Friday, March 29, 2024
FILM&DRAMA

Deep Rooted Tree Episode 10

The king starts to teach the young scholars all about his new writing system but is under-whelmed by their reaction! Shim Jeong Soo is getting more and more obnoxious as he feels something is going on behind his back and he certainly gets a shock at the end when he discovers who the root of milbon really is.  Chae Yoon manages to solve the puzzle of the knife incident through determination and detective work. But if he only knew who he had just helped…

The king hears about the arrest of the butcher, Ka Ri On – his knife was found at Nam Sa Chul’s house. But So Yi confirms that she was with Ka Ri On around the same time that the intruder was supposedly there so Kar Ri On must be innocent. However, So Yi can’t be a witness because court ladies are not supposed to go out of the palace at night (even though she went by the king’s order!)

Chae Yoon is keen to prove that Ka Ri On is innocent and he tells Mu Hyul what the butcher told him – that he was merely delivering beef (illegally) to Nam Sa Chul that night. His story about him being a mere servant has obviously got to Chae Yoon and now he wants to help him.

Jo Mal Seng interrogates Ka Ri On. He starts off kindly and asks when the butcher came to Banchon and learns that Ka Ri On’s father was killed with arrows when he was twelve years old and that’s when he came. Minister Lee is listening in around the corner. But Jo Mal Seng then becomes more aggressive and demands to know who ordered him to threaten Nam Sa Chul? But the butcher just cries. There is uproar in Banchon when everyone hears that Ka Ri On has been arrested.

Minister Lee is in shock as he discovers someone has been in his office and left him an order from milbon – the first in 24 years – and it’s ordering him to help Ka Ri On. But is this order really from milbon he wonders…

Shim Jeong Soo is annoyed that the head nobi is giving out orders without consulting him. She apologises and explains that they need to be extra careful now because Scholar Hae Gang is coming and will meet the leader of milbon. So it will be possible for Shim Jeong Soo to meet him too. But Shim Jeong Soo is still angry and arrogant – he threatens to kill her if she keeps info from him again. She confirms that the incident with Nam Sa Chul and Ka Ri On’s knife had nothing to do with them.

Chae Yoon questions Ka Ri On in his cell. He finally admits that So Yi came to see him that night to give him orders from the king. So she is his alibi and Chae Yoon storms off to find her. But she refuses to tell him anything because then she will have to reveal the king’s order. Chae Yoon demands to know if she realises that Ka Ri On will die if he is convicted. Does she care? Perhaps the king is not bothered because Ka Ri On is a mere servant? But So Yi says they are all connected and her family died because of her mistake before. But she can’t help him and just asks that he prove the butcher’s innocence.

Chae Yoon continues his investigation in Banchon where he demands to know if anyone saw someone around Ka Ri On’s place who could have stolen his knife. Nobody says anything but then he’s told there was a sound of cows. Chae Yoon knows there were no cows at the butcher’s that night so goes to find the nobi who can make animal noises. Sure enough the nobi was there and saw two people – one he didn’t see well but the other he could recognise again. Chae Yoon rushes off to tell Jo Mal Seng that he has found a witness.

The king begins to teach the young scholars about his new alphabet. They do seem a bit arrogant though the way they speak to the king. They would never have got away with that with King Taejong. The king introduces the court ladies and what they have been working on. Then he teaches the scholars how the sounds are grouped. So Yi is impressed about how thorough he is and always wants confirmation that what he is doing is right.

The scholars look over the letters quietly absorbing the fact that the king has made sounds into letters. But the king worries why they are so quiet and asks them for their opinion. But they are reserved and even have criticisms – they’ve only looked at it once so it’s too early to say; some of the letters don’t quit reflect the sounds properly. The poor king is disappointed. He seemed to be hoping for a bit more enthusiasm and positive feedback! Then he admits that he knows his research is not complete and that’s why he gave the secret order to Ka Ri On!

Chae Yoon tells Jo Mal Seng that Ka Ri On is not the criminal because there is a witness who saw someone at his place that night who must have taken his knife. But when Chae Yoon describes the man who was seen there – a scholar with a long face and narrow eyes – Jo Mal Seng realises that this is a description of himself! (His face is a picture when he realises this) He admits he was there that night investigating milbon because he has been after them for years. He seems upset that Chae Yoon has been put in charge of the investigation and not him. But he also admits that he did see someone else at Ka Ri On’s place. Chae Yoon is convinced that that is the man who took the knife.

The two young scholars are shocked to hear that Ka Ri On may have been set up by milbon a secret society that clearly does exist. But their conversation gives the king an idea and he goes to see Chae Yoon. The king has realised that it’s difficult to say who set Ka Ri On up because all the scholars have something to gain from the king not completing his secret work. But who has the most to gain? Chae Yoon can’t answer.

The king seems to be trying to give Chae Yoon a clue but he’s speaking in riddles – saying there are four reasons why people do things – and one is fear. Can Chae Yoon read fear in people? Chae Yoon’s expression suggests that he can.

As he walks away the king suggests that Mu Hyul is not protecting him properly. He should stand 3 steps away not 5 especially when he knows what Chae Yoon wants to do! Then he worries that Chae Yoon couldn’t understand what he was trying to tell him – especially when it looks like Mu Hyul couldn’t understand him either! Cute.

The guards try to work out what the king was trying to say – fear is desperation? Hmmm…

But Chae Yoon has an idea and he and Cho Tak go to see Nam Sa Chul again. Nam Sa Chul looks uncomfortable as they look at the wall where the intruder supposedly came in –  there is nothing there; no sigh of chul sang sul. As he questions him, Chae Yoon sees the fear in Nam Sa Chul and  remembers the king’s words. Chae Yoon has a plan. Before he leaves he drops his ID badge in between the kimchi pots and there’s cute rivalry between Park Po and Cho Tak as Cho Tak seems jealous of Park Po who is given an ‘important’ role in the plan!

Next we see Chae Yoon back in the grounds of Nam Sa Chul’s place where he has the servants frantically searching for his ID badge because he ‘can’t get back into the palace without it‘.  But it’s all just an excuse to get back in the grounds and give Nam Sa Chul some ‘information’ – Cho Tak and Park Po come running in with ‘news’ that a witness has been found who saw someone at Ka Ri On’s place that night. (I’m sure Chae Yoon laughs when Park Po slips and falls) The witness also happens to be an artist who is drawing a detailed sketch of the criminal right now as we speak!

Jo Mal Seng arrives to ask Nam Sa Chul some questions too and so the guards hurry off to ‘get the artist’s drawing’. But Jo Mal Seng notices that one of Nam Sa Chul’s men looks like the shadow of the man he saw sneaking around Ka Ri On’s place that night. So he makes his excuses saying he has to go to see the prime minister first but will stop by on his way back. Looks like Chae Yoon’s plan has worked – Nam Sa Chul tells his servant that the investigators have a picture of him now…He orders an assassin …

In Banchon the yangban rushes in to see the head nobi – so he is part of milbon after all. He’s worried that something is going wrong and they should tell Shim Jeong Soo, but the head nobi says she can’t act without orders from their leader.

One of the men is out laying a secret track along the ground but then he gets caught by the Ming agent from the embassy. She ties him up and is just about to torture him when a message comes that Shim Jeong Soo has arrived. He has found out about her and wants to know why she is following him.

Later that evening, Chae Yoon bumps into Nam Sa Chul who casually enquires if he has the artist’s drawing from the witness. Chae Yoon conveniently has the paper clearly visible and tucked into his belt and confirms that this is indeed the valuable evidence. So Nam Sa Chul calls his guards who surround Chae Yoon.

Again Chae Yoon starts off with his ‘I’m a complete idiot’ routine – he pretends to drop his sword by mistake and then with a shaking hand hands over the important ‘evidence’ while begging for mercy. (I love the overly shaky hands) Nam Sa Chul looks on smugly and takes the paper from him and hides weakly behind his men. (He really is pathetically weak) But he is shocked to see that the sketch is a comic picture of an animal face!!

Meanwhile Chae Yoon has stopped his act and now calmly finishes off the two guards and suddenly the tables have turned. It’s Nam Sa Chul’s turn to start shaking with fear and he backs up and tries to run away as he discovers that he has been discovered. But he runs straight into Jo Mal Seng and more guards…The game is up.

The king hears that Nam Sa Chul set up the fake threat (because he didn’t want to be in charge of the census). The king is pleased that Chae Yoon seemed to understand what he was trying to tell him – and even says Chae Yoon is better than Mu Hyul, much to Mu Hyul’s dismay! Poor Mu Hyul can hardly speak!

Ka Ri On gets released and Chae Yoon gives him liquor from Jo Mal Seng as an apology. He hobbles away and it’s a pathetic sight to see. Back at Chae Yoon’s place in Banchon, Cho Tak sees the red make-up trinket from So Yi. He puts some on Chae Yoon just like she did when they were kids. This brings back lots of memories and it upsets Chae Yoon.

Shim Jeong Soo is on his way out of the embassy when he hears someone calling for help. The agent tells him this is nothing to worry about – it’s just embassy business. But he suddenly kicks the door down and recognises a milbon soldier there tied up. It looks like they are about to torture him to find out what the signs he was laying down on the ground  mean. But Shim Jeong Soo takes the servant away with him.

Shim Jeong Soo is angry to learn that the army has been given orders without his knowledge. He calls for the assassin Yoon Pyeon and kicks him – he really is unpleasant. He says he will teach him a lesson and they prepare to fight.

Ka Ri On is still hobbling away home clutching his drink. I was wondering if it was going to be like the scene from The Usual Suspects when he stops hobbling and starts walking normally – because he is not who he says he is. But that didn’t happen. He gets surrounded by more men. It seems like things are going from bad to worse for him.

Ka Ri On is captured and taken somewhere where Lee Shin Chok appears. At first Lee seems to care about Ka Ri On. But then he suddenly turns on him and demands to know if he is in milbon. They beat him again. He shows him the order from milbon ordering him to save Ka Ri On. Minister Lee holds a knife to his throat and again demands to know if he is in milbon.

Lee is waiting for Ka Ri On’s explanation. He starts off tearful but suddenly his attitude changes. (This is pretty creepy and I did gasp although it wasn’t a 100% surprise.) He stares up at him with an angry look in his eye and says that although Lee did do as he was ordered the first time and rose in the ranks of the government, he has not complied with the second order given to him now after 24 years. In a moment, Lee realises that this is Jeong Gi Jeon! Within seconds the tables have turned and now it’s Jeong Gi Jeon who gives the orders and speaks plainly.

At the same time Shim Jeong Soo is still holding the sword out to the assassin and the head nobi. He is angry that he is being kept out of the loop. The head nobi finally tells him the truth – Ka Ri On is Jeong Gi Jeon. He staggers back in shock. We see what really happened the day he was captured: The assassin was there and prepared to save him but Jeong Gi Jeon chose to be captured instead. Then the head nobi wrote the order for Minister Lee to save him. Lee is left in shock too as Jeong Gi Jeon tells him to wait for his next order. (I bet he’s wishing he hadn’t put the knife to his throat now!) And finally we see that the king is on his way to see Ka Ri On, a man he now trusts ….

***

So two major points in the drama in this episode. The king finally explains his writing system to the scholars but gets less of a reaction than he had hoped! (we’ve all been there!). I like how we see this very human side of the king wanting to be praised. 

And a big part of the puzzle is solved now that we know who the butcher really is. For me it was one of the best scenes so far to see the cowering butcher change in front of our eyes to the powerful leader of Milbon! That was exciting. Minister Lee didn’t see that one coming… 

 

One thought on “Deep Rooted Tree Episode 10

  • thanks for recap.. can’t wait for next episode.. 😀

    Reply

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