Post by ajk on May 19, 2009 13:18:46 GMT -5
"Do you have a death wish?" Choe Sum is irate and reminds the troops who have captured him that he's the chief penal officer of the entire state. But the head guard tells him, Now you're just an accused criminal. Tell it to the king, he says.
The king's head is filled with fear over the astrologer's prophecies--still. Snapping out of it, he's informed about the capture of the accused.
Gyeongjuwon is escorted into a jail cell. Just down the hall from Gamchan.
Seo Hui, Yi Jibaek and Yi Gyeomui are told that the palace is under lockdown because of the treason arrests. This is all news to them.
Queen Munhwa is informed. She senses something weird about it all.
Wonsoong, barely suppressing his giddiness, is walking towards the throne room. Inside, he puts on his best sympathy act as the king tells him, "You were right about everything." He moans that he can't trust anyone any more. Wonsoong tells him, You still have me, and then proceeds to suggest that the king order Hunae brought in for questioning and even torture if necessary. "She is the mastermind of this plot." The king won't torture his sister but says he'll sever his blood ties if that's the case.
Myeongbok Palace: Hunae and Seol are told of the arrests. Hunae decides right then and there to go to the capital. Seol insists on going too, pregnancy notwithstanding. Not only to go to her husband, but because Hunae is barred from the palace and Seol thinks that the king will hear her out and trust her words.
Evening: An inquiry, maybe with some torture planned. Gyeongjuwon, Gamchan, Choe Sum, Kim Shimun, Yi Yang and Seol Shinyu are all being questioned by Wonsoong as the king listens impassively. Gamchan and Wonsoong have a heated exchange; then the king accuses Gyeongjuwon of an "illicit affair" with his sister (which is really pissing him off--"You fornicated with the departed king's widow"). Then Wonsoong demands that Choe Sum confess; Choe ignores him and begs the king to remember his decades of loyal service. And he denies orchestrating any meeting with Gyeongjuwon. The king finally speaks: Start the torture. But then Gamchan bravely pipes up to the king: "If I dare ask a question: Who came forward with this accusation of high treason? Was it Minister Kim Wonsoong by chance? If so, he is the one who fabricated all of these lies beyond any doubt!" Wonsoong goes ballistic: "How dare you attempt to incriminate the father of the queen!" But Gamchan tells the king that it was Wonsoong who was behind the attempted assassination of Hunae and young Prince Gaeryeong at Guibup Temple.
Escort Jo smugly tells Prince Gaeryeong that Hunae committed treason and now she'll be exposed for it. The boy runs out of the room.
Back in the torture yard: Gamchan admits to Wonsoong's accusation that he and Hunae and Jurchens arranged to deliberately attack Wonsoong's trading caravan; he says it was necessary to investigate the assassination attempt. And it worked, he says; We found that Wonsoong's men purchased all of those Jurchen uniforms. Wonsoong doesn't deny it; Yes, we did buy them, "but they were items required for business" to help the caravan cross through Jurchen territory. But Gamchan tells the king that Wonsoong's foreman confessed. Wonsoong says It's all a lie, and he begs the king to start the torture to stop the lies. Which the king does. A red-hot metal pole is brought forth and nears Gamchan's skin...."Stop, your highness!" It's Prince Gaeryeong; he runs into the yard and prostrates himself at the king's feet. Punish me for the letters, he begs, not Gamchan. And trust my mother; she's loyal to the country and would never plot against you; just talk to her. "Audacious fool!", the king screams, and threatens to whip the boy. And then another celebrity guest: the queen runs in and kneels right next to the boy, accepting responsibility for his actions. "Get him out of my sight this instant!", the king orders, and the queen hustles the boy out of the yard. But as they leave, the king suddenly staggers; his eyes roll up and he goes unconscious, shaking slightly as he slumps into his chair.
The queen scolds the prince for his interference and assures him that the inquiry will ferret out the truth. But the prince isn't responding. He's slipped into some sort of trance. Then he snaps out of it, but not before frightening the queen.
The king has been put to bed. The royal physician finds that he was hit with another wave of the arrow poison (from Ep14); there's still some of it in him. Nothing to worry about, it just needs to clear his system. Go Hyun tells the now-awakening king that the inquiry has been suspended and the accused returned to their cells.
Hunae arrives at the capital and is met by Seo Hui, Yi Jibaek and Yi Gyeomui. Hunae tells them that yes, she did raid Wonsoong's caravan and extracted a confession, so she understands why Wonsoong implicated her in all this. But why is he after Choe Sum? The second consort, Seo Hui presumes. But a case against Wonsoong is hard to prove, and Hunae is forbidden from seeing the king. Just then Seol enters and says she'll go to him. No, it will only infuriate the king further, Seo Hui says, but Seol insists.
Hunae and Seol are kneeling outside the city gate, shouting their appeal for the king to see them and hear them out. After a while, Go Hyun emerges and tells them that the king will see Seol--only. Hyun escorts the very pregnant Seol to the palace (slowly) and into the throne room. The king sees how pregnant she is and can't even look at her. His sister fearlessly tells him of her twelve-year love for Gyeongjuwon, and reminds him, I was forced to marry the king--a marriage that kept your path to the throne from collapsing. Gyeongjuwon doesn't even care about politics, she says, and you accuse him of treason? We can see that the king wants to have sympathy for his sister, but he can't. He tells her she's being used, and is furious with her for sacrificing "principles and duty" to marry Gyeongjuwon, even if she does love him. I'll accept punishment for loving him, Seol responds, so please let him go. "Get out of here," tells her, and when she begs him further, she uses the word "husband" and that pushes the wrong button. "Husband!?", he screams, and accuses her of adultery. He screams for attendants to come in and haul Seol away. Which they do.
In the jail, Gyeongjuwon despairs falling into the very kind of political nonsense that he spent his life trying to avoid, and is filled with misery at the thought of what his wife must be enduring. Be strong, Gamchan urges him.
The four captured Shillans, together in a cell, realize that Wonsoong did this to them as revenge for the second consort. We can't just sit here, Shinyu says. Choe answers, "There is one thing we can do. If we're going down, we will take Kim Wonsoong with us." We'll expose his role in the assassination attempt. It was their plot too, of course, but if they admit to it then they can at least destroy Wonsoong.
A bunch of ministers are meeting. Seo Hui tells them that the whole treason accusation is conjecture based only on the fact that certain people met with each other. They generally agree that it's an absurd accusation, but some ministers are bothered by Gyeongjuwon's and Seol's "indefensible" affair.
Back home, Wonsoong is ecstatic. Jo Du wonders if it's wise to make so many enemies (smart guy), but Kim isn't at all worried. Jo Sun wants to see all of Hunae's men brought in on criminal charges for what happened to his caravan. Kim already plans to do just that (and is gleefully excited about it).
Seol is back with Hunae. She cries about what her brother has become; he wouldn't even listen to her. And she pines for her husband.
The king and ministers are meeting. Seo Hui bravely tells the king that there's no direct evidence of treason beyond the meetings. If that's treason, he says, then I'm a traitor too and send me to jail. This frustrates Wonsoong: "Why do you always have to be so dramatic?" But Seo ambushes him: "If visiting Choe Sum's house constitutes high treason, then how about you? You used to visit his home like your own." He concedes to the king, and other ministers agree, that there was "moral turpitude" in Gyeongjuwon's and Seol's relationship, but no high treason anywhere. And then Choe Ryang reminds the king, It was Choe Sum and his associates who brought you to the throne. It definitely feels like reason and sense are starting to take root.
Chiyang and Gang Jo have come with Hunae and Seol to the capital. We see Gang Jo standing alone. Chiyang approaches him and boldly asks him where Hyangbi is. I sent her to the Balhaean village, he says, with a what's-it-to-you glare. Then Chiyang tries to make nice: I understand that you suspect us in Mr. Chu's murder, he says, because of the bladed boomerang. But "I genuinely want us to get along" because I want to serve Hunae and I am loyal to her. "Please don't be foolish and turn a friend into an enemy." That's not a threat, he assures Gang Jo, but a plea. Gang doesn't seem too impressed by it.
The king and queen are dining. The king is drinking too much and doesn't look well. Munhwa is concerned about him. And then she ventures: "I know women have no place in politics, but I feel this case is too weak." It's not your concern, the king says dismissively. But she's worried about Prince Gaeryeong. What happens to him if it turns out that mom is a traitor? It might destroy him. She mentions him going into apparent shock after the inquiry. I'll re-educate him and raise him well, she says, so won't you put this to rest? "I speak out of concern for this country's future," she says, "so please do as I ask." He's very quiet (no doubt the alcohol helped), and it's clear that he's actually thinking about it.
Evening; We see prince Gaeryeong alone, crying. And we see Seol alone, praying. Then we see the king alone, thinking about how happily he and his two sisters played together as children. It's a powerful memory and it nearly staggers him.
The next morning: The king addresses the ministers: "I spent the entire night awake thinking. And I've come to a conclusion, so let there be no further discussion over the matter. I hereby dismiss the case of high treason on the grounds of insufficient evidence." Wonsoong explodes, but bad idea: "Do not cut me off when I am speaking!" He orders the release of Choe Sum and his men. As for Gamchan, Gamchan disobeyed his command and he orders Gamchan removed from office. And Gyeongjuwon, while there's no proof of treason, his affair with the late king's widow cannot go ignored. He orders the prince exiled to Sasu County, 300 miles distant. (Which immediately sounds to me like a great deal for the prince, since he planned to go far away anyway.)
In the jail, Gamchan is released and told of the decision. Gyeongjuwon asks him to tell Seol that he's all right and to name the baby "Sun," to signify political openness and transparency to the light of day. But Gamchan doesn't like the decision and complains angrily that the prince is getting a raw deal. The guards want him out of there and physically remove him, kicking and screaming.
Hunae and Seol are informed of the exile.
A prisoner's cage containing Gyeongjuwon is being hauled through the streets, taking him into exile. Hunae and Seol come out to meet the carriage as it departs. Seol tells her husband she'll join him after the birth. They tearfully lament their separation (which is stupid; all things considered, they should be happy they got off this easily). They kiss through the bars, and the cage departs. Then as Hunae and Seol leave the scene: "Su, my stomach...It hurts." She goes woozy and falls to the ground. Blood is pouring out of her.
The king's head is filled with fear over the astrologer's prophecies--still. Snapping out of it, he's informed about the capture of the accused.
Gyeongjuwon is escorted into a jail cell. Just down the hall from Gamchan.
Seo Hui, Yi Jibaek and Yi Gyeomui are told that the palace is under lockdown because of the treason arrests. This is all news to them.
Queen Munhwa is informed. She senses something weird about it all.
Wonsoong, barely suppressing his giddiness, is walking towards the throne room. Inside, he puts on his best sympathy act as the king tells him, "You were right about everything." He moans that he can't trust anyone any more. Wonsoong tells him, You still have me, and then proceeds to suggest that the king order Hunae brought in for questioning and even torture if necessary. "She is the mastermind of this plot." The king won't torture his sister but says he'll sever his blood ties if that's the case.
Myeongbok Palace: Hunae and Seol are told of the arrests. Hunae decides right then and there to go to the capital. Seol insists on going too, pregnancy notwithstanding. Not only to go to her husband, but because Hunae is barred from the palace and Seol thinks that the king will hear her out and trust her words.
Evening: An inquiry, maybe with some torture planned. Gyeongjuwon, Gamchan, Choe Sum, Kim Shimun, Yi Yang and Seol Shinyu are all being questioned by Wonsoong as the king listens impassively. Gamchan and Wonsoong have a heated exchange; then the king accuses Gyeongjuwon of an "illicit affair" with his sister (which is really pissing him off--"You fornicated with the departed king's widow"). Then Wonsoong demands that Choe Sum confess; Choe ignores him and begs the king to remember his decades of loyal service. And he denies orchestrating any meeting with Gyeongjuwon. The king finally speaks: Start the torture. But then Gamchan bravely pipes up to the king: "If I dare ask a question: Who came forward with this accusation of high treason? Was it Minister Kim Wonsoong by chance? If so, he is the one who fabricated all of these lies beyond any doubt!" Wonsoong goes ballistic: "How dare you attempt to incriminate the father of the queen!" But Gamchan tells the king that it was Wonsoong who was behind the attempted assassination of Hunae and young Prince Gaeryeong at Guibup Temple.
Escort Jo smugly tells Prince Gaeryeong that Hunae committed treason and now she'll be exposed for it. The boy runs out of the room.
Back in the torture yard: Gamchan admits to Wonsoong's accusation that he and Hunae and Jurchens arranged to deliberately attack Wonsoong's trading caravan; he says it was necessary to investigate the assassination attempt. And it worked, he says; We found that Wonsoong's men purchased all of those Jurchen uniforms. Wonsoong doesn't deny it; Yes, we did buy them, "but they were items required for business" to help the caravan cross through Jurchen territory. But Gamchan tells the king that Wonsoong's foreman confessed. Wonsoong says It's all a lie, and he begs the king to start the torture to stop the lies. Which the king does. A red-hot metal pole is brought forth and nears Gamchan's skin...."Stop, your highness!" It's Prince Gaeryeong; he runs into the yard and prostrates himself at the king's feet. Punish me for the letters, he begs, not Gamchan. And trust my mother; she's loyal to the country and would never plot against you; just talk to her. "Audacious fool!", the king screams, and threatens to whip the boy. And then another celebrity guest: the queen runs in and kneels right next to the boy, accepting responsibility for his actions. "Get him out of my sight this instant!", the king orders, and the queen hustles the boy out of the yard. But as they leave, the king suddenly staggers; his eyes roll up and he goes unconscious, shaking slightly as he slumps into his chair.
The queen scolds the prince for his interference and assures him that the inquiry will ferret out the truth. But the prince isn't responding. He's slipped into some sort of trance. Then he snaps out of it, but not before frightening the queen.
The king has been put to bed. The royal physician finds that he was hit with another wave of the arrow poison (from Ep14); there's still some of it in him. Nothing to worry about, it just needs to clear his system. Go Hyun tells the now-awakening king that the inquiry has been suspended and the accused returned to their cells.
Hunae arrives at the capital and is met by Seo Hui, Yi Jibaek and Yi Gyeomui. Hunae tells them that yes, she did raid Wonsoong's caravan and extracted a confession, so she understands why Wonsoong implicated her in all this. But why is he after Choe Sum? The second consort, Seo Hui presumes. But a case against Wonsoong is hard to prove, and Hunae is forbidden from seeing the king. Just then Seol enters and says she'll go to him. No, it will only infuriate the king further, Seo Hui says, but Seol insists.
Hunae and Seol are kneeling outside the city gate, shouting their appeal for the king to see them and hear them out. After a while, Go Hyun emerges and tells them that the king will see Seol--only. Hyun escorts the very pregnant Seol to the palace (slowly) and into the throne room. The king sees how pregnant she is and can't even look at her. His sister fearlessly tells him of her twelve-year love for Gyeongjuwon, and reminds him, I was forced to marry the king--a marriage that kept your path to the throne from collapsing. Gyeongjuwon doesn't even care about politics, she says, and you accuse him of treason? We can see that the king wants to have sympathy for his sister, but he can't. He tells her she's being used, and is furious with her for sacrificing "principles and duty" to marry Gyeongjuwon, even if she does love him. I'll accept punishment for loving him, Seol responds, so please let him go. "Get out of here," tells her, and when she begs him further, she uses the word "husband" and that pushes the wrong button. "Husband!?", he screams, and accuses her of adultery. He screams for attendants to come in and haul Seol away. Which they do.
In the jail, Gyeongjuwon despairs falling into the very kind of political nonsense that he spent his life trying to avoid, and is filled with misery at the thought of what his wife must be enduring. Be strong, Gamchan urges him.
The four captured Shillans, together in a cell, realize that Wonsoong did this to them as revenge for the second consort. We can't just sit here, Shinyu says. Choe answers, "There is one thing we can do. If we're going down, we will take Kim Wonsoong with us." We'll expose his role in the assassination attempt. It was their plot too, of course, but if they admit to it then they can at least destroy Wonsoong.
A bunch of ministers are meeting. Seo Hui tells them that the whole treason accusation is conjecture based only on the fact that certain people met with each other. They generally agree that it's an absurd accusation, but some ministers are bothered by Gyeongjuwon's and Seol's "indefensible" affair.
Back home, Wonsoong is ecstatic. Jo Du wonders if it's wise to make so many enemies (smart guy), but Kim isn't at all worried. Jo Sun wants to see all of Hunae's men brought in on criminal charges for what happened to his caravan. Kim already plans to do just that (and is gleefully excited about it).
Seol is back with Hunae. She cries about what her brother has become; he wouldn't even listen to her. And she pines for her husband.
The king and ministers are meeting. Seo Hui bravely tells the king that there's no direct evidence of treason beyond the meetings. If that's treason, he says, then I'm a traitor too and send me to jail. This frustrates Wonsoong: "Why do you always have to be so dramatic?" But Seo ambushes him: "If visiting Choe Sum's house constitutes high treason, then how about you? You used to visit his home like your own." He concedes to the king, and other ministers agree, that there was "moral turpitude" in Gyeongjuwon's and Seol's relationship, but no high treason anywhere. And then Choe Ryang reminds the king, It was Choe Sum and his associates who brought you to the throne. It definitely feels like reason and sense are starting to take root.
Chiyang and Gang Jo have come with Hunae and Seol to the capital. We see Gang Jo standing alone. Chiyang approaches him and boldly asks him where Hyangbi is. I sent her to the Balhaean village, he says, with a what's-it-to-you glare. Then Chiyang tries to make nice: I understand that you suspect us in Mr. Chu's murder, he says, because of the bladed boomerang. But "I genuinely want us to get along" because I want to serve Hunae and I am loyal to her. "Please don't be foolish and turn a friend into an enemy." That's not a threat, he assures Gang Jo, but a plea. Gang doesn't seem too impressed by it.
The king and queen are dining. The king is drinking too much and doesn't look well. Munhwa is concerned about him. And then she ventures: "I know women have no place in politics, but I feel this case is too weak." It's not your concern, the king says dismissively. But she's worried about Prince Gaeryeong. What happens to him if it turns out that mom is a traitor? It might destroy him. She mentions him going into apparent shock after the inquiry. I'll re-educate him and raise him well, she says, so won't you put this to rest? "I speak out of concern for this country's future," she says, "so please do as I ask." He's very quiet (no doubt the alcohol helped), and it's clear that he's actually thinking about it.
Evening; We see prince Gaeryeong alone, crying. And we see Seol alone, praying. Then we see the king alone, thinking about how happily he and his two sisters played together as children. It's a powerful memory and it nearly staggers him.
The next morning: The king addresses the ministers: "I spent the entire night awake thinking. And I've come to a conclusion, so let there be no further discussion over the matter. I hereby dismiss the case of high treason on the grounds of insufficient evidence." Wonsoong explodes, but bad idea: "Do not cut me off when I am speaking!" He orders the release of Choe Sum and his men. As for Gamchan, Gamchan disobeyed his command and he orders Gamchan removed from office. And Gyeongjuwon, while there's no proof of treason, his affair with the late king's widow cannot go ignored. He orders the prince exiled to Sasu County, 300 miles distant. (Which immediately sounds to me like a great deal for the prince, since he planned to go far away anyway.)
In the jail, Gamchan is released and told of the decision. Gyeongjuwon asks him to tell Seol that he's all right and to name the baby "Sun," to signify political openness and transparency to the light of day. But Gamchan doesn't like the decision and complains angrily that the prince is getting a raw deal. The guards want him out of there and physically remove him, kicking and screaming.
Hunae and Seol are informed of the exile.
A prisoner's cage containing Gyeongjuwon is being hauled through the streets, taking him into exile. Hunae and Seol come out to meet the carriage as it departs. Seol tells her husband she'll join him after the birth. They tearfully lament their separation (which is stupid; all things considered, they should be happy they got off this easily). They kiss through the bars, and the cage departs. Then as Hunae and Seol leave the scene: "Su, my stomach...It hurts." She goes woozy and falls to the ground. Blood is pouring out of her.