Post by ajk on Aug 8, 2015 0:57:36 GMT -5
"That's right." Ryu doesn't duck it. Says he wants Yun and Lee Hangbok out of the court. They have to go, he says, to keep them from rabble-rousing and encouraging the military into attacks that they're not strong enough to win. Seonjo sighs and says he'll think about it.
Later Seonjo has tea with consort Kim. She agrees with Ryu and advises Seonjo to go along with him. She knows how loyal Yun has been--and he really, really has. Seonjo calls him "a great man who protects me," and feels strongly about Lee Hangbok too. "If I drive them off the court then who am I to rely on?" But Kim says they'll make sure the crown prince doesn't get too powerful if he sends them to the south. A good piece of insight.
Even Ryu's allies on the council don't like it. But Ryu is unwavering. We can't have internal conflict over how to conduct the war, he tells them. "Understand this is the only way." And pulls out Yi Sunsin's note saying "re-create the country" to persuade them (although it's hard to see how that has any effect).
Lee Deokhyeong goes and tells Lee Hangbok, who becomes almost frantic. This is tough for Deokhyeong to tell his friend, but he says he agrees with Ryu this time. Begs him to change his mind about attacking the enemy now, but Hangbok won't budge on his opinion.
Lee Wonik goes to Yun and tells him. Of course Yun doesn't take it well. Not just being sent south but the fact that Ryu is suppressing dissenting opinions like this. "He will face many enemies and won't survive" if he continues to act like this," Yun says...
...but then when Ryu sits down with Yun himself, Ryu insists it's not about political power, only about saving and rebuilding the country. Ryu is furious and says You can't force me to go south without the king's approval anyway...Wow, talk about timing: Seonjo walks into the room right then and tells Yun he approves! "I'm truly sorry," he tells Yun, "but we can't defeat the Wae army on our own." Obviously difficult and painful for the king, but he tells Yun to go serve as supreme commander of the three provinces.
The crown prince reports to his father before leaving. Seonjo cautions him to limit himself to the mugunsa's specific duties and to report to him on a daily basis. You can see the contempt and frustration boiling inside the prince.
Lee Deokhyeong bids his friend Lee Hangbok farewell. Shows his friendship by loaning him an incense pouch that was the only thing his late wife left him. It's quite a gesture and it moves Hangbok almost to tears.
Now the entire mugunsa party assembles to depart. Ryu provides polite words of encouragement. Yun says he'll do his duty but "I'll repay you for this." "Be sure to do that," Ryu answers calmly. With that they all begin their journey south. As we see glimpses of their journey through devastated villages, narration tells us that this was in early 1594, and that the mugunsa was a smaller and more limited entity than the dual-government bunjo entity that the crown prince headed. Reason being, "Seonjo had his guard up against Prince Gwanghae."
Jeonju government headquarters, Jeolla province: The party has arrived. Gwanghae is deeply affected by all of the corpses they saw in those villages. It strengthens his resolve; he tells his officials to "think you are living for the people who died unjust deaths." Now as far as recruiting and training soldiers, Gwanghae doesn't want to forcibly draft people, not with public sentiment so low already here in the south. Says he wants to hold a national exam to search for elite candidates. Is this overstepping his bounds? Will Seonjo reject the idea? Gwanghae isn't worried; he even tells his officials that his restrictions notwithstanding, "like I did in bunjo I will settle public sentiments, oversee military affairs, and take care of administrative matters too." Wow. A shocking admission. And just as shockingly, Ryu tells him to go right ahead.
Announcements are posted to inform the people...
...and a request is sent to Yi Sunsin to provide someone to mugunsa for training. Yi orders some muskets prepared to send them...doesn't say anything about a trainer; presumably someone will accompany the muskets...but he won't allow anyone in his camp to take Gwanghae's exam. He's worried that everyone will want to go, and he can't have that while the enemy army is nearby. So not now, he tells them, not yet. Then he prepares a formal written request: a request to hold his own exam, one for the naval forces in his camp. Says it would "console" his men.
Back in Jeonju, Yun Dusu goes ballistic; says a mere general shouldn't be making such a request. He's already suspicious of Yi for using refugees to tend those government fields. "The naval commander of the three provinces can't do whatever he wants!" And even suggests Yi might have less-than-honorable intentions. But the other officials support Yi and convince Gwanghae to speak to him personally. Gwanghae orders him summoned.
Yi answers the summons by saying he can't leave the camp now; too much is going on. He prepares a written report instead and asks that it be accepted. He sends the report on its way. Now he gets reports of pirates harassing and plundering civilian fishing vessels. Disguising themselves as fishermen and then attacking at close range. Tough problem to solve. He and his officers decide to issue official passes so that only recognized fishing boats will be allowed in fishing areas. On a trial basis, at least, for now.
Back at mugunsa: Gwanghae says he understands Yi's situation and is disappointed rather than angry. His officials understand too, all but Yun. He's angry and volunteers to go to Yi's camp himself and check the situation. Gwanghae accepts, but warns him not to issue any sort of discipline. I'll make a decision when you return, the prince tells him.
Ryu wants to implement a rice tax called "jangmibeop"--a progressive tax, based on land ownership. It's been attempted before, unsuccessfully, and of course the upper classes will resist it bitterly. But Ryu says it's necessary. He pitches it to Seonjo but Seonjo is fearful of the degree of opposition. "I'm afraid too," Ryu tells him, but can it be as bad as the enemy army that's wrecking our country?
Well that was fast: Yi's camp is holding its own exam after all. Tests of fighting and archery skills, and then an oral exam with questions asked about Sun Tzu. It's tough. The finish a round just in time for an angry, glaring Yun Dusu to show up in camp.
Yi and Yun sit down to talk and air their differences. Yi points out that his exam is for the navy, which has very different requirements than the army and so should have its own exam. But Yun scolds him for doing so without authority. Yi maintains that what he's doing isn't without precedent...but Yun is unsympathetic Yi and orders him to stop the exam immediately.
Afterwards Yun hears about the boats needing passes now. He also hears, and we learn, that boats have to pay local tolls. He's furious. "Yi Sunsin is collecting taxes!?"
He reports back to the crown prince. "Yi Sunsin is acting like the king. This is treason! Let the capital know." The other officials urge caution and restraint but Yun basically says no one is irreplaceable and Yi must be held accountable. Gwanghae has a tough call to make.
Back at his camp, Yi says he'll continue the exam!
"Is it because of Ryu Seongryong?" Wow, a very insightful question from Gwanghae to Yun. Yun's shock at the very question gives the prince his answer...but he has to admit to Yun that personally he likes Yi. Which makes his decision all the more difficult.
Later Seonjo has tea with consort Kim. She agrees with Ryu and advises Seonjo to go along with him. She knows how loyal Yun has been--and he really, really has. Seonjo calls him "a great man who protects me," and feels strongly about Lee Hangbok too. "If I drive them off the court then who am I to rely on?" But Kim says they'll make sure the crown prince doesn't get too powerful if he sends them to the south. A good piece of insight.
Even Ryu's allies on the council don't like it. But Ryu is unwavering. We can't have internal conflict over how to conduct the war, he tells them. "Understand this is the only way." And pulls out Yi Sunsin's note saying "re-create the country" to persuade them (although it's hard to see how that has any effect).
Lee Deokhyeong goes and tells Lee Hangbok, who becomes almost frantic. This is tough for Deokhyeong to tell his friend, but he says he agrees with Ryu this time. Begs him to change his mind about attacking the enemy now, but Hangbok won't budge on his opinion.
Lee Wonik goes to Yun and tells him. Of course Yun doesn't take it well. Not just being sent south but the fact that Ryu is suppressing dissenting opinions like this. "He will face many enemies and won't survive" if he continues to act like this," Yun says...
...but then when Ryu sits down with Yun himself, Ryu insists it's not about political power, only about saving and rebuilding the country. Ryu is furious and says You can't force me to go south without the king's approval anyway...Wow, talk about timing: Seonjo walks into the room right then and tells Yun he approves! "I'm truly sorry," he tells Yun, "but we can't defeat the Wae army on our own." Obviously difficult and painful for the king, but he tells Yun to go serve as supreme commander of the three provinces.
The crown prince reports to his father before leaving. Seonjo cautions him to limit himself to the mugunsa's specific duties and to report to him on a daily basis. You can see the contempt and frustration boiling inside the prince.
Lee Deokhyeong bids his friend Lee Hangbok farewell. Shows his friendship by loaning him an incense pouch that was the only thing his late wife left him. It's quite a gesture and it moves Hangbok almost to tears.
Now the entire mugunsa party assembles to depart. Ryu provides polite words of encouragement. Yun says he'll do his duty but "I'll repay you for this." "Be sure to do that," Ryu answers calmly. With that they all begin their journey south. As we see glimpses of their journey through devastated villages, narration tells us that this was in early 1594, and that the mugunsa was a smaller and more limited entity than the dual-government bunjo entity that the crown prince headed. Reason being, "Seonjo had his guard up against Prince Gwanghae."
Jeonju government headquarters, Jeolla province: The party has arrived. Gwanghae is deeply affected by all of the corpses they saw in those villages. It strengthens his resolve; he tells his officials to "think you are living for the people who died unjust deaths." Now as far as recruiting and training soldiers, Gwanghae doesn't want to forcibly draft people, not with public sentiment so low already here in the south. Says he wants to hold a national exam to search for elite candidates. Is this overstepping his bounds? Will Seonjo reject the idea? Gwanghae isn't worried; he even tells his officials that his restrictions notwithstanding, "like I did in bunjo I will settle public sentiments, oversee military affairs, and take care of administrative matters too." Wow. A shocking admission. And just as shockingly, Ryu tells him to go right ahead.
Announcements are posted to inform the people...
...and a request is sent to Yi Sunsin to provide someone to mugunsa for training. Yi orders some muskets prepared to send them...doesn't say anything about a trainer; presumably someone will accompany the muskets...but he won't allow anyone in his camp to take Gwanghae's exam. He's worried that everyone will want to go, and he can't have that while the enemy army is nearby. So not now, he tells them, not yet. Then he prepares a formal written request: a request to hold his own exam, one for the naval forces in his camp. Says it would "console" his men.
Back in Jeonju, Yun Dusu goes ballistic; says a mere general shouldn't be making such a request. He's already suspicious of Yi for using refugees to tend those government fields. "The naval commander of the three provinces can't do whatever he wants!" And even suggests Yi might have less-than-honorable intentions. But the other officials support Yi and convince Gwanghae to speak to him personally. Gwanghae orders him summoned.
Yi answers the summons by saying he can't leave the camp now; too much is going on. He prepares a written report instead and asks that it be accepted. He sends the report on its way. Now he gets reports of pirates harassing and plundering civilian fishing vessels. Disguising themselves as fishermen and then attacking at close range. Tough problem to solve. He and his officers decide to issue official passes so that only recognized fishing boats will be allowed in fishing areas. On a trial basis, at least, for now.
Back at mugunsa: Gwanghae says he understands Yi's situation and is disappointed rather than angry. His officials understand too, all but Yun. He's angry and volunteers to go to Yi's camp himself and check the situation. Gwanghae accepts, but warns him not to issue any sort of discipline. I'll make a decision when you return, the prince tells him.
Ryu wants to implement a rice tax called "jangmibeop"--a progressive tax, based on land ownership. It's been attempted before, unsuccessfully, and of course the upper classes will resist it bitterly. But Ryu says it's necessary. He pitches it to Seonjo but Seonjo is fearful of the degree of opposition. "I'm afraid too," Ryu tells him, but can it be as bad as the enemy army that's wrecking our country?
Well that was fast: Yi's camp is holding its own exam after all. Tests of fighting and archery skills, and then an oral exam with questions asked about Sun Tzu. It's tough. The finish a round just in time for an angry, glaring Yun Dusu to show up in camp.
Yi and Yun sit down to talk and air their differences. Yi points out that his exam is for the navy, which has very different requirements than the army and so should have its own exam. But Yun scolds him for doing so without authority. Yi maintains that what he's doing isn't without precedent...but Yun is unsympathetic Yi and orders him to stop the exam immediately.
Afterwards Yun hears about the boats needing passes now. He also hears, and we learn, that boats have to pay local tolls. He's furious. "Yi Sunsin is collecting taxes!?"
He reports back to the crown prince. "Yi Sunsin is acting like the king. This is treason! Let the capital know." The other officials urge caution and restraint but Yun basically says no one is irreplaceable and Yi must be held accountable. Gwanghae has a tough call to make.
Back at his camp, Yi says he'll continue the exam!
"Is it because of Ryu Seongryong?" Wow, a very insightful question from Gwanghae to Yun. Yun's shock at the very question gives the prince his answer...but he has to admit to Yun that personally he likes Yi. Which makes his decision all the more difficult.
