She suffered from dizziness caused by a great shock.
- Brew her some medicine. - Yes, Your Majesty.
- My lady. - What is it?
Is the Queen Dowager all right?
I shall tell you when she recovers.
Wait until then.
I know...
you were very disappointed today.
Do not be upset.
I will ask the Queen Dowger...
to reinstate your father again.
Why?
Why do you always help me?
- To me, you are... - Am I the foe...
who killed your father?
It was not me.
Your father was not killed...
by my sword.
It cannot be true.
I saw it happen myself.
Did you see the face behind the mask?
I did not kill him.
I said something I should not have.
I will tell you the truth when the time is right.
Keep this a secret for now.
If it was not him,
then who on earth killed my father?
We questioned all the performers.
They said they are innocent,
that they did as they were told.
Who told them to perform that story?
They said...
a court lady from your chambers put them up to it.
One of my court ladies?
Do you think that makes any sense?
I looked and there was no such court lady.
I apologize, Your Highness.
What happened to the Crown Prince?
You told me you had him killed!
I got a report saying they threw him into a deep river.
I do not know how he survived.
I shall try again.
This time, I promise I will kill him.
Forget about it.
General Jae Heon cannot bring his men.
I am no longer fighting the Crown Prince.
Now I am up against Dae Mok.
How dare he put up such a performance...
to insult me in front of others.
Do you think...
Dae Mok was behind this?
Yes, of course it was Dae Mok.
Who else could do something this brazen?
I also think it was Dae Mok.
Pyunsoo Group was involved in...
the prince's poisoning years ago.
They have no reason to reveal that to others.
- Then who could have done this? - It was...
someone who knew what happened 20 years ago.
First, Pyunsoo Group, now the Queen Dowager.
We have enemies everywhere.
Who do we fight first, the Queen Dowager or Dae Mok?
You keep quiet.
So, what do you want to do now?
How do you feel, Your Highness?
Instead of spending time worrying about me,
you should have spent time doing as I told you!
Dae Mok will try to pick a new queen for us.
My granddaughter said that...
it is natural for a grown man to take a wife.
Some should take leave...
and let the youth take over the duties.
Is that not the rule of life?
He will manipulate the queen...
and turn me into a powerless woman sequestered in a corner.
Pardon?
Do what you can to prevent anyone from suggesting...
the queen selection.
I cannot do that on my own.
Is there anything you can do properly?
Your Highness, the Chief Peddler wishes to see you.
Shall I send him away saying you are still unwell?
No.
- Send him in. - Yes, Your Highness.
You are here.
Son of the lowly Lady Young Bin.
Have a seat.
I apologize for causing a scene yesterday.
No, Your Highness.
How are you feeling today?
I am well now.
What brings you here?
Dae Mok...
tried to kill me.
I was left to drown,
but by pure fortune alone, I was saved.
I could not stand the injustice...
and so I came here.
I cannot call myself a man...
unless I try to get my own back.
Your Highness, I will share what knowledge I have.
Please use it to fight Dae Mok.
Do you think...
you can guess what Dae Mok will do next?
He will want to select a queen next.
Someone to gain control of the palace women,
so your influence and power will be weakened.
What do you think we should do?
There is no way to prevent...
the King taking a bride.
His Majesty is already of age...
and the late king died over three years ago.
You have no legitimate reason to postpone his marriage.
- What are you proposing we do? - There is only one strategy.
In chess, you must strike first,
and in politics, you must take the lead.
The queen selection will be made publicly,
so it would be better for you to order it first...
and take the lead.
The authority to select the queen is yours.
Rather than try to stop it,
you should take the offense.
Chief Peddler.
You are correct.
We must select a queen anyway.
It would be better for me to act and choose one of my people.
We cannot let one of Dae Mok's people become the queen.
I shall help you.
Hearing that...
is making me feel at ease.
Then I will await your orders...
and will leave you now.
We will...
let the Crown Prince live for now.
Are you sure, Your Highness?
We must use him...
to fight Dae Mok first.
We will select a queen...
and change the leader of the Internal Court.
You shall all prepare accordingly.
My lady,
who will be our candidate for the selection?
Do you have a daughter?
Yes,
I do have a daughter.
Chief State Councillor, you have a daughter as well, do you not?
Yes, I do.
Master!
What is going on?
What is he...
- Master. - How dare you?
This is no place for you.
Please give me the pills.
How dare you?
You could not even find a child.
How dare you come here?
My apologies, master.
What wrong has he committed?
He was careless in guarding the poppy field,
and a child escaped. Therefore,
I did not give him the pills as a warning.
I am dying.
Please help me.
You must know...
how important managing the poppy field is.
Please help me.
You must learn your lesson.
Please give me the pills. Please...
If you are careless again while guarding the field,
I will not forgive you.
What is the ruckus?
- Master Dae Mok. - Master Dae Mok.
When do we distribute the pills?
The first and middle of the month. Twice a month.
What happens at other times?
Regardless of the circumstance,
regardless of the reason,
we cannot give out the pill.
What if it is the King?
Not even to the King.
What happens if the pill is given outside of those days?
Please have mercy, Master Dae Mok.
If I had come a minute later,
I would not have been able to spare your life.
Now, do you understand how you must manage...
the pills?
Yes, master.
I apologize for being unable to keep my promise to you.
I had planned...
to strike Dae Mok and clear your father's name.
Then...
what happens...
to my father's honor?
I understand you must be upset,
but will you continue to trust me and help me?
If you would, I will keep my promise to you.
I swear to it.
Yes, Your Highness.
You said...
the plant that the King received from Pyunsoo Group...
was an average plant, correct?
Yes, Your Highness.
I am sure there is something there.
Could you...
bring me that bamboo case...
that you saw?
Hello, my lady.
Did you wait long?
Not at all.
I did not get to thank you...
after all your help with General Jae Heon.
Thank you very much.
I am happy...
if I was of help to you.
Your Highness. You saved my family's lives.
I am the one grateful to you.
The truth is, the reason I asked to see you today...
is to ask you...
for yet another favor.
Go ahead.
Have you ever seen...
something like this?
What is this?
It is poison.
Did His Majesty ask for tea?
Yes, master.
This tea will help protect your body...
before summer comes.
Can you please stay with me...
until I finish drinking my tea?
Can you please stay with me...
until I finish...
drinking my tea?
Even the best physician in Joseon...
does not know this poison or how to heal someone from it.
I was frustrated, and thought...
someone who deals frequently with Japan...
may know what it is.
That is why I asked to see you.
I am not sure.
My apologies,
but I have not seen it before either.
Where did you obtain this?
It is a poison created by Pyunsoo Group.
Just a moment.
If you do not mind,
may I send it with my men going to Japan today...
to ask the merchants I deal with?
Thank you in advance, Lady Kim.
The bamboo case was definitely in the vase.
- I saw it happen myself. - Did you see the face...
behind the mask?
Lady Ga Eun.
May I talk to you for a minute?
I apologize.
I must be on my way.
I know you are on your way to see the Queen Dowager.
Here you go.
I do not have time.
They say you must stay calm when you are in a hurry.
In the palace,
you must be careful even when a cup of tea is offered.
Do you not agree?
As you do not have time, I will be direct.
Will you risk your life every time...
the Queen Dowager asks you to do something?
- How did you know? - In the palace,
there are many eyes and ears.
I am telling you for your own sake.
Do not make a move carelessly.
You may lose your life.
Who...
are you?
Who are you to say...
I am someone who is grateful to the Chief Peddler.
I believe we need him for the people in our country.
Therefore,
I am concerned about you whom he cares about.
Do not take my advice heedlessly.
Is it simply an ordinary bamboo container?
I apologize.
The Queen Dowager almost found out the existence of poppy pills.
She is a good lady.
She had no idea.
It is possible to kill someone...
without having an idea.
Your Majesty.
Oh, dear.
I fell asleep.
I apologize for waking you.
It is time for your meeting with the Chief Peddler.
Did you not take the pills?
I must take it.
Your Majesty.
The pills.
I cannot find it.
It was definitely here.
Did you leave it here?
I will get it again from Master Dae Mok.
Do you not know him?
Do you not know Pyunsoo Group's rule?
There is no way...
he will give it again.
Is His Majesty in trouble?
Follow me.
Sun.
Your Majesty.
What happened?
Were you...
poisoned?
Who poisoned you?
It was Dae Mok.
Dae Mok poisoned me with poppy pills.
The poppy pills?
Why did you come only now?
Why did you not stop me...
from taking your place?
Why did you leave me?
- Sun. - I have not been in peace.
What if Dae Mok does not give me the pills?
I was anxious thinking that I could die if he is late.
Did Dae Mok...
not give you the pills this time?
It is because of you.
I am at the risk of death once in 15 days.
People point at me for being a puppet king.
It is all because of you.
I am sorry.
I did not know that you were suffering so much.
You said you would come back soon.
Sun.
Sun, I will go...
and bring the pills.
Where...
would you find such a precious thing?
Will you go to Dae Mok's house?
Not only his house,
but I would go to the underworld to bring it.
Wait here.
If I die,
take this mask.
Take the throne again.
Sun.
That is the only way.
The poppy pill I gave to Lady Kim must be outside the Capital.
What happened to His Majesty all of a sudden?
I cannot tell you.
I will call the royal physician.
That will not help.
Ga Eun.
Lady Han.
Please stay by the King's side.
Why are you not at your positions guarding this place?
Say the watchword. Why are you hesitating?
Say the watchword right now!
Intruders! We have intruders!
Get them.
What is it?
Chief.
Lady... Lady Kim.
I will go and inform the Royal Infirmary. Excuse me.
They cannot help me,
so do not go anywhere and stay by my side.
There was...
a child who showed the same symptoms as you.
What happened to that child?
She died.
I suppose...
the same thing will happen to me too.
If I am going to die anyway,
I would like to say something...
I have always wanted to say.
I love you.
I am...
in love...
with you.
What are you...
doing here?
- I... - Are you in there, Hwa Gun?
- I am going in. - Please wait, Grandfather.