Gye Baek
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Episode 14
Stop!
Let's enter the forest.
You're more loyal than I thought!
It's not because I like you. I don't know the way!
Indeed?
Get out of here first.
What do you mean? We should go together!
If we stay together, we'll be caught. And I'm a better swordsman.
You have to come, Gye Baek!
Where are we?
Near the secret village we're supposed to go to.
Do you know how to read Nine-star Taoist maps?
You mean maps that use the Nine-star and the Taoist Bagua as the compass?
Yes, this map looks very complicated
but if you can establish the center, it's rather simple.
Make sure you don't lose me.
Haven't you ever seen a village before?
What are you staring at...
...my profligate Prince?
You are...!
I'm the official that gave you the cupbearer's robes, Heung Su.
But I heard you never wore the robes.
I flapped my lips for nothing!
Is this where you live?
Yes, but as you can see, so does many people.
Look here. Can't you see he's a prince?
You should observe protocol!
I assume you're one of the prisoners of war. Observe it yourself!
Besides, in this village you have the lowest rank.
Everyone here is a king. Me too.
Hey, rude king!
Long time no see, King of the beggars.
Why do you always bring vagabonds with you?
We're short of grain as it is!
I see you've arrive safely.
Yes, you've made it too. So this is your childhood friend?
Yes, we studied together at school, but he was kicked out because he was rude to the teacher.
Hey, I told you I wasn't kicked out! I left because there was nothing left to learn!
Where's Gye Baek?
You didn't lose just one, but the whole group of prisoners of war?
You came here to tell me this?
Please forgive me.
And Steward Gun Cheol from the Outer Storehouse is missing too?
When the soldiers arrived, he had already disappeared.
Did a riot really happen?
Both the corrupt officials who caused the riot and the prisoners of war who rioted have disappeared!
What an interesting turn of events!
Look here, Prime Minister!
Do you take me for a fool?
I cannot help but think that you are trying to erase everything because of your own involvement!
Your Majesty, how can you even say that? That's unthinkable!
Is that so? Will you take responsibility for those words?
- I will take full responsibility. - Indeed?
Let's see about that.
What did you just say? You lost Euija?
When I received the report and went to the forest,
they had formed a battle formation that was new to me.
I had never such a formation before.
It seemed to use the Taoist Bagua.
That's impossible! Euija doesn't know battle formations!
Someone is helping him! There must be someone else!
Find him. Find the person who is helping Euija!
Yes, your Majesty!
He's too late. Shouldn't we go search for him?
We must not meet any soldiers. Let's wait a bit longer.
I heard the news.
Don't worry. He'll come.
He'll be here.
He must.
Something must have happened to him! I'll go find him.
I'll go. The soldiers must not see you.
Who is this fellow? Why is a prince and a beautiful lady both looking for him?
He may be dead already, but he certainly had a good life!
Scoundrel! How dare you flap your lips heedlessly?
Please forgive him. His mouth has always been a cesspot.
Cesspot? Don't you remember I saved all of your lives?
Gye Baek...!
Gahi...!
I never realized what a joy it was to watch someone eat.
We thought something had happened to you.
I'm sorry for worrying you.
You should be sorry.
And you should never say you're sorry again.
Please learn to keep yourself out of harm's way.
I have no reason to put myself out of harm's way.
You stopped me from accomplishing the only thing I ever wanted to do with my life.
There are many other reasons to continue living.
Look at these villagers.
They are all orphans and poverty-stricken folks who lost their families.
Do they not feel hatred and sadness?
But they all continue to live.
They share their loneliness and sadness.
They till the soil together, and eat together.
They even sleep together and share their lives.
Their lives are banal, but they are still worth living for.
You tread a thorny path too.
So why must I do this by myself?
Once the thorny path comes to an end,
I may live like these villagers here.
If so...
...will you...?
...be my reason for living?
Later...
...if such a good day comes...
...I'll do that.
You're welcome to stay for a few days, but we are short on supplies ourselves.
We don't have much grain to go around.
But I noticed someone eating a whole bushel of rice by himself!
If you need money and grain, we will supply it.
This lady owns a trade house in Sabi. Take in the prisoners of war.
What's wrong with you?
Do you think this village is for sale?
Listen well. In this village, there is no king, no nobles, and no wealthy.
There is no lord, and there is no slave.
Everyone works here and everyone shares what they have.
Because of the famine, we took some grain from Lord Yeon, but we typically do not bring in anything from outside.
Why? Because those who give usually want something in return.
We don't want anything in return. It is simply a token of our goodwill.
We understand what you're saying, but you must not turn away our generosity.
Is that so? Fine.
I'll accept your goodwill.
But most importantly,
if you want to become one of us, you must adhere to our ways.
That's good. This village is what we've always dreamt of an ideal world.
I will do so as well.
When we leave, I want to make the whole of Baekje like this.
Sung Choong, Heung Su, Gye Baek...
Eun Go...
Will all of you help me?
My goodness...
You got me!
If that's what you want, then I'm in!
If you had become the Royal Cupbearer, I would never have served you.
Fine, I will be your right-hand man.
Do you have a new goal beyond revenge?
I will serve you until you accomplish everything you desire, your Highness.
Gye Baek...
You still don't want to serve me?
It doesn't matter to me.
Just don't leave the village. Live here.
I should head back to the city.
I'll be back.
Why aren't you eating? There's lots of pork.
I'm vegetarian.
- You too? - If our leader is vegetarian, then so are we.
Come here. Let me hit you once more.
Are you kidding me? We were just in the pigsty with those pigs!
How can you eat?
We haven't eaten in two days!
How can a leader starve his men?
Go ahead and eat. Go on.
Go and eat then! He wants you to eat!
Just drink up!
You know what, Moon Geun?
I have a question. If you're going to get rid of us, then just do it.
Why do you keep sending for us?
If you're going to kill us, then just...!
...just think about it before you do it.
Hey Dok Gae, have you ever killed a man for 200 yang?
200 yang? Who can be worth that much?
Do you know?
- Not me. - Me neither. Maybe if he's royalty.
Yes, maybe if he's royalty...
Are you referring to royalty?
And if I am? What would you do?
Give me your perspective.
First you threaten me, and now you ask me for advice.
I wouldn't do it. Why?
Listen, people in the death business like us can talk money.
But politics? Don't get involved!
Even if someone offers a great deal of money... Money...
Even so, don't do it.
Look at me. I got involved with your father Mujin and look at how wretched my life became!
If you fail, your life may become wretched, but if you succeed, your life may change for the better.
And you could meet with Wi Je easily.
Perhaps. But you really should take my advice.
You want to work with me?
You're good at using your brain, and I'm good at using my knife.
Work with you? How interesting.
Wait, so how would that work? How about half half?
Yes well, this work entails using a knife and putting one's life in danger.
So it should be slightly different. How about six...
How about you get nothing?
Nothing...
So the prisoners of war freed you?
Are you certain you didn't walk out yourself?
No, Father.
They left me by an unknown roadside and I was only able to find my way back now.
What? Do you really think you can fool me?
Seeing how you've thrown in your own fate with the prisoners of war,
I suppose you have no ambition to become King.
I have never harbored that ambition.
My fear is that I would have that ambition at the cost of their lives.
Fool. Do you think the crown comes without a price?
You can only possess it by stepping over rivers of blood and grinding bones under your feet.
But once you possess it, it will cost more blood and bones to keep it.
Like the blood and bones of my mother and General Mu Jin.
But I know that you will ultimately take the crown
at the cost of the lives of the Queen, the Prime Minister and Gyogi!
Is that not why you stole Lord Yeon's daughter as your bride?
Don't assume I am like you.
If I am given the choice of choosing the woman I love or the crown,
I will never choose the crown.
You mean you want to partner with that hideaway village and send supplies to them?
Yes.
No!
We can help them once or twice,
but partnership with such an organization can ruin our business.
Prince Euija has decided to join forces with them.
How can we just sit and watch?
Frankly speaking, I'm not too pleased about helping Prince Euija either.
Sir!
How can you be sure he'll become King?
In my opinion, Prince Gyogi has a better chance because he has the support of the Queen and the nobles.
Aren't we businessmen supposed to support the side which has the better odds?
Look, Im Ja.
There's something you're unaware of.
Do you think we're helping Euija because of the potential gain if he becomes King?
Then why?
Right now, the kingdom's fate rests in our hands.
I sent my men out to search for the prisoners of war but we were unable to find them.
I sent out requests to the other trade houses, so I'm certain we'll find them.
- We're also looking for Steward Gun Cheol... - That's enough.
I don't want you to be involved anymore.
What? Is something wrong?
No, but I want you to focus on watching Euija's every move.
I'm certain that someone is helping Euija secretly.
I feel the same way.
Tomorrow is Euija's wedding day.
- Make sure all the guests are monitored too. - Yes, Your Majesty.
I heard that everyone is headed to Miamsa Temple tonight.
I will accompany them.
What the hell is that fellow?
I wonder if he's eating three square meals!
That rascal...!
I'm eating three square meals a day.
What the...? Where the hell have you been?
The prisoners of war have revolted! Do you know how worried I was?
The prisoners of war revolted?
That's right! They destroyed a government office and escaped!
Really? I wandered around the city for a few days after I slept over at the Palace.
It's changed a lot.
Of course. By the way, are you really not going to take revenge?
What power do I have?
You should stop thinking about that too and just live a comfortable life.
What a scoundrel you are... I really misjudged you.
Sorry.
By the way, why are you making so many swords?
Oh, the Palace is holding a competition to select personal guards.
Everyone wants a sword to advance his own life.
Go ahead and sleep. I have work to do.
- You can finish this. - Yes Sir.
So I'm really going to get married.
Are you troubled?
I'd be lying if I said I wasn't.
You must endure it.
Yes, you're enduring the torment of becoming the Prime Minister's daughter.
I must certainly endure this.
I'm not sure if my mother would approve of her.
Miss Taeyeon is beautiful and wise.
I am sure you will come to care for her.
Will I?
Eun Go, you must not marry like me.
You must marry the man you love.
Marry? I have never imagined myself married.
If that day...
If that good day comes...
...that man will be so happy.
Your face...!
What's wrong, your Highness? Is this marriage so displeasing to you?
Of course it's displeasing to me! Once I'm married, I can't see other women anymore!
Let's go!
Your Highness!
Thank you for entrusting your daughter to me.
My daughter understands the meaning of this marriage.
But this is also both your destinies to be married to each other.
Please take good care of her.
I will.
Taeyeon, because of you, it has become our fate to be in alliance with His Highness.
You must serve him with all your heart.
Yes, Brother.
Father, I will be at the side of His Highness until he accomplishes his purpose.
- Please don't worry. - Yes, I will put my faith in you.
When my mother comes here, she'll dance for joy!
My wife and children will do the same!
This is paradise! Let's go and fetch them
Don't you have someone to bring?
No.
I don't have any family, but there are people I want to bring here.
The families of the men who died during the riot.
If their families live here in peace, their souls will be at peace too.
Will you help me?
Life is so meaningless.
They didn't want government jobs or money.
All they wanted was to see their families again.
But they ended up dying on their own land, at the hands of their own countrymen.
How can we tell their families this?
This looks like the place.
How could this happen?
All she wanted was to see her son again! How could this happen to her?
Relative of Prisoner of War Guilty of Treason
Who was it? Who killed this old woman?
Soldiers came and killed her because she's a traitor's mother!
Let's go to the next house.
Damned bastards...!
How...? How could human beings act this way?
Father...! Mother...!
My mother...!
Baek Pa lost his mother and brother too.
You're educated, so let me ask you something.
Does the world change people?
Or do people change the world?
The world is inhabited by people, so of course people must change it!
You want to enter the Palace?
No! It's too dangerous!
I'm not saying I'm going to put a knife to Queen Sataek's throat like before.
I realize now that that is not the way to exact vengeance.
I want to be close to her and remove her influence little by little.
No. I won't allow it!
Why not? I want to cut off their limbs off one by one.
Gye Baek, you're different from me and the Prince.
If you cannot fool yourself, you will never be able to fool the Queen.
Your Highness, you must stop him! Please!
Eun Go is right. It's too reckless.
I'm not telling you to get your permission.
I just realized what I have to do.
I just realized why my father lived like that.
I will pick up a sword for the world.
I will pick up my sword in order to create a world where people live like human beings.
Fine, if that is what you want, I won't stop you.
In a few days, the Royal Guard will be holding a competition to select new Royal Guards.
If you perform well during this competition, you may catch the attention of the Queen.
Your Highness!
No, this is not a blind desire for vengeance.
Besides, after you were adopted by the Sataeks, I have never been at peace.
Gye Baek, if you were close by, I would feel more comfortable.
Your Highness!
So? Will you enter the competition?
Or will you wait for another opportunity?
I'll enter the competition.
Your Majesty, these are the 8 men who will become the new Royal Guards.
I heard there were more entrants in the competition from the previous years.
Judging from that, these men's abilities must be outstanding.
Even amongst valuable jewels, there is the most exquisite.
Tradition dictates that you choose one man to receive the sword from you.
This man will be chosen to be your personal guard.
Perhaps you should choose your own personal guard too.
I have no need for a new personal guard.
My guards have been with me for years. I am more comfortable with them.
What if I give one of them to you as your personal guard?
That is a fine idea.
You may meet some unsavory people on your way back and forth from the Palace.
This competition was to select guards for the Royal Family.
The safety of the Royal Family is the safety of Baekje.
I have my guards from the Trade house, so please do not worry about me.
Begin.
Begin the duels!
This is the final duel, Your Majesty.
And what are the names of the final two?
The first is a man named Cheol Du from the Paburi Province.
And the other is...
...is named Seung and he is from Sabi City.
You should stay down.
Don't just avoid my blows. Attack me!
Your skills are outstanding. Your name is Seung?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Who taught you your swordsmanship skills?
No one, Your Majesty.
You mean no one taught you?
If I had to choose,
just like this man here, my opponents in battle were my teachers.
No teacher?
How strange.
What position do you desire? Do you wish to be my personal guard?
I wish to serve Her Majesty.
The Queen?
Why? Why not me?
I have lived my life on the streets.
But I have always heard of Her Majesty's wisdom and moral influence.
I truly want to serve Her Majesty.
How disappointing.
The Queen's Palace will have to accept Seung.
How envious I am. Even the streets are teeming with your people.
In that case, you will be my personal guard.
Yes, Your Majesty!
As I mentioned before, I have no need for another guard.
Why don't you take both of them?
Do you not like me, Your Majesty?
How impudent!
Have a cup of tea.
Drink up. It is from Her Majesty.
Isn't it hot?
It must be hard work guarding the Prince.
Drink up. It's from a great woman.
Wasn't it hot?
It is I, Namjo.
Have you found the steward of the Outer Storehouse?
We have yet to find him.
Why can't you find him?
We searched all over Sabi but he was nowhere to be found.
He must have left the city.
If we don't find him now, he will continue to be a thorn in our side.
The Royal Secretary will know where he is.
- Have you searched his house? - Yes.
The Royal Secretary has been with the Prime Minister all day.
The Royal Secretary?
- You may leave. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Hyoso.
Did you summon me?
I wish to see the Prime Minister. Make preparations.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Wait.
No need for an entourage. I just need you and my guards.
Also, summon the man named Seung who won the competition.
- Who are you? - Attack!
Please leave.
Queen Sataek does not trust people easily.
The same goes for personal attendants as well as guards.
If you don't get selected now, you will never have an opportunity again.
So this is my only chance?
You may be fortunate and be summoned, but she will test you.
If there is any hesitation on your part, she will never trust you.
Halt! I will kill you!
This man meets your standards.
He will give up his life for you anytime.
Who is the youngest?
I am.
Was this a test?
Let's go.
The murmurings of the people are increasing daily.
They are criticizing the government and the nobles.
Their lives are merely about making sure they eat three meals a day.
They'll forget all of this within a month.
How can you be so indifferent?
Don't you understand that the people are unhappy and it's getting worse daily?
- Forgive me. - Where is Gun Cheol?
I've hidden him away from the city.
I've also taken the ledgers for safekeeping.
He must not be caught by any means.
If he is found, that will be like pouring oil into a roaring fire.
Kill him!
Why are you hiding that criminal?
He will be the downfall of our family, and our kingdom if he is found!
Your Majesty...
Killing him is not the solution.
Then what is?
The best solution now is to kill him and silence him forever.
Where is he now?
Royal Secretary, tell me now. Where is he?
He is...
Did the guys at the South Gate hear anything?
They looked everywhere, but no one heard or saw anything strange.
- And you? - We couldn't find anything either.
You too?
Why the hell do you even eat? You have to earn your keep!
Where's the guys that went east?
We heard about someone suspicious that went through the East Gate, and it was confirmed.
Are you certain?
All of you can continue eating.
Let's go. There are many people waiting for you.
Perhaps you're mistaking me for someone else.
I think you're mistaking me. Do you want me to use force?
Where is the new monk?
I thought you took him at breakfast.
I heard the revolt was because of this man.
I heard he was really corrupt.
But I doubt he took everything for himself. I'm sure he gave some to his superiors too.
Corrupt officials!
Let's show him! Let's stone him to death!
- Imprison him immediately! - Yes Minister!
What? Gun Cheol was arrested?
Yes, Your Majesty. The citizens arrested him and sent him to the Justice Minister.
Where is the Prime Minister and the Royal Secretary?
They both entered the Palace and have rushed to the Ministry of Justice.
Halt!
Minister, please help me...!
If you cooperate with the investigation, I will see what I can do.
- Make sure security is tight. - Yes Minister.
We have had witnesses assassinated while being interrogated in the ministry.
Yes, Minister.
You must have recorded your finances when you took the prisoners of war's payouts.
You will also have a list of the superiors you gave money to.
Where is that ledger?
There are many people who don't want you to be alive.
Shall I send away all the soldiers here?
We were able to find his ledger and records,
but all the names were in pseudonyms and thus we were unable to find out their identities.
Gun Cheol has yet to make a full confession because he fears reprisal from them.
He needs a guarantee that his life will be...
He's a criminal. How dare he try to negotiate?
I told him that if he gave a confession, we would protect him.
But he seemed very afraid.
Alright. You may leave.
Yes, Your Majesty.
What do we do now?
Please forgive me, Your Majesty. This is such a complicated situation.
That's why I'm asking your thoughts.
Does this involve Father?
I knew that you would realize that without me telling you.
My apologies.
Tell me your honest thoughts.
There is something I want to show you.
So these are the lanterns and kites that saved the lives of the rioters.
The Royal Secretary brought them to me before.
Your Majesty, these are the thoughts of your people.
When I first saw these things in the sky, I was amazed at the beautiful sight.
But when I read what was written, I came to tears.
These beautiful lanterns were such fearsome things.
Your Majesty, the people of Baekje no longer stop at feeling pity for the prisoners of war.
They now blame the nobles, the Sataek Family, and even you.
Even though you do nothing but think of the kingdom.
How did things come to this?
Your Majesty, you must not let this affect your relationship with Father.
You must think of a way to protect Father.
There is only one way.
He must be killed.
The people will be placated.
Hyoso!
Summon Seung.
That man just joined your personal guard.
- For this type of work, a more experienced... - No.
He can be trusted.
Did you send for me?
You wanted to serve me, did you not?
Has that desire changed?
Of course not, Your Majesty.
Good. I will give you your first mission.
There is a man you must kill for me.
I await your command. Who is this man?
He is...