Original subtitles

I started having memory lapses...

I took Golta's medicine when I reviewed the petitions.

I do not remember anything after drinking the medicine.

Could it be because...

Golta.

Senior Eunuch is visiting his sick mother.

Have him prepare my medicine as soon as he gets back.

Your Imperial Majesty.

What...

Empress Ki.

"Empress Ki"?

You...

know me well.

Who are you?

Kill the Empress.

Leader, please run.

Fall back!

-Go after them. -Go after them!

Who are they?

They work for the Eagle House.

Did you apprehend them yourself, Your Imperial Majesty?

I had no choice as I needed to raid them

at their secret meeting.

-What about the leader? -He got away.

Still,

I have no doubt you can get his name out of them.

Quite so.

Take them away.

Yes, Grand Councillor.

No one knows that you are the leader. Do not worry.

Spread the word.

Have our men lie low.

Yes, Leader.

What do you think of my robe?

It suits you very well.

And mine?

Why do you even ask? You look gorgeous.

Her Highness has arrived.

Why are you wearing Goryeo rags in the palace?

Have you no sense of decency?

My apologies, Your Highness.

My apologies, Your Highness.

From now on,

anyone in Goryeo clothes will have to deal with me.

Why can they not wear Goryeo clothes?

The imperial kitchen has been cooking Goryeo cuisine.

That is not all.

The people are even holding ancestral rites

in Goryeo way.

If this is not an attempt to make Yuan culture die out,

what is?

Goryeo is adopting Yuan customs as well.

Goryeo brides apply rouge

and pierce their ears.

It is only natural that cultural exchange occurs among countries.

What do you have against Goryeo?

Chief Eunuch Dok-man.

Send Her Highness the finest Goryeo robe.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -I look forward to

seeing you in the Goryeo robe at tomorrow's morning assembly.

Over my dead body.

I will not let the culture of Goryeo infiltrate the Yuan dynasty.

Then I suggest

you leave.

I will not stop you.

Your Highness. We heard from Yeom Byeong-su.

-Is the leader safe? -Yes, Your Highness.

He said we can proceed with the enthronement

of a new Emperor.

I want you

to meet the military officials yourself.

Yes, Your Highness.

Empress, I am different from Yeoncheol or Baekan.

Let us see

who dies first.

Did you find out who the leader is?

They all say the same thing.

We do not know anything.

Please believe us, Your Imperial Majesty.

You must know something.

Whether it be his name, age,

or the location of his residence...

tell us

whatever you know.

There is one thing.

-What is it? -I heard...

the leader has access to the palace.

Are you certain?

That is...

what...

the branch masters said.

The leader of the Eagle House

has access to the palace?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Grand Councillor is investigating all the attendants

and high-ranking officials thoroughly.

We will find the leader soon.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Do you have another headache?

I am having...

another splitting headache.

Get His Imperial Majesty's medicine.

Right away.

The leader of the Eagle House is in the palace?

The leader...

It cannot be.

The Empress is closing in on me.

We do not have much time.

Have Yeom

gather all those favoring a new Emperor.

Yes, Leader.

Golta.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Get me my medicine.

Are you all right?

The headache is passing.

But...

I feel so...

dizzy.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Rest a while.

The pain will pass.

I cannot let myself

doze off.

I cannot.

You have to stay alive until the new emperor is invested.

Just suffer

through this.

When we are ready for a new world,

I will...

send you on your way.

Leader.

Tonight, the Empress Dowager will gather everyone

who has agreed to the enthronement of a new emperor.

Excellent.

"Leader"?

Golta is the leader of the Eagle House?

Golta, you betrayed me.

But how could you?

How?

They are the late Grand Councillor Baekan's faithful followers.

They are here to help you enthrone a new emperor.

I recognize some of you here.

The Yuan dynasty

is in crisis

because of our sickened Emperor and the wicked Goryeo girl

exploiting him.

I need your help to save our Empire.

We are at your service, Your Highness.

-At your service, Your Highness. -At your service, Your Highness.

Prince Taegong,

are you ready?

All these people are eager to place me on the throne.

I ought to prepare myself to do my part in return for all the support.

First, Empress Ki's supporters

must be removed from the court.

Submit petitions to the Emperor,

and the Eagle House will approve them.

How is the Emperor's health?

It is quite serious

from the looks of him.

That means

it will be our time soon.

Your Imperial Majesty,

please recover your health.

Chief Eunuch Dok-man.

Your Imperial Majesty,

are you all right?

Let me.

-Come closer. -Pardon?

-Closer. -All right.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Can you do it?

At your service, Your Imperial Majesty.

He is as good as dead...

once he starts coughing blood.

Who is the leader of the Eagle House?

You will find out soon.

As long as the Empress is here,

it will not be easy to make the Emperor abdicate his throne.

The leader will deal with that.

How?

Do not worry, Your Imperial Majesty.

We will soon be able to find out

who poisoned your soup.

Golta.

What on earth are you up to?

Senior Eunuch Golta.

Did you catch the culprit?

Why do you not answer?

A court lady who made the soup is dead.

Park Bul-hwa is suspected for her death.

Silence!

There is no way Her Imperial Majesty is behind this.

My apologies.

I only...

reported what I heard.

They must be trying to oust the Empress.

But who do they want on the throne?

Your Imperial Majesty, that information cannot be right.

-I will look into it again-- -Forget it.

You know what they say about the throne.

It makes a father kill his son

and a son...

kill his father.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty, how are you feeling?

I feel fine, as you can see.

You may leave.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -I have nothing to say to you, so leave.

Have I offended you in any way?

If I have,

please tell me what I did wrong.

This throne I am sitting on...

They say a son would go as far as to kill his father for it.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I forgot about your lust for power for a moment.

Why are you saying this?

I want you out of my sight.

Get out now!

Do you have any idea

why His Imperial Majesty is acting like this?

I am afraid I do not, Your Imperial Majesty.

There must be another misunderstanding between us.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Well...

Did you find out

what was in the medicine?

Yes.

It is a poison Esoteric Buddhists use.

It is harvested from a poisonous bird.

From a poisonous bird?

Do you mean the poison that is known to have no antidote?

Your Imperial Majesty,

what are your symptoms?

I feel too anxious to fall asleep, and I get terrible headaches.

I even coughed blood.

You even coughed blood?

I infer

that is serious?

Your Imperial Majesty.

It is fine. Speak frankly.

If you are coughing blood,

that means the poison has already started to affect your organs,

and there is no way to flush it out.

When I drink it,

I doze off

and suffer memory loss.

Is there no way to endure the poison?

Are you saying you will keep taking it?

Answer the question.

Is there any way I can stay alert?

There is a medicine that can neutralize the poison.

Get me...

that medicine.

I cannot.

It can help you stay alert,

but it cannot nullify the effects of the poison.

-Your condition will get worse-- -This is an imperial order.

-Get me the medicine. -Your Imperial Majesty.

And do not

say a word about it to the Empress.

What are you planning?

I must eliminate

any threats to her and Ayu

before I die.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Still,

Her Imperial Majesty should know.

I am sure

she will oppose my plan.

Your Imperial Majesty.

It is the last thing I can do...

for her.

Chief Eunuch Dok-man.

Will you help me?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Well...

The pain is fading,

but I feel so tired.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty, do not suspect Her Imperial Majesty.

Golta.

It is the Empress's doing.

Who else but her...

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty?

I did not know

he would suspect the Empress so easily.

It is all thanks to the secret letters Yeom Byeong-su sent.

Five years of distrust and hatred have been unleashed.

They will not go away easily.

You wrote

those letters, too?

You?

You are the leader of the Eagle House?

Do not be so surprised.

I have driven a wedge between the Emperor and Empress.

That is good news,

if it is true.

The poison will defeat the Emperor soon.

Before we enthrone a new ruler,

perhaps you can serve as a regent.

Will the Emperor allow it?

It is not up to him.

It is up to me.

You are really something.

The Eagle House has achieved remarkable growth with Yeoncheol's help.

When I realized money follows power,

I castrated myself and entered the palace.

First Yeoncheol, and then Baekan.

And now you choose me?

Had the Emperor been powerful,

I would have been able to achieve my goal in a much easier way.

I see I have Empress Ki to thank for having you on my side.

The past is in the past.

I am ready to work for you.

I ask you to grant me exclusive rights to trade minerals and salt

produced in the Yuan dynasty.

You will not regret

choosing me.

Now...

strike down the Emperor.

Yes, Your Highness. As you wish.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Are you feeling a little better?

I am having...

a headache again.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Perhaps you should leave affairs of state to someone else

and take care of your health for a while.

Are you telling me to appoint a regent?

You should focus on your recovery.

Appoint Her Imperial Majesty as a regent.

Not her.

-Then... -I will ask the Empress Dowager

to rule as a regent.

A lot of officials are on Her Imperial Majesty's side.

-They will resist. -It is no problem.

I will get rid of them.

The Empress

tried to kill me.

Her supporters must be in on it with her.

I will issue an imperial message. See to it.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

His Imperial Majesty has arrived.

I summoned you all here

because I do not like

how things are being handled in the palace these days.

Now you must pay for it.

Grand Councillor.

You are dismissed.

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Not just him.

The Three Excellencies are dismissed, too.

Councilman, Secretary-General,

Deputy Minister of State, Ministers of Personnel, Rites, and Revenue...

You are all dismissed.

Your Imperial Majesty, to dismiss your loyal servants for no reason--

Stay out of it.

Golta.

Give the imperial message to Deputy Minister Chang.

"Hear and obey.

My illness does not allow me

to address state affairs any longer.

Therefore,

I appoint the Empress Dowager as a regent.

Honor and obey her

as you would honor and obey me."

Your Imperial Majesty, I will obey your order.

Anyone who opposes...

Stop right there.

I have not finished.

Can you not hear me...

-Your Imperial Majesty. -Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Escort him to his chamber.

Your Imperial Majesty.

You should be in your chamber,

not your office.

I intend to

issue an imperial message on my abdication.

Abdication?

I should not force myself to sit on the throne when I am feeble like this.

I believe it is not right for the Empire.

Who will you name as your successor?

That is why

I asked to see you here.

Does anyone

come to your mind?

I have...

one person in mind.

Please tell me.

Who is it?

How about Prince Taegong?

Prince Taegong is the one

they are going to replace me with.

He is the only man of character and virtue

among our close relatives.

Prince Taegong? All right.

I trust your judge of character.

I will issue the imperial message soon.

I ask you

to gather all the officials.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Such a resolution for the Empire--

Golta,

I will write the message myself.

Help me.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

What do you mean?

His Imperial Majesty

cannot be treated?

Why are you telling me this now?

My apologies, Your Imperial Majesty.

His Imperial Majesty

asked me not to tell you.

What are you talking about?

-Your Imperial Majesty. -I need a word.

-His Imperial Majesty-- -I know.

I have received

a secret order from His Imperial Majesty.

A secret order?

Is that really what His Imperial Majesty asked you to do?

You have to

hold yourself together.

Your Imperial Majesty,

congratulations.

-Congratulations. -Congratulations.

It is all thanks to you.

Do not forget me when you ascend the throne.

How can I?

Tell me, what do you want?

I may not look it, but I was once a military officer of Goryeo.

I would like a high position in the Privy Council.

You wish to command the Yuan forces?

You played a huge role in putting me on the throne.

How can I say no?

Your Imperial Majesty, your grace is beyond measure.

"Your Imperial Majesty."

You are the first one to call me that.

You should head to the palace. You will be late.

Well, I will see you in the palace.

-Yes, sir. -Yes, sir.

Well,

I will stick to your side and serve you forever.

You are a clever one.

That little scum.

What if he becomes a high-ranking official?

Bul-hwa said

something huge will happen in the palace.

We will wait for the right time to kill that scum.

His Imperial Majesty has arrived.

His Imperial Majesty's life is at stake.

He is facing death

to eliminate all threats...

to Your Imperial Majesty and His Imperial Highness.

Your Imperial Majesty, it has been a while.

Everyone here stands behind the Empress Dowager.

-Your Highness. -Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

You brought them all in front of me.

I thank you for that.

Your Imperial Majesty, you must not be feeling well.

Read the message and be done.

Right.

"Traitors, hear and obey.

You threatened the lives of your Emperor and Empress

and attempted to usurp the throne."

-Your Imperial Majesty. -"Now it is time

to answer for your crimes."

What are you saying?

Grand Councillor.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Do you see all these traitors before me?

Kill them all.

Taltal, why are you--

Kill them all.

Your Highness.

Deputy Minister Chang...

You both betrayed me.

Tell me why.

You betrayed me first.

-I betrayed you first? -Do you deny it?

After all I did for you,

you cast me aside for some Goryeo--

Empress Dowager,

all you wanted from me was my power.

And you plotted treason when you could not have your way.

You are right.

I wanted power.

I needed power in order to survive in the palace.

That is why

I had given you everything I had.

And you gave that power to the Empress.

How is that not betrayal?

That is enough...

of your filthy words.

Golta.

Why did you betray me?

I never betrayed you.

I have never considered you as my master.

-What? -I only serve money,

and money alone.

Power may betray you, but money never does.

All right.

Let me hear

what you have got to say.

When your donkey falters, you should ride another donkey.

I merely switched

one donkey for another

when it suited my needs.

I see.

You are blinded by money.

She is blinded by power.

I was a fool.

I believed there was something more important than money and power.

I was a fool

to believe so.

Your Imperial Majesty, please calm down.

The Empress is no different from us.

-Silence. -Would she have given her heart

to Your Imperial Majesty if she had nothing to gain?

-Silence! -You are a fool.

I urge you

to wake up to reality--

Leader.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

It is your turn now.

Let me hear

what you have to say.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

The physician says

I will get better.

Chief Eunuch Dok-man...

told me everything.

Whatever you may have heard,

I will never leave you.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I shall live happily ever after with you and Ayu.

Death will have to wait.

I will do...

all I can...

to help you recover.

I will make sure...

you get back...

on your feet.

You are sending me to Ganye Temple?

You deserve death.

But I decided to show you mercy.

Repent your sins at Ganye Temple.

In your dreams.

I will never leave the palace.

You insist...

on meeting a shameful end.

Why would I

let some Goryeo trash oust me?

Empress Dowager.

Do not ask for death.

I am...

not that merciful.

Even after...

my death...

I will not leave this palace.

You are trying to oust me?

The Inner Court

is mine.

It is mine!

She killed herself.

Burn the body

and throw it outside the palace.

Get Yeom Byeong-su!

I will slip out first. Meet me at Goryeo Village.

What? Why would you go there when people there hate us?

They will not search the village.

Try to escape.

Okay.

Fight to the death!

Are you sure he is here?

Yes. That way.

Did he die at their hands?

What is taking him so long?

Master, it is me.

What took you so long?

You scum.

I cannot believe you came here to hide.

At last,

I get to end your worthless life.

-Kill him! -Kill him!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

You have lived too long

for someone who has been squeezing our people dry.

My country

starved people to death.

I had to live off something.

I guess

you also refuse to repent your sins.

What about you?

-How dare he! -That scum...

You would not have come this far had it not been for others' sacrifice.

You have become the Empress,

but I am still a nobody.

That is the only difference between you and me.

Do you really not know

what your crimes are?

My crimes?

I am guilty of being unlucky.

To have been born

in a miserable country

called Goryeo, of all places!

If that is a crime, I am a criminal.

What else

have I done?

What

have I done to deserve death?

Kill Yeom Byeong-su!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

That little scum worked for the Yuan dynasty

and sent countless Goryeo women as tribute women.

Yes!

I am Yeom Byeong-su.

Can you really say you have not done anything wrong?

You ignorant fools!

Kill Yeom Byeong-su!

-Kill him! -Kill him!

He is no better than a worm.

Why waste your tear?

If Goryeo had been a perfect nation,

he would also have been...

a good husband...

and a good father.

His face

is that of the people of Goryeo we failed to protect.

Come!

Get up!

Halt.

Pay your respects.

-Are they tribute women from Goryeo? -Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

The Imperial House has made no demand.

-Explain. -My apologies.

Keeping Goryeo women as concubines is a trend among high-ranking officials.

Chief Eunuch Dok-man.

Take them to the palace and let them take a rest.

Then send them back to Goryeo.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Does that mean we can go home?

-Can we go home? -Really?

Some high-ranking officials

still have women transported from Goryeo

and keep them as their concubines.

It is not acceptable any longer.

Anyone who gets caught, regardless of his position,

will be severely punished by the Empress,

who once was a tribute woman.

One more thing.

Some ministers and governors insist

Goryeo be incorporated into the Yuan dynasty.

I wish

not to hear it ever again.

No one

will be able to get away with

such an argument,

not even a member of the Imperial House.

Your Imperial Majesty, Prince Gangreung is here.

Promise me one thing,

and I will...

enthrone you.

Do not put me in a difficult position.

Do you understand

what I mean?

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

My orders will arrive soon.

Escort him

to Goryeo.

Yes, Your Imperial Majesty.

Thank you, Your Imperial Majesty.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I believe the new Goryeo king needs supervision.

Is that necessary?

We cannot blindly trust Prince Gangreung.

Put Eunuch Bang in charge.

How about

putting your brothers in charge of the supervision?

My brothers?

They will always be on your side.

Open the gate!

I have brought a message!

Open the gate!

How did it go?

Grand Councillor

was killed in battle.

The rebels will swarm into Daedo soon.

You have to take shelter.

Master Taltal...

The rebels

have crossed the Yellow River.

If we do not stop them now,

Daedo will be put in danger.

I am told...

they are quite strong.

If...

I fail to return...

and Daedo is compromised,

ride north without delay.

The Mongol grasslands are vast and empty.

You can go there...

and plan for another day.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Wake up.

Yang.

Yang.

Well...

How did it go

with the rebels?

Do not trouble yourself.

The Grand Councillor

has sent us the news of victory.

Great.

That is a relief.

Your Imperial Majesty.

Would you like to ride a horse

on the northern fields with me?

It is where the Yuan dynasty originated.

I have always wanted to go there...

with you.

Yes.

Of course.

I can go anywhere

you want to go.

We are...

all set to go.

Yang.

My ears...

tickle.

Rest your head on my knees.

I remember

the first time I served you as your maid.

Your Imperial Majesty told me

that your ears tickle.

And I...

I love you.

I love you, Yang.

I also...

love you, Your Imperial Majesty.

I truly...

deeply...

I love you.

Your Imperial Majesty.

I truly love you.

Mother,

do you belong to Goryeo

or the Yuan dynasty?

Why do you ask?

Goryeo people think

you belong to the Yuan dynasty

while Yuan people think

you belong to Goryeo.

Either way,

it does not matter.

I fought for my people

and...

I came out victorious.

THIS DRAMA IS A FICTIONALIZED ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF EMPRESS KI

IN 1368, AFTER DAEDO WAS CONQUERED BY JU WONJANG,

EMPRESS KI FLED NORTH AND ESTABLISHED THE NORTHERN YUAN DYNASTY

HER SON, AYUSHIRIDARA, ASCENDED THE THRONE OF THE NORTHERN YUAN DYNASTY

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING EMPRESS KI

Subtitle translation by Min-jin Kim