Also known as The Sword and the Flower. You can watch it over at Viki.
We open with Princess Moo Young (played by Kim Ok Bin who can kick some major ass in real life) filling in for the Great Omniscient Voiceover. She explains how she is the princess of Goguryeo and daughter of King Youngnyu who battled with the Sui Empire. But now here come the Tang to cause trouble.
Youngnyu (played by Kim Young Chul) wants to strengthen his country and prepare slowly for war. Another guy, General Yeon Gaesomun (played by Choi Min Soo) thinks they should strike while the iron's hot. Gaesomun's son, Yeon Chung (played by Uhm "I've Fooled Everyone Into Thinking I Can Act" Tae Woong) is Moo Young's only love. I'm sorry but his wig is awful.
The camera moves back to show us Moo Young is kneeling in front of the burned out shell of a palace. She repeatedly asks, "Why did Goguryeo fall?"
(I answer, "Because it was part of The King's Dream.")
Flashback to Moo Young and her brother sitting in a carriage that is beginning to look like a pin cushion as arrows rain down on them and their military escort. The Tang are attacking. But enough about that, let's watch some old men talking. King Youngnyu wants to make peace with the surrounding countries including the Tang. Gaesomun doesn't say anything and instead lets other war hawks do the talking for him.
Alright, back to the action. Somehow Moo Young has gotten in control of the reins and she's driving her carriage like a bat out of hell. I like you already, Moo Young. They're not out of danger yet as the Tang are fast on their heels. Her cousin Jang (played by Ohn Joo Wan) helps fight off the attackers.
Damnit, we're back to the old men talking. Gaesomun finally speaks and recommends they change the prime minister. I don't care! More fighting, less talking! Blah, blah, blah, something about installing a crown prince but the king's son is too wimpy to take on the Tang, blah, blah, blah.
Whoa, somebody tied the camera to a chariot wheel. Two war chariots side swipe each other ala Ben Hur. The one carrying the Tang warriors careens off the side of a cliff. I assume the shaggy guys in the other chariot are actually on the princess' side. It would be nice if this was made clear to us, Show.
Argh, more talking. Thank goodness a messenger interrupts to inform the king about the attack. The king announces to his court that a survivor was captured so they can question the man about what the Tang are up to.
Aha, just as I suspected, this wasn't the Tang at all. Gaesomun and some of his cronies arranged this attack in an attempt to light a fire under the king and get him moving on this whole war thing. The cronies are worried about being found out if this one guy talks.
Somewhere it's raining and Uhm Tae Woong's wig still looks awful. He's walking slowly down a crowded street, passing beside Moo Young's entourage which now includes a man kept inside a cage. Yeon Chung finds a place up high and fires a single arrow, killing the prisoner. Moo Young jumps out of the carriage to see what all the yelling is about. She spots the lone archer up on a roof. Grabbing a man's sword, Moo Young dashes into action. You go, girl!
Chung jumps down to grab a piece of cloth to wrap around his face so he won't be recognized. He fights off some soldiers who have caught up with him. Suddenly he's face to masked face with Jang. They fight in tight quarters but Chung eludes him. Next he faces the sword of our princess. Their fight is short with Chung getting injured in the arm before he runs away.
Jang keeps searching and stumbles into a crowded inn where the folks are being entertained by a blindfolded guy who can shoot an arrow through an apple. Jang almost makes the connection but doesn't come up with prisoner killed by arrow + blindfolded man with extraordinary archery skills = this is the guy you're looking for. Just as Jang starts to leave, Chung's wounded arm begins to bleed heavily. Both men slowly reach for their swords when suddenly a young girl whisks Chung away upstairs. Jang leaves it at that.
Yeon Chung does some moping. I miss Moo Young already.
Thanks goodness, she's in the next scene. She learns the prisoner's death was the result of a very rare poison that's hard to get. Clue number 1. She goes to see her father the king. Moo Young says during the attack some unknown people came to their aide. (That would be the Shaggy Guys in the chariot, Effeminate Man played by Lee Jung Shin, and Chick with a Bow.) The princess asks if her father had sent them.
The next day Moo Young goes to visit Ahjussi from City Hunter. She's asked So Sa Bun to look into this rare poison. Effeminate Man steps in to proclaim the Yeon clan have been buying up all the ingredients that make this poison.
Moo Young is out shopping when she has another encounter with Yeon Chung. She may not recognize his face but how can she not recognize his terrible wig? Their hands accidentally brush against each other which triggers some truly awful music to play. Dear Lord don't let this be their theme song!
Suddenly a reckless carriage comes down the narrow street and is heading straight for them. To save her, Chung throws Moo Young up in the air where she defies all laws of gravity by just hanging there. I don't think I'm supposed to laugh at this but how can I not?
Blah, blah, blah, old men talking and cultivating trees, blah, blah, blah.
Yeon Chung finally gets to meet his father Yeon Gaesomun. The writers seem to have fallen asleep. Yo, how about some lines here, people!
Moo Young can't sleep as she's constantly thinking about how she stuck it to Isaac Newton. Gravity be damned!
Uh-oh, Gaesomun has been made. He's been summoned to the palace to answer questions concerning the recent assassination attempt.
Nothing is said for twenty minutes.
Moo Young returns to the marketplace in hopes of running into Chung again. I shudder as that horrible music plays once again. She sees an advertisement for his archery performance and decides to attend. Alas, no one is in the inn when she gets there. Has the show been canceled? Moo Young sits around and waits (and waits and waits and waits) while Chung watches her from above.
At last Chung walks out of the inn as his PR guy announces the show will begin in the town square. Moo Young follows Chung like a groupie while another odd choice of music is played. The crowd watches in delight as a blindfolded Chung shoots more innocent apples. Ah, but now he wants to step up his show and pull a William Tell. All he needs is a brave woman to volunteer for his act.
You know who that's gonna be.
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