The Great Merchant
Episode 3
[Songpa Port, Hanyang]
Get back!
Or else this girl...
is dead!
Drop your sword!
Now!
Do you have a death wish?
Kid, you've to jump off.
This ship's going up in flames!
No, I've to take back the silk.
What?
I can't get off this ship without the silk!
Episode 3
You're here?
What happened?
We were ambushed by the state guards.
I see.
The girl fled and came this way,
did you see her?
Yes, she was on the ship.
She went on board the ship?
Yes. We could've captured her, but the state guards...
Don't worry.
We'll find her and take care of her.
No, that's alright.
- You may go. - Pardon?
Judging by how this turned out,
I think I'm better off taking care of the girl myself.
Get going.
Well then. Let's get going.
But...
Do you fellows have somewhere to go?
We don't know yet.
Then...
go to hell.
That wench!
You...
Darn it!
We've to stay out of sight until the state guards clear out.
We should be safe here.
Are you hurt?
No.
Here...
Granny sent me.
She learned something was going down at the docks,
and told to check there if you weren't at the silk shop.
Granny must be furious.
Let's get you warmed up first.
Granny...
Steward Oh...
Let's get inside first.
Hong, what have I done?
I wouldn�t have gotten you into this has I known this would happen...
Maksun said she would give me a job at the silk store...
if I helped them move the silk...
You believed what she said?
Answer me!
I was suspicious.
If you were suspicious, why did you go there?
I wanted to work at the silk store so badly...
Hong knew that the training center was in trouble and she was trying to help.
But instead you've made things worse.
Steward Oh...
was trying to kill me...
You've witnessed their smuggling operation, so he'll keep coming after you
until you're dead.
What's worse, the state guards saw Hong at the scene of the crime.
Why did you follow them all the way there?
Steward Oh...
was trying to set it up...
so it looks like you stole the silk.
The thieves have been killed.
The state guards will be looking for you since you witness the crime.
Steward Oh will try to get rid of you before they find you.
What'll Hong need to do?
Two tigers are after one helpless rabbit.
Whoever gets you first, your chance of survival is slim.
Hide in the storage hut for now.
Make sure the kids don't breathe a word.
Hong! Hong, are you okay? Hong!
What? Failed?
Do you know what failure means?
You just blew 12,000 nyangs!
The Commerce Control Bureau guards were waiting in ambush.
Do I have to send you to Jeju and make you a footservant?
- What'll it take for you to learn your lesson? - My Lord!
Please... please give me one more chance, my lord!
I don't want anyone who knows about this, walking around breathing.
Yes, I've already taken care of Park and Choi.
But... the child...
Get rid of her!
But not right now.
The Bureau of Commerce Control's on the move,
don't arouse suspicions.
Bide your time.
When the time is right, wipe her out like she never existed.
I definitely won't fail you this time.
Because of smugglers like you,
the country's foundation's being shaken!
Mercy... Please have mercy...
Please have mercy.
You want mercy?
So who's behind this operation?
Is it daebang Gang Gaeman?
We don't have that kind of information.
Continue the torture until they're ready to confess the truth.
- Yes! - No, please! Please, sir!
Stop!
We've recovered two suspicious bodies near the scene of the crime.
Suspicious?
They were found stabbed in the back near the reed field.
And this roll of silk was on the ground as well.
Really?
Whoever did this didn't want us to know where the silk came from.
Identify the dead and see if you can establish a direct link to this silk.
The perpetrator fled the scene in a hurry.
Find out why.
Yes.
How's she?
It's a miracle that she's still breathing.
What do you mean?
Fever coupled with seizure.
The two forces collided inside the child's body,
it'll take a while for her to recover.
I gave her some brew of baby rose tree mushrooms.
Please help her.
There isn't much that can be done.
Being out in the cold isn't helping her.
Please do what you can.
I'll administer acupuncture for today.
Don't give her any medicine.
Her body will most likely reject it in this condition.
[Jeju Island, 13 years ago]
Stop.
That plant is poisonous.
Poisonous?
I saw my mom eating it when she got sick.
It's an ingredient used with monkshood to concord a lethal tonic.
Missus, have you even saved a person's life?
Cold yin energy has penetrated deep into his internal organs causing paralysis.
He'll live, won't he?
All things in the universe have a purpose.
If this man has a reason to live, he will.
Then he must live!
[Jeju Island, 13 years ago]
Goddess Grandmother Seolmun,
please let our baby be born safe and healthy.
Missus!
It's great to see you again.
I'm sorry.
I owe you a dept of gratitude for saving the young master's life while I did nothing.
Don't hold your breath. Breathe out.
Breathe!
Thank you.
We must've had special ties in previous life.
First you saved the life of the young master, now me and our child too.
Is the exiled man the father?
Does he know about the child?
He's a man with a great purpose.
If people found out that he took on a lover
and fathered during time of exile, it would ruin him.
Even so.
No, I can't be in his way and neither can this baby.
My baby... I'm sorry.
I can't take you to see your father.
But say hello to this flute instead.
This is the symbol of his love for us.
You were born on the Island of Wind.
Wind is strong.
Wind can both fuel and extinguish a fire.
I want you to grow up strong like the wind.
That's what we Jeju women are.
My baby...
grow up strong and proud.
Yes...
Your mother is always with you in spirit, so find strength from within.
Get back on your feet.
Have the bodies been identified?
Yes.
There was nothing noteworthy except that one of them was a stolen goods buyer.
Nothing noteworthy...
Then go through everything again starting with this silk.
Find out who's selling this type of silk
and inspect all the silk stores for missing inventory.
Yes.
But we still don't have a clue as to who was behind this,
dozens of guards have been injured.
I'm concerned this will come down on you.
Accountability and reproach,
that comes with this job.
Don't worry about things like that.
This silk...
find out where it came from.
Yes.
Father, good morning.
He's already gone to the palace.
What's wrong?
I guess some smugglers were arrested last night.
Oh, I'm expecting a delivery from the silk store.
Yes.
Young Master,
remember that girl who got you arrested for selling rice.
Are you talking about Hong?
I heard she's somehow involved in the silk smuggling scheme that went down.
No, that can't be true.
It's not that...
Good morning, Young Master.
Maksun, I need you to take me to Hong.
Pardon?
Hong told me that you two were friends.
Madam wanted me to come early.
Let me see her first...
Fine. I'll wait here. Hurry back.
Madam, the girl from the silk shop is here.
Send her in.
You've made arrests but you've no confession,
and the guards were called out but you found no clue?
Is this how you do your job?
I'll assume full responsibility for this case.
How do you plan to do that.
Two of the perpetrators were killed by an unknown assailant near the scene of the crime.
Once that murder is solved,
we'll know who was behind the smuggling.
You'll get the dead men to talk?
Lord Choi, why do you back up this man who's always talking nonsense?
If Captain Kim can't solve this case,
I'll assume responsibility.
No. I'll assume responsibility alone.
Let me talk.
It's nice that you're defending your subordinate, but you're putting your own neck on the line.
His Majesty, the King,
is kept awake at night by prevailing extravagance among the aristocracy,
so he's concerned about the foundation of the state being shaken.
Qing silk is the symbol of extravagance.
Last night's action by the Commerce Control Bureau was in accordance with our King's wish.
Are you asking us to stop obeying the King, Minister of Justice,
just because we didn't yield immediate results?
Fine.
If you wish to share consequences, by all means.
Captain Kim, you find the perpetrators or I'll hold you accountable!
Up to now for the Minister of Justice,
the silk stores are a major source of slush funds.
And here you're trying to go after his largest contributor Daebang Gang.
They'll do everything in their power to stop you in the future.
I'm prepared.
Captain Kim.
You're a man who'll do important work for the King and this court in the future.
Be careful not to get yourself hurt in vain.
I'll keep that in mind.
What happened to your hand?
No, I've to take back the silk.
What?
I can't get off this ship with the silk!
My man.
Once I find that girl, I'll know which silk merchant's behind this.
Excuse me.
Has a body of a young girl been found at or near the dock?
No.
If that child's alive,
she can help us with the investigation.
- Find that child now. - Yes.
[Hanyang Marketplace]
I asked to see you here to avoid being seen by Daebang Gang's men.
You were right, it was Daebang Gang who tried to secretly sell off his silk.
He got himself backed against the wall with 1,000 bolts of silk coming in each month.
Steward Oh killed two men who transported the silk to the ship.
They had to die.
The scheme went bust so they had to be silenced.
Madam, if that child was involved in this, she's in danger too.
Perhaps you too.
Please be careful anyway.
I've a favor to ask.
Send the innkeeper and seamstress to my house...
No, tell them I'll be there to see them myself.
I understand.
Search the marketplace and find the girl who was on the ship.
Yes.
- The rest of you, come with me. - Yes.
1,000 bolts of silk stolen overnight?
Do you expect me to believe that?
I can't believe that myself.
You're the largest silk store in the marketplace,
how could security be so poor?
A child took this bolt of silk from the smuggling ship and ran off.
What can you tell us about it?
Have a look.
It's not our silk.
Captain,
please call me if you find that child.
I'd like to ask her where she got such fine silk.
Certainly.
I'll find the child and expose where this silk came from,
you can bet on it.
Husband, what's going on?
I don't think this problem's going to go away by itself.
I wish I could just have Kim Ungryeol bumped off right now.
It sounds like you've some sort of plan.
I get a few of my trusted fellow merchants
to give false testimony that Kim Ungryeol accepted bribes from the silk smugglers and let them go,
how about that?
I'll take care of all the work.
All you've to do is call him and demand
a resignation if he fails to find the perpetrator.
But won't that make him pursue the girl even harder?
I'll take care of the girl before he gets to her.
Then,
it'll not look like he was protecting the smugglers instead of going after them.
Get rid of Kim Ungryeol while you're at it...
and clear the way for smooth sailing?
Yes, sir.
Yes...
Don't get up.
Are you feeling better?
Yeah.
I'm sorry, because of me...
I'll be moving you soon.
Meanwhile, don't come out of this shed no matter what. Understand?
Moving me? You mean I'm leaving?
Dong-ah, I want you to sell off anything that you can sell in this shed right now.
Yes.
Don't wake the children, let them sleep in as long as they want.
This will be their last sleep here.
No, you and Dong-ah weren't even there that night.
If I've to leave, I'll leave alone.
If you think you can go alone, go ahead.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Granny.
From now on, I'll do what you tell me to do.
Think before you open your mouth.
It's already been decided.
Just get some rest before we leave.
This is all because of me, isn't it?
We all have to leave this place when we turn 15 anyway.
The time just came a little sooner, that's all.
Still, it's my fault.
I smell mung-bean pancakes and japchae.
It's high noon!
I didn't hear the bell.
I want to stay!
Granny, why are you doing this?
No, Granny!
Why do we've to leave all of a sudden?
I'm not taking one step from here.
Wake up the children now.
Yes.
The bell is late today!
What are you standing around for?
No!
If we eat the food, we've to leave the training center.
Stand aside.
Why are you doing this suddenly?
Why did you let us sleep in and cook all this food for us?
You're scaring me.
Listen carefully.
Each of you has your own story that brought you here.
You were like sick fledglings at first,
now you're strong enough to fly on your own.
So if you're going to fly, fly high. Spread your wings and soar.
You'll forget about this place in time if you meet a good master.
Now what you waiting for? Get up here and eat your breakfast.
It's white rice you all love.
Unni!
Unni, we're all being separated!
Mokbo and Daegu are going to the inn,
Myeonghee and I are being sent to the seamstress's house.
Yeah.
You knew about it.
Kotnim, do what Granny says and stay there for now.
And... we'll meet again later.
I don't know. You're just like Granny!
I'm sad. I'm sad too, Kotnim.
But we'll be together again.
So this sadness is just temporary.
You're older than Mokbo, Daegu and Myeonghee,
so you've take care of them.
Okay?
I'm sorry...
How much further?
It's that house.
Let's go.
Granny...
Hong!
Young Master, what brings you here?
I've come to see Hong.
Where's Hong?
Hong isn't here.
I must ask you to leave.
My apologies.
Hong! Where are you, Hong?
- Please stop. - Stand back.
This is unbecoming of the high minister's son.
I care more about Hong than I do about propriety.
Out of the way!
I must see for myself that she's alright.
I'm not certain why you're looking for Hong, but you can't see her.
That's for me to decide.
Young Master...
No, it's for me to decide as her guardian.
How can you call yourself Hong's guardian when you allowed her to be framed for thievery?
If you're her guardian,
protect her like she should be protected.
Your compassion for Hong could become a sword that brings her injury.
What do you mean?
What would you do once you've confirmed that she's alright?
Can you protect her?
Can you guarantee that you'll never let go of her hand?
I'll protect her.
Don't be so certain of yourself.
Your intent might be such, but the world won't let you.
If Hong's just a passing fancy,
and you really don't care what your feelings do to her, go ahead and open that door.
But...
if you truly care about her, please leave.
If you insist like this when you can't guarantee anything,
you're just being selfish.
My feelings for her will hurt her?
I trust you'll understand.
Please leave now.
Then give her a message for me.
Tell her that I trust her no matter what anyone says.
And that she's precious to me.
I may not have the power to protect her now,
but I'll build that power.
And if I've a chance to hold her hand again,
I won't let go.
I'll trust you and walk away for now.
I know who caused these bad things to happen to Hong.
Think whatever you want.
Let's see how good your life turns out.
Kotnim and Myeonghee are good seamstresses.
They'll earn their keep.
I can't afford to keep both girls.
May I send one of them somewhere else?
Keep them both if you can.
Here.
This isn't necessary...
That should take care of them for a while.
Be obedient.
- Yes. - Yes.
Don't worry about them.
Mokbo is strong and Daegu is very good at cleaning.
The others have acquired useful skills too, so they won't be a burden to anyone.
Please take good care of them.
You must say goodbye now.
Granny!
- Granny! - No, girls.
Granny...
- Granny! - Granny!
Granny!
How can you walk away from those poor crying children?
You were born with a silver spoon in their mouths wouldn't possibly know.
These children need to be cast out instead of embraced in order to find strength make it through this life.
Make way!
Make way for the Minister of Justice!
Make way!
Make way for the Minister of Justice!
Stop.
Father, you're back.
Yes.
Are you on your way back from the academy?
No, I was at a friend's house...
Lower the sedan chair.
I'd like to walk with my son for a while.
Audacious wench!
I didn't put poison in His Highness's food!
Silence the woman!
Hong, did you pack your things?
I don't really have much to pack.
We'll never be able to come back here again, will we?
The children...
Maksun...
The young master...
We'll probably never see them again.
You don't know that.
If we want it bad enough, we will.
I hope you're right.
What are you doing? We've to hurry.
I've sold everything I could.
Pack light. We're leaving tonight. Hurry.
Captain.
We've combed every inch of this area, and didn't find a body of a child.
She's got to be alive.
What a relief.
We've no evidence that the girl...
There's no guarantee that she was involved in the smuggling operation,
I'm aware.
Yes.
But I've a feeling that she's connected somehow.
I don't know how to explain it...
let's just call it sixth sense.
I feel like I know her somehow.
Captain.
The composite sketch is complete.
Is this child...
Bring me the arrest log at once.
It should have the girl's address.
Yes.
- Let's go. - Yes.
It's a matter of time before the Commerce Control Bureau locates the girl.
What should I do?
It's time to go after the raccoon family.
I've been waiting for the raccoon to come out of its hole.
If the girl's killed at home,
it could make things even more complicated.
That's why I've been waiting for her to come out.
When they smell Kim Ungryeol coming,
Granny and the child will come out of their home and flee.
Do them in then.
I understand.
You can't let Kim Ungryeol get to the girl first.
We must get there before the state guards do. Move it!
Aye!
What are you doing?
Dong-ah...
I can't get myself to leave.
My feet won't move.
Don't think.
You can't leave if you think too much.
Get your things and come out quick.
Open this door!
Open this door at once!
Open it.
May I help you?
We're here from the Bureau of Commerce Control.
We're looking for this girl.
She doesn't live here.
When she was arrested for peddling without a license, this is the address she put down.
She holds the key to an important investigation.
Where is she?
I said she's not here.
Men, search the house.
Yes.
Those are a child's shoes.
What do you mean?
You haven't been truthful.
You can't search a woman's room!
Why are you doing this? The girl's not here!
What's the meaning of this?
What's that in the corner?
Granny...
Noone's here! Get out of the room!
Please hold back the state guards and Daebang Gang's men for us.
Locate the woman and give the information to Daebang Gang's men.
They're here.
I'll come back and find you. I promise.
If we still can't find each other, we'll meet in Granny's hometown.
Fire! Help!
Fire!
You're the only one here that can help me.
I've to find Granny and Dong-ah.
I've to find them and get out of Hanyang.
We're all Hong has left.
We've to help her.
Find Hongsu and the girl!
Go back home.
Please let me stay on this ship. Please.
I told you, I can't.
I made a promise!
I've to get to Jeju Island.
I'll do anything you ask, sir!