(This drama is based on historical events,)
(but some details may be different from historical facts.)
(Production guidelines were strictly followed when filming with animals.)
(Episode 15)
Where is your king right now?
He is in the far south.
Why is he there...
when he is desperate to meet me?
Even though he is determined to visit Khitan,
why will he not come to Gaegyeong?
You are ridiculing me until the very end.
You are insulting me with a diplomatic letter...
that will end up being a lie.
Your Majesty!
Lock this man up this instant.
And...
get ready to go to war.
Advance southwards!
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
(Ha Gong Jin, Left Director of State Affairs)
(Xiao Paiya)
It seems that the Khitan army has decided to advance southwards.
The soldiers in the Khitan army camp are packing to get ready to go to war,
and Khitan's scouts...
are reconnoitering the routes south of Gaegyeong.
(Yang Kyu, Northwest Temporary Government Officer)
They have made...
a foolish decision after all.
We must make a push for Gaegyeong first.
If we do not,
they will destroy every piece of land south of Gaegyeong,
and hundreds of thousands of people could become the enemy's captives.
We will stay where we are.
Officer Yang!
We cannot subdue the Khitan army for they greatly outnumber us.
If we recklessly launch an attack on them and end up failing,
Goryeo will lose all hope.
We will stay where we are...
and stick to the plan.
They will have to cross the Yalu River eventually.
That is when we will attack them.
If they advance southwards...
and hurt the people in the southern regions too,
we must make them pay for that as well. Do you all understand?
- Yes, Officer Yang. - Yes, Officer Yang.
How much more time do you need to ensure the army is fully prepared?
We should be able to start advancing southwards in about 7 to 8 days.
Urge the soldiers to pick up the pace.
Yes, Your Majesty.
What brings you here?
I am here for an audience with His Majesty.
Leave at once.
His Majesty has ordered us not to let you in, Commander.
Your time has come to an end.
From now on, I will lead the Khitan army. Do you understand?
- Empress. - Yes, Your Majesty.
You should go separately from now on.
"Go separately?" What do you mean?
Go to the town where your maternal relatives live.
You will be safe there.
- Your Majesty. - We do not know what could happen...
if you were to come with me.
You could be captured by the Khitan army.
Other regional lords might attack us as well.
No, I refuse.
I cannot do that.
I implore you. Please do it for me.
I...
do not have the strength to protect you.
Your Majesty.
- Court Lady Jung. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Please take good care of my empress.
I am sorry.
Please...
be safe.
Your Majesty.
- Your Majesty. - You should all...
take off your uniforms too.
Remove the armor too.
We will walk as if we are commoners fleeing the war.
Then no one will recognize us.
Your Majesty, I will protect you.
Then more innocent lives will be lost.
Go on. Take it off at once.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
Now.
I will survive.
I will survive and return to Gaegyeong.
Your Majesty, please allow me to carry you on my back.
There is no need. Let us go.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty!
Lead the way.
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
- Are you all right? - Are you all right?
I am all right.
Let us support each other as we cross the river.
Come now.
Are you all right?
I am much obliged, Your Majesty.
Let us make haste.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
That place over there is Gongju.
I will engrave this hardship in my heart...
and overcome it...
at any cost.
(Kim Eun Boo, Provincial Governor of Gongju)
Father looks dispirited.
You are right.
I have never seen him so downhearted before.
(Lady Kim, the future Empress Wonseong)
Governor Kim, His Majesty is on his way.
- Gosh, Your Majesty. - Your Majesty?
- Are you all right? - I am fine.
Your Majesty. Muster up your strength for just a little longer.
We are nearly there.
Lead the way.
- Take good care of His Majesty. - Understood.
Your Majesty.
The Provincial Governor is here.
Welcome, Your Majesty.
I am the Provincial Governor of Gongju, Kim Eun Boo.
I see.
So you are the Provincial Governor.
It is nice to meet you.
Your Majesty. Why are you in such clothes?
There were some reasons.
(Provincial Governor of Gongju's Government Office)
I cannot remember the last time...
I had a proper meal like this.
You are right.
The Provincial Governor is the only reliable man.
Refrain from drinking.
We must leave soon.
I only had a sniff of it.
That is the least I can do, no?
They are my family.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
Right. Thank you all...
for welcoming me.
Sentries have been stationed as far as 50 ri outside.
They will inform us the moment the Khitan soldiers arrive.
So please stay the night.
No. I must leave again.
Your Majesty. Please do stay.
You have walked for days.
If you keep going, you might fall gravely ill.
Please look after yourself.
Prepare a bath and a bedroom at once.
He must relax as soon as possible.
Yes, my lord.
Let us go.
Maybe because he is royalty, he is truly handsome.
If possible,
I would like to attend to him as he bathes.
And when he holds out his hand,
I can spend the night with him.
What was that? You are unbelievable.
How come? It is not bad, is it?
Do you not know that nobody...
can mistreat the woman His Majesty has made love to?
Authority-wise,
she is more powerful than a provincial governor.
Are you saying you will live alone while longing for Gaegyeong...
simply for that power?
Nobody said I would do that forever.
If he does not summon me to the palace,
I will meet another man and marry him.
That is easier said than done.
Who will easily accept a woman...
His Majesty has bedded as his wife?
You will either become the wife of an ignorant and foolish man...
or become a Buddhist nun.
If you understand, fill the tub without a word.
What does that mean?
Let you into His Majesty's chamber?
Did you not say the daughter had been offered...
to the family's important guest since the early days?
And if that guest accepted the daughter,
he and the house head...
would form a strong political bond.
I do know that.
But why would you suggest it first?
Did you not get furious whenever that topic was brought up?
You said selling off a daughter to gain the powerful's favor...
was a disgraceful act.
I no longer think like that.
- Let me in his chamber. - My dear.
Allow me to go inside.
Father is too upright...
to think of such an offering.
Mother.
I would like to help Father.
I want to get chosen by His Majesty...
and give Father a chance to achieve his wish.
Are you...
determined to do it?
Yes.
Please inform the Eunuch in secret.
As it is an old custom,
he will not be opposed to it.
Has your fatigue been relieved?
However...
My heart feels much heavier.
The Empress...
must still be traveling the rough night road.
Your Majesty. The truth is,
the Provincial Governor's daughter is waiting in your chamber.
What does that mean?
Why is the Provincial Governor's daughter waiting for me?
Following the Provincial Governor's order,
she will make you a garment.
- "A garment?" - Yes.
It must be because Your Majesty was not dressed...
in royal clothing.
It is a small gift. Please accept it.
This is the room.
I heard about it. I am grateful for the Provincial Governor's generosity.
I am much obliged.
What are you waiting for?
Are you not making me a garment?
No, I am.
Then pardon me.
Are you done?
Yes.
Then you can leave.
What is it?
You can leave now.
Are you...
not satisfied with me?
What does that mean?
Your Majesty.
When a woman says she will make a man an outfit,
it means she will offer him her heart and body too.
- What? - For generations,
when a family welcomes a special guest,
the host offers his daughter as a gift.
If the customs are so for any lowly house,
how could a provincial governor...
ignore the custom when hosting his king?
Please consider and accept your subject's efforts...
and take me tonight.
What that what this was about?
I do not need such company. Leave this instant.
- Your Majesty. - A subject's duty?
That is an excuse made up by men...
who wish to use their daughters to win their ruler's favor.
Do you not get that?
Call the provincial governor immediately.
- Your Majesty. - Go now!
Your Majesty.
The nation groans because we are at war.
And this is all the provincial governor cares about?
His defeated king fled the enemy,
and all he wants is to offer his daughter to get a promotion?
Call the provincial governor immediately!
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
I did not think this through.
Go now!
Your Majesty.
My father knows nothing of this.
This was my idea. I did it on my own.
I will not hear it. You dare lie to me?
It is the truth.
I did this on my own.
My father is innocent.
He would never dream of using...
his daughter to curry the king's favor.
I found him too suffocatingly upright,
so I came up with this idea myself.
What?
It is the truth. Believe me.
You may behead me,
but please do not punish my father.
My father is just...
a foolishly loyal man who cares only for Goryeo.
My father...
always wanted to change Goryeo.
He witnessed the tyranny of the regional lords,
and blamed himself for not being able to control them.
However,
there was nothing a provincial governor could do.
I wanted to...
win my father an opportunity.
I wanted to impress you...
and win him a title so he could do his will.
That is why...
I went as far as doing this.
I see how filial a daughter you are, but this is not the right approach.
Your father's life is his burden to bear.
And you, regardless of him,
must live your own life.
How could you sacrifice your life...
to win a promotion for your father?
It was not purely for my father.
I also...
wish to change Goryeo.
If I were born a man, I would have earned a title and achieved my goal.
However, I was born a woman.
I decided to do what I could to achieve my goal.
Either way,
I ended up committing a grave crime by insulting you.
If you wish to punish me,
I will accept it willingly.
(To His Majesty the King)
(From Kim Eun Boo, Provincial Governor of Gongju)
I wrote a few things I wish you knew.
Please take it and read it.
I will do that.
I appreciate your efforts.
Thanks to you, I enjoyed my stay.
- Goodbye, Your Majesty. - Goodbye, Your Majesty.
We shall go.
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
We are ready to head into battle.
Give us the command.
Your Majesty.
- Spearhead Commander. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Do you truly wish to go to war?
Morales are low and more men desert each day.
Our soldiers want only to return home.
Despite that,
do you think we can win?
We can win.
The Goryeo army is in the north.
Once we head south,
we can reach and conquer the end of Goryeo in no time.
And you will capture...
hundreds of thousands of prisoners including...
the Goryeo king and proudly return to Khitan.
- Your Majesty. - Fine.
I got it.
Call the Commander.
Head into battle.
I cannot do that.
- What? - I cannot...
lead our men to their deaths.
Your Majesty.
We must pull back.
A Goryeo envoy brought a letter...
promising friendly ties.
Use that as a cause...
- to return home. - Shut your mouth!
Anyone can tell that is an attempt to humiliate me.
And you want me to return with that?
I trusted you.
I even ignored the fact that you contacted our enemy.
And all you brought to me...
is that?
If you do not have that letter,
you will never be able to return.
If you ignore that now,
we will lose all justification to return.
You know that better than anyone.
Your Majesty.
Please return.
A Khitan leader...
must fight battles his whole life.
You must not risk everything on one fight.
We will have another opportunity.
One day, we will...
get to bring Goryeo to submission.
So this time, please let us return.
Your Majesty. I beg of you.
Please...
withdraw our troops.
We withdraw!
What do you mean?
It is His Majesty's order.
I do not believe this.
We will leave tonight.
Gather the loot and the captives,
and...
burn Gaegyeong down.
- Yes, Commander. - Yes, Commander.
They have decided to withdraw.
You have to go with them.
- Pardon me? - It is His Majesty's order.
Hurry up and get the captives.
Move it, quick!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
- Hey! - Be quiet!
Move it! Go!
Burn it all!
Darn it!
(Kang Gam Chan's wife)
(Seogyeong Fortress)
The Khitan army has left Gaegyeong and is advancing north.
- They are advancing north? - Yes, Officer Yang.
They have begun to withdraw their troops.
Which route are they taking?
Are they headed to Seogyeong or Kwiju?
They seem to be headed to Kwiju.
Very well. Let us all get moving now.
- Yes, Officer Yang. - Yes, Officer Yang.
(Gaegyeong)
(Seogyeong)
(Expected Withdrawal Route)
(Altered Withdrawal Route)
(Goryeo army led by Yang Kyu, Kwiju Gorge, Khitan's main forces)
Why must we travel through this narrow gorge?
Goryeo's troops in Seogyeong and Tongju...
are plotting to attack us.
We are simply taking a little detour to keep Your Majesty safe.
Must we...
be afraid of Goryeo's army now?
We have already made the decision to pull back,
so we need not undergo another battle now.
We must preserve our military resources for the sake of our future.
The Spearhead Commander is clearing the path for us while leading the way.
We will pass through the gorge before the end of the day.
Then we will soon reach the wide pathway that will lead us to Murodae.
Shortly after that, we will reach the Yalu River.
(Kwiju Gorge)
It is a whistling arrow. Switch to defense position!
- Switch to defense position! - Go!
Was it the wind?
Spearhead Commander!
Shoot!
Spearhead Commander!
Do not back down!
Do not lose ground!
Shoot them down!
Shoot!
Spearhead Commander!
Why did you do something I never told you to do?
You were a bright child.
Why have you become so foolish?
Please forgive me.
I was simply trying to help you, Father.
I can take care of myself.
Did I look that incompetent in your eyes?
What will you do now?
The servants and the soldiers...
all saw you entering His Majesty's chamber.
It means you have become His Majesty's woman!
Yes, I am aware.
Since I started it,
I will handle the consequences myself.
Allow me...
to finish making his clothes.
- What did you say? - I wish to keep my promise.
There is nothing more I can do.
There is no one else left in Gaegyeong.
No physicians...
or apothecarists.
If the pain is unbearable,
just let yourself breathe your last.
Stop suffering and just rest in peace.
The Buddha will welcome you with open arms.
Except for being a little too headstrong at times,
you have done nothing wrong.
Deputy Minister Kang, where are you?
Are you in there?
He is here!
The Deputy Minister of Rites is here!
My lady!
Please save my dear Deputy Minister Kang!
Deputy Minister Kang!
All 10,000 spearhead soldiers have been killed.
Even the Spearhead Commander died on the battlefield.
What?
Your Majesty.
Where did the Goryeo soldiers appear from?
Who launched the attack?
It was Goryeo's...
Northwest Temporary Government Officer.
He is here and not in Seogyeong?
Yes, Commander. I saw him clearly with my own two eyes.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty. Goryeo soldiers have appeared in the rear.
What?
They have blocked off the path to the Kwiju field...
and set up a camp.
Arrest that Goryeo man at once!
Who do you mean?
The one named No Jeon!
Over there!
- Officer Yang. - Great work.
But why are you alone? What about Lord Ha?
- He is staying behind. - What?
Lord Ha said an envoy of Goryeo could not run away.
Why are we not moving?
I am not sure, either.
It seems something has gone wrong.
(Gwakju, Kwiju Gorge)
(The Khitan's Main Army)
(Yang Kyu's Goryeo Army, Kim Hoon's Goryeo Army)
In that case,
we only have to block this narrow path.
Then, not a single one of them can escape.
They will become nothing but rats in a trap.
We are the rats.
Our enemy is a great army of over 150,000.
(Kim Hoon, Left and Right Army General)
The rats...
have trapped a tiger.
We must risk our lives and defend this place.
If the enemy floods out into the field,
there is no way of stopping them.
We will have to hide in Tongju Fortress and watch as the enemy crosses...
the Yalu River with ease.
Understood?
- Yes. - Yes.
Then...
where are we to go now?
We must go over the hillsides visible through that door.
My apologies.
It is all my fault.
You are not at fault.
Goryeo...
has always been a cunning country.
I will...
conquer this land without fail.
The Khitans cannot march in one line as is.
They will surely split the troops and climb the mountain from all sides.
We will look for that opening.
Bear in mind.
This is our last chance to attack the enemy.
Before they break free from the foot of this mountain,
we must rescue all the prisoners.
All right.
And we must kill as many enemies as possible.
Understood?
- Yes. - Yes.
Let us go.
- It is them. - You heard it, too, right?
You heard that, right?
What is it?
Where are you going?
Come back!
What did they hear?
We are the Goryeo army.
Take care of the prisoners.
- Yes. - Yes.
Good grief.
Get moving to that side.
Understood.
Let us go.
We are the Goryeo army. Hurry.
Come now.
This way. Hurry.
Here.
(Heunghwajin)
(Jung Sung, Commander of Heunghwajin)
- Goodness, thank you. - Good grief.
- It must have been tough. - This way.
Drink some water. Come now.
- Deok? - Sorry?
My lady...
My lady.
Do you feel better?
Where...
are we?
You are with me, so is it not obvious?
This is the fiery pit!
Good grief.
Stop!
You are as good as the living dead.
Stay in bed.
What about the Khitans?
They have withdrawn.
Which way did they go?
Did they head toward Tongju Fortress?
Or...
Kwiju?
Is that what you want to know the moment you wake up?
Stay put. I will call over the commanders.
So you have woken up.
It is a great relief.
Which way did...
the Khitans head to?
As planned, they went to Kwiju.
The Khitans are currently...
passing through the mountainous area connecting Kwiju to Heunghwajin.
Officer Yang is launching attacks day in and day out.
Did you pass...
this message on to His Majesty?
No, not yet.
Then go to His Majesty at once.
Bring His Majesty...
to Gaegyeong.
Understood, Deputy Minister Kang.
Giddyap!
How many times were we attacked today?
The three troops on the left...
were attacked in turn.
The Goryeo soldiers killed 1,000 of our men...
and took our prisoners.
Was it him again?
Yes.
It was that Temporary Government Officer.
He launches a surprise attack on us several times a day.
Chase after him, and he disappears.
Make an advance,
and he attacks from our rear.
How many soldiers have we lost until now?
Tell me. How many did we lose?
We have lost...
over 15,000 soldiers in the last few days.
As for the captives,
they took almost 30,000 of them.
I need you to capture him.
Set up traps to get him.
I must behead him before we cross the Yalu River.
I will cut his head off before I leave Goryeo.
(Korea-Khitan War)
("The Last Storm" by Kim Jang Hoon is available on all streaming platforms.)
Your Majesty, the Khitan army has pulled out its troops.
You can now return to Gaegyeong.
I, too, abandoned my people and fled.
Who am I to punish anyone?
All of you have fought very well.
Goryeo...
will remember your bravery forever!
The pleasure has been mine.
(Subtitles are provided by KOCOWA.)