Post by ajk on Nov 4, 2009 13:05:56 GMT -5
This has to be a dream sequence of some kind...right? We see Chiyang, in his prisoner's white, running frantically through high brush out in the countryside somewhere. As he runs, flashbacks of scenes from past episodes. Scenes of his childhood, battles he was a part of, Sa Gamun's death, Sa Illa's death. Eventually he slows from exhaustion and drops to his knees. Then, a vision...a young man on horseback appears. It's Chiyang's grown son Prince Hwangju. Chiyang tries to go to him, but he can't; his ankles are shackled. Crying out to his son...he awakens in his cell.
Dokyun is on horseback; she makes it safely to the Jurchen village. She enters a home where a man is watching over a sleeping child. At first Dokyun is very relieved to see her son here safely, but then she realizes it's not her son, it's Hwangju in her son's clothes. The man has to tell her that the children were switched...and that her son was killed along with Sa Illa. "That is what Sa Gamun wanted." At first Dokyun can't even comprehend it: "He used my son as a decoy to save the Prince?" But then she falls to the floor crying. "How could a father set his own son up to die? He's just a child. There is no cause important enough to kill his own son for. How could he?"
Gang Jo is glaring at Chiyang in his jail cell. "Did you come here to rub it in? That's no way to be a gracious winner, General Gang." Maybe he did come to rub it in; he tells Chiyang that Mun Inui revealed the whole story about Chiyang's Shillan roots and intentions. Chiyang fumes at the betrayal, but as Jo observes, "He betrayed you just like you betrayed the empress dowager." Even Chiyang sees the truth in that. But anyway, Jo didn't come to rub it in after all; he came for a reason. "All will be revealed at the inquiry, but I need to hear it from your mouth....Did you kill Hyangbi?" For his own peace of mind, he needs to know. Chiyang admits to it, which of course enrages Jo, but just then attendant Yu shows up with news for Jo: Prince Hwangju has been killed along with Sa Illa. They haven't found the body yet, though. Jo and Yu leave, and Chiyang smugly laughs to himself. "My son is not dead," he tells himself, "He is alive. And he will realize the thousand-year dream that I have failed to realize. He will build an empire bigger and stronger than Goryeo, Balhae or Liao!" More crazy laughter, almost like the evil twin has taken control of him.
Cheonchu is taking it hard. She's clutching some of Hwangju's baby clothes. Mokjong goes to see her. "I failed to protect my brother," he tells her. If I had known he'd leave us so soon, I would've been a more loving brother. I resented him; I didn't give him as much as a warm glance. I am truly sorry, mother." (When you get right down to it, the guy is a real class act.) No, she answers, it's my fault, my bad judgment. But it might be for the best, she reasons; at least now he won't have to grow up under the shadow of his father's treason. That doesn't make her feel any better, though.
State council meeting: Daeryang's pending ascension is being discussed. Kim Shimun argues that Cheonchu will need to step down, since she has no relation to Daeryang; Choe Suk and Choe Wonshin follow up by arguing that she fathered the traitor Chiyang's child and placed the empire in peril; all the more reason she must leave. Gang Jo snarls at them, accusing them of only being concerned about the tax rates on their lands, and tells Mokjong that Daeryang is only 18 and will need Cheonchu to stay and guide him. He's really getting worked up over it, threatening not to allow anyone to ascend to the throne "if he does not serve the empress dowager. My sword will not let that happen. Be warned!" And when Mokjong warns him about his insolence, Jo fires back, "Don't you realize that you are partly at fault for the empress dowager's plight?" Yikes! At that, even Gang Gamchan reacts: "What? Have you gone mad?" He turns to Mokjong: "Please understand, your majesty. General Gang is not himself right now. Please forgive him." And then physically drags Jo out of the hall and into a corridor...
...where he lets him have it but good. "Have you really gone mad? Get a hold of yourself! Besides, they weren't saying anything that isn't true." Oooh, that last one strikes a nerve. "You're no different than the rest of them," Jo says, starting to sound almost paranoid; "I trusted you. But you're just trying to remove the empress dowager from power and put Prince Daeryang on the throne because you two are close." This is starting to get ugly and uncomfortable, but then there's Cheonchu standing there in the corridor.
Back at Cheonchu's quarters: Jo and Gamchan have filled her in on the state council discussion. Jo begs her to ignore it all: "This country has no future without you. You must stay strong, your highness." But she has to ask him why he continues to defend her even after she repeatedly trusted Chiyang's word over his and after Chiyang killed his wife. "Frankly, I have resented you," he answers. "But you're a victim as well." (Seriously?) She tells him she appreciates his loyalty, but right now she's just too overwhelmed to make any kind of decision about her future.
Lady Yunheung's villa: Kim Shimun has brought Mun Inui to Yunheung. Jo Sun recognizes him as Chiyang's betrayer. But Inui has something big to offer. I can tell you how to get access to all of Chiyang's hidden assets, he tells Yunheung. What does he want in return? "All I ask is that you grant me a post in the court if you should rise to power." A high post, that is. Yunheung is suspicious: Why not just offer this to Cheonchu?, she asks. "Her days are over," Mun replies. "She is a setting sun. Besides, her men look at me like I'm dirt. Your grace, I intend to bet everything I have left on you." She's intrigued, clearly.
Out in the Liao countryside, probably close to the palace in Shangjin: A messenger hawk alights on Yelu Dilie's arm. It's brought a report from a spy in Goryeo, a report for the prime minister (Is this Dokyun's hawk? It isn't clear, but probably so). But the other Khitan generals are out there in the countryside too, and demand to see the report.
Liao palace, Shangjin: Yelu Dilu has brought the message to the emperor. It's a preliminary report from Goryeo, saying that Chiyang has captured the palace but that reinforcements are needed. Everyone knows that neither the empress dowager nor the prime minister will approve such a request, but Xiao Baiya argues that this is a golden opportunity to strike and conquer Goryeo. And everyone else there agrees with him. Shengzong too, of course.
Dokyun goes into the room where Prince Hwangju is sleeping. She points her arm at the child, looking like she has that spring-loaded knife thing inside her sleeve loaded up and ready to fire. But she thinks of her own child, and she can't go through with it. Then the boy's caretaker enters, with more news for Dokyun: Sa Gamun is dead. He sent a letter for her to read in case of his death. The letter starts: "My dear wife: This must be my first time calling you 'wife.' I'm filled with regret for not giving you a wedding, only now at this crossroads of life and death." It says that if their child has perished, "blame me and me only. And please take care of the prince. Look after him like our son Ryang and bring him up well....He must survive to fulfill the dreams we have failed to realize." The letter also advises her to go to the eastern Jurchen leader Chief Mobula if she should ever need help. It concludes, "I'm sorry. And I love you." This is all too much for her and she starts to come apart. "You bastard," she says through her tears, "you killed my son and now you're gone, too. What am I supposed to do all alone in this land full of strangers?" She breaks down crying and sobbing. (Weird as she may be, you really have to feel sorry for her. Her husband convinced her to betray her home country, and then her adopted country, and then got her child killed, and then got himself killed, leaving her stranded in a foreign land. She sure picked a winner.)
Evening in the torture yard (If I had a nickel for every time I typed those words...I could buy a bladed boomerang): Cheonchu is presiding. Chiyang is in the front torture seat; we see Yu Hangan and Yi Jujeong behind him. (What did Yi do? Except for guilt by association.) Dae Dosu starts the questioning, but he doesn't have much work to do because Chiyang readily admits to all of the accusations against him: plotting treason, building a rebel army, Hangan and the osuksan, Hyangbi's death. "Yes, I acknowledge everything." Then Gamchan steps forward; he wants to know something. And at last, after all of his investigating, he gets the answer: Chiyang admits to ordering Prince Gyeongjuwon's death. Gang Jo is disgusted at Chiyang's apparent lack of remorse for all this, but Chiyang just laughs at him. "Death is a part of all great revolutions," he says. He points out that Taejo took many lives in order to found Goryeo. "He succeeded, so those deaths became heroic sacrifices, and his ploy became a grand enterprise. But I have failed, so those who served me have become rebels and my grand enterprise has become an evil plot." (Gotta give him full credit there. History is written by the victors.) Then Cheonchu has a question: "If you had succeeded, how would you have governed this country?" Not sure why that's a productive question to ask, but he tells her: "If my son had risen to the throne, I would have wiped out the corrupt, self-seeking officials, built a mighty military and created a grand empire of Shilla. I would've maintained an appearance of amity with Liao while we build our strength to conquer it, and I dreamed of building a vast empire on that land where people are proud and peaceful." That doesn't sound all that different from what Cheonchu was trying to do anyway--and she says so just as we're thinking it. So why didn't you just help me?, she asks. "I didn't want your empire; I wanted mine." And yes, "Unless you vowed loyalty to me, I would've had you executed." He goes on about enjoying the idea of seeing Taejo's ancestor tormented by watching him rise to power. "Then I would've had my revenge by killing you and the emperor at the altar of sacrifice in my ancestors' shrine." By now this is starting to sound more like the evil twin talking than Chiyang talking (We know he still has feelings for her, right?). All of this infuriates Gang Jo to the point where he walks right up to Chiyang and slugs him in the mouth. (Didn't like that. God knows he had good reason to do it, but still, cheap shot.) Chiyang shakes it off and continues, "Yes. I completely fooled the empress dowager and used her. Prince Hwangju was my son, not hers. And now that he is dead (a lie), so is my dream. But my followers will rise again." That's all he says out loud, but then we hear his thoughts, as he looks at Cheonchu: "Don't get weak because of me. Your highness, you must remain in power." (If he still has feelings for her, or supports her at all, I don't understand why he won't speak plainly about them like he's doing about everything else.)
Kim Shimun is talking with Choi Sawui and Tak Sajeong. They're the two new generals who we met in the previous episode and who were in charge when Sa Illa and the child believed to be Prince Hwangju died. The generals are concerned about being in some sort of trouble because of what happened. Kim obviously wants them to feel uneasy--"I wonder what the empress dowager will think. Her baby boy is dead because of the two of you"--and then tells them, "She has to be driven away for the two of you to have any future." Particularly since she bore the child of a traitor. But they know this would mean turning Gang Jo's men against him because Jo is so loyal to Cheonchu, and how could they possibly accomplish that? Oviously Kim thinks they can find a way, because two chests filled with coins and silver are brought into the room and placed in front of them. "The fate of the empire is at stake," he tells them. "Would you put your future at risk and undermine the national morality of Goryeo by serving the empress dowager? Or would you help us drive her out and rectify this situation?" And he adds, "If this works out, I will guarantee you the minister of military and minister of punishment positions." Wow, gonna be tough for them to say no.
Cheonchu isn't eating or sleeping properly, and refuses to take off her armor. Her attendant tells Gang Jo she fears for her health. Inside her chambers we see Cheonchu looking sad and pondering who knows what.
Maybe a few days later: Daeryang will arrive in the capital soon. Gamchan is with Cheonchu, who asks him what he thinks she should do. Gingerly, he tells her he thinks she has no choice but to step down. "The empire has laws and moral principles," he says, and "Without consequence, those laws and moral principals deteriorate." Read between the lines: You screwed up and you have to pay the price just like anybody else would. "The ministers will serve the new emperor, so retire to Hwangju. This is my last faithful counsel as your servant who always shared your ideals." She knows Gamchan is right and doesn't argue with him.
Yunheung's villa: Lots of fancy clothes and jewelry have been bought up for Princess Jeong. Jeong wonders where all the money came from for all this stuff. And she tells Escort Jo she's not real happy about the idea of becoming empress, even if it's possible. But she can't help having a bit of girlish curiousness about what Daeryang is like these days, not having seen him for so many years.
Shinhyeol Temple: Choe Hang has led a party of ministers here to escort Daeryang to the capital. Jin Gwan receives them cordially. Daeryang is finishing his prayers, Jin tells them; he'll be here soon.
Inside the temple, we see Daeryang praying...Flashback to Ep40, Prince Gyeongjuwon begging Sa Illa to spare his son's life...Flashback ending, he prays to his father: "Father, you ran away from the throne, but I'm told it is my destiny to accept it. If this is what heaven has intended for me, I will not run from it. So please watch over me, father." He leaves the temple...
...and goes out to meet the escort party. He recognizes Choe Hang, his former teacher from long ago. Choe hands him a letter from Mokjong. Daeryang reads it (we don't know what it says) and than drops to the ground and bows deeply before a horrified Jin Gwan. He'll soon be emperor, but not before he leaves the temple, and "I will never forget your valuable teachings," he tells Jin. Jin responds with encouraging words, and bows back. There's a resolve in the kid's eyes that we haven't seen before. Looks like he's ready to take the job at last.
Yu Hangan and Yi Jujeong are being taken to the execution yard. On the way, Mokjong sees them and asks the guardsmen for a word alone with Hangan. They go off to a side yard. Mokjong apologizes to Hangan. "I can't keep the promise I made you to spare your life. The situation has gotten out of my hands. I'm sorry." But Hangan understands; he doesn't blame Mokjong and mainly is just happy to have the chance to see him one more time before he dies. "Please," Hangan says, "live a long and happy life with the empress."
Cheonchu is in her quarters, dressed in startlingly plain clothes. She's summoned Yu Bang; she has a favor to ask of him....
The execution yard: Ten prisoners are set to be executed. A demented-looking executioner is dancing around waving his giant sword around in front of them. (Not cool at all. There's no call for that. Execute them with dignity and be done with it.) Yi Jujeong is protesting his innocence, and he has good reason to: "My only crime is managing Kim Chiyang's finances! If I'm spared, I will surrender all of his immense hidden assets to the state!" There's a heck of an offer, but nobody seems to comprehend its significance. (Why didn't he offer this back in the jail when Cheonchu was there? It probably would have worked.) Now it's execution time. Gang Jo steps forward and asks the prisoners if they have any last words. Hangan does: "I want to be born a woman in my next life." Well, isn't that special. The order is given, the execution proceeds, and Jujeong and Hangan are the first to fall.
Narration tells us that the historical record mentions Yu Hangan as "a subject of the king's admiration owing to his beautiful appearance." Specifically, Hangan is mentioned in something called "The Stories of Paehaeng." We're told, "Paehaeng refers to achieving one's goals through flattery, music, coquetry, hunting, and other means to please the king and win his affection." (I have no clue about any of this, and couldn't dig up anything either. Anybody out there got anything?)
After the executions, Yu Bang runs into the yard to report a shocker to Gang Jo: Cheonchu asked him to quietly bring Chiyang to Guibup Temple. Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung have taken him there, Yu says. "But it's the empress dowager's attire that puzzles me." What the heck is going on?
Guibup Temple: We see Cheonchu inside praying. Then she goes outside, where a bound and tightly guarded Chiyang is brought to her. She orders him untied and left alone with her. I just want to talk to him, she tells Yang Kyu; you can stand close enough to keep watch on him. Yang is extremely uncomfortable with this, but reluctantly obeys.
A brief shot of Gang Jo on horseback, galloping somewhere in a big hurry.
Cheonchu wants to know, "Did you approach me from the beginning with the intent to use me?" Yes, he says, answering honestly: "That attack on Hwangju was staged so I could get into your life. Many of my faithful men were killed in that mission, but it was successful." But she doesn't understand one thing: "If I had not fallen in love with you, we would not have had a child, and you would not have had a way to achieve your goal." His response? "Do you think it's difficult to seduce a lonely widow?" OUCH, that's gotta hurt. "You're lying," she says, "You're lying!" (Yes, he is, but why? What's the point?) Now she's rattled; she just can't believe he didn't love her (and now we know why she's brought him here). She asks him why he risked his life to save her in Liao if he didn't love her. "Because I needed you alive to get to the throne, of course. You were not the least bit attractive as a woman." Now he's just being mean. (Why does he refuse to say that he cared about her and still does? What possible difference does it make now? Especially since it's obviously hurting her so much, why would he want to hurt her? I don't get it. Anybody else can explain it, please, I'm all ears.) "My feelings for you were sincere," she tells him; I sinned against the former king (Gyeongjong, her dead husband) for you, and I willingly bore your child in spite of all of the scorn and anger over it. And I believed we'd have a quiet life together someday. And you did all this to me? "You were simply the means to an end. My time with you was torture." "I really loved you." "I'm sorry, but I never felt such feelings for you." He has to look away as he says it, and at that, Cheonchu takes out a dagger from inside her robe. "You betrayed my love, stole my dream and killed my son." And with that, she plunges the dagger into his midsection!
Dokyun is on horseback; she makes it safely to the Jurchen village. She enters a home where a man is watching over a sleeping child. At first Dokyun is very relieved to see her son here safely, but then she realizes it's not her son, it's Hwangju in her son's clothes. The man has to tell her that the children were switched...and that her son was killed along with Sa Illa. "That is what Sa Gamun wanted." At first Dokyun can't even comprehend it: "He used my son as a decoy to save the Prince?" But then she falls to the floor crying. "How could a father set his own son up to die? He's just a child. There is no cause important enough to kill his own son for. How could he?"
Gang Jo is glaring at Chiyang in his jail cell. "Did you come here to rub it in? That's no way to be a gracious winner, General Gang." Maybe he did come to rub it in; he tells Chiyang that Mun Inui revealed the whole story about Chiyang's Shillan roots and intentions. Chiyang fumes at the betrayal, but as Jo observes, "He betrayed you just like you betrayed the empress dowager." Even Chiyang sees the truth in that. But anyway, Jo didn't come to rub it in after all; he came for a reason. "All will be revealed at the inquiry, but I need to hear it from your mouth....Did you kill Hyangbi?" For his own peace of mind, he needs to know. Chiyang admits to it, which of course enrages Jo, but just then attendant Yu shows up with news for Jo: Prince Hwangju has been killed along with Sa Illa. They haven't found the body yet, though. Jo and Yu leave, and Chiyang smugly laughs to himself. "My son is not dead," he tells himself, "He is alive. And he will realize the thousand-year dream that I have failed to realize. He will build an empire bigger and stronger than Goryeo, Balhae or Liao!" More crazy laughter, almost like the evil twin has taken control of him.
Cheonchu is taking it hard. She's clutching some of Hwangju's baby clothes. Mokjong goes to see her. "I failed to protect my brother," he tells her. If I had known he'd leave us so soon, I would've been a more loving brother. I resented him; I didn't give him as much as a warm glance. I am truly sorry, mother." (When you get right down to it, the guy is a real class act.) No, she answers, it's my fault, my bad judgment. But it might be for the best, she reasons; at least now he won't have to grow up under the shadow of his father's treason. That doesn't make her feel any better, though.
State council meeting: Daeryang's pending ascension is being discussed. Kim Shimun argues that Cheonchu will need to step down, since she has no relation to Daeryang; Choe Suk and Choe Wonshin follow up by arguing that she fathered the traitor Chiyang's child and placed the empire in peril; all the more reason she must leave. Gang Jo snarls at them, accusing them of only being concerned about the tax rates on their lands, and tells Mokjong that Daeryang is only 18 and will need Cheonchu to stay and guide him. He's really getting worked up over it, threatening not to allow anyone to ascend to the throne "if he does not serve the empress dowager. My sword will not let that happen. Be warned!" And when Mokjong warns him about his insolence, Jo fires back, "Don't you realize that you are partly at fault for the empress dowager's plight?" Yikes! At that, even Gang Gamchan reacts: "What? Have you gone mad?" He turns to Mokjong: "Please understand, your majesty. General Gang is not himself right now. Please forgive him." And then physically drags Jo out of the hall and into a corridor...
...where he lets him have it but good. "Have you really gone mad? Get a hold of yourself! Besides, they weren't saying anything that isn't true." Oooh, that last one strikes a nerve. "You're no different than the rest of them," Jo says, starting to sound almost paranoid; "I trusted you. But you're just trying to remove the empress dowager from power and put Prince Daeryang on the throne because you two are close." This is starting to get ugly and uncomfortable, but then there's Cheonchu standing there in the corridor.
Back at Cheonchu's quarters: Jo and Gamchan have filled her in on the state council discussion. Jo begs her to ignore it all: "This country has no future without you. You must stay strong, your highness." But she has to ask him why he continues to defend her even after she repeatedly trusted Chiyang's word over his and after Chiyang killed his wife. "Frankly, I have resented you," he answers. "But you're a victim as well." (Seriously?) She tells him she appreciates his loyalty, but right now she's just too overwhelmed to make any kind of decision about her future.
Lady Yunheung's villa: Kim Shimun has brought Mun Inui to Yunheung. Jo Sun recognizes him as Chiyang's betrayer. But Inui has something big to offer. I can tell you how to get access to all of Chiyang's hidden assets, he tells Yunheung. What does he want in return? "All I ask is that you grant me a post in the court if you should rise to power." A high post, that is. Yunheung is suspicious: Why not just offer this to Cheonchu?, she asks. "Her days are over," Mun replies. "She is a setting sun. Besides, her men look at me like I'm dirt. Your grace, I intend to bet everything I have left on you." She's intrigued, clearly.
Out in the Liao countryside, probably close to the palace in Shangjin: A messenger hawk alights on Yelu Dilie's arm. It's brought a report from a spy in Goryeo, a report for the prime minister (Is this Dokyun's hawk? It isn't clear, but probably so). But the other Khitan generals are out there in the countryside too, and demand to see the report.
Liao palace, Shangjin: Yelu Dilu has brought the message to the emperor. It's a preliminary report from Goryeo, saying that Chiyang has captured the palace but that reinforcements are needed. Everyone knows that neither the empress dowager nor the prime minister will approve such a request, but Xiao Baiya argues that this is a golden opportunity to strike and conquer Goryeo. And everyone else there agrees with him. Shengzong too, of course.
Dokyun goes into the room where Prince Hwangju is sleeping. She points her arm at the child, looking like she has that spring-loaded knife thing inside her sleeve loaded up and ready to fire. But she thinks of her own child, and she can't go through with it. Then the boy's caretaker enters, with more news for Dokyun: Sa Gamun is dead. He sent a letter for her to read in case of his death. The letter starts: "My dear wife: This must be my first time calling you 'wife.' I'm filled with regret for not giving you a wedding, only now at this crossroads of life and death." It says that if their child has perished, "blame me and me only. And please take care of the prince. Look after him like our son Ryang and bring him up well....He must survive to fulfill the dreams we have failed to realize." The letter also advises her to go to the eastern Jurchen leader Chief Mobula if she should ever need help. It concludes, "I'm sorry. And I love you." This is all too much for her and she starts to come apart. "You bastard," she says through her tears, "you killed my son and now you're gone, too. What am I supposed to do all alone in this land full of strangers?" She breaks down crying and sobbing. (Weird as she may be, you really have to feel sorry for her. Her husband convinced her to betray her home country, and then her adopted country, and then got her child killed, and then got himself killed, leaving her stranded in a foreign land. She sure picked a winner.)
Evening in the torture yard (If I had a nickel for every time I typed those words...I could buy a bladed boomerang): Cheonchu is presiding. Chiyang is in the front torture seat; we see Yu Hangan and Yi Jujeong behind him. (What did Yi do? Except for guilt by association.) Dae Dosu starts the questioning, but he doesn't have much work to do because Chiyang readily admits to all of the accusations against him: plotting treason, building a rebel army, Hangan and the osuksan, Hyangbi's death. "Yes, I acknowledge everything." Then Gamchan steps forward; he wants to know something. And at last, after all of his investigating, he gets the answer: Chiyang admits to ordering Prince Gyeongjuwon's death. Gang Jo is disgusted at Chiyang's apparent lack of remorse for all this, but Chiyang just laughs at him. "Death is a part of all great revolutions," he says. He points out that Taejo took many lives in order to found Goryeo. "He succeeded, so those deaths became heroic sacrifices, and his ploy became a grand enterprise. But I have failed, so those who served me have become rebels and my grand enterprise has become an evil plot." (Gotta give him full credit there. History is written by the victors.) Then Cheonchu has a question: "If you had succeeded, how would you have governed this country?" Not sure why that's a productive question to ask, but he tells her: "If my son had risen to the throne, I would have wiped out the corrupt, self-seeking officials, built a mighty military and created a grand empire of Shilla. I would've maintained an appearance of amity with Liao while we build our strength to conquer it, and I dreamed of building a vast empire on that land where people are proud and peaceful." That doesn't sound all that different from what Cheonchu was trying to do anyway--and she says so just as we're thinking it. So why didn't you just help me?, she asks. "I didn't want your empire; I wanted mine." And yes, "Unless you vowed loyalty to me, I would've had you executed." He goes on about enjoying the idea of seeing Taejo's ancestor tormented by watching him rise to power. "Then I would've had my revenge by killing you and the emperor at the altar of sacrifice in my ancestors' shrine." By now this is starting to sound more like the evil twin talking than Chiyang talking (We know he still has feelings for her, right?). All of this infuriates Gang Jo to the point where he walks right up to Chiyang and slugs him in the mouth. (Didn't like that. God knows he had good reason to do it, but still, cheap shot.) Chiyang shakes it off and continues, "Yes. I completely fooled the empress dowager and used her. Prince Hwangju was my son, not hers. And now that he is dead (a lie), so is my dream. But my followers will rise again." That's all he says out loud, but then we hear his thoughts, as he looks at Cheonchu: "Don't get weak because of me. Your highness, you must remain in power." (If he still has feelings for her, or supports her at all, I don't understand why he won't speak plainly about them like he's doing about everything else.)
Kim Shimun is talking with Choi Sawui and Tak Sajeong. They're the two new generals who we met in the previous episode and who were in charge when Sa Illa and the child believed to be Prince Hwangju died. The generals are concerned about being in some sort of trouble because of what happened. Kim obviously wants them to feel uneasy--"I wonder what the empress dowager will think. Her baby boy is dead because of the two of you"--and then tells them, "She has to be driven away for the two of you to have any future." Particularly since she bore the child of a traitor. But they know this would mean turning Gang Jo's men against him because Jo is so loyal to Cheonchu, and how could they possibly accomplish that? Oviously Kim thinks they can find a way, because two chests filled with coins and silver are brought into the room and placed in front of them. "The fate of the empire is at stake," he tells them. "Would you put your future at risk and undermine the national morality of Goryeo by serving the empress dowager? Or would you help us drive her out and rectify this situation?" And he adds, "If this works out, I will guarantee you the minister of military and minister of punishment positions." Wow, gonna be tough for them to say no.
Cheonchu isn't eating or sleeping properly, and refuses to take off her armor. Her attendant tells Gang Jo she fears for her health. Inside her chambers we see Cheonchu looking sad and pondering who knows what.
Maybe a few days later: Daeryang will arrive in the capital soon. Gamchan is with Cheonchu, who asks him what he thinks she should do. Gingerly, he tells her he thinks she has no choice but to step down. "The empire has laws and moral principles," he says, and "Without consequence, those laws and moral principals deteriorate." Read between the lines: You screwed up and you have to pay the price just like anybody else would. "The ministers will serve the new emperor, so retire to Hwangju. This is my last faithful counsel as your servant who always shared your ideals." She knows Gamchan is right and doesn't argue with him.
Yunheung's villa: Lots of fancy clothes and jewelry have been bought up for Princess Jeong. Jeong wonders where all the money came from for all this stuff. And she tells Escort Jo she's not real happy about the idea of becoming empress, even if it's possible. But she can't help having a bit of girlish curiousness about what Daeryang is like these days, not having seen him for so many years.
Shinhyeol Temple: Choe Hang has led a party of ministers here to escort Daeryang to the capital. Jin Gwan receives them cordially. Daeryang is finishing his prayers, Jin tells them; he'll be here soon.
Inside the temple, we see Daeryang praying...Flashback to Ep40, Prince Gyeongjuwon begging Sa Illa to spare his son's life...Flashback ending, he prays to his father: "Father, you ran away from the throne, but I'm told it is my destiny to accept it. If this is what heaven has intended for me, I will not run from it. So please watch over me, father." He leaves the temple...
...and goes out to meet the escort party. He recognizes Choe Hang, his former teacher from long ago. Choe hands him a letter from Mokjong. Daeryang reads it (we don't know what it says) and than drops to the ground and bows deeply before a horrified Jin Gwan. He'll soon be emperor, but not before he leaves the temple, and "I will never forget your valuable teachings," he tells Jin. Jin responds with encouraging words, and bows back. There's a resolve in the kid's eyes that we haven't seen before. Looks like he's ready to take the job at last.
Yu Hangan and Yi Jujeong are being taken to the execution yard. On the way, Mokjong sees them and asks the guardsmen for a word alone with Hangan. They go off to a side yard. Mokjong apologizes to Hangan. "I can't keep the promise I made you to spare your life. The situation has gotten out of my hands. I'm sorry." But Hangan understands; he doesn't blame Mokjong and mainly is just happy to have the chance to see him one more time before he dies. "Please," Hangan says, "live a long and happy life with the empress."
Cheonchu is in her quarters, dressed in startlingly plain clothes. She's summoned Yu Bang; she has a favor to ask of him....
The execution yard: Ten prisoners are set to be executed. A demented-looking executioner is dancing around waving his giant sword around in front of them. (Not cool at all. There's no call for that. Execute them with dignity and be done with it.) Yi Jujeong is protesting his innocence, and he has good reason to: "My only crime is managing Kim Chiyang's finances! If I'm spared, I will surrender all of his immense hidden assets to the state!" There's a heck of an offer, but nobody seems to comprehend its significance. (Why didn't he offer this back in the jail when Cheonchu was there? It probably would have worked.) Now it's execution time. Gang Jo steps forward and asks the prisoners if they have any last words. Hangan does: "I want to be born a woman in my next life." Well, isn't that special. The order is given, the execution proceeds, and Jujeong and Hangan are the first to fall.
Narration tells us that the historical record mentions Yu Hangan as "a subject of the king's admiration owing to his beautiful appearance." Specifically, Hangan is mentioned in something called "The Stories of Paehaeng." We're told, "Paehaeng refers to achieving one's goals through flattery, music, coquetry, hunting, and other means to please the king and win his affection." (I have no clue about any of this, and couldn't dig up anything either. Anybody out there got anything?)
After the executions, Yu Bang runs into the yard to report a shocker to Gang Jo: Cheonchu asked him to quietly bring Chiyang to Guibup Temple. Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung have taken him there, Yu says. "But it's the empress dowager's attire that puzzles me." What the heck is going on?
Guibup Temple: We see Cheonchu inside praying. Then she goes outside, where a bound and tightly guarded Chiyang is brought to her. She orders him untied and left alone with her. I just want to talk to him, she tells Yang Kyu; you can stand close enough to keep watch on him. Yang is extremely uncomfortable with this, but reluctantly obeys.
A brief shot of Gang Jo on horseback, galloping somewhere in a big hurry.
Cheonchu wants to know, "Did you approach me from the beginning with the intent to use me?" Yes, he says, answering honestly: "That attack on Hwangju was staged so I could get into your life. Many of my faithful men were killed in that mission, but it was successful." But she doesn't understand one thing: "If I had not fallen in love with you, we would not have had a child, and you would not have had a way to achieve your goal." His response? "Do you think it's difficult to seduce a lonely widow?" OUCH, that's gotta hurt. "You're lying," she says, "You're lying!" (Yes, he is, but why? What's the point?) Now she's rattled; she just can't believe he didn't love her (and now we know why she's brought him here). She asks him why he risked his life to save her in Liao if he didn't love her. "Because I needed you alive to get to the throne, of course. You were not the least bit attractive as a woman." Now he's just being mean. (Why does he refuse to say that he cared about her and still does? What possible difference does it make now? Especially since it's obviously hurting her so much, why would he want to hurt her? I don't get it. Anybody else can explain it, please, I'm all ears.) "My feelings for you were sincere," she tells him; I sinned against the former king (Gyeongjong, her dead husband) for you, and I willingly bore your child in spite of all of the scorn and anger over it. And I believed we'd have a quiet life together someday. And you did all this to me? "You were simply the means to an end. My time with you was torture." "I really loved you." "I'm sorry, but I never felt such feelings for you." He has to look away as he says it, and at that, Cheonchu takes out a dagger from inside her robe. "You betrayed my love, stole my dream and killed my son." And with that, she plunges the dagger into his midsection!