[All the characters, locales, groups, and incidents have no connection to historical facts. This is a work of fiction.]
[Episode 3] If it is a traitor, you must find by searching the entire Jungchon,
it can be only one person.
The deposed crown prince's son who disappeared.
Lee Seol.
You are definitely the daughter of Yoon Won.
You are so useless and fearless.
But...
you have nothing to lose, sir.
What did you say?
You would either find Ok Jin* (Speck of jade dust, beautiful flaw, referring to deposed crown prince's son figuratively)
or acquire Ihwawon.
You would get at least one.
How would I trust you?
I have been the owner of an inn for more than a decade.
When it comes to an inn in Jungchon,
no one is more knowledgeable than me.
If Ok Jin is in Jungchon,
the one who can find him the most effectively
is me.
If so...
you must know how many scholars are staying at Buyounggak, too.
Yes.
There are 59 of them.
There are 51.
You are bluffing way too much.
More customers came yesterday.
We supply eggs to Buyounggak.
So we know well.
I will give you a month.
If you cannot find Lee Seol within that time,
Ihwawon will forever be mine.
[Buyounggak]
Sir, sir!
Yes, yes!
- Sir! - Is anyone in there?
What is this?
You are...
the owner of Ihwawon!
So, what brings you here?
Did you want to see me?
I heard you frequent Buyounggak.
I thought I might as well stop by.
You want to find the deposed crown prince's son?
I have been bored anyway.
How entertaining this is!
You served Ok Jin very closely.
You must know what he looks like very well.
If you tell me anything-
Have you ever even imagined...
where Ok Jin would be and how he would look?
He might be closer than you think.
Or he could be very far away.
No one can know.
No matter where he is,
I will make sure to find him.
Where has she been anyway?
What?
Where did you say you were going?
Gwacheonhyun.
Even if I leave now, it will take at least a full day.
So it would take two days for a round trip, right?
Are you telling me to eat Najudaek's food for two days?
Whoa. I would really, really hate that.
Gwacheon is too far.
The path is treacherous, too.
Yes, Yoo Ha is right.
How will you climb those treacherous hills of Namtaeryeong?
I must go.
It is very important to me.
If so, I will come with you.
Aigoo! The state exam is coming up soon.
I cannot let you waste your time like that.
But it is too dangerous for you to go alone.
I heard that the town officers would be accompanying me.
I will be careful and come back quickly.
You might not make it back.
Pardon?
There are countless people who get eaten by tigers on those trails.
I sent Najudaek on an errand.
Please explain the situation to her when she returns.
Oh, right.
There is one thing I have not told you yet.
What is it?
I heard the deposed Crown Princess's servant from her residence lives in Gwacheonhyun.
Was his name Meok Soe?
Thank you.
Thank you so much, sir.
You do not have to thank me.
I am curious about what would happen, too.
There are countless people who got eaten by tigers on those trails.
Orabeoni?
What are you doing here...
Just because...
I could not focus on the books.
I just wanted to get some fresh air.
Be careful.
- There is a snake on the ground- - Where, where, where?
I mean, there might be one!
You are so easily frightened.
- You did not have to come here. - Easily frightened?
I was just a little bit surprised.
Hey!
You left me out.
I am disappointed, you know.
Are those what you will wear on this long journey?
The thing is...
I think my shoes left this earth.
Now you are joining me on this long journey-
Aigoo, you do not have to thank me.
As for me,
I delight in traveling the eight provinces.
Why did you come?
You should be studying instead.
Aigoo! Aigoo.
She is thanking me, right?
Very much.
He said countless people got eaten by tigers.
That Kang San is such a liar.
They said it was Gwacheon right after this.
Which way are we supposed to go?
When did you get a compass?
I guess you came prepared since it would be a long journey.
There are bandits! Run!
Run!
Look at them!
You said you are going to Gwacheonhyun, right?
- This is a shortcut. - It is a shortcut.
Thank you.
By the way,
why are you helping us?
T-T-The thing is...
- Well... - They seem flustered.
It is definitely suspicious.
We are actually a bit busy. We will get going.
- Let's go. Hurry. - Let's go.
Hurry! Hurry!
Hurry!
Let us go.
Get him!
We are on the wrong path.
Guys!
- It is that mountain. - That mountain!
Hong Shik!
Hey, Tiger.
Scholar sir.
Do you happen to know a man named Meok Soe?
By chance...
- have you heard of a man named Meok Soe? - I do not know.
Have you heard of a man named Meok Soe?
He probably lives in the village up above.
Thank you.
I found him.
What is wrong?
I am sure I saw Kang San over there-
No way!
He does not care about other people's business at all.
He could not have come all the way here.
Is that so?
Come, come.
A woman and two scholars were here. Which way did they go?
I do not know.
I was right, was I not?
It was definitely him.
Were you that worried about us?
I did not know you were such a warm person.
Worried, my foot!
Yook Ho sent me.
Ahjussi did?
Yes! He insisted that I go with you.
He thought it might be dangerous.
He did not say anything like that to me.
You...
do not know how to use a sword!
You only know how to spend money.
It is not even a real sword.
You came because you were worried about me, right?
Why would I worry about you?
Yook Ho asked me to-
Since when did you listen to Yook Ho ahjussi?
I tend to listen to elders.
But why did you try to hide?
- You must have come for a reason- - Yes.
You are right.
I came because of you.
I was so worried that
you might get hurt.
Is this what you wanted to hear?
N-Not at all!
Hurry up and come.
The sun is about to set.
You look well.
Someone must be taking care of you, who got kicked out of the palace.
Is it Lee Seol?
Have you met him?
If I say anything, I will get killed along with Ok Jin.
How could I answer that?
Do you have any loyalty left in you?
Now that the Crown Prince passed away,
you are bringing up loyalty?
I, Noh Seong Gil, am...
merely a peddler without any loyalty.
If you are a peddler, your calculation was wrong.
You think Lee Seol would let you live?
I guess...
you would never know about that.
If so...
I will let you know...
about what your future would be like.
Your Majesty! Please calm down.
Move!
If we find the deposed crown prince's son someday, we will need an eyewitness.
This is all I can offer.
It is all right.
Now, even a lady from a noble family is looking for the oldest son of the Crown Prince.
I suppose...
his name is too mighty to be
buried in the past.
Please tell me anything
you know about.
Yes.
When the oldest son of the Crown Prince was a child,
he stayed at his maternal grandparents' residence often.
Until that incident happened...
Your Highness the Crown Princess! Run away!
- Mother! - Leave.
- Mother! - Your Highness!
You must protect the Prince.
No, Mother!
You must come with me!
Mother, please get up!
We have to go! You have to come with me!
Mother!
- You must go with me! - Mother!
Since then,
the nursemaid raised the young prince.
By the way,
how do you know that the nursemaid
raised the son of the Crown Prince?
It was around
when he was about 13.
His nursemaid came to see me
asking for money.
Money?
She was...
planning to get him adopted somewhere.
She had to live in hiding all this time because of the men searching for him.
So that would have been better for her safety.
Which family was it?
I do not know about that, either.
I thought I might get hurt if I knew.
So I did not even ask.
Is the nursemaid...
still alive?
I guess she got ill
while being chased around.
After she got Prince adopted
she could not even last ten days...
If so...
at least tell me what the Prince looked like.
His dark eyebrows were as fine as the crescent
and his eyes were clear and big.
His nose was sharp and pointy.
His lips were plump
and the corners of his mouth pointed up.
If you put all of that together...
- He must be a handsome man. - Yes.
He was a very good-looking man.
And the thing that stood out the most was...
his ankle.
He had a red mole above the ankle bone.
It was dark and vivid.
Did you have a good talk?
Yes.
Thank you for coming all the way here for me.
I will treat you to a meal. Let us go.
You have no money.
I have enough to get you rice and soup.
How about rice wine?
I could use cold rice wine with rice and soup.
Who did you meet all the way here, anyway?
Well...
A friend of my father lives here.
His friend was a slave?
This is obviously-
My father was very open-minded.
Your lies are so creative.
Aigoo!
Aigoo! Here they come!
Well...
How come it is just you?
- Did something happen to My Lady- - Not at all.
We parted ways because she had an errand in Jungchon.
Do not worry.
We came back safely from Gwacheon.
Yes.
My gosh!
You...
know something, do you not?
Know what?
- What do you mean? - Why is Dan Oh acting strange these days?
You even followed us to Gwacheon, which is uncharacteristic of you.
- What if I did? - Let me know, too.
I need to know as well.
I do not know, either.
Even if I did,
why do I have to tell you?
[Buyounggak]
It is a red mole.
A red mole?
Have you seen one?
No.
I never have.
How about the bottom of a foot?
How about a black mole?
Oh! I know a scholar with a red mole on his toe.
The mole looked like a watermelon seed.
It has to be above the ankle bone.
Really?
I am sorry that I cannot help you.
It is okay.
Make sure to tell me if you see it.
I will bring you more yakgwa*, then. (Traditional Korean sweets)
- Yes! - Yes.
He has a red mole.
A red mole?
I have not seen a man with one.
How about you?
I have not, either.
There are not many men with a red mole.
Aigoo!
Now that I think about it, it stands out too much.
Are you taking your present back?
Think carefully.
The first person to tell me gets it.
What are you doing right now?
Anyway,
sorry for the trouble.
Last night,
you visited Chief Administrator Jang last night, as I hear.
I told you.
That I cannot lose Ihwawon.
What is so great about that inn
that you would risk your life for it?
You have no idea...
how reckless and dangerous what you are doing is.
Do not look for her.
Many people died looking for Ok Jin.
[Buyounggak]
Excuse me.
Tell the owner that Ban Ya is here.
Why are you dragging your feet?
Hurry!
My Lady.
Were you still here?
- Yes, I am about to leave. - Yes.
It is okay.
I get mistaken often because of how I look.
If you are looking for the owner,
turn around and try the room at the end.
It is you.
A former aristocrat who became a courtesan.
You look well taken care of.
Looks like you did not suffer enough!
You are a bit stiff.
She must still think she is an aristocrat.
How annoying.
- Say it again. - Hey!
What did you say?
Let go.
Was it Ban Ya?
I heard you could not find a man to put your hair up* for you at the last courtesan house (Coming-of-age ceremony for courtesans)
and only caused trouble.
Today is the last day you will misbehave.
You cannot do this to me!
Who do you think you are, wench?
You are a courtesan.
Just accept it.
The only reason why I accepted you is
because of the Chief Administrator.
If you cause trouble again, you will get kicked out with bare feet.
Keep that in mind.
Since when did you walk with me?
From over there.
Why did you not just call me, then?
You were walking ahead. What for?
It is nice to walk together.
It is less boring, too.
I walk alone fine without getting bored.
Orabeoni.
You do not have any friends, do you?
- What? - Aigoo!
I do not have many, either.
But you are so...
You do not know me that well!
Right!
I heard you did well on the exam.
That Shi Yeol is so talkative.
This is all because of my lucky taffy.
Do not forget...
that I contributed to your success.
- I have not even passed yet. - Come on!
You are obviously going to pass!
What?
Even foreign intruders will get scared and run away from you.
You are the best warrior of Joseon.
What are you doing?
Just wondering if Najudaek is out here.
She left in the morning to look for you.
But you...
Why are you spending so much time outside?
Even after staying up all night visiting Gwacheon.
I just have very good stamina.
You do not seem to be going around to earn money.
Are you...
looking for someone, perhaps?
Sorry?
Wh-What do you mean?
Not at all.
Whom would I be looking for anyway?
There.
You really like that, huh?
My Boksil also liked to feast on this as well.
Boksil.
Who are you?
I wonder if that boy is doing well.
Aigoo.
My plate is too full to be worrying about someone else.
Is that not true, Boksil?
[Buyounggak]
You want me to find the court lady who used to serve Lady Park?
Why look for a court lady who left the palace?
Well, then...
Let us go.
Hold on!
There is something that bothers me so much. I must confirm it.
Yes, Your Excellency.
Your Excellency!
Take your leave.
You called for me, Left State Minister?
Was it a watchman?
The one who ruthlessly slaughtered the warriors of Six Swords eight years ago.
Yes.
He is a swordsman in the shadows who guards royalty for generations.
I heard Ok Jin's watchman is especially skilled.
A young man with devilish swordsmanship?
He probably is better now.
Since he would have gained muscles from growing up, too.
Your only son was also a member of the Six Swords?
The third generation only son of a family where sons are rare.
What is your true goal?
Is it Lee Seol...
or...
is it the watchman?
The watchman always stays close to Lee Seol.
Whenever his master was in danger,
he always showed himself.
Finding him is...
the same as finding Lee Seol.
I do not care what happens to the watchman.
However...
make sure to bring Lee Seol alive.
Aigoo.
Hurry up and come out.
I clearly saw you just now!
Najudaek...
long time no see.
My Lady!
I had a safe trip.
Look here. I did not get hurt at all.
What business did you have at Gwacheon?
The thing is...
Chief Administrator Jang deferred the debt for one whole month.
Instead, he gave me a task.
How could you be so stubborn when you are always so smart with everything else?
How are you going to get that much money in one month?
The thing is, I have the means.
Najudaek, you just count on me and follow.
My Lady!
I also...
want to find another way if there is one.
But there is none.
Aigoo.
My Lady...
If Ihwawon gets handed over to Chief Administrator Jang,
things we did our best to conceal will be exposed.
What do we do?
Smallpox! She has a bad case of smallpox.
If you end up getting it as well, it will be a big problem.
Did I not teach you?
How a widow who lost her husband should set an example.
Do you really wish Hong Ju to take her own life?
She even got an illness like that because she has a needless desire to stay alive.
Everyone will be in danger.
I do not have the confidence...
to handle the aftermath.
I know.
Of course, I know.
But I am just so scared.
That you might get hurt.
Aigoo.
Have you seen Dan Oh?
Gosh, I am starving.
Aigoo.
You were all here, huh?
I already had made midnight snacks.
Midnight snacks?
Wait, I am fine.
Najudaek!
I will only accept your kindness.
Eating snacks at night makes me sleepy during my studies.
- I see. - Go on.
Aigoo.
Thank you so much for going with her...
all the way to Gwacheon.
Thanks to you, Scholars,
I feel so much at peace.
Wait, why...
- Why give only me this much? - How could you...
express your thanks in this way?
Is it because she put her gratitude into it?
How is a rice ball this big?
I also am thinking of doing some studies.
You are?
As if you would.
Shall we go inside and eat?
Let us go together.
Wait-
This is what I was talking about.
Take your time as you eat.
Dan Oh, are you not hungry? Join us.
I am fine.
Just make sure to put the dishes out after you are done.
By the way, is Dan Oh not acting weird lately?
I think it is because of her debt.
Taking a trip all the way to Gwacheon, too.
What is she going around for, exactly?
I know.
Kang San, you...
You seem to know something.
I mean...
how would you know what Yoo Ha does not know?
Do I...
look like a good person to you?
I-It hurts.
He had a red mole above the ankle bone.
It was dark and vivid.
How am I going to check his ankle?
Is he tired?
Why take a break here uncomfortably?
His dark eyebrows were
as fine as the crescent
and his eyes were clear and big.
His nose was sharp and pointy.
His lips were plump
and the corners of his mouth pointed up.
He was clearly talking about Kang San orabeoni.
He had a red mole above the ankle bone.
What are you doing right now?
Aigoo!
Wh-What do you mean what am I doing?
You were trying to strip me.
Wh-Why would I try to strip you?
I saw everything, though.
You untied the ankle knot and raised-
♪ Beyond countless stars, blindingly next to me ♪
♪ After staying up this night filled with shy smiles ♪
Why would you say such needless things?
You are going to feign ignorance?
I was going to tie your ankle knot because it was loose.
You do not even know what happened.
You should not be slandering me like that.
Just tie your ankle knot.
Orabeoni!
Are you busy today?
No, well, not particularly.
You know the Hwang family's fabric shop by the entrance of Jungchon, right?
When you buy fabric from them, they also make clothes out of them.
I am telling you to get some new clothes. Autumn is on its way.
I have a lot of clothes, though.
I also have five or six Autumn outfits.
Is that so?
Autumn clothes! I need those.
Wait, why are you coming out of the doghouse?
Boksil just likes me too much.
I am telling you, it just wags its tail at me left and right.
No way. Did you go out to drink again at night?
Do you even have money to buy clothes?
It looks like you used it all on getting drunk.
Of course...
I do not have it. But I have you, though.
When did you take my shoes? Seriously.
Kang San, you tag along, too.
Let us get one for the Autumn, huh?
Should I do that?
I need to measure your ankle.
So could I take your sock off, please?
The sock, too? I think this is enough.
That is how the clothes come out custom tailored.
Now.
Gosh, there.
Aigoo, there...
Wait, why...
My, now.
Wait.
That is enough.
Let us go if you are done.
You will end up getting your toes measured, too.
Wait, the thing is-
Now, then. Please do your best and tailor it.
Make mine with these. Okay?
Y-Yes, yes.
Gosh, I needed their measurements, too.
- Excuse me for a moment. - Yes.
Have you seen a scholar with a red mole...
- on his ankle bone before? - A red mole?
A red mole...
I have not seen one before.
Are you sure?
I heard this is where most of Jungchon's scholars come to get tailored.
Yes.
I always see the ankles whenever I measure them.
I would have remembered if I had seen one.
If you happen to see one in the future,
please let me know.
Yes, yes. I will do that.
Orabeonis.
Please go on home without me.
I have a brief stop to make.
- You will come home soon, right? - Of course.
I will be back before dinner.
I told you.
She is really suspicious.
There is indeed one way to look into this.
Are you not Ihwawon's scholars?
We have been waiting.
We need to ask you something.
Dan Oh's father owes Chief Administrator Jang a large sum?
Is that all?
Should there be something more?
There is something more.
That is what my intuition is telling me.
Let us take our leave now.
We heard everything.
However,
why are you all so concerned?
If the inn goes out of business,
you can just move elsewhere.
There is this Buyounggak right here, too.
It is because of Young Lady Dan Oh, is it not?
As I thought.
That was the case.
Men's hearts, seriously.
Lady Dan Oh made a deal with Chief Administrator Jang
in order to protect Ihwawon.
Dan Oh is...
looking for Ok Jin?
It is for the past due rent.
I made use of my sleight of hand.
Could it be from...
I won, fair and square.
If you had studied like that, you would have already passed with top scores.
- Not happy? In that case- - I am happy.
I am very happy.
If you are happy...
- do you want to marry me? - Well...
I do not want to.
I was rejected.
Why-
Why are you coming home so late?
Orabeoni, you came back later than I did today.
By the way...
do you know you are a little strange today?
In what way?
I guess you can say your eyes are like those of...
a dog that needs to poop.
What?
Anyhow, what brings you here?
- Do not find him. - Sorry?
Stop looking for the one...
- you are searching for. - What?
What in the world are you saying-
I must find him.
To protect Ihwawon.
I do not know how much you know, but-
Is Ihwawon that important to you?
More than your own life?
There.
Hurry up and eat. You barely had anything for dinner.
Is Ihwawon that important to you?
More than your own life?
How stifling.
Why?
D-Does it taste that bad?
Gosh, seriously.
It feels like I ate a million sweet potatoes.
I only boiled them in water.
What on Earth could it be?
What else?
A fool who cannot even boil sweet potato right.
[Buyounggak]
You can leave it there.
Here.
What is this?
A scholar told me to give it to you, My Lady.
A scholar?
"If you want to find Ok Jin...
come to the abandoned house next to the guardian tree in Namsangol."
Could Lee Seol have...
Whatever it is you need to tell me...
go ahead, please.
It is about the watchman.
Is there anything you know?
It is okay.
He is looking for Lee Seol under my order.
I am deeply sorry, but even the Royal Guards do not
know anything about watchmen, either.
Do you not even know where they are trained?
No.
It has been done in secret for generations.
There must be someone who funds them, at least.
They are funded by the Crown's personal funds.
But the Queen Mother approves every transaction, not His Majesty.
Then His Majesty would not know, either.
Yes.
Even Her Highness does not know the fine details.
She only provides the funds.
I beseech...
you not to look for them.
They live in the darkness.
If you push them out into the light,
you might not be safe, either, Left State Minister.
Why does it have to be a place like this?
Do not look for him.
Countless people died looking for the speck of dust*. (Ok Jin, the son of the crown prince)
Are you him?
Ok Jin...
[The Secret Romantic Guesthouse]
♪ Melting in again ♪
I will find Lee Seol, no matter what.
You will realize this while trying to find him.
What a crazy endeavor it is.
Why?
We just might end up finding him ourselves.
It might be Lee Seol, the deposed crown prince's son.
You are the first one, Orabeoni.
Is being nosy your talent? You sure are interested in other people's business.
Love blooms, and all hell breaks loose between a man and a woman just from a glance.
Does Yoon Dan Oh really not know who you are, Scholar?
I can tell now.
Yoon Dan Oh, it seems you would not give up until the end.
Ripped and resynced by YoungJedi