THIS IS BASED ON THE TALE OF ON DAL IN CHRONICLES OF THE THREE STATES.
CHARACTERS, INCIDENTS, AND DATES DO NOT MATCH HISTORICAL FACTS.
Hurry and run away.
If you wish to save the old woman,
do not resist my blade.
My child.
Dal.
EPISODE 12
It is fortunate. The arrow missed vital spots.
Is she okay?
She will be once the wound heals.
Then she will be fine.
Dal.
Calm down and wash yourself.
Where did you go?
I buried him.
What?
If I left him there,
he would lure wild animals.
Forget about it.
It could not have been helped.
It is not your fault.
They were people sent by Go Won Pyo to kill us.
If not for you, both Mother...
and I would have been in danger.
You speak like...
when you were a killer.
Dal.
Mother.
Mother. Are you awake?
Mother. Are you all right?
Water.
You should have stayed at home.
Why did you pack your things?
You should be training in some mountain.
What are you doing here?
Were you hurt?
No.
I just need you to recover.
Dal.
Does he feel guilty because of what he did?
Yes.
It is because that was the first time he hurt a man.
My child.
You.
Were you hurt?
I am fine.
Thanks to Dal.
Okay, then.
That is a relief.
Scholars who were writing a petition in secret...
suffered a huge blow.
I heard that some even died trying to flee.
You are ruining my appetite.
I say this out of concern for you.
I heard of the impregnation ceremony.
Can you afford to drink on a night like this?
How did you know of that?
- Pardon? - I only mentioned a ceremony.
I never said what it was for.
I knew it.
You were the middleman.
Royal Consort Hyeon wishes so much to get pregnant.
Even the lowliest court maid knows that.
If there were a ceremony,
that would be the only reason.
You get away yet again.
You have great explanations.
Anyway, I told you clearly.
Today, I plan to find out...
everything you are hiding.
So, shall we begin?
Begin what?
We will take turns to ask what we want to know,
and must answer truthfully.
If you think the answer is a lie,
you drink as a penalty.
You are very strange tonight.
I am not just strange.
I can be fun as well.
I shall go first.
Do you...
love me?
Commander.
You must drink if you will not answer.
Go on.
Me, love you?
What gave you that idea?
I asked the question.
Now answer.
Do you love me?
I do not.
I do not believe you.
If you call a truth a lie,
then I have no choice.
Fine.
This time...
it is your turn.
You became the Crown Prince's master...
and Head of the King's Bodyguards.
It is because of the Princess, right?
To gain her affection whenever she returns.
She has married another man.
Why should I wait for her?
That is a lie.
We might both get very drunk on penalty drinks.
To this question, I really hope that...
you give an honest answer.
Ask me whatever you will.
Since when...
did you start?
Spying for Silla.
Or are you originally from Silla,
and did you smuggle yourself into Goguryeo?
Do you want to lose your head instead of taking a shot?
- General. - Later.
Go Sang Cheol returned gravely wounded.
I will have you watched.
Do not think of running away.
Father.
Why did you go against your word?
- What word? - I said that...
I would take care of anything regarding the Princess.
Why did you send your men?
Did you really...
try to hurt the Princess?
You are wrong about one and right about the other.
I never gave you my word. And yes,
I did give the order to kill the Princess.
As well as On Hyeop's son.
The bud has grown, and it is only time to nip it.
You cannot do this without so much as a word to me.
What?
Did you not smuggle out Daedaero without my permission?
I told you to arrest Kim Pyeong Ji at that gathering.
You ruined my plan.
Rather than confine him,
you must make him an ally.
Either way, the spark was lit.
Now we just have to kindle the fire.
What fire?
The weeds that are in the way.
The fire will eliminate them all.
Be cautious.
The one who lights the fire...
is most likely to get burned.
Yes.
I will remember that.
Dal.
The men I cut down.
I see their eyes.
I hear their screams.
The more I try to forget them,
the clearer they become and it drives me crazy.
How many more must I kill...
and cut down?
What we wish to do.
Is it really worth that much?
If it tortures you too much, you can stop.
You suffer so much that you have nightmares.
You need not force yourself.
Do I not look pathetic to you?
No. Why would you say that?
What you do not like,
I do not like either.
We are married.
What did you say?
We must suppress the Sunno Tribe?
Who do you think supported those who were writing petitions?
They must have been in contact with Sunno Tribe survivors.
They are currently gathering men and making weapons.
They plotted treason once.
They would not hesitate to try again.
If Gochuga is right,
- you must hastily... - That is nonsense.
The Princess is there. Why would they plot treason?
Are you trying to turn my own daughter into a traitor?
She is probably being threatened.
On Hyeop's son is holding her...
and using her as a hostage. So...
give us your permission...
to eliminate the traitors and save the Princess.
Not a chance!
I will not send my men based on your insistence alone.
Please be understanding.
- Please be understanding. - Please be understanding.
Bodyguards!
As of this moment, anyone...
who mentions treason or suppression...
is to be killed in the King's name!
I will obey your command.
- Salute! - Salute!
Go Won Pyo's private army?
Thanks to Dal, I got back safely.
Mother is safe too.
The cowards.
I would have killed them all if I were there.
As if.
Is it not the first time that Go Won Pyo sent assassins?
So the situation is not good.
He made an attempt for my life.
He will not stop now.
He can come at us.
We will fight to the death.
Yes, friend. Now we are on the same page.
Do not worry.
Our kids have learned how to use a blade.
Silence!
It is not about the Gyeru Tribe.
They might...
send an army to wipe us out.
An army?
To frame us for treason and kill us all.
They turned us into traitors so they could get rid of us.
General. I will look after the tribe.
When you suggested we revive our tribe,
I expected a danger like this would befall us.
And so...
I sent a secret letter to our scattered people to join us.
Chief.
Princess.
Please lend us your wisdom.
You twins must speed up the training of the grown men.
- Yes. - Yes.
Father.
Yes? Yes, your wish is my command.
We must block the entrance with a fence made with stakes.
Pung Gae can get the wood.
Father, you are in charge of making the fence.
Do not worry.
We also need lots of food.
Do not worry about that.
I will go through our stores and steam what we can...
and dry the meat and make jerky.
I will help out too.
- Thank you. - Good girl.
Think of the late General On's wish.
Please help us as best you can.
- Yes, Chief! - Yes, Chief!
Chief.
I want to ask you something.
About Dal's father.
General On Hyeop.
How far must we go?
We are almost there.
At least tell me where we are going.
Just follow me.
I am in no mood for jokes.
Do you not remember this path?
As a child,
you said you followed your father to a grave covered in stone.
I asked the Chief about it...
and also heard from Mother.
About General On.
What about my father?
He wished that you would never hold a sword.
I think it was because he knew you would be like this.
I wondered about that.
Who is buried in that tomb?
Do you not want to know?
No. No!
He said it was his fault.
So he did not even adorn the grave.
But...
deep down in his heart,
he put a rock on it instead.
Where are we, Father?
It looks like a grave.
Later.
I will tell you later.
When you are ready to be a true fighter.
Dal.
Like a fool,
I had failed to keep my woman safe.
You...
must not follow in my footsteps.
Father.
The great cause of protecting the empire...
or the justification of saving the people...
These are...
all nonsense.
The only person you must risk your life to protect.
And the only reason a man must wield a sword.
She is your only reason.
Are you ready?
Yes.
I will protect my woman.
I finally realized...
why I must fight.
I am still contemplating what to do with you.
As you held a superstitious ritual,
you must be beheaded.
But you must be curious about my humble talent.
If I am as good as people say,
that would be a waste, would it not?
Do not think you can save yourself with your rash words.
Before I came into the palace, I had a reading.
A dangerous aura has engulfed the King.
Soon, he will be facing a serious misfortune.
Shut your mouth.
Are you trying to stall time with your nonsense?
If I am wrong,
you can behead me then.
I have no idea how they could spy...
on our meeting for the secret appeal.
Do you think General Go had something to do with that?
No.
If it were not for him, I would have been caught then...
and imprisoned.
Please do not suspect him.
Anyway,
Go Won Pyo and the Five Tribe council...
will not back down this easily.
Perhaps, they might gather private guards...
and attack the Sunno Tribe.
I will not allow that.
Send a secret message to the Jeollo Tribe,
so they can dispatch an army of men.
If they leave the border unguarded,
how will we stop invasions from Northern Zhou?
We crumble either from within or outside.
It is all the same.
I will put an end...
to this fight between Go Won Pyo and myself.
You do not seem well.
Are you afraid?
Not knowing what I should fear...
scares me.
Your stepfather bragged...
how his stepdaughter...
was as brave and smart as a son could be.
You are too kind.
That is why I am giving you an important task.
Secretly make...
some medicine.
May I ask who will be taking it?
The King.
He will be poisoned with the medicine.
And that medicine will be rescuing this rotten empire.
Due to his acute stomach illness that causes vomiting and diarrhea,
even the royal physician who will rush over...
cannot find out why he is sick. And in the end,
the King will pass away within that night.
Can you make that happen?
However,
how could I...
Show me what you can do with my support.
Or you will face death for learning about my grand plan.
Choose.
You became a spy for a favor to a man who saved your life.
At that young age,
with that determination,
you crossed the border?
When I began on this journey, the peril of it...
kept things interesting.
How?
Plotting schemes and manipulating people was fun.
Just like you are trying to come up with a way...
to use me instead of reporting me.
Seeing how you have reached that on your own,
things will be easier on my end.
I am sure you know it is the Princess' plan...
to bring back the Sunno Tribe.
I also know that the son of General On Hyeop has joined her.
Tell me everything you know.
Tell me why the Princess is coming to your store...
and why you are helping them.
That is a promise between the Princess and me.
So you will not tell me?
If that is your answer, you will go straight to jail.
You tell me it is my decision to make,
but you are threatening me.
Indeed. Like father, like son.
Are you saying I am like my father?
What are you talking about?
Last night,
I have met with Gochuga.
He secretly ordered me to make some poisonous herbal tonic.
He said it was intended for the King.
You will decide whether I live or not.
So please tell me how I can get out of this alive.
Should I serve the poisonous herbal tonic?
Or should I let your father end my life?
The Head of Bodyguards is here.
Is the King all right?
I am protecting him day and night.
Yes. You ought to.
Father.
Never mind.
Dal.
How come you did not tell me that you were leaving?
I told you that I was going back to the mountain.
I did not know that you would be leaving this early in the morning.
If I were to stay to say goodbye, my mother would start nagging me.
And I know that you are busy.
You have a lot of work to do in the village.
Even so. How could you leave without even a goodbye?
I am sorry. Please take good care of my mother.
I will be back.
Dal.
Do not go if that is not in your heart.
We have a lot to do here.
Do you remember?
When you went to Pyeongyang Castle to get your memories back?
That is what I told you to stop you.
Whatever happens, I ought to face it head-on.
Otherwise, I would never improve.
- Great! - Keep going.
- Like this. - Like that.
- Hey. - Nice.
- Here I am! - You are here.
I do not know what destiny they hold.
I wonder if I am pushing them...
to death to fulfill my goals.
I feel as if what happened to Dal is my fault.
He did not wish to play the world's game.
But he is on a tough road because he met me.
We cannot place any blame for such things.
That is done out of trust and love.
Dal is not the one who is suffering from pain.
You have yet to shake off your confusion as well.
"Confusion".
What can I do to rid myself of confusion?
You are asking me for the answer you already have.
Wol Gwang!
Ga Jin.
What brings you here?
I am here to teach you.
And I will learn as well.
What do you mean?
- This is a real sword. - On Dal.
I am your master.
I fooled you.
I wanted to use you,
so I stole your heart and your life.
I know.
I see you in great pain, but I never did anything to ease that pain.
No.
I knew what you were doing, but I still chose you,
so you did not fool me.
Why are you doing this for me? Why? I do not deserve your love.
Have you forgotten?
You are the destiny I chose.
Why?
I am scared...
that we might change...
and will eventually be ruined.
Do not fear.
We will never change.
Dal.
My dear wife.
You are mine.
This is the guardian stone my mother left behind.
This stone will keep you safe.
Please take good care of the princess.
Right.
I remember this necklace.
The late Queen gave you this that day.
And this will keep you safe now.
And this represents...
our shared fate as husband and wife.
Are you making any progress with your martial arts training?
General Go's hands are full with the bodyguards,
so I am training alone.
If you miss 1 day, it takes 10 to get back on track.
Make sure you work hard.
Yes. I will keep that in mind.
By the way, is it because of Gochuga that the palace is...
under strict guard?
It is none of your business.
I beg you to deal with the matter with the utmost severity.
- Now eat. - Yes.
Father.
Father!
Father, are you okay? Father.
Is anybody there? Father!
How dare you show up here?
I heard that His Majesty is unwell.
Did you forget that you are under probation?
- Still... - Go back to your chambers.
Why would you cry? It brings bad bad luck.
Explain what happened.
He has taken medicine for acute indigestion,
but he is not getting better.
His heart is beating too fast as well.
I cannot figure out what the problem is.
How can you say that as the royal physician?
Could there have been poison in his food?
Won.
All his food was thoroughly examined, but no poison was found.
Vomiting and diarrhea are clearly...
symptoms of acute indigestion.
Then why don't you try other kinds of medicine?
Medicine should be used with extreme caution.
- Father! - Your Majesty.
Are you okay, Father?
A dangerous aura has engulfed the King.
Soon,
he will be facing a serious misfortune.
Your prediction was right.
His Majesty is in critical condition.
I am sorry to hear that.
If you are so excellent,
do you also know how to prevent misfortunes?
It is nothing to boast about,
but I do know a thing or two about medicinal herbs.
If I may,
I would like to have an audience with His Majesty...
before I come up with a solution.
Prepare an antidote.
You made the locks.
I am sure you can make the keys as well.
That was not just any poison.
Whoever poisoned him...
managed to disguise it as a natural death.
I cannot guarantee that my antidote will be effective.
Mo Yong.
Just follow my father's order and prepare an antidote.
That way, you can be safe.
Still, I will not be able to tell His Majesty in advance.
Even if I was interrogated about who poisoned His Majesty,
I could not answer that it was my father.
In that case,
how are you going to use the antidote?
The royal physician will demand an explanation.
Even with the antidote, I will be faced with a dilemma.
Do you...
trust me?
Lady Hae says this medicine is your lifeline.
You do not deserve a comfortable death.
Wait until your empire falls...
and your children vomit blood.
Take your last breath...
as a beautiful misery unfolds before your very eyes.
The King survived.
Are you sure you prepared the poison properly?
I would never...
dare to disobey your order.
I guarantee that the poison was effective.
Get lost.
I am sorry.
It is to transfer control of the military...
to the Five Tribes.
Please approve it.
Is this why you wanted to see me so urgently?
The ongoing rebellious activities must be suppressed immediately.
I beg you to give an order...
on behalf of the royal family.
Once the Crown Prince approves,
two goals will be achieved.
By pressuring the Crown Prince into giving an order,
we can first suppress the rebellion.
After that, when the time is right,
we will hold the Crown Prince responsible.
With His Majesty still alive,
the Crown Prince is giving a royal order himself?
That would make him an undutiful and disloyal son.
He would sustain his life,
but he will not be able to keep his title as crown prince.
That is why...
I asked you to come. To read a fortune.
Will Prince Geon Mu...
rise to the throne?
I...
cannot sign this.
Your Highness...
How dare I make a decision...
that is meant for the King to decide?
But this is an urgent matter.
Besides, before my father had fallen ill,
he made clear about the fate of the Sunno Tribe.
I cannot...
cross his will as his son.
You are a filial son, Your Highness.
But you should consider the safety of the Princess also.
The fact that the Sunno Tribe is threatening my sister...
is merely a claim you made.
Because that is the fact.
But my sister is not someone who will be controlled by others.
And I do not...
wish to be controlled by others either.
Your Highness...
- Your Highness! - Your Highness.
How can you be laughing?
Is the young Crown Prince's guts not admirable?
If we cannot get through to him with a justification,
then we should get through to him using our skills.
What do you mean by skills?
The Sunno Tribe can be...
subjugated by the private army of the Gyeru Tribe alone.
The advance guard must already be there.
You only need to agree on behalf of the Five Tribe council.
We need two more men to guard around the Fox Rock, right?
The byroad to the village can be seen well from there.
You and San can leave.
- What? - This is the Sunno Tribe's fight.
The Gokturks, such as yourselves, do not need to get involved.
Hey, Sa Pung Gae.
I am just worried that you might die.
I mean, you are the type to act up.
So what I am trying to say is...
Dong Mun!
No, Jin.
What is this?
It belonged to General On Hyeop.
- Please make a good one out of it. - Okay.
If it is a sword that Dal will use, then we need to do a good job.
Chief!
There is... Chief!
Chief!
You came right on time.
This is Woo Yeong who used to serve General On Hyeop with me.
This is Princess Pyeonggang.
It is my honor to meet you, Your Highness.
My name is Woo Yeong.
Please get up.
It seems like...
he came here with his army as soon as he got my secret letter.
The old comrades of our tribe are also gathering...
to make their way here.
We must take part in this important fight...
as we spent years in resentment.
We are grateful, Your Highness.
I feel as though I gained a thousand troops.
Princess Pyeonggang! Princess Pyeonggang!
Your Highness, we are in trouble!
You seem familiar.
How many of you are there?
How many weapons have you got?
There are 10,000 soldiers and 1,000 war horses.
Are you surprised?
Pung Gae!
You worthless barbarian.
What? You do not deserve to be called a human.
You piece of trash.
Are you okay?
Darn it.
Down this mountain,
dozens of soldiers from the Gyeru Tribe are stationed.
That means they are the advance guard.
They must have spied out on us, so they know we are fortified.
That must be why they put a halt to the attack.
Just as you said, it was important to build a fence around the village.
There is only a handful of them. We should just get rid of them.
What if Jin gets hurt?
Do not worry.
I will come up with a way to save her.
Lady Hae.
Go wait for me at the dock.
Are you trying to run away at night?
If I have to leave, will you let me go?
I have fulfilled all my duties.
It is not over yet.
I do not wish to let you go.
I do not want to be used anymore.
Especially...
by a man who has someone else in his heart.
Then why do you not come into it?
I will open...
my heart for you.
I guess you have not heard.
The person you love...
is in deep trouble.
Jin, are you okay?
Yes.
What about you?
Why did you have to spew such nonsense earlier?
I had to so that you and the others would not be hurt.
That is right.
Who are you?
I am the eldest daughter of the King of Goguryeo, Princess Pyeonggang.
Your Highness!
Father. Father!
Geon. Because the tangled fate still continues,
the King is on the throne.
Goguryeo originally...
belongs to our family.
It is time to take back our place.
Are you...
prepared?
Are you plotting a conspiracy?
It is a subjugation.
The cavalry and soldiers of the Gyeru Tribe will gather...
before the break of dawn.
Go and attack.
Attack and...
- seize the Princess you wanted. - Father.
I started the fire, but you should control it!
That is what the next chief of the Gyeru Tribe should do.
I will...
accept your order.
Do not be burned by the fire.
Yes, Father.
- Let them go! - Yes, sir.
Everything will be okay now. You should go back to the village.
What about you?
Pung Gae, are you okay?
We cannot go without you. What will you do?
I will follow you right after.
You expect me to believe that?
Do not believe her. It is a lie.
You must have forgotten, but I am a princess.
I am the daughter of Goguryeo's king.
Would they dare to hurt me?
- Let them go. - Yes, sir.
Be careful.
- Take care of Dong Mun. - What?
Why? What about you?
- I need to go to Dal. - What?
- Hey. - I should go.
But... Hey, Pung Gae!
Won.
Father.
Are you here, Master?
Dal.
Pung Gae. What are you doing here?
WIBALTA: THE CHIEF OF NORTHERN ZHOU
THE BORDER OF GOGURYEO
- Oh, no! - What is going on?
It is the Northern Zhou! Sound the alarm!
It is the Northern Zhou!
- It is the Northern Zhou! - Get ready!
Go back to Gochuga and tell him this.
Even the last man of the Sunno Tribe will fight against him.
The same goes for the Gyeru Tribe.
You must stop, Your Highness, to put an end to this fight.
You want me to end a fight that has not even begun?
The King is in critical condition.
The Crown Prince is all alone too.
You must go back with me...
to bring peace to this empire.
Please get up.
Your Highness.
You talk of peace,
and yet, you brought your army here?
You only need to go back with me.
This is Gochuga's order, is it not?
That is not true.
I am here for you, Your Highness.
I am here for you and Goguryeo.
If I follow you,
everyone remaining here will be killed.
That is what you are here for.
You should...
just kill me only.
Whether or not you follow,
the traitors will be punished.
Please do not see anyone's blood...
and just come with me.
Ga Jin!
Ga Jin.
Hey, Go Geon!
Do not kill innocent people,
and have a one-on-one fight with me.
You are asking for your death.
Dal, stop it.
I cannot stop. You know I cannot.
You deserve more than death considering what you did to Mother.
Drop your swords.
Hey, country bumpkin.
You learned some petty tricks.
Do you know how it feels to kill a man with a real sword?
Even a wooden sword...
is too good for the likes of you.
- General Go! - What is it?
The Northern Zhou has invaded our border.
RIVER WHERE THE MOON RISES
The Sunno Tribe is to head to the north...
and stop the Northern Zhou.
I only fight for you.
When the King told me that I am his son,
that I am your husband,
I was really glad.
I sent a false secret message to Silla just for you.
There is a talented fortune-teller.
That is the guy from Songhwadang, the chief of Cheonjubang.