--Episode 10--
Dear Head Cattle Broker,
The reason why Kim Hak-jun made you go to Kangkyeong
until you find that out, stay still.
No one.
Absolutely no one can be trusted.
Stay still and wait until I'm there.
You must wait for me.
If you act spontaneously, our stable will
really fall apart.
From Chun Bong-Sam.
A small clumsy kid became clever.
The blood of Chun's Gaekju family is flowing, huh?
I need to come to a conclusion before Bong-Sam gets here.
Gae-ddong, you were here.
I heard in four days, it's Kim Hak-jun's 60th birthday.
Let's attack that day.
Huh?
Even though he's a son of concubine,
he's the older brother of Ahndong Kim's Kim Bo-hyeon the Sun-hye governor.
A lot of people will be visiting him,
so the two entrance doors of his house will be wide open.
Those opened doors aren't for us to go in.
There are guards walking around the house.
That's why
we should butt in along with the guests.
After we secretly enter the house, we'll capture Kim Hak-jun,
and switch out the deed to the stable.
You think it's that easy?
Even before getting into the exchange gaekju,
Head Cattle Broker and I should be thankful for being alive,
not getting killed by those swordsmen.
I'll go in.
I will because they don't know my face.
Hey now!
You're just a mere salted seafood seller.
How can I go in as a salted seafood seller?
I have to come up with a plan.
This matter needs to be handled carefully.
Let's wait until Bong-Sam gets here.
I don't know who that Bong-Sam is, but
even if it sounds risky, if you miss right timing, it'll be no use.
The most important thing to accomplish this is timing.
Timing!
Wow, Gae-ddong is very good with acupuncture.
You seem okay now.
Yeah.
Let's go!
Let's hurry up.
What is it?
Yeah, what is it?
Excuse us, excuse us. Sorry.
Gaechuri Order (to restrict hemp)
Until the order is no longer effective,
all 8 provinces of Chosun, eh hem, / throughout all province
throughout all provinces, eh hem,
all merchants are prohibited to do hemp business.
Head Merchant of Yook-ei-jeon, Shin Suk-ju?
Is there a state funeral or something?
If there's a state funeral, they would've said so.
Damn it.
What's so great about Yook-ei-jeon?
Who are they to take all the goods?
Why are they interrupting our business?
Hey, fellow merchant. I like what you're saying!
They're just telling us merchants
who carry 10 rolls of hemp cloth to starve!
Sun-dol got caught!
Hey everyone!
Sun-dol is being taken into custody!
Sun-dol?
Let go.
Let go!
Let me go!
Damn it.
Let me go!
What the hell is Yook-ei-jeon?
What is Yook-ei-jeon?
Why are you guys restricting hemp clothes...
Shut up!
Shut your mouth!
Sun-dol!
Sun-dol.
Who is this?
It's my friend Bong-Sam.
What happened to you?
Hey, you rascals! Is this a place for your reunion?
What the hell is going on?
Hey!
Oh, my. What's going on?
Take him!
Bong-Sam.
Bong-Sam!
Sun-dol!
Wait for a bit!
I will,
this Chun Bong-Sam will come rescue you!
Bong-Sam. Bong-Sam!
How are you trying to rescue him?
Let's all break into Cho Soon-deuk's house and bawl out.
No.
That wouldn't make them let go of Sun-dol.
If they don't, we'll have to break their house.
If we break it, they would only hurt you all.
Then everyone dies.
I gave him money to buy hemp clothes.
Regardless, if we don't get the hemp clothes or money back,
we'll all die this winter.
We'll freeze to death and starve to death.
That's right.
Well, one day.
Just give me one day.
This clothes belongs to Sun-doll.
Sun-dol and I are close friends who exchanged each other's jackets.
Just trust me, and give me one day.
One day.
Bong-Sam, Bong-Sam.
Your jacket friend can
get help from those fellow merchants.
And let's just go to Kangkyeong.
Brother.
Sun-dol walked all the way from Euiju with bleeding feet.
But who dares to stop his business?
Even the king can't tell someone to starve to death.
I know how desperately Head Cattle Broker is waiting for me in Kangkyeong,
but Sun-dol's life is more important.
What's more important is our fellow merchants' life!
The one who made that restriction order is Shin Suk-ju.
The head merchant of Yook-ei-jeon!
Brother.
No matter how powerful Shin Suk-ju is,
if you're scared, don't join me.
Go get Gae-ddong.
Wow, it's beautiful.
Where's a sewing room around here?
Go to the ally over there.
Okay.
Oh, my. Is this rice cake or white snow?
It seems like it'll melt in mouth if someone takes a bite on it.
I don't know what story a beautiful lady had,
but how did you wear stuff like this?
Doesn't every life have a story to it?
Oh, my!
Mother.
I'm getting married today.
I finally met someone who will change my fortune.
Oh, my legs. Ugh.
Bong-Sam, Bong-Sam!
Ow, my legs.
Gae-ddong. Where's Gae-ddong?
I know. I can't find him.
He told the inn madam that he's leaving.
Oh really?
Say something that makes more sense.
I know you don't like Gae-ddong.
But look at this man making things up.
Stay here! I'll bring him.
It's because you're a bum, so he left!
My goodness. Are you going to keep lying?
I'm about to get really angry.
I'm saying the truth.
What?
What did you just say?
So I'm saying that this man named Bong-Sam told me to tell you.
If you really want to get the gratitude paid back,
come to Song-pa Stable.
They say when you're offering generosity,
you don't do it out of expectation to get paid back.
We're all fellow licensed merchants.
Why do you keep insisting to get the gratitude paid back?
Chun Bong-Sam.
That wasn't Chun Bong-Sam.
A crippled man is the one who said it, right?
No, no. It was him. Chun Bong-Sam.
He's the one who said.
No way.
He would never say that.
He promised...
and swore to heaven.
I should go.
I have to go.
I have to go find him.
I waited for 10 years.
We can't fall apart like this.
Whether it is Song-pa or Kangkyeong,
I must go.
Hey, Bong-Sam...
When did you ever hear about fellow merchants
swearing to heaven for saving one's life?
Anyway, if I meet Gae-ddong...
Hey! Gaekju owner! Hey!
Where are you going?
There you are.
While Sun-dol was attempting to escape,
Merchant Maeng caught him and he's about to make him go blind.
What?
Oh, no! What? He's about to die, huh?
We don't have time.
We'll try to figure out a solution.
And you two try to figure out a way, too.
Let's go.
This became more urgent.
Bong-Sam, Bong-Sam.
On my way here earlier, I overheard a story about Cho's Gaekju.
Cho's Gaekju?
Cho Soon-deuk's daughter and Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant are getting married.
The rumor is spread all over.
They said that the woman is very beautiful. A one of a kind beauty.
They said if you see her, all of your bones will melt. That's how beautiful she is.
So you're saying Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant
and Cho Soon-deuk's daughter are getting married?
Brother, let's go.
Where are you going?
Brother.
Huh?
After we roll him in a straw mat,
we'll need a place where no one can see.
So let me look around.
You stay here.
And just watch. Okay?
Okay, I got it.
Roll him? We'll get caught right away...
What? What are you doing?
Marriage? That's nonsense.
Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant is like the king of all merchants.
So, Seo-Lin, you're going to be the queen.
The queen of Yook-ei-jeon!
Because of your greed,
look at the merchant locked up, who is dying.
Do you really need to earn money like this?
For that stupid money?
Stupid money?
Money is more precious than life and family.
Look.
If you didn't marry into Chang's family,
would you have known how meat taste?
And would you have known the joy of wearing silk dress?
When did I ever want meat and silk clothes?
I just wanted to live like a human-being...
That's the life of a normal human-being!
Meat and silk clothes!
Oh, man. That's why I say young people live with their heads,
and elders with their throat.
Hey, you.
Have you seen people wearing clothes with holes,
and freeze to death in winter time out on the street?
Huh?
Have you seen people during period of famine who starve to death
as their skin front body skin sticks to their back body?
You just don't know how painful that is.
Whatever you say, father,
I will not get married to the head merchant.
What?
I'll go into a temple, and atone for the wrongs you made.
What?
Wol-ee, let's go.
Yes, mistress.
Seo-Lin.
Seo-Lin!
Why would a palanquin come out of there?
Mistress.
Father, please head back.
Follow me.
Father!
You'll be living in servility forever, can't you make brief time for your father?
Father!
I said, follow me!
Father!
Come here.
I said, come here.
Why are you doing this?
I've already made a promise to send you to marry the head merchant.
If I break that promise,
your brother in his room won't survive.
We'll have to put down the Cho's Gaekju board.
And we'll have nowhere in all 8 provinces of Chosun to go.
If I eventually will get killed by Shin Suk-ju,
fine,
let's die together today.
Bring me the outer skirt.
If that's what you have decided to do,
I shall listen to it.
Your order to a widow, who lost her husband only three months ago,
marry the head merchant,
I cannot listen to that.
What?
However,
I will listen to your order to die together.
Huh?
I'll go first.
So follow me.
Mistress, mistress!
Let go!
Are you afraid?
I'm not afraid.
Living as a puppet or dying,
is there a difference?
Fine.
I'll jump off this cliff with you holding hands.
Just wait.
Wait for a bit.
Wol-ee, go over there.
Don't you know how your grandfather die?
How did he die?
I heard he starved to death.
How about your grandmother?
Please stop it.
Both my father and mother
passed away from starvation
when I was just 9 years old.
Dying, dying.
There wasn't a more painful life lesson than that.
The land owner took every grain that I had.
I only had one pack of uncooked food.
They couldn't boil it to eat,
so they starved to death.
Your father
sold that rice plant and earned three coins of money to buy merchant's license.
And then went into a gaekju as its servant.
After I went in,
they beat me up and cuss at me.
And starve me whenever they wanted to.
I was so exhausted,
I came here several times.
To jump off the cliff and die.
Alright.
Now, let's go. Go!
Let's go.
Father.
Father!
Mother.
Your son, Soon-deuk,
is heading down.
My daughter tells me to die, so I should die.
Father!
I want to see you.
Your resentment for dying from starvation must be big.
And I couldn't make up that resentment for you.
I couldn't even host a memorial ceremony for you.
I'm just going before doing all that.
Father!
I'll go.
I'm going.
You...
What did you say?
To the head merchant...
to marry him...
I'll go.
Okay.
It's 150,000 nyang.
Merchant Maeng.
Yes.
Why go through an extra hand?
Exchanging between people directly involved is much more simple.
Huh?
What's wrong?
150,000 nyang.
Isn't that what you calculated for your daughter's ransom?
Well, you're the head merchant of Yook-ei-jeon,
so I thought you'll add a little more to it.
When you daughter gives birth,
whether it's a boy or a girl,
I'll make sure I give you a satisfying amount.
You're the Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant.
How could you make such an unclear deal?
What do you mean a satisfying amount for a boy or a girl?
That's very unclear, eh?
If it's a girl,
I'll give you exclusive rights to silk in Choongcheong province
If it's a boy...
I will...
If it's a boy,
what wouldn't I do anything for you?
I'll give you
exclusive rights to all cotton of Choongcheong province.
What?
Oh, my!
Sir Head Merchant!
This Cho Soon-deuk's... no, no.
Head Merchant's father-in-law bows to you. Please accept it.
Either tomorrow afternoon or the morning after tomorrow,
I will go pick her up as soon as I'm done with my work.
Yes, yes. There wouldn't be any failure.
I'll get her ready immediately.
Don't fall on the dark roads, and be safe.
Don't you worry.
Then, please sleep well.
Okay.
Oh, I'm suffocating.
Is it you, Wol-ee?
Who are you?
Hurry, hurry! We can't get caught.
Hurry, hurry.
Ugh, man.
Why aren't you wearing your mask?
Are you trying to brag that Choi Dol-ee is robbing someone?
Put it on!
Who are you guys?
Brother.
I'm sorry.
Oh, man. What to do? What to do?
Hey. Hey!
I'll let you go before the morning chicken clucks, so sit still a bit more.
Wait! Wait, wait.
We can't wake the monks. They hear well in their sleep.
I'm not trying to yell.
That person,
your fellow.
He's the one who rescued my mistress from that valley, right?
Right?
What?
I'm right. That one valley.
Tell your fellow,
not to bring the mistress back.
Tell him to go far, far away with the mistress.
I'm pretty sure I hit the stomach...
but she's saying nonsense as if she hurt her head.
Stay still!
Because of a ridiculous reason that he sells hemp clothes,
my friend is captured.
If I don't rescue him by tomorrow morning,
it's obvious they'll put him on straw mat.
I'm saying he'll either get really hurt, or die.
Now that I've told you why I brought you here,
you don't have to worry about anything else.
If your father releases Sun-dol,
I'll let you go without getting hurt.
I'm sorry.
To a woman who is about to get married...
I'm the one who needs to ask for forgiveness.
If a child commits a crime,
how would that be solely the child's crime?
A child's parent becomes a forever criminal, too.
It's the same with a parent's mistake.
You're the best daughter in the world.
If I can help you to rescue your friend,
that would be relieving...
What...
You are...
You said you wanted to become a female peddler,
I guess it was all a joke.
Without knowing that you'll become a Chosun's richest man's wife, eh?
They say at the king's palace,
they poke a good-looking bird in its eyes with a needle.
So it won't fly away.
Even if they all look normal,
they are all blind.
I, too, have such a fortune that's like the birds in the palace.
My life is like the palace bird that goes around and gets sold.
Why...
did you leave me at the tavern?
I thought you followed to the tavern because you were thinking about me.
What would have changed?
If you said, "let's go".
If you had given me your hand for me to follow you,
I would've followed you.
Wherever it would be.
Together.
I...
I'm going to get some water.
I've been having this dream several times.
A dream of meeting a normal man,
and living happily with children.
Whenever I woke up,
I couldn't remember the man's face.
After meeting you,
I began to see the man's face clearly.
My husband from my dreams
was you.
What are you doing?
The reason I brought you here
isn't for this.
What are you doing?
You can't test a person like this.
You must be thirsty,
so I'll bring you some water.
If you humiliate me like this, then I'll just have to die.
I showed my heart and body to a man and got rejected.
How am I supposed to live out of humiliation?
Once in my life...
this woman...
just for a day,
can't ever live doing what she wants?
This woman...
can't have a man to put in her heart forever?
Oh, my. Oh, my...
Ugh! Damn it.
It doesn't make sense that you don't know!
Where's the mistress?
Oh, my... Oh, my.
Oh, my. I put so much effort for this...
Now our Cho's Gaekju will go bankrupt.
It seems like I will get beheaded by Shin Suk-ju.
Seo-Lin.
I need to rescue Sun-dol,
and then stop by Kangkyeong.
After that, I will...
Don't say anything.
Don't tell me to follow you.
Or don't tell me wait because you're going to Kangkyeong.
Each of us
has a person to protect.
No matter how badly people talk about my father,
my father is precious to me.
I can hate him,
but I can't leave him.
Our relationship...
ends here.
Don't lie.
I know that it's not true.
From now on,
please forget about me.
And I will forget about you, too.
We won't be able to see each other.
We must not see each other.
Okay.
Then,
you need to forget about me.
Even if we don't see each other,
how are we supposed to not think about each other?
Even though we're 1,000 or 10,000 miles apart,
if you put someone in your heart,
then he is in your heart.
I'm...
Bong-Sam.
Chun Bong-Sam.
Chun
Bong-Sam.
My husband...
for life,
I won't be able to see you again, right?
Please become a good merchant.
Please...
become a big merchant.
Who is it?
What rascal are you?
What?
What a crazy-head!
Cho's Gaekju is about to go bankrupt!
Move out of the way.
Why is it so loud outside? Huh?
Hey, you rascal. You want to die?
How dare a peasant make loud noise at a nobleman's house?
My name is Chun Bong-Sam.
Chun Bong-Sam.
What? Chun Bong-Sam?
You rascal, how dare you introduce yourself to a nobleman?
As if you're on the same level?
Wait.
You're the...
guy from Euiju valley...
How can this gratitude be paid back with mere money?
Or even with gold?
I must pay it back with heart.
With my heart.
Sir merchant, please accept this bow from this old man.
Oh, no. Don't...
Don't. Don't.
Wait.
So you're the one?
Now.
Should I say everything here?
Should I...
What are you saying?
Why don't you come on in?
Now.
What are you doing? Follow me now.
You.
Do you even know who Seo-Lin is about to get married to?
If you hear his name, you can't even dare to look up.
The whole Boeun people know the story.
Why do you think I wouldn't know?
I heard it's Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant
Shin Suk-ju.
How dare a hemp clothing seller say the Sir Head Merchant's name...
Well, let's stop now, and
just send my Seo-Lin back.
I'll compensate you enough.
Storeroom.
My friend Sun-dol, who is trapped in a storeroom, comes first.
That punk violated the restriction order!
Who in the world made that order?
It's not a restriction for a national funeral or something.
Fools from Yook-ei-jeon got together to raise the price of the goods,
why does my friend Sun-dol has to suffer for that?
Fine, fine.
I'll release him. So, give my daughter Seo-Lin back.
She needs to go to Hanyang along with the head merchant tomorrow morning.
Well, thank you.
Alright, then...
Give me 50 rolls of Gaechuri,
and a money bag for what Sun-dol owes Mr. Chan-bong's son for hemp clothes.
Oh, my. Oh, my. You're such a damn thief, huh?
Is it your friend, or is it the Gaechuri, or is it the money?
You got to choose only one!
Just because you captured my poor daughter Seo-Lin,
are you trying to both have your cake and eat it, too? Or what?
You're so slow. Slow!
50 rolls of Gaechuri is for
what Sun-dol and Mr. Chan-bong's son were trying to sell,
and they already got paid by fellow merchants.
So that must be given to him.
Then, how about the money?
That's for making Sun-dol go through pain and suffering.
For humble business.
What? What the heck?
It's obvious that you guys took away Sun-dol's merchant license.
Then, where in all 8 provinces of Chosun would issue him a permit again?
He can never ever do business again,
you should get rice paddy and beans, and
take responsibility for what goes through his throat.
Hey, you rascal!
Why do I need to take care of your friend's food?
Look here!
You must not be afraid of Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant?
That's fine!
Why are you doing this, Sir Merchant?
Sir Merchant!
Why would you stand up in the middle of negotiation?
If you think fighting against the head merchant is easier than fighting me,
then do so.
I'll give you everything. Everything!
So just bring me back my daughter Seo-Lin, eh?
So I'll give you 50 rolls of Gaechuri, a money bag, and your friend.
I'll give you everything!
So just give me back my Seo-Lin.
Fine, fine.
Well, then...
Do you have any food?
Okay. I'll give you some.
Okay.
Hey, miss!
Miss!
Miss! Oh, oh my...
It seems like you're awake now.
Over there!
Mistress! / Seo-Lin!
What are you doing?
Hurry up and take him out.
Take him out!
Seo-Lin, let's hurry up and go.
Let's go! Let's go!
Do you really have to go?
Your maid told me to let you go with Bong-Sam somewhere far.
I don't know the story behind it, but
it seems like you can't just go.
What are you doing? I said let's go.
Let's go!
Hurry, hurry.
Open it.
Alright, let's go.
Hurry. Hurry up and go.
Hurry, hurry. Go.
Hey, hurry up!
Give more strength to it.
Sun-dol!
Sun-dol.
Brother.
Is Sun-dol okay?
Is he hurt?
What took you so long?
Okay. Take him.
Oh my gosh. Brother!
Well, on my way here, I dropped him twice, but he's fine.
He's like you.
Sun-dol.
Are you okay?
It's me Bong-Sam. Can you recognize me?
Hey.
Hey, stupid.
The woman you took away in a straw mat is from the valley, right?
It's her, right?
Yeah.
Why did you...
Ow, ow.
Why did you just let her go?
Then what?
Do you think Bong-Sam will choose a woman over his friend?
To a man, his first love is the second scariest in the world,
the first being his mother.
It's scary and serious.
You have to live carrying it in your heart forever.
I'm so sorry.
I feel sorry and
thankful.
You need to drop him two or three more times.
Look at him worrying...
Hey, punk.
I'm more thankful that you didn't die and
survived like this.
Hey. Let's go.
Brother, get him up.
Let's go!
Hey, there.
You left early in the morning to go to Song-pa,
but you're here.
Did something happen to this household?
The daughter of this household is known as the most beautiful woman.
She's getting married to Yook-ei-jeon Head Merchant, so I came here to watch.
You must feel bitter to leave home.
I've been busy with Yook-ei-jeon business meeting,
so I had to rush.
A woman leaving her parent's home is called fate.
Seo-Lin, wait! Wait a second.
This... keep this. Okay?
This is...
It's underwear.
This woman who has 7 sons wore it when she was giving birth.
But, hey.
Your husband looks too old to give birth.
It doesn't matter?
Excuse me.
From now on,
forget about me.
I will forget about you, too.
We won't be able to see each other.
We must not see each other.
Have a safe trip.
What poor rascals...
Move out of the way!
What kind of bastard is talking?
Alright, you rascal, I will move out of the way to behead you.
Huh?
Nobleman? He's a nobleman, Head Cattle Broker.
Cattle broker...
Do people put title of honor to cattle brokers?
What?
What? Gae-ddong!
Wait. You're...
What do you think, brothers?
You all got fooled.
Do you still think I won't be able to go into Kim Hak-jun's house?
("Kangkyeong Exchange Gaekju")
Go that way.
Come over here!
Welcome, sir!
Which family are you from?
I'm going to get down.
Which family...
are you from?
--The Merchant: Gaekju 2015--
Will there be a successor of mine?
As soon as you get rid of Gil So-gae, leave.
Crimes?
Head Cattle Broker made it stop breathing.
There's a dead body!
Bong-Sam is right there!
My Bong-Sam...
How dare you talk like that?
Decide now, to die or to marry me.