Original subtitles

Have we found a way to become friends with Envoy Huang Yan?

Dead men tell no tales...

Stop!

Give me that.

What are you doing?

You know exactly what I'm doing.

What?

Bring it in.

Crepes?

Cinnamon punch will overpower the delicate flavor of the crepes.

It pairs best with warm water.

What's wrong?

I don't have the craving for them anymore.

Who told you to bring in an unscheduled snack?

I saved your life, lady.

What kind of nonsense are you trying to tell me now?

Why don't you have a taste?

Drink it and tell me if this nonsense.

Look.

Drink it.

You'll find an angel of death waiting for you in the kitchen.

You reap what you sow, and you get punished when you commit a crime.

What do you use your nose for?

How could you not notice this sour smell and serve spoiled punch to the envoy?

But it can't be...

The proof is right here!

Forgive me, sir...

Pack up and go back to the palace immediately!

Please, sir, I won't make this kind of mistake again.

I can't let a bungling woman like you serve the envoy!

What's going on here?

It doesn't smell sour.

Stop!

Oh, this is so frustrating.

Can't you let me in on this?

Children don't need to know. Ignorance is bliss.

You're famous for being cautious and composed,

but this is the third dish you broke today. Is there something wrong?

What's wrong with her?

I don't know.

She's been acting strange since she was called in to the Queen's Hall this morning.

The Queen's Hall?

Send the Royal Attendant to the Hall of Great Peace immediately?

He wants the buckwheat crepes we got for him right now, too.

Vinegar...

That's one potential problem eliminated, but...

Potential problem?

You, you should be careful, too.

Me? Why?

You slipped up back there and exposed that you speak Chinese.

They might be more wary of you now.

I hope this is over soon... I can't handle the suspense and anxiety.

I used to have nerves of steal, but this is too much, even for me...

How could you fail?

I think the new chef was tipped off.

Are you sure you didn't leave a clue?

Of course not.

Where could the information have leaked?

The biggest problem is that the Royal Attendant got involved.

This means His Majesty knows about this as well.

The palace wouldn't be so quiet if he did.

There is someone else behind this...

Someone powerful enough

to move the Royal Attendant without the King knowing about it.

Your Highness...!

What could this person be after?

Why did this person choose to avoid me when he can expose me?

Why won't you go to the King with this?

That will put my mother in a terrible predicament.

The country would be on a path to ruin had she succeeded.

But she didn't succeed.

She will try again if this is overlooked.

We can't keep guarding the gate waiting for the thief to break in.

We got Escort Han out of the Hall of Great Peace.

We got rid of her instrument, so...

The first time is hard, but the second time is easy.

You know better than I do how capable the Queen is.

Stop. Please stop, master.

You must think with your head and not with your heart.

How many more times must I tell you?

You're the one that taught me that people are more important.

Remember?

Your Highness...

I will not report this to the King.

I don't want my mother getting hurt.

What did I tell you?

We should've gotten rid of that Choongnyeong a long time ago.

What are you trying to accomplish bring up the past?

I'm just angry.

How many times has he intervened and ruined our plans?

Stop. That's enough.

Shouldn't we alert the revolutionary army?

The mission has failed while the public rage has drastically subsided.

Now is not the right time to strike.

We must turn the troops around.

We cannot turn the troops around without having gained anything.

But...

The result could be worse than not having attempted this uprising at all.

Find a way to break through this dilemma.

Did you just say that we cant win?

That's right.

You must have a death wish.

I wouldn't be here if I were looking for a place to rest my bones.

Then why are you provoking me with damning words?

I'm saying that there is no way you can win with these pathetic weapons.

The Royal army is umpteen times larger than the revolutionary army.

You do not fight with weapons and headcount alone.

Fighting spirit and strategy is also...

I'm an ignorant slave that doesn't know a lot,

but I do know that it's a disadvantage to be outnumbered.

Are you that afraid of death?

You're just as afraid as I am.

You're trying to erect a new state to make this world a better place. Aren't you?

Don't you want to be alive to enjoy it?

Do you have a better idea?

What can you do for us?

I can make gunpowder.

He's a smart kid.

He is talented...

If we equip ourselves with

powerful new weapons, our chances of success will double.

Yes.

That kid Jang Youngsil, he wants to make a deal with me for the bombs.

Come back to me safely.

I'll never forgive you if you don't.

And...

I'm shameless for asking you to do this, but...

I know he was cruel to you, but...

... please look after my father.

Are you still having pipe dreams about my daughter?

Forgive me, sir.

Let's put your talent to work and win the fight first.

Sir!

Then we'll talk.

Send the Crown Prince as a hostage. You must make a bold decision.

You are jealous of the Crown Prince.

Why else would you have him sent away?

What brings you out here at this early hour?

The air is cold, Your Majesty.

Has It been about thirty years?

Since the day you called me a predestined King that is.

Your Majesty...

Much of this is your fault.

You should never have said that about me.

You shouldn't have encouraged me even if I did covet the throne.

I should never have been brought to the throne...

Your Majesty...

Then I would have been a better father than I am now.

You were our only hope then.

And you still are.

I still believe you are the only man

capable of carrying the fate of Joseon on your shoulders.

Send the chief of the Palace Guard to the Royal Shrine.

I'm releasing the Crown Prince.

Your Majesty...!

How may I serve you, Your Highness?

I summoned you to give you a word of praise.

His Majesty is unaware of Escort Han's error the other day,

so you need not fear, Your Highness.

Oh my...

You are good.

You've become quite a politician.

You're aiding a man who is trying to steal the throne,

but you won't lose favor with me just in case he fails.

You're taking a huge risk and yet covering your back.

I think I should be taking notes.

Your Highness, you couldn't be more wrong.

Tell me the truth before I cut off that tongue!

Your Highness...

Who is trying to send the Crown Prince away and steal the throne?

It isn't like that, Your Highness. The Royal Prince is simply trying to...

What did you just say?

Did you say Royal Prince?

Do you still think I'm making a mistake?

Jae.

Pride and honor is everything to a King, Father.

It is to me as well.

Would you believe me if I said I want to protect my pride more than my life?

Didn't you call me here to give me an order?

Give in to me just this once.

You can't muster up the courage to go up against Ming after all?

I can't gamble away the nation on a fight we can't win.

You can hate me. But...

No.

I don't hate you.

I'll give in.

I'll give in for you.

I'll go to Ming as a hostage.

Jae...

But I'm not giving in to you, Father.

I'm doing this for my weak and powerless homeland

that I would've died to strengthen and protect.

I'm giving in for my beloved homeland Joseon.

You look busy.

There's a look of excitement showing through as well.

But of course...

How could you not be excited when you're dreaming of rising to the throne?

Mother...?

Does power and authority mean that much to you?

Do you think you can have the crown if you send your own

brother away to Ming and throw him into death?

No, Mother, you got this all wrong.

Then why did you advise the King to send him away?

And why did you interfere with what I was trying to do?

You're not my son anymore.

No, you were never my son to begin with.

Mother...!

My son would never hurt his own brother out of greed for power.

Did you wish to see me, Your Highness?

I wanted to thank you.

They told me it was you.

You protected the Confucian scholars who mean so much to me.

Protect them? No.

I held them back by force like everyone else...

They may not have survived that night if it weren't for you.

Your Highness...

It's a pity.

Had I stayed in Joseon and became the next King,

I could've had a benevolent retainer like you serving me...

And we could've built a strong nation together with the Confucian scholars.

They were my brothers and my friends before they were my future servants.

Please look after them in my absence, Minister Hwang.

Your Highness...

Are you here to celebrate now that you got your wish?

I knew you wouldn't be interested in hearing the truth, but I had to come.

It was a bad idea.

What now? What do we do about the next Crown Prince?

Prince Hyoryeong is next in the line of succession, but...

We must first examine his competency.

It's a cold, cold world. The order has

just been issued and you're already talking about the replacement.

It's not too late.

I'll march into the audience hall and speak to the King.

I'll tell him that we should protect the Crown Prince and go to war.

Restrain yourself, Minister Yi.

Prime Minister?

What should we do?

The King's will is what matters most.

The King...

may be considering Prince Kyoungnyeong.

After all,

Kyoungnyeong best resembles the King second to Prince Yangnyeong.

What is the meaning of this?

The nation is in a crisis, and we might have to sacrifice our Crown Prince.

And instead of trying to figure out

a solution you're wasting time talking about who is going to replace him.

Wasting time?

I didn't expect this from you, Prime Minister.

Return to your office and work on the agreement.

Don't you think you should stop this discussion first?

The seat of the Crown Prince cannot be left unoccupied for too long.

Prime Minister.

Then we will have another political crisis in our hands.

I don't know about things like that and I don't want to know.

Of course not.

You're the Minister of Rites, not the Prime Minister of Joseon.

Your Highness...

Did you come here to tell me to stop?

Are you going to say that you're disgusted by my attempts to steal

my brother's authority and demand that I stop?

Would you blame me if I did?

I'm a fool.

A worthless fool that can't even earn his own wife's trust.

I don't distrust you, I am worried for your safety.

No woman would want to see her husband hurt.

It's natural to worry about the kids and the future.

But the people may see it differently.

If I were an ordinary citizen instead of your wife, I would be scolding you.

I would say that you are supposed to overcome these petty temptations

to give up if you really want to do great things.

Wife...

I don't know about the others. but I know what's in your heart.

I know that there is not an ounce of

personal interest in every little thing you do from start to finish...

and that the safe s and welfare of the people is your only motivation.

Don't give in. Go forward.

The fact that you have so many people fighting

you may be proof that you are doing the right thing.

Why didn't you say anything when you came in?

It makes me feel so proud watching you immersed in your studies.

I wanted to enjoy it a while longer.

Mother...

You're such a bright and gifted child,

and you deserve so much more than I could ever give you...

Heaven is so unkind...

I am the one who has been unkind, Mother.

You've always been forced to live in a shadow,

but instead of trying to ease your pain, I was full of resentment for you.

My hope is that I will be able to comfort you and bring you joy someday.

To what do I owe the pleasure of this surprise visit at this late hour?

We thought you might offer us a drink.

May we please sit down?

Oh dear, where are my manners?

Please do sit down.

You should start preparing for the future.

Prepare for the future? What do you mean?

Oh dear...

I knew he is intelligent, but I see that he's tactful and cautious as well.

Don't you think?

Who are you referring to?

Prince Choongnyeong, Minister Shim.

Of all of the Royal princes, Prince Choongnyeong is the one that is

conducting himself in the most princely manner in this troublous time.

We believe he is better qualified than anyone else to be the Crown Prince.

Please be careful, Minister Park. If anyone overhears you...

It is none other than His Majesty the King who has the strongest

conviction that Prince Choongnyeong is the one.

Is this really true?

At the rate that things are going, that day might come sooner than you think.

Now you are more than just Prince Choongnyeong's father-in-law.

You have to be his political mentor as well.

Refine and polish his political skills and groom him to be the next Crown Prince.

If you need us, we will help as well.

- Won't we? - Of course.

Your Highness, we have arrived.

What brings you here at this late hour, Your Grace?

I'm seeking my son's mentor. This is the least amount of effort I can show.

Mentor?

Don't you think that's too much to ask from a man of the sword?

I know your hidden literary ability better than anyone.

Please return to the palace.

He is a bright child.

If he were not born of a lowly mother like me, he is perfect for the throne.

Kyoungnyeong has inherited all of the King's majestic qualities.

You know that as well as I.

The Crown Prince's days are over. Is that it?

So I should get on a different horse. Is that what you're here to tell me?

I am here to ask you to be my son's mentor.

What would I have to gain by becoming Prince Kyoungnyeong's mentor?

What could you give me in return?

Your Grace, you mustn't...!

There is nothing I can give you right now.

All I can do is...

to show you the tears of a mother who is terrified about her child's future.

Mapo Ferry Dock

The revolutionary armies of Cheolla, Choongchung and Gyeongsang

have safely entered the city.

At eleven o'clock tonight, we will strike the Hall of Great Peace.

Key to a raid is speed and the element of surprise.

We must kill the envoy and wipe out the Ming guards and get out within one hour.

Not one injured revolutionary soldier must be left behind,

but if any one of your men are injured in the battle and captured,

instruct them to commit suicide to protect our identity.

You wish to be the advance guard?

The Royal guards lack combat experience.

My men are the strongest and most qualified with plenty of

combat experience against the Japanese invaders.

Above all, we have Youngsil's new powerful weapon.

It's very reassuring.

I'm glad we have you with us.

Is the new world really upon us...?

Stop!

What is your business?

We've been ordered to increase security around the Hall of Great Peace.

If such orders were issued, we would know about it.

Clear the path. This is an urgent matter!

Our orders are not to let anyone

approach the Hall of Great Peace after nine o clock, General.

Clear the path immediately!

Will you assume responsibility if the Hall of Great Peace is captured by malicious forces?

Hall of Great Peace

The first platoon and the artillery troops will take the flanks first

and Donglae Company will strike from the front gate.

Fire!

Suppress them!

What happened?

There must've been a leak in the information.

We don't have a choice. We'll just have to break through the gate.

What are you waiting for? Command your troops to attack.

I'm afraid I can't do that.

What is the meaning of this?

This is the rebel leader, sir.

- Arrest him. - Yes, sir!

Now it's your turn, Youngsil.

Get him!

What is the commotion?

There was a minor disturbance, but the envoy may not be pleased.

I am the Imperial Envoy of Great Ming!

How dare you attempt to take my life!

Do you think Joseon can get away with killing me?