Queen Seon Deok
Enjoy:)
Episode 39
Still...
Should the nobles still refuse to sell, leaving prices as they are?
Will they?
Will they be able to...
resist the urge?
For that to happen,
did you not all buy at too high a price?!
The reason the nobles keep buying...
Yes.
It must be to gain possession of all self-sustained farmland.
But the nobles will resist!
Should they unite as a whole, it would be feasible.
However...
Separated by personal concerns as they are,
resisting will be impossible.
Did you not say so yourself?
That it was just human nature?
You are the first to profess the need for resistance,
but you yourself, are you not even more eager to sell?
The military supplies?
We started selling a small quantity.
And once hearsay spread about their provenience, prices started falling.
The market is in tumult.
Everyone is struggling on whether to sell or resist the urge.
The current quotation?
Fifteen nyang.
By the morrow, it shall further drop.
Once prices hit ten nyang, start buying.
Yes.
You must buy all at once, and swiftly.
Yes, certainly.
I spent four times the normal quotation!
I mean... explain yourself, why did that happen?
Ahhh... Forget it! I will have to sell!
I ought to... Aigoo!
Wh...What...
Wait a moment, what did you say again...
Speak to me, will you?
Lord Seolwon, you may leave as well.
It will be hard to control the nobles' movements by now.
We must limit our losses.
They indeed started selling military supplies.
I never thought it possible, is that really true?
How could they do it, without telling anyone?
I'll be damned...
Seokpum and Bakeui Rang were the first to sell, and their loss was negligible.
This won't do it.
Should we not alert our clans and deal with this ourselves?
Let's go.
- Go away... Go! - Listen!
Buy some of ours.
- Don't listen to him, buy ours! - I said no!
We already have enough! We are not buying.
- Don't act like this and just buy! - I told you I will not buy!
You still don't get it?
- What is the price now? - Thirteen nyang.
Once the price drops to ten nyang, then you can buy.
Yes, I will.
I told you to get moving! What are you waiting for?
Get moving, now!
Get moving!
We ran here the moment Seokpum Rang told us.
Are you just going to take this lying down?
How could we ever?!
Yes, it makes no sense.
We nobles need to unite together.
My father said he will support all Your Excellency's decisions.
Aigoo... How vexatious!
Forget about everything else.
Should not the Council of Nobles summon Her Highness?
Yes. Let us take this opportunity to stop her from deliberating state affairs!
Start by summoning the council.
Yes.
And then?
Should prices once again escalate,
are military supplies going to be your lone solution all the time?
How could one act in such a hollow manner?
Yes, I do admit it caught me by surprise.
How could that impudence and fatuity of yours not befuddle me?!
However...
Are you even reflecting upon the repercussions of all this?
Yes, I certainly shall not let military supplies solve all our quandaries.
Still, because their princess showed such impudence and fatuity,
manifold nobles shall no longer engage in any speculation.
I acknowledge your ambitious spirit.
However, like it or not, nobles are the pillars of this nation.
They are the ones in charge of collecting levies and protecting our provinces.
I am indeed curious how you plan to govern this country,
after turning your back on them.
It concerns me as well.
I wish you the utmost success.
But, Your Highness.
I still harbor the same suspicions as I did before.
You are blessed with wisdom.
Your acumen is as versatile as it is remarkable.
Your behavior and leadership...
They all are second to none.
Then, why did the Shilla of the post-King Jinheung era...
fail to develop in any way?
When a country is blessed with a remarkable leader,
should it not enjoy development as well?
But the feeling transpiring from every document I read...
is that there was no such thing.
After King Jinheung's reign,
there was none.
How shall we explain this?
Are you cognizant of any reason?
Why do you keep trying to enrage her?
What?
Her Highness, I mean.
Did I?!
But it was honest curiosity moving my question.
What?
Should not every country led by a remarkable ruler develop?
I was honestly curious why it is not the case.
I must know the reason, not to repeat the same mistakes.
Will you be able to retrieve all those military supplies?
- Get moving... - Yes.
Aigoo... Milord.
Will you be able to collect it all?
When things like this happen, it can all easily spiral out of control.
All those nobles are frantically selling everything.
Right.
I cannot vouch for the rest,
but Her Highness showed acumen for trading.
She sold for around twenty nyang, and since she is buying at ten nyang,
she doubled her profits.
Weak finances must indeed concern the royal family.
What?
If they are forced to use military supplies to subdue the nobles' speculation...
You never fail to amaze.
I thought so myself.
It is much too feeble, the royal family.
They look like a throng of children.
That... Geography of the Three Kingdoms book.
Ahh, yes. That book?
Go ahead and tell me.
What?
Geography of the Three Kingdoms, what?!
Why does that book interest you?
Ahh... Well, I said nothing.
I will have to return inside and play some rounds with the Juryeonggu.
If you'll excuse me...
Milord, may I join...
You...
owe your survival to me.
That book the master wrote... and that sect...
Stop prattling about it.
Fine!
Have all the military supplies been retrieved?
We retrieved all military supplies.
Is the fact you replenished the royal cellars what concerns us?
Indeed!
Selling them without any dispatch informing us is the matter!
It indeed is.
It is a matter of procedure.
So we convened here to hear Your Highness's explanation on the matter.
That is because...
all the people convened here are guilty.
Gu...Guilty?!
How dare you utter such obloquious drivel?
Yes... Princess as you may be, referring to high courtiers in such manner...
Retract those words at once!
Retract them!
- Retract them! - Take those words back!
That's right, retract those words!
*1 seom = 47 gallons
Lord Sejong, 1800 seom*.
Lord Hajong, 980 seom.
Lord Misaeng... 1280 seom.
Lord Seolwon, 320 seom.
Lord Supum, 850 seom.
Lord Yongchun, 330 seom.
Lord Indong...
What are you trying to accomplish?!
Lord Indong, 180 seom.
Such was the quantity of cereals the aforementioned courtiers speculated upon.
The escalating prices even caused murder at the market.
And that is because the hemp borne out of months of hard work...
couldn't grant those people any crops.
And you still deny any accusations?
Why must I be denounced for living an affluent life?
I myself...
could not bear to see my people suffer any longer,
so I sold some military supplies.
Must I be denounced for that?
They're military supplies!
Traditional mores suggest you should deliberate such matters with the council!
Feeding people ravaged by famine is the royal family's foremost onus,
your very first duty as courtiers in charge of state deliberation.
Was not this Council of Nobles set up to quell such quandaries?
Be that as it may, this matter...
Our people's hunger is not something you can easily set aside...
with a mere "be that as it may."
Naturally.
Had we not tamed public fervor,
it could have turned into a frenzied tumult.
I wonder how a commissioner in charge of the Board of Military Affairs...
can utter such words, after releasing such supplies.
- Yes?! - Indeed!
Whatever you say,
this is a clear affront against our principles and procedures.
Let us come to a unified decision,
and prohibit Her Highness from any further deliberation!
- Let us do that! - I concur.
There is...
a way I will leave state deliberation to you.
And that is if you issue an ordinance prohibiting speculation.
Do it, and I shall gleefully leave all deliberation to you.
That is inadmissible!
Prohibit speculation?!
Are you telling me I cannot use my own funds as I please?
Is she not telling us that it is that greed which caused our people's suffering?
Did you not participate in this? Why are we suddenly acting all righteous?
Ohh Ohh! Lord Hajong.
How dare you address me with such contempt?
Ohh... Now I see.
You bought very little,
Lord Seohyeon did not even buy to begin with.
Did you two do all this on purpose?
You knave!
Ehh Ehh... Lord Yongchun...
Knave?!
Knave?
Fine, let me show you...
Let go! Let me go!
Then,
they could not sanction Her Highness in any way,
and the council meeting just ended?
All the nobles who came from the provinces believing...
the council would do something made their return,
and as a rather inflamed Lord Hajong left the premises in a frenzy...
Yes.
Lord Hajong can display quite the fury, at times.
No.
His actions might suggest a lack of discernment,
but that is not the case.
The moment Deokman mentioned the abolition of speculation,
afraid it might indeed come into fruition,
he purposefully created that commotion to divert everyone's attention.
I do not know whether he purposefully acted as such,
but he must have instinctively felt that way.
He is a man of savage disposition.
They're driving me crazy!
Ahh... Mother!
Forget the losses we incurred now.
We made enough profits all this time to forget such trifling losses.
They are not trifling at all!
Harvest season shall soon be upon us.
Yes... Once harvesting commences, we will start collecting levies...
And once the collection of levies begins, the issue will emerge once again.
Let us defer any retaliation against Her Highness to that day.
Well... Such losses are indeed vexatious,
but engaging in a full-out confrontation with the princess would not be wise.
Why are you two suddenly showing such unity of mind?
Ahh... Now that I think about it,
Lord Seolwon did not buy much himself.
Were you not aware of this yourself?
Lord Hajong!
Let us put this matter to rest!
We will have another chance to retaliate,
but we cannot allow Her Highness to continue this way.
She is much different than His Majesty, or Princess Cheonmyeong in her youth.
For it was a stratagem the royal family had never concocted before,
it might not have been a remarkable case,
but I was indeed slightly bewildered by her.
I have heard of your achievements today,
but you are still here?
You're here.
Why did you not take this opportunity to enjoy some respite,
and quell all that tension, at this belated juncture?
I guess that is what old sayings like "look who's talking" were made for.
What?
I mean, his trainee days.
He never gave me a second of respite,
not to mention to himself.
Why are you bringing up the past?
But,
regarding the profits we made.
They are quite significant.
How do you plan to use them?
I was going to summon you to discuss just that.
I wanted to use those funds for this,
so allow me to explain, and voice your opinions on the matter.
Go ahead and show us.
Yes.
Take a look here.
Would not the amount be around this figure?
I wanted to use the iron for weapons to make utensils.
Then, why did the Shilla of the post-King Jinheung era...
fail to develop in any way?
Your Highness.
Regarding Lord Chunchu.
Yes.
I was planning to proceed with conjugal ties.
Go ahead.
What is perturbing you?
I am feeling slightly indisposed.
Then, enjoy some respite.
After some rest, it will get much better.
Allow me some respite.
Yes... I shall leave.
Your Highness.
Yes.
Do not bear any jaundice.
The envy I foment for other people's ancestry...
shall be more than enough.
Don't you worry.
- I said let me go! - What are you entering here for?
What brings you here, Your Highness?
Yes, I had some lectures to complete.
When did you get here, Your Highness?
You looked so weary, I did not dare awaken you.
Yes...
Are you here for lectures?
Yes.
I must extend you my gratitude for the drawing...
you sent along with Lady Boryang's letter.
Yes, since Misaeng regards you as a man of utmost refinement...
Your Highness.
Do not let Lord Chunchu worry you.
He is also making remarkable improvements in our martial arts training,
not to mention the support he gave us in eradicating market speculation.
Did you really?
Support?! What did I ever do?
You told us why those nobles speculated,
and did you not show your concern for the royal family's fortunes?
Right... So you were aware of this all?
No, Bidam is engaging in frivolous flattering.
Chunchu.
Your Highness.
His Majesty is looking for you.
Really? Fine.
Looks like you are tutoring Lord Chunchu, under Her Highness's orders.
No.
On the contrary, I am the one who is learning from Lord Chunchu.
Nobody ever enlightened me on matters regarding the royal family.
From the very day I was born, until now.
Do you really plan to do this?
Yes, Sire.
Do you think doing this will increase self-sufficient farming?
Yes.
Give it a try, then.
Then... Are you giving me your consent?
Yes.
But it shall not be as easy as you believe.
Nonetheless, try.
My gratitude, Sire.
My gratitude.
But, do you plan to use all profits for this?
Yes, we must do so.
- We must use the entire figure. - Fine.
Do as you wish.
Pay your respects.
Her Highness the Princess graces you all.
Starting from now, for the time being,
you shall stop production of weapons,
and focus on forging farming utensils.
But, Your Highness...
The royal blacksmith does not make utensils.
That is something blacksmiths at the market...
No.
Is not the iron they use of sixth grade?
Then?!
Only the very best iron graded two and over is used here.
That is precious iron used for weapons.
We shall invest all profits for this.
From here on in, use that iron to forge utensils.
Understood?
Yes, Your Highness!
Commence!
Yes!
It is thrilling me.
Is it not?!
The same goes for me.
Yushin Rang.
I finally started to get hold of it.
That something which will help me surpass Mishil's might.
~ Angang Fortress ~
Allow us to meet the governor.
- You must allow us! - How dare you barge in here?
Where do you think you're going?
Say what?
There is an uprising in Angang Fortress?!
Yes.
The people raided the fortress, and are holding the governor hostage.
Is not Angang Fortress Lord Sejong's land?
How could something like this happen?
Blight and noxious insects halved the production of crops,
and they were only able to yield about 500 seom.
They would not hold the governor hostage just because of that.
Yes.
The issue is that Lord Hajong refused to lower levies, and ended up collecting the same amount.
Production was halved, but levies will be the usual 500 seom...
Any yield from the harvest would instantly leave those people with nothing.
Yes.
They would have to devote their entire harvest for that.
In the case of famine or other natural disasters,
is notifying the court and adapting levies not common procedure?
Hajong let this situation deteriorate on purpose.
How could you deal with Angang Fortress in such manner?
Sire, I merely acted as I always did.
Is not collecting 500 seom in levies and devoting half to the state...
what procedure suggests?
However, that territory was ravaged by blight.
The yield was halved, how could you still collect the same levies?
Then, will the royal family renounce the 250 seom it is due?
Are you suggesting we exempt them from levies?
Yes. In that case, we would give those 250 seom back to the people.
However, we cannot concede any exemption on our part.
The losses we incurred because of your trading prowess...
are hurting us beyond any limit, so...
Should the royal family agree to exempt them from levies,
those people would escape slavery,
but the royal family's finances would surely suffer.
And Lord Hajong would collect the same amount,
so he has nothing to lose.
Then, handing out relief crops from the royal cellars would be no different.
The situation would just repeat what has been happening over the years.
Still, considering how Lord Hajong is behaving,
Her Highness cannot just ignore our people's pleas.
Anyhow, those nobles hold way too many cards in this game.
You should have seen Princess Deokman's face!
I kept pressing her, and she could not utter any rebuttal.
Would she not be prepared to deal with this?
Prepared?! Her face turned ghastly pale!
What could she ever do?
Unless the royal family exempts them from levies,
all those famished people would be forced into slavery.
What I said?!
How dare they attempt to appropriate what's ours?
Her every effort will lead her back to the starting point,
when will Her Highness awaken from her youthly torpor?!
Six!
Aigoo... Lord Chunchu!
Lord Misaeng, you are here!
You will excuse my belated arrival.
- Milord. - Yes...
It's just that a most amusing occurrence happened today.
As in...
An uprising is ravaging Angang Fortress.
Uprising?!
Did not Her Highness's stratagems end in a bitter defeat for us?
This time... well, meseems it is our turn.
Twelve!
Lost again.
So... how did you react?
Blight halved this year's yield,
but since Lord Hajong collected the same amount of levies,
would people just accept it lying down?! Naturally, an uprising hit the fortress,
and as Hajong refused to exempt those levies, he proposed the royals do so in his stead.
Well, to that extent... yes.
So, to make a long story short,
the issue is whether they will concede this exemption or not.
If they exempt levies, the royal family's finances will worsen.
And should they not do so, those people will be forced into usury,
eventually becoming what?!
Slaves, that is what.
Hearing your explanation, it is indeed perspicuous.
Isn't it? Is it not?!
By my third year, I was already reading...
By my third year, I was lifting rocks.
I just ought to...
Her Highness went through so much effort not to subject them to usury,
but now that we're back to the starting point, what can she do?
Excessive concern shall only bring you ailments, so just...
Her Highness said she will head to Angang Fortress firsthand.
To Angang Fortress, firsthand?!
Where the uprising started?
Her Highness wants you to pave the way first.
She wants you to bring back the leader of the occupying forces.
Their leader?!
Did she find a way?
Can we really deal with this matter that way?
Yes, it is beyond Her Highness's power.
Of course, in that case, the royal family would collect levies without...
going through nobles, and increase self-sufficient farmland.
And the people would end up with land of their own, but...
Will that be the solution?
Both Cheonmyeong and I fought with Mishil.
We even vanquished her, on occasion.
But, even in defeat, Mishil was never left wondering.
Yet... This time with Deokman, it might be different.
We witnessed Mishil and the nobles react with such stupor.
I...
have faith in Deokman.
What?
She went there firsthand?
Yushin Rang paved the way for her, and she just departed.
How can she try to negotiate directly with the people?
What could she be scheming?
She will likely go implore them, what else?!
Implore?! Saying what?
To at least give her half those levies?
Ehh?! Aigoo... really...
And what is so amusing about that?
Aigoo... really...
You have arrived.
How did it go?
The village chief's delegation is waiting for you.
The governor?
Still held hostage by the villagers, inside the fortress.
Will you meet them yourself?
Yes.
They are inside that tent.
Should we fail to return in two periods,
the governor and all his troops shall be executed.
If you believe badgering her will work, you are mistaken.
We merely felt it was unfair treatment.
Yes... They took all our harvest, all of it!
That's right.
The blight ravaged our yield for this year,
how could they collect the same exact levies as previous years?
How could their village chief allow such harebrained behavior?
This is an uprising.
Not only your life, but that of everyone else might be at stake.
Should you deprive all our villagers of the harvest they worked for all year,
we might all meet our demise anyhow.
Since there would be nothing left to feed us.
Also, just because they assaulted troops as they were taking those crops away,
they slaughtered a young boy.
Once we decided to meet the governor, they killed another man.
What other choice could we possibly have?
Believing we would be given another chance,
we risked our lives and came here.
Should I accord you another chance, would you follow my wishes?
I must take responsibilities for my actions with my life anyhow.
So I only ask you to spare our villagers,
and give them the chance to feed themselves.
Your Highness, you cannot do it!
How can he be executed?
Sit down.
Stop.
I shall give you back 250 seom of crops collected as levy.
And... why...
*1 gyeol = roughly 21,500 square feet/2000 square meters
Also, I shall also give you a three gyeol* lot of barren land,
and new utensils made with high quality iron to cultivate it.
Are... Are you really going to?
Not only you give us our crops back, but also land and utensils?
Instead,
I shall loan them to you at a very low interest.
Low... interest?!
So you are not just giving it to us?
The levy we would usually collect from you is 250 seom,
so if added to the 50 seom you can yield from those barren lands,
all you will need is giving us 300 seom next year.
300 seom?!
Also, any crops you yield from those lands after those 50 seom will be yours,
and should you successfully turn such barren land into fields,
you will be bestowed ownership of such territory.
All the land and crops yielded there will be ours?
Then, we will not need to pay any more levies based on that harvest?
Indeed.
Anyhow, you will first give us back those 250 seom, right?
Should you start reclaiming those barren lands, by next year...
and the year after, you will have a much more plentiful harvest.
Yes... But, anyhow, you are still giving us back those crops, right?
Yes, along with all that barren land and utensils.
It's my covenant as princess.
Yes.
We shall follow your wishes.
But, they still should be punished.
Yes. They are the men responsible for this uprising.
Giving them land to cultivate and utensils,
and punishing their ringleader are different matters.
He put his life at stake for the sake of his fellow villagers.
Your Highness.
Still, he is the ringleader behind this uprising.
You did indeed have no other choice,
but you still instigated an uprising, and belittled your rulers' name.
Yes...
I am prepared for any repercussion.
Your head shall grace a gibbet in repentance for your misdeeds,
hereby restoring the public order you so daringly swayed.
May you accord your benevolence to our villagers.
However, should I spare you today,
will you relay my wishes to the villagers, lead them to the righteous path,
and agree to a settlement on new lands?
Your Highness!
It is inadmissible!
Should you be able to reclaim that territory,
you will gain ownership of farmland which will solely belong to you.
Should you spare our lives, we shall devote the rest of our days to...
I shall defer punishment for your misdeeds, and also...
Your Highness!
Your Highness.
You cannot allow this. Punishment...
A royal is speaking before you. How dare you...
My... apologies.
- However... - As princess,
my words are representative of the royal family and the court,
and hold utmost importance.
Should you follow my wishes,
you and your fellow villagers shall lead a new life.
But should you fail to do so,
the lives I spared today may grace a gibbet anytime I wish.
Is that understood?
If you only spare us,
I shall devote the rest of my days to follow your wishes.
Our gratitude!
Our gratitude, Your Highness...
*Not Geochang, but actually former Baekje stronghold in Jecheon, Chungcheong Prov.
Her Highness will briefly stop at Gahye Fortress* before departing.
All right.
Has Her Highness Princess Deokman still not made her return?
Flaunting all that portentous flair of hers,
she is touring all area south of Gahye Fortress.
Talebearing about Angang Fortress quickly spread,
and they are all greeting her with triumphant praise.
She did not even punish those responsible for the uprising,
it is inadmissible.
That is what I'm saying!
Let that slide, and more quandaries shall come our way!
Hence, when will she make her return?
Well, she is greeted by jubilation in every place she visits,
so meseems it might take some time.
She has already spent ten days away from the palace,
so she shall soon return.
How could she not punish those usurpers...
Now what will they think of our authority?
I made my return.
Your Highness,
did you not hear the news?
What...
What?!
The villagers from Angang Fortress ran away?
They only took the crops and utensils Her Highness accorded to them,
and all escaped.
She must have fomented so many expectations about this...
I can feel how disheartened she might be.
Summon all Hwarang and trainees at once!
What are you saying?
We shall capture all those villagers!
All of them!
Meseems you showed too much faith in our people.
You consigned all they need to survive right before their eyes,
so, even with a low interest, who would ever squander time to cultivate land?!
Your Highness's benevolence eventually failed you.
How will you deal with all the cereals they took?
Will you make amends by raising other regions' levies?
Your Highness!
The Pungwolju mobilized all Hwarang forces, and departed for Angang Fortress.
He said we will capture all those Angang villagers.
I shall depart as well.
Arrange for it.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
What did you just say?
Ruling the people through dialogue, truth and hope?!
The truth is much too cumbersome a prospect for our people,
hope is beyond their capacity,
dialogue is too vexatious for their feeble minds, and any freedom given will lead them to hesitate.
People are pragmatic,
and they often display spurious, unreasonable behavior.
And that is why they are a daunting presence,
and why they are always hard to control.
But, after bestowing warm food and firewood to a moppet wailing for shelter,
you expect them to gather enough resolve to provide for themselves?
Not to mention, you created the first precedent of...
failing to punish usurpers for their obloquy.
Punishment as cruel and stern as a raging storm,
administering any reward with prudence...
Those are the very fundamentals of a ruler's hegemony.
Are you attempting to ruin this country once and for all?
First,
the remonstrance of people who were about to starve...
is not something I would define as uprising.
It is survival.
Survival?!
So, is that why they betrayed the hand which granted them survival?
I must have failed in convincing them.
And that is because it was something your rule had never allowed.
Because you always and only instilled fear in their minds.
I now understand.
That this was the reason why Shilla showed no development...
since King Jinheung's rule.
And wh...y is that?
Because Your Highness...
Your Highness...
is not our people's legitimate ruler.
If such had been the case,
you would have cherished those people like your own children,
and then...
you would have striven for constant dialogue,
continuous understanding,
and neverending hope. However...
As you are not their ruler,
would it not feel as if you were raising someone else's children?
Forcing you to reproach them, constantly hinder them,
and only barely shelter them.
If you are not their legitimate ruler,
how could you ever dream with them, and for their future?
But, you know what?
No heroic feats shall await anyone who dare not dream.
And no evolution shall bless a generation devoid of dreams.
Ahh!
Your words left a deep impression.
"Punishment like a raging storm, and prudence in rewarding."
And I do concur about not leaving any ominous precedent.
Hence... I plan not to leave any such precedent.
Pay your respects.
How could you run away?
S...Spare our lives.
Give us another chance.
Yes, if you only could give us another chance...
we will reclaim those barren lands at all cost.
I asked you why you ran away!
There was no assurance we would be able to reclaim those lands,
and without being able to cultivate there,
we would only be sweltered by debts.
I told you those utensils were different.
Did I not tell you we used quality iron employed in the forging of weapons?
How could we possibly know whether it was of good quality or not?
Did you not mention interest rates in our presence yourself?
Just like those nobles do...
All I...
wanted to do was to help you escape from their tyranny.
By ending a scanty existence made of relief crops handed for no compensation,
and beginning a new life in which you will work to reclaim your lands,
pay back all interests, and become self-sufficient.
It was to free you from the prospect of slavery.
Will you be content with slavery?
Will you let the nobles treat you like a beast,
and subject your children, and their children...
to the same exact fate?
Don't you realize?
All I wanted was to give you that land!
The land which will yield crops for you on every single harvest.
The land your children will pass down one generation after another.
The truth is much too cumbersome a prospect for our people,
hope is beyond their capacity,
dialogue is too vexatious for their feeble minds,
and any freedom given will lead them to hesitate.
We need no land, so may you just spare our lives!
- Spare our lives... - Just give us those crops...
- Spare our lives, Your Highness. - Spare us.
Spare our lives!
People are pragmatic,
and they often display spurious, unreasonable behavior.
Is what Mishil said true?
Because Your Highness is not our people's legitimate ruler.
Is what Deokman said true?
What are you waiting for?
Get them on their knees!
Yes!
Silence!
Whatever it takes,
I shall make you gain your own land.
What you will find there is not only crops,
but the joy of living today,
and hope kindling the morrow.
You betrayed our covenant,
betrayed my confidence,
and the future of your fellow villagers.
Punishment as cruel and stern as a raging storm,
administering any reward with prudence...
Those are the very fundamentals of a ruler's hegemony.
I will make you...
find that hope by yourselves.
I shall never...
give up on you.
Spare my life, Your Highness. Spare my life!
If you only spare my life, I shall never do it again!
Spare our lives, Your Highness!
Spare our lives, Your Highness. I implore you, spare us!
I implore you... Spare our lives!
Whatever it takes...
I will do so.
~ On The Next Episode Of ~ QUEEN ~*~ SEONDEOK
Should His Majesty's malady worsen,
deliberation on his successor shall begin.
We were deliberating upon your conjugal ties.
You will be forced to do it anyhow.
- Is there anyone... - Is it frequent?
- No. - No?!
You are trembling.
"Your" Princess Deokman?!
She is the one I chose.
I want Bidam to join my cause.
And should I fail to do so, he will perish for it.
Her Highness claims she will become our new ruler.
She is quite a specimen?!
What will happen first?
A female ruler,
or one of true bone?
Nowhere have I ever heard before...
of a barbaric and backward practice like that of our bone rank system.
You're not interested in Bidam Rang, are you?
All I ask you...
is to be yourself.
Only then will my heart throb.