Message from Chibi
Hi guys! I’m back from my holiday trip in HK/China 🙂 It was a nice relaxing break which I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks everyone who continued to read my [Beyond the Realm of Conscience] Episode Synopsis and thoughts while I was away. I apologise for the slow updates lately – I’ve been busy trying to catch up with everything and unpacking etc.
While I was overseas, [Beyond the Realm of Conscience] was airing (episode 22-33) and concluded. During the entire trip, I avoided all the episodes so I wouldn’t be spoiled (I was still behind HK episodes). I would hide inside my room while my relatives are all outside watching and talking about it! (This probably sounds so sad XD) Mum thought I was crazy blocking my ears and squealing as I walked passed the TV to get to the kitchen. Hopefully my efforts won’t be in vain 😀 I know many of you reading this may have already finished watching the entire drama. Can I just reiterate- please do not post spoilers about the story/characters beyond the episode I write about. I would really appreciate that! 🙂 Well, now onto the episode synopsis!
Episode 19
In episode 19 of [Beyond the Realm of Conscience], we see the end of Hor Wai as the Head of Palace Proceedings. It was quite a sad ending for her and I really pitied her character 🙁 I always thought Hor Wai was a decent character with a sense of right/wrong. Her character felt real and didn’t seem that ‘bad‘ to me. I expected the drama to prove me wrong though; I was just waiting for the moment when all truth is revealed that she was nasty as Chui Ma Ma or Tracy. That would have been a real shocker. It didn’t quite happen though. She put on some very suspicious and creepy smirks on her face, but the full potential of it was never revealed. She didn’t act on any great ‘evil’ plan- she just wanted to return home for her remaining days (with extra monetary benefits such as a house).
Hor Wai pretends to be sick, frequently coughing and gains everyone’s sympathy. She has been serving the palace since she was 5 years old and is already 70. She realises leaving the palace and returning home was impossible- but not if Charmaine can so something about it. Since Mary is very understanding (and perhaps with some good words from Charmaine), she may just grant her special exemption.
Hor Wai looking suspicious and Kara worried about her health
When Kara brings some medication to her- she delays drinking it and secretly tosses it aside in a plant pot. Hor Wai probably never thought Kara, her niece, would be the one to ruin her plan and back stab her. Kara was frustrated Hor Wai wasn’t keeping her words that she’ll give her the Head of Proceedings position. She realises that Hor Wai is scheming in order to leave the Palace, believing she only cares for herself, and will just ditch her when the time comes.
When Susanna and Michelle are once again arguing over what happened in the past, Kara interrupts and dimisses their claim. Hor Wai is the real culprit responsible for all their misunderstandings!
Just as Mary was granting Hor Wai special permission to return home (and to retire), Hor Wai’s hopes is shattered! Michelle, Susanna and Kara interrupt and reveal her deceitful character and evil schemes. 20 years ago, because of Hor Wai’s selfishness in wanting to keep talented people by her side, she intercept both Michelle and Susanna from leaving when they had the chance. This caused the two to hate each other all these years. Susanna missed her chance of being with her loved one (Kwok Keung) and Michelle wasn’t able to see her dying mother for the last time. Hor Wai denies the accusations, saying they don’t have any evidence to support their claims. Did anyone find this slightly anti-climatic? I mean..that was it?
Susanna, Michelle and Kara reveal Hor Wai’s scheme
This prompts them to reveal Hor Wai has been faking her illness in order to gain sympathy. They also provided proof that she has purchased property for herself, which isn’t possible with the money she earns- suggesting she has been stealing palace money on the side.
It’s strange… but I actually feel sad for Hor Wai 🙁 It was almost like I wanted her to successfully leave and preferred if the three didn’t interfere. Normally when something like this happens to a villain, we think “Yes! Sucked in!”– but it wasn’t for me in this case. It was more like “Oh..noooo”. Maybe it’s because we didn’t witness the time when Hor Wai did those evil things to Susanna and Michelle for her selfish reasons. We only learn about it through dialogue. It may have been different if there was flashback, showing Hor Wai’s purely wicked face and looking proud of it. Somehow I just can’t get myself to hate her for it- Everyone makes mistakes, and it was something that happened so long ago.. Did anyone else feel the same?
Mary is furious upon learning the truth and as Hor Wai is pleading innocence, she starts coughing and panting heavily. She collapses on the ground and everyone but Charmaine thinks she’s faking it. When Charmaine tends to her, she discovers she coughed out blood. The doctor examines Hor Wai and it turns out she actually has a terminal illness! Hor Wai has been faking it the whole time without realising she really did have health issues. How ironic! Too shocked and in denial, Hor Wai laughs and claims they’re all playing a prank on her and that it’s all a lie. Charmaine and Kara are in tears knowing she will die :'( This was so sad..
Charmaine and Kara realise Hor Wai has a terminal illness
Alone in her room at night, Hor Wai reflects and thinks back at the happy times as the Head of Proceedings. Reality suddenly hits her, and she is left with nothing. A very tearful Kara walks in but Hor Wai is resentful towards her. Words along with tears start pouring from her heart. They’re all palace servants, how much are they really worth? All she wanted was for Michelle and Susanna to stay by her, and give her support in managing the House of Proceedings. Where’s the wrong in that? They call her deceitful, but she also had to sacrifice, and they have also benefited from this. She admits she did plot against them, but she never took their life.. her hands were never stained with blood, so why does she get this punishment? Knowing she doesn’t have long to live, the two are sorry to one another and forgive each other. Hor Wai really did intend to ditch Kara…and Kara knew she was wrong for backstabbing her.
Hor Wai and Kara forgive each other
Susanna and Michelle who were watching from afar shed some tears. I was really glad for this emotional scene, because it brings out Hor Wai’s character more as a real person in areas of gray- not purely good, nor purely evil.
Charmaine asks Mary for mercy when punishing Hor Wai, speaking on behalf of Susanna and Michelle who have both forgiven her. Hor Wai is eventually let out of the Palace to return home, but only through the back door, with no possessions, and no one is to see her off. Although it is an extremely sad ending for her, it was the best possible outcome 🙁 At least for the remaining days she is able to return home. For a servant to have that freedom, is a blessing.
Both Michelle and Susanna look out from the Palace building, reflecting back on the many years wasted hating each other. If only they trusted each other and their friendship, none of this may have happened. Are they really friends again this time..?
What did you think of Episode 19? Were you happy when Susanna/Michelle/Kara dobbed in Hor Wai? Do you hate Hor Wai for what she did, or do you think it’s all in the past, and she has changed? Do you think Hor Wai really tried to save Michelle/Susanna in episode 6 because of herself? Post a comment and share your thoughts :D!
Please refrain from posting any spoilers beyond Episode 19. Thank you 🙂
Click here to read Episode 20 Synopsis >>
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Hi Chibi, your BTROC posts are finally back! 😀
Really appreciated your informative and personal reflections on the episodes.. Looking forward to more posts on BTROC.
Hi benchesandstools 🙂 Thanks so much for your comment, it’s great to be back! I’m happy you’ve enjoyed the post too!
Nope, idont think hor wai really wants to save both of them , i think she just dosen’t want tsui ma ma taking the sheung gong position from her , and the whole proceedings to collaspes ,i think she did it just for her benefit .
hahah , did u enjoy ur trip ?:)
I just wonder..what if- what if she really did want to save the two? And then having Susanna accusing her of only doing it for selfish reasons? o_o That would be pretty slack.. ^^;
This was definitely a memorable episode for me.
Supposedly, Hor Wai should be perceived as a bad person cos she did what she’d done to keep Susanna and Michelle in the palace (to assist herself). She did what she thinks it’s best for herself and that was to keep her ‘best employees’ with her.
I would say that she’s selfish but not a villainous character. I take it as every ‘woman’ for ‘herself’ kinda situation. After all these years in the palace, to be at the position she was at, and to had to leave the palace with nothing but her fatal disease, was just s.a.d!
That scene with the palace door closing and Hor Wai’s sad, old and tearing face, it’s :cry:. Hor Wai and Kara’s last scene at Hor Wai’s house was also memorable (since they didn’t really show how their relationship really was before); and I also can’t stand how stupid they make Kara seems at times (always doubting her aunt, she trying to ‘win’ over the other proceedings, etc.)
I knew Kara was gonna do/reveal something soon about Hor Wai (cos she hinted it in an earlier ep), so I knew it was coming. But seeing Hor Wai’s ending THIS SAD was hard on me. I definitely dun hate Hor Wai, because she was too pity in the end.
Hi kinki, thanks for sharing your thoughts on this episode 🙂
I kind of had an idea Kara would eventually backstab her (plus I think someone spoiled it for me in one of the very earlier posts) . I just didn’t realise Kara wasn’t actually evol O_o
The last scene of Hor Wai leaving was so pitiful :'(
I thought it was very sad for Ching Hor Wai’s character and she played the whole leaving scene beautifully. There was a hint of happiness, fear, sadness and all these other emotions on her face. She entered the palace as a 5 year old and spent close to 65 years there, now she has to leave her real home to return to some place she probably doesn’t even really remember. In addition to that, this old lady basically has to walk all the way there with no possessions.
The final shot that showed her in all her glory as “Seung Gung” then in basically rags truly makes you wonder if leaving the palace was more of a punishment than anything else.
Well put together shadow 😀 I wholeheartedly agree with what you said.
Her acting in the final shot was brilliant, really captures all the emotions that make the audience really have sympathy.
why isnt anybody commenting on ching hor wai acting. i though her acting was surpurb in this episode. hey crying, laughing, was so real. she even have water running down her nose. wow. absolutly amazing. what a good actress.
Yes, her acting is to be commended 🙂
ooh finally! ^^
i personally thought that she just didn’t want tsui mama to usurp her position as like the sheung gong and like the palace proceedings to collapse. I don’t exactly think she did it for michelle or susanna for that matter though it might have played an additional role.
I would say that she’s selfish but not villanious, like she did things to keep the palace proceedings going, but they weren’t exactly legitimate things. And i do believe if given both susanna and michelle a choice they would want to leave the palace. so… I think if she was let off scot free would have been letting her go to lightly, because that means that michelle and susanna don’t count for anything.
I pitied her in the end, but thought that kara was like >< I don't blame michelle and susanna for this though, like they were defending their rights and getting justice… (and yes her acting is superb! for that matter, all the ladies' acting are superb!)
waiting for like future episodes! 😀
i personally thought that she just didn’t want tsui mama to usurp her position as like the sheung gong and like the palace proceedings to collapse.
It..did kinda look like she disliked Chui Ma Ma an awful lot, especially when she was after her position. But..she did take a big risk in the process (her life).
so… I think if she was let off scot free would have been letting her go to lightly, because that means that michelle and susanna don’t count for anything
Good point there 🙂
!!!!!!WELCOME BACK CHIBI!!!! <3<3<3
OMG! this was one of my fave EP of all time…Michelle and Susanna's grudge that lasted for 20 years are gone!! 🙂 hooray! haha…that's the main reason I like it…LOL…and yah, i think she really did want to save them in EP 6…I mean for the good of her heart…cause she really was being really nice, and she looked genuinely happy when they were "friends" again in EP 6…but then again, people are supposed to be evil…so who knows?? I hope she actually saved them for the goodness of her heart…cause Michelle and Susanna certainly deserved that…I mean…who deserves to get their fingers clipped like that?
haha yah…i guess hor wai is pretty good at acting, but its just that she's not really a lead in the drama, and haha… but I like Michelle better! 🙂
gosh…does anything i just typed make any sense? I have a feeling that it's getting too late for my brain to function, and everything coming out of me just doesn't make sense anymore! LOL i don't know what I just said…
Thanks for the welcome back Fiona ^_^!
I hope she actually saved them for the goodness of her heart…cause Michelle and Susanna certainly deserved that…I mean…who deserves to get their fingers clipped like that?
Yeah..I mean there’s no real evidence that Hor Wai did it solely for selfish reasons 🙁 I refuse to believe Hor Wai is that heartless (but I got some second thoughts in an earlier episode when she was talking to Kara about turning Michelle and Susanna against each other- what the heck was that about??)
OMG Chibi u did all that avoiding episodes on ur holidays for us, i’m touched LOL
in this episode i felt that hor wai not dying and being able to leave the palace after all the things she done was the best ending for her. Like all comments above i also felt she was selfish but not evil. BTW her acting was good she was able to cry one second and laugh like she was crazy in the other and act like she was innocent in another.
was able to cry one second and laugh like she was crazy in the other and act like she was innocent in another.
lol, yeah- made her character pretty bizarre. XD
Does anyone know the end theme to this episode ?
Its not exactly a song but its got a really good mood to it.