Post by ajk on Oct 26, 2009 12:23:34 GMT -5
(Another credit to mikey for the DVD loan on this one.)
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"That's absurd. An overthrow?" Hunae can't believe it, but Gamchan warns her that Chiyang "is more dangerous than you think. Everything about him may well be a lie"; he's the one who killed Hyangbi and tried to ruin Mokjong. She doesn't believe that either, and asks for proof. So he tells her about Hangan; "you can interrogate Hangan right now." And Hyangbi? It wasn't the Jurchens, he tells her; Hyangbi was secretly investigating Chiyang, and Gamchan thinks she had gotten too close to the truth (correct).
At Chiyang's woodland camp: Chiyang tries to sell Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung on his overthrow plan. It's for the good of the country, he tells them falsely, because of Mokjong's scandal and the selfishness of the ministers. They don't like his idea about installing his son on the throne, and besides, What will Cheonchu think of this? "Women always follow their men," he says, and I'm her man. (Not gonna touch that one.) He reminds them of their past statements to always support him, and tells them that now is the time. Playing along like Gamchan told them to, they say they'll do it. "You took care of us like no one ever has," Yang tells him; "I will give my life for your cause." "So will I," Kim says; "Just give us your command." He asks them to go back home and round up support from within their troops--"More than half of the Six Guards will join our cause. You'll see once you're there" (Really?)--and prepare for action.
Gamchan tells Cheonchu that Chiyang is probably hiding at Shiwangsa Temple and she needs to have him arrested ASAP. But she still refuses to believe that Chiyang would do any such thing. Gamchan implores her--He has warrior monks surrounding the city and will call on them to attack soon--but to no avail. She says, "He might have tried to kill Daeryang, but everything else is your imagination." Gamchan rolls his eyes like he's talking to a brick wall (VERY funny; shades of Xue Rengui in DJY). She argues that Seo Hui had checked Chiyang's background and found nothing suspicious. But he keeps after her: "Your highness, I'm not claiming to know everything about Kim Chiyang. But do I know he is hiding something big. I beg you to arrest him and interrogate him. He's committed more than enough crimes to warrant an arrest. I know how you feel, but this is a matter of national security." (I'm not sure that interrogating him would accomplish anything. Still, what else can they do, I guess.) Cheonchu is silent.
Chiyang wanders about trusting the two generals. (So Kim is a general now; we didn't know that for certain). He's pretty confident, but thinks he'll be okay even without them. But he tells his group that whatever happens, his true identity and intentions must remain secret for as long as possible. And we learn the plan: strike all four of the palace gates simultaneously at midnight.
Yang and Kim head home; they're concerned about the size of the army they just saw. Obviously Chiyang has been preparing this for a long time, and if his statement about more than half of the Six Guards being willing to flip sides is true, well, that's big trouble. Yang will go and alert the palace; he gives Kim a tough assignment: take a small group of men and join and infiltrate the rebellion. "This is too big to handle any other way."
Steward Yi is in a jail cell with Yu Hangan. He was arrested when the troops went to Chiyang's to try to arrest Sa Gamun and Dokyun and nobody else was home. He has no idea what's going on and is complaining loudly. Then Cheonchu and Gamchan show up to question Hangan. Hangan confirms that Chiyang brought him into the palace to spy on Mokjong and to seduce him. "None of this is the emperor's fault. I drugged him with osuksan and seduced him." Now THAT'S not entirely true, but Hangan clearly wants to take the fall 100 percent for Mokjong. And it was Chiyang who supplied the osuksan, Hangan reveals. This is all too much for Cheonchu and she has to leave. But not before Hangan adds that his feelings for her son are truly genuine.
Back home, we can see that Cheonchu finally has digested all of this. A new resolve in her face, she orders Chiyang and all of his men arrested. "There will be strong resistance," Chiyang advises Yu Bang, "so arm your men well."
So Yu Bang leads his soldiers to Shiwangsa Temple. They arrive to find the place completely deserted. Not a soul. Very odd. All they can do is turn around and head home.
We watch them heading home through the countryside. Suddenly, AMBUSH! A large group of black-clad, masked attackers is upon them, arrows and swords both. And these guys know what they're doing. A bloody battle ensues. The attackers are taking hits, but they're hitting back too, and we see soldiers getting killed.
Gamchan leaves Cheonchu and encounters Dae Dosu outside. Gamchan starts to fill him in; just then Yang Kyu arrives from the rebel camp and tells him it's all starting to happen now. So Gamchan takes him back inside to tell Cheonchu. "Commissioner Kim has raised an army against me?" Yep, and "Between the warrior monks and his private militiamen, it's not a small force." Yang tells them Chiyang isn't at Shiwangsa Temple; he's at a camp in the wilderness. Dae Dosu can't believe that so many of the regular troops would be ready to flip sides (and I'm having trouble buying that myself), but Yang and Gamchan think it must be accurate. They beg Cheonchu to take immediate action on all of this. For the moment, though, she's just sitting there staring off into space; it's probably starting to dawn on her just how badly Chiyang played her.
Kim Sukheung returns to camp and walks right into trouble. Some of the soldiers are being detained by Ha Gongjin for attempting to desert. The soldiers, though, tell Sukheung that they were under the impression that he was on their side. Uh-oh. Sukheung has to maintain his cover and is forced to draw his sword on Gongjin (who's doing the right thing) to get him to back off.
Yu Bang's soldiers return from Shiwangsa, and Yu reports to Cheonchu. It was a tough battle for them: twenty dead, dozens injured. Then Ha Gongjin shows up to report the desertions from his camp. And yes, it's at least half of the Left and Right Guards, plus an apparent majority of the Divine Tigers and Elite Striking Guards. And Kim Sukheung too, he believes, but Yang Kyu and Gamchan tell Ha the truth about Kim. Cheonchu orders the palace gates sealed and instructs the remaining Two Armies and Six Guards to protect the palace and the emperor. This is getting real bad, real quick.
Gamchan briefs a group of frightened ministers on the rebellion. Choe Hang is there, and the same group that's been complaining about the tax policy, but now the group complains about Chiyang. Gamchan tells them the rebellion is so large that the outcome is uncertain. And advises them that the palace gates are going to be sealed, so if you want to go home, leave now. An interesting split: Kim Shimun, Choe Suk and Choe Wonshin get up to leave. Kim argues that they can't help the soldiers at all, so "We will go out and calm the frightened and confused public." Which Gamchan receives with barely concealed contempt. Choe Hang scolds them for leaving the imperial house at a time of crisis, and the sometimes-spineless Hwangbo Yui backs him up: "I don't leave my emperor in times like this." "Neither do I," says Chae Choongsun, of similar character; "I will stay and protect the emperor." Good for those guys. The three woosies scurry away.
The emperor and empress are briefed. Mokjong guesses correctly that it's about installing Hwangju. I never trusted him, he says, but I never expected he'd go this far. Sunjeong, empathetic as ever, feels for Hunae for what she must be going through, having to combat her child's father with her heart broken.
At the palace gates, defenses are being prepared. Then Yi Hyunoon arrives from the north to report news of the Khitan army movement. "This can't be a concidence," Gamchan observes; Chiyang must be working with the Khitans. Then Hyunoon reports Chiyang's meeting with the Khitan prime minister, which clinches it. (Hyunoon did good work here; give him credit.) Then who runs in but Yu Bang with some REALLY bad news; Chiyang's men have blocked off all of the roads leading to and from the palace.
At the Yalu River: Gang Jo's troops are facing off against the Khitan troops across the river. Then the Khitans charge into a shallow part of the river, apparently to attack...but they halt.
Shangjin, the Liao capital: Emperor Shengzong barges in on Prime Minister Han and asks if it's true that he sent troops to the border without informing him. Han explains that they weren't sent to fight but merely to create a diversion. He's forced to reveal the specifics of Chiyang's rebellion plot in order to placate Shengzong. And why so few troops? "Deployment of a larger army could send this into an all-out war." Shengzong explodes: "That's what we want! There's no better time than now if there's domestic confusion in Goryeo! I will lead an army into Goryeo myself." Han urges against it, but the emperor is supremely confident.
Shengzong returns to his palace and informs his war-hawk generals. "Assemble the troops at once. I will conduct this conquest personally!" This is what the generals are itching for, too, and spirits are through the roof--but just for a moment, because Su No runs in to tell Shengzong that his mother is on her way back home from her trip south for convalescence. Shengzong is stunned; he had heard her health had actually worsened, so why is she coming home? From off to the side: "I called her back." PM Han walks in and says he wrote to her two weeks ago to ask her to return. "Your Majesty, if you must go to war with Goryeo, you must strike me and the empress dowager down first. Please understand why I'm doing this." And he kneels submissively before the emperor. Now Shengzong has a problem.
Back at the river border: Gang Jo shouts to Yelu Chu, who's commanding the Khitans, to turn his troops around and go home. Chu offers a trumped-up story about a report of a Khitan being murdered at the border market; we're here to investigate it at the emperor's order, he says. (With 5,000 troops? Come on, Chu, if you're gonna make up a story, at least make it a plausible one.) Bluster and posturing from both sides....And then Chu orders an attack! And the battle is on. Most of it on horseback, in the river shallows.
We see Chiyang leading his army through the woods.
Yunheung's villa: Kim Shimun tells Lady Yunheung about the rebellion. She's fearful for her and her daughter's safety should Hwangju and not Daeryang inherit the throne. "The overthrow must not succeed. Prince Daeryang must inherit the throne. That's the only way for us to survive." Jo Sun suggests that Yunheung go into hiding until this all plays itself out. She doesn't answer (but she's never been the type to run from trouble).
Shinhyeol Temple: Jin Gwan believes a civil war is imminent. "Men will come for you soon," he tells Daeryang; "Be ready." And summon Bakdol and Myeongil. (Wonder why?) Daeryang goes to ask Yi Chaemun, who's there leading a team of guards watching the palace, if he knows of any trouble in the capital. But Yi has been here the whole time and hasn't heard anything....Flashback to Ep55, Mokjong telling Daeryang, who's leaving to enter the monastery, that he'll be calling him back some day....Flashback ending, Daeryang wonders if that's what this is all about.
Back inside, Jin Gwan tells Badkol and Myeongil just who their friend really is. He wants them to go to the capital with him and protect him when he becomes emperor. But we're just illiterate peasants, they say; what can we do? There's trouble brewing, Jin replies, and Daeryang will need people who know him well at his side. You may even have to risk your lives. "Can you do this?"
Nighttime, in the woods: Yang Kyu comes to join Chiyang's army. Now all they're waiting for is Prince Hwangju; Sa Illa and Dokyun went to get him. Once he arrives, then they move. (But how are they gonna get him? That won't exactly be a walk in the park.)
We see a squad of troops approaching one of the palace gates. Sa Illa and Dokyun are among them, dressed as soldiers. So this must be a rebel unit. They reach the gate and at first they're refused entry by a suspicious soldier who wonders how they could have gotten through the blocked roads. (Smart guy!) But then an officer overrules him, saying he recognizes them as Yang Kyu's men, and orders the gate opened for him. This seems shady, and sure enough, the officer looks down at the squad leader and they exchange a knowing nod. The squad heads in.
Inside the throne room: Cheonchu is with her officers. We learn there are only 1,000 soldiers in the palace--they'll be outnumbered. Dae Dosu suggests evacuating Cheonchu to a place of safety, but she won't have that: "No, I will stop the commissioner even if it kills me." Gamchan points out that getting her out of the palace wouldn't be so simple either. And asks what we've been wondering for a long time: Where's Hwangju? Yu Bang says he's in his chambers, under guard. "Make sure he is safe," Gamchan says. "He is the reason for this uprising, so Kim Chiyang is certain to come for him." (Whatever they're paying this guy, it's not enough.)
Inside the palace, we see two men dressed as attendants, setting a fire on the porch of a building. It's Cheonchu Hall! They did their work well; it's a heck of a fire and soldiers rush onto the scene to push it out. This draws away some of the men guarding Prince Hwangju's building; not all, but some. We see Sa Illa watching it all, and then, oh no, she pulls out the bladed boomerang. And with one throw, sets a new record: six guards fall dead, killed by a boomerang throw that even makes a 90-degree turn on a dime to follow the contour of the building. And of course it flies right back to her hand. That's right, a boomerang that corners! AAUGH. The rebel squad is behind her and charges in to attack the remaining guards, and pretty quickly finishes them off. Sa Illa runs inside the building to take the prince, but his attendant (an older woman whom we haven't seen before) bravely refuses her, even at the point of a sword.
Meanwhile, back outside, the guards that left to fight the fire must have heard the commotion, because they came back. They see their dead comrades lying around, and just then Sa Illa emerges holding the young Hwangju's hand. (For goodness sake, what happened with the attendant inside? They just completely bailed on that! It was an adrenaline-rush moment and they punted? Geez!) The guards order her to surrender; she tells them to back off, and they shout back and forth at each other (and we wonder why there isn't one single guy anywhere around with a freaking BOW AND ARROW to just take her out and be done with it already! Good grief.) Then the battle resumes, the rebel squad and the remaining guards. Soon Sa Illa is pinned against the building wall and about to be killed by a soldier. But a knife comes flying in and kills the soldier. It's Dokyun with that wrist-gadget thing we saw at work in the previous episode. And it buys Sa Illa the time to pick up the boy and escape through the chaos.
Cheonchu is informed of all this. She realizes that it means Chiyang must have men in the palace. Her officers insist on taking her elsewhere, but she won't listen.
Out in the woods, Sa Illa and Dokyun bring Hwangju to meet up with Chiyang's army. The boy is frightened, but Chiyang tries to calm him and orders that he be taken somewhere safe. "Now we hit the palace." He issues the orders: Sa Gamun to lead the attack on the north gate, Sa Illa and Dokyun to the east gate, and generals Yang and Kim to the west gate. He and Mun Inui will take the south gate. "Soon the curtain will rise on a new world. Prepare for battle!"
Attendant Yu tells the emperor and empress about the fire. Then Go Hyun runs in carrying some attendant's clothes; he wants the couple to put them on to disguise themselves because rebel forces are in the palace. (Here's another guy who isn't getting paid enough.) But Mokjong won't do it! "I am still the emperor of Goryeo! If Kim Chiyang should attack the palace, I will not face him in an attendant's gown. I will confront him with the power and majesty of the emperor." And we're reminded of why this guy is such an intriguing character. Show great backbone here.
Cheonchu arrives at Cheonchu hall to see soldiers struggling to put out the fire. As she watches, narration tells us that according to historical record, a fire did occur at Cheonchu Hall in 1009, the last year of Mokjong's reign. "The king lamented the loss and became ill and unable to attend to state affairs. Many scholars see this as the starting point of Kim Chiyang's rebellion." (This raises more questions than it answers!)
Still in front of her burning hall, Cheonchu learns that rebel forces have arrived at all four gates. Dae Dosu begs her to seek safety, but wouldn't you know it, instead she demands her armor and her bow and arrow. Well, old habits die hard. Even bad ones.
So she puts her fancy, shining new battle armor and goes to command the troops personally. She gives them a pep talk; then Gamchan gives the assignments: Cheonchu and Gamchan to the south gate (Some coincidence! Gotta love TV), Yu Bang and the imperial guards to the north, Dae Dosu to the east, and all other generals to the west.
At the south gate, the rebels arrive, Chiyang in the lead. Cheonchu looks down at him: "Commissioner, what is the meaning of this?" (Seriously, that was the line.) "How dare you raise your sword against me. This is high treason! Disband your men at once!" "This is not a rebellion," Chiyang answers; "This is a revolution to rectify order." He accuses Wang Guhn of betraying Shilla to found Goryeo, and tells her he intends "to bring your son Prince Hwangju to the throne." But she doesn't buy his motives. "Reveal your relations to Crown Prince Mahi of Shilla!" Wow; he sure didn't see that one coming; he's taken aback and silenced for a moment (as we once again wonder why, among all those troops overlooking him at the gate, doesn't somebody just pick up a bow and arrow and KILL HIM ALREADY! He's not an envoy or even a foreign general; he's a criminal of high treason.) He quickly recovers his composure: "Please open the gate. I do not wish to become your enemy. We've been through hell and back together. And I want us to realize our dreams together. So please trust me and open the gate!" "You dare point your sword at me and ask me to trust you?" This goes back and forth between the two of them, until finally she pulls an arrow out of her own quiver, and with a tear in her eye loads up her bow and aims the arrow at him.
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"That's absurd. An overthrow?" Hunae can't believe it, but Gamchan warns her that Chiyang "is more dangerous than you think. Everything about him may well be a lie"; he's the one who killed Hyangbi and tried to ruin Mokjong. She doesn't believe that either, and asks for proof. So he tells her about Hangan; "you can interrogate Hangan right now." And Hyangbi? It wasn't the Jurchens, he tells her; Hyangbi was secretly investigating Chiyang, and Gamchan thinks she had gotten too close to the truth (correct).
At Chiyang's woodland camp: Chiyang tries to sell Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung on his overthrow plan. It's for the good of the country, he tells them falsely, because of Mokjong's scandal and the selfishness of the ministers. They don't like his idea about installing his son on the throne, and besides, What will Cheonchu think of this? "Women always follow their men," he says, and I'm her man. (Not gonna touch that one.) He reminds them of their past statements to always support him, and tells them that now is the time. Playing along like Gamchan told them to, they say they'll do it. "You took care of us like no one ever has," Yang tells him; "I will give my life for your cause." "So will I," Kim says; "Just give us your command." He asks them to go back home and round up support from within their troops--"More than half of the Six Guards will join our cause. You'll see once you're there" (Really?)--and prepare for action.
Gamchan tells Cheonchu that Chiyang is probably hiding at Shiwangsa Temple and she needs to have him arrested ASAP. But she still refuses to believe that Chiyang would do any such thing. Gamchan implores her--He has warrior monks surrounding the city and will call on them to attack soon--but to no avail. She says, "He might have tried to kill Daeryang, but everything else is your imagination." Gamchan rolls his eyes like he's talking to a brick wall (VERY funny; shades of Xue Rengui in DJY). She argues that Seo Hui had checked Chiyang's background and found nothing suspicious. But he keeps after her: "Your highness, I'm not claiming to know everything about Kim Chiyang. But do I know he is hiding something big. I beg you to arrest him and interrogate him. He's committed more than enough crimes to warrant an arrest. I know how you feel, but this is a matter of national security." (I'm not sure that interrogating him would accomplish anything. Still, what else can they do, I guess.) Cheonchu is silent.
Chiyang wanders about trusting the two generals. (So Kim is a general now; we didn't know that for certain). He's pretty confident, but thinks he'll be okay even without them. But he tells his group that whatever happens, his true identity and intentions must remain secret for as long as possible. And we learn the plan: strike all four of the palace gates simultaneously at midnight.
Yang and Kim head home; they're concerned about the size of the army they just saw. Obviously Chiyang has been preparing this for a long time, and if his statement about more than half of the Six Guards being willing to flip sides is true, well, that's big trouble. Yang will go and alert the palace; he gives Kim a tough assignment: take a small group of men and join and infiltrate the rebellion. "This is too big to handle any other way."
Steward Yi is in a jail cell with Yu Hangan. He was arrested when the troops went to Chiyang's to try to arrest Sa Gamun and Dokyun and nobody else was home. He has no idea what's going on and is complaining loudly. Then Cheonchu and Gamchan show up to question Hangan. Hangan confirms that Chiyang brought him into the palace to spy on Mokjong and to seduce him. "None of this is the emperor's fault. I drugged him with osuksan and seduced him." Now THAT'S not entirely true, but Hangan clearly wants to take the fall 100 percent for Mokjong. And it was Chiyang who supplied the osuksan, Hangan reveals. This is all too much for Cheonchu and she has to leave. But not before Hangan adds that his feelings for her son are truly genuine.
Back home, we can see that Cheonchu finally has digested all of this. A new resolve in her face, she orders Chiyang and all of his men arrested. "There will be strong resistance," Chiyang advises Yu Bang, "so arm your men well."
So Yu Bang leads his soldiers to Shiwangsa Temple. They arrive to find the place completely deserted. Not a soul. Very odd. All they can do is turn around and head home.
We watch them heading home through the countryside. Suddenly, AMBUSH! A large group of black-clad, masked attackers is upon them, arrows and swords both. And these guys know what they're doing. A bloody battle ensues. The attackers are taking hits, but they're hitting back too, and we see soldiers getting killed.
Gamchan leaves Cheonchu and encounters Dae Dosu outside. Gamchan starts to fill him in; just then Yang Kyu arrives from the rebel camp and tells him it's all starting to happen now. So Gamchan takes him back inside to tell Cheonchu. "Commissioner Kim has raised an army against me?" Yep, and "Between the warrior monks and his private militiamen, it's not a small force." Yang tells them Chiyang isn't at Shiwangsa Temple; he's at a camp in the wilderness. Dae Dosu can't believe that so many of the regular troops would be ready to flip sides (and I'm having trouble buying that myself), but Yang and Gamchan think it must be accurate. They beg Cheonchu to take immediate action on all of this. For the moment, though, she's just sitting there staring off into space; it's probably starting to dawn on her just how badly Chiyang played her.
Kim Sukheung returns to camp and walks right into trouble. Some of the soldiers are being detained by Ha Gongjin for attempting to desert. The soldiers, though, tell Sukheung that they were under the impression that he was on their side. Uh-oh. Sukheung has to maintain his cover and is forced to draw his sword on Gongjin (who's doing the right thing) to get him to back off.
Yu Bang's soldiers return from Shiwangsa, and Yu reports to Cheonchu. It was a tough battle for them: twenty dead, dozens injured. Then Ha Gongjin shows up to report the desertions from his camp. And yes, it's at least half of the Left and Right Guards, plus an apparent majority of the Divine Tigers and Elite Striking Guards. And Kim Sukheung too, he believes, but Yang Kyu and Gamchan tell Ha the truth about Kim. Cheonchu orders the palace gates sealed and instructs the remaining Two Armies and Six Guards to protect the palace and the emperor. This is getting real bad, real quick.
Gamchan briefs a group of frightened ministers on the rebellion. Choe Hang is there, and the same group that's been complaining about the tax policy, but now the group complains about Chiyang. Gamchan tells them the rebellion is so large that the outcome is uncertain. And advises them that the palace gates are going to be sealed, so if you want to go home, leave now. An interesting split: Kim Shimun, Choe Suk and Choe Wonshin get up to leave. Kim argues that they can't help the soldiers at all, so "We will go out and calm the frightened and confused public." Which Gamchan receives with barely concealed contempt. Choe Hang scolds them for leaving the imperial house at a time of crisis, and the sometimes-spineless Hwangbo Yui backs him up: "I don't leave my emperor in times like this." "Neither do I," says Chae Choongsun, of similar character; "I will stay and protect the emperor." Good for those guys. The three woosies scurry away.
The emperor and empress are briefed. Mokjong guesses correctly that it's about installing Hwangju. I never trusted him, he says, but I never expected he'd go this far. Sunjeong, empathetic as ever, feels for Hunae for what she must be going through, having to combat her child's father with her heart broken.
At the palace gates, defenses are being prepared. Then Yi Hyunoon arrives from the north to report news of the Khitan army movement. "This can't be a concidence," Gamchan observes; Chiyang must be working with the Khitans. Then Hyunoon reports Chiyang's meeting with the Khitan prime minister, which clinches it. (Hyunoon did good work here; give him credit.) Then who runs in but Yu Bang with some REALLY bad news; Chiyang's men have blocked off all of the roads leading to and from the palace.
At the Yalu River: Gang Jo's troops are facing off against the Khitan troops across the river. Then the Khitans charge into a shallow part of the river, apparently to attack...but they halt.
Shangjin, the Liao capital: Emperor Shengzong barges in on Prime Minister Han and asks if it's true that he sent troops to the border without informing him. Han explains that they weren't sent to fight but merely to create a diversion. He's forced to reveal the specifics of Chiyang's rebellion plot in order to placate Shengzong. And why so few troops? "Deployment of a larger army could send this into an all-out war." Shengzong explodes: "That's what we want! There's no better time than now if there's domestic confusion in Goryeo! I will lead an army into Goryeo myself." Han urges against it, but the emperor is supremely confident.
Shengzong returns to his palace and informs his war-hawk generals. "Assemble the troops at once. I will conduct this conquest personally!" This is what the generals are itching for, too, and spirits are through the roof--but just for a moment, because Su No runs in to tell Shengzong that his mother is on her way back home from her trip south for convalescence. Shengzong is stunned; he had heard her health had actually worsened, so why is she coming home? From off to the side: "I called her back." PM Han walks in and says he wrote to her two weeks ago to ask her to return. "Your Majesty, if you must go to war with Goryeo, you must strike me and the empress dowager down first. Please understand why I'm doing this." And he kneels submissively before the emperor. Now Shengzong has a problem.
Back at the river border: Gang Jo shouts to Yelu Chu, who's commanding the Khitans, to turn his troops around and go home. Chu offers a trumped-up story about a report of a Khitan being murdered at the border market; we're here to investigate it at the emperor's order, he says. (With 5,000 troops? Come on, Chu, if you're gonna make up a story, at least make it a plausible one.) Bluster and posturing from both sides....And then Chu orders an attack! And the battle is on. Most of it on horseback, in the river shallows.
We see Chiyang leading his army through the woods.
Yunheung's villa: Kim Shimun tells Lady Yunheung about the rebellion. She's fearful for her and her daughter's safety should Hwangju and not Daeryang inherit the throne. "The overthrow must not succeed. Prince Daeryang must inherit the throne. That's the only way for us to survive." Jo Sun suggests that Yunheung go into hiding until this all plays itself out. She doesn't answer (but she's never been the type to run from trouble).
Shinhyeol Temple: Jin Gwan believes a civil war is imminent. "Men will come for you soon," he tells Daeryang; "Be ready." And summon Bakdol and Myeongil. (Wonder why?) Daeryang goes to ask Yi Chaemun, who's there leading a team of guards watching the palace, if he knows of any trouble in the capital. But Yi has been here the whole time and hasn't heard anything....Flashback to Ep55, Mokjong telling Daeryang, who's leaving to enter the monastery, that he'll be calling him back some day....Flashback ending, Daeryang wonders if that's what this is all about.
Back inside, Jin Gwan tells Badkol and Myeongil just who their friend really is. He wants them to go to the capital with him and protect him when he becomes emperor. But we're just illiterate peasants, they say; what can we do? There's trouble brewing, Jin replies, and Daeryang will need people who know him well at his side. You may even have to risk your lives. "Can you do this?"
Nighttime, in the woods: Yang Kyu comes to join Chiyang's army. Now all they're waiting for is Prince Hwangju; Sa Illa and Dokyun went to get him. Once he arrives, then they move. (But how are they gonna get him? That won't exactly be a walk in the park.)
We see a squad of troops approaching one of the palace gates. Sa Illa and Dokyun are among them, dressed as soldiers. So this must be a rebel unit. They reach the gate and at first they're refused entry by a suspicious soldier who wonders how they could have gotten through the blocked roads. (Smart guy!) But then an officer overrules him, saying he recognizes them as Yang Kyu's men, and orders the gate opened for him. This seems shady, and sure enough, the officer looks down at the squad leader and they exchange a knowing nod. The squad heads in.
Inside the throne room: Cheonchu is with her officers. We learn there are only 1,000 soldiers in the palace--they'll be outnumbered. Dae Dosu suggests evacuating Cheonchu to a place of safety, but she won't have that: "No, I will stop the commissioner even if it kills me." Gamchan points out that getting her out of the palace wouldn't be so simple either. And asks what we've been wondering for a long time: Where's Hwangju? Yu Bang says he's in his chambers, under guard. "Make sure he is safe," Gamchan says. "He is the reason for this uprising, so Kim Chiyang is certain to come for him." (Whatever they're paying this guy, it's not enough.)
Inside the palace, we see two men dressed as attendants, setting a fire on the porch of a building. It's Cheonchu Hall! They did their work well; it's a heck of a fire and soldiers rush onto the scene to push it out. This draws away some of the men guarding Prince Hwangju's building; not all, but some. We see Sa Illa watching it all, and then, oh no, she pulls out the bladed boomerang. And with one throw, sets a new record: six guards fall dead, killed by a boomerang throw that even makes a 90-degree turn on a dime to follow the contour of the building. And of course it flies right back to her hand. That's right, a boomerang that corners! AAUGH. The rebel squad is behind her and charges in to attack the remaining guards, and pretty quickly finishes them off. Sa Illa runs inside the building to take the prince, but his attendant (an older woman whom we haven't seen before) bravely refuses her, even at the point of a sword.
Meanwhile, back outside, the guards that left to fight the fire must have heard the commotion, because they came back. They see their dead comrades lying around, and just then Sa Illa emerges holding the young Hwangju's hand. (For goodness sake, what happened with the attendant inside? They just completely bailed on that! It was an adrenaline-rush moment and they punted? Geez!) The guards order her to surrender; she tells them to back off, and they shout back and forth at each other (and we wonder why there isn't one single guy anywhere around with a freaking BOW AND ARROW to just take her out and be done with it already! Good grief.) Then the battle resumes, the rebel squad and the remaining guards. Soon Sa Illa is pinned against the building wall and about to be killed by a soldier. But a knife comes flying in and kills the soldier. It's Dokyun with that wrist-gadget thing we saw at work in the previous episode. And it buys Sa Illa the time to pick up the boy and escape through the chaos.
Cheonchu is informed of all this. She realizes that it means Chiyang must have men in the palace. Her officers insist on taking her elsewhere, but she won't listen.
Out in the woods, Sa Illa and Dokyun bring Hwangju to meet up with Chiyang's army. The boy is frightened, but Chiyang tries to calm him and orders that he be taken somewhere safe. "Now we hit the palace." He issues the orders: Sa Gamun to lead the attack on the north gate, Sa Illa and Dokyun to the east gate, and generals Yang and Kim to the west gate. He and Mun Inui will take the south gate. "Soon the curtain will rise on a new world. Prepare for battle!"
Attendant Yu tells the emperor and empress about the fire. Then Go Hyun runs in carrying some attendant's clothes; he wants the couple to put them on to disguise themselves because rebel forces are in the palace. (Here's another guy who isn't getting paid enough.) But Mokjong won't do it! "I am still the emperor of Goryeo! If Kim Chiyang should attack the palace, I will not face him in an attendant's gown. I will confront him with the power and majesty of the emperor." And we're reminded of why this guy is such an intriguing character. Show great backbone here.
Cheonchu arrives at Cheonchu hall to see soldiers struggling to put out the fire. As she watches, narration tells us that according to historical record, a fire did occur at Cheonchu Hall in 1009, the last year of Mokjong's reign. "The king lamented the loss and became ill and unable to attend to state affairs. Many scholars see this as the starting point of Kim Chiyang's rebellion." (This raises more questions than it answers!)
Still in front of her burning hall, Cheonchu learns that rebel forces have arrived at all four gates. Dae Dosu begs her to seek safety, but wouldn't you know it, instead she demands her armor and her bow and arrow. Well, old habits die hard. Even bad ones.
So she puts her fancy, shining new battle armor and goes to command the troops personally. She gives them a pep talk; then Gamchan gives the assignments: Cheonchu and Gamchan to the south gate (Some coincidence! Gotta love TV), Yu Bang and the imperial guards to the north, Dae Dosu to the east, and all other generals to the west.
At the south gate, the rebels arrive, Chiyang in the lead. Cheonchu looks down at him: "Commissioner, what is the meaning of this?" (Seriously, that was the line.) "How dare you raise your sword against me. This is high treason! Disband your men at once!" "This is not a rebellion," Chiyang answers; "This is a revolution to rectify order." He accuses Wang Guhn of betraying Shilla to found Goryeo, and tells her he intends "to bring your son Prince Hwangju to the throne." But she doesn't buy his motives. "Reveal your relations to Crown Prince Mahi of Shilla!" Wow; he sure didn't see that one coming; he's taken aback and silenced for a moment (as we once again wonder why, among all those troops overlooking him at the gate, doesn't somebody just pick up a bow and arrow and KILL HIM ALREADY! He's not an envoy or even a foreign general; he's a criminal of high treason.) He quickly recovers his composure: "Please open the gate. I do not wish to become your enemy. We've been through hell and back together. And I want us to realize our dreams together. So please trust me and open the gate!" "You dare point your sword at me and ask me to trust you?" This goes back and forth between the two of them, until finally she pulls an arrow out of her own quiver, and with a tear in her eye loads up her bow and aims the arrow at him.