Original subtitles

[Episode 11] I envy your King for having you two as subjects.

I apologise for leaving so soon.

Don't let the two of them out of your sight again.

Make sure to take them back with you.

Don't you have something to give Lord Ju?

Shouldn't you give it to him before you leave?

Who goes there?

Here it is.

This is...

a torque-tum.

My goodness.

My father wanted one for so long.

I can't believe it is right before me now.

Let me...

(Jang Hee Je, Officer of Astrology)

(Lee Chun)

Let me show you.

Hee Je.

Jang Hee Je.

Tell me what you did to this object.

Tell me!

It is...

poisoned.

What?

What did you say?

Kill them!

Bu Ryeong!

Kill them all!

(Kim Hak Joo)

Don't just stand here.

Fight!

Take cover!

- Yeong Sil! - I called them, just in case.

Go Gil Su!

You took your time.

I'm sorry.

Are you okay?

Are you both okay?

We almost died.

Who sent you?

We are paid assassins.

Jang Hee Je, you scum.

Bu Ryeong, stop!

(Ju Tae Gang's warehouse, Beijing)

Please...

Please forgive...

Officer Jang.

I don't know what happened,

but his desire to take...

the torque-tum to Joseon was so strong...

that it must have clouded his judgement.

Release him.

No, Father.

We can't release someone who tried to harm you.

I am not...

releasing a man who tried to harm me.

I am granting Yeong Sil's request.

You fixed "The Heaven's Clock" that never worked properly.

To Su Song's water clock,

you gave back its voice.

This is how I shall repay you.

I owe you.

Thank you, my lord.

Thank you.

You'd have been punished had it not been for Yeong Sil.

Don't ever forget...

that it was for Yeong Sil.

I do not want to live.

I...

swore to the King that I would bring you back alive.

So...

be strong.

It would be so beautiful if the armillary sphere moved, too.

Yes.

It would be more beautiful than anything in this world.

I believe Su Song made this out of love for the people.

We care for nothing but our own lives...

and forget that the sun,

moon, stars and space move in a certain order above us.

We do not see it.

Anyone who sees this, even for a second,

will see and think of the much larger things in life.

I believe that would make us wiser.

Thank you for acknowledging that.

Thank you for seeing to it that our envoys leave safely.

You saved my life.

We cannot compare the two.

Grant me the opportunity to actually help you one day.

Can't you stay?

Su Song's water clock works fine now,

but what if it stop?

No one else can fix it.

I taught you how it works.

I don't remember.

I forgot everything.

Suk Gu.

I wrote everything down for you.

Go.

Do not make your King wait.

I also wish you could stay.

But I am letting you go because...

your King and people want you.

For years, many nations in our area...

claimed to rule the world and be at its centre.

But I believe that very soon...

Joseon will become the centre of science.

The reason I believe so...

is because of you and your King.

Go.

Go and prove to me that I am right.

My lord.

An old man from Ming and a young man from Joseon...

worked together for one goal and that was to fix Su Song's clock.

We achieved something great.

I always believed that nationality is not an issue...

when it comes to studying science.

Someone came along and proved me right.

That was you.

Thank you, Yeong Sil.

Must you, Father?

Take this.

Those are copies...

of Guo Shoujing's observations.

Pardon?

Guo Shoujing's records?

Yes.

He observed the movements of Beijing's sky for four years.

The Shoushi calendar is based on his records.

Those aren't everything,

but the important parts are there and they should be helpful.

He even wrote his predictions...

of lunar and solar eclipses and...

the actual times they occurred.

Why...

Why are you giving this to me?

No one in this land would ever know...

the true value of those books.

They found their rightful owner.

I'm sure that...

even Guo Shoujing himself would wish you to have those.

He's giving you those books so you can make your own calendar.

I don't see why he cares so much.

I will never forget this, my lord.

You might as well get going.

- Take good care of yourself. - I will.

Yeong Sil.

I think we will meet again.

I hope so.

Gil Su.

Are you really leaving?

I risked my life to save yours...

and you're leaving?

I've nearly made my mark as a merchant here.

Stay and work with me.

Thank you for everything.

I'll make it up to you.

Right, Gil Su.

I'll bring him back one day.

Keep making your mark here.

Well...

So... Yeong Sil?

No. Teacher Jang.

Could you teach me all you know about astrology?

Accept me as your pupil.

Nothing would be a greater honour than that.

Don't say that.

Have you lost your mind?

You can't learn from a servant.

Your father would throw a fit.

Yeong Sil.

I have no father to throw a fit.

Take me as your pupil.

Stop it.

Stop it, you two.

Accept us both.

- Me? - Me?

Shall we go?

(Gyeongbokgung Palace)

(King Sejong: The fourth king of Joseon)

(Letters)

(Water clock)

(Standard)

Your Majesty.

I said this was your private study, but...

It's not much different from the threatening book I received.

"A knife of science..."

"will pierce the King's throat."

Your Majesty.

You seem very shocked.

Your Majesty.

Those who send you threats written in chicken blood...

do not deserve to be called nobles.

How could they leave such a book in the Hall of Worthies...

that you visit so often?

So I have...

found out...

who was behind all this.

Here is the list of their names.

Give the order to have them arrested.

I shall...

not read the list.

I am but a man.

If and when I appoint them later,

I might end up asking them questions like...

"Did you send me that threat?"

Your Majesty.

You would appoint them?

What do you mean?

They are persistent enough to sneak a book...

into my study.

If they were to understand my goals and work for me,

don't you think they would be such devoted and hardworking men?

I thought that...

you had written these threats.

I feel so guilty.

I get petitions about corrupt officials everyday,

and you were never mentioned.

That tells me how upright you are.

When I heard you disapproved of my love for science,

it saddened me.

And now...

you are asking me to punish your fellow nobles...

for threatening me in ways that are out of the norm.

That...

moves me greatly.

You are an epitome of an official...

and a true nobleman.

He really caught you off guard.

I know he's young and can be immature,

but he'd appoint those...

who wrote threats in blood?

Does that make sense?

He is not immature.

Even as a young prince,

he acted beyond his years.

While you and I...

would think of 2 or 3,

or even 5 or 6 things,

the King would think of 8 or 9,

and make plans for ten ideas.

Then he would check again...

to see if he had missed anything. That is how careful he is.

It would be easy to kill the men on your list,

but rather than silencing them,

he plans to...

keep them alive...

and close by to show them.

Who are they?

They would watch...

closer than anyone to see what the King does.

"Watch what I, your King..."

"is doing and plan on doing yet."

"And if you want to serve Joseon, step forward."

I must say,

he caught me off guard as well.

I remember that...

you were against my becoming Crown Prince.

I will never forget that.

Your Majesty.

But...

serve me, remind me of my place,

and keep me on my toes.

I could also learn from your experience.

I shall...

reinstate your previous title.

Your Majesty.

I thank you greatly.

He brought up...

the fact that I was against him...

becoming Crown Prince.

His trick is to mention...

the most uncomfortable fact and sort that out first.

It is a trick indeed,

and it cannot root from a naive intention.

That was when...

it hit me.

"Yes."

"He is indeed the former king's son."

They are very similar.

The son of a tiger...

is just another tiger.

Our King...

may have a gentle touch, but he is not at all weak.

As you said,

our King really is a tiger.

But seeing that he lured you to his side...

proves that...

he is a cunning fox.

What?

Did you say...

while I think of 5 or 6,

the King thinks of ten?

My focus was on the King's safety...

and Joseon's future.

I never had time for anything else.

I am slow to calculate because I have much to consider.

That is why I just had seven ideas.

I am a noble,

and my duty...

is to lead the King down the right path.

The King...

should only...

concern himself with...

the welfare of Joseon and its people.

That is what I think.

There is no need for ten ideas or more.

He did not even...

wish to know who threatened him?

That is worse punishment...

than having us jailed.

I believe he will cancel Jang Yeong Sil's servitude soon.

What will you do?

What are you doing here?

Is this where you huddled together...

to write the threat in chicken blood?

How could you say that?

Take it back.

I reported you and so you should all be dead!

But the King...

let you live.

Now...

you must repay him.

Repay him?

Leading him down the right path is the best way to repay him.

Do you not see your threats did not work?

What is your next plan?

We vowed to die for Joseon.

What would we not do?

When the King said...

he would let you live,

a realisation hit me.

Our King...

lives in a dream.

A dream world.

(Ahn Gil Sang)

He is illusioned?

He is captivated by...

the will to create a calendar,

and that is something only the Ming Emperor has the right of doing.

He will...

upset the Emperor...

and that will only threaten Joseon and us in the future.

Those...

who help him...

must be separated, so he can become disillusioned.

At all costs.

You must do that...

to help the King...

and wake him up.

That is how you shall repay him for letting you live.

(Gyeongbokgung Palace)

(Princess So Hyun)

Your Majesty.

I, Jo Mal Saeng...

requested the Ming Emperor...

to approve the appointment of our Crown Prince.

Thank you for your effort.

I have decided...

to reward Jo Mal Saeng for his hard work and achievement...

by bestowing a horse as a gift.

What are your thoughts about it, my ministers?

Yes, Your Majesty.

Receiving the approval on the installation of...

the Crown Prince wouldn't have been possible without Jo Mal Saeng.

Furthermore, I'd like to cancel Jang Yeong Sil's servant status...

to reward him for learning Ming's advanced culture and science.

I believe offering him a position...

in the government will help him use all the knowledge he obtained.

Your Majesty!

Jang Yeong Sil's servant status cannot be cancelled.

We cannot do such a thing for a kisaeng's son.

Your Majesty. That is impossible.

Your Majesty. We cannot allow that.

Your Majesty. Before we gathered here today,

we discussed punishing those...

who belong to Office of Astrology that climbed Sacheondae.

Cancelling that servant's status...

is the exact opposite of what we discussed.

Hence, we absolutely cannot allow that, Your Majesty.

Please reconsider.

Please, Your Majesty.

We need to punish those who caused trouble in Ming.

The Officers of Astrology, Jang Hee Je...

and Choi Bok, must be dismissed from their positions.

In addition, Sung Sa Gok must be expelled from the government.

Last but not least, the servant, Jang Yeong Sil...

ought to be flogged for climbing Sacheondae.

That is too severe...

Dismiss them from their positions and flog Jang Yeong Sil?

That would be too harsh.

They deserve to be punished like that.

Your Majesty.

We ask for your approval to proceed with their punishment.

- Please grant us your approval. - Please grant us your approval.

Your Majesty. I also think that...

those who committed wrongdoings...

must receive proper punishment.

Goodness...

(The Prosecutor's Office)

I heard that the King wanted to cancel your servant status.

Know your place, you jerk.

If you can get out of your servant status by leisurely visiting Ming,

all low class jerks in Joseon will try to get out of their statuses...

to become noblemen.

This is extremely unfair.

How could you say that he leisurely visited Ming?

He's the one who proved in front of all Ming's officials...

that Joseon's people are much smarter than them.

Get lost!

An arrogant servant like him should die to serve as an example.

You scum!

- Goodness... - Number 31!

- Number 32! - Number 33!

- Number 34. - Number 35.

- Number 36. - Number 37.

Gosh, Princess So Hyun.

You didn't even scream once, then you fainted.

I know that you climbed Sacheondae for Joseon.

I heard that Joseon's envoys could return because of you.

I'm sure you're angry at the false accusations.

Joseon's envoys were held captive there because of me.

I'm not angry at all.

I'm grateful that I was able to return in one piece.

Well, Princess So Hyun.

There is... There is something I must do.

You should be resting now.

I'm okay.

I'll fully recover in one day.

I apologise, Princess So Hyun.

Please forgive me. I didn't mean to do that.

Thank you very much for taking care of me.

I will get going then.

If...

If you're leaving to make the simplified armilla,

allow me to come with you.

I want to help you.

Tell me.

How is Yeong Sil?

He wanted me to tell you this.

There are two things Yeong Sil is good at.

The first thing is observing the stars,

and the second thing is getting whipped.

He told me to tell you not to worry.

Your Majesty.

Yeong Sil is working on making a simplified armilla,

and it looks like he's getting there.

This circular device. It must be for locating the North Pole, right?

Yes! That is correct, Your Majesty.

I call this ring "the North Pole locator".

His Majesty is extremely knowledgeable.

I agree.

This needs a few more ring shaped parts to be completed.

The armillary sphere I saw in Ming had...

all those ring shaped parts located close to each other,

so it was difficult to make observations.

Hence,

I thought that this part for telling the time...

and that part for measuring bearings should be separated from each other.

Then, can the armilla be used to measure the stars' bearings...

and tell the time simultaneously?

Yes, that is correct.

Yeong Sil. Let's complete this apparatus as soon as possible.

I'd like to build an observatory to observe the celestial objects.

Pardon me?

I'd like you to observe the sun, the moon and the five planets...

at the observatory and find out the secrets of the sky.

If you can create an astronomical calendar...

with the knowledge from it, it'll greatly change Joseon's future.

I wish to make Joseon's own astronomical calendar and...

make it available to all commoners of the kingdom.

Sure.

Your Majesty.

If we could record and publish our own astronomical findings,

the people could learn about the 24 subdivisions of the year.

It would be of tremendous help to the people with farming,

and they would be able to enjoy prosperous lives.

We are so close to creating Joseon's own astronomical calendar.

My heart is already filled with excitement thinking about it.

Please find talented people who can work with Yeong Sil.

Sure, Your Majesty.

I will find those who are good at arithmetic...

along with talented technicians.

However, if words get out about us working on...

creating our own astronomical calendar,

the members of the nobility will be against it...

saying that it would upset the Emperor of Ming.

Hence, I will carry out this task in secret.

Thank you. Keep up the great work.

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

The former king...

The dream I had last night was so vivid...

that I could not forget about it.

I may have fainted because I dearly wanted to see...

the four of you and tell what the dream was about.

I don't think I will ever be able to...

have a better dream than this dream I had.

Hence, I...

sincerely wish that...

this dream is the last dream I will have...

before I leave this world.

Gosh, Father.

Are you going to...

let me leave this world without telling you about this dream?

Please tell us, Father.

I want to hear about it.

I could hear the most beautiful melody I've heard in my life.

It was a place filled with lots of precious objects.

I was standing there admiring all the rare objects.

What I saw was the Great Nation Confucius speaks about...

in his writings, which I've always longed for.

I thought it was Ming's future.

But all of a sudden,

I felt the urge to find out exactly where I was. So I asked around.

And...

it wasn't Ming.

I was told that it was Joseon.

What's more?

I saw people from other countries...

who were envious of Joseon's talents.

The talents and ideas of Joseon's people were helping...

the entire world become more prosperous.

Yes.

Joseon was the Great Nation.

My son, all of your hard work...

in encouraging the studies of nature and science...

made Joseon become so powerful and prosperous in my dream.

Everyone was saying...

that Lee Bang Won's son, King Sejong,

is whom he or she admired the most.

As a father,

the fact that you,

my son, were being so highly respected and admired...

pleased me very much.

"I'm grateful."

"I'm happy."

"I'm in bliss, in utter bliss."

I woke up from the dream...

as I was saying these things to myself.

Chun.

Yes, Your Royal Majesty.

My princess.

Yes, Father.

Yeong Sil.

Yes, Your Royal Majesty.

Encouraging the study of science...

will be a path of thorns for your King.

Please do not let him walk the path alone.

As a father, this is the last thing...

I can do to help my son, so please help me.

Yes, Your Royal Majesty.

I promise that I will walk that path with His Majesty till the end.

My son.

Yes, Father.

I am not dying.

I am leaving this world...

to become a spirit that protects Joseon.

You must stay healthy and strong.

The King's body is not his personal property. Do you understand?

Yes, Father.

I won't forget.

Come to me now.

What is taking you so long?

Take me now...

and let's examine all of my wrongful acts...

to see if I deserve any punishment.

I can confidently say...

that I have done my very best.

I will gladly accept...

any punishment...

you decide to bestow upon me.

Please come and get me.

Hurry.

Your Royal Majesty, please come back!

Your Royal Majesty, please come back!

Your Royal Majesty, please come back!

It was on May 10th, 1422 according to the lunar calendar.

The third king of Joseon, King Taejong,

- died at the age of 56. - Please come back!

Father.

I know that you did your very best for Joseon.

Please look over and protect Joseon.

Why are you carrying all these heavy things?

Go over there and check the firewood.

Yeong... Yeong Sil!

Yeong Sil!

They will help you build the observatory...

and work with you on observing the sky.

Yeong Sil.

It's me. You remember me, right?

I haven't seen you after I was dismissed from my position, right?

Sir Choi. I know that you can read fortunes,

but I'm not sure how you can help us observe the stars...

Watch what you say.

The semiotics of fortune telling begins from astronomy. You idiot.

Plus, you'll all want to know what your fate has in store for you.

So you need me here of course.

Yes, Sir Choi. We definitely need you here.

I'm glad that you're here.

This is the master of arithmetic, Sung Sa Gok.

Park Hyo Won here will help you with observations.

I know that you've met each other before.

I was convinced that the King...

would be working on building an observatory,

so I went to see Lord Lee and asked if I could join.

I told him that I'd tell everyone about it if he wouldn't let me.

I only accepted you because of your expertise in arithmetic.

I was truly impressed by your wisdom you showed us in Ming.

I'm Park Hyo Won.

I am Lim Myung Deok.

I'm knowledgeable in arithmetic.

I admit that I hesitated a little because a servant is in charge.

But I'm excited about what we can achieve together.

It's almost completed.

You finished the roof too.

I'm impressed by the two of you.

Gosh, thank you. This wasn't anything difficult.

All of you.

Please do your best and work hard for this kingdom.

And let me emphasise once again.

Do not forget that you must take this secret to your grave.

- Yes, Lord Lee. - Yes, Lord Lee.

Yes, a little more. It's done now.

It's done!

Help...

Help me!

A little higher.

Pull it harder. Pull it.

All right. Please catch this.

Please tie it in the middle.

What are you doing now?

We have a lot to do tomorrow. You should go to bed now.

Okay.

This is Joseon's simplified armilla.

(Simplified armilla: A device that tells stars' locations and time.)

The first step of the King's plan to improve the people's lives...

starts with this device.

With this simplified armilla that you made.

Yes, Princess So Hyun.

I made this.

This is...

Jang Yeong Sil's hand. I've always wanted to...

take a close look at the hands of this talented man I know.

The owner of this hand has been...

making it work extremely hard.

(Jang Yeong Sil)

That servant who climbed Sacheondae.

What is he up to these days?

You look like a completely different person, Yeong Sil!

Come back to yourself now.

You're the loyal subject of Joseon, Jang Hee Je.

Il Seon, now...

you and I just have to make up our minds.

Yeong Sil, if you ever leave on a long journey,

I shall think of that wandering star as you and observe it.