Episode 29
Why don't you all just STOP?!
Merchant Elder!
Hyungnim!
You rascals, are you planning to ruin everything?
This fish drying business merchant Cheon put his life on the line for,
do you intend to destroy everything?
Merchant Elder Hyungnim...
I am Jo Seong Joon.
I am the bandit, Jo Seong Joon!
I am!
Teacher Bong! Teacher Bong! Sun Dol, Sun Dol!
The soldiers... soldiers have been mobilized, the soldiers have been mobilized!
The mobilized army of soldiers barged in to catch the bandits.
We have to go quickly. Quickly, quickly!
Merchant Elder... Merchant Elder!
What should we do? What should we do?
Are you okay?
Everyone, are you all okay?
Yes.
What are we supposed to do if you burn all of the dried pollack fish?
What are we supposed to do with the dried pollack fish?!
I'm sorry.
Even if I have 10 mouths, I'll have nothing to say.
There was no other choice, Head Merchant.
Even if we tried to put out the fire...
What did all of you do while our fish drying business turned into this?!
Do you know how hard it was to make that dried pollack fish?
Merchant Elder... Merchant Elder!
Gil Saeng Won.
Hyungnim, that's Gil bastard. Gil bastard
This mobilization of the soldiers to catch the bandits turned out well. This is all thanks to you.
It was nothing.
Everything...
was your doing?
Now, we'll rest here for a bit.
Yes, General.
Gil Saeng Won, come here.
I'm asking you if everything was your doing.
I'm not sure if you'll believe me
but I have no resentment towards you, Merchant Elder.
I'm sorry for this.
Yeah... in the end,
Bong Sam was the target.
It's not only me who wants to hammer the nail that's sticking out.
He looked down on the Yukuijeon.
Bongsam caused too much ruckus.
Bong Sam! Let's survey the situation first.
Untie these ropes for me.
I have my pride as a Merchant Elder.
I can't just go to the bathroom in my pants.
Untie him.
Yes.
That's right. Do you know the real reason why your father,
Gil Sang Moon, died in the International Market?
There's one thing I know because I requested
him to smuggle cowhides.
What is that?
Sin. Gil Sang Moon has many sins.
Since he raised a monster like you as his son,
how could that sin disappear just because he dies?
What did you say?!
It's not like I am attached to my life.
It's part of the providence of Heaven for you to show up in front of my eyes towards the end of my life.
It's the wish of the heavens to
end your atrocious deeds here!
Head Merchant Gil! Head Merchant Gil!
Can't you let go of me?!
Hyungnim!
Let go of this hand!
Finish him off, I will remove you from Bong Sam for good.
Wang Bal, quickly!
Hyungnim! Hyungnim! Hyungnim!
S-save me!
That... is he?
Head Merchant Gil!
Hyungnim! Hyungnim!
Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder!
Merchant Elder!
Head Merchant Gil! Head Merchant Gil!
No... what about our H-head Merchant Gil?
How can we go down the cliff just to search for a smashed bandit?
How is Head Merchant Gil a bandit?
He's a merchant of the Great Shin Merchant Group who died because of a bandit!
Even if we somehow do go down, there's no way to find him.
You could collect the corpse next spring
If you don't like that, then the Shin Merchant Group can employ people to find him.
Now, quickly. Quickly find him. Quickly!
Yes!
No... do something! Are you just going to sit by and watch?
Eight or nine out of ten he's dead?
Are you saying it's okay for Merchant Gil to die?
Merchant Elder!
- Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder!
Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder!
Hyungnim! You can't, Hyungnim.
Something to carry him with...
Quickly, we have to make something to carry him!
Bong Sam...
What are you doing? Something to carry him, something to carry him!
Something to carry him, something to carry him-
Bong Sam...
I was wrong.
Merchant Elder!
There's no need to be sad.
It's not a sad thing for a person to die
It's a sad thing to come and just leave
without having done anything.
Why haven't you done anything? You set up our Songpa Stable
and took responsibility for so many stable family members.
What do you mean you haven't done anything?!
Since I am leaving behind Cheon Bong Sam
maybe I did one thing in my life.
Is Cheon Bong Sam really that great?
I can't stand listening to that.
That damned bastard.
I'll get rid of Gil So Gae.
Gom Bae!
The Merchant Elder first,
the Merchant Elder first.
Merchant Elder, we'll take you back up
so you need to pull yourself together and have strength.
Now, now-
What are you doing?!
Pull yourself together and have strength!
I...I can't send you away here.
Quickly, quickly!
Bong Sam... please make it so that the people of the world
will regard you as the legacy
left by the Merchant Elder of the Songpa Stable,
Jo Seung Joon.
If you do that, my life
will have been quite alright.
I understand. I understand so let's go now.
Oh, no! No way ...!
- Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!
Cheon Bong Sam, find that answer...
and you have to...
follow the wishes of the heave-
Merchant... Merchant Elder!
- Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!
-Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!
Merchant Elder!
Merchant Elder...
Mother! The fish drying business became a pig pen.
There was a fire set inside the dried pollack fish storage.
Is she alive?
Is that woman alive?
Yes, Mother.
Wait a minute, wait a minute!
My father, where is my father?
On his last path, please show some compassion
so I could feed him some drink.
I'll give you 10 days. If you can sell 3 cows within that time,
I'll accept you as a family member of my stable.
However, you have to leave without leaving a trace if you can't sell them.
What do I have to do to sell cows?
If you just furtively and desperately
think about selling cows, you'll go crazy.
If you go crazy, you'll naturally become a master.
This is the item your older sister left.
She never forgot Elder Cheon Oh Soo's will to raise the Cheon Merchant Group up again
and protected this signboard by herself for the past 18 years.
Is it Bong Sam or me? Hurry up and choose one of the two.
The next Merchant Elder of the Songpa Stable
is Bong Sam.
No... no!
I'm tired of living as a bandit now.
I want to take my kids and live the rest of my life at a fish drying business handling dried pollack fish.
Merchant Elder...
I'll return next spring to give you my greetings.
Rest comfortably until then.
Let's go. Let's go.
Teacher Bong, what should we do with this? It's the Merchant Elder's merchant ID.
Kyungi province Songpa Stables
Jo... Seong Joon.
Even if he lowered himself to become a bandit and lived in hiding like this,
in order not to forget where he came from
he always carried a whip with him, that cattle broker's mind.
I will remember that deep in my heart.
Let's go.
Cheon Bong Sam! Where are you going?
Where are you going after leaving me?
Pay your debt. I told you about
the silk in Bong village and gave you a lifeline.
I helped Yu Su's mother
escape from Shin Seok Joo's hands.
He was someone who was like my own father.
Did you not know that the soldiers would
be mobilized when you hid a bandit?
That's because I thought of Ahjussi Sang Moon,
because you're someone my father wanted to have as a son-in-law,
because you're a hyung I spent my childhood with...
Cheon So Rye,
even when my older sister died, I grit my teeth
to endure and forgave you.
S-save me, Bong Sam.
If you just leave me like this, I'll die.
Bong Sam... Bong Sam.
Please save me.
I'm your hyung. Bong Sam, save me.
This has already left my hands.
The Merchant Elder already decided.
Bong Sam! Bong Sam!
Cheon Bong Sam!
If I make it out of here alive...
you'll die in my hands. I'll definitely kill you with my own hands.
Bong Sam! Bong Sam...
Is it really alright for us to just leave for Hanyang like this?
We have to at least confirm if Head Merchant Gil is dead or alive and-
Hm? "After Shin Seok Joo falls,
the only people that are left is Gil Saeng Won and the Head Merchant Maeng.
We have to bring an end to them, eventually.
We were able to get the job done without lifting a finger.
So are you asking me Park Seung Hee to choose?
Well, if you tell me to choose...
I'm on the side of whoever gives me more money.
Hyung So Gae! Pull yourself together, pull yourself together!
Hyung So Gae, pull yourself together!
Gae Ddong...
Please save me.
Quickly! Quickly put the stretcher down!
Heat the stone and bring it. Lay him on the stretcher and wrap it with a blanket. Hurry.
Hurry up and get up!
"Do you know how worried I was?"
Why were you attacked like that? You're being so careless, huh?
Oh, my!
It's really a relief that you're only this injured!
Both of you, go outside.
Yes, yes.
Thank you,
and I have no words for that woman's matter.
A life is usually frail as the flower's petals and
tough as that of a wormwood's root.
That's what life is...
Once the sword is already out of its sheath, one can't put it back in.
Since you saved me,
I have to repay my gratitude.
Don't worry. I'm sure a chance will come.
When the time comes, I will see it to the end.
What happens to our stable now?
Will it go bankrupt?
Our stable, shipowner Park, and fish merchants from Jeonlla Province,
we will all go bankrupt one by one.
What should we do about this?
Sun Dol, how much money do we have right now?
68,0000 nyangs from Merchant Han for consigning silk threads,
54,000 nyangs from merchants in Naju and Jeonju,
500 nyangs of profit from the stable, and 630 nyangs of profit from Poondeung Passage Inn.
There's absolutely no possiblity with this.
Jeonlla fish merchants might sue us for not receiving dried fish pollack.
Wol. When the sun rises,
escort the Great Head Merchant Elder to the Guksadang Shrine.
My Lady!
You also saw at the fish drying business
that everything isn't over just because I hide behind that person.
As his wife, there are things I must do.
Please go outside with Wol.
You worked hard, you worked hard.
It seems that the Madam has finally made up her mind.
Yes, I have to bring Yu Su back.
I have to bring back our Yu Su into his father's embrace.
Now, let's go.
Yes!
General of Mt. Seorak,
Songpa's cattle elder Jo Seong Joon and
his wife Bang-Geum,
please receive these two spirits' names from this mortuary tablets.
~ln loving memory to Cattle Elder of Songpa, "Jo Seong Joon"~~Dearly and Beloved Wife of the Songpa Stable, "Bang Geum"~
Please receive the two spirits of these mortuary tablets.
Please receive the two spirits of this mortuary tablets.
Songpa Stable's Bang Geum...
Is this the request of the Great Head Merchant Elder?
Mother.
By whose request are you praying for Bong Geum and Cattle Merchant?
Is it the Great Head Merchant Elder's request?
Yes, it is.
My Lady...
Oh! Do you even know what the Guksadang Shrine is?
How dare you just enter as you please?
I brought the Great Head Merchant Elder.
Let's leave.
These two people died because of you.
Ask for forgiveness.
That doesn't take away the unfairness
but still ask for forgiveness.
Hurry.
Thank you for saving my s
I didn't know the woman would be sacrificed as well.
Because you erroneously stood by Chun Bong Sam
think of it as you were hit by lightening.
Well, your clothes are lacking.
I am happy.
This was the reason you called me?
What? You're symbolizing a 'free-spirited butterfly'?!
Oh? Divorce?!
Although the marriage was my father's decision,
the divorce with you is my decision.
You're very relaxed doing as you wish.
Don't bother Yu Su's father anymore.
In the end, Yu Su
won't go to you, Great Head Merchant Elder.
Look here!
It won't end with just being kicked out of the Songpa Stable.
Do you know what happens to a Merchant Group who can't repay their debts and fall into ruin?
The dried fish merchants will start a lawsuit with Cheon Bong Sam.
Of course he will lose the lawsuit.
Why?! Because, I, I, this Shin Seok Joo, will make that happen!
Not even a spoon will remain after that.
If that's not enough, then Cheon Bong Sam, you, and even your Yu Su
will become slaves of the creditors.
You're really pitiful.
What?
You can't beat that person.
I know that person very well.
I believe in him!
Even if we do become slaves,
he's not someone who would end it that way.
A devoted wife is born, a devoted wife!
You'll end up bringing Yu Su to me.
When you realize what a slave is,
when you realize what that humiliation is,
you'll end up sending Yu Su to me.
Uh...! Sh*t!!
Jeez! What the ...?!
Send a message to the dried fish merchants of Naju City and Jeonju City.
Tell them that the Cheon Fish Drying Business went up in flames and call them up immediately!
Tell them to file a lawsuit against Cheon Bong Sam!
"Do we even have any grounds for a lawsuit?"
Tell them that I said I wanted to do it! Tell them that!
The Great Head Merchant of the Yukuijeon wanted it! You, bastard!
I think you'll have to make the promise that you'll give them the dried pollack fish.
I'll give them something greater than dried pollack fish.
Tell them that if they can take Cheon Bong Sam away as a slave,
I'll give them even greater things. Even greater things!
Jeez!
Ah, sh*t!
What about the Jeolla Province?
Any shipowners? None?
What about Choongcheon Province?
-Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!
Why? Are you disappointed because I didn't freeze to death
or get eaten by a wild animal?
That's right, I'm a little disappointed. What a damned thing.
I think that even the wild animals didn't like the rotten stench coming from your body.
The heavens spared you. I'm sure they had a reason to.
Of course there is a reason, of course.
Didn't they spare me so Cheon Bong Sam could repay his debts to me?
Come in!
Merchant Elder!
Tomorrow is the deadline for the stable. I will wait here and when the clock is Jasi (11 pm - 1 am) then,
let's balance the debts.
Come back when the bell rings.
Come when the sun rises tomorrow!
There are no ships coming and going in the darkness of the night.
I'll do that. I'll give you some time.
Will anything change because of that?
Merchant Elder! M-merchant Elder! Merchant Elder, just a moment!
This way please...
I'll report you to the Gwangju Investigation Bureau tomorrow and start a lawsuit.
Lawsuit?
The incident where we couldn't supply you with dried fish pollack because our fish drying business caught on fire
is one where we would have nothing to say even if we had 10 mouths,
but how could you start a lawsuit?
We have to live too! We have to obtain dried pollack fish from Shin Seok Joo
so we can do our business.
Ah, jeez!
Although it's a pity that your fish drying business caught on fire,
you should have at least calculated how Shin Seok Joo would have retaliated.
Merchant Elder-
Look here, there are over 100 merchants in our Merchant Group alone.
It's the same for Merchant Song
Do we need to all starve to death along with Songpa Stable?
We don't feel comfortable doing this either.
Even if you do come to our Merchant Group as a slave,
we'll treat you as a merchant.
Now, let's leave.
- Ah, Merchant Elder! Merchant Elder!-Merchant Elder!
Merchant Elder!
Hyungnim! What are you going to do if you just send them away like that?
What are we going to do? What are we going to do? What are we going to do?
Even if we lose the stable, we have to prevent the lawsuit.
Those people's words are correct.
Yeah, their words are correct.
Please be one with our stable in life and death? Huh?
What nonsense.
I can't let that happen.
Then what are we going to do? We're going to get a lawsuit thrown onto us
and it's obvious Shin Seok Joo will use money so we'll lose.
Do you not understand that this is to take Yu Su away from you?
Are you just going to become a slave like this?
We will send away our family members to Poongdeung Passage Inn.
Sun Dol, you should take this 23,000 nyang promissory note
to Elder Park Seon Jo.
They'll barge in here soon.
For now, you have to hide yourself somewhere in the Poongdeung Mountain Pass.
Hyung, where would a Merchant Elder run away to after abandoning his Merchant Group?
Now...
this is the seed money for our next year's business.
Please just endure for a few years, Merchant Elder.
Why are all of you acting like this?
I haven't been dragged away to the Gwangju Investigation Bureau yet.
Everything will turn out well.
Where did Hyungnim Song Man Chi go?
Our family is in this condition. If the gang comes to attack us, we will be ruined.
The strongest man of Songpa Stable is not here, what should we do?
The Merchant Elder of Songpa Stable, come out!
We have come for the Merchant Elder of Songpa Stable.
Did you come here to fight? Why did you all gather here holding clubs?
Are you saying you want to have a go at it or what?!
Let's end this quietly.
Here is the judgment from Gwangju Investigation Bureau.
The duration of 1 year is over and as you promised,
empty out the stable.
Fine. I will empty out this stable for you before the sun sets today.
That shouldn't be all.
Give me your merchant ID.
No, what do you mean by merchant ID?
Saying that you want our Merchant Elder's merchant ID
means that you want him to stop doing business. Say something that makes sense!
Didn't the Merchant Elder, Cheon Bong Sam,
agree to put his merchant ID on the line on the condition of having an extra year to repay the debts?
(Cheon Bong Sam) (Cheon Oh Soo) (Jo Seong Joon)
Here you go.
Bong Sam.
Here.
You can't! This is nonsense, this makes no sense!
What are you telling Teacher Bong to do if you take away his merchant ID?
Let's just flip this place.
Isn't a promise a promise?
It depends on the promise.
My son is watching.
How could a father break his promise in front of his son?!
Give it to him, quickly.
Now.
Friend, please take care the business.
Here is my merchant ID.
Look here!
If you recklessly move your hand, it might be taken away from you.
Hyungnim!
Hyungnim Man Chi!
Return the merchant ID to our Merchant Elder at once!
Oh! Do you not know that today is the deadline for the Songpa Stable to repay their debts?
There's still a long time left before the sun sets.
What kind of ridiculousness is this? 39,000 nyangs is not the price of cows.
What do you mean "before the sun sets"?
Merchant Elder! This merchant, Song Man Chi,
brought from the Cheon Fish Drying Business 100,000 cases of dried pollack.
Hyungnim...
-The dried pollack fish is here!-It's here!
- Is anyone there?-The dried pollack fish has arrived!
-The dried pollack fish is here!-It's here!
-It's here!-Make way!
The dried pollack fish is here, please step aside.
-Move aside!-Hurry!
Ahjussi...
A-are you saying that all of this is really our dried pollack fish?
Yes. You're right, Merchant Cheon!
- Gom Bae, that's our dried pollack fish! Dried pollack fish!-Dried pollack fish!
Dried pollack fish. 100,000 cases of dried pollack fish.
My Lady!
Wait, wait, wait.
Thank you! Thank you!
We're saved!
Thank you!
That!
This isn't a trick.
It was definitely dried pollack fish from the Cheon Fish Drying Business.
You rascal!
Exactly where did they get the dried pollack fish made from the Cheon Fish Drying Business if the Cheon Fish Drying Business went up in flames?!
Great Head Merchant Elder, it's me.
Great Head Merchant Elder, Lord Kim Bo Hyeon sent someone.
He ordered that you be escorted to him.
Aish...
Our Songpa stable, 300,000 nyangs of payment for it
and the 90,000 nyangs of interest for the payment.
It's piece by piece all collected together.
Even so, have your business skills become such as that?
It's correct, My Lord.
Please give back the documents for our stable.
Documents for our stable...
I am sorry to say this.
Please give us a receipt stating you have received the payment of 390,000 nyangs
with the Lord's stamp on it as well.
Since I received the money, of course I should give it to you.
Stable land 2900 pyung (9,587 sq m),
1 giwa (tile roof) house, 9 choga (straw roof) houses,
8 barns, 17 cows...
That's correct.
This is the document for our stable.
This is it.
I thought you will never be able to pay me back.
You're quite something.
Here it is. Document stating payment of 390,000 nyangs.
I'll take my leave now.
You bastard! How dare you enter here?
There's no need for you to enter the front gates of my house, you bastard!
Starting from today, you're
dismissed from your position as a Head Merchant!
I'm certain that the storage to the drying fish business burned down.
Head Merchant Maeng, you saw it too! You saw it too!
I did see it but...
What are you all doing?! Drag him out immediately!
Yes, Great Head Merchant Elder! Drag him out!
Yes!
Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant! Great Head Merchant...
Great Head Merchant, Great Head Merchant
Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant Elder!
Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant Elder!
Great Head Merchant Elder! Great Head Merchant Elder!
But how did this happen?
Our dried pollack fish storage definitely burnt down.
Since our hyungnim was tricked by Gil So Gae once
during the transportation of the rice taxes incident because he was a bandit,
he prepared beforehand just in case something like that would happen again.
Let me ask you for one last favor.
Hyungnim...
There is a cave behind 4-toe stone.
Transport all of the dried pollack fish there to the Poongdeung Mountain Pass.
You have to wait until the mobilized soldiers leave and everything calms down before you transport them.
Understand?
Ban-Bang Geum...
Man Chi!
We regained our Songpa Stable!
Can you hear me?!
Merchant Elder, can you hear me?!
We regained our stable!
Can you hear me?!
Can you hear me, Merchant Elder?
Hyungnim... our Merchant Elder...
We were able to take back the stable that I squandered away.
Please say something.
Thank you, Hyungnim Man Chi.
Thanks to you, I regained this s-stable.
I also regained 11 cows.
It is true you squandered it away
and it's also true that I suffered so much because of you but...
I regained this stable because of you.
Thank you, Hyungnim Man Chi!
Bong Sam...
Bong Sam.
Jo Seong Joon Bang Geum
(Gyeongbok Palace)
[Queen Min: Empress Myeongseong] People easily say they will risk their lives on something,
there are very few people who will actually risk their life.
I heard from your older brother.
Your Highness, what did I do that you're praising me so much?
I just carried out my obligations for staying at Guksadang shrine.
Pass this on to the Guksadang Shrine Highness.
Yes.
This is a pass that allows you to enter the palace as you please.
I'm honored, Your Highness.
Come closer.
In this world, what you give and what you get in return has to be similar
to prevent being upset.
Since you put your life on the line for my son,
I'll put my heart on the line for you.
Your Highness, I'll dedicate my life.
You'll burn Bang-geum's clothes on the 49th day ritual?
Yeah.
It's really sad to organize my sister-in-law's belongings like this.
My Lady,
no matter how much I think about it, it's too strange.
They said that they were chasing after the bandits. It's not as if she was carrying a weapon.
A mobilized soldier who shoots a woman
who was embracing a child in her arms?
Isn't it just too strange?
You'll regret today as time passes.
I'm seeing you often.
The Great Head Merchant's wife, what brings you here today?
Was it you?
What are you talking about?
Was it your doing that killed my sister-in-law?
The Merchant: Gaekju 2015 Preview
Let's attack Shin Seok Joo.
I have to know why my sister-in-law passed away.
There's no time.
Gil So Gae instigated and Merchant Elder colluded together.
There is no such thing asa free lunch in the world.
Take him quickly. There's no time.
I can't find Yu Su.
Merchant Cheon will return soon!