Original subtitles

I've had enough of his audacity!

How can you be an Imperial envoy when you don't even

know the code of behavior between sovereign and subject?

I am not a subject of this barbaric state.

What?

We're not getting one single horse from us.

Ten thousand warhorses and one hundred thousand soldiers!

What?

Defy us, and Ming will consider Joseon enemy.

A war will be unavoidable.

Fine, but first we will cut off your head and send it back to Ming.

How dare you!

Your Highness...!

I will not forgive anyone that patronizes Joseon, not even the Emperor himself!

Your intrepid spirit is very admirable.

But it will cost Joseon a hundred times the humiliation I suffer today.

What's the worst case scenario?

It's... war.

What are the odds of us winning?

Your Majesty...

Who says I can't?

I can suppress the Mongolians, conquer Ming and rule the China continent.

Your Highness, surely you're not thinking that as an option...

Say it is. Say that we can defeat the Chinese!

Say that my son, the future King of Joseon, is not completely insane!

Your Majesty...

How could he?

Call the palace guards.

I want the Crown Prince on his knees before me now!

So are you telling me to get down on my knees before a eunuch?

I wouldn't say this if there where any other way.

Do you think I'm saying that we should apologize because I like the envoy?

I am the future King of Joseon.

I will not forsake my pride and subject myself to such humiliation.

Greatest disgrace to a King is failing to protect his people.

This could push the country into a war.

Are you that afraid of a war?

Your Highness...

You can't find the Crown Prince?

We searched every inch of the entire palace with no avail.

Are you telling me he went out of the palace?

Surely he didn't run away because he's afraid of the King...

Then what is he after?

Could the reckless prince be attempting to move the military?

Prime Minister!

He's got quite a following in the Right Army and the Bureau of Weaponry.

Right?

What brings you to the Academy without notice, Your Highness?

Could you rally the Confucian scholars for me?

Your Highness...?

It's extremely urgent.

Take the Crown Prince back to Ming?

I cannot leave a war-crazy prince who bears ill-will for Ming here in Joseon.

War-crazy? That's absurd.

We know all about his daily cannon practices.

The direction that his cannons are

are aiming is Ming, is it not?

You couldn't be more wrong.

He has involved Japan because Joseon doe's not have enough resources alone.

That's preposterous.

Must I show proof?

Dozens of Japanese ships attacked...

But Joseon was unscathed with less than

one tenth the defense power.

It makes no sense.

How did you get a copy of our official document?

A copy of your official document?

I guess that confirms its accuracy.

Royal Library

What is the meaning of this?

Confiscate every document dated September 3rd and find the original!

Yes, sir!

This confirms Joseon's attempt to join forces with Japan and attack Great Ming.

We will not hesitate to take aggressive military countermeasures.

You are jumping to hasty conclusions.

Your accusation of conspiracy is completely unfounded,

and Joseon has been nothing but respectful to Ming.

Ten thousand warhorses, one hundred thousand soldiers,

and we take the Crown Prince to Ming.

Agree to these terms and we will try out best to trust Joseon again.

We ought to twist the envoys' necks!

Crown Prince is largely responsible for this.

They provoked him.

Yes!

I would've knocked over the envoy's table if the Crown Prince hadn't.

We should just attack Ming and get it over with.

Crown Prince is young and he doesn't know better.

But what's your excuse? You are this country's Minister of Defense!

We can't very well let them take the Crown Prince.

They want 100.000 soldiers.

That's about the size of the entire army.

We might as well go to war for ourselves.

I'm sure my men would rather die

fighting for their own country than die fighting someone else's war.

Stop!

Prime Minister!

I don't want to hear one more word out of you,

or I will have you removed from this building!

It is a learned mans disgrace to overlook injustice,

and a country's disgrace to be submissive to a beastly mob.

Now it is up to us to save this country Joseon!

Crown Prince us planning an uprising with Royal Confucian Academy?

Could he be right?

Why not give it a try instead of cringing in fear

and losing our dignity?

If Ming declares war, everyone will get up and fight to the death.

Who is to say we can't win when our strength has never been tested before?

Your Highness...

Sometimes dignity is more important than life.

And we have a strong justifiable cause as well.

So are you going to join the Confucian scholars now?

Wait, isn't that him?

I don't believe this! He's a Royal prince?

What are you doing?

Please turn the procession back to the Academy.

If you're not going to join us, clear the road.

Please don't do this.

You won't be going to the Hall of Great Peace alone. I'll go with you.

I'll kneel before them for you if you want.

So please send these men back.

Step aside.

Let's quell our anger and think rationally.

You cannot provoke the envoys any more then you already have.

Hall of Great Peace: Guest Hall for Chinese Envoys

If we cower before them, they will try to make us their subject state.

If we go up against them we could lose the country whole.

We may be weak,

but we can change the world if we rise up

in righteous rage.

Do not mistake recklessness with chivalrous spirit.

Well then, we will just have to find out whether this is

recklessness or chivalrous spirit.

I, the Crown Prince of Joseon Yi Jae, hereby give up my right to the Royal throne.

Deprived citizens of Joseon,

I am not your Crown Prince if I must hand over your hard-earned tax dollars

a superior state in the form of ten thousand horses!

If I have to send one hundred thousand of you to fight a Ming's war,

I do not deserve to be your next King.

If you feel violated, if you feel rage, come forward and spit and stone me.

Then I will rise up in rage with you.

I will not give in to any kind of pressure.

I will fight to the end to protect you.

And when I have finally won back your hearts,

I will proudly stand as the Crown Prince of Joseon again.

Now would you clear the path?

We seek Ming's acknowledgement of misconduct for its disdainful acts against

the Royal House of Joseon and withdrawal of unreasonable

demand for military support.

We, the scholars of Royal Confucian Academy, declare firm intent

to maintain the sit-down protest until these requests are fully satisfied.

Get rid of the protesters now!

Disband them at once.

They are refusing to comply...

Send out the guards if you have to.

Just break them up.

I'm afraid I can't, Your Majesty.

We are dealing with the Crown Prince and the scholars of the Academy.

I don't care who they are. They are treasonous if they bring

harm to this country.

Confucian scholars cannot be suppressed

suppressed by force in a country founded on Confucianism.

All Confucian scholars across the country will stand up in rage.

Disband at once, of you will be suppressed by force.

You'll have to withdraw your ridiculous requests first.

- That's right! - Here, here!

Wipe them out!

Now!

Stop!

It's the Joseonese soldiers!

What is the meaning of this?

Please call off the demonstration, Your Highness.

Your lives are being seriously threatened.

I would sooner die than give in to them.

Please forgive me, Your Highness.

Take him!

How dare you! Let go of me!

I said let go!

- Suppress them! - How dare you!

How dare you! Let go of my arms!

Stop! Stop this at once!

Have you no fear for the gods?

Let go! You bastards!

Thank you.

We merely did our duty as citizens of Joseon.

If you need a place to hide for a while, our establishment is nearby.

You're home.

Um...

I tried to make him leave before you got back, but he was so stubborn...

You're back.

Am I being disrespectful? He is a Prince after all.

Hope you understand.

My rear is still sore from the whipping I took the other day.

How did you know I was a Prince?

"Apologize..."

"Apologize to the envoy, and the road to salvation will open up for Joseon!"

Were you at the city square?

Most exciting thing to watch second to a fire is a fight.

I see you've been reading a lot of books,

but which book gave you the ridiculous idea that we should grovel to the envoy?

You mean we should fight him instead?

Didn't you see what happened to the scholars?

I'm trying to tell you that groveling is not going to change the outcome.

It's hopeless, just hopeless...

How can we trust the Royal court to lead the state when you royals are so dense?

How could the Crown Prince attempt to stir up the public

and ruin an affair of the state?

Aren't you ashamed?

Aren't you ashamed, Father?

You've turned your sword on your own people instead of the enemy.

Ming is not our enemy.

If those who patronize Joseon is not our enemy, who is?

How many times have I told you to leave your emotions out of state affairs?

Ming is to be conquered, not to be feared.

Silence!

You must stop fearing the superior state and start trusting your people.

Must I rip the Royal gown off of your back to teach you a lesson?

I will make you a commoner and put you in confinement!

I've never heard such an outrageous remark!

There is not one jail house in Joseon that will house the Crown Prince.

Queen will stay out of this.

Ming looks upon Joseon with disdain because you treat the future King this way.

I punish the Crown Prince to restore order and discipline on this land.

Are you sure it isn't to cover up your mistakes?

My Queen!

You are responsible for this pitiable diplomatic relations we have with Ming.

Why couldn't you put your men to better service?

If you had agents bringing back information from Ming,

you would've already known about their plans and prepared for them in advance.

The we would not be in this predicament now, and the Crown Prince

would not have brought the naive scholars together and risen in rage.

The country is under threat of war because of the Crown Prince!

Then hand him a sword and tell him to go out and fight!

Do you think running a government is some kind of a game?

Such pathetic remarks!

Attendant!

Dress the Crown Prince in commoners clothes and put him

in disciplinary confinement at the Royal shrine.

Your Majesty!

Now!

We cannot do this to the Crown Prince.

If we put him under the yoke of a criminal,

the Royal house will lose all dignity.

He has provoked a diplomatic envoy not once but twice.

They are incensed.

If the King does not punish the Crown Prince first,

the envoys will insist even harder on taking him back to Ming.

You're the only one who can free him from confinement.

Please have a talk with His Majesty.

Is this for your brother or the country?

It's probably both knowing you.

Mother is extremely worried.

I'll pay the King a visit sometime in the next few days.

Your Eminence...

But it's not going to help your brother.

If we agree to surrender the Crown Prince,

we will be able to reduce their demands and stop a war as well.

Send His Majesty to Ming? But what about the future of Joseon?

We have you.

Your Eminence!

If the Crown Prince is sent to Ming, he is not likely to return.

Then you, the second Prince in the line of succession, will become the Heir Apparent.

I'm going to ignore that remark.

Brace yourself and prepare for the future.

Your Eminence...

He who can't control his own temper and pushes his people into the jaws

of death does not deserve to be the Royal throne.

Your Highness, the Crown Prince has been put in confinement.

Is there nothing you can do?

Perhaps you should go to the palace and figure out a way to help him.

We can't challenge them and we can't grovel either...

Your Highness...

I must first find a solution.

That's the only way to help the Crown Prince.

Which hose could it be? They said it was around here somewhere...

Get out! I said get out!

I think it's this house.

Get out! And stay out!

Are you out of your mind?

Quiet down. The neighbors are listening.

All I did was ask for a little money for wine...

Take a good look around this house and ask me again!

We don't even have a decent spoon left to eat with anymore.

So if you want to drink so bad, sell me off for your wine!

Women are such naggers...

What brings you here?

I thought we might have a drink.

You're buying, right?

You'll have to help me figure out this dilemma first.

I think I can manage that.

Wow, that's good!

Is there really a solution anyway?

You should be paying more attention. Then I would be able to con you so easily.

Look.

Which chicken do you think Ming wants to eat?

Japanese chicken or Joseonese chicken?

Or maybe they don't like chicken.

Please stop the jokes. Let's talk about the solution.

We are talking about the solution.

Huh?

Conquest of Japan? That's the card Emperor has laid open.

Then what could be his hidden card?

You mean conquest if Japan may not be what they're after?

Diplomatic relations is a lot like gambling.

You don't play with what you see on the surface.

Then to see their hidden card, we can't be their enemy.

We can't act like their slaves either.

No master gambles with his slave. Why should he when he doesn't need to?

What's mine is mine, and what's my slave's is mine too.

Then... we have to be on the same side?

Now you're catching on!

We cannot tolerate the sovereign and the state that has incarcerated

the Crown Prince for his righteous rising.

We will fight on until our demands are met.

But we've lost a lot of men.

Over half of the scholars were arrested at the Hall of Great Peace.

Are you saying we should give up?

I'm saying we should step back a little observe for a while.

That wouldn't be a good thing.

A learned man fights to the death for what he believes in.

Don't worry. The people are with you and the Crown Prince.

And you will have our support as well.

Is there anything we can do?

We ignorant merchants cannot join your noble cause,

but we do have a team of men that work for us. Perhaps we can help.

Propaganda posters?

I suppose it wouldn't hurt us to help the Crown Prince and the scholars.

Find a way to incite the Bureau of Weaponry as well.

It shouldn't be hard since the Crown Prince has quite a few supporters there.

Right?

Yes, sir.

Let's contact our regional leaders as well.

Let them know that a war is imminent and Joseon will soon be history.

It's been a long time my man.

I can't believe you're alive.

Royal ancestors watched over me.

How cruel is the world?

The glory of yesterday is gone without a trace...

I see that things have changed for you as well.

Your clan was one of the most prominent clan valued by of the Royal court.

But now you're barely surviving out here in the countryside.

The world has changed...

Now we have to change it back.

The Royals of Goryeo are gathering strength. And the public is with us.

Are we talking about... a rebellion?

A resurrection is more accurate since we're taking back the country we lost.

Soon a war will break out between Joseon and Ming.

That's when we plan to seize the Royal house of Joseon.

We have great expectations for you.

You... do?

Daion, was it? You have a daughter named Daion, right?

If we succeed in taking back the country,

she will be the first queen of revived Goguryeo.

Did you say... a queen?

How would you like to be the King's father-in-law?

Pardon me?

I said you should turn them in.

Go home. The others will be here soon.

It's a high treason. If you turn them in, you can become a free man.

Forget this outrageous idea and just go home!

Darn it...

Aren't you angry?

How can you be so calm after what he did to you?

Yes, I'm angry.

I'm so angry, I want to take these swords outside and kill everyone I see.

Are you happy now?

Then why? Why are you hesitating?

Because... he's your father.

No matter how cruel he is to me, he's the man that brought you into this world.

Wait...

I'm all right. So don't keep such hateful thoughts.

It's not like you.

Royal Ancestral Shrine

The night air is cold, Your Highness.

How did you get out here?

The Crown Princess taught me a great trick the other day.

You're taking too big of a risk.

If you're caught here, I can't save you.

If I died doing something for you, there wouldn't be a greater honor.

Please take it. You must take care of yourself.

If you fall, the country will lose hope.

A sit-in?

Go to the Royal Ancestral Shrine.

Not to the palace but the Ancestral Shrine, Mother?

Your support for the Crown Prince will look stronger.

It's not a good idea, Mother.

Not a good idea?

If the Royals defend the Crown Prince as well, the Ming, envoy

will become even more provoked.

The people will be provoked if we fail to protect the Crown Prince.

Who would trust and follow the Royal house that can't protect

its Heir Apparent because they are afraid of a foreign envoy?

We should give it some time and think of a better way.

Why are you so quiet?

Do you agree with Hyoryeong as well?

No, Mother.

Then?

I can't decide what would be the best thing to do just yet...

How can you say something so pathetic?

The Crown Prince is your older brother.

What is there to weigh and measure when it comes to saving your brother?

A princes actions are always distorted, and exploited by politicians no matter

how simple and honest our intentions are.

I'm talking about your moral duty, not politics!

Even if it were politics,

we can't rule a nation let alone pacify the world without peace at home!

Mother...

Don't call me Mother!

If you won't do it, I will.

I will protect the Crown Prince even if it costs me my life!

Crown Princess...

I'd like to do my part.

Please don't turn me away.

Stand aside at once!

I must ask you to leave, Your Highness.

Do you wish to die? I will take your life right here.

What is the meaning of this?

Strike, Your Highness.

You must strike us all to clear the path to the Royal Ancestral Shrine.

Leave us.

I'm afraid they are refusing to back off.

Then tell them to fall forward flat on their faces!

I'm taking enough pressure from the envoys as it is!

You must have so much anxiety over the Crown Prince...

Don't. Don't say anything.

Your Majesty...

I'm tired. I just want to rest...

Tae Yi Seonggae (Founding King of Joseon)

I always wanted to be like you...

A strong sovereign...

No, even stronger sovereign than you were...

Why are you still here at the palace at this late hour?

Mother is quite concerned...

Were you with the Queen.

Yes.

Then I can guess what you are here to talk to me about.

Do you also believe I should release the Crown Prince?

No. Father...

Instead of releasing him and bringing even greater trouble upon ourselves,

send the Crown Prince to Ming.