Original subtitles

Chief Eunuch.

What brings you here, sir?

I have been searching for you

for a long time.

Pardon?

For me?

I have something to tell you,

Ra-on.

How do you know my name, sir?

How did you know that his name...

is Hong Ra-on?

Your Highness.

Although he does not remember me,

we have met some time ago.

I was surprised to see you

in such an unexpected place.

So was I, Your Highness.

What is it that happened in the past

that made you look for him all this time?

I owe Eunuch Hong's mother

a lot, Your Highness.

I wanted to take care of him

and lay down the burden of my heart,

but we parted ways unexpectedly.

So I could not reach him anymore.

So you knew him before he lost his mother.

If so,

do you already know?

That he is incapable of becoming a eunuch?

I think this is your chance to pay back your debt.

Please take care of her as a chief of eunuchs

while she remains in the palace.

Yes.

I will, Your Highness.

Chief Eunuch.

You must have a lot of questions.

I'll set up a time, so wait until then.

I will ask Jeong Yak-yong to reschedule the meeting to sometime after Wednesday.

Yes, Your Highness.

By the way,

what is he like?

He is someone you can learn a lot from.

But he has a bad drinking habit.

What is he like when he is drunk?

He befriends all the little things in the world.

I knew a man like him.

My grandfather was like that.

When he drank, all the villagers

and even the dogs would run away from him.

Ra-on.

Do you think this is funny?

It's a gift from my heart.

Are you talking about this?

I have always wanted to mark you as my own.

Just like that.

Have you been hiding your identity

to punish the traitors?

I was never worried about you.

You already know very well

who ruined your family

and killed all your kin.

For decades,

I served three kings

in closest proximity.

It always started with a faint hope when they took the throne

and ended with despair and anger.

Joseon under the Lee regime no longer has hope.

Then what must Baekwoon group do

for the new hope?

Do we need to start another uprising?

That is only a method.

An uprising cannot give hope.

Does the child remember anything

about the uprising from ten years ago?

No, I do not think she remembers anything.

What makes a country great?

I'm sure the King would know, since he worries about his people.

That is not acceptable.

A child cannot handle such a cruel punishment

that can break a grown man's leg.

That child might as well be beheaded.

Being young

is no excuse for insulting the Royal Family.

If so,

bring proof that the child is an infiltrator.

That is why

I am trying to interrogate her, Your Highness.

Book of Documents states

that a single spark can start a prairie fire.

You should not let a single spark bring about worse disasters,

Your Highness.

Silence!

If a ten-year-old learned to be an infiltrator before anything else,

the people who should be punished

are you and I.

Release the child.

-Please understand, Your Highness. -Please understand, Your Highness.

What is it?

How could this be?

Is anybody out there?

Anyone?

What is with all the hurry?

Wait.

What is going on?

It turned out that His Majesty's food was poisoned.

What? How is His Majesty?

Is His Majesty all right?

Luckily, he is fine.

This will cause a lot of trouble for the Office of Eunuch Attendants.

Goodness.

Did you bring all the court ladies who entered the Royal kitchen today?

Yes, sir.

However, there was one who is not a court lady.

Someone who is not a court lady?

Who was it?

That day,

there was a man who brought the ingredients for the Royal kitchen.

I went after him, but he was already gone.

Who is he?

He is the father of a child who was found carrying the leaflets.

What?

Your Highness, I advise you not to go for a run without eating anything.

I am worried you might get ill.

Do not be silly!

Don't you know that keeping in shape is harder than losing weight?

Do not follow me. You are getting in my way.

Who are you?

Your Highness... I am...

Stay away from me! I will call the guards!

I am going to... give you this...

-What? -I would like to...

What are you doing? Anybody there?

-Are you all right, Your Highness? -How rude!

Are you truly all right, Your Highness?

I will not forgive you if I ever see you hovering around me again.

Yes, that is true.

She is the girl who we released

according to your command.

I came with my dad who supplies ingredients to the dessert kitchen.

Are you saying that she and her dad

ran away together?

That is right, Your Highness.

Your Highness, they are criminals who tried to harm His Majesty.

Please give us a command

to capture and execute them!

We've already searched the eunuch's quarters.

-Why should we search here as well? -A strange one lives here.

Keep quiet and search first.

Sir.

What is this?

I cannot believe this.

Your Majesty.

You must be worried very much.

Everyone can make a mistake

when they are too enthusiastic.

It is a relief that the criminals who ran away are captured.

Yes.

However,

considering the Crown Prince's temper,

this incident is only the beginning.

What do you suggest we do?

I understand that he is still young,

but we need to make sure that he doesn't repeat the same mistakes.

To settle down the public sentiment,

we need to hasten the royal marriage.

However,

the Crown Prince does not want to get married.

Nothing turned out right

when we did things as the Crown Prince wished.

I told the Department of Ceremony to make an announcement about the selection.

I will help you release your worries, Your Majesty.

What kind of a king would you like me to be, Mother?

I would like you to be a king who has a keen eye.

"A keen eye"?

When someone is in a high position,

they might not be able to understand those who are in lower positions.

Is there anything else?

I hope you don't become dull of hearing.

You should not listen only to those who speak loudly in front of you.

You mean I should care for people regardless of their status,

and listen to the subjects

while distinguishing between flattery and honest advice, right?

Protect each of your people

as if they are your only people.

Can you promise me

that you will make such a king?

I will keep that in mind, Mother.

Ra-on.

How do I know what I am seeing is the truth?

Whom should I trust?

What should I do if what I thought was right is actually wrong?

What am I supposed to do when everything is so difficult?

Your Highness.

My grandfather said

that you tend to doubt everything when you feel sad.

"You tend to doubt everything

when you feel sad."

Then,

I need you now.

Do something that would make me feel joyful and clear my doubts.

Will this do, Your Highness?

Yes.

I am filled with joy now.

If the royal marriage proceeds,

other marriages will be prohibited.

I suppose the marriage between our children will be delayed.

Right.

I did not imagine His Majesty would hasten the Crown Prince's marriage.

Everything is already decided.

So the selection will proceed fast.

Do you mean that who will be selected is already determined?

If not someone from the Kim Family,

who can dare to take that position?

I heard

that His Majesty secretly called you the other day, Minister Cho.

Well, yes.

As a matter of fact,

I've been having a heavy heart because of that.

There is no need for you to feel that way.

You do not need to take it too seriously.

I told you before

that you do not need to overthink it.

You can either cooperate with me,

or I can hold you in check.

Those are the two options for you.

What on earth does this mean?

It is hard to guess. I am so curious, Your Majesty.

No way!

I know he looks even prettier than a girl.

If you are curious,

you can check it out.

Would the Crown Prince allow it?

Of course he would not.

That is why I want to do it more.

It is an important moment when the royal marriage will proceed.

Eunuch Hong!

What is the matter?

Eunuch Do.

I heard that you know a lot about poisons.

Is that true?

No, it is not.

I just picked up a little.

What do you want to know? Tell me.

About the rumor that someone poisoned His Majesty's meal...

They gave the leftover to animals,

but none of them were dead.

The silver spoon turned black, right?

This water is called jogaksoo.

It is made by brewing honey locust.

You can't clean the silver spoon that has turned black

due to poison even with jogaksoo.

That means His Majesty's meal was not poisoned.

Why did the color change, then?

We will have to find out.

PHARMACY

Poison?

Is His Majesty all right?

He is having a hard time especially after the leaflet incident.

When will you accept my offer and come back to the royal court?

I am sorry, Your Highness.

I am busy helping the sick with my mere skills in acupuncture.

There are many more talented physicians in the palace.

It is not about medicine. It is about saving an innocent child.

"Do not give up on a single one of your people."

That is what you told me, remember?

I need your help.

I asked for you because I found something interesting in your residence.

Pardon?

This is...

Why? Are you going to deny that it is yours?

All right. You do not need to answer.

I just have to see for myself.

Strip him.

Your Highness.

Did you come out for some fresh air, Your Highness?

You really are fearless.

Forgive me, Your Highness.

If I interrupted you--

You are all by yourself at this hour in a place like this.

I did not know I was this brave and courageous

until I met you.

Your Highness, may I ask you a question?

Do you not like me

because I was rude to you when I first met you?

Do you find me boring because I do not hide my feelings for you?

I have feelings for someone else.

What I'm saying is that it is not anyone's fault.

Will you take that as an answer?

Who is... that woman?

Your Highness, we have a huge problem.

-Eunuch Hong... -What is it?

Eunuch Hong...

I said, what is it?

You should head to the Queen's Palace.

Hurry.

Your Highness, the Crown Prince has arrived.

Welcome, Crown Prince.

Why did you bring in the eunuch from the Crown Prince's palace this time?

I've always wondered

whenever I saw this eunuch trainee.

How can a man have a pretty face like his?

What do you think, Your Highness?

Take your hand off him.

I understand that a face this pretty can distract you.

He looks more like a girl than a girl. No wonder you are confused.

The thing is, during the search throughout the subjects' residences today,

they found this.

I know all the rumors have troubled you.

So I, as your mother, will clear all the doubts

in front of everyone here.

If you say so.

Why do you have a woman's clothing?

I...

I was...

I told you that you do not need to answer my question.

Shut your mouth

and take off that eunuch's robe!

Eunuch Hong.

Obey Her Highness' order.

You called in a mere eunuch

and harassed him by ordering him to strip.

When will you stop harassing others because of those silly rumors?

Why don't we

find out who is right?

If anyone did wrong, I would hold them accountable.

Sure.

You are right, Your Highness.

I have already told you to strip!

Your Highness.

Chief Eunuch Han has arrived.

What business do you have here?

Your Highness.

You can make a mere eunuch disrobe if you wish.

But I plead you not to dishonor the office of Eunuch Attendants

and the ladies of the court.

This trainee has passed the office of Eunuch Attendants' examination.

Eunuch Seong.

Didn't you re-examine him yourself?

I did.

Your Highness.

I understand that you are only trying to reprimand a eunuch.

But it is not acceptable for a mother of this country

to check the body of a naked man herself

especially when she is bearing a child?

If His Majesty

finds out about this...

Chief Eunuch.

Both Her Highness and I cannot stand anything suspicious.

Let her do it.

Your Highness, what are you waiting for?

See for yourself.

Take him away.

Yes, Your Highness.

JAHYEONDANG

Did something happen, Your Highness?

I just want to have someone dear to me by my side.

But I do not know why

things I feel sorry for keep happening.

Your Highness.

So I am thankful for you.

What is the matter?

You asked to meet me.

I felt that you are of the same mind.

Also, I was also reminiscing about our old days.

Right.

We used to spend a lot of time together

at Jahyeondang before.

By the way,

I heard what happened at the Queen's Palace.

Is Eunuch Hong safe?

His Highness is with him.

When I was young,

I wanted to be the most reliable friend to the Crown Prince.

However, at one point,

I became someone he feels uncomfortable to be with.

And I met a woman whom I want to be together--

Do not say it.

Just keep your feelings to yourself.

No.

I won't do that anymore.

This is the first time that I desire

something this much.

-May I ask for directions? -Sure.

-My grandfather -My grandfather

-said... -said...

Grandfather?

Ra-on?

Are you Ra-on?

No, I am Sam-nom here, Grandfather.

You rascal!

I've told you not to call me Grandfather many times.

By the way,

how come you are here?

Moreover,

as a eunuch?

It is a long story, but it turned out to be this way.

I am acknowledged as a good eunuch, so do not worry.

You punk. How can I not worry?

It has been so many years.

We finally meet each other like this.

My grandfather said

that those who are supposed to meet are going to meet in the end.

We are looking for the family

of Hong Gyeong-rae, who committed treason.

May we search inside?

The guards are gone. You can come out now.

You separated with your mother in Unjongga, didn't you?

I did.

Well...

How do you know each other?

Are you here to meet the Crown Prince?

Then,

Grandfather,

you are...

"Grandfather"?

This caused the discoloration.

Hooker chives.

Hooker chives?

Right.

It's an interesting ingredient

that tastes sweet, spicy, and bitter all at the same time.

This contains sulfur,

so it caused the discoloration of the spoon.

However, it is not poisonous.

Are you saying that the meal was not poisoned?

Would you believe me now?

Even though it comes from the West,

but the physicians should have known.

Why did everyone shut their mouth

and pretend as if something terrible happened?

Nothing new from the Crown Prince?

He must be anxious.

I feel sorry for him.

The physicians are keeping their mouths shut.

He can never know the truth.

Who would dare to reveal the truth

unless they are determined to go against Premier Kim?

It is about time the Crown Prince should realize

that no one in the palace is on his side

Don't you think so?

Your Highness!

Aren't you the nobleman at the Lantern Festival?

He is the Crown Prince.

Your Highness! Thank you for saving our lives.

I appreciate it.

It is all right.

Look at me.

I am sorry that you had to go through this hardship at an early age.

Has my wish to meet the King

been granted, Your Highness?

Right.

You did not forget what you wanted to ask him, did you?

Please keep your eyes on me

until I make this country a better country.

I will, Your Highness.

I could save an innocent child thanks to you.

By the way,

when are you going to reply to my request?

I am an old man who cannot be of much help to you.

I should go, Your Highness.

Grandfather!

Have you ever heard

about my mom after then?

I wish I have good news for you next time I see you.

The royal marriage will proceed.

Father.

Do you also consider me

as a coward who lacks judgment?

No, I don't.

I just...

I do not want to have an unwanted marriage.

I know.

I understand how you feel.

Yeong.

Since the day I sat on the throne at the young age of ten,

there has not been a single day

when I was not confused or scared.

You must feel like you are walking as you cleave through the rough waves.

In your mind, you would think you have taken ten steps forward,

but soon you would realize

that you have been stamping your feet on the same spot all along.

To reach where the water is calm,

you need to hold on to a twig at the least.

You should marry

Minister Cho's daughter.

How nice would it be

if His Highness marries a Crown Princess consort

from a good family, gains more power

and have more people on his side?

How frustrating.

Ra-on.

Your Highness.

You startled me.

What was distracting you?

Your Highness.

What is it?

Your Highness.

Could you walk me to Jahyeondang?

We've been walking back and forth the Crown Prince's palace and Jahyeondang.

You must want to stay with me as long as you can.

Do you know when I am the happiest?

It is when you call my name.

So am I.

That is when I am the happiest.

When I call your name,

you come right before my eyes.

What more do we need?

I could not ask for more.

I want more than that.

When you are in love,

it is natural to want more and more.

You're right.

Please do so since I am already yours.

However,

I do not want you to risk anything for me.

My feelings for you will not disappear

only because I cannot stay with you as a lady.

So--

Do not say a word.

Please do not refuse the royal marriage,

Your Highness.

I told you to stop.

The woman I have told you about

is Hong Ra-on.

The woman you wanted to present a home and parents?

Yes.

Why do you care about her?

She is only a eunuch.

She is my lover

who happens to stay with me as a eunuch.

A difference in status, an irony of fate...

You asked me to help you overcome all the obstacles.

I did.

However,

the person she needs

is not you, your Highness.

Your Highness.

What brings you here at this early hour?

There is something I need to tell you.

Do you remember the child

who was selling the lantern?

Yes, Your Highness.

I still remember the joy in her eyes

when she saw her father.

The child said this to me.

The King would know

what a good country really is.

What is Joseon

that you dream of like?

Well...

The country where all the children

and all the women

can be as they are and live happily ever after.

Could you wait

until I build that country

for you?

In the new Joseon I will build,

you...

will be my first.

What would you do if their reunion could put you in danger, Your Highness?

If you let this one go,

you and Ra-on

might be able to live happily together.

If...

you have to let go of someone

when things get tough,

it should not be me.

Can you promise me that?

Yes, Your Highness.

Good.

I think

my wish has finally come true.

What do you mean?

I wished for

your wish to come true.

I found your mother.

Mom.

Ra-on.

I'm sorry it took me so long to find you.

Mom.

Mom.

Mom.

I'm sorry.

Mom.

Mom.

I am afraid

of being too happy.

I'm waiting for the moment

when the Crown Prince becomes incapacitated.

What if I am this happy

because someone else's happiness came to me?