# Sweetness in the Salt

Sweetness in the Salt (Traditional Chinese: 碧血鹽梟) is a TVB costume drama series released overseas in December 2008.

## Synopsis

Nip Chi Yuen (Ma Steven), who works in the anti-smuggling camp, is determined to wipe out the Tau's Fort, which is the stronghold for salt smugglers. He pretends to be a down-and-out scholar. Tau Sing Suet (Yeung Tavia), daughter of the chief smuggler, sympathizes with YUEN and puts him up in the village. Later, they even become fond of each other. During an anti-smuggling operation Suet is badly hurt and has since been separated from Yuen and her family. She is saved by Wu Ting Hin (Wong Raymond), son of salt merchant Wu Kin (Kwok Fung). Hin takes her home. One day, Suet is horrified to see the dead bodies of her parent being hung on the wall of the city tower, and that the official standing on the top of the tower telling the public not to sell smuggled salt is none other than the man she misses day and night. She is heartbroken, and her love for Yuen turns into hatred that moment on.
Hin finds a job for Suet at the salt company his family runs to help her get over her unhappiness. To repay him, she devotes herself entirely to the job. As time goes by, Hin starts to fall in love with her. However his critical illness makes him hesitate to express his love for her. Suet's real identity comes to light when her younger uncle reappears out of the blue. Hin, for fear that his family will report Suet, proposes to her.

## Cast

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Steven Ma | Nip Ji-Yuen 聶致遠 | Anti-Salt Smuggler Officer Wu Family's Guard Dau Sing-Suet's ex-lover. |
| Tavia Yeung | Dau Sing-Suet 竇勝雪 | Daughter of a salt smuggler. Wu Ting-Hin's friend, later wife. |

### The Wu family

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Kwok Fung (郭峰) | Wu Kin 胡坚 | Salt Trader/Merchant |
| Halina Tam | Wu Ting-Bik 胡亭碧 | Wu Kin's first child (daughter). Choi-Chi-On's secret lover. |
| Raymond Wong | Wu Ting-Hin 胡亭軒 | Salt Merchant Wu Kin's second child (son). Dau Sing-Suet's friend/admirer, later husband. |
| Ngo Ka-nin | Wu Ting-Fai 胡亭輝 | Wu Kin's third child (son). Yin Yuet's lover and later father of her child and husband. |
| Casper Chan (陳思齊) | Wu Ting-Yim 胡亭嫣 | Wu Kin's fourth child (daughter). Choi Chi On's friend then wife |
| Celine Ma (馬蹄露) | Wu Choi-Dip 胡彩蝶 | Wu Kin's younger sister. |

### Other cast

| Cast | Role | Description |
| Joel Chan (陳山聰) | Choi Chi-On 蔡子安 | Salt trader/merchant Wu Ting-Bik's secret lover. Wu Ting-Yim's admirer, later husband. |
| Felix Lok | To Ying-Lung 屠應龍 | Corrupted governor Nip Ji-Yuen's godfather. |
| Mary Hon (韓馬利) | Nip Cheung-See 聶張氏 | Sauce merchant/Illegal loan lender Nip Ji-Yuen's mother |
| Chiang Chi Kwong (蔣志光) | Yiu Sau-Ching 姚守正 | Non-corrupted governor |
| Lee Kwok Lun (李國麟) | Dau Hung 竇雄 | Salt Smuggler Dau Sing-Suet's uncle. |
| Meini Cheung (張美妮) | Yin Yuet 映月 | Prostitute. Wu Ting-Fai's admirer. |
| Kara Hui | Choi Ngan Fa | Illegal salt smuggler |

## Awards and nominations

TVB Anniversary Awards (2009)
* Nominated: Best Drama
* Nominated: Best Actor (Steven Ma) Top 5
* Nominated: Best Supporting Actor (Raymond Wong)

## Viewership ratings

| | Week | Episodes | Average Points | Peaking Points |
| 1 | June 8–12, 2009 | 1—5 | 27 | — |
| 2 | June 15–19, 2009 | 6—10 | 27 | 31 |
| 3 | June 22–26, 2009 | 11 — 15 | 28 | — |
| 4 | June 2 - July 3, 2009 | 16—20 | 28 | — |
| 5 | July 6–10, 2009 | 21—25 | 30 | 33 |