The Empress of China Episode 27

episode 27 spoilers ahead

27/96!

1.The episode begins with a serious confrontation. It is rather odd, as both Xu Hui and Meniang are clearly not acting like their usual selves. Meniang seems to be walking on egg shells and Xu Hui is clearly fishing. Xu Hui asks her if she would actually help the crown prince, after reading the note. Meniang asks her what she would do. Xu Hui says that if she were her, she would help them, but she is not as kind.

2.Xu Hui explicitly tells Meniang that the choice is hers to make but she is on her side (I cringe every time I hear that). Meniang admits that she plans on delivering silk to the crown princess. She also admits that she plans on telling the emperor that the crown prince is revolting (the scene is so weird, like Meniang is being very careful about what she is saying, and it almost feels like she is testing Xu Hui). Xu Hui expresses surprise that she would do that, knowing that the emperor will probably hate her for delivering that kind of awful news....

3.Elsewhere, Crown Prince is satisfied because General Hou has returned. Meanwhile, the eunech, Rui'an continues to flirt with Xu Hui (or is it Meniang's) servant. They seem close. He gifts her with a candle sick with her name on the bottom.

4.Xu Hui makes a copy of the note she found, only she reverses the signals so black=deposed white =crowned prince. She asks her servant (the one Rui'an likes) to slip the note in with the silk going to crown princess (Xu Hui is crazy! this has to do with national security!) Crown Princess receives the note, gives it to the prince....

5.Meanwhile, General hou arrives. He has a drink with the emperor and appears to get very intoxicated. The servant asked to deliver the note confronts Xu Hui, and Xu Hui finally admits that she is trying to frame Meniang. She has wanted to know for a while. The girl is upset by this says she won't do anything like that again, and will tell Meniang.

6.Crown Prince meets with General Hou, who faked being drunk it seems. He says his crown is in jeopardy. the general hesitates, hoping that they will not have to revolt, but ultimately agrees to support him as he detests the courtiers.

7.Xu Hui kills the servant! (this murder reminds me of the American film unfaithful). She bashes her head with the candle stick the girl received as a gift(!) This is an extremely poignant scene because it shows the horror of what people do in the palace to achieve their ends. Xu Hui did not plan to do this, she clearly panicked and clumsily kills her. The saddest part is as she lays dying, she hears Rui'an say that he loves her and wants to be a couple with her....Xu Hui is in shock at her own actions. She panics, and rushes to find Mo gong gong in the laundry, who hides the body by dumping it in the river.

Comments: I found it interesting that they show how one might dispose of a body in those days. Up until now people have just vanished, but this was a process that could easily get you killed if you were caught. For Xu Hui, who has never killed, she has to deal with the mess, the clean up, the disposal. It isn't as easy as these shows make it sound. It's also pretty awful and has a profound impact on a person. Like, imagine how de-sensitized people came to killing?

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