Post by ajk on Apr 27, 2014 21:19:11 GMT -5
Lee In Im has it all figured out for Jo Minsu. "The minute you crown him king," he says, talking about the crown prince, "he will forget about revenge." Revenge against Jo, that is...but he'll still hate Seonggye for what happened. And Lee reminds Jo that Seonggye turned on him (Lee), and then turned on Choi Yeong...as in, you're next. Support the crown prince, Lee urges; it's the only way you'll survive.
The generals discuss the choice of Wang Yo to be king. They're okay with it...But then Jo says he wants to think about it, which surprises them. Nam Eun senses what's going on: asks Jo, You're not considering the crown prince are you? Suddenly the tension in the room rises, and Jo buckles and says Okay, do what you want. And so the generals all go to Jeongbi, who's the queen dowager and has to issue the royal order naming the next king. They nominate Wang Yo and very calmly and honestly explain why they can't support the crown prince. Afterwards, Nam remains suspicious and tells JD that "It went too smoothly."
Evening: Seonggye is at home resting. Gets news that Jeongbi approved Wang Yo, which he should be happy about...but he's not going to rest easily just yet. "Many people in the palace will be crying tonight."
Still evening: JD asks for and gets a meeting with that old guy he encountered the other day, Jo Jun. We learn that he's a scholar and used to work in government but is retired now. There's an elaborate map on the wall at Jo's house and eventually, reluctantly, Jo explains that it tracks land ownership: government land, land owned by small farmers, and land belonging to influential clans. It shows that the clans have the biggest share by far...and it's growing. Jo thinks this is terrible for the country; he's seen good citizens lose their land and end up becoming bandits to survive. JD is impressed with the guy; he's from an influential family but he spends his time these days trying to help people who lost their lands to influential families. Jo blames the country's land-ownership laws for what's gradually happened. So JD pitches an idea he calls Gyeminsujeon: seizing all of the private land and allocating it based on population, so that everyone can work their own crops and without landowner or tenant farmers. It's a radical idea and JD asks Jo if he wants to help try to implement it. But "You have to be prepared to give your life" because it will mean a tough and dangerous fight against the influential clans.
Still evening: JD goes home and finds Mongju waiting for him. Mongju has calmed down after that contentious meeting...and tells JD he wants to end all the strife now. He's sick of the ugliness he's seen first-hand in the government, and says "I am going to help Lee Seonggye and seek politics of harmony." And hopes for "a peaceful reign of a new king." He looks very much at peace now; very relieved.
Still evening (wow, busy evening!): Lee Saek visits the queen, who's crying and freaking out because her son won't become the king. She tearfully asks Lee to convince the scholars to help her. Lee goes home, and soon a guest arrives: Jo Minsu. Well this is getting interesting, isn't it....
Next morning: Everybody's headed to the council hall for the installation announcement. Jeongbi is so unhappy she doesn't even want to go. Seonggye doesn't particularly want to go either. "I feel like a traitor today," he tells JD. And now look at this: Nam Eun has brought soldiers to guard the queen! So she and her son don't go anywhere near the hall. You have to stay home, he tells her.
Now the ceremony. Seonggye formally returns the symbolic axe of military power to Jeongbi. And asks for the royal order confirming Wang Yo. Jeongbi reaches for the royal seal..."Your highness, you can't do that. The crown prince must take the throne." Lee Saek! Barges into the room and starts going crazy, arguing for the crown prince. Then Jo Minsu pipes in. "The generals of the Left Army thought about this a lot. We believe the crown prince should take the throne." Doink! Now nobody knows what to do...until the queen and crown prince walk in! (How'd they get past the guards? Ugh.) Jeongbi, as sympathetic as she obviously is, has to tell the queen she doesn't belong here and has to leave. But the queen turns to the generals and begs them on her son's behalf. So...Jeongbi's going to take a majority vote! Right then and there....
Meanwhile, Jo Jun goes to see JD and challenges him. "Whether or not we like it, Goryeo is a country of nobility." So what happens when you strip the nobles of their land and take their power away? If you want my help, Jo tells JD, convince me you've thought this through and have the big picture. But this discussion goes no further because Bangwon runs in with the news: Wang Yo just lost out to the crown prince. JD never saw this coming. He's totally stunned.
Afterwards, Jo is confronted by furious Left Army generals. And JD goes to confront Lee Saek. Nasty argument about whose choice was the more "just." And then JD argues the crown prince is nine years old and not qualified (the first time we've heard that argument from anybody).
That evening: The queen receives Jo Minsu and thanks him. Asks him to take care of her son just like Lee In Im did in the past. Oh, and Jo hands her a letter from Lee, which she reads eagerly....
Narration tells us that the new King Chang was installed in June 1388, and that Jo Minsu got a big promotion, controlling military power over nearly the whole country, while Lee Seonggye was reduced to commander of Dongbukmyeon.
Next day: Seonggye is sitting at home, looking dazed and refusing to accept visitors. "Why would I be angry?," he tells his wife. "I wondered if I was being a traitor. I feel better now." Well it sure doesn't seem that way, from the way he sounds. Later he and Jiran go out hunting and goofing around.
News: Jo Minsu and Lee Saek have lifted the exiles of Ha Ryun (who we didn't know was exiled) and Park Sunjin. Park, okay, his was unfair, but Ha was Lee In Im's nephew and right-hand man. And we learn that Jo Minsu is loading up the Supreme Council with cronies from the influential families. So much for progress.
Seonggye rushes home from hunting after getting word that Choi Yeong's exile has been moved to Hwapo Island...which apparently is a very harsh place for anyone to be exiled to, especially an old man. Seonggye goes to Jo Minsu and is as angry as we've ever seen him. (We learn that Choi was tortured during his interrogation before exile.) Jo argues that the Ming Emperor would want to see Choi treated harshly...and that they have to care what he thinks, so that the new king will be approved. And he runs out of the room before Seonggye can say anything more.
Ha Ryun goes to visit his uncle, who's in considerably better health these days. Tells Ha that "It's all because of this." And pulls out a small box--the box we saw him eat the live maggots out of. Thankfully he doesn't open it. "I will be returning with full energy," he tells Ha. Returning? A coy smile from Lee.
Seonggye goes to the new king to ask for mercy for Choi Yeong. The king's mother is there, serving as regent, and of course she chews out Seonggye and tells him to go away. So guess what--he resigns! Says he has an illness and "I can't maintain my position in court." The king doesn't look very happy about this...but doesn't say or do anything to stop it.
As Ha Ryun departs, Lee In Im leaves him with one last bit of advice: "Beware of Jeong Dojeon." I'll avoid him, Ha assures his uncle, and walks away. But then from the other direction: "That will be a bit difficult." Surprise--JD is here. Here to confront In Im, because he figured that Jo Minsu wasn't smart enough to engineer everything that happened and is certain that Lee is behind it all. "I told you to cut off ties to the world and stay out of state affairs," he says angrily. "I said I'd kill you if you didn't. Write a will when you have time. I will not be generous anymore."
The generals discuss the choice of Wang Yo to be king. They're okay with it...But then Jo says he wants to think about it, which surprises them. Nam Eun senses what's going on: asks Jo, You're not considering the crown prince are you? Suddenly the tension in the room rises, and Jo buckles and says Okay, do what you want. And so the generals all go to Jeongbi, who's the queen dowager and has to issue the royal order naming the next king. They nominate Wang Yo and very calmly and honestly explain why they can't support the crown prince. Afterwards, Nam remains suspicious and tells JD that "It went too smoothly."
Evening: Seonggye is at home resting. Gets news that Jeongbi approved Wang Yo, which he should be happy about...but he's not going to rest easily just yet. "Many people in the palace will be crying tonight."
Still evening: JD asks for and gets a meeting with that old guy he encountered the other day, Jo Jun. We learn that he's a scholar and used to work in government but is retired now. There's an elaborate map on the wall at Jo's house and eventually, reluctantly, Jo explains that it tracks land ownership: government land, land owned by small farmers, and land belonging to influential clans. It shows that the clans have the biggest share by far...and it's growing. Jo thinks this is terrible for the country; he's seen good citizens lose their land and end up becoming bandits to survive. JD is impressed with the guy; he's from an influential family but he spends his time these days trying to help people who lost their lands to influential families. Jo blames the country's land-ownership laws for what's gradually happened. So JD pitches an idea he calls Gyeminsujeon: seizing all of the private land and allocating it based on population, so that everyone can work their own crops and without landowner or tenant farmers. It's a radical idea and JD asks Jo if he wants to help try to implement it. But "You have to be prepared to give your life" because it will mean a tough and dangerous fight against the influential clans.
Still evening: JD goes home and finds Mongju waiting for him. Mongju has calmed down after that contentious meeting...and tells JD he wants to end all the strife now. He's sick of the ugliness he's seen first-hand in the government, and says "I am going to help Lee Seonggye and seek politics of harmony." And hopes for "a peaceful reign of a new king." He looks very much at peace now; very relieved.
Still evening (wow, busy evening!): Lee Saek visits the queen, who's crying and freaking out because her son won't become the king. She tearfully asks Lee to convince the scholars to help her. Lee goes home, and soon a guest arrives: Jo Minsu. Well this is getting interesting, isn't it....
Next morning: Everybody's headed to the council hall for the installation announcement. Jeongbi is so unhappy she doesn't even want to go. Seonggye doesn't particularly want to go either. "I feel like a traitor today," he tells JD. And now look at this: Nam Eun has brought soldiers to guard the queen! So she and her son don't go anywhere near the hall. You have to stay home, he tells her.
Now the ceremony. Seonggye formally returns the symbolic axe of military power to Jeongbi. And asks for the royal order confirming Wang Yo. Jeongbi reaches for the royal seal..."Your highness, you can't do that. The crown prince must take the throne." Lee Saek! Barges into the room and starts going crazy, arguing for the crown prince. Then Jo Minsu pipes in. "The generals of the Left Army thought about this a lot. We believe the crown prince should take the throne." Doink! Now nobody knows what to do...until the queen and crown prince walk in! (How'd they get past the guards? Ugh.) Jeongbi, as sympathetic as she obviously is, has to tell the queen she doesn't belong here and has to leave. But the queen turns to the generals and begs them on her son's behalf. So...Jeongbi's going to take a majority vote! Right then and there....
Meanwhile, Jo Jun goes to see JD and challenges him. "Whether or not we like it, Goryeo is a country of nobility." So what happens when you strip the nobles of their land and take their power away? If you want my help, Jo tells JD, convince me you've thought this through and have the big picture. But this discussion goes no further because Bangwon runs in with the news: Wang Yo just lost out to the crown prince. JD never saw this coming. He's totally stunned.
Afterwards, Jo is confronted by furious Left Army generals. And JD goes to confront Lee Saek. Nasty argument about whose choice was the more "just." And then JD argues the crown prince is nine years old and not qualified (the first time we've heard that argument from anybody).
That evening: The queen receives Jo Minsu and thanks him. Asks him to take care of her son just like Lee In Im did in the past. Oh, and Jo hands her a letter from Lee, which she reads eagerly....
Narration tells us that the new King Chang was installed in June 1388, and that Jo Minsu got a big promotion, controlling military power over nearly the whole country, while Lee Seonggye was reduced to commander of Dongbukmyeon.
Next day: Seonggye is sitting at home, looking dazed and refusing to accept visitors. "Why would I be angry?," he tells his wife. "I wondered if I was being a traitor. I feel better now." Well it sure doesn't seem that way, from the way he sounds. Later he and Jiran go out hunting and goofing around.
News: Jo Minsu and Lee Saek have lifted the exiles of Ha Ryun (who we didn't know was exiled) and Park Sunjin. Park, okay, his was unfair, but Ha was Lee In Im's nephew and right-hand man. And we learn that Jo Minsu is loading up the Supreme Council with cronies from the influential families. So much for progress.
Seonggye rushes home from hunting after getting word that Choi Yeong's exile has been moved to Hwapo Island...which apparently is a very harsh place for anyone to be exiled to, especially an old man. Seonggye goes to Jo Minsu and is as angry as we've ever seen him. (We learn that Choi was tortured during his interrogation before exile.) Jo argues that the Ming Emperor would want to see Choi treated harshly...and that they have to care what he thinks, so that the new king will be approved. And he runs out of the room before Seonggye can say anything more.
Ha Ryun goes to visit his uncle, who's in considerably better health these days. Tells Ha that "It's all because of this." And pulls out a small box--the box we saw him eat the live maggots out of. Thankfully he doesn't open it. "I will be returning with full energy," he tells Ha. Returning? A coy smile from Lee.
Seonggye goes to the new king to ask for mercy for Choi Yeong. The king's mother is there, serving as regent, and of course she chews out Seonggye and tells him to go away. So guess what--he resigns! Says he has an illness and "I can't maintain my position in court." The king doesn't look very happy about this...but doesn't say or do anything to stop it.
As Ha Ryun departs, Lee In Im leaves him with one last bit of advice: "Beware of Jeong Dojeon." I'll avoid him, Ha assures his uncle, and walks away. But then from the other direction: "That will be a bit difficult." Surprise--JD is here. Here to confront In Im, because he figured that Jo Minsu wasn't smart enough to engineer everything that happened and is certain that Lee is behind it all. "I told you to cut off ties to the world and stay out of state affairs," he says angrily. "I said I'd kill you if you didn't. Write a will when you have time. I will not be generous anymore."