American Perspectives: Fake News Pt. 2 ("기황후" Ep. 14)
***The intent of The Flower Realm by 사극 Paradise is to support women and men in rejecting the culture of pornography, and to live a life of integrity without manipulative intent.***
"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 livid. Her dead bedroom isn't due to her lack of effort. She goes out of her way to look as beautiful and alluring as she possibly can (while simultaneously swearing up and down that she's doing it for herself). "That sly fox is looking down on me because I can't get pregnant."
"Your Majesty," says Court Lady Seo, "I heard that if you pray under the full moon and circle the Pagoda 108 times, you can become pregnant."
Empress Danashiri turns around to face her. "Are you telling me to do such a thing?"
"All the Empresses of the forefathers did the same."
"What if the servants see? There will be a rumor that I've become desperate to get pregnant."
"You need to grab every straw right now."
"Pride is also important to me."
"Not becoming pregnant is more--"
Empress Danashiri gives Court Lady Seo a cold stare.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty," says Court Lady Seo.
The Empress furiously walks away. She can only get the Emperor in her bedroom because her father is forcing it. The man gives her the bare minimum, and everyone (except her father and brothers), assumes it's her fault. It's a very shitty and gut wrenching situation to be in.
Wang Yoo is meticulously adjusting his dark blue and silver embroidered head band.
"Your Majesty," says Moo Song, "you're going to wear out the mirror."
"You're meeting with Seung Nyang," says Eunuch Bang. "Why are you getting so dressed up?" He bursts into peals of laughter.
"What? I didn't get dressed up. Stop the nonsense and leave the room."
"Yes, Sire," Moo Song and Eunuch Bang bow, smirking like two catty highschool girls.
"If you want us to leave," says Eunuch Bang, "we must, but..." He starts to giggle again.
"Hurry and leave!" Wang Yoo yells.
"Yes, Sire," the two men bow again.
"Let's go," Eunuch Bang giggles.
Wang Yoo takes another look in the mirror.
********
Seung Nyang is sitting at her table, waiting for the right time to leave. She carefully runs a comb through her hair, and smiles.
*******
Emperor Toghon is in his room, having some drinks. He's remembering the blunt words Seung Nyang had uttered the night she was told that Wang Yoo died. Wang Yoo's blunt assessment of the situation between Seung Nyang and Emperor Toghon wasn't any better.
"No," says Emperor Toghon. "I will do what I want. What I wish for." He stands up and flips his table full of refreshments over, sending the dishes clattering to the floor.
********
Empress Danashiri lights three sticks of red incense outside in the darkness. She presses them against her forehead and bows.
"Empress, try praying a hundred or a thousand times," Empress Dowager says from her quarters. "You will never be able to become pregnant." She grins wickedly.
"What method are you using on the Empress?" Lord Jang asks.
"I did something only the Buddha knows. No one will be able to figure it out."
*****
As Seung Nyang is about to leave, a very drunk Emperor Toghon barges into her room. Ugh, what the hell does he want?
"Your Majesty."
"Why are you so surprised?" Emperor Toghon inquires.
"What brings you here?"
"In the Imperial Palace, is there any place I cannot be?"
Point taken. She knows she's already crossing lines that other palace ladies would never be able to cross without consequence. She backtalks the Emperor, and has declared her undying love for the Goryeo King. Anyone else who would have dared to do the same thing would have been toast. She knows this favor and grace isn't permanent.
He moves closer to her, and she backs away. Refusing his advances is another thing she can also get away with.
**********
Empress Danashiri is earnestly standing at the alter in only her white underdress, hair unbound, continuing to pray. "I pray to the compassionate and merciful Buddha," she rubs her hands together. "Please let me have a male heir of the Emperor. I pray. I pray to you so that I can become pregnant."
She hears a movement in the walkway. She looks over and sees an unfamiliar, Goryeo looking, nobleman dressed in blue.
"I told her not to let anyone in since it might ruin the prayer!" Empress Danashiri whispers sharply.
The man in blue turns the corner, and gets closer to the Pagoda. Empress Danashiri immediately hides. "What is Lady Seo doing, letting a man in here?"
She sees him at the altar, adding incense sticks of his own.
The deposed King of Goryeo is supposed to be here. Maybe it's him?
Wang Yoo lowers his head in prayer.
As Empress Danashiri moves in to get a closer look, she bumps into a string of bells.
Wang Yoo's eyes open. Empress Danashiri darts behind the pagoda. Her heart is racing as she is struck by this man's unexpected handsomeness. As she moves to get a closer look, Wang Yoo is only a few steps behind her.
Where did he go? She gets back to the altar. "What a strange person. Coming like a cloud, and going like the wind." She turns around and jumps.
Wang Yoo is directly behind her. "You scared me," says Empress Danashiri.
"Since you're in white," says Wang Yoo. "You don't look like a servant. Maybe a Court Lady?"
"Men are not supposed to be here. Please leave."
Wang Yoo chuckles. "I heard that's only after 8:00. It's not time yet, I don't think."
Empress Danashiri rolls her eyes and turns away. Wang Yoo grabs her arm. "May I ask you something?"
Smack! Without warning, Empress Danashiri slaps him across the face. "Impertinence! How dare you touch me? Please leave. If not, I'll scream."
"Do that, then," says Wang Yoo. "Do you think you'll be safe being found with a man in the middle of the night?"
I wish..."What?" Empress Danashiri opts to say instead. She raises her hand to slap him again, but he intercepts her with a firm grip on the wrist.
"I told you, I'd leave when it's time! How dare you be so rude as a mere palace maid?"
Empress Danashiri breaks his grasp.
"Hitting me first before asking who I am..." Wang Yoo says. "You have a horrible temperament."
She looks at him hatefully. Let's see if you can be just as confident in daylight. She walks away from him in disgust.
"It's 8:00!" A eunuch yells.
"Seung Nyang," Wang Yoo whispers. "Why are you so late? Hurry up and come."
Emperor Toghon pushes Seung Nyang down onto the bed, and pins her down.
"What are you doing?" Seung Nyang asks.
"What do you mean?" Emperor Toghon asks. "How dare you question the Emperor when you are just a palace maid?"
"Please move," Seung Nyang asserts.
"Try screaming if you want. All my guards will protect this room rigorously."
"Your Majesty!"
"If it was Wang Yoo and not me, would you push me away?"
She pushes him to the side and stands up. "I'll call Eunuch Baek in."
He grabs her wrist. "Don't leave. I can never...send you to Wang Yoo."
She breaks free from his grip.
"The first person I saw...was you," says Emperor Toghon.
Seung Nyang looks back at him. Please, give me a small break.
"When I broke out of my shell," Emperor Toghon continues, "to me, you were the mother bird."
Seung Nyang walks away, leaving him on her bed. Don't think of me as your mother. That is so not sexy.
**********
Seung Nyang runs as fast as she can down the courtyard. She hopes Wang Yoo is still there. She reaches the Pagoda, and there isn't a single person in sight. She feels extremely let down.
"Your Majesty," says Seung Nyang. "Where are you? Your Majesty."
********
Wang Yoo dejectedly pours himself a cup of wine.
"I'm sure she had a reason why she couldn't come," says Eunuch Bang.
"That's right, Your Majesty," Moo Song agrees.
"When you met Seung Nyang, how was she?" Wang Yoo asks.
"Yes," says Eunuch Bang. "She looked healthy and happy. Shall I go back to her tomorrow and relay your message--"
"That's enough," Wang Yoo says calmly.
"But Your Majesty, you've been so worried about her."
"If she's living comfortably here, that's enough for me. I don't want her to become uncomfortable because of me." He quietly takes a sip of wine. The reality of the situation is that he's putting her in a very compromising position. Women who work for the Emperor are not supposed to fraternize with other (intact) men. If they do, the consequences are fatal. This is why this author is not Team Wang Yoo. He continually puts Seung Nyang in compromising situations, and does not know when to quit.
*******
The Captain of the Kheshigs runs up the outdoor stone staircase, and bows to Toqto'a and Bayan. "Congratulations on your appointment as Captain of the Imperial Guard, General."
"I will need a lot of Imperial Guards' helps from now on," Bayan acknowledges.
"What do you mean help?" The captain asks. "Just give us your command."
"The General is hosting a feast tonight," says Toqto'a. "Will you come?"
"Of course. I will be sure to attend," says the Captain. He bows and continues up the stairs.
********
"What do you mean a bloodletter?" Tanqishi asks. "The late emperor Mingzong wrote a will in blood?"
"I knew he wrote the bloodletter before he was poisoned by me," says El Temur. "When I saw the blood on the dead Emperor's finger, I realized he wrote a bloodletter."
"But where is it right now?" Tanqishi asks.
"There are only rumors going around secretively. No one has come forward to say they've seen it. But, besides me, there are others who are looking for the bloodletter."
"Who are they?" Tanqishi asks.
The Captain dutifully enters the room, and bows to El Temur. "I've returned, Prime Minister."
"Did you meet the informant?" El Temur asks.
"He's coming back in two days, since he's traveling abroad."
"You're sure that man knows the identity of the person looking for the bloodletter?" El Temur asks.
"Yes, Prime Minister," the captain bows.
"Looking for the bloodletter means he's taking a knife to your throat, Father," says Tanqishi.
"I'll find him right away and kill him!" Talahai pipes up.
"We can't kill him," El Temur interjects. "If we capture him and backtrack, we may be able to get that bloodletter in our hands."
A gorgeous gisaeng leads the captain through the lovely halls of the Courtesan House. He towers over her petite stature. She pushes a curtain aside, and he enters a dark room.
Toqto'a has his back turned to him.
"I guess I came too early," the Captain observes.
Toqto'a turns around.
"Has the feast been moved elsewhere?" The captain asks nervously.
Bayan quietly enters the room from a side door.
"The informant you're looking for has died already," says Toqto'a.
"Then..." The Captain says, "the people who are looking for the bloodletter are--"
With a smooth movement, Bayan comes up behind him, and drops a white rope around his neck. He pulls back as hard as he can. The captain drops his sword and gasps for air. He takes his last breath, and falls to the floor.
"We've managed to put out the more urgent fire," says Toqto'a, "but it won't be easy to find the bloodletter."
"The arrow has already left the bow," says Bayan. "In order to cause the collapse of El Temur's entire family, and gain power myself, we need to find that bloodletter."
"I'll bury him somewhere where no one knows," says Toqto'a.
Empress Dowager's gifted incense burns strongly in Empress Danashiri's burner. She sighs in frustration, and rips off her outer robe. "I don't like any of these clothes! Something else!" She aggressively tosses the robe at a Court Lady. "What is this?" She slaps the trays the Court Ladies are holding. Everything looks ugly and unflattering.
"Your Majesty," Court Lady Seo gently reminds her, "you'll be late to the banquet."
"I said, bring me something else!" Empress Danashiri demands.
The court ladies exit her quarters.
"There's someone I need to teach a lesson to today," says Empress Danashiri.
"Who are you teaching a lesson to?" Court Lady Seo asks.
"Someone arrogant, rough, and very rude. There's such a person."
"But Your Majesty, because Yang is working at the Imperial Court, it's a little difficult to send her to tend the unwelcome guests."
"Forget about her. I'm sending one of ours to the unwelcome guests."
********
Emperor Toghon, Empress Dowager, and their entourages stroll along the tree lined path.
"I heard that the one named Wang Yoo had a lot to do with this victory," says Empress Dowager.
Emperor Toghon pauses, and stares at Seung Nyang, who is standing behind them.
"And also that he's very handsome and manly," Empress Dowager continues. "The palace is full of rumors about him."
Emperor Toghon's blood boils. "What do you mean handsome? He looks rough and dark like some cow thief, and---"
Seung Nyang quietly chuckles.
"People equate that to strength," says Empress Dowager. "Having capable people around is a huge blessing to you."
Emperor Toghon looks back at a smiling Seung Nyang.
...To be continued...
