Post by ajk on Aug 9, 2013 21:31:33 GMT -5
"You're telling me you're going to do what even Buddha couldn't?" Oh, when you put it that way ...Master Bou is annoyed that Pyeonjo would even think such a thing. But Pyeonjo has heard that Bou "attained spiritual enlightenment" and wants to see the world from that enlightened perspective. He's very serious, too, to the point where he's prostrating himself on the ground, looking straight down....
Won is still trying to find his way to safety through the evening streets. And now there are goons out there so he'd better be careful.
"Please get up. Master Bou already left here a while ago." It's Jihyo the monk standing there in front of Pyeonjo now. Bou blew him off without a word! Not sure we like that guy....Pyeonjo gets up and turns around just in time to see a frantic Won running into the monastery grounds, safe at last. Let's get out of here tonight, Won urges; they're after us. "The crime is theirs," an unconcerned Pyeonjo replies; why should we leave? He even says he wants to stick around Gaegyeong for a few more days.
Apparently Won's discretion won out, though, because we see the two of them in the outlying city streets now, headed out of town. Suddenly there's some sort of commotion; here comes Gi Cheol on his covered chair back through the streets, scattering the citizens...and now they're closing the city gates. Uh-oh, better get out of there, guys...they just barely squeeze through before the gates are closed behind them.
Is this the source of the commotion? Inside the boy-king Chungmok's chambers, physicians are tending to him while his worried mother looks on. He's unconscious and very weak; even his breathing is difficult to detect. The physicians and attendants all tell his mother despairingly, "We deserve to die, Your Highness!" (Those physicians just can't win, can't they. Ever.) Outside, in the hallways, lots of whispers among the ministers buzzing around.
Back at the gates, ministers Lee Je Hyeon and Yeom Je Shin have arrived and find themselves locked out of the city. Yeom angrily bangs on the doors, frustrated because "Gi Cheol closed the gates so he can manipulate the throne however he pleases" and is "trying to install Lord Kyeongchang as the new King." And we learn that Gi is King Chungmok's regent. Which makes sense from what we've seen so far. Yeom says they have to bring Prince Gangneung back from . Better than putting the boy Kyeongchang on the throne and having more Gi Cheol regency.
An untactfully eager Lady Yoon is all smiles at the prospect that the boy-king has maybe a month to live. Her attitude even makes Gi Cheol uncomfortable...and you get the impression that's not easy to do.
Empress Dowager Myeongdeok is urging minister Lee to go to Yanjing about this whole situation and meet with the Yuan Empress . And she gives Lee a small chest full of jewelry and trinkets that she's saved up over the years--nice-looking stuff--as a "gift" (meaning, bribe) to curry her favor. Some sort of good gift is going to be necessary here, because remember, Gi Cheol is the empress's brother.
The next day: Pyeonjo and Won are headed home and have stopped by a waterfall. "What do you have against Master Bou to torment him that way?", Won asks. "You think he'd have the answer to such a pungent question?" And now we get some insight: Pyeonjo doesn't think much of the guy at all. "Clans of ordained nobles like Master Bou have fumbled with Goryeo's Buddhism. Born from noble lineage, under the pretense of Zen meditation, he spends a few years in the mountains pretending to practice asceticism, then spends some time in Yuan, getting his fill of women and drinks, comes back and claims to have experienced Nirvana! He gauges the mood in the palace a little, and after becoming State or Royal Monk, starts putting on airs to no end." All while the country suffers. "We need to turn this damn world upside down!", he says confidently.
Back on the trail now...but Pyeonjo suddenly takes a turn onto a side path. Won chases after him and after asking repeatedly, finally gets an explanation: "We've come all this way. Let's also see Mt. Geumgang." Won obviously just wants to head home, but he'd rather not be left alone so he scrambles to keep up. But in the next moment, weird things start happening: Pyeonjo is appearing and disappearing seemingly at will and from any direction. Now his image is popping up in front of Won in one place after another, rapid-fire, like some sort of specter. Completely overwhelmed, Won loses his balance and falls into the stream he's standing next to.
Won dries his clothes as Pyeonjo waits with a smile. Won has had about enough of his companion. "You know how often Master Wolseon scolds me because of you? He knows all about your witchcraft. Flying in the air, splitting rocks at the glitter of an eye, appearing and disappearing at will, running miles in an instant." Pyeonjo laughs at the idea that this is witchcraft. "That's no witchcraft. It's only your imagination. I'm not the one flying. It's your head telling you I am, that's what you're seeing." I don't know, we're seeing it too....
Once more back on the trail...Won trips on a rock and stumbles to the ground. Pyeonjo doubles back, kneels and offers a profuse apology to the rock for his companion's carelessness! He's trying out some of the Lamaism he learned about last night. "Even rocks you meet on the street have a soul, so treat them with respect." And suddenly he's staring into space, having some sort of episode. "Yes! I'm lowly. There's nothing more ignoble in this world!" What's he talking about?...Now a flashback to a young boy tripping over a rock, and being terribly scolded by his mother: "You're more ignoble than rocks that everyone stomps on. You're worse than dross. When dross rots it becomes fertilizer. Even dead you won't be worth that much." Good heavens, the poor kid, that's inexcusable...Now she's bathing the kid and the kid is crying something horrible. "Leave the tears to humans. Would scum like you deserve those tears?"...Now in a shelter somewhere, mom has given the boy some puffed rice to eat and is bemoaning their fate. "Those lucky enough are born to become slaves of noble families. They never fast. But for a temple slave like you and me, all we can dream of is roots (to eat). Unless it's a bad year, in which case we're just waiting to puke blood and die." This isn't life, she tells the boy; "You're already dead."...Flashback ending, we know by now that this was from Pyeonjo's past--and its misery must have pulsed through him for hours, because now it's dark outside. Won is feeling better now, and he's the one trying to do the cheering-up for a change. But suddenly they have to dive off the road and into a ditch, because here comes a guy apparently running for his life, in front of two men on horseback. The riders they catch him and he's struck down with a sword; then they dismount and it sounds like they're breaking his neck! Then just like that, they remount and leave. The two monks emerge from the ditch and check on the man, but he's dead. What was that all about?
Now the monks arrive at a nearby village and find it being ransacked by soldiers. Another dead body is on the ground. And now we start to get the story: this is all about that Yuan demand for maidens. The dead guy on the ground is the husband of a young woman who got married and ran away to hide with her husband instead of turning herself in to the government for deportation. And now here's the woman, being tied up and dragged across the ground as her mother shrieks in horror. Won is horrified and wants to step forward and intervene, but talk about turnabout--it's Pyeonjo counseling restraint: there's nothing they can do here and they already have those goons after them. " Do you want to add government troops to the list of people after us?" Now the father, Heo, is dragged out of his house and thrown to the ground. He's obviously a village leader, and the villagers are stunned that even someone of his rank is being treated like this. And just like that, an angry sergeant pulls out his sword and kills the defenseless Heo. His wife runs to his body, and he cuts her down as well. (Real classy, loser.) At that, Won has to speak up to the sergeant. "Look, they might have committed a crime, but is there a law saying you can go around killing people as you please?" The sergeant glares at him. "Why? Are you part of their team?" Won clams up, wisely. The daughter is placed on a horse to be taken away to the Yuan emperor. She puts up a brave fight, though, and manages to get lose and run. But she stumbles and falls. As the sergeant, now on his horse, bears down on her, Won can't take it any more and runs in between them. Without hesitation the sergeant winds up to strike Won, so Pyeonjo flies through the air and kicks the sergeant in the head, knocking him off his horse and setting off chaos. He's attacked by most of the soldiers present but fights them off, even grabbing a spear and nailing a sword-wielding soldier who advances on Won and the girl. He manages to hold them off as Won and the girl make their escape into the woods.
Now by themselves, Won despairs for Pyeonjo's life. But Pyeonjo is already there in the woods ahead of them, waiting for them! Won sobs in relief and gratitude--but behind him, the girl passes out.
Morning: the three are on their way home; Won is carrying the girl; she's still unconscious and has lost blood from a wound she sustained in the chaos. Not good.
The Yuan capital of Dadu a/k/a Khanbaliq (Yanjing; present-day Beijing): An abrupt change of scene. We're not in the city, though; we're looking at a bunch of those round Mongolian tents, out in the countryside. Yurts, they're called (info link). Something's going on; we see Prince Gangneung, with An Dochi, and now some soldiers on horses are sounding horns. Oh, this is a hunt. We see a new face, identified as Crown Prince Qunluan. And another, this one female: Botap Shili. Actually not a new face; she's the future Princess Noguk. The hunting party heads out on horseback; Gangneung looks bored out of his mind, like he'd rather be anywhere else. Soon, Botap spots a deer, draws an arrow and misses high. Tries again...and this one clangs off something. Gangneung's sword! What did he do that for? "You interfered with my hunting knowing who I am?" Well excuuuuse me lady....Gangneung simply continues riding by her without a word of explanation, leaving her fuming. Qunluan rides by and razzes her about her fruitless shooting. Gangneung heads back, where An is waiting for him. An is disappointed that his prince didn't bag anything for himself--" If you do well, won't that be the perfect chance to meet the empress?"--because apparently the empress is out there hunting too, somewhere. But Gangneung isn't a sport hunter: "Can you kill a living being just for fun?" Which explains his attitude here and his arrow-deflection. Eventually the rest of the hunting party returns. Botap scolds Gangneung for interfering and then heads into her private yurt.
Evening: Now we're in a whopping big yurt. There's the empress. And here's someone named Ayushiridara--he's the son of the emperor and the future Biligtu Khan. And there's the Yuan emperor himself. Shundi, he's known as. He's talking to a guy called the "King of Wei," whatever that means (Wei is an ancient state that hasn't existed for many centuries). They're all relaxing after the hunt. We learn that Botap, her hunting days are over now. "She'll be eighteen this year," the King of Wei explains. "We've found a match, so it's time to end the hunting." From this I suppose we're supposed to take it that he's Botap's father. Botap says she'll keep hunting after she's married, and the empress likes her enthusiasm--but advises making marriage her priority nonetheless.
Evening: An tells Gangneung he used poor judgment this afternoon in annoying Botap, because she could end up marrying the crown prince. Not the kind of person you want to upset. Gangneung doesn't care. "I told you. I can't endure seeing harmless deer getting killed and bleeding to death just for fun. If I upset her so much, tell her to kill me or do whatever she wants." With that he goes inside...
...into a room where three men are waiting for him. He's not happy to see them. "I told you never to visit me again, haven't I? Just go back to Gaegyeong and bother Gi Cheol instead!" The three men are Kim Yong, Jo Il Shin and Jung Se Woon ; they're government officials and the prince thinks they're trying to curry his favor, which he sees as pointless. But they bring him news of King Chungmok's deteriorating health, which they describe as "good news." Gangneung doesn't like that: "My nephew's getting worse, so I should rejoice?" Oops. We didn't mean that, Your Highness. And besides, "Did you forget my brother had two children? If the older dies, the younger will inherit the throne." Not so fast, they tell him; Gi Cheol might not go that route--he might be getting behind Gangneung to be put on the throne instead. Well there's a piece of news. He's intrigued now, but sees little merit in the job. "Here or there, I'd just be a puppet of the Yuan." And besides, " can anyone hanging from Gi Cheol's words be considered King?" Surprisingly, the three tell him they think they can dump Cheol, empress's brother or not. Gangneung angrily dismisses the idea. "Isn't Empress Gi protecting Gi Cheol's back? A lowly wench from Goryeo comes here as a tribute, and she turns her fortunes around, becoming the Emperor's favorite." Clearly he doesn't like the woman.
Outside a nearby building: Lee Je Hyeon has arrived, carrying that box of trinkets for the Yuan empress. A kind attendant named Park Bulhwa has met him and is escorting him to her palace.
And here she is, being lavishly tended to be a whole squad of female attendants. And what's she doing with that heated liquid in that odd little container? Uh-oh, looks like she's getting high! No kidding. Park timidly approaches her and introduces Lee. She doesn't seem interested. "It's a wonder drug the Lamas brought from India. Just smelling it feels like paradise is upon us." Now she's giggling. Undeterred, Lee steps forward and opens the chest and offers her the gift, explaining that it's from Prince Gangneung's mother.
Gangneung is muttering to himself. "Mother, your greed is unreasonable. You want me to rejoice as my nephew's light is fading?" No, prince, you've got it all wrong. But he laughs cynically.
Outside, Kim and Jo are furious about the prince's lack of interest in the throne. Jung cautions them but they walk away in disgust.
Lee has left the empress. Attendant Park looks the gift over and tells here it's full of: "the kind of precious and rare jewels you don't see often." High or not, she knows the game here: "So... I should give him the throne?" Park doesn't answer, wisely. "It would take quite the sum to put my son on that throne instead of Prince Kunlun." She's drawing an analogy to her own situation with the two Yuan princes we saw earlier.
Evening, back in Goryeo: Uh-oh. Wanted posters are going up in local villages, with three faces drawn on them: Pyeonjo, Won, and the girl. Pyeonjo is in a village and spots one...and gets out of there fast.
Morning: The girl Eun Young is conscious and walking now; good to see. The three are out in the countryside, headed to the monastery. Eun Young isn't keeping up well, but oddly enough she shuns Won whenever he extends a hand to help her along. What's her problem? But then she slips and nearly slides down a rock face, and Won has to grab her arm just in time.
Nighttime: The three have built a small fire for warmth and have settled (there) for the night. The Eun Young is exhausted and sleeping deeply. What will they do with her? Can't exactly take her into a monastery.
Next morning: Our first look at Gaetae Temple. Beautiful location, nestled on a mountainside. But what is that smacking sound? Good grief, Pyeonjo is getting smacked on the back with a stick by an old monk. "Where were you all this time?! What did you do to come back this late, you fool? I thought sending Won Hyeon with you would solve it...You involved that innocent boy in all your dirty shenanigans! Damn you!" Sheesh, these monks can be cranky, can't they. Well, it isn't doing much good, and apparently doesn't hurt; Pyeonjo is just kneeling there looking almost disinterested. Won is there too and tries to take the blame for their tardiness himself, but the old crank doesn't buy it. Another monk addresses him as Master Wolseon, so this is him. The smacking keeps up, and eventually Pyeonjo starts giggling a little--which only aggravates Wolseon and prolongs the smacking.
But now look--Pyeonjo is carrying Wolseon on his back and climbing up a steep rock mountainside. Wolseon looks much happier now. This is some sort of training for Pyeonjo. "You always complained you wanted to see how people live...What did you see?" We don't really understand this cryptic question, particularly because they're at the top of a steep, high mountain cliff, looking over a huge valley. No people visible...but as Pyeonjo scans the gorgeous countryside, suddenly we see a camel! At the sandy top of another mountain somewhere. Obviously not nearby. Is the air that clear, or does Pyeonjo have freakish vision?
Won is still trying to find his way to safety through the evening streets. And now there are goons out there so he'd better be careful.
"Please get up. Master Bou already left here a while ago." It's Jihyo the monk standing there in front of Pyeonjo now. Bou blew him off without a word! Not sure we like that guy....Pyeonjo gets up and turns around just in time to see a frantic Won running into the monastery grounds, safe at last. Let's get out of here tonight, Won urges; they're after us. "The crime is theirs," an unconcerned Pyeonjo replies; why should we leave? He even says he wants to stick around Gaegyeong for a few more days.
Apparently Won's discretion won out, though, because we see the two of them in the outlying city streets now, headed out of town. Suddenly there's some sort of commotion; here comes Gi Cheol on his covered chair back through the streets, scattering the citizens...and now they're closing the city gates. Uh-oh, better get out of there, guys...they just barely squeeze through before the gates are closed behind them.
Is this the source of the commotion? Inside the boy-king Chungmok's chambers, physicians are tending to him while his worried mother looks on. He's unconscious and very weak; even his breathing is difficult to detect. The physicians and attendants all tell his mother despairingly, "We deserve to die, Your Highness!" (Those physicians just can't win, can't they. Ever.) Outside, in the hallways, lots of whispers among the ministers buzzing around.
Back at the gates, ministers Lee Je Hyeon and Yeom Je Shin have arrived and find themselves locked out of the city. Yeom angrily bangs on the doors, frustrated because "Gi Cheol closed the gates so he can manipulate the throne however he pleases" and is "trying to install Lord Kyeongchang as the new King." And we learn that Gi is King Chungmok's regent. Which makes sense from what we've seen so far. Yeom says they have to bring Prince Gangneung back from . Better than putting the boy Kyeongchang on the throne and having more Gi Cheol regency.
An untactfully eager Lady Yoon is all smiles at the prospect that the boy-king has maybe a month to live. Her attitude even makes Gi Cheol uncomfortable...and you get the impression that's not easy to do.
Empress Dowager Myeongdeok is urging minister Lee to go to Yanjing about this whole situation and meet with the Yuan Empress . And she gives Lee a small chest full of jewelry and trinkets that she's saved up over the years--nice-looking stuff--as a "gift" (meaning, bribe) to curry her favor. Some sort of good gift is going to be necessary here, because remember, Gi Cheol is the empress's brother.
The next day: Pyeonjo and Won are headed home and have stopped by a waterfall. "What do you have against Master Bou to torment him that way?", Won asks. "You think he'd have the answer to such a pungent question?" And now we get some insight: Pyeonjo doesn't think much of the guy at all. "Clans of ordained nobles like Master Bou have fumbled with Goryeo's Buddhism. Born from noble lineage, under the pretense of Zen meditation, he spends a few years in the mountains pretending to practice asceticism, then spends some time in Yuan, getting his fill of women and drinks, comes back and claims to have experienced Nirvana! He gauges the mood in the palace a little, and after becoming State or Royal Monk, starts putting on airs to no end." All while the country suffers. "We need to turn this damn world upside down!", he says confidently.
Back on the trail now...but Pyeonjo suddenly takes a turn onto a side path. Won chases after him and after asking repeatedly, finally gets an explanation: "We've come all this way. Let's also see Mt. Geumgang." Won obviously just wants to head home, but he'd rather not be left alone so he scrambles to keep up. But in the next moment, weird things start happening: Pyeonjo is appearing and disappearing seemingly at will and from any direction. Now his image is popping up in front of Won in one place after another, rapid-fire, like some sort of specter. Completely overwhelmed, Won loses his balance and falls into the stream he's standing next to.
Won dries his clothes as Pyeonjo waits with a smile. Won has had about enough of his companion. "You know how often Master Wolseon scolds me because of you? He knows all about your witchcraft. Flying in the air, splitting rocks at the glitter of an eye, appearing and disappearing at will, running miles in an instant." Pyeonjo laughs at the idea that this is witchcraft. "That's no witchcraft. It's only your imagination. I'm not the one flying. It's your head telling you I am, that's what you're seeing." I don't know, we're seeing it too....
Once more back on the trail...Won trips on a rock and stumbles to the ground. Pyeonjo doubles back, kneels and offers a profuse apology to the rock for his companion's carelessness! He's trying out some of the Lamaism he learned about last night. "Even rocks you meet on the street have a soul, so treat them with respect." And suddenly he's staring into space, having some sort of episode. "Yes! I'm lowly. There's nothing more ignoble in this world!" What's he talking about?...Now a flashback to a young boy tripping over a rock, and being terribly scolded by his mother: "You're more ignoble than rocks that everyone stomps on. You're worse than dross. When dross rots it becomes fertilizer. Even dead you won't be worth that much." Good heavens, the poor kid, that's inexcusable...Now she's bathing the kid and the kid is crying something horrible. "Leave the tears to humans. Would scum like you deserve those tears?"...Now in a shelter somewhere, mom has given the boy some puffed rice to eat and is bemoaning their fate. "Those lucky enough are born to become slaves of noble families. They never fast. But for a temple slave like you and me, all we can dream of is roots (to eat). Unless it's a bad year, in which case we're just waiting to puke blood and die." This isn't life, she tells the boy; "You're already dead."...Flashback ending, we know by now that this was from Pyeonjo's past--and its misery must have pulsed through him for hours, because now it's dark outside. Won is feeling better now, and he's the one trying to do the cheering-up for a change. But suddenly they have to dive off the road and into a ditch, because here comes a guy apparently running for his life, in front of two men on horseback. The riders they catch him and he's struck down with a sword; then they dismount and it sounds like they're breaking his neck! Then just like that, they remount and leave. The two monks emerge from the ditch and check on the man, but he's dead. What was that all about?
Now the monks arrive at a nearby village and find it being ransacked by soldiers. Another dead body is on the ground. And now we start to get the story: this is all about that Yuan demand for maidens. The dead guy on the ground is the husband of a young woman who got married and ran away to hide with her husband instead of turning herself in to the government for deportation. And now here's the woman, being tied up and dragged across the ground as her mother shrieks in horror. Won is horrified and wants to step forward and intervene, but talk about turnabout--it's Pyeonjo counseling restraint: there's nothing they can do here and they already have those goons after them. " Do you want to add government troops to the list of people after us?" Now the father, Heo, is dragged out of his house and thrown to the ground. He's obviously a village leader, and the villagers are stunned that even someone of his rank is being treated like this. And just like that, an angry sergeant pulls out his sword and kills the defenseless Heo. His wife runs to his body, and he cuts her down as well. (Real classy, loser.) At that, Won has to speak up to the sergeant. "Look, they might have committed a crime, but is there a law saying you can go around killing people as you please?" The sergeant glares at him. "Why? Are you part of their team?" Won clams up, wisely. The daughter is placed on a horse to be taken away to the Yuan emperor. She puts up a brave fight, though, and manages to get lose and run. But she stumbles and falls. As the sergeant, now on his horse, bears down on her, Won can't take it any more and runs in between them. Without hesitation the sergeant winds up to strike Won, so Pyeonjo flies through the air and kicks the sergeant in the head, knocking him off his horse and setting off chaos. He's attacked by most of the soldiers present but fights them off, even grabbing a spear and nailing a sword-wielding soldier who advances on Won and the girl. He manages to hold them off as Won and the girl make their escape into the woods.
Now by themselves, Won despairs for Pyeonjo's life. But Pyeonjo is already there in the woods ahead of them, waiting for them! Won sobs in relief and gratitude--but behind him, the girl passes out.
Morning: the three are on their way home; Won is carrying the girl; she's still unconscious and has lost blood from a wound she sustained in the chaos. Not good.
The Yuan capital of Dadu a/k/a Khanbaliq (Yanjing; present-day Beijing): An abrupt change of scene. We're not in the city, though; we're looking at a bunch of those round Mongolian tents, out in the countryside. Yurts, they're called (info link). Something's going on; we see Prince Gangneung, with An Dochi, and now some soldiers on horses are sounding horns. Oh, this is a hunt. We see a new face, identified as Crown Prince Qunluan. And another, this one female: Botap Shili. Actually not a new face; she's the future Princess Noguk. The hunting party heads out on horseback; Gangneung looks bored out of his mind, like he'd rather be anywhere else. Soon, Botap spots a deer, draws an arrow and misses high. Tries again...and this one clangs off something. Gangneung's sword! What did he do that for? "You interfered with my hunting knowing who I am?" Well excuuuuse me lady....Gangneung simply continues riding by her without a word of explanation, leaving her fuming. Qunluan rides by and razzes her about her fruitless shooting. Gangneung heads back, where An is waiting for him. An is disappointed that his prince didn't bag anything for himself--" If you do well, won't that be the perfect chance to meet the empress?"--because apparently the empress is out there hunting too, somewhere. But Gangneung isn't a sport hunter: "Can you kill a living being just for fun?" Which explains his attitude here and his arrow-deflection. Eventually the rest of the hunting party returns. Botap scolds Gangneung for interfering and then heads into her private yurt.
Evening: Now we're in a whopping big yurt. There's the empress. And here's someone named Ayushiridara--he's the son of the emperor and the future Biligtu Khan. And there's the Yuan emperor himself. Shundi, he's known as. He's talking to a guy called the "King of Wei," whatever that means (Wei is an ancient state that hasn't existed for many centuries). They're all relaxing after the hunt. We learn that Botap, her hunting days are over now. "She'll be eighteen this year," the King of Wei explains. "We've found a match, so it's time to end the hunting." From this I suppose we're supposed to take it that he's Botap's father. Botap says she'll keep hunting after she's married, and the empress likes her enthusiasm--but advises making marriage her priority nonetheless.
Evening: An tells Gangneung he used poor judgment this afternoon in annoying Botap, because she could end up marrying the crown prince. Not the kind of person you want to upset. Gangneung doesn't care. "I told you. I can't endure seeing harmless deer getting killed and bleeding to death just for fun. If I upset her so much, tell her to kill me or do whatever she wants." With that he goes inside...
...into a room where three men are waiting for him. He's not happy to see them. "I told you never to visit me again, haven't I? Just go back to Gaegyeong and bother Gi Cheol instead!" The three men are Kim Yong, Jo Il Shin and Jung Se Woon ; they're government officials and the prince thinks they're trying to curry his favor, which he sees as pointless. But they bring him news of King Chungmok's deteriorating health, which they describe as "good news." Gangneung doesn't like that: "My nephew's getting worse, so I should rejoice?" Oops. We didn't mean that, Your Highness. And besides, "Did you forget my brother had two children? If the older dies, the younger will inherit the throne." Not so fast, they tell him; Gi Cheol might not go that route--he might be getting behind Gangneung to be put on the throne instead. Well there's a piece of news. He's intrigued now, but sees little merit in the job. "Here or there, I'd just be a puppet of the Yuan." And besides, " can anyone hanging from Gi Cheol's words be considered King?" Surprisingly, the three tell him they think they can dump Cheol, empress's brother or not. Gangneung angrily dismisses the idea. "Isn't Empress Gi protecting Gi Cheol's back? A lowly wench from Goryeo comes here as a tribute, and she turns her fortunes around, becoming the Emperor's favorite." Clearly he doesn't like the woman.
Outside a nearby building: Lee Je Hyeon has arrived, carrying that box of trinkets for the Yuan empress. A kind attendant named Park Bulhwa has met him and is escorting him to her palace.
And here she is, being lavishly tended to be a whole squad of female attendants. And what's she doing with that heated liquid in that odd little container? Uh-oh, looks like she's getting high! No kidding. Park timidly approaches her and introduces Lee. She doesn't seem interested. "It's a wonder drug the Lamas brought from India. Just smelling it feels like paradise is upon us." Now she's giggling. Undeterred, Lee steps forward and opens the chest and offers her the gift, explaining that it's from Prince Gangneung's mother.
Gangneung is muttering to himself. "Mother, your greed is unreasonable. You want me to rejoice as my nephew's light is fading?" No, prince, you've got it all wrong. But he laughs cynically.
Outside, Kim and Jo are furious about the prince's lack of interest in the throne. Jung cautions them but they walk away in disgust.
Lee has left the empress. Attendant Park looks the gift over and tells here it's full of: "the kind of precious and rare jewels you don't see often." High or not, she knows the game here: "So... I should give him the throne?" Park doesn't answer, wisely. "It would take quite the sum to put my son on that throne instead of Prince Kunlun." She's drawing an analogy to her own situation with the two Yuan princes we saw earlier.
Evening, back in Goryeo: Uh-oh. Wanted posters are going up in local villages, with three faces drawn on them: Pyeonjo, Won, and the girl. Pyeonjo is in a village and spots one...and gets out of there fast.
Morning: The girl Eun Young is conscious and walking now; good to see. The three are out in the countryside, headed to the monastery. Eun Young isn't keeping up well, but oddly enough she shuns Won whenever he extends a hand to help her along. What's her problem? But then she slips and nearly slides down a rock face, and Won has to grab her arm just in time.
Nighttime: The three have built a small fire for warmth and have settled (there) for the night. The Eun Young is exhausted and sleeping deeply. What will they do with her? Can't exactly take her into a monastery.
Next morning: Our first look at Gaetae Temple. Beautiful location, nestled on a mountainside. But what is that smacking sound? Good grief, Pyeonjo is getting smacked on the back with a stick by an old monk. "Where were you all this time?! What did you do to come back this late, you fool? I thought sending Won Hyeon with you would solve it...You involved that innocent boy in all your dirty shenanigans! Damn you!" Sheesh, these monks can be cranky, can't they. Well, it isn't doing much good, and apparently doesn't hurt; Pyeonjo is just kneeling there looking almost disinterested. Won is there too and tries to take the blame for their tardiness himself, but the old crank doesn't buy it. Another monk addresses him as Master Wolseon, so this is him. The smacking keeps up, and eventually Pyeonjo starts giggling a little--which only aggravates Wolseon and prolongs the smacking.
But now look--Pyeonjo is carrying Wolseon on his back and climbing up a steep rock mountainside. Wolseon looks much happier now. This is some sort of training for Pyeonjo. "You always complained you wanted to see how people live...What did you see?" We don't really understand this cryptic question, particularly because they're at the top of a steep, high mountain cliff, looking over a huge valley. No people visible...but as Pyeonjo scans the gorgeous countryside, suddenly we see a camel! At the sandy top of another mountain somewhere. Obviously not nearby. Is the air that clear, or does Pyeonjo have freakish vision?