Original subtitles

Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

What is it?

A flash flood is consuming our farms and fields!

Your Majesty Your Majesty!

Rivers are overflowing and villages under water,

and embankments are collapsing taking human lives!

What are we to do?

Soongshinbang, Gwangtongbang and towns along the rivulet are under water?

Is that the damage assessment?

Yes.

Heavy rain is continuing, so the situation will get worse.

What's our plan? We need a plan to bring the situation under control.

The plan is already in action, Your Majesty.

You can't even predict the weather correctly and you're a prognosticator?

All indications pointed to a severe drought!

Fool!

What are you waiting for? Continue the flogging!

Dismiss the prognosticator?

Chief of the Bureau of Astronomy must be dismissed as well, Your Majesty.

Flood victim numbers are rising,

and you're talking about dismissal of government officials first?

Punishment of those accountable for the disaster is the priority of the Royal court.

Can we control this situation by punishing the prognosticator?

A convulsion of nature is Heaven's rage.

He who enraged the gods must acknowledge his wrongdoings

and seek forgiveness.

"He who enraged the gods"?

Who might that be?

Are you... referring to me?

Heaven would never punish the people in such a way

unless the King has not lost his virtue.

It's raining hard.

I thought you had retired for the night.

The downpour was so violent I could not sleep.

It is a big storm. Lots of people will suffer...

Heaven is so cruel.

Why is he testing the young King this way from the beginning of his reign?

You must perform a sacrificial rite and seek forgiveness of Heaven.

Misfortune will continue unless you acknowledge your lack of virtue

and soothe Heaven's rage.

That is my recommendation as well.

Your Majesty must go to the temple and perform a sacrificial rite.

- Minister Meng. - Yes, Your Majesty.

What is your opinion?

Do you believe holding a sacrificial rite is the quickest way to save the

people from this disaster as well?

Yes, I do.

You must calm Heaven's rage.

What will Heaven do for me if I seek forgiveness?

Will the destroyed homes be undestroyed?

Your Majesty.

Or will the missing be found and will the dead come back alive?

You're being a bit dramatic, Your Majesty.

If not, will it at least restore the destroyed farms and fields?

If Heaven cannot do any of that which is my job, I will not turn to Heaven.

Stop punishing the agents of the Bureau of Astronomy.

I will use them in the disaster damage restoration efforts.

As well, I will use expense and labor that would be wasted on a

sacrificial rite in the restoration effort.

Do you believe the people will trust and follow the king that defies the Heaven?

They're more inclined to support a King who works hard to protect them

rather than turning to the gods to save them.

Don't you think you are being overly idealistic?

It is your job to turn my idealistic ideas into reality.

Your Majesty.

Round up every single available official and begin restoration efforts.

This is not a request. This is an order from your King!

I heard you. I heard you, so be on your way.

We need to talk.

It's green tea.

My mother used to serve it to my father when summer heat would exhaust him.

Now you're treating me like a useless old man as well.

You look noticeably wan after just one night without sleep.

You're not the young man you used to be.

You're worried for nothing.

You've put me through enough already.

Are you going to make me waste my last years taking care of a sick husband?

It wont hurt you to give in once.

Why don't you call the King and give him a word of encouragement?

Word of encouragement?

Why do you think he is being so stubborn and

defiant refusing to hold a sacrificial rite?

The King is indeed responsible for his kingdom, but the retainers are

blaming him everything including an unavoidable natural disaster.

And that makes him feel angry and alone.

So you want me to summon and counsel him?

Your Majesty...

You're the one who wants me to turn everything over to the new King.

Have you forgotten?

Doe is our son before he is the King.

So call him over and...

The King can never be our son again. He is the father of the people now.

The escorts will see you to the Imperial Chambers, Your Majesty.

Yes, Your Majesty. You need rest.

No, I'm going to the Hall of Worthies.

Hall of Worthies...

I'm eager to see what great work it will do now, Minister Park.

What do you mean by that?

The King is convinced he can get though this crisis without turning to the gods

because of his infinite confidence in the Hall of Worthies.

He must surely have the ability to stop this treacherous rain instantly.

Are you being serious?

If that's not the case, he shouldn't alienate the high ministers and

practice this closed-door politics with the scholars.

Closed-door politics? Choose your words carefully.

The scholars merely reviewed the viability of the policies he wishes

to pursue and drew up the details.

So what good are the countless waterwheels you made

by doing that in our current situation?

I advised repeatedly against political imbalance.

The young scholars don't know any better, but you are a veteran politician.

How could you blindly go along with this?

If the scholars fail to come up with a plan to control this situation,

the Hall of Worthies will be the first to be blamed for its poor counsel which

caused the King's loss of virtue and ultimately anger the gods.

They're pointing the finger at the Hall of Worthies?

This is completely unreasonable!

We only followed the King's orders and reviewed the policies.

How could we be responsible for this?

Are we going to die?

There is no doubt.

I should've never signed up for this.

My baby Sookju is just starting to walk. I'm never going to see him grow up...

Would you men stop this?

We have to find a way to get

through this instead of wasting time arguing.

What way?

Inspector Gim.

First this rain has to stop in order for us to start working.

Can you stop the rain?

I'm saying we should find what can be done within human power.

Holding a sacrificial rite is the best and

most important thing that's humanly possible right now.

A King is to humbly kneel before the fury of Heaven.

Why is he refusing to do this?

Frankly, I'm disappointed with his arrogance.

Your Majesty. Your Majesty.

Don't try to comfort me, Secretary Yi.

You're no longer a 13 year-old prince's teacher,

but the 4th King of Joseon's royal retainer.

Your Majesty...

Your job is not to comfort me

but to advise me how I might get through this crisis.

Don't follow me!

Is there no one who will hold an umbrella for you

among so many servants in the palace?

I don't deserve to have anyone hold up an umbrella for me, Mother.

Be prepared to get a whipping from me

if you neglect to take care of yourself this way again.

Care for the body you're in.

So you can be a good father to the people who serve you as their King.

Are you upset that she beat you to it?

No, I was just...

That certainly is not a familiar sight.

I've served the Queen Mother for over twenty years,

but I have never seen her so gentle and warm toward the King.

I guess she's getting old as well...

Are you in love with the King?

I can't fault you.

Ladies of the court are to serve the King and the King only from the

moment they enter the palace whether or not they receive Royal grace.

I can't fault you for how you feel.

But...

Forget about it.

His Majesty is much too great and exalted for a lowborn girl like you to be near.

Waterwheel Production Yard

Stop. That's enough, kid.

Stop wasting your time and go back to the Bureau of Weaponry.

They're not reparable.

Even if they were, we have no use for them.

I can't do that.

I have to fix them.

I'm going to fix them

like they're brand new so we can use them when we need to.

Don't stop him. He'll never listen.

You know how hard he worked on developing these waterwheels.

Your Highness!

This country does not need these hands.

I will cut them off and be rid off them!

I will put your talent to valuable service.

I will absolve you from all of your crimes

and give you a job at the Bureau of Weaponry.

What would happen if we fired every cannon we have toward the sky?

Your Highness...

Is there no weapon that will make the sky rain?

I didn't dare aspire to become the hands that this country needs.

I just wanted to be the hands that ease your worries.

What are you doing out here? Were you here all night?

Fool!

Your Majesty...

That's why I like you.

Do you think it is arrogance?

Do you think His Majesty is refusing

to turn to hold a sacrificial rite because he thinks he is above the gods?

If not, what is the reason?

Judging by your answer, I guess His Majesty has indeed been practicing

closed-door politics and inner-circle politics like the high ministers say.

Sir!

Weren't we working toward a same goal?

From the director to the junior clerk,

didn't everyone in this room think of the Hall of Worthies as a delivery room

for change that will bring positive changes to Joseon?

Then before you start doubting the King and thinking about your own welfare,

you should be thinking about finding a solution for the problem at hand.

You have to be able to think deeper than the King sometimes and bring

solutions and ideas forward before it becomes an issue.

Only then this hall will be a hall of true worthies instead of a backroom where

the inner-circle gathers to curry favors with the young King.

Are you angry like I am?

This is your blood and your sweat.

From the day you got back from the battlefield,

you worked on these waterwheels day and night for a full year.

Your Majesty...

Youngsil, I...

I'm angry with the gods.

I'm mad as hell with the shameless gods

for turning your proud efforts into a waste of time,

for ignoring the hard work of the scholars and the assessors, and most of

all for hitting us without warning and taking precious lives of my people.

I don't want to beg.

I don't want to kneel before such indifferent gods.

Your Majesty...

I want to fight the gods.

Make me a powerful weapon so I could fight the gods and win.

The rain has stopped and King is pouring his heart into the relief efforts,

but public outcry has not subsided.

Of course not.

You took my rice!

Get in line! Please!

Get them out of here!

Relief work to everyone's satisfaction?

That's impossible.

Bureau of Public Welfare

An infectious disease is rampant?

It looks as though we will run out of reserved medicine soon.

But the sick do not seem to be showing much improvement.

I fear the death toll will begin to rise even higher very soon.

I think we should've performed a sacrificial rite.

Are you saying this wouldn't be happening if I knelt before the gods?

No one knows that.

But now they will blame what is happening on you refusal to hold a sacrificial rite.

The King is pushed up against a wall.

And soon there is to an eclipse of the sun.

An eclipse is the moon obscuring the sun; it does not happen unless

Heaven doubts the King's virtue.

Even the wisest and

most benevolent Kings become subject of scrutiny when an eclipse occurs.

I wonder what will happen to our young King after this.

What will happen?

The public could very well rise up and seek to serve a different King.

A different King?

Please rest now.

That's all right.

Please, Your Highness.

This tea isn't very good.

We may not even have this the next time you visit.

Why are you here doing this?

Are you going to become a monk?

If we can comfort the public and

overcome this national crisis by seeking Buddha's help,

wouldn't that be a good thing?

But this country rejects Buddhism and revere Confucianism.

That's only policy. Many still serve Buddha in their hearts.

Even the nobles and government officials make generous offerings.

Government officials?

Take them inside.

Sixth state councilor Byun Gaeryang!

I'm surprised that such a recognized Confucian scholar is a disciple of Buddha.

This is true sentiment of the public.

I believe their devotion to Buddha will bring relief to the people and

help heal the wounds of the flood.

Wouldn't that be good I for the King as well?

Prince Hyoryeong has declared himself a disciple of Buddha?

And people are flocking to the temple he has made a home?

We had better find a way to stop him before the eclipse.

Popular support could shift instantly from the King to the Prince.

Then there will be another battle for the throne in the Royal house

regardless of the King and the Princes desire.

I will not hurt my older brother.

Public will doubt

the King's capacity with the eclipse alone.

I've already approved

a sweeping amnesty in preparation.

Your Majesty...

What's more, I will take great pains to hold a proper eclipse ceremony.

Amnesty and eclipse ceremony may not be enough.

As I have said, inadequate flood relief is causing another public outcry.

Can I silence that public outcry by betraying my brother's trust?

The people will not follow a virtueless King who has transgressed moral laws.

But Your Majesty.

If you have time for this, look for talented physicians across the country.

I believe the best way to preserve public favor is by finding a way to

control this epidemic and saving as many lives as we can.

Did you just say you will not go after Prince Hyoryeong just yet?

That's right.

Do you believe Hyoryeong should be Joseon's new King?

Hyoryeong doesn't have what it takes to lead a country.

Then?

Let us first see the direction of the public sentiment after the eclipse.

If we strike Hyoryeong at the right time,

it might become very easy to tame the young King.

Don't you think so?

Are you certain it's going to be at half hour past noon.

We checked the algorithms of the Shoushi and Datong systems a

hundred times and came up with the time, so it should be accurate.

None of this "should" stuff. We can't afford any mistakes.

If this prediction is wrong,

His Majesty becomes an inferior King who can't decipher the will of Heaven.

Then the people will rise up like a swarm of bees and say that Heaven has forsaken him.

You know that as well as I.

We did everything humanly possible.

If nothing else, our devotion should be enough to turn the Heaven around.

Tomorrow is the eclipse...

I trust that the King isn't taking the eclipse ceremony lightly.

No, Your Eminence.

He has been eating humble meals, lodging in a thatched-roof hut, and

sharing the public's pain since the flood long before the eclipse was predicted.

A report from the Bureau of Astronomy, Your Majesty.

The eclipse is to take place at 12:30 tomorrow afternoon.

They are certain the predicted time is accurate, so do not be overly concerned.

How could I not be concerned?

Your Majesty...

I wish the time would stand still and tomorrow will never come...

Will the Heaven reject me once again before my people?

I am afraid...

Isn't it funny?

I said with such confidence that I would fight the gods,

but here I am hiding, trembling in fear...

The Queen must devote her heart and soul for the eclipse.

Not only must your heart and body be pure

but your mind must be free of worldly thoughts.

The mother of the state must be earnest for the state to be safe

from harm despite the eclipse.

Hear ye!

The solar eclipse will take place today at half hour past noon!

His Majesty the King will welcome

the eclipse with his prayer

as well all city halls across the eight states!

Solar eclipse...

Half hour past noon!

The eclipse is coming!

Atten-hut!

The eclipse will soon begin.

Your Majesty must remain reverent and restraint.

Here we go.

Is this the eclipse?

Was the prediction inaccurate?

That's not possible. The eclipse should have begun by now!

Was the prediction inaccurate?

Madam, what is happening?

Where is the moon? Isn't it supposed to cover the sun?

He's oblivious about divine will!

He's just not fit to be King.

Will Heaven forsake the King?

Then another great calamity may consume the kingdom...

Your Majesty, give me death!

How could this be your fault?

Heaven is enraged once again.

Why else would it punish the King's lack of virtue in such merciless way?

Do you disagree, Your Majesty?

It is time now that all royal subjects clear the court yard.

Your Majesty...!

Give us death, Your Majesty!

Give us death!

- Give us death, Your Majesty! - Give us death!