Post by ajk on Apr 15, 2014 21:47:11 GMT -5
Choi tells Lee to go home and show up tomorrow morning for an interrogation. Lee is unrepentant and tells JD he made a big mistake tonight. But back home, he doesn't look so confident any more; in fact he starts smashing things in a fit of rage. He tells his nephew Ha Ryun to go get the king and bring him here (!?!) so he can get him to stop the interrogation. Ha goes to the king and the king says he'll be there, but seems oddly hesitant....Hours pass and still no king. Tells Ha to go again--screams like crazy at him--but then a eunuch brings Lee the message that the king "suddenly fell ill" and they'll meet later. Lee decides he'll have to head to the palace himself, despite the danger of being seen.
Seonggye looks more upbeat than we've seen him in a long time. Choi came to his house and says he's sorry for resisting him. They both agree that Seonggye is lucky to have JD helping him. And then Choi returns Seonggye's resignation letter to him. Unaccepted, of course.
Lee's gama reaches the palace gate--and it's refused entry! By royal order!
JD goes to the stables and thanks Nam Eun (rightfully) for his help. But Nam says he's just glad he could help catch Lee In Im. Then Nam offers him a piece of advice, about that monster-killing-Goryeo plan JD has: Don't rely on Choi; Seonggye is better because "he doesn't owe Goryeo anything." Little does Nam know....but JD surprises him by taking him right to Seonggye's house to meet him. In introducing him, we learned that Nam passed the state examination, and is known for his martial arts skills (okay, that explains him taking out the bodyguard), and has his current lousy job "because he doesn't have any connections." Then Bangwon enters with news of In Im being denied entry, and that Lee is heading to Choi's house.
It must be around 4 a.m. by now. Choi finally reaches his house, looking very tired. But Lee In Im is waiting for him. Wants to talk..but Choi snubs him and goes inside. So Lee stands there outside and loudly explains why he did what he did and proceeds to trash Seonggye for deceiving him. But who cares at this point. Certainly not Choi. "Don't trust him," Lee urges; he can't protect the country with you; only I can. More and more desperate, but Choi has his servants drag him off the premises and he goes to sleep. By now it's nearly dawn...but Lee decides he'll go to JD's house and work things out. Like JD can do anything about it now? But guess what; JD shows up right there outside Choi's house. Lee tells him not to trust Seonggye, and offers JD a fortune if he'll help get him out of this...but guess what, it's too late now. Seonggye has shown up with troops to take him to be interrogated. And he learns that JD was always on Seonggye's side. "I guess I lost, then," he says, now chucking a little in amusement. "I didn't even know my enemy's follower." Not a subordinate, Seonggye corrects; a friend. And with that Lee starts walking himself straight to the royal prison, no force necessary.
A very short time jump. Mongju brings his fellow scholars of new personnel appointments. Lee Saek has been named finance minister. Saek isn't exactly thrilled but says he'll consider it. And what about JD? Narration tells us he was named daesaseong (headmaster of the academy--I guess he took Lee Saek's job), with a promotion in rank. But with Choi named chancellor and Seonggye named vice chancellor, military men held the power in the council.
Seonggye hosts a dinner to thank JD and Mongju for their support. And we learn the latest on Lee In Im: sounds like the decision is exile rather than death. Which Seonggye seems perfectly okay with. Then JD offers him a piece of policy advice: use Im's and Yeom's seized assets to feed the people and help them survive the famine. And then Mongju offers him his own advice: "Loyalty to the country, that's my wish." It's presented elegantly and Mongju looks very pleased with himself...but JD doesn't look too comfortable about it and Seonggye has to hide his extreme discomfort.
Lady Kang has looked much happier lately, understandably. But then she takes Bangwon aside and asks him why he isn't entering politics, especially now that dad is the vice chancellor. He has no interest in politics, he says, and talks rudely to her, but then apologizes. Don't brood or put up walls inside yourself, she urges, but now he's had enough. You're not my real mother, he tells her, so if you care about me then "Just let go of me." Lots of tension between those two.
Seonggye and JD are outside now. He's annoyed by what happened inside and tells JD to forget about that "great cause" and focus on fixing this government. JD still has his vision and argues for it, and tells Seonggye he will help--by waiting for Seonggye to come around to his point of view. Seonggye goes inside...and Bangwon steps out of the shadows. He was outside and heard the whole thing. "It was a revolution. That was the great cause." And Bangwon's all for it. Tells JD to keep trying to convince his father. But JD says no, only the government's inevitable failure will do that. So just keep this quiet for now, he warns, "or I will kill you."
A few days later: Lee In Im, bound and in prisoner's white, is in a cage and being taken to exile. A big crowd lines the streets. The public is civil but grumbling at him. And there's that Yun Sojong guy, complaining that this is like a vacation for Lee. "He should have his arms and legs ripped off." Later, out in the countryside, as the guards stop and rest to eat their lunch, Lee gets a visitor. JD had followed along behind. "You came to see me off when I was exiled," he tells Lee; "I thought I should do the same. I came to say goodbye." Lee laughs. But it's not a friendly goodbye. JD warns him not to take any interest in politics any more. Or? "I will poison your food and send an assassin every night. If you want to save your pathetic life, cut off all ties with this world." Lee chuckles. This vitriol coming from a Confucian scholar? Lee smiles. "Don't you know a person who leaves always returns? I will be back." JD bids him farewell...and we watch the cage head into the distance.
The council ministers are discussing the Ming situation. They're continuing to agitate things up north and acting suspiciously. Choi doesn't like it and wants to send an army. But everyone else urges patience and favors sending an envoy. Then word arrives that an envoy who went to Ming to acknowledge the emperor's birthday has just returned...and he's brought an imperial edict. Uh-oh...
So they head right to the council hall where the edict is read in front of the king. It's very blunt. "The land north of Cheollyeong was ruled by Yuan. I am going to revert it to Yodong. You will accept this order." That's the territory that King Gongmin recovered from the Yuan after losing it. Now Ming wants it. Choi is furious and implores the king for a royal order to raise an army so he can lead it personally and attack Ming. Not one other person in the room looks comfortable with that. Particularly not the king.
Seonggye looks more upbeat than we've seen him in a long time. Choi came to his house and says he's sorry for resisting him. They both agree that Seonggye is lucky to have JD helping him. And then Choi returns Seonggye's resignation letter to him. Unaccepted, of course.
Lee's gama reaches the palace gate--and it's refused entry! By royal order!
JD goes to the stables and thanks Nam Eun (rightfully) for his help. But Nam says he's just glad he could help catch Lee In Im. Then Nam offers him a piece of advice, about that monster-killing-Goryeo plan JD has: Don't rely on Choi; Seonggye is better because "he doesn't owe Goryeo anything." Little does Nam know....but JD surprises him by taking him right to Seonggye's house to meet him. In introducing him, we learned that Nam passed the state examination, and is known for his martial arts skills (okay, that explains him taking out the bodyguard), and has his current lousy job "because he doesn't have any connections." Then Bangwon enters with news of In Im being denied entry, and that Lee is heading to Choi's house.
It must be around 4 a.m. by now. Choi finally reaches his house, looking very tired. But Lee In Im is waiting for him. Wants to talk..but Choi snubs him and goes inside. So Lee stands there outside and loudly explains why he did what he did and proceeds to trash Seonggye for deceiving him. But who cares at this point. Certainly not Choi. "Don't trust him," Lee urges; he can't protect the country with you; only I can. More and more desperate, but Choi has his servants drag him off the premises and he goes to sleep. By now it's nearly dawn...but Lee decides he'll go to JD's house and work things out. Like JD can do anything about it now? But guess what; JD shows up right there outside Choi's house. Lee tells him not to trust Seonggye, and offers JD a fortune if he'll help get him out of this...but guess what, it's too late now. Seonggye has shown up with troops to take him to be interrogated. And he learns that JD was always on Seonggye's side. "I guess I lost, then," he says, now chucking a little in amusement. "I didn't even know my enemy's follower." Not a subordinate, Seonggye corrects; a friend. And with that Lee starts walking himself straight to the royal prison, no force necessary.
A very short time jump. Mongju brings his fellow scholars of new personnel appointments. Lee Saek has been named finance minister. Saek isn't exactly thrilled but says he'll consider it. And what about JD? Narration tells us he was named daesaseong (headmaster of the academy--I guess he took Lee Saek's job), with a promotion in rank. But with Choi named chancellor and Seonggye named vice chancellor, military men held the power in the council.
Seonggye hosts a dinner to thank JD and Mongju for their support. And we learn the latest on Lee In Im: sounds like the decision is exile rather than death. Which Seonggye seems perfectly okay with. Then JD offers him a piece of policy advice: use Im's and Yeom's seized assets to feed the people and help them survive the famine. And then Mongju offers him his own advice: "Loyalty to the country, that's my wish." It's presented elegantly and Mongju looks very pleased with himself...but JD doesn't look too comfortable about it and Seonggye has to hide his extreme discomfort.
Lady Kang has looked much happier lately, understandably. But then she takes Bangwon aside and asks him why he isn't entering politics, especially now that dad is the vice chancellor. He has no interest in politics, he says, and talks rudely to her, but then apologizes. Don't brood or put up walls inside yourself, she urges, but now he's had enough. You're not my real mother, he tells her, so if you care about me then "Just let go of me." Lots of tension between those two.
Seonggye and JD are outside now. He's annoyed by what happened inside and tells JD to forget about that "great cause" and focus on fixing this government. JD still has his vision and argues for it, and tells Seonggye he will help--by waiting for Seonggye to come around to his point of view. Seonggye goes inside...and Bangwon steps out of the shadows. He was outside and heard the whole thing. "It was a revolution. That was the great cause." And Bangwon's all for it. Tells JD to keep trying to convince his father. But JD says no, only the government's inevitable failure will do that. So just keep this quiet for now, he warns, "or I will kill you."
A few days later: Lee In Im, bound and in prisoner's white, is in a cage and being taken to exile. A big crowd lines the streets. The public is civil but grumbling at him. And there's that Yun Sojong guy, complaining that this is like a vacation for Lee. "He should have his arms and legs ripped off." Later, out in the countryside, as the guards stop and rest to eat their lunch, Lee gets a visitor. JD had followed along behind. "You came to see me off when I was exiled," he tells Lee; "I thought I should do the same. I came to say goodbye." Lee laughs. But it's not a friendly goodbye. JD warns him not to take any interest in politics any more. Or? "I will poison your food and send an assassin every night. If you want to save your pathetic life, cut off all ties with this world." Lee chuckles. This vitriol coming from a Confucian scholar? Lee smiles. "Don't you know a person who leaves always returns? I will be back." JD bids him farewell...and we watch the cage head into the distance.
The council ministers are discussing the Ming situation. They're continuing to agitate things up north and acting suspiciously. Choi doesn't like it and wants to send an army. But everyone else urges patience and favors sending an envoy. Then word arrives that an envoy who went to Ming to acknowledge the emperor's birthday has just returned...and he's brought an imperial edict. Uh-oh...
So they head right to the council hall where the edict is read in front of the king. It's very blunt. "The land north of Cheollyeong was ruled by Yuan. I am going to revert it to Yodong. You will accept this order." That's the territory that King Gongmin recovered from the Yuan after losing it. Now Ming wants it. Choi is furious and implores the king for a royal order to raise an army so he can lead it personally and attack Ming. Not one other person in the room looks comfortable with that. Particularly not the king.
