[E] LAND OF WEALTH / 匯通天下 [TVB][2006]

Written by Funn Lim

Again nothing much happened in this episode drama wise but establishes the plot for future episodes. This episode curiously started with Mr Kiu, Mr Cho and Yun Tin discussing about business. It took me some time to understand what they were talking about. I don't know why I just find myself unable to understand the dialogue however intently I listened.

Anyway after some time I got the gist of it. Yun Tin advised Mr Kiu to buy a factory to make the silver bars themselves to save cost since there were hundreds of banks, many of which is Ding Fung Sing (the name of the bank of Mr Kiu) but only a handful of factories to make the silver bars. But Mr Cho disagreed and felt the money could be better used for other purposes since it is not an urgent matter and Mr Kiu agreed. So Yun Tin felt he was side stepped, Mr Cho felt he was favoured and curiously Mr Kiu looked ratehr devious. Maybe he knew these two were fighting with one another.

Then Mr Kiu got news that Bak Chuen and his injured colleague were fired by the foreman. Mr Kiu went to visit them and offered the injured colleague a ride home to his hometown and full medical attention. Bak Chuen was very grateful and Mr Kiu admiringly said "I admire your loyalty to your friends.." and Bak Chuen said "One should make an effort to make friends, which is rare to find. A good friend is hard to find" and Mr Kiu agreed and said "I look highly on you and what is your plan now?" and Bak Chuen sighed "Find a job so that I can feed myself" and Mr Kiu said "Why don't you work for me? I admire your loyalty and I can make use of more workers like yourself". Bak Chuen agreed.

And so Bak Chuen under the recommendation of Mr Kiu joined Ding Fung Sing as ermmm... I don't know the rank but I suppose you can call him a teller. He can work his way up one day to become 1st taukeh like Mr Cho (by the way I think I made a mistake. Mr Cho is a 1st Taukeh, and any 1st taukeh will take care of a branch of a bank, Yun Tin after all these time was still a 2nd taukeh) and Bak Chuen can then earn more with bonus and stuff. Bak Chuen met his fellow colleagues, all much younger than he was and this was observed by the teacher, whose name I forgot. I wonder is he Master Kwan? I don't know so anyway I call him the teacher. Yun Tin was there and the teacher observed "Hmmm that man, is a bit too old now" and Yun Tin said "He is recommended by Mr Kiu himself. However if he makes a mistake he is still subjected to the same punishments". So the teacher explained about their job which is be what in modern day is known as slavery but back in those days is called pupillage, tutelage, whatever. So they had to learn the trade whilst clean, cook and pamper the taukehs. Bak Chuen tried hard to adjust to life there, keeping to himself.

Meanwhile Kiu Jun was at home, hardly ventures out of the house. One day she was visited by her aunt, Mrs Cho when he favourite bird accidentally got out of the cage and flew away. Kiu Jun stopped the search and lamented that perhaps the bird was better off free. She was sitting alone when outside the house, Sung Man was walking by when he saw a bird on the roof of the Kiu mansion. Inspired by the bird, he played the flute and Kiu Jun heard the flute music and too was inspired to play the ermm piano (gu-zhen). Together they made a beautiful duet but neither knew each other.

Back to Bak Chuen who was busy in the bank when Ko Wa and her brother walked into the bank with their cheque to get money. Ko Wa recognised Bak Chuen but said nothing. Both left the bank, went separate ways when Ko Wa went to buy tea leaves. Again Bak Chuen was there and this time she said hello to him but Bak Chuen kept to himself. Anyway there Ko Wa was told by the owner of the tea leaves shop that working in the bank is good future for young men. She liked what she heard.

Back in the bank, the students were asked questions by the teacher. None could answer except for Bak Chuen who answered perfectly the value of money in different states. At night the students were punished to write something when Bak Chuen walked in and the trouble maker, Hong Fei loudly said "Well isn't someone very free tonight? You! Didn't I said we should look out for each other? Why then did you answer that question so well?" and Bak Chuen innocently said "I was just doing what I should do, minding my own business" and Hong Fei angrily said "You made us look bad! Listen everyone. From now on we look out for each other and should not do better than the other. You understand?" and Bak Chuen kept quiet.

Next day the teacher was angry that one of the ermmm what do you call the suen poon chi? That ermm marble? On the abascus? Anyway one was missing and Bak Chuen was the one cleaning the area last night and the teacher assumed Bak Chuen broke it. Bak Chuen said "I didn't" but the teacher said "Did you know a broken abascus is bad feng shui for our business? And now you're not admitting your own fault?! You must be punished. No food for today and you will clean the horses for a week!" and Bak Chuen accepted it meekly whilst Hong Fei and gang smiled sinisterly.

Pause here.

Stupid people, but worse Bak Chuen, FIGHT lar!! Sighhh...

So Bak Chuen cleaned the horses by the river where he met Ko Wa again. Ko Wa cheerfully said hi to him and showed him how to clean the horse and Bak Chuen actually smiled and Ko Wa said "You know, we met 3 times and this is the first time I've seen you smile. You always looked so morose, like something is bothering you. Smile more, nothing is really that bad..." and he and Ko Wa ended up meeting again and became very friendly with one another. Bak Chuen offered to repay the money she gave him when they first met but Ko Wa said "No no keep it. Give it back to me when I need it" and Bak Chuen looked at her smiling a little as she left.

Meanwhile Sung Man and Kiu Jun were playing the duet again and then Sung Man recited some poems and Kiu Jun replied him. Sung Man then introduced himself but Kiu Jun refused to introduce herself, saying "Names are of no importantce" and Sung Man recited a poem to which Kiu Jun could not reply. So Kiu Jun said "My dear sir, why don't you return tomorrow so that I can find a reply to your poem?" and Sung Man agreed.

Meanwhile Kiu Jun was busy looking for the poem to reply Sung Man when her cousin, who we found out is younger than her invited her out and played fireworks. Kiu Jun was very happy and asked for bigger and better ones and King Yin agreed.

Next day Ko Wa and Fu Yi Chek were busy loading the tea leaves onto a cart in a forest where King Yin was testing his fireworks which hit the tea leaves and cost it to burn. Ko Wa suffered major loss and Fu Yi Chek ran to King Yin and scolded him. King Yin not only refused to compensate them but threatened them and said "Look I hurt myself also and my family jade is broken also. So let's just call this a deal!" and he left. Fu Yi Chek asked his sister if they should go to the police but Ko Wa said "No. Chinese tradition dictates that if we encounter any problems we should go to the source and confront them. In that case they have to answer our questions." So Ko Wa and Fu Yi Chek went to Ding Fung Sing where Mr Kiu arrived, saw Ko Wa and recognised her.

The next scene Mr Kiu held a family meeting and everyone was there, including Mr and Mrs Cho and King Yin. Mr Kiu lectured the family that the bank business is about trust and reliance. It is about being trustworthy and hold to ones' promise. And so he asked King Yin squarely "Now tell me King Yin, did you do anything today that is contrary to the principle of this family?" and King Yin confessed and added "Well they hurt my hand and broke my family jade" to which Mrs Cho butted in and agreed whilst Mr Cho said "Shut up! Master of the family is teaching our son, he must listen carefully and learn!" and Mr Kiu sternly said to King Yin "Not only did you not compensate the Mongolians, you have denied responsiblities to what you did. That jade is just a thing but what they lost, the tea leaves were their income. You are to compensate them from your salary, do you understand?" and King Yin quietly said yes. And King Yin was also cut his salary for missing work which was reminded by Yun Tin and Ching took this time to say to Mrs Cho "Aunt, you must boil some de-stress soup for King Yin. He looked like he suffered some trauma" and Mrs Cho looked embarassed. Mrs Kiu pleaded for mercy on behalf of King Yin whilst Jun felt guilty and knelt before her father and confessed "Father I was the one who asked cousin to buy some fireworks. I am to blame too father. Please punish me" and Mr Kiu looked at her crossly and said "You're not to leave your room for the next week" and she said "Yes father".

In the room Jun heard the flute and remembered her date with the stranger. Sung Man played and then recited some poems but when she did not reply, he felt disappointed and left, dejected.

Ko Wa and Fu Yi Chek met with Mr Kiu at his home where Mr Kiu paid Ko Wa her losses. Ko Wa wanted to send this money back home to her aunt and uncle and Mr Kiu assured her that their names can be written on the cheque to ensure only they can cash it. Ko Wa was happy and then Ko Wa said "But Mr Kiu, it isn't your fault. You didn't cause the damage so why are you paying us" and he said "Well he is my relative" but Ko Wa said "But I can't accept your money. Look Mr Kiu why don't we do this? I will accept this money to send it back to my aunt and uncle whilst I and Fu Yi Chek will work for you for the time being to pay off the sums! I could be your maid and Fu Yi Chek can help out!" and Mr Kiu said "But it will be very difficult for you, there are rules to follow" and Ko Wa excitedly said "I am a Mongolian. I am used to hard work and hard life. My brother and I can handle the hard work and the rule" and Mr Kiu said "But I would require all my workers to save their heads" and Fu Yi Chek panicked and said "But the Qing law exempts a foreign man from shaving his head" and Mr Kiu said "This is my rule" and Ko Wa said "No problem! That is not a problem. We shall see you soon Mr Kiu!" and she quickly left.

When she left Mr Kiu's servant who saw all that said "It is obvious Master that what she was doing was for her brother's future" and Mr Kiu said "They truly love each other, a deep connection between a sister and a brother. We can have more of those in here".

Fu Yi Chek frustratingly asked Ko Wa why she insisted they work in Kiu's mansion and Ko Wa said "So that you can have a career. A career in a bank is far better than going back to Mongolia and herd horses. Fu Yi Chek I risked embarassedment to give you this opportunity and so you must take this opportunity!" but Fu Yi Chek didn't want to shave his head and said "Well don't you want to go home sister?" and Ko Wa said "If you don't want to you can go home, I will stay and I suppose I will need to work longer then since I must repay the debt for two" and Fu Yi Chek quickly said "I don't mean that sister..." and she dragged him to a barber and had him shave his head whilst she walked away. That was when she met Sung Man again and curiously Fu Yi Chek looked rather angry at Sung Man.

Pause here.

I thought Fu Yi Chek was in love with Sung Man! I mean why he didn't welcome Sung Man's plan to visit them in Mongolia? Why he gave him that stare whenever his sister met Sung Man? That we shall know later.

Anyway Sung Man chatted with Ko Wa and Ko Wa told him her plans and she asked "Do you think I did right?" and Sung Man wisely said "I think what you did was only in his best interest" and Ko Wa was satisfied. And then Ko Wa noticed Sung Man looked down and she asked "Are you alright? You look preoccupied" and Sung Man said "Well, I met a friend who promised to meet me later but she never showed up. I wonder should I continue to wait for her.." and Ko Wa cheerfully said "Of course you should wait. A friend is hard to find so waiting for a little while wouldn't hurt you" and Sung Man considered her advice and decided perhaps Ko Wa was correct.

Next episode we will find out why Fu Yi Chek dislikes Sung Man when he thought Sung Man was interested in Ko Wa. And more on Bak Chuen I suppose.

Ok, this episode is uneventful but showcase a theme that seems to run throughout the few episodes I have seen; fate. Like Ko Wa and Bak Chuen was fated to meet and is quite a pair and then tonight in this episode Sung Man and Kiu Jun "met" and we quickly conclude they're quite a pair. Sung Man, highly educated, righteous and handsome to boot, Kiu Jun pretty, noble and bright also. I like the scenes where they played the duet together and the camera zooms onto the house and to the outside of the house. Big house, big compound, for once TVB found a place that befits a mansion of the rich. Anyway quite a romantic scene.

I don't like the subdued Bak Chuen though. I hope he will stand up for himself one of these days but since it is only the 4th episode, I am sure we will have much more bullying by the troublemakers.

By the way gorgeous scenes in this episode. I wonder where they filmed this? Gorgeous, breathtaking, beautiful.

As for performances, all did well. I mean nothing much to do right now for most. Moses Chan is still forlorn looking, Tavia Yeung still very Maggie Cheung-like, John Chiang still very very serious. All basically still not yet given much things to do.

But I must say, the women in here are so beautiful. Lui San looks ravishing and perhaps the eyeliner and mascara helped. Tavia Yeung looks fresh although I suppose Linda Chung would be much better cast in terms of age and looks since Linda Chung does look like a young mistress but Tavia is of course a better actress. Stephen Wong is bearable although I don't like his Fu Yi Chek, all temper, not much substance. But he did badly in those scenes where he looked at Steven Ma. I thought for a moment that Fu Yi Chek may be gay. Steven Ma is a delight to watch though. Handsome, gallant, perpetually optimistic and idealistic, I hate to see his character change. I hope he is not the villain in here.

Now Sonija Kwok. I am going to dedicate a paragraph each thought to comment about her performance. Looks wise, may I say I find her very very pretty in here. I don't know why but I just find the whole get up suits her so I will miss her Mongol look tomorrow since she doesn't look good in Chinese costumes. Her hair just fits her perfectly in here with her rosy cheeks. Again I suspect the mascara and eyeliner helped. Performance wise she is bearable. I think she played the optimistic cheerful encouraging Ko Wa very very well and I find her Ko Wa very helpful and noble as well. Like some "hap lui" aka heroic heroine. However closeup I can't help but notice her mouth. I enjoy her performance with long shot rather than close up shots because her lips is weird. The way she speaks is weird and she seems to go back to the talking whilst pouting, like she did in many series before which is annoying and distracting. As much as Tavia Yeung with Maggie Cheung mannerisms. I just hope she just stop doing that. So far her character hardly had any dramatic moments which requires to go beyond what she is giving in her performance right now and I hope she will continue to look as pretty even if her acting sucks in future episodes. But for this episode I think she is a joy to watch.

Episode 5 ... seems got more drama. When love does interfere with the story I just hope the love story is worth it.