Dae Wang Sejong (2008): Season 1, Episode 77 - Episode #1.77 - full transcript
The King has ordered the Crown Prince
to govern in his place,
so we must quickly
restructure ourselves around the regency.
Phonetics books, laws translations,
and now regency.
What could the King be up to?
I will embrace creation of a new
writing system as my life's mission
as I want the people of this great
country to be the political subject
of the government not just for now
but for thousands of years to come.
Are you afraid of becoming a regent?
I will be deciding the fate of the people.
Fear is normal.
That fear will guide you
into the right direction.
Depose me from the
seat of the Crown Princess.
Depose you?
I have had an illicit affair
with a palace maid.
What happened?
What do you mean?
You didn't even listen when
I begged you for help.
What happened?
Do you want to know?
Yeah. So much so I've forgotten
about wanting to have a drink.
Then would you quit drinking if I told you?
Huh?
You're asking too much.
I'm leaving.
Grandson-in-law.
Make me a promise first.
It's a torture as it is drinking only
three of these little cups a day.
Don't you think that's cruel?
I don't want to lose you, Grandfather.
You can't bring me here into the
Hall of Worthies and leave me.
It's because of the pain.
Drinking will only make it worse.
Stupid pain is so hard to
stand once it starts up.
You ease pain with medicine,
not with alcohol.
Let's go.
I'm taking you to see the physician.
You don't think I've seen the physician?
You don't think I want to live to great
things with our great King and
my brilliant grandson-in-law?
There is no hope?
What's this in front of me?
You are my hope.
It was the girigocha.
Girigocha: Distance recording vehicle.
I came here on a girigocha.
Prime Minister, what brings you here?
Get it.
I saved you a seat in the back.
Did my grandfather-in-law send you?
Your departed father sent me.
The measurement of Hansung Prefecture
happens to be Circumference-7.7 miles!
4.6 miles long between Bugaksa to
the north and Mokyeoksa to the south!
From Heungin Gate to the east
and Donui Gate to the west...
Donui gate, Donui gate...
How many miles was it?
It must be writing down here somewhere.
3.5 miles, sir.
Huh?
The east-west diameter of
the capital city is 3.5 miles.
The East District has 12 bangs,
South District has 11 bangs,
West District has 10 and Central has 8,
so in all there're 59 villages within the city.
How do you know all that?
Be careful, sir.
You're going to fall.
You must've had a lot of
interest in your father's work.
His work was all he could talk about.
Then how can you say that illness
was all he got in return for his work?
How about all those things he
left at the Hall of Worthies?
So did you come here
to the Hall of Worthies?
And what did you find here?
Hey, Inji, your new tax proposal,
I don't understand your premises.
The lower three states just
suffered a major flood.
Hey, Manli.
Oh, here it is!
How can we raise taxes
when there's been a flood?
Great desire.
My father's great desire.
Aren't your desires and the desires of
the scholars being added layer by layer
on top of that here at
the Hall of Worthies?
Is it your turn now?
Bringing new great desires into this place.
I've been appointed apprentice scholar
of the Hall of Worthies by the King.
It's good to know that you'll be here.
By the way, Your Highness.
There is a place I'd really like to see.
Does the Crown Prince know about this?
Quite a few others know as well.
I wish this were not true.
I'm... sorry. Father.
I'm in no position to speak,
but I hope my deposal does not
hurt the Crown Prince in anyway.
Go back to your chambers.
Father...
Do as I say.
Go.
Your Majesty...
Give me death, Your Majesty.
You must have known about it.
I wanted to take care of this
without disturbing you, but...
Would you call the palace maids?
It's empty.
Why did you go to the King?
You should've come to me first.
This is the only way this will end.
How could you be so childish!
Child, are you... are you all right?
I don't know what to say to comfort you.
Don't worry. Mother.
I've gone too far.
Where is the Crown Prince?
Does he know about what happened?
So that's the North Star.
What's the closest companion
to the North Star?
The Four Protector Stars.
They are the premier stars
that guide the North Star.
The Four Protector Stars...
You mustn't tell the Crown Prince why
Sukju has been put to service.
Is there a reason?
We mustn't reveal the secret until
His Majesty tells him himself
not even to the Crown Prince.
So why did you want to come to
the observatory all of a sudden?
I wanted to get an idea of where I stand.
Where you stand?
I heard you are to become the Regent.
Yes.
Then are you becoming a North Star now?
"If you govern with the power of virtue,
you will be like the North Star."
"You stay in place while the others
position themselves around you."
Are you trying to say
building virtue comes first?
Only then I will be the center of Joseon
as the North Star is the center of universe.
Then I want to aspire to be
the Four Protector Stars.
I may just be no more than an errand
boy right now as an apprentice scholar,
but I will work hard to become a
faithful servant who will be right
beside you like the Four Protectors Stars.
Shin Sukju?
Phonetics books, law codes
translation and now Shin Sukju...
He's going to be working at the Hall
of Worthies as an apprentice scholar.
Shin Sukju...
Shin Sukju...
He's a young man who grew up
being called a child prodigy.
I believe his has extraordinary
talent is in foreign languages.
They say he's mastered the art of language,
written, spoken, fundamentals and all.
I wonder what His Majesty has in mind.
Why would he employ a boy who hasn't
even passed the civil service exams?
The boys extraordinary linguistic talent
is that what he thinks highly of?
I would think so.
No, he couldn't be.
He couldn't be entertaining
such an absurd idea!
What idea?
Does this mean that wasn't a joke?
Sir.
No way.
This is insane!
What are you talking about?
What do you suspect the King is up to?
The King... The King is...
The King is trying to create
a new writing system.
I want the code of laws translated.
In Idu for now.
Idu is for clerks and petty officials.
We can't use it at the Hall of Worthies.
Then perhaps you can develop
an easier writing system.
What do you mean?
Idu may be easier than Chinese,
but it's just as daunting to learn
from the commoner's perspective.
I don't think we should be
exchanging jokes right now.
What makes you think I am joking?
He wasn't joking.
You might be jumping to conclusions.
I think he would've discussed it with the
Hall of Worthies first if he wanted to do this.
No, the chances are my guess is right.
He knew we couldn't deal
with something as big as this.
He must be stopped!
We must stop the creation
of a new writing system!
We should confirm whether
this true or not first.
This regency is the proof that it's true!
Why else would the King suddenly
turn over the government to his son?
How did it go?
We searched the whole
palace and the vicinity, but...
You couldn't find them?
Crown Prince should be informed.
But sir!
Anything can happen now.
He has to brace himself.
Your Highness!
Your Highness!
What is it?
There is a problem.
Maids of the Crown Prince's palace?
Yes, my lord.
What brings you to my
house at this late hour?
This is hard for you.
It's my fault.
Your shoulders are heavy
as it is with state affairs
and I've added to your burden...
I don't know how I could
ever make up for this...
You are a cruel woman.
And you're foolish woman as well.
How could you hold yourself
responsible for someone else's failure
and so thoroughly blame yourself?
Your Majesty...
Scold me instead.
I claim to be the father of all people,
but I don't even know what is going
on with my own son let
alone take notice of his pain.
You should blame me and scold me instead.
I know too much of your own pain
and struggles to do that to you.
I hope I am not too late.
I want to share my son's pain.
No, I want to surfer his pain
for him if it's possible.
Eunuch Guard Chief Gang Hui apparently
searched the city for them in secrecy.
So this is true?
Will you help us now?
Sure, why not?
Guard!
- What are you doing?
- Let go of us!
Let go of us!
What are you doing?
Quiet down and behave yourselves
if you don't want to die this instant.
Are you going to have the girls killed?
They threatened the Crown Princess
and patronized the Crown Prince.
That's more than enough to die.
But if you're right about the King's plan,
you should stop the regency.
I supposed this could stop him.
Then this is your weapon.
It could be.
Why do you look so nervous
entering your own room?
Don't just stand there.
Come and sit down.
Take it.
I guess we've never had a casual
drink together like this before.
What am I doing that's so important
that I can't even make time for
a drink with my own son?
Let's drink.
Drink up.
I know you want to talk.
Let's drink.
The official warrants and
reports I got for general affairs
settlement are at the Royal Lessons Hall.
I organized it by category and labeled
them, so they should be easy to find.
Don't.
Send your men to Jinyang's
villa in the morning.
He's intelligent and prudent, so he
will do a good job if you command him.
Don't even think it.
The current Crown Prince of Joseon
Yi Hyang is physically feeble and
unfit to do all of his duties
as an Heir Apparent.
I will take my wife and
leave the city tomorrow.
Look at me.
Then the world will see my wife
as a good woman who gave up
the glory of the crown to take
care of her feeble husband.
Look at me!
This is the only way to preserve the
honor of the Royal House at this point.
You are more important to me than
the honor of the Royal House, son!
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for making you suffer alone.
I'm sorry for being such a distant
father that you couldn't approach
to share your pain with, my son!
Father...
This must be so hard for you.
I'm sorry, Father.
I didn't want to disappoint you,
but I just couldn't get myself
to embrace the woman.
It's not your fault.
You didn't do anything wrong.
Whatever happens now,
you are not at fault.
Were you visiting the Hall of Worthies?
Yes.
You look busy.
Of course he is.
There's only a month left
before he takes over as the Regent.
He is personally checking out
the duties of each department.
Is that so?
I hope I have the support of the
Hall of Worthies as well, master.
I'm proud of how the
Crown Prince is holding up.
We should have deposed
the Crown Princess.
But the Crown Prince is willing to bear it.
How is the Crown Princess?
The palace is like hell to her now.
Let us just find the palace maids that
ran away and take care of this matter.
Crown Prince does not want a scandal.
He will get through this.
I wish you wouldn't think that.
We shouldn't force him to
endure and suffer all the pain.
What can we do when he's just like you?
The first thing Hyang learned from you
is bearing pain and enduring hardship.
Forget about the Crown Princess for now.
Forget about it?
Now is not the time.
Are you getting soft on us?
I know how much the
Crown Prince means to you.
A beloved disciple he's like a son to you.
It is not good politics to let personal
feelings interfere with greater cause.
I think I know politics a
little more than you do.
What's the reason Joseon still has
not responded to Mongolia's request?
I have been sending requests
to the Royal Court, so be patient.
Do you think the court will let the
Mongols have the new technology?
Mongols are making repeated
requests for an emissary?
What they want is our new technology.
It could become a sensitive
issue between the two states.
This should be taken care of
before the regency takes effect.
I will give my directions
to Director Yun soon.
Are you in pain again?
Have a drink if it's that bad.
Drink just enough to make
you forget the pain.
I've already had my three
glasses for the day, kid.
Who cares about a promise
when you're in this much pain?
Grandfather, what are you doing?
Be quite and say nothing.
What is going on here?
I think it's pretty obvious...
Did you drink again?
Your Majesty, the truth is...
Kid, telling him that you drank
with me won't change anything.
I don't understand you.
Don't you know the difficult
situation I am in right now?
From the Royal House to domestic
and foreign affairs,
there is not one thing that is
going smoothly right now.
At this rate, we may never even get
started with the new writing system.
I know.
No, you don't know.
You couldn't do this if you did.
Tell His Majesty the truth
and resign from your post.
Don't be silly.
He has enough to deal with as it is.
You want me to add to that?
What are you doing?
Are you suggesting we
have a drink together?
I will accept any punishment you choose.
Punishment?
Yes, of course.
I broke my promise.
Very well.
Now you can't have any
wine at all not even a drop.
Is that disapproval?
No, I wouldn't call it that...
You have not been looking well lately.
I'm not exactly a young man
anymore, Your Majesty.
I asked you to curtail your drinking
because I'm concerned for your health.
I guess you still have some room left on your
plate for you to be worried about nothing.
Director Yun.
But it doesn't feel half bad
to know that you still love me.
In return for your love, I will go and
take care of the Mongolian situation.
Oirat Mongolian Tribes
This is the design your
government requested.
Toghon - Leader of the Oirats
What is the meaning of this?
We have reasons to believe Joseon
is exchanging very dangerous information
with Great Ming's enemy Mongolia.
Dongchang Agency, Liaodong
What is the design you turned
over to the Mongols?
What did you find out?
Joseon turned over something
very interesting to the Mongols.
The waterwheel?
And you got in return is Menggu Ziyun?
Menggu Ziyun: Rhyming dictionary of Chinese
phonetic syllables written in Phags pa script.
What Joseon and Mongolia
want is cultural exchange.
Now shall we talk about Ming's baseless
suspicion and contemptuous military
action toward a sister country?
If you don't mind, I'd like to deal
with our intelligence chief who
extracted false information and incited
trouble in Ming-Joseon relationship.
Menggu Ziyun?
Chief Director Yun Hwe brought
in Mongolian literature?
That's not all.
Shin Sukju has been traveling to
Japan bringing back references
on the Japanese script.
He's going to be sent over to India next.
Mongolia, Japan and now India...
They all have their own writing.
They are all crude, inferior script.
What are we waiting for?
How?
How did these get into your hands?
Validity of what this suggests
is what's important.
Do you want this concealed?
What do you want, master?
For you to become a good King.
And for that, I'm willing to cover this up.
I suppose I must thank you now.
It's too soon for that.
We haven't finished our deal.
His Majesty the King is on a
very dangerous path right now.
He could very well lead this
country to doom on this path.
What are you referring to?
Creation of a writing system.
I beg your pardon?
The King wants our own written language
that only barbarians resort to creating
for themselves.
He knows exactly just how risky this is.
That's why he is doing this on his own
without even consulting the scholars.
And to do this,
what he needs most is time.
Are you saying that is why he has
ordered me to be the Regent?
It just so happens
tomorrow is your first day.
But you must decline.
That's the only way to stop the King
from pursuing this dangerous endeavor.
And if I don't decline?
We will become political enemies.
I'm a politician who knows how to
exploit my opposition's weakness
if it is for the good of the country.
It's all true.
The officials oppose fiercely.
That is why I kept it a secret.
I knew that I couldn't even get
the project off the ground facing fierce
opposition from the get go.
What can I do to make you call it off?
The people are the subject of politics.
That is the reason why we need this.
It is the King's men that
deliver the King's reign.
And that is why you need good men.
I am unwilling to stop working on
the creation of a writing system,
and it seems you are unwilling
to lose a good man.
If l accept this regency,
the world will find out about
the scandal in the Royal House.
You have a very tough
first decision to make.
I've turned over the state
affairs to you as of today.
So it's your call.
The Hall of Worthies' first
assignment is editing the
Classification of Pathologies.
What does this mean?
Why else would I be giving
you an assignment?
I'm accepting the regency.
Then the world will take
the future throne from you.
I've warned you.
I'm a politician before I am your mentor.
Walk the path you have
chosen for yourself, master.
I will do the same.
to govern in his place,
so we must quickly
restructure ourselves around the regency.
Phonetics books, laws translations,
and now regency.
What could the King be up to?
I will embrace creation of a new
writing system as my life's mission
as I want the people of this great
country to be the political subject
of the government not just for now
but for thousands of years to come.
Are you afraid of becoming a regent?
I will be deciding the fate of the people.
Fear is normal.
That fear will guide you
into the right direction.
Depose me from the
seat of the Crown Princess.
Depose you?
I have had an illicit affair
with a palace maid.
What happened?
What do you mean?
You didn't even listen when
I begged you for help.
What happened?
Do you want to know?
Yeah. So much so I've forgotten
about wanting to have a drink.
Then would you quit drinking if I told you?
Huh?
You're asking too much.
I'm leaving.
Grandson-in-law.
Make me a promise first.
It's a torture as it is drinking only
three of these little cups a day.
Don't you think that's cruel?
I don't want to lose you, Grandfather.
You can't bring me here into the
Hall of Worthies and leave me.
It's because of the pain.
Drinking will only make it worse.
Stupid pain is so hard to
stand once it starts up.
You ease pain with medicine,
not with alcohol.
Let's go.
I'm taking you to see the physician.
You don't think I've seen the physician?
You don't think I want to live to great
things with our great King and
my brilliant grandson-in-law?
There is no hope?
What's this in front of me?
You are my hope.
It was the girigocha.
Girigocha: Distance recording vehicle.
I came here on a girigocha.
Prime Minister, what brings you here?
Get it.
I saved you a seat in the back.
Did my grandfather-in-law send you?
Your departed father sent me.
The measurement of Hansung Prefecture
happens to be Circumference-7.7 miles!
4.6 miles long between Bugaksa to
the north and Mokyeoksa to the south!
From Heungin Gate to the east
and Donui Gate to the west...
Donui gate, Donui gate...
How many miles was it?
It must be writing down here somewhere.
3.5 miles, sir.
Huh?
The east-west diameter of
the capital city is 3.5 miles.
The East District has 12 bangs,
South District has 11 bangs,
West District has 10 and Central has 8,
so in all there're 59 villages within the city.
How do you know all that?
Be careful, sir.
You're going to fall.
You must've had a lot of
interest in your father's work.
His work was all he could talk about.
Then how can you say that illness
was all he got in return for his work?
How about all those things he
left at the Hall of Worthies?
So did you come here
to the Hall of Worthies?
And what did you find here?
Hey, Inji, your new tax proposal,
I don't understand your premises.
The lower three states just
suffered a major flood.
Hey, Manli.
Oh, here it is!
How can we raise taxes
when there's been a flood?
Great desire.
My father's great desire.
Aren't your desires and the desires of
the scholars being added layer by layer
on top of that here at
the Hall of Worthies?
Is it your turn now?
Bringing new great desires into this place.
I've been appointed apprentice scholar
of the Hall of Worthies by the King.
It's good to know that you'll be here.
By the way, Your Highness.
There is a place I'd really like to see.
Does the Crown Prince know about this?
Quite a few others know as well.
I wish this were not true.
I'm... sorry. Father.
I'm in no position to speak,
but I hope my deposal does not
hurt the Crown Prince in anyway.
Go back to your chambers.
Father...
Do as I say.
Go.
Your Majesty...
Give me death, Your Majesty.
You must have known about it.
I wanted to take care of this
without disturbing you, but...
Would you call the palace maids?
It's empty.
Why did you go to the King?
You should've come to me first.
This is the only way this will end.
How could you be so childish!
Child, are you... are you all right?
I don't know what to say to comfort you.
Don't worry. Mother.
I've gone too far.
Where is the Crown Prince?
Does he know about what happened?
So that's the North Star.
What's the closest companion
to the North Star?
The Four Protector Stars.
They are the premier stars
that guide the North Star.
The Four Protector Stars...
You mustn't tell the Crown Prince why
Sukju has been put to service.
Is there a reason?
We mustn't reveal the secret until
His Majesty tells him himself
not even to the Crown Prince.
So why did you want to come to
the observatory all of a sudden?
I wanted to get an idea of where I stand.
Where you stand?
I heard you are to become the Regent.
Yes.
Then are you becoming a North Star now?
"If you govern with the power of virtue,
you will be like the North Star."
"You stay in place while the others
position themselves around you."
Are you trying to say
building virtue comes first?
Only then I will be the center of Joseon
as the North Star is the center of universe.
Then I want to aspire to be
the Four Protector Stars.
I may just be no more than an errand
boy right now as an apprentice scholar,
but I will work hard to become a
faithful servant who will be right
beside you like the Four Protectors Stars.
Shin Sukju?
Phonetics books, law codes
translation and now Shin Sukju...
He's going to be working at the Hall
of Worthies as an apprentice scholar.
Shin Sukju...
Shin Sukju...
He's a young man who grew up
being called a child prodigy.
I believe his has extraordinary
talent is in foreign languages.
They say he's mastered the art of language,
written, spoken, fundamentals and all.
I wonder what His Majesty has in mind.
Why would he employ a boy who hasn't
even passed the civil service exams?
The boys extraordinary linguistic talent
is that what he thinks highly of?
I would think so.
No, he couldn't be.
He couldn't be entertaining
such an absurd idea!
What idea?
Does this mean that wasn't a joke?
Sir.
No way.
This is insane!
What are you talking about?
What do you suspect the King is up to?
The King... The King is...
The King is trying to create
a new writing system.
I want the code of laws translated.
In Idu for now.
Idu is for clerks and petty officials.
We can't use it at the Hall of Worthies.
Then perhaps you can develop
an easier writing system.
What do you mean?
Idu may be easier than Chinese,
but it's just as daunting to learn
from the commoner's perspective.
I don't think we should be
exchanging jokes right now.
What makes you think I am joking?
He wasn't joking.
You might be jumping to conclusions.
I think he would've discussed it with the
Hall of Worthies first if he wanted to do this.
No, the chances are my guess is right.
He knew we couldn't deal
with something as big as this.
He must be stopped!
We must stop the creation
of a new writing system!
We should confirm whether
this true or not first.
This regency is the proof that it's true!
Why else would the King suddenly
turn over the government to his son?
How did it go?
We searched the whole
palace and the vicinity, but...
You couldn't find them?
Crown Prince should be informed.
But sir!
Anything can happen now.
He has to brace himself.
Your Highness!
Your Highness!
What is it?
There is a problem.
Maids of the Crown Prince's palace?
Yes, my lord.
What brings you to my
house at this late hour?
This is hard for you.
It's my fault.
Your shoulders are heavy
as it is with state affairs
and I've added to your burden...
I don't know how I could
ever make up for this...
You are a cruel woman.
And you're foolish woman as well.
How could you hold yourself
responsible for someone else's failure
and so thoroughly blame yourself?
Your Majesty...
Scold me instead.
I claim to be the father of all people,
but I don't even know what is going
on with my own son let
alone take notice of his pain.
You should blame me and scold me instead.
I know too much of your own pain
and struggles to do that to you.
I hope I am not too late.
I want to share my son's pain.
No, I want to surfer his pain
for him if it's possible.
Eunuch Guard Chief Gang Hui apparently
searched the city for them in secrecy.
So this is true?
Will you help us now?
Sure, why not?
Guard!
- What are you doing?
- Let go of us!
Let go of us!
What are you doing?
Quiet down and behave yourselves
if you don't want to die this instant.
Are you going to have the girls killed?
They threatened the Crown Princess
and patronized the Crown Prince.
That's more than enough to die.
But if you're right about the King's plan,
you should stop the regency.
I supposed this could stop him.
Then this is your weapon.
It could be.
Why do you look so nervous
entering your own room?
Don't just stand there.
Come and sit down.
Take it.
I guess we've never had a casual
drink together like this before.
What am I doing that's so important
that I can't even make time for
a drink with my own son?
Let's drink.
Drink up.
I know you want to talk.
Let's drink.
The official warrants and
reports I got for general affairs
settlement are at the Royal Lessons Hall.
I organized it by category and labeled
them, so they should be easy to find.
Don't.
Send your men to Jinyang's
villa in the morning.
He's intelligent and prudent, so he
will do a good job if you command him.
Don't even think it.
The current Crown Prince of Joseon
Yi Hyang is physically feeble and
unfit to do all of his duties
as an Heir Apparent.
I will take my wife and
leave the city tomorrow.
Look at me.
Then the world will see my wife
as a good woman who gave up
the glory of the crown to take
care of her feeble husband.
Look at me!
This is the only way to preserve the
honor of the Royal House at this point.
You are more important to me than
the honor of the Royal House, son!
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for making you suffer alone.
I'm sorry for being such a distant
father that you couldn't approach
to share your pain with, my son!
Father...
This must be so hard for you.
I'm sorry, Father.
I didn't want to disappoint you,
but I just couldn't get myself
to embrace the woman.
It's not your fault.
You didn't do anything wrong.
Whatever happens now,
you are not at fault.
Were you visiting the Hall of Worthies?
Yes.
You look busy.
Of course he is.
There's only a month left
before he takes over as the Regent.
He is personally checking out
the duties of each department.
Is that so?
I hope I have the support of the
Hall of Worthies as well, master.
I'm proud of how the
Crown Prince is holding up.
We should have deposed
the Crown Princess.
But the Crown Prince is willing to bear it.
How is the Crown Princess?
The palace is like hell to her now.
Let us just find the palace maids that
ran away and take care of this matter.
Crown Prince does not want a scandal.
He will get through this.
I wish you wouldn't think that.
We shouldn't force him to
endure and suffer all the pain.
What can we do when he's just like you?
The first thing Hyang learned from you
is bearing pain and enduring hardship.
Forget about the Crown Princess for now.
Forget about it?
Now is not the time.
Are you getting soft on us?
I know how much the
Crown Prince means to you.
A beloved disciple he's like a son to you.
It is not good politics to let personal
feelings interfere with greater cause.
I think I know politics a
little more than you do.
What's the reason Joseon still has
not responded to Mongolia's request?
I have been sending requests
to the Royal Court, so be patient.
Do you think the court will let the
Mongols have the new technology?
Mongols are making repeated
requests for an emissary?
What they want is our new technology.
It could become a sensitive
issue between the two states.
This should be taken care of
before the regency takes effect.
I will give my directions
to Director Yun soon.
Are you in pain again?
Have a drink if it's that bad.
Drink just enough to make
you forget the pain.
I've already had my three
glasses for the day, kid.
Who cares about a promise
when you're in this much pain?
Grandfather, what are you doing?
Be quite and say nothing.
What is going on here?
I think it's pretty obvious...
Did you drink again?
Your Majesty, the truth is...
Kid, telling him that you drank
with me won't change anything.
I don't understand you.
Don't you know the difficult
situation I am in right now?
From the Royal House to domestic
and foreign affairs,
there is not one thing that is
going smoothly right now.
At this rate, we may never even get
started with the new writing system.
I know.
No, you don't know.
You couldn't do this if you did.
Tell His Majesty the truth
and resign from your post.
Don't be silly.
He has enough to deal with as it is.
You want me to add to that?
What are you doing?
Are you suggesting we
have a drink together?
I will accept any punishment you choose.
Punishment?
Yes, of course.
I broke my promise.
Very well.
Now you can't have any
wine at all not even a drop.
Is that disapproval?
No, I wouldn't call it that...
You have not been looking well lately.
I'm not exactly a young man
anymore, Your Majesty.
I asked you to curtail your drinking
because I'm concerned for your health.
I guess you still have some room left on your
plate for you to be worried about nothing.
Director Yun.
But it doesn't feel half bad
to know that you still love me.
In return for your love, I will go and
take care of the Mongolian situation.
Oirat Mongolian Tribes
This is the design your
government requested.
Toghon - Leader of the Oirats
What is the meaning of this?
We have reasons to believe Joseon
is exchanging very dangerous information
with Great Ming's enemy Mongolia.
Dongchang Agency, Liaodong
What is the design you turned
over to the Mongols?
What did you find out?
Joseon turned over something
very interesting to the Mongols.
The waterwheel?
And you got in return is Menggu Ziyun?
Menggu Ziyun: Rhyming dictionary of Chinese
phonetic syllables written in Phags pa script.
What Joseon and Mongolia
want is cultural exchange.
Now shall we talk about Ming's baseless
suspicion and contemptuous military
action toward a sister country?
If you don't mind, I'd like to deal
with our intelligence chief who
extracted false information and incited
trouble in Ming-Joseon relationship.
Menggu Ziyun?
Chief Director Yun Hwe brought
in Mongolian literature?
That's not all.
Shin Sukju has been traveling to
Japan bringing back references
on the Japanese script.
He's going to be sent over to India next.
Mongolia, Japan and now India...
They all have their own writing.
They are all crude, inferior script.
What are we waiting for?
How?
How did these get into your hands?
Validity of what this suggests
is what's important.
Do you want this concealed?
What do you want, master?
For you to become a good King.
And for that, I'm willing to cover this up.
I suppose I must thank you now.
It's too soon for that.
We haven't finished our deal.
His Majesty the King is on a
very dangerous path right now.
He could very well lead this
country to doom on this path.
What are you referring to?
Creation of a writing system.
I beg your pardon?
The King wants our own written language
that only barbarians resort to creating
for themselves.
He knows exactly just how risky this is.
That's why he is doing this on his own
without even consulting the scholars.
And to do this,
what he needs most is time.
Are you saying that is why he has
ordered me to be the Regent?
It just so happens
tomorrow is your first day.
But you must decline.
That's the only way to stop the King
from pursuing this dangerous endeavor.
And if I don't decline?
We will become political enemies.
I'm a politician who knows how to
exploit my opposition's weakness
if it is for the good of the country.
It's all true.
The officials oppose fiercely.
That is why I kept it a secret.
I knew that I couldn't even get
the project off the ground facing fierce
opposition from the get go.
What can I do to make you call it off?
The people are the subject of politics.
That is the reason why we need this.
It is the King's men that
deliver the King's reign.
And that is why you need good men.
I am unwilling to stop working on
the creation of a writing system,
and it seems you are unwilling
to lose a good man.
If l accept this regency,
the world will find out about
the scandal in the Royal House.
You have a very tough
first decision to make.
I've turned over the state
affairs to you as of today.
So it's your call.
The Hall of Worthies' first
assignment is editing the
Classification of Pathologies.
What does this mean?
Why else would I be giving
you an assignment?
I'm accepting the regency.
Then the world will take
the future throne from you.
I've warned you.
I'm a politician before I am your mentor.
Walk the path you have
chosen for yourself, master.
I will do the same.