Chasing Dramas

Episode 11 of Empresses in the Palace sees the main character, Zhen Huan, and her friends putting on a show to root out the main culprit behind the plot against Zhen Huan's life in the last episode. The ghost show is successful and causes the main antagonist, Hua Fei, to lose an ally. This episode is very fun to watch and we have an even more enjoyable time discussing ghosts, superstitions and traditions around death in Chinese culture and history.

Zhen huan investigates a murder attempt. She finally decides to enter the battlefield that is the imperial harem with surprisingly good results

We discuss episode 9 of 后宫甄嬛传 Empresses in the Palace. Zhen Huan has received a lot of attention from the Emperor, causing much strife within the rest of the Imperial Harem. There's a murder attempt to one of our main characters and it becomes quite obvious that life within the Palace is perilous.

We are discussing episode 8 of 后宫甄嬛传, Empresses in the Palace. The Emperor and Zhen Huan finally have a romantic getaway. The Emperor spends much of this episode showcasing how much he favors her, much to the dismay of the other concubines in the Imperial Harem.

In Episode 6 and 7, the Emperor is enjoying spending time with, what we're calling as a Level 1 opponent, Yu Ying Er. She is a maid that is pretending to be the person the Emperor overhead in the plum garden. But of course, we know that person was actually Zhen Huan. Yu Ying Er is now a favored concubine in the Imperial Harem and is flaunting her favoritism everywhere, much to the annoyance of not just the rest of the ladies in the Imperial Harem, but also the Empress Dowager. Unfortunately for her, Zhen Huan and the Emperor cross paths again not too long after and he quickly forgets this maid and instead, turns his attention to Zhen Huan. Without having to work too hard, Zhen Huan is able to defeat this level 1 adversary.

It's winter time and the main character, Zhen Huan, is still "sick". This results in disrespect by not only her own servants, but servants who are supposed to provide her with much needed materials to survive through the cold. Luckily, her good friend, Shen Mei Zhuang, steps in to help. Meanwhile, at the New Year's Celebration, the Emperor decides to take an evening stroll to see plum blossoms. He overhears none other than Zhen Huan in the garden making a wish but wasn't able to catch a glimpse of her. Fortunately or unfortunately, the young and dashing 17th prince, and a garden maid, Yu, also overhear Zhen Huan's wish.

In this episode, Zhen Huan decides to feign illness to avoid attention from the Emperor and confrontation by the other concubines after discovering remnants of a sinister plot against the previous inhabitant of her pavilion. We discuss this sinister plot and how it's related to Chinese medicine. In her absence, Zhen Huan's close friend, Shen Mei Zhuang, starts receiving attention from the Emperor. We learn that she loves the Chrysanthemum flower and delve into why that is and what it means about her. Unfortunately, Hua Fei is not happy to share the affections of the Emperor with these new ladies and makes that clear. We also see how the Emperor has to balance court and his harem as he deals with a rebellion in his empire.

Zhen Huan and the newly selected concubines are settling into the palace. They quickly find out how deadly and dangerous the imperial harem, or hou gong, can be after just one formal court greeting in front of the Empress and Hua Fei.

In Episode 2, we discuss Zhen Huan's deliberation by the Emperor and Empress Dowager as to whether or not she has a spot in the palace. The latter tries a few interesting tricks to keep Zhen Huan from gaining entrance while the Emperor is smitten Spoiler alert: Zhen Huan gets chosen to become a concubine.

We also meet the rest of the ladies in the Imperial Palace which makes for an entertaining tea time discussion.

Chasing Dramas analyzes the episode 1 of hou gong zhen huan zhuan (后宫甄嬛传), Empresses in the Palace. The show begins in 1722 during the Qing Dynasty under the reign of Yong Zheng. We meet several key players in the palace and learn about how ladies are selected to be concubines in the imperial harem