[Episode 25]
This is it.
His lordship is inside.
Thank you.
My lord, an Apprentice Baek from the clinic.
My lord.
Never mind. He's probably asleep.
Maybe later.
What was that?
My lord, are you all right?
My lord.
My lord, my lord, what is it?
What's wrong?
My lord, my lord, where does it hurt?
This...
His head...
His skull is... infected...
This is...
My lord...
My lord.
Stay with us, my lord.
Ma'am, here.
You found the maid?
Yes. She has the package you mentioned.
Shall we?
Yes.
You.
Ma'am?
Ma'am.
The young lord is alive?
His lordship's son?
Yes, he is.
Kwanghyon is alive.
My lord.
My lady.
I thought I'd never see him again.
I thought he had lost his rightful place.
No, not now.
Everything will be returned to him.
You have what I gave you 8 years ago?
The proof of his identity?
Yes, I have it.
I've guarded it with my life.
Once it comes out, what then?
If I manage to get what's mine...
Jinyong will lose everything.
I will have taken it away from her.
Ma'am.
They told me you were here.
You're looking for me?
Yes. This is what you asked me to do.
Ah, right.
Of course.
Well, if that's all.
Jinyong.
Yes, ma'am?
Something you wanted to say?
Ma'am.
Ma'am, ma'am.
We need you. It's terrible.
Lord Ko... Lord Ko...
Well? Lord Ko what?
My lord.
Doctor Shin? Why won't he come?
He's coming. He'll be here.
What is this?
Lord Ko has collapsed?
- My lord. - My lord.
Please help him.
Something is wrong.
His head, feel his head.
What? Lord Ko is unconscious?
Yes, they just brought him in.
My lord.
You.
Taeju.
I just heard.
Lord Ko is ill? What's wrong?
No idea. Kwanghyong brought him in unconscious.
The nurse says his head...
His head what?
Well?
My lord? Is it..?
My lord, ma'am, what is it?
Tell us. His skull feels infected.
His head is expelling pus.
Pus?
My lord.
Sequestrum, I'm afraid.
In the skull itself.
A necrosis within the bone.
Sequestrum? In his skull?
My lord.
Sequestrum?
Isn't that nearly impossible to treat?
It is.
It affects the bone marrow.
Lord Ko has that?
What are they doing?
There isn't much they can do.
How much isn't much exactly?
I can't believe it.
He's been perfectly fine.
What brought this on all of a sudden?
The poisoning.
When he was poisoned before treating the King.
It aggravated the problem.
My lord. How may we..?
I want to see Lord Ko.
I heard he's ill. What's the prognosis?
What is it to you?
How did he get this way?
Who did this to him?
Look here.
Are you insane?
How dare you?
It can't be...
My lord.
A fistula under the skin is expelling pus.
How did this happen?
What brought it on?
Place this in Lord Ko's meal.
Be careful. You understand?
Sir.
Ah, food.
I can't, not with a procedure coming up.
So we prepared a light meal.
Was this brought on by the poison?
So that's it.
The poison has infected the bone.
Yes. I saw something similar among the Qing.
He was paralyzed.
It infected the three visceral cavities and spread from there.
What do we do now?
We can treat him, can't we?
Sequestrum or not, the clinic doctors can treat him.
Nurse.
It may be to late.
It's the worst form of infection.
He's already excreting pus...
It's untreatable?
Lord Ko can't be saved?
No, that can't be, it can't...
It can't be.
Kwanghyon.
His Royal Majesty.
Sire.
What is this?
Lord Ko collapsed? He's ill?
Explain it to me.
Well? What's his condition?
How bad is it exactly?
Sire.
No, my lord.
Open your eyes.
You can't leave us like this.
Over here.
Eight years ago?
Yes, I thought maybe you could take a peek.
See who was in charge of the case and such.
So long ago. It won't be easy.
It's not too much to ask.
And I don't have much to offer...
Drinks are on me next time you're at the Seafood Palace.
I'll let you know what I find out.
Thank you.
Ugh, I wonder if I'm doing the right thing?
Ugh, I swear.
Kwanghyon asked you?
To dig up the past?
That's what I said.
I talked to a friend of mine with the police.
Why? He never talks about his father.
I'm not sure myself, but it's no good.
I had to, since he asked.
But it's no good digging up the past.
Can you give me a minute?
Huh?
What? I want to hear.
You stay put.
What happened to Kwanghyon before he came to the ranch?
Huh? Well, ahem...
I've always wondered.
But he seemed reluctant so I didn't push it.
But now I need to know.
He's been so odd lately, I'm that worried.
So tell me.
What happened when he was a boy?
How did his father die?
Ah, well...
You're killing me here.
Excuse me.
Of course.
You're still here?
Ma'am.
How is he?
First we need to restore consciousness.
And then? What will you do then?
Earlier, with Lord Yi...
What did you mean?
Did Lord Yi poison Lord Ko before?
Just as he killed my father?
Ma'am.
I can't be certain.
But I've learned Lord Yi's lackey...
was acting suspiciously.
But why? Why wait until now?
Why not at the time...
Lord Ko didn't want to.
He wanted to give Lord Yi another chance.
And this... is what it got him.
Ma'am... ma'am...
Apprentice Baek.
Come quick.
Lord Ko... has regained consciousness.
My lord.
My lord, are you with us?
- My lord. - My lord.
Do you recognize me?
Can you see us?
What is all this? Quite a crowd...
Apprentice Baek found you and brought you in.
My lord, how did this happen?
Why didn't you say anything?
I'm fine.
I can still sit up at least.
I was fine on my own.
You didn't need to bring me here.
My lord.
My lord, we've diagnosed you.
We need to treat you.
All of us here...
Sequestrum.
Sequestrum, as you all know.
It's already deep in my bone marrow.
I'm the nation's chief physician.
You think I just ignored it?
But it was no use.
My body is too old to fight it off.
My lord.
So don't fuss, don't mourn.
Accept it for what it is.
I've got three months, four at the most.
Help me to accomplish what I must in the time that remains.
No, we can't do that.
You can't give up.
You can't just roll over and die.
We can't let you.
We must do something.
There must be a way.
Look here.
I won't... I can't do that.
I'll find a way.
Somehow, some way,
I'll save you.
Apprentice Baek.
My lord.
It will be hard on him.
Yes, it will be.
It's bad enough already.
And now with me...
My lord.
No, it must be here.
There must be a way to treat him.
Who am I kidding?
If Lord Ko couldn't find it...
how can I?
My lord.
Hear your king.
Before assuming the position of Chief Physician...
Lord Ko has ever been a loyal servant and a personal friend.
Words fail to describe the pain...
in seeing him brought low by this terrible disease.
We cannot bear to lose this valued servant.
We expect all three medical institutions to work to find a cure.
We expect your very best.
Let it be known across the land that we will treat him...
by any ways and means available.
You must...
find a cure.
If the infection is excreting pus...
we must treat the toxins with toad liver.
They prescribed Juzentaihoto.
But it was discontinued when he regained strength.
What about cerebral acupuncture?
If we treat the infected area...
No. We can't do that.
Not while he's still emitting pus.
What then?
Don't do this, don't do that, what can we do?
I don't know what to do.
They've scoured the whole country and...
No, we're not done yet.
We have to save him.
I saw some medical texts in Lord Ko's room.
I'll go get them.
What's this?
I'd say he's not likely to recover.
Doctors are coming in from all over.
But no luck.
So this is how it finally ends.
Does that bother you?
Not at all.
Worried you won't get what you deserve.
Is that it?
Not to worry.
I've already made sure that won't happen.
Made sure, my lord?
Announce me.
Your Majesty.
Something wrong? You're drinking alone.
No, nothing.
No one can see you here. Enjoy.
Sir.
You're sure?
This is definitely the man that forced you to set up Baek Kwanghyon?
Yes, my lord.
I'm sure of it.
I'll never forget that face.
Your Highness, it's freezing.
You should stay in. You'll catch your death.
I can't stay cooped up in here.
I can't sit, I'm that worried.
Your Highness, please, try to sit down.
I'm worried for Lord Ko. And for Doctor Baek, and...
About what she said, the widow lady?
Yes. She said she's not the one he cares for.
I misunderstood.
Then that's great.
But if it isn't her, who is it?
Officer Mah, do you know?
How could I?
Your Highness, why not ask Lady Jinyong?
Jinyong?
Yes. She's his closest friend.
They're inseparable at the clinic.
That's it, I'll ask Jinyong...
Wait. What was that again?
Pardon?
You said she's his closest friend?
They're inseparable?
Yes, just so. Why do you ask?
Never mind. It's nothing.
Kwanghyon.
Sir.
What brings you here?
I heard about Lord Ko.
You must be worried.
Yes.
But he'll get better, he has to.
Yes, he does. He means a lot to you.
Listen, Kwanghyon.
I'm worried about you.
The chef told me.
You're looking into a case from 8 years ago?
Listen, sir...
Tell me what's going on.
You think I don't see? I reared you as my own.
You haven't been yourself lately.
You look lost.
What is it, Kwanghyon?
You can tell me, if no one else.
Sir.
Kwanghyon.
Did you hear?
What? What is it?
The attending physician, for Lord Ko.
His Majesty appointed Lord Yi.
What? He appointed who?
Yi Myonghwan?
No. I won't have it.
How could he entrust him with Lord Ko's treatment?
Not Lord Yi, my lord.
He wouldn't save Lord Ko even if he could.
No, it can't be.
My lord, I have been appointed to treat you.
So I heard.
Don't let me down.
First an anti-inflammatory agent and an anti-asthmatic.
The council meets at 2 o'clock.
- Let's go. - My lord.
What are you doing to him now?
What?
You deaf?
I asked what you're doing to Lord Ko now?
What's that?
What am I doing? You dare...
Not this time. You won't get away with it again.
Don't think you can bury what you've done.
The truth will come out.
Don't think otherwise.
I won't lose Lord Ko to you.
I won't lose anything else.
Not to you.
My lord, what's he talking about?
Why did he say that? What does he know?
My father is treating Lord Ko?
So I heard.
His skill is second only to Lord Ko's, so it's a good thing.
If anyone can cure him, he can.
Tusik, I need a favor.
What? Anything.
You think you can save him?
I do.
The medical council and doctors from across the land say it's impossible.
But you found a way?
Yes, I did.
There's one thing we haven't tried.
What is that?
What could it be? What haven't we tried?
My lord, how about toad liver?
Toad liver will only aggravate the necrosis.
My lord, an anti-inflammatory bone tonic.
It's ideal in treating sequestrum.
No, it's the same thing.
It must be used before pus excretes.
It's too late to use it.
We can clean it with essence of pig's feet and then fatty oils..?
Enough. Don't you see yet?
It's in the marrow. Herbs are no good now.
It can't be treated that way.
Then is there no treatment?
Not one in all these records?
Not at this point.
Other than to ease his pain.
No. There is a way.
Look here.
Him again?
We can save him.
There is a way.
Who..?
What?
Apprentice Baek went to the council?
Yes, my lord.
How dare an apprentice interrupt his betters?
Get out.
I understood that anyone could submit their ideas.
Isn't that so?
W-what?
You dare? Have you lost your senses?
- Take him away. - Sir.
No. Leave him.
My lord.
All right, let's hear him out.
What's this idea of yours?
Spit it out.
No tonics or salves will work at this point.
The only thing left...
is to remove the infection...
directly.
- Scrape? - What?
The only way to treat him is to remove the infected area.
What? Remove the sequestrum?
Now look here.
Are you suggesting surgery?
Cut open his lordship's head?
Yes.
My lord.
No. Oh, no.
I thought so too at first.
But this may be our last chance.
I said no. It's too dangerous.
My lord.
Not to me. To Apprentice Baek.
Don't you see? What this means?
Don't you see how people will react?
My lord.
You a real piece of work. Open a man's skull?
What kind of treatment is that?
It would kill him.
No, my lord.
The incision can be made to remove the infected portion.
It's recorded in the Classified Collection of Prescription.
Enough.
You imagine we don't know that?
Yes, it can be done,
but with arms and legs.
Not on a man's head.
Where is it written a head incision will result in death?
Tell me, have you seen someone die from it?
You little...
What other way is there?
Is there a better way at this point?
This is our only hope.
We have to remove the infected area.
Cut open his head. You hear that?
Does he want to save him? Or butcher him?
Horse quack. Come on.
I think it's absurd.
What are you thinking?
It's murder, pure and simple.
I won't give up.
I have to save him.
Kwanghyon.
I wonder...
Can you do it?
Can you really do it?
What? Cut where?
His head?
Just so. This upstart insists on his preposterous claim.
Sire, it's absurd.
No one could live through that.
My lord.
How could you?
You should have left it. How could you?
My lord.
It's ridiculous, everyone knows that.
Everyone...
Except you, my lord?
You knew, my lord.
That it's the only way.
Where did you find this?
In your office.
I could tell you were thinking of surgery.
Apprentice Baek.
You didn't say anything.
Wasn't that to prevent anyone being hurt for you?
The procedure would put the surgeon at risk.
And so you gave up on the idea?
No. Stop now.
Don't risk your life on a 1 in 1,000 chance.
One, less than one, I would still try.
It's all we have left, my lord.
Apprentice Baek.
What would you do?
This is the only way to save the patient.
Would you stop?
Whether it's you or anyone else...
a doctor must do all he can to save his patient.
Don't stop me.
Allow me to do what I can, please.
Please... I can't lose you.
Let me try.
My lord.
I won't stand for it. Cutting open his head?
But he's right, it is the only way.
And if it's a success,
it will save Lord Ko.
Nurse.
Please.
Not this time. You won't get away with it again.
Don't think you can bury what you've done.
The truth will come out.
Don't think otherwise.
Why did he say that?
What did he mean...?
Moron. Do what again?
On his head..?
Who the hell are you? You have no fear.
You don't care what happens to you?
My lord.
I told you not to talk to me again. What do you want?
I found something odd during our last business.
Something odd?
Yes. With that nurse at the clinic.
Something about her is suspicious.
Suspicious? How so?
Nothing from the council yet?
I'll go find out.
My lord.
What is it?
My lord.
Wake up.
My lord, my lord.
To the clinic.
I want to see for myself.
Lord Ko.
Tell me his condition.
He lost consciousness from pain and fever.
Even if he wakes, there's no guarantee...
So...
you really have no solution?
You...
can't treat him.
Your Majesty.
Get Apprentice Baek.
Sire.
Well? You heard your king.
Sire.
I heard what you suggested.
You understand what you said?
Your patient may die.
I know that much.
Are you so sure you can save him?
Sire.
Tell me this.
If you do this and Lord Ko dies...
your life is forfeit.
If this dangerous procedure kills him...
you will pay with your life.
You still think you're right?
At the risk of your own life?
Yes. I do, Sire.
Ask me again and again,
my answer will be the same.
The only way to save him is to operate on his skull.
Even at the risk of my life...
I will operate.
You mean to go through with it?
Yes, my lord.
It's not too late to stop him.
You're both in danger.
Mommy, Mommy, let me go.
I'm his only friend. He needs me.
Wake up and stop whining.
I heard all about it.
I know just what this is, you half-wit.
Mommy.
My friend needs me.
What are friends for?
Is this the playground?
What about your mother?
After all I did to make you a doctor...
You want to come with?
Mom! A bug...
You little..! Come back here!
Nurse.
Tell me. What is it I need to know?
You said, to save Apprentice Baek...
it may cost me my father.
My lady.
I can do it. I have to help him.
Tell me.
What is my father trying to do to him?
What is it I need to know?
I'm going to do it.
So hang on.
It's time. Move it along.
Sir.
Excuse me, is he really doing it?
One little mistake...
I'm so scared.
So am I.
I mean, what's he doing anyway?
My lord.
Everything is ready.
Uh-huh.
What's this?
Apprentice Baek's needles.
Oh?
His needles, eh?
Yes, so I understand.
This...
This is...
What did you say?
My father poisoned Lord Ko...
to stop Kwanghyon?
And the problem with you...
That was my father, too?
I'm sorry I had to tell you.
But it's all true, my lady.
Are you ready?
Yes.
Please check his pulse.
I will.
Those were Kang Dojun's needles.
But how?
How did he get them?
The patient is ready.
All right.
This...
What? What is it?
It can't be.
How can..?
What? How can what?
A sequestrum is there that wasn't there yesterday.
What?
Here at the bladder meridian.
Right at the artery.
There's another lump.
Then... that means...
We can't operate.
Not here.
We can't make the incision here.
So the operation was a failure?
If you can find another point, can you operate?
How do you mean? Another point?
I'll take over from here.
No. You just worried about yourself?
We found the spot. We can try again.
Jinyong, you can't do this.
I forbid it.
I know why you're worried.
It's not for Lord Ko. It's for you.
So it's a failure, so it's not, so what?
Either way you win.
I want to know now.
It's just as I told you.
Well? What do you know?
The child that night wasn't Jinyong.
It wasn't?