Chapter 3
Directing the investigation of the assassination from the United States embassy, Korean-American naval officer Eugene interrogates Ae-shin (the renowned noble's granddaughter and resistance fighter) about the night of the shooting, which was perfectly covered up by the noise and crowd of the street lamp lighting. Ae-shin continues to feign innocence, so Eugene approaches her and lifts his hand to cover the bottom half of her face. She follows suit, and they both think back to their masked face-off on the night of the assassination.
Without acknowledging their double identities, they both claim that the other looks familiar, the air of suspicion adding to the tension. Eugene asks to know who Ae-shin really is, and she says that a foreigner has no business in knowing such information. She returns the question, asking if Eugene is part of the Hwalbindang (the infamous group of bandits who stole from the rich and gave to the poor) or the Righteous Army. He responds by asking, "If I am a part of these groups, am I on your side?"
Ae-shin pauses before resorting back to her innocent persona, who knows of nothing but paintings. She asks what he does as an American envoy, but he cuts her off and asserts that he's the one asking questions here. He then breaks the tension by dismissing Ae-shin and looks frustrated by this futile interrogation.
As he watches Ae-shin leave in her carriage, Eugene asks his assistant Gwan-soo what her deal is: Why does everyone know her and coddle her? Gwan-soo explains that Ae-shin is the youngest granddaughter of the high-ranking Minister Go, so she's a noblewoman. Minister Go, or Grandfather, was Emperor Gojong's teacher and an uncorrupt government official. He even opens his home once a year during the famine to feed the people.
This is why the Joseon people know Ae-shin and try to protect the pretty and innocent noblewoman. Eugene glares at him, knowing that there's more behind this "innocence," and looks triggered to see Gwan-soo covering half his face with his hand while thinking of her dreamily. Eugene slaps Gwan-soo's hand away, leaving him perplexed.
In her carriage, Ae-shin reenacts her interaction with Eugene, but her thoughts are interrupted by the loud train passing by. Her maid comments on how the train and other Western-influenced businesses have been taking over Joseon, and mention of candies entices Ae-shin, so they decide to make a pitstop.
Behind them, Ae-shin's spiteful cousin sneaks by to make her way to the pawnshop, owned by our resourceful Il-shik and Choon-shik duo. Cousin needs money fast and asks to get the maximum amount for the jade ring she offers. Unfortunately, Il-shik declines the ring because her antics have been noticed by whoever she's stealing from. We're not quite sure what the situation is, but it seems like she's on the losing end of the whatever she's stuck in.
Ae-shin and her servants enjoy candies from the French bakery, and anti-Joseon mercenary Dong-mae watches from afar in a tarot card shop. He looks sentimental as he thinks about his past, and he says, "In Joseon, there are those who have to kneel on the ground to speak to commoners. They must also remain silent until spoken to. In Joseon, they're called butchers."
In a flashback, we see young Dong-mae kneeling on the ground beside his mother and shamefully lying prostrate as a woman threw a bucket of dirty water over them. His mother came to collect the money for the meats, but the commoner women refused and hit her. When young Dong-mae tried to protect his mother, he was pushed to the ground and assaulted along with his mother.
Even while Dong-mae's mother was being abused and raped by a man in the adjacent shed, young Dong-mae yelled at his father for letting him be born as a butcher's son. His father persistently cut the meat, ignoring everything going on around him, and Dong-mae narrates: "While a butcher's son held a knife, they could not cut anyone, so every day was hell."
We see the deaths of Eugene's and Ae-shin's mothers as Dong-mae continues, "To save their children, mothers in Joseon kill themselves, get murdered, or… abandon them." Young Dong-mae breathed heavily as his mother pointed a knife at him. Covered in blood, she demanded that he leave and never come back, as the life as a butcher's child is terrible. She threatened to kill him and swung her knife, leaving a cut on young Dong-mae's forehead. Indignant and in tears, Dong-mae yelled that he was leaving for good and ran off, leaving her in tears. His father returned just as he ran away, and he discovered that Dong-mae's mother had just killed her rapist with the knife in her hand.
Back in the present, the tarot reader spreads the cards and picks one. Dong-mae says that the first thing he did in Joseon was tell everyone that he was the son of a butcher. Because unlike his father, he was not afraid to cut anyone.
Dong-mae grew up into a merciless assassin with his followers, and he returned to the malicious women who assaulted him and his mother for rightfully asking for payment. His underlings killed two women in front of the last remaining woman, who begged him to spare her life. He did spare her life, but instead, he sliced her ankles so that she would crawl like a dog for the rest of her life, wishing that she weren't alive. He set the home aflame and continued on his destructive path.
From the tarot shop, Dong-mae watches Ae-shin enjoy her fancy candies and overhears two Japanese men talking about how wealthy Joseon girls like Ae-shin are easy to cajole — once they lose their chastity, they'll die on their own. Dong-mae asks the tarot reader what his fate looks like for the day, and she reveals her written reading: A reunion better left unmet.
Dong-mae smirks at her prediction, and he jumps from the balcony to the ground to confront the two Japanese men. When he hits the ground, the surrounding crowd freezes in recognition, and a local man explains to Ae-shin and her servants that Dong-mae rules this area. This isn't just a fight.
Without a word, Dong-mae skillfully swings his sword and fatally cuts the two men. His face is sprayed with blood from his victims, and he calmly returns his sword into its scabbard. He turns to face Ae-shin, and her maid recognizes him as the boy Ae-shin saved in her carriage. In a brief flashback, we see young Ae-shin and Dong-mae riding in her carriage together, facing each other. Later that night, Ae-shin's maid curses Dong-mae while Ae-shin stares off in the distance, deep in thought.
In the morning, Eugene thinks about Ae-shin's ornament dangling from her hanbok, and he associates that with the ornament that his mother threw him before her death. Gwan-soo approaches him and asks what he's thinking about. Eugene says that he's torn between visiting his enemy, his savior, or just going on a picnic on this nice day. He admits that he's always going somewhere far, but he's unsure where's the furthest or if he's almost there.
All this is an enigma to Gwan-soo, and he wonders if Eugene drank something funny in his tea. Eugene suggests that they should eat something before he decides anything, and they end up eating soup in the village. As Eugene starts eating, Gwan-soo shares his suspicions about Logan's (the assassinated American) death, which makes Eugene spit out his food. Gwan-soo finds the response to Logan's death strangely silent, especially considering his position in connecting Joseon, Japan, and the United States.
Gwan-soo wonders if Logan was killed by an American(!), but Eugene remains calm and asks why an American would commit such a deed. Gwan-soo is quick to retreat and blames the Japanese for the death, considering that they did search his house on the day of the funeral. He explains to Eugene that a group called the Black Dragon Society led by Gu Dong-mae led the efforts, and before he can explain further, a sword appears before him, threatening to take his life.
The sword wielder demands Gwan-soo's translation services and threatens him. Gwan-soo freezes and trembles as he explains that this kind of threat is typical of Dong-mae's followers. When Eugene tries to clarify if these are the Black Dragon members, the main swordsman tells Eugene to stay out of their business, so Eugene obliges, letting the men drag whimpering Gwan-soo away. Eugene continues to eat his meal while the surrounding villagers worry about the fate of Gwan-soo in the hands of the infamous Gu Dong-mae.
But Eugene doesn't sacrifice Gwan-soo so easily and casually follows the threatening men. When the men notice him, they draw their swords, and Eugene pulls out his gun in response. That prompts Gwan-soo's release and a promise from the main swordsman that they'll meet again.
Gwan-soo shuffles back to Eugene, who asks if he's been urgently summoned for translations before. Gwan-soo looks baffled that he would be any use, since he doesn't speak Japanese, and this intrigues Eugene. The Black Dragon members seem to require English translation, so Eugene tells Gwan-soo to lead him to the gang. Gwan-soo would rather lead from behind and lets Eugene be the first line of defense on this venture, to which he trails along reluctantly.
They enter Dong-mae's territory, and the villagers quickly escape into hiding when the Dong-mae's sidekick swordsman arrives with his gang. Gwan-soo hides behind Eugene, who greets the gang by saying that he's come to fulfill his promise of their reunion. Swordsman draws his sword, but it's immediately shot out of his hand by Eugene's bullet, causing the rest of Swordsman's gang to draw their swords.
Gwan-soo peeps out from behind and informs Eugene that they're sure to die if he doesn't hit every sword with his next bullet, but Eugene says that he made the first move on purpose — the sound of the gun will notify the Joseon military forces. He adds, "And more importantly, wasn't it a good shot?"
Eugene suggests that they try to fight off their enemy until their supposed Joseon backup forces arrive, and he also proposes that they throw some hints that Eugene speaks English. Incredulous Gwan-soo barely holds himself together in the face of Eugene's reckless demands to meet with Gu Dong-mae, and he quietly sinks back into hiding when Dong-mae makes his appearance.
Eugene introduces himself with his American name, and Dong-mae wonders if such a family name exits in Joseon. Gwan-soo peeks out to quip that Eugene is an American, and Dong-mae seems amused, saying that he was American yesterday because he received dollars and Japanese today because he's receiving yen.
Dong-mae explains that he needs an English translator to collect money for his lackeys who were hired as bodyguards for Logan, the killed American. The lackeys themselves don't cost much, but their labor costs a significant amount, so he was hoping to write a letter to Logan's widow to collect his dues. He asks if Eugene is willing to help, but Eugene politely declines. He recommends his colleague instead and steps aside to reveal a perfectly hidden Gwan-soo right behind him. Eugene lets Gwan-soo get dragged away by Dong-mae's men for his services. Ha!
As Eugene walks away, Dong-mae orders Swordsman to keep Eugene alive, but they seem to be wary of their actual intentions being discovered. Back at the Glory Hotel, Eugene burns his picture of Logan and notes how diligently he must have lived, seeing that he's wanted by multiple parties.
The Russian-siding foreign affairs minister informs Emperor Gojong that Logan's coveted document has yet to be discovered by the Japanese. Gojong tells the minister that he will officially grant sanctions to allow the United States to deploy their troops in Joseon, and the minister warns him of the American ambassador's selfish motivations. Gojong says that he does not know of any other way to contain Japan's power, and he orders the minister to continue searching for Logan's document.
Gwan-soo respectfully bows to the scroll containing the royal command, and the observing American soldiers ridicule the Joseon people for being so uncivilized and bowing to everything. As Gwan-soo promises to deliver this royal order, Eugene walks by carelessly on his horse. He doesn't seem to understand the importance of receiving royal orders, and the foreign aid minister looks disturbed by a Joseon-like American disrespecting traditions.
Eugene returns to the river by the inn where he ate his chicken soup previously. The innkeeper recognizes him, and behind her, Ae-shin follows. She looks startled and defensive that Eugene might be trailing her, but he makes a fair claim that she's the one behind him. Eugene asks for a boatman to take him to the ceramist, but the innkeeper tells him that he's unlikely to succeed in buying any porcelain since countless buyers have failed before him.
As the innkeeper helps Ae-shin onto the boat, Eugene asks if the ceramist's name is Hwang Eun-san. The innkeeper seems shocked that Eugene is looking for porcelain without knowing the ceramist's name, but Ae-shin comes to his defense and explains that Eugene didn't even know who she was. She does him a favor and suggests that Eugene row the boat to their destination. The innkeeper realizes that Ae-shin knows this man, and she sheepishly offers to give Eugene his change for his meal the other day. Ha, she totally ripped him off!
Eugene rows the boat along the river, and he promises to return the favor if he gets a chance. Ae-shin says that there will be a chance if he has the intention. He asks what business she has with the ceramist, and she asserts that the interrogation is over and that a foreigner should stay out of her business.
At a familiar humble home, a cranky old man admires the porcelain works and scolds his apprentice for refusing to sell a cracked piece. The old man, who we know as Hwang Eun-san (the man who sent young Yoo-jin to the United States with the American), insists that buyers are willing to buy such marred pieces and nobody will know as long as the apprentice keeps his mouth shut. But the apprentice points to the two guests at his doorstep: Ae-shin and Eugene.
Eun-san greets Ae-shin with familiarity and wonders who this westernized Joseon man is. Eugene smiles and speaks to Eun-san with a tone of familiarity, which is unsettling for Eun-san. Ae-shin is visiting to send her regards from the gunman Seung-gu, who's the son of Eun-san's best friend. Eugene smiles wider as he observes Eun-san's fussy personality, and he tells Eun-san that nothing has changed. He asks to buy some porcelain and says that he won't accept any of the cracked pieces. Fussy Eun-san grumbles and retreats into his room.
Eugene walks towards the crates next to the kiln and thinks back to when he hid inside, holding his breath and silently crying in fear for his life. He rows back on the boat with Ae-shin, who's received a pile of cracked bowls. He wonders aloud why Eun-san was willing to sell such things to Ae-shin but not him, and Ae-shin vaguely explains that it's a longtime arrangement.
Eugene says that these cracked bowls are effectively useless, unless she's using them for some other purpose, like practicing shooting. He connects the dots, noting that she knows a gunman, as she sent his regards to Eun-san. She claims she has no idea what he's talking about, but he's not convinced.
Eugene accidentally drops the oar, splashing Ae-shin and instinctively letting out a laugh. She glares at him, assuming he did that on purpose, and he says that it's a misunderstanding — he's just unfamiliar with the oar. In response, Ae-shin starts rocking the boat and claims that it's a misunderstanding as well — she's just unfamiliar on the waters. Her sass!
Ae-shin asks why he went to the ceramist, since it didn't seem like he knew Eugene. But Eugene simply says that he knows him, and the ceramist has just forgotten their relationship. Eugene provides some unsolicited advice on the Russian gun being difficult to handle for someone with a small frame because of its strong rebound. He advises her to focus on handling the gun than her aim, since the Russian gun has higher accuracy than the German ones. He assumes that she has "no idea" what he's talking about, and she confirms her ignorance on the matter.
Eugene notices the ornament on Ae-shin's garment and asks how much it would have cost about thirty years ago. She estimates that it would have been equivalent to a bag of rice. Eugene stops rowing and thinks back to his mother's direction to sell the ornament for no less than three bags of rice. He realizes now that his mother had no idea how much this ornament was worth.
Ae-shin asks why he's stopped rowing, and he apologizes for his wandering thoughts. She asks what he was thinking about, and he refuses to answer since she hasn't told him a single thing. Ae-shin reveals that she wears the ornament as a part of her disguise. She says that the newspapers call this time a romantic era, with the Joseon people enjoying the surge of imported Western luxuries. She admits that she's no different, but her romanticism lies in the muzzle of the German gun. She asks, "Who knows? Maybe being discovered by you that night was a part of my romance."
Eugene responds that her romance seems radical for the granddaughter of a high-ranking government official. She smiles wider and acknowledges this. She's glad to know that a comrade is close by and offers her cracked bowls to him if he ever needs them.
Hee-sung, the grandson of the ignoble noble who owned Eugene's family, receives a telegram from his parents (his mother was the pregnant woman held hostage by Eugene's mother) summoning him home. He knows that he will have to marry soon upon his return home, in accordance with good Joseon decorum. His lover in Japan snuggles next to him, and he wonders if a nation will still exist when he returns, considering all the people trying to sell Joseon off.
Ae-shin visits a garment shop with her maid, and the tailor asks when Hee-sung will return. Ae-shin doesn't seem bothered by his absence, saying that he's getting the most out of his long journey to Japan. The tailor mentions that Ae-shin's cousin, Ae-soon, dropped by to order a pair of shoes and claimed that Ae-shin would pay for them during her next visit. Ae-shin asks if the shoes are made at the main store, and the tailor confirms this. She orders a pair of shoes for herself and tells her maid that it's her opportunity to ride the train.
Ae-shin tells her maid to prepare for their train ride, and her maid excitedly goes outside to share the news with the other servant, angling for him to buy her a new outfit for the occasion, but he's a little more suspicious about such western technology. Ae-shin stays inside for her feet measurements, and by coincidence, Eugene is also at the shop getting fitted for more suits.
Once the tailor leaves the room, Eugene explains that he didn't bring enough clothing for his stay in Joseon. Ae-shin assumes that means that he's only staying for a short period, but he corrects her that he's getting more clothes because he intends on staying longer. We see the slightest smile on Ae-shin's face, and she compliments Eugene's look. He doesn't believe her compliment, and she comes back with a backhanded compliment that he looks like a hedgehog with his pinned up garment.
Ae-shin decides to ask a question, since he's familiar with English. "What is 'love'?" she asks. He asks why she's curious, and Ae-shin says that she wants to "love," as it's considered better than public service. He answers vaguely that it depends on how you think about it, but you can't do it alone — you need a partner. So naturally, Ae-shin asks Eugene to be her partner.
Eugene stares at her blankly, and Ae-shin wonders if his hesitance is because she's a woman. She tries to make herself more eligible my sharing that she can even shoot a gun. Eugene says, "It's harder than shooting a gun, more dangerous, and must burn hotter." He asks why she's proposing this partnership to him, and she simply says that it's because he's a comrade.
Eugene wonders why she thinks he's a comrade, and she explains that they both know who the culprit in the assassination is and that he would have already captured her if he weren't a comrade. He asks why she targeted Logan, and she responds with the same question at him. Eugene says that Logan diminished America's dignity, and Ae-shin says that he also diminished Joseon's dignity by framing Japan's infiltration as modernization. Eugene pointedly asks if Joseon had any dignity to lose at all, and Ae-shin's eyes falter.
Disclosing his truth, Eugene admits that he never needed to catch the culprit — he just needed the circumstances of the assassination. He plans to close the investigation by framing the Righteous Army as the culprit because he's already achieved his goal. Ae-shin looks betrayed, and understandably so.
Back in his hotel room, Eugene suits up in his military uniform, ready to join the American forces that have arrived.
Ae-shin boards the train with her servants, and they're all dressed nicely for the occasion. The passengers greet Ae-shin warmly as she heads to her seat in the back of the train. But when she arrives in her assigned car, the air is sharp with tension. The Joseon people cower away in fear as the cocky Japanese soldiers smile smugly at the entrance of Ae-shin. A Japanese solider jokingly points his gun at her, meaning to elicit fear.
Rather than flinching in fear, Ae-shin boldly walks up to the Japanese soldier, who points the gun at her again, this time up close. She doesn't move an inch, and the soldier scoffs at her bold move. Provoked by the arrogant soldier, Ae-shin grabs the gun and points it right back at him. She mockingly wonders how such machines work and expertly cocks the gun, pointing the tip first at the soldier's chest, then at his forehead, asking where she should shoot.
Ae-shin's finger slowly gravitates toward the trigger, but a stranger with a familiar voice intervenes and tells innocent Ae-shin to let go of such a dangerous device. She recognizes this voice as her shooting teacher, Seung-gu, and tries to follow him out, but her attention turns to the line of American soldiers entering the train. Ae-shin watches this unfamiliar sight and wonders how American soldiers have ended up on Joseon soil.
Once the train arrives at their destination, the passengers are immediately met with aggressive American soldiers searching women's dresses and items at gunpoint. When Ae-shin and her servants try to pass by without a search, the American soldiers point their guns at Ae-shin, demanding that they comply.
In Korean, a familiar voice suggests that they follow the demands. It's Eugene, and he approaches Ae-shin in his military uniform. He explains that someone stole a gun from the carriage, so they're searching everyone. She wonders how a Joseon person stands in an American uniform, and Eugene clarifies that he's an American. Ae-shin finally realizes Eugene's identity as American military and asks her servants to leave for a private conversation with Eugene.
Ae-shin confronts Eugene about the real reason he killed Logan: to instigate American intervention in Joseon. She rebukes him for threatening the Joseon people on their own land and wonders if they really did lose a gun or if this is yet another ploy to achieve their goals. She takes one step forward, and an American soldier cocks his gun, ready to shoot her.
Ae-shin freezes and Eugene explains that their package was ripped open and a single rifle went missing. Then, he warns her not to draw attention, since the Americans are a democratic people, and they don't discriminate rich from poor folk.
Ae-shin stares at Eugene's embroidered name on his uniform and narrates: "I can't even read the name on his uniform. This foreigner, who I mistook as a comrade… Is he an enemy? An ally?" They stare at each other across the train tracks, their motives now completely exposed to each other.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone