Original subtitles

Stop. I am…

No!

If he so much as moves his hand,

bring me his head in an instant.

Are you just getting home?

Yes, Father.

Would you care…

for a duel?

This is a first.

We never had the opportunity to enjoy drinks together.

Your swordsmanship has improved.

Have you been honing your skills?

While traveling in Ming,

I needed to be able to defend myself.

It brings me back to the day when you first wanted lessons.

You said you met someone you wished to protect.

Was Dam-i her name?

Were you able to meet her when you returned?

They say she died.

Around that time,

she left the palace due to an illness.

Unaware of that fact, I suspected you.

I thought

that you had something to do with…

her disappearance.

No!

Do you still resent me?

It would be a lie to say that I do not.

However…

I have been trying to understand you.

How you stated that you had to make that choice

for your family.

Although…

your choice still perplexes me.

EPISODE 15

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

May I ask who you are?

Please.

Please spare me.

Please spare me.

So you witnessed my husband's last moments.

Someone murdered him.

Murder? What do you mean?

Why did my presence make you fear for your life?

I thought Lord Sangheon had sent you.

My husband put me in hiding here before he passed away.

He said there was a chance that Lord Sangheon would send someone.

Could you inform me of his involvement with Lord Sangheon?

To save my life ten years ago,

he asked Lord Sangheon for a favor.

In return, he delivered a letter to someone.

The man who received it…

was executed for committing treason.

Lord Sangheon has been holding that against my husband

all this time.

You should just kill me…

for this is all my fault.

Just to save my worthless life, my husband…

Was the recipient of that letter

the Crown Prince's royal preceptor,

Kang Hwa-gil?

Listen.

Make sure you do not tell anyone what you told me today.

What on earth are you doing?

Oh. It is nothing.

Scribe Jung, here is this month's schedule.

Right. Thank you.

Hold on.

It looks like I have been excluded from duties at His Majesty's office.

But that is what you requested.

You wished not to be in His Majesty's presence.

The Chief Royal Secretary saw to it that your request was granted.

I am humbled, Chief Royal Secretary.

However, I believe I have been burdening Scribe Kim with extra chores.

I know it was I who requested it,

but the guilt has been eating away at me.

So from now on, I will take on Scribe Kim's duties as well.

As of this moment, all entries for the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat

will be mine to write.

APPEAL TO THE KING

I've been waiting

for you to say that.

Had you taken any longer…

Even if you did…

I would have waited.

No matter how long.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Speak up if you wish.

Well, it is not worth saying.

Scribe Jung must not have a lot to do

considering how he had the time to place lanterns along the path.

That is because the assigned eunuchs have not done their job properly.

The path I take is barely lit,

but there are more than enough lanterns near the court conference room.

That is because it is where Lord Sangheon frequents.

You know I have very little authority, Your Majesty.

Scribe Jung, what brings you here?

Why you are surprised is beyond me. I am here to fulfill my duties.

Writing about His Majesty's daily life

is my duty as a scribe.

Is something wrong?

Please be at ease and be as you were.

I will go manage the eunuchs now, Your Majesty.

I'll make sure they learn their lesson.

Are you sure all went well with His Majesty that night?

You have been barely eating since.

Am I that ugly?

Pardon?

What on earth did I do wrong?

You can have this, Yu-gong.

I do not wish to raise concern by dismissing food all the time.

Actually, I hear that His Majesty

does not have an amicable relationship with his grandfather, Lord Sangheon.

Rather than it being your fault,

it could be that he is keeping his distance

since your father is someone who Lord Sangheon trusts.

That could be it.

It is my father he dislikes, not me?

Forgive me, Your Highness.

I just did not want you to blame yourself.

That means he might change his mind depending on what I do.

Pardon?

Thank you, Yu-gong!

Who watches over this nation? The Han Family or the Yi Family?

Dismiss Lord Sangheon from his position

for manipulating state affairs by disregarding one's appeals to the King.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Dismiss Lord Sangheon, Your Majesty.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Dismiss Lord Sangheon, Your Majesty.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Move!

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Dismiss Lord Sangheon, Your Majesty.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

-Your Majesty! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

For some reason,

imprisoning them only seems to be a temporary fix.

They just keep coming back.

I doubt they will give up any time soon,

so what should we do, Lord Sangheon?

When a dog barks after seeing something,

other dogs follow despite not seeing it for themselves.

The scholars outside are only following someone's lead

and are repeating the same words over and over again.

It…

does not bother me.

However…

even feathers can sink a ship if there are enough of them.

If the number of scholars gathering gradually increases,

they might become a burden to you.

That is what I worry about.

That being said…

May I suggest that we reinstate Lord Shin Yeong-su

back at the palace?

Shin Yeong-su who was stripped of his rank and retired to the countryside?

I hear that he has become a mentor to scholars.

Many look up to him

which is why he could help resolve the issue at hand.

You are not wrong,

but he does not care about state affairs anymore.

A man who was forced to leave

would have no interest in coming back to the palace.

Good.

It means, "Even though no one acknowledges your choices,

if you are able to always take the path that is right,

you may also consider yourself to be virtuous."

Have a good day.

-Thank you, Master. -Thank you, Master.

My lord!

You have a visitor from Hanyang.

-Hanyang? -Yes, my lord.

Goodness, you've learned quite a lot.

All right. Keep up the good work.

My goodness.

It sure has been a while, Master Yeosan.

But the weight of my sin still remains heavy.

I could not possibly return to a place within the palace.

Come on. Must you relentlessly decline?

Maybe you could help me save face.

If I return empty-handed,

it would leave me in a predicament at the palace.

Besides…

I come bearing a royal order from His Majesty himself.

And that would mean it comes from the Chief State Councilor.

I have voiced my opinion.

Please let the Chief State Councilor know.

Please, Lord Shin.

I have relayed the order, so deliver the refusal yourself.

Wait. Hold on.

Let's go!

BULBIBULMYEONG

If a boat filled with passengers were to tilt to one side,

who do you think would fall into the water first?

The first to be thrown overboard will be the people who have no power or wealth.

That is why…

I stand here asking you…

to keep the boat well-balanced.

BULBIBULMYEONG

Shin Yeong-su is hereby appointed

as Inspector General of the Office of the Inspector General.

Do not take your responsibilities lightly,

reproach and rectify any wrongdoings,

and supervise the officials into seeking the right path.

I am humbled by your boundless generosity, Your Majesty.

I did not think you would actually return.

Ignoring the summons from one's monarch

would also be an act of defiance.

What happened is in the past now,

so I hope we get along, Inspector General.

Of course.

Will this not have any repercussions?

The Inspector General

could surely get in the way of your political endeavors.

I can always utilize him to my advantage

and have him serve a purpose.

The bird that stays grounded in silence.

Am I to believe it refers to Your Majesty?

I take it that the Chief Royal Secretary safely delivered my message.

Then can I believe what I assumed is correct?

Probably.

HIS MAJESTY MEETS WITH THE INSPECTOR GENERAL

Forgive me for saying this,

but I do not intend to be a piece in your political games, Your Majesty.

It means that I will not always blindly stand beside you.

If you take the wrong path,

I will be the first to go in the opposite direction.

Will that be acceptable?

Of course.

It is for that reason that I requested your reinstatement.

To rectify and reform the court

that is in my grandfather's grasp.

DAILY LOG OF CARGO SHIPS

This proves the Minister of Taxation's illegal activities.

It will be the first matter you investigate as Inspector General.

Scribe Jung.

What you just heard--

Fret not, Your Majesty,

for I left it all out.

It describes a bird

that stays grounded for three years in silence.

To make up for the time it had to stay huddled,

it soars up above the clouds.

And when it cries,

it sends shocks across the lands.

You have waited for the right time to achieve something great.

If you would allow it, I would like to join you.

But this is my burden to bear…

and it entails risks.

Remember that day in the woods?

Everything we talked about that day

can no longer be promised.

So please…

allow me to at least be by your side in this way.

We are now in the same boat,

so you cannot ignore my situation.

Then, promise me this one thing.

When I tell you to stop,

you must.

I order you as the King.

Then I will oblige, Your Majesty.

Minister of Taxation Park Won-hyeong purposely unloaded rice meant for the army

to load his own cargo on the ship.

Head to where the ships bound for Hamgil Province are docked

and raid the storage facility frequently used by his people.

You will find the missing rice.

Also, the Minister of Taxation disobeyed the law

by bribing crewmen to deliberately wreck the ship.

He must be captured and brought to justice.

Do you understand?

Search every corner!

-Yes, Inspector! -Yes, Inspector!

-Goodness, what is the meaning of this? -Oh, dear.

My goodness.

Identify yourselves!

We are from the Office of the Inspector General.

What did you say?

Minister Park, you must come with us.

How dare you!

Do you think you can get away

with humiliating me like this?

The rice meant for soldiers in Hamgil Province

was stacked in your personal shed.

That is preposterous. I know nothing about this.

This clearly says otherwise.

DAILY LOG OF CARGO SHIPS

This ledger has records of you utilizing the cargo ship for personal use.

Well, that…

The people have been making clothes out of hay to stay covered

and eating bark from trees

just to appease their hunger,

but the Minister of Taxation

has been stealing from the nation to feed his own belly.

Your Majesty.

I hear you have been using cargo ships for personal matters.

You also hoarded the rice meant for our soldiers.

I…

I doubt that even you will question my decision to behead you.

All I did

was aid Lord Sangheon.

I had no other intention, Your Majesty.

I see.

So you were following my grandfather's orders?

Pardon?

This is why one must never trust another human being.

After all the trust

my grandfather put in you?

He will truly be disappointed to hear that you pointed to him

as the mastermind.

It was a slip of tongue.

I am the one who--

You will take all the blame instead?

Well, that is…

Please have mercy on me, Your Majesty!

Allow me to present an option.

Leave the palace as ordered

and I will keep quiet about you betraying my grandfather.

You are probably well aware of this,

but my grandfather is a ruthless man.

Rather than receiving punishment from him,

this will surely be in your favor.

I will obey any order you lay upon me,

so please let me at least keep my life--

You used the cargo ship

to secretly move weapons to Hamgil Province.

Pardon?

Name the guild that provides my grandfather with the weapons.

Do so, and I will keep my word.

My lord.

The Office of the Inspector General raided Minister Park's residence.

What?

Minister Park must have hoarded the rice that was unloaded

to make room for the weapons.

Weapons ready to be shipped to Yeoyeon tomorrow are in storage nearby.

If they manage to find it--

-Burn them all. -Pardon?

Was I not clear?

Yes, my lord. I will get it done.

What…

game are you playing?

The Inspector General uncovered Minister Park's misconduct.

By exploiting the authority you possess,

he hoarded rice meant for our army.

Have you already forgotten

-how I told you not to do anything? -Of course not.

But how could I sit idly by

while someone tarnishes your good name?

-It is why-- -Minister Park…

is one of my people.

Therefore, I should be the one to punish him.

You have no saying in this matter.

Grandfather…

if word gets out about this,

we will face the grievance of the people

we barely managed to subside.

But that will not happen

as long as you keep your mouth shut.

Do not dare to challenge me.

This will be the last time I look past

your cheeky antics.

APPEAL TO THE KING

We could pay with our lives if we get caught.

You are the last person I expected to see here, Section Chief.

One must solve the problems that one creates.

I am curious though.

Why are these necessary when Minister Park has been arrested?

We are running out of time.

Please hurry.

Hurry.

Identify yourselves!

What are you doing here?

Well…

The alcohol must be getting to me.

Goodness. I'm seeing things.

-Goodness. -He's drunk.

Minister of Taxation Park Won-hyeong

has been caught siphoning rice meant for the army

and storing them for personal gain.

While trying to cover up his crimes, he also purposely wrecked the ships.

His disrespect for state property

is being investigated by the Office of the Inspector General.

The people have been making clothes out of hay to stay covered

and eating bark from trees just to appease their hunger,

which is why

the Minister of Taxation's selfish decision to steal from the state

leaves misery in its wake.

All those who serve at the royal court

must request that Minister Park be impeached.

You may write this in the diary.

"During the morning assembly,

the Chief State Councilor requested that I dismiss

the Minister of Taxation from office."

The 35th stratagem listed in Sonjabyeongbeob.

The yeonhwan stratagem.

"Utilize several schemes at once to achieve your goal."

It was a clever one, might I add.

Are words all that I receive?

Rather than a compliment in words, I would like a wish to be granted.

A wish?

All right. Let me hear it.

Well, it…

Before anything…

you must promise something.

Please promise that you will not be angry.

What could this wish of yours be?

Fine. Consider the promise made--

What…

What on earth are you doing?

You promised

to never get angry.

What is it this time?

It is a report from the Ministry of Rites.

Please take it to His Majesty.

Why are you giving this to me when you could deliver it yourself?

His office is only a few steps away.

I am quite busy these days.

I thank you in advance.

All right.

What is with him these days? Did he do something to upset His Majesty?

Just so you know…

I will not…

be leaving the palace.

And my feelings cannot be brushed away.

Right. I see.

Consider yourself heard.

Her Majesty the Queen wishes to speak to you both.

So…

I asked to speak to you both

despite it being an inconvenience for you

because you are His Majesty's closest friends

and are close friends yourselves.

I hope this doesn't make you uncomfortable.

No, of course not.

We did learn from the same mentor as young boys, but…

Yes, we have known each other for quite some time.

May I ask why you summoned us here, Your Highness?

Oh, well…

I was hoping to ease His Majesty's mind from his worries regarding state affairs.

Is there anything in particular that he likes?

I thought you two would know.

Anything will do. So if you could please tell me…

His Majesty sometimes wishes to appease his sweet tooth.

Perhaps candy or…

Candy?

No, peaches or dried persimmons.

Peaches?

PEACHES

His Majesty is fond of flowers,

so he would prefer peach blossoms to peaches…

and flowers from persimmon trees rather than the actual fruit.

PERSIMMONS, PEACHES

His Majesty enjoys going on walks on his own.

Rather than walks, he loves to sit in peace

listening to the sound of wind chimes.

It shows that he wishes to spend time on his own.

PEACE, WIND CHIMES

Then what does he dislike?

Pardon?

He will probably dislike others talking about him

behind his back like this.

That is true. He will not take it lightly.

The fact that we spoke about him--

We urge you to keep it a secret, Your Highness.

Please.

He hates when people speak about him behind his back.

I see.

No wonder you are good friends.

Do not worry.

Excuse me.

Please be careful. Let us carry it for you instead.

What on earth is that big lump I see?

Your Majesty!

Your Highness?

It's not even ripe.

My Queen, what is all this?

I brought you some flowers because I heard you like them.

"Some" flowers?

Thank you.

I hear you also have a sweet tooth.

They will rejuvenate you after grueling hours at the office.

One only hopes that you are in good health, Your Majesty.

Join me.

Avenge the late King

and help build the world your father dreamed of.

I told you to stop!

I have failed to protect you too.

What is it that infuriated and saddened you this much?

To the point that you were suffering even in your dream.

THE LAST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

THE LAST NIGHT OF THE YEAR

It seems your honest heart-to-heart…

did not work as intended.

Your Majesty, Officer Yoon has sent word.

Why are you here?

I am the assassin who attacked you

at the royal hunting.

I needed to make room for myself at the palace

in order to assassinate the late King.

All this time, I have deceived you.

And for that, I will gladly accept any punishment.

I ran into him while tracking the evidence related

to your father's murder.

He…

was able to witness the late King's last moments.

You had already left the palace,

so you could have kept the truth buried.

What is your reason for coming clean?

The late King…

shared a piece of this tally with my father.

I wish to carry on their desire.

"The last night of the year."

He is Kang Eun-seo, the son of Preceptor Kang Hwa-gil.

His father was executed after being framed as a traitor

by Lord Sangheon.

GANGNYEONGJEON

What is it that you saw?

Who…

murdered my father?

I have committed a mortal sin.

Please find it in you to forgive me this once.

To what extent does His Majesty know?

Is he also aware of the weapons

set to be shipped to Yeoyeon?

Of course not.

All he knows is that I hoarded the rice meant for the soldiers.

Until I reach out to you,

you will remove yourself from the palace.

Pardon?

Yes, of course.

I am humbled by your benevolence, Lord Sangheon.

He is aware of my affairs in Yeoyeon.

Deal with him accordingly

so that word does not travel from him.

Is it absolutely necessary to take it that far?

After making one mistake,

it is easy to make another.

It is why I cannot condone

even a single mistake.

Commander Jung, why…

Come back here!

Commander Jung.

Commander Jung?

Father.

You're home.

Yes, I see you are not in bed yet.

The night air is refreshing.

I see.

You do not seem well. Is something troubling you?

I am tired, that is all.

He must have been exhausted.

I will stay here,

so excuse yourselves and let His Majesty rest in silence.

-Yes, Court Lady Kim. -Yes, Court Lady Kim.

Could there be anything to use as a blanket?

Your Majesty?

Your Majesty, where are you?

His Majesty…

is so good-looking.

Your Majesty?

Forgive me, Your Majesty.

I was only trying to dust something off your face.

Were you hurt?

No, I am fine.

Let's go. How about we go to my quarters for some tea?

Of course, Your Majesty.

I actually come bearing fragrant tea for you to enjoy.

I will request for it to be served.

What are you doing alone behind the tree?

What were you up to?

Yes?

Was there a reason the Queen came by?

She just came to see how I was doing.

Oh, I see.

You must have been very tired.

You were dozing off out in the open.

Pardon?

What I am saying is that you did not even have a guard by your side.

The palace can be such a dangerous place!

Forgive me, Your Majesty.

Hold on.

Are you jealous right now?

Jealous?

It is only because you could have been in harm's way.

I was worried.

I am right about you being jealous.

We are in your office.

Whatever you say must go in the diary, so please choose your words carefully.

Your Majesty, the director of the Office of Royal Decrees

has requested an audience.

Let him in.

Why did His Majesty want to see me here?

Your Majesty.

What…

What could this be about?

I would rather you not tease me, Your Majesty.

Tease you?

I am quite serious.

Pardon?

I remember what you once told me.

That you would endure everything.

I will do the same.

I am ready to bear the consequences of my feelings.

Subtitle translation by: Hye-lim Park