(Missing Crown Prince)
(SUHO)
(Hong Ye Ji)
(Myung Se Bin)
(Kim Ju Hun)
(Kim Min Kyu)
(Missing Crown Prince)
(All characters, locations, organizations, and incidents...)
(in this drama are historically irrelevant and fictitious.)
(Production guidelines were strictly followed...)
(when filming with children and animals.)
Giddyap!
(Episode 5)
No!
Your Majesty.
Prince Dosung.
His Majesty...
What happened?
What happened to Father?
I am asking you what happened!
Please take our lives.
- Please take our lives. - Please take our lives.
Mother.
Please calm down.
Calm down...
and tell me what happened.
Prince Dosung.
Yes, Mother.
I am listening.
It was not me.
I did not do this.
I did not do anything.
I am telling you the truth.
Please calm down and speak slowly.
Please explain what happened.
In the middle of his meal, His Majesty suddenly...
(Sura: King's meal)
He suddenly...
So, you were with him when it happened?
Were you the one who prepared the meal?
Yes.
No.
It was not me. It was prepared by the Queen Dowager.
Did you...
just say the Queen Dowager?
I know nothing about it.
I swear, I know nothing about it.
The Queen Dowager...
It was the Queen Dowager.
What are you doing? Stop him!
- Your Highness. - Step aside!
Open the doors!
Tell them to get out, right this instant.
Before I slay them all.
You deserve to die a thousand times...
to pay for what you did to the Crown Prince.
How dare you hurt His Majesty...
and frame my mother for it...
just to cover up your despicable sin?
So?
Will you...
slay me with your sword?
Shut your mouth!
The moment you had such a secret rendezvous with Choi,
you lost your dignity as the Queen Dowager...
and became this witch who has gone crazy over a man.
You do not think I can slay you?
Then go ahead and slay me.
Take my life.
However,
the King will never wake up again if I die,
and the Queen will become a traitor who assassinated the King.
And you, Prince Dosung. For killing me, the Queen Dowager,
you will undoubtedly face your demise too.
If none of that matters to you,
you may slay me.
Do you truly mean it?
I am asking you if you are still on my side.
Because my grandfather betrayed you,
you wish to know if I am now on the Queen Dowager's side too?
Are you?
Why did you want to see me if you could not trust me at all?
To see if I would hand you over to them?
Did you want to check and find out for yourself?
I did give the King a chance to choose...
between the throne and the Crown Prince.
Unfortunately, he chose the Crown Prince.
And now, you are witnessing the consequences of his choice.
I shall give you...
a chance to save one of them.
Make your choice.
Will you choose your mother...
or your half-brother?
Here comes Lee Gun, the traitor. Tie him up!
Do you trust me?
Yes.
Unlike you, I am not untrusting.
I need a word with Prince Dosung.
Step aside.
Did something happen...
at the palace?
Father...
has collapsed.
What are you waiting for?
Tie up the traitor at once!
Oh, gosh.
Stop, that is enough.
Your Royal Highness.
It is okay.
Let us go.
Where is my father?
No.
- What just happened? - Pardon me?
Father kidnapped that scholar.
Why did the Department of Justice take him?
(Euigeumbu: Department of Justice)
Father could not sort out the situation himself,
so he got the Department of Justice involved?
Is this why I was suddenly sent to visit a patient?
So I would not see this?
My lady, it is not what you think.
Then why can you not answer my question?
If I am wrong, just say so.
Why can you not say anything?
What did he do?
Why did they arrest him? Tell me that, at least.
I am sorry.
- Lord Choi... - What? He did it for my sake?
Is it okay...
to trample all over someone innocent for the sake of his child?
Where is my father now?
Is he inside?
I...
did exactly what you people told me to do.
Give my father an antidote so that he can regain consciousness...
His Majesty will wake up soon enough.
I suggest you return to the palace at once.
You should stay by the Queen's side at this critical time.
Why? Are you planning to do something else to take her down?
Or is there a reason I must hurry back to the palace to protect her?
Of course, that is not the case.
If something else happens to Father,
or if you try to kill my brother,
I will kill you.
The Queen Dowager too, whom you love so dearly.
I will kill you both.
Say hello.
This is Prince Dosung.
Prince Dosung?
"Prince?"
(Public Dispensary)
By any chance, do you have feelings for Myung Yoon?
I am talking about my daughter.
What are you doing? Step aside at once.
I need your answer.
He does not even know that you were the one who kidnapped him,
so why are you doing this?
I kept racking my brain but could not figure it out.
Why must you have him killed?
I do not understand.
Please tell me.
Why did this have to happen? Explain so that I can understand.
Stop avoiding me. Please help me understand you.
I never asked...
for your understanding.
Father.
You were never like this.
Why did you change so much?
All your life, you were devoted to saving lives as a physician.
You contemplating the idea of killing someone...
Moo Baek, are you outside?
Take her home at once.
If you truly have nothing to do with what happened today,
please save him.
As soon as you get home, lock her in her room...
and make sure...
she does not leave her room until you have my permission.
- Father. - What are you waiting for?
Drag her out, at once!
Please come with me.
What is it...
that you are trying to hide?
My goodness. They must have tortured him severely.
Those despicable scoundrels.
They deserve to be stoned to death!
Oh, dear.
My goodness.
Your Royal Highness, let me do it.
No, let me.
Are you all right?
Your Royal Highness.
Yes, it is I.
It is okay. You do not need to get up.
Because of my foolishness,
(Miuk: Foolish)
I disgraced Your Royal Highness again.
You are badly hurt.
How did you hold out?
Did they accuse you of treason too?
They accused me of delivering the poisoned dried yellow croaker...
you gave me...
to the Queen.
Your Highness.
The Department of Justice has arrested the Crown Prince.
That means Father is...
I am sorry, Your Royal Highness.
I see.
That is what happened.
That is why Prince Dosung is also...
Yes.
The meal...
was served by the Queen.
But it was not her. The Queen Dowager did it.
That witch!
I am worried about Mother.
She has such a tender heart.
She must be deeply devastated.
It is all my fault.
It is my fault that the Crown Prince is in such a mess now.
This is all my fault.
What kind of mother puts her son in such a predicament?
Mother, please calm down.
I will tell them the truth before it is too late.
That I was the fool who was deceived by the Queen Dowager...
and that I served the meal without realizing that it was poisoned.
It was all me.
I will tell them that it was all me...
and gladly accept any punishment they decide to give me.
Mother!
I must go to the Department of Justice.
No, I must go to the Queen Dowager's quarters.
Mother, please calm down.
You will collapse at this rate.
I cannot let the Crown Prince die because of me.
I cannot do that.
I must save the Crown Prince.
Mother!
The Crown Prince did nothing wrong.
I am the one who should be punished. Why did they take him?
He did nothing wrong.
Mother.
Crown Prince...
Mother.
Mother!
You stay there.
You may come out.
I am sorry, Gun.
You are a fool.
Then what was I supposed to do?
What would you have done in such a situation?
You should have gone after Choi Sang Rok.
Had you caught the one who used the poison,
we could have saved Father.
As Father always said,
you must learn to tame your fiery temper first.
Gun, in this situation...
In urgent situations,
you must think twice before you act.
You are at it again.
Once I die,
you will have to ascend the throne and become King.
I am truly concerned.
Will you really die like this?
There is no way out of this.
I did not know you were the type to give up so easily.
This is very unlike you.
If I deny it,
Mother...
will be arrested right away for treason.
Is that what you want?
If you are doing this to relieve me of...
How is Mother? Is she all right?
I do not know...
how I would pay for being such an unfilial son.
You are concerned about not being a perfect son...
in this situation?
Please.
Figure out a way with that smart brain of yours.
Please, Gun.
My lady, what are you pondering now?
My lady.
Yes?
I understand that you are worried about the scholar,
but what are you cooking up that you are so deep in thought?
I am deeply concerned and anxious.
Do not be concerned.
I wish I could do something,
but there is nothing I could do. That was what I was pondering.
Who...
exactly are you?
Who are you really?
Baek Gu. How does Baek Gu sound?
This will not do. Let us go.
Pardon?
To where in the middle of the night?
Why must you look for patients at this hour?
Stop picking a fight.
I must do something to clear my mind.
Why must you clear your mind?
Thinking will not give me any solution.
I do not want to think,
which is making me think more.
Why not...
drink instead?
If you get drunk and knocked out, you will not think of anything.
Are you serious? May I do that?
- Excuse me? - Hold on.
I better ask the cook maid for drinks first.
Are you really going to drink?
Do not do it!
All right, fine.
Wait a moment.
I forgot to give this medicine to Jin.
Wait here. It will not take long.
Do not think of running away.
Then go and deliver this to them.
Do not move an inch from this spot.
I will not leave without you.
I came here to drink in silence.
Leave. Do not disturb me.
We meet again.
I am a regular of this place.
Little did I expect to see you here.
- If you are asking me to leave... - No.
I, too, came to drink in peace.
If you allow it, I will leave after drinking these bottles.
I will not disturb you.
Seriously...
My lady...
Where is she hiding?
May I ask a question?
Earlier, at the Office of Medicine...
You promised not to disturb me, no?
But I gave you a bottle. Consider it as payment and...
No.
Take it back.
Some may think...
I am hitting on a stranger.
You are much colder than the winters...
Cheol Du!
- Cheol Du! - Yes.
- Did you ask for me? - More drinks.
Understood.
My apologies.
My mind is crowded today.
I took it out on you for no reason.
I apologize.
I am sorry.
Do not apologize.
I had a bad day as well.
I apologize if I crossed the line.
Let us drink.
Why are you looking at me like that?
Why of all people...
were you born as the daughter of the royal physician?
Then why of all people were you born as the son of His Majesty the King?
Oh, right.
What was it that you wanted to ask me?
Well...
What did you talk about with my father?
That...
It is better to ask your father yourself.
Then...
I witnessed the military arrest a scholar...
at the Office of Medicine today.
By any chance,
do you know what happened?
Did you not see him?
When he was getting dragged away,
you would have been at the Office of Medicine.
Why are you curious...
about that matter?
I doubt you know who that man is.
It suddenly occurred to me.
The one I love and respect the most in the world...
might die because of me.
Same here. Because of me...
No.
Because of the fate I was born with,
an innocent person might die.
I believed...
I could die in that person's stead for their sake.
But I am drinking here after running away alone.
I had no idea how much of a coward I was.
I kept them alive one way or another, but today again...
"This must be the end."
"In the end, they might die because of me."
"They will die."
Just thinking about it drives me mad.
However, there is...
nothing more I can do now.
You little...
I am your elder brother.
Stay still, will you?
Do you trust me?
Yes.
Unlike you, I am not untrusting.
My Baek Gu.
I suppose you were very worried about me.
He has been stabbed.
Would you be able...
to help me?
He does not even know that you were the one who kidnapped him,
so why are you doing this?
What is it that you are trying to hide?
We must make the Crown Prince admit it.
He will not confess to it easily.
You, Left State Councillor, must make him confess to it.
Only then can Prince Dosung become the Crown Prince,
and only then will people not talk behind his back...
when he ascends the throne later on.
You ought to persuade the Crown Prince.
If he says things we do not need him to say,
the rest of the plan will go awry.
And if that happens, the situation will get uncomfortable...
for both of us.
Your Highness.
Please try to pull yourself together.
If you keep refusing to eat and drink...
- Your Highness. - I must see him.
Your Highness.
The Commander of the Royal Guards must be guarding the bedchamber.
He said he would let us know right away if anything happened, so...
Your Highness.
Gosh, Your Highness.
Yes, my lord.
Hey.
Me too?
Tell the guards outside to leave...
and wait at the meeting hall.
(Bincheong: Meeting hall where ministers' meetings were held)
Pardon me?
Leave at once!
How are you feeling?
The cat is worried about the mouse?
You are out of line.
Do you really think so?
This situation saddens me too.
What do you want?
You framed me and came here to see me.
There must be something you want from me.
Tell me.
Please die.
The Queen raised you as if you were her own child,
and Prince Dosung cherishes you as if you are his real brother.
You are the only one who can save them.
Why must I do that?
I suppose you have already forgotten...
why I am here now.
Most importantly, you ought to save His Majesty.
If you wish to save His Majesty,
you must do as I say.
If I obey you and die,
Father...
will be your next target.
Am I wrong?
Because as long as Father is alive,
Dosung cannot become King.
You are making unreasonable assumptions.
"Unreasonable assumptions?"
If you want to, you can influence the Minister of War right now...
to oust the Queen Dowager as well as Choi Sang Rok.
But why are you obeying the Queen Dowager without rebelling once?
Do you think I would not know the reason?
If you can make Dosung ascend the throne...
No. If you can become the King's grandfather...
and take power over the sovereign,
you will not care even if your daughter becomes a widow,
and you will hurt my father...
without feeling an ounce of guilt.
If I am wrong,
try and deny it again.
You will not believe me no matter what I say,
so go ahead and think whatever you want.
But if you wish to save His Majesty...
and those who are dear to you,
you must...
remember what I said.
And you must remember this.
If you do anything to hurt my father in any way,
you will certainly pay for it.
Your Highness, what happened inside?
Gosh, Your Highness.
Your Highness, are you all right?
How did it go?
What did the Crown Prince say?
Did he accept it without resisting?
Why was the Queen there?
Did you call her there to persuade the Crown Prince?
What do you mean?
The Queen was at the prison?
If I obey you and die,
Father will be your next target.
Because as long as Father is alive,
Dosung cannot become King.
Your Highness.
You should return to your palace and go to sleep.
I told you...
that I would not even budge until His Majesty woke up.
Just know that and leave.
Your Highness, but...
What are you doing?
Step aside!
Her Highness...
ordered us not to let anyone in.
"Anyone?"
Do you not know who I am?
I am the Queen's father.
We were told not to let anyone in, whoever it may be.
How dare you.
What are you waiting for?
Tell her at once that I am here.
Tell her now. What are you waiting for?
- I apologize. - How dare you!
Move aside!
Leave now, or I may have to hurt you.
Such insolence.
Step aside at once!
Your Highness!
I must speak with you urgently.
Please spare me a moment!
Your Highness!
Please leave.
Your Highness!
Commander of the Royal Guards. You must not let anyone in...
until I give you permission to do so.
Do you understand?
Yes, Your Highness.
My wife.
We will soon be summoned to the palace,
and I cannot guarantee when I will be able...
to visit your grave again.
Please...
watch over our Gun.
When I die sometime in the future,
have me buried beside your mother.
Gun.
Yes, Father.
The palace is like a forest that harbours blades.
(Dosangeumsu: A situation of grave danger)
I am aware of it.
No, you are not.
Once I become King...
and you become Crown Prince,
many who covet authority and power...
will flock to you like flies.
With words that cut sharper than blades,
they will try to cloud your judgement.
Some will mask them as loyalty,
and some will deceive you with lies about others.
(Chameon: Speaking ill of others through lies)
No matter what happens in the future,
can you promise me...
that you will protect your stepmother and brother...
without wavering to such forces?
Do not worry, Father.
Your son...
will protect my mother and little brother.
Place your trust in me.
Your Royal Highness,
Sang Soo and I will confess that it was our doing.
We urge you to feign ignorance.
He is right.
We will confess that you are innocent...
and that we are to blame for everything.
Your loyalty is laudable,
but it is my head they want on a stick.
It will be futile.
However...
I must speak to the Queen Dowager.
Send word to her quarters.
The Queen Dowager enters.
You are to raise your heads.
- We bow to the Queen Dowager. - We bow to the Queen Dowager.
The tragedy that found His Majesty...
has led this nation to the brink of disaster.
Those involved in this incident will not be forgiven,
and all sinners must be interrogated...
in order to find everyone...
that was involved.
For that purpose, you will install a temporary interrogation office.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
to officially interrogate the sinners,
all three judicial offices must be present as it is the law.
However, the Inspector General position...
remains vacant.
I advise that you first appoint someone...
to fill in that position.
(Daesaheon: Head of Office of Inspector General)
You are...
to recommend anyone you seem fit.
(Cheongeo: Recommend or introduce)
I, Magistrate Yoon Jung Dae of Hanseong Magistracy,
humbly voice my opinion.
Royal Physician Choi Sang Rok...
seems to be the best candidate to take on the position.
Choi Sang Rok may only be a physician,
but he is of a prestigious family...
that once saw an elected minister.
He passed the lower civil service examination,
and even though he greatly contributed...
in the restoration of this government,
he never once sought power since then...
which speaks to the righteousness of his character.
He sets an example to all officials,
and no one is more adequate...
to take on the role as Inspector General.
I strongly request that you consider my recommendation.
(Ganab: Gladly welcoming someone's request or advice)
Are there any other recommendations?
Magistrate Yoon's recommendation is nothing but logical.
Please consider his recommendation.
- Consider his recommendation. - Consider his recommendation.
Choi Sang Rok, step forward.
I hereby appoint...
Choi Sang Rok...
as Inspector General.
(Jesu: Appointing personnel by word of the king)
- I am much obliged. - We are much obliged.
In Left State Councillor Yoon's place,
Choi Sang Rok will also be appointed...
as principal director of the Royal House Administration.
And until the deceased Chief Royal Secretary is replaced,
he will also serve in that position as well.
Consider yourselves informed.
We are much obliged.
- We are much obliged. - We are much obliged.
(Kim Dae Seung: Censor, Lee Guk Ju: Deputy Education Director)
A word, please.
She and her people will rise to power now.
You do not want to get on their bad side.
Are you telling me to curry favour with them instead?
Hardly.
They say one should know their place in certain situations.
Be patient, and the moment will come.
Is it not the king's father-in-law...
who is appointed as principal director...
of the Royal House Administration?
(Gukgu: The king's father-in-law)
Left State Councillor Yoon will not give up his seat so easily.
- Did you not hear the rumour? - Hear what?
Royal Physician Choi, I mean Inspector General...
Strike that.
The now Principal Director Choi.
His daughter...
will soon be Crown Princess.
Prince Dosung is yet to be Crown Prince,
but they have already chosen his wife.
Once the interrogations are over,
they will rush his coronation.
That seems highly likely.
Appointing him as Inspector General and Chief Royal Secretary...
is a way to keep us in check,
but him as Principal Director of the Royal House Administration...
came out of nowhere.
He must be in that position...
for them to meet as they please...
without people raising their eyebrows...
as they are right now.
You did well.
I am proud of you.
When the interrogations begin,
how will you handle the Crown Prince?
You do not seem your healthy self.
- That is why... - Once Prince Dosung...
is installed as Crown Prince,
Left State Councillor Yoon...
will first murder my father.
After him,
it will be you and Choi Sang Rok.
Are you voicing...
your concern for me?
If you wish to live,
you must make sure my father lives.
You told Dosung...
to choose between me...
and his mother.
But in your case,
you do not get the luxury of choosing.
To stay alive, you must continue to act as regent.
And to remain as regent...
(Suryeomcheomjeong: Acting as regent for a tender-aged sovereign)
You must protect my father.
I will excuse myself knowing that you are informed.
Lastly,
may I ask one thing?
All the moments you spent with me.
Were they all a show...
and full of lies?
If any of it came from the heart,
please spare the lives...
of Guard Lee Gap Seok and Eunuch Han Sang Soo.
That is my last request.
Let go of me.
Let go!
Mother!
Mother, please save me.
- No! - Mother!
Let go of me. My son!
- Mother! - You cannot do this.
- Mother! - No!
Please help me.
Prince Gwangchang, no!
No, you cannot.
Not my Prince Gwangchang.
Please let him live.
Crown Prince Gun.
Please let me go.
Can you please...
Can you please spare his life?
It is like losing Prince Gwangchang all over again,
and I cannot bear the pain.
At least let him live...
I am sorry.
I am sorry,
Soo Ryeon.
Bring the prisoners forward.
- Yes, my lord. - Yes, my lord.
Prepare for their interrogation.
- Yes, my lord. - Yes, my lord.
Please get back on your feet...
and punish your foolish wife.
(Shincheob: A humble way for a woman to refer to herself to the king)
Please save the Crown Prince's life.
You attempted murder by poisoning His Majesty.
Do you admit to this crime?
When Father collapsed,
I was outside the palace walls.
Eunuch Han Sang Soo of the Crown Prince's quarters...
confessed that you ordered him...
to deliver dried yellow corvina laced with poison...
to the Queen's Palace.
And Han Sang Soo delivered the corvina...
to Court Lady Cho of the Queen's Palace.
We confirmed that...
by confronting both Han Sang Soo and Court Lady Cho.
The statements collected in advance...
have their words written in detail.
Also, the Queen stated...
that the corvina was sent...
by you.
Is this true?
It is.
I confirmed it...
by asking the Queen myself.
It is not true.
He is being framed!
I swear to the skies...
that the Crown Prince has no knowledge of this.
He is being framed!
Once His Majesty's health is restored,
he will not forgive those...
who participated in and sanctioned this line of questioning.
Do not just stand there.
Shut his mouth this instant!
- Yes, my lord. - Yes, my lord.
Your Royal Highness!
Your Royal Highness...
Do you agree...
with his statement?
Will you claim that the Queen lied to the officials?
Or...
will you admit to the poisoning of His Majesty?
You have my word...
that I will keep His Majesty safe.
Answer the question.
Were you framed...
or not?
Your Majesty.
Have you come to?
Your Majesty?
Your Majesty...
I...
(Missing Crown Prince)
Lee Gun who is guilty of high treason...
will be deposed.
The Crown Prince escaped of his own accord,
which makes him guilty of high treason.
Have they still not been able to find him?
He will be caught in the end.
What do you mean the royal seal is missing?
The chest containing the royal seal...
and national seal disappeared?
Were my brother and your daughter arranged to be married?
If you want Myung Yoon to yourself,
proclaim the position as Crown Prince.
That is him. Get him!
I will return, Father.
Please wait until I do.