Original subtitles

THIS SERIES IS A WORK OF FICTION. CHARACTERS, ORGANIZATIONS,

NAMES OF PLACES AND INCIDENTS MAY NOT BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE.

How dare you!

Say it.

How dare you…

How dare you!

Can you not do it any better?

How dare you! Can you not do it any better?

Your Majesty, you can't leave the palace like this.

I now have a substitute. So why can't I?

We do not know if that brat will be a shield to protect you

or a sword that will harm you just yet.

If he isn't completely prepared to be your substitute,

it may bring dire disaster.

That country brat's job is already decided.

His job is to be stabbed or poisoned in my place.

What kind of preparation does such a job require?

Keep that in mind, and begin it.

Is it that hard to endure?

For these past few days,

I could not sleep at all.

It seems that those who are after my life are everywhere.

At this rate,

I may cover my hands in blood once more.

I see.

If that is what you wish,

I shall follow your orders.

What?

Me? Substitute the King? What kind of nonsense is…

Silence.

I can't.

I won't.

-How can I even dare to… -It's by the King's orders.

Refusing it will not do any good.

My lord.

Please just whip me and throw me out.

If you disobey, not only you,

but also your sister and this "Boss" will be taken

and punished.

Are you threatening me?

I was never afraid to die for my performances, anyway.

Do as you wish.

It will not take long.

It just requires a few days.

If I disappear like this,

Dal-lae will be worried sick.

I will give you enough wealth to feed you

for the rest of your life.

I shouldn't do this, really…

Man…

But saying no to a national matter doesn't seem right, either.

You just have to poop if you eat something,

and I have sinned,

so I guess I'll take it as my punishment.

What do I have to do?

Eunuch Jo is in charge of looking after His Majesty.

I see, okay.

What do you think the biggest problem could be?

I think he should fix his vulgar attitude and way of speaking.

Come on!

I haven't even gotten started yet.

Please talk down to me.

If I talk down to you, they might figure out,

so using honorifics is the best for all of us.

You should talk down to me, just like how the King does.

How trustworthy.

I told you to talk down. Not to put the hand on.

I will recite the daily routine of His Majesty,

so you just need to follow it.

The King's day begins before sunrise.

Your Majesty, have you awaken?

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Yes.

Blow your nose, please.

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

After you wash yourself, Court Lady Kim will dress you up.

Court Lady Kim serves the King right next to him.

In order to substitute the King, you must trick her first.

Your Majesty, is something making you feel uncomfortable?

No.

Continue.

You must never eat the same food twice.

Because there's a possibility

that someone might poison the food the King likes.

Poison?

It's a ritual that's been passed down since the previous King,

so please do not be afraid.

My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty!

It's okay.

You didn't spill even a drop, so do not worry.

The water tastes good.

Wow…

Block!

Why, you are…

I got you, you brat!

How can I drop dead?

Well… I think…

I think I did quite well.

How was I?

I think you should control yourself a little bit more.

"More often"?

What should I do "more often"?

That's not what I meant…

Putting your hand out, showing your feelings, and laughing.

You should not do any of those things.

So you mean, do nothing?

Yes.

Your Majesty…

Your Majesty!

Who is that woman?

She is Her Majesty the Queen.

What did you say?

I said, she is Her Majesty the Queen.

The… Queen?

The Queen, you say?

You must never run into the royal ladies.

Especially the Queen. You must avoid her.

Your Highness, there…

Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen is coming.

What?

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

His Majesty skips Sangcham often,

but never skips Yundae.

Law has no proper provisions,

so proper measures for the incidents cannot be chosen.

If you hire a scholar,

the punishments will turn out fair.

I see.

Have the next one come in.

Have you had a peaceful rest, Your Majesty?

I did, thanks to you.

What is it?

Yes, thank goodness.

I heard from the royal doctor

that you are troubled about Prince Munseong's matters,

and I could not sleep at all during the night.

If so, have you decided about Prince Munseong's punishment?

You see…

About the punishment of Prince Munseong…

Your Majesty, you must behead him as a warning,

in order to lift the worries of the government and the people.

Please give us the royal permission.

If someone asks you for the royal permission,

just answer, "Do so."

-Do so. -Pardon?

Yes.

If so, I will believe that you will make it official,

and I will now leave.

I thought I was going to get caught.

Who is that man?

He's the Left State Councilor.

Left State Councilor.

By the way, who's Prince Munseong?

Well… That is…

Your Highness!

Your Highness! We have a disaster!

What is it?

His Majesty has…

permitted the beheading of your father!

I'd like to meet with His Majesty.

Your Highness, I am so sorry, but…

His Majesty is now taking a nap.

Please come back later.

Your Majesty!

Your Highness, you cannot do this.

How dare you.

Don't you dare block my way.

Your Majesty, Her Majesty the Queen is here.

Your Majesty.

My Queen.

I have come to prove my father's innocence through my death.

What are you doing?

When you permitted my father's beheading,

did you not expect me to act this way?

Please let go.

No, wait.

My Queen.

The only thing left for me is to die.

How could you even stop me from dying?

What should I do to make you give up on dying?

There is only one thing I want.

Please spare my father.

I see.

I will do so.

Do you mean it?

I do not lie about a person's life.

If so, please promise me.

You promise me first.

That you will not do this anymore.

I promise.

Good.

I promise, too.

I will keep this.

Do you…

think this is a clown's stage?

You insolent brat! Do you know what you have done?

You dodged it?

You idiot!

I will just…

Please… Please calm down.

Eunuch Jo! Grab him!

This is unfair!

Wasn't it you who told me to answer "Do so"

when someone asks for royal permission?

The Left State Councilor broke in, so I could not help it.

He sounded like the most loyal man…

It's Left State Councilor Shin Chi-soo

whom you must be the most careful of.

He is the most devious man in this country.

If so, didn't I do well?

You insolent brat!

Anyway, we must spare the Grand Prince.

I promised Her Majesty the Queen.

The matters with the Grand Prince aren't your business.

But…

Enough.

Please look after him more carefully

so this will not happen again.

It would be better to bring a wooden totem instead.

Ae-young.

I am now treating your wound, so please say nothing.

Do not get mad.

I couldn't help it.

Of course I understand how you feel, Your Highness.

But why…

What could've happened if His Majesty didn't stop you?

I did not know that His Majesty

would react like that.

Do you think His Majesty will keep his promise?

He may change his mind again. You never know.

But…

When I saw him today,

I was reminded of the past.

When I was the Crown Princess, I was crying out of despair…

But he did not ask me why,

nor did he scold me.

So-woon.

He just held my hands.

I remembered how he used to be.

You're here.

Where is he?

He was looking for something that's not here,

so I sent him away to a smaller temple.

Your Majesty.

What should we do?

What did you say?

About the Grand Prince.

The Left State Councilor

requested that he be beheaded.

The Left State Councilor can do that.

It's a chance to get rid of the nuisance.

He will never miss that chance.

Please give us the answer.

I will accept it.

Behead my father-in-law.

I'm sure the Queen will look at me like that, too.

Looking at me like she's about to rip my heart apart.

Will she blame me?

Leave.

The King's orders.

What does it say?

This is… Well, I…

I can't quite read Chinese characters, so…

I will read it for you, so memorize it.

"Remove Yoo Ho-jun, the criminal, from his office."

"Remove Yoo Ho-jun, the criminal, from his office."

"And behead him."

Behead him?

Then what about my promise to the Queen?

You must make a promise only when you have the power to keep it.

The words you blabbered without knowing have no power.

If you wish to survive and return, keep that in mind.

There are only two ways to survive in court.

Either stomp down on your enemies or ignore them…

with all your might.

"Remove Yoo Ho-jun, the criminal, from his office."

"And behead him."

Don't forget it.

Yes, my lord.

Your Majesty.

Please deliver the sentence on Yoo Ho-jun, the criminal.

Remove Yoo Ho-jun, the criminal,

from his office.

And enclose him in a thorn hedge on a remote island.

How did His Majesty change his mind?

I'm sure he found something suspicious

to punish him for treason.

Left State Councilor.

Yes.

I do not know how you managed to change His Majesty's mind,

but you will regret this someday.

You regret what you did in the morning at night. That's life.

You must accept what you must accept.

Isn't that right?

Yes, that's life.

Sparing the Grand Prince?

If it goes this way,

won't it spoil the plan to get rid of Shin Chi-soo?

Perhaps it's better this way.

What do you mean?

Sparing the Grand Prince means

that His Majesty does not trust Shin Chi-soo.

Then Shin Chi-soo won't stay put.

Soon they will start fighting each other.

"Fighting each other"?

Even a dog passing by would understand such words.

Do not test my patience.

If you have not come up with a sure plan to take the throne,

say it right now.

I am so sorry to trouble you.

I do have a sure plan,

so please trust me.

What are you waiting for?

Serve tea to Prince Jinpyeong.

Your Majesty, the Chief Secretary wishes to meet with you.

Wait…

You insolent brat!

How dare you give the royal order and deceive the government?

Do you have a death wish?

What else can I do?

I promised her.

You said you can’t read.

How did you know such words?

He asked me about the punishment that comes after beheading,

so I thought he was just curious, and…

I will make sure this doesn't happen again.

If such a thing happens again,

your place will not be at the royal court,

but at the outhouse.

When will the Grand Prince leave to his place of exile?

As his sentence has been announced,

he will leave tomorrow.

Why do you ask?

Well…

Since her father is leaving to a faraway place,

I thought she should at least say goodbye.

You mean Her Majesty the Queen?

This is the "virtue" that you nobilities love so much.

For a daughter to see her father off…

Once a woman enters the palace,

she may not leave until she dies.

Those are the rules of the palace, and the fate of the King's woman.

Doesn't filial piety come before the rules?

Did Eunuch Jo teach you that, too?

I just heard it from somewhere.

I'm sorry.

I just said it.

I see.

I will take the Queen to him.

Are you sure?

Father.

Father.

Your Highness.

Father, just stay still.

I was troubled for not being able to see you before I leave.

It's so good to see you like this, at least.

I, too, am happy to see you, Father.

So-woon.

Don't cry.

Being able to walk on both feet and to use both hands

is the King's grace. That's what I think.

Father.

My lord.

Here.

Her Majesty the Queen made this clothing herself.

Thank you.

I will make sure to wear it.

Father, please be well.

Don't worry about me.

Until you return safely,

I will look after His Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Your grace is immeasurable.

Please be well

until we meet again.

Thank you.

Thanks to you, I could send my father off.

Pardon my rudeness, but Your Highness,

I only followed His Majesty's orders.

His Majesty's orders?

Your Majesty.

We brought your midnight snack.

Bring it in.

I feel so great today.

What is your name? How old are you?

My name is Gye-hwan, and I'm 15 years old.

-You're the same age as she is. -Pardon?

It is nothing.

What's my midnight snack for tonight?

It's milk porridge.

What is this sound?

My sincerest apologies, Your Majesty.

Did you skip a meal?

Well, since you ate breakfast so well…

Your leftover breakfast is our dinner, so…

Go ahead and taste it.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Wait.

You'll burn your mouth if you rush,

so take your time to cool it.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Taste it again.

How does it taste?

It tastes good.

Go ahead and keep tasting it.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Would Dal-lae be eating well?

Please save my brother. Please.

Dal-lae, don't worry.

Your brother was not taken to the State Tribunal.

If he wasn't taken to the State Tribunal, then to where?

Is he already dead, by chance?

Stop saying stupid things.

He's not dead.

Stop it. It seems that Woon-sim doesn't know, either.

Oh, my. Brother.

Brother.

What happened to my brother?

Why are you crying? You'll drive customers out.

Stop crying!

Brother!

I said, stop crying!

Wait.

Missus.

She will soon stop crying, so please calm down.

Make her stop right now.

Or I will whip and kick her out.

Yes, ma'am.

Right, I saw earlier in the day that we're out of firewood.

-Brother. -Shall I go to the mountains, then?

Dal-lae, don't cry, okay?

I will find out about what happened to Ha-sun,

so please stop crying.

Are you sure?

Yes.

Welcome, my lord.

Who is that girl?

Her name is Dal-lae,

and she's in a clown troupe.

Whoever she is, she's one of the girls here, isn't she?

I'm sorry, but she's not a gisaeng.

So she's not available?

I will come back next time.

What are you waiting for? Bring the horse, now!

My lord.

Shall I call Dal-lae for you?

You?

Well, if you pay me a fair amount,

I will bring her to your house.

I will bring her soon.

Your Majesty.

Why are you collecting hazelnuts?

These are gifts for my younger sister Dal-lae.

If you give me orders,

I could bring you better things. Why do you collect these…

Gosh.

These belong to the palace, where the King is, right?

These are enough.

What's over there?

That's the back door the court ladies use.

The back door.

What could be over there?

That's…

What's over there? Why is everyone over there?

That's where the court ladies make their wishes.

Wishes?

Yes.

According to a legend,

a long time ago, a court lady who slept with the King

wished to give birth to a son

and threw a rock in it, and conceived a royal baby.

But…

Why doesn't the Queen make a wish, then?

She has the dignity as the Queen.

How could she make wishes like the court ladies?

Look over there.

Your Highness, His Majesty is here.

Your Majesty.

Looks like I interrupted you, my Queen.

No.

I was going to go see you, actually.

Me?

Yes.

Thanks to you, I could send my father off well.

Well, it was nothing.

You do not need to thank me.

Give me your hand.

These are hazelnuts, aren't they?

Even if you desire to make a wish,

you cannot do so because of the dignity of the Queen.

If you bite a hazelnut,

the goblin that guards your house gets startled by the sound

and grants your wish, a legend says.

When you're alone, bite it and make a wish.

Who knows? Your wish might come true.

This is the night snack for the King tonight.

Take it like this on time.

Yes, ma'am.

Your Majesty, tonight's snacks are sweet rice and cinnamon punch.

I see.

Gye-hwan, how did you come into the palace?

Well, pardon me, Your Majesty.

My father could not pay his taxes properly, so…

Taxes?

What does that have to do with you coming into the palace?

Tell me everything.

Is that true?

You know where my brother is?

Yes, I do.

Come with me. I'll take you.

Could you please wait for a moment?

Boss Gap-su went to get firewood, and he's not back yet.

If you don't want to, forget it.

I took my time to take you there. Darn.

No.

Let's go. Now.

Lead the way, please.

Gosh, why isn't he coming?

Brother?

Who are you?

Brother!

But how can we find and offer abalones in a mountain village,

when the abalones can be found only in the sea?

The Magistrate was aggravating us,

so my father borrowed money from the Magistrate's secretary

to buy abalones and offered them.

That sort of thing repeated,

and we could not borrow money anymore,

so my father sold me off as a last resort.

You have suffered so much.

I do not blame my father.

I have six younger siblings, from a brother who's a year younger

to a little baby,

but since there's less people in the family to eat

and my father's debt has been paid off,

I am grateful for that.

It's quite great that you think like that.

I must be out of my mind

to say this to you, Your Majesty.

Gye-hwan, you're not out of your mind.

It's the officials who are out of their minds.

How dare they cheat the people to feed themselves?

Those worthless worms.

Eat it.

No, how can I…

It's okay. You remind me of my sis--

Pardon?

Sister?

Sis… This delicious thing should not be shared.

I can eat these anytime, so you can have all of these.

Your Majesty.

Cheer up.

Don't eat too fast. Make sure you chew well.

What's wrong?

That is why I told you to eat slowly.

I'm sorry…

Is…

Is anyone out there?

Eunuch Jo!

Your Majesty.

Go bring the royal doctor. Now!

Yes, Your Majesty.

Gye-hwan!

Gye-hwan…

Royal doctor!

Where's the royal doctor? Royal doctor!

Your Majesty, what is it…

Save this girl! Now!

Your Majesty, I'm sorry, but it's too late.

Too late? What do you mean?

She is dead.

That cannot be.

She just talked to me and even smiled, but how…

Check her again.

Check her thoroughly!

Gye-hwan!

Gye-hwan!

Wake up!

Gye-hwan!

Your Majesty…

My lord, that's…

Silence.

Take His Majesty back.

He should not be left alone.

All right.

Your Majesty.

Please come.

What do you think happened?

We have to examine her thoroughly to find out, but…

I suspect that she was poisoned.

You must never eat the same food twice.

Because there's a possibility

that someone might poison the food the King likes.

I can eat these anytime,

so you can have all of these.

-Your Majesty. -Don't touch me!

But Your Majesty,

you can't go like this… You must get changed at least.

Get out of my face!

Get out, all of you!

Your Highness.

How could you be so reckless in front of the Queen?

My apologies, Your Highness.

What happened? What is it?

Well…

Why are you here now?

Hurry and go on in.

No one should enter the King's room

until I give the order.

Yes, my lord.

This was why you needed me.

So I may die in place of His Majesty!

Isn't that right?

Calm down.

Let me go, please.

No, I will leave myself.

If you leave now,

I have no choice but to kill you.

I'll end up dead either way.

Just kill me.

If you die,

your sister and that "Boss"

will not be safe either.

Do you wish for that to happen?

You decide what to do.

What will you do?

Your Majesty,

Her Majesty the Queen wishes to meet with you.

Let her in.

His Majesty said that you may go in.

Welcome, Your Highness.

My Queen.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I'm sorry.

Are you crazy?

You can't enter when Her Highness is in there.

Your Majesty.

I will enter.

Your Highness.

Your Highness.

I cannot stay in the palace any longer.

Your Majesty,

please calm down.

I can't do this anymore.

I just have to leave now.

Your Majesty.

You told me when you were the Crown Prince…

that you can do anything if I'm by your side.

And you said that we shall be friends

until the end of the world, holding hands,

laughing and crying together.

You asked me why I'm here in the middle of the night.

I am here to be with you.

I am here to laugh and cry together.

I will endure it with you.

So please do not give up.

I can't.

We must find His Majesty before it gets worse.

Hurry.

-Yes, sir. -Yes, sir.

You search outside the palace just in case.

Yes, my lord.

Hey!

You cannot enter.

-Dal-lae! -What is it?

Gap-su. No, wait, Boss.

Hold still. Don't move.

Gap-su! Boss!

Woon-sim, it's me, Ha-sun.

Ha-sun.

Release him.

Let go.

-Woon-sim. -Ha-sun!

-Boss. -You brat.

Boss.

Where on earth have you been?

Where's Dal-lae?

You little brat.

You're looking for Dal-lae now?

She's been waiting for you forever.

Dal-lae.

Dal-lae.

Dal-lae!

Dal-lae.

I'm here.

Dal-lae.

What happened?

Who did this to you?

It's okay. Tell me.

Who did this to you?

What's wrong with you?

Tell me!

It seems that she has been struck dumb from shock.

A gisaeng house servant showed up

and lured her out, saying that you called for her.

And he took her to a jerk who comes to the gisaeng house.

But she defied him, and he did this to her…

I deserve to die.

I should've looked after her better while you were gone.

I just have to die.

Dal-lae.

Who is that bastard?

He is someone untouchable.

Cut the nonsense and tell me!

Who is it?

Shin Yi-gyeom.

He is the son

of the new Left State Councilor, Shin Chi-soo.

Ha-sun.

What are you trying to do? Huh?

Who's Shin Yi-gyeom?

Shin Yi-gyeom!

What the heck? What's going on?

What is it?

My lord, please save me.

Do you know him?

Yes.

He's a servant at the gisaeng house.

I told you a thousand times…

Who was it?

She's not even a gisaeng.

She's in a clown troupe.

I was wondering about his mask, and…

You even ended up…

-Hey. -Yes, my lord.

How much is a dog worth at the market these days?

No more than two coins, I believe.

Give him two coins and send him away.

Yes, my lord.

Where are you going…

My sister isn't a dog!

How dare you come here!

Stop!

You survived thanks to our lord. Be grateful.

Is the brat Ha-sun here?

You took him away.

Why are you asking me that now?

Is he here or not?

We have not seen him since he was taken away.

If he ever comes back, make sure you keep him.

Understood?

Yes, I will.

Chief Secretary.

His Majesty has returned.

Welcome back, Your Majesty.

How come didn't you notify me first?

You told me that there are only two ways to survive in the palace.

You ran away to survive. Why did you return?

I came back to learn

how to stomp down on my enemies with all my might.

Please teach me

how to do so.

Why did you come back?

I came back to return what I have received.

That lowly thing dared to set up a condition?

What's the use of power?

When your head is full of beastly thoughts?

Since when did you shoot arrows so well?

I'm a natural.

Please wait for a bit more.

I will find a way to save you, my Queen.

Subtitle translation by: Jeong-yon Kim