War and Beauty

Concubine CHAN tries but fails to sneak out of the Palace and Concubine YUE, on behalf of the Queen, decides to have her executed. CHAN keeps cursing the pregnant YUE until she draws her last breath. District Officer HUNG MO and his cousin CHAN SONG have been assigned to deliver the gifts for Emperor JIAQING back to the capital city. Along the way, they meet some members of the Tin Lee Sect who are trying to kidnap a group of xiu-nus – girls who are to attend the Imperial Concubine Selection in Peking (now known as Beijing). MO has mistakenly killed a man when he is trying to rescue SONG. The girls manage to persuade MO and SONG to escort them to the Palace. In order to break away from the Tin Lee Sect members, MO decides to leave the gifts aside. Xiu-nu YUKYING is a beautiful but arrogant young girl. She is on bad terms with everyone except for YEESHUN, another xiu-nu who once saved her life……

Royal Maid ON-SIN is shocked to discover that YING has got into CHAN’s room. She means to make a fool of YING so that YUE may let her off. YING blames SIN while SIN, as an experienced royal maid, teaches the girl a lesson about how to survive in the Palace. Like SHUN, xiu-nus YUEN-KEI and SHUK-NING are the adopted daughters of a eunuch TSU MAN-TIN. TIN sends them into the Palace hoping that they will help maintain his position. MO goes to gamble at a brothel and wins a lot of money. But his luck does not last. He loses everything eventually and gets severely beaten up. MO and SONG try to seek help from YING’s family, but in vain. They are therefore very disappointed. Imperial Physician SUEN CHING-WAH frowns when he is checking YUE’s pulse. YUE secretly summons another Imperial Physician SUEN PAK-YEUNG……

SIN will have to spend one more year in the Palace before she can return home. She has been very much looking forward to this day. MO and SONG are to renovate a hall of the Palace. SONG grumbles about the strict and complicated palace rules while MO has no feeling at all. YEUNG tries to cure YUE with acupuncture. TIN not only invites YEUNG to dinner but also gives him a great present. YEUNG is aware of his intention and reveals to him that YUE’s position is still strong. WAH is YEUNG’s father. YEUNG’s mother died some years ago and YEUNG believed that WAH was responsible for her death. Their relationship has broken down since then. WAH criticizes YEUNG for being too desperate for fame and success. He further points out that YEUNG should not have tried acupuncture which is strictly forbidden in the Palace. YEUNG refutes his allegations, leaving him unable to respond. YING twists her ankle while having the etiquette lessons……