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CHARACTERS, PLACES, ORGANIZATIONS, AND EVENTS APPEARING IN THIS DRAMA
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CHILD ACTORS WERE FILMED SAFELY WITH THE PRESENCE OF THEIR GUARDIANS
Your Majesty!
The deposed Queen Yoon must be given capital punishment!
He is right.
Yi Ik-hyeon plotted treason
by posing as a Royal Physician!
His mother, the deposed Queen Yoon, must have known of his plan.
You must also execute Yoo Sang-uk and Prince Uiseong
for taking part in the rebellion!
Execution?
Do you have evidence that Prince Uiseong took part in it?
We have circumstantial evidence and witnesses.
Prince Uiseong is the one who killed Yi Ik-hyeon, the rebel.
However, you must not let him live
in order to prevent future rebellions.
How could you ask a father to kill his son?
Please punish the deposed Queen Yoon
and execute Prince Uiseong!
-Punish them. -Punish them.
Please decide for the greater cause
and execute them as they deserve.
-Execute them. -Execute them.
-Execute them! -Execute them!
Yi Ik-hyeon…
died in the palace.
Not only did your revenge fail,
but your safety is also in danger now.
I do not care.
For I no longer…
have a reason to live.
The child of Yi Ik-hyeon is still alive.
It is Prince Uiseong
who took part in the rebellion.
You are…
indebted to me.
On one condition.
I will ask you a favor later.
Whatever favor it is,
promise me that you will grant it.
Please let the child of Ik-hyeon…
live.
That is…
my favor.
Kill Prince Uiseong.
If you do not put out the ember now,
it will come back to you as a big fire.
That boy
is the first child I held in my arms.
That is nonsense!
Prince Uiseong is the son of Yi Ik-hyeon!
I will make the decision!
I will also defend this throne
in my way.
Your Majesty.
Why do you make this harder than it is?
Just destroy everything that stands in your way.
That is my way.
That is how I put you on the throne.
All you have to do is become a sage king
so the blood they shed was not in vain.
No!
I will no longer taint my throne with blood.
It still reeks of the stink of blood
you smeared 20 years ago.
So?
Will you expose that I am the one
who killed Crown Prince Taein?
I would like to see you try.
However, the moment you expose it,
you will be denying the legitimacy of your enthronement yourself.
Who would recognize you as their king
if you do not recognize your own legitimacy?
My only mistake
was that I let Yi Ik-hyeon live back then.
Do not repeat the same mistake I made.
What do you think I should do?
You have already made many great achievements,
so please let go of the past.
My wish
is that you will be remembered in history as a sage king.
If I…
If I do that,
will I be able to let it go from my heart?
Father, are you really going to stop here?
You must uncover the truth of Crown Prince Taein's death
to prove that Brother was poisoned to death.
Even if I wish to reveal the truth,
there is no evidence left to prove it.
The truth is only in words.
What can I do with it?
You have the gajangsacho.
GAJANGSACHO: THE FIRST DRAFT OF SECRET AFFAIRS AND PERSONAL REMARKS
That only includes the circumstances of his poisoning.
It is not enough to uncover the truth.
Mother, please step in.
Please persuade Father.
Crown Prince.
It is not an easy decision for His Majesty.
If Crown Prince Taein was poisoned to death,
it denies the legitimacy of his enthronement.
Also,
he will have to punish his mother, the Queen Dowager.
It is not an easy decision to make.
Even so, he should not turn away from the truth.
Yi Ik-hyeon has died,
so without the decision of His Majesty,
it will be
difficult to uncover the truth.
However,
we also cannot let the past hold us back like this.
We cannot let this tragedy repeat itself.
In that case, I will think of a way to help Father
come to a decision.
Very well.
All we can do
is pave the way for His Majesty.
Do you think
His Majesty will do as you say again?
The King cannot defy me.
He is the one who is the most afraid
that the truth behind the death of Crown Prince Taein will be revealed.
In that case, what should we do about Her Majesty?
I am certain she will try to reveal that Crown Prince Taein was poisoned to death.
If His Majesty changes his mind,
things will get out of hand.
Before that happens,
I will sway the Queen
to bend the King's will.
Do you have a plan?
In order to sway the Queen,
I simply have to reveal the weaknesses of her children.
We have already
taken measures with the Crown Princess, have we not?
This medicine is good for heart disease.
It is so bitter.
It is good for you, so please finish it.
If you say so, Your Royal Highness,
I will finish it.
There is no longer a need for these medicinal herbs.
It seems like the Crown Princess has lost the fetus in her womb.
Are you certain?
I am certain of her miscarriage.
The stillborn fetus still remains in her womb,
so it is simply not showing.
In that case,
is there a chance she will conceive another baby?
The Crown Princess
has heart disease and a slow pulse,
so it will be difficult for her to conceive again.
My daughter.
You are here.
I rushed here because I missed my daughter.
A-ra.
Say, "Father."
"Father."
Do you not think her eyes are beautiful?
You took after your mother and got beautiful eyes.
A-ra.
My Queen, you already knew?
Yes, I did.
Like mother, like son.
Do you have any idea
how grave this matter is?
I do.
Your Majesty.
You must cast out those lowly ones from the palace.
She is the child of Grand Prince Muan. Watch what you say, Mother.
Father.
I wish to protect my child and the woman I love.
I wish to marry Cho-wol.
Marry her?
There is no royalty who has ever married someone low-born.
Why do the children of the Queen
never abide by the customs of the royal family
or the laws of this kingdom?
Father.
If it goes against the customs of the royal family,
what if I step down as grand prince?
You cannot throw away your position as you wish.
Then are you telling me to abandon them?
I cannot do that.
Then will you dare to break the law of the kingdom?
We cannot say that this breaks the law of the kingdom.
It is just unprecedented.
What did you say?
It is just that the royalty has chosen to take one as a concubine
in situations like this.
With the permission of Your Majesty and the Queen Dowager,
Grand Prince Muan may become the first
to break with tradition.
Queen!
I will consider it.
You two may leave.
Your Majesty, the matter with Grand Prince Muan is a problem,
but things are graver with the Crown Princess.
She is unable to conceive a child.
Will you let her stay?
Your Majesty.
Royal Physician Song is here.
I summoned him here.
Let him in.
Royal Physician Song.
Tell us what you used for the medicine for the Crown Princess.
I put in goldthread, lilyturf,
and tortoise shells because they are good for heart disease.
Why did you not include
red ochre and burreed tuber,
the ingredients the Queen Dowager gave you?
Speak.
With all due respect,
those ingredients could harm the fetus in her womb,
so I did not include them in her medicine.
How could a physician do such a thing?
How dare you…
How dare you tell such a lie?
My Queen, what is going on?
Is she actually pregnant?
I tried to hide her pregnancy
until she reached a stable period.
I thought
it was a way to protect the child she is with.
As long as she gets enough rest,
I am sure she will deliver the baby without any problem.
Your Majesty.
Everything they just said is nothing but a lie.
You must trust the words of your mother!
That is enough, Mother!
Court Lady Nam.
Court Lady Nam!
Do you think I will back down like this?
His Majesty,
the deposed Queen Yoon,
and Yi Ik-hyeon
all suffered because of what you did.
So how could you be so brazen?
I am a winner.
They just paid the price for losing.
Do you think
the world will change in any way if you expose the truth?
It may not change.
But I do know
that it will not be the same as before.
If you think the King is on your side, you are wrong.
The King will never
expose the truth behind the death of Crown Prince Taein.
If he does, he will have to deny the legitimacy of his enthronement.
Do you really think he will do that?
I will help him reach
the right decision.
I will stop you!
I will never let you reveal the truth about the death of Crown Prince Taein.
That is
my way of protecting my son!
That is not a way to protect His Majesty in any way, Queen Dowager!
Are you telling me to testify or something?
Yes.
You risked the life of your son
to expose the poisoning of Crown Prince Taein for 20 years.
Is it not
because of the guilt you felt as a physician?
I am a criminal who will be executed soon.
And the autopsy report is gone.
Who would believe the words of a criminal?
There is a gajangsacho
that contains the record of that day.
This will be your last chance
to reveal the truth.
Royal Physician Yoo Sang-uk will testify.
That man is a rebel.
Even if he does testify,
who will believe his words?
But you know that his words are true.
It seems like
you still dwell
on that day 20 years ago.
However, I know.
I know how you have lived as the King
to hold your place on the throne.
Even if everything in the past is exposed,
that will never change the fact
that you have been a sage king.
I know that,
and so do the heavens
and the people of your kingdom.
These will prove the poisoning of the late Crown Prince.
I believe you have the gajangsacho.
How you will use these…
is now entirely up to you.
I request that
you right the wrong of the past as the King
and record the truth.
Reinstate those who have been wronged
and put down in history that Crown Prince Taein
and our late Crown Prince were poisoned.
This is…
the last way I can protect you, Your Majesty,
and the way we can protect the children our Crown Prince left behind.
It is time…
for you to put down the burden…
and be freed.
Put down in history that Crown Prince Taein
and our late Crown Prince were poisoned.
This is…
the last way I can protect you, Your Majesty,
and the way we can protect the children our Crown Prince left behind.
I must reveal the truth.
I will reveal how my brother, Crown Prince Taein,
died.
My son,
are you going to punish your mother?
Do you have evidence?
What can the gajangsacho
and the autopsy report prove?
I saw everything.
That night,
I saw everything.
I will put an end to this tragedy…
which you have begun.
Everything is in the past, Your Majesty.
Everything is back in its rightful place now.
For what must you do this?
I can no longer look the other way.
You killed Crown Prince Taein,
and because of that,
my son died.
I do not wish
to see any more sacrifices.
You cannot do this to your mother.
Everything I have done
was for your sake.
Mother.
If you truly wish to do something for me,
then please,
do not do anything at all from now on.
That is the only thing I want…
from you, Mother.
Your Majesty.
Can you…
really…
punish your mother?
Yes.
I must do it as the King.
Your Majesty.
Do not leave.
Your Majesty!
I believe today will be
the last time I come by and greet you.
I thank you…
for looking after my family
to this day.
Here.
Try it.
It is very delicious.
Is it?
Try this kimchi too.
It is good.
Nothing is better than our food.
Yes. No matter what delicacies we served to envoys from abroad,
they enjoyed this kimchi the most.
They would even take some back with them.
Try this too.
Here.
Yi Ik-hyeon
used gansu, salty and bitter water, to poison the late Crown Prince.
I will reinstate Lady Min, Yi Han, and Yi Yul-hui,
who were deposed after Lady Min was framed for the murder of the late Crown Prince.
Also,
I could not read the sillok from the reign of the late King,
but I believe the record of the death of Crown Prince Taein
is only a single line that says
he died of hyeolheogwol.
Therefore, I wish
to correct the sillok, veritable records, based on the gajangsacho
written by Official Historian Park Jung-ho.
Your Majesty.
The sillok of the late King was written plainly and fairly
without leaning to one side or the other.
Please reconsider, Your Majesty.
I cannot do that.
I shall also use this chance to rectify my mistake.
However, Your Majesty, if you unmask an incident of the past,
it will only cause confusion.
Besides,
there is no evidence that Crown Prince Taein was murdered.
Yoo Sang-uk, the medical examiner of Crown Prince Taein,
testified to everything that happened back then.
And I have evidence to prove his poisoning
right here.
Your Majesty.
Please reconsider your royal command.
-Please reconsider your royal command. -Please reconsider your royal command.
I wish to undo this wrongful knot
and right the wrongs.
Please…
reconsider your decision.
I am afraid your achievements of the last 20 years
will be disparaged.
I believe my achievements will be evaluated
by the generations to come.
Royal Physician Yoo Sang-uk.
I have a question.
Did you wish to kill my brother too?
I am asking if you were in league with Yi Ik-hyeon from the start.
Did I not tell you before?
I have lived my life honoring my pride as a physician.
There was nothing wrong with my prescription.
That is all.
Be it medicine or power,
everything should be used to save people,
Your Royal Highness.
Please excuse me.
Did it still concern you?
Kang.
You have done enough.
You did well.
Thanks to you,
I could keep my promise to your brother.
It is time for us…
to let him go.
Uncle!
Mother.
Promise me…
that you will remain strong.
Only then will I be able to die in peace.
Do not
worry about anything now.
Rest in peace.
I appoint Park Gyeong-u as the head of the Office of Sillok
and add an appendix to the sillok of the late King.
Furthermore,
I will reinstate the deposed Queen Yoon, the mother of Crown Prince Taein.
And the Queen Dowager, who caused his death,
will be confined to her quarters.
I strictly ban anyone from meeting her
personally.
This means he is practically deposing her.
Of course, he is.
Your Royal Highness, it is Court Lady Nam.
First Junior Consort Cho was crowned as the Queen.
The King announced the royal title of the Queen
and held her coronation.
But His Majesty passed away the next day,
and the Queen stepped down from her position after a day.
Your Royal Highness…
Nobody can punish me.
Your Royal Highness…
Queen Dowager.
Your time has come to an end.
Please be freed from the vicious cycle of wicked deeds.
This is my last farewell
to my mother-in-law who was wicked
and therefore sometimes pitiable.
3 MONTHS LATER
You look very well.
There will be chinjamrye, silk farming ceremony, today.
It will begin at the eleventh hour in the back garden,
so prepare your equipment.
-Yes, Your Majesty. -Yes, Your Majesty.
I am sorry I am late.
Crown Princess!
Like husband, like wife.
Tell me about it.
She is the last to arrive.
Goodness.
She is pregnant.
Yes, and pregnant ladies are always sleepy, as you know.
I see these buildings every day,
but since you are showing me around the palace, the colors seem different.
Please do not run!
Your Royal Highness.
I always wondered what this was as I walked by.
What is this?
This is deumeu.
-Deumu? -Meu.
Deumeu.
The palace is made of wood, so it is vulnerable to fire.
It is a symbol to protect us from fire.
A symbol? Why?
The spirit of fire looks so frightening
that when it comes to start a fire,
it sees its own reflection in the deumeu and flees out of shock.
It does not look frightening.
It is quite handsome.
Your Royal Highness, wait for me!
Your Royal Highness, please do not run.
Should we eat together tomorrow…
and chat a little?
Yes!
LOOKING AROUND THE PALACE HOLDING HIS HAND TAKING A STROLL WITH HIM
Right.
How did you find the tutors?
The arithmetic tutor was rather lacking.
Then I shall replace that one.
Yes, Mother.
Do you still keep an eye on me?
Yes.
I do not trust you.
I will keep my eye on you to the end.
So,
do not give up and hold out for your mother.
Where are you?
I must go.
Where are you?
I thought you left me.
Why would you think such a thing?
Let us go back inside.
Your hands…
are very warm.
The child of Yi Ik-hyeon is still alive.
I believe my A-ra is a genius.
So please share the education methods of the royal family.
Well.
How about balancing and blood circulation exercises?
She already finished that.
Then you should begin indusuryeonbeop.
It is a method in which you read a book out loud and recite it.
It helps with brain development.
By the way, Grand Prince Muan, it does not feel like you left the palace.
She is right. We see you more often in the palace than before.
You used to say we coddle our children too much.
You are the worst, Brother.
I am also a parent, after all.
I hope you continue to guide me.
Grand Prince Muan practically lives in the palace.
Why do you always leave after meeting the Crown Prince?
I visit His Royal Highness for official business.
To discuss a reformation of the Righteous Granaries.
But still.
I will forget your face at this rate.
It is against the customs for a prince who left the palace
to return for personal reasons.
You always have something to say.
From now on, I will visit you
after I meet His Royal Highness.
Really?
Yes.
Prince Bogeom, wait for me.
What is this book?
What do you think?
The secret to pregnancy.
I asked the nursemaid who helped the Crown Princess
to share it with me.
In two days, the moon will be full at midnight.
That is the best time for consummation.
Mother.
These are deer antlers and root bark
to help with energy and blood flow.
You can take them with your wife
three times a day.
I will not take them.
Why not?
I do not need these things.
Prince Simso.
I prepared them for you. Try them for me.
She is…
already pregnant.
Goodness!
This is great news.
In that case, I will help raise your child.
Mother.
I will raise my child on my own.
Prince Simso, let me help you.
-You should return. -Prince Simso.
I have learned my lesson, so I will be a good grandmother.
Give me another chance.
Prince Hodong.
Why are you running?
You will grow hungry.
Mother, I made a resolution today.
I decided
to lose weight.
Why? You are perfect right now.
I want to become tall and handsome like my brothers.
Goodness.
All of this will help you grow taller later.
I am sure you will grow as tall as the Crown Prince.
-Really? -Of course.
And in my eyes, you are the most handsome prince of them all.
Mother.
I am hungry after running.
Very well. Let us go eat some meat.
You can leave it there.
-Goodness. -That is for here.
Right here.
What is this place?
A place where women who have nowhere to go get back on their feet.
Such a place exists?
Yes.
Crown Princess, from now on, please work with me
and become their shield.
Yes.
You are here.
Please show the Crown Princess around Hyewolgak.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Please come this way.
I have already meddled with your life.
Please accept this.
I always wanted to repay your kindness, Your Majesty.
It is very beautiful.
I will put this in my bedchamber and use it for flowers.
Whenever I see the flowers,
I will think of you.
Brother.
Between a shield kite and a ray kite, which one flies higher?
A shield kite, probably.
It does not have a tail, but it can fly regardless of the direction of the wind.
I see. Let us fly one together next time.
We shall.
There is this kite I have been studying intensively.
By the way, Grand Prince Gyeseong,
why are birds in your paintings always on the branches and not flying?
He is right.
Why are their wings all folded?
Brother, it is today.
Are you certain?
I just checked at the Royal Astronomical Observatory.
-What time will it begin? -Right after your evening lesson.
It will end in an instant, so you must run.
Crown Princess.
-Come with me now. -Pardon?
A shooting star!
Do not look at me.
Make your wish.
What did you wish for, Your Royal Highness?
It is a secret.
Crown Princess.
Did all of your wishes come true?
It is a secret.
Why did you say nothing happened on our consummation night?
Because you did not seem to remember.
I remember.
Go on.
It is nice to have tea with you.
I have more time now, so stop by more often.
Mother.
I wish to leave the palace.
I wish to see a new world.
Hwan.
Why are you suddenly saying this?
The day you took me
beyond the palace walls…
was the happiest day of my life.
The moment…
I saw myself in the portrait,
I felt like I was allowed to be myself for the first time in my life.
Hwan.
How could I ever be at ease without you?
Please consider
my wishes to keep you by my side.
Mother.
I cannot hide behind you forever.
I wish to truly live as myself.
I have
lived all my life within the palace.
There is still an entire world out there that I wish to face.
Please do not worry too much.
I must take care of myself now.
You can let go of my hand now,
Mother.
My dear son.
You are all grown up.
Let me give you the portable sundial I developed.
I can always make another one.
I included a compass with it too,
so it will be quite useful as you travel.
Thank you, Grand Prince Ilyeong.
Stay healthy.
Eat well,
and do not be ill.
Hey.
Why do you say goodbye as if you will never return?
Brother, just take a boat and come to see us once every year.
You will do that, right?
Go now.
It is hot.
Why? It is warm.
Go.
Do not look back.
Uncle.
Where are you?
Uncle.
Where are you?
I cannot see!
I wish to have a son.
When I saw the shooting star, I made a wish.
I wished for a son who looks exactly like His Royal Highness.
Then your wish will come true.
-I do not know yet. -Pardon?
His Royal Highness
wished for a daughter who looks exactly like me.
We will soon find out
whose wish will come true.
I am sure he will be a boy.
My wish was more earnest.
It looks great on you.
Your Royal Highness, please protect this palace.
I will protect
your kingdom.
Your Majesty!
Your Majesty.
Grand Prince Ilyeong went up on the roof
in an attempt to fly again.
Again?
Goodness, that brat.
Which roof?
Brother, this is dangerous.
I have prepared it thoroughly.
I am sure I will fly today.
Your Majesty!
Please slow down!
The mother of the kingdom? Nonsense.
Life as the Queen is extremely hard.
WE SINCERELY THANK THE VIEWERS WHO SHOWED LOVE FOR THIS DRAMA
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
Subtitle translation by: Eun-sook Yoon
Ripped and resynced by YoungJedi