Original subtitles

(This drama was remade based on historical facts.)

Return to us, Your Majesty.

(King Gyeongjong)

I also knew...

that I wasn't capable enough.

I knew...

that I did not deserve to take the throne.

Why are you living so recklessly?

Why can't you be better?

I will be dying soon, Prince Yeoning.

No. No, Yi Hwon.

Do you remember?

Yi Geum. It's you.

The kingdom's...

You should've rather dreamt of becoming a king.

"You should've rather dreamt of becoming a king"?

Because if you do become a king, you'd at least...

be able to gain some power.

I'd at least be able to gain power.

Gain power...

I guess you also had nowhere else to go.

We're the only ones left...

of all people...

in this corrupt palace.

(Corrupt: To degrade with unsound principles or moral values)

Father and Yi Hwon are gone now.

And we, of all people, had to be the ones left behind.

Do not cry.

I am the one at fault.

You do not deserve to be punished.

I think...

the reason we are still alive...

is not because we survived.

It is probably because they just let us live.

So what do you say we punish the ones...

who are actually guilty?

We may be the last ones expected to do anything.

But what do you say...

we change the world?

You really did it.

Prince Yeoning.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I kept...

my promise.

The Norons will begin...

to sway...

and fall apart.

A ceramic that has a crack...

Is bound to break very easily.

Then is it my turn to take action?

How dare you!

I order you to step back immediately!

You are the ones who need to step back...

and stop trying to pressure the Saheonbu.

Listen to me!

Vice Minister of Personnel, Jung Jae Eok.

Assistant Minister of Hongmoongwan, Choi Hyung Jeon.

Minister of Taxation, Jang Tae Sung.

Officer of Yemoongwan, Lim Seung Ryong.

- What... - Take them...

to the interrogation room right now!

- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!

- Let me go! - Who do you think you are?

- I said, let go! - Don't you dare touch me!

- Hey! - Let go!

Minister of Personnel! Chief Inspector!

- Let me go! - My lord!

Goodness.

(Min Jin Heon, Minister of Personnel, Noron)

Is he seriously...

trying to start a war?

- Do you not know who I am? - Goodness.

What have you been doing?

I'll try my best to stop the Saheonbu from investigating.

Shut it!

First, you were taken aback, And now, you're all worked up.

I can see that you're often quite emotional these days.

I have to say, this is interesting.

- Prince Yeoning! - But then again,

they're saying the Norons and their children cheated...

on the civil service exam.

So I can understand why you're so startled.

Imagine how much damage this incident will cause...

to the Norons.

Did you plan all this?

You once told me this.

"In order to win, you must implant fear into the opponent's mind."

How are you feeling?

Are you slowly...

starting to get scared?

"A conscience with no power is very weak and feeble."

That's what you told me.

So I'm planning to gain some of that power now.

(Episode 7: The Art of Propaganda)

You broke the law by creating a scene.

Therefore, you will be punished by getting beaten with a stick.

Do you object?

No.

He will be given 30 beatings with a stick.

Begin now!

- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!

One.

Two.

Three.

Master! Master Mun Su!

Master!

You'd better get lost. How dare you cause a scene?

We'll take some of his beatings. Please, sir.

Yes, you should beat us instead.

30 beatings could kill him.

How dare you punks...

Who's this brat?

- Let go of my arm. - Don't call me a brat.

I'm a citizen of this country who is also aware of the law.

Even King Myeongjong and King Hyeonjong...

said those who plead to the king shouldn't be treated too harshly.

Isn't that because His Majesty...

also knows that pleading to him isn't a big crime?

Yes, you're right.

That's why...

we can't release him without His Majesty's orders.

Right.

Then is His Majesty's orders all you need?

(King's Orders)

Release Park Mun Su.

Right now.

Release him.

(King's Orders)

- Watch out, my lord. - Be careful.

Walk slowly.

He's coming there.

- Look over there. - What is it?

Big brother.

Are you okay, Mun Su?

You finally came.

You could've come earlier if you were coming anyway.

I was hit 10 times already.

My cute bottoms are beat up so much.

You're right.

That was probably the only part that I could lay my eyes on.

I was so wrong to be late.

He saved you when you almost would've died.

You should be thanking him. How could you speak like that?

What are you doing?

I apologize for his rudeness, Prince Yeoning.

Master Mun Su is immaturely whining about his bottoms.

No, that's not it, Yeo Ji. I was...

That's not it, Yeo Ji.

My point wasn't about my bottoms...

Complaining about your bottoms was your point.

- My bottoms weren't the point. - It was about your bottoms.

This is crazy. No, that's not it.

All the bottom talk.

Right.

I finally feel like I'm seeing you two again.

I can finally...

stand before you two now.

So you found evidence...

of the corruption within the civil service examination?

Isn't the civil service exam...

the clearest example on how corrupted this land is now?

While you were thinking only about your bottoms,

Prince Yeoning was working on this alone.

Hey, I told you that my bottoms weren't my point.

I started this because of you, Mun Su.

I was thinking of a way to help you with your exam.

As I was looking for a way to help you...

What do you mean?

Why would it be impossible to pass with an above average score?

There is so much corruption.

Substituting or holding good spots...

aren't even considered cheating these days.

(Substituting: Taking the exam for someone else)

(Holding good spots: Holding spots favorable for cheating)

Sneaking in books,

exchanging answer sheets,

and bringing in cheating notes in their nostrils...

are all actions that those poor people do.

Do you know what this is?

A hole was dug under the walls...

to put an answer sheet here, and send it to the exam site.

People are so creative. They're really creative.

But even this is only what the low-lives do.

Everything would be unnecessary if they could know the questions first.

Are you saying that someone is leaking the exam questions?

What wouldn't those with power hesitate to do?

It's not only about leaking exam questions.

There are even rumors...

that those who check the answers...

change names on good answer sheets to manipulate the exam results.

Most of those rumors were true.

No, it was more than that.

My goodness.

Hongmoongwan officials...

gave the exam questions to the children of Norons.

And they weren't hesitant in changing names on answer sheets.

The exams...

became a method for the Norons to gain money through bribery.

They even sneaked off the papers for the exams...

and gained great profit from that.

Here you go.

We found the exam questions you have told us about.

We even have witnesses too.

I'll send everything to Saheonbu until 7am.

So that's why I kept failing.

I would've passed a long time ago if it wasn't for this!

They deserve to be skinned and deep-fried to death in oil.

How could they be this corrupted?

The civil service exams of this land...

was only proving how corrupted this kingdom has become.

Noron has taken over the palace...

and ruined the civil service exams, which must've been most fair.

All of that...

was you trying to help me.

Gosh, I didn't know that.

I acted too foolishly to you for such a long time.

Don't say that.

The person who made this happen...

was me.

Anyway, this brought us back together.

We even caught evidence of Noron's corruptions.

Shouldn't we drink on a day like this?

No.

I must leave because I still have work to do.

What work is that?

You don't need to know.

No.

It may be something you shouldn't know.

Big brother, it's upsetting to hear you say that.

I should leave now.

Celebrating our reunion...

should have to wait further...

until a better time comes.

What is he doing?

Why shouldn't we know about it?

How are things at Saheonbu now?

- What about Min Jin Heon? - We're finding out now.

But will you continue this work...

all alone?

You should get help.

Min Jin Heon's people won't let this slide.

That's why I must do this alone.

Mun Su...

and Yeo Ji...

shouldn't be in danger because of me again.

- Take care of this. - Okay.

Let me see.

Okay. Good job.

Summon everyone related to this, and prepare our investigation.

- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.

Inspector Yoon.

Send this case to Daejangcheong immediately.

(Daejangcheong: The office where Jipyeong officials work)

You must know that's impossible.

Are you refusing my orders?

I'm only following the protocols of Saheonbu.

Corruption related to the civil service exams...

is supposed to be investigated by the inspectors of Saheonbu.

I must leave now since I'm busy.

There used to be...

an inspector just like you.

He was foolish enough to forget his duties...

and jump into the fire.

Do you know how he ended?

His end was very miserable.

I didn't ask about that, and I don't want to know.

Must I keep hear you out?

I'm busy.

I thought something was fishy.

So it was Prince Yeoning's doing.

Nothing is concrete.

We can't conclude it was him just because he's been asking around...

about the corruptions of the exams.

No, I'm sure it's him.

Revealing Prince An Gye's sins at the Office of Royal Genealogy...

and revealing Noron's corruption at the civil service exam...

must've all been part of his plans.

Now,

he wants the throne.

The throne?

Prince Yeoning?

Are you saying that he wants to be the next king?

Leave now, wait for my orders.

You've done enough.

Yes, my lord.

I think I'll need you soon.

How are you feeling?

Are you slowly starting to get scared?

That's what you told me.

So I'm planning to gain some of that power now.

It's a pity, but it can't be helped.

When anyone forgets...

about his proper place.

How is the situation at Saheonbu?

I heard they even summoned the Minister of Hongmoongwan today.

Charged with misappropriating the answer sheets,

the Vice Minister of Taxation and the Minister of Work will be sent...

to the Saheonbu soon.

There mustn't be any pressure on Saheonbu's investigation.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Any moves by the Norons?

That's...

(Cho Hyun Myung, Soron)

I think you'll find out right now.

Your Majesty.

I wanted to greet you.

I'm glad I meet you here.

Have some.

Your hand is shaking, Your Majesty.

It must be uncomfortable to meet me privately.

Perhaps...

I'm scared.

The throne is still uncomfortable for me.

That's why...

it wouldn't be odd to feel nervous meeting face to face with you...

who's an elder.

You're being overly candid.

Or it could be...

because I know my situation well.

That's why I can tell what you want to say.

Why don't we leave this topic, Your Majesty.

That's not possible.

This country is of no help to the government.

We think differently.

Wherever you are,

there's no place free from Noron's influence.

Isn't that...

precisely the problem of this nation?

You seem to trust Prince Yeoning quite a lot, Your Majesty.

How did that happen?

Why do you...

ask such a question?

The Queen Mother was killed because of Prince Yeoning's mother.

(Queen Mother: The King's mother, refers to Jang Hui Bin)

Sook Bin informed on her...

and she was poisoned to death.

(Poisoning: When the king orders poison to someone)

You know that better than anyone...

and you lived a difficult life because of that.

Do you really not notice Prince Yeoning's dark motives?

(Queen's Palace)

I'm here to meet Her Majesty. Go tell her.

What do you mean we can't talk about the successor?

You heard about it.

Noron's involvement in the exam corruption case made the palace...

What does that have to do with Prince Mil Poong...

becoming an adopted son?

Excuse me.

Your Highness.

You should read the times.

Now that Noron is scattered to pieces,

it's the perfect time to appoint the successor we want.

Is that so?

Is that how you see it?

How long will you stay in the background as a woman?

You should engage in politics as much as you can.

(Queen Inwon, Queen Dowager)

Queen Dowager wasn't here.

I understand.

She must be the girl who was here last time.

Find out who she is.

Yes, Your Highness.

Yes, that's right.

You can't stay in the background just because you're a woman.

"Wherever you are, there's no place free from Noron's influence"?

It means they won't just stand back and watch.

It's only natural since they have the power.

Did he say anything else?

I'll find out what they're up to.

No, His Majesty is...

Get out of the way. I'm supposed to meet him.

Your Majesty.

Why are you with Prince Yeoning?

I will be off my way.

Why are you in the palace?

Lower your voice. Remember where you are.

Your Majesty.

Why are you associating with Prince Yeoning? He's...

I'm occupied today, Prince Mil Poong.

Return tomorrow.

What are they scheming?

Are they teaming up...

because they're both sons of the late King?

You fools! Do you know who I am?

The former Minister of Punishments was my grandfather.

Now, now!

Cooperate with us.

We'll let you go home soon.

Hey, Young Han.

Yoon Taek?

How long has it been?

I know.

But what happened?

Were you caught, too?

I have no idea on what's going on.

Since when did Saheonbu investigate on exam corruptions?

What's going on?

I think...

His Highness is behind this.

What? The King?

He's certainly aiming at the Norons.

Noron might get completely destroyed.

How about the officials at Saganwon?

They're all very angry.

This is clearly an oppressive act aiming the Norons.

If that is so,

carry out Saganwon's duties, Chief Censor.

Yes.

(Chief Censor: Head of Saganwon)

Deformities should be corrected.

That's right.

If the nation is going the wrong way,

we should turn its head so it can see the right way.

Isn't that the duty of the press?

(Saganwon)

What's this?

Aren't they Saganwon officials?

Darn it.

It's their turn to step up now.

They're all the same kind anyway.

They'll make a fuss saying it's oppression.

Abuse arises in the law and in institutions...

as time goes by.

The government is also to blame for not ordering the system.

How can you blame only those involved in corruption?

It can't be a coincidence how so many children from the powerful...

Noron families passed the exam.

What if they got good education...

and studied hard to get that score?

Do they have to be investigated...

just because their father is a Noron?

Saheonbu is wielding unlimited power right now.

This means they can arrest anyone they hate...

and investigate them.

They're unjustly speculating the children of aristocrats...

for succeeding their fathers in the government.

The persecution and threat against the Norons...

are frustrating and devastating. It's a grave injustice.

Your Majesty, please hear our words.

- Hear our words, Your Majesty. - Hear our words, Your Majesty.

Min Jin Heon was looking for you.

He was?

He said it's urgent and important.

Frankly, this isn't the only time they manipulated exams.

Nobody actually studies to become an official.

They went in through illegal means.

Over there, my master.

- That's right. - True.

But why now?

The King clearly wants to destroy the Norons.

Seriously,

if Noron is a rag, Soron must be an apron.

There's no difference.

We're having a hard time making ends meet...

and they're just involved in politics. Aren't they?

- That's right. - So true.

Of course, of course.

- That's true. - They're the same.

Darn it. What's with the mood?

What's going on with the public?

There's no use studying.

Those who pass and fail are determined in advance anyway.

Why does that matter?

- Move out. - What about the Norons and Sorons?

What's going on?

Let's go and see Prince Yeoning.

- Okay. - Isn't that so?

Of course.

All we want is to have one good meal.

- Excuse me. - Of course, that's right.

We shouldn't care about politics.

Let's just care about our own business.

Time to go home.

- Thank you. - Thanks.

How is the atmosphere in the market?

The public opinion depends on how you manipulate it.

Things will go smoothly as planned.

Anyway, do I really have to do this?

I think it's better to uproot all this corruption...

Uproot it all?

Who do you think is capable of doing that?

It has nothing to do with us.

Take your mind off it.

Okay.

- Prince Yeoning. - Just like what I expected,

you're manipulating the public's opinion.

You really are...

Min Jin Heon's dog.

I know you think of this...

as a fight between the upper class which has nothing to do with you.

The Saganwon might use the public opinion to turn the tables.

And the public might soon become indifferent to this matter.

So you might assume...

that nothing is ever going to change.

But do you really think so?

Do you really think the aristocrats...

who become public officials by cheating on the test...

won't end up tyrannizing...

over your friends and the people of this country?

I also thought it had nothing to do with me...

before that tyranny...

ended up killing my younger brother.

Are you...

threatening me?

I am a man of conscience.

So I won't ask you to stand on my side when I'm powerless.

However,

you should at least stand on the people's side.

At least don't betray people...

who are no different than you.

Are you trying to become the king?

That's going to be impossible.

You could get lucky and become the candidate,

but you won't ever be able to become the king.

You'll probably...

end up getting killed by an assassin one day.

And even if you do become the king,

what can you even do?

The Border Defense Council, the Saheonbu, the Saganwon,

and even the Department of Justice which belongs to the king...

are not controlled by the king.

You should just keep yourself safe.

- I could... - What if I make it happen?

What will you do if I really become the king?

Prince Yeoning.

Everyone including you keep saying that I won't be able to do it.

But what if I become the most respected king of Joseon?