Original subtitles

Empress Ki

Be careful.

Kill me.

Shall we go, My Liege?

Let me look at you.

I said let me see.

You heard the Emperor.

You... you!

You look...

really similar.

Let me ask, do you have...

Your Majesty.

Episode 9

I'm a tad late.

I just got here.

More tea.

This is it.

Tell me, why are we meeting here?

I want you to see something.

See?

Shall we?

Pay your respects.

I am Ohjin.

Mother.

I'm told she's quite a dancer.

I hope you will find this place relaxing.

They acted on the King's orders.

And tried to kill me.

Lies. Why are you doing this?

It was Ki Jaho.

Don't say that!

Father!

No, father, don't go...

No, Father!

Tangqishi will come after me if I'm arrested for killing the Emperor.

After I kill him...

I can die in peace.

The chief eunuch, the Dowager, Lady Pak and the Emperor are inside.

The attendants are trained warriors.

I can't give them time to stop me.

I'll have to kill him with one blow.

Enough.

Well? Adorable, is she not?

I should go.

You should sleep here.

It is an auspicious day for it.

To produce an heir.

Stop.

I don't want to hear this.

You know this is for the royal house.

The house?

I thought you were better than El Temur.

But as things are, you're just the same.

Exactly the same.

Your Majesty... Your Majesty!

It's not over.

Prepare her and send her to his chambers.

Your Majesty.

How do you think El Temur will react if he finds out?

We won't get another chance.

Tonight is the night. Understood?

Understood.

Your Majesty, even your hair is beautiful.

So lovely.

Of course.

It's especially lustrous tonight.

Can't argue with that.

Shall I invite the Emperor to call on you?

No. I'll retire early tonight.

Your Majesty, Your Majesty.

You must keep him yours.

What if he starts looking at other women?

Looking?

Is there anyone in the palace as gorgeous as me?

No one. But men's hearts...

Men's hearts are not won by cheap flowers.

If I do not value my favors, who will?

Still, Your Majesty...

Still what?

Just wait.

He'll be begging for my favors soon enough.

Your name is Nyang?

Yes.

I hope I can count on you.

Alone in this foreign palace...

we Koryo girls have to stick together.

Time is short. Is she ready?

Yes, my lord.

What's this about?

Your pardon.

Get out.

My Liege.

Well? Get out.

Lie with her.

If you must punish someone, punish me.

Mother.

I will not see you be the puppet of El Temur.

I agree.

Without you doing this.

We can only fight him if the Empress does not produce the heir.

Mother!

Think of your late father, your late brother.

I prostrate myself before the throne.

I would risk any punishment.

Even my own life. Do not deny my request.

Ohjin? Well?

Lie with His Majesty.

Well? Come along.

There's no rush.

There will be plenty of chances to kill him.

I will live and come back for you.

Stay alive for me.

Sire.

That's an order. Understood?

Sire, I'm afraid you will have to forgive me.

This flag is your standard.

Only one of you can bear it.

Begin.

- Sire! - Please hang in there!

Sungnyang.

Sire, have you forgotten your promise?

You cannot give up.

I too, will live and come back to see you.

Open your eyes. Find your strength.

You are my only hope.

Get up, get up!

Smack Yom the Scum!

This is a match of skill.

Your dirty tricks won't work here.

Dirty tricks?

Yield. You lost.

Never!

You...!

Take a good look.

Yom filled his sword with lead.

That scum.

The only cheater here... is him.

Kill him!

Death! Death!

Kill me!

You want to kill me.

Don't you?

Sorry to disappoint. I yield.

I lost.

I yield, I yield.

Death! Death!

Insect.

The standard.

You earned it.

Make no mistake.

I did not fight for you.

I have my own reasons to make it back alive.

I have to survive.

I am your captain but nothing has changed.

We're low on arms and provisions.

We fight to live.

We fight to get back home.

No one else will fight for us.

We have nothing to lose.

Nothing more to fear.

We are in hell.

Follow me if you went to escape this hell.

There is no room for the cowards, the weak and the whiners.

I'm yours!

I will not fear even hell.

My life is yours.

We are yours.

- Yours. - Yours.

You want to be commandant?

This is my chance to kill that upstart Wang Yu.

He may kill you.

The coward Yom... is dead.

I'm a new Yom now.

All right, I'll help you.

Thank you... General.

This is all they gave us?

This is no game.

I've used better weapons for hunting.

Mongols.

How can we win with this?

What are you whining about now?

You dare show your face here?

Watch your mouth.

This is your new commandant.

General Bayan has ordered our men take the lead in each attack.

These weapons won't keep us alive.

Are we to be arrow fodder?

Is that any way for a captain to talk?

Warriors live and die by their orders.

Take the vanguard and like it.

Turks!

- What now? - The enemy!

The Turkish leader Batolu.

Batolu.

Why the silly mask?

Something about scars all over his face and such.

He must be quite brutal.

Battle scars are marks of honor.

Do not underestimate him.

Choe.

Sir.

You're to run the water.

See that it is spotless.

Sir.

Yi.

Sir.

You and Han will clean her ladyship's room.

Yes sir.

Ki Nyang.

My lord.

Clean the quilts.

Sir.

Nyang, did you hear?

The Emperor gave someone his favors.

I don't care.

A court girl, they say.

Some lucky girl.

Whether it's good or bad remains to be seen.

How so?

The rumors of your wedding night have spread outside the palace.

So everyone will know soon that he's wrapped round my little finger.

This is no time to crow.

We need and heir...

Not to worry.

He'll be sniffing round my skirts anytime I want.

Something is off here.

Off?

Involving you, I suspect.

Bring them here.

You were talking about the Empress.

Am I wrong?

Spit it out. What were you saying?

Your...

I said spit it out.

Your Majesty, spare me.

Only if you talk.

His Majesty granted his favors to someone.

F-f-favors?

Did you say favors?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

- Who? - All I know...

is she's from Koryo.

Get me all the Koryo tramps.

The Empress knows?

She is having all the Koryo girls brought to her.

I told you to be careful.

Shall we tell the Emperor?

He couldn't save Ohjin even if he knew.

We failed.

So it's you.

Expel her from the palace...

No.

Take her out and kill her.

Your Majesty, on what grounds?

Silence.

How dare you question my commands?

Well? Take her out and kill her.

Yes, Your Majesty.

What is this?

What has you so upset?

You know very well...

what this is and who is behind this little wretch.

Release her.

Take her away.

Release her.

Take her away.

Your Majesty!

Suppose my father found out, what then?

He wouldn't stop with just one little tramp.

Get her out of my sight.

Is it morning sickness?

I believe so.

Stand back.

She bears the imperial heir.

Empress or not, to touch her is treason.

Bring her to my room.

El Temur, if you pl...

To what do I owe the pleasure?

You tried to get an heir from some court girl?

Surely you haven't forgotten the promise you made in Koryo?

Spare me, Regent El Temur.

If you need a fool, I'll act the fool.

A coward, I'll act the coward.

Callous, I'll be callous.

A puppet...

I'll be your puppet.

Please, please don't abandon me.

How could I forget?

Oh? Then why do you insult me?

Insult you? Never.

Keeping this throne is harder than taking it.

Taking it requires a crown. Losing it requires your head. Is that clear?

Perfectly.

I am old.

With so little time left, what do I have to fear?

I will kill anything that offends me. You can call that my senility.

Do you want to see me angry?

I, I was wrong.

This is all my fault. I was wrong.

One tear from my little girl's eyes and this palace will flow with blood.

Remember that, My Liege.

My Liege... My Liege, please, you cannot...

My Liege...

My Liege!

Where are you going?

I don't know.

You don't know?

I can't breathe! I can't stand it!

My Liege.

It's too much.

I just want to go where I can breathe.

My Liege!

My Liege...

She looks like Sungnyang.

My Liege!

My Liege.

Not yet.

My Liege, you cannot wander off alone.

Have her make us some tea.

Look at me.

Left.

Right.

Do you have a brother named Sungnyang?

No.

He was prettier than you.

You'd never know it looking at him.

But he was brave and true.

A fine archer and rider.

We were well-suited.

This is my chance.

Hold still.

Don't move.

You use this as a hairpin?

Get rid of it.

Servant or not, it's not good enough.

Take this.

Because you look like him.

Go on, take it.

Milady.

What is it now?

You dare look at the Emperor?

What is this?

Wretch!

Enough.

Court ladies are bad enough. Now you want servant girls?

Why? You want every girl in the palace?

You're out of line.

I won't be humiliated.

I'm telling my daddy.

Milady... Milady!

Archers!

Fire!

Fall back! Fall back to the mountains!

What the...?

The attack was a feint. They're retreating.

It's been five days. I've had enough.

Open the gate.

Fall back to the mountains.

It's so odd.

Every night they make a fuss then run off.

Don't you see?

They know that the great General Yom is here.

'General?' General Yom the Scum.

They advance from one direction and retreat to another.

To hide their encampment.

We do not as yet know where they're based.

That's why we're having so much trouble.

They know about us but we know nothing of them.

We dare not go further.

Today I'll have their heads.

We'll chase them down.

No, sir.

No?

They know this region well.

If we march into an ambush...

we'll be slaughtered.

It's been five days. They're mocking me.

Batolu is toying with me!

Please stop. Fall back.

As you suspected, they sleep during the day.

A day attack?

Sire.

Casualties?

Over one hundred are injured.

Filthy Turks. Every night the same thing.

Not just at night.

They're showing us that they can attack in daylight as well.

So they're plan...

...is to prevent our sleeping.

We must be alert day and night.

Meaning they will attack both day and night?

Any word from our spies?

Spies?

To discover the enemy's main camp.

If we discover that...

...we will have the advantage.

We must take back control of the Silk Road.

We'll do whatever it takes to achieve that end.

Bayan cannot have the Silk Road.

It must be secured to ensure our future.

That's why I assumed command.

You mean to work with the Turks?

We can't wait any longer.

It's time to turn the tables.

Wait so this Batolu or Batofu or whatever never sleeps?

He can't. He's here day and night.

Thus the mask.

I'm back, General.

The attack was a success.

They have no idea what we're doing.

They'll be on alert day and night without rest.

Is this them?

Yes. Chosen per your specifications.

The Scout.

An experienced spy and reconnaissance officer.

Mokong of Koryo.

The best woodworker we have.

The Hunter.

An experienced tracker and trapper.

Over 100 tigers to his name alone.

Now we're taking it to the Turks.

We need to assess mountain retreats.

Topography, boulders, creeks.

Everything.

We'll make weapons of wood and stone.

Our own secret weapons to replace the poor ones.

These weapons will be stored in the hills.

It's no different than hunting tigers.

We predict their movements.

And trap them in a place of our choosing.

You will provide weapons to our men and train them.

We may be few.

But we must be the best.

Wang Yu cannot be allowed a victory.

Not to worry.

I'll kill him myself.

And any victory will be mine.

Yom, you will not have your way.

[The Pavilion of Women]

I suppose I shouldn't blame you.

Nor should you blame me for killing you.

It's our fate.

Come with me.

I heard about you.

Posing as a man, saving our deposed King's life.

I'm not interested in your past.

All of us from Koryo have our own stories.

But if you kill the Emperor...

...we will all...

be killed.

Servants, court ladies, eunuchs.

Being from Koryo will be enough reason to be killed.

This is the palace.

A place of blood and tears, without mercy.

I have a few people I want dead myself.

But that is not true revenge.

Surviving.

Enduring.

Grinding those who did this to us under our feet.

That is true revenge.

I'll look the other way this time.

But try this again... and you'll force me to report you.

Sire?

Sire.

Have you forgotten your duty?

What is a warrior's duty? To protect our people.

And my parent's killers?

A personal vendetta.

Your duty comes first.

My duty to what?

To be the plaything of my enemies, to act the fool?

I will avenge my parents with their deaths.

You want to see your own people dead?

That's not my concern.

Some of them are your friends.

I have no friends.

You're kidding yourself.

You're wrong.

I wouldn't bat an eye even if they all died.

I want revenge. Nothing else matters.

You can't, Sungnyang.

Why can't I?

My heart is black with despair.

Can't you see that?

Sungnyang.

It's too much. It's all too much.

Sungnyang, don't go.

I've missed you.

So very much.

Sire.

Sire...

Sire.

Sire!

Sire...

Sire...

Sire, Sire...

Sire!

You're sweating.

You're burning up.

I'm fine.

Fine, she says. Lie down.

I'll get you something cool.

I'm fine.

Listen, you know the worst thing that can happen here?

Getting sick.

That's when we miss our loved ones most.

Look after yourself.

Wait here, all right?

They're here.

Batolu, tonight you're mine.

Sire.

See that?

A hit, a hit.

Quite so, a hit.

If only Sungnyang could see me now.

My Liege, your tea.

She's not much, but if I can't have pheasant, chicken will do.

Stay there.

Sire... I can't even kill him...

What would you have me do?

I miss you, Sire.

Watch this. Admire my greatness.

The front hand as firm as a mountain.

Pull as easy as if it's a tiger's tail.

That's strange.

I did it a minute ago.

Again.

Firm as a mountain, fluffy tiger tail.

My Liege, no doubt you are fatigued.

You.

You laughing at me?

It's been too long.

This is your fault. I was doing fine till you got here.

Sire.

Sire?

'Sire?'

Subtitles provided by MBC

- What does it say? - You want to rule now?

What do I do in the palace?

Why am I alive?

Tonight I'll have his head.

They were ambushed.

Tracking the enemy?

If he does make it back, he'll die at the hands of Yom.

It can't be. Sungnyang is a man.

Sungnyang.

I won't have it.

If she attempts to seduce the Emperor...

Take this to the captain of the guard.

You know what this is?

Kill the one who delivered this.