The Great Seer Episode 4

The Great Seer can be watched at DramaFever, which is surprisingly doing a faster job at subbing than Viki at the moment.

 

As the young girl, Ban Ya, is being dragged away by the guards, Ji Sang gathers up what he can of "Mom" and puts her back in the box. He follows behind, trying to think up a way to save the innocent girl. He settles on running up to her and repeatedly calling her his sister, telling the guards he's been waiting for her return to Gaegyoung. When this doesn't work, he simply kicks the guard in the jewels, grabs Ban Ya, and they head off to the wild. They seek shelter in a cave, where a tame deer is like, "Sure. Fine. Make yourself at home. You don't make me nervous at all."

 

Soo Ryun Gae meets with one of her conspirators, Dae Ho, who is starting to get cold feet about assassinating the king. Ryun Gae lists all the other crimes Dae Ho has been behind the past. Crimes he didn't think anyone knew he was involved in. Ryun Gae blackmails him into sticking with the plan.

 

The next morning Ji Sang helps Ban Ya find a good place for her to bury her mother. This is interspersed with scenes of Hyo Myung and Moo Hak oohing and ahhing over the land and the signs of white tigers and thirsty dragons. Looks like both parties have stumbled upon the lost Ja Mi Won.

 

The kids have just finished burying Mom's box when Moo Hak emerges from the bushes. He's very angry that they've buried someone where kings are supposed to sprout up. Hyo Myung finally catches up, recognizes Ji Sang as Dong Yoon's kid, and advises they move the remains just a smidge. Moo Hak says it's too late, just leave mom where she is. He predicts Ban Ya will become a great person but she'll shed rivers of tears.

 

Ji Sang takes Ban Ya back to Haewol House, the giseang where he lives. The -er, madam of the place, Chun, doesn't want the girl there. Ji Sang sweetly asks if they let Ban Ya stay, he'll put in a good word with his father, who Chun seems to have a crush on. (I'm not sure if they're going to put Ban Ya to work in the kitchens or something, or if she'll be expected to work as a giseang.)

 

Ryun Gae orders her head Amazon warrior to prepare a potent sleeping gas for tonight's mission. The Amazon heads to the market where she meets up with Jong Dae, who has some important ingredients for the sleeping gas. She also asks him if he's found "that person" yet. He tells her to be patient. The pair part and Jong Dae takes out a drawing of the person he's supposed to find. Just then Ji Sang comes up, looking to be paid so he can buy a pair of shoes for Ban Ya. (The men are always trying to give their women shoes in this show.) Ji Sang recognizes the drawing as his father and asks what this is about. Jong Dae explains the Amazon he was just talking to wants him to find this guy. If the boy knows where the man is, Jong Dae will split the reward. Ji Sang grabs the drawing from the peddler and follows after the Amazon.

 

Up in the mountains, Hyo Mung and Moo Hak drop in on herbal gatherer Dong Yoon. They reveal that his son has the sight, whether he likes it or not. Hyo Mung goes even further to say the king is on the wane and it's time to reveal Ja Mi Won. Dong Yoon still insists the time is not right.

 

Ji Sang traces the Amazon back to her base. That night, his stunt double scales the walls and climbs up on the roof to literally eavesdrop on Ryun Gae's conversation. (I must say, these Amazons are rather lax in their security.) Ryun Gae discusses almost the whole thing with the Amazon, about how the king is staying at Heung Wang Temple and that's where they'll kill him. Naturally about this time Ji Sang knocks a shingle off and reveals his presence. He takes off, the Amazon in hot pursuit.

 

Ji Sang manages to shake her long enough to get back to Haewol House. Luck and the script are still with him as General Lee Sung Gye and a couple of bros are there to party. Ji Sang bursts into the room and warns Sung Gye about the plot. Sung Gye in turn goes to alert Choi Young.

 

Lee In Im and his masked men are getting ready to attack when beekeeper Ryun Gae rides up to warn them they've been found out. She advises not to warn Dae Ho and let him and his men go ahead. Who knows, he may be successful.

 

Dae Ho and his ninjas attack. A couple of eunuchs hear the commotion outside and rush to wake the king and queen. One of the servants switches clothes with Kongmin so he can sneak out in disguise. Another eunuch also sacrifices his life by acting as a decoy to draw the ninjas away. As Dae Ho breaks into the bedroom, he stabs the body underneath the covers, only to discover he's assassinated a servant.

 

Kongmin and Noguk make it to some kind of outer building. She plans to stand outside and guard the door, banking on the fact that she's also a princess of the Chinese empire so the assassins wouldn't dare touch her. (Noguk, you need your own show.) The ninjas surround the front of the shed and indeed seem hesitant to stab the defiant queen. Dae Ho isn't, though, and is about to strike when thank goodness here comes Choi Young and his men. The ninjas are driven off. Once he finds a dark corner, Dae Ho kills the ninjas with him, takes off his own ninja outfit, and comes running back, acting like he's there to defend the king.

 

Later, at a meeting of the generals, Dae Ho continues to act indignant that security was as lax as Amazon security. Choi Young says most of the ninjas were killed and were mere underlings, so the person behind the attempt is still at large. In Im asks Sung Gye how he learned about the plot. Sung Gye starts to say but then stops himself.

 

Completely changing the tone, we go to Seo Woon, the Goryeo School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where Hai In is impressing her fellow students with her dirt tasting skills. (I kid you not.) A tall kid called Sung Bok is not impressed and starts to make trouble with the only girl student. A much shorter Jung Geun comes to her defense. Teacher Young Ji sees her students fighting amongst themselves and decides it is time for a lesson in teamwork. She takes the group to the top of a mountain and just leaves them there. She expects them to work as a team to find their way back down. (Weren't they paying attention when they were taken up there? Can't they follow the path back down?)

 

Night falls, a fog rolls in, and the scared city kids are completely lost. They're even spooked by that tame deer. (I'm not sure if the deer is supposed to represent something, or if the producers rented it and by golly they're going to film that deer as much as they can.) At least one of the city kids has the sense enough to recommend they all stay in one spot and wait for the rescue team to come find them. But Hae In is taking ill and needs to see a doctor right away. Time for Jung Geun to disclose his Chinese contraband. It's just a fancy compass but it gets the job done and they make it back to town.

 

In Im scolds Ryun Gae for allowing their plot to be so easily discovered. A-ha, we get a name for Right Hand Man! It's Moo Yung. In Im instructs Moo Yung to follow Lee Sung Gye and find out who the spy was. Moo Yung travels via rooftops as he follows Sung Gye back to the giseang house. Out in the courtyard, Sung Gye orders Ji Sang to be brought out. Madam Chun and Ban Ya try to intervene as the protesting lad is dragged away by his hair. Up on the roof Moo Yung notches his arrow and takes aim.

 

 

Hmm, I was worried we weren't going to get a cliffhanger at the end. Not that it's much of a cliffhanger as we already know Ji Sang will at least live to adulthood. While the pacing of the show is pretty good, let's be honest: these characters are about as deep as a bowl of soup. If a Tyrannosaurus Rex were to suddenly timeslip here and eat the cast, I can't say I would miss anyone. I take that back. I'd miss the deer. Don't eat the deer, T. Rex!