The Queen's Umbrella (2022) s01e11 Episode Script
Episode 11
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
EPISODE 11
PRINCE UISEONG,
GRAND PRINCE SEONGNAM, PRINCE BOGEOM
You have come far by showing
great performance during the contest.
I am proud of all of you.
Traditionally,
the King selects talent through chaekmun,
for the philosophies and beliefs
of the future leaders of the royal court
are found in their answers.
If you were the King,
what kind of questions
regarding texts and politics
would you ask to select the best talent?
I would ask why the King ordered
Park Gyeong-u and Seo Ham-deok,
who denied the current dynasty,
to be brought to the palace.
I would ask whether someone
who is competent yet immoral
should be appointed to office
to find out what is more valued
between morality and competence.
I would ask what kind of criticism
the candidate heard
about the King outside the palace.
Do you intend to accuse the people?
Do you not know it is a grave crime
to speak ill of the King?
It is to hear the voices of the people
that have not reached the King.
If the people complain about the King
despite their fear,
it means their suffering is unbearable.
So?
Did you hear anyone speak ill of me
outside the palace?
Yes, Your Majesty.
"An excessive amount of usury
is collected from the poor
only to increase the wealth of the nobles,
but the King is only trying
not to upset the court officials."
"If the King does not understand
the suffering of the people,
he is no better than a puppet."
They were complaining about Uichang.
UICHANG: AN ORGANIZATION
THAT STORED EXCESS GRAINS FOR RELIEF
An organization that was established
to benefit the people
is only inflicting suffering on them?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Uichang, the Righteous Granaries,
was established to help those in need.
However, it became corrupt long ago.
I am glad you brought that up.
I would like you to discuss
what caused the degeneration of Uichang
and how to improve
the situation.
What is the matter?
His Majesty ordered this material
to be included in the assessment.
Please deliver it to the scholars.
Submit it.
What?
His Majesty submitted
more material to be assessed?
Yes, Lord Hwang.
But the behaviors of the scholars
seemed unusual.
While pretending not to be involved,
His Majesty must be evaluating
the candidates in secret.
No one knows how the additional material
will affect the assessment.
You are here.
Did you find out?
Who is in the lead?
The additional material
must have had an impact on it.
Just tell me already.
Who is ahead?
Grand Prince Seongnam.
He must have achieved good results
in the secret evaluation of His Majesty.
At this rate,
he may really become the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty.
I hope the scholars will remain impartial
and make fair judgments until the end.
I trust their integrity.
After all, it is to select
their future king.
They will certainly make
a prudent decision.
By the way,
no one is allowed to have any contact
with the scholars.
So by what means
was this information obtained?
Grand Prince Seongnam is ahead?
Are you going to just sit back?
Prince Bogeom will lose at this rate.
Should you not do something?
Then,
I will try to persuade the fathers of
the scholars who have remained neutral.
Before that,
there is someone you need to meet.
We need to make that person
stand on our side.
May I ask what this is about?
You are the Ijojeongrang who has control
over the Three Censorate Offices.
So is it not obvious?
IJOJEONGRANG: SECTION CHIEF
OF THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL
WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF APPOINTMEN
This is a gift from the Queen Dowager.
Please open it.
Her Royal Highness believes
this is the least you deserve.
Stand on the side
of the Queen Dowager this time,
and your sons will be appointed to office.
Most personnel matters are decided by
those serving the Chief State Councilor.
So how can I trust what you say?
In case you were anxious,
I invited another guest.
This is the Ijojeongrang.
You will all hear good news
when there are personnel changes.
The Ijojeongrang must be up to something.
He is said to be supporting Prince Bogeom
along with Minister Yoon.
Is that right?
I always knew he would betray us
at some point anyway.
Still,
in this manner?
Why did you want to see me?
As the Deputy Minister
of the Ministry of Justice,
I reckon you deserve to own
some of the best lands in the capital.
I cannot give you anything in return
nor can I betray the Queen Dowager.
No, you should never betray
Her Royal Highness.
All I ask is that you help me
find my dog that ran away.
No one is more suited for the task
than you are.
And who knows?
If Prince Uiseong is crowned,
this deal may prove
to be an opportunity for you.
You have been accused of corruption
by the Office of the Inspector General.
The Ministry of Justice
is aware of it as well.
I called you here to ask you something
before the investigation begins.
Is it really true
that you embezzled that much?
I have turned a blind eye
to your misdemeanors so far
since I believed you were on my side.
But rumor has it
that you went so far as to accept a gift
from the Queen Dowager.
Were you intending
to betray me or something?
My apologies.
Forgive me, Chief State Councilor!
One side won them over
with land and government posts,
while the other threatened them
with corruption charges.
A total tug-of-war is underway,
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
should we not do something as well?
Why are you not stopping them?
It is advantageous for us
to let them compete against each other.
Then are you deliberately
letting them go against each other?
Yes.
If the votes are split
between Prince Uiseong and Prince Bogeom,
Grand Prince Seongnam
may benefit from it.
However,
in addition to leaking information,
the scholars are now even
receiving messages from their fathers.
It will surely have an impact
on the evaluation.
By the way, Uncle,
how do they exchange messages
under such tight security?
What took you so long?
There were too many eyes,
so I had to take a different way.
You may leave.
Step aside. I will do it.
No.
I could do worse
than search through excretions
to make Prince Bogeom the Crown Prince.
There it is.
With Prince Uiseong gaining more support,
Prince Bogeom is falling behind.
Prince Bogeom is falling behind?
That is impossible!
It is possible.
I bet Prince Uiseong
will take the lead soon.
Why? What is the reason
he is gaining support?
What else?
He must have offered the best bribes.
Well…
Would there be a way to turn the tables?
Are you sure that will work?
Yes. This is the only way
to get the scholars to turn their backs.
I do not know whose idea it was,
but we may face a real crisis soon.
What do you mean by that?
From now on,
the general opinion
of the scholars will fluctuate.
The Queen Dowager will become quite busy.
Well done, Lord Yoon.
I am expecting more guests,
so prepare tea.
-What is wrong?
-My stomach…
-Are you okay?
-It hurts!
Send for help! Hurry!
Are you all right?
Your Grace.
One of the scholars
urgently requests an audience.
What do you mean?
Prince Uiseong was in the lead
this morning.
What caused him to fall behind?
It is due to the records
in the Office of Royal Genealogy.
-What? The Office of Royal Genealogy?
-Yes.
Multiple records were found
of Prince Uiseong
assaulting the servants of the court.
I thought you had taken care of it.
They even found out
that you tried to cover it up.
I bet it was the Queen Dowager's doing.
There is not much time left.
What do we do?
The only person who can solve this
is the Queen Dowager.
We have finally realized
that without your help,
we can never
make Prince Uiseong the Crown Prince.
The outcome of this contest
depends on you, Your Royal Highness.
Please
support Prince Uiseong.
Being a Fourth Junior Consort
must have put fear into your heart.
Are you afraid you may never return
to your position?
My rank does not concern me.
I only dread
that Prince Uiseong will fail
to become the Crown Prince.
So please change your mind
and support him.
I would rather not.
However,
to defeat Grand Prince Seongnam,
either Prince Uiseong or Prince Bogeom
should remain in the contest.
In that case,
which one should I choose?
Seeing that she also asked you to come,
it must be good news.
Your Grace.
Her Royal Highness is waiting for you.
Please go on in.
Oh, my.
Have a seat, Prince Bogeom.
Your Royal Highness.
This is the first time
you have summoned both of us.
I am absolutely delighted.
Very well.
Consort Tae.
I have a favor to ask of you.
Anything you say, Your Royal Highness.
Retrieve the identification plaque
of Prince Bogeom, if you please.
What…
What do you mean, Your Royal Highness?
Drop out of the contest.
Why are you doing this so suddenly?
What do you mean, "suddenly"?
Have you forgotten
the promise you made to me?
What promise do you mean?
I do not understand
what you are talking about.
Do you really not remember it?
Are you bestowing this book unto me?
What can you give me in return,
Consort Tae?
I will obey
whatever orders you give me.
What if…
it is your life that I want?
No…
This is not right.
I can never accept it.
You promised me
you would support Prince Bogeom.
So why are you telling him
to drop out now?
Shut your mouth!
I promised to support him, so I did.
But now I have to bring him down.
That is all.
Do you think
the two of you would remain alive
if Grand Prince Seongnam
became the Crown Prince?
If you drop out now,
I will at least save your lives.
No.
Death does not scare me.
Why should Prince Bogeom give up
because of the promise I made?
This is not right.
The two of us will never back down.
You will have to kill me
before you make Prince Bogeom drop out.
It is because of your lack of judgment
that Prince Bogeom
will never become the Crown Prince.
Prince Bogeom,
I believe you are bright enough
to understand what I mean.
Grandmother.
I have a question.
Between Prince Uiseong and me,
why do you think
he should remain in the contest?
Is it really because of the promise
my mother made?
In horse racing,
one of the horses takes the lead
to speed up the other horses.
That is you.
I have never considered you
to be Crown Prince material.
You were born of a low-born mother.
Did you really think
you could become the Crown Prince?
Your Royal Highness.
I am willing to do anything you say.
Please change your mind.
I cannot be the reason
Prince Bogeom drops out.
Please reconsider, Your Royal Highness.
Please…
PRINCE BOGEOM
However,
to defeat Grand Prince Seongnam,
either Prince Uiseong or Prince Bogeom
should remain in the contest.
In that case,
which one should I choose?
Please choose Prince Uiseong.
What do I get in return?
I will give you
my control over personnel matters.
Are you content with only having control
over the Minister of War?
All six ministers
should be your people, should they not?
That sure sounds great,
but do you think I have gone
to such great lengths just for that?
Even if Prince Uiseong
becomes the Crown Prince,
I will not become queen.
Only the queen has control
over the ladies of the royal palace.
And I will give it to you.
What has never been yours
despite your high rank…
will finally be yours.
Send a message to the scholars
to support Prince Uiseong.
Your Majesty, the majority
have started supporting Prince Uiseong
since Prince Bogeom retrieved
his identification plaque.
I feel utterly frustrated.
This is absolutely unfair.
When the scholars could decide
on their own,
Grand Prince Seongnam was in the lead.
As if bribing and coaxing
the scholars were not enough,
they even made a candidate drop out!
Calm down.
I saw this coming all along.
However,
I cannot accept it
if I lose like this.
Halt!
They say impure food
is no better than poison.
I fear the scholars
will fall ill after eating this.
Your Majesty.
What are you doing here?
Is there any reason I should not be here?
His Majesty forbade anyone
to enter the chamber,
so I ask you to leave.
I refuse.
Because you are
not carrying out your duties properly
as the supervisor.
On what grounds do you say that?
What is going on?
With all due respect,
Her Majesty was examining
the food for the scholars
against your order.
It was to verify a report of misconduct
made by the inspector court lady.
"Misconduct," Your Majesty?
Do you have evidence?
Your Majesty.
I will find evidence,
so please allow me to go in.
I allow you.
Bring in the food.
"I have secured your post as assistant
section chief of the Ministry of Justice,
be sure to vote for so-and-so"
"I have received a hundred majigi
of valuable land in Seochon."
"Vote for so-and-so,
and you will be appointed
to a post in the Ministry of Rites."
Until now,
I have turned a blind eye
to these messages,
for I did not want the court servants
who delivered them to be sacrificed.
Also,
I trusted all of you.
I trusted you had
the principle and backbone
not to be swayed by mere pieces of paper.
After all,
you are the future pillars
of this kingdom.
So why are you selling off
a chance to become masters?
If you already engage in misconduct,
what will you possibly be able to do
as officials in the future?
It is undesirable for the ignorant
to be blinded by their faith.
But what is even more undesirable
is that those who should have principles
act against conscience.
Whoever sent these messages
and whoever received them
will not be held responsible.
But this may be
your last chance…
to preserve your integrity.
My apologies, Your Majesty.
I did not find any evidence.
We refuse to have any contact
with anyone from the outside.
We also refuse any food
until the final decision is made.
Your Majesty.
The scholars summoned
Grand Prince Seongnam
and Prince Uiseong to the chamber.
A family with huge gambling debts
attempted to end their lives.
As a result, the wife died
while the husband and the child survived.
The investigation revealed
that the husband stabbed his family
as agreed by his wife
and attempted to kill himself afterward.
Discuss whether the husband, Kim,
should be punished
for murdering his wife.
He should receive severe punishment
for causing his wife to die.
However, since his wife agreed to it
and he has a surviving child,
his punishment should be reduced
so he can support his child.
I disagree.
He should be punished properly
for his murder.
There is something we have overlooked.
It is the life of the child.
The couple never asked
the opinion of their child.
For the child, what happened was murder.
We must reconsider the idea that parents
have control over their child's life.
Therefore, this case should be deemed
to be family murder.
Accordingly,
Kim should be severely punished
for attempting to murder his child.
Also, the government should separate
the child from his father
and provide the child with protection.
Your Majesty.
I heard the evaluation just ended.
Is that right?
Your Majesty.
Prince Bogeom has arrived.
Will you excuse us?
Send him in.
Why did you send for me, Your Majesty?
I intend…
to punish your mother.
Her Majesty the Queen
has urgently summoned you.
As of today,
you are demoted
to a court maid of my quarters.
You have not only
leaked information about me
to Minister Yoon behind my back
but also spread false rumors about me.
You deserve to receive capital punishment,
but I am merely demoting you
because you are
the mother of Prince Bogeom.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Start by cleaning my bedchamber.
Clean it again.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Leave it. It is her duty.
Whoever
is caught helping her…
will not be forgiven.
Why is my mattress not mended yet?
Pardon?
Be sure to mend all of them
before I return.
Do not wake her up.
You are finally awake.
You seemed to be fast asleep.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Does your physical fatigue
clear your mind?
You are not a Third Senior Consort
just because
you gave birth to a son of His Majesty.
Your rank came with your duty
to take good care of the prince.
Also, as a parent, you should not let
your child go down a dangerous path.
I wanted to make Prince Bogeom
the Crown Prince no matter what.
Do my son and I
not even get to dream of that?
Even if you intend to help your child,
if you choose the wrong means,
you may end up harming your child.
Your greed caused Prince Bogeom
to be used
and get hurt.
I did all that for his sake.
Motherhood is still
too daunting for me.
Your Majesty.
I apologize for betraying you
despite the kindness you showed me.
Please forgive me.
I also find motherhood
the most challenging.
They say
the duty of a parent
is not to lead the way
but to show their child
the path they have walked.
You should at least
keep your child off dangerous paths.
If your mind has become clear again,
think carefully about what you should do
from now on as a mother.
I do not think
Prince Bogeom would want to see me.
I certainly would not.
Neither would I
if that is how you are going to look.
So go and wash your face
and dress up as usual.
You look terrible.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I intend to punish your mother.
What did she do so wrong?
Is it because I tried
to become the Crown Prince?
Why would that be a problem?
As a son of His Majesty,
you had every right
to partake in the contest
to select the Crown Prince.
Then why must she be punished?
By any chance,
is it because she enlisted
the help of the Queen Dowager?
Prince Bogeom.
What did you gain
through this contest?
I realized
I would never be able to overcome
the limits of my origins.
My hope turned out to be in vain.
Do you believe your failure
was solely caused by your origins?
Was there any injustice involved?
Did you perhaps resort to improper means?
I would like you to reflect on that.
The world is full of people
seeking to take advantage of those
blinded by their goals.
Prince Bogeom.
Becoming the Crown Prince
is not the only way to prove yourself.
Even though the King
possesses ultimate power,
he cannot do everything by himself.
I would like you
to assist the Crown Prince by his side.
Yes,
Your Majesty.
I have a favor to ask of you.
Go ahead.
Please do not punish my mother.
All this originated from my greed.
My mother, however,
must be blaming herself
for all that happened.
Are you
worried about your mother?
Come closer.
What about you?
Are you all right?
I am.
I am perfectly fine.
When things are tough,
it is okay to say so.
It is all right
to show that you are in pain.
Only then will others know
that you are not all right.
That is the Consort Tae I know.
Prince Bogeom.
Prince Bogeom.
I am sorry.
Prince Bogeom may be mature for his age,
but his mother must be the only person
he can truly rely on.
By the way, do you not resent
Consort Tae at all?
To think that one of your maids
became the concubine of His Majesty…
I would be too upset to even look at her.
I did avoid her for a while.
-Really?
-Of course.
I am a woman, after all.
When I found out I was not the reason
that His Majesty was visiting my chamber,
I secretly shed quite a few tears.
I still do not understand.
I would have ripped her to pieces.
It is just that
you seem to be very generous toward her.
She makes me smile.
She is one of a kind.
The palace would be…
boring without her.
What did the Queen say to the scholars?
Just what did she say
that immediately changed their attitude?
It is not known.
It is the only thing she has done
after being cooped up in her quarters
throughout the evaluation.
All we were able to do
was send in a few messages,
but she not only barged into the chamber
but also spoke to the scholars in person.
As His Majesty granted permission,
we should not raise an issue.
Prince Uiseong
must become the Crown Prince
no matter what.
Your Royal Highness.
Was Prince Uiseong your choice all along?
Yes.
I have never changed my mind.
Then why have you been supporting
Prince Bogeom?
I did not support him.
I used him.
Thanks to that, I have gained a lot more.
Then what will happen
to Prince Bogeom and Consort Tae now?
Now that I have extracted
all I can from them,
they are no longer of any use.
Becoming the Crown Prince?
Did the two of them ever deserve it?
I reckon you will turn your back on me
when I, too, am no longer of any use.
You are different.
Whoever becomes the Crown Prince,
your daughter
will become the Crown Princess.
The way he looked at me
as the sun rose in the morning…
"It really is pretty."
He was not referring to the sun.
-I see.
-I see.
Even though I did not see it myself,
the expression on his face,
his breath, and the look in his eyes…
I could feel it all.
A woman can always tell
when a man has feelings for her.
Even if he does not say a word,
you can just feel it.
And that is what they call destiny.
Did that man
adore you that much?
Yes, Mother.
He must have such great taste in women.
That is not all, Mother.
The way he hid his feelings for me
and worked relentlessly
to fulfill his task was truly amazing.
Father!
Father!
-You are home early.
-You little…
Did I not tell you
to stay in your chamber?
That is enough, my lord.
We should be grateful
that she returned safely.
I become worried
when she is out of my sight,
but I become even more worried
when she is around.
My goodness.
Is that certain?
Yes, my lord.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
The representative scholar is on his way
to the hall of governance with the result.
Before we start a discussion
to select the Crown Prince,
I will announce the evaluation
delivered by the scholars.
Your Majesty.
I have something to report urgently.
Rumor has it that Grand Prince Seongnam,
who grew up outside the palace,
is not of royal blood.
What are you talking about?
Do you intend to slander the Queen and me?
Your Majesty.
If the rumor proves true,
Grand Prince Seongnam
cannot be the Crown Prince.
With all due respect, selecting
the Crown Prince is of utmost importance.
So even if the rumor is false,
I believe it should be clarified
before we proceed.
So?
What is it that you want?
I request that we verify whether or not
Grand Prince Seongnam is of royal blood.
Your Majesty.
If this is not settled now,
it will continue to cause controversy.
I advise you to get to the bottom of it
once and for all.
Chief Eunuch,
bring the Queen and Grand Prince Seongnam
to the Royal Clinic immediately.
I cannot believe
the court officials responded so eagerly
to a mere rumor on the streets.
Very well. I give my consent.
Please proceed.
I will use a method named haphyeolbeop
from the medical book, Sinjumuwonrok.
Haphyeolbeop?
That will leave wounds on their bodies.
That is the most accurate method
we can utilize to conduct this test.
You may begin.
I ask you to halt the process,
Your Majesty.
A wooden bowl will make it difficult
to see the result.
I ask that white porcelain bowls be used.
Do as she says.
If Grand Prince Seongnam
is of royal blood,
their blood will blend together.
This is pit viper venom.
When added to blood,
it causes it to congeal.
No one will be able to tell
if it is added to water.
The blood of the two
will congeal without blending.
The blood did not blend.
That proves Grand Prince Seongnam
is not of royal blood, does it not?
Haphyeolbeop alone is not reliable.
Chief Royal Secretary.
This is a proven method
from a medical book.
Your Majesty.
Grand Prince Seongnam is not qualified
to become the Crown Prince
and should be eliminated.
I cannot accept the result.
Haphyeolbeop does not produce
accurate results
when the water is contaminated.
Therefore,
I request that the Chief State Councilor
and Fourth Junior Consort Hwang
be tested with the same method.
Also,
I request that the same water be used.
Chief State Councilor.
Is Consort Hwang
not your real daughter?
Therefore,
I would like to use another method
to prove Grand Prince Seongnam
is of royal blood.
Please summon Grand Prince Muan,
Princes Uiseong, Bogeom, and Simso,
as well as the Queen Dowager here.
As you wish, My Queen.
His Majesty
has a distinctive bump-like bone
behind his ear.
I reckon the Queen Dowager
is well aware of it.
I am.
Interestingly,
most of the children of His Majesty
inherited the same characteristic.
Therefore,
I suggest that the Queen Dowager examine
the ears of her grandchildren herself.
Royal Physician Cho.
Is there any sense in what she is saying?
Yes, Your Royal Highness.
The bone of the ear
is considered a unique hereditary trait
and can be used to determine paternity.
He has the said bump.
Does Grand Prince Seongnam have it?
Yes,
he does.
All of the princes
have the same bump as His Majesty.
A child indecently conceived
during the mourning period
for the previous king.
That is why Grand Prince Seongnam
was forced to grow up outside the palace.
However, I was already pregnant
when the previous king passed away.
The mere speculation of the Queen Dowager
and the elders in the royal family
labeled Grand Prince Seongnam
as indecent even before his birth.
However, foolishly,
I failed to stand up against them.
As you had just ascended the throne,
I was afraid that this matter
would weaken your authority.
My failure to refute the accusation then
led to the controversy today.
Grand Prince Seongnam…
is my son.
The only reason
I condoned this absurd test
is to put an end to the controversy
caused by a false rumor.
Any doubt raised regarding the origins
of Grand Prince Seongnam
from this moment on
will be deemed to be slandering the King
and led to capital punishment.
I have hidden the truth
even from you all these years,
and it is all my fault.
I could not
bring myself to tell you
because I was ashamed of my foolishness.
Just because I am a mother and an adult
does not mean I am right all the time.
I am sorry.
You do not have to be.
I am aware that you used to come
and see me when I was a child.
You also…
sent Brother to me.
He taught me how to read
and trained me as well.
Look at me now.
Did I not turn out much better
than the naive princes who grew up
sheltered in the palace?
I will announce the winner of the contest
and the next Crown Prince.
It is Grand Prince Seongnam.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
We lost the crown before our very eyes.
To Grand Prince Seongnam, of all people!
Do not be upset.
I may still have a chance.
Not all crown princes become the king.
I ask both of you
to bring him down from his position
with whatever means you can.
Very well. We will.
We have done it once.
We can certainly do it again.
By the way, what happened to Seo Ham-deok?
He knows that I killed an innocent person.
If he ever reveals it,
I might lose my chance forever.
I will take care of him.
My stomach!
Goodness, my stomach!
-What is the matter?
-My stomach…
-My stomach hurts.
-Send for a physician.
He is to be questioned shortly.
Please examine him before that.
Mother.
Promise me…
that you will remain strong.
Only then will I be able to die in peace.
I will stay by your side even as the wind.
Please do protect my son and brothers.
I think I have
kept the promise I made to you
to some extent.
You slept in this chamber alone
for the first time when you turned five.
You held my hand all night.
I believe…
it is time for me to let go of your hand.
Clean out the quarters of the Crown Prince
and replace the mattress.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
GRAND PRINCE SEONGNAM
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
I cannot help but smile
just by looking at your face.
What poison…
did you use on the Crown Prince back then?
A participation form?
We must find a strong candidate
and recommend her.
Father, I want to be the Crown Princess.
It has to be me no matter what.
I must gift him the worst bride.
There must be people who are in league
with the deposed Queen Yoon and her son.
The only one who can clarify
the death of the Crown Prince
is Physician Kwon.
Subtitle translation by: Min-jin Kim
EPISODE 11
PRINCE UISEONG,
GRAND PRINCE SEONGNAM, PRINCE BOGEOM
You have come far by showing
great performance during the contest.
I am proud of all of you.
Traditionally,
the King selects talent through chaekmun,
for the philosophies and beliefs
of the future leaders of the royal court
are found in their answers.
If you were the King,
what kind of questions
regarding texts and politics
would you ask to select the best talent?
I would ask why the King ordered
Park Gyeong-u and Seo Ham-deok,
who denied the current dynasty,
to be brought to the palace.
I would ask whether someone
who is competent yet immoral
should be appointed to office
to find out what is more valued
between morality and competence.
I would ask what kind of criticism
the candidate heard
about the King outside the palace.
Do you intend to accuse the people?
Do you not know it is a grave crime
to speak ill of the King?
It is to hear the voices of the people
that have not reached the King.
If the people complain about the King
despite their fear,
it means their suffering is unbearable.
So?
Did you hear anyone speak ill of me
outside the palace?
Yes, Your Majesty.
"An excessive amount of usury
is collected from the poor
only to increase the wealth of the nobles,
but the King is only trying
not to upset the court officials."
"If the King does not understand
the suffering of the people,
he is no better than a puppet."
They were complaining about Uichang.
UICHANG: AN ORGANIZATION
THAT STORED EXCESS GRAINS FOR RELIEF
An organization that was established
to benefit the people
is only inflicting suffering on them?
Yes, Your Majesty.
Uichang, the Righteous Granaries,
was established to help those in need.
However, it became corrupt long ago.
I am glad you brought that up.
I would like you to discuss
what caused the degeneration of Uichang
and how to improve
the situation.
What is the matter?
His Majesty ordered this material
to be included in the assessment.
Please deliver it to the scholars.
Submit it.
What?
His Majesty submitted
more material to be assessed?
Yes, Lord Hwang.
But the behaviors of the scholars
seemed unusual.
While pretending not to be involved,
His Majesty must be evaluating
the candidates in secret.
No one knows how the additional material
will affect the assessment.
You are here.
Did you find out?
Who is in the lead?
The additional material
must have had an impact on it.
Just tell me already.
Who is ahead?
Grand Prince Seongnam.
He must have achieved good results
in the secret evaluation of His Majesty.
At this rate,
he may really become the Crown Prince.
Your Majesty.
I hope the scholars will remain impartial
and make fair judgments until the end.
I trust their integrity.
After all, it is to select
their future king.
They will certainly make
a prudent decision.
By the way,
no one is allowed to have any contact
with the scholars.
So by what means
was this information obtained?
Grand Prince Seongnam is ahead?
Are you going to just sit back?
Prince Bogeom will lose at this rate.
Should you not do something?
Then,
I will try to persuade the fathers of
the scholars who have remained neutral.
Before that,
there is someone you need to meet.
We need to make that person
stand on our side.
May I ask what this is about?
You are the Ijojeongrang who has control
over the Three Censorate Offices.
So is it not obvious?
IJOJEONGRANG: SECTION CHIEF
OF THE MINISTRY OF PERSONNEL
WHO HAS THE RIGHT OF APPOINTMEN
This is a gift from the Queen Dowager.
Please open it.
Her Royal Highness believes
this is the least you deserve.
Stand on the side
of the Queen Dowager this time,
and your sons will be appointed to office.
Most personnel matters are decided by
those serving the Chief State Councilor.
So how can I trust what you say?
In case you were anxious,
I invited another guest.
This is the Ijojeongrang.
You will all hear good news
when there are personnel changes.
The Ijojeongrang must be up to something.
He is said to be supporting Prince Bogeom
along with Minister Yoon.
Is that right?
I always knew he would betray us
at some point anyway.
Still,
in this manner?
Why did you want to see me?
As the Deputy Minister
of the Ministry of Justice,
I reckon you deserve to own
some of the best lands in the capital.
I cannot give you anything in return
nor can I betray the Queen Dowager.
No, you should never betray
Her Royal Highness.
All I ask is that you help me
find my dog that ran away.
No one is more suited for the task
than you are.
And who knows?
If Prince Uiseong is crowned,
this deal may prove
to be an opportunity for you.
You have been accused of corruption
by the Office of the Inspector General.
The Ministry of Justice
is aware of it as well.
I called you here to ask you something
before the investigation begins.
Is it really true
that you embezzled that much?
I have turned a blind eye
to your misdemeanors so far
since I believed you were on my side.
But rumor has it
that you went so far as to accept a gift
from the Queen Dowager.
Were you intending
to betray me or something?
My apologies.
Forgive me, Chief State Councilor!
One side won them over
with land and government posts,
while the other threatened them
with corruption charges.
A total tug-of-war is underway,
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty,
should we not do something as well?
Why are you not stopping them?
It is advantageous for us
to let them compete against each other.
Then are you deliberately
letting them go against each other?
Yes.
If the votes are split
between Prince Uiseong and Prince Bogeom,
Grand Prince Seongnam
may benefit from it.
However,
in addition to leaking information,
the scholars are now even
receiving messages from their fathers.
It will surely have an impact
on the evaluation.
By the way, Uncle,
how do they exchange messages
under such tight security?
What took you so long?
There were too many eyes,
so I had to take a different way.
You may leave.
Step aside. I will do it.
No.
I could do worse
than search through excretions
to make Prince Bogeom the Crown Prince.
There it is.
With Prince Uiseong gaining more support,
Prince Bogeom is falling behind.
Prince Bogeom is falling behind?
That is impossible!
It is possible.
I bet Prince Uiseong
will take the lead soon.
Why? What is the reason
he is gaining support?
What else?
He must have offered the best bribes.
Well…
Would there be a way to turn the tables?
Are you sure that will work?
Yes. This is the only way
to get the scholars to turn their backs.
I do not know whose idea it was,
but we may face a real crisis soon.
What do you mean by that?
From now on,
the general opinion
of the scholars will fluctuate.
The Queen Dowager will become quite busy.
Well done, Lord Yoon.
I am expecting more guests,
so prepare tea.
-What is wrong?
-My stomach…
-Are you okay?
-It hurts!
Send for help! Hurry!
Are you all right?
Your Grace.
One of the scholars
urgently requests an audience.
What do you mean?
Prince Uiseong was in the lead
this morning.
What caused him to fall behind?
It is due to the records
in the Office of Royal Genealogy.
-What? The Office of Royal Genealogy?
-Yes.
Multiple records were found
of Prince Uiseong
assaulting the servants of the court.
I thought you had taken care of it.
They even found out
that you tried to cover it up.
I bet it was the Queen Dowager's doing.
There is not much time left.
What do we do?
The only person who can solve this
is the Queen Dowager.
We have finally realized
that without your help,
we can never
make Prince Uiseong the Crown Prince.
The outcome of this contest
depends on you, Your Royal Highness.
Please
support Prince Uiseong.
Being a Fourth Junior Consort
must have put fear into your heart.
Are you afraid you may never return
to your position?
My rank does not concern me.
I only dread
that Prince Uiseong will fail
to become the Crown Prince.
So please change your mind
and support him.
I would rather not.
However,
to defeat Grand Prince Seongnam,
either Prince Uiseong or Prince Bogeom
should remain in the contest.
In that case,
which one should I choose?
Seeing that she also asked you to come,
it must be good news.
Your Grace.
Her Royal Highness is waiting for you.
Please go on in.
Oh, my.
Have a seat, Prince Bogeom.
Your Royal Highness.
This is the first time
you have summoned both of us.
I am absolutely delighted.
Very well.
Consort Tae.
I have a favor to ask of you.
Anything you say, Your Royal Highness.
Retrieve the identification plaque
of Prince Bogeom, if you please.
What…
What do you mean, Your Royal Highness?
Drop out of the contest.
Why are you doing this so suddenly?
What do you mean, "suddenly"?
Have you forgotten
the promise you made to me?
What promise do you mean?
I do not understand
what you are talking about.
Do you really not remember it?
Are you bestowing this book unto me?
What can you give me in return,
Consort Tae?
I will obey
whatever orders you give me.
What if…
it is your life that I want?
No…
This is not right.
I can never accept it.
You promised me
you would support Prince Bogeom.
So why are you telling him
to drop out now?
Shut your mouth!
I promised to support him, so I did.
But now I have to bring him down.
That is all.
Do you think
the two of you would remain alive
if Grand Prince Seongnam
became the Crown Prince?
If you drop out now,
I will at least save your lives.
No.
Death does not scare me.
Why should Prince Bogeom give up
because of the promise I made?
This is not right.
The two of us will never back down.
You will have to kill me
before you make Prince Bogeom drop out.
It is because of your lack of judgment
that Prince Bogeom
will never become the Crown Prince.
Prince Bogeom,
I believe you are bright enough
to understand what I mean.
Grandmother.
I have a question.
Between Prince Uiseong and me,
why do you think
he should remain in the contest?
Is it really because of the promise
my mother made?
In horse racing,
one of the horses takes the lead
to speed up the other horses.
That is you.
I have never considered you
to be Crown Prince material.
You were born of a low-born mother.
Did you really think
you could become the Crown Prince?
Your Royal Highness.
I am willing to do anything you say.
Please change your mind.
I cannot be the reason
Prince Bogeom drops out.
Please reconsider, Your Royal Highness.
Please…
PRINCE BOGEOM
However,
to defeat Grand Prince Seongnam,
either Prince Uiseong or Prince Bogeom
should remain in the contest.
In that case,
which one should I choose?
Please choose Prince Uiseong.
What do I get in return?
I will give you
my control over personnel matters.
Are you content with only having control
over the Minister of War?
All six ministers
should be your people, should they not?
That sure sounds great,
but do you think I have gone
to such great lengths just for that?
Even if Prince Uiseong
becomes the Crown Prince,
I will not become queen.
Only the queen has control
over the ladies of the royal palace.
And I will give it to you.
What has never been yours
despite your high rank…
will finally be yours.
Send a message to the scholars
to support Prince Uiseong.
Your Majesty, the majority
have started supporting Prince Uiseong
since Prince Bogeom retrieved
his identification plaque.
I feel utterly frustrated.
This is absolutely unfair.
When the scholars could decide
on their own,
Grand Prince Seongnam was in the lead.
As if bribing and coaxing
the scholars were not enough,
they even made a candidate drop out!
Calm down.
I saw this coming all along.
However,
I cannot accept it
if I lose like this.
Halt!
They say impure food
is no better than poison.
I fear the scholars
will fall ill after eating this.
Your Majesty.
What are you doing here?
Is there any reason I should not be here?
His Majesty forbade anyone
to enter the chamber,
so I ask you to leave.
I refuse.
Because you are
not carrying out your duties properly
as the supervisor.
On what grounds do you say that?
What is going on?
With all due respect,
Her Majesty was examining
the food for the scholars
against your order.
It was to verify a report of misconduct
made by the inspector court lady.
"Misconduct," Your Majesty?
Do you have evidence?
Your Majesty.
I will find evidence,
so please allow me to go in.
I allow you.
Bring in the food.
"I have secured your post as assistant
section chief of the Ministry of Justice,
be sure to vote for so-and-so"
"I have received a hundred majigi
of valuable land in Seochon."
"Vote for so-and-so,
and you will be appointed
to a post in the Ministry of Rites."
Until now,
I have turned a blind eye
to these messages,
for I did not want the court servants
who delivered them to be sacrificed.
Also,
I trusted all of you.
I trusted you had
the principle and backbone
not to be swayed by mere pieces of paper.
After all,
you are the future pillars
of this kingdom.
So why are you selling off
a chance to become masters?
If you already engage in misconduct,
what will you possibly be able to do
as officials in the future?
It is undesirable for the ignorant
to be blinded by their faith.
But what is even more undesirable
is that those who should have principles
act against conscience.
Whoever sent these messages
and whoever received them
will not be held responsible.
But this may be
your last chance…
to preserve your integrity.
My apologies, Your Majesty.
I did not find any evidence.
We refuse to have any contact
with anyone from the outside.
We also refuse any food
until the final decision is made.
Your Majesty.
The scholars summoned
Grand Prince Seongnam
and Prince Uiseong to the chamber.
A family with huge gambling debts
attempted to end their lives.
As a result, the wife died
while the husband and the child survived.
The investigation revealed
that the husband stabbed his family
as agreed by his wife
and attempted to kill himself afterward.
Discuss whether the husband, Kim,
should be punished
for murdering his wife.
He should receive severe punishment
for causing his wife to die.
However, since his wife agreed to it
and he has a surviving child,
his punishment should be reduced
so he can support his child.
I disagree.
He should be punished properly
for his murder.
There is something we have overlooked.
It is the life of the child.
The couple never asked
the opinion of their child.
For the child, what happened was murder.
We must reconsider the idea that parents
have control over their child's life.
Therefore, this case should be deemed
to be family murder.
Accordingly,
Kim should be severely punished
for attempting to murder his child.
Also, the government should separate
the child from his father
and provide the child with protection.
Your Majesty.
I heard the evaluation just ended.
Is that right?
Your Majesty.
Prince Bogeom has arrived.
Will you excuse us?
Send him in.
Why did you send for me, Your Majesty?
I intend…
to punish your mother.
Her Majesty the Queen
has urgently summoned you.
As of today,
you are demoted
to a court maid of my quarters.
You have not only
leaked information about me
to Minister Yoon behind my back
but also spread false rumors about me.
You deserve to receive capital punishment,
but I am merely demoting you
because you are
the mother of Prince Bogeom.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Start by cleaning my bedchamber.
Clean it again.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Leave it. It is her duty.
Whoever
is caught helping her…
will not be forgiven.
Why is my mattress not mended yet?
Pardon?
Be sure to mend all of them
before I return.
Do not wake her up.
You are finally awake.
You seemed to be fast asleep.
Forgive me, Your Majesty.
Does your physical fatigue
clear your mind?
You are not a Third Senior Consort
just because
you gave birth to a son of His Majesty.
Your rank came with your duty
to take good care of the prince.
Also, as a parent, you should not let
your child go down a dangerous path.
I wanted to make Prince Bogeom
the Crown Prince no matter what.
Do my son and I
not even get to dream of that?
Even if you intend to help your child,
if you choose the wrong means,
you may end up harming your child.
Your greed caused Prince Bogeom
to be used
and get hurt.
I did all that for his sake.
Motherhood is still
too daunting for me.
Your Majesty.
I apologize for betraying you
despite the kindness you showed me.
Please forgive me.
I also find motherhood
the most challenging.
They say
the duty of a parent
is not to lead the way
but to show their child
the path they have walked.
You should at least
keep your child off dangerous paths.
If your mind has become clear again,
think carefully about what you should do
from now on as a mother.
I do not think
Prince Bogeom would want to see me.
I certainly would not.
Neither would I
if that is how you are going to look.
So go and wash your face
and dress up as usual.
You look terrible.
Yes, Your Majesty.
I intend to punish your mother.
What did she do so wrong?
Is it because I tried
to become the Crown Prince?
Why would that be a problem?
As a son of His Majesty,
you had every right
to partake in the contest
to select the Crown Prince.
Then why must she be punished?
By any chance,
is it because she enlisted
the help of the Queen Dowager?
Prince Bogeom.
What did you gain
through this contest?
I realized
I would never be able to overcome
the limits of my origins.
My hope turned out to be in vain.
Do you believe your failure
was solely caused by your origins?
Was there any injustice involved?
Did you perhaps resort to improper means?
I would like you to reflect on that.
The world is full of people
seeking to take advantage of those
blinded by their goals.
Prince Bogeom.
Becoming the Crown Prince
is not the only way to prove yourself.
Even though the King
possesses ultimate power,
he cannot do everything by himself.
I would like you
to assist the Crown Prince by his side.
Yes,
Your Majesty.
I have a favor to ask of you.
Go ahead.
Please do not punish my mother.
All this originated from my greed.
My mother, however,
must be blaming herself
for all that happened.
Are you
worried about your mother?
Come closer.
What about you?
Are you all right?
I am.
I am perfectly fine.
When things are tough,
it is okay to say so.
It is all right
to show that you are in pain.
Only then will others know
that you are not all right.
That is the Consort Tae I know.
Prince Bogeom.
Prince Bogeom.
I am sorry.
Prince Bogeom may be mature for his age,
but his mother must be the only person
he can truly rely on.
By the way, do you not resent
Consort Tae at all?
To think that one of your maids
became the concubine of His Majesty…
I would be too upset to even look at her.
I did avoid her for a while.
-Really?
-Of course.
I am a woman, after all.
When I found out I was not the reason
that His Majesty was visiting my chamber,
I secretly shed quite a few tears.
I still do not understand.
I would have ripped her to pieces.
It is just that
you seem to be very generous toward her.
She makes me smile.
She is one of a kind.
The palace would be…
boring without her.
What did the Queen say to the scholars?
Just what did she say
that immediately changed their attitude?
It is not known.
It is the only thing she has done
after being cooped up in her quarters
throughout the evaluation.
All we were able to do
was send in a few messages,
but she not only barged into the chamber
but also spoke to the scholars in person.
As His Majesty granted permission,
we should not raise an issue.
Prince Uiseong
must become the Crown Prince
no matter what.
Your Royal Highness.
Was Prince Uiseong your choice all along?
Yes.
I have never changed my mind.
Then why have you been supporting
Prince Bogeom?
I did not support him.
I used him.
Thanks to that, I have gained a lot more.
Then what will happen
to Prince Bogeom and Consort Tae now?
Now that I have extracted
all I can from them,
they are no longer of any use.
Becoming the Crown Prince?
Did the two of them ever deserve it?
I reckon you will turn your back on me
when I, too, am no longer of any use.
You are different.
Whoever becomes the Crown Prince,
your daughter
will become the Crown Princess.
The way he looked at me
as the sun rose in the morning…
"It really is pretty."
He was not referring to the sun.
-I see.
-I see.
Even though I did not see it myself,
the expression on his face,
his breath, and the look in his eyes…
I could feel it all.
A woman can always tell
when a man has feelings for her.
Even if he does not say a word,
you can just feel it.
And that is what they call destiny.
Did that man
adore you that much?
Yes, Mother.
He must have such great taste in women.
That is not all, Mother.
The way he hid his feelings for me
and worked relentlessly
to fulfill his task was truly amazing.
Father!
Father!
-You are home early.
-You little…
Did I not tell you
to stay in your chamber?
That is enough, my lord.
We should be grateful
that she returned safely.
I become worried
when she is out of my sight,
but I become even more worried
when she is around.
My goodness.
Is that certain?
Yes, my lord.
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty.
The representative scholar is on his way
to the hall of governance with the result.
Before we start a discussion
to select the Crown Prince,
I will announce the evaluation
delivered by the scholars.
Your Majesty.
I have something to report urgently.
Rumor has it that Grand Prince Seongnam,
who grew up outside the palace,
is not of royal blood.
What are you talking about?
Do you intend to slander the Queen and me?
Your Majesty.
If the rumor proves true,
Grand Prince Seongnam
cannot be the Crown Prince.
With all due respect, selecting
the Crown Prince is of utmost importance.
So even if the rumor is false,
I believe it should be clarified
before we proceed.
So?
What is it that you want?
I request that we verify whether or not
Grand Prince Seongnam is of royal blood.
Your Majesty.
If this is not settled now,
it will continue to cause controversy.
I advise you to get to the bottom of it
once and for all.
Chief Eunuch,
bring the Queen and Grand Prince Seongnam
to the Royal Clinic immediately.
I cannot believe
the court officials responded so eagerly
to a mere rumor on the streets.
Very well. I give my consent.
Please proceed.
I will use a method named haphyeolbeop
from the medical book, Sinjumuwonrok.
Haphyeolbeop?
That will leave wounds on their bodies.
That is the most accurate method
we can utilize to conduct this test.
You may begin.
I ask you to halt the process,
Your Majesty.
A wooden bowl will make it difficult
to see the result.
I ask that white porcelain bowls be used.
Do as she says.
If Grand Prince Seongnam
is of royal blood,
their blood will blend together.
This is pit viper venom.
When added to blood,
it causes it to congeal.
No one will be able to tell
if it is added to water.
The blood of the two
will congeal without blending.
The blood did not blend.
That proves Grand Prince Seongnam
is not of royal blood, does it not?
Haphyeolbeop alone is not reliable.
Chief Royal Secretary.
This is a proven method
from a medical book.
Your Majesty.
Grand Prince Seongnam is not qualified
to become the Crown Prince
and should be eliminated.
I cannot accept the result.
Haphyeolbeop does not produce
accurate results
when the water is contaminated.
Therefore,
I request that the Chief State Councilor
and Fourth Junior Consort Hwang
be tested with the same method.
Also,
I request that the same water be used.
Chief State Councilor.
Is Consort Hwang
not your real daughter?
Therefore,
I would like to use another method
to prove Grand Prince Seongnam
is of royal blood.
Please summon Grand Prince Muan,
Princes Uiseong, Bogeom, and Simso,
as well as the Queen Dowager here.
As you wish, My Queen.
His Majesty
has a distinctive bump-like bone
behind his ear.
I reckon the Queen Dowager
is well aware of it.
I am.
Interestingly,
most of the children of His Majesty
inherited the same characteristic.
Therefore,
I suggest that the Queen Dowager examine
the ears of her grandchildren herself.
Royal Physician Cho.
Is there any sense in what she is saying?
Yes, Your Royal Highness.
The bone of the ear
is considered a unique hereditary trait
and can be used to determine paternity.
He has the said bump.
Does Grand Prince Seongnam have it?
Yes,
he does.
All of the princes
have the same bump as His Majesty.
A child indecently conceived
during the mourning period
for the previous king.
That is why Grand Prince Seongnam
was forced to grow up outside the palace.
However, I was already pregnant
when the previous king passed away.
The mere speculation of the Queen Dowager
and the elders in the royal family
labeled Grand Prince Seongnam
as indecent even before his birth.
However, foolishly,
I failed to stand up against them.
As you had just ascended the throne,
I was afraid that this matter
would weaken your authority.
My failure to refute the accusation then
led to the controversy today.
Grand Prince Seongnam…
is my son.
The only reason
I condoned this absurd test
is to put an end to the controversy
caused by a false rumor.
Any doubt raised regarding the origins
of Grand Prince Seongnam
from this moment on
will be deemed to be slandering the King
and led to capital punishment.
I have hidden the truth
even from you all these years,
and it is all my fault.
I could not
bring myself to tell you
because I was ashamed of my foolishness.
Just because I am a mother and an adult
does not mean I am right all the time.
I am sorry.
You do not have to be.
I am aware that you used to come
and see me when I was a child.
You also…
sent Brother to me.
He taught me how to read
and trained me as well.
Look at me now.
Did I not turn out much better
than the naive princes who grew up
sheltered in the palace?
I will announce the winner of the contest
and the next Crown Prince.
It is Grand Prince Seongnam.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
We lost the crown before our very eyes.
To Grand Prince Seongnam, of all people!
Do not be upset.
I may still have a chance.
Not all crown princes become the king.
I ask both of you
to bring him down from his position
with whatever means you can.
Very well. We will.
We have done it once.
We can certainly do it again.
By the way, what happened to Seo Ham-deok?
He knows that I killed an innocent person.
If he ever reveals it,
I might lose my chance forever.
I will take care of him.
My stomach!
Goodness, my stomach!
-What is the matter?
-My stomach…
-My stomach hurts.
-Send for a physician.
He is to be questioned shortly.
Please examine him before that.
Mother.
Promise me…
that you will remain strong.
Only then will I be able to die in peace.
I will stay by your side even as the wind.
Please do protect my son and brothers.
I think I have
kept the promise I made to you
to some extent.
You slept in this chamber alone
for the first time when you turned five.
You held my hand all night.
I believe…
it is time for me to let go of your hand.
Clean out the quarters of the Crown Prince
and replace the mattress.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
-Yes, Your Majesty.
GRAND PRINCE SEONGNAM
UNDER THE QUEEN'S UMBRELLA
I cannot help but smile
just by looking at your face.
What poison…
did you use on the Crown Prince back then?
A participation form?
We must find a strong candidate
and recommend her.
Father, I want to be the Crown Princess.
It has to be me no matter what.
I must gift him the worst bride.
There must be people who are in league
with the deposed Queen Yoon and her son.
The only one who can clarify
the death of the Crown Prince
is Physician Kwon.
Subtitle translation by: Min-jin Kim