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.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
If it was not him,
then who on earth killed my father?
Episode 23 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.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
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.
(Episode 24)
Were you reading?
Yes.
What brings you here?
I heard there was an intruder,
so I was worried.
Are you safe?
I have Gon.
Gon.
Yes, master.
Protect the head of Pyunsoo Group well.
Yes, master.
I will let you rest.
How dare he sneak into my house?
The Chief Peddler, correct?
I must applaud his boldness.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
Why have you...
come here?
I need...
a pill desperately.
This is the one you gave me earlier.
I will explain everything later.
Please flee for now.
He will...
show you the way.
He is my person, so you can trust him.
You must hurry.
I am letting you live because my lady ordered it,
but if you do this again, I will not forgive you.
Your Majesty.
I cannot reciprocate your feelings for me.
Is there...
someone else you love?
Is he...
the Chief Peddler?
Why?
Why do you choose the Chief Peddler over the King?
Is not the King...
a more suitable mate for the child of a scholarly family?
He and I...
have the same dream.
That is sufficient for me.
The same dream.
That is all?
That is all it took?
I also...
had a dream.
It means "different" and "life".
"Lee Sun", which means you will live differently.
I wanted...
to live differently.
I wanted to break free from the yoke...
placed on me since birth.
Had I the courage,
I would have told that dream to someone else.
Had I done that,
many things may have changed.
If I had known that I would die like this,
I should have confessed a little earlier than now.
Your Highness.
Did you...
save me just now?
Can you recognize me, Your Majesty?
Hyun Seok, is it you?
Yes, Your Majesty.
It is about the pill that you gave His Majesty earlier.
Is it...
related to this by any chance?
It is the bamboo case...
Pyunsoo Group sends to the King once every 15 days.
This...
bamboo case is...
It is the same as the one my father had before.
If Father was addicted to...
the poppy pill as well...
That means Pyunsoo Group is manipulating...
the Royal Family by addicting the kings.
Master, please tell me.
This bamboo case and the pills... Are they related to each other?
What is the matter?
There was nothing in the case.
I swear that there was nothing in the case.
Then...
was it you who stole this case?
There must have been a pill inside of it.
But when you opened it, it was empty.
I... I almost made him die.
Ga Eun, it is very dangerous in the palace.
Someone must have put you in this trap.
Why...
Why did you become a court lady?
She promised...
She promised me that she would clear my father's name.
I became a court lady...
to clear my father's name and bring Pyunsoo Group down.
Who promised you?
What are you doing here?
Have you already forgotten that you almost...
got punished severely last time?
The real one saves the fake.
The fake keeps avoiding his death.
Were you planning to watch him die?
Why would I put myself into a hassle?
They will make someone a fake king again anyway.
You sneaked into Dae Mok's house?
Are you out of your mind?
His life was on the line. What should I have done?
You say like you will never die.
Sit down first.
I have something to discuss with you.
Both Sun and Yang...
They were all addicted to the poppy pill...
which Pyunsoo Group created.
This is a secret place where they make those pills.
Yang must have escaped from this place.
Do you remember what she said?
She said dozens of children make hundreds of poppy pills.
For what do you think...
Pyunsoo Group will use those pills?
- No way. - Yes.
It is not only Sun.
The officials are manipulated by Dae Mok...
because of these pills.
To save the children...
and stop Dae Mok from controlling the country,
we must find this place.
All the peddlers have joined to search for the place.
They will contact us soon.
All right.
And I think we need an antidote for the poppy pills.
That way, we can save those addicted people including Sun.
An antidote for the poppy pills.
We need it for certain.
It will take some time.
- Please hurry. - It will...
take quite some time.
Listen, all the officials.
I came to let you know since there is an urgent issue...
which the Internal Court has to decide on.
As the head of the Internal Court,
I ban all marriages around the country from today on.
Begin the selection process of a new queen immediately.
(The King's wife will be decided from this process.)
Minister of Personnel will be...
in full charge of the selection process.
- We shall proceed, Your Highness. - We shall proceed, Your Highness.
Like you advised,
I put the Minister of Personnel in charge.
I am glad.
Since he is one of us, he will be of huge help.
However,
three people from Pyunsoo Group will be involved as supervisors.
We need to give them the flesh in order for us to obtain the bone.
Your Highness, this is just the beginning.
What will you do?
It will soon be hard for you to come in and out of the palace...
without any position.
I plan to grant you a position.
Let me be a guard in the selection process then.
A guard?
Will you be okay with such a minor position?
It is better for me to not draw people's attention.
That will be enough.
Okay.
It is omija tea.
I committed a mortal sin to Your Majesty last time.
You are not at fault.
I will continue to drink it all...
if it is served by you.
Your Majesty.
The Queen Dowager wants to see Lady Han.
All right.
You may leave now.
- Hello, Master Dae Mok. - Hello, Master Dae Mok.
Ja Young's father is the Chief State Councillor.
Eun Soo's father is the Second State Councillor.
One of you...
will be adopted into my family.
Whom do you prefer?
They both seem pretty and smart.
They are great queen material.
The Queen Dowager's pick cannot become queen.
Pass the selection process.
One of you will become queen.
The other will become a concubine of the highest order.
- Yes, master. - Yes, master.
What did you just say?
Yeon Joo refuses to enter the selection process?
You know how timid my daughter is.
She says she does not have the courage to take part.
She stays in her room crying.
There is more than your title as the King's father-in-law at risk.
If she will not obey,
you must beat her and force her to.
I apologize, Your Highness.
She is my only child...
and she was sickly growing up.
I believe I spoiled her.
You will take Lady Han away?
The queen selection process begins soon.
I plan to...
enter her as one of the candidates.
Why are you so surprised?
Were you not the one who asked me to have her brought to the palace...
as soon as possible?
I am doing what I can to ensure that...
you will do as I wish.
What is it that you wish I do?
I want you to...
side with me...
when it comes to choosing your bride.
Think very carefully.
Whether she becomes a concubine...
or ends up being kicked out of the palace,
it is all up to you, Your Majesty.
But then, who knows?
We may have shown mercy before,
but direct descendants of a traitor...
are usually turned into slaves.
If someone complains,
she might go back to being a slave.
Is there another candidate...
in the Queen Dowager's family other than...
the Third State Councillor's daughter?
Not as far as I know.
Yeon Joo, you must do well.
Father.
I am afraid.
If I become queen,
Pyunsoo Group will harm me.
The Queen Dowager said she will protect you.
Focus on making it through the selection process.
Yes, Father.
Take good care of my daughter.
Yes, my lord.
It is correct.
The Chief and Second State Councillors' daughters.
Please enter.
Pyunsoo Group plans to...
make one of them the queen...
and one of them a concubine.
They will do all they can...
to ensure that they both make it to the third test.
That would be so.
She is the Third State Councillor's daughter.
She is the one...
we must help make queen.
"Choi Soo Yeon"?
Please enter.
Ga Eun... She...
But why?
You are the last candidate.
They are all poisoned. We must alert...
Drink it.
What?
If you are the only one awake,
they will name you the culprit.
You must make a choice.
Will you drink?
Or will you become the culprit?
There is trouble. Someone poisoned the tea.
Ga Eun. Ga Eun.
Ga Eun.
Ga Eun. Ga Eun. Wake up.
Ga Eun. Ga Eun!
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
(The Emperor)
Save her.
You are her guard. Why did you not protect her?
There is nothing you can do.
I found out who poisoned the tea.
No matter where in Joseon he hides, he cannot survive.
Help me take Ga Eun out of the palace.
Let us make a deal.
You are quite greedy.
You are arrested for poisoning the Queen Dowager.