They say lighting never strikes the same place twice. That is true here, with a sequel so disappointing that even a diehard fan like me couldn’t pretend to love. This was overindulgent mess that undid almost everything that was good about the original.

In the first series Xiao Yan Zi was a wily, street smart girl capable of taking care of herself and others. In this series she turned into a village idiot who always needed to be saved from her own stupidity. This was not Vicki Zhao’s finest hour, as her acting was so over the top that it hurts to watch. The lowest point was when Xiao Yan Zi carelessly abandoned Zi Wei in the market. What happened to their everlasting bond of sisterhood?

Zi Wei in part II changed from a level-headed girl to a love-obsessed woman (that kissing scene between her and Er Kang was one of most awkward things ever filmed). Her betrayal of her own father was completely out of character. I find it laughable that she and Xiao Yan Zi were hailed by commoners as “The People’s Princesses.” Unlike Princess Diana, they’ve done squat to support the lives of poor people.

Emperor Qian Long, who was so regal in the original series, was reduced to a leering old man here. Wu A Ge went from being a voice of reason to an insecure, angry guy. Er Kang was given more love scenes but not much else to do besides being Zi Wei’s constant rescuer. He was supposed to be the emperor’s bodyguard, but you hardly ever see him at work.

In this sequel, author Qiong Yao gave us more princesses, more costume changes, more lovey dovey scenes, and more Xiao Yan Zi antics. There was more of everything, except a credible story. Sometimes being a good writer is knowing when to stop.