What? The Saheonbu is in the palace?
Did that really happen?
I remained silent after seeing everything because...
the murderer...
was a small girl.
If the Saheonbu got involved,
the whole kingdom would...
Your Highness, but still...
I know.
"The Crown Prince cannot be involved in government."
"He shouldn't even talk about such matters as well."
"All such matters are the king's prerogative."
"So if the Crown Prince does,"
"that means he's reaching for the throne."
If you accuse me of crime, I will happily accept it.
But I acted as I did...
because I wanted to know...
why such a small girl,
had to murder a man.
You wanted to know...
the reason?
It might be because of...
the peasant blood flowing through my veins.
What caused her such pain?
What...
made her hold that knife?
Before accusing them of their crime,
I wanted to find that out first.
Your Majesty, it's an emergency.
(Sunjungmun Gate)
Officials of Saheonbu, get up.
I will not...
accept your resignation.
Then give us the right...
to investigate the Crown Prince Palace, Your Majesty.
We cannot trust the Department of Justice...
which protects the royal palace.
Chief Inspector!
We have reached an agreement.
If we're not guaranteed fairness in this investigation,
all of us...
will resign from Saheonbu.
Please hear our words, Your Majesty.
Please hear our words.
Hand over the Crown Prince?
Okay.
Will that satisfy you?
If I hand over...
the Crown Prince to you...
Your Majesty.
Queen Dowager.
You're the only one who can save the Crown Prince.
Crown Princess.
Wait for the results to come out.
You may be ignorant of the palace rules,
but how could you be so rude?
Stop showing your ignorance.
Pardon?
Queen.
The same goes for you.
(Queen Seonui)
Your Majesty, I was just...
Your Majesty, it's Court Lady Jung.
Your Majesty, it's urgent.
His Majesty said he'll hand over the investigation rights...
of Crown Prince Palace to Saheonbu.
What? He's giving it back to them?
Queen Dowager.
Is this order...
really true?
It is.
But His Majesty...
said he'll give you some time.
That's what he requested before giving Saheonbu...
the right to investigate.
Your Majesty.
Within that time, you must prove your innocence...
and the truth of the matter.
You'll have to stand before Saheonbu's supreme court.
(Supreme Court: A place Saheonbu officers gathered for discussions)
Three days.
I have three days.
Withdraw it, Your Majesty.
It will be a burden to you.
If things go wrong...
Even I will...
be attacked by Saheonbu and Noron.
- Your Majesty. - However,
the Crown Prince said he wanted to know.
Before convicting the people of their crime,
he wanted to understand them first.
And as a king, Vice Minister,
shouldn't I also...
understand them?
Who did the search?
Jipyeong? What's Jipyeong?
That's a stupid name.
It's a position in Saheonbu, not a name.
Whatever.
Why did he have to get stabbed in my courtesan house...
and cause this complication?
But thanks to that, Saheonbu...
won't investigate us.
How about staying low for a while?
Hey.
Stay low?
Hey.
I'm Do Ji Gwang.
- Darn it. - Come on.
I said we're closed.
Why is he butting in like that?
I don't know. He wants a table right now.
I didn't know we would...
meet again, Prince Mil Poong.
Right.
If you opened a courtesan house in Hanyang,
Don't kill me!
You should've told me.
It's all part of our relationship.
Pardon?
You're not here to kill me?
It's my fault. It's my fault.
It's all my karma.
Why would I?
Here, have a glass.
Yes.
Who was causing the fuss to open this place?
Is it you?
You must be out of your mind.
You even brought a girl to my courtesan house.
He's building karma with his mouth.
Sit down.
I'll give you a glass too.
Who are you?
Hey.
Calm down.
- This is... - You idiot.
A guy and a girl are both...
out of their minds.
Get out of here right now.
You bastards!
The old me would've already dug your eyeballs out.
Prohibition of murder.
(Prohibition of murder: A Buddhism rule that prohibits killing)
Thanks to that you can still see with your eyes.
- Captain. - Stay.
This idiot...
is for real.
Put it down and let's talk.
I think we'll get along just fine.
My goodness.
I'm sorry.
Were you surprised a lot?
You're Do Ji Gwang, right?
Don't worry.
I'm here to help you.
(Hanseongbu)
Did Saheonbu put up their last stand?
Are you saying that you need my help now?
I'm not here to ask for help.
I came for cooperation because of the procedures.
You want to keep your pride and practical benefits,
but you can't reverse your arrogant actions.
This is the information we gained regarding Jipyeong Oh's murder.
I request Hanseongbu's cooperation as well.
His Majesty says he'll hand over the Crown Prince after three days.
Why would you need that?
It's because I think that's an act to buy time.
This isn't meant to only comfort the Department of Justice.
I'm sure this is an act to buy time for the Crown Prince.
Impressive.
What do you know?
Earlier, you said...
First, you should tell me...
what you know.
- That's... - If you want to plan this,
won't you have to trust me first?
Executive Inspector Wi.
That is...
if the Crown Prince makes you uncomfortable too.
Your Highness.
In Hanyang and the surrounding areas,
there are around ten relay stations.
These relay stations were used when masters were murdered before.
But it's different this time.
Nothing suspicious was found...
from any of the relay stations.
Thank you.
Take care.
- Did anyone murder their master? - Not at all.
There was no one?
That's not the only thing that's suspicious.
There wasn't even a trace of something stolen either.
People usually steal things when they murder their master.
There's more, Your Highness.
There is something similar but difficult to understand...
among the recently murdered aristocrats.
"Something similar but difficult to understand"?
It wasn't only Jipyeong Oh.
All of the murdered aristocrats...
were so drunk that they couldn't even walk properly.
They weren't able to resist.
However, the culprit...
couldn't make a fatal stab at once.
That's why there were multiple stabs.
Maybe the culprit did that until his or her hands were hurt too.
The culprit must've stabbed with all of his or her might.
That...
Yes.
That means...
the culprit is a weak person, Your Highness.
It wasn't only that girl. Maybe other murders...
were also committed by young children.
Children?
Why?
How?
You over there. Hurry up.
We need to go now.
Okay, I'm going.
We'll look for their base.
You should find the girl with Yeo Ji.
So those hands...
were this small.
Yes, that's what I saw.
We must find that child first...
to find out about the story behind this.
Well...
Your Highness. About the knife.
Are you sure this is it?
Is this what you saw?
They say that the flue of the hypocaust is the problem,
so clean it well.
There will be big trouble if His Majesty catches a cold,
so clean it well if you want some coins from this.
- Yes, my lord. - Yes, my lord.
Move.
I think the children were brought...
because of the heating stones of your bedroom, Your Majesty.
(Heating stones: A Korean heating system with stones under the floor)
It must be tough since the weather is cold too.
I asked about it at the Office of Maintenance.
However, the letter...
(Office of Maintenance: Department maintaining the palace)
(Aek)
I think that letter...
must've been worn off.
That's why Saheonbu didn't realize this either.
Where is this knife used?
Haeminseo is also a place where orphans stay.
(Haeminseo: Public facility that treated diseases and injuries)
This way.
Search other places that give out emergency rations too.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
(Emergency rations: Rations given to people under emergencies)
What are you doing?
The same knives are being used in too many places.
We can't find it like this.
Why don't you ask for help from the Department of Justice?
Wait.
Who are those children?
They're children who clean the heating stones.
They're not official workers of the palace.
- "Heating stones"? - Yes.
Could it be...
Black ashes?
Master.
Did you find anything?
There was nothing at Haeminseo. What about you?
I should search the facilities outside of the town too.
Master Mun Su, I don't think we can ride that boat.
We can't? Why?
I'm not sure.
The boat is completely empty,
but they refused even when we offered to pay doubles.
There's another dock over this hill.
- Let's go. - Okay.
- We should go, Master Mun Su. - Wait.
That boat.
Don't you think it's suspicious?
Only kids are boarding that boat.
Why is that?
They even refused a doubled payment.
Why are they boarding only kids that seem to have no money?
I knew it.
It was you.
Wait. I'm not here to hurt you.
Let go of me. Let go.
I'm trying to help you.
Do you understand?
I want to know why I did it.
I want to help you.
What do you mean?
How can you help me?
Yes.
I saw you murdering an aristocrat.
I also saw your terrifying tattoo...
that said, "Murder the master".
But before you get arrested and get punished for that,
I wanted to hear why you had no choice...
but to do that.
Do you understand?
Let me help you.
You want to help me?
How are you going to do that?
You're an aristocrat.
You're an aristocrat like them.
So how are you going to help me?
You aristocrats are the reason why we became like this.
If it weren't for the farm rent,
my sister wouldn't have gotten sold to the Qing Dynasty.
If my mistress only gave us a bit more time,
my father wouldn't have tried to sell me as well.
Even if I had nothing else to eat but dirt,
I still wanted to live in this country.
Even if this country has a lot of problems,
I still wanted to live here with my friends and family.
What do you mean...
you were about to get sold?
Are you saying...
someone tried to take you away to the Qing Dynasty?
Who is there?
Your Highness.
I think the guards are coming.
- What should we do about her? - Run away.
- Pardon? - Run before the guards get here.
What's going on?
Your Highness. Excuse us, Your Highness.
We heard a sound coming from here.
It's nothing to be concerned about. You may return.
- Go on. - Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
- I'm hungry. - I'm hungry.
- Just wait a little bit. - I'm hungry.
I'm hungry.
Just wait a little bit.
I can't believe this is the base of the rebellious slaves.
I can't believe those kids are the murderers.
How can this be?
How can something like this even be possible?
Who are you?
(Saheonbu)
I'm sorry. I didn't see you there.
Don't you think you're being childish?
What did you say? Did you just call me childish?
Did you seriously just say that?
Inspector Yoon.
Can you spare me some time?
I have something to tell you about the human trafficking case.
Goodness, look who's here.
It's Park Mun Su, our new recruit.
- Please let go. - "Please let go"?
Did you hear what the new recruit just said?
- He might even hit me. - That's right.
You'd better let go before I actually hit you.
Goodness.
Park Mun Su! Do you want to die in my hands?
You little punk. You're a new recruit.
You're the lowest in rank that's no better than an animal.
You're going through a period of hazing rituals,
which means you're required to bark like a dog...
if your seniors ask you to!
A new recruit?
That darn hazing ritual.
Fine. Bark like a dog?
Sure. I'll bark like a dog for you since that's what you want.
Do you know why the world is so darn difficult to live in?
That's because there are some darn jerks...
who do dirty deeds while they earn money through taxes.
The people of this country are either getting sold...
or ending their lives in vain.
But meanwhile, some darn, pathetic, and disgusting jerks...
are only focused on doing dirty deeds...
just so they could earn money.
Was that enough...
barking for you?
Inspector Yoon.
Can you come with me for a while?
Okay.
Sure.
That jerk is mad.
I think he has completely lost his mind!
I'm not so sure. I don't quite agree with you.
But I have to say, what he said was better than actually barking.
He's better than any new recruit we have ever had.
That was the most creative barking sound I have ever heard.
What did you just say?
I'm coming.
That girl really said that?
She said all she wanted was to stay in Joseon...
with her friends and family instead of being sold away?
We will not be able to turn a blind eye...
on the fact that those kids committed murder, Your Majesty.
However, I hope you will also...
fix the social maladies of this country,
since that is what made them...
commit murder in the first place.
Look...
at where I am sitting, Crown Prince.
I cannot even protect my own people from getting sold off.
But I am sitting in this warm room...
that was fixed by their small hands.
Vice Minister of Taxation.
Queen Dowager.
Long time no see.
Is it okay for us to talk?
After all,
I saw you often in my private house back when you were young.
Yes, I was taught by your late father.
I heard the Crown Prince is in the King's palace.
So tell me.
What is your personal opinion on the Crown Prince?
- Pardon? - I am sure you know...
what I am asking you.
I cannot quite tell...
what kind of person the Crown Prince is yet.
However, when it comes to the qualities of becoming a king,
he might actually have what it takes...
to become the king,
this country truly needs.
(Daecheong)
Really? This is what the Crown Prince asked?
Yes, sir.
Your Highness.
Are you ready?
Don't worry, Your Highness. It'll be taken care of soon.
I am sorry for making you walk all the way here, Your Highness.
However, we must abide by the country's laws.
The Saheonbu is just doing what is required.
I know better than anyone that the Saheonbu is...
trying very hard to abide by the country's laws.
Although, I do question...
for whom that law was made in the first place.
I will escort you to the supreme court, Your Highness.
Break down the door!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
The Crown Prince arrives.
We'll be following this order.
You know Saheonbu's rules.
You were here before.
Such kind instructions. Thank you.
It's a bit early to say that,
considering the trouble you'll be going through.
Do you remember saying this?
You matured when you learned what happens...
when the powerful start to hate you.
I was like that when I didn't know how the world worked.
But I matured when I learned what happens...
when the powerful start hating you.
It would've been nice if you truly learned your lesson then.
If you did, you wouldn't have acted hastily...
like now.
- Come here. - No, please stop!
You idiot.
Where's your leader?
Hey!
What is this?
What is all this?
Are you Do Ji Gwang?
Let's keep this hassle free.
I'm arresting you for...
illegal human trafficking with the Qing.
No, wait.
Min Jin Heon?
Before opening the supreme court,
there's something we should look at.
Min Jin Heon.
Bring him here.
A kingdom's Saheonbu...
shouldn't abuse the people like this.
That's...
That girl is...
How is she...
(Haechi)
It's them. Don't let anyone get away.
Is this politics too?
This isn't politics, but logical sense.
Help the Crown Prince, Your Majesty.
Joseon doesn't belong to the king.
The aristocrats do the governing.
Are you telling me to abandon the Crown Prince?
Do you mean you defend the rebellious slaves?
Dethrone me as the officials want it.
What are they doing using the people?
They're all risking themselves.
A true public opinion that cannot be manipulated by anyone.
You want to trust the people whose hearts change overnight?
Show them you're still alive and well as the Crown Prince.