(Royal Secret Agent)
(Kim Myungsoo)
(Kwon Nara)
(Lee Yikyung)
(Son Byeongho, An Naesang)
(Lee Taehwan, Jo Soomin)
(Royal Secret Agent)
Is anyone home?
Anyone home?
Ibeom.
Is anyone home?
What is it?
He needs urgent care.
Come in.
Hurry.
Are you planning on facing them?
Yes.
You are foolish. This will slightly hurt.
What do you...
That way!
What are you waiting for? The rest of them went that way.
Stop standing around and go!
Do you want them to get away?
After them!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Hand him over to us.
We will take him.
Ibeom, now.
That hurt very much, not slightly.
Let us move them.
Doctor, please save him.
How is he?
I am dying without realizing my goal,
and it enrages me.
Gyesu.
I was my own master.
So you must, too, become your own master.
I will.
And...
For those without power...
- Boss! - Boss!
Ibeom.
I should have killed Byeon Haksu.
He asked Hanyang to send soldiers.
Had you killed him,
instead of being a criminal, he would have become a righteous man,
and Jeonju would've become completely ruined.
A righteous man?
A world where a man who imprisons the innocent
and uses their lives to apprehend robbers is named righteous
is a world that is in disorder, is it not?
Was it truly to right the wrong?
Then the first step should've been to reveal Byeon Haksu's crimes.
Judgment comes after that!
I am not interested in judgment!
A truly righteous man just lost his life.
And soon enough, those who are in prison
will lose their lives at the hands of Byeon Haksu.
I will not let that be.
You saved Byeon Haksu's life, so you must keep your word.
If people lose their lives,
you will pay for it with your own.
Are you saying you will kill me?
You are a royal secret agent, so let's try to prevent that from happening.
Before I am a royal secret agent, I am your older brother.
Pay for it with my life?
How can my own brother say that?
Chunsam, what if something happened to Lord Seong?
Right? Chunsam...
How dare you!
Hey!
Oh no!
Chunsam! Park Chunsam!
What? Why am I lying on my back?
What?
What happened?
How dare you.
Lord Seong may be in deep trouble, so how could you fall asleep? How?
Sleep? I was deep in thought! I was!
Geez, you should wipe the drool off your chin first.
Lord Seong.
Are you hurt?
I am fine.
Sir, what took you so long?
I couldn't sleep because I was worried about you.
How did everything go?
Why don't we go inside first?
Yes.
What kind of a governor would kill innocent people
just to apprehend the robbers?
It must be an empty threat.
Perhaps it was at first, but the situation has changed.
He almost lost his life to the robbers he wished to apprehend,
so he might try to get revenge.
That's true. He must be furious.
Even he won't be able to execute all those people.
If he does or already did,
people near the provincial office must have heard something.
We will go and find out what is going on at the provincial office.
Yes, sir.
How could you take all those men and fail to apprehend even one robber?
Please forgive me.
Lord Byeon, give us more time.
Jeonju is in the palm of my hand, so if anything...
Seong Ibeom held his sword against my neck
just around the corner from my provincial office!
I will give you three days.
If you fail to apprehend them within that time,
I will have your heads.
- Yes, Lord Byeon. - Yes, Lord Byeon.
Pardon me, Court Lady Kim.
Yes!
Lord Jang.
Did I startle you?
No, Lord Jang.
How is Dain, I mean, Yeongsin doing?
What?
Oh, Lady Yeongsin?
She is wonderful.
She has become a true lady from a prominent family.
I was planning on paying her a visit tonight.
What?
Tonight?
What is it?
Is everything okay?
Well, actually...
Lady Yeongsin has...
She has developed a large boil on her behind.
A boil?
Oh, geez. Has a doctor seen her?
I must see her this instant.
No!
No?
Because of the location of the boil, she has ordered to decline all visitors.
I have raised her since she was a child, so there is no need to be ashamed.
Lord Jang!
Actually, Lady Yeongsin...
Has fallen ill with a disease.
A disease?
Yes, her entire body is covered with rashes,
and the doctor forbade any visitors.
Dain is ill with a disease,
and you expect me to turn a blind eye?
I must go and see her this instant.
Lord Jang!
Tell me the truth.
Did Yeongsin get into trouble again?
Actually...
She is gone? What do you mean?
It is all my fault.
I should have looked into her.
Her wedding is approaching, so where did she go?
I feel dreadful to say this, but she rejected the marriage proposal.
She rejected it? For what reason?
Her heart belongs to someone else.
She left because of him?
She did.
I knew she was strong-willed, but this was unexpected.
So who is the man that has her heart?
I am not certain, but knowing her nature, it cannot be just anyone.
He must be a trustworthy man, so do not be concerned.
What kind of a trustworthy man lets a woman leave her home?
I must see who he is with my own eyes.
Send someone to find Yeongsin.
Assistant Royal Guard Choi.
How do you feel?
Thanks to you, I have recovered fully.
I am as strong as an ox.
I will not go down that easily.
I am glad to hear.
Assistant, I mean, Section Chief Seong, how is he?
This is only for you.
He has gone on a secret mission.
Again?
Yes, but the problem is...
That Yeongsin has gone with him again.
So I was thinking...
What is the matter?
Actually, I may look perfectly well on the outside,
but the inside is a different story.
Are you all right?
I will be, in time. Please excuse me.
It is a royal command.
It is a special mission His Majesty has given you.
A special mission?
Please look after Yeongsin.
Yes, Lord Jang.
Your Majesty.
Rest in peace.
He must die in order to save many lives.
We are standing at the edge of a cliff.
We must choose between jumping off or turning around and fight.
Which will you choose?
Send letters to inform of Jeon Gyesu's passing.
Her fever is very high.
When did this start?
It started last night.
Had we been in the village, I could have taken her to a doctor.
Where are her parents?
Her mom was taken by the provincial office guards,
and her father was...
I will take her to a doctor.
You cannot go alone.
Can you help her?
Be careful.
I will.
Come to think of it, you said one of them was struck with a sword, did you not?
I did.
You go to the pottery village and look for their trace.
I will check another place.
Yes, Lord Bae.
This is from prolonged exposure to cold, so do not be concerned.
Thank you.
I do not know how to repay you.
It is nothing.
In hard times like this, we must help each other.
I do not wish to see another life lost.
Did something happen last night?
Well...
Do you remember the men who gave rice to people in the back alley?
The men who robbed the rice offering from the governor?
The leader of those men died.
Is that true?
Well...
Come out!
Did you hear about the attack on the governor last night?
Be it misfortune or fortune, Lord Byeon was not hurt,
but one of the robbers was.
So I was wondering...
If anyone who was struck with a sword came to see you.
There was no one.
Is that so?
But there's something odd.
This place is reeking of blood.
Stay here. I will go out.
We can pretend like we are patients.
If they recognize me, everyone will be in danger.
If they ask you about me, tell them you do not know me.
In that case, can we look around?
Thank you for treating me, Doctor.
Wait!
Have we met before?
Pardon me?
No, we have not.
Is that so?
You may go.
Yes, sir.
Lord Ibeom!
She is...
Apprehend them all!
You!
I finally found you.
May I ask you something?
Has there been an execution announcement?
Execution?
Well, I have not heard of any.
Hey.
Sir, isn't that Bae?
How can a treacherous man like him still work at the provincial office?
Lord Seong.
Lady Sunae.
Lord Byeon!
Did you apprehend them?
Yes, I apprehended a girl.
What? You took all the guards and apprehended a girl?
The girl is...
I ordered you to apprehend Seong Ibeom, not to apprehend a measly girl!
I will torture her and find out where Seong Ibeom is.
If torturing a girl could do the job, we could have already done it.
We have many of them in prison.
It will only lower the price, so do not try anything useless
and hand all of them over to the merchant.
Yes, Lord Byeon.
Seong Ibeom.
You must know.
What are you talking about?
Tell me, where are the robbers?
Who are you calling robbers?
Is it because you are in league with the robbers?
You are brazen.
You left the village in ruins, so who could have stayed?
Everyone has left.
Lord Bae.
We have searched the whole village, but no one was there.
Take her and lock her up!
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Merchant Jang and his men will arrive through the back gate later,
so sell everyone, including her.
Yes, Lord Bae.
Follow me.
Come.
Yes, sir.
Hey!
I am coming, sir!
What took you so long?
Out of my way!
What is this?
Show me to your room.
What?
What brings you here, sir?
That is what I wish to ask.
How can a corrupt man like you still be working at the provincial office?
You are too harsh.
The painting on the wall is Gyeomjae's Geumgangsan.
Lord Seong, look at this.
What is that, Lady Yeongsin?
This is a painting of Geumgangsan by Gyeomjae.
It was hanging in the office of the former governor.
What is the former governor's painting doing here?
I'm curious too.
Why is such a valuable painting hanging here?
Could it be...
How dare you!
Are you implying I stole it?
I have not said anything.
The guilty always flinches.
The governor is busy trying to apprehend the robbers,
but the true robber was right next to him.
Lord Seong, I am innocent!
I was only keeping it safe for the time being.
Please believe me.
Sir, why listen to a treacherous man like him?
Let us bury him.
- What? - He will dig his own grave.
Should we?
Oh, Lord Seong, please spare me!
Do you want to live?
Answer my questions.
I heard that the people associated with the robbers have been imprisoned.
Is the governor truly planning to execute them?
Well...
Chunsam, fetch the shovel.
- Yes, sir. - Don't!
They were sent to the slave market.
Slave market?
There is a market where they trade slaves not far from here.
Does that mean he turned them into slaves and sold them?
Yes.
Lord Seong, that must be why they only took women.
Women are more valuable.
Is that true?
Yes.
Did you also sell the woman you apprehended this afternoon?
That pretty girl?
I also sold her.
Where is the market?
I do not know. I have told you everything I know.
You!
Sir, do you remember the house we spent one night before arriving in Jeonju?
That widow said she wished to sell us to the slave market.
What?
Get inside!
Get in.
Is anyone home?
Who is it?
I am a traveler. May I spend the night here?
I have a guest who arrived earlier.
Do you mind sharing the room with him?
I do not.
It is this room.
May I join you?
He is sound asleep, clueless of his fate.
Wake up. Wake up.
Wake up.
Wake up!
Assistant Royal Guard Choi?
What?
This is a dream. A dream.
This is not a dream, so wake up.
Yes, it is I.
I have not had guests in a long while.
You may break a few bones, but we must take them and sell them.
Do you understand?
Sir, when should we attack?
Now.
Now?
Stop right there!
Assistant Royal Guard Choi?
We meet again.
Have you fully recovered?
As you can see.
What brings you here?
Are you traveling?
What? How could I be?
You do not look busy,
so would you assist me with apprehending these people?
What? Who are you?
Chunsam.
He is a royal secret agent.
Oh, goodness!
This is the slave market pass the widow told us about.
Is it not illegal to buy and sell slaves at the slave market?
It is an illegal market that is open without the government's permission.
Why do you think they are selling and buying people there?
Because it brings in money.
And even if they die of being abused, no one will raise any issue.
What?
Even if slaves are considered no better than animals,
their lives are not worthless!
Sir, you must announce your appearance tomorrow.
I must find out about the slave market in order to appear as a royal agent.
And we must rescue those who are held there as captives.
Yes.
Well, I am sorry to interrupt,
but you must return to Hanyang with me tomorrow.
What? Royal Assistant Guard Choi,
how could you ask me to return to Hanyang after what you just heard?
But I...
His Majesty ordered...
If you turn a blind eye to the illegal act that is taking place in front of you,
we would be no better than those wicked men outside!
Oh...
I am disappointed in you.
You should have refrained.
I am very disappointed.
Lady Yeongsin!
But I told you it was His Majesty's order.
I really did not wish to come.
Assistant Royal Guard Choi, since you are here, why not join us?
I will persuade Lady Yeongsin to return with you after it is done.
Do you have a plan to save them from the slave market?
I am planning on buying them all.
Sir, this place is no joke. It feels dangerous.
Listen carefully.
As we discussed last night, I will meet the man in charge of the slave market.
I will show interest and check the situation inside.
I will make an offer and buy time by telling them I will bring the money,
and I will return and announce myself as the royal agent.
You may enter.
Lord Seong, over there.
Is there a product you are looking for?
I wish to buy a healthy slave.
Do you want a male slave or a female one?
If they are good, I wish to buy them all.
Everything we have is of fine quality.
Thing? How dare he.
Then I will buy them all.
Pardon me? I do not understand.
I mean I wish to buy every slave here.
Can you afford to do that?
How dare you!
Money is of no issue with my master.
How much will it be?
I don't think that's something I can discuss with you.
I will let the merchant know, so please wait here.
I will.
Thank you.
Jeon Gyesu who strove to save the common people has lost his life.
I plan to punish the greedy and tyrannical governor,
so those who wish to join my cause
shall gather at the Jeonju market on the last day of this month.
Ibeom!
How are things at the hideout?
Sunae was taken by the provincial guards yesterday.
What?
We must get the weapons. Hurry!
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
Did Gyesu prepare all this?
Yes. He said we would need them someday.
Well, Lord Byeon.
What is it?
This is no time to do that.
How dare you tell me what I should and should not be doing?
Oh.
My life depends on this, so I cannot tell him.
It is nothing.
Stop.
What did you say?
Your life depends on it?
Your life depends on me now, so speak.
What is it?
The royal secret agent.
What?
What did you say?
The royal secret agent is here.
Where is the royal secret agent?
He must have gone to the slave market.
Slave market?
How did he know about that?
Seong Igyeom?
Seong Igyeom is here?
Do you know him?
Of course.
Did you also know that Seong Ibeom, the leader of the gang of robbers,
is his half-brother?
Is that true?
Yes, they lived in the area where I was the magistrate.
A royal secret agent and the leader of the gang are brothers.
This is far more interesting than I had thought.
Where is he?
He went to the slave market.
I know the owner.
I have a great plan.
What is it?
Go and apprehend the royal agent.
He colluded with the gang of robbers and involved himself in a rebellion.
His crime deserves being stripped of his position.
I can finally get my revenge.
Are you hurt?
I am fine.
But how is Lord Ibeom?
He is well, so do not be concerned.
I am glad.
Commoners being traded as slaves.
How is this possible?
They forced them to write their own sales document.
Their own?
They were forced to sell themselves?
Yes.
Do you know what happens to those locked up here?
Well...
I heard some people come here to buy someone,
so they can get human gall bladder to use as medicine.
The slaves are not registered with the government,
so even if they are killed, their status cannot be verified.
How can that be?
Be they slaves or commoners,
no one has the right to do that to people.
Those beasts...
I am truly sorry about ending up here.
Do not say that.
There is no need to apologize.
You are the one who deserves an apology.
What happened?
Come with me.
The merchant wishes to meet you.
Pardon me.
Sir.
I will return shortly.
Yes, Lord Igyeom.
He is waiting.
Please go inside.
The merchant enjoys peace and quiet.
There is another room, so you may wait there.
Please go inside.
It is this way.
This way.
Wait.
A servant cannot go there.
Wait outside.
- But I... - Hey!
Yes, sir.
Come, come.
Darn it.
I am no ordinary servant.
You are the youngest son of Vice Minister Seong, the richest man in Gongju?
Yes. You may call me Literary Licentiate Seong.
Why do you need so many slaves, Literary Licentiate Seong?
There is no better asset to a nobleman than slaves.
Gold is splendid to behold, but you must hide it away in your home.
But with slaves, on top of making you money,
they have children and make you even richer,
so they are wonderful, are they not?
They are.
The noblemen appear to be holding Joseon together,
but it is actually the slaves.
The noblemen can only grind ink.
They cannot even plow.
You are correct.
So, how much do you want for all your slaves?
Let me make you a proposal.
Along with the slaves, I will hand you the deed to the slave market
for ten thousand coins.
Ten thousand coins?
I can buy your slaves,
but I do not need the slave market.
I may not appear so, but I am a timid man, so if I am caught...
Do not be concerned.
I have been bribing the sheriff and the governors of this region,
so that will not happen.
Even the governor?
That is correct.
He was recently appointed here, but he has a talent for making money.
He has been supplying me with slaves,
so you will not have trouble making profit.
Open the gate!
Lord Byeon, what brings you here?
- I have urgent business. - What is he doing here?
He is with a guest.
It is important. Go and tell him!
Yes, my lord.
These are the self-wrote slave documents.
They all say they are poor and are selling themselves for their parents and children.
Yes, when you cannot make a living, you must sell yourself.
Sir!
What is it?
I must tell you something.
Come in.
Is that so? I see.
Please excuse me for a short while.
Of course.
What is taking him so long?
Come out. The governor is here.
Does that mean he is onto us?
We must let Lord Seong know.
Let us leave for now.
Yes.
Lord Byeon.
What brings you here?
It must be an urgent business for you to come here in person.
I heard a rather peculiar rumor.
A royal agent is here.
A royal agent? You mean a royal secret agent?
Yes.
He is searching for a girl who is at your slave market,
so you must close the market and take caution.
The royal agent may disguise himself as a customer,
or he may disguise himself as a servant or a merchant.
Does that royal secret agent have big eyes and a sharp nose?
Over there.
Right there.
What do we do?
Let us finish our discussion.
So, will you buy the market for ten thousand coins?
Yes, I will.
Being it a large amount, I need to hire men,
so I will return tomorrow with the money.
Of course.
What is the meaning of this?
So many people always try to con me,
so I can tell just by looking whether or not a person is trying to deceive me.
You are a gifted man, Royal Agent.
Is this the man?
Good work.
I am quite surprised.
You have become a royal secret agent.
I am surprised, too, to learn you have become a governor.
I was wondering why there were so many robbers,
and this was the reason.
They had you looking out for them, so they had nothing to fear.
This could have ended up in the royal agent's hands.
What is this?
They are records of slaves.
Lord Byeon, he came with other men.
What? Where are they?
They are in the main house.
You four go and apprehend them!
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
Come with me.
We must go now.
Sir!
Put down your swords!
Look here.
The royal agent is in a predicament.
You have messed with the wrong man.
We will soon learn which of us messed with the wrong man.
Apprehend them!
Lord Seong!
No! No!
No!
Apprehend them!
Yes, sir!
They are gone.
Sir, how did the governor know who you were?
It was that crafty Bae.
Lord Seong, we do not know what the governor may do.
Chunsam and I will go to the station and bring the station guards,
so you return to Jeonju and prepare to announce yourself.
Your role has ended.
You must return to Hanyang with me.
Assistant Royal Guard Choi,
have you not seen those people locked up at the slave market?
How do you expect me to leave without rescuing them?
You have no choice because it is a royal command.
That darn royal command!
Is that royal command more valuable than people's lives?
Well, the royal command, lives...
He is correct.
Lord Seong.
I should not have gotten you involved.
Return to Hanyang with him tomorrow morning.
Chunsam and I will bring the station guards and save them.
I cannot go.
You return by yourself.
We cannot argue here.
Let us leave.
Lady Yeongsin!
Darn it.
What am I supposed to do with her?
What could you do?
She is not the lady she used to be.
I will convince her to leave, so do not be concerned.
Lady Yeongsin.
Where did she go? It's dangerous.
Lady Yeongsin!
Lord Kim, soon the royal agent will announce himself.
What should I do?
Once he announces himself, I will be stripped of my position
and perhaps death by poison...
You are too timid to be a governor.
Do you have a solution?
If you are afraid of the royal agent, you can stop him from appearing.
What? You mean stop him with soldiers?
But that is against His Majesty's order,
and I will be charged with treason! Don't you know?
You and I cannot undo what has happened.
We are like rats driven into a corner,
so we must either attack or be attacked.
Which would you choose?
I would rather attack.
There will be guards everywhere,
so how do we bring the weapons inside the fortress?
We can bring them in a coffin.
If we report it as a coffin for the dead, they will let us pass.
We will disguise ourselves in different clothing
and enter the fortress separately. Do you understand?
- Yes. - Yes.
We will attack on the last day of the month.
I have sent letters, so those who wish to join us will gather.
Give them the weapons we have.
When the provincial office gate opens,
Geonju and Gapsik, you will free the prisoners,
and Mudol and Ungsoe, you take the armory.
Mandeok, you and I will go after Byeon Haksu.
Sounds good, Boss.
What will you do after?
I will force the King to give an assurance to ban oppression and exploitation
and to build a world where people can live with dignity.
Have you summoned me?
Listen carefully.
The royal agent will appear soon.
What?
You must know that if I am apprehended, you will not be safe.
So do as I say.
What do you mean?
I will take my soldiers at daybreak
and stand guard at the road leading to the station.
The royal agent cannot be allowed to summon the station guards.
Do you mean you plan to apprehend the royal agent?
That is correct.
Do you really mean that?
Going after the royal agent might be too dangerous.
Royal agent?
We are only apprehending the man behind the robbers, do you understand?
If everything goes well, I will take you to Hanyang with me.
Do you mean that?
I give you my word.
I will obey you.
He was looking for a girl?
Of course.
Kang Sunae.
We will stay here tonight.
Assistant Royal Guard Choi, could you please leave us?
The royal agent's entourage members must discuss something in private.
Of course.
Chunsam and I will take care of things here.
Do you not trust me?
No, I do not.
This is not the first time.
How can I leave you two troublemakers behind?
You are just as bad.
What?
Two troublemakers are better than three troublemakers, no?
How dare you?
Troublemaker.
When you joined me here, you gave me your word to follow my orders.
This is an order.
Return to Hanyang with Assistant Royal Guard Choi,
and report what is happening here.
What brings you here so late?
The governor is searching for a girl.
This way.
Show me your faces!
What are you waiting for?
What are you doing? Hurry!
What's taking so long?
Hurry up, you bums!
Here you are, you sly girl.
Open the door.
Please look after Lady Yeongsin.
Yes, Lord Seong.
Look after yourself. I will see you in Hanyang.
Assistant Royal Guard Choi.
My Lady, we must go.
You are acting as if we will never meet again.
There is something I have not told you.
Then save it for when we meet again in Hanyang.
Are you not curious what it is?
I am.
Then why are you not asking?
Would you tell me if I ask?
No.
Pretend I never said anything.
Let us go, Assistant Royal Guard Choi.
Chunsam.
Yes, sir.
Let us go and prepare.
Yes, sir.
What is it?
Birds.
That is a bad omen.
Here we are.
Come.
Where are you going?
Step aside.
Do you know who he is?
I do, Royal Agent Seong.
Are you here to summon the station guards?