[E] LAND OF WEALTH / 匯通天下 [TVB][2006]

Written by Funn Lim

And the two dragons continue to fight but the local magistrate came in time to put a stop to the fighting dragons. Undecided who should lead the way to the temple, the magistrate suggested instead of fighting dragons, why not the men just try to grab the fireball (the one Hong Fei was playing with in last episode). They agreed and both teams fought as the magistrate looked on. The competition was fierce and Ko Wa saw how her brother and Bak Chuen got kicked to the ground with Mr Cho's men playing cheat. So Ko Wa bravely ran forward and told her brother to throw her in the air as the ball was thrown up and up she went and she got the ball. She gave it t I think the magistrate but I can't remember who but someone on Mr Cho's side protested, "She is a woman, this doesn't count!" and Ko Wa retorted "Neither did you play fair! I saw you kicked Chi Chai to the ground" which was denied and Mr Cho too came into the argument and the magistrate undecided and Mr Kiu said in defense of Ko Wa "She is my family's servant sir, for that I will discipline her. But sir, Ding Fung Sing was leading the way to the temple when we were interrupted. As to who does this privilege belongs to, I am sure sir who is the most knowledgeable would be able to decide". The magistrate thought for a while and declared Ding Fung Sing the winner and they happily beat the drums and proceeded to the temple and prayed for good wealth, health and everything nice for the year ahead.

Mr Cho's boss (the one who opens the bank but is ran by Mr Cho) complained "Now that Ding Fung Sing got this honour, I feel so humiliated! They get the luck and what about us?" and Mr Cho promised "They won't always be so sir, that I can promise you. We shall see..."

Back at Kiu Mansion, everyone was happy how things turned out to be but Mr Kiu, well I think it was him that asked Hong Fei why did he do that stunt he did last episode?

Pause here.

Yeah hor! I also want to know. This question confused me for the entire night and I really wanted to know why Hong Fei pulled that stupid stunt. So I waited and guess what? I didn't hear clearly so whatever I write below is a speculation although I am quite certain it was accurate.

Ok the moment of truth....

Hong Fei couldn't answer and Mr Kiu, I think it was him who ventured to speculate "Does it have anything to do with the reward money from Mr Cho?' and Mr Kiu quickly fired Hong Fei and booted him out of the business.

I guarantee you this is not the last we see of Hong Fei. A running dog will run to the grand master of the dog pound, that is Mr Cho, the canine trainer. I guarantee that!! Or maybe not but nice eh, canine trainer who specialises in training running dogs! I kill myself sometimes with my wit. Continue.

Ko Wa got praised and Mr Kiu gave her a huge starfruit, which is rare and expensive. Ko Wa felt she couldn't enjoy it on her own and so she gave it to her brother and Bak Chuen teased him "You're so lucky to have such a good sister. You should be grateful" and Fu Yi Chek teased back "Yes, you can't feel jealous since you don't have any!". Ok no tact but it was without malice, Bak Chuen fell silent for awhile and Fu Yi Chek felt bad for saying what he said and I think he diverted the attention.

Ko Wa was in the room with Mrs Kiu who was having a conversation with Mr Kiu who was very loving towards her and Ko Wa giggled and Mrs Kiu looked at her and Ko Wa said "I'm sorry Madam but I just feel so happy for you when I see Mr Kiu treats you with such loving tenderness" and Mr Kiu smiled and Mrs Kiu said "You mischevious Ko Wa... how was your starfruit? I heard Mr Kiu himself gave you one and he too is treating you very nicely" and Ko Wa confessed she gave it to her brother since it is good for health and her brother needed it and Mrs Kiu said "Well then, here is one starfruit left, it is yours" and one female servant saw this as she came into the room to return something to Mrs Kiu and she looked on jealously and Ko Wa said "Oh no madam, I already have one. I can't take this" and Mrs Kiu said "Of course you can. One was given by Mr Kiu, this is from me. Take it Ko Wa" and so Ko Wa took it.

Outside the servant girl saw that lusty butler and angrily said "I saw a starfruit left and I thought madam who has always been nice to me would give it to me but instead she gave it to Ko Wa! What is so special about her anyway? She just used her pitiful looks to gain sympathy! She is a liar and a pretentious bitch! She is selfish and I hate her!" but the butler saw Ko Wa behind her who heard what she said and quickly scolded the servant "So you're saying Master and Madam don't know who is genuine and who is not? Who they can give a starfruit to and who not to? You dumb girl! You're just a servant!! Go now, go back to your work and shut your mouth!" and the girl confused went away.

Ko Wa stepped to the front and they were cordial with one another and that butler was eyeing her starfruit and Ko Wa said "Well you have one didn't you?" and the butler said "One doesn't mind more of those" and Ko Wa was about to give him when she said smilingly "But didn't you feel headache whenever you squat down, and you always go to the toilet at night?" and he asked "How did you know that?" and Ko Wa said "Well what you're having are symptoms of uneasiness in your body that a bit of walnut would do for you. Starfruits are cold fruits in nature, not suitable for you" and she smilingly walked away whilst the butler was like huh?

Back in Peking, the exams were drawing near. Some greedy officials were selling the exam papers and they were the same ones who framed Bak Chuen's family, one of whom is Chai Ngai. They were counting money when it walked...

SHOCKING MOMENT HERE..

SUNG LAI!!! You know, Sung Man's brother, who seems to nice and honest?Well he laughed sinisterly and was happy with this year's profit when Chai Ngai asked "What of your brother? Doesn't he need these papers?" and Sung Lai replied "My brother is probably the smartest of the lot. He will succeed on his own effort, that I am not worried".

So Sung Man went for exams and smiled as he answered the questions when Sir Chui, the invigilator (and who seems to be the only minister in the empire since he is everywhere) caught a student cheating.

Sung Man found out about this earlier but confessed to his father that he didn't want to expose that student I think because again somehow the cantonese in this series is different from the cantonese I know. He was having steamboat with his family and his father said the officials are investigating and they had a lead, one of the officials same gang as Chai Ngai but his father never implicated Chai Ngai since I wanted you to know which gang that guy belonged to. Sung Lai was worried but pretended to be all noble and said "I hope such degenarates of society will be caught or the empire will be done for".

Yeah right. This one is Mr Cho's graduate I tell you.

Alone Sung Lai met with the worried corrupt officials and it was Sung Lai who said "Since they already have a suspect, why not we make like easier for us all?".

Next day the guards rushed into that suspect's home and saw that he has hanged himself.

Well I suspect Sung Lai killed him. Oh my.. the biggest hypocrite. Why? Why set up such a tragedy for dear Sung Man? How disappointed he would be...

It was time to choose the top scholar and the 2nd scholar and all officials agreed 2 met the criteria with everyone, including the emperor being very impressed with Sung Man's thesis on improving the empire, and such. Sir Chui agreed but Cixi disapproved of Sung Man for a very simple reason; she didn't want the emperor to find himself a croonie, so she dismissed his thesis as flowery in words and meant little in terms of gravity of the words. Sir Chui could say nothing and another official who seems to be Cixi's dog with a wagging tail agreed with Cixi  and the Emperor looked on forlornly and reluctantly said "So my most exalted father (yes he called Cixi father),since you have praised the other scholar, why not imperial father announce the scholar?" and I said reluctantly. So the 2nd guy also Cheong won and Sung Man got second. When Sung Man heard the news he was more curious than hurt as he confessed to his brother who was congratulating him "Well I never ever seen him as my equal so I am surprised..." and his mother said "Well 2nd place isn't too bad. You did well my son" and Sung Man was ok with that.

In the room, Mr Cheong confessed to his wife that Sung Man was robbed of the 1st place because Cixi didn't want the emperor to have his choice and Sung Man bursts in, nearly in tears and angrily said "How can she deprive what I am worthy of? Is this how corrupt the empire is, that cronies stick together and an honest man can't get in? How am I to serve this falling empire?".

Back at Ping Yiu, Jun heard the good news of Sung Man got no. 2 and she was very happy and waited eagerly for Sung Man to come back and propose. She was still worried her mother didn't accept Sung Man but Ko Wa assured her that was not the truth. So Jun was very happy.

Sung Man was still very very upset, he practised kung fu when his father looking fatherly quietly asked Sung Man to follow him.

They were having tea in a restaurant and Mr Cheong asked Sung Man "What is the reason you sat for the exam? Is it to prove you're the smartest or to serve the empire? Sung Man, it is of no importance whether you're the highest ranked official or the lowest ranked magistrate as long as you serve the empire dutifully and with integrity" and Sung Man nodded mournfully, understanding what his father said. Then the table next to them were discussing about Cixi and the corrupt government and they were very vocal and suddenly one of them turned to the Cheongs and asked "You both looked like educated people. What is your opinion about all this birthday celebration and the corrupt empire?" and Sung Man said nothing and pointed to a notice on the wall which read "No discussing politics in here" and the patron sarcastically said "Well isn't that so? If educated people do not bother to voice out what is obvious what more of the mere folks?".

Sung Man was not happy and he said to his father "Father they're insulting the government, that is punisable by death, I must stop them."

Pause here. I am not sure he said this because he felt they overstepped the line by insulting his beloved empire or because he wanted them to stop just in case some other might overhear and arrest them. His father's reply made me believe that the former is more the case in here.

His father stopped Sung Man and said "Sit down son. Let them talk. Just imagine, this is punishable by death and yet here are people voicing their dissatisfaction. Doesn't that tell you the state of mind of the people?" and Sung Man thought hard of the wisdom in his father's words.

Back in Ping Yiu, the magistrate wanted to give to Cixi a special gift and so needed funding and so he met with Mr Kiu and the head of Chamber of Commerce and they both reluctantly agreed to find funding.

Back in the palace, Cixi didn't have any appetite and Eunuch Lee presented to her a new dish created by the magistrate of Ping Yiu. She was impressed when the emperor walked in and saw Cixi and found out about her poor appetite. Instead of thinking ways to poison this puss of the empire, he suggested that they get her favourite fish from somewhere really far.

Pause here.

Why? Tell me why didn't someone back then just kill this woman? Because may today there would still be a chinese empire! I believe that was Guangxu. Weak, died of poor health and emotional neglect. And he should have just strangled her with his bare hands and then say she died of ill health. Who dare to question him? Who dared should be killed as well. Sometimes it takes ruthlessness to eliminate another ruthlessness for the good of the empire I tell you.

Sung Man was riding a horse with his good friend when they came across some officials who had an accident and the buckets full of fish fell and the fish were dying. The official was panicking and Sung Man kindly enquired what was going on and the official said "These are meant for the old buddha. Now we are doomed. The fish will be dead by the time we reach the palace or maybe not fresh. Either way we will be dead. I don't mind losing my job but I am afraid I might lose my head!" Sung Man wisely said "No worries by dear sirs. Just cover the fishes in white clothe, made sure you constantly pour water over them. They'll arrive fresh." and the official asked "Are you sure this would work?" and he said "Yes it will work. This is a method passed down from the great ________ from his book". I didn't hear what was __________. And the official thanked Sung Man and enquired his name and Sung Man bade good bye.

As the officials were leaving, Sung Man sadly said "All these effort over some fish. Is this how badly the empire has sunk to, for some fish a few officials are sent to do this task when they should be of better use elsewhere more important". And his friend tongue in cheek said "Well the old buddha worked very hard to run this country so she needs nourishment" and Sung Man looked at him with this classic expressions of total amazement and said "You seriously believe what you just said?". And his friend just gave a tiny smile and Sung Man had his answer.

Next 5 episodes, drama drama and more drama as Mr Kiu got hammered by Mr Cho and declared "I shall close the bank!!!". Wahhhhh... close the bank....

Ok. Sung Lai was shocking. Truly shocking. Anyway, my favourite scene was the last scene. It was actually very funny.

Now I have nothing more to comment on. Seriously this is an episode that isn't so bad to merit so much comments or so good that had me praising it non stop. I seriously had nothing to say about the story which is still not happening much yet and the performances which remained consistent, except for that outburst scene I felt Steven Ma kinda overacted a bit and that restaurant scene I didn't get the meaning of his actions. Other than that everybody was ok.

So nothing to say.

I noticed there isn't much comments for my episodic thoughts for the last few episodes. Why? No comments from you too? Is this one of those series where everyone is neutral and really has nothing to say about it??

*Echo* it it it it it it it it *Echo*

Ooooooo-K. I get your point.

*Echo* Point Point Point Point *Echo*

Eh enough lar!!!!

*Echo* LARRRRR LARRRRRRR LARRRRRR LARRRR *Echo*

*Whisper* Sorry, too much echo in here since no one is here......