Original subtitles

You must turn the woman over to us.

Act with cautions, Chief Gang.

There're eyes watching us.

It's the King's order.

You can't execute the King's order in this situation.

Would you clear the area?

Yes, Your Grace.

Regretfully, this woman's whereabouts have become exposed

to dozens of eunuchs and civilians.

If you take her now, the public will believe that

the King is trying to cover up the Crown Princes misconduct.

I will not let you bring such shame on the His Majesty the King.

But Princess...

Do as you're told.

You are a very wise woman.

Let her take the woman back to the Royal manor and return to the palace.

Your Highness...

Don't blow this out of proportion and bring shame on the King!

Why did you call me out after telling me to be extra careful?

If my identity is exposed...

What's the worst that can happen but death?

Wouldn't you rather be killed by the enemy than by one of your own?

I don't understand why you're...

Uncle!

What's your motive?

Why did you hide it when you knew where Chogungjang was?

Don't even try to deny it. I know you better.

You would never miss a target that's right under your nose!

Stop!

What is this reprehensible behavior at a sacred house of Buddha?

But...

Come with me.

Have you taken a liking to him?

N-n-no, sir! Of course not, sir.

I should re-teach you how to hide your feelings as well.

Sir...

It's understandable.

That kid Choongnyeong...

He's likable enough to make me want

to take him under my wings it he weren't the enemy's son.

I can't blame you for having good feelings toward him.

But not again.

Choongnyeong is an enemy that must be eliminated as quickly as possible.

You must not forget that. Do you understand?

Yes, sir.

You must open a public inquiry.

Nonsense.

It's best that we wrap this up quietly.

How will you quell the public sentiment?

Rumors will subside without proof.

The proof has already been turned over to the public.

What are you talking about?

The public and the officials have been made aware of Chogungjang's whereabouts.

If you arrest her and attempt to dispose of her,

public sentiment will become even more heated.

Coldhearted bastard!

Are you manipulating public sentiment to dispose your political enemy?

I have never considered the Crown Prince as my political enemy.

Then why are you trying to destroy him?

I'm calling for a public inquiry, not for the Crown Prince deposal.

If this goes to trial, he will be hanged.

Going to trial is the only way to clear his name. Don't you see?

Clear his name?

That's the only way to breakthrough this political impasse, Father.

Your Highness!

Survival comes first.

Everything else is secondary.

Break through the impasse...

His Majesty the King!

Disband this protest.

Forgive us, Your Majesty.

We cannot leave until a public inquiry is scheduled.

I will grant your request.

Your Majesty...

I will order a public inquiry and order that the truth be exposed within one

hundred days, so go back to your posts and do your jobs.

They're opening a public inquiry after all.

We have to do something.

His Majesty is turning his back on the Crown Prince.

Prime Minister.

I want to protect the Crown Prince.

But you ordered a public inquiry.

We must stop the surge of criticism and clear the Crown Prince's name.

Clear the Crown Prince's name instead of reveal the truth?

I am appointing you magistrate of this inquiry.

I believe you are capable of protecting

the Crown Prince and clearing his name.

Your Majesty, this is...

It is the truth that the public shall know.

Too many people know the real truth to claim that this is what happened.

That's why I need a brilliant man like you.

The Royal Attendant will take care of the Royal staff. Right?

Of course.

The public might buy this, but the officials will not.

All you need to do is to make the public believe it.

I'm holding another card that will quiet the officials.

You're going to like what I have in store.

I had no idea His Majesty will pull a clever scheme like this.

It's Prince Choongnyeong's clever scheme to be exact.

You're not going to defy him, are you?

I am just as loyal to the King and the Crown Prince as you are.

False testimony?

You want me to perjure myself at the public inquiry?

That's the only way to protect you from being killed.

I'm sorry.

I don't have the power to protect you alone.

No.

No, Your Highness.

You've already done more than enough for me.

You've gone through such pains to protect this unworthy woman's life...

That's more then I could ever pay back...

Don't thank me. Get angry.

Your Highness...

What my wife and I have done is no favor.

We've only done what anyone would and should do in this situation. That is all.

If there's anything you should remember from this it's rage, not gratefulness.

Get angry and don't ever forgive.

You must never forget what pain and cruelty this country,

this Royal house, has inflicted on you.

And I will never forget it either.

Sit back down, Your Highness.

I will not allow this ridiculous charade.

You're going to have to dance in it if need be.

Sit back down if you don't want her killed.

If the truth comes out and you are deposed, do you think that the woman would survive?

Death is the only end for a woman who has caused a Crown Prince to fall.

Minister.

You must learn to close the eyes to an unavoidable sacrifice.

I am a human being.

If I let that girl bear all the blame alone and didn't even apologize,

I wouldn't be human.

Don't.

Minister.

That's not going to change anything except make you feel better.

I don't want you to feel better about this.

I want you to make this harder on yourself.

Punish yourself everyday for the rest of your life for what you've done to this woman.

And you must work hard and

do everything you can to ensure that no one is ever sacrificed like this again.

That's a true apology.

Your Grace...

I have a small request...

I was hoping you'd ask me for something, anything.

Would you lend me a nice dress to wear?

We women are so funny...

I know I was nothing more than a play toy to him,

but still I don't want him to see me like this...

Now there's a courtesan if I've ever seen one.

It's no wonder the Crown Prince couldn't resist.

But still, how could she dress like that coming to her own inquiry?

Begin.

Is your name Chogungjang?

Yes.

You met the Crown Prince...

... at the archery contest and decided to seduce him.

Is that correct?

Yes...

You could not approach him as the former King's concubine,

so you slipped out of the palace every night to the guild school

and waited to be noticed by the Crown Prince. Is that correct?

Yes.

Let me stop here and clarify.

His Highness did not know that you are the former King's concubine.

Is that correct?

That is correct. But he was quite attracted to me as well.

Isn't that right, Your Highness?

The defendant will only answer the questions asked!

Where is this going?

You became afraid that the former King might

find out about your affair with the Crown Prince.

So you used dead your mother as an excuse and asked that you be

sent back home to take care of your ailing mother. Is that correct?

Yes.

But much to your disappointment,

His Highness ended the affair and refused to see you.

Angry and embittered,

you sought to destroy the Crown Prince by exposing the affair.

Isn't that correct?

Yes.

As you've heard,

the Crown Prince was a victim of this woman's guileful ploy from start to finish.

So I ask that...

I will hear from the Crown Prince.

Is the testimony we have heard true and accurate?

Were you unaware that the woman was your uncle's concubine?

It is the truth, Father.

I did not know the defendant's identity.

The defendant is hereby sentenced to banishment.

And for having

improper relations with a woman outside of the palace,

the Crown Prince is hereby ordered temporary restraint on all political

activities including the Great Hunting Ceremony project.

This is a farce!

My man!

What is this? A joke?

Escort the Prince back to the East Palace immediately.

Yes, sir.

How could you just get up and leave?

You can't allow the junior officials to create this commotion.

As the Crown Prince's brother, it is your duty to stop their unruly behavior.

Forgive me.

I am so very concerned.

For how long can we hide the truth about the Crown Prince

with the officials kicking up such a fuss?

Hide the truth?

You don't have to try to hide it from me.

I serve the King over six months out of the year.

He tells me everything.

The Crown Prince didn't know anything?

He's a naive bookworm

manipulated by a temptress?

Do you expect us to believe that?

This inquiry is closed.

This stinks. This really stinks!

I'm completely repulsed by this put-on!

You put on this act to save the Crown Prince's reputation and dump

this whole thing on that poor woman!

This is not what we opened this inquiry for.

We didn't sit out there and poured out hearts out for this circus!

The inquiry is over. So get back to work!

No, this is not over!

- That's right! - We want the truth!

Your Highness! Prince Choongnyeong!

You know the truth.

You were protecting Chogungjang in your villa.

This inquiry is over.

What? Are you the Prince Choongnyeong that I know?

Your Highness.

I'm proud of you.

You should be proud of the Crown Prince instead of me.

My lady...

I'm such a fool.

He was a coward not worth getting dressed up to say goodbye for...

There are people listening...

In spite of it all...

I still hoped he would have the courage of an ordinary man.

That's why I said I would stand trial without resisting.

I thought he'd muster up the courage to tell the truth despite outside pressures.

But I guess I was expecting too much...

Put the Crown Prince in the palm of my hands?

Thee months.

Make it one month.

We're talking about winning a man's heart, not acquiring goods for resale.

We've got to get this done before commotion settles in Royal court.

Why don't you slow it down a notch?

What do you mean?

The baron has become anxious after the Hall of Peace incident.

Isn't it your job as his adviser to bring him back to focus?

You used to shake and shiver every time you got an assignment

and not you're trying to lecture me?

I've never once failed, and success builds confidence I guess.

Don't slip up.

You can do it yourself if you don't trust me.

Now we must find a way to suppress the angry junior officials.

We don't have to worry about that since we have you.

If it weren't for you,

His Majesty wouldn't even have considered opening the public inquiry.

That's a lot of land you've acquired across entire Gyeongsang Province.

What were you going to do? Build your own kingdom?

Does His Majesty know about this?

He's the one that told me about this including the fact that you

helped yourself to 4.000 slaves and put them to work on your fiefs.

What is His Majesty's intent?

He wants your graceful retirement.

Graceful retirement?

He will reduce your crime to embezzlement of five hundred slaves,

so he want you to come forward voluntarily and retire gracefully.

No.

You mustn't reject His Majesty's generosity.

You should be charged with high treason for the crime you committed.

How dare you call me a criminal!

I can have you hanged!

Don't waste your strength. Your days are over!

Audacious punk!

Do you know who I am? I am the King's political mentor!

I gave the King his crown.

I am the one that made Yi Bangwon the third King of Joseon!

Minister...

Remember. I am Ha Ryun.

Five hundred slaves? I'm not going down for that kind of petty crime.

The King set a trap for me?

I didn't think you'd have the guts to request a one on one.

You still have a lesson to learn in politics, so as your mentor I must teach you.

You've lost your qualification to be my mentor.

Then strike down with your sword all the way.

Expose my malfeasance to every detail. No, you should exaggerate them.

Ha Ryun has acquired land not only in Gyeongsang

but across all three lower provinces.

Tens of thousands of slaves that disappeared were all found on his land.

He might be the one that exposed Crown Prince's affair

to create a diversion and hide his own crime.

Enough!

You need at least as much to break through this bleak political impasse

where the Crown Prince's faculty is being questioned and the junior officials and

the people are uniting in once voice to criticize the Royal house.

I will order Minister Park to expose every last detail of my malfeasance to the

to the Board of Censors and all for an impeachment.

This will be my final command

as the Prime Minister of Joseon, so I beg you not to stop me.

Why did you do it?

Why would a faithful servant like you commit such grave malfeasance?

I must've thought that I deserved

a little something in return for giving you the throne.

Never let your guard down. Do not trust anyone.

If you do, you will find yourself dealing with another minister like me

who tries to abuse what little power he has been given.

I would have chosen to retire gracefully.

That's why I always say you're no match for me.

Once the hunting dog has depleted his use, he gets eaten as well.

Impeachment of Prime Minister Ha Ryun...

It's such a huge malfeasance that

both the Board of Censors and the Board of Inspectors are in frenzy.

Some even say that Ha Ryun is

the one that exposed Crown Prince's affair to cover up his own malfeasance.

Prince Choongnyeong opens an inquiry to break through the political impasse

and the King lays a trap to deal with the repercussion...

Like father like son.

They're quite a pair. Aren't they?

Now the Crown Prince scandal will be old news.

Let's hurry to the main hall.

His Majesty is going to announce a new decree to revive the royal court.

As we have witnessed through recent events,

the Royal court has become a cradle of

corruption due to balance of power shifting excessively toward the State Council.

So in a drastic measure to reduce the soaring influence of the State Council,

I am boldly removing the currently imposed State Council Ascendancy

system and Installing a direct reporting system for the Six Ministries.

A direct reporting system...

I guess this mean you're the real leader of the royal court now, Minister Park.

Nonsense.

Each leader of the Six Ministries has equal authority and responsibility to lead

the state in the direct reporting structure.

Is it Park Eun's world now?

What does His Majesty want?

He went to great lengths to protect the Crown Prince

then clipped the wings of his strongest backer to give

greatest authority to Prince Choongnyeong's man.

We're going to be very busy for a while.

We need to start working on a reform to renew the government right away.

I think you can take it easy.

Congratulations on your promotion.

Promotion? What do you mean?

His Majesty has promoted you to Left State Councilor.

Left State Councilor?

Is he telling me to take the back seat like a helpless old man?

What's the reason?

You went as far as to employ merchant thugs and engage in

political mudslinging to undermine the Crown Prince.

I presume it is to guard against your such actions.

You should've realized how firm the King is about eldest succession.

Why and how does the King know such great details of my actions?

I would think you'd know that by now...

I thought... you were my most faithful subordinate. Was I wrong?

Shouldn't I be the King's most faithful subordinate?

Well then, I must return to work.

I have been used...!

Remember.

Neither the throne nor this state Joseon belong to me.

If you ignore the due process and rule alone,

history will remember you as a tyrant.

A repressive King cannot win his retainers' trust,

and a King is not a King without his royal retainers' trust.

Your Majesty...

In retrospect, I was the most disrespectful servant a King can have.

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 his shoulders.

- Buy me. - Get away!

Do you want to buy me? You can have me for five yangs.

Let go of me! I wouldn't buy you for one yang!

Make way! Make way for the Prince!

You look like someone important.

Why don't you buy me?

Who do you think you're talking to? Get out of here!

Let's go.

I'm not going anywhere until he says he is buying me.

Buy me!

What in the world!

Buy me!

Put down the palanquin.

Your Highness.

Now.

Put it down.

How much are you going to sell yourself for?

Five yangs. That's all.

How old are you?

Why do you want to know that for?

Do you want me nor not?

Take that and go home.

And don't do this again.

Take it back.

Take it back. I'm not a panhandler.

What's worse than panhandling is prostitution.

Why?

Why are you selling your body?

My mother...

My mother is sick.

I need money for her treatment.

I don't need your nickels and dimes. I need lots of money!

That's what the physician said.

"Sell your body if you have to but bring me the money."

He said he couldn't treat her until I pay him whether she lives or dies!

Mother...

Your Highness!

What are you doing? Put me down!

You want to sell yourself, so I'm buying you.

Your Highness! Your Highness!