Dae Wang Sejong (2008): Season 1, Episode 21 - Episode #1.21 - full transcript
My Queen...
You must send...
Choongnyeong away.
Whether the children want it or not,
bloody fight for succession rights to
the throne is inevitable in this situation.
Please don't put me through the torture
of watching my children take
their swords to each other.
Your Majesty...
Please help us, Your Highness.
I cannot go to the Officer of
Slavery Reparations, Princess.
If Prince Choongnyeong stays
at the center of attention alone,
he will become a target again.
If I get involved,
they will accuse us of uniting in
opposition against the Crown Prince.
Should we be more afraid of the public
sentiment than of false accusations?
I hope I'm not too late.
Your Highness...
Did you call Prince Sungnyeong as well?
Forgive me...
This won't change my mind.
I cannot let you put my
younger brother in danger either.
I will go alone if you won't go.
You're not going anywhere
but back to your palace!
I may be young, but I do know that
it is the precious tax payer's money
that pays for our lavish living.
It's our obligation to pay them back.
I think fighting for their rights is
the best way to pay them back.
I didn't know you'd come
to help, older brother.
"Older brother"?
You're much too respectful to a son
born of a concubine, Your Highness.
How else am I to be to an older brother?
I've always known that you're smart,
but I see now that there is no
way I will ever outsmart you.
Aren't you trying to butter me
up so you can order me around?
It sounds like you've come
prepared to get down and dirty.
I'm afraid you'll get mad at me
give you something easy to do.
Let's get inside.
Brother!
If I banish Choongnyeong for
getting involved in politics,
I will have to banish the
other princes as well.
Will you be all right sending young
Sungnyeong away as well?
How can you laugh at a time like this?
Then do you want me to cry instead?
Prime Minister...
From Royal prince to prince born
of concubine, everyone is coming
forward on their own to protect Prince
Choongnyeong when Choongnyeong
himself is focused on work without
any concern for his own safety.
He's a man with innate talent
for attracting support...
Albeit an enemy, I want to applaud him.
The whole country singing praises
about Prince Choongnyeong.
I know.
Even the scholars and officials
are dancing to the tune...
The princes have joined him as well now.
Are you going to admit defeat?
What would you have me do?
Aim my sword at my own brother?
It's this kind of weak talk that makes
the world turn to Choongnyeong.
Would it make me a kingly
material if I killed my brother?
He who believes that only violence can
solve his problem is not a kingly material.
You think I am a kingly material?
Is this what you called me here for?
If you were not a kingly material,
the King and the Queen would
not need to consider having you banished.
Why are you telling me this?
To protect you, of course.
Are you sure it isn't to protect yourself?
Welfare of an old man approaching
seventy is not very important.
Then would you be my sword?
Is it aimed at the Crown Prince?
Isn't that obvious?
You're finally sounding
like an earthly human.
But of course.
Who doesn't want power and authority?
Then now I guess we're
ready to make a deal.
What do I have to give you in return
for you giving me the throne?
Your Highness...
Should I squeeze the public to their last
drop of blood to give you fortune and glory?
Or...
Should I sweep crimes like
this one under the rug for you?
What are you trying to say about this?
You shouldn't take this lightly.
Do you think something as trivial as
this should force me to retirement?
Trivial or not, a crime is a crime.
And as the Prime Minister,
you should at least own up to what
you've done and show some remorse.
I envy your youthful vigor.
I, too, had days like that once.
I was naive and confident, and
distinguished black and white so clearly.
A part of me wants to
let you win this once.
Where were you?
Don't just stand there.
Come and sit down.
I couldn't fall asleep,
so I thought I'd have a drink with you.
But I guess you already had a drink.
Forgive me, Father.
Then how about a game of chess?
Check.
You're still checked, kid.
You can't win because
you take pawns lightly...
When pawns are dangerous
beings that can destroy a king.
Father...
I wonder if life isn't the same.
He that recognize the value of his pawns
and win their hearts is
the true kingly material.
What are you trying to say?
I still firmly believe that
the seat of the Heir Apparent
should be reserved for the eldest son.
But...
It could become difficult for me to insist if
the public sentiment favors another prince.
You could have been a
little kinder to him tonight...
I would have been if I were just a father.
Your Majesty...
But even a tiger needs
to feel fear sometimes.
Your Highness, this is
utterly inappropriate.
I want to start over.
I want to start by acquiring
a good man like you.
Is this to defeat your younger brother?
It's to become a worthy
master of this country Joseon.
Your Highness...
Would you show me the way?
A wise leader will observe the
reality before discussing policies.
Construction site for
the Great Hunting Ceremony
A wise leader will seeks ways
to relieve public pain on the
fundamental level instead of
sharing their pain immediately.
A recommendation regarding
the Great Hunting Ceremony?
We must quickly adjust
the event's schedule.
The schedule is tight as it is.
It would be a strain to move it
up any further, Your Highness.
I am requesting that we
move the schedule back.
The underlying purpose of this event
is to suppress foreign invasion.
Therefore, it is the consensus
of the court that sooner is better.
We cannot lose are most important
weapon to hold back the enemy.
That would defeat the whole purpose.
Our most important weapon?
The spirit of the soldiers.
Majority of the laborers that have
been put to work in preparation
for the Great Hunting Ceremony
are family members of the soldiers.
What soldier would fight to the death
for the King who persecutes his family?
What is your opinion, Prime Minister?
You're going to concede to
the Crown Prince on this.
My political career is at stake here.
If the Crown Prince falls,
this government is done for.
Oh dear, perhaps I shouldn't have asked.
This is a policy you said you'd
risk your life to see through.
There is no chance you'd agree to this.
No, Your Majesty.
I agree with the Crown Prince.
You can't find anything on
Prime Minister Ha Ryun?
Nothing on the Min clan and
the other merit subjects either?
We've even conducted physical search
of their homes but we could not find
one unlawfully obtained slave.
Over 80.000 individuals
were seized as slaves.
And more than half of them
are still unaccounted for.
It doesn't take a scientist to
figure out whose hands they...
Could this be the reason?!
Minister Park...?
The tracks have all been covered,
so there is no longer a reason to
so there is no longer a reason to push
the Great Hunting Ceremony.
Is that it?
But tracks can never
be covered completely.
Thank you for the wise
decision, Prime Minister.
Consider it your welcome gift.
I'm sure I will have my chance
to return the favor someday.
That day might come sooner
than you think, Minister Hwang.
Ha Ryun's bastard son Ha Jang has
an adoptive father named Byun Kyeum.
And this man has taken over a dozen
former government servant
into his personal servitude.
The adoptive father of a bastard son?
Here's my point.
If he's pulling strings for people as
distantly connected as an adoptive
father of a bastard son, exposing his
own crime is a matter of interrogation.
Perhaps we should alert the Censor-
general and request an impeachment.
That won't be necessary.
Resignation?
I was deeply moved by Prince
Choongnyeong's bitter counsel.
He said moral training
and home management is
essential fundament of success in all things,
and advised that I confess my crime and
seek punishment since
a man who can't control
is own family is unfit for
the role of the Prime Minister.
Do not reject the Prince's noble intent.
Remove me from service
and rectify the court.
Prime Minister turned in his resignation?
Yes.
But why?
You came down on him with irrefutable
evidence and he naturally caved in.
This makes it all worth it.
We finally got rid of a corrupted
politician with our own hands.
Prime Minister Ha Ryun
must remain in office!
He must remain in office!
We implore you not to forsake
the Prime Minister
over a trivial matter!
We implore you!
If this justifies grounds for a removal,
more than half of the court officials
will have to be removed.
That will paralyze the government.
He must remain in office, Your Majesty!
He must remain in office, Your Majesty!
He's not satisfied with covering up
the tracks, so he's going in for the kill?
Minister of Rites Hwang Hee
has joined in on the dirty fight...
Doom is just a matter
of time for this country...
Reject the resignation.
Your Majesty...
I can't burn the house
down to catch a mice.
Prime Minister Ha Ryun...
He is a powerful man...
Did you drink again?
Why would I need to drink when I'm
drunk as it is with your sick games?
Why, sir?
Not only did you join hands
with those scheming men,
but you got your whole
staff helping them as well.
I don't believe in destroying a man
as important as a prime minister
over a trivial violation of the law.
You're creating bigger violations by
allowing trivial violations to go unpunished.
We have to remove the
Prime Minister for this,
we have to remove half of
the entire administrative staff!
We can clean house and start over.
What are you afraid of?
What about the confusion we will
have to deal with in the process?
Minister Hwang!
Can you assume responsibility if some
malicious force tries to swallow this
government whole while we're
dealing with the confusion?
There is no end in sight!
Are you angry?
Are you sure governing the land
is taking care of its people?
It's filthy, disgusting,
difficult and confusing.
It's like being trapped in a
maze that doesn't have an exit.
Your Highness...
But it's still too soon to despair.
Since you still have strength left
in you to take some more beating.
You're calling back the princes from
the Office of Slavery Reparations?
Let me take care of that.
How much longer do you intend to be out
there at the Office of Slavery Reparations?
Do you want me to stop?
Do you think I want you to stop?
Because I'm bothered by your actions?
Your Highness...
The fact is I am bothered.
I don't like all the attention you're
getting and I don't like people
calling you kingly material.
That's why I need you to work even harder.
Whether it is the slavery
reparations or something else,
do any work you want
to do and do it well.
I need to show the world that I am
capable of embracing you as well
to earn their trust and recognition
as the true kingly material.
It's nice to see you again, Your Grace.
I came by to thank you again for your work.
You've thanked me more
than enough, Your Grace.
If you do another important favor for me...
I'll pay you ten times what I paid you.
I need to locate the nursemaid
that disappeared from my house
nineteen years ago.
You should give up now.
Could you give up?
I don't care what anyone says.
It's the Queen that tried to kill me
and Kyoungnyeong that night.
How could I give up?
Even if we do find the woman,
she will not expose the event
that will incriminate her as well.
I will take care of that,
so just find her and bring her to me.
I can destroy the Min clan and depose
the Queen if I can just expose the truth.
I will never give up.
Not until I am dead and buried.
Office of Endowment
I had no idea the Queen of
Joseon had such low standards.
There is more to beauty
than outer appearance.
I'm sure the Emperor will
appreciate their inner beauty.
There's a limit to how much inner
beauty can cover unsightliness.
If angering the Emperor is not your intent,
I suggest you start over.
I ordered you to stay away from here!
Please give me a moment
of your time, Your Highness.
Must I call the guards?
I will offer my daughter to
the Ming Emperor.
The envoy is furious.
My daughters beauty should be
more than enough to quell his anger.
Youngsil's life is in your hands.
Death by flagellation is the punishment
for a servant who violated a high
minister's daughter.
They will soon carry out the sentence.
Let's go home.
Did you wish to see me?
I'm sure you can guess as
to why I wanted to see you.
Another approach?
I think he is trying to find
Chogungjang himself.
Then I guess I have
nothing to worry about...
Since you will turn the girl over to
me as soon as Park Eun locates her.
Of course.
I've known this all along,
but you are a smart man.
I just know how to read the King's
heart since I serve him very closely.
Then it won't be long before
you know how to read the world.
What I really want to
learn is your know-how.
What's your secret that keeps you dodging
every political pitfalls with grace?
Perhaps you can share
a pointer of two with me.
There is no secret.
I just know the blueprint.
The blueprint?
All of the blueprints of
Joseon came from me.
You speak in riddles.
It's not easy for me to understand.
You wouldn't call it a secret if
it were easy now, would you?
A blueprint...
What would be the weakest
link in the blueprint of Joseon?
Could that be it?
Go to Ha Ryun's hometown of
Goryeong in Gyeongsang Province.
What will happen to Ha Ryun
if your hunch is right?
We just have to hope
that my hunch is wrong...
Um Jachi was it?
He is Choongnyeong's
most faithful servant,
so he has to know Chogungjang's
whereabouts.
Talk to him and find out where she is.
It's layered with potent poison,
with will be instant
if you aim for the blood vessel.
Must we kill Chogungjang?
Your target is Choongnyeong.
Kill him once you have
Chogungjang's location.
Ilji...
He can't be...!
You know what?
This is an apology.
I'm apologizing to you right now
for the King and the Royal House.
It' us that sent you to Ming,
and it's us that made you citizens
of a powerless state who have no
choice but to succumb to being spies.
I promise that the Royal House
will do its best to make sure
what happened to you doesn't
happen to anyone else.
What's this for?
Bastard!
I thought you and I were best friends.
How could you deceive me like this?
Jachi...
Take him!
Jachi!
Jachi!
Did you bring the criminal?
Yes, Your Highness.
Then I shall interrogate him.
This will be the most memorable
birthday since you almost died.
Right?
You should've seen the look on his face.
Hey, when I first saw this, I thought
you were hiding a girlfriend from us.
But stay away from those merchants.
They're suspicious characters.
Who did you buy that for anyway?
I know you don't have a girlfriend.
Tell us.
Who is it for?
Is it for your mother or your sister?
Did you want to buy a nice gift
for your mother since today is
the day she gave birth to you?
Tell us about your mother.
Father!
Mother!
I have no memory of her.
I lost both of my parents
when I was young.
Oh dear!
How?
They were killed by the enemy.
What kind of awful people
would commit a murder?
Your parents had to have been
good people if they had you.
Right Ogen?
Yes, of course.
If you're going to make him your
mentor, perhaps we should find
and punish his parents'
killer first, Your Highness.
Mentor?
I heard you speak fluent Chinese.
I want you to teach me.
Why do you wish to learn Chinese?
We can't rise above Ming
without first knowing Ming.
Why don't we find a way to rise
above those who gave you pain first
fore we set out to find the
people that harmed your parents?
Learning their language will be
the first step in that direction.
I thought you were busy with
the slavery reparations policy.
Speaking in foreign language
That means "disrespectful rascal"
in Chinese, right?
Don't underestimate our prince, kid.
He can handle three or four
things at once no problem.
You're the one that's
being disrespectful, Jachi.
Your Highness...
That's no way to talk to my mentor.
Your Highness, this lowly
servant doesn't deserve this...
Lowly?
You're going to be my teacher.
Your Highness...
Here, please let this humble
pupil pour you a drink.
Don't sneak up like that.
You scared me half to death.
You scared me more, Granny.
Is there someone in the back
room? I think the light is on.
I'm surprised Jachi didn't tell you.
I thought you two were closer
than a married couple.
I guess you know now.
Who is that?
It's the former King's concubine
Chogungjang, isn't it?
Why is she here?
This is getting too complicated.
I had hoped you wouldn't find out...
What are you talking about?
If it gets out that we've been
hiding her here, we're dead.
Granny will flat out deny knowing about
it, but you're a softy and you'll crack.
Jachi...
If anything happens,
Ogen and I will take the fall alone,
so don't get involved for nothing.
And if something really does happen,
take care of Prince Choongnyeong for us.
Did you find out where
Chogungjang is hiding?
Should I send Hwang Hee a gift?
"Can you protect the King in the making?"
Why are you so startled?
Startled?
Who?
What's that in your hand?
It's nothing.
Did you...
Before you came to work...
Before I came to work what?
No, never mind.
Announce me.
The Crown Prince is not here, sir.
What do you mean?
He went to see the hunting ceremony
site with His Majesty the King.
You must send...
Choongnyeong away.
Whether the children want it or not,
bloody fight for succession rights to
the throne is inevitable in this situation.
Please don't put me through the torture
of watching my children take
their swords to each other.
Your Majesty...
Please help us, Your Highness.
I cannot go to the Officer of
Slavery Reparations, Princess.
If Prince Choongnyeong stays
at the center of attention alone,
he will become a target again.
If I get involved,
they will accuse us of uniting in
opposition against the Crown Prince.
Should we be more afraid of the public
sentiment than of false accusations?
I hope I'm not too late.
Your Highness...
Did you call Prince Sungnyeong as well?
Forgive me...
This won't change my mind.
I cannot let you put my
younger brother in danger either.
I will go alone if you won't go.
You're not going anywhere
but back to your palace!
I may be young, but I do know that
it is the precious tax payer's money
that pays for our lavish living.
It's our obligation to pay them back.
I think fighting for their rights is
the best way to pay them back.
I didn't know you'd come
to help, older brother.
"Older brother"?
You're much too respectful to a son
born of a concubine, Your Highness.
How else am I to be to an older brother?
I've always known that you're smart,
but I see now that there is no
way I will ever outsmart you.
Aren't you trying to butter me
up so you can order me around?
It sounds like you've come
prepared to get down and dirty.
I'm afraid you'll get mad at me
give you something easy to do.
Let's get inside.
Brother!
If I banish Choongnyeong for
getting involved in politics,
I will have to banish the
other princes as well.
Will you be all right sending young
Sungnyeong away as well?
How can you laugh at a time like this?
Then do you want me to cry instead?
Prime Minister...
From Royal prince to prince born
of concubine, everyone is coming
forward on their own to protect Prince
Choongnyeong when Choongnyeong
himself is focused on work without
any concern for his own safety.
He's a man with innate talent
for attracting support...
Albeit an enemy, I want to applaud him.
The whole country singing praises
about Prince Choongnyeong.
I know.
Even the scholars and officials
are dancing to the tune...
The princes have joined him as well now.
Are you going to admit defeat?
What would you have me do?
Aim my sword at my own brother?
It's this kind of weak talk that makes
the world turn to Choongnyeong.
Would it make me a kingly
material if I killed my brother?
He who believes that only violence can
solve his problem is not a kingly material.
You think I am a kingly material?
Is this what you called me here for?
If you were not a kingly material,
the King and the Queen would
not need to consider having you banished.
Why are you telling me this?
To protect you, of course.
Are you sure it isn't to protect yourself?
Welfare of an old man approaching
seventy is not very important.
Then would you be my sword?
Is it aimed at the Crown Prince?
Isn't that obvious?
You're finally sounding
like an earthly human.
But of course.
Who doesn't want power and authority?
Then now I guess we're
ready to make a deal.
What do I have to give you in return
for you giving me the throne?
Your Highness...
Should I squeeze the public to their last
drop of blood to give you fortune and glory?
Or...
Should I sweep crimes like
this one under the rug for you?
What are you trying to say about this?
You shouldn't take this lightly.
Do you think something as trivial as
this should force me to retirement?
Trivial or not, a crime is a crime.
And as the Prime Minister,
you should at least own up to what
you've done and show some remorse.
I envy your youthful vigor.
I, too, had days like that once.
I was naive and confident, and
distinguished black and white so clearly.
A part of me wants to
let you win this once.
Where were you?
Don't just stand there.
Come and sit down.
I couldn't fall asleep,
so I thought I'd have a drink with you.
But I guess you already had a drink.
Forgive me, Father.
Then how about a game of chess?
Check.
You're still checked, kid.
You can't win because
you take pawns lightly...
When pawns are dangerous
beings that can destroy a king.
Father...
I wonder if life isn't the same.
He that recognize the value of his pawns
and win their hearts is
the true kingly material.
What are you trying to say?
I still firmly believe that
the seat of the Heir Apparent
should be reserved for the eldest son.
But...
It could become difficult for me to insist if
the public sentiment favors another prince.
You could have been a
little kinder to him tonight...
I would have been if I were just a father.
Your Majesty...
But even a tiger needs
to feel fear sometimes.
Your Highness, this is
utterly inappropriate.
I want to start over.
I want to start by acquiring
a good man like you.
Is this to defeat your younger brother?
It's to become a worthy
master of this country Joseon.
Your Highness...
Would you show me the way?
A wise leader will observe the
reality before discussing policies.
Construction site for
the Great Hunting Ceremony
A wise leader will seeks ways
to relieve public pain on the
fundamental level instead of
sharing their pain immediately.
A recommendation regarding
the Great Hunting Ceremony?
We must quickly adjust
the event's schedule.
The schedule is tight as it is.
It would be a strain to move it
up any further, Your Highness.
I am requesting that we
move the schedule back.
The underlying purpose of this event
is to suppress foreign invasion.
Therefore, it is the consensus
of the court that sooner is better.
We cannot lose are most important
weapon to hold back the enemy.
That would defeat the whole purpose.
Our most important weapon?
The spirit of the soldiers.
Majority of the laborers that have
been put to work in preparation
for the Great Hunting Ceremony
are family members of the soldiers.
What soldier would fight to the death
for the King who persecutes his family?
What is your opinion, Prime Minister?
You're going to concede to
the Crown Prince on this.
My political career is at stake here.
If the Crown Prince falls,
this government is done for.
Oh dear, perhaps I shouldn't have asked.
This is a policy you said you'd
risk your life to see through.
There is no chance you'd agree to this.
No, Your Majesty.
I agree with the Crown Prince.
You can't find anything on
Prime Minister Ha Ryun?
Nothing on the Min clan and
the other merit subjects either?
We've even conducted physical search
of their homes but we could not find
one unlawfully obtained slave.
Over 80.000 individuals
were seized as slaves.
And more than half of them
are still unaccounted for.
It doesn't take a scientist to
figure out whose hands they...
Could this be the reason?!
Minister Park...?
The tracks have all been covered,
so there is no longer a reason to
so there is no longer a reason to push
the Great Hunting Ceremony.
Is that it?
But tracks can never
be covered completely.
Thank you for the wise
decision, Prime Minister.
Consider it your welcome gift.
I'm sure I will have my chance
to return the favor someday.
That day might come sooner
than you think, Minister Hwang.
Ha Ryun's bastard son Ha Jang has
an adoptive father named Byun Kyeum.
And this man has taken over a dozen
former government servant
into his personal servitude.
The adoptive father of a bastard son?
Here's my point.
If he's pulling strings for people as
distantly connected as an adoptive
father of a bastard son, exposing his
own crime is a matter of interrogation.
Perhaps we should alert the Censor-
general and request an impeachment.
That won't be necessary.
Resignation?
I was deeply moved by Prince
Choongnyeong's bitter counsel.
He said moral training
and home management is
essential fundament of success in all things,
and advised that I confess my crime and
seek punishment since
a man who can't control
is own family is unfit for
the role of the Prime Minister.
Do not reject the Prince's noble intent.
Remove me from service
and rectify the court.
Prime Minister turned in his resignation?
Yes.
But why?
You came down on him with irrefutable
evidence and he naturally caved in.
This makes it all worth it.
We finally got rid of a corrupted
politician with our own hands.
Prime Minister Ha Ryun
must remain in office!
He must remain in office!
We implore you not to forsake
the Prime Minister
over a trivial matter!
We implore you!
If this justifies grounds for a removal,
more than half of the court officials
will have to be removed.
That will paralyze the government.
He must remain in office, Your Majesty!
He must remain in office, Your Majesty!
He's not satisfied with covering up
the tracks, so he's going in for the kill?
Minister of Rites Hwang Hee
has joined in on the dirty fight...
Doom is just a matter
of time for this country...
Reject the resignation.
Your Majesty...
I can't burn the house
down to catch a mice.
Prime Minister Ha Ryun...
He is a powerful man...
Did you drink again?
Why would I need to drink when I'm
drunk as it is with your sick games?
Why, sir?
Not only did you join hands
with those scheming men,
but you got your whole
staff helping them as well.
I don't believe in destroying a man
as important as a prime minister
over a trivial violation of the law.
You're creating bigger violations by
allowing trivial violations to go unpunished.
We have to remove the
Prime Minister for this,
we have to remove half of
the entire administrative staff!
We can clean house and start over.
What are you afraid of?
What about the confusion we will
have to deal with in the process?
Minister Hwang!
Can you assume responsibility if some
malicious force tries to swallow this
government whole while we're
dealing with the confusion?
There is no end in sight!
Are you angry?
Are you sure governing the land
is taking care of its people?
It's filthy, disgusting,
difficult and confusing.
It's like being trapped in a
maze that doesn't have an exit.
Your Highness...
But it's still too soon to despair.
Since you still have strength left
in you to take some more beating.
You're calling back the princes from
the Office of Slavery Reparations?
Let me take care of that.
How much longer do you intend to be out
there at the Office of Slavery Reparations?
Do you want me to stop?
Do you think I want you to stop?
Because I'm bothered by your actions?
Your Highness...
The fact is I am bothered.
I don't like all the attention you're
getting and I don't like people
calling you kingly material.
That's why I need you to work even harder.
Whether it is the slavery
reparations or something else,
do any work you want
to do and do it well.
I need to show the world that I am
capable of embracing you as well
to earn their trust and recognition
as the true kingly material.
It's nice to see you again, Your Grace.
I came by to thank you again for your work.
You've thanked me more
than enough, Your Grace.
If you do another important favor for me...
I'll pay you ten times what I paid you.
I need to locate the nursemaid
that disappeared from my house
nineteen years ago.
You should give up now.
Could you give up?
I don't care what anyone says.
It's the Queen that tried to kill me
and Kyoungnyeong that night.
How could I give up?
Even if we do find the woman,
she will not expose the event
that will incriminate her as well.
I will take care of that,
so just find her and bring her to me.
I can destroy the Min clan and depose
the Queen if I can just expose the truth.
I will never give up.
Not until I am dead and buried.
Office of Endowment
I had no idea the Queen of
Joseon had such low standards.
There is more to beauty
than outer appearance.
I'm sure the Emperor will
appreciate their inner beauty.
There's a limit to how much inner
beauty can cover unsightliness.
If angering the Emperor is not your intent,
I suggest you start over.
I ordered you to stay away from here!
Please give me a moment
of your time, Your Highness.
Must I call the guards?
I will offer my daughter to
the Ming Emperor.
The envoy is furious.
My daughters beauty should be
more than enough to quell his anger.
Youngsil's life is in your hands.
Death by flagellation is the punishment
for a servant who violated a high
minister's daughter.
They will soon carry out the sentence.
Let's go home.
Did you wish to see me?
I'm sure you can guess as
to why I wanted to see you.
Another approach?
I think he is trying to find
Chogungjang himself.
Then I guess I have
nothing to worry about...
Since you will turn the girl over to
me as soon as Park Eun locates her.
Of course.
I've known this all along,
but you are a smart man.
I just know how to read the King's
heart since I serve him very closely.
Then it won't be long before
you know how to read the world.
What I really want to
learn is your know-how.
What's your secret that keeps you dodging
every political pitfalls with grace?
Perhaps you can share
a pointer of two with me.
There is no secret.
I just know the blueprint.
The blueprint?
All of the blueprints of
Joseon came from me.
You speak in riddles.
It's not easy for me to understand.
You wouldn't call it a secret if
it were easy now, would you?
A blueprint...
What would be the weakest
link in the blueprint of Joseon?
Could that be it?
Go to Ha Ryun's hometown of
Goryeong in Gyeongsang Province.
What will happen to Ha Ryun
if your hunch is right?
We just have to hope
that my hunch is wrong...
Um Jachi was it?
He is Choongnyeong's
most faithful servant,
so he has to know Chogungjang's
whereabouts.
Talk to him and find out where she is.
It's layered with potent poison,
with will be instant
if you aim for the blood vessel.
Must we kill Chogungjang?
Your target is Choongnyeong.
Kill him once you have
Chogungjang's location.
Ilji...
He can't be...!
You know what?
This is an apology.
I'm apologizing to you right now
for the King and the Royal House.
It' us that sent you to Ming,
and it's us that made you citizens
of a powerless state who have no
choice but to succumb to being spies.
I promise that the Royal House
will do its best to make sure
what happened to you doesn't
happen to anyone else.
What's this for?
Bastard!
I thought you and I were best friends.
How could you deceive me like this?
Jachi...
Take him!
Jachi!
Jachi!
Did you bring the criminal?
Yes, Your Highness.
Then I shall interrogate him.
This will be the most memorable
birthday since you almost died.
Right?
You should've seen the look on his face.
Hey, when I first saw this, I thought
you were hiding a girlfriend from us.
But stay away from those merchants.
They're suspicious characters.
Who did you buy that for anyway?
I know you don't have a girlfriend.
Tell us.
Who is it for?
Is it for your mother or your sister?
Did you want to buy a nice gift
for your mother since today is
the day she gave birth to you?
Tell us about your mother.
Father!
Mother!
I have no memory of her.
I lost both of my parents
when I was young.
Oh dear!
How?
They were killed by the enemy.
What kind of awful people
would commit a murder?
Your parents had to have been
good people if they had you.
Right Ogen?
Yes, of course.
If you're going to make him your
mentor, perhaps we should find
and punish his parents'
killer first, Your Highness.
Mentor?
I heard you speak fluent Chinese.
I want you to teach me.
Why do you wish to learn Chinese?
We can't rise above Ming
without first knowing Ming.
Why don't we find a way to rise
above those who gave you pain first
fore we set out to find the
people that harmed your parents?
Learning their language will be
the first step in that direction.
I thought you were busy with
the slavery reparations policy.
Speaking in foreign language
That means "disrespectful rascal"
in Chinese, right?
Don't underestimate our prince, kid.
He can handle three or four
things at once no problem.
You're the one that's
being disrespectful, Jachi.
Your Highness...
That's no way to talk to my mentor.
Your Highness, this lowly
servant doesn't deserve this...
Lowly?
You're going to be my teacher.
Your Highness...
Here, please let this humble
pupil pour you a drink.
Don't sneak up like that.
You scared me half to death.
You scared me more, Granny.
Is there someone in the back
room? I think the light is on.
I'm surprised Jachi didn't tell you.
I thought you two were closer
than a married couple.
I guess you know now.
Who is that?
It's the former King's concubine
Chogungjang, isn't it?
Why is she here?
This is getting too complicated.
I had hoped you wouldn't find out...
What are you talking about?
If it gets out that we've been
hiding her here, we're dead.
Granny will flat out deny knowing about
it, but you're a softy and you'll crack.
Jachi...
If anything happens,
Ogen and I will take the fall alone,
so don't get involved for nothing.
And if something really does happen,
take care of Prince Choongnyeong for us.
Did you find out where
Chogungjang is hiding?
Should I send Hwang Hee a gift?
"Can you protect the King in the making?"
Why are you so startled?
Startled?
Who?
What's that in your hand?
It's nothing.
Did you...
Before you came to work...
Before I came to work what?
No, never mind.
Announce me.
The Crown Prince is not here, sir.
What do you mean?
He went to see the hunting ceremony
site with His Majesty the King.