Post by ajk on Jul 20, 2012 20:57:54 GMT -5
"Who are you? Are you a nun?" A baffled Cheonmyeong has no idea who this person is who's shown up in front of her. Fearful of the questions thrown at her, Sohwa's smile vanishes and she scurries away.
Mishil is still holding the trembling Deokman's hands. "Princess Cheonmyeong never ran from me. But she never really faced me either." Not true, but whatever...Then some more of that career advice of hers: "She's not above sacrificing you or Yushin." (As though you are?) "She doesn't deserve to lead." Deokman is still too scared to speak. "Run to the little princess and tell her what I said. Tell her if she doesn't leave right now, she'll lose everything. You, Yushin, everyone. And tell Yushin, the longer he resists, the more Gayan blood will be on his hands." What a jolly message to deliver. "Tell them and come back with their replies."
Sohwa runs into another room; Cheonmyeong follows at a discreet distance and stays in the shadows as a worried attendant who was looking for Sohwa discovers her. She's escorted away...and in flashback, Cheonmyeong recalls Yushin tipping her off that there's an odd draft that blows around the eastern part of the shrine--"there must be a false door somewhere"...which encourages her to keep looking....
A state council meeting. An official proclamation is being read, ordering the 5,000 Gayans living around the capital to vacate to at least 70 miles away (now it's 70; before it was 35. Why?). To a designated area that they're now supposed to till as farmers. And the shrine the Gayans use, that will be demolished. Which seems like overkill. It's the king's order but he sure doesn't look happy about it.
The elite Hwarang are meeting and discussing the order, which apparently they're supposed to help enforce. Some like it, some don't. Alcheon actually is one of the don't-like-its: "I take no side, Mishil's or anyone else's," he says, but that land is fallow and it's cruel to relocate the Gayans there. Seokpum tells Alcheon that he's changed (which he has), but Alcheon fires back, "Always taking her side, whatever she does, that itself is a little insulting, don't you think?" Ouch!
A regretful, frustrated king sits by himself....
Mishil's cabal is practically squealing with delight over the impending fate of the Gayans. And now that Seohyeon's power base is being squashed, Mishil already has the next step in mind. She instructs her husband to "Sweet-talk the queen mother into approving a marriage between Seohyeon's family and ours." Either their daughter (didn't know they had a daughter) or Hajong's daughter (good grief, he reproduced?)...and Kim Yushin! Hajong complains bitterly about the prospective ties with Seohyeon, but one glare from Mishil shuts him up. Mishil fears the Gayans banding together and opposing her, and this is another way to keep them in line.
Deokman gives the princess the news: Mishil knew all along that Deokman was spying for her. Cheonmyeong is shocked that Mishil figured it out. (This again? You made Deokman a Hwarang and told Mishil to her face never to mess with Deokman, and yet you didn't think Mishil would ever suspect anything? UGH!)
Mishil pays Yushin's parents a surprise visit. Seohyeon is understandably cynical about her motives. What does she want? "Give me your son," she says calmly. "I will make him the greatest Hwarang in Shilla." Then I'll appoint him grand field marshal and his future will be assured." Silence; she continues. "That way this lowly lady and the great Seohyeon and Manmyeong may at last join hands." Nice, but then not so nice: "That is the road to survival. You think I want to lose those fine Gaya people that King Jinheung himself supported?" Well of course you do, and certainly Seohyeon and Manmyeong don't buy it either. But they're in a tough spot, and the implication here seems to be that giving her Yushin might save the Gayans from relocation, or at least from further harm.
Deokman has calmly relayed Mishil's warning message to the princess. Cheonmyeong expresses her frustration at a lifetime of stress from that woman.
Mishil leaves and Yushin enters; he's heard the whole thing. Seohyeon is trying to find a calm, rational path through this, but Yushin is furious and wants to act aggressively--to the point where Seohyeon admonishes him for speaking inappropriately. Seohyeon urges patience, but Yushin doesn't want to her it and storms out...
...and rudely barges in on the princess and Deokman. He wants no hint of defeatism from either of them, he says, or he'll retire from serving Cheonmyeong. He's still furious and won't listen to reason--"We must give emotions free rein first!"--but what ideas does he have beyond that? "Is there no one in all of Shilla who will get angry and face her?" Well-meaning, but young and impetuous. Particularly when Mishil holds all the cards.
A terrible scene as Shillan soldiers forcibly remove Gayans from around the capital. They're not polite about it, to put it mildly. Cheonmyeong, Yushin and Deokman can see some of this, and it makes them all angrier (especially Deokman) to the point where they put their hands together football-style and vow to stay together and fight together, whatever happens.
Mount Yeoam (we've been here before; this is the site of the temple where we first met the monk Wolchun): Yushin is out on the mountainside by himself, whacking a rock with sticks. Counting the blows, like we saw him do once when he was younger. Some sort of training, odd as it seems.
A morose Deokman is walking alone through the streets. Alcheon spots her, looking for Yushin (to buy him a drink and cheer him up), and ends up giving her some friendly advice about the relationship between a Hwarang leader and his men. Then Deokman asks him, "What about MY drink?" Reminds him of her speaking up for the injured Hwarang out there on the battlefield, which pretty much saved Alcheon's life. Alcheon laughs; that's worth more than a drink, he says; "You'll have to ask for something more." "Great," Deokman says with a smile; "you owe me a big one."
Mishil is finishing her drawing. Not just a tiger any more; now there's a well-dressed man facing it, as though preparing to fight it with his bare hands. (Remember that story Jinheung told her long ago? Maybe this is depicting it. Something is hanging on a chain around the man's neck; it looks like it might be his dagger!) Deokman arrives with the replies Mishil wanted. "Both the princess and Yushin refuse to serve you." Mishil's eyes gleam just for a moment; she certainly does seem to relish these power struggles. (Not that she struggles much.) "I got an earful for even bringing it up. They don't fear anything, those two; they'll fight to the end." Mishil doesn't react, so Deokman turns to leave. But..."And you? What do you say?" Fair question; was Deokman ready for it? Deokman turns back to look at Mishil--but her eyes are drawn to the drawing. And specifically to the object on the chain, which we now see in close-up...wow, that does look just like Jinheung's dagger. Deokman is completely distracted and says nothing, completely forgetting Mishil's question. "Why don't you answer?", Mishil asks; "Do you feel the same?" More silence, and now Mishil's getting annoyed. Finally, "Of course...I'll fight to the end." Not much of an answer...but it's enough for Mishil. She takes her drawing off the easel and puts it on the table in front of Deokman. That's King Jinheung, she explains; "When he was young he used that dagger to kill a tiger." Repeats what Jinheung told her about being king like having your arm in a tiger's mouth, and needing supportive people around him to combat the tiger. "Those people," Mishil explains, "made him king and defined his reign." She looks at Deokman. "If you and your friends think you can challenge me, you'd better find some people." She does relish this, obviously: "Why else would I bother with you?" Deokman leaves without a word, and suddenly Mishil's smile vanishes and you can just tell she's in plotting mode now.
"How did I end up with a royal heirloom?" Deokman, alone, is staring at the dagger (having jumped to the conclusion that it's the same dagger and there couldn't possibly be another one that looked like it. UGH). And then the first glimmer of possibility: "Am I somehow related to the royal family?" An awfully bold thought for an orphaned Hwarang, but it can't be ruled out. (Note: The term being used here for this kind of dagger is "seoyeopdo." I've found nothing more on this word and would be grateful for any information that anyone else wants to post about it.)
Wolchun has been dealing with Chilsuk's vision, and the news is pretty good. Some cornea damage, but not too bad; continued treatments should clear it up at least mostly, maybe completely. Mishil and Seori are there too and are glad to hear it, as is Chilsuk of course. "Now about the woman...." Sohwa is sitting next to Chilsuk, dazed and zoned out again. We learn that besides her roaming, she's not eating. "She's heartsick," Wolchun tells them plainly. Not a good prognosis: "If she doesn't find what she lost, there's not much hope." "Losing a daughter," Mishil replies, "is a scar that never heals." A strange insight coming from her....
Next day: Deokman reports back to Cheonmyeong. "Ah, yes, if we plan to fight we need to gather strength." (Taking Mishil's own advice on how to fight Mishil, seems like an awfully naive thing to do.) Then the princess mentions her certainty of a hidden area in the shrine, and the appearance of "an unbalanced woman" there. Deokman ventures a question about whether or not the princess has ever heard any mention of a small royal dagger. And it being in Mishil's picture. No, never heard of it, and "I'm familiar with all of the royal heirlooms." Deokman slyly presses her to check into it--"if Mishil knows about something that King Jinheung treasured, well, there must be something behind it." Can you find out who ended up with it? Doesn't seem like anything the princess would care about in the least, but Cheonmyeong is nice to Deokman (and a little pliable) and says she'll do it.
So she goes to her mother. Who's startled by the question. "What made you ask about that?" Cheonmyeong explains about Mishil's picture. "Jinheung gave it to the king just before he died," Maya explains. As a token of protection and good fortune. The king later gave it to me, she explains, and tells about how it saved her and Munno and the unborn Cheonmyeong when Mishil had them thrown into the sea (Episode 2). But then Maya clams up. Cheonmyeong presses: "Where is it?" No way Maya will spill the twin story, not after all this time. She simply says, "Lost." Cheonmyeong is unhappy to hear this: "Isn't the dagger that saved us both priceless?" "It's just lost," her mother replies. "That's all I know."
"What? The dagger?" Well now this is getting interesting...Cheonmyeong has gone to her father, who's sitting with Eulje. Jinpyeong is wide-eyed at the question. Visibly unsettled, he mutters a lie: "I gave it to Munno." Cheonmyeong leaves, looking confused.
"Gave it to Munno?" Eulje is incredulous. "Didn't you tell me it was buried with the princess' twin?" The king confesses that he was blindsided by his daughter's question and panicked. "Did you really bury it?" Angrily the king fires back: "Do you have to bring up the past? I buried it with the twin and Sohwa, the maid that saw the birth." Eulje apologizes for riling the king up, and reminds him that what he did "was for the good of Shilla" and shouldn't torment him.
Cheonmyeong returns to find a pacing, anxious Deokman waiting for her. "The king and my mother both acted odd when I asked them." And their stories don't match. And then the question you wonder why she didn't ask right away: "Why do you want to know? Do you know anything about the dagger?" Deokman denies any knowledge--but awkwardly. "You're sure?" Cheonmyeong senses evasiveness here. "Definitely," Deokman answers, but sure doesn't act definite. So moving on, "Your mother's name was Sohwa, wasn't it?" We learned that Cheonmyeong had checked a servant registry and found no mention of her..."Have you found out something since then?", Deokman asks excitedly. "No, nothing." Now it's the princess looking evasive and Deokman not seeming to buy it. Deokman leaves, her head still buzzing with questions...
...and outside sees Kim Yongchun chewing out Injong for being late with the daily internal-affairs reports that are to be delivered to the king. Imjong says he was drinking and commiserating with Alcheon last night over the Gayans' poor treatment. Yongchun is sympathetic, but still tells him he should have asked another Hwarang to step in rather than rush through the work himself. Then he sees Deokman standing there; tells her that the princess explained to him about the "misunderstanding" before (when the princess and Yushin pretended to be suspicious of Deokman), but that Eulje still has concerns and isn't convinced (he of the "doesn't have the look of one who serves"). "See that your service to the princess is spotless," he advises bluntly, meaning well but coming across like a bit of a jerk. Deokman nods...and is fixated on those colored scrolls Imjong is carrying that contain the daily reports. Wonder what's gotten into her head?
Cheonmyeong asks her attendant to go to the Servants Registrar, as in, an official office (apparently as opposed to what the princess checked herself, which must have been only a single book), and "find the record of a maid named Sohwa from twenty years ago." Cheonmyeong knows that her attendant has a friend who works in that office; ask your friend, she instructs, because "I'd like to keep this unofficial for now."
The DFers are concerned about Yushin's state of mind, what with the Gayans' situation and him being "in the mountains smacking a rock with a stick." And they know now that Deokman was just playing up to Mishil to get information. Why didn't Yushin tell us? "Made us distrust Deokman." Really? "You guys would have yakked," Jukbang tells them. True, probably. And then brags that he could tell right from the beginning, and then that he even was in on it. False. Eventually Deokman shows up; she wants to talk to Jukbang and Godo alone.
Deokman is trying to tempt Jukbang and Godo with the filled cloth sack that Misaeng gave her for doing good work on the curry rice for the merchants' meals. (In other words, she's currying their favor!) She wants them to do something. They're not interested. We still don't know what's in that bag, have to point that out...but actually they ARE interested; they were just playing hardball. They'll do it, whatever it is. Deokman gives them a crude map that she drew, of the Hall of Records. It's where the written appeals for royal action are accumulated and processed. Does she want them to take an appeal out of there? Very much the opposite. She hands them a scroll that she's apparently prepared herself. She wants them to put it INTO the building and add it to the accumulated appeals. "And no sticky fingers--understand?" Yep, they understand; drop it off and come right back.
Morning: A Hwarang delivers the daily scrolls to Eulje, to be made ready for the king. But a sudden cloudburst got them a little wet on their way from the Hall of Records and now they have to be dried out. (Pretty sure from photo-matching that the Hwarang delivering them is Cheonsiwondo, one of the Ten Elite Hwarang who we haven't formally met yet.) Eulje instructs the Hwarang to dry them out, so they're unrolled one by one on a table. But now what is that strange-looking one that was just unrolled. It has a picture of Jinheung's dagger on it!
Cheonmyeong's attendant returns; a job well done. Found out that yes, there was a maid named Sohwa twenty years ago. She served the king, not Mishil. "She died in 602, the Year of the Dog, in the Month of the Hare, the Day of the Ox." And the attendant adds, "Your birthday!" The exact same date in 602. Weirder and weirder. Now Yongchun arrives--she had summoned him--and she asks him to find out what happened to Chilsuk and Munno. Not really what happened to them as much as what they were doing when they vanished--what their assignments were. Tough task. But he'll do his best.
"How did this get in here?" Eulje is dumbfounded, and more rattled than we've ever seen him. "This is not a royal appeal." He tells the Hwarang to summon the night guards at the Hall of Records.
Jukbang and Godo are back from their task. Deokman still distrusts that they did nothing beyond what she asked them to, but nonetheless hands over the cloth sack as agreed upon. And leaves them. Well, in the next moment Jukbang is looking excitedly at a small jade elephant that he took from the Hall. So much for no sticky fingers.
Now alone, Eulje picks up the scroll again and reads the text. "Sire, I have the royal dagger and hope to return it to you. Please meet me in the Songkyung forest after midnight." (Deokman can't possibly expect that the king is really going to venture out into the woods at night, can she? We'll see.) Eulje recalls Cheonmyeong asking about the dagger, and Jinpyeong being rattled by the question. He picks up the scroll and purposefully marches off somewhere...
"Cheonmyeong asked you too?" Now the king and queen are alone together; they know the truth about the dagger and are understandably frightened about the story that it's linked to possibly becoming known. And now they realize the stories they told their daughter don't match. And somehow Maya has found out that Cheonmyeong had Sohwa's record pulled at the Servant Registrar. Getting a little too close to home for them....
Eulje arrives at the palace front door...and then thinks the better of going inside with the scroll. He must have come up with a better idea just now.
Yongchun has been doing some digging. There's no mention of Chilsuk or Munno coming into or going from the palace on the date of Sohwa's death. Or after that date either. So, as Cheonmyeong realizes, they disappeared on the date of her birth. The same date Sohwa died.
Yushin is still smacking that rock. He's trying different sticks now; is he hoping for different results? Whatever...Now Deokman shows up. Sees him there and ponders whether or not to talk to him about her situation. She assumes that the king has gotten her scroll; wonders to herself if he'll show, and even whether or not he might want her killed for whatever reason.
Evening: Eulje has sought out Injong, of all people. Yes he does have a different idea. "Do you have twenty men who are quick and reliable?" Of course Imjong does...but why not just use palace guards? "That would involve Seolwon." Imjong says he'll bring in Alcheon and the Rising Phoenix Guards. Eulje is surprised at the name, but Injong explains that Alcheon was outspoken against the recent war and against the aftermath of the Rite of Heaven. "He serves the king, not Mishil." Okay, Eulje says; "Find twenty men you can trust and meet me at Songkyung forest." He's tight-lipped about the reason, telling Imjong only that "We're dealing with a criminal who infiltrated the Hall of Records."
Nighttime: Out go twenty Hwarang, dressed in black and faces covered, into the countryside.
Bojong tells Mishil that Yongchun was looking for information on Chilsuk. And that the Rising Phoenix guards "are up to something." Have them followed, Mishil orders.
What's the princess doing walking around alone at night? We're at the Hall of Records. The guards tell her it's after hours, but an abrupt "Open the door" from a royal is hard for a lowly guard to argue with. Door opened. She goes into that royal storehouse room that Eulje introduced her to in Episode 13, and she starts rummaging through the records.
Another unannounced parade! Alcheon's Hwarang are scurrying around in the woods; Bojong and several of his Hwarang are tailing them; and now darned if it isn't the king showing up in a carried-chair and accompanied by two guards along with the four bearers. Wait, not the king, it's Eulje.
What is Cheonmyeong looking at? It's a volume of the Gyerim Reuk, the day-to-day records of Shillan affairs. The volume that covers her birth date. It says, "On this day a star in Ursa Major split into twin stars. Two days later the twin stars reunited. The people made much of this rare event." Nothing more than that; no further details. But suddenly things start clicking in Cheonmyeong's head: "Twin stars...Twins? Wait--what was the prophecy?" She rustles up a different book and reads: "If twins are born to a king, the male line of the royal family will end." Now she thinks back to that nasty scene (Episode 3) where she was in tears as little girl, crying over the loss of a baby brother, and a smiling Mishil tells her that he died "because of you!" Then recalls being in the woods with Deokman (Episode 7) and seeing a crescent birthmark on Deokman's neck that's identical to her own. And then recalls Deokman telling her (Episode 16) that "The person Mishil ordered Chilsuk to bring back...was me." The mental tumblers are falling into place: "Could Deokman be...?!"
Alcheon tells his squad, "He'll be here after midnight. Move fast and quietly." But look who's in that squad: Deokman!
Mishil is still holding the trembling Deokman's hands. "Princess Cheonmyeong never ran from me. But she never really faced me either." Not true, but whatever...Then some more of that career advice of hers: "She's not above sacrificing you or Yushin." (As though you are?) "She doesn't deserve to lead." Deokman is still too scared to speak. "Run to the little princess and tell her what I said. Tell her if she doesn't leave right now, she'll lose everything. You, Yushin, everyone. And tell Yushin, the longer he resists, the more Gayan blood will be on his hands." What a jolly message to deliver. "Tell them and come back with their replies."
Sohwa runs into another room; Cheonmyeong follows at a discreet distance and stays in the shadows as a worried attendant who was looking for Sohwa discovers her. She's escorted away...and in flashback, Cheonmyeong recalls Yushin tipping her off that there's an odd draft that blows around the eastern part of the shrine--"there must be a false door somewhere"...which encourages her to keep looking....
A state council meeting. An official proclamation is being read, ordering the 5,000 Gayans living around the capital to vacate to at least 70 miles away (now it's 70; before it was 35. Why?). To a designated area that they're now supposed to till as farmers. And the shrine the Gayans use, that will be demolished. Which seems like overkill. It's the king's order but he sure doesn't look happy about it.
The elite Hwarang are meeting and discussing the order, which apparently they're supposed to help enforce. Some like it, some don't. Alcheon actually is one of the don't-like-its: "I take no side, Mishil's or anyone else's," he says, but that land is fallow and it's cruel to relocate the Gayans there. Seokpum tells Alcheon that he's changed (which he has), but Alcheon fires back, "Always taking her side, whatever she does, that itself is a little insulting, don't you think?" Ouch!
A regretful, frustrated king sits by himself....
Mishil's cabal is practically squealing with delight over the impending fate of the Gayans. And now that Seohyeon's power base is being squashed, Mishil already has the next step in mind. She instructs her husband to "Sweet-talk the queen mother into approving a marriage between Seohyeon's family and ours." Either their daughter (didn't know they had a daughter) or Hajong's daughter (good grief, he reproduced?)...and Kim Yushin! Hajong complains bitterly about the prospective ties with Seohyeon, but one glare from Mishil shuts him up. Mishil fears the Gayans banding together and opposing her, and this is another way to keep them in line.
Deokman gives the princess the news: Mishil knew all along that Deokman was spying for her. Cheonmyeong is shocked that Mishil figured it out. (This again? You made Deokman a Hwarang and told Mishil to her face never to mess with Deokman, and yet you didn't think Mishil would ever suspect anything? UGH!)
Mishil pays Yushin's parents a surprise visit. Seohyeon is understandably cynical about her motives. What does she want? "Give me your son," she says calmly. "I will make him the greatest Hwarang in Shilla." Then I'll appoint him grand field marshal and his future will be assured." Silence; she continues. "That way this lowly lady and the great Seohyeon and Manmyeong may at last join hands." Nice, but then not so nice: "That is the road to survival. You think I want to lose those fine Gaya people that King Jinheung himself supported?" Well of course you do, and certainly Seohyeon and Manmyeong don't buy it either. But they're in a tough spot, and the implication here seems to be that giving her Yushin might save the Gayans from relocation, or at least from further harm.
Deokman has calmly relayed Mishil's warning message to the princess. Cheonmyeong expresses her frustration at a lifetime of stress from that woman.
Mishil leaves and Yushin enters; he's heard the whole thing. Seohyeon is trying to find a calm, rational path through this, but Yushin is furious and wants to act aggressively--to the point where Seohyeon admonishes him for speaking inappropriately. Seohyeon urges patience, but Yushin doesn't want to her it and storms out...
...and rudely barges in on the princess and Deokman. He wants no hint of defeatism from either of them, he says, or he'll retire from serving Cheonmyeong. He's still furious and won't listen to reason--"We must give emotions free rein first!"--but what ideas does he have beyond that? "Is there no one in all of Shilla who will get angry and face her?" Well-meaning, but young and impetuous. Particularly when Mishil holds all the cards.
A terrible scene as Shillan soldiers forcibly remove Gayans from around the capital. They're not polite about it, to put it mildly. Cheonmyeong, Yushin and Deokman can see some of this, and it makes them all angrier (especially Deokman) to the point where they put their hands together football-style and vow to stay together and fight together, whatever happens.
Mount Yeoam (we've been here before; this is the site of the temple where we first met the monk Wolchun): Yushin is out on the mountainside by himself, whacking a rock with sticks. Counting the blows, like we saw him do once when he was younger. Some sort of training, odd as it seems.
A morose Deokman is walking alone through the streets. Alcheon spots her, looking for Yushin (to buy him a drink and cheer him up), and ends up giving her some friendly advice about the relationship between a Hwarang leader and his men. Then Deokman asks him, "What about MY drink?" Reminds him of her speaking up for the injured Hwarang out there on the battlefield, which pretty much saved Alcheon's life. Alcheon laughs; that's worth more than a drink, he says; "You'll have to ask for something more." "Great," Deokman says with a smile; "you owe me a big one."
Mishil is finishing her drawing. Not just a tiger any more; now there's a well-dressed man facing it, as though preparing to fight it with his bare hands. (Remember that story Jinheung told her long ago? Maybe this is depicting it. Something is hanging on a chain around the man's neck; it looks like it might be his dagger!) Deokman arrives with the replies Mishil wanted. "Both the princess and Yushin refuse to serve you." Mishil's eyes gleam just for a moment; she certainly does seem to relish these power struggles. (Not that she struggles much.) "I got an earful for even bringing it up. They don't fear anything, those two; they'll fight to the end." Mishil doesn't react, so Deokman turns to leave. But..."And you? What do you say?" Fair question; was Deokman ready for it? Deokman turns back to look at Mishil--but her eyes are drawn to the drawing. And specifically to the object on the chain, which we now see in close-up...wow, that does look just like Jinheung's dagger. Deokman is completely distracted and says nothing, completely forgetting Mishil's question. "Why don't you answer?", Mishil asks; "Do you feel the same?" More silence, and now Mishil's getting annoyed. Finally, "Of course...I'll fight to the end." Not much of an answer...but it's enough for Mishil. She takes her drawing off the easel and puts it on the table in front of Deokman. That's King Jinheung, she explains; "When he was young he used that dagger to kill a tiger." Repeats what Jinheung told her about being king like having your arm in a tiger's mouth, and needing supportive people around him to combat the tiger. "Those people," Mishil explains, "made him king and defined his reign." She looks at Deokman. "If you and your friends think you can challenge me, you'd better find some people." She does relish this, obviously: "Why else would I bother with you?" Deokman leaves without a word, and suddenly Mishil's smile vanishes and you can just tell she's in plotting mode now.
"How did I end up with a royal heirloom?" Deokman, alone, is staring at the dagger (having jumped to the conclusion that it's the same dagger and there couldn't possibly be another one that looked like it. UGH). And then the first glimmer of possibility: "Am I somehow related to the royal family?" An awfully bold thought for an orphaned Hwarang, but it can't be ruled out. (Note: The term being used here for this kind of dagger is "seoyeopdo." I've found nothing more on this word and would be grateful for any information that anyone else wants to post about it.)
Wolchun has been dealing with Chilsuk's vision, and the news is pretty good. Some cornea damage, but not too bad; continued treatments should clear it up at least mostly, maybe completely. Mishil and Seori are there too and are glad to hear it, as is Chilsuk of course. "Now about the woman...." Sohwa is sitting next to Chilsuk, dazed and zoned out again. We learn that besides her roaming, she's not eating. "She's heartsick," Wolchun tells them plainly. Not a good prognosis: "If she doesn't find what she lost, there's not much hope." "Losing a daughter," Mishil replies, "is a scar that never heals." A strange insight coming from her....
Next day: Deokman reports back to Cheonmyeong. "Ah, yes, if we plan to fight we need to gather strength." (Taking Mishil's own advice on how to fight Mishil, seems like an awfully naive thing to do.) Then the princess mentions her certainty of a hidden area in the shrine, and the appearance of "an unbalanced woman" there. Deokman ventures a question about whether or not the princess has ever heard any mention of a small royal dagger. And it being in Mishil's picture. No, never heard of it, and "I'm familiar with all of the royal heirlooms." Deokman slyly presses her to check into it--"if Mishil knows about something that King Jinheung treasured, well, there must be something behind it." Can you find out who ended up with it? Doesn't seem like anything the princess would care about in the least, but Cheonmyeong is nice to Deokman (and a little pliable) and says she'll do it.
So she goes to her mother. Who's startled by the question. "What made you ask about that?" Cheonmyeong explains about Mishil's picture. "Jinheung gave it to the king just before he died," Maya explains. As a token of protection and good fortune. The king later gave it to me, she explains, and tells about how it saved her and Munno and the unborn Cheonmyeong when Mishil had them thrown into the sea (Episode 2). But then Maya clams up. Cheonmyeong presses: "Where is it?" No way Maya will spill the twin story, not after all this time. She simply says, "Lost." Cheonmyeong is unhappy to hear this: "Isn't the dagger that saved us both priceless?" "It's just lost," her mother replies. "That's all I know."
"What? The dagger?" Well now this is getting interesting...Cheonmyeong has gone to her father, who's sitting with Eulje. Jinpyeong is wide-eyed at the question. Visibly unsettled, he mutters a lie: "I gave it to Munno." Cheonmyeong leaves, looking confused.
"Gave it to Munno?" Eulje is incredulous. "Didn't you tell me it was buried with the princess' twin?" The king confesses that he was blindsided by his daughter's question and panicked. "Did you really bury it?" Angrily the king fires back: "Do you have to bring up the past? I buried it with the twin and Sohwa, the maid that saw the birth." Eulje apologizes for riling the king up, and reminds him that what he did "was for the good of Shilla" and shouldn't torment him.
Cheonmyeong returns to find a pacing, anxious Deokman waiting for her. "The king and my mother both acted odd when I asked them." And their stories don't match. And then the question you wonder why she didn't ask right away: "Why do you want to know? Do you know anything about the dagger?" Deokman denies any knowledge--but awkwardly. "You're sure?" Cheonmyeong senses evasiveness here. "Definitely," Deokman answers, but sure doesn't act definite. So moving on, "Your mother's name was Sohwa, wasn't it?" We learned that Cheonmyeong had checked a servant registry and found no mention of her..."Have you found out something since then?", Deokman asks excitedly. "No, nothing." Now it's the princess looking evasive and Deokman not seeming to buy it. Deokman leaves, her head still buzzing with questions...
...and outside sees Kim Yongchun chewing out Injong for being late with the daily internal-affairs reports that are to be delivered to the king. Imjong says he was drinking and commiserating with Alcheon last night over the Gayans' poor treatment. Yongchun is sympathetic, but still tells him he should have asked another Hwarang to step in rather than rush through the work himself. Then he sees Deokman standing there; tells her that the princess explained to him about the "misunderstanding" before (when the princess and Yushin pretended to be suspicious of Deokman), but that Eulje still has concerns and isn't convinced (he of the "doesn't have the look of one who serves"). "See that your service to the princess is spotless," he advises bluntly, meaning well but coming across like a bit of a jerk. Deokman nods...and is fixated on those colored scrolls Imjong is carrying that contain the daily reports. Wonder what's gotten into her head?
Cheonmyeong asks her attendant to go to the Servants Registrar, as in, an official office (apparently as opposed to what the princess checked herself, which must have been only a single book), and "find the record of a maid named Sohwa from twenty years ago." Cheonmyeong knows that her attendant has a friend who works in that office; ask your friend, she instructs, because "I'd like to keep this unofficial for now."
The DFers are concerned about Yushin's state of mind, what with the Gayans' situation and him being "in the mountains smacking a rock with a stick." And they know now that Deokman was just playing up to Mishil to get information. Why didn't Yushin tell us? "Made us distrust Deokman." Really? "You guys would have yakked," Jukbang tells them. True, probably. And then brags that he could tell right from the beginning, and then that he even was in on it. False. Eventually Deokman shows up; she wants to talk to Jukbang and Godo alone.
Deokman is trying to tempt Jukbang and Godo with the filled cloth sack that Misaeng gave her for doing good work on the curry rice for the merchants' meals. (In other words, she's currying their favor!) She wants them to do something. They're not interested. We still don't know what's in that bag, have to point that out...but actually they ARE interested; they were just playing hardball. They'll do it, whatever it is. Deokman gives them a crude map that she drew, of the Hall of Records. It's where the written appeals for royal action are accumulated and processed. Does she want them to take an appeal out of there? Very much the opposite. She hands them a scroll that she's apparently prepared herself. She wants them to put it INTO the building and add it to the accumulated appeals. "And no sticky fingers--understand?" Yep, they understand; drop it off and come right back.
Morning: A Hwarang delivers the daily scrolls to Eulje, to be made ready for the king. But a sudden cloudburst got them a little wet on their way from the Hall of Records and now they have to be dried out. (Pretty sure from photo-matching that the Hwarang delivering them is Cheonsiwondo, one of the Ten Elite Hwarang who we haven't formally met yet.) Eulje instructs the Hwarang to dry them out, so they're unrolled one by one on a table. But now what is that strange-looking one that was just unrolled. It has a picture of Jinheung's dagger on it!
Cheonmyeong's attendant returns; a job well done. Found out that yes, there was a maid named Sohwa twenty years ago. She served the king, not Mishil. "She died in 602, the Year of the Dog, in the Month of the Hare, the Day of the Ox." And the attendant adds, "Your birthday!" The exact same date in 602. Weirder and weirder. Now Yongchun arrives--she had summoned him--and she asks him to find out what happened to Chilsuk and Munno. Not really what happened to them as much as what they were doing when they vanished--what their assignments were. Tough task. But he'll do his best.
"How did this get in here?" Eulje is dumbfounded, and more rattled than we've ever seen him. "This is not a royal appeal." He tells the Hwarang to summon the night guards at the Hall of Records.
Jukbang and Godo are back from their task. Deokman still distrusts that they did nothing beyond what she asked them to, but nonetheless hands over the cloth sack as agreed upon. And leaves them. Well, in the next moment Jukbang is looking excitedly at a small jade elephant that he took from the Hall. So much for no sticky fingers.
Now alone, Eulje picks up the scroll again and reads the text. "Sire, I have the royal dagger and hope to return it to you. Please meet me in the Songkyung forest after midnight." (Deokman can't possibly expect that the king is really going to venture out into the woods at night, can she? We'll see.) Eulje recalls Cheonmyeong asking about the dagger, and Jinpyeong being rattled by the question. He picks up the scroll and purposefully marches off somewhere...
"Cheonmyeong asked you too?" Now the king and queen are alone together; they know the truth about the dagger and are understandably frightened about the story that it's linked to possibly becoming known. And now they realize the stories they told their daughter don't match. And somehow Maya has found out that Cheonmyeong had Sohwa's record pulled at the Servant Registrar. Getting a little too close to home for them....
Eulje arrives at the palace front door...and then thinks the better of going inside with the scroll. He must have come up with a better idea just now.
Yongchun has been doing some digging. There's no mention of Chilsuk or Munno coming into or going from the palace on the date of Sohwa's death. Or after that date either. So, as Cheonmyeong realizes, they disappeared on the date of her birth. The same date Sohwa died.
Yushin is still smacking that rock. He's trying different sticks now; is he hoping for different results? Whatever...Now Deokman shows up. Sees him there and ponders whether or not to talk to him about her situation. She assumes that the king has gotten her scroll; wonders to herself if he'll show, and even whether or not he might want her killed for whatever reason.
Evening: Eulje has sought out Injong, of all people. Yes he does have a different idea. "Do you have twenty men who are quick and reliable?" Of course Imjong does...but why not just use palace guards? "That would involve Seolwon." Imjong says he'll bring in Alcheon and the Rising Phoenix Guards. Eulje is surprised at the name, but Injong explains that Alcheon was outspoken against the recent war and against the aftermath of the Rite of Heaven. "He serves the king, not Mishil." Okay, Eulje says; "Find twenty men you can trust and meet me at Songkyung forest." He's tight-lipped about the reason, telling Imjong only that "We're dealing with a criminal who infiltrated the Hall of Records."
Nighttime: Out go twenty Hwarang, dressed in black and faces covered, into the countryside.
Bojong tells Mishil that Yongchun was looking for information on Chilsuk. And that the Rising Phoenix guards "are up to something." Have them followed, Mishil orders.
What's the princess doing walking around alone at night? We're at the Hall of Records. The guards tell her it's after hours, but an abrupt "Open the door" from a royal is hard for a lowly guard to argue with. Door opened. She goes into that royal storehouse room that Eulje introduced her to in Episode 13, and she starts rummaging through the records.
Another unannounced parade! Alcheon's Hwarang are scurrying around in the woods; Bojong and several of his Hwarang are tailing them; and now darned if it isn't the king showing up in a carried-chair and accompanied by two guards along with the four bearers. Wait, not the king, it's Eulje.
What is Cheonmyeong looking at? It's a volume of the Gyerim Reuk, the day-to-day records of Shillan affairs. The volume that covers her birth date. It says, "On this day a star in Ursa Major split into twin stars. Two days later the twin stars reunited. The people made much of this rare event." Nothing more than that; no further details. But suddenly things start clicking in Cheonmyeong's head: "Twin stars...Twins? Wait--what was the prophecy?" She rustles up a different book and reads: "If twins are born to a king, the male line of the royal family will end." Now she thinks back to that nasty scene (Episode 3) where she was in tears as little girl, crying over the loss of a baby brother, and a smiling Mishil tells her that he died "because of you!" Then recalls being in the woods with Deokman (Episode 7) and seeing a crescent birthmark on Deokman's neck that's identical to her own. And then recalls Deokman telling her (Episode 16) that "The person Mishil ordered Chilsuk to bring back...was me." The mental tumblers are falling into place: "Could Deokman be...?!"
Alcheon tells his squad, "He'll be here after midnight. Move fast and quietly." But look who's in that squad: Deokman!