Post by ajk on Dec 28, 2013 0:59:13 GMT -5
Lee Je Hyeon and his daughter Hyebi show up at the queen dowager's home. Not sure why they're here, but Gongmin and Noguk are inside right now, paying their daily visit. The old battleaxe isn't acting quite as battleaxe-y today; she's actually being polite and chuckles about Gi Cheol being sent away. But then of course she reminds them that she wants an heir. Maybe "reminds" isn't the right word--"badgers" is probably a better one. And then slips in that she intends to take over palace administration herself. Neither of them says anything; they just leave. Outside, the king and queen find the Lees there waiting; Lee Je Hyeon says he's there to ask the QD to suggest some suitable marriage candidates for her daughter. Sort of an uncomfortable vibe in the air; they all part, and then Gongmin has to be told by eunuch Choi exactly why the vibe was there--because the QD had intended for Hyebi to become Gongmin's wife. Gongmin looks at Noguk and squirms a little, and then sort of a mini-Gi-Cheol grunt (very funny).
Now the QD is telling Lee Je Hyeon that rulers need to have multiple consorts to produce as many potential heirs as possible. "Just have trust in me and wait," she tells him, and don't marry Hyebi off just yet. Poor Hyebi standing there through all of this, just looking down at the ground, you have to feel sorry for her being shopped around like a piece of meat. She seems like a decent sort; certainly deserves better than this.
The king is trying to put yesterday's unpleasantness with his wife behind him. It's still there--you can sense it in his discomfort now that he's alone with her--but he's not about to bring it up again. He even deflects it when she tries to apologize. But then she tries again to apologize, and it sets him off. "I've decided not to waste time waiting for your compliments," he barks at her; and now all of a sudden he's angry again and explaining himself about exiling rather than killing Gi Cheol. But she stays calm and says what she needs to say. "What I did was wrong, Your Majesty. I just said things without thinking about it." (Which is true; she didn't.) But now he's muttering about how he has no one to trust, and how he senses his subjects scheming all around him. And wonders which of them poisoned his nephew (a crime that hasn't been solved yet) and which of them are "acting as Empress Gi's ears," and how having to trust these people to help fight the Yuan, it "sends chills of fright down my spine." And then adds, "If you even look at me and tell me I did wrong, how can I find the strength to lead this country?" Well he had just said he wasn't going to worry about what she said, but obviously she means the world to him, doesn't she. Maybe she understands that better now, because she's reduced to tears and humbly asks, "What can I do to earn your forgiveness?"
Word of this has gotten back to the QD somehow, and she's glad to hear that the queen is acting a little more humble. "She's finally growing up, I see." Sheesh.
Princess Deoknyeong shares some tea with Noguk. Reminds her that Yuan princesses have always had it difficult in Goryeo (which really is sort of a detour; Noguk's mistake was just misplaced criticism and nothing political). Deoknyeong, of course, is a Mongol woman just like Noguk, and makes a point of telling Noguk, "I can't abandon my motherland." (Uh-oh; remember that Empress Gi sent her here to keep an eye on Noguk; is she playing lobbyist here?) Noguk firmly answers, "I did." Deoknyeong reminds her that if Gi Cheol is executed, Empress Gi will certainly execute her father in retaliation. But the queen is unswayed by that; he's a man of strong principles, she says, and wouldn't want me to act any differently.
Yanjing: "I hereby proclaim Ayushiridara as the Crown Prince. Just as you do for me, pledge your allegiance to him!" Emperor Shundi makes it official, in front of a few dozen of his subordinates in his throne room. They all shout hurrahs and bow down before the boy--all except the King of Wei, who just stands there. Seems like a very foolish time to be taking a stand like that (Literally!), but he shocks the emperor by standing there like a statue. And then REALLY shocks him by telling him, "There is only one Crown Prince of the Yuan Empire. And that is Prince Qunluan." He tells Shundi that Qunluan is 100 percent Mongol blood so he should be the one...but he's dragged away by guards before he can say anything more. Empress Gi smiles at the sight of a perceived political rival being hauled off to prison. But isn't she losing a huge bargaining chip? Maybe this isn't so good for her...
...No, wait, later she tells Commissioner Park, "We can't kill him now. First, I shall save my brother." Yeah, of course she gets it. Then asks Park about Prince Deokheung, who's the third son of King Chungseon (the 26th king, and Gongmin's grandfather--which I guess makes him Gongmin's uncle). Apparently the guy is alive and well somewhere, and she wants to meet him.
So Park goes and tracks him down. And we meet him, along with an associate of his named Choi Yu. Interestingly, Gi Ryun is there as well. "I have no interest in politics," the prince says firmly, even as the other two make clear to him that he can be handed the Goryeo throne if he goes along with their plan. Not interested; not at all...but then Choi starts getting angry and Deokheung immediately folds. I'll do whatever you say, he tells them, "so you take care of things." He's not a very impressive person, at least not in the sense of having any fire or ambition or drive, not at all. Park listens to all this and just sort of shakes his head in disgust (very funny).
Ganghwa Island: There's Gi Cheol, in prisoner's white. Throwing a tantrum because the food isn't to his liking.
"He's not cut out for it?" Park returns to the empress with a frank assessment of the seemingly spineless prince he's just met. And suggests that at this point it may be difficult to replace Gongmin with anybody, and that it might be better to just settle the whole situation and make peace with him instead. The empress isn't comfortable with that--"That could turn a scaredy cat into a jaunty tiger"--but he has a suggestion. Have a celebratory feast of friendship in Goryeo to allow the new crown prince to meet his Goryean grandmother (that's mother Gi; remember that Ayushiridara is Empress Gi's son). And protocol says that Gi Cheol would have to be there, as the family's eldest son. Which Cheol can't do if he's exiled. "That's a brilliant idea," she tells him with a big smile, certain that the Goryeans will have to bring Gi Cheol back from exile for an event like that. (Note: Subtitling tells us that this feast actually did happen in real history, in August of 1353. Supposedly the event was titled "Barachalyeon." Unfortunately Google turns up nothing for it.)
Another meal is left for Gi Cheol--and this time the server and even the guards scatter before he can let loose with another temper tantrum. Which he does. And then wallows in self-pity.
"We have nothing to sell." What's this? On a market street in the capital, Pyeonjo has come across a store that's shutting its doors. Wait a minute--this is Choseon's tea store! Or one of them, at least (not sure how many storefronts she has).
So he goes and asks her about it. "The clans who own the tea fields refuse to give us the harvest, and are keeping everything inside their warehouses. So we're forced to close up shop." Yeah, that would explain it. It's a scheme to raise prices, she says. Pyeonjo suggests going to the Yuan as an alternative; apparently there are tea fields all over the place up there. But Choseon says that's not practical, because doing so requires government consent--"and the only one able to give us that consent is Lord Deokseong." Ugh! But she's not overly concerned, at least not for the short term; people won't starve without tea and they can do without it for a little while. (Very magnanimous of her to think of it that way.) Pyeonjo says he'll mention it to the king the next time he sees him, and see if he can get it approved somehow.
And now look who's waiting for Pyeonjo this evening: Eunuch Choi. Time to visit the king again.
Later, Choseon's lead subordinate goes to her and says he's worried about the Pyeonjo/king situation. Thinks Pyeonjo might spill what he knows about them. "Before it's too late..." he says, meaning, let's kill him now. But she has more faith in them than that. And besides, maybe he really can do something about this tea situation.
Now the guy is back home--I think this is his home--and he's with that woman who was acting as Ban Ya's nanny; maybe she's his wife? Tells her he thinks Choseon is trusting Pyeonjo too much. And adds, "The way she's looking at him, it's not your ordinary gaze." A-ha! So he sees it too. But the woman has a strange perspective: "Then that's even better." As in, "This family line will be broken" if those two end up together. Especially with her brother Jihyo becoming a monk. It would guarantee no more "pure" heirs. But why is this a concern of theirs, that they would want to see the family line broken? We don't know yet.
Left alone, Choseon's thoughts drift back to Pyeonjo. Yeah, she's a smitten kitten.
Pyeonjo enters the palace, in time to overhear a conversation Gongmin is having with the royal inspector we recently met, Kim Won Myeong. "Why are you befriending such a miserable specimen?", Kim asks. So Gongmin goes off on a long, rambling answer about having to confront the Yuan without having full trust in his government officials. "The only thing I can trust," he says, finally getting to the point, "are my people." I need their approval and support; their will is heaven's will. At that Pyeonjo beams proudly, and bows in a silent prayer of thanks; he's reassured that his faith in his friend is fully justified. Gongmin's point is that Pyeonjo is someone from among the people and someone he trusts. So Kim suggests, "If you consider that man so important, you can give him a small position, and have him work next to you." Which Gongmin says he can't do. And to our shock, it's not because he's the son of a slave, which he had told his wife is the reason, but rather because he's "way too dangerous"! Huh? "The world that man wishes to see is completely different from the world I want to create." I want a Goryeo ruled by its own king, he says, while Pyeonjo...Gongmin chuckles. "He'll make a world where lowborns dance on the streets? That's a world without rulers, then, isn't it?" And now the smile is gone from Pyeonjo's face, and he looks angry. "All I want to make," Gongmin continues, "is a world where the people don't have to suffer. That kind of peace and prosperity." At that, Pyeonjo turns to leave. And as he does, hears Gongmin laugh again. "Friend? How could I befriend a man like that?" Okay, now it's all starting to sound like baloney. Maybe Gongmin is just trying to keep the inspector from perceiving Pyeonjo as potentially threatening, as though Kim might do something sinister if he did. But Pyeonjo doesn't see it that way. He looks bitterly, deeply wounded. And to add insult to injury, sitting there on the ground outside the building he finds the plain robe he was wearing last time he visited the very drunk Gongmin. Pyeonjo had covered him with it to keep him warm after he passed out, but now all that's left of that kind gesture is the robe sitting there getting all dirty on the ground, and now wet because it's starting to rain heavily.
Now he's gone, and Gongmin is outside his front door wondering what happened to him...
...but Pyeonjo has left and is walking home in the rain, clutching the robe he found.
Concurrently: Noguk is pleased with the news that her husband met with Pyeonjo (the other day; Eunuch An just told her). She remembers the frank and straightforward advice he gave Gongmin when they were still in Yanjing. And the advice he gave her in Yanjing about how she should learn about Goryeo and its people as the way to her husband's heart. "He's a man with no greed," she tells Eunuch An, "so he'll become a precious friend to His Majesty." She's very happy with the prospect.
Pyeonjo has made his way to the royal temple in the capital. In the dark, rainy night he's all alone out there. He falls to his knees and screams, crushed by Gongmin's words from earlier. He goes inside the temple and calms down a little...temporarily. But then starts to cry.
"A ceremonial feast?" Lee In Bok is still in Yanjing, head still intact, meeting with the empress a second time. And he's just had this surprise dropped on him. The empress really pitches it: "the King of Goryeo's reputation shall touch the sky" if Goryeo, among all of the Yuan vassal states, gets to hold this feast.
It's left to Park, afterwards, to deliver the kicker: "The eldest son of the Gi family shall greet His Highness." Lee doesn't like that one bit and gives Park a message to relay to her: "If she really wishes to save her brother, tell her to bring him back to Yanjing and make sure he behaves properly." But Park has his own message for Lee to give to his king: if Cheol isn't freed, then the queen's father, "who's imprisoned for disloyalty to His Highness, shall not escape alive." That's too much for Lee; finally he loses his cool and yells at Park. And then storms off.
Choseon has come to the royal temple complex, where her brother is. She got word that Pyeonjo ended up here, apparently pretty messed up, and she's concerned about him. Jihyo doesn't show much compassion for Pyeonjo, and she doesn't like that about him. Some lingering tension between the two siblings, which we've seen before. Anyway, she goes into a room and finds Pyeonjo sleeping. Looks like he's perspiring from a fever he contracted from being outside in the rain last night.
Master Bou has just been officially named "Royal Preceptor" (like the official palace monk). He's before the king; the QD and the queen are also there. The QD set this up, remember. And she makes no hesitation about asking Bou, "Pray for Her Majesty's pregnancy. I'm so worried I'm losing sleep over it."
Afterwards, she tells Noguk not to be upset by what she said. It's simply "every mother-in-law's prime desire." Yeah, whatever, you old battleaxe. Noguk tolerates all of this without voicing any complaint. Probably because the QD does have a legitimate point about producing heirs, even if she's being obnoxious about it.
Bou is still with Gongmin and now lobbies for support for Buddhist institutions as the way to win the people's favor. Gongmin says he'll think about it.
Bou returns to the royal temple and accepts the congratulations of his fellow monks.
Pyeonjo wakes up, but he's really got a nasty bug in him. He's surprised to find Choseon tending to him...but too wiped out to care much.
Gaetae Temple: Deokun is totally bent out of shape that Master Wolseon wasn't picked to be Royal Preceptor. Wolseon tells him it's a ridiculous idea, and even starts throwing things at him (to the point where a wooden block leaves a nasty gash in his head). But you wonder if he doesn't feel slighted. Won Hyeon happens to be there, cleaning the floor. Won wants to go back to his friend Pyeonjo, but Wolseon doesn't seem too eager to allow that any time soon.
Gi Ryun excitedly tells his mother about Ayushiridara's just-announced visit to their home. "We're safe now!", she says. And is sure this means imminent good news about her son Cheol.
Lee In Bok has returned home, and tells Gongmin about the ceremonial feast. It's a Yuan custom, he adds, for when "a prosperous event" happens, and the boy being named crown prince would certainly qualify. And he's not fooled at all: "Empress Gi is using that as a pretext for Lord Deokseong to be freed from exile." "How are you going to cope with this?" Well come on, Lee, give Gongmin time to digest this....
Gi Ryun visits his brother on Ganghwa Island and gives him the good news. Cheol is understandably ecstatic; says he had given up on his sister being able to help him. But he's not too happy to still be bitter. "Let's see who sits on that throne," he adds, "when this is over!"
Now Lee In Bok has told an informal gathering of the Council about the feast. Yeom Je Shin, with his unique way of looking at things, laughs like crazy and says this is actually a very good sign--that Empress Gi is showing a lot of respect for Gongmin by trying to engineer her brother's release quietly and indirectly like this, rather than by simply sending envoys and demanding it. And he tells Jung Se Woon to just go ahead and release Cheol. Jung flatly refuses, so Yeom tries to convince him: "Shouldn't you think about Empress Gi's reputation as well?" And adds, "What if they send an army to invade us?" But Jung won't budge. In fact...
...Jung goes right to Gongmin's office and falls to his knees outside the front door. "Your Majesty!", he cries out. "Slay that impudent Lord Deokseong right now, and stop the ceremonial feast from happening! Show the world Goryeo is no longer a vassal of the Yuan!" Gongmin is inside, already frustrated by the situation and now getting visibly angrier.
Lee In Bok goes to see the queen. Wonder why?
Jung is still at it, and Gongmin is almost ballistic with frustration. "Issue orders to kill Lord Deokseong right now! I shall run to Ganghwa Island, and bring you back his head on a platter!"
Reluctantly, Lee In Bok tells the queen that her father is in prison "on the pretext that he opposed Ayushiridara's proclamation." (Obviously he doesn't know it, but that's no pretext.) And that if Gi Cheol isn't freed, well...But this doesn't rattle the queen. In fact, when Lee tells her that he hasn't told the king about her father's situation yet, she asks him not to tell the king at all. She doesn't want it influencing his decisions. And even tells Lee to tell the king she wants to see Cheol beheaded before the new crown prince even gets to Goryeo! She's not going to let her father's peril affect what she thinks is in Goryeo's best interests.
Gongmin's office doors are opened wide to reveal Jung Se Woon kneeling there. "Why aren't you speaking to me, Your Majesty?!" (Uh, maybe because you're outside there bellowing and didn't just ask to come in? Sheesh!) Issue the order, he begs. "We shouldn't endure any more humiliation because of the Yuan! Even if the Yuan trample on all our mountains and streams! Behead Lord Deokseong and fight off the Yuan, Your Majesty!" And now he starts crying and wailing so much that it's almost embarrassing.
Noguk is resolute. "I told you, I shan't be swayed. Write a petition to the King. To behead Lord Deokseong and restore Goryeo's dignity."
"Did his Majesty treat you badly?" Pyeonjo is finally lucid again and Choseon wants to know what happened.
"Father," Noguk thinks to herself, "Forgive me. We shall meet in the netherworld where I'll ask for forgiveness."
Pyeonjo has told Choseon the significance of the wet robe he's been carrying around all bundled up. It surprises her. "I can't imagine His Majesty sleeping under the tattered clothes you covered him with." But it looks like he doesn't even hear her, he's so consumed by anger.
Now the QD is telling Lee Je Hyeon that rulers need to have multiple consorts to produce as many potential heirs as possible. "Just have trust in me and wait," she tells him, and don't marry Hyebi off just yet. Poor Hyebi standing there through all of this, just looking down at the ground, you have to feel sorry for her being shopped around like a piece of meat. She seems like a decent sort; certainly deserves better than this.
The king is trying to put yesterday's unpleasantness with his wife behind him. It's still there--you can sense it in his discomfort now that he's alone with her--but he's not about to bring it up again. He even deflects it when she tries to apologize. But then she tries again to apologize, and it sets him off. "I've decided not to waste time waiting for your compliments," he barks at her; and now all of a sudden he's angry again and explaining himself about exiling rather than killing Gi Cheol. But she stays calm and says what she needs to say. "What I did was wrong, Your Majesty. I just said things without thinking about it." (Which is true; she didn't.) But now he's muttering about how he has no one to trust, and how he senses his subjects scheming all around him. And wonders which of them poisoned his nephew (a crime that hasn't been solved yet) and which of them are "acting as Empress Gi's ears," and how having to trust these people to help fight the Yuan, it "sends chills of fright down my spine." And then adds, "If you even look at me and tell me I did wrong, how can I find the strength to lead this country?" Well he had just said he wasn't going to worry about what she said, but obviously she means the world to him, doesn't she. Maybe she understands that better now, because she's reduced to tears and humbly asks, "What can I do to earn your forgiveness?"
Word of this has gotten back to the QD somehow, and she's glad to hear that the queen is acting a little more humble. "She's finally growing up, I see." Sheesh.
Princess Deoknyeong shares some tea with Noguk. Reminds her that Yuan princesses have always had it difficult in Goryeo (which really is sort of a detour; Noguk's mistake was just misplaced criticism and nothing political). Deoknyeong, of course, is a Mongol woman just like Noguk, and makes a point of telling Noguk, "I can't abandon my motherland." (Uh-oh; remember that Empress Gi sent her here to keep an eye on Noguk; is she playing lobbyist here?) Noguk firmly answers, "I did." Deoknyeong reminds her that if Gi Cheol is executed, Empress Gi will certainly execute her father in retaliation. But the queen is unswayed by that; he's a man of strong principles, she says, and wouldn't want me to act any differently.
Yanjing: "I hereby proclaim Ayushiridara as the Crown Prince. Just as you do for me, pledge your allegiance to him!" Emperor Shundi makes it official, in front of a few dozen of his subordinates in his throne room. They all shout hurrahs and bow down before the boy--all except the King of Wei, who just stands there. Seems like a very foolish time to be taking a stand like that (Literally!), but he shocks the emperor by standing there like a statue. And then REALLY shocks him by telling him, "There is only one Crown Prince of the Yuan Empire. And that is Prince Qunluan." He tells Shundi that Qunluan is 100 percent Mongol blood so he should be the one...but he's dragged away by guards before he can say anything more. Empress Gi smiles at the sight of a perceived political rival being hauled off to prison. But isn't she losing a huge bargaining chip? Maybe this isn't so good for her...
...No, wait, later she tells Commissioner Park, "We can't kill him now. First, I shall save my brother." Yeah, of course she gets it. Then asks Park about Prince Deokheung, who's the third son of King Chungseon (the 26th king, and Gongmin's grandfather--which I guess makes him Gongmin's uncle). Apparently the guy is alive and well somewhere, and she wants to meet him.
So Park goes and tracks him down. And we meet him, along with an associate of his named Choi Yu. Interestingly, Gi Ryun is there as well. "I have no interest in politics," the prince says firmly, even as the other two make clear to him that he can be handed the Goryeo throne if he goes along with their plan. Not interested; not at all...but then Choi starts getting angry and Deokheung immediately folds. I'll do whatever you say, he tells them, "so you take care of things." He's not a very impressive person, at least not in the sense of having any fire or ambition or drive, not at all. Park listens to all this and just sort of shakes his head in disgust (very funny).
Ganghwa Island: There's Gi Cheol, in prisoner's white. Throwing a tantrum because the food isn't to his liking.
"He's not cut out for it?" Park returns to the empress with a frank assessment of the seemingly spineless prince he's just met. And suggests that at this point it may be difficult to replace Gongmin with anybody, and that it might be better to just settle the whole situation and make peace with him instead. The empress isn't comfortable with that--"That could turn a scaredy cat into a jaunty tiger"--but he has a suggestion. Have a celebratory feast of friendship in Goryeo to allow the new crown prince to meet his Goryean grandmother (that's mother Gi; remember that Ayushiridara is Empress Gi's son). And protocol says that Gi Cheol would have to be there, as the family's eldest son. Which Cheol can't do if he's exiled. "That's a brilliant idea," she tells him with a big smile, certain that the Goryeans will have to bring Gi Cheol back from exile for an event like that. (Note: Subtitling tells us that this feast actually did happen in real history, in August of 1353. Supposedly the event was titled "Barachalyeon." Unfortunately Google turns up nothing for it.)
Another meal is left for Gi Cheol--and this time the server and even the guards scatter before he can let loose with another temper tantrum. Which he does. And then wallows in self-pity.
"We have nothing to sell." What's this? On a market street in the capital, Pyeonjo has come across a store that's shutting its doors. Wait a minute--this is Choseon's tea store! Or one of them, at least (not sure how many storefronts she has).
So he goes and asks her about it. "The clans who own the tea fields refuse to give us the harvest, and are keeping everything inside their warehouses. So we're forced to close up shop." Yeah, that would explain it. It's a scheme to raise prices, she says. Pyeonjo suggests going to the Yuan as an alternative; apparently there are tea fields all over the place up there. But Choseon says that's not practical, because doing so requires government consent--"and the only one able to give us that consent is Lord Deokseong." Ugh! But she's not overly concerned, at least not for the short term; people won't starve without tea and they can do without it for a little while. (Very magnanimous of her to think of it that way.) Pyeonjo says he'll mention it to the king the next time he sees him, and see if he can get it approved somehow.
And now look who's waiting for Pyeonjo this evening: Eunuch Choi. Time to visit the king again.
Later, Choseon's lead subordinate goes to her and says he's worried about the Pyeonjo/king situation. Thinks Pyeonjo might spill what he knows about them. "Before it's too late..." he says, meaning, let's kill him now. But she has more faith in them than that. And besides, maybe he really can do something about this tea situation.
Now the guy is back home--I think this is his home--and he's with that woman who was acting as Ban Ya's nanny; maybe she's his wife? Tells her he thinks Choseon is trusting Pyeonjo too much. And adds, "The way she's looking at him, it's not your ordinary gaze." A-ha! So he sees it too. But the woman has a strange perspective: "Then that's even better." As in, "This family line will be broken" if those two end up together. Especially with her brother Jihyo becoming a monk. It would guarantee no more "pure" heirs. But why is this a concern of theirs, that they would want to see the family line broken? We don't know yet.
Left alone, Choseon's thoughts drift back to Pyeonjo. Yeah, she's a smitten kitten.
Pyeonjo enters the palace, in time to overhear a conversation Gongmin is having with the royal inspector we recently met, Kim Won Myeong. "Why are you befriending such a miserable specimen?", Kim asks. So Gongmin goes off on a long, rambling answer about having to confront the Yuan without having full trust in his government officials. "The only thing I can trust," he says, finally getting to the point, "are my people." I need their approval and support; their will is heaven's will. At that Pyeonjo beams proudly, and bows in a silent prayer of thanks; he's reassured that his faith in his friend is fully justified. Gongmin's point is that Pyeonjo is someone from among the people and someone he trusts. So Kim suggests, "If you consider that man so important, you can give him a small position, and have him work next to you." Which Gongmin says he can't do. And to our shock, it's not because he's the son of a slave, which he had told his wife is the reason, but rather because he's "way too dangerous"! Huh? "The world that man wishes to see is completely different from the world I want to create." I want a Goryeo ruled by its own king, he says, while Pyeonjo...Gongmin chuckles. "He'll make a world where lowborns dance on the streets? That's a world without rulers, then, isn't it?" And now the smile is gone from Pyeonjo's face, and he looks angry. "All I want to make," Gongmin continues, "is a world where the people don't have to suffer. That kind of peace and prosperity." At that, Pyeonjo turns to leave. And as he does, hears Gongmin laugh again. "Friend? How could I befriend a man like that?" Okay, now it's all starting to sound like baloney. Maybe Gongmin is just trying to keep the inspector from perceiving Pyeonjo as potentially threatening, as though Kim might do something sinister if he did. But Pyeonjo doesn't see it that way. He looks bitterly, deeply wounded. And to add insult to injury, sitting there on the ground outside the building he finds the plain robe he was wearing last time he visited the very drunk Gongmin. Pyeonjo had covered him with it to keep him warm after he passed out, but now all that's left of that kind gesture is the robe sitting there getting all dirty on the ground, and now wet because it's starting to rain heavily.
Now he's gone, and Gongmin is outside his front door wondering what happened to him...
...but Pyeonjo has left and is walking home in the rain, clutching the robe he found.
Concurrently: Noguk is pleased with the news that her husband met with Pyeonjo (the other day; Eunuch An just told her). She remembers the frank and straightforward advice he gave Gongmin when they were still in Yanjing. And the advice he gave her in Yanjing about how she should learn about Goryeo and its people as the way to her husband's heart. "He's a man with no greed," she tells Eunuch An, "so he'll become a precious friend to His Majesty." She's very happy with the prospect.
Pyeonjo has made his way to the royal temple in the capital. In the dark, rainy night he's all alone out there. He falls to his knees and screams, crushed by Gongmin's words from earlier. He goes inside the temple and calms down a little...temporarily. But then starts to cry.
"A ceremonial feast?" Lee In Bok is still in Yanjing, head still intact, meeting with the empress a second time. And he's just had this surprise dropped on him. The empress really pitches it: "the King of Goryeo's reputation shall touch the sky" if Goryeo, among all of the Yuan vassal states, gets to hold this feast.
It's left to Park, afterwards, to deliver the kicker: "The eldest son of the Gi family shall greet His Highness." Lee doesn't like that one bit and gives Park a message to relay to her: "If she really wishes to save her brother, tell her to bring him back to Yanjing and make sure he behaves properly." But Park has his own message for Lee to give to his king: if Cheol isn't freed, then the queen's father, "who's imprisoned for disloyalty to His Highness, shall not escape alive." That's too much for Lee; finally he loses his cool and yells at Park. And then storms off.
Choseon has come to the royal temple complex, where her brother is. She got word that Pyeonjo ended up here, apparently pretty messed up, and she's concerned about him. Jihyo doesn't show much compassion for Pyeonjo, and she doesn't like that about him. Some lingering tension between the two siblings, which we've seen before. Anyway, she goes into a room and finds Pyeonjo sleeping. Looks like he's perspiring from a fever he contracted from being outside in the rain last night.
Master Bou has just been officially named "Royal Preceptor" (like the official palace monk). He's before the king; the QD and the queen are also there. The QD set this up, remember. And she makes no hesitation about asking Bou, "Pray for Her Majesty's pregnancy. I'm so worried I'm losing sleep over it."
Afterwards, she tells Noguk not to be upset by what she said. It's simply "every mother-in-law's prime desire." Yeah, whatever, you old battleaxe. Noguk tolerates all of this without voicing any complaint. Probably because the QD does have a legitimate point about producing heirs, even if she's being obnoxious about it.
Bou is still with Gongmin and now lobbies for support for Buddhist institutions as the way to win the people's favor. Gongmin says he'll think about it.
Bou returns to the royal temple and accepts the congratulations of his fellow monks.
Pyeonjo wakes up, but he's really got a nasty bug in him. He's surprised to find Choseon tending to him...but too wiped out to care much.
Gaetae Temple: Deokun is totally bent out of shape that Master Wolseon wasn't picked to be Royal Preceptor. Wolseon tells him it's a ridiculous idea, and even starts throwing things at him (to the point where a wooden block leaves a nasty gash in his head). But you wonder if he doesn't feel slighted. Won Hyeon happens to be there, cleaning the floor. Won wants to go back to his friend Pyeonjo, but Wolseon doesn't seem too eager to allow that any time soon.
Gi Ryun excitedly tells his mother about Ayushiridara's just-announced visit to their home. "We're safe now!", she says. And is sure this means imminent good news about her son Cheol.
Lee In Bok has returned home, and tells Gongmin about the ceremonial feast. It's a Yuan custom, he adds, for when "a prosperous event" happens, and the boy being named crown prince would certainly qualify. And he's not fooled at all: "Empress Gi is using that as a pretext for Lord Deokseong to be freed from exile." "How are you going to cope with this?" Well come on, Lee, give Gongmin time to digest this....
Gi Ryun visits his brother on Ganghwa Island and gives him the good news. Cheol is understandably ecstatic; says he had given up on his sister being able to help him. But he's not too happy to still be bitter. "Let's see who sits on that throne," he adds, "when this is over!"
Now Lee In Bok has told an informal gathering of the Council about the feast. Yeom Je Shin, with his unique way of looking at things, laughs like crazy and says this is actually a very good sign--that Empress Gi is showing a lot of respect for Gongmin by trying to engineer her brother's release quietly and indirectly like this, rather than by simply sending envoys and demanding it. And he tells Jung Se Woon to just go ahead and release Cheol. Jung flatly refuses, so Yeom tries to convince him: "Shouldn't you think about Empress Gi's reputation as well?" And adds, "What if they send an army to invade us?" But Jung won't budge. In fact...
...Jung goes right to Gongmin's office and falls to his knees outside the front door. "Your Majesty!", he cries out. "Slay that impudent Lord Deokseong right now, and stop the ceremonial feast from happening! Show the world Goryeo is no longer a vassal of the Yuan!" Gongmin is inside, already frustrated by the situation and now getting visibly angrier.
Lee In Bok goes to see the queen. Wonder why?
Jung is still at it, and Gongmin is almost ballistic with frustration. "Issue orders to kill Lord Deokseong right now! I shall run to Ganghwa Island, and bring you back his head on a platter!"
Reluctantly, Lee In Bok tells the queen that her father is in prison "on the pretext that he opposed Ayushiridara's proclamation." (Obviously he doesn't know it, but that's no pretext.) And that if Gi Cheol isn't freed, well...But this doesn't rattle the queen. In fact, when Lee tells her that he hasn't told the king about her father's situation yet, she asks him not to tell the king at all. She doesn't want it influencing his decisions. And even tells Lee to tell the king she wants to see Cheol beheaded before the new crown prince even gets to Goryeo! She's not going to let her father's peril affect what she thinks is in Goryeo's best interests.
Gongmin's office doors are opened wide to reveal Jung Se Woon kneeling there. "Why aren't you speaking to me, Your Majesty?!" (Uh, maybe because you're outside there bellowing and didn't just ask to come in? Sheesh!) Issue the order, he begs. "We shouldn't endure any more humiliation because of the Yuan! Even if the Yuan trample on all our mountains and streams! Behead Lord Deokseong and fight off the Yuan, Your Majesty!" And now he starts crying and wailing so much that it's almost embarrassing.
Noguk is resolute. "I told you, I shan't be swayed. Write a petition to the King. To behead Lord Deokseong and restore Goryeo's dignity."
"Did his Majesty treat you badly?" Pyeonjo is finally lucid again and Choseon wants to know what happened.
"Father," Noguk thinks to herself, "Forgive me. We shall meet in the netherworld where I'll ask for forgiveness."
Pyeonjo has told Choseon the significance of the wet robe he's been carrying around all bundled up. It surprises her. "I can't imagine His Majesty sleeping under the tattered clothes you covered him with." But it looks like he doesn't even hear her, he's so consumed by anger.