Original subtitles

You haven't changed a bit.

You still stick your nose in everywhere trusting your smooth tongue.

Clear the path.

This is your last chance before you're charged with high treason.

I refuse.

Do you wish to die?

Unsheathe your sword.

I do not want to fight you, and I couldn't win even if I tried.

So if you want me out of the way,

aim your sword right at my heart.

But know this.

You're not killing a criminal of treason in your capacity as the Crown Prince.

You'd be killing your younger brother for not doing what you wish.

Because I am not the rebel here. You are.

What?

You, Crown Prince, are this country's enemy.

Here's another rebel.

What are you waiting for? Suppress the rebels!

Kill the rebels?

Then perhaps you should start with us.

What are you doing?

I asked you to keep the civilians away from here!

Who are those men?

Are they bad people?

No, of course not.

Chief Gang.

They're not bad people.

Look closely.

They're wearing the same clothes that your father used to wear.

You're right. It's exactly the same!

Are they my father's friends?

Your father, you, me, they're friends to all of us.

Oh, is that why Uncle Chubby said we should go say hello?

Yes.

So what do you say we go over there and say hello first?

What will you use your spears for?

If you go forward with this reckless conquest now,

you will have to kill the innocent people of Gyeongsung first.

The choice is yours.

Will you use your swords to hurt your own people or will you use it to protect them?

Now choose.

How old are you?

Seven.

My daughter is seven.

What are you doing, soldier?

We can't hurt our own people, General.

What?

You must put your...

sword down now, Your Highness.

If you think you've won, you're mistaken.

This fight is just beginning.

I will see you at the capital, Your Highness.

What are you thinking about, Your Highness?

How can I win this fight...

I just hate to lose.

Leaving? Where are you going?

I'm going back to where I came from.

When are you coming back?

I might not be back.

Then who will read stories for us?

That's your job now, Dahm.

You're very smart, so you will learn to read quickly.

And you have a pretty voice, so you'll make a better story-reader than I am.

Take good care of them.

Don't worry. I'll love them like my own.

Don't lose your spirit, and take good care of yourself.

Your Highness!

Were you going to leave us without saying goodbye?

I was about to go find you.

Let us escort you back to the capital.

Yes, we must.

When you left, you were driven out,

but you must make a triumphant return home

with all of us behind you after what you've accomplished here.

That's right.

It may not be much but we want to show our support.

If you wish to support me, stay behind for a while and assist Commander Choi.

It won't be easy for him to put things back in order alone.

I'm afraid I won't be able to keep my promise

to live the rest of my life as a man of Gyeongsung.

You're forgiven since you might live the rest of your life as a protector of Joseon.

You have a difficult road ahead.

I will never forget what you said about fearing myself more than the world.

I guess there is no turning back now for either of us...

Are you afraid?

Would you be my sword?

Not the kind that will contend with the world in order to protect me,

but the kind that will contend with me to protect the world.

Your Highness...

If pride, stubbornness or despotism should cause me to make wrong decision,

I want you to be the sword that will strike those decisions down.

That's a scary way of saying "Don't run from me."

Only then I will be able to cast my fears aside and muster up my courage.

I won't be able to go back and start this fight unless I know that you

and those who await me at the capital will not hesitate to strike my errors

instead of always telling me what my ears want to hear.

I will, Your Highness.

And your such intent will be the sword that keeps me in check.

Flood has caused

significant damage to the walls around Changhuimun area.

Have Minister Hwang Hee work on a reconstruction proposal.

But due to the incident in Gyeongsung, Minister Hwang is...

Next!

Flood victims are in need of aid...

Release the relief funds. Next.

Minister of Public Works Hwang Hee must be removed from his post.

He did not stop the Crown Prince's malfeasance and

joined him in his march to Gyeongsung.

Next!

The central army's march to Gyeongsung is practically a revolt.

Your utmost attention is required.

It appears you have nothing important to report today.

You may be dismissed.

Your Majesty...

Did you hear my order? You are dismissed!

Yes, Your Majesty.

You're lucky you're alive.

Was I wrong? Why is His Majesty acting like this?

The Prime Minister has been back for days

and he won't even let him mention Gyeongsung.

This means he has no intention of renouncing the Crown Prince.

He believes that the eldest heir must

succeed him in order to protect the legitimacy of the Royal house.

Still? That audacious child who thinks he is above Heaven?

Prime Minister.

Messenger is here.

I guess our high and mighty Crown Prince is back at last!

Stop pretending to be working and come out, everyone!

Let's go usher in the Crown Prince!

Your Majesty, the Crown Prince is due to arrive shortly.

Your Majesty!

Their demeanor looks disrespectful for subjects ushering in their master.

Try to understand.

This is what you call public sentiment.

My man!

Am I wrong?

Don't pay attention to them. You have to get through this.

Your Highness!

What are you doing?

I will be right back.

Running away won't change anything.

I won't be long.

His Majesty will be furious if you turn back like this from here.

He's been brooding in rage for two weeks. Another afternoon won't change anything.

Your Highness!

Your Highness, please!

I don't want to strike you. Don't stop me and don't follow me.

Protect the legitimacy of the Royal house by putting the eldest heir on the throne?

Tell him don't even dream about it.

Hell destroy the country trying to put the eldest son on the throne.

Those are harsh words.

Not so when you consider the Crown Prince's actions.

I never thought I'd hear such worlds coming from you.

He defied the King and caused a great disturbance.

He would go before the King and seek forgiveness if he had any decency.

I'm afraid the Crown Prince has crossed the point of no return...

Turned back?

Is he out of his mind?

Where did he go?

I'm afraid I do not know...

Isn't it obvious where he's gone?

Crown Princess.

When did you...

Why didn't you come inside?

I was embarrassed...

I sent the servants away, and tried what you did, but it didn't work.

I couldn't get myself to go inside.

I guess I was embarrassed...

I lost this time.

I'm sorry.

It's my fault.

You didn't do anything wrong.

It's my fault.

I caused this. It's my fault you came back like this...

If it weren't for me...

Just tell me you're glad to see me.

Say you missed me and you're glad to have me back.

I feel more pathetic if you blame yourself to comfort me.

It's true. I...

Today is the last day.

Today is the last day you'll have to comfort me.

You will never cry because of me again.

I'm going to fight even harder if only for you.

Would you wait for me here?

Can you be the home that I can always come back to like I did today?

You have to eat better.

Your look thin.

Office of Censor General

Office of Inspector General

Tell them to hold off on the submission of the petitions.

What is the meaning of this?

Please stop the petitions, sir.

You're a public servant.

How can you utter these words?

Obstruction of communication will paralyze the government.

Why don't we just shut down this the country?

The country will indeed be shaken if we bring down

the Crown Prince without alternative measures.

Then start looking for an alternative measure!

Deliver the petitions.

Petitions from the Office of Inspector General.

These are from the Ministry of Rites...

All of them call for Crown Prince's punishment?

My deep regrets, Your Majesty...

I'm a little late, Father.

Do you know what these are?

Aren't they nothing but fire starters?

Silence!

You've become weak, Father.

Why are you flustered by your audacious servants' complaints?

Silence, I said. Are you proud of what you've done?

If it weren't for my good brother's interference,

your country would be larger by now.

You feel no remorse?

You deployed the troops against my orders and you don't feel an ounce of remorse?

So you should've given me the right of military command as well.

Then your retainers wouldn't be hounding you right now.

Stop!

Am I wrong?

One more word.

Just say one more word and I just might want to kill you myself.

Why do you hesitate?

Get out!

Get out of my sight this instant!

Is it because of me?

You still don't look very well.

You're worried about me? You're a hard man to figure out.

You should be resting.

I would've gone to see you in the morning.

Beg the King for forgiveness.

You must not defy him any further.

I will take care of myself.

Please. You must learn to bend.

If you don't...

What you fear will never happen.

I will not lose my rightful place, so please don't worry, Mother.

It's late. You may go.

But...

The state duties tomorrow...

What do you want to know?

You know that I handed over my state duties to the Crown Prince.

But Your Majesty...

You're dismissed.

The Crown Prince is to continue attending to state affairs?

That confirms the King's intensions.

He will not renounce the Crown Prince no matter what?

Do we accept this or not? That is the question now.

Did I have the wrong time?

Your Highness...

I like it small. This should be a short meeting.

Don't you know what time it is? What are you all doing here?

Your Majesty...

Go back to the conference at once!

The officials' outcries cannot be ignored.

The Crown Prince's character is being questioned again.

You must respond to the censorate officials' petitions.

Respond?

How would you like me to respond?

What would you do, Minister of Personnel?

How could I dare answer that question?

Minister of Rites.

Yes, Your Majesty.

What is your opinion? How would you respond if you were I?

I think Your Majesty can answer

that question better than I can.

Leave!

Do not take the matter concerning the Crown Prince lightly again,

or there will be merciless punishment!

Would my head suffice?

Would you take my life if I called for the Crown Prince's deposal?

Prime Minister!

Choose the wise one.

A man who cannot reflect on his own mistakes cannot lead this kingdom.

You must renounce the eldest son and choose the wise one.

Choose the wise one?

That is the only way to stop this country from falling apart.

Then who is the wise one?

Which of the princes do you think is the wise one?

The wise one is...

Great Prince Choongnyeong, Your Majesty.

Choose the wise one?

Do you intend to renounce the Crown Prince after all?

Which prince do you believe is wisest?

Your Majesty...!

Choongnyeong is the wisest?

Why are you smiling about this?

At last there is hope for this country.

Kyoungnyeong?

You don't still think about putting me on the throne, do you?

In any case, I'm glad the Crown Prince is getting thrown out.

He would try to kill us both if he became the King.

What's the use if the throne is up for grabs again?

You're not interested anyway.

You just want to spend the rest of our life quietly reading sutras.

Isn't that right?

What makes you think I have no ambitions?

You're the one who said I am the second in the line of succession

and you are the one who said a man is not a man without ambition.

Do you want to give this a shot?

Would you help me?

I'm surprised.

Why? What made you want to get into this hard and ruthless fight?

Because the despotic Crown Prince has become unworthy of the throne,

and Choongnyeong who only breeds discord with his unrealistic ideals is

not exactly kingly material either.

Who are you, sir?

The fall must have hurt.

I'm fine.

You've got tears in your eyes and you're fine?

Please don't tell my mother.

Oops! I wasn't crying, Mother.

Our child has grown, my lady...

Don't just stand there, Hyang.

Say hello to your father.

... Father?

Hello, Father. I'm Hyang.

My, look at all this dust... I clean all the time, but...

I left your brush and ink stone just here you left it...

Wife.

I know you were here this morning,

and you look in several times a day making sure everything is perfect.

No.

I'm always neglecting things trying to take care of the entire household by myself...

Look at me.

We haven't seen each other in years, but you won't even give me a glance.

Are you that angry with me?

Then you must've just been too worried.

I've given you nothing but anxiety like a troublemaker son...

No.

No, Your Highness...

I missed you so, so much...

Like the children, I missed you so very much...

I'm afraid...

I don't want this to be a dream...

I'm so afraid...

I'm sorry. I'm sorry, my love...

Are you going to see the King?

Have you fared well?

Please forgive this undutiful son for being remiss for so long, Mother.

Don't you think this security entourage is a little too grand for a Prince?

Your Highness...

You should return to your regular duty now that he is back.

Come.

I don't know if I did the right thing.

I don't know if I did the right thing asking the King to bring you back.

Go back.

Go back to Gyeongsung.

Mother...

I don't want this Royal house...

I don't want your brother getting hurt because of you.

Would you promise me?

Promise me you will do as I ask.

Why do you think I called you back from Gyeongsung?

The world says you are the wise one.

If I depose the Crown Prince and bring you forward as the future King,

would you accept it?

Would you accept it?