Original subtitles

Subtitled by KBS America

Hong...

Hong... Hong...

I'm here. I'm here, my lord.

Hong, I can't see you.

Don't. Don't say anything.

I'm right here. I'm right here with you.

Hong, don't cry.

I'll always be with you. Always...

Hong Soo! Open your eyes! Open your eyes, Hong Soo!

Hong Soo...!

This isn't happening.

Are you awake?

Forewoman...

Oh, dear! You poor thing! Forewoman...

Why? You can't go anywhere in this condition!

Lord Hong Soo is waiting for me.

Forewoman. Forewoman!

Leave!

My lord, please...

You're nothing but a disgrace to my son in death and alive.

What brings you to Jeju, sir?

Lord Jeong Dong's crimes have been exposed.

I traveled here out of concern for Magistrate Jeong.

What has happened on Jeju?

The magistrate has passed away.

What... What... do you mean?

Sir...

I will go to the government office at once.

Yes, sir.

My lord.

Father.

Father, Lord Jeong is...

Cry. Don't hold back your tears.

Lord Jeong told me not to cry.

I can feel your heart crying in pain right now.

Holding back the tears doesn't mean you're not crying.

You have to let out your pain with your tears.

Or your heart will never stop crying. That's what Magistrate Jeong meant.

Thank you.

Sahn, come to Mommy.

Get a hold of yourself. Get a hold of yourself, Oh Moon Seon.

You have to survive. You can't go down like this.

I plan to go back to work when I return to Hanyang.

I didn't think there was anything left for me to do in the royal court,

but Magistrate Jeong has told me where to go in his passing.

I want to stay longer with you,

but I think it's my duty to pursue the wish of the departed.

Don't be so sad.

I know nothing can comfort you right now,

but I don't think Hong Soo would want to see you like this.

He said he wanted to be with me.

And then...

You're not alone.

Think of all the people who have been with you.

Endure it. Endure the pain and pursue your dreams.

I'm sure that's what Hong Soo is hoping and trusting you will do.

My lord, it was an accident. A most horrific and regrettable accident.

I'm sorry. This is all my fault.

My lord, my son is ill. Without me, he will die.

Please take pity on the young child and grant me mercy. I beg you.

My lord?

Anyone out there?

My lord.

Yes, sir.

I can't bear the sight of this thing any longer.

Yes, sir.

My lord! My lord! Please spare my son's life!

Sahn will die without me! My lord!

Please, my lord!

Spare her son's life?

She killed my son and she wants me to spare her son's life?

I'm here.

- Get her! - I'm sorry!

I'll take the punishment instead!

You promised. That you'd live with me...

I'm not letting you go. You can't leave my heart.

Thank you for allowing my daughter to say her last goodbye.

Once you return to Hanyang, there will be an action against your past malfeasance.

I urge you to go to His Highness first and seek punishment.

It's useless.

Magistrate Jeong wasn't looking for you to be convicted and punished.

Are you saying he wanted me to turn myself in and beg for mercy?

My lord.

I'm an evil man without an ounce of remorse. I can only expect to be executed.

Don't you see what your son wanted?

He wanted you to come forward yourself and atone for your crimes.

Not because you are forced but because your heart is willing.

That is exactly the reason why I cannot come forward.

I must be punished to the fullest for my evil deeds that even claimed my son's life.

My lord, please think of what Magistrate Jeong wanted.

She hasn't been out of her room in days. I'm so worried...

She is alive, isn't she?

Don't worry so much. She'll be all right.

I'm not so sure about that.

She hasn't been out of bed since the body was sent to Hanyang.

I'm so worried about the forewoman that I can't sleep at night.

Forewoman!

I'm going to work hard and live as a merchant of Jeju Kim Man Deok.

Good! Then everything is going to be all right!

We will do all the work, so you just get yourself healthy again.

Make her something nutritious.

I'm so glad you're all right.

Jeong Dong's estate, Hanyang

Are you at peace now? So am I.

You've made a very difficult decision.

What could be more difficult than surviving your own child?

I offer you my deepest condolences. It is truly a great loss.

Please deliver the letter to the King personally.

Only then will he be able to make a brave decision free of influence.

I will.

Well then.

Minister Jeong, may we share a drink before you leave?

Jeju Government Office Detention Facility

You won't even allow me a visit after all the money we paid you?

You can't treat me this way no matter what has happened.

Silence! I'd expect you to be on your knees begging for mercy after what

your uncle has done, but you barge in here making demands?

I will sell my business and give you everything.

I even have a corpse prepared that you can bury instead of my uncle.

If you help us one more time...

You wench!

How dare you attempt to bribe an

official to secretly release a prisoner!

I could have your head for this!

Then you'll just have to die with me.

What?

Should I start naming all those that died unjustly in your hands?

Surely you haven't forgotten who took care of all of the cover-up.

You're delusional if you think you're still under Minister Jeong Dong's protection.

I will forgive you for this for the sake of our past association, but leave at once!

Why haven't you notified us in advance, sir?

You must be exhausted from the long trip, Lord Magistrate.

I am your assistant Choi Nam Gu.

So you're Choi Nam Gu.

Yes, sir. I am Assistant Magistrate Choi Nam Gu.

Sir! Why...?

Assistant Magistrate Choi Nam Gu, you are being arrested for embezzlement

of tribute goods and exploitation of the public.

Remove him from office and place him under confinement!

Yes, sir!

Remove from office?

Magistrate! Sir! I haven't done anything!

Mother!

Oh Moon Seon, you are under arrest!

Crimes of Minister Jeong Dong and his faction have been thoroughly exposed.

And it has been clearly revealed that you, Oh Moon Seon, provided slush fund

to Jeong Dong in exchange for political favors.

Do you acknowledge your guilt?

Lord Magistrate, I am the one who is responsible.

This woman doesn't know anything.

She's a mother and a homemaker. How could she know anything

about making political connections and running a big business?

Merchants of the silk shop confessed to Oh Moon Seon's involvement!

Lord Magistrate, the silk shop originally belonged to Kang Kye Man.

I couldn't blatantly act like the owner after Kang Kye Man died,

so I forced my niece to be the frontman.

Is this true?

Were you forced to keep silent about this by this man?

I-I didn't know. I didn't know anything about this.

This man's crime is more treacherous than stated on this report!

Arrest him and release Oh Moon Seon.

But you are not to leave the island until the investigation is complete.

- Proceed! - Yes.

Are you ready for the trip?

Yes, we just have to get out of here.

You're going on a business trip and you always talk like you can't wait to take off.

Are you that happy to leave home?

There they go again. Be quiet. The forewoman is talking.

Ma'am, an itinerant merchant delivered a letter.

Isn't the ship leaving soon?

Oh, yeah. Then we'll see you when we get back!

Okay. You should hustle so you don't miss the ship.

- Okay. - Go on.

Don't come out.

I'll keep close contact through the traveling merchants,

so write me right away if anything happens.

- Have a safe trip. - I will.

It's me, Kang Yoo Ji.

I didn't get to say goodbye when I left, so I'm writing a few words.

I'm doing well.

- That was good. - Thank you!

- I'll see you next time! - Come again!

- Hey, innkeeper! - Never mind.

One measly bowl of soup for all that work?

It's enough. Let us have another empty bowl.

I know that business is going well from the rumors I've heard here on the mainland.

I'm relieved that you are with Jung Hong Soo. I trust that you're happy.

How did it go?

They're confiscating all of our assets.

Don't worry. You can get back on your feet again as long as you're alive.

Uncle...

Moon Seon, don't say anything. I'm already a dead man.

But...

I can't let what happened to you happen to Sahn.

I don't know why I couldn't do this back then.

When your mother died and you came to live with me,

I don't know why I couldn't do anything but scold a crying little girl.

Get through this. You have to get through it.

Uncle...

- Two soup and rice, please. - Two?

- Two soup and rice, please! - Okay!

Moon Seon.

Are you happy now?

Are you happy now that I've lost everything?

You repulse me.

You're wearing a face of an angel counting the days until my uncle dies.

You make me sick.

Oh Moon Seon is not going down.

You'll see. I'll survive this.

I'll survive if only to prove that I can.

It's been months since the

last time you were in Jeju.

It's getting harder and harder to leave with all the expansion we keep doing.

Are the other branch managers here?

Yeah, they're here.

It's been 2 years since Lord Jeong Dong moved his place of exile to Jeju from Goje.

Is he still refusing to see you?

He's still the same.

Good work, everyone.

All of the branch locations have done better this quarter than the last quarter.

But profit has decreased for our branch.

We're selling more items at cost, so we're busier but profit has gone down.

Your branch did fine.

There are items that yield high profit,

and there are items we must carry even if we they sell below cost.

I know it's a lot of work, but please don't remove those items from the product line.

Yes, ma'am.

Is there anything else?

Partnership with the itinerant merchants, distribution of Jeju's specialty products?

Everything is running smoothly now.

So I guess there's only one more wish to go before all of your wishes are fulfilled.

No, we still don't have a branch store in Qing China yet.

And Russia either.

What is this all about?

Abolition of licensed stores?

A new law has taken effect in Hanyang that abolishes the grants of monopoly

privileges and allows the public to freely become a merchant.

Commercial Equalization Enactment Declared in 1791

I brought you good news today.

The government proclaimed a new law that allows free trading.

Lord Hong Soo's dream has finally come true.

I'm so worried about this dry weather.

Good for you that you have time to worry about the weather.

The drought is causing hardship for those who borrowed money from you as well.

Be kind at times like this, and...

Mind your own business. I live my life my way.

A man in exiles shouldn't

have so many visitors.

If you ever need anything...

I allowed you to come in to tell you never to seek me again.

But how could I ignore you when you're here in Jeju?

When I think of the kindness you've done for me, there's nothing I can...

I heard Steward Oh told them you were nothing but a puppet.

Are you afraid I might tell them that it's a lie?

No, my lord. I'm just...

It was for my son Hong Soo.

He would not have wanted you harmed.

And it was for your son.

I had hoped you'd change your life if only for your son's sake.

You and I both have committed countless misdeeds.

But isn't it time to change?

Don't make your son pay for your sins like I did.

No, stop! Stop, you bloody bastards!

You're killing me! Bastards!

I know I'm behind on my interest payment, but this is thuggery!

- Load them all up! - Yes, sir!

Load them up!

Bastard, I'll see you in hell for this! I'll see you in hell!

Hey, it's not nice to hit people.

Let go of him. Stay out of our business.

Junior Foreman, aside from whose business this is,

isn't it about time you acted your age and stop bullying other people?

If you feel so sorry for them, why don't you pay off their loan?

What are you standing around for? Load up the merchandise!

- Yes, sir! - Load them up!

No, you can't do this!

Stop, you bastards!

They would've been better off borrowing from Lord Mu Meng Dal.

Oh, you're eyes are going bad and you're doing that again?

Why are you clucking your tongue?

I was just at the marketplace.

There're cleaning out one store every other day.

I swear West Gate will never change.

West Gate?

They lend you money pretending to help, and once the debt becomes large,

they trap you and take you for all you've got. You know the dirty trick.

That Kim Pan Sul was sucking

up all the money like a demon.

It's pretty amazing though.

They fell from grace and crashed,

but they're still doing the same things!

That's trouble. They're turning the people against them.

I'm still good to take care of myself.

Did I say you couldn't take care of yourself?

I wonder where Dong Joo is and how he is doing...

Harvest is poor this year due to the drought,

and rice crops have failed on the mainland as well,

so the rice price is soaring.

We can make a huge profit right now if we sell the rice we have piled up in

the storehouse, madam.

Not yet.

Pardon?

Sell off everything we've confiscated and buy as much grains as you possible.

Not just the crops harvested on Jeju

but buy up all the crops that enter through the port as well.

Everything?

Yes, buy up everything.

I want no one on this island to own a single grain of rice except me.

Then we will have our chance?

Our chance to get revenge and seize power and wealth once again.

Let us release the grains we have in stock at a discounted price.

Discounted price?

But you can get whatever you ask for in the current rice market.

People are going hungry because of the drought.

Our priority is in distributing the grains to these people.

And contact your branch and have your men to buy surplus supply of rice just in case.

The harvest was poor on the mainland as well, so securing grains won't be very easy.

No!

No, give them back!

Give them back!

Stop!

You can't do this!

If you take away everything, my family will starve to death!

You're going too far!

Unbelievable! You gave us the same sob story when came to borrow from us.

Do you really expect me to believe you? They're lies!

Even the evil officials didn't take away the last sack of rice we have to survive on.

How could you be so cruel?

Are you telling me to be kind to you and starve to death myself?

We didn't say we won't pay you back!

We've been patient with you all this time when you can't even pay the interest.

Where do you think you are yelling and screaming?

Don't waste your time.

Kick them out, and call the authorities if they continue to cause trouble.

Let's see what happens.

The money that you raked up at the cost of our suffering will be you demise someday!

What brings the great forewoman of East Gate to this humble place?

Those people can barely eat one meal a day.

Don't be so heartless.

Save the lecture for your employees, madam.

Then how about if I buy their debt from you?

How thankful I am...

...that you're offering to pay off bad debt I can't collect.

I have no reason to say no.

Then...

But I want the debt paid in grains.

But... It's impossible to pay such large sum in grains in a lean year like this.

I'll pay you with money or land.

I don't need anything else.

Moon Seon, it's people that bring you money.

You could lose everything if you keep this up.

Don't act so smart.

People? People only come when you have money.

Do you think all those people flock to you because they like you?

They're there because you have money they can leech off of.

They've gone way too far.

I should set fire to their storehouse.

I have a better idea.

Steal everything they have and dump it on the street. You'll be a hero overnight.

Yeah. We're going to die anyway. Why don't we go out with a bang?

If you want to do it, I'm in!

I despise West Gate. I despise them!

West Gate's mistress is demanding that the loan be paid back in grains

and charging more interest.

I doubt she will accept cash from me even if I offer to buy the notes.

I'm afraid someone might hurt her if she continues to be so cruel in these hard times.

You are a persuasive man, sir. Please see what you can do.

I will pay you generously for your trouble.

I don't know.

I'll give it a try if you insist, but she's smart enough to know that you put me up to it.

Forewoman! Forewoman! There's trouble!

Trouble?

A group of disgruntled people is about to raid West Gate!

Madam! Madam!

People, no, an angry mob is coming!

An angry mob?

It's the borrowers. They're swearing to kill us!

Sahn. Where is Sahn?

I don't know...

Don't make your son pay for your sins.

Sahn... Sahn!

Subtitled by KBS America

Get them!

We must stop them. We can't let all of those people become rioters.

Why did you make those people angry, Mother?

It's Oh Moon Seon!

Hang the child on a tree!

No! Not my son!

Stop this at once!

You're guaranteed to be miserable if money is your source of happiness.

This is my first request of favor.

Raise my son Sahn.

I will pay for my mistakes alone,

so please live a good life.