Possible Ending of Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo

We have gone through half way already for Moon Lovers, an adaption of Bu Bu Jing Xin (Startling by Each Step) which I have watched before. In reality, I think I like it better when it comes to China's history as the transition between power struggle was  recorded properly and it is easy to check on the history record and get a better understanding rather than with Korean history. Blame me, because I have no idea of Korean history at all.  But this time, I'm researching the history behind Moon Lovers: Scarlet Heart Ryeo in which I found it pretty interesting regarding the ending.

Based on historical site, Gwangjong, the 4th Prince get married to Queen Daemok, his half-sibling possibly Princess Yeonhwa in the drama and will bear a son, Wang Ju who later becomes Gyeongjong of Goryeo, the successor after Gwangjong. After Gyeongjong, it was then 8th Prince's son who take over the throne, which may come true because his father was over the throne yet he was defeated by Gwangjong. 

I have read some website which show a happy ending spoiler for Moon Lovers: Wang So becomes the King of Goryeo with his winning from Wang Wook. He marries Hae Soo who then becomes the Queen of Goryeo and live happily with their children. - which sounds too good to be true in my opinion. If it ends with a happy ending, then all of the time travelling will make no senses. 

No matter how many times you try to change the history, the history itself won't be changed because it is something meant to happen. I think we have learnt this point from many dramas and I also believed that we cannot change the history. Even if we can, it will change the whole course of the future, which of course that is something you have to pay for changing the history. 

So I believe that the ending would be similar to the original version that Hae Soo will die in Goryeo and because of that, she will come back to Go Ha Jin in the future. Maybe at the end, she would say she will ask the grim reaper to give her more drinks, so that she can forget everything in this life and live happily in her next life (theory of Reincarnation) which I think it makes more sense to everything. This is what the Chinese version have done to their ending story and I like it very much that in the future, Ruo Xi remembers her old self. 

However, how things will turn out that way is still a little bit hard to guess. Mainly is because:

First, in the C version Ruo Xi had given the 8th prince some information on the 4th prince after they parted ways (Ruo Xi mentions the name of 4th's supporters like Nian Geng Yao and Longkodo). The 8th prince later uses this to frame the 4th prince. On the other hand, the one thing Soo said to Wook was a very generic comment that they will all get killed if they tried to stop So...but while saying that she seemed in such a daze, like how can he take her seriously and even blame her for his plans against So?! 

Second, in C version, the decree was originally not known. On the day of Kangxi's death, because none of the Princes was put in the Crown Prince position, it was then said that Longkodo is the one who read the will/decree and declared that Yinzhen (4th Prince) would be the Kangxi Emperor's successor. Some evidence has suggested that Yinzhen contacted Longkodo months before the will was read in preparation for his succession through military means, although in their official capacities frequent encounters were expected. 

There is a widely circulated legend that Yinzhen modified the Kangxi Emperor's will by changing key Chinese characters specifying the heir to the throne. The best-known rumour was that Yinzhen modified the phrase "transfer the throne to the Fourteenth Prince" (Chinese:傳位十四子 → shísì) to "transfer the throne to the Fourth Prince" (Chinese: 傳位于四子 → yúsì) by changing the character shi (十) to yu (于); others say it was modifying "fourteen" (十四) to "fourth" (Chinese: 第四 dìsì). Historians remain divided on whether or not Yinzhen 'usurped' the throne, even though the scholar Feng Erkang believed that Yinzhen's succession was legitimate. Some events have been cited by historians as supporting the "legitimate succession" theory. For example, in January 1721, when the Kangxi Emperor celebrated the 60th anniversary of his enthronement, he sent Yinzhen, Yintao (the 12th prince) and Hongsheng (a son of the third prince Yinzhi) to oversee the veneration ritual at the imperial tombs. None of the princes who supported Yinti (namely, the third, eighth, ninth and tenth princes) was sent to attend the ritual.

I do wonder as how things will work on the Korean version, but so far it seems as if King Taejo already knows that So, the 4th Prince has the fate of becoming the King. Thus, I guess there will be no conspiracy like the original one. Instead, how So managed to become the King is something we must pay attention to. 

Based on history, after Crown Prince Mu, Hyejong of Goryeo. Hyejong’s reign was marked with conspiracy and power struggles among Taejo’s sons. The first of these conspiracies was led by Princes Wang Yo and Wang So, which possessed considerable political influence. Upon realizing the conspiracy by the two princes, Wang Gyu warned Hyejong of the conspiracy, but plotted to put his grandson on the throne when Hyejong did nothing to stop the conspiracy of the two princes. Hyejong died in 945, during the second year of his reign from disease. He was succeeded by his brother  Wang Yo or called Jeongjong, 3rd Monarch of Goryeo. I guess there will be fights between Wang So and Wang Yo since Wang So is someone who sides over Mu. 

Jeongjong rose to the throne after his half-brother King Hyejong, and set to reducing the power of various royal in-laws. However, lacking the support of the elites, he was unable to substantially strengthen the throne. In 947, he had the fortress of Pyongyang constructed as the country's Western Capital. He sought to move the capital from Gaegyeong to there, but was not successful. As to how the throne was took over by Gwangjong, there is no record of that. Maybe it's because Jeongjong failed to strengthen the nation and was forced to step down. The political condistion is unstable and thus, Gwangjong rise to the throne. 

Third, in the C version the 8th prince provided details of their past romance to the 4th prince which angered him so much that he allowed Ruo Xi to leave the palace. First of all, Soo already told So that her heart was with someone else. Why would he be surprised if it's Wook? She didn't lie to him -- all he asked was if it's Baek Ah and she said no (which was the truth). Secondly, why would someone who has been pining so hard for Soo's acceptance care so much about her past love life? It just doesn't quite add up for me, because he is portrayed as someone who would never give up on Soo -- why would her past stop him, if he already knows that he had to win her heart slowly (as he didn't have it in the first place)?

Fourth, in the C version, after Yongzheng becomes the King, the power struggle remained the same. The nature of his succession remained a subject of controversy and overshadowed the Yongzheng Emperor's reign. As many of his surviving brothers did not see his succession as legitimate, the Yongzheng Emperor became increasingly paranoid that they would plot to overthrow him. Thus, he mainly put his half-brothers under house arrest or put them on jail. Even his own brother, 14th Prince was put under house arrest for the accused of violating imperial decorum. Because of this, Ruo Xi is very relunctant and not willing to live in the Palace anymore. More, with the triggers of knowing the fact that things that happened to 8th Prince is because of her warrant words regarding 4th Prince, it put Ruo Xi in a very shocked position. She tried not to expose her future knowledge, but she ends up as the trigger for the history to happen. 

In K-version, I wonder what will happen to Hae Soo and 4th Prince. Although I am sure that there will be things like the original one. But history records that the first eight years of Gwangjong’s reign had been peaceful, because he ruled wisely and did not mete out harsh punishments, but that afterwards, he had become a tyrant, spending money lavishly, tolerating corruption and executing anyone who opposed his policies of centralization. Late in his life, Gwangjong began to build numerous Buddhist temples; scholars speculate that perhaps he had repented for killing so many powerful people and wished to calm the resentment he had aroused.

Based on history, as Gwangjong witnessed the struggle between his brothers for the throne, he felt the need to consolidate the power of the King and rewarded all those who contributed to the progress of Goryeo, also making much effort to maintain good diplomatic relations with neighboring countries. Gwangjong realized that his first priority must be to create a strong and stable government. 

One of the first challenges faced by Gwangjong was to eliminate or reduce the power of his rivals, many of whom he imprisoned, exiled or had executed. He enacted a series of laws intended to centralize the state government. One of these, enacted in 956, was the liberation of slaves. During the conflicts among the various warring clans, many prisoners had been taken, and these were made to work as slaves on the estates of their captors. By restoring those who had been unjustly enslaved to their previous status as commoners, Gwangjong weakened the power of the local estates and increased tax revenue.

In 958, he initiated a system of civil service exams to select government officials (노비안검법; 奴婢按檢法) from among the most talented and intelligent candidates, regardless of social status or origins. Previously, government appointments had been made based on social status, family connections and favoritism rather than on merit, allowing many incompetent people to occupy top positions, and perpetuating the class system. The civil service examinations ensured a bureaucracy that would remain stable through regime changes. The system continued in use for 90 years, until 1894.

And so, in summary I think most probably things that are bound to happen will of course happen in due course: 

1. Gwangjong will get married to Queen Daemok.
2. Hae Soo will die and there will be no record of her in history. She will live in the Palace like Ruo Xi for a few years of Gwangjong's reign but with no status, maybe due to the fact the Queen cannot tolerate Hae Soo to be the concubine. Instead, she will serve as the Lady of Damiwon and after that she will die and come back to the future. 
3. The broke up between Hae Soo and Gwangjong is because Hae Soo is afraid of Gwangjong. It seems as if Hae Soo is worried enough that Wang So will change into Gwangjong she knew from hostory. It might be true as he has changed from the Wang So she knew once before and later on Hae Soo will plead to leave the Palace. But as her health condition will get worse, she has no choice but end up dying in the Palace.
4. As Hae Soo died, Gwangjong will regret what he has done and starts to build on temples to repent on his actions. 
5. I do wonder whether Jung the 14th Prince will have a significant role in the end, like the original version. But it seems as if Soo will end up dying alone as of now. 
6. I hope Baek Ah and Woo Hee will live happily together in the end! There is totally no record of 13th Prince in history. I guess, they made the 13th Prince to make it similar like the C-version. If things could be changed, then I hope they end up happily in this version ~ *I am Baek Ah-Woo Hee shipper* I think Seohyun's acting is good enough!

So, let's observe what is going to happen in few more days!