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Episode 43
- What's wrong? - My Lady, we must get out of here.
We're under attack.
What do you want?
Who sent you?
Attack!
My Lady, are you all right?
[Lady Sungdeok Hwangbo Su (future Empress Cheonchu)]
Yes, who are these men?
I don't know.
I'll report this to the Eastern Capital and request reinforcements.
[Eastern Capital: Modern Day Gyeongju]
Almost all of the guards are dead.
[Kim Sukheung]
Your Highness, what's wrong?
I'm cold.
[Seongjong (The 6th King of Goryeo)]
I'm so cold...
Your Highness,
Your Highness, pull yourself together.
I feel so cold.
So cold that I can't stand it.
Hang on. I'll call the Royal Physician.
No, that's not what I need.
Princess of Liao, call the Princess of Liao for me.
[Queen Munwha]
The king is asking for me?
Yes. You must hurry.
He's in great discomfort.
Wait outside.
[ Xiao Zanli]
I must concoct his medicine to take to him.
Get it ready.
Yes, Princess.
[Jiemei]
What took you so long?
I'm sorry. I had to concoct his pills.
Give me the pill. Now.
My Queen, would you leave us?
Is that necessary?
I must use my body temperature to warm him.
Would you feel comfortable watching?
It won't take long, so please leave us.
The pill. Give me the pill!
Yes, Your Highness.
You'll feel better soon.
Now relax, Your Highness.
Your Highness, is that better?
Yes, I think so.
The pain will go away soon and you'll feel peaceful and at rest.
Just lean your head against me, Your Highness.
Call the Royal Physician.
I'm sorry? Yes, Your Highness.
What is the Liao Princess's secret pill?
Why does that barbarian's prescription work wonders every time
when yours hardly have any effect at all?
I have asked her about it, but it's still a mystery.
Do you think that's acceptable?
How can you call yourself a Royal Physician?
I do have a suspicion, but...
A suspicion?
There is no doubt that her golden pill is relieving His Highness's pain.
But since he has been taking the pills, he's become noticeably gaunt.
And when he doesn't take the pills, he has bouts of severe chills and anxiety.
Yes, I've noticed that.
I suspect it is something in her pills.
I've heard of a medicine called "Hanshiksan" that is used in Tang China.
It is made with the extract of opium poppies,
and although it's very effective in treating pain, it's highly addictive.
So what will happen if he continues to take these pills?
I'm afraid I don't know the answer.
But from what I've seen so far, it can't be good.
The poison in his blood stream is no longer his biggest problem.
It's the addiction to the pills.
I've repeatedly urged him to stop taking the pills, but he will not listen.
I'm sorry.
Su, Seol.
I'm sorry...
Forgive me, Su...
Of course, I forgive you.
Don't worry.
Su...
My Lady, we're from Gyeongju.
Are you all right?
I'm fine.
Who were those men?
We're examining the bodies right now, but it doesn't look like they are locals.
Do you have any guesses as to who might want to hurt you?
General, shouldn't we file a report?
I think the Royal Court should know about this.
I will take care of that.
Mind your own duties, soldier.
Of course, Sir.
Wait.
Soldier, I didn't get the chance to thank you yesterday.
You saved my life.
What is your name?
Answer her.
Kim Sukheung, Madam.
Kim Sukheung?
You're an amazing fighter.
Why do you hold such a low rank?
He's a lowly peasant not worth associating with, My Lady.
Return to your duty, soldier.
Yes, Sir.
Please go back inside, my Lady.
Vice Minister Seo, Secretary Gang.
General Dae, have you been well?
Yes.
It's good to see you.
[Dae Dosu]
Did you just get back from the northern border?
Yes. I heard about the good work you're doing.
Thank you.
Vice Minister Seo, you don't look well. Do you have any health problems?
Keep up the good work, then...
After you, Sir.
Have you fared well, my King?
We have completed our task of building forts along the northern border.
My deepest gratitude to both of you.
Vice Minister, I have no words to thank you for your hard work despite your age.
Your Highness.
Vice Minister Seo is unwell.
[Gang Gamchan] [Seo Hui]
He wanted to stay behind and continue the building efforts, but I insisted that we return.
Vice Minister, what is your condition?
It's just old age, Your Highness.
There is no need for concern.
But Your Highness, why do you look so thin and pale?
Are you still suffering from the poison?
I'm afraid so.
Oh, are you acquainted with Sir Choi?
He looks familiar, but I don't recall.
I am the newly appointed vice minister
[Choi Hang (Vice Minister of Personnel)]
Yes, of course.
You are Lord Choi Unhui's grandson.
You're a prominent literary figure.
It's an acclaim I don't deserve.
He is very judicious and intelligent.
So much so that the late Chancellor told me to keep him near.
We heard of Chancellor Choi's passing but we couldn't be here for his funeral.
It is truly a great loss, Your Highness.
Luckily, I had a chance to see him before he died.
Your Highness...
There is one thing that
[Choi Ryang]
That has been weighing heavily on my mind.
What is it?
Do you still believe in Choi Jimong's prophecy?
Why do you ask this out of the blue?
I did indeed play a part in getting Prince Gaeryeong deposed,
but now that I am approaching the end of my life, I wonder if we did the right thing.
There was no other option.
His mother attempted an overthrow, so the right of succession had to be taken away.
That is my question.
Why did Lady Sungdeok attempt an overthrow?
Because her ideals about the kingdom's future was different from mine.
Choi Jimong's prediction regarding this was exactly right.
Do you ever think maybe you developed different ideals because of the prediction?
What do you mean?
Let us think in reverse for a moment.
Would things be the way they are right now between you and Lady Sungdeok if
you did not talk to Choi Jimong that day?
You wouldn't have taken the son away from his mother if it weren't for that prophecy,
and the two of you could have become good political partners.
But didn't the prophecy become the seed and the shackle of distrust?
I wonder.
I don't want to talk about this.
It still tears me apart to think about Lady Sungdeok.
So please don't. I beg you.
I'm sorry, Your Highness.
I speak out of concern for the country.
What are we to do about the successor issue when Prince Daeryang is nowhere to be found?
In the Summer of 995, Junior First-grade Chancellor Choi Ryang passed away.
According to The History of Goryeo,
he was a talented writer born of Gyeongju with a kind and gentle disposition.
Seongjong called upon him to be his private tutor when he was a prince,
and made him a senior minister in Goryeo's court, when he became king,
to which decision everyone's expectations were satisfied.
The king mourned Choi's death by giving him a funeral of " Grand Tutor to the
Crown Prince", and granted him the posthumous name of Gwangbin.
What's more, Choi's mortuary tablet was later memorialized in Seongjong's shrine.
Your Highness, what's wrong?
My medicine is wearing off.
I feel so cold...
I will call the Royal Physician.
Attendant Goh!
No, don't.
I have the medicine I need.
I must rest now, so leave.
Are you sure you will be all right?
Yes.
Vice Minister, I will call you back in a few days to discuss an important matter.
Now please leave.
- He doesn't look very good. - No, he doesn't.
Does he attend to state affairs regularly?
He does not come to the council hall every day.
It's imperative that we select an heir soon.
How is Prince Gaeryeong?
I heard he was released from house arrest.
Yes.
But I'm told he is not the same person he was.
What do you mean?
He lost his succession rights, he is suffering from epilepsy,
and his mother is hundreds of miles away in exile.
Imagine how he must feel.
I heard he has shunned reading and that he wastes his days hunting or drinking.
Sir, you should go home and rest now.
You must be exhausted.
And you?
I'm going to go home for some rest and take a short trip to Sasu County.
The anniversary of Prince Gyeongjuwon's death is coming up soon.
So soon?
Yes.
Seo Hui and Gang Gamchan are back?
Yes, Your Grace.
They had a brief chat with Vice Minister Choi Hang.
What did they talk about?
I didn't hear everything, but I did hear them mention Prince Gaeryeong.
[ Yi Hyunoon]
Very well, you may go.
It's been peaceful with the northerners gone, but now those two are back.
[Choi Seom (Minister of Punishment)]
I knew it wouldn't last...
They can't do much now.
Seo Hui is an old man whose days are numbered.
[Kim Shimon]
But they're already talking about Prince Gaeryeong.
The king's condition is getting worse and we still don't have a successor lined up.
Besides, the two men are close to Prince Gaeryeong.
By the way, His Highness seems to have grown very trusting of Choi Hang lately.
Why can't you win him over when you come from the same town?
We've tried repeatedly, but the man is such an eccentric...
Eccentric?
He is supposed to be a Confucian scholar but reads sutras at home and he refuses to mix with us.
I don't know why Sir Choi Ryang recommended him to the king.
What about Prince Dongyang's descendants?
[Prince Dongyang: One of Wang Gun's sons]
We've searched high and low to no avail.
They’re children of a man executed for high treason, so they live in hiding.
But they are out there somewhere, so find them.
They're the only living royals.
With Prince Daeryang dead, they're our only hope.
But Your Grace, the king is likely to disapprove of the two.
The what option do we have?
Do you have a better idea?
If Lady Sungdeok should disappear, Prince Gaeryeong is worth a second thought.
After all, he was raised by you.
Is anyone there?
Where are the girls?
Bring me another bottle of wine! Now!
Chuwol! Myohyang!
Where are those little wenches?
[Prince Gaeryeong Wang Song (Future King Mokjong )]
Hey, bring me more wine!
What the heck?!
How dare they ignore me?!
Alright.
Why are you acting like this?
Oh no! Please stop!
Wha-what's wrong, Prince?
Prince my foot!
Do I have to shoot you to make you listen?
Why are you refusing to serve me?
Who is refusing to serve you?
Please go back inside.
I will bring it right away.
That's better.
Call the girls, too.
All of them!
I'm afraid they're not here.
There is a party today, so they all went out.
A party? Whose party did they go to without me?
Hey, hey, hey!
This party is by invitation only.
[Jo Du]
What?
Who do you think you're talking to?
I'm the one and only Prince Gaeryeong!
Yes, I thought you looked familiar.
You're that famous reprobate Prince Gaeryeong.
You were ousted from the royal family years ago.
Get the heck out of here!
Welcome, Sir!
Go right on in, Sir.
There you are, my little wench! Chuwol!
Prince Gaeryeong! Did you come to find me?
Of course! Where were you?
Aigoo. You're here now.
You cute little thing!
What do you mean he's not at the gisaeng house?
I guess he was there earlier but he left a while ago.
[Yi Jujeong]
To go where?
I don't know, Sir.
I hope he's not somewhere getting into trouble again.
[Yu Bang]
He must be drunk again if he was at the gisaeng house.
[Choi Ghi] [Kim Hoon]
Who can blame him for drinking?
He has a huge tab at the gisaeng house.
At this rate, Sungdeok Palace will be insolvent,
but I hear the Minister of Finance is getting richer by the day.
His business is thriving, and he is raking in all of the money,
so every gisaeng in the city is over at his house, for his 60th birthday party tonight.
A birthday party?
[Gang Jo]
Does Prince Gaeryeong know about this?
My man, what's keeping the master of the house from joining us?
I'm sorry, Sire.
He will join us soon.
But meanwhile enjoy the dance performance of the city's best gisaengs.
Hey girls!
That bastard! Get him!
Girls!
Catch me if you can!
I'm Your Royal Highness Prince Gaeryeong!
Is there no one here who will pour me a glass of wine?
Look who's here.
It's the secretary of the Ministry of War, Choi Seom!
I know I am an ousted prince, but surely you can pour me a drink for old time sake.
Get him out of here!
Leave him be.
Did you hear that?
Secretary Choi says leave me be.
It's been a long time, Prince Gaeryeong.
Have a drink.
Thank you.
You are a generous man, Lord Choi!
What do you think?
[Kim Won Soong (Minister of Finance)]
Can you tell which is real and which is not?
No, Sir.
[Jo Sun]
They're identical!
From now on, we don't have to lift a finger to make money.
Sire, your guests are waiting.
Yes, I'm feeling great today!
Why do you look like you're at a funeral?
We have an uninvited guest out there, Sire.
An uninvited guest?
Pour me another!
What's that boy doing here?
Oh, the Minister of Finance has finally joined us!
I wish you happy birthday!
I'm honored that you'd come here in person to wish me happy birthday.
Thank you.
This humble man is here for the wine.
I can't pay for the drinks, so I'll wish you long life instead.
May you live a long, long time
until senility makes you paint your walls with your shit!
Thank you! I will.
What are you waiting for?
This is a joyous day!
Play the music! Dance!
Come on, let's dance!
Dance! I said dance!
Dance!
Sire!
Scared you, didn't I?
Fooled you, didn't I?
I scared you all!
Give me music! Dance!
This is too much, Sire.
Granted he is royalty, this is utterly despicable behavior.
Let him be.
He is trying to provoke me.
Let the crazy bastard have his fit.
But Sire...
We don't have to hurt him and expose ourselves to public criticism.
Talk about an apple not falling far from the tree.
He acts just like his father.
Dance!
What are you waiting for?
Play the music! Dance!
Dance! Play the music!
Dance
Here, take a swig.
Her Highness the Queen!
Oh my! It's been a long time, my Queen.
Prince Gaeryeong, what are you doing here?
I came to help celebrate Minister Kim's 60th birthday.
Why?
Does it make you uncomfortable to see me?
You may be an ousted prince, but you are still royalty.
Behave like one.
What's wrong with the way I behave?
I'm a son of a traitor convicted of high treason and a bastard possessed by demons.
I think I'm doing well, considering.
Is this how I raised you?
You are despicable!
Aren't you ashamed of yourself?
Ashamed? No, I'm very comfortable.
I'm living my life the way I want free of your constant nagging,
and life is just wonderful!
I've had enough of your insolence!
Leave this house at once!
What are you going to do if I don't?
You little...
You were once a fawning sycophant like the rest of them,
but now you act like you're ready to kill me.
Fine.
Let's have some blood on this joyous anniversary of Lord Kim Won Soong's birth!
What are you waiting for?
Grab a stick and beat me.
Do it!
What are you suddenly afraid of?
How about the rest of you?
Don't you want to see the son of a traitor dead?
Come forward and strike me.
What are you waiting for?
I am committing an outrage!
Someone come forward and strike me!
Stop this at once!
What is this bizarre behavior?
Bizarre behavior?
Yes, it's bizarre behavior.
What do you expect from an epileptic? Huh?
Prince!
Why did you go there?
I'm tired.
Prince!
Your safety is all your mother worries about, even at her place of exile.
Why do you put yourself out there to get hurt?
I said I'm tired!
Did I cause her to be exiled?
She got herself exiled with her greed.
Greed?
She did what she did for your and for this country.
Cut the bull, Drillmaster Gang.
Your problem is that you like my mother too much.
Look at her actions objectively.
She shot an arrow at her own brother.
She'd shoot me, her own son, if I got in her way of rising to power.
And on top of that, she shamelessly had an affair with a Jurchen.
Do you understand?
Prince Gaeryeong.
Don't say such vicious things when you don't really mean them.
I know you miss your mother more than anyone.
You wish she were here to scold you for our misbehavior.
I know that you're rebelling even more because the only person who can
[Sun (Future Queen Sunjeong)]
scold you is so far away and you long for her to be near.
But don't go too far.
Or Drillmaster Gang and the others could get hurt.
Cousin, but I feel like I'm going to go insane.
Like I'm going to burn up inisde and die if I don't do something.
So I don't want you or Drillmaster Gang to fret over me anymore.
- Prince Gaeryeong. - Just leave me be.
I'm a sick man anyway.
My body, my heart, I'm sick and diseased through and through.
So just leave me be.
Forget about me.
Your Highness, it is my humble opinion that Prince Gaeryeong should be reinstated as your successor.
But Prince Gaeryeong is the son of a woman who conspired against this court.
The ministers will never agree.
Your Highness.
It is not the ministers but the people of the state that are important.
Public support for this court is disturbingly low in the north since the lady was exiled.
Lady Sungdeok had fought the enemy at the front in the flesh,
so there is still incredible amount of trust for her in the border states.
She must be brought back, if only for those people.
Please forgive her for her past mistakes and make the right move for the country.
But not all people of this state look upon her as a hero.
Some see her as an enemy, and they are my people, too.
Your Highness...
Go to Heunglaebu and meet with Lady Sungdeok.
[Heunglaebu: Modern day Ulsan]
Me personally?
Yes.
And get her to guarantee your safety and welfare and no opposition, in return for reinstating Prince Gaeryeong.
Do you really think she would keep that agreement?
I will make sure that she does at the risk of my life.
Your Highness, isn't that what your heart is telling you to do as well?
Isn't that why you called me here at this late hour of the night?
But the ministers will not let me go quietly if I tell them where I'm going.
The queen will be the first to oppose.
And Prince Gaeryeong's life could be threatened.
I know. So this meeting must take place secretly.
But how?
Heunglaebu where the lady is exiled is not far from Gyeongju.
The Shillan descent officials have always wanted you to pay their city of origin, Gyeongju, a visit.
You can grant them their wish and secretly stop at Heunglaebu while you're there.
Why are you up, my Lady?
I can't sleep.
And when I do, I'm tormented by visions of those that died.
Groundskeeper Yi, Attendant Yun, Sulwha...
Gang Shin, and General Yun that died in Khitan.
[Cheon Hyang Bi]
They all died because of me.
And they're crying out in pain.
My Lady...
And Foreman Kim... the Foreman Kim in my dreams is not human.
He's a beast from hell.
What is hurting him so much that he would appear in my dreams as a beast?
It's just a dream, my Lady.
Is he really dead?
If he were alive, he would have found me by now.
He would've let me know somehow that he is alive.
How could I ever sleep in this state of mind?
My dreams are shattered, my child is ill, and the man I love, he is...
Gyeongju, Your Highness?
You are still in poor health and Gyeongju is a long way to travel.
[Han Ingyeong]
Why do you suddenly wish to visit Gyeongju?
Gyeongju has become a city equally important as Seogyeong since the surrender of Shilla,
but I have been unduly remiss.
Hence I intend to pay Gyeongju a visit and comfort its people, so please abide.
Your grace is immeasurable, Your Highness!
Your Highness, I am thrilled beyond words at the thought of having you in my home city of Gyeongju.
Please give me the honor to assist you by accompanying you on this trip.
Thank you, but I will accept the thought only.
I need you and the ministers to take care of Gaegyeong in my absence.
So I've decided to have Lord Seo Hui accompany me on this trip.
But Lord Seo has little knowledge of Gyeongju.
Shouldn't you take someone who knows about the region?
I've asked Minister of Personnel Choi Hang to act as my guide, so you need not worry.
Doesn't it strike you as odd?
Why would he take a trip to Gyeongju out of the blue in his poor state of health?
And in the company of a man who has nothing to do with Gyeongju at that.
Yes, it is odd.
What's more, I found out that he had a long private meeting with Seo Hui last night.
I suspect he is going to Heunglaebu to meet with Lady Sungdeok.
But Lady Sungdeok tried to kill him.
Why would he want to see her?
No, I'm quite sure I'm right about this.
He is going on this trip to see Lady Sungdeok.
No, we can't let him meet with Lady Sungdeok!
We should indeed stop the king from seeking Lady Sungdeok again,
but that's a rather excessive response.
Is there something you're not telling me?
We can't resolve anything by keeping secrets.
So talk.
I had sent a group of assassins to eliminate Lady Sungdeok about a month ago, but they failed.
And?
A report had come up from Gyeongju about the attack, but I suppressed it.
If the king finds out about it and opens an investigation, there will be trouble.
Why would you do something so hasty?
I thought if Lady Sungdeok was out of the picture, Prince Gaeryeong could be reinstated...
Prince Gaeryeong...
Lord Seo Hui is here.
It's been a long time, Prince Gaeryeong.
Yes, it has.
What brings you here?
So I will be accompanying the king to see the lady.
Does this mean she's going to be released from exile?
Let us not get ahead of ourselves.
Just having the two of them meet is a huge progress.
May I come along?
They have not even allowed me to send her a letter because of her status.
I would really like to see her.
Be patient for a little while longer, Princess.
Prince Gaeryeong.
I heard you've been drinking in excess and neglecting your studies.
I guess you can say that.
Isn't that what's expected of an ousted prince anyway?
It's time to regroup.
You might have to resume your studies in politics.
Politics? Throw it to the dogs.
Prince Gaeryeong!
I took you for a dignitary without selfish interests, Vice Minister Seo.
But I guess I was wrong.
Prince Gaeryeong.
Prince Gaeryeong!
I'm sorry.
What happened that day at the ancestral shrine was traumatic for him.
He's been acting defiant ever since.
I don't blame him.
I'm an old man and I still become disturbed when I hear about the events of that day.
I can only imagine what it was like for a young child to go through that.
Drillmaster Gang.
Yes, Vice Minister.
Listen carefully.
If things go well on the king's trip to Heunglaebu,
Prince Gaeryeong will be reinstated as the heir to the throne.
But if the Shillan descent officials find out, it could become dangerous for the Prince.
Do you understand?
What do we have to do?
Take the Prince to Hwangju for a while where you will be along Lady Sungdeok's supporters.
It's too dangerous for him here.
Hey.
How long are we going to be stuck here in this village?
I'm going stir crazy.
Didn't I tell you to go back to Khitan?
[Sa Gamun]
Go back empty handed without having accomplished anything?
[Duyan]
How am I going to face the Prime Minister?
There's something strange about this village.
What do you mean?
The way your people act toward Foreman Kim, it's too polite.
He's the adopted son of the late tribal chief.
So he is in fact the head of the tribe now.
No, it's more than that.
I've dealt with Jurchen of Liaodong in the past, but you people are different.
You don't behave like the Jurchen.
What are you doing?
Didn't you say you like strong men?
Show me what you've got.
I like that idea.
Yes... finally, a worthy opponent.
Jiemei sent a report from the Royal Palace of Goryeo, Your Majesty.
What is her report?
She says that the Goryeoan King is heavily addicted to
[Yelu Pennu] [Yelu Dilie]
Princess Zanli's hanshiksan and will not live for very long.
Good, she's doing her job.
[Shengzhong (6th ruler of Khitan)]
How long does he have to live?
She doesn't expect him to make it through the year.
And his successor?
That's still unknown, but there will be another report soon.
How old is the Goryeoan King?
I believe he is not even forty years old yet.
And he won't make it through the year.
I hope the fate of Goryeo is just as short as his life.
In August of 997, the king visited Gyeongju.
According to the Condensed History of Goryeo, this was Seongjong's only trip to Gyeongju.
It is also recorded that he went to Heunglaebu in September of that year
where he held a banquet for the officials at Daehwa Pagoda, and caught a large fish at sea
and took ill upon his return.
His Highness has arrived.
Lady Sungdeok, please come out and receive the King!
Your Highness, what are you doing here?
Su.
Your Highness!
Your Highness.
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The King is bringing back Lady Sungdeok with him?
There is no time, My Queen.
We must eliminate Prince Gaeryeong now!
Eliminate him!
Lady Sungdeok is coming back!
This is a new beginning.
Prepare for battle.
Yes, Sir.
Did he bring a young child?
How did you know?
Where is he right now?
Thank you for being alive!
I am not going to be the King.
Silence!
I said I don't want this!
Shut your mouth!
Do you know what it took for me to get here?
If you don't want this, kill me.
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