Episode 37
From now on
the trial in front of the peddlers' guild will begin.
Bring
Gil So Gae here.
- Be quiet - No
No way!
Out of the way.
Make way
Let go you fools.
How dare the lowly peddlers try to punish Great Head Merchant of Yukuiijeon?
Act in a manner that makes sense.
Make him kneel.
Kneel? Kneel in front of lowly beings like you?
A peddler's trial?
I cannot acknowledge that.
If you are going to punish me, do it according to the law of the nation. Take me to the police bureau.
Keep him quiet.
Fellow peddlars, please listen.
Gil So Gae from Inbang, Hwanghae-Do
Today, before the peddlers' guild stands the Yukuijeon Head Merchant Gil So Gae.
He is a peddler comrade from Inbang, Hwanghae-do.
I, Cheon Sam Bong,
as head of the peddlers' guild,
I would like to convict Gil Sogae's crimes
Cheong Bong Sam, how could I be a peddler?
Why would I be your colleague?
Why are you my leader?
Because you have said yourself that you are a peddler,
as a peddler, you must follow the peddlers' rules.
These are Gill So Gae's crimes. First.
Robbing people's tax as a way to make money
"Do not steal."
Second.
You caused the death of
Cheon Oh Soo, head of the Cheon Merchant Gaekju by putting opium in his bundle.
Third.
Plotting to steal promissory note of Songpa stables
"Don't behave contrary to what is right."
Fourth.
You killed Jo Seong Joon, chief of the Songpa Stable Gaekju.
Last of all, fifth.
You murdered
the daughter
of the Head Merchant of the Cheon Gaekju.
"Do not murder."
Thus,
Gil So Gae, Head Merchant of the Yukuijeon, to pay for his crimes
will give up his life.
Chief of the Yangpyeong Peddlers
Please bring forth lye
I will follow your order
You can't do that.
You said you will reveal who's at fault for my lady's death
If you just kill him, how will we reveal the unfair death of my lady?
Leader.
I want to ask one question of the criminal Gil So Gae.
Speak.
Did you murder Leader Cheon's wife alone
or were you acting under instruction from someone else?
Answer!
At the trial of peddler's guild,
Everyone must answer truthfully
Swear on that name
quickly answer truthfully.
That's correct.
I'm going to die anyway.
I have nothing to hide.
I...
I did it.
I did it. I did. I murdered Yu Su's mother by myself.
The person who brought the venomous snake was me.
That damned fool
Why?
That woman without any power, why the heck!
Didn't you know. That woman had to die.
If she died, I thought you'll fall apart.
I did it to make you fall apart, you bastard! So it was my doing!
Kill that man Gil So Gae by beating the s♪♪t out of him!
Killing him with lye is even wasteful!
We need to kill that man by hitting his head.
Horrible man.
Can you take my burden in place of me?
If you truly love me, please do as I ask.
I will pronounce judgment.
Gil Sang Moon from the Songdo Inbang [Merchant League]...
has broken the merchant code, and put peddlers in harms way by dealing opium.
You tried to distribute a heinous and an illegal substance.
The punishment for that...
it will be paid by your life!
Cheon Bong Sam?
Again today, just as your father Cheon Oh Soo killed my father.
You bastard! You're going to kill me, today!
Gil Sang Moon who is your father, you bastard.
Okay... at least Gil Sang Moon's crime/sins were somewhat justified, because he thought that he was doing it for the merchant group.
My father, uncles and all of us felt pure injustice and were stricken with grief when it comes to Uncle Sang Moon's death.
Uncle [Sang Moon]...
I buried him in my heart, right here!
Nonetheless, you bastard...
What does your sinful crime stand for? You bastard...
What did you pass along by committing this evil act? What for?!
This is a heinous act! You strictly did this for yourself, bastard!
-An 'evil' act!-Shut it!
I ended up in your hands, you bastard! Only because [the nation] has been unstable, and it's just my bad luck!
I will drink it...
I'm not guilty, but I'll [gladly] drink it!
I'll drink it ...!
Cheon Bong Sam... Cheon Bong Sam, you didn't win, bastard.
I was born to a merchant father, who barely put food on the table
and became the Great Head Merchant of Yukijeon
became the king of 250,000 mechants
Gil So Gae
I don't have any more wants or regrets.
How can he be so mean until the very end?
Then should I not say anything at all?!
So Gae! So Gae!
I didn't do this for you.
Gae Ddong.
If you marry Bong Sam
do you think Bong Sam will smile at you?
He wouldn't know what you did and share the bed with you
it will be hell for you too,. Everyday will be hell for you
Father...
I am going...
Father...
I miss you.
If you marry Bong Sam, it would be hell for you too.
You told me you'd seek revenge for my lady
It wasn't Gil Sogae's deed alone.
The Guksa Shrine lady had a part in it.
Today is not the day.
I will tell the Head Merchant myself
Wol.
I don't know why there is such a thing as timing to tell the truth.
You can't, she said she won't meet with anyone.
I only need a moment.
Umni, Mr. Son from Songpa Inn keeps insisting to meet with you.
Tell him no, tell him I am not feeling well and ask him to come back at a later time.
My Lady, I will be coming in.
What is this?
Everything isn't over just because Gil So Gae has died.
Please go back.
Today I lost the Great Head Merchant who was like a brother to me.
I need time to grieve.
I must tell Merchant Cheon what I know.
Gil So Gae might have killed sister-in-law,
But you are the one who instigated it.
Do you think the Great Head Merchant lied when he was about to die?
Why do you keep on holding me responsible for Yu Su's mom's death?
Do you think Merchant Cheon will believe you when you don't even have any evidence?
Whether he believes me or not, it's up to Merchant Cheon.
Then, why didn't you tell him right away?
Why did you come all the way here?
I will give you a little bit of time until the insurrection calms down.
The best way is for you to confess directly to Merchant Cheon.
Bong Wi Su Gi:
"if you face danger, throw away greed."
You have nowhere to flee to.
Merchant Cheon was your man
or is it one-sided love on your part?
Chief Royal Secretary
Ah, I am not interested in a bit about such things.
Even if you harmed Merchant Cheon's wife,
Then... why do you talk about such things?
I owe a lot to you.
Guksa Priestess, please split Merchant Chun and Sun Dol apart.
The two are practically brothers.
They will put their life on the line for each other.
You're a woman, so you don't know man very well.
A man's friendship, actually doesn't amount to much.
A man crumbles more easily than a woman.
Money, woman, honor, family..
Achieving fame and prestige, you can't count it all in 10 fingers.
Bong wi su gi.
Get rid of greed when faced with danger.
Sun Dol must be from a noble family.
Just because he plays baduk, does that make him a nobleman?
He's a peddler from Imbang village in Hwanghae-do.
No, no
He is certainly from a noble family.
Maybe, the answer lies there.
It'a a time of national mourning. The Queen Majesty has passed
Our packman guild should adhere to the national law
and close business for five days.
What has the world come to?
The Queen Majesty has died in the hands of rioters.
Rioter? How was this uprising caused
in the first place? It's because the Min Family overstepped its role.
Now, if Un-hyung-gun Great Prince [Un-hyung-gun Great Prince: Hongseon Great Prince]
rules over people as he should, things will settle down.
Isn't that true?
Nevertheless, how can one harm the Queen Majesty?
Of course it is an uprising and treason.
This man! Who harmed Her Highness the Queen?
Are you saying that the Great Prince did that?
Then who else?
Even kids in the marketplace know the Great Prince was behind this uproar
This man!
The Vice Head Merchant's words are right.
These youths! What do you know about what goes around in the world?
Please stop.
Min Family or the Prince Regent, siding like that, how does that matter to us?
Business goes hand in hand with the state of affairs.
When has business ended well when it went along with politics?
Please stop now.
We need to pass the bulletin to the 8 provincial headquarters about national mourning.
Keep that in mind.
I am the priestess of Guksa Shrine.
This is my religious daughter, he is a monk.
I am following the orders of the Prince Regent to go pray at Worak Mountain. Please make way.
Please go.
To hold my funeral with an empty casket,
how can this be?
You have to be especially rational in times like this.
To even hold a fake funeral for me.
It all went wrong
My father-in-law will try to find out where I am and eliminate me.
A sun on the western mountain, no matter how bright it may be, it's still a setting sun
Grand Prince of Woonhyung Palace (Prince Regent) is only a red sunset right before the sun sets.
Your Highness will soon return to the palace.
Do you have some kind of a plan?
We have to call on the army of the Qing Dynasty to suppress the rebels.
We have to convince the Qing Dynasty to deploy its army, so please write a letter.
I have to pass along the Queen Majesty's letter even if my life depends on it.
It doesn't matter if I die.
The problem is how to get to Qing territory.
We need a ship to get to Qing.
We need a large ship to cross the ocean.
And also, we need people to who could safely get Mr. Cheong across.
Let's go.
Unnil, I've brought him.
What is this important matter you need to talk about?
You will know once you go in
You seem surprised as if you saw a ghost.
Gae Ddong.
There, there, there. Take a seat.
I don't know what to say to you since you have suffered a great loss.
Like I am alive, the Queen Majesty is alive as well.
We just had a national funeral.
You put your life on the line to make money, politics is just like that as well.
If you fall, it's death. If you hang on to the rope, you survive.
It's same as jesters walking on a tightrope.
Well, to hear that that Queen Majesty is alive, the Heaven must have helped.
Help from the Heaven is not enough.
You must, you must help.
T-this way.
Who is that? He seems to be a noble.
Hurry and bring the Head of Provincial Merchant League.
Make sure to say that he's from Nokbong.
But the nation's in national mourning.
So you're saying you need help from members of the peddler guild?
That's right.
First, we need to protect the Queen Majesty.
Second, I need help safely bringing one of my men to Jaemool Port.
Are you trying to calculate what's beneficial for you? Between the Min family and Woonhyeon Palace (The Prince Regent)?
It's not up to me to decide alone.
I need to discuss this with trusted members.
Then.
Let's go.
I would like to play a game of baduk.
Sun Dol. Why don't you stay behind for a bit?
Do you thing Merchant Cheon will bring out the peddler guild to help me out?
He said he will discuss it with other board members of the guild.
To me, it seems like you have a different opinion from Merchant Cheon
It doesn't matter what my opinions are.
I will only follow the decision of the Head.
Under the regime of Prince Daewon, he committed many foolish politics under a closed-door policy.
One of them was persecuting Catholics.
Ui Ryeong Nam(family name), who was the Chief Royal Secretary at the time,
and the Yeonpa clan was driven out as well.
Didn't your father lose his life then?
Don't say such a ridiculous thing!
I am a low class merchant who doesn't even have a last name.
This is something the Chief Royal Secretary found after much hard work.
Family tree of Ui Ryeong Nam(last name)
There! I won.
Segochihwa: "If at a disadvantage, seek peace."
What do you think? Join my side. Mr. Nam
Mr. Nam!
If you are a nobleman, you must put your life on the line for thecause!
Please protect Her Highness the Queen!
Do you think you could live under the regime of the Prince Regent again?
Sun Dol.
What did the Chief Royal Secretary want?
We just played a game of baduk. He was saying nonsense nobleman often say.
You took so long to come out.
I thought the Chief Royal Secretary is taking my friend away from me.
-If he took your friend away? -If he did?
Why are you being so serious all of a sudden?
I am okay with having everything else taken away, but if they take away my friend,
I must go and bring him back. That's a given.
Why are you being like this?
Because it's cold,
it's okay to hug a guy too.
Hey!
What are you doing now?
If a stranger saw you too, they will get odd thoughts.
People would think I must have done something wrong.
Dress warmly if you are cold.
He's good to look at.
Wait, why're you here?
For what reason?
We have a guest from Unhyeon Palace (Palace of Regent Heung Seon, father of King Go Jong)
Unhyeon Palace?
I've brought Bong Sam!
This is U... unhyun Palace's Prince Wan Heung [note: Regent Heung Seon's oldest son and King Gojong's older brother]
What are you doing??? Please bow and great him.
I am the Head of the Province Merchant League, Cheon Bong Sam.
I'm Sun Dol and I work for the local government.
Only you two stay, and everyone else please leave.
Yes, yes
What do you think is going on?
Who did Prince Wan Heung say he was?
He's the current King's biological brother,
he's also the oldest son of the master at Unhyeon Palace
Wait... why did someone so high, come to the guild office here?
Head of the Provincial Merchant League,
originally, this office was under the care of my father.
As such, the peddler office was loyal to Unhyeon Palace. We had a good relationship.
I know.
Now, there's something that your group needs to do for the country.
Who is this person?
There's a woman you have to find for the good of this nation.
That's all you need to know.
On the tip of that wench's tongue, lays the fate of Joseon.
You need to take your peddlers and search through Choongju, Yeoju, and Yicheon
to find her. Understand?!
Head of the Provincial Merchant League, rather than the nothing-but-a-name, Yukuijeon,
I will provide support to the Provincial Merchant Office
so please, give me a quick reply.
Let's go.
The lady in this drawing, is Her Highness the Queen.
Prince Regent [Heungseongun] wants to use us now to harm the Queen.
Let alone the fake funeral, he dare... OUR QUEEN!
Stop! Your words!
Careful with your words.
Did I say something wrong? Did I? [Heungsongun, thinking she ruined the country, hated his daughter-in-law Queen Myeongseong so much he tried to assassinate her].
If we are to side with one,
it should be the Queen's side not that of Prince Regent.
The crown prince is alive and well,
if we even so much set our toes into the affair of killing his mother,
would he let us be??
We'll all, everyone of us, die!
Cease! Please cease! What kind of delicate situation is it now?
It is a delicate situation.
In this situation, if you take one false step,
our fellow peddlers who number in the tens of thousands
will all be at risk of death.
Why are you speaking so thoughtlessly?
Leader!
Has our leader said anything wrong?
When members of government are fighting among themselves, it's like when whales fight, the shrimp's back is broken.
The Min family (the Queen's family) and the Prince Regent (her father-in-law) are fighting with each other.
If we get caught in the middle we will be pickled shrimp!
We should not be divisive. Listen carefully to what I'm saying.
Call and gather covertly all the leaders from Gyeongi-do to the northwest
No one should breathe a word about what happened today.
That's it.
Son Dol, why are you doing something so unlike yourself?
Did something personal happen?
Have you made an agreement with the Min family?
I want to hear your intention.
When the leaders come...
A peddlers' meeting is a peddlers' meeting.
I am your friend! What is Cheong Bong Sam thinking? I said I wanted to hear your intention!
Fine.
How do we get past this crisis now.
Without taking either the Min clan or the Prince Regent's side,
that none of our peddlers, our fellow peddlers, will be hurt.
To find a way out of this crisis. That is what you and I must do.
Think it over once more.
What's the real reason and why should I do something for our fellows!
Son Dol, don't talk to me like a noble. I said it's important to survive.
I we don't get pass this crisis, we will all die!
This is not something from your friend Cheon Bong Sam,
but this is a your leader's order!
Sun Dol!
Father! Uncle!
Son, you must escape! You must escape and survive!
Where is he going at this time? He's going out suddenly.
What's that?
You're asking the Royal Secretariat to borrow a ship?
Will you or won't you take a boat to Jaemool Port?
Isn't Her Highness the Queen alive?
The one thing I do know
your name is climbing to the top of the hit list and
I don't know when your head will roll.
My Lord, until this uproar settles down
what do you think about first seeking protection from the Qing Empire?
Yes, let's.
If it will take us safely to Jaemool Port,
I will allow you to use our ship.
So, what happened?
Jang Merchant took all his second-tier servants, and crossed the river.
How is it that Sundol could disobey you chief?
Guksa Shrine. Let's go to Guksa Shrine.
It's too late. Since all we need to do is cross the river,
with all the commotion, and the city gates closing early,
the gates have already been closed.
Sundol's acting weird.
After meeting the royal secretariat, he's a bit off.
Something.
You came.
I heard that peddlers could take on most soldiers,
let's see what you've got.
You've decided well.
This has nothing to do with you, Sister-in-law.
Don't expect anymore from me.
Let's go.
You! Why are you here only now?
What is this palanquin?
It's my wife. How can I flee by myself?
Let's hurry and leave. hurry
Hurry and lift the palanquin
Be careful.
Please keep in mind
the person you have to protect first is Cheon Bong Sam.
Let's depart.
If a fight breaks out, stay close to me. I will get through it.
Halt.
Where are you going?
You mean the merchant from Hwangin area?
The person over there is our Merchant elder
What is that palanquin?
It's the madam.
The lady is fleeing to Ganghwa Province, home of her parents.
Let me look inside the palanquin.
Merchant Elder, please show the inside of the palanquin.
How dare you! Even though there is chaos
male and female are distinct. How dare you try to look at my wife. That's not the law of nobility.
You're only a merchant elder, a businessman. Why are you speaking in the manner of nobleman?
Hurry and set the palanquin down.
Set it down right this moment!
Merchant Elder, please show the inside of the palanquin
No, it can't be. No!
Hurry and set the palanquin down
You bastards!
No!
My money!
My money!, my money!
What is this?
It's the treasure of my merchant
He is Kim Bohyeon!
He's Kim, Bohyeon, Inspector of Kyungi Province, who is on the wanted list!
Flee! Flee!
- Flee! - Please let me live, please take me with you
You bastards, please let me live, please take me with you.
Please take me with you!
Kim, Bohyeon! Kill him!
Please let me live.
If you let me live, I will give you all of my treasure. Please let me live.
We will continue on our path.
Hurry! Let's go.
Everything went wrong. We're as good as dead. What can we do?
The great head merchant position of the Yukuijeon is not important now! What matters at this point is our survival.
Let's hurry and flee. hurry!
My money...
You love money so much like that?
Here. Eat as much as you want!
Please take as much as you want for your fare on your journey to the Hades
Let's go.
Sun Dol. Sun Dol.
Sun Dol, but then, where have you been?
How can you do that?
When the eunuchs go back to the palace, the older Hyungs here
Mak Bong, Uncle, don't you know they'll all be killed?
Sun Dol! How could you behave in such a manner?
Trying to harm the Her Highness the Queen is a treason.
Do you think it's okay for the peddlers to be involved in treason like that?
WHAT?! DO YOU THINK WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS PROPER?!
Her Highness the Queen is important,
our family is less important. Is that what you're saying?
You guys!
What are you doing now?
Follow me.
As a member of the peddler group,
you had a position in leading our 20,000-strong clan, and yet
but, how can you act in such a manner?
This is the best way. I acted according to what I thought was just.
Please hand over the badge for the board member of the peddlers guild.
You are not qualified.
You will never be able to rally the group together to do your will.
Yes.
If it's your command, I will follow it.
Please come in.
Please take him to the storage.
Leader Bong, that's too much.
This is Sun Dol of all people! You cannot lock him up.
He had an important duty as a member of the Peddlers Guild.
He ignored the rules of the Peddlers Guild
and involved himself and the Guild in disorder and put the members' safety in jeopardy.
His wrongdoing is not a small matter.
I will consult with the other merchant heads and demand retribution for your sins.
Drag him away.
Merchant Head!!! This... is Sun Dol is part of our Stable Family!!
Do you know how many times we were saved from death together?
Stop.
He broke the rules, if we were to be lenient on him because he's our family,
how would be able to lead the group?
Yes. Do what you want.
You can lock me away, or roll me up in a straw mat. Do whatever you want!
Mak Bong! Bang Jae! What are you doing not dragging me away!
Stay put you!!!
Sun Dol!!
What are you doing?! Drag him away!
Yes.
Merchant Cheon! Sun Dol!
Think it over once again, huh?
- Leader Cheon. -What the?
Hyung!
Gaekju Hyung! There's big trouble!!!
What are you saying happened now?
I found this in Sun Dol's room.
Are you admitting to going through Sun Dol's room?
I will be willing to be punished later. But first all of you take a look at this.
Page from the clan book where all births and deaths of clan members are registered by generation and lineage.
Seon Yu from the Ui-ryeong Nam Clan
Sun Dol!
Is this it?
What are you talking about?
Is this why you turned your back on your longtime family,
ignore the rules of the Merchant League?? Was the reason to join hands with Min Yeong Ik?!
Is this it?
Preview
That Cheon Merchant, he's quite strict.
I will remove Sun Dol's position in the gaekju.
Shouldn't we save the person first?
Sun Dol!!
Your thoughts and mine are too different.
Nam Seon Yoo is now one of us.
I am Jin Yeong Goo. What are you so confident in that you continue to be this brazen?!
We have to prevent the complete bankruptcy of our markets.
You can't just leave like this.
Gae Ddong! Gae Ddong!
I will be the Head Merchant of Yookuijeon.
What are you trying to do now?