(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 21)
- Get up. - Your Majesty.
Now.
What do you think you are doing now?
Without a ruling stating that it should be done,
you shall not kill anyone, even a nameless slave.
That is Goryeo's law.
What right do you have to take this man's life?
Tell me.
What is the reason you were going to behead him?
And why are you gathered here?
What brings Your Majesty here?
I came here for this man.
The pacification commissioners I had dispatched came back covered in blood,
so I wanted to consult him to devise a solution together.
It seemed like some of the influential regional lord families' doing,
so I came here seeking his advice...
on what to do with them.
But I happened to arrive...
at such an opportune moment when all those families were gathered here.
Was it your doing?
The commoners did it.
"The commoners?"
Why would they reject the commissioners when they have nothing to lose?
What could the commoners gain by driving them away?
This is a fight between me and you regional lords.
Stop manipulating the people who did nothing wrong.
Tell me directly.
What is it that you want?
We want peace.
Peace, you say?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Do not take any more rights away from us.
Stop encroaching on our territory.
Then,
we can be at peace again.
Do not take away from you?
What have you let me take away from you?
Have I seized your land...
or any of your servants?
You are trying to take our people away from us.
They are ours to govern,
but you tried to keep them right below your feet, Your Majesty.
They are Goryeo's people.
They do not belong to you, regional lords.
They belong to me, the Emperor.
That is what you think, Your Majesty.
Since even before the founding of Goryeo,
we have been governing them.
We gave them rice in bad harvest years...
and gave out wine when we had a great harvest.
We took care of them.
You lent them rice and made them...
pay you back tenfold. Is that what you did for them?
When they got on your nerves, you whipped them.
Is that how you took care of them?
We never did such a thing.
Then why did the people...
hurl stones at pacification commissioners?
They know that they will not be spared if they disobey you, regional lords.
That is why they dared to hurl stones at the Emperor's vassals,
for they fear you more than the Emperor who resides in a faraway palace.
I will state this simply.
Even if you keep driving them away,
I will dispatch them again and again.
It is not your job to take care of the people.
The people of Goryeo all belong to me, the Emperor.
No matter what happens, I will be sure...
to take care of my people with my own hands.
If you still wish to stop me,
you may behead me.
- Your Majesty. - Beheading me...
will be the only way to stop me.
You are a brave man.
Do you think we cannot do it?
You only brought along a dozen soldiers.
Did you think you would be able to scare us away?
If you are not scared, go ahead and behead me.
Stop trying to use innocent people to plot treason.
Go ahead and behead me now.
Do it. Now.
Now!
Step back, Academician Kang.
- Your Majesty. - You too, General Ji.
- Your Majesty... - Do it now!
It is the emperor's order!
Do it.
Behead me.
After that, rule Goryeo yourselves.
Become the emperor and honor the deity's wishes.
Lead the court as the king of this country.
Take care of all the people like your parents.
Repel the foreign enemies who cross the border.
If you can do that,
I will willingly...
offer my life.
Go ahead.
Do it at once!
Now then,
obey me.
Let us go, Academician Kang.
Thank you for being alive.
Your Majesty.
Do not leave my side again.
I need you.
Let us make haste.
Why did you all shake your heads?
We cannot...
thoughtlessly kill His Majesty.
He is right. Even if we do, we must have a countermeasure first.
A rash treason is only asking for trouble.
What is more, we have all been exposed. No?
Then...
what should we do from now on?
We should obey him for now.
While lowering ourselves, we are to wait for the right time.
The right time until the emperor becomes weak.
Does that mean His Majesty has gone to the regional lord's house?
Yes.
(Lady Kim, the future Empress Wonseong)
Why did you not stop His Majesty?
You know very well how agitated the regional lords are.
Even the pacification commissioners got kicked out covered in blood.
But to go to their house...
with only about ten mounted troops in this situation?
I did stop him, but he did not listen.
He rushed to bring back Academician Kang...
as soon as possible.
(Empress Wonjeong)
I have bad news, Sister.
His Majesty has gone to Geumju.
"Geumju?"
Was Geumju...
not the gathering place of the regional lords?
Yes, that is correct.
His Majesty went to that very Kang family's house.
And with only about ten mounted troops at that.
Good grief.
Sister. What are we to do?
There are hundreds of soldiers in Geumju.
There is surely a possibility His Majesty might fall into danger.
- Your Majesty. - Empress.
Are you all right?
It is a great relief.
You cannot imagine how worried I was.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Did you think I would wish for you to face danger...
simply because I am against your will?
Without you, Your Majesty,
the imperial court cannot exist.
Why did you only take a few mounted troops...
when visiting the regional lord's house?
What if something had happened?
I believed in your words, Empress.
Remember what you told me a while ago?
You said inside an emperor's title...
are hundreds of hidden soldiers.
Your Majesty...
Were you already aware that the regional lords were gathering...
at the Kang family's house?
- Yes. - Then,
were you also aware the pacification commissioners...
were going to be chased back?
Yes.
I assumed that would happen.
Your Majesty.
Even though we are rowing in different directions,
we are in the same boat.
Despite getting in each other's ways...
and going through a rough time,
when this period ends,
we will surely face and progress in the same direction.
Well...
I am not too sure about that.
I cannot understand why you cannot stay...
in the same direction.
- Your Majesty. - You may go now.
I am tired and wish to rest.
Understood. Please rest.
Is he really all right?
Did he not get hurt?
No. I heard His Majesty arrived without any trouble.
If you are worried, please pay him a visit.
There is no reason you cannot do it, my lady.
My lady?
You may leave.
Yes, my lady.
The place has become very dusty in the meantime.
I am sorry...
to make you worry again.
Do not apologize.
That will not change anything, will it?
Let us go our separate ways now.
I can no longer live in fear.
Not only were you on the verge of death in Gaegyeong, but also in Geumju.
I have had enough now.
Let us split up.
Give this house to me.
I cannot do that.
What was that?
I do not want to live alone.
But I want to live alone, all right?
I want to live apart from the man who only does things...
that put his life at risk!
Being apart will not stop you from being troubled.
Rather than worrying about me from afar, just stay by my side.
What? You are impossible!
You may not acknowledge it,
but I am all you have.
You must be crazy.
- Wife. - Oh, my.
(Hwapyeongjeon)
You came to see me.
How unexpected.
The heads of families who had gathered in Geumju...
have all signed this letter.
Your Majesty.
We request that you dispatch pacification commissioners once again.
Then, have you decided to stop fighting against me entirely?
Or...
are you just taking a step back and biding your time?
Indeed.
I guess it is the latter.
That is not the case for the Kang clan.
Our clan will now follow Your Majesty's command.
Your Majesty is correct.
Even regional lords' families with authority...
cannot take the place of the emperor.
As my nephew said,
the nation must exist...
in order for clans to exist as well.
I will be going now.
Please look kindly upon Academician Kang.
I am sorry for causing you trouble.
From now on, no one will cause you any harm.
The regional lords who drove you out...
have come requesting pacification commissioners.
So,
you may be at ease and set off for your assigned posts.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
The dispatch of pacification commissioners has finally come to an end.
It is so hard to take one small step forward.
That is why reformation is always hard.
We can simply take down foreign enemies with our swords,
but we must go on living with internal foes...
despite fighting against them.
Right.
Anyway, congratulations on returning to your post.
Finally, you and I will be serving His Majesty together.
Yes. Let us work well together.
Yes, My Lord.
My Lord. An envoy from Khitan is on his way.
- Goodness. - Look at that.
- Oh, my. - What are they doing here?
His Majesty, the emperor,
sends his greetings to Prince Daeryangwon.
Yes, thank you.
Is His Majesty in good health?
Yes, he is in good health.
And how is your health?
I am fine, thanks to you.
That is good to hear.
Then, when do you plan on coming over to Khitan...
and paying homage to His Majesty in person?
We have yet to recover from the past war.
Please deliver my request...
that His Majesty wait until we finish doing so.
And when would that be?
We will not know until we get there.
Do not speak so vaguely. Please set a specific date.
Only then would the administrators of Khitan...
prepare to greet you, Your Highness.
I will send envoys to let you know.
I am already here.
Why try to go through such a troublesome process?
Please tell me in person.
I will return after I hear your answer.
Such impertinence!
How dare you pressure His Majesty?
Everything ought to be done according to procedure.
Do you not even know that?
If you act so rudely,
the day His Majesty heads to your nation...
will only be delayed.
If the administrators of Khitan keep persecuting another nation's sovereign,
what kind of sovereign of a tribute nation would feel comfortable enough...
to step foot on Khitan soil?
- What? - Right now,
you are here to deliver the greetings of the Khitan emperor...
to the sovereign of Goryeo.
In regards to the other details, let us move to another place...
and discuss them with the administrators of Goryeo.
The administrators of Goryeo are all skilled at concocting tricks.
His Majesty commanded me never to sit with you face-to-face.
Especially with someone like you,
who dared to deceive His Majesty.
I will never discuss a word with you.
Who are you saying deceived the emperor of Khitan?
We have never done such a thing.
You say you have never done such a thing?
This man named Kang Gam Chan...
came to see His Majesty, our emperor, and falsely requested to pay homage.
It was to stop our Khitan army from advancing on Seogyeong.
We never falsely requested to pay homage.
His Majesty was truly planning...
to pay a visit to the Khitan camp.
However, the Khitan army suddenly attacked Seogyeong,
forcing him to fight back.
The Goryeo army was secretly gathered at Seogyeong Fortress...
in order to attack us. Of course, we had to attack first.
There were soldiers wandering around outside the fortress walls.
All we did was bring them inside Seogyeong Fortress.
But the Khitan army got spooked for no reason...
and launched an attack.
That is enough!
You are the one who should be courteous.
How dare you raise your voice before His Majesty?
That is enough from all of you.
You must be tired after a long journey.
You should go and get some rest for today.
I will throw a feast for you.
Thank you for your offer,
but I will decline.
If you refuse to give an answer...
to when you will be paying homage,
I have...
no reason to stay in Goryeo even for a single day.
Your Highness,
our Khitan army...
withdrew our troops because we believed in your intention to pay homage.
However, if you do not...
keep your promise,
it will certainly be an act of deceit against His Majesty of Khitan...
before many other tribute nations.
His Majesty...
will never forgive this.
Finally.
This moment has come.
What should we do now?
We can never pay homage.
They know very well...
that Goryeo does not intend to pay homage.
However, they have sent an envoy and brought it up again...
in order to use this as justification.
Then,
that must mean that Khitan has decided to invade us once again.
How many men do you think will invade us this time?
Khitan has also put together an army in a year's time.
So, they will not be able to invade with such a large army as last year.
They will be 70,000 to 80,000 at the least,
but they will not exceed 150,000 at the most.
Then should we not be able to stop them?
That is not the case.
Our army also lost half of our elite soldiers in the last war.
It will be hard to fight them off just the same.
If we supplement the central army organization...
with elite soldiers...
In order to train a soldier to become an elite one,
it requires at least three years.
Even if we supplement them in a hurry,
they will not be any different from royal forces in distant regions.
First, you ought to send an envoy.
If need be, you ought to send a fixed date...
to pay homage in person.
And when that day comes,
you ought to find another reason.
If we were to say that Your Majesty fell ill,
they would not be able to say otherwise.
Would that work?
We must do so even if it does not work.
Since they are trying to use the homage as their justification,
we must keep rendering their justification helpless...
with words of promise that we will pay homage.
All right.
Let us send envoys for now...
and deliver word that we will pay homage within two months.
Academician Kang, write a diplomatic letter immediately.
Junior Second Rank and Privy Councilor, put together a corps of envoys.
And Secretary Yoo,
send an official document to the pacification commissioners...
stationed in each region...
and have them prepare for a military draft of royal forces.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
His Majesty will pay homage...
in no later than two months.
The promised date has already passed.
His Majesty, the emperor, is infuriated about this.
His Majesty suddenly fell ill, which is why...
he could not keep his promise to pay homage in person.
(Khitan Emperor's Temporary Palace)
However, His Majesty will pay homage in person...
as soon as he fully recovers.
(Xiao Paiya)
Hence, please wait just a little longer.
The fact that he keeps putting it off...
tells me that he is not planning on keeping his promise.
(Yelu Longxu, 6th Emperor of the Khitan)
You and your King had no intention of keeping your promise in the first place.
I can assure you that is not the case.
His Majesty...
will be sure to visit you to pay homage in person.
To show you that he is determined to keep his promise,
he dispatched another envoy like this.
Return to Goryeo...
and tell your King...
not to send any more envoys.
You and your King deceived me.
You will pay for it now.
Your Majesty.
I assure you that Goryeo will keep the promise.
However, our Emperor is human too.
His illness was unexpected, and he had no control over it.
If you cannot even be understanding about such unforeseen circumstances...
When will the envoy return from Khitan?
He will be back soon.
Then who will be sent to Khitan next?
There will probably be...
no more envoys...
sent to Khitan after this.
It is already long past the date when our promise was supposed to be delivered,
so I am certain that Khitan is now ready for another war.
If we send another envoy,
he may not come back alive.
Even so, we should send someone...
to stop the looming war.
Everyone knows that they will greet death upon arriving.
Who would volunteer to do it?
If no one wishes to do it,
we should send someone from the Imperial House.
What do you mean?
It is customary to send someone who can represent the Emperor...
in times of diplomatic crisis...
to resolve the situation.
The Crown Prince, for instance.
There is no Crown Prince in Goryeo yet,
so there is only one person we can send.
Are you suggesting...
we send the Deputy Minister of Punishments?
Correct.
Who else could be put in charge of this, if not the Emperor's father-in-law?
Your Majesty.
When expecting an imminent invasion by the enemy,
we should call for an immediate halt to all internal strife.
I have no intention of stopping.
You should not stop either.
Are you are aware,
all the influential regional lords have taken a step back.
They have accepted the pacification commissioners...
and put shackles on themselves.
Now, the two of us are the only ones who can fight.
You need not feel guilty, thinking that you are using the war...
to gain the upper hand in the political strife.
Goryeo is strong.
We will defeat Khitan again. I am sure of it.
And we will achieve...
an additional victory, internally. That is all.
Your Majesty.
Never forget this.
No ruler is more powerful...
than one who has defeated invaders.
If His Majesty manages to overcome another war,
nothing can stop His Majesty.
Then the chancellors' political power which you wish to protect...
and the order in the court which I wish to preserve...
will all be gone.
Accelerate the military training.
Our job is to protect Gaegyeong.
(Choi Jil, General)
We must not repeat the same mistake of letting Gaegyeong fall...
into the enemy's hands.
Do you understand?
- Yes, High General! - Yes, High General!
Very well. You are dismissed.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
All our efforts will be in vain.
What do you mean?
No matter how hard we fight,
the civil officials will take all the credit...
when they do nothing but scribble with their brushes.
Even so,
we cannot avoid fighting in war.
You are right. We must not avoid it.
We, generals, must fight!
That is why I am so bitter about it.
We are the ones who have to risk our lives,
yet we are always neglected.
High General. It is I, the Director of Defense.
You may come in.
Tell me. What is the matter?
The Seventh Rank Officer of Civil Engineering...
sent rice cakes and meat for the soldiers.
What? How did a mere seventh rank officer...
manage to prepare so much food?
Who is it?
It is nice to meet you.
I am Park Jin.
He sold everything he had...
and came here to help us rebuild Gaegyeong.
I see. I am pleased to meet you.
Thanks to you, our soldiers had a feast.
- Thank you. - It is my pleasure.
Thank you...
for graciously accepting everything I sent.
What inspired you to make such a decision?
It must have cost you a lot.
People like me can build wealth...
because generals like you put their lives on the line...
to fight for Goryeo and us.
I simply wanted...
to do what I could to repay you.
Thank you for saying that.
Yes, it makes me grateful...
to know that someone recognizes our hard work.
You need not thank me.
Please allow me to pour you one.
Sure, go ahead and pour me one.
To tell you the truth, I will gladly put my life on the line again...
to fight for my country.
But we are never rewarded for our hard work.
That is what infuriates me.
Hey.
It is true.
Take the chancellors for example.
What did they even do during the war?
They all went to their hometowns to hide.
That is enough.
They should have at least...
appointed one of us generals as Minister of Defense.
Even that position went to Lord Yoo, who is a civil official.
I have been told that they will soon...
appoint a new field legislator.
Will that position go to another civil official?
Yes, probably.
I do not understand.
The field legislator will play the role of a field commander.
Why is it that civil officials keep getting these roles?
It is simply because they passed the state exam.
That is the only reason civil officials...
can also take up positions in the military,
while we are not allowed to handle civil affairs.
Ignorant generals like us should just manage our soldiers.
They think we are incapable of leading the people.
Then how about you request...
that a military official be appointed...
to that position this time?
Such a request will not be accepted.
It is all pointless.
They keep neglecting you...
because you are putting up with it.
Do not put up with it any longer. I suggest you take action.
His Majesty should know...
how you generals feel.
Well then, how did the visit go?
It seems we must prepare for war.
Is that...
the only solution?
Yes, Your Majesty. The Khitans are determined to go to war.
I have witnessed the Khitan soldiers...
traveling to the assembly place in many parts of Khitan.
And the Khitan emperor no longer wanted us...
to send envoys.
Is that so?
Understood.
Your Majesty.
Even so, you must not give up.
Send another envoy.
Make him pass the message that you will pay homage at any cost.
And Your Majesty is to prepare a procession to pay homage...
and leave Gaegyeong.
"Leave Gaegyeong?"
That is right.
Lead the homage procession...
and slowly travel north to Seogyeong.
The Jurchens frequenting Goryeo...
will witness that and deliver the news to the Khitans.
With that, the Khitan court...
will believe Your Majesty will surely pay homage.
What does the rest of the group think?
I think it is worth giving it a try.
The Khitans can only go to war...
at a set time.
In order to attack Goryeo,
they must move the gathered soldiers...
to Goryeo's border at once.
However, if Goryeo does pay homage to the Khitan emperor,
the Khitans will no longer have reason to station their soldiers.
They will either wait for Your Majesty...
to cross the border...
or find another justification.
If we can delay them even by a month,
the Khitans will eventually lose all the chance...
they can start the war.
I think it is a reckless plan.
There is no certainty it will throw the Khitans into confusion.
And in the end,
Your Majesty will not cross the border, will you?
Then Goryeo's envoy in Khitan...
will have to deal with the Khitan emperor's rage alone.
Who could you possibly send to fulfill such a duty?
I will go if there is no one to send.
That is absurd.
You will die the moment you cross the border.
Do you not know that?
Your Majesty.
If that could delay the Khitan's invasion even by a bit,
I will do it.
Academician Kang.
Why are you adamant about dying?
Do you never think of staying alive and assisting me?
Your Majesty.
I should have died a long time ago.
However, many Goryeo subjects...
saved me in the last war.
And not long ago, Your Majesty saved me.
That is enough.
- Your Majesty... - Then,
send Deputy Minister Kim.
In a few days will be...
the Qingming Festival celebrating the Khitan emperor's birthday.
Send Deputy Minister Kim as the envoy congratulating the Qingming Festival.
Even the Khitan emperor...
cannot easily kill the envoy...
who has come to congratulate his birthday.
In addition, Deputy Minister Kim...
is Your Majesty's father-in-law.
No matter how atrocious the Khitans are,
they will not thoughtlessly harm...
the father-in-law of a country's emperor.
Secretary Yoo.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Did you not try to harm Deputy Minister Kim last time?
Are you once again driving him into a dangerous situation?
All the other subjects are thinking about the war.
But is kicking out...
Deputy Minister Kim all you can think about?
Your Majesty.
I asked myself about it countless times until now.
"Will I voice my opinion simply because..."
"Deputy Minister Kim and I have different stances?"
I questioned myself over and over again.
However, that was not the case.
No matter how much I think about it objectively,
the government official with the highest possibility...
of returning alive...
is Deputy Minister Kim.
If Your Majesty does not want to send him,
do send me.
I am not only a chancellor of Goryeo...
but also the oldest subject.
Aside from Deputy Minister Kim,
the officer with the highest possibility of returning alive...
is me.
I will go.
Please allow me to go.
The pacification commissioners have settled successfully.
What I had wished for came true.
It is now time for me to return Your Majesty's kindness.
I will not send you.
Your Majesty.
I have already...
forgiven numerous criminals.
Even if they committed grave sins,
I did not take away their lives.
But for me to drive you into danger now...
despite being innocent?
I cannot do that.
Your Majesty.
This is the most important time for Goryeo.
For your reformation to come through...
and to strengthen the national power,
time is needed.
If one man's sacrifice can prevent the war,
that is the necessary action.
Even if you go, there is no guarantee that we can avoid war.
Even so, we should at least try.
Until this very day, many subjects...
have risked their lives in diplomacy with the Khitans.
Academician Kang has also been through various dangerous situations.
Goryeo...
is such a country.
And I, too, am a subject of that very Goryeo.
So,
please give me a chance.
It is truly heartbreaking.
Why must we suffer such pain?
Why must Goryeo's subjects...
risk their lives...
in such small hopes?
Your Majesty.
There will come a day when we will get revenge for all of this.
And for that day,
please send me as the envoy.
Please grant me this request.
My lady. Are you asleep?
No.
Come in.
My lady. His Majesty is making his way here.
- His Majesty is? - Yes.
- Please escort him inside. - Yes, my lady.
Your Majesty.
Were you not asleep?
No.
What brings you here, Your Majesty?
I came to give you a word.
What is it about?
Envoys?
That is right.
Is it not dangerous to go as an envoy right now?
It is.
Your Majesty.
That is why I have dissuaded him again and again,
but the Deputy Minister of Punishments insisted until the end.
I am sorry to bring you such news.
It was a difficult decision on my part as well.
Then, when do they set off?
They will be leaving within a few days.
I am sorry.
You have done well.
Thank you.
It was not for your sake, Your Majesty.
It was simply a decision I made as a chancellor of the court.
What does that mean?
My thoughts have not changed.
If foreign enemies appear,
fights within the nation must come to a stop.
Secretary Yoo.
I am sorry,
but do not ever call me again, Your Majesty.
- What? - Once this war is over,
I will come and see you again.
Then, I will be going now.
(Khitan Emperor's Temporary Palace)
What? Is that true?
Yes, Your Majesty. I am certain.
The Minister of the Northwest has sent word.
(Military governmental minister overseeing the northwest of Khitan)
Hurry up! Grab everything quickly!
What on earth is going on?
I do not know either.
Anyway, His Majesty is returning to Shangjing at this instant.
(Ha Gong Jin)
You should hurry along as well. We must follow His Majesty.
So, did you allow it?
You should write a diplomatic letter.
Your Majesty.
- You should send me instead... - You cannot go.
You do not have the faintest hope.
As Secretary Yoo said, Deputy Minister Kim...
could return alive.
Having both of you by my side...
is such a difficult thing.
If I gain one,
I end up losing the other.
I will be back.
Do not worry.
I will return alive.
Then...
Father.
It is fine. I will go by myself from here.
What do you mean, you will go by yourself?
An envoy never travels alone.
We will come with you.
Go back.
There is no need for you to die as well.
However, my lord...
Then, I will be off.
Will you really go by yourself?
Whether I live or die, I am comfortable on my own.
An envoy?
We have received a letter from Naewon Fortress.
An envoy of Goryeo has crossed the Yalu River...
and is on his way to Shangjing.
I have made it clear that I will no longer accept any more envoys.
Why are they sending another envoy?
King of the Lanling Commandery.
Kill the envoy as soon as he arrives.
Yes, Your Majesty.
(Korea-Khitan War)
Give up the six districts east of the river.
We can never give up our territory.
You are chancellors who have never even killed an enemy soldier.
What right do you have to negotiate with Khitan?
The enemy's troops are on their way, and yet you are only dividing sides?
We must send word to Goryeo, no matter what.
If things go wrong, the Goryeo court...
will fall for Khitan's scheme.
- Kill him. - Stop this!
Please let him return safely.
The real goal of this negotiation is Heunghwajin.
(Subtitles are provided by KOCOWA.)