(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.)
Your Majesty!
Go!
Your Majesty!
It is dangerous if you ride that fast!
Your Majesty!
- No! - Watch out!
- Oh, no. - It is His Majesty.
Your Majesty!
- Lads! - Make way!
- Your Majesty! - Over here!
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty! Are you all right?
Your Majesty, please open your eyes!
What are you waiting for? Move the wagon out of the way. Now!
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
- Your Majesty, please open your eyes. - Move the wagon!
- Your Majesty. - Help us!
- Help! - Your Majesty, please stay with me.
Your Majesty!
(Episode 19)
How is he?
His Majesty is in critical condition.
- How critical? - His pulse is very weak,
and his breathing is rapid and shallow.
Also, he keeps coughing up blood,
but I do not know if it is caused by his broken rib...
puncturing his organs,
or if he is simply coughing up the blood if he had swallowed.
At the moment, I have no way of knowing.
Do you think His Majesty can survive this injury?
I am afraid I cannot tell you anything at the moment.
I think the next few hours will be crucial.
Your Majesty.
Are we truly leaving?
It is His Majesty's order.
He said to leave Gaegyeong at once.
Come on. We should get going.
Lord Kang!
Lord Kang, I am sorry to be a bearer of bad news.
His Majesty has fallen off a horse.
What do you mean?
On his way back to the palace after meeting you,
he fell off his horse.
I have been told that he is in critical condition.
Stop!
We have been ordered not to let anyone enter.
How is His Majesty?
I must see His Majesty.
Please calm down, Lord Kang.
- Let me enter! - Stop!
What would you do if you were allowed to enter?
It is your fault that this happened.
This happened because he could not tame his burning anger toward you!
You must leave at once.
Were you not ordered to leave Gaegyeong?
It could be...
His Majesty's last order...
issued for you.
How did such a horrible thing happen?
We did not intend for this to happen.
(Yoo Jin, Second Rank Palace Secretariat)
It is our fault...
that this happened to His Majesty.
His Majesty will regain his consciousness.
Buddha will protect him.
At the moment,
that is the only thing we can count on.
Grant us your mercy, Guanyin Bodhisattva
(Empress Wonhwa)
Grant us your mercy, Guanyin Bodhisattva
Are you all right?
Then how unwell is he?
He is in critical condition.
It is to the point we cannot say if he will live.
Your Majesty...
Your Majesty.
Everyone, his lord is coming!
(Geumju, Modern-day Gwangmyeong)
(The whole area of Gwanak-gu and Geumcheon-gu, Seoul)
(The Kang family's main house in Geumju)
It has been a while.
Yes, it has.
Have you been well?
When was the last time we saw each other?
I thought you had turned your back on our family.
That is nonsense.
We would never do such a thing.
Simply engrossed in national affairs,
he had no time to spare for the family's occasions.
Then, you should have reminded him of them.
Good grief.
You two are so alike.
That is enough.
Visiting us now is what is important, no?
Right then.
What about your work?
I am no longer in office.
What? How come?
I heard His Majesty...
cared for you very dearly.
And from what I heard,
His Majesty was trying to place the regional lords under his control.
Was it because of that?
Yes.
I got in the way of His Majesty's wish.
Is that so? Then you have done a great job.
No matter what others say,
you are surely a member of the Kang family.
And as a regional lord in command of Geumju,
you must take our side.
Get some good rest.
Welcome back to the family.
Your Majesty.
Do not worry.
Thankfully, his condition has gotten better.
- Is that true? - Yes.
Though it is too early to feel at ease,
His Majesty is out of danger now.
Not only has his bleeding stopped,
but his pulse and breathing have also returned to normal.
Keep getting better,
and His Majesty will gradually regain consciousness.
Your Majesty.
It is a great relief.
Buddha has taken care of him.
Yes.
We only have to wait for His Majesty to wake up now.
What is it, Your Majesty?
There is a matter we must take care of before that.
Before His Majesty wakes up,
we must settle everything.
Why did you want us to gather?
As His Majesty is in no condition to take care of the nation's state,
we, the chancellors,
must lead the court. Do you not agree?
That is why I wanted us to gather.
Firstly,
preparing for the Khitan's invasion is the most pressing matter.
Let us discuss that first.
Inform the Ministry of Rites...
to make preparations to send an envoy.
And to the northwest, dispatch a Field Commander...
and have him look after the soldiers.
Yes, we should do that.
Furthermore, a government official should be dispatched...
to the south of Gaegyeong to study public sentiment.
Yes.
Then, I shall find a suitable officer.
Her Majesty...
recommended that one of the chancellors...
should go.
"One of the chancellors?"
Who among us chancellors?
I was hoping you would go.
As you served His Majesty on his royal flight from the palace,
you know how the south of Gaegyeong is, do you not?
So please appease the disturbed public sentiment...
caused by the last war.
Such a task can be left with the provincial governor.
I do not think it is right for the few chancellors...
to leave their post when His Majesty...
has yet to regain consciousness.
Do not worry about that.
The rest of the chancellors will take on your duties.
I, too, will help them.
You, Your Majesty?
That is right.
We should not be restricted to our positions...
when His Majesty is in grave condition.
Everyone should work together to overcome this crisis.
Please make the trip.
Leave Gaegyeong's matters...
to me and the other chancellors.
We hope you will go to the northwest as the Field Commander...
to encourage the generals...
and supervise the soldiers' training.
Is this also...
Her Majesty's wish?
This is from me.
Of course, Her Majesty has agreed to it.
They are making all the chancellors...
following His Majesty leave Gaegyeong.
Deputy Minister Kim will be their target next.
Protect Deputy Minister Kim, my lord.
Excuse me? Me?
Yes.
Only when you protect him...
can we proceed with His Majesty's order.
Then...
we will leave him to you.
What? Hold on! Lord Choi!
Lord Chae!
What am I supposed to do?
Deputy Minister of Punishments Kim Eun Boo...
is to come out and receive the order at once!
The Minister of Punishments ordered us to arrest the criminal.
"Criminal?" Who are you saying is a criminal?
There has been a report to impeach Deputy Minister Kim.
A simple report...
is no reason to conclude that he is a criminal.
Enough.
Let us go.
My lord!
- Father! - Father!
- My lord! - Father!
Father...
It is His Majesty's right...
to hand down a ruling.
And without His Majesty's command, we cannot question the criminal.
Then,
what is it that we can do?
It is to reveal...
all of the Deputy Minister of Punishments' crimes before all of the vassals.
Therefore,
we must make it impossible...
for His Majesty to pardon those crimes even after he wakes up.
Then, I will question him myself.
That has never been done before.
It will not be a problem as long as the chancellors agree.
We cannot do that.
His Majesty is still alive,
and the Three Departments and Six Ministries are all standing.
So, how could Her Majesty step foot into the Jungjeon herself?
That is why she is asking for the chancellors agreement.
I cannot agree.
Lord Choi.
You should stop now too, Secretariat Yoo.
You said you would defend the authority of the chancellors,
How could you act as Her Majesty's puppet?
I am only gathering forces and taking care of the affairs of state.
Lord Yoo.
Why have you lost your center like so?
You have never once strayed from the right path before.
Whether you agreed or disagreed, you said your opinion confidently...
before His Majesty at all times.
And what have we achieved because of that?
Were we able to enlighten the incompetent emperor...
who was mixed up in homosexual acts?
Or were we able to stop the young emperor...
who kept making the war get bigger?
A vassal who is only honest...
is the easiest vassal to a sovereign.
Now, His Majesty should also know...
how scary his vassals can be.
He must learn how to compromise with his vassals.
Only then...
Only then will he go down the path of a great emperor.
Then, I will take it that you have agreed...
as well.
We will help.
We have all decided to follow His Majesty and the Deputy Minister's wishes.
Now, they will begin labeling the Deputy Minister as a severe criminal.
To the point where His Majesty will not be able to do anything once he wakes up.
Then, how are we to stop that?
We need someone to step up for your father.
Someone who can defend your father.
If you can think of anyone, please let us know.
Yes. We will go immediately and bring that person here.
Is there someone like that?
Yes, there is one person.
He used to work as a local clerk in the Gongju provincial governor's office.
If he was a local clerk, he must come from a regional lord's family.
Yes, but he was different from other local clerks.
He used to respect my father when he was the provincial governor.
I am sure he will defend my father.
Giddyup!
Do not worry too much.
We have already come up with a thorough plan.
Have you already thought of all that?
Yes.
Do you think we would have lured in prey...
without even having a snare ready?
You need not be wary of me.
I am only trying to help you.
What are you thinking about?
I am thinking of my mother.
When I was young,
my mother told me something.
"On the night you were born,"
"a star fell from the sky."
"A huge ball of fire crashed down scarily,"
"and it disappeared in a flash, leaving only its heat behind."
My mother always told me.
"You will become a great man someday."
"You will become a great man who saves the nation."
However, I was never special in any way.
I barely passed the state exam...
when I was over the age of 30.
And then,
I was always placed in remote positions.
Was that why you became so irritable?
Because you had a huge dream within your heart,
but your reality was not as big?
That is right.
I am ashamed, but I think that is true.
And that was when I met His Majesty.
Even to this lowly vassal,
he was willing to trust me with a great task.
However,
I ended up stabbing a man like him in the heart.
And now, His Majesty is...
fighting for his life because of that.
If His Majesty...
passes away just like this,
it will all be my fault.
This lowly vassal...
pushed His Majesty to his death.
He will not end up like that.
He will wake up.
I am sure he will recover.
Lord Kang.
Please defend the Deputy Minister of Punishments with this for now.
Yes.
I understand.
But I have had terrible stomach pain since yesterday.
I will not be able to go to the Jungjeon today...
- Lord Jang! - My goodness.
Why do you keep trying to run away?
You ran away at Samsuchae, and you ran away in Yeongju.
Are you not tired of it?
Look.
Why would I be tired of that?
Are you tired of surviving?
I see.
Then, you can go and die. Here.
Take this, run to the Jungjeon,
and do all the things that will make Her Majesty dislike you.
- Lord Jang. - You know, a man should know...
when he ought to back off.
From what I can see, now is one of those times. I have a hunch.
Then what was the oath you took before His Majesty?
You said you would risk your life to follow His Majesty's wishes.
What will you do about that?
Sure. Then, I will do it.
Sure. You can go ahead and do that. Why do you keep making me do it?
The one who wants to die can go. Is that not right?
Her Majesty is entering.
How come the Chancellery Scholar is nowhere to be seen?
I believe he is not feeling well.
I heard you would discuss the appeal...
that requested the impeachment of Deputy Minister Kim,
so I decided to join you today with the chancellors' consent.
His Majesty is at the brink of death...
because of that appeal.
Hence, I would like to...
thoroughly investigate what happened to determine who is at fault.
I hope...
you all understand.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Then let us begin.
The Deputy Minister of Punishments may enter!
Upon comparing the military registers, we found out...
that 31 men who were the sons of the Gongju chiefs and their relatives...
were all exempted from military conscription.
What was the reason for their exemption according to the registers?
It was written that all of them were in no condition...
to fight in battles for they were either ill or injured.
However, the Ministry of Punishments sent some officers to Gongju...
and looked into it...
only to find out that none of it was true.
Many people saw those men out and about in perfect health...
even in the midst of the war.
Hence, we are certain that the Deputy Minister of Punishments...
schemed with the regional chiefs to help those men avoid conscription.
Deputy Minister of Punishments.
Is that true?
Yes, it is true.
However,
it had to be done.
"It had to be done?"
Could you elaborate?
I turned a blind eye to one thing...
in order to gain ten things.
Who said you could make such a deal?
What country has a law...
that grants a mere governor such rights?
I am sorry to interrupt.
The law does not allow it,
but considering the situation with the regional lords,
I believe he had no other choice.
Well...
What I mean is,
the regional chiefs have so much power...
- that he probably had to... - What on earth are you saying?
Chief Jang, it is your job to inspect and manage the local officials.
Whose side are you on?
Have you forgotten what your job is?
No, I have not.
I investigated this matter thoroughly...
and am simply sharing the results of my investigation with you.
Here, please have a look.
Out of the 12 governors,
the one who conscripted the most men...
was none other than the governor of Gongju.
He was the only governor who enlisted more than 97 men...
out of every 100 men in his district!
Your Majesty, he had no choice...
but to make a deal with the regional chiefs in Gongju...
in order to enlist more men.
Your Majesty, you must be well aware...
of the tyranny of the regional lords for you have experienced it firsthand.
The Deputy Minister of Punishments did his best to save Goryeo.
How do you know if he made such a deal for the sake of Goryeo...
or for his own selfish gain?
How can you be so certain?
Pardon me?
Your Majesty.
The regional chiefs from Gongju are here now.
I suggest Your Majesty question them directly.
Let them enter.
Are you the chiefs from Gongju?
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Good. Go ahead and tell me.
What truly happened?
Please forgive us for our grave sin.
However, I can assure you that it was not our idea.
Governor Kim forced us to do it.
He offered to grant our sons a military exemption...
and forced us to reward him in return.
Oh, boy.
There you are.
Did you have a good time with your mother?
You should hurry home.
The Chancellery Scholar came to see you.
Lord Choi.
It has been a while.
How is His Majesty?
Thankfully, His Majesty has turned the corner,
but he has not regained his consciousness yet.
The truth is, I am more concerned about what would happen after he wakes up.
What do you mean?
Did something happen in the court?
Yes.
Her Majesty is trying to shackle His Majesty down...
with the help of Secretary Yoo.
She sent the Privy Councilor to the south...
and the Junior Second Rank Officer to the northwest.
At the moment, she is questioning the Deputy Minister of Punishments,
saying that she has to examine the appeal you submitted.
I cannot believe this.
That is something His Majesty needs to take care of.
It is not Her Majesty's job.
But she is doing it regardless.
She wants everyone to know that the Deputy Minister of Punishments...
committed an unpardonable crime.
Her Majesty will keep driving...
the Deputy Minister of Punishments into a corner,
until he is given capital punishment.
The harder he tries to get out of it,
the more she will tighten the shackle.
The chiefs threatened him...
that they would not cooperate with the conscription order,
so Governor Kim had no choice but to do what he did.
He did not do it out of greed.
The regional chiefs claimed...
they offered ten silver nyang per child in return.
That is not true!
Governor Kim did not accept a penny.
I found it!
I do not know of it.
That did not belong in our house.
Please believe me.
I do not know of it. I swear.
I know of nothing.
I am telling you the truth.
Father. Help me.
Her Majesty will press everyone...
and strip everyone...
until Deputy Minister Kim breaks down.
Is it true that your father offered you...
to His Majesty to win favors?
No.
The whole Goryeo knows that the Provincial Governor of Gongju...
sold his daughter off to join the court.
Even so, are you going to feign ignorance?
On the day His Majesty stayed the night in Gongju,
I had indeed entered His Majesty's chamber.
However, I requested it myself.
- Yourself? - Yes, Your Majesty.
It is an old custom to offer the daughter to a valued guest.
However, my father is not someone who can think of such.
So, I requested it first.
Why did you do that for?
I wanted...
to open a future for my father by doing so.
By catching His Majesty's eyes,
I wanted to give my father a chance to achieve his dream.
Does that mean entering His Majesty's chamber...
would grant your father a bright future?
That was not what I meant.
Then, did His Majesty seem like a man indulging in carnal pleasures to you?
Did His Majesty seem like he would bestow...
a high position simply for being offered a pretty lady?
That is not it.
Then why did you enter his chamber?
Your story does not add up.
You claimed to have entered His Majesty's chamber to give your father a future.
But you did not think His Majesty would grant it. That makes no sense, no?
You are looking down on me right now, are you not?
How dare you play on words before me and make a fool of me?
That is not true. I would not dare to.
Then why did you go into the chamber?
Make me understand the reason.
- Your Majesty... - Speak now!
Your Majesty. Do you feel better?
Tell me now.
For what reason did you enter His Majesty's chamber?
Be honest now.
Was it your greed?
Did you want to become a woman His Majesty bedded?
Did you want to live while enjoying that power?
Did you want to mention His Majesty everywhere you went...
and be treated as a valued woman?
Enough, Your Majesty.
I ordered her to do it.
Father.
I sold off my daughter...
and gained His Majesty's favor.
I demanded bribes from the regional chiefs,
satisfied my greed,
and broke the national law.
Father!
I plead guilty to all my crimes. So...
Please stop, Your Majesty.
My daughter...
did nothing wrong.
Father...
Secretary Yoo.
Yes, Your Majesty.
The criminal confessed to everything.
You may all leave.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Father...
Your Majesty...
Empress.
What were you doing just now?
Empress!
Leave at once.
- Your Majesty, I simply... - Leave now!
Yes, Your Majesty.
You may get up.
Return to your house.
Father.
Let us go.
What did you do?
While I was unconscious,
you kicked out the chancellors who heeded my wishes,
conspired with the Empress,
and accused Deputy Minister Kim as a criminal.
This is treason.
We simply took care of the political affairs.
What was that?
To take care of the nation's affairs,
we only worked together with Her Majesty.
- Secretary Yoo. - Your Majesty.
The criminal confessed to everything.
Please make a ruling.
Stop at once.
Your Majesty.
Deputy Minister Kim Eun Boo...
threatened the regional chiefs and accumulated wealth.
In return, he helped their children from being placed under requisition.
Breaking the law...
and disturbing military discipline is a grave crime.
Please sentence him to death at once.
Enough.
Your Majesty. There are many testimonies and pieces of evidence.
If you still do not punish him,
how will we maintain order in court in the future?
Please punish him severely...
and brighten the future of this court.
Did I not tell you to stop?
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty!
Listen carefully.
I have already decided to forgive all crimes...
that were committed during the war.
The Deputy Minister of Punishments also committed his crimes during the war.
So, do not...
bring up his crimes again.
Your Majesty, this matter is not the same.
Kim Eun Boo did not run away...
because he was afraid of the enemy that he met on the battlefield.
He was in the peaceful countryside and committed a crime...
in order to fulfill his own greed.
If you forgive someone like this as well, that will not be seen as generosity...
but as your reckless bravado.
Your Majesty.
He is a severe criminal who destroyed the order of the military.
Please punish him severely...
for this instance.
Please, even just this once,
help to resolve the resentment of the warriors and the people.
I beg of you.
Please hear our requests.
- Please hear our requests. - Please hear our requests.
Please hear our requests!
- Please hear our requests! - Please hear our requests!
Please hear our requests!
- Please hear our requests! - Please hear our requests!
Please hear our requests!
- Please hear our requests! - Please hear our requests!
Your Majesty!
Please punish Kim Eun Boo.
- Please punish Kim Eun Boo! - Please punish Kim Eun Boo!
Your Majesty, if you decide to let Kim Eun Boo live,
please behead us all!
- Please behead us all! - Please behead us all!
Please punish Kim Eun Boo.
- Please punish Kim Eun Boo! - Please punish Kim Eun Boo!
Was this the result you wanted?
If not, set everything right.
I do not know how either.
However, I am sure...
you will be able to find a way.
Then, I will be off now.
Please punish Kim Eun Boo!
- Please punish Kim Eun Boo! - Please punish Kim Eun Boo!
- Your Majesty.
You cannot turn things back now.
All of the vassals in court...
are crying out and asking for you to punish the Deputy Minister of Punishments.
You must make haste and punish him.
Your Majesty.
I am saying this with the utmost sincerity towards you.
Your Majesty.
The Officer of Rites is here.
I have a letter from...
the former Third Rank Hallim Academician, Kang Gam Chan.
Take it back.
I do not want to see it.
He begged for you to read it just once.
He says there is a way to save the Deputy Minister of Punishments.
(A letter to Your Majesty, from Kang Gam Chan)
Your Majesty.
Welcome.
Is this your sincere wish?
It is.
I will have you become my wife.
(Korea-Khitan War)
I tried to get rid of the Deputy Minister of Punishments,
but instead, his daughter has entered this palace as well.
Do not speak rashly.
All of the things you are trying to protect right now...
are the things I am trying to break.
You and I have started walking down on different paths now.
Did you take me in because you had to?
Or do you want me?
Please prepare a way to defeat His Majesty's will.
I hope the two of you can join forces now.
(Subtitles are provided by KOCOWA.)