Back at the Capital, Wang Ko is chilling with Kyung Hwa, discussing the impeding assassination. Why aren’t to taking care of your elderly husband, woman? You were so attentive when he was still king… She says that El Temur wants Koryeo’s complete subservience and asks how that’s so different from what Wang Ko wants. Wang Ko replies that in the last 30 years – referenced last episode when El Temur grumbles over how they’ve tried to squash Koryeo for the past 30 years and haven’t succeeded – he’s learned that it’s foolish it is to wage a war we cannot win. And then he says – and I roll my eyes –it’s their duty to those of their people that they have lost. Because he’s all about the people. Kyung Hwa tells him that he’s very wise. He tells her to communicate his thoughts to El Temur. So was she a plant by El Temur? That guy is ruthless. And I like her even less.
Back the Baek Ahn and Tal Tal. Baek Ahn tells Tal Tal to have their men pull back when the brigands attack, so they won’t accidentally be killed. Nice, dude.
Back to Ta Hwan sneaking into Seung Nyang’s tent and her finding him. Holding a sword to his throat, she asks who he is. He stutters and she drags him out and demands to know why he’s hiding in her quarters. He sputters, asking if she knows who he is. She retorts that she asked HIM that and asks if he’s a thief, and how much did he see (of her without her clothes on)? She’s holding him by the front of his armor; if it was a lapel, that’s what she’d be grabbing. He sputters, “How... how dare you?” She’s not phased.
Ta Hwan indignantly asks her if she knows who he is. She doesn’t care. He starts to say that he’s the Yuan prince, but stops and instead says that he’s a soldier. She sarcastically replies that this explains things, then. He snuck in like a rat and he can die like one, too. She rolls up her sleeves and proceeds to start beating him up. First, by punching him in the nose, twice, and then kicking him in his royal jewels. Ta Hwan basically sinks to the ground in pain and then tries to barter with her… if she’ll get him out of camp, he’ll see she’s taken care of.
This doesn’t win any points with Seung Nyang. So he’s a deserter… He protests he’s not, but tries to wheedle her taking him just past the eastern perimeter. He tells her that he’ll make it worth her while. Not realizing that she’s not the type to be bribed. Probably the first person in his life that he's met that wouldn't cave to a bribe. She grabs him by the ear and tells him to come with her. As she drags him along by his ear, he begs her to wait, which gets him a kick in the rear. He’s shocked that she kicked him. Which makes me laugh because he’s probably never had anyone so blatantly ignore his desires and demands. She tells him to shut up and come on.
Seung Nyang drags him to the horse tent and tells him to clean up the manure. Ta Hwan gags at the smell. She tells him to have it done by dawn or she’ll report him as a deserter. She turns to go and he begs her to wait. Then he whispers in her ear that he’s the Yuan Prince. She turns to look at him. Very seriously, he asks her to help him; if she gets him past the perimeter, he’ll make her rich beyond her wildest dreams. As if in awe, she asks him if he’s His Highness. He readily confirms it and tells her that she’ll never get another chance like this. She tells him that she needs to pay her respects. He’s totally buying her groveling, so he’s caught completely off guard when she flips him so he lands facedown in a pile of dung. And I really have to laugh. I love it!
Ta Hwan tolls over to look at Seung Nyang and she tells him that if he’s the Prince, she’s the Khutugh (which I’m pretty sure means Empress). Nice bit of irony by the writers. She tells him that her men are outside, so he shouldn’t even think of running. She starts to leave but turns around and acts like she’s going to hit him again. Ta Hwan cowers and she makes a disgusted sigh.
Outside of camp, Soon Yong is waiting with the horses. In the royal tent, Ggoi Bo is still dressed as the Prince, Baek Ahn arrives and tells the ‘Prince’ that they’ll be waiting on those persimmons he wanted, so he should get some rest. Tal Tal asks if the Prince is okay and Ggoi Bo answers by waving them away. They leave. His waving makes me laugh, too, because it's so annoying, arrogant, and accurate.
Elsewhere in the camp, some men scale the wall and break in, in order to open the gate. Commander Ki notices that all the Yuan soldiers are gone, which puts him on alert. Bool Hwa wonders just what the Yuan men are up to. In an answer, firey arrows rain from the sky, killing several soldiers. Commander Ki declares that it’s an attack! And in come the brigands.
Dramatic fighting. Tents on fire. Tense music. Ki tells Seung Nyang to get the prince. Ta Hwan has left the horse tent and hears the leader of the brigands tell his men to get the Yuan prince. Seung Nyang reaches the Prince’s tent and discovers that Ggoi Bo is pretending to be the prince. She tries to escape with Ggoi Bo only to discover the tent is surrounded. She draws her bow and tries to tell them that Ggoi Bo is *not* the Prince. They don’t believe her. Ggoi Bo runs off while she’s trying to save him and he’s caught and killed. The brigands leave because Ta Hwan is dead. Although it’s not Ta Hwan.
Some of the soldiers appear and declare that the Prince is dead! From a distance, Baek Ahn and Tal Tal watch. Tal Tal announces that His Worship breathes no more. Baek Ahn asks the late Emperor to forgive him for what he’s done. Baek Ahn and Tal Tal return to camp and go to ‘pay their respects’ to the body. Baek Ahn pulls back the cover and discovers it’s the eunuch. Tal Tal declares they have to find Ta Hwan. Baek Ahn begins to rant that it’s too late because he’s already gone with… and then Soon Yong appears, so they realize that the Prince is still in the camp somewhere. They knock Soon Yong out so they can go find Ta Hwan and kill him, before El Temur has their heads instead.
Baek Ahn declares that no one can know that Ta Hwan is still alive – not the Koryeo soldiers or their own. Unfortunately for him, Seung Nyang is already reporting to Commander Ki that the dead man is not the Prince, but his eunuch. Byung Soo is overjoyed that they’re off the hook and Bool Hwa wants to know where the prince really is, but Ki shushes them as Baek Ahn approaches. Baek Ahn tell Ki that His Worship died on his land, so it’s his responsibility. Ki demands the corpse to escort it on to Kaegyong. Baek Ahn refuses. Ki knows that Baek Ahn is covering for the lost prince. Ki sends the three to go look for Ta Hwan.
Seung Nyang investigates a tent and finds a sleeping Ta Hwan. She’s disgusted at this loser soldier who hid in a crate instead of fighting. She dumps water on him to wake him up and calls him a little rat. Then she leaves the tent muttering about his cowardice. Baek Ahn and Tal Tal arrive at the tent and get to see Ta Hwan pop up coughing from being doused with water. They see each other.
As Seung Nyang walks away from the tent, she realizes that Ta Hwan really *is* the Prince. She kicks herself but rushes back to the tent. She finds Ta Hwan with Baek Ahn and Tal Tal. She then hides out of sight so she can eavesdrop. Ta Hwan takes Baek Ahn’s hand and begs the man not to kill him, to say he’s already dead and send him on his way. He tries to appeal to Baek Ahn’s loyalty to his father, and begs him that he doesn’t want to die. Baek Ahn responds by making Ta Hwan think that he’s going to protect him, after all he wouldn’t be alive if not for Yesun Temur Khan (Ta Hwan's dead dad). Ta Hwan totally buys it so when Baek Ahn tells him to get back in the crate, he eagerly does, muttering thank you over and over. I think this is why I keep calling him a kid, because of how weak and scared he is all the time.
Tal Tal closes the crate so Ta Hwan doesn’t see when Baek Ahn draws his sword. He prepares to run the boy through. Seung Nyang responds by pulling her bow, but has to stop because Moo Song and the rest of Wang Yoo’s gang has shown up. Baek Ahn tells the prince that the world is a terrible place and he should rest in peace. But he’s interrupted by cries that the Koryeo King is there. Baek Ahn’s about to finish the deed when Moo Song and Shin Woo arrive at the tent to tell him that His Majesty is waiting. Foiled again! As they leave the tent, Seung Nyang sneaks back in.
Wang Yoo arrives and asks for Commander Ki’s report. KI’s about to tell him what’s going on when Baek Ahn arrive and says that Ta Hwan was cut down by brigands in the night.
In the tent, Seung Nyang uncovers Ta Hwan and tells him that he needs to come with her. He protests that he can’t, but she won’t take no for an answer.
Baek Ahn takes Wang Yoo to the Prince’s tent and shows him the eunuch’s covered body. Wang Yoo reacts, pained, and says that this is not Koryeo’s fault. Baek Ahn plays his cards to the hilt, but Wang Yoo knows the drill. He suggests that it was one of them, since the brigands *just* killed the Prince without taking any of the gold and jewels. Fishy indeed. He repeat the allegation that it was one of the Yuan entourage. Baek Ahn pretends to be outraged.
At this point, Ki can’t keep quiet anymore. He declares that the body is not the Prince, but Ta Hwan’s eunuch. The real Prince is alive. Baek Ahn gets even more indignant, but Wang Yoo’s not buying it. Too much Wang Ko politics. He starts to rip off the bed’s curtains so he can clearly see the body, but Baek Ahn draws his sword to threaten the Wang Yoo. Immediately everyone responds and it’s a tense standoff.
Outside, Seung Nyang is dragging Ta Hwan toward the tent. He’s begging her to let him go. She comes across Byung Soo, who asks her what she’s doing. She tells him she has the Prince of Yuan. Ta Hwan picks up on her name. She asks Byung Soo where the king is, but Byung Soo’s greedy and wants the glory for himself, so he takes over escorting the Prince. As Ta Hwan’s dragged away by Byung Soo, he yells back threats at Seung Nyang, telling her he won’t forget what she did! She just smiles because she’s not worried. It’s not like she’s going to ever see him again, right?
Tense standoff with Baek Ahn blustering. Wang Yoo tells him that if this isn’t the prince, they’ll rid this land of Yuan for good. Baek Ahn blusters that regardless of whether he’s royalty, he won’t be touching Ta Hwan’s royal remains. Wang Yoo replies that they’ll see what Baek Ahn will and won’t do, after he takes a look. When they pull back the cover, it’s a charred corpse. Smart, since it’s burned beyond recognition. Tal Tal says that they burned the Prince with burning arrows. Ki protests that they did this to the body, but Baek Ahn silences him. And right as Baek Ahn really starts going, Byung Soo shows up with Ta Hwan. Baek Ahn immediately pretends like he didn’t know Ta Hwan was alive. Wang Yoo is a bit shocked, and Ta Hwan looks freaked out and scared still.
Leaving the tent, Wang Yoo asks Byung Soo his name, since he’s impressed that Byung Soo found the prince. Then he asks where Byung Soo found Ta Hwan and Byung Soo makes up some story. He tells Byung Soo that he saved Koryeo. Byung Soo is only too eager to take the King’s praise. As Wang Yoo tells his men to make note of Byung Soo’s name, Seung Nyang walks by to see the scene. Shin Woo says that Byung Soo’s name sounds like the Plague as Seung Nyang realizes that *the king* is Wang Yoo. She quickly hides and thinks of all the ways that she’d insulted him since they met, including slapping him. She totally thinks she’s in trouble.
Later, Baek Ahn and Tal Tal conference. Baek Ahn is sure that because they failed, El Temur won’t let them live. Tal Tal is optimistic, but Baek Ahn knows better.
Everyone, including Ta Hwan, reaches Kaegyong, the Capital. Wang Ko is there, ready to suck up. And I wonder how he still has the title of King of Shenyang? The two exchange pleasantries – and Ta Hwan is downright chipper since he’s made it to Kaegyong alive. Wang Ko declares that their two nations are like brothers. So Ta Hwan suggests they change Koryeo’s name to Yuan, to make it easier. At which point Wang Yoo basically yells at him to shut up. But not in so many words. I really had to laugh at how ticked he got at the suggestion and the vehemence with which he said Koryeo is Koryeo, Yuan is Yuan. Different blood, different people, not at all alike. Baek Ahn immediately chimes in to denigrate Wang Yoo and demand he pay Ta Hwan his obeisance. And – as I roll my eyes– the court chimes in that he should. Instead Wang Yoo storms away.
Now entering his quarters, Wang Yoo is all about keeping Ta Hwan alive, giving orders to Moo Song to post soldiers for the Prince’s protection.
Elsewhere, Baek Ahn and Tal Tal are getting dressed down by Wang Ko, who can’t believe that the Prince is still alive! Kyung Hwa is also freaking about what they’re going to tell El Temur. Baek Ahn isn’t worried, because they can always off Ta Hwan in Daechong, where he’s been exiled, but Wang Ko declares that it will be even harder then! They still aren’t worried, since Ta Hwan trusts Baek Ahn implicitly. Baek Ahn declares that he’ll take care of it personally. At which point Soon Yong appears and tells Baek Ahn to come to the palace because something is wrong.
When they get there, they discover the Prince’s residence is surrounded with Koryeo soldiers and they aren’t allowed to pass. Moo Song is very firm in stating that no one enters until he’s told otherwise. Foiled again!
Inside, Ta Hwan is pigging out. Shin Woo appears. Ta Hwan starts shouting for Soon Yong, but Shin Woo tells him not be a baby and to eat. Ta Hwan sits and mutters that this is all Seung Nyang’s fault. That gets Shin Woo’s attention. He asks the Prince if he’s met her. Ta Hwan declares that if Seung Nyang hadn’t found him… Oops Byung Soo. You just got busted. Ta Hwan declares that death is too good for her.
Wang Yoo is relaxing by having some archery practice. Baek Ahn arrives to protest them holding Ta Hwan prisoner. Wang Yoo replies that it’s for Ta Hwan’s protection. Baek Ahn and Co. try to protest, but Wang Yoo’s not to be swayed. And he is the king of Koryeo. Baek Ahn protests that he’s in charge of His Worship’s security. Wang Yoo replies to the bluster by telling Baek Ahn that El Temur will hear all about him. Since he’s not overly fond of the Prince, he’ll be so pleased when he hears that Baek Ahn saved Ta Hwan that he’ll ask for Baek Ahn’s head. And that’s how you shut someone up. He knows where the bodies are buried. Wang Yoo tells Baek Ahn to go back to Yuan and do as he says if Baek Ahn wants to live.
Ta Hwan is pacing in his room. Wang Yoo bursts in, causing Ta Hwan to stumble backward and fall onto the floor. And I laugh. Ta Hwan tries to recover his dignity, but he’s not convincing. He asks for Baek Ahn and is told that the General is leaving for Yuan the next day. This freaks Ta Hwan (because he still believes that Baek Ahn is the one that's going to keep him alive). Wang Yoo is kind but firm, telling the boy that no Yuan soldiers are allowed on Daechong. Ta Hwan protests that he’s a Yuan prince and won’t be insulted. Wang Yoo slightly smiles and repeats it… Insulted. Ta Hwan realizes that’s a mistake by the look on Wang Yoo’s face.
Wang Yoo starts to walk toward Ta Hwan, who of course retreats. Ta Hwan sputters that the people of Koryeo are suffering and he was speaking as a brother... Wang Yoo grabs his collar and yells, “You really don’t know who made us this way?!!” Ta Hwan is clearly scared even as he protests, "How... how dare... you dare...?" Wang Yoo tells him to be quite and listen: Yuan won’t keep him alive; Koryeo will. He (Wang Yoo) can’t even protect his own people, but he has to protect Ta Hwan! And just how much that repulses him is obvious in the tone of his voice. Does Ta Hwan know how that feels?!
Ta Hwan mumbles about how he didn’t do anything (so Wang Yoo should stop yelling at him about being responsible). Wang Yoo is so frustrated, he shoves Ta Hwan to the ground. Then he tells him that if he’s going to die, he should die in Yuan so his filthy carcass won’t pollute Koryeo land. Meekly, Ta Hwan replies that he understands. Wang Yoo seethes as he exits and Ta Hwan just sits there and cries because everyone he’s been depending on to protect him is gone. And I do feel bad for him, because he is utterly helpless and defenseless.
Shin Woo’s just delivered news to Wang Yoo that a ranger named Seung Nyang was the one who actually found the Prince. Wang Yoo orders Shin Woo to have Seung Nyang report to him. Moo Song states the obvious: that this is the same name as the Jackal had, the guy that Wang Yoo’s been looking for. Wang Yoo tries to act indifferent as he replies that whether this is (his Seung Nyang) or not, the ranger must be rewarded. Yeah I believe you’re indifferent. Really, I do. Shin Woo asks about the Yom Plague-su guy and Wang Yoo replies that he’ll get what he deserves. And that’s not good, considering how much Wang Yoo hates liars and deceivers and frauds.
Byung Soo is in polishing his sword with Commander Ki. He asks Ki if the king might have forgotten. Ki is confident that Wang Yoo hasn’t. Byung Soo’s sitting there planning on what his big promotion is going to be. He’s even crediting himself with saving them all from death and the King from abdication. Wow. He doesn’t have a swelled head at all, especially since it’s over something HE DIDN’T EVEN DO. Bool Hwa bursts in to announce that people from the King have arrived.
It’s Shin Woo. Ki, Bool Hwa and Byung Soo rush out to greet him. Byung Soo hopes the King is well. Shin Woo ignores the question and asks if there’s a Ranger Sungnyang posted there. All three of them are confused as to why he’s asking about Sungnyang. Bool Hwa asks if Shin Woo was sent by the King and he confirms he was. Byung Soo speaks up and says that he’s right there. He’s all excited. Shin Woo is not having it. He calls him ‘Plague boy-su’ and then asks him if he needs to take credit for other’s work. Oops.
Seung Nyang arrives and Bool Hwa spots her. He gets her attention and says that Shin Woo is looking for her. Eyes meet and then she tries to be invisible, but Shin Woo is too excited! “It’s you! Where have you been? The King’s been looking all over! You look just the same!” And in the distance Byung Soo glares at Seung Nyang because she got his glory. Not realizing that even if he had done what he said he would, Shin Woo would have been gushing over her. After all, this is the King’s dongsaeng.
Shin Woo’s brought Seung Nyang to the palace and she’s a little freaked out because of what she said about the Crown Prince to the Crown Prince’s face. Shin Woo can hardly contain his joy as he tells Seung Nyang to go on in to see Wang Yoo. She’s completely clueless. Although she shouldn’t be, since he’s beaming. In she walks and Wang Yoo’s back is to her. Without turning around he sternly declares that he knows what she did. Immediately, she falls to her knees and begs him to kill her. Why do they always do that? I’ve upset you. Please kill me! I just don’t get that. He still hasn’t turned around as he demands she tell him what she did to deserve death. She replies that she insulted his Majesty. And? Wang Yoo sounds like he’s really enjoying torturing her, even though he’s trying to hide it. I am laughing. She struck his royal face... Hearing her mortification makes him silently laugh.
Even more sternly he yells, “And?!” She can’t think of anything more so she desperately asks him to kill her and falls prostrate. Again he’s laughing. He turns around and asks her what took her so long? She looks up, confused. He’s smiling now as he tells her that he was so worried, it’s been killing him. And if that doesn’t deserve death, what does? And I melt a little. There’s real tenderness there. Even though he still thinks she’s a boy. That’s a hyung for you. She’s still in shock. He kneels beside her and calls her a fool as she averts her eyes downward. He tells her that if she disappears like that again, she’ll be posted cleaning pigsties. She looks at him and he laughs and tells her to stand up.
Once they’re standing, Wang Yoo pulls Seung Nyang into an embrace, much to her shock. He’s oblivious, so happy that he’s gotten his friend and dongsaeng back. He tells her that he’s so glad to see her. Beaming, he declares that he’s missed her and he didn’t know until then how much he’d actually missed her.
In retaliation, Byung Soo sneaks off to Wang Ko’s house and pledges Wang Ko his allegiance, since Wang Ko promises that if he does as Wang Ko commands, he can have any position you wish. And, of course, greedy Byung Soo is all too ready to sell out his comrades for personal gain. Wang Ko tells Byung Soo to kill Ta Hwan since Baek Ahn cannot attend the Prince’s procession to Daechong. Byung Soo hesitates there for a minute but then finishes selling his soul and says that he can do it.
After Byung Soo leaves, Wang Ko tells Cham that Baek Ahn’s failure may be his opportunity. If he can gain El Temur’s confidence, the Koryeo throne will be his. As Byung Soo walks away, he rationalizes why his treachery is perfectly legitimate: Royalty is as royalty does. And he’s just a peon. He declares that he’ll be as cruel as it takes. And then some.
And as he stands there with the reed hat which obscures his face, I wonder. How is it that people dressed like this *never* get anyone’s attention. You hardly see them, unless they’re trying to hide their identity. Wouldn’t that be a red flag to nefarious dealings?
The next day, Commander Ki and his men have gathered to escort Ta Hwan to Daechong. Wang Yoo’s there to give them last instructions. He asks Shin Woo about Baek Ahn and the rest. Shin Woo reports that only Soon Yong has stayed behind. Ki tells Wang Yoo that the man is Ta Hwan’s closest retainer and no cause for concern. Wang Yoo looks over at Seung Nyang and thinks of their last conversation. He tasked her with shadowing Ta Hwan and watching his every move. They share a nod and Wang Yoo can’t help but smile. Then he snaps out of it with a small clearing of his throat and tells them all to see that there are no mishaps!
Switch to Daidu, where the Empress Dowager is watching her second son slowly die, having been poisoned slowly by El Temur. She begs the boy to regain his strength. El Temur arrives. She coldly asks what he wants. They both know he’s responsible for the boy’s ill health. He replies that concern for the Khan has kept him awake all night. She replies that if he’s so concerned, why did he send the heir apparent to Koryeo? He claims that it was the Court’s will. She retorts that he’s the one who holds the court in his hand. He ‘humbly’ says that this poor old man cares only for the good of our country. Lip service agreement on her part. She gets up and leaves. Why she would leave her sun alone with his murderer, I don't know.
El Temur sits by the Khan’s bed and tells him that his brother was killed by brigands and he should let his suffering end. It will be hard alone and he should go join his brother. At that moment, Ja Hae arrives to report that Baek Ahn has returned and Ta Hwan is still alive. El Temur, who had been feeding the Khan, drops the spoon on the boy’s chest as he mutters, “Incompetent...” But then he turns around and tells Ja Hae that the Khan not to die yet. For the good of Yuan Ta Hwan needs to die first. This poor kid. I really hope El Temur dies a really slow and painful death for how evil he is.
Down in the dungeon, Ki Se is presiding over Baek Ahn and Tal Tal’s flogging, with Baek Ahn begging for mercy. Even though they trained together, because Baek Ahn failed his father, Ki Se’ll spare him nothing. Ki Se tells the guards to get on with it and torture them to death. But things are interrupted by El Temur’s arrival. El Temur wants to know why Baek Ahn didn’t escort Ta Hwan to Daechong. Baek Ahn tells him that Wang Yoo suspects. El Temur orders Baek Ahn and Tal Tal locked up. Ki Se protests, wanting to torture and kill them. Because he’s a real catch, girls. But he and his brother have to leave them.
Up in his war room, El Temur is fuming at how much hard it’s going to be to kill Ta Hwan. But he also declares that no one has lived that he wanted dead, not ever! And he is not the moustache twirling villain. He means business.
Ta Hwan is having a dream. He comes upon his father, tied up. The Khan tells him to stay back. Then El Temur steps forward and cuts Ta Hwan’s Abababa down. El Temur sees Ta Hwan witness what he’s done. Which really explains why he wants the kid dead. As the Khan is dying, he tells Ta Hwan to live and avenge him. Ta Hwan weeps as his father tells him to take the Yuan throne. And then the Khan dies. El Temur steps forward and even as Ta Hwan tells him to stay back, he advances and strikes.
And Ta Hwan wakes from his nightmare. To discover Seung Nyang sitting on the floor near him. She tells him that it’s still night and he should go back to sleep. He tells her that nature’s calling. She gets him the chamber pot and then turns to leave. But he stops her with a ‘well?’ as he pulls open his robe to reveal his pants. It’s very obvious that he wants her to pull down his pants so he can tinkle and I am rolling on so many levels. You know he’d be mortified if he knew she was a girl and she’s mortified at the suggestion of what he’s asking. She looks at him like he has two heads. He whines that he’s never had to undress himself and since she’s his servant… chop-chop!
She swallows hard and then tries to untie his pants without looking. I would have just said, I’m not your servant, I’m your guard and I am not undressing you. If you have a problem with that, talk to the king. But she doesn’t. And it would be less funny. She gets his pants untied. But then there’s the question of his underpants. He tells her to go on then. Like she’s completely stupid for not knowing what to do. She can’t take it anymore and turns to glare at him. She tells him that she’s never undressed anyone and he can pee in his pants if he wants.
Seung Nyang turns her back on him and Ta Hwan raises a fist because he wants to hit her (but doesn’t because he knows she can hurt him). Instead he drops his pants and starts to pee. Enjoying every minute of it. She is horrified that he’s peeing with her right there and tries to block out the sound with her hands. And I am rolling! Afterward, Seung Nyang is carrying the chamberpot to empty it and muttering to herself about how he’s never undressed himself.
Later it’s time to eat. She samples everything to make sure it’s safe. Once she’s done, he smiles and gleefully dumps everything on the ground, making it unedible. Then he sticks his tongue out at her. She has to hold back from punching him. Now they’re outside and he’s frustrated because he can’t get rid of her. Byung Soo is off in the distance, waiting for his assassin opportunity.
Back inside, Seung Nyang’s trying hard to stay awake and Ta Hwan is trying to figure out how to throw things at her. He tells her to go take a nap if she’s tired. She replies that she’s fine. He blurts out that he’s not, because she won’t leave. She replies that she’s under orders. He blurts out that she bugs him. Because she’s the first person ever to not give you your way… He tries to reason with her, but she’s going to follow orders.
Ta Hwan changes the subject and tells her the Wang Yoo grabbed his robes and when he’s Emperor, he’s going to pay him back a 100, a 1,000 times. Wang Yoo’ll be bound hand and feet, whining and groveling for his life. She responds that Wang Yoo gives their nation strength and he will never bow and scrape to anyone. Which rankles Ta Hwan a little, since that’s all he’s been doing. Ta Hwan calls Wang Yoo a thug. Seung Nyang retorts that even animals show gratitude. After all, Wang Yoo is the one keeping him alive. She ends the conversation by looking the other direction. Ta Hwan is ticked and summarily throws a fit on his bed, with flailing limbs and everything. How much a spoiled child he is kills me.
Later than night, Byung Soo arrives and tells Bool Hwa – who has been currently guarding the Prince – that he’s relieved. Bool Hwa is none the wiser to Byung Soo’s treachery and leaves. Inside the house, Ta Hwan is thirsty. He yells for Seung Nyang to bring him some water. But she’s off bathing.
As she leaves the bathhouse, she runs into Bool Hwa and Ki. And drops her rings. They invite her to join them for a drink, but she’s all about protecting the Prince, so Ki sends her on her way. She doesn’t notice the fallen rings, but Bool Hwa does. He’s about to call after her when Ki stops him because he recognizes the rings. And realizes that she’s his daughter. The look on his face is a multi-layered reaction.
Byung Soo is now dressed all in black and has snuck into Ta Hwan’s room. Ta Hwan’s laying with his back to the door. He wasn’t as stealthy as he thought, because Ta Hwan starts talking to him, thinking he’s Seung Nyang. He tells Seung Nyang to bring him some water and dried persimmons. Seung Nyang’s right outside and hears him talking and realizes that there’s someone in with the Prince. She draws her sword and rushes inside.
Inside, Ta Hwan is getting tired of Seung Nyang not answering him. He rolls over, complaining, only to come face-to-face with his masked assailant. And Byung Soo could have killed his at least three times already. As Byung Soo swings, he squirms out of the way. Seung Nyang bursts in and demands to know who he is. They get into it, clashing swords and she demands to know who sent him. Although why she can’t tell from his eyes… But the episode ends.
Thoughts
- El Temur is really evil. And so are his sons.
- Ta Hwan acts a lot more immature than his age, which is understandable given his sheltered life style and the way he’s lived his life. I really can’t understand how anyone could not have ever undressed themselves and I’m sure that it’s happened. That’s just a little excessive.
- Byung Soo is scum. And I bet he’s like a cockroach and will be hard to kill.
- Commander Ki knows Seung Nyang is his daughter, Nyang. How’s he going to reveal that knowledge? And how moved is he, since he pined for her loss, even before he thought she was dead?
- I love the relationship between Seung Nyang and Ta Hwan because she constantly gets his goat. Which he totally needs and deserves for being so spoiled.
- When is Wang Yoo going to figure out Seung Nyang’s a girl? And that he likes her?
- I wonder if Seung Nyang realizes that she likes Wang Yoo? I think she’s more aware of it, since she is constantly freaking out when he touches her intimately, but I also think she doesn’t think anything will come of it because he’s the king.
- One of my favorite parts of this episode was her flipping him into the horse dung and telling him that if he’s the Emperor, she’s the Empress. Ironic foreshadowing. There was another spot where I was wondering about the foreshadowing – will Wang Yoo, at some point, be tied up the way that Ta Hwan’s threatening he’ll do?
- About Ta Hwan’s dream – does that mean he witnessed his father’s death? Or was that just his fear and grief over his Abababa being killed. And I love that phrase – abababa – it’s just so corny-sounding.
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