American Perspectives: Gendered and Cultural Adjustments Pt.1 ("기황후" Ep. 10)

 

 

 

"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"

 

 

 

 

 

 

Empress Danashiri is stiff with rage, and her blood is boiling.  "Your Majesty, what do you mean, an Imperial Concubine?  That's nonsense for a lowly palace maid."

 

Empress Dowager is standing on the other side of the aisle.  Both are stating their stances to Emperor Toghon, who lacks the intellectual capacity and emotional maturity to process this smoothly.

 

"Nonsense, you say?"  Empress Dowager inquires.  "She is carrying the child of the Emperor."

 

Meanwhile, Emperor Toghon is sitting at his desk, wearing a pouty face.  This time, that pouty face ain't gonna work.  It's time for him to put on the big boy pants and make a firm decision.

 

"Even the fifth rank of an Imperial Concubine isn't enough," Empress Dowager argues.

 

In fact, Emperor Toghon isn't listening at all, as Court Lady Park's future is suspended between the mercy of Empress and Empress Dowager.  Instead, he is selfishly daydreaming about Seung Nyang.  Is she well?  He wonders.  She had fainted in his arms earlier, and he had gotten her care, but right now, the real issue is his concubine being on the verge of losing her life if he doesn't get his head out of the clouds.

 

"Please make a decision, Your Majesty," Empress Danashiri asserts.

 

"Yes, please issue your Imperial Command," Empress Dowager agrees.

 

She doesn't have a deadly illness, does she?  Emperor Toghon continues to dissociate and daydream about Seung Nyang.  Those who don't know any better would think, oh, how sweet, he's being so loyal.  However, if he's showing this kind of disloyalty to his wife and concubine, guess what, once he gets bored of Seung Nyang, he'll do the same damn thing.

 

"Your Majesty!" Empress Danashiri snaps.

 

"Are you listening?"  Empress Dowager asks in frustration.

 

Emperor Toghon has the typical response of a man who utilizes weaponized incompetence.  "Yes...so what did you decide to do?"  (No wonder the Yuan Dynasty went down the toilet under his reign).

 

"What do you mean?"  Empress Dowager, his primary enabler, asks.  "We were waiting for your decision."

 

"I will do what the two of you want."  Typical.

 

"Your Majesty!"  The two highly intelligent women snap at the man-boy.

 

Emperor Toghon sighs.  "Is Golta out there?  Get me some cold water!"

 

"Yes, Your Majesty," says Eunuch Baek.

 

"Your Majesty," says Empress Danashiri.  "You can never do this until the day I die.  Just know that."  She slightly lifts her skirts as she walks away.

 

Empress Dowager walks up to his desk.  "Your Majesty, you don't need to consider the Empress' feelings on this issue."

 

Emperor Toghon looks at her mournfully, hoping she'll make the decision and take the consequences for him.

 

"Install Lady Park as your Imperial Concubine, understand?"  Empress Dowager demands.

 

Emperor Toghon sighs.

 

**********

 

Empress Danashiri furiously walks down the open walkway, trailed by her entourage.  "She dismisses me just because I look weak and soft."  She turns to look at the palace.  "Empress Dowager, it was your mistake to disturb me.  It's time to shed tears of blood."

 

***********

 

Empress Dowager is furiously strolling down a different open walkway.  Impertinence.  How dare she try to teach me?  She will be begging for me to spare her.

 

***********

 

Meanwhile, Emperor Toghon is having a drink at his desk and whining to Eunuch Baek about having to do his job.  "Those two women are depleting my energy."

 

"I will get some tonic made that restores your energy," Eunuch Baek dutifully responds.  Though, Emperor Toghon shouldn't be whining too much to him, or any of his staff.

 

"No, never mind," Emperor Toghon shakes his head vigorously.  He sits straight up.  "This is more important."  He gestures to Eunuch Baek.  "Find out what happened to that girl who fainted  on the palace grounds."

 

"Your Majesty, have you taken a liking to her?"

 

"What do you mean?"  Emperor Toghon asks loudly.  "Don't even say anything of the kind.  I'm scared the Empress might hear of it."

 

"But why would you care about a lowly girl like her?"

 

"I said...she looks a lot like the kid who saved my life in Goryeo.  Whenever I see her, I don't feel suffocated anymore, and I can breathe."

 

"If that's so, how about having her serve you?"

 

"Are you telling me to bring her to the Emperor's Palace from the Inner Court?"

 

"Those who serve in the Emperor's Palace get a larger stipend, and work more comfortably that they fight to come here, Your Majesty."

 

Emperor Toghon nods and grins.  "That girl sure would be very happy, then."

 

"I'm certain she'll be moved over and over again by your imperial grace."

 

Emperor Toghon slaps the table.  "That's good.  Then, let's do that."  He grins.  "She will be moved over and over again?"

 

He lapses into a daydream of Seung Nyang being a completely subservient palace maid who is dying to fuck him.

 

"Your Majesty!"  She runs down the walkway to greet him.  "Your Majesty," she smiles sweetly, clutching the red norigae to her chest.  She remembers to bow.

 

"Do you still have the ornament I gave you?"  Emperor Toghon asks.

 

She smiles sweetly, and reveals the norigae.  "Yes, Your Majesty.   I will never forget your kindness, and I'll remember it until I die and become a skeleton."

 

"Well, that won't do," Emperor Toghon grins.

 

Seung Nyang shakes her head and smiles.  "No.  Until my bones break and become dust, you have my undying loyalty."

 

Emperor Toghon laughs obnoxiously.  "Don't let your bones break, just be loyal to me."

 

"Your grace knows no bounds, Your Majesty."  She bows as Emperor Toghon walks away.  "Your grace knows no bounds, Your Majesty."

 

He turns to look at her and smiles.

 

"Your grace knows no bounds!"  She says with exaggerated sweetness that could turn a healthy person into a diabetic.  "Your grace knows no bounds!"

 

Emperor Toghon sits at his desk and giggles.  "It would have been nice if she were Seung Nyang."  He sighs.  "I wonder if he's living well."

 

************

 

Seung Nyang is sleeping alone while Hong Dan is taking care of her.  As Eunuch Dokman enters the room, Hong Dan rises and bows.

 

"You're here, Sir," says Hong Dan.

 

"Have there been any changes?"  Eunuch Dokman asks.

 

"She woke up earlier, but fell back asleep."

 

"Not being able to take care of your own health is considered disloyalty in the palace.  As soon as she wakes up, tell me."

 

"Yes, Sir."

 

Your Majesty, where are you?  Seung Nyang thinks in her sleep, in reference to Wang Yoo.  I miss you, Your Majesty.

 

***********

 

The percussive instruments clatter again, and the red horn blows as the Turkic warriors wait outside the Yuan encampment.  Wang Yoo looks over at Baghatur.  Tonight, I will take your head.

 

Jeom Bak lights an arrow for him.  "Your Majesty."

 

Wang Yoo loads the arrow into his bow, and shoots it up in the air.

 

Bul Hwa and his men are hidden in the bushes.  "The attack has begun."

 

"Into position!"  Moo Song orders.  The men run forward.

 

The Yuan encampment gate opens, and Wang Yoo and his men stampede through it like horses who have been set free.

 

"They're advancing," the lead Turkic warrior tells Baghatur.

 

Another Turkic warrior blows his red horn.

 

"Retreat!" The lead warrior yells.

 

The Turks turn away, and get moving.  Wang Yoo and his men pursue them on foot.  They run through the foggy forest while the Turks are miles ahead.

 

Wang Yoo suddenly signals his men to stop.  "Don't chase them too far.  If we stand guard at the crossroads, they will come back out again."

 

"Understood," Jeom Bak bows.

 

************

 

As the Turks are galloping further through the forest, the horsemen at the front suddenly get swallowed up by the ground.

 

"It's a trap!  Trap!"  The lead warrior yells.  "Retreat!  Retreat!  It's a trap!"

 

Indeed, in the hole down below, the horsemen and their steeds had impaled themselves on some spikes.

 

Moo Song, Bul Hwa, and their men are hiding above on a rock ledge.  As the Turks climb up, Moo Song speaks.  "It's now.  Hit it!"

 

One of the Goryeo soldiers hits the wall of large rocks, and they crash down like an avalanche.  The Turks down below are smashed from the impact.  Those who try to escape the rock slide are immediately attacked by Moo Song.

 

Bul Hwa and his group of men have made it down below after the rock slide.  "Attack!"  Bul Hwa commands as more Turkic warriors round the corner.

 

The Goryeo men run out with huge logs, knocking the Turks over.

 

Bul Hwa grabs a log and throws it, knocking a Turkic warrior off his horse.  He grabs his sword, and proceeds to slash his way through the enemies.

 

 

 

 

 

Bayan, Toqto'a, Talahai, and Jo Cham hear a lot of noise, and therefore race up to the gate.

 

"Where is that coming from?"  Bayan asks in agitation.

 

"It's the hill to the east," says Jo Cham.

 

"Is there a fight?"  Toqto'a inquires.

 

"If you listen," says Jo Cham, "the screams are ruthless."

 

"Whose screams are they?"  Talahai asks.  "The Turks or the slaves?"

 

"I think Wang Yoo got ambushed while in pursuit of the Turks," says Jo Cham.

 

Toqto'a and Bayan decide to investigate.

 

Talahai smirks.  "Fool.  He folllowed the enemy to their camp, blinded by his own ambition.  Yeom Byeong Soo followed them, didn't he?"

 

"Yes, General," Jo Cham bows.  "Even if the deposed King survives by the luck of the heavens, he will die by Yeom Byeong Soo's sword."

 

Talahai smiles triumphantly.

 

*************

 

Unfortunately, Byeong Soo is bound and gagged, tied to a pole in a ger.  No ambitious plans for him tonight.  He struggles and kicks, finally managing to move a sword with his leg.  However, he is unable to maneuver it the way he would like.  He screams in frustration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Eunuch Bang, Jeom Bak, Wang Yoo, and their men huddle among the grasses.  Wang Yoo is carefully studying a map.

 

"But are you sure they're coming this way?"  Jeom Bak asks.

 

"Hey!  I made this map!"  Eunuch Bang whispers sharply.  "The Turks will have to come this way."

 

Jeom Bak nods.

 

Wang Yoo sees movement on the road in front of them.  He signals for everyone else to be quiet.

 

The warriors gallop through.

 

"Look!  It's Baghatur!"  Eunuch Bang exclaims.

 

"Baghatur!  I will cut off his head!"  Wang Yoo adds.  He and Jeom Bak draw their swords.

 

As Baghatur and his men get closer, Wang Yoo yells: "Attack!"  He and his men stampede forward.

 

The Turks and Goryeo soldiers begin to battle.  Eunuch Bang fires blowdarts into the unsuspecting enemies.

 

Wang Yoo and Baghatur are at each other's throats.  It's a fierce fight, and their swords cross.  He pushes Baghatur back.  The two leave a slice on each other's arms.

 

**********

 

Byeong Soo slices through the overgrowth of brush, as he goes looking for dead soldiers.  Several Yuan men follow behind.  

 

"There's a body over there!"  Byeong Soo shouts.  He unwittingly picks up a decapitated arm behind a boulder.  He screams in horror and tosses the arm.

 

Byeong Soo and Talahai walk further in, seeing more carnage.

 

"They were massacred," says Talahai.

 

"They're all bodies of the Turks!"  Byeong Soo exclaims.

 

"What happened?"  Bayan asks incredulously.  "The screams in the night belonged to the Turks?"

 

"Ge-General," Jo Cham stutters.

 

Bayan and Toqto'a turn around to see Moo Song and Wang Yoo approaching them, followed by many Goryeo soldiers.

 

"We were collecting their weapons," says Wang Yoo, "so we're late."

 

"Who's horse is that?"  Bayan asks.

 

"It's the horse that enemy commander Baghatur was riding," Wang Yoo replies.

 

Talahai, Jo Cham, Toqto'a, and Byeong Soo look at him in shock.

 

"Baghatur?"  Bayan asks.  "Did you kill him, too?"

 

************

 

Baghatur's mask is off to the side in the Turkic ger.  Yeon Bisoo, the woman whom the Turkic warriors had consulted with earlier, is wrapping her injuries from the duel she had with Wang Yoo.

 

As she's putting on her black jeogori, she is disrupted by the door suddenly opening.

 

"General!"  A Turkic warrior shouts.  "Hundreds of our soldiers died."

 

She sharply turns around.

 

**************

 

Wang Yoo takes a seat at his desk, while Moo Song, Bul Hwa, Yeom Byeong Soo, and Jo Cham join him.

 

"But where's Bang and Jeom Bak?"  Byeong Soo inquires.

 

"They died with honor," says Moo Song.

 

"Died?"  Byeong Soo asks curiously.

 

Jo Cham laughs.  "The best news I heard late--"

 

Bul Hwa and Moo Song give him side eye.

 

Jo Cham awkwardly clears his throat.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tanqishi approaches a dejected Emperor Toghon looking out over the balcony.  Tanqishi bows.  "Your Majesty, have you been well?"

 

Emperor Toghon looks at him sadly.  "It's been awhile, General Tanqishi."

 

"Why do you call for me, Your Majesty?"

 

"You must remember a kid named Seung Nyang."

 

Tanqishi's heart skips a beat.  How much does he know?

 

"I told you to release him from prison when I was on my way back to Yuan."

 

"Yes, Your Majesty.  I remember well."

 

"If you have any news of him, tell me," Emperor Toghon sighs.  "Whether he got married, where he's living, and what he is doing."

 

"According to the envoy in Goryeo, he's living well with his siblings in his hometown," Tanqishi lies.

 

"I see," Emperor Toghon says gratefully.

 

"But...why are you asking?"

 

Emperor Toghon sighs.  "Nothing.  I suddenly...wondered how he was doing."

 

"You're the Emperor of our Great Empire.   You should forget everything that happened in Goryeo."  Before he finds out, I need to take Seung Nyang away as soon as possible.  

 

 

 

 

 

"His Imperial Majesty is coming!"

 

Seung Nyang's heart just about jumps out of her body.  She stops scrubbing the wall.  She immediately bows as he and and his entourage approach her and the other palace maids.  He turns and looks at Seung Nyang.

 

"You, over there," says Emperor Toghon.

 

She quickly looks up, and then promptly looks down.

 

"You, I said," says Emperor Toghon.

 

She slowly looks up.

 

"His Majesty is addressing you," says Eunuch Baek.

 

Seung Nyang approaches him with her head lowered.

 

"Do you still have the ornament I gave you?"  Emperor Toghon asks.

 

Seung Nyang feels yucky.  "I lost it."

 

"You wench," Eunuch Baek whispers.  "How dare you lose something His Majesty--"

 

Emperor Toghon gestures for him to stop.  "I'm going to the back garden.  Have this girl prepare some tea."

 

"Yes, Your Majesty."

 

***********

 

The lanterns hanging from the palace glow beautifully over the water.

 

Seung Nyang brings Emperor Toghon a tray of evening tea.  She keeps a demure expression on her face, even though she wants to kill him.

 

"He especially picked you as a servant in the Emperor's palace," says Eunuch Baek.  "Were you aware of it?"

 

"Yes, I was," says Seung Nyang.  She hands Emperor Toghon his tea.

 

"Is that all?"  Emperor Toghon inquires.

 

"Wench, if you received the Imperial Grace of the Emperor--" says Eunuch Baek.

 

"Never mind," says Emperor Toghon.  "Has it been difficult working in the Imperial Palace?  If you need anything, just tell me whatever it is."

 

"I apologize, but I want to return to the concubines' quarters."

 

Emperor Toghon attempts to hide his disappointment.  "You-you don't like it here?"

 

"I liked working in the concubines' quarters better."

 

Emperor Toghon sighs.  He takes a sip of tea.  "Do you call this tea?  It's already cold!"

 

Seung Nyang bows.  "I will bring it again."

 

"Never mind, take the tray away."

 

Seung Nyang graciously places his tea cup back on the tray and takes it off the table.

 

After she leaves, Eunuch Baek bows.

 

"Well, what happened?"  Emperor Toghon queries.  "You...said she would be moved again and..."  He stands up and slaps Eunuch Baek in the chest.

 

"I know.  My goodness, she's so tactless."

 

Emperor Toghon slaps him in the chest again.

 

 

...To be continued...