Episode 13, 14 of Empress of China Summary 武媚娘传奇網上觀看

Watched Episode 56 this morning – Fan BingBing finally becomes so much cooler fifty episodes later… But as for right now, she remains to be a 2 dimensional character. Episode 13 and 14 are pretty filler episodes on how the plot explains how she is so special and amazing, and how she catches the Emperor’s attention. Needless to say, these two episodes are pretty typical drama-esque to fluff up the female lead.

I’m currently watching this series on Edrama.

So again, this whole episode is how RuYi is amazing so let’s just jump into it. XuHui, renowned for her wei qi abilities (chinese chess), she gets picked to go against a visiting famous chess player. It was only appropriate to send one of his concubines because this famous chess player only played against the princesses and women of his home, so if a man played him, it would be less fair (Yes I know, patriarchy at it’s best). The Emperor gives her an already set-up  arrangement of the chess pieces that she will use to play against the famous chess player. No one can solve this arrangement (even then men in the palace), but Xu Hui does.

Before leaving, RuYi gifts Xu Hui this blue fan that Shu Fei had given RuYi because it matches with Xu Hui’s blue dress.

Now let the RuYi praise begin!

Case #1:

One of the musician’s instruments were booby-trapped, and had strings that cut her hands up (left). You couldn’t possible tell guests that your musicians cannot perform because someone had intended to harm them so they can’t play right? On top of that, one of the visiting musicians insisted on competing with the head musician (the one hurt). What do you do?!

So RuYi gets one of the assistant musicians to change into a servant costume, and so after the visiting musician plays her song and wants to challenge the head musician, they’ll show the visiting musician that even a servant could play such a complicated song. It’s an infallible plan!  …if you look past the numerous different opportunities for failure. First, how does RuYi know that the visiting musician will definitely challenge that particular servant. What if she challenges a different servant? What if she challenges a concubine?!

But it’s a drama – everything goes according to plan: obviously the visiting musician conveniently did not notice an extra servant being added when she started performing, picks the right servant, and does not ask to see the head musician perform afterwards. I mean, when the servant is that good, you will probably be curious on how good the head musician would be right? And you’re a guest. But she doesn’t ask to see the head musician, even though probably most people would.

Case #2:

Another visiting guest brings a special valuable collector’s item: it’s this special type of… material, I think rock, and it can break through anything. RuYi proves that it’s not, by breaking it by sliding it along a ram’s horn. Again, to show how special and brave she is. The same thing happens in this episode where the Emperor watches the whole thing from the corner of the room, but nobody notices him. Even if he’s hiding behind the pillar, it’s an open room. It’s the same thing how the assassins escaped a few episodes back from an open room – like there is literally very few pieces of furniture. How can no one see him for the longest time?! Everyone looks so shocked when he cleared his throat and began to speak. But, again, drama.

Case #3:

Xu Hui starts playing the famous chess player – she already figured out the pre-arranged set-up the night before but she starts getting red and blotchy. The really cocky chess player says that if he loses, he will commit suicide (because obviously he’s so good). She faints.

RuYi jumps in with confidence to play instead of XuHui. It’s obvious that she had won, but she intentionally made it a stalemate so the guy wouldn’t have to commit suicide. Even though she’s not a chess player, she still wins… how? Because she was there the whole night that Xu Hui was figuring it out. RuYi was ‘asleep’ half the time, but still remembers how to win utilizing Xu Hui’s steps. Long story short, it is reinforced that she is ‘special and amazing’.

Back to Xu Hui, turns out she was poisoned! The blue fan was poisoned! The blue fan was a gift from Wei Fei to Shu Fei, then Shu Fei to RuYi, and from RuYi to Xu Hui.

They decide to create an investigation on the things that happened during Liu Li Yan, and who it was that tried to ruin it.

It ends off with Wei Fei interrogating De Fei, because she saw Shu Fei’s servant interact with De Fei’s servant. Wei Fei is certain that they are plotting against her.

These two episodes were such a drag – they are definitely skimmable, because it’s just a build up of the female lead. More action lies ahead!!! In… forty episodes.