Original subtitles

I wish I were dead.

Seung-nyang.

I wish I had died on Daecheong Island.

Why are you here?

I have something to tell you, Your Imperial Majesty.

Are you here to laugh at me?

Are you here to say that I brought it on myself by betraying you?

Are you here to tell me

how pathetic it was of me to have betrayed you for this?

Go ahead and laugh at me all you want.

Just as how you did in Goryeo,

tell me that I am pathetic and foolish.

Go ahead and say those words to me!

Do not...

expect anything from me.

I will do nothing for you.

I will not do anything...

for Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty, you are needed at the inquisitor's office.

They are planning the reexamination.

Take her away.

What is this? What are you doing?

-Let go of me. -My lady.

-My lady! -My lady!

My lady.

You do not look well.

What happened to that beautiful face of yours?

You are worried about me?

Thank you, Empress.

She is not

an easy woman to break.

Just wait.

After the examination,

I will shave her head and send her to the Buddhist temple for women.

His Imperial Majesty has arrived.

Why is she being examined at the inquisitor's office?

If she really is faking her pregnancy,

there must be someone working with her.

We will find out who put her up to it,

even if it means skinning her alive.

Physician, examine her!

Report. Has she conceived?

Well... It is...

Why can you not say anything?

You other physicians, examine her!

She has conceived.

Without question, she has a slippery pulse.

How did this happen?

It cannot be.

She had both the powder and the tonic.

What are you saying?

The licorice must be removed from her tonic?

She is urinating far too often.

It is too suspicious.

She may have taken some lilac daphne.

Lilac daphne?

Then...

the Empress's purpose in feeding her the tonic is...

It is to cause a miscarriage.

My lady!

How is she?

The baby is well.

Fortunately, Yeon-hwa only slipped her

a small amount of lilac daphne.

Go to the Empress's palace now

and tell them she will agree to the reexamination.

-Not yet. -Not yet?

This is our chance to have

the Empress fall in her own trap.

Yang, you--

The fight will never end

until one or the other falls.

We have to end it here.

-Please do not. -What do you mean?

Her clothes were soaked with sweat.

I had to undress her.

Well then, I will only check the pulse on her wrist.

-Go ahead. -Yes, Your Highness.

What is it?

I cannot feel the slippery pulse anymore.

Your Highness.

Congratulations on the forthcoming child, Your Imperial Majesty.

Congratulating him is not enough.

Your Imperial Majesty,

this incident has held up the Imperial House to ridicule.

The Empress must be held accountable

for believing the false rumor

and demanding the reexamination.

First, I have a question for her.

Why were you so certain that she faked her pregnancy?

Well...

I...

Her crime is clear.

She foolishly listened to rumors

and brought shame on the Imperial House.

Therefore, she must answer for that.

How will she do that exactly?

Groveling for mercy should do it.

Father.

Groveling for mercy is not nearly enough to atone for her crime.

We must find out who started the rumor and punish them

-to make an example and show everyone-- -Your Highness!

Making the Empress grovel for mercy

is the best I can offer.

Surely you do not want to try my patience.

Or is that what you want?

That is enough.

What is this for?

You can fool the others, but not me.

You are behind all of this.

I will have you...

Do you know what this is?

What is this?

This is my written promise to send you away from the palace.

Your Imperial Majesty,

I ask that you include your seal.

You wench. The letter is enough.

How dare you?

It is fine.

As long as you can help me get rid of that wench,

there is nothing I cannot do for you.

You...

Seung-nyang, you little...

You want me dead?

Fine.

Let us see which one of us dies first.

I will scream.

You do not want

the Empress's conspiracy to be made public, do you?

Little fool.

You would make us enemies

to avenge that deposed king?

This is not about avenging His Majesty.

-What then? -You killed...

my mother.

She was killed by the arrow you shot!

If you want to rid of me,

do not get in my way and let me leave the Palace.

I do not want to deal with you

as much as you do not want to deal with me.

Did I...

Did I really...

fall for a girl like her?

Your Imperial Majesty,

it is time to go to the Emperor's palace.

Your Imperial Majesty!

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Your Imperial Majesty.

Stop crying.

Your Imperial Majesty!

I am...

the Empress of the Yuan dynasty.

I can stand others jeering behind my back.

But I will not have my retinue pity me...

in front of me.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Lead the way.

I will go to His Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty,

the Empress has arrived outside.

Your Imperial Majesty,

everything has happened

due to my incompetence and unworthiness.

Your Imperial Majesty,

I beg for forgiveness.

Your Imperial Majesty!

Your Imperial Majesty,

forgive your unworthy Empress.

It will never happen again.

Please have mercy, Your Imperial Majesty.

I cannot take this any longer.

-I am taking her inside right away. -No.

-Father! -Leave her.

Sometimes,

you must lose an arm to save the head.

It is either this or dethronement.

We have to endure this.

Tell her it is enough.

No, Your Imperial Majesty.

It is raining.

If she should fall ill--

First,

make Lady Park your concubine.

Your Highness,

if we push Grand Councillor Yeoncheol this far--

One's influence does not last forever

just like how our lives do not.

It is bound to get weaker over time.

Make Lady Park a concubine.

If she bears a son,

the officials will flock to our side one by one.

Power is fickle, and it always shifts.

If one rises to power, the other is bound to fall.

That is how you establish power, Your Imperial Majesty.

Do not expect me to cry, Your Imperial Majesty.

Until I have repaid

those who did this to me a thousand times the pain,

I will not cry.

I will not...

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty!

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Please wake up, Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty!

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty!

What are you doing? Take her inside!

Lady Park, hear and obey the orders from the Emperor.

"Court Lady Park is

an honorable woman of upright conduct and gentle nature.

She is an example to the members of the Inner Court."

Your Imperial Majesty!

"She has been graced to bear the Emperor's child,

which is a blessing from the heavens."

Your Imperial Majesty!

"I, the Emperor,

appoint Lady Park as the Imperial Concubine of the fifth rank.

-Get it ready. -Concubine Park, hear and obey."

Your Imperial Majesty!

Your grace is beyond measure,

Your Imperial Majesty.

How is Tanashilli?

She has fainted.

Park is...

now an Imperial Concubine.

I am sorry, Father.

This is...

all my fault.

You moron!

Your weakness disgusts me.

Have you forgotten

that you are the eldest son who will lead our family?

Never show weakness.

Not even to me, your own father.

Understood?

I understand, Father.

Why are you here?

General Tapjahae sent him as a messenger.

Report. How goes the war?

I...

regret to report...

A total loss.

What?

A total loss?

General Tapjahae survived alone.

General Baekan, the deposed king, and all the others were killed.

Why is it so quiet?

Our attack must have failed.

General Tapjahae would not leave us here otherwise.

There is a chance

that the attack last night

was not led by Tapjahae.

It was not General Tapjahae?

Then,

that begs the question of who it really was.

Well now.

Goodness. Look at all of you.

Well,

Yeom Byeong-su,

it has been a while.

How about it?

Do you like my new hairdo?

They are the deposed king's supposedly dead men.

What did I tell you?

I told you not to trust them.

Where is the deposed king?

Why?

Now that you are stuck there, do you miss him?

Open the door. Now.

"Open the door. Now."

-Why you... -Have it your way.

Begin!

These scoundrels

are going to kill us.

General.

Where are you taking us?

If we know where we are going to die...

What are you trying to do to us?

My men...

want you dead.

This is proof

that those with whom we served

have treated us worse than our enemy.

Batoreu was after the horses, not the soldiers.

I am sure you knew their strategy all along.

Did you plan this from the beginning?

You used us as bait in this battle.

I changed my strategy as well.

I merely did the same to you.

This is mutiny.

This is treason.

Have you already forgotten that you were the one

who showed me the way?

What?

Do you want to make it out alive?

You must be dreaming.

Kill all of those Dolgwol even in your dream.

Winning this war against them is...

the only way to get out of here alive for the both of us.

Our real enemy

was not Batoreu.

It was him.

Stop trifling with me.

Just kill us.

General...

Give them horses.

We will go to Yeongyeong.

There is no reason for you to spare our lives.

Why are you sparing my life?

If you were in my place,

you would have killed us.

But just as how Goryeo is different from the Yuan dynasty,

I am different from you.

Does that answer your question?

What about Batoreu?

Bring the body.

Why are you sparing my life?

We fought against each other

only because of the Yuan dynasty.

As they say, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.

Friend,

you say?

Yes. Friend.

The present does not matter.

The future does.

There is no future for us.

Neither for Goryeo.

Since we have no future, why not build one together?

The Yuan dynasty has already seized control of the seas for trade.

The only thing they have not seized control of is the Silk Road.

I am definitely sure

that seizing control of the Silk Road will give hope

to both the Dolgwol and Goryeo.

I just wanted to state my case.

I do not expect an answer from you.

I am Yeon Bisu.

I am Wang Yu.

Wang Yu...

We will meet again soon.

PAVILION OF WOMEN IN YEONGYEONG

Chun-sim, Eon-nyeon.

The way you cleaned the imperial kitchen is a disgrace.

If we have to round you up again once more,

we will dock your pay.

Hong-dan, you are doing well.

Are you always on the rag?

-Pardon? -Why are you scowling all the time?

Making a good impression to those you serve

is also a highly important etiquette rule you should follow.

Yang, take off that maid uniform...

and put these on.

What is this?

From today, you will serve as a court lady.

-Oh, my. -Congratulations, Yang.

-Great. -How nice.

-Really? -I am so envious.

-She is so lucky. -I am envious.

-Congratulations. -Congratulations.

This is where you will be staying from now on.

Now that you are a court lady,

your speech and behavior must reflect that fact.

What about that girl, Seung-nyang?

General, please give us your orders.

Never show weakness.

Not even to me, your own father.

Understood?

Kill her.

Yes, General.

This is for my father and my family.

I will not regret seeing you dead.

LETTER OF PROMISE

Your Majesty,

I can leave this palace soon.

Wherever Your Majesty may be,

I shall come to you.

Yang.

Yang?

I see you are still awake.

What brings you here this late at night?

The Chief Eunuch wants to see you.

What does he want?

How would I know?

He said to hurry, so go on.

Yang.

Sir.

Follow me.

The Chief Eunuch wanted to see me.

His Imperial Majesty has called for you.

Did you find the Empress's written promise?

It was not in her quarters.

Search her body.

Please give it back.

Please, anything but that!

Your Imperial Majesty.

Please, stop!

Your Imperial Majesty! No!

Your Imperial Majesty!

Your Imperial Majesty!

What did you say?

Seung-nyang was taken to the Emperor?

I have made a grave mistake, General.

What about him?

What about the man you ordered to kill Seung-nyang?

As for him,

you do not need to worry, General.

Wake him up.

Why you...

Your Imperial Majesty,

he killed himself by biting his own tongue.

He killed himself?

Get him out of here.

I cannot stand this uneasiness anymore.

Have Seung-nyang serve in the Emperor's palace starting tomorrow.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

I have had enough of the Empress's misconduct.

I am going to her chamber.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty,

I have received word that the Emperor is on his way here.

Please lie down.

You still have a fever.

Bring me my mirror.

Your mirror?

According to the physician,

you must rest until the fever subsides.

The Emperor cannot see me like this.

Bring me my powder puff and robes.

Go on.

Greetings, Your Imperial Majesty.

What about the Empress? How is she?

She is waiting for Your Imperial Majesty.

Welcome, Your Imperial Majesty.

Please take a seat.

Why did you do it?

You should not have done that as an Empress!

Why did you do it?

Are you asking...

because you really do not know?

Did you not hear my question?

Then,

let me ask you this.

How could you neglect me like that?

Neglect you?

I am always alone.

Since coming to the Palace,

there has not been a moment...

where I have not felt lonely.

You are the very one who made me

this miserable.

Do you see it now?

So...

you still do not regret your wrongdoings?

Regret?

Look at us now.

Your Imperial Majesty,

you ran all the way here to me, did you not?

You came here...

and you are speaking to me, looking into my eyes.

I have prayed for this day to come.

Why would I regret anything?

Listen, Empress!

However,

the look you are giving me

is not what I had wished for.

It does not have to be affectionate.

I just wanted a warm gaze.

I just wanted to hear kind words from you.

I resent my father...

for sending me to this place.

Your Imperial Majesty,

I resent you so much.

From now on,

you are to attend as closely to the Emperor as possible.

You will obey his orders,

and you must always stay within three steps of his presence.

Do you understand?

Why are you not answering me?

Understood.

Your Imperial Majesty, Yang is here.

Enter.

Come closer.

Closer.

Closer.

Enough.

I am going to draw you now.

While I am drawing you,

you cannot blink or move your nose.

Neither can you move your mouth.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -I said, do not move.

Why did you not come and find me

when you were sent here as a tribute woman?

Why did you hide that you are a woman?

Did you hate me that much?

Were you scared

that I would make you one of my concubines?

Do you think I would see you as a woman?

Please

let me leave the Palace.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Keep your mouth shut.

"The moon over the Land of the Great egret wanders around

even during the day

to send travelers

on their way.

The mast of the ship that will depart

expands with the wind.

We look at each other

and cannot bear to say farewell.

So once more,

I raise the glass in my hand."

What a sad poem.

Then again,

parting is always sad.

Please...

send me from the Palace.

Again?

That again?

On Daecheong Island,

I did everything Your Imperial Majesty requested.

Please listen to my request, Your Imperial Majesty.

Why are you so intent on leaving the Palace?

I am going to find His Majesty.

Do you still...

consider the deposed king as your lord?

Listen carefully.

You are with me now, within my palace grounds.

Your lord is me, not that deposed king.

My body may be here,

but I only have one lord.

Everything changes in this world.

Your position and circumstances have changed, and so has your lord.

It is only natural.

When a chick breaks out of its shell,

it thinks the first thing it sees is its mother.

The chick can never have a different mother.

Just like that,

I have served the King of Goryeo as my lord first--

Enough.

Stop it.

I do not want to hear this anymore.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -You may retire for the night.

Grand Councillor Yeoncheol is after you.

You will be killed unless you stay by my side.

You are safest next to me, you fool.

Did you say that your lord is the king of Goryeo and not His Imperial Majesty?

He is already dead.

What are you talking about?

I am saying that your lord is dead.

That cannot be.

My lord is not one

to die so easily.

Ask Deputy Minister Chang.

There is no doubt that he was killed on the battlefield.

Treat the Emperor like that again,

and you will have to deal with me.

Your Majesty.

The deposed king is dead?

Not just him, Your Imperial Majesty.

General Baekan and General Taltal were killed in battle as well.

How did they die?

It appears Deputy Minister Chang does not know the full details.

Does Seung-nyang know

that the deposed king is dead?

Yes.

She must be heartbroken.

I will make sure I come back alive for you.

The same goes for you. Stay alive for me.

This is an order from the King. Do you understand?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty was my only hope.

How am I supposed to go on living?

What am I supposed to live for?

Your Majesty...

I can tell she has been barely eating.

Is she so drenched in sadness that she cannot even get herself to eat?

Hurry. Taste His Imperial Majesty's food.

Wait.

From now on,

FOOD TASTING: CHECKING THE FOOD FOR POISON

Yang will taste my food.

Your Imperial Majesty, the custom dictates--

Forget the customs.

This is how it will be. Go on, everyone.

I am starving.

Hurry and taste the food.

I asked you to taste the food.

Eat more than that.

How else can you tell if it is poisoned?

And this.

Taste this too.

I told you to eat more.

How is it?

It is fine.

Please enjoy your meal.

Here. This is my favorite.

Taste this and tell me how it is.

Hurry.

I am suspicious of everything.

You must test everything for poison.

Take a big bite and enjoy it.

Do not even think about dying just because your lord died.

Do not worry about me.

You are my court lady.

You even need my permission to die.

I told you to stay within three steps of me.

Have you forgotten?

Seung-nyang?

Yang?

Yang?

Goodness. You startled me.

You...

just smiled, did you not?

It is cold out.

Let us go inside.

Just over the mountain is Daedo, where the Imperial Palace is.

It will be dark soon.

I think we should set up camp nearby.

That is a good idea.

The horses must take a rest too.

You camp here.

We will go ahead.

You have not slept for two days.

No one is chasing us.

He is acting as if he has hidden treasure in Daedo.

What is the rush?

It is because of Seung-nyang.

Seung-nyang?

Was he taken to Yeongyeong?

It is not a he. It is a she.

She is a woman.

A woman?

It is late.

We must wait until morning to enter the Palace.

Wait a moment.

Jeom-bak is going to find us a suitable place to spend the night.

There he is.

-Your Majesty. -Did you find something?

There is a courtesan house nearby, but...

Is there a problem?

Right now,

King Wang Go is staying there.

King Wang Go?

-Oh, my. -What are you talking about?

There he is.

How dare you?

How dare you treat me like that?

Your Highness, please calm down.

Those courtesans dare to reject to sleep with me?

Even the courtesans

are looking down on me!

You have had too much to drink, Your Highness.

Shut up!

I do not need any of you.

You should abandon me too!

Your Highness.

So now,

they are even keeping an eye on me?

Follow them.

Your Majesty.

Your Highness,

it is the deposed king, Wang Yu.

Wang Yu is alive.

If you are a ghost, go away.

If you are the Wang Yu that I know,

come have a drink with me.

If you are a drunk, go away.

If you are the King Wang Go that I know,

come have a drink with me.

What did I tell you?

I told you he is not one to be easily killed.

You stole salt

and swore allegiance to Grand Councillor Yeoncheol,

yet you ended up like this.

Look here, my nephew.

Are you lecturing your own uncle right now?

The Palace is scarier than any battlefield.

Doze off, and you will lose your neck.

Do not let your guard down just because you came back alive.

If it means bowing and scraping like you,

I would not have come back.

That is no surprise.

Yang.

Where is Yang?

Yang is very ill.

Yang!

Yang.

She is burning up. Call the imperial physician.

Your Imperial Majesty, how can we get the imperial physician for a court lady?

Call him right now!

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Yang.

Seung-nyang.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

Stay with me, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty!

Seung-nyang.

Yes, Seung-nyang.

Seung-nyang, it is me.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I have been looking all over for you.

What is all the commotion?

General Baekan has returned alive.

He has returned alive?

I thought he had died in battle.

No, Your Imperial Majesty.

He has come to Yeongyeong after a resounding victory.

Then...

what about the deposed king?

What about him?

He rode back with him.

He has returned alive?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty...

Your Majesty.

Have you seen Seung-nyang?

From now on, you are not allowed

to speak in front of me unless you are reading me a book.

The late Emperor Myeongjong left a vow written in blood?

Do you believe that the commander of the Kheshig killed himself?

If you drink this poison and go to sleep,

you will wake up in a better world.

I will get what I want. I will do what I want.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Would you act like this if I were Wang Yu?

Meet him at the pagoda in front of the mound.

His Majesty will be waiting for you there.

Seung-nyang, what is taking you so long?

Please hurry.

Subtitle translation by James Park