Original subtitles

Your Imperial Majesty. Are you awake?

Your Imperial Majesty,

May I... speak with you?

Go ahead.

Your Imperial Majesty,

Prince Maha is...

I will call a physician, Your Imperial Majesty.

No.

I am fine.

Your Imperial Majesty, Prince Maha is actually--

Your Imperial Majesty, Imperial Noble Consort Ki is here.

Your Imperial Majesty.

-Imperial Noble Consort Ki. -Praise the heavens.

What a relief, Your Imperial Majesty.

Go on.

What about Maha?

What is it that you wish to tell me?

Prince Maha...

has met his fate.

Prince Maha...

is dead?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

If you ever enter the Palace without my permission again,

your life will not be spared.

I understand.

I will never come back, I swear.

-See her out. -Yes, sir.

Maha must have been...

so upset with me.

Are you all right, Imperial Noble Consort Ki?

Yes.

Your Imperial Majesty, I brought your medicine.

Leave it there and go.

You must take your medicine.

If you please.

Why do I suddenly...

feel so tired?

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

What did you give him?

Something to help him sleep.

Do not cause a scene.

Is anyone out there?

Take His Imperial Majesty to Heungdeok Palace.

Your Grace.

I will tend to him myself.

-You cannot. -What do you mean, I cannot?

-I will take care of him. So you may-- -Senior Eunuch!

What did you just call me?

-How dare you? -Silence.

Have you forgotten that I command the Censorate?

I will not forgive anyone who disobeys Her Grace.

Escort His Imperial Majesty.

Your Grace.

For what reason

-are you taking His Imperial Majesty? -My reasons are not...

a senior eunuch's concern.

I must help...

Byul's spirit rest in peace.

Kill Bayan Khutugh.

I will poison her.

End the deposed Empress's life.

Yes, Your Grace.

You must arrest Yeom Byeong-su as well.

Increase the reward tenfold.

Yes, Your Grace.

Your Grace.

This contains the ashes...

of Prince Byul.

My baby...

My little Byul...

You cannot leave like this.

My baby.

My baby...

My baby...

Your Grace...

My baby.

My baby...

Byul...

My baby.

My baby...

I'm sorry, my baby...

My baby...

Unhand me. How dare you?

Let me go at once!

You rude bastards, deposed or not,

I am still the Grand Councillor's niece.

How dare you treat me like this?

Imperial Noble Consort Ki

has ordered your death.

What?

She has ordered my death?

Do you not fear the consequences?

Open her mouth.

Unhand me. Let go!

Let go!

Let go!

Let go!

Let go of me!

Let go of me.

How dare you bring agony to Her Grace?

Bayan,

even death is not enough...

to pay for your sin.

Tell me what happened.

She drank poison.

What...

It was my fault.

I killed her.

I made her become the Empress.

I killed her.

-Uncle Baekan. -Imperial Noble Consort Ki...

That evil witch.

I will have her pay for this.

Grand Councillor,

Imperial Noble Consort Ki has taken the Emperor to Heungdeok Palace.

What do you mean?

Why would she take him to Heungdeok Palace?

She must be up to something.

We cannot let His Imperial Majesty be under her care any longer.

Look.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki has made a misstep.

Now, let us hope that Baekan does what we want him to do.

Can we get rid of Imperial Noble Consort Ki?

Baekan is not Yeoncheol.

He has the Emperor's trust,

not to mention the support of the military.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki may have control over the Palace and the city guard,

but that is nothing against the military.

Are you awake?

Where...

am I?

At Heungdeok Palace.

Why...

What happened?

I brought Your Imperial Majesty here.

You should not move yet.

Stay in my care

until you get better.

Your Grace.

Your Grace.

The Grand Councillor is outside.

Leave us.

Yes, Your Grace.

You stay here

and look after His Imperial Majesty.

Is His Imperial Majesty awake?

No one can know about it,

except for you and Eunuch Park.

Yes, Your Grace.

I understand.

Stand down.

You may be wearing a military uniform now, but you still need to know your place.

Step aside immediately.

My apologies, Grand Councillor.

I am only following Her Grace's orders.

If you want to die,

I will grant you your wish.

Grand Councillor Baekan.

I have come for His Imperial Majesty.

-Go back. -Imperial Noble Consort Ki.

I am acting as a regent.

Have you forgotten who the ruler of the Empire is?

I must, at least,

see for myself that His Imperial Majesty is well.

He is perfectly fine.

I am tending him well.

Taltal, clear the way.

What do you think you are doing?

His Imperial Majesty is near death.

Yet, the Grand Councillor of this nation is still oppressing other peoples

and causing divisions among our own people.

It is my opinion

that the nation's fate is at risk.

-Imperial Noble Consort Ki. -Therefore,

I have initiated emergency measures in response to the Empire's current state.

It would be wise for you not to interfere.

If anything happens to His Imperial Majesty,

I will burn Heungdeok Palace to the ground.

Neither you

nor your son

will be safe, understood?

I will...

mark your words.

Golta.

Golta, are you there?

Your Imperial Majesty.

-Where is Golta? -The senior eunuch...

is not here.

I must go to Daenyeong Palace.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Please stay here.

No, it is uncomfortable for me.

I will go to my chamber.

You cannot...

You cannot go.

Yang.

Did something happen inside the Palace

while I was unconscious?

Nothing...

yet.

"Yet"? What do you mean by that?

Please do not ask me anything,

and just trust me.

Come with me.

What kind of medicine are you supplying to Heungdeok Palace?

That is...

Speak the truth.

What kind of medicine are you making the Emperor take?

It is a decoction

made of ephedra and licorice root.

I beg your pardon.

I only acted according to Her Grace's commands.

Did she order you to make a decoction with those?

What does this decoction do?

For someone with a weak heart, as with His Imperial Majesty,

it is toxic.

Grand Councillor.

She means to kill the Emperor.

Have you seen His Imperial Majesty?

Not once,

since he went to Heungdeok Palace.

Your Grace, I have brought the medicine.

Give it to me.

Is it okay for me not to examine His Imperial Majesty?

I will send for you if the need arises.

Do not worry about him.

She receives the medicine herself?

It is not just the medicine.

According to the court ladies

at the imperial kitchen, she takes his meals to him herself.

Do you mean to say that she is the only one who has seen

His Imperial Majesty in Heungdeok Palace?

Yes, Grand Councillor.

Even His Imperial Majesty's eunuchs

are not allowed near the chamber.

His Imperial Majesty's condition sounds worse than we had thought.

He may...

already be dead.

-Leave us. -Yes, Your Highness.

Grand Councillor

Her Grace is meeting with the military generals.

What? The generals?

To what do we owe your invitation?

I just wanted us to catch up

over some tea.

We are honored, Your Grace.

The fact that she has reached out to the military

means she is trying to get rid of you and me, Grand Councillor.

If it is true that she killed His Imperial Majesty,

Your Highness and Grand Councillor stand in the way

of her ensuing regency for Crown Prince Ayu.

Grand Councillor Baekan, we cannot just stand by and watch.

We must act first.

Taltal, how many men are posted at Heungdeok Palace?

Just under 200, including the Kheshig and the eunuchs,

Tonight,

Imperial Noble Consort Ki and Ayushiridara

will die.

This is an urgent matter.

You made the right decision, Grand Councillor.

Gather the men.

Yes, sir.

I have been taking the medicine

that the physician has been sending.

And His Imperial Majesty?

Another Imperial physician

has been attending to him.

Your Grace.

What are you planning?

Your Grace, General Taltal is here to see you.

-I will send him away. -No.

Let him in.

I know Your Grace would not harm His Imperial Majesty.

Did the Grand Councillor...

say that...

I would harm His Imperial Majesty?

What are you planning?

You know already.

It is me or the Grand Councillor.

One of us must die for this battle to end.

I see signs of an uprising.

We are to blame

for our people's suffering.

This feud in the Palace must come to an end,

at least for the sake of our innocent people.

"Induce the enemy to make mistakes."

It seems like Your Grace has been partially successful

in making the Grand Councillor commit a crime.

-Only partially? -The rest depends on me.

If I tell him what your plan is,

it will fail.

Did His Imperial Majesty...

regain his consciousness?

If he did not,

both Your Grace and the Crown Prince will die.

Tonight

must be the night.

-Is he awake? -This is war.

I must keep my secrets

as secrets.

I told you everything.

You said

that the rest depends on you.

So, I shall not...

trust you entirely.

He knows of all our plans.

Should we let him leave like that?

I...

trust Master Taltal.

Taltal.

I can kill you

for the good of the Great Yuan.

Now tell me the truth.

Why did you meet Imperial Noble Consort Ki?

Did you tell her about our plans?

It would not change anything

even if they knew of our plans.

You are determined

to kill them all tonight anyway.

-So? -I was spying.

What did you learn?

They have less than 200 men.

Fifty of them are archers.

They had 100 men guard the front side of Heungdeok Palace,

and 30 men are posted at the backyard.

What are your thoughts?

Do you think His Imperial Majesty is alive?

I could not tell

from her expression.

Taltal.

You and I see the world differently,

but I believe we want the same thing.

You are my favorite nephew

and my sole heir.

I hope you know how much I care for you.

Why do you always

take the wrong path?

Why can you not...

see what is right, Uncle Baekan?

Your Imperial Majesty.

How dare you!

-Stand aside! -Your Imperial Majesty.

What is the meaning of this?

-Step aside, now. -Please, Your Imperial Majesty.

"Please"?

How dare you try to hold me prisoner?

Your Imperial Majesty.

-Imperial Noble Consort Ki. -Leave us.

Why are you holding me here?

What are you up to?

Tonight,

the Grand Councillor will bring his men here

to kill me and Ayu.

-Are you sure about that? -Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

If that is not treason, then what is?

It cannot be. Baekan is no traitor.

Stay here tonight

and see for yourself.

You will find out then.

Do you not believe me?

And if you are wrong?

Then I will retire to Ganye Temple

and spend the rest of my life there.

Grand Councillor.

The physician just unbarred the side gate that leads to Heungdeok Palace.

We will save the Great Yuan tonight

from the hands of a selfish Goryeo girl.

Do not hesitate

and follow me.

It is a coup.

-Stop them! -Stop them!

Kill anyone who stands in our way.

Your Highness.

The Grand Councillor has just marched into Heungdeok Palace.

I turn to the Bodhisattva of Great Compassion

Thank you, Buddha.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki.

So you eventually chose to become a traitor.

The thing I feared

has come true.

-Where is His Imperial Majesty? -Where?

I told you I am tending to him.

Silence.

How dare you use His Imperial Majesty

to strengthen your own power?

I will kill you

so that I can save the Empire from misery.

You intend to save the Empire?

Then,

you should...

kill yourself instead.

I will kill Imperial Noble Consort Ki myself.

Do not interfere.

Your Imperial Majesty!

Your Imperial Majesty.

-Grand Councillor. -Your Imperial Majesty,

you were alive?

Explain yourself.

Why are you brandishing

your sword at Imperial Noble Consort Ki?

Lower your weapon,

Grand Councillor.

You have to kill her now.

Silence.

You have already seized Heungdeok Palace.

If you do not kill her now,

you will regret it later.

If you kill her, you will be accused of treason.

Order the attack, Grand Councillor.

What is wrong?

Will you be satisfied

only after I die in your hands?

Then do what you will.

You have always...

had everything your way anyway.

Grand Councillor.

You heard me.

Explain yourself.

Uncle Baekan.

Do it. Now!

Your Imperial Majesty.

Kill...

this disloyal servant.

Kill me, Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty, arrest Grand Councillor.

Arrest and imprison

this traitor.

Yes, Your Grace.

Have you heard of the White Lotus?

Are they not the rebel forces made up mainly of the Han?

Contact them and provide them with military funds.

Pardon?

You are asking us to help the rebels?

The leader's favorite way of doing business is through war.

Can we find a mask like the one that the leader of the Eagle House is wearing?

Why do you ask?

Their greatest weakness is...

that no one has seen his face, not even the masters of their branches.

So do you mean to pose as him?

Can you contact the masters of the Eagle House?

It is not easy, but it will be possible.

-Is this everyone? -Yes.

Dang Gise has also come.

Let us kill him tonight.

Not yet.

Loyalty to our leader.

-Loyalty to our leader. -Loyalty to our leader.

I will deliver our leader's commands.

Liquidate all your gold, grain, and goods

into the Yuan dynasty currency.

-What? -Why?

Leader, why this sudden liquidation of our assets?

You will know in time.

We have received word from the White Lotus.

Give us your command.

Did you not order us to provide military support to the White Lotus?

-Halt immediately. -I beg your pardon?

Imperial Noble Consort Ki swayed the officials?

Yes, Your Highness.

The entire court,

including the provincial governors, are gathering at the Emperor's palace.

She means to have the Grand Councillor's head, I am sure of it.

Where are you going, Your Highness?

To see the Emperor.

To beg him to spare Baekan?

Not only that.

-To tell him what you are scheming-- -Your Highness.

Can you not see

that I am being patient with you?

-Patient? -You were just as involved

in the Grand Councillor's attempted coup as he was.

Coup, you say?

He only tried to stop your tyranny--

Please...

let me finish.

You are not to leave your chamber

until the Grand Councillor gets his sentence.

Now you mean to lock me up?

Please do not try my patience.

If you do,

I cannot guarantee what I will do

to Your Highness.

-Chief Eunuch Dok-man. -Yes, Your Grace.

Post the Kheshig outside,

and make sure that the Empress Dowager

does not behave rashly.

As you command, Your Grace.

Your Imperial Majesty.

You thought that Imperial Noble Consort Ki meant me harm?

I was not mistaken.

Her Grace has deceived us all.

Her Grace set me up

so that I would move my men.

This would never have happened

if you had trusted her.

Your Imperial Majesty, it was a trap.

-Her Grace used a sly plan to-- -Silence!

My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki is

as important to me as you are to me.

It breaks my heart

to see you two like this.

-You must get rid of her. -Grand Councillor.

You may order my execution this instant,

but my conviction will never change.

This is a foolish servant's final counsel to you, Your Imperial Majesty.

Strip Imperial Noble Consort Ki of her title

and restore the Great Yuan to its former strength.

I ask you...

to back down this time.

Do it for me,

Grand Councillor.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Only then,

will you be able to survive.

I do not want to lose you.

This is not an order. It is a request.

Please.

Just this once.

Comply with my request.

There can be no pardon for a man

who threatened myself and my son.

I want his head, not just his position.

Does anyone have any objections?

He is clearly guilty of high treason.

Who could possibly object, Your Grace?

We, the Three Excellencies, the provincial governors, and the entire court

will make a formal request to His Imperial Majesty.

Please do not worry, Your Grace.

-Do not worry, Your Grace. -Do not worry, Your Grace.

I will not forget

your loyalty.

His Imperial Majesty has arrived.

Your Imperial Majesty,

this man belongs in jail.

He is here

to pledge allegiance to you.

I do not need

his loyalty.

-Imperial Noble Consort Ki. -It is me or the Grand Councillor.

You may only choose one of us, Your Imperial Majesty.

If you cannot abandon the Grand Councillor,

then I will leave this place once and for all.

Please choose.

Will it be me...

or him?

Then both of you shall leave.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -I cannot choose either of you.

I would rather lose both of you.

My position is a lonely one anyway.

Being an emperor is a lonely pursuit.

I was able to forget about the loneliness thanks to the two of you.

How can you both fail to understand how I feel?

How?

-Your Imperial Majesty. -The decision is yours.

Either both of you stay, or both of you leave.

I, Baekan, pledge

to spend the rest of my life

protecting both Your Grace and the Crown Prince.

Please accept my vow, Your Grace.

I...

I, Baekan...

had to kneel before her.

I pledged my allegiance

not to His Imperial Majesty

but to that mere wench from Goryeo.

You did it for His Imperial Majesty.

I...

I begged for my life.

Uncle Baekan.

To save myself...

I was pathetic.

I was a coward.

I disgraced my family.

Calm down.

Taltal.

Can you help me one last time?

Ask Imperial Noble Consort Ki to meet you in secret.

She will come at your request.

I can convey a message--

I am going to kill her.

I will cut off her head with my own hands.

Uncle Baekan,

-if His Imperial Majesty finds out-- -I am doing this for him.

If you refuse my request,

I have no choice but to mobilize the army.

I will have no choice but to drown the Palace in blood

in order to kill

Imperial Noble Consort Ki, her son, and the members of the court.

I do not want that either.

So please help me.

Why did you want to see me?

No matter how much I think of it,

it all comes down...

to one thing.

Could you...

help me one last time?

Ask the Grand Councillor

to meet you in secret.

I must get rid of him myself.

Could you grant me my request?

Please give me

some time to think.

How long do you need?

I will meet you at the hour of the Rat...

THE HOUR OF THE RAT: 11 P.M.

...at the Emperor's palace.

I will be waiting.

-The Emperor's palace, at 11 p.m.? -Yes.

I could not get her out of the Palace.

-What about Park Bul-hwa? -Tonight,

he has business to tend to outside the Palace.

Have Mujin and Jadan

stake out inside the Emperor's palace.

Yes, Uncle Baekan.

Well done, Taltal.

Listen.

If His Imperial Majesty kills me

for killing Imperial Noble Consort Ki,

you must take over my position.

Uncle Baekan.

I am not afraid

because I have you with me.

Uncle Baekan...

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty, armed men have just headed to the Emperor's palace.

Armed men?

Whose men are they?

Would you like some tea?

I am not a patient man.

Drink up.

When I came here

as a tribute woman, the first thing I learned in this Palace

was how to make tea.

As I made tea,

I swore vengeance

on those who killed my parents.

While going through several crises,

I might have suppressed my desire for revenge,

but I have never let go of it.

What are you trying to say?

You pledged your allegiance to me, did you not?

People do not change.

You hid your true intention and pretended to give in.

I know it.

You are not someone who will easily change his conviction.

Am I wrong?

This is my answer.

On your guard.

They are not your men.

Have I taken you by surprise?

You tricked me.

Kill him.

Taltal!

Taltal!

Are you there?

Taltal!

Taltal,

why?

Why did you...

betray me?

Do you not remember?

You told me to kill you myself

if you grew obsessed with power.

Taltal...

Is that

how I appear to you right now?

Do I seem like I am obsessed...

with power?

I did it...

for His Imperial Majesty and for the Great Yuan...

You did what you did...

at the cost of our own people.

Taltal.

If you start to put your goal before our people,

that means you are obsessed with power, Uncle Baekan.

Taltal.

Farewell.

No...

-Grand Councillor. -Your Imperial Majesty.

Grand Councillor.

Forgive me.

I have failed to protect you...

until the end.

No.

No, Grand Councillor!

Grand Councillor!

Grand Councillor.

Grand Councillor.

No, Grand Councillor!

No...

Leave the Palace as soon as the dawn breaks.

You will never be able to return to the Palace even after death.

Now your authority is mine to use.

It is the least you can do for me

after all my years of service.

Imperial Noble Consort Ki, look at you.

You may meet the same end.

The Empress Dowager's loyal dog is also here.

You sly cowards.

I will kill you all with my sword.

Subtitle translation by Eun-jin Kim