The Queen's Umbrella (2022) s01e06 Episode Script
Episode 6
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
Your Majesty.
Her Majesty has gone to her bedchamber.
Has His Majesty visited again?
Yes.
Ever since the funeral, he comes to see
if she has gone to bed
without missing a day.
His Majesty is quite incredible.
His Royal Highness
clearly coughed up blood before his death.
What have you done to His Royal Highness?
I know I am greatly guilty
for not curing his disease.
But it was not me.
Did I say that it was you?
I am telling you to expose
who was behind it if it was not you.
What on earth are you plotting?
Now,
tell me who was behind it.
EPISODE 6
Your Majesty.
Today we will not leave
before you make your decision.
You must come to a decision
and appoint the next Crown Prince.
The kingdom has fallen into a crisis.
Who do you reckon is worthy
to be the Crown Prince?
According to our law,
it should be His Highness the Grand Heir.
But he is still too young,
and he is yet to achieve
academic excellence.
Your Majesty, you have eleven princes.
Why not conduct the taekhyeon
and select one among them?
There is the son of the Crown Prince
and the Grand Princes. Taekhyeon?
I am proposing
we crown the wisest prince
regardless of his birth.
Just as when His Majesty
was crowned as the Crown Prince.
Since the reign of Your Majesty began,
the kingdom
has continuously lived in peace.
Do you not think the taekhyeon
is proven as a worthy method?
-We agree, Your Majesty.
-We agree, Your Majesty.
No, Your Majesty.
You must crown His Grand Heir
and establish the authenticity
of your dynasty.
Chief Royal Secretary,
what you said sounds like
you are questioning the legitimacy
of the enthronement of His Majesty.
Questioning?
I only spoke up
because you tried to defy our order.
That is enough.
What is delaying the investigation
of the death of the Crown Prince?
With all due respect,
poisoning is suspected,
so it is still under investigation.
-What?
-Poisoning?
Poisoning?
There was no sign of poison
during his autopsy?
Who would dare to take
the life of the Crown Prince?
It is not the first time someone has died
from hyeolheogwol in the palace.
Back then,
we concluded he died of illness,
but this time, the signs are different,
so we wish to investigate it thoroughly.
Then, Chief State Councilor,
investigate the death
of the Crown Prince thoroughly
so that there is
not a drop of suspicion left.
For that is more important
than appointing the next Crown Prince!
However, Your Majesty,
we cannot leave the position
-of the Crown Prince vacant.
-I will!
Until the cause of his death is apparent,
I will leave that position vacant.
What?
Taekhyeon?
What a load of nonsense.
But Your Majesty,
His Grand Heir is too young,
so some are saying
it is reasonable
to resort to the taekhyeon.
Completely absurd.
There is the law to conform to,
and I still hold my place here.
Also,
he is not the only legitimate son.
So are the grand princes.
But the Queen Dowager
does not approve of the grand princes…
She does not decide the Crown Prince!
What is wrong with my children?
Grand Princes Seongnam and Gyeseong
even made it to the second exam.
But Your Majesty,
once the Queen Dowager gets a say,
we may end up resorting to the taekhyeon.
The most important quality
of the Crown Prince
is having the discernment
of one's duties in every circumstance
and putting his own interests aside.
Among the qualities of the Crown Prince,
filial duty is above all others.
Filial duty is the basis
of every action a nobleman takes.
I believe there is
nothing more important than that
to reign in justice
and rule the people in peace.
I have been devastated
by the loss of the Crown Prince,
but seeing my bright princes,
I no longer feel the need to be anxious.
Even though you are not the direct heir,
any of you can become the Crown Prince
if you have what it takes.
Did the Queen Dowager really say that?
Yes.
It does not matter if one
is the Grand Heir or the direct heir.
She will choose the Crown Prince
only by competence.
That means Prince Bogeom
is the most likely.
It does not.
His Highness the Grand Heir
is still the most likely.
I mean,
his infancy did not end long ago.
How can he be the Crown Prince?
Yes, he is still just a little boy.
Does he even know how to read?
He began to read when he was three.
That is not all.
When he was four, he only picked out
desserts with positive words to eat.
And as he learned the Cheonjamun…
Chi, meaning "extravagance."
He said this when he saw the word
that means "extravagance."
That is extravagance.
Even so,
he is far too young
to be the Crown Prince.
His Grand Heir receives education
from his early childhood.
Then there is the Office of Tutelage,
the Office of Early Education,
and eventually Sigangwon.
If he grows up with the education
to rise to the throne,
he is undoubtedly
the most likely to be the king.
How will you corner the Queen
just with rumors of poisoning?
If everyone believes so,
then it becomes the truth.
The more gruesome the rumor is,
the faster and further it spreads.
If the sickly Crown Prince was deposed,
it would have been difficult
for His Grand Heir to succeed,
so she took his life ahead of time.
This is how we shall drive her out.
Have you heard?
His Royal Highness
could have been poisoned to death.
-That is impossible.
-I agree.
He was murdered.
While he was in the
quarters of Her Majesty,
Physician Kwon poisoned him.
Goodness.
He poisoned him under Her Majesty's watch?
Do you think Her Majesty made him do that?
How could she be doing so fine
when her son has just died?
She is so scary.
Then is the rumor true?
Not only will you
dine like the Crown Prince,
but you will
also receive an education like one.
Mother.
Why should we receive
the education of the Crown Prince?
One of you must prove
that you are worthy
of becoming the Crown Prince.
But will the Grand Heir
not be the next Crown Prince?
The position will not
just be given to him.
The same goes for you all.
The Grand Heir is still young,
and you Grand Princes…
People doubt you are qualified.
Mother.
What will happen
if we fail to prove our worthiness?
The Crown Prince will be chosen
through the taekhyeon.
Hence, this calls for you to change too.
While the Crown Prince was with us,
you could just live as princes.
But not anymore.
You can no longer
only do things you wish to do.
Has he still not eaten today?
Regrettably, no, Your Majesty.
Allow me to leave the palace.
Allow me to leave the palace, Mother.
Have you forgotten what it took
for you to come into this palace?
My brother
was the only one who wanted me
to remain in the palace.
Yes.
The one who defied his elders
and desperately brought you here
was your brother.
Even I could not do that as the Queen,
but he did it risking his position.
But what?
You wish to leave the palace again?
Your brother who suddenly passed away
is not the only one in your life.
You also have his children
and your younger brothers.
What would your brother
want from you?
Think about that carefully.
I could not have been happier
when you returned
to the palace to live with us.
Watch closely.
This is a character that means the sun,
made to look like it.
And this is
a character made after the moon,
and it means the moon.
These are like us.
You are the sun, and I am the moon.
But the sun and the moon can never meet.
Does it mean we can never live together?
No, the sun and the moon
can also be together.
Like this.
When the sun and the moon meet,
it means "bright."
Does this mean we can live together?
Your Majesty, please save me.
Crown Princess, what is going on?
Your Royal Highness!
Your Majesty, those wretches
are trying to kill my son.
They are the senior court lady
of the Crown Princess' quarters
and the nursemaid to His Grand Heir.
Your Majesty, those wretches
also poisoned the food.
My son continues to suffer
from vomiting and diarrhea!
Your Royal Highness.
His Highness the Grand Heir did not vomit.
Shut your mouth!
Your Majesty.
The ones who hurt the Crown Prince
are also after my son.
I am frightened of the palace.
I cannot trust anybody.
She faced the incident
with His Royal Highness
before she had a chance
to gather herself after the delivery.
She has been delusional since his passing.
You wretch!
How dare you say
the Crown Princess is delusional?
Are you saying she is telling a lie?
-That is not what I mean--
-After investigating,
if I find a speck of suspicion,
you two will not live to see another day.
Do not come near the Grand Heir
until everything is as clear as day!
Escort the Crown Princess
and the Grand Heir to my quarters.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I request an investigation.
Some in the palace
are trying to hurt the Grand Heir.
I am aware.
What do you mean?
The Crown Princess came to see me too.
I am investigating in secret,
so do not worry, My Queen.
There are also disgraceful rumors
about the death of the Crown Prince.
I am sure the Crown Princess
is more anxious.
Do you also…
believe the Crown Prince
was poisoned to death?
No, Your Majesty.
I hope that is not the case.
That boy gave us so much joy.
If it is that we failed to protect him,
it would torment me.
Do you not blame me?
You already received
the biggest punishment.
I am all right now.
You no longer have to come at night.
I am not the only one who lost a child.
Please
look after your health.
QUARTERS OF THE QUEEN
Mother.
Promise me…
that you will remain strong.
I will stay by your side
even as the wind.
Please do protect
my son and brothers.
You fool.
You left everyone with me like this.
That is dangerous.
I told you not to go that way.
This way.
Over there.
So?
-Did you look into it?
-Yes, Your Majesty.
The silver spoon never reacted
with the food
for His Highness the Grand Heir.
And have you tried his lunch today?
Yes.
But I did not suffer
from diarrhea or vomiting.
With all due respect,
it is true that
there is a rumor that the Crown Princess
has suffered from lunacy and delusion
since the passing of the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty.
There is dire news.
Senior Court Lady Shin is…
Poison? That is preposterous.
As I said, that was
the medicine for hyeolheogwol.
How can you be sure
that it was not poisoned?
Have you had it yourself?
-Have you?
-Stop this immediately.
What do you think you are doing?
Are you interrogating the senior court
lady of my quarters without my permission?
I was simply following
the order of His Majesty to investigate
the death of the Crown Prince thoroughly
without leaving a speck of suspicion.
Are you not plotting something
while hiding behind the order
of His Majesty?
Plotting?
His Royal Highness passed
in the quarters of the Queen,
so I have a lot of questions for you,
Your Majesty,
but how could I inquire you myself?
That is why
I called your senior court lady
to hold an interrogation.
Next time,
you will have to go through
every single formality.
If I go through said formality,
are you willing to be questioned yourself,
Your Majesty?
Sure.
If I am responsible for something,
then I shall accept the request.
However,
if anyone tries to frame me,
I do not care who it is,
I will gnaw on them
and slowly finish their last breath.
Court Lady Shin, stand up.
-The interrogation is not--
-If someone has to,
I will interrogate her.
I will notify you if I find suspicions.
Did you not hear my order?
Stand up. Now.
The poisoning suspicion is bait.
Chief State Councilor
is trying to lure me in.
He wants to defame
the Grand Heir and the Grand Princes.
You mean…
Yes.
He is trying to create a reason
to begin the taekhyeon.
What if he finds out that we used medicine
from outside the palace?
He will say I killed the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty.
Physician Kwon somehow held out
until this day,
but if he is further tortured,
he may tell him about the medicine
brought from the outside.
Medicine brought from the outside?
Chief State Councilor
stepped over the line,
which means someone has his back.
I must see Physician Kwon.
Chief State Councilor guards him strictly,
so it will be difficult to meet him.
If I cannot go in,
I shall make him come outside.
Who is out there?
Your Majesty, it is Consort Tae.
I heard you have not eaten well lately,
so I decocted this myself.
Please have it
before it gets cold.
Your Majesty.
So who will be the Crown Prince?
Some say it will be
His Highness the Grand Heir,
but some say there will be a taekhyeon.
The taekhyeon is a great method.
If none of the direct heirs
is worthy as the Crown Prince,
then the taekhyeon is another way.
Consort Tae.
Do you hope Prince Bogeom
will become the Crown Prince?
Well, I…
Prince Bogeom is quite bright,
so I guess he can manage.
However, the taekhyeon
is not a simple process
of selecting the Crown Prince.
It is a battle over power
with our lives at stake.
Being the Crown Prince
means being in power.
So if you jump into this rashly,
either you or Prince Bogeom may get hurt.
When that happens,
I may not be able to protect you.
Do you think…
the Crown Prince was really poisoned?
Yes, I think he was poisoned.
To be honest,
his death was all too sudden.
There is one interrogation after another,
so Physician Kwon will confess soon.
Did your father tell you anything?
The investigation is underway,
so we will see the result soon.
Also,
do you think Her Majesty was behind it?
Who knows? We may see a name
we have never imagined.
Interrogations often end with
fabricated truths, as you know.
Of course. It is not just poisoning.
Even treason can be suspected.
Poisoning?
Treason?
Consorts, are you unable
to filter out museol, fabricated rumors?
You are no different
from the servants of the court
who whisper in the back alley.
Consort Hwang,
what brings you here this late at night?
You must stop the interrogation.
-Your Grace.
-If you do not,
Physician Kwon may mention my name.
Are you…
involved in this?
I was not trying to kill him.
I was just trying to make his illness
worse and have him deposed.
I was only trying to teach him a lesson.
But he died.
Why did you do something so big
without consulting me first?
How were you going
to handle the consequences?
I did not kill him. He failed to make it!
No, if you think about it,
I may not have killed him.
I was not told he would cough up blood.
Do you not have any idea
what you have done?
I tried to restore everything
to its rightful place!
I was supposed to be the Queen.
Prince Uiseong was supposed to be
the Crown Prince.
I only tried to make things right.
What did I do so wrong?
What is wrong with you?
We must take him to the Royal Clinic now.
Did you change anything
in the last medicine
the Crown Prince took?
No, Your Majesty.
His symptoms improved after taking that,
so I did not change anything.
Then where did you decoct the medicine?
In the medicine room of the Royal Clinic.
Were you alone when you decocted it?
There were people coming and going,
but I never left the room.
Are you also suspicious
that he was poisoned?
We must get rid of Physician Kwon first.
Let him live.
Do not hurt him.
Do not tell him that you know.
What do you mean?
He knows too much.
You have tortured him enough to know.
He can hold his tongue better than anyone.
And he is the only one
who can touch the body of a royal.
We need a royal physician on our side.
Are you sure
we can trust him?
Please trust me, Your Majesty.
His Royal Highness definitely passed
due to hyeolheogwol.
Are you certain?
Yes, hyeolheogwol is the sole reason.
There cannot be another reason.
In that case,
you must continue to keep quiet
about the medicine from the outside.
And no matter what happens,
do not bring Grand Prince Seongnam
into this matter.
Your Majesty.
All I want
is the safety of my old mother.
Your Majesty, it is Court Lady Shin.
Your Majesty, Chief State Councilor
has stopped the interrogation.
He stopped the interrogation?
Yes.
There were rumors and speculations
all around the palace.
It is such a relief
that everything ended here.
He is not someone
who would end this so easily.
Keep an eye on Chief State Councilor.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Also, I prepared ice as you requested.
I looked everywhere for you.
I am sorry I am late.
Is Consort Tae
not one of the Queen's people?
What brings you here, Consort Tae?
I asked her to join us.
Please sit over here.
Consort Ko, please let her sit there.
Consort Tae, are you on our side now?
Pardon? What do you mean, on your side?
We gathered to oppose
the succession of the direct heir
and to work together
to begin the taekhyeon.
Oh, my.
In that case,
I am not supposed to be here.
Even if we begin the taekhyeon,
Prince Bogeom will not even be considered.
She will only get her hopes up in vain.
Why not?
Is there a reason why
Prince Bogeom cannot make it?
They are right. It is not easy
for Prince Bogeom to be the Crown Prince.
Why is everyone saying
that Prince Bogeom cannot do it?
Choose only one of these.
-This one.
-Why did you choose that one?
Because
it looks elegant
and can hold more than the others.
Precisely.
These cups are His Majesty's direct heirs.
These are the sons of concubines.
Exactly, they are all sons of concubines.
So why are they saying it is
only impossible for Prince Bogeom?
Look.
This is Prince Uiseong.
His maternal grandfather
is the chief state councilor,
and he has many people supporting him.
And this is Prince Simso.
Consort Ko's uncle
is the right state councilor.
He also has
quite a few people supporting him.
-I see.
-And this is Prince Bogeom.
No one in his maternal family is powerful,
and no one has his back.
Her Majesty may not have
any powerful family,
but if the direct heirs come in,
no one will choose this one.
What is important
is that the cup is sturdy.
What is with the air
in Jonghak these days?
It feels more like Sigangwon.
I cannot get used to this.
Excuse me, Brother.
What is it like in Sigangwon?
Yes, you were there as the cohort,
so you must know.
Twenty teachers are there
to teach one Crown Prince,
so it has to be more strict than Jonghak.
Twenty?
Wait.
If the Grand Heir
does not become the Crown Prince,
it may really come down to me!
Grand Prince Muan.
We will have to wait and see
who will put on
the gown of the Crown Prince.
There is no reason to wait and see.
-Brother.
-Brother.
So you are still alive, Your Highness.
I have not seen you for a while,
so I thought
there would be another funeral.
Mind your own business.
And the position of the Crown Prince
should not concern you either.
What do you mean, irrelevant?
We are all branches
stemming from the same root.
The branch that stemmed out first
should reach the highest, should it not?
It means your parents will be concerned,
so do not climb a tree that is too high.
What did you say, you bastard?
How dare you look down on me?
At least I can dream of it.
You cannot even dream of it,
for you are the son of who was
once a maid of the Queen.
So pick your side wisely
if you want your mother
to live in peace in the palace.
Beg me.
If you kneel down and beg,
I will forgive you.
I would rather be slain.
You bastard.
Are you trying to kill your brother?
Brother?
I am not brothers with this lowly bastard.
Since the Crown Prince croaked,
have you completely lost it?
Shut your mouth.
Rumor has it that your mother killed him.
Have you heard?
What do you think you are doing?
Sheathe that sword at once.
Now.
Sheathe that sword.
I need to find someone.
Goodness, of course, we should.
Who are you looking for?
A handsome guy who ran off with my money.
Our expertise is finding people in debt.
You are at the right place.
My lady, you must be exact.
He did not run off with it.
The dispensary disappeared.
I never got my money anyhow.
That means he ran off with your money.
You speak my language.
Do you draw composites?
You have come to the right man.
Make his eyes look bigger and sharper.
His nose is more defined.
Draw a mole right here.
You got a very good look at him.
This does not look as good as him,
but it is quite similar.
Jonghak is not a place to come
only when you wish to.
I apologize.
You threatened your brother
with a real sword,
so you will be punished.
Starting today, you will remain behind
and read one book a day.
We will not let you leave Jonghak
unless you memorize and recite it.
You tried to stop my mistake
after I made it.
Are you not responsible as my teacher?
I apologize.
Then how shall I be punished?
You missed your chance
to prevent my mistake beforehand,
so please rectify my mistake
through proper poems each time.
I realized my limits
during the cohort selection.
I have much more to learn,
so I must ask questions as I read.
My knowledge may become antiquated
if I study alone,
so will you stay behind and join me?
I sure will.
Where is Grand Prince Seongnam?
He is still in Jonghak studying.
He will be here soon.
But Mother, what is all this?
You will undergo the four-way training
to strengthen your body.
-Pardon?
-In the palace,
the body and mind training of the
Crown Prince was conducted in secret.
He trained his body
by rubbing snow on himself
even when the temperature hit below zero.
I will freeze to death
before I get married!
Mother, why must we go through this?
You are going through this training
to overcome ordeals in the future.
I did not come up with it.
It is the royal education method.
When this is done properly,
you must do it in the snow at night.
Goodness.
Brother!
Hurry and join us.
What are you waiting for?
Get in.
-Come here.
-Hey.
Like this.
Me too.
Zi Lu put on ragged padded clothes,
yet he did not feel ashamed to stand
by a man in luxurious clothes. Why?
Because he was awakened to the truth
and did not compare himself to others.
Should it not be interpreted differently
according to his financial situation?
Zi Lu would have felt the same
whether he was wealthy or not.
He was not ashamed
in his ragged padded clothes
because he already knew material affluence
-did not mean his happiness.
-It is quite nice
to see the grand princes
have a discussion among themselves.
They are learning
ways to speak and ask questions.
There are
teaching methods of the royal family
that only come down to the Queen.
If proving their worthiness
is the only way to avoid the taekhyeon…
That is your opinion.
My thoughts are a bit different.
…we can still prepare them.
A crown prince
is not born.
He is made.
Why do you say that?
You are the smartest among the princes.
Do you think the taekhyeon is held
to choose the wisest one?
Yes, is that not what the taekhyeon is?
The taekhyeon
is just an excuse
to appoint a crown prince
who is not the direct heir of the King.
I see. And?
Everyone says I will not make it.
Prince Bogeom, think about it.
His Majesty was also a son of a concubine.
His mother
was a distinguished concubine
from a noble family.
Are you saying
you cannot make it because of me?
Yes.
It is because
you were a maid to the Queen,
and because of your lowly family
without any background.
No matter what I do,
I can never be the Crown Prince.
But still, you are all His Majesty's sons.
Do you think all princes are the same?
We may all be princes,
but they do not treat me
like their brother!
What happened to you?
Therefore,
the only thing you can do for me
is to not do anything.
Did you send for me?
What must I do?
What do I have to do
to make him the Crown Prince?
There is just one way.
Do you think we will
resort to the taekhyeon, Uncle?
Everyone seems to be leaning toward it.
I think it will surely happen
if the Queen Dowager helps.
But we cannot find a way to have
that sly old fox cross over to our side.
I believe I have a way.
You have got some nerve.
A mere court lady dared
to request to see me alone outside?
If it was not something that would
turn the palace upside down,
I would not have dared
to make such a request.
Then speak.
Her Majesty
has met with the leader of traitors.
Who do you mean?
The mother of Crown Prince Taein.
The Queen
met with the deposed Queen Yoon?
Why must it be that maiden?
The daughter of Hwang Won-hyeong
was clearly the worthiest.
I have made the decision already.
Is this your will?
The will of My Queen is my will.
I am the mother of the Crown Prince!
He is no longer your son.
And the Crown Princess
is not chosen as your daughter-in-law.
Your Majesty!
You are
only a concubine
who gave birth to the Crown Prince.
Mother.
People might think the mother
of His Royal Highness is the Queen.
How is it that the Crown Princess
is only attached to the Queen?
It is time
for you to choose your successor.
I will leave it vacant for a while.
If you do not think you can advance
the Grand Heir to the position,
then resort to the taekhyeon instead.
That is the way
to keep your dignity as the king.
In the end,
do you also share
the same thoughts as they do?
Allow them to have their way
while you take the practical benefits.
Even if you proceed with the taekhyeon,
you can still choose the prince
of your choice.
Can you not just be supportive
no matter what decision I make?
It does not matter
if the prince is your direct heir.
They are all your sons.
Why must it be the Queen's child?
-Mother.
-Did you forget
the Crown Prince died
after staying in her quarters?
The Queen
must pay the price.
Consort Tae, you should be in the palace.
What made you come to my humble abode
at this hour?
I did not simply come to your abode.
I came into your room too.
The King's woman came into your room,
so you must take responsibility.
What…
Responsibility?
What are you trying to do?
It is not about me
but about Prince Bogeom.
Minister Yoon, I want you
to support Prince Bogeom.
What…
This is so sudden.
I am giving you the first chance.
If you do not decide soon,
you will have to stand in the back
when Prince Bogeom is crowned.
Very well.
I will consider your offer.
No, I need you to promise me now.
If you do, I am going to give you a gift.
It is about the Queen.
This is from Lord Yoon Su-gwang.
Minister Yoon?
The Queen used medicine
brought from the outside?
So…
You all worked with Physician Kwon?
-Yes, sire.
-Yes, sire.
When he treated the Crown Prince,
did Physician Kwon
seem suspicious in any way?
There was nothing suspicious about him.
Is that so?
Nothing suspicious at all?
No, sire.
Now,
let me tell you
what you have seen and heard.
An interrogation?
What do you mean?
Chief State Councilor
requested His Majesty to come,
as well as the Queen Dowager
and you, Your Majesty.
What is he up to?
I looked through the records
of Naeyakbang, the Royal Pharmacy.
And there is no record
of using any medicine of the palace
while you treated His Royal Highness
in the quarters of the Queen.
What medicine was used to treat him?
Your Majesty.
There is suspicion
that Physician Kwon has used
medicine of an unidentified origin
on His Royal Highness.
I also have witnesses who will testify.
Either gwibitang or doksamtang is used
to treat hyeolheogwol,
but Physician Kwon used
a different mix of herbs.
Tell him what you saw.
After the medicine was decocted,
I saw something peculiar
as I threw the herbs out.
I am sure the herbs
did not belong to the palace.
Let me ask.
How can you be sure
just by looking at the residues?
I have worked in Naeuiwon,
the Royal Clinic, for 17 years.
The sizes of the herbs were different,
but he was suspicious
even before he decocted the medicine.
The color of the wrapping paper
was yellow,
unlike the ones that are used
in Naeyakbang, the Palace Pharmacy.
Your Majesty.
According to the witnesses,
the herbs must have been from the outside.
If the Crown Prince had medicine
brought from the outside,
could that be
the cause of his sudden death?
The prescription varies
according to one's constitution,
and medicine can cause side effects
when used in excess.
Therefore, a prescription made improperly
can cause one's death.
Your Majesty.
The medicine Physician Kwon gave him
was made with herbs
brought in from the outside.
And that is what led
His Royal Highness to death.
That is preposterous.
How could that have killed him?
The one who gave the herbs
to Physician Kwon
is the suspect
who murdered the Crown Prince!
Who gave you those herbs?
Where did you get those herbs?
Disclose the source of them.
In the strictly guarded
quarters of the Queen,
a mere physician
dared to use herbs from the outside
as medicine for the Crown Prince.
Who would have been able to
give such an order
and make the physician do it?
Your Majesty, please answer me.
Your Majesty.
Please answer me!
Do you have evidence
that the medicine from the outside
is what killed the Crown Prince?
Constitution and side effects?
Do not mislead us with such words.
I mean hard evidence.
Physician Kwon, who gave the medicine
to His Royal Highness,
is the evidence, is he not?
Your Majesty.
He claimed the Crown Prince
was poisoned all along,
yet he changed his argument
and is claiming he was killed
by medicine from the outside.
And think of what he did.
He brought up
the deposal of the Crown Prince
even before his death.
If anyone wanted him dead,
it would not be me,
but Chief State Councilor.
I suspect that someone
killed the Crown Prince,
and is now trying to slander the Queen.
What do you mean, Queen?
Do you mean that
the Crown Prince was actually poisoned?
Yes.
He was not the only Crown Prince
who faced a sudden death.
Your Majesty!
Her Majesty is arguing
that he was poisoned to death
to hide that she brought in the medicine.
Chief State Councilor!
How dare you try to frame the Queen?
If you continue to do so,
you will have to be relieved of
not only your position but also your life.
Your Majesty!
We just need to know
if Her Majesty is the one
who gave him the herbs from the outside.
Enough!
What are you all doing?
The interrogation will resume tomorrow.
The sudden death of the Crown Prince?
How dare you recklessly bring up the past?
How dare you
speak of that time with your mouth?
It looks like
you have completely lost your mind.
Yes.
After losing my son,
I am no longer afraid of anything.
You must have forgotten
that you have other children left.
Do not lay a hand on them.
Then…
you should have been prepared for that
when you met with the deposed Queen Yoon.
Why?
Are you surprised that I know?
I told you already.
All eyes and ears of this palace
lead to my quarters.
Here is what I will do.
If you do not admit
to everything tomorrow,
I plan on exposing that you met
the traitor Queen Yoon
right here during the interrogation.
The biggest mistake I have made in my life
is that I failed to stop you
from becoming the Queen.
I dread…
that you are the Queen.
He stopped the interrogation
when the Queen was about to be finished.
If His Majesty does that again tomorrow,
we will not be able to get rid
of the Queen or begin the taekhyeon.
I will not let that happen.
We must reduce His Majesty's choices.
How did he find out that you brought
medicine from the outside?
Do you think Physician Kwon told him?
That is not what is important.
We can no longer hide that we used
medicine brought from the outside.
Open.
Your Majesty.
Yes, my grandson.
Smile.
Her Majesty told us
not to do anything
to let His Grand Heir notice.
The meal is ready for His Grand Heir.
Yes, bring it in.
This is delicious.
My grandson, come here and try some.
I do not wish to eat.
You have not had breakfast either.
Have a bite, will you?
I only like meat.
Here.
Goodness, my grandson.
You are a good painter too.
Who did you draw?
Let me try to guess.
This is
my cute little grandson.
And who is this?
She is my nursemaid.
This is our secret game.
Secret game?
This is a fun game.
But this is a secret game
just between us two.
Nobody else can find out.
What is the matter, Your Majesty?
Spit it out, my dear!
Spit it out!
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
The Queen is a rat in a trap now.
This palace is no longer a safe place.
If you cannot prove that the medicine
is not the cause of his death,
you could die.
We must find some sort of evidence
and find out who the enemy is.
Please do the same for me.
Physician Kwon has already
covered up his traces.
Please depose the Queen.
Do you not think
his death is rather strange?
Subtitle translation by: Eun-sook Yoon
Your Majesty.
Her Majesty has gone to her bedchamber.
Has His Majesty visited again?
Yes.
Ever since the funeral, he comes to see
if she has gone to bed
without missing a day.
His Majesty is quite incredible.
His Royal Highness
clearly coughed up blood before his death.
What have you done to His Royal Highness?
I know I am greatly guilty
for not curing his disease.
But it was not me.
Did I say that it was you?
I am telling you to expose
who was behind it if it was not you.
What on earth are you plotting?
Now,
tell me who was behind it.
EPISODE 6
Your Majesty.
Today we will not leave
before you make your decision.
You must come to a decision
and appoint the next Crown Prince.
The kingdom has fallen into a crisis.
Who do you reckon is worthy
to be the Crown Prince?
According to our law,
it should be His Highness the Grand Heir.
But he is still too young,
and he is yet to achieve
academic excellence.
Your Majesty, you have eleven princes.
Why not conduct the taekhyeon
and select one among them?
There is the son of the Crown Prince
and the Grand Princes. Taekhyeon?
I am proposing
we crown the wisest prince
regardless of his birth.
Just as when His Majesty
was crowned as the Crown Prince.
Since the reign of Your Majesty began,
the kingdom
has continuously lived in peace.
Do you not think the taekhyeon
is proven as a worthy method?
-We agree, Your Majesty.
-We agree, Your Majesty.
No, Your Majesty.
You must crown His Grand Heir
and establish the authenticity
of your dynasty.
Chief Royal Secretary,
what you said sounds like
you are questioning the legitimacy
of the enthronement of His Majesty.
Questioning?
I only spoke up
because you tried to defy our order.
That is enough.
What is delaying the investigation
of the death of the Crown Prince?
With all due respect,
poisoning is suspected,
so it is still under investigation.
-What?
-Poisoning?
Poisoning?
There was no sign of poison
during his autopsy?
Who would dare to take
the life of the Crown Prince?
It is not the first time someone has died
from hyeolheogwol in the palace.
Back then,
we concluded he died of illness,
but this time, the signs are different,
so we wish to investigate it thoroughly.
Then, Chief State Councilor,
investigate the death
of the Crown Prince thoroughly
so that there is
not a drop of suspicion left.
For that is more important
than appointing the next Crown Prince!
However, Your Majesty,
we cannot leave the position
-of the Crown Prince vacant.
-I will!
Until the cause of his death is apparent,
I will leave that position vacant.
What?
Taekhyeon?
What a load of nonsense.
But Your Majesty,
His Grand Heir is too young,
so some are saying
it is reasonable
to resort to the taekhyeon.
Completely absurd.
There is the law to conform to,
and I still hold my place here.
Also,
he is not the only legitimate son.
So are the grand princes.
But the Queen Dowager
does not approve of the grand princes…
She does not decide the Crown Prince!
What is wrong with my children?
Grand Princes Seongnam and Gyeseong
even made it to the second exam.
But Your Majesty,
once the Queen Dowager gets a say,
we may end up resorting to the taekhyeon.
The most important quality
of the Crown Prince
is having the discernment
of one's duties in every circumstance
and putting his own interests aside.
Among the qualities of the Crown Prince,
filial duty is above all others.
Filial duty is the basis
of every action a nobleman takes.
I believe there is
nothing more important than that
to reign in justice
and rule the people in peace.
I have been devastated
by the loss of the Crown Prince,
but seeing my bright princes,
I no longer feel the need to be anxious.
Even though you are not the direct heir,
any of you can become the Crown Prince
if you have what it takes.
Did the Queen Dowager really say that?
Yes.
It does not matter if one
is the Grand Heir or the direct heir.
She will choose the Crown Prince
only by competence.
That means Prince Bogeom
is the most likely.
It does not.
His Highness the Grand Heir
is still the most likely.
I mean,
his infancy did not end long ago.
How can he be the Crown Prince?
Yes, he is still just a little boy.
Does he even know how to read?
He began to read when he was three.
That is not all.
When he was four, he only picked out
desserts with positive words to eat.
And as he learned the Cheonjamun…
Chi, meaning "extravagance."
He said this when he saw the word
that means "extravagance."
That is extravagance.
Even so,
he is far too young
to be the Crown Prince.
His Grand Heir receives education
from his early childhood.
Then there is the Office of Tutelage,
the Office of Early Education,
and eventually Sigangwon.
If he grows up with the education
to rise to the throne,
he is undoubtedly
the most likely to be the king.
How will you corner the Queen
just with rumors of poisoning?
If everyone believes so,
then it becomes the truth.
The more gruesome the rumor is,
the faster and further it spreads.
If the sickly Crown Prince was deposed,
it would have been difficult
for His Grand Heir to succeed,
so she took his life ahead of time.
This is how we shall drive her out.
Have you heard?
His Royal Highness
could have been poisoned to death.
-That is impossible.
-I agree.
He was murdered.
While he was in the
quarters of Her Majesty,
Physician Kwon poisoned him.
Goodness.
He poisoned him under Her Majesty's watch?
Do you think Her Majesty made him do that?
How could she be doing so fine
when her son has just died?
She is so scary.
Then is the rumor true?
Not only will you
dine like the Crown Prince,
but you will
also receive an education like one.
Mother.
Why should we receive
the education of the Crown Prince?
One of you must prove
that you are worthy
of becoming the Crown Prince.
But will the Grand Heir
not be the next Crown Prince?
The position will not
just be given to him.
The same goes for you all.
The Grand Heir is still young,
and you Grand Princes…
People doubt you are qualified.
Mother.
What will happen
if we fail to prove our worthiness?
The Crown Prince will be chosen
through the taekhyeon.
Hence, this calls for you to change too.
While the Crown Prince was with us,
you could just live as princes.
But not anymore.
You can no longer
only do things you wish to do.
Has he still not eaten today?
Regrettably, no, Your Majesty.
Allow me to leave the palace.
Allow me to leave the palace, Mother.
Have you forgotten what it took
for you to come into this palace?
My brother
was the only one who wanted me
to remain in the palace.
Yes.
The one who defied his elders
and desperately brought you here
was your brother.
Even I could not do that as the Queen,
but he did it risking his position.
But what?
You wish to leave the palace again?
Your brother who suddenly passed away
is not the only one in your life.
You also have his children
and your younger brothers.
What would your brother
want from you?
Think about that carefully.
I could not have been happier
when you returned
to the palace to live with us.
Watch closely.
This is a character that means the sun,
made to look like it.
And this is
a character made after the moon,
and it means the moon.
These are like us.
You are the sun, and I am the moon.
But the sun and the moon can never meet.
Does it mean we can never live together?
No, the sun and the moon
can also be together.
Like this.
When the sun and the moon meet,
it means "bright."
Does this mean we can live together?
Your Majesty, please save me.
Crown Princess, what is going on?
Your Royal Highness!
Your Majesty, those wretches
are trying to kill my son.
They are the senior court lady
of the Crown Princess' quarters
and the nursemaid to His Grand Heir.
Your Majesty, those wretches
also poisoned the food.
My son continues to suffer
from vomiting and diarrhea!
Your Royal Highness.
His Highness the Grand Heir did not vomit.
Shut your mouth!
Your Majesty.
The ones who hurt the Crown Prince
are also after my son.
I am frightened of the palace.
I cannot trust anybody.
She faced the incident
with His Royal Highness
before she had a chance
to gather herself after the delivery.
She has been delusional since his passing.
You wretch!
How dare you say
the Crown Princess is delusional?
Are you saying she is telling a lie?
-That is not what I mean--
-After investigating,
if I find a speck of suspicion,
you two will not live to see another day.
Do not come near the Grand Heir
until everything is as clear as day!
Escort the Crown Princess
and the Grand Heir to my quarters.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I request an investigation.
Some in the palace
are trying to hurt the Grand Heir.
I am aware.
What do you mean?
The Crown Princess came to see me too.
I am investigating in secret,
so do not worry, My Queen.
There are also disgraceful rumors
about the death of the Crown Prince.
I am sure the Crown Princess
is more anxious.
Do you also…
believe the Crown Prince
was poisoned to death?
No, Your Majesty.
I hope that is not the case.
That boy gave us so much joy.
If it is that we failed to protect him,
it would torment me.
Do you not blame me?
You already received
the biggest punishment.
I am all right now.
You no longer have to come at night.
I am not the only one who lost a child.
Please
look after your health.
QUARTERS OF THE QUEEN
Mother.
Promise me…
that you will remain strong.
I will stay by your side
even as the wind.
Please do protect
my son and brothers.
You fool.
You left everyone with me like this.
That is dangerous.
I told you not to go that way.
This way.
Over there.
So?
-Did you look into it?
-Yes, Your Majesty.
The silver spoon never reacted
with the food
for His Highness the Grand Heir.
And have you tried his lunch today?
Yes.
But I did not suffer
from diarrhea or vomiting.
With all due respect,
it is true that
there is a rumor that the Crown Princess
has suffered from lunacy and delusion
since the passing of the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty.
There is dire news.
Senior Court Lady Shin is…
Poison? That is preposterous.
As I said, that was
the medicine for hyeolheogwol.
How can you be sure
that it was not poisoned?
Have you had it yourself?
-Have you?
-Stop this immediately.
What do you think you are doing?
Are you interrogating the senior court
lady of my quarters without my permission?
I was simply following
the order of His Majesty to investigate
the death of the Crown Prince thoroughly
without leaving a speck of suspicion.
Are you not plotting something
while hiding behind the order
of His Majesty?
Plotting?
His Royal Highness passed
in the quarters of the Queen,
so I have a lot of questions for you,
Your Majesty,
but how could I inquire you myself?
That is why
I called your senior court lady
to hold an interrogation.
Next time,
you will have to go through
every single formality.
If I go through said formality,
are you willing to be questioned yourself,
Your Majesty?
Sure.
If I am responsible for something,
then I shall accept the request.
However,
if anyone tries to frame me,
I do not care who it is,
I will gnaw on them
and slowly finish their last breath.
Court Lady Shin, stand up.
-The interrogation is not--
-If someone has to,
I will interrogate her.
I will notify you if I find suspicions.
Did you not hear my order?
Stand up. Now.
The poisoning suspicion is bait.
Chief State Councilor
is trying to lure me in.
He wants to defame
the Grand Heir and the Grand Princes.
You mean…
Yes.
He is trying to create a reason
to begin the taekhyeon.
What if he finds out that we used medicine
from outside the palace?
He will say I killed the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty.
Physician Kwon somehow held out
until this day,
but if he is further tortured,
he may tell him about the medicine
brought from the outside.
Medicine brought from the outside?
Chief State Councilor
stepped over the line,
which means someone has his back.
I must see Physician Kwon.
Chief State Councilor guards him strictly,
so it will be difficult to meet him.
If I cannot go in,
I shall make him come outside.
Who is out there?
Your Majesty, it is Consort Tae.
I heard you have not eaten well lately,
so I decocted this myself.
Please have it
before it gets cold.
Your Majesty.
So who will be the Crown Prince?
Some say it will be
His Highness the Grand Heir,
but some say there will be a taekhyeon.
The taekhyeon is a great method.
If none of the direct heirs
is worthy as the Crown Prince,
then the taekhyeon is another way.
Consort Tae.
Do you hope Prince Bogeom
will become the Crown Prince?
Well, I…
Prince Bogeom is quite bright,
so I guess he can manage.
However, the taekhyeon
is not a simple process
of selecting the Crown Prince.
It is a battle over power
with our lives at stake.
Being the Crown Prince
means being in power.
So if you jump into this rashly,
either you or Prince Bogeom may get hurt.
When that happens,
I may not be able to protect you.
Do you think…
the Crown Prince was really poisoned?
Yes, I think he was poisoned.
To be honest,
his death was all too sudden.
There is one interrogation after another,
so Physician Kwon will confess soon.
Did your father tell you anything?
The investigation is underway,
so we will see the result soon.
Also,
do you think Her Majesty was behind it?
Who knows? We may see a name
we have never imagined.
Interrogations often end with
fabricated truths, as you know.
Of course. It is not just poisoning.
Even treason can be suspected.
Poisoning?
Treason?
Consorts, are you unable
to filter out museol, fabricated rumors?
You are no different
from the servants of the court
who whisper in the back alley.
Consort Hwang,
what brings you here this late at night?
You must stop the interrogation.
-Your Grace.
-If you do not,
Physician Kwon may mention my name.
Are you…
involved in this?
I was not trying to kill him.
I was just trying to make his illness
worse and have him deposed.
I was only trying to teach him a lesson.
But he died.
Why did you do something so big
without consulting me first?
How were you going
to handle the consequences?
I did not kill him. He failed to make it!
No, if you think about it,
I may not have killed him.
I was not told he would cough up blood.
Do you not have any idea
what you have done?
I tried to restore everything
to its rightful place!
I was supposed to be the Queen.
Prince Uiseong was supposed to be
the Crown Prince.
I only tried to make things right.
What did I do so wrong?
What is wrong with you?
We must take him to the Royal Clinic now.
Did you change anything
in the last medicine
the Crown Prince took?
No, Your Majesty.
His symptoms improved after taking that,
so I did not change anything.
Then where did you decoct the medicine?
In the medicine room of the Royal Clinic.
Were you alone when you decocted it?
There were people coming and going,
but I never left the room.
Are you also suspicious
that he was poisoned?
We must get rid of Physician Kwon first.
Let him live.
Do not hurt him.
Do not tell him that you know.
What do you mean?
He knows too much.
You have tortured him enough to know.
He can hold his tongue better than anyone.
And he is the only one
who can touch the body of a royal.
We need a royal physician on our side.
Are you sure
we can trust him?
Please trust me, Your Majesty.
His Royal Highness definitely passed
due to hyeolheogwol.
Are you certain?
Yes, hyeolheogwol is the sole reason.
There cannot be another reason.
In that case,
you must continue to keep quiet
about the medicine from the outside.
And no matter what happens,
do not bring Grand Prince Seongnam
into this matter.
Your Majesty.
All I want
is the safety of my old mother.
Your Majesty, it is Court Lady Shin.
Your Majesty, Chief State Councilor
has stopped the interrogation.
He stopped the interrogation?
Yes.
There were rumors and speculations
all around the palace.
It is such a relief
that everything ended here.
He is not someone
who would end this so easily.
Keep an eye on Chief State Councilor.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Also, I prepared ice as you requested.
I looked everywhere for you.
I am sorry I am late.
Is Consort Tae
not one of the Queen's people?
What brings you here, Consort Tae?
I asked her to join us.
Please sit over here.
Consort Ko, please let her sit there.
Consort Tae, are you on our side now?
Pardon? What do you mean, on your side?
We gathered to oppose
the succession of the direct heir
and to work together
to begin the taekhyeon.
Oh, my.
In that case,
I am not supposed to be here.
Even if we begin the taekhyeon,
Prince Bogeom will not even be considered.
She will only get her hopes up in vain.
Why not?
Is there a reason why
Prince Bogeom cannot make it?
They are right. It is not easy
for Prince Bogeom to be the Crown Prince.
Why is everyone saying
that Prince Bogeom cannot do it?
Choose only one of these.
-This one.
-Why did you choose that one?
Because
it looks elegant
and can hold more than the others.
Precisely.
These cups are His Majesty's direct heirs.
These are the sons of concubines.
Exactly, they are all sons of concubines.
So why are they saying it is
only impossible for Prince Bogeom?
Look.
This is Prince Uiseong.
His maternal grandfather
is the chief state councilor,
and he has many people supporting him.
And this is Prince Simso.
Consort Ko's uncle
is the right state councilor.
He also has
quite a few people supporting him.
-I see.
-And this is Prince Bogeom.
No one in his maternal family is powerful,
and no one has his back.
Her Majesty may not have
any powerful family,
but if the direct heirs come in,
no one will choose this one.
What is important
is that the cup is sturdy.
What is with the air
in Jonghak these days?
It feels more like Sigangwon.
I cannot get used to this.
Excuse me, Brother.
What is it like in Sigangwon?
Yes, you were there as the cohort,
so you must know.
Twenty teachers are there
to teach one Crown Prince,
so it has to be more strict than Jonghak.
Twenty?
Wait.
If the Grand Heir
does not become the Crown Prince,
it may really come down to me!
Grand Prince Muan.
We will have to wait and see
who will put on
the gown of the Crown Prince.
There is no reason to wait and see.
-Brother.
-Brother.
So you are still alive, Your Highness.
I have not seen you for a while,
so I thought
there would be another funeral.
Mind your own business.
And the position of the Crown Prince
should not concern you either.
What do you mean, irrelevant?
We are all branches
stemming from the same root.
The branch that stemmed out first
should reach the highest, should it not?
It means your parents will be concerned,
so do not climb a tree that is too high.
What did you say, you bastard?
How dare you look down on me?
At least I can dream of it.
You cannot even dream of it,
for you are the son of who was
once a maid of the Queen.
So pick your side wisely
if you want your mother
to live in peace in the palace.
Beg me.
If you kneel down and beg,
I will forgive you.
I would rather be slain.
You bastard.
Are you trying to kill your brother?
Brother?
I am not brothers with this lowly bastard.
Since the Crown Prince croaked,
have you completely lost it?
Shut your mouth.
Rumor has it that your mother killed him.
Have you heard?
What do you think you are doing?
Sheathe that sword at once.
Now.
Sheathe that sword.
I need to find someone.
Goodness, of course, we should.
Who are you looking for?
A handsome guy who ran off with my money.
Our expertise is finding people in debt.
You are at the right place.
My lady, you must be exact.
He did not run off with it.
The dispensary disappeared.
I never got my money anyhow.
That means he ran off with your money.
You speak my language.
Do you draw composites?
You have come to the right man.
Make his eyes look bigger and sharper.
His nose is more defined.
Draw a mole right here.
You got a very good look at him.
This does not look as good as him,
but it is quite similar.
Jonghak is not a place to come
only when you wish to.
I apologize.
You threatened your brother
with a real sword,
so you will be punished.
Starting today, you will remain behind
and read one book a day.
We will not let you leave Jonghak
unless you memorize and recite it.
You tried to stop my mistake
after I made it.
Are you not responsible as my teacher?
I apologize.
Then how shall I be punished?
You missed your chance
to prevent my mistake beforehand,
so please rectify my mistake
through proper poems each time.
I realized my limits
during the cohort selection.
I have much more to learn,
so I must ask questions as I read.
My knowledge may become antiquated
if I study alone,
so will you stay behind and join me?
I sure will.
Where is Grand Prince Seongnam?
He is still in Jonghak studying.
He will be here soon.
But Mother, what is all this?
You will undergo the four-way training
to strengthen your body.
-Pardon?
-In the palace,
the body and mind training of the
Crown Prince was conducted in secret.
He trained his body
by rubbing snow on himself
even when the temperature hit below zero.
I will freeze to death
before I get married!
Mother, why must we go through this?
You are going through this training
to overcome ordeals in the future.
I did not come up with it.
It is the royal education method.
When this is done properly,
you must do it in the snow at night.
Goodness.
Brother!
Hurry and join us.
What are you waiting for?
Get in.
-Come here.
-Hey.
Like this.
Me too.
Zi Lu put on ragged padded clothes,
yet he did not feel ashamed to stand
by a man in luxurious clothes. Why?
Because he was awakened to the truth
and did not compare himself to others.
Should it not be interpreted differently
according to his financial situation?
Zi Lu would have felt the same
whether he was wealthy or not.
He was not ashamed
in his ragged padded clothes
because he already knew material affluence
-did not mean his happiness.
-It is quite nice
to see the grand princes
have a discussion among themselves.
They are learning
ways to speak and ask questions.
There are
teaching methods of the royal family
that only come down to the Queen.
If proving their worthiness
is the only way to avoid the taekhyeon…
That is your opinion.
My thoughts are a bit different.
…we can still prepare them.
A crown prince
is not born.
He is made.
Why do you say that?
You are the smartest among the princes.
Do you think the taekhyeon is held
to choose the wisest one?
Yes, is that not what the taekhyeon is?
The taekhyeon
is just an excuse
to appoint a crown prince
who is not the direct heir of the King.
I see. And?
Everyone says I will not make it.
Prince Bogeom, think about it.
His Majesty was also a son of a concubine.
His mother
was a distinguished concubine
from a noble family.
Are you saying
you cannot make it because of me?
Yes.
It is because
you were a maid to the Queen,
and because of your lowly family
without any background.
No matter what I do,
I can never be the Crown Prince.
But still, you are all His Majesty's sons.
Do you think all princes are the same?
We may all be princes,
but they do not treat me
like their brother!
What happened to you?
Therefore,
the only thing you can do for me
is to not do anything.
Did you send for me?
What must I do?
What do I have to do
to make him the Crown Prince?
There is just one way.
Do you think we will
resort to the taekhyeon, Uncle?
Everyone seems to be leaning toward it.
I think it will surely happen
if the Queen Dowager helps.
But we cannot find a way to have
that sly old fox cross over to our side.
I believe I have a way.
You have got some nerve.
A mere court lady dared
to request to see me alone outside?
If it was not something that would
turn the palace upside down,
I would not have dared
to make such a request.
Then speak.
Her Majesty
has met with the leader of traitors.
Who do you mean?
The mother of Crown Prince Taein.
The Queen
met with the deposed Queen Yoon?
Why must it be that maiden?
The daughter of Hwang Won-hyeong
was clearly the worthiest.
I have made the decision already.
Is this your will?
The will of My Queen is my will.
I am the mother of the Crown Prince!
He is no longer your son.
And the Crown Princess
is not chosen as your daughter-in-law.
Your Majesty!
You are
only a concubine
who gave birth to the Crown Prince.
Mother.
People might think the mother
of His Royal Highness is the Queen.
How is it that the Crown Princess
is only attached to the Queen?
It is time
for you to choose your successor.
I will leave it vacant for a while.
If you do not think you can advance
the Grand Heir to the position,
then resort to the taekhyeon instead.
That is the way
to keep your dignity as the king.
In the end,
do you also share
the same thoughts as they do?
Allow them to have their way
while you take the practical benefits.
Even if you proceed with the taekhyeon,
you can still choose the prince
of your choice.
Can you not just be supportive
no matter what decision I make?
It does not matter
if the prince is your direct heir.
They are all your sons.
Why must it be the Queen's child?
-Mother.
-Did you forget
the Crown Prince died
after staying in her quarters?
The Queen
must pay the price.
Consort Tae, you should be in the palace.
What made you come to my humble abode
at this hour?
I did not simply come to your abode.
I came into your room too.
The King's woman came into your room,
so you must take responsibility.
What…
Responsibility?
What are you trying to do?
It is not about me
but about Prince Bogeom.
Minister Yoon, I want you
to support Prince Bogeom.
What…
This is so sudden.
I am giving you the first chance.
If you do not decide soon,
you will have to stand in the back
when Prince Bogeom is crowned.
Very well.
I will consider your offer.
No, I need you to promise me now.
If you do, I am going to give you a gift.
It is about the Queen.
This is from Lord Yoon Su-gwang.
Minister Yoon?
The Queen used medicine
brought from the outside?
So…
You all worked with Physician Kwon?
-Yes, sire.
-Yes, sire.
When he treated the Crown Prince,
did Physician Kwon
seem suspicious in any way?
There was nothing suspicious about him.
Is that so?
Nothing suspicious at all?
No, sire.
Now,
let me tell you
what you have seen and heard.
An interrogation?
What do you mean?
Chief State Councilor
requested His Majesty to come,
as well as the Queen Dowager
and you, Your Majesty.
What is he up to?
I looked through the records
of Naeyakbang, the Royal Pharmacy.
And there is no record
of using any medicine of the palace
while you treated His Royal Highness
in the quarters of the Queen.
What medicine was used to treat him?
Your Majesty.
There is suspicion
that Physician Kwon has used
medicine of an unidentified origin
on His Royal Highness.
I also have witnesses who will testify.
Either gwibitang or doksamtang is used
to treat hyeolheogwol,
but Physician Kwon used
a different mix of herbs.
Tell him what you saw.
After the medicine was decocted,
I saw something peculiar
as I threw the herbs out.
I am sure the herbs
did not belong to the palace.
Let me ask.
How can you be sure
just by looking at the residues?
I have worked in Naeuiwon,
the Royal Clinic, for 17 years.
The sizes of the herbs were different,
but he was suspicious
even before he decocted the medicine.
The color of the wrapping paper
was yellow,
unlike the ones that are used
in Naeyakbang, the Palace Pharmacy.
Your Majesty.
According to the witnesses,
the herbs must have been from the outside.
If the Crown Prince had medicine
brought from the outside,
could that be
the cause of his sudden death?
The prescription varies
according to one's constitution,
and medicine can cause side effects
when used in excess.
Therefore, a prescription made improperly
can cause one's death.
Your Majesty.
The medicine Physician Kwon gave him
was made with herbs
brought in from the outside.
And that is what led
His Royal Highness to death.
That is preposterous.
How could that have killed him?
The one who gave the herbs
to Physician Kwon
is the suspect
who murdered the Crown Prince!
Who gave you those herbs?
Where did you get those herbs?
Disclose the source of them.
In the strictly guarded
quarters of the Queen,
a mere physician
dared to use herbs from the outside
as medicine for the Crown Prince.
Who would have been able to
give such an order
and make the physician do it?
Your Majesty, please answer me.
Your Majesty.
Please answer me!
Do you have evidence
that the medicine from the outside
is what killed the Crown Prince?
Constitution and side effects?
Do not mislead us with such words.
I mean hard evidence.
Physician Kwon, who gave the medicine
to His Royal Highness,
is the evidence, is he not?
Your Majesty.
He claimed the Crown Prince
was poisoned all along,
yet he changed his argument
and is claiming he was killed
by medicine from the outside.
And think of what he did.
He brought up
the deposal of the Crown Prince
even before his death.
If anyone wanted him dead,
it would not be me,
but Chief State Councilor.
I suspect that someone
killed the Crown Prince,
and is now trying to slander the Queen.
What do you mean, Queen?
Do you mean that
the Crown Prince was actually poisoned?
Yes.
He was not the only Crown Prince
who faced a sudden death.
Your Majesty!
Her Majesty is arguing
that he was poisoned to death
to hide that she brought in the medicine.
Chief State Councilor!
How dare you try to frame the Queen?
If you continue to do so,
you will have to be relieved of
not only your position but also your life.
Your Majesty!
We just need to know
if Her Majesty is the one
who gave him the herbs from the outside.
Enough!
What are you all doing?
The interrogation will resume tomorrow.
The sudden death of the Crown Prince?
How dare you recklessly bring up the past?
How dare you
speak of that time with your mouth?
It looks like
you have completely lost your mind.
Yes.
After losing my son,
I am no longer afraid of anything.
You must have forgotten
that you have other children left.
Do not lay a hand on them.
Then…
you should have been prepared for that
when you met with the deposed Queen Yoon.
Why?
Are you surprised that I know?
I told you already.
All eyes and ears of this palace
lead to my quarters.
Here is what I will do.
If you do not admit
to everything tomorrow,
I plan on exposing that you met
the traitor Queen Yoon
right here during the interrogation.
The biggest mistake I have made in my life
is that I failed to stop you
from becoming the Queen.
I dread…
that you are the Queen.
He stopped the interrogation
when the Queen was about to be finished.
If His Majesty does that again tomorrow,
we will not be able to get rid
of the Queen or begin the taekhyeon.
I will not let that happen.
We must reduce His Majesty's choices.
How did he find out that you brought
medicine from the outside?
Do you think Physician Kwon told him?
That is not what is important.
We can no longer hide that we used
medicine brought from the outside.
Open.
Your Majesty.
Yes, my grandson.
Smile.
Her Majesty told us
not to do anything
to let His Grand Heir notice.
The meal is ready for His Grand Heir.
Yes, bring it in.
This is delicious.
My grandson, come here and try some.
I do not wish to eat.
You have not had breakfast either.
Have a bite, will you?
I only like meat.
Here.
Goodness, my grandson.
You are a good painter too.
Who did you draw?
Let me try to guess.
This is
my cute little grandson.
And who is this?
She is my nursemaid.
This is our secret game.
Secret game?
This is a fun game.
But this is a secret game
just between us two.
Nobody else can find out.
What is the matter, Your Majesty?
Spit it out, my dear!
Spit it out!
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
The Queen is a rat in a trap now.
This palace is no longer a safe place.
If you cannot prove that the medicine
is not the cause of his death,
you could die.
We must find some sort of evidence
and find out who the enemy is.
Please do the same for me.
Physician Kwon has already
covered up his traces.
Please depose the Queen.
Do you not think
his death is rather strange?
Subtitle translation by: Eun-sook Yoon