Kingdom of the Wind (Episode 9 - 12)

I did not send Prince Haemyeong to meet his death!

Brave King Yuri rides out alone to meet the enemy in order to save his son. Will Muhyul discover the truth about the King?


EPISODE 9

Dojin, Muhyul and Yeon are on a mission. They are to kill the Xin leader at the ceremony to appoint the new Crown Prince at Goguryeo. Yeon, who's acting as a lady of the court in the palace managed to sneak a map of the storehouse and passes it to Muhyul at night.

Dojin nearly pulls Muhyul out of the mission when he catches Muhyul sneaking up to King Yuri, with a mind to kill the King! Dojin stopped him from pulling such a foolish stunt and the opportunity passed.

The Queen handpicks Yeon and asks her to serve at the ceremony to appoint the new Crown Prince of Goguryeo. So when Gweyu (who's in charge of security) asks all new ladies of the court to refrain from serving at the ceremony, Yeon has a reason to stay and help. Chubalso (Kim Jae Wook) vaguely remembers seeing Yeon and asks if they have met before.

Chubalso gets suspicious: Have I seen you before?

Dojin and Muhyul break into the storehouse and poison wine that is to be consumed at the pre-ceremony junket. Yeon laces the Xin delegate goblets with another type of poison. When these two poisons are consumed, it becomes deadly. Thus making sure only the Xin delegate is killed.

Hye Ap and the palace physician discovered that palace guards were shot with poison and suspects that Buyeo's Black Shadows have infiltrated the palace. Hye Ap shares this with King Yuri right before the junket. She advised the King to cancel the feast but the King refused. Instead, King Yuri requested that security be beefed up.

Xin Prince Wang Daein is poisoned and dies at the junket! The alliance between Xin (China) and Goguryeo is history! Because of this, the crowning ceremony is postponed indefinitely. The Queen is upset. The Black Shadows' mission was a successful one. Muhyul and Yeon suffered slight injuries though.

Dojin loves Yeon and he treats her shoulder wound with care.

Muhyul catches Dojin treating Yeon's injured shoulder tenderly and that puts him in a melancholy mood. Maro jovially asks if Muhyul thinks if there's anything going on between Dojin and Yeon. They are both much suited to each other anyway. Muhyul responds coldly and Maro asks if he likes her too. But Maro says that the lady isn't a match for a slave like Muhyul.

Maro: "You like that maiden Yeon don't ya?
Well, you better not even look at a tree you can't climb."

There is also conflict in the Buyeo courts. The Chief Retainer is looking to get rid of Wesaja. When Wesaja brings the "good" news to King Daeso that the alliance between Goguryeo and Xin is severed, the King laughs thunderously and suggests that they toast their victory.

King Daeso himself fills each of their drinking cups...all except Dojin's. Poor Dojin is shunned by the King because his father was a traitor. Dojin is so disappointed that he asks to be left alone while the rest go and celebrate.

King Daeso summons for Dojin again and explains that he cannot fill Dojin's cup even though what Dojin did was commendable. King Daeso held Dojin's father in high esteem, but the latter challenged his authority and thus was killed. So before Dojin fulfills the expectations the King had for his father and what the King has for him, Daeso can't fill his cup. However, until that day arrives King Daeso shares his cup with Dojin! With that, Dojin bows in gratitude and vows allegience to the King til death.

Wesaja who noticed that King Daeso did not fill Dojin's cup has a chat with him the next day. Wesaja encourged Dojin that one day, King Daeso will show how much he really treasures him. And when that day comes, Wesaja entrusts his daughter Yeon to him. Dojin is very pleased to hear this.

Meanwhile, the evil Chief Retainer frames Wesaja for attempting to kill King Daeso.


EPISODE 10

A Black Shadow special task force is formed to slay Wesaja for treason. King Daeso and the Chief Retainer trick Wesaja to believe that he needs to send his private guards to help catch the imaginary traitor. Wesaja concurs and he is left without his private guards. Dojin, Muhyul, Maro, Maenggwang are assigned to kill everyone in the Wesaja's household - that includes Yeon!

It's a conspiracy!

Cheif Retainer: Kill everyone in Wesaja's household!

Dojin does not believe King Daeso would give such a command and requests to meet with King Daeso. After irrefutable proof (planted by the devious Chief Retainer), Dojin has no choice but to follow orders.

Wesaja says good bye to his lovely daughter Yeon. He sends her off on a fake mission to save her.

Tak Rok (Wesaja) finds out that King Daeso wants to slay him via a confidant. He sends Yeon off on a make belief errand, and awaits his death. Dojin and the Black Shadows arrive and the former -- with much difficulty, kills Wesaja. The Wesaja bore no grudge on his killer and in fact entrusts his daughter Yeon to Dojin.

Yeon escapes. Muhyul is sad to see Yeon riding away -- not knowing if he will ever see her again.

Dojin vows to find out who set the Wesaja up.

Dojin: "He was the only man who helped me, when everyone was looking down on me because of my father. He was like a father to me, but I killed him with my own hands."

Dojin is disgusted that he had to kill the Wesaja -
who was like a father to him

The Chief Retainer takes Wesaja's place as head of the Black Shadows. The first thing he does is to send Dojin away -- on a mission to Xin. Before he leaves, Dojin gives his Black Shadow partner and charge Muhyul a set of written instructions on weapons on tactics. Muhyul, gives Dojin the most precious thing he owns -- the necklace / amulet he wears around his neck reasoning that Dojin is just like a brother to him.

The Gisan leader (Princess Seryu's husband) dies and the Gisan people has a new leader. Princess Seryu returns to Goguryeo.

Princess Seryu divulges to Hye Ap and Gweyu that there are Gisan spies in the Black Shadows camp. She hands them a detailed map of the Black Shadows camp.

Meanwhile, Muhyul and Maro discover a spy at the camp. With the discovery, King Daeso is angry that a spy linked to Goguryeo has infiltrated his Black Shadows and assigns (surprise surprise!) Muhyul and Maro to kill King Yuri.


EPISODE 11

The first 20 minutes or so is a recap of what has happened so far (yes since the first episode).

King Daeso assigns Muhyul and Maro to kill King Yuri of Goguryeo. If they succeed, they will be well rewarded with riches and fame for generations to come!

Muhyul stops by at Pyeoncheon plains - the place where
Prince Haemyeong's blood was spilled

Muhyul makes a detour and visits Pyeongcheon plain -- the meadow where Prince Haemyeong took his own life. Prince Haemyeong was the only "family" Muhyul has known, he was a brother to him. There at the plain, Muhyul strengthened his resolve to slay King Yuri.

Meanwhile, King Yuri is haunted by nightmares of Prince Haemyeong demanding him to avenge his death.

Hye Ap is shocked to discover that Chubalso has been secretly taking Prince Yeojin outside the palace grounds to experience the outside world. Hye Ap forbids Chubalso from escorting Prince Yeojin outside the palace from now on.

Muhyul and Maro arrive at the city (Gungnae Fortress), bumps into Prince Yeojin (who happened to be wandering outside Palace grounds) and attempt to make contact with their fellow Buyeo spies. But something goes awry and the pair have to fight Goguryeon men. They escape by throwing pepper powder at their enemies.

Mahwang (the merchant) has joined forces with Baguek.

As if enthralled by the world outside the palace, Prince Yeojin yearns to wander outside the palace walls again. Chubalso refuses to take him but the Prince goes with Yeon Hwa his lady servant instead. Power hungry Baguek and his father the Sanganim finds out and plans to take this opportunity to slay Prince Yeojin!

Yeon Hwa (left) and Prince Yeojin held hostage

Muhyul and Maro rescues the Prince from Baguek's attack and holds him hostage. Muhyul sends Yeon Hwa back to the palace with demands that King Yuri comes to fetch Prince Yeojin alone -- or else the prince will die. Muhyul wants to find out if King Yuri will come for his son this time around, since he abandoned Prince Haemyeong.


EPISODE 12

Prince Yeojin's servant Yeon Hwa manages to meet King Yuri and tells him that Prince Yeojin is held captive at Pyeoncheon Plains and if he does not go there alone, the Prince will die.

The King, not as cowardly as Muhyul thinks, rides out to Pyeoncheon plains for his son. Hye Ap, Gweyu and Chubalso find out about this, and they ride out to the plains too.

King Yuri rides out to Pyeoncheong Plains alone. Muhyul greets the King's arrival with a bow and arrow poised and ready.

Muhyul is ready to kill King Yuri

King Yuri: "Aren't you one of Haemyeong's servants? Why is someone who followed Haemyeong doing something so contemptible?"

Muhyul: "It is Your Majesty who made me do it. The day Prince Haemyeong perished by your blade, you slayed me as well. You are the one who forced me to become a dog of the Buyeo I so ardently hated. Why did you come here after abandoning your son?!"

King Yuri's reply wasn't what Muhyul expected at all.

The three friends -- Hye Ap, Gweyu and Balso arrived in the nick of time and shoots Muhyul from behind.

With two arrows in his back, Muhyul falls face down. Hye Ap made sure a shocked King Yuri is unhurt and proceeds to examine the kidnapper. She is shocked to find Muhyul! King Yuri finally discovers the son he gave away many years ago.

King Yuri : Is that man Muhyul my long lost son?

Hye Ap tells King Yuri that Muhyul has shown tremendous skills and has an innate power to survive. She begs the King to reinstate his estranged son as Prince. King Yuri is torn as he still remembers clearly what the sorceress prophecied of Muhyul.

In the middle of the night, Dojin (who now wishes to avenge his family) appears in Baguek's sleeping quarters and swears to be a dutiful servant if the former would spare his life.

In secret, Muhyul and Maro were brought to the palace. After being treated by the palace physician, Muhyul regains consciousness and reunites with Hye Ap. He learns the truth about Prince Haemyeong's death from her then. That Haemyeong sacrificed himself against King Yuri's wishes.

A wandering Yeon ends up at the sleazy merchant Mahwangs doorstep as a slave. He recognises her as a maiden from the Buyeo camp and is absolutely delighted.

Oops both Yeon and Dojin (more handsome now after a haircut) nearly clap eyes when Yeon is brought to the Sangga's estate.

Still afraid of the sorceress' revelation ages ago, King Yuri intends to send Muhyul away, without recognizing him as his son. But before they could be sent away, Maro and Muhyul run away. Muhyul needs time to digest everything that he's seen and heard. He is in anguish and needs time to quench the anger and resentment that he has harbored for so very long.

무휼아.. 무휼아!! Maro panics as Muhyul faints due to his wounds

Muhyul, not yet healed from his wounds, collapse and Maro runs to Mahwang the merchant for help. Mahwang brings his new physician - Yeon to treat Muhyul. This must be the third time Yeon rescues Muhyul from near death. How sweet.

Next:
Kingdom of the Wind (Episode 13 - 16)

Previous:
Kingdom of the Wind (Episode 5 - 8)

Kingdom of the Wind episode recaps