Post by ajk on May 9, 2014 23:56:04 GMT -5
Oh, now they're having second thoughts. Generals An, Lee and Kim start arguing again about the edict's authenticity. Doing it while Jung falls over and dies right there in front of them. What dimwits. Kim Rim has watched it happen from around a corner...and heads for Bokju.
And now, hours later, the general start to have their doubts. "It looks like we fell for Kim Yong's disgusting subterfuge!"
Bokju, provisional capital: Gongmin's in a good mood. And wow, does he have good reason to be. Apparently the Red Turbans had stolen Yuan family royal seals during their attack on Yanjing...and when the Goryeans massacred them they recovered those seals...which councilors are now presenting to him. What a coup! But suddenly the mood changes, to put it mildly. Kim Yong runs in. "Jung Se Woon was beheaded!" And proceeds to pitch a phony story about other generals fighting each other for war booty and Jung getting caught in the middle of it all. Gongmin actually keeps rather calm, ordering the capture and beheading of everybody responsible. But Kim says the city gates are sealed by traitors trying to get Prince Deokheung put on the throne! And everybody in the room is buying it. Oh when will they ever learn....
Next morning: Choi Young arrives in Gaegyeong. Generals Lee and Kim are there to brief him. "General An took the secret edict to His Majesty in Bokju. We shall soon verify its authenticity." Lee and Kim are going to follow him and take Jung's body, so Choi will take over operations here. Choi goes and visits the body. Look at that--they can't get Jung's eyes closed. Very weird.
"Do you believe Kim Yong's words?" Well THANK you Queen Noguk. So there was one person in that room who didn't buy it. She's with her husband now, after the meeting. Tells him to check it out independently. So he quietly summons Lee Saek and tells him to do so...and to make sure Kim Yong doesn't find out about it.
Kim Rim makes it back to Bokju, and makes his uncle immensely happy by telling him what happened. But Kim Yong isn't satisfied. He actually tells Rim that when one of the three generals arrives in Bokju with the edict--he's sure someone will bring it here to verify its authenticity--to kill him and recover the edict. Now how will Kim Rim kill a general?
A sad sight, watching Jung's coffin leaving the plaza. Echoes of the boy king Chungjeong's coffin in the very same place years ago.
Look at this--Kim Rim has taken some of his uncle's troops. And they ambush and kill general An! Kim finds the edict in An's breast pocket, in a red pouch, and takes it.
Remember that letter Jung Se Woon wrote? It finally arrives at Bokju. Eunuch An brings it to Gongmin with tears in his eyes.
Well, Kim Rim brings the red pouch to his uncle, who eagerly opens it and examines the edict. And now we know something Kim Yong doesn't: that's not the same piece of paper we saw in Gaegyeong. Jung Se Woon was holding the original edict when he died and it got blood-spattered. This paper is pure white. What the heck? Kim Rim assures his uncle that it's the same piece of paper. "It is the letter I forged with my own hands; how could I be mistaken?" And urges his uncle to burn it. But Kim Yong has other ideas.
The king reads Jung's letter. Tearfully tells his wife what's in it. Its words are overwhelming and he breaks down.
Kim Yong has taken the edict to show to Inspector Kim and supervisor Gyeong. He's trying to convince them that it's real. Gyeong runs the secretariat and deals with all of the royal documents, and he says he thinks its authentic. Kim Yong feigns surprise, and then trash-talks the king about being a two-timer who weeps over Jung's death and but ordered it to happen. Then reminds them about Jo Il Shin. "Right," Inspector Kim says; "Jo Il Shin was no treacherous specimen." And then Kim Yong burns the edict in front of them! We're next, he tells them. The king "will order Choi Young to slay us, and shall surely summon Pyeonjo once again. After that, he will slay everyone supporting our alliance with the Yuan, while his subjects partake in our fellow courtiers' fortunes." The other two buy every word of it. But after they leave him, Inspector Kim says something surprising to Gyeong: "I don't condone His Majesty's policy against the Yuan, but there is no way I will accept Prince Deokheung as my ruler." Well that's very interesting....
Yanjing: Empress Gi gets the news about the Red Turbans. Apparently she had already sent word to Goryeo that she was going to proclaim Prince Deokheung king...but now she smiles. "After vanquishing the Red Turbans, would Prince Gangneung renounce his throne so easily?" We're going to need more help, she tells Commissioner Park. Then Park goes to fetch Deokheung...and the empress's son Ayushiridara, who's in the room with her, questions the wisdom of antagonizing the army that just wiped out the Red Turbans. All the more reason I need to replace their king, she counters: "An even stronger Goryeo would only become cause for concern." Well that was fast; Deokheung is here already, out of breath and immediately dropping to the floor and groveling out of gratitude.
But afterwards, outside with Choi Yu and Yoo In Woo, Deokheung is all laughs and excitement. So now his mind is completely changed and he really wants the throne.
For once the queen dowager is in a good mood. Carriages are outside and the royals are headed back to the capital.
Kim Yong has his capital troops in front of the provisional palace. Shouts from outside to Gongmin that it's time to go home. Gongmin seems to have decided that Kim Yong was responsible for Jung's death--the contempt on his face at the sound of Kim's voice suggests that, anyway--and Eunuch An wisely calms Gongmin's anger by reminding him that those are Kim's troops out there. As in, now isn't the time to make trouble.
So then Kim Yong goes to tell the queen and Princess Deoknyeong that everything's in order for the trip home. Oddly, Noguk turns to Eunuch Choi and instructs him, "Choose skilled fighters from amongst our eunuchs, and order them to follow me." Huh? Kim asks why, but she won't tell him. "You shall rather concern yourself with His Majesty's safety. I must head somewhere else." And then just for good measure, adds, "May your efforts be praised, for His Majesty is making a triumphant return home." Oh that is gooooood...Kim forgets about the eunuchs and bathes in the praise.
Now Inspector Kim and supervisor Gyeong are meeting with Chancellor Hong and Lee In Bok. They're trying to sell the skeptical Lee of Kim Yong's truthfulness in all this. But Lee is concerned for the king's safety at Kim's hands. The chancellor says the king has ordered the return to Gaegyeong "so his wish shall kindle our path." In Bok fires back, "If that is your wish, deprive Kim Yong of his title first, or at least the guards should be led by someone else." But apparently that isn't possible on such short notice. And now Kim barges in and barks out that it's time to go. Bad situation developing here.
So okay, here we go...Gongmin leaves the building and steps into his carriage. Gives Kim Yong a suspicious glare on the way (very funny). And we learn that the queen has left already...on horseback, with those eunuchs escorting her. Odd. Gongmin mounts his horse and everybody begins the journey home, at long last.
Only four eunuchs? The queen and four eunuchs are on horseback, galloping through the woods. Turns out they've headed straight for Gaetae Temple. They arrive and find Choseon still there. Choseon is surprised to see the queen...but the queen wants to find Pyeonjo immediately. So Choseon takes her straight to Pyeonjo's shed out in the nearby countryside. There's snow on the ground, strangely enough. Time to come out of there, Noguk shouts to Pyeonjo inside; "You are the only man left that His Majesty can truly count on. Come out from that hermitage...You must leave for the palace with me." Tells him of Jung's death. "His Majesty might even lose his throne!" No answer. He's not budging. So guess what. "Fine--until you leave this place, I shall wait here." Doink! She tells her guards and Choseon to go away, and she parks herself right down on the snowy ground. Wow!
Evening: Generals Lee and Kim, heading towards Bokju with Jung's body, encounter the royal party heading back towards Gaegyeong.
Kim Yong gets a message from Choi Yu, asking for help "in enabling Prince Deokheung a safe entry into the capital." No worries, Kim tells the messenger; "Before Prince Deokheung even reaches our gates, I shall cleanse our palace of all its vitiating souls." Yikes. But wait, now he hears of the two generals showing up with Jung's body. Not good news for him: "Those vile knaves--they're taking the initiative!" Yeah, don't ya just hate that....
...but it's too late to do anything about it because now Gongmin comes outside into the night and sees it there. "Open the casket." Still Jung's eyes...nobody's been able to shut them. With a quivering hand Gongmin reaches out to touch Jung's face. "May the heavens bless your final journey," he tells his dead subject. "For you served a wretched ruler such as me, so even death does not allow you to close those eyes in respite." And finally, once he removes his hand, Jung's eyes are closed. Amazing. A steely anger in Gongmin's own eyes now. "Who is it?" Who killed him? To their credit, generals Lee and Kim step right forward. Behead us for doing it, they beg...but then add (wisely!), "All we did was follow your command, Sire." Gongmin is aghast: "My command?!" Just then Kim Yong comes running to the scene and orders his troops to arrest the two generals and behead them. The two are seized, but manage to scream out, "Didn't you order us to slay Jung Se Woon, Sire? We are innocent, Your Majesty!" Lee In Bok steps in and orders the pair freed, or at least held: "Execution may await His Majesty's questioning!" But Kim shouts at Gongmin, "If you don't slay Kim Deuk Bae and Lee Bang Shil right now, a treacherous horde will be at your door." And orders their immediate execution...and it's clear who's in charge of the situation right now. Then he glares at and trash-talks at Chancellor Hong, and walks away. It's left to Lee In Bok to state what's now obvious: "Kim Yong was the one who killed Commander Jung!" And they can't do a thing about it. A stunned silence...broken by Gongmin noticing that Inspector Kim is still standing there nearby. "Why didn't you follow them?" Kim answers, "Our viewpoints might differ, but I am no traitor!" And supervisor Gyeong is there too. Gongmin glares him into a frantic drop to the ground. "Be it from the netherworld we serve you, forever it shall be!" How about that...those two guys have their limits after all.
Next morning: Wow, Noguk and Choseon stayed out there all night! A concerned Park Seobang arrives to check on them and tells the queen about Pyeonjo not budging when Choseon was nearly killed by Red Turbans...meaning, he's not coming out for anything. Choseon orders him away. But now Noguk decides she's had enough. She takes a dagger, knocks the mud off the front door, and pulls the door open! Pyeonjo squints as sunlight floods the small interior for the first time in we're-not-sure-how-long.
Renovated council hall, Gaegyeong: Now Kim Yong is trying to get Choi Yeong out of the capital. Go northwest and wipe out the rest of the Red Turbans, he orders; security here in the capital is under control. Choi resists at first...but Kim has authority over him here so Choi has to comply. Choi walks away, eventually agreeing that the Red Turbans are s more serious danger--and despite the protestations of a subordinate (hey give us this guy's name--obviously he has his head screwed on straight) that the king could be in danger and that leaving here isn't wise. Back inside, now alone in the hall, Kim Yong looks at the king's empty throne and smiles...and then climbs the stairs and sits on it! Imagines himself telling Gongmin to accept death at Empress Gi's order. Then stands up, starts flailing his sword around and laughing maniacally.
Well Pyeonjo has no choice but to come out now. He bows to the two women, showing remarkable restraint and no hint of malice over the intrusion. Noguk apologizes: "Should Buddha punish you for not living up to your promise because of me, I shall bear the consequences instead." He's polite to her...but then hits her with a dead-serious question: "Are you here to rescue His Majesty, or to save our people?" Save the people, she immediately answers. Okay, he says, then I'll bear Buddha's anger myself over this.
The royal party resumes its journey home. But now what's this? Soldiers are blocking their way. And Kim Rim in a military uniform, leading them. Tells them that Kim Yong has declared the capital still unsafe for the king's return and that they all must stay away from the capital for a bit longer. They're near Heungwang Temple, so Gongmin decides they'll all head there for the night. Choi Young and Lee Seonggye are supposed to arrive in the area soon with their troops, we learn, and hopefully everything will get straightened out. Everyone turns and heads for the temple...but Inspector Kim delays just long enough to glare at Kim Rim and offer a warning: "Convey this to your master. That he should know his place." Well how about that.
Kim Rim makes it back to Gaegyeong and tells his uncle where the royals are headed. Kim Yong laughs. "He was so adamant about his Pyeonjo, he even chooses his burial at a temple now!" Wow...but not all is going well; Rim tells him that there are concerns among their men about what's happening. Kim Yong goes outside and shows the men an imperial edict from the Yuan (did the messenger bring it? How did he get that?). "The Yuan proclaimed Prince Deokheung as our new ruler, so we shall dethrone the king, and accept Prince Deokheung as the new sun kindling our nation!" Shock and buzzing among the soldiers. "This very night, we shall head to Heungwang Temple and behead the king!" SERIOUS shock and buzzing. Anybody who resists will be killed immediately, he threatens. "Understood?" Doesn't look like it; more buzzing. They look to be just a tick away from insubordination...so Rim runs forward and starts shouting praise to their new king. Well that stops the buzzing and gradually they all drop to their knees and echo Rim's praises. Clever move.
Won Hyeon (haven't seen him in a while) arrives at Choseon's home, only to find out that Pyeonjo left his shed early. And we learn that Park Seobang is trying to gather people. Lots of people. What for?
Well HERE'S quite a caption: The Heungwang Temple Rebellion; Reign of King Gongmin, 12th year (1363). And here we are at the temple, after night has fallen. We see a lot more eunuchs gathered and armed, to help protect the king. Rumors of a rebellion are flying. And Inspector Kim gets news he won't like: Pyeonjo is here and conferring with the king. What's he gonna do about it?
Inside, Gongmin is almost too embarrassed to look at Pyeonjo. He's still burdened by guilt feelings of having let him down. But Pyeonjo is only concerned about the here and now: "On this very night, Kim Yong will attempt to slay you." Gongmin knows it's coming, too...but isn't sure what to do. Leave it to me, Pyeonjo says.
Now Inspector Kim brings bad news to Chancellor Hong, Lee In Bok and supervisor Gyeong: all of the government officials who were accompanying Gongmin home have vanished! Fled into the woods, undoubtedly, spooked by all the rumors. Which just makes the king all that easier of a target. So now what? What can they do?
Seriously? Eunuch An is getting a haircut from Lady Kim. Off all the things to be doing at this moment! Hey, wait a minute....
All of the royals are sitting in one room in the temple. A tense silence, broken finally by Noguk, who reminds the queen dowager and everyone else present that they may have to give their lives to try to protect the king. They all do realize that, but they understandably don't want to talk about it. Gongmin tells his wife he wants her to stay by his side, but she tells him "I must remain with Eunuch An to fool Kim Yong." Okay, now this is starting to make sense...
"You look like our ruler, no doubt." Eunuch An is sitting with Lady Kim and Pyeonjo, wearing Gongmin's clothes. The old doppelganger ploy. An is surprisingly upbeat about the precarious position he's in now. "I shall gladly perish for His Majesty," he says. Pyeonjo tells him that if they can fool Kim Yong's troops until Choi Young's troops arrive, then the king will be safe. The eunuch tells Pyeonjo he's not worried at all because "all you have to do is use your arcane witchery to defeat them." And adds that he'll bear no grudge if he has to die tonight. He's remarkably at peace with what may well happen.
Gaegyeong: Kim Yong gives his nephew the order: "Choose skilled fighters amongst our men, and leave for Heungwang Temple! After His Majesty exhales his last breath, I want to see the flames of destruction engulf that temple! Then, I shall take my men, and annihilate all the rest!" And he throws in an evil laugh for good measure...
...but back at the temple, Eunuch An is laughing as well.
And now, hours later, the general start to have their doubts. "It looks like we fell for Kim Yong's disgusting subterfuge!"
Bokju, provisional capital: Gongmin's in a good mood. And wow, does he have good reason to be. Apparently the Red Turbans had stolen Yuan family royal seals during their attack on Yanjing...and when the Goryeans massacred them they recovered those seals...which councilors are now presenting to him. What a coup! But suddenly the mood changes, to put it mildly. Kim Yong runs in. "Jung Se Woon was beheaded!" And proceeds to pitch a phony story about other generals fighting each other for war booty and Jung getting caught in the middle of it all. Gongmin actually keeps rather calm, ordering the capture and beheading of everybody responsible. But Kim says the city gates are sealed by traitors trying to get Prince Deokheung put on the throne! And everybody in the room is buying it. Oh when will they ever learn....
Next morning: Choi Young arrives in Gaegyeong. Generals Lee and Kim are there to brief him. "General An took the secret edict to His Majesty in Bokju. We shall soon verify its authenticity." Lee and Kim are going to follow him and take Jung's body, so Choi will take over operations here. Choi goes and visits the body. Look at that--they can't get Jung's eyes closed. Very weird.
"Do you believe Kim Yong's words?" Well THANK you Queen Noguk. So there was one person in that room who didn't buy it. She's with her husband now, after the meeting. Tells him to check it out independently. So he quietly summons Lee Saek and tells him to do so...and to make sure Kim Yong doesn't find out about it.
Kim Rim makes it back to Bokju, and makes his uncle immensely happy by telling him what happened. But Kim Yong isn't satisfied. He actually tells Rim that when one of the three generals arrives in Bokju with the edict--he's sure someone will bring it here to verify its authenticity--to kill him and recover the edict. Now how will Kim Rim kill a general?
A sad sight, watching Jung's coffin leaving the plaza. Echoes of the boy king Chungjeong's coffin in the very same place years ago.
Look at this--Kim Rim has taken some of his uncle's troops. And they ambush and kill general An! Kim finds the edict in An's breast pocket, in a red pouch, and takes it.
Remember that letter Jung Se Woon wrote? It finally arrives at Bokju. Eunuch An brings it to Gongmin with tears in his eyes.
Well, Kim Rim brings the red pouch to his uncle, who eagerly opens it and examines the edict. And now we know something Kim Yong doesn't: that's not the same piece of paper we saw in Gaegyeong. Jung Se Woon was holding the original edict when he died and it got blood-spattered. This paper is pure white. What the heck? Kim Rim assures his uncle that it's the same piece of paper. "It is the letter I forged with my own hands; how could I be mistaken?" And urges his uncle to burn it. But Kim Yong has other ideas.
The king reads Jung's letter. Tearfully tells his wife what's in it. Its words are overwhelming and he breaks down.
Kim Yong has taken the edict to show to Inspector Kim and supervisor Gyeong. He's trying to convince them that it's real. Gyeong runs the secretariat and deals with all of the royal documents, and he says he thinks its authentic. Kim Yong feigns surprise, and then trash-talks the king about being a two-timer who weeps over Jung's death and but ordered it to happen. Then reminds them about Jo Il Shin. "Right," Inspector Kim says; "Jo Il Shin was no treacherous specimen." And then Kim Yong burns the edict in front of them! We're next, he tells them. The king "will order Choi Young to slay us, and shall surely summon Pyeonjo once again. After that, he will slay everyone supporting our alliance with the Yuan, while his subjects partake in our fellow courtiers' fortunes." The other two buy every word of it. But after they leave him, Inspector Kim says something surprising to Gyeong: "I don't condone His Majesty's policy against the Yuan, but there is no way I will accept Prince Deokheung as my ruler." Well that's very interesting....
Yanjing: Empress Gi gets the news about the Red Turbans. Apparently she had already sent word to Goryeo that she was going to proclaim Prince Deokheung king...but now she smiles. "After vanquishing the Red Turbans, would Prince Gangneung renounce his throne so easily?" We're going to need more help, she tells Commissioner Park. Then Park goes to fetch Deokheung...and the empress's son Ayushiridara, who's in the room with her, questions the wisdom of antagonizing the army that just wiped out the Red Turbans. All the more reason I need to replace their king, she counters: "An even stronger Goryeo would only become cause for concern." Well that was fast; Deokheung is here already, out of breath and immediately dropping to the floor and groveling out of gratitude.
But afterwards, outside with Choi Yu and Yoo In Woo, Deokheung is all laughs and excitement. So now his mind is completely changed and he really wants the throne.
For once the queen dowager is in a good mood. Carriages are outside and the royals are headed back to the capital.
Kim Yong has his capital troops in front of the provisional palace. Shouts from outside to Gongmin that it's time to go home. Gongmin seems to have decided that Kim Yong was responsible for Jung's death--the contempt on his face at the sound of Kim's voice suggests that, anyway--and Eunuch An wisely calms Gongmin's anger by reminding him that those are Kim's troops out there. As in, now isn't the time to make trouble.
So then Kim Yong goes to tell the queen and Princess Deoknyeong that everything's in order for the trip home. Oddly, Noguk turns to Eunuch Choi and instructs him, "Choose skilled fighters from amongst our eunuchs, and order them to follow me." Huh? Kim asks why, but she won't tell him. "You shall rather concern yourself with His Majesty's safety. I must head somewhere else." And then just for good measure, adds, "May your efforts be praised, for His Majesty is making a triumphant return home." Oh that is gooooood...Kim forgets about the eunuchs and bathes in the praise.
Now Inspector Kim and supervisor Gyeong are meeting with Chancellor Hong and Lee In Bok. They're trying to sell the skeptical Lee of Kim Yong's truthfulness in all this. But Lee is concerned for the king's safety at Kim's hands. The chancellor says the king has ordered the return to Gaegyeong "so his wish shall kindle our path." In Bok fires back, "If that is your wish, deprive Kim Yong of his title first, or at least the guards should be led by someone else." But apparently that isn't possible on such short notice. And now Kim barges in and barks out that it's time to go. Bad situation developing here.
So okay, here we go...Gongmin leaves the building and steps into his carriage. Gives Kim Yong a suspicious glare on the way (very funny). And we learn that the queen has left already...on horseback, with those eunuchs escorting her. Odd. Gongmin mounts his horse and everybody begins the journey home, at long last.
Only four eunuchs? The queen and four eunuchs are on horseback, galloping through the woods. Turns out they've headed straight for Gaetae Temple. They arrive and find Choseon still there. Choseon is surprised to see the queen...but the queen wants to find Pyeonjo immediately. So Choseon takes her straight to Pyeonjo's shed out in the nearby countryside. There's snow on the ground, strangely enough. Time to come out of there, Noguk shouts to Pyeonjo inside; "You are the only man left that His Majesty can truly count on. Come out from that hermitage...You must leave for the palace with me." Tells him of Jung's death. "His Majesty might even lose his throne!" No answer. He's not budging. So guess what. "Fine--until you leave this place, I shall wait here." Doink! She tells her guards and Choseon to go away, and she parks herself right down on the snowy ground. Wow!
Evening: Generals Lee and Kim, heading towards Bokju with Jung's body, encounter the royal party heading back towards Gaegyeong.
Kim Yong gets a message from Choi Yu, asking for help "in enabling Prince Deokheung a safe entry into the capital." No worries, Kim tells the messenger; "Before Prince Deokheung even reaches our gates, I shall cleanse our palace of all its vitiating souls." Yikes. But wait, now he hears of the two generals showing up with Jung's body. Not good news for him: "Those vile knaves--they're taking the initiative!" Yeah, don't ya just hate that....
...but it's too late to do anything about it because now Gongmin comes outside into the night and sees it there. "Open the casket." Still Jung's eyes...nobody's been able to shut them. With a quivering hand Gongmin reaches out to touch Jung's face. "May the heavens bless your final journey," he tells his dead subject. "For you served a wretched ruler such as me, so even death does not allow you to close those eyes in respite." And finally, once he removes his hand, Jung's eyes are closed. Amazing. A steely anger in Gongmin's own eyes now. "Who is it?" Who killed him? To their credit, generals Lee and Kim step right forward. Behead us for doing it, they beg...but then add (wisely!), "All we did was follow your command, Sire." Gongmin is aghast: "My command?!" Just then Kim Yong comes running to the scene and orders his troops to arrest the two generals and behead them. The two are seized, but manage to scream out, "Didn't you order us to slay Jung Se Woon, Sire? We are innocent, Your Majesty!" Lee In Bok steps in and orders the pair freed, or at least held: "Execution may await His Majesty's questioning!" But Kim shouts at Gongmin, "If you don't slay Kim Deuk Bae and Lee Bang Shil right now, a treacherous horde will be at your door." And orders their immediate execution...and it's clear who's in charge of the situation right now. Then he glares at and trash-talks at Chancellor Hong, and walks away. It's left to Lee In Bok to state what's now obvious: "Kim Yong was the one who killed Commander Jung!" And they can't do a thing about it. A stunned silence...broken by Gongmin noticing that Inspector Kim is still standing there nearby. "Why didn't you follow them?" Kim answers, "Our viewpoints might differ, but I am no traitor!" And supervisor Gyeong is there too. Gongmin glares him into a frantic drop to the ground. "Be it from the netherworld we serve you, forever it shall be!" How about that...those two guys have their limits after all.
Next morning: Wow, Noguk and Choseon stayed out there all night! A concerned Park Seobang arrives to check on them and tells the queen about Pyeonjo not budging when Choseon was nearly killed by Red Turbans...meaning, he's not coming out for anything. Choseon orders him away. But now Noguk decides she's had enough. She takes a dagger, knocks the mud off the front door, and pulls the door open! Pyeonjo squints as sunlight floods the small interior for the first time in we're-not-sure-how-long.
Renovated council hall, Gaegyeong: Now Kim Yong is trying to get Choi Yeong out of the capital. Go northwest and wipe out the rest of the Red Turbans, he orders; security here in the capital is under control. Choi resists at first...but Kim has authority over him here so Choi has to comply. Choi walks away, eventually agreeing that the Red Turbans are s more serious danger--and despite the protestations of a subordinate (hey give us this guy's name--obviously he has his head screwed on straight) that the king could be in danger and that leaving here isn't wise. Back inside, now alone in the hall, Kim Yong looks at the king's empty throne and smiles...and then climbs the stairs and sits on it! Imagines himself telling Gongmin to accept death at Empress Gi's order. Then stands up, starts flailing his sword around and laughing maniacally.
Well Pyeonjo has no choice but to come out now. He bows to the two women, showing remarkable restraint and no hint of malice over the intrusion. Noguk apologizes: "Should Buddha punish you for not living up to your promise because of me, I shall bear the consequences instead." He's polite to her...but then hits her with a dead-serious question: "Are you here to rescue His Majesty, or to save our people?" Save the people, she immediately answers. Okay, he says, then I'll bear Buddha's anger myself over this.
The royal party resumes its journey home. But now what's this? Soldiers are blocking their way. And Kim Rim in a military uniform, leading them. Tells them that Kim Yong has declared the capital still unsafe for the king's return and that they all must stay away from the capital for a bit longer. They're near Heungwang Temple, so Gongmin decides they'll all head there for the night. Choi Young and Lee Seonggye are supposed to arrive in the area soon with their troops, we learn, and hopefully everything will get straightened out. Everyone turns and heads for the temple...but Inspector Kim delays just long enough to glare at Kim Rim and offer a warning: "Convey this to your master. That he should know his place." Well how about that.
Kim Rim makes it back to Gaegyeong and tells his uncle where the royals are headed. Kim Yong laughs. "He was so adamant about his Pyeonjo, he even chooses his burial at a temple now!" Wow...but not all is going well; Rim tells him that there are concerns among their men about what's happening. Kim Yong goes outside and shows the men an imperial edict from the Yuan (did the messenger bring it? How did he get that?). "The Yuan proclaimed Prince Deokheung as our new ruler, so we shall dethrone the king, and accept Prince Deokheung as the new sun kindling our nation!" Shock and buzzing among the soldiers. "This very night, we shall head to Heungwang Temple and behead the king!" SERIOUS shock and buzzing. Anybody who resists will be killed immediately, he threatens. "Understood?" Doesn't look like it; more buzzing. They look to be just a tick away from insubordination...so Rim runs forward and starts shouting praise to their new king. Well that stops the buzzing and gradually they all drop to their knees and echo Rim's praises. Clever move.
Won Hyeon (haven't seen him in a while) arrives at Choseon's home, only to find out that Pyeonjo left his shed early. And we learn that Park Seobang is trying to gather people. Lots of people. What for?
Well HERE'S quite a caption: The Heungwang Temple Rebellion; Reign of King Gongmin, 12th year (1363). And here we are at the temple, after night has fallen. We see a lot more eunuchs gathered and armed, to help protect the king. Rumors of a rebellion are flying. And Inspector Kim gets news he won't like: Pyeonjo is here and conferring with the king. What's he gonna do about it?
Inside, Gongmin is almost too embarrassed to look at Pyeonjo. He's still burdened by guilt feelings of having let him down. But Pyeonjo is only concerned about the here and now: "On this very night, Kim Yong will attempt to slay you." Gongmin knows it's coming, too...but isn't sure what to do. Leave it to me, Pyeonjo says.
Now Inspector Kim brings bad news to Chancellor Hong, Lee In Bok and supervisor Gyeong: all of the government officials who were accompanying Gongmin home have vanished! Fled into the woods, undoubtedly, spooked by all the rumors. Which just makes the king all that easier of a target. So now what? What can they do?
Seriously? Eunuch An is getting a haircut from Lady Kim. Off all the things to be doing at this moment! Hey, wait a minute....
All of the royals are sitting in one room in the temple. A tense silence, broken finally by Noguk, who reminds the queen dowager and everyone else present that they may have to give their lives to try to protect the king. They all do realize that, but they understandably don't want to talk about it. Gongmin tells his wife he wants her to stay by his side, but she tells him "I must remain with Eunuch An to fool Kim Yong." Okay, now this is starting to make sense...
"You look like our ruler, no doubt." Eunuch An is sitting with Lady Kim and Pyeonjo, wearing Gongmin's clothes. The old doppelganger ploy. An is surprisingly upbeat about the precarious position he's in now. "I shall gladly perish for His Majesty," he says. Pyeonjo tells him that if they can fool Kim Yong's troops until Choi Young's troops arrive, then the king will be safe. The eunuch tells Pyeonjo he's not worried at all because "all you have to do is use your arcane witchery to defeat them." And adds that he'll bear no grudge if he has to die tonight. He's remarkably at peace with what may well happen.
Gaegyeong: Kim Yong gives his nephew the order: "Choose skilled fighters amongst our men, and leave for Heungwang Temple! After His Majesty exhales his last breath, I want to see the flames of destruction engulf that temple! Then, I shall take my men, and annihilate all the rest!" And he throws in an evil laugh for good measure...
...but back at the temple, Eunuch An is laughing as well.