(This drama was remade based on historical facts.)
(Prince Mil Poong, Yi Tan)
This feels...
a bit strange.
This feels...
Go and find out.
Why is not anyone coming?
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Prince Mil Poong.
Yoon Young.
Where were you?
I thought you abandoned me.
But I guess I was wrong.
Right? You are back now, right?
Do not worry.
Our reinforcements will gather here.
There are no reinforcements.
This is a trap.
Yi In Jwa abandoned you.
What?
No... No.
- You are wrong, Yoon Young. - We must go.
The royal forces are on their way here.
If you stay here, you will die.
You must catch Prince Mil Poong no matter what!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
This is useless. It is over now. If you want to live,
you must run away with me.
His Majesty has arrived.
(King Yeongjo)
I finally meet with you.
Leader of the rebels.
Yi In Jwa.
(Yi In Jwa, Namin)
How dare you?
You harmed innocent people...
and dishonored this country.
I shall deal...
with your cruel actions by putting you to death.
You are an unworthy king.
How dare you?
Finally,
I meet you too.
How dare you speak that way?
How dare I?
What is so great about him?
How is he any different from me?
The only thing I am guilty of...
is the fact that I was born as a Namin.
That is all.
Shut your mouth!
Go ahead and behead me.
I will die anyway, so I do not mind dying here.
However,
I raised an army for a good reason.
In this world, you cannot do anything if you are a Namin!
All I tried to do was to change...
this rotten world I am living in.
Your Majesty, please give me your orders.
- I shall kill this man... - Stop.
- Your Majesty. - Is that really...
the only reason?
Did you kill innocent people...
and bring chaos to this world...
merely because of that reason?
Yes.
You are right, Yi In Jwa.
You and I...
are not different.
My only sin...
was that I was given birth by a peasant.
- Your Majesty. - That is right.
The person who knows how you feel better than anyone else...
is actually the king you tried so hard...
to get rid of.
It is me.
However, you are wrong.
That is not how you change the world.
There is surely another way.
And I will...
prove that...
no matter what.
(Episode 23: An Old Hope)
You just wait. I will kill you...
along with all your other comrades.
Make sure to keep a close eye on him.
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Your Majesty.
Have they not arrested Prince Mil Poong yet?
He will not have gone too far.
Block all the ferry narrows...
and search each and every corner!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Stay here. I will try to find a way to escape.
No.
Why?
Why must I run away?
- Prince Mil Poong. - I am the king.
I must go back to where I belong.
The king? You need to wake up.
You were never competent enough for that title.
It was not just the Norons and Yi In Jwa. I also...
used you.
You were pathetic and stupid.
Every time I praised you and said you deserve to be the king,
you became so easy to control.
Yoon... Yoon Young.
You were used by people like me all your life.
Do you even want to end your life in vain?
Are you going to stay a fool until the day you die?
How is the situation outside? How are the soldiers?
They are everywhere.
Yi In Jwa's remaining forces were arrested too.
What?
This will not do. I brought you here...
because Dal Moon asked me to,
but I cannot do this anymore.
Find me a ship to the Qing Dynasty...
without letting Dal Moon find out.
But...
No. That is too dangerous.
This is half of everything I have.
I will give you the rest if you find me a ship.
A king?
You need to wake up.
You were never competent enough for that title.
It was not just the Norons and Yi In Jwa. I also...
used you.
You were pathetic and stupid.
Every time I praised you and said you deserve to be the king,
you became so easy to control.
If you realized that you were not worth that much,
you should not have acted up like that.
No. No.
Do not abandon me.
Please. I will do anything you want.
When I see people like you,
I realize that social status does not matter.
Most people...
are nothing more but mere animals that know how to talk.
I realize that.
Since you have brought up the whole bloodline talk,
you are not even from the king's lineage.
You are an indirect descent.
I am sorry.
I am sorry, Father.
How can I trust someone like you?
Who would see you as a prince?
No. They are all wrong.
They are all wrong.
I am the true king of this kingdom.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
The entire kingdom...
will chase out the false king...
and accept its rightful owner.
We shall stand together!
This kingdom...
belongs to Prince So Hyeon and my father.
My father...
I came to meet His Majesty. Announce my arrival.
Your Majesty, are you really willing to give your orders like this?
Do as I have told you.
- But Your Majesty... - Your Majesty.
Inspector Park Mun Su of Saheonbu has arrived.
Let him in.
Welcome.
Your Majesty, what happened with arresting Prince Mil Poong?
The Five Military Bases are chasing him now.
He will never escape.
By the way Mun Su,
I need you back at Saheonbu now.
- Back to Saheonbu? - Yes.
Another old war will start...
within the kingdom and in Saheonbu.
Is there anyone outside?
Did you call for me, Your Majesty?
I am summoning a meeting at the Hall of Convenience now.
Tell all senior officials that they must attend.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Who are they?
If they are wearing red robes, they must be senior officials.
But I do not recognize them.
Is that Cho Duk Soo from the Namin Party?
What? Namin Party?
Namin Party?
How could this happen?
What?
You are right.
They are the Namin Party members who have left the palace.
Exactly.
Why have they entered the palace?
What is happening?
His Majesty has arrived.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
My apologies, but how could you bring these people...
- to the Hall of Convenience? - If you must apologize,
you should rather stop, Minister of Personnel.
The topic of this meeting today is probably what you want to ask.
If you wait, I will kindly give you the answers.
Thanks to your loyalty,
we successfully arrested the rebellion leader, Yi In Jwa,
and his remaining forces.
This was possible...
mainly because of the people of this country,
who willingly gave up their lives,
and you all who were united...
regardless of your political backgrounds.
I...
will never forget that.
With such hope,
I will move on from the pain this rebellion has caused...
and lead this kingdom...
into a new era without wavering.
As the first step to that,
I will rearrange the palace by renewing personnel.
Chief Royal Secretary.
Read out my order.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Today,
I appoint new positions for new personnel.
To take care of the confusion among the people by the rebellion,
Cho Duk Soo, former Hongmungwan officer...
will be sent to Gyeongsang Province as a recruiting officer.
(Recruiting officer: Officer recruiting new soldiers)
Inscrutable are the King's favors.
And as Chungcheong Province's recruiting officer,
the former vice minister, Yoo Soon...
You cannot do this.
You cannot do this, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, what right do they have to deserve this?
Continue, Chief Royal Secretary!
Yes, Your Majesty.
And as Chungcheong Province's recruiting officer,
the former vice minister, Yoo Soon, will be appointed.
Inscrutable are the King's favors.
And the former minister, Yoon Heon Joong,
will be appointed as a dispatch officer.
(Dispatch Officer: Surveys nobles and hears troubles of the locals)
Inscrutable are the King's favors.
I hope you show your loyalty...
by fulfilling your given duties.
- Inscrutable are the King's favors. - Inscrutable are the King's favors.
Cho Duk Soo? Yoo Soon? Your Majesty.
They do not deserve to stand in this palace.
I cannot accept this order.
What did they accomplish...
to take such important duties?
Please hear our words.
- Please hear our words. - Please hear our words.
Please hear our words.
- Please hear our words. - Please hear our words.
They are the Namin Party.
Some of them might have helped Yi In Jwa.
You should rather punish them.
How could you award them? This is ridiculous!
Help Yi In Jwa? Watch what you are saying!
He did not say anything wrong.
What nonsense are you saying?
So?
How are the senior officials reacting?
Both Noron and Soron are furious.
Appointing a Namin would seem preposterous to them.
The King seems to be starting a difficult fight.
The whole palace might become his enemy.
Your Majesty, how about taking things a bit slowly?
We just resolved the crisis...
and we have not arrested Prince Mil Poong yet.
There is still disorder...
That is why we should carry on with it now.
The state of confusion...
is the right time to carry on with the reform.
What do you mean?
I am still a helplessly powerless king.
The only thing I can rely on is public opinion.
The revolt ended a few days ago, yet the officials are in a turf war.
What would the people think?
The public opinion...
(Yi Gwang Jwa, Minister of War, Soron)
Are you trying to gain power by moving public opinion?
Thousands were killed in the revolt.
They were all families and relatives of the people.
This is the state we are in, and yet the senior officials...
are protesting when I suggested we appoint Namins.
The fury...
will certainly spread to other places.
Court Lady Cheon.
Court Lady Heo, how is His Majesty?
May I see him for a moment?
It will not be possible at the moment.
He has been in a meeting all the while.
You would know too.
The palace is in an uproar.
Soron defended the palace during the revolt.
But how can he give the position to a Namin?
Noron has an advantage over us anyway.
We cannot step back any further!
We Soron...
are losing the turf war.
Is that what you want to protest?
My lord, that is not what I am saying.
Go on.
What else do you want me to tell the King?
I mean...
Is it true that you agreed to appointing the Namins?
That was the only way to quench the revolt.
The King will demand us to hand over the next offices.
How can the head of Noron make such a compromise?
It was not compromise.
(Min Jin Heon, Chairman of Congress, Noron)
It was politics.
That was the better choice.
I should not have done so as the head of Noron.
I do not deserve to lead you any longer. I will resign.
Will that satisfy you?
My lord.
- My lord. - My lord.
- My lord! - My lord!
Goodness.
What are we to do?
Go and summon Chief Inspector of Saheonbu.
- Right now, hurry. - Yes, my lord.
We heard the news from the palace, Chief Inspector.
Gather all the officials of Daejangcheong immediately.
Yes.
It will be Saheonbu.
Saheonbu will start moving first since it has judicial power.
Saganwon and Hongmoongwan will give support.
Noron has controlled the three agencies for that purpose.
I am preparing for that.
You are...
in a difficult situation because of me.
That is not true, Your Majesty.
I am rather...
feeling relieved.
You are the one in a difficult situation.
Fair appointment regardless of political orientation...
and equity.
That is a dream...
I once dreamed of.
It is just that I realized...
that it is impossible in reality.
It is impossible?
You will find out soon.
It is possible...
to progress for a short moment.
But politics reverts to its original state.
So soon you will realize...
that you had dreamed of...
an unattainable dream.
Wait.
Wait a moment.
We can progress for a short moment...
but we will fall back eventually?
Then why...
did you help me?
If you thought it will be of no use?
Why?
That is...
The reason is...
Min Jin Heon.
The man we entrusted Yoon Young did not come for the rest of his pay?
Not yet.
He is a greedy man...
and that is why I volunteered.
- But for some reason... - Can we get in touch with him?
He is an itinerant merchant who does not have an address.
Then we do not know where he lives?
We will find a boat soon.
Then we will go to Qing and...
You deserted me too.
Did you not?
I was easy to take advantage of because I was pathetic and stupid?
That is nonsense.
Did you really think I would not know how other people thought of me?
Everyone laughed at me and mocked me from behind.
They treated me like an insect.
But in case I became king,
they flattered me in front of me. Am I wrong?
But it did not matter.
I just had to become king.
If I become king, they would not laugh at me even from behind.
And you...
would hold me sincerely.
I am sorry.
The one who made you like this...
is me.
So give me a chance too.
Give me a chance to return...
the kindness I received to at least one person.
The senior officials will probably not show up tomorrow...
at the Hall of Convenience.
If that happens, I will issue an order.
I will do as you say.
Thank you for your decision, Chief Justice.
From tomorrow, it will be war again.
Why do you not get some sleep?
No, I have things to do...
It is because...
I am tired.
Oh, I am sorry.
I did not think of that.
You are working your old subject too harshly.
Excuse me.
May I see Court Lady Heo for a moment?
Yeo Ji.
Why are you at the King's palace at this hour?
Really?
You made these snacks just for me?
You always seemed to be working until late,
so I was going to give this to Court Lady Heo.
Let me open it and take a look.
No, Your Majesty. I will just pass it onto...
Why? You just said you made it for me.
But I feel too embarrassed...
Did you...
Did you really make all this yourself?
Do... Do they look a little weird?
It was my first time making them, so they probably look ugly...
No.
I thought...
you were just a tomboy, but this is very impressive.
Do you really mean that, Your Majesty?
Do they look okay?
Not just okay.
This is...
What is it, Your Majesty?
No... Well...
Are... Are you choking?
Should I get you some water?
No, it is okay.
It... It is bearable.
It is bearable?
Goodness, does it taste that bad?
Goodness, Your Majesty.
Yeo Ji, did you not say...
you thoroughly prepared yourself before coming into the palace?
Well, yes. I tried my best, but...
You said your cooking skills...
are way better...
than the court ladies who cook in the royal kitchen.
That is at least what I thought.
That is at least what you thought?
I am so sorry, Your Majesty.
I will never do something like this again.
I am so sorry.
Yes.
This is what I liked...
when I was with you.
Pardon?
Do you remember...
the day...
when I taught you...
what it really means to become a court lady?
I will tell you...
what it means to be a court lady.
That means...
this can happen.
And this.
What you did to me that night...
Is it what I think it is?
You were trying to start a fight with me.
Am I correct?
But you were wrong.
I was not...
trying to start a fight with you.
This is...
what I wanted to do.
And...
this.
And I wanted...
to always...
keep you by my side just like this.
- Move! - Wait.
Are they not soldiers from Saheonbu?
- What is going on? - I do not know.
Are they really blowing it up now?
- Gosh. - Oh no.
What is going on?
This is where rebel Yi In Jwa's...
father-in-law Yoon Gyeong Jae lives.
Yi In Jwa's letters, belongings,
any evidence will do.
Find whatever you can.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
What are you doing?
Did the King not say there will not be any joint punishment?
Your son-in-law caused a revolt.
How could you be innocent?
Take away the criminal.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
What did you just say?
Saheonbu arrested Yi In Jwa's father-in-law?
We agreed that there will not be any joint punishment.
It is the Chief Censor and Minister of Education.
- Your Majesty. - Let them in.
Your Majesty.
(Chief Censor, Minister of Education)
I know what you will say.
However, should I still need to listen to you?
What is the current situation?
Chief Justice.
Deliver the King's next orders immediately.
Yes, my lord.
- Master. - Master.
Did you hear the news? The Saheonbu...
Where are...
the Chief Inspector and the high-ranking officials?
Begin the interrogation of Yi In Jwa's father-in-law...
and his family immediately.
Saheonbu has the right to carry out the law.
We will do our job regardless of the King's orders...
"Regardless of the King's orders"?
If this is not treason, what is treason?
What are you doing?
What else would I be doing?
I am also doing my job as an inspector of Saheonbu.
I am only trying to punish...
traitors that dare go against His Majesty's orders.
They are trying to drag out Inspector Park from the office?
I am still close with the higher officials.
The Jipyeong went berserk...
and told me to bring soldiers.
- What? - But I did not think it was right.
That is why I came to the Inspectors' Office first.
Team Leader, will you just sit back and watch this?
Let us go. We should help Inspector Park.
What about me?
I am not someone who does things in front of people!
Why did I rat on this?
Gosh, did I get friendly with him because I spoke with him lately?
No.
Did Saheonbu start to move?
His Majesty will begin questioning him soon.
His Majesty may have given such orders, but what can be done?
A judicial authority of this kingdom is just doing its job.
The Hall of Convenience must be empty too.
Let us see how far they can go with only Namin Party members.
It will be impossible.
A fair appointment of personnel regardless of political backgrounds?
Which king has ever won this battle?
Nobody accomplished that.
Minister of Personnel.
- What is it? - His Majesty is serious about this.
This is a serious threat.
What are you talking about? What happened?
My apologies, Your Majesty.
But you are appointing me as Prime Minister?
It is just as you have heard. You will be Prime Minister.
And Cho Hyun Myung will be appointed as Chief Inspector of Saheonbu.
Your Majesty.
No. We cannot accept this.
We are so inexperienced.
Why would you give us such important duties?
I cannot accept this either, Your Majesty.
Then will you make me walk this path all by myself, Teacher?
Is that it?
Will you make me go alone too?
Do you not know what I am trying to do here?
This is the path no other king has been able to walk down until now.
It is the path of fair employment.
This actually might be...
a shameless request, rather than a royal order.
This is a painful path that does not guarantee anything.
I am asking you...
to please walk it down with me.
(Wi Byung Ju, Namin Party)
- Did you hear the news? - What news?
Namin Party members were employed, so there is chaos in the palace.
Hey.
Let me ask you something. I heard soldiers talking about...
the chaos in the palace due to His Majesty employing Namin Party.
Is that true?
My gosh.
What use would that be to you? Stay quiet.
Please answer me.
Are Namin Party members really being employed?
That means...
that His Majesty is promoting the employment of Namin Party...
to stabilize this kingdom.
Right.
But look at the higher officials.
Both Noron and Soron are worried about losing what they have.
They are completely ignoring His Majesty's orders.
I mean, did they ever fight in the front line of war?
Those imbeciles.
- Let me up there for a moment. - Okay.
I lost my precious first son...
in the battle of Anseong.
- My goodness. - My gosh.
They never held a sword in battle.
What right do they have to order us around?
- You are right! - He is right.
Gosh, I am the storyteller.
Just a moment. Let me say something too.
Until when will they keep fighting against each other?
This is why only commoners...
become victims from rebellions.
- He is right. - That is absolutely right.
That is absolutely right. Do you not think so?
They are really saying the right things.
- Right. - Right.
- I have something to say too. - Yes?
- Listen carefully to me. - My gosh.
They are doing good. They are better than me.
- My gosh. - Nobody knows about this.
Are the people's trust that bad?
Do not even mention it. I could not butt in at all.
Their anger of being kicked around must be exploding now.
Everyone is tired of watching political wars.
I am sure that the people will move as one this time.
I should let the palace know about this immediately.
Okay.
Dal Moon!
I found out where that merchant lives.
This way.
Dal Moon, this is the house.
Bok Dan.
Prince Mil Poong, we must leave, okay?
What are you doing? Do you want to get caught?
Hurry. Prince Mil Poong.
Could it be...
Prince Mil Poong?
What is wrong?
Well...
The remaining silver. I would like to get paid now.
- What? - The dock is right ahead from here.
The ship will be waiting. I will leave here.
Look, that is not what we agreed on.
What are you scheming?
Why are you doing this?
You were suspicious when you kept glancing around earlier.
Is there really a ship there?
Or are you trying to betray us?
Get off me.
You are traitors, yet what?
Give it to me. Hand over the silver!
You...
- How dare you? - No.
Yoon Young. Are you okay?
Is there anyone there?
No.
Do not shout.
Yoon Young.
Over there. They are over there.
The traitors I reported. The traitors are there.
Yoon Young. You should get up.
You must go with me.
At least you...
said that you will make...
a prostitute like me become a queen.
However,
I never...
truly embraced you with my heart.
I am sorry for that.
No.
I am sorry, Yoon Young.
Do not do this to me, Yoon Young.
I will be there first.
Do not be so scared when you come.
I will wait for you...
on the other side as queen.
I hope...
you will come...
as king.
No.
Do not leave me, Yoon Young.
You cannot abandon me.
At least you should not abandon me.
It is over there! That is where Prince Mil Poong is!
Over here! I found a rebel!
Where is Prince Mil Poong? Find him right now!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Bok Dan.
But even so,
I do not think...
I do not think I can watch her die.
Bok Dan.
My name is Bok Dan.
What about you?
Dal...
Dal Moon.
Help...
Get up.
What are you doing here, you fool?
You did not live...
such a tough life...
to end up like this.
I did not let you go...
so you could just die like this.
No!
No...
This is eventually what happened...
to that woman?
Dal Moon buried her himself.
Dal Moon.
The soldiers are doing their best to find Prince Mil Poong. So...
Excuse me, Your Majesty.
An urgent message just arrived from the Saheonbu.
How impertinent of you!
I just told you to make way.
We cannot do that.
We, the high-ranking officials of the Saheonbu...
refuse to let you in as a Jakbulnap.
(Jakbulnap: A term used for flawed government officials)
We cannot accept you as the new chief inspector.
We are even prepared to die.
We will not budge.
Are you saying you are going to disobey the King's orders?
How dare they?
What are you doing? Bring the soldiers right now.
No, Inspector Park.
Are you trying to start a riot?
- Sir. - What do you think they want?
They want justification to claim that the King is forcing Saheonbu.
So are you just going to sit back and watch?
Even when they are refusing to let the chief inspector inside?
That is what we need to do.
The chief inspector himself is also trying to endure this humiliation.
Stop.
The high-ranking officials of Saheonbu...
are refusing to let the chief inspector inside?
I do not know what to say, Your Majesty.
Then why did you help me?
If you thought...
it will be of no use?
Why?
That is...
The reason is...
because that is true politics.
The progress may be short lived,
and things might revert back to how things were.
But instead of getting exhausted...
and disappointed,
we must continue to hold onto what we have always been hoping for.
That is when...
the world will start...
to change...
little by little.
Let us go.
Let us not get exhausted...
and disappointed...
even if things...
might end up going back to how they were.
His Majesty will be exiting his palace.
I order all of you to fully focus on guarding the King.
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
His Majesty has arrived.
His... His Majesty is here.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
I want all the officials of the Saheonbu...
to open the Supreme Court.
(Supreme Court: A place Saheonbu officers gathered for discussions)
I have...
something...
to say here.
The King arrives!
The King, arrives!
Here!
The King, arrives!
Yes.
I am the king.
I am...
the king!
(Supreme Court)
I am here today...
at Saheonbu's Supreme Court because...
I want to say,
that a new era of Joseon should begin here...
at Saheonbu.
The three agencies of this kingdom, especially the Saheonbu...
have been corrupt for a long time.
Who trusts the Saheonbu?
And who else trusts its fairness any longer?
- Your Majesty, I apologize but... - Stop!
I am not done speaking.
I will...
no longer ignore the long-standing illnesses of Saheonbu.
That is for the sake of this kingdom...
as well as for the officials at Saheonbu.
As of today, at this occasion,
I will abolish the section chief of personnel,
who had power over all three agencies for a long time.
Hear my proclamation.
Really?
I will completely reform the old system.
Let the entire kingdom know.
(Haechi)
Begin the interrogation of the criminals immediately.
I will walk with my own two feet since I am innocent.
The people are with the King.
What rationale do you have to fight?
I said I will make you pay for your crime. I will keep my promise.
A life without regret...
could be even scarier and more terrible.
I will not die in your hands.
- Yi Geum! - Your Majesty!
I am the king.