Great summary! I haven't gathered all my thoughts about Ying Chun yet, but I wanted to float one theory I've had. I think we do see other members of the Flower Tribe including this one:
It's in episode 13, at about 19:33, right at the end of the scene of Zhu Jiu meeting Ya Qing on the cement roof, where Zhu Jiu has taken Zheng Yi. This close-up shot of potted flowers on the cement roof seemed random to me for a long time, but then I noticed that the next scene we see of Ying Chun is when she's warning Shen Wei that "we just got information that one of your enemies is likely a Yashou traitor." (And more and more, I feel like there aren't really any random shots in this show; they worked hard within their limitations.) My theory is that this member of the Flower Tribe sends the information about Ya Qing working with Shen Wei's enemies to Ying Chun. I like to envision a whole network of the Flower Tribe hiding in plain sight, observing and sharing information, at least among themselves. This could explain how Ying Chun could know about the Mountain-River Awl -- from Flower Tribe connections.
For what it's worth, I always thought these background Yashou (wearing white) in episode 37 were Flower Tribe members: because of their white costumes (some with ruffles) and at least one is wearing a colorful skirt. They could be Snake Tribe, although the Snake Tribe men wear grey and/or black. But I associate these background Yashou with the Yashou we see more clearly in episode 35, during the flashback when the Yashou tribes go off on their own after Fu You says good-bye to Da Qing and Ma Gui. Some of them have flowers in their hair (you can see this from the overhead distance shot of the scene), and when the tribes leave, the Yashou wearing white with colors leave separately from the Snake Tribe led by Fu You. I feel pretty strongly that these Yashou in episode 35 are Flower Tribe Yashou who were part of the alliance, and their similar dress to the background Yashou in episode 37 makes me think the ones in episode 37 are also Flower Tribe.
no subject
It's in episode 13, at about 19:33, right at the end of the scene of Zhu Jiu meeting Ya Qing on the cement roof, where Zhu Jiu has taken Zheng Yi. This close-up shot of potted flowers on the cement roof seemed random to me for a long time, but then I noticed that the next scene we see of Ying Chun is when she's warning Shen Wei that "we just got information that one of your enemies is likely a Yashou traitor." (And more and more, I feel like there aren't really any random shots in this show; they worked hard within their limitations.) My theory is that this member of the Flower Tribe sends the information about Ya Qing working with Shen Wei's enemies to Ying Chun. I like to envision a whole network of the Flower Tribe hiding in plain sight, observing and sharing information, at least among themselves. This could explain how Ying Chun could know about the Mountain-River Awl -- from Flower Tribe connections.
For what it's worth, I always thought these background Yashou (wearing white) in episode 37 were Flower Tribe members:
because of their white costumes (some with ruffles) and at least one is wearing a colorful skirt. They could be Snake Tribe, although the Snake Tribe men wear grey and/or black. But I associate these background Yashou with the Yashou we see more clearly in episode 35, during the flashback when the Yashou tribes go off on their own after Fu You says good-bye to Da Qing and Ma Gui.
Some of them have flowers in their hair (you can see this from the overhead distance shot of the scene), and when the tribes leave, the Yashou wearing white with colors leave separately from the Snake Tribe led by Fu You. I feel pretty strongly that these Yashou in episode 35 are Flower Tribe Yashou who were part of the alliance, and their similar dress to the background Yashou in episode 37 makes me think the ones in episode 37 are also Flower Tribe.