EPISODE 4
Just like millenials nowadays, we saw our King Taejong just chilling in his chamber, overthinking while sipping some tea and eating snacks. Noh Hee-bong then inquired the king whether it was wise to let Lee Soo teach Prince Chungnyeong Exposition of Great Learning since it made the ministers roared their heads off. The eunuch noted it would have consequences on Crown Prince position being threatened by Chungnyeong and that’s why the king still awoke right now. Taejong didn’t want to banish his own son but remarked that if Crown Prince let his brother threatened his position, maybe Crown Prince wasn’t worthy of throne.
Meanwhile in the dark, Darth Vader Min Mu-gu discussed with Min Mu-jil that King Taejong started to lean toward Prince Chungnyeong which meant bad news for Crown Prince, and him. So he decided to take extraordinary measure.
Morning came, and the princes with their wife came to gave their greetings to the king. But wait, there was another prince that wasn’t present yet, the eunuch tried calling him again, confusion were painted in the faces of the prince. Behind them, a maid accompanied a little kid, Prince Seongnyeong, politely told him to rush. The little prince was accompanied by his maid. The little kid didn’t want to go but Crown Prince brought him a snack. Prince Seongnyeong smiled and went to Crown Prince but he fell down. Don’t worry, big bro to the rescue. Crown Prince picked him up and asked the eunuch to announce them.
Eunuch Noh Hee-bong told them that the king had cancelled the greetings that morning which picked questions from Crown Prince. Not only that, the king also didn’t attend royal lecture with the miniters. Ha Roon ordered Hwang Hee to call the king, saying unless he wanted to abdicate, he couldn’t miss the lecture. But, he missed the lecture so….Hwang Hee announced the king wished to abdicate. Really?
The king in questions went praying at Royal Ancestral Shrine together with the queen and announced his intention to abdicate in front of ancestral altar. Queen Wongyeong was surprised as well.
Meanwhile, Park Eun was fuming because king abdication was a direct result from attack on Prince Chungnyeong. Ha Roon and Kim Han-ro responded more calmly, since it was the King’s wish after all. Did these two actually want the king to “resign”? Park Eun really, reaaaalllly didn’t want immature Crown Prince became head of state apparently which prompted Min Mu-gu to say that they actually needed a change of personnel in the chaotic royal court. Park Eun was dead set to not let that happen. Min Mu-gu kinda threatened Park Eun but he didn’t back off. The Mins asked Ha Roon if he worked with Park Eun about the abdication but Ha Roon denied it (wasn’t he your partner, Min Mu-gu?). Min Mu-gu was complacent in front of the Prime Minister because apparently the world Joseon was already their oyster and who could be prouder than the prime minister himself who was on the same team?
The Royal Seal was delivered to Crown Prince’s palace and he just played with it in front of his brothers, wondering his first order. He asked if the prince should move back to the palace with Hyoryeong answered that it’s up to him. Chungnyeong, however, just opened his mouth carelessly by suggesting Crown Prince returned the Seal to the king, since he was the cause why the king made that bad decision and the Crown Prince was still young, immature and inexperiences. Butttt, the Crown Prince was enraged, saying that Chungnyeong wanted to snatch the throne. Chungnyeong started to cry but the Crown Prince went further by saying he could gave the throne to Chungnyeong right now, demanded if Chungnyeong wanted the throne.
Poor chungnyeong just cried because that wasn’t what he meant anddddd teh Crown Prince just laughed, ladies and gentlemen! Turned out Crown Prince Yangnyeong just teased and bullied him and he just wished his uncles (the Mins) saw what happened because if he could reduced Chungnyeong to tears, there’s no way the kid could steal his throne. Big bro advised little bro to be carfeul about what to say because someone could misunderstood him. And the matter whether he accepted or denied the Royal Seal was his bussiness all along.
On the other hand, Consort Hyobin also vent her frustration to Lee Sook-bun and Lee Jong-mu since the Royal Seal had been delivered to Crown Prince, which meant Hyobin’s kid couldn’t became king which meant bad news. Lee Sook-bun planned to confront the king about his abdication while Lee Jong-mu tried to calm Hyobin since they could be eavesdr opped. Lee Jong-mu went further that no matter what happened, as a concubine’s child, Prince Kyungnyeong would never rise to throne but Hyobin was more concerned with Min brothers influenced in the court once Crown Prince ascended to the throne. This got their attentions because they could be purged from the court if the Mins took the royal court.
Ha Roon and the ministers bowed in front of the palace, begging the King to reconsider his decision to abdicate with the king leisurely read books. On the other hand, Hwang Hee asked Shim On to asked auspicious date for abdication, I think? Shim On was confused but Hwang Hee explained that they needed to spread net wide to achieved greater results. Also, Min Mu-gu crooks were caught by Park Eun’s force so Min brothers decided they needed to speed up king abdication.
Crown Prince faced his father and returned the Royal Seal, claiming the king tested him since there was no way the king who snatched the throne from his brothers let the throne went easily, even to his own son. The king claimed this was the only way to spare Chungnyeong’s life, but Crown Prince begged to differ. In his opinion, the king should be able to govern his state and strengthen his authority by slaying his ministers or killing Chungnyeong, he didn’t accept the responsibility being thrown upon him like this.
The Min brothers asked Queen Wongyeong why she let the crown prince met the king like this, but mommy was proud of his son doing the right thing. Crown Prince didn’t have power to back up his court if he ascended to throne now but the Min brothers said they could help him. Their power hunger was detected by the queen who proceed to ask them to stop and wait but the Min brothers was impatitent. Min Mu-gu thought now was the right time for Crown Prince Yangnyeong to ascend to throne now since hew was still young, the Mins could easily control him. The Queen still said no, warning that this would be another startegy by the king and they couldn’t outmatch him.
Min Mu-gu lackeys was tortured by Park Eun and co, who asked them whose connections they had that guarantee them free from law, was it Min Mu-gu the evil or Prime Minister Ha Roon? At the same time, the same problem was brought to the prime minister by the Min brothers. It seemed like three of them was on the same gang since they all accepted bribes from the merchant who were tortured. Min Mu-gu blackmailed Ha Roon to cover their tracks since a villa gifted to Ha Roon from the Mins was a result of such bribery. Prime Minister was tongue-tied.
On the light side of the force, Jo Mal-saeng found evidences of bribery and reported it to Park Eun. Park Eun were happy to catch such scandal from Ha Roon. Awwww, chulseok came early for Park Eun, didn’t it? Meanwhile, Min Mu-jil worried they couldn’t let Ha Roon take matters himself since it was Inspector Park Eun (well, he did find evidences against you guys), but Min Mu-gu already devised sinister plan.
Next, we saw Granny Cow’s ears and Um Ja-chi writing some papers and the Mins were pleased. Aha, it seemed like the Min asked Ja-chi (who cowered behind his gran-gran) to fabricate someone writings. Min Mu-gu promised Um Ja-chi to become Royal Attendant (eunuch who personally serve the king), but wait, wasn’t Noh Hee-bong doing that? He would become one, if he kept his mouth shut about this counterfeit writings or else…. Ooooo, Min Mu-gu, who were you gonna slander?
Went home, Um Ja-chi complained to his granny, saying he wouldn’t accompany her if he knew he would be used like that. Granny scolded him back, saying this was once in a lifetime opportunity for him to gain power since eunuch couldn’t have women (they were castrated). what an opportunistic old woman! Ja-chi still looked concerned.