Notable Actors/Actresses
Xu Kai: Zhu Zhan Ji
Wu Jin Yan: Yao Zi Jin
Director:
Producer
尚食
Recap Grade: C
First Impression: 2.75/5
First Impression: 2.75/5
[Dropped (Ep28)]
Mini Recaps
[Ep1] Three ladies, all excellent chefs, become the new maids of the food bureau. Well sort of...
[Ep2] ...Yao Zi Jin is punished for solving everything – recklessly. What if she harmed the Emperor had she not cured his lack of appetite? If this question doesn’t make sense, it’s because I don’t get why she had to be punished. During the punishment, she remains calm and squares her shoulders. What keeps her going is the chance to catch a glimpse of the Crown Prince’s son, Zhu Zhan Ji, who’s just returning to the palace. And this is the reason she had to be punished – a chance to see our ML. Oh and to prove that she’s resilient and optimistic. Later, our FL becomes our ML’s personal cook because he’s smitten with her – food. Oh nos, Xu Kai will be chubby again xD. He still hasn’t seen her yet.
[Ep3] Emperor says Crown Prince has to diet because he’s too fat. Lol. Yao Zi Jin is very involved in making food for the struggling new vegetarian, who’s also Zhu Zhan Ji’s father.
[Ep4] Generosity is our FL. Yao Zi Jin is almost killed by Yin Zi Ping who wants to accuse Yao of being the imposter maid when it’s actually Yin, but our FL still chooses to protect Yin Zi Ping.
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| Yin Zi Ping, Su Yue Hua, Hu Shan Xiang |
Su Yue Hua is just as righteous as Yao Zi Jin, if not more. She’s caring too and will quietly help, like tending to Yao Zi Jin’s wound. She has a dark secret too. Her mother is Chief Meng who she won’t acknowledge her daughter for reasons I don’t know. Su Yue Hua is devastated to confirm that her mother is a heartless murderer. Apparently, Chief Meng defended herself murdered a man who tried to rape her. After that day, Chief Meng changed. She’s a woman who’s fatherless, husband-less, and daughter-less.
Hu Shan Xiang (ML’s wife) is seeking death. She adds mild poison to all her food to die inconspicuously. She had run away from the marriage to be a physician at her grandfather’s but because her prescription killed someone, her family had to settle it. In exchange, she married. Recently, she learned it was her family who increased the dosage of her prescription. They killed someone (a pregnant woman) to force her to marry, which means she has nothing against the ML.
[Ep7] You Yi Fan sabotages Prince Han (father) with the crime of poisoning the Emperor. He’s avenging his mother who Prince Han accused of cheating. Complicated father-son relationship. Just like Su Yue Hua’s mother complex. By the way, Prince Han and Chief Meng occasionally have collaborations, but they’re more like frenemies.
[Ep8] Our CP finally see each other! Zhu Zhan Ji catches Yao Zi Jin in his library. She hides behind a book, but he removes that. Then she ducks under his arm to escape his non-bidong. Now she’s assigned to be his librarian. When the eunuch walks Yao Zi Jin back to her bureau, she notices the lantern is made from the drawing they completed together.
[Ep9] Zhu Zhan Ji is flexing his sword in front of Yao Zi Jin. Next, he mulls that he doesn’t have hope that he can find love, but at the very least he wants a companion in the palace. What is this guy doing complaining like this when the girl (FL) obviously likes him? Is he a pro or what?
Zhu Zhan Ji takes Yao Zi Jin's advice to visit his wife (to ask about the poison), only to meet his wife’s sister because Hu Family wants to slot her in the family (since Hu Shan Xiang isn’t obedient anymore). He’s angered, and takes it out on Yao Zi Jin for organizing his books into a mess. Yao Zi Jin asks the prince whether he’s interrogating her as herself or as a maid. He doesn’t get the difference. She explains that she, as herself, likes him. Everything she does for him isn’t what a maid does for her master. A confession already. And if he’s lecturing her as a maid, then she wants him to keep his distance. She’ll no longer be his librarian. She’ll treat him like a master from here on. Zhu Zhan Ji is completely taken by surprise and when he realizes it, she’s already gone. (To Zhu Zhan Ji, there isn’t a difference between Yao Zi Jin and a maid because he never treated her like a maid. To him, she was always Yao Zi Jin ...the maid...lol.)
[Ep10] There’s two kind souls who make food for the meanie birthday boy, You Yi Fan: Yao Zi Jin and Su Yue Hua. Neither knows of the superstition that anyone who makes it for him dies within three months for random reasons. It seems You Yi Fan might like Su Yue Hua????
Zhu Zhan Ji belatedly realizes Yao Zi Jin was waiting for him in the cold. He lectures her out of concern. He’s like “Is your plan to die from the cold to make me guilty for the rest of my life? Let me tell you, my heart won’t hurt for you.”... and then he immediately takes her hand in his and even blows on it to warm her up. Hugging might be more effective. Yao Zi Jin flinches. She excuses herself but Zhu Zhan Ji shouts after her, “Fine, I’ll just marry you then. (A proposal already.) Let’s see if you still dare to serve me like a maid to a master.” She doesn’t accept, though. She wants to do well in her bureau. Uhh.. I take it as she wants an established career before marriage. Or maybe she just wants his true love before marriage. You see, if she was too easy, our drama would be over. He lets her go, but makes sure she’s warm by wrapping his cloak around her.
[Ep11] The Emperor is poisoned! No. He’s too shrewd for that. He uses the susceptible cup of wine to dare his sons to drink it. All the sons, one, two and three, shiver in fear at being trialled. Only the grandson remains calm. In fact, he’s in on this scheme with his grandfather to scare the uncles (but they didn’t plan it together). Once alone, the Emperor asks Zhu Zhan Ji whether the wine was poisonous. His answer: If it was, it would only poison the ones whose hearts are disloyal and not the true, brilliant ruler. Wise.
You Yi Fan manipulates Su Yue Hua to make a dish that will kill Prince Han’s consort (You Yi Fan’s stepmom). Poor lady was in the palace to see You Yi Fan... It’s Chief Meng who takes the fall because she’s in charge of the food bureau. Her fall was also orchestrated by Hu Shan Wei who wants Chief Meng’s top position. (By the way, Hu Shan Wei is also the adopted older sister of Hu Shan Xiang.) For over a decade, Hu Shan Wei and Wang Yao Qing were pretending to be enemies when they’re the best of friends just so Chief Meng wouldn’t suspect them. Apparently Chief Meng is that calculating and careful that she won’t even allow friends to be promoted together. Wang Yao Qing feels guilty about it because Chief Meng, although greedy for power, was always fair.
Su Yue Hua slaps You Yi Fan for the sabotage but he stops her and corners her into admitting she knew and yet she obliged. It’s true. Su Yue Hua wanted to know if anyone would notice if she was in danger. Would anyone forgive her if she committed a mistake? She didn’t know it was a mistake that would cost a life. Moreover, her mother’s response chills her. Chief Meng didn’t care about the death, she only cared about her career that was in jeopardy. Su Yi Hua drops to the ground at the heartbreaking realization that she killed someone just like her mother. You Yi Fan helps her up but hesitates. Then he notices the wound on her arm. She was abused before and discriminated for having a murderer as her mother. You Yi Fan leaves her an advice: “You can hate me all you want, but don’t use other people as hope to live on.” = Live for yourself.
[Ep12] Chief Meng is demoted. Shoot. What do I call her now…
Yao Zi Jin falls asleep while waiting for Zhu Zhan Ji’s meeting to finish. He carries her to his study room and lays her gently in bed. While she’s asleep, he pinches her cheeks and kisses her lips! “If you don’t wake up, I’ll kiss you (again?).” Yao Zi Jin quickly drops the sleeping act. Zhu Zhan Ji also wants her to drop the “maid” talk.
Zhu Zhan Ji and Yao Zi Jin play a duet on a gudi and a qin respectively. Hu Shan Xiang hears it and finds it odd. He never allows music in his room. Also, this was his half finished song, and now it’s finally complete. Hu Shan Xiang is curious about Yao Zi Jin but it’s not what you think!. She actually likes Yao Zi Jin and is glad there’s someone who can make Zhu Zhan Ji happy.
You Yi Fan likes Yao Zi Jin??? You Yi Fan wanted to give her a new hairpin when he realized she lost hers but backs off when he sees her with Zhu Zhan Ji. Later in the episode, someone visits her while she’s sleeping. Is it You Yi Fan?
Zhu Zhan Ji finishes Yao Zi Jin’s cat drawing on her lantern (a nod to their previous lantern). Then he complains about a stray cat (that he calls Yin Tai ≈ Inky) for being heartless when he loves her the most = Yao Zi Jin. Word within words. Yao Zi Jin says it’s not true that the cat is heartless. She seems to know how the cat (which she calls 狸奴, a racoon like slave) feels because her little name is also 狸 (li), but at the mention of that, Yao Zi Jin turns silent. He has something to share, though. He’s leaving on a business trip. He wants her to join. She won’t. She will wait for him in the palace. She’s suddenly distancing herself when he’s expressing interest in her...Hm.
Yin Zi Ping is slapped on the face thirty times by a snobby consort (the fragrant consort of Zhu Zhan Ji). To motivate Yin Zi Ping to fight against the unfairness, Yao Zi Jin urges her to smash the lantern (the one she just made with Zhu Zhan Ji?).
Am very curious about Yao Zi Jin's motive. Does she actually love our ML? Wei Ying Luo, don’t hurt Fuca Fu Heng again!! D:
However, there’s more serious matters at hand. The Emperor has passed away. All the consorts who don’t have children are to be buried alive with the Emperor. Consort Zhuang wants to escape to visit her mother. Yao Zi Jin helps her, risking her own livelihood if Consort Zhuang lied about coming back. Good thing she does come back (although she admitted that she wanted to run away).
Later that night Yin Zi Ping wants to run away with Yao Zi Jin. It’s too scary in the palace. Yao Zi Jin calms her. She wants Yin Zi Ping to remember four words: 事在人為 (shi zai ren wei). With effort one can achieve anything. I’m going to take it a step further that she’s implying that nothing is pure luck. Everything to this point is her effort.
[Ep14] Crown Prince is now the Emperor. Zhu Zhan Ji is now the Crown Prince.
Hu Shan Wei investigates Consort Zhuang and realizes she used Yao Zi Jin’s jade to temporarily leave the palace. Years ago, this jade was bestowed by the previous late Empress to Zhu Zhan Ji’s future wife. Wow. Does this also mean that Yao Zi Jin deliberately helped Consort Zhuang escape to reveal her jade? By indirectly revealing it, Yao Zi Jin appears generous and innocent. Hu Shan Wei intends to kill Yao Zi Jin because her existence threatens Hu Shan Xiang’s position as the Crown Princess. Fortunately, Zhu Zhan Ji saves her. Is his timing really a coincidence? Did Yao Zi Jin plan this far? *Goosebumps*. Yao Zi Jin faints in Zhu Zhan Ji’s arm (rather timely). He lifts her away to safety.
Yao Zi Jin’s real last name is “Sun”. She was handpicked to be Zhu Zhan Ji’s wife when she was ten(?). For that, she was trained from a young age to do whatever he loves. He liked playing chess with her and listening to her qin and so she practiced that all to please him. Wow. That sucks. Her teacher was particularly strict on her. Then one day she committed suicide. Yao Zi Jin always knew that her teacher was her birth mother but because her identity was lowly, she couldn’t marry into Sun family. Still, her mother was prideful, but this prideful woman chose to die so as not to taint Yao Zi Jin’s marriage with Zhu Zhan Ji. And as her daughter, Yao Zi Jin never got to call her mother. Then the “mother” who raised Yao Zi Jin died from illness soon after. She also wanted Yao Zi Jin to marry well. But in the end, Zhu Zhan Ji married Hu Shan Xiang. Currently, Yao Zi Jin tells the Crown Prince that she entered the palace to see just how wonderful his wife is. Fate messed with both women. It’s not like Hu Shan Xiang wanted to marry. Zhu Zhan Ji wants to know what he can do for her (to compensate). Yao Zi Jin doesn’t regret anything and doesn’t seem to want anything from him. Did I hear right that she isn’t allowed to marry (at all? anyone else?) because she had a cancelled engagement with a royal? If the royal can’t have her, then no one else can... Is that right? If so, royals are suck possessive jerks.
Note: in Ep12, it was mentionned that a Sun daughter (Yao Zi Jin) was the chosen wife but this “Fang” person insisted on changing to Hu Shan Xiang because she was lucky.
Chief Meng is back to Chief Meng, who’s now equal in standing with Hu Shan Wei. Yay, I don’t have to change names! I wonder if Yao Zi Jin had any hand in helping Chief Meng.
You Yi Fan knows everything Yao Zi Jin has done thus far (from helping Consort Zhuang to using Zhu Zhan Ji), but now he’s curious why she’s rejecting Zhu Zhan Ji’s love. It’s push and pull, man. Apparently, he’s here for an alliance. She’s not accepting it. When she’s out of earshot, he calls her dumb for smiling when she clearly wants to cry. Huh. He really likes Yao Zi Jin...
Yao Zi Jin - I don’t know if I’m giving her too much credit. I feel like there’s more to her calmness. It’s like she’s weaving a grand web.
[Ep15] Wang Yao Qing takes the blame for Hu Shan Wei (for embezzlement). She’s exiled from the palace. Su Yue Hua begs her mother, Chief Meng, for help because Wang Yao Qing is like a mother to her. However Chief Meng reminds her she already took the fall for her once (i.e. Prince Han’s consort’s death). Su Yue Hua is on her own now. Wow. Her tone is motherly, but her expression at the end was so cold. @All, do not take a mother being motherly for granted.
Empress is clearly sick and not pregnant, but everyone is ignoring her symptoms because the head physician says she's pregnant. And what is Zhu Zhan Ji doing? Not caring because he trusts the experts. Yao Zi Jin reminds him he should be skeptical and discerning for the health of his very own mother. Zhu Zhan Ji takes the advice, and takes Yao Zi Jin out of the palace. They’re fetching medicine outside.
I think when Chief Meng took Yin Zi Ping in her team and then told her to visit Concubine Guo, Chief Meng already knew the power play. It was Concubine Guo behind the Empress’s pregnant diagnosis. Chief Meng is choosing Concubine Guo as an ally and was ready to turn a blind eye to the Empress who’s essentially being murdered.
[Ep16] The Emperor doesn’t believe that the Empress is ill even if she's begging for a reexamination. Hu Shan Xiang weeps silently for the Empress who’s begging for her life, but the Emperor is adamant that she's pregnant. Why do imbeciles get to rule the country...
Good thing the Empress has a filial son (and a smart Yao Zi Jin at his side) who brings the right doctor and right medication. The Empress heals! When she’s better, she admires the spinning wheel that the late Empress gave her. It’s a present to remind her to be 夫唱妇随 (fu chang fu sui). An old saying that means when the man sings, the woman follows. This is the meaning of marital harmony. Back then. Without hesitation, the Empress wrecks it and orders it to be burned to ashes. *Smirks*. It’s quite interesting how sexist a lot of the old sayings are.
Emperor is still an imbecile. He blames the son and mother for upsetting him enough that he feels sick, and by sick, he means he’s coughing. The woman almost died being “pregnant” and this guy is whining?
[Ep17] There’s a flashback of Yao Zi Jin’s dying mother (not birth mother) who tells her to enter the palace and take back everything that belongs to her. However, Yao Zi Jin’s version to Zhu Zhan Ji is that she wants to rise in the ranks of being a maid. She also asks him if he even remembers her had she not entered the palace. He didn’t. But he also adds that she can’t be mad at him for something that’s not his fault. (He says it was Minister “Zhang” who made his grandfather superstitious and changed his wife.) Yao Zi Jin tells him that although his hands are clean, the bowl he uses to clean is filled with blood. There are countless women whose lives are ruined by royal men (because they “didn’t know”). Yao Zi Jin doesn’t want to be his consort (clarification: she didn’t say she didn’t want to be his wife). She doesn’t want to give up her life to please a man, and she will never want to be someone’s puppet.
There’s a cooking competition. Yin Zi Ping represents Chief Meng. Su Yue Hua represents Hu Shan Wei.
Su Yue Hua steals Yao Zi Jin’s painting. She’s turning dark! Is it so hard to be friends in the palace? However, Yao Zi Jin remains calm and bright. If she wants to win, no one can stop her. Kinda scary. And she’s right. Although Su Yue Hua delicately carved the food according to the stolen painting (that I wonder if it’s edible. Is it even cooked? Did you all wash your hands while carving? Please don't play with food), she still loses to Yao Zi Jin, whose food looks great and most importantly, tastes great.
[Ep18] There’s another critical reason why Su Yue Hua lost. She didn’t understand the painting that she stole from Yao Zi Jin. There was a trap in there: the monk. The great Emperor had banned anything related to monks. Although it’s no longer a taboo, the Empress would remember. It’s interesting to note that Yao Zi Jin drew the monk after the meeting with You Yi Fan. She suspected dirty play from that point. Additionally, Su Yue Hua lost at another level. She forgot to make the food edible.
3rd Royal Uncle deliberately praises Zhu Zhan Ji in front of the Emperor to make him jealous of his own son.
Someone wants to kill Yao Zi Jin. She manages to defend herself against one guy, but there’s two guys after her. You Yi Fan comes to her rescue. Who wants to kill her? Is it Hu Shan Wei?
The little prince (mother = Concubine Guo) is poisoned. Hu Shan Wei reports that it’s likely from the food Yin Zi Ping and Chief Meng prepared. They’re arrested. Su Yue Hua could have testified for Yin Zi Ping, but she didn’t. Later on, she tells Hu Shan Wei that it was unnecessary to sabotage the other team. Hu Shan Wei sternly reminds her that they are only bystanders. The skies helped them. They did nothing. It was all luck. The opposite of Yao Zi Jin’s motto: 事在人為.
Yao Zi Jin begs the Empress for help. The Empress is intrigued enough to hear her out.
[Ep19] Before Yao Zi Jin can speak to the Empress, she needs to endure flogging. Hu Shan Wei tempts Yao Zi Jin to beg her for help. Yao Zi Jin will not. Then You Yi Fan arrives to pause the flogging. He wants her to admit she’s wrong and then he’d help her. Yao Zi Jin will not. Then Zhu Zhan Ji arrives to pause the flogging. He wants her to surrender – just a bit. Yao Zi Jin will not. These men. If they want to help, then just help.
After enduring the painful punishment, Yao Zi Jin can visit the Empress. She doesn’t have proof to save Chief Meng and Yin Zi Ping, but she does have valuable information. A few days ago, the Empress visited the kitchen, which means she’s the real target. Consort Guo wants to blame the Empress for the poisoning. With Yao Zi Jin’s tip, Zhu Zhan Ji finds the appropriate doctor (his wife, Hu Shan Xiang) to examine the little prince. Consort Guo is guilty as charged. And of course the Emperor doesn’t push her down like he did to the Empress when he wrongfully accused her.
The Empress punishes Hu Shan Wei for misleading everyone that the prince was poisoned.
Hu Shan Xiang punishes Yao Zi Ping as retaliation for her sister (Hu Shan Wei). Zhu Zhan Ji walks by her, ignoring her.
Hu Shan Wei no longer has the Empress’s support. Chief Meng has the upswing. However, Su Yue Hua will not surrender to Chief Meng. It’s because of her that Wang Yao Qing was exiled. Our girl has it all backwards.
[Ep20] Yao Zi Jin purposely enraged the little prince so that he’d find a secret alley to attack her in – emphasis on “secret alley”. It’s in this alley that Consort Guo can meet with her son. Chief Meng orchestrated the plan. Yao Zi Jin doesn’t think Consort Guo is worthy of Chief Meng’s loyalty, but Chief Meng wants power. She wants to be the top maid.
Su Yue Hua seduces the Emperor. You Yi Fan gave her the opportunity. Girl, now you can’t turn around. D: She meets Chief Meng at the door, and with one glance, Chief Meng knows what her daughter has done. She looks shocked? I honestly don’t know if this lady cares about her daughter or worried that her daughter is about to beat her in the ranks. Su Yue Hua gets an express ticket to a promotion (equal to Chief Meng?). But!! She didn’t sell her body. The Emperor was benevolent enough to teach her the right way. Surprising. Maybe it’s his obesity affecting his libido. Only she blows her chance. She didn’t listen to Yao Zi Jin who had warned her to stop make food that’s high in fat and cholesterol (for our obese Emperor). He gets a nosebleed. Chief Meng brings healthier food, which “coincidentally” reminds him of Consort Guo. And now Consort Guo is forgiven! Team Chief Meng wins.
You Yi Fan calls 3rd Uncle his father. Apparently, it was uncle who saved him and taught him everything. You Yi Fan prefers this very sus godfather over his birth father.
Yao Zi Jin saves Su Yue Hua. Her fingers were about to be fractured by Consort Guo. Su Yue Hua is still bitter. It turns out she was always jelly beecause Yao Zi Jin is friendlier with Yin Zi Ping when she’s better than Yin Zi Ping.
[Ep21] Yao Zi Jin removes a stain on Zhu Zhan Ji’s painting (a nod to Ep3). She sends it to him with the food he likes. Cold n’ then hot. What is she doing? Messing with his feelings? D:
Empress wants Zhu Zhan Ji to create babies, but he ain’t doing it. If that’s the case, then the Empress will find someone he wants to make babies with: Yao Zi Jin. It turns out the Empress recognized Yao Zi Jin. When the marriage fell through, the Empress wanted her to be Zhu Zhan Ji’s consort (not wife), but she refused. The Empress made a bet that Yao Zi Jin would regret once she saw her son and the luxury that could be hers. However, currently, Yao Zi Jin continues to reject the offer. The Empress threatens to kill her entire family, but our pompous Yao Zi Jin isn’t afraid. She knows the Empress is gracious. Indeed, the Empress is. In fact, she’s rather proud that there exists a girl who isn't tempted by wealth and who isn’t afraid to fight against fate. As Yao Zi Jin leaves the Empress’s manor, she smirks.
Zhu Zhan Ji hates sweet tofu. In his dictionary, tofu can only be salty. As for the guy himself, he’s sour with jealousy when he sees Yao Zi Jin with Minister Mei. She was being cupid for Yin Zi Ping. Uh. Wait, nevermind. Apparently, Yin Zi Ping hates him. He stopped her from stealing his money and guided her to the right path. My gosh, despicable. Yao Zi Jin approves of the good man for her best friend.
There's another cooking competition and for Hu Shan Wei, her biggest rival is Yao Zi Jin. Later, a cupboard of wine falls on Yao Zi Jin. She’s knocked out and if Yin Zi Ping hadn’t protected her, she could have been in a coma, says another maid. Someone’s got MRI vision!
[Ep22] Yao Zi Jin confronts Hu Shan Wei to compete fairly. Either way though, Yao Zi Jin asserts she’ll win and exile her, even with an injured hand. (Take it as a handicap.) Yao Zi Jin has never looked this serious. Pretences gone.
Chief Meng’s team vs. Hu Shan Wei’s team. Zhu Zhan Ji stealthily praises Chief Meng’s food (i.e. Yao Zi Jin). Still, the match is neck and neck until Shan Wei prepares a goose dish. She braised the goose while it was alive, slowly cooking it to its death. The Emperor is disgusted. However, Hu Shan Wei proves she didn’t and now the tides have shifted. Chief Meng is reprimanded for baseless accusations. The match isn’t over yet! There’s more dishes to come. And our FL just has to use that injured hands of hers to gain our pity.
[Ep23] The feast turns deadly as assassins infiltrate the palace. You Yi Fan heroically saves the Emperor. Zhu Zhan Ji fought a lot too, but because the Emperor couldn’t see it with his blind eyes. He yells at his son for failing to protect him. Dude, he’s your son. There’s a reason imperial guards exist. Zhu Zhan Ji is injured but keeps it a secret. Ah, but Yao Zi Jin can tell. She makes him food that’s good for wound healing. Zhu Zhan Ji smiles as if his pain has gone away.
Although the competition was interrupted, the winner is clear. It’s Yao Zi Jin, I mean Chief Meng. Hu Shan Wei admits defeat. She tells Yao Zi Jin a story of when she was adopted into Hu Family, Hu Shan Wei was just born, but she was severely underweight. Even the parents thought she was ominous. Hu Shan Wei was worried for her little sister and lied to everyone that she saw a red and white breath escape from Hu Shan Xiang’s mouth. From then on, He Shan Xiang was known to be auspicious and that’s the reason Hu Shan Xiang got to marry Zhu Zhan Ji. Hu Shan Wei was later admitted in the palace to take care of her sister when she had a marriage prospect. Hu Shan Wei confesses everything so that Yao Zi Jin would hate her, and not Hu Shan Xiang.
Later, Hu Shan Wei is found dead in her room. Was it Yao Zi Jin who killed her? Or was it Su Yue Hua...? Su Yue Hua visited Hu Shan Wei to confront her for killing her mentor (Wang) when she already took the blame for her. Hu Shan Wei admits to the crime. She gives Su Yue Hua a knife to kill her, and even takes Su Yue Hua’s hand to stab the knife into herself. Hu Shan Wei committed suicide. However, when Hu Shan Xiang investigates her sister’s death. She only receives information of Yao Zi Jin’s visit. Could that be Hu Shan Wei’s plan? To make it look like Yao Zi Jin killed her? Am I thinking too much? Maybe.
When Chief Meng learns of Su Yue Hua’s encounter with Hu Shan Wei, she hugs her daughter, finally giving her some love. Su Yue Hua had begged her to recognize her. She’s stronger now. She’s no longer a burden. She also sabotaged Hu Shan Wei because she didn’t want anyone to hurt her mother. The mother and daughter seem to be at peace now.
[Ep24] You Yi Fan fell in love with Yao Zi Jin way before she entered the palace. She had her servants tend to his injuries when she was on house arrest (I’m assuming this was when she refused to become Zhu Zhan Ji’s consort).
Minister Wei returns Yin Zi Ping the money she earned. He was afraid she would recklessly spend it. Yin Zi Ping looks touched.
Su Yue Hua mentions to the Emperor that Consort Guo hid all by herself when he was in danger. Is it because Su Yue Hua has a grudge on Consort Guo from last time? But isn’t her mother, Chief Meng, working with Consort Guo...
The Emperor believes Zhu Zhan Ji is related to the assassination. He orders his son to be sent far away for a battle (when his injuries aren't healed). Zhu Zhan Ji thinks his days in the palace are numbered and so he tells Yao Zi Jin that he’ll somehow help with her marriage to Minster Wei. Yao Zi Jin clarifies she doesn’t love Minister Wei. Ah. Zhu Zhan Ji seizes the opportunity to ask who it is then. She avoids answering. Then when she learns he’s about to leave, she teaches him a way to repair their father-son relationship: seduce his father with food.
[Ep25] Yao Zi Jin helps Zhu Zhan Ji regain favour from the Emperor but also opportunely seizes the moment to speak up for the women who are exiled with their family. It’s not fair women have to bear the consequences for crimes they haven’t committed. Same for the innocent men in the family, no? Yao Zi Jin even gets a promotion. Yao Zi Jin can fool everyone, but Zhu Zhan Ji sees through her tricks. He regrets giving her a rabbit. He should have given her a fox. He likes his foxy Yao Zi Jin.
The Empress’s mother (i.e. Grandmother) wants Yao Zi Jin to be Zhu Zhan Ji’s consort. Yao Zi Jin hides from Grandmother in Zhu Zhan Ji’s room. He even helps her distract Grandmother with “Ah Li” the cat (Inky), instead of “Ah Li”, Yao Zi Jin’s nickname.
Although Zhu Zhan Ji knows Yao Zi Jin has been using him time and time again, he will still help her. He doesn’t want to see her sad. Yao Zi Jin really wants to be a chief of the food bureau. However, the Empress finds a way to promote her into being a consort right in front of the Emperor.
[Ep26] Emperor approves Yao Zi Jin to be Zhu Zhan Ji’s consort despite Zhu Zhan Ji’s repeated objections (for Yao Zi Jin’s sake).
The next day, Zhu Zhan Ji sends loads of presents to Yao Zi Jin. However, they didn’t come at the right time. She wasn’t in the manor and if she heads over to him, she has to dress herself again and it’d take two hours. Girl, what are you wearing? I don’t see her having wardrobe problems anytime else. She sighs at the bad timing. Well, now Zhu Zhan Ji shows up right when she’s bathing, asking if he came at the wrong time too. See, girl you had a chance of seeing him with your clothes on. She’s naked in the water and her tub is separated from him by a thin and short divider screen. He has something to ask her and promises he’ll leave right after. But hearing her skittish voice, he changes his mind instantly. He doesn't want to ask anything anymore, he just wants to stay the night. Yao Zi Jin sinks in her bathtub, nervous and exposed (to the man she loves?).
[Ep27] Yao Zi Jin reasons with Zhu Zhan Ji that he can’t stay. He’s injured. The Empress will be worried if he’s vigorously moving about. Furthermore, if he shows that he’s recovered, the Emperor will make him leave to the southern borders. Yao Zi Jin knows Zhu Zhan Ji well because this is precisely the reason he didn't visit her last night. She forces him to make a decision by pretending to relent and shouting to her maid that Zhu Zhan Ji will be staying. Zhu Zhan Ji sighs. He says goodbye to his Consort Ping...
The next night, Yao Zi Jin locks her doors so that Zhu Zhan Ji can’t enter. He smirks. There’s no door in the palace he can’t enter, especially with Inky, the cat! Hearing the meows, Yao Zi Jin opens the door. She brings Inky inside, but peeks around. Her hunch is right. Zhu Zhan Ji was waiting there. He throws her over his shoulder despite his injuries. He’s here to give her a gold necklace. He won’t ever let her return it. He doesn’t know if her feelings are sincere, but he is towards her. He’s not asking for anything in return, but hopes that she can be open and honest with him one of these days. Yao Zi Jin actually has something she needs from him, but in actuality, it’s for him (she says). After she finishes whispering the request by his ear, he swoops in for a kiss and another one, but he’s interrupted by his servant. There’s an emergency at the South borders. He’s to leave now. Yao Zi Jin fixes his clothes. After he leaves, she finds a painting he drew of her for her.
Yao Zi Jin’s request was a dance performance for the Empress’s birthday. She gives credit to Zhu Zhan Ji for organizing the dance and credit to everyone for the flower theme, but most importantly, this dance was for the Empress to recognize the dancers were exiled women who were unlawfully kept in the palace. Yao Zi Jin wanted the Empress to release them. Plan is a success.
Consort Guo makes the Empress drink her apology wine. The Emperor accidentally drinks it. Consort Guo freaks out.
Sooo...Show was going to have Consort Guo tell the Empress to drink poisonous wine...just like that?! "Here, have my drink.” What kind of plot is this?
[Ep28] What happened to the Emperor? No one can see him.
Yao Zi Jin visits Zhu Zhan Ji’s study room, which Zhu Zhan Ji has given her the keys for. Inside the room, he hid paintings of her everywhere. Then late at night, Yao Zi Jin finds a haggard Consort Guo hiding in the room. She’s mentally unstable. Yao Zi Jin manages to deduce everything in like twenty seconds. The Emperor has died. The Empress is forbidding the announcement until Zhu Zhan Ji returns to keep the palace at peace.
Zhu Zhan Ji receives the news and heads back, but there are assassins!
The 2nd and 3rd Royal Uncles are back in the palace. They force the Empress to show the Emperor’s medical records. Timely, Hu Shan Xiang wrote one up (thanks to Yao Zi Jin’s heads up). Then You Yi Fan reports to the Empress that Zhu Zhan Ji has died. But he’s alive! Surprise, surprise. The Royal Uncles don’t look happy.
Zhu Zhan Ji rightfully inherits the throne.
Yao Zi Jin tries to help Consort Guo keep her life and not be buried with the Emperor. Yao Zi Jin also asks You Yi Fan for help.
[Ep30]
[Ep31]
[Ep32]
[Ep33]
[Ep34]
[Ep35]
[Ep36]
[Ep37]
[Ep38]
[Ep39]
[Ep40] Happy ending. Yao Zi Jin is Zhu Zhan Ji’s Empress.
Remarks
[First Impression (Ep1-11)] A quarter into this drama and it was a struggle. Exactly one thing kept me from dropping this: Story of Yanxi Palace CP. In select scenes, it really feels like Wei Ying Luo reincarnated to love Fuca Fu Heng with her all. This time, she's not smacking people. She’s quiet, and resilient, always strong, and always fair. She’s simply perfect. She also has an unrequited love for the ML, who’s sweet and sensible. He’s the grandson the Emperor loves. He also has a picky picky taste palette and who is more perfect than the perfect FL who’s one of the best cooks in the palace?
My main struggle with this drama is the monotonous development of the palace side of the story. Everyone has such tame reactions to sabotages and secret identities. A lot of things happened, but they all
happen so uneventfully…like Drama, where’s my drama? Who are these characters, and why do I care?
Ep 11 is a bit better and is the reason that I have faith I can continue watching. I’m interested in the other characters and I’m starting to see the bigger picture. Drama will not be overly dramatic. It’s probably best to drop any SoYP comparisons now. In this one, everyone is the calm, calculative type. It’s the slow, but refined type of drama.
Also I’ve become intrigued at our FL’s questionable background. She’s well learned for a maid. She had said this in Ep2: “Luck doesn’t just fall from the sky.” So...did she plan everything? Is she stringing our ML for her revenge, perhaps?
[Actors/Actresses] Just a small note on a small actress: I like Ma Meng Wei so I was surprised to see her camouflaged among the maids.
[Dropped] Looks appealing in many ways, but drama forgot the ingredients to tell a good story. There’s a lack of continuity between the arcs. The FL’s motives aren’t clear. I can’t sympathize with her. One minute she’s hot, next minute she’s cold. She wanted a career but then a word from the Emperor and she’s to marry the Crown Prince. So anticlimactic. What was the purpose of rejecting the ML for so many episodes? What does that arc even establish? That everything she wants to do is futile but hey she’s still super clever?
Ep28 is my ending. Fuca Fu Zheng becomes the emperor. My Wei Ying Luo and Fuca Fu Heng are married and they kiss! That’s my happy ending. Cheers.
Ep28 is my ending. Fuca Fu Zheng becomes the emperor. My Wei Ying Luo and Fuca Fu Heng are married and they kiss! That’s my happy ending. Cheers.
[Ending] Happy. Yao Zi Jin is Zhu Zhan Ji’s Empress.
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