(Episode 26)

What?! The King has collapsed?!

Yes

He was fine last night

but he collapsed
from last night's fever?

Yes

Madam, you should go quickly and
find out what happened

OK, I'll do that

Let's go

What happened to him?

Didn't you say he regained
his strength after the trip?

Physician, why aren't
you saying anything?

It's hard to say what caused this...

The King collapsed,
and you don't know...

what caused it, as a physician?

What's going on here? How could
the King who just came back...

from the hot springs
fall unconscious with high fever?!

I thought his health
would get worse...

from the long-term illness,
so I used tonic medicine

Then why did such a thing happen?!

You're sure your diagnosis was right?

I'm sure of it, even this physician
diagnosed the same as well

Yes, sir

Anyhow, find the cause quickly!
If you don't find it soon...

and he doesn't improve,
you'll have to give up your lives...

Understand?!

Yes, sir

Sir, are you sure about
his previous condition?

Are you saying
my diagnosis was wrong?!

No, it's just that even after
he started taking medicine...

he still had diarrhea and
his fever got worse...

Are you saying the King
may have some other illness?

If it isn't, then...

That's not possible
You saw the list of symptoms...

how could any doctor
diagnose it as something else?

Could there be some problem
with the prescribed medicine?

The physician prescribed it
and I made it myself

There are no problems with
the prescription and the medicine

Then how come...?

What do you mean, how come?

Are you saying the physician
gave a wrong prescription?

No, I don't mean that...

His symptoms are clearly
caused by his cold

so we gave him the best medicine

So there are no problems with
the prescription or the medicine

Anyway, his fever will go down
for now, so let's wait and see

Stop the medicine for now

Then?

We should check him again

Are you concerned about something?

How about you?

Even though he has had
skin problems for a long time...

the fact that he had a cold
for a long time...

I agree... his health has
deteriorated too much...

by the skin problem...
same with the sore in his mouth

If it's some rare illness...

Go to the library and see if
there's any other illness like this

Sure, I'll do that, but
if our diagnosis was wrong...

Check it first

The King has collapsed?!

Everyone in the palace
is mad over this

so just go back home
and meet Sir Oh later

Sure. But the Royal Physician said
there was no problem with him...

so how could this be?

That's why there's all this commotion

Hong, are you sure?

Yes, ma'am. Not only the kitchen,
but the whole palace is in commotion

Madam

Madam

I'll leave now

Hong!

Yes, Madam

Wait here for a moment. I need you
to quickly deliver a letter for me

Sure

I heard the King collapsed though
the doctors said there's no problem

I don't think the heavens have
turned its back on us

Remember the Prince's
duck stew incident?

LfJang-Geum hadn't
found out the cause for it...

the innocent chef would've died

This is the one chance that
the heavens have given us

Then what food do you
want us to prepare?

He's still unconscious,
so he can't eat regular food yet

Didn't the physician say he'd wake up

as soon as his fever goes down?

Yes, he'll wake up soon

Then what should we do?

After he wakes up, the physician will
diagnose his conditions again

and then he'll decide on
the type of food he'll eat

Then do we have to wait for a while?

I think that's
the only choice for now

Oh my, what did the physicians do...

to make him suffer like this?

Yes. And they even suggested
the trip to the hot springs

How can we trust the physicians now?

What are you doing here?
I don't have time now

I know... but please,
let me talk to you for a moment

I heard everything from
Sir Park on the way

I heard you used a special medicine
to treat the cold and it happened

after the hot springs trip,
so physicians are in deep trouble

What do you want to say?

I just want to help you, sir

The best physician in Chosun
couldn't have misdiagnosed...

The problem is clearly not with
the prescription or the medicine

It could've been caused
by some other problem

Other problem?

The King probably didn't only
take the medicine

He took the medicine and
he also ate two meals a day

The physician will surely
heal the King in time

but if we don't find the cause
for King's collapse

then the physician or you
will be directly responsible

So tell me
I'll take care of the rest

The Queen doesn't want any food,
but she keeps on making porridge

What else could she do?
She has to serve it

Then do we have to fast, too?

Of course! You know
what happened to the King!

I was just...

What is it?

I think you have to go with us

What is it?

You'll find out

Let's go

Escort her

Madam...

It's probably nothing, so don't worry

I'll be back, so Lady Min, make sure
to serve the food to the Queen

Sure

It feels like she's being arraigned

No, whenever the King's
health deteriorates

that's what happens around here

Really?

Yes

The physicians have suggested
his summer house...

so why did you recommend that place?

Actually, it's my hometown and I knew

the hot springs there are good, so...

Your hometown?

He had a cold and he didn't have
any other illnesses to cause a fever

So the physicians are inquiring
into the food he ate

Food? All the food was prepared under

the provision of the physician

Even if he supervised it,
how could he know all the spices...

and the ingredients?

We didn't use any other spices that
the physicians don't know of

I can show you all the ingredients
and the spices used right now

This is the list from Food Services

They received all
the ingredients except for ducks

What was the reason?

Like I told you before,
I knew that the ducks

were better than the ones
from Food Services

So you recommended the place
because it's your hometown

and you used the local ducks
because it was your hometown?

Yes

Are ducks the only local items used?

No, we normally buy vegetables and
other ingredients that go off easily

Head Lady, make sure
Lady Han stays in...

the inspection room at
the Court Lady House and of course

Lady Han won't be allowed to go
to the kitchen during this time

Sure

You, go back there with
the kitchen ladies and investigate

Yes, sir

Did such a thing ever happen before?

Yes, when I was a new girl
Everyone from worker ladies...

to the court ladies were called
and we had to suffer insults

Even the worker ladies?

That's a relief. I'm glad I didn't go

The King probably won't do that

The former ruler was always
suspicious about...

getting poisoned from the food
so he did that often

Lady Han isn't coming back?

You're Suh Jang-Geum, aren't you?

Yes, and...?

Prepare to leave

Excuse me?

It's done as you said

Good. You can get the mushroom
from a guy named Min-Dal

It's a special poisonous mushroom
that silver spoons can't detect

In front of everyone,
he'll say that Lady Han...

from his hometown asked him to
give the mushroom to Jang-Geum

And you only have to give him time
to leave the place...

so no one can question him
and no matter how they try

Lady Han and Jang-Geum won't
be able to do anything about it

OK

What brings you to this shabby place?

Inside the palace...

I did hear the King had collapsed

Lady Han is locked in
the ladies' inspection room, right?

Yes, so that's why
you should take over the kitchen

You can become the Highest Lady
if something happens to Lady Han

What?

Give the kitchen to the lady
of the Prince's kitchen...

and just untie the ropes
that Lady Han has tied me with

What are you talking about?

I can't go anywhere because
the Highest Lady locked me in here

So please give me permission to
go out so I can get some fresh air

Fresh air in a time like this?

Isn't it better to make things
go wrong for Lady Han...

instead of waiting for such things
to happen to her?

What are you saying?!

Jang-Geum left with
physicians for investigation

and Lady Han isn't there,
so things are chaotic in the kitchen

He didn't collapse due to the food!
Not when Lady Han is there!

The heavens and earth know that!
It can't be!

I know...

If this isn't conspiracy, it's that!

What do you mean, that?

You know I made medicinal
duck stew for the Prince...

It's surely that and
it can't be anything else!

Just as Jang-Geum saved me when
I was at the police quarters...

I'm going to save Lady Han
and Jang-Geum this time

Let's go

Huh? Where?

We have to find out what ingredients
were used to do something!

Sure

Madam, you know the ingredients
that were used, don't you?

Ginseng, dates, chestnuts, ginger,
garlic, and green onions...

what else was used?

The list is here, but...

Please let me see it. Please...

Let him see it, Madam

I can let him see it. Here...

What's wrong? What's wrong?

It's so hot. I burned my throat
How come it's so hot?

Who's going to eat all these ducks?
And how much did you spend on these?

The money isn't the problem here
The leftover food isn't the problem

The money and the waste of food
are problems of course

Do you know what Jang-Geum
did for me when I was arrested?

That's...

She lost her tastebuds for me

No one asked her to do it

Why are you being so stingy
with only a few ducks?!

And it's not Jang-Geum who's
locked in, but Lady Han this time

How could Jang-Geum be in her place
without Lady Han?! Think about it!

That's... anyway, you know such
things happen whenever...

the King has an illness...
It's probably one of those things

I don't know... I'm going to find out
how to heal the King...

and save Lady Han and Jang-Geum

What are you saying?

Sir

The things you were saying just now

You probably don't know
what's going on in the palace now...

Please tell me in detail
What's going on?

I'll tell you in detail...
Food Services...

They say the King collapsed
after eating Lady Han's food

What?!

I'm trying to find the cause...
even by burning my throat...

Go to the palace
Find out what's going on

Yes, sir

And deliver this to the head
of Royal Guards

Yes, sir

Take a look at them for yourselves
That can't be possible!

Ask all the people in this town

No one has ever gotten sick
after eating my ducks!

Yes, the quality of the ducks here
were better than other places

Yes. I heard a 60 year old man
had a son after eating my ducks

I've never heard such a thing before

OK

Sir! Sir! Please come here

What is it?

Look. I was wondering
what these were and

I found out he's feeding
the ducks this poison

It's dried hot spring water

What'd you put in it?

Put in it? The hot springs here
are naturally like this

That type of thing is
common in this area's water

Then ducks always drink this water?

Of course

This poison?

What?

What? Then we didn't even
need to think up a scheme?

Right

OK, you can go and rest now

Yes, sir

What is it?

The heavens are helping us in
the perfect way...

What is it?

What?! Such poison was found?

Oh, no, that can't be
Lady Han wouldn't do such a thing!

What would happen to her
if that's true?

How could she make such a mistake?

What now?

What will happen, Madam?

If that's true...

Sulfur?! Sulfur?!

Sulfur is very toxic

Lady Han knew of this and
still prepared it for the King?!

I didn't know

You didn't know? You prepared
ducks that ate poison...

and you're about to deny that?!

But all the ducks eat it
and there are no problems

Even though it's your hometown,
you've always been in the palace

How do you know so well?

And even though the duck
may have filtered it

poison is still poison

Any medicine's effects differ
greatly from person to person

If it's that kind of poison,
shouldn't it have been detected?

No. The poison is detected when
it touches the silver...

but the poison in the meat
may not be detected

Sulfur is very poisonous,
so one must...

boil it 15 times
with ginger in mud water...

to get rid of the toxins

And such detoxified sulfur is
known to be good for...

his skin problems,
but they didn't use it

as it could still
be harmful for the King

But ducks that ate poison?
How will you explain this?

There's no need to talk any further
Take the criminal to the police now

Madam

Jang-Geum, did they really
feed sulfur to the ducks?

Yes

What should we do? Though you
didn't know about it...

if the King collapsed
because of it...?

Look into it carefully
Their ducks are...

known as the best kind

Sure...

They wouldn't have left them
if even one person got sick...

after eating it,
so look into it carefully

Sure, Madam. I'll find out
I'll find out for sure

What? He left?!

Sir Jung has really left?
Where? Where did he go?

How should I know?

He was ordered to return
to the house of physicians...

but he said it wasn't
time to go back

then he packed and left that day

He doesn't listen to us no matter
how much we try to stop him

What should we do?

What is it? Can we help somehow?

No one else got sick eating them

There's some other reason

Of course... they're the best kind

I was tied to the palace and...

ladies who went to the hot springs
were ordered to stay inside...

so I couldn't go there

OK, sure. I'll take Sir Min
and find out what's going on

Yes, please... you and Sir Min are
the only people I rely on

I'll take him and a doctor
to find it out for sure!

You must hurry... please

Jang-Geum looked so sad
asking me for such things

OK

Then should I prepare to leave?

We'll have to move fast
We'll take a doctor. Let's hurry

Thank you, sir. I've never known
such a trustworthy person like you

If that's true, the ducks
have made the King collapse...

and not the physicians

Whether she knew it or not,
she can't escape from that fact

And she bought the ducks there
after recommending that place

And Jang-Geum actually
bought the ducks

Surely, it's a suspicious scenario

That way, we can clean out
Lady Han and Jang-Geum

Will the Head Eunuch and
Head Lady go that far with this?

You must try to convince
Sir Oh Kyum-Ho

I heard that the King hesitates
to hear such reports because...

he had heard so many false accusations

Yes, I heard about that, too

And since that was the time
during the Purging of Literati...

But we can't tell him our story...

Sir, what's going to
happen to Lady Han?

Why? Are you worried that
Lady Han might be freed?

How could such a thing
happen to such a criminal?

Right...

Then...?

I'm going to ask
for interrogation tomorrow

Interrogation?

Once interrogation is set up,
you'll achieve what you want...

and I'll take care of
one of my headaches

A headache?

It's about Jung-Am
who's been exiled...

because of the last purging

I exiled him, but I still
need to take care of him

I think this is a good opportunity
to make things sure

The physician said once the fever
comes down, the King would be OK

I'll use this opportunity to
ask the King's Mother...

to grant me the position
of interrogator, so you can...

Yes, sir, go ahead and
give us an order

It's difficult to say
that a kitchen lady...

was intimate with exiled Jung-Am

So you try to find one
ofJung-Am's followers

There are many followers
among the younger workers...

so it won't be that difficult

Yes, sir

Go ahead

His ducks are the best in our town

People from afar come to buy from him

Isn't that right? Sir!

Last time, physicians came to say,
I was feeding them sulfur

Anyhow, those who eat my ducks
are perfectly fine

so I don't know what's with that

Are you sure there were no problems?

People here speak of the ducks
as the ultimate medicine

for a long, healthy life

That's right!

Can you tell me something?

Ducks did eat sulfur

Then why don't they die?

I don't know. Ducks are known to
filter poison and restore strength

Plus they are known
for detoxifying effects

Then are you saying, ducks can
detoxify all the sulfur they take?

I'm not sure, but if the
ducks are detoxifying...

the sulfur taken into their bodies...

Then?

Then there is no better
medicine to restore strength

What?

Sulfur is good for restoring strength
but since it's hard...

to detoxify it,
people usually don't use it

But if they're detoxifying it,
then the ducks are...

the best of the best medicine
for a long, healthy life

Then there should be no problem
eating these ducks?

Problem? The only problem
would be overflowing energy!

Sir, Lady Han and Jang-Geum
are saved now!

Stop!

Who's the owner selling ducks here?

It's me

Arrest him right now

Yes, sir!

Arrest me?!

What is it? I'm Lt. General
of the Royal Guards

I have been ordered to arrest
him for treason

Treason?

Yes, we have to arrest him and
interrogate him, so move back

Drag him away!

Treason?! That can't be!

If that owner is guilty of treason,
what about Lady Han and Jang-Geum?

I think we have to hurry
to the palace

Hurry!

She'll be freed, right?

Of course, she'll be...

Sir, please... I trust you...

Suh Jang-Geum,
guilty of treason, come forth!

Treason? What do you mean?

Your crimes will be
revealed at the police

Arrest her!

Oh, no! She isn't someone
who would ever do such a thing!

Drag her away!

Yes, sir!

Jang-Geum! Yeun-Seng!

She isn't it! She didn't do it!

Did he say tr... treason?

Yes, I'm sure he said "treason"

Madam! Madam!

Jang-Geum

Madam, are you OK?

Jang-Geum, why are you here...

Madam...

Silence!

Is she the one who bought the ducks?

Yes

You said you knew Lady Han, right?

She came to buy ducks
from time to time

and as she became a court lady
from our town, everyone knows her

But you didn't know
those ducks ate sulfur?

So you took the King there and...

you didn't know about the ducks,
so you offered them to the King?

Who is it?

Who's the instigator?!

Oh no, no one!
It's a great crime to prepare...

such food without knowing about it
But instigator? Never!

How rude of you! Don't be merciful
until she opens her mouth!

Yes, sir!

Tie her up!

Madam! Madam!

Why do you appear here?

Everyone thinks
you're in a remote place

I heard there's an emergency

What is it?

I heard they're charging
the kitchen ladies with conspiracy

The interrogation has started already

It's clearly a conspiracy
According to the physician...

the ducks detoxify sulfur,
and ducks are known for that

Are you sure?

Royal Physicians know it and
there has been no investigation of...

people who ate the ducks previously

It's a kitchen lady-related conspiracy
of Choi Pan-Sul & Sir Oh Kyum-Ho

Aren't those kitchen ladies
related to your last incident?

Yes, they are

Let's get to the bottom of it

They received a blow from last time
That's why they're doing this

Or they could be going
after greater things

Greater things?

Jung-Am... They always disliked him

How far have you gone
in your investigation?

Not too far. We don't have
any decisive evidence

I can't just sit and watch

Stay out of this

Sir!

Listen! If you make a mistake,
you and other younger officials...

and Sung-Kyun College
could come to ruin again

They can't do anything about me as
I take care of the King's security

I'll have to take action

Sir

Hurry and go outside the palace

Is he recovering?

The sulfur antidote
isn't helping at all

Then?

I don't think that's it. We stopped
that special medicine...

and just gave him fever reducer
and that's more effective

You must not tell this to anyone

This has already
gone out of our hands

We only have to do
what Sir Oh Kyum-Ho wants

Sure. But the King's illness
can't be diagnosed correctly...

It's big trouble

It's clearly an illness
we don't know about

How else can we know
so little about it?

So what should we do from now?

We'll have to find it...
we'll find it

Royal Physician, are you here?
I'm the Head of Royal Guards

Yes, sir

What brings you here?

From what I found out,
sulfur is very toxic poison...

but ducks are known for
its detoxifying effect, huh?

So even though they ate sulfur,
as it's detoxified...

it's harmless for people to eat them

All the people in that town are fine

Sir, are you saying
we're telling a lie?

Then all the other people
are just fine while

the King is having high fever?

Sir, the medicine doesn't have
the same effect on all people

The King has taken sulfur antidote...

and he has started to recover now

I'm not sure what you heard but we're
in charge of the King's health

If you can't trust us...

You take care of his health
and I'm in charge of his security

I have responsibility to
find out what has caused it!

I'm going to ask for
a thorough investigation...

so you go and reinvestigate

I'll ask again. Who's the instigator?

Stop!

What are you doing?

It's the prime minister's order!
Stop the interrogation!

We found out the ducks
are completely harmless

Do the Royal Guards
do such work, too?

This concerns the King's security
It's the Royal Guards' duty

We have told the physicians and
they haven't given a clear reply

Please stop this interrogation
until a clear cause is revealed

What should we do? The Head of
Royal Guards came and scolded us

What is this?

He said the ducks are harmless

Is this true?

Probably so...

There's no problem with
ducks which ate sulfur?

I didn't even have a chance
to find out more about it

but seeing how antidote for sulfur
didn't improve his health...

I don't think it's the ducks

Who else knows about this?

No one knows about this yet

They stopped the interrogation

What?!

The Head of Royal Guards did it

But I think it's him

Him?

I think I saw Min Jung-Ho

Min Jung-Ho?

The Lt. General...

He's not in Han-Yang

No, try to find him again
It was brief, but clearly him!

Min Jung-Ho is in Han-Yang
Get all the boys to find out...

where he is and what he's up to

Yes, sir

Madam, what could've happened?

I'm not sure...
I'm curious about it myself

Sir Oh seemed to be
greatly disturbed by it

It's probably good news for us

Yes, I think so, too

You suffered more than me
Are you OK?

I'm fine... I'm making you suffer
because of my foolish actions...

Don't worry about me, Madam

OK

I'm letting you in because it's
a request by Lt. General Min, but...

as they're still related to treason
you must finish quickly

OK, sure, don't you worry

Over there Thank you

Jang-Geum!
Madam! Are you OK?

Ma'am, how did you...?

Since it's a women's prison,
he told me...

to come to deliver some food

He did?

Yes, he's doing everything he can to
free you, so you'll be out soon

This is a letter from him

Madam, he found out
the ducks were harmless

He wrote we don't have to worry
since we'll be freed soon

Really?

And he wants to know what questions
were asked during the interrogation

He must be worried about something

Yes, I was thinking that, too

He seemed to have some other motives

Jang-Geum, you write
a reply there. Hurry

This trinket...
where did you get this?

Why? I received it as
a payment for the drinks

What?! From whom?

Why?

This... this... is the gift
that my father gave me

I went out to buy
a golden pheasant and

lost it while trying to save a man...

Really? That's Sir Min's

Then he must've been looking for you!

When he first came to my home
he was looking for the owner of that

We didn't tell him about you because

we were afraid
something might happen to you

and we forgot about it since then

Then...

Then the person I saved was...

Sir Min Jung-Ho... It's him for sure!

What's going on? Why is the head of
Royal Guards interfering suddenly?

What is it?

Madam, please help so that Lady Han
and Jang-Geum can be freed quickly

Yes, please

What are you saying?

We heard there are
no problems with the ducks

So why are innocent ladies
still locked up?

Yes, Madam, I heard that innocent
people accuse themselves because...

of the torture there, so it's hard
to know what can happen to them...

please help so
they can be freed quickly

Please, Madam... you're the highest
of the court ladies

Please, Madam!

Go and work right now!
How dare you make demands like this?!

This is a serious issue related to
the security of the King!

No one can make demands
including myself!

And even the issue with ducks
hasn't been solved completely...

so how dare you be rash
with such things?!

If they're innocent,
they'll be freed now!

Go back right now!

I said, go back!

Did you get anything?

Some of the land of Choi Pan-Sul
is found to be under...

the name of Sir Oh Kyum-Ho's children

And the ginseng field issue of
Sung-Kyun College was overlooked...

because of the relationship between
regional officials & Sir Oh Kyum-Ho

Submit a report in detail

Sure

Be careful

Sir!

Sir? Sir?

Honey, why are you looking for him?

Honey, do you know where he is?

I met him on the way
He said he had to hurry somewhere

What could be more
important than this?

What are you saying?

Jang-Geum is...

What about Jang-Geum? Is she free?

No, not yet. She'll soon be

Of course! He and I worked so hard...

And by the way, that trinket
belongs to Jang-Geum

I think there will be a change

No... now is the opportunity
We have to make it work

But their innocence has been proven
The physicians and doctors...

from the Royal Guards
are going to reinvestigate

Use the poisonous mushroom
you planned to use from the start

We have to make other reasons
We can't let this opportunity pass

Did you find it out?

Min Jung-Ho was investigating
your business

Are you sure?

Yes. He did it with his agents

How much does he know?

I couldn't hear everything

but he even knew of
the relationship with Sir Oh

No! No!

But that adjutant of Lt. General who
was protecting the court ladies...

at the hot springs was with Sir Min

So it's clearly Lt. General Min
who's behind this

OK, go out and call Lee Hang-Su

Yes, sir

Then are you saying this was
Lt. General Min's doing as well?

He isn't that foolish...
Why is he getting involved in this?

Lt. General Min's agent protected
Lady Han... And the head of...

Royal Guards supported her

Interesting. I think this misfortune
could turn into a blessing

Excuse me?

Sir Park was worried how he could
make things sure with Jung-Am...

but if they find out
he didn't go to the rural area

for work, then he could
tie the two together

Then we can take care of
3 troublesome people all at once

The thing is whether or not
Min Jung-Ho is related to Jung-Am

Did you call for me?

Go to Jung of Sung-Kyun College
and find out what relationship...

Lt. General or head of Royal Guards
have with Jung-am

Is that all?

I'll meet Sir Park at the dancer bar

so come to that place
once you find out

Sure

Come with me

OK

Hello, sir. Welcome

Is Sir Park here?

Yes, he's here. Please come in

Keum-Young!

Not Sir Min Jung-Ho!

Tell us the reason

Why are you saying,
not Lt. General Min?

You already know this is about
our family and our lives

I know that, too

Connected with Lady Han
from last time

he's been a threat to our family
Do you know that, too?

Yes

Then what is it?
Why are you saying no?

I can't let Lt. General Min
be harmed for any reason

Even if it means harm to us?

Yes

Why?

I love him

Such a thing can't be
for a court lady

I couldn't stop it... and I won't

What?

In the desolate palace, I would've
run away hundreds of times...

if it wasn't for him
You know this already, Aunt

When you told me about
killing your pal, I saw your tears

It was more painful than
when you found out...

you weren't picked
as the Highest Kitchen Lady

I must live that kind of life, too
I will... I will gladly accept it

But leave Lt. General alone for me
Just that person

We can't do that

Madam, it doesn't have to be him!

We can't!

I can't either!

If not?!

I'll go to the police myself

I didn't know Keum-Young
would act this way

You don't know
because you aren't a court lady

Then what do you say we do?

If we leave him alone,
he'll threaten us all!

Sir Park is here

Isn't it hard for you?

I'm fine. I'm worried about you

I'm fine. I'm sorry to say this

but I don't feel hurt, lonely
cold or sad because I'm with you

Me, too. We'll be going out soon,
so don't lose courage

When I go out, I'll cook
many delicious dishes for you

I'll do the things
I wasn't able to do for my mother

Sure

Come out!

Madam!

Yes