American Perspectives: Saving Toghon Pt. 2 ("기황후" Ep. 5)

 

 

 

"기황후" can be viewed on Viki or Youtube, as well as many other channels.  It is an amazing classic 사극, and this author is aware that it's not historically accurate.  The real life Empress Ki had a very contentious relationship with the Goryeo Dynasty.  And many liberties were most certainly taken with the fictionalized version of historical characters. Dialogue adapted from English Subtitle translations by the "Imperial Team at Viki.com"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seung Nyang is carefully wrapping Toghon's injured foot.  He remains tied up, as Seung Nyang doesn't trust him to do the right thing.

 

"I think you can walk now," says Seung Nyang.

 

"Let's live here while hiding," Toghon suggests.  "We are so deep in the mountains, I'm sure no one will ever find us.  After just one year, no half a year, I will become the Emperor."

 

Seung Nyang stands up, and he follows suit.

 

"And if you want," Toghon continues, "I will give you a place as large as Goryeo itself.  If that isn't enough, I will give you the highest political position in Yuan."

 

Seung Nyang rolls her eyes and leads the way.

 

"Can the King of Goryeo give you more abundance than I can?"

 

Seung Nyang slowly turns around.

 

Toghon smiles and giggles.  "Looks like you're finally tempted.  Well, no one would refuse riches."

 

She reaches over and places a gag in his mouth.  Problem solved.

 

"What are you doing?"  Toghon asks.

 

Seung Nyang can't stop grinning.

 

"Do you think you can do this and still live?"

 

"Talking too much will sap your strength," says Seung Nyang.  She slaps him on the chest with both hands, as if she's trying to get the dust out of his deel.  She tightens the rope around his waist and walks forward.

 

"Hey, you," says Toghon.

 

She jerks him forward.

 

"I will not forget this indignity.  Hey!"

 

********

 

The three hunting dogs are in position, and raptly observing the area.

 

"Look thoroughly!"  Talahai demands.  "I'm sure they have left their traces behind."

 

Tanqishi is carefully studying a map.  "They are going to Gaegyeong."

 

"How many days has it been?"  Bayan approaches him.  "Rather than suffer more, maybe we should give up?"

 

"Shut that mouth," Tanqishi snaps.  "I, Tanqishi, do not know how to give up."

 

Bayan raises his eyebrows.  "Tenacious guy," he whispers.

 

********

 

Wang Yoo, Moo Song, Jeom Bak, and Eunuch Bang are galloping under the cover of night.  Wang Yoo suddenly stops, as he sees one of Seung Nyang's baby arrows in the middle of the dirt road.  Moo Song promptly dismounts to pick it up.  He hands it over to Wang Yoo.

 

"It's an aegi-sal arrow," Moo Song says.

 

Everyone waits for Wang Yoo's reaction.  Seung Nyang, you must endure.  I will make sure to save you soon.  Please wait just a little longer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seung Nyang spreads a thick layer of leaves over Toghon's legs as they are settling down for the night.  Toghon watches her curiously, and he feels like a five year old in the middle of autumn.

 

"Seung Nyang?"  Toghon inquires.

 

"If you're going to ask me to hide and live here, you can stop."

 

Toghon sighs.  He rolls over, ruining all of Seung Nyang's effort.  "It's cold, start a fire," Toghon pouts.

 

"They can find us."  She takes off the outer jacket of her clothing, and covers Toghon with it.

 

She sits against a tree, holding her injured arm, which feels more painful than ever.

 

"What did the King of Goryeo do that his men stake their lives?"  Toghon asks.  "What did he do that even when I offer riches, you can refuse it?"  Toghon abruptly sits up, shaking off the leaf pile altogether.  "The law enforcement officers and soldiers died for the King of Goryeo, not for me.  Until now, I've never seen anyone stake their lives for me.  What is different about me and the King of Goryeo anyway?"

 

"You should sleep now," says Seung Nyang.  "We have to leave before the sun rises."

 

Toghon sighs.  "Oh, you are tough.  I won't run away, if only because I'm sick of you."  He rolls over to his side, and whispers to himself.  "Why don't I have a subordinate like him?"

 

With her back to the tree, and more time to think than she would like, memories of her father's arrest intrude her mind.  She unties her top and takes a look at her wound, which looks much, much worse.  She sighs.  Her options for treatment right now are nil.  She pulls out a green plant, and chews on it.  She applies the chewed up plant to her wound and winces.

 

Toghon abruptly sits up in his sleep, and Seung Nyang quickly covers herself.

 

"Look closely, Prime Minister El Temur," says Toghon in his sleep.  "You are wrong.  I will become a great Emperor.  I'll become an Emperor and take revenge on you first!  Revenge..." He falls back down on his side and snores.

 

Seung Nyang breathes a sigh of relief.

 

*********

 

"We found traces of the Crown Prince!"  Talahai shouts.  Tanqishi, Bayan, and Toqto'a tear through the forest.  They come upon the tree where Seung Nyang and Toghon had slept the night before.  "There's evidence that they slept here," says Talahai.

 

"Move aside," says Tanqishi.  He pushes Toghon's bed of leaves away.  His eyes are immediately drawn to a huge red clot on the trunk.  He touches the blood and notices that it hasn't dried.  He observes the footsteps ahead of him.  He closes his eyes and visualizes Toghon and Seung Nyang running through the forest.  He smiles as he figures out where they could be.

 

"Seung Nyang is definitely hurt," says Tanqishi.  "And the Crown Prince should be completely weak by now.  But Seung Nyang's strides are that of a woman.  And his feet are small, too."

 

Bayan and Toqto'a exchange glances.  Someone is hard up.

 

"Seeing how the blood has hardened," Tanqishi continues, "they can't be far.  Let the dogs loose!"

 

The three adorable hunting dogs are released from their leashes, and the rest of the men follow.

 

Toqto'a and Bayan take their time.  "Even though you may have less," says Toqto'a, "Tanqishi can't hold a candle to your skills."

 

"That's the reason he hates me," Bayan acknowledges.  "He must be jealous of my skills."

 

"It'll be dangerous to get involved in trying to save the Crown Prince," Toqto'a points out.

 

Bayan sighs.

 

********

 

Seung Nyang and Toghon are walking down an incline.  Seung Nyang's arm is burning.

 

"I'm hungry, I'm hungry."  Toghon whines.

 

Seung Nyang looks back at him wearily.  She reaches into her pouch, and hands him a mushroom.

 

"Is it a mushroom again?  Take it away.  I'm sick of mushrooms now."

 

She lowers her hand, but she hears some rustling.  She turns toward the sound.

 

"Why don't you catch a rabbit instead?  I want to eat meat so that---"

 

"Shh," Seung Nyang says gently.  She pulls out her bow.

 

"What's the matter?"  Toghon asks anxiously.  "Is there something you can hunt?"

 

She loads her arrow, and scans the area.  A hunting dog begins to bark, and it comes rushing through the trees.  As it is about to attack Seung Nyang, she shoots it right in the torso.

 

The dog yelps in surprise, and Toghon falls down in fear.  The dog has died instantly.

 

"It's them," says Seung Nyang.

 

"Have they followed us this far?"  Toghon asks in disbelief.

 

"Run," says Seung Nyang.  She undoes the rope from his wrists.  "You must never stay far away from me."

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tanqishi is not far behind.  He, Talahai, Bayan, and Toqto'a come across the dead hunting dog.  Tanqishi scans the area.  "We're close.  Everyone spread apart and catch them!"

 

"Yes!"  The soldiers bow.

 

 

 

 

 

Seung Nyang and Toghon are stumbling through the forest.  They are both in terrible shape.  They can hear the dogs, but they can't see them yet.

 

Wang Yoo and his men are also running as fast as they can.

 

Seung Nyang and Toghon stumble through the tall weeds, hoping for a miracle.

 

"Make sure to search everywhere!"  Tanqishi yells.

 

Seung Nyang and Toghon reach the edge of a cliff, and Toghon begins to scream.  A lovely blue river is beckoning down below.

 

"Seung Nyang...I-I think we're going to die here."  He clings to her arm for dear life.

 

"We can't give up.  We must never!" 

 

"Then, what do you think we should do?"

 

"Jump over to the other side," says Seung Nyang.

 

"Oh...I...I can't!  If I drop to the bottom of the cliff--"

 

"You can do it!"  Seung Nyang yells.  

 

"I-I can't do it.  Like Prime Minister El Temur said, I can't do anything!"

 

"Before you even try, you're going to give up?"

 

They freeze as they hear the barking dogs.

 

"This way!"  Talahai yells.  "They're by the cliff!"

 

"What did you do until now to become the Emperor?"  Seung Nyang asks.

 

"I-I..."

 

"You just wanted your younger brother to die.  That's why you've come to this point.  If you want to live, if you want to become the Emperor, you must jump."

 

Tears stream down Toghon's face.

 

"Crown Prince!"  Tanqishi yells.  His men approach them.  

 

Seung Nyang blocks Toghon.

 

"Crown Prince, that's dangerous," says Tanqishi.  "Please come this way.  Hurry.  Please, quickly come over here, Your Highness."

 

As Toghon walks forward, Seung Nyang grabs him in a hug and stops him.

 

"Count to three," says Toghon.

 

Seung Nyang releases her grip.  "하나, 둘---"

 

"Crown Prince," says Bayan.

 

"셋!"  Seung Nyang grabs his hand, and they jump from the cliff to the face of another cliff on the other side.  They dangle from the rock wall.  Toghon screams.

 

"Are they crazy?"  Tanqishi asks.  He and his men rush to the edge.

 

"Seung Nyang, I don't think I can hold on," says Toghon.

 

Seung Nyang takes a deep breath as Toghon screams his head off.

 

Your Majesty, are you watching?  Bayan thinks.  Crown Prince has matured that much.  

 

"What are you doing?"  Tanqishi shouts.  "Shoot them!"

 

 

 

 

 

Wang Yoo and his men are running at the bottom of the cliff. 

 

"It's there, Your Majesty,"  Eunuch Bang points to Tanqishi and his men at the top.

 

"I think we're too late," says Moo Song.

 

"Get them!"  Tanqishi yells.

 

Arrows keep hitting the rock wall, but they don't hit Seung Nyang and Toghon.

 

You can't, Seung Nyang.  You can't die.  Wang Yoo thinks as he watches her from down below.

 

The arrows are barely missing them.  Toghon begins to freak out, and he loses his grip on the wall.  He completely lets go, and free falls, while Seung Nyang goes falling after.  Toghon is the first to hit the river.

 

Tanqishi's eyes widen with horror.

 

Seung Nyang makes a big splash into the river, as arrows are being fired downward.  She opens her eyes and sees the wound on her arm is bleeding.  More arrows are being fired into the water.  She swims further and sees Toghon sinking.  She struggles to swim downward.

 

"Reckless bastards," Tanqishi growls.  "Get down there and find their bodies!"

 

"Yes, Sir!"  The soldiers bow.

 

Wang Yoo and his men make it up on the other side of the cliff.

 

"Do you think they're alive?"  Wang Yoo asks.

 

"It's difficult," Eunuch Bang shakes his head.

 

Wang Yoo takes a deep breath.  "Get down there and find the bodies."

 

Jeom Bak nods.  "Yes, Sire."

 

Wang Yoo looks up at Tanqishi and his men on the other side.  "Stop!"  Wang Yoo yells.

 

Tanqishi turns around and sees the Goryeo men.  He groans internally.

 

"I-It's the King of Goryeo," says Talahai.

 

"What are you doing on Goryeo's land?"  Wang Yoo inquires.

 

"Damn it," Tanqishi whispers.

 

Wang Yoo is shaking with rage.

 

*********

 

"Our Emperor is dead!" An official yells at the Daedo Palace.  He is standing from the rooftop, yelling, and waving the Emperor's white robe.  "Our Emperor is dead!  Our Emperor is dead!"

 

"Your Majesty!"  Several women and men dressed in white and black are kowtowing on the floor.

 

Empress Dowager Budashiri is sitting beside the Emperor's body in his bed.  "Why were you in such a hurry to leave me?  How could you leave this way?"  She faces the crowd and raises her voice.  "Now the Crown Prince is the Emperor of this country.  Tell Prime Minister El Temur."

 

"I'm told he went to Goryeo," says Court Lady Yeom, "in order to bring back the Crown Prince."

 

"He went himself?"

 

"Yes, Your Majesty," Court Lady Yeom bows.

 

Empress Dowager Budashiri's eyes widen.  Toghon doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell.

 

*********

 

Toghon and Seung Nyang are stumbling through the rocky riverbank to get to the empty cave.

 

She lays him down among the rocks inside.

 

"Please wake up!  Open your eyes!"  Seung Nyang tries to shake him.  Her heart races and panic sets in.  If he doesn't make it, the entire nation of Goryeo is toast.  She slaps his cheeks.

 

"Please don't die!"  Seung Nyang screams.  "You mustn't die!  Open your eyes, you idiot!"  She shakes him vigorously.  She wishes this nightmare would end already.  She's ready to go back to her gang of bandits and move on.

 

Toghon begins to groan.  She puts her head on his chest.  She squeezes his face.  "You're cold as ice."  She undoes his orange and rust colored deel, and rubs her hands together.  She presses her warmed hands against his chest.

 

She removes the final layer of her top clothing, leaving only her chest band and pants.  She presses her body against his.

 

"Please don't die," says Seung Nyang.  "Don't die.  Please.  Please, open your eyes.  You have to live in order for me to save my father.  Please."  The wound on her arm remains angry, painful, and infected, but at the moment, she must focus on Toghon.  "Please.  Please open your eyes.  Don't die."

 

He wakes up, noticing her sleeping on top of him.

 

Why is my heart beating so much all of a sudden?  Do I have a terminal illness?  He quickly shuts his eyes.

 

Seung Nyang wakes up, and gasps when she realizes she's in a compromising position.    She quickly puts her white jeogori on over her chest band.

 

Toghon catches a glimpse of the band, but it doesn't register.  Most likely because he hasn't had any intimate contact with women at this point.

 

Seung Nyang looks behind her, and Toghon pretends to be asleep.  She checks his breathing by placing a weed under his nose.  The leaf doesn't move.  She presses her ear to his chest.  She doesn't see him opening his eyes.

 

Exactly what's the matter with me?  Toghon thinks.  He's definitely a boy.  He quickly snaps his eyes shut when Seung Nyang looks up.

 

"His heart is beating.  Why isn't he breathing?"  She squeezes his nose, ready to breathe into his mouth.  As her lips get closer, he jumps in surprise.

 

"Wh-What are you doing, you rascal?!"

 

"Your Highness," Seung Nyang grins.  She hugs him tightly, nearly knocking him over.  "I'm so relieved.  It's such a relief that you're alive."

 

"P-please get away from me," Toghon protests.

 

"I apologize.  I was so happy that I..."

 

Toghon clears his throat.  He looks over at her torso.  "But...why do you have your chest bandaged up?  N-N-No way!  Has the injury from the arrow infected you there, too?"  He tries to open her jeogori.

 

"It's nothing," Seung Nyang says quickly.  "Please don't concern yourself."

 

"What do you mean, it's nothing?"  He touches her face.  "See?  You still feel as hot as fire."

 

"It's not that far from Gaegyeong," says Seung Nyang.  "I'll go check the perimeter, so please keep resting."

 

Toghon sighs as she walks away.  "The heart is...I'm sure there's a problem with my heart.  I mean i-i-it's beating like crazy."  He keeps slapping himself in the heart.  "Ouch."

 

*******

 

A very torn up Ki Ja Oh is getting dragged by two soldiers while Wang Go leads the way to the palace.

 

"Stop right there!"  Says a guard.

 

Byeong Soo stands right beside a blinded Ki Ja Oh.

 

"Has the king seen the Crown Prince?"  Wang Go inquires.

 

"Thankfully, he didn't," Jo Cham responds.

 

"We nearly ruined a perfect plan."

 

Tanqishi, Talahai, Toqto'a, and Bayan approach them.

 

Wang Yoo and his entourage come upon all of them gathered in the yard.  Wang Go and his men bow, while Tanqishi and his men do not.

 

Wang Go looks over at Ki Ja Oh.  "This is the man who assassinated the Crown Prince."

 

A guard shoves Ki Ja Oh to his knees.

 

"You're saying Ki Ja Oh assassinated the Crown Prince?"  Wang Yoo asks skeptically.

 

"Tell him what happened," says Tanqishi.  "I said, tell him!"

 

"It's no use," says Wang Go.  "He got hurt, so he can't see, hear, or speak.  What happened that day," he points to Byeong Soo, "he will give the eye witness account."

 

"I'm Yeom Byeong Soo," he bows with psuedo respect.

 

"Tell him what you know," says Tanqishi.

 

"Ki Ja Oh assassinated the Crown Prince, and ruined Daecheongdo."

 

"You!"  Wang Yoo roars.  "How dare you lie?"

 

"I have not lied one bit," Byeong Soo insists.  "I saw with my own eyes how he assassinated the Crown Prince!"

 

Talahai smirks.

 

"Who did he say was behind it?"  Tanqishi asks.

 

"According to Ki Ja Oh," says Byeong Soo.

 

"General Talahai," Wang Yoo interrupts.  "Have you met Ki Ja Oh before?"

 

"How would I know him?"  Talahai lies.

 

Wang Yoo smiles.  "So, you have never met him?  Moo Song."

 

"Yes, Your Majesty," Moo Song bows.

 

"Did you tell me that Ki Ja Oh bit General Talahai's right hand?"

 

"Yes, Your Majesty," says Moo Song.  "Ki Ja Oh told me that at the courtesan house in Inju."

 

Talahai's heart drops.

 

"If Ki Ja Oh is right," Wang Yoo continues, "there will be a bite mark.  Let me see your hand."

 

Talahai hides his hand behind his back.  "What are you trying to insist?"

 

With much resistance, Moo Song grabs his bandaged hand and brings it forward.  Moo Song removes the bandage, and the scar is very clear.

 

"There's a mark right there!"  Moo Song declares.

 

"It's a bite mark," Eunuch Bang confirms.

 

"The people who killed the Crown Prince are all of you!"  Wang Yoo shouts.

 

"Your Majesty!"  The Queen Dowager comes strolling out.  "What are you doing here?"

 

"Please step aside," Wang Yoo says curtly.

 

"We recieved word that Prime Minister El Temur's ship has docked," Lord Jang announces.

 

Wang Yoo sharply turns to face him.

 

Talahai has a big ass grin.  Like the rich kid in school who can never be punished.  Because: Daddy.

 

El Temur ominously walks through the entry gate, followed by several of his men.

 

Wang Yoo and the Queen Dowager lead the crowd on their side of the yard to meet El Temur.

 

The Queen Dowager has an ass kissing grin on her face.  "Welcome, Prime Minister, Sir."

 

Tanqishi bows.  "Welcome, Prime Minister, Sir."

 

Everyone else, except Wang Yoo and his men, bow.

 

"It's been a long time," El Temur says to Wang Yoo.

 

"You must have had a long journey," says the Queen Dowager.

 

El Temur looks at Wang Yoo, who avoids eye contact with this rat bastard.  "It's been awhile since we last saw each other," says El Temur.

 

"I'm glad you're here," says Wang Yoo.

 

 

...To be continued...