It was a fatal attraction indeed.
Both Prince Qing Xuan and Yong He fell deeply in love with Princess Meili. Meili loved both but because of royal arrangement and other interference, in an unusual compromise, Qing Xuan married Meili first, though as second wife (to prove his genuine love for her rather than Su Ying, who was forced upon him under the circumstances); and Yong He married Princess Song Zhu to further his ulterior motive of revenge to the extent of hoping to kill Qing Xuan if an opportunity arises.
Princess Meili is portrayed as being good (to a fault), innocent and naive, in a palace full of people with selfish and evil intentions. She has the protection of the Empress Dowager, like a guardian angel in times of danger, which further enrages others, like concubine Jing and first wife Su Ying. Besides, there are others like Yong He's and Su Ying's parents who actually helped to plot against Princess Meili.
Incidents created include putting poison in soup offered to pregnant Meili by Su Ying; later refined to offering red berries and meat (combined become poisonous) which could have been a perfect murder had not a meal with Empress Dowager and subsequent poisoning was traced to red berry eaten just before. Once, while on her way to see Empress Dowager, someone intentionally whistled to signal a horseman to crash onto her carriage, hoping to cause a miscarriage.
Empress Dowager had always been suspicious of Su Ying, as the person most likely to have a reason for hating Meili, in competing for Qing Xuan's love and affection. But without evidence, it was left to advice to Meili to be cautious, and dropping heavy hints to Su Ying and her parents to ensure her wellbeing, especially when Qing Xuan is away at war. Though advised to stay with Empress Dowager, each time Meili refused because of her duty to look after her parents- in-law when her husband is away. Each time anyone cast suspicions on Su Ying, Meili would try to refute and speak good of her, explaining she had good intentions and probably did not know about the poison or the poisonous effect, for instance.
Qing Xuan's official mission was to negotiate with Gerkhan, with explicit order from the Emperor not to initiate war. His own unofficial secret mission was to have Meili's cousin, Prince Cheng Yi, seek out Gau Tu (believed to be with Gerkan) to seek revenge for the death of Meili's father and get back the holy book which he stole from the palace.
Yong He's mission (backed by his father) was also to find the holy book, in order to gain favour from the Emperor, and be one up on Qing Xuan.
After an attack on General Arnee's troops, the general wanted to retaliate but was strongly prevented by Qing Xuan, reminding him of the Emperor's order. As events turned out, Cheng Yi's mission failed initially which led to Gerkhan's withdrawing from further negotiation; later, Cheng Yi and his small group were chased when found out in a subsequent attempt. When they reached their own fortress, Qing Xuan gave order to open the entrance doors to save them. The confusion led General Arnee to believe it was an opportunity for him to attack Gerkhan and his men. It turned out to be a fatal decision when they were led to a narrow path which turned out to be a deathly trap where men were ready to let go of huge rocks from the cliffs.
When Qing Xuan heard about the deaths of general Arnee and his troops, he led an attack on Gerkhan. In the fierce fighting and confusion, both Qing Xuan and Yong He seeked out Gautu to fight. When Yong He was in danger, Qing Xuan helped him out and managed to kill Gautu. It was crafty Yong He's father who took the opportunity to look for the holy book from Gautu's body and found it. Not knowing this, Qing Xuan was more concerned about taking back the body to search for it.
The exceptionally heavy casualties was blamed on Qing Xuan later, aided by malicious details fed to the Emperor by Yong He and his father.
The Emperor was furious at the heavy loss of lives and Qing Xuan was arrested and charged for disobeying the Emperor's order. Meili was upset and turned to Empress Dowager for help. But there is a limit as to what she could do under the circumstances and advised to wait for the outcome of the royal hearing.
Meanwhile, Yong He and his father was wondering how best to make use of the holy book. One way to further incriminate Qing Xuan was to put it in his house so that he could be blamed for not handing it back to the Emperor.
The Emperor had been most accommodating in reaching a decision on brother, Qing Xuan. He listened to Yong He and his father, as well as Prince Cheng Yi, in trying to find out the truth. Qing Xuan was less forthcoming in his explanation and when told to write out his version, he wrote only 8 characters! Meili was desperate at his stubbornness and appealed to him to reconsider... if not for her sake, then for his parents and his future child. He finally relented and Meili even helped to prepare the ink.
In Qing Xuan's statement, he mentioned about an instance when he helped to save Yong He. This fact, was however not mentioned by Yong He in his statement to the Emperor. Meili was really upset that Yong He had turned out to be so selfish and mean because of his hatred for Qing Xuan. She went to look for Yong He and was refused a meeting by his mother and wife Song Zhu. Despite being advanced in her pregnancy, she stood outside the house for hours. Song Zhu was about to let her in but was stopped by her mother-in-law. Later, when it rained, Yong He decided to meet her. Meili criticised him for being so selfish (unlike the person she knew and loved before), in not mentioning about the fact that Qing Xuan saved his life in battle, a fact which could help save Qing Xuan. Yong He, being a well brought up and trained soldier, could not take Meili's criticisms, especially when compared to Qing Xuan's honour and heroic act despite his hatred for him, at the crucial moment. In the heat of their argument, Song Zhu who happened to be listening nearby, heard Yong He exclaiming to Meili, 'I am supposed to be your husband, not Qing Xuan!'
Song Zhu was heart-broken, knowing Yong He had been faking his love for her. Later, she told Yong He that she was really disappointed with him for not helping her cousin, Qing Xuan, despite him saving his life. She was also disappointed that he is not the hero that she thought he was, and told him to do what should be necessary.
Humiliated by his true love, Meili and his wife Song Zhu, Yong He could not take it anymore. He knew where his father kept the holy book, took it and went to look for Meili late at night. Meili was shocked by his presence at that hour, more concerned about the impropriety in case someone found out. But Yong He explained that he had decided to do what should be done. He said the Emperor should be able to forgive Qing Xuan when he sees the holy book and his explanation in writing... and said that he had just taken poison earlier and it is worth it if he died in her presence.
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Princess Meili is portrayed as being good (to a fault), innocent and naive, in a palace full of people with selfish and evil intentions. She has the protection of the Empress Dowager, like a guardian angel in times of danger, which further enrages others, like concubine Jing and first wife Su Ying. Besides, there are others like Yong He's and Su Ying's parents who actually helped to plot against Princess Meili.
Incidents created include putting poison in soup offered to pregnant Meili by Su Ying; later refined to offering red berries and meat (combined become poisonous) which could have been a perfect murder had not a meal with Empress Dowager and subsequent poisoning was traced to red berry eaten just before. Once, while on her way to see Empress Dowager, someone intentionally whistled to signal a horseman to crash onto her carriage, hoping to cause a miscarriage.
Empress Dowager had always been suspicious of Su Ying, as the person most likely to have a reason for hating Meili, in competing for Qing Xuan's love and affection. But without evidence, it was left to advice to Meili to be cautious, and dropping heavy hints to Su Ying and her parents to ensure her wellbeing, especially when Qing Xuan is away at war. Though advised to stay with Empress Dowager, each time Meili refused because of her duty to look after her parents- in-law when her husband is away. Each time anyone cast suspicions on Su Ying, Meili would try to refute and speak good of her, explaining she had good intentions and probably did not know about the poison or the poisonous effect, for instance.
Qing Xuan's official mission was to negotiate with Gerkhan, with explicit order from the Emperor not to initiate war. His own unofficial secret mission was to have Meili's cousin, Prince Cheng Yi, seek out Gau Tu (believed to be with Gerkan) to seek revenge for the death of Meili's father and get back the holy book which he stole from the palace.
Yong He's mission (backed by his father) was also to find the holy book, in order to gain favour from the Emperor, and be one up on Qing Xuan.
After an attack on General Arnee's troops, the general wanted to retaliate but was strongly prevented by Qing Xuan, reminding him of the Emperor's order. As events turned out, Cheng Yi's mission failed initially which led to Gerkhan's withdrawing from further negotiation; later, Cheng Yi and his small group were chased when found out in a subsequent attempt. When they reached their own fortress, Qing Xuan gave order to open the entrance doors to save them. The confusion led General Arnee to believe it was an opportunity for him to attack Gerkhan and his men. It turned out to be a fatal decision when they were led to a narrow path which turned out to be a deathly trap where men were ready to let go of huge rocks from the cliffs.
When Qing Xuan heard about the deaths of general Arnee and his troops, he led an attack on Gerkhan. In the fierce fighting and confusion, both Qing Xuan and Yong He seeked out Gautu to fight. When Yong He was in danger, Qing Xuan helped him out and managed to kill Gautu. It was crafty Yong He's father who took the opportunity to look for the holy book from Gautu's body and found it. Not knowing this, Qing Xuan was more concerned about taking back the body to search for it.
The exceptionally heavy casualties was blamed on Qing Xuan later, aided by malicious details fed to the Emperor by Yong He and his father.
The Emperor was furious at the heavy loss of lives and Qing Xuan was arrested and charged for disobeying the Emperor's order. Meili was upset and turned to Empress Dowager for help. But there is a limit as to what she could do under the circumstances and advised to wait for the outcome of the royal hearing.
Meanwhile, Yong He and his father was wondering how best to make use of the holy book. One way to further incriminate Qing Xuan was to put it in his house so that he could be blamed for not handing it back to the Emperor.
The Emperor had been most accommodating in reaching a decision on brother, Qing Xuan. He listened to Yong He and his father, as well as Prince Cheng Yi, in trying to find out the truth. Qing Xuan was less forthcoming in his explanation and when told to write out his version, he wrote only 8 characters! Meili was desperate at his stubbornness and appealed to him to reconsider... if not for her sake, then for his parents and his future child. He finally relented and Meili even helped to prepare the ink.
In Qing Xuan's statement, he mentioned about an instance when he helped to save Yong He. This fact, was however not mentioned by Yong He in his statement to the Emperor. Meili was really upset that Yong He had turned out to be so selfish and mean because of his hatred for Qing Xuan. She went to look for Yong He and was refused a meeting by his mother and wife Song Zhu. Despite being advanced in her pregnancy, she stood outside the house for hours. Song Zhu was about to let her in but was stopped by her mother-in-law. Later, when it rained, Yong He decided to meet her. Meili criticised him for being so selfish (unlike the person she knew and loved before), in not mentioning about the fact that Qing Xuan saved his life in battle, a fact which could help save Qing Xuan. Yong He, being a well brought up and trained soldier, could not take Meili's criticisms, especially when compared to Qing Xuan's honour and heroic act despite his hatred for him, at the crucial moment. In the heat of their argument, Song Zhu who happened to be listening nearby, heard Yong He exclaiming to Meili, 'I am supposed to be your husband, not Qing Xuan!'
Song Zhu was heart-broken, knowing Yong He had been faking his love for her. Later, she told Yong He that she was really disappointed with him for not helping her cousin, Qing Xuan, despite him saving his life. She was also disappointed that he is not the hero that she thought he was, and told him to do what should be necessary.
Humiliated by his true love, Meili and his wife Song Zhu, Yong He could not take it anymore. He knew where his father kept the holy book, took it and went to look for Meili late at night. Meili was shocked by his presence at that hour, more concerned about the impropriety in case someone found out. But Yong He explained that he had decided to do what should be done. He said the Emperor should be able to forgive Qing Xuan when he sees the holy book and his explanation in writing... and said that he had just taken poison earlier and it is worth it if he died in her presence.
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