TO COME BACK.

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In which Feng illustrates that he would rather be feared than loved

So the Flame Villa descends into evil--it's sort of like how a revolution happens--the aftermath is always cleaning house, and the ones watching it have this sick feeling in their stomach, like maybe this is a bad idea?

1)Flame lord invites Feng to sit down and asks him why he is so quiet.  Feng's face is like icy anger as he asks him why his parents died, and the flame lord insists that they took their own lives.  Feng clearly does not believe this and then asks him why he summoned soldiers, and the flame lord states it's because he wants to help him leave Anye Lyo.  But Feng defends him, and states that this is his maternal uncle, which causes the flame lord to be super tirggered as he angrily reminds him that he took him in, raised him, taught him martial arts, how is it that Ge'er can believe him but not Feng?  Feng dismisses her as naive, and so flame lord asks him what he must do to gain his trust, and so Feng'er states he has to give him a reason to trust him.  Feng raises his weapon as if to behead him, and this makes Flame lord break down into laughter as he tells the memorial of his brother that his own son wants to kill him.

2)Housekeeper stabs him the back!  Literally and figuratively!  Flame lord calls him a rat and knocks him down.  He dies in Feng's arms, who is shocked, and his last words are for him to leave the evil palace and to have no regrets.  Housekeeper forces him to leave and then uses explosives to blow the place up.

3)Zhongli visits Ge'er, and she knows that this is bad, and she listens as he reports that her father is dead.  After fainting, Ge'er leaves with him.  She arrives to find the hall in mourning.  She puts on the white clothes and all eyes are on her as she makes her bows.  This is when Housekeeper Li says that villa bussiness should be addressed, and he suggests that Feng be appointed as hall master since she lacks experience.  The only person who speaks up for her is, surprisingly, Ji.  Feng'er is silent (COWARD).  Wu Xia rises and says that he believes that Feng'er is a good choice because the sudden death of the flame lord robbed him of the chance to properly train Ge'er.  With no one on her side, she has no choice--she decides to appoint Feng'er as Deputy Master and leaves.  Ji calls Feng out for not respecting their master's wishes.  Feng'er yells right back and accuses him of not being supportive.  Ji said that he supported him when the master was alive to give him a fair chance, however, since he is dead, he is honor bound to respect his last wishes.  Feng'er then says well what if his last wish was a mistake, do you honestly believe Ge'er is qualified?  He wants to know what he will do to Ge'er, and Feng says he will give her a carefree life. 

4)That night she visits the place her father dies, and Feng follows her. She has a fever, he tries to make her leave, but she refuses.  She wants to know how explosives were planted in the room, it is supposed to be the safest place, how could no one have known?  She returns to her room, and summons Zhongli who reports that her father had all the elite soldiers summoned back while sending Feng away.  He also reports that her father died the same day as Feng's return.

5)At the next morning meeting, Zhongli is the only branch master not present. All the hall masters state that Zhongli never attends the meetings, and Feng says that he was spoiled in the past and this will change.  He sends evil housekeeper li to bring him by.  Zhongli states he is unwell and cannot attend--and in a flashback we see that Li and Zhongli entered the place together.  He reminds Li to not harm the trust their master had in them, and this actually seems to make Li a smidge guiilty.  He reports back that Zhongli will not attend, and so Feng decides to send a strong message.  He initially plans to expel him for disobeying him but because the branch masters are defensive of him, strips him of his title and gives it to housekeeper Li (who is like a child in a candy store when he learns this) but it seems that Zhongli burned (I hope) the most important secret documents.

6)Die Yi goes to see Zhongli but seems to have packed his bags and left.  Ji is apparently banned from attending hall meetings, which leads to a violent conflict with housekeeper li who seems hungry to do him some serious harm.  

Oh, in this episode, I forgot to add, there is  a monologue where Feng reflects on how he has what he wanted, the master is dead, he is charge of the villa, but he is not happy and Ge'er is utterly miserable....

---So Feng'er continues to reveal to the audience that he is a spineless coward.

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Yu is a poor general

In this episode, Yin Xue leaves his isolation to help the Chinese army--really to help Ge'er--and Feng'er returns to Flame Villa...

1)The Flowing Fire covers a range of ten miles, and all Yu can do is lecture Ge'er for arriving to help him.  He expresses frustration that they do not know how to counter it.  Ge'er observes wounded men later and this is when we learn that Yu (acting very irresponsibly) did not bring enough medication and it will soon run out--in three days.  When that happens, Niang will likely make her move and only focus on him.  Elsewhere, Hueng, who has his meds, is KO'd by Anye Jue who mocks her from her perch.

2)Ge'er attempts to get the meds, even though Yu has forbidden her, however he locks her pressure points which incapicates her so she cannot go (again, I think this was silly of him).  After he sends her to his tent, he receives a letter from Anye Jue, and she promises the safety of his men if she gives her Ge'er, whom she wishes to teach a lesson for marring her face.  Yu rejects this.

3)Miles away, sensing Ge'er in danger, the ice around Yin Xue cracks and he sends  a firefly to guide Joaqin to the entrance.  The disciples do not want to let him in but when Yin Xue stumbles down the path, they obey him.  It seems Grand Mentor is in seclusion because he used up much of his vitality to save him.  Even though they tell him that he needs to wait 100 years, Yin Xue ignores them and goes with Joaqin--he can barely walk--to save Ge'er.  He tells his disciples that they are the last, and they are to let no one into the mountain.

4)In the middle of all this mess, Yu's top concern is Ge'er's safety, which is not very good for a general or a leader.  His top thoughts should be his men.  Yin Xue, meanwhile, gets to the Eastern Sea very fast and begins to turn the lanterns off.  Niang is confronted by Joaqin and successfully convinces her that he is the one who learned from Yin Xue how to do this.  She flees.  Yin Xue admits that had it been Anye Luo they would not have been able to fool him.  With the lanterns gone, Yu releases Ge'er, who isn't angry merely wants an update.  Joaqin arrived at the camp, and no one saw Yin Xue's face, whom he introduced as the mentor to Yin Xue.  Ge'er goes to greet them, and whether it is deliberate or a result of the frost curse, he ages dramatically, and Ge'er is frozen, like she seems to receognize him but it's clearly not him.  

5)Elsewhere, the Japanese camp is visited by Niang and they are portrayed as violent rude drinkers.  Niang essentially explains that they hit a small ripple in their plans.  The Japanese decide to attack head on and she refuses to go insisting she is not going to her death.  After the general leaves she basically calls them animals.  While the Japanese attack, Ge'er escorts elder and Joaqin away and forces him to take the flame seal for their safety.  'Elder' begs her not to go back but she says she must.

6)Niang watches the battle for quite a while, her plan being to go in after the Japanese have killed a lot of the enemy.  This causes a lot of casualties to the Japanese as well.  The Japanese are ambushed as they retreat and their leader expresses anger towards Niang for only watching.  She finally sends her lanterns back--meanwhile Yu again is only concerned about finding Ge'er.  She is found just as these lanterns descend--however Elder makes it snow, and they win the battle.  Niang wonders if Yin Xue is not dead.

7)Niang reports to Anye Luo that the disciple to Yin Xue has some skills, and Anye Lue basically says his only concerns is to delay Yu long enough for Feng to attack, although killing him would be ideal.  MW, Feng leaves a day earlier, as does Lei and Miss D.  Feng returns, and housekeeper updates him: Flame Lord used this as an excuse to gather Azure soldiers.  He warns him that now it is kill or be killed.  Alone, Feng breaks down in tears as he thinks about killing his mentor and adoptive father (basically) but Anjue Lue's words come back to him along with the anger and his resolve to kill.  He goes to the flame lord, who is praying to the memorial tablets of his parents, and asks him why he has come...

00I gave this episode an 8.5 because I thought some of the characters were poorly acted/written and especially find Yu's character to be very grating. The last bit is clear bias on my part, but the acting could have been better.

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Flowing Fire

In this episode, Flame Lord finally realizes the threat Zhan Feng poses, Master Lei proves he is not just reckless he is also selfish, and Second Madame sends a deadly attack towards the army led by Yu....

1)We begin with Ge'er insisting that she would not object to Yu marrying abroad if the alliance was not a conspiracy, in fact she would like a sister--an admission that clearly stuns Yu, and then she admits she is teasing.  Yu then confirms that she is right and this is a conspiracy.  MW, the emperor meets with his sons and discusses Yu's response, which also includes permission for Yu to lead 100k troops.  Yu must lead the troops because it would appease the people since he is rejecting the offer of peace.  Third prince surprises everyone by supporting this, little do they know he plans to murder Yu.  The emperor announces his royal decree.

2)Back at flame villa, Yu discusses his plans with the flame lord.  The flame lord promises Yu that upon his victorious return he will marry Ge'er (nevermind she never consented, perhaps she should have clarified her relationship with them)  MW, Die Yi in a panic tells Ge'er about the Emperor's decree.  She interrupts the meeting Yu is having with her father in order to explain that Yu cannot go because the humidity is bad for his health and his condition will endanger him.  This clearly bothers Yu as it is like her saying she does not see him as a man, however her father steps in and states that Yu must do this out of duty.  (So I suppose then Anye Luo is doing the divide and conquer)

3) So Anye Yuo plans to manipulate 3rd prince once he seizes the throne after they take out Yu.  He expresses concern that Feng will not follow through; in addition it seems like Evil Palace guy enjoys this control aspect otherwise I do not understand his motivation.  MW Feng'er and Flame Lord have another random fight, and for the first time, Feng's eyes turn red and he seems to be using Dark Palace magics.....he almost kills Housekeeper on accident.  The Flame Lord praises his skill and tells him that when he surpasses him he will surely inherit.  He also encourages him to stop drinking alcohol.  He then plans to send him to Top Blade City since it is the tradition for the bride to visit her family.  He will be gone for a few days.  Alone, Flame Lord acknowledges to himself that Feng has used dark palace magics and expresses sadness at being let down.  However, when Ge'er pops in he does not tell her.  He instead encourages her to follow Yu and help him out as she is worried about him.  He tells her not to worry about him (is he doing this to keep her safe?)

4)Feng goes to his waterfall to brood and Housekeeper appears.  Housekeeper has been acting a little odd lately, so it is no surprise when he tells Feng that he can't defeat flame lord with dark palace skills; however he will help him and having his support will add to the legitimacy of his claim.  He tells Feng that he supports him because he wants something, to be Deputy Master.  He tells Feng they have a lot in common, and Feng gets very mad and says they have nothing in common (I suppose Housekeeper is greedy, but Feng believes he is justified).

5)In a private meeting with Zhongli (Flame Lord does not even trust housekeeper) he orders him to immediately bring back 5000 Azure Hall soldiers and to tell NO ONE of it.  

6)Back in Blade City Miss D learns that Mistress Xiang--the wife of Wu Xia who helped her once--has been neglected because Wu Xia is now obsessed with a pair of twins he purchased.  Xiang says she has no regrets because her marriage rescued her from a life as a maid, but she looks sad.  Master Lei vists Blade City, surprising Wu Xia and friends, and they see him because they are curious about his motives.  Lei arrives and seems interested in building an alliance, and Wu Xia is very surprised to see Phoenix there--as his self-proclaimed concubine (recall she rejected him).  Truthfully, he is using this as a cover to visit Miss D, and Miss D calls him foolish.  He also tells her that she is his future wife, and that he basically does not recognize her marriage to Feng.  He also makes it clear that Phoenix is just a woman who saved his life and has become attached to him.

7)Later, while moping, Phoenix begs Lei to take her around the city.  He tries to make her go away until she hisses at him that he should know his enemy and this is a good excuse to spy and explore.  Wu Xia observes them, and decides that everyone should go.  Over a meal, Lei is outrageous in his staring at Miss D and concern he expresses--very inapprorpriate.  Phoenix flirts with Wu Xia as well.  Later, Wu Xia gets Phoenix alone and does his best to flirt, and tells her that as long as she is patient, he will kill Lei, and then she can be his.  Wu Hen warns his brother that Phoenix is no fool, and Wu Xia says he knows this, however he believes she is loyal to money and that she can be bought.  

8)Afterwards, Phoenix explodes at Lei, and tells him that she cannot believe he is in love with a married woman, but the wife of Feng no less.  She calls him an idiot and tells him to abandon this at once because had she not covered for him by flirting with Wu Xia, Feng might have gotten angry and sliced him to ribbons.  Lei basically tells her to shut up and she slaps him, he calls her crazy and she says she can't believe she followed him here, knowing the danger, so that he could flirt with a married woman--this shows how utterly selfish Lei can be because she isn't wrong he endangered both their lives with his actions.  It seems like he is another one who will learn the hard way lessons.

9)MW, Yu is updated in his war room--they can't attack the Japanese because they are hiding, who knows where.  Yu is trying to figure out a tactic, his doctors are worried about his health, and then suddenly THOUSANDS of Flowing Fire lanterns descend upon them.  Them men go near them to investigate and they explode.  From a safe distance Second Madame and her crew watch this.  Then Ge'er descends through the sky and they part like the red sea.  Yu wants to know why this is--they only part for her.....

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People are not dead.

This episode establishes a new wave of conspiracy, sends home the sad truth that Master Lei has little support, and reveals a shocking truth we all knew to be true, that Yin Xue is not dead....

1)Recall, Thunderclap sect is a navy sect.  So we open to a fleet of ships.  On board the biggest ship, Niang holds an elaborate funeral for her husband.  The branch masters primarily seem to back her as a successor because of her experience, and Master Lei is seen as an inexperienced philanderer.  Niang at first seems to support Master Lei then states that they will re visit this after the funeral.  MW, Master Lei is seen off by Die Yi.  Phoenix (who I forgot about) observes them and asks if she is his secret love and he immediately tells her that she is his sister and that he will tell her on the way.

2)MW, Team Evil Palace holds a team meeting to boost morale.  Led by Anye Luo, he implores Feng'er to stop hesitating and kill Flame Lord.  He reminds him that he must do this as a son, that he must vindicate him, and to stop being sentimental.  He promises Feng'er that he will devise a ploy to get Yu away, since he seems to be the biggest barrier.  

WHY DOES ANYONE TRUST THIS OBVIOUSLY EVIL AND UNTRUSTWORTHY GUY??? IN  A GOOFY OUTFIT??

3)Royal brother number 3 is visited by Wu Xia a.k.a. Castellan who encourages him to lure Yu out.  Prince 3 wants to know what he stands to gain and Wu Xia reminds him of their old alliance--a not so subtle threat--which he calls him out on. Wu Xia insists that he does not plan to blackmail him, he believes this will suit his plans as well as it will help erase him as an obstacle.  Third prince is on board.

4)MW, Lei travels with Phoenix, who is recognized as a celebrity who is to be pitied as she is with Lei, who appears a bit scruffy.  He again tries to make her go away with silver but she again rejects it.  Trusting her more, he sends her ahead to visit branch lords and try to lure them to his side, however the branch lords urge her to leave and state that the ones who have objected to her have gone missing.  They have to act cautiously.  Phoenix leaves in defeat, and she reports back to Master Lei and complains that his father's men are less loyal than a courtesan.  Lei blames himself, for wasting his time playing instead of earning their respect.  He devises a plan to make an impact but she does not believe it will be easy.

5)In a twist, Lei shows up in mourning clothes to bow to his father's tablet.  He faces the lords who avoid looking him in the eye and greets them and announces that Niang is his father's killer (because he is a dunderhead).  Niang is slick and is prepared,much more than him. She insists that he was not present when their clan was framed or when her father died.  She accuses him of trying to frame her and claims innocence.  When he states that Prince Yu can verify this, she dismisses it as further evidence that he is framing her because Yu is aligned with Flame Villa, their enemy.  He accuses her of being with the dark river palace and again, this is dismissed.  Everyone present implores him not to do this now (it lacks tact. but he is angry).  He is asked to leave (he played a big hand and lost but at least a seed of doubt was planted).  He sulks alone in  a room, and Niang visits him.  She tells him to leave that no matter what he says, the sect is hers.  Lei is incensed and provokes her and she tells him that the only reason he is alive is because she promised his father.  Lei swears to kill her if she does not kill him but she let's him leave.  

6)Before leaving Lei shouts his frustration at the Branch Masters who are not really interested in Niang's crimes.  They make it clear that times are uncertain and they need leadership.  Essentially they say he is immature and unable to understand, so they leave him.

7)Lei returns, defeated, and Phoenix says she knew it would not work. BUT then a few branch masters--three--appear pledging their loyalty.  Three is better than none.

8)MW,Zhongli updates Ge'er on the mediocre success of Lei.  Madame Niang now leads the branch, which puts her in control of the southern waters, and Ge'er admits she can do nothing because they do not trust her.  Elsewhere Joaqin continues to look for the Misty Lineage, and is unsuccessful.  A follower reports his movements to their Grand Master, who then reports that their chief--Yin Xue--foolishly removed a frost curse and now has to wait 100 years before it can be removed.  Yes, Yin Xue is ALIVE!!!!  He is treated daily by the Grand Mentor and literally preserved in ice.

9)Ge'er visits the people and realizes that times are bad--a lot of people have come in land, refugees, and are starving, fleeing the Japanese.  MW, the emperor is updated by 3rd prince--the Japanese have dealt massive casualties, however they are not looking for a long term fight and are open to peace. They wish a marital alliance with Yu specifically, but alas, Yu has a consort and may not agree.....the message is passed on to Yu.

10)Yu rejects the offer and states he believes that the Japanese are not genuine.  3rd prince is happy.  He can now lead troops--with Yu--and plans on killing him on the battlefield.  MW, Ge'er discusses this issue with him and she tells him that she believes it is a conspiracy because no matter what he chooses he is at a disadvantage. If he marries and they fight, it puts him in a bad position, if he refuses it is bad.  The episode ends with him asking Ge'er if she would care if this were not a conspiracy....

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An opportunity to transfer authority.

This was an excellent episode that builds the suspense and highlights the fractures within the flame villa sect.  It also boasts some excellent martial arts.

1)We open to Ge'er who chooses to skip the important meeting regarding the next villa master.  Instead she chooses to drink tea with Master Lei who says that he would be terrified if he were in her shoes because she has no knowledge of the villa and Feng is more popular; even Ji is more suitable as he has reputation for being just.  Ge'er....doesn't really have anything except her blood relation.  She agrees with him and states that she does not know if she will do this; she does not know why her father wants her to succeed.  She then asks him how he knows he can trust his father (aww, doubt) did not collaborate with Dark Evil Palace, and Lei is so confident it is borderline smug as he ticks off all his father's shortcomings but says as his son he trusts him, and is angry that the evil palace dragged his name through the mud.

2)MW, at the super important meeting, all the uncles one by one give their thoughts on Ge'er.  Most believe that because Ge'er has never participated in villa affairs, has never contributed, has no reputation and may never have one and she may not have the support of others on the outside, she is a poor choice (FYI Feng, Yu, and Ji are also present).  Her father states that they can help her, teach and guide her.  They argue that having her in charge will turn the alliance into a mess.  Zhongli of the Azure Hall states he is loyal to the flame lord's choice and supports her.  One uncle(Murong?) supports her however Ji respectfully dissents and states that he believes Feng is a more suitable choice and they run the risk of offending Blade City.  Yu says he will support her since he has asked his father to marry her, and as his princess consort he will do anything and everything for her--an announcement which pisses Feng off and causes him to say that she can't be a princess and lead--but Yu cooly says he will live here if he needs to.  Flame Lord refuses to change his mind.

3)Afterwards, Housekeeper Yi (godson) serves him tea.  He asks him why he hurt Yang Yi, and he answers that it was because she brought dishonor on the villa  (my mind always goes to Mulan).  He only smiles and then he asks him why he has not voiced any discontent over not being selected, after all he is just as skilled as the others, but Housekeeper states he has no ambition.  Flame lord then says that it HAS to be Ge'er who succeeds him.

4)Ge'er joins her father for tea.  She has a very direct talk with her father (something I really like about her,she is so consistent!) and asks him why he chose her.  She is worried she lacks the skill, that others will think her father is blinded by familiar love.  Her father says that he and his godbrother fought hard to build the flame villa, that a lot of blood was spilled, that a lot of humiliation was endured.  She then asks why not Feng'er? He is the descendant of his godbrother, he has the skill.  She admits no one will think her qualified and that he is biased.  Her father repeats Feng Tian's name and says he was his best friend....then that's it.  He says that Feng is too cold,but she is more calm. WEAK.

5)Ge'er hesitates, and then she says she has heard some dreadful rumors that have been repeated over the past six months and have sullied the relationship between him and his late godbrother.  Her father wants to know what HER thoughts are (notice he does not ask what was said).  Ge'er drops to her knees and admits she has had her doubts, but no longer doubts him.  Her father pulls her into his arms and thanks her for believing him.  Just as she is about to tell him what Feng believes, he interrupts and says he already knows, and has known for a while.  This surprises her.  She asks him why he has not confronted him, and her father says that one day Feng will understand the truth.

6)Ge'er then says that she is worried that Feng will hurt him. This makes her father very angry.  He tells her--insists--that she not doubt him and to have faith in him. (In drama logic I think we must know that everyone will betray her).   She tells her father she will not mention it again (notice how she did not agree).

7)MW, Xun Yi meets with Ji who explains his reasons for backing Feng'er. Basically, he believes he is better.  Xun Yi then reveal to us Ji's apparent hero idol worship of Feng;er who has saved his life too many times to count. It is so bad that she wonders if Ji loves Feng'er more than her, leading to a flushing Ji insisting that is not so.  Needless to say, we now know why he is so fierce in backing him.

8)Elsewhere, the uncles meet up and privately tell Feng they all really support him.  They just think flame lord is upset over the Yang Yi episode and needs a year to cool off.  Ge'er shows up with flamelord to attend her first meeting.  She asks everyone to guide her.  She then suggests they their annual match (which was not held because of the wedding) and her father agrees.  We then see Yu in battle for the first time, against Yu,  and it's a pretty cool scene since he is in a wheel chair.  Then it is Ge'er and Ji.  She kicks ass and looks really pretty.  The match ends, but she asks to fight Feng, shocking everyone.  Her father agrees.  Feng  asks her to go first, and she does a good job but he refuses to draw his sword. FInally he stops, and they are neck in neck.  Yu interrupts and begs her not to push herself too hard.  At dinner the atmosphere is a bit tense, especially as her father lavishes her with praise.  He then shocks all his disciples by announcing he will be taking her to Azure Hall (its kind of like announcing she is crown prince officially because only he and Zhongli see those letters) Yu immediately drinks to this, and Ji only drinks AFTER Feng'er toasts him.

9)At Azure Hall Zhongli formerly greets her and explains that the Azure Hall receives mail from all over the world.  Unimportant letters are burned, flame lord only sees important letters.  Her father announces that she will receive all his correspondence when she is in the royal city in his stead.  Alone with Zhong Li, she asks why her father did not receive her mail. He says he gave that letter to housekeeper Li o_O whom he believes is loyal and would not deliberately deceive flame lord (B.S.!) She tells him that only she and her father are to receive mail in the future no one, not even Zheng or housekeeper, can receive it.  She also asks him to research the Dark Evil Palace.

10)Unfortunately, they receive news of the death of Thunderclap Leader, and that Niang is taking over.  She goes to tell Lei, who is devastated,but she reasures him that he is safe here.  Miss D learns of the death and passes a message on, and Xun Yi for reasons alone is shocked when she finds out (is she the secret daughter?).  Miss D passes on to Lei a jade token, and Lei asks to leave on the morrow so that he can clear up his reputation even though Ge'er says he is walking into doom.  But he goes.  The episode ends with Ge'er telling her maids that as long as one is alive, there is hope to change things....

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More secrets revealed

This episode was interesting because of Yang Yi.  Poor Yang Yi.

1)We open to the wedding night.  Miss D is seen reaching for her knife, as if she will cut anyone who tries to touch her,and is surprised to see Master Lei there.  He burns her veil, insisting it bothers him so she falls back into her role (they essentially go back and forth trying to one up the other) so she wonders out loud about his clan being responsible for offending the crown.  Their talk turns serious and she admits that she agreed to this marriage because she wants to know who killed Yin Xue.  Master Lei admits that he wanted to stop the wedding, leaving her speechless (does that count as a confession?)

2)A bunch of drunk men try to break into the bridal chamber.  She hides Master Lei under her bedding--under her bed would have made more sense, but then audience we would not have them in the same bed and he would not have an excuse to hide behind her and touch her--Ji then comes to the rescue and reminds them that the bride has a temper so back off, which irritates Miss D.  He gets them to leave with the promise of a round of drinks.  

3)Miss D and Master Lei hang out on the bed and pass their time eating and talking.  The seeds on the bed seem to represent good luck reproducing.  She tells Lei to leave but he instead confronts her and asks her why she did this because Dark Palace is behind Yin Xue's murder--marrying into the flame villa only helps them.  She tells him she has her reasons, but she can;t share them because it involves her brothers.  He promises to help her, then he tricks her AGAIN proving she is adorably (and consistently) gullible (somehow it does not annoy me, perhaps because she is strong but not too strong) and he knocks her down, tells her she is a beautiful bride, and seems ready to kiss her.  Audience, we all know that she could pummel him into oblivion.  She instead puts up a very contrived girlish struggle showing that this is a rare, unprecedented time when a female lead really doesn't mind being kissed in spite of what she says--men of the world watching, if an angel of death chooses not to kill you in a similar situation then I might believe you when you says she may have wanted that kiss--she even puckers up, but he instead tells her that he is happy to know that she is not in love with Feng'er (another confession?) and then he pulls away.

4)Elsewhere, Ge'er hangs out on a bridge looking supremely elegant, and a super drunk Feng'er moseys on up.  Without looking at him she reminds him that he should be with his bride.  He wants to know if she is afraid of him, after all, she seems to have become timid lately--is she afraid that if she comes to his side she won't be able to leave him (what does that even mean?).  She tells him to not provoke her, be direct.  She wants to know if he ever loved Yang Yi, since she was the reason for their broken engagement.  She thought perhaps he wanted power since he decided to marry Miss D but that made no sense, since Ge'er is ranked higher.  So she finally realized, do you hate my father?  Feng goes from drunk to serious really fast, making me wonder if he was faking, and he tells her that isn't the case, that he came here to tell her that she should give up her bid for the villa, and she asks him if the villa is so important, and he says it is his everything.

5)The next morning, Miss D watches Lei sleep and decides he really is attractive.  She slaps him awake and tells him he has to go.  Lei tells her that he will be in the Bamboo palace for a few more days but he cannot stay here.  She asks him why he is never in a hurry to escape when he is in danger and he arrogantly says he always finds a way out, and she makes him promise to stay alive.

6)MEANWHILE Lord Thunderclap is bound in chains, second madame standing over him.  Niang unleashes a ton of secrets after he asks her how a Dark Palace Maid could not be happy in her position.  She tells him she is actually the third lady of Dark Palace, Anye Jue, ergo, she is a witch.  He is surprised, and says evil and good cannot be together, and he divorces her.  He laughs at his lot--the person he has trusted for half his life is his enemy--and says it is all in fate's hands.  He says do what you want.  She tells him out of respect to their marriage she will allow him to die with dignity.  He is about to ask her something but she answers him--she admits she never loved him and merely used him to learn the secrets behind his clans explosives.  He begs her not to harm his son, and she says she won't, since she raised him.  She then orders that the boat be sunk, and that the official report be that assassins did it and that she barely managed to escape and will be seeking out the killer.

7)MEANWHILE Die Yi gets the info from Zhongli, passes it on to her mistress, and Ge'er confronts Yang Yi alone.  She tells Yang Yi that it is foolish to waste one's life on revenge for love, and tells her no one will help her but Ge'er.  She can reject Ge'er's help and not tell her the truth, how she managed to sway Feng, and be at the mercy of the many who want her dead, or she can accept her help.  Ge'er tells her that she knows she has had an extremely painful life--her parents sold her when she was 5, and at 11 she was forced to begin seeing clients in a brothel.  Worse, the pimps were very sadistic and beat her so badly for fun that she nearly died 4 times.  However, at 15, she learned martial arts, as if by magic, she became the owner of the brothel, and those bad men killed themselves. her change in life coincided with the appearance of a veiled woman....HMMM......so Niang helped her.  Ge'er offers her a chance at a new life if she would trust her.

8)Outside, Feng'er arrives with a ton of soldiers but is stopped by Yu's soldiers.  Yu comes outside and let's Feng in, and Feng'er asks for his woman.  Yu says he cannot allow that because she is recovering, and Ge'er is the one who offered her protection.  Feng'er becomes more aggressive and insists that she belongs to him.  Yu is calm and rejects this,and Ji pops in to mediate, saying that everyone respects the rules that the bamboo villa is like the palace, and urges Feng to ask nicely.  L

9)Inside, Yang Yi accepts the olive branch.  She explains that Niang is actually the third mistress Anye Luo and then asks Ge'er if she is aware of the rumors around Fengs' parents death.  The official story that the flame villa pushes is that his father killed himself, and then right after giving birth to Feng, his mother killed herself out of love.  But this makes no sense as Feng Tian was at the top of his game, only thirty, and leading the most powerful pugilist clan.  Yang Yi was told by Niang that the flame lord wanted the villa entirely for himself so he killed Feng'er's parents.  No one dares to question it out loud, but this is the only rational explanation even though there is no evidence.  Because Ge'er believes in her father whole heartedly, Feng left her, and her father all but confirmed his guilt when he chose to leave the villa to her, his blood daughter, instead of the boy he treats like a son, the same guy he only kept around out of guilt.  Naturally Ge'er rejects this as a plot of the Dark Palace and insists that she believes in her father, but even she seems to show, at least on her face, that this is odd.

10)Tension is high between Yu and Feng, but ultimately diffused when Yang Yi and Ge'er emerge.  She seems to have chosen to return to be with Feng.  Feng brings her back and Miss D coldly reminds him that she had better begone in the morning. Feng'er tells her she will be safe here but Miss D says she trusts no one but her sword :D Alone with Yang Yi, he tells her that she will be taken away tomorrow by his men. Yang Yi throws her arms around him and again confesses her feelings and begs him to stay just for tonight since she may never see him again alive but he is stoic and says we were never meant to be and leaves her.  

11)Back in the bamboo villa, Ge'er reveals to Yu what she has learned from Yang Yi, which begs the question, why did Niang heal him?  Yu considers if they should keep Yang Yi on their side, but Ge'er states she is only  a pawn and cannot help them. Plus, she has a promise, and asks Yu to help her.  Alone, Ge'er cannot seem to stop thinking about what Yang Yi said about her father.  A fire breaks out, but Yang Yi is calm.  They use the fire as a fake suicide and Hueng helps Yang Yi escape.  She gets a fresh start and some silver, and the carriage will take her wherever she wants.

12)The next day the soldiers find something that confirms Yang Yi is dead.  He orders his soldiers to bury it.  He then goes to see Yu and it really looks like Feng knows the truth, that Yu helped her escape, but he says nothing.  Ji shows up and states that he and the others support his bid for the villa because everyone doubts Ge'er's ability to lead.  Feng grins and supports him, and so our episode ends...

Closing Words:
I felt bad for Yang Yi.  She was used her whole life, and easily discarded.  The only person who showed her an ounce of respect is the same person she hates.  It really sucks to be helped by your foe, but she wasn't so stubborn that she would follow Feng into death, which I respect her for.

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The new flame leader

This episode kicks off a new arc which I assume will be centered on the flame villa and what the other pugilist clans want.  

1)Ge'er returns to the flame villa and catches up with Ji. She runs into Feng'er and sweeps by him as if he isn't there, a move which I think will really shake Feng up as the only thing worse than hate is indifference.  Ge'er has a private meeting with her father and after a bit of fighting he praises her on improving her skills.  She updates him and he tells her that he will have Housekeeper/godson Yi investigate Thundergate Manor in secret.  Together they pay respects to her Uncle Zhan.

2)Her father asks her if she blames him for consenting to Zhan Feng's marriage. Ge'er gives it some thought and admits she is angry about how easily he did, and she confesses that she worries that Blade City will cause problems since their ideals are so different.  What if this is all a conspiracy?  He tells her that he has always wanted Feng married and that this along with seeing Feng with grandchildren, has been his dream.  He asks Ge'er to smile, to be happy and she promises to smile.  

3)As wedding decorations are quickly put up Feng stares off into space, in a daze, as if he isn't quite aware that this is happening.  In a flashback to his childhood he recalls why Ge'er always wears red--because she wants to be a bride--and here he promised to marry her.  

4)MW, in her room, Ge'er revels in the small luxuries that she could not have while on the road. She catches up with her maids now that she, Xun Yi, and Die Yi are all together again.  Die Yi leaves to meet up with Zhong li (a.k.a. star lord eternal love) a.k.a. Master of Azhure Hall a.k.a. C.I.A and we instantly see that Zhongli has feelings for Die Yi (how and when this happened I don't know the two couldn't be more different) and he is quite awkward about it.  He asks her also about Master Lei, since he is in Ge'er's party as a guard.  She tells him not to worry,and so he trusts her, but he admits his concern about him since Thunderclap has got some problems.

5)Ji (who isn't the brightest, but has a lot of heart) invites Ge'er to a special get-together, disciples only. She goes, and so she, and Yu, and Feng, and Ji sit together.
Feng faces away from Ge'er and Ge'er is seemingly oblivious of the tension, happily talking to Yu and giving him choice morsels.  Ji is aware of the tension and acts.  He challenges Ge'er to a game, whoever wins can ask the loser a question. She loses, and so he asks her if she still has the lotus flower in her heart.  YUP. AWKWARD.  Feng snaps that he is never to mention that again. Ge'er honestly answers that she isn't sure.  She then challenges Feng to a similar game, he loses, and so she asks him about his intentions in marrying Miss D and he says 'for myself' before moodily storming off (this guy seems to play the same character in everything but he does it so well).  As he storms away, she asks him to stop making mistakes, to not upset her father, that Ji is correct--he still has time. Feng asks her if she wants the marriage called off but she does not respond (it could have something to do with Yin Xue....) and so he leaves.     Ji yells at Ge'er to go after him and beg him to call it off but Yu explains that her main concern is mentor's happiness....

6)Alone with Yu, Ge'er gives insight into her actions.  She explains that before her judgment was clouded by her feelings, but now she sees more clearly and she says that everything--Ying Yi, Thunderbreak Manor, the frost curse and now Feng's marriage--all of it seems connected, as if somebody were manipulating from the shadows (Again with the heavy handed statements!). She wants to know who is behind this all.

7)Belatedly, she realizes that her clothes all are red,so she borrows clothes from Xun Di. MW, Miss D prepares to be married and Master Lei gets hammered.  Anye Luo, in a flashback, explains to Feng that he will inherit the flame villa if he marries Miss D because it will benefit the villa.  Back in the present, the uncles and guests arrive (strangely, there seem to be no ladies present, except for maybe two).  An abbot is introduced, and we learn from him that Wu Xia is now a Castellan because following his father's death the title was not to be used for 10 years out of filial piety.  All the uncles agree that with virtuous people like Wu Xia and Feng, the future looks good 0_o

8)That night, Ge'er talks to her father. She seems happy.  She wants to know why her father is in a hurry to see him wed,and he repeats his dream.  And also, he only wants her to be happy.  The newlyweds arrive.  She tells Yu her father's dream, and so she can support this marriage as a result.  WELL.  SOME STUFF HAPPENS>  As they make their final bow, Ying Yi runs up, grabs Feng and begs him not to do this.  Shocking everyone.  She holds up a knife, threatens to kill herself and their unborn child, and then begs Miss D not to do this,and proclaims in front everyone that he is only doing this because she is the mistress of blade city.  OUCH.  Miss D calmly tells Feng to control his woman, and Feng finally remembers he has things called words and uses them to tell Ying Yi to shut up and that it isn't possible.  Housekeeper steps forward and basically threatens to kill Ying Yi, then knocks her out.  Ge'er rushes in and takes custody of Ying Yi and retires.

9)They take Ying Yi to bamboo quarters since it is the safest spot.  Die yi complains about saving her but she insists she has her reasons. She sends her to Zhongli at li at Azhure hall to investigate Ying Yi's background.  Zhongli agrees to do this only after Die yi begs--however she asksed him in a note and he warns her to not write notes again as they are evidence.

10)FLAME LORD ANNOUNCES THAT HIS HEIR IS HIS DAUGHTER.  
FENG IS FROZEN, WU XIA AND WU HEN ARE PISSED, THE UNCLES ARE CONFUSED.

(Although it seemed like it would happen)

11)Feng gets hammered and Flame lord watches him for a bit before retiring.  The looks between the Blade City brothers and Feng are so unsubtle that even Ji notices.  MW, Ge'er issues orders that no one is to go near Ying Yi.  Die Yi predicts that her being announced as next flame lord will cause trouble (very astute) however Xun Di says whatever, its her birthright, we will just roll with it (I am not lying).

12)The episode ends with Miss D sitting in the bridal chamber, alone, in the dark:(

I gave this episode an 8.5 because you can be predictable and do a better job.  Also, the acting was sort of meh.  I thought that the supporting actors could have been better, which was one of Eternal Love's strong points.

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Wrap Up

We are given a solid wrap up of Yin Xue's life and the direction changes towards the upcoming wedding between Flame Villa Feng'er and Top Blade City Miss D.

1)Our episode opens to the supremely evil Anye Luo telling Yin Xue that he should be grateful, that the woman he loves will never forget him once he dies.  He delivers a death blow and then flees the scene, leaving a very distraught Ge'er to find Yin Xue.  Shocked and upset, she takes him into her arms and accuses him of yet again joking, of lying to her, and then insists he tell her what to do so that he can be healed.  Yin Xue seems amused, even as he dies, and his body dissolves, his essence floats up to the heavens, and he is (thinking) he hopes she never forgets him.  She is left holding his clothes.

2)Youqin awakens and finds the hut abandoned, his mentor gone.  Die Yi arrives with soldiers, to find Ge'er inconsolable and shaking back and forth with Yin Xue's clothing.  MW Yu awakens wanting to know where Ge'er is.  He also wishes to thanks the King of Snowy Robe.  However, his men reluctantly tell him that Yin Xue is dead, which shocks Yu.  For the next few days, Ge'er is utterly depressed, still clinging to his clothes (it is somewhat reminiscent of BQ's struggle over Ye Hua's death).  The emperor is updated and he too is saddened to learn that Yin Xue has turned to snow and melted.  He will hold an elaborate funeral and erect an monument in his honor.

3) Everyone @ Blossom House mourns Yin Xue's passing.  Officers from the imperial court bust in and interrupt, insisting (after speaking to third prince) that they are looking for desciple of Thunderclap Sect because they led an attack to kill Yu.  They search Blossom House, but Madame Blossom doesn't seem to mind.  Everyone is leaving in droves now that Yin Xue is gone.  It will close down.

4)MW, Miss D continues to not eat.  She is visted by Wu Xia's mistress and learns the dreadful news that Yin Xue has died.  She is utterly devastated--

==Ahem, so audience, we can all agree that Ge'er has reaped what she has sown, and lost the person she loves the most based on her impulsive actions, afterall, was she not warned by Yin Xue to not get involved in this conflict??===

5)Master Lei seeks refuge at Yu's palace and is able to see Yu only after Die Yi vouches for him, that he was not involved in the attack.  Yu is skeptical of Lei's words but agrees to house him and keep him safe because he is Ge'er's friend.  Yu creepily watches Ge'er sleep, and Ge'er calls out for Yin Xue in her sleep.  She awakens and is terrified when she finds his clothes missing; Die yi explains she only put them up and this calms her considerably.  Yu expresses concern over her, and even gently reminds her that she has not asked about his health (jealous?).  Yu recalls what Yin Xue told him about the Dark Palace using this as a chance to kill him.  Ge'er fills him in on the events of the day, again verifying that Niang was involved in this.  Again it is repeated that Niang has a female senior (?). After this, Yu confirms the events of Yin Xue's death to the emperor however he leaves out the names of the enemies involved.  We also learn that Yin Xue apparently died and descended into heaven to be a deity (?)

6)3rd and 7th prince greet Yu as he leaves the emperor.  7th is polite, however 3rd, as usual, is a complete jerk and is creepily interested in the wedding (recall how he basically admitted to wanting to rape Ge'er and make her his woman).  Yu uses this as a chance to remind his brothers that everything is not always what it seems and that the Thunderclap Sect may not be involved in the attack and he will not be married until Yin Xue's murder is solved.

7)At Blossom House we are again reminded that it is closing and that Youqin has gone missing since his mentor's death.  Ge'er meets with Madame Blossom who reflects on her memories of Yin Xue: she explains that when she was 19, her husband recently dead, she arrived at the brothel because she feared being bullied.  Yin Xue asked her to manage the brothel, and similarly, Youqin was in a bad place when he arrived; he had been taking the imperial exam but was framed for cheating.  He arrived to kill the guy who did it, and Yin Xue told him it was better to triumph over your enemies and have them bow before you instead of killing them.  In this way, it seemed like Yin Xue did not really run a brothel but rather provided hope for lost people.  She said Yin Xue was always travelling and picking up people.  She always reveals that Yin Xue said many times he was an old man and had not died, he said, because he was waiting for someone.  She tells Ge'er that she should not dwell on the dead but live happily and move on because Yin Xue would have wanted that.  Ge'er tells her that while she won't be depressed forever she can't move on, not until she has justice.

8)MW, Miss Phoenix boldly requests an audience with Lei, who tries to make her go away with money. Ge'er listens to their dialogue, and Phoenix insists she wants what they discussed, and he says I can't protect you, let alone myself but she doesn't care (it seems evident that Phoenix is in love with him and is trying to be near him, and Ge'er seems to understand this).  

9)Yu and Ge'er discuss the upcoming wedding.  Ge'er no longer seems bothered by it and is even eager to give her wedding gift.  Yu says he is happy to see her happy and that they can leave at once for the wedding.

10)the episode ends with Miss D sending for her brother, Wu Xia.  She tells Wu Xia that he is right, that she should marry for Blade City, and Wu Xia is over the moon, promising her once flame villa is destroyed she will get a divorce.  Miss D looks DEAD.  

--I gave this episode a 9 because it very nicely wraps up everything

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Confrontations

In this episode we see Senior Yu's dreaded frost curse remove, Master Lei receives a marriage proposal from an unlikely person, and Niang has a violent confrontation with Yin Xue and Ge'er....and Anye Luo finally appears to kill Yin Xue....

1)Yin Xue wakes up to see one of his biggest fantasies come to life: Ge'er is in his bed.  He watches her sleep and when she wakes up (thank goodness there are no silly hysterics) he tells her that she is beautiful like jade.  Ge'er remains incredibly stoic and merely avoids looking him in the eye, and he tries not to laugh as he tells her that he knows he is in her heart, and he never thought the one thing she would fear would be admitting it.  He then uses acupuncture to freeze her and puts her shoes on for her, telling her she should cherish him more because he is the only man who would lower himself to do this.  He then removes the acupuncture, and Yin Xue tells her that it is time to return to Luoyang.

2)MW, Master Lei flees the assassins, and he is badly injured.  As luck would have it, he runs into the Flame Villa marriage gift entourage and hides in a cart, silently swearing to owe one to Ge'er for this spot of luck.  Elswehere, Second Mistress is notified of the failure to detain (or kill?) Master Lei.  Her soldiers admit to feeling uneasy and worried that the Master will be angry he was injured but with confidence she tells them that he has never intervened in the past when she has tried to teach him a lesson (so much for fatherly love).  Niang then reports to the Master that she tried to bring Master Lei back but he fled his responsibilities, which angers his father.  He laments to her that this is his heir, and how much it sucks that their only child--a daughter--died--and Niang merely looks off into the distance looking somewhat out of sorts.

3)MW, at Blossom House Miss Phoenix is stopped by Master Lei.  He offers to give her a ton of silver for her assistance.  She wants to know why he went to her, and he tells her that he likes her temperment and honesty--that she recognized that Wu Xia was scum and would not be taken in by him--and that she is direct.  He also tells her that it is the slick, cunning people he does not like.  This seems to brighten Miss Phoenix up a lot--likely this is the first time someone has honestly told her that they like the personality that everyone else deems rotten and has meant it (i.e. not expecting sexual favors in return).  He asks her to deliver his crest to Ge'er's maid, who recognizes it and goes to visit him.  Master Lei sends Miss Phoenix out, explaining that it is better she know as little as possible for her safety.  Alone with Dieyi, he tells her that Second Madame did this, his father cannot know (which confuses Die Yi but she agrees to be silent) and asks her to tell Ge'er to beware of Niang.  As she leaves, Miss Phoenix essentially tells Die Yi she knows who she is (is she jealous?) before going in to Master Lei.  

4)Master Lei promises to give Miss Phoenix whatever she desires if she agrees to allow him remain with her until he recuperates.  He expects she will ask for money, but Miss Phoenix wants something more.  First she asks if he cares about Die Yi, and all he does is smile, confirming this, so she probably mistakenly thinks he is in love with her.  Then she asks if he is in love with anyone, and he says yes, but she is getting married (Miss D!) and again, Phoenix says this is good.  Because she wants him.  This completely catches him off guard.  Phoenix says she doesn't care if she is not an official wife.  She wants the status that only he can provide.  And she does not care if there is no affection between them.  Lei laments that he has left one trap and entered another...

5)Back in Luoyang, at Senior Yu's palace, Ge'er returns and Die Yi sees her.  She delivers the message that Master Lei wanted, and she promises to go see him after she sees to Senior Yu.  MW, at Blossom House, all the guards drink something, including Die Yi and Hueng (we later learn that this is an antidote).  Niang is updated and receives a report from her spies that Senior Yu is heavily fortifying his palace, and she decides to attack tonight, believing that this is when Yin Xue will attempt to purge Yu of the curse.

6)MW, in an abandoned cabin, Yin Xue, Yu, and Ge'er arrive to begin the frost curse removal while Joakin is outside as guard.  It is a very isolated location.  He tells Ge'er that she cannot let the candles go out because if that happens not even the gods could save Yu.  Back at the palace, Die Yi worries she will not do well (it seems she has been training in martial arts) and she waits together with the two special security guards (Hueng and that other guy).  Yin Xue meanwhile begins to draw the frost out, and everything in the room turns to ice.  He is covered in frost, but has to be doing okay because he manages to wink at Ge'er doing this healing process.

7)Niang and her people arrive to attack.  She is more than okay with going into this hard because Thunderclap Sect will blame, not Dark Palace.  Her lady guard wonders if this might be a trap as they begin to be decimated by Yu's soldiers--and then she is killed.  They completely wipe out Niang's people, and the wave sent to break into Yu's private rooms find only poison gas--they all die.  While checking for survivors, someone drops a bomb and Die Yi and Hueng almost die....Niang is furious.  She tries to find Yin Xue, first going to Blossom House, and then out to the country.....

8)Out in the country, Yin Xue has suceeded in healing Yu.  First Ge'er runs to Yu to ensure he is fine, and Yu thanks Yin Xue.  After seeing he is fine she carefully turns to Yin Xue, and seems uncertain of what to say.  Yin Xue says he is fine knowing that he now has a place in her heart.  She leaves with Yu, who must rest undisturbed for three days otherwise this will all have been a waist, and Joakin will remain behind.  After he sees them off, Yin Xue collapses, and we see that this has taken a HUGE toll on him.

9)Niang arrives (of course) and KO's Joakin before busting inside and finds Yin Xue on the ground.  Yin Xue tries to act calm and collected, discarding the weak appearance of before, however she seems delighted.  Surprisingly, there is a bit of a history with this Niang.....Yin Xue casually discusses Anye Luo, and how everyone knew he was in love with another however this girl stabbed herself in the chest sixteen times....he tells her that he knows who set her senior free and he knows 'all that you craved but could not have' O_o (the more I see him the more I think that Yin Xue really has a DARK history....)

10)Niang accuses him of being arrogant for acting tough when he is very weak, and Yin Xue then calls her and all of her people imbeciles, because all of them are dead but her, and she shrugs this off and states that she could care less.  Then she flips the argument around and asks him why he he won't essentially kill Yu, which would get him out of his way, and make it easier for the girl to love him (I assume because she killed some woman who stood in her way) and Yin Xue cooly says that he isn't that despicable then he freezes her sword, so that she has to drop it but Niang isn't stupid.  She holds her ground and asks him about his gift of foresight and tells him to see if he will die by her hand today and he tells her that he wouldn't let himself be killed by someone so stupid (I kind of choked on laughter).  She then tries to strangle him and he reminds her that even if he would die, the most Anye Luo would do is compliment her and that he will never love her (which only serves to piss her off more)

11)Ge'er shows up and stabs Niang from behind (Ok that makes sense because they couldn't be too far from the castle because Yu would have had to travel back as quickly as possible to rest) and Yin Xue tells her to run.  She engages Niang in a fierce battle, and Niang, weak from the attack, seems to have a very blurry vision.  She can't see well.  However she ultimately seems to come out on top, knocking Ge'er away.  But this only seems to further weaken that mysterious seal (remember way back when Zhan Feng injured her and then Ge'er had a burst of strength...?)  anyways her flame fist is so strong that it seems to burn niang's face.  They take advantage of this distraction and she helps Yin Xue, who can barely walk, run into the woods.

12)Alas, a dark shadow appears and separates them--its the Evil Supreme Master Anye Luo, who promises Yin Xue that he will make Ge'er die a horrific death before giving him what looks like a death punch, and meanwhile Ge'er runs through the woods, calling for Yin Xue...

This episode received a 9.0 for it's pacing, consistency, and continued practice of slowly telling the audience new information in a believable way.  It also brought back in plot lines that are still unresolved, like Ge'er's mysterious power, and forces the viewer to keep watching to get answers.

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More flashbacks, more information

This episode provides more background into Yin Xue and Ge'er's past as well as more insight into the relationships between the siblings at New Blade City.

1)We open to Ge'er who looks wistfully at the wedding gifts in the cave, perhaps thinking about what might have been....Outside Yin Xue plays a sad melody on his jade flute and Ge'er focuses on their mission, asking him where they are headed.  In doing so, she learns that someone is following them however Yin Xue casually brushes this off and tells her that this is his normal ever since he came down from Misty Peak mountain.  She is kind of surprised, especially when she realizes he has been pulling all nighter's to keep watch.

2)They make it all the way to Ping An City and their flatbread stall before Ge'er notices where they are--either she is EXTREMELY distracted or that is a silly plot hole I lean towards the latter--and she asks him about the medicine they are supposed to be getting.  Yin Xue playfully (it seems) tells her that they are here to heal the wound in his heart.  She accuses him of being silly but he says he is 100% serious (and judging by what we know of him, he may seem to be joking but he is a VERY serious person) .  He asks her to stay a few days here with him because it (basically) upset him when she left him here, abandoned him, and besides they have to ensure enough time has passed for Yu to buff up his security because once he heals Yu, he will be at his weakest, and that is likely when their enemies will attack.  Ge'er seems to accept this reasoning.

3)Everyone in the town is over the moon to have them back as if they have not had anything to eat but rocks since they left.  Everyone also assumes they left to get married and have only now returned.  Yin Xue is naturally more than happy to allow them to believe this lie and thanks them when they bless and hope they have a son next year.

4)Neighbors drop off wedding gifts and Ge'er is trying to figure out how to burst their bubble when Yin Xue pulls the woman aside and tells her quietly that because he is a scholar of low birth the flame villa did not approve of their marriage however Ge'er was willing to overlook this.  He tells her it has not been easy for the two of them, and he encourages her to let the other towns people know so that they can be sensitive to their marriage--as she leaves the neighbor tells Ge'er that she doesn't need status and she should cherish Yin Xue, leaving her confused and wondering what nonsense Yin Xue has begun to spread.  Alone, Ge'er pouts and then throws a basket at him him however he easily stops at but seems surprised that he had the power--she wants to know what was said but he dances around the subject....

HOWEVER if they are married, it protects her reputation, I think, and might even get back to Zhan Feng who my readers has all the smarts of a bag of rocks--

5)Yin Xue serves her wine that evening and suggests gently that maybe her temper is improving because she did not flip out when he told the neighbors that they were married.  He points out that maybe she is not that upset with such a misunderstanding, and Ge'er refuses to look at him, so he suggests she is blushing, and she indeed does seem to be blushing and hides her face so that he cannot see her smile (o_0)

6)MW, Miss D is a moping mess.  She has stopped eating.  Wu Xia comes to see her because of this.  She wants to know why he has chosen to align himself with Dark Evil Palace.  Rather than answer immediately, Wu Xia promises her that this marriage that he knows she does not want is only temporary, at east until flame lord is exposed for his evil ways.  In addition, Anye Luo will suffer enormous injuries during the battle with flame lord, and at that time, Wu Xia plans on eradicating the Dark Evil Palace.  Miss D doesn't care about that--she would rather spend the rest of her life locked up instead of marry without love.  Wu Xia then gets on his knees as he asks her to recall how he has sacrificed a great deal to keep Top Blace City on the top following the death of their father.  Could she bare to see their clan fall?  This alliance will help their clan, he insists, and he begs her, telling her that it will crumble without this marriage.  Miss D is made of strong stuff and gets on her knees and tells him that is very nice, but she hopes he will support her because she will not marry him.

7)Wu Xia leaves, angry as he tells Wu Hen that this is his fault for spoiling her.  If she refuses, he will be forced to tie her up and make her marry Zhan Feng....

8)MW, Master Lei arrives in disguise as a Northwestern merchant.  He gets into the city, but is immediately stopped by Wu Hen.  At their villa, Wu Xia's mistress meets him and begs him to stop seeing Miss D because her marriage means that she must be a proper wife and to be seen with Master Lei would be very scandalous.  Master Lei agrees to respect this before leaving.  Wu Xia then appears and congratulates her for a job well done.  She calls him Master but he stops her, telling her that his new title will be Castellan after this wedding (someone is a little power hungry...)

9)On his way out, Master Lei reflects on all of his memories with Miss D and seems to be a bit melancholy.  Miss D continues to sulk, miserable.  And Ge'er is so distracted that she invites Yin Xue to walk with her, in the rain (a metaphor maybe for cleansing/rebirth?)

10)She goes to the spot where Xiao Feng died and thinks of his dead body.  Yin Xue asks her if she is thinking of the dead boy, and she says she is, and that every time she does, she thinks of Feng'er, which makes her extremely upset.  Yin Xue tells her that she did not see him kill the boy--maybe it wasn't him (so he cares a lot about her, that he would defend his rival in love if only to see the woman he loves in less pain....) Ge'er changes the subject and asks him if he is ever serious, and he grins and says when am I not serious--I am always serious--(which I take to be a statement of fact).

11)In a dramatic flashback, we see a woman who looks exactly like Ge'er surrounded by a lot of men.  Yin Xue is there, and she coldly asks him to spare their lives.  He says he will spare their lives if she will kiss him, otherwise he will kill them all.  So she kisses him--and I take it, this is when he first fell in love with her.  (This is a confusing flashback because it isn't clear when this occurred, or if they met once before and she lost her memories....)

12)In the present day, Yin Xue tries real hard to kiss her.  They begin to flirt, and she dances and flits around like a fairy, out of his reach, and he looks EXTREMELY saddened by this and desperate to reach her.  She dances away to a tree, where she falls asleep with a smile on her face.  That night she wakes up and looks around until she founds Yin Xue calmly waiting for her, and he asks her if she was going to spend the entirety of the New Year's Eve sleeping.  

13)They return and the entire town is quiet--however their flatbread shop has the lights on.  Yin Xue tells her to stay close--just in case their is danger.  They arrive and SURPRISE it's a party the town has thrown to honor the New Year and their engagement.  From this point on, she does not deny that he is her husband and even refers to him as her husband, delighting Yin Xue.  Yin Xue eventually plays his zither after the town begs him and he sings a song about a phoenix looking for his lover, and Ge'er seems to be very touched by this song....

14)MW, the flame lord spends the new year with his other two disciples--housekeeper and Ji, and he invites Xun Yi to sit at the table since she is basically like a duaghter and will marry Ji anyways....

15)MW, Master Lei spends the new year getting drunk on his boat when a bunch of shadow assassins appear to kill him...

16)That evening, Ge'er tells Yin Xue that she is reluctant to leave, and he tells her not to worry and to leave with him but she apologizes?  He tells her she never needs to apologize to him.  She asks him then about why he picked her at the Blossom House (she has asked this before) and he tells her that he did not pick her.  He knew she would be there, and he has been waiting ages for her to appear.  She wants to know how long, and he simply says a long time before you were even born.  She then walks away, and he says that he has never lied to her but she still won't believe his words.

17)In a flashback, we see the opening scene.  Ge'er is dead, apparently from her wounds, and a miserable Yin Xue is begging the master of Misty Mountain to save Ge'er's life and to take him back.  His master tells him, rather disdainfully, that the dead girl's last wishes were that he abandon his evil ways i.e. leave Dark Evil Palace, and Yin Xue continues to beg, promising to do anything if he revive her and take him back, and so Yin Xue must undergo a dreadfully painful 100 year long punishment...

18)Yin Xue doubles over in pain and Ge'er hears him, runs into his room, and asks to know what is wrong.  He tells her not to worry, that it is just an old wound that acts up whenever he is cold.  She uses her flame fist to heal him until she can no longer bear the heat--she also hears him insist again that he will not be weakened when he heals Yu however she does not believe him, and then Yin Xue chooses to crawl into her lap and rest his head.  She does not push him away, rather she just smiles and lays down next to him.

(((Soulmates plot))))

I gave this a 9.5 because of the interesting plot and the ways the flirty scenes were carried out--she did not become annoyingly missish and it was nice to see a little more depth to the relationships between Miss D and her brothers.  I am very curious to know more about the past, especially why Anye luo is so evil and his hatred for Yin Xue and the flame lord....and who the HECK was Ge'er??

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A lot of stuff happens

This was a very good episode.  The writing was solid, the characters were consistent.  The pacing was good.

1.We open to a Yu ordering Ge'er and Officer Hueng to leave the palace since he is leaving.  She refuses to accept this order and insists to Hueng that she will figure out the source of her senior's illness.  She also disregards Hueng's (good) advice that she should leave because things are not as they appear in the Imperial Palace and that, basically, there is a lot of intrigue and trickery.

2.Ge'er directly (as is her personality) questions the Royal Eunech about Yu's condition, specifically his recent habits and food choices.  Unsurprisingly, he tells her that he cannot tell her anything about that.  He does relate to her the recent meeting that Yu had with Yin Xue and the emperor, and how his sharp health decline coincides with that.

3.Ge'er goes to Yin Xue and is only able to see him because she uses her authority as the future princess consort (the token that Yu left her).  Yin Xue seems troubled by her appearance however he sees her.  When she enters, his expression changes to his usual smiling, coy expression and he is flirtatious with her, joking light heartedly.  But then she asks him in a direct--and somewhat accusatory way--what he has done to Yu.

4.  This seems to cause a slight change in Yin Xue's appearance.  A somewhat I-cannot-believe-this smile appears and he says, almost to himself, first Yu refused to let you toast to me, and now here you are accusing me without any consideration for your identity (i.e. propriety) you must really care for him.  you must think i tried to hurt him and used healing as a cover.

5.Ge'er quietly tells him that Yu was fine before seeing him.  She grew up with him.  Of course she cares about him.  Yin Xue pulls her close and tells her that he drained his energy to heal him and here you are accusing me.  then he FORCES A KISS ON HER (WTF Yin Xue)  Her orders her to not fight against him and she takes a defensive pose and angrily says that she is terrified her senior will die, that she trusts him (Yin Xue) and came to talk yet all he did was dismiss her questions and (basically take everything as a personal attack) when that was not her goal at all, she just wanted information.

6.Hearing this, he finally tells her that Yu is suffering from the dreaded Frost Curse.  He will die soon (and he clearly could care less).  It cannot be cured because it is a curse.  However she challenges him and states anything can be cured.  This causes that silly smile to come back and he says 'you're so smart' and that he can heal him.  He asks her if she would give up undoing the curse if she knew it would case him harm, and she says without hesitation that she would because no life should be sacrificed for another.  He wants to know if she loves Yu.  She explains that he is like an older brother, he's a good person who has always suffered alone, she apologizes to Yin Xua and he tells her, flatly, to beg him.

7.A part of me kind of likes this part of Yin Xue that is so outrageous--and utterly selfish.  It isn't really clear if he really means this or not.  Or why he needs her to beg because his personality is a little twisted, however, she begs him and he laughingly promises to help.  He tells her that he lied to her, that he followed her in secret to see if Yu truly was sick (so he was jealous basically) and that he had taken his anger out on her earlier when he insisted she toast him, and his anger intensified when Yu stepped in to announce they were engaged.  She explains to him that what Yu did was not that strange because him asking her to toast would have been seen as humiliating Yu--he did that to save face.  Yin Xue acts like she has just taught him some great lesson but audience, we both know he knew exactly what he was doing.

8.He says that he will save Yu if she agrees to go to a special place with him (is there a double meaning here?)  she is no longer mad at him, it seems, and cries in relief.

9.They go to where Yu is and Yin Xue examines the Ice Jade cup.  He reveals it is actually a poisoned cup, and he learns it's appearance coincided with Second Madame's arrival.  Furthermore, since the curse has been passed to Yu, it is now safe and thus cannot be used as evidence.  So they cannot report it (which is what Ge'er wants to do).

10.  Ge'er repeats her promise to Yin Xue which includes after this she will go with him and stay away from the affairs of the imperial court and pugilist world.

11.  Miss D continues to spy and follows servants who are bringing a lot of silver to an undisclosed location.  Alas, she is discovered by Feng'er....

12.  Supreme Master drops a BOMB while casually reclining at his headquarters.  Yin Xue's weakness (he tells Wu Xia) is the one he loves.  It was the same with 'that woman' (WHO??) and is the same now, the current special loved one being Ge'er.  He explains Ge'er could not fall for Yin Xue if he knowingly refuses to save Yu, because Yu is like her brother.  However, once he removes the curse he will be severely weaned, and then they can kill him.  Furthermore, if he let's Yu die it throws the palace into chaos.  Hence it's a case of damned if you, damned if you don't for Yin Xue.

13. This conversation is interrupted when Miss D is brought in by Feng.  Wu Xia begs for her life, and she explains she only investigated what she thought were Blade Guards who might be traitors.  Supreme Master calmly says she is lying and knocks her out, and he tells Wu Xia that now that she has doubts about him she will never trust him, and thus never be one of their people.  Wu Xia pleads for her life, stating he will keep her under lock and key.  He asks Feng'er what they should do, and he says they should spare her.  Supreme Master says that the important thing is controlling her mind, not her body.  He tells Feng he must marry Miss D, and force her to have his child.  In doing so 1) The position of Feng will be strengthened and make it easier for him to inherit the Flame Villa 2) It will be good for Blade City and Flame Villa overall

14.MW, the frost curse turns out to be very difficult for Yin Xue to crack.  He privately attempts to heal Yu but all he is able to do is to temporarily halt it.  Yu awakens, and Yu thanks him for saving his life.  Yin Xue is very direct--I am only doing this for Ge'er--but Yu is gracious and says he should still thank him.  Yin Xue then explains to him the situation (divulging info he has not shared with Ge'er): that this is all a trap set for him.  Dark Palace wants to weaken him, because they know he will heal him if Ge'er begs him.  However, if he lets him die, it would through the imperial palace and the pugilist world into panic/chaos.  Yu wants to know what he plans, and Yin Xue essentially tells him that they will have to be very good actors (I guess he plans on faking like he is weak).  

15. Before leaving, Ge'er tries to return his mother's memento, however Yin Xue insists she keep it and ties it to her waist.

16.MW, Feng must decide what he will do.  He learns at the villa that a letter arrives but its contents are not for his eyes.  It is clear that housekeeper does not trust him. Flame leader has a duel with Feng for funzies, and afterwards Feng tells him that he plans on marrying Miss D and asks for his blessings.  This shocks Flame Leader, who does not believe his (obvious) lie that he loves Miss D.  He knows this would be a benficial match but asks Feng if he is okay with never marrying Ge'er because he cannot go back from this.  He tells Feng that he will regret choosing ambition over happiness, but Feng (although visibly upset) insists he is happy with this decision.

17. Miss D is under house arrest....

18.Flame leader discusses Ge'er with housekeeper and states its a good thing she won't be here for , presumably, this latest round of nonsense and bullets to the heart.  He tells him to prepare engagement gifts.

19.We learn from Jie who states that the wedding is set soon--for Feb 2--and Xun Yi tells him she thought that Feng was to wed Yang Yi.  However, Jie reminds her that this is a beneficial marriage for the two pugilist clans.  Xun Yi expresses her distaste for these kinds of business arrangements.

20. MW, Yin Xue and Ge'er take shelter in a cave during a winter storm.  The flame soldiers who are delivering engagement gifts just HAPPEN to walk by (only in a drama does this happen) and she invites them inside.  And so she learns of Feng's engagement, and she is unhappy, and so Yin Xue is unhappy.

21. Master Lei is very angry to learn of this engagement as well--he hates Feng--and is angry when his father forces him to attend to represent their clan.

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Frost

In Quick Summary, Ge'er arrives at the Imperial City, Becomes Engaged, We Learn Yin Xue is a King in his own right, and what is ailing Yu-

1.Yu has odd symptoms, like he is aging and is cold.  It baffles everyone.  This upsets the king, because his mother was his favorite.

2. Ge'er remains by his side and uses her flame fist to disperse the cold.  She wonders if her battle with Feng improved it o_0

3.  Yu's servants reveal the secret healing to her, and Ge'er meets Niang although Niang never sees her face.  Hueng reasons Niang must be involved because no one has a motive for hurting Yu

4.The Thundercalp leader comes for Niang and they must let her go.

5.Yin Xue makes a pit stop at Blossom House before continuing on to the capital where he is met by the emperor.  They have a history (of course).  Also, it seems that Yu's injuries are a result of harem fighting, and Yin Xue saved his life but could not stop the illness from setting in.  He reveals to him that Anye Luo has returned....

6. A royal party is held for the King of Snow Robe A.K.A. Yin Xue.  There we learn that Yin Xue and four other desciples of Misty Deity supported the emperor in a fight against the  Japanese. Each received a title of king from the emperor, however only Yin Xue lives.  Yin Xue asks Yu to have Ge'er drink to him since he is injured, and that is when Yu introduces her as his princess consort (Yin Xue seems amused by this and not jealous I do not understand him).  Also, crown prince has decided he will kill Yin Xue so he can steal Ge'er for himself....

7.Yin Xue agrees to see if he can help Yu, and hear Yu learns that Yin Xue saved his life once. ANd this is when Yin Xue learns that Yu has the dreaded Frost Curse.....

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