A blind man and a white guy walk into a walled city…
Jia Sidao is one twisted bastard.
The outgoing Song chancellor crawled up and into the Imperial Court through the wet spot in his sisters bed.
Sunflower originally was his sisters pet name, but it wasnt something their parents called her.
Rather, it came from one of her first admirers.
Yeah, thatll leave a psychological mark on both kids.
It turns out Kublai wasnt her intended target after all, but rather the Empress.
This makes some sense if youre completely on board with Jia being a complete power-hungry lunatic.
In other words, hed let thousands of his own people die for maintain his rule.
She is sparedand entrusted to Ahmad…hmmwhile Kublai readies plans for his armys swift retaliation.
The Empress, though, counsels him in private to consider a slightly-restrained response.
I deserve revenge, he huffs.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Oh, Kublai, she zings him.
You quote whatever holiness suits you at the time.
He may be khan, but she owns him.
Hence, the army will not be marching south.
Instead, Kublai orders Hundred Eyes to sneak in to Xiangyang and kill Jia.
Marco will escort him.
It does seem a little unlikely that Kublai would entrust such an important mission to Hundred Eyes and Marco.
The Blue Princess knows how to play the game too.
Jingim cant be bothered with his mothers meddling right now.
Perhaps the wrong brother fell bloody in the dirt all those months ago.
Jingims judgment is clouded by his jealousy.
Byamba is selected as her opponent and they square off.
If the soldiers dont know whats really at stakeher hand in marriagethe contestants seem to be aware.
He fights with even greater ferocity; she seems to be pulling her punches.
In the end, they get the result that they both desired.
I suspect this means one of them will die very soon.
In Xiangyang, Jing Fei returned from Cambulac after Mei Lins failed assassination attemptand lies to Jia Sidao.
She tells him that the Empress is dead to get to save herself and poor Sunflower.
Over an intimate dinner, Jing Fei offers herself up to her master.
Do you wish to take me?
she asks, after shedding her robe.
All that remains is the signing of the papers, confirming his removal from office.
When Jing returns, he lights a spark, announcing his presence.
(Think that peculiar substance from Quinsai will have a battlefield app, like gunpowder?)
I hear and I forget.
I see and I remember.
I do and I understand, says Jia, quoting Confucius.
Fang, who quite unwisely arranged this momentous handover in private, seems to know Jias mind.
After a long pause, Jia strikes and proves that the pen is mightier than the sword.
Marco, however, brings Kublai information that will prove valuable to his armys strategists.
Xiangyangs wall is vulnerable in one place and can be breached.
Cry Havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!
The Mongols are on the march to finish off Jia and the Song dynasty.
Kublai rallies his troops and speaks of the glory of dying a noble battlefield death for a greater cause.
I suspect a few characters will get that opportunity in episode 8.
