"The Kings Case Note"
Perfect.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
Please kill me.
Your Majesty.
Going to the palace.
Excuse me.
Why are you blocking the door?
Greetings to both of you.
I'm assigned to the archives building as of today.
Royal historian, Yun Yi Seo.
Ah, the new guy.
Yes.
From now on, you must not neglect your duties.
I shall devote my life to the service of His Majesty.
Listen here,
should the official scribe say that?
What?
You must thoroughly record everything the King does.
It's a significant responsibility.
Are you going to abandon fairness and objectivity?
Do you feel this is the proper way to monitor the king?
Listen you two,
don't scare him on his first day.
Welcome. Welcome.
You're knowledgeable, from a good family.
You're healthy.
Handsome.
It is most important for the official scribe to look good.
What you just said, was it sincere?
I only forgot the responsibility of the historian for a moment.
I'm very satisfied.
Let's go.
Yes.
Where?
Your Majesty.
The new royal historian, Yun Yi Seo, is here to greet you.
Damn it.
Your Majesty! Your subject...
That's enough.
Come closer.
Hand.
What?
Hand.
You have chubby hands.
Other side.
It seems you're not a typical scholar.
Close your eyes.
What?
Eyes!
I've heard that you have an amazing talent.
That if you see something once, you never forget it.
Your grace is limitless...
Enough. Enough. Enough.
Who taught you to sound like an annoying old man?
Did you teach him that?
No.
He did that on his own.
Eyes!
Did you see the flying dragons on the ceiling?
What?
Yes, I saw them.
How many wishing beads?
What?
I asked how many wishing beads?
Two... There are two.
Then how many toes do the dragons have all together?
What?
Toes!
Do you always make people ask you twice on purpose?
No.
Toes.
Five on each foot.
A total of four legs, so 20...
A total of 40.
Fine.
Then...
How many spikes are on the dragon's tail?
I'm not sure where the dragon's tail starts.
In any case, when compared to the other dragon's tail...
there are a total of 8.
What is his name?
Yun Yi Seo.
Obo. We'll call him "Five Steps." Obo.
Yes, Your Majesty.
That was good work.
Obo.
What?
Your Majesty.
Pass along any information regarding the King to me.
You must have heard, right?
How our King is arrogant and incompetent.
Most of the people in the palace stand on our side.
It's not difficult.
Just pass along whatever you see or hear.
Give me your answer at the count of three.
One.
Two.
Who do you think you're threatening, you bastard?
As the official scribe, did you expect me to kiss your ass?
What you're asking is completely ridiculous!
Son of a bitch.
You're more foul-mouthed than I expected.
Your Majesty.
Do you know what is most basic for the official scribe?
Five steps. (Obo)
From now on, don't be more than 5 steps away from me.
Yes, Your Majesty.
"Tao Guang." [hide brightness - keep a low profile]
These scarecrows have appeared outside the 4 main gates.
That scarecrow is exactly like the King.
But, what does that sign hanging on his chest say?
Move aside! Move aside!
Get rid of this!
Quickly!
Take it over.
Move back!
Take me...
Take me to His Majesty...
Hey, are you all right?
Take me...
Take me to His Majesty...
He was from the Tao Guang faction in Hamgil Province.
When was he found?
Today at about 4 p.m.
Cause of death?
It looks like he burned to death,
but we must do an autopsy to confirm.
Do the autopsy immediately.
I'm sorry.
It's white phosphorus.
The ignition point of white phosphorus is low.
It will ignite on contact with just a spark.
To those who don't know, it looks like spontaneous combustion.
White phosphorus also has the effect of paralysis.
So he could do nothing when his head caught on fire.
Clearly, someone near him sparked the fire.
But,
he obviously could have been killed earlier.
Why go to so much trouble?
He had to be killed in a public place.
The third page.
Read the report of the scene.
Yes, Your Majesty.
According to the record, the incident occurred on the 5th.
There were hundreds of people on the street.
On the 5th. More than a hundred...
Where in the marketplace?
It says near the tavern.
To the right of that is a vegetable shop.
Across from it...
There is a space.
It's set aside for a cloth merchant.
Who was there today?
Today there was a scarecrow.
Scarecrow?
People gathered to see what was written on the scarecrow.
What was written?
Your Majesty, this...
It's really difficult to say.
I guess I have to ask you twice.
What was written?
"Hellfire will burn many heads."
"Strange fish will burn for 9 days in the Han River."
"The King's power will burn the foundation of the country."
"As the light fades, joy fills us."
"Paradise is at hand."
Your Majesty, it was my honor.
"As the light fades, joy fills us." What does that mean?
It's a meaningless rumor.
My name means "Light of the Sun."
My nephew's name means "Joy."
In other words, Prince Ja Seong is after my throne.
This... is no meaningless rumor.
Come with me, Obo.
Yes.
What is this?
According to the investigation you requested,
in about the last 2 weeks,
the scarecrows have appeared in all 8 provinces of Joseon.
In addition, the same writing was on the scarecrows.
Any other details?
There is this detail.
The scarecrow to the north
was exactly in the center of Hamgil Province.
I'm not sure who set up such an elaborate plan.
Hamgil Province.
Go get the Hamgil Province Vice Envoy, Nam Gyeon Hui.
Your Majesty, if I may say, a quiet investigation would be better.
Two members of Tao Guang have already been killed.
Should I just sit here and accept my fate?
Hyeongnim. [eldest brother]
No.
There will be no more bloodshed in the palace.
Father caused these events.
I will follow behind all my brothers.
Hyeongnim.
Hyeongnim!
You don't have to worry about me anymore.
Hyeongnim.
Please get up.
But, my Ja Seong...
Prince Ja Seong, please...
Hyeongnim! Hyeongnim! Hyeongnim!
Hyeongnim,
there will be no more bloodshed in the palace.
I will make sure of it.
When the four of us get together, we really have a good time!
Isn't that right, Brother-In-Law?
But,
it seems you have something on your mind.
Did something happen that I don't know about?
Excellency,
the king is looking for me.
Why is he looking for you?
Recently, someone was sent to Hamgil Province.
To Hamgil Province?
Then, what about our iron ore?
It's closed for now.
This is the first time I've met a king so uncontrollable.
I truly wonder who is running this country.
Excellency.
It is time to pull out our swords.
Is rebellion necessary?
If not, then what?
The king has investigated our iron ore before.
We must strike first.
If the iron ore is taken away,
where will our money come from?
What do you say?
For someone with lofty ideals,
the throne...
is only a burden.
Those not sitting on the throne
can also run this country.
The strange rumor that was floating around recently...
did you have anything to do with it?
Things will unfold slowly.
I have made the first move.
Fine.
Did you hear?
Your Majesty, the Hamgil Province Vice Envoy, Nam Gyeon Hui requests to be seen.
Oh, my brother.
Come closer.
How does it feel to visit the palace after so long?
My brother,
I trust you've been doing well.
You are very gracious, Your Majesty.
Please don't call me your brother.
Indeed.
You're still so humble.
You're too kind, Your Majesty.
Brother, have you heard anything about me?
I haven't heard anything.
Maybe that I'm the best swordsman in Joseon or something?
That's right. You always keep your mouth shut tightly.
Well anyway...
what's going on in Hamgil Province lately?
There are much less invasions by northern barbarians.
As expected, you've done well.
I am honored, Your Majesty, but I still have a lot of work to do.
That's why I'm going to ask a favor of you.
As you know, the atmosphere in the capital isn't good lately.
As of today, I am appointing you as the Minister of War.
You can protect me later on.
- Your Majesty... - What?
Is there a problem?
Your grace is limitless, Your Majesty.
You have my complete loyalty.
You're indeed a sly old fox.
If you don't think I'm the best swordsman in Joseon, I'd like to see who is.
Oh well.
It's too bad, but I guess you're my opponent.
Follow me closely.
Here.
Get in position.
How can I dare point a sword at Your Majesty?
This isn't a real sword. It's only a wooden sword.
I can't obey that order, Your Majesty.
Please withdraw your order.
You really can't follow my order?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Really?
Even a royal command?
Please withdraw your royal command!
I said it's a royal command.
Get in position quickly.
I don't dare.
Position.
I don't dare.
You said it's a royal command?
Yes, a royal command.
In that case,
since it is majestic as autumn frost,
I will obey your royal command.
We'll see how long you can last.
Okay!
Get in position.
That's not bad.
Chief Scholar.
Royal Scribe Yun, what are you doing here?
Thank you so much for all you've done.
I have so many faults.
You have encouraged me and taken care of me.
I will truly never forget your kindness.
This royal scribe... No.
This Tao Guang duty.
I didn't know how much it involved. I really had no idea.
I... am not qualified.
Actually, before I entered the palace,
my father...
He's very ill, isn't he?
When I saw him yesterday, he was feeling very well.
But this is...
Just what is this Tao Guang?
Why do I have to do secret work?
It sounds like something dangerous.
That's the job of a royal scribe. What can I do?
Your day job is Royal Scribe. At night, it's Tao Guang.
Tao Guang is a secret organization of the King.
Why was I chosen?
Why are you asking me?
His Majesty made that decision.
It was His Majesty's decision?
Of course!
I was totally against it.
My goodness.
This fog is really thick.
You've gone fishing more than a day or two.
Is this the first time you've seen fog?
Didn't you hear the rumors from the marketplace?
They say there's a ghost fish!
Stop it.
Don't waste your breath.
Just keep your mouth shut.
Seriously.
Aigoo, seriously...
Keep pulling in the net. What are you doing?
Th... Th... There!
His Majesty has arrived!
Your Majesty.
Today we wish to discuss the policy of appeasing the people.
Rumors are spreading like wildfire among the peasants.
Your Majesty must be aware of this.
Spreading baseless rumors is prohibited by state law.
There is a severe penalty for those who disobey.
Don't you know this, Minister?
However,
as you know, the appearance of the ghost fish is a sign from heaven.
Your Majesty,
the rumors involving Prince Ja Seong cannot be ignored.
Did you say Prince Ja Seong?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Prince Ja Seong is the eldest son of your brother, Crown Prince Ui Gyeong.
It pains me to mention this,
but if you're not vigilant, other descendants may expand their power.
Prince Ja Seong has the strongest birthright.
Therefore,
you must take appropriate countermeasures.
Hey, Obo.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Do you want to see the bloodlines that affect Joseon?
This is a marriage diagram of families above 2nd grade.
Doesn't it look like a cobweb?
They all help the King hold onto power.
For decades, they have been growing in strength.
Through intermarriage, they've become family to each other.
There are officials who rely on their power,
not only in Hanyang, but in all branches of government.
Although I am King,
they can do almost anything without me.
It seems I cannot let Prince Ja Seong remain in Hanyang.
I haven't seen my nephew for a long time.
Because he is of the royal family,
he will never be able to enter the palace because it may hurt you.
The Queen Dowager is also feeling very lonely.
Please don't worry about paying your respects at the palace.
We will obey your wishes.
The tea fragrance is very nice.
My eldest brother used to...
frequently drink this tea.
If you enjoy drinking it,
I will have some prepared to send with you.
That would be wonderful.
Your Majesty!
I apologize for not preparing a banquet.
Why?
Is it because of the rumors in the marketplace?
It's because I'm lacking.
That's why they're blaming you.
They're only ridiculous rumors.
Don't take them seriously.
Let me take a look at you.
You've become a man while I wasn't looking.
Prince Ja Seong, are you already 12 years old?
Yes, Your Majesty.
That's right. You're already a big man.
You should travel around this country and develop nobility.
This is a big country.
New ideas and culture will open your mind.
When you return from your studies,
you'll be very useful to the country.
In the future,
you must keep in mind the bigger world,
while you bury your own ambitions in your heart.
Yes, Your Majesty. I will obey your wishes.
Your Majesty,
last night, Prince Ja Seong was kidnapped.
Who are you?
You can still act high and mighty even in this situation.
Indeed the blood of the royal family is different.
Don't glare at me like that.
I might be able to put you on the throne.
Impudent! How dare you mention the throne!
Prince Ja Seong.
If I want you to die, you will die.
If I want you to be King,
then you will be King.
Your Majesty,
we have urgently requested the Justice Ministry search for Prince Ja Seong...
According to eyewitness testimony,
a fish about 5 feet long was seen at the pier.
Your Majesty.
Five feet.
If it's really that big, it should be called a ghost fish.
What about it, Obo?
Do you think we really have such a thing in Joseon?
Day after day I work until I'm exhausted.
I really worry I'm making myself sick.
Therefore,
I'm thinking of taking a rest and giving you all a holiday.
I intend to take a cruise.
Where are you going?
Your Majesty.
With this political instability, how can the King take a cruise?
This must not be done.
What's wrong with the political situation?
We heard Prince Ja Seong disappeared last night.
The people are saying
he has gone into hiding to assemble a group of traitors,
and is up to no good.
What do you mean Prince Ja Seong has disappeared?
I ordered Prince Ja Seong to investigate the iron ore problem in Hamgil Province.
You must know that iron ore is not only used in weapons,
but there's even a problem with production of household items.
I gave this arduous task to the very clever Prince Ja Seong.
What evidence do you have to accuse Prince Ja Seong?
If you're just trying to drive a wedge between me and a royal relative...
Don't ever say such things again.
Chief Royal Secretary, prepare the pleasure boat immediately.
Oh yes, my destination will be...
Gwangnaru.
Leaving that boring palace is really quite wonderful.
What?
Are you afraid there's really a ghost fish?
Your Majesty, many people have seen that fish.
Even if this turns out to be true,
with you and Joseon's best swordsman together, what is there to worry about?
Right.
Why that expression?
Your Majesty.
Although the ghost fish is important,
shouldn't the top priority be looking for Prince Ja Seong?
Your Majesty.
They'll never kill him.
If they wanted to kill him, they wouldn't bother kidnapping him.
What's going on?
Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!
So it really is there.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, who are...
They are descendants of whalers.
Obviously, today it's not a whale, but a ghost fish.
We're going along.
Where are we going?
We're going to catch the ghost fish, of course.
What?
You never bought this in a village shop!
Your Majesty!
Let's go.
A hit! A hit!
Stop!
Your Majesty.
Turn around!
Turn around quickly!
Grab the boat!
Turn around quickly! Quickly!
No.
Keep going.
Obo, hold onto me.
Your grace is bountiful.
Father!
Find the royal physician!
Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
What happened to you?
Your Majesty, please wake up!
Your Majesty!
You just can't go this way!
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty! Your Majesty!
Obo.
Nothing is wrong with me, so you can be quiet.
Are you all right?
The harpoon clearly struck it!
It seems it may have struck someplace that is hollow, a place without feeling.
Mine was the same. It was clearly inserted into the body.
It did not feel my shot, either.
Is it a ghost fish?
Hey, Obo.
Do you really think that you saw a ghost fish?
Didn't you also see it for yourself?
Since you saw it, how can you not believe it?
Wasn't there anything else suspicious?
The situation was critical at that time.
Nothing special...
Hey. Hey.
You're the kid who refused to leave my side.
It's a small point,
but you could try to be less of a pain in the neck,
couldn't you?
- I saved your life today... - You're still going on about it.
Don't just sit there and put in some effort here!
The paintings are finished and you're still grinding the ink.
Such a pumpkin head.
What? Did you think of something?
Your Majesty.
Scary.
Underneath the ghost fish...
I...
saw a big turtle.
Turtle?
Yes.
Hey, Obo.
Yes, Your Majesty.
What could that creature, and now a turtle, mean?
Did someone send that creature just to hide the turtle?
Most likely.
Since the other side wants to hide it, then I must find it.
Have you heard of a witch named Seonhwa?
I never have.
She's popular with the people.
They say she has great magic and can even tell the future.
But,
the timing of this witch's appearance
coincides with these bizarre creatures.
Do you think this witch is the one creating the bizarre creatures?
Obo, what do you think?
Why would a witch create these kinds of creatures?
How does it benefit her?
That's why we have to go see her.
Let me see. What should I wear?
What is this?
What are you doing?
Hurry and get changed.
Are you curious about this?
Yes.
This is a specially made conjurer's box.
Here. See?
It's totally empty, right?
Yes.
Okay.
Take a look.
This is just to trick the eyes.
But in here...
is where the real truth lies.
I heard that in the far West, this is what a king looks like.
You know how to play bridge?
The person who taught me says I do.
My hands are exquisite.
It could be I'm the first bridge player in Joseon.
Yes.
What? You don't think so?
No, I do believe you.
Obo.
Your Majesty, are you all right?
Your Majesty! Your Majesty, what...!
Your Majesty!
Oh, seriously!
Oh, seriously?
What about it?
Tell me.
It's nothing.
I heard you asked to resign.
Go ahead then.
Your Majesty.
No.
You must not forget.
While here, we are friends.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Don't address me like that.
I got it, punk.
Like that, right?
Are you crazy?
Didn't you hear me?
What is troubling both of you that brings you here?
Your Majesty.
My name is Lee "Jeon Ha". (Your Majesty).
My friend is "His Majesty".
He's been pissing me off lately.
A pain in the ass.
You jerk.
Is there anyone alive who has no worries?
I don't have anything to worry about.
My friend wants to go serve in the royal court, so what is in his future?
I can't get along without him.
This gentleman...
is someone who is extremely talented.
Are you talking about me?
You will serve the King.
Your abilities will assist the King to govern well.
However...
whether you can use your talents fully is the question.
Up until now, you have been very incompetent...
You are mistaken.
The bottles contain good luck souls.
Whether you are worthy of service now,
please ask these souls.
The souls are unsettled.
The souls have calmed down.
They are appeased for now.
Their present anger...
is just beginning.
Let's go.
Quickly. Let's go.
Let's go.
What the hell?
"What the hell?"
Let's go, my friend.
Work hard.
Goodbye.
Still thinking about that witch?
No.
Never mind then.
You don't say what you really think.
Here.
When did you get this?
When do you think?
What the hell?
"What the hell?"
Then let's go.
Drink it and see.
What?
You want me to drink...
some kind of ghost water?
Why?
You're saying you won't?
It's a royal order.
How could anyone...?
Okay.
I understand. Then there's no other choice.
What are you doing?
If you won't drink it, then I have to.
You must not!
- Don't try to stop me. - Give it to me.
Give it to me. Give it to me.
Don't be so loud.
Here.
This is...
What? What? What?
This stuff...
- Boop. - Boop?
It feels like something poking.
Yeah.
Here.
Take good care of it.
Your Majesty, this isn't the way back to the palace.
Quiet.
Someone is following us.
What?
Are you looking for me?
Seeing your expression, you must know who I am.
Surely you don't think the King would go about without an escort?
Let me offer you a decent opponent.
Heuk Un!
Hey, Heuk Un. Where are you?
Your Majesty.
Heuk Un!
Your Majesty!
Do you always have to cut it so close?
You must do it on purpose.
Please give me your order.
Huh? What?
Don't die.
Who is he, Your Majesty?
He's called Heuk Un.
He's responsible for protecting me.
I have failed, Your Majesty.
That's fine.
If he really wanted to die, how could you stop him?
I'm not the only one who works here.
I studied hard for 15 years.
I had the top score on the imperial exam.
Look at me now.
Official Scribe. Tao Guang.
Now I'm even doing kitchen work.
It's looks delicious.
Your Majesty, do you have to take your anger out on me?
So these are Erlang Shen blades.
What are Erlang Shen blades?
A weapon of the Jurchen people.
Why would Jurchens attack Your Majesty?
It's getting interesting.
Do you know a place called Sipin Village in Hamgil Province?
People were attacked there and everyone was killed.
They were working for me to secretly investigate the iron ore.
Tao Guang Hong and his men.
What you're looking at now is a record of Hong Myeon Seok's corpse.
This wound looks familiar, doesn't it?
It looks like the wound made in the pig skin.
A pig's skin is the closest to a human's skin.
I finally know who's responsible.
The Jurchens crossed the border to kill Hong Myeon Seok.
This is more trouble than I expected.
Oh god!
This is a new invention from the Qi Dynasty,
a new type of musket.
It's longer than the previous gun body,
so accuracy and range are greatly improved.
Are you curious about the secret in the bottle?
What?
Are you very curious?
Yes.
Then come over here and shoot.
No thank you, Your Majesty.
If you shoot 3 times and hit one target,
I will tell you the secret of the bottle.
I don't need to know.
You don't have much of a competitive spirit.
Fine.
I won't just give you 3 chances. I'll give you five.
Do you mean it?
Of course.
Then.
Take it.
It's kind of heavy.
Okay.
Hey, Obo.
It seems this isn't your first time firing a gun.
I never said it was my first time.
What?
Do you know who invented this new type of musket?
I heard it was Yun Yi Mok for the Qi Dynasty.
Yun Yi Mok...
Yun Yi Seo.
He's my brother.
When my brother was doing research on the gun,
he had me shooting all the time.
Enough, you sneaky bastard.
It's hardly surprising.
Put salt into mineral water.
It reacts with the carbonic acid in the mineral water,
and produces bubbles.
This is the principle of bubble production.
The bubbles in the bottle will look for a way to escape,
which causes the coin to shake.
Your Majesty.
Wow.
How did you know?
Jang Yeon Sil.
While you were sleeping last night,
I stayed in the storehouse for a long time until I figured it out.
This is all of Jang Yeon Sil's research,
diligently recorded.
The author was obsessive.
He gave this precious book to the royal family,
and even stacked them in the storehouse.
This book is so important?
This book is also pretty handy for making a ghost fish.
It tells how to make a ghost fish?
No. It's more like...
how to make a big turtle.
I found it, Your Majesty!
This is a barbed-wire boat.
It's a boat that submerges underwater.
It's a boat that can go underwater?
That's right.
An oak tree is cut in half.
The heart of the tree is dug out to make a barrel.
The barrel is then wrapped 3 times with barbed wire.
So that water will not seep in,
a special powder made of turpentine and cotton is applied.
A carbon-gas control device is installed inside.
When the barrel is filled with water,
buoyancy will be reduced.
The barrel will then submerge underwater.
That means the turtle that I saw
was also a mechanical device made by someone.
If we can find that,
it's only a matter of time until we find the truth of the rumors.
But first,
we'll look through Jang Yeong Sil's books.
Your Majesty, take a look at this!
According to this,
Jang Yeong Sil's descendant, Jang Nam Ju, is still alive.
Now look at these plans.
That person, Jang Nam Ju, built his own house.
But...
but it's located in...
Gwangnaru.
Oh, it was here.
Obo.
It seems a bit gloomy around here.
From now on, stay within 3 steps of me.
Understand?
Three steps!
Your Majesty, there's nothing here but a rice grindstone.
We'd better go back.
Sam-Bo. (3 steps)
Yes.
You can't always believe everything you see.
Your Majesty.
I think seeing is believing.
We'd better go back.
Okay?
This fellow seems to know something.
Take this.
Okay.
We found it, Sam-Bo.
How did this fellow know I love secret tunnels?
Your Majesty.
Please don't.
Follow me, Sam-Bo.
I'm "Out of Step".
You're really slow.
Three steps are the most you can take.
It feels like my leg is broken.
Walk carefully.
So this guy must be our ghost fish.
Your Majesty!
This is the turtle I saw before!
The craftsmanship is very good.
This has a mechanism that is connected to the ghost fish.
Sam-Bo, look at this.
They even made underwater cannonballs.
This craftsmanship is amazing.
Your Majesty, look at this.
What is it?
This is Hong Min Seok's diary.
Wasn't Hong Min Seok...
one of the Tao Guang who died in Sipin Village?
In here it says,
Hong Min Seok discovered a large area of ore outcroppings in Hamgil Province.
What is an ore outcropping?
Unique underground rock formations
which can be seen on the surface.
Looking at these outcroppings can predict the amount of ore buried underground.
The estimated amount buried
it says here, is about 50 million tons.
50 million tons?
Last year, the total iron ore mined in all 8 provinces...
was less than 500,000 tons.
In other words, it's a very large amount.
But what's going on here?
Hamgil Province.
Sipin Village.
Assassins sent to kill Hong Min Seok.
Rumors are spreading like wildfire among the peasants.
Your Majesty must be aware of this.
The same methods used to get rid of Jeong Du Gwan.
The rumors involving Prince Ja Seong cannot be ignored.
As you know, the appearance of the ghost fish is a sign from heaven.
Appearance of the ghost fish.
A witch's curse.
Clues left by the Jurchen.
Send part of the northern army to the south.
Strengthen the guard in Hanseong Province.
Please consider this advice.
Now it all makes sense.
When this all began,
it was because of the North.
Nam Gyeon Hui.
It was strange that the war in the North was suddenly quiet.
It was actually because of that bastard, Nam Gyeon Hui.
Nam Gyeon Hui?
He spread the strange rumors.
He kidnapped that child to rally the people to depose me.
- Even if he desires power... - It's not power.
What these fellows want is not power,
but to monopolize this country's resources.
The iron ore.
Your Majesty.
Who are you?
Open this.
Open this quickly!
I'm impressed.
I don't know how you found this place.
You really are the King.
And I would assume you are Jang Nam Ju.
You even know my name?
Open the door.
Open it now!
Just why...
would you participate in this despicable plot?
Why does anyone covet money and power?
My powerless father was taken away,
and is being held as a hostage.
Those who do things that should not be done,
what is their reason?
The one who took your father and threatened your people must be Nam Gyeon Hui.
Although plotting with traitors is not a small offense,
it's clear you're just trying to save your father.
It's not too late to change, and help stabilize the country.
I won't pursue charges against you.
So,
open this door now.
For your words,
I am extremely grateful.
But,
he is someone more frightening than Your Majesty.
Moreover, as a daughter,
I cannot possibly gamble with my father's life.
What?
What are you doing?
Your Majesty.
You...
Don't do this!
You bitch!
Open the door!
Talk with me again!
Come back!
Sam-Bo, we're finished.
Your Majesty.
Heuk Un.
Quickly call for Heuk Un!
Where is Heuk Un?
Heuk Un!
I sent Heuk Un to do other things.
Then,
you didn't bring Heuk Un here?
Who knew such a thing would happen?
It's obvious such a thing could happen!
Don't get angry with me, think of something!
Think of something!
Everything is finished.
Where is my father?
We had an agreement.
After it was over, you'd release my father.
Your father is...
over there.
Over there.
You're all liars.
Prepare to sit on the throne.
Have him brought over.
Let me go!
Where is the King?
Let me go!
That heart of stone has at last been put down!
Finally, the rumors have become reality!
The pillar of the country is no more!
It's time to fill that position with joy! (the prince)
It will be better using that child as a puppet!
Watch your mouth!
His Majesty has arrived!
Your Majesty,
This barbed-wire boat is a lot bigger than the one we came in.
There has to be another way out.
Your Majesty.
There's water below us.
What?
There must be a opening device on the floor. Let's find it!
Sam-Bo,
I think you just saved our lives.
We don't have much time. Get in quickly!
It's my fault for sleeping in.
I hope I didn't make you all wait too long.
It will never happen again.
I ask everyone to forgive me.
What? Did something happen?
Chief Royal Secretary,
what are we discussing today?
Since the military is helping save people in the flood area...
What the hell were you doing?
Do you know what crimes you committed?
You ignorant, low-born slave bastard!
Because I believed in your swordsmanship,
I supported you up until now.
If you understood the King's words,
how could things turn out like this?
Why aren't you saying anything?
Are my words unreasonable?
You should answer when an elder speaks to you!
The Left State Minister has said too much already.
You have never had one drop of blood on your hands.
Does talking about it make it so?
Just hold on.
It shouldn't be like this between us.
The King is ready to take action.
We are all upset with each other right now.
We must think of what steps to take next.
I just lost my temper.
If the King figures everything out,
what will we do then?
Everything is finished.
What do you mean by that?
You may enter!
It's you.
The fate of the country is in their hands.
Because of them,
there will not be a long night of despair.
Everyone please be sure to return safely.
Gather with me in the morning.
How does the tea taste?
A relative sent it over personally.
There isn't much of it left in the Queen Dowager's Palace, so it's very precious.
It seems you still have a lot to say to me.
Your Majesty,
why are you so calm?
You should arrest Nam Gyeon Hui immediately, find out his accomplices and punish them,
to protect the country again.
Your precious tea is getting cold, Sam-Bo.
You didn't know that when the tea is cold,
the aroma will disappear.
You can't eat hot tofu quickly.
There is no conclusive evidence on Nam Gyeon Hui.
It would be declaring war on a hero.
In that case,
things would only get worse.
In addition...
You're worried about Prince Ja Seong's safety.
Now you're being very sensible.
Your Majesty,
did you not enjoy the food today?
It's not that. I'm just not very hungry.
Just take it away.
But say, where has Sam-Bo gone?
He went to the library for awhile, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, it's your servant.
Your Majesty!
Someone help!
Call the Royal Physician!
Okay.
What is the cause?
I apologize.
Since this is the first time I've seen such an illness,
I'm not quite sure.
That is not something the best physician in the country should say!
Could it be possible that a wicked enemy
tampered with His Majesty's meal?
You must know that when His Majesty has finished eating,
the rest of the food is shared by the palace maids.
The palace maids are not showing any symptoms.
Then,
what is the reason he's so deathly ill?
This absolutely must not fail,
Do you understand?
Yes. I will do my best.
Tomorrow, you will be a hero.
I'm sure no one will ever find out.
After receiving the news, we will gather in Hanyang.
When we are all together,
we will usher in a new world.
We must move quickly.
Is this medicine?
They are kidney qi pills.
His Majesty uses them when he isn't sleeping well.
He's been taking them for a long time.
Are you saying this medicine caused his illness?
There's an herb that does not go well with the kidney pills.
If someone else takes it, they may not have any problem.
But for His Majesty,
it would be a fatal poison.
Then, what are we going to do?
His Majesty must take this antidote.
Will he wake up after taking this?
I'm not sure.
It will take some time for it to work.
I will take His Majesty out of the palace.
What?
They're not going to wait around.
Even so, how could you do it?
This was the Minister of War's trick.
Can we be sure they won't try something again?
We must take action today.
Stop!
What do you want?
The Queen Dowager asked me to give you a message.
Tell me.
The Queen Dowager says,
I can only give you the message in private.
Would everyone please withdraw?
What is this thing?
Please examine it closely.
It seems to have some kind of medicine smell.
Okay, hurry!
Then head north to the temple at Bukhansan.
Once Heuk Un comes back, I will tell him to follow you.
Be very careful.
Wait a moment.
Identify yourself.
I am the royal scribe, Yun Yi Seo.
For what reason is the royal scribe pulling a wagon?
I'm going out to study the night sky.
I hope to find out what is harming His Majesty's body.
I have to take this outside the city.
What do you have in there?
Nothing at all.
It's just an empty box.
Go and open the box.
Open it.
His Majesty!
Are you satisfied?
You can go.
I've been a government official for 20 years.
It's the first time I've ever had a headache like this.
You're right!
Tomorrow, this country
will return to its owners.
Joseon has always belonged to the scholars, right?
Yes, yes. That's right.
We must acknowledge
who has made the greatest contribution.
Our Minister of War.
Let's drink to him.
Let's drink.
Your Majesty!
He went that way.
Your Majesty. Your Majesty.
As subjects, how can you show such disloyalty?
Nam Gyeon Hui, you...
will not escape the judgment of history!
History is written in blood.
However, your name will go down in history as the one who assassinated the King.
Take him.
Hurry and escape!
Quickly!
I recall a rumor that I heard a few years ago.
There was an assassin named Heuk Un.
He threatened the life of the Crown Prince.
But that person...
how did he become the wings of the Crown Prince?
You don't need to know.
If you had killed your master at that time,
I wouldn't have had to go to all this trouble.
You will absolutely...
never touch one hair on His Majesty's head.
Your Majesty.
Please open your eyes.
Please wake up.
Heuk Un!
Heuk Un! Heuk Un, are you okay?
Take me to His Majesty's side.
Please be strong.
Your Majesty.
So here are all the brazen criminals!
Everything is over now.
Put down your sword.
For a scholar, you have a lot of courage.
That's right.
Even if this body dies,
my soul will stay behind to stop you.
I will clearly show you,
the law of the jungle.
Strength will always win.
That is the only truth in this world.
You're really noisy, Sam-Bo.
Your Majesty.
All of you are too noisy.
I can't even hear myself think.
It would have been better if you hadn't woken up.
You might be planning to make a final stand,
but it's already too late.
10,000 soldiers from the north are rushing to the capital.
I'm afraid you must be dreaming.
Before I passed out,
I sent secret orders to the north.
Those secret orders stated
that no matter what orders they might receive next,
if they did not include my fingerprints,
they were absolutely not allowed to use the military.
While you were looking at the heights,
you never noticed the ground collapsing under you.
Your Majesty has forgotten the most important thing.
There's no one here who is able to protect your life.
What are you doing?
I cannot let Your Majesty face this traitor's blade.
Get out of the way.
You are not his opponent.
Move aside, Sam-Bo.
You'll get hurt.
That scar on Heuk Un's face...
how do you think he got it?
You actually dare to threaten my life.
You really deserve to die ten thousand times.
How about it?
Are you willing to devote your life to me?
I'm not sure whether you
have heard any of the rumors about me.
You will absolutely...
never touch one hair on His Majesty's head.
Maybe that I'm the best swordsman in Joseon or something?
Why do you suddenly have nothing to say?
It's a very interesting theory.
"The law of the jungle."
"Strength will always win."
"That is the only truth in this world."
Is that what you really believe?
How about it?
Have you had enough?
I, who am stronger than you, am asking whether you feel satisfied.
Are you still not willing to surrender?
How can this be?
Why do you think Heuk Un came here?
Your Majesty.
He should have confessed who the other traitors are.
Why did you have to kill him?
Yi Seo,
forget about it.
This is fine.
Let's go.
After Nam Gyeon Hui and his conspirators died,
this incident was over.
The royal court soon returned to stability.
The people's livelihood was renewed and vibrant again.
The head of Nam Gyeon Hui was displayed at the city gate.
There were no more strange rumors being spread by the people.
I thought everything was quiet.
Everything was finished.
Fine. You can go now.
I'm not sure why Your Majesty has suddenly come to visit.
After I was appointed as Crown Prince,
I took these pills for over 10 years.
You are also familiar with medicinal herbs, right?
My elder brother also suffered from insomnia.
He also took these herbs.
So, you must surely know,
all about the herbs in these kidney pills.
If one takes the kidney pills at the same time as other herbs,
it can be life-threatening.
People who know about these herbs
are only Jik Je Hak and I.
And also you, Su Bin.
Only these three people.
You may enter!
You will guarantee Prince Ja Seong's safety, right?
More than his safety.
He will, of course, replace the King.
We will put Prince Ja Seong on the throne.
This concubine is willing to pay for the sins committed.
But...
please do not blame Prince Ja Seong.
Although he is the son of a concubine, he is still Your Majesty's flesh and blood.
Everything is all my fault.
It was my stupid thinking as a mother,
that this was the only way to save my child.
I came here today,
not only because of the mistakes you have made,
but also to relieve the burden in your heart.
With the death of Nam Gyeon Hui, the rebellion is over.
At this point,
for you and Prince Ja Seong,
we will not seek punishment for what has occurred.
Your Majesty.
However,
to fulfill the wishes of my elder brother,
so that he grows up well,
please be a good mother to Prince Ja Seong.
Your grace is bountiful.
Your Majesty.
Then, I'm leaving.