Marco Polo Recap 'The Fourth Step'

Image from Marco Polo, streamed via Netflix

Season 1 Episode 4

As the Dowager Empress shrewdly recognised, the power of Jia Sidao stemmed from the constant threat of war. Though there was a clear line of succession, which meant that power was now supposed to be on the hands of the boy emperor, no one would feel comfortable having a child, or perhaps his mother, in control of the Song Dynasty, not when the Kublai Khan and his formidable forces could attack at any time. Jia Sidao was a wartime leader. Take away the war, and he was perhaps easier to dislodge from his place of prominence.

Like the best schemers, however, Jia Sidao was several steps ahead of his enemies. He had already positioned his sister Mei Lin inside the Kublai Khan's court. When the Dowager Empress sent Song ambassadors to parley with the Mongol empire, Mei Lin sent word to Jia Sidao. Her message did not reach Jia Sidao soon enough to prevent the parley from taking place, but the Chancellor still found a rather ruthless way to ensure no peace would be agreed between the Mongols and the Song. On their journey home, all the members of the Song party were slaughtered upon the orders of the Chancellor.

'The Fourth Step' showed the power struggle inside the Song court, but within the court of Kublai Khan, there were cracks as well. The Khan's trusted advisor Ahmad, a son to him and a brother to Prince Jingim, was clearly an advocate of continued war with the Song. Vice Regent Yusuf appeared to have recognised the danger of sending just Ahmad to parley with the Song; it was he who suggested sending Prince Jingim as well. With the Song ambassador in front of them, Ahmad named peace terms no one in their right mind would accept. Prince Jingim, who was tutored in Chinese ways and was known to have great respect for Chinese culture, had to send Ahmad outside the tent so he could negotiate with the Song ambassador alone.

Image from Marco Polo, streamed via Netflix

It was all for naught. Even as the court of the Khan celebrated the peace terms, word of them would never reach the Song. Jia Sidao won, but he was not content. Mei Lin's warning almost did not reach him in time. As punishment, Jia Sidao bound the feet of Mei Lin's daughter Princess Ling Ling. 

Meanwhile, Marco Polo's father and uncle returned at Kublai Khan's court and were exposed as smugglers of silkworm. Marco was initially jailed with him -- they hid the contraband in his room -- but he was eventually released by the Khan. Still mindful of his restless conscience after killing his brother, the Khan told Marco that he, Marco, would decide the punishment for his father and uncle.

The last time I wrote a Marco Polo recap was on January 2016. That was over four years ago. I had always meant to return to writing about Marco Polo, though it has long been canceled. I am happy that I now have the opportunity to watch this show again. One thing has not changed, however. I remain uninterested in the love story between Marco and Princess Kokachin.

Strays

■ Marco survived the snake bite. He found the man who had been selling Kokachin's jewels. Unbeknownst to Marco, Kokachin and this man were in a relationship, and were plotting to escape the Khan. 

■ Prince Jingim was not happy about the Khan's concern for Marco.

■ Empress Chabi had not yet found a way to get rid of Mei Lin.

■ Jia Sidao appear entranced by Jing Fei, a concubine whom he tasked to care for Princess Ling Ling.

Director: Alik Sakharov
Writer: Brett Conrad
Original Release Date: 12 December 2014