Post by ajk on May 10, 2013 21:15:20 GMT -5
"Treason! Bidam is trying to use the Tang emperor's words to gain the throne." Between Yushin, Alcheon and Chunchu, sitting there with QSD, Chunchu isn't the one you'd expect to jump to that conclusion...but he does and he's very angry and demands punishment. "Don't get ahead of yourself," the queen warns, not as quick to buy the "deal" that Bidam supposedly cut. But Chunchu stands up and storms off. The other two get up and follow him, which is probably a good idea.
Bidam can barely contain his anger at the way his "supporters" have put him in this position. Their response is basically, You started it. Which is true: they're facing the loss of all of their private troops to the queen, with no say in the matter at all. But still...Bidam has to remind them that he never said he wanted to pursue the throne. Yeom Jong answers, "That is not something you can decide upon by yourself." Misaeng adds that the deal with the Tang will undoubtedly be exposed soon, what with the Tang being held in confinement. Hajong jumps in: "With clear evidence in her hands, would she spare a traitor?" He forgets that QSD just went through something similar with Yushin, and may not condemn Bidam so quickly...but at the moment that's small consolation to Bidam. (Some poetic justice here, considering the spot he helped put Yushin in.)
Bidam goes to the Tang delegation's building, which is still surrounded by guards. He's denied entry. QSD forbade any visitors, remember. Bidam scoffs and tries to pull rank, but the head guard humbly, carefully says he can't. Whoever that guy is, he's a good man, bravely denying the senior advisor like that. Fortunately Bidam doesn't go chicken-bonkers on him.
Chunchu runs out of gas and Yushin and Alcheon catch up to him. Don't be so rash, they tell him...but just then a guard runs in with news that Bidam is trying to meet with the Tang. Immediately Chunchu tells the guard, Let him through. Huh? Going over the queen's head, Chunchu? "I am merely helping her 'judge with wisdom,'" he explains without really explaining anything. Better be careful, kid.
Now Bidam is inside and the Tang envoy and his assistant are brought to meet him. Of course the envoy is angry and immediately starts complaining...but Bidam wants none of it and tells the envoy he had nothing to do with the covenant. And demands he be given the feather-fan containing the secret message. What are you talking about?, the envoy fires back; I already sent it to you. Uh-oh....
Now Yeom Jong has gathered the "supporters" to tell them that Bidam is meeting with the envoy. They're relieved to hear it; they're sure he'll realize he has no other choice now but to go ahead and work with the Tang to get himself made king.
Maybe I spoke too soon: Bidam goes back to the head guard, grabs the poor guy's sword and puts it to his throat, demanding to know what happened to the fan. The guard resists talking...but eventually decides it's not worth it (and it's not) so he says he took it to the queen. Not good news for Bidam, obviously....
He storms off, and now by a nearby building we see him alone, his hands trembling with fear or anger or some combination of both...A flashback of what we saw some of in Ep31 and more of in Ep33, the excited young Bidam explaining to a horrified Munno how he poisoned all of those refugees in the cave because two of them stole his Geographical Survey books...and now a scene from a subsequent night, one that we've never seen, of the boy sleeping next to Munno and trying to put his hand on Munno's, which it looks like he had always done. But in his sleep, Munno nudges the boy's hand away. Twice....Flashback ending, Bidam is looking at his own hand trembling. Obviously still lots of issues in his head. So he heads off somewhere. But look, someone is tailing him.
The supporters continue talking, basically all convincing each other that Bidam needs to act for himself, that it's proper for him to become king, and that he should be leaning on them for support. Uhh, guys, you're not the ones who need the convincing...but now the guy who was tailing Bidam--that was one of Yeom Jong's men--runs in with disturbing news...
"Announce me." Bidam is at the queen's palace, ready to take his medicine. Give him credit.
The supporters are dumbfounded that Bidam apparently is going to confess everything. And now they're in a panic. Bojong runs out to go assemble his private troops. For what? The others sit there in disbelief--including guys like Ho Jae and Piltan who clearly are smart enough to know better (you'd think.)
Okay, so it was a setup to see if he'd actually do it. Chunchu, back with QSD along with Yushin and Alcheon, tells QSD that Bidam went through with it; met with the Tang, "Defying your order in the process. This is like acknowledging his accusations as the truth." Oh, I don't know--a rare misstep for Chunchu. What has got him so riled up about this? But now Bidam's arrival is announced. Let him in, QSD says....so he enters...and just stands there...says nothing...silence. Better start talking, dude.
Wow, Bojong has a lot of troops. They fill a courtyard and are given orders to prepare horses and stand by three of the city gates. Hmmmm....
Now Bidam sits down, but still nobody's saying anything. Finally QSD produces the feather fan. "This is what the chief envoy wished you to have. Seems like he attempted to bribe you in any way possible..."
Outside the queen's palace, the supporters are on edge, waiting to find out what happens...
"It is a secret covenant. A secret pledge sent in my name. They found out that I would relinquish all my authority once you pass away. Lords Misaeng, Hajong, Jujin and Sueulbu, they all found out. Looks like they wrote it because they felt in peril." Fair enough; he spoke the truth. Chunchu doesn't buy it and flat-out says so...but the queen does--and flat-out says so. Bidam tells her, "I will deal with this. As this all happened because of me, I will suppress them, and put an end to all this." Trust me, he asks the queen. Will she?
Bidam leaves the palace...and right away is confronted by Yeom Jong, Bojong, Hajong and Misaeng. They carefully prod him--what did you do in there. He doesn't answer; only says, "Tell everyone to gather."
So they do. The queen had the fan, he tells them to their horror. So she knows the whole story? "No. She does not. Not yet." Lie! Why lie to them? She didn't find the message, he tells them, so she thinks it's just a simple bribe. But if anything like this ever happens again, he says to them with rising anger, "I shall eliminate you all with my very hands! Is that clear?" Well, not yet, because Jujin reminds him that he made that secret covenant with the queen without telling them, which is what started all this. Bidam laughs that off. Do you think I'm so stupid that I'd honor any such pledge? Anybody here who doesn't trust me, just go find somebody else to support. Otherwise, he says, "trust me and follow my lead." And no more subterfuges or questioning me.
"Bidam will not be able to handle it." Chunchu figures that Bidam has lost his supporters' trust. "That is why you must eliminate him and all his confidants." Wow, really?! He's been a faithful and very competent subordinate, QSD says; he even "acted as the villain for my sake" when it was necessary. And now "as he loves me, his ruler, his devotion for me is being used against him. So how could you not show a shred of compassion for him?" But Chunchu can't--and he says why he can't, and now we understand his behavior. It's because of his mother. Who was responsible, he says, for his grandfather, father and mother dying. Which isn't totally true...and Bidam had nothing to do with any of that himself, did he. "The confidants he is harboring," Chunchu continues, "are none other than the people who followed Mishil." Well THAT'S true...And to his credit, Chunchu does admit that Bidam has become his rival for the throne, so there's some self-interest there too.
Bidam motions to Yeom Jong to come closer. "You managed to entangle me, so I will have to do the same to you." Huh? Those private troops that have been deployed, Bidam wants them to take a loyalty oath to him. "If it is a path we must walk on together, all must join in." Sounds okay with Yeom Jong. He leaves to go get that done...and now, oh no it's Santak the Annoying chief guard! Who's become a lot less annoying lately, have to acknowledge that...Bidam tells him to gather ten Inspectorate officers together this evening--discreetly. Wonder what Bidam is cooking up.
The royal physician comes to see QSD. What on earth can this be about? He enters bringing a box--his instruments, I guess. Apparently no big deal, just time for her regular physical, it sounds like.
Later, outside the palace we see the physician leaving. Alcheon asks him why he's been visiting so often lately. Oh, so it's not just a regular physical. The physician tells Alcheon the queen has been having trouble sleeping--obviously no doctor-patient confidentiality in Shilla, is there. Alcheon seems to doubt that; the physician assures him that it's nothing more than that...but doesn't look very convincing about it. And Alcheon doesn't look very convinced, either.
Evening: Bidam has prepared ten letters to go to ten different recipients. Ten inspectors are gathered for the task; he hands each of them a letter and orders the letters delivered. They leave...and Santak enters. He's gathered some troops--something else Bidam asked him to do, which we didn't know about--and orders the inspectors followed. Just to be safe, to make sure they do what they're supposed to do.
Still evening: Now it looks like we're at someone's estate. Must be Yeom Jong's. A long line of men, waiting to be interviewed. At the front of the line, a man named Ildo is questioned; a man named Ilson is behind him. What's going on here? Men looking for work? The guy asking the questions says they're looking for men to work at the Mount Geumjeong mines. But for some reason that just doesn't sound right....
Now the supporters are together again, gathered because Bidam has asked them all to sign their own covenants with him. They're not sure he can be trusted enough to do it. But what alternative do they have? Chunchu? No, he's always wanted vengeance against them for his mother's death...and they even worry that Chunchu will pursue the unify-the-kingdoms dream to the extent that it will empower the government more at the expense of themselves as nobles. Whoa, this is getting pretty speculative...but the bottom line is, they see no alternative to sticking with Bidam. Let's just get our troops back, they agree. Misaeng asks, "How is the recruitment of mercenaries going?" A-ha, so that's what we just saw. Going well enough, apparently. Then two men enter and hand Yeom Jong a letter, explaining that Bidam sent this letter "to ten provincial magistrates." Wonder how they got a copy? Yeom Jong looks it over...Nothing out of the ordinary; just an invitation for them to visit the capital. Hajong, in a bizarre moment of stunning insight, wonders if Bidam is up to something. Nobody else can see anything in it, though, and they all decide to continue with their plans. Including Misaeng, who apparently is planning something very significant.
Santak reports back. How about this math: only three of the ten inspectors (Hansu, Jeongtak, Gangso) delivered their letters properly. The other seven went to Yeom Jong first! Bidam looks like he expected as much. But at least now he knows he can trust three guys. (Maybe that was the whole point here: send something innocuous just to find out who can be trusted. If that's it, very clever on Bidam's part.) Oh, and Santak mentions something else odd, too: miners being recruited at Yeom Jong's. Weird, he says, because "They were asking them about their fighting skills, and such things. It didn't feel like they were recruiting them to work." Okay, that was such a great piece of observation that he's officially off the hook and no longer Annoying. Bidam realizes exactly what's going on: "Find out where they are transferring those men!" And then Santak realizes it too, and scurries away. A huge score for Santak.
Still evening: A nighttime military training session. Yushin arrives; he's brought three scrolls and hands them to Bakui, Dukchoong and Imjong. Procedural orders for the assimilation of those private troops into the regular military. But wait, not so fast--Godo and Geoksaheun come in and report about the recruitment of "miners." More than 1000. That's an awful lot of miners. It concerns Yushin, at least enough to send Godo and Geoksaheun back to watch things.
Next morning: A group of forty or so of the recruited "miners" is waiting in the woods. They're in pretty good spirits; the high wages they've been promised for three months of mining, as one of them says, "It's a godsend!" Now someone who looks to be in charge shows up and tells them they'll be moving to another location. So they all head off...but we see Daepoong and Yanggil keeping tabs on them as they go. Not very adeptly, have to say...hovering way too closely. And now suddenly there are nine black-clad sword-wielding goons in their faces! What the heck? In an instant the two are fighting for their lives. These goons aren't very good with the swords and don't seem to have a clue about fighting; the pair manage to pick one off, then another, then another, then send a couple more rolling down a hillside, and finally the last four run away. Wow, some very good work by those two. But by now the "miners" have vanished. Yanggil happens to spot a medallion on one of the dead men's uniforms. An Inspectorate medallion! They check a second body and find another medallion.
"Assassins?" Yushin gets the report from Godo and Geoksaheun about what happened to the other two...and is shown the two medals. But it's not clear who sent them. Bidam or Yeom Jong? Well, looks like we'll get an answer, because at that moment Bidam walks into the conversation. "I thought Her Majesty entrusted all this to me?" I'll ask for your help when the time is right, he assures them. Chunchu, to Bidam's surprise, says Let's accept that. "However, that "right time" better come quickly."
Well here's an interesting change of scenery: We're by a riverside out in the country and Seolji is overseeing what looks like a military training session. But what are these fancy weapons lined up in a row? "Arm!" Looks like crossbows mounted on frames, drawn mechanically with ropes and small cranks. "Shoot!" And wow can they shoot a long way. Two arrows at a time, and most of the arrows squarely hit targets a very long way away. Hey, the queen and Wolya are there too. This is some sort of weapons development demonstration; everybody is very pleased with the result. "Remarkable" work, QSD tells Wolya, and encourages the Gayans to keep working. Then Wolya asks about something involving Chunchu and "the Gaya royal cellars"...but the queen cuts him off and says "It's not the time to tell him, yet. Chunchu is so impatient that he rushes for the finish right away, but this unification will be a war of endurance." She looks at Wolya and adds, "You know what I mean, right?" Well WE sure don't, but Wolya does.
Now QSD is visiting some farmers--and in particular that Bonggi guy who she assigned to oversee the land reclamation efforts. She tells the group that the government will have to shift back to weapons production for now, so "You will have to make the most of the implements you already have." Then Bonggi reports that the beans they planted (at the queen's instruction (episode 54)) are doing well and are helping with the land reclamation, just as the research said they would. The farmers are grateful for what she's done for them and salute her with cheers to make sure she knows it.
Evening: The royal party arrives back at the palace. Alcheon compliments QSD on how well the farmers are doing. But she turns to him with heavier things on her mind. "You are the only one aware of all my plans," she begins. "I trusted that those plans will not easily be leaked, because of you." Okay... "So should anything happen to me, make a judgment, and convey those plans to my rightful successor." Alcheon is taken aback; why is she talking like this? Uh-oh...come on, dude, put it together, you saw the physician out there, something's going on...Nothing to be concerned about, she assures him; just, well, "You never know what future might lie ahead." She asks him to summon Yushin and Chunchu. What, at this hour? You need your rest, he tells her...but she says she's fine and asks him again.
"Did they contact you?" Santak the Formerly Annoying has reported to Bidam. "Yes," Santak answers; "you can go." Go where? Wherever it is, Bidam stands right up and heads out, Santak behind him...
...and now they're outside in the countryside somewhere, walking under the moonlight on a muddy path. Santak is carrying something cradled in one arm.
QSD has presented Chunchu and Yushin with copies of a list she made: a to-do list for accomplishing the unite-the-kingdoms goal. And then stresses the need for patience, since the goal will likely take many years. This is pretty heavy stuff: why, and why now, and why all of a sudden in a hasty nighttime meeting? Oddly, neither of them asks.
Oh, it was just a map. Santak unfurls it and he and Bidam look around. They're at the "mine"--but it doesn't exactly look like an actual mine, just a big cave. But what's that--there's light coming from inside. So they creep into the cave to check it out. And discover a large inner chamber where mercenaries are being trained to use spears. Some of the nobles we know are overseeing it all--there's Ho Jae, and Piltan, and I think Seon Yul, and also looks like Wang Yun. Not a lot of mercenaries, but who knows how many of these sessions are going on.
Yushin is back in his military office, thumbing through the pages QSD gave him. Now he looks like he suddenly wonders about the point of it all. But just for a moment, because Bidam walks in. It's time, he says; "I will have to use some of your troops tomorrow night." Asks for 1000. Wow, that's a lot. Did the queen okay this? Bidam shakes his head no. I want to deal with this myself, he says, and then report it to her. Yushin thinks for a moment, and then okays it.
Outside, Santak and three subordinates are waiting for Bidam. Must be those three guys he knows he can trust. He comes out. "Tomorrow night, we will divide into two and attack both the mine and Yeom Jong's abode." Wow! In his thoughts, we hear him hoping that the queen is keeping faith in him.
Most of the supporters are waiting for Misaeng to arrive, and wondering if he's managed to arrange what he was planning to arrange. Misaeng arrives, with good news. All set. "It will arrive tomorrow." Smiles all around. What will arrive?
Next day: Whatever it is, it's coming by boat. We're looking at a small dock on a riverbank, and a ship is approaching. On the ship's deck we can see an important-looking chest. A bunch of men run onto the ship as soon as it docks; one opens the chest and removes an envelope--a fancy gold envelope that looks very important.
A state council meeting is about to start. Lots of satisfied buzzing among the supporters. Wonder why? The queen enters and everybody simmers down. She's not happy. "What report could it possibly be, to cause this commotion?" So this isn't a regular meeting; it was called because of some sort of report. A scroll is brought forward and handed to her. She opens it and looks it over. As she does, Jujin tells her that the magistrate in charge of Gurahwa Prefecture sent it. Whatever it says, it staggers the queen and she flops down on her throne. "A boat filled with only a box entered Gurahwa Prefecture?!" That's the report. What a weird thing. Many of the nobles, all of whom happen to be supporters, start smiling and claiming it to be a good omen. Hmmmmm....."This is just like what happened," Sueulbu offers, "when King Jinheung inaugurated Hwangnyong Temple." Well we don't know that story, not yet....
Outside the city walls, Jukbang meets up with Godo and his three cohorts. They've come to get a look at whatever is arriving. Jukbang thinks he knows, and starts to tell a wild story involving an Indian ruler from 800 years ago named Ashoka the Great. Ashoka had tried to create a copper-and-gold Buddha statue for his kingdom but for some reason failed (I'm guessing a lack of proper metallurgy knowledge that long ago). So he got frustrated, and put the materials on a boat and sent it away. We switch settings to a nearby village street, and pick up the story as villagers tell it to each other. A boat carrying nearly 14 tons of copper and nearly 20 pounds of gold. Ashoka added six silk paintings of Buddha, and a letter that he wrote, and tossed it all on a boat with no people to guide it and just let the stuff drift away. Switch again, and Manmyeong is telling the rest of the story to Wolya. "He wished for any country where that boat landed," she explains, to build the statue that he couldn't build. So nearly 800 years later, the boat shows up in Gurahwa Prefecture. Seohyeon is there too, and clearly he doesn't buy the story. But Manmyeong insists that whatever is happening now "is a propitious omen." Propitious because, as Jukbang had explained at the start, the boat landed just where King Jinheung planned to build a palace. Instead he built a temple there; the temple was a huge boost to the then-struggling Buddhist movement in Shilla and a great omen for the nation's future successes. And people are already praising QSD for what's now being seen as a similarly favorable omen.
This is quite a setup, and whatever the payoff is, it's off the boat and we see it being carried into the capital. No 14 tons of copper; just the chest we saw on the boat, and a group of larger boxes on a simple cart.
Back in the Council Hall, the supporters are really laying it on thick, setting high expectations for how great this will be. Bidam glares at them, wondering what they're up to. Considering what QSD went through with phony omens before, she couldn't possibly be totally un-suspicious of this, could she? Seohyeon brings in the gold envelope we saw in the chest, and hands it to Bidam, who opens it and reads its contents--with increasingly trembling hands. Chunchu grabs the paper from him and scans it over--he doesn't look comfortable with it either--and at QSD's order, reluctantly reads it aloud. It's some sort of proclamation that "those whose name refers to the Lord of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss will rule Shilla." And somehow in the linguistic nuance of it all (which escaped me), the description of that magic name roughly translates to the name "Bidam." As in, Bidam is destined to be the king of Shilla.
Bidam can barely contain his anger at the way his "supporters" have put him in this position. Their response is basically, You started it. Which is true: they're facing the loss of all of their private troops to the queen, with no say in the matter at all. But still...Bidam has to remind them that he never said he wanted to pursue the throne. Yeom Jong answers, "That is not something you can decide upon by yourself." Misaeng adds that the deal with the Tang will undoubtedly be exposed soon, what with the Tang being held in confinement. Hajong jumps in: "With clear evidence in her hands, would she spare a traitor?" He forgets that QSD just went through something similar with Yushin, and may not condemn Bidam so quickly...but at the moment that's small consolation to Bidam. (Some poetic justice here, considering the spot he helped put Yushin in.)
Bidam goes to the Tang delegation's building, which is still surrounded by guards. He's denied entry. QSD forbade any visitors, remember. Bidam scoffs and tries to pull rank, but the head guard humbly, carefully says he can't. Whoever that guy is, he's a good man, bravely denying the senior advisor like that. Fortunately Bidam doesn't go chicken-bonkers on him.
Chunchu runs out of gas and Yushin and Alcheon catch up to him. Don't be so rash, they tell him...but just then a guard runs in with news that Bidam is trying to meet with the Tang. Immediately Chunchu tells the guard, Let him through. Huh? Going over the queen's head, Chunchu? "I am merely helping her 'judge with wisdom,'" he explains without really explaining anything. Better be careful, kid.
Now Bidam is inside and the Tang envoy and his assistant are brought to meet him. Of course the envoy is angry and immediately starts complaining...but Bidam wants none of it and tells the envoy he had nothing to do with the covenant. And demands he be given the feather-fan containing the secret message. What are you talking about?, the envoy fires back; I already sent it to you. Uh-oh....
Now Yeom Jong has gathered the "supporters" to tell them that Bidam is meeting with the envoy. They're relieved to hear it; they're sure he'll realize he has no other choice now but to go ahead and work with the Tang to get himself made king.
Maybe I spoke too soon: Bidam goes back to the head guard, grabs the poor guy's sword and puts it to his throat, demanding to know what happened to the fan. The guard resists talking...but eventually decides it's not worth it (and it's not) so he says he took it to the queen. Not good news for Bidam, obviously....
He storms off, and now by a nearby building we see him alone, his hands trembling with fear or anger or some combination of both...A flashback of what we saw some of in Ep31 and more of in Ep33, the excited young Bidam explaining to a horrified Munno how he poisoned all of those refugees in the cave because two of them stole his Geographical Survey books...and now a scene from a subsequent night, one that we've never seen, of the boy sleeping next to Munno and trying to put his hand on Munno's, which it looks like he had always done. But in his sleep, Munno nudges the boy's hand away. Twice....Flashback ending, Bidam is looking at his own hand trembling. Obviously still lots of issues in his head. So he heads off somewhere. But look, someone is tailing him.
The supporters continue talking, basically all convincing each other that Bidam needs to act for himself, that it's proper for him to become king, and that he should be leaning on them for support. Uhh, guys, you're not the ones who need the convincing...but now the guy who was tailing Bidam--that was one of Yeom Jong's men--runs in with disturbing news...
"Announce me." Bidam is at the queen's palace, ready to take his medicine. Give him credit.
The supporters are dumbfounded that Bidam apparently is going to confess everything. And now they're in a panic. Bojong runs out to go assemble his private troops. For what? The others sit there in disbelief--including guys like Ho Jae and Piltan who clearly are smart enough to know better (you'd think.)
Okay, so it was a setup to see if he'd actually do it. Chunchu, back with QSD along with Yushin and Alcheon, tells QSD that Bidam went through with it; met with the Tang, "Defying your order in the process. This is like acknowledging his accusations as the truth." Oh, I don't know--a rare misstep for Chunchu. What has got him so riled up about this? But now Bidam's arrival is announced. Let him in, QSD says....so he enters...and just stands there...says nothing...silence. Better start talking, dude.
Wow, Bojong has a lot of troops. They fill a courtyard and are given orders to prepare horses and stand by three of the city gates. Hmmmm....
Now Bidam sits down, but still nobody's saying anything. Finally QSD produces the feather fan. "This is what the chief envoy wished you to have. Seems like he attempted to bribe you in any way possible..."
Outside the queen's palace, the supporters are on edge, waiting to find out what happens...
"It is a secret covenant. A secret pledge sent in my name. They found out that I would relinquish all my authority once you pass away. Lords Misaeng, Hajong, Jujin and Sueulbu, they all found out. Looks like they wrote it because they felt in peril." Fair enough; he spoke the truth. Chunchu doesn't buy it and flat-out says so...but the queen does--and flat-out says so. Bidam tells her, "I will deal with this. As this all happened because of me, I will suppress them, and put an end to all this." Trust me, he asks the queen. Will she?
Bidam leaves the palace...and right away is confronted by Yeom Jong, Bojong, Hajong and Misaeng. They carefully prod him--what did you do in there. He doesn't answer; only says, "Tell everyone to gather."
So they do. The queen had the fan, he tells them to their horror. So she knows the whole story? "No. She does not. Not yet." Lie! Why lie to them? She didn't find the message, he tells them, so she thinks it's just a simple bribe. But if anything like this ever happens again, he says to them with rising anger, "I shall eliminate you all with my very hands! Is that clear?" Well, not yet, because Jujin reminds him that he made that secret covenant with the queen without telling them, which is what started all this. Bidam laughs that off. Do you think I'm so stupid that I'd honor any such pledge? Anybody here who doesn't trust me, just go find somebody else to support. Otherwise, he says, "trust me and follow my lead." And no more subterfuges or questioning me.
"Bidam will not be able to handle it." Chunchu figures that Bidam has lost his supporters' trust. "That is why you must eliminate him and all his confidants." Wow, really?! He's been a faithful and very competent subordinate, QSD says; he even "acted as the villain for my sake" when it was necessary. And now "as he loves me, his ruler, his devotion for me is being used against him. So how could you not show a shred of compassion for him?" But Chunchu can't--and he says why he can't, and now we understand his behavior. It's because of his mother. Who was responsible, he says, for his grandfather, father and mother dying. Which isn't totally true...and Bidam had nothing to do with any of that himself, did he. "The confidants he is harboring," Chunchu continues, "are none other than the people who followed Mishil." Well THAT'S true...And to his credit, Chunchu does admit that Bidam has become his rival for the throne, so there's some self-interest there too.
Bidam motions to Yeom Jong to come closer. "You managed to entangle me, so I will have to do the same to you." Huh? Those private troops that have been deployed, Bidam wants them to take a loyalty oath to him. "If it is a path we must walk on together, all must join in." Sounds okay with Yeom Jong. He leaves to go get that done...and now, oh no it's Santak the Annoying chief guard! Who's become a lot less annoying lately, have to acknowledge that...Bidam tells him to gather ten Inspectorate officers together this evening--discreetly. Wonder what Bidam is cooking up.
The royal physician comes to see QSD. What on earth can this be about? He enters bringing a box--his instruments, I guess. Apparently no big deal, just time for her regular physical, it sounds like.
Later, outside the palace we see the physician leaving. Alcheon asks him why he's been visiting so often lately. Oh, so it's not just a regular physical. The physician tells Alcheon the queen has been having trouble sleeping--obviously no doctor-patient confidentiality in Shilla, is there. Alcheon seems to doubt that; the physician assures him that it's nothing more than that...but doesn't look very convincing about it. And Alcheon doesn't look very convinced, either.
Evening: Bidam has prepared ten letters to go to ten different recipients. Ten inspectors are gathered for the task; he hands each of them a letter and orders the letters delivered. They leave...and Santak enters. He's gathered some troops--something else Bidam asked him to do, which we didn't know about--and orders the inspectors followed. Just to be safe, to make sure they do what they're supposed to do.
Still evening: Now it looks like we're at someone's estate. Must be Yeom Jong's. A long line of men, waiting to be interviewed. At the front of the line, a man named Ildo is questioned; a man named Ilson is behind him. What's going on here? Men looking for work? The guy asking the questions says they're looking for men to work at the Mount Geumjeong mines. But for some reason that just doesn't sound right....
Now the supporters are together again, gathered because Bidam has asked them all to sign their own covenants with him. They're not sure he can be trusted enough to do it. But what alternative do they have? Chunchu? No, he's always wanted vengeance against them for his mother's death...and they even worry that Chunchu will pursue the unify-the-kingdoms dream to the extent that it will empower the government more at the expense of themselves as nobles. Whoa, this is getting pretty speculative...but the bottom line is, they see no alternative to sticking with Bidam. Let's just get our troops back, they agree. Misaeng asks, "How is the recruitment of mercenaries going?" A-ha, so that's what we just saw. Going well enough, apparently. Then two men enter and hand Yeom Jong a letter, explaining that Bidam sent this letter "to ten provincial magistrates." Wonder how they got a copy? Yeom Jong looks it over...Nothing out of the ordinary; just an invitation for them to visit the capital. Hajong, in a bizarre moment of stunning insight, wonders if Bidam is up to something. Nobody else can see anything in it, though, and they all decide to continue with their plans. Including Misaeng, who apparently is planning something very significant.
Santak reports back. How about this math: only three of the ten inspectors (Hansu, Jeongtak, Gangso) delivered their letters properly. The other seven went to Yeom Jong first! Bidam looks like he expected as much. But at least now he knows he can trust three guys. (Maybe that was the whole point here: send something innocuous just to find out who can be trusted. If that's it, very clever on Bidam's part.) Oh, and Santak mentions something else odd, too: miners being recruited at Yeom Jong's. Weird, he says, because "They were asking them about their fighting skills, and such things. It didn't feel like they were recruiting them to work." Okay, that was such a great piece of observation that he's officially off the hook and no longer Annoying. Bidam realizes exactly what's going on: "Find out where they are transferring those men!" And then Santak realizes it too, and scurries away. A huge score for Santak.
Still evening: A nighttime military training session. Yushin arrives; he's brought three scrolls and hands them to Bakui, Dukchoong and Imjong. Procedural orders for the assimilation of those private troops into the regular military. But wait, not so fast--Godo and Geoksaheun come in and report about the recruitment of "miners." More than 1000. That's an awful lot of miners. It concerns Yushin, at least enough to send Godo and Geoksaheun back to watch things.
Next morning: A group of forty or so of the recruited "miners" is waiting in the woods. They're in pretty good spirits; the high wages they've been promised for three months of mining, as one of them says, "It's a godsend!" Now someone who looks to be in charge shows up and tells them they'll be moving to another location. So they all head off...but we see Daepoong and Yanggil keeping tabs on them as they go. Not very adeptly, have to say...hovering way too closely. And now suddenly there are nine black-clad sword-wielding goons in their faces! What the heck? In an instant the two are fighting for their lives. These goons aren't very good with the swords and don't seem to have a clue about fighting; the pair manage to pick one off, then another, then another, then send a couple more rolling down a hillside, and finally the last four run away. Wow, some very good work by those two. But by now the "miners" have vanished. Yanggil happens to spot a medallion on one of the dead men's uniforms. An Inspectorate medallion! They check a second body and find another medallion.
"Assassins?" Yushin gets the report from Godo and Geoksaheun about what happened to the other two...and is shown the two medals. But it's not clear who sent them. Bidam or Yeom Jong? Well, looks like we'll get an answer, because at that moment Bidam walks into the conversation. "I thought Her Majesty entrusted all this to me?" I'll ask for your help when the time is right, he assures them. Chunchu, to Bidam's surprise, says Let's accept that. "However, that "right time" better come quickly."
Well here's an interesting change of scenery: We're by a riverside out in the country and Seolji is overseeing what looks like a military training session. But what are these fancy weapons lined up in a row? "Arm!" Looks like crossbows mounted on frames, drawn mechanically with ropes and small cranks. "Shoot!" And wow can they shoot a long way. Two arrows at a time, and most of the arrows squarely hit targets a very long way away. Hey, the queen and Wolya are there too. This is some sort of weapons development demonstration; everybody is very pleased with the result. "Remarkable" work, QSD tells Wolya, and encourages the Gayans to keep working. Then Wolya asks about something involving Chunchu and "the Gaya royal cellars"...but the queen cuts him off and says "It's not the time to tell him, yet. Chunchu is so impatient that he rushes for the finish right away, but this unification will be a war of endurance." She looks at Wolya and adds, "You know what I mean, right?" Well WE sure don't, but Wolya does.
Now QSD is visiting some farmers--and in particular that Bonggi guy who she assigned to oversee the land reclamation efforts. She tells the group that the government will have to shift back to weapons production for now, so "You will have to make the most of the implements you already have." Then Bonggi reports that the beans they planted (at the queen's instruction (episode 54)) are doing well and are helping with the land reclamation, just as the research said they would. The farmers are grateful for what she's done for them and salute her with cheers to make sure she knows it.
Evening: The royal party arrives back at the palace. Alcheon compliments QSD on how well the farmers are doing. But she turns to him with heavier things on her mind. "You are the only one aware of all my plans," she begins. "I trusted that those plans will not easily be leaked, because of you." Okay... "So should anything happen to me, make a judgment, and convey those plans to my rightful successor." Alcheon is taken aback; why is she talking like this? Uh-oh...come on, dude, put it together, you saw the physician out there, something's going on...Nothing to be concerned about, she assures him; just, well, "You never know what future might lie ahead." She asks him to summon Yushin and Chunchu. What, at this hour? You need your rest, he tells her...but she says she's fine and asks him again.
"Did they contact you?" Santak the Formerly Annoying has reported to Bidam. "Yes," Santak answers; "you can go." Go where? Wherever it is, Bidam stands right up and heads out, Santak behind him...
...and now they're outside in the countryside somewhere, walking under the moonlight on a muddy path. Santak is carrying something cradled in one arm.
QSD has presented Chunchu and Yushin with copies of a list she made: a to-do list for accomplishing the unite-the-kingdoms goal. And then stresses the need for patience, since the goal will likely take many years. This is pretty heavy stuff: why, and why now, and why all of a sudden in a hasty nighttime meeting? Oddly, neither of them asks.
Oh, it was just a map. Santak unfurls it and he and Bidam look around. They're at the "mine"--but it doesn't exactly look like an actual mine, just a big cave. But what's that--there's light coming from inside. So they creep into the cave to check it out. And discover a large inner chamber where mercenaries are being trained to use spears. Some of the nobles we know are overseeing it all--there's Ho Jae, and Piltan, and I think Seon Yul, and also looks like Wang Yun. Not a lot of mercenaries, but who knows how many of these sessions are going on.
Yushin is back in his military office, thumbing through the pages QSD gave him. Now he looks like he suddenly wonders about the point of it all. But just for a moment, because Bidam walks in. It's time, he says; "I will have to use some of your troops tomorrow night." Asks for 1000. Wow, that's a lot. Did the queen okay this? Bidam shakes his head no. I want to deal with this myself, he says, and then report it to her. Yushin thinks for a moment, and then okays it.
Outside, Santak and three subordinates are waiting for Bidam. Must be those three guys he knows he can trust. He comes out. "Tomorrow night, we will divide into two and attack both the mine and Yeom Jong's abode." Wow! In his thoughts, we hear him hoping that the queen is keeping faith in him.
Most of the supporters are waiting for Misaeng to arrive, and wondering if he's managed to arrange what he was planning to arrange. Misaeng arrives, with good news. All set. "It will arrive tomorrow." Smiles all around. What will arrive?
Next day: Whatever it is, it's coming by boat. We're looking at a small dock on a riverbank, and a ship is approaching. On the ship's deck we can see an important-looking chest. A bunch of men run onto the ship as soon as it docks; one opens the chest and removes an envelope--a fancy gold envelope that looks very important.
A state council meeting is about to start. Lots of satisfied buzzing among the supporters. Wonder why? The queen enters and everybody simmers down. She's not happy. "What report could it possibly be, to cause this commotion?" So this isn't a regular meeting; it was called because of some sort of report. A scroll is brought forward and handed to her. She opens it and looks it over. As she does, Jujin tells her that the magistrate in charge of Gurahwa Prefecture sent it. Whatever it says, it staggers the queen and she flops down on her throne. "A boat filled with only a box entered Gurahwa Prefecture?!" That's the report. What a weird thing. Many of the nobles, all of whom happen to be supporters, start smiling and claiming it to be a good omen. Hmmmmm....."This is just like what happened," Sueulbu offers, "when King Jinheung inaugurated Hwangnyong Temple." Well we don't know that story, not yet....
Outside the city walls, Jukbang meets up with Godo and his three cohorts. They've come to get a look at whatever is arriving. Jukbang thinks he knows, and starts to tell a wild story involving an Indian ruler from 800 years ago named Ashoka the Great. Ashoka had tried to create a copper-and-gold Buddha statue for his kingdom but for some reason failed (I'm guessing a lack of proper metallurgy knowledge that long ago). So he got frustrated, and put the materials on a boat and sent it away. We switch settings to a nearby village street, and pick up the story as villagers tell it to each other. A boat carrying nearly 14 tons of copper and nearly 20 pounds of gold. Ashoka added six silk paintings of Buddha, and a letter that he wrote, and tossed it all on a boat with no people to guide it and just let the stuff drift away. Switch again, and Manmyeong is telling the rest of the story to Wolya. "He wished for any country where that boat landed," she explains, to build the statue that he couldn't build. So nearly 800 years later, the boat shows up in Gurahwa Prefecture. Seohyeon is there too, and clearly he doesn't buy the story. But Manmyeong insists that whatever is happening now "is a propitious omen." Propitious because, as Jukbang had explained at the start, the boat landed just where King Jinheung planned to build a palace. Instead he built a temple there; the temple was a huge boost to the then-struggling Buddhist movement in Shilla and a great omen for the nation's future successes. And people are already praising QSD for what's now being seen as a similarly favorable omen.
This is quite a setup, and whatever the payoff is, it's off the boat and we see it being carried into the capital. No 14 tons of copper; just the chest we saw on the boat, and a group of larger boxes on a simple cart.
Back in the Council Hall, the supporters are really laying it on thick, setting high expectations for how great this will be. Bidam glares at them, wondering what they're up to. Considering what QSD went through with phony omens before, she couldn't possibly be totally un-suspicious of this, could she? Seohyeon brings in the gold envelope we saw in the chest, and hands it to Bidam, who opens it and reads its contents--with increasingly trembling hands. Chunchu grabs the paper from him and scans it over--he doesn't look comfortable with it either--and at QSD's order, reluctantly reads it aloud. It's some sort of proclamation that "those whose name refers to the Lord of the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss will rule Shilla." And somehow in the linguistic nuance of it all (which escaped me), the description of that magic name roughly translates to the name "Bidam." As in, Bidam is destined to be the king of Shilla.