Sai See

How long 20 episodes

Foreword
ATV produced 3 dramas on the 4 legendary beauties – Sai See, Wong Chau Chun and Diao Chan. This is one of them. How did Lai Yin Shan fare in this drama?

Story/Introduction on characters

1. Shi Yi Guang – Lai Yin San
She is very sickly when young and often suffers from heartaches. Thus her family often worries for her health. She is gentle but can also be strong. Although she wishes to elope with Li to seek her own happiness, she gives in to him to serve Gou Jian. She returns to his side after Fu Chai’s downfall. Both roam Xi An and are happily ever after.

2. Fan Li – Poon Chi Mun
He is a very loyal official. He knows Yi Guang through a meeting and falls in love immediately with her. However, he reminds himself not to ruin her mission to destroy Fu Chai. He looks forward to be with her after her victory but is dismayed that Gou Jian also wants her. Not wanting her to get ruined again, he gets her to eat a drug to trick that she is dead so that he can sneak out of the palace with her.

3. Fu Chai – Bak Piew
He is delighted that Yi Guang is sent to him. However, he is heartbroken upon knowing that she has never loved him before he is killed by Gou Jian.

4. Gou Jian – Lo Shek Ching
He has himself to blame for his downfall. Li has to come up with this painful plan to send Yi Guang to ruin Fu Chai. He curses himself upon seeing how pretty she is but has to send her away. During this time, he tastes the sour gall in the cell to remind himself of the hardship as Fu Chai’s slave. He even tastes Fu Chai’s stool when he is sick to gain his trust! When he regains his position, he sets his eyes on Yi Guang. Li doesn’t allow this to happen again because he believes that his beloved has suffered long enough.

5. Mrs Gou – Ban Ban
She is Gou Jian’s wife who goes through all the hardship with him when both become Fu Chai’s slave. Upon returning to the Yue state, she is jealous of Yi Guang and attempts to poison her to death. Luckily, Li discovers her ploy and switches the drug to save her instead.

6. Mrs Fu – Chan Choi Yin
She is Fu Chai’s wife who is enraged with the Yue state sending two beauties to Fu Chai. But she can’t do anything as Fu Chai finds her youth fading away and she is becoming unattractive to her.

7. Qiao Er – Choi Sin Yee
She is Yi Guang’s maid who goes through thick and thin with her.

8. Hei Jian – Lee Kong
He is Li’s neighbour and takes up the mission to protect Yi Guang when she is sent to the rival camp.

9. Mrs Hei – Chow Mei Ling
She follows her husband and takes care of the two beauties well as she is a great cook.

10. Zheng Dan – Tsui Bo Fung
She is reputed to be the No.2 beauty sent to Fu Chai with Yi Guang and is very sickly. Fu Chai ignores her as he is completely obsessed with Yi Guang. She is down when he only comes under Yi Guang’s advice. She thinks that Yi Guang is successful in her mission without her. But she doesn’t know that she is important to Yi Guang as her companion as she misses home. She dies of an illness which upsets her.

11. Mr Shi – See Ma Wah Long
Yi Guang is his only daughter and he is unwilling to see her leave but he has no choice.

12. Kong Wu – Ng Yik Jeung
He is also Li’s friend who helps him in court.

13. Kong Liang – Cho Tak Wah
Another loyal official and is Wu’s father who plans for Gou Jian’s comeback when he is away.

14. Wu Zhi Xu – Kong Hon
He is Fu Chai’s prime minister and is disturbed when the two beauties are sent to him. He even tries to tell a superstitious Fu Chai that Yi Guang is a jinx as she keeps frowning because of her heartaches. But unfortunately, he doesn’t listen to him and he kills himself after his state is destroyed.

15. Song Shi – Yuen King Dan
She tries hard to imitate Yi Guang when she frowns, hoping to attract men. But her ugly looks scare them away instead. She becomes Yi Guang’s good friend and becomes a couple with Wu later.

Songs
The theme song ‘The Love Knot Can’t Be Removed’ and the sub theme song ‘Spin the Yarn’ are by Lau Fung Ping. Two definite masterpieces - all should not miss both great songs conveyed by her gentle voice.

Conclusion

Although Yin San is a modern beauty, she does her part well as a lavishing periodic beauty. She might seem stiff in certain scenes but she has tried her best. However, it is a wrong choice to choose Chi Man as age is catching up on him. Story wise, most plots are faithful to history. Well, having a slight change to have a happy ending doesn’t hurt, isn’t it?

Although ATV is lacking of a starlist cast, it splurges a lot of money by bringing the cast to shoot dramas in China. The scenery is very breathtaking when we see how the beauties wash the yarn by the stream. The cast has given a satisfactory performance so this drama is still worth watching after all.

Sukting's ratings :

On acting : *** (Scale of 5)

On story : *** (Scale of 5)

On songs : **** (Scale of 5)