LOCH 1982 episode guides (eps 31-39) and interim impressions

Click this to read this post at my new Jianghu blog.

Hong Qigong made Wong Yung the 19th Leader of Kaypang (Ep 33)

Ep 31: Old Heretic rescued Guo Jing and Wong Yung from Ouyang Feng’s attack, but this process disturbed his attempt to heal Wong Yung’s mother. Finally accepting that his wife was truly dead, Huang Yaoshi carried his wife to a boat he’d been preparing for their final journey. Before embarking on the boat, Zhou Botong blurted out that Guo Jing knew the Jinyun Manual inside out, hence he won the contest. Old Herectic was livid, for the Manual was the cause of his wife’s death (actually, it was his own greed, not the manual, that caused it). He confronted Guo Jing, who only then realised that a piece of human skin that he took from Mei Chaofeng was actually the copy of the Manual Vol 2. Huang Yaoshi burned Vol 2, and Botong then burned Vol 1, for he saw how the Manual had created so many miseries. Huang Yaoshi told Guo Jing to get out of the island; Hong Qigong and Zhou Botong followed suit. Yaoshi provided them with the boat he was about to use himself, knowing that the boat was actually faulty and would definitely sink in the open sea. Old Heretic immobilised Wong Yung inside her own room. WY later unblocked the accupoints and went to her dad to make leave. Yaoshi let WY saw her mother for the first time. WY then realised that her mother had been dead for 18 years, the day she gave birth to her.

Old Heretic then narrated a story, about the Manual that Zhou Botong brought to the island. Mr and Mrs Huang (she played as Lam Chor Yin’s older cousin in FD 1984) tricked Botong so that Mrs Huang was able to read the books and memorise the contents, thanks to her photographic memory. They also told Botong that Ouyang Feng had swiped Vol 2 with the fake one, such that Botong left in anger. Later, Mrs Huang wrote the exact copy of Vol 2 for her husband (vol 1 was still with Botong). However, Mei Chaofeng and her lover stole the only copy of Vol 2, and rewrote it into a piece of human skin. Huang Yaoshi and Wong Yung later properly buried Mrs Huang. Yaoshi told Wong Yung that the boat Guo Jing et al used was faulty and that they’d sink soon.

Far offshore, the boat was indeed leaking, making GJ et al panic.

Ep 32: Wong Yung left the island to rescue GJ et al, but her own boat flipped during the storm. GJ et al was rescued by Ouyang Feng and Ouyang Ke, but of course the Poison Duo had something else in mind. The playful Zhou Botong jumped into the sea again cos he was fed up with Ouyang’s “games”. Hong Qigong was poisoned, such that GJ had to write the Jinyun Manual. However, GJ actually changed some aspects of the Manual, such that it was practically a fake. The conflict inside the Poison Boat finally escalated in the boat blowing up; GJ and Ouyang Feng missing, while Hong Qigong and Ouyang Ke stranded on an island. Qigong found Wong Yung and protected her from Ouyang Ke’s lust. Wong Yung and Qigong joined forces to mark the territory on the island, leaving Ouyang Ke with practically nowhere to rest (oh, and Wong Yung stole Ke’s fish for her teacher (she called Qigong “shifu” or teacher these days).

The lonely Yang Kang during a wine feast (Ep 33)

Ep 33: The episode opened with Yang Kang and cronies having a wine feast on-board a ship offshore Hong Kong... I mean, the Central Plains (perhaps offshore Shanghai - see notes on Peach Blossom Island at the end of this post)... Yang Kang looked subdued and separated from the crowds, but he just said he had a bit of cold when Wanyan Honglie asked why he looked pale. Huang Yaoshi arrived with a speed boat (well, a very fast boat) and demanded Wanyan et al to tell him where his daughter was. This time, those bastards truly had no idea. But Zhou Botong came up and taunted Old Heretic with his pranks. Botong jumped off the boat, Old Heretic followed.

On the deserted island, Hong Qigong ordered Wong Yung to be the 19^th Leader of the Beggar Clan and gave her the green Dog-beating Stick (and spat on her as well, cos it was tradition!). He also taught Wong Yung the 36 Dog-beating Stick Technique. Wong Yung pretended that Qigong was dead, such that Ouyang Ke chased her, only to be half-buried under a rock. Meanwhile, GJ was actually alive, stranded on the same island, and soon met Wong Yung. Ouyang Feng was also alive and demanded that WY et al released Ouyang Ke from under the rock. Although Ouyang Feng defeated Qigong, Wong Yung was still able to trick Feng in order to save Ouyang Ke: she demanded a vine and four pine trees to be delivered to her to lift the stone. They finally managed to free Ouyang Ke from under the rock. However, Ke asked his uncle to kill him cos the legs hurt too much. Ouyang Feng blurted out his disappointment, for how could such a brave person like himself had a son like Ke. So apparently, Ouyang Ke was the illegitimate son of Ouyang Feng!

Elsewhere, Huang Yaoshi chased Zhou Botong who told him that Wong Yung was already dead. Yaoshi was broken hearted to learn how he caused his daughter’s death.

Ouyang Feng stole the raft that WJ and GJ made and left the island. He then took refuge inside Yang Kang’s ship. Ouyang Feng then tried to heal himself with the fake Jinyun Manual, though it was a trick Qigong et al set for him. Wanyan Honglie asked Ouyang Feng to take Yang Kang as his student, but the West Venom refused. Yang Kang ordered his men to watch the sea for Wong Yung’s raft, and they eventually spotted the raft. Yang Kang asked Ouyang Ke to fire cannons on Wong Yung as they landed (palm/face), but Zhou Botong spoiled the plan.

Ep 34: Wong Yung et al captured Ouyang Ke, who later told them that Hong Qigong could get better if he eat the thousand-year ginseng at the Purple Jade Peak. Knowing that his nephew could be cured with the ginseng, Ouyang Feng departed for the said mountain as well; Yang Kang et al accompanied him. En route to obtain the ginseng, Yang Kang saw a girl who he thought as Nianci, but since she wasn’t her, he became subdued again.  Ouyang Ke teased him, saying that he knew that the Young Prince still hadn’t forgotten Mu Nianci. YK warned Ke not to do anything stupid towards Nianci.

Yang Kang entering Nianci's old house (Ep 34)

...and cried over his memories with Nianci (Ep 34)

Later, Yang Kang visited the house Nianci stayed before. He absentmindedly touched Nianci’s spinning tools (Nianci fed herself by weaving and selling fabrics) and silently shed tears. When he thought he heard something inside the bedroom, he ran inside and saw Nianci. But when he realised that it was just imagination, he became even more subdued as tears streamed down his cheeks even more. The themesong was the same as the one where Nianci transfused her blood to Yang Kang, something about a forbidden love that the girl/the boy knew would bring doom, but still couldn’t resist...

Mu Nianci saved Mei Chaofeng (Ep 34)

Meanwhile, Nianci herself actually lived somewhere where she weaved for a living. One night, she found Mei Chaofeng kidnapping a kid (A Zhu, Nianci’s young neighbour). Thinking that Chaofeng killed the boy’s mother, Nianci fought Chaofeng, but the older woman then fainted after she explained that the boy’s mother actually died of heart attack after seeing “a ghost” (perhaps Chaofeng herself?). A Zhu himself seemed to be saved by Chaofeng, hence Nianci saved Chaofeng. The two women later bonded after Nianci realised that Chaofeng still had some shreds of consciousness and regrets in her. The hopeless romantic Mei Chaofeng then asked about Yang Kang, to which Nianci refused to reply, only that “we broke up”. Chaofeng later said that after she was healed, she’d interrogate Yang Kang about Nianci (or she’d break his legs).

Back at the Purple Jade Peak, WJ/GJ were attacked by West Venom et al who had dug the ginseng earlier but they managed to escape.

After Mei Chaofeng recovered, she took Nianci to the Zhao Palace at Yanjing. She threatened Wanyan Honglie to tell the whereabouts of Ouyang Ke (for she had a score to settle with him), and demanded Honglie to approve Yang Kang’s marriage with Nianci. Yang Kang et al arrived at that time. Mei Chaofeng tried to settle her score with Ouyang Ke, but West Venom defeated her. Nianci was captured by Wanyan Honglie’s men, but Yang Kang threatened that he’d kill himself if foster dad didn’t release Nianci. Nianci later left the Palace in tears after telling YK to his face that she wished she never met someone named Yang Kang.

I was actually quite impressed here (Ep 34)

for he really cared for her

And truly wanted to protect her (Ep 34)

But she understandably had enough

Well, there you go, cute boy...

Ouyang Feng managed to force Mei Chaofeng to recite some lines in Jinyun Manual vol 2. He then realised that Guo Jing had deceived him. Mei Chaofeng ran away and returned to Nianci’s house, where she found Yang Kang begging Nianci to open the door. We then have a funny scene where Chaofeng set a drama outside the door with her dear student Yang Kang to have Nianci open the door (seriously, YK looked almost like Szeto Man Mo there). 

You're so right, Ma'am... (Ep 34)

Chaofeng later asked her student whether he was sincere towards Nianci. When he confirmed, she asked why he didn’t just marry her. He said he did want to, but then he stuttered. Chaofeng said that no wonder Nianci was angry at YK, for he couldn’t even do such a simple thing (Mei Chaofeng, you’re so sweet). Was it because he was afraid that Wanyan Honglie would object? Yang Kang then said that he’d deal with his dad, but he also had to talk to Nianci. Mei Chaofeng told Yang Kang that he must make Nianci happy, for “everything is fine when a woman smiles” (gosh, the demoness is a hopeless romantic...).

Yep, right again, Ma'am. Can I invite you for dinner? 

Going back to the Palace, YK overheard a plan to terminate Nianci, but “the Young Prince must not know”.

Yang Kang annoyingly (and charmingly actually) stalked Nianci (Ep 35)

Ep 35: Yang Kang confronted Wanyan Honglie about his plan to kill Nianci. Honglie accidentally confirmed that plan, which made YK so furious. The argument between the “father and son” was about to escalate when the minions informed Honglie about the deranged attitude of Ouyang Feng. The Ouyangs then returned to the White Camel Mt. YK continued to tail Nianci (staaaalker!) and played pranks with her, from the fabric shop where she delivered her fabrics to the pork seller. Actually, Yang Kang was very funny here. He totally reminded me of Li Sai Man playing jokes with his sister Li Lok Wan.

Well, you did deserve the scolding! (Ep 35)

Having enough, Nianci then attacked Yang Kang. Both of them re-enacted their first duel years ago when Yang Tiexin was trying to find a husband for Nianci. Nianci then cried, which made YK panic and profusely apologised to her. Nianci told him off; he went away, but then returned again to tail her up to her house. Nianci then begged His Highness to let her live in peace and never look for her again. 

Spot-on, Girl! Listen to her, Yang Kang! (Ep 35)

YK then returned home, packed his things, and bid his father farewell. Giving up on his son, Wanyan Honglie said he never wanted to see Nianci, that she could never be brought to the Palace, but whatever YK did with her was none of his business. Taking this as a sign of approval, YK proceeded with the wedding plan. 

Well, you should've just left him there and then, Yang Kang!

The next morning saw him with a wedding procession coming to Nianci’s house, asking for her hand in marriage. Nianci initially refused, but after Mei Chaofeng also advised her, she then consented (it was so funny to see YK turning into a child when she said yes). The wedding took place right away, with Mei Chaofeng acting as the parents of bride and groom. Yang Kang was all sun and stars, Mu Nianci was blushing... but what also melted my heart was how Mei Chaofeng also smiled a truly happy smile...

The hopeless romantic Mei Chaofeng was correct (Ep 35)

Hence despite her capital annoyance...

She finally accepted his proposal...

Thus they got married...

with Mei Chaofeng taking the role of their parents (how sweet)...

I’ve been feeling sorry for Chaofeng since Yang Kang rescued her from Ouyang Ke, hence seeing she smiled like this truly warmed me. Yang Kang was indeed many a thing, but the way he included the outcast Chaofeng into his life was adorable to me. It of course helps that Nianci also felt sorry for Chaofeng, and that Chaofeng was a total hopeless romantic at heart. Sigh... had things gone differently, had Yang Kang been able to truly let go, the three of them would live a happy life together somewhere, with Chaofeng acting as the dysfunctional aunt who takes care of the baby...

Since I love this demoness' smile...

After the wedding night (we saw flashback scenes of YK/MNC to date), YK asked his teacher to take care of Nianci, for he had to attend to a business (not sure what it was, but surely it involved the Jurchen business). Chaofeng asked her student to take his new wife with him, but YK said the journey would be dangerous. He’d be back in a few days. Nianci smiled and asked him to return quickly.

Then we went back to Wong Yung and Guo Jing who returned to the abandoned temple where they left Hong Qigong. The Kaypang elder was gone already, taken sightseeing by Zhou Botong. WY/GJ then asked for one Mr Qiu’s advice to look for Qigong. This Mr Qiu Qianren agreed to help, only if the pair taught him some Kaypang fighting styles that Qigong taught the pair beforehand.

Ep 36: Mr Qiu left WY/GJ to think about his offer. He then went to another room to talk to his other guest, who was none other than Yang Kang. YK promised that he’d teach the Jiuyin Baigu Claw style to Mr Qiu if he knew the whereabouts of the Book of Wu Mu. Qiu Qianren knew that the book was already in the Song Palace, delivered by the Beggar Clan. But he wanted to know where the book was truly kept inside the Palace. When YK found out that WYGJ were in Qiu Manor as well, he asked Qiu to detain them further.

Meanwhile Mei Chaofeng attended to Huang Yaoshi, who was looking for Wong Yung and Guo Jing. Chaofeng joined Yaoshi to find Wong Yung after she told Nianci to look for Yang kang herlsef (and that YK should take care of his new wife). Nianci thus moved into the Zhao Palace (like, just like that? Guess YK had told everyone in the Palace that he had married Nianci, hence no one dared to say no to the Young Prince’s wife. Later, YK took Ouyang Feng to Qiu to get his revenge on Guo Jing. Nianci overheard them, hence she followed suit. She saved WYGJ just in time in front of Ouyang Feng and Yang Kang. YK of course recognised the black-clad, masked woman as his wife. Nianci delivered a palm strike at his chest, hence he had to retreat. After securing WYGJ, Nianci returned back to the Palace. She had a very heated argument with YK, who eventually slapped her (oh no, Yang Kang, how dare you!! Come here you bastard, I’ll slap you too!). 

Nianci was reduced to tears and left the Palace (to be fair, YK was also misty-eyed when they had the argument, but still, slapping your wife?? Particularly after all the promises you made at the wedding altar!!). YK later went back to Nianci’s house to find her packing her things. YK promised not to pursue WYGJ anymore, but that would be the first time and the last time he gave into Nianci. The girl still made to leave; saying she’d taken Mr and Mrs Yang’s ashes back to Niu Village in Jiangnan. When YK said he’d go with her, she said that if and only if Yang Kang could embrace his Song heritage and used the surname Yang (instead of Wanyan), then he had the rights to take the ashes back to Niu Village.

(no pictures onwards, too broken hearted. Perhaps will post screen caps in the next few days...perhaps...)

Meanwhile WYGJ, Qigong and Old Imp took a journey to the Palace cos they wanted to have some delicacies in the Palace kitchen. En route, Old Imp and WY had constant arguments because, well, they were both kids at heart, and also because a masked person teased Old Imp repeatedly (and he thought that masked person was WY).

Ep 37: the masked person was apparently a girl, who might be the deranged daughter of one of Huang Yaoshi’s students. WY et al found some skeletons in the house they stayed in, which might belong to those students. They named the girl “Idiot” (charming…). WYGJ then went out to town and saw YK, his foster dad, et al were having lunch and talking about the Book of Wu Mu. Wong Yung played a prank at them; making the restaurant serving them disgusting dishes with appropriate names. Later, Hong Qigong wanted to taste the Five Braised whatever from the Palace, hence they went to the Song Palace that night. In the kitchen, they had to hide for two Song soldiers went in to steal some food. After the soldiers left, Guo Jing became subdued because he realised how corrupt the Song government was. WY was surprised to see GJ that serious. They later encountered YK et al who were trying to steal the Book of Wu Mu. A fight ensued, and the wretched YK threw a knife at GJ, the sworn brother who had repeatedly helped him, such that WY and Old Imp had to flee from the Palace. WY then treated GJ with the Jiuyin Manual for seven days inside the secret chamber in Idiot’s abandoned house, but then YK et al also came to the house for rest. There, Ouyang Feng gave Wanyan Honglie the Book of Wu Mu (I bet it’s not the original, that toad!).

Ep 38: The casing of the Book of Wu Mu apparently contained nothing, hence Ouyang Feng returned to the Palace to see if he could retrieve it. I still think he hid it. Since that village was apparently the Niu Family Village, YK and Wanyan Honglie conversed about Bao Xiruo, how she never smiled to Honglie despite 18 years of marriage (perhaps because you stole her from her husband, Honglie??). YK said he didn’t want to talk about the past anymore, that whatever happened Honglie was his dad and he was his son. Palm/face. Guo Jing was very angry but WY managed to calm him. Later, they camped elsewhere cos they thought the house was haunted (yeah by Old Imp and the Idiot…). Then Huang Yaoshi came into the house, just reminiscing on WY, who almost got out to see him (and hence injured GJ). Yaoshi left, but then Ouyang Ke came into the famous house. He tricked Idiot to reveal the secret room, hence he was able to attack WYGJ. Yet, Nianci came to save them. Since Nianci wasn’t at Ouyang Ke’s level, he immobilised her and almost raped her, had Yang Kang not arrived in time. Furious, he killed Ouyang Ke. Phew, that’s about the third thing that YK did right in this series (first is sneaking out Mr and Mrs Yang from the Palace, second is marrying Nianci).

Later, Yang Kang ran away with Nianci but they met the Seven Teachers of Quanzhen Sect, the leader of which (Taoist Ma) played by the actor who played Siu Ching’s dad in CLH 1984, and played as Li Sai Man’s emperor father in the Foundation 1984. YK greeted them and told them that he and Nianci were going to bury the ashes of Mr and Mrs Yang in the Niu Village. In this very famous and busy village, YK, Taoist Ma and Taoist Qiu then met Huazheng and Tuloi who were returning to Mongolia (Tuloi gave up asking the help of the cowardly Song government). YK said that Guo Jing died (palm/face, Yang Kaaaaang!! Were you Pinnochio or what?? Why were you always lying!!), such that Huazheng and Tuloi were very sad. He also dared to say that Huang Yaoshi killed Guo Jing (palm/face again). At the same time (yeah, yeah), Huang Yaoshi and Ouyang Feng came chasing the Old Imp. Did TVB cut a lot of scenes here? It’s so confusing! Taoist Ma chased Huang Yaoshi and met the Seven Freaks of Jiangnan. He didn’t tell that Guo Jing had died though.

Ep 39: Yang Kang and Nianci left the Seven Quanzhen Teachers inside the house where WYGJ were recuperating (which was good, cos then WYGJ were somehow protected). Outside the house, YK found Hong Qigong’s Dog-beating Stick (YK should be beaten with that stick, I tell you!). He again made up a story about going to Kaypang later to return the stick but he couldn’t be that good. Poor Nianci…

Meanwhile Qiu Qianren came into the house (famous house, remember), tricked the Seven Quanzhen with his retractable sword (palm/face). Then Mei Chaofeng joined the party after Qianren left. Of course Huang Yaoshi then came out and defended his teacher. Ouyang Feng, who for several hours became friends with the Old Heretic then fought him instead. Mei Chaofeng died defending Huang Yaoshi from Ouyang Feng’s strike. Really? Really? She started to be my favourite character and they killed her??

Anyway, this episode is very convoluted, but the gist is: the Seven Freaks fought with Huang Yaoshi, such that Guo Jing sped up his recovery and blew up the wall to stop the fight. Later, Wong Yung searched for her Dog-beating Stick to no avail for Yang Kang already took it. She and GJ departed to Ngok Chao (E’zhou) to manage Kaypang and to prevent YK from overtaking the Beggar Clan. Tuloi and Huazheng returned to Mongolia after being rescued from Ouyang Feng and Qiu Qianren by WYGJ. Huang Yaoshi returned to the Peach Blossom Island with Idiot to train her well.

End of Part II, phew. Next will be another post starting from ep 40.

Interim impression:

I want to slap Yang Kang for his repeated lies in this episode. He did two right things, as I said: marrying Nianci (and involving Mei Chaofeng in the ceremony, that was super sweet!) and killing Ouyang Ke, but the rest of his conducts were despicable. I had to remind myself that Michael Miu is such a nice guy, and that he and Barbara Yung became friends during the making of LOCH… and yeah, he was amazing in making me having conflicting feelings about Yang Kang!

Wong Yung grew up more this episode, and it was touching to see that she’d lock herself to cure Guo Jing. I think I will see her becoming more mature in this series later. Her interactions with Huang Yaoshi, the Old Imp and Hong Qigong were, as always, refreshing. I now accept that WY and GJ belonged with each other in this series. I still think that they didn’t have enough sparks, but they certainly had the cuteness, camaraderie, and loyalties towards each other that are sufficient to make a good relationship works.

I feel these last ten episodes had many cut out scenes from the original version. Wikipedia did list 59 episodes for this series, and that’s the whole lot that I have… but I feel some important stories were cut out. And cut out not in the way CLH 1984 were cut; the CLH cuts just deleted some nuances, but the main story and sub-stories were still intact. LOCH 1982 seemed to have been edited out significantly…

Oh, and I found a very interesting trivia by myself (yay!). Peach Blossom Island (Wong Yung’s birth island) is actually a real island, called Taohua Island. "Taohua" (桃花) literally means "peach blossoms". The island is only 15-20 sqkm in coverage. The inhabitants have Louis Cha’s statue on the island to honour him for his unintended efforts of promoting the island. Now, where is this Taohua Island? Well, it’s in the Zhoushan Archipelago off Hangzhou Bay, south of Shanghai. And who was born in 1958 in Zhoushan Island? Yep, Michael Miu! Our Michael Miu! Born about 10 km north of Peach Blossom Island! How’s that for a coincidence??

Taohua Isl (Peach Blossom Isl.), south of Zhoushan where Michael Miu was born in 1958!