The Iron Empress
Episode 15
- Your Majesty. - Mother.
- Song. - Mother.
Don't let Lady Sungdeok follow us. Block her!
Mother. Mother.
Mother. Mother!
Your Majesty!
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
Someone shot an arrow!
Everyone protect the King!
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, are you alright?
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, are you alright?
Don't let her come near me. Don't let her near me!
Your Majesty...
Get back!
Your Majesty.
Why am I so dizzy? Why?
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
What is wrong Your Majesty?
What are you doing? Quickly call a doctor and take him inside!
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
Where did the arrow come from?
It was from that rooftop.
There were two men.
Everyone, follow me!
[Lady Sungdeok- Hwangbo Su (future Empress Cheonchu)]
Have you gone crazy?
Chief!
Why are you here, Chief?
We don't have time to talk. Let's go.
Get rid of the Jurchens!
Don't look down on the Seogyeong citizens!
Hoorah, Lady Sungdeok!
- Hoorah. - Catch every single one of them!
The King has been injured.
Hurry and capture them. They're all working together.
It's poison.
What are you talking about?
It seems the arrow was dipped in poison.
(Park Yang Yu)
What's going to happen?
If the poison spread to his heart, there's nothing I can do.
Don't say anything that's impossible.
(Seo Hui) (Yi Ji Baek)
If something happens to the King, you won't be able to live.
Treat him right now!
Everyone, please leave.
I will try my best.
[Seongjong (The 6th King of Goryeo)]
(Gang Jo)
What are you saying?
What did Lady Sungdeok conspire to accomplish with those people outside?
Do not drag her into this with such a ridiculous notion!
We just arrived in Seogyeong to bring Prince Gaeryeong back.
We have nothing to do with the demonstrators.
Do you expect us to believe that?
Lady Sungdeok happened to just get here,
when a fire broke out in the palace and His Highness was shot with an arrow?
This is all coincidence?
What are you insinuating?
That Lady Sungdeok is the ringleader of a secret mob who's trying to kill the King?
[Yi Ji Baek (Vice-Minister in charge of Government Building)]
Gentlemen please.
This is not something we should speak hastily about.
In any case, this was a meticulously planned conspiracy.
And I couldn't be more suspicious about the alleged Jurchens attack as well.
[Choi Seom (Vice-Minister of the Chancellery)]
So am I!
What happened here is not unrelated to what happened in Guibup Temple.
[Kim Won Soong (Minister of Revenue and father of Lady Yunheung)]
Lady Sungdeok is at the heart of both incidents.
This is a devious plot to take Prince Gaeryeong to Hwangju.
Devious plot? Watch your tongue!
Why are you getting so excited?
Oh, come to think of it, you came here with Lady Sungdeok from Hwangju.
It's very suspicious.
Please stop!
This man is accusing me of high treason!
Why are you getting so worked up if you're innocent?
Stop!
His Highness could be dying and you're behaving like children.
You'll see. Eventually the truth will come out.
Have you lost your mind?
How dare you defy my order!
Forgive me, Master.
(Sa Gamun)
I thought we could speed up the great cause if the King was dead.
Will the country fall if the King dies?
(Kim Chi Yang)
Will the retainers bring the throne to me?
No, but I thought it would benefit us if the King dies and Prince Gaeryeong takes the throne.
What?
You imbecile.
How would that benefit us?
Have we gained Lady Sungdeok's absolute trust?
Even if that child does become the King,
there are dozens of men a hundred times closer to Lady Sungdeok than we are!
You can't even think that far and you attempt to kill the King?
It's all over for us if you get caught!
Forgive me.
You too.
I sent you to stop him and you help him?
(Sa Illa)
Is loyalty to your brother more important than my order?!
No, please forgive me, Master.
If this is the way it is, leave.
I don't need either of you!
I made a mistake, Master.
Please forgive me.
It's all my fault.
Forgive me.
Have you forgotten how many have died for this undertaking?
Your father and your relatives sacrificed themselves so we could be here.
For ten long years, we played out every scenario to create an infallible plan.
And you dare attempt to ruin that plan?
Who do you think you are to render their sacrificing meaningless?
Take my life, Master.
I will pay for my mistake with my life.
Fool.
If I could undo what you've done by taking your life,
I already would have.
Live. Live to make up for this mistake!
The arrow was poisoned?
Yes.
So he's still unconscious?
He's in critical condition.
[Seo Hui (Minister of Foreign Affairs)]
Unbelievable.
My Lady, perhaps you should leave the palace and wait at the villa.
No, I cannot with His Highness in that condition.
Please, My Lady, you must.
Kim Won Soong and Choi Seom are accusing you of masterminding everything.
What? That's insane!
Not only that, they're saying that the attack at Guibup Temple was staged.
That you did it to take Prince Gaeryeong.
In any case, this is not a good time.
You could get hurt if you're not careful.
The timing is off, so go back and wait.
I will let you know when things change.
Prince Gaeryeong- Wang Song (future King Mokjong)]
Answer my question.
[Yi Gyeomui (Vice-Minister of the Armory)]
I have witnesses who saw you inciting the people.
Who is behind this?
Who tried to kill the King?
I don't know. It's the truth.
We were only trying to see the King so we could appeal to him.
Apparently he hasn't had enough.
No, Su!
No!
Your Highness.
Your Highness, can you hear me?
You must stay still, Your Highness.
I've removed all the poison I can, but it's still moving through your body.
What happened?
Who tried to kill me?
I'm afraid perpetrators have not been captured yet.
But the demonstrators are being interrogated at this moment.
Lady Sungdeok, where is Lady Sungdeok?
I believe she is in her villa here in Seogyeong.
How about Song? Where is Prince Gaeryeong?
She didn't take him, did she?
No, the Prince is here in the palace.
Then call in the ministers. We must go back to Gaegyeong at once.
No, Your Highness. You need absolute rest.
Physical activity with poison still in your system is dangerous.
Staying here is more dangerous than any poison.
Who know what else might happen if I stay?
- Attendant Goh. - Yes, Your Highness.
Prepare to leave immediately. Now!
Yes, Your Highness.
I can't believe it.
Even if evil retainers are speaking against me, how could His Highness think I am behind this?
Demonstrators were hailing your name,
there was a fire in the palace,
and you showed up announced with Prince Gaeryeong.
He must've been confused.
Don't worry, My Lady.
The arrow just grazed him, so the physicians will take care of him, even if it was poisoned.
Once he regains consciousness, everything will be cleared up.
He was injured and confused.
I'm sure he didn't know what he was saying.
I hope you're right.
You have to be right.
But who could be after the King's life?
My Lady, it's Seo Hui.
Please come in, Lord Seo.
What happened? How is His Highness?
He has come to. I think he is going to be all right.
But he is going back to Gaegyeong.
Now?
Your Highness! Your Highness!
Step aside. I must speak to the King.
No, My Lady.
This will only take a moment.
Your Highness! Your Highness!
What do you want?
I must speak to you, Your Highness.
I have nothing to say to you.
You're making a mistake. Give me a chance to explain.
Mother.
Song!
What are you waiting for? Clear the road and be on the way.
Mother, Mother!
Let go of me! Let go!
Song!
- Mother! – Song!
Mother! Mother!
(Royal Palace, Gaegyeong)
My Lady.
Yes.
[Lady Yunheung (future Queen Munwha)]
I'm so glad you're back.
Do you know how worried I've been and how much I've missed you?
I'm sorry I've worried you.
Are you alright?
I know His Highness was injured, but you are alright, aren't you?
Yes.
It's all my fault.
I should never have let Lady Sungdeok see you.
My Lady,
Yes?
My mother is…
Don't call her “Mother” anymore.
No, don't even speak of her again.
There's a good chance it was not the Jurchen?
Yes, Your Highness.
[Choi Ryang (Minister of Culture)]
It's looking like an inside job.
Then it must've been staged by Sungdeok, like Ministers Choi and Kim said.
I told her to give up everything and that must have annoyed her.
So she exploited Lady Yunheung's kindness and plotted high treason.
She kidnapped Prince Gaeryeong and even tried to kill me.
No, Your Highness. That's a huge assumption.
Don't you remember Choi Ji Mong's prophecy?
But that's…
You say that because you haven't been to Seogyeong.
Seogyeong is no longer my land.
It's people are no longer my people. They obey Lady Sungdeok.
In Seogyeong, Lady Sungdeok is the King.
The prophecy is starting to come true.
Don't you see?
My Lady, please don't worry.
You were the closest brother and sister growing up.
His Highness can't seriously believe you tried to kill him.
That's what I used to think, too.
He was the sweetest and most caring brother when we were growing up.
But he's a stranger to me now.
I can't figure why he hates me so much.
My Lady…
I'm scared.
I'm scared that this misunderstanding might put Song in harm's way.
That won't happen.
Once the real perpetrator is captured, and he will see that he's been wrong.
Song! Song!
Mother!
Song! Song!
Mother…
My Lady, it's Cheon Hyang Bi.
Come in.
How did it go? Did you find Lady Seol?
Yes.
Was she with Prince Gyeongjuwon?
Yes, My Lady.
In the same house?
(Cheon Hyang Bi)
They had already gotten married.
She called him “husband”.
Married?
Then she must've refused to return.
Yes, My Lady.
I tried to convince her but she was resolute.
Then I better go.
To see Lady Seol?
Yes and to see the King as well.
My Lady, it's too soon to see the King.
Perhaps you could wait a few days.
A storm is best avoided.
I can't just sit here and wait.
I have to clear up this misunderstanding.
And I have to see Seol as well.
Ouch!
What's wrong?
Did you burn yourself again?
The fish… I burned the fish.
[Hwangbo Seol (future mother of King Hyeongjong)]
When you went out in this freezing cold to catch them…
(Prince Gyeonjuwon- Wang Ook)
It's just burned on the outside. We can still eat them.
The rice is raw on the top and blackened on the bottom.
Then we can add water to the top part and make rice tea with the bottom part.
I'm so upset. I can't do anything right.
Don't say that.
Who cares about food when I have an angel in my arms?
Try this one. It's your favorite.
- Yes. - Lady Yunheung made it herself.
(Attendant Jo)
I'm sure it doesn't compare to the food you had in Hwangju.
The woman probably can't cook at all riding horses and fighting all the time.
What's wrong?
I'm sorry.
I've lost my appetite. If I may be excused…
Prince Gaeryeong...
I'm afraid he's changed.
Yes.
He doesn't know how to be grateful.
Watch your tongue.
Once it's established that Lady Sungdeok is the mastermind behind this plot, Hwangju will never recover.
That's right.
They're digging their own trap when we're not doing anything.
(Yi Yang)
This couldn't get any better.
By the way…
[Kim Shimon (Choi Seom's son-in-law)]
Do you really think Sungdeok is behind the attempt on the King's life?
That's not important right now.
We must use this opportunity to make sure the King never goes to Seogyeong again.
And clean out those who are close to Hwangju as well.
(Seol Shinyu)
It looks like luck is turning in our favor.
Doesn't it, gentlemen?
Minister Seo, is this true?
[Gang Gamchan (Vice-Minister of the Royal Decree)]
I heard there was an insurrection in Seogyeong.
Yes.
Unbelievable.
It has caused public sentiment to deteriorate even further.
[Seo Hui (Minister of Foreign Affairs)]
People are being arrested at random and tortured for interrogation.
I would've been better off if His Highness didn't go on this tour at all.
[Yi Ji Baek (Vice-Minister of Government Building)]
What's worse is that His Highness thinks Lady Sungdeok is behind the whole thing.
Lady Sungdeok?
Hard to believe, but it's true. The situation has gotten out of control.
By the way,
what's been keeping you so busy?
I've been conducting an investigation.
An investigation?
I will tell you all about it when it's wrapped up.
Did you wish to see me, Sir?
Yes.
I want you to round up a caravan and head north tomorrow.
North?
To Khitan territory.
But Sir, It's a long way to the north.
(Jo Sun) (Jo Du)
Many merchants get robbed and killed by the Jurchen along the way.
I'm not sending you too, so be quiet!
[Kim Won Soong (Minister of Revenue)]
Your parents should've named you "Dodo" instead of Jo Du.
Sorry, Sir.
You have to do what other people don't do in order to make money!
This is going to be the biggest trip yet.
So I want you, Foreman Jo, to supervise it personally.
Do you think you can do it?
Of course, Sir.
I know a middleman in Seogyeong who has connections to Jurchen tribes.
If we employ his services, we won't have any problems.
I think this is it for us.
Yes, Brother.
I can't take it anymore.
Let's not wait for them to kill us.
May the thousand year glory be with you.
You too, Brother.
More brave souls will be leaving us.
May they rest in peace.
And may those of us…
that remain, never forget what they died for.
(Kim Chi Yang)
For defying the teaching of great mercy and compassion, I will willingly face the judgment of Yama.
Give me the strength I need, and I will accept my reincarnation as a fiend or beast.
The rebels took their own lives?
Yes, Your Highness.
They smashed their heads into the stone wall of their cell and…
What is the *Ministry of Punishment and Ministry of Defense doing?
[*Legislative Council]
The King has been shot with an arrow by a masked mob.
And you still don't have a suspect. Is this acceptable?
Forgive us, Your Highness.
Don't ask for forgiveness. Find the culprit!
Forgive me, Your Highness.
[Yi Gyeomui (Vice-Minister of Defense)]
We are thoroughly searching Seogyeong and the demonstrators are being interrogated.
I'm certain evidence will surface soon.
Your Highness, if I may speak it's obvious who is behind this.
[Choi Seom (Inspector of Legislative Council, Leader of Shillan faction)]
Bring in the mastermind for interrogation and all of her henchmen will be revealed.
Yes, Your Highness.
I urge you to call in the prime suspect, Lady Sungdeok.
[Kim Won Soong (Minister of Revenue)]
No, Your Highness.
There is no evidence that Lady Sungdeok is behind these crimes.
What's more, she is the dowager of the Late King.
[Seo Hui (Minister of Foreign Affairs)]
She cannot be questioned based on suspicions alone.
Your Highness, I beg you to consider this with utmost prudence.
Lady Sungdeok is a victim, Your Highness.
[Yi Ji Baek (Vice-Minister of Government Construction)]
I disagree.
There can be no exceptions in an investigation of high treason involving an attempt on the King's life,
not for the Queen Dowager nor anyone.
Your Highness, it is vital that Lady Sungdeok be brought in for questioning.
I beg you to see.
I beg you to see, Your Highness.
I've spoken to the monk at Guibup Temple and the attackers were not Jurchen, as you said.
Did you find some kind of evidence?
The lack of evidence is the evidence.
They cleaned up everything including the dead bodies.
What could that mean?
They didn't want their identities revealed.
What's more, they were wearing masks.
They wouldn't need to wear masks if they were Jurchen, since no one recognize them anyway.
Yes, I guess you're right.
Is there a way to catch them?
Yes.
There's got to be a merchant in the city who sold a large quantity of Jurchen clothes recently.
I've been pounding the streets, but there's a lot of ground to cover, so it's going to take a while.
You're doing so much work alone.
What's the atmosphere like in the Royal Court?
I can't attend the ministers meeting, so I don't know in great detail, but it isn't good.
Lord Seo Hui and Yi Ji Baek are fighting for you, asserting your innocence.
Have you heard anything about Song?
Do you know how he is?
You seem distracted. What are you thinking about?
I can't stop thinking about my mother, how she cried out for me.
Prince…
You must forget about Lady Sungdeok and the days you spent with her.
[Kim Shimon (Choi Seon's son-in-law, Wang Song's tutor)]
She is a very dangerous woman.
Dangerous? Why do you call my mother dangerous?
She is the one who tried to harm the King in Seogyeong.
No, she isn't.
My mother did nothing to hurt the King.
Listen to me.
What happened in Guibup Temple is also her doing.
That's absurd, Master.
I saw my mother's compassion for the people.
I saw her genuine love for this country.
Please don't speak of my mother in that contemptuous tone again.
I will not tolerate it.
Seol.
Unni.
I heard you already had a wedding.
Forgive us.
We had a little ceremony by ourselves to avoid public attention.
We understand if you condemn us for not acquiring your permission.
If my condemning you made everything all right, I wouldn't worry.
In fact, I would give you two a grand wedding for the whole world to see.
But this is not about me and how I feel about this.
I know.
But there is nothing that can keep us apart.
It's too late for that.
Prince, you're not a child. How could you be so irresponsible?
This is not about the two of you.
If word ever got out about this, Myeongbok Palace could be destroyed.
That's why we will live here alone quietly until the day we die.
We will seek no wealth or power or anything at all.
If we can't live here, we will leave Goryeo.
Won't you give us your blessing?
Please, Unni. Tell me that you approve.
I've longed for him all of my life.
Fool, do you have any idea how hard life will be for you?
It's all right, Unni.
I'm ready to face anything.
All of my life, I've never been this happy.
If His Highness finds out, there will be hell to pay.
No, Su.
He'll understand once he sees how happy I am.
Are you really that happy?
Prince Gyeongjuwon...
Yes, My Lady.
The King must never be allowed to find out about this.
He is too much of a Confucianist to understand the two of you.
I understand your concern.
We will be very careful.
You must stay in hiding all of your life.
Are you sure you won't regret this?
The only thing I would ever regret is if I had to part with my love again.
Will you take care of Seol wherever you are?
I would give my life for her.
I'll send a servant to do the housework.
No, I'm fine.
Isn't it too hard for you?
No.
You don't know how free I feel shedding my royal identity.
It's not always going to be easy.
Your life will be completely changed.
You must keep your tears in and think of fear as passing wind.
Can you do that?
I'll try.
No, I can do it.
And if it get too hard and I can't bear it,
I'll come to you.
You fool. Are you sure you'll be all right?
Yes, Unni.
Seol,
I just want you to be happy.
I know.
I want to do something for you but I don't know what.
I don't need anything.
And I'm sorry for leaving you.
We've lived together all of our lives…
I'm sorry. I really am.
Well then, I'll go home now and wait for the news that you became a father.
You're teasing me, Sir Gang.
Why? Don't you want children?
How about you, My Lady?
Is there something wrong, My Lady?
I don't want to see the two of them getting hurt.
I don't…
Don't worry, My Lady.
They'll be fine.
I've never seen a better matched couple.
Still it breaks my heart.
They deserve all the blessing in the world, but they're focused on living in hiding.
If she were not a queen dowager, if we were just an ordinary clan,
I would've given her a huge wedding for the world to see.
But she is happy nonetheless.
Take comfort in that, My Lady.
There're more people who are miserable with all the wealth and power they need.
Song, would you come here and hold the bow with me?
Hold it firm…and push out.
I got you. Lift your head up.
How do you feel?
Good.
Yes, I feel good too.
His Highness the King!
Your Highness, what brings you?
I heard you raised your voice to your master.
Is this true?
Answer my question.
It was because Master spoke maliciously of my mother.
Mother? Are you referring to Lady Sungdeok?
Yes, Your Highness.
Your master is right.
She tried to have me killed with her guileful schemes and threw the country into confusion.
No, Your Highness.
My mother is not the kind of person who would do such a thing.
What?
She was only in Seogyeong to take me back to you.
And to accuse her of what happened in Guibup Temple is unfair, Your Highness.
It's a misunderstanding.
Three days in Hwangju has completely changed you.
The woman has brainwashed you.
See her and give her a chance to explain. And you will see that she's a good person.
- My mother is… - Silence!
"Mother", "Mother"... Who is your mother?
Did Lady Sungdeok raise you?
You only have one mother from now on and that's Lady Yunheung.
Is that clear?
Even lowly animals know where they came from.
How can I renounce the woman who brought me into this world?
Be quiet!
If you defy my order, both you and Lady Sungdeok will pay the consequences.
Stay away from her if you want to protect her.
Do you understand?
Answer me, do you understand?
Yes. Yes, Your Highness.
Ungrateful child!
What kind of illness?
It's epilepsy.
Are you sure?
There's no mistake.
It's an illness that causes seizures where one will have convulsions,
foam at the mouth and lose consciousness.
And in his case, it's quite severe.
Do you think they know about this at the palace?
Probably not.
My guess is that was his first seizure at the temple.
They wouldn't have named him heir to the throne knowing he has in incurable illness.
Then wouldn't they find out soon?
If he has a seizure in front of other people, yes.
But years might pass before there is another episode.
And the person usually has no memory of the seizure.
Is this good for us or bad for us?
I don't know. I can't figure that out either.
Mother… Mother…
Mother...
The Queen is in critical condition?
Yes, My Lady.
They don't think she can make it through the day.
Has His Highness been made aware?
[Queen Mundeok (King Seongjong's first wife)]
Mother…
Sun…
[Sun (future Queen Sunjeong)]
Don't live your life like me.
Go to Hwangju and live freely like a bird.
Mother!
Mother! Mother!
Mother!
Queen Mundeok,
a woman of tragic fate, who first married Prince Heungdeok
and remarried King Seongjong, had departed this life.
Unlike Joseon, Goryeo's customary national mourning was,
an abridged form of the traditional three-year mourning.
It condensed the formal procedure from 27 months to 27 days.
Compared with the later Joseon period, it was a more economical practice.
Mother…
Have I ever defied you since the day we married?
Have I ever asked you for anything as your wife?
I know you have no love for me, so I stayed quietly in the shadow.
But this is my dying wish.
He ordered me into the palace?
Yes, My Lady.
He wouldn't let me come when the Queen passed away.
And now he calls me when the mourning is over?
I summoned you because of the last words of the Queen.
Is this about Princess Sun?
Yes, take her with you.
As you wish.
Is that all?
I will leave Myeongbok Palace and move to Sungdeok Palace as we talked about.
So guarantee my son's safety in return.
I'm getting curious. What made you decide this all of a sudden?
Isn't this what you wanted?
Since when did you start doing what I want?
Your Highness.
Forget about it. It's over.
Don't even think about seeing Prince Gaeryeong ever again.
Your Highness, I don't understand.
From this moment forward Gaeryeong is no longer your son.
Your Highness!
And…
It's over between us as well. You are no longer my sister.
Not only yours, but Prince Gaeryeong's life also shan't be spared.
I'm taking a merchant caravan to Khitan territory and I need your help.
Perhaps…
Mother!
Take the prince to the Queen's chambers at once!
Song!
Mother!
Escort Prince Gaeryeong to the Queen's quarters immediately!
Pick up your weapons!
We're Minister of Revenue Kim Won Soong's men!
Wife, open your eyes! Wife!