Strike At Heart episode 11-12

Episode 11


Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned

Thirteen finally marries Siu Keng. Chu Kot was sad but think that his sacrifice was worthwhile as he never seen Thirteen happier. While the three brothers were happily drinking outside, Mong Dip visit Siu Keng at her room and told her that Chu Kot purposely gave her away to Thirteen because friendship is more important to him. Siu Keng hates Chu Kot for destroying her happiness. She vowed to make him suffer…

Choi Ging asked why Mong Dip told Siu Keng the truth since she won’t be an obstacle between her and Chu Kot. Mong Dip tells him that what is most hateful for a woman is not because her lover left her for another woman, but for destroying her happiness for some self righteous theory. Mong Dip was sure that Siu Keng will turn her hatred into revenge soon.

The Gum messenger visited Choi Ging and reminded him that Chu Kot mustn’t become the new jeneral. Choi Ging and Mong Dip assure him that they already have a plan against Chu Kot…


Mong Dip seduces Leader Chu

Fearing the Gum forces, Chu Kot assembles the wulin world to discuss about the jeneral post. They all agreed that Chu Kot is the suitable candidate for this post. Mong Dip tries to seduce Leader Chu (one of the 3 leaders) and later accuse him of molesting her in front of Chu Kot. Chu Kot believes her word and reprimanded Leader Chu in front of the wulin world. The wulin leaders were offended that Chu Kot rather believe in an ex-prostitute than Leader Chu.


One word: Whipped

Since their wedding, Thirteen spent all his time hunting and accompanying Siu Keng. Siu Keng scolds him for his lack of ambition and influence like Chu Kot. In order to please her, Thirteen promised to contest against Chu Kot for the jeneral post. Siu Keng sees an opportunity at the three wulin dissatisfaction with Chu Kot and vouched for her husband to be the new jeneral instead.

Chu Kot brings up the issue of electing the new jeneral to the emperor, hoping he will elect him as soon as possible to fight off the Gum people. To his surprise, Thirteen also stepped out and volunteer himself for the post. Choi Ging also support Thirteen but the emperor doesn’t want to make any abrupt decision. Thirteen asked Chu Kot not to have hard feelings as he only wanted to please Siu Keng.


Think Mong Dip is good in acting vulnerable and innocent? Siu Keng raised the level higher.

Chu Kot bumped into Siu Keng at the temple and questions her motive in encouraging Thirteen to fight for the jeneral post. He apologizes for hurting her feelings in the past and advised her not to manipulate Thirteen to exact her revenge on him. Siu Keng mocked Chu Kot and denies any ulterior motives. Thirteen was jealous when he saw Chu Kot leaving the temple. Siu Keng pretended to be mortified and lied that Chu Kot has been ‘disrespectful’ to her. Thirteen was furious but Siu Keng stopped him from confronting Chu Kot, saying that they’re powerless against him. Thirteen vowed to be more superior than Chu Kot so that Siu Keng will never be bullied again.


You don’t want to mess with Mong Dip – you might get a hole in your chest.

Choi Ging trained Mong Dip a sword technique from Chu Kot clique. Mong Dip assassinated Leader Chu with this skill to frame Chu Kot. Back at Chu Kot mansion, TYGS and Chu Kot discuss their reservations in Thirteen becoming the next jeneral as they feared he will be manipulated by Choi Ging. Lang Huet arrives to inform them that Siu Keng has invited Jik Nui and the wulin world to her mansion to discuss about the jeneral post.

The wulin leaders changed their mind and decided to support Thirteen to be the next jeneral instead. Siu Keng wants Jik Nui to vouch for Thirteen since she’s the descendent of the respected Jeneral Fu Yuen. TYGS arrive in time to stop Jik Nui from agreeing. Sensing Siu Keng trying to discord their friendship, Chu Kot publicly caution her to put aside her personal motives. Thirteen feel Chu Kot has insulted his wife and refused to back down from getting the post.


Hmm… this scene look familiar (Stephen acted as Chow Zhi Lung is Witness To A Prosecution 2)

Their heated argument was interrupted by the news of Leader Chu death. Thirteen examined the body and discover that he has been murdered by their clique sword skill. The wulin leaders accused Chu Kot of killing Leader Chu because of Mong Dip…


Episode 12

Chu Kot denied killing Leader Chu but although he was unable to explain the sword technique used. The wulin world lost trust in Chu Kot and supported Thirteen instead. Even though TYGS believe in Chu Kot, Thirteen was convinced that Chu Kot was a murderer because no one else knows that skill apart from three of them.


Chu Kot: I’m framed! 冤枉啊!

Mong Dip suggested that Thirteen could have killed Leader Chu to frame him. Chu Kot disagrees because he knows Thirteen will not do such despicable acts. He suspected Choi Ging but he has no proof. Mong Dip requested to attend Leader Chu funeral and Chu Kot agrees to accompany her. Their well gesture was not welcomed in the funeral. Leader Chu disciples hated Chu Kot and wanted revenge for their master. Thirteen arrives with Siu Keng to stop Chu Kot from paying his respect at Leader Chu altar. Chu Kot was disappointed that Thirteen distrust him. The wulin world believes in Siu Keng comments against Chu Kot. Mong Dip noticed that Siu Keng has transformed into a calculative and emotionally-detached person.


Despite what he did, Chu Kot remain as the emperor’s pet

The emperor believed the rumors that Chu Kot was infatuated with Mong Dip when Chu Kot dared to oppose him in the court. The emperor hesitates in promoting Chu Kot as the jeneral because the wulin world will not be pleased. Eunuch Mai suggested pushing the responsibility on Jik Nui instead since she is the jeneral daughter. TYGS and Jik Nui quarreled as Jik Nui refused to elect Chu Kot as the new jeneral because of personal reasons.

Choi Ging was pleased because the emperor begins to lose faith in Chu Kot. He promised to Mong Dip that he will fulfill all her wishes after they successfully dispose Chu Kot. Mong Dip was sad because she cannot have children. She fainted in the street and TYGS found out that she was pregnant. However, because of the poison from her childhood, her life will be threatened by her pregnancy. Chu Kot supports her decision to keep the baby and promised to cure her from the poison with TYGS help. TYGS suggested Chu Kot to dispel the poison from her body using his internal energy. As this process requires Mong Dip to immerse in the water naked, Chu Kot blindfolded his eyes while TYGS sit behind a screen.


Mong Dip wants to become a mother

Siu Keng visited Jik Nui to persuade her to elect Thirteen as the new jeneral. Jik Nui envied Siu Keng and complained that TYGS was constantly at Chu Kot mansion. Siu Keng warned Jik Nui to be watchful as Mong Dip was also living a there. Feeling suspicious, Jik Nui went to Chu Kot mansion to look for TYGS…


If you caught your husband with the hottest lady in town (oh yeah, btw she’s naked in a hot tub), would you believe his words? Duh

Chu Kot was getting tired and TYGS suggested that he should take a rest before he exhausted his internal energy resource. While Chu Kot was away, Mong Dip suddenly was in deep pain therefore TYGS has to go over to check her condition. Jik Nui was enraged to catch TYGS holding the naked Mong Dip and accused him of being unfaithful. She refused to listen to Chu Kot explanation and rushed to the palace to complain to the emperor. Jik Nui chose Thirteen but the emperor favors Chu Kot more. He decided to hold a martial art tournament to select a suitable candidate from the wulin world.

Siu Keng was overjoyed with this news and encouraged Thirteen to defeat Chu Kot. The wulin world was convinced that Thirteen will be able to beat Chu Kot this time around. Chu Kot apologized to Jik Nui and explained what really happened at his mansion. TYGS was mad at Jik Nui for complaining to the emperor, causing so much trouble. Jik Nui was pissed with them both and chases TYGS out of Bak Soh Yuen.

TYGS moved to Chu Kot mansion and researched the remedy to cure Mong Dip poison. TYGS remember that their master once told him there’s a special internal kung fu manual – San Tze Ging. Anyone who learned this manual will acquire immense internal energy and increases their martial art level. However, the manual went missing along with a Taoist Sam Dou Bin. TYGS volunteer to go looking for him as Chu Kot has to prepare for the tournament.


Siu Keng teaches Jik Nui a thing or two is handling their husbands

Siu Keng tells Jik Nui chasing TYGS out to live with Chu Kot is a bad idea. She should find him back and keep an eye on him all the time from Mong Dip ((basically Siu Keng want to sabotage any help Chu Kot might get from TYGS). Jik Nui hurries to fetch TYGS back from Chu Kot mansion. She was jealous as she really thought Mong Dip was trying to seduce her husband. She overheard TYGS going on a trip to look for Sam Dou Bin and decided to follow behind.

The town people where Sam Dou Bin lives were terrified of him. TYGS found the temple where Sam Dou Bin stayed but there’s no one except a sluggish Taoist. Failing to find Sam Dou Bin, TYGS left. Later, Jik Nui arrives and decided to wait for TYGS to come back to the temple. Feeling bored, she fell asleep…


Who ever knew chanting is equivalent to ecstasy?

When darkness falls, Sam Dou Bin came out from his hiding and chanted sutras to hypnotized Jik Nui. TYGS came back and saw Sam Dou Bin undressing Jik Nui…


Comments:

Hah! I remember the wedding costume. Tavia Yeung wore it in TOB. As for the head gear, this was the second time Charmaine wear it after PITNOL (her engagement ceremony to Steven Ma). It wasn’t a big deal because recycling costumes is a norm in every series anyway.



Apart from the yellow costume, I kinda disliked Charmaine other two costumes (bad color coordination) but her new costumes after marriage is fantastic. The luxurious dresses and hairstyle definitely suited her status as a “Fu Yan” (Lady/Mistress). My only qualm was both dresses are in similar orange-gold color. In case you haven’t notice, the weather in the series has already changed into autumn therefore a lot of red-orange background.

The other cast also has new wardrobe. Charmaine has the best, followed by Nnadia (frankly I prefer the new dresses; her old costume was too gaudy). Sunny has the worst wardrobe. Not only it was plain, but the color is so bland. The blue costume was his technically his best costume. For Joe, he also added another copper-toffee colored costume – too plain. Annie new costumes were good, and so does Stephen’s. He looks really macho in the black one ;)

The funny thing is, despite obviously having more screen time than the emperor, the 3 wulin leaders always wore the same costume! Even the emperor’s wardrobe change to a red one in this episode. LOL… Talk about double standards…

*Small spoilers*

About that Taoist Sam Dou Bin, he’s the guy Siu Keng slept with in exchange for the manual (novel version). I’m guessing TVB won’t change this fact in the series either.

I don’t know who is more sad (or pathetic) – Siu Keng or Thirteen? Siu Keng has the option to move on with her life – but she chose to hate Chu Kot, destroying not only her own happiness but also Thirteen’s. He is innocent! What she doesn’t realize is that she’s just another pawn in Choi Ging and Mong Dip plot against Chu Kot. She started her own doom the moment she plot revenge against Chu Kot. I prefer the novel version of Siu Keng. At least she has more valid reason for revenge (father death and spurned love) rather than being jilted in this series.

As for Thirteen, he is hopelessly in love with Siu Keng, oblivious to the fact that she doesn’t love him at all. Not even pity. He THOUGHT he married the perfect goddess – beautiful, sweet and gentle. The reality is he married a selfish, vengeful (and even manipulative) girl. I feel really sorry for him – he deserved better but he’s just too gullible. I couldn’t hate Thirteen in the novel because he looks like Adonis – well, Stephen definitely doesn’t have the look part but his portrayal was quite accurate.

I can’t stop myself from disliking Chu Kot in here. Joe portrayal was a deviation of the novel version. Being a wuxia fan, I can still accept TVB alter some plotline, but turning a good (and fun) hero into a wimpy guy?! The things I hate most about TV adaptation is that the either leaving out an important character or worse; merge two character into one. He was supposed to be humorous, intelligent and a little bit eccentric. And he NEVER intentionally gave Siu Keng away! He knows love is not a toy you can give away – love IS selfish. But fate was cruel; he could never be with Siu Keng. I don’t blame Joe Ma, because obviously the script wrote Chu Kot as a constantly frowning and miserable fellow.

At times I disliked Nnadia character Mong Dip, sometimes I pity her. I dislike her when she gave all the evil idea to hurt Chu Kot and Siu Keng. Especially where she explains why she told the truth to Siu Keng. As if she’s inflicting the pain she felt (Choi Ging giving her away to Chu Kot) on Siu Keng. That is the same reason why I pity her. She has everything she wanted, except love. She is full of emotion, yet she was trained to be a cold-blooded assassin. She is devoted to Choi Ging, but I doubt he feel the same way about her.