[This drama is created with the background of the historical facts from the founding of Goryeo by Taejo Wang Geon until the rise of 4th King Gwang Jong.]
[Episode 19]
You're not even feeling well, so why are you out here?
Let's go back in.
Come with me.
I waited for you to talk to me today.
I cannot...
go back to that room.
Don't do this to me because of Chae Ryung.
She fooled you.
She was never sincere with you, not even once.
I am doing well.
Chae Ryung...
was sincere to me.
I don't care what you say to me.
She was sincere.
Now what?
You're going to trust her over me?
I want to leave the palace.
I want to leave this place.
I cannot...
bear this any longer.
What about me?
Do you think I'll let you go?
You...
can never leave me.
Can you completely turn on your brother and family?
If you become my only queen...
then I will make our child the Crown Prince.
Goryeo will belong to my son someday.
Please find Chae Ryung's family and let them know.
This is everything that I have.
If they need anything else, I will do what I can to get it.
You don't need to do this.
I am worried that you will anger the king.
She was worrying about her family even when she was dying.
She asked me for my help.
Even the king will not object.
Good job.
Hello, Ji Mong.
Chae Ryung has died.
Really?
You should not be so calm and composed.
It was your fault.
My fault?
You must be crazy.
You will regret it.
You treated someone like Chae Ryung in that way.
I promise you that a day will come when you will regret this.
Ever since you became the king's mistress
you think you can do whatever you please.
- Is that it? - Mistress?
Your Majesty.
You asked for me?
I heard from Ji Mong.
I will have to proclaim you a royal concubine.
There is no need for that.
It is better than being called a mistress.
I don't like to hear it.
You will be treated as the wife second only to the queen.
Once you have a child, you will be proclaimed the second queen.
The reason I want to leave this place is not because of those titles.
Discuss it with Ji Mong and choose a title that you want.
Your Majesty.
You know that you can't, so stop being so stubborn.
Let's not fight.
Have you forgotten how long we had to be apart from each other?
I am only saying we should not waste away our relationship over a small fight.
He is going to read all of "Essentials of Government in the Zhenguan Reign"?
I don't know what he is planning.
I think I should get him a hawk.
Get one that is good at hunting and very agile while you are at it.
I don't know what he is up to.
He wants to go out and hunt.
I should go along with it.
Wook, you know our 4th brother well.
You can never trust him or let your guard down with him.
You have to cut off his arms and legs.
Are you referring to Baek Ah?
He keeps company with a gisaeng from the Gyobang.
It will be easy to get him away from the king.
What's holding you back now?
We've already had you registered to a different family.
My mother is waiting to meet you.
It's because of what happened last time, isn't it?
I have already said we should emancipate all the slaves from Hubaekje.
That will not happen again.
[Runaway slaves] Why don't people from Hubaekje pay taxes?
Why are they like that? Goodness.
The slaves from Baekje have already set fire to 10 homes.
There are many members of powerful families who have died.
We cannot just sit and watch anymore.
The families want you to send out the soldiers.
If we send soldiers, there will definitely be casualties.
It will not end with just slaves.
If any other foreigners join in, this whole nation will be in chaos.
You should protect the families first!
Their lives are in immediate danger, yet no soldiers come to help them.
They have started to get their own people.
You must do this, Your Majesty.
You must save the powerful families who are the foundation of this nation.
If so...
the soldiers must use spears without knives and wooden swords.
I have not been on the throne long. I want to avoid bloodshed if I can.
I propose that the 13th Prince Baek Ah lead the soldiers.
Prince Baek Ah knows nothing about the military or fighting.
Why would he do that?
There are rumors that His Majesty does not care for the people of Goryeo
but cares more for Baek Ah of Silla and the people of Baekje.
On top of everything
Baek Ah had a Baekje court lady adopted into a Goryeo family and is marrying her.
I have already consented to that.
It could also mean that someone close to the king
is being manipulated by someone from Baekje.
You are making ridiculous accusations.
It only takes moments for accusations to become truths.
They call that rumors or... word of mouth.
I will not allow it.
You have only held a lute. How can you wield a sword?
I do not like Woo Hee being under suspicion for being from Baekje.
Because of us...
you have been troubled, Your Majesty.
It would be better if I stepped forward.
In order to get the families to stand down
it seems they have left the area.
If you step in to take sides with either the powerful families or the slaves
it will cause problems.
I am not going to die.
If we leave things like this...
we will be controlled by those families and the throne will be in danger.
I will be fine.
You won't regret it?
I was pretending to be strong.
I don't know what will happen to me.
You'll have a wife, so you must survive.
I don't want to become a widow.
Once I come back...
let's get married.
You are my eternal companion.
Right in this moment, I wish I wasn't a daughter of Baekje.
With all my heart, I am your companion.
Move!
Let's go!
There's something here.
I, the King of Goryeo, make this promise to the people of Baekje.
Slaves will not be attacked.
In order to take care of this matter
I will do the right thing and look into it.
All those forced into slavery by war will be freed.
Foreigners who were forced into slavery will have their status re-instated.
This will be strictly enforced.
Slaves who were taken will be returned to their original home region.
They will be exempted from taxes for a time to be determined.
Receiving different treatment based on your place of origin will be abolished.
You may be appointed to work in government.
You will become a Goryeo citizen.
They always lie with the same thing.
- Yeah. - We won't be fooled. No, we won't!
They treated us like dogs and pigs!
Come on. Let's go!
Yeah!
You were sent home, so why are you here?
You'll lose your head.
Tell the king to do as he pleases. I'm not afraid of anything.
I told you that he would put you in a position to die.
He could have sent me.
Please do not die.
You can come back injured.
Just do not die.
I cannot watch any more of this.
You received what Hae Soo asked me to send you?
The hairpin?
Yes.
However, I didn't know what it meant because there was no letter.
She wanted me to tell you this, too.
"I want it."
"I want it"?
Did Hae Soo really say that?
Yes, that's what she said.
Hae Soo...
desperately wants it.
She told me to tell you.
I don't know what it is she wants.
Help her.
I don't know what will happen to me.
You should remain a good friend to Soo.
To the king, as well.
He's having a hard time.
Should you be worrying about others right now?
No one is here to even see you off.
What about that court lady from the Gyobang?
I told Woo Hee it would be better if she didn't come.
Please take care yourself, Baek Ah.
[Reunification of the Three Kingdoms] [Goryeo, Baekje, and Silla]
Woo Hee.
Princess! It's Princess Woo Hee.
Princess Woo Hee, be careful! Come down from there.
You can't stand there.
Woo Hee!
Stop.
You're not going to, right?
Don't do it.
Turn around.
Turn around!
If you see...
you won't ever forget.
Woo Hee!
I thought I could ignore it and live my life.
I was going to deny my parents.
But I can't turn my back on my people who look to me as a mother.
I don't think I can live like that.
Goryeo and Baekje.
Gyeon Hwon and Taejo Wang Geon.
Their sins...
I will pay for them with my lie.
Perhaps this is the reason I was born.
I...
Woo Hee.
love you.
You alone...
are my one and only companion.
You shouldn't destroy yourself just so you don't forget her.
Why didn't she tell me?
I must have made her that way.
If you think about it, I was too greedy.
A citizen of a fallen nation and a former gisaeng.
An orphan.
I knew her painful background.
I felt proud of myself for loving her.
I was being narcissistic.
I didn't look back to see how Woo Hee truly felt.
Why was she sad and what made her so unhappy?
"Why are your smiles so brief?"
I never asked her.
It was a shallow love.
Woo Hee is the bad one here.
We gave our whole hearts to her.
In the end...
she was not selfish enough.
She is the bad one.
The king already knew everything.
Didn't he?
You look very haggard.
I will send you a doctor, so get treated.
The fact that Woo Hee displayed your tenets
means you had already made a deal with her, right?
I did not know that she would choose to die.
She only told me that I could save you if I wrote those tenets
That was when I found out that she was a princess of Hubaekje.
I wanted to save you.
It was like grabbing on to a rotting rope, but I wrote them.
I did not know what would happen, but even if I had...
it would have been the same.
To me...
you are more important.
I know that.
I do know that.
But it is hard for me to accept.
It is hard being by your side, Your Majesty.
Do not do this.
I...
I was wrong.
No, I was.
I am sorry that I was not enough to protect you, Your Majesty.
Please live long and be healthy.
Brother.
Baek Ah.
Baek Ah!
Are you sure about your decision?
I am.
You mentioned going hunting.
- I got you a hunting hawk. - Oh.
Hawk hunting is something I enjoy very much.
This is a show of brotherly love.
They say that brotherly affection and fraternity is the foundation of a man.
Wow! This is why brothers are the best.
Harmony in the family will mean harmony in the country, don't you think?
Isn't this a dead hawk?
A dead hawk given to the king?
You have cursed the king!
We cannot let this slide.
Your Majesty.
It is a misunderstanding.
Something happened during the transport of the hawk--
You brought it yourself, so who are you blaming?
You are placing a curse on the king?
Then, is this treason?
Anyone can see that it is!
It is true, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, I have been wronged.
I am clearly being framed, Your Majesty.
If it is treason...
you will have to pay with your life.
Your Majesty.
You are here?
Wook is being framed. He may die.
I heard that he committed a grave error that is beyond repair.
You must save your brother.
I refuse.
Your Majesty.
I cannot get involved in politics just to cover up my brother's crimes.
His crimes are too serious to do so.
The Hwangju elders are already focused on me.
Do not have any expectations.
"Just"?
Did you use the word "just" when referring to your brother's life?
I am the queen now.
I treasure my family and I do not want to lose him.
However, we must look at the bigger picture.
You need to let me go.
Forgive Wook.
I am certain that he was framed.
Let him live.
Your Majesty.
Don't you know you can't use your knees?
You may be unable to walk if you do this. Get up now.
You said you wouldn't hurt your brothers.
Do not do this.
I know you care about the princes.
I don't like how you're coming to me and kneeling for his sake.
- Get up now. - The person who killed the hawk...
was you, Your Majesty.
You killed the hawk on purpose and now you've put Wook's life in danger.
What?
Is that wrong?
Wook killed our oldest brother and Eun. He chased Baek Ah away, too.
He tried to kill me and he tried to split us apart.
- That's the kind of person he is. - If you kill anyone else...
it will return to you as bad luck.
If you are too severe in giving out punishment
everyone will eventually consider you the enemy.
In the future...
I do not want you to be remembered as a bloody monarch.
Fine. I will let him live.
Wook will be punished by being confined to his hometown.
He will not be allowed to take even one step out of his home.
He had greed for Goryeo.
That house will become his entire world.
He will suffocate in that house.
He will have to live until his heart rots.
If I think about it...
I suppose this suits him better than killing him immediately.
You have time to play with flowers?
You are a hateful person.
I heard about Wook.
I know you must not feel good, Your Majesty.
Ever since I was young, he has never said no to me.
I wondered if I had destroyed him.
I worried about it a lot.
I pushed him to become king.
I wanted us to own this palace together.
I pushed him too hard.
However...
it wasn't me who completely changed my brother.
It was you.
- Excuse me? - I heard from Wook.
That you told him to be careful of the 4th Prince.
You told him not to get in the way of Prince Wang So and that he could die.
It's because...
I told him to be careful of the 4th Prince?
After Wook heard that, he believed the 4th Prince would be king.
He had feelings for you.
He hated it more than anything that you were acknowledging another man as king.
I was the one who pressured Wook.
But it was you who hammered in the nail.
Everything started with you.
I made the decision to kill my brothers and become king.
All because you...
helped So cover up his scar and take my seat.
Because he took what was mine...
Be careful of Prince Wang So.
You must avoid him. Do not ever get in his way.
If you do...
If you do, you will all die.
It was all my fault...
If only you hadn't told him to be careful of the 4th Prince...
If only you hadn't gotten involved and said that the 4th Prince would be king...
Wook would not have changed so much that it even shocked me.
You ruined everything.
And yet shamelessly, you still live.
It's my favorite, Soo.
Mine is white tea.
It was my fault?
You have to draw me to look the same.
I need it to feel like they're looking at me even by looking at the drawing.
I thought we were drawing what you would look like in your older years.
You're not sitting in your throne.
People wouldn't know if you were a prince or king.
People would be confused.
I'm still very young. Why draw a picture to hang after I die?
I have someone to give it to.
No. You cannot enter!
I am here to see you, Your Majesty.
You defy your exile so boldly.
You must be intent on dying.
I came because I need your consent, Your Majesty.
I thought you would not allow me here if I told you in advance.
This is a decre e left by the late king.
I consent to the marriage of the sacred Prince Jung and Court Lady Hae Soo.
The borders have quieted down, thanks to you.
I'll give you whatever you want as an award before you leave.
Whatever I want?
As long as it's not the throne, tell me what you want.
If so...
there is something I have wanted for a very long time.
It is fake.
It's a lie.
You were enthroned without even a last decree, Your Majesty.
Can you treat the late king's decrees in this way?
You can compare this to the late king's other writing.
You will be sure that it was the late king.
Even if it is not fake, I cannot approve it.
You cannot marry Hae Soo.
As long as the late king has consented, there is no reason that I can't.
There is no one in this palace who does not know about our relationship.
Yet, you want to marry her?
Enough with that nonsense.
Hae Soo is not a queen nor is she a royal concubine.
She is not your wife.
There is no reason she cannot marry me.
Also, I have informed the other ministers of this fact.
I let them know that I am waiting for your consent to marry her.
Ji Mong.
Punish Prince Jung for breaking his exile--
Hae Soo wants it.
What?
You can check with her.
Hae Soo wants to marry me.
This is lacking honey, isn't it?
It will break down easily.
Use a flower scent for the wives.
Use grass or mint for the princes and the king.
Yes.
Jung says...
he will marry you.
He had a decree from the late king that gave him consent to marry you.
Did you know about it?
When did he receive that decree?
Year of the Monkey, September.
It was when Jung won a battle in Hwayi against Khitan and returned.
Jung says you want marriage too.
I know you don't.
- I can dismiss that decree as a fake. - I want it.
It is a grave sin to go against the will of the late king.
If you do not adhere to it this time, someone will definitely...
bring up your accession to the throne.
When we were apart, we always longed for one another.
My heart got torn up just thinking about you.
Now...
Although I see you daily and smile...
Sometimes, I even hate you.
You hate me?
If we keep on like this
it is obvious that someday, only hate and disgust will be left.
I do not want that.
I would rather leave now.
I will never allow that.
People are already suspicious of how you got on the throne, and you ignore this?
You made me turn on my family and brother.
You cannot throw away Hae Soo, Your Majesty?
That's right.
I can never let Hae Soo go.
How long will you be saying that?
I will wait and see.
You may throw away the throne.
But I can never do that.
You should get up now.
The king has agreed to let you live.
What if people start suspecting you too?
It's not like...
you have any feelings left for me.
No matter who it was, you know I would have done this.
The king knows that too.
Get over this now.
Be it towards the throne or me.
Unless you leave this place,
you can never break free from this misery.
You...
must give up first.
You need to help me, Brother.
You have something you must tell me?
The queen begged me desperately.
That is why I made this exception.
Please wait outside, Your Majesty.
Brother.
I wish for nothing else.
Please listen to what my brother has to say until the end.
I...
have something to confess about my relationship with Hae Soo.
Hae Soo?
There seems to be something you're still unaware of, Your Majesty.
I thought I should let you know.
The two of us...
had promised to marry one another.
Do you really want to die?
It was long before she became your woman.
Soo...
was my person.
I found out why you worried so much about Wook.
Why it was that you got on your knees to save Wook...
I know now.
That bracelet you wore for a long time.
The secret meetings at the Damiwon.
Is it all true?
Were you really planning on marrying Wook?
Yes.
The person you told me you loved...
was it Wook?
Yes, it was.
Also, there is someone that I like.
- Baek Ah? - No, it's not Baek Ah.
I'll take her back.
If someone sees you two returning, people will start talking.
Soo.
Nothing here is yours.
Not Yeon Hwa, and not Soo.
They are all my people.
Your Majesty.
You killed the hawk on purpose and now you've put Wook's life in danger.
Just lie to me instead.
Tell me it's a misunderstanding and that Wook is lying to me!
Then we can go back to before.
We said...
we would not lie to one another.
How could you do this?
How could you hurt me like this?
Why is it Wook, of all people?
You always had Wook in your heart.
Your Majesty.
Do not touch me.
Starting today...
I will not see you ever again.
It was enough to give her up once.
I know they say you must sacrifice in order to protect this throne.
But if you send her away like this, you will lose yourself, as well.
I did not abandon her.
Soo...
abandoned me.
Bring it over.
We bonded over drinks, so we should have a drink when we part.
Had I known Jung had that decree, I wouldn't have helped you so easily.
I didn't know either.
He said he had a way out of the palace. That's all I knew.
You don't like this marriage either.
You should turn back now, then.
I don't like the marriage.
But it's my only way out of the palace.
So I will do it.
At the very least, I wanted you to stay with my brother.
Why are you trying to leave him
when you know you can't get over him?
There is too much blood in our relationship.
I thought I could stop it.
I was wrong.
I have no confidence to stand by and watch anymore.
I don't know everything there is to know about your relationship.
I was very lucky to become friends with you.
It was a precious relationship that Lady Hae gave to us.
Don't let yourself become sick with grieving.
You should go.
If you stay any longer, I don't know what I'll do.
- What are the guards doing? - Baek Ah.
Thank you.
I didn't do it with purely good intentions.
If you did not know that I wanted to leave
I know you would never have said those words.
Jung...
will be good to you.
Please take good care of yourself.
Since you are intent on leaving
cut things off cleanly.
Forget everything that has passed.
Think only of the future.
Think only of that.
Soo.
I think you should know my heart.
You should go now.
In this lifetime...
our intertwined fate ends here.
If I had not met him
I would not yearn for him.
If I did not know him
I would not think of him so much.
If we had not been together, I would not have to disappear.
If I did not treasure him so much, I would not have so many memories.
If I did not love him...
we would not need to throw each other away.
If we had not been face-to-face
we would never have been together.
Perhaps...
if I had not met you at all.