Post by ajk on May 17, 2013 22:28:00 GMT -5
Everyone at the council meeting is standing there trying to comprehend this apparent Bidam-is-destined-to-be-king message. Except of course for the Supporters, who know exactly what's going on.
Afterwards, Seohyeon, Yongchun, Bakui, Dukchoong and Imjong talk though it all and decode the message to their satisfaction (It gets into some Sanskrit here) and are convinced that Yes, it does refer to Bidam being king of Shilla.
And now we see villagers out on the street talking...pretty much the same ones we saw in the previous episode talking about the Buddha-boat legend, and they're totally buying into this latest "omen"...and also buying into this female-ruler-leads-to-invasions business that the Tang envoy stirred up. At least some of them are.
"This is an affront against Her Majesty and the royal family. We must find the culprit, and severely punish them for what they did." Hooray for Chunchu. At least SOMEbody is stepping up and calling the whole thing a big steaming pile of nonsense...and he's rounded up soldiers to try to get to the bottom of it. The most loyal soldiers--we see Seolji and Godo, guys like them. He sends Seolji to go inspect the boat for clues, and tells Godo to take men and go upriver and find out where the boat came from. Real good piece of leadership. Of course he has a huge personal stake in all this as the presumed successor, but still, good work.
QSD is sitting alone on her balcony, staring blankly outwards. Yushin arrives and tells her what Chunchu did. Turns out she knows; she okayed it. She insists that Bidam had nothing to do with this; he'd never pull a stunt like this. Yushin doesn't disagree; not at all. He's thought past that already, to a bigger problem: "Bidam is no longer able to control his followers." She says she's still thinking through it all "but all you suggest to me is to punish him." Uh, no, he didn't suggest that...She goes on about gaining people's trust and abandoning people, just in general, but whatever, she's determined not to abandon Bidam.
"How dare you do this without my consent!" Bidam is meeting with the Supporters and trying to read them the riot act. They couldn't care less. They talk to him like he owes them for supporting him. And Hajong tells him flat-out, "You must take responsibility for us all until the very end!" The people will support you too, they tell him. Then Jujin ups the stakes: "Is this not a perfect opportunity to blame the war on Her Majesty? All you need is to make a decision." They're still trying to reason with him; is that really a sensible strategy?
Chunchu has accompanied Seolji and his troops to the boat dock where the omen ship is tied up. They take over the dock and shoo everyone else away. Look out for suspicious people, Chunchu tells Seolji. Then he turns to an aide and says, "Not many people will be able to build such a boat. Inspect the boat, and find who built it." He keeps this up and he'll be Shilla Employee of the Month! Yeom Jong happens to show up and from a distance sees what's happening here.
Now we see Godo and some of his men approaching workers on an upriver dock and asking about boat builders. One of Yeom Jong's men happens to overhear it...
We also see Daepoong with other soldiers at another location, asking the same questions...
Word got back to Yeom Jong and he's angry and frustrated. "They cannot find him," he tells his subordinate; "They must never!" Presumably talking about the boat builder, whoever that is. He thinks, and then instructs, "Get rid of him." Uh-oh....
Bidam has left his meeting and is walking around the palace alone. Wow are his eyes bloodshot; must not be sleeping well. He thinks back to when he first acknowledged Deokman as his ruler (a flashback to a scene I don't recall seeing exactly like this before) and undoubtedly wonders how it all came to this. So he goes to see her.
Goes inside the palace, and the head guard has orders that she be left alone so he turns Bidam down. Won't even announce him. This the same guy from the last episode! Who stood up to Bidam until Bidam put his own sword to his throat? Forget Chunchu, THIS guy is Employee of the Month. Bidam gets angry at him, just like before; fortunately Alcheon shows up and calms him down. But Bidam says he won't leave until he sees her...
Alcheon did him a big favor because now Bidam is sitting at a table with QSD. She reassures him--I know this wasn't your doing--but wants to know what he's going to do about it. This is about protecting Chunchu as successor, she tells him; "If you fail to deal with them yourself..." Suddenly she's short of breath and touches her chest. Uh-oh, did she inherit daddy's weak heart? Tells Bidam it's nothing, she just overreacted, but it doesn't look like nothing, does it.
Uljin. That's where the boat was launched from. Godo is sure of it. Good work, Godo. Chunchu's aide adds that "there is a very talented shipmaker in Uljin." A guy named Yucheok.
Godo and Seolji have both brought their troops to Uljin and have surrounded Yucheok's workhouse. They storm in, and find...the place full of dead men. Ten of them at least. No survivors. A horrible sight.
"How did it go?" Yeom Jong's subordinate reports back. We killed everybody, he says...except Yucheok. "We are still trailing him." NOT what Yeom Jong wanted to hear. You'd better find him, he says through clenched teeth.
A local villager has been brought into the workhouse to look over the bodies. Yucheok isn't one of them, he says.
Hey, there he is--who else could it be, skittering around in a panic like that. Turns a corner and almost runs right into four of Yeom Jong's men. Turns right back around and runs in a big hurry, with the four in pursuit. Now he's running through a street teeming with villagers...and runs right into Chunchu's entire combined group of soldiers! The villager says That's him, the four pursuers have to back way off, and he's taken into custody. Easy as pie! Wait...no. Arrows come flying in and kill two soldiers! From where, and who did it? Now there's an entire squad of Yeom Jong's archers on a nearby balcony. "Shoot! We cannot allow him to survive!" And in the next moment arrows are raining down indiscriminately on the packed street. Suddenly an arrow hits Chunchu! Upper chest, near the shoulder, probably not fatal but enough to scare the troops and get him to safety. And in the chaos, the now-unprotected Yucheok takes an arrow to the chest. That one looks deadlier. I think it got him.
Alcheon informs QSD that Chunchu took an arrow but he'll be okay. And in the next breath has to ask her if SHE'S okay. He knows her well enough to have to ask just by the sight of her. She ignores the question and says she'll go see Chunchu.
"I cannot let this slide," Seohyeon tells his wife. "I will immediately head for the palace and find out what happened."
Yeom Jong has to tell the Supporters that Chunchu got wounded in the course of things. They go ballistic...but he's even thinking it would have been better if Chunchu had simply died, and Hey, isn't that a good idea? Let's get him out of the picture? Well, that suggestion makes Hajong (of all people) so angry that he gets up and grabs Yeom Jong by the collar and starts shaking him, ranting and screaming. Interesting reaction.
Santak the Formerly Annoying has brought the news to Bidam, who reacts furiously and now he's grabbing Santak by the collar and demanding to know who was responsible. Dude, he'd tell you if he knew--sheesh! Who's the annoying one now? Besides, Bidam can probably guess who did it. Now he's wide-eyed and shaking with anger.
QSD barges in on Chunchu as he's laying there in pain. Queen or not, that's plenty rude...He tells her that Yucheok is dead, and that, surprise surprise, "Uljin Harbor is one of the strongholds of Yeom Jong's group. And this Yucheok worked for him on more than one occasion." Also tells her just what Yushin told her: Bidam certainly wasn't behind this; it's his followers and they're out of control. That's it. She's had enough. "This is where my patience ends," she tells him, a look of determination on her face. And she even says that it wasn't just some random arrow; Chunchu was deliberately targeted! Uhhh....does she really believe that? Certainly didn't appear he was targeted.
Outside, Alcheon assures QSD that Chunchu will recover 100%. But now she's moved on to the next step already. Call an immediate council meeting, she tells him...but "discreetly" tell Bidam to stay away. "And once the meeting is over, bring him to me in secret."
Queen enters and sits; meeting begins. Sueulbu and Jujin start right in with the same baloney about How could this accident have happened if providence were with us...They don't get very far. "Accident?! Did you just call it an accident? Do you call the attempt on the life of a high courtier and royal an 'accident'?" Uh-oh, better zip it, guys; you've ticked her off. I'm going to find out who did this and gibbet his head!, she proclaims angrily. Tells Yongchun to investigate it.
Jukbang has gone to Chunchu and tells him about the meeting, and Bidam's absence. Chunchu thinks that divine providence is bringing this whole thing to a resolution now. Decides he has to go see Bidam himself, injured or not. "I will help divine providence."
"Was it not something you concocted?" He went right to Bidam and challenged him. Bidam doesn't get angry, simply denies any involvement. But Chunchu is acting like he's trying to provoke Bidam. Your pledge to abandon your post when QSD leaves the throne, he says, "Doesn't seem like it will work." Oh, and "Because of your mother, mine had to perish, right? And now, her son is attempting on my life. Should I let it happen while we placidly sit?" Still Bidam stays calm and friendly. So then Chunchu says he's been wondering about something for a long time: "how did Daenambo suddenly disappear?" Yeah, he's the only former elite Hwarang of the ten who we haven't seen lately. Where did he go? Bidam probably has no more idea of it than we do, but Chunchu clearly has some reason for bringing it up. He stands and starts to leave, as Bidam mutters, "You're really a new man. You used to tremble in fear at the mere sight of me." Yeah, he did. Chunchu sits back down and tells him, I'm not afraid of you any more. You used to be frighteningly unpredictable in your actions, he explains...But now "seeing through you is as easy as they come." And now he really hits hard: "Do you truly believe Her Majesty has feelings for you?" Why is he trying so hard to get Bidam worked up?
Chunchu leaves, and we hear his thoughts: "Forgive me, Bidam. I know this has nothing to do with you." And I know you're truly devoted to the queen. But "you and your followers are an impediment to our great endeavors. You must vanish." And "there is no place in the pages of history for a man driven by devotion." Meaning, I suppose, this goes back to the unite-the-kingdoms goal and the Supporters' lack of desire to achieve it.
Now the Supporters are furious. They're angry at Yeom Jong, who isn't here yet, and fearful of what the queen's investigation is going to turn up. Misaeng tries to calm them down and urge them to start thinking...but Yeom Jong marches into the room and immediately announces, "We must prepare our troops!" As in, start in insurrection? They think he's crazy, especially Hajong does. Points out to Yeom Jong that If they start investigating, you're the one going down, not us. But Yeom Jong smiles like he knows that isn't the case....
QSD is outside the palace, alone and staring into the distance. Bidam asks Alcheon to be let through to see her.
Why is Yeom Jong smiling? Wait, now he's screaming at them! Reminds them about the covenant they made with the Tang envoy, and the whole silliness with the omen-boat. "Someone as full of wisdom as Her Majesty is," he says, "would certainly know that what happened to Lord Chunchu was an accident. But she called it an attempt on his life and ordered an investigation. To purge us all." Interesting! If he's right, that's pretty darned clever of her. So what to do? "We must strike first." Before the investigation gets rolling. Well, they're not disagreeing with him. They're not comfortable but they're not disagreeing. Misaeng points out, you need just cause for an uprising--like with what happened to King Jinji with Mishil (which wasn't exactly just cause, but he's her brother of course). "You can leave that to me," Yeom Jong says. Yeah, like the last thing they left to him? Really, they're okay with that?
I know you're not involved in this, QSD tells Bidam to his obvious relief. "However, you failed." As in, failed to get your Supporters under control. Yes, he did. And somewhat surprisingly, he concedes that he can't do any more and that she should let the investigation run its course, regardless of what it does to him personally. The queen tells him she doesn't want him to take the fall for it...and as she says so, she puts a ring into his hand. A ring matching the one we see her wearing on her right hand. What is this, some kind of promise ring? She tells him she's sending him away temporarily while this all shakes out. To Chuhwa County, to supervise the naval fleet. I'll deal with the mess, she tells him, and bring you back when it's over. She really is going to great lengths for him, no question...but all Bidam can hear in his head is what Chunchu said to him: "Do you really think Her Majesty has feelings for you?" He assures her he trusts her--she asked him--but it's an awkward moment between them as they look at each other. He's holding her hand as she puts the ring into his, but now he has to go. And she pulls her hand away. He leaves, clearly rattled and misinterpreting her pulling her hand away.
A subordinate brings a man to Yeom Jong. "It was someone we enrolled amongst Her Majesty's guards, just in case." The man enters. Oh crap--it's the head guard who stood his ground with Bidam! He's a plant? What a disappointment! Well, no Employee of the Month for HIM! Yeom Jong promises them the man huge rewards--as in, I'll take care of your entire clan for the rest of their lives--if he'll do something. Sounds like some sort of suicide mission. Against Bidam.
Bidam tells a subordinate to arrange for his departure...but to himself, he wonders if it's really wise to just leave this mess to QSD to fix, or if he should bear some of the burden of straightening it out. And now from the way he gets up and looks at his sword, it's pretty clear he's choosing the latter. More of Chunchu's words echo in his head, about how he used to be a "daunting specimen" but isn't any more...and now the way he's looking at that sword, that twisted look in his eye..."I shall slaughter you all." Yow-wee, he's going chicken-bonkers!
The Supporters are arranging the details. Jujin, he needs to leave town for a while because of his position. Bojong has been contacting troops around the country. Plans are calmly being carried out...but now Yeom Jong comes in, highly agitated, and tells everybody they need to get out of town ASAP. "There are some suspicious movements." What movements?
QSD and her allies are trying to figure out how to round up the Supporters. Gotta have evidence, she rightfully reminds them; can't just round them up for no reason. But they point out to her that the Supporters aren't likely to just sit around and do nothing while the heat on them rises...so she agrees to their arrest as a preventative measure.
Suspicious MILITARY movements. Yeah, that's cause for worry. We all need to get to the mines, the Supporters agree (as in, where the mercenaries are). But one question, and Misaeng asks it of Yeom Jong. Where's Bidam? Yeom Jong hesitates, and suddenly Misaeng is angrier than we've ever seen him. "Without Bidam, none of this will work! We will have no just cause whatsoever!" Yeom Jong assures them he'll find Bidam, and scurries out of the room.
Evening: Quite a sight as the troops are marshaled and Wolya (Wolya? Not Yushin?) order them to apprehend the Supporters. "You must operate with utmost discretion," he wisely tells them. Godo leads them away...but wait a minute, Yeom Jong's plant, we see him in there. What's he going to do? This is all coming to a boil now, so it isn't clear that he can do all that much.
Now Chunchu is pressing QSD about why she didn't imprison Bidam. Guilty or not! Shame on him, and the queen rightly scolds him. "Bidam will now lose all his followers. What possible threat could he pose? What are you so afraid of, forcing me to punish an innocent man?" He doesn't like it, but she tells him to drop it.
Geoksaheun leads a squad of soldiers to Jujin's residence. They overpower the unarmed guards at the front gate--Was it really necessary to kill them too?--And barge into the estate...to find it deserted. Nobody home.
Yanggil leads another squad into another estate--we're not told whose--and finds that one deserted, too. They leave to report back to the queen...but someone is in the shadows, watching them leave. Dressed in plain clothing and a hat. It's Bidam. Gripping that sword real tight. Apparently he also came here looking for whoever vacated the place.
Godo, Daepoong, Geoksaheun and Yanggil are all reporting to Yushin that they found nobody at the places they went to. Oddly, he tells them to have all troops remaining in Seorabeol moved into the palace complex. Does he sense an insurrection is really about to happen?
Still evening: The Supporters have made it to the mine safely. We see some of the mercenaries there with them. But no Yeom Jong and no Bidam. Most of them are worried, but strangely enough, not Misaeng. Why not? Because if Yeom Jong doesn't come through, "we're all history." As in, he has plenty of motivation.
We see Yeom Jong and ten of his men walking briskly through the countryside. Bidam is trailing them. But Bidam is being trailed too. Some guy wearing all black and a black mask. Looks like the plant.
Imjong brings QSD and Yushin a disturbing report: Sueulbu's private troops, who were stationed out in a border area, have deserted. And Wolya reports that Ho Jae's troops, who were near Iseo County, have vanished too. Uh-oh, maybe Yushin was right. Will blood be spilled in the capital?
Bidam has run through the woods and ahead of Yeom Jong and his men. He stands in the path as they approach, then shows his face and throws his hat at them dismissively. Bring it on, he says with a smile. They do. Some silly, elaborate choreography, and then as they repeatedly attack en masse he gradually picks them off one by one until they're all dead. No problem. And now a frightened, unarmed Yeom Jong stands there in front of him. "I should have slaughtered you earlier," Bidam says, moving in for the kill...and suddenly we see a blowgun emerge from next to a tree. Yikes! Remember Munno's death? The blowgun fires...and misses! Bidam had flinched a little--looks like Bidam may have heard it coming--but it was just a bit wide left anyway. Then a second dart flies, but Bidam deftly deflects it away with his sword. Nice move. Bidam charges the assassin and pins him against a tree--lowers the mask, and recognizes him. He's horrified. "Who ordered this?" The guy won't speak. Bidam demands it again. And again. And again. But as Yeom Jong watches, and he and his assassin trade knowing looks, the assassin refuses to say anything. Bidam is desperate to know: "Say it, you bastard!!" Yeom Jong smiles and nods at the assassin, and finally he talks: "Murder the enemy of our nation! Long live Her Majesty!" With that, Bidam snaps and kills him. Now Yeom Jong's promise to take care of the guard's family makes sense (and you have to wonder if that blowgun miss was deliberate). Yeom Jong steps forward and pretends to realize for the first time what we know he already knows: "He is...part of the royal palace guard!" And as he stands just behind Bidam, smiling gleefully, Bidam concludes that QSD is out to get him. He screams maniacally.
Afterwards, Seohyeon, Yongchun, Bakui, Dukchoong and Imjong talk though it all and decode the message to their satisfaction (It gets into some Sanskrit here) and are convinced that Yes, it does refer to Bidam being king of Shilla.
And now we see villagers out on the street talking...pretty much the same ones we saw in the previous episode talking about the Buddha-boat legend, and they're totally buying into this latest "omen"...and also buying into this female-ruler-leads-to-invasions business that the Tang envoy stirred up. At least some of them are.
"This is an affront against Her Majesty and the royal family. We must find the culprit, and severely punish them for what they did." Hooray for Chunchu. At least SOMEbody is stepping up and calling the whole thing a big steaming pile of nonsense...and he's rounded up soldiers to try to get to the bottom of it. The most loyal soldiers--we see Seolji and Godo, guys like them. He sends Seolji to go inspect the boat for clues, and tells Godo to take men and go upriver and find out where the boat came from. Real good piece of leadership. Of course he has a huge personal stake in all this as the presumed successor, but still, good work.
QSD is sitting alone on her balcony, staring blankly outwards. Yushin arrives and tells her what Chunchu did. Turns out she knows; she okayed it. She insists that Bidam had nothing to do with this; he'd never pull a stunt like this. Yushin doesn't disagree; not at all. He's thought past that already, to a bigger problem: "Bidam is no longer able to control his followers." She says she's still thinking through it all "but all you suggest to me is to punish him." Uh, no, he didn't suggest that...She goes on about gaining people's trust and abandoning people, just in general, but whatever, she's determined not to abandon Bidam.
"How dare you do this without my consent!" Bidam is meeting with the Supporters and trying to read them the riot act. They couldn't care less. They talk to him like he owes them for supporting him. And Hajong tells him flat-out, "You must take responsibility for us all until the very end!" The people will support you too, they tell him. Then Jujin ups the stakes: "Is this not a perfect opportunity to blame the war on Her Majesty? All you need is to make a decision." They're still trying to reason with him; is that really a sensible strategy?
Chunchu has accompanied Seolji and his troops to the boat dock where the omen ship is tied up. They take over the dock and shoo everyone else away. Look out for suspicious people, Chunchu tells Seolji. Then he turns to an aide and says, "Not many people will be able to build such a boat. Inspect the boat, and find who built it." He keeps this up and he'll be Shilla Employee of the Month! Yeom Jong happens to show up and from a distance sees what's happening here.
Now we see Godo and some of his men approaching workers on an upriver dock and asking about boat builders. One of Yeom Jong's men happens to overhear it...
We also see Daepoong with other soldiers at another location, asking the same questions...
Word got back to Yeom Jong and he's angry and frustrated. "They cannot find him," he tells his subordinate; "They must never!" Presumably talking about the boat builder, whoever that is. He thinks, and then instructs, "Get rid of him." Uh-oh....
Bidam has left his meeting and is walking around the palace alone. Wow are his eyes bloodshot; must not be sleeping well. He thinks back to when he first acknowledged Deokman as his ruler (a flashback to a scene I don't recall seeing exactly like this before) and undoubtedly wonders how it all came to this. So he goes to see her.
Goes inside the palace, and the head guard has orders that she be left alone so he turns Bidam down. Won't even announce him. This the same guy from the last episode! Who stood up to Bidam until Bidam put his own sword to his throat? Forget Chunchu, THIS guy is Employee of the Month. Bidam gets angry at him, just like before; fortunately Alcheon shows up and calms him down. But Bidam says he won't leave until he sees her...
Alcheon did him a big favor because now Bidam is sitting at a table with QSD. She reassures him--I know this wasn't your doing--but wants to know what he's going to do about it. This is about protecting Chunchu as successor, she tells him; "If you fail to deal with them yourself..." Suddenly she's short of breath and touches her chest. Uh-oh, did she inherit daddy's weak heart? Tells Bidam it's nothing, she just overreacted, but it doesn't look like nothing, does it.
Uljin. That's where the boat was launched from. Godo is sure of it. Good work, Godo. Chunchu's aide adds that "there is a very talented shipmaker in Uljin." A guy named Yucheok.
Godo and Seolji have both brought their troops to Uljin and have surrounded Yucheok's workhouse. They storm in, and find...the place full of dead men. Ten of them at least. No survivors. A horrible sight.
"How did it go?" Yeom Jong's subordinate reports back. We killed everybody, he says...except Yucheok. "We are still trailing him." NOT what Yeom Jong wanted to hear. You'd better find him, he says through clenched teeth.
A local villager has been brought into the workhouse to look over the bodies. Yucheok isn't one of them, he says.
Hey, there he is--who else could it be, skittering around in a panic like that. Turns a corner and almost runs right into four of Yeom Jong's men. Turns right back around and runs in a big hurry, with the four in pursuit. Now he's running through a street teeming with villagers...and runs right into Chunchu's entire combined group of soldiers! The villager says That's him, the four pursuers have to back way off, and he's taken into custody. Easy as pie! Wait...no. Arrows come flying in and kill two soldiers! From where, and who did it? Now there's an entire squad of Yeom Jong's archers on a nearby balcony. "Shoot! We cannot allow him to survive!" And in the next moment arrows are raining down indiscriminately on the packed street. Suddenly an arrow hits Chunchu! Upper chest, near the shoulder, probably not fatal but enough to scare the troops and get him to safety. And in the chaos, the now-unprotected Yucheok takes an arrow to the chest. That one looks deadlier. I think it got him.
Alcheon informs QSD that Chunchu took an arrow but he'll be okay. And in the next breath has to ask her if SHE'S okay. He knows her well enough to have to ask just by the sight of her. She ignores the question and says she'll go see Chunchu.
"I cannot let this slide," Seohyeon tells his wife. "I will immediately head for the palace and find out what happened."
Yeom Jong has to tell the Supporters that Chunchu got wounded in the course of things. They go ballistic...but he's even thinking it would have been better if Chunchu had simply died, and Hey, isn't that a good idea? Let's get him out of the picture? Well, that suggestion makes Hajong (of all people) so angry that he gets up and grabs Yeom Jong by the collar and starts shaking him, ranting and screaming. Interesting reaction.
Santak the Formerly Annoying has brought the news to Bidam, who reacts furiously and now he's grabbing Santak by the collar and demanding to know who was responsible. Dude, he'd tell you if he knew--sheesh! Who's the annoying one now? Besides, Bidam can probably guess who did it. Now he's wide-eyed and shaking with anger.
QSD barges in on Chunchu as he's laying there in pain. Queen or not, that's plenty rude...He tells her that Yucheok is dead, and that, surprise surprise, "Uljin Harbor is one of the strongholds of Yeom Jong's group. And this Yucheok worked for him on more than one occasion." Also tells her just what Yushin told her: Bidam certainly wasn't behind this; it's his followers and they're out of control. That's it. She's had enough. "This is where my patience ends," she tells him, a look of determination on her face. And she even says that it wasn't just some random arrow; Chunchu was deliberately targeted! Uhhh....does she really believe that? Certainly didn't appear he was targeted.
Outside, Alcheon assures QSD that Chunchu will recover 100%. But now she's moved on to the next step already. Call an immediate council meeting, she tells him...but "discreetly" tell Bidam to stay away. "And once the meeting is over, bring him to me in secret."
Queen enters and sits; meeting begins. Sueulbu and Jujin start right in with the same baloney about How could this accident have happened if providence were with us...They don't get very far. "Accident?! Did you just call it an accident? Do you call the attempt on the life of a high courtier and royal an 'accident'?" Uh-oh, better zip it, guys; you've ticked her off. I'm going to find out who did this and gibbet his head!, she proclaims angrily. Tells Yongchun to investigate it.
Jukbang has gone to Chunchu and tells him about the meeting, and Bidam's absence. Chunchu thinks that divine providence is bringing this whole thing to a resolution now. Decides he has to go see Bidam himself, injured or not. "I will help divine providence."
"Was it not something you concocted?" He went right to Bidam and challenged him. Bidam doesn't get angry, simply denies any involvement. But Chunchu is acting like he's trying to provoke Bidam. Your pledge to abandon your post when QSD leaves the throne, he says, "Doesn't seem like it will work." Oh, and "Because of your mother, mine had to perish, right? And now, her son is attempting on my life. Should I let it happen while we placidly sit?" Still Bidam stays calm and friendly. So then Chunchu says he's been wondering about something for a long time: "how did Daenambo suddenly disappear?" Yeah, he's the only former elite Hwarang of the ten who we haven't seen lately. Where did he go? Bidam probably has no more idea of it than we do, but Chunchu clearly has some reason for bringing it up. He stands and starts to leave, as Bidam mutters, "You're really a new man. You used to tremble in fear at the mere sight of me." Yeah, he did. Chunchu sits back down and tells him, I'm not afraid of you any more. You used to be frighteningly unpredictable in your actions, he explains...But now "seeing through you is as easy as they come." And now he really hits hard: "Do you truly believe Her Majesty has feelings for you?" Why is he trying so hard to get Bidam worked up?
Chunchu leaves, and we hear his thoughts: "Forgive me, Bidam. I know this has nothing to do with you." And I know you're truly devoted to the queen. But "you and your followers are an impediment to our great endeavors. You must vanish." And "there is no place in the pages of history for a man driven by devotion." Meaning, I suppose, this goes back to the unite-the-kingdoms goal and the Supporters' lack of desire to achieve it.
Now the Supporters are furious. They're angry at Yeom Jong, who isn't here yet, and fearful of what the queen's investigation is going to turn up. Misaeng tries to calm them down and urge them to start thinking...but Yeom Jong marches into the room and immediately announces, "We must prepare our troops!" As in, start in insurrection? They think he's crazy, especially Hajong does. Points out to Yeom Jong that If they start investigating, you're the one going down, not us. But Yeom Jong smiles like he knows that isn't the case....
QSD is outside the palace, alone and staring into the distance. Bidam asks Alcheon to be let through to see her.
Why is Yeom Jong smiling? Wait, now he's screaming at them! Reminds them about the covenant they made with the Tang envoy, and the whole silliness with the omen-boat. "Someone as full of wisdom as Her Majesty is," he says, "would certainly know that what happened to Lord Chunchu was an accident. But she called it an attempt on his life and ordered an investigation. To purge us all." Interesting! If he's right, that's pretty darned clever of her. So what to do? "We must strike first." Before the investigation gets rolling. Well, they're not disagreeing with him. They're not comfortable but they're not disagreeing. Misaeng points out, you need just cause for an uprising--like with what happened to King Jinji with Mishil (which wasn't exactly just cause, but he's her brother of course). "You can leave that to me," Yeom Jong says. Yeah, like the last thing they left to him? Really, they're okay with that?
I know you're not involved in this, QSD tells Bidam to his obvious relief. "However, you failed." As in, failed to get your Supporters under control. Yes, he did. And somewhat surprisingly, he concedes that he can't do any more and that she should let the investigation run its course, regardless of what it does to him personally. The queen tells him she doesn't want him to take the fall for it...and as she says so, she puts a ring into his hand. A ring matching the one we see her wearing on her right hand. What is this, some kind of promise ring? She tells him she's sending him away temporarily while this all shakes out. To Chuhwa County, to supervise the naval fleet. I'll deal with the mess, she tells him, and bring you back when it's over. She really is going to great lengths for him, no question...but all Bidam can hear in his head is what Chunchu said to him: "Do you really think Her Majesty has feelings for you?" He assures her he trusts her--she asked him--but it's an awkward moment between them as they look at each other. He's holding her hand as she puts the ring into his, but now he has to go. And she pulls her hand away. He leaves, clearly rattled and misinterpreting her pulling her hand away.
A subordinate brings a man to Yeom Jong. "It was someone we enrolled amongst Her Majesty's guards, just in case." The man enters. Oh crap--it's the head guard who stood his ground with Bidam! He's a plant? What a disappointment! Well, no Employee of the Month for HIM! Yeom Jong promises them the man huge rewards--as in, I'll take care of your entire clan for the rest of their lives--if he'll do something. Sounds like some sort of suicide mission. Against Bidam.
Bidam tells a subordinate to arrange for his departure...but to himself, he wonders if it's really wise to just leave this mess to QSD to fix, or if he should bear some of the burden of straightening it out. And now from the way he gets up and looks at his sword, it's pretty clear he's choosing the latter. More of Chunchu's words echo in his head, about how he used to be a "daunting specimen" but isn't any more...and now the way he's looking at that sword, that twisted look in his eye..."I shall slaughter you all." Yow-wee, he's going chicken-bonkers!
The Supporters are arranging the details. Jujin, he needs to leave town for a while because of his position. Bojong has been contacting troops around the country. Plans are calmly being carried out...but now Yeom Jong comes in, highly agitated, and tells everybody they need to get out of town ASAP. "There are some suspicious movements." What movements?
QSD and her allies are trying to figure out how to round up the Supporters. Gotta have evidence, she rightfully reminds them; can't just round them up for no reason. But they point out to her that the Supporters aren't likely to just sit around and do nothing while the heat on them rises...so she agrees to their arrest as a preventative measure.
Suspicious MILITARY movements. Yeah, that's cause for worry. We all need to get to the mines, the Supporters agree (as in, where the mercenaries are). But one question, and Misaeng asks it of Yeom Jong. Where's Bidam? Yeom Jong hesitates, and suddenly Misaeng is angrier than we've ever seen him. "Without Bidam, none of this will work! We will have no just cause whatsoever!" Yeom Jong assures them he'll find Bidam, and scurries out of the room.
Evening: Quite a sight as the troops are marshaled and Wolya (Wolya? Not Yushin?) order them to apprehend the Supporters. "You must operate with utmost discretion," he wisely tells them. Godo leads them away...but wait a minute, Yeom Jong's plant, we see him in there. What's he going to do? This is all coming to a boil now, so it isn't clear that he can do all that much.
Now Chunchu is pressing QSD about why she didn't imprison Bidam. Guilty or not! Shame on him, and the queen rightly scolds him. "Bidam will now lose all his followers. What possible threat could he pose? What are you so afraid of, forcing me to punish an innocent man?" He doesn't like it, but she tells him to drop it.
Geoksaheun leads a squad of soldiers to Jujin's residence. They overpower the unarmed guards at the front gate--Was it really necessary to kill them too?--And barge into the estate...to find it deserted. Nobody home.
Yanggil leads another squad into another estate--we're not told whose--and finds that one deserted, too. They leave to report back to the queen...but someone is in the shadows, watching them leave. Dressed in plain clothing and a hat. It's Bidam. Gripping that sword real tight. Apparently he also came here looking for whoever vacated the place.
Godo, Daepoong, Geoksaheun and Yanggil are all reporting to Yushin that they found nobody at the places they went to. Oddly, he tells them to have all troops remaining in Seorabeol moved into the palace complex. Does he sense an insurrection is really about to happen?
Still evening: The Supporters have made it to the mine safely. We see some of the mercenaries there with them. But no Yeom Jong and no Bidam. Most of them are worried, but strangely enough, not Misaeng. Why not? Because if Yeom Jong doesn't come through, "we're all history." As in, he has plenty of motivation.
We see Yeom Jong and ten of his men walking briskly through the countryside. Bidam is trailing them. But Bidam is being trailed too. Some guy wearing all black and a black mask. Looks like the plant.
Imjong brings QSD and Yushin a disturbing report: Sueulbu's private troops, who were stationed out in a border area, have deserted. And Wolya reports that Ho Jae's troops, who were near Iseo County, have vanished too. Uh-oh, maybe Yushin was right. Will blood be spilled in the capital?
Bidam has run through the woods and ahead of Yeom Jong and his men. He stands in the path as they approach, then shows his face and throws his hat at them dismissively. Bring it on, he says with a smile. They do. Some silly, elaborate choreography, and then as they repeatedly attack en masse he gradually picks them off one by one until they're all dead. No problem. And now a frightened, unarmed Yeom Jong stands there in front of him. "I should have slaughtered you earlier," Bidam says, moving in for the kill...and suddenly we see a blowgun emerge from next to a tree. Yikes! Remember Munno's death? The blowgun fires...and misses! Bidam had flinched a little--looks like Bidam may have heard it coming--but it was just a bit wide left anyway. Then a second dart flies, but Bidam deftly deflects it away with his sword. Nice move. Bidam charges the assassin and pins him against a tree--lowers the mask, and recognizes him. He's horrified. "Who ordered this?" The guy won't speak. Bidam demands it again. And again. And again. But as Yeom Jong watches, and he and his assassin trade knowing looks, the assassin refuses to say anything. Bidam is desperate to know: "Say it, you bastard!!" Yeom Jong smiles and nods at the assassin, and finally he talks: "Murder the enemy of our nation! Long live Her Majesty!" With that, Bidam snaps and kills him. Now Yeom Jong's promise to take care of the guard's family makes sense (and you have to wonder if that blowgun miss was deliberate). Yeom Jong steps forward and pretends to realize for the first time what we know he already knows: "He is...part of the royal palace guard!" And as he stands just behind Bidam, smiling gleefully, Bidam concludes that QSD is out to get him. He screams maniacally.