Horse Doctor Episode 28

 This episode is all about what to do with Kwanghyun now that Dr Ko has died. Should he be blamed and punished? Should he face the death penalty? Although Dr Ko begged the king to pardon him, the king has Kwanghyun arrested and thrown into jail. Myunghwan assures Jinyung that he really wants to help Kwanghyun. But does he really? 

 

Kwanghyun hears the screams from inside the hospital and rushes in to find (as suspected) that Dr Ko has died. When he hears that he has died of tetanus, he blames himself for trying such a dangerous operation. He can’t believe it and breaks down while Inju tries to comfort him telling him what Dr Ko told her on his death bed – it wasn’t Kwanghyun’s fault.

Everyone is upset including the king. But of course Lord Jung looks secretly pleased trying not to show it. There is a solemn funeral with everyone in tears. We get flashbacks to scenes of Dr Ko to remind us what a good person he was. We see him gazing proudly at his clinic. But now he’s gone what’s going to happen to the hospital?

Funeral is held for Dr Ko

The tone changes as guards march out with a mission. The funeral is over and now someone must pay for Dr Ko’s death. Meanwhile Kwanghyun sits quietly in tears by Dr Ko’s grave holding a letter with his name written on the envelope. Dr Ko wrote the letter to him before he died. (that must be why he grabbed the paper and calligraphy pen in the last episode?)

Inju hides Kwanghyun’s box of seals and documents in a panel in the wall of her office just in time before the guards come to arrest her. Kwanghyun’s house is also ransacked by guards and he is arrested and taken away too – probably to the Ministry of Punishments. But as he is led away Jinyung arrives grabbing at him helplessly begging the guards to let him go.

Inju is arrested and taken away

The king is very upset and calls for Myunghwan and Lord Jung. He admits that he can’t forgive Kwanghyun for messing up the operation. (Even though  before he died Dr Ko begged him to forgive him?) Lord Jung pushes for the death penalty. (of course) But the king wants to know Myugnhwan’s opinion. Was it really a failure on Kwanghyun’s part? Myunghwan hesitates to answer. Lord Jung can’t believe it and questions him later. Why didn’t he simply put the blame on Kwanghyun? But Myunghwan says he has a plan.

Myunghwan calmly prepares to see the king

Myunghwan wants Kwanghyun out of the way and tells Sungha that they must protect Jinyung – with Kwanghyun out of the way the problem is solved. Then Jinyung enters and solemnly bows, but looks at Myunghwan coldly and demands to know why she hasn’t been arrested too, since she also took part in the operation. Is it because Myunghwan needs her for her title and fortune? Myunghwan tells her that he wants to help Kwanghyun. But Jinyung doesn’t trust him and later asks Sungha if he will really help Kwanghyun. Sungha promises that he will make sure that Myunghwan sticks to his word and that somehow Kwanghyun is saved.

Jinyung demands to know why she hasn’t been arrested too

Myunghwan visits Inju with a proposal – give him the documents that prove Kwanghyun is Dojun’s son, and in return he will save Kwanghyun from the death penalty. She refuses and he gives her until the next day to think about it. She doesn’t trust him and is concerned that he will kill Kwanghyun anyway.

Sungha visits Kwanghyun in prison with the news that they are figuring out a way to save his life. But Kwanghyun doesn’t want to hear it. He says he is prepared to face his crime and wants Myunghwan to face HIS crime too. He feels that Sungha is trying to help Myunghwan hide his crime. In frustration, Sungha admits that he is doing this for Jinyung’s sake – because she loves Kwanghyun. Oh poor Sungha 🙁

Myunghwan blackmails Inju into giving up the proof of Kwanghyun’s title

Guard Kang arrives but shakes his head to Myunghwan. (He must mean that Inju has refused to give up the proof.) Myunghwan looks disappointed. But on his way to see the king he is told that Inju wants to see him. Muyunghwan smirks. And next we see Guard Kang retrieving the box of documents from where Inju hid it. (She had no choice really.) So now that he has the proof that he wanted, Myunghwan tells the king that the tetanus was not related to the operation. So now Kwanghyun will be sent away to the navy rather than executed. (I don’t understand why he needs to be punished at all now though?)

The Princess wants to see Jinyung as she is worried about Kwanghyun. (She had vowed never to see Jinyung again but now that Kwanghun’s life is in danger she retracts this. Cute.) She is appaled to hear that he must join the navy and wants to help.

Kibae and Jabong pack their things and prepare to leave. Chef gives them money. Jinyung packs her bags too. They are now all part of the plan to help Kwanghyun escape.

Kwanghyun is tied up and led away with a procession of guards. But some of the guards help him escape and he is smuggled away in the princess’ palanquin.

The princess bids Kwanghyun a tearful farewell and hopes that she will see him again. She is upset that she can’t do more to help him. His arm is bleeding and the princess rips her petticoat to bandage his wound. ah. And she hugs him and thanks him for making her happy. (It looks like the princess is growing up. She’s a lot more mature here.) Then one of her own guards escorts Kwanghyun to a waiting boat to escape.

a guard hands Kwanghyun a knife to cut himself free

Eunso’s brother fills her in on the situation with Kwanghun – Sungha helped him escape and now he’s safe – but she doesn’t look convinced. Kibae and Jabong and Jinyung wait for Kwanghyun at the boat ready to leave. Meanwhile Sungha drinks alone in the restaurant deep in thought. Daebang’s mum comes in and pours him a drink but let’s it slip that Jinyung is waiting at the boat for Kwanghyun. But when she mentions where Jinyung is waiting, Sungha looks shocked and he rushes to see his father.

Myunghwan opens the box of Kwanghyun’s documents and throws the evidence on the fire. Sunghan bursts in and Myunghwan confirms that he tricked Sungha and that he never had  ANY INTENTION of saving Kwangyun!

Kwanghyun and the guard arrive at the boat but Jinyung and the others are not there. They are waiting SOMEWHERE ELSE. Jinyung goes off to look for him. But the guard and Kwanghyun set sail on another boat. Kwanghyun realises there is something dodgy with the boatman (since his father was a boatman too). Sure enough the boatman kills the guard and then draws his sword against Kwanghyun announcing that his orders are to kill him. 😮 Jinyung senses that something is very very wrong…

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Myunghwan really is very sneaky here. It seems he has pretended to everyone (including Jinyung and Sungha and Inju) that he wanted to help Kwanghyun, but really he was planning to have him murdered all along! But after all they know about him, how could they really trust him?! Sungha obviously wanted to do the right thing and help Kwanghyun, so what will his relationship with his father be like from now on – now that he knows he REALLY can’t trust him?