THIS IS BASED ON THE TALE OF ON DAL IN CHRONICLES OF THE THREE STATES.
CHARACTERS, INCIDENTS, AND DATES DO NOT MATCH HISTORICAL FACTS.
EPISODE 8
Your Majesty. General Go wishes to see you.
Tell him to come back later.
General.
I was waiting to see you since early morning.
I told you to come back later.
It involves the Princess' safety.
Keep going.
Hey.
I got nothing. No one knows...
what Songhwadang is.
That does not mean you can drink my alcohol.
What man gets upset so easily?
Jin, he is more narrow-minded than he looks.
Do you have something?
No. No one has heard of that name.
Where is On Dal?
He has one last place to ask.
Does he think he is Ga Jin's husband?
That is what he is like.
Once he decides he will protect something,
he will do it, even if the sky falls.
Ga Jin is just like that.
She is the same.
It must be tough being friends with someone so frustrating.
Exactly.
Hey! Move.
Owner!
Today must be my day for unwelcome visitors.
I am a valuable guest.
I am here to offer you a way out.
- What are you doing here? - You do not need to know.
The women who should have gone to Northern Zhou.
Where did you take them?
I am guessing you sold them to Silla.
Tell me which road they are taking.
Women?
Do you buy and sell people too?
There is nothing in the world that cannot be traded.
That goes for people and their hearts.
You should not act out behind Gochuga's back.
What if he scolds you again?
This has nothing to do with my father.
On the contrary,
the silver I got in exchange for the women.
Who do you think took half of it?
The Princess...
hid herself among the women sold off as tributes?
So General Go took the special forces...
and the King summoned Hae Ji Weol.
The Princess has overturned her fortune.
We should do as she wishes.
Do not try to talk yourself out with lies.
I am here on the King's command.
Tell me where the women are.
You should just cut me down.
I am giving you a chance to come clean.
But you refuse it.
Would I be the only guilty party?
I knew you would do this.
I sent some men out at dawn already.
They will check all the routes to Silla.
Even if you keep quiet, I will eventually get what I want.
And the Princess will protect the women.
- The Princess? - She is with them now.
To save the Goguryeo people.
Ga Jin? Where did she go?
She is a princess.
General!
We searched the main roads, piers, and rivers,
but we could not find the women.
You have one last chance. Speak the truth.
Cut out my tongue then slit my throat.
Hae Mo Yong!
Squirrel Pass.
Drug dealers and poachers from SIlla choose that path.
That is the only way out if they want to go undetected.
General. Are you sure you will not regret this?
Tie her up and take her in!
Yes.
General. General, you must not do this.
Lead the way.
Keep going.
Hey. Stop there.
Whose is it?
- Is it yours? - No.
It is at your feet!
No. It is hers, not mine.
Stop!
Drop the sword.
Do not do it. He cannot kill us.
Shut your mouth.
He paid a lot of silver for us. He will not be able to kill me.
I said, drop the sword.
Just kill me too! I do not want to live like this anymore!
- Kill me too! - Just kill me!
- Kill me! - Kill me!
- Keep quiet!
Just kill me!
I am sick of this!
- Kill me! - Kill me!
Move!
They are gone.
They have gone. We are safe now.
Are you all right?
Dal.
Ga Jin.
Mo Yong.
I cannot believe this.
The Princess...
must be determined to destroy the Sono Tribe.
Calm down.
Did Lord Kim also get caught?
No, I think he managed to escape to Silla.
That is all that matters.
You should quickly meet Gochuga and find a way to deal with this.
I have already met him.
Gochuga is a very complicated man.
He has failed to keep his own son under control.
Princess, what is it that you need to tell me?
It is embarrassing enough...
that he tried to sell the women of Goguryeo.
But he even secretly sold them to Silla.
And it was done by the head of the Sono Tribe.
I hope you are right this time.
I witnessed it myself. I heard and saw everything.
These women are also my witnesses.
Is it true that you were meant to be sent to Northern Zhou?
Look at me.
Is that true?
Yes, Your Majesty.
- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.
It is not good to let people outside the palace hear them cry.
Let us talk about this inside.
He is right.
We should also listen to what Lord Hae has to say.
Do not worry.
I will resolve what happened.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
The Sono Tribe is in charge of...
trading many different items,
which is probably what caused the unfortunate incident.
They are not items. They are people.
They are beautiful women of Goguryeo.
How could you give such an excuse...
after having made a deal with a Silla merchant?
Lord Hae.
What you did was foolish and wrong.
I am extremely ashamed of myself.
That is not enough.
You sold those women for your own personal interest.
You violated the law and traded with our enemy, Silla.
They are all serious crimes that cannot be overlooked.
We need to get one thing straight.
Lord Hae did not do it for his own personal interest.
I was the one who asked him for a favor.
What do you mean, Gochuga?
Our country is in financial trouble.
So I asked him if he knew a way for us to gather more silver.
I know very well that he did it out of loyalty to Goguryeo.
But that means...
General Go, I want you to go to the royal warehouse...
and check the silvers.
Yes.
General Go.
Let us go back.
Gochuga is a very complicated man.
He has failed to keep his own son under control.
He told me to move the silver...
to the royal warehouse.
He also said he even already moved the silver we gave him.
He is making a small sacrifice to save everyone.
Even so, we will be losing so much money.
We need to stay alive...
for any of that to even matter.
Right now, we need to make sure we stay alive.
He chose the wrong method to fill the treasury fund,
but you must not doubt Lord Hae's loyalty.
And if this information leaks...
and the people of Northern Zhou find out what happened,
things will surely get out of hand.
He is right.
They will get furious at us for deceiving them.
Lord Hae made a secret transaction with our enemy.
Are you going to let him get away with that?
His big contribution makes up for his small mistake.
Father, I hope you will give him the right punishment.
It is clear that Lord Hae has committed a sin.
But I praise his loyalty for Goguryeo.
Additionally, this incident must stay confidential...
to protect the dignity and face of our country.
Your Majesty.
Being able to get away with committing a crime...
already harms the dignity of Goguryeo.
- Princess. - My goodness.
I want the historians to write this down.
No matter how much power or wealth one may have,
anyone who violates the law will be held responsible.
That is the discipline...
that King Jumong had when he built Goguryeo.
And it is the principle...
that King Pyeongwon follows as he rules the country.
Although I have announced to keep this confidential,
Lord Hae will still have to take responsibility for his actions.
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
Your Majesty!
Strike one!
Strike two!
I have sinned greatly.
- I have sinned greatly. - Strike three!
Strike four!
At this rate, the next person will either be me or you.
Lord Jin.
Strike five!
How is saving the face of a criminal...
considered a punishment?
We are talking about the head of the Sono Tribe.
- It is already a big punishment... - I have sinned greatly.
for a man like him to go through this.
- I have sinned greatly. - I have sinned greatly.
Strike seven!
Strike nine!
The Princess keeps acting out.
Are you going to let her keep behaving that way?
Your Highness.
Calm down.
I safely sent the women home along with new clothes...
and some money.
Those who live far away got escorted by my soldiers.
Thank you.
I would not have been able to save them without you.
Then do you finally believe that I will stand on your side?
Yes.
But I am certain Gochuga is very angry now.
I will try to find a way...
to stop him from sending you to the borderline.
No, that is between me and my father.
You do not need to worry about it.
I forgot to thank your friend for leading the way.
Please thank the country bumpkin for me.
You could have let it go.
You did not have to punish him.
He committed a crime. I could not let it slide.
But this will make your subjects very upset.
I am the king.
Must I care about how they feel?
I heard the Princess will no longer be confined in Magnolia Hall.
CONFINEMENT: FORBIDDING SOMEONE TO LEAVE A CERTAIN AREA
Good going.
That will only bring bigger chaos to the palace.
My Queen.
Go and bring my medicine.
Yes, Your Majesty.
What is it? Do you wish to say something to me too?
Yes.
- What? - I think you did the right thing...
by punishing Lord Hae.
I know it was a difficult decision,
but you did what you had to do as the King.
I truly admire your decision.
Take it away.
I do not want to drink it today.
But it will help you sleep.
I told you to take it away.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Gosh, stop sweeping. It is only making the place dusty.
Should I come live here?
Why are you suddenly talking nonsense?
Dal keeps leaving home.
So I am sure you feel lonely.
If I live here, I can sweep the yard...
and run errands for you. It will be very nice.
Hong Mae will get upset if you leave.
She only cares about the chief all day.
She does not care about me at all.
She might move in with him sooner or later.
You little brat.
Look at you talking about me behind my back.
How dare you.
What? I said nothing wrong.
You are always busy talking about the chief.
Goodness, your one-sided love for him is hard to watch.
My goodness, did you hear that?
This is why they say it is useless to help anyone.
Be quiet.
Have you not heard anything about Dal and the rest?
I do not know. I think they will be back today or tomorrow.
The hunt is lasting longer than expected.
They did not go on a hunt.
I am sure they went to the palace.
Pyeongyang Castle? Why?
Is it not obvious?
He went there to see the Princess from afar.
My goodness, that fool.
SONGHWADANG
He went to bed early.
I have something to tell him.
He does not want anyone to disturb him.
Okay.
I want the historians to write this down.
No matter how much power or wealth one may have,
anyone who violates the law will be held responsible.
That is the discipline...
that King Jumong had when he built Goguryeo.
And it is the principle...
that King Pyeongwon follows as he rules the country.
Your Majesty.
I will not forgive you even after I die.
You will never be able to take over Goguryeo.
Is the daughter trying to follow...
the path where her mother fell?
What did you just say?
Eight years ago,
the Sunno Tribe was wrongfully blamed as traitors.
They need to get back on their feet.
That is what I just said.
That is nonsense.
They say one who has tied a knot must untie it.
The knot you tied wrong...
can only be untied by you.
This is not a matter you should be concerned about.
I can tell you this because it is me.
If it were not for them, I would be dead.
Those people who saved me eight years ago...
If you give up now,
that will be the end of Goguryeo.
They saved my life this time as well.
I am the daughter of their nemesis,
but even after realizing it, they gladly looked after me.
They are kind-hearted...
and faithful, both back then and now.
Please restore their honor...
and accept them as one of us.
If you resolve their old resentment,
they will be your reliable supporters.
But there will be a strong backlash.
You are the king.
Who will dare overturn a decision made by the king?
The king...
has to listen to 10,000 resentments with his 2 ears,
but he has only one mouth to govern the nation.
Your order is the law of this nation.
The Sunno Tribe and I...
will be your supporters.
The Sunno Tribe?
Are you not well?
I heard you went to bed early last night.
How can I be so well...
when I feel depressed?
Are you upset because you had to endure shame...
at the Five Tribe council?
Or is it because...
the silver was transferred to the national treasury?
Do not worry.
I did not say anything about the silver to the Princess.
As your son, I should not harm your reputation...
before I set off a long journey.
You do not need to go to the borderline.
Pardon?
The order has been withdrawn, so you do not need to leave.
What is the reason?
I just chose to grant your wish.
I suggest you keep trying...
to win the Princess' favor.
Your son drowned...
and your husband is bedridden after a stroke.
My goodness. You are truly good. That is all true.
What can I do to change my fate?
I will write you a talisman. Wait downstairs.
I will. Thank you.
You should call it a day.
Each time you channel your energy,
- your life span... - Are you...
able to attack and kill the King?
I can.
I will behead the King.
With the assassins we have left,
we cannot even scale the palace walls.
Our only option...
is to make the King come and see me.
This is so embarrassing.
I cannot believe I am locked up in my own home.
It is a good excuse to get some rest.
We will hear some good news soon.
Good news, you say?
What are you talking about?
Gochuga will not let the Princess act out any longer.
He will be thinking of a plan.
A plan?
What happened this time that we were called...
at the crack of dawn?
Every single day feels like I am treading on thin ice.
Lord Hae cannot be here because he was told to repent.
He told a chief of one of the Five Tribes to repent?
Things are getting worse and worse.
Here comes His Majesty.
Dealing with the recent Sono Tribe incident...
weighed greatly on my heart.
I know how loyal and hard-working the chiefs of the Five Tribes are,
so it made me feel even worse.
Therefore, I thought about the kind of authority...
the Five Tribe council should have as the core of our government...
I wish to speak, Your Majesty.
Before we hear your wise ideas regarding the government,
I would like to speak.
What do you wish to discuss?
It is about the Princess' marriage.
Her marriage?
Is that true? You do not have to leave for the border?
Yes.
I will remain in Pyeongyang Castle as Head of Special Forces.
That is great. It is great news.
But...
do you honestly think it is great?
Why did he suddenly change his mind?
I am not sure.
I can never tell what he is thinking.
Princess. Open the door.
Princess.
You are together.
What brings you here?
Seeing you together after what I heard...
makes me think this is a pretty picture.
What are you talking about?
You two are such a great match.
My gosh, honestly.
Your Highness. Wait...
You knew, didn't you, Master Go?
It is news to me too.
Do you not believe me?
When the people are overjoyed by their princess' return,
if she were to marry as well,
it will be such a joyous occasion.
But it is too sudden.
It is not entirely unexpected, though.
The marriage of the kingdom's...
two main families, the Gyeru Tribe and the royal family,
is a long-standing tradition.
That is preposterous.
I have no intention of marrying.
Why are you even discussing this?
You are...
of marriageable age.
This is not for you to decide.
Are you...
not satisfied with your spouse?
If I may say about my own son,
he is not lacking as a possible husband to the Princess.
It is not about General Go's qualifications.
Then what is the problem?
Father.
- I do not wish to... - I cannot...
allow it.
When the princess is ready,
she will pick a man she wishes...
and marry with my blessing.
Their plan is...
to use my marriage to restrict both you and me.
They wish to hold me hostage.
I know that.
How can I not know what the sly man is thinking?
Do not worry.
Without my permission,
you will not marry into the Gyeru Tribe.
Father.
The Princess makes him think he has all the power.
Still, would he easily give permission to the marriage?
If words do not work, I will use force.
You must have a grudge regarding the recent incident.
Gochuga, if you are planning to raise an army,
I will offer you my support.
Why are you smiling?
The marriage.
I am in awe of your scheme.
I was trying to think of...
my own way to approach the Princess.
Your own way?
I wished to go to Hwayeongjeon. Why are we here?
You will find out when you go inside.
Gochuga.
Are you out of your mind?
Do you know whose seat that is?
It is King Pyeongwon's.
Or rather...
it is Go Yang Seong's.
GO YANG SEONG: THE KING'S NAME
How dare you?
Is anyone outside?
Guards!
I sent away your bodyguards.
Behold.
Eight years ago, that arrow speared...
your woman's heart.
A man crazed by jealousy...
killed his own wife and people.
Does he deserve to sit up here?
The only reason you were able to play king until now...
was because I allowed it.
How... How dare you, Go Won Pyo.
However...
if you forget your place and act out,
I must oust you immediately.
Even if the sky caves in,
I will not permit the marriage. Never.
I said that permission is mine to give.
When the day breaks, the people will hear the good news.
Because the King will have announced the Princess' engagement.
You will never get your own way.
Do you truly know what my wish is?
It is to get rid of the troublesome Princess...
and to bring down...
your sickly son from his seat as heir.
Would you like to see me get my way?
You cannot do that.
They are my unfortunate children.
Which is why...
I am offering a chance.
A chance for you and your offspring to save your lives.
That salt must be heavy.
We need at least this much to last a season at Ghost Valley.
Let me help you carry it.
No way. It is fine. Leave it.
The man should do the heavy lifting.
Us Gokturks do not discriminate women from men.
This is Goguryeo.
You should be treated like a woman.
Well... I never asked to be treated specially.
What does that say? "The King's son-in-law"?
- What is that? - "The King's son-in-law"?
"The King's son-in-law"?
- What is that about? - What is going on?
- What? - The Princess should marry.
- Is she still single? - Too bad.
Do you know what this is about? The King's son-in-law.
I just left the King's chambers.
You will not be allowed to see him.
I still must.
Your Highness.
I may not be the best Daedaero,
but I am still the King's subject.
If you have a command, please call on me at any time.
He said no one is allowed in.
Step aside.
Your Highness.
Father, it is Pyeonggang. Do you hear me, Father?
What is this about? A royal wedding?
I will never become a member of the Gyeru Tribe.
Father! Please rescind your command!
Father!
Let go of me!
- Your Highness. - Do not touch me.
Why are you doing this, Your Highness?
It is cold. Come to Magnolia Hall.
- Leave me be. - Your Highness.
Oh, dear...
What is the problem?
Do you truly have no idea?
Did you not say so yourself that...
you would gain the Princess' favor and make her yours?
I gave you an opportunity. You should be grateful.
This is an arranged marriage.
How am I to be grateful?
I refuse to be manipulated.
Whether it is for riches,
the want of power,
or maybe even one's good looks,
every marriage in the world is about manipulation.
Taming the Princess with this marriage is good enough for me.
But...
what is it that you truly want?
Without my permission,
you will not marry into the Gyeru Tribe.
Your Highness. The Crown Prince is here.
Pyeonggang. Get up. You might faint.
Pyeonggang.
Go Won Pyo.
I will not forgive you.
The Princess may try to fight,
but she will not be able to go against the royal wedding.
If Gochuga becomes in-laws with the King,
he will become even more powerful.
Do not worry.
I know he will...
take Prince Geon Mu's side, not the crown prince.
You do not think the rumor going around the palace...
is true, do you?
Gochuga and the late Queen Yeon...
- had a special... - Father!
The time is out of joint.
Be mindful of your conduct.
I hear the Five Tribe council is choosing the King's son-in-law.
No matter how many sons of noble there are,
they will end up choosing General Go.
I hear General Go will not accede to becoming king's son-in-law.
My goodness. Your Highness.
What are you all waiting for? Take her back to her chamber.
Your Highness. Wake up, Your Highness.
Taming the Princess with this marriage is good enough for me.
But...
what is it that you truly want?
Notify Jangbaek herb store...
of my sister's condition and tell them to send medicines.
Pardon? But...
Lord Hae and his daughter are put on probation.
She is the best one in Goguryeo when it comes to handling herbs.
I will give you permission as a crown princess.
So send someone right away.
Yes, Your Highness.
Hang in there, Pyeonggang.
We need to stop the royal wedding.
But when Gochuga mentioned it, you said it was a clever move.
Why the sudden change in thought?
Gochuga already has control over the state affairs.
If he takes the princess as his daughter-in-law...
and seizes control of the royal household,
the Sono Tribe,
as well as the Gwanno Tribe will become their servants.
Power is like water.
Once it becomes stagnant, it will rot away.
We will need to come up with an idea...
to defend ourselves against Gochuga's arbitrary executions.
Quietly and secretly.
My Lord, someone came looking for you from Magnolia Hall.
Magnolia Hall? Are you saying the princess is looking for Mo Yong?
Yes, My Lord.
We need to lower her fever first.
We will help her recover her cold as we watch her condition,
but first, please bring me some warm water and a bowl.
Yes, I will.
Father...
Please...
do not turn away from me.
Father...
- Welcome back! - You guys are back.
I thought you went to get some groceries, but it took you so long!
It must have been a lot of work. Put them here.
My gosh, what is this? It is salt!
Where is Dal?
I have no idea.
- Where are you going? - Just stay here.
Did something happen at the Capital?
Not at all.
We had nothing much to do there, so we were really bored.
- You must be Pung Gae. - Yes, I am here.
Oh, I brought some salt.
Why did you come alone? Where is Dal?
There were some leathers left to sell.
How dare you lie to me?
He could not go hunting,
so there is no leather to sell at all.
- Well... - Where is Dal?
What is he up to right now? Tell me everything.
LOOKING FOR CANDIDATES TO BECOME THE KING'S SON-IN-LAW
Who will become the King's son-in-law?
I am sure all the sons of noble will apply for it.
Nonetheless, the best one among them is General Go Geon.
Are you kidding me?
The Five Tribe council needs to evaluate them.
Does that mean Gochuga will evaluate his own son?
You are right. Then it would not be fair.
Are you up, Your Highness?
What are you doing here?
Did Nanny call you?
Lady Gongson went to decoct the herbs.
You will get better soon if you take the medicine for a day or two.
I hope you will get better soon, Your Highness.
I will leave now.
Mo Yong.
Yes, Your Highness.
All your hard work will go in vain.
You are a criminal who violated the law, no matter what you do.
That is why I understand how you feel more than anyone.
I committed a crime under duress.
And you have to get married against your will.
We are undergoing the same thing.
Are you saying you committed the crime because of Gochuga?
He has absolute power.
Who would dare to go against him?
If you cannot win, then run away from him, Your Highness.
No, I am not going anywhere.
If I were to run away because of such a small matter,
I would not have come back.
I am sure Dal is going to cause trouble!
Before he does,
we need to do something, Chief.
He is not someone to act rashly.
Pung Gae said he saw him too!
The face of our nemesis of the Gyeru Tribe!
Is that not true, Pung Gae?
On top of that, that lady is going to get married.
So Dal must not be in his right mind.
If what you are saying is true,
we do not have any good ways to stop him.
We need to bring him back here even if we have to drag him.
Calm down.
Let us trust Dal and patiently wait until he comes back.
My goodness. This is why I told him not to go to the mountain...
nor the Capital. Forget it, then.
I told him this so many times,
- but there is nothing I can do. - Here, grab this.
Who is he?
He is Ga Jin's father.
The father of that fox who seduced my Dal?
You are quite harsh.
Do you expect me to say nice things then?
How poorly did you raise your daughter...
that she is causing trouble wherever she goes?
What is wrong with my daughter?
She is shrewd, and she has a heart of gold.
Then why did a good-hearted daughter of yours seduce my son?
"Seduce"?
My gosh. Your son is the one who fell head over heels for her.
You old fogey. How dare you babble on about my son?
"Old fogey"? Look at this old fart.
- I called you old because you are! - Yeom Deuk! Please calm down!
- Darn you! Darn you! - You think you are young?
- Darn you, you old fogey! - Darn you!
- Darn it. Darn you! - Educate your daughter properly!
What is wrong with them?
I hear Ga Jin is getting married.
"Married"? That means there will be a royal wedding.
Then what about Dal?
That is what I am saying.
So I do not think those two will become in-laws.
My goodness.
I have a favor to ask.
I have something to tell you too.
Come on in.
Do not worry.
Without my permission,
you will not marry into the Gyeru Tribe.
Are you not satisfied with your spouse?
I thought you were not feeling well.
When you have too many thoughts, you need to move.
My fever broke though.
Why do you not teach me a move?
I will no longer...
be your master of swordsmanship.
From now,
I will be your husband, Your Highness.
What did you just say?
Please marry me.
I will always be...
on your side no matter what.
Our parents might be ill-fated,
but we are different.
If we come together as one, we can change Goguryeo...
and make a better world.
I will pretend I did not hear what you just said.
It is a marriage of convenience.
That is right. I know the deep resentment you have...
against my father.
But there is no one else...
who knows you better than I do.
That is because I have been watching you...
and loving you for a long time.
I will protect you...
without a change of heart.
Please accept...
my proposal.
I am sorry.
Even if it is not a marriage of convenience,
I cannot accept your feelings.
I will take care of my father.
I will stop him from defaming you...
- and the King. - This is not about that.
I already have someone else...
in my heart.
My heart has been telling me...
that he is the one for a while.
If I do not see him, I feel worried.
When I see him, I feel bad for him.
You have feelings...
for that mere country bumpkin?
That is right.
He is my man.
He is the one whom I will share my fate with.
I will never...
give up on you.
You are willing to marry the princess?
- Is that what you are saying? - Yes.
Please proceed with the royal wedding quickly.
Why did you change your mind?
Even yesterday, you seemed not to want it.
If...
there is someone I strongly desire,
I must have her...
even if that means I have to use force.
That is what I realized.
Even if the princess refuses until the end?
She will eventually become mine.
RIVER WHERE THE MOON RISES
We need to make a dress for your wedding.
The wedding where the bride is bartered is not a joyous occasion.
We do not need any more misfortune in the royal family.
Help me. We will stop the Gyeru Tribe from abusing their power,
and I will punish Go Won Pyo in the end.
You are actually the son of On Hyeop?
On Hyeop, you are tormenting me even after your death?
You ended up bringing disgrace on your father!
You are no longer my daughter.
Royal wedding and marriage of convenience are all over.
What do you mean it is over?
I will kill anyone who gets in my way and the princess!
I am sorry.
I can track it down, whether it is a lie or not.
Chil Gu?
This is the only way I can avoid the royal wedding.
Please forgive your father.
Father.
He is my husband.
We got married.
He was the general of Goguryeo.
He was a commander.
I am the son of General On Hyeop, the 17th chief of the Sunno Tribe,
My name is On Dal.