Chasing Dramas

Episode 23 and 24 is focused on the plague that rocks the imperial palace. Even though everyone is trying to find a cure, Consort Hua manages to infect Shen Mei Zhuang with the disease as a way to get rid of her for good. Fortunately, Zhen Huan steps in and asks her friend, the imperial doctor, Wen Shi Chu to help. Zhen Huan is also able to help clear Shen Mei Zhuang's name after the fake pregnancy scandal。 She shows the Emperor evidence that Consort Hua was the mastermind behind everything. However, Consort Hua ultimately does not get punished. Elsewhere in the palace, Noble Lady Fu Cha is pregnant (for real!) which is exciting and disappointing to many in the imperial harem and we see further glimpses of the Empress's true nature.

Hua Fei's side hustle is working quite well for her. She is making a fortune accepting bribes. Everyone at the Palace more or less knows what's happening but will anyone stop her? Meanwhile, Zhen Huan and An Ling Rong continue to drift apart. It's almost the New Year so the concubines head to the opera! We'll discuss Peking Opera and exactly what the ladies pick to watch. Only in this drama do they make us do so much research on opera titles and stories to understand how they're trying to talk to each other. Enjoy!

Hua Fei humiliates the main character Zhen Huan and An Ling Rong after summoning these two ladies to perform for her and the Emperor. We analyze the two poems that were performed. This humiliation, coupled with the fact that a cute, younger concubine named Chun Er is becoming closer to Zhen Huan, creates deeper chasms between Zhen Huan and An Ling Rong. By the end of the episode, we start seeing An Ling Rong turning away from Zhen Huan and joining the Empress's team. Elsewhere, further evidence is provided of Hua Fei's corruption and her brother Nian Geng Yao's arrogance.

In this jam packed episode, Zhen Huan finally wins a round against Hua Fei. She unknowingly flirts with a handsome Prince and confronts a backstabbing sister. Even though Hua Fei seems to have regained favor, it's not all flowers and roses for her. The Imperial Court and Imperial Harem are closely linked. Does anyone understand the pieces on the board?

It's looking like Zhen Huan has solidified her position in the Imperial Harem as her friend An Ling Rong gains favor from the Emperor. Hua Fei plots to destroy Zhen Huan, using the princess as a pawn. The princess's mother has no choice but to agree. After a few close calls, Zhen Huan finally realizes that there's a mole in her palace. Who could it be?

Things are getting desperate for some ladies in the Imperial Harem. New alliance need to be made while cracks are starting to from in others. Zhen huan must push another woman into the Emperor's bed. Who does she choose? How do they do it? To catch the Emperor's eye, you need more than just singing and flowers.

All the excitement and happiness around Shen Mei Zhuang's pregnancy unfortunately turns out to be...fake. She's the victim of a scheme to get her killed and she fell for it. Her "fake pregnancy plot" was uncovered right in front of the Emperor and he has her punished. Zhen Huan tries to protect herself from the fallout and save her friend but has to endure humiliation from all sides.

Zhen Huan just dazzled everyone with her dance the last episode but Hua Fei steals her thunder to regain favor with the Emperor. An Ling Rong receives some bad news about her father. The three ladies must weigh their options to save An Ling Rong's father. Alliances are created and cracks are formed. Who wins this round?

The ladies of the Imperial Harem have settled down in the Summer Palace. All seems quiet but Hua Fei's not going to stay out of favor for long. There's a birthday celebration for a princess and we get to meet a lot of princes. At the birthday bash, Zhen Huan performs one of the most iconic dances of the drama. Will that be enough to secure her favor with the Emperor?

Following all of the recent drama, the Emperor decides to take a summer retreat with several ladies in his imperial harem. They head out to the beautiful Yuan Ming Yuan (圆明园) Gardens. Zhen Huan and her friend, Shen Mei Zhuang, marvel at the luxurious amenities of this summer palace, which unfortunately, no longer exist today. Though calm on the surface during this trip, we see displays of the Emperor's dangerous paranoia towards everyone around him. Elsewhere, Shen Mei Zhuang is eager to obtain the most valuable asset in the imperial harem - a child. The question is, will she succeed?