Episode 35
Father's son. Don't you feel proud of him?
Say something about how proud of him you are.
Your son became Chief Merchant of the Yukuijeon which you've coveted so much for a long time.
And I took care of Cheon Oh Soo who killed you.
So, you should say something for me.
Was that you?
Was it you who made my father like that, Gil So Gae?
Gil So Gae, was it you punk?
Excuses and lies are for cowards.
Yes, it's me who did that!
Father, how could you let a punk like him stay alive?
Father!
Gil So Gae!
Why did you bring it back to me? I told you to leave it on the grave.
So, he can drink it to relax himself.
Unni, he's fist fighting with the head of Songpa's merchant group.
What!
Unni.
Bastard!
Your father Chun Oh Soo forgave me.
Even if my father forgave you, I can't do it for you.
I should have killed you in Im Jae.
When the head of Songpa Stable died ike that, I should have... in Im Jae...
On no
Was that you who killed my Yu Su's mother?
You killed my Yu Su's mother.
Why would I? Why would I have killed Yu Su's mother?
You must have some reason I didn't know.
Why me, maybe Shin Seok Joo did that.
That's not what the chief merchant did.
You. It must be you.
Tell me. If you don't tell me, you'll die.
Bong Sam, no!...
Hey, Gae Ddong!
Hurry up, please.
Hurry up, quickly!
Madam, what happened?
Here, here!
Hey!
Why is our head merchant elder coming back like this?
I heard he had a fight with Gil So Gae..
Prepare bedding for his room, quickly!
Bedding... Quickly! He had a fight?...
What are you guys!!?...
While they're fighting, he's was overpowered by Gil So Gae?
He's hurt by Gil's bodyguard.
When did Gil began to have bodyguards?
Even Chief Merchant Elder Shin Seok Joo didn't have that!
Since the Chief Merchant Elder is being talked about...
The day tha he passed away
did something happen to you, Madam?
You looked very panicked.
Why are you so curious?
I'm curious about that as well.
Teacher Bong, are you feeling better?
Merchant elder, , are you feeling ok?
I've been busy and forgotten about that so far.
Did something happen between you and the Chief Merchant Elder?
Sir, my Merchant Elder!
Merchant Elder, please!
The Chief Merechant Elder has been special for me.
Without him, I wouldn't be like this.
This dark night, where are you going to? It's dangerous.
Around here, even wild boars come out at night.
That's ok. Let's go.
Madam, it's late night. Why don't you sleep here tonight?
Escort her to Sister-in-law's room.
You can't... with that room!
What the hell are you saying, Wol Yi?
My lady used to use that room. How can you let a stranger use it?
Then, prepare Yu Su's room for her.
Hurry.
Your Highness, this way please.
Then, make yourself at home, Highness.
It's great!
This baby has grown up.
So exciting!
What's up there, over there?
Something up there? Something up there?
How can you hug this young master like that?
Somehow, somehow, you let my lady pass away.
How can you... this young master...?
You wench! Do you want to die?
Only your master is important, I'm nothing for you?
I have a limit on my patience. If you keep babbling, I won't just sit doing nothing.
You watch your mouth! Watch your mouth!!!
Lady, my poor lady!
For a mermber of the stable gaekju, , on how you have died
they already seem to be forgetting.
Wol Yi.
It may be good for you to have good feeling for the dead lady,
but now, you should calm yourself. How long are you going to be sad like this?
Why my lady has died, I know. I do know!
That's why I can't smile while looking at Her Highness.
What are you saying?
The one who caused my lady to die was Her Highness.
Her Highness of the national shrine.
National shrine.
Why, why doesn't everyone just leave me alone?
Baby, I can't do anything with it either.
Your Highness, is it you?
Yes, it's me.
How could you...?
You have suffered this disaster, how could I not come?
You just had a dream of Yu Su's mother, didn't you?
Your smiling face looked good.
No, not Gae Ddong...
She can't be. Not her.
Gag her first.
Which scum has driven my father to death?
I'm curious to know that, too. What has happened?
I became the Chief Merchant of the Yukuijeon that my father was coveting so much.
I took care of Cheon Oh So who killed you, Father.
By now, you should say something to me.
You damn Gil So Gae!
Gil So Gae!
Just because of no evidence, things won't be put aside.
The cause of her death is Her Highness of the national shrine...
That's enough! Don't be frivolous.
Then, what happens to my poor lady? Does she has to be buried away like this?
Is the power of the shrine goddess so formidable?
Even after killing my lady, she's coming to our merchant stable smiling all over.
There are two persons the Queen favors.
One is her nephew Min Young.
The other is Her Highness of the national shrine.
Sir,
It's not just you. The Merchant Elder and all members of our gaekju could die as well!
My lady, my poor lady.
You let me handle this.
You forget this. I'll look for evidence.
Let's go inside.
Where have you been in this night?
Hey Bong Sam, are you ok? Good enough to get up?
Hey Sun Dol,
Uh...
Sun Dol,
What?
Gil So Gae..., you know.
He looks like the guy for my Yu Su's mother.
Even if he didn't kill her himself.
He knows the truth of her death.
But the opponent is Chief Merchant of the Yukuijeon. You just can't jump at him on suspicion alone.
I'm not thinking of jumping at him too easily.
I'll find the irrefutable evidence.
I'll kill him myself.
I'll expose his crimes to everyone
Our poor Yu Su's mother, her wish.
I'll make it come true. I'll do it.
I will.
Merchant Elder. That structure over there.
That's what previous Chief Merchant Elder Shin Seok Joo donated when the palace was being built.
Yeah...
Foreign envoys seem to find our buildings uncomfortable since they don't know what to do at every meeting.
Our Majesties feel frustrated.
Uncle, we should build a new building
to meet foreigners. What do you think?
Good, it's great. We should solve the royal family's problem.
This new Chief Merchant seems to be not so understanding.
Hey, new Chief Merechant.
Do I need to digest what uncle said and put it in your mouth?
I'll build a new modern building to donate it for meeting foreigners.
Really? It would be great!
We have a request from the Japanese merchants.
Relaxing the northern province's grain export law, and letting them buy rice without limit.
Not yet.
Sir, how can you say no to him so easily?
Local people would be angry. They're not even ready to receive new reform.
They're short of rice already. Let Japanese buy it without limit?
You can tell the Japanese to use a foreign route and my business.
Sit down!!!
Uncle. Don't get too much from the Japanese merchants.
You may find it difficult to handle the problem later.
That... Hey!
Lord.
You don't need to be bothered by his remarks. Politics is that sort of thing.
The appearance may not be good, but in reality it works.
A stupid guy like him should just be bumping into stuff all over the place.
Even dogs and pigs can do it. I can do that bumping business too.
Chief Merchant. Real masters are
good negotiators. Negotiation.
Oh yeah!
You let me borrow government rice.
The rice as tax collection!? Rice collected by government!?
Are you trying to sell it to the Japanese merchants?
Peel off pine bark and mix it with dirt, then steam it
They eat it for food, they say.
In the palace city, rice may be left over
Outside the city, it's big trouble. That's the situation.
Bring those folks over here, using our rice in the stable business.
Hand them 2 rations for each person.
Teacher Bong. . How we going to feed those who are pulling cows?
We're barely hanging on ourselves. The amount of rice we handed out
is already over 80 sacks.
I'll try to get rice somehow. If 2 rations is not possible, then even 1 ration...
We should share it in this freezing winter.
Oh dear. How people can survive until the next barley harvest?
For now, let's go to mid-province to see all the merchants over there.
Merchant Cheon. Merchant Cheon.
Look at this, Merchant Cheon..
What's this? Why did you peel off this unprocessed grain?
This is rice from City Hall!
This is the remnant of the rice collected for taxes.
Gil So Gae is forerunner on this. He'siphoning this rice out.
What?
This damn Gil So Gae!
How can the so-called Chief Merchant do this sort of shit?
Where did you get this?
This is from local City Hall in the mid-province area.
The rumor of it being sold to the Japanese is everywhere.
Damn S.O.B! They collected it under taxation, and sell it to the Japanese?
That rice. Let us have it.
The tax rice Gil So Gae is siphoning off.
We must have it in our hands.
What are you talking about?
Yeah!
That damn Gil So Gae is staying here, they say.
Hey, come here.
If you want to get rice from City Hall, you need a receipt and an authorized stamp.
Those may be in the hands of Gil So Gae.
If he goes to sleep, I'll get in to his room and take those.
Now, everyone as agreed.
Everyone has to his job without any error at all, understood?
Yes.
All of our members, families, and friends are starving to death.
3,000 sacks of rice is about to be turned over to Japanese.
How can you just sit and watch?
No way. No.
Let's return. Let's come back later.
Hyung. Hyung Choi Dol.
Are you insane?
Why are you here? Get out.
I should do something in here, you know.
Your duty is getting horses and carriage for carrying rice.
Teacher Bong can't come in here.
If he gets exposed, Gil So Gae will try to kill him no matter what.
I should do it.
You're easily scared.
Is this it?
Yes, it's this way.
Hey!
Gil So Gae.
I now need to go up to city of Han Yang.
Sir. Could you give me a receipt and authorized stamp, please.
Oh...
Here there are. Since it's been prearranged, they'll give you 3,000 sacks of rice if you show it to them.
Yeah.
There is no need for you to come out
Then, I will see you in Hanyang.
Sun Dol, now is the chance. Hurry and come out with that. Hurry!
I can't now.
If Gil So Gae knows it is lost, he will barricade the warehouse immediately.
Yes, that is correct. Then just come out. Just come out
Let's come back again when he falls asleep at night
Gil So Gae might leave with this or hide it somewhere. There are too many other possibilities.
Yes, that's true too.
Then, what should we do? What should we do?
I will hide here and leave with this at night.
Hey, if you get caught, you'll lose your life.
Leave first. I will make sure to leave with this.
Go and tell HyungBong Sam, that he must rush the preparations.
Okay, we must rush.
But will you be able to do it by yourself? Then, take care.
What are you talking about?
Things have become urgent now.
Hyungnim Man Chi, please go to the Songpa port and have the boat ready earlier.
Gom Bae, Get the merchants. Hurry and bring the merchants and porters.
Tell them the time has been moved up. Do you understand?
Okay.
Don't worry, instead think about how to get Sun Dol out safely
Hurry. Hurry!
As you wish.
Please sleep. It's already nighttime.
Go to sleep.
Maybe something happened? What's taking so long?
This won't do. I'll have to go in and save Sun Dol.
You can't, Gil So Gae should never see you.
Someone is coming!
Gae Ddong. What brings you here?
I am on my way to house in Yeoju, where Her Highness the Queen was born to hold a sacrificial rite.
Take a seat, would you like a drink? It's been awhile.
I have something to say about Yu Su's mother.
Why bring that up?
I can give up my own life for Cheon Bong Sam.
You know right.
What is it?
Hold on. It's the wind.
I guess this room is more windy than I expected.
Gae Ddong... about Yu Su's mother...
Let's talk about that later.
What I said at father's grave is true.
Bong Sam can't be your destiny.
When Yu Su"s mother died, that became impossible.
I said stop talking!!
I am on my way to give sacrifice on behalf of Her Highness the Queen.
It's not the right time to talk about a dead person.
Stand, I came here with the Chief Royal Secretariat
He's staying at Yangpyung official's residence. You should greet him.
Let's do that.
Wait here. I forgot the incense pouch.
Repayment of the debt for a life is a life.
Highness, how deeply were you involved in the death of Yu Su's mother?
Is now the time to discuss that?
You owe me for your life now.
I will definitely collect on that debt.
Here's the receipt and the Seonhecheong plaque.
Yangpyeong, Seonhecheong Grain Storage
We are taking it all.
What are you all doing? Hurry up before I beat you up.
Yes.
Yes. We will.
Open the door. It is 3000 bags.
Yes, sir.
- Go. Yes, let's hurry.
We should make haste. Quickly. Go in.
Hurry, hurry.
Quickly. Go in.
All the rice in Seonhecheon storage has been carried off, he says.
Chief Merchant! Chief Merchant.
The guys who took the rice left a promissory note from the money lending gaekju.
It amounts to 75,000 nyang.
Who the hell is that?
This damn SOB!
It's you, isn't it!!!? It's you.
What the hell are you doing? Let go of her!
It's you, Gae Ddong.
Yes.
I'll call the servants.
Just stay outside!
Unni!
I told you go outside!
You and I, we've been sharing our food for the past 10 years.
I may not have been your man, but as you have said
I've been your father figure.
I've been your brother and family figure.
How can you betray me!
Even knowing that one party may be hurt
there's a time that you have to choose a side.
So, you're going to choose Bong Sam?
Are you going to dump me? Are we going to be torn apart?
You've been my sister and my only family.
You're going to dump me!!!?
I can't let you go to Bong Sam.
Our fate together may have reached it's limit.
You and he can't live under the same sky.
I can't help it myself, either!
You and Bong Sam, I'll kill you!
You became chief merchant of the Yukuijeon.
Since you became what you've wanted, you should stop now.
You thought that being Chief Merchant would be all I wanted. It's not so.
There's you. Gae Ddong, you.
I also feel that I am being torn apart.
But if I stay with you, I can't go to Bong Sam.
Yu Su's mother, who grabbed my ankle,
could you take care of her issue for me?
If you truly love me and value me, please do it for me.
And, please let go of me.
I'm asking you.
No, I can't do it. I can never let you go.
I'm Gil So Gae.
Don't worry. I'll be your protector.
Chief Merchant, Songpa Stable isn't making a move.
Maybe you thought wrong, sir.
They're just keep buying rice everyday.
They're scratching every seller and market.
Devilish bastards!
Somehow, we have to find something to nail them.
Rice is left over in the city and it's being sold to any buyer on credit!
What the hell is going on!!!?
Sir, are you trying to impeach my uncle?
Complaints are coming in, complaints!
His Majesty was angry about this.
Sir, you local lord is my brother-in-law
How embarrassing this is!
Your Highness, this is all groundless rumor!
How can I do such shameful behavior in your sight!
Now, our Queen has heard of this! What will you do?
How can you fill 7,000 empty sacks of rice?
Don't worry too much.
Just because you got money, you can't get rice now!
I'm the Chief Merchant of the Yukuijeon! I'll fill up rice sacks and build a new pagoda too.
I'll treat you good as well. So don't worry.
Ok. I'll trust you, Chief Merchant.
He's the one who brought the authorizing stamp and took rice from the storeroom.
He looks very good.
Should we search the Songpa Stable business?
Since he embezzled tax money, my uncle has lost his face.
He ruined the Queen's face as well.
If we bring him in with this and interrogate.
We can do that at any time.
Is he going to be my ally or my enemy?
I'm curious to know.
Watch everything he does.
Yes, sir.
- You came back.- Oh, my leg hurts!
You've worked hard.
Oh, my leg.
You've worked hard. You've all worked hard.
We moved around a lot to pretend we're buying rice.
Ok.
Sir, when are we going to release the rice?
It's not time. Let's wait a little longer.
Let's go to the national shrine.
To release rice without people watching us, we need Gae Ddong's help.
Why don't you go with Choi Dol?
Why should I? My leg hurts a lot.
I'm on my one leg.
I couldn't give a proper thank you.
Since she saved you, and helped on our rice buying endeavor.
Hurry, let's go.
Be quick.
Thank you. I heard from Sun Dol.
Empty-handed.
I was so hurry, came with my heart only. Next time, my hands would be full.
Next time, show your heart with some gift.
Ok. Ok.What are you doing standing there like rock? Sit down here.
R..r..ight. Well. I..i..
It seems that due to my eye issue, I have a headache.
I'm going out for some air.
What's wrong with your eyes?
I hurt it sometime ago.
Sun Dol. Remain a...
Remain a while.
The national shrine has some medicine. Let me bring it here.
Shoot! I can't tell Bong Sam...
What do you want to say to him?
I have saved your business three times.
I delivered Yu Su myself, and saved his mother's life as well.
Your eyes
were not destined to have forward looking vision. I let you have the forward vision.
I have saved your life in Yangpyeong.
I even handed you rice from City Hall.
Say to me first what you were going to say to Head Merchant Cheon.
How can I be unaware of your help?
But, that's separate from Yu Su's mother issue.
Separate issue? What and how is it separate?
With these two hands, I have saved the lives of Songpa Stable gaekju's people.
All of you were just as good as dead.
What difference does it make?
Your lives were mine!
Sun Dol.
Don't be so damn ungrateful!
Sun Dol.
Are you eyes that bad?
I was concerned.
Since this seems to be effective, take this please.
I see. Hurry and eat it.
Ah!
Thanks, Your Highness.
Let's get in.
Let's go in.
I came to talk about Yu Su's mother.
I can give up my life for Cheon Bong Sam.
You know right?
With these two hands, I have saved lifes of Songpa Stable Gaekju's people.
Don't be so damn ungrateful!
It's difficult. It's the most difficult problem in my life.
Many lives are depending on my single judgment.
What does that mean?
What are you saying that we're to represent peddlers again?
It's just as you heard.
All of our 36 representatives decided to appoint Merchant Cheon for our head representative.
That's what we have decided.
I understand. But there's a current head representative already.
Head representative Choi Bang Goo.
Choi Bang Goo, hum...
Choi Bang Goo is dead!
What are you talking about?
For our comrades who are too old and sick to travel around,
we have set aside rice and grain for those.
That guy Choi Bang Goo
he embezzled it.
Then, did he die because of that?
Yes, he was beaten to death by our comrades.
Even so, how can you beat a person to death?
It's real gruesome.
If anyone is too greedy, he ends up paying for it.
He was covered with burlap sack before the beating.
He's been struck on his head badly somehow.
We followed our rule to handle it. What can you do?
So, are you trying to push our gaekju's Head Merchant Cheon to take over the vacant position?
Deputy Chief. How can you put it that way?
Originally, the Cheon Gaekju has been our head representative.
And it was stolen by Shin Seok Joo and Choi Bang Goo.
We're simply trying to restore it.
That's very unfortunate. There's an old saying.
A pig needs to be afraid of being fat.
A human has to be careful about becoming famous.
Look at the last head representative, Choi Bang Goo.
Greed. Excessive greed is deadly.
Being the head representative is excessive greed for me.
They're setting him as head representative?
Yes. Peddlers' issue should be solved by themselves.
It's been a law made by the lord a long time ago.
Cheon Bong Sam is becoming head representative. Head representative...
Unless there's an upset, it will happen.
Bring Cheon Bong Sam here.
Yes sir.
At any rate, we can't be stuff like head representative.
Don't you know that in the past we're almost gotten killed while trying to be head representative?
Merchant Elder Cheon, now our comrades are having a really tough time.
Japanese merchants are dominating the market place.
The first one to suffer is our peddlers.
Merchant Cheon, we're asking you.
We're asking you, Merchant Elder.
Merchant Cheon, please accept our offer!
Merchant Elder, we're begging you.
We're begging you, Merchant Elder.
Come in.
Did you call me, Lord Do Seong Ji.
Sit comfortably.
You don't have to behave so formally in front of me.
Merchant Elder!
Your skill was impressive.
You took the tax rice very skillfully in Yangpyeong.
Did you believe you fooled everyone?
Spare us, sir.
Elder.
Sir Do Seong Ji, tax rice is tax from people.
Too many folks outside the palace city are starving to death.
Three thousand sacks of tax rice is not my concern.
That's responsibility for my uncle and the head merchant.
Then, what's reason for you to call me?
200,000 peddlers
Are you trying to take our peddlers under your control?
As soon as you become the head representative,
you need to re-organize your peddler group, and you come under my direct control.
The Merchant: Gaekju 2015
We have a riot, the palace city is turned upside down!
Hit list. It's a list for murdering business.
Hurry up. You have to move much quicker.
Can you be my servant?
The missing Min Gyeong has been found!!!
Your Highness. Please trust me.
It's Gil So Gae!!! He's in Hanyang!!!
Please open the door! Open the door, please!!!
Are you trying to hand him over to them?
Either you spare me, or kill me and kill the chief merchant.
Isn't it time for telling the truth?
Why did you kill Yu Su's mother?