Original subtitles

What's that?

You have sharp ears?

Good hearing has nothing to do with this

This is all about the tremors

Your whole body

Feels it on its own

Why, isn't that the green young master Chasing after his lady cousin?

I misjudged you.

I had no idea you were so well-endowed.

- Come now, you know nothing - Enough of your chatter.

Let me teach you a thing or two Hear me well

Long and large is not all there is to it

A pickaxe is too much for gathering clams

Throw a bucket into a spring Blow upon it softly

Press your lips to it Sip, sip, sip

Now why tease us so, Director?

So it's a watermill, is it?

Splash, trickle-trickle

Creak-creak

Pounding away nicely, I see

"A flower must be held gently."

"Grip it too hard and it shall break."

At this rate,

how is the iron ever to grow hot?

Trying to plow a parched field, are we?

"Young master, care to see for yourself?"

All right!

In he goes

In he goes to see for himself

The proud pestle springs upright Rises and falls, creaking all the while

In he goes to see for himself

Splash, trickle-trickle, creak-creak

Pounding away nicely, I see

The green lad is nowhere to be found now

- No matter the hour - Not here…

No matter the place

Even in the palanquin

As it sways and bounces

In he goes to see for himself

"My lord, how many women have you held?"

Who counts grapes…

as he eats them?

Now that's a fine answer To a foolish question

"I had heard the rumors,

but are you really such a lecherous man?"

And what do the rumors

say of me?

Come now, need you ask?

"They call you the Gentleman of the Night."

How fitting

"The Gentleman of the Night"?

Indeed, he's a true gentleman

Strictly for adults

A true gentleman…

takes pleasure

in enlightening worthy minds.

Tonight…

I shall teach you and delight in a gentleman's pleasure.

There we go

Here are…

the teachings of Xunzi.

Adrift and floating, softly afloat

It feels as though walking upon the clouds

Then crashing down to earth

Ah, was it but a dream?

Ah

Have you awakened from the dream?

It vanishes like foam

Elusive as a shadow

After all that chasing and circling

- You only find yourself - Yun!

- Where you began - Yun!

- Love - Yun!

- Love - Yun!

What is this thing called love

That it lives in dreams

And it lives on

Upon waking

Why does it cling to you

So cruelly to the bitter end?

Love

Love

My love

THE SCANDAL

As the Left State Councilor must have told you,

I shall be

staying in this household for a time.

But whatever the reason, perhaps this too is fate.

Tell him I have heard enough, Eun-sil.

- My lady says-- - I could not properly see you home,

and it has weighed on me.

I merely wished to know whether you returned safely.

If you would turn your face from me so, what am I to do?

Have I perhaps caused some misunderstanding?

Tell him there is no misunderstanding.

My lady says there is no misunderstanding…

The day I first met you,

I found this where you had been standing.

I shall accept your thanks in the form of a letter,

for there are too many eyes and ears about.

My husband could not stop praising your cousin,

and he is not a man of many words.

My lady!

Her Ladyship approaches!

For heaven's sake!

Please do not do this, my lord.

Give it to me, I beg you.

My lady!

They have been discussing literature…

All right.

Your Ladyship.

Lady So, good to see you.

I spotted you from afar and was so delighted I nearly ran over.

Shall we?

I am most excited about today's poetry gathering.

If that proves too difficult,

then I shall write to you first.

Surely you will answer me?

Fine, I will.

Now, please.

Oh, here.

Are you all right?

I saw you here on my way to the rear garden

with the Lady of the First Rank.

Do not worry.

She did not see anything.

You can tell me anything and everything.

Forgive me. The truth is…

Regarding what happened the other day,

I ought to have come to you sooner and offered my thanks.

Yet I was delayed.

One can feel a mother's heart in it.

Now, allow me to recite a poem I wrote.

Though the full moon has waned

My beloved is still yet to return

The endless clatter of the loom

Fills this lonely heart

Were you

intending to help me again this time?

Because you were lonely?

How fares it?

It is going so easily

I almost feel bad for you.

You sound fairly confident.

Then when you feel the task is almost complete,

would you come see me for a moment?

Why?

Do you mean to rehearse

before giving me the reward?

Late into the night

would be even better.

I look forward to it greatly.

Here.

Here they are.

You have copied the introduction

most diligently.

"A girl, upon reaching the age of 10, must refrain from venturing out."

"At 15, she must put her hair up."

"And before 20, she must marry…"

Yes.

She ought to come into bloom.

Yes, indeed.

Come now, take it.

Take it. It's all right.

You!

The lady herself promised me a reply.

Why are you meddling in this?

It's all right. Just take it.

Damn it.

A husband may take a second wife,

yet nowhere is it written that a wife can marry twice.

Should a woman's conduct defy the will of heaven and earth,

she shall be punished by the heavens.

I received your reply.

Thanks to you,

I learned what it is women study and commit to memory.

It was most enlightening.

Should a woman's conduct defy the will of heaven and earth,

she shall be punished by the heavens.

Should she stray from propriety and loyalty…

In the rear garden, I saw a pair of cuckoos.

The male and female sat side by side, singing so affectionately together.

As I stood there listening, spellbound, to the love song of such humble creatures,

I found myself envious.

Should a woman's conduct defy the will of heaven and earth,

she shall be punished by the heavens.

Should she stray from propriety and loyalty,

her husband shall cast her aside.

Eun-sil.

Eun-sil, you are snoring rather loudly.

Is that beef?

Yesterday, I took a stroll with In-ho, and we spoke at length.

I did not pry too deeply

for fear of wounding the young master's heart,

yet it seemed he keenly feels the absence left by his late brother.

My lord.

Though I know it presumptuous of me,

I found myself wishing I might fill that empty place, however inadequately.

Should a woman's conduct defy the will of heaven and earth,

she shall be punished by the heavens.

Should she stray from propriety and loyalty,

her husband shall cast her aside.

Oh, dear.

What did you say your name was again?

What? You don't remember?

Chil-seong. It's Chil-seong.

That really hurts.

Was it?

For a servant's name, yours is not so bad either.

No.

At birth, they called me Basket.

Then Dog Balls.

After that, Straw Mat.

Because I was beaten in one so often.

You find that amusing?

Then who gave you the name Chil-seong?

My master.

Lord Cho Won.

I had seven different masters,

and each one had a different family name.

Hence the name, Chil-seong. "Seven Names."

He named me that and said the Cho family

must be the last house I ever serve.

Yours is a pitiful fate indeed.

Wait, move.

Oh, no.

Oh, dear.

For heaven's sake! You should have taken better care of it!

My lady.

Who is there?

Who else would it be? It is Eun-sil.

I have something for you.

Where on earth have you been?

A letter came for you.

Letter?

Should a woman's conduct defy the will of heaven and earth,

she shall be punished by the heavens.

Should she stray from propriety and loyalty…

Here, put this in and deliver it to her.

Huh?

All right.

I'll prepare a tonic of pomegranate and velvet antler.

Have her take it before going to bed each night.

You must not miss a single day

if you are to make your body fit for childbearing.

Thank you, my lord.

Thank my wife for it.

Isn't that right, my lady?

A woman must keep her countenance proper, guard her chastity,

and conduct herself…

She replied to a blank sheet?

So she is not even reading them.

How lovely! My lady!

How about this one?

My letters.

Do you even read them?

Were you always so cruel?

How can you send only a reply without even trying to look into my heart?

You, sir…

have disregarded every earnest plea I made.

I, on the other hand, have kept every promise I made to you.

Have you no pity for my heart, woman?

Tie it up tight.

Just take that one with you.

Here we go.

Mother.

I shall soon follow you,

my dear husband.

Easy now.

I did not know your masters had gone to hold the rite ending their mourning.

Dear me.

We were given all this fine liquor.

- My, what a waste. - What is that? Liquor?

- Hey! Wait! - Hey!

What are you doing, you fool?

Chil-seong, I thought you were better than this!

Well, what else can I do?

I cannot defy my master's orders, can I?

Listen, all of you! This soil shall be as rich as can be.

You ought to plant something here next year.

- Good heavens! - Wait!

Why would he throw such fine liquor away?

Just keep pouring it out, just as your master ordered!

- Go on. - Pour it in here.

You are not disobeying a thing!

- Come now. - Go on!

- We have some ritual food left, don't we? - Yes!

Chil-seong, you rascal! You are one fine servant!

Chil-seong, you rascal! You are one fine servant!

Let's see.

I have this face,

and I even paired it with sweetness.

What more am I meant to do? Darn it.

I received your reply.

- Your handwriting is as beautiful… - You're a fool.

How could you still continue to write

after receiving such an absurd reply?

Why do you torment me so?

Yesterday, I took a stroll with In-ho, and we spoke at length.

I knew I was right about you.

Deep within your heart

lies such gentle kindness.

But hearing you say

you wished to fill that empty place for my brother-in-law,

I find myself envious of him.

It is terribly wrong of me to feel this way, is it not?

My lord, whom I long for,

please appear before me.

My heart is in such turmoil

that I cannot sleep at all.

Please appear to me at least in my dreams.

MY LORD, WHOM I LONG FOR, PLEASE APPEAR BEFORE ME

I HAVE READ IT

Eun-sil, are you there?

Eun-sil.

Do not be alarmed, my lady. It is I, Cho Won.

I have come

to see you.

What scandalous words are these?

Please return at once,

and I shall pretend none of this happened tonight.

Do you mean to say

you did not wish to see me?

How could a gentleman learned in propriety

ask such an insulting question?

Are my feelings…

truly an insult to you?

Knowing now that our hearts feel the same…

how could I…

How could I keep myself from coming here?

That is why

you answered my letters as well, is it not?

I have

read your replies.

My lord, please do not do this.

Why must you be so cruel to me?

This is a bond that can never be fulfilled in this life.

Why do you keep longing for it?

Then in the next life…

will I be allowed to reach you?

If so, then…

send me there at once.

Otherwise…

I shall reach you…

in this life instead.

Just as I am now.

Tonight…

we shall meet in our dreams.

We must.

She falls so easily, it is almost disappointing.

I wonder if she will cry herself to sleep tonight.

Madam.

Lord Cho Won is here to see you.

You told me to come once I felt I was close.

So though I knew how late it was…

I came nonetheless. Forgive me.

You must be quite certain of yourself.

I was just with the widow.

Just the two of us.

Very… privately.

How remarkable you are.

There must have been at least ten pairs of eyes watching.

What is there for me to fear

when I have set my mind on something?

That woman who once seemed all edge and steel

now rests so sweetly in my arms.

In your arms?

The widow?

It was the embrace of a man she had never known before.

She melted right into me.

I almost smiled

without meaning to.

Until now,

I had moved only as planned.

But I nearly…

gave myself away.

Gave yourself away?

What do you mean?

What do you think?

My dazzling little performance. What else?

Now I am curious

what exactly you did to her.

"If only I could reach you in the next life,

I would go there…

this very moment."

At last, I have met a man

who leaves me breathless.

I longed so dearly

for your great hands.

And I too…

longed day and night…

for your breath upon me.

Hearing such words,

I feel I shall spend the night thoroughly drenched.

"My thighs seem to part of their own accord,

yet there is no husband to pound between them."

I long so dearly for your great hands.

"Come visit me once."

"And scold this drenched little thing of mine."

BUN-HUI

"Bun-hui"?

You see?

You ought not have left after merely brushing her shoulder.

It came from the Tobacco Shop.

From So-ok's mother.

There are women all across the land

who still pine for me.

She is simply one among them.

You see,

women are exceedingly displeased by talk of other women.

So,

did it trouble you so?

Look at you.

There is still

bitterness lingering between your brows.

It's a pity I cannot imitate it for you.

As an apology,

I shall

give you this letter.

I suspect it shall prove more useful in your hands than mine.

The daughter of the woman who wrote it.

Teach her with this.

Nothing could better prepare her to be a fine concubine.

Just have her recite these words, and your husband

shall be greatly satisfied.

Very well.

I shall put it to good use.

I believe

there may be someone who needs it more than So-ok.

What if I gave it to that widow?

Well,

it belongs to me now, so I need not ask you.

Oh, dear.

You swallowed rather hard just now.

You must be quite flustered.

It's a pity I cannot imitate it for you.

Certainly not.

I was merely

imagining how overwhelmed she would be

by my manly charms upon reading that letter.

I only hope she does not faint outright.

Gye-hwa,

are you there?

You called for me, madam?

Take this letter at once

to the Left State Councilor's daughter-in-law.

Gye-hwa.

Did you not hear me?

I did, madam.

I shall come in then.

I am rather curious

how that widow shall respond after reading those words.

If you want me to call it off,

I shall stop the letter before it reaches her.

Just say the word.

What shall I do?

Well?

By all means, see it through to the end.

Where is…

Here it is.

KWON GEUM-HO

You there.

Are you not Gye-hwa?

Yes, madam.

Come along now.

So she sent you out in the dead of night

merely to return Geum-ho's belongings?

Yes, madam.

She said it was far too precious to delay once it had been found.

I see.

Mrs. Gang-hwa,

hold onto it and give it to Hui-yeon in the morning.

Yes, madam.

Is that a tobacco box?

Yes.

How thoughtful of her.

She still remembered to send something for me as well.

Bring it inside.

Yes, madam.

You may go now.

Pardon?

Madam.

It is Gye-hwa.

Pardon the intrusion.

My apologies, madam!

The Lady of the First Rank

took the tobacco box with her.

And the letter inside it as well?

Yes.

The fault is mine. I do not deserve to be forgiven.

I shall accept whatever punishment you give.

Gye-hwa.

Yes, madam?

Have I ever punished you?

Prepare a proper gift

for Her Ladyship at once.

Subtitle translation by: Yoonjung Song