Original subtitles

Past Episode Summary

The year 4 AD.

The grandson of King Dongmyeongseong* and Yuri's third son Muhyul is born. *Jumong's posthumous title

But that happiness will be short-lived.

King Yuri is told of his son's nefarious curse,

that of causing his brethren's death, his parents' demise,

and, in the end, the collapse of his country Goguryeo.

The prince was born under nefarious fate,

that of causing the downfall of Goguryeo.

He will kill his brethren,

his mother and father.

At the end, he's destined to even kill his own son.

The sorceress advises Yuri to kill Muhyul, for the sake of Goguryeo.

But Yuri, as a father first despite being the King,

can't find the courage to kill his own son firsthand.

Is he really going to offer the newborn prince in sacrifice?

With my son's blood,

I shall break the curse smothering our very existence.

They said he'd be unconscious until dusk.

But…

also that in case he wasn't conscious by then,

we wouldn't be able to bring him back to his senses.

King Yuri names his child Muhyul, to signify his lack of a beating heart and blood…

pumping in his veins, sending him away to save his life.

Take the child and head for Jolbon.

Go there, and raise the child as a rootless commoner.

That child is no longer of this world,

so his name shall be…

Muhyul, for he no longer has a beating heart nor warm blood in his veins.

I…

have a favor to ask you.

Being entrusted to Chief Decorator Hye Ap,

Muhyul spends his childhood inside the tomb of King Dongmyeongseong,

away from the curse which marked his destiny,

and which still escapes his thoughts.

But, as time goes on, Muhyul grows ambitions to escape out to the world.

I prefer my direful fate outside to being caged like a beast in this place.

I said I don't want to live here anymore!

Shut your mouth! Get going!

I'll escape from here.

On the night Muhyul escapes from the caves…

Who is there?!

Sent by Buyeo's King Daeso,

the Black Shadows attack the caves.

M…Muhyul!

If you don't enter that tomb right now,

I shall behead you.

Wait!

What King Daeso was looking for…

I'll do it.

- Jumong's Heavenly Sword - I will go get the Heavenly Sword.

Leaving the caves to follow Haemyeong,

Muhyul begins to learn martial arts, and grows into a powerful young man.

After becoming a Goguryeo soldier, Muhyul lets his excitable mind…

bring him past the border, a mistake which causes his…

capture and puts his life at risk.

But, in a fateful meeting, Muhyul meets the woman of his life, Yeon.

Yeon treats Muhyul away from the claws of death,

and leaves a strong impression on him.

Look.

Wake up.

Look!

Afraid his brother Muhyul might lose his life in Buyeo,

Haemyeong attacks the Buyeo frontier defense to save him,

just as King Yuri is visiting Daeso.

This leads to Yuri's humiliation at the hands of Daeso,

and his angry reaction, depriving Haemyeong of all authority.

Muhyul builds respect and gratitude for Haemyeong,

promising himself to serve this man who treated him with warmth and…

sacrificed for him, for the rest of his days.

Following Haemyeong as one of his followers,

Muhyul finally sets out to Buyeo,

and meets his only love, Yeon, once again.

Are you all right?

Trying to look for Yeon, Muhyul falls into a situation he couldn't predict.

He gains a secret message from a mysterious man from Hwangnyong.

Find a man called Seong Baek among the merchants at the market,

and give him this.

Take this.

It shall be a difficult battle, but you need to survive.

If you survive this, I shall teach you how to use that.

Along with Haemyeong, Muhyul ambushes Daeso's retinue.

It's King Daeso!

King Daeso is alive!

What Prince Haemyeong killed was merely His Majesty's shadow.

His Majesty orders you to take Prince Haemyeong,

and behead him right under his eyes.

Abandon me…

and protect our people!

You are telling the man who abandoned your brethren…

to abandon even you?

You never know what his followers might do,

so slaughter every man who tries to stop Haemyeong.

- Understood? - Yes, Milord.

Muhyul!

Haemyeong, you can't!

You ca…

- Your Highness! - Your Highness.

- Your Highness! - Your Highness.

- Haemyeong! - Your Highness.

Haemyeong!

If it weren't for this,

the arrow would have pierced your heart.

Haemyeong's death creates a deep misunderstanding in Muhyul's mind.

How can a father let his own flesh and blood perish that way?

Killing His Highness…

wasn't Buyeo. It was Goguryeo.

The one who killed His Highness…

is not King Daeso.

It's King Yuri.

He's a most pertinacious specimen.

He has survived over ten poisoning experiments.

He's the only one who has survived that far.

You shall now enter training to become Black Shadows.

If you want to survive, become a Black Shadow.

The troops are after us. You need to escape now!

Wherever you go,

I shall find you.

Episode 11

Take those swords, and pierce Yuri's viperous heart.

If you fulfill your mission,

you shall become loyal subjects of Buyeo and gain nobility,

and enjoy riches and fame for generations to come!

Once we cross Mt. Joryeong, we shall reach Gungnae Fortress.

I need to go somewhere else first.

Where is it?

This is Pyeongcheon Plain, where His Highness passed away.

I finally have returned to Pyeoncheon Plain,

this land Your Highness's bloody tears pervade.

A long time has gone by,

but your place in my soul remains the same.

I shall slay King Yuri at all costs,

and avenge your burning chagrin once and for all.

Allow me to go!

Expunge my grief.

Father!

Your Majesty. Where are you headed?

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty.

What is the occasion, at this belated juncture?

What is the situation in Buyeo?

Did our spies send us any intelligence?

Yes.

I'm perusing it right now.

I shall give Your Majesty a full report in the morning.

May you return to your quarters, and enjoy your repose.

I can't.

I shall appraise it myself.

Your Majesty.

Haemyeong bedevils my dreams.

His bemoaning eyes gazed at me.

"Why are you not assailing Buyeo," he said.

Screaming "Why are you not effacing my dolor?" he rebuked me!

Your Majesty!

More than anyone, His Highness shall discern your unfeigned intents.

May you reclaim the majestic sinews buried inside your solicitous heart.

Balso. Let us head for the northern gates.

We can't! That is where the commoners' village is located.

It's a very dangerous place, where anyone could perish mysteriously.

I want to go.

Ahh… I wonder why you keep trying to attract trouble!

If I say we should go, just do it. What are you always gabbling about?

Understood.

Wait here just a moment.

Where are you going?

I need to micturate, Your Highness.

My apologies.

Wait.

Have we met before?

I have never seen you before.

What are you gazing at, in such wistful abandon?

I just saw someone familiar,

but I cannot quite remember where I met him.

Where would someone living in the palace meet a lowly market commoner like that?

You must be mistaken, Your Highness.

Let's go.

He didn't recognize us, did he?

But, why is Prince Yeojin wandering outside the palace like that?

Why is he out in the open, without a single guard?

Let's go.

Who are you?

"Bu" of Buyeo We come from Buyeo.

Follow me.

I will escort Lady Ban Ya, so wait here a moment.

What's wrong?

To ascertain their identities among one another, Buyeo spies…

tie their beoseon* the opposite of how Goguryeo people do it. *Traditional Korean socks

But that man did it exactly like everyone else here.

Let's escape.

Slay them.

Hey!

What on earth were you doing up there?!

And who is this one?!

Are you really telling me you escorted His Highness out of here incognito?

This wasn't the first time.

They've been doing this quite frequently.

What if something happens to His Highness?

My apologies.

From now on, don't ever escort him out of the palace.

His Highness is telling me to escort him, what can I do?

Still, you…

It worries me as well, His Highness being so deeply curious about the outside world.

No matter how grave His Highness's commination may seem, don't do it.

Do you understand?

Yes.

Supervisor.

The Black Shadows have infiltrated our spies' refuge!

So you couldn't handle those two men, and let them escape?!

I'm mortified. Their towering fighting skills caught us by surprise.

Immediately alert the Daebo,

and heighten inspections around the capital.

Yes.

The people waiting for us were Goguryeo soldiers.

They had already killed Ban Ya and all our spies.

Muhyul.

Let's go back to Buyeo.

When they learn of our situation here,

they'll have nothing against our coming back.

This is not our fault.

What else can we do here, all by ourselves?!

There are no more spies here who can help us!

Yeon.

You must survive this.

The moment you leave Buyeo, forget everything.

You shan't harbor any resentment towards Buyeo or His Majesty.

Don't let odium and grief begrime your soul.

Live a wonderful life.

It's there.

Let's go.

Will it really be all right?

If we are to wait until things quiet down in the capital,

that is the only place.

Mahwang risked a lot to help His Highness.

He'll surely help us, even if only out of courtesy to His Highness.

Muhyul!

It's Baegeuk.

Mahwang is joining forces with Baegeuk, it seems.

You found a way to get rid of Hye Ap? What are you talking about?

What is with all this celeritous distress, Your Excellency?

Have a cup of tea, for starters.

I have no time to squander with you.

If it is a way you found, tell me right now.

None other than using Prince Yeojin to aid our purpose.

Prince Yeojin?!

These days, the prince is donning a surreptitious masquerade,

spending time outside the palace.

You must be mistaken, surely.

Inspecting His Highness's itinerary…

is the Intelligence Bureau's foremost millstone,

so they couldn't possibly be incognizant of this.

And, knowing that, they would never abet this roguery.

I saw it with these two eyes, Milord.

Were you looking for me?

Let's go out.

I can't go. You would have to kill me to do that again!

Do you realize the trouble I went through, when the Chamgun found out about this?

That… My apologies.

But this time shall be different.

Aren't they all engrossed by the Black Shadows' infiltration now?

We shall be able to escape without any encumbrance.

I beg you, please stop.

If we keep this up, what if something happens to you?

Fine. You may leave.

Your Highness. Should I bring you some tea?

No need for tea. Will you follow me?

What?!

What is there to be so surprised about?

No matter what happens, I shall protect you.

We cannot do that, Your Highness!

Please, don't do this.

If you don't follow me, I shall head out alone.

Prince Yeojin went out of the palace, you say?

Yes.

And security?!

Only a servant is following along.

This is a most auspicious opportunity.

If we swiftly make sure His Highness is detained,

and then deploy our Biryu troops to find him,

we might reclaim His Majesty's confidence.

We shall use this opportunity to slay the prince.

S…Slay the prince?!

Didn't we concoct to make one of our Biryu clan ladies the new crown princess?

No matter how enfeebled His Highness might be,

tigers shall only bear more tigers.

We never know when his bolstered blade might twinge our resolve.

In unchanging earnestness, we shall slay the prince.

Due to the Black Shadows' infiltration, the capital is in uproarious dishevelment.

If we finagle them to believe it was something the Black Shadows perpetrated,

we shall easily fulfill our goals.

Do as your wish commands!

It's dainty.

Here.

I wanted to make one for you,

but my mother disapproves, so it can't be helped.

When the time comes, I shall make you an even more scrumptious one.

Let's go.

Yeon Hwa.

Yes?

When I say run, do it.

What is wrong?

Don't ask. Just do as I told you.

Here, let's go.

Are you all right?

What did I tell you? That I would protect you, didn't I?!

We need to head back to the palace, now.

Right, so we shall.

Let's go.

Who are you?!

My gratitude.

I shall reward you for this benignancy.

What happened?

We failed.

You miserable bezonians!

A few men suddenly appeared, and protected the prince.

Their skills were no match for us.

What is all this about?

Yeojin disappeared?!

I do not know myself, Your Majesty.

Indubitably, he must have met with unforeseen hazards!

Have you tried the workshop?

We did, but he was not there.

If he is not at the workshop, where on earth is he?!

Is there anything you know?

He must have gone outside the palace.

Outside?!

I have rebuked him for his continued escapades outside the palace.

He must have done it again!

Does it make any sense to allow him escapement without a single guard?!

Your Excellency.

What is the matter?

What is the reason they summoned the guards protecting our outer walls?

I don't know myself.

Your Majesty.

What is the matter?

After eschewing the palace, Prince Yeojin has disappeared.

Seeing he still isn't back, something must have happened.

Daebo, strengthen security inside the palace,

while you rummage the entire capital looking for Yeojin.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Did you find anything?

We rummaged north and south, but no traces of His Highness.

- We shall head to the eastern gates. - Yes.

Chamgunnim, what now?

Will I be blamed for all this?

How can you say that?

If anything happens to His Highness, my blade will make you dearly pay!

Ahhh… where is he?!

Balso, head that way.

Supervisor!

This must belong to His Highness.

It's his, for sure.

Track where this came from.

Yes.

Ahhh… here you are. Did you find out?

Yes.

The guards are all over the place, looking for the prince.

It's done! Now it's all done!

Hye Ap!

Do not resent me.

You become an obstacle on my way, what else can I do?

Let's go!

What is the occasion?

Whenever our big endeavor would be completed,

you promised me all the silk stores in the capital, didn't you?

Silk stores?!

Yes.

If you keep His Highness detained for another few days,

and bring him back to the palace, you shall be welcomed as a hero.

Isn't that right, Sangganim?

You fool!

And what is wrong with you?!

You really don't know?

Some men suddenly appeared, killed our guards and took Prince Yeojin!

What?!

Ahh… th…thh…that.

Stop prattling around and speak!

Where is Prince Yeojin?

Ahhh… a…and how would I know that?

- Isn't this fruit of your vile subterfuge? - Enough!

Don't be too disheartened, my friend.

Yeojin is neither back to the palace, nor detained in our quarters,

so who would we possibly suspect?

I have nothing to do with this.

Fine, fine.

I shall keep my word. But!

If King Yuri learns of our involvement in this matter,

then…

even birds shan't tattletale of your nefarious demise.

I understand.

You may leave us.

We need to get rid of him.

He can still bless us with his services.

What happened with Yeojin?

Has he come back?

They still haven't found him.

This won't do it.

Help me up. I shall seek audience with His Majesty.

Your Highness!

Now!

Lay down.

It's an infusion. It will help you regain your forces.

I don't even know whether my son is alive.

Would infusions placate my shivering disquietude?

Find Yeojin for me.

If anything happens to him, I will lose any desire to live.

How are things proceeding?

We found one of His Highness's jade ornaments at the market,

but we still haven't found who's responsible for all this.

If anything happens to Yeojin, it will put the entire palace in disarray.

You must find him.

Yes, Your Highness.

Supervisor.

What happened?

We found the source of those daggers.

It's the Biryu clan.

Who are you?

We are here on behalf of His Majesty.

Where is Prince Yeojin?

Why did you come here to look for Prince Yeojin?!

- Rummage this place! - Yes!

You are digging your own grave.

Yeon Hwa!

Yeon Hwa, wake up!

Your Highness.

Are you all right?

I am fine.

Your Highness!

You needn't worry.

I shall protect you.

Seeing we're still alive, they have no intention of harming us.

Let's find our way out of here.

We shall move in disguise in Buyeo, so don't call me "Your Highness."

Then, how should we address you?

Hyungnim would be fine.

Give it a try.

It's fine.

Try it once.

H…Hyungnim.

You don't know how nice that sounds.

Anger empowers you to fight, and strengthens you, I agree.

But people cannot live off anger alone.

There is something much stronger than anger in life.

What is that?

You shall find out what that is by yourself.

Tell me, Your Highness.

What is even more powerful than anger?

So, what happened?

It's complete chaos.

Let alone the market, on my way here I saw countless soldiers.

The time has come.

- Your Highness! - What are you doing?!

You…

were serving Haemyeong.

Heed my words.

You shall now return to Gungnae Fortress.

Seek audience with King Yuri,

and tell him if he wishes to see Prince Yeojin again,

he must come here.

He must do this alone.

If I see any guards joining him,

Prince Yeojin will immediately meet his demise.

Your Highness!

Take her there.

Your Highness!

Yeon Hwa!

Yeon Hwa!!

There is no trace of His Highness here.

We must be mistaken.

We weren't able to find any trace of His Highness.

Your Majesty.

Your humble servant bespeaks your attention.

I know very well the Intelligence Supervisor enjoys your confidence,

but this kind of discourteous behavior is inadmissible.

What is our Biryu clan, after all?

It gave birth to our Empress, and bestowed invaluable assistance to…

His Deceased Majesty in founding this country.

But, out of damning guesswork,

you falsely arraigned us all, causing our rampageous embitterment.

May you immediately reprove the Supervisor,

and dismiss everyone under her command observing the chieftains.

If you do not abide by our pleas,

all the chieftains' troops defending the border shall immediately begin withdrawal.

How dare you comminate His Majesty?!

What the Ubo says is right, Your Majesty.

The same Intelligence Supevisor who should help contain Buyeo…

is only concerned with scrutinizing the chieftains' every move,

and intriguing against our legacies.

Who would ever serve this country with unswerving zeal?

The Supervisor shall face trial for her misdemeanor after we find Yeojin.

Instead,

the Biryu clan shall now direct all attention to finding Prince Yeojin.

- That… - You can't do it, you are saying?!

Isn't the Biryu clan concerned about the prince's safety?

- But… - Should the Biryu clan fail to find him,

your malefaction shall meet with commensurable amercement!

Remember what he told you.

You can't let them catch you before you meet the King,

and never tell this to anyone else.

Please, I beg you. Spare His Highness's life.

Right. I want to spare him as well.

So you need to do as we told you.

Understood?

Yes.

Go.

- Let's go take what belongs to me! - Master!

There is something you need to see.

What?

Hurry up.

They're wenches the slave trader from Hwangnyong brought.

Take a look, and if you don't like them, I will take care of…

You take care of this, all right.

If you need anything, you can ask her.

Still, you can't leave without permission.

Understood?

Ahh… she is nice indeed. Huh?

Ah! I'll be damned.

You don't know?

What?

Whether you don't know where we met that woman, I mean.

Why?

You lamebrained buffoon.

You always say lamebrained this and that, it's only making things worse!

It's that wench we saw in Buyeo Fortress.

Oh… so, did we see only one wench in Buyeo Fortress?

It's that physician who treated the slave who tried to take her life!

Ahh! Oh… oh… That one. Yes. Ah! Oh!

Ahh… at last, the sun shines upon thee, old man!

That kind of gem falling into my lap from the sky!

How can someone who served Haemyeong do something like this?

Consume this.

Shouldn't you survive, until King Yuri comes here?

Answer me!

I don't know who my parents were.

I know of no brethren, either.

His Highness was all I had.

He was a father, a brother to me. That's what His Highness meant.

His Majesty is none other than his father. But…

Can you bestow the title of father….

upon someone who mercilessly abandoned his son?

Even the most ferocious beasts would give their lives for an offspring.

But, donning the mask of a man, he forsake his son.

He slayed the allegiant heart of he who sacrificed his life for this country.

Does that man…

deserve to be called father?

- The reason Hyungnim* perished… - Don't use that word in vain!

That of Hyung* and Au*, *Older~younger brother/friends

That of Hyung* and Au*,

is a bond which betokens devotion and fealty.

Only those respecting that bond should use those terms.

But, what did you do, Your Highness?

What did you do, when His Highness's blood…

was drenching the cold plains of Pyeongcheon?!

His Highness's demise was lamentable.

He left a place whose king fails to protect those fighting for their country.

A place where there's no father embracing his son,

for sacrificing his life to save him.

Aren't you curious, Your Highness,

whether His Majesty will come to save you?

How dare you assay His Majesty?!

Yes, that is right.

I shall experience whether the man who abandoned his son…

is able to do it once again.

He probably will abandon you as well,

too concerned for his own safety.

But, should he come to this place,

then…

I shall unleash all of His Highness's rampageous grief upon him!

Why is someone who followed Haemyeong doing something so contemptible?!

It is Your Majesty who made me this way.

After abandoning your son so mercilessly, why did you come here?!

Did you cherish that damned throne so much…

you were willing to sacrifice your son?!

My punishing arrows shall smother Your Majesty,

and expunge His Highness's grief!

If my blood can serve to extirpate your rueful woes,

slay me right now!

Kill me!!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, are you all right?

Muhyul!

What did you just say?!

This boy… is Muhyul?!