Original subtitles

Where are you in a rush to?

Her Imperial Majesty told me to go see His Imperial Majesty.

Is something going on?

Dang Gise.

We found a secret passage near Taiye Pond.

A secret passage?

I think they have already left the Imperial Palace.

The drops of blood led to the West Gate.

Close up the secret passage right now,

and send more men to the West Gate near the Pavilion of Women.

Yes, General.

-Let us go. -Yes.

Did you end up like this because of the blood vow?

Yes. But...

Jeok-ho did not have the blood vow.

Your Imperial Majesty, did you call for me?

Yes. Hurry and take a look at her wound.

Hurry.

Fortunately, the tendon has not been injured.

Then why is she so pale?

Give me your hand.

What is wrong?

Chief Eunuch.

You are just low on energy

because you lost so much blood.

That seems to be all.

We must hide Yang in the Pavilion of Women.

I must go outside the Imperial Palace

and see Eunuch Bang.

Are you out of your mind?

The Kheshig are outside. How are you going to leave the Palace?

I heard

there is a secret passage near Taiye Pond.

It already got discovered and closed up.

-Pardon? -Dang Gise already knows it was you.

You cannot go to the guest pavilion either.

The only place that the Kheshig cannot enter is the Pavilion of Women.

Security has become even tighter,

so it will not be easy to get her to the Pavilion of Women.

There is no other way.

Hide her in the Pavilion of Women no matter what.

There may be a way.

What is it?

Who is inside?

Concubine Park is on her way from meeting His Imperial Majesty.

Concubine Park?

You mean, Her Ladyship?

Your Ladyship, please show us your face.

What a show of disrespect.

How dare you tell a conceiving lady to show her face?

It is an order from General Dang Gise. Please understand.

Your Ladyship?

Your Ladyship?

Please show us your face.

Let us turn back.

We will report this to His Imperial Majesty.

-Yes. -Yes.

Why are you acting like this?

It is not like you are unaware of the rules of the Kheshig.

The rules of the Imperial House are more important to me.

What are you doing? I told you to turn back.

Fine.

I understand. You may pass.

Let us go.

What a rude fellow.

He is known for being strict.

It is so dusty in here.

I did not know there was a place like this in the Pavilion of Women.

Long ago,

a few Imperial concubines killed themselves here.

No one has been coming near

because of the rumors that they are haunting this place.

It might be scary for Yang to stay here by herself.

That is why we will have Court Lady Noh stay with her.

Hong-dan, pretend you are taking care of Court Lady Noh

and look after Yang.

Yes, Chief Eunuch.

As soon as I recover,

I will find a way to get out of here.

Yang.

Are you...

Do you have something to tell me?

Never mind. I have a few things to give you.

Hong-dan, come with me.

Congratulations on the forthcoming child, Your Imperial Majesty.

Thank you.

It must have been tough, Empress.

Not in the least, Your Imperial Majesty.

How about we open the imperial granaries

and distribute grain to the people?

That is a great idea.

In celebration of this joyous news,

you should give back to the people with imperial grace.

I will do that.

Please eat, Your Imperial Majesty.

I cannot because of morning sickness.

Welcome, Dang Gise.

I have a request to ask of Your Imperial Majesty.

Go on.

Please let us search the Pavilion of Women with the Kheshig.

You still have not found them?

If they are not at the Pavilion of Women,

we will have to assume that they had left the Imperial Palace.

Please let them, Your Imperial Majesty.

I cannot.

Has an empress ever allowed men into the Pavilion of Women?

This is an urgent matter.

This is critical to me as well.

If the Imperial House loses its dignity, everyone will blame me.

Do you want that to happen?

How about we let the female inspectors search?

I was thinking the same.

You can stay out of this.

Listen to them.

I will get going now.

Are you upset?

Think about our child and ease your troubled mind, Your Imperial Majesty.

After all, we are here to celebrate.

Jeok-ho has no reason to risk his life for the blood vow.

Are you saying he does not have it?

If he did have it, he would have given it to the Empress Dowager already.

It is their last threat to you, Father.

We should just get rid of the source--

Go get some animal blood.

Why are you suddenly asking for blood?

We can just make the blood vow.

Even if Emperor Myeongjong's blood vow shows up later,

how will they know which one is real when nobody even saw it?

That is a marvelous idea.

My dear son,

your foolish father is the one to blame.

When you become the Emperor after I die,

trust Grand Councillor Yeoncheol and rely on him.

Grand Councillor Yeoncheol is the only one

who will protect you and the Yuan dynasty.

I am sorry, my dear son.

Why did you bring so much?

Chief Eunuch filled it up, saying you have to eat well.

Why?

I do not know. He told me to take good care of you.

Oh, my. These are those precious tangerines.

They are too sour.

This is sour to you?

It is sweet and tasty to me.

That is not sour to you?

It is not.

It is my first time trying it, and it is good.

How is Yang?

Chief Eunuch Dok-man is taking good care of her.

-Will you go see her? -No.

Most of the court ladies at the Pavilion of Women serve the Empress.

I do not want to be selfish and put her in danger.

If you go to the back of Concubine Park's place,

there is a side door that leads to the confined palace.

If you go when it is dark, nobody will know.

Your Imperial Majesty.

What are you doing here, Empress?

That is what I want to ask.

Are you going to see Concubine Park this late at night?

Well, I have been too inattentive to her these days.

Your Imperial Majesty, I am conceiving too.

You are not preferring one child over the other already, are you?

Why would I do that?

I was just going to ask how she is doing--

She is eating, sleeping, and living her life very well.

So do not go see Concubine Park ever again.

I am afraid it will have a negative effect on the baby.

I cannot let that happen.

-Golta, let us go. -Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

That wench Park is conceiving a son?

The physician said it is definitely a son.

I will go through a lot of trouble if I have a daughter.

I must have the physician take my pulse right now.

I will get the physician ready, Your Imperial Majesty.

Did I wake you?

I think I ate too much earlier.

I am fine. You should get some sleep.

Are you bearing a child?

Pardon?

I am asking if you are conceiving.

That is absurd. How could I be conceiving?

No. There is no doubt that you are conceiving.

I have never been wrong about this.

Yang, are you asleep?

Yang.

Chief Eunuch.

Change into these clothes.

Brew this and drink it in the morning and at night.

They are medicinal herbs that you must take.

And make sure to keep your body warm.

Heat up the room frequently.

Please be honest with me.

Why were you so surprised when you took my pulse?

Why are you looking after me so much?

And what are these medicinal herbs for?

Tell me honestly first.

It is probably not His Imperial Majesty's child.

Is it Wang Yu's child?

I guess I was right.

-Then-- -What you are thinking is right.

You are conceiving.

Judging by your pulse, it has been about three or four months.

I cannot believe you were stabbed and bleeding like that.

Is my child...

Is my child...

fine right now?

Do not worry.

Your slippery pulse is nice and strong.

SLIPPERY PULSE: INDICATION OF PREGNANCY

You were not a court lady at the time.

I do not blame you.

Until Wang Yu can come back and take care of you,

just know that I will be here to help.

Is it a son?

It will be a son.

It must be a son.

Your Imperial Majesty.

What is that look on your face?

Do not tell me it is a daughter.

I regret to inform you

that you are not conceiving.

I am not conceiving?

You did not say anything last time.

The slippery pulse is often weak in the early stages.

Your Imperial Majesty

was having a false conception.

A false conception?

Due to your excessive desire for a child,

your body produced symptoms of conception--

Shut your mouth.

There is no doubt that I had morning sickness and a swollen belly.

How dare you lie to me?

Your Imperial Majesty is infertile.

Infertile?

Your body is unable to have a child.

I cannot...

have a child?

My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty, please wake up.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

You seem so anxious. Why are you sighing?

Is the father of the child someone you do not like?

No, that is not it.

Then what is it?

I have never imagined

that I would have a child.

How will I protect this child?

Would I be able to do it?

I feel so overwhelmed.

All women having a child for the first time

feel the same way as you do.

However, a mother with a child

becomes the strongest person in the world.

It is because the heavens have given her

a strong will in lieu of a weak body.

Would I...

be able to do it?

What was your mother like?

My mother was...

My mother even sacrificed...

her life for me.

That is a true mother's heart.

When it comes to her child,

there is nothing in the world that she fears.

That is motherly love.

A new life is a gift from the heavens.

It is a blessing to be grateful for.

Always think positively.

It is good for the child.

Yes, my lady.

I will do that.

Do not worry, little one.

Come to us when it is time.

I will pull myself together

so that I can be a good grandmother to you.

-Father! -Move it!

GORYEO VILLAGE NEAR YEONGYEONG

Move!

Get out of the way!

Instantly kill anyone who resists.

Where in the world are you taking us?

How dare you touch me with your filthy hands?

You should have picked a better headman.

Hurry and take them.

-Oh, my goodness. -Move it!

Are you watching this, Jeok-ho?

If you want to save these people, bring me the blood vow.

Or else,

everyone will work in the mines for the rest of their lives.

Do you understand, Jeok-ho?

No.

Do you want to be killed by them?

They are going through that because of me. I cannot just sit back and watch.

I am going to kill those punks and die with them.

Is it all right to leave Seung-nyang in the Pavilion of Women?

We do not have the power to get her out.

Chief Eunuch Dok-man said he has a way to get her out of there.

We must trust him and wait.

Should we not tell His Majesty?

It would only worry him.

Let us wait until Seung-nyang gets out.

Did you tell the physician to keep quiet about this?

I did follow Your Imperial Majesty's orders,

but perhaps you should just tell--

His Imperial Majesty distributed grain to the people

in celebration of my conception.

I cannot let myself become a laughingstock.

Everyone will find out in a few months anyway.

I can just say I had a miscarriage.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -I will get treated for infertility,

so get that ready.

They say it is very painful.

I do not mind the pain.

I must have a child...

and earn respect as an empress.

Yang, please come out for a moment.

Are you saying there is a way to get out of here?

When her baby is due,

Concubine Park will go to the Empress's palace

and ask if she can give birth outside of the Imperial Palace.

She would like to help you escape in secret.

Thank you.

We Goryeo people must help each other out.

We have four months left.

Just endure this place for four months.

When you leave the Imperial Palace, you can give birth

and raise your child without a single concern.

I will never forget the kindness

of those who helped me.

Wang Yu will be so pleased to hear

that you are conceiving.

GAEGYEONG, GORYEO

How I have dreamed of this.

I am tearing up, and my heart is racing.

I wish everyone was here together.

Let us go, Your Majesty.

Are you serious?

Counterfeit chao?

CHAO: THE BANKNOTE OF THE YUAN DYNASTY

This is fake?

Then the envoys of the Yuan dynasty have been making

trade payments with counterfeit money all along?

That is correct.

How could this happen?

Our trade minister, Kim Ja-chi,

conspired with the envoys from the Yuan dynasty.

He was in charge of trade with the Yuan dynasty.

It was not a knife.

He got hit by a heavy blunt weapon.

Bring me the counterfeit money and silver.

Yes, Your Majesty.

How much is all of this?

This counterfeit money

looks just like the real money.

According to the investigators, they were all made at the same place.

The envoys have not made the payments yet, have they?

Since the person in charge died,

they have been putting it off.

They probably did not want to get caught

using counterfeit money this whole time.

We cannot just go torture them since they are envoys of the Yuan dynasty.

What should we do with those fools?

Where are the envoys right now?

They are staying at the courtesan house.

From here on out, do exactly as I say.

If you take care of me tonight,

I will make you my concubine.

Rather than that,

please sell me some chao, so I can look good to my master.

I should sell you some chao?

I hear the chao will rise in value soon.

One of our regulars has been buying some chao because of that.

If I introduce you to him,

you can get three times the value.

Three times the value?

Our information is always reliable.

I would need some chao to begin with.

This is the correct amount, Master.

Here.

Do you not need to weigh it on a scale?

My hands are like a scale.

I think it is well over three times the value.

Is this counterfeit money?

It is real.

Gosh, those punks

are being very careful.

Keep buying the chao from them.

Yes.

Sooner or later, they will give us counterfeit money.

-Yes, Your Majesty. -Yes, Your Majesty.

Dear Seung-nyang,

I think I will be here longer than I expected.

It troubles me that I left you there.

The day when you and I can enjoy Goryeo together will come soon.

Until then, please do not strain yourself.

I miss you, Seung-nyang.

General!

General,

I snatched a letter that Wang Yu sent

from Goryeo just now.

Seung-nyang is definitely not in Goryeo.

Where are Wang Yu's men?

I have no idea where they are hiding.

Do not slack off on guarding the inside and outside of the Imperial Palace.

Yes, General.

FOUR MONTHS LATER

Your Highness, General Baekan's nephew has sent a letter.

Your Highness, have you been doing well?

General Baekan's first order of business here at Yoyang Province

was to build up the army.

Building a strong army will not happen overnight,

but we are slowly getting stronger and stronger.

I apologize. Please spare my life.

I have committed a grave sin.

-Please spare my life. -Kill him.

-Yes. -Yes.

-Please spare me. -Next.

Governor, please spare my life...

He bought his position for 100 yang of gold

and has exploited the people for years.

Please forgive me.

We have no mercy on corrupt officials.

Confiscate his assets,

-beat him, and toss him in jail. -Please.

However,

the problem is financing.

Confiscating the assets of corrupt officials is not enough

to provide funds for the army.

We are looking for a way to raise funds for the army.

Could Your Highness be kind enough to look for people who can help us?

Have you found any wealthy merchants in the Yuan dynasty?

Most of them have close ties with Grand Councillor Yeoncheol.

Of course.

Yeoncheol would need all those funds

to maintain his power.

What are Your Highness's plans?

There are ten provinces in the Yuan dynasty.

One is already on my side.

If I can have five

among the rest on my side,

it will be worth

giving Yeoncheol a fight.

I will do all I can to help Your Highness.

How is His Imperial Majesty these days?

He has become very prudent unlike before.

He must be very lonely.

Just wait.

Just wait a bit longer, Your Imperial Majesty.

You made this yourself?

Do you like the clothes I made for your child?

I do.

It is fascinating to think

that my child will be wearing it.

You are almost done, Your Imperial Majesty.

Just a little more.

Hang in there, Your Imperial Majesty.

Hang in there just a little longer.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Just a little longer, Your Imperial Majesty.

Hang in there, Your Imperial Majesty.

You are almost done.

Your Imperial Majesty,

let us stop these treatments now.

Even after having acupuncture and moxibustion every day,

there has not been an improvement for four months.

I cannot watch Your Imperial Majesty suffer like this any longer.

If I give up after all this,

I would just look pitiful.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Here comes His Imperial Majesty.

-Oh, no. -Your Imperial Majesty,

put this around your belly.

Hurry, Your Imperial Majesty.

What is taking you so long?

Your Imperial Majesty, His Imperial Majesty has arrived.

Her Imperial Majesty was asleep.

Please come in.

Welcome, Your Imperial Majesty.

Why are you here though?

Concubine Park will give birth soon.

So?

She wants to give birth at the temple where the Empress Dowager is.

Please give her permission, Empress.

My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty.

Please let her.

The mother must be relaxed for the childbirth to go smoothly.

When a lady conceives in the Imperial Palace,

she goes to her private home to give birth.

There is no reason for me to object.

Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.

I also have a favor to ask of Your Imperial Majesty.

Go on.

For the remaining months of my conception,

I would like to go to Hwanggak Temple and give my prayers to the Buddha.

Will you be all right outside the Imperial Palace?

It is all to give blessings to the child.

I would do anything for it.

Do as you please, Empress.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Now you can see Yang without any hassle.

-Not yet. -It has been four months already.

Are you all right?

As written in the Empress Dowager's letter,

what matters is regaining my dignity as an emperor.

Without power, I cannot do anything

for Yang or anyone else.

Did you call for me, Your Imperial Majesty?

Please help me, Dang Gise.

Is something troubling you?

Yes.

Just thinking about it makes me shake in anger.

What is wrong?

Tell me.

If it troubles Your Imperial Majesty that much,

I would be willing to do anything to help.

Please kill that wench,

Concubine Park.

I would rather be blind than watch that wench bear the Emperor's child.

Kill her for me

and end all of my troubles, Dang Gise.

If something goes wrong,

Your Imperial Majesty and Father

will be in big trouble.

That wench will go deliver her baby at Ganye Temple.

No one will know if she dies on the way there.

Please comply with my request, Dang Gise.

It is driving me insane.

Father must never...

find out about this.

I will definitely take it to the grave.

This is General Dang Gise.

I am called Mad Dog.

You must become a bandit

and kill some wenches.

I will do anything you say.

My lady.

If you touch this, you will die. It is cursed.

I understand, my lady.

I will not touch your things.

It belongs to someone else.

But do you know why I am taking it from you?

If I give it to you now, you will die.

I will give it to you later.

I understand, my lady.

Yang.

Why is he back?

Concubine Park is leaving for Ganye Temple in two days.

She will go in a carriage.

If you go hide in advance,

you will be able to leave the Imperial Palace safely.

Please tell Eunuch Bang

that I will meet him on the second peak of Mount Chilbong

where Hwanggak Temple is.

All right, I will tell him.

But...

what are you planning to do after you leave here?

I will go back to Goryeo

and see His Majesty.

All right.

My child,

you will see your father soon.

When he sees you,

he will be very happy.

Your Majesty.

Those punks said

that they will sell 20,000 pieces of the chao.

It would be impossible

to have 20,000 pieces of the real chao.

It will definitely be counterfeit money.

Have you brought the silver?

Show us the chao first.

What in the world are you doing?

Do not move.

We have finally got them, Your Majesty.

-Take them away. -Yes.

Take them away.

Halt.

How dare you mess with an envoy?

Do you want a war with the Yuan dynasty?

This is all counterfeit money.

You kept the real chao you got from the Imperial House

and made the Goryeo trade payments with counterfeit money.

If Grand Councillor Yeoncheol finds out,

who would be killed first?

I heard the counterfeit money was all made at the same place.

If you tell us where,

we will burn the counterfeit chao right in front of you

and forget about your crime.

Do you mean it?

I guess you have not heard about me.

I am not one to break my word.

The counterfeit money was made

in Yoyang Province.

Yoyang Province?

General Baekan is in charge of that place, is he not?

Where is it in Yoyang Province?

We do not know the details.

There is this guy called Hong who supplies drinks

to courtesan houses in Yoyang.

We got the counterfeit money from him.

Are you certain?

Why would I lie

when my life is at risk?

Put these men in jail,

write about their crime in detail, and send it to the Yuan dynasty.

-Yes, Your Majesty. -Yes, Your Majesty.

You said you would let us go!

Is that true?

Concubine Park is coming here to give birth?

Yes, Your Highness. She is leaving today.

How strange.

Why would the Empress allow that when I am here?

The Empress is at Hwanggak Temple right now.

Why is she there?

She will pray there until she gives birth.

I do not believe that.

There is no way that she is conceiving.

Her belly has grown bigger.

That is easy to fake.

That wicked girl.

What in the world is she up to?

My child,

you will be cramped, but hang in there.

Once we leave the Imperial Palace,

you will feel a lot more comfortable.

Yang.

Change into these clothes.

You are all ready.

If you go through the side door, Her Ladyship's carriage will be there.

Get inside.

Only the maids from Goryeo will be going,

so do not worry.

Who will be guarding us?

I told Concubine Park how to deal with the Kheshig.

Where is Court Lady Noh?

She is right next to the carriage because she wants to see you off.

Go and live a good life.

Thank you, Chief Eunuch.

I will never forget your kindness.

Her Ladyship must be waiting. Let us go.

Concubine Park, His Imperial Majesty is here.

Your Imperial Majesty.

You do not need to come out. Farewell.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Move out.

There must not be a single mistake.

Yes, Dang Gise.

How could Dok-man tell us now about her conceiving?

Seung-nyang must have gone through so much.

I am proud of her for staying safe.

When His Majesty finds out about this,

he will be overjoyed.

What is taking her so long?

The assassins will begin their attack soon.

We should fall back now.

I got it. Be quiet.

Halt.

Halt!

Her Ladyship must relieve herself.

Relieve?

Yes.

Please keep a distance from us.

All right.

We will give you plenty of time. Do what you must.

Come out, Yang.

Hurry.

Yang, when you go back to Goryeo,

give this letter to my mother.

I will.

Deliver this for me too.

Mine, too. Deliver this for me too.

Not again. Who are you trying to send this to?

Take this too.

Tell my mother I am doing well.

This is precious to you, Court Lady Noh.

You will regret it later when you realize it.

-Take it back. -No, just take it.

We do not have all day.

Yang,

hurry and leave before the Kheshig come back.

Thank you so much, everyone.

Live a good life, Yang.

-Do not forget us. -All right.

-Goodbye. -Be safe.

Raise your child well.

Yes, Your Ladyship.

-I will get going now. -Hurry.

Farewell.

-Bye. -Bye.

Your Ladyship!

No.

Come here.

My lady!

My lady.

My lady!

My lady.

My lady, do not die.

My lady!

Hurry and run away.

Your child...

You must protect your child.

My lady!

I wanted to see...

Goryeo once more before I died.

Hurry.

-My lady. -Hurry.

My lady.

My lady!

-My lady! -Yang, we should go.

-My lady! -Yang.

-My lady! -Yang, hurry.

My lady.

My lady!

Let us go, Yang.

-No! -No, Yang.

-Get them! -Hurry!

Yang.

-Get them! -You should go. Now!

Hurry!

-Catch her! -Hurry!

Get her!

-Eunuch Bang. -Seung-nyang.

What a disaster.

Are you all right?

Who do we have here?

It is Seung-nyang.

I will deal with them. Get her out of here.

Senior Officer Park.

You have a child to protect. You must stay alive.

-Seung-nyang, let us go. -Senior Officer Park.

Senior Officer Park.

-Catch her. -Yes.

Today is the day you die.

All right. Bring it on.

Go to the afterlife,

get on your knees

and beg Chief Ki Ja-oh for forgiveness.

All right?

Are you all right?

Seung-nyang!

Seung-nyang.

No...

Seung-nyang.

Seung-nyang, are you all right?

Yes, I am all right.

I will distract them.

Hide in the cave over there.

Do not worry. Stay strong.

Hey, you fools! You must run faster to get me!

There he is!

-Catch him! -Hurry!

-Get him! -There he is! Catch him!

What? Yang left the Imperial Palace?

My child...

Do not worry.

Just like how my mother had protected me,

I will...

protect you.

Do not worry, my child.

Subtitle translation by James Park