Original subtitles

January 1433, 15th year of Sejong's reign, Peking

The Emperor was pleased to receive the ginseng.

My King will be very pleased to receive the gunpowder.

Then this wraps up our deal.

Ming is supplying Joseon with gunpowder?

We're going to Peking!

You should be rushing to rally the scattered Jurchens instead.

But.

February.

Joseon will not get their gunpowder until February.

Bring the tribes together and attack Yeoyeon before that.

And we will give you ten times the gunpowder we're giving Joseon.

I want the best warriors of each tribe stationed against Yeoyeon.

Send a message to Odoli's Tongmingge at once!

Yes, sir.

Chief!

Thank god you're alive!

Assassins?

You must get out of here!

Let go of me!

It's been a while, my friend.

Bastards! How could you!

I called you for a game of chess. Don't get excited and sit down.

Prepare to go to hell!

I'm afraid your son will go ahead of me.

What?

I guess you've forgotten who I am, Tongmingge.

I'm not like the King.

I have no mercy for the Jurchens.

My son? Where is my son?

Why don't you put that sword down first?

How many Joseonese have you killed with these hands of yours?

I heard you made an attempt on Minister Yi Su's life as well.

Remember, Tongmingge.

Your son will die the moment you take your troops and leave

Hweryeong to join Li Manzhu.

As well if you attempt to attack Gyeongwon.

Send him back.

Are you really going to kill this man if Tongmingge takes action?

Yes, of course.

Feed him.

It would be no fun if he starves to death first.

Yes, sir.

You don't look like you're having much fun.

I'm not exactly happy about these underhanded schemes.

You can't even handle a sword.

How are you going to win a war if you don't fight dirty?

But you didn't have to kill an innocent woman.

Oh dear, you have a lot to learn.

Who is she?

Tongmingge's mistress that we killed.

Pardon?

She works for me.

You can have her if you want.

It's a welcoming gift to the rough life in the frontier.

Break the alliance? We can't!

We have to make small sacrifices for greater cause!

Tongmingge is stuck in Hweryeong?

They won't be able to cross the river to Yeoyeon even if it freezes

without Tongmingge to cover their backs.

Meanwhile gunpowder will arrive safely from Ming.

That's right.

Jo Malseng really pulled this off.

Dongchang, Liaodong Office

He's placed Jo Malseng in charge of Hamgil Province.

Handover the military to a man with treasonous past?

King Sejong... He is an enigma.

Now he's got gunpowder, so he will hasten the conquest.

Undoubtedly.

We will quickly deliver greater amount of gunpowder to the Jurchens.

No, don't.

And let Joseon take Liaodong?

What makes you think Joseon will win when they attack?

Li Minzhu has a brilliant tactician.

A siege defense?

Ura Mountain Fort

To succeed in siege warfare

it takes the attacker ten times the military force as the defender has.

That means Joseon will need an army of fifty thousand to contend with us.

Fifty thousand...

This one battle could cause the entire Joseonese army to crack.

Then capturing Yeoyeon will be a piece of cake.

That's right.

But there're always variable factors that affect the outcome of a battle.

We need to monitor Joseon's movements carefully.

Yes, sir.

Ulliangha is considering a siege defense?

Is it possible to destroy their ramparts with our rockets from beyond their firing range?

It's not impossible, but it would take tremendous amount of firepower.

We will also need an army of at least fifty thousand troops, Your Majesty.

What's more, all of them will have to camp outside the fort to lay siege.

Are you saying there's a greater chance of defeat?

I'm saying we could suffer a heavy loss.

What about using a more effective weapon?

More effective weapon?

How did this happen?

He was leaving for work this morning and suddenly...

The physician?

What does the physician say?

Excessive exhaustion has caused

his heart disorder to relapse...

He'll get better.

Master.

Master.

What does he say?

"If you govern with the power of your virtue..."

Send over the Ministry of Rites officials.

Tell them to send off the late Second Minister of Works

Shin Jang with due regard.

Stop the military expedition!

That's the proper way of honoring my departed mentor.

I know this is a confusing time for you.

How about you, Father?

Were you merely confused after you drove your lifelong mentor to his death?

Your Highness.

How about Dami, the girl you loved like your own daughter?

How did you feel after driving to her death?

Is territory expansion that important?

Is it worth killing our beloved mentors for?

Can't you stop here?

No.

How many more must die for you to stop?

I must get past the death of my loved ones and go forward.

I cannot be a King like you, Father.

Come to terms with your loss and rise above it!

You'll be a better man for it.

I decline that lesson, Father.

Would you like to go back to Minister Shin's home?

No, I'm going to my Royal lesson.

We thought you would cancel...

Master Shin would not want me to neglect my lessons.

Your Highness...

I'd like to bid my mentor farewell from here.

Analects of Confucius: Exercising Government was Master Shin's favorite.

Enunciating Chinese characters

Would you decipher the verse?

It means if you govern with the power of your virtue, you will be like the North Star.

It just stays in its place while all the other stars position themselves around it.

You are brilliant, Your Highness!

Whoever your teacher is, he did a fantastic job!

Master.

Yes, Your Highness.

Why do have such a big mouth?

No one is perfect.

This bungling teacher has no advice for you on that one.

I frequently make mistakes, too.

I'm sorry about Master Shin.

Yu, is Father a virtuous King?

Departed Master Shin was a deeply virtuous servant.

A King without virtue cannot have a virtuous servant, Your Highness.

Do you want to be like Father?

That's your job.

Your Majesty.

It's very late. You must retire and rest.

I don't know how I will deal with the consequences my decisions

that will catch up to me someday...

His Majesty has taken ill?

I'm afraid so.

A trip to the hot springs?

I'm told that affliction of the eyes and the nervous system has worsened

due to exhaustion, and he requires absolute rest.

I hope His Majesty does not refuse.

He has ordered preparation for the trip.

That's a relief.

A trip to the hot springs?

Then what is to happen of the conquest of Li Manzhu's Ulliangha clan?

We will have to postpone it.

We can't push it through when the King is incapacitated.

What is the meaning of this?

I would like to stay behind with the Crown Prince.

Please do not act like a child.

As the future Queen you must set proper examples by fulfilling your

duty to serve your ailing father-in-law.

It is your job to take care of the people in my absence.

I'm counting on you.

Let us go.

The King of Joseon is on a recuperation trip?

The Crown Prince is to attend to state affairs in his absence.

Including their military campaign against us?

It doesn't look like there will be a military campaign for a while.

No military campaign?

I'm told the Crown Prince of Joseon has morbid hated of war.

Any chance this is a trick?

That's unlikely since the Crown Prince has already begun to make moves.

April 6, Yeoyeon, Pyeongan Province

What is all this lumber for?

We're going to build a watch tower.

A watch tower?

Aren't we going to attack them?

His Majesty has ordered thorough defense only.

Defense only...

We don't need to be stuck in this mountain fortress any longer.

This is our chance, Chief.

We must get out and prepare the troops for battle.

Let us act first and capture Yeoyeon before the King recovers

and resumes his conquest.

April 6th, Onyang Palace

April 6th, Ganggae, Pyeongan Province

I take it access is being strictly forbidden?

Of course, Your Highness.

Welcome, Your Majesty.

I heard the stratagem worked.

Please come inside.

A stratagem?

Are you saying his illness and this trip is all an act?

He's exploiting my mentor's death to...

No.

Indeed His Majesty is ill.

He would be odd if he weren't ill with the schedule he has had to keep up.

But yes, he would exploit Shin Jang's death if he needed to.

What if this military strategy doesn't work?

His Majesty's life could be in danger.

What is this?

A day-night clock.

It's going to be used in this military expedition.

It's also an instrument

that will bring you and the King closer together.

Would you give my son?

I mean, the future King of this state a message for me?

The King's time belongs to the people.

So fate dictates that we divide our time into tiny fragments and live our lives.

Suffering sighs of the people pile layer upon layer even in the moments

the King spends carefree.

Your Majesty...

Tell him that a true King is one who puts his own pains behind and strives

with all his might to provide his people with such simple things as laughter,

safety and freedom from hunger in that endless stream of time

that passes through the vast universe.

The enemy has abandoned the fort and gone back to their headquarters.

What's our next move?

The central army will reach Ganggae by eleven o'clock tonight.

They have been ordered to travel in disguise, and the cannons and

weapons are being transported the northern states as tributary goods.

One, two, pull!

Good. Now stop!

So we release these and they become a floating bridge?

On the 10th, the floating bridge will be ready.

They will directly cross the river and strike the enemy's headquarters on the 19th.

When can we launch battle?

We should be ready to roll out in 15 days.

Check out the enemy line once again very carefully.

And check for new reports from Ming as well!

Ganggae Protectorate, Pyeongan

Notify Ming?

You know that it could lead to the enemy finding out about our plan.

If we cross the border without notice, we could have a diplomatic problem.

Then we should report the matter on the day our troops cross the border.

You should leave right away so you could be there in sufficient time.

Yes.

No, I thought I might send someone else as an envoy this time.

It's been a while.

I heard you were back.

So you're going to Ming.

I heard you were strongly against this military expedition.

I still am.

Then I guess it's your turn now.

"Developing a persuasive argument to support the majority decision

regardless of one's personal opinion."

Didn't you say that was real politics?

Let's see your talent.

Corrupted politician like you would never have been restored

to serve the government if it weren't for this reckless military expedition.

Probably not.

Well then, I'll trust you to do the job and go back to Gyeongwon.

I won't be pleased if you try to pull another cheap trick.

Then get the job done right in Ming so I won't have to, boy!

Your mission is critical.

As long as the decision has been made in the Royal Court,

I will do my very best for the benefit of the state.

You have my trust, Choi Manli.

His Majesty said...

That he has trust in me as well, I'm sure.

Would you deliver my message to the King?

To be honest, I don't know if this military expedition is right or wrong.

But this time I have been given,

this duty to protect the people from behind the lines,

I will be faithful to that time and duty.

So tell him not to worry and to come back safely.

April 9th, Peking

The King of Joseon is in the north?

It's not confirmed but highly likely to be true.

His illness was a trick!

Could Joseon be launching a massive military campaign?

I want a thorough investigation!

If it is true that he crossed the border without advance notice,

Joseon will not evade Great Ming's punitive action.

April 9th, Ganggae Protectorate

We will win, won't we?

We have done our best, Your Majesty.

But there are always variable factors that could come into play.

This might sound irresponsible, but now it's up to god.

I will send off the troops myself.

You are here under strict secrecy, Your Majesty.

You could be jeopardizing your safety.

I am a father sending his sons off to war, general.

All of you are proud sons of Joseon.

Remember that the safety of this country and its people is riding on your shoulders,

and come back to us triumphant!

Distinguish between the enemy and the enemy's people.

Treat the Jurchen civilians as you would your own family

especially women, elderly and children.

Come back to us alive.

This is a Royal order of the King of Joseon that no one is allowed to defy!

Atten-hut!

Bow!

Amrok River, Manpo

Advance!

What do you mean Joseon is launching a military expedition?

Have you detected any suspicious movement?

Amrok River, North Manpo

The enemy has crossed the river? How is that possible?

What are you waiting for? Stop the enemy!

Yes, sir!

We've tied up their main army, general.

How many hours until time of action?

Two hours to go, sir.

15.000 Joseonese troops will break up into seven battalions

and strike the enemy's supply bases.

Hongtari, Yi Sunmong's Battalion

West battalions will take Hongtari and Goemhanli.

Goemhanli, Choi Haesan's Battalion

East battalions will take Omibu, Omidongbu, and Ojajeum.

Omidongbu, Gim Hyoseong's Battalion

Ojajeom, Choi Yundeok's Battalion

We strike at 7:00 pm.

Commence with sundown.

Your Highness, the sun is beginning to set.

We have a report that the enemy is after our supply base!

Our supply base?

Which one of the seven supply bases are they after?

Protect the supply bases at all cost!

Now!

Attack!

Initiate attack!

Now!

Launch!

What is happening?

What in hell are these lightning they're bombarding us with?

A new weapon?

Could Joseon have already developed such a powerful new weapon?

Fire! Continue firing!

April 19, 1433,

15th year of Sejong's reign

Joseon's first military campaign against

the Jurchens, Battle of Pajeo River, had begun.