Kingdom of the Wind (Episode 13 - 16)

Lady Yeon has two men after her, but one same expression

Lady Yeon (Choi Jung Won) -- the heroin in the drama has two men vying for her affections but one unchanging expression throughout the drama. When Muhyul confesses that he likes her and his heart aches to see her, she gives him that look (view pic above). When she is told her father Tak Rok was framed and murdered, she gives the sad puppy look (view pic above). When Dojin tells her he will take care of her -- view pic above. Well, you get my drift.

At a time when the foundation of each character's relationship is being laid out, i would expect to be more involved with their budding romance. Here, i don't feel for Muhyul and Yeon nor do i hinge towards Yeon and Dojin ending up together either. It's just too bland.

Who will end up with Yeon? Dojin or Muhyul?
Who will be in her heart?

EPISODE 13

Yeon arrives at the cave where Muhyul lays unconscious and drenched in sweat. She chokes down tears and treats Muhyul's wounds while the merchant Mahwang and Maro looks on.

When Mahwang leaves to get some herbs needed to treat Muhyul, Yeon tells Maro that some slave traders captured her and sold her to the merchant. That's how she ended with Mahwang.

Yeon arrives to save Muhyul's life again...

Meanwhile, Baeguek asks Dojin if he recognizes the two men who kidnapped Prince Yeojin. Reluctantly Dojin acknowledges them explaining that they were formerly Black Shadows. Baeguek assigns Dojin to find them.

Muhyul and Yeon manage to find some time to talk heart to heart. Muhyul shared about Prince Haemyeong's death and how he harboured so much vengeance for King Yuri. Yeon, who was a witness at Haemyeong's death, confirmed that King Yuri didn't want his son to die and was in anguish when Haemyeong took his own life.

Muhyul misses Prince Haemyeong -
the only brother he had. Yeon comforts him.

Muhyul finds Hye Ap at the palace grounds in the dead of the night and requests to seek audience with King Yuri.

Muhyul asks the King for forgiveness and offers his services to become a spy for Goguryeo. The King hesitates as this is a very dangerous task. King Yuri wants to cut all ties with his son Muhyul but he doesn't want him to die! Hye Ap talks the King into accepting Muhyul's offer. Maro and Muhyul will return to Buyeo as Goguryeo spies.

Baeguek brings Dojin to meet Prince Yeojin and the Empress and assures them that the Buyeo soldiers who kidnapped the Prince will be found. The very skilled Dojin will look for them. Dojin was also introduced to Princess Seryu and he dueled with her. During the sparring practice, Princess Seryu saw the necklace Muhyul gave to Dojin. She asked Dojin how he got the necklace and he lied that a Biryu clan mate gave it to him. Princess Seryu told him that she gave the necklace to her brother a long time ago.

Princess Seryu: I gave this necklace to my brother a long time ago.

Before leaving for Buyeo, Muhyul meets Yeon and gives her a wooden doll of herself which he carved.

At the Black Shadows camp, Muhyul and Maro play with fire and burn down the library which stores confidential reports, but not before stealing the most important of the Buyeo reports.


EPISODE 14

Muhyul and Maro escape the search for the culprit who burned down the Black Shadows library thanks to Maengwaeng. The evil Cheif Retainer comes to the Black Shadows camp to hand pick outstanding fighters to become King Daeso's bodyguards. Muhyul and Maro make the elite team.

King Yuri is not afraid when he hears that the Biryu clan is against him. Instead, he wishes the ambitious clan (which has been scheming to overthrow the King since Episode 1) would openly fight him so he could get rid of them once and for all.

Dojin murders two of Baeguek's men as they escourt him on a mission.

A stubborn Muhyul gets impatient and wants to kill King Daeso,even when the Cheif Retainer suspects Muhyul and Maro's plan.

One night, as King Daeso dresses down as a commoner to reach out to his people, Muhyul shoots an arrow to his chest and injures the King.

The King cannot die!!!
King Daeso suffers an arrow through his chest
and the Chief Retainer threatens the poor physician treating the King.

Meanwhile, Dojin visits the unconscious King. It is then that we find out Dojin was commissioned by King Daeso to go to Goguryeo and make that country his mother land - to drench himself in Goguryeo spirit, and to keep this a secret with the promise that one day, he will inherit the throne (Buyeo).

Muhyul: I killed King Daeso to avenge your father's death.
Don't worry, i will protect you now.

Muhyul seeks out his girlfriend Yeon and finds her at the sanitarium helping the sick and injured. He then tells her he shot an arrow to King Daeso's heart avenging he murder of Yeon's father, the late Wesaja.

Of course, a jealous looking Dojin catches them in an embrace.


EPISODE 15

Muhyul and Maro are immediately put to task to train a team of Goguryeo soldiers to become Buyeo spies. They impart their Black Shadows knowledge upon the troop.

Meanwhile, Dojin vows to Yeon that his life's purpose is to make Yeon happy and to protect her!

Dojin: Let me protect you Yeon!
I don't like you seeing that guy Muhyul.
I will protect you instead. You don't need him!

Back in Buyeo, King Daeso regains consciousness (apparently it takes more than an arrow through his heart to kill the old King) and finds out that it was Muhyul and Maro who attempted to murder him.

Baeguek and the Lord of Yongdam (Prince Yeojin's uncle) discovers that Muhyul and Maro are ex- Black Shadows and now, they are protected by Hye Ap. They capture Muhyul and Maro and forces them to talk and threatens to burn Muhyul with a hot metal rod.


EPISODE 16

Muhyul and Maro being tortured by Baeguek and Lord Yongdam

Is the Goguryeo Intelligence Bureau (headed by Hye Ap) conspiring with Buyeo? That's what Baeguek and Lord Yongdam is accusing Hye Ap of. When Hye Ap refuses to reply, Baguek went over his head and asked his guards to tie Hye Ap and her followers up as well!

At the nick of time King Yuri, his consort and entourage arrives. King Yuri promptly orders Muhyul and Maro to be released. Hye Ap then explains that King Daeso's injury was caused by these two ex-Black Shadows and they are now serving the Goguryeo Intelligence Bureau.

Young Prince Yeojin is also very fond of Muhyul and is pleased that Muhyul and Maro are now officially Goguryeo Intelligence Bureau soldiers.

Hye Ap urges King Yuri to accept Muhyul as his son but the King says it is not his time yet.

King Yuri: "I can't acknowledge that boy as prince, but i will keep an eye on him."

Hye Ap now has another confidant (besides King Yuri himself) who knows about Muhyul's true identity -- Changmunim is also in on the secret now. Both Hye Ap and Changmunim agree to prepare Muhyul as heir to the Goguryeo kingdom. They start educating Muhyul on the diplomatic scene, astronomy, geography, divination and more.

Dojin uses his uncomparable skills to kill two of King Yuri's men

A masked Dojin goes on a killing spree - murdering two of Goguryeo's top ranking officials, piercing them with a long skewer.

King Yuri is livid! Killing two of his most trusted men -- men who had fought in battle with him for years and have gained his trust and even admiration? The murderer will be punished and Gungnae Fortress is shaken by this. The Biryu clan along with the other clans are summoned for questioning.

With Dojin's help and the clue from the very precious necklace, Dojin, Baeguek and the Sangganim suspect that Muhyul could be the 3rd son of King Yuri.

King Yuri is worried and angry as he sees
dead ravens -- hundreds of them at the palace courtyard.

Another bad omen plagues Goguryeo as dead livestock is found with the animals' liver missing. Everyone is worried but Muhyul sets his mind to get to the bottom of this.

Muhyul fishes out a bag full of livestock liver from a bloody well -- showing that the bad omen do not point to Goguryeo's fall from the heavens but it was actually planted.

I found the answer!
Muhyul investigates the bad omens and
jumps into a bloody well

The dead livestock is just the beginning. Someone has been spreading a vicious rumour that the cursed dead prince -- who should have died 20 years ago is still alive or has come back to avenge his past, causing these perils to Goguryeo.

King Yuri, upon hearing this is alarmed. Could this be merely a story or the very prophecy he feared is coming to pass?

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Kingdom of the Wind (Episode 9 - 12)