Deep Rooted Tree Episode 22

The race is on to see who can find the court ladies first. Yoon Pyeong has an advantage over the others and soon discovers where their hut is. Shim Jeong Soo and the Ming agent are too late but have not given up because they still haven’t found ‘the book’. Chae Yoon is devastated when he arrives and finds the hut empty. He vows to find So Yi but where should he start looking? Meanwhile the king continues to work on creating even more conflict in Milbon …

The Ming agent, Shim Jeong Soo, and Yoon Pyeong are all in a race to find So Yi because they think she has the book that explains the king’s alphabet. But Chae Yoon learns to his horror that So Y IS the book.

In the village, So Yi and the other court ladies have no idea that they are in danger. They are happy and excited about teaching the children to read. Everything seems to be going to plan and nearby the kaksori, singing beggars, are practising the song that the ladies taught them. The kaksori are pleased with their new situation. And one of them rushes off to relieve himself, happily blaming it on all the food they have eaten recently.

Meanwhile the Ming agent and Shim Jeong Soo arrive in the village. They ignore the kaksori singers. But soon after, when Yoon Pyeong arrives, he stops and asks them WHO taught them this song. He has the advantage over the others since he knows that the court ladies plan to teach the people to read through word of mouth. One of the singers tells him where the ladies are…and that they are on their way to start teaching their song to others too … Yoon Pyeong thanks him and smiles. (This is a bad sign – he never smiles..) Sure enough, he suddenly draws his sword and slaughters all of them. It’s brutal and he wipes the blood off his face with his hand. But the singer who left the group to go to the bathroom is hiding in the bushes watching this happen in horror.

The agent arrives at the hut to find it trashed. Shim Jeong Soo is hot on her heals but they are both disappointed to find that the ladies have already been taken. They interrogate a local who describes who took them – and her description matches Yoon Pyeong. Shim Jeong Soo suggests to the agent that they have no reason to be enemies and should work together. Meanwhile the children are on their way to learn the new letters when they bump into Yoon Pyeong …

Chae Yoon arrives at the village and sees the dead bodies of the kaksori still lying where they were murdered. The hut is empty and he hears from the local children that a man with a white face and scary voice came there. Meanwhile Yoon Pyeong has rounded up the children. He shows them the letters but they haven’t learnt them yet so they can’t read them. They are just confused and wonder who he is. Does this mean he won’t kill them??  He tells them never to sing the song again as it is a song of death.

Chae Yoon has realised that Yoon Pyeong must have So Yi so he goes to the local government office and uses the king’s order to get a horse and help to search for So Yi while he goes to inform the king. As he rides back to the palace, he remembers what she said to the king -‘ if something happens to me don’t try to find me just carry on with the work’. But he can’t do this.

Jeong Gi Joon is pleased to hear that the ladies haven’t been able to start teaching the letters yet. He demands to know where the book is and tells them that the letters will NEVER spread now.

The little girl Yong Doo is upset because Gae Pa Yi has disappeared. But then he comes to see her as she plays by herself in the mountain. She happily goes off to get him some food.

At the palace Song Sam Moon and Park Paeng Nyeon are busy trying to persuade the young scholars that the new letters are a good idea because it’s getting near to the day that the king wants to announce his new alphabet to the country. Jeong In Ji works on Choi Mal Ri but he can’t persuade him to change his mind. He’s still against having a new alphabet.

Han Ga hears that the king has asked the Milbon members to come forward. Nobody has revealed themselves yet but Han Ga is concerned because NOBODY told Jeong Gi Joon about the king’s offer…. But Jeong Gi Joon is still more fixated on stopping the spread of the alphabet even though Milbon is collapsing.

Han Ga and the head nobi try to persuade him to focus on Milbon instead – does he want to abandon the mission for his uncle Jeong Do Jeon and family? They have not even been able to have a proper funeral for them yet. But Jeong gi Joon seems to have taken his eye off the ball. And now even his supporters are questioning his motives. It seems his hatred/jealousy for the king is affecting his judgement?

Chae Yoon blames himself for what’s happened to So Yi and tells the king that he will definitely find her. So the king should continue with his work. But he doesn’t really know where to begin looking for her and wanders off aimlessly. But then he hears Yong Doo the little girl and seems to get an idea. He asks her where Gae Pa Yi is. Of course she is very defensive but he looks sincere and his eyes fill with tears as he says he’s worried about So Yi because she’s been kidnapped. And Gae Pa Yi might be able to help him.

But the little girl is probably afraid that Chae Yoon just wants to arrest him, so she agrees to let him know if Gae Pa Yi gets in touch. But then she hurries off with food for Gae Pa Yi. Chae Yoon follows her and comes to blows with Gae Pa Yi. But there is no chance to talk. Gae Pa Yi disappears with Yong Doo on his back. Chae Yoon tries to follow them but they’ve already disappeared …

The king decides to have a secret meeting with Lee Shin Chok. It must be so secret and sudden so that Lee Shin Chok will not be able to tell anyone about it. Meanwhile, Lee Shin Chok hears from the head guard that the court ladies have been kidnapped by Yoon Pyeong. And others were involved too. He wonders if it could be Shim Jeong Soo. And then he gets a note that tells him Jeong Gi Joon knows he is moving against him. His problems are growing and Lee Shin Chok seems to be regretting ever getting involved in Milbon!

Shim Jeong Soo discusses with the agent about where the book could be. But Geum Ji told her that there is NO book. And the drugs don’t lie. They are confused. But Shim Jeong Soo thinks back carefully and remembers that So Yi has a photographic memory and can remember anything after seeing it once. Looks like he’s realised…

Chae Yoon leaves to look for So Yi in the mountains. Cho Tak tries to stop him – he’s in a desperate state of mind which is not helping. On his way out of the palace the lone kaksori survivor arrives at the palace upset wanting to report that his family and friends have been killed. Chae Yoon ignores him at first until he hears the name of the village and hears him singing the song. He rushes over and in desperation demands to hear everything that the kaksori knows.

Without warning, Lee Shim Chok is taken to meet the king. They are having dinner outside. (Looks a bit cold.) Everything starts off pleasantly and the king pours Lee a drink. But just as he is about to drink it, the king’s tone changes and he asks Lee Shin Chok if he is in Milbon! Lee looks horrified and denies it. So the king pretends that this is just a game. But he wants to continue the what if.. game. What if Lee really were in Milbon?

It’s clever because the king has allowed Lee to talk openly but safely. And through this game the king learns that Milbon are in conflict because ‘someone’ in the organisation is not focused on the main goal – to make the leadership of the country a bureaucracy. Lee also explains that he has not revealed himself in public because he’s not sure if he can trust the king.  As Lee Shin Chok leaves, the king makes him an offer – get him Jeong Gi Joon. Then he can become leader of the party and make his goal a reality! Really?

Meanwhile it’s time for Shim Jeong Soo to make his move with Jeong Gi Joon. He’s aware that Jeong Gi Jeon knows he has betrayed him and that the palace will know he is in Milbon. The reception is cold at the Milbon HQ and the soldiers frisk him before he is allowed in.

Jeong Gi Joon angrily blames him for trying to break up Milbon. But Shim Jeong Soo says it is Jeong Gi Joon who is breaking up the party by focussing so much on these letters. Shim Jeong Soo says he has risked everything to join Milbon and now Jeong Gi Joon is not even focused on their real goal. So this is why he will make him this offer – Shim Jeong Soo will give Jeong Gi Joon the book in exchange for the leadership of Milbon so that he, Shim Jeong Soo, can continue Jeong Do Jeon’s work…