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The Crowned Clown
The characters, organizations, locations, and events in this drama are fictional and have no relation to historical facts.
That's right.
I'm that two-nyang dog from back then.
I couldn't find you wherever I looked. So you were hiding inside the palace.
If you lay a finger on my sister Dal Rae,
I will never leave you alive!
Look at you playing this role so well.
I knew, but for a moment I thought you were the king.
Alright.
Is there anyone else who knows your identity besides Chief Royal Secretary?
Well, then again, it's a secret that you would never dare share.
Where is His Majesty right now?
When did he say he would return?
Where is His Majesty?
He is far away.
Far away?
Then, when...?
I do not know myself
whether he will approach as lightning does,
or return as faintly as the strays of light during dawn.
Whether he will approach as lightning does,
or return as faintly as the strays of light during dawn,
I do not know.
Well, even if he returns right away, it does not matter.
You are fake.
If it gets revealed that Chief Royal Secretary used you to monopolize the government,
even His Majesty, who approved of all this, will find it difficult to keep the throne.
But I will have to hurry.
I will let you know how to save your sister.
Give an order right now that you will personally interrogate the criminal.
Then, I will punish Chief Royal Secretary who put a lowly clown on the throne and monopolized the government.
And I will expel the traitorous subject who played around as the king from the throne.
Before that,
I need to see if my sister, Dal Rae, is safe.
Alright.
Of course, you must want to save your sister.
First, get down on your knees.
Do you not want to save her?
When you go to the interrogation, call Chief Royal Secretary as the criminal.
Then, I will call your sister forth as a witness.
I understand.
I will do so.
Episode 13 Your Highness.
Something big has happened.
What happened?
The king has ordered an interrogation.
Interrogation?
If it's regarding the crimes that broke the moral principles, the authorities should be the ones who deal with the matter.
Did he really order an interrogation?
Yes. They're already setting up the rack in the yard of the empty palace.
Sir.
I was on my way to find you.
After Sin Chi Soo left the palace, there was an order for an interrogation.
- An interrogation? - They are already preparing for it in the yard.
The judges have already arrived.
His Majesty has arrived.
Your Majesty, since the criminal to be interrogated, has arrived, please speak his name aloud.
Chief Royal Secretary.
Chief Royal Secretary, come forth.
Call forth the witness.
Chief Royal Secretary, receive this royal command.
Sin Chi Soo, head of the appointed judges,
bring forth the criminal, Sin Chi Soo!
Let go! Let go!
I am not a criminal.
The criminals are Chief Royal Secretary and that man, who played for him!
I warned you.
If you lay even a finger on my sister Dal Rae, you wouldn't live.
I am going to play with you properly now.
You bastard, you lowly clown.
How dare you say you'll play with me?
You bastard, even a ghost would spit in your face.
You bastard,
even a ghost would spit in your face.
You are a bastard who spouts nonsense with no basis.
How dare you show contempt for me, the king of this country?
You must truly wish to die!
Everyone, you must not be fooled by this bastard's clownish act.
This man is only a clown who has the same face as the king.
That treacherous Chief Royal Secretary
is hiding the true king and put this lowly clown on the king's throne.
We should bring the true king back as soon as we can,
and expose the crimes of these two men!
Who on earth would believe you?
I have definite evidence.
That girl is this clown's sister.
You can just ask her.
If you do not wish to die, answer truthfully.
This man is your older brother, correct?
My older brother,
the thing is...
My older brother
no longer exists in this world.
He already died.
It is a lie! This is a lie.
She is lying. This wench!
Are you not afraid of the heavens?
Do you know where this is? How dare you lie!
It is the truth. Would I dare lie in front of the king?
Your Majesty, it is not right to treat this pitiful child as a criminal.
Eunuch Jo, take this child away.
Yes, Your Majesty.
No. No! Everyone, come to your senses!
We cannot just let that child go!
Prince Jin Pyeong, what are you doing?
Prince Jin Pyeong, do you also believe what this man says?
No, he is saying utter nonsense.
How could we think the same as that wicked man?
You will regret this!
When the true king returns,
- not only these two men but none of you will be forgiven— - Shut up!
I cannot listen to your nonsense any longer!
What are you all doing? Tie the criminal to the rack!
Yes, Your Majesty!
I am not a criminal. I am not a criminal!
The criminal is Chief Royal Secretary!
And the man sitting on the throne is a lowly clown!
How impertinent! Cover his mouth up this instant!
He is a clown.
That man's name is Ha Seon!
I'm not a criminal.
That bastard... That bastard...
Start the interrogation against the traitor, Sin Chi Soo.
Your Majesty, there is a witness who will expose all of Sin Chi Soo's hidden crimes.
Bring them in this instant.
As Your Majesty already knows, Court Lady Kim was previously
the one that tried to check if there were any scars on your body.
So to find the mastermind behind that plot,
I sent her to Sin Chi Soo's house, and she disappeared.
How dare she?!
How dare you try and examine the king's body?
He doubted the king.
But, thankfully, Officer Jang found that Court Lady Kim was alive.
Call Sin Chi Soo.
I have to demand and ask him how much longer he will keep me like this.
Start the interrogation of the witness.
Is it true that Sin Chi Soo put you up to slandering the king?
Yes.
He asked me to see if the king was fake or not by examining his scar.
You!
He killed the royal artist Song Ji Sang.
He made posters of His Majesty's face and posted them all over the city.
It was all Sin Chi Soo.
Goodness...
This is shocking.
From a long time ago, Sin Chi Soo made me
burn medicine around His Majesty's bed that caused him to have hallucinations.
He also bribed the court physician and the court ladies.
This led to false reports of Court Lady Park from the Queen's palace attempting to kill Seon Hwa Dang.
Did Seon Hwa Dang have a part in this ploy?
Seon Hwa Dang does not know of this event.
Sin Chi Soo was worried that the plan might fail
and ordered me to feed her actual poison.
You are indeed a vicious and cruel person.
Regarding your punishment, I will decide on it after discussing it with the judges.
Until then, confine her in prison.
Yes, sir.
Until criminal Sin Chi Soo confesses, torture him.
You clown! You jerk!
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Will you confess to your crimes now?
I have committed no crimes.
He says he has committed no crimes.
What do you think?
Your Majesty, there is a witness and clear evidence of Sin Chi Soo's sins.
And his crimes are so serious that we cannot even bring them up one by one.
In particular, scorning Your Majesty by putting up posters
and throwing public sentiment into chaos are high crimes that must not be forgiven.
The Minister of Justice is right.
Conforming to the Great Ming Laws,
it is only right to order his beheading.
You bastard.
The sentence of beheading for criminal Sin Chi Soo
has been granted royal permission.
Uncle!
You cannot enter.
I came to see my uncle. Please give me a little bit of time.
Uncle.
It's not true, right?
Tell me that you didn't give me poison on purpose.
Right. Aren't I right?
Come close.
In my room, there is a plant that I cherish a lot.
Take the item inside it for safe keeping.
What are you—
What are you saying? What plant?
If you want to live,
hurry up.
Do you understand?
You must leave now.
What are you doing, instead of dragging the criminal out?
Yes, sir.
You've worked hard.
I'll take her from here.
You must have been surprised to be called to the palace.
Why aren't you asking anything?
I know you wouldn't answer.
So why would I ask?
Dal Rae.
Ma'am.
I'll explain everything later.
Please take care of Dal Rae.
What's going on? How are you inside the palace?
Please don't ask me.
My brother will only be put in more danger.
I won't ask anything, so don't cry.
I have something to give you.
Ha Seon, he collected these for you.
Brother...
How is Dal Rae doing?
I brought in Woon Sim to look after Dal Rae, so she should be alright.
I finally feel at ease.
Why are you looking at me that way?
It was my mistake for leaving you alone last night and going to the Royal Judiciary Office.
Still, you revealed your identity to Sin Chi Soo right away. That was incredibly thoughtless.
One wrong move and everything could've gone downhill.
It was a matter that concerned Dal Rae's life, so I didn't have time to think of any other way.
That's why I'm saying this. You should've waited for me.
When it comes to individuals like Sin Chi Soo, instead of being patient like you,
it's better to dive right in like me.
If I thought about this and that, things would've gone awry, right away.
What will happen to Gap Soo?
The king is here!
Geumocheong Hall
Tell His Majesty why you attacked Sin Yi Gyeom.
The thing is... I had a reason why I had to do it.
How dare you! Do not lie.
You attacked without reason.
Is what Sin Yi Gyeom says the truth?
That's not true.
From a very long time ago, I decided
I was going to break his head before leaving this world.
Do you hold a grudge against Sin Yi Gyeom?
The child I cherish like my own daughter,
this bastard ruined her...
when she didn't know anything...
I'm just a lowly clown and so I could not report it to the authorities.
That’s why I held everything inside.
Then, the moment I saw him...
I have nothing more to say and will gladly receive any punishment.
Your Majesty, the Great Ming Law states that a commoner who attacks a noble
must be sentenced to eighty floggings.
Instead of eighty floggings, send him to the south and conscript him to the navy.
As you wish.
So what punishment must be given to the man who wronged a young child?
I believe it should be repaid with death.
However, this is not the case for a noble.
Yes. She is a commoner and a victim, so there is no crime.
So you're saying that your crime was not a crime?
Well, the Great Ming Law states it isn't.
I have reviewed the precedents set by the late king.
In order to bring justice to the people who have been wronged, he established a new law with a royal order.
As such, I too shall make a new law.
Your Majesty, you cannot create a punishment for something that does not exist. That's absurd.
You are not trying to punish me because of my father's doings, are you?
I will not punish you for your father's crimes!
The crime you committed is worth its own punishment.
Your Majesty, you cannot do so.
There is no such law!
The reason why I am on the throne is for the people.
How is making a law to protect those without power or wealth wrong?
I sentence Sin Yi Gyeom to be marked.
Embed his crime on his face so that he will never forget it until the day he dies!
- Your Majesty, that– - Proceed right away!
Yes!
Your Majesty, spare me!
I was wrong, Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, spare me! Your Majesty!
Who is that rotten bastard?
You cannot do anything.
Tell me immediately who it is.
Sin Yi Gyeom. The son of Sin Chi Soo, who just became left state minister.
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Oh, Your Majesty!
Gap Soo, it's me.
Is it really you, Ha Seon?
Why would I lie to you?
Oh my, oh my, of course, it's you.
I saw you earlier, and it had to be you, Ha Seon!
Anyone could tell you're Ha Seon.
But what happened?
Does the king know that you're playing as him?
Did you get permission?
Don't worry. How could I come to be here without his permission?
Yes, of course. I am so honored.
You have to tell the king that I'm so grateful, okay?
Oh Ha Seon, Ha Seon.
Now, you will be sent to serve at the navy near Mu Ahn Hyeon.
What?
Mu Ahn Hyeon?
That's the place where you and Dal Rae were raised, right?
That is the best place to live with Dal Rae.
You head there first.
Yes, of course. I get what you're saying.
Don't worry about Dal Rae. I will take care of her.
You just think about yourself.
You must not lose favor with the king. Alright?
Oh, Ha Seon. You are so great.
You truly are. Is this a dream or is it a reality?
How do you feel?
It's barely been a day, but it feels like a year or longer has passed.
On one hand, I feel lighter, as if I put down a big burden.
On the other hand, my heart feels heavy.
If that's how you feel...
it's a relief.
What do you mean?
It's nothing.
I'm not a guest who came to the brothel.
You don't have to sit next to me and take care of me.
Did something happen at the palace?
Something... happens every day.
Ha Seon isn't playing his king act properly, right?
Did Dal Rae say so?
She is just afraid of her older brother getting hurt.
She wouldn't say a word.
Then who...
I've been by your side for a dozen years.
How do you think I would have been by your side if I were so clueless?
I apologize.
Don't.
I don't think about sharing everything with you.
You are much too high of a person for me to do so.
Just please don't push me away.
In good times and in bad times,
just being by your side... is enough for me.
Would you pour me another glass?
Yi Gyeom.
Where are you taking him?
He will be exiled to the northern borders by His Majesty's command.
Criminal: Rapist
Look.
I'll give you my jade headband buttons.
Do me a favor.
Your Excellency, Sin Chi Soo sent a request through an officer at the Royal Investigation Bureau to see you.
How dare he ask to see me? He's surely insane.
I apologize.
No.
He could confess that I'm a traitor.
I'll have to see him. Take me to the Royal Investigation Bureau.
Yes, Your Excellency.
I knew you would come.
Why did you ask to see me?
You aren't trying to make me take the fall with you, are you?
That depends on how you act.
Let's not exchange useless talk.
Everyone in the country knows that we are each other's worst enemy.
Who would believe you?
Would His Majesty not?
Are you threatening me?
I'm only saying that we survive together or we die together.
"Survive together?"
Are you still holding onto such useless dreams?
It is not a useless dream.
I have the perfect justification to remove the king from the throne.
What are you doing instead of eating? Aren't you hungry?
You don't like it? Would you like something else?
I can't even swallow water right now.
How can I eat all of this?
Since Gap Soo is waiting, I just want to leave quickly.
Oh, my hazelnuts.
What are you doing? I said, let's go quickly.
Dal Rae.
I can't go.
I still have things to do here.
Things to do? What are those?
Are they more important than me?
There is nothing in this world that is more important than you.
Then, why can't you go?
Are you not even afraid of this place?
Dal Rae. You saw, too,
what kind of things I'm doing in the palace.
I have to see the end of what I started, don't you think?
But you can't act as the king for all of your life.
Do you think that'll work?
I can't leave you here.
Orabeoni, I can't. I'm scared you'll end up dead.
Go with Gap Soo first. I'll be there shortly, alright?
That's a lie.
Last time, you said you'd come quickly and you didn't.
Dal Rae, can't you trust me?
I do trust you.
I do, but...
I'm sorry.
You have to come quickly.
Of course. I will.
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Let's go.
Come.
Come quickly.
Let's go.
Your Majesty.
My queen.
Thank you for coming.
Did you see your sister off well?
I'm not sure if I did the right thing.
Please don't say that I'm being weak saying this.
If I'm to handle this position,
I know I have to endure at least this much pain.
My sister left smiling for my sake in the end.
But I am not sure why my heart feels so heavy and scared after sending her off.
Of course.
You are not feeling that because you are weak,
but because you are human.
I know how it feels to say goodbye to your family.
The people who leave, and the people you send off,
it all rips your heart apart.
One day, when things get peaceful,
let us go on a spring day to see your sister and Gap Soo.
I want to see them up close.
I will not forget.
I'll make sure I'll ask you to come see them.
How did you get here?
The queen dowager sent me here.
She underestimates me so much that she thought such useless methods would work?
Is she so afraid that I'll make a confession?
Hold on.
I'll have to accept that I wasn't forgotten.
I don't have anything to repay her with,
but I have a last gift for the queen dowager.
She said that if you like the gift, for you to call on her again.
You expect me to believe this?
I apologize.
I am merely reporting what I heard.
How impertinent.
She gave me a big gift on her last path.
Sin Chi Soo put up posters scorning the king and committed treason.
It's so terrible even thinking about it.
This won't do.
If the king is to solidify a peaceful reign, you must give birth to a baby crown prince as quickly as possible.
A baby?
Yes. A baby to give the king good fortune!
There's a court lady physician I am close with. How about you get your pulse checked for a diagnosis?
I'll have her come by tomorrow right away!
How is it?
Your Highness, as a result of your tachycardia, your pulse is too weak and rapid.
Since you are lacking in energy, it would be best if you protect your body.
I'll have herbal medicine prepared for you within the next few days.
Thank you.
It must be the tea.
Could I examine it?
Yes.
I apologize, Your Highness, but could you allow me to see your tea leaves?
Why do you ask?
I wish to examine if you are eating the right food for your body.
But I don't think you'll have to examine this tea for that.
The royal physician specially sent this tea for the queen.
Oh, is that so?
However, I wish to examine them personally.
You may take them.
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Your Majesty, the beheading of Sin Chi Soo will take place at the end of the month.
Please approve it.
Proceed.
What about the punishment for Court Lady Kim?
She has committed terrible crimes since she tried to harm you and the queen.
It is appropriate to hang her.
However, she assisted by revealing the crimes of Sin Chi Soo.
Therefore, she should be flogged forty times and sent to the borders as a slave.
Proceed.
Your Majesty, I have something to say about Yoo Ho Joon, the queen's father.
Go ahead.
The queen's father's confession regarding his attempt to murder you is false.
Do you have any evidence or witnesses to confirm what you are saying?
Yes, Your Majesty.
The man who testified against him at the time is now dead,
but we still have his statements listed.
I would like the court to discuss ways to bring justice for Yoo Ho Jun.
So, please approve it.
Your Majesty, I apologize but Chief Royal Secretary's request is not correct.
Why should we talk about his innocence when he has been found guilty?
You cannot approve this.
Then, whether Chief Royal Secretary or Prince Jin Pyeong is correct,
the court will discuss and report.
If they're just going to discuss it, it's impossible to defeat Chief Royal Secretary.
It's obvious His Majesty will side with him in the end.
Your Highness!
Your Highness, you'll be happy to hear this.
His Majesty ordered the court to discuss your father's matter.
I'll have to go see the king right away, then.
Your Highness, the court lady physician is requesting to see you.
Allow her to enter.
Your Highness.
Do you carry bad news?
What is it that's making you act like that?
Your Highness, I apologize,
but the tea that you were drinking was to cause infertility.
How could the royal physician send me tea with such effects?
I am not sure of that,
but I looked into whether the concubines were taking that tea, just in case.
It was only you who had the tea, Your Highness.
May I ask how much of this tea you have consumed?
Ae Yeong.
She has consumed it for at least three months.
What is the matter?
I apologize,
but even drinking it for a month will hurt the flow of energy in your body and in the womb.
The blood in your womb will thicken and you will not be able to conceive.
Your Highness! Your Highness!
I will call for the royal physician.
No, you cannot.
- If the royal physician arrives, the king will find out. - But...
Your Highness, how can we not call for the royal physician?
The palace has only just now become calm.
I can't cause more trouble for him again.
So you can never inform him of this truth.
Do you understand?
Yes, Your Highness.
We have looked through Sin Chi Soo's house.
We could not find what you were looking for, Your Excellency.
Alright. You may leave.
A justification for rebellion? What is it?
I have evidence that His Majesty communicated secretly with the emperor of Later Jin.
Evidence of their communication?
That's right.
Chief Royal Secretary delivered the king's secret letter to a spy under Later Jin.
I intercepted it.
The king would never do this.
What if it was Chief Royal Secretary's actions and not His Majesty?
His Majesty was manipulated by Chief Royal Secretary who secretly communicated with Later Jin?
When this is revealed,
government officials and scholars from all over the country will rise against His Majesty.
What do you think you'll be able to do while you are locked up in here?
If you help me, don't you think it's possible?
If you really want to become the owner of the throne,
decide.
It is impossible for him to possess His Majesty's secret letter.
No, wait.
If this were a lie, he would not be so confident.
What should I do next?
Official letter with a personal message from faux King Yi Heon to Nurhaci, the First Khan of Manchu, Later Jin Dynasty: To notify...
Nurhaci that Joseon is forced by the Ming to deploy 10,000 soldiers against Later Jin, but he will block and delay it. (Historically, this is known as The Liaodong Campaign)
Search him.
His Excellency will be delighted.
Lowly clown, just wait.
I will not go down to hell alone.
Your Majesty.
What a shame. I was trying to scare you.
I was scared quite enough.
Why are you at the library at this time?
I came to give you good news.
By chance...
Yes.
Your father's record has been expunged.
Thank you, Your Majesty, for clearing my father's name.
I wish it was me, but it was Chief Royal Secretary who did everything.
Please thank him for me.
My queen, is something wrong?
Pardon?
What makes you say that?
In my eyes, you appear to be strangely sad.
I was so surprised by the good news.
That may be why.
Please, don't worry.
Right. I chose books that we could read together.
I forgot, but I have something to discuss with Chief Royal Secretary.
I'll be right back.
Alright, Your Majesty.
Let's talk for a moment.
Pardon?
Alright, Your Majesty.
Tell me the truth.
Why does the queen look unwell?
Your Majesty, please kill me.
Why do you want me to kill you?
The truth is...
What is the matter?
Your Majesty.
I heard about the tea.
You weren't going to tell me?
I'm sorry.
You must be the one who is in the most pain right now.
I will find who is responsible and I will punish them.
I could not tell you because I feared you would react this way.
What do you mean by that?
Do you know who did this?
Your Majesty!
Royal Physician, come out immediately!
Come out at once!
Your Majesty.
Tell me the truth. Who is it?
Who told you to give that tea to the queen?
What do you mean?
I really do not know.
How dare you!?
Your Majesty, I have committed a crime deserving of death!
Please, spare my life.
Who gave you the order?
It was...
It was the queen dowager.
When the queen fell ill,
I was told she needed to leave the palace to recuperate.
But when she returned, more tea was sent to her.
Was it all the queen dowager's command?
Yes.
I did not dare go against the queen dowager's orders.
Where is this tea?
Here.
I will accompany the king. Call Chief Royal Secretary.
I understand.
Sujeong Hall
Your Majesty, this has become a habit.
You have neither manners nor shame.
Have you decided to use outright violence now?
This is the tea you ordered the royal physician to give to the queen.
So what?
Some things can not be forgiven in this world,
some things a human should not do.
That's exactly what I mean to say.
If you had an ounce of reason, you would not forgive the queen so easily for
leaving and returning to the palace as she wished.
Why do you hate her so much?
I do not hate her.
I merely hate the sin and not the person.
At least pretend to be sorry for your crimes.
Could you do the same if it were you?
In front of my family, my husband, and your brother, Prince Gyeong In,
could you pretend that you were sorry?
Do you intend to see it to the end?
What will you do if I do?
Then I will have no choice.
The queen dowager... the queen dowager...
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty, please calm down.
If you don't know what happened, stay out of this matter.
I know what happened.
So please, calm down.
How can you tell me to calm down when you know?
Chief Royal Secretary, His Majesty is right.
Your Majesty, please continue.
What did you want to tell me?
Your Majesty, you cannot.
How can you tell me I cannot?
Your Majesty!
How fun.
A clown's show in the streets couldn't be as entertaining.
Your Majesty, now that the queen cannot have a child,
it's right for you to depose her.
What do you think?
If I must depose her,
I will depose you first.
Go ahead and try.
Why couldn't you hold back?
Did you not know that the queen dowager was waiting for you to mention deposing her?
I did, but I had no other choice.
You know that I was planning to depose her from the beginning.
It was for the sake of His Majesty.
If I had asked for her deposition then, he would have accepted easily.
But her supporters would have been against it.
They would have attacked the court and His Majesty so.
My strategy to protect His Majesty would have ended up hurting him.
Why are you telling me this right now?
The one who prevented me from making this mistake was you.
It's because I did not know what the palace was like back then.
But now, I know.
You once told me this.
There are only two ways to survive in the palace.
It's either to trample them and kill them, or totally ignore them.
I have only one way left.
In order to depose the queen dowager, you need definite evidence and witnesses.
Moreover, the court's discussion on the matter comes first.
Once the queen's father returns to the court, I will begin.
When the time comes, the court will make a request.
So you just wait until then.
Then, please hurry up.
I'm going to escort the queen's father when day breaks.
Your Excellency.
Your Excellency!
The Crowned Clown
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