Original subtitles

Is it true that the Min clan employed you to kill Kyoungnyeong?

No, Your Majesty...

The person that gave me the order...

The person that gave me the order...

... was the Queen.

You are laughing?

How can you laugh?

Would you rather

I begged for mercy in tears?

Why did you do it?

Why did you try to murder Kyoungnyeong and his mother?

I don't know. Why do you think?

If it were now...

If I had known you back than for the heartless man you are...

how you can betray someone's

trust a hundred different times without blinking an eye,

I would not have done something so stupid.

But I was much too young.

So I believed you when you said you would be faithful to me

for eternity because I am your wife and your only partner.

My rage was as deep as my trust for you.

You threw away everything we had so you can have my servant girl,

and I could not handle the rage!

That does not make everyone turn to murder.

- Do you expect... - My only regret is...

that I didn't succeed.

Do you think you can be forgiven?

I don't intend to seek your forgiveness.

You must've been quite angry about getting thrown out of the palace.

Is this revenge?

You should've chosen a different method.

Is this your best shot? Hiding behind your mother's skirt?

Watch your words, Crown Prince.

I'm talking to Kyoungnyeong.

What are you trying to accomplish by digging up

what happened over a decade ago?

Crime is a crime whether it's decades or centuries old.

So? What are you after?

I was merely after the truth.

Are you sure you weren't trying to destroy my supporters?

You should've challenged me directly instead.

You'd never win, but I would've praised you for the courage.

How could a powerless man like me possibly challenge you, Your Highness?

Cocky bastard.

I don't want to fight you, but I am getting curious.

Failing to protect those closest to him is a sovereign's greatest dishonor.

I'll pay close attention and watch how you defend your honor in the days ahead.

You should pay more attention to keeping your head attached to your neck.

You're messing with the wrong man. You are no match for me.

Perhaps you were a bit bold with the Crown Prince.

A bit bold? I was very bold.

What if he gets through this unscathed and ascends to the throne?

I fueled his rage so he will not get through this unscathed.

Just watch, Mother. I'm just getting started with this fight.

Find out where they are holding my uncles.

Yes, Your Highness.

I must see the Crown Prince!

The prisoner will remain quiet.

How dare you speak to me in that tone!

Don't you know who I am?

Let it go, my lord.

He is just a junior official who does not know better.

Open it.

What?

Open up the cell and release Lord Min.

I received no such order.

What are you starring at!

I said open up the cell!

Yes, sir...

My regrets for the trouble, sire. I will take you from here.

You can't do this.

It's a special order from the Crown Prince.

So if you have a problem, go take it up with him.

Crown Prince released Min Muhyul?

Without interrogation?

That's right.

Is that why you called us back to the palace at this hour?

My superiors and the Department of Punishment won't do anything.

What do you want them to do?

Stop the Crown Prince.

He was arrested by the Kings command, right?

Then the only one that can put him back in a cell is the King.

So don't waste your energy.

Then what is our purpose here?

What's the point of us being here if we can't even stand up to a prince

who is trashing the law?

I'm here to earn my drinking money.

You, too, should find a reason you can live with.

You wish to return to your cell?

I didn't ask to see you so we could be released.

I asked to see you to make a request concerning the Queen.

Uncle!

Renounce me and protect the Queen.

Tell the King that

our excessive loyalty is the cause of all this and the Queen is innocent.

I will go back to the cell as well.

Let us take the fall for attempted murder on Kyoungnyeong.

But why?

This is the last service we can do for you.

If the Queen is indicted, she will be deposed,

and if she is deposed, you will lose your legitimacy.

Even if you safely rise to the throne, the stigma of being a son of the

deposed queen will follow you for life constantly threatening your position.

You must renounce us and protect yourself.

Would you take us back?

Wait.

I thought I told you.

I will never turn my back on those who swore loyalty to me.

And I said I would keep that promise at the cost of my own life.

But Your Highness...

Believe in me, Uncle.

I will not lose you to Kyoungnyeong and Hobin's dirty games.

Your Highness...

He released the prisoners that were arrested under royal command?

It is regretful, Your Majesty...

Why is that regretful?

They were released because they should be released.

They're criminals of high treason who tried o murder members of the royal house.

Then I suppose you must depose the Queen and execute my uncles, Father.

I will decide what to do with them. So don't fight me on this.

If I intended to fight you,

I would've already killed Hyobin and Kyoungnyeong with my own sword.

What did you say?

Your Highness, perhaps we can return another day...

Would you give Hyobin a warning for me?

Tell her she shouldn't play games with me just because she's got your heart

in her skirt, and tell her to keep her hands off the Queen and my loyal men.

Or I will have no choice but to unsheathe my sword.

Your Majesty...

His Majesty's rage against the Crown Prince will pierce the sky?

It appeared so.

Very well. You may go now.

The King just might renounce the Crown Prince at this rate...

What would happen to you if that happens?

What... do you mean?

We all know that you've been staying close to the Min clan

and lining yourself up with the Crown Prince to secure your future.

Lining up? I'm just...

Cut off whatever ties you can.

Or your future could be gravely threatened.

What is the meaning of this?

Go back and apologize to the King,

and stay out of the Queen and the Min clan's business.

You really should stop lecturing me and ordering me around.

Your Highness...

I am your master.

It's not your place to tell me what to do.

If you're going to the conference hall to discuss this with the others

be sure to tell them this;

Anyone that attempts to hurt the Queen and my uncles will get hurt as well.

The Crown Prince is rushing about trying to protect me and his uncles?

So don't worry, Mother.

How could I pay my good son back for his devotion?

Is the Crown Prince in his right mind?

How could he defend the Queen and his uncles after the crime they committed?

They tried to kill a royal descendant.

It's a crime punishable only by deposal.

Deposal?

Depose the Queen over a matter that concerns an illegitimate prince?

Prince Kyoungnyeong may have been born of Royal Concubine Hyobin,

but he is the Queen's son.

So this is a crime of all crimes in which a mother has tried to kill her own son.

If this was not the Royal House,

she would be executed by the adapted Laws of the Great Ming.

So it is only fitting that the Queen be deposed.

Watch your tongue.

If the Queen is deposed, the Crown Prince's right

to the throne will be seriously questioned.

He will lose his legitimacy regardless of

the Queen's crimes if his reckless behavior continues.

Minister Yu!

Bloodline is not the only thing that determines a king's legitimacy.

He who attempts to undermine the dignity of the law to protect

the people closest to him is not fit to be a king.

You were polishing your sword.

It's very well polished...

I have one request to make.

Would you...

strike me with this sword?

Mother!

Strike the mother that failed to teach his son well.

What do you mean?

If you can't strike me, don't fight the King on this matter.

But the King will desert you.

No, I am deserting the King and this seat of the Queen.

So do nothing for me.

- But... - I know.

I know how much you care about me.

And your loving kindness will be treasured inside my heart.

Mother...

So don't forget what I said.

You must not fall out of King's favor

or lose the retainer's trust over petty emotions.

You must take care of yourself and wait for your time.

And when you rise to the throne and become the King,

share the love and kindness you're showing me today with your people.

Would you do that for me?

Promise me that

you will give me the joy of watching you become a benevolent King.

There must've been good days...

I'm sure not everyday of my life

in the palace has been filled with anxiety and disgust...

After all, I'm talking about over ten years of time.

Why can't I remember?

Why can't I remember one good day that I freely laughed out loud?

Your Highness...

Yi Sun.

Yes, Your Grace.

Have the tailors send over a commoner's dress.

Your Highness...

Is there no other way?

It is the only way to protect the Crown Prince and my brothers.

Your Highness...

My elderly mother back home

has already lost two sons in the name of high treason.

I can't let death take anymore of her children from her.

I will not be able to live with myself if I do.

What Is the meaning of this?

I didn't expect you to see me off personally.

Go back to your chambers.

I do not wish to lose you.

Let us forego empty formalities. I know you don't mean that.

As a man, as a husband, I don't want you here for another day.

But not as the King of Joseon.

If you fall, the Crown Prince's future will be jeopardized.

nd the future of Joseon will be jeopardized as well.

So go back to your chambers and put your silk dress back on.

And act like a Queen with your fake smile as you always have.

What are you going to do?

If you don't cast me off, then...

What I do next is not your concern.

No, you can't do that.

Leave my brothers alone!

If you defend your brothers any further, the Crown Prince will lose his position.

Is that what you want?

Take the queen back to her chambers!

Forgive me, Your Grace...

Let go!

Let go of me!

Let go!

Let go of me!

Let go! Let go!

- Your Majesty. - Leave.

I will not listen to your grumbling today.

Grumbling?

Are you calling my request to punish the person that tried to kill my son grumbling?

She will be pay for what she's done.

How when she's sitting comfortably in the Queen's palace?

Then will you pay instead?

Your Majesty...

How about for defaming the Queen to promote

your own son's future and putting the Crown Prince in a predicament?

You are so cruel...

Leave before I say something worse.

Since the day I gave my heart to you, I gave the Queen no attention.

I never gave my heart to her again, not once.

I am leaving the Queen alone as last courtesy to a woman

who gave birth to the Crown Prince.

Your Majesty...

Stay away from her.

You shake the very root of this country Joseon when you shake the Queen.

Then I will have no choice but to forsake you as well.

You are important to me, but not as important as Joseon.

I just hope you are not the one that spurred your mother.

You are my son. I want you as my son for a lifetime.

But Father, being your son is not such a wonderful thing...

Can we silence the deposal talk?

It's not an easy task, Your Majesty.

I wouldn't have called you if I thought it would be easy.

I'm rather ashamed.

I always call you for the most difficult tasks and never give you fitting reward.

But you're just going to have to be big about this.

No, Your Majesty. It is my honor...

I trust you understand and share my strong belief that the eldest

son must succeed to the throne.

I am counting on you.

Did you wish to see me?

Sit down.

The air is a bit chilly in here.

It could get colder depending on your response.

You don't have to get nervous. I called you to give you a chance.

Where is the land that Min Muhwe and Min Muhyul have acquired illicitly?

How could I possibly know...

I could find out on my own if you don't wish to tell me.

But I will locate the land in your secret holding as well.

This is your last chance, Minister Yi.

Do you wish to be a villainous subject that manipulated

the Crown Prince for personal gain, or will you remain a merit subject?

I've been waiting for you.

Release the uncles.

Sit down.

You can't do this to them for trying to hurt Kyoungnyeong.

That is not all of their crimes.

Show him.

Please sit down.

Min Muhyul and his brother have acquired thousands of acres of

land across the lower three states illicitly in the past few years.

And to legalize their massive possession,

they manipulated you into abolishing the land possession restriction policy.

I don't believe it.

You must believe it.

They were hiding a huge private army there as well.

A private army?

They were trying to expand their influence with their land

as the foundation so they can control you more easily.

It's shocking.

I myself did not know about their ulterior motive until very recently.

Now do you understand?

This is the truth about the men you were trying so hard to protect.

Your uncles were not trying to serve you.

They were using you to expand their power so they can take this

country from under you.

No, you're wrong.

Do not be quick to share your power with others.

You mustn't grant concessions and privileges in haste either.

If you do, others will rise who attempt to take this country from you as well.

Uncle!

This is too dangerous for a Crown Prince.

I am your servant before I am your uncle.

If you need my loyalty, I will be there without fail.

Uncle...!

It's a token of our loyalty. Please do not refuse, Your Highness.

You must renounce us and protect yourself.

What are you starring at?

You shouldn't have come.

This is not the time I can...

This is the time. This is the time when you need me most.

The happy Crown Prince is not mine to have...

so let me be the one you turn to when you're in sorrow and despair.

Your Highness...

Just let me hold you for a while.

Don't say anything. Just let me hold you.

I had a dream.

It was a dream layered with rage after rage.

I didn't want to be a king of a weak and subservient state.

I wanted to turn this country that my father and grandfather founded

into a strong, powerful state that no one can take lightly.

And my uncles are the ones that encouraged me and gave me support.

But the world says they were using me.

That truth...

and sincerity does not exist in the palace and politics...

I wish you hadn't been born a prince.

Do I look incompetent?

Palace doesn't agree with you.

If I were born an ordinary man instead of a prince,

at least I would not be such a bastard to you.

Don't you think?

Perhaps...

Perhaps then I would be wiping your tears away with my heart wide open...

Your Highness! Your Highness!

There's big trouble!

Why are you coming to me with this?

You have to intervene or Gyeongsung Province might be lost all together!

Clear these cannons immediately.

Don't you see the enemy troops behind me?

If you install your cannons here, you're declaring war.

Don't you see that?

I have orders to stabilize the border.

And orders are what soldiers live and die for.

Clear them at once or I'll set your precious gun powder on fire.

Are you afraid of combat? Are you afraid of the enemy?

I am more afraid of you.

War-crazy freaks with no knowledge about the field situation

who just want to kill the enemy with no concern for how many

friendlies and civilians die in the process I'm more afraid of you.

A certain amount of casualties are

to be tolerated in the quest to recapture our lost territory.

A man should risk his life for the right cause.

Dangerous notion to involve the people in a fight with little or no chance of wining.

Who will assume responsibility for the countless lives that will be lost?

I don't think they can resolve this one on their own.

So?

Your Highness.

Do you wish to be stripped of your uniform right now?

You don't have the authority.

How about me? Do I have the authority?

I will remove Commander Choi's uniform.

I'm surprised, Chief Gang.

But under one condition.

You cannot install the cannons here until Commander Choi is removed.

But...

It's only until a new garrison commander is dispatched to replace him.

You can't accept the terms?

Commander, would you take care of them for now?

Why are you riding tonight?

Are you bothered by Commander Choi?

Step aside.

Meet Commander Choi for me.

There's nothing I can do for the commander.

It's not for him, it's for me.

He really bothers me.

Like a brute without reason, he just goes for whatever he thinks is right

with no concern for the danger he is in.

He just keeps going forward and never looks back

like you used to years ago.

And it really bothers me.

I'm afraid his hope might eventually rub off on me

and I will want to help him like a crazy fool,

and I'm afraid I might fall into despair and end up just like you.

Are you really all right?

Are you sure you can waste your life way like this and not regret it later?

I'm going to the Royal Inspector's Office.

You're going through so much, uncles...

There is something I must know.

Is it true that you tried to take Joseon from me?

Your Highness!

Were you pretending to be loyal to me so you could take the throne from me later?

That is preposterous.

We have never once harbored such thoughts.

You must believe us. It is the truth.

Then why weren't you open with me from the start?

I could have given you anything you wanted...

Your Highness...!

Is your command for me to assume your duties still valid?

I never said I would rescind the order.

Then may I conduct the inquiry tomorrow since it is neither

foreign nor military affair?

Permit me to try the two uncles myself.

Begin.

Prisoners Min Muhyul and Min Muhwe, in the year 1395,

you conspired and attempted to murder Prince Kyoungnyeong.

Is this correct?

It was to protect the Royal House.

We should be praised, not punished.

Just answer the questions you're asked.

What's more, you acquire thousands of acres of land across the three lower

states and built a massive private army in secrecy.

A private army? That's absurd!

Were you plotting treason?

You were planning to overthrow the regime with your private army and

seize the throne after the Crown Prince's ascension.

Never! This is a conspiracy!

Must you be tortured to confess the truth?

Your Highness, this is wrong. We never...

What are you waiting for? Torture the prisoners until they talk!

Wait!

That won't be necessary, Minister Park.

Your Highness...

I believe their innocence.

Your Highness...

Do not fight me.

I believe your innocence, my uncles.

Your Highness...

But regretfully they do not.

So you will have to prove your innocence in front of them.

Take your own lives.

Your Highness!

Take your own lives and prove your innocence and your loyalty to all.