Nearly everyone has died

The drama is moving quickly and it’s nearing its end. A lot of people have died in these few episodes and Mei Niang is officially Empress Wu. They spent so much time in the beginning with such small things that weren’t even in history, and now for these big historical things, they merely speed through it. I think they should have spent more time with the big events – I mean, it’s what everyone was looking forward it, how they would cover these big historical things right? It seems like they created a whole drama, and added covering these events as a second thought.

The episode starts with Princess GaoYang and Mei Niang meeting in the gardens. Princess GaoYang finds out Mei Niang just met with the ex-Empress Wang, and was afraid for a second that Mei Niang would find out more information from her. Luckily Mei Niang plays dumb – but accidentally confirms that Princess GaoYang was the reason for her miscarriage, because Princess GaoYang so accurately named and described the material used in the divider that caused Mei Niang to miscarry.

There is one part that I didn’t understand. While leaving with her servant, Princess GaoYang makes sure that Consort Xiao’s daughters stay close by, even though they’re now punished by becoming commoners. She wants to make sure that one day, the daughters can come back and seek revenge on Mei Niang.

I thought the whole thing that Princess GaoYang is doing is just to get revenge on Zhang Sun Wu Ji and the deceased Emperor? Why does she want Mei Niang to suffer too? Perhaps it’s because Mei Niang was so deeply loved by the deceased Emperor, but she never really clarifies her motives. I feel maybe it’s another thing thrown in by producers to make Princess GaoYang even more antagonistic?

Meanwhile, Li Yi Fu is sent to Fang Yi Ai to get information from him. Fang Yi Ai is Princess GaoYang’s legal husband, but she feels no love towards him and pretty much treats him like sh*t.

Meanwhile the Emperor has a drink with Li Ke. Mei Niang, afraid that Li Ke might assassinate the Emperor, suddenly arrives to take him away. She knows that Li Ke, who returned for the anniversary of the death of the deceased Emperor, brought also 5000 soldiers as well, but the soldiers have not left Chang An after protecting him along the way here. She feels like he is planning a coup.

Through this encounter, she finds out that it is the Emperor that is planning a ‘coup’ against Zhang Sun Wu Ji, to retain more power over the government.

As the drama progresses, I feel like I like the Emperor a lot less with every episode. He seems so incompetent, unsure, and so insecure. Mei Niang has to take care of his drunken self, and help him with looking through and approving official documents while he sleeps – and wakes up with a hangover. She was unimpressed with him in this scene and I would be too. You’re the leader of this country now, and this is your job! All he’s prioritized is Mei Niang, putting her ahead before so many other people.

And now the first deaths of today: Consort Xiao and ex-Empress Wang.

They were to commit suicide through poison – it was a sad scene where they realized it was their end, and they’ve lost. They both acknowledge how being the Emperor’s woman in the palace was so laughable – everyone has their desires but the desires consume them and lead to their demise. Women in the palace are disposable – and with that they both drink the poisonous wine and die. I must say, they both look so much better with less make-up and with their hair down. I think they look much prettier than their glamorous done-up ancient look.

Meanwhile Zhang Sun Wu Ji tries to warn the Emperor of Li Ke, since Zhang Sun Wu Ji also knows that the 5000 soldiers have not left yet. Upon realizing the that the Emperor has known all along that the 5000 soldier’s existence and whereabouts, Zhang Sun Wu Ji finally realizes that the 5000 soldiers are targeting him, himself. He quickly pleads for the Emperor’s allowance of him to retire and return to his hometown.

Mei Niang hears of this event at night. The situation is ghastly similar to how Li Shi Min overthrown his brother. She insists to meet with Zhang Sun Wu Ji with the Emperor to plan out a trap.

Mei Niang directs Li Yi Fu  to tell Fang Yi Ai that Mei Niang already knows about the coup, and was going to place soldiers near this certain area (a cave, I think, but I could be wrong) and that Fang Yi Ai should take Princess GaoYang far far away from this treason to protect her.They knew Fang Yi Ai would tell her. The purpose of this knowledge was so that Princess GaoYang would split up her soldiers to attack.

Even though the coup was to happen during the anniversary of the death of the deceased Emperor, Li Zhi, the current Emperor, decides to go anyways, even though it’s dangerous.

Screenshots from the morning of:

The production of this drama is definitely one of the best. The set is so gorgeously decorated, and their outfits are so extravagant and elegant. Bing Bing has new hairstyles all the time.

The coup was happening. Outside the temple where they were honouring the anniversary of the death of the deceased Emperor Li Shi Min, soldiers gathered around to attack. This coup was entirely lead by Princess GaoYang – she locked Li Ke up and used his soldiers.

Meanwhile, Mei Niang captured General Li Ji’s family so that he would be threatened to help fight for the Emperor in the coup. With General Li Ji’s soldiers, Princess GaoYang was outnumbered.

Fang Yi Ai is screaming in sadness while Princess GaoYang leaves him on a horse.

Sew sad.

Suddenly it’s one year later. I feel like it’s a way for them to add a moustache onto Li Zhi LOL. He had to have facial hair to prove that he was getting older, but he couldn’t just sprout one over night, and it would be so ugly to have a semi-moustache for a bit, so I guess this was the best avenue.

Princess GaoYang denies all wrongdoing and blames it all on Li Ke – what a b*tch, especially when she was the one that planned the whole coup and locked Li Ke up. The Emperor lets her live, because she’s the only sibling he has left.

Meanwhile, Fang Yi Ai, Li Ke, and everyone involved are sentenced to death. They’re sentenced after one year, because they had a whole investigation. Fang Yi Ai was so sad because even during his decapitation, GaoYang didn’t even come to see him one last time.

But, Mei Niang stops GaoYang in the woods. GaoYang was there to get Bian Ji’s ashes.

She confronts her about the death of her two children.

GaoYang tries to justify it by saying that she was in love – and only that if she was Emperor and with power, she could protect the people she loves.

Mei Niang ironically says that she’s crazy, because no woman has ever been an Emperor (foreshadowing to the max).

She kills GaoYang in the end, and tells GaoYang that Bian Ji’s ashes will be returned to the temple, and she will be buried next to Fang Yi Ai – which was very cruel for GaoYang, because she wanted to be buried next to Bian Ji.

Holy crap look at this set:

Why didn’t they use it more? It’s so gorgeous!!!

Mei Niang is getting ready to become Empress and my gosh, her outfit is so extravagant and glamorous. Her and Li Zhi has this very cute couple moment where he adds two dots on her face.

So cute. Screenshots from the whole event:

Such beautiful scenery. I really hate this one part though: he hesitated before taking her hand – and that was because he didn’t want to force her. He didn’t want to trap her. I thought, come on! You guys have been married and have several children together. What are you hesitant about? He’s still so unsure about their relationship after all these years?

Episode 86 Trailer

Some time has passed and it looks like Zhong Er has grown up. He hates Mei Niang because he’s convinced that he was the one that killed his real mother, and Empress Wang (well she is), and he hates the fact that now she’s Empress Wu. He sets off to assassinate Li Zhi, his father.

In the trailer, it looks like Mei Niang has caught him – and she’s asking him to drink the poisoned cup himself. Looks like a juicy episode!!!