Post by ajk on Jul 22, 2009 13:11:54 GMT -5
"We're arresting insurgents who are spreading treasonous rumors," Choe explains to Hunae, and we'll sift out the innocents later. And it's a royal command, from the queen. Hunae is thoroughly disgusted. "I refuse to acknowledge that command," she says, "So if you want to arrest them, arrest me first!" Good for her. Choe backs off a bit; he tells the soldiers to take the people they've already arrested and go back to the palace. So Hunae at least prevented some arrests.
As Yi Hyunoon eavesdrops, we're back to Gang Jo's argument with a semi-unclad Hyangbi. She tells him of the relationship that Hunae and Chiyang now have. I know you love her, Hyangbi says, "But she doesn't love you. So don't agonize over her, Jo." He refuses to accept it and angrily accuses Hyangbi of cooking up the whole story.
Yi Hyunoon dutifully reports back to Queen Munhwa that Hunae is having an illicit affair--with a Jurchen, at that--and that Gang Jo is in love with her too. She can hardly believe it. Surprisingly, Hyunoon offers some empathy: "You can't blame her for having feelings" after all she and Chiyang went through together in enemy territory. But still, it's the dead king's widow, and with a Jurchen at that. Munhwa knows that hearsay isn't the "irrefutable proof" she needs. Bring me proof, she tells Hyunoon, and you'll be made a merit subject.
Hunae is concerned that citizens may be tortured during interrogation and that the information gathered about the rumor-spreading will lead back to her. Chiyang, though, correctly observes that soldiers abusing innocent civilians will only further sway public opinion in Hunae's favor, as will her intercession on the people's behalf.
Gang Jo wants a word with Chiyang in private. He gets it. Gang accuses him of having a "different agenda" and warns him to stay away from Hunae. "I'm much closer to the lady than you think," Chiyang says with unusual smugness, so watch how you talk to me because "I could be your master someday." Gang grabs Chiyang by the lapel; Hunae shows up just in time to prevent who knows what; and Gang storms away. Later, Chiyang suggests to Hunae that Gang might have feelings for her. "His hostility toward me has gone beyond reason," he says; maybe he knows about us and is jealous of me.
Munhwa informs Choe Sum of Hunae's affair. "This is an unpardonable atrocity," he responds, and feels that the king must be told. But it's only hearsay and she can't tell the king based on hearsay. Then he tells her about Hunae's intercession in the marketplace, which makes her angry. Don't worry, Choe says, "We can charge her with high treason" as soon as the interrogations establish her as the source of the rumor-spreading.
Evening in the torture yard, and it's a busy place. "Show no mercy until they talk!", orders Kim Shimun. The king's attendant Go Hyun comes upon the scene and is horrified...
...and he goes to the king and reports it. Sungjong is equally horrified.
Dae Dosu and his subordinates walk into a bar (No, this is not the start of some joke), where Gang Jo is sitting alone drinking. They start complaining to Jo about their horrible day at the marketplace.
Hyangbi is crying and broken-hearted.
The king has called the queen before him and angrily demands an explanation. She gives it, but he doesn't like it. He orders the civilians released immediately. He shows remarkable candor and common sense: "If people are spreading resentful rumors about me and the royal house, it's a result of my failures. I did indeed almost surrender to the enemy and give them a chunk of our land. So the public isn't to be blamed." She protests that rumors have become wildly exaggerated, but he observes that "It's the nature of rumors to be exaggerated." And he tells her to stay out of state affairs from now on. And besides, it's been a month and he's now completed the treatment recommended by the physician. And he does look much stronger and healthier.
Prince Gyeongjuwon is on a porch relaxing with his neighbor, who apparently is the village chief. He has no plans to go back to the capital, exile or not. And he wants his son to have no part of that life either; it's like "walking on blades." Inside we see the toddler Prince Daeryang asleep. But he's not alone; Sa Illa is in there with him. She draws her sword and winds up...but she can't do it. She has a heart after all. Who'd have thought. Just then she hears Gyeongjuwon approach, and she flees out the back door.
Khitan royal palace: Empress dowager Xiao learns that her son spilled the beans about her support for Hunae. Prime minister Han urges her to be calm and not injure her son's pride. But she's angry; "He [only] divulged this to get revenge for his being defeated in an archery match." She's concerned that this will put Hunae's life in danger. Don't worry, Han says, we'll alert her—-which will only force her to move more quickly against the king, to save herself. And he reminds her that her son is a big boy now and has to be allowed to make his own decisions. But she seethes.
Later, Xiao and Han, along with the young emperor, inform Wonsoong that Yelu Dilie will be accompanying the young princess Zanli to Goryeo as an envoy. And she finds it necessary to remind Wonsoong to remember their arrangement. He doesn't seem to need any reminding, but the message she delivers is clearly not intended for Wonsoong: "No one survives after defying my will and provoking my rage. And I mean no one. Not even the emperor can get away with deceiving me. Because it is within my power to depose him if I did. So don't even entertain the thought of doing anything behind my back." Shengzong turns and looks at her, suddenly visibly frightened. Message received.
Han tells Sa Gamun that he'll have to alert Hunae about the situation--so she can kill the king! And he wants Sa Gamun to take Dokyun with him back to Goryeo. Why? "It is to keep an eye on you and your people," he explains; I've made a big investment and I want it to pay off. She'll be an intermediary in the trading business.
Wonsoong tells Jo Sun and Jo Du that they must return to Goryeo immediately, ahead of him, and tell the queen what they've learned so that Hunae can be eliminated.
ED Xiao is sending Zanli off on her mission. You may be discovered and killed, she says, but if that happens you'll die a hero. Zanli has no problem with that. Xiao tells her to take Hyeolmae with her to deliver her reports.
State meeting: Ministers are groveling before the king, glad to see him again. Then on to business. Yi Jibaek speaks first, about the queen's recent personnel moves. I'm aware of them, Sungjong says, and "appropriate measure will be taken shortly." (Odd; why not just issue orders on the spot?) Then Yi Gyeomui suggests that the king have Prince Gaeryong assist him in state affairs from now on. Which immediately provokes a huge argument among the ministers. The king can't take it: "Stop! I did not gather myself and come out here for this." So much needs to be done, but you ministers are only bickering away with each other. The poor guy; five minutes into his first meeting and he already looks sick again.
Yi Jibaek and Yi Gyeomui report to Hunae on the king's present state. The July 17th uprising is still on schedule.
Jangheungjin Fort, in the north: The garrison commander Ahn Pae is with Seo Hui and Gang Gamchan; they're hovering over a map and Ahn is briefing them on the local military situation. We learn that although this area is not on a direct invasion route, it has military significance nonetheless because of local iron mines and iron works that produce weaponry.
We see Gamchan touring one of the iron works. It's a busy place and Gamchan is impressed with the quality of the work there. He decides to ask one of the workers about Yang Kyu, the mysterious man seen in the previous episode. The worker notices soldiers standing nearby; he agitatedly denies knowing anything about Yang Kyu and actually runs away from Gamchan.
We see Yang Kyu speaking with what appears to be a village elder. You should leave us now, the elder tells Yang; Sohwa (apparently the village name) is dead and "We are forsaken people" so don't ruin your life on our account. Yang answers, I have nowhere else to go.
Gamchan returns from the foundry, puzzled because no one would talk to him about Yang Kyu. With the exceptional skills that Yang has, surely he must be well-known. What's going on here. Seo Hui wonders if the garrison commander Ahn Pae is hiding something.
A subordinate informs commander Ahn that Yang Kyu has been located in a small village. "We must get rid of them quietly," Ahn says. "If minister Seo finds out about them, we're all dead." (Obviously a backstory here, not yet revealed.) "Quietly prepare a night raid," he orders.
Yang Kyu visits a gravesite. Tears are in his eyes.
Choe Sum tells Choe Ryang that they're losing control of the situation. He wants to try to kill Prince Gaeryeong. No, Ryang says, that's not an option. We don't have the military muscle to stage an overthrow, and besides, an attempt on the prince's life could get us all killed. Choe Sum has one other idea: inform the public of Gaeryeong's epilepsy. "But his majesty willl be furious if I am behind it, so please let us use your name." (Why would it be any better to use Ryang's name? Yes, Ryang is old and appears to be partly or fully retired, but it still isn't clear.)
Nighttime: Chiyang tells Hunae he wants to leave immediately to see his village one more time before "the great undertaking." Hunae confesses she'll be lonely without him, and wishes him a safe trip. Chiyang is moved and touches Hunae's face. But she pulls away and snubs him: "No we can't do this. Go." He leaves. We can see her conflicting emotions, and outside he looks back at her quarters with the same conflicting emotions. (Ugh-—anybody remember the first five years of "Cheers"?)
Sasu County, nighttime: Sa Illa is alone, wracked with guilt for her sudden compassion. She can hear Chiyang's voice giving her a talking-to about You're a warrior, do your job. She gets a newfound look of determination in her face, and heads back to the village. Gyeongjuwon and the chief are sitting together on a porch; she throws her bladed boomerang, which nicks the chief in the neck and he falls dead on the spot. (AAUGH.) She runs up to the prince and holds a sword to his throat, demanding the child.
By a cliff, Sa Illa dumps the chief's body into the sea. Then she winds up to strike Gyeongjuwon and the boy..."Wait!" Suddenly Gyeongjuwon recognizes Sa Illa as the Jurchen woman who works for Hunae. She denies it and winds up again, but Gyeongjuwon begs her, "If you must have blood, have mine but please spare the child. Spare him for his dead mother's sake...You can send him where no one will know him." She hesitates, again torn....
Back at the bar, the soldiers are now drunk and angry. They start to complain about the government and its injustices. (Yi Hyunoon is with them and is sneakily doing more than his share of the complaining, obviously trying to get dirt on the others.) Stop it, Dae Dosu says; do you know what you're suggesting? At that Gang Jo calmly and simply says, "An overthrow." Dae is horrified at such treasonous talk. But Jo offers, "What if the lady could be persuaded to overthrow the regime, what would you do?" The soldiers are wide-eyed.
Hyangbi has brought a note to Yi Sulhwa from Hunae. It's an order to march to Gaegyeong eight days from now.
"Is this true? An overthrow?" A horrified Munhwa gets the news from Hyunoon. "No one gave a definite answer, but all but Dae Dosu seemed to entertain the idea." That clinches it, Munhwa thinks; Hunae is plotting treason after all. She tells him, Find out when and where this will be attempted.
Prince Gaeryeong is told by smarmy Escort Jo of a protest going on outside, a protest about him. He goes to look, and we see a large group of National Academy scholars kneeling in a palace courtyard, loudly protesting: "An epileptic prince cannot succeed to the throne! Depose Prince Gaeryeong, your higness!"
Sungjong is greatly disturbed by the protest and wants to know who let the word out about the boy's condition. Then the queen arrives and tells him that Hunae is plotting an overthrow. "You must arrest her at once," she begs.
As the protest continues, Hunae arrives on the scene. "Silence!", she orders, and tells them to clear out.
"Their plot is irrefutably clear," Munhwa says. And she adds the news about Hunae's affair with a Jurchen. "This is a disgrace to the royal house and this country" and you must arrest her and her subordinates. But this is a wiser king than he used to be, because instead of having an immediate freakout he hesitates. "Wait," he says, "Where did you get this information?" Munhwa tells him, From one of Gang Jo's subordinate officers, Yi Hyunoon. Sungjong thinks; the name obviously rings a bell....
Prince Gaeryeong demands of the royal physician, Do I have epislpsy? The physician first denies it, but then the boy starts to put the pieces together about his past fainting episodes, and then the physician breaks down and tells him the truth.
The scholars ignore Hunae's demands to clear out. She tries to claim that it's a lie, that Gaeryeong has no epilepsy, bu they tell her the information came straight from Choe Ryang. How could he possibly know such a thing, she says; he's been ill and indisposed for months. But they don't believe her, and protest all the more loudly. "We implore you to depose him, your highness!"
As Yi Hyunoon eavesdrops, we're back to Gang Jo's argument with a semi-unclad Hyangbi. She tells him of the relationship that Hunae and Chiyang now have. I know you love her, Hyangbi says, "But she doesn't love you. So don't agonize over her, Jo." He refuses to accept it and angrily accuses Hyangbi of cooking up the whole story.
Yi Hyunoon dutifully reports back to Queen Munhwa that Hunae is having an illicit affair--with a Jurchen, at that--and that Gang Jo is in love with her too. She can hardly believe it. Surprisingly, Hyunoon offers some empathy: "You can't blame her for having feelings" after all she and Chiyang went through together in enemy territory. But still, it's the dead king's widow, and with a Jurchen at that. Munhwa knows that hearsay isn't the "irrefutable proof" she needs. Bring me proof, she tells Hyunoon, and you'll be made a merit subject.
Hunae is concerned that citizens may be tortured during interrogation and that the information gathered about the rumor-spreading will lead back to her. Chiyang, though, correctly observes that soldiers abusing innocent civilians will only further sway public opinion in Hunae's favor, as will her intercession on the people's behalf.
Gang Jo wants a word with Chiyang in private. He gets it. Gang accuses him of having a "different agenda" and warns him to stay away from Hunae. "I'm much closer to the lady than you think," Chiyang says with unusual smugness, so watch how you talk to me because "I could be your master someday." Gang grabs Chiyang by the lapel; Hunae shows up just in time to prevent who knows what; and Gang storms away. Later, Chiyang suggests to Hunae that Gang might have feelings for her. "His hostility toward me has gone beyond reason," he says; maybe he knows about us and is jealous of me.
Munhwa informs Choe Sum of Hunae's affair. "This is an unpardonable atrocity," he responds, and feels that the king must be told. But it's only hearsay and she can't tell the king based on hearsay. Then he tells her about Hunae's intercession in the marketplace, which makes her angry. Don't worry, Choe says, "We can charge her with high treason" as soon as the interrogations establish her as the source of the rumor-spreading.
Evening in the torture yard, and it's a busy place. "Show no mercy until they talk!", orders Kim Shimun. The king's attendant Go Hyun comes upon the scene and is horrified...
...and he goes to the king and reports it. Sungjong is equally horrified.
Dae Dosu and his subordinates walk into a bar (No, this is not the start of some joke), where Gang Jo is sitting alone drinking. They start complaining to Jo about their horrible day at the marketplace.
Hyangbi is crying and broken-hearted.
The king has called the queen before him and angrily demands an explanation. She gives it, but he doesn't like it. He orders the civilians released immediately. He shows remarkable candor and common sense: "If people are spreading resentful rumors about me and the royal house, it's a result of my failures. I did indeed almost surrender to the enemy and give them a chunk of our land. So the public isn't to be blamed." She protests that rumors have become wildly exaggerated, but he observes that "It's the nature of rumors to be exaggerated." And he tells her to stay out of state affairs from now on. And besides, it's been a month and he's now completed the treatment recommended by the physician. And he does look much stronger and healthier.
Prince Gyeongjuwon is on a porch relaxing with his neighbor, who apparently is the village chief. He has no plans to go back to the capital, exile or not. And he wants his son to have no part of that life either; it's like "walking on blades." Inside we see the toddler Prince Daeryang asleep. But he's not alone; Sa Illa is in there with him. She draws her sword and winds up...but she can't do it. She has a heart after all. Who'd have thought. Just then she hears Gyeongjuwon approach, and she flees out the back door.
Khitan royal palace: Empress dowager Xiao learns that her son spilled the beans about her support for Hunae. Prime minister Han urges her to be calm and not injure her son's pride. But she's angry; "He [only] divulged this to get revenge for his being defeated in an archery match." She's concerned that this will put Hunae's life in danger. Don't worry, Han says, we'll alert her—-which will only force her to move more quickly against the king, to save herself. And he reminds her that her son is a big boy now and has to be allowed to make his own decisions. But she seethes.
Later, Xiao and Han, along with the young emperor, inform Wonsoong that Yelu Dilie will be accompanying the young princess Zanli to Goryeo as an envoy. And she finds it necessary to remind Wonsoong to remember their arrangement. He doesn't seem to need any reminding, but the message she delivers is clearly not intended for Wonsoong: "No one survives after defying my will and provoking my rage. And I mean no one. Not even the emperor can get away with deceiving me. Because it is within my power to depose him if I did. So don't even entertain the thought of doing anything behind my back." Shengzong turns and looks at her, suddenly visibly frightened. Message received.
Han tells Sa Gamun that he'll have to alert Hunae about the situation--so she can kill the king! And he wants Sa Gamun to take Dokyun with him back to Goryeo. Why? "It is to keep an eye on you and your people," he explains; I've made a big investment and I want it to pay off. She'll be an intermediary in the trading business.
Wonsoong tells Jo Sun and Jo Du that they must return to Goryeo immediately, ahead of him, and tell the queen what they've learned so that Hunae can be eliminated.
ED Xiao is sending Zanli off on her mission. You may be discovered and killed, she says, but if that happens you'll die a hero. Zanli has no problem with that. Xiao tells her to take Hyeolmae with her to deliver her reports.
State meeting: Ministers are groveling before the king, glad to see him again. Then on to business. Yi Jibaek speaks first, about the queen's recent personnel moves. I'm aware of them, Sungjong says, and "appropriate measure will be taken shortly." (Odd; why not just issue orders on the spot?) Then Yi Gyeomui suggests that the king have Prince Gaeryong assist him in state affairs from now on. Which immediately provokes a huge argument among the ministers. The king can't take it: "Stop! I did not gather myself and come out here for this." So much needs to be done, but you ministers are only bickering away with each other. The poor guy; five minutes into his first meeting and he already looks sick again.
Yi Jibaek and Yi Gyeomui report to Hunae on the king's present state. The July 17th uprising is still on schedule.
Jangheungjin Fort, in the north: The garrison commander Ahn Pae is with Seo Hui and Gang Gamchan; they're hovering over a map and Ahn is briefing them on the local military situation. We learn that although this area is not on a direct invasion route, it has military significance nonetheless because of local iron mines and iron works that produce weaponry.
We see Gamchan touring one of the iron works. It's a busy place and Gamchan is impressed with the quality of the work there. He decides to ask one of the workers about Yang Kyu, the mysterious man seen in the previous episode. The worker notices soldiers standing nearby; he agitatedly denies knowing anything about Yang Kyu and actually runs away from Gamchan.
We see Yang Kyu speaking with what appears to be a village elder. You should leave us now, the elder tells Yang; Sohwa (apparently the village name) is dead and "We are forsaken people" so don't ruin your life on our account. Yang answers, I have nowhere else to go.
Gamchan returns from the foundry, puzzled because no one would talk to him about Yang Kyu. With the exceptional skills that Yang has, surely he must be well-known. What's going on here. Seo Hui wonders if the garrison commander Ahn Pae is hiding something.
A subordinate informs commander Ahn that Yang Kyu has been located in a small village. "We must get rid of them quietly," Ahn says. "If minister Seo finds out about them, we're all dead." (Obviously a backstory here, not yet revealed.) "Quietly prepare a night raid," he orders.
Yang Kyu visits a gravesite. Tears are in his eyes.
Choe Sum tells Choe Ryang that they're losing control of the situation. He wants to try to kill Prince Gaeryeong. No, Ryang says, that's not an option. We don't have the military muscle to stage an overthrow, and besides, an attempt on the prince's life could get us all killed. Choe Sum has one other idea: inform the public of Gaeryeong's epilepsy. "But his majesty willl be furious if I am behind it, so please let us use your name." (Why would it be any better to use Ryang's name? Yes, Ryang is old and appears to be partly or fully retired, but it still isn't clear.)
Nighttime: Chiyang tells Hunae he wants to leave immediately to see his village one more time before "the great undertaking." Hunae confesses she'll be lonely without him, and wishes him a safe trip. Chiyang is moved and touches Hunae's face. But she pulls away and snubs him: "No we can't do this. Go." He leaves. We can see her conflicting emotions, and outside he looks back at her quarters with the same conflicting emotions. (Ugh-—anybody remember the first five years of "Cheers"?)
Sasu County, nighttime: Sa Illa is alone, wracked with guilt for her sudden compassion. She can hear Chiyang's voice giving her a talking-to about You're a warrior, do your job. She gets a newfound look of determination in her face, and heads back to the village. Gyeongjuwon and the chief are sitting together on a porch; she throws her bladed boomerang, which nicks the chief in the neck and he falls dead on the spot. (AAUGH.) She runs up to the prince and holds a sword to his throat, demanding the child.
By a cliff, Sa Illa dumps the chief's body into the sea. Then she winds up to strike Gyeongjuwon and the boy..."Wait!" Suddenly Gyeongjuwon recognizes Sa Illa as the Jurchen woman who works for Hunae. She denies it and winds up again, but Gyeongjuwon begs her, "If you must have blood, have mine but please spare the child. Spare him for his dead mother's sake...You can send him where no one will know him." She hesitates, again torn....
Back at the bar, the soldiers are now drunk and angry. They start to complain about the government and its injustices. (Yi Hyunoon is with them and is sneakily doing more than his share of the complaining, obviously trying to get dirt on the others.) Stop it, Dae Dosu says; do you know what you're suggesting? At that Gang Jo calmly and simply says, "An overthrow." Dae is horrified at such treasonous talk. But Jo offers, "What if the lady could be persuaded to overthrow the regime, what would you do?" The soldiers are wide-eyed.
Hyangbi has brought a note to Yi Sulhwa from Hunae. It's an order to march to Gaegyeong eight days from now.
"Is this true? An overthrow?" A horrified Munhwa gets the news from Hyunoon. "No one gave a definite answer, but all but Dae Dosu seemed to entertain the idea." That clinches it, Munhwa thinks; Hunae is plotting treason after all. She tells him, Find out when and where this will be attempted.
Prince Gaeryeong is told by smarmy Escort Jo of a protest going on outside, a protest about him. He goes to look, and we see a large group of National Academy scholars kneeling in a palace courtyard, loudly protesting: "An epileptic prince cannot succeed to the throne! Depose Prince Gaeryeong, your higness!"
Sungjong is greatly disturbed by the protest and wants to know who let the word out about the boy's condition. Then the queen arrives and tells him that Hunae is plotting an overthrow. "You must arrest her at once," she begs.
As the protest continues, Hunae arrives on the scene. "Silence!", she orders, and tells them to clear out.
"Their plot is irrefutably clear," Munhwa says. And she adds the news about Hunae's affair with a Jurchen. "This is a disgrace to the royal house and this country" and you must arrest her and her subordinates. But this is a wiser king than he used to be, because instead of having an immediate freakout he hesitates. "Wait," he says, "Where did you get this information?" Munhwa tells him, From one of Gang Jo's subordinate officers, Yi Hyunoon. Sungjong thinks; the name obviously rings a bell....
Prince Gaeryeong demands of the royal physician, Do I have epislpsy? The physician first denies it, but then the boy starts to put the pieces together about his past fainting episodes, and then the physician breaks down and tells him the truth.
The scholars ignore Hunae's demands to clear out. She tries to claim that it's a lie, that Gaeryeong has no epilepsy, bu they tell her the information came straight from Choe Ryang. How could he possibly know such a thing, she says; he's been ill and indisposed for months. But they don't believe her, and protest all the more loudly. "We implore you to depose him, your highness!"