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[Episode 22]
You must be busy with government affairs.
What is your reason for visiting me so often?
I've come to see you because Min Woo Seob
is leaving the palace so often now.
Is this because you feel guilty?
Is it because I resigned
and live a life like this with no honor because of you?
Actually,
isn't that true?
I said no.
It isn't your fault.
I have told you many times
that it was because of my own beliefs.
I doubted our regime
as a government official,
so I decided to resign voluntarily.
If so...
If so, minister...
Why don't you
transform that doubt into new conviction?
An academy?
What are you talking about?
Commoners, *Cheonchul and even descendants of traitors...
[*Cheonchul: Children of slaves or female entertainers]
The prince is gathering anyone without exam qualifications
and let them study?
Yes, minister.
How far is he willing to go?
How long will he continue on such a reckless path?
He wants to have this experiment
to avoid doing something reckless.
Did you say experiment?
The academy is an experiment.
If we provide examination qualifications for talented commoners
and let them work for the nation,
whether it throws Joseon into confusion
and will lead to its ultimate downfall
as my father and the Old Learning Faction argued,
or whether it is a chance for Joseon
to take the next step forward...
This experiment will give us the answer.
Therefore, it's even more possible
that the place for you to resolve your own confusion isn't here,
but the academy established in Kwanseo.
Would you please leave now?
Minister.
You didn't visit me today, Your Highness.
Also,
you never disclosed your academy to me.
This is all I can do for you, Your Highness,
so please don't ever visit me again
about the academy.
So what will you do about this?
Would you join the plan gladly or what?
I'm not willing to join him
because I'm still unsure of his idea.
Then?
Regardless,
I still want to watch him.
Minister.
What will Joseon be like after ten years?
After thirty years...
No, I mean after a hundred years.
What will Joseon be like then?
Royal Secretary.
Will what we believe is right
still be the right thing then?
At least, I want to live as a an official
of the government who gives thought to such things.
I don't want to live as a stubborn man
who thinks his self-will is everything
without even watching his experiment
and qualification process.
I want to see it for myself
and then judge it accordingly.
As we watch him, if we begin to think he is wrong,
we have ability to correct him with our loyalty.
I think that is the least we can do.
What do you think, minister?
The ability to correct the king...
Did you call me, Minister?
I'm not so competent,
but I've decided to trust my ability as a retainer.
Minister.
The crown prince descendant comes first.
Afterward,
let's look for a way to support
the prince's academy experiment
so it can continue silently.
Minister of Donnyeongbu.
What did you
suddenly call a meeting for all retainers?
We, *Donnyeongbu, who work on matters of the Royal Family,
*[Donnyeongbu: Ministry of Royal Family Affairs]
decided that we should hurry
in appointing the crown prince descendant.
Appointing the crown prince descendant?
No, Your Majesty.
This is a premature decision, Your Majesty.
It is not a premature decision.
The prince descendant is nine years old already.
We should hurry with his *Kwanrye and his marriage.
[*Kwanrye: Coming of age ceremony before marriage]
It is a matter of course to appoint the eldest son of the prince
as crown prince descendant.
That depends
on the crown prince.
The entire nation
knows what the crown prince tried
at the last national exam
and what his intentions were.
All four social classes...
A dangerous Joseon that has done away with them...
Is that not
the future of Joseon that the crown prince dreams of?
Give us an answer, Your Highness.
Are you willing
to give up on your will immediately?
The dispute of this matter has been resolved already.
His Highness voluntarily
recovered the official robes that were granted.
Did you change your mind, Your Highness?
If you have, then please give us confirmation.
I need the crown prince to sign a document
promising that he will never
break the social order...
How dare you? What did you just say?
Did you just say a document?
Your Majesty.
How dare you ask the future king of this nation
to sign a contract?
What will you do with it?
Huh?
What do you plan to do
having that contract as shackles?
Your Majesty, we...
Get out!
But Your Majesty...
Shut your mouth!
Go away.
What is your real intention?
I mean the real reason you're rushing appointing the crown prince descendant.
That is my only intention.
Don't even try to deceive me.
Your goal isn't to appoint the crown prince descendant.
It's to protect the crown prince.
Do you think that the Young Learning Faction
can dominate the government again if you support the crown prince?
How dare you, Chief State Councillor?
Enough with your vain dreams!
We're the faction in power!
We'll never let your little Young Learning Faction
take that power from us!
Ha!
Have you made an effort?
Is it going well?
What are you doing?
You said that you would try.
What have done?
Are you...
even trying?
How do you want me to answer you?
Are you willing to give me
an answer I expect?
If you have no will to do so,
at least lie to me, son!
Your father and the retainers!
At least try to deceive us!
That's...
That's politics too.
Are you not...
willing to do either?
I am sorry.
Your son, San...
You may be threatening his position.
I haven't decided yet.
I am still in the middle of deliberating on it.
How long will you just keep thinking?
Just say yes.
Just say you will follow the will
of your father and the retainers.
Can't you do that?
You are putting San in danger,
and you still can't decide?
Because the Old Learning Faction asked you to sign a contract,
I could buy you some time.
Above all else, however,
the matter of appointing San the crown prince descendant...
I'll make it happen no matter what.
If I succeed,
I can buy you some more time.
However,
you had best remember that
neither I nor the time I buy you
will be enough.
The Old Learning Faction...
How dare they ask for a document?
We've cast a net for the Old Learning Faction, right?
Yes, Your Majesty.
I should use some of the things
caught in that net.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I will prepare them for you.
Try to persuade the crown prince, Your Highness.
Rather than signing what the Old Learning Faction requested...
How could you say such a thing?
Why not?
It's like signing a slavery contract.
The retainers can't request such a thing of the future king.
It's better than failing to become king.
You shouldn't continue to live this quietly.
If His Majesty doesn't come to see you,
you should make him to come to you.
Why did you say such a thing
to the Chief State Councillor?
Just listen to him carefully.
I heard that His Majesty told you
that you have no obligations
and that you only need to enjoy your privilege.
If you want to enjoy real privilege as Queen Consort,
you should have a son.
After that, you should depose the current crown prince
and make your son the new crown prince.
Then you can
enjoy the privileges of Queen Consort properly.
The academy in Kwanseo is almost settled.
To remedy the abuse of *Kyunyeok law,
shouldn't we change the land system to *Kyunjeon?
In the case of China, its trading system...
I quite enjoy
gathering these talented people
and getting books for them even all the way from China.
- Is the training going well? - Yes.
Our people want to talk to you.
Let's go in.
Of course, there are people who strongly insist
on fighting against the current situation.
We didn't choose you as our leader to be like this!
Remember the bitter grief of 1755?
How long will you insist we endure it and wait for the right time?
The merchant clans have funded us at the risk of their lives.
We
chose the crown prince as our pivot.
As such,
we have to respect his will.
We should move on the palace
and just cut the king's throat.
The crown prince's method is way too moderate.
This world won't change by fostering talented men.
I don't want you to gain the crown by using a sword
or for your throne
to be built on the blood and tears of our opponents.
I sincerely wish that our patience
and your efforts won't become meaningless,
so I'm making an effort for us again today.
Minister!
Come here!
Minister!
Your Highness.
What happened...
I came to have a drink with you.
I want to have a drink with you.
I'm afraid I can't do that.
You've already had too much drink.
Ha!
You're turning me down again.
Should I just...
raise a white flag and surrender?
Equality...
A dream of an equal society is just nonsense.
I am starting to think that is the answer I should give, and just do
as my father and retainers wish.
Your Highness.
Then...
If I do so,
I won't have to lose any more of my retainers
like Minister Lee Jong Sung or you.
Furthermore, my father,
wife and son...
Everyone close to me can be at ease.
To me, that is worth surrendering.
No one will blame me for surrendering.
Don't you think so?
Yes.
But then...
This isn't...
easy for me.
How hopeful my people were when they looked to me...
I just can't forget that.
My responsibility in hindering their aspirations is too critical,
so it's too difficult for me to turn them down, minister.
No.
Actually, I'm afraid.
If I turn them away,
their hopefulness may all change
into resentment,
and that resentment will give them the strength
to take up weapons in rebellion.
That's why I'm so afraid.
Do I just need to suppress them
like my father?
Suppressing people's aspirations with violence
is the most common method used by powerful men,
but I am not confident.
I'm not confident to oppose my father
and I'm not confident to suppress the resentful people with violence.
I'm not confident either way.
Your Highness.
That's why I'm not qualified.
The politics my father always speaks of...
I'm not even qualified to practice politics,
am I?
No.
I don't think so.
Maybe...
Maybe, Your Highness...
There is a position
with such sharp conflicts
so you make an effort to mediate the dispute
no matter what.
That is the position
where politics must be practiced.
This is what I think, Your Highness.
Hong Gye Hee.
You...
You're quite a talented official,
so I tried to cover this kind of a thing for you,
but you dared to request
the crown prince to sign a document?
Hong Gye Hee.
Call him in.
Yes, Your Majesty.
What's the matter?
His Majesty wants to see you immediately.
So...
What about it, Your Majesty?
I allowed you the budget to dredge a ditch.
What did you do with the money?
Although ditch was dredged,
it was obvious we would require a large sum again
it there will be a flood next summer.
So...
I only tried to manage the rest of the budget reasonably.
I did not take the money for my own pockets.
Manage the budget?
It means that you practiced usury.
The people who borrowed money from you...
Their promissory notes state something different.
I couldn't write in Joseon as the lender's name
while I was practicing usury.
It wasn't Joseon,
but the Old Learning Faction.
Half of the gain from that usury flowed
into the Old Learning Faction's political funds.
Do you think that
I didn't know that?
Politics always requires money.
Having done politics for 30 years, surely you know.
I know.
I know it very well.
If so,
I also believe you know that the funds
of the Old Learning Faction
have only been used for this nation.
That's a story only you,
the Old Learning Faction, would know.
How am I supposed to know by reviewing this report only?
I am considering
punishing you
over this report only.
Please do not return twenty years
of loyalty in such a cruel way.
I don't need this kind of loyalty.
If you will serve me with a different kind of loyalty,
I will forget this matter.
Different...
A different loyalty means...
Appointing the crown prince descendant.
Your Majesty.
If not,
than a corrupt official using the nation's money for usury
will be the last title of your occupation.
Give me...
Give me some time to think.
I don't need you to think.
I want you to make it happen yourself.
Don't make me to wait for too long.
Are you saying you'll go to the academy in Kwanseo?
Whether I should take charge of it
or plead *Kaneon to remove it immediately...
[*Kaneon: Requesting the king correct wrongful conduct]
I will decide after I see the academy.
It's a king's duty to listen
to his loyal retainers' Kaneon.
Then...
As I have finished packing,
I will leave the city before nightfall.
I heard that
the Old Learning Faction is opposed
to appointing the crown prince descendant.
The matter of the academy...
Let me take charge of it and do not show
your interest in it for a while.
You should also refrain from any more reckless decisions.
Try and find a way to resolve the Old Learning Faction's suspicions first.
Then the prince descendant can be appointed
the crown prince descendant successfully.
The prince descendant has to become crown prince descendant
to strengthen your position.
Please remember that, Your Highness.
Serve the minister safely.
Take care,
father.
It is better that no one see us,
so we will depart here.
I am looking forward to good news from you, minister.
I will do my best, Your Highness.
[Naesoosa: Office managing the Royal Family's finances]
How are the prince's recent *Naetangkeum expenditures?
[*Naetangkeum: The king's private assets]
No lump sums have been taken out recently.
You must notify me immediately
if you find anything suspicious.
Yes, minister.
A problem?
Someone seems interested
in Your Highness' spending.
[Anjoo Seojae]
Hello, minister.
I didn't know you were here too.
It happened.
Why don't you look around first?
Meet the students too.
Sure.
I will do that.
This is a letter from the crown prince.
Show the minister around.
Yes, master.
This way, please.
What did the crown prince say?
He says that he'll send funds
to Pyeongyang through Min Woo Seob
on the third of next month.
The king's assets?
You know what kind of a situation you're in now.
How could you consider sending the king's money to them?
I have a special reason for sending it.
The crown prince's palace has taken out private funds again?
Do you need my help?
I need you to go to Kwanseo soon.
Huh?
Why Kwanseo?
This time it's to find a way to prevent appointing the crown prince descendant.
If we're lucky,
we can depose the crown prince too.
Take reliable subordinates with you
and follow *Seonjeonkwan Min Woo Seob.
[*Seonjeonkwan: A military officer in charge of delivering the king's orders]
He will
definitely try to contact a suspicious man.
You should raid them at the scene.
[A few days later]
I came to give you an answer for your order.
You're so...
You took so long.
So...
What is your answer?
Appointing the crown prince descendant...
I am not willing to take lead of it, Your Majesty.
Let's see.
Then
you will lose your official robes.
The prince may lose his crown
sooner than I lose my robes.
If so,
appointing the crown prince descendant will become difficult too.
Ha!
What do you mean?
Huh?
You, the Old Learning Faction...
What are you scheming this time?
We aren't the ones
who are scheming.
It's the crown prince.
The crown prince?
For the last several months,
the crown prince has been sending private funds to the Kwanseo area.
This *Naetangkeum... What do you think that money is doing?
[*Naetangkeum: The king's private assets]
It's very likely it has ended up in the hands of dangerous men.
Dangerous men?
Do you remember the night
we were alerted to an assassination plot?
There were people who fled the city in a hurry that night.
Merchant Na Do Joo's clan...
I think
it's very likely that the crown prince
has kept in touch with them.
Are you saying that...
the crown prince...
my son...
has communicated secretly with the criminals
who plotted for my assassination?
The prince's devoted retainer,
Seonjeonkwan Min Woo Seob,
went to Kwanseo with a lump sum of private funds.
I asked the Queen Consort's father, Kim Han Ku to follow him
so we can find out
who is receiving these funds
tonight.
[Pyeongyang]
Hong Gye Hee, what a shrewd man...
He made it so I was unable to make a countermeasure.
There's nothing I can do by now.
Call the crown prince.
I must check
where he has shifted these funds.
Yes, Your Majesty.
If you wait in this room,
the Seonjeonkwan will arrive soon.
Where's my guest?
He's waiting for you.
Were you looking for me, father?
Have you ever shifted your private funds
to Kwanseo?
Why can't you answer me?
[The crown prince's Naetangkeum spending]
Is this because you've delivered
private funding to rebels?
Wait.
Who is this?
It's Seonjeonkwan Min Woo Seob.
What brings you to Pyeongyang, *Buwongun?
[*Buwongun: Queen Consort's father]
Of course,
I'm here to arrest the rebels
you plan on delivering that money to.
What are you doing?
Arrest him immediately.
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Get off me, everyone!
[Pyeongyang's governor, Jeong Hui Ryang]
Tell me right now
what in hell is going on here?
I am sorry,
governor.
I think there's a misunderstanding.
Governor?
Say hello to him.
This is Pyeongyang's governor, Jeong Hui Ryang.
Pyeongyang's governor?
I sent Naetangkeum
to Pyeongyang's governor, Jeong Hui Ryang.
Why did you sent Naetangkeum
to the governor of Pyeongyang?
They have had severe famine since last year,
so many people have starved to death.
Provinces in Kwanseo area have been those worst affected.
I wanted to take countermeasures,
but there's a limit with state funding.
That is why I decided to use private funds
to help them.
Is this true?
Why don't you summon Pyeongyang Governor Jeong Hui Ryang immediately?
Then you can see whether or not it is true for yourself.
If so,
then why are you meeting so secretly?
That's what the crown prince asked.
Naetangkeum is the Royal Family's private assets.
If the other provinces knew he were only spending it
here, they would be disappointed.
That's why the crown prince was concerned.
The crown prince is using these funds for *Kuhyul,
[*Kuhyul: Provide aid for refugees and the poor]
but does not want the source to be revealed.
I'm sorry that I misunderstood you.
What did he say?
The crown prince said
he can't send us Naetangkeum this time.
I think it's the Old Learning Faction.
He said that he'll look for another way.
Is this true that the crown prince's Naetangkeum
was delivered to the provincial office
of Pyeongahndo and used as relief funds?
Yes, Your Majesty.
I see.
You may leave for now.
You disgrace.
How dare you
try to cause intrigue
with the crown prince?
This is a sin
that should be punished
by taking your life
rather than discharging you.
However, I will still give you
an opportunity to wash away your sin.
Since you're a wise man,
I'm sure that you're well aware
of what I want.
This was a trap set by the crown prince.
It was a trap!
But we have no way to prove it.
Who would it be?
Who would ally with the crown prince
and cooperate with him so closely?
Pyeongyang's governor is a moderate,
but he is registered with the Young Learning Faction anyway.
If so, then we can roughly guess who.
Thank you.
You've done a great job.
To strengthen our Young Learning Faction,
of course I will support you.
Luckily, we've used relief funds we've gained various ways,
so the paperwork will be flawless.
I appreciate it.
By the way, minister,
what is
the crown prince really doing in Kwanseo?
What is he doing here
that he is continuously sending his own private funds?
I'll tell you gradually.
After all, I'll be asking for your help often from now own.
Your Majesty.
The prince descendant will be of age soon,
so I believe it is the proper time to appoint him
the crown prince descendant.
Chief State Councillor.
What do you think of this?
My opinion is the same, Your Majesty.
Since all my retainers
agree on the advice
to appoint a crown prince descendant,
I will follow
your will.
- We appreciate your grace, Your Majesty. - We appreciate your grace, Your Majesty.
Is this true?
My son will be the crown prince descendant?
Yes, of course.
Congratulations, Your Highness.
I have nothing to regret, even if I died right now.
You knew that
the Old Learning Faction would
be suspicious of your use of funds.
You knew that, but still dispatched a messenger.
Aren't I right?
I realized the clear need
to eliminate the Old Learning Faction's suspicions.
Your political skill has improved quite a lot.
That's right.
That's how you play tug-of-war with the retainers.
However,
you need to learn how to hide your mind.
You should never
reveal your mind to the retainers.
Above all else,
you should never let them know
your indeterminable thoughts.
If you do so...
I will be providing them with a reason to attack me.
I've learned and realized enough
from what I have been through.
I will be cautious and prudent
when I work on government affairs,
so please don't be too concerned.
[2 years later, the 38th year of King Yeongjo's reign]
How is His Highness?
He has a high fever.
You fever will not easily come down
because you have such severe boils on your back.
Work is important too,
but we have advised you many times
to get some rest to heal these boils.
Is it that severe?
It is too severe to cure with medicine alone.
What have you done for his condition
to get so bad?
We have repeatedly advised him
to take complete rest again and again, but...
He'd never listen to you.
That's right, Your Majesty.
What measures can be taken now?
Why don't you send him on *Onhaeng?
[*Onhaeng: A royal visit to a hot springs to cure a disease]
A bath in a hot spring would be good for healing the boils
but it will also be a chance to force him to take a break from work.
Onhaeng...
Onhaeng?
Eunuch Sang.
Issue an order to select a good day for the trip.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Onhaeng...
How is his illness?
His Highness' fever has come down a bit.
I have books to read.
If you tell me what it is...
You'll take long to find it.
It will only take a moment.
Why did you come here this late at night?
You're sick.
Why are you holding a book?
I need to read it tonight.
No, you can't.
Lie down over there.
I'm recovered now,
so you may go back to your room.
Lie down and try to sleep.
I'll leave after I see you sleeping.
Princess.
Please take care of yourself.
Your health isn't only yours.
You don't need to worry too much.
I have only had this fever for a while because of these boils.
Okay.
I'll do as you order
and as you wish.
[Kwanseo Academy Records]
Academy?
[Kwanseo Academy Records]
Did you really
find this in His Highness' room?
Why would he
establish such an absurd academy in the Kwanseo area?
Is this true?
What
should we do now?
We should try and abolish it
before His Majesty and the Old Learning Faction find it.
His Highness wouldn't agree to that.
Then we must do it secretly.
What are you thinking?
We can't persuade him.
The entire thing would be
revealed if we tried to do that.
If the happened,
the crown prince, his heir,
you and our family...
All of us will be ruined.
Fortunately,
His Highness will be leaving for the hot springs soon,
so we can take care of this business in the meantime.
Don't worry.
I'll take care of this matter.
You just
need to return this book to where it was
without letting the prince know.
Do it quietly.
Do you understand me?
You find a reason to attack the crown prince?
What do you mean?
For the last two years
since the crown prince's heir was appointed,
I've been casting nets around everyone who is close to him,
including the crown princess, Jo Jae Ho and Chae Je Gong.
I think
I've caught a big fish in this net.
A big fish?
I think
we only need to watch Hong Bong Han carefully for a while.
[A few days later at the provincial office of Pyeongyang]
Commoners, Cheonchul
and even descendants of traitors...
What are they doing at a place called Seojae?
[Seojae: Academy]
You don't know what it is?
They've plotted treason.
You should find them and subdue them before they raise a rebellion.
If you suppress them after they rebel, you'll also be held accountable
because you failed to identify such a rebellious mob
gathering in your province.
[Pyeongyang]
If you see any of them, report it to the office.
Hey.
If you see a traitor, report it to the office.
[Jang Dong Ki] [Lee Dal Seong]
How did this happen?
How could provincial office
know everything about us,
including the names of our members?
I think the information has been leaked,
but I don't know where from.
Why don't we
notify the crown prince first?
Now...
The only thing left for us is to make the winning move.
Your Highness.
[Jang Dong Ki] [Lee Dal Seong]
[Suppression]
Pyeongyang's governor will suppress the academy?
How could this happen?
Did you call me?
Have you received any messages
from Kwanseo recently?
No, I haven't.
Then who sent this to me?
I'm positive.
This is Pyeongyang's governor's official seal.
How did Jeong Hui Ryang get the information about the school
and then decide to oppress it?
I'll find it out quickly.
No.
I have to go to Kwanseo in person.
Your Highness.
Fortunately, tomorrow is the day I will be leaving for the springs.
What do you think now?
With a little help from my court people and you,
I can visit Kwanseo secretly.
I'll send a message to Pyeongyang first.
After I find out what happened
by writing to Jeong Hui Ryang...
That might be too late.
We don't even know who sent this to you.
What if it is a trap that someone has set?
What if Jeong Hui Ryang suppresses the academy
while I spend time to figure everything out?
That is the worst case scenario.
I have to visit Kwanseo during my trip to the hot springs.
That's the quickest way to resolve this matter.
Do you
have to do this?
This is a matter of life and death for the people at the academy.
Today is the day
you leave for the hot springs.
I told you that you didn't need to come see me today
because you were busy preparing for your trip.
It is okay, father.
Rest up well.
It is a king's duty
to take good care of his health
and not concern the retainers with it.
I will keep that in mind,
father.
I'm leaving.
Take good care of mother
while I'm gone.
Yes, father.
Take care.
Take good care of yourself.
Why are you here, Minister of Defense?
His Highness is going a long way.
I came out to see him off.
Tell him.
He seems to be asleep now.
He is not answering.
Tell him that I'm here right now!
Minister.
I will make sure to tell him that
you came here to see him off.
His Highness can't seem to hear well
because of his high fever, so...
Are you sure that he's in there?
Minister.
What are you doing?
Get them out of here and open the door immediately!
- Yes, sir! - Minister...
You! Get off me!
The crown prince didn't go to the hot spring.
Then where did he go?
I believe he's on his way to Kwanseo.
Why would he go to Kwanseo?
It is to protect
the traitors he's fostered.