The Queen's Umbrella (2022) s01e07 Episode Script
Episode 7
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
EPISODE 7
Play that secret game with me
instead of the Grand Heir.
Are you also the one
who poisoned his meal?
No, Your Majesty.
That was not me.
I swear.
But you did stick him with a needle?
Who is it?
Whose order was it?
They took my family hostage.
So I had no choice.
Kill me, Your Majesty.
Very well then.
I will.
If you wish to die without pain,
tell me who was behind it.
If I tell you,
my family will die.
Tell me who was behind it,
and I will save your family.
So tell me this instant.
You will not…
be able to do so.
They are…
far more formidable than you,
Your Majesty.
No!
-Do not!
-Lady!
-Lady!
-No!
-No!
-Lady!
No…
Search thoroughly!
If poison is found,
all your families will be annihilated!
There is a problem, Your Majesty.
What happened?
There was a small fire.
Fortunately, it was
extinguished immediately.
But it could have been very bad.
-Court Lady Shin.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
Starting now, no one may enter my quarters
without my permission.
I cannot…
trust anyone anymore.
Your Majesty.
What should we do
about the interrogation tomorrow?
If something happens to you,
His Highness the Grand Heir
will be in great danger.
Keep an eye out
for the movements of the Queen Dowager.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, you should come out.
Your Majesty.
Allow me to leave the palace.
Crown Princess.
I lost my husband
in this palace.
I do not wish to lose my children as well.
Please allow me to leave the palace.
I cannot do that.
Someone poisoned
the meal of the Grand Heir
and set fire to his bedchamber.
In your quarters, at that.
And we have not been
able to find any evidence,
let alone the suspect.
As long as the Grand Heir
stays in the palace,
the murder attempts will continue.
He is not any safer outside the palace.
Your Majesty, I beg you.
What are you all waiting for?
Escort the Crown Princess to her chamber.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Royal Highness!
What do you think you are doing?
What can a woman possibly do
after losing her husband?
If something happens to the Grand Heir,
I will have no reason to live.
Is a woman unable to do anything
after losing her husband?
You must pull yourself together
and survive
to be able to protect your son
and yourself.
No, Your Majesty.
Leaving the palace is the only way
to protect him.
So please allow me.
If you do not,
I will take my life right here.
You are a mother.
How could you point a knife at yourself?
If I were you,
I would use that bravery
to protect the Grand Heir.
Why did you halt the interrogation?
The Queen killed the Crown Prince.
She should pay the price.
How can you be so certain of that?
No parent in the world
would kill their own child.
If you keep being this way,
I will have to step in.
It is not hard
to bring the Queen down.
Sure.
You have done it once.
Of course, you can do it again.
Deposing the Queen
should be child's play for you.
-Your Majesty!
-What is it?
Will you also replace the King
if I do not listen to you?
What are you so afraid of?
Just what are you so afraid of?
Everything.
I am scared
of the court officials out there
as well as my mother
who is standing in front of me.
I fear the Queen has something to do
with the medicine from the outside.
I am also dreading people being reminded
of the death of Crown Prince Taein
and that they will drag me
off this filthy throne!
I fear all of it.
Did you just say
the throne was filthy?
After
all that I went through…
to put you on that throne?
It was not for my sake.
It was for your own sake, was it not?
You wanted it too.
You are the one…
who started all this,
not I.
What do I lack
that the Crown Prince possesses?
Why am I not even given a chance?
I want to be the Crown Prince, Mother.
If you had not wanted it,
I would not even have started.
So,
are you saying this throne belongs to you?
It does not.
I am
the King.
And I am the one
who made you king.
Give your consent to the taekhyeon.
If you do not,
I will bring the Queen down
with my own hands.
It was revealed that the medicine
from the outside killed the Crown Prince.
And the person who brought it in
was Her Majesty the Queen.
Can you hear anything?
What is she saying? Is she all right?
Be quiet.
Hey, move.
-I cannot hear anything because of you.
-Move it.
My goodness.
Your Highness.
What brings all of you here?
Mother.
See? I told you she would be okay.
You were worried more than any of us were.
That is not true.
You were.
We came because they wanted
to see how you were doing.
I heard you skipped your meal.
Did you
come because you were worried about me?
I heard you went through a lot
at the interrogation today.
It was no big deal.
You should take care of yourself, Mother.
We brought your favorite,
chicken dumplings.
They have little fat
so are easy on the stomach.
I see.
You came at the right time.
I was starting to feel hungry.
It tastes good.
By the way, Mother,
if the taekhyeon is approved,
will my brothers and I be killed?
Yul.
Who said that?
Some eunuchs said
when Father became the Crown Prince,
all the Grand Princes were killed.
No.
I will never let that happen
on my watch.
So do not worry too much.
Are you not scared, Mother?
I am.
However,
when I see all of you,
all my fear is swept away.
It was not Mother.
I am the one who brought in the medicine.
I went out of the palace
and had it prescribed.
Did you directly hand it to Physician Kwon
or did you hand it to the Queen?
It was revealed
that the medicine killed the Crown Prince.
That means
you might have to take all the blame.
There was nothing wrong with the medicine.
Since I did it to save my brother,
I will take full responsibility.
I will come clean and prove
the medicine did not kill him.
What makes you think
people will believe what you say?
How will you prove it?
I will have the physician
and the herbalist testify
that it was prescribed
according to the prescription book.
You could do that.
However,
if you cannot prove that the medicine
is not the cause of his death,
you could die.
It is too risky.
So leave it to your elders
and stay out of it.
This is a request I am making
as your father, not as the King.
No, I cannot do that.
If I do, I will be admitting
my brother died because of the medicine.
As I said, this is too risky
for you to handle.
Are you telling me to live in guilt?
I cannot be the person
who killed his brother.
A person who killed
his brother…
Are you confident?
I must do it.
Bring the witnesses
before the interrogation
and prove the medicine
did not cause his death.
This is an order I give you
as the King.
Here.
Over here.
-Over here.
-Here.
Did you look into the deceased nursemaid?
She entered the palace
as a maid of the Queen Dowager
on the recommendation
of Chief State Councilor.
And before serving His Grand Heir,
she raised Prince Simso.
So it is difficult to determine
who was behind her.
Did you find anything
in Suragan, the Royal Kitchen?
We examined all the food
that was served to His Grand Heir,
but no poison was found in it.
He has been fortunate so far,
but I can only protect him for so long.
Therefore,
we must find some sort of evidence
and find out who the enemy is.
The Queen is a rat in a trap now.
She must be occupied
with His Grand Heir at the moment.
She will attempt to meet
with Physician Kwon, will she not?
She will.
Most likely.
That would be her only way out,
but since I will stop her,
you do not have to worry.
You have not visited me in a while.
You must have been quite busy.
But no matter how busy you were,
you should have reported it to me.
I do not understand what you mean.
I am asking why you hid that the Queen
met with the deposed Queen Yoon.
Tell me.
What did the deposed queen say?
I do not know, Your Royal Highness.
You ungrateful wench.
Did you forget Her Royal Highness
has been watching over your family?
I took you in because you seemed
to be clever and close-mouthed
for a seven-year-old.
But I did not expect you to use
your intelligence to stab me in the back.
Do you serve another person now?
I have always
served the same person.
I have run a few errands for you
to repay your kindness,
but I have never been a sword stabbing
Her Majesty the Queen, my master.
Even though I was kind enough
to take in a miserable dog,
you have never considered me your master?
Are you not afraid of death?
Even a stray dog serves only one master
whom it has given its heart to.
I am letting you go today.
But do not forget that I am the one
holding your leash.
What about Mak-ryeo?
She has been missing.
Find her at all costs
before the Queen gets hold of her.
By the way, Your Royal Highness,
do you intend to bring up
the deposed queen tomorrow
at the interrogation?
No.
That would be too risky.
I knew it.
I was right.
She would have already brought up
the deposed queen if she was going to.
So why has she not?
Because it is something
she can use to her advantage
but is too risky to do so.
I heard something unbelievable.
Are you…
the one
behind the death of the Crown Prince?
You are right.
I killed your son.
But…
do you have evidence?
The Queen Dowager
would never want what she did
to be made public.
I am going out.
Get ready.
Your Majesty.
Even if you go there, you will not
be able to see Physician Kwon.
Seeing him is not my goal.
Pardon?
Then why…
Halt!
How insolent!
Do you realize
who you are pointing your spear at?
Show respect to Her Majesty the Queen.
Step aside.
With all due respect, His Majesty
forbade anyone from entering.
I said, step aside.
What is going on?
Your Majesty.
What brings you here this late at night?
Are you here to get your story straight
with the criminal?
Yes.
I need to keep Physician Kwon
under control
for me to have a chance
at the interrogation.
You must have been feeling anxious.
Then would you mind if I told His Majesty
that you attempted to collude with him?
Collude?
I am just trying to make sure he will not
be tortured to make a false confession.
Are you sure you are not afraid
he will confess the truth?
How dare you!
Make way this instant.
There has been a royal command!
Do you intend to disobey
the order of His Majesty?
Chief State Councilor!
Your Majesty.
The only person
who may cross this threshold tonight
is His Majesty the King.
It must be hard for you.
Remain strong just a little longer.
It will all be over soon.
-Wait for me!
-Hurry!
Where is Master Toji?
He left recently.
What do you mean?
He said he had no reason to stay here,
for the plague is coming to an end.
Do you know where he went?
I do not.
He left so suddenly
that we did not even get to bid farewell.
The interrogation will begin shortly.
Have you heard anything
from Grand Prince Seongnam yet?
Sire.
Answer.
How did you know
Master Toji was in the hut village?
-Sire.
-Answer me.
An herb gatherer told me.
Master Toji only uses
fresh ginseng from a certain dispensary.
And where is that?
The body of the Crown Prince
revealed no evidence that he was poisoned.
Also, there was no sign of poison
during his autopsy.
The investigation proved
that the medicine from the outside
caused his death.
Answer me, Royal Physician Cho.
Could the medicine have caused his death?
Yes, Your Majesty.
A treatment not found
in the prescription book
can be as lethal as stabbing a patient
in their vital points.
I am certain that the cause of his death
is the use of a medicine
of an unidentified origin
and a prescription
not found in the prescription book.
It has become clear
that the Crown Prince
was not poisoned but died because of
the medicine brought from the outside.
Answer me, Physician Kwon.
Who gave you the medicine
that killed the Crown Prince?
Disclose the source now!
It was Her Majesty the Queen.
Let me ask you one more time.
You must be completely honest with me.
Who gave you the medicine
that was prescribed outside the palace?
I am telling the truth.
Her Majesty the Queen gave it to me.
Let me ask you, My Queen.
Is what he said true?
Your Majesty.
Give your answer.
Yes.
I gave it to Physician Kwon.
However,
I do not agree that the medicine
caused the Crown Prince to die.
Just because he was not poisoned
does not mean
he died because of the medicine.
Whether you agree or not,
it has already been concluded
that the medicine was the cause.
If I had thought
the medicine would be so dangerous,
I would never have given it
to my dear child.
And I received…
the medicine from someone else.
It was from a person
who cared about him more than anyone
and someone whom I trusted fully.
That is why I did not question
the safety of the medicine at all.
You received it from someone else?
That medicine killed the Crown Prince!
Who is the person
who gave that wicked medicine to you?
Give your answer, My Queen.
It was the Crown Princess.
The Crown Princess…
She gave it to me…
in person.
She said she had been giving it
to him for some time,
so I assumed that
it would not be a problem.
Search her quarters.
Her Royal Highness began decocting
his medicine herself quite some time ago.
I merely thought
she seemed very concerned about his health
even while heavily pregnant.
She refused any help
and insisted on decocting
his medicine by herself.
This medicine is certainly
from outside the palace, Your Majesty.
It was not me, Your Majesty.
I did decoct medicine
for the chronic itching
of His Royal Highness,
but all the herbs
were from inside the palace.
In that case, there should be
records at the Royal Pharmacy.
Bring the records immediately.
There are no such records left
at Naeyakbang, the Royal Pharmacy.
It was not me.
This is unfair.
Your Majesty,
why are you doing this to me?
This is unfair. I am innocent.
Enough, Crown Princess.
I had no choice.
That medicine
killed my son.
We will end…
the interrogation.
The Queen
surprised me greatly.
I never imagined
she would accuse the Crown Princess.
With Physician Kwon under our control,
she must have had no other choice.
She sacrificed the Crown Princess
to save her own skin.
This will make it harder for us
to remove the Queen, will it not?
We must push forward no matter what.
Perhaps this is our chance
to remove both the Queen
and His Grand Heir.
I beseech you
to hold the Queen responsible
for using medicine from the outside.
Please depose the Queen.
-Depose the Queen
-Depose the Queen
-and execute His Grand Heir.
-and execute His Grand Heir.
All she did was hand over the medicine.
Therefore, her deposition
is out of the question.
Your Majesty.
The Queen cannot escape responsibility
for the death of the Crown Prince.
I forbid any further discussion.
Your Majesty.
The heir to the throne passed away.
It is no different from treason.
Someone must take responsibility.
If the Queen cannot be deposed,
I beseech you to execute
the Crown Princess' family
and His Grand Heir
to prevent future treason.
-Execute them, Your Majesty.
-Execute them, Your Majesty.
Lord Hwang Won-hyeong.
Do you want the Grand Heir dead so badly?
Will you finally be satisfied
when that young boy dies as well?
Father, it was not the Crown Princess.
She has nothing to do
with the medicine from the outside.
You say you brought it in,
while the Queen blames the Crown Princess.
What is the truth?
What am I supposed to believe?
I brought in the medicine.
What happened to the witnesses
that you promised to bring?
Both the physician
and the herbalist are gone.
However,
I will find them no matter what.
It is all over now.
You lost your chance.
We cannot stop here.
Why are you giving up like this?
How dare you try to lecture the King?
I did not give up.
You missed your chance.
They proved the medicine killed him,
and the Crown Princess confessed
while you failed to bring witnesses
or prove them wrong.
It is all over now.
Father.
Do you truly intend to end it like this?
Do you think
the King can do whatever he wants?
If the King cannot, then who can?
Is there really
nothing that can be done?
Let her know I am here.
Her Royal Highness has gone to bed.
I said, let her know.
As I said, she has already gone to bed.
Let her know I am here.
Your Royal Highness,
the Queen would like to--
Have you lost your mind?
Yes. How can I possibly be
in my right mind in this situation?
So you need to help me.
Why should I?
You should have quietly locked yourself
in your quarters in the first place.
How dare you meet
with the traitor Queen Yoon?
Did you not know that is deemed treason?
My son was fighting for his life.
That is why, instead of locking myself
in my quarters,
I met with a mother who lost her son
under similar circumstances.
How could you call that treason?
Your Majesty.
Yes?
Are you not curious
about what she told me?
She told me…
Crown Prince Taein
did not die from his illness.
Do you not think
his death is rather strange?
If he had not died like that,
His Majesty, the son of a mere concubine,
would not have been
able to ascend the throne.
Your Majesty!
Are you reminded of what happened then?
I heard that you admitted
to having murdered Crown Prince Taein.
Seeing how upset you are,
it must be true.
Shut
your mouth.
If you persuade the court officials,
I will keep my mouth shut.
Your Royal Highness.
Chief State Councilor is here.
I asked him to come.
Send him in.
You should stop here.
I suggest we stop…
playing this game.
Did you not push those kids
to the edge of a cliff
to protect your position as the Queen?
What are you trying to do now?
Taekhyeon.
I give my approval.
That was your goal
when you started this game, was it not?
Your Majesty.
The taekhyeon is inevitable.
So why should I do as you say?
Chief State Councilor.
Do you truly believe
you can kill me,
the Crown Princess, and the Grand Heir
if you persist?
Are you confident?
You tampered with the witness
and framed me.
Did you think I would not know?
The two of you must realize
what an unreasonable demand it is
to have the Crown Princess
and the Grand Heir executed.
So I suggest we stop this game
and demote the Crown Princess
and the Grand Heir to commoners.
Did you say…
we should demote them to commoners?
Yes.
In return,
if none of the Grand Princes become
the Crown Prince through the taekhyeon,
I will…
step down as queen.
I want your answer now.
I might change my mind
once I step out of this room.
Was that what you were after?
You wish to expel
your daughter-in-law and grandson
to save your own skin?
Yes.
Even if all my limbs are cut off,
I will have to hold on
to my head and heart
if I am to stand any chance.
I will…
persuade His Majesty.
So the Queen will keep her position,
and His Grand Heir will remain alive?
Once Prince Uiseong becomes
the Crown Prince through the taekhyeon,
I will bring the Queen down as I promised.
And do you intend
to keep His Grand Heir alive?
Of course not.
It will be easier to get rid of him now.
Hunting is much easier
outside the palace than inside.
As soon as he leaves the palace,
he is as good as dead.
I grant your request, officials.
Physician Kwon O-gyeong will be dismissed
for failing to treat
the Crown Prince properly.
The Crown Princess,
who caused the Crown Prince to die,
will be demoted to a commoner.
The Grand Heir will also be demoted to
a commoner and placed under wirianchi.
WIRIANCHI: IMPRISONING EXILED CRIMINALS
WITH THORNS FENCED AROUND THE HOUSE
Any interaction with them
will be seen as attempting
to put the Grand Heir on the throne
and will be treated as treason.
This is unbelievable.
Is Her Majesty not even going to watch
His Grand Heir leave the palace?
Did you not hear?
She demoted the Crown Princess
to protect her position.
I feel so sorry for His Grand Heir.
Halt!
Uncle…
You did not do anything wrong.
Uncle…
Wait for me.
I will come for you.
How could she do that to the Crown Prince?
She tried to enthrone His Grand Heir.
-She is being punished!
-You are right.
How could she do such a thing?
As there will be too many eyes on the way,
get rid of him at the place of exile.
Kill him as soon as they arrive.
Chief!
What do you mean?
Then where in the world did they go?
Answer me!
Grandmother.
My grandson.
Your Majesty.
Will you be able to endure it?
Yes.
I will do anything
to protect the life of the Grand Heir.
Very well.
As you wish,
I will let you out of the palace.
And I will find a safer place for you.
Once you arrive there,
no one will be able to harm
the Grand Heir.
I will…
summon you
back to the palace in time.
Do not be
scared anymore.
Do not fear anything.
Run around happily
and laugh as much as you want.
Yes, I did that to protect my position.
How…
How could you do that?
I need to remain in my position
to be able to protect you
and my grandchildren.
We have lost the Grand Heir.
You sacrificed him and the Crown Princess
to protect your position.
No.
This is the only way to protect them.
That is merely an excuse.
You expelled the Grand Heir
from the palace.
I will bring them back here.
Will you…
join me?
What do you mean by that?
Kang.
Will you be able to replace your brother?
What I mean is,
you must become the Crown Prince.
Yes, Mother.
I will try.
If I can put things right,
I am ready to risk everything
to become the Crown Prince.
Pardon?
Do you mean you knew
Chief State Councilor would appear
on your way to Uigeumbu,
the State Tribunal?
Yes.
I had to pretend to be anxious
to make him let his guard down.
Why did you not tell me then?
I really had no idea.
Your Majesty.
-Did you visit his house?
-Yes, Your Majesty.
But Physician Kwon
has already covered up his tracks.
He left this behind.
I am leaving
because I cannot bring myself to face you.
I ended up making a confession
because I could not endure the torture.
However,
I am convinced that the medicine
did not kill the Crown Prince.
I apologize for failing to protect you.
It has been a long time, Master.
By the way, Your Majesty,
his neighbors said
Physician Kwon
does not have an old mother.
Find out more about him.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Find out when and how
he entered the palace.
Find out where he is from as well.
I heard you put your position on the line.
Do you not know what the taekhyeon means?
I do.
I should be the last king
enthroned by them.
I cannot allow another taekhyeon.
No.
You should restore
the true meaning of the taekhyeon.
Originally,
the taekhyeon aimed to select
the worthiest one,
not the one
favored by the court officials.
"Even though I was enthroned
by the court officials,
I wish to be a king
who fears his people,
not his court officials."
It has been 20 years,
but…
I still remember what you said.
When I heard those words,
I realized what a great man you were.
None of the Grand Princes
might become the Crown Prince.
Yes, they might not.
However,
I trust them.
Why do you think
I put my position on the line?
I will not be able to bear it
if someone other than the Grand Princes
becomes the Crown Prince.
Then there will be no point
in being the Queen any longer.
I am prepared.
Only,
I have one request.
Do judge the candidates fairly
and select the most qualified one
to become the Crown Prince.
The next Crown Prince
will be selected through the taekhyeon.
All the princes will be candidates
regardless of their birth.
We will obey your order, Your Majesty.
-Much obliged, Your Majesty.
-Much obliged, Your Majesty.
However, as for the selection process,
I will decide myself.
Your Majesty, the taekhyeon, originally--
The taekhyeon, originally,
was intended to select the worthiest one,
not the one
favored by you court officials.
What is it?
Is there a problem?
Your Majesty.
Why did you approve the taekhyeon?
It would have been inevitable anyway.
But I did not want to be forced.
If one cannot stop the waves,
one must ride them.
But the taekhyeon is disadvantageous
to the Grand Princes.
Precisely.
Everyone must think so.
That will give my sons an advantage.
Pardon?
I am not that reckless.
I am thoroughly confident.
Are you sure?
You heard me.
Do you realize
what you are returning to me?
It is a book that holds the secrets
of the education of the royal family.
This is unexpected.
I thought you wanted to be
the Crown Prince more than anyone.
Did your mother send you here?
She does not know I am here.
Have you decided it will not be of help
to you in becoming the Crown Prince?
Yes.
I do not think
that book made Father ascend the throne.
He became the Crown Prince because
he had someone like you as his mother.
However,
the real reason he ascended the throne
was that he was
the worthiest prince of all.
Then…
what can I help you with?
Please…
do the same for me.
As you all must know,
the next Crown Prince will be selected
through the taekhyeon.
And to do that,
there will be a contest.
-A contest?
-A contest?
What contest?
-This is unexpected.
-What are you talking about, Your Majesty?
That has never happened before.
What is the problem?
It sounds wonderful to me.
Your Majesty.
Is it not against the rules
to select one through a contest?
If we were to adhere to the rules,
His Grand Heir or one of the direct heirs
should become the Crown Prince.
Then when will this contest begin?
It has already begun.
-Pardon?
-Pardon?
Who are you?
Where are you taking me?
Wait!
What is the matter?
I am looking for a handsome man
who ran off with my money.
Have you seen this man?
No, I do not think I have.
How could you not be sure?
He is such a handsome man.
What?
Then forget it. Be on your way.
She has gone insane at such a young age.
Goodness.
Excuse me.
What do you think of me?
-I--
-Forget it.
Forget it then.
Where in the world are you?
We will begin the contest
to select the Crown Prince.
You may all change.
Reach the finishing point
before the incense clock burns out.
The points will be given
according to the order of arrival.
Also,
those who give up or become eliminated
will retrieve their hopae,
identification plaques, themselves.
The prince who keeps
his nameplate in place to the end
will be the next Crown Prince.
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
The concubines are making unusual moves.
During the contest,
you will not be considered princes,
but inspectors.
I am here to apologize
to my mother-in-law.
What other motive could I hold?
Do I have the face of a Crown Prince?
Even if one of my Grand Princes
ascends the throne,
I will make sure you keep your position.
Who would dare to attack
Grand Prince Seongnam?
I will not let the ones who tried to
hurt my son live to see another day.
Things have been so unfair until this day.
Does anyone here know what this arrow is?
Subtitle translation by: Min-jin Kim
EPISODE 7
Play that secret game with me
instead of the Grand Heir.
Are you also the one
who poisoned his meal?
No, Your Majesty.
That was not me.
I swear.
But you did stick him with a needle?
Who is it?
Whose order was it?
They took my family hostage.
So I had no choice.
Kill me, Your Majesty.
Very well then.
I will.
If you wish to die without pain,
tell me who was behind it.
If I tell you,
my family will die.
Tell me who was behind it,
and I will save your family.
So tell me this instant.
You will not…
be able to do so.
They are…
far more formidable than you,
Your Majesty.
No!
-Do not!
-Lady!
-Lady!
-No!
-No!
-Lady!
No…
Search thoroughly!
If poison is found,
all your families will be annihilated!
There is a problem, Your Majesty.
What happened?
There was a small fire.
Fortunately, it was
extinguished immediately.
But it could have been very bad.
-Court Lady Shin.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
Starting now, no one may enter my quarters
without my permission.
I cannot…
trust anyone anymore.
Your Majesty.
What should we do
about the interrogation tomorrow?
If something happens to you,
His Highness the Grand Heir
will be in great danger.
Keep an eye out
for the movements of the Queen Dowager.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Majesty, you should come out.
Your Majesty.
Allow me to leave the palace.
Crown Princess.
I lost my husband
in this palace.
I do not wish to lose my children as well.
Please allow me to leave the palace.
I cannot do that.
Someone poisoned
the meal of the Grand Heir
and set fire to his bedchamber.
In your quarters, at that.
And we have not been
able to find any evidence,
let alone the suspect.
As long as the Grand Heir
stays in the palace,
the murder attempts will continue.
He is not any safer outside the palace.
Your Majesty, I beg you.
What are you all waiting for?
Escort the Crown Princess to her chamber.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Your Royal Highness!
What do you think you are doing?
What can a woman possibly do
after losing her husband?
If something happens to the Grand Heir,
I will have no reason to live.
Is a woman unable to do anything
after losing her husband?
You must pull yourself together
and survive
to be able to protect your son
and yourself.
No, Your Majesty.
Leaving the palace is the only way
to protect him.
So please allow me.
If you do not,
I will take my life right here.
You are a mother.
How could you point a knife at yourself?
If I were you,
I would use that bravery
to protect the Grand Heir.
Why did you halt the interrogation?
The Queen killed the Crown Prince.
She should pay the price.
How can you be so certain of that?
No parent in the world
would kill their own child.
If you keep being this way,
I will have to step in.
It is not hard
to bring the Queen down.
Sure.
You have done it once.
Of course, you can do it again.
Deposing the Queen
should be child's play for you.
-Your Majesty!
-What is it?
Will you also replace the King
if I do not listen to you?
What are you so afraid of?
Just what are you so afraid of?
Everything.
I am scared
of the court officials out there
as well as my mother
who is standing in front of me.
I fear the Queen has something to do
with the medicine from the outside.
I am also dreading people being reminded
of the death of Crown Prince Taein
and that they will drag me
off this filthy throne!
I fear all of it.
Did you just say
the throne was filthy?
After
all that I went through…
to put you on that throne?
It was not for my sake.
It was for your own sake, was it not?
You wanted it too.
You are the one…
who started all this,
not I.
What do I lack
that the Crown Prince possesses?
Why am I not even given a chance?
I want to be the Crown Prince, Mother.
If you had not wanted it,
I would not even have started.
So,
are you saying this throne belongs to you?
It does not.
I am
the King.
And I am the one
who made you king.
Give your consent to the taekhyeon.
If you do not,
I will bring the Queen down
with my own hands.
It was revealed that the medicine
from the outside killed the Crown Prince.
And the person who brought it in
was Her Majesty the Queen.
Can you hear anything?
What is she saying? Is she all right?
Be quiet.
Hey, move.
-I cannot hear anything because of you.
-Move it.
My goodness.
Your Highness.
What brings all of you here?
Mother.
See? I told you she would be okay.
You were worried more than any of us were.
That is not true.
You were.
We came because they wanted
to see how you were doing.
I heard you skipped your meal.
Did you
come because you were worried about me?
I heard you went through a lot
at the interrogation today.
It was no big deal.
You should take care of yourself, Mother.
We brought your favorite,
chicken dumplings.
They have little fat
so are easy on the stomach.
I see.
You came at the right time.
I was starting to feel hungry.
It tastes good.
By the way, Mother,
if the taekhyeon is approved,
will my brothers and I be killed?
Yul.
Who said that?
Some eunuchs said
when Father became the Crown Prince,
all the Grand Princes were killed.
No.
I will never let that happen
on my watch.
So do not worry too much.
Are you not scared, Mother?
I am.
However,
when I see all of you,
all my fear is swept away.
It was not Mother.
I am the one who brought in the medicine.
I went out of the palace
and had it prescribed.
Did you directly hand it to Physician Kwon
or did you hand it to the Queen?
It was revealed
that the medicine killed the Crown Prince.
That means
you might have to take all the blame.
There was nothing wrong with the medicine.
Since I did it to save my brother,
I will take full responsibility.
I will come clean and prove
the medicine did not kill him.
What makes you think
people will believe what you say?
How will you prove it?
I will have the physician
and the herbalist testify
that it was prescribed
according to the prescription book.
You could do that.
However,
if you cannot prove that the medicine
is not the cause of his death,
you could die.
It is too risky.
So leave it to your elders
and stay out of it.
This is a request I am making
as your father, not as the King.
No, I cannot do that.
If I do, I will be admitting
my brother died because of the medicine.
As I said, this is too risky
for you to handle.
Are you telling me to live in guilt?
I cannot be the person
who killed his brother.
A person who killed
his brother…
Are you confident?
I must do it.
Bring the witnesses
before the interrogation
and prove the medicine
did not cause his death.
This is an order I give you
as the King.
Here.
Over here.
-Over here.
-Here.
Did you look into the deceased nursemaid?
She entered the palace
as a maid of the Queen Dowager
on the recommendation
of Chief State Councilor.
And before serving His Grand Heir,
she raised Prince Simso.
So it is difficult to determine
who was behind her.
Did you find anything
in Suragan, the Royal Kitchen?
We examined all the food
that was served to His Grand Heir,
but no poison was found in it.
He has been fortunate so far,
but I can only protect him for so long.
Therefore,
we must find some sort of evidence
and find out who the enemy is.
The Queen is a rat in a trap now.
She must be occupied
with His Grand Heir at the moment.
She will attempt to meet
with Physician Kwon, will she not?
She will.
Most likely.
That would be her only way out,
but since I will stop her,
you do not have to worry.
You have not visited me in a while.
You must have been quite busy.
But no matter how busy you were,
you should have reported it to me.
I do not understand what you mean.
I am asking why you hid that the Queen
met with the deposed Queen Yoon.
Tell me.
What did the deposed queen say?
I do not know, Your Royal Highness.
You ungrateful wench.
Did you forget Her Royal Highness
has been watching over your family?
I took you in because you seemed
to be clever and close-mouthed
for a seven-year-old.
But I did not expect you to use
your intelligence to stab me in the back.
Do you serve another person now?
I have always
served the same person.
I have run a few errands for you
to repay your kindness,
but I have never been a sword stabbing
Her Majesty the Queen, my master.
Even though I was kind enough
to take in a miserable dog,
you have never considered me your master?
Are you not afraid of death?
Even a stray dog serves only one master
whom it has given its heart to.
I am letting you go today.
But do not forget that I am the one
holding your leash.
What about Mak-ryeo?
She has been missing.
Find her at all costs
before the Queen gets hold of her.
By the way, Your Royal Highness,
do you intend to bring up
the deposed queen tomorrow
at the interrogation?
No.
That would be too risky.
I knew it.
I was right.
She would have already brought up
the deposed queen if she was going to.
So why has she not?
Because it is something
she can use to her advantage
but is too risky to do so.
I heard something unbelievable.
Are you…
the one
behind the death of the Crown Prince?
You are right.
I killed your son.
But…
do you have evidence?
The Queen Dowager
would never want what she did
to be made public.
I am going out.
Get ready.
Your Majesty.
Even if you go there, you will not
be able to see Physician Kwon.
Seeing him is not my goal.
Pardon?
Then why…
Halt!
How insolent!
Do you realize
who you are pointing your spear at?
Show respect to Her Majesty the Queen.
Step aside.
With all due respect, His Majesty
forbade anyone from entering.
I said, step aside.
What is going on?
Your Majesty.
What brings you here this late at night?
Are you here to get your story straight
with the criminal?
Yes.
I need to keep Physician Kwon
under control
for me to have a chance
at the interrogation.
You must have been feeling anxious.
Then would you mind if I told His Majesty
that you attempted to collude with him?
Collude?
I am just trying to make sure he will not
be tortured to make a false confession.
Are you sure you are not afraid
he will confess the truth?
How dare you!
Make way this instant.
There has been a royal command!
Do you intend to disobey
the order of His Majesty?
Chief State Councilor!
Your Majesty.
The only person
who may cross this threshold tonight
is His Majesty the King.
It must be hard for you.
Remain strong just a little longer.
It will all be over soon.
-Wait for me!
-Hurry!
Where is Master Toji?
He left recently.
What do you mean?
He said he had no reason to stay here,
for the plague is coming to an end.
Do you know where he went?
I do not.
He left so suddenly
that we did not even get to bid farewell.
The interrogation will begin shortly.
Have you heard anything
from Grand Prince Seongnam yet?
Sire.
Answer.
How did you know
Master Toji was in the hut village?
-Sire.
-Answer me.
An herb gatherer told me.
Master Toji only uses
fresh ginseng from a certain dispensary.
And where is that?
The body of the Crown Prince
revealed no evidence that he was poisoned.
Also, there was no sign of poison
during his autopsy.
The investigation proved
that the medicine from the outside
caused his death.
Answer me, Royal Physician Cho.
Could the medicine have caused his death?
Yes, Your Majesty.
A treatment not found
in the prescription book
can be as lethal as stabbing a patient
in their vital points.
I am certain that the cause of his death
is the use of a medicine
of an unidentified origin
and a prescription
not found in the prescription book.
It has become clear
that the Crown Prince
was not poisoned but died because of
the medicine brought from the outside.
Answer me, Physician Kwon.
Who gave you the medicine
that killed the Crown Prince?
Disclose the source now!
It was Her Majesty the Queen.
Let me ask you one more time.
You must be completely honest with me.
Who gave you the medicine
that was prescribed outside the palace?
I am telling the truth.
Her Majesty the Queen gave it to me.
Let me ask you, My Queen.
Is what he said true?
Your Majesty.
Give your answer.
Yes.
I gave it to Physician Kwon.
However,
I do not agree that the medicine
caused the Crown Prince to die.
Just because he was not poisoned
does not mean
he died because of the medicine.
Whether you agree or not,
it has already been concluded
that the medicine was the cause.
If I had thought
the medicine would be so dangerous,
I would never have given it
to my dear child.
And I received…
the medicine from someone else.
It was from a person
who cared about him more than anyone
and someone whom I trusted fully.
That is why I did not question
the safety of the medicine at all.
You received it from someone else?
That medicine killed the Crown Prince!
Who is the person
who gave that wicked medicine to you?
Give your answer, My Queen.
It was the Crown Princess.
The Crown Princess…
She gave it to me…
in person.
She said she had been giving it
to him for some time,
so I assumed that
it would not be a problem.
Search her quarters.
Her Royal Highness began decocting
his medicine herself quite some time ago.
I merely thought
she seemed very concerned about his health
even while heavily pregnant.
She refused any help
and insisted on decocting
his medicine by herself.
This medicine is certainly
from outside the palace, Your Majesty.
It was not me, Your Majesty.
I did decoct medicine
for the chronic itching
of His Royal Highness,
but all the herbs
were from inside the palace.
In that case, there should be
records at the Royal Pharmacy.
Bring the records immediately.
There are no such records left
at Naeyakbang, the Royal Pharmacy.
It was not me.
This is unfair.
Your Majesty,
why are you doing this to me?
This is unfair. I am innocent.
Enough, Crown Princess.
I had no choice.
That medicine
killed my son.
We will end…
the interrogation.
The Queen
surprised me greatly.
I never imagined
she would accuse the Crown Princess.
With Physician Kwon under our control,
she must have had no other choice.
She sacrificed the Crown Princess
to save her own skin.
This will make it harder for us
to remove the Queen, will it not?
We must push forward no matter what.
Perhaps this is our chance
to remove both the Queen
and His Grand Heir.
I beseech you
to hold the Queen responsible
for using medicine from the outside.
Please depose the Queen.
-Depose the Queen
-Depose the Queen
-and execute His Grand Heir.
-and execute His Grand Heir.
All she did was hand over the medicine.
Therefore, her deposition
is out of the question.
Your Majesty.
The Queen cannot escape responsibility
for the death of the Crown Prince.
I forbid any further discussion.
Your Majesty.
The heir to the throne passed away.
It is no different from treason.
Someone must take responsibility.
If the Queen cannot be deposed,
I beseech you to execute
the Crown Princess' family
and His Grand Heir
to prevent future treason.
-Execute them, Your Majesty.
-Execute them, Your Majesty.
Lord Hwang Won-hyeong.
Do you want the Grand Heir dead so badly?
Will you finally be satisfied
when that young boy dies as well?
Father, it was not the Crown Princess.
She has nothing to do
with the medicine from the outside.
You say you brought it in,
while the Queen blames the Crown Princess.
What is the truth?
What am I supposed to believe?
I brought in the medicine.
What happened to the witnesses
that you promised to bring?
Both the physician
and the herbalist are gone.
However,
I will find them no matter what.
It is all over now.
You lost your chance.
We cannot stop here.
Why are you giving up like this?
How dare you try to lecture the King?
I did not give up.
You missed your chance.
They proved the medicine killed him,
and the Crown Princess confessed
while you failed to bring witnesses
or prove them wrong.
It is all over now.
Father.
Do you truly intend to end it like this?
Do you think
the King can do whatever he wants?
If the King cannot, then who can?
Is there really
nothing that can be done?
Let her know I am here.
Her Royal Highness has gone to bed.
I said, let her know.
As I said, she has already gone to bed.
Let her know I am here.
Your Royal Highness,
the Queen would like to--
Have you lost your mind?
Yes. How can I possibly be
in my right mind in this situation?
So you need to help me.
Why should I?
You should have quietly locked yourself
in your quarters in the first place.
How dare you meet
with the traitor Queen Yoon?
Did you not know that is deemed treason?
My son was fighting for his life.
That is why, instead of locking myself
in my quarters,
I met with a mother who lost her son
under similar circumstances.
How could you call that treason?
Your Majesty.
Yes?
Are you not curious
about what she told me?
She told me…
Crown Prince Taein
did not die from his illness.
Do you not think
his death is rather strange?
If he had not died like that,
His Majesty, the son of a mere concubine,
would not have been
able to ascend the throne.
Your Majesty!
Are you reminded of what happened then?
I heard that you admitted
to having murdered Crown Prince Taein.
Seeing how upset you are,
it must be true.
Shut
your mouth.
If you persuade the court officials,
I will keep my mouth shut.
Your Royal Highness.
Chief State Councilor is here.
I asked him to come.
Send him in.
You should stop here.
I suggest we stop…
playing this game.
Did you not push those kids
to the edge of a cliff
to protect your position as the Queen?
What are you trying to do now?
Taekhyeon.
I give my approval.
That was your goal
when you started this game, was it not?
Your Majesty.
The taekhyeon is inevitable.
So why should I do as you say?
Chief State Councilor.
Do you truly believe
you can kill me,
the Crown Princess, and the Grand Heir
if you persist?
Are you confident?
You tampered with the witness
and framed me.
Did you think I would not know?
The two of you must realize
what an unreasonable demand it is
to have the Crown Princess
and the Grand Heir executed.
So I suggest we stop this game
and demote the Crown Princess
and the Grand Heir to commoners.
Did you say…
we should demote them to commoners?
Yes.
In return,
if none of the Grand Princes become
the Crown Prince through the taekhyeon,
I will…
step down as queen.
I want your answer now.
I might change my mind
once I step out of this room.
Was that what you were after?
You wish to expel
your daughter-in-law and grandson
to save your own skin?
Yes.
Even if all my limbs are cut off,
I will have to hold on
to my head and heart
if I am to stand any chance.
I will…
persuade His Majesty.
So the Queen will keep her position,
and His Grand Heir will remain alive?
Once Prince Uiseong becomes
the Crown Prince through the taekhyeon,
I will bring the Queen down as I promised.
And do you intend
to keep His Grand Heir alive?
Of course not.
It will be easier to get rid of him now.
Hunting is much easier
outside the palace than inside.
As soon as he leaves the palace,
he is as good as dead.
I grant your request, officials.
Physician Kwon O-gyeong will be dismissed
for failing to treat
the Crown Prince properly.
The Crown Princess,
who caused the Crown Prince to die,
will be demoted to a commoner.
The Grand Heir will also be demoted to
a commoner and placed under wirianchi.
WIRIANCHI: IMPRISONING EXILED CRIMINALS
WITH THORNS FENCED AROUND THE HOUSE
Any interaction with them
will be seen as attempting
to put the Grand Heir on the throne
and will be treated as treason.
This is unbelievable.
Is Her Majesty not even going to watch
His Grand Heir leave the palace?
Did you not hear?
She demoted the Crown Princess
to protect her position.
I feel so sorry for His Grand Heir.
Halt!
Uncle…
You did not do anything wrong.
Uncle…
Wait for me.
I will come for you.
How could she do that to the Crown Prince?
She tried to enthrone His Grand Heir.
-She is being punished!
-You are right.
How could she do such a thing?
As there will be too many eyes on the way,
get rid of him at the place of exile.
Kill him as soon as they arrive.
Chief!
What do you mean?
Then where in the world did they go?
Answer me!
Grandmother.
My grandson.
Your Majesty.
Will you be able to endure it?
Yes.
I will do anything
to protect the life of the Grand Heir.
Very well.
As you wish,
I will let you out of the palace.
And I will find a safer place for you.
Once you arrive there,
no one will be able to harm
the Grand Heir.
I will…
summon you
back to the palace in time.
Do not be
scared anymore.
Do not fear anything.
Run around happily
and laugh as much as you want.
Yes, I did that to protect my position.
How…
How could you do that?
I need to remain in my position
to be able to protect you
and my grandchildren.
We have lost the Grand Heir.
You sacrificed him and the Crown Princess
to protect your position.
No.
This is the only way to protect them.
That is merely an excuse.
You expelled the Grand Heir
from the palace.
I will bring them back here.
Will you…
join me?
What do you mean by that?
Kang.
Will you be able to replace your brother?
What I mean is,
you must become the Crown Prince.
Yes, Mother.
I will try.
If I can put things right,
I am ready to risk everything
to become the Crown Prince.
Pardon?
Do you mean you knew
Chief State Councilor would appear
on your way to Uigeumbu,
the State Tribunal?
Yes.
I had to pretend to be anxious
to make him let his guard down.
Why did you not tell me then?
I really had no idea.
Your Majesty.
-Did you visit his house?
-Yes, Your Majesty.
But Physician Kwon
has already covered up his tracks.
He left this behind.
I am leaving
because I cannot bring myself to face you.
I ended up making a confession
because I could not endure the torture.
However,
I am convinced that the medicine
did not kill the Crown Prince.
I apologize for failing to protect you.
It has been a long time, Master.
By the way, Your Majesty,
his neighbors said
Physician Kwon
does not have an old mother.
Find out more about him.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Find out when and how
he entered the palace.
Find out where he is from as well.
I heard you put your position on the line.
Do you not know what the taekhyeon means?
I do.
I should be the last king
enthroned by them.
I cannot allow another taekhyeon.
No.
You should restore
the true meaning of the taekhyeon.
Originally,
the taekhyeon aimed to select
the worthiest one,
not the one
favored by the court officials.
"Even though I was enthroned
by the court officials,
I wish to be a king
who fears his people,
not his court officials."
It has been 20 years,
but…
I still remember what you said.
When I heard those words,
I realized what a great man you were.
None of the Grand Princes
might become the Crown Prince.
Yes, they might not.
However,
I trust them.
Why do you think
I put my position on the line?
I will not be able to bear it
if someone other than the Grand Princes
becomes the Crown Prince.
Then there will be no point
in being the Queen any longer.
I am prepared.
Only,
I have one request.
Do judge the candidates fairly
and select the most qualified one
to become the Crown Prince.
The next Crown Prince
will be selected through the taekhyeon.
All the princes will be candidates
regardless of their birth.
We will obey your order, Your Majesty.
-Much obliged, Your Majesty.
-Much obliged, Your Majesty.
However, as for the selection process,
I will decide myself.
Your Majesty, the taekhyeon, originally--
The taekhyeon, originally,
was intended to select the worthiest one,
not the one
favored by you court officials.
What is it?
Is there a problem?
Your Majesty.
Why did you approve the taekhyeon?
It would have been inevitable anyway.
But I did not want to be forced.
If one cannot stop the waves,
one must ride them.
But the taekhyeon is disadvantageous
to the Grand Princes.
Precisely.
Everyone must think so.
That will give my sons an advantage.
Pardon?
I am not that reckless.
I am thoroughly confident.
Are you sure?
You heard me.
Do you realize
what you are returning to me?
It is a book that holds the secrets
of the education of the royal family.
This is unexpected.
I thought you wanted to be
the Crown Prince more than anyone.
Did your mother send you here?
She does not know I am here.
Have you decided it will not be of help
to you in becoming the Crown Prince?
Yes.
I do not think
that book made Father ascend the throne.
He became the Crown Prince because
he had someone like you as his mother.
However,
the real reason he ascended the throne
was that he was
the worthiest prince of all.
Then…
what can I help you with?
Please…
do the same for me.
As you all must know,
the next Crown Prince will be selected
through the taekhyeon.
And to do that,
there will be a contest.
-A contest?
-A contest?
What contest?
-This is unexpected.
-What are you talking about, Your Majesty?
That has never happened before.
What is the problem?
It sounds wonderful to me.
Your Majesty.
Is it not against the rules
to select one through a contest?
If we were to adhere to the rules,
His Grand Heir or one of the direct heirs
should become the Crown Prince.
Then when will this contest begin?
It has already begun.
-Pardon?
-Pardon?
Who are you?
Where are you taking me?
Wait!
What is the matter?
I am looking for a handsome man
who ran off with my money.
Have you seen this man?
No, I do not think I have.
How could you not be sure?
He is such a handsome man.
What?
Then forget it. Be on your way.
She has gone insane at such a young age.
Goodness.
Excuse me.
What do you think of me?
-I--
-Forget it.
Forget it then.
Where in the world are you?
We will begin the contest
to select the Crown Prince.
You may all change.
Reach the finishing point
before the incense clock burns out.
The points will be given
according to the order of arrival.
Also,
those who give up or become eliminated
will retrieve their hopae,
identification plaques, themselves.
The prince who keeps
his nameplate in place to the end
will be the next Crown Prince.
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
The concubines are making unusual moves.
During the contest,
you will not be considered princes,
but inspectors.
I am here to apologize
to my mother-in-law.
What other motive could I hold?
Do I have the face of a Crown Prince?
Even if one of my Grand Princes
ascends the throne,
I will make sure you keep your position.
Who would dare to attack
Grand Prince Seongnam?
I will not let the ones who tried to
hurt my son live to see another day.
Things have been so unfair until this day.
Does anyone here know what this arrow is?
Subtitle translation by: Min-jin Kim