I can count on you, can't I?
You're the only one who quietly follows my lead without trying to resist.
Perhaps I am, sir.
Help me. You're the only one who can.
Give me your command and I will obey it.
But if you're asking me to serve you from my heart,
I don't want to.
And I'm sure I speak for the rest of the commanders as well.
Well then...
Can I ask why?
If the enemy should attack tonight, the Left Cholla Navy will be defeated.
Corruption, negligence and laxity of the warriors would be to blame.
But even if the enemy attacks six months, no, a year from now, we won't
be able to defeat them.
Constable Kwon.
You probably have the entire recruit profile log memorized although there
are over a thousand recruits.
That will be the first cause of our defeat.
I wouldn't be surprised if you have tomorrow's training exercise worked
out down to the every last detail.
You just have to give out your instructions.
When will you polish the guns?
You'll probably install them on the ships yourself.
How are you going to secure gunners in a navy that's made up of archers
and spearmen?
I bet you already made a list after checking out the recruit profiles.
Or were you going to stay up all night tonight compiling it after
inspecting the grounds?
Constable Kwon...
The commanders will be thrown for a loop again tomorrow.
What will you do if another one doesn't understand what you're
doing and becomes defiant?
Will it end in another commander's resignation?
Why are you building all those ships? You cant possibly sail them all.
We'll be defeated against the enemy even if they attack months, no, years from now.
Do you know why?
It's because there is only one commander in Left Cholla Navy.
Resign? Why should you have to resign?
Lt. Na clearly made a mistake!
What if this was not a training exercise but a real battle?
Bang-dap unit would've been in serious peril.
What he did was an act that serves the enemy!
How can we keep him at the front?
That's right. He could've been executed on the spot for what he did,
and it would be justified.
We can't take this lying down.
I won't put up with this anymore? It's time to show him our strength.
A man who continues to conduct personnel affairs with favoritism
and prejudice does not deserve to be a leader!
Do you have an idea? A blue uniform can't strike down a red uniform.
The imperial robe can easily strike down a red uniform.
That's a great idea! Yes, it's time we wrote an appeal to the royal court!
An appeal refusing to acknowledge Yi Soon-shin's authority!
Say something, Commander Shin.
Are you just going to stand there?
I don't know what he is thinking.
Doesn't he know that he must respect the opinion of the direct superior
when making a personnel decision?
Perhaps you can ask him that question yourself, Commander Shin.
Did you say that you'd strike down the red uniform with the imperial robe?
Pathetic man! What do you expect to gain from that?
I didn't start this; the high commander did!
I agree. The high commander is too dictatorial.
Do you think so? I don't.
We are the ones who started this fight, not the high commander.
Constable Kwon!
"How can a sixth rank village magistrate become a commander
of a navy overnight?" "Let him try. He won't last."
Look!
Am I wrong? This can't be happening if I am.
It's been months since the high commander announced his intent
to fight at sea.
But not one of us has mentioned about the problem with our ships.
We can't fight with arrows and spears alone against
hundreds of thousands of Japanese, but did anyone bring up the necessity
for cannons?
The recruitment issues, military provisions issues, staffing for
building new ships, budget procurement...
Did anyone sit down and really contemplate these issues and
propose a plan?
No, not one of us did.
And why not when we are not just recruits but commanders?
I guess there could be two reasons. Either all of us are incompetent, or
we've let our crooked aversion for the high commander make us blind and deaf!
Remember. The high commander is running around trying
to stop the enemy all alone if he has to.
But we're sitting here racking our
brains about how to fight the high commander.
How can we call ourselves warriors?
Captain Chung, your troops have been wiped out.
But starting today, he will direct our shipbuilding project with authority
equal to that of a garrison commander.
With all due respect sir, you're pushing your luck.
Commander Yi!
I cannot accept this... no. I refuse to accept it!
I don't intend to take back my command!
And I don't intend to defy your command either.
I will resign from service!
If the enemy should attack tonight, we would be defeated.
Corruption, negligence and laxity of the warriors would be to blame.
But even if the enemy attacks six months, no, a year from now, we
won't be able to defeat them.
Do you know why?
It's because there is only one commander in Left Cholla Navy.
There is only one commander in Left Cholla Navy...
But "V" bottom boats are deeply submerged in water and turning them
around becomes a daunting task.
My resignation, sir.
Are you sure you won't regret this?
A man does not go back on his word.
It's not easy to reverse one's word.
Sir!
But I'm going to have to. I can't accept your resignation.
I suppose my authority and my pride will suffer to certain extent.
But I do not want to lose a good man.
Sir...!
Your point about Lt. Na Dae-yong's misconduct was valid.
And I do apologize for ignoring your opinion and making a decision alone.
I'd like to discuss Lt. Na's punishment with you again if you don't mind.
Do you still think he should be dismissed from service?
Lt. Na Dae-yong is a lazy and incompetent man.
I said I could not leave him in charge of my men, and that hasn't changed.
I cannot take him back as the lieutenant of Bang-dap garrison.
Then...
But perhaps his service is needed at the shipyard.
Commander Yi!
What's gotten into you? You're never up this early!
Are you that happy? You're up before the roosters first crow!
I can't sleep. I haven't eaten, but I feel full.
The thought of being with this girl all day makes me feel like the
whole world is mine!
Oh boy, this is your destiny I tell you!
What is going out here?
Good morning, Director. My name is Na Dae-yong,
and this is a family servant Unbok. He's like a brother to me.
What are you waiting for? Bow, Unbok!
Good morning, sir...
There's nothing I wouldn't do for this girl, just tell us what to do.
Tell us what to do, sir!
Move these boards over to the other side by the fire.
They are for the hull, so they have to be bent to shape.
Yes, sir. Your wish is my command.
Don't just stand there. Let's get these boards over there!
Hurry up!
High Commander...
I did not accept Commander Yi's resignation.
Is this how I should start?
Sir...!
Let us begin.
Those handouts are an outline of a plan we drafted to run this station
more effectively.
Everyone will participate in fleet operations and training,
and we will establish our strategy and tactics together at field meetings.
As for the rest of the duties, I'd like them to be delegated among the commanders.
It would be even better if you could volunteer according to your
individual interests or expertise.
Commander.
I will handle the inspection, management and procurement
of military food supply.
Oh, no! What have I done! I'm so sorry, sir!
That's all right. Don't worry about it.
The food supplies in the headquarters are nearly exhausted, so we will have
to transport what we have from our garrisons, and we should consider
operating a military farm in the long term.
I will handle the budget procurement of resources and mobilization of recruits.
I've come to check your figures and estimates our budget for
the production of new battleships.
Please come inside. I will go over it in detail with you.
I hope you're not slacking here too, Lieutenant.
Sir! Of course not, sir!
Your laziness is what got you removed from Bang-dap unit.
If I ever hear that you slacking off and being lazy here, I will have you
sent home for good.
So keep up with your work!
I'll handle the monitoring and reporting of activities in and around the coast.
You might want to call it a "navy communication system reform."
I never thought I'd be talking to you like this as a navy commander.
You're not an average falcon anymore. You're a commander falcon.
So you have to act like one, you got that?
This boy is ignoring me. Relax your eyes, boy.
There. Fly!
I take it you understood everything I went over with you?
Then here we go. What does blue mean?
That means there's no problem.
Wow, I'm impressed! And the red?
That means suspicious men have been spotted, sir.
Wow! Two for two!
Next, who's your boss? Commander Kim Wan. Yes, sir!
Under a good leader is a good follower! Let's go.
Time, please stand still tranquil,
for if you go, my face will wrinkle...
I'm getting board. It's more pain to do nothing than something.
What are you waiting for? Fly the kite!
Yes, sir! Here it goes!
Let's do it!
You got to use your head if you don't want your hands to be tired.
Why waste time and effort going back and forth from the ocean to the land?
Right, guys?
I have some experience coaching cannon firing in the artillery unit,
so I will handle the artillery training.
Ready!
Fire!
Did you tell them the proper loading sequence or not?
I did, sir, but...
You! Call the loading sequence!
Well, um, it's gun powder first and then...
Lt. was it the wood piece or the projectile?
What? Unbelievable!
How are you going to be gunners if you don't even know
the loading sequence?
Lt. Chung!
Yes, sir!
We need to etch the loading sequence into their heads!
Again! Repeat the loading sequence!
Gun powder, wood, projectile,
compression, sand, iron nails,
ignition, discharge!
Louder! I can't hear you! You can yell louder!
Once more time! Louder!
Gun powder, wood, projectile.
Louder! Louder! Louder!
That's it! I've had it!
For heaven sakes, untie me! I can't eat like a dog anymore!
Shut up and eat!
Then untie the girl at least! She hasn't eaten in days!
Do you really want her to die right here?
Hong! I'm so sorry!
Now look what you've done!
Look, I'm going to need to change. I can't stay in these clothes.
Hong!
It's freezing cold!
Fellows!
What happened here?
Looking for me?
Hong!
The deed comes back on the doer.
Hong, please, please listen to me! The truth is I...!
Die, you bastard? I will send you straight to hell!
No!
Hong, you can't do this! This is wrong!
Hong...!
Thank you for everything. The rice is yours.
Chun-su! Chun-su!
Trust no one?
That's right, Your Majesty. You mustn't trust anyone, not even the gods.
Do not be negligent in testing them and guarding against them.
The day that you put your guard down and give me your complete
trust is the day that my dagger will strike you in the back.
Jotai!
I'm imploring you never to let your guard down.
Remember, loyalty is easily forsaken for the sweet nectar of power!
If even I cannot be trusted, how about Tokugawa who vowed loyalty to you
under the threat of your sword?
I'm told you volunteered to spearhead the war, Konishi.
You've been away from your business too long. Your math has gotten rusty.
Master Sennorikyu tried to stop this war with his death.
That means he didn't think we could win. Don't you agree?
Whether we win or lose is unimportant now, Dainagon.
What's important is that this conquest is the Kampaku's desire.
Regardless of our desire, His Highness's sword is already drawn.
And now, only thing left to do is to discard the sheath.
Discard the sheath?
You wish to go to battle, Dainagon?
You wish to take you daimyos and spearhead the attack on Chosun?
Yes, Your Highness.
Allow me to display my loyalty to you!
Going to Chosun with you and conquering the great continent of Ming!
Just the thought of it makes my heart beat faster!
Thank you, Your Highness.
But let us save that for the day we conquer India.
Your Highness!
But I will not forget your loyalty.
And I suppose I should reward you for it.
Of course, Your Highness.
Odawara is yours, Tokugawa.
Mikawa doesn't suit you anymore. It's too small and inferior.
Odawara will not suffice.
Your Highness, perhaps you should offer him Kanto as well.
Yes, of course.
Tokugawa is a special subject.
It may be insulting to offer Odawara alone.
How can you laugh, Master?
This trade may look good on paper, but he is taking your land and the
foundation you've established!
I'm well aware of that.
Master...
Konishi knows more about Chosun than anyone else in Japan.
And he spoke of discarding the sheath.
To a samurai discarding the sheath means that he will die fighting.
In other words, this is a lost cause.
Then...?
Mikawa is a bountiful place.
We coudn't avoid being deployed if we had remained there, and we would
end up losing thousands of our men.
But you volunteered to spearhead the first attack.
That was to throw him off.
I wanted him to think that I covet the great continent just as he does,
so that he would not stop me from going after it.
All that's left for Hideyoshi now is to slowly crumble through this war.
But I, Tokugawa Ieyasu, will start over here in Edo.
The people of Mikawa will not betray me.
Now I will capture loyalty of the people of Edo.
The day Edo is transformed into a bountiful land is the day I will
seize the country.
Are you saying that we shouldn't discuss the succession issue at court?
But why not?
I just can't figure out what's on His Majesty's mind.
And we don't know which prince His Majesty has in mind.
Like I said, he is with the Queen.
But the Prime Minister has been seen going in and out of
Concubine Kim's chambers like his own living room.
What could that possibly mean?
Do you think that the Easterners are intent on bringing Prince Shin-sung
to the throne?
His Majesty may be respectful to the Queen, but Concubine Kim is the one
he admires.
We must be careful about this.
A better way to secure our strength right now is by informing the Imperial
court of Ming about the movement of the Japanese with the date of
their audacious declaration clearly stated.
Japan has informed us that they will wage a war against Ming,
but our court has failed to inform the Emperor of Ming.
The Emperor will be furious, and he will let our King know that.
Then what will happen to those who beclouded His Majesty's judgment
by maintaining that there won't be a war?
Is this true?
They are plotting to alert Ming about Japan's hostile intent?
Yes.
How could they be so dense? Don't they realize that there
is more to lose than gain if we're not extremely careful about this?
What if they think that we are in on this with Japan?
And worse, what if they attempt to use us as their shield to conquer Japan?
My lord...
Do you think they should be stopped?
Do you believe the country will face greater peril if they are not stopped?
Then how about prodding them about bringing Prince Kwan-hae forward?
Are you insane?
You said His Majesty is wary of Prince Kwang-hae.
Have them bring the prince forward. That's the only way to break them.
How about Prince Kwang-hae? This could possibly get him killed!
Don't worry about that, Minister Yu.
Your Highness!
I sent for His Highness. And I told him everything I told you.
Chung-hyang?
Don't fault her. I think her cleverness may exceed that of Kongming.
Your Highness...
Do as she says.
If you can use me to save the state from peril, do it.
No, I can't. There is no way!
The future of Chosun is more important than one man's life.
Your Highness...!
Is that a fact?
Yes, my lord.
Did you hear that, Minister Yoon?
Courtesan Chung-hyang and Prince Kwang-hae have been seen having
frequent visits with Yu Sung-ryong!
What could this mean except that they, too, have caught on to the fact that
His Majesty is learning toward Prince Kwang-hae?
They're meeting in secrecy to bring him forward before we have a chance!
I think Minister Chung is right, Brother.
Let us go with his suggestion and bring up the succession issue first
before we discuss sending an envoy to Ming.
You should've done this long ago.
Then you would've never been chased off to Bu-ryong.
Minister Yoon Du-su is working very hard to send you to the
southern front.
And they are sending an envoy to Ming, so it won't be long before
you are spearheading the conquest against Japan.
What could change by sending an envoy?
Japan wants to conquer Ming.
And Ming will not be still when they find out.
They will launch a campaign against Japan to teach them a lesson.
The Westerners is bringing Prince Kwang-hae forward
and you're suggesting that we just sit around and watch?
We can't do that!
Prime Minister.
Don't you know that His Majesty has Prince Kwang-hae in mind?
We must stop them. They're trying to increase their power by riding
on the coattails of Prince Kwang-hae.
We must persuade His Majesty to choose Prince Shin-sung.
Or stop the succession issue from being brought up altogether!
His Majesty is a young man. It may offend him to talk about this matter!
I fear they could be stirring up great trouble!
Exactly. His Majesty will be furious if the succession issue is discussed.
Then what do you think will happen to the Westerners who brought it up?
Left Minister!
Successor? Successor to the throne, you say?
Yes, Your Majesty.
In times of confusion and uncertainty, our founding fathers have restored
public trust and confidence in the royal house by installing an Heir Apparent.
Restore public trust and confidence? Yes, I suppose they did.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Then who shall we install as the Heir Apparent?
Choose Prince Kwang-hae, Your Majesty.
I am told Your Majesty values him for his sagacity as well.
He is exceptionally well-read and noble in character, so he...
So he is fit to inherit the throne now if necessary.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Left Minister, what do you think?
No doubt you think Prince Kwang-hae should be installed as well.
No, Your Majesty. I believe it is too soon to discuss the succession issue.
Too soon? How can you say that?
These ministers think that I am too old to rule the state
and I should prepare myself to step down.
Or did someone ask you to steal the throne for him?
Your Majesty!
No, Your Majesty! That is not our intent!
I will not hear excuses! I have said repeatedly that I would preserve the
royal line with a legitimate heir!
What is your true motive for bringing
this up under the pretext of strengthening public trust?
What are you realty after?
Hear me, Royal Secretariat! I will dismiss Royal Advisor Chung Chul
from service and banish Minister of Finance Yoon Du-su!
They will be punished to the fullest extent for betraying their King?
We need to install the cannons in an angle that will achieve maximum range.
The impact of the blast will cause the barrel to jump back.
Yes, there will be recoil, and it will be absorbed by this support piece.
Hey! Be careful with that!
Weapons are our lives! Is that understood?
Yes, sir!
Be careful!
That's it.
Commander...
Can we proceed with the field artillery training as planned?
We're seriously short of guns, so we will need to acquire more.
And my men are not up to satisfactory level.
But I thought I'd take just a few of the better recruits and take her out
for a practice run.
What kind of range can you get with Imperial Cannons?
We're still experimenting on land with varying amounts of gun powder,
but I would say at the minimum 900 paces.
900 paces...
That means it's suitable for ship to battle from a certain distance,
but if we are caught in an ambush
and faced with an enemy close enough to board, what then?
I guess the speed will be the issue again.
A new kind of ship, sir?
The battle is over if we allow the enemy to board.
Whatever we do, we can't let them board.
Why don't we go with the "V" bottom design on the ships that we are yet
to build, sir?
But we have already established that we will have more disadvantages than
advantages with that design.
Prevent them from boarding?
Just prevent them from boarding no matter how close they get?
That's right.
Then why do you worry so much?
Just put roofs on the ships!
Roofs?
How do we put roofs on the ships? Do you think that's possible?
Why not? Our flat-roof ships already have a lower deck and an upper deck.
We're just adding another covering, that's all.
Look.
Go on. Continue.
Roofs are made to protect, you see... project against rain and snow.
And most roofs are dome shaped like this,
so that if it rains, it will just roll down and away from the house.
So if we put dome shaped roofs on our ships, the Japanese will jump on it
and roll down into the water.
Oh, and we can even cover the roofs with oil.
You know, like that old story about a boy and a girl who
climbed up a tree fleeing a tiger.
They poured oil on the tree trunk,
so every time the tiger tried to climb up, he'd slip.
Wouldn't that be hilarious to watch?
This is a serious discussion. Would you stop goofing around?
Don't you think it's going to work? I think it will...
Shingles?
You want to put a roof on the battleships?
Sir?
Can you build it?
A new kind of ship... An enclosed battleship...!