Empress Dowager asks Ta Hwan if he’s listening. He replies that of course he is… What does she suggest? She replies that they’re awaiting his decision. He tells them that they can decide the matter. They protest and he calls out, asking for something cold to drink. Danashiri tells him that she would rather go blind! She stalks out. Empress Dowager steps up and urges him to make Eo Jin an official concubine.
Walking away, Danashiri declares that she’s not a joke and Empress Dowager has underestimated her. They’ll see who cries blood! Empress Dowager is also leaving the meeting with Ta Hwan grumbling about the insolent girl lecturing her! She'll be begging for mercy soon enough!
Ta Hwan’s moaning to Gol Ta about the two women. Gol Ta suggests a tonic. Ta Hwan waves that off and asks him to instead find out about Seung Nyang. Gol Ta asks him if he’s *fond* of the girl. Probably hoping that she caught his eye, since he’s been talking about being in love with a man. Ta Hwan protests that of course he’s not! It’s just that she’s so much like the man who saved his life in Koryeo. He feels better when he sees her. Gol Ta suggests that they permanently transfer Seung Nyang to his entourage. Ta Hwan isn’t sure, but Gol Ta says that everyone wants to work there because of the light workload and high pay. They get paid? He sighs, wheels turning. She would like that. Gol Ta declares that she will be overwhelmed with gratitude! He relishes her fawning with her gratitude and declares for Gol Ta to make it so!
<!--more->Ta Hwan smiles as he imagines Seung Nyang rushing up, gushing with gratitude. He asks her if she has the little nothing he gave her. She does! And she will cherish it until her bones are bleached and dry! While do they both imagine Seung Nyang all cutesy and flirty when they think of her? It's so not her personality. He asks her if it’s just until they're bleached and dry. She shakes her head earnestly and declares that it’s until they turn to dust and her life is his! He heartily laughs and ospiciously declares that he prefers her life while she’s still intact. She gushes and smiles after him adoringly as he walks away, happily swinging his arms.
Back in reality, he’s smiling, gushing to himself at the idea of being her dream man. He sighs, wishing that she really *was* Seung Nyang. He hopes that Seung Nyang is all right.
Seung Nyang is unconscious with fever. Do Han is nursing her. Dok Man arrives and asks if there’s improvement. Not really. Dok Man declares that failing to care for oneself is also disloyal! So no one ever catches a cold except when it’s on purpose? Really? He wants to be told when she wakes up. Seung Nyang is delirious, worried about Wang Yoo.
Back to Wang Yoo declaring that Batolu’s head is his. He shoots the flaming arrow, sending a signal to Bool Hwa and Myung Soo. They’ve been impatiently waiting. Wang Yoo and his men charge out of the fort. Where’s the Yuan forces? Batolu and the Turks fall back, chased by Wang Yoo and his men. Wang Yoo has them slow down, so the plan can work.
Turks fall into the tiger trap. They go a different direction to get nailed by falling boulders. And then struck down by Myung Soo and his men. Another direction and Bool Hwa is there, carrying battering rams. It’s a Turk slaughter.
Baek Ahn and the Yuan men run to the gates of the fort. A battle? But whose screams? Cham thinks that Wang Yoo gave chase and fell into an ambush. Or not. Ja Hae smiles and declares that blind ambition got Wang Yoo killed. Or not. And Byung Soo’s followed Wang Yoo to make sure that he ends up dead. But Byung Soo is tied up and gagged in a tent somewhere.
Wang Yoo lies in wait with Shin Woo and Jeom Bak. Here come the remainder of the Turks and Batolu. They attack, after Wang Yoo declares that Batolu’s head is his! Epic battle between Batolu and Wang Yoo, with lots of spinning and swinging. They both strike a blow at the same time.
Next morning, Byung Soo’s leading the hunt. They come across a massacre of Turks. And her comes Wang Yoo and his forces. They have a horse – it’s Batolu. Baek Ahn if Batolu is dead. She’s not. At least, his daughter, Onbisu, who’s been pretending to be Batolu, isn’t.
They get back to camp. Byung Soo asks where Jeom Bak is. Myung Soo says that he died with honor. No! Not Jeom Bak! I can’t believe he died. Byung Soo and Cham laugh that Jeom Bak is dead.
Ki Se’s visiting Ta Hwan. Ta Hwan asks him about Seung Nyang. Is he married? Where is he? What's he doing? Ki Se lies and says that Seung Nyang’s living with his brothers in his hometown. Ta Hwan’s practically disappointed at that news. Ki Se asks why Ta Hwan’s wondering, since he's His Imperial Majesty and Koryeo is best forgotten. Ta Hwan says there’s no reason, just curiosity. Ki Se thinks to himself that he has to get Seung Nyang out of the palace before Ta Hwan notices her.
And Seung Nyang’s up and about. So, Ta Hwan casually goes to find her. He calls her over – which she tries to ignore at first. He leans in and asks if she has the little nothing he gave her. His face is priceless when she replies that she lost it. Gol Ta starts to chastise her, but Ta Hwan waves him silent. He orders her to bring his tea.
And that took a long time to brew since it’s now dark outside. She fixes the tea. He tries to act all casual as Gol Ta asks her about whether she knows that he selected her as a palace maid. She says that she does and Ta Hwan smiles to himself, waiting for the gushing to start. Shocked that this is all she says, he asks her if that's it. Gol Ta starts to prompt her, but he waves Gol Ta quiet. Ostentatiously he tells her to just say the word and he’ll get her anything she needs. And then she tells him she prefers the Pavilion of Women. Slam! The hurt is evident on his face as he asks her if she doesn't like it in the palace. She replies that she prefers serving there.
Ta Hwan sighs and disgustedly sips the tea. Then he calls it crud and declares that it’s cold! She apologizes and says she will bring him some more. She just tells her to take it away. She does and he asks Gol Ta to explain *that* reaction. She’s supposed to be overwhelmed! Gol Ta calls her dense which gets him another slap from Ta Hwan for insulting her.
And now Seung Nyang is part of the group that’s come to groom him. Flashback. He sends the other maids out and makes Seung Nyang do it. Pleased as punch, he smiles as she ties the napkin around his neck. Like before, she’s annoyed that he has to pamper him like this. She roughly washes his face throws the cloth over his eyes. Then she roughly scrubs his face while Gol Ta looks on shocked. And I am rolling. Finally it’s so rough that Ta Hwan pulls the cloth off with a tut-tut! She respectfully bows and declares it’s time for the royal lotion. He sighs contentedly as she rubs his face. She pinches his cheeks and Gol Ta can’t believe how rough she is being! And I am laughing! He has no idea about their history at all. She is being nice. Seung Nyang starts slapping his face and he protests that it hurts.
Now Seung Nyang’s washing his feet. Ta Hwan lifts a foot up into her face and demands that she massage it. She won’t look at him. He thinks of Seung Nyang and that time he was bathing and declares that she’s so much like him! She clears her throat and looks down. He asks her why she doesn’t like it in the palace? It's less work, more pay. Why does she want to leave? She tweaks his toes and he protests that it hurts! Gol Ta tries to get his attention. She asks Ta Hwan to kill her now. He whines about how a girl can be that strong! Gol Ta chimes in that a beating will straighten her out. He waves Gol Ta quiet and tells Seung Nyang to leave. She goes and Ta Hwan smiles to himself as she does. Gol Ta asks if Ta Hwan will send her away and he sighs that she’s *just* like Seung Nyang. He declares that there's a way to handle these types. Because it worked for you last time…
Ta Hwan’s having her fan him. And complaining the whole time. It’s either too hot or too cold. She finally slams down the fan. As she glares at him she thinks that not killing him is like torture! He clucks at her for glaring. She replies that her eyes are always like this. He tells her she needs to laugh. Reluctantly she ha-ha-ha’s. He tells her it has to be more: smiling and pretty and such. She grimaces and clears her throat. She bares her teeth in a smile and he bursts out laughing. Gol Ta arrives to declare that El Temur is there. Seung Nyang sees his scared reaction.
Time to sign more documents. No discussion, just terse thrusting of papers in front of Ta Hwan and his stamping them. El Temur reads one and angrily tosses it in the trash. Ta Hwan asks what it said. El Temur snaps at him, asking if he fancies himself a ruler now. Ta Hwan naturally sputters that El Temur’s the ruler, of course. El Temur declares that Ta Hwan cannot make that girl a concubine. Tonight he will stay with the Empress. The court has noticed how Ta Hwan don't spend time with her. Ta Hwan won’t embarrass him like this. When Ta Hwan sputters that he will, El Temur sighs, disgusted. And Ta Hwan sighs, hating this.
Danashiri has been preparing for his arrival. She orders all the maids out. Ta Hwan won’t meet her eyes. She starts to undress him and then stops, mentioning it. He looks at her and she tells him that he can undress her. He slides off her robe. Now they’re lying on the bed. She reaches over to hold him and he tells her to blow out the candles. When she just sits there, he does it himself and then lies down and goes to sleep. The next morning, she’s upset as she thinks that what held her last night wasn't a man but an empty shell. She throws a fit.
Empress Dowager goes to asks Ta Hwan about the night before. He can’t even speak, he feels so repulsed. She assures that Danashiri will never bear him a child. She made sure of it. He interrupts her, not looking at her, and asks what kind of man he is. Turn to her, her starts yelling at her: What does he do here in the palace? Why does he eat, sleep, breathe? Why is he alive? Calmly she tells him that he lives to wait. He waits for his chance. And waiting takes courage. That's all she can tell him. He hates himself and his life.
Seung Nyang enters his rooms with Ta Hwan’s tea. He tells her he knew someone that looked like her. That man hated him, he supposes. He sighs as he declares the man his only friend. He tells her about when they were being chased and were cornered on a cliff. She asked him what he’s done to be the Khan, that they needed to jump. And he jumped! A first. He begs her to be like that man, give him courage. Be Sungnyang for him and help him. She replies that it’s not his place. Sorrowful, he looks away and agrees; she’s right. She’s no Seung Nyang. He’s just been kidding himself. Wow, he’s really discouraged. I feel so bad for him! He yells out to Gol Ta and when Gol Ta comes in, he tells Gol Ta to send her back to the Pavilion of Women. Seung Nyang is actually bothered by how upset Ta Hwan is.
The Border. Baek Ahn’s treating Wang Yoo to a feast. Wang Yoo declares that he didn’t do it alone so Baek Ahn tells Tal Tal to prepare wine and meat for his men. Wang Yoo doesn’t really say anything else. Onbisu – heck, I’m just going to keep calling her Batolu because that’s who she really is in the story – declares to her men that the Yuan have a tactician. Baek Ahn’s a brave man, but he's no thinker. Someone suggests Tal Tal, but Batolu doesn’t think so, because the guy who attacked them was a foreigner and if it was Tal Tal's plans, Baek Ahn would have been close. She declares that whoever he is, he can't possibly know our plans.
Wang Yoo’s riding her horse. Myung Soo and Bool Hwa are watching, proud of their king. Ja Hae arrives and declares they should race. Wang Yoo replies that he saves things like that for his enemies. Ja Hae gets ticked and smacks his horse. It immediately rears and throws Ja Hae from the saddle. And I’m worried for the poor horse, because Ja Hae is ticked. Myung Soo declares that Mongols are said to eat and sleep on horseback… and Ja Hae got thrown just like that. Wang Yoo contemplates what that means, since it’s not just Ja Hae that it’s happened to.
Byung Soo arrives with two Turks in tow, not prisoners. Byung Soo is meeting with Baek Ahn, Tal Tal, Wang Yoo and Ja Hae. He declares that their spies have returned. They’ve brought a map of the enemy camp. It’s in a narrow ravine with mountains on three sides. There are over 5,000 men, more than Baek Ahn anticipated. He tells Wang Yoo that they need bait to draw them out – meaning Wang Yoo. And the Turks are back.
Wang Yoo surveys the scene and declares that something is not right. She declares that this is where the bloodbath begins. Noise and a horse is bucking around. Wang Yoo remembers Ja Hae getting thrown and realizes: the noise just wasn’t for the people, but to disturb the horses and keep them sleep deprived. He realizes that Batolu will launch a mounted attack. He tells Myung Soo not to tell anyone what he’s realized.
Ki Se’s delivering the pregnancy news to El Temur, who is furious! Danashiri is there, humiliated. She declares that she can’t show her face in the palace now! El Temur declares he won't stand for it! Ki Se declares that he has a plan. He’ll use a spy, one of the girls in Eo Jin’s entourage. Ki Se thinks that they can get rid of the Pak girl and the Dowager at the same time. Ki Se directs Danashiri to test the girls to find the exact right one.
Danashiri tells Maid to bring her a girl who can read from among the Koryeo girls. Seung Nyang’s in working. Do Han us sympathetic, since Seung Nyang got sent away from the palace. Yeon Hwa demands to know Seung Nyang’s connections. How else would she get assigned to the palace?! Maid enters and asks for Yeon Hwa and brings her before Danashiri. They present her with a message. Danashiri declares that one of the girls has been carrying on, so Yeon Hwa needs to take the name to the captain of the guard. It's a matter of life and death. She declares that no one can know she’s involved, which is why Danashiri’s sending her. Danashiri strongly tells Yeon Hwa Not to read the name inside. As they leave Danashiri, Yeon Hwa asks about what will happen to the girl who gets killed… will a new spot open (for her)? Maid assures her that if she delivers that message, Yeon Hwa just might be appointed.
Yeon Hwa goes to carry out her job. Danashiri declares that it’s only natural to want to see what you should not. Yeon Hwa decides to read the paper and is terrified at what it says. Panicking, she jumps in the pond. She returns to Danashiri and declares that she fell in. Danashiri asks whether Yeon Hwa read the letter and she denies doing it. Danashiri orders her to take another letter. Yeon Hwa begins begging to be spared. Danashiri knows she’s not the one and tells Yeon Hwa to go back to her quarters and not tell anyone, or else Yeon Hwa is dead. Onto the next girl!
Border. Yes, Jeom Bak’s alive! He’s been out scouting, hehe! Wang Yoo sighs and tells Shin Woo and Jeom Bak that the time has come. They bear the heaviest burden. Scenes of what’s happening as Wang Yoo narrates: Shin Woo and Jeom Bak will follow Batolu's mount. It will lead them back to Batolu’s camp. Wang Yoo declares that his fight isn’t with the Turks, but with Baek Ahn. Jeom Bak isn’t sure that the Turks will trust them, but Wang Yoo tells them that they’ll be fine if they follow his instructions.
Jeom Bak and Shin Woo arrive at the Turk fort, with Shin Woo on horse back. Shin Woo declares he’s there to speak with Batolu. And, again, I’m wondering where they stashed this really nice fancy red robe that Shin Woo’s wearing. The Turks rough them up. Batolu decides to see them. Shin Woo is ‘meditating.’ She asks why they’ve come. Jeom Bak declares that Shin Woo doesn’t talk with lackeys. Heh. They want to talk with General Batolu. Batolu declares she’s on his staff. Shin Woo starts to moan about just wanting to serve the king, studying and he was even castrated! How his life has been wasted! Batolu wants to know how they can trust them. Shin Woo moans some more. Batolu leaves and tells her man that they can always kills the pair after they check their story.
Seung Nyang with laundry. Ki Se’s come to visit. He strokes her face so she dumps the laundry on him. Ta Hwan’s walking and sees them. He thinks to himself that Ki Se’s surprised too, but then he’s surprised at how she grabs the laundry and stomps off, while Ki Se laughs at her. He’s not surprised. Why? Ta Hwan goes to where Seung Nyang is doing laundry and spies on her. When she starts to leave, he calls out Seung Nyang. She stops and turns to look at who called her name. Busted. But he’s hiding.
Now Ta Hwan’s freaking out. Is it Seung Nyang? It can't be. Seung Nyang is a man and he’s in Koryeo. Gol Ta asks if he’s okay. He orders Gol Ta to send a man to Koryeo and bring Seung Nyang back.
Seung Nyang is working. Maid and Dok Man arrive. He declares that she’s the only Koryeo maid who can read. He’s curious what it’s about, but Maid is shifty and denies there’s any real reason. Seung Nyang’s brought to Danashiri and Danashiri recognizes Seung Nyang as the maid she slapped. Danashiri gives her the test. Maid declares that if she does well, she might serve the Empress. Seung Nyang declares she’s not interested in that, which gets Maid’s attention. Seung Nyang asks to get out of the palace altogether. Seung Nyang goes on her way. Danashiri doesn’t like Seung Nyang at all. She’s certain Seung Nyang will chase after Ta Hwan. Maid mentions Seung Nyang’s request which surprises Danashiri. Danashiri’s sure that Seung Nyang will read the letter.
And sure enough, Seung Nyang does read it. It says to kill the bearer of the letter. Seung Nyang freaks for a second or two but then realizes that it’s a test. Danashiri has no reason to kill her, and Maid was hopeful that maybe they can trust her. It's definitely a test. Muttering, she decides to deliver the letter. Danashiri is shocked that Seung Nyang delivered the letter, but then she declares that Seung Nyang won’t pass the second test! We all know she does because Seung Nyang becomes Empress. Wait… I’m spoiling the dramatic tension!
Seung Nyang is taken in front of the Captain of the Guard, who demands to know who sent the letter. She says she doesn’t know. He declares that it's a plot to burn the palace. Seung Nyang definitely knows it’s a test now. Danashiri’s now watching as Captain holds his sword to Seung Nyang’s throat and demands she tell him who sent the letter. Seung Nyang still plays dumb. He swings and cuts off some of her hair. Next time it will be her head! As he goes to strike, Danashiri stops him.
Back in Danashiri’s room, she asks Seung Nyang why she didn’t say who sent the letter. Seung Nyang replies that she was just following Danashiri’s orders. Danashiri thinks her obedience is odd. Seung Nyang answers that it’s just how she was taught and disobedience is the odd thing. Danashiri asks why she wants to leave and concludes that it’s a lover, of course. Danashiri promises she’ll see him again, if she obeys. Maid steps forward and pours out some powder. Danashiri declares that that tramp Eo Jin got herself knocked up and Seung Nyang should give her this. Seung Nyang looks at Danashiri, shocked.
Thoughts
Closer to Ta Hwan realizing that she’s Seung Nyang. Maybe next episode? And it almost seems like Seung Nyang’s forgiven him because she understands just how scary and dangerous the Palace really is. I actually really like Ta Hwan, I think a little more than Wang Yoo, because he’s this frightened man that you just want to comfort and give strength to. Wang Yoo, he’s strong already. He doesn’t need anyone but Ta Hwan needs a woman, Seung Nyang, to be the man that he’s destined to be. And what woman *doesn’t* find that attractive, that you’re *that* necessary. Besides, he’s genuinely caring, when he realizes that it’s warranted.
I do really like their dynamic, how she gets so annoyed at having to cater to him that she lashes out in some way (whether physically or verbally). I love, too, that he gets ticked but doesn’t retaliate more than to just yell indignantly at her, like he knows that he’s going too far and should be chastised. Given the politics going on, it’s really going to get interesting when he does finally figure it out, because it means that he’ll want Seung Nyang with him and that will mean protecting her from Danashiri.
I wonder if Danashiri is ever going to be likeable? I doubt it. She’s too egotistical for that.
Since we’re spending so much time on Seung Nyang and Ta Hwan’s relationship, it makes me wonder who the lead really is? Because they both seem to be the lead, him and Wang Yoo. Like I said, I think I like Ta Hwan just a little more because he *is* less perfect. Neither of them is the typical arrogant lead; Ta Hwan can be that way, but that’s just because no one’s pointed out to him that his expectations aren’t realistic. It’s not like he knows it’s ridiculous and demands it anyway.
I have to say, I love the costumes in this show. One of the reasons I love saeguks: the costumes. Although it’s the second time where the costuming has pulled me out of the story. Fancy attire on a concubine march and now fancy attire at a poor border camp that is underfunded and manned in a battle for the spice road. Come on. I know it’s a saeguk, but just a little more realism, please!
I do have to say that I love that Wang Yoo’s a stud. Where did he get all his training, though, since he’s a prince and all? It’s so crazy how this character is *so* not who Wang Yoo is recorded as being in history. The Wang Yoo of record is more the depraved king in ‘Faith,’ who drunkenly kills Chan Young’s mentor after ordering one of his loyal subjects to strip naked in front of him just for his jollies. But who wants to root for that? And why would *that* be a sad love story, when he’s a scumbag who likes to abduct, rape and kill women. And El Temur, historically, died *before* Ta Hwan ascended to the throne. And Tal Tal actually turned on his uncle, Baek Ahn, to oust him from power and worked for a long time with Ta Hwan. Baek Ahn is quite blood thirsty and despotic, too. Interesting article: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/culture/2013/11/148_145578.html This all goes back to what I was saying just a little bit ago, about how dramas tend to be polarized in their depictions, particularly of the bad guys. And really, I’m not going to root for Wang Yoo at all if they show him as the scumbag piece of garbage that history records him as. I’d much rather root for the butt-kicking Wang Yoo that I’m watching now. Yes, it’s fiction, but it’s engaging fiction. Cue the dramatic music and the tragic love story! And go, Ta Hwan!
No comments:
Post a Comment