Maid arrives at Eo Jin’s quarters to drag off Eo Jin. And inquisition. Danashiri gloats in Empress Dowager’s direction. Empress Dowager just smiles coldly and walks on. Danashiri declares to her brother that Empress Dowager will get hers… and she’s be a nun with a shaved head yet!
Courtyard. Eo Jin’s examination IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. Ta Hwan arrives and demands to know why it’s out in public! El Temur declares that a fake pregnancy cannot be investigated in private. He declares that they’ll learn who put Eo Jin up to it, even if it means skinning her alive! The royal physician takes her pulse and starts to sputter. Other doctors take her pulse. They declares that she is with child. Haha! Ki Se is livid and Yeon Hwa can’t understand how it happened, since she took both the powder *and* the tonic.
Seung Nyang smiles to herself. Flashback to her telling Dok Man to take the licorice out of the tonic. She explains that Eo Jin is urinating way too much and it might be from laurel powder. Dok Man knows what that means: Danashiri is trying to cause a miscarriage! When the pharmacist leaves, Dok Man removes the licorice. Eo Jin faints and when they have her in bed, Dok Man declares that the baby is well. Seung Nyang is relieved. Dok Man orders Seung Nyang to tell them that they agree to the examination. Seung Nyang wants him to wait, since this is their chance to have Danashiri fall into her own trap. And the plan – Seung Nyang hides under the covers and the physician feels Seung Nyang’s pulse.
Back in the present, El Temur congratulates Empress Dowager on the forthcoming child. Empress Dowager declares that congratulations are not enough! The royal house has been held up to ridicule. Her Majesty (Danashiri) must be held accountable for spreading such malicious gossip! Ta Hwan declares that before he punishes Danashiri, she should answer his question : Why was she so certain the pregnancy was faked? Danashiri sputters, searching for an excuse. El Temur declares that Danashiri’s crime is clear: She foolishly listened to gossip and brought shame on the imperial house. She must answer for that.
Empress Dowager asks how Danashiri would do that. El Temur offers Danashiri groveling. Empress Dowager isn’t satisfied but El Temur can’t believe the Empress Dowager is pushing for Danashiri’s exile. Ta Hwan declares that it’s enough!
Afterwards, Ki Se drags Seung Nyang into the library and shoves her against the wall. She demands to know what he wants. He declares that she can fool the others but not him! She’s behind all of this! She pulls out a letter, Danashiri’s written promise to send Seung Nyang from the palace, complete with royal seal. He tries to take it from her but she’s too fast. He can’t believe she’d become their enemy just to avenge her king. She declares that it’s not about the king. He killed her mother. He can’t believe it. She tells him to send her out of the palace, that’s the only way he’ll get rid of her! Ki Se is horrified. A tear runs down his face as he tells himself that he *can’t* be falling for her! And he is one twisted man. And Gol Ta has overheard the whole thing.
Time for Danashiri’s groveling. She’s stripped of all her finery. Maid and her retinue start to cry. She tells them to stop. She will not have them pity her to her face! Danashiri is forced to kneel out in the square at the base of the steps of the palace and beg for his forgiveness. With all the servants watching. And it starts to rain. She begs for his forgiveness and mercy. And it rains. With all those servants having to stand out in the rain with her. Ki Se is furious and wants to take his sister inside! El Temur stops him, saying that sometimes you must lose an arm to save the head. Eventually Ta Hwan says that it’s enough; he’s worried that she’ll get sick, being out in the rain like that. Empress Dowager wants him to make Eo Jin an imperial consort first! He protest that they’ve pushed El Temur as far as we can. She protests that influence is fickle and the court will flock to their side when the baby is born.
Outside Danashiri declares that she won’t cry and will get her revenge! Then she passes out. Ki Se rushes her inside.
Soon Yong arrives with Gol Ta to deliver the royal edict, making Eo Jin an imperial consort of the 5th rank. She doesn’t look very excited, but Gol Ta is pleased and so is Seung Nyang.
El Temur is furious at what’s happened, including Eo Jin becoming an imperial consort. Ki Se apologizes and in response, El Temur throw a cup at him, cutting his forehead open. El Temur yells at him, calling him disgusting. El Temur orders Ki Se never to show weakness, even to El Temur. Wang Ko arrives with Cham. Cham arrives with a report from Ja Hae. It’s a total loss with Baek Ahn *and* Wang Yoo dead.
Baek Ahn has been captured, along with Tal Tal and Byung Soo. Jeom Bak and Shin Woo arrive to gloat. Baek Ahn orders them to open the door. Shin Woo agrees, calling forward the Koryeo men. Baek Ahn, Tal Tal and Byung Soo are lead out to kneel in front of Wang Yoo, who declares that the men want them dead. Tal Tal realizes that Wang Yoo realized Batolu’s plan. Wang Yoo replies that it’s just fair play, since they were planning on using the Koryeo men as bait. Baek Ahn declares that it’s treason! Wang Yoo replies that it was Baek Ahn who showed him the way; they can’t beat all the Turks!
Baek Ahn declares it’s enough talk and Wang Yoo should kill them. Instead Wang Yoo cuts Baek Ahn loose. He orders them given horses and says that they’re riding for the Capital. Baek Ahn asks why Wang Yoo *isn’t* killing him. Wang Yoo replies that he’s not Baek Ahn, most definitely not. They’re men of Koryeo! Tal Tal asks about Batolu and they bring out a body with the mask on. Tal Tal pulls it off to reveal the Lieut’s face.
We get to see Batolu riding away. Flashback with Batolu asking him why he’s helping her. He replies that the enemy of his enemy is his friend. The present doesn’t matter, only the future. She declares that they have no future. Wang Yoo replies that Koryeo doesn’t either, so why not build on togther? The Yuan control the seas but they don’t control the Silk Road. She agrees to his proposal.
Daidu. Dok Man is yelling at some of the maids. He praises Hong Dan. He gets after Yeon Hwa for always scowling!1 He orders Seung Nyang to remove her uniform and gives her different robes, since she’s serving the palace now. Do Han and the other maids cheer while Yeon Hwa grimaces with jealousy. Dok Man shows Seung Nyang to her new quarters.
With El Temur’s words ringing in his ears, Ki Se orders the Captain of the Guard to kill Seung Nyang… for his father… for his house. So I won’t be weak! He tells himself that he won't be sorry to see her dead. And we all know *that’s* a lie.
Seung Nyang looks at Danashiri’s orders and thinks about how she can leave. Yeon Hwa arrives to fetch her because Dok Man is looking for her. And I can tell that she’s lying. Seung Nyang goes. A man sneaks up to strangle her. But they’re stopped by some of Gol Ta’s men. Gol Ta gets her attention and tells her to come with him. She replies that Dok Man sent for her, but Gol Ta replies that Ta Hwan has, too. Which trumps Dok Man.
Arriving at Ta Hwan’s quarters, he sourly asks if they found Danashiri’s letter and Gol Ta says that it wasn’t in her quarters, he orders her be searched. They find the letter and give it to him. Seung Nyang demands it back, but he burns it. She begs him not to but he does. She starts to cry.
The Captain tells Ki Se that their plan failed. Ki Se worries about the assassin talking, but they’ve planned for that and the assassin took his own life by swallowing his own tongue. Now they’ll never figure out who’s after Seung Nyang. Ta Hwan orders Seung Nyang to the imperial palace starting tomorrow! Then he goes to visit Danashiri, since he’s had enough of his so-called Empress.
Danashiri looks terrible. When she tries to get up and groom herself, maid protests. But she makes herself look good and pretends to be well. He is livid. He demands why she did it. It was *beneath* her. She asks if whether he *doesn’t* know. She instead asks him how he can treat her like this: she’s always alone. Lonely. She made him that way! He steps closer and concludes that she’s not sorry. She laughs and declares that he finally ran to her. He’s there talking to her, looking in her eyes. And she’s prayed for this day! Even though it’s not exactly what she prayed for. Just a kind word, a soft look. She resents El Temur and she resents him. Ta Hwan doesn’t say another word but sighs and leaves. Danashiri sinks to the floor and weeps.
Next day, Gol Ta tells Seung Nyang her new assignment: she's to attend the Emperor and always be within three paces of his presence. He is evil. She tells him that she understands. Ta Hwan’s waiting for her, but acts like he’s not. She slowly enters as he stirs his paint. He orders her closer. And closer. And closer. He’s decided to draw her so she better not move! She can’t believe him.
As he draws, Ta Hwan doesn’t look at her, even as he asks why she didn't come find him when she got there. Why hide that she’s a woman? Does she hate him so much? Was she scared that he'd see her as a woman? Be attracted to her? And how are you drawing her, if you’re not looking at her? I guess it’s from memory… She asks him to send her from the palace. He orders her to stop talking!
Later, Ta Hwan has her read him a book as he falls asleep. He remarks that the story’s sad. But then, parting is always sad. She repeats her request. She reminds him that she did everything her asked on Daechong Island, so can he please do this for her. He asks why she’s so eager to leave. She replies so that she can find Wang Yoo. That clearly hurts him. He can’t believe that she’s *still* serving him, even there! He gets angry and tells her that she’s there now and he’s her lord now! She replies that her body might be there, but Wang Yoo is her only lord.
Ta Hwan declares that everything changes in life. Seung Nyang’s circumstances have changed and so has her lord. She compares herself to a chick imprinting on its mother. Wang Yoo will be her lord first, last and always. He tells her to stop. He doesn’t want to hear anymore! He tells her to leave. As she goes, he says after her that El Temur has her marked and she’s dead if she leaves him. She’s safest with him. He calls her an idiot.
Gol Ta is outside. He’s heard everything and is ticked off that she’s rebuffing Ta Hwan. He coldly tells her that Wang Yoo is dead. She doesn’t want to believe it. As she reels, Gol Ta declares that if she treats Ta Hwan like that again, she’ll answer to him! He leaves her to cry and delivers the news to Ta Hwan. Ta Hwan can’t believe it. He asks whether Seung Nyang has heard and worries about her being heartbroken.
Seung Nyang sits in her room and weeps as she thinks of him and their time together. She declares that he gave her hope and how can she go on now?! Ta Hwan peeks in to see her weeping terribly.
The next day, Ta Hwan’s worried about her and makes Seung Nyang be his food taster since she’s not eating. Gol Ta protests but Ta Hwan shuts him down and declares that this is the way it is. After they leave, he declares that he’s hungry so she better come test everything. She takes a bite and he makes her take a big bite of it, since a small one won’t really show whether it’s poisoned. He smiles to himself. He makes her eat a chicken leg (his favorite), because he’s paranoid. Then he sighs and tells her not to follow a dead man. She stops eating and tells him not to worry about her. He tells her that since she’s his servant, she has to have his permission to die. Unless she decides to swallow her own tongue…
Ta Hwan’s taking a stroll, Seung Nyang three paces behind him. He’s enjoying himself. She starts to fall behind and he gives her a hard time. She walks up to him and he spins around so that they’re face to face. Freaked Seung Nyang face and she steps aside to let him pass. He walks a little farther and does it again. He tries a third time and she’s not behind him. He looks around for her and calls her name and when he turns around, she’s right there. He sputters that she scared him. She smiles in spite of herself. He asks if it was a smile. She doesn’t reply. He turns around and smiles because he made her smile.
Wang Yoo and company arrive just outside of Daidu. Baek Ahn and the Yuan want to stop and camp, but Wang Yoo presses forward. Baek Ahn wonders what’s in Daidu and Byung Soo says that it’s Seung Nyang. And that he’s a *her.* Wang Yoo and his Mighty Men arrive in Daidu, but it’s dark. Jeom Bak is able to find them quarters, but Wang Ko is staying there. And he’s sloppy drunk, too. Cham is there, trying to get Wang Ko to calm down.
Wang Yoo arrives, much to Cham’s surprise. Because Wang Yoo is *alive!* Wang Ko starts to laugh and tells Wang Yoo to leave, if he’s a ghost. But if he’s Wang Yoo, he should join him. Wang Yoo replies that if Wang Ko’s a drunk, go away, but if he’s Wang Ko, he should join him. Wang Ko laughs heartily and tells Cham that he said that Wang Yoo wouldn’t die that easily.
Wang Ko goes down to join Wang Yoo, happy to see him. Wang Yoo points out how his treachery didn’t get him anything. Wang Ko tells him that the palace is scarier than any battlefield. If he dozes off, he’ll lose his neck. Wang Yoo replies that if coming means that he’ll have to bow and scrape like Wang Ko, he wouldn't have bothered on coming back. Wang Ko laughs and wishes him good luck with that.
Next morning, Ta Hwan is calling for Seung Nyang. Gol Ta reports that she’s taken ill. This immediately wakes him up. He rushes to her side and freaks out, demanding that Gol Ta bring the Royal Physician.
Wang Yoo arrives at the palace and she sees him, just as Ki Se strikes him dead! Thunder and lighting strike. Man, what a horrible nightmare. She begs him to stay with her as she cradles his body.
Unconscious, she reaches out her hand and Ta Hwan takes it, telling her that he’s there. Soon Yong arrives to report that Baek Ahn is alive and victorious and Wang Yoo is, too. Unconscious Seung Nyang mutters ‘Chona’ as she cries and rips Ta Hwan’s heart out more.
Thoughts
Aw, poor Ta Hwan. Even though I know he's going to end up with the girl, I feel bad for him as he pines for Seung Nyang. Even though he only recently found out that she was a girl. Poor guy. But I love how he feels so happy when she’s happy or when he thinks about her being pleased with him. It’s really sweet.
Wang Yoo is victorious and spares Baek Ahn’s life. I wonder how that’s going to play out in the future?
What a horrible dream and is that a vision of the future? Probably not, since she’s feverish, but it’s her worst nightmare come to life…
Danashiri was busted and Eo Jin became a imperial concubine. When is Seung Nyang going to rise up the ranks, so to speak? And what’s going to happen to Eo Jin? Does she carry the baby to term? I wonder.
And I wonder about the fallout of Ja Hae declaring himself the sole survivor, since it’s now obvious that he isn’t. El Temur’s going to really be pissed at second son’s incompetence.
So is Ta Hwan going to tell her or not?
Love Ta Hwan much♡
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