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[Episode 13]
Go kill them all now!
Why?
Why are you so afraid of this book?
Perhaps everything written here is all true?
Thirty years ago
a document was signed as a pact
to kill the current king and crown a new one.
I'm asking you
if you signed that document
with the name Chook Pa.
How dare you...
Did you
sign the document?
Did you?
Did you really sign that document as a pact to kill the king?
This is not
how things
should be.
These are not the things you should
be asking your father.
How difficult was it?
How difficult and terrifying was it?
Did someone threaten to kill me unless I signed it?
Was my life in danger?
Is that why I was so afraid?
That is how you should
speak to me as my child.
If you were really my son
that is what you would ask me instead.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry, father.
I wasn't born as a brother of the king,
but as your son.
I've always lived safely under your protection.
That is why
I cannot possibly imagine the hardships you have endured.
Yet if I feel this way,
then your people will not be much different.
Please kindly explain to them what has happened.
Why not reveal all the secrets
behind the royal succession of 1724
and ask for the people's forgiveness and understanding.
Forgiveness and understanding?
Forgiveness and understanding.
If I did so
my evil retainers would be desperate
to drag me from my throne.
Many of your people think of you
as a great king.
They would gladly applaud a king
who bravely admitted his faults from the past
and decided to face those issues head-on.
If that is what you decide to do, father,
no matter what difficulties and hardships arise
from start to finish,
I will go through them with you.
The one who needs to make a decision
is not me.
It is you.
Those would open my wounds for the sake of intrigue
and try to drag me from my throne...
Find them all.
Find them all
and get rid of every last one with your own hands.
That is how you should protect your father
and this nation.
You must keep that in mind.
I cannot.
I cannot do that, father.
Then just keep your mouth shut.
Face these issues head-on?
Reveal the truth to the people?
Ask for forgiveness and understanding
and admit my faults?
If I do all that, the people will applaud me.
Eunuch Sang.
Yes.
What do you want me to do?
Tell me now.
I'm sorry,
but this is not a decision I can make, Your Majesty.
However
if you do decide to stand before you people
to reveal the truth and take their criticisms
then I shall stand with you and the prince.
If there is any burden you must bare
I will carry it all.
To be fooled by my naïve son's ideas...
You and I
have lived for too long.
It's the *Jangye!
[Jangye: Report from a retainer working provincially on the king's orders]
Open the door!
In Naju
there is a poster that is slanderous to the court and the Royal Family.
Yoon...
Yoon Ji?
Yoon Ji is
the son of Yoon Ji Sang who was executed
for treason in the *year of Mooshin.
[Year of Mooshin: In 1728, the Young Learning Faction's hardliner,
[Lee In Ja lead a rebellion to deny Yeongjo as king.]
That's not all.
There are many others who have close contact
with Yoon Ji and share his thoughts.
Most of them are...
Young Learning Faction, right?
I believe so.
If that's how it is
then the party of the Young Learning Faction's hardliner
who tried to deny me the crown
by accusing me of treason in 1728
is about to rise in rebellion again.
They would challenge me, would they?
They dare challenge the king?
The poster?
The Young Learning Faction members who were scattered
and forced in exile now seem like they are working
to reveal the truth of 1724.
I am afraid this may get out of control.
What is the worst case scenario?
It is too early to judge.
An urgent meeting is being held at the king's palace.
Why don't you attend
and see if there is a reasonable way to settle this first?
What is it?
His Majesty has ordered you not attend this meeting, Your Highness.
Minister of Defense.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Go to Naju with your troops right away
to arrest the traitor's ringleader and all of his men.
Minister of the Royal Investigation Bureau.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Those who published and distributed the books...
Arrest them all.
Now execute my orders.
Actually...
That is not necessary.
The person who published the book and distributed it to the marketplace
was no one other
than me!
Continue.
There is no need to arrest innocent people.
Arrest me instead.
You are a government official living of a government salary.
I've done what I have in order to repay that living.
Government salaries are not provided by you, Your Majesty.
They are given by our citizens.
Since I have received such a generous living
for over thirty years
it is my duty to give our people the truth in return.
These are merely groundless rumors.
Why would you call that the truth?
Did you say that they're groundless?
This is the medical record of King Kyungjong
which was written by Royal Physician Lee Kong Yoon in 1724.
It contains the record that Your Majesty insisted on serving ginseng extract
even though it was against the physician's will
as well
as fresh persimmon and marinated crab which
the physician said must not be eaten together.
They were both served to King Kyungjong by you, Your Majesty.
Come out!
Chief Royal Guard!
Yes, Your Majesty!
Since then
I have never dared bring fresh persimmon and marinated crab
near my lips.
Chief Royal Guard!
Yes, Your Majesty.
Get him out of here.
Where would you like me to be?
I will go voluntarily.
One cannot cover the sky with their palm.
It is not the sky you can hide so easily!
Minister of the Royal Investigation Bureau.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Set up the royal court of law.
Set up court and find any accomplices.
[Saececk: The practice of illegally publishing and lending books]
Bring the head of the *Saececk library as well
as anyone else related to the publication.
Arrest them all.
Please don't, Your Majesty.
If you insist on strictly punishing these people
the citizenry will believe the contents of the book are true.
What would you do then?
Will you kill all of your people, Your Majesty?
Those who oppose you
are still your people, Your Majesty.
So please...
Please.
Show them your mercy.
Chief Royal Guard!
Get him out of here too.
Please don't, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, please be prudent.
Then before you punish those involved in publishing the book
please clarify if the contents of the book are true or not.
Is what is written in that book true or not?
Why can you not answer me, Your Majesty?
Fine!
If you are so desperate
for my answer, I will answer you.
If you ask me whether I served ginseng extract
with fresh persimmon and marinated crab or not...
It is all true.
It is the truth you all know.
However,
if you are asking me if I poisoned them or not
on no grounds other than
Royal Physician Lee Kong Yoon's work journal,
you are trying
to accuse me of treason
so that your party
of the Young Learning Faction
can drag me from my throne.
That is the truth here, is it not?
Your Majesty.
That cannot be true.
Whether it is true or not
will be revealed after the investigation.
Minister of the Royal Investigation Bureau!
Arrest them all!
We'll see how long you last.
- Keep twisting his legs! - Yes, sir.
Tell me your accomplices.
Keep going until he confesses.
Yes, sir.
Keep twisting!
Didn't they have enough in 1728?
What were they trying to achieve with that poster?
Beating their heads against a wall is their specialty.
Anyway, if we are lucky
this could be our chance to rid this office of the Young Learning Faction.
We shouldn't satisfy ourselves with just that.
Then?
We should catch the prince too.
All of the Young Learning Faction has been arrested?
That is not all.
His Majesty demanded the arrest
of everyone involved in the publication.
Father!
Ji Dam.
Father.
It's okay.
This is nothing serious. Stand aside.
Let's go!
No!
You can't take my father.
Release him.
Release him!
Ji Dam.
- Ji Dam. - Release him!
Ji Dam.
Father!
- Let's go! - Ji Dam.
Father!
- Ji Dam! - Father!
Please take care of her.
- Ji Dam! - Father!
Please take care of her!
Let me go!
Calm down.
If you do this, we'll all be in danger.
Father.
Father!
It seems they've been arrested already.
Find a way to send a messenger to the palace.
I think it would be best to inform the prince
and get his help.
Alright.
I'll work on it.
Your Highness.
What about my father?
Where is my father?
You didn't bring my father?
Ji Dam.
What are the charges?
What was written in that book...
Is it all lies?
No, it isn't.
It is all true.
If it's true
then your father, the king
is the bad man here.
So why was my father arrested?
The king is the one who committed these crimes.
Why was my father arrested?
Why?
I'm sorry.
You'll release my father, won't you?
You'll release my father, won't you, Your Highness?
Why can't you answer me?
I promise you
that no matter what
I will send your father home to you.
Announce me.
His Majesty ordered me not to let anyone in.
Father!
It is I.
It's Sun.
Tell him to go away!
I am sorry.
Please forgive my disobedience.
How dare you treat your father so rudely?
Please take back your command.
No matter how difficult it is,
the only solution is to deal with this straightforwardly.
Father.
If the people cast stones at you,
I will take the blows.
If it is necessary to visit each citizen's home
to beg and apologize,
I will do it for you.
Father!
You needn't be to be too concerned, Your Majesty.
The Young Learning Faction has always been incompatible with you.
We of the Old Learning Faction, however,
have always stood behind you, Your Majesty.
We should use this chance
to rid ourselves of the entire Young Learning Faction and...
Don't equivocate.
It's too difficult to understand.
What is your point?
The reason we came to see you so urgently
is because we have discovered something more critical
than the Young Learning Faction's rebellion.
There is a rumor that there was another mastermind
other than Shin Chi Woon.
More than just Shin Chi Woon?
There is a rumor that the crown prince was also behind it.
On what grounds?
The man who led the publication of Jung Soo Gyum's diary
was the head of Saececk \Nlibrary, Seo Gyun.
He is the father of the girl who works there.
What makes the prince most suspicious is that
as soon as that diary was distributed, the people
no longer want your rule,
Your Majesty.
Then who?
They want the crown prince
to rule them.
You may leave now.
What shall we do now?
What other choice do we have left?
So the crown prince was the mastermind behind that book...
Your Majesty.
Yes?
The crown prince went to the Saececk library
right after Seo Gyun was arrested.
What?
Then...
So Sun did try
to stab his father in the back?
Your Highness.
You came.
Did you want to see me?
Take it.
I called you because I need a match.
You're good.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Have you ever killed a man?
Once on the front lines, Your Highness.
Did you handle it well?
Yes, it was my duty to do so.
What is a military officer's duty?
What do you need from me, Your Highness?
The Old Learning Faction believes
you assigned me to your Royal Guard
to gather information about them to use against them.
I am surprised they knew.
Why did you tell me what they think?
It is because I do not wish to be involved.
They want information on you, too.
You have no wish to be involved?
Do you not make exceptions?
No, I do not.
Even if it is a matter of saving lives?
You never answered me about an officer's duty.
It is to save people.
On this document
are the signatures of both your great-grandfather and my father
but it is only a copy.
To prove their guilt
I would need the document with their real signatures.
I need the original copy.
The original copy is most likely in Kim Taek's hands.
Can you help me with this?
If I fail to find that document,
many people may be killed over it.
If we find the original copy,
what will happen to my father?
Imagine what will happen to mine.
Do you want to protect your father?
It is the same with me, yet I cannot
sacrifice the fathers of others
merely to save my own.
Even though they are innocent
and have only spoken the truth,
they are being put in prison, tortured and killed.
Can you simply ignore those fathers being falsely accused?
You and I are both sons of sinners.
After we take care of this,
let us be prepared to share our fathers' burdens.
That is what we should do as sons.
I will look...
...for a way.
Thank you.
Your Highness.
How did it go?
Thank you.
Let us go.
What is this?
His Majesty has ordered that you
be confined to your palace immediately, Your Highness.
What is the reason?
On what grounds?
The reason is your traitorous mind, Your Highness.
His Majesty suspects that you
masterminded this trouble.
If you stay at your palace quietly
until the investigation is over
then His Majesty's suspicions will be clearly resolved.
Please act carefully, Your Highness.
- Escort His Highness. - Yes, sir.
His Majesty wants to see you.
[The Crown Prince's Palace]
Were you looking for me, Your Majesty?
I heard that you have the ears of two parties these days.
I mean the party of the king
and the crown prince.
Your Majesty.
Did you lead the crown prince?
You led the crown prince to stab his father in the back
so he could steal my crown from me.
Did you provoke him thusly?
No, Your Majesty.
If not,
then did the prince tempt you?
That was not the case.
I have information that the crown prince
was responsible for publishing that book.
That is absolutely uncalled for, Your Majesty.
His Highness has always respected you and only worries for you.
Please do not misunderstand his sincerity, Your Majesty.
Misunderstand?
Shall I break Seo Gyun's shins
until he confesses the real man
behind the publication was the crown prince?
I will get his confession at any cost.
Once I have it,
I will order the prince's deposition
and take both your life and his.
Please don't, Your Majesty.
If you want to take my life,
I will gladly give it to you,
but Your Majesty
please spare His Highness.
It is true that he is still rough and immature
but His Highness is a benevolent and virtuous man.
If you take him under your wing
and embrace him, he will become an excellent king.
So please, please...
Do you want to find a way to save the crown prince?
Yes.
Would you please show it to me?
Abandon the crown prince
and the alleged truth you and he hold so dearly.
Abandon it together.
Starting tomorrow,
I will question the criminals in person.
You will move to the King's Palace to work
and leave the Crown Prince's Palace.
You will be Moonsarang
[Moonsarang: A temporary government post to record criminal interrogations]
and record the testimonies and confessions of the arrested criminals.
Believe what you record is the only truth and do not doubt it.
Above all else,
no matter how desperately the crown prince asks for your aid,
you should never help him.
Can you do that?
I asked you a question.
Yes, Your Majesty.
So please...
I am begging you.
Please do not depose the prince.
Your loyalty is admirable.
From now on,
that loyalty will not be for the crown prince.
Moonsarang?
You will accuse them of crimes
and record them with your own hands?
How can you do that?
I must.
I told His Majesty that I would.
I am asking why.
I want to live.
I do not want to die in vain
from taking their side with you, Your Highness.
Royal Secretary.
From now on,
His Majesty is true to me
and Your Highness is false.
Will you be alright?
With what?
I am sorry.
Your lousy prince is powerless.
I couldn't even protect your safety
or your beliefs.
Before I leave your palace for His Majesty's, I would
like to ask you a favor.
It is just one thing.
Please do not act so recklessly anymore.
I sincerely hope
that I will not be forced to record
your crimes with my own hands,
Your Highness.
Ji Dam!
Boss!
What's the matter?
Why are you out of breath?
The crown prince is...
The crown prince is what?
His Highness has been confined to his palace.
What?
Is that really true?
What should I do?
What should I do for my father?
Gather as many people as you can.
I should go to the Royal Investigation Bureau.
I should go there and get the head out of prison.
His Majesty has ordered compassionate treatment for you.
If you recant all your denials
and write *Jayeolso,
[Jayeolso: A guilty plea to the king]
His Majesty will spare your lives.
Jayeolso?
Don't be absurd!
It is a scholar's spirit not to close his eyes to the truth.
How could you ask us to give up that spirit?
How did His Majesty conciliate you?
What?
Did His Majesty promise you
a great promotion to see us all dead?
Is that why you've become the king's dog so quickly?
How dare you come here and ask us to write Jayeolso?
Go away!
No.
No, minister.
This is not something to decide emotionally.
Emotionally?
We're already here.
We only have our spirits to protect.
I know,
but this isn't the right way.
Some of us have to survive to protect His Highness.
How dare you?
The Inspector General and I will remain here.
We shall protect our spirits,
so please save your lives.
I agree with him.
Someone has to survive.
I can't do that.
If I leave you and Inspector General in here to save my own life,
I won't be able to live with myself.
I know.
Sometimes staying alive is more difficult than dying.
Of course I know that.
I am indebted to you for the two of us to be able to die comfortably.
We will repay that debt in heaven,
so don't be too upset
and make your decision, minister.
Here.
Give me a writing brush and ink.
You made the right decision.
If it weren't for me,
you wouldn't have been arrested like this.
I'm sorry to ask you to do such a thing,
but you need
to save your life to secure your future.
Eunuch Jang.
Yes, Your Highness.
I'm sorry, but I need to ask you a favor.
How is His Highness?
His Highness is taking it well.
First he was imprisoned
and how he has been confined.
The life of the crown prince is a difficult one.
My son.
Do you like to play with that ball?
Would you like to play with father?
If this is discovered,
you will be in trouble too.
Do not worry about me, Your Highness.
Thank you.
What's going on?
This is a messenger to the King's Palace.
A messenger?
His Highness
ordered him to deliver a message of remorse to the King's Palace.
Why are you out here?
Excuse me.
Will you allow him to go?
Return quickly.
What happened?
Please kill us, Your Highness.
His Highness' will to save those who were arrested
was too earnest...
What an outrageous situation!
If this is discovered,
not only you, but His Highness will also be in trouble.
Did you not know that?
I know.
I know it,
but just for once,
please overlook this.
My son.
You must be happy to see your father
after so long.
Your Highness.
Our son has been troubling me so.
Ever since you brought him this ball,
he has only been whining for you to visit us.
So...
please play with him
for as long as you can
tonight
To prove their guilt
I would need the document with their real signatures.
I need the original copy.
The original copy is most likely in Kim Taek's hands.
I think I know where he'd hide the document.
Minister.
Is he here?
I think we should search Kim Taek's house.
[Kim Taek's library]
Your Highness.
If this has been removed,
there's a possibility that he sealed the document in the Royal Protocols.
If he sealed the document in a book during the last trip to the Royal Tomb,
it must be in the Royal Secretariat.
Find it quickly.
[Library of the Royal Secretariat]
You don't have the book here?
What do you mean?
We sent it to Jeongjok Mountain yesterday.
Let's go to Jeongjok Mountain.
Did you say that this is
a letter and not Jayeolso?
Can you deliver it to Na Chul Joo quickly?
Don't do that.
Write the Jayeolso and get out of here.
I'm not escaping.
No.
I gave up my beliefs and escaped once
and once is enough.
Let's go.
Let's go!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
When this letter reaches you,
you'll be gathering people to break into the prison
of the Royal Investigation Bureau.
You're quite a reckless man.
It isn't the right thing to do.
I'm not saying I'm giving up like this.
I will fight for the truth and win
so I can walk out of here on my own legs.
That is how I still have hope.
Ji Dam.
I miss you, my daughter.
Your father is always proud of you.
I'm proud of you, but I am
still very sorry to you.
I will take up courage because of it.
If I can't come home to you,
it's because I went to meet your mother
who I've been missing for ten years.
Don't be jealous that
I went to see her alone.
Instead, live a long, good life before coming to see us.
I pray that the life you live will not be as cruel to you
as mine has to me.
I bless you,
my daughter.
So
have you regretted it enough?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Good job.
Criminal Park Moon Soo.
Come out.
Minister.
Let's meet again in heaven.
You refused to write
Jayeolso until the end, didn't you?
Why did you put on armor?
Do you still have the strength left to advise me?
This is not a war.
How could the king wear armor in times of peace?
If this is not a war, then what is?
Anyone who threatens the crown
is a threat to this nation.
That man is automatically
my enemy.
Your Majesty.
It is not too late.
Write Jayeolso.
Do not die as my enemy
but survive as my friend.
I am afraid that I cannot do that.
You
insist on fighting me until the end?
Fine.
That's the Park Moon Soo I know.
It is too bad, though.
I'm not willing to release them so easily.
Oh!
Why don't you take a comfortable seat at court
to watch your colleagues die?
I will kill all of them
and let you alone survive this.
Your Majesty.
Survive this alone
live for long, long time
and enjoy a life as twisted as mine.
No, even more twisted than mine.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty!
[Jeongjok Mountain Library]
Leave us alone for a moment.
Listen to me.
It isn't too late.
If anyone confesses their crimes now
and writes Jayeolso,
I will spare their life.
The one who needs to confess their crimes
is not among us.
It is you, Your Majesty.
It isn't too late.
Confess your crime to the people.
Minister of Defense.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Continue.
Continue it!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Shin Chi Woon!
Chi Woon!
Minister!
Chi Woon!
Your Majesty.
Please!
Please kill me first.
Minister of Defense.
What are you waiting for?
The criminals who don't confess...
Torture them until they do.
Your Majesty!
What are you doing?
Continue it!
Yes, minister!
Stop it!
Stop this mad slaughter!
Shut your mouth!
I am not pleading to you, Your Majesty.
Listen, executioners.
Do you think you're doing the right thing?
Look here, ministers!
Are you crazy?
Shut up!
The king over there...
What he is doing
is pure madness.
I'm saying he's crazy.
How dare you?
You can't do this.
I hear because I have ears
and I talk because I have mouth.
If he maliciously steals away his people's right to speak,
he is no king.
Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
You can't deal with you people without the use of a sword.
Are you not ashamed?
Those of you with mouths too, speak!
Say something!
Your sons and daughters...
What will your children say about this?
Today,
right now,
the worst thing of all is not
the sword of what is evil,
but the despicable silence of what is good.
If your children asked you about this,
how would you answer them?
Now stop the king
and tell him that this is madness.
Stop this madness right now!
No...
Stop this slaughter right now!
Don't get involved. Just leave!
If you don't stop this,
[Maengui: Secret document]
the *Maengui...
The original Maengui
will be posted on the street for all to see.
You're now the king of the Old Learning Faction.
Congratulations, Your Majesty.
It isn't too late.
The nation is full of righteousness.
Please be a sage king.
The crown prince has been visiting Kim Taek's house often recently.
The crown prince would be meeting him to learn
how to win his father.
Ji Dam.
What do you want from me, Your Highness?
If you want bed service from me
do as you wish.