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My Dearest: Episodes 13-14
by alathe
Escaping Shenyang is a veritable minefield of trouble. Meanwhile, there’s a new romantic rival on the scene, and she isn’t used to being refused. As our hero struggles to keep his head, a whole host of unintended consequences ensue, leading us to the overwhelming question: how long can our poor heroine go without getting a change of clothes?
EPISODES 13-14
We begin where we left off — but this time, with all the puzzle pieces of previous shots lined up. Crucially, although Gil-chae glances back, she does not see Jang-hyun. And though Jang-hyun catches a glimpse of bright silk, he doesn’t recognize Gil-chae. He just acts. Swinging his bow towards the masked mercenary, he aims — and reconsiders. He shoots the ground before her horse. Just like in the preview from last season, it bucks, and she goes careening to the ground. Jang-hyun slams into her, shielding her from impact.
Gil-chae and the other women race through the fields… only to be met with an inevitable cliff edge. The same hideous choice as ever looms: rape or death. Right before Gil-chae’s disbelieving eyes, woman after woman chooses death. Desperate, she holds out a hand to Jong Jong. Last time, she says, everyone else jumped, but we lived. I’m glad we lived. And if you choose to do so again, I promise to protect you. She extends that same hand to every surviving woman. And yet, when they are dragged back to the market, the first thing that happens is that Jong Jong is ripped from her arms.
Meanwhile, Jang-hyun learns more about his masked frenemy than he bargained for. Back at the palace, a litter goes by, containing the Qing princess, GAK-HWA. And yes, indeed, when she turns to face Jang-hyun, we are met with the flashing eyes of the one, the only Lee Chung-ah — our mercenary. She’s hellbent on charming Jang-hyun with clever conversation, significant glances, and… uh, anecdotes of hunting and torturing his people. They’re pathetic, she opines. I’d rather die than be a captive. Jang-hyun visibly reacts to that — then schools himself. Mildly, he replies that everything in her life has clearly gone to plan. But some things can’t be guaranteed.
And yet, she’s perceptive. She’s witty. She’s well-versed in geography, politics, and the Joseon language. And when she tells Jang-hyun that he must be completely uninterested in her, given most men stutter or can’t look her in the eye — he laughs harder than he’s laughed in years. War atrocities or no, she’s evidently his type. Still, when she leans in to kiss him, he immediately ducks back. Undeterred, she tries again. Gently, he pushes her away. I should order you, she muses, to serve me in bed. If a meager interpreter got involved with the imperial family, he replies, with a pleasant bow, I’d lose my head. Spare this lowly one’s life.
And yet, the next day, he accepts her invitation to hunt — game, thankfully, not people. As they sit by the fire, he admits that she reminds him of someone. A mix of overconfidence and alcohol leads Gak-hwa to open up too: she was married, once. They spent one night together, where he gave all evidence of wanting her sincerely — only to leave her forever. I have no complaints, she remarks, sounding rather like someone who might have one or two. Someday, she’ll be married again, according to the Khan’s will. For now, she intends to drink life to the lees. A woman abandoned Jang-hyun? Well, boo-hoo and all, but she’s different! Still, Jang-hyun remains firm: he could offer his body, but never his heart. Dragging him closer, she slurs halfway through another proposition… before falling asleep on his shoulder.
Meanwhile, in Hanyang, all is chaos, gossip, and paranoia. Previously, Won-moo believed that Gil-chae had left him for Jang-hyun. Now, faced with her bloody note, he sets off, ransom in tow. But there’s a hard limit on his loyalty. On the road, he spends many a sleepless night brooding over what his fellow travelers say: that, if Gil-chae was taken to the slave market, then she will not have escaped with her virtue intact. When he arrives, he learns, to his dawning horror, that the market is precisely where she was taken.
When he returns home, he is alone — and suspiciously cagey about the details. Yeon-joon, who after a long career of letter-writing and pontification seems to have belatedly acquired a spine, won’t settle for platitudes. He petitions the elder who saved him from prison to intervene on Gil-chae’s behalf… receiving, alas, nothing but a polite refusal, unexpected membership of the Sarim party, and the starry-eyed admiration of a dozen scholars. His determination has nothing on Eun-ae’s. She makes it halfway down the street, intent on walking to Shenyang herself. Whilst this comes to nothing, it does set in motion a chain of events. Ryang-eum, overhearing, pledges to do the one thing he’d deemed impossible: return to Jang-hyun. After all, just as Gil-chae’s happiness is necessary to Jang-hyun’s existence — Jang-hyun’s is necessary to his.
Here’s the thing. Despite all the near-misses, Jang-hyun hadn’t thought he could trust his own eyes. When Ryang-eum tells him that Gil-chae has been enslaved, it hits him like a physical blow. Meanwhile, in her cell, Gil-chae is plagued by jeers from her captor about how her husband had come to find her — only to turn tail once he heard she’d been sold. But defeated as she may be, she sticks fast to her resolution not to see Jang-hyun. Nonetheless, he haunts her daily. When she thinks she spots him across the marketplace, she hides. And yet, that night, she dreams that her husband had come to save her — Jang-hyun.
Day dawns. Gil-chae is dragged to auction. On the edge of the gathering crowd, she spots a familiar face, and chuckles to herself: she’s hallucinating again. Then, she narrows her eyes. No — it is Jang-hyun! As their eyes catch, Jang-hyun — who had only half-believed Ryang-eum until now — looks completely aghast. Then, he acts on instinct. He barges his way through the crowd, shunting aside all who try to stop him. There is a frail, hanging moment as he reaches the stand. As he kneels before her. Why, he asks. Why on earth? He moves to touch her — and instantly, she flinches. Then, a reeling blow knocks him to the floor. With fading strength, he clings to her skirt, but it slips from his fingers.
Operation: Fight The World And God Himself is all very well, but as for the practicalities — Ryang-eum ensures Gil-chae won’t be sold. Now, to free her. Jang-hyun is about to learn what countless grieving families know too well: it’s not that simple. At first, Gil-chae’s captor only lets him buy one night. After years of pining and guilt, Gil-chae and Jang-hyun finally look each other in the eye. Still, our leads, being too wise to woo peaceably — or too stubborn to woo without a body count — can’t help but make another false start. Jang-hyun is still punch-drunk: why wouldn’t Gil-chae ask for help? Gil-chae is all derision: does Jang-hyun expect her to dance? But then, her voice grows resolute. If you help me, she says, I cannot repay you. So don’t. Jang-hyun’s eyes soften. I refuse, he says.
The next time he sees Gil-chae’s captor, Jang-hyun drives a chopstick through his hand. He then proceeds to do what he does best: hack and slash through ten men single-handed. Turns out, if you’re really good with a sword, it can be as simple as that. That night, Gil-chae — still grimy and disheveled — finds herself under Jang-hyun’s protection. She can see his shadow outside her door, where he hesitates. She sits. He sits. I’m not sure, he murmurs, where things went wrong. When I left… or when you left… but either way, soon, you’ll be free.
But no, it is seriously not that simple. For one thing, Jang-hyun is contending with a suitor who would sooner see her beloved devoured by lions than in the arms of another woman. For another, he leaves to find Gil-chae something to wear, which — in light of past precedent — is truly tempting fate. For a moment, that soft smile of his is back… only for the news that Gak-hwa has purchased Gil-chae to take a sledgehammer to it. Gil-chae accepts this new twist of fate with chilly resilience. She even smiles and snarks in front of her new captor… not realizing that Gak-hwa a) knows her language, and b) is determined to break her.
Still, she has allies in unexpected places. DEUL-BUN (Yoon Geumseona), the maid whose nasty trick nearly got her killed, has thawed since they last crossed swords. After all, the boy that Gil-chae saved was her son. It is through her that Gil-chae learns Gak-hwa has her eye on Jang-hyun, who is forbidden from aiding her. Bruised and disillusioned, Gil-chae wanders the palace. As ever, when the moon hangs low, part of her knows they’ll find one another — and Jang-hyun does not disappoint. Steeling herself, Gil-chae begs him not to do anything for her sake. She receives the most transparently insincere nod in all of history.
Naturally, our hero has a plan. All things considered, it’s a good one. Granted, it hinges on steering geopolitical events precisely to his bidding, but what else is new? If he can convince a general who defected from the Ming to help transport rice for the Khan’s troops, the crown prince can claim a boon. Seeing as Gil-chae once rescued the grand heir, his royal friend is willing to plead for her to be given to him. However, although this scheme succeeds without a hitch, Gil-chae has already taken matters into her own hands.
Twice in as many weeks, Gil-chae demands to serve the Khan. This time, Shenyang’s most vindictive linguist has her back. With Deul-bun’s aid, Gil-chae pieces together enough of the Qing language to make her case before the throne. It helps that when you’re talking to a king, it’s not really a conversation. You just present your argument, and hope to God he doesn’t wreck your existence on a whim. Gil-chae announces that enslaved Joseon women are being tortured by the wives of their captors. This, the Khan takes seriously. He issues an edict that any woman caught doing so will be killed. But her second plea — to free her, as she was never taken hostage during the invasion — is ignored.
Instead, Gil-chae is returned to Gak-hwa. Jang-hyun, upon hearing this, throws himself at the princess’ feet. Punish me, he begs. Don’t harm her. But Gak-hwa has something a little more sadistic in mind: trial by hunt. Is Jang-hyun willing to put his life on the line? He is. Meanwhile, oblivious to this, Gil-chae finds herself set unexpectedly free… on the condition that she never speaks to Jang-hyun again. Mind a whirl, and aching for him, she makes her way back across those deadly fields.
Behind her, out of sight, are Jang-hyun and Gak-hwa. The target they are hunting walks before them: Gil-chae. If Gak-hwa catches her, then both our leads will live — but Gil-chae will serve her forever. But if Gak-hwa loses? Gil-chae goes free. Jang-hyun, however, dies. Does he think she can’t do it? Well, she forgot to finish her tale. That husband, the one who left her… she killed him. On that parting note, she unsheathes a dagger and stabs Jang-hyun’s horse in the flank.
Jang-hyun doesn’t hesitate, or even think. He just sprints. He screams for Gil-chae — at first, by title, and then by name. Gil-chae stares steadfastly forward, knowing that acknowledging him will be his death. However, when she hears her name, she breaks. As Jang-hyun gets closer, Gak-hwa notches an arrow. Aims. Hesitates. Then fires. As Gil-chae turns, Jang-hyun slams against her, the arrow hitting his back. They fall together. As she clutches him, Jang-hyun whispers, everything is all right now.
Nothing is even slightly all right. Later, Gil-chae rails and screams at Gak-hwa, heedless of the danger. If Jang-hyun is dead, she’ll curse her forever — she’ll haunt her into eternity! What happened? Gak-hwa shrugs. I learned a lesson. For once, there’s something I can’t have. But that’s why I’m setting you free. Because someday, Jang-hyun will be mine.
As Gil-chae leaves, once more cast adrift, she is found by Yang-chun. He takes her to a lodging, where Jang-hyun lies motionless, with Ryang-eum sitting by. As Gil-chae enters, Ryang-eum silently leaves — though not without a quiet backward glance. Gil-chae takes his place at Jang-hyun’s bedside. She sits for a long while, listening to him breathe. Then, finally, as the night deepens, his eyes fly open. She grabs his arm, choking back tears and thanking him for her freedom. Slowly, and with infinite tenderness, he reaches out to touch her cheek.
Obsession is the name of the game this week, and boy is it getting tumultuous. I love how our hero and heroine are indelibly woven into each other’s minds: with all the yearning and trauma, it’s only natural that they start confusing what’s real. Memories and dreams become interchangeable, whilst camera shots are deceptively scattered out of order. They recognize each other and they don’t. They’re married, and they aren’t. Meanwhile, the same cycles keep repeating. Last week, Jang-hyun learned that he can try and save everyone single-handed, and even succeed for a time, but the captives are all sent back, and nothing he does can fix it. This week, it’s Gil-chae stuck in an endless loop of imprisonment, followed by hope, followed by imprisonment again.
They’re not the only ones trapped — or indeed, obsessed. There’s Ryang-eum, who has decided that his hopeless devotion is simply a fact of life, and having decided this, slots back into the role of “younger brother” like nothing changed. No confrontation. No further discussion. Just the same old patterns, where he watches Jang-hyun self-destruct and fights to be heard. There’s Yeon-joon, who sees all of the reasons his country is suffering and feels voiceless in the face of it. There’s Eun-ae, who prays and prays and can do nothing but wish she were Gil-chae. Then, of course, there’s Gak-hwa, who seemingly doesn’t want Jang-hyun so much as she wants power — over him, her own life, and everyone else around her. It’s all pretty bleak when you look at like this, but I love how everyone fights to survive all the same. Here’s to another week’s struggle!
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