Original subtitles

I'm Kim Soo Ran.

You may not leave. Step over there.

I received permission from my superior.

It's an order that women of...

your age may not leave the palace.

Next.

I work at Dongungjeon.

- My name is Hong... - Hello.

Hello, Master.

He is with me.

Do you need anything else?

No, Master.

(Chapter 14, Foggy Path)

I cannot find a trace of him anywhere.

Did you...

have any idea before he disappeared?

I did not, Your Highness.

Minister of Finance.

What do you feel about improper taxation?

What do you mean, Your Highness?

They must collect taxes from those over the age of 16,

but they are collecting taxes even from babies.

And now, they make the dead ones pay taxes, too.

The bookkeepers sometimes make mistakes...

and collect taxes incorrectly.

Why do you try to blame the bookkeepers?

Find a way...

to compensate people who were taxed unfairly.

Your Highness, the nation is in financial crisis.

Rather than compensation,

punishing those responsible would be better.

However, if they collect even less in taxes...

than they do now after the punishment,

the nation's financial state will worsen.

I commend your concern for the nation.

Then...

given the dire situation, I will take extreme measures.

I shall dock the payment...

of all the officials of the Royal Court.

Your Highness, that shall not be done.

That cannot be done, Your Highness.

Docking the pay of the entire Royal Court...

has never been done before.

Please be understanding.

Please be understanding.

The people are told to...

pay taxes for even the dead due to corrupt officials.

How could you whine at something so minor...

while you call yourselves the roots of this nation?

Do you really think...

you deserve payment from the nation?

Eunuch Jang. You look harried.

Do not get me started.

I do not blame him.

His Highness is like an icicle in the dead of winter.

Icicle?

Cold and sharp.

It must hurt a lot if you are stabbed.

I do not mind being hurt myself,

but His Highness works all throughout the night.

I am worried for his health.

It is driving me crazy.

But...

where could Eunuch Hong be?

How would I know?

He disappeared without a trace overnight.

He used to hop around like a bunny.

Hong Sam Nom. I miss you.

I hate him.

That was so mean, leaving without saying goodbye.

Eunuch Hong.

Your Highness,

I did not see any trace of Baekwoon...

amidst the dead assailants.

They may be waiting until things calm down.

Yes, that may be true,

but I found something strange.

What is it?

Recently, Minister Kim Eui Gyo...

sold some official positions for a gold bar.

I had removed him from office for that recently.

I see.

But where the gold bar ended up...

is suspicious.

Where?

The dead assailant's brother used that gold bar...

at a gambling game.

The dead assailant received...

the gold bar in return for something.

That is correct.

Your Highness, the Lieutenant from...

the Department of Justice wishes to see you.

Send him in.

What is it?

Your Highness,

we captured someone suspicious while searching...

the merchant Chung Man Shik's home.

It is a child less than 20 years in age.

He appears to have a connection with Baekwoon.

Let us go.

I must see for myself.

Is that a white-egret flower?

You remember.

This flower was embroidered...

on the handkerchief...

that my old friend used to carry with him.

He said it was given by his wife he parted from.

"I miss you..."

"even in my dreams."

Do you think...

Father knew the meaning of the flower you embroidered?

I think so.

Is it hard standing?

No.

By the way, how did you and Father meet?

We were...

friends from the same town.

He was one of many boys who liked me.

The other boys...

brought me ornaments...

and flowers from the field,

but your father was different.

What did he give you?

Barley.

Corn.

When he had nothing of them,

he brought me wild greens or tree barks.

I felt like I'd never go hungry with him,

so I asked him to marry me.

Father did not have a romantic bone in his body.

A field to work.

Rice to eat when you are hungry.

A small house to sleep in at night.

That was all...

your father wanted.

Are you saying...

she was not there by the time you arrived?

She was not.

How could this happen...

when we were about to bring her to our headquarters?

She probably fled because the guards...

were searching more aggressively.

You said...

she did not know about her family,

their involvement in the riot...

or the Baekwoon Group, did you not?

Yes, I did.

She did not seem to know back then.

I understand.

You may go.

Remember one thing.

Even if she knows who she is now,

the safest place for her...

is the Baekwoon Group.

Your Highness.

Did you call for me?

Are you well?

Are you worried about me?

The woman you love enough to challenge me disappeared.

Why are you not asking me anything?

Whether she left me a letter...

Whether...

she said where she was going.

You and I...

cannot share any information with each other...

even if we know something anyway.

That is why I do not ask.

Not for me.

Even if it is useless,

I want to ask...

if you know anything.

Whatever it may be.

I am sorry for not being able to help, Your Highness.

You would say you do not know anything...

whether or not you do.

That is how I hear it.

Yes, that is correct.

That is what I would do.

Your Highness.

Will you not greet me even if we meet by chance?

I did not see you.

I envy you.

For what?

I wish...

I could walk past without seeing you.

I wish I could...

walk past you as if I did not see you.

Why do you look like that?

You are breaking my heart.

And you?

Why do you look that way at me?

You said it is merely a transaction.

Is love the only emotion that a man and woman...

can have toward each other?

We may have to make transactions together for life.

What is the harm in becoming close?

What I mean is...

Do not walk so dejectedly.

Do not look like you have lost the world.

I am sure the person you love...

would say the same...

if she saw you just now.

Fine. I shall leave.

But...

I shall see you again, Your Highness.

So that is how the moon looks from the palace.

The moon is the same.

How is it different?

When I was young,

I went all over the place with the performance troupe,

and I thought...

each region had a differently shaped moon.

I thought Yeongnam region had a round moon.

And I thought Honam region had a crescent moon.

Did you...

move around that often?

Yes.

Is it not funny?

Have you never had such silly thoughts?

I have not.

You learn about the changes in the sun and moon...

by the age of five.

How are you so foolish?

Sure, sure.

It is a joke.

I have never said this to anyone before,

but I was more foolish than you.

When I was young,

I thought this palace was the entire world.

The highest, more precious...

and smallest well in Joseon...

is this palace where I grew up.

I am better.

It was the lowest and unimportant,

but where I grew up was a big lake.

Ra On.

Whether you see it from the palace or from a farm,

the moon is simply the moon.

I may be the Crown Prince,

but it does not matter whoever you are.

Whenever it is and wherever we are,

it's fine as long as our hearts are the same.

Just like that moon.

Yes, Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Push harder.

Please push harder.

Just one more push, Your Highness!

- Your Highness. - Do not give up.

You must be strong!

She is not due for another month.

How could this happen?

Your Majesty,

she will be fine.

Do not worry too much.

Her Highness has already given birth and is resting.

She said you do not have to come.

Why did you not call me sooner?

It happened so suddenly. My apologies.

The baby is here.

It is a princess, Your Highness.

Your Highness.

Will you really...

not look at the baby?

There is no need.

Get rid of her.

It is a prince. A prince.

Congratulations.

Congratulations.

Stop the fuss.

We should start the preparations.

What do you mean?

A new prince has been born,

so Dongungjeon should prepare for a new master.

Watch your mouth.

It is because I do not like Minister Jo's attitude.

I was worried...

that the Crown Prince would marry his daughter,

but now,

all we have to do is replace the prince.

There is no need to rush...

regardless of who sits on that throne.

You are correct.

Wait.

Go.

Go. Go. Go.

One, two, three.

Your Highness.

Oh, my.

Were you standing there?

Yes, Your Highness. Have you been well?

I have.

I was about to take a walk.

You may join me if you wish.

I liked how you were being rude.

It felt like a breath of fresh air.

Thus,

when we are alone, why do we not...

speak casually and comfortably?

Duk Ho.

I cannot do that, Your Highness.

Why not?

I do not...

know your name.

It is Myung Eun. That is my name.

Okay.

Myung Eun.

How... How dare you?

That is too soon.

Right.

Sorry... Sorry about that. Myung Eun.

But...

that hurts so much.

I just received news from the Queen.

She gave birth...

to a prince.

Congratulations, Father.

I know that the birth...

of another prince...

is not all good for you.

The more important and higher it is,

the more difficult it is to protect a king's throne.

But he is my brother who barely entered the world.

Please do not worry, Father.

The Crown Prince must be dying inside.

More so because his favourite eunuch disappeared.

What? A eunuch disappeared?

Did you not know?

The day the palace was turned upside down,

searching for Hong Gyeong Nae's daughter,

he disappeared into thin air.

How suspicious.

Do not get me started.

He was caught trying to escape on his first day here.

Not long ago, a woman's dress was found in his room,

so he was dragged over to the Queen.

It was quite a sight.

As always,

the Crown Prince saved him.

A woman's dress?

The Crown Prince?

That is right.

He protected him so much just because...

he was Dongungjeon's eunuch.

This is getting interesting.

Your Highness.

From the attack on Dongungjeon to your cherished...

eunuch's disappearance, my heart broke...

when I heard of your recent troubles.

That is correct.

Thanks to that,

I learned an interesting fact while investigating...

the criminal who was captured back then.

An interesting fact?

Your wealth...

A quite large gold bar...

was with his family.

I do not understand what you mean.

That is what I would like to say.

For what did you pay so handsomely...

to an assailant who attacked Dongungjeon?

Who knew the gold bar had a serial number on it?

This is going to be a pain.

How can I make an excuse for giving so much money...

to someone who attacked Dongungjeon...

to make it not look like a conspiracy?

The Queen had a prince, but he is still arrogant.

I thought he was just a baby.

What if this harms Premier Kim?

That would be terrible.

Master.

My apologies.

Do not even start something you must apologise for.

It is so pretty.

I mean the moon.

Would you like a closer look?

What is that?

They are binoculars.

They let you have...

a closer look at things that are far away.

Like this.

You are right.

The moon is filling my eyes.

Whether you see it from the palace or from a farm,

the moon is simply the moon.

I may be the Crown Prince,

but it does not matter whoever you are.

Whenever it is and wherever we are,

it's fine as long as our hearts are the same.

Just like that moon.

Is it that fascinating?

You must be missing someone...

who is far from here.

No, Master.

Since the moon looked so big,

I kept staring at it in fascination.

My lord is waiting for you.

Please come inside, Master.

Did you say the eunuch from Dongungjeon is...

Hong Gyeong Nae's daughter?

Oh my goodness.

How did she become a eunuch as a girl?

She even lived in the palace...

serving the Crown Prince as a spy.

Should we not catch her right now?

It is too late.

She must have run away by now.

What did you just say?

The spy used to be called Hong Ra On...

when she was a child.

I see why the Crown Prince was astounded.

If she ran away, we can just catch her.

Do you know where she is hiding, Master?

Poor Minister Kim.

He might be dismissed twice...

in a month for the same reason.

About the gold bar,

he needs to give a clear explanation.

Do you know what information did he mean to get...

by spending that much money?

What is it?

Hong Ra On.

The spy who served you as a Dongungjeon eunuch...

helped the assailants attack Dongungjeon.

What is the proof?

That girl is the solid proof.

It must make you quiver with anger.

Do not worry, Your Highness.

I shall even cut off her arms and legs...

if I must to bring her in front of you.

Did you...

know about her, Your Highness?

Did someone open the gate...

and let you in that night?

There is...

a member of Baekwoon Group in the palace.

That cannot be true.

What kind of crown princess do you wish to be?

I shall love the Crown Prince...

with all my heart until the end.

It is because I believe...

that true love is the only thing...

that would enable me to be patient...

and to sacrifice myself for His Highness.

Your Highness.

This is where you will stay...

during the preparation.

Why did you get so much work again?

It is good to make much money.

Maybe so many ladies are looking for...

pretty clothes to get married.

I heard this on the way home.

The ban on marriage has been lifted.

What?

It means the crown princess has been decided.

All that is left is the wedding ceremony.

I heard the Crown Princess is...

Minister Jo's daughter.

That is good news.

Let me help you with this.

No. I will do it.

You need something to put these in, right?

I will bring it, Mum.

Your Highness, why are you so surprised?

Should you not be in your quarters?

Have you heard the news?

Do you mean that you were chosen as the Crown Princess?

I heard it.

I shall serve you with all my heart, Your Highness.

It is a mere deal.

That is not necessary.

If you become a great king,

it would be good for my family as well.

As I accepted this deal,

I shall commit myself to my duties.

In return,

I need you to promise me one thing.

What promise will it be, Your Highness?

Never come in to this place again.

Never.

I asked you not to come here again, Master.

You have not eaten anything, have you?

Please stand up.

- Come with me... - It is...

painful for me to see you, Master.

You make me want to ask about His Highness.

I know I should forget him.

I should not, but I keep wanting to know how he is.

I wonder if he eats and sleeps well...

and if he is well.

I hate myself...

for wanting to ask these things to you...

when you are so kind to me.

So please do not come again.

Please.

It is all right.

I think about...

shameful things as well.

I wonder if you would open up to me...

after all these...

miserable days are gone.

You may cry.

I will not hope...

or delude myself.

I was trying not to cry.

My heart is aching so much.

If you face...

a very difficult situation...

and must let go of something,

it must not be me.

Can you promise me?

Yes, Your Highness.

I have a request.

May I stay within one step from you...

all day today?

Who are you looking for, Master?

I am here to see Eunuch Hong...

on behalf of Chief Eunuch Han.

Are you saying you are from the palace?

"There is something I did not tell you in the palace."

"It is about your father."

"I will write the time and place for us to meet."

Do you...

know where that girl is hiding?

Then why are we not bringing her here?

We have already caught the girl.

Now, we have to use her...

to make a bigger plan.

Are you saying...

you will drag the Crown Prince into this?

What if the Crown Prince...

was intimate with the enemy's daughter...

outside of the palace?

I will...

never forgive you.