Dae Wang Sejong (2008): Season 1, Episode 20 - Episode #1.20 - full transcript
Turn the girl over to me.
I can't.
It's for your brothers safety
and stability of this state.
I don't think it's worth it if you
have to kill an innocent life.
You'd put your brother in danger?
I'm going to rectify the wrongs.
Doe!
I'm going to fight.
If there is a force that is trying to
throw this country into distress,
I'm going to fight it with all my might.
I will not hesitate to use
every card I have to win.
Even that dirty card you
have in your hand now?
I won't use anyone's life as a weapon.
Things can happen as long
as that girl is in your hands.
Why can't you trust me and wait?
You will defy your mother?
I'm sorry.
Disrespectful punk...
What brings Your Grace here
at this time of the evening?
You must be softening up with age.
You would've never allowed a eunuch to
sneak in a lady of the palace
into his quarters before.
A lady... of the palace?
She looked familiar.
She has to be lady of the palace.
Your Grace...
Call the woman back.
I must check.
You are mistaken, Your Grace.
She is a visiting sister to
the eunuch named Jachi.
A sister?
Would you like to come inside?
I'm assuming this is a confidential
matter seeing that you are here in
plain clothes at this late hour.
Then perhaps it is unwise
to be seen by the others.
Find fault with the daughter
of Lord Han Younglo?
Make it up if you can't find any.
Your Grace...
Just give me a reason to
break up this wedding...
And I'll compensate you generously.
Perhaps I should face this head on...
I should face the inevitable
and tell the King myself
instead of waiting for him to
find out from someone else.
Your Highness...
Get the palanquin ready.
I'm going to the royal bedchambers.
Has he risen?
Yes, Your Highness.
Announce me.
Who is here at this early hour?
Who is with him?
That's beautiful.
Cyeonghoeru Pavilion: Royal functions and banquet
facility built in 1412 notable for its signage handwritten
by Taejong's firstborn son Prince Yangnyeong.
What are you putting the poor Prince
through so early in the morning?
On the contrary. It's the Crown Prince
who is putting me through this.
I asked him to write a calligraphy plaque,
and he said he needs the morning
energy to focus and write well.
Is that right?
He has excellent penmanship.
Penmanship isn't his only excellence.
It takes a grand and noble
heart to produce such strokes.
Why are you so quiet?
You should respond to their praise.
It's undeserved praise.
I don't know what to say.
I couldn't...
I couldn't tell him...
Your Highness...
It's been so long since I've seen him
gaze upon the Crown Prince with
such warm and trusting eyes...
Your Highness...
That's why I couldn't
get myself to tell him.
How can I stop this?
If I fail to stop this, the regime will
be shaken at the root once again...
How much longer will you live your
life as butcher Yi Bangwon's pawn?
Who are you people?
We are a revolutionary army
fighting for revival of Goryeo.
We live among you as merchants,
farmers, and even as eunuchs and
government officials walking freely
about the Royal Palace.
What is your point?
"Can you protect the King in the making?"
You mean you were the
culprits behind that murder?
He had to die for his crimes
against the royal house.
But you and Yi Bangwon killed innocent
Min Mugu and Min Mujil instead.
We are in the deepest of your court
where you would least expect us.
If you want confirmation, I could cut off
your King Yi Bangwon's head right now.
What would he do if you went back and
told him what you saw and heard here?
He will turn the country upside down
and kill countless innocent people
trying to find us.
We're giving you a chance.
Choose.
Will you die as a pawn of this
butcher's land Joseon?
Or will you join hands with us and live
as loyal servant of glorious Goryeo?
Do not drive this country into
distress with futile dreams!
Minister of Rites Hwang
Hee has been kidnapped?
By whom?
Who dare kidnap a high
minister of the kingdom?
Investigation is in progress, but...
Any clues?
You couldn't find a single
clue to catch the perpetrator?
Given that Minister Hwang's attendants
were rendered instantly unconscious by
a blow to vital point, physicians
believes it is a professional job.
A professional job?
Who is the kidnapper, Prime Minister?
I am the chief of the Supreme Council,
not the Royal Inspector's Office.
If the culprit is in the Supreme
Council, it's a different matter.
What is this ridiculous accusation?
Creating a bigger diversion
to distract attention..
It's an old familiar political tactic.
Minister Park!
If by chance you know who the
culprit is, give him an advice.
He can struggle with a losing
hand but defeat is inevitable.
I await your wise decision.
Remember.
We are watching you.
Is it wise to let him go?
Perhaps we should've kept
him a while and persuade him.
He could expose our
existence to the royal court.
He won't be quick to tell them about us.
Hwang Hee has deep regret for the
death of loyal retainers in Dumundong.
That means he has
doubts about Joseon as well.
We need men like Hwang Hee.
Men who will lay the groundwork
of the resurrected royal house...
Office of Slavery Reparations
What is this about Prince
Choongnyeong being missing?
He left the villa early this morning
and no one has heard from him since.
Could he have gone into hiding?
He was determined.
He wouldn't have stood up to the Queen
the way he did if he weren't
prepared to fight.
Then where could he be?
Do you think Ha Ryun could've done
the unthinkable to silence him?
The unthinkable? Are you saying
they could've they kidnapped him?
Clear the way.
Clear the way.
Your Highness, what happened?
Where have you been?
I want to focus my efforts on getting
the Office of Slavery Reparations up
and running as it should.
This is the battle I've chosen to fight.
There isn't much you can do.
What if I have a reinforcement army?
A reinforcement army?
What do you mean?
We will do everything we can to help.
This is just a start.
Stop looking at me all teary-eyed
and keep your eyes on your work.
Get those ears listening, brains
thinking, and those fingers moving
so that we can hurry up
and finish our work.
We have to finish here so we can get to the
Office of Slavery Reparations, and we have
to get to the Office of Slavery Reparations
to liberate the exploited people.
And that will make us true public servants.
Stop looking at me.
Do your work.
Why are you staring at me when
I just told you to do your work?
Sir, you're the only one that's
not working right now.
Am I?
All right.
I'll work on these two.
Wake up.
Wake up, fellows.
What can we do for you?
Come on, fellows.
Wake up.
Why should we?
There's nothing for us to do anyway.
But of course there is.
You have to drink some more.
Your Highness...
You're not going to stop here, are you?
One night of drinking isn't going to
cool off the raging inferno inside.
So let's get up and start this over.
Please leave us.
You don't have to mock us like this.
I'm not mocking you.
I've come to help you.
When it comes to self-torture
by sorrow and despair,
I have more experience than you men.
This is all that's left for you to do
if you withdraw from the academy.
The world tomorrow will be
as pathetic as it is today,
but you declared your indifference,
so there will be nothing for you to do,
and only thing left will be
to sit around and drink.
We asked you to please leave.
What's the matter?
Your body can't take anymore alcohol?
Your Highness!
Or is there a part of you that
still can't let go despite all the
disparaging remarks you
made about this country?
You may have the right to
make disparaging remarks,
but I don't think you
have the right to despair.
We haven't tried hard
enough to give up hope.
Despair is a right you earn when you've
tired everything you possibly can
and you have nothing more left to give,
but you're still getting beaten
down and knocked around.
Only then we will have
the right to despair.
But I think we still have strength
left in us to take some more beating.
What do you think?
Why would you take a difficult
path when there is an easy one?
What's the fun if it's too easy?
This is no time for jokes, Your Highness.
I am not interested in
exchanging jokes with you either.
Let us expose the Crown
Prince's wrongdoing.
We can't break through this political
impasse with the help of the academy
students alone.
Which political impasse?
Are you referring to this ridiculous political
battle between you and the Prime Minister
in which government policies are
being used as weapons for rivalry?
They are the ones that
turned this into a rivalry.
Look at what's happening now.
Strained scheduling of the Great Hunting
Ceremony has not only undermined the
slavery reparations policy but it
is causing public suffering as well.
You are the man responsible for that!
You were never interested in
slavery reparations to begin with.
You were simply using it as a weapon
to undermine your political enemy.
You just wanted to trap
the few merit subjects
who may have acquired slaves unlawfully.
Your Highness...
Of course they're going to fight
back. What did you expect?
It's not too late.
Focus on the true purpose of
the slavery reparations
policy restoring the rights of
unlawfully enslaved citizens.
The government must give the people
civil rights to demand civic duty.
Only then we can ask the public to
pay taxes and serve the country.
You'll never win your enemy
defying that principle.
To go a step further, you won't even
deserve to wear a minister's gown.
Do you know why?
Because he who uses government
policies as a weapon to fight his
enemy is a public enemy
not a public servant!
Very well.
You may leave.
You should go now as well.
Aren't you going to do anything?
We can't just trust
Choongnyeong's word and relax.
Until the girl is completely eliminated...
Chogungjang is the least
of our problems right now.
Your Highness...?
Don't you see?
Choongnyeong is really becoming a
kingly material unbeknownst to himself.
Your Highness...
With nothing but genuine honesty,
a powerless, authority less young boy
is commanding the Confucius
scholars, government officials
and even a veteran politician
like Park Eun with effortless ease.
He is growing into an
extraordinary leader!
Only one thing can happen if a prince
other than the Crown Prince is recognized
as being worthy of the throne.
The tragedy of their father's
generation could be repeated.
My sons could draw their sword on each
other before my eyes over the throne.
Could there be another mother
like me in this country?
What kind of a mother is
afraid of her own son's growth?
Choongnyeong must not be home yet.
Is he still at the Office
of Slavery Reparations?
"If he engages in the service of the king,
he will not claim success for himself"
But lately...
Choongnyeong's actions seem...
too dangerous for a man who seeks
pleasure simply from hard work.
Mother...
Do whatever it takes to keep him at home.
It's for his own good.
What brings you here, Your Highness?
You men are working so hard.
I thought I'd buy everyone a drink.
Let's go.
This expected of
my kindhearted brother,
but I thought you men
would know your priorities.
Your Highness...
We can't miss this opportunity to
lay a foundation for the conquest
to free a few slaves.
Leave the slavery reparations to the officials
and get ready for your trip to Liaodong.
We will not go to Liaodong.
I'm not asking you.
I'm giving you an order.
You told us not to be afraid to defy
an order if that order is amiss.
Have you forgotten?
It must bring you
great pleasure when slaves fall to
their knees and thank you for caring,
but you can't let that go to your head.
You must keep your eyes on
the big picture to dream big.
It's an unrealistic armchair
theory, Your Highness.
Did you just say an armchair theory?
It is an armchair theory.
We discussed war to preserve
our national pride and autonomy,
but we never thought about the people.
We didn't even consider their situation
or what they would be put through if we
were to proceed with a military conquest.
We intend to relearn from the start.
Purpose of education, where our heart
should be attending to state affairs...
We feel we have to learn again from
the basics to have the right goals.
If you would please forgive us,
we would like to leave now.
It is unbefitting for humble students
to be discussing state affairs
so comfortably over such lavish feast.
Ruins of Dumundong
No!
Stop!
No!
Stop!
This can't be happening!
No!
Choose.
Will you die as a pawn
of this butcher's land Joseon?
Or will you join hands with us and live
as loyal servant of glorious Goryeo?
Your deaths have come back
upon this land as a sword.
If I attempt break that sword to protect this
land, would we become eternal enemies?
Would that be the right thing to do?
You don't look bad for a
man that's been kidnapped.
Forgive me for causing
you concern, Your Majesty.
The physician thought the perpetrator
knew exactly what they were doing.
Who were they?
Your Majesty...
There must have been a reason if they
sent you back without hurting
a hair on your head.
Why can't you answer?
We are in the deepest of your court
where you would least expect us.
If you want confirmation, I could cut off
your King Yi Bangwon's head right now.
I'm afraid I don't know who
they are, Your Majesty.
Is that so?
Very well.
Get back to work.
It isn't often we have the
pleasure of your visit.
I take it you are not here
simply to choose fabrics...
There is a man named Han Younglo
who recently became the director
of the Office of Endowment.
Did you say Han Younglo?
Do you know him?
He is a wealthy man, so we've
had a few business dealings.
Then this will be easy.
I want to send a gift to his daughter.
It wouldn't be a problem to slip
this in with the gift, would it?
It must be something unsafe
if you want me to slip it in.
It's a slanderous statement about the King
that's enough to destroy the whole clan.
This should be enough
to stop the royal wedding.
I can't do this.
We've done business before.
Why are you being difficult?
If you're trying to malign
Han Younglo's daughter
you don't have to go to this trouble.
Is this a confirmed fact?
Yes, Your Grace.
Office of Endowment
Ming envoys are coming for the
maidens on the fifteenth of next month?
I know you're busy with other things,
but perhaps we should wrap this up
as soon as possible.
My Queen...
It has not been easy when the lords
are refusing to offer their daughters.
I'm sure the lords are
not to be blamed alone.
You're not making progress because the
director of this office is incompetent.
Choose your words carefully.
That's no way to talk
about your future in-law.
You cannot marry a royal prince
with a woman of such ignoble clan
unless you wish to
disgrace the royal house.
Ignoble?
A girl that has a lowborn lover is
by no means suitable for a prince.
What are you saying?
That's nonsense.
We will find out soon enough
whether it is nonsense or not.
Are you the daughter of Han Younglo the
director of the Office of Endowment?
Yes...
Can I help your?
Take her!
My lady!
What happened?
She confirmed that it is true.
It is your son's wedding.
You should've paid closer attention.
Please don't fault the Queen, Your Majesty.
I'm sure she is more upset
about this than anyone.
Her son is going to be heartbroken
because of her bad choice.
The guilt must weigh heavily on her heart.
How about you?
Are you all right?
I may have given birth to
Prince Kyoungnyeong,
but the Queen is his mother.
This is just a beginning.
You haven't even seen the card
that I will use to depose the Queen.
Then I guess I better go to the
Office of Slavery Reparations soon.
Why?
I must help Prince Choongnyeong
to bring down the Crown Prince.
An enemy of an enemy is a friend?
Thank you very much, sir.
Were eternally grateful.
Your heart is as big as
this country Joseon.
Is that all?
I should to be as big as
China across Liaodong!
How many more nights will you
be sleeping here at the office?
I don't know.
We're just getting started, so...
You look happy.
I owe it to you, Princess.
Sir!
May we lend a hand as well?
I wouldn't expect a man
who climbs on rooftops to
protest bad government not to help.
Oh sire...
Come on.
Let's go!
Where do you think you're going?
We're going to the Office of Slavery
Reparations again of course.
You've got nothing better to do?
Normally, you can hardly
finish your own assignments.
Why are you doing someone else's work?
Not every work is the same.
This is a very exciting work.
It's rewarding as a public servant
since we're really serving the people.
And who knows?
If we get lucky, we'll dig up some dirt
on high ministers who are trying
to stop us because they're scared.
Watch your tongue and
get back to your office!
Aren't they free to do what
they wish after work hours?
Let's hurry so we can process
as many cases as we can.
Are you coming with us?
But of course.
If you'll excuse us...
No nagging, okay?
I'll have one less thing to nag about if
we don't have a drunkard running wild.
Are you trying to get yourself deposed?
I'm asking you if you want to lose
the right to inherit the throne.
What brings you here at
this late hour, Prime Minister?
I'm afraid Joseon will have a different
Crown Prince at the rate things are going.
What brings you to my villa,
Princess Shim?
Please help, Your Highness.
Choongnyeong is the one that got the Office
of Slavery Reparations back up and running?
He has a strong following among
the Confucius scholars and
the lower ranking officials.
If the slavery reparations
policy catches on fire,
he will gain huge public favor.
Once again he has defied my order
and gotten involved in political affairs...
Choongnyeong has
become very dangerous.
Then now you must make a decision.
Queen...
You must send Choongnyeong away.
Whether the children want it or not,
bloody fight for succession rights
to the throne will become
inevitable in this situation.
Please don't put me through the torture
of watching my sons take
their swords to each other.
Your Majesty...
I can't.
It's for your brothers safety
and stability of this state.
I don't think it's worth it if you
have to kill an innocent life.
You'd put your brother in danger?
I'm going to rectify the wrongs.
Doe!
I'm going to fight.
If there is a force that is trying to
throw this country into distress,
I'm going to fight it with all my might.
I will not hesitate to use
every card I have to win.
Even that dirty card you
have in your hand now?
I won't use anyone's life as a weapon.
Things can happen as long
as that girl is in your hands.
Why can't you trust me and wait?
You will defy your mother?
I'm sorry.
Disrespectful punk...
What brings Your Grace here
at this time of the evening?
You must be softening up with age.
You would've never allowed a eunuch to
sneak in a lady of the palace
into his quarters before.
A lady... of the palace?
She looked familiar.
She has to be lady of the palace.
Your Grace...
Call the woman back.
I must check.
You are mistaken, Your Grace.
She is a visiting sister to
the eunuch named Jachi.
A sister?
Would you like to come inside?
I'm assuming this is a confidential
matter seeing that you are here in
plain clothes at this late hour.
Then perhaps it is unwise
to be seen by the others.
Find fault with the daughter
of Lord Han Younglo?
Make it up if you can't find any.
Your Grace...
Just give me a reason to
break up this wedding...
And I'll compensate you generously.
Perhaps I should face this head on...
I should face the inevitable
and tell the King myself
instead of waiting for him to
find out from someone else.
Your Highness...
Get the palanquin ready.
I'm going to the royal bedchambers.
Has he risen?
Yes, Your Highness.
Announce me.
Who is here at this early hour?
Who is with him?
That's beautiful.
Cyeonghoeru Pavilion: Royal functions and banquet
facility built in 1412 notable for its signage handwritten
by Taejong's firstborn son Prince Yangnyeong.
What are you putting the poor Prince
through so early in the morning?
On the contrary. It's the Crown Prince
who is putting me through this.
I asked him to write a calligraphy plaque,
and he said he needs the morning
energy to focus and write well.
Is that right?
He has excellent penmanship.
Penmanship isn't his only excellence.
It takes a grand and noble
heart to produce such strokes.
Why are you so quiet?
You should respond to their praise.
It's undeserved praise.
I don't know what to say.
I couldn't...
I couldn't tell him...
Your Highness...
It's been so long since I've seen him
gaze upon the Crown Prince with
such warm and trusting eyes...
Your Highness...
That's why I couldn't
get myself to tell him.
How can I stop this?
If I fail to stop this, the regime will
be shaken at the root once again...
How much longer will you live your
life as butcher Yi Bangwon's pawn?
Who are you people?
We are a revolutionary army
fighting for revival of Goryeo.
We live among you as merchants,
farmers, and even as eunuchs and
government officials walking freely
about the Royal Palace.
What is your point?
"Can you protect the King in the making?"
You mean you were the
culprits behind that murder?
He had to die for his crimes
against the royal house.
But you and Yi Bangwon killed innocent
Min Mugu and Min Mujil instead.
We are in the deepest of your court
where you would least expect us.
If you want confirmation, I could cut off
your King Yi Bangwon's head right now.
What would he do if you went back and
told him what you saw and heard here?
He will turn the country upside down
and kill countless innocent people
trying to find us.
We're giving you a chance.
Choose.
Will you die as a pawn of this
butcher's land Joseon?
Or will you join hands with us and live
as loyal servant of glorious Goryeo?
Do not drive this country into
distress with futile dreams!
Minister of Rites Hwang
Hee has been kidnapped?
By whom?
Who dare kidnap a high
minister of the kingdom?
Investigation is in progress, but...
Any clues?
You couldn't find a single
clue to catch the perpetrator?
Given that Minister Hwang's attendants
were rendered instantly unconscious by
a blow to vital point, physicians
believes it is a professional job.
A professional job?
Who is the kidnapper, Prime Minister?
I am the chief of the Supreme Council,
not the Royal Inspector's Office.
If the culprit is in the Supreme
Council, it's a different matter.
What is this ridiculous accusation?
Creating a bigger diversion
to distract attention..
It's an old familiar political tactic.
Minister Park!
If by chance you know who the
culprit is, give him an advice.
He can struggle with a losing
hand but defeat is inevitable.
I await your wise decision.
Remember.
We are watching you.
Is it wise to let him go?
Perhaps we should've kept
him a while and persuade him.
He could expose our
existence to the royal court.
He won't be quick to tell them about us.
Hwang Hee has deep regret for the
death of loyal retainers in Dumundong.
That means he has
doubts about Joseon as well.
We need men like Hwang Hee.
Men who will lay the groundwork
of the resurrected royal house...
Office of Slavery Reparations
What is this about Prince
Choongnyeong being missing?
He left the villa early this morning
and no one has heard from him since.
Could he have gone into hiding?
He was determined.
He wouldn't have stood up to the Queen
the way he did if he weren't
prepared to fight.
Then where could he be?
Do you think Ha Ryun could've done
the unthinkable to silence him?
The unthinkable? Are you saying
they could've they kidnapped him?
Clear the way.
Clear the way.
Your Highness, what happened?
Where have you been?
I want to focus my efforts on getting
the Office of Slavery Reparations up
and running as it should.
This is the battle I've chosen to fight.
There isn't much you can do.
What if I have a reinforcement army?
A reinforcement army?
What do you mean?
We will do everything we can to help.
This is just a start.
Stop looking at me all teary-eyed
and keep your eyes on your work.
Get those ears listening, brains
thinking, and those fingers moving
so that we can hurry up
and finish our work.
We have to finish here so we can get to the
Office of Slavery Reparations, and we have
to get to the Office of Slavery Reparations
to liberate the exploited people.
And that will make us true public servants.
Stop looking at me.
Do your work.
Why are you staring at me when
I just told you to do your work?
Sir, you're the only one that's
not working right now.
Am I?
All right.
I'll work on these two.
Wake up.
Wake up, fellows.
What can we do for you?
Come on, fellows.
Wake up.
Why should we?
There's nothing for us to do anyway.
But of course there is.
You have to drink some more.
Your Highness...
You're not going to stop here, are you?
One night of drinking isn't going to
cool off the raging inferno inside.
So let's get up and start this over.
Please leave us.
You don't have to mock us like this.
I'm not mocking you.
I've come to help you.
When it comes to self-torture
by sorrow and despair,
I have more experience than you men.
This is all that's left for you to do
if you withdraw from the academy.
The world tomorrow will be
as pathetic as it is today,
but you declared your indifference,
so there will be nothing for you to do,
and only thing left will be
to sit around and drink.
We asked you to please leave.
What's the matter?
Your body can't take anymore alcohol?
Your Highness!
Or is there a part of you that
still can't let go despite all the
disparaging remarks you
made about this country?
You may have the right to
make disparaging remarks,
but I don't think you
have the right to despair.
We haven't tried hard
enough to give up hope.
Despair is a right you earn when you've
tired everything you possibly can
and you have nothing more left to give,
but you're still getting beaten
down and knocked around.
Only then we will have
the right to despair.
But I think we still have strength
left in us to take some more beating.
What do you think?
Why would you take a difficult
path when there is an easy one?
What's the fun if it's too easy?
This is no time for jokes, Your Highness.
I am not interested in
exchanging jokes with you either.
Let us expose the Crown
Prince's wrongdoing.
We can't break through this political
impasse with the help of the academy
students alone.
Which political impasse?
Are you referring to this ridiculous political
battle between you and the Prime Minister
in which government policies are
being used as weapons for rivalry?
They are the ones that
turned this into a rivalry.
Look at what's happening now.
Strained scheduling of the Great Hunting
Ceremony has not only undermined the
slavery reparations policy but it
is causing public suffering as well.
You are the man responsible for that!
You were never interested in
slavery reparations to begin with.
You were simply using it as a weapon
to undermine your political enemy.
You just wanted to trap
the few merit subjects
who may have acquired slaves unlawfully.
Your Highness...
Of course they're going to fight
back. What did you expect?
It's not too late.
Focus on the true purpose of
the slavery reparations
policy restoring the rights of
unlawfully enslaved citizens.
The government must give the people
civil rights to demand civic duty.
Only then we can ask the public to
pay taxes and serve the country.
You'll never win your enemy
defying that principle.
To go a step further, you won't even
deserve to wear a minister's gown.
Do you know why?
Because he who uses government
policies as a weapon to fight his
enemy is a public enemy
not a public servant!
Very well.
You may leave.
You should go now as well.
Aren't you going to do anything?
We can't just trust
Choongnyeong's word and relax.
Until the girl is completely eliminated...
Chogungjang is the least
of our problems right now.
Your Highness...?
Don't you see?
Choongnyeong is really becoming a
kingly material unbeknownst to himself.
Your Highness...
With nothing but genuine honesty,
a powerless, authority less young boy
is commanding the Confucius
scholars, government officials
and even a veteran politician
like Park Eun with effortless ease.
He is growing into an
extraordinary leader!
Only one thing can happen if a prince
other than the Crown Prince is recognized
as being worthy of the throne.
The tragedy of their father's
generation could be repeated.
My sons could draw their sword on each
other before my eyes over the throne.
Could there be another mother
like me in this country?
What kind of a mother is
afraid of her own son's growth?
Choongnyeong must not be home yet.
Is he still at the Office
of Slavery Reparations?
"If he engages in the service of the king,
he will not claim success for himself"
But lately...
Choongnyeong's actions seem...
too dangerous for a man who seeks
pleasure simply from hard work.
Mother...
Do whatever it takes to keep him at home.
It's for his own good.
What brings you here, Your Highness?
You men are working so hard.
I thought I'd buy everyone a drink.
Let's go.
This expected of
my kindhearted brother,
but I thought you men
would know your priorities.
Your Highness...
We can't miss this opportunity to
lay a foundation for the conquest
to free a few slaves.
Leave the slavery reparations to the officials
and get ready for your trip to Liaodong.
We will not go to Liaodong.
I'm not asking you.
I'm giving you an order.
You told us not to be afraid to defy
an order if that order is amiss.
Have you forgotten?
It must bring you
great pleasure when slaves fall to
their knees and thank you for caring,
but you can't let that go to your head.
You must keep your eyes on
the big picture to dream big.
It's an unrealistic armchair
theory, Your Highness.
Did you just say an armchair theory?
It is an armchair theory.
We discussed war to preserve
our national pride and autonomy,
but we never thought about the people.
We didn't even consider their situation
or what they would be put through if we
were to proceed with a military conquest.
We intend to relearn from the start.
Purpose of education, where our heart
should be attending to state affairs...
We feel we have to learn again from
the basics to have the right goals.
If you would please forgive us,
we would like to leave now.
It is unbefitting for humble students
to be discussing state affairs
so comfortably over such lavish feast.
Ruins of Dumundong
No!
Stop!
No!
Stop!
This can't be happening!
No!
Choose.
Will you die as a pawn
of this butcher's land Joseon?
Or will you join hands with us and live
as loyal servant of glorious Goryeo?
Your deaths have come back
upon this land as a sword.
If I attempt break that sword to protect this
land, would we become eternal enemies?
Would that be the right thing to do?
You don't look bad for a
man that's been kidnapped.
Forgive me for causing
you concern, Your Majesty.
The physician thought the perpetrator
knew exactly what they were doing.
Who were they?
Your Majesty...
There must have been a reason if they
sent you back without hurting
a hair on your head.
Why can't you answer?
We are in the deepest of your court
where you would least expect us.
If you want confirmation, I could cut off
your King Yi Bangwon's head right now.
I'm afraid I don't know who
they are, Your Majesty.
Is that so?
Very well.
Get back to work.
It isn't often we have the
pleasure of your visit.
I take it you are not here
simply to choose fabrics...
There is a man named Han Younglo
who recently became the director
of the Office of Endowment.
Did you say Han Younglo?
Do you know him?
He is a wealthy man, so we've
had a few business dealings.
Then this will be easy.
I want to send a gift to his daughter.
It wouldn't be a problem to slip
this in with the gift, would it?
It must be something unsafe
if you want me to slip it in.
It's a slanderous statement about the King
that's enough to destroy the whole clan.
This should be enough
to stop the royal wedding.
I can't do this.
We've done business before.
Why are you being difficult?
If you're trying to malign
Han Younglo's daughter
you don't have to go to this trouble.
Is this a confirmed fact?
Yes, Your Grace.
Office of Endowment
Ming envoys are coming for the
maidens on the fifteenth of next month?
I know you're busy with other things,
but perhaps we should wrap this up
as soon as possible.
My Queen...
It has not been easy when the lords
are refusing to offer their daughters.
I'm sure the lords are
not to be blamed alone.
You're not making progress because the
director of this office is incompetent.
Choose your words carefully.
That's no way to talk
about your future in-law.
You cannot marry a royal prince
with a woman of such ignoble clan
unless you wish to
disgrace the royal house.
Ignoble?
A girl that has a lowborn lover is
by no means suitable for a prince.
What are you saying?
That's nonsense.
We will find out soon enough
whether it is nonsense or not.
Are you the daughter of Han Younglo the
director of the Office of Endowment?
Yes...
Can I help your?
Take her!
My lady!
What happened?
She confirmed that it is true.
It is your son's wedding.
You should've paid closer attention.
Please don't fault the Queen, Your Majesty.
I'm sure she is more upset
about this than anyone.
Her son is going to be heartbroken
because of her bad choice.
The guilt must weigh heavily on her heart.
How about you?
Are you all right?
I may have given birth to
Prince Kyoungnyeong,
but the Queen is his mother.
This is just a beginning.
You haven't even seen the card
that I will use to depose the Queen.
Then I guess I better go to the
Office of Slavery Reparations soon.
Why?
I must help Prince Choongnyeong
to bring down the Crown Prince.
An enemy of an enemy is a friend?
Thank you very much, sir.
Were eternally grateful.
Your heart is as big as
this country Joseon.
Is that all?
I should to be as big as
China across Liaodong!
How many more nights will you
be sleeping here at the office?
I don't know.
We're just getting started, so...
You look happy.
I owe it to you, Princess.
Sir!
May we lend a hand as well?
I wouldn't expect a man
who climbs on rooftops to
protest bad government not to help.
Oh sire...
Come on.
Let's go!
Where do you think you're going?
We're going to the Office of Slavery
Reparations again of course.
You've got nothing better to do?
Normally, you can hardly
finish your own assignments.
Why are you doing someone else's work?
Not every work is the same.
This is a very exciting work.
It's rewarding as a public servant
since we're really serving the people.
And who knows?
If we get lucky, we'll dig up some dirt
on high ministers who are trying
to stop us because they're scared.
Watch your tongue and
get back to your office!
Aren't they free to do what
they wish after work hours?
Let's hurry so we can process
as many cases as we can.
Are you coming with us?
But of course.
If you'll excuse us...
No nagging, okay?
I'll have one less thing to nag about if
we don't have a drunkard running wild.
Are you trying to get yourself deposed?
I'm asking you if you want to lose
the right to inherit the throne.
What brings you here at
this late hour, Prime Minister?
I'm afraid Joseon will have a different
Crown Prince at the rate things are going.
What brings you to my villa,
Princess Shim?
Please help, Your Highness.
Choongnyeong is the one that got the Office
of Slavery Reparations back up and running?
He has a strong following among
the Confucius scholars and
the lower ranking officials.
If the slavery reparations
policy catches on fire,
he will gain huge public favor.
Once again he has defied my order
and gotten involved in political affairs...
Choongnyeong has
become very dangerous.
Then now you must make a decision.
Queen...
You must send Choongnyeong away.
Whether the children want it or not,
bloody fight for succession rights
to the throne will become
inevitable in this situation.
Please don't put me through the torture
of watching my sons take
their swords to each other.
Your Majesty...