(This drama is a work of fiction created based on historical facts.)
(Most of the details and depictions of the characters are fictional.)
Thank you for releasing Lady Yoo.
(Episode 16)
I said I would let that woman live.
I did not say I would allow you to keep her by your side.
Now, that girl...
must return to Joseon.
I am someone who keeps her promises.
I would never hurt a woman...
with my own hands.
However, bad things will happen to the Joseon captives...
living in Simyang.
Even if they were released,
if someone else claims ownership of them,
they will become slaves again.
If they lose their release papers,
they will become escapees and have their ankles slashed.
If they hold on to fake release papers,
their ears will be pierced.
Or worse, beheaded...
Back off. We are sparring.
If you lay a finger on her,
I will kill you.
I understand...
how you feel.
You see, even the thought of you dying...
tortures me too.
You want to save her?
In that case,
send her to Joseon.
I am glad you came.
I was writing a letter to send to Joseon.
Have you decided...
to return to Joseon?
No.
I must repay the kindness of the person who saved my life.
I am writing that I will not be able to go to Joseon for the time being.
I will not leave.
If I am a curse to Interpreter Lee,
I am also the only one who can break that curse.
If Lord Lee needs me,
I will stay for as long as necessary...
and help his recovery.
Your Majesty.
Congratulations on your victory in war.
We may have won,
but we have lost so many soldiers.
We have yet to conquer the Shanhai Pass.
(Shanhai Pass: an important region at the eastern end of the Great Wall)
Your Majesty.
Enjoy the victory.
This moment onwards will be crucial.
We must prove that the Qing have been given the right to rule from the skies.
To do so,
we must not lose the public's favor.
Gak Hwa.
It has been a long time since I have put you in charge of the palace women.
I told you not to cause any problems...
about abusing a Joseon slave woman.
These days,
how are the women of the royal household?
How could I go against your order?
I have been...
managing them well.
I know...
I can trust in you.
Then, Your Majesty,
please put me in charge of the Joseon captives as well.
Gak Hwa.
You are my daughter who has saved my life.
I could...
even give you the whole world.
I was aware...
that you were...
hunting for Joseon captives while wearing a disguise.
However,
you must not cross the line.
If you treat the slaves cruelly,
we will lose the public's support.
So...
Your Majesty.
Call the royal physician.
Hurry!
Royal physician!
Where is the royal physician?
The news from Simyang in recent days is quite unusual.
The Khan's illness must be severe.
He is severely ill?
The Khan would not have changed his mind due to his illness, would he?
By any chance,
he will not blame me for the Ming ship...
that has appeared on Joseon shores, will he?
Has Choi Myung Gil, who has been taken to Simyang,
not sent any word?
At first, Choi Myung Gil said he would take responsibility for everything.
how is it that he is still alive...
and only watching me being interrogated?
(Sim Ki Won)
Kim Sang Heon and Choi Myung GIl were both taken to Qing.
The nobility will say once again...
that there are no worthy men in our royal court.
Ask for Kim Jib and Jang Chul's advice...
and fill the royal court with their pupils.
(Gueon: a king asking his vassals for advice)
Now that Lord Choi Myung Gil is gone,
Kim Ja Jeom is on his high horse,
counting on his connections in Qing.
(Kim Ryu)
I must say, His Majesty truly frightens me.
He used to completely rely on Lord Choi and defend him.
Now, he wants him to take responsibility for everything and pays with his life.
Who can we count on now?
Before I get roped into this too,
I will leave the royal court.
Master.
His Majesty is seeking your advice.
His Majesty ordered, "Treasure Kim Jib and Jang Chul's advice,"
"no matter what they may be."
His Majesty said that?
His Majesty...
is seeking my advice,
but I am afraid my advice will not be helpful for I lack in many ways.
However, I would like you...
to go to the royal court and assist His Majesty.
But how could we go there when you decided to decline His Majesty's request?
I agree.
Choi Myung Gil and a few other ministers...
have been dragged to Qing due to the secret interactions with Ming.
Once again, His Majesty handed his loyal vassals over to the intruders.
Hence, we refuse to go to the royal court.
A wealthy family that always whipped its servants...
was looking for someone to supervise the servants.
Everyone declined the position,
saying they refused to work as a supervisor under such an evil master.
But one man volunteered for the job.
He whipped the servants in his master's stead...
but lessened the severity of the whipping.
So, the servants started cursing the supervisor instead of their master.
Who do you think truly helped the people?
Those who declined the job?
Or the man who whipped the servants,
knowing they would curse him?
What should your choice be...
as true scholars?
To a king,
his ministers are like his hands and feet,
and his advisors are like his eyes and ears.
At the moment, His Majesty's hands and feet have been cut off,
and he has reached a dead-end.
What shall he do?
Go.
Go to the royal court...
and become His Majesty's eyes and ears.
Your Majesty.
I guess the rumor is true.
You are here alone with me.
And yet you are neither flushing nor stammering.
The rumor goes that you do not believe in marriage...
because you are unable to function as a man.
Is it wrong?
There is no way.
In the past...
I was awfully foolish, was I not?
You were very...
beautiful.
I suppose...
the rumors I heard in Neunggun-ri back in the day...
are true.
You are here alone with me.
And yet you are neither flushing nor stammering.
They said you were a white box with 99 tails.
It must be true.
Can we stay together?
If you do not like it here,
I will go...
wherever you want.
Your husband abandoned you,
despite knowing you were in Simyang.
Hence,
you no longer need to stay loyal to him.
So please...
First,
I must speak with Officer Gu and hear his reason.
Right.
You have a husband, after all.
You have a husband, a father,
and a sibling too.
Yes.
I have a father, a husband, and a sibling as well.
But there is someone who saved my life.
For you,
I can gladly sacrifice my life.
- However... - However?
You cannot love me?
I never wished for you to die in my place.
What I want is...
My Lord,
I...
Hey, Interpreter Lee.
Interpreter Lee!
What is so urgent?
What is the matter?
Khan is dead.
Khan...
is dead?
Then...
who will succeed to the throne?
(Dorgon: Hong Taiji's half-brother)
Khan's son, who has just turned six, has acceded to the throne.
And the former king, Dorgon, has become the king regent.
(Regent: a person who administers a country in place of the monarch)
Then...
are you saying the world is now Dorgon's?
Yes.
The world...
is now Dorgon's.
However,
Dorgon did not have the power to sit on the throne himself,
so he made a young child accede to the throne...
and had to be satisfied with being the king regent.
Dorgon has not taken complete control over the Qing yet.
Just as the former emperor...
buried Dorgon's mother alive as soon as he acceded to the throne,
Dorgon will also...
do whatever he can...
to strengthen his power.
Then...
what will happen to Joseon?
Then...
what do you think Dorgon will do with Joseon?
In the Year of Byeongja,
there were people...
who wanted to kill me and make one of their people the king of Joseon.
If those people rise to power,
what do I do?
In the Year of Byeongja,
there were people who proposed...
dividing up Joseon amongst the princes of the Qing.
If those people stick to Dorgon...
and gain power,
what will happen to Joseon?
We will soon be able to see...
who Dorgon will choose to have by his side.
In the next few months,
whoever Dorgon reaches his hand out to,
are the people who will work with Dorgon in the future.
That is why...
we must start moving too.
I...
will meet General Yong Gol Dae...
and study what Dorgon has planned.
It is a gift from the Crown Prince's heart.
It is a statue of Buddha...
that the Crown Prince made just for you.
The Crown Prince...
made it for me?
In Joseon,
women spend money to make statues of the Buddha,
wishing for peace when their husbands go out to work.
You are also...
nervous, are you not?
You do not know anything.
I know you are nervous.
Since...
the former king has become the king regent,
(The former king: Dorgon)
you...
may be purged.
However,
that must not happen.
The Great Qing acquired Joseon...
thanks to whom?
The people who should be thanked...
for acquiring Joseon...
are you and the king regent.
The person who knows about this fact the best...
is our Crown Prince.
Our Crown Prince...
trusts you...
and supports you.
In the Year of Byeongja, some princes...
wanted to divide Joseon up...
amongst themselves.
And some people...
wanted to kill the king of Joseon...
and rule the country themselves.
However,
only the king regent and you, General Yong Gol Dae,
requested for Joseon to be protected, is that not right?
- That is... - Do you...
remember now?
Therefore, in return,
when the Crown Prince...
becomes the king of Joseon,
the rights and interests of all the products of Joseon...
will only be given...
to you and the regent king.
Joseon...
with you,
you...
with the king regent,
The king regent, you,
and Joseon...
will move forward together.
What?
Dorgon...
allowed the Crown Prince to visit Joseon?
Congratulations.
Then...
am I also allowed to go to Joseon?
Can I see...
my mother?
It is all thanks to you.
That is not true, Your Highness.
No.
In the past, when my father passed away,
he did not let me go to Joseon even when I offered all sorts of bribes.
But this time, you made Dorgon change his mind...
and gave me a chance to visit my mother.
It has now been revealed.
Who Dorgon...
wants to join forces with.
Greetings, General.
To thank you for allowing her to visit Joseon,
the Crown Princess...
wants to send white paper...
You punk.
Why have you gotten on the bad side of Her Highness?
The king regent wants Her Highness to be one of his people.
Her Highness has power over the women in the royal family.
But...
when the king regent reached out his hand to her,
Her Highness demanded two things.
First,
she said she would not get married to a Mongolian man.
Second,
She asked for the authority to catch Joseon's runaway captives.
She is aware...
of the fact that you have been selling captives and giving me the money.
If the king regent complies with her requests,
Her Highness will search you first.
Then I will get caught.
How will you manage to handle this?
Whose orders...
are Her Highness working under?
Is she targeting me? Or...
does she just want a share of my wealth?
Why are you doing this?
What is it...
that you want?
You.
You are what I want.
But if you do not come to me,
I will take you and the captives you have with you...
and bury all of you.
If you want to bury all the captives...
just to have that woman,
you can go ahead.
Yong Yi, 30 nyang.
When I return to Joseon and harvest barley and rice,
I will certainly repay my debt.
Chang Sam, 50 nyang.
I will repay this kindness even in death.
Dool Ne, 50 nyang.
My sons are waiting.
Sam Seok, 70 nyang.
If you only send me back to Joseon, I will serve you as my master for life.
So,
do as Her Highness says.
General.
Will the king regent sit back and watch this?
Do you not get it?
Soon, we will conquer the Shanhai Pass.
The Ming Empire is falling.
Soon, the Qing army will arrive in Beijing and the central region will belong to us.
So,
the king regent does not care...
if Her Highness takes the captives.
I do not care...
if Her Highness kills the captives or not.
Now, Joseon's captives...
will be forgotten.
I heard you asked to see me.
Are you all finished with your urgent work?
My lord.
About what happened before...
So...
Dorgon has...
allowed the Crown Prince to make a trip to Joseon.
You should also return to Joseon with them.
It would be safest to return...
while the Crown Prince heads to Joseon.
But you are still not fully recovered...
Do not mind my illness any longer.
I do not need you to nurse me.
But...
Have you forgotten?
We are...
not anything to one another.
So, do not...
feel indebted to me in any way.
I have...
clung onto you,
and I have...
gotten over a near-death experience thanks to you.
I have done all I have wished for.
So, now,
in my heart,
there is nothing left.
So go back.
My lord.
You have...
a lot on your mind because the Khan is dead, right?
- That is why... - Also,
I have grown tired of you who always pushes me away.
Yes.
I am sick and tired now.
So,
please go back.
What if I do not want to?
If I...
say I do not want to go back...
You are a married woman. Do you not have any shame?
Let us go to Joseon.
Madam.
That is what he wants.
I want to do...
as he wants.
So, just tell her that you wish to stay here.
How could I stay when Lady Yoo has made up her mind to leave?
Make your choice.
Will you choose me or Lady Yoo?
That is...
Lady Yoo, of course.
Jong Jong.
I hear you wish to join us on our upcoming visit to Joseon...
and return home.
Yes, Your Highness.
My family is waiting for me in Joseon.
Yes, you should return home.
I am still deeply indebted to you...
for saving my son.
Once...
His Highness the Crown Prince ascends the throne,
I will be sure to repay you.
You have already done so much for me.
The days I spent here helping out at the farm...
will be remembered as the happiest time of my life.
My lord.
Are you inside?
I have let the Crown Princess know.
I will be joining the Crown Princess on her upcoming trip...
to return to Joseon.
That is good news.
However, I have a lot to do,
so I do not think I can see you off.
You must truly be...
sick and tired of me.
All I do is inconvenience you.
I am ashamed,
and I feel pathetic.
Such a thought...
has never once occurred to me.
So...
once you are back in Joseon,
forget all your sufferings in Simyang...
and live a good life.
A flashy...
and glamorous one.
Be you, Gil Chae.
Yes.
I promise you that I will live such a life.
Now, I have a goal.
I never wish...
to cause you harm again.
Yes.
I will return to Joseon...
and stay brave...
to show the world...
that I can live a good life.
Thank you.
And I am truly...
sorry.
Goodbye.
Return home...
and live like a flower.
That is...
all I want.
I bet you want to kill me.
Yes.
If you would let me.
You must resent me,
but the people in Joseon have forgotten all about the captives.
No one is even coming to us to ask to have them released.
So, even if something were to happen to them, no one would care.
No one cares.
They are like...
orphans without parents.
What I am curious about...
is why you gave up on the woman you love...
just because of those insignificant captives.
Why did you do that?
Because Lee Jang Hyun...
cannot ignore those who are insignificant and pitiful.
How foolish.
I am certain that your ridiculous sympathy...
will one day hold you back.
Is that what you think?
I do not care about others.
Is that so?
What are you doing?
Why...
Why did you save me?
It would have been better for you if I died.
Yes,
you are a man who saves people who are falling.
Then, Lee Jang Hyun,
will you save me as well?
I am scared.
I have never...
lived in a world without my father.
You must hate me,
but for a short while,
allow me to stay next to you.
Please.
Gosh.
Khan...
did not allow the Crown Prince...
to return to Joseon for several years after dragging him away.
How is it that Dorgon allowed the Crown Prince...
to return to Joseon as soon as he became the king regent?
The Crown Princess' father had passed away,
so they pleaded that they could pay their last respects...
So what I am asking is...
did Dorgon comply with the Crown Prince's request?
Goodness.
Your Majesty,
the Crown Prince has entered the capital.
Your Highness.
His Majesty cannot see you today...
for he is ill.
If you go and wait...
Your Majesty,
I am here.
I am here to pay my respects.
All right.
His Majesty did not allow the Crown Princess...
to visit her mother who is alone...
nor to cry in front of her father's ancestral tablet.
On top of that,
the eunuchs are torturing the court ladies every day...
as they investigate the curse of the palace.
"The curse of the palace?"
Are you talking about the rumor?
The rumor has been going around for a while.
Did you trace the root of the rumor?
Censors...
need to inform His Majesty of any rumors that have spread.
But if you relay groundless rumors without even checking the facts,
how would you expect your words to carry any weight?
Yes, Master.
I will make sure to check and see if the rumor is true or not.
I am the Senior Sixth Rank officer of the Office of Royal Decrees.
According to the rumors, court ladies are being tortured in prison...
I am the Senior Sixth Rank officer of the Office of Royal Decrees.
I am investigating the rumor that has been going around.
Is it...
Father, stay still.
Your arm. Yes.
Can you move your hand this way?
There we go.
Am I going to meet Gil Chae?
Yes.
We need to meet Gil Chae soon.
Eun Ae, do not say stuff like that anymore.
Lord Yoo!
Madam is here.
"Madam?"
Father.
Eun Ae.
Young Chae.
Gil Chae.
You are here.
What took you so long?
Goodness.
Madam Bang Doo.
Eun Ae.
It is actually you,
Gil Chae.
You are Gil Chae.
Father.
Madam is here, Lord.
Father.
It is warm, right?
Let us sleep here tonight.
The sheets are freshly laundered.
Gosh, where should I sleep tonight?
Jong Jong.
You worked hard.
It must have been tough.
So...
Soo Ji...
I said I would sleep with Jong Jong tonight.
I came to get a pillow.
Well, then...
Jong Jong, sleep well.
I will.
Seriously.
Go away.
You must still be so lovey-dovey every night these days.
That fool will not even get tired in his old age.
Come on. I know you like it.
Who, me?
Me?
If not, then forget it.
It is nice.
Officer Gu...
stays at his family home these days?
Yes.
He went all the way to Simyang to find you,
but he ran into a thief and had all his money stolen.
He was just getting ready to head back.
I see.
By the way, Gil Chae...
Yes?
While you were in Qing,
a foreign intruder did not take advantage of you, did he?
Young Chae.
What are you saying on such a happy day?
Who do you take Gil Chae for?
It is like a dream.
Right.
My sister is no ordinary woman.
Thank you...
for coming back.
Thank you so much.
Let us go.
I will be late tonight. Do not wait up.
Okay.
Gil Chae.
Is it really you?
Who is...
that woman?
Do not worry. I will take care of everything.
Before that,
while you were there,
nothing happened to you, right?
What will you do now?
She was taken captive...
- and came back after being roughed up. - Roughed up how?
Are you asking that because you do not know?
You made it back alive.
You brought shame on all Joseon women.
I know, right?
How shameless.
You must have such thick skin.
What did you just say?
Jong Jong.
What did you say? How dare you talk with that dirty mouth?
What? You dirty wench who has been with foreign intruders.
How dare you?
I told you not to respond to barking dogs.
Let us go.
Gil Chae.
I spoke with your husband.
He has no intention of divorcing you.
But before that,
he wants to hear your answer.
If nothing happened,
you just have to say so.
Gil Chae.
Did a foreign intruder really take advantage of you or something?
Young Chae.
That man's daughter came back from being taken captive in Qing,
and when asked what happened between her and foreign intruders,
she would not answer.
And yet she wants to take back her spot in the bedroom?
Seeing how she could not prove her chastity, she must have...
If she was that afraid to die,
she should have just stayed hidden.
How shameless.
Father.
What is "chastity?"
That hurts, Father.
Gil Chae.
When you were born,
I felt like I had the whole world in my hands.
I enjoyed all the joys in the world while raising you.
My precious daughter.
My darling girl.
However,
you will have to live in a nightmare for the rest of your life.
What should we do?
There is nothing I can do for you.
What should I do?
No.
I will help you.
So that you will not live...
in a nightmare for the rest of your life,
your father will help you.
Gil Chae.
Hang on...
Hang on for just a little while.
I will prove your innocence...
with my own two hands.
So that you will never again...
be criticized by others.
Father.
A foreign intruder.
A foreign intruder is here.
An intruder!
- Master. - A foreign intruder!
An intruder is here.
A foreign intruder...
Gil Chae.
My dear.
May I take a few of these daggers,
just in case?
What...
do you mean by that?
Yes.
When I was in Simyang, I was sold to a foreign intruder...
and had to suffer utter humiliation.
I also met Lord Lee Jang Hyun there.
I was released, thanks to his help.
What the intruders did to me...
That was not my fault.
Had you wanted to divorce me because of that,
I would not have backed down, no matter what.
However...
In Simyang, I gave my heart to Lord Lee.
For that, I am sorry.
That is why I am divorcing you.
Oh, boy.
(My Dearest)
Will His Highness the Crown Prince return to Joseon?
Then Interpreter Lee and Gu Jam will also...
Gu Jam.
My lord, you are here.
But I, too, had a place I missed and wanted to return to.
Now that Lady Yoo is divorced,
will she come running to you?
I shall return.
I wish to live for her from now on.
I had a bad craving for those rice cakes with beans.
What? Rice cakes with beans?
Let us live like this for a thousand years to come.
Ripped and resynced by YoungJedi