Jang Ok Jung, Living in Love
Already?
No, Court Lady Hong!
You can't take him yet!
Lady Hee Bin, give me the Prince!
Do you need another beating to come to your senses?
Prince? My Yoon is Won Ja.
Anyway, please give me Won Ja.
No, I can't. Not yet.
Are you going to break the promise?
- But, right now is... - No.
It starts now.
No! I said not yet!
Hand over Yoon.
No, not yet.
If you're going to take him, go through the proper procedure.
I won't give you my Yoon until then. Do you understand?
Fine. I'll allow the time for mother and son.
But I will come for him soon.
Take care of my Yoon until then.
'My Yoon'?
Your Majesty...
Please wake up.
Lord Min...
Did His Majesty's illness have symptoms like this often?
Recently, he spoke of insomnia and difficulty of breathing.
Then... could he recover?
Probably...
It won't be so easy for him to recover.
Really?
Actually, if he stays unconscious like this...
The possibility of coming back is...
The possibility of coming back?
That's...
Is it possible for him to regain consciousness?
That's...
What brings you here, Lord Min?
What brings you here, Prince Dongpyung?
Since I'm his blood relative, of course I should come visit him night and day.
I see... blood relation...
As the saying goes, don't tie your shoe in the cucumber farm...
What if people misunderstand you?
Misunderstand?
What is there to misunderstand?
When His Majesty is absent, people will look at the one next in line.
People might think you're trying to kill His Majesty.
Next in line...
You're saying this because I'm from the royal family...
The same goes for you too. No one is as close to His Majesty as you are...
So you shouldn't be saying that.
Well, maybe this is for the better.
If we keep each other in check, both of us won't do anything foolish.
King's absence...
Then you'll need a pretty big sum.
You've been busy looking after the King...
and didn't even give a glance to the Western Party.
And now you want to provide funds to us?
What I consider important changes by the minute.
What's important is who has the bigger power at the moment.
And it's the Western Party right now?
And of course it's you among them.
When the King is absent, the most important
thing is the control of the military power...
Against the royal troops directed by the King...
You'll need money to move the capital guards and the military camp.
I'll pay for all of it.
If you'd do that, I appreciate it.
But if the Queen and the Western Party get control of the court...
Would all the favored concubines get kicked out of the palace?
Well, a favored concubine means...
Jang Hee Bin who gets all the favor from His Majesty.
Well, Jang Hee Bin must be pretty powerful...
to have a reputation and be mentioned by a merchant from China.
If she gets kicked out, I should go check it out.
To see how pretty she is.
Queen Majesty has arrived!
Has the direction of the future been determined?
For now, we agreed on putting Hee Bin's son on the throne...
And Queen Majesty will rule by proxy.
I will rule by proxy?
Luckily, Your Majesty is popular among the people...
And a symbolic figure of our Western Party...
It could be a good move to calm the unsettled government.
Then... what happens to Hee Bin?
Of course we'll take her son and throw her out...
Then kill her.
Kill her... you have to go that far?
No... I have a different thought.
Killing Hee Bin to get rid of future worries...
and putting Prince Yoon on the throne...
What if he learns of the truth in the future?
It could cause a wind of blood just like the time of the dethroned Yunsan.
Then do you have another plan?
How about partnering with a different prince and put him on the throne?
Another prince? Who could that be?
How about Prince Dongpyung Lee Hang?
Since Your Majesty's fallen ill...
Min Yoo Joong and the Western Party took control of the court.
They're looking for a chance after taking control...
of the capital guards and the military camp.
And the discussion of the Queen's ruling by proxy with Prince Yoon is going on.
Your Majesty, what do you plan to do now?
Prince Dongpyung is from the Southern Party.
Of course he's standing with them now but his path is not exactly with them.
And if we make him our accomplice, he won't have excuses...
So he could move the way we want him to.
Prince Dongpyung, please I beg you. Please let me see His Majesty just once.
Ok Jung.
That doesn't seem to be a good idea.
I think it'll be better for me to rule by proxy.
It's not that I want to get involved in politics with ruling by proxy.
If His Majesty wakes up, I can retreat from politics...
But if we put someone else on the throne... what would happen to His Majesty?
But Your Majesty...
What we need now is a king by name only...
So it doesn't need to be His Majesty Lee Soon.
Besides, have you forgotten what cruel things he's done to you?
I haven't forgotten.
But he's still my husband.
No, Your Majesty...
My anger won't simmer even if I ground his bones and drank them.
Father, please reconsider this.
Then, whether we put him on the throne or we kill him...
What we need to do first is...
Taking Hee Bin's son as our hostage.
Please take care of that, Your Majesty.
Then... do we really have to kill Hee Bin?
Of course we do.
We need to nip the bud of trouble...
It's an obvious move.
Father, leave me with Hee Bin's life for now.
If we rush things too much, we might make a mistake.
Please do, but...
It's only for a while.
My... a royal who can't even hold a government position...
and you're letting me in the main hall reserved for the retainers?
How is it? Do you like it?
Of course I do.
It's been my dream to step inside this hall.
This seat... or that seat?
I don't think it's time to joke like that.
Joke?
You don't think I'm sincere?
If it's not a joke, are you trying to trap me with the sin of treason?
Of course not.
Now that we've had this secret talk, we are accomplices.
Accomplice?
Accomplices to overthrow the court.
But Prince Dongpyung can enter the palace without shedding any blood.
What to do...
Do you know who I fear the most in the world?
It's His Majesty.
What if I end up killed if it failed?
His Majesty is a very scary man.
We don't have much time.
Please make your decision soon.
What if I decline?
Then, in the world of the Western Party with my Queen ruling by proxy...
Your name will be on top of the list of the Southern Party people to be eliminated.
Is that the palanquin that Hee Bin will take when she leaves the palace?
Yes.
Bring out Won Ja now.
I receive your command, Queen Majesty.
No! Who said you could take my Won Ja?
What are you doing?
What on earth are you doing?
Why don't you just kill me!
Otherwise, you'll never take away my Yoon from me!
What are you doing? Hurry and escort the Prince to the Queen!
No! You can never take him!
What happened to the promise that you are making such noise?
There was no command, so how could you tell me to keep the promise?
Since His Majesty's absent now, there can't be a command.
So, as the eldest in the palace, I made the decision.
Even if that's the case, relation by heaven can't be separated.
How could you know how it feels when you don't have a child?
Sure, I wouldn't know how you feel.
But raising him could build that relation so I will try that.
If you don't hand over Won Ja now, no one can guarantee what could happen.
Can't guarantee?
I just plan to put Won Ja on the throne and rule by proxy...
But my father is thinking something else, too.
If you ask what's worse between the two...
Then I'd say the latter is worse.
Then how many people would survive through the tornado of this war?
Your Majesty, then, if you take my Yoon...
How would you guarantee that you wouldn't kill Yoon?
Do you think I'd harm the only child of His Majesty?
Your Majesty...
Wait, just hold on.
Then I have a request.
Tell me.
Please let me see His Majesty just once.
It doesn't matter what happens to me...
But please let me see His Majesty with Yoon, Queen Majesty.
I cannot allow that. How could you?
I can't just be separated from him.
Why would I live without Yoon?
Without seeing His Majesty's face, how could...
I close my eyes after leaving the palace?
How foolish!
I'm telling you this is the last chance. The last chance!
If you want to save Yoon's life, then give me Yoon and leave!
I cannot do that.
How can a mother and child be separated!
I said to you...
I wouldn't make you a human pig...
I said I'd show my generosity.
I am sending you unharmed. So just leave.
I don't know what to do about your generosity as deep as the ocean.
Even if I have to leave, I will never be separated from my Yoon!
But you'll have to hand over Yoon before you go.
Because that's the only way to save your life and Yoon's life.
You don't think my father can take care of it?
I am your mother, Won Ja.
Yoon!
Lady Hee Bin, please get in the white palanquin now.
Queen Majesty, please let me see Yoon just once!
- Head to the Queen's quarter. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Yoon!
Where am I going in this palanquin?
Didn't you hear the Queen Majesty?
Wouldn't it be a good idea to leave before she makes you a human pig?
What?
But my benevolent Queen will allow you to just shave your head and be a monk.
I believe a humble temple of female monks received a notice earlier.
Your Majesty...
Hurry and get Lady Hee Bin in the palanquin!
Let go! Let go of this! How dare you touch my body!
No need to be flustered.
The person doesn't make the title, the title makes the person.
It fits very well, just like your own garments.
Now that I've sat here, I'm not as nervous as I thought I would be.
Like I've been sitting for a while, I don't feel uncomfortable.
Then would you accept the throne?
I'll be your accomplice, but...
spare Jang Hee Bin and Won Ja Yoon.
Why?
Prince Yoon and Jang Hee Bin will be the most dangerous to you...
Once you take the throne.
Of course they would be...
But what could an infant in a blanket and Hee Bin without His Majesty do?
Let's say it's my last consideration for being a close friend to His Majesty.
Fine. Then I'll consider the deal settled...
And go to the office to bring the King's seal.
No, the deal is not settled yet.
For me to take the seal means...
I'm commiting treason against the current king...
But I can't trust you whole-heartedly...
Shouldn't I have something on you? The equivalent of a hostage?
What is it you want?
Your pact of opposing Won Ja to be appointed...
as Crowned Prince with everyone's signature on it.
Should I at least have that for me to get involved in this grand scheme?
Fine, if that's what it takes.
Who the heck are you?
What the heck are you doing?
Here is the pact with 103 signatures from the Western Party.
Good job, Minister of Military.
I've also taken the seal from the secretary.
I'm going to summon the retainers and announce it tomorrow morning.
What do you plan to do about Jang Hee Bin?
How about Minister of Internal Affairs take care of it?
We're about to finish up the King, so it won't be hard to finish a woman.
Then what about Prince Yoon?
Vice Minister, why don't you take care of it?
Yes, I will.
But the Queen is protecting them... would it be okay?
The Queen is very kind, so she won't be happy about it...
But she also has the judgment of the Queen, so she'll accept it.
But it all comes down to the premise that the King is not going to wake up.
Speaking of which...
Why don't you take care of the King, Minister of Military?
Fine.
I'll take care of the King. I know someone good.
That sounds good.
The decisions we made today need to be taken care of in secret.
To prevent future misfortunes...
I believe we have to kill Jang's son and kill Jang as well.
Father, you promised that you'd...
save Yoon's life in return for my ruling by proxy.
But... that was when we didn't have other plans of succession.
You mean, Prince Dongpyung Lee Hang accepted the throne?
Yes, he did.
How could that happen?
Prince Dongpyung is a loyal retainer before he's a royal family member.
Your Majesty, there is no man who wouldn't fall for the kind of power.
Even if you rule by proxy now...
But someday, when Prince Yoon takes the throne...
With the excuse of Hee Bin's death just like the dethroned Queen Yoon...
It could cause a wind of blood in the court.
But if we choose Prince Dongpyung...
We become accomplices and accomplices have to get along...
So he won't do anything.
- But... - Also...
If the Queen of Prince Dongpyung comes from our Western Party...
The control of the court by the Western Party will be guaranteed.
But Father, I promised Hee Bin...
That I would spare Prince Yoon.
Your Majesty, a promise with Jang is not important in this situation.
It's a matter of life or death!
Prince Yoon must be killed.
Then... what about His Majesty?
My Won Ja is the only child of His Majesty.
Even if the Queen has nothing to fear...
She won't be able to kill my son that easily.
Who the heck are you?
Ok Jung disappeared after she was kicked out of the palace?
What do we do?
Kicked out then kidnapped?
Is the Western Party trying to kill Ok Jung?
Give me a few strong men, I'll go find her myself.
Chi Soo. How could you...
Chi Soo, how did you appear like this?
And how did you bring me here?
When I meet you, where should I begin...
Which story should I start with... I can't think of anything.
You disappeared suddenly from Buyongjung...
I heard that you went to China to look for Teacher's brother...
What happened to you?
It took a lot but I found my mother's brother that I thought was dead.
Do you remember the late Officer Kang Hee Soo?
He was my only brother.
Save me! I'll give you all my inheritance!
No, no!
Goodbye...
Kang Hee Soo.
But he was the one who pushed me that far.
He was the one?
I still can't stand that he sent you to the palace for his greed and success...
And he's still plotting tricks.
Don't get tricked by him anymore.
Are you talking about my Uncle?
Officer Jang Hyun.
He's ruining you.
It's true that my Uncle suggested it...
But I made the decision.
Even now, I have to see my Uncle to go back to the palace.
I said you can't.
Don't be fooled by his tricks anymore.
Chi Soo...
Do you now what kind of man he is?
He caused my mother's death.
And he almost caused your death, too!
That can't be.
Why would my Uncle...
To take over my mother's store and steal you away.
How could it... How could my Uncle...
Do you have proof?
Ja Kyung saw it.
The one with a tattoo on his arm started the fire.
And he was working for Officer Jang.
About the fire in the shop on the day Teacher passed away...
It's definitely not me who started the fire!
I saw a guy with a tattoo passing by...
Ok Jung, don't go. You shouldn't go!
No, I have to go. I have to ask my Uncle why!
He'll tell you another lie and use you.
So, Ok Jung...
Can we just leave together?
Chi Soo...
Jang Hyun will use you and destroy you to feed his greed.
Let's leave with me before he does that.
I can't do that.
I'm not that Ok Jung you used to know.
I have a place to go back and I must be there.
That's the palace.
If you don't leave Jang Hyun...
It could mean a war with me.
I hope that doesn't happen.
- Hee Jae. - Did you get hurt?
No. I'm fine.
I've seen you before...
I know! At the ship before...
Then are you Master Jin?
With the base here at Man Wol?
Chi Soo, I hope you find your true path.
That's the only thing I can say to you.
Queen Majesty, it's time to take him to the nanny.
I want to see him a little longer.
But the custom goes...
This is the first time I feel that the custom is bothersome.
Do you like him that much?
I guess that's what a child does.
As soon as the day breaks tomorrow, I'll bring him back.
Even if we get rid of everything that could...
cause trouble, we'll still face uncertainties.
We have no choice but to get rid of him.
Court Lady Hong!
Queen Majesty, what's going on?
The moonlight is bright...
Still, how could you go with a baby in your arms...
but not a maid to hold a lamp?
This path is so familiar to me...
Your grace is as deep as the ocean.
I hope Won Ja knows your effort, too.
Love goes forward, but not back.
He doesn't need to know my effort, I just...
hope he stays with me safely for a long time.
Since I've come this far, let's go to the nanny together.
Yes.
Yoon... Yoon!
If you can't become the King...
You and I won't make it alive.
My baby... Yoon!
Lady Hee Bin...
Mother...
Did you dream about Won Ja?
Yes...
I really miss my Won Ja, my Yoon...
How could our fates be so similar...
Even though the Queen kicked me out, I shouldn't have left like that.
If I had to die, I should've died in the palace...
If I were to live, I should have been with My Yoon and His Majesty.
I realized that only after I left the palace.
Mother... how did you live separated from me?
Every day was hell.
I can't let the Queen or anyone else steal my Won Ja or His Majesty from me.
I'd rather go back and die in front of them.
Do that. I won't try to convince you or worry about you anymore.
A mother goes where her child is, so would she fear the fires of hell?
I will help you however I can.
Mother...
My poor baby.
There is a rumor that His Majesty passed away last night.
So, there could be a new king...
What if we get involved in the wrong way and be accused of treason?
I hear there is going to be an important announcement today.
It happened that way.
It looks like we'll greet a new king.
Does that mean the succession is happening?
Since the King is absent, you could look at it that way.
First, the new king receiving the seal will announce the succession...
Then we'll proceed with a proper coronation.
His Majesty has arrived!
Is this the new king?
Let's get our manners together.
What's with everyone's face?
Did you see a ghost?
Attack!
Wow, Your Majesty, I never thought you'd make a move like that.
A tiger waits quietly before he attacks and kills his prey...
taking in the smell of the prey that the wind brings.
Patiently.
Does the tiger even need to wait?
Who could match the tiger in power or energy?
The tiger also needs to know exactly who the enemy is to attack.
There are times that he cannot see the real enemy even with his eyes wide open.
If I walk with those who are not verified...
I could get my head cut off by them.
If it's me who's attacked, that's fine.
But if it's my son who is not ready to be the King...
It would be difficult.
So I've been thinking, Uncle Dongpyung.
Yes, Your Majesty.
If I close my eyes, wouldn't I be able to see the real enemy?
If I close my eyes, they'd overlook things.
Your Majesty, what do you mean by that?
Your Majesty! Are you not feeling well again?
To be honest, I've started having the same symptoms that my father had before.
Your Majesty...
I hear that they have a pact that my Yoon cannot be the Crowned Prince.
I need to go hunting...
It'll be good to clean out the enemies who could harm my Crowned Prince.
You'll have to help me, Uncle Dongpyung.
Your Majesty, how could I...
I'm sure they'll reach out to you.
Since you've fallen ill...
Min Yoo Joong and the Western Party took control over the court...
They're looking for a chance after taking control...
over the capital guards and the military camp.
And the discussion of the Queen Majesty's...
ruling by proxy with Prince Yoon is going on.
Your Majesty, what do you plan to do now?
The Queen will rule by proxy?
That's what the Queen was really thinking.
What about Hee Bin?
She tried to keep Won Ja...
But she's been dismissed from the palace.
That's the reality my Yoon will face if I die early.
Doctor.
Yes, Your Majesty.
It won't be a problem for me to move around now, will it?
I'll keep watching and treat appropriately.
Good. You've been working on the success of the Min family a long time.
But you were a great help to me this time.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Uncle, in order for my Yoon to have the perfect succession to the throne...
There is no other way but to change the controlling party.
Have you finally decided to change the controlling party to the Southern Party?
But this time, we need justification rather than the power of the military.
The proof to pin them down for treason.
The proof?
When I tried to appoint my Yoon as the Crowned Prince using my right to reform...
I heard that they circulated a pact to oppose my decision.
We have to obtain it.
If I use that pact as my justification...
I could get it done with the least amount of blood.
You don't need to do much...
Just say that you killed the King.
Then I'll let you live.
I obtained the pact that could be used as the justification for reform.
This is the pact.
The one you circulated.
I announced that I'd appoint my Won Ja to the Crowned Prince before falling ill.
And you still dared to circulate the pact to oppose my decision?
Won Ja Yoon is already the Crowned Prince...
who's been reported to the Jong Myo Shrine!
But the fact that you circulated the pact about Won Ja means...
That you're denying my heir to succession.
But Your Majesty, the reason of the pact is...
It's a clear evidence of treason!
Lord Min's name is on top of the list...
You deny your grandson as the father-in-law of this country?
And I believe we have more to discuss, Lord Min.
Your Majesty, why did you look for me at this late hour?
I said we had more to discuss separately.
For example, in broad daylight, you talk of justification.
That's fitting for the day.
And during late hours, you plot things of a disgusting nature!
When you say 'plot'...
Hyun Moo!
One tried to kill me! The other one tried to kill Won Ja!
And the ones who ordered these people...
Minister of Military, Minister of Internal Affairs, and Vice Minister!
Is there a clearer evidence of treason than this?
Behind all of this is...
Min Yoo Joong.
What is it that you want, Your Majesty?
Change of the controlling party with the justification of your pact.
If you don't follow my plan...
You could be charged with treason.
First, I'd publicly interrogate these people...
And punish the traitors who tried to kill me as well as my son Won Ja.
And I'll create a smooth path for my heir to walk on.
In the past... right, when it was time to choose my bride...
Because it was better to choose bad between bad and worse...
So I had to choose bad...
I wonder which one the wise Lord Min would choose today?
Lord, if we're charged of treason, three generations will be exterminated.
That's right, if we lose power, we can get it back later...
But if we're charged with treason, we'll be traitors forever.
Would I have any choice in this matter?
Rather than a plot of a disgusting nature...
I have no choice but to go with the justification.
Do you have to go to the palace now? It'll be better to watch for a while.
The time is now.
I can't wait a second when something could happen to my Won Ja.
Who's in the palanquin?
Level 1 Lady Hee Bin is in the palanquin!
How dare you barge in here!
It is the royal command of His Majesty.
He couldn't have ordered to treat me so rudely...
Give me the command with your manners in place.
Queen Majesty, with the command of His Majesty, I'm here to take away Won Ja.
Please give him to me.
I can't let these brute men take away Won Ja...
I will go to His Majesty with Won Ja in my arms.
No, there is no need for that.
I, the mother of Won Ja, will take him.
How can you...
I realized it when I left the palace...
The place I should live and die is this palace.
No matter how much Your Majesty or Lord Min tries to kick me out...
I will never be kicked out, or leave on my own again.
You should be prepared for that.
The more you step on the weed, the more it just keeps getting stronger.
Where is His Majesty?
Now that he's recovered, I should hurry and report that I am back safely!
I'll escort you, Lady Hee Bin.
Your Majesty, I've been so worried.
I'm sorry about that.
I had to do that for our Yoon.
It's okay, I'm just so happy to see you like this, Your Majesty.
Let me see my Yoon.
Let me see how much he's grown since the last time I saw him.
Yoon...
Your father will leave you this country Joseon.
The perfect Joseon with the perfect Prince that no retainers can ignore.
I feel like my current situation is like standing at the edge of a cliff on my toes.
Please keep your mind strong in times like this.
I am feeling the tightening trap of His Majesty.
Maybe I'm the start and the end of this incident...
How could you... why would that be...
But, I've never been wrong about my ominous feelings.
I'm too nervous to come to the court.
Luckily, I haven't received the order of dismissal.
Everyone from the Western Party has fallen like leaves in the autumn wind.
His Majesty has arrived!
Secretary, make the announcement.
Here are the new position appointments.
Vice Prime Minister Jo Sa Seok.
Minister of Chancery, Min Hang.
Aide to Prime Minister, Kim Duk Won.
Chancellor of Sungkyunkwan, Mok Chang Myung.
Chief of the special force, Jang Hee Jae.
The court is covered with the Southern Party.
That's what the change of controlling party means.
The power has gone to the Southern Party.
As I was making changes this time...
I realized that over a hundred of the Western Party...
were abusing power in my court.
You the Southern Party must have been very thirsty until now.
Your Majesty, we've received more than enough of your grace, we're so grateful.
Still, we have one more request, Your Majesty.
Tell me.
The head of Min Yoo Joong, who's been abusing his power.
The head of Min Yoo Joong?
I also have something I want, will you accept it?
What is it, Your Majesty?
What I want is...
I want to depose the current Queen.
I earnestly want the deposal of the current Queen!