Post by TheBo on Aug 5, 2011 10:32:25 GMT -5
Ep.22 (Sun 8/7):
Inspector Hong sends the two head guards to learn about the blockade. Hong gives Dae-su secret, covert orders.
Jeong reports to Princess, who gloats over San’s downfall. Then, he tells his lieutenant to “start the next phase” in absolute secrecy. Dae-su’s assignment is to shadow Jeong’s men, and he does this as they go about their secret business.
Uncle reports to Insp Hong about the state of the peddlers. Many have gone completely under. Hong assures them the ships will come in the next morning. However, it turns out that in other provinces, before goods got to the capital, merchant clans purchased all available goods at double price. Hong reports this to San, Nam and Chae, and notes they were doing this at the same time as they burnt their own goods in the capital, as they are incredibly wealthy.
San points out that the important issue is the problems the shortages will cause for citizens of the capital, particularly the poor. He orders release of supplies from the palace’s stores. He also orders Hong to use certain merchants and peddlers to try to resolve the problem, because these parties have no ties to anyone and can trade freely across the kingdom. They probably haven’t been influenced by the actions of the merchant clans—yet. It may help.
Chief Park and Song report to Hyeoui that the screen cannot yet be completed due to a shortage of paper and other supplies. Also, says Park, is it okay with you if Song continues to work on it? Hyeoui hesitates as Lady Kim blinks in distress at her, but she says that she wants to see Song’s talent for herself, so yes, that’s fine. Then she says she’ll speak to Song privately, so Park leaves.
Hyeoui and Song discuss the competition and that only San could have accomplished this. Then Lady Kim talks up Hyeoui getting pregnant and strengthening San’s position with her child, and then invites Song to agree. She does, and says she’ll pray for a child, obviously sincere. As Song leaves, Lady Kim sends away the serving girls and chews Song out for being uppity, then dismisses her after Song assures her she has no thoughts above her station.
At Dowahseo, naturally, the artists are complaining about San’s reforms because they affect “us.” Mr. Lee thinks the reforms, if they work, will help elevate everyone, including the artists themselves, who are considered rather low level. Jeong’s pet artist, Kang, finds this stupid and says so. Song walks into their unfriendly midst and, clearly uncomfortable, goes to help some damo grind paint. However, Mr. Tak, never satisfied, now picks on her for “lowering” herself and orders her to practice her painting.
In Mr. Lee’s studio, he asks her what’s up with Uncle, and says he’ll have to see him as he has a proposition. Some damo come in and ask Mr. Lee for painting lessons and show him a pretty bad painting. He says they should ask Song, she’s a better painter than he is. After he leaves, the damo ask her for lessons. In keeping with her irritating self-deprecation, Song states that she doesn’t know anything. They say nobody else will teach them, and she knows at least more than they do so she should do it. She tells them to wait a minute.
Song asks Mr. Park if it’s okay to teach the damo in spite of her “poor talent.” Park says it’s not her talent, he’s just afraid the other artists will give her even more opposition if she does it. She expected opposition, she says, or she’d never have started this. He is glad to hear that and gives her permission, telling her not to let the others get to her but do her best.
At the tavern, Uncle brings some firewood he cut himself for the tavern lady. She is overcome and starts to bawl. Uncle wants to hug her but some customers come in and she magically stops crying. Uncle has to go back to get more firewood, he says, but she tells him they can just hug at night for warmth.
Then the two customers discuss a flybill that says the reforms caused all the problems and inflation. Uncle asks where they got it, and goes to the market to find “vicious gossip” posted on the walls. He rips down the poster and sends everyone away, but in another part of town, Jeong’s men are distributing flybills to post all over the place. He also sends out someone to bribe people to come to a rally that night. Dae-su spies on this.
San holds court. He asks Jeong why there are no petitions that day, and Jeong says the only ones that came in were on the paralyzed economy, and he enumerates the problems in the capital. San scolds Jeong for using the people to make an argument; he notes that the merchants are at fault here. Jeong retorts that it’s government’s fault if the people suffer, the goods were merely sold elsewhere because of lack of confidence in the government. Sir Choi piles on and tells San he must reverse his reform and put the merchant clans back in charge. It’s “obvious” that San has messed everything up and has to put it back or the economy will be paralyzed forever.
San scolds all the ministers and points out that the problem is not his reforms, but the fact that the merchant clans are too powerful and insulated from prosecution. [Hmm. This sounds uncomfortably familiar.] San wants to stop the outrage of a few clans having so much power. He will get the goods for the capital himself, he swears.
Lady Hye’s minister father and uncle beg her to make San reconsider his reforms and take them back before everything collapses. She disagrees with them; even if San is wrong in his reforms, he must be absolutely resolute so his enemies cannot run roughshod over him any more. He has to show he is not weak.
Yeong-jo is visited by his attentive daughter, Princess, who brings up the trouble in the capital. He asks her opinion, and she allows that San is right, but reform cannot happen in a day and he’s doing it wrong. She tells Yeong-jo that San’s reforms are an insult against his own rule. Then she smirks behind his back.
Sir Choi tells the Queen that Jeong’s tactics are working. She says she trusts them, but this is not the important part. Now the other officials know how San intends to rule, and they know why he has to be deposed. They must decide who will take his place. She tells Choi to fetch her brother from Pyongyong.
Dae-su reports to Hong, who says they must stop the riot sure to take place at the “rally” or San will be affected. Later, Hong sends a letter by messenger to the chief of police, who, naturally enough, consults Jeong about it (as he is lurking at the prefecture). The letter says to disperse the crowd quietly and let no one be harmed. But Jeong tears up the letter and tells the police chief that he will guarantee the man’s future, so he has to do the opposite of the letter. Aggravate the crowd, cause a riot, cause injuries and violence. Gives him a lot of twaddle about saving the nation, and the man agrees.
Jeong consults with his man. It is revealed the rally is a trap for Hong. Hong will ruin San, and as a bonus, Hong will be completely out of the Noron’s hair.
At San’s office, they discuss disposition of grain that will arrive soon, and then Lady Hyeoui arrives. It seems the three advisors drafted her to force San to get some rest for once, as he’s been up for three days. San’s annoyed they used her, and she seems embarrassed, but he goes.
Hyeoui apologizes for butting in, but San says it’s okay, he has trouble sleeping lately because he fears he may be harming the people. She assures him she knows about all the problems, but medicine hurts when applied to a wound. She is certain the people will soon understand why San is applying medicine. San seems overcome by her words.
Dae-su practices swordwork in the cold. The head guard arrives and they talk about the expected riot and Hong’s plan to stop it using the police. They think this is a smart idea. Next day, the people paid by Jeong gather together, and they are brutally attacked by the police with wooden swords or clubs. It’s a pretty horrible scene, and Dae-su arrives to witness it with horror and anger.
Yeong-jo and San get word of the “strike.” San is told the police were ordered to attack the people, who were peacefully gathered. San demands to know who ordered the police violence, and Sir Chae says it was Insp Hong. Dae-su reports to Hong, who realizes the trap too late. San arrives and demands to know whether Hong did this. Again, as bone-crushingly, stupidly usual in these situations, instead of answering the charge, Hong just apologizes, making it sound like he did it. San is stunned, thinking Hong is mad. Hong then tries to explain, but when San stops him and demands to know why he ordered the police to do such a thing, Hong in turn is stunned and cannot answer. Eunuch Nam arrives and says Yeong-jo is summoning him, and San goes.
Nam and Chae demand to know what Hong was thinking, and again, he lets them think he issued the order, instead of fully explaining. [So frustrating.]
Yeong-jo scolds San in his office. He demands to know why Hong was allowed to issue the orders. San takes responsibility and says he gave Hong authority, and Yoeng-jo calls him a fool and says he has no right to be king if he doesn’t consider the welfare of the people.
Dae-su leaves home. Uncle, Dae-su and Song mourn the loss of San’s hopes and his possible deposement.
The ministers petition Yeong-jo to take back the throne and kick out San. As Lady Hye keeps a late-night vigil, Princess arrives to torture her. She compares San’s failure with that of Sado when he ruled as regent. Altogether too delighted, she is. Lady Hye scolds her and assures her she won’t let the same thing happen to San as did to Sado. Princess is not impressed.
At the secret meeting place, Queen tells the Norons they still have to make sure San is deposed, and all departments must cooperate in this. They cannot let pressure up on Yeong-jo. All of San’s decisions must be reversed, and San shown to be unable to rule the people or the court.
At Dowahseo, the damo wonder if they’ll be allowed to learn to paint. When Song arrives, Cho-bi informs her that all the artists are demanding her ouster or they will refuse to paint; they won’t go to class with her.
Mr. Tak and Mr. Kang tell an angry chief Park that since all of San’s decisions are being reversed, so will Dowahseo and he can’t do anything about it. Song arrives with the damo and tells Kang he can forget that. He splutters, but she points out that the prince didn’t give her the right to study, the artists did by initiating and accepting the contest. She won’t quit without a good reason. He says it’s reason enough that she’s low-born and a damo (female), but she says they already said they’d accept her in spite of those reasons. He sputters some more, and sponsor Lee is delighted with Song’s words. Mr. Park nods his approval.
In Song and Lee’s studio, Mr. Tak comes in and throws a map down, saying Song can take over for him, he quits. They try to talk him out of it, but he’s too angry and leaves. Mr. Lee apologizes for him, he’s small-minded but not a bad guy and will come around eventually. However, there now is extra work.
Dae-su is summoned to San’s office. San wants Dae-su to do something for him.
At Dowahseo, Song tells the damo she wants to finish the maps Mr. Tak left, because criticism should not come on Dowahseo for her sake. But they are out of the red and white pigment needed, all suppliers having closed down. Cho-bi suggests they use make-up as pigment, and upsets the other girls by taking away their expensive cosmetics. She is teased when she states that Song has to succeed for the rest of them to have a chance. They all have a good giggle together.
Song paints the maps, the other damo help her with paint prep, and they all ask for painting lessons. She’s made some friends.
At Uncle’s house, Dae-su arrives, with San traipsing after. He’s come for a gathering of the peddlers’ representatives, many of whom are wounded. He begs their forgiveness for his own incompetence. He’ll try, but things may go back the way they were. The men tell him they aren’t angry, he gave them something they’d never even dreamed of and even if it was only a few days, it was sheer bliss. Very affecting speech. San emotionally promises he’ll eventually make the dream come true for more than a few lousy days.
At Dowahseo, Song provides lessons to the girls. Cho-bi is amazed at her own wonderfulness; the others shake their heads at her.
At his office, Insp Hong packs up his things. A friend arrives. This is a scholar who says many of the scholars are saddened by the reversal of San’s beneficial policies. He and many others wish to serve San, even though they thought it was foolish before. Hong says he’ll tell San before he leaves; it seems Hong cannot stay to see his dreams come true.
Queen receives word that Yeong-jo has summoned the court for an announcement. Her brother arrives. He seems like a larger-than-life fellow, laughing a lot. He is Minister Kim.
At the court, Yeong-jo arrives and tells San to take his regular seat. He says San shook the nation with his inexperience,, and the ministers wouldn’t even help him so that made things worse. Therefore, Yeong-jo takes back his order and all his power. Jeong smirks.
At the Queen’s chambers, Minister Kim rants about the other ministers, who know nothing about governing a nation. He tells her he’ll help dethrone San, get a replacement patsy and run everything for her. Then he visits San’s young half-brother and swears he’ll serve the boy. As San leaves the court, he sees Minister Kim crossing the courtyard with his brothers and looks alarmed. San’s brothers seem happy to see him, however.
****
So, when San refers to “Hanyang” – is that Seoul?
Inspector Hong sends the two head guards to learn about the blockade. Hong gives Dae-su secret, covert orders.
Jeong reports to Princess, who gloats over San’s downfall. Then, he tells his lieutenant to “start the next phase” in absolute secrecy. Dae-su’s assignment is to shadow Jeong’s men, and he does this as they go about their secret business.
Uncle reports to Insp Hong about the state of the peddlers. Many have gone completely under. Hong assures them the ships will come in the next morning. However, it turns out that in other provinces, before goods got to the capital, merchant clans purchased all available goods at double price. Hong reports this to San, Nam and Chae, and notes they were doing this at the same time as they burnt their own goods in the capital, as they are incredibly wealthy.
San points out that the important issue is the problems the shortages will cause for citizens of the capital, particularly the poor. He orders release of supplies from the palace’s stores. He also orders Hong to use certain merchants and peddlers to try to resolve the problem, because these parties have no ties to anyone and can trade freely across the kingdom. They probably haven’t been influenced by the actions of the merchant clans—yet. It may help.
Chief Park and Song report to Hyeoui that the screen cannot yet be completed due to a shortage of paper and other supplies. Also, says Park, is it okay with you if Song continues to work on it? Hyeoui hesitates as Lady Kim blinks in distress at her, but she says that she wants to see Song’s talent for herself, so yes, that’s fine. Then she says she’ll speak to Song privately, so Park leaves.
Hyeoui and Song discuss the competition and that only San could have accomplished this. Then Lady Kim talks up Hyeoui getting pregnant and strengthening San’s position with her child, and then invites Song to agree. She does, and says she’ll pray for a child, obviously sincere. As Song leaves, Lady Kim sends away the serving girls and chews Song out for being uppity, then dismisses her after Song assures her she has no thoughts above her station.
At Dowahseo, naturally, the artists are complaining about San’s reforms because they affect “us.” Mr. Lee thinks the reforms, if they work, will help elevate everyone, including the artists themselves, who are considered rather low level. Jeong’s pet artist, Kang, finds this stupid and says so. Song walks into their unfriendly midst and, clearly uncomfortable, goes to help some damo grind paint. However, Mr. Tak, never satisfied, now picks on her for “lowering” herself and orders her to practice her painting.
In Mr. Lee’s studio, he asks her what’s up with Uncle, and says he’ll have to see him as he has a proposition. Some damo come in and ask Mr. Lee for painting lessons and show him a pretty bad painting. He says they should ask Song, she’s a better painter than he is. After he leaves, the damo ask her for lessons. In keeping with her irritating self-deprecation, Song states that she doesn’t know anything. They say nobody else will teach them, and she knows at least more than they do so she should do it. She tells them to wait a minute.
Song asks Mr. Park if it’s okay to teach the damo in spite of her “poor talent.” Park says it’s not her talent, he’s just afraid the other artists will give her even more opposition if she does it. She expected opposition, she says, or she’d never have started this. He is glad to hear that and gives her permission, telling her not to let the others get to her but do her best.
At the tavern, Uncle brings some firewood he cut himself for the tavern lady. She is overcome and starts to bawl. Uncle wants to hug her but some customers come in and she magically stops crying. Uncle has to go back to get more firewood, he says, but she tells him they can just hug at night for warmth.
Then the two customers discuss a flybill that says the reforms caused all the problems and inflation. Uncle asks where they got it, and goes to the market to find “vicious gossip” posted on the walls. He rips down the poster and sends everyone away, but in another part of town, Jeong’s men are distributing flybills to post all over the place. He also sends out someone to bribe people to come to a rally that night. Dae-su spies on this.
San holds court. He asks Jeong why there are no petitions that day, and Jeong says the only ones that came in were on the paralyzed economy, and he enumerates the problems in the capital. San scolds Jeong for using the people to make an argument; he notes that the merchants are at fault here. Jeong retorts that it’s government’s fault if the people suffer, the goods were merely sold elsewhere because of lack of confidence in the government. Sir Choi piles on and tells San he must reverse his reform and put the merchant clans back in charge. It’s “obvious” that San has messed everything up and has to put it back or the economy will be paralyzed forever.
San scolds all the ministers and points out that the problem is not his reforms, but the fact that the merchant clans are too powerful and insulated from prosecution. [Hmm. This sounds uncomfortably familiar.] San wants to stop the outrage of a few clans having so much power. He will get the goods for the capital himself, he swears.
Lady Hye’s minister father and uncle beg her to make San reconsider his reforms and take them back before everything collapses. She disagrees with them; even if San is wrong in his reforms, he must be absolutely resolute so his enemies cannot run roughshod over him any more. He has to show he is not weak.
Yeong-jo is visited by his attentive daughter, Princess, who brings up the trouble in the capital. He asks her opinion, and she allows that San is right, but reform cannot happen in a day and he’s doing it wrong. She tells Yeong-jo that San’s reforms are an insult against his own rule. Then she smirks behind his back.
Sir Choi tells the Queen that Jeong’s tactics are working. She says she trusts them, but this is not the important part. Now the other officials know how San intends to rule, and they know why he has to be deposed. They must decide who will take his place. She tells Choi to fetch her brother from Pyongyong.
Dae-su reports to Hong, who says they must stop the riot sure to take place at the “rally” or San will be affected. Later, Hong sends a letter by messenger to the chief of police, who, naturally enough, consults Jeong about it (as he is lurking at the prefecture). The letter says to disperse the crowd quietly and let no one be harmed. But Jeong tears up the letter and tells the police chief that he will guarantee the man’s future, so he has to do the opposite of the letter. Aggravate the crowd, cause a riot, cause injuries and violence. Gives him a lot of twaddle about saving the nation, and the man agrees.
Jeong consults with his man. It is revealed the rally is a trap for Hong. Hong will ruin San, and as a bonus, Hong will be completely out of the Noron’s hair.
At San’s office, they discuss disposition of grain that will arrive soon, and then Lady Hyeoui arrives. It seems the three advisors drafted her to force San to get some rest for once, as he’s been up for three days. San’s annoyed they used her, and she seems embarrassed, but he goes.
Hyeoui apologizes for butting in, but San says it’s okay, he has trouble sleeping lately because he fears he may be harming the people. She assures him she knows about all the problems, but medicine hurts when applied to a wound. She is certain the people will soon understand why San is applying medicine. San seems overcome by her words.
Dae-su practices swordwork in the cold. The head guard arrives and they talk about the expected riot and Hong’s plan to stop it using the police. They think this is a smart idea. Next day, the people paid by Jeong gather together, and they are brutally attacked by the police with wooden swords or clubs. It’s a pretty horrible scene, and Dae-su arrives to witness it with horror and anger.
Yeong-jo and San get word of the “strike.” San is told the police were ordered to attack the people, who were peacefully gathered. San demands to know who ordered the police violence, and Sir Chae says it was Insp Hong. Dae-su reports to Hong, who realizes the trap too late. San arrives and demands to know whether Hong did this. Again, as bone-crushingly, stupidly usual in these situations, instead of answering the charge, Hong just apologizes, making it sound like he did it. San is stunned, thinking Hong is mad. Hong then tries to explain, but when San stops him and demands to know why he ordered the police to do such a thing, Hong in turn is stunned and cannot answer. Eunuch Nam arrives and says Yeong-jo is summoning him, and San goes.
Nam and Chae demand to know what Hong was thinking, and again, he lets them think he issued the order, instead of fully explaining. [So frustrating.]
Yeong-jo scolds San in his office. He demands to know why Hong was allowed to issue the orders. San takes responsibility and says he gave Hong authority, and Yoeng-jo calls him a fool and says he has no right to be king if he doesn’t consider the welfare of the people.
Dae-su leaves home. Uncle, Dae-su and Song mourn the loss of San’s hopes and his possible deposement.
The ministers petition Yeong-jo to take back the throne and kick out San. As Lady Hye keeps a late-night vigil, Princess arrives to torture her. She compares San’s failure with that of Sado when he ruled as regent. Altogether too delighted, she is. Lady Hye scolds her and assures her she won’t let the same thing happen to San as did to Sado. Princess is not impressed.
At the secret meeting place, Queen tells the Norons they still have to make sure San is deposed, and all departments must cooperate in this. They cannot let pressure up on Yeong-jo. All of San’s decisions must be reversed, and San shown to be unable to rule the people or the court.
At Dowahseo, the damo wonder if they’ll be allowed to learn to paint. When Song arrives, Cho-bi informs her that all the artists are demanding her ouster or they will refuse to paint; they won’t go to class with her.
Mr. Tak and Mr. Kang tell an angry chief Park that since all of San’s decisions are being reversed, so will Dowahseo and he can’t do anything about it. Song arrives with the damo and tells Kang he can forget that. He splutters, but she points out that the prince didn’t give her the right to study, the artists did by initiating and accepting the contest. She won’t quit without a good reason. He says it’s reason enough that she’s low-born and a damo (female), but she says they already said they’d accept her in spite of those reasons. He sputters some more, and sponsor Lee is delighted with Song’s words. Mr. Park nods his approval.
In Song and Lee’s studio, Mr. Tak comes in and throws a map down, saying Song can take over for him, he quits. They try to talk him out of it, but he’s too angry and leaves. Mr. Lee apologizes for him, he’s small-minded but not a bad guy and will come around eventually. However, there now is extra work.
Dae-su is summoned to San’s office. San wants Dae-su to do something for him.
At Dowahseo, Song tells the damo she wants to finish the maps Mr. Tak left, because criticism should not come on Dowahseo for her sake. But they are out of the red and white pigment needed, all suppliers having closed down. Cho-bi suggests they use make-up as pigment, and upsets the other girls by taking away their expensive cosmetics. She is teased when she states that Song has to succeed for the rest of them to have a chance. They all have a good giggle together.
Song paints the maps, the other damo help her with paint prep, and they all ask for painting lessons. She’s made some friends.
At Uncle’s house, Dae-su arrives, with San traipsing after. He’s come for a gathering of the peddlers’ representatives, many of whom are wounded. He begs their forgiveness for his own incompetence. He’ll try, but things may go back the way they were. The men tell him they aren’t angry, he gave them something they’d never even dreamed of and even if it was only a few days, it was sheer bliss. Very affecting speech. San emotionally promises he’ll eventually make the dream come true for more than a few lousy days.
At Dowahseo, Song provides lessons to the girls. Cho-bi is amazed at her own wonderfulness; the others shake their heads at her.
At his office, Insp Hong packs up his things. A friend arrives. This is a scholar who says many of the scholars are saddened by the reversal of San’s beneficial policies. He and many others wish to serve San, even though they thought it was foolish before. Hong says he’ll tell San before he leaves; it seems Hong cannot stay to see his dreams come true.
Queen receives word that Yeong-jo has summoned the court for an announcement. Her brother arrives. He seems like a larger-than-life fellow, laughing a lot. He is Minister Kim.
At the court, Yeong-jo arrives and tells San to take his regular seat. He says San shook the nation with his inexperience,, and the ministers wouldn’t even help him so that made things worse. Therefore, Yeong-jo takes back his order and all his power. Jeong smirks.
At the Queen’s chambers, Minister Kim rants about the other ministers, who know nothing about governing a nation. He tells her he’ll help dethrone San, get a replacement patsy and run everything for her. Then he visits San’s young half-brother and swears he’ll serve the boy. As San leaves the court, he sees Minister Kim crossing the courtyard with his brothers and looks alarmed. San’s brothers seem happy to see him, however.
****
So, when San refers to “Hanyang” – is that Seoul?