Post by ajk on Oct 27, 2009 11:41:49 GMT -5
(One final acknowledgement to mikey for the DVD loan that made this summary and the previous three possible.)
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Cheonchu aims...and fires. The arrow whooshes by the man on Chiyang's right; it didn't appear to hit anybody. Obviously a warning-shot-across-the-bow thing. She shouts at Chiyang, "You will not set foot in this palace unless you kill me first!" So Chiyang sets his troops loose and the battle begins. Lots and lots of flaming arrows; rebels bringing ladders forward to scale the walls; stones and boiling liquid thrown down from the walls. You know, the whole nine yards.
Attendants Go and Yu plead with the emperor and empress to change into the attendant's clothing that Go has brought them. Mokjong didn't realize how bad the situation was. We have to call Gang Jo, Mokjong says, and he tells Yu to get out of the palace somehow and get a message to him. That's gonna be a tough job. I'll do it, Yu says, but please change into the clothes. Mokjong again refuses. "I will not run and hide when my mother is fighting the enemy. I will fight side by side with my mother." Have to admire that, but after all, he is the emperor; is this being reckless? (Hmmm, wonder who he inherited THAT from.)
At the north gate, some nice trash-talking from Yu Bang, Choe Gil and Kim Hoon as Sa Gamun and a rebel unit demand entry. So Sa Gamun orders the attack, and another charge to the walls.
Near the east gate: A black-clad squad of rebels led by Sa Illa and Dokyun creeps towards the wall. Two of the rebels scale it (with ridiculous ease) and kill the lone sentry. Two ladders are brought forth, the squad scales them, and suddenly it's a hand-to-hand battle on the top of the walls.
West gate: Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung, still playing along, have ordered their rebel units to attack. But then they call for a retreat, which confuses the heck out of the soldiers. A subordinate officer questions the order, and Yang kills him on the spot. "We are proud warriors of Goryeo!", he shouts to the soldiers. "We are not rebels! Follow my command! We must suppress the rebellion!" This is big-time cojones, considering he's right in the middle of soldiers who turned on their government and could kill him in an instant.
South gate: Now it's hand-to-hand on the walls here too. They're coming like flies but the Goryeans are fighting hard, including Cheonchu and Gamchan. Chiyang is just standing there outside the walls watching it all (Are you kidding me? Still nobody's taken a shot at him?) when news of the Kim/Yang "betrayal" reaches him. "Take your men at once and bring back Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung's heads!" And then mutters a staggering hypocrisy: "Have I been deceived? How dare they!" Back to the fight: the rebels have brought in some mechanical spear launchers and they're doing damage. The hand-to-hand continues, but now the tide is turning and the south gate is about to fall. More bad news arrives: the north gate has fallen. It's time to evacuate the empress dowager, but not only does Cheonchu refuse, here comes Mokjong in armor ready to pitch in himself. And besides that, where can they go? They have no escape route. But Kim Sukheung shows up with news that he and Yang have secured the west gate. Dae Dosu and Gamchan beg the royals to retreat so they can fight another day. Cheonchu looks around and thinks....
The next morning, at the Yalu River: The Khitans have been taking a beating, and here comes another attack by the Goryeans. Yelu Chu orders a retreat, and the whole lot of them scrambles back through the shallows and onto dry Khitan land. Gang Jo orders the pursuit stopped: "I'm sure they've learned their lesson. They won't be coming back. We won." The troops go wild.
Back at the palace: Chiyang enters in triumph...but there's no sign of the emperor, his wife or his mother. Chiyang orders them tracked down; he fears that things could turn around at any moment if Cheonchu and Mokjong can regroup the loyalist forces. Plus he fears Gang Jo's fighting ability, and knows that Jo could be breathing down his neck soon. Bring Cheonchu back alive, he tells Sa Gamun; I don't care about the others.
Chiyang enters an empty throne room, and sits in the emperor's chair. We hear his thoughts: "At last I'm here, grandfather. I've finally defeated the descendants of Wang Guhn and seized the throne. But why does my heart feel so heavy? Where is the peace I thought I would have once the great enterprise was realized?" (Idiot.)
Out in the countryside: Cheonchu, Mokjong, Sunjeong, Gamchan, ministers and a group of loyalist soldiers are retreating. Gamchan says they need to go to Hogyeong to join Gang Jo and the regional armies. That's really their only option. And Yang Kyu wants to visit the Central Army Base on the way; the Two Armies are there and they'll remain loyal to you, he tells Cheonchu. Then some bad news arrives: rebel forces are following them. Yang and Kim tell Cheonchu to hurry along ahead; they'll hold off the rebels.
Sa Gamun and Sa Illa are leading the pursuing rebels. It's not a big group, no more than 25 or 30. They come up to find Yang and Kim blocking their path with a smaller group of soldiers. (What, no ambush? This is a perfect place for one! Don't just stand there in plain sight.) Needing to buy time for Cheonchu to escape, Yang and Kim willingly engage the rebels and the battle is on.
Back with Cheonchu's group: Uh-oh. Ha Gongjin reports that all roads to the military base are blocked. "The rebels are everywhere!" So much for rallying the Two Armies. And now a second group of rebels is on their tail. Gamchan tells Cheonchu that the group is going to have to split up. The ministers and imperial guards will go east; Dae Dosu and Gamchan will guard the royals. Just the two of them? "The smaller the number, the less visible we will be." Cheonchu agrees; there's nothing else they can do. "Whatever happens, one group must get away to alert General Gang in Hogyeong." Attendant Yu steps forward and volunteers to head straight for Hogyeong to get the message there ASAP. (Which, of course, he had just told the emperor he would do anyway. I don't get it.)
This second rebel group is led by Mun Inui and Dokyun. They're following the tracks in the drift left by the loyalists. They catch up to them, and in an instant Dokyun strikes the emperor dead. But it's not the emperor, it's Go Hyun wearing the emperor's clothes. The rebels think they've struck a decisive blow, only to realize when they turn the body over that they've been fooled. Poor old guy, we don't even get to mourn his passing, or acknowledge his bravery. How sad to see his life end like that.
Elsewhere, the royal party is moving reasonably well through the woods. Sunjeong falters briefly, but she's a trooper and sucks it up, and the group continues on. Fortunately it's not just Gamchan and Dae Dosu guarding them; a small group of soldiers is also with them, including Ha Gongjin.
Liao: A still-very-sick Chengtian is back in the main palace. She's coughing severely and looks almost jaundiced. Not good. Prime Minister Han is tending to her. Shengzong arrives, and his mother wastes no time. "I had to come when I heard you were planning to attack Goryeo," she tells him. Shengzong explains the situation in Goryeo; "If this isn't the right time to strike, I don't know when is." But she yells at him: "Be quiet! Haven't you listened to anything I've said? I told you repeatedly I was hoping you would grow up before you turned forty. But I can see now that you're the same egotistical warmonger you've always been. I told you that the era of war is over. How dare you defy me!" He keeps trying to explain, but she cuts him off again: "If this is how it's going to be, surrender the throne! Your younger brothers probably have better judgment than you do!" Ouch. Just like old times, Shengzong has to apologize and back off. Weak and coughing, Chengtian manages get to her feet. Scolding her son isn't enough; now she's going to the council hall to deliver the message to his subordinates.
At the council hall: Everyone is gathered. "Who abetted the emperor?" Silence. "Xiao Baiya, did you urge the emperor to go to war?" He denies it. Yelu Dilu? "I would not dare." Liars, and I'm sure she knows it. "Why do you think the Sui and Tang dynasties crumbled? Present-day Goryeo is as strong as old Goguryeo. Who wants to go to war with Goryeo? Speak up!" Silence; they're not rocket scientists and they're not about to start arguing foreign affairs with her. A war "is not going to happen as long as I am alive." She starts coughing again, and now starts coughing up a bit of blood. But she's furious and demands everyone's acknowledgement that they understand her. And she gets it, immediately.
Yunheung's villa: Kim Shimun tells Lady Yunheung that Chiyang captured the palace and that Mokjong's and Cheonchu's whereabouts are unknown. Yunheung is very worried; she still believes that her and her daughter's safety depends on Daeryang being on the throne, not Chiyang's son.
Shinhyeol Temple village: We see Daeryang. His friends Bakdol and Myeongil find him--and bow to him! Jin Gwan had told them he's going to be the emperor, and now they don't know how to behave around him. "I'm not royalty," Daeryang says; "I'm just your friend" and I'm not going anywhere.
Jin Gwan tells Ji Chaemun to guard Daeryang closely. "You will save his life many times in the future."
"So you lost them?!" Chiyang is berating Sa Gamun, Sa Illa, Dokyun and Mun Inui for losing everybody they were chasing. "You must capture them before dawn. That's the only way to suppress Gang Jo--with an imperial command to stop his aggression. Now move it!" (So they were a good distance from the capital chasing people; they came all the way back; and now they're supposed to be able to head back out and catch right up to them? Ugh. Sloppy, sloppy.)
Hogyeong (northern capital): Gang Jo returns from his victory at the border, and finds attendant Yu waiting for him with the bad news. The troops are tired, but he orders them made ready for an immediate march on the capital.
Nighttime in the woods: Sunjeong has a swollen ankle (Yecch, what a cliché) but everyone's okay otherwise. Cheonchu confesses to her son, "You were right. I should not have trusted Kim Chiyang like you told me not to. I brought ruin to the empire." Mokjong tries to tell her it wasn't her fault, that she was only a victim, but she goes on: "If I had conferred full sovereign power to you when it was due, you'd be fine and the regime would be safe. I made a terrible mistake." Mokjong disagrees and even tries to take responsibility himself. He's being very generous, not that any of it matters at the moment.
The ministers Kim Shimun, Choe Wonshin, and Choe Suk--the three cowards who went home before the palace was sealed—-are together somewhere, wondering what all of this will all mean for them. Kim is much more worried than the two Choes are. Why? "He might be connected to Prince Mahi." Kim, who we know is a former Shillan, certainly knows about that past history and must be suspecting Chiyang's true intentions.
Chiyang places his young son on the throne. "Jin, how does it feel? This is the chair that Heaven has sent for you." To himself, Chiyang still pines for Cheonchu to join him here. (Sounds like he needs another visit from his evil twin!)
The next morning: The royal party is still moving through the woods. Suddenly they have to scatter and hide: Sa Gamun, Sa Illa, Dokyun, Mun Inui and a group of rebel soldiers has caught up to them. On foot! (For goodness sakes, if we're going to believe they made up that kind of distance from the palace, at least put them on horses. Sloppy, sloppy.) Cheonchu has had enough and says she'll lead them away so that the emperor can get to safety. They'll take me alive, she says, but they'll kill the emperor (she's right). So as rebels approach, she fires an arrow at them and takes off running, with Dae Dosu, Ha Gongjin and a few soldiers, and they all pursue her. It works; the emperor and the others steal away. The rebels pursue Cheonchu for a while, but then realize that the group they're pursuing is too small and the emperor isn't with her. The rebels split up and some of them turn back.
Dae Dosu takes an arrow to the leg. Cheonchu's group turns around, and there they are right behind them: Sa Gamun, Sa Illa, Dokyun, Mun Inui and some of the rebel soldiers. Cheonchu starts firing arrows and killing soldiers. Her last arrow appears to head right for Sa Gamun, but Sa Illa throws the bladed boomerang and knocks it aside in midair (assisted by the arrow's sudden deceleration to almost zero in mid-air, which gives her time to throw at it. Give me a break.) Then the rebels charge; the soldiers remaining with Cheonchu fight bravely but are badly outnumbered and are quickly subdued. She glares at Sa Illa: "How could you of all people do this to me?" Sa Illa can barely look at her, but says "I don't want to hurt you. Please come back to the palace with us."
The emperor's party is fleeing. But not fast enough; here come the other rebel soldiers. The loyalist soldiers in their party fight hard; so does Gamchan; and even Mokjong gets into the act a bit and does okay at first. But then he gets knocked sown and a rebel is about to kill him...when an arrow thwacks into the rebel's chest. It's Gang Jo and his army! They mop up the rebels and the emperor is safe. Unfortunately, nobody knows what happened to Cheonchu.
Steward Yi and Yu Hangan, still wearing prisoner's white, are brought into the throne room. Yi immediately starts gushing over Chiyang: "Oh my, Commissioner! The throne suits you so well!" But Chiyang is more interested in Hangan. Why did you confess to Mokjong?, he wants to know; "If you had just kept your mouth shut, I would've given you a great reward." "There couldn't be a reward greater for a lowly man like me," Hangan replies, "than having had the chance the serve the emperor intimately. I thank you sincerely for choosing me, but I could not deceive the emperor any longer." Chiyang comments offhandedly, "You are a strange one. You dug your own grave." Just then Mun Inui enters with news that Sa Gamun is bringing Cheonchu back.
And then we see her coming back. Taken as a prisoner into her own throne room. A jarring sight. Dae Dosu and Ha Gongjin are also with her. She's brought before Chiyang, who actually bows just a bit. "Welcome back, your highness."
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Cheonchu aims...and fires. The arrow whooshes by the man on Chiyang's right; it didn't appear to hit anybody. Obviously a warning-shot-across-the-bow thing. She shouts at Chiyang, "You will not set foot in this palace unless you kill me first!" So Chiyang sets his troops loose and the battle begins. Lots and lots of flaming arrows; rebels bringing ladders forward to scale the walls; stones and boiling liquid thrown down from the walls. You know, the whole nine yards.
Attendants Go and Yu plead with the emperor and empress to change into the attendant's clothing that Go has brought them. Mokjong didn't realize how bad the situation was. We have to call Gang Jo, Mokjong says, and he tells Yu to get out of the palace somehow and get a message to him. That's gonna be a tough job. I'll do it, Yu says, but please change into the clothes. Mokjong again refuses. "I will not run and hide when my mother is fighting the enemy. I will fight side by side with my mother." Have to admire that, but after all, he is the emperor; is this being reckless? (Hmmm, wonder who he inherited THAT from.)
At the north gate, some nice trash-talking from Yu Bang, Choe Gil and Kim Hoon as Sa Gamun and a rebel unit demand entry. So Sa Gamun orders the attack, and another charge to the walls.
Near the east gate: A black-clad squad of rebels led by Sa Illa and Dokyun creeps towards the wall. Two of the rebels scale it (with ridiculous ease) and kill the lone sentry. Two ladders are brought forth, the squad scales them, and suddenly it's a hand-to-hand battle on the top of the walls.
West gate: Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung, still playing along, have ordered their rebel units to attack. But then they call for a retreat, which confuses the heck out of the soldiers. A subordinate officer questions the order, and Yang kills him on the spot. "We are proud warriors of Goryeo!", he shouts to the soldiers. "We are not rebels! Follow my command! We must suppress the rebellion!" This is big-time cojones, considering he's right in the middle of soldiers who turned on their government and could kill him in an instant.
South gate: Now it's hand-to-hand on the walls here too. They're coming like flies but the Goryeans are fighting hard, including Cheonchu and Gamchan. Chiyang is just standing there outside the walls watching it all (Are you kidding me? Still nobody's taken a shot at him?) when news of the Kim/Yang "betrayal" reaches him. "Take your men at once and bring back Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung's heads!" And then mutters a staggering hypocrisy: "Have I been deceived? How dare they!" Back to the fight: the rebels have brought in some mechanical spear launchers and they're doing damage. The hand-to-hand continues, but now the tide is turning and the south gate is about to fall. More bad news arrives: the north gate has fallen. It's time to evacuate the empress dowager, but not only does Cheonchu refuse, here comes Mokjong in armor ready to pitch in himself. And besides that, where can they go? They have no escape route. But Kim Sukheung shows up with news that he and Yang have secured the west gate. Dae Dosu and Gamchan beg the royals to retreat so they can fight another day. Cheonchu looks around and thinks....
The next morning, at the Yalu River: The Khitans have been taking a beating, and here comes another attack by the Goryeans. Yelu Chu orders a retreat, and the whole lot of them scrambles back through the shallows and onto dry Khitan land. Gang Jo orders the pursuit stopped: "I'm sure they've learned their lesson. They won't be coming back. We won." The troops go wild.
Back at the palace: Chiyang enters in triumph...but there's no sign of the emperor, his wife or his mother. Chiyang orders them tracked down; he fears that things could turn around at any moment if Cheonchu and Mokjong can regroup the loyalist forces. Plus he fears Gang Jo's fighting ability, and knows that Jo could be breathing down his neck soon. Bring Cheonchu back alive, he tells Sa Gamun; I don't care about the others.
Chiyang enters an empty throne room, and sits in the emperor's chair. We hear his thoughts: "At last I'm here, grandfather. I've finally defeated the descendants of Wang Guhn and seized the throne. But why does my heart feel so heavy? Where is the peace I thought I would have once the great enterprise was realized?" (Idiot.)
Out in the countryside: Cheonchu, Mokjong, Sunjeong, Gamchan, ministers and a group of loyalist soldiers are retreating. Gamchan says they need to go to Hogyeong to join Gang Jo and the regional armies. That's really their only option. And Yang Kyu wants to visit the Central Army Base on the way; the Two Armies are there and they'll remain loyal to you, he tells Cheonchu. Then some bad news arrives: rebel forces are following them. Yang and Kim tell Cheonchu to hurry along ahead; they'll hold off the rebels.
Sa Gamun and Sa Illa are leading the pursuing rebels. It's not a big group, no more than 25 or 30. They come up to find Yang and Kim blocking their path with a smaller group of soldiers. (What, no ambush? This is a perfect place for one! Don't just stand there in plain sight.) Needing to buy time for Cheonchu to escape, Yang and Kim willingly engage the rebels and the battle is on.
Back with Cheonchu's group: Uh-oh. Ha Gongjin reports that all roads to the military base are blocked. "The rebels are everywhere!" So much for rallying the Two Armies. And now a second group of rebels is on their tail. Gamchan tells Cheonchu that the group is going to have to split up. The ministers and imperial guards will go east; Dae Dosu and Gamchan will guard the royals. Just the two of them? "The smaller the number, the less visible we will be." Cheonchu agrees; there's nothing else they can do. "Whatever happens, one group must get away to alert General Gang in Hogyeong." Attendant Yu steps forward and volunteers to head straight for Hogyeong to get the message there ASAP. (Which, of course, he had just told the emperor he would do anyway. I don't get it.)
This second rebel group is led by Mun Inui and Dokyun. They're following the tracks in the drift left by the loyalists. They catch up to them, and in an instant Dokyun strikes the emperor dead. But it's not the emperor, it's Go Hyun wearing the emperor's clothes. The rebels think they've struck a decisive blow, only to realize when they turn the body over that they've been fooled. Poor old guy, we don't even get to mourn his passing, or acknowledge his bravery. How sad to see his life end like that.
Elsewhere, the royal party is moving reasonably well through the woods. Sunjeong falters briefly, but she's a trooper and sucks it up, and the group continues on. Fortunately it's not just Gamchan and Dae Dosu guarding them; a small group of soldiers is also with them, including Ha Gongjin.
Liao: A still-very-sick Chengtian is back in the main palace. She's coughing severely and looks almost jaundiced. Not good. Prime Minister Han is tending to her. Shengzong arrives, and his mother wastes no time. "I had to come when I heard you were planning to attack Goryeo," she tells him. Shengzong explains the situation in Goryeo; "If this isn't the right time to strike, I don't know when is." But she yells at him: "Be quiet! Haven't you listened to anything I've said? I told you repeatedly I was hoping you would grow up before you turned forty. But I can see now that you're the same egotistical warmonger you've always been. I told you that the era of war is over. How dare you defy me!" He keeps trying to explain, but she cuts him off again: "If this is how it's going to be, surrender the throne! Your younger brothers probably have better judgment than you do!" Ouch. Just like old times, Shengzong has to apologize and back off. Weak and coughing, Chengtian manages get to her feet. Scolding her son isn't enough; now she's going to the council hall to deliver the message to his subordinates.
At the council hall: Everyone is gathered. "Who abetted the emperor?" Silence. "Xiao Baiya, did you urge the emperor to go to war?" He denies it. Yelu Dilu? "I would not dare." Liars, and I'm sure she knows it. "Why do you think the Sui and Tang dynasties crumbled? Present-day Goryeo is as strong as old Goguryeo. Who wants to go to war with Goryeo? Speak up!" Silence; they're not rocket scientists and they're not about to start arguing foreign affairs with her. A war "is not going to happen as long as I am alive." She starts coughing again, and now starts coughing up a bit of blood. But she's furious and demands everyone's acknowledgement that they understand her. And she gets it, immediately.
Yunheung's villa: Kim Shimun tells Lady Yunheung that Chiyang captured the palace and that Mokjong's and Cheonchu's whereabouts are unknown. Yunheung is very worried; she still believes that her and her daughter's safety depends on Daeryang being on the throne, not Chiyang's son.
Shinhyeol Temple village: We see Daeryang. His friends Bakdol and Myeongil find him--and bow to him! Jin Gwan had told them he's going to be the emperor, and now they don't know how to behave around him. "I'm not royalty," Daeryang says; "I'm just your friend" and I'm not going anywhere.
Jin Gwan tells Ji Chaemun to guard Daeryang closely. "You will save his life many times in the future."
"So you lost them?!" Chiyang is berating Sa Gamun, Sa Illa, Dokyun and Mun Inui for losing everybody they were chasing. "You must capture them before dawn. That's the only way to suppress Gang Jo--with an imperial command to stop his aggression. Now move it!" (So they were a good distance from the capital chasing people; they came all the way back; and now they're supposed to be able to head back out and catch right up to them? Ugh. Sloppy, sloppy.)
Hogyeong (northern capital): Gang Jo returns from his victory at the border, and finds attendant Yu waiting for him with the bad news. The troops are tired, but he orders them made ready for an immediate march on the capital.
Nighttime in the woods: Sunjeong has a swollen ankle (Yecch, what a cliché) but everyone's okay otherwise. Cheonchu confesses to her son, "You were right. I should not have trusted Kim Chiyang like you told me not to. I brought ruin to the empire." Mokjong tries to tell her it wasn't her fault, that she was only a victim, but she goes on: "If I had conferred full sovereign power to you when it was due, you'd be fine and the regime would be safe. I made a terrible mistake." Mokjong disagrees and even tries to take responsibility himself. He's being very generous, not that any of it matters at the moment.
The ministers Kim Shimun, Choe Wonshin, and Choe Suk--the three cowards who went home before the palace was sealed—-are together somewhere, wondering what all of this will all mean for them. Kim is much more worried than the two Choes are. Why? "He might be connected to Prince Mahi." Kim, who we know is a former Shillan, certainly knows about that past history and must be suspecting Chiyang's true intentions.
Chiyang places his young son on the throne. "Jin, how does it feel? This is the chair that Heaven has sent for you." To himself, Chiyang still pines for Cheonchu to join him here. (Sounds like he needs another visit from his evil twin!)
The next morning: The royal party is still moving through the woods. Suddenly they have to scatter and hide: Sa Gamun, Sa Illa, Dokyun, Mun Inui and a group of rebel soldiers has caught up to them. On foot! (For goodness sakes, if we're going to believe they made up that kind of distance from the palace, at least put them on horses. Sloppy, sloppy.) Cheonchu has had enough and says she'll lead them away so that the emperor can get to safety. They'll take me alive, she says, but they'll kill the emperor (she's right). So as rebels approach, she fires an arrow at them and takes off running, with Dae Dosu, Ha Gongjin and a few soldiers, and they all pursue her. It works; the emperor and the others steal away. The rebels pursue Cheonchu for a while, but then realize that the group they're pursuing is too small and the emperor isn't with her. The rebels split up and some of them turn back.
Dae Dosu takes an arrow to the leg. Cheonchu's group turns around, and there they are right behind them: Sa Gamun, Sa Illa, Dokyun, Mun Inui and some of the rebel soldiers. Cheonchu starts firing arrows and killing soldiers. Her last arrow appears to head right for Sa Gamun, but Sa Illa throws the bladed boomerang and knocks it aside in midair (assisted by the arrow's sudden deceleration to almost zero in mid-air, which gives her time to throw at it. Give me a break.) Then the rebels charge; the soldiers remaining with Cheonchu fight bravely but are badly outnumbered and are quickly subdued. She glares at Sa Illa: "How could you of all people do this to me?" Sa Illa can barely look at her, but says "I don't want to hurt you. Please come back to the palace with us."
The emperor's party is fleeing. But not fast enough; here come the other rebel soldiers. The loyalist soldiers in their party fight hard; so does Gamchan; and even Mokjong gets into the act a bit and does okay at first. But then he gets knocked sown and a rebel is about to kill him...when an arrow thwacks into the rebel's chest. It's Gang Jo and his army! They mop up the rebels and the emperor is safe. Unfortunately, nobody knows what happened to Cheonchu.
Steward Yi and Yu Hangan, still wearing prisoner's white, are brought into the throne room. Yi immediately starts gushing over Chiyang: "Oh my, Commissioner! The throne suits you so well!" But Chiyang is more interested in Hangan. Why did you confess to Mokjong?, he wants to know; "If you had just kept your mouth shut, I would've given you a great reward." "There couldn't be a reward greater for a lowly man like me," Hangan replies, "than having had the chance the serve the emperor intimately. I thank you sincerely for choosing me, but I could not deceive the emperor any longer." Chiyang comments offhandedly, "You are a strange one. You dug your own grave." Just then Mun Inui enters with news that Sa Gamun is bringing Cheonchu back.
And then we see her coming back. Taken as a prisoner into her own throne room. A jarring sight. Dae Dosu and Ha Gongjin are also with her. She's brought before Chiyang, who actually bows just a bit. "Welcome back, your highness."