Original subtitles

It's my fault.

When I went to the Guard Corps...

I should have insisted she come with me.

Her heart was white as a lotus blossom.

She was too good for this world.

I killed her.

No, Abbot.

I did this.

If I had gotten to her sooner...

just a little sooner...

Life is transient, we come and we go...

but she was a pitiful thing.

You were her brother, her parents...

her whole world.

When the poor girl met those animals...

how she must have cried for you...

- ...how she must have... - Abbot...

I suppose this must be Buddha's will.

He freed her of the trials of this life.

Now she's at peace in the Pure Land...

where she waits for you in the clouds.

We must let the dead go.

We'll prepare the cremation.

Abbot...

Enough!

I'll ask you again.

Why did you deliver Wola to Manjong?

Speak up!

Because Manjong has wanted her for so long.

Despicable. What did you care? Why help him?

You serve Lady Songi.

Enough of this.

- Strap them down. - Yes, sir.

- Strap them and rack them! - Sir!

Maybe you'll talk when we've flailed your skin from your body.

Or roasted it over the coals!

Now tell us.

Why did you do this to Wola? Did you bear her a grudge?

Did the young lord pay you? Why did you do it?

You couldn't have done this without a reason.

- Get it out of her. - Sir!

Chunsim.

- Get the coals. - Sir!

How did it come to this?

I've been troubled ever since I saw Chunsim acting so strangely.

If I said something when I heard the spite in her voice...

when she insisted Kim Jun and Wola wouldn't get married...

this might not have happened.

But I did nothing.

Please! No more fire. Please, no more...

Take it away.

I'm dead anyway, I might as well talk.

Manjong has been lusting after Wola forever.

I hate Kim Jun, she hates Wola, so we did it.

That's all there was to it.

You knew they were getting married in two days?

Did you or didn't you?

I knew.

And still you did it?

There's more to this than simple hatred. Isn't that so?

Confess or you'll die long before you get to the execution grounds.

Speak up! Speak!

Beat them, burn them, get it out of them!

Sir.

I'll tell you. Please stop.

Take it away.

I'll tell you... the reason...

The reason isn't all that different from what Kyonga said.

I did it for my mistress.

And Kyonga... Kyonga hated seeing Kim Jun get ahead.

So that was that.

What was what?

You did this for Lady Songi? Explain.

She saved his life when he was nearly killed.

Then she gave him his chance in the arena.

But that ingrate was blinded by his slave girl.

And thought my mistress was some kind of joke.

I hated Wola, I hated him...

and that's why I worked with Kyonga.

Insanity! Enough of this nonsense!

My lord, I doubt we'll get much more out of them.

The case is clear. Please pass judgment.

Welcome.

Torturing at the Guard Corps? What happened?

Something to do with the Inner Guards.

Inner Guards? As in, the Overlord's family?

Exactly. Something happened last night?

Something appalling, apparently.

All the same, to involve torture?

Doesn't this bear looking into?

I gather a slave girl killed herself last night.

So I gather, as well.

And I'm told the Overlord's sons are being questioned.

Are they? Manjong and Manjun?

Yes. What's this all about?

You, two. Manjong and Manjun.

Yes, Father.

Do you have any idea what you've done?

The filthiest of crimes. Kidnapping, rape of innocents.

At least two women dead...

and now this poor girl.

No more need be said.

- Song Kilyu. - Overlord.

Let me be absolutely clear.

These two are no longer my blood.

Manjong...

They're animals dressed as men.

Off with their heads.

- Sir. - Sir.

Do it!

Father...

Nor will I spare Chunsim and Kyonga.

Death.

Nor will I spare the scum that helped them.

Hang the courtesans, behead the thugs.

The powerful are not above the law. See to it.

Yes, Overlord.

Father...

Father, have mercy. Father, Father!

Father, not me! I didn't do anything. Manjong did it, not me.

Father, spare me. Father, Father!

My lord, what did we do? Spare us!

- Spare us! - Have mercy!

- Please! - Overlord!

My lord. My lord, you can't. What they did was serious,

but they aren't capital offenses.

Please reconsider.

Sentence has been passed.

But, my lord, the indiscretions of youth.

- Who hasn't--? - No one has!

They're animals.

A disgrace to me and my clan.

Carry out the sentence.

My lord! My lord!

What did I tell you? Leave well enough alone, I said.

Now look at us. Sentenced to death.

Better death than a life like this.

What has life ever done for us?

Forced into a life not of our choosing.

Illegitimate, bastards.

Neither alive nor dead.

That's Chunsim.

She's not right in the head. She should be terrified, but look at her...

Who says she isn't?

And Yangbaek should be grinning, look at him pouting...

Who wouldn't be?

And poor Wola... just when things were going right for her...

Then Chunsim ruins everything.

Life is so cruel...

Still, Yangbaek is with her.

Chunsim.

General Song, General Song.

What's going on? Where are you going?

To execute the Overlord's orders.

Execute? Where is the Overlord?

Uncle! Save us!

- Save us! Uncle! - Uncle!

Look at you...

Uncle, do something. Please!

My lord, reconsider.

Spare their lives, at least.

My lord!

Enough. The decision has been made.

Lord, as escorts, we're as much to blame as the young lords.

Punish me with them.

Pak Songbi! I said enough!

Lord, the Personnel Authority chancellors.

Lord, the Personnel Authority chancellors.

Overlord, we were ignorant of recent events.

Please contain your just rage and commute the sentence.

Please. It's unheard of for a parent to kill his children. Rescind your order.

Please, Overlord.

Don't you have affairs of state to keep you busy?

Leave me. This is clan business.

Overlord, I am your brother-in-law.

And uncle to Manjong and Manjun.

Overlord, I know my nephews have been a sorry pair up to now.

But is the parental bond easily severed?

Right or wrong, they are still of Choe blood.

The bond was severed long since.

Now will you leave!

My lord, I know it's not my place, but I must speak.

As mistress of our house, I'm to blame.

If you must punish, punish me.

Don't take the boys' lives.

My lady. What is this?

Give them one more chance.

They had no mother, the poor dears.

My lord, hear me.

- Yes, lord, hear us. - Hear us.

You..! All of you!

Listen, General Song, this isn't right. Delay the execution of sentence.

Give us time to convince the Overlord.

The time has come and gone.

Hang the women.

Well? You have your orders.

- Put the nooses on. Move! - Sir!

Chunsim, you little fool, why did you do it?

To...hurt you.

Because...you loved her.

Little fool.

Yes, I was a fool.

Yangbaek, I don't want to die.

I want to live...to live...

You never hated me, did you, Yangbaek?

Don't lose that ring.

My mother meant it for my wedding.

For my husband, understand?

Love me in the next life.

Please...don't...don't...

hurt me again, Yangbaek.

Carry out the sentence.

I love you, Yangbaek.

We're wasting time.

- Now the men. - Sir.

Kyonga...

Oh, Kyonga...

What can I say?

Farewell.

Sir....old friend...

I want you to do it.

Remember this about Kim Jun...

He'll will stand in your way sooner or later. Strike first if you can.

Not to wound. To kill.

Well? Execute him.

Farewell.

- Now the young lords. - Sir!

No! Let go...unhand me!

General Song, wait a little longer.

This is ridiculous. My father will change his mind.

General Song!

- Carry out the sentence. - Sir!

Halt! Halt!

Sir, orders from the Overlord.

He has commuted their sentence.

I knew it! See? He couldn't kill his own boys.

That was close, huh, Manjong?

I don't like it. I'd rather die.

What do I have to live for?

You kidding? Better a live beggar than a dead prime minister, right?

Whew, I wet myself.

What are the new orders?

They are banished forthwith to Suson Temple in the Cholla Province.

S-Suson Temple?

Exactly. Shave your heads, enter the monastary and never enter the world again.

I am to escort you personally.

Shave...you mean, become monks?

So the Overlord commands.

Monks? We look like monks to you?

Monks?

Monks!

Better than being dead... I guess...

Monks...

You've had quite a shock.

All this excitement is making you worse.

All because of those two.

As bad as they are, they're still your sons.

Perhaps at Suson the Venerable Hyesim can help them.

Is it possible to straighten crooked branches?

About Songi.

My lord.

Something Chunsim said has me concerned.

How so?

That she did it for Songi.

That she handed Wola over to Manjong for Songi.

What? My lord, it isn't possible.

Looking back...

I can see I misunderstood some things.

My lord.

That's why I had Pak Songbi watch the interrogations.

Send for Songi.

Her wedding to Kim Yakson is our clan's only hope.

She has to understand she can't resist us on this.

Send for her.

There's nothing to hold me at Heungwang Temple now.

I thought I might hear the two of you laughing from afar.

Now there's no chance of that.

All is vanity.

Life is as fleeting as the clouds.

Musang.

Yes, Abbot.

I'm going to wander now.

Go your own way, as your feet will take you.

We'll meet again...

if it's meant to be.

Abbot...

Don't cling to the dead.

It wears on the soul.

Let go and move on.

One of your maids was executed today.

Were you in the dark?

You're her mistress. Surely you know what your own servants are up to?

She said under torture that she did this because Kim Jun hurt you.

What did she mean?

I'm sure it's nothing.

Surely she just named her mistress in the heat of the moment.

My lady, I'm asking Songi.

Songi, what did she mean?

How has Kim Jun hurt you?

- My lord... - You're my only daughter.

You must be above reproach.

Especially as the wife of Kim Yakson,

the future de facto ruler of Koryo. Understood?

Is that understood?

- Father. - Yes?

What?

I already told you, I won't marry him.

- Songi. - What?

You're still on about that? Still?

Yes, still. This is my life.

All right, then who do you want as a husband?

Are you in love with someone?

If so, speak now.

Who is he?

Well?

Do you really want the truth, Father?

Tell me.

I want Kim Jun.

- What? - Songi.

Give me Kim Jun.

I want to marry him.

Are you serious?

Yes, Father.

Songi.

Have you thought about what you're saying?

Quite a bit, actually.

But I can't hide how I feel any longer.

I... I love him.

Grant your blessing, Father.

Enough. What if someone hears?

You're not yourself, you're unbalanced.

Now I see that there was something to what your slave said.

Songi.

Listen to me. He's a slave, a slave.

In our house, he's lower than a worm.

I know, but doesn't history teach us...

of the fool Ondal marrying Princess Pyong Kang?

Isn't a man's character more important than his class?

Perhaps... but would you destroy our clan?

Father, if it's too difficult...

I'd rather you think of me as dead!

Send me far away with Kim Jun.

Silence!

You're clearly not yourself. You've lost your way.

My clever girl would never talk this way.

I'm not hearing this.

Songi.

- Are you all right? - Our Songi...

How did this happen? Our little girl...

Listen to me. I'll make this short.

You will never speak of Kim Jun again, under any circumstance.

The day you utter his name...

is the day he dies.

Remember that.

How long will you stay here?

It's late. You should eat.

Abbot Subop has retired.

You have a guest.

A long, hard day.

Too hard.

I'm sorry.

Much of what happened to Wola is my fault.

Kyonga has always followed me like a brother.

Chunsim loved me all this time...

until it came to this.

It all comes back to me.

You needn't apologize.

You did nothing wrong.

But Kyonga did this for me.

Buddhists call this karma.

For my sins in a past life.

It's late, we should go.

How about a drink?

We could both use one.

To think... Songi...

My clever girl... to think...

Songi?

She's in her room.

Look in on her.

She's...

She's not herself.

You're like sisters, in a way.

I don't know what to do.

My lord says Pak Songbi picked up on something.

Did you, as well?

All I knew was that she wanted to help Kim Jun.

Nothing more.

That's how it started, right there.

Too much of a good thing, as they say.

It started with helping him, her heart opened...

and here we are.

It's like the sky is falling.

A slave, it's absurd.

She's still young.

She'll come around in time.

She's never been one to talk back like that.

And to insist on Kim Jun to her father, of all people.

She's engaged. Suppose her fiancee hears of this?

Don't you agree?

I'll keep everyone quiet.

Yes, please do.

This whole business is no good.

I loved Wola, too.

I'd have stepped up if you hadn't.

Chunsim knew. It drove her insane.

That was that.

But, listen, Jun...

Let's live as men.

Forget women.

Forget Kyonga, forget everything.

We'll live a man's life.

As officers in the Guard Corps.

As true warriors of Koryo.

Forget the hurt.

Forget these ugly, painful memories.

Yangbaek.

Perhaps you can do that.

But I can't.

You know why?

Wola... Wola was like a sister to me.

My naive, innocent...

foolish little sister.

Foolish little... sister...

Yes, I could see that.

In the whole wide world, all she could see was her big brother.

My sweet naive little sister.

My sister!

My sister..!

You drank away the night?

Yes, sir.

I was upset myself.

But we must forget. Move on.

The Guard Corps and the Overlord are counting on you.

Yes, sir.

Attenton!

Ah, General Song.

Yes, sir. I'll be escorting you while Yi Kongju travels to Cholla.

Still, a lieutenant-general...

What use is any rank if not to serve you, sir?

At your service.

My lord, be safe.

- Escort the Overlord. - Sir!

The Mongol envoy? Something happened to Jaguye?

Yes, sir. He and his companions were killed...

before crossing the border at the Yalu.

Killed?

Near the border on Koryo soil?

- Yes, sir. - Why?

His load of tribute must have caught the eye of bandits.

This is terrible, to die on our soil.

Yes, sir. I'm sending men to investigate immediately.

We've let the Mongols know their demands are excessive?

Yes, sir. Lord Yi Kyubo has composed letters...

requesting they decrease their demands.

They'll use this against us.

An envoy killed on Koryo soil...

The death of the Mongol envoy.

The year was 1225, twelfth year of Kojong's reign.

The Mongols used it as an excuse for war.

Of all the envoys, Jaguye was the worst for extortion and impertinence at court.

It was no surprise that he was killed at the Yalu River.

Some speculate the Jin did it to sever relations between Mongolia and Koryo.

Others suggest that it was Koryo,

who could no longer bear the Mongol's demands.

In any case, this event sparked the 40 years war with Mongolia.

There's nothing for it. What's done is done.

Investigate and inform the Mongols.

We must, even if they won't believe us.

Yes, sir.

This will mean war.

We have no choice but to strengthen our defenses.

The Jin have nearly fallen.

There's no avoiding the Mongols at this point.

Yes, sir.

And that slave.

Sir?

On the escort, Kim Jun.

Ah. Yes, Overlord.

See to it that I don't have to look at him.

Sir? Has he failed you in some way?

I just don't want him near me.

I'd prefer he not be around.

Send him to the frontier.

My lord, he's been of use to us and will be again.

There is such a thing as seeing too much.

I'll reassign him.

Noisy little Spring birds. What do they have to sing about?

- Yunsim. - Yes, Miss.

Where did you say Kim Jun is working?

Escort duty in the morning and evening.

Otherwise, he'll be at the Directorate General.

So he's there now?

Most likely.

Good. Run and find out when he'll finish for the day.

Miss?

Off you go.

You held a service?

Yes, sir.

It's a bad business.

But there's nothing for it. The Overlord's sons...

Think of it as an attack from a mad dog.

As of tomorrow you're off escort detail.

Things here are complicated.

It's never easy with the chancellors and internal politics.

It can be overwhelming.

Yes, sir.

Fortunately, General Kim Yakson is a good man.

He'll understand you.

We'll call on him today.

Yes, sir.

Oh, another thing.

You should know Lady Songi is the Overlord's only daughter.

And Kim Yakson's fiancee.

I know she's been kind to you in the past.

It would be best to remain aloof.

Yes, sir.

Pardon me...

We haven't had a chance for introductions until now.

He'll be assigned here. Kim Jun.

I've seen you around, but haven't had a chance to talk with you.

A pleasure, Field Marshal Kim Jun.

You honor this poor slave, sir.

Not at all. I know a lot about you.

Warrior of the arena, scholar, “Like blooms on a barren tree," Hyesim says.

You honor me, sir.

Koryo needs good men. Forget class for a moment.

Position doesn't change the world. Passion and unwavering conviction does.

Together we'll do just that.

I don't deserve such kindness, sir.

Not at all, not at all.

We'll work together. I'm truly pleased.

Ah, tomorrow I'll leave early for my residence.

Escort my good friend Pak Songbi here and we'll have a drink.

I have some excellent wine we haven't tried yet.

- Miss. - Yes?

You really plan to meet with Kim Jun?

I don't like it.

I hear he was taken off the Overlord's guard detail today.

Didn't you hear he was assigned to General Pak Songbi...

with the General Directorate?

The head lady has too many eyes and ears in daylight.

Probably so.

Miss, don't meet with him. I'm afraid something will happen.

They all leave at 6 o'clock.

I should go.

Wait here.

Miss.

See you tomorrow.

Yes, sir.

Be ready. We may be drinking a while.

Sir.

Miss.

It's been a long day.

Walk with me?

Come, Jun.

Jun, today...

Today I told my parents all the feelings I've kept inside.

Miss.

I asked them to let us be together.

To let us be married.

Miss.

And if they can't, to send us far away.

To think of me as dead.

Kim Jun...

run away with me.

I told you once.

Far away, to the sea, the mountains.

I've pinned everything on you.

I've seen what this life has to offer.

So all I have, all I own, I'll give up for you.

Kim Jun, come with me.

Let's run away, here, now.

Run away with me, Kim Jun.