Post by ajk on Jul 10, 2014 0:36:12 GMT -5
"Things are different now," argues JD. It's not like when Choi Yeong wanted to invade Yodong; we are stronger and Ming is having serious problems. Let's end the council meeting now, he tells Seonggye, so I can give you my war strategy in private. Seonggye agrees.
Is this all just a ploy that JD has cooked up to avoid being sent to Ming? Bangwon doesn't think so.
Nam Eun thinks it's a ploy, but for other reasons: to scare Ming into asking for friendly relations, and also to help abolish the private armies. But JD says it's no ploy; he's deadly serious. He's heard that the Ming emperor, who's 70 years old, is seriously ill, and he believes there will be turmoil in the government soon--as in, conflict over succession. "If we take Yodong," he's certain, "Ming will negotiate with us." He says the key is to get the Jurchens on Joseon's side. Their tribes are scattered but he believes they can be unified. And yes, in the process the private armies will be abolished, and "The great cause will be achieved."
Jo Jun has gone to the king and is arguing against the idea. Says it's reckless for such a young country to try it, especially since it involves a smaller country provoking a bigger one.
JD heard about Jo's visit to the king, and goes to confront him about it afterwards. He explains that this would hardly be a full-scale war: "It's just an attack on the Yodong headquarters. We're only going to take ownerless land." But Jo argues that Joseon doesn't need to do this to defend itself, and believes that doing so goes against the idea of the "people-oriented nation" that JD is trying to build. JD has an important counter-argument: those scattered Jurchens, what if they assimilate on their own in that sparse land and form their own country? That could be huge trouble, he argues. "We have to take Yodong and subjugate them" for the country's security. Ming won't allow that, Jo fires back; "You are putting Joseon in danger." And when it seems things couldn't be any more tense between them, he adds, "if you are really concerned about Joseon's safety, go to Ming."
Now JD goes to the king with plans he's drawn up for managing the ownerless land in Yodong. And he tries some spin as well: "The Jurchens consider you to be one of them and they respect you." Which Seonggye doesn't deny...but he says "I think Jo Jun makes sense too." Says he needs time to think.
On their way out, JD runs into Bangwon, who's on his way in to see his father to try to stop the attack. More trash-talking between them...but when JD tells Bangwon to stay out of this and go home, well, surprisingly Bangwon does so. But he implies he has bigger ideas on his mind.
Evening: Seonggye is mulling it over. Then Gwon Geum shows up with news of a message from Ming. A group of Joseon envoys that was in the country has been executed! Call a council meeting right now, Seonggye orders.
Apparently it happened because the envoys were wearing their mourning clothes after the queen's death. Which is a silly reason to execute people, of course...and everyone knows it's just an excuse, including Bangwon's camp. But they also know this will stir up support for JD's attack plan. And they're concerned about it, of course.
Council meeting: The arguing back and forth about attacking Yodong gets so intense that Seonggye has to bang his gavel. First time we've seen that. If you can't decide, he tells them, then I will. "You will abide by my decision." Calmly, patiently, he once again calls the Ming emperor a "wretch" and says he cannot forgive him. "But I agree that we should be patient and not rush to attack. We don't have the power to defeat that wretch yet." Then he apologizes to JD, but says he's putting Jo Jun in charge of the Three Armies and giving him the top military authority! "You will go to Dongbukmyeon. Cool off in a quiet place for a while." JD is absolutely stunned. Wow. So is everybody else. Narration tells us that this was a demotion; JD was assigned a lower-ranking position as a border inspector and census administrator. "It was the greatest crisis in the rule of the country."
Later, Jo Jun summons Ha Ryun and tells him he's been assigned a position as provincial governor of Chungcheong. Ha is surprised and disappointed; he was expecting a high position in the capital. But Jo did this for a reason. "I'm still loyal to the crown prince," Jo warns him. "Stop instigating with Bangwon and reflect in a rural area."
Later, Bangwon's camp fumes about Jo Jun's arrogance, but Ha tells them it's not arrogance but innocence. Wait until he has to run the council without JD there, he says; there will be big conflict with Nam Eun and JD's other allies.
Is he ever right: Almost immediately a big nasty blow-up between Jo and Nam because Jo bans large-scale military training until relations with Ming improve. Apparently this was something that Nam Eun had authority over, and Jo was pulling rank on him...until Seonggye summons him and calmly tells him he needs to stop being so obstinate and compromise sometimes. And tells him to leave the decisions about strategic military training to Nam.
Dongbukmyeon: JD gets word that the military training resumed, but it's not going well because the princes are sabotaging it. Up here, though, JD and Jiran (who accompanied him here) have instituted formal strategic training of their own. "You're so persistent," Jiran laughs as they watch a training session...so apparently he's not supposed to be doing this. But JD isn't worried. "I think His Majesty would want this."
Meanwhile at the Three Armies Headquarters: The princes have brought their private armies for strategic training, but the armies aren't carrying the national military flags like they're supposed to, only their private flags. This is to provoke a confrontation with the crown prince...and ultimately the crown prince backs down and says to forget about the flags. Bangwon smiles slyly, like he knows he's finally put his half-brother in his place...but just then their father shows up! Wonders why everyone is standing there arguing and there's no training going on. "I will supervise the training from now on" he announces. Just in time! Bangwon just stands there with his mouth open.
Back at Dongbukmyeon: JD has received a letter. From someone named Songheon. Who's that? We've never heard of any such person. Wait--it's Lee Seonggye's code name. JD excitedly takes the letter and reads it in private. I was languishing and the queen's death hit me hard, Seonggye writes, "but your idea woke me up." The Yodong idea, that is. He says he was disappointed that JD chose to make a big public debate about it instead of planning it quietly. He does know that JD is training soldiers...and he approves of it! Tells him it's time to come back to the capital. "Let's join forces and attack Yodong." He sent some of his favorite pumpkin wine as a peace offering. And signed the letter, "Your lifetime friend in Hanyang, Songheon." It brings tears to JD's eyes.
The king has summoned Jo Jun to give him the news: JD is returning and we will attack Yodong. Jo isn't happy, to say the least...and then when JD first arrives, is made even unhappier by having JD tell him to resign if he disagrees with the attack. JD even says "that is the only way to maintain your life." Huh?
Bangwon's camp gets the news through the grapevine...and goes nuts. Bangwon wants to gather his brothers and have an emergency meeting.
JD goes to Seonggye and presses him to issue an order abolishing the private armies, and do it right away. Not only because Joseon needs a single unified entity for the Yodong campaign, but "it will also strengthen the crown prince's position." Seonggye wonders if his sons will abide by the order even if he does issue it. "They'll think it will threaten their lives. They could end up fighting." All the more reason, JD argues, that you need to do this now.
The princes have gathered, and Bangwon is telling them there's only one way left for them to stop what's happening. "Raise an army." They're shocked. "I will take full responsibility,' he tells them; "join me." But before they can even react, there's some sort of commotion outside. Soldiers! Rushing into Bangwon's front yard. The officer in charge tells Bangwon, "We came to seize your weapons and get a list of your private soldiers." The king acted before they could, they realize. Bangwon grabs a sword and he and his guards put up a brave front, and it looks like something ugly could break out...but then JD walks in. Lower your weapons, he tells Bangwon's side. "reckless resistance is meaningless. As of today, the private armies of Joseon have been abolished."
Is this all just a ploy that JD has cooked up to avoid being sent to Ming? Bangwon doesn't think so.
Nam Eun thinks it's a ploy, but for other reasons: to scare Ming into asking for friendly relations, and also to help abolish the private armies. But JD says it's no ploy; he's deadly serious. He's heard that the Ming emperor, who's 70 years old, is seriously ill, and he believes there will be turmoil in the government soon--as in, conflict over succession. "If we take Yodong," he's certain, "Ming will negotiate with us." He says the key is to get the Jurchens on Joseon's side. Their tribes are scattered but he believes they can be unified. And yes, in the process the private armies will be abolished, and "The great cause will be achieved."
Jo Jun has gone to the king and is arguing against the idea. Says it's reckless for such a young country to try it, especially since it involves a smaller country provoking a bigger one.
JD heard about Jo's visit to the king, and goes to confront him about it afterwards. He explains that this would hardly be a full-scale war: "It's just an attack on the Yodong headquarters. We're only going to take ownerless land." But Jo argues that Joseon doesn't need to do this to defend itself, and believes that doing so goes against the idea of the "people-oriented nation" that JD is trying to build. JD has an important counter-argument: those scattered Jurchens, what if they assimilate on their own in that sparse land and form their own country? That could be huge trouble, he argues. "We have to take Yodong and subjugate them" for the country's security. Ming won't allow that, Jo fires back; "You are putting Joseon in danger." And when it seems things couldn't be any more tense between them, he adds, "if you are really concerned about Joseon's safety, go to Ming."
Now JD goes to the king with plans he's drawn up for managing the ownerless land in Yodong. And he tries some spin as well: "The Jurchens consider you to be one of them and they respect you." Which Seonggye doesn't deny...but he says "I think Jo Jun makes sense too." Says he needs time to think.
On their way out, JD runs into Bangwon, who's on his way in to see his father to try to stop the attack. More trash-talking between them...but when JD tells Bangwon to stay out of this and go home, well, surprisingly Bangwon does so. But he implies he has bigger ideas on his mind.
Evening: Seonggye is mulling it over. Then Gwon Geum shows up with news of a message from Ming. A group of Joseon envoys that was in the country has been executed! Call a council meeting right now, Seonggye orders.
Apparently it happened because the envoys were wearing their mourning clothes after the queen's death. Which is a silly reason to execute people, of course...and everyone knows it's just an excuse, including Bangwon's camp. But they also know this will stir up support for JD's attack plan. And they're concerned about it, of course.
Council meeting: The arguing back and forth about attacking Yodong gets so intense that Seonggye has to bang his gavel. First time we've seen that. If you can't decide, he tells them, then I will. "You will abide by my decision." Calmly, patiently, he once again calls the Ming emperor a "wretch" and says he cannot forgive him. "But I agree that we should be patient and not rush to attack. We don't have the power to defeat that wretch yet." Then he apologizes to JD, but says he's putting Jo Jun in charge of the Three Armies and giving him the top military authority! "You will go to Dongbukmyeon. Cool off in a quiet place for a while." JD is absolutely stunned. Wow. So is everybody else. Narration tells us that this was a demotion; JD was assigned a lower-ranking position as a border inspector and census administrator. "It was the greatest crisis in the rule of the country."
Later, Jo Jun summons Ha Ryun and tells him he's been assigned a position as provincial governor of Chungcheong. Ha is surprised and disappointed; he was expecting a high position in the capital. But Jo did this for a reason. "I'm still loyal to the crown prince," Jo warns him. "Stop instigating with Bangwon and reflect in a rural area."
Later, Bangwon's camp fumes about Jo Jun's arrogance, but Ha tells them it's not arrogance but innocence. Wait until he has to run the council without JD there, he says; there will be big conflict with Nam Eun and JD's other allies.
Is he ever right: Almost immediately a big nasty blow-up between Jo and Nam because Jo bans large-scale military training until relations with Ming improve. Apparently this was something that Nam Eun had authority over, and Jo was pulling rank on him...until Seonggye summons him and calmly tells him he needs to stop being so obstinate and compromise sometimes. And tells him to leave the decisions about strategic military training to Nam.
Dongbukmyeon: JD gets word that the military training resumed, but it's not going well because the princes are sabotaging it. Up here, though, JD and Jiran (who accompanied him here) have instituted formal strategic training of their own. "You're so persistent," Jiran laughs as they watch a training session...so apparently he's not supposed to be doing this. But JD isn't worried. "I think His Majesty would want this."
Meanwhile at the Three Armies Headquarters: The princes have brought their private armies for strategic training, but the armies aren't carrying the national military flags like they're supposed to, only their private flags. This is to provoke a confrontation with the crown prince...and ultimately the crown prince backs down and says to forget about the flags. Bangwon smiles slyly, like he knows he's finally put his half-brother in his place...but just then their father shows up! Wonders why everyone is standing there arguing and there's no training going on. "I will supervise the training from now on" he announces. Just in time! Bangwon just stands there with his mouth open.
Back at Dongbukmyeon: JD has received a letter. From someone named Songheon. Who's that? We've never heard of any such person. Wait--it's Lee Seonggye's code name. JD excitedly takes the letter and reads it in private. I was languishing and the queen's death hit me hard, Seonggye writes, "but your idea woke me up." The Yodong idea, that is. He says he was disappointed that JD chose to make a big public debate about it instead of planning it quietly. He does know that JD is training soldiers...and he approves of it! Tells him it's time to come back to the capital. "Let's join forces and attack Yodong." He sent some of his favorite pumpkin wine as a peace offering. And signed the letter, "Your lifetime friend in Hanyang, Songheon." It brings tears to JD's eyes.
The king has summoned Jo Jun to give him the news: JD is returning and we will attack Yodong. Jo isn't happy, to say the least...and then when JD first arrives, is made even unhappier by having JD tell him to resign if he disagrees with the attack. JD even says "that is the only way to maintain your life." Huh?
Bangwon's camp gets the news through the grapevine...and goes nuts. Bangwon wants to gather his brothers and have an emergency meeting.
JD goes to Seonggye and presses him to issue an order abolishing the private armies, and do it right away. Not only because Joseon needs a single unified entity for the Yodong campaign, but "it will also strengthen the crown prince's position." Seonggye wonders if his sons will abide by the order even if he does issue it. "They'll think it will threaten their lives. They could end up fighting." All the more reason, JD argues, that you need to do this now.
The princes have gathered, and Bangwon is telling them there's only one way left for them to stop what's happening. "Raise an army." They're shocked. "I will take full responsibility,' he tells them; "join me." But before they can even react, there's some sort of commotion outside. Soldiers! Rushing into Bangwon's front yard. The officer in charge tells Bangwon, "We came to seize your weapons and get a list of your private soldiers." The king acted before they could, they realize. Bangwon grabs a sword and he and his guards put up a brave front, and it looks like something ugly could break out...but then JD walks in. Lower your weapons, he tells Bangwon's side. "reckless resistance is meaningless. As of today, the private armies of Joseon have been abolished."
