Original subtitles

Episode 7

I shan't leave this unsufferable weight on His Majesty's shoulders,

and hide in cowardice.

I shall take responsibility for everything I caused.

And, if mischance should befall me,

I shall entrust Muhyul to you.

If he one day escapes from the calamitous flames of adversity,

Muhyul shall rule this country.

So you shall shelter him with utmost devotion.

Words of remorse are all I can leave you with.

The only thing burning inside my heart…

was my love for you, Hye Ap.

Chief Decorator.

Where is His Highness?

Chief Decorator.

Chief.

Is anything wrong?

His Highness…

left for Gungnae Fortress.

Didn't you know the Council is ready to offer you as sacrifice?

Why did you come?

I put you and Goguryeo in peril,

so I shall offer my life in atonement…

and take responsibility.

What father would sacrifice his own flesh and blood…

to preserve the crown he's wearing?

What father would harm his own son to protect himself?

Abandon me…

and protect our people!

You are telling the man who abandoned your brethren…

to abandon even you?

I cannot do that.

Father!

I endured countless humiliations, waiting for the day…

I will take that acrimonious dagger piercing my soul and stab Daeso with it.

I trust if I cannot achieve that goal,

you shall one day do it for my sake.

If you don't abandon me,

all our people will perish.

Send me to King Daeso!

You fatuitous man.

Can a crown prince so easily wish for his demise?

You shall survive.

I shall bear all the blame for this.

If I can dispel this crisis with my blood,

quench my vengeful thirst for your father's sake.

Father!

Make sure Haemyeong doesn't set foot outside this place.

The chieftains shan't descry Haemyeong's presence.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Still no news coming from Yuri's side?

Nothing.

How many Goguryeo hostages do we have in the camp?

Around three hundred, Your Majesty.

Slaughter each and every one of them!

Your Majesty!

There are civilians among the hostages.

Are you planning to slay innocent lives?

Forsake that futile lenity of yours.

We're a hostile country to them, and they're nothing but foes to us.

Your Majesty.

Every country in the north is heedful of your every move.

May you show them how magnanimous Your Majesty is,

and at least spare those civilians.

If you wish to attain your dream of annexing Goguryeo,

invading the Han and establishing the biggest empire in the area,

you shall earn the hearts of those Goguryeo people as well.

So much virtue squandered on a woman.

I wish you could be a man.

Do as she said.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Your Highness.

Are you still dubbing me with that title?

I thought I was merely the son of a traitor to you, Chief Retainer.

You must still be feeling resentment.

Do you know what I gained out of this experience,

since you sent me to the Black Shadows' camp when I was twelve?

That I am nothing.

I merely follow His Majesty's wishes.

There's no personal involvement in any of this.

And I shall never belie His Majesty's wishes with ill-advised thoughts.

All you represent to me, Chief, is a loyal subject of Buyeo,

and a superior I shall sedulously follow.

I am in awe at such a pledge of fealty!

Keep an eye on Dojin.

Are you suspecting someone with his credentials?

If he can't join my cause, he shall become part of the problem.

King Daeso dispiteously slaughtered hundreds of our troops…

taken hostage into Buyeo's encampment.

The Amnok River is imbrued with the blood of our soldiers!

Daebo.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I shall lead the Central Guard and advance to Pyeongcheon Plains.

Convey my wishes to the Council!

What are you saying?

His Majesty is going to the front?!

His Majesty will never comply with King Daeso's requests.

He shall fight with Buyeo until death befalls him.

Daebo!

I shall take all responsibilities, so please…

stop His Majesty's advance!

Nobody will change His Majesty's mind.

I've heard you're taking the Central Guard to battle. Is it true?

We can no longer elude confrontation.

What do you plan to achieve?

Don't you realize we have no chance of success?

King Daeso is truculently slaughtering our troops…

which he took hostage at the Pyeongcheon Plains.

I shall rather die fighting, than endure any more of this affront.

Isn't there a more celeritous way to avoid this war?!

If Prince Haemyeong, the sole man responsible for all this, takes a step forward,

everything will end without any hostility.

Sangga.

Are you telling me I should abandon another son in sacrifice?

Your Majesty!

I beseech you.

Accept King Daeso's requests…

and stop any further bloodshed, for the sake of all those innocent people.

I shall be the one to beseech you!

Convince the Council, and join the campaign with me.

Do you really…

intend to sacrifice innocent lives to save Prince Haemyeong?

Sangga.

If the chieftains join our cause, we have a chance to win.

If we could only resist for a month,

a cold wave will hit the north, and deluge us in snow.

No matter how formidable the Buyeo army is,

they will never compete with the forces of nature!

How are you going to stop the Buyeo advance,

when they have already reached the Pyeongcheon Plains?!

I shall stop them!

I will belay their advance!

His Highness has been confined to his quarters.

What happens now?

What do you think His Majesty can do?

The chieftains are pressuring him enough,

and with Buyeo troops advancing even closer to the capital, how is he going to resist?

He'll eventually send him to King Daeso.

How can he send his son out to die?

His Majesty is not that kind of man.

Hey, calm down!

What's wrong with you?

As we stand, trying to penetrate defense lines in the capital would be suicidal.

And, as you say, if we somehow manage to do it anyway and meet His Highness,

would he follow us?

His Highness came here of his own will.

He will never follow us, no matter what.

That is up to him to decide.

I can't let His Highness die this way.

What Muhyul said is right.

Even if it causes our demise, we shall save His Highness.

General, it's Maro.

Orabeoni* is refusing to meet me as well. *A woman's older brother

Whatever it takes, you need to get him out of there.

Who is there?

Go find my brother.

You must find him!

Where is His Highness?

He has already moved to the Buyeo camp.

Your Majesty.

His Highness headed for the Buyeo army's camp.

Father.

Even if all the blood in my veins…

gushes out under King Daeso's feet,

I shall permeate Goguryeo soil with my soul,

and fulfill your wishes.

Block every road right now.

No matter what it takes, we shall stop the Prince!

Yes.

Who is there?

Your Highness.

I'm headed for the Buyeo camp.

Free the way!

Yes!

Milord.

What is the matter?

Prince Haemyeong said he will move to the Buyeo camp.

Your Highness.

I shall head for Buyeo's encampment, so free the way.

What are you hesitating about?

That I would surrender to Buyeo, wasn't it what you wished for?

How could you say something so unconscionable?

Let me pass.

Then, I shall escort you.

You never know what his followers might do,

so slaughter every man who tries to stop Haemyeong.

- Understood? - Yes, Milord.

The Lord of Jolbon is taking His Highness to their camp.

Muhyul!!

Your Majesty.

Prince Haemyeong is here.

Did Yuri bring him?

He was escorted by the Lord of Jolbon Fortress, Baegeuk.

That…

I misconceived you people.

I never thought Yuri would send me his own son.

I thought he'd protect you to the very end,

even if he had to endure the flames of demise.

If you pledge your allegiance to Buyeo right now,

it might persuade me to spare your piteous life.

It is not me who shall be pitied.

It is you, Your Majesty.

I am the piteous one?!

If you had ever experienced the bond between a father and son,

you would know I would never resent my father, even in death.

But… look.

You don't even know what kind of nexus father and son can share,

and are letting delusion beguile yourself.

How could I not feel pity for Your Majesty?

How dare you show such effrontery?!

You pierced a most toilsome open wound of mine, my friend.

You are right.

Someone who never had any children like me,

would never know what a parent's devotion would be.

But…

as a father, I would never sacrifice my flesh and blood to survive.

I shall give you one last chance.

Demonstrate your fealty and forbearance for me,

and I shall spare you.

I shall bestow the crown of Goguryeo upon you.

Stop slandering my father and my people, and slay me right now!

You promised you'd repay my sacrifice by withdrawing the troops.

As the self-proclaimed hierarch of the great north,

keep your promises, Your Majesty.

Of all the war trophies I collected during my long life on the battlefield,

I shall honor your demise as the most eminent symbol of my success.

Chief Retainer!

Yes, Your Majesty.

Hand Haemyeong a dagger!

I shall answer my commitment to Yuri…

and leave these lands, before your blood is seared.

Stop!

Get out of my way!

Move!

You harebrained mooncalf.

I already handed you a way out.

What did I tell you?

To enlighten that foolish son of yours,

or he would meet his demise right on his father's watch.

I never go back on my words.

Take a good look.

What are you waiting for?

Before I stain my hands with your blood,

take your own life!

You can't.

Haemyeong, you can't do that!

You…

- Your Highness! - Your Highness.

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

Haemyeong… Haemyeong!

Haemyeong!!

Haemyeong!

Fa…Father…

Didn't I tell you I'd protect you?

May you… forgive… me…

Your Highness. Your Highness!

Haemyeong!

Your Highness!

Haemyeong!!

Haemyeong!!!

Your Highness!!

Haemyeong!!

Your Highness…

Haemyeong!!

Muhyul.

How are you feeling?

If it weren't for this,

the arrow would have pierced your heart.

Hi…His Highness?

What happened to His Highness?

His Highness…

His Highness…

took his life in front of King Daeso,

and the Buyeo troops pulled back.

Chamgunnim.

How could something like this happen?

What did His Highness do wrong?

Trying to slay an enemy monarch…

Is it such a mortal sin?

Chief Decorator.

Say something.

How can a father…

let his own flesh and blood perish that way?

No matter how much I try to understand,

it doesn't make any sense.

Is this all…

that the bond between father and son means?

I said say something!

Killing His Highness…

wasn't Buyeo. It was Goguryeo.

The one who killed His Highness…

is not King Daeso,

it's King Yuri.

I shall avenge his death…

and expunge His Highness's grief.

You're here!

Your Highness!

My dear Crown Prince.

Mother.

You're the Crown Prince, why shouldn't I address you that way?

His Majesty is still with my brother at the shrine.

But… Crown Prince?!

Who are you calling Crown Prince?!

Do you know how long I waited for this day?

Only one wish dominated my thoughts.

That of you becoming Crown Prince, and eventually leading this country.

For that wish to come true,

I didn't spare any effort.

With Haemyeong out of the way,

your mother's wish is finally coming true.

I don't deserve that title,

and I would never be fit to become a king!

Stop such tomfoolery!

Why wouldn't you deserve that title?

Why couldn't you become King?

Even if that were the case, I'll make sure you will sit on that throne.

All you need to do is follow me.

Take this.

If you shoot arrows with this,

as if hearing a roaring lion, the troops shall heed your command on the battlefield.

His Majesty gave it to me on the day of my first battle.

Ahh… something so precious,

how can you give it to a miserable fool like me?

No, you deserve it.

It shall be a difficult battle, but you need to survive.

If you survive this, I shall teach you how to use that.

If mischance should befall me,

I shall entrust Muhyul to you.

If he one day escapes from the calamitous flames of adversity,

Muhyul shall rule this country.

So you shall shelter him with utmost devotion.

General.

I have something to tell you.

So, you knew as well.

Yes.

His Highness told me.

Shouldn't we let people know that Muhyul is a prince?

That will not give him his status back.

And I think it is not time yet.

I'm afraid Muhyul's resentment for His Majesty…

might lead him astray.

Protecting the prince is our duty, as the only survivors.

We'll have to start by leaving the capital.

I came for what I was promised.

Promised?!

Have you forgotten already?

Didn't you say, if I got you Haemyeong,

that you'd unsparingly fund my return to business?

Are you telling me you were the one who captured Haemyeong?

I didn't do it first hand,

but you could consider it as such.

I was the one who sent Haemyeong to Gungnae Fortress.

Now that I hear, I should be thankful for your deeds.

Fine. Just as I promised, I shall help you start again.

Before that…

you need to do something else for us.

We still aren't finished.

There is something you must do.

What is it?

Finding Haemyeong's followers.

You shall get rid of every single one of them,

if you want us to acknowledge your contribution.

Your Highness…

Forgive this poor servant of yours.

You are no longer of this world,

but things are getting worse for us here among the living.

What are you talking about?

No need to know.

My apologies for not keeping what I promised you.

We can just go back as mercenaries.

But what are you going to do?

Serving His Highness has become a sin,

so I shall find refuge somewhere.

General!

The Lord of Jolbon Fortress, Baegeuk, is here.

Muhyul.

The Lord of Jolbon is here.

Why?

Are they here for us?

Doesn't look like it.

He's meeting with General Yeonbi now.

Maro…

Help me up.

It is most regrettable that His Highness perished,

but His Majesty said he shall welcome you back under his service.

General!

General, you can't go.

Can you see this blood?

It's the blood we shed to protect His Highness.

Muhyul.

It's the blood we and His Highness shed for Goguryeo.

But, how did His Majesty react?

What did he do to the man who sacrificed himself for his country?

Convey this to His Majesty.

Tell him this blood of mine…

shall only be shed to avenge His Highness!

Leave us!

General.

I understand what you're going through.

But there is a reason we must seek audience with His Majesty.

Fine.

We shall follow you.

It is time to show you His Majesty's wishes.

What are you implying?

General!

This is His Majesty's wish!

General!

General!!

Gen…

Maro!

Take Muhyul, and get out of here!

Muhyul.

I can't go.

We will fight together!

Chief!

- Chief… - Didn't I tell you to leave?!

Now!

Go after those fools!

Move!

Muhyul.

Are you all right?

I give you my word.

I shall kill King Yuri…

and avenge His Highness's death.

Muhyul.

We need to go. Uh?

Let's move.

Can you walk?

Here they are!

Take them along.

This shall suffice.

Let's go back to Buyeo.

ONE YEAR LATER (Buyeo Fortress)

Your Majesty.

Hwangnyong's Gwangsan Fortress* has fallen to rebel forces, *Current North Chungcheong province

and even the Royal Palace in Jipaehyeol is under pressure.

I aided Hwangnyong with utmost magnanimity for many years!

But does it make any sense they can't even deal with a pack of rogues?!

Your Majesty.

The Hwangnyong rebel forces are no longer just bandits.

They can rival Buyeo in numbers and strength.

What's more, the number of people supporting this revolt is growing by the day.

No matter how much public favor they gained,

it doesn't make sense they could amass such strength in such a short time.

Wesaja.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Why on earth are they defeating our troops every time?!

There is someone providing those rebels with weapons and supporting their campaigns.

Your Majesty.

Grant me a brief leave of absence.

I shall find out who's fostering those rebels.

It was sent by the leader of the Hwangnyong resistance.

Those rebels are dominating Hwangnyong right now.

In no time, Jipaehyeol will fall under their control,

and they will extend their influence to the Royal Palace.

Just as you wished, Hwangnyong will soon…

eradicate Buyeo's influence from the country.

I shall importune you for a little longer.

Your wish is my command.

The rebel leader is looking for supplies and steeds.

You shall head for Hwangnyong, and fulfill his requests.

Someone like me would be able to go anywhere, if it's a matter of money.

If you live up to your end of the deal, I shall leave immediately.

Did you find out who's fomenting them?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Who is it?

It is Goguryeo's King Yuri.

Of even more concern is the fact…

*Short lived Chinese dynasty led by Wang Mang, Goguryeo sent delegates to the Xin*,

and are discussing an alliance between the two countries. nephew of Han's Empress Dowager Zhengjun

I shall head to Goguryeo right now and seek retribution for Yuri's affront!

Your Majesty.

We shan't deploy troops right now.

What could be the reason King Yuri is trying to forge an alliance with the Xin?

He'd use the Xin to cover up for them, and act as diversion against us.

Wesaja.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Go to the Black Shadows' training camp.

Go, and send the Black Shadows…

to slay Yuri.

Yes. Your Majesty.

We provide every Black Shadow with the proper training,

and any skill they might need while on a mission.

We have subsidiaries teaching them various foreign languages and customs,

and show them various methods of disguise.

This is where we experiment with deadly poison on slaves.

He's a most pertinacious specimen.

He has survived over ten poisoning experiments.

He's the only one who has survived that far.

Muhyul.

Muhyul.

Muhyul!

Muhyul.

Muhyul.

Muhyul!

Wake up, Muhyul!

Muhyul.

Who is that slave that you showed us before?

He's from Goguryeo. We captured him at the border around a year ago.

Is he anyone you know?

Yes, Father. I saw him once already.

We're in trouble!

What is the matter?

The slave we took to the prison is not breathing.

Move out of the way!

Move!

Go find out what is the last poison we used on this man.

Yes, Chief.

He's dead.

- Take out the body. - Yes.

- Wait! - Move!

Muhyul! Muhyul!!

No… he's alive! Wait!

You fool… What do you think you're doing?!

Wait! Wait…

- Wait… - Wait!

He is still alive.

Move him to the infirmary.

Yes.

What poison did they give him?

They didn't just feed it to him, they spread it on his body.

I heard it's snake poison.

The bleeding stopped, and blocked the poison from spreading.

- Bring me Jeoncho* and Soksuja*. - Yes. *Medicinal herbs

Yeon.

Hold his legs.

Hold them firmly.

What is it?

It's the wild honey we found while training.

This precious…

*Intimate older friend, in this case Thank you, Orabeoni*.

It will greatly help him regain his strength.

I knew of your benevolent nature,

but you are wasting unnecessary effort on that slave.

Testing poison on human beings is way too cruel.

Did you say cruel?

In my view, your wish to save that slave is what's cruel.

No matter if you save him, he's destined to suffer.

Waiting for even more suffering can only be painful to him.

Your Highness…

Your Highness…

Do you recognize me?

There must be some poison left in your system.

Your Highness.

His Excellency is looking for you.

No matter how strong and determined they were,

nobody survived more than two consecutive experiments.

He's a tough specimen.

If he's from Goguryeo, he could be a spy.

The average life of people taken here is four months at best.

Knowing that, they would never let a spy infiltrate this place.

Father.

What happened to that slave?

He seems to have pulled through.

He survived even this?

You survived because you stopped bleeding.

You're blessed with fortune.

But, come tomorrow, we shall test that poison on you again.

It means you shall perish.

Never.

I shall not die.

Is there a reason for that?

Because I still…

have something left to do.

And what is that?

Seeking revenge.

Against whom?

Speak!

King Yuri.

You shall now enter training to become Black Shadows.

These are the Black Shadows who shall help your training,

and share life and death with you.

Becoming a Black Shadow is no laughing matter.

How can they go back in two days, when it took four to get here?

- Black Shadows need those skills. - Dojin, Muhyul, at your service.

I will teach you languages of the Han, Xiongnu and Yilou.

If you want to survive, become a Black Shadow.

If you want to protect the people you love, you need to be stronger.

Otherwise, only despair awaits you.

Are you saying Yuri will attack me?

How long are you going to live without a crown prince?

Don't you know what day it is? It is His Highness's death anniversary.

- Who is there?! - His Highness sent us.

Today you shall begin your mission.

In ten days, the crowning ceremony will take place.

You shall infiltrate Goguryeo, and kill the Xin envoy.

Tell His Majesty I am back.

King Yuri is no longer my king.