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 Story
Many years ago, Zhao Kuang Ying uses the Pearl flag to kill all enemies. He wins many battles but he retains the empress of the Su state, Madam Far Lui to be his concubine. She steals the flag and later jumps off the cliff with it. Many years later, Zhong Bo meets Meng who wishes to give the pearl flag to the emperor. It turns out that he wants to assassinate the emperor. Meng gets killed and the emperor suspects Zhong Bo of being an accomplice and locks him up. Bao asks for his release again.
Dik Ching is a wanderer and befriends Mun Kwong. Ling Er is attacked on her way to meet Mun Kwong. She dies after giving birth to his son. Dik Ching brings him home to the Yangs and is a benefactor to them. Prince Heung Yeung makes use of Prince Ying to assassinate the emperor. The poor man is killed and his innocent elder sister, Chiu Yeung is sent in exile to be a maid at Tiger Camp. She has tried in vain to dissuade him to abort his plan but has failed.
Siu Lien meets Yuen Ho who loses his memory on her way and keeps him as her servant. She even gives him the name ‘Fu Yee’ – which means the pitiful. They stay at the Yangs’ residence. Lam Wan abducts Siu Lien to threaten the Yangs. Prince Heung Yeung denies it but Siu Lien’s screams attract Yuen Ho to save her. The Yangs are amazed that he knows martial arts.
The emperor is afraid when the tomb has 3 cracks which is a bad sign, showing that his power is endangered. There are 3 who will threaten his position. He knows of the first two – Yuen Ho and Zhong Bo. He has yet to find out the third one. He is actually Prince Heung Yeung but he keeps it from the emperor. He tells the emperor to poison Zhong Bo. Luckily, Bao manages to discover the plot and gets Zhong Bo to spit out the wine on time. Kwai Ying is so mad that she nearly kills the emperor. The emperor knows that he is in the wrong and lets them off.
Still, he sends Zhong Bo to be in charge of the Tiger Camp in a rural area. All bully Chiu Yeung here. Dik Ching is one of the soldiers here and he protects her. Chung Bo is overjoyed to meet him here. Empress Dik pins for her long-lost nephew, Dik Ching. Prince Heung Yeung tells Lam Wan to impersonate Dik Ching. Sheng Nam joins forces with Heung Yeung and is ordered to kill Chiu Yeung.
Empress Dik knows that Dik Ching has ‘Tien Gong’ print on his thumbs. So Prince Heung Yeung does the change on Lam Wan’s thumbs. Empress Dik finds it strange that she doesn’t feel any closeness towards this ‘nephew’. Dik Ching rescues Chiu Yeung from Sheng Nam and his thumbprints are left on her clothes.
Empress Dik finds that the emperor is unfair to punish Chiu Yeung because of Prince Ying’s mistake. Chiu Yeung is freed from the camp and parts reluctantly with Dik Ching. She is killed on the way to capital. Prince Heung Yeung is afraid that she will reveal his involvement with Prince Ying.
Dik Ching is devastated to know the news as he has been deeply in love with her. Empress Dik is equally upset when she gets Chiu Yeung’s clothes. She realizes the suffering that Chiu Yeung has gone through to be a washerwoman to serve the soldiers. Upon seeing the thumbprints on a dress and reading the letters that she exchanges with Dik Ching on her way, she requests to see Dik Ching and they are reunited. Dik Ching is made a general. Lam Wan is executed for lying to her. Unknown to them, Lam Wan is Prince Heung Yeung’s son and he vows to seek revenge.
Yuen Ho sees Mun Kwong training and goes mad. He nearly kills him. Later, he regains his memory after meeting Chau Niong. So he decides to return to Sai Har with her and Siu Lien. Madam Far Lui is killed and reveals that the pearl flag is at Sai Har. She wants the 2 states to destroy each other. Yuen Ho, Siu Lien and Chau Niong seek refuge at Wong Yuet village. It is built by Yuen Ho’s sister who seizes his throne. Yuen Ho is angered.
Siu Lien knows of Yuen Ho’s past of being a tyrant. Dik Ching goes to meet Wong Yuet. She is angry that her messenger is killed so she refuses to see him. He is furious and gets impatient. He tries to grab it from the palace shrine. Wong Yuet tries to stop him and both are trapped in the dungeon by Yuen Ho.
Both are in danger and are poisoned. Dik Ching removes her veil and is stunned that she looks like Chiu Yeung. He misses her too much and spends the night with her in a trance. He is remorseful when he wakes up but the poison is cured. Wong Yuet falls for him but is disturbed when Yuen Ho gains control of the state. They manage to get Siu Lien to steal the pearl flag for them. Wong Yuet gets support from the people to overthrow it while Dik Ching sends the flag back to the state.
Chau Niong is suspected to be the traitor. She is so upset that Yuen Ho doesn’t trust her that she kills herself. Yuen Ho is furious upon finding out that Siu Lien is the traitor. Siu Lien kills herself. Due to extreme shock and grief, Yuen becomes mad and reverts to Fu Yee again. He carries her body to the top of the snowing cliff. He jumps in joy upon seeing the snow but is disappointed that she never opens her eyes to watch it. It is so tragic that he freezes to death with her. Chiu Yeung feels remorseful after the attack and seeing their dead bodies together. Dik Ching tries his best to console her.
However, the over suspicious emperor still doubts Bao and Ching’s loyalty towards him. He still sentences them to death. Luckily the Yangs save them on time. The Yangs, Bao and Dik Ching are so disappointed in him that they quit their posts and retreat to the wilds.
Introduction on characters
Most major characters stay except the addition of other characters below.
Dik Ching – Lau Chung Yan
Many will say that it is unfair to give Lau such a major part to play in this serial But he is undoubtedly the star in the serial. He steals the show from all the rest. Dik Ching’s righteous and firm nature wins people hands down. He goes through the changing stages of Dik Ching well.
He also manages many fighting scenes well and looks every inch a gallant general. Lau has scaled a higher acting performance than in ‘Ping Chung Hup Ying Luk’ although he is not that young. What a difference from his commoner outlook from the start. Lau’s acting is perfect. Absolutely flawless! Although he pairs up with Yuk Mui for the first time, both are matching in looks and acting.
Dik Ching is initially reckless and doesn’t know how to control his temper. Thus he is involved in lots of trouble. But after knowing Chiu Yeung, he is more calm and analytical. Chiu Yeung’s death gives him a hard blow. Empress Dik has tried to introduce other royalties to him but he is uninterested. You will never forget Dik Ching’s expression upon seeing Wong Yuet. He is so afraid that he will wake up from the dream that he will not see her again that he hugs her tightly.
After committing the act that he shouldn’t do, he is very remorseful. He takes a long time to accept Wong Yuet as she is completely different from Chiu Yeung in character. He keeps his secret from her and focuses on helping the emperor to deal with Yuen Ho. After finding that he is not worth helping and he is nearly beheaded with Bao, he becomes so disillusioned with the court affairs. So disappointed that he leaves in the white prison clothes to meet Wong Yuet immediately with Sai Har without turning back!
Interesting facts
This serial was produced to hit TVB’s anniversary show. It used Lau Chung Yan as the lead. Tam Bing Mun replaced Bao since he also dubbed the voice. Lau’s acting was believed to be better than Tsui so all are betting all their hopes on him. With Chan Lai See and Taiwanese actor, Wang Yong to help out, ATV also spent more money on special effects too.
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