Post by ajk on May 3, 2015 23:11:08 GMT -5
It sure looks like Seonjo is having a full-blown heart attack. He passes clean out...
...and proceeds to berate the councilors just like he did before, while they stand there silently just like they did before. Seonjo blames Kim Seongil for all this--remember, Kim was the envoy who judged a war to be unlikely--and orders Kim's arrest. Ultimately Shin Rip says he'll lead an army south and stop the Japanese advance. It comforts Seonjo immensely...
...but Ryu seems worried that Shin will attempt a big frontal attack for the sake of his own ego. Which would be unwise; the area he's headed to is ideal for ambushes and terrible for a frontal attack. Ryu tells Shin exactly that; Shin accepts the advice politely but you just don't get the feeling he's giving it any weight.
Later we see Shin in full battle armor, addressing a large army and rallying them to the defense of their nation.
Konishi's army has entered another village and killed everyone. Actually Konishi is trying to find any local official who can help him get in contact with the capital. But he isn't finding anybody, and he's getting increasingly irritated. So onward they press.
We see and hear about difficulties in getting the Joseon units coordinated and battle-ready. Even communication is becoming difficult because the Japanese are advancing so far inland so quickly. Then we visit one southern camp, where the food has run out and where news that the Japanese army is nearby leads all of the soldiers to sneak out in the middle of the night and desert! Every single one of them. The officers there can't do anything now, not with no soldiers to lead.
Ryu goes to Seonjo and advises him to appoint some southern regional officials to emergency positions to coordinate war efforts and stabilize the situation. One of those officials happens to be Kim Seongil, who comes from a southern region and who Ryu says is by far the best person for the job. Seonjo outright refuses. Repeatedly. But Ryu is very persistent about it.
Kato has gotten word of Konishi's fast advance. He's so agitated that he abandons the war plan and tells his army to head for Joseon immediately! His army sails to Joseon and heads north on a more easterly route that Konishi's, hoping to beat him to the capital and capture the king before Konishi can do it. Narration tells us this was on April 19, 1592, and that additional Japanese units subsequently landed and took a third route towards the capital, this one farther to the west. Then we watch Kato's army raiding a village and killing everyone there as Kato laughs with delight.
Kim Seongil has been arrested and is being taken to the capital. But an official traveling south from the capital finds him and his guards; he's brought a royal order to have Kim released. So obviously Ryu persuaded the king after all.
In a field in the southern countryside, Lee Il is reviewing the soldiers that the local commanders have been able to gather. They don't look all that impressive, do they. "A bunch of misfits," Lee complains, but hey at least they didn't desert. Meanwhile, not far away, Konishi has gotten word of Kato's landing and worries that Kato may indeed beat him to the capital--and more importantly, disrupt his effort to reach out to the Joseon king and broker a surrender. He knows that Lee Il is nearby and orders that Lee be taken alive, so that Lee can be the one to deliver his message.
We see Lee Il's camp get attacked and the soldiers slaughtered with musket fire. Lee appears to have survived it, at least so far....
Japan: A party for Hideyoshi and his court. Music, dancing, some food; Hideyoshi is having a great time. And the arrival of news of Konishi's rapid advance only makes him happier. Meanwhile Ishida receives a different letter from Konishi, who tells him he's still going to try to negotiate with the Joseon king.
News of Lee Il's defeat reaches the capital and crushes Seonjo. He's scared and whining now; it's pathetic and totally un-kingly. What a time for Ryu to shock him and everyone else...by asking him to install a crown prince! Doink! Where did this come from? Do it now to show everyone that the royal family is strong and to rally public sentiment, Ryu urges. Seonjo is completely blindsided, but when all of the other councilors say they agree that it's a good idea, Seonjo finds it hard to argue. Says he'll agree to it as "a temporary measure" and that the question of who will ultimately inherit the throne will be put off until later.
"The crown prince can become a hostage during war." That's why Consort Kim has absolutely no intention of pushing for her son Sinseong to be chosen. And she knows it's only temporary anyway. Elsewhere, Imhae tells the queen he has no intention of becoming crown prince in this situation. And Gwanghae thinks he'll be the unlucky one chosen temporarily, but only temporarily since his father clearly favors Sinseong to be the eventual permanent choice. The queen encourages him, though, and says he's the best choice to support the king right now. And adds, "You were born as a man. It's not bad to give up your life for the country and its people. I will be with you. Don't be too upset."
A lucky break for Konishi: one of the captured prisoners speaks Japanese. And So Yoshitoshi, he has a connection to Lee Deokhyeong. So a message manages to get through to Seonjo...
..."Peace talks?" Konishi is asking to negotiate with Lee Deokhyeong. Seonjo and the top officials discuss it. Lee knows the dangers but is more than willing to go, if only to buy some time to reorganize the army. It's a brave offer, and it's accepted. He immediately heads south.
Lee Il did survive; he crawled away under fire and has made it to Shin Rip's camp. Lee is surprised to find Shin's camp out in an open area rather than in a nearby fortress, and asks the reason. Shin still believes that muskets take too long to fire and that an open-field battle is to Joseon's advantage. He also says that the Joseon soldiers aren't well-trained enough yet to do "complicated strategies like ambushes and raids"--so here they will stay and here they will fight. And his cavalry unit, he says it's "the best in the world" and the Japanese will stand no chance against it. Lee doesn't exactly look sold on it, but he's not in command here. And now we see the two armies facing off across a wide, flat plain. Orders on both sides are given to prepare for battle.
...and proceeds to berate the councilors just like he did before, while they stand there silently just like they did before. Seonjo blames Kim Seongil for all this--remember, Kim was the envoy who judged a war to be unlikely--and orders Kim's arrest. Ultimately Shin Rip says he'll lead an army south and stop the Japanese advance. It comforts Seonjo immensely...
...but Ryu seems worried that Shin will attempt a big frontal attack for the sake of his own ego. Which would be unwise; the area he's headed to is ideal for ambushes and terrible for a frontal attack. Ryu tells Shin exactly that; Shin accepts the advice politely but you just don't get the feeling he's giving it any weight.
Later we see Shin in full battle armor, addressing a large army and rallying them to the defense of their nation.
Konishi's army has entered another village and killed everyone. Actually Konishi is trying to find any local official who can help him get in contact with the capital. But he isn't finding anybody, and he's getting increasingly irritated. So onward they press.
We see and hear about difficulties in getting the Joseon units coordinated and battle-ready. Even communication is becoming difficult because the Japanese are advancing so far inland so quickly. Then we visit one southern camp, where the food has run out and where news that the Japanese army is nearby leads all of the soldiers to sneak out in the middle of the night and desert! Every single one of them. The officers there can't do anything now, not with no soldiers to lead.
Ryu goes to Seonjo and advises him to appoint some southern regional officials to emergency positions to coordinate war efforts and stabilize the situation. One of those officials happens to be Kim Seongil, who comes from a southern region and who Ryu says is by far the best person for the job. Seonjo outright refuses. Repeatedly. But Ryu is very persistent about it.
Kato has gotten word of Konishi's fast advance. He's so agitated that he abandons the war plan and tells his army to head for Joseon immediately! His army sails to Joseon and heads north on a more easterly route that Konishi's, hoping to beat him to the capital and capture the king before Konishi can do it. Narration tells us this was on April 19, 1592, and that additional Japanese units subsequently landed and took a third route towards the capital, this one farther to the west. Then we watch Kato's army raiding a village and killing everyone there as Kato laughs with delight.
Kim Seongil has been arrested and is being taken to the capital. But an official traveling south from the capital finds him and his guards; he's brought a royal order to have Kim released. So obviously Ryu persuaded the king after all.
In a field in the southern countryside, Lee Il is reviewing the soldiers that the local commanders have been able to gather. They don't look all that impressive, do they. "A bunch of misfits," Lee complains, but hey at least they didn't desert. Meanwhile, not far away, Konishi has gotten word of Kato's landing and worries that Kato may indeed beat him to the capital--and more importantly, disrupt his effort to reach out to the Joseon king and broker a surrender. He knows that Lee Il is nearby and orders that Lee be taken alive, so that Lee can be the one to deliver his message.
We see Lee Il's camp get attacked and the soldiers slaughtered with musket fire. Lee appears to have survived it, at least so far....
Japan: A party for Hideyoshi and his court. Music, dancing, some food; Hideyoshi is having a great time. And the arrival of news of Konishi's rapid advance only makes him happier. Meanwhile Ishida receives a different letter from Konishi, who tells him he's still going to try to negotiate with the Joseon king.
News of Lee Il's defeat reaches the capital and crushes Seonjo. He's scared and whining now; it's pathetic and totally un-kingly. What a time for Ryu to shock him and everyone else...by asking him to install a crown prince! Doink! Where did this come from? Do it now to show everyone that the royal family is strong and to rally public sentiment, Ryu urges. Seonjo is completely blindsided, but when all of the other councilors say they agree that it's a good idea, Seonjo finds it hard to argue. Says he'll agree to it as "a temporary measure" and that the question of who will ultimately inherit the throne will be put off until later.
"The crown prince can become a hostage during war." That's why Consort Kim has absolutely no intention of pushing for her son Sinseong to be chosen. And she knows it's only temporary anyway. Elsewhere, Imhae tells the queen he has no intention of becoming crown prince in this situation. And Gwanghae thinks he'll be the unlucky one chosen temporarily, but only temporarily since his father clearly favors Sinseong to be the eventual permanent choice. The queen encourages him, though, and says he's the best choice to support the king right now. And adds, "You were born as a man. It's not bad to give up your life for the country and its people. I will be with you. Don't be too upset."
A lucky break for Konishi: one of the captured prisoners speaks Japanese. And So Yoshitoshi, he has a connection to Lee Deokhyeong. So a message manages to get through to Seonjo...
..."Peace talks?" Konishi is asking to negotiate with Lee Deokhyeong. Seonjo and the top officials discuss it. Lee knows the dangers but is more than willing to go, if only to buy some time to reorganize the army. It's a brave offer, and it's accepted. He immediately heads south.
Lee Il did survive; he crawled away under fire and has made it to Shin Rip's camp. Lee is surprised to find Shin's camp out in an open area rather than in a nearby fortress, and asks the reason. Shin still believes that muskets take too long to fire and that an open-field battle is to Joseon's advantage. He also says that the Joseon soldiers aren't well-trained enough yet to do "complicated strategies like ambushes and raids"--so here they will stay and here they will fight. And his cavalry unit, he says it's "the best in the world" and the Japanese will stand no chance against it. Lee doesn't exactly look sold on it, but he's not in command here. And now we see the two armies facing off across a wide, flat plain. Orders on both sides are given to prepare for battle.