Original subtitles

Subtitled by KBS America

What were you saving the rice for?

For no special reason, sir. I just wanted to be prepared.

Prepared?

Saving a handful of rice at cooking time

is a housekeeping trick practiced by women of Jeju Island.

Is your mother from Jeju Island?

Pardon?

Never mind.

Vending without a license is a serious crime that disturbs public order

and there can be no discrimination in applying punishment.

- Prepare them for flagellation. - Yes, sir!

I will take the punishment instead.

No, I committed the crime.

Be quiet.

I stood next to her and did not stop her. I'm equally guilty.

It would not be amiss for me to take the lashes instead.

Very well. If that is your wish.

Begin.

Yes, sir!

Stop!

Young Master! Young Master!

Assistant Chief of the Ministry of Justice, what brings you?

Minister of Justice wishes to

have a word with you, Captain.

I'm in the middle of an interrogation.

This is the son of the Minister of Justice. Now will you step outside and see him?

What are you waiting for? Proceed with the flagellation!

No! Please stop!

Minister Kim.

Put a stop to this quickly. Many eyes are watching.

Forgive me.

But the young man I arrested is not your son but a commoner who violated the law.

Are you playing games with a superior official?

I do apologize, but I'm just going by the book.

Are you serious when I took the trouble to come here myself?

I only deal with the facts, sir.

Captain, your harsh words to this girl were uncalled for.

Young lord...

Where have I seen that woman? Where...?

When will you grow up?

The son of the Minister of Justice was flogged because of you.

They could have you lynched, and you'd have nothing to say.

Is it that bad for me to associate with that young lord?

Don't you know the difference between commoners and nobles?

I do. I must serve compulsory labor when I turn fifteen, but nobles don't.

I know the difference and that's what frustrates me.

I'm a commoner,

and that is why I wanted make something of myself and become a merchant

but you won't let me...

One hasty mistake you make could force this training center to be shut down.

You got lucky this time, so think and think again before you act from now on.

Yes, ma'am.

Ma'am, there's one thing I don't quite understand.

You kept saying Hong could not be allowed to

meet the Commerce Control Bureau captain.

What was the reason?

There is no reason.

I just didn't think Hong could make it back in one piece if that man got a hold of her.

I was just selling my rice that I saved a handful at a time when I cooked.

This is heavy. Aren't you going to take it?

I'm not very hungry.

Is it because it's mixed with millet?

Do you know how valuable this food is?

It's rice I've been saving for myself by putting

away a handful at a time each time I cook.

Sir.

You've got some guts, my man.

You flogged the son of the Old Doctrine

faction leader only days after taking this job.

I was just enforcing the law, sir.

She was in Hanyang all this time?

I'm innocent. Someone please help me!

Audacious wench!

I did not put poison in His Highness's food!

Silence the woman!

Yes, sir!

I'm innocent. Someone please tell him!

I did not put poison in the King's...

My lord, this is the woman who discovered

the poisonous root in His Highness's soup.

She saved the King's life.

Aren't you accusing Palace Matron Kim despite

this fact because you are somehow involved?

You don't want to put yourself in danger by having this exposed.

Listen, Matron,

I can get rid of this woman any time I want. I suggest you watch your mouth.

Killing her will only backfire on you. Removing her from the palace would suffice.

I had Keun Dol follow the boy that told us that young lord was arrested.

And found Palace Matron Kim that you removed from the palace 13 years ago

running a business of some kind taking care of unfortunate kids.

And that girl was one of them.

I listened to the head matron's advice and removed that wench from the palace

instead of killing her, but I never dreamed she'd be living right here in Hanyang...

Don't worry, sir. I'll have Keun Dol get rid of her quietly.

No, that was thirteen years ago. Let the past stay in the past.

The fact that nothing's happen all these years

tells me that she's moved on because neither of us have anything to gain.

Let's just see if anything develops.

Yes, sir.

Husband, you can't let the Bureau of Commerce Control get away

with what they've done to our Hong Soo!

There's nothing I can do at this point.

Why not?

Hong Soo had engaged in unlicensed vending with a peasant girl.

I've already talk to Chil Bok about that.

I'm going to have the girl brought to me and cudgeled.

Don't stir up a commotion. I've already been humiliated enough.

Husband.

What? Shut down the training center?

I overheard Granny's conversation with the doctor.

He said the merchants might shut us down right away.

Is that why you tried to sell your rice and make money?

Yeah.

Why would you try to do something like that all alone?

Yeah. We'll help, too.

I'll go to the bookstore to see if there's any writing work I can do.

We got complimented on how well we make straw shoes today.

Yeah, we'll just work twice as hard.

I'll do anything if it means we can stay together.

We'll eat and sleep at the shoe store if we have to.

Yeah. Let's protect the training center ourselves.

I'll make perfume pouches

and look for a job on the side.

Mak Soon...

Don't take too long.

Okay.

Are you going to that house?

Yeah.

Then can I ask you for a favor? Give this to the young lord for me.

Huh?

He got in trouble because of me.

Just tell him that a girl said she hopes his wounds heal soon.

Hong!

Dong Ah!

Would you take this to the bookstore for me?

I heard there's a job opening at the port, so I'm headed there now.

Just deliver it?

Tell the owner it's Jehol Diary he had asked me to transcribe. Thanks.

Gold brocade is most popular right now.

Never mind.

My son, silk, nothing pleases me lately.

Then perhaps these will please you.

Bring them in.

We got these in just yesterday.

I brought them especially for you, ma'am.

When we get new merchandise, you're supposed to report to me first.

You purposely kept it from me to score points, didn't you?

No, I thought you already knew.

- I'll teach you a lesson. - What's going on here?

Young lord...

You must set good examples if you are older. What is this despicable behavior?

Bring that girl to the rear garden.

Yes, my lord.

Thank you for helping me, my lord.

She didn't hurt you, did she?

No.

I heard you were in some sort of trouble at the government office. Are you all right?

Did the rumor get to you as well?

I'm sorry. But how did this happen?

I was trying to help a child whom I found to be quite laudable.

She was very self-assured and outspoken despite her young age.

How could I turn a blind eye when a girl like that was trembling in fear?

You met a girl like that?

Yes, and she reminded me of you as well and how hard you always work.

I remember the sad little girl crying on the boat like it was just yesterday.

My lord, the physician is here to see you.

Mom...

Mom...

Are you proud that you're mother is a shaman?

Take that thing off!

I finally get settled down into this job and now I have this baggage...

Be careful!

This will warm you up a little.

I know you're scheming to marry into this family.

Dream on, you little wench.

Pick them up.

Dae Bong,

you'll help me if anything happens to me, won't you?

Of course. It makes me happy to do things for you.

Thanks.

Thank you.

I'm looking for Jehol Diary.

It's rather expensive.

Would four nyangs be enough?

Jehol Diary is a hot item right now,

and I'm afraid we're sold out.

Come with me.

You have a knack for putting people in heart-pumping situations.

We're not supposed to be here.

Are you sure the book is here?

I just delivered a copy of it that a friend of mine transcribed.

It's got to be in here somewhere.

Is that really a good book?

I've dreamed of reading that book.

The thought of it is what got me through the weary months of studying for the state exam.

Who's up there?

Quick! Give me four nyangs!

Huh? This is my flute!

Is it? Then it finally found its owner.

I can't believe it! I was so sad when I thought it was gone.

Does it have special value?

Yes, my mother left it for me before she died.

I hold it tight like this it when I'm sick or sad, and believe it or not, it makes me feel better.

What do you have in your skirt?

You said it was your dream. I didn't want it to get wet.

Hong, what's your dream?

I want to become a merchant that travel to places like Qing China.

A merchant?

Yes, they say there's not an item you can't find on Qing merchant ships.

Silk, herbs, needles...

And Qing merchants go everywhere.

Japan to Vietnam to countries west of China...

I want to own a ship even larger than the

Qing ships and travel to the end of the world.

A merchant that travels to the end of the world?

Yes!

I'll take all of my friends from the training center and embark on a great journey.

Take it. I think this book belongs to you, not me.

I couldn't. It's yours.

I'm giving it to you as a gift

because your dream is bigger and more valuable than mine.

Take it.

I thought you were just thoughtful, but you're an intellect as well.

"I will cross the Yalu River and take my first step on China."

Oh, I feel so tired!

And Aunt Flo missed her visit two months in a row.

Give it back.

Give it back, I said.

That's a precious item that girls like you never get to touch in their lifetime!

Do you really think the young lord is interested in you?

If you want to survive here, go after the daebang like me, you idiot.

Then at least you have a chance at becoming the mistress.

You should never have crossed the line.

Oh, my, they are beautiful!

You look as elegant as a crane, Madam.

Oh, you're such a flatterer.

Oh dear! What's this?

How did this happen?

Mak Soon always does the final work...

It's not Mak Soon's fault, ma'am.

She's the one who is always doing the clean-up and the hard job.

Hwa Sun does nothing but look in the mirror all day.

Madam, there's something I'd like to talk to you about.

Would you mind clearing the room?

Hwa Sun is pregnant with Lord Gang's child.

What did you say?

I'm certain it's the daebang's child.

You wench! How dare you do this! Is it really the daebang's child?

Answer the question!

You wench!

No, madam!

Madam, I committed a terrible crime. Hwa Sun is pregnant with my child.

You are the father?

She became blind with greed when she learned she's pregnant.

I kept telling her we could make a good life together,

but she said if she claimed it's the Daebang's child, she could take your place

in this household and told me to keep silent.

I don't want to hear any more of this!

Throw this wench out of this house right now!

No, madam, that's not true! That's not true, madam!

I'm carrying the daebang's child!

My lord! My lord! Tell her, my lord! Please!

My lord! My lord!

You did this?

I was afraid you'd settle here permanently with Kang Kye Man's child,

so I asked Dae Bong to help me.

You shouldn't have irked me.

She was trying to get me kicked out of the silk shop,

then she got caught in her own trap.

Mak Soon, I'm sorry. I heard everything.

Did you set her up and deceive everyone?

Why?

Why? Because I have to do what it takes to survive here.

But what you did isn't right.

What is right?

Working hard is right.

And that's what I'm doing right now.

I'm working very hard to make a decent living.

Do you know what I've been through to get here after I left Granny

who was always playing favorites with you?

Okay. I understand. You're my friend...

So I haven't seen or heard anything.

What are you doing here anyway?

Did you give the perfume pouch to the young lord?

I'm sorry. It slipped my mind.

Is it that important?

Yeah. He took a flogging for me.

He... took a flogging for you?

I was shocked too. A person of such exalted status taking a beating for me...

No, I am not giving him that perfume pouch!

Mak Soon...!

Do you want to get caught by his parents and get lynched?

His mother has men looking for the girl that was arrested with him that night.

So if you don't want to get hurt, don't go near the young lord again.

Okay, Mak Soon. I understand you're worried about me.

But I'll take care of myself.

Give me back the perfume pouch next time. I'll go now.

Hong...

There might be a job opening at the silk shop. I'll talk to my uncle about you.

If it's to replace that girl who just left, no thanks.

No, we need another helper. Didn't you say you wanted a job?

Hong, I yelled at you because I really am worried about you.

You're my friend.

I know, Mak Soon. I understand, so don't worry.

Bye!

Prohibition of extravagance?

Commoners are starving in the streets while the nobles live grand lives more

extravagant than the King.

The order will be announced very soon.

That'll create quite an uproar.

The Old Doctrine faction gets majority of its funding from the silk shops.

Kang Kye Man will be hardest hit.

Kang Kye Man delivered a hundred bolts of silk to Minister of Justice on the day

his son passed the civil service exam.

There's no doubt Minister of Justice is protecting Kang Kye Man's interest.

Yes, I heard he goes around advertising that Minister of Justice is his backer.

Once this prohibition order is issued, their relationship will crumble as well.

Hustle!

- Put it up. - Aye!

Qing silk business is going well?

Yes, my lord. It's all thanks to you.

What can I do for you, my lord?

I called you because there is a 13 year old problem that I might need to take care of.

I've been doing some digging.

There is an old palace matron

in the marketplace that the people call the Madam...

Never mind.

No, please, go on. If this is about that woman, it concerns me as well.

Can you find a way to quietly get rid of her?

I imagine I can, but why?

Let's just call it personal.

I understand sir.

I will work on it.

My lord. My lord!

Enter.

There's trouble, sir. Outside...!

Out of my way!

Move!

Hereafter, gold and silver brocade silk of Qing China

will be restricted to use by the Royal house.

Possession and or sale of Royal items by anyone other than the members of the

Royal family is subject to capital punishment.

What's going on? My silk!

Possessors of these items must voluntarily surrender the items to the government office.

What is happening?

This is going to put the Six Licensed Stores out of business!

I know!

We must talk to Madam about this!

Let's hurry, fellows!

Madam!

What brings you,

the merchants of Six Shops, here to me?

Madam, the Six Shops are headed for ruin!

Ruin?

Kang Kye Man had manipulated silk prices in the marketplace

with Qing silk piled high in his warehouse and raking up exorbitant profit.

Yes, but everyone knows about that.

No, but then he signed an exclusive sales contract with Qing merchants and

forced us, the silk store owners, to sign a distribution contract with him.

But now the Royal house has banned use of Qing silk.

Madam, as it stands, we will lose up to ten thousand nyangs each month.

Please, Madam, you must drive Daebang Gang out of the marketplace for us.

We're begging you for your help.

Madam, please help us.

You men have no morals.

How could you be so quick to come here and ask me

to drive him out even if what you say is true?

Business is about selling from your heart, not from your wallet.

You played right into Kang Kye Man's hands.

Do you think you're fit to condemn him now?

I must ask you to leave.

The merchants went to see the old hag?

I'm sure they want to gang up against me and get rid of me.

My lord, I have an idea.

This prohibition order has not yet reached beyond the borders of Hanyang.

If we quickly sell off the silk to regional lords,

getting rid of 1,000 bolts of silk won't be very difficult.

Smuggle them out?

Do you really think Kim Eung Ryeol will buy that story?

He'll want to know where my silk went!

You've been robbed of your silk, sir.

By the thieves that Granny sent out of bitter resentment.

I will set up everything.

Use this opportunity to get rid of Granny?

Just give me an order, sir.

Uncle!

Uncle, about Hwa Sun's replacement I asked you about...

Are you in your right mind? There's no time for that right now!

All right. What was your friend's name?

Hong. She's the smartest one in the training center.

Good. Then we can use her when we smuggle out the silk.

Use her to smuggle?

Didn't you say she want to work for us?

Yes, but... She wants to work as a helper, not as a thief.

A thief?

It's against the law. I can't do that to her.

You wench!

Then do you want to do it? Why? You don't think I can make you?

You're from the training center, too.

I'll just say Granny's been controlling you all along.

You think I won't just because you're my niece?

I took you in and raised you when you had nowhere to go,

and if you can't be grateful, I'll get my use out of you this way.

What will it be? Make your choice.

Will you do it yourself or will you call your friend?

Didn't you say you were always second best because of her?

Always in her shadow, at work and between friends...

Uncle...!

Don't think too much, kiddo. Just do what you did with Hwa Sun.

You're not trying to hurt anyone. You're just trying to survive.

About Hwa Sun, you don't have to lie to your uncle about it.

You did what you had to do.

This has to be done tonight, so go right now.

Store A has approximately 300 bolts,

Store B has approximately 200 bolts,

and we estimate Kang Kye Man's Store C

has about one thousand bolts of silk in stock.

Good work.

Captain...

We received a tip that a ship is leaving tonight from Songpa port for illegal trade.

I see.

Let's go.

What do I do? I can't get Hong involved in this.

But...

No, I can't do this. Not to Hong, not to anyone. I'm going to tell Uncle I can't.

Don't tickle me!

We're lucky that we're getting a steady flow or sewing work.

Hong, what's gotten into you lately? I've never seen you work so hard before.

It's because I never want to be apart from you little critters. Why?

Ouch, that hurts!

Who made you so cute and plump?

Granny.

Yeah, Granny is the one who fed us and raised us.

So let's work really hard and make sure that none of us disappoints her.

Too late for that. Someone's already disappointed her.

Who?

Mak Soon.

That selfish witch left the center saying she's going to make something of herself.

Yeah. And even when she was here, she called us bums and didn't want to talk to us.

No, Mak Soon isn't like that.

You're always on her side.

Yes, I'm on her side. You have a problem with that?

I don't like that. Don't take her side.

Oh, you little...

Hong, stop it!

Didn't you say you were always second best because of her?

Always in her shadow, at work and among friends...

Hong, wait! Hong!

Mak Soon! Were you waiting for me?

Yeah.

Why didn't you wait inside? It's cold out here. Come on in.

No, I don't have a lot of time.

Oh.

Go ahead, girls.

Let's go.

- Hong, - Mak Soon.

I've been thinking, and things are really tough at the training center right now.

I'll take the job if there is one.

Actually, that's what I'm here about.

You have to move all this? Aren't these government property now?

Exactly. We have to move all these into a warehouse tonight so we can make room

for new merchandise that's coming in tomorrow.

But workers are put off by this sign.

And my uncle is so worried...

No one wants to work

because they're afraid they might get in trouble with the authorities.

Hong, I talked to my uncle about you.

And if you help us on this, you can get a regular job here.

Really? Okay. I'll do it. This shouldn't be hard.

You can hire day laborers at the docks.

They're put off by this, too, so you have to be discreet.

If you show them this, they'll know that you work for us.

Something's not right. Why did Mak Soon take Hong at this time of the night?

Hong is still not back?

No. And I have a bad feeling about it.

How much further?

It's that store right there.

Let's go then.

Wait. I left the back door open. This way.

I have the cart ready to transport the silk, sir.

And I'll take care of the laborers once the work is completely done.

You must silence everyone that knows about this.

I understand, sir.

Load up the silk quietly.

Where is the warehouse that it's going to?

It's not far from here. These girls will lead you to it.

Come with us.

What is this? Who are you?

Get your girls to load up the silk.

Not in your life, bastard. Who are you working for?

Don't do a thing!

So you want to trade your life for these bolts of silk?

You wench! You led armed thieves right into this store!

Can't you tell the difference between thieves and laborers?

I just did what I was told...

Shut up!

Granny put you up to this, didn't she? She told you to steal our silk!

Granny has nothing to do with this.

She set this up to get back at Kang Kye Man.

No, Granny doesn't even know that I'm here.

That old woman will pay for this!

I told you she has nothing to do with this!

I'll prove she had nothing to do with this. I'll prove it!

No, stop that girl. What are you waiting for? Get her!

Here they are, sir. The highest quality Qing silk.

Good work.

The patrolmen are changing shifts soon, so we must leave at once. Hustle!

Aye!

There's no time. Hurry!

Move it!

Shhht! Be quiet!

Now! Seize them!

If we get caught, it's all over for us! Fight!

Step back! Or I'll kill this girl!

Subtitled by KBS America

All one thousand bolts of silk have been stolen overnight?

Do you expect me to believe that?

The burglars have all been killed and eliminated.

Authorities will be looking for you since you witnessed the crime.

And Steward Oh will try to get rid of you before the authorities get to you.

Two tigers are after one helpless little rabbit.

No one who has seen or heard any of this can be left to live.

If that girl is alive, she can help us get to the truth.

Find her.

I've come to see Hong.

I must see for myself that she is all right.

Please leave.

Then give her this message.

That I believe in her... and that she's important to me.

See you next time...