Original subtitles

Let us see the Great Master! Let us see the Great Master!

You mustn't do this, brothers. Please leave the area.

We were told that the Great Master was here.

Please grant us a chance to hear his teachings.

Grant us a chance!

You mustn't do this. The great Master just came out of long

hermitage. He is not here to deliver his teachings.

Return to your temples.

How can you turn us away when th Great Master is here?

Please let us see him!

Return to your temples, I said.

Master, young monks have come from all around asking

you for your teachings.

My teachings? They are of no value.

I know too little to teach anyone.

Grant them an audience. They thirst for enlightenment.

My man, my teachings have no value like I said.

This humble monk wants your teaching as well.

Master, what is hell and what is heaven?

Why do you bring up that particular subject now?

Take a look at the villa. Once omnipotent King is

confined in that small house like a prisoner.

I see your point.

I can tell you this. Heaven and hell is in your own making.

By knowing yourself, your world can be made heaven or hell.

Don't you agree? Life is this simple.

In any case, why is there still no reply from the palace?

I had no idea that master Kyungbo was such a revered monk.

Monks from all around are pleading for his teachings.

I should have known. He is the King's mentor after all.

Anyway, what's holding up the messenger I sent to the palace?

What took you so long?

Forgive me. I was made to wait while Prince Shin-guhm and the

officials discussed their reply.

I see.

Oh, the royal priest's visit is authorized.

And this letter here is to be delivered to the royal priest.

Yes, General.

Very well. Let us notify the head priest.

It is Prince Shin- guhm's earnest request.

You must do your best, Master.

Wheter it was a revolution or rebellion,

What? A rebellion?

It was an unauthorized military action. To call it a revolution

would be incorrect. Besides, there was carnage.

Silence!

A son asks me to calm his father's heart, so I will try

for the people of this land.

Thank you. It is your duty as the royal priest.

But I am not in control of His Majesty's heart.

What he chooses to do is his own decision.

I understand.

Well, now that your visit has been authorized, shall we go?

Yes.

This way, Master.

Master! Grant us your teachings!

Master! They say you will deliver the world from suffering!

Step aside! Step aside! Escort the master to the villa!

Goodness, it is as if Buddha himself has come back to life!

What? Master Kyungbo is coming?

Yes, Your Majesty.

He is being escorted by General Padal's guards.

Is this true? Has Prince Shin- guhm authorized his visit?

Yes, Your Grace.And he sent the master a personal letter as well.

The royal priest Kyungbo is coming!

Announce us.

What are you waiting for?

Your Majesty, Master Kyungbo of Oakryong Temple has arrived.

Master Kyungbo seeks audience with you.

I big you greetings, Your Majesty. It has been years.

Oh, Master!

I heard about the tragedy. Your grief must be immense.

May I come in?

You are the royal priest. You must come in.

Tighten the security. Don't let anyone near this villa.

Yes, General.

I received word not long ago. How great your grief must be...

I am ashamed, Master. I am ashamed...

You are a great emperor who once held the world in your command.

Are those tears?

These are tears of grievance and self-pity...

I came informed about what transpired.

But these are effects of karma. No one can escape the cycle.

You must be right. How could such things happen otherwise?

My son has robbed me of the kingdom I have built.

How is your health?

I was told you had a severe abscess on your back.

I have been warned by the physician.

Further anxiety would cause the boil to burst internally.

Oh dear...

And my internal organs would eventually rot and stop.

Your Majesty...

The world was once at your feet. I share your pain, Your Majesty.

But if these are efects of karma, what can I possibly do?

Prince Shin-guhm has sent me a letter from the palace.

Shin-guhm? What did the letter say?

You are father and son, and you founded this kingdom.

I urge you reconciliation.

Master! You can't be serious!

Do you expect me to forgive a thief like him?

Is this what you have come here for?

No, Your Majesty. I am here out of concern for the nature

of Bekjae and the Three Kingdoms.

That is my point. One of us has to unify the Three

kingdoms, Koryo or Bekjae. But Shin-guhm is incapable.

That is why I could not give him the throne.

But he killed his own brother and tricked me out of my throne.

No struggle can turn a small bowl into a great vessel.

Do you understand, Master?

That is why I am grieving.

My son is about to ruin everything I have built!

Yes, Your Majesty. I understand how you feel.

But we are born empty-handed and we all die empty-handed.

Do not be overly fixated over the loss.

Fixated? How else am I to feel?

It took me a lifetime to build this empire.

And my son is destroying it because he is blinded

by greed for the throne!

Please calm down, Your Majesty.

This is not a fixation. It is emptiness I feel.

This kingdom is built on my blood, sweat and tears!

Merciful Buddha...

There are many ailments in the world.

The one you suffer from is the ailment of the heart.

Let it go. Cast off all encumbrances in your heart.

Let it go? Cast it off? How?

It is a matter of decision.

If you let go, there is a whole new world waiting for you.

Let go of the grudge.

But how? Do you think that it is possible, Master?

Our son has been killed. How could we let it go?

My beloved son is wondering in the Hades.

I will say this again. It is a matter of decision.

A grudge this strong cannot be forgotten overnight,

but it can be chipped away little by little.

It is easy to say, but difficult to do.

No, it is impossible. The more I try to forget

the stronger the flame of my enmity burns.

Since I have the permission of the royal palace, I will

stay for a while and share your pain.

I appreciate that.

I plan to hold a memorial service for Prince Geum-kang

and the Vice Prime Minister.

A memorial service?

Their souls need guidance to peace.

Thank you. Thank you very much.

Geum-kang comes to me in my dreams every night...

I will build an altar and begin at once.

And slowly we will put out that flame of enmity together.

I will be by your side for a while.

Thank you, Master.

Father, help me... Help me, Father...

Your Majesty... Your Majesty...

Good grief!

How can I stop them from paying homage to buddha?

How long is this supposed to take?

They say it would be days.

Days?

I don't like this. Have you reported this to the palace?

Yes, General. The palace was notified before they began.

Oh dear...

What? A memorial service?

Yes, Your Highness.

The royal priest Kyungbo is leading the ceremony.

A memorial service? It is in honor of Prince Geum-kang.

Yes, Prime Minister.

It is reasonable. We've asked the royal priest to help is

appease His Majesty. He is trying different ways to comfort him.

Perhaps. Let us not be bothered by it.

But we've called Prince Geum- kang a criminal of high treason.

Hold a memorial service for criminals?

They are already dead. All we care about is

assuaging my father. Who knows? This might diffuse his anger.

- General Shin, - Yes, Your Highness.

instruct General padal to leave them alone.

We don't need to stop them. In fact, tell him to loosen

the security and avoid unnecessary interference.

We can't upset my father any more than he already is.

Yes, Your Highness.

This is not a good idea...

What is wrong, Your Highness?

My life is pathetic! pathetic!

Look at me. My hair is full of grays and I have nothing.

Kobe must be having a time of her life right now.

Your Highness...

I am over sixty years old and I have nothing to show for.

My son Prince Shin-guhm is irresolute and His Majesty

is pathetic. What is to become of this royal house?

What is to become of this kingdom and this old woman?

Your Highness, Prince Shin-guhm will soon rise to the throne and

you will be the Empress Dowager. What worries you?

The Empress Dowager? What's the use when I've lost my husband?

The world will mock me and call me an evil wench who

kicked out her husband.

Your Highness...

Every passing day is a torture for me...

I might find some peace and closure once Shin-guhm rises

to the throne...I feel so unsettled right now...

All in life is vanity.

What happens today is but a story in the future.

And even that story fades to nothing with more time.

What is history? It is a record of man's skirmish

and gambling to satisfy their greed.

This is what you must learn.

Today's events are but a topic of conversation in the future.

Why torment your conscience? All is vanity.

- Hear me, subjects. - Yes, Your Majesty.

We've invested much time and effort investigating the current

state of Bekjae. We learned that new government is gearing up for

a final battle with us following the overthrow.

Thus I have called this meeting to discuss our countermeasures.

If I may speak, each department has worked out a comprehensive

countermeasure. We, Koryo, already have Shilla under

our protection, and we are facing Khitan forces to the north.

Strengthening the military is our priority first and foremost.

As the minister of military, I couldn't agree more with the

imperial guardian. We've already issued an extensive mobilization

order and began to strengthen our armed forces.

So far, nearly 100 000 soldiers are ready to stricke on command.

A hundred thousand?

Your Majesty need not worry about the northern frontier as well.

We've rallied the nomad tribes in the outer frontier between

Koryo and Khitan and fortified our defense.

Rivet your attention to subjugation of Bekjae.

Your Majesty, internal conflict is intense in Bekjae, and Your

Majesty's appeasement policy is in the works.

But if bloodshed is unavoidable, perhaps we should strike first.

General Park speaks the thruth, Your Majesty.

Striking the enemy in vulnerable moments is basic in art of war.

Command us to strike, Your Majesty.

I agree. We do not need to hesitate.

We've gathered sufficient information about the enemy

and the troops are well prepared. Command us to strike.

Your Majesty, the warriors' request is appropriate.

But you have subjugated Shilla with your virtue.

Bekjae is exhauted from chaos of the overthrow right now.

I recommend patience.

So do I. We have waited a long time.

We can wait a little more and observe the developments.

- General Bok, - Yes, Your Majesty.

You are in charge of the intelligence operation.

What do you think about the current state of Bekjae?

They are not to be taken lightly.

Despite the recent change in the government, they've managed

to increase their military force to over 100 000 troops.

General Shin Duk and Kyun-hwon's brother Neungyae are in command

of the military, and Neunghwan has assumed the duty of late

Choi Seung-woo as the military strategist.

But it's odd. They overthrew the king and took over the regime,

but Prince Shin-guhm has not ascended to the throne.

We continue to investigate that through our informants.

It appears they are trying to feel out regional powers

and secure King Kyun-hwon's approval at the same time.

Whenever it may be, Koryo and Bekjae must vie for superiority.

And we must be fully prepared for that battle.

That's right. Our military must be prepared to move out on command.

Such preparations are already complete.

As I have said, Koryo army is ready to extinguish any enemy.

The royal advisor has accurately predicted the state's fortune

through astrology and divination. What is in Bekjae's future?

The late Lord Choi Ung had said that the mastery of the Three

Kingdoms would be yours.

I assure you again. Soon you will enter the imperial city of Bekjae

and comfort its citizens.

I will enter the imperial city of Bekjae?

Without fail, Your Majesty. But now is not the time.

Be patient. The heavens will show you the way.

The heavens will show me the way? The heavens?

It certainly is not an unpleasant remark.

- Hear me, subjects. - Yes, Your Majesty.

It is clear that Bekjae is undergoing a great change.

There has been an overthrow, and King Kyun-hwon's son has

become its new ruler. They have continued to strengthen

their military and their force is now 100 000 strong.

Our encounter is inevitable. We must make thorough

preparations and win the final battle. Do you understand?

Yes, Your Majesty.

I will soon begin personnal inspection of the military.

Make sure no details are overlooked.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Why are they holding this meeting?

I am told they are discussing the Bekjae discussion.

But of course. Something is about to happen.

They must discuss countermeasures.

His Majesty is trying to make contact with King Kyun-hwon

and prepare the troops for war at the same time.

Yes. He is approaching the enemy by both gentle and hard approach.

The time is drawing near. Perhaps unification will

be realized in our lifetime after all.

Yes, Your Highness.

How wonderful that would be to see the peninsula united...

And it is within our reach. I can see it coming.

Did you say that you are from Koryo?

Yes, Master. I am a merchant returning from Koryo.

I was asked to deliver this letter in strict confidence.

Who is this letter from?

All I kows is that this is a letter from Lord Ahjagae

to his son.

Lord Ahjagae? To his son?

Yes, that is all I know. Well then.

Wait, do you mean that Lord Ahjagae is still alive?

Yes, that is what I am told.Good-bye, Master.

Oh dear!Lord Ahjagae is His Majesty's father!

And his son would be His Majesty!

A letter from Koryo... What am I to do?

Do I intercept this letter? But it is a letter from a

father to,a son. Dear, oh dear...

Your Majesty, how do you see this memorial service?

There are things you must learn. Let me ask you, who are you?

Have you reflected on yourself? Do you consider yourself a hero?

How many lives have been lost to satisfy your desire?

And they still suffer from pain and distress.

Was your son Prince Geum- kang important to you?

Then how precious were those nameless soldiers

to their parents?

Tens of thousands of sons have been lost.

They all died by your commands. Do you still feel woeful?

This service is not just for Prince Geum-kang and

the vice prime minister, but for all of those poor souls

that died in vain.

It is a service to atone for all of your wrongs.

Forgive me, Geum-kang...

Forgive me, Vice Prime Minister...

Forgive me, my people...

I was selfish... I was wrong...

Forgive me ... Forgive me ...

We've been praying for days. Do you feel some relief?

...I don't know.

Everything starts from within.

It is I who determine my future and create my destiny.

And it is I who can liberate myself as well.

Let us go inside.

Please sit down.

I have told you many things during the past few days of service.

These weren't teachings as much as they were insight about life.

Yes, I know. Yes, all is vanity in life...

This service is to comfort the spirits of the dead, but it is

also to comfort their survivors. Do you feel at peace?

Peace? How could I feel at peace?

If only I could...

What is done. They have died and you are alive.

It won't be long before my time is up.

I am likely to die here swallowing my wrath.

What about unification of the Three Kingdoms?

Unification?

The peninsula must be unified. And you have fought for decades

and sacrificed countless lives for this goal.

How do you see the future of Bekjae?

My sons will end up surrendering it to Wang Guhn.

I know my sons very well. That will be Bekjae's end.

Do you really foresee that happening?

Why else would I have tried so hard to put Geum-kang on

the throne? Shin-guhm doesn't have what it takes!

If your predictions are correct, Koryo will unify

the Three kingdoms.

Yes.

Then who in Koryo do you think will achieve this?

Who? Who else but Wang Guhn?

Then why not hold hands with the king of Koryo and unify

the Three Kingdoms together?

Together, Your Majesty.

Pardon me? Did you just say together, master?

But how, Master?

If you end the rivalry and join hands, the Three Kingdoms will

soon be one.

Are you telling me to stoop before Wang Guhn?

No, I am urging you to join hands with him.

With Wang Guhn?

You've already lost your throne. Your dream of mastery of Three

Kingdoms has been shattered. But there is a way.

All you have to do is join hands with the Emperor of Koryo.

Master! Are you here to talk me into this?

Did Wang Guhn send you from Koryo?

I am not one to come and go at anyone's request.

I knew this day was coming decade ago.

What do you mean?

I saw Your Majesty's destiny and burdens of past incarnations.

And I knew that this day would come.

The kingdom you have founded will not endure.

Perhaps you should bring it to a close yourself.

Master!

Master Dosun was my mentor. He has taught me astrology

and geomancy, and taught me how to see a man's fate through the

eyes of Buddha. Thus I was able to see your fate.

Your Majesty, it is time to reap what you have sown.

Master!

It is fortunate that you have this chance.

You can be a part of the grand enterprise of unification as well.

Will you try, Your Majesty?

Master!