(Episode 15)
My gosh! I just wanted to see if it was done.
Please come and help me.
What? What is going on?
We have to hide these. Hurry!
What is the matter?
I will leave now, sir.
Did the order really come from His Majesty?
Or did it come from Master Sambong?
I already said it is a royal command.
Then it is His Majesty's command.
This is a royal command. You must comply.
What will you do if I do not comply?
(Grand Prince Hoian, Lee Bang Gan, Lee Seong Gye's fourth son)
These are my soldiers. They are my army!
(Jo Yeong Mu, Lee Seong Gye's loyal subject)
Please comply with the command.
Darn it.
Go with him.
Thank you.
Let us go.
An empty spring dream.
That is what this was.
Sambong must be the one behind this.
He is the one...
in control of our nation, not His Majesty.
I have never felt so insulted.
Without a single word to me,
you entered my home and took my men!
It was His Majesty's command.
Sambong!
(Sambong Jeong Do Jeon, Three Armies Commander)
No commander these days...
should treat their soldiers like their personal slaves.
From now on,
all armed men will fall under the Three Armies Command,
and the King's discretion.
You will need authorization from the Three Armies Command...
to do anything with your men.
What are you going to do with all those men?
Let me hear your plan.
We will attack the Yodong Peninsula.
You will do what?
We will claim Yodong...
and punish Ming for the impudence they showed...
by killing our envoys.
Your Majesty. You cannot do this.
It is reckless to go to war with Ming now.
Your Majesty.
Joseon is only getting started.
We cannot handle the power of Ming.
Our land might be overrun...
and our people might suffer.
Please keep that in mind.
The result of a war...
is not decided by the nations' sizes.
It depends on who is more prepared...
and whose soldiers are better trained.
Sambong is right.
We will begin training tomorrow...
and gather supplies.
We will soon attack the Yodong Peninsula.
Your Majesty.
You cannot do this. Please be wise.
- Please be wise. - Please be wise.
Do as I say. This is my command!
Your Majesty...
Is this all for the Crown Prince?
Yes.
He took our men and weapons...
to attack the Yodong Peninsula.
With no private soldiers,
(Lee Bang Gwa, Lee Seong Gye's second son)
the Crown Prince's half brothers can no longer threaten him.
What?
This happened because...
you flocked around with your men like starved wolves.
He did this...
to take away your sword so you would not be a threat.
Do you not get that?
Why are you like this?
This is His Majesty's nation.
He established it and he now leads it.
He decides...
who the next king will be.
Do you truly think...
Bang Seok should be next in line?
Do you think he can manage?
We leave that to him.
If he lacks in any way, we help as best we can.
As subjects...
and as brothers.
You are becoming more and more like our oldest brother.
Bang Won.
What?
Stop it now.
The throne is not for you.
Father did not allow it.
That is that.
You may disobey our father,
but you cannot...
break him.
Sleep, my baby
My dear baby
If you lost your men,
you also lost your support from beyond the castle walls.
We cannot enter the Palace without men to open the gates for us.
Be careful for now.
Sambong controls all the armed forces.
If he were to make a call, he could kill anyone right now.
I cannot sit and do nothing.
I must see if I can find any men for hire.
Just a few will not be enough.
I must do what I can.
See you later.
Uncle.
What is it?
I have something to say.
Is it true you will attack Yodong?
Yes.
Attacking Yodong now...
will ruin Joseon.
When I was there as an envoy, I met Yeon Wang in Yeondo.
From where he stands,
the Yodong Peninsula is his front yard.
He will not allow anyone...
to raid his front yard.
He is a hostile and ambitious strategist.
I will keep that in mind. Good day.
Uncle.
Who is the king of this nation?
Why are you doing everything you want?
Is His Majesty a puppet?
What is it you wish to say?
Is this the harmonious nation you spoke of?
You said you would create a nation where the king...
and his subjects check each other, so there can be no tyrant.
Do you see that happening?
His Majesty values and trusts just one man,
and that one man...
uses that trust to act like a king.
Am I wrong?
Prince Jeongan.
You say that because you do not see everything.
What is more important than that...
is that it is none of your business.
Worrying about the fate of a nation...
is only for those who deserve to do so.
What?
It does not suit...
someone who acts like a wild wolf...
who threatens his younger brother.
Do you understand?
Why can you not put aside your greed?
Why do you keep thinking you were next in line?
Because you killed Master Poeun?
Yes.
You did a great deed.
But in the grand scheme of things,
it was a very small part.
His Majesty and the late Queen did most of the work.
They did so much that even I do not dare to say...
I did much to help.
And those two...
decided Prince Uian should be the Crown Prince.
The decision was made by those partners.
Who are you...
to keep coveting that spot?
Please do not misunderstand.
You are...
but a small piece of the grand scheme.
Even without that small piece,
the design would have been completed.
That is...
my last piece of advice as someone who is fond of you.
You should...
give up now.
Otherwise, I will no longer turn a blind eye to this.
His Highness may not be able to kill you,
but I can.
If it is for the sake of Joseon,
I can do it.
Please move.
Please move over.
We are on our way to repair the queen's royal tomb.
Please move over.
Let us go!
That is the Three Armies Command, and the palace is that way.
Remember that.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
While I am away, I would like you to take care of the Three Armies Command.
Yes, I will do so.
What are they...
Stop right there!
Where are these soldiers from?
Right.
We are soldiers from Ansan, here to repair the queen's royal tomb.
Then you should be going straight to the royal tomb.
Why are you walking through the crowded streets of the Six Ministries?
That is because...
I need to stop by the Ministry of Work to confirm something.
Then you should have left the soldiers...
and come alone.
Why would you bring soldiers so close to the palace?
The Capital is where the king is.
Are you unaware...
that you must not do even the slightest thing that poses a threat?
I apologize.
I was short-sighted.
Why are soldiers, who are here to work,
wearing armor?
I was afraid...
they might get hurt while working.
Is that so?
What is in those boxes on the cart?
Sir.
What is this about?
Move aside.
Open it right away.
If I find weapons in here,
you will be taken straight to the Justice Department.
- Sir. - You say you are here to repair the tomb,
yet you had your soldiers dressed in armor.
If you are carrying hidden weapons as well,
then you are, without a doubt, a group of traitors.
That is absurd. Why would I...
Be quiet and open this up. Right now!
- Open it. - Yes, sir.
We received orders to fix the parts that have fallen...
and cut the weeds from around the tomb.
If you believe that these could be seen as weapons,
by all means, take them.
We will work barehanded.
Forget it. Go away.
Yes, sir.
- Let us go. - Yes, sir.
Then I will be off.
Yes, goodbye.
Lee Sook Beon's soldiers are in the Capital.
Is that so?
Yes, but they came with the orders to repair the royal tomb,
so they did not bring any weapons with them.
I have weapons.
- Really? - Yes, follow me.
When we moved to Hanyang,
I had this built just in case.
I hid these here when we lost our personal army.
You can arm about 30 people.
You are truly incredible.
How did you think of this in such a pressing moment?
I know. I must have been a traitor in my past life too.
- Will this help? - Of course.
Thirty soldiers is enough to start our rebellion.
We can raid the armory in the Three Armies Command,
and we can even force the palace gates open.
Then I will send my brothers to Park Po and Park Eun.
I will tell them to take the soldiers and hide near the palace gates.
Darling, do not hesitate.
They say to strike the iron while it is hot.
Okay.
Go ahead and do that.
My Queen.
Goodbye.
Please...
have an easy passage into eternity.
(Queen Sindeok)
Mother...
You have been through so much.
Her Highness' three-year mourning is done.
You have been through a lot too, Your Highness.
You can give me your mourning clothes.
I will burn them for you.
Yes, master.
You have been through a lot.
No, Father. It is you who has seen so much trouble.
You have not been able to eat these days.
I am fine.
You should...
stop crying...
and live valiantly.
Yes, Father.
Father. Your hands are so hot.
Are they?
Are they that hot?
I think I am running a fever.
It feels more severe than that.
You are burning up.
I am okay.
I will get better when we go back to the palace and rest.
Your Majesty, are you ill?
The royal physician came along with us. Let him examine you.
No. I am okay.
Let us go back now.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Are we carrying out the rebellion now?
Now that we are about to do it, I feel nervous.
Yes. I am nervous as well.
I felt as if my beating heart was echoing throughout the entire house.
That is why I stepped outside.
- Hwa Sang. - Yes, Bang Won.
Do you know what will happen once the rebellion begins?
You will bring your soldiers with you to surround the palace.
You will request His Majesty to name a new Crown Prince.
Is that not the plan?
It is.
Then, what will happen to the dethroned Crown Prince?
Tell me.
What should we do with Bang Seok?
We should not be so hard on him.
We can exile him to a faraway place.
Then he will always be the source of trouble.
Bang Seok might not do anything,
but the people who want to seize power through Bang Seok...
would not leave him alone.
They would have the good excuse of taking back the Crown Prince's position.
They will crowd around him like a swarm of bees.
Then, do you mean we must kill him?
Yes.
We must kill him.
- Bang Won! - Bang Seok must die.
And the people surrounding Bang Seok must die too.
If we hesitate, we will end up dead.
Hwa Sang.
Yes, Bang Won.
Once the rebellion begins, I will become a monster.
I will cut anyone's head off.
I will not show mercy to anyone.
The Lee Bang Won that you once knew is now gone.
Lee Bang Won, who used to run and play with you,
does not exist any longer.
You will only see...
a beast, covered in blood and growling.
An evil spirit will stand before you, unable to recognize anyone.
Bang Won.
Be aware.
I am now...
a monster.
What did you say?
You will get rid of Sambong?
Yes.
It is dangerous to keep Sambong as he is now.
With the Crown Prince on his back,
Sambong has gained too much power.
Not only does he rule the court,
but he has also taken control of the armed forces.
If we keep a man like this as he is,
he will pose a threat to the royal family.
You are absolutely right.
I have always been worried about that.
Then, please help me.
But, if His Majesty finds out...
Do not worry.
You do not have to show your involvement.
You can act as if you know nothing.
When the deed begins, as an elder of the family,
you just need to support the rebellion.
Is that all I have to do?
Yes. That is enough.
Grand Prince Jeongan...
will take action.
Grand Prince Jeongan?
Yes. Grand Prince Jeongan will lead the rebellion.
Just like when he killed Jeong Mong Ju.
Let us part here.
Yes, Bang Won. Have a safe trip back.
Make way. Here comes His Majesty.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty. Wake up.
Your Majesty.
- Father. - Are you okay, Your Majesty?
Physician. Come here.
- Examine him. Now! - Yes, sir.
He has lost consciousness.
He must return to the palace quickly.
I will carry him on my back.
Yes, please do.
Be careful.
His Majesty seemed to be in a very serious condition.
My gosh. It is something I never imagined.
I do not know how to take it.
I do not know what to say in front of you.
I know what you mean.
Should I worry about him as his son?
Or should I be happy as someone who is planning a rebellion?
You are asking me that, are you not?
Yes, I am.
I think this is an opportunity.
My dear.
I made up my mind to think so.
I am that kind of man now.
Father.
Please.
Please wake up, Father.
Father.
Please wake up, Father.
Please.
Father.
Look here.
How is he?
His fever is not getting any better.
Then, what should we do?
First, I will make and serve another herbal decoction.
Please tell me the truth.
What will happen?
I cannot be sure of anything.
He is over 60 years old.
And recently,
his stamina has weakened.
Are you saying...
he might pass away?
I believe you must prepare for that also.
I shall quickly go and prepare the decoction.
It happened in the center of the Capital.
About now, everyone will have heard.
Yes. I am sure of that.
Then we must deploy countermeasures.
Now that His Majesty is bedridden,
those who want to replace the Crown Prince...
will all rise up.
They will be just as anxious and confused.
Who moves first is of utmost importance.
When the future is unclear,
he who acts boldly survives.
You learn that during a hunt.
A deer that stops to look around gets shot down first.
It is the deer that never stops running that survives.
Yes. You are right.
As soon as the soldiers arrive...
Is Prince Jeongan in?
What brings you here at this hour?
His Majesty is gravely ill.
All princes and royal relatives are to come to the Palace...
and await further instructions.
Whose command is this?
It is Master Sambong's.
What right does he have to order...
the princes and royal relatives to come when he beckons?
The Crown Prince also said that would be best.
Please comply.
My dear. Come inside. You must change into your formal attire.
There is no time for that.
Come as you are.
It will not take long.
There is no time to waste.
I just said His Majesty is gravely ill.
Please come with me.
This is not the time to worry about your attire.
Please wait here for now. Goodbye.
Hello.
Go inside. Everyone is waiting.
Okay. But what are you doing outside?
Are you watching so no one gets away?
No, I am not watching anyone. I am just standing guard.
So you can relax.
Okay, then.
Thank you.
Welcome, Prince Jeongan.
You are here too?
Yes, I am.
I do not understand what is going on.
This is grave news.
I heard His Majesty has not yet woken up.
He is seriously ill, then.
Ji Ran went hunting and has no idea what is going on.
He wants to catch a deer to cook for His Majesty.
Where is my second older brother?
He is praying at Sogyeokjeon.
(Sogyeokjeon: Taoist temple)
For Father to recover soon.
My gosh. This is just unbelievable.
Why did they rush us...
just to lock us up in a room?
I wonder that myself.
I know Father does not think highly of us,
but this is just harsh.
Let us wait a little longer.
They will soon call us in to see His Majesty.
This is a great opportunity.
We can rarely gather them in one spot.
If you are planning to do something for the Crown Prince,
now is the time.
His Majesty is getting older,
but so are we.
No one knows how much longer we will be around for the Crown Prince.
It would be best to cut down his half brothers...
to get rid of possible future strife.
I know that.
But if His Majesty were to find out, he would never forgive us.
Even if it were you who was to do it?
Even so.
He might even shed a tear for me.
But eventually,
he will cut me down.
That is what His Majesty is like.
He cannot forgive anyone who was to kill his child.
To be honest, I do not fear such a death.
I can die willingly.
However,
I cannot dare cause His Majesty any hurt.
I do not have the courage...
to watch His Majesty...
shed such mournful tears.
Then give up.
Leave it to the skies.
Perhaps we might even be wrong.
Unlike our concern, Prince Jeongan...
might not do anything at all.
No.
That will not be the case.
Prince Jeongan...
will definitely do something.
Most definitely.
I will go ahead.
You do that.
Prepare to open the gate.
We will arrive between seven and nine tomorrow night.
Okay. See you tomorrow.
Bang Won!
Halt!
- Who are you? - I bring bad news.
Where is Prince Jeongan? Take me to him now!
Darn it.
- Bang Won! - My gosh!
What are you doing here?
Where is Prince Jeongan?
I have not seen him for a while. Why do you ask?
His wife collapsed, clutching her stomach.
We tried acupuncture and medicine, but nothing worked.
Where is Prince Jeongan?
I came to see how he was doing.
Is he any better?
The fever has gone.
The royal physician said...
he will wake up soon.
That is good to hear.
He strained himself.
He has even lost his appetite since the Queen died.
And still, he wandered for three months to find the ideal burial spot.
And even after that, he put all his energy...
into praying for her soul.
It is no small wonder he got sick.
Still, I did not think...
Father would collapse.
He is a strong man.
He fought against the Red Turban Invasions...
and other foreign armies and drove them away in one fell swoop.
But you cannot overcome time.
Even if you are king,
that is impossible.
You must be resolute in these times.
If you are to lead Joseon,
you must stay firm and brave in times like these.
If not,
you do not deserve your place.
I will leave now.
Were you like that?
When you were my age,
were you firm?
What do you mean?
I know everything.
I know what people were saying after I became the Crown Prince.
In particular, many compared me to you.
You have profound academic knowledge...
and a bold disposition.
When faced with danger,
I heard you are able to make the hard decisions too.
Yes. It is all true.
But, Bang Won.
I will become like that too.
When I become your age,
I believe I can become as great a person as you.
So do not judge me on who I am now.
Judge me on who I become when I am your age.
Give me time.
Give me a chance.
Then I will show you...
that I could become a good king.
Why are you saying this to me right now?
Because you are trying to take my position.
I am no longer a child.
I hear everything as well.
There is someone who brings news to Dongungjeon.
(Dongungjeon: The Crown Prince's residence)
Bang Won, trust me just once.
I can do a good job too.
Crown Prince.
Yes?
If I really...
want to steal your position,
you should not be making a request to me right now.
You should kill me...
to maintain your position.
Why must I do that?
Why must we shed blood and fight?
That is how we can see who is the strongest.
Bang Won.
This is the duty of the royal family.
We must find the strongest prince...
and make him King.
That is the duty of the royal family.
That is the way of animals.
Humans are animals too.
We cannot say we are not animals just because we read books.
Then will you...
steal my position?
Tell me.
Will you kill me...
and take my position?
(The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won)
Everything is ready now.
It is today.
I will await your decision.
Do not hang lights in the palace tonight.
This is a trap.
Guards!
I am sorry, Your Majesty.
The disloyal Jeong Do Jeon is trying to kill Grand Prince Jeongan.
Will you fight for me and Grand Prince Jeongan?
Grand Prince Jeongan.
Yes, it is me.