Song of Phoenix Episode 15

ep 15 review spoilers ahead

Spoilers Ahead

1.Lord Jing essentially rejects Qu Yuan's argument (mainly because he has ulterior motives) and counters that a serf has no freedom and is a thing that can be sold. In this regard, the man that Yu'er killed, his life is inherently more valuable, and a nobles even more so. Qu Yuan shamelessly continues and insists that the law of Chu is wrong and that he and and his family should not kneel before such laws.

2.Lord Jing maintains that he is insulting the emperor since he sets the law and Qu Yuan addresses the king: will he allow Chu to ignore equality. His father tries to get him to stop and insists that he has not taught him well.Some ministers support Qu Yuan others maintain he is guilty. In a historic moment, the law is changed, and a servant's life has the same value as a commoner (think of it this way:

3.In the next scene, the king and Qu Yuan walk. Here he explains that a poem has three phases (history) The king clearly holds him in high regard. On the other hand, this may have just been the only way to avoid executing him. The king reminds him that he is his eyes and ears. He reminds him that next time he may not be able to say him; Qu Yuan insists he was not wrong and the king uses that same logic to remind him that he should have arrested him and dealt with him appropriately (if everyone took the law into their hands there would be chaos).

4. Meanwhile, Lord Zhao realizes he underestimated Qu Yuan and that he picked the best match for his daughter. He tasks his wife to prepare her for marriage. Unfortunately, she isn't home and they suspect she ran off to see Cang Yun (this is a big deal; however her mother is worried her daughter is stubborn enough to hurt herself). WHOA she is alone with a man?. That can't be. She is doing her best to support him, together with Cai Wei, to study. He tries to rape her, and she slaps him. He explains that this way if they are together then her father cannot object, she explains not like this, (man I wish the rest of this was translated....)

5.Lord Qu tells his son he should be grateful the Zhao family is still willing to marry their daughter to him but he continues to refuse (I sincerely don't understand why he does not take her as a concubine). His brother tells him again to marry them both (the voice of reason). He urges him to acknowledge that their father has reasons as well (he is so naive...) however Yuan does not want to be a chess piece (I can't wait for him to be the cynical one playing the game....He is lucky he hasn't had to get his hands dirty because people protect him.

6.Meanwhile, Chou Nu is hanging out with the dolls of her and Qu Yuan, everyone teases her. She and Qing'er discuss Yuan. Qing'er teases her a bit before reporting to her that he is safe and managed to change the law.

7.Cai Wei and Xia'er return (is she still a virgin?) and she lies, stating she went to buy make up (typical teenager excuse. like, we were at the mall, not with a guy). Her mother confronts her and makes it clear that she knows abut Cang Yun. She tries to impress upon her that Qu Yuan is the best thing since sliced bread and she should jump on this gravy train. Xia'er tells her mother not to worry (is that a rejection or an agreement? Her mother is unusually passive or perhaps she is just very concerned)

8. She has her servant send a note to Qu Yuan. They meet for the first time. He sizes her up rudely and attempts to act like a jerk to drive her off (oh boy). He admits he won't treat her poorly but will marry others if he has to marry her because he loves another, and she admits she loves another, making him very happy. They plan to work together to dissolve the engagement (this is strangely refreshing). He admits he has hit a wall but they promise to not marry one another. He acknowledges she is different because every girl wants him. She asks him to favor a little in order to improve him in the eyes of her father he (Qu Yuan really is a hypocrite).

9.Elsewhere, Concubine Zheng visits princess Yin (alas, most of this is unsubbed). Zheng essentially states they are sisters and Yin agrees with her (Yin needs to get better and get some revenge). Xiao Quiao, her attendant, gifts her with a jade bracelet, a gift from the empress dowager....after she leaves she gets rid of the bracelet and gives it to her servant. She believes that she is her biggest enemy and she came there to test her. Zheng knows she underestimated her because she wasn't moved by the gift.

10.Meanwhile, Cang Yun is studying in his tree house and Xia'er visits him again. She tells him that the judge at his exam is Qu Yuan and he should rest easy because this should smooth the way. He blows up because his poetry was the one thing he was good at and now he feels like there is no moral integrity. Cai Wei throws in his face that he has lived without moral integrity, gambling and drinking (ahem, and nearly raping her, but she doesn't know about that). She makes it clear to him that even if he fails she will be with him. He apologizes.

11. Tian Ji plays a flute, hoping to get the emperor's attention. It gets the queen's attention. She learns she is the girl from Qi. She basically tells her that whatever her plans are, she shouldn't play music this late and then sends her back. The empress allows her to kneel for an hour, as she requests. The empress decides she wishes to cultivate Tian Ji (I suppose because Yin is supposedly crazy and Zheng is causing problems) (her upstart servant is growing on me)--I misread I thought she wanted to lure the emperor here she wanted to lure the queen.


Comments: This bit about the law isn't exactly subtle and is a little over dramatic for my liking. In addition to this, I am becoming bored with Xia'er and Qu Yuan insisting again and again that they don't want to marry each other. I am satisfied that the plot moved forward in that 1)Xia'er and Qu Yuan meet 2)Xia'er did not fall in love with him 3)Qu Yuan really shows signs of being a hypocrite

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