Original subtitles

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 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!

15.000 Joseonese troops will break up into seven battalions

and strike the enemy's supply bases.

West battalions will take Hongtari and Goemhanli.

East battalions will take Omibu, Omidongbu, and Ojajeum.

We strike at 7:00 pm.

Commence with sundown.

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

Protect the supply bases at all cost!

It's time!

Attack!

Initiate attack!

Now!

Fire!

What is happening?

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

A new weapon?

Could Joseon have already developed such a powerful new weapon?

Fire! Continue firing!

There! Go after them!

General, I think we've been spotted.

We will move to the second location through the detour route.

Yes, sir. Let's move!

You don't deserve to live.

How could not know that the enemy is coming?

You're supposed to be watch guards!

Please don't kill us!

Now it's your turn.

You don't deserve to be called the best warrior of Ulliangha!

Are you going to kill off all of your men?

Step aside!

This war is just beginning, Li Manzhu.

We lost all of our best weapons when the Joseonese have the

fiercest weapon I've ever seen!

We didn't lose all of the cannons and gunpowder, sir.

You mean you had some of them stored elsewhere?

Yes, sir.

You just have to calm down and find a way to win.

Remember, Li Manzhu. Ulliangha has Great Ming behind you.

Now we go back to Ming and report this atrocity!

Once the Imperial court finds out about this...

There will be military action.

Violating Ming border without the Emperor's consent is

indisputably military provocation!

Ming Department of Rites, Peking

The Joseonese army will attack Ulliangha at 7:00 pm tonight.

Why have you not reported until now?

We're asking for your understanding now.

The Emperor will be infuriated.

Element of surprise is vital part of this campaign.

It's a decision we had to make taking that into account.

Please explain to the Emperor for us.

You thieve from us then ask for our understanding after the fact?

Military action?

You think Ming might take military action against us?

It's worst case scenario, but they could if they want to hold our

belated notification against us.

I wonder if it was wise to send Choi Manli to Ming.

Fifty thousand!

The Emperor will assemble at least fifty thousand men and take

punitive action once he finds out about this aggression!

Pajeo River will turn red with blood of Joseonese soldiers!

This military campaign is an unavoidable defensive action.

You call this defensive action?

The best defense is a good offense.

Joseon's action against the Ulliangha is a strategic defensive operation.

Then tell the Emperor to set an example for us first.

An example?

Tell him to stand by and do nothing

while his enemy ravages his land and brutally murders his people.

If he can do that, I'll accept whatever you want to do

whether it is military action or turning Pajeo River red.

Better yet, we will go back to Joseon

right now and bring our beloved King to his knees before the Emperor and

make him beg for mercy until his head bleeds.

If the people of Ming are children to the Emperor,

the people of Joseon are children to my King.

What father can stand by and watch his children get murdered,

and what child will trust and follow a father who neglects their safety?

Ming Chinese or Joseonese, lives are equally precious.

If a King does not attempt to protect the precious lives of his people,

he does not deserve to be a King.

So please consider the love of the King who

is struggling to protect his people and the land which is

the very foundation of their safety.

You said Choi Manli had strongly opposed the military campaign.

Yes.

His argument is too passionate to be coming from someone who oppose the King.

Perhaps that is the true power of my master the King of Joseon.

Sire!

There won't be any diplomatic friction between Joseon and Ming

over this military campaign.

Choi Manli...

He is almost as interesting is the King of Joseon!

More than half of our cannons and gunpowder are left in Ura Fort?

And luckily, we suffered minimal casualties

because they attacked only the supply base.

Ura Fort...

Issue the mobilization order!

Yes, sir.

Jurchen warriors! Advance to Ura Fort!

Let the vast plain of the mountain fort become the enemy's grave!

The enemy has begun to move.

At last it's an all-out war.

The enemy is yet to make a move toward Ura Fort, sir.

We move forward.

Advance!

The enemy scouts are gone, sir.

When is the estimated time of interception?

About noon at their current pace, sir.

Release the carrier pigeons.

At noon...

We're moving out.

Yes, sir!

You should stay behind this time.

But...

Don't you know how valuable these hands are to the King and to this country?

More importantly, it's precious to me.

Be safe.

You have to come back alive.

But of course I will.

You and I still have a lot of inventions to create.

Remember?

Gods of heaven, gods of earth, let us win.

Please let the fortune of war be with my men!

Let's charge!

Charge!

Fire!

Fire!

We must fall back for now, sir!

Not in your life! Divide the troops! Attack the flanks!

Attack the flanks!

Charge!

Battle of Pajeo River, the first military campaign against the Jurchens that

was launched with a surprise raid on April 10, 1433, came to a end on

April 20 with overwhelming victory or Joseon.

An estimated 220 Jurchen soldiers were killed.

I've heard of your exceptional talent.

If you wish to use it for Joseon, we will take you in.

And 236 were captured.

Also seized were some 1.200 piece of artillery and 170 horses and cattle.

In contrast, Joseon only suffered 4 casualties making

this truly an exhilarating victory.

The most significant achievement of this battle is

that it radically increased Joseonese influence in Liaodong

by expanding the reach of Military activities beyond Amrok River.

This was a kick-off point of the northern territory conquest which included

pioneering of Four Counties in Yeoyeon, Jasung, Uae, and Muchang by

Choi Yundeok and Gim Jongsuh's pioneering of Six Forts in Buryeong,

Hweryeong, Gyeongheung, Gyeongwon, Jongsung and Onsung.

In the next 15 years,

Sejong's Joseon expanded its frontier north of Amrok and Tuman River.

It was Sejong's unyielding determination not

to take any part of ancestral land lightly,

labors of his faithful men who fight with their lives to serve their King,

and blood and sweat of nameless soldiers

that came together and achieved this exciting feat.

AD 1434, 16th year of Sejong's reign, Gyeongbok Palace

At 7:00 pm tonight...

lock all the gates of the palace and block all access.

What time is it?

It's been less than 15 minutes since the last time you asked, Your Majesty.

Oh, did I?

Are you afraid?

The princes are in the palace as well?

The whole palace is a stir, Your Grace.

Then I guess the Crown Prince won't be coming here to sleep tonight.

No, Your Grace.

That's great. That's really great.

Isn't it?

A court maiden in the Crown Prince's bedchambers?

Who is this audacious maiden that dare enters the princess's bedchambers?

Her name is Sosang.

Not only does the princess have this girl with her all the time

but I'm told she whips anyone who does so much as looks at the girl.

Whips them?

Rumor among the court ladies is that the two are lovers.

What?

You must bring the wicked girl in at once and get to the bottom of this tonight.

Let it go.

Your Highness!

Let the night pass without incident.

But...

Tonight is a very important night for His Majesty and for this country.

We cannot create a commotion over a concern in the inner quarters.

Are you nervous?

Nervous?

Not me, sir.

He's always such a klutz.

Let's get out there now, fellows!

Never mind.

My man.

I still have work to do.

This is a ten-year achievement!

I'm working, I said.

You look quite nervous, Prime Minister.

Ascend, Your Majesty.

Ganuidae: An observatory that housed instruments for astronomical observation.

Is this the Ganui of Joseon?

We're going to measure latitude of Hansung at last!

Yes.

May Jinyang to do the honor?

It was a promise, remember?

Do you still remember that promise?

Then give me a pinky promise.

Promise me that you'll show me the stars before

you show them to Hyang once you make the instrument.

No, child.

I won't have you trying to beat your older brother all the time.

That's all right, Father.

Yu is more interested in astronomy than I am lately, so I will allow him.

Very well.

A Royal Prince conducting the observation

personally and determining the latitude of Hansung...

It's not a bad idea.

But...

It's thoughtful of you. You're a good older brother.

Wasn't I supposed to do this?

I calculated the estimation, so I should be the one to...

Shhh! They're starting.

The rear ring has already been aligned with North Pole.

Now this way.

Your Highness, would you confirm the measurement for us?

The notch mark the arrow is pointing to is the latitude of Hansung.

381/4 degrees. 381/4 degrees.

381/4 degrees?

That's right. 381/4 degrees.

That is the latitude of Hansung, the capital of Joseon!

Yes! I was right! I was right!

AD 1434, 16th year of Sejong's reign,

Joseon had finally completed construction

of Ganui and measured the latitude of Hansung.

The latitude of Seoul determined by modern astrological observation

method puts Seoul at 37.5 degrees putting the margin

or error at less than one degree.

Congratulations, Your Majesty!

Congratulations, Your Majesty.

At last you became the master of Joseon's sky.

As have you and the people of Joseon.

Long live Joseon! Long live Joseon!

Era of King Sejong, the most illustrious era of enlightenment in Korean history,

was raising the level of astronomy and mathematics

and transforming Joseon into a Kingdom of great culture.

Do you think it's a good thing that we succeeded in building a ganui?

Ming has great intelligence capability. We can't hide the ganui forever.

You seem to know a lot about Ming.

Sometimes too much so.

I studied abroad in Ming before I took the civil service exam.

Is that when you learned to speak their language?

I got my knowledge to get into the Hall of Worthies

from Hanlin Academy.

Did you say Hanlin Academy?

My father is a rich and powerful man.

Even so, I never heard of a Joseonese being accepted into Hanlin.

You're such simple and honest man.

Accept Choi Manli into Hanlin Academy?

That's not an easy task.

It all depends on what kind of gift we get.

The new weapon?

Turn over the information about our new weapon to Ming?

It's got to be a precious gift for Ming to accept a Joseonese into Hanlin.

What's this about?

Are you making some kind of a deal with Ming?

It's not a deal, but it is a social intercourse.

It doesn't sound like there's a difference.

Ming already knows that we've developed a new weapon.

What do you mean?

They might take a defensive posture

and ultimately consider us an enemy to be conquered.

Look!

But if we share the knowledge and display our loyalty,

they will open up Hanlin Academy to Joseonese students.

Is this true?

You can speak to the Hanlin Scholar who gave me this information yourself.

Which to you want?

Do you want to Joseon to be Ming's enemy?

Or do you want to prove our loyalty by destroying the ganui and sharing our

knowledge about the new weapon, and

become Ming's cultural and academic equal?

I want Joseon to become a more culturally sophisticated state.

I know another man who likes to say things like that.

He must be a good man.

Actually, I hate the man.

Did you say study abroad in Hanlin Academy?

What brings you all the way here from the northern frontier, Minister Park?

I came to congratulate you on the success of your long-cherished endeavor.

Please come inside.

No, I should be getting back to the frontier now.

You've started a new war, so I must be prepared.

Sir.

Li Manzhu is not dead, he has fled.

Chances are he's told Ming about our new weapons.

And now the astronomical instrument.

Why did you come here from the north?

Why won't you give up the astronomical instrument?

There are signs imminent power shift in Ming court.

You are still quick with your information.

Knowledge is useless unless it's followed by action.

And taking action is your job, Your Majesty, not mine.

Frankly, I was hoping it would fail.

Although that's impossible knowing Jang Youngsil...

Do we have a plan to divert Ming's attention away from it?

Can we deploy our Muwi Guards into action?

Dongchang, Peking, Ming

They didn't pass the test, but their talent is too good to waste.

And now they know the secrets of Dongchang.

We don't need weaklings.

We need Dongchang to be stronger!

Muwi Guards: Joseonese Secret Intelligence Organization

It's a method that's been used since the Yuan dynasty.

Even a child knows this.

Acid and heat method is an outdated method.

The Muwi Guards will use corn starch and iodine.

They've been familiarized with various Dongchang secret codes.

Dongchang training camp, Ming

The candidate with the highest score.

Just as I thought.

He has also undergone castration without any hesitation.

Strong eyes. I like that.

Do you think the Muwi Guards can win?

We were taught by the enemy.

I'd say Dongchang is a pretty good teacher. Wouldn't you?

What is your goal?

To surpass you and take your place.

You've got guts as well.

Sometimes the pupil does surpass his teacher.

It's time for Joseon's Muwi Guards to put Dongchang in its proper place.

I want you to get rid of a pesky character for me.

Then I will accept you as my disciple.

Who do you want dead?