Post by ajk on Sept 16, 2009 13:01:53 GMT -5
"Your highness, wait." At the last moment, Chiyang stops Cheonchu from drinking the herbal potion. He sees a shiftiness in the physician's eyes that he doesn't like. He presses the physician, who finally cracks and admits that at the emperor's order, the tonic is laced with a "concoction" that will terminate the pregnancy. It's not poison, though (somebody explain THAT one), which the physician proves by willingly drinking the stuff himself at Chiyang's insistence to keep himself from being executed. The physician is allowed to leave...
...and outside, he suddenly starts coughing up blood right in front of Gang Jo and then falls dead to the ground.
Back inside: Hyangbi tasted that stuff before the physician drank it, remember? And just as we remember, Hyangbi coughs up some blood herself and falls to her knees. Next we see her in bed, now unconscious, as two new physicians are evaluating her. Her pulse and breathing are fine so she's not in mortal danger, but the physicians aren't sure what's wrong with her. And they can find no discernible trace of the poison she ingested, so they don't know what kind of antidote to administer. "Bring her back no matter what it takes," Cheonchu tells them. "If anything should happen to her, I will hold the two of you responsible." (Once again, the worst job in the kingdom!) And Cheonchu tells them the entire incident must remain strictly confidential.
Several ministers led by Kim Shimun discuss Mokjong's abdication plan. They all support it, because they don't want Chiyang's child to inherit the throne. They also mention the loss of their merit stipend lands to support the ever-growing army, which obviously has them all irritated. They want to talk this over with Mokjong and offer their support, but they have to do so quietly....
Cheonchu and Chiyang try to sort out the poisoning attempt. Did Mokjong really order the potion laced with fatal poison? Cheonchu doesn't think he'd go that far; Chiyang does and suggests that maybe others encouraged him to do it. You'd better watch your son very carefully from now on, he advises. And he tells her to remove him (Chiyang) from his post, because he's the cause of all this.
Mokjong is pacing, wondering why he hasn't heard from the royal physician yet. Go Hyun enters with a request from Kim Shimun to meet outside the palace tonight, secretly. (I don't understand this. Why would ministers be reluctant to be seen meeting with the emperor? It's their job, after all.)
Gang Jo sits with the still-unconscious Hyangbi, distraught.
Chiyang tells Sa Gamun he thinks Mokjong is behind the poisoning attempt. But he sees it as an opportunity, since it will cause more trouble between mother and son. Right now, he says, our biggest problem is Prince Daeryang. "To fulfill our great enterprise, he has to die."
Sa Gamun encounters a mumbling, puzzled merchant Yi. Yi tells him that he tried to make a purchase at the marketplace but the seller wouldn't accept coins, only grains. "There's an overabundance of coinage these days," he observes. (Now here's something that could get very interesting. Obviously Wonsoong's counterfeiting is on a large scale and it's having consequences. Wonder if this will end up damaging their economy.) Sa Gamun is looking for Dokyun; Yi tells him she had an upset stomach and went looking for some medicine for it. Then it occurs to Sa Gamun to ask Yi if Yi showed Cheonchu's herbal mixture to anyone when he was bringing it to the palace. Funny you should ask, Yi says; Dokyun was interested in it so I showed it to her.
Nighttime: Mokjong sneaks out of the palace. Sa Illa is watching. He meets with Kim Shimun and the same group of ministers seen earlier. They tell him they'll support his plan.
"They're gathered at the home of the Minister of Finance?" Sa Illa has reported back to Cheonchu. She's becoming more and more distrustful of her son.
The next day: It's a sit-in. National Academy scholars are outside the palace shouting for Cheonchu to relinquish her regency; for Daeryang to be installed as crown prince, to preserve the imperial line; and for military officials to be removed from the merit land policy. They've brought petitions too; lots of them. Cheonchu doesn't want to read them, of course.
State council meeting: Cheonchu is scolding the ministers, holding them responsible for the all of the unrest and criticism of her! Ministers start to step forward and support the emperor's plan; Chiyang alone speaks in opposition. A very good debate scene, back and forth; then Choe Hang suggests that maybe a complete abdication is too soon but that Daeryang should at least be installed as crown prince. And Gamchan introduces his domestic-affairs solution (give domestic affairs to Mokjong) as a compromise. But Cheonchu shoots them down. She refuses to give up any power whatsoever; not until the Khitans are defeated. She sees all of this as "a scheme to remove me from power," and to prevent it, she's ordering Daeryang sent into the priesthood! And that's final, she says; no more discussion. Even Gamchan is aghast by her behavior. Only Chiyang is pleased, a smug smirk on his face.
Later, Gamchan tries to talk sense into Cheonchu privately. How can you do such a thing to your sister Seol's own son? It's to protect his life, she tells him; to keep him from being caught up in treasonous plots. And she fills him in on the poisoning episode. Then Mokjong storms into the room. Gamchan leaves...
...and encounters Chiyang outside. He glares and catches Chiyang totally off guard by telling him, "Do not lay your hands on Prince Daeryang." What? "You have been warned. As long as I am alive, anyone who tries to harm the prince will not survive." He walks away, and Chiyang knows now that Gamchan is onto him.
Mokjong is angry about Daeryang being sent away, and accuses his mother of doing it so that Chiyang's child can inherit the throne. Point-blank, she asks him if that was why he told the physician to put poison in her tonic! Buss-ted. So he tells her straight out, "Chiyang will try to depose me and put his son on the throne." She's horrified that he could spell it out so matter-of-factly and justify his attempt to kill her. "Kill you? It was a potion that terminates pregnancy. I would never hurt you." But she doesn't believe him and lets him have it, even calling him a monster. Angry and heartbroken, she tearfully orders him away, saying she never wants to see him again. He leaves, speechless and confused, and she weeps bitterly.
Dokyun reports to Hyeolmae and Su No that the poisoning attempt failed and that now there will be far too much security to be able to try again. There's nothing more I can do for you, she tells them. "There's only death for traitors," Hyeolmae says, and suddenly she and Su No are trying to kill Dokyun. It's two on one...but all of a sudden it's two on two; Sa Gamun runs in and joins the fight. Hyeolmae and Su No retreat and leave the scene. Sa Gamun followed Dokyun here; he asks her if she poisoned the tonic and she fesses up. He slaps her, hard. It was the prime minister's order, she explains, and I owe my family's life to him (a backstory that we don't know). "I couldn't defy him." He tells her he'll keep all this between them because he doesn't want to lose her. (Besides, you owe her one, pal.)
Lady Yunheung and Wonsoong learn from Hyeolmae that the attempt failed. Hyeolmae wants them to find out the date and location of Cheonchu's next trip out of the palace.
Hyangbi finally revives. Gang Jo is there and is ecstatic. He reports it back to Cheonchu and tells her he's going to marry Hyangbi now. She asks what she can do for them; he tells her he doesn't want Hyangbi carrying a sword any more. Okay, she says. Then she asks him to keep the poisoning incident quiet, because of what people will think about her son for doing such a thing to his mother. Jo understands.
Gamchan tells Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung that he wants them to find someone to protect Daeryang. Because even as a priest, there will be attempts on his life. Yang has someone in mind.
Another day, more protests. The scholars are out there once again. But this time Dae Dosu and troops come out and remove the scholars from the scene. Was this Cheonchu's order? We're not told, but probably it was.
Inside, a monk is cutting all of Daeryang's hair off in a formal ceremony. Next the boy bids the emperor and empress farewell. Fortunately, he's going to Sung-gyo Temple, which is nearby and is where Mokjong worships, so they'll be able to see each other often. Mokjong apologizes to the boy: "This is happening to you because I'm powerless." But Daeryang says it's okay; he always wanted to study Buddhism. I'll learn a lot an I'll pray for you, he tells Mokjong. Good kid. Mokjong hugs him.
Then Daeryang goes to Cheonchu's quarters to bid farewell to her. But she refuses to see him! That's cold, and even the soldiers guarding him say so. He leaves, with a tear in his eye. Inside, there's a tear in Cheonchu's eye too. But she doesn't explain why she snubbed the boy, except for a comment about having to be a "heartless, tearless woman" to protect the country. (Which makes no sense at all.)
Narration tells us that in 1003, Mokjong's sixth year, Daeryang was sent into the priesthood at Sung-gyo Temple. This was not an uncommon assignment for royal princes of the era; it protected them from being challenged by other princes.
Khitan royal court: Chengtian, her son and the prime minister are informed that the poisoning attempt failed. Hyeolmae, they're told, is requesting "twenty trained men to wrap up the mission herself." PM Han doesn't like the idea of an outright assassination attempt; it could destroy their alliance with Goryeo, superficial as it may be, at a time when they need it to hold. Shengzong, of course, is all for it, and urges his mother to go through with it.
Jo Sun and Jo Du have information for Hyeolmae: a wedding will soon be held at Two Armies headquarters, and Cheonchu will be attending. Undoubtedly the soldiers and guards will be drinking there, so "go after the empress dowager on her way back from the wedding."
Dokyun and Sa Gamun are trying to eat, but she's sick to her stomach again. Wait a minute; is she? Yes, she admits, she's pregnant! She's sad about it--"What's the use? I could die any time"--but he's thrilled. At that moment he hears Chiyang calling him from outside.
Chiyang instructs Sa Gamun to go to Sung-gyo Temple and kill Daeryang on the wedding day. Whatever security is around him will be easier to breach on a celebration day, Chiyang believes. "And I want you to take a subordinate whose face is not known to kill the child." We can't fail this time, he says.
Wonsoong has found a woman to tempt the emperor with. He's brought her to meet Yunheung. She enters and introduces herself as Kim Milhwa.
Mokjong is playing with the gisaeng girls again, running around blindfolded and trying to catch them as his staff has to stand there and watch. Then he trips and falls into a pond, and yet continues making an ass of himself even after soldiers run into the pond into help him. But then he spots Yu Hangan--wearing attendant's clothes!
It's the wedding day: Cheonchu is in her carriage, being transported to the wedding. They travel through a village and the villagers bow in respect. Standing further away, Hyeolmae and Su No watch her pass.
...and outside, he suddenly starts coughing up blood right in front of Gang Jo and then falls dead to the ground.
Back inside: Hyangbi tasted that stuff before the physician drank it, remember? And just as we remember, Hyangbi coughs up some blood herself and falls to her knees. Next we see her in bed, now unconscious, as two new physicians are evaluating her. Her pulse and breathing are fine so she's not in mortal danger, but the physicians aren't sure what's wrong with her. And they can find no discernible trace of the poison she ingested, so they don't know what kind of antidote to administer. "Bring her back no matter what it takes," Cheonchu tells them. "If anything should happen to her, I will hold the two of you responsible." (Once again, the worst job in the kingdom!) And Cheonchu tells them the entire incident must remain strictly confidential.
Several ministers led by Kim Shimun discuss Mokjong's abdication plan. They all support it, because they don't want Chiyang's child to inherit the throne. They also mention the loss of their merit stipend lands to support the ever-growing army, which obviously has them all irritated. They want to talk this over with Mokjong and offer their support, but they have to do so quietly....
Cheonchu and Chiyang try to sort out the poisoning attempt. Did Mokjong really order the potion laced with fatal poison? Cheonchu doesn't think he'd go that far; Chiyang does and suggests that maybe others encouraged him to do it. You'd better watch your son very carefully from now on, he advises. And he tells her to remove him (Chiyang) from his post, because he's the cause of all this.
Mokjong is pacing, wondering why he hasn't heard from the royal physician yet. Go Hyun enters with a request from Kim Shimun to meet outside the palace tonight, secretly. (I don't understand this. Why would ministers be reluctant to be seen meeting with the emperor? It's their job, after all.)
Gang Jo sits with the still-unconscious Hyangbi, distraught.
Chiyang tells Sa Gamun he thinks Mokjong is behind the poisoning attempt. But he sees it as an opportunity, since it will cause more trouble between mother and son. Right now, he says, our biggest problem is Prince Daeryang. "To fulfill our great enterprise, he has to die."
Sa Gamun encounters a mumbling, puzzled merchant Yi. Yi tells him that he tried to make a purchase at the marketplace but the seller wouldn't accept coins, only grains. "There's an overabundance of coinage these days," he observes. (Now here's something that could get very interesting. Obviously Wonsoong's counterfeiting is on a large scale and it's having consequences. Wonder if this will end up damaging their economy.) Sa Gamun is looking for Dokyun; Yi tells him she had an upset stomach and went looking for some medicine for it. Then it occurs to Sa Gamun to ask Yi if Yi showed Cheonchu's herbal mixture to anyone when he was bringing it to the palace. Funny you should ask, Yi says; Dokyun was interested in it so I showed it to her.
Nighttime: Mokjong sneaks out of the palace. Sa Illa is watching. He meets with Kim Shimun and the same group of ministers seen earlier. They tell him they'll support his plan.
"They're gathered at the home of the Minister of Finance?" Sa Illa has reported back to Cheonchu. She's becoming more and more distrustful of her son.
The next day: It's a sit-in. National Academy scholars are outside the palace shouting for Cheonchu to relinquish her regency; for Daeryang to be installed as crown prince, to preserve the imperial line; and for military officials to be removed from the merit land policy. They've brought petitions too; lots of them. Cheonchu doesn't want to read them, of course.
State council meeting: Cheonchu is scolding the ministers, holding them responsible for the all of the unrest and criticism of her! Ministers start to step forward and support the emperor's plan; Chiyang alone speaks in opposition. A very good debate scene, back and forth; then Choe Hang suggests that maybe a complete abdication is too soon but that Daeryang should at least be installed as crown prince. And Gamchan introduces his domestic-affairs solution (give domestic affairs to Mokjong) as a compromise. But Cheonchu shoots them down. She refuses to give up any power whatsoever; not until the Khitans are defeated. She sees all of this as "a scheme to remove me from power," and to prevent it, she's ordering Daeryang sent into the priesthood! And that's final, she says; no more discussion. Even Gamchan is aghast by her behavior. Only Chiyang is pleased, a smug smirk on his face.
Later, Gamchan tries to talk sense into Cheonchu privately. How can you do such a thing to your sister Seol's own son? It's to protect his life, she tells him; to keep him from being caught up in treasonous plots. And she fills him in on the poisoning episode. Then Mokjong storms into the room. Gamchan leaves...
...and encounters Chiyang outside. He glares and catches Chiyang totally off guard by telling him, "Do not lay your hands on Prince Daeryang." What? "You have been warned. As long as I am alive, anyone who tries to harm the prince will not survive." He walks away, and Chiyang knows now that Gamchan is onto him.
Mokjong is angry about Daeryang being sent away, and accuses his mother of doing it so that Chiyang's child can inherit the throne. Point-blank, she asks him if that was why he told the physician to put poison in her tonic! Buss-ted. So he tells her straight out, "Chiyang will try to depose me and put his son on the throne." She's horrified that he could spell it out so matter-of-factly and justify his attempt to kill her. "Kill you? It was a potion that terminates pregnancy. I would never hurt you." But she doesn't believe him and lets him have it, even calling him a monster. Angry and heartbroken, she tearfully orders him away, saying she never wants to see him again. He leaves, speechless and confused, and she weeps bitterly.
Dokyun reports to Hyeolmae and Su No that the poisoning attempt failed and that now there will be far too much security to be able to try again. There's nothing more I can do for you, she tells them. "There's only death for traitors," Hyeolmae says, and suddenly she and Su No are trying to kill Dokyun. It's two on one...but all of a sudden it's two on two; Sa Gamun runs in and joins the fight. Hyeolmae and Su No retreat and leave the scene. Sa Gamun followed Dokyun here; he asks her if she poisoned the tonic and she fesses up. He slaps her, hard. It was the prime minister's order, she explains, and I owe my family's life to him (a backstory that we don't know). "I couldn't defy him." He tells her he'll keep all this between them because he doesn't want to lose her. (Besides, you owe her one, pal.)
Lady Yunheung and Wonsoong learn from Hyeolmae that the attempt failed. Hyeolmae wants them to find out the date and location of Cheonchu's next trip out of the palace.
Hyangbi finally revives. Gang Jo is there and is ecstatic. He reports it back to Cheonchu and tells her he's going to marry Hyangbi now. She asks what she can do for them; he tells her he doesn't want Hyangbi carrying a sword any more. Okay, she says. Then she asks him to keep the poisoning incident quiet, because of what people will think about her son for doing such a thing to his mother. Jo understands.
Gamchan tells Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung that he wants them to find someone to protect Daeryang. Because even as a priest, there will be attempts on his life. Yang has someone in mind.
Another day, more protests. The scholars are out there once again. But this time Dae Dosu and troops come out and remove the scholars from the scene. Was this Cheonchu's order? We're not told, but probably it was.
Inside, a monk is cutting all of Daeryang's hair off in a formal ceremony. Next the boy bids the emperor and empress farewell. Fortunately, he's going to Sung-gyo Temple, which is nearby and is where Mokjong worships, so they'll be able to see each other often. Mokjong apologizes to the boy: "This is happening to you because I'm powerless." But Daeryang says it's okay; he always wanted to study Buddhism. I'll learn a lot an I'll pray for you, he tells Mokjong. Good kid. Mokjong hugs him.
Then Daeryang goes to Cheonchu's quarters to bid farewell to her. But she refuses to see him! That's cold, and even the soldiers guarding him say so. He leaves, with a tear in his eye. Inside, there's a tear in Cheonchu's eye too. But she doesn't explain why she snubbed the boy, except for a comment about having to be a "heartless, tearless woman" to protect the country. (Which makes no sense at all.)
Narration tells us that in 1003, Mokjong's sixth year, Daeryang was sent into the priesthood at Sung-gyo Temple. This was not an uncommon assignment for royal princes of the era; it protected them from being challenged by other princes.
Khitan royal court: Chengtian, her son and the prime minister are informed that the poisoning attempt failed. Hyeolmae, they're told, is requesting "twenty trained men to wrap up the mission herself." PM Han doesn't like the idea of an outright assassination attempt; it could destroy their alliance with Goryeo, superficial as it may be, at a time when they need it to hold. Shengzong, of course, is all for it, and urges his mother to go through with it.
Jo Sun and Jo Du have information for Hyeolmae: a wedding will soon be held at Two Armies headquarters, and Cheonchu will be attending. Undoubtedly the soldiers and guards will be drinking there, so "go after the empress dowager on her way back from the wedding."
Dokyun and Sa Gamun are trying to eat, but she's sick to her stomach again. Wait a minute; is she? Yes, she admits, she's pregnant! She's sad about it--"What's the use? I could die any time"--but he's thrilled. At that moment he hears Chiyang calling him from outside.
Chiyang instructs Sa Gamun to go to Sung-gyo Temple and kill Daeryang on the wedding day. Whatever security is around him will be easier to breach on a celebration day, Chiyang believes. "And I want you to take a subordinate whose face is not known to kill the child." We can't fail this time, he says.
Wonsoong has found a woman to tempt the emperor with. He's brought her to meet Yunheung. She enters and introduces herself as Kim Milhwa.
Mokjong is playing with the gisaeng girls again, running around blindfolded and trying to catch them as his staff has to stand there and watch. Then he trips and falls into a pond, and yet continues making an ass of himself even after soldiers run into the pond into help him. But then he spots Yu Hangan--wearing attendant's clothes!
It's the wedding day: Cheonchu is in her carriage, being transported to the wedding. They travel through a village and the villagers bow in respect. Standing further away, Hyeolmae and Su No watch her pass.