Novoland: The Castle In The Sky 九州·天空城 - Episode 8 (Recap)

kakashi: Lots of people are in a lot of pain in this episode and we find out that our Wingkind Emperor does not want to go back to Wingkind Territory. Hmmmm ... has someone been nasty to you, dearest Tianyi? We will come and beat him up for you!
JoAnne: What kind of scar do you think that is on Tingjun's temple, there?
A real one, that's for sure. 

Episode 8

The Queen has force-fed Jishu the medicine and he is in excruciating pain. It moves her to see this, and yet ... she doesn't really care. On goes the mask and out goes the Queen.
Whatever. I sincerely do not care about these two.

Cut to Huanzheng, who is brought to some work-room, where other prisoners are already fitting stuff together. It's a place nobody ever gets out of again. Well, that was before some idiot put Huanzheng in a room full of tools! He quickly designs something in his head, creates some ruckus and gets put into solitary confinement. Exactly what he wanted, of course.
This kid is going places. How cute is he smiling through those bars, too?

Tingjun has gone on a hunger strike (only a brief one though) and then tells his mother he has no ambition to rule the world. He wants peace and happiness. And freedom. Ergo, he no longer wants to be the Crown Prince. That about breaks his mommy's heart, but I think she no longer has one? She says, fine, then you're no longer my son. And you can have what you want if you can get out of the city via the Water Moon Punishment. I'm guessing that's something bad.
I'm sure we'll find out soon.

But what of Fuling and the Wingkind Emperor, you may ask?! Well, they crashed. I'm guessing her cushion-flowers acted up again, because they're still alive. He isn't doing too well though... Blood-loss, I guess. Fuling helps him along, until he can go no further. His head on her knee, shivering, he talks about dying. But she grabs his hand, holds him close and tells him he cannot die yet - she hasn't even thanked him properly.
I'd like to thank him properly.
DAMN. I have vivid images in my head about thanking him properly.

Time for the Water Moon Punishment next. It is the "cruelest punishment" of the Tian Ji Sect (the Queen's advisor is one of them and he's not the last sect-member we'll meet). During half an hour, you go through the sufferings of a lifetime. Nobody has ever survived it! But Tingjun doesn't care. He drinks some potion and then it begins. He starts walking out of the city and enters an illusion. Lots of suffering follows: For example, his Fuling in the Wingkind Emperor's arms. Fuling stabbing him, then her father. Lots of blood, all over him. And Bi Anhua, trying to get him to stop. Even the Queen is horrified.

Oh, does everyone get to see what he sees?

But he doesn't die. He makes it! He walks out of the city gates and is free - no longer the Crown Prince, just a commoner. Bi Anhua follows him out and the Queen lets her. That's good, because he looks like he needs her help.

Good, just let him go live on a mountain somewhere with Bi Anhua and grow tea or something.

Oh look, Mr. Wingkind is up and about again. He's strong like that. They've made a fire. Fuling is absolutely hearbroken about the Tingjun-killed-her-father thing. He consoles her, not at all nasty for a change, and tells her he'll take her somewhere safe. That would be South Yudu City, wouldn't it? she asks - that's the capital of his empire. It's where they're headed - the road she took him on is leading there. 

Damn, he looks good.

I'm making him a Puppy. He can be Emperor of Puppies.

Oh no, hearing this is a nasty surprise to him!! He jumps up at once and starts putting out the fire. He does not want to go back there, he exclaims. And then he hears something and signals her to take cover. But it's only one of his Ken-doll bodyguards! Ruo Fei, the guy's name is. He is happy to see Tianyi - they all got away after the Jishu-fiasco and have been searching frantically for their leader ever since. What a shock when an arrow pierces this dude's heart from out of nowhere!! I'll be damned... those are winged warriors! Wingkind!!

But why would his own troops be trying to kill him?

They're trying to kill Tianyi!! No wonder he doesn't want to go back there! Arrows and spears keep flying (and missing) until a Wingkind battleship appears and shoots at the assassins. Ohhhh, it's beautiful. Yes, Wingkind got ALL the things.

They sure did! Do the humans have anything?

No, that's why they're so pissed. 

And we meet Pei Yu (Dai Chao), Commander of the Wingkind Guards, who has come to pick Feng Tianyi up. Poor Emperor, he looks defeated and gloomy... after handing Fuling back her dagger, Tianyi enters the starship. He orders Pei Yu to bring Fuling back to the Palace with them (Pei Yu refuses at first, ha! He is no pushover!) and off they go!

Ohhh, Wingkind City is gorgeous! Tianyi's arrival is announced to a beaaaautiful Princess that we only see bits and pieces of. She learns of Fuling's presence and the fact that the Emperor's injury is related to her. Wingkind Princess does not like to hear this. Uh-oh, do we have a second lead?
I knew it was too good to be true. But maybe they'll fool us and have her be his sister, and she falls for Tingjun, and together they all fight against evil.

I think Tingjun is trying to cut the Corroding Boner out next? That doesn't work though, he's in horrible pain. He and Bi Anhua are in some hut, in the middle of nowhere. She is very kind to him but he tries to send her away ... well, since he is no longer the Crown Prince, he thinks she should go find her own future. That won't happen though. Because he no longer wants to be called Lord, she suggests to call him "Tingjun gege". That brings sad memories of Fuling for Tingjun. Poor Bi Anhua, she stands no chance.
Well, I care more about these two than I did about Jishu and the Crazy Queen, but that's not saying much.

5 maids swarm into Fuling's gigantic room at the Wingkind Palace, bringing all kinds of things to make her comfortable. She only has one thing on her mind though: Feng Tianyi! She demands to see him, but the maids freeze in fear at the mention of his real name (and of course have no clue where "His Majesty" is). Fine, Fuling just walks out.  
It's the Barbie Dream House version of a Chinese palace.

Outside, she witnesses the punishment of those winged warriors that attacked Feng Tianyi and herself earlier. Their wings are chopped off! Or rather, dissolved. Apparently, that will make them bleed to death. All of a sudden, somebody grabs Fuling from behind and pulls her away. It's a woman. Notice her necklace?

Wait. Now they're being killed? For doing what they were told to do? Or were they rebels?

She tells Fuling she's not allowed to be here - and she also tells her that this cruel punishment she just witnessed was ordered by the Regent, Shezheng (Pei Yu is his man, that explains his earlier behavior towards Tianyi). Oh, there's a Regent? Oh. True, Wingkind Emperor is not fully fledged yet! In fact, the Regent has all the power right now, until Feng Tianyi turns 20. The woman introduces herself as Xiao Xue, a palace maid and then takes Fuling to the bath house. Where she checks her out, from head to toe O_____o commenting on her nice skin and figure. That was creepy.

She's very curious about everything to do with how Yi Fuling and Feng Tianyi met and how Fuling feels about him. Well, Fuling is quite defensive when the "maid" suggests she might like him, but we're not convinced, Fuling. The "maid" also knows that the Emperor will have dinner with Fuling at the South Dream Pavillon later. And we end the episode with Fuling inviting her new friend to join her there.

Oh this should be good.

Comments

Hmmmmmm.... this show took an interesting turn in this episode, one that I wasn't at all expecting. Feng Tianyi does not want to be in the palace because somebody is out to kill him? Damn. No wonder he liked to frolic around in that weird school of theirs and anger Tingjun whenever he got a chance. 

And no wonder he's so suspicious of everyone.

I cannot wait to meet the "Regent", who sounds like an awful kind of man, at least in Xiao Xue's words. Cruel and mean. It is likely that he is Feng Tianyi's adversary ... probably wanting to stay in power much longer, trying to prevent our not-quite-of-age Emperor from from reaching 20? And we all know that Xiao Xue isn't really a maid, right? Unless maids wear the same kind of necklaces princesses wear. 

But is she his sister or cousin or his romantic interest? She could be the regent's daughter. We need to know!

Finally, Tingjun ... his bad luck continues. He really meant it when he said he's had enough.

Poor guy. But you know, people can love more than one person. He could just let her go.