Original subtitles

(Episode 26)

What?! The King has collapsed?!

Yes

He was fine last night

but he collapsed from last night's fever?

Yes

Madam, you should go quickly and find out what happened

OK, I'll do that

Let's go

What happened to him?

Didn't you say he regained his strength after the trip?

Physician, why aren't you saying anything?

It's hard to say what caused this...

The King collapsed, and you don't know...

what caused it, as a physician?

What's going on here? How could the King who just came back...

from the hot springs fall unconscious with high fever?!

I thought his health would get worse...

from the long-term illness, so I used tonic medicine

Then why did such a thing happen?!

You're sure your diagnosis was right?

I'm sure of it, even this physician diagnosed the same as well

Yes, sir

Anyhow, find the cause quickly! If you don't find it soon...

and he doesn't improve, you'll have to give up your lives...

Understand?!

Yes, sir

Sir, are you sure about his previous condition?

Are you saying my diagnosis was wrong?!

No, it's just that even after he started taking medicine...

he still had diarrhea and his fever got worse...

Are you saying the King may have some other illness?

If it isn't, then...

That's not possible You saw the list of symptoms...

how could any doctor diagnose it as something else?

Could there be some problem with the prescribed medicine?

The physician prescribed it and I made it myself

There are no problems with the prescription and the medicine

Then how come...?

What do you mean, how come?

Are you saying the physician gave a wrong prescription?

No, I don't mean that...

His symptoms are clearly caused by his cold

so we gave him the best medicine

So there are no problems with the prescription or the medicine

Anyway, his fever will go down for now, so let's wait and see

Stop the medicine for now

Then?

We should check him again

Are you concerned about something?

How about you?

Even though he has had skin problems for a long time...

the fact that he had a cold for a long time...

I agree... his health has deteriorated too much...

by the skin problem... same with the sore in his mouth

If it's some rare illness...

Go to the library and see if there's any other illness like this

Sure, I'll do that, but if our diagnosis was wrong...

Check it first

The King has collapsed?!

Everyone in the palace is mad over this

so just go back home and meet Sir Oh later

Sure. But the Royal Physician said there was no problem with him...

so how could this be?

That's why there's all this commotion

Hong, are you sure?

Yes, ma'am. Not only the kitchen, but the whole palace is in commotion

Madam

Madam

I'll leave now

Hong!

Yes, Madam

Wait here for a moment. I need you to quickly deliver a letter for me

Sure

I heard the King collapsed though the doctors said there's no problem

I don't think the heavens have turned its back on us

Remember the Prince's duck stew incident?

LfJang-Geum hadn't found out the cause for it...

the innocent chef would've died

This is the one chance that the heavens have given us

Then what food do you want us to prepare?

He's still unconscious, so he can't eat regular food yet

Didn't the physician say he'd wake up

as soon as his fever goes down?

Yes, he'll wake up soon

Then what should we do?

After he wakes up, the physician will diagnose his conditions again

and then he'll decide on the type of food he'll eat

Then do we have to wait for a while?

I think that's the only choice for now

Oh my, what did the physicians do...

to make him suffer like this?

Yes. And they even suggested the trip to the hot springs

How can we trust the physicians now?

What are you doing here? I don't have time now

I know... but please, let me talk to you for a moment

I heard everything from Sir Park on the way

I heard you used a special medicine to treat the cold and it happened

after the hot springs trip, so physicians are in deep trouble

What do you want to say?

I just want to help you, sir

The best physician in Chosun couldn't have misdiagnosed...

The problem is clearly not with the prescription or the medicine

It could've been caused by some other problem

Other problem?

The King probably didn't only take the medicine

He took the medicine and he also ate two meals a day

The physician will surely heal the King in time

but if we don't find the cause for King's collapse

then the physician or you will be directly responsible

So tell me I'll take care of the rest

The Queen doesn't want any food, but she keeps on making porridge

What else could she do? She has to serve it

Then do we have to fast, too?

Of course! You know what happened to the King!

I was just...

What is it?

I think you have to go with us

What is it?

You'll find out

Let's go

Escort her

Madam...

It's probably nothing, so don't worry

I'll be back, so Lady Min, make sure to serve the food to the Queen

Sure

It feels like she's being arraigned

No, whenever the King's health deteriorates

that's what happens around here

Really?

Yes

The physicians have suggested his summer house...

so why did you recommend that place?

Actually, it's my hometown and I knew

the hot springs there are good, so...

Your hometown?

He had a cold and he didn't have any other illnesses to cause a fever

So the physicians are inquiring into the food he ate

Food? All the food was prepared under

the provision of the physician

Even if he supervised it, how could he know all the spices...

and the ingredients?

We didn't use any other spices that the physicians don't know of

I can show you all the ingredients and the spices used right now

This is the list from Food Services

They received all the ingredients except for ducks

What was the reason?

Like I told you before, I knew that the ducks

were better than the ones from Food Services

So you recommended the place because it's your hometown

and you used the local ducks because it was your hometown?

Yes

Are ducks the only local items used?

No, we normally buy vegetables and other ingredients that go off easily

Head Lady, make sure Lady Han stays in...

the inspection room at the Court Lady House and of course

Lady Han won't be allowed to go to the kitchen during this time

Sure

You, go back there with the kitchen ladies and investigate

Yes, sir

Did such a thing ever happen before?

Yes, when I was a new girl Everyone from worker ladies...

to the court ladies were called and we had to suffer insults

Even the worker ladies?

That's a relief. I'm glad I didn't go

The King probably won't do that

The former ruler was always suspicious about...

getting poisoned from the food so he did that often

Lady Han isn't coming back?

You're Suh Jang-Geum, aren't you?

Yes, and...?

Prepare to leave

Excuse me?

It's done as you said

Good. You can get the mushroom from a guy named Min-Dal

It's a special poisonous mushroom that silver spoons can't detect

In front of everyone, he'll say that Lady Han...

from his hometown asked him to give the mushroom to Jang-Geum

And you only have to give him time to leave the place...

so no one can question him and no matter how they try

Lady Han and Jang-Geum won't be able to do anything about it

OK

What brings you to this shabby place?

Inside the palace...

I did hear the King had collapsed

Lady Han is locked in the ladies' inspection room, right?

Yes, so that's why you should take over the kitchen

You can become the Highest Lady if something happens to Lady Han

What?

Give the kitchen to the lady of the Prince's kitchen...

and just untie the ropes that Lady Han has tied me with

What are you talking about?

I can't go anywhere because the Highest Lady locked me in here

So please give me permission to go out so I can get some fresh air

Fresh air in a time like this?

Isn't it better to make things go wrong for Lady Han...

instead of waiting for such things to happen to her?

What are you saying?!

Jang-Geum left with physicians for investigation

and Lady Han isn't there, so things are chaotic in the kitchen

He didn't collapse due to the food! Not when Lady Han is there!

The heavens and earth know that! It can't be!

I know...

If this isn't conspiracy, it's that!

What do you mean, that?

You know I made medicinal duck stew for the Prince...

It's surely that and it can't be anything else!

Just as Jang-Geum saved me when I was at the police quarters...

I'm going to save Lady Han and Jang-Geum this time

Let's go

Huh? Where?

We have to find out what ingredients were used to do something!

Sure

Madam, you know the ingredients that were used, don't you?

Ginseng, dates, chestnuts, ginger, garlic, and green onions...

what else was used?

The list is here, but...

Please let me see it. Please...

Let him see it, Madam

I can let him see it. Here...

What's wrong? What's wrong?

It's so hot. I burned my throat How come it's so hot?

Who's going to eat all these ducks? And how much did you spend on these?

The money isn't the problem here The leftover food isn't the problem

The money and the waste of food are problems of course

Do you know what Jang-Geum did for me when I was arrested?

That's...

She lost her tastebuds for me

No one asked her to do it

Why are you being so stingy with only a few ducks?!

And it's not Jang-Geum who's locked in, but Lady Han this time

How could Jang-Geum be in her place without Lady Han?! Think about it!

That's... anyway, you know such things happen whenever...

the King has an illness... It's probably one of those things

I don't know... I'm going to find out how to heal the King...

and save Lady Han and Jang-Geum

What are you saying?

Sir

The things you were saying just now

You probably don't know what's going on in the palace now...

Please tell me in detail What's going on?

I'll tell you in detail... Food Services...

They say the King collapsed after eating Lady Han's food

What?!

I'm trying to find the cause... even by burning my throat...

Go to the palace Find out what's going on

Yes, sir

And deliver this to the head of Royal Guards

Yes, sir

Take a look at them for yourselves That can't be possible!

Ask all the people in this town

No one has ever gotten sick after eating my ducks!

Yes, the quality of the ducks here were better than other places

Yes. I heard a 60 year old man had a son after eating my ducks

I've never heard such a thing before

OK

Sir! Sir! Please come here

What is it?

Look. I was wondering what these were and

I found out he's feeding the ducks this poison

It's dried hot spring water

What'd you put in it?

Put in it? The hot springs here are naturally like this

That type of thing is common in this area's water

Then ducks always drink this water?

Of course

This poison?

What?

What? Then we didn't even need to think up a scheme?

Right

OK, you can go and rest now

Yes, sir

What is it?

The heavens are helping us in the perfect way...

What is it?

What?! Such poison was found?

Oh, no, that can't be Lady Han wouldn't do such a thing!

What would happen to her if that's true?

How could she make such a mistake?

What now?

What will happen, Madam?

If that's true...

Sulfur?! Sulfur?!

Sulfur is very toxic

Lady Han knew of this and still prepared it for the King?!

I didn't know

You didn't know? You prepared ducks that ate poison...

and you're about to deny that?!

But all the ducks eat it and there are no problems

Even though it's your hometown, you've always been in the palace

How do you know so well?

And even though the duck may have filtered it

poison is still poison

Any medicine's effects differ greatly from person to person

If it's that kind of poison, shouldn't it have been detected?

No. The poison is detected when it touches the silver...

but the poison in the meat may not be detected

Sulfur is very poisonous, so one must...

boil it 15 times with ginger in mud water...

to get rid of the toxins

And such detoxified sulfur is known to be good for...

his skin problems, but they didn't use it

as it could still be harmful for the King

But ducks that ate poison? How will you explain this?

There's no need to talk any further Take the criminal to the police now

Madam

Jang-Geum, did they really feed sulfur to the ducks?

Yes

What should we do? Though you didn't know about it...

if the King collapsed because of it...?

Look into it carefully Their ducks are...

known as the best kind

Sure...

They wouldn't have left them if even one person got sick...

after eating it, so look into it carefully

Sure, Madam. I'll find out I'll find out for sure

What? He left?!

Sir Jung has really left? Where? Where did he go?

How should I know?

He was ordered to return to the house of physicians...

but he said it wasn't time to go back

then he packed and left that day

He doesn't listen to us no matter how much we try to stop him

What should we do?

What is it? Can we help somehow?

No one else got sick eating them

There's some other reason

Of course... they're the best kind

I was tied to the palace and...

ladies who went to the hot springs were ordered to stay inside...

so I couldn't go there

OK, sure. I'll take Sir Min and find out what's going on

Yes, please... you and Sir Min are the only people I rely on

I'll take him and a doctor to find it out for sure!

You must hurry... please

Jang-Geum looked so sad asking me for such things

OK

Then should I prepare to leave?

We'll have to move fast We'll take a doctor. Let's hurry

Thank you, sir. I've never known such a trustworthy person like you

If that's true, the ducks have made the King collapse...

and not the physicians

Whether she knew it or not, she can't escape from that fact

And she bought the ducks there after recommending that place

And Jang-Geum actually bought the ducks

Surely, it's a suspicious scenario

That way, we can clean out Lady Han and Jang-Geum

Will the Head Eunuch and Head Lady go that far with this?

You must try to convince Sir Oh Kyum-Ho

I heard that the King hesitates to hear such reports because...

he had heard so many false accusations

Yes, I heard about that, too

And since that was the time during the Purging of Literati...

But we can't tell him our story...

Sir, what's going to happen to Lady Han?

Why? Are you worried that Lady Han might be freed?

How could such a thing happen to such a criminal?

Right...

Then...?

I'm going to ask for interrogation tomorrow

Interrogation?

Once interrogation is set up, you'll achieve what you want...

and I'll take care of one of my headaches

A headache?

It's about Jung-Am who's been exiled...

because of the last purging

I exiled him, but I still need to take care of him

I think this is a good opportunity to make things sure

The physician said once the fever comes down, the King would be OK

I'll use this opportunity to ask the King's Mother...

to grant me the position of interrogator, so you can...

Yes, sir, go ahead and give us an order

It's difficult to say that a kitchen lady...

was intimate with exiled Jung-Am

So you try to find one ofJung-Am's followers

There are many followers among the younger workers...

so it won't be that difficult

Yes, sir

Go ahead

His ducks are the best in our town

People from afar come to buy from him

Isn't that right? Sir!

Last time, physicians came to say, I was feeding them sulfur

Anyhow, those who eat my ducks are perfectly fine

so I don't know what's with that

Are you sure there were no problems?

People here speak of the ducks as the ultimate medicine

for a long, healthy life

That's right!

Can you tell me something?

Ducks did eat sulfur

Then why don't they die?

I don't know. Ducks are known to filter poison and restore strength

Plus they are known for detoxifying effects

Then are you saying, ducks can detoxify all the sulfur they take?

I'm not sure, but if the ducks are detoxifying...

the sulfur taken into their bodies...

Then?

Then there is no better medicine to restore strength

What?

Sulfur is good for restoring strength but since it's hard...

to detoxify it, people usually don't use it

But if they're detoxifying it, then the ducks are...

the best of the best medicine for a long, healthy life

Then there should be no problem eating these ducks?

Problem? The only problem would be overflowing energy!

Sir, Lady Han and Jang-Geum are saved now!

Stop!

Who's the owner selling ducks here?

It's me

Arrest him right now

Yes, sir!

Arrest me?!

What is it? I'm Lt. General of the Royal Guards

I have been ordered to arrest him for treason

Treason?

Yes, we have to arrest him and interrogate him, so move back

Drag him away!

Treason?! That can't be!

If that owner is guilty of treason, what about Lady Han and Jang-Geum?

I think we have to hurry to the palace

Hurry!

She'll be freed, right?

Of course, she'll be...

Sir, please... I trust you...

Suh Jang-Geum, guilty of treason, come forth!

Treason? What do you mean?

Your crimes will be revealed at the police

Arrest her!

Oh, no! She isn't someone who would ever do such a thing!

Drag her away!

Yes, sir!

Jang-Geum! Yeun-Seng!

She isn't it! She didn't do it!

Did he say tr... treason?

Yes, I'm sure he said "treason"

Madam! Madam!

Jang-Geum

Madam, are you OK?

Jang-Geum, why are you here...

Madam...

Silence!

Is she the one who bought the ducks?

Yes

You said you knew Lady Han, right?

She came to buy ducks from time to time

and as she became a court lady from our town, everyone knows her

But you didn't know those ducks ate sulfur?

So you took the King there and...

you didn't know about the ducks, so you offered them to the King?

Who is it?

Who's the instigator?!

Oh no, no one! It's a great crime to prepare...

such food without knowing about it But instigator? Never!

How rude of you! Don't be merciful until she opens her mouth!

Yes, sir!

Tie her up!

Madam! Madam!

Why do you appear here?

Everyone thinks you're in a remote place

I heard there's an emergency

What is it?

I heard they're charging the kitchen ladies with conspiracy

The interrogation has started already

It's clearly a conspiracy According to the physician...

the ducks detoxify sulfur, and ducks are known for that

Are you sure?

Royal Physicians know it and there has been no investigation of...

people who ate the ducks previously

It's a kitchen lady-related conspiracy of Choi Pan-Sul & Sir Oh Kyum-Ho

Aren't those kitchen ladies related to your last incident?

Yes, they are

Let's get to the bottom of it

They received a blow from last time That's why they're doing this

Or they could be going after greater things

Greater things?

Jung-Am... They always disliked him

How far have you gone in your investigation?

Not too far. We don't have any decisive evidence

I can't just sit and watch

Stay out of this

Sir!

Listen! If you make a mistake, you and other younger officials...

and Sung-Kyun College could come to ruin again

They can't do anything about me as I take care of the King's security

I'll have to take action

Sir

Hurry and go outside the palace

Is he recovering?

The sulfur antidote isn't helping at all

Then?

I don't think that's it. We stopped that special medicine...

and just gave him fever reducer and that's more effective

You must not tell this to anyone

This has already gone out of our hands

We only have to do what Sir Oh Kyum-Ho wants

Sure. But the King's illness can't be diagnosed correctly...

It's big trouble

It's clearly an illness we don't know about

How else can we know so little about it?

So what should we do from now?

We'll have to find it... we'll find it

Royal Physician, are you here? I'm the Head of Royal Guards

Yes, sir

What brings you here?

From what I found out, sulfur is very toxic poison...

but ducks are known for its detoxifying effect, huh?

So even though they ate sulfur, as it's detoxified...

it's harmless for people to eat them

All the people in that town are fine

Sir, are you saying we're telling a lie?

Then all the other people are just fine while

the King is having high fever?

Sir, the medicine doesn't have the same effect on all people

The King has taken sulfur antidote...

and he has started to recover now

I'm not sure what you heard but we're in charge of the King's health

If you can't trust us...

You take care of his health and I'm in charge of his security

I have responsibility to find out what has caused it!

I'm going to ask for a thorough investigation...

so you go and reinvestigate

I'll ask again. Who's the instigator?

Stop!

What are you doing?

It's the prime minister's order! Stop the interrogation!

We found out the ducks are completely harmless

Do the Royal Guards do such work, too?

This concerns the King's security It's the Royal Guards' duty

We have told the physicians and they haven't given a clear reply

Please stop this interrogation until a clear cause is revealed

What should we do? The Head of Royal Guards came and scolded us

What is this?

He said the ducks are harmless

Is this true?

Probably so...

There's no problem with ducks which ate sulfur?

I didn't even have a chance to find out more about it

but seeing how antidote for sulfur didn't improve his health...

I don't think it's the ducks

Who else knows about this?

No one knows about this yet

They stopped the interrogation

What?!

The Head of Royal Guards did it

But I think it's him

Him?

I think I saw Min Jung-Ho

Min Jung-Ho?

The Lt. General...

He's not in Han-Yang

No, try to find him again It was brief, but clearly him!

Min Jung-Ho is in Han-Yang Get all the boys to find out...

where he is and what he's up to

Yes, sir

Madam, what could've happened?

I'm not sure... I'm curious about it myself

Sir Oh seemed to be greatly disturbed by it

It's probably good news for us

Yes, I think so, too

You suffered more than me Are you OK?

I'm fine... I'm making you suffer because of my foolish actions...

Don't worry about me, Madam

OK

I'm letting you in because it's a request by Lt. General Min, but...

as they're still related to treason you must finish quickly

OK, sure, don't you worry

Over there Thank you

Jang-Geum! Madam! Are you OK?

Ma'am, how did you...?

Since it's a women's prison, he told me...

to come to deliver some food

He did?

Yes, he's doing everything he can to free you, so you'll be out soon

This is a letter from him

Madam, he found out the ducks were harmless

He wrote we don't have to worry since we'll be freed soon

Really?

And he wants to know what questions were asked during the interrogation

He must be worried about something

Yes, I was thinking that, too

He seemed to have some other motives

Jang-Geum, you write a reply there. Hurry

This trinket... where did you get this?

Why? I received it as a payment for the drinks

What?! From whom?

Why?

This... this... is the gift that my father gave me

I went out to buy a golden pheasant and

lost it while trying to save a man...

Really? That's Sir Min's

Then he must've been looking for you!

When he first came to my home he was looking for the owner of that

We didn't tell him about you because

we were afraid something might happen to you

and we forgot about it since then

Then...

Then the person I saved was...

Sir Min Jung-Ho... It's him for sure!

What's going on? Why is the head of Royal Guards interfering suddenly?

What is it?

Madam, please help so that Lady Han and Jang-Geum can be freed quickly

Yes, please

What are you saying?

We heard there are no problems with the ducks

So why are innocent ladies still locked up?

Yes, Madam, I heard that innocent people accuse themselves because...

of the torture there, so it's hard to know what can happen to them...

please help so they can be freed quickly

Please, Madam... you're the highest of the court ladies

Please, Madam!

Go and work right now! How dare you make demands like this?!

This is a serious issue related to the security of the King!

No one can make demands including myself!

And even the issue with ducks hasn't been solved completely...

so how dare you be rash with such things?!

If they're innocent, they'll be freed now!

Go back right now!

I said, go back!

Did you get anything?

Some of the land of Choi Pan-Sul is found to be under...

the name of Sir Oh Kyum-Ho's children

And the ginseng field issue of Sung-Kyun College was overlooked...

because of the relationship between regional officials & Sir Oh Kyum-Ho

Submit a report in detail

Sure

Be careful

Sir!

Sir? Sir?

Honey, why are you looking for him?

Honey, do you know where he is?

I met him on the way He said he had to hurry somewhere

What could be more important than this?

What are you saying?

Jang-Geum is...

What about Jang-Geum? Is she free?

No, not yet. She'll soon be

Of course! He and I worked so hard...

And by the way, that trinket belongs to Jang-Geum

I think there will be a change

No... now is the opportunity We have to make it work

But their innocence has been proven The physicians and doctors...

from the Royal Guards are going to reinvestigate

Use the poisonous mushroom you planned to use from the start

We have to make other reasons We can't let this opportunity pass

Did you find it out?

Min Jung-Ho was investigating your business

Are you sure?

Yes. He did it with his agents

How much does he know?

I couldn't hear everything

but he even knew of the relationship with Sir Oh

No! No!

But that adjutant of Lt. General who was protecting the court ladies...

at the hot springs was with Sir Min

So it's clearly Lt. General Min who's behind this

OK, go out and call Lee Hang-Su

Yes, sir

Then are you saying this was Lt. General Min's doing as well?

He isn't that foolish... Why is he getting involved in this?

Lt. General Min's agent protected Lady Han... And the head of...

Royal Guards supported her

Interesting. I think this misfortune could turn into a blessing

Excuse me?

Sir Park was worried how he could make things sure with Jung-Am...

but if they find out he didn't go to the rural area

for work, then he could tie the two together

Then we can take care of 3 troublesome people all at once

The thing is whether or not Min Jung-Ho is related to Jung-Am

Did you call for me?

Go to Jung of Sung-Kyun College and find out what relationship...

Lt. General or head of Royal Guards have with Jung-am

Is that all?

I'll meet Sir Park at the dancer bar

so come to that place once you find out

Sure

Come with me

OK

Hello, sir. Welcome

Is Sir Park here?

Yes, he's here. Please come in

Keum-Young!

Not Sir Min Jung-Ho!

Tell us the reason

Why are you saying, not Lt. General Min?

You already know this is about our family and our lives

I know that, too

Connected with Lady Han from last time

he's been a threat to our family Do you know that, too?

Yes

Then what is it? Why are you saying no?

I can't let Lt. General Min be harmed for any reason

Even if it means harm to us?

Yes

Why?

I love him

Such a thing can't be for a court lady

I couldn't stop it... and I won't

What?

In the desolate palace, I would've run away hundreds of times...

if it wasn't for him You know this already, Aunt

When you told me about killing your pal, I saw your tears

It was more painful than when you found out...

you weren't picked as the Highest Kitchen Lady

I must live that kind of life, too I will... I will gladly accept it

But leave Lt. General alone for me Just that person

We can't do that

Madam, it doesn't have to be him!

We can't!

I can't either!

If not?!

I'll go to the police myself

I didn't know Keum-Young would act this way

You don't know because you aren't a court lady

Then what do you say we do?

If we leave him alone, he'll threaten us all!

Sir Park is here

Isn't it hard for you?

I'm fine. I'm worried about you

I'm fine. I'm sorry to say this

but I don't feel hurt, lonely cold or sad because I'm with you

Me, too. We'll be going out soon, so don't lose courage

When I go out, I'll cook many delicious dishes for you

I'll do the things I wasn't able to do for my mother

Sure

Come out!

Madam!

Yes