Wow. I'm way behind on my "Great Seer" watching. I can think of many reasons for my delay. The recent controversy over wages, which is 'supposedly' settled for now. The hurried plot change (probably due to the payment issue, but hopefully it was a 1 time thing), ratings (not much affecting me, but more so the writers), and honestly, I've been juggling too much dramas on my hands. I'm watching 2 dailies, a saeguk, and this one, and I'm planning on watching another show. Haha, I've got way too much time on my hands. Anyway, off to 13.
Episode 13
The creepy monk is only a step away from accomplishing his goal of making Ban Ya the Queen. He just needs the King's birthdate to match Ban Ya's to make them a 'perfect fit'. Knowing Jung Geun's secret (that he's actually the Evil Priestess's son), he uses this to threaten him and at the same time get what he needs.
It was very satisfying watching this scene. I hated that empire representative as much as Lee In Im did. Good riddance!
But you can't just kill someone and get off scot-free. The Yuan demand justice for the representitive and Lee In Im slyly picks Lee Sung Gye as his scape-goat. And the King
agrees. I haven't been too happy with Gong-min's actions, and this doesn't make it any better.
Ji Sang and Jung Geun are both scouring for the 'forbidden area' and they both agree to work together. Ji Sang shows him the secret wall opening he found earlier and they both work to decipher the code. Here they see 5 blocks each representing the 5 elements. Jung Geun logically solves it by pointing out Metal creates Water and presses them in order, opening the passageway.
The 5 elements are actually a big part in astrology and many other different areas, also known as "Wu Xing".
Learn more about Wu Xing
Lee In Im and his men get ready to kill Lee Sung Gye while he is asleep, but he wakes up to find all the swords pointed at him. He bitterly finds out that the king he trusted in so much, ordered his arrest.
Jung Geun rewrites the King's birthdate, but decides he won't give them the real one and at the last minute, changes the last characters. Oh ho, I'm sure this is a major 'alteration' but as I'm too sure about the meaning of it, I'll wait for the future episodes for some explanation. These characters are known as the "celestial stems" and were part in making a calendar (however, obsolete now). Interestingly, each character relates to one of the "Wu Xing" but going down the list, I couldn't find anything to explain the importance of the changing of dates, so I'll leave that to the drama.
Learn more about Celestial Stems.
And yet another premonition by Bong Choon, the Gisaeng, warning these 2 will face horrible deaths by deceiving the heavens. Not like we don't know that. Ban Ya firmly says they can't be scared of an 'unknown' future and dives deeper into her demise...
Jung Geun wants to get down to the whole 'ring' business that had haunted him since childhood and goes to no other than the Evil Priestess. She reveals another secret: Young Ji has a biological son of her own. You think this will make Jung Guen hate you less? Hmm...
Episode 14
Lee Sung Gye is still being imprisoned and fuming over his arrest. One of his subordinates sneaks in disguised as a guard and tells him to give orders. He doesn't agree, unwilling to let his comrades die for him against the king's army. However, a visit from Lee In Im and an ambassador coupled with the urging of his other 2 generals, willing to make any sacrifice, he makes up his mind. He'll escape whilst on-route to China.
Ji Sang mistakens Young Ji for being the woman that killed his father. He confronts her and unknowngly admits that he is the son of Dong Yoon. Young Ji just stands there weeping. A mother-son reunion shouldn't be like this (cry)! They're interrupted and he leaves, not known that he has really found his mother.
Creepy monk confidently kneels before the king with his so-called 'perfect birthdate' of Ban Ya's and the head of the Seowoongwan analyzes the birthdate like the creepy monk would expect at first. A gold needle for a heir and a gold knife for food, however, unbenownst to the monk he utters one more thing. Ban Ya's combination will make the King's water murky, allowing nothing to survive under his control.
I was really expecting some elaborate explanation on the whole changing character thing, but they didn't. I tried to come up with one close to theirs and this was the only thing I could come up with:
King Gong Min's birthdate: 庚 壬 壬 甲 (丙)
Ban Ya's birthdate: 乙 戊 辛 丁
天干相剋：甲乙木剋戊己土 丙丁火剋庚辛金 戊己土剋壬癸水 庚辛金剋甲乙木 壬癸水剋丙丁火
celestial stem 'opposition': mu 戊 (earth) opposes im 壬 (water)
*info via wiki
Okay, so you'd think the 'earth' in her date would make his 'water' dirty. But what explains the changing of gap (甲 ) to byeong (丙)? Wasn't that supposed to mess things up? Why was the explanation coming from the other untouched stems?*scratch head*
The first 'intimate' moment between Ji Sang and Hae In. Ji Sang probably doesn't feel anything at this moment by the looks of it, but you can tell Hae In is starting to care about him now. Honestly, I'm not entirely convinced yet, so I will wait for more development.
Moo Hak the monk sees Dong Yoon in his dream. He's at a rock and telling him to "save him". He wakes up getting a sense that it's important and heads out with Hyo Myung and the Yuan ambassador to Mt.Chunma to find a spot for his mother's belongings. Lo and behold, this is the same spot Moo Hak saw in his dream and he spots Ji Sang there. He tests Ji Sang by telling him to help the ambassador find a spot for his mother. With 3 tries, Ji Sang finally asks the ambassador to lie down on a grave, and it turns out to be the ambassador's mother's long lost grave. Moo Hak is satisfied with his finding and praises (to Hyo Myung) that Ji Sang is set to be a 'great seer'. He had the ability to connect the land and the man.
Ban Ya tries to get inside the palace again after her failed attempt. She hands herself into the palace guards admitting she buried the grave at the 'land of kings'. However, the king refuses to see her. All seems lost until Queen Noguk demands to see her. The Queen just had a miscarriage, and deseprate for a heir, she allows Ban Ya to produce one but warns her that she cannot fall in love or try to make the king fall in love with her.
Finding the ambassador's mother's grave allowed Ji Sang to successfuly find the East Loess soil Young Ji asked him to obtain if he wanted a permanent position at Seowoongwan. He pops in the door just in time but Young Ji ruthlessly declines it as he came after the sun had set (although obviously hurting, she has to get her son out of this 'dangerous' place).
Jung Geun sits down with Young Ji and asks her about what he was like before birth, in her womb. He knows the whole truth, but he wants a reaction from her, some sort of explanation. I was expecting a confession, but I guess she couldn't bring herself to do it and brushed the topic aside. Jung Geun, heavyhearted, leaves the place and vows to never tell her that her son is alive (but she already knows, ha!). He'll be her only son. Ji Sang steps out suddenly just before Jung Geun gets rid of the black tortoise ring and the two go head-to-head.
........
It's not doubt this is the true turning point for Jung Geun's path to 'evil'. He's already a scheming man, but Ji Sang's threat to his position to his mother's heart is strong. And it won't be any better when the woman he loves is also siding with his 'enemy'.
I liked how they played out Ban Ya's path in getting to her coveted position. It wasn't just one step, there were many roadblocks. She has to work hard, to learn that her goal is not easy (of course), but this further makes her want to hold tighter to it. The more unwilling she is to let go, the more she'll think of ways to hold on.
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