(Episode 40)
Lady Suh
Lady Suh!
Lady Suh...
What's going on?
You must get out. Lady Suh, get up
You must get out
I can't go out
What?
I'm in the same situation as people who are left here
What do you mean, same situation?
Being abandoned by people...
I've been abandoned by my friends at the Royal Pharmacy
You're saying they intentionally cornered you to the place of death?
I didn't do anyone harm
I simply walked my path and I came to this point
I endured again and again...
I persevered again and again...
Now I can't endure nor can I persevere
I can't endure the fact that I've been...
abandoned by people... by my co-workers...
It feels like I have disappeared like I'm a nobody
What did I do?
Just what did I do wrong?
You didn't do anything wrong
It's just another obstacle for you
It's the obstacle of people
As you accomplish more and more, and as your medical skills...
get better with time the obstacles may grow bigger. You must overcome it
No matter what great achievements you accomplish
if you can't overcome it you will crumble down
I have no confidence
No, I have lost confidence
You don't need confidence
You will do it with your heart, Lady Suh
Brush off the dirt and stand up again
I don't like the weak Lady Suh
You must go out
What happened? Not sure... Let's keep moving
Get away
They left us here and escaped, but they missed one
They abandoned the village...
leaving the healthy like us here!
He's with the physician trying to get rid of us all
No, that's not it. It was the order of the King, so unavoidably...
Order of the King? Unavoidably? Look around you!
There are healthy people who remained here...
to take care of the patients, too!
What is the King's order? To kill us all?!
What good is such an order?!
That's enough, let's kill this jerk!
Gentlemen! Gentlemen!
Please listen to me for a minute!
If your words are right, do others have to die because of it?
Just because it's painful for you do others have to feel the same pain?
What's she saying?
You're saying only we have to die?!
Gentlemen! You won't die!
You will not die! Not at all!
There are more patients than physicians...
so how are we to survive?!
I'm a physician lady! A physician lady!
A physician lady from the palace!
I'll heal you! I'm going to do that!
We came here to save you!
We will heal you! Trust us!
Gentlemen, we will not abandon you!
We will never abandon the patients!
So please go back to the infirmary!
We will not abandon you!
Trust us! Trust us!
I have some medicine that I brought from the neighboring town
That's right, so please move the children and old patients...
to the infirmary first. Hurry!
Everyone, please listen to us! Hurry!
Let's move to the infirmary!
Let's hurry to infirmary! Hurry!
I should've thought deeper...
Though it is said to have been an unavoidable order...
these people are also people of this nation
We should've been more careful to...
divide the sick and the healthy ones...
and have at least a minimal treatment plan
I will help, too
But you came as an adjutant relief administrator
If you stay here...
It is my job to relieve the sufferers
Then... please find out if we have any medicine available in the town
especially in the storage of big houses
Sure!
Here...
But these can't be used to treat the patients here
That's what I was afraid of...
How much medicine did you bring?
It's enough to treat a few critical patients
Then...
how come you aren't giving me any medicine?
Give me some medicine, too
Give me some first... Give me...
What are you doing?!
Only four pills?
Give it back to me! They're for critical patients
This is everything you have?
Don't you have any more?!
That's all I have
Please give them back... please!
This jerk deceived us! We can't trust him!
That's not true! He wouldn't do such a thing!
Scholar-officials are all the same!
They deceive people like dogs and pigs
Give us the medicine!
We can't trust him! We don't have any medicine
He lied to us! He lied to us about giving us the medicine!
Then... are you just going to die...
fighting over the few pills we have?!
You must trust me and this official Then you can live
We can't trust this!
We can't trust him! He lied to us about the medicine!
We can't trust him! Give us the medicine!
Stop it, everyone!
I can't give you any medicine if you act this way!
There are only a few pills available
And we don't have anything to eat
If we want to live, then we must send him out and get the medicine
Then we can live!
Then we can have hope!
Think carefully. Who can easily...
go out of here and get medicine for us?
Who is that?
It's this official here, do you understand?
What are you going to do?
Are you just going to fight like this and see the end for yourself?
Or will you send the official out and be hopeful?
Sure, he has one day... one day!
If he doesn't bring any medicine...
by tomorrow, this physician lady will die
Go now!
I'll be right back
Once you go over the hill there's a town called Yong-Je
It's a big pharmacy so you can't miss it
Can all the medicine we need be there in a time like this?
I was there not too long ago, so I know
They said medicine would arrive soon
OK, then...
Sir...
Is there anything else you need?
No... go ahead
OK, bye
I'm sorry. You'll wake up soon
Goodbye. The fact that you came back to find me is enough for me
That joy is enough for me
Is he really coming back?
Of course
Anyhow, if he doesn't come back...
you're finished, so just remember that
Don't worry about that
Get some moss with other folks
Moss? Why would you need that?
It's good for a fever And go to each of the houses...
and boil all the kitchenware to disinfect them
Everyone should live
OK
Physician lady, please take a look at me...
I think I'm going to die
Will he really come back with the medicine?
Hmm...
He's not coming back, is he?
He will come...
Though I agreed to send him...
as I thought they might kill him...
will he really come back?
Yes, he will
Who in the world is going to...
come back to a plagued town?
And he's a scholar-official... It's understandable
Will we die like this now?
Will we die...?
Excuse me! Excuse me!
When did it stop operating?
What?
When did the pharmacy stop operating?
It's been a long time due to the plague
Once you go over the hill there's a town called Yong-Je
It's a big pharmacy so you can't miss it
Can all the medicine we need be there in a time like this?
I was there not too long ago, so I know
They said medicine would arrive soon
Sure, he has one day... one day!
If he doesn't bring any medicine...
by tomorrow, this physician lady will die
You don't know when you were the relief administrator?
What are you talking about?
I'm sorry, but adjutant Min Jung-Ho's whereabouts aren't known...
ever since he disappeared
We don't know his whereabouts?
While going to those three locations we received the order to come back...
but I didn't find Min Jung-Ho
Then are you saying he ran away because he became afraid of plague?
He wouldn't do such a thing
Then how come he isn't back yet?!
How can an official receiving the King's order disappear...
forsaking a responsibility like this?
There must be a reason
And he'll surely be back
Anyway, he left without permission
There must be a good reason for it
Just what is that good reason...
which you can't explain at all?!
Jang-Geum didn't come back?
She received the Queen's favor...
and instead of being under the physicians' control...
she got scared of the plague and ran away
There were girls who ran away out of fear before...
She wouldn't do that
Then how could she just disappear when all the others...
were treating the patients?
Could she have met a pack of tigers?
Tigers don't move in packs
What are you talking about?
Jang-Geum was the only one who didn't show up
Even though you told her the time and the place?
I even met her on the way
Yes, we saw her for sure
How could this be... She probably got into big trouble
Even so, do you know...
how many days it's been?
I know. Anyway, she caused trouble here in the palace...
and she causes trouble outside the palace as well
Something isn't right for sure
Jang-Geum was the girl who wanted to come into the Royal Pharmacy the most
I know that
So how could she run away? That doesn't make sense
I'm sure there are other reasons
If that's true then she'll be back soon
Don't worry about her Just be diligent in your work
Are you sure? Yes
Then what is it that you want?
Tell me
You want to be the head physician lady?
No. I can become that on my own
Give me the ownership of Sir Choi's medicinal herb fields
I think getting rid of Jang-Geum is...
that valuable to you and the Head Lady
You're indeed someone who would do something big
But if you did your job well...
there will surely be no mistake at all
The relief administrator gave the officials...
an order for tougher measures so the plague won't spread
This wench had the disease but she's been deceiving us all along!
When did it start? When?!
I knew something was wrong... she had already caught the plague!
Oh no, that's not it...
How can it not be that?! It's been a day already!
How about that official who left to get the medicine?
Official?! Yeah, right! It's an obvious trap!
That jerk deceived us!
Then we are all dead!
We're dead!
Lock her in the storage!
Yes, lock her in the storage until he comes back!
Come here. Come here
That's not it...
Oh my gosh! My Dal-Suk!
His breathing is irregular! My Dal-Suk!
I'll kill her myself!
Fire! Fire!
That jerk, he must've ordered to start a fire...
in the village after he went out
What a wicked person!
We must move the patients!
Or else, they'll all die Let's move them!
I must kill her first!
Come! Come! Help! Please help me!
Just leave her! Just leave her!
Help me! Help me!
Help me!
Mother, stop speaking and eat these...
You're tired because you didn't eat anything
It's delicious
You can't chew them? Then I'll chew it for you
You did it for me when I was sick
Mother, eat... so you can regain strength
Madam, you must not sleep now
Your eyes are open, right?
Jang-Geum...
Don't call me that way. Don't call me like my mother when she was dying
Madam... Madam...
I'll be at the palace first
I'll say sorry once you come back
Jang-Geum...
Madam, don't fall asleep
We're almost there
Don't tease me... Why are you doing this to me?
Why is everyone doing this to me?
What did I do wrong? What did I do?
What should I do now? What now?
I'm not going to start over again
I want to rest now
Lady Suh! Lady Suh!
Lady Suh! Lady Suh...
Lady Suh! Lady Suh!
Lady Suh, wake up! Lady Suh!
Lady Suh, you can't go like this
You can't leave like this!
Lady Suh, wake up!
Are you awake, Lady Suh?
Lady Suh, it's me. Are you waking up?
Lady Suh! Lady Suh!
I was afraid... that you might not come back
How could I not come back...
when I found your heart valuing me?
I realized that you were trying to save me
So how could I not come back?
Thank you for coming back
Thank you for coming back... sir...
Sir...
Father!
How can you leave like this...
without having one good meal...
I'm sorry, please forgive me, father
Honey, we can't stay like this
Since children aren't suffering heavy symptoms, please send them out
We should save them at least...
If they remain alive, they'll find a way to live somehow
I don't want to leave... I'm staying here!
No! You'll all die if you stay here!
No...
Honey, let's not stay here any longer
Let's leave. I don't think we should stay here
The official didn't come back... and the physician lady...
A little longer... Let's wait a little longer
Someone's coming!
It's the official and the physician lady!
What happened?
Everyone, didn't I tell you that he'd be back?
I came back with medicine
A physician will be here, too Take courage
A physician? Who would come here?
Me
Physician lady! How did you get in here?
That's not difficult
I told them I have the disease and they let me in
But...
What does that matter for a physician?
Did I teach you that way?
We have no time. Let's find healthy people and set up the infirmary
If you aren't sick, take a patient with you...
and go out of here one at a time
Please take a look at my child first
You must be in line, so wait outside
He's an infant
Everyone here is sick
I breast-fed him while I was sick
You breast-fed him with the plague?
I thought there was no hope...
and felt that it'd be better for him to feel satisfied
When did you start feeding him?
Actually, there was nothing to eat...
so it was more than 5 days ago
Will she be OK? I'm not sure yet...
There are many more serious patients than me
But something's strange...
What is it?
I've seen many epidemics in Jeju...
but this one doesn't seem to be contagious
Not contagious?
With that infant... if he had been breast-fed he should've caught it...
but there were no symptoms of the disease
Even so, if it isn't contagious how can so many people get sick...
at the same time like that?
It's the same with Lady Suh
I know...
I did notice something as well...
What is it?
Normally, when there is an epidemic, the whole family dies
But that wasn't the case here
And although infected people were scattered throughout the town...
there wasn't any case where all family members were infected
And those who were taking care of them were fine as well
I'm not sure what's happening here...
Sir, ask them when it started...
and whether or not all family members got sick
I'll go check out the town But you're sick...
Patients and I will live once we find the source
Tell me the details! What happened there?
How come there's no news ofJang-Geum?
I don't know since I've only been in the palace
All I know is that she didn't show up at the appointed time
And people at the pharmacy think she left her post
No way! She didn't toil her way back to the palace to run away
That's not possible How could this be?
It's been 15 days already
There's nothing we can do if she's dead...
but if not, we can't forgive her for not being back by now
That's right
It's strange. The Queen favors her, so she should be...
the first to come back
Why isn't she coming?
I'll ask the head physician for the decision on her
Head physician lady Please wait for her...
for a few more days. She'll be back
Don't worry. It's all over now
Even if she comes back, she can't stay in the palace
It's that girl
I'm Yeul-Yee OK
I'll give you what you want as soon as Jang-Geum's position...
is officially nullified
What are you going to do about Jang-Geum?
I came here to inquire about it
Didn't we wait long enough?
She clearly doesn't want to come back It's clearly desertion of duty
We'll give you the decision soon so wait
She probably has a good reason
How could she be justified in not sending us...
a letter for over 15 days?!
Instead of worrying about this...
I think you'll have to go to Gae-Sung and Eum-Sung
What is it?
I think there was a report of plague in those places as well
What? But aren't those places far away from the plague's origin?
Actually, there must've been some other places unreported to us
An epidemic hasn't spread like this before...
That's why I'm asking you to go there and check
Though I feel that it's an exaggerated report...
the King is very worried...
You should be resting Why are you outside?
What's happening here?
It's a vegetable field, but we burned it down
The vegetables started to turn bad...
and it spread to other fields
So we burned it all to stop the spreading
So did it disappear afterwards?
No... It wasn't that way...
only on my field, but on other's too
It was the same even in mountains
What?
I guess even the plants are plagued...
Anyway, this year's harvest is ruined
Then did you throw them away?
Oh no, we won't have anything to eat if we throw all of them away
Then what...?
We sold the ones that looked OK and we ate the rest
You ate the bad ones?
I'm not sure exactly
but we have to eat something
How can we be picky when we don't have much?
The baby and his mother were OK
And even a couple sharing a bed wasn't infected
Then...
I think it's the disease of plants
Disease of plants?
There was a widespread disease of plants around here
But people can't catch a disease of plants
Yes, because people ate the plants
Though the vegetables don't normally have poison, when there's a disease...
it can create poison
So eating that would cause food poisoning
Were radishes, cabbage, apples...
or shepherd's purse infected too?
Yes. They all turned tender
Then it's just like eating poisonous herbs
If it's caused by plants...
Plants can have a disease, too...
and it could spread widely
If people eat it, they'll get sick...
but it is not contagious between people
All the people got sick at the same time...
that's why it looks so widespread
That's right. It's clearly caused by the plants then
It's not a plague, but food poisoning
People didn't know this and they kept on...
eating radish and vegetables and that's why their illness increased
And in this region, because of the last flood...
they were surviving on vegetables from last winter
And I, too, ate radish since coming here
OK, then I'll change my treatment...
I'll feed them ginger water...
and herbal root water
Sir, you can tell the people...
Yes... since ginger neutralizes poison in the stomach, that'll be good
Give it to me. I'll do it
Oh no, you can just tell the people the news
Oh no, this and that, I'll do it all
Please go in and rest
I'll just... I'll do it
Please drink it...
you didn't drink at all yet
We'll try using this first
Everyone has gotten better now
How about you, Lady Suh?
I'm doing better, too
Everyone is doing better
Their diarrhea stopped and...
fevers are coming down
I think it was really food poisoning
Yes, I think so
We almost got the healthy ones sick
I think I have to find out more about it...
whether it's happening only locally...
or if it has spread to other regions
Yes, we must also tell the palace...
and let the people know as soon as possible
OK. I'll take care of things here so go and find out
It's here, too
Excuse me
Is the plague spreading here, too?
Yes. How did you know?
Several families are infected, so I'm still wondering...
whether I should flee or not
But they say there's no place to flee
It's spreading everywhere! It's the end of the world
Sir!
We'll need to hurry
The vegetables here go to the palace
This is a contract...
promising you the medicine trade of my brother
It'll be given to you just as we promised
Thank you
Madam!
What is it?
Jang-Geum is back!
What?!
Showing up now? After all this time?
You too. How could a physician lady with a mission...?
You've been discharged already!
Jang-Geum, you're fired, too
Go back to Jeju now!
I'll receive my due punishment gladly
but there's a more important matter at hand
We found the cause of the plague
That's right
The cause of the plague? What is that?
This isn't a plague
Not a plague?
You found the cause of the plague, but it isn't a plague?
Yes... it's food poisoning
Symptoms are similar, fever, vomiting, diarrhea
and that's why we misunderstood it
It's caused by a vegetable disease
People are sick due to a vegetable disease?
All those people? Yes
Nonsense!
It's caused by the vegetables
That's why those symptoms only showed up on people who ate a lot...
It's not contagious, and it appeared irregularly
The starving people ate the poisoned vegetables...
and that's why this happened
We need to hurry... we saw the fields infected around the palace...
and even vegetable suppliers for the palace
We must spread the news quickly and stop the deaths!
And we must carefully examine everything that came into the palace
Sir!
This is a problem, isn't it?
The King has ordered to find the cause, so this was it!
Can that be possible?
I'm not sure...
What? Plant illness?
Yes. There's a problem with the vegetables...
and those who ate them got food poison...
Nonsense! No such thing ever happened
I've been in the kitchen for decades
No one has ever gotten sick over vegetables
But all those people are sick from eating them?
And even the ones that came into the palace are infected?
And I heard she appeared with Sir Min
I wonder what they've been doing together all this time...
I'll have to step in myself
So did you take a look?
Yes. I didn't find a clear cause yet...
but it doesn't look like an epidemic
How about you?
The symptoms are similar to an epidemic...
but it isn't contagious
Then isn't Jang-Geum right?
Jang-Geum is back?
Yes. She said something strange
Something strange?
She said it's the disease of plants
She said whoever eats the plant has food poisoning
Food poisoning? That's a possibility...
What are you talking about? No one has ever gotten sick over vegetables
Harmless vegetables can start producing poison once it has a disease
Madam...
Did you check the Food Services?
Yes
How are they?
None of them were going to the kitchen or the King's Mother's palace...
but some were going to the court ladies or to the storage
She said it's food poisoning symptoms...
and it's hard to find the cause
Sir Shin and I agree after visiting other places
It's clearly not an epidemic
If we assume an epidemic to be food poisoning, we could...
endanger more people's lives
The safety of the people and the King depends on this
We can't be reckless
But isn't it spreading widely?
Not gradually from one area like other epidemics?
I was in the kitchen before becoming the head lady
I've never seen anyone get sick over vegetables except poisonous herbs
Only good vegetables are in the palace
It isn't that way with the common people
The people probably ate the same things...
so how come only some people are sick?
There could be differences of the amount of intake...
and those who did take bad vegetables could've built up resistance...
by drinking a lot of ginger, garlic, or green tea
But I can't believe that
It seems to me they've put their own work aside...
and showed up late without a good excuse...
How about this?
Why doesn't the Head Lady confirm it herself?
Confirm it?
If you're that sure why don't you try the diseased vegetable yourself?
Yes, we can check it ourselves then
Yes, we should check...
but is there a need for Lady Choi to do it...?
No... I will do it
I will do it
Don't shake it too much...
So Lady Choi tried it herself?
Yes
I hope she gets really sick!
Shhh! You should only say such things under the blanket!
Why? Do you hate Lady Choi?
No, not that...
She's our worst enemy!
Madam, are you feeling OK?
Help me put on my coat
Madam...
Help me put on my coat now!
Madam!
What?
She's showing the symptoms
You should quickly tell the King
We should spread the news so people's lives can be spared
I'll tell the King
The physicians should prescribe medicine...
and tell the medical center to respond to this
Is it you, Keum-Young?
Why are you...?
I know the cure. I'll treat you