Original subtitles

Wang Yu has sent another secret letter to Her Grace.

I will burn it and get rid of it.

No.

Give it to me.

Seung-nyang.

I still keep your words close to my heart.

You said you might physically belong to the Emperor,

but your heart belongs to me.

Just as Goryeo's nature never changes,

so will my love for you until the end of my life.

I miss you, Seung-nyang.

Your Imperial Majesty, Her Grace is here to see you.

Send her away.

I told her not to show up

until I send for her.

How dare she ignore my order?

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Tell her this.

If she disobeys me again,

she will be punished severely.

Your Grace, you should go for today.

Is he...

drinking right now?

He has not had any since this afternoon.

Do you mean that he is himself right now?

Yes, Your Grace.

Golta.

I will be drinking with Grand Councillor Baekan tonight.

Your Imperial Majesty,

the Grand Councillor did not come in today because he is ill.

He is ill?

Wang Yu is...

dead?

Who did it?

I asked you who killed him!

If you find out who killed him,

will you go and get his revenge?

It must be Grand Councillor Baekan.

No one would ever kill their enemy's king like that!

-And he was not just-- -I know that...

he was very special to Your Grace.

What do you mean by that?

He was once your master,

then you two became allies.

And perhaps,

you two were more than that to each other.

Master Taltal.

Do you know why I side with you?

Right now, His Imperial Majesty and the Grand Councillor

are obsessed with restoring

the glory of the Empire.

I thought that the only one who can stop their reckless plan

is you, Your Grace.

That is why I turned a blind eye...

to all of your wrongdoings.

You told me...

not to obsess over protecting my clan.

I will give that back to you.

Do not get attached to your personal feelings for Wang Yu.

Only think of this country and the Emperor who turned...

a mere tribute woman into an imperial noble consort.

The sword that killed Wang Yu...

Who is to say...

it will not be pointed at me?

Did you ask me to stop their obsession?

I will.

However,

if the Grand Councillor chooses to be so brutal,

I will also fight him with everything I have.

-Your Grace! -I will not show

any mercy or smile...

to a man pointing a sword at me.

I am bothered by the fact that I did not check Wang Yu's body myself.

I will take some of our men for a search as soon as the dawn breaks.

His Imperial Majesty is outside.

-Get me dressed properly. -Do not bother.

Your Imperial Majesty, you caught me unprepared.

I came the moment I heard that you are ill.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I thought you fell ill, but it seems like you are wounded by a sword.

Actually,

I got hurt trying to kill Wang Yu.

What happened to him?

I stabbed him deeply.

He is probably dead.

I do not know why things are getting...

so complicated.

His Imperial Majesty...

and Wang Yu...

I cannot believe...

that he passed away.

I beg your pardon.

I could not help it.

Cry for me.

I have no right to shed tears for him.

Your Grace...

Look everywhere,

caves, bushes, and anything that you see.

-Yes, sir! -General.

There is no body. He must have gotten away.

We should also leave before Baekan's men get here.

I am sure His Majesty is safe.

What if we cannot find him either?

You have to be safe, Your Majesty.

Seung-nyang.

Seung-nyang.

Seung-nyang.

Do not die, Wang Yu.

I have so much to tell you.

You have to stay alive...

and let me tell you how I feel about you.

So...

do not die.

The truth cannot be hidden forever!

If you wish to avenge your mother's death,

you will have to kill the Emperor,

the Empress Dowager, Baekan, and the entire court.

May I ask you a question?

How did my mother pass away?

What did the Empress Dowager tell you?

She always says the same thing.

No one ever tells me anything in detail.

Will you believe me...

no matter what I say?

If anyone just tells me,

I will decide what to believe.

Your mother...

What are you doing?

Come here, Prince Maha.

I looked everywhere for you because you were not in your chamber.

Do not go out alone.

Yes, Your Highness.

I will have to ask

His Imperial Majesty to appoint a crown prince.

He has been in a foul mood.

You should move the officials

to make the suggestion.

In that case,

we should have the Empress Dowager's people suggest it.

Do you have a plan?

Yes.

I believe I have found the way...

to make the Empress Dowager take action.

His Imperial Majesty is in bad condition,

so we should not postpone crowning the crown prince any longer.

You truly are without any greed.

I am not jealous of the Imperial Noble Consort,

but I believe

it is only proper for Prince Maha to be crowned.

Of course. As the law decrees.

Your Highness should ask the officials to submit petitions.

His Imperial Majesty is not so fond of Prince Maha,

so that is a great idea.

I did as you asked.

Thank you for your help.

I told you that I would help you anytime.

But...

are you sure you can get your son crowned?

It seemed like you have fallen out

of His Imperial Majesty's favor.

Prince Maha is Tanashilli's son.

That will work against him.

You are right.

But do not underestimate the Empress Dowager's influence.

May I ask...

why you support my son?

I am afraid of Prince Maha's vengeance.

As the head of the Inner Court,

my priority is keeping peace in the Imperial House.

You are very wise.

Once the Empress Dowager gets rid of you,

I can have everything my way.

Once I oust the Empress Dowager,

you are next, Bayan.

The investiture?

I am perfectly healthy,

yet you wish me to name my successor?

Your Imperial Majesty, it is something that must be done.

Yes, of course.

I have learned the hard way that I can always be betrayed by my subject.

Who knows when I will die?

Of course, I should install a crown prince!

Your Imperial Majesty.

Do you think I do not know what you are scheming?

You are trying to use me.

You are trying to rule over me.

And you are always looking for a chance.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Please calm down.

Look at these petitions, Grand Councillor.

They are all telling me to install Maha as a crown prince!

What do you think?

Maha is the grandson of Yeoncheol.

I destroyed...

that family with my two hands.

Prince Ayu is...

a descendant of Goryeo.

No matter who it may be, he will be the Emperor of the Great Yuan.

You should let them compete.

Compete?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

If you name your successor based on his knowledge and character,

no one will oppose the result.

Ayu is still a little boy.

Prince Maha also did not have much exposure to learning

because of your order.

A competition...

We are not particularly at a disadvantage.

You have been teaching Maha how to read and write.

That is why I asked the Grand Councillor to suggest a competition.

There is no way His Imperial Majesty would know how much Prince Maha studied.

Great work, Empress.

Do you have any complaints about this?

There is no reason to go against anything that is fair.

Maha is a smart boy, and I believe he will outdo his brother.

You will have to do your best.

Yes, Your Highness. I will do that.

Your Imperial Majesty, what is it?

Golta.

This is so weird.

I finally became a true emperor.

But...

But why do I feel...

so lonely?

Your Imperial Majesty.

I feel more nervous and lonelier...

than when Yeoncheol had...

kept me under his thumb.

Why do I...

feel like this?

When Yeoncheol was around, no one dared to covet power.

But now, there is no one around you but those who want your power.

-Is that it? -Think about it.

The only two you can trust now are the Grand Councillor and me.

Both Her Highness and Her Grace

are busy going after their own agenda.

Yes.

Yang.

Back then, Yang was...

by my side.

Look at how things turned out.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki is the most dangerous--

Golta.

Watch your mouth.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Out of my way!

Your Imperial Majesty.

Are you all right?

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty!

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Move.

Your Imperial Majesty.

How could you be reading a book?

Leave us.

Are you drunk again?

You never looked at me...

back in the Emperor's palace.

Do you think you won against me again?

Your Imperial Majesty.

Stop acting so haughty!

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Long for me!

Beg me to come to Heungdeok Palace.

Beg for my favors!

Imperial Noble Consort Ki.

you may act all high and mighty,

but everything will be over if I leave you.

You must be grateful that I have brought you this far.

Do you want me to flirt with you

like some girl in a courtesan house?

If you are going to abandon me,

do it quickly.

I cannot abandon you.

No, I will not.

Will you please just stay still?

You do not know what my greatest fear is.

You do not know how much I fear

being abandoned by you.

He looks like a nobleman. What could he have done wrong?

The notice is everywhere.

Have you seen him before?

Now that Taltal is here,

we cannot keep looking for Wang Yu.

Let us go back to Yeongyeong.

If you were taking care of Wang Yu,

-where would you take him to? -Who knows?

It would be too dangerous to stay here in Yoyang.

Goryeo?

Yes, they must be heading to Goryeo.

There is no safer place than Goryeo for him to treat his wound

and get back on his feet.

There is a place you must pass by in order to get to Goryeo.

Right here. Cheonsudap Valley.

We will get ahead of him and wait for him there.

We will be at the gate soon.

I made the arrangements already. Do not worry.

Hand me over the bow.

General, do you not recognize me?

Why are you alone? Where is Yeon Bisu?

Master Yeon is in Yeongyeong.

I am on my way back after making a delivery to the governor.

May I ask...

what this is about?

Go.

What is it?

I have to go somewhere.

Keep searching.

Master, you are bleeding.

-Take the arrow out. -I will.

You must get it treated.

I can take this.

You should go back inside.

Eunuch Bang and his men must be looking for us.

Tell them

that we will be waiting at Cheonsudap Valley.

Yes, Master.

Open it.

Please spare him.

Kill me if you must,

but please do not take Wang Yu's life.

Why do you want to keep him alive?

He...

saved my life.

Is that all?

I need your help so that I can work

for the good of the Empire.

If the first thing you ask

is to save Wang Yu,

I must decline.

The funds that help Yuan people come from Goryeo.

Yeoncheol's secret fund

is already gone.

Please help me, Master Taltal.

Where are you headed?

Across the border.

If they find out that Wang Yu is alive,

Yuan soldiers will chase him to the ends of the world.

Can you promise me...

that you will go deep in the mountains

and never come out again?

Yes, I swear.

Wang Yu is dead.

Remember that.

Your Grace, Court Lady Yeon is here.

Do you know why I told you to come?

When the competition begins,

I want you to say that Tanashilli did not give birth to Maha

in front of His Imperial Majesty and his subjects.

-Your Grace. -Are you afraid?

Once Ayu becomes the crown prince,

I will let you leave the Imperial Palace.

Do you mean that?

Will you let me leave the Palace?

You are from Goryeo as well.

Is it not a tragedy

if we become enemies with each other when we can become friends

in this unfamiliar place?

Your Grace.

I will protect you.

So do not worry...

and just expose the truth.

Yes, Your Grace.

I will.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Why are you out so late?

What about you?

Why did you see Imperial Noble Consort Ki this late?

Please spare me, Your Imperial Majesty.

Tell me the truth if you wish to live.

What did you discuss with her?

Your Imperial Majesty.

Take out one more book.

Once I take out one more,

you will die.

Tell me.

-Take out the last one. -Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

I will tell...

-Let her down. -Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

-Tell me. -Actually,

Prince Maha is not...

the late Empress Tanashilli's...

biological son.

She could not have her own child,

so she took someone else's child in.

Her Grace told me to expose this.

I see.

That was why she was so confident.

Your Imperial Majesty, what should I do?

Please spare me, Your Imperial Majesty.

I heard you have a man outside of the walls.

He used to be the commander of the Kheshig.

How did you know...

I will release you from your service

before the competition begins.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I cannot let Imperial Noble Consort Ki have her way.

Thank you.

Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.

Thank you so much, Your Imperial Majesty.

Prince Maha.

Do not forget how your mother, uncle,

and grandfather died.

Remember the vengeance...

you will have as an emperor.

Goodness, my sweetheart.

I do not have long.

I have good news.

Good news? What?

I am...

going to be released...

from my service.

You are?

Yes, Her Imperial Majesty gave me her promise.

Yeon-hwa.

My dreams finally came true.

You know,

I do not want to be a servant again.

I know. I understand.

I want a huge house.

I will have my servants

call me "my lady" all day long.

I do not know about anything else,

but I can make your wish come true.

And I want about nine kids.

It is like you read my mind.

Are you going to make me happy for the rest of my life?

Yes, Yeon-hwa.

I will not be greedy any longer.

I want to marry you, have kids,

and live happily ever after, Yeon-hwa.

This is Her Imperial Majesty's ring.

You can sell this and find a house for us while you wait.

Okay?

I can find a house with or without this.

Thank you, Yeon-hwa.

I am back.

Yes, are you all ready to leave?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Before you leave,

write something for me.

Write something?

You should write down that Imperial Noble Consort Ki bullied you

for me to have a reason to release you.

I understand, Your Imperial Majesty.

May I... go now?

Yes, goodbye.

Your Imperial...

This should be enough to get rid of Imperial Noble Consort Ki for good.

Your Imperial Majesty...

Court Lady Yeon!

-Take down her body. -Yes.

Court Lady Yeon!

Court Lady Yeon! Yeon-hwa.

How can this be, Yeon-hwa?

Court Lady Yeon!

Yeon-hwa.

Court Lady Yeon!

Yeon-hwa.

Yeon-hwa killed herself?

They found her hanging this morning.

I promised to release her...

from her service.

We asked other court ladies,

but they said they never suspected anything.

The Empress...

may have found out that she was helping me.

Where is her body?

Chief Eunuch Dok-man.

I am glad you are here.

-I have something-- -Yeon-hwa

had left a will full of resentment toward Your Grace before she killed herself.

I understand she was a piece of work,

but how can you do this?

Do you think she died because of me?

I played a part in bringing Your Grace into the Palace.

I kept your pregnancy

a secret.

-Chief Eunuch Dok-man! -The only reason I helped you

is that I could not bear to see Tanashilli's tyranny.

However,

you are no better than her right now.

Watch your mouth.

What if I side with the Empress Dowager

and expose your secret? What will you do then?

Chief Eunuch.

If you wanted to expose my secret,

you would not have come to me to tell me this.

I wish to know what you are thinking.

Are you still the same person who fights for what is right?

-Or are you obsessed with greed-- -Yeon-hwa...

did not commit suicide.

She was murdered.

You will see.

I will reveal the truth...

and let the world know...

of their evil deeds.

Court Lady Seo.

Why is Yeon-hwa not coming?

Yeon-hwa... Well...

My poor girl.

My goodness, Yeon-hwa.

Court Lady Yeon.

Yeon-hwa.

What is... What is going on? Yeon-hwa.

Why is she like this?

What are you doing?

Why did you come out looking like this?

You told me to find a house,

so I bought a huge house with 12 rooms.

Why are you lying here like this?

Yeon-hwa.

Yeon-hwa...

Our whole lives were ahead of us.

Why?

Yeon-hwa...

What are the three virtues of a loyal subject?

Integrity, prudence, and diligence.

You are very smart.

Now finish the rest.

Father.

Goodness. My boy, Ayu.

Were you teaching him?

Yes.

I have not had a drop of alcohol since that day.

How may I serve you?

I wanted to talk to you about the investiture.

-As you please. -Imperial Noble Consort Ki.

Are you teaching him...

as a woman of Goryeo?

You must forget that you are from Goryeo.

Ayu will subjugate Goryeo...

to the Yuan dynasty if I cannot do it.

You will have to teach him...

in such a light.

Why are you not answering me?

I understood, Your Imperial Majesty.

I am so relieved to hear that His Majesty is safe.

Right.

It seems like Yeon Bisu is in love with him.

That tomboy is?

I can tell by the look in her eyes. I am sure she is.

Is that not Yeom Byeong-su?

-She is the Empress. -The Empress?

Why is she seeing Yeom Byeong-su?

As you can see on her will,

Court Lady Yeon was practically murdered by Imperial Noble Consort Ki.

I will...

avenge Yeon-hwa with my hands.

You cannot do it alone.

Will you...

serve me from now on?

Your word is my command.

I will walk through the fire...

to destroy Imperial Noble Consort Ki.

I heard people are praising her

for providing relief for the famine.

Yes.

Water and oil cannot mix.

If we can get rid of the people of Goryeo

from the Yuan dynasty as if we are skimming oil off the surface of the water,

we will surely be able to oust Imperial Noble Consort Ki as well.

Tell me how.

First, we need some helping hands.

My goodness, no.

Please spare me.

Burn the store.

Hold on. Why are you doing this?

Please do not do this.

People of Yuan

sucked the life out of people of Goryeo.

People... People of Goryeo?

Once Imperial Noble Consort Ki's son ascends to the throne,

we will not have to do this

since people of Goryeo

will dominate the market of Yeongyeong!

What... What do you mean?

Go ahead.

-Fire! -Fire!

Watch out! Fire!

Make the people of Yuan

despise the people of Goryeo.

-Oh, no. -No!

You jerks!

You filthy bastards!

On the day Prince Maha becomes the Emperor,

he will kick out all the people of Goryeo here first.

Do you get it?

-Everything is burned down. -Oh, no.

What are we going to do?

They have been coming between the people of Goryeo and Yuan.

What is his plan?

I can find out.

There was a huge fight between Yuan and Goryeo merchants.

All we have to do now is kill Prince Maha.

-The prince? -We are going to kill him?

What do you mean, kill the prince?

You never said that was the plan.

The Emperor already abandoned him.

He is holding a memorial service tonight at Seoneop Temple.

Make sure we do not miss this chance.

Once you get the job done,

you will be rewarded a huge amount of money that you cannot even fathom.

A huge amount?

Is that true?

That is what he said.

So, they will kill Prince Maha

and spread a rumor saying it was done by the people of Goryeo?

They are not just after Her Grace,

but they want to get rid of all the Goryeo people in Yeongyeong.

I will get going.

Do not tell anyone about us.

I am going to flee outside of Yeongyeong today.

Her Grace is the only one who can stop this.

I heard she considers Maha as her enemy because of the investiture.

That is exactly why we must stop it.

Poor Maha.

I pay my respects to you, Father.

I told you not to read books.

Give it to me.

"Virtues of a Nobleman."

Are you preparing for the competition?

How foolish of you.

I am not giving you a chance to prove yourself for the crown.

It is just a formality to appoint Ayu as the crown prince.

What have I done to displease you?

Tell me. I will change that.

Maha.

You should never have been born.

Your Imperial Highness.

No one can expose Maha's secret.

It makes the competition difficult.

Your Grace.

I am sure Court Lady Seo knows the secret too.

She is unlike Yeon-hwa.

She will not talk.

Your Grace.

A fellow of the nun who had a burn scar on her face

will arrive here in a few days.

Does this nun know Maha's secret?

I was told by the chief monk that they were very close,

and there is a high chance she knows about it.

However,

Prince Maha is here now too.

Empress Dowager...

How dare you come here?

You broke the law.

You set up memorial tablets for the traitors.

Did you follow me?

Does His Imperial Majesty know about this?

I begged her.

If you must tell Father, you can tell on me and only me.

How dare you do this?

This is for my mother,

who was murdered by Dang Gise.

I was about your age...

when I lost her.

Moreover,

your grandfather

killed my father.

What are you trying to say?

That is why I killed the people whose names are on those tablets...

with my own two hands.

-That is enough! -Prince Maha.

I will not hurt you...

for you are not of my enemy's descent.

What kind of nonsense is this?

However,

you must know this.

The death of the people you believe are your mother and grandfather...

The Empress Dowager right here was also involved in their deaths.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki!

How long will you deceive the young prince?

That is enough.

Everything will be revealed soon.

The prince's identity,

who killed whom,

and the true nature of the Empress Dowager,

the mastermind behind all this...

Everything...

will be revealed,

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Have you been lying to me?

Do not mind what she said. She is lying.

-Your Highness. -I told you to not listen to her!

Your Grace.

Eunuch Bang.

Your Grace.

There is something I must tell you.

You must spare Prince Maha.

What do you mean?

Spare Maha?

Prince Maha will die tonight.

You are the only one

who can protect him.

Explain yourself.

Maha... Poor Maha.

Eunuch Bang.

Maha is...

Byul.

Byul?

The child...

you thought was dead.

He is your son.

That is impossible.

Byul already--

Byul was alive.

Maha is Byul.

He is you and His Majesty's son,

Your Grace.

I said, that is impossible!

Maha has...

three star-shaped moles on his foot.

I saw them with my own eyes.

Subtitle translation by Eun-sook Youn