Can't Buy Me Love

On the day of the Qixi Festival, Princess CHIU YEUNG and her number one handmaiden SZETO NGAN-PING disguise themselves as boys and sneak out of the Palace to join the celebratory events in Changan, where they get into a conflict with a fortune-teller. KAM DOR-FOOK of Kam’s Gold finds his brother DOR-LUK at the fortune-telling store, and is shocked to see that he has been sprayed with red paint all over his body by YEUNG. FOOK tries to calm LUK down and urges him to go and pick up their little brother DOR-SHAU, who is returning home after years of harsh kung-fu training in the Shaolin Monastery. Prince WENG and Minister LAW TO-YUEN of the Arts & Culture Directorate come to attend the expansion celebration party held by Kam’s Gold, during which YUEN tries to test HEI, the leader of Kam’s Gold, on her knowledge of gold grading. FOOK learns from his wife YUEN SIU-YUK that HEI has had some hiccups with the purchase of the gold mine……

YEUNG gets into a fight with LUK who is already full of wounds. As the fight goes on, PING discovers Lady WAI coming along. FOOK calls for an urgent meeting with the gold store staff, during which he urges them to take leave without pay. Filled with anger and dismay, the staff want their wages back at once and ask to work on temporary assignments instead. As YEUNG is complaining to Lady SUEN about LUK, Lady WAI turns up suddenly to arrest PING. Dowager TSUI has prepared a banquet for all the princesses and their husbands inside the Palace, in the midst of which Lady WAI summons PING to the dining hall. PING reveals to the royal family that the encounter between YEUNG and LUK which they mentioned earlier is just a pack of lies……

The KAMs ask LUK when YEUNG is going to greet Granny KAM and the rest of the family at their mansion. As LUK is still at a loss for what to say, PING turns up suddenly, which marks the beginning of the nightmare for the whole family. LUK accompanies YEUNG back to the Palace for a visit, during which all the princesses’ husbands offer to put up a great acrobatic show for the newlyweds. Towards the end of the show, LUK is asked to take part in a game of darts as the bull’s eye. HEI and Granny KAM invite YEUNG to dinner at KAM’s Mansion on the night of the Mid-autumn Festival. Recalling how she enjoyed the Festival with her grandmother during her childhood, YEUNG accepts the invitation. During the dinner, YEUNG points out that SHAU is never inclined to be a general. Having got so annoyed with their stupidity, YEUNG even goes on to reveal YUK’s adulterous affair to the family……

SHAU and his brothers manage to save NG SZ-TAK from the hands of the kidnappers. SHAU is so sympathetic to the homeless TAK that he decides to hire her as a maid. A representative from the Military Command comes to KAM’s Mansion inviting SHAU to be a military trainer. The following day, YEUNG shows up suddenly saying that she has declined the offer for SHAU. The KAMs have a terrible quarrel with YEUNG over this. To settle the dispute, HEI suggests SHAU fight a duel with PING, who used to be a kung-fu student from the Emei Sect. SHAU is defeated in the end with his right arm injured. PING experiences terrible pain all over her body. YEUNG arranges for the royal physician to see PING but no improvement is noted. Consumed with anger, LUK goes back to his bedroom and takes out a box of paper dragonflies. By reading the proverbs written on the paper dragonflies, his anger gradually subsides……

YUK keeps tossing and turning all night and finally decides to reveal the truth to FOOK. As HEI is still unsure of what to do, LUK claims that he has already come up with a way to save both YUK and TAK. Having learnt more about the symptoms PING is experiencing, TAK is confident that she can cure the number one handmaiden completely. YEUNG is so grateful to TAK for healing PING. Knowing that TAK was brought up in Tin Ping Village as she was, YEUNG feels a strong sense of intimacy and gets to like her more. TAK asks YEUNG if she can arrange for the royal physician to see SHAU who is still suffering from an arm injury. But to everyone’s surprise, SHAU refuses any kind of treatment. HEI asks FOOK to look for a gift for YEUNG as a token of thanks. Knowing that FOOK is going to give YEUNG an expensive vase, YUK tries to break it on purpose……

Without any fear or regret, Granny KAM even urges YEUNG to punish her. HEI is so disappointed with her sons that she refuses to be the family leader any more and decides to spend the rest of her life repenting before the spirit tablets of all the ancestors. Knowing that a new gold store, Ting Fung Gold, will be distributing gold grains for free to celebrate its grand opening, LUK and FOOK decide to go for a look and see what is going on. The Emperor has given YEUNG two bottles of great wine, with which YEUNG would like to prepare a grape feast for her sisters. During the feast, the four princesses take every opportunity to make fun of YEUNG. As SHAU is still thinking about how to patch up his relationship with HEI, TAK comes along with a bowl of herbal tea. TAK asks SHAU to pass the herbal tea to HEI for her, hoping that he will get the chance and have a nice talk with his mother……

Uncle WING announces to LUK that he and his team will be joining Ting Fung Gold for better remuneration. HEI turns up in the nick of time and points out that it is all a plot by Uncle WING. Accompanied by her sons, HEI goes to visit Ting Fung Gold. HEI is shocked to realize that the owners of the new gold store are actually TING CHOI-WONG and MAI YAN-CHI. She flies into a rage upon seeing the couple and quickly picks a fight with them in the street, which is completely contrary to her normal behavior. YUK and the three brothers learn from Granny KAM the bitter feud between HEI and WONG. LUK and SHAU go to visit the government matchmaker Minister LO, but are surprised to hear that he will soon be transferred to a new post. LUK and SHAU come to see the new government matchmaker TING YAU-WAI with a bunch of gifts. But the fact that WAI is the son of WONG and CHI has shocked and disappointed the brothers tremendously……

Despite her strong fear of WAI’s lustful eyes, TAK tries to read out PING’s questions one by one, hoping that this will help PING make a better evaluation of the man. In the confusion, the sex traffickers manage to spike TAK’s drink with a date-rape drug… The sex traffickers have been caught and WAI decides to take PING back to his office as one of the suspects. The four princesses come to WAI’s office requesting to take PING back to the Palace for further investigation. Dowager TSUI begins to question PING. YEUNG tries to intercede for the girl and manages to move Dowager TSUI with her tears and all the touching stories. Uncle PO is shocked to learn about LUK’s new identity as YEUNG’s husband. Quickly he breaks the news to WONG and CHI. SHAU tells the KAMs that Ting Fung Gold has been pelted with red paint in a malicious attack……

YEUNG comes to KAM’s Mansion requesting to have TAK as her special maid, which is opposed by LUK. TAK, who has fortuitously become the butler to the KAMs and LUK’s personal bodyguard, invites Granny KAM to play the Game of Leaves with YEUNG at the Princess’s House. Granny KAM suffers a series of defeats and gets intercepted by YEUNG as she is about to score. LUK runs into KIU in the street. KIU feels a bit sick, so LUK offers to send her back to the brothel. YEUNG follows Princess WING HO around until she sees LUK running out of the burning brothel with KIU in his arms. YEUNG is so angry that she gives LUK a hard slap across the face. The KAMs try to intercede for LUK by emphasizing his integrity but YEUNG is resolved to divorce LUK no matter what. YEUNG and LUK list their own reasons for divorce, which are all accepted by WAI……

YEUNG comes to KAM’s Mansion requesting to have TAK as her special maid, which is opposed by LUK. TAK, who has fortuitously become the butler to the KAMs and LUK’s personal bodyguard, invites Granny KAM to play the Game of Leaves with YEUNG at the Princess’s House. Granny KAM suffers a series of defeats and gets intercepted by YEUNG as she is about to score. LUK runs into KIU in the street. KIU feels a bit sick, so LUK offers to send her back to the brothel. YEUNG follows Princess WING HO around until she sees LUK running out of the burning brothel with KIU in his arms. YEUNG is so angry that she gives LUK a hard slap across the face. The KAMs try to intercede for LUK by emphasizing his integrity but YEUNG is resolved to divorce LUK no matter what. YEUNG and LUK list their own reasons for divorce, which are all accepted by WAI……

To help LUK break away from the princess, the KAMs try to set YEUNG up and frame her for the guilt of being jealous, but without success. YEUNG and PING are surprised to see SUM-YEE, WING HO’s handmaiden, hanging about on the street in a very suspicious manner. While discussing YEE’s strange behavior inside the Princess’s House, YEUNG and PING suddenly get interrupted by the sound of a ringing bell. The KAMs complain to WAI about YEUNG’s rude speech and behavior, which are deemed to meet the Seven Grounds for Divorce. YEUNG, however, manages to ban the divorce according to another regulation. Impatient with LUK’s stupidity and childishness, YEUNG needs him to receive some training at Chun Yin Academy. The princes get whipped by the teachers at the Academy every time they make a mistake, which gives LUK a great fright……

YUEN invites the four biggest gold retailers in Changan to a meeting, during which he reveals that the Emperor has already endorsed the idea of establishing a gold jewelry association. Both WONG and HEI have offered to take up the post of Chairman. A customer comes to Kam’s Gold with a piece of jewelry, claiming that he has been conned into buying fake gold from the store. After a quality test, the jewelry in question is proved to be a fake product. HEI has no choice but to offer compensation in addition to conducting a detailed investigation into the incident. After a terrible quarrel with WAI, PING bumps into YEE again on the street. The four princesses who engage in illegal rice trade in the name of disaster relief gather at WING HO’s home to discuss their secret deal. Suddenly YEUNG turns up… YUEN invites all the gold retailers to a meeting at his office, for HEI has already found out who has been trying to frame Kam’s Gold……

YUEN invites the four biggest gold retailers in Changan to a meeting, during which he reveals that the Emperor has already endorsed the idea of establishing a gold jewelry association. Both WONG and HEI have offered to take up the post of Chairman. A customer comes to Kam’s Gold with a piece of jewelry, claiming that he has been conned into buying fake gold from the store. After a quality test, the jewelry in question is proved to be a fake product. HEI has no choice but to offer compensation in addition to conducting a detailed investigation into the incident. After a terrible quarrel with WAI, PING bumps into YEE again on the street. The four princesses who engage in illegal rice trade in the name of disaster relief gather at WING HO’s home to discuss their secret deal. Suddenly YEUNG turns up… YUEN invites all the gold retailers to a meeting at his office, for HEI has already found out who has been trying to frame Kam’s Gold……

LUK gets his courage up and gives the princesses a terrible telling-off in front of the Emperor. Filled with rage and frustration, he even goes on to blame the Emperor for having spoiled the princesses rotten, which is the true cause of the prince’s suffering. The Emperor meets with LUK and reveals how YEUNG has praised him for his goodness. Later in the night, the Emperor enjoys his favorite sweet dumplings with YEUNG, during which he expresses his appreciation for LUK and his integrity. PING and TAK go to pester WAI again. Thinking that the girls are a bit too shallow, WAI tries to make them understand the true meaning of love by reading them a poem. LUK runs into the brothel owner, from whom he learns about KIU’s recent behavioral changes, which worry him profoundly……

YEUNG visits the Hut in the middle of the night and urges KIU to break up with LUK at once. Looking at the gold prepared by PING, KIU feels a flush of excitement and offers to reveal the truth right away. YEUNG is about to leave now that the truth is out. The door opens and LUK emerges. In fact he has been tied up by PING and left outside for the whole night… WING HO accuses YEUNG of murdering KIU and urges to send her back to the Palace for further questioning. The truth is finally out and WING HO is driven out of the royal family as punishment. Dowager TSUI, Lady WAI and Lady SUEN go to WING HO’s house to supervise the confiscation, during which the former princess seems to have lost her sanity all of a sudden and threatens to kill herself. WONG rushes to WAI’s office to seek help after CHI is said to have been kidnapped. A huge ransom is demanded for CHI’s safe return……

Granny KAM agrees to offer help to WONG but HEI refuses to lend him a penny. The following day, WONG and WAI go to meet the kidnapper preparing to negotiate for an extended deadline for the ransom payment. Suddenly a little boy comes along with a note from the kidnapper. WAI goes to see HEI in the restaurant, from whom he learns that the kidnap might have been planned by someone close to his family. Uncle PO has a quarrel with the kidnappers over money and gets beaten to unconsciousness soon afterwards. The gang leader has finally shown up… As WAI is about to pass the ransom to the kidnappers, HEI turns up and tears the banknotes into pieces. The gang leader who has been hiding nearby gets provoked and comes out to give HEI a severe telling-off. WAI, TAK and SHAU can find no more beans left by HEI. They have no choice but to search around for clues. TAK discovers a snake but is too scared to make her escape……

As HEI, WONG and CHI are still fighting with the kidnappers, LUK and WAI have arrived with a group of soldiers and government officials. The kidnappers are arrested while the kidnapped victims are all rescued. YEUNG has a gathering with Lady SUEN inside the Palace, during which the Chief Chef is said to have been arrested by Lady WAI who is managing the imperial harem on Dowager TSUI’s behalf. SHAU hunts high and low for the design of the longevity locket that he drew for TAK. Knowing that the design is lost, he starts to panic. YUK who has seen everything points out to FOOK that SHAU must have been in love with TAK. Granny KAM and HEI are surprised to hear that SHAU has fallen for TAK. Taking into account the social gap between the pair, Granny KAM and HEI decide to find SHAU a new girlfriend. YUK, on the other hand, encourages SHAU to make a confession of love to TAK……

LUK gets stabbed in the heart while trying to shield YEUNG from the assassinator. YEUNG is so shocked that she grabs LUK and holds him in her arms at once. YEUNG and LUK meet with Lady WAI asking about the investigation into the assassination. Lady WAI has an argument with YEUNG while discussing the incident, but she is smart enough to distract the princess and makes her believe that Lady SUEN may have something to do with the assassination. YEUNG comes to Kam’s Mansion offering to practice the tea ceremony, which gives the KAMs a real thrill. TAK goes up to the hill to pick the fruit but has sprained her ankle in the process. Through the sheets of rain she sees SHAU approaching with his umbrella… PING goes to see WAI to discuss his matchmaking project for YING, during which a handsome man, who in fact has been shortlisted earlier by WAI, comes along. HEI has a word with TAK about her relationship with SHAU……

FOOK reveals to WAI and the rest of the family that SHAU has been rejected by TAK. The KAMs are so sympathetic to the lad that they all try to give him a few words of consolation. After a sleepless night, SHAU decides to pull himself together and promises his family that he will concentrate on work from now on. TAK asks for HEI’s consent to her transfer to the Princess’s House so that she no longer has to be confronted with SHAU. FOOK notices how WONG treats his staff at Ting Fung Gold, and is very impressed with his management tactics. He praises WONG as a successful businessman and shows huge respect for him. Thrilled with the compliments, WONG offers to teach him more by involving him in an upcoming business meeting, allowing him to get to know Uncle YEE who has a collection of pawned gold objects for sale. WAI enjoys his favorite lamb dishes at a restaurant in the company of LUK……

FOOK is shocked to find out that he has bought a collection of booty for a large sum of money. SHAU urges FOOK to inform HEI as soon as possible, but is rejected. LUK overhears their argument and tries to reconcile his quarreling brothers. The news finally reaches HEI. Filled with rage and grief, HEI gives FOOK a hard slap. CHI flies into a fury when she knows that SIM has shopped around with WONG’s money. SIM points out that she is only claiming a dowry for her daughter, who was betrothed to WAI well before her birth. What SIM says has come as a huge blow to CHI. CHI gets to know PING through WAI. Desperate to call off the engagement between WAI and SIM’s daughter, CHI asks PING to pretend to be WAI’s fiancee. Knowing that the Arts & Culture Directorate is looking for an eligible candidate to fill the post of Procurer, YEUNG encourages LUK to give it a try……

FOOK has a terrible quarrel with his family. He gets so angry with PING’s criticism that he throws a pudding at her but it ends up hitting YEUNG’s forehead instead accidentally. PING rebukes FOOK for assaulting YEUNG and refers to it as a capital offence. Knowing that FOOK can be sentenced to death, the KAMs begin to realize the seriousness of the situation and get extremely frightened. The following morning, HEI hands over the keys and the corporate authority of Kam’s Gold to FOOK in front of the family as well as the spirit tablets of the ancestors. The four princesses come to YUEN’s office with a range of gifts. YUEN refuses the gifts, explaining that he has already decided to appoint LUK as the Procurer. FOOK picks an argument with SHAU again because of YUK. LUK tries to conciliate between them but in vain. In fact he has fanned the flames of the dispute, which causes the three of them to fall out in the end……

Kam’s Gold has finished producing a special collection of gold bowls for the imperial government. FOOK asks Uncle TAI-LIK to pack the bowls properly so that SHAU and the workers can take them back to the store the following day. FOOK goes for a pint with his friends and gets as drunk as a skunk. The next morning when he wakes up on the street corner, he is shocked to discover that all his keys have gone. YUEN points out that FOOK is suspected of fraud against the Emperor and needs to be locked up for further questioning and investigation. The KAMs go to see YUEN in an attempt to intercede for FOOK. Not long after, YEUNG arrives and forces YUEN to release FOOK by threatening to harm herself… The truth is finally out and the three brothers decide to have a drink inside the bedroom in celebration of their reconciliation. The pale-looking PING goes to see WAI in the company of TAK……

Lady WAI pays YEUNG a visit in the Princess’s House, during which she is surprised to learn that TAK and YEUNG were brought up in the same village. YEUNG goes to see the Emperor who has just returned from his tour of inspection. She tells her father about the assassination that happened earlier, shortly after which a messenger rushes in to inform them of the sudden assault on Lady WAI. Lady WAI reveals to the Emperor that the assassination was plotted by YEUNG who has a big secret to hide. She claims that YEUNG is not the Emperor’s biological daughter while TAK is a real princess by blood. YEUNG, TAK and the Emperor have a blood test to prove their kinship. The Emperor finally accepts that TAK is his long-lost daughter. YEUNG is thrown in jail on a charge of attempting to kill Lady WAI. The assassinator is going to kill PING and Eunuch LI so that they will not be able to find any evidence to prove YEUNG’s innocence……

The KAMs learn from WAI that they too will get sued if YEUNG is found guilty, which worries them no end. YUK begins to realize the problem when FOOK announces his support to LUK. Suddenly she reveals her pregnancy to the family and urges LUK to divorce YEUNG so that the KAMs will not perish without offspring. FOOK decides to divorce YUK, through which she will be detached from the family and kept out of the trouble. WAI discovers the seriously injured PING and takes her to a shabby temple for a rest at once. To prove his love for PING, WAI decides to marry her and the pair finish the ceremony right away inside the temple. PING has a fight with the assassinator again but the man dies of poisoning all of a sudden. In the meantime, a bevy of government officials and imperial bodyguards have come along. PING is arrested and locked up with YEUNG in the same cell……

WAI, who is locked up inside his bedroom, urges his parents to release him by threatening to kill himself. The Emperor and Lady WAI are enjoying tea in the royal garden when YEUNG is about to be executed. Suddenly a hitman shows up and tries to attack Lady WAI. Having heard what the hitman said, the Emperor comes to believe that YEUNG is innocent, and immediately sends a eunuch to stop the execution. YEUNG is driven out of the royal family while PING is expelled from the Palace. They return to Kam’s Mansion and are greeted warmly by the family. Granny KAM mistakes LUK and FOOK for her late son and her first daughter-in-law respectively. Lady WAI pays TAK a visit, but is furious to find that she is eating buns and some other cheap snacks, which is considered to be a serious conflict with her identity. Granny KAM is diagnosed with dementia, which is an incurable disease……

LUK, who is no longer a member of the royal family, treats YUEN and WAI to a lamb meal at the restaurant. He thanks YUEN for looking out for him during his brief appointment with the Arts & Culture Directorate as the Procurer, and YUEN, who holds LUK in high regard, would like to continue to hire him as his assistant. WONG runs into SIM again in the street. SIM keeps blackmailing WONG as usual but sneaks away all of a sudden when she sees YUEN approaching. YUEN has finally located SIM, who is proved to be the abductor who took his baby son over twenty years ago. To cheer CHI up a bit, WONG and WAI are going to buy her a gift from Jade House, and YUEN is kind enough to introduce WONG to the jewelry store owner. Knowing that WAI and WONG get on perfectly well with each other, YUEN is consumed with jealousy. WONG and CHI are on their way to Jade House. A bucket of bricks fall suddenly and are about to hit their heads……

Knowing that the KAMs are coming to the Palace the following day, TAK asks her handmaidens to arrange a banquet for the family. Suddenly Lady WAI appears and interrupts their conversation. She gives TAK a terrible telling-off and bans her from meeting anyone from Kam’s Gold. Lady WAI is going to kill Mama SHUM’s illegitimate son WING ON but the lad manages to run away. ON bumps into TAK during his escape. Believing that TAK is the real culprit who caused his mother’s death, ON is resolved to kill her. Luckily YUMAN KIT, the philanthropist whom the Emperor is going to meet, passes by and manages to rescue her in the nick of time. KIT looks so familiar and TAK immediately recognizes him as the benefactor who gave her a longevity locket in Tin Ping Village. TAK takes a nap inside her bedroom. When she wakes up, she is shocked to discover that SHAU has come earlier and left her a letter and a handmade longevity locket……

Lady WAI is so determined to kill YEUNG that she has sent another hitman to ambush her. YEUNG survives the first attack but finally takes a sip of the poisonous tea served by the hitman in the guise of a waiter. TAK pours a libation to YEUNG inside the Palace but is discovered by Lady WAI. Lady WAI is so angry that she kicks the ash pan over right away. The Emperor finally returns from his visit to the disaster zone. Immediately TAK goes to see him and reveals how Lady WAI has tried to frame and kill YEUNG. She admits that she is just a fake princess while YEUNG is the Emperor’s real daughter. TAK and KIT have a walk in the royal garden, during which KIT suddenly expresses his love for her. Granny KAM seems to be very fond of the newly bought painting of Guanyin, and even falls asleep while viewing it. YEUNG tries to stop CHUN HUAI from divorcing her husband TAK LEUNG but in vain……

SHAU finally reveals to KIT his relationship with TAK. To his great surprise, KIT agrees to break up with TAK at once so as to stay out of the love triangle. KIT goes to bid farewell to TAK, during which he asks her to join him in visiting a poor old lady. KIT has an acute attack of asthma along the way. Desperate to save him, TAK has no choice but to search through his pockets for the medicine. LUK tells FOOK that there are a lot of rumors going around about TAK and KIT. To protect TAK’s reputation and stop the scandal, KIT decides to marry her, about which TAK has some reservation. TAK asks SHAU out for a date and SHAU is most delighted to meet her in the flesh. Unfortunately SHAU gets robbed on his way to the restaurant and is brutally beaten to unconsciousness. The Emperor summons all the princesses to the Palace to attend the welcoming banquet for the Tibetan ambassador GAR TONGTSAN……

SHAU goes for a cup of tea with his brothers at the restaurant, during which he reveals his proposal as to where to set up the first branch of Kam’s Gold. In the meantime POK passes by and is asked to offer fortune-telling consultation to the brothers. Nevertheless his predictions have seriously offended the KAMs while he himself gets slammed as the worst fortune-teller of all time. WAI and WONG are waiting for YUEN at Ting Fung Gold. Suddenly two thieves sneak in attempting to snatch a pair of gold bangles from them. WAI gets stabbed in the chest while trying to shield WONG with his body. YUEN finally arrives and manages to drive the thieves away in the nick of time. He is so worried about WAI that he has accidentally revealed their true relationship. WAI pays YUEN a visit at night, during which he happens to find a secret chamber inside the man’s garden……

WAI has lost his enthusiasm for work. As he is pondering deeply over his relationship with PING, WONG and CHI suddenly come along. WONG points out that the family vault in Yangzhou is found damaged and that he is uncertain whether they should put WAI’s wedding on hold and go back to their home village for a look first. Believing that staying in Changan will only leave them in danger, WAI suggests that they head back to Yangzhou as soon as possible. TAK runs into SHAU in the street and comes to understand why he failed to turn up the other day. The Emperor is shocked to hear that a group of assassinators have infiltrated into the delivery team and caused a number of deaths during the transportation of the ritual items to Tibet. The Emperor asks YUEN for further details and YUEN points out that LUK is the one in charge of the whole project……

Knowing that TONGTSAN and his army will be returning to Tibet soon, the Turkic assassinators plan to launch a savage attack on them when they are getting out of the city. WAI asks to have a word with PING at a shabby temple, during which he reveals how the KAMs have been framed by the Turks. The Turkic assassinators come up suddenly and have a terrible fight with the Tibetan army in the middle of the street. YEUNG and TAK get caught and locked up in a disused monastery on the hill. YEUNG reveals to TAK that the KAMs are still alive and that the whole thing is planned in advance by the Emperor and TONGTSAN. YEUNG finds quite a number of Buddhist books around. Left with nothing else to do, she starts to make paper dragonflies with the books and throws them out of the window one by one. After a long period of hunger and thirst, YEUNG becomes so weak that she begins to have hallucinations……