Original subtitles

Wang Zhen has entered Liaodong in secrecy?

He's made contact with Tongmingge.

Why would Wang Zhen contact Tongmingge?

This means Ming has chosen the Odolies over us to rule Liaodong!

AD 1430, Liaodong

Are you going to turn over Liaodong to Tongmingge and the Odoli clan, sir?

Supremacy of Liaodong belongs to Great Ming and Great Ming only.

Then?

Play one barbarian against another.

Tongmingge is a tool to break Joseon's ambition!

Then I guess stopping Yi Su and

destroying the Conghumjin demarcation marker is the start.

Where is the stone marker?

Clear the path!

Give us the location of the marker, and I will let you live.

Get out of our way,

and I will forgive you for turning against Joseon when we gave

you mercy and generosity.

I guess I have no choice.

Wipe them out!

We did our best.

Incompetent fool!

Going back alone, sir?

All of you will go back to Gonghumjin.

But my orders are to protect you, sir.

We must protect the demarcation marker.

If they should find the marker and destroy it,

all or our efforts will be in vain.

I will go back alone,

validate the true existence of the marker and make necessary arrangements.

It is your job to protect the stone marker until then.

Guard it with your life.

Don't forget that the fate of Joseon is in your hands.

Reload!

Fire!

I see the distance is not improving.

Securing a steady supply of gunpowder is more important

than the performance right now, Your Majesty.

You mean we don't have a sufficient supply?

The main ingredient in gunpowder potassium nitrate is not easy to acquire.

More than half of our supply

have been coming from Ming, but Ming has blocked trade.

Guns and gunpowder?

If Ming is weighing us against the Odoli clan,

we have to find a way to fend for ourselves.

It takes more than just money to make guns and gunpowder.

You need technology. Don't you know that?

I've already picked out a man who can help us.

AD 1430, 12th year of Sejong's reign, Peking

The ratio is all wrong!

Do you think this can stand up to gunpowder?

He is a Ming weapons engineer named Gim Sae.

Majority of the high-powered cannons are his creation.

And you think Ming would let his have this man?

He'll come to us on his own.

Because he is one of us.

Compulsory labor?

Organize the civil servants and government slaves the think about

how we can implement compulsory labor as well.

But we're already dealing with public resistance in Pyeongan and Hamgil for

forced labor in the fortification project...

If our border is breached, the entire country will be up in arms.

I want each department to find a way to cut their budget by 20%.

If direct trade with Ming is no longer an option, we will consider going

to Japan, Mongolia, or somewhere else.

Yes, Your Majesty.

What is the meaning of this?

You must reconsider.

High ministers are discontent as it is.

If you enforce this budget reduction, you will face fierce opposition.

"The answer is at the scene."

You taught me that lesson when I was still in my teens.

Your Majesty.

Minister Yi Su is risking his life to find Gonghumjin demarcation marker.

I wish the scene that you concern yourself with is not the disgruntled

high ministers but this country's border.

We will do this ourselves!

You're as quick as ever, Yanguo.

I need you to take care of a headache for me.

Who might that be?

Minister of Military Yi Su of Joseon.

Tuman River

The border is not the scene I chose.

And it should not be yours either.

"Straight Talk On Farming" this is the current distribution status.

So far, less than one third of the country have them.

This is the water mill distribution report,

and this is a budget report on construction and development of the observatory,

astronomical instruments, and various types of clocks.

- And this - Stop.

Your Majesty, we're not asking you to stop the fortification and move the

border back because we don't have any pride.

The people have the right to pursue peace and security.

And we don't have the right to

continue taking that right away from them and put them to forced labor.

This country is just beginning to find financial stability.

Would you throw your people into misery and distress once again?

We can start this now because we finally have stability.

I want a country that Ming cannot dare take lightly.

And I believe a certain amount of sacrifice is acceptable for this cause.

Why?

Why are you so anxious?

We can't protect our people unless we're self-sufficient.

Autonomy within alliance is the most realistic choice for us.

An alliance without strength to back it up is submission, not autonomy.

Ming is a shield that will protect us from the Jurchens.

That's the reason why we put so much effort to Sadae foreign

policy of "serving the great".

Who will Joseon turn to if Ming falls?

The King's decisions are not for today only.

The choice I make today could decide what happens 100 years from now.

If we rely solely on a superior state to protect us, our military strength

will dwindle to nothing.

And ultimately, we could end up becoming a tributary state to Ming.

I want to give the Crown Prince and the people strength and pride

to protect ourselves.

Haeju, Hwanghae Province

Welcome!

I'm sorry at such a late hour.

Not at all, sir. This is a business, after all.

I'll have a bowl of soup and rice.

Sure.

It's nice and warm. Have a drink while you wait.

The wine you drank was poisoned.

I want the location of the Gonghumjin demarcation marker.

Then I will give you the antidote.

Who sent you?

Who is behind this?

You should be worried about your life right now.

Hand over the map.

Give it up.

You can't get what you want.

Where did you hide the map?

You're...!

I see.

Information has leaked to Ming as well.

Just give me the location!

Don't you think this is low?

You should worry about your life.

I don't know about you, but I value my country Joseon more than I value my life.

This antidote is all you need to save yourself.

If you have the time to worry about my life, you should think

about what you need to do to preserve the dignity of Ming.

We should've killed him.

Joseon may be our subject state,

but he is the Minister of Military.

We can't leave any traces of murder.

But...

He can't last long anyway.

We're going back.

There is a god after all.

Take us back home.

It'll be your heart the next time you fail.

Sir!

Find the demarcation marker and destroy it!

If you can't find it, destroy the entire mountain ridge!

What is it?

Sir!

Minister Yi!

Wake up, Minister!

What happened to you, sir?

I'm running out of time.

Your Majesty! Your Majesty!

Director! Director Yun!

Where is the physician! Call the physician at once!

He says there is no time.

What are you talking about?

Master...

Go to Gwangjo Temple in Haeju.

Your dream and mine...

No, Joseon's dream... is buried there.

You will find it easily.

Forgive me for being unable to bid proper farewell...

Farewell?

Don't say that.

You're back, so we must have a drink.

We said we would drink all night together.

Stay with me, master.

It's going to be tough.

Things are not going to get any easier.

But you'll get through it like you have so far.

Open your eyes. Open them.

Don't you have anything to say to me?

Aren't you upset with me?

Chew me out. You can't just go like this.

Minister Yi.

Minister!

Minister...

Don't make the King feel too lonely.

I don't care about the others, but I wish you'd think about

this from the King's perspective.

Do you know what politics is?

It's working for the safety and welfare of the people.

Do you know who the people are and what they are like?

"The people are good in nature and appreciate good virtue".

Master, the virtuous people that I read about

in the books didn't exist in the real world.

They were shameless, selfish and mean.

But...

But I can't hate them.

Why did you come back to this treacherous place?

Did the selfish and shameless public push you back here again?

They said not to fear since my unfailing mentor is in the royal court to guide me.

Is this where you buried Joseon's dream?

"Brave warrior never forgets that he may lose his head."

Learned man should be ready to die for his cause.

What?

Are you going to call me a parrot again for quoting someone else's words?

"Brave warrior never forgets that he may lose his head."

Do you think it is courage to end up a corpse here?

It is a principle that my student has sworn to live by.

Sometimes teachers learn from their students.

It's going to be tough.

To hold fast to that thought for the rest of your life.

It's going to be very difficult.

And it will be tough for me as well...

to watch you growing up with so much struggle...

Master...

Would this accept this unworthy man?

If you don't mind, I would like to stay closely by your side from now on.

Hall of Great Peace

A member of the Royal House is to greet the Imperial Envoy.

Don't you know your protocol?

His Majesty does not

wish to follow any protocol for the Ming envoys.

You think you'll get away with slighting Great Ming and the Emperor?

Do you think you'll get away with slighting Joseon?

How dare you threaten us!

Have you done something wrong to feel threaten by my threat?

What?

Sir, we must go back at once!

Sir!

Let's hear the reason why this self-proclaimed

civilized country Joseon is acting with such contempt and disrespect.

His Majesty wishes to forgo all of the formalities and see to you as friends.

Friends?

My King is in deep sorrow right now.

There has been a death in country that warrants a national mourning.

National mourning?

His Majesty seeks your condolences.

Please sit down.

The departed Minister of Military was like a father to me.

I heard he died an untimely death.

You are a leader of the Dongchang indeed.

I've put a strict gag order on the details of Minister Yi's death, but

Ming intelligence agency Dongchang already knows all about it.

Dongchang can find out how many hair you have on your head if we want.

Would you help me with that ability?

I want to find the culprit hat killed my master.

I will do give it a shot.

That makes me feel much better.

I think we can proceed with official matters now.

I know that took restraint.

You're the one that taught me not to put all of the cards on the table at once.

Start with the obvious cards first.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Gonghumjin demarcation marker...

"Goryeoan Border"

Ming Taizu has acknowledged the location of this marker as Joseonese border,

so we would like to present it to the Emperor.

You want to move your border north by 230 miles with a piece of paper?

Of course not.

Goryeoan Border.

This is the demarcation marker of Gonghumjin.

Now can you acknowledge Gonghumjin as the northern most border of Joseon?

If this stone marker should disappear or be destroyed,

Joseon will hold Ming responsible.

On what basis?

On the basis that it is Great Ming's

failure should it fail to protect the border of a cherished sister state Joseon.

This territory is occupied by the Jurchens.

Don't you know that?

You called it Ming dominion and asserted influence over them.

How could anyone call Ming a superior state if you can't even

protect the border of a sister state that you confirmed?

Gonghumjin...

It is one of the nine northeast forts Yun Gwan built during the reign of Yejong

in the Goryeo dynasty that is said to be 230 miles north of

Tuman River according to the records of Sejong Chronicles.

Thirty years since the founding,

Joseon had yet restored a secure river borderalong Amrok and Tuman river.

Gonghumjin Demarcation Marker became the keystone of Sejong's

territory reclamation work that goes on to include establishment of four

forts and six posts, and a symbol of Sejong's cherished desire for a great

leap of the Korean race through frontier expansion.

Zijincheng, Peking

Gonghumjin demarcation marker is

this a gift that the King's mentor gave to Joseon?

Or is it an omen of disaster that is to come?

I do not want Joseon's influence to reach the north.

This is your last chance, Wang Zhen.

If you fail to stop Joseon's audacious rampancy, you will have to face death.

Generals, we cannot let Minister of Military Yi Su's death be in vain.

Secure borders are the King's cherished desire and the lifeline of the people.

You've stirred up the generals with your eloquent speech, so I guess

you will be going to the north now.

Yes, because the answer is always at the scene.

The key to stopping the enemy will be found at the enemy lines.

Do you think this is wise?

Shortage of military funds, Ming's defensive posture, nothing has changed.

Do you think it's wise to fill His Majesty's remaining tenure with war?

I think that's better than 300 years or more of submission.

Make a wise decision.

Do you know what I've learned through Yi Su's death?

Getting angry when you are angry that's the greatest wisdom.

You will have all the gunpowder you need.

Ulliangha clan's arsenal

The Jurchens have acquired gunpowder weapons?

They have seven large arsenals.

Most importantly, they have the best weapons engineer

in Ming manufacturing their weapon.

We must destroy the enemy's supply base in order to stop hostile action.

And to do that, we might need a completely new gunpowder weapon.

A completely new weapon?