Subtitles by DramaFever
How is the Queen?
Well... forgive me for saying this, but she's in critical condition.
Why are you all outside?
That's because... smallpox is highly contagious, so...
Fine. If you don't want to be here, leave.
- Doctor, how is the Queen doing? - Your Majesty, please take my life.
Take your life? How can you say that as a doctor?
She's always been weak and it just came all of a sudden...
There is no way of treating...
Please take my life, Your Majesty.
His Majesty is here.
You have to get better for me.
It's such an ugly hand...
Your hands are very warm.
I can close my eyes in peace now.
No... you shouldn't go like this.
I have so much to apologize to you for.
I'm sorry I used you...
I'm sorry...
I couldn't love you.
Thanks to you, my heart fluttered...
And I was happy.
I will make sure to stay here for your last moments...
Be at peace...
Start the procedure.
Your Majesty...
What's next?
The seat of the Queen should not be left empty any longer.
I agree. Set up the office of royal marriage...
and start the selection process.
That again? I'll get it done when the time comes.
If there is nothing urgent, let's be done for the day.
My son, what don't you like about Lady Min?
I'm not saying I don't like her...
I just want someone I like more.
Then tell me what you like in your Queen. I'll bring a perfect match for you.
First, I'd like her to be from an aristocratic family...
of the highest level in the court.
And I want her beauty to match that of Yang Yuhuan.
Well... maybe not up to that level...
Lady Min is almost there.
And I want her to have a heart of silk...
That she'd look over my 13 concubines and 20 stepchildren.
Even Buddha will turn the other way on another woman!
Where on earth would you find her?
Look here.
King Se Jong had many wives with 15 sons and 22 daughters.
King Jung Jong had 13 wives and over 20 children.
Fine, I'll tell Lady Min to accept all of that.
It's also the king's responsibility not to leave the queen's seat empty.
- Mother. - What is it?
Grass hasn't even started growing on the Queen's grave.
Please stop.
Well...
Aren't you the Court Lady from the late Queen?
The Queen Mother will be arriving soon, so please wait in her majesty's room.
Thank you.
- Have you been well, Queen Mother? - All thanks to you.
The reason I called you in today is to give you a royal Wonsam dress.
Isn't Wonsam a ceremonial dress worn only by the royal family?
It's also worn by the woman who's been selected before the crowning.
But I haven't been selected yet...
If you wear Wonsam and walk with me holding my hand...
at the National Foundation Ceremony...
It will imply that you've been selected as the next queen.
Then the king won't be able to do anything about it...
Isn't it a great idea?
You are so considerate, I don't know how to thank you.
I'll have the best Wonsam made even if it takes a competition.
Let's go get your measurements now.
The Queen Mother has arrived.
- Welcome, Your Majesty. - Oh, Court Lady Cheon, I find you here.
I want to give a Wonsam to Lady Min.
But Wonsam is for the one from the selection...
I have my reasons, so I don't want to hear it.
I'm going to give the best one from the tailor's chamber to Lady Min as a gift.
So get her measurements now.
Yes, Your Majesty.
- Maid Jang. - Yes, ma'am.
Take the lady's measurements.
I'll be helping you. Please come this way.
How did you come to the palace?
You were planning to...
Things happened in the meantime.
We must have deep connections.
Seeing how we keep running into each other.
Bulls eye!
Misfire!
How can you make such a mistake! Were you thinking of something else?
Well, that's not it...
I thought I saw a court maid I knew recently...
Somehow I remembered that just now.
A court maid? Was there a court maid you had feelings for?
No way!
How would I dare covet Your Majesty's women?
- Bulls eye! - My women...
All the court maids in the palace are your women.
A court maid is just a court maid...
How can you call a woman I have no feelings for my woman?
If, by any chance, I find a court maid I come to like...
And ask you to let us go far away, would you let us leave?
Of course not.
But in your case, I'll consider it.
No... no more living the life of a player.
I'll decline.
Your Majesty...
Are you not feeling well?
No, I'm just tired.
You mean, the king's not doing well?
First Prince Boksun and then the Queen... He's gone through a lot.
True. It would be great if that girl can keep him company in times like this.
That girl?
I brought in a court maid in secret to keep the king company.
But somehow...
Looks won't work on him.
No, there is also a special connection with the king...
but she's not even using that.
It's driving me mad.
But in a way, it's commendable.
A special connection?
Receiving His grace now won't be soon enough...
but she's here in the palace to make clothes.
She came to the palace to make clothes?
The inner layer and outer layer for the royal Wonsam are separated.
Outside the palace, it's lined with green on the outside and pink on the inside.
It's been a while since you've entered the palace, and you still talk about outside?
I agree. I still find many new things.
Ja Kyung, no... Maid Seo, can you give me advice?
- Go get the silk. - Yes, Maid Seo.
They suddenly refuse to accept all the ginseng under the contract?
We've been doing business for a long time... What happened?
I believe Lord Min Yoo Joong made a move.
The promised date with the king is only a few days away...
No one's ever tried to touch my ginseng regardless of who had power.
How dare he touch my ginseng.
He must have his ass burning trying to make his daughter a queen.
What do you plan to do?
Please relay the message.
I'm spending a big sum for the next queen!
He's provoking my competitive will.
Please keep calm for today. Do you know who those people are?
Do you want to poke around the beehive?
How dare you barge in here!
A bird won't pass by a rice mill.
After hearing about Lord Min's happy occasion...
how could I pretend not to know about it?
So if you'd allow me, I'd like to pour you a celebratory drink.
A happy occasion?
Regarding the next queen.
The news has spread around all of Seoul...
How would I not know as someone who knows everything happening in Seoul?
If you must...
You should have a glass, too.
This drink doesn't taste good anymore.
Oh, tomorrow is the memorial day of the late wife of your lordship.
I'd like to send you some goods for the memorial ceremony.
How do you know?
That was right before the selection of the crowned princess...
So I remember it clearly.
It is my duty to care for the big and small events of the lordships.
Your revenge is to submit yourself to them?
Then the meaning of revenge should be changed.
I just began to slice his face. If he understood what I meant...
He'll grow impatient.
Uncle, what on earth are you talking about?
For that kind of look... It's worth betting all I got.
Tomorrow is the memorial day of the late wife of your lordship.
That was right before the selection of the crowned princess, so I remember it clearly.
Officer Jang... he wants to start a fight...
Investigate all of his family members as well as every connection he has.
When he acts like that, it means there is a hidden hand...
Lee Soon!
Something is missing...
What is it... what's missing?
Scent of fire?
Scent of fire...
Scent...
Forgive me, Your Majesty. I'll excuse myself.
Just for a while...
Will you stay with me?
I had a nightmare again.
When will this vicious cycle end?
I sometimes think...
The king must not be a human being.
He is not supposed to be a human being.
The queen's body had barely left the palace...
And there was already a flood of requests to greet a new queen.
I sent tens of traitors to exile today...
And I ordered to execute three generations...
of a few retainers from the Southern Party.
Then I pretended to look all strong and mighty in front of the retainers.
You must have your reasons.
Reasons...
It's easy to say.
The reason of settling the government and solidifying the royal power.
Aren't you scared of someone like me?
I'm not scared of you.
I feel bad for you.
You feel bad for me...
It comforts me that you tell me that.
As soon as I show this side of me to anyone...
They try to use it to their advantage... even my mother.
And I ended up making my wife so lonely with my behavior...
But the Queen must have left in peace in your arms.
To see through the last moments of someone... I am very envious of that.
Your Majesty, your face looks bright. You must have slept well for once.
Yes, I slept well for the first time in a while.
- Do you feel bad for me, too? - Pardon?
His Majesty is arriving!
Your Majesty! Is there something you'd like?
It's not that...
It's nothing.
Your Majesty, why did you take a different route today?
Oh... did I?
But if someday, if it's still not too late, where could I find you?
Your Majesty told me to find Lee Soon in the palace.
But if I had known that the Chief of the Royal Guards I was looking for was you...
I'd have never come to the palace.
What was that?
After saying that, she doesn't look back even once?
The smell of His Majesty...
I'm the happiest person when I fold the king's robe every morning.
If I could be in his arms even just once...
I could die happy.
I forgot again!
I need to go to the laundry chamber and bring back the Queen Mother's dress.
Do you want me to go?
No, I should go and catch up on all the gossip.
The laundry chamber has all the good gossip.
Finish folding the king's robe. Someone from the king's quarter will get it.
I'm here to get the robe.
And His Majesty's guard robe is tight, so he needs to be fitted again.
Come with me.
- Me? - Aren't you from the tailor's chamber?
- I am, but... - Hurry.
I brought a maid from the tailor's chamber.
Your Majesty, your robe is here.
Let her in.
Just leave it there. I'll put it on in a bit.
The guard robe was tight on you, so we brought a maid from the tailor's chamber.
I wanted to be lazy for once...
I guess I have no choice.
What are you doing? Hurry up.
Yes, ma'am.
I'll take your measurements. Please open your arms.
Right. Okay.
Could you please keep your arms still?
I'm done.
Then...
Wait...
I keet regretting that I missed your tea last time.
Will you bring it again? We can catch up.
Back then, it was the command of the Queen Dowager...
But my duty lies with the tailor's chamber.
So I'll ask the king's quarter to prepare the tea.
Wait! I told you to stop.
If you're so proud to be a maid of the tailor's chamber....
Finish your responsibility.
Follow me.
Stitching is messed up with this one...
I'm going to burst out of this one because it's too small...
And the embroidery on this one is messed up.
The dragon in front is ugly.
I'm going to wear all of these very soon...
You'll have to fix them here before you go.
Wow, Prince Dongpyung! How long has it been?
I know, I've been quite busy these days.
No, don't mention it. Please, please have a seat.
I'll cut to the chase. Where is Ok Jung?
You should know.
Oh, Ok Jung? Ok Jung is doing well in China.
How dare you deceive royal blood!
Prince Dongpyung, how did I deceive you? Ok Jung really is...
Prince Dongpyung, please calm down.
It's all because of me.
My Ok Jung entered the palace to help free me from slavery.
So, please punish me and don't blame my poor children.
Mother... what are you saying, Ok Jung went to the palace...
Don't lie anymore.
Prince Dongpyung helped us a lot while you were away.
How can you keep deceiving him?
So my instinct was correct.
I didn't see a ghost.
I need to check them.
You shortened this one too much.
You made this way too long.
This one is just ridiculous...
No effort in each stitch. Were you drunk doing this?
How am I supposed to look dignified...
in front of the retainers wearing these sloppy robes?
Fix them to perfection by noon tomorrow. Don't be late!
Bring them yourself.
You may leave.
Go.
Did I go too far?
Pardon me.
Jang Ok Jung... are you really in the palace?
Ok Jung.
Prince Dongpyung.
So it was true.
You're in the palace.
I thought I'd run into you someday...
So I see you now.
You were headed to China, so why are you in the palace?
What did you need?
Not that I needed anything...
I had nowhere else to go.
Your Majesty.
- Uncle Dongpyung, you came. - I was on my way to you to make a request.
I have an urgent matter to discuss.
There is a request of the rain ritual because of the drought.
About the court maid I mentioned before...
After the discussion, the day's affair will be over.
Why don't you meet again in the evening, Prince Dongpyung?
That's a better idea. Why don't we have a drink then?
Yes, I'll do that.
Let's go.
Are you out of your mind?
Do you know how much it took to make this happen?
How can you mess up everything?
Do you even understand what you just refused?
If you earn the king's heart and bear his child, you can own the world!
And who knows if it would've been for a night or a lifetime?
Until you entered that door with this tea table...
You had no idea that I was the king?
Fix them to perfection by noon tomorrow. Don't be late.
It's because the one with the name of Lee Soon... was the king.
Because he was the one I came to look for...
I couldn't be the trumpet vine flower that could be done with after one night.
That's the reason that I can't accept you now.
Your Majesty, are you uncomfortable?
There has to be a loose stitch somewhere...
By the way, why is the maid from the tailor's chamber so late?
My discussion is about to start.
- Your Majesty, the maid is here. - Let her in.
How is it that you brought these here?
- Pardon? - I asked for another maid.
Well, Maid Jang is taking care of other things, so I came.
But Maid Jang fixed everything.
His Majesty has arrived!
Your Majesty, how did you come all the way to this humble place?
Is this all the maids in the tailor's chamber?
There are a few on a break and some are out on another duty.
I see... there is this maid who took my measurements and fixed my garments...
But she took my measurements before I ate...
So it'll be too tight with those measurements...
I told her to come back today and measure again.
But my order was delayed...
Forgive me.
I'll take the measurements again.
No.
I'll just lose some weight.
Anyway, when that maid comes in, send her to me.
No. Yang Goon, you wait here and bring her as soon as she comes back.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Where have you been all day?
I was doing my duties.
The most important duty of the court maid is to take care of the king.
So how can you go against my order and take care of other duties?
Would there be any duty that's not important to a court maid?
You came to find Lee Soon in the palace...
You should see me often! How can you not come when I call for you?
Yes, that's why I came to the palace.
But there was no Chief of the Royal Guards I was looking for...
Only His Majesty as high as the sky.
I am that Chief of the Royal Guards Lee Soon...
That Lee Soon is only a king.
No, you're not.
The Chief of the Royal Guards who told me to come to the palace was a man to me.
But the one I saw in the palace was only a king.
If there is nothing else, I'll excuse myself.
Two Wonsam dresses have been selected as finalists.
Remove the cover.
Seo Ja Kyung, Jang Ok Jung. Come forward.
- What's that? They're the same! - That's right.
I've made my decision.
How did you make this dress?
I just tried to infuse scent in it.
Take down the one from Seo Ja Kyung.
- Court Lady Cheon! - No need to call me.
Stitching, selection of fabric and dying technique are equal.
But as Maid Jang said, this Wonsam has a scent.
How is that? Explain to me how you did it.
To get the aroma, I infused the scent of morning glory in the fabric.
Wonsam is for special occasions both in the palace and outside...
So I believed that the one wearing it should be the center of attention.
So if a scent is added to the visual beauty...
Then I believed it could be the best dress. That's why I made it this way.
Did you hear that?
Victory depends on who agonized over it more.
Don't just focus on the assignment alone.
Make one to two, two to three. You have to apply in different ways.
- Do you understand? - Yes, ma'am.
Prepare the accessories to go with this Wonsam.
Yes, I'll get them ready, ma'am.
Your Majesty...
A message was delivered from the tailor's chamber that the Wonsam is ready.
Is it? Then tell them to hurry and bring it now.
Your Majesty, I have a difficult request to make.
A request? What is it?
If I'm going to try on the Wonsam anyway...
I'd like to try it on at Hwe Sang Jeon.
Hwe Sang Jeon... you mean, the quarter that Queen Ingyeong stayed?
Yes... would that be difficult?
No... the queen's quarter is empty anyway. It's better that way.
Tell them to bring the Wonsam to Hwe Sang Jeon.
And ask His Majesty to go there, too.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Let's surprise the king.
But I'm worried it would cause a headache...
Not at all. Did you ever see a monk cut his own hair?
The king and you both, just follow my command.
Your Majesty, the Queen Mother asks you to come to Hwe Sang Jeon.
To the empty queen's quarter? What for?
Mother... what are you plotting now?
Queen Majesty, you've come.
My son, when did you arrive?
Please take your leave now.
I wanted to show you Lady Min wearing Wonsam...
Things seem to have gone wrong.
Yes, Mother.
What an insolent wench!
Unless you had an intention of treason, how dare you wear that Wonsam!
It's my fault. I should've stopped her...
when she said it was her wish to try on the Wonsam...
I left to get the accessories, and this happened...
Ja Kyung!
Lady Min sent a message.
She'd like to see how the whole dress looks first.
Since the one who made it should know the best, she wants you to wear it.
Is that how it's done?
Since there is no big mirror, she wouldn't see how it would look on her.
Besides, it shouldn't be uncomfortable when she wears it...
So maids sometimes try them on first.
What's everyone doing! Take off the Wonsam this wench's wearing!
- Forgive me, I just... - Court Lady Cheon.
How are you taking care of your maids!
Forgive me. I will punish her, so please calm down.
Punish her? How is this supposed to end with a punishment?
Now I'm looking at you, I didn't like you from the beginning!
Actually, it's for the better. Take her out now!
Forgive me, but please let me deal with the maids.
What are you doing? Take her out now!
Where has the discipline in the internal court gone?
Come to the palace as soon as possible and restore the discipline of the court.
Forgive me.
Get out of the tailor's chamber now!
Please forgive me just once. I didn't mean to wear it...
If you didn't mean to wear it... then did someone put it on for you?
That's...
You were only thinking about the king's grace mentioning his name before.
Now you wear the Wonsam with an owner and you deny it?
It's my fault. I'll gladly take the punishment
for coveting the precious one's dress...
But please, don't make me leave.
I don't care if you leave or not.
I just can't stand someone like you would put a...
dent on the reputation of the tailor's chamber.
Don't do anything other than laundry for a while.
Don't touch anything, and don't touch any fabric!
Don't give any work to Jang Ok Jung from now.
- Do you understand? - Yes, ma'am.
I have a question for you.
Pardon?
Yes, please ask.
I'm not sure what you'll think about my advice...
since I'm not the lady of the palace yet.
Was I mistaken?
What do you mean?
With Prince Dongpyung.
It could turn into bad gossip.
It's not like that.
As I said before...
Prince Dongpyung's mother wore my clothes, that's how we got to know each other.
Then I hope it's just my useless concern.
The palace is always full of gossip...
If you get involved with a royal family member...
It could turn into the same story as Prince Boksun... I hope that doesn't happen.
A court maid has her own path.
Don't climb the wall that you can't climb...
And don't look up at the sky that you're not supposed to look up.
I understand your concern.
That won't happen.
Hold on.
I have one more question.
About that dress... Wonsam...
I wonder how you felt wearing that dress.
I didn't feel anything.
That's good to hear.
If some vain maid lingers on the feeling of wearing the dress of her master...
Then she might be inviting misfortune.
There is no lingering feeling of wearing the dress.
For a maid of the tailor's chamber like me, she could make a dress she wants to wear.
Whether it's the dress of a master or someone else.
We wanted to do it, but the maids from the...
tailor's chamber asked us to bring them...
Then we'll get going.
What a thief wench.
How could you steal the first fitting of the dress for the next queen?
- I didn't steal the first fitting. - If not, did you borrow it?
Where are you going?
You humiliated the tailor's chamber in front of the Queen Mother.
- You should pay for it. - Wasn't the last time enough?
That's how you see it, but we see it differently.
That's really funny!
This time, you'll get them clean.
- I don't think she had enough water last time. - Right?
Let's go.
My son! Welcome!
Please sit.
My... there is no other picture like this.
Such a handsome man with such a beauty...
The Chief of the Royal Guards who asked me to come to the palace was a man to me.
But the one I saw in the palace was only a king.
It's raining.
It's about time it rained.
If it took any longer, we would've had a rain ritual.
How grateful that it's raining.
Isn't it, my son?
Your Majesty!
Now it's raining, one of your worries has been lifted.
Don't follow me.
I said, don't follow me!
Just what are you doing here?
It's my workplace. You shouldn't be here.
Workplace?
You're telling me not to come near because it's your workplace?
Is that why, when I take a step forward...
You take a step back?
Your Majesty...
Tell me!
Were you lying when you said you came to look for Lee Soon?
The one I wanted to see was the Chief of the Royal Guards I knew...
But it's not you.
So am I still only a king to you?
Yes. You're only a king.
How!
Even if I'm the king, but with all the coincidences we've had...
You could accept it as fate by now.
Why is it that you're still denying it?
Because I know better than anyone about my own lowly status.
How is that lowly class relevant?
How can I see you again...
I'm only looking for excuses for it...
I'm doing this nonsense because of this absurd feeling!
But you look so calm and say things like, knowing your lowly status...
That lowly class is the shackle that stops me from getting close to you.
I don't ever want to be abandoned by the one I love because of that shackle.
Who's abandoning you! Why do you even think that way!
I just thought you were the Chief...
So I came to the palace only knowing the name...
But he's the Most Gracious Majesty.
If a lowly court maid were to go to His Majesty...
Even if she gets through hundreds of court maids, eunuchs and royal guards...
She'd never get to where the king is.
It took a long way to get here...
But it's farther away from here to get to you.
The place you are is farther than the earth and higher than the sky.
The sky that I can never get close to or touch is you, Your Majesty!
If I'm still not a man to you...
And I'm the sky that you can't get close to or touch...
Then watch.
Take a close look.
That sky will fall on you.
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