Prince rather spends his time obsessing over dissertations of Great Learning, his sleepless nights, inspirations on self reflecting philosophy and governance, rest and introspection for inner peace, hence the Way will reveal to a calm, cultivated mind. Succinct words, orderly phrases in meticulous logical progression, he is holding so dear this episode.
I love how RO was bringing to the foreground the blood debts of their fathers they should not ignore, as she was burying intense love for Prince deeper last episode, juxtaposed with this episode where her consciousness is overtook by the love for her suddenly resurfacing Father she has never met but must, sparking the floodgate of feelings towards Prince in many moments she can not contain. If last episode we have Prince (especially) indulging in own emotional writhing, the shattering severing does earn him a reprieve for clarity, balancing and upholding aspects of his life, his inspiring integrity shown in this episode.
I concur RO is, again, underwhelming in his light, but I think it is cohesive she is not extraordinary, with none of the other characters’ caliber navigating the politicking, because why should she?! We almost always expect our shoujo heroine to be a facade of ordinary, under which brimming with fireworks of fantastical sparkles ‘deserving’ the Prince. This has never been such fantasy. It was a told numerous time simple romance of a boy falling for the human being who could connect with his most guarded vulnerability he must shut off from the world, it has very little to do with how desirable her attributes are, she could have been a boy for all Prince cares. Worries in her life was her next buck, next meal, next meds for ‘Dad’, how to slick from loan sharks, and the pipedream of finding Mom, with never a real threat to hone survival, being sheltered from the truth even during her years fleeing with Mom. She can not lift a sword, harmless a dainty Samnom the trivial romance guru. So I think it is wise enough of her to entrust Eunuch Han entirely to ensure she could see her dad, sole priority, what she is not really letting out is imo she is more pessimistic than superficial demeaner or actions will let out, her audacity to infiltrate the palace incurs she most probably will not survive and she is prepared for not fighting the inevitable. After her Father’s imminent execution, her head is next being the most wanted, her blood is a sin punishable by Joseon order. She had rather she get to see her Dad for the last time, and first time, to express her love for him. There must be a lingering thought he reappears to be captured because of her warrant as his daughter, in hope he can rest in peace.
Seeing how devastated her Mom is, rather he is living presumed dead than a chance to see him just before he will be killed, further instigating danger and heartbreak on her Mother, fleeing with her rest of their lives, just to have her caught and executed any way is not bearable. As frustrated for us, it must have crossed her mind dying with the identity of the daughter of her father a clean severance, when dragged to the tribunal, her eyes are on Dad and Dad alone, thus there is not even fight nor flight. It was not being stupid, nor naive per se awaiting kidnap at the gate, she was following Eunuch Han’s plan to wait for WhiteCloud at the spot, so I would rather we put blame where it should at some (understandable) contrivances: she should not be as peeved facing Kimclowns, she should not be strolling the palace grounds with Prince out in the open for Queen’s minion to spot them…but how? Heading back separately, parting ways?!
It is asking too much of Prince to have her out of his sight, still stealing most surreptitiously glances at her. Last but not least, Rebel Hong’s revival at 11th hour…but this is so beautifully engaging for plot!
Cohesive is RO grasping an overwhelming truth, her love for Dad, to sever her romance. Now that he is alive, Dad has taken over her entire consciousness, it was the opposite of a means to see Prince again, RO is used to loving her dearest in absence, content with love in the form of thinking and longing for Mom. The thing she most wanted to say to Dad is conveyed with Mom’s handkerchief, he has always been and will forever be in their thoughts and dreams, no words needed, she is aware she would burden Dad, knowing she puts herself in such danger just to see him. He must knew Mom kept her identity from her, and the guilt of not even loving him through her thoughts and longing is not something she can live with, let alone hard to absolve herself falling in love with the son of his murderer, the King in another light responsible for thousands innocents losing their lives pursuing their dream in the usurp for a better world…for her.
RaOn-ah~~ I am sorry… but…
…My world would have been better just with you around. Dad!
I love threading through this episode, both RO and Y are allowed to tend to their parents, all of them, yet through their genuine love for their parents, their love for each other manifests. RO is immediately lost in the sweetness of Y’s love, her quarters is tenderly kept, candles lit as the day she left…he must be spending much time here, missing her, trying his best coping, RO must be a bit ashamed breaking their pact showing up in his space now, knowing how hard it is, as Y is working hard avoiding staring at her unless blankly. Y seems to scorn BY leading RO back to such danger, more for the both of them not telling him. When he leads her into Mom’s cobwebbed sewing room, he could not hold in his overflowing concern, asking out loud how she is doing, offering to help her meet Dad, pointedly saying she has to see the one she misses, eyes intently on her for the first time tonight, all too overwhelming for RO, swallowing back her feelings, her eyes too telling, he is, the one she is seeing in front of her, the guy she misses, missing her, the guy she loves.
One has to see the person he or she is missing dearly.
Just with an exchange with DadHong, Prince sees clearly a passionate, honorable man with integrity, a father sacrificing his life for the better welfare of his daughter he could not bear the guilt bringing into a corrupted world she is going to suffer in because of being born a peasant, a girl. A corrupted world Prince is too aware of, is responsible for fighting against constantly.
HY’s intrusion, facilitates a proper grieving of the bracelet, it was selling a false hope, as HY is persuading, Y does recognize now, to those willing to have the faith in love is enough to bound lovers together no matter the obstacles, the separation. HY is leaning on the hope his reply was the bracelet, along with his love for RO has been discarded, instead of temporary safeguarded somewhere else, hidden deeper into the frays of his heart. Moreover, stronger in his fate, in due time, as long as they still love each other, even with tokens shattered, they are still meeting, this fateful night.
The garden is now a mourning white of wilting flowers for her heart.
She loves, through longing, as long as you are alive and well.
Nothing is needed to be said between them now, their silence has always speak louder than words, aware of each other accepting the breakup, coming to terms to be content with harboring love for each other still. Thus RO can finally be frank, telling him she has to let go because she has sworn to herself never putting him in harm’s way because of her.
Do not feel guilty, our fate has been entwined long before we met.
Every tree has its roots and branches, happening a beginning and end, every natural course is destined an order of first and last, knowledge of which is closer to the Way – Great Learning, Confucius
RaOn-ah~~!
She is still his RaOn, his most precious lady. He is still the Prince she loves, she could not look away.
In this room, just the two of them safe from the world, from their fate, from their roots, their entanglements, Y wishes he could take a lingering break from missing her, for the last time. The moon, their feelings, could not be seen, his path, the Way, is thus dark and impossible to tread, alone. The ultimate pursuit he could focus on, this moment, of loving her, of looking most frankly at the presence of their love, staring at each others souls, being the King of a better world she is in, granting her the wish of meeting her Father, giving her a peace of mind, a rare calmness in the midst of heartbreak. Emotions she is trying to reign in but escaping her, he can not ignore, just seeing her alive, just seeing her, let alone the tiny lapses of her feelings for him, speaks to him she is still his RaOn-ah, her simplest, subtlest expression of her love still, blessing him a new tranquility, a smile, a contentment however wistful.
I could finally have a good rest tonight.
Cohesive is Prince took in the harsh reality pill RO fed him last episode, warning him at knifepoint she (her Dad) should have kill him for revenge out of filial piety, not just the other way around, warrant on her head from the court. He then seizes the opportunity with DadHong’s reappearance to take it into his hands to investigate the truth, their blood feud. It moves me the first worry Prince most urgently needs to know is whether his family/RO knows he is caught, how unbearable it must be for her, before he asks if RebelDad has the intent to murder him too, gauging the antagonism or how to approach his ‘dad in law’. Y then asserts a veiled protest, accusing DadHong the crime of robbing him of his dearly beloved, implying both King not being himself since and RO. I am leaning towards HongDad aware of the scandal between RO as a eunuch and the Prince. DadHong minces no words the world should never be dictated by a king’s self-servicing entitlement. A King destined by Heavens, that is CrownPrince, should still rule with utmost concern for the people, unbenownst to him, aligning with Y’s ultimate pursuit. DadHong has a redaction, a King ruling with kindness towards the citizens should be chosen by the people. This is a new galvanizing idea Y has not read in his classic literature.
Thus, after spending time with RO, reassured with their feelings while accepting their fate and his natural order as both as a son to his father and a future king to his citizens, he must meet DadHong for more pursuasive inspirational ruminating on their common pursuit for the goodness of humanity.
Great Lesson, from the Confucius temple in Tainan:
In short:
The Great Lesson is 在明德 , 在親民, 在止於至善。 comprehending integrity, thus loving and inspiring others/citizens, with the optimum pursuit of kindness to humanity.
止→定→靜→安→慮→得。Recognizing this ultimate pursuit will yield focus, thus calmness, thus security and tranquility, leading to clarity of thoughts, attaining wisdom. 物有本末, 事有終始。知所先後, 則近道矣。Every tree has its roots and branches, every happening a beginning and end. Knowledge of natural course of first and last, thus closer to the Way.
格物, 致知, 誠意, 正心, 身修; 齊家, 治國, 平天下 Investigating every fact and knowledge is acquiring wisdom, essential for upholding sincere intentions and will, required for maintaining a just mind, thus cultivating personal probity; it is with personal probity, family harmony could be attained, without which competent governance of country could not be founded, for the ultimate pursuit for stability and peace for all mankind. *I like this English translation.*
‘A King chosen by the people means he has to rule by the governance inspired by the people, he has to rule as equals to his citizens. Citizens, aspiring simply to be regarded as humans. Isn’t it ironic? ‘
RebelHong will scoff at there is a King willing to discard his priveleges, cowering down regarding every citizen his equal, fellow human being, no prejudice against a man or a woman, a rebel’s daughter or a King’s Crown Prince…until he sees one.
And he is.
I will see you after the tribunal.
GOSHHHH!!!! I can hope Prince has some kickass masterful sweet plan (preferably joining hands with BY and YS!!!!) so no one is slained come MONDAY!!! Cohesive is, while RO accepts their fate, and Prince begrudging so for her sake last episode, this unbelievable chance meeting with DadHong and RO must have triggered Prince to approach their deadknot in love in his progressive way, tackling it at its root and dissolving the animosity, the need to execute her Dad, not through bias but thorough investigation of truth and hence overcoming their biggest obstacle: of loving each other yet honoring filial piety with a just mind and integrity.
I am guilty as charged! So execute me along with my co-conspirators…all you corrupted officials overtaxing the poor, pushing us to starvation, to fight for our rights, our lives…annihilated by you, King, murdering your people, along with our dreams of a better world with explosives!!!
It was deplorable even in KimHan’s killing puppies with every exhale standard coersing Prince to prove his ‘innocence’ of treason beheading RO himself. And yes, it is this exact instant MadKing should’ve really fainted in a coma and nobody cares but Y YOU NO!
KimHan’s logic is especially foul because hello dementia due to evilness, Yeong is exactly a regent who would fight for an unrelated peasant lantern girl and her father relentlessly, no care how detrimental to himself. Hong RaOn did not commit treason herself, she was an innocent little girl when the revolt happened, Prince also have evidence with the investigation conducted by Mr J giving her the benefit of doubt in his own assassination attempt, all truths with evidence, regardless to the fact she is his one and only love. On the other hand, in a just tribunal, when a criminal is presenting concrete accusation of his co-conspirators such as the rife corruption and bribery Prince has gathered evidence against with YS as key witness, on numerous counts now on KimClan, they should be executed first, order of things. And if going by the logic offsprings have to pay for murders of citizen committed by Father, he is pot calling kettle black.
This is a scene I am flabbergasted with DarlingKYJ, for the first time watching her, I am confused how he is supposed to get every of her ‘last words’ she is beaming to him. I see mostly loving pleading heartbreaking eyes that would destroy him by exactly loving you forever and the guilt of unable to safe you from harm…due to loving him.
LESIGH. This last brotherly walk together. I am hopeful there is a brilliant reversal, Prince must have some pillowtalk with BY, must, coming up in a glorious plan to safe the world a la Batman and Batman.
It warms my cockles BY still retains a naivete inside his killer bode revolted with EunuchHan being capable of murdering a brother, a traitor. Even though BY looks exactly like he is vomiting his soul inside, I doubt death, compared to the hellish existence he is living in, is this scary to give up the friendship.
And considering RO should have some suspicion BY is somehow most trusted by EunuchHan, thus easy to extrapolate some association with WhiteCloud, shouldn’t she warn Prince somehow?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I am confidently holding on the faith this is a very well orchestrated act by Prince and BY (and let YS and RO join too!!!!) to buy Prince some time for another amazing inspiring manifesto on equality and freedom and human rights, because if not, after earning back the precious security of trust and loyalty after his last ‘BYahhh~!!!’, this second breaking of faith will be irreversibly shattering.
mookie 