That seat is a very lonely one.
All your subjects...
will give different opinions.
Whom must you listen to?
What is right?
There will come a time when you will not know.
When that time comes,
what must I do?
Only listen to...
what your heart says.
No one...
can make the decision for you.
No one can take responsibility for you.
That is the role of a king.
Your Highness.
Your Highness, you must not let this opportunity slide.
I...
want to...
attack Pyunsoo Group.
I will avenge my father and mother.
I will avenge Chung Woon's father.
I also want to avenge Lady Ga Eun's father.
I want to attack Dae Mok and Pyunsoo Group right now.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
Episode 21 Did General Jae Heon really say he would rally his men?
Yes, he did.
The time is here at last.
We could take out Pyunsoo Group in one go.
I cannot believe this is happening.
Even Dae Mok...
does not stand a chance against General Jae Heon's men.
You now have 40,000 soldiers at your disposal.
Who would dare stand against you?
Congratulations, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
However,
I cannot...
do so.
We do not know the entirety of Pyunsoo Group.
Even with the soldiers from the border,
I cannot guarantee that we can annihilate...
Pyunsoo Group for good.
I could retrieve the crown and throne,
but...
thousands of civilians will lose their lives...
or get hurt.
- Your Highness. - Also,
if there is unrest in our government,
the Jurchens...
will not stand idly by.
A king who causes unrest...
and an invasion of foreign forces?
I cannot...
become such a king.
Your men at the border...
will stay where they are.
Your Highness.
Please reconsider what you say.
If your father were alive,
he would have said you should summon the army...
and attack Pyunsoo Group.
"Do not show fear in front of the people."
"Cover weakness with strength..."
"and fear with cruelty."
"That is what a king does."
That is what my late father said.
But my Joseon...
will be different.
I cannot reclaim the throne...
at the expense of my people.
I will be...
a king that cares for everyone.
My people are whom I care about.
How could I reclaim the throne by shedding their blood?
Your Highness...
If you really...
consider me your rightful king,
then trust me and return to the border.
Do not protect me...
but my people.
The people of Joseon.
I am...
Army Commander Jae Heon.
I shall do as you command, Your Highness.
What did you say?
You will not summon your men?
General.
Do you fear Pyunsoo Group,
or has your loyalty since shrunk?
- Your Highness. - I gave my permission,
and yet you will not summon your troops?
Other than mine,
who else's order could you possibly care for?
The Crown Prince's.
What...
did you just say?
The Crown Prince?
Are you...
telling me that...
the real Crown Prince is alive?
Yes, Your Highness.
How did you not tell me this earlier?
I could not tell you until...
I had confirmed it myself.
If...
he were not the real Crown Prince,
I would have done your bidding...
and summoned my troops to avenge the late king and the Crown Prince.
The real...
Crown Prince is alive?
My son...
managed to stay alive all these years?
Is he healthy and well?
Is he suffering from any illness,
or has he been hurt?
Rest assured, Your Highness.
You were already in contact with the real...
Crown Prince yourself.
The Chief Peddler who has been helping you...
is the true Crown Prince.
How does he look so much like the late King...
when he was young?
- My dear brother. - Your Highness.
Listen carefully to what your sister...
is about to say.
If this goes awry, you and I...
and our entire family will be destroyed.
Do you understand?
If you go to Heopgyeongdang,
the Queen Dowager's guest will be waiting.
Bring him these snacks.
Yes, my lady.
Ga Eun.
I will not ask anything.
Can you please stay with me...
until I finish drinking my tea?
I see...
you still enjoy harassing a lady of the palace.
Next time, I will call for help.
I cannot bear to drink...
the last sip.
Chun Soo.
Your Highness. The Third State Councilor is here to see you.
Show him in.
How did it go?
We took care of it as you instructed.
Good job.
Ga Eun. Wake up.
Ga Eun!
Ga Eun.
Chun Soo.
Ga Eun. Are you okay?
I am so glad that you are safe.
Ga Eun,
did you save me?
You almost died while saving me.
Why did you jump into the water?
Why did you do something so dangerous?
I was afraid.
I was afraid that I would...
never see you again.
I was afraid I would lose the person more precious...
than my life.
You could not find Ga Eun? What do you mean?
I believe she went outside the palace.
It will be 10 o'clock soon.
She should be back by now.
All the gates will close at 10.
I am okay.
Please put me down.
You saved my life. This is the least I can do.
I am very sorry...
for acting cold and for hurting your feelings...
until now.
To be honest...
It is okay. I understand you.
Let us discuss later.
Are you not cold?
No, I feel warm.
If possible,
I wish time would stop right now.
I feel the same.
I will be going in.
Do you...
have to return?
Ga Eun.
Whatever you plan to do in the palace,
do not do anything that is dangerous.
If anything were to happen to you...
Always take care of yourself.
If you are in danger,
I do not think I can live.
Pyunsoo Group is watching you even inside the palace.
You must be careful.
- Pyunsoo Group? - I saw them.
The men were in uniforms.
I was summoned...
by the Queen Dowager to enter the court.
There must be men from Pyunsoo Group inside the court.
I will find out.
- Ga Eun. - Who is there?
- Where is Ga Eun? - She is not back yet.
It is 10 o'clock, but she is not back yet?
She must be in trouble.
I must look for her myself.
Your Majesty, I understand your concern.
However, that is too dangerous.
Shall I keep on waiting?
Your Majesty.
A man who was patrolling the capital...
has something to report to you.
What has happened?
A patrol spotted a court lady with a strange man.
He arrested and brought them here.
Your Majesty.
How shall we punish them?
If the court lady had an intimate relationship with the man,
both of them...
must be beheaded according to the court law.
Your Majesty, please let me explain.
Lady Han is innocent.
- Lady Han... - Your Majesty.
I stumbled and fell in the stream.
All he did was save me.
Please punish me only.
This man is innocent.
That is not true, Your Majesty.
Whatever the reason may be, I was wrong to approach a court lady.
Please punish me and let the innocent lady go.
There was...
a misunderstanding.
This man is my servant.
As the court lady did not return,
I sent him out of my concern for her.
I am glad...
that you are safe.
- Chief Eunuch. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Take Lady Han and keep her warm.
Check to see if she has been hurt.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Follow me.
Listen.
Yes, Your Majesty.
You saved the court lady whom I cherish the most.
What you did was important.
I will...
grant you a reward.
- Come here. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Reward this man...
with 20 yang.
Yes, Your Majesty.
You must thank Your Majesty for his grace.
Thank you...
for your grace.
Your Majesty.
However,
remember that if a court lady is found...
with a man not from the palace, they will both be punished.
Yes.
I will remember that.
You shall never talk about...
what you have witnessed here tonight.
If any rumor spreads,
you will be severely punished.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Sun.
Have you fallen in love...
with Ga Eun?
I was worried because you were late.
What happened?
Is Lady Han okay?
Yes, Your Majesty.
She is staying in a warm place.
That man was not the Chief Peddler. He was a palace patrol.
Do you understand?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Who is this Chief Peddler? Why do you treat him differently?
Sun.
You are the first friend I ever had.
You are my friend who has the same name as me.
You gave up your revenge...
and chose to trust and follow me.
He is my friend.
I was a boy of low birth,
and he was a nobleman and the first friend I made.
He was your friend.
- Hyun Seok. - Yes, Your Majesty.
The only thing I want is Lady Ga Eun.
It is not the power or the throne that I seek.
However,
if I have to sit on the throne...
to make her mine,
what do you think I should do?
I am very sorry,
but I do not know what you are worried about.
Lady Ga Eun is already your woman.
Every court lady belongs to the king.
I know that.
She is a court lady, and a court lady...
is the king's woman.
If the Crown Prince...
returns to his place,
Lady Ga Eun will belong to him.
Your Highness.
General Jae Heon wishes to see you.
Let him in.
I heard the Queen Dowager wants to see me in a hurry.
Is something wrong?
She is very upset that...
she lost a talented man because of Dae Mok.
There is a chief peddler named Park Chun Soo.
He was a man she held dear, but he died.
What do you mean he died?
Is that true?
It is.
- Third State Councilor. - Yes, Your Highness.
I want to speak to General Jae Heon privately.
Excuse us, please.
Yes, Your Highness.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
Third State Councilor...
does not know...
why I am so upset about it.
I could not...
bring myself to tell him why.
Dae Mok...
does not know that the Chief Peddler is the Crown Prince.
Why did he kill the Crown Prince?
The Crown Prince...
disguised himself as the Chief Peddler...
and stopped Dae Mok from obtaining the authority to produce currency.
That is why he became Dae Mok's target.
I feel so terrible...
for my poor Crown Prince.
Even the Crown Prince lost his life because of Dae Mok.
I cannot stand this any longer.
I will bring my army from the border.
I will...
cut off the head of Dae Mok...
and the fake king on the throne.
I do all the work.
You always make me do everything...
You said you would give your all.
Shall I cut you off now?
Minister, I shall go through these documents myself.
Do not worry, and rest.
Minister. Are you in?
Minister.
What is it?
Is it true that the Crown Prince has passed away?
What do you mean, he passed away?
Did you have a nightmare? What are you talking about?
Take a look at this.
It is a letter from General Jae Heon.
It says the Crown Prince was killed by Pyunsoo Group.
He says he is leaving right away to bring in the troops.
Did the Crown Prince really pass away?
What is going on?
Come here. Do not be alarmed, and read what this letter says.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
General Jae Heon is bringing in the troops?
That is right. The Crown Prince has passed away, so...
Who are you?
We must stop him at once!
- Why you... - Your Highness!
I thought you had passed away!
You are safe.
You are alive.
- The troops. The troops. - I was so scared.
- Your Highness. - Wait.
- We need to stop him. - Let go!
(Episode 22)
I cannot let those traitors be any longer.
I shall invite Dae Mok and and minions...
to the Queen Dowager's birthday celebration...
and kill all of those traitors right then and there.
I will set right what has been wrong with this nation.
He will bring in the troops in time...
for the Queen Dowager's birthday celebration.
Shall I go after him?
I should be able to catch up to him.
Your Highness. In my opinion,
Jae Heon is like an arrow that has been shot.
Nothing will stop him from rallying the troops.
Even if he finds out that I am alive?
He is loyal and passionate.
But you did almost lose your life.
He will believe...
that he must bring in his soldiers...
and protect you at all cost.
Does that mean...
we cannot avoid a war?
That means...
we have only one choice.
We must make it so that he cannot mobilize the soldiers...
from the border.
Are you saying Pyunsoo Group...
tried to kill you again?
Luckily, someone saved my life at the risk of their own,
so I am alive.
I am so grateful to that person.
I came because I needed to talk to you about something urgent.
General Jae Heon, the army commander,
is trying to mobilize the army from the border.
He plans to bring them to the palace...
to kill everyone in Pyunsoo Group.
I plan to prevent him. Will you help me?
Will you?
May I...
ask you something?
Yes.
Pyunsoo Group is your enemy whom you wish to eliminate.
Why are you trying to stop General Jae Heon...
from eliminating them?
Because we cannot...
sacrifice innocent lives.
Because we cannot let barbarians attack this country.
How can I help you?
What is it?
Why did you try to kill the Chief Peddler again?
You promised not to.
So why did you try to kill him again?
That Chief Peddler.
He seems to have many enemies other than me.
Was it not you?
Master Dae Mok.
We need to open a meeting immediately for something urgent.
General Jae Heon...
is planning to move the soldiers from the border.
How did you find that out?
A lot of swordsmen in Pyunsoo Group tailed him,
but since he went through all kinds of battles,
he did not leave any trace or evidence.
So how are you so sure of his plan?
I came to know of it through the merchants group.
You got the information from the merchants?
It was strange that the northern merchants and Jurchens...
made more transactions recently, so I looked into it.
It turned out General Jae Heon made a peace treaty with the Jurchens.
Why do you think he hid that fact?
And...
he visited the Queen Dowager and talked with her in private.
Everything...
points to his plan to move the soldiers in secret.
Master Dae Mok.
I think her deduction is correct.
I agree with him.
General Jae Heon is trying to mobilize his army.
Do not worry.
I have come up with a countermeasure already.
I will move the northern merchants...
and stop their food trades with the Jurchens.
Then the Jurchens will feel threatened and cause trouble.
He will have to give up on moving his army to the capital...
and stop them first.
That sounds like a good idea.
You have performed a great feat.
Head of the Bureau.
Yes, master.
Head to the border.
If her plan does not work out,
take any means...
to get me General Jae Heon's head.
Yes, master.
The Queen Dowager must be expecting...
to see General Jae Heon on her birthday then.
He will not come.
I already made a move to stop him.
I cannot let my people die in a war within the country.
I am worried about Ga Eun. Will you let me see her?
She does not know that I am the Crown Prince.
She thinks I am the Chief Peddler, Chun Soo.
So keep it from her for the time being.
I ask of you.
Chief Eunuch, are you outside?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Bring Lady Han in here.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Did you want to see me, Your Majesty?
Did you receive the medicine I sent through the physician?
Yes, Your Majesty.
How are you feeling?
I am all right.
Do not...
become ill.
Do not forget that you work for the King...
and always take care of your health.
Yes, Your Majesty.
You may leave now.
We cannot continue our conversation this way,
so let us go to the greenhouse.
Did you forget that she is a court lady?
You know how serious the crime is to see a court lady like her...
when you are the Chief Peddler.
She almost drowned while trying to save me.
I was worried about her.
I was careless.
Please take good care of her.
Why do you ask me to take good care of her?
I have known her longer than you have.
I was so lowly that I did not even have a name,
and she is the one who gave me my name.
We grew up together since we were young, we learned medicine together,
- and for a long time, I... - Do you love her?
Do you...
love her too?
She despises me with the mask on.
Do you know why?
Because she thinks I am you.
She despises me because she believes I killed her father.
That means...
she despises you.
Why do you not reveal who you are?
Until when are you going to deceive her with the name, Chun Soo?
I...
The throne belongs to you.
When the time comes,
I shall return it to you.
But remember this.
Ga Eun...
does not belong to you.
Why is General Jae Heon showing his claws all of a sudden?
He has always hated Pyunsoo Group, has he not?
He is like a well-trained hawk.
He would not go hunting without his owner's orders.
Who would be his owner?
Of course, it would be the Queen Dowager.
It must be her order to mobilize the army.
I have an idea to bring her down. Do you wish to hear it?
Dae Mok tried to kill the Crown Prince again.
He was almost drowned, but he survived from the incident.
It was not by Dae Mok.
The Queen Dowager was behind it.
Why would she want to kill...
She must have thought...
she could have full control over General Jae Heon's army...
only if the Crown Prince was dead.
She crossed the line this time.
I should give her a warning.
Prepare a gift for her birthday.
The Crown Prince...
should be on site when she receives the gift.
Happy birthday, Your Highness.
Please come sit on your seat.
I guess...
you and I had the wrong time...
for the celebration.
We did not.
Your Highness.
Naturally, I arranged this myself.
Oh, dear.
If you had something to say in private,
you could have come to see me.
Why did you go through so much trouble?
It is your birthday.
I had to show my respect.
I wanted to wish you a happy birthday in private,
so I set this up.
To celebrate your birthday,
I brought a special dish.
It is a piece of paper.
Oh dear.
The Jurchens are causing trouble at the border.
That is terrible.
You must be upset that General Jae Heon will not come.
What are you talking about?
He only just left the capital.
Would he return so soon?
I considered making it so that he would never return.
But it is not bad to have a hawk monitor the northern borders.
So I let him live.
The second gift.
This is also for you.
What do you mean by this?
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?
The final dish.
The third...
piece of paper.
A tiger's blood.
Please...
remember the past,
Your Highness.
I wish you a happy birthday, Your Highness.
- We wish you a happy birthday. - We wish you a happy birthday.
I heard you dislike the heat.
I had them serve watermelon from Gochang.
(Watermelons had various names.)
Thank you, Your Majesty.
Someone said he would like to present you with...
a special gift to mark your birthday.
Happy birthday, Your Highness.
I heard you value his talents,
so I allowed him to attend the banquet.
If you are upset...
No, Your Majesty.
Thank you for being so considerate.
Chief Peddler.
I have not seen you in a while.
Why have you not visited me recently?
I apologize.
I am of low birth and cannot visit you at will.
I was waiting for you to summon me.
Right.
You cannot come freely unless I were to summon you.
I shall talk to my ladies in waiting.
From now on, you can come and see me whenever you please.
Thank you, Your Highness.
Are you all ready?
Some very important people are attending the banquet.
Do not make any mistakes.
- Yes, my lady. - Yes, my lady.
Ga Eun.
The truth is,
the foolish Crown Prince who caused your father to die...
is me.
Stay by my side.
If I may,
I shall now tell you a story about what happened...
in the Chinese palace.
The Emperor had no heir,
and the whole kingdom was concerned.
Just then,
a concubine happened to produce a son.
"You have brought happiness to the Royal Family."
"How shall I reward you?"
"Yes, I shall give you a new name."
"You are now Lady Hee."
"As of today, your name means 'happiness'."
"If you write the boy's name on his body in tiger's blood,"
"he will grow to be strong and healthy."
"Thank you, Your Highness."
Section Chief of War.
Yes, master.
Give the prince this special gift.
"Lady Hee."
"I cannot stand that the King loves you more than me."
"I cannot believe that your son..."
"will become his heir."
"Do you think I will forgive you?"
"I shall mix poison into the tiger blood that will..."
"be used at the ceremony."
"1 drop, 2 drops, 3 drops."
"The prince will now die."
This is a true story.
Shortly after you were born,
you were actually...
poisoned.
How could...
Are you aware that...
you almost lost your life shortly after you were born?
Yes.
I heard I must wear a mask because of an illness I contracted.
It was not an illness.
It was poison.
Then...
if that is true...
The person who tried to kill me...
shortly after I was born...
"Your Highness."
"Please remember what you did in the past."
Please remember the past,
Your Highness.
"If the Crown Prince finds out..."
"you tried to kill him with poison,"
"I guarantee you that..."
"he will not let you live."
Your Highness!
Your Highness.
Stop the show and light the torches!
Your Highness.
Subtitle ripped and resynced by redixion
(The Emperor)
You are here. Son of the lowly Lady Young Bin.
We will make sure to kill the Crown Prince this time.
Will you risk your life...
every time the Queen Dowager asks you to do something?
Why do you always help me?
If I am going to die anyway,
may I say something first before I go?
I love you.