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Final Episode
There is someone else who should report this...
Choi Suk Won, what brings you to the main hall?
Lady Choi Suk Won has something to report about Jang Hee Bin.
Jang Hee Bin set up an altar and put a curse on the late Queen Majesty
and I have the proof!
I'm reporting Jang Hee Bin for the crimes of cursing and jealousy.
What? Report for the crimes of cursing and jealousy?
That is correct.
This is the proof of the curse.
If that's the proof of casting a curse...
then where is the altar that's been set up?
In the west side of Chwi Seon Dang. It should still be there.
Suk Won, can you take responsibility for what you just said?
Yes, Your Majesty.
If there is no altar...
it won't be a dismissal from the palace you'll have to prepare for... it will be death.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Make sure to clean up so there is no trace of an altar.
- Yes, please go inside. - Okay, I will go see Yoon.
His Majesty is arriving.
Your Majesty, you've come.
Please take a look, Your Majesty. This is the proof.
Proof?
Your Majesty, this is...
Hee Bin, tell me.
Did you set up this altar and really put a curse on the late Queen?
Your Majesty, I'm not sure what you're suspicious of...
but since the Crowned Prince had smallpox
and I heard that praying to Queen Inkyung who passed away from smallpox would help
I set up the altar.
Please consider.
That's not true.
It wasn't a prayer to Queen Inkyung, it was a curse on Queen Inhyeon.
And this is the proof.
That's not true, Your Majesty!
Why do you go this far to slander me?
Just setting up an altar in the palace of Joseon, the country of Confucianism
is against the law. And putting a curse on the late Queen is a severe crime.
I believe it's only right to punish accordingly.
Hee Bin will be locked in Chwi Seon Dang.
Also, regarding the crime of cursing the late Queen...
I'm going to find out the truth through a rigorous investigation.
Arrest all the court maids in this room except for Hee Bin.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty!
Lady Hee Bin!
Stop!
Must you have your skin torn to pieces before you confess the truth?
Even if you ask a hundred times...
we only held an offering to help the Crowned Prince recover.
I was blessing Queen Inhyeon just as I was told to do!
Shut up! What are you doing? Continue with the torture!
Yes, Sir!
Why don't you just kill me!
My Lady Hee Bin did not commit any crimes!
How atrocious!
Casting a curse on the mother of the country!
This goes beyond jealousy, it's an atrocious crime!
We have to deal with it in a calm fashion.
Just demoting her to a commoner is not enough for Jang Hee Bin.
We have to push for her death at this chance.
Have her kill herself?
Do you mean to keep Jang around in the palace?
She fabricated a poison incident and even put a curse on the late Queen!
The crime deserves the punishment of death in the country of Confucianism.
You cannot take one step outside of Chwi Seon Dang.
But I have something to tell His Majesty. Let me just talk to him.
Otherwise, His Majesty will be in pain.
His Majesty chose the pain and everything else.
I only follow his command. Please go inside.
His Majesty is arriving.
Your Majesty...
One thing... I will ask you one thing.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Did you really set up the altar to put a curse on the late Queen?
No, I didn't.
It was only a mistake made by this foolish mother to save Yoon from smallpox.
Can you swear on Yoon?
I can swear on Yoon. It is definitely not a lie.
I understand.
Then, the accusation that you were jealous and put a curse on the late Queen...
I will clear you from that.
And I'm going to get you back your place as Yoon's mother.
Your grace is immeasurable!
This is it!
This was the late Queen Majesty's favorite ornament.
The late Queen's ornament doesn't have legs...
so how could it have come here?
Isn't this a clear proof of the curse, Lord Kim?
Couldn't we even push for the discrowning of the Prince with this?
Of course. We should.
We even found an ornament of the late Queen on the altar.
They haven't confessed yet, but the altar itself is proof...
and now we even found the late Queen's ornament...
The cursing and jealousy have become clear.
That's right, Your Majesty. The wicked Jang Hee Bin set up an altar to harm the late Queen
and held an offering. It's worse than the dethroned Yoon from the past.
So please have Jang Hee Bin kill herself and establish the dignity of the palace.
Kill her?
- Did you just say, 'kill her'? - Yes, Your Majesty.
We, the Elders Party, have already agreed on it.
- Please consider, Your Majesty! - Please consider, Your Majesty!
Please kill Jang Hee Bin, Your Majesty!
Please consider, Your Majesty!
Please have Jang Hee Bin kill herself and restore the order of the court, Your Majesty!
Please consider, Your Majesty!
Please have the sinner Jang Hee Bin kill herself and discrown the Prince!
- Please restore the dignity of the palace! - Please consider, Your Majesty!
Punish the sinner Jang Hee Bin and discrown the Prince, her son...
and restore the dignity of the palace!
Please consider, Your Majesty!
Now they're even pulling my Yoon into this.
Your Majesty, please stay strong during times like this.
Court Lady Eom!
Ma'am... why did you come here...
Court Lady Eom... because of me... The suffering you had to take because of me...
I'm fine.
The servants can sacrifice their lives for their masters.
I'm sorry... I'm sorry.
Don't say that, Ma'am.
I'm grateful for your generosity towards my family.
You are the best master.
Whether the Queen Mother or the Queen Majesty, I wouldn't have it any other way.
The Crowned Prince from the wicked Hee Bin should never succeed the throne!
Please re-establish the foundation of the country, Your Majesty!
Please accept our request, Your Majesty!
- Hyun Moo... - Yes, Your Majesty.
I miss my Ok Jung.
- Ok Jung! - Your Majesty!
Why did you drink so much? It's not good for you.
Your Majesty...
Let's just stay like this for a little bit.
- I'll confess the truth! - Stop.
Did you say you'll confess about casting a curse?
Yes, yes, I'll confess.
What is there to confess?
This will continue until the right answer comes out anyway...
I just want to end it quickly.
How dare you frame Lady Hee Bin...
Shut up, you wench!
Hurry up and confess.
Yes, I put a curse...
Lady Hee Bin put a curse on the late Queen!
The altar... the proof...
Now even the confession...
I will clear the accusation of your cursing and jealousy.
I'll get you back your place of Yoon's mother, too.
I've repeated the same mistakes you pointed out.
I'll become the wise Queen that Your Majesty so wishes for...
Ok Jung! Ok Jung...
And I'll do my best as Yoon's mother with no fault.
I've tried so hard not to let go of this hand...
What are you doing to the mother of this country!
But I realized... that I could never let go of your hand.
Have we really not met before?
Take a close look! That sky will fall on you!
Can you stay with me for a while?
The reason for settling the court...
The reason of strengthening the royal power...
- Aren't you scared of me? - I'm not scared of you.
I feel bad for you.
When I was holding back thinking I shouldn't take Your Majesty in my heart...
To be honest, I had never been more scared than that time.
Because I was afraid that you'd stop coming towards me...
Your Majesty, I came to ask something.
What is it?
Will you protect our Crowned Prince to the very end?
Will you have our Crowned Prince succeed the throne after you...
and make him as great as Your Majesty?
That will become my only reason to go on.
Then that's enough.
Please render your command to me to end my life.
Ok Jung!
I don't want to put you through any more suffering.
And I don't want to put our Yoon in more danger because of this foolish mother.
So please... give me your command to end my own life, Your Majesty.
Even in the corner of a cul de sac, there is a way to survive.
If there is no way, then I can make the way.
I will make that way for you, Jang Ok Jung.
I'm going to give my command regarding Jang Hee Bin's altar...
- so execute the command without a mistake. - Yes, Your Majesty.
After several interrogations...
Jang Hee Bin's crimes of cursing and jealousy on Queen Inhyeon after setting up an altar...
have been revealed.
This is a severe crime that shook up the royal family and the court...
and she might take revenge when the Crowned Prince takes the throne in the future.
Therefore, on this day of October...
I recognize the crimes of cursing and jealousy on Queen Inhyeon from Jang Hee Bin...
and I order her to take her own life.
Furthermore... I order her to participate in the memorial service of the late Queen...
and have time to reflect on her crime before taking her life.
- But, Your Majesty... - What is it?
It is the right thing for Jang Hee Bin to take time to reflect and take her own life...
but there was mention of the current Crowned Prince succeeding the throne in the order.
And?
Do you mean to have the son of the sinner take the throne?
The opinion in the court and the heart of the people now...
You are crossing the line again!
I decided to give away Hee Bin...
The succession of the Crowned Prince is in the natural order.
If there is anyone saying anything about it, you won't avoid death!
I'm going to kill Hee Bin, my beloved and the mother of my Crowned Prince!
Do you think there is anyone else I cannot kill now?
So be on your toes.
Regardless, I don't know what to say to console you...
Sure, go as far as the seat that I used to have.
But the order of Joseon is such a scary thing.
No matter how much you scream and struggle
there is a limit to it.
Limit?
You think you're controlling the retainers as Suk Won...
but they will use you as long as you're worth using.
They'll never think of you as more than a concubine of the low class.
Joseon will grant the title of a concubine to the lower class like us...
but it's not such a tolerant country to grant the title of the Queen to us.
But I realized that too late.
If you covet more than what you're allowed, you'll end up paying the price for it.
Just like the terrible disaster I'm in now.
I will never become that way.
I will follow the path you've walked and will absolutely become the Queen.
But I'll never come down like you.
'Never'... there is no 'never' in this world.
You can't be so certain about the future.
Don't blame me too much. I just did it to survive.
But the more you struggle to survive, the deeper you fall into the pit.
Some day, it will hit you deep into your bones.
Then the sins you've committed now will all come back to haunt you in the future.
What did I do wrong?
Other people might not know, but you and I know.
Lady Hee Bin, Lady Yoon is here to see you.
Mother!
Yoon!
My Yoon is here!
Ma'am...
No matter how hard it is, you have to get through this.
Mother...
May I come to the memorial service for Queen Inhyeon, too?
Could we ask His Majesty?
Even the request from the dead is accepted, so I'll ask him.
I'd also like for you to come with me.
Ma'am!
I was so foolish, I caused this mess...
I'm the sinner, I am...
Don't say that. I was told to be careful... It's my fault that I was too rash...
And Yoon's smallpox is gone.
Ma'am...
Your Majesty, a command to Lady Hee Bin to take her own life?
Leave us.
I said, leave us!
Please take it back!
It's not how you really feel.
Does it matter if I really feel that way or not?
- It's the decision I made as the King. - Your Majesty.
You've been a cruel king who could abandon everything to achieve your goal.
But with only one exception!
Lady Hee Bin has always been the exception.
Prince Dongpyung.
To Your Majesty's own beloved and the mother of Your Majesty's son!
How could you order her to kill herself without even blinking an eye?
Even though you're a relative of mine...
if you exasperate me again, I will not be lenient.
This is for Your Majesty's sake.
I know that...
if you let her die, it's the same as stabbing Your Majesty's heart.
Please don't make the mistake of killing her and letting your own soul die.
What do you know about me!
She was my woman and my Queen.
So I will take care of it.
Yes, I know!
After you kill her, you'll be fine for a day or two.
But before long...
you will suffer from the guilt tearing your heart apart every night.
So please, please! Please take it back!
The order to kill her...
For your own sake...
and the one who made you consider denying the throne...
and the one who you loved with everything...
and the only exception...
for Your Majesty's only woman...
She said that she would die for me.
That woman said to me...
The King is not human!
How... can he tell the woman who had his child to die?
The matter is so serious...
Otherwise, succession of the Crowned Prince can't be guaranteed...
Prepare three times the IOUs I wrote before... no, five times.
No, that might not be enough. Prepare ten times of the value.
And bring Kim Man Gi. Now!
What is it?
- It's an IOU. - What IOU?
With that amount, you'll have all the markets in Seoul in your hands.
Why such a huge sum to me?
A show of my gratitude.
For completely destroying the niece of my enemy, Jang Hyun.
It's more for the bigger purpose than it is for you.
But... a man needs to have a dream.
I'd like to have the woman of the King.
What?
I'd like to take in Jang Ok Jung.
Give her to me as an offering.
The King ordered to kill her, but she can just be dismissed after being demoted.
What an ignorant merchant.
Do you know what kind of country Joseon is?
You'll be punished for meeting with court maids that the King hasn't touched in Joseon!
Even if she's about to be thrown out...
you dare speak of 'taking in' the woman who gave birth to the son of the King?
How ignorant and shameless!
That Jang had a relationship with the King even when my Queen Inkyung was alive
and was the cause for my Queen Inkyung to die in grief at the end.
Do you think I'll trade the grief of my Queen Inkyung for a few stores?
Forget it. You should leave Joseon at once...
if you care about your life!
It was a little too easy for His Majesty to accept our request.
I thought he'd resist longer since he cared for her so much...
I'm sure he couldn't resist anymore with the Crowned Prince possibly at risk.
Besides, he's cold and cruel when it comes to the royal power...
but now he's even abandoned Hee Bin as well.
No... something bothers me.
The King might have a different plan.
I'll escort you to the temple for the memorial service.
Your Majesty, Lady Hee Bin's palanquin just left.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
I haven't seen you in a while...
Your Majesty...
I wasn't able to protect you to the end in this palace...
Do not forgive me.
In the end, I let go of your hand...
No... this is more than enough, Your Majesty.
What I had in mind was correct.
So I had you checked.
The way you looked at Ok Jung when you came to the palace...
I noticed something that I couldn't ignore as a man.
Considering the misfortunes you brought onto Ok Jung...
It's not enough to tear you in pieces and throw you in the fire of hell.
But you're the only one who can save Ok Jung now.
Was it not Your Majesty who decided to kill Ok Jung?
But save her now?
To the ones who are anxious to bite her off and kill her...
I can never give Ok Jung away to them.
I'd rather...
leave with her. Don't even get caught by a ghost.
Then, Your Majesty...
In the worst case, I'm even considering giving up my throne.
But I'll take care of my own business...
Just take Ok Jung and go far away.
I'll let you know how through Hyun Moo.
Your Majesty, I was the ignorant one to cause this trouble on Lady Hee Bin.
I felt so sad about the Crowned Prince's smallpox...
so I encouraged Lady Hee Bin to do an offering because it was the only way.
The only crime my Lady Hee Bin committed was praying for the Crowned Prince.
- I know. - Your Majesty.
But the world is not accepting the truth of Ok Jung.
Lady Yoon, I have a request that you must fulfill for me.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I want you to take my Ok Jung to the memorial service of the late Queen.
This is the message from His Majesty.
Make sure to save Jang Ok Jung.
Please just be alive. As soon as I arrive in China, I'll send someone to escort you.
Yes, Sir.
Please take good care of my Lady Hee Bin.
Let's go.
- Let's go. - Yes, Sir!
Ok Jung... you have to make it out alive.
Jang came back to the palace.
This meat is really delicious. Keep making this for me.
Pardon? Yes, Lady Suk Won.
I wonder why she came back...
If it was me, I would have run away.
We're done with the preparations to carry out the order.
What about Lady Hee Bin?
Where on earth is Lady Hee Bin!
His Majesty... sent her away.
Your Majesty, why did you do that?
Do what?
I'm coming from Chwi Seon Dang.
Is this what you meant to do from the beginning when you ordered to kill her?
How... could I force death on Jang Ok Jung?
I swore that I wouldn't let go of Jang Ok Jung's hand.
And? What were you planning to do next?
I will have to face the retainers head-on.
If there is nowhere else left to go within reason...
and in the worst case, I'm even considering giving up the throne.
Your Majesty.
My destiny is also beyond ordinary.
To leave my beloved to the hands of my rival is the best option.
By rival, you mean...
Chi Soo!
You finally woke up.
What on earth happened? Where are we?
It was all His Majesty's wish.
His Majesty's wish?
To the ones who are anxious to bite her off and kill her...
I can never give away Ok Jung to them.
I'd rather...
leave with her. Don't even get caught by a ghost.
I haven't seen you in a while...
I wasn't able to protect you to the end in this palace...
Don't forgive me.
A ship from China just arrived.
If we leave right now, we'll be able to get on the ship.
I'm going back to the palace.
Please take me.
- Ok Jung. - I can't cause trouble for His Majesty.
The order for me to take my life was made as the King...
So I can't let His Majesty go against it on his own.
What he wanted was your life, nothing else.
I don't want to be a cowardly woman to His Majesty or a cowardly mother to my Yoon.
Jang Ok Jung!
It's time for me to protect them.
His Majesty has been protecting me...
But now, I will protect His Majesty as the King...
And protect my Yoon, the Crowned Prince.
In order to do that, I have to go back.
He sent you away considering all of this.
Don't waste it!
The place of my death is next to His Majesty in the palace.
I, Jang Ok Jung, have lived my life to do that.
So please, Chi Soo, please take me to His Majesty.
- Please Ok Jung... - Please take me!
- To the place where His Majesty is. - Jang Ok Jung!
Please let me go.
So that I can go back to His Majesty...
So that I can protect my love for His Majesty.
Alright... I'll help you...
To protect your love...
That's how I can protect my love.
What's the rumor about Jang Hee Bin not being in the palace?
There is a rumor going around right now
that the King snatched away Jang Hee Bin overnight...
What absurdity are you talking about?
Hee Bin should be ending her life by taking poison... but she's disappeared?
This never happened.
What if it's true?
If the King broke his own authority...
then he will have to pay for it accordingly.
Let's go to Chwi Seon Dang right now and find out the truth!
Your Majesty.
Did the retainers write a letter to request my dethronement?
Lady Hee Bin has returned.
Hee Bin is back?
Please take my life, Your Majesty.
I definitely had Hyun Chi Soo escort her...
but she has returned.
Why did she come back?
Jang Hee Bin, receive the command from His Majesty.
Let me...
Let me give it to her.
Jang Ok Jung...
I sent you away. Why did you come back? You shouldn't have come back...
How could I... not come back?
Back to Your Majesty's side...
Your Majesty...
To spend my last moments in your arms...
I'm happy.
I, Jang Ok Jung, lived in love of Your Majesty...
so I came back to protect that love to the end.
Ok Jung...
Jang Ok Jung...
I love you...
I loved you.
The only thing that could protect love in the end...
was love.
So you lived a life of fire, Jang Ok Jung.
The one who would pat my lonely shoulders...
or the one who would wipe my tears doesn't exist anymore.
My only beloved, the only one for Lee Soon the King...
Jang Ok Jung is not in this world anymore.
[During his reign of 46 years, Suk Jong went through three reforms.]
[He reigned with the strongest authority in the history of Joseon.]
[He built the foundation of the renaissance period of Joseon]
[that came in the following reigns by Young Jo and Jung Jo.]
[After her death, Jang Hee Bin did not receive a posthumous title.]
[She was initially buried somewhere other than the Jang family graveyard.]
[Then in 1969, her tomb was transferred to the city of Goyang.]
[The tombs of Suk Jong, Queen Inhyeon, and Jang Hee Bin are placed together.]
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