Episode 13
◦ Ning Yi and Xin Zi Yan had planned on having 5th Prince admit how he had helped the Crown Prince frame the 3rd Prince in front of the emperor but their plan was foiled when the emperor ends up sending the Crown Prince disguised as the masked man.
◦ Promptly killing 5th Prince then reporting back to the emperor with a fabricated story of how his brother had declared he wants to be the emperor and had confessed to trying to kill them (himself and the emperor) with poison, the Crown Prince leaves the palace certain he has fooled his father. Unbeknownst to the Crown Prince and our hero, the emperor was not fooled at all. In fact, the emperor was testing the Crown Prince but his son’s action proved to the emperor that his third son really was innocent and that the Crown Prince was most likely the one that had framed him.
◦ The next day, the emperor summons his three sons and “gifts” each of them a eunuch/his spy.
◦ Zhi Wei’s sharp mind shines among her peers but that also meant she draws the jealous ire of Princess Ning Shao (who is also dressed up as a man and studying at the school). The spoiled rotten Princess Ning Shao tries to take out her anger at a lowly horse caretaker but ends up apologizing to the servent after Zhi Wei confounds the princess with her trademark clever tongue.
◦ Zhi Wei and Gu Nan Yi discover something strange about the school’s horse caretakers since they all seem to be extremely skilled fighters.
Episode 14
◦ Ning Yi keeps falling asleep without warning then waking up at strange places. After paying a visit to the emperor’s physician in the palace Ning Yi figures out that since 18 years ago, he and his father’s health were somehow tied together. (We had learned previously from the emperor’s conversation with his eunuch that Ning Yi’s mother had done something to make that happen.)
◦ Ning Yi wakes up from a nightmare where he had physically harmed Zhi Wei. Trying hard to assure himself that it was nothing but a nightmare, Ning Yi finally convinces himself to pay Xin Zi Yan a visit. His worst fear realized when he finds out Zhi Wei has disappeared and is nowhere else to be found, Ning Yi collapses believing he must have hurt Zhi Wei.
◦ The emperor’s head eunuch finally figures out that his precious ring is the reason the emperor and Ning Yi have been poisoned. (Looks like once the eunuch stopped the poison, both the emperor and Ning Yi started to recover.)
◦ The Crown Prince also notices the ring on his father’s eunuch much to his horror and realizes that he has unintentionally poisoned his own father. (Apparently, the Crown Prince is still not quite evil enough to kill his own father.)
◦ The emperor puts the Crown Prince in charge of assisting him with the country’s affairs while Ning Yi ends up getting control of Qing Ming (the school Xin Zi Yan is at.)
Episode 15
◦ This one is a super sad episode. Zhi Wei manages to escape from her imprisonment but at the steep cost of her new friend (the young horse caretakes) and Zhu Yin’s lives. Turns out, Zhi Wei and Gu Nan Yi discovered that the servants at the school (especially those who took care of the horses and such) are actually Xue Futu who has been working for the Crown Prince. Zhi Wei manages to escape to ask Ning Yi for help after Gu Nan Yi was wounded but unfortunately, at that point, our hero was too sick with the poison to tell his dream from reality.
◦ Unwilling to believe his eyes when he sees Zhi Wei’s “dead body”, Ning Yi mutters “She is a kitten. They have nine lives so she must still be alive…” Overjoyed when he walks into his room to find a grieving Zhi Wei, Ning Yi could only mutter “But you are alive!” as our heroine tearfully recounts the death of her friends. I love this scene because it shows that while Ning Yi is obviously deeply affected by Zhu Yin’s death, but Zhi Wei’s death is something his mind simply refuses to handle. So when Ning Yi realizes that Zhi Wei is actually alive, then he is overwhelmed with joy even in the midst of his loss.
◦ Her mind filled with thoughts of revenge, Zhi Wei declares that she is going to get Gu Nan Yi to kill Xin Zi Yan for her. Forced to reveal that Xin Zi Yan is actually working with him, Ning Yi assures an angry Zhi Wei that he will trust her from this point on when Zhi Wei mutters “So you have never trusted me…”
◦ Ning Yi catches the emperor’s eunuch spying on him again but ends up getting the eunuch’s sworn loyalty when he goes off on a little speech about his dream of avenging his 3rd brother’s wrongful death and creating a world where good people would reap good reward while the villains will get their just punishments.
◦ The Crown Prince orders the elderly horse caretaker (The one who ended up freeing our heroine even though his son died trying to save her. His is also the current leader of Xue Futu who is working for the Crown Prince.) to make a confession that he is Xue Futu’s leader and falsely accuse Ning Yi as being the one they are working for. However, the moment the elderly horse caretaker leaves, he is met by Gu Yan who asks him to make sure the Crown Prince is outed instead.
I am sad to report that The Rise of Phoenixes is getting cut short. The show was supposed to be 70 episodes long but the TV station has decided to end it at 56th episode. I am assuming the decision was made because of the show’s terrible numbers in viewership. Sigh…I am afraid that also means I am not going to continue on with the recaps since the flow of the story is going to suffer greatly from the sudden slash of episodes and that will make recapping the show very painful. I am super curious what you guys think of the show though, so do share if you followed it. I personally thought the show was good and is quite puzzled by the low viewership numbers.
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Very sweet of you to do the mini recaps for us. I have finished watching 70 episodes and since its not English rubbed. I was trill that you started the mini recaps. So sad now to know that you are going to stop these recaps. Sighs……
They already released all 70 episodes? Then where are they cutting the episodes?
Yes dear, they did released 70 episodes, I watched it on taxiasian. I still dont understand the reasoning behind it. Why they stopped at 56 episodes for tv. 😢
How would that work out? Speedy reshoots and patchwork editing I guess.. 🙁
Yes you are right again, rushed work, voiced over, the works. Its a waste, I think if the producers were allowed to follow the novel it will turned out to be one of the good dramas of 2018. 😍
Than you so much for the recap. I am not sure how I feel about Rise of the Phoenix being cut short. Compared to other C-drama for me I would not say it is one the best even though it has amazing actor and actress. Somehow something is off. I am currently watching it on Netflix but to be honest, your recap make it more exciting than watching it actually. i find myself “cheating” i.e. skipping along the story a lot to get to parts I find interesting. i am still going to watch it to the end if with that said. I am said that you are not going to continue recap because i love your interpretation better.
Aren’t all the Chinese historical shows pre-produced? Then if they cut the show short will the PH be reshooting certain scenes and edit-stiching the rest??
What a disaster and a waste!
I too m watching the show on Netflix and can’t help but agree with @Pam Tran. Your words depict more energy than the actual show…..it just seems to lethargically drag on.
It took me an entire day to watch the 1st epi coz I took breaks every few minutes. And I slept in the first 5 minutes of episode 2 and then didn’t even feel guilty about missing it!
Sigh, another historical bites the dust….
I had heard rumors that they actually shot two endings. I am really hoping Netflix will get to air the “other” ending if that’s true. BTW, I will write a post with the novel ending soon…hopefully posting it on Monday.
About its Neflix release, they’re uploading the 70 episodes version? Because, quite simply, if you check you’ll find this “Mini Recap” don’t match…
Yes, I am sure they don’t match. There were the TV version and web version…and to be honest, I can’t remember which one I was following but the general flow of the story should be the same.
Soon, Friday Pacific Time, Netflix will release some more episodes. I’ve not caught up with those already available. But because I don’t mind knowing the ending I Googled and found your summary. Thanks, good to know.
Generally, I’m finding the series charming enough that I’ll finish it. If you’re still fond of it too and it’s the unabridged 70 episodes version, perhaps reconsider continuing your recaps?
This one is a reply to mskdoodle as well. So does Netflix have the whole 70 episodes? The crazy ending aside, the other reason I stopped following the show was because the TV station decided to chop the show short that I really didn’t see any way they could salvage the storyline. If Netflix was able to get the unchopped version then I would be sorely tempted to finish watching the show…once I get over the ending that is.
Coming Friday should be final release of episodes from Netflix. Thus far, they’ve made available 60 (45 minutes) episodes (batches of 15 uploads).
Having read your ending of the novel, I’m okay if TV adaptation is sad. What I’ll recall will be the sweet moments, my mind can correct how the actors could have “been true.” Similarly, just enjoy skimming for those scenes you like.
Netflix’s ending at Episode 70 is crap. After a roller coaster of emotions, she just fell off??!! The end?!!
Yup! I saw the non translation and could not believe it.
I am at ep 27 on Netflix. I realized something that I mentioned in my earlier post. The love dynamic between the hero and the heroine is not what I am use to and that puts me off. They make it clear that they care /love each other but their interactions is not like so many other Cdrama. I am at ep 27 and to me they still are not together and are not making any true effort at that. Even at time I question is their feelings for each other is just an act