(Royal Secret Agent)
(Episode 12)
Here is the headsman!
Execute the punishment!
Yes, sir!
Off with her head now!
Yes, sir.
Father, Mother, forgive me for I have failed you.
I cannot do it.
What is wrong with him?
Sir.
Lord Seong, what are you doing here?
Did I not tell you?
That we would meet again soon?
What? They are...!
What are you waiting for? Apprehend them!
Get them!
Do you think you can get away with this?
Don't come! Don't! I'll kill you!
Order your men to drop their weapons.
What are you doing?
Now!
Everyone!
Drop your weapons.
Drop them.
Drop them!
Don't come!
Don't come! Don't pick them up!
Don't come near!
Out of our way!
Drop your weapons now!
Let go of me!
Didn't he tell you to drop that?
So stubborn.
Check if the guards are coming.
Yes, sir.
Where is the evidence?
Evidence?
The evidence to prove that Prince Hwiyeong was not a traitor.
Oh, I see. Is that what you were looking for?
I do not know.
Dain.
If you refuse to tell us,
I will take your head and use that as proof.
Dain, do you wish to get blood on your hands?
This man killed my father.
Father?
Are you saying you are Prince Hwiyeong's daughter?
Yes.
I am Prince Hwiyeong's daughter.
What do you mean? I...
I didn't do anything.
That is your crime.
You knew Prince Hwiyeong was innocent,
but you did nothing and turned a blind eye.
So do not remain silent any longer.
There are about ten guards transporting the cart.
I heard they have archers this time.
There are two archers,
and the rest of them have swords.
You must cover us.
I will.
We will be counting on you.
They will arrive soon.
Let us get ready.
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Do you remember what I told you?
We cannot take people's lives.
You have my word.
Do you plan on keeping your mouth shut?
I did not know that Prince Hwiyeong would die like that.
Where is the evidence my father left?
Sir, the guards are coming.
We must leave.
Tell us where the evidence is.
Now!
I sent it to Hyemisa along with the rice offering.
It is on its way there now.
Tell me what my father left.
Lady Dain, we must leave now!
You stay here.
What do you mean?
You suffered an ordeal, so you should recuperate.
I am going with you.
Lady Dain, do as Lord Igyeom says.
You might get in their way.
What?
Sir, I will look after Lady Dain.
Don't worry about her.
Look after Dain.
I will.
Let us meet at the village shrine where we stayed the other night.
Yes, Lord Seong.
What about me?
You come with me.
I will get the evidence.
Look after yourself.
Sir? Sir.
Sir.
Are you all right?
They went after the rice offering.
Go and apprehend them this instant!
Yes, my lord.
Everyone, come with me! Now!
We will get them! We will!
Who are you?
Stop them!
Look who this is.
Aren't you Bae?
Bae?
I am so glad to see you.
No, no!
Is this filled with gold and jewels or something?
Take everything but spare my life.
You filthy beast!
You gave me your word.
You want us to spare him?
You do not know the atrocities he has committed.
I do.
You do?
Help!
Do you know how many people suffered because of that man?
He must die in order to save many lives.
Tie these men.
Help! Please help me!
Help me! Help me!
Isn't that the fox?
You are the royal agent.
What is it?
Something terrible happened.
A gang of robbers stole the rice offering
and is now after my life. Help me!
Sir, over there.
They are the ones who stole the rice offering.
You! This is the royal secret agent.
His father and mother must also be robbers.
We must apprehend them all and execute three generations of them.
Come here.
You! Take the sword of justice!
- Oh, come here. - You!
Igyeom.
Have you turned to robbery again?
I am only trying to return them to the original owners.
That is still an excuse.
I do not care for your preaching.
On the cart your men stole
is something that may save many lives.
What is it?
I have not seen it.
I heard the governor sent it with the rice offering.
Over here!
Sir.
The guards are coming.
We must go.
Do not follow us.
Let us go.
Yes.
We must leave.
Let us go.
Come.
Lord Seong.
What happened?
Did you find the evidence?
Lady Dain, well,
robbers attacked them and took the whole cart.
They're robbers. They didn't care what was in the cart.
Let us come up with a plan to get that evidence.
Are you hurt?
I am fine.
That is all that matters.
I will return to Hanyang and report what happened to His Majesty.
You must. I am relying on you.
Who knows what kind of trickery Lord Kim Manhui used in the palace?
Even with my testimony, it will be difficult to change the situation.
I know.
I will get the evidence and return to Hanyang as quickly as possible,
so buy me some time.
I will.
Look after yourself, Lord Choi.
I will.
Let us open that.
What is that?
I thought there would be gold inside.
This used to belong to the governor,
so it might be a valuable antique.
On the cart your men stole
is something that may save many lives.
What will you do with that?
I will find a fence and have this appraised.
Let me take care of that.
You have only arrived recently,
and you lack connections.
Take the rest inside.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
Must we sell that?
To raise funds, I have no choice.
Funds?
How long do you think that rice will last when we start feeding the hungry?
Having a cart of rice doesn't solve our problem.
We must get to the root of it.
There will be a revolt.
A revolt?
Are you going to start a revolution?
You may leave if you wish.
There's enough rice for you to take back to your village.
Sunae.
Haven't I told you the master potter's funeral was today?
I had to do something.
He took us under his wing even though we were outsiders.
And he passed away, so what could be more important than that?
I am sorry.
Why are you trying to deceive me?
Be honest with me.
Did you not say you wish to settle down here?
Did you not say you wish to lead a normal life?
I did, and that is why I tried to protect you and the people here.
Does that mean...
I was enraged because I felt I was responsible for his death.
So I could no longer just sit and watch.
Was that the only way?
I am sorry for deceiving you.
Then what should I do for you?
Would you continue to stay by my side?
Yes, I will.
Darn it.
Oh, nice.
You should sleep more comfortably.
I have too much on my mind to sleep comfortably.
You did everything you could today.
Thank you...
For returning alive.
Thank you, too...
For being alive.
What are you staring at?
It feels like a dream.
Is this a dream or reality?
Check for yourself.
My lady, no!
What?
So this is not a dream.
I met Ibeom this afternoon.
Ibeom? Your younger brother?
Yes.
It was Ibeom who took the rice.
I will start searching for Ibeom tomorrow.
What?
Jeonju is a big city. How will you find him?
Ibeom would never let all that rice sit in storage.
He will give it to people.
Is anyone there?
Bring me some water.
You!
You must've not done your job properly.
Or else why would the royal agent come back here?
Where is he?
I do not know.
Where is the evidence Prince Hwiyeong left?
You came too late.
The robbers have it.
The robbers?
That means...
You are no longer useful.
Wait!
Your Majesty, Seonjeonkwan Kim Manhui arrived.
Your Majesty!
Where is the royal secret agent?
Your Majesty, sentence me to death for I have failed you.
How have you failed me?
Tell me what happened.
Royal Secret Agent Seong Igyeom took his own life while being transported.
Why did the royal secret agent take his own life?
I am afraid that he colluded with a fellow traitor Hong Dain,
and attempted to assassinate Kim Myeongse, the governor of Jeolla-do.
When his crime was revealed, he took his own life.
The royal agent tried to assassinate a governor?
That is ludicrous!
Your Majesty, you must look into this matter.
The royal agent would never take his own life.
Before he died, the royal agent said
it was Chief Royal Secretary Jang who gave him the order.
I am being framed, Your Majesty!
This is the statement the royal agent wrote.
Take Chief Royal Secretary Jang Taeseung to the Royal Inspector's Office prison.
Good job.
It was nothing.
When this is over, I will find a place in the Ministry of War
just as you have always wished.
Thank you, Father.
However, the assistant royal guard is nowhere to be seen.
His Majesty must have given him an order.
When he returns to Hanyang,
you must find out what he learned before anyone else.
Yes, Father.
Lord Kim, are you awake?
Lord Kim, are you still asleep?
Lord Kim.
You should have been kinder to people.
Farewell.
I must look after myself.
Lord Seong, this is peculiar.
There are no guards patrolling the city.
She's right. We raised such havoc. It shouldn't be this quiet.
Stop, stop.
Oh, I recognize you!
Where do you think you're going?
What are you doing?
Since you are trying to flee, you must have stolen that.
No, I did not steal this.
Yes, you did. Give me that.
Give that to me.
Where did you get this rice?
Thank you.
They gave me the rice.
Thank you.
Enjoy.
Sir, Lord Ibeom is not here.
He must be the leader.
Thank you.
Gapsik, hand out the rest.
Yes, sir.
See you later.
This way, please.
Lord Seong, what should we do?
Let us follow him.
Chunsam, find out what is happening in the city.
I am suspicious because it is too quiet.
Yes, sir.
Take it.
What are you doing?
What do you think? I must get in there.
You do not even know what the evidence is.
You think he'll just hand over what he stole if you ask him?
Do you have another idea?
Wait, that man is...
Why? Do you know him?
What took you so long?
Tell Bae he owes me a drink.
He is the man who bought the rice offering from Bae.
What?
He did? That means...
The robbers must be planning on making a deal with him.
Boss!
He is the merchant who wants to buy rice.
I heard you have a large quantity of rice.
Rice is so hard to find these days.
How and where did you get it?
That is not your concern.
Who cares about that?
I only care about this.
Let us make a deal.
Who are you? Out of my way.
Let us talk.
What?
You just left the forge, did you not?
I only asked to talk.
Wait, wait.
What is it you want?
Did you buy the rice offering in there just now?
Are you from the government office?
All I did...
All I did was get an introduction.
I saw no rice offering.
Is that truly all?
Good. Meet me at noon tomorrow
at the shed located near the town entrance.
Wait.
Do you also buy something like this?
I buy anything that will sell.
Is this an antique?
It looks pretty nice, but it is barely a decade old.
Take a closer look.
It was with the rice offering for Buddha, so it is no ordinary statue.
Rice offering for Buddha?
Does that mean you rice belonged to the governor?
So I reduced the price of the rice.
What about that Buddha statue?
Did you not buy it?
Unless there was a jewel on the forehead,
it was just an ordinary wooden Buddha statue to me.
It is of no value.
May I go now?
Go.
Come.
The Buddha statue must be the evidence.
Why don't we buy it then?
What?
Yes.
What is so suspicious about this? There is nothing going on.
These are new pots we made yesterday.
That voice sounds familiar.
We only have one of that. You can come back tomorrow for more.
Lady Sunae?
I will take over, so you should go home.
You need to go and eat.
We will go home then.
Where is she going?
This is really strange.
The guards who patrol the city have all disappeared,
but there are more men guarding the provincial office.
Maybe...
What is your business?
Step back.
Is the royal secret agent inside?
Royal secret agent?
I heard a royal agent came to Jeonju.
I must speak to him about a wrongdoing so please let me inside.
That is old news.
He has already left.
He left?
A seonjeonkwan came from Hanyang and took him.
Dain.
Dain?
Stop calling my name like that.
There are people watching us.
Then what should I call you?
I am the merchant and you are my servant,
so you should call me "my lady."
My lady?
Why do I have to be your servant?
People are looking at me.
Lord Seong, they are not looking at you.
They are looking at me.
What the...
What are you doing?
As a servant, I must protect the lady I serve, no?
Come, Maldong.
Boss!
We have a customer.
Is there something you are looking for?
Did the monk really say it was here?
What?
Maldong.
Oh, yes, my lady.
Who are you?
I am Hong Dain, a merchant from Gimje.
I am here to see the Buddha statue.
What Buddha statue?
Merchant Kwon told me
that you are selling a wooden Buddha statue.
Why are you looking for something of such little value?
Because that is priceless.
It is not just any Buddha statue. It was my family's Goddess of Mercy.
My family was robbed several years ago,
and along with our fortune, the statue disappeared.
My parents fell ill from shock.
I became a merchant in hopes of finding the statue.
It was my parents' dying wish.
Maldong, do you remember?
Take a look. Is this the right one?
Oh, Goddess of Mercy, you've been here.
Father, Mother, I finally found her.
Goddess, let me bow to you.
Goddess.
Wow, Honglang.
I do not care what your story is.
Please leave.
Boss.
How much do you want?
I will pay any amount.
Wait.
100 coins.
No.
200 coins.
No, thank you.
How about 500?
500?
I will take your silence as an acceptance.
I will return tomorrow.
Come, Maldong.
My lady!
Boss!
How lucky we are!
What is going on here?
What are you doing?
What am I doing? I am just passing by.
What? What?
I said I was just passing by.
Let me pass by.
Tell me. Who sent you?
What?
Was it Bae?
Bae? That's nonsense.
Take him.
I will beat the answer out of him.
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Three against one is not fair. Let go of me.
Boss!
Why do you look exhausted?
I am coming from the temple.
Boss Jeon ordered me to get information on that Buddha statue.
Really? What did they say?
They said the statue was made under the order of the governor.
500 coins?
I cannot understand you.
You said you are worth 200 at the courtesan house.
How...
How could you offer 500 coins?
I am sorry, Lord Seong.
I was so deep in character that I...
But take a look at this.
If I do this, just like this.
If I cover the dirt with coins this way, ta-da!
What do you think? Perfect, no?
Stop it.
Would you fall for this?
Then what do we do?
Should we ask for a small discount?
A small one.
Oh, geez.
Where is Chunsam?
I am doomed.
Stop that!
What are we going to do?
Help me.
Who are you?
Are you Bae Muryeong?
Get away from me.
Are you the one who saw the robbers last?
Yes.
Did they take the governor's belonging?
Yes.
Do you know where those robbers went?
I do not.
If you follow the stolen goods, you may be able to catch them.
Follow the goods?
Continue.
The robbers would sell the goods to a rich merchant.
How do you know that?
Because I did the same.
Take me to him.
Will you kill me afterward?
Are you the assistant royal guard?
Chief Royal Secretary Jang wants to see you urgently.
He does?
Yes.
This way.
Where are you taking me?
This is not the road to his house.
We are here.
Where are we...
You...
Are you coming back from Jeonju?
What are you doing?
What did His Majesty order you to do?
You have lost lots of blood.
Do you wish to die?
His Majesty ordered me to bring the royal secret agent.
He did?
Where is the royal secret agent? Why did you return alone?
The royal secret agent died.
How do you know that?
I saw his dead body at the bottom of a cliff
with my own eyes.
Chief State Councilor!
No, no.
I was concerned for my old friend and came to see you,
so why do you look so upset?
Ten years ago,
it was you who reported that Prince Hwiyeong was plotting
to take over the throne.
As a member of the royal family, Prince Hwiyeong
raised a private army which was forbidden by law.
Now that the effect has worn off, are you trying to use me as a scapegoat?
And for that traitor, you forged a royal command and sent the royal agent.
Do you think the power you took with those bloody hands
will pass down to your descendants forever?
I do admire your spirit,
although it will wither away once the interrogation begins tomorrow.
Do not waste your energy and get some sleep.
Torture is not going to be easy to bare.
Seong Ibeom!
I need you to check someone.
What do you mean?
We caught someone spying on our village, and he gave us your name.
This is nothing to Park Chunsam, a member of the royal agent's entourage.
Chunsam.
Lord Ibeom!
I do know him.
How did you know to come here?
I saw Lady Sunae at the market and followed her here.
Where is my brother?
I went to the provincial office and heard that the royal agent was sent to Hanyang.
It is a long story.
Anyhow, Lord Igyeom came here because of something very important.
Is it about the Buddha statue in the box?
What? It was a Buddha statue?
How can that save many lives?
I do not know, but Lord Igyeom's life also depends on it.
Chunsam, go and tell my brother that I will get the Buddha statue for him.
What?
How?
How dare he spend the night somewhere else without my permission?
He better return safely or else!
Chunsam.
Lady Dain!
Sir!
You!
Where did you get beaten up like this?
Sir!
Where? Tell me where!
Lord Seong, stop.
Look at your face!
I ran into Lord Ibeom!
What?
He said he will get the evidence for us.
Is that true?
Yes, we are to meet him at two at the broad rock on Hwasan-gil.
That is great, Lord Seong.
We should go now.
Both of you stay here.
What?
I will go alone.
Sir...
Lord Ibeom.
I heard the mood inside the city walls is very unusual these days.
Please be careful.
Do not worry. I will be fine.
Stay with her.
Something might happen here.
I will.
Are those the men we are doing business with today?
I am sure they said noon.
Here we are.
Why did you come early?
It just worked out like that.
Where is it?
It is inside. Would you like to see it?
Wow, how much is all this?
What are you doing?
Where is the evidence?
You!
How dare you deceive me?
Deceive you? What do you mean?
Rice is not what I am looking for.
Rice...
Wait, are you talking about the Buddha statue?
What Buddha statue?
You said you were looking for the governor's belonging,
so I thought you meant rice.
Who knew you were talking about that cheap Buddha statue?
Why is everyone so interested in that?
Did someone else ask about this?
Boss Ibeom did.
Seong Ibeom?
When he heard about this statue, he asked a few questions,
and his face turned very serious.
Boss, boss, boss, boss!
As you told me,
I asked around about the merchant from Gimje,
but no one has heard the name Hong Dain.
Really? So it was all a lie?
The deal is to happen at noon, right?
Yes.
Let us go to the shed.
Fellows!
Boss...
Who was it? Who did this?
The Buddha statue,
it was about the Buddha statue.
I am here to see the Buddha statue.
Let me take care of that.
Were they all in it together?
Gapsik, fetch a doctor and have him treat them.
Yes, sir.
Boss!
Seong Ibeom, where is Seong Ibeom?
What? He just left.
To do what?
He said he was going to meet his older brother.
They are meeting at two at the broad rock on Hwasan-gil.
Boss!
What is taking him so long?
Lady Dain, it has barely been thirty minutes.
I can't do this.
Lady Dain, where are you going?
You cannot go!
Let go of me.
What did Lord Igyeom say?
He said to wait here and do nothing.
I did nothing for ten years.
So how could I do that any longer?
This is crazy.
Lady Dain! Lady Dain!
Igyeom.
Ibeom.
This is what you were looking for.
Thank you.
What is happening to you?
Well, it all began after I became a royal agent.
How about you? What are you up to?
I could not sit and watch the wrongdoings of corrupt officials.
Do not get involved anymore.
I will try to find the solution for the problem.
You do your job.
I will do mine.
You always refuse to listen to me.
I will go now.
That Buddha statue, I think there is something special it.
Look at the bottom of the statue.
I knew something was going on.
Is he your older brother?
He is.
Your fellow men were attacked by him.
What do you mean?
You attacked them because you could not find that statue.
That cannot be true.
He is a royal secret agent.
Yesterday he was a servant, and now he is a royal secret agent?
You cannot fool me anymore!
What are you doing? Lower your sword!
Traitor.
I did not harm anyone.
I only wanted what was inside this.
How can I trust you?
Many men are after it.
I assume it was the assassin who is after my life.
Had I been willing to harm people to get this Buddha statue,
I would not have disguised myself and paid you a visit yesterday.
There was only a letter.
A letter?
What importance does it have?
It can correct the wrong.
It can drive the lying corrupt officials out of the government.
Is that really possible?
I will make that possible.
I am a royal secret agent.
Trust me.
Can I trust him?
You can trust him.
Take it.
This is what you were looking for.
Your word...
You must keep your word.
I will.
What will you do now?
I must return to where I belong.
Let us go.
Ibeom.
Please...
Please look after yourself.