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Episode 50

Are you still cold, Your Majesty?

Yes.

But you drank the tonic.

Why isn't it working?

Your Majesty, Cheon Hyang Bi of Cheonchu Hall is here.

Send her in.

My Empress, the Empress Dowager is urgently asking for you.

Me?

Did you wish to see me, Your Highness?

I must ask you a question.

[Empress Dowager Cheon Chu]

What is it?

[Empress Sunjeong]

Has the Emperor been outside the palace in the last few days?

No.

Look straight into my eyes and tell me the truth.

He has been out, hasn't he?

The truth is, he's been going out every night,

in disguise, as a gate guard.

Since when?

Since the night of the Lotus Lantern Festival.

Why haven't you told me about this?

Forgive me.

I was afraid it would send you and the Emperor even further apart.

And when he returns, he is always in such a good mood, so...

There is no doubt, Your Highness.

Sa Illa, are you there?

Your Highness.

Rally the Imperial Guards and call generals Gang Jo and Dae Dosu.

Yes, Your Highness.

What are you going to do?

You told me nothing.

You must not tell the Emperor that I know about this.

Is that understood?

The Emperor?

Arrest Lady Yunheung and the Princess of Liao?

That's right.

Bring them all in tonight.

General Gang, take the Imperial Guards.

And General Dae will take Yang Kyu and Kim Sukheung.

Yes, Your Highness.

Your Majesty, are you going out again?

I won't be long, so go to bed without me.

No, please don't go out tonight.

You are not well.

I need some air.

Go to bed.

Don't tell my mother about this.

[Mokjong (7th King of Goryeo)]

Let's go.

That rascal finally went crazy.

How dare he take the King?

I thought he was acting suspicious lately.

There is no time.

Follow them.

Yes, General.

Your Majesty.

You are here again.

[Court Lady Jo]

Hurry.

Give me some of that tea.

Come inside, Your Majesty.

[Lady Yunheung]

Are you all right?

What kind of tea is this?

Why do you ask?

My body feels so light and relaxed, like I'm floating on air, when I drink this tea.

But without it, my heart feels so heavy and anxious that it's intolerable.

Is that right?

By the way, did you think about reinstating the former

Minister of Punishment, Kim Shimon, as we discussed the other day?

Yes, he will be reinstated.

I am the Emperor.

Who would dare object to my decision?

Death is the only end for those who defy me.

Yes, of course.

Criminal of high treason,

Princess of Liao, come forth!

What is this about?

Criminal of high treason?

You are being arrested for the attempted murder of the Emperor!

- Bind them! - Aye!

Princess, you must run!

Go!

What are you doing here?

Get him on the ground!

Forgive me, sir.

[Yi Hyunoon]

I couldn't defy the Emperor's orders.

Please forgive me.

Silence!

Where is the Emperor?

Your Grace!

It's trouble!

What is it?

The soldiers, the soldiers are here!

What?

Your Majesty, you must pull yourself together!

The soldiers are...

How dare you barge in here without permission?!

Leave at once!

Be quiet if you don't want to get hurt.

How dare you?!

Escort the Emperor out!

Aye!

Your Majesty,

We must go back to the palace.

Please get up.

Get the heck out of here!

Your Majesty, please let us take you back.

The Empress Dowager is very upset.

Didn't you hear me?

I said get out of here!

I am the Emperor!

Take him.

Forgive me, Your Majesty.

Do you wish to die?

I am the Emperor!

Your Majesty!

Take the lady as well.

- Your Majesty! - Yes, sir.

Please come with us.

You!

Do you have a death wish?

How dare you put your hands on me?!

I've been ordered to slay you if necessary.

[Gang Jo (Minister of War)]

Come quietly if you wish to keep your head.

What did you say?

Let go of me!

Escort the Emperor!

I am the Emperor.

- Let go of me! - Your Majesty.

Let go of me!

Your Grace!

- Let go of me! - Your Majesty,

Remember, Your Majesty!

You are the Emperor!

I said let go of me!

Your Grace!

Come quietly if you don't want to die.

Strike if you wish.

I will not be dragged off tied and bound.

Let go of me.

Let go and escort me.

Then I will go quietly.

Lady Yunheung, how nice of you to join us.

Give me the antidote.

[Xiao Zanli]

What do you want with the antidote?

I must give it to the Emperor.

You mean you want to save him?

Forget it.

You've been caught red handed, so just die with dignity.

You wretched wench!

Your poison is befuddling the Emperor's mind!

So just give me the antidote!

There is no antidote.

What?

You mean you deceived me?

And you fell for it.

How naive of you.

I will get you for this!

I will get you!

Oh don't be so mean.

You and I are going to be traveling companions into the next world.

But then I guess the thought of seeing the late King must be a torture for you.

I wonder what he will say about you getting the Emperor addicted to opium.

There is no doubt he will be furious.

But, I don't care.

I am happy to be able to die for my country, Great Liao.

Look at yourself.

You're jumping walls in the middle of the night. Is that what Emperors do?

Why?

What's wrong with that?

Don't you know what you've taken?

Lady Yunheung's been giving you the same addictive potion that destroyed the late King!

Why did you go there?

This would never have happened if you hadn't gone there.

An addictive potion?

So that's what it was.

It's no wonder I'm not bothered when you are yelling at me.

This is great stuff!

Emperor!

Oh why did I go?

I went because I am lonely.

You frighten me, the palace is so huge and I have no one to open up to.

Why?

You went there because you hate me?

That is why I got you married.

Why would you be lonely when you have a wife?

I am lonely!

I'm a useless husband that can't even make love to my wife!

What?

Didn't you know?

Didn't she tell you?

I'm useless.

I am demon possessed epileptic and now I'm impotent to boot.

Because of the me,

the Empress is miserable.

Do you understand?

Do you know who caused all this?

You, Mother.

It's all because you put me on this throne.

So leave me alone.

Leave me alone and be the Emperor yourself.

Take the throne yourself!

- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!

Get a hold of yourself, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Call the physician.

They arrested all of them?

Yes, Master.

And the Emperor had another seizure arguing with the Empress Dowager.

The Emperor's behavior is becoming worse.

[Sa Gamun]

Yes, perhaps this is a good thing.

What do you mean?

It will be arduous and time consuming for us to build enough strength in the Imperial Court

for a successful overthrow.

[Kim Chi Yang (Finance Commissioner)]

But if the Emperor gets himself deposed acting like a madman,

that might make it easy for us.

But what about the successor?

[Mun In Wui (Supervisor for Cheonchu Palace)]

You can't be thinking about Prince Daeryang. Are you sir?

Of course not.

If I have a child, everything will fall into place naturally.

A child?

You mean the Empress Dowager's child?

Exactly.

The Empress Dowager will have my son.

Then the country will fall into the palm of our hands without carnage.

What did you say?

They arrested the Queen Dowager?

[Kim Won Soong]

Yes, Sire.

They took my sister as well.

No!

No!

We must save her.

We must!

But things are different this time.

[Jo Sun]

They caught her red handed drugging the Emperor.

There may not be anything we can do.

There's always something we can do if we look hard enough.

We must save her.

We must!

Sire, are you thinking about using the counterfeit coins again?

What else do we have to use?

There is nothing that money can't buy.

We must save her. We must!

The seizure has subsided, but the opium concoction is still in his system.

But he will be able to overcome the addiction since he has only taken it a few times.

Don't be overly concerned, Your Highness.

Very well. You may leave.

Your Highness, you must eat some food now.

My dream...

My dream of building a grand empire is fading.

How could I build a strong empire when the Emperor is weak?

What do I do now?

You lied to me.

[Duyan]

You used me to destroy the Princess!

You gave me your word. You said nothing would happen to my people!

What's the matter?

Aren't you going to give me your excuse?

I have no excuse.

You're right about everything.

You made me betray my country.

I'm sorry.

I am going to kill you.

If that's what you want, do it.

And thanks to you, I'll have to take my life as well.

No don't.

I don't want you to die.

Shut up!

Don't even try to deceive me with your sweet words again!

I had to do it.

If we were going to be together, one of us had to forsake our country.

Then you could've forsaken yours! Why did you make me forsake mine?

I'm sorry.

I don't need your apology. Just pay the price.

Know this one thing.

My love for you was real.

Strike.

Did you give the Emperor the same substance that you gave the late King?

Yes.

What was your motive?

Isn't it obvious?

To weaken Goryeo, of course.

That is why I'm here and that is why I gave opium

to both the Emperor and his predecessor.

Evil wench.

You have no remorse for what you have done.

Remorse?

What I did is an act of patriotism?

Why would I have remorse?

Your Highness, please silence that wicked mouth by ordering corporal punishment.

There is something else I need to know.

Ask me anything you wish, Your Highness.

I came prepared to die, and I fear nothing.

Did Lady Yunheung join hands with you with full knowledge of your evil intentions?

Leave us.

Your Majesty, you came.

Unbelievable.

This is second time seeing you here.

Your Majesty.

I came to ask you a question.

Did you have Yi Hyunoon lure me out of the palace on the night of the festival

so you could get me hooked on opium?

Answer the question!

Jump up and say you know nothing about this like last time!

No, Your Majesty.

I am guilty.

Oh?

What's making you tell the truth this time?

You should be kicking and screaming trying to find a way to weasel out of this.

I won't make excuses.

Give me death.

She was deceived, Your Majesty.

Her Grace was deceived by that wicked Liao Princess!

She said there was an antidote; that you would never be harmed.

Your Majesty, the Queen is innocent. It's the truth.

Please believe us.

She was lied to so she is innocent?

Yes, Your Majesty.

So please have mercy.

I will die for this, so please spare the Queen.

Stop.

Your Grace...

Your Majesty, I have tried to hurt you so I deserve nothing but death.

But my only regret is not being able to watch you become a benevolent ruler.

Build your own strength and stand on your own.

And be free of the Empress Dowager's control.

Do you understand?

You had me feeling good there for a while with your magic tea.

Forgetting who I am,

Forgetting the mess I am in...

It was quite nice.

Your Majesty...

Your Majesty.

What is it?

The Empress Dowager wants Lady Sungdeok at the inquiry.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty, take care of yourself and become a worthy ruler.

And remember,

you must stand on your own.

Your Majesty, please help us.

We did nothing wrong!

Your Majesty, please help us.!

Tie them up to the torture rack.

Please!

I don't know anything!

Lady Yunheung.

Is it true that you conspired with the enemy spy against the Emperor?

Yes.

It is true that I administered a potion to the Emperor that causes delusions.

But it was to get the Emperor to break free of you and rule the country on his own.

What?

Don't you see?

The Emperor is almost twenty years old.

And he is a married adult.

Why does he need his mother to be a regent?

The regency is in place to strengthen the state.

To build a great empire that no enemy can dare invade.

You couldn't possibly know how vicious the world is out there

sitting in front of your mirror, powdering your face all day.

Women have no place in foreign affairs. It's a job for the Emperor and his men.

A woman's work must end at being a helpmate to a man.

If a woman blocks a man's path and her voice rings louder over the land,

the country will surely fail.

If that is what you believe, believe it.

But I will not live my life the way you have.

If being a helpmate means using a man as your shield to conspire in secret,

I'd rather aspire to be bigger than any man,

and be the first one to bravely die on the battlefield.

Guards!

Torture all the rest of them until Lady Yunheung shows remorse.

Yes, Your Highness.

Yes, sir!

Punish the accused!

Yes!

Please no!

Please!

I am going to die!

This is truly deplorable.

The Dowager of the late King committing such a treacherous crime.

I know.

And together in cahoots with the Princess of Liao at that.

I hope the Khitan won't try and get back at us for what we are doing to their princess.

[Choi Wonshin (Vice Minister of the Office of Ceremony)]

What are you worried about when she is guilty of a treacherous crime?

[Hwangbo Yui (Vice Minister of Finance)]

If we had sent an imperial consort to Liao and that consort tried to kill their Emperor,

she would no doubt be quartered.

Yes, but...

Minister Gang, you are needed at the Prime Minister's home, sir.

What is it?

We just got word that the Prime Minister is in critical condition.

He is asking for you.

Undersecretary, alert the Empress Dowager.

Yes, sir.

Prepare the hot iron.

[Dae Dosu (Minister of Punishment)]

Stop.

Stop!

Stop!

Torture me instead.

Kill me!

If that is your wish, I will grant it.

What are you waiting for?

Torture the treacherous woman!

Stop!

Please stop, Mother.

This is not your concern.

Leave us.

My imprudence is the cause of all this.

Please forgive them.

I said leave us.

Lady Yunheung is the woman who raised me.

I beg you to grant her mercy.

Please, Mother.

I will never act against your wishes again.

So please grant me this one wish, Mother.

Minister Gang, my man.

Yes, Prime Minister.

I have done all I can. Haven't I?

[Seo Hui (Chief of the Supreme Council)]

Is there more I could have done for the country?

No.

[Gang Gamchan (Minister of the Office of Ceremony)]

You always did your very best, sir.

Yet my heart still feels heavy. I fear for the country.

The Empress Dowager will protect the country against the Khitan.

She is more than capable of doing so.

But what I fear is thereafter.

If the Emperor continues on this skewed path...

Sir, please don't talk.

If you see no hope in the Emperor, despite all the efforts,

give up on him and bring Prince Daeryang forward.

Prime Minister.

You must, in order to preserve the state.

Do you understand?

Answer me.

Yes, sir.

I understand, sir.

It was a pleasure knowing you and I'm relieved.

I am sorry to leave such a heavy burden on you and... thank you.

Prime Minister!

Prime Minister!

Sire!

Sire...

Sire...

In July of 998, great luminary of Goryeo, Seo Hui, had passed on.

The son of Gwangjong's prominent retainer, Seo Pil, Seo Hui was austere

and hardworking and was both an exceptional diplomat and general.

During the first Khitan war,

he thwarted the King's intent to surrender a part of Goryeo territory to the enemy,

and he went further to acquire

a 65 mile stretch of land east of the Yelu with his brilliant diplomatic maneuvers.

What's more, he built strong forts on that land and

established a solid first line of defense against the second Khitan war.

And died of natural causes at the age of 57.

The Imperial Court honored him with generous condolence money to his family

and the posthumous title of Jangui.

His funeral was carried out with great respect,

and he was recognized as Seongjong's meritorious retainer.

Your Majesty, are you feeling better today?

Does that mean we don't have to worry anymore?

Yes.

He has endured well, and it appears the symptoms are gone.

It is pretty!

This is...

- Put them down, madam! - No, they're mine!

Do you know where these came from?

- Let go, Wife! - No!

Here's some for you!

And for you!

No!

Your Majesty.

Did you have another nightmare?

Empress...

Yes, Your Majesty.

It's just a dream.

Everything is fine.

I'm... afraid.

I'm so afraid of my mother.

So afraid...

Your Majesty...

She will end up killing me as well.

I just know it.

She'll kill me for the throne.

Don't say things like that.

She is your mother. She would never.

You have to run away.

You'll die too if you stay with me.

My mother is a heartless, tearless woman.

Now that the Prime Minister has been laid to rest,

I'd like to resume our discussion regarding the criminals of high treason.

What do you feel is a proper punishment?

Your Highness, all of them deserve death for their crimes,

but please take His Majesty's feelings into consideration and spare Lady Yunheung.

Yes, Your Highness.

Executing Lady Yunheung would also

be unkind to the late King Seongjong.

[Choi Hang (Royal Undersecretary)]

Yes.

Condemn the crime, but the criminal must be released for the sake of the country.

I concur, Your Highness.

Show mercy to Lady Yunheung.

She has been imprisoned and interrogated in an inquiry,

so such humiliation may be enough punishment for the former Queen.

[Chae Choongsun (Secretary of the Interior)]

Forgiveness is more powerful than punishment in motivating penitence.

[Choi Suk (Vice Minister of the Ministry of Personnel)]

Please consider, Your Highness.

Is that the sentiment of all of you?

Yes, Your Highness.

Very well.

Then that is my decision as well.

I will release Lady Yunheung according to your wishes.

But her accomplices Princess of Liao and Captain Yi Hyunoon

will be promptly punished by death.

And I will have specific orders for the execution of Liao Princess

for the Ministry of Punishment to follow.

Yes, Your Highness.

Emperor, do you have anything to say?

Yes, I do.

I am the cause of all this.

And I will act with prudence and restraint from now on.

So please grant me this one wish.

A wish?

Your lives will be spared, so go back to Liao

and tell them how your princess died.

This is the order of the Empress Dowager.

Long Live Great Liao!

Long Live Great Liao!

Princess!

- Princess! - Princess!

- Princess! - Princess!

- Princess! - Princess!

Please don't kill me!

Colonel, please!

For old time sake, please don't kill me!

You pitiable fellow...

[Kim Hoon]

Choose your path wisely in your next life.

Stop!

Stop the execution.

It's the Emperor's order.

Thank you, Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Your Grace!

Your Grace!

Are you all right?

My Queen, lean on me.

I feel indignant.

I feel so indignant.

What do I do?

How do I pay her back for this humiliation?

We will pay her back.

We will pay her back a thousand fold.

But how?

We are both powerless now.

You just wait.

Our time will come again.

We will get our chance to shake up the world.

Just watch.

It'll be your name that goes down in history as the winner.

Empress Dowager Cheonchu will go down as the loser. I assure you.

You just watch.

Am I doing the right thing?

Yes, you did the right thing.

She is completely powerless now.

No, I'm not talking about Lady Yunheung.

I'm talking about me running this state.

The Emperor is scared of me.

He shuts me out when I try to get close.

My retainers bow their heads before me,

but they criticize me about our relationship the moment I turn around.

I suppose things would be different if I were a man.

Your Highness...

I am afraid.

I am afraid I will fail to realize my dream

and this country will be trampled upon once again by the Khitan.

I am afraid I will be forsaken by my own son,

and my descendents will mock me

and call me a coldhearted witch.

I am afraid no one, no one will know my true intent.

Your Highness, you have me.

No one may understand your true intent,

but I do.

And I will be with you through it all.

So you don't have to feel alone.

What?

Xiao Zanli is dead?

[Empress Dowager Xiao (Emperor Shengzhong's mother)]

Yes, Your Highness.

She died bravely standing up to the enemy to the end.

Your Majesty, we have a problem.

What is it?

It seems Goryeo sent an envoy to Song China.

[Yelu Dilie]

Our sources just sent a report.

What?

So?

They discussed forming an alliance against us if we should attack either of them.

How dare they?!

Assemble the guards this instant!

Yes, Mother!

[Shengzhong of Liao (6th ruler of Khitan)]

We must wipe out the Goryeoans right now!

Your Highness, please calm down. We cannot wage a war right now.

[Han Derang Khitan (Commissioner of the Security Council)]

We need to take our time and make a prudent decision.

We've waited long enough.

They killed a princess of Great Liao for heaven sakes!

If we do nothing, that wench, Lady Sungdeok, will take us for fools!

We have more than enough military strength to obliterate Goryeo right now.

What are you afraid of when we've reached a ceasefire with Song?

Our soldiers are exhausted and weapons and provisions need to be replenished.

And if they are in talks with Song China, we have to be even more careful.

We could find ourselves in an irreversible situation if they should attack from both sides.

Please be rational about this, Your Highness.

Don't worry, Prime Minister. I'm not planning to attack Goryeo.

I just want to see that wench again.

I want to see if she can be this audacious to my face.

The Empress Dowager of Liao?

Empress Chengtien wants to see me?

Yes.

She wants to meet at Naewon Fort north of Yalu River.

Her army will cross the Yalu into Goryeo if you don't come.

Your Highness, this is much too dangerous.

We cannot yield to their arbitrary request.

But they will attack if we don't.

[Han Ingyeong (Minister of Finance)]

We could have another war on our hands.

But we can't send the Empress Dowager to that dangerous place.

If they want to see her, they can come here.

That is right, Your Highness.

This is likely to be a trap.

We cannot comply.

How can you say this?

What if noncompliance really leads to war?

They won't be able to attack us in haste.

Besides, we have no reason to be scared of them.

Who say's we are scared?

I'm afraid for the Empress Dowager's life.

Settle down.

I will go.

I will go and meet her.

Your Highness, then we should arrange the meeting to take place on our side of the border.

The commissioner is right.

This could very well be a trap to kill you.

No.

The Empress Dowager of Liao is not a crafty character who would set a trap to kill me.

I received an invitation, so I will go without fear or favor.

Still one cannot be too careful, so we will prepare for all possibilities.

I will accompany you as well along with Yang Kyu's cavalry and Kim Sukheung's infantry.

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Main Translator: KBS WORLD Spot Translator: ahsieee

Transcriber: julier Timer: dOtcOm

Editor/QC: melica Coordinators: mily2, ay_link

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