Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Episode 11

MOON LOVERS: SCARLET HEART RYEO One would not consider the formidable and nefarious Queen Yoo to be mealy-mouth; she had let Wang So in on the murder conspiracy. Poison was to be the ingredient to bump off the Crown Prince, Wang Yo’s rival. Though he was not privy to the nasty and inconvenient details, she dared him to disrupt the plans. As one might have imagined, Wang So’s lie of wanting to be king had not gone down well with her. She had set her sights on becoming the future Queen Mother behind the throne of her favourite son, Wang Yo, not him. There was little doubt that, with her clever murder plot, she intended to remove Prince Wang Mu once and for all. On the other hand, it was not a surprise that Yeon Hwa wanted Hae Soo dead since she was the obstacle to her brother, Wang Wook’s ambition for the throne. The Eighth Prince, intended to marry Hae Soo and bring her away from the palace. He had refused to be embroiled in Goryeo court politics. But Hwangbo Yeon-Hwa was rallying her brother to strive to be the next king so that their family and clan could be protected. Wang So was in a quandary; he was caught in the horrifying but meticulously planned murder. When Wang So ingested the tea, the audience might have held their breath. Was the tea poisoned or not poisoned? Even though the Fourth Prince was resolute and calm in the face of adversity, his agitation could be seen in his hands which he had difficulty in controlling. The prince could feel that the poison had taken almost immediate effect. The slight tremors in his hands were almost impossible to hide. As he held the cup for another round of tea to be poured by Hae Soo, his hands were a little shaky. Staring at Hae Soo as he partook of the poisoned tea, he thought in wounded agony, ‘You’re poisoning me.’ One could feel his intense personal misery but he had to stay mum about the plot. The attempt to protect her was a testament to his great and enduring love for her which, at this point in time, had remained unrequited. It was impossible to second guess his actions. He was slowly succumbing to the poison running through his body. Would he remain silent in the face of his terrible suffering? Only the malevolent conspirators, Queen Yoo and Wang Won AKA the lowlife, knew of his suffering. Yeon Hwa must have been quivering in her seat. What happened was entirely unexpected. One has little doubt about the insidious effects of the poisoned tea on Wang So’s consciousness as he struggled to overcome his pain. He quickly requested for King Taejo’s permission to leave. Turning away, Wang So tried to control the blood from dribbling down his mouth. With the haemorrhaging, blood began dripping out of his mouth. He must have experienced difficulty in breathing. It was apparent that his neck muscles had cramped, resulting in the constriction of his neck veins. The  veins popped out, forming horrible bulges. Wang So’s eyes and face seemed to be swollen. He gasped for breath. Feeling increasingly dazed and confused, he staggered after Hae Soo who was totally oblivious of his suffering. Tears of helplessness threatened to drip from his eyes. His neck muscles constricted further and his body was thrown into convulsions. Was there a creeping paralysis of his body? Wang So tried to contain his emotions. His steps faltered. All this while, he had been trying to slow down the effects of the poison. Then, he spurted out blood. Hae So did not realise his presence until he slumped to the floor and lost consciousness. This poignant moment is one of the most memorable scenes in the drama. When Hae Soo reached him, she was in a panic. Fate did not allow Wang So to die. He was able to survive because of his strict martial arts training under Grand General Park Soo Kyung. After the Royal Physician had administered the antidote to halt the damage to his body, Wang So recovered. Wang So lived to tell the tale of the vicious plot. Hae Soo, who had been grilled, tortured and implicated in the plot, was thrown into prison to await her punishment. The gravity of her crime demanded her life. Wang Wook visited her and reported that Wang So’s life was saved by the timely and judicious administration of the antidote. Heaven and hell broke loose when the Crown Prince and Hae Soo were accused of being conspirators in the attempted murder of the Fourth Prince.  The litany of accusations, which discredited the two, was potentially devastating. Poison was found among Hae Soo’s belongings.  But, in one surprising move, Park Young Gyu, Wang Yo’s father-in-law, accused the Crown Prince of trying to murder Wang So who supposedly was his rival for the Goryeo throne. He declared that a precious necklace was found with the poison. He implied that due to his close relationship with Hae Soo, Wang Mu must have gifted the jewellery to her. The evidence, though circumstantial, pointed to their conspiracy. There were sneaking suspicions that the accusations were false. In fact, it was obvious to the Goryeo royalty that the items had been surreptitiously planted in Hae Soo’s room. Wang Wook raised doubts about the far-fetched accusations, arguing that the poison had been intended for the Crown Prince. No one could accuse the kind-hearted Wang Mu of wilful blindness to reality. The Crown Prince was aggrieved and regretted that his heir-apparent position had generated trouble for the innocent victims in the diabolical palace plot. He pleaded with his father to appoint another successor. But Taejo, going to the very heart of the matter, spelt out clearly why he was the chosen one. There was a distinction to be made. Wang Mu, the king’s first born, was the son of Wang Geon, being born before the founding of Goryeo. In contrast, the others were the sons of the King Taejo. The king had an affinity with Wang Mu as they had shared a long history of fighting together side by side to establish the kingdom and, he wanted to give his first son everything. When Wang Wook reported to Wang So about the false accusations, the latter revealed that Queen Yoo was the mastermind of the plot. Wang So requested Wang Wook to stand up for Hae Soo. But, the Eighth Prince never did. Being a coward, he appealed to Court Lady Oh to speak up for Hae Soo instead. Soon after, Wang So visited Hae Soo. On seeing her tortured body, his heart must have splintered into a thousand pieces. The young woman was confused that he, the Fourth Prince, would even sacrifice his life for her, a mere nobody. Who was she that he would do it for her? She was moved by his sacrificial love and admitted that it would be harder for her to reject him from then onwards. He smiled that funny smile of his and told her not to run away from him. Since both of them had survived, they were destined to be together. When Wang Wook discovered that Yeon Hwa was involved in the murder attempt, he thundered at her recklessness. If her crime was exposed, their family would be punished. Yeon Hwa was unrepentant; she had been bitterly resentful of the fact that her brother had discarded his chance to be king for a mere court lady. Wang So was understandably distraught. When he went to Taejo to plead for Hae Soo’s life, he displayed a maturity beyond his years. Love for Hae Soo, which outweighed even personal concerns, had changed him. For the first time in his life, Wang So boldly stood up to his father. Indignant that the king had failed to conduct investigations with a fine-tooth comb, he castigated his father for carelessly laying the blame of murder on an innocent court lady, who was above suspicion. The king was being dominated by turbulent politics in the palace. In order to protect the status quo and save his favourite son, the king would not hesitate put blameless victims to death. Taejo’s hands seemed to be shackled by the powerful and untouchable queen and court officials who tried to pervert the course of justice. He now saw the king and his moral standards in a new perspective. A person in authority had to be responsible and accountable for his deeds. ‘The owner of a sword must wield his sword properly.’ Wang Wook requested Court Lady Oh to intervene for Hae Soo. She, in turn, questioned why he, himself, didn’t stand up for her despite professing that he loved her dearly. Wang Wook proved to be Wang So’s inferior; he did not have the edge that Wang So had. And that was fierce courage, passion and determination for the girl he loved. Wang Wook, in short, was a coward. Court Lady Oh predicted that one day, he would regret it. But, Court Lady Oh did plead with Taejo to hang her instead of Hae Soo. She was once the love of his life but he had cast her aside in favour of Queen Yoo. The King did not believe her when she took the blame for the murder attempt. Having a painful terminal illness and near death’s door, she requested that she be put out of her misery. Given Goryeo’s political climate, Taejo had to admit defeat and abide by her final request. That Hae Soo was to die was too shocking a prospect for Wang So to contemplate. When she was brought out to be hanged, he rushed there to save her. Hae Soo was not waiting for him, but for her Eighth Prince, for their final meeting but Wang Wook was nowhere to be found. Stalling for time, Wang So protected her with his martial arts and swordsmanship prowess. To Wang So’s relief, the astronomer appeared in time to announce that Hae Soo was innocent and would be freed. It seemed that the culprit was Concubine Oh who was to be hanged in Hae Soo’s place. It was a sad goodbye for Hae Soo and Court Lady Oh. The older lady advised her to be vigilant every step of the way as she was walking on thin ice in the palace. It is a chilling example of evil, twisted ambition and the whitewashing of justice. None knew what had transpired between Taejo and Concubine Oh. The politically experienced king was no country bumpkin; he certainly knew about Queen Yoo’s conspiracy. It was shocking news to everyone except Queen Yoo that Concubine Oh would be the sacrificial lamb.  Hae Soo refused to accept the reality of the situation and knelt in front of the main palace to beg the king for mercy. But the king had already decreed that Concubine Oh would die. Queen Hwangbo, who had also, in the past, been a victim of injustice, tried to talk the king out of it. The king remained resolute and unemotional. As she knelt, it seemed that the heavens cried with her. The imagery of the pelting rain symbolises the protest of the heavens against the injustice. The princes appeared but they, being cowardly and having the herd mentality, were reluctant to join her.  But, Hae Soo's persistence and courage moved Wang So. Wang Wook appeared but he, fearing the king’s wrath, also distanced himself from her. He did not want to run the risk of being called a rebel prince. Their romance was star-crossed. There was a question mark in her mind. Did he really love her? Did the rain slowly wash away the love Hae Soo had for Wang Wook? However, what was certain was her romance with Wang Wook would take a turn for the worse in the future. He came up short compared to Wang So. His cowardice pointed to the end of their romance. The fact that Wang So, who was predestined for greatness, would put his life on the line for Hae Soo showed her importance in his heart. This resonates well with the audience. Yin and Yang. White and Black. They were opposites: they complemented and completed each other. She was soft and full of emotion while he was hard and personified reason. Yet, Hae Soo and Wang So were on the same page. You cannot have one without the other. Yin and Yang symbolises the starting point for change. Driven by his all-consuming love, the Fourth Prince, dressed in black robes with a white cummerbund, courageously and majestically stood in the driving rain, shielding her with his huge black cape while she knelt in her white robes. His heart must have been heavy knowing that she was frail and sick from the torture that had recently been inflicted on her.  When she felt faint, Wang So caught hold of her in his arms. His touch was tender and his gaze was caring as he listened to her sobs. She couldn’t imagine another person dying in her place. She didn’t want to live. It was a poignant scene. ‘Yuanfen’. ‘Destiny’ and ‘Fate’. Wang So and Hae Soo’s meeting with each other was ‘predestined’ and they were ‘fated’ to be with each other. In this unforgettable romantic scene, the handsome Goryeon prince, Wang So, made no secret of his extraordinary love for his lovely beloved, Hae Soo.  In this awesome and picture-perfect scene, the two are flanked by two huge solid columns as the rain lashed at them. The courage, passion and strength that the Fourth Prince had so far displayed must have made her realise that he truly loved her. His level of courage parallelled hers and made his love greater, deeper and truer than that of Wang Wook’s. His angsty emotions were deeply moving. The Fourth Prince must have slowly but surely crept into Hae Soo’s heart. You have to hand it to Lee Joon Gi - he is most amazing in this episode of the drama. But, it goes without saying that his performance has been very impressive and unforgettable throughout the drama.

Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo Episode 10

MOON LOVERS: SCARLET HEART RYEO THE HAIR BROOCH Wang So had to address a key question: Did Hae Soo love him? There was not a scintilla of doubt in his mind that she loved him. He equated her friendship with love. His rainmaker victory had affected his judgement and he forced his kiss on her. When Hae Soo did not respond to his passionate kisses, he knew that his love was not reciprocated. His eyes were troubled. Perhaps, a romantic atmosphere would change her mind. On the spur of the moment, Wang So whisked her off on his stallion to a beautiful beach. Their secret departure from the palace that night had been witnessed by Wang Jung. Hae Soo warned him that both of them would not be safe once the palace discovered their nocturnal foray outside the palace walls. He asked her whether they should elope then. If she insisted, he would do it for her sake.  Wang So revealed that should he leave Songak one day, he would bring her there. It was just the kind of romantic moment against a glorious backdrop that Wang So had envisioned for himself and Hae Soo. He hoped that it would spark her love for him. The beach was swathed in half-darkness; the moonlight threw it in relief. The black rocks and the water which swelled around them shimmered in the light. Silence reigned except for the lapping of the waves. The sea had a calming effect on them. They stood on the beach silhouetted against the moonlight, watching the seething blur of waves and feeling the salty tang of the sea on their lips. Then, he turned. While glancing at her, he must have felt a tingle of pleasure. He shared with her his deep-seated feelings which had previously been shrouded in darkness like the scenery before them. Wang So confided that he was stumped by the fact that he had always been forced to leave after his short stint in Songak. He insisted that he had never brought misfortune to the others and he wasn’t a beast who slaughtered animals for sport and fun. It was an intimate moment; he had opened his heart and soul to her. He had explained to her clearly who he was. He looked at her for her response. The audience probably had visions of him slaughtering the wolves in the mountains of Shinju; he had to fight for his life. They also had visions of him in beast mode, cruelly slaughtering the stallion which had brought him back from Shinju. He had been cast adrift from his family but there and then, he was determined not to be a hostage for a minute longer. Hae Soo’s heart melted. Her earnest wish for him was he should live his life with ease and happiness, without spilling blood. But, would he go beserk and run amok in the future? Was it too far-fetched to imagine him to be a ruthless monarch? The Fourth Prince promised her that he would accompany her throughout his journey in life. Wang So was in the dark that she had already given her heart to another man. Perhaps, it wasn't the perfect time to solve the love triangle as the determined Wang So was undeterred. As long as the man was not Baek Ah, his best friend and the only male sibling who understood him, it was of no paramount importance to him. He was too confident of himself to question her. The romantic night fostered a sense of intimacy. Wang So reminded her that when Yeon Hwa hit her, he had already considered Hae Soo to be ‘His Person’. He had staked his territory there and then. She belonged to him now. Then, he took out a hair brooch that was decorated with a white lotus flower and red ginseng berries and presented it to her saying, ‘I’ve wanted to give you this.’ White signifies purity and devotion. The sacred lotus, a Buddhist symbol, is imagined to be the seat of the Buddha. The lotus flower will only grow in the mud. It rises from dirt and only shows its beauty for a brief amount of time each year. Like the lotus flower, Wang So grew up in the darkness (mud) in Shinju. He faced many obstacles, sufferings and a life of loneliness. Through determination and perseverance, he had risen like the lotus flower towards the sun and bloomed. The tough and hardened ‘beast’ has transformed into a civilized human being. And, as a lotus, he was full of love and devotion to Hae Soo who had shown kindness towards him. As each petal opened one by one, one could see not only his wisdom, strength, maturity, humanity but also his vulnerability.  The ginseng plant, with the red ginseng berries, symbolises health and strength. Smiling, Wang So took her hand and placed the hair brooch in her hands. He must have wrestled with the temptation to pin it on her hair but instead, he told her flippantly that she could throw it away if she so desired. Perhaps, he secretly hoped to find it nestled in her hair one day. Dawn broke. The spell was broken. They headed for the palace in silence. On the way back, they met two worried brothers, Wang Wook and Wang So. The princes wanted to take over the responsibilty of bringing her back. Cocking his head, Wang So held Hae Soo and the reins of the horse more tightly. He stated emphatically that the king had already given Hae Soo to him. Fearful that the hostile atmosphere might lead to a serious altercation between Wang So and Wang Wook, Hae Soo insisted on going back with Wang So. A slight smugness curved the Fourth Prince’s lips. Court Lady Oh was none too pleased with their tryst but Wang So was defiant. She warned Hae Soo to be extra cautious and tread carefully in the palace to protect herself. Foolhardiness would land her in real trouble. When Wang Wook and Wang Yo were honing their archery skills, the latter boasted that if he had a picture of his enemy in his head, he wouldn’t miss his target. He would hit bullseye. But, before long, the reckless young lady was in hot soup again.  Wang Wook and Hae Soo had a secret rendezvous in a cave, far away from prying eyes of the palace residents. He was clearly rattled by her relationship with Wang So. Compared to the passionate Wang So, the Eighth Prince, seemed pretty tame in their romantic relationship. While proposing marriage to her, he was shocked by the unexpected appearance of Court Lady Oh. When applying makeup on Wang So’s face on another ocassion, Hae Soo gently raised the issue of their relationship since she felt that he couldn't differentiate between love and friendship. Wang So had mistaken her friendship with him to be romantic love. To Wang So, there was no difference between the two. Love was synonymous with friendship; they were inter-wined. Hae Soo was the centre of his universe and he was determined to win her heart. The passionate young prince did not, for even a moment, entertain any rejection by her. Baek Ah and Woo Hee met again when he arrived at the gyobang to play music for the dancers. He surprised to discover that the beautiful but high and mighty young lady was a gisaeng, a courtesan at his royal father's court.

THE SECRET PLOT Queen Yoo, Park Young Gyu, Wang Yo’s father-in-law, and Wang Won were in a sinister conspiracy to turn King Taejo and the Crown Prince against Wang So. What was their strategy? Make the king believe that Wang So was a rival  and real threat to the heir apparent. Park Young Gyu suggested that Queen Yoo pretend to support Wang So as the successor of King Taejo. Their ‘Kill two birds with one stone’ plot was aimed at simultaneously destroying Wang So and Wang Mu. Wang Won’s task was to furnish Wang So with the IOU’s of the Crown Prince’s maternal uncle. Having been overly greedy and corrupt, Wang Mu’s uncle had accumulated a lot of bad debts. Malicious rumours to highlight Wang Mu’s unsuitability to be the next king would be circulated. The Fourth Prince would be implicated in the muckraking scandal.  When Wang Won met the Crown Prince in a secret meeting, the sneaky Ninth Prince alluded to Wang So’s knowledge of his maternal family’s financial difficulties. Wang Mu was in such a precarious position because Wang So might have exposed the family's dirty secrets. The next morning, Wang So was commanded by King Taejo to meet at the parapets of the palace wall.  Wang So was perplexed by the serious and moody expression of the king, Wang Mu and Choi Ji Mong. The king delivered the shocking news that it was time for him to leave Shinju, but not before the 9th day of the 9th lunar month celebrations. By reversing his earlier sentiment of wanting to retain Wang So by his side, King Taejo had pretty much contradicted himself. It was apparent that he was a king who was easily swayed by the changing political scene. Taejo explained that Wang So had become Wang Mu’s serious rival for the throne as certain quarters in the palace wished to make him the Heir Apparent. A rift had appeared in the palace.  Appealing to his father to rescind his order, he lamented, ‘To you, my real feelings do not matter,’ The quaver in his voice betrayed his frustration and helplessness. Although the King had softened his tone and conceded that Queen Yoo was behind the devious plot, he refused to back down on his demand. The war of attrition within the palace walls had left the king with no option but to send Wang So back to Songak. The Fourth Prince was left to wonder if he was being robbed off his birth right again, the right of staying in the palace where he belonged. Queen Yoo’s accusatory words about King Taejo returned to haunt him. Was he, Wang So, the shield for the arrows that were aimed at the Crown Prince? The memory of his mother’s accusation brought a cynical smile to his lips. Taejo’s unexpected response startled him. The king wanted to keep Wang So by his side but he also wanted to protect Wang So from the machinations of his wicked mother. Knowing better than to protest, Wang So resigned himself to his fate. His father reeked of weakness; he was very easily manipulated. That was precisely the result that Queen Yoo wanted. Kick Wang So out of the picture leaving Wang Mu helpless and without any form of support. Then, the queen could continue to plot and scheme to replace Wang Mu with her eldest son, Wang Yo. Add caption The plot thickened. Wang So barged into Queen Yoo’s living quarters. He was furious and refused to follow protocol since he had lost all respect for his mother. He gritted his teeth as he bellowed at her to leave him alone. His mother had twisted his words. ‘Didn’t you say you wanted to be king? I’m a queen so I should make my son’s wish come true. The throne will be yours if everything goes according to plan.’ Queen Yo was far worse than he thought. She revealed that the Crown Prince was going to die on the ninth day of the ninth lunar month. There was a deceptive air about her when she disclosed that a poisoned teacup was awaiting Wang Mu. It seemed the Crown Prince enjoyed drinking tea so Wang So would not be able to stop it. Queen Yoo’s indiscretion and nonchalance about the palace plot seemed out of the ordinary. It also seemed odd that the Yoo royal family had already made a covenant to request that he, Prince Wang So, be installed as the next Crown Prince. Warning him against trying to forestall the murder plan, she declared that it would only serve to tighten the noose around his neck. As Wang So’s outrage mounted, a provocative piece of information was deliberately revealed. An unfortunate court lady would die together with the Crown Prince. Wang So would assume power as the next Crown Prince. Wang So strode off in a huff. Apparently, though Wang So was the only outsider who was privy to the plan, the full enormity of the wicked plan has not yet been revealed. Woo Hee was secretly plotting with Park Young Gyu, formerly from Hubaekje, to kill Taejo. Infuriated with his delaying tactics, she threatened to reveal his dark and dirty secrets to the people of Hubaekje.   Wang Wook visited Lady Hae’s grave and prayed to her spirit to protect him and Hae Soo. Ordinary families on this day performed ancestor memorial services and visited ancestor tombs to pay their respects.

THE NINTH DAY OF THE NINTH LUNAR MONTH CELEBRATIONS Jungyangjeol, the Korean equivalent of the Chinese Double Nine festival (Ninth Day of the Ninth Lunar Month), had arrived. The Goryeo royal court had kick-started the celebrations and festivities with much fun. But, it was going to be a life-defining day for Wang So, the Fourth Prince. After the celebrations were over, he would be returning to Shinju according to his royal father’s mandate. The king, Queen Yoo and Queen Hwangbo and their off-springs were present to celebrate the auspicious day. Two princes were conspicuously absent. Wang Yo had been sent out by King Taejo to inspect the grain storehouses in every region of the Goryeo kingdom. It was learnt later that Wang Eun, the Tenth Prince had woken up late. The royal family played a collaborative game with a juryyeonggu, a 14-sided dice with Chinese characters. The game involved food, drink, song and dance. The dice would be thrown and a member of the royal family would be chosen to ‘recite a poem’, ‘sing a song’, or ‘guzzle down some liquor’. Infectious laughter dominated the gathering. A dice rolled. It stopped at the Chinese characters ‘Link arms and take a drink’. It was Baek Ah who had rolled the dice. He had the privilege to choose any of his family members to play the game with him. Choi Ji Mong teased King Taejo as it seemed, for obvious reasons, no one had dared to choose him to play the game. His queens dissolved into fits of laughter. Baek Ah moved dramatically up and down the aisle trying to pick a prince to play the game with him. One prince was particularly tense and that was the one he picked. Wang Jung. They had to link arms and take wine together. Wang Jung protested that he was a man. Why would he want to link arms and drink with Baek Ah? Choi Ji Mong pronounced it was bad luck to reject it. There was no escape. Wang Jung’s royal mother, Queen Yoo was amused by her son’s embarrassment. So was everyone. As Wang Mu reached out for his cup of wine, Wang So observed him closely. Nothing unusual seemed to have happened to the Crown Prince. Then, King Taejo introduced a collaborative game of poetry recitation. The king started the game by reciting verses plucked from a Chinese poem. The next player was expected to continue reciting the poem. ‘First. A round flower blooming high in the tree. It is as if you’ve seen the celestial poles.’ He then turned to Queen Hwangbo. ‘Second. Pure yellow, as yet untainted, is the colour of the earth.’ Wang Wook was next. ‘Third. To take root early and bloom late is a great virtue.’ Then, it was Baek Ah’s turn. ‘Fourth. A flower that blooms in the snow symbolises integrity.’ Baek Ah playfully pointed to Wang Jung. If Wang Eun had been there, the simple-minded and unscholarly prince would have been the victim. Having interest only in martial arts, Wang Jung fumbled for ideas; he appeared at a loss for words. Wang Won, the Ninth Prince, came to his rescue. ‘Fifth. A petal in a cup of wine is worthy of the gods.’ With a patronizing smile, Wang Won explained to Wang Jung that it was the poem written about the chrysanthemum flower by the Chinese poet, Zhong Hui. King Taejo and Queen Hwangbo burst out laughing. King Taejo praised Wang Won but quietly admonished his fourteenth son for failing to be studious. Queen Yoo was far from being amused. It reflected on her bad parenting; she had not given her physically active youngest son a thorough grounding on Chinese literature.

THE POISONED TEA The king deemed that it was time for refreshments after everyone had their share of fun. He suggested that the court ladies bring out the chrysanthemum tea, which was known for good health. Yeon Hwa, who harboured a grudge against Hae Soo, was smiling like a Cheshire cat. She had already put her plans into action. But, she had not expected the strange turn of events. ‘Man proposes, God disposes’. Yeon Hwa urged Court Lady Oh to fetch the tea. Wang So, who had been quite observant, was troubled. Was Court Lady Oh the one who would be implicated in the murder of Wang Mu? Hae Soo was in the palace kitchen preparing the chrysanthemum tea for the royal family. The court lady who was supposed to serve Prince Wang Mu tea requested that Hae Soo replaces her. Having been instructed by Court Lady Oh not to serve the princes for the moment, Hae Soo objected to the suggestion. But, the other Court Lady, pretending to feel faint from her terrible cold, conveniently dropped the teapot. The Twist In The Tale. Wang So stood up and requested for permission to make a short toast to the Crown Prince. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hae Soo approaching with a pot of tea. When Hae Soo placed the pot of Chrysanthemum tea on Wang Mu’s table, he was confused; he couldn’t make sense of the murder plot at first. Wang So’s heart thumped like a sledgehammer and his stomach churned with dread. From the looks of things, the court lady who would be implicated in Wang Mu’s murder would be Hae Soo. What was unexpected in the chess game of politics was Hae Soo, the love of Wang So’s life, was the pawn who had been unknowingly manipulated to deliver the deadly poisoned tea to the Crown Prince. It dawned on Wang So the full significance of poisoned tea - Hae Soo would be sacrificed if Prince Wang Mu died. The conspirators would be killing two birds with one stone. It was a critical moment, and Wang So did not want Hae Soo to be caught up in the conflict of the princes. Queen Yoo was brimming with confidence and venom. The moment of truth had arrived. There was no denying that, in that defining moment, the Fourth Prince would show Hae Soo the stuff he was made of. His kind of love came only once in a lifetime. Thinking quickly on his feet, the intelligent and quick-witted Wang So apologised to his older brother for the trouble he had caused in the recent past. Wang So offered to drink three cups of the tea to wish Prince Wang Mu well and to cement the idea that nothing would rent their brotherly ties asunder. The act was to deflect Wang Mu’s attention and prevent him from drinking the tea. The Crown Prince instructed Hae Soo to hand the Chrysanthemum tea to him. Wrongly assuming that the teacup had been laced with poison, Wang So purposely let the teacup slip from his hands. He swiftly explained that the cup slipped because his hands had been stained by oil from the Chrysanthemum biscuits. Yeon Hwa was worried. A new cup was brought. Wang So toasted the first cup of tea to the Crown Prince’s longevity. The second cup of tea was to wish Wang Mu success in war as he continued to fight for Goryeo. Looking quizzically at his mother, he realised that there was no poisoned cup. She confirmed it with the tilt of her head that she had lied. Failing to understand complicated palace politics, Wang So had been gullible enough to have believed all her lies. He was oblivious to the fact that the chrysanthemum tea, not the tea cup, was poisoned until that very last moment. It was already too late. He had already drunk two cups but he couldn’t stop. The third cup of poisoned tea was waiting for him. Staring at Hae Soo, he silently thought to himself, ‘I’m drinking poison that you’ve poured me.’ She was ignorant of the fact that she was killing him. With the third cup, he stated that his wish was their friendship would never change even if conspirators sowed discord between them. Wang Won felt uncomfortable because he was the one of those who tried to destroy their friendship. The king felt guilty because he had been swayed by palace politics. Wang So eyed Hae Soo as he drank the poisoned drink. He glanced at Queen Yoo but she seemed unmoved. One wouldn’t wish one’s rival to be poisoned but the cold and heartless queen was unperturbed that her biological son had drunk 3 cups of poisoned tea! Wang Mu was touched by Wang So’s toasts. Having a soft spot for the Fourth Prince, he pleaded with their royal father to rescind his order of sending him back to Shinju. The poison had already taken effect. Wang So excused himself and tried to act normally. As he staggered off, he tried hard to control his pain with his martial arts skills. Blood dribbled down his tremulous mouth. His neck veins convulsed and popped out. Even though he was in great distress, he hung on with grim determination until he was out of sight.