American Perspectives: Stirring the Pot Pt. 1 ("기황후" Ep. 16)
***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"
Emperor Mingzong's lament was buried in the ground as El Temur's laughter pierced the sky. El Temur's hands shake violently as he silently reads the scroll. The day the Emperor's letter written in blood is revealed, Heaven and Earth shall fill with rage and the winds will fill with blood.
"Who is it?" El Temur asks with an ice cold fury. "Who did this? Who dares to challenge me, El Temur?"
*********
"Get them!" Eunuch Bang yells.
"Block him!"
"Get him!"
Jeom Bak grabs Emperor Toghon by the waist.
Wang Yoo gets the ball.
Everyone on the balcony rises as El Temur walks through, and takes a seat next to Empress Dowager.
Seung Nyang observes El Temur out of the corner of her eye.
"I had no idea you would come to watch kickball, Prime Minister," says Empress Dowager.
That document came through the imperial office, so it has to be someone near me. His gaze falls on Bayan and Toqto'a. These two? They may be brave, but they aren't capable of that yet.
He looks at Lord Jang. He doesn't have the character to do that. And it's definitely not Wang Yoo. Then...maybe...he looks at Emperor Toghon and shakes his head.
The only one who is capable of matching me is Empress Dowager, but this isn't the way she does things. She may plan a secret conspiracy, but she would never show her hand like this. I don't know. I just don't know.
The game continues on with Wang Yoo scoring a goal in the net. Team Goryeo cheers, and Empress Danashiri lights up like a lantern. So far, Team Goryeo is ahead, 2-1.
Eunuch Baek kicks, and Emperor Toghon gets the ball into the goal.
"If I win," Emperor Toghon says to Wang Yoo, "you must never look at Seung Nyang ever again."
"And if I win," says Wang Yoo, "you have to let Seung Nyang leave this palace."
"No, you don't get to demand anything regarding Seung Nyang."
"How is that fair?"
"My words are the law."
Wang Yoo runs ahead.
"Block him!" Emperor Toghon yells.
Wang Yoo reaches the goal, and Emperor Toghon is blocking. He swiftly kicks the ball, and Emperor Toghon blocks with his head. However, the impact sends him sprawling on his back.
The Goryeo Palace Maids gasp.
"Your Majesty!" Eunuch Baek screeches.
Eunuch Dokman's eyes widen in horror. "Your Majesty!"
The men from both kickball teams swarm around Emperor Toghon, who is unconscious, and bleeding from the nose.
"He was out with just one blow," Jeom Bak whispers. What a wuss!
Wang Yoo is feeling very apprehensive.
"Your Majesty...Your Majesty," Eunuch Dokman says as he attempts to revive the Emperor.
Empress Danashiri rolls her eyes, but out of obligation, she follows the Empress Dowager down to the field. Both are genuinely more concerned about Wang Yoo than the Emperor, but that absolutely cannot be known.
El Temur whispers to Tanqishi. "Detain everyone who manages petitions."
"What?" Tanqishi asks.
************
The Eunuchs carry Emperor Toghon to his room, while Empress Dowager and Empress Danashiri run behind them.
"Careful. Careful." The Eunuchs lower him onto the bed.
"How is he?" Empress Dowager asks.
Eunuch Dokman checks his pulse. "We'll know when the doctor gets here, but it doesn't appear that he's seriously injured."
Empress Dowager and Empress Danashiri breathe a sigh of relief.
"He should wake up soon, right?" Empress Danashiri asks.
"Yes, Your Majesty," says Eunuch Dokman. "Please don't worry too much."
"Just what is going on?" Empress Dowager asks.
***********
Screams of pain fill the torture chamber as several men are burned on the legs with hot irons. Toqto'a, Bayan, Talahai, Tanqishi, El Temur, and Lord Jang observe, attempting to discern who wrote the incriminating petition.
Tanqishi holds up the yellow scroll. "Tell the truth." He whips it open. "How did this petition get delivered to the Imperial Office?"
"I swear to the heavens that we really do not know."
"Lord Jang," El Temur barks.
Lord Jang stiffens. "All I did was deliver the petitions that I received. How would I dare to include such a foul petition?"
"You can kill these men," says El Temur. "Rip their flesh until they tell the truth."
"Yes, Sir!" The prison guards bow.
Bayan and Toqto'a exchange glances.
***********
Wang Yoo and Eunuch Bang meet up with Empress Dowager and Empress Danashiri in the courtyard.
The two men bow. "How is his Majesty doing?" Wang Yoo asks.
"He just woke up," Empress Dowager replies.
"I was too careless," Wang Yoo apologizes. "I should have been more careful."
"It seems to me," says Empress Danashiri, "that you were personally aiming at His Royal Countenance."
Empress Dowager gives her an icy stare.
Empress Danashiri smiles. "It's just how I perceived it, that's all. Your expression and attitude seemed like someone angered, someone with a grudge."
"Did you look at my face that closely?" Wang Yoo asks.
Empress Danashiri says no more.
"I heard that His Majesty suggested the game first," says Empress Dowager. "Since it happened during the game, don't worry about it too much."
"Thank you, Your Imperial Highness," says Wang Yoo.
The royal women and their entourages swish past Wang Yoo and Eunuch Baek.
"About now," says Wang Yoo, "the Prime Minister's fury is piercing the sky. You've done well, Eunuch Bang."
"Yes," Eunuch Bang smiles and bows.
************
El Temur throws the yellow scroll at Tanqishi. Bayan, Talahai, and Toqto'a are also in the presence of El Temur's paranoid tirade.
Toqto'a gets his hands on the scroll, and runs his finger over the red characters. He licks his finger. "The red ink for writing talismans was used. And the handwriting is difficult to identify, so they wrote it with their opposing hand, or asked an illiterate person to write it."
"This petition was brought right to the Imperial Office," says El Temur. "He is showing that he can put a blade in my neck at any time. He is nearby, watching and mocking me."
"But, does the letter written in blood really exist?" Bayan asks.
"When Emperor Mingzong died," says Tanqishi, "there must have been those who were close to him."
"Once I learned about the letter written in blood," says El Temur, "I killed all the servants and eunuchs who were caring for him. But...I never found the body of one man."
"Who was he?" Bayan asks.
"The Eunuch who was the Emperor's personal guard."
"Please tell us what you know about him," says Tanqishi.
"His name was Jeok Ho. A very skilled martial artist," says El Temur.
"Anything else about him?" Tanqishi asks. "About his family?"
"He was from Goryeo,"" says El Temur.
Tanqishi recalls a conversation he had with Byeong Soo in the torture chamber.
"So, tell us what information did you learn?" Tanqishi asks.
"The plague I got came from the corpse who was the Captain of the Kheshigs. What would that mean? So, someone killed the Captain of the Kheshigs and threw him in the Goryeo Village," says Byeong Soo.
Bayan and Toqto'a exchange glances.
"But someone brought that body to the palace," says Byeong Soo.
"There is a possibility that the Captain of the Kheshigs body came from the Goryeo Village," says Tanqishi.
"Is that true?" El Temur asks.
"Yeom Byeong Soo touched that body and got the plague that is going around Goryeo Village," says Talahai.
El Temur rises, and everyone follows suit. "Search Goryeo Village! I'm sure there is a clue to the bloodletter."
Emperor Toghon is lying on his bed, pouting, on the verge of having a black eye.
"Your Majesty, your face looks terrible," says Eunuch Baek. "Please put this ointment on your face."
"I said it's bothersome," says Emperor Toghon. "Get out."
"Your Majesty. Your Majesty!" Eunuch Baek says.
Emperor Toghon sits up and grabs his pillow. "Oh, get out already! Get out!" He throws the pillow on the floor. "Get out, get out, get out!"
"Yes, Your Majesty," says Eunuch Baek.
As they are about to leave, Emperor Toghon has one more thing to say. "Yang, you stay here."
But of course. She rolls her eyes.
"You put the ointment on him," Eunuch Baek whispers. "He will listen to you."
She reluctantly takes the ointment.
"Gently," Eunuch Baek reminds her.
Seung Nyang turns around to face Emperor Toghon, and he immediately pouts and rolls over to his side.
"Put on the ointment," says Seung Nyang. She climbs up the steps, and stands over his bed. "If you don't want to, I'll leave now." She begins to descend the steps.
Emperor Toghon sits straight up. "Oh, oh, oh! Wait, wait!" He points to his eye.
She ascends the steps once more, and applies the ointment to his bruised face.
"Did you enjoy it?" Emperor Toghon asks. "Did seeing this happen to me make you happy?"
"How could that be true?" Seung Nyang asks.
"You wanted me to lose," says Emperor Toghon. He flinches as Seung Nyang applies extra pressure to his bruise. "I saw you cheer Wang Yoo on. That is why this happened--"
Seung Nyang increases the pressure.
"Ouch! That hurts. Be gentle."
"You are picking a fight for no reason," Seung Nyang says sternly.
"Then, did you...want me to win?"
"If you move, it makes it harder to put the ointment on."
Emperor Toghon flinches. "Eesh. Even if you don't mean it, say you rooted for me, that you wanted me to win. Can't you even say it?"
"Yes," Seung Nyang says insincerely, "I hoped you would win, Your Majesty. Happy now?"
Emperor Toghon nods. "Yes. Put that away. My whole body hurts now." He lays down and raises his leg. "Here. Massage my legs."
Seung Nyang rolls her eyes.
"What are you doing, not massaging them?" Emperor Toghon asks.
"Your Majesty, Empress Dowager is here," Eunuch Baek announces from outside.
Emperor Toghon immediately lowers his leg. "Ask her to enter!"
The doors open, and Empress Dowager glides in. She sharply sharply stares at Seung Nyang. "You, leave." Saved by the dowager...
Seung Nyang bows and gratefully exits. She did not want to massage the Emperor. Ew!!!
"I just met with Lord Jang," says Empress Dowager.
Seung Nyang inconspicuously pauses in the doorway.
"He said Prime Minister El Temur is out of his mind because of a petition," says Empress Dowager.
"A petition?" Emperor Toghon asks.
Seung Nyang moves on. Not a good idea to appear too interested...
"Your Majesty," says Empress Dowager, "listen well to what I tell you. Your father, the late Emperor Mingzong, did not die of acute indigestion."
"Yes, I know that, too," Emperor Toghon nods.
"It's possible that the world we hope for may arrive sooner."
"What do you mean?" Emperor Toghon asks.
She leans over and whispers in his ear. They break away, and Emperor Toghon is in tears.
"If we can only find that letter written in blood," Empress Dowager says at normal volume, "Prime Minister El Temur's high treason will be revealed."
"How grief stricken Father must have been," Emperor Toghon sobs, "that he cut his own finger to write a letter."
Empress Dowager holds his face in her hands. "This is not the time to be angry or sad. We must watch them with the eyes of a hawk, and fight them with the heart of a snake."
Emperor Toghon sighs. "What must I do?"
"First, pretend that you know nothing. You must not make any effort to find the bloodletter."
"I understand," Emperor Toghon nods.
**********
Seung Nyang reaches the guarded gates to the guest quarters with Wang Yoo's neatly folded, clean clothes, in hand.
"I have brought clothes for the guests of the palace," she explains to the guards.
********
Wang Yoo and Moo Song are at the height of sparring each other with their wooden practice swords. Bul Hwa cheerfully watches them. Seung Nyang turns the corner and is amazed at the sight. She wishes she wasn't several months out of practice.
"Seung Nyang!" Eunuch Bang whispers. He gestures for her to follow him.
Jeom Bak is the first to notice her following Eunuch Bang. "Seung Nyang?"
"It's become embarrassing that I'm your body guard," says Moo Song.
Wang Yoo laughs. "I know that you went easy on me."
"It seems to me that he gave it his all," says Bul Hwa.
"Your Majesty," Jeom Bak approaches them. "Why did Seung Nyang meet with Eunuch Bang without visiting you?"
"Seung Nyang was here?" Wang Yoo asks. Please don't let this be what I think it is.
********
Seung Nyang hands the neatly folded clothes over to Eunuch Bang. "In the future, if I have a message for you, I will put a letter in the clothes."
"Yes, good work, Seung Nyang," Eunuch Bang whispers.
"What is your next mission?" Seung Nyang asks.
"His Majesty hasn't said anything."
"Please contact me when he does."
"Of course," Eunuch Bang looks over Seung Nyang's shoulder. "You better leave now."
As Seung Nyang turns to leave, Wang Yoo enters the room. Seung Nyang jumps back, her heart pounding.
"Y-Your Majesty," Eunuch Bang stutters.
Wang Yoo takes a seat. "Eunuch Bang, you tell me. Why was Seung Nyang the one to carry out my command?"
Eunuch Bang bows. "Your Majesty," he says tearfully.
"Eunuch Bang has done nothing wrong," Seung Nyang interjects.
"I didn't ask you," Wang Yoo says sternly.
"If something goes wrong, your life could be in danger!" Seung Nyang erupts. "So I requested Eunuch Bang to entrust me with this task. I was confident I could do it."
Wang Yoo looks at her tearfully. Seung Nyang, how can you not know my heart?
"So, we've succeeded," Seung Nyang continues. "So, what is wrong?"
Wang Yoo looks away. "Never...appear in front of me again."
The entire room goes silent.
"Your Majesty?" Eunuch Bang asks in shock.
"Don't look for me, don't even think of me," Wang Yoo continues. "I will never see you again." He looks her straight in the eye. "You may leave now."
"Your Majesty," says Moo Song.
Wang Yoo rises. "I told you to leave, didn't you hear me?"
Seung Nyang's face burns, and the tears stream. She lowers her head and pushes past Bul Hwa and Jeom Bak.
"My dumb brain cannot understand this situation at all," says Jeom Bak. "Why are you casting Seung Nyang out?"
"Don't you know?" Moo Song asks. "It's all for her sake."
"Seung Nyang just wanted to help you, Your Majesty," Eunuch Bang says tearfully.
Wang Yoo is trying his best to conceal his tears. "You...may all go now."
The men respectfully bow before leaving Wang Yoo alone to grieve. I'm sorry, Seung Nyang. I don't have any power yet, so this is all I can do to protect you. Please forgive me for being incompetent.
*******
Seung Nyang re-enters the palace grounds, and she tries her best to conceal her tears. No one in the palace needs to know. However, life is testing her today, as her perpetrator, Tanqishi, is walking down the palace steps. Talahai, Toqto'a, and Jo Cham are behind him. Bayan is standing to his left.
Like a sharp, young, wolf, Tanqishi immediately takes notice of her swollen, red eyes. He simultaneously wants to protect her and dominate her.
Seung Nyang stops and does the obligatory bow. She wishes to throw horse manure in his face, but she also wishes to stay alive today. As she attempts to move on, Tanqishi blocks her path.
"Go to Goryeo Village ahead of us," Tanqishi says to the men.
Toqto'a lingers behind for a few seconds. This young woman intrigues him, and he's aware of Tanqishi's predatory nature. However, he doesn't yet have enough power to take action. He reluctantly follows his uncle.
Seung Nyang attempts to walk away, but Tanqishi will not get out of the way.
"Did you cry?" Tanqishi asks.
"I'm not in the mood to speak with you, so get out of my way," Seung Nyang clenches her teeth.
"Lady Park's pregnant belly is becoming larger," says Tanqishi. "Do you know what that means?"
Seung Nyang glares at him.
"That means your crime is becoming bigger, as well," says Tanqishi.
She glares at him and walks away. What the hell is with this guy?
He grabs her arms and spins her around. "Don't cry for anyone else! You must only cry because of me."
Why? Seung Nyang thinks.
"If I cannot have you," Tanqishi adds, "you will be the most miserable one in the whole world. Do you understand?"
She slaps his hand off her arm. The nerve of this deluded megalomaniac...
He walks away, pissed off that she didn't crumple into his arms and beg him to take her out of the palace.
Hot tears of disempowerment stream down Seung Nyang's face.
...To be continued...
