(Episode 8)
We will kill...
Jeong Mong Ju.
Who will step forward for our clan?
Your father will never permit this.
I will take full responsibility.
Who is with me?
Is there no one?
I will go with you.
I will go as well.
I will...
lead the way.
Then we will...
support you from behind.
Let us go.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
Where will you go to?
I am going to the court office.
Are you going to kill someone in the palace...
in broad daylight?
I will do it in broad daylight where everyone can see it.
I will make sure...
no one else dares to come at us after this.
Yes, sir.
(Master Poeun Jeong Mong Ju, Chancellor of the State Chancellery)
My lord.
Where are you going?
I have somewhere to go.
Where would that be?
It is the place of General Lee Seong Gye.
Why are you trying to meet him?
I need to see him at least once.
To see whether he will take this to the end...
or may be willing to give up.
I want to ask him for the last time.
My lord. That is dangerous.
I have been hearing a lot...
that those people are coming to kill you.
Please tell His Majesty that I went to see him even so.
That I went to show him he need not fear General Lee.
My lord.
It is too risky.
Then please, at least take your soldiers with you.
My lord.
Please do not be irresponsible.
You are not alone in this matter anymore.
My lord!
Bang Won, they said there is no one in the court office.
Then where is Jeong Mong Ju?
I am not sure...
but I heard someone saying Jeong Mong Ju risked his life...
and went to see General Lee.
How are you feeling?
Are you severely injured?
I was severely hurt...
It will take a long time...
to recover fully.
Is it okay for you to be that honest with me?
What brings you here?
I heard...
you are trying to kill me.
Yes. I will kill you.
For the Goryeo Dynasty.
And for His Majesty.
But...
it seems that things are not going your way.
Your king...
must have disappointed you.
Go on.
Do whatever you can.
However,
if nothing works, you can come to me then.
Let us live together...
in the new world.
Please take care of yourself.
Please have a cup of tea before you go.
I might not stop myself from crying, so I do not think I can do that.
Master Poeun.
If I were not a scholar of Confucianism...
If I believed in Buddhism like you,
I would have looked ahead to another life.
Maybe in my next life,
I would have served you as my king.
Is he still inside?
No, he just left.
What? Where did he go?
He went that way.
You two, follow him in that direction.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
You two guard the street to Master Poeun's house.
- Yes, sir. - Yes, sir.
Who are you?
Who is this?
Who is that?
Dear husband...
Go and let him know.
Okay.
Is it true?
Yes, Father.
Is he...
already dead?
Yes.
Why...
Why did you go against what I said?
Have you been in a higher place than me?
Have you ever gotten further than me?
So why did you defy me?
Tell me.
Why did you defy me?
It was for you, Father.
It was for the subjects who follow you.
It was for the people you lead, Father.
Father.
Do not call me "father."
You are no longer my son.
- Father! - You...
have...
disobeyed me.
Is there anyone outside?
Drag him outside of the house.
Do not let him in this house ever again!
Yes, sir.
Father.
Father!
Let go of me!
Father!
Stop!
What on earth are you doing? Let go of him!
Do not interfere. This is his lordship's orders.
Father.
I did it for you.
I did it for our family!
Father!
- Father! - My dear.
Father.
Father! Let go of me!
Father.
- Dear! - Bang Won.
Father.
Dear.
Please believe in my sincerity.
I was not disobeying you.
That was the only way to save our family.
Please believe me. Please.
Father!
My dear.
That is enough now.
He will not hear you...
no matter what you say.
Please, get up now.
No. I will not get up.
Until Father believes in my sincerity,
I will not leave.
Dear husband.
Mother. Please help us.
My husband did not do this on his own.
Everyone standing here approved of the idea.
You gave your permission as well.
Right. Who can deny that?
Do not worry.
I will not turn a blind eye to this now.
Bang Won saved our family.
He saved the ministers who were on our side,
and he reignited the dying flame of our cause.
Leave it to me now.
I will talk to his lordship.
No matter how angry he is,
I will ensure that he sees your sincerity.
Mother.
Get up now.
Good job.
Go get some rest.
Take him home.
Yes, Mother.
What were you doing?
What were you doing...
while everything turned awry?
Seong Gye.
You should have stopped him.
If I was lying in bed sick,
you should have stepped up and stopped him!
I am sorry, Seong Gye.
I had no idea this would happen.
It seemed like everyone had given up last night.
Get out.
Do not ever show your face in front of me again!
Leave!
Master Poeun.
Master Poeun!
That is enough already.
Why are you acting like a child?
You should maintain your composure.
- Master Poeun. - Jeong Mong Ju is already dead.
No matter how sorrowfully you cry,
he will not come back to life.
My dear.
Please come to your senses!
Do you not understand how precarious your situation is?
You are alone now.
Everyone who followed you has turned their backs on you.
Think about it.
The ministers are being tortured, and they are fighting for their lives.
And the people in our family...
thought the clan would be wiped out and trembled in fear.
But even still, you could not make a decision.
Who would want to follow you?
My lord, you must take back your rightful position.
It is not too late for you to lead your people again.
I understand.
I understand how much pain...
you are in right now.
But you must not show tears.
You must never...
show such weakness in yourself.
Forget those who have died.
You must move forward...
for the sake of those who are living.
That is your fate.
Your Majesty. Please be courageous.
You must get rid of Jeong Do Jeon and his people immediately.
Please call Jeong Mong Ju and give your royal decree.
Your Majesty!
Queen Mother, why are you doing this?
Your Majesty, I beg of you.
Please give the royal decree!
Summon the chancellor and grant him permission.
Just say this. "Do as you please."
Your Majesty, please, have courage!
This is your last opportunity!
Very well.
I will do that.
Your Majesty...
Is anyone there?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Bring in the chancellor immediately.
Your Majesty. I have regretful news.
Chancellor Jeong Mong Ju is dead.
What do you mean...
he is dead?
I just received the news.
Lee Seong Gye's soldiers...
attacked him as he was returning home.
They beat him with an iron club.
My gosh.
How could this be?
No. That cannot be.
Who would dare kill the chancellor of this country...
with an iron club?
In the middle of the Capital...
and in broad daylight?
No. Lee Seong Gye would not do such a thing.
The chancellor said so himself!
Your Majesty!
The news must be wrong.
The chancellor...
must be at the court office.
At the office!
Your Majesty!
Chancellor.
Chancellor. Where are you?
Show yourself before me and do as I command.
Come and make the request once more!
Then I will give the answer.
"Do as you wish!"
"Do as you see fit!"
That is how I will respond.
Chancellor!
Please make the request once more!
Chancellor.
It is too late.
Please come inside.
(Lee Bang Gwa, Lee Seong Gye's second son)
Now...
I have requests to make of you.
Jeong Mong Ju slandered and tried to kill innocent ministers.
Things escalated too quickly,
so our clan stepped up and got rid of him.
Including Jeong Do Jeon, the innocent men who were imprisoned...
will be released.
We will now interrogate the treacherous Kim Jin Yang...
and prove without a doubt that Jeong Mong Ju instigated them.
Please give your permission.
I will discuss that matter with the other ministers...
What other ministers do you speak of?
The fools who ran home as soon as they heard Jeong Mong Ju has died?
Your Majesty.
The Palace is empty.
(Lee Hwa, Lee Seong Gye's half brother, Lee Je, Lady Kang's son-in-law)
Give up on them...
and give your permission.
Your Majesty.
Very well.
Do as you wish.
Thank you for your boundless generosity.
- Thank you for your boundless generosity. - Thank you for your boundless generosity.
(Master Sambong, Jeong Do Jeon)
Please...
leave me alone.
Just kill me.
The interrogation is over.
His Majesty has given his command.
You are free.
I am free?
What do you mean?
There is no way Poeun would let me go.
The chancellor...
is dead.
Is that true?
Who would dare...
kill Poeun?
Who?
My dear, you must sleep.
Get some rest.
No.
Not in this situation.
You must sleep.
Do you know you have a fever?
You are burning up.
Your body cannot handle all this.
You are carrying the entire clan on your shoulders.
How could you manage alone?
- My dear. - Sleep.
Get a good, long rest and sweat it all out.
There is a lot left to do.
Leave that to the others.
They can manage that much.
- My gosh. - Those punks.
Master!
- Master! - Master!
Step aside. Now!
Anyone who comes near will die!
Step aside!
Disband immediately!
It is the soldiers!
(Lee Bang Ui, Lee Seong Gye's third son, Lee Bang Gan, Lee Seong Gye's fourth son)
Go back home, every one of you!
- Go! - Go home!
Go!
- We must go. - Hurry.
Thank you for coming.
I am glad you are here.
We were about to call for help.
I know. You did well.
You may go now.
- Very well. - But...
what should we do with his body?
Leave that to us.
Yes. Goodbye, then.
Stop!
I will speak.
I will tell you everything.
Chancellor Jeong Mong Ju made me do it.
(Kim Jin Yang)
He told me to write a petition that makes...
Jeong Do Jeon and all his allies guilty.
That will do.
Put him in a cell.
- Yes, sir! - Yes, sir!
Lord Chancellor...
I am sorry.
Forgive me.
We should go now.
Yes, Bang Ui.
(Guilty of high treason, Jeong Mong Ju)
What? His severed head is hanging from a pole?
Yes.
Why? Why did you have to go that far?
I am sorry, but we had no choice.
The atmosphere in the Capital was unusual.
To calm the anger of the people,
that was the only way.
To avoid the blame of killing a loyal subject,
we had to make Jeong Mong Ju look like a traitor.
It was all for you, Father.
Gosh!
My lord.
Do you not have any respect for my intentions anymore?
Are you really my sons?
Are you the sons that I used to know?
- Father. - Do not call me "Father."
Never step foot in this house again.
You are the same as Bang Won.
Do you hear me?
My lord!
Goodness.
What does Father want?
Does he want us...
to bring Jeong Mong Ju back to life?
It is so frustrating.
When will he regain his composure?
It is probably because he is devastated.
Let us give him some time.
My lord, are you okay?
I cannot believe this.
My sons used to listen to everything I said.
No. They used to act as if they read my mind...
before I told them anything.
When did my sons change like that?
My lord.
Are they really the sons of my blood?
How can they put a dagger in their father's heart?
Do not be so mad at them.
They did it for you.
For me?
When, in fact, they have only hurt me?
Still, their intention was to do it for you.
Please find solace in that.
My dear.
They are still your sons.
You cannot control your sons anymore.
Just let this slide...
and forgive them.
Otherwise, you might get hurt.
What do you mean by that?
Fully grown beasts can hurt their father.
- My dear. - I am not trying to speak ill of them.
That is how the world works.
When kids grow up,
their parents have to be conscious of their thoughts.
What do you mean by that?
Do not be absurd.
- My lord. - Do not treat me as an old tiger.
I can never forgive sons who go against their father's intentions.
Do you hear me?
And including Lee Saek, the Great Lord of Hansan,
the ministers who worked with Jeong Mong Ju...
will be sent into exile.
You look quite ill.
I am fine.
You have done hard work.
We are sorry to put you through that.
Yes. Honestly, we are embarrassed to see you.
We would never have been able to be as decisive as you.
Do not say that.
Thank you for cleaning up after what I have done.
By the way,
where is Master Poeun's body now?
My dear, why are you asking that?
Right. You do not need to go through the trouble.
Tell me.
Where is he?
Master Poeun.
Master Poeun, forgive me.
Please forgive me, sir.
What an ironic fate.
Master Sambong.
You killed Poeun in the end.
Yes.
I did it.
I killed that generous man.
Yes.
And I survived.
Poeun.
Goodbye.
I am sorry.
Master Poeun.
Master Poeun!
Behead us. We defied your order.
Stand up.
Even though your swords were used,
you cannot say you did it.
- My lord. - How could I blame someone else...
for my child's crime?
Do not post a guard by the body from tomorrow.
Then somebody will take Master Poeun's body...
and hold his funeral.
Yes, sir.
This will become a burden throughout your life.
No one else...
will be able to take the burden for you.
Master Sambong.
Yes. Go ahead.
Please end this.
Please achieve the great work soon.
Right. There is no need to hesitate.
I will finish it.
I will put General Lee Seong Gye on the throne.
And...
we will start the new dynasty.
You have done a lot.
I will never forget what you have done for us.
I reject your offer.
General, how can you reject it?
This is not what I wanted.
They killed a loyal subject in the middle of the street.
And they made the Capital tremble in fear.
I have no intention of taking the throne in that way.
General, is this because of Poeun?
Do you only care about Poeun?
General.
I know why you need Poeun so much.
While you are destroying Goryeo,
you have the ambition to take the crown with the support of its people.
You do not want to be the least bit blamed by future historians.
It is your greed.
- Sambong. - But,
nothing is perfect in this world.
Even if Poeun were alive...
and could lead you to the throne himself,
you would still be a traitor.
- Sambong. - General.
The people we must serve now...
are not some historians.
We must serve...
the weak civilians who are not mentioned in history at all.
If we receive their praise,
we will create a new dynasty...
and become heroes who saved the people.
If they do not like us, we will be eternally seen as traitors.
General.
It is time for you to sit on the throne.
Even if you refuse, I will make that happen.
I will gather all the people who fought for this great cause...
and make you the king.
So...
please wait.
I will come back in a few days.
Yes.
But I am worried he will refuse until the very end.
Do not worry. That will not happen.
He is deliberating the idea one last time.
I understand. I have faith in you, Master Sambong.
I will get going now.
Yes. Goodbye.
Were you out here?
Well... My lord.
The children are here.
I told you not to let them in the house.
It is not that. Bang Seok is here.
He came with his brothers and sisters.
My youngest son is here?
- Father! - Father!
What brings you all here?
I sent them the message that you fell off your horse,
and they came at once.
Father, are you okay?
Is it okay for you to be outside like this?
Father, you should go inside. The air is cold.
You need not worry so much.
Okay. Let us go inside.
My apologies.
I received orders to forbid you from coming inside.
Then at least let me inside, so I can see that he is all right.
My greatest apologies.
You are not allowed inside either.
He is being too harsh.
Does he want to cut all ties with his sons?
I agree.
Honestly, he is being too cruel.
He will forgive us eventually.
Let us come back tomorrow.
Even if he slams the door in our faces,
we will come daily and beg for forgiveness.
Bang Gwa.
Why must we beg for forgiveness when we have done nothing wrong?
That brat...
I will see you tomorrow.
I will get going now.
We should go too.
He will not let us set foot in the house,
so I do not know how we can appease his anger.
I am sure Mother is trying her best, so let us wait for now.
Are you sure she is doing so?
That is what she promised.
However, there is no way for us to find out.
My dear, do not doubt.
Mother was the only person who agreed to share responsibility...
for what happened.
Yes, I understand.
Right. Bang Seok. How does it feel to be married?
What?
Father, do not ask him that.
If you do, Bang Seok's face turns into the color of persimmons.
Sister!
Right.
Yes. So what is the Royal Court doing?
It seems like everything is done.
All those in the middle who were biding their time...
have also turned to our side.
It seems everything will end soon.
It has been a while since I have seen you smile, my lord.
They say newborns have the most filial piety,
and as expected, our young children made you smile the most.
You are right.
While talking with our children,
I forgot about all of my worries.
Are you still distressed?
Master Sambong will return soon.
What answer will you give him?
I already gave him an answer.
He just refuses to accept it.
Is that how you truly feel?
Do you truly wish to end things here?
What kind of answer do you want?
There is no answer I wish for.
I just want to know how you truly feel right now.
I want to know which way your heart is leaning towards.
Regardless of what decision you make, I will follow.
Even if you want to give everything up and return to Dongbukmyeon,
I will not protest.
However,
I hope that you will make a decision you will not regret.
Then I will get going now.
I do not know.
I am not sure what the right thing to do is.
Then look back at the past.
Just like when you get lost in a snowy field,
you should look back.
If you retrace the footprints that brought you here,
you will be able to see where you must go from now on.
That path...
is your destined fate.
My destined fate?
My destined fate.