01x06 - Course N° 6 Black Sesame Macaron

[bunniefuu]

It is because…

Is he…

I have begun to see you as a woman.

It is because I am pleased with the food

you prepare for me.

What?

Why did you turn away from me to say that?

Because I…

Why…

- Well…

- What?

Why are you walking away from me?

- Because I…

- Why…

That was your fault.

If you had stopped coming toward me,

I would not have fallen down.

Why are you so angry about it?

It's no big deal.

I'm fine.

I scraped my palm.

Let me see.

This is not just a scrape.

I must summon the royal physician.

Your Majesty.

You get cuts and scrapes like this

all the time in the royal kitchen.

I'm really okay.

Is that so? I did not know.

I shall inform those in the royal kitchen

to dull all the knives.

No, it's fine.

I got my handbag back,

so I'm going to go back now.

What do you mean you will go back

now that you have found your handybag?

Inside this handbag…

What is inside the handybag?

Mangunrok's inside.

Where did it go?

Wait.

What? My phone's gone too.

My Mangunrok.

My Mangunrok!

Calm down, Cook Yeon.

There was no book inside the handybag.

Where did you find this?

Song-jae gave it to me.

Song-jae?

The Chief Royal Secretary?

There was no book

inside the handybag when I received it.

Are you sure about that?

Your Majesty,

I would not dare to lie to you.

That can't be.

I swear it was in here.

If you're keeping it,

please just give it to me already.

I said I do not know of it.

I would return it immediately if I knew.

Oh no.

Cook Yeon.

I think the book fell out and landed

somewhere in Salgoji Forest

when the handybag flew over the cliff.

Look.

My lipstick, pouch,

passport, and wallet are all here,

so why would only the book disappear?

If not that, then why else would that be

the only thing missing?

Think about it.

What would the Chief Royal Secretary gain

from keeping it?

You never know.

I told you clearly I did not take it.

Then how about this?

Once the envoys leave,

I will send my troops

to search the forest for the book.

If they still cannot find it,

I will issue an order all over the country

and offer a reward for the book.

What do you think?

Do you promise?

Your Majesty.

I'm serious. I need to go back home.

I have to go back to the future.

Very well.

I understand

how desperately you seek this book,

so I will find it for you by any means.

Okay.

I guess I'll have to wait a bit more then.

ROYAL KITCHEN

Ever heard of seoktanhyang,

the scent of seoktanju?

It is said that after tasting this liquor,

His Majesty said,

"It is so sweet and fragrant

that I wish to keep it in my mouth

and never swallow."

MAENG MAN-SU

EIGHTH-RANK SENIOR COOK

SIM MAK-JIN

ASSISTANT COOK

Enough talking.

Let us raise our bowls

for the royal kitchen.

- To the royal kitchen!

- To the royal kitchen!

You are here.

You are here, miss.

Look who is here.

It is our chief royal cook.

Yes. I'm a bit late, aren't I?

What's this smell?

Were you drinking?

- I do not smell anything.

- Well… Wait.

This is liquor.

Cook Eom happened to brew

some good liquor,

- so we were tasting it.

- That is right.

This is called seoktanju.

I let it ferment for seven days,

and I opened the pot today

to just have a taste.

Since we got caught anyway,

would you like to have a taste yourself?

Right, miss. Just have a taste.

Are you not able to hold your liquor?

I mean, I can drink, but…

What on earth

Am I trying so hard to find?

Where on earth

Am I flowing without rest?

No, wait!

There's no rhythm.

While I sing…

You should tap the beat for me!

I once saw the end of my life

My heart grew tight

What stopped me from living

Was the fear I had about my tomorrow

Gosh, she reeks of liquor.

In those long and repeated days

I saw my abandoned self

- Oh, the smell.

- I wasn't there

And neither was my Mangunrok

You must come back home

Everybody!

Come, come, come, come back home

Where is the missing Mangunrok?

I will go back

COURSE N° 6 BLACK SESAME MACARON

- Miss, you are awake.

- Oh, my head…

Gil-geum. Why am I here?

The seoksura!

Do not worry.

His Majesty commanded Cook Eom

to prepare tonight's evening meal.

Oh, okay.

Did something bad happen to you?

"Mangunrok."

"Mangunrok."

"Oh no, my Mangunrok!"

You kept saying that

and cried your eyes out.

- Do you even remember?

- Well…

Gil-geum, so I got my handbag back--

But Mangunrok was missing?

How do you know that?

You got drunk and kept saying that

until it made our ears bleed.

Oh, I see.

I thought I'd be able to go home.

What should I do now?

Why are you worried?

You said His Majesty

promised to find it for you.

My gosh!

I even told you about that?

This makes it the 35th time.

Anyway, if His Majesty is helping you out,

I am sure you will find it somehow.

Oh, I don't know. I'm going to sleep.

So give it some time and be patient.

Where on earth is it?

She will go back to where she came from?

Your Majesty.

I'm serious. I need to go back home.

I have to go back to the future.

Just where

does she keep saying she will go?

What future?

CHANG-SEON

CHIEF EUNUCH OF ROYAL FOOD

So you are telling me

the Ming envoy refuses to eat Joseon food?

Yes, Your Majesty.

That is the message

I received from Minister Yoo,

who is in Yangju

as the reception official.

Seeing that they are finding fault

with the food

that has been prepared with care,

saying it is not to their liking,

is it not obvious

that they are trying to make extra demands

under the pretext of our neglecting to

welcome the envoy in an appropriate way?

What did we send to the Ming

with the previous envoy?

Fine silk, ramie fabric, white paper,

woven sedge mats, sable fur, otter fur,

horses from Jeju,

and peregrine falcons, Your Majesty.

We did not send any ginseng, I see.

Is that what this is about?

Your Majesty, we seek your advice.

How about we serve Ming food

that the envoys are accustomed to?

There are some Han people

who are skilled in cooking

in the Chinese clan village.

No.

Let them starve.

Pardon?

Let them starve?

With all due respect, Your Majesty,

I fear that would provide them

with just the excuse they are looking for.

He is right.

If we do starve them,

they might once again force us

to purchase worthless objects from them.

How can you conduct diplomacy

with such timidity?

His Majesty is right.

Fellow ministers.

Rather than wasting time worrying,

- we ought to come up with a plan.

- He is right.

As His Majesty said,

we could lose what is in our best interest

if we only focus on appeasing the envoys.

Silence!

I was told he brought

as many as three cooks,

so I doubt he will actually starve.

Regardless of their plan,

we must not act

according to their intentions.

Do you understand?

- Yes, Your Majesty.

- Yes, Your Majesty.

Let us conclude the morning assembly.

Be sure to strictly follow protocol.

- Yes, Your Majesty.

- Yes, Your Majesty.

What on earth is His Majesty thinking?

It would be inappropriate not to serve

any food at all, would it not?

- Exactly.

- "Let them starve."

I would never have imagined

hearing such an answer.

But surely you do not believe

His Majesty intends for us to starve them?

We are told to follow protocol,

so let us prepare the hamayeon with care.

HAMAYEON: BANQUET HELD BY THE KING

UPON THE ENVOY'S ARRIVAL

Very well!

Shall we go, Father?

My goodness. What do you expect us to do?

The Ming envoys and their entourage

have finally reached the palace.

Quickly prepare some refreshments.

They barely ate because Joseon food

is not to their taste.

I need you to do your best, Cook Yeon.

Our food was not to their taste?

Did they really starve

throughout the entire journey?

That is what I heard.

I heard that the chief envoy

is a eunuch renowned in the Ming

for his refined palate.

So we should take particular care

in preparing and serving his food.

- He's a eunuch?

- Yes.

The chief envoy visiting us

is of great influence,

who has practically raised

the current emperor

since he was a crown prince.

Surely he would have tasted

delicacies from around the world.

In that case,

I'd better serve something

he has never tasted before.

- Is there such a thing?

- Yes.

I'm not sure if he'll like it,

but something just came to mind.

That is truly a relief.

Even so, I am still concerned.

I hear that this chief envoy

is ill-tempered.

I heard that as well.

For entertainment's sake,

he has incredibly skilled cooks

of the Ming

partake in a cooking competition

against Joseon cooks.

I see you heard that rumor as well.

Uiju, Pyeongyang, Yangju.

They competed against Joseon cooks

in every region they passed through

and humiliated them.

TAEPYEONGGWAN

The long journey must have been tedious.

I heard that the food of Joseon

was not to your liking,

which gave you quite a hard time.

He has brought cooks from the Ming,

and fortunately, has not gone hungry.

They must be some impressive cooks.

They not only serve as cooks

but also as bodyguards.

First…

Firstly, of the three Ming cooks,

this person is the equivalent

of a chief royal cook.

He is the last descendant of the

Sichuan Tang clan, famed for martial arts,

which was annihilated a century

ago for treason.

He is a legendary cook

who challenged and beat

all the famous inns in China

and took their signboards.

He is the master of Sichuan fare,

Tang Bailong.

Isn't that what you'd expect

to read in a novel?

It's like a story

straight out of a martial arts novel.

Anyway, continue.

The next person

is Tang Bailong's niece and pupil.

I heard she combines Sichuan food

with foods from other regions

to create a new tradition.

Simply put…

She is the fairy of Sichuan fare,

Ya Feixiu.

That would practically make her

a food researcher.

Next up is the most mysterious cook,

who is said to be Confucius' descendant.

Of the four great branches

of Chinese fare,

he is the master of Shandong fare.

They say his cooking skills

are as precise as his knife

and just as delectable.

KUNG FU FARE: CUISINE OF CONFUCIUS FAMILY

SERVED TO THE EMPEROR

He is the Shandong kung fu fare expert,

Kong Wenli.

That's enough material

for a whole cooking movie.

Well, I have to admit, I'm intrigued.

They must all be really impressive cooks.

Cooks like me

who have only studied briefly abroad

are nothing compared to cooks

who live and breathe the fare.

Will you be able to manage?

I'm suddenly reminded of an old saying.

"There's nothing much to eat at feasts

that are the talk of the town."

There's no time. Let's go.

- Come on, hurry.

- Okay.

He says his cooks

will show you, a gourmet,

truly delectable delicacies.

Thank you. I look forward to it.

Tell him that I also have

a special chief royal cook.

And that the taste of true Joseon food

will be available for them to enjoy.

He has already heard

about the gwinyeo cook.

He is curious.

You will soon get a taste.

Shall we go inside?

This is the secret weapon

for the refreshment we'll be making.

It's butter.

Batter?

Botto?

Balta?

Butta?

Will this be enough

to captivate the envoys?

Nothing beats something sweet

when you want to lighten the mood.

I'm sure the envoys are tired

after the long trip to get here.

Let's see if something sweet

will work its magic on them.

How do you make this?

You make it by boiling cow's milk

and collecting the curds

that form on the surface.

I was wondering what you had been making

over the past few days.

This was it?

Last time, it smelled of filbert.

But this time,

it smells slightly sour and rich.

Impressive indeed.

In short,

on top of what we sent

to the Ming last time,

you want 50 tribute women

and twice the amount of ginseng.

It is our understanding that you agreed

not to request any more women

as tribute last time.

Is this truly the Emperor's command?

He claims he is only upholding

the Emperor's command.

Then did the Emperor

change his mind without reason?

As stated last time,

we cannot send any more women.

As for the ginseng…

I will think about what to do with it

depending on your reciprocal gifts.

High-quality Nanjing Yunjin brocade,

books, the ten most famous Ming teas,

including black tea,

white tea, yellow tea,

and 100 pieces

of blue and white porcelain.

Those are what they offered us last time.

They are offering

the same reciprocal gifts,

so why is it that they are demanding

we increase our tribute?

His Majesty wishes to know

why we are the only ones

who have to increase our tribute.

What?

Does the King of Joseon dare question

the orders of the Great Ming Emperor?

Is this that thing?

The suyu we add to suyu tea?

Suyu tea?

SUYU: OLD NAME FOR BUTTER

Oh, there was a royal tea called suyu tea

that was made by adding butter

to goji berry tea, right?

You're right.

Suyu and butter are the same thing.

So what are you making with suyu?

What is this sujebi dough for?

She is not thinking of serving hand-pulled

dough soup with suyu tea, is she?

The refreshment I'm making is…

Your Majesty, the refreshments are ready.

He asked what these are.

These are macarons.

MACARON: FRENCH DESSERT MADE PRIMARILY

WITH ALMOND FLOUR, SUGAR, AND EGG WHITES

"Macrong"?

"Macrong"?

They are commonly eaten as a snack

in Western countries.

The sweetness puts you in a good mood.

What are they made with?

The macaron shells are made

with black sesame and almonds…

butter,

egg whites, and sugar beaten together.

These are Joseon-style macarons

flavored with black sesame, mugwort,

dates, gardenia, and rice.

What is the rice-cake-looking thing

in the middle?

That's the filling between the shells.

I made that by mixing butter, sugar,

and black sesame.

It's a savory and sweet cream filling.

"Creamy"?

Yes.

The crunchy texture,

accompanied by the sweetness,

will relieve your fatigue.

I think she explained enough.

How about you try one?

You three taste it first.

How do you like it?

This taste…

He asked about Cook Yeon.

This woman

is the chief royal cook

I mentioned earlier.

I am Chief Royal Cook Yeon Ji-young.

Your Excellency,

Cook Yeon's macrongs were exquisite.

He wants to take the opportunity

to show you the taste of the Ming as well.

As you wish.

He suggested

that Cook Yeon and the Ming cooks compete

to decide the terms of the tribute.

As I heard,

it seems his purpose

is to use the competition as an excuse

to take more from us.

Chinese cuisine is so diverse.

How can I compete against them?

Say no.

That is a great idea.

What are you doing?

Tyrant, have you lost your mind?

We're not prepared at all,

and they came fully prepared.

Can't you tell?

Say no. No!

However,

you brought three cooks with you.

So how about they compete

with three of my cooks?

That would be interesting.

This is so frustrating.

What are you thinking?

What? A team match?

They can compete in three rounds.

The King of Joseon and I

will be the judges,

and in the event that the score is tied,

we shall have a reputable judge

taste the food

and come to a final decision.

That is a good idea.

Let us decide on the themes

at the next banquet.

Very well.

You've actually got to be kidding me.

Your Majesty.

You can't do this

without consulting me first.

You signaled to me with your hand.

What signal?

This.

I was telling you to say no.

This is driving me crazy.

How could you misunderstand that?

You should handle

political matters politically.

Cooking is politics.

Politics is not only conducted

with swords, spears,

diplomatic events, and documents.

Resolving political issues

by exchanging food and culture

is such a peaceful solution.

You want us to participate in a team match

without any information or preparations?

There's no way. I can't do it.

Steam match?

Your Majesty.

Can't you just call off this whole thing?

Do not tell me

you are not confident you will win.

It's not about

whether I'm confident or not.

You can't suddenly tell me to bear

the weight of the country's future.

I acknowledged you

as the greatest cook in Joseon.

Who can do it if not you?

Do it for me and the people of Joseon.

I just can't get through to you.

Why should I do this for the people?

You are the chief royal cook of Joseon.

You cannot possibly say

you have nothing to do with the people.

What if we lose?

You will, of course,

be charged with treason.

So you want me to risk my life

on yet another competition

that I'm not at all prepared for?

Refusing to compete against the Ming cooks

would also be considered treason.

I will receive numerous letters of appeal,

demanding that you be punished.

And eventually…

You're saying I die if I don't compete,

and I die if I lose.

You understand at last.

I have no choice but to win

when I don't even have time to prepare.

Cook Shanzu of the Tang Dynasty

did not become the first female cook

just because she was skilled.

A true cook

does not blame the lack of time,

but selects good ingredients

to create an exquisite dish.

But you can't expect me

to risk my life at every turn.

I really can't do it this time.

If you win,

I promise to find Mangunrok for you.

But you promised that already.

You said you'd find it and let me return.

I said I would find the book.

I never promised I would let you leave.

Why are you changing your words?

You're scaring me.

Win.

By all means.

Did you say the Ming cooks

and the Joseon cooks will compete?

Yes, Your Royal Highness.

What should we do about this matter?

I thought we had some peace and quiet.

It would seem that His Majesty

made a big mistake this time.

Must we stake our nation's fate

on the cooking skills

of a chief royal cook?

However great Cook Yeon's skills may be,

there is no guarantee that she will beat

the greatest cooks of the Ming.

Something must be done

before we find ourselves in grave trouble.

What exactly do you mean?

The chief envoy who came this time

is a eunuch named Yu Kun, is he not?

Yes, that is what I heard.

His heedless behavior tells me

he does not know of my relationship

with the Ming imperial family.

I will write you a letter.

Deliver it to the Ming Emperor.

Yes, Your Royal Highness.

This is the refreshment

Cook Yeon served the envoys earlier.

She truly has amazing skills.

Her sunchae was incredible as well.

It is too sweet for my liking.

What if she serves something like this

and loses the competition

against the Ming cooks?

We must have someone else participate.

Who? Cook Maeng?

Why are you making such a fuss

just because you cannot

get rid of a mere cook?

Refrain from causing any ruckus,

at least until we achieve what we want.

However--

Do as I say.

Be patient, and in time,

I will present her to you as a gift.

Yes, Your Highness.

The loss in the competition

will humiliate His Majesty,

and Yu Kun will win the right

to harvest Joseon ginseng.

In return, he will provide us

with a reason to replace our king.

His Majesty will have

brought it upon himself

by being foolish enough

to agree to the competition.

Things are working out in our favor.

The wench's few shallow skills

will not be enough to beat

the best cooks of the Ming.

However, she is a lucky wench,

and if His Majesty were to help,

I cannot be sure of the result.

No matter how much His Majesty tries,

Cook Yeon will not be able to win.

Hearing you say that

makes me look forward

to the competition even more.

This is from Grand Prince Jesan.

Is there something

you wish to say to me in private?

His Majesty

is not of sound mind.

He often has fits

and even sees things that are not there.

Oh dear.

Is this really true?

Whenever he has a fit,

he causes strange incidents

that negatively impact the court,

so Joseon must resolve this issue

as soon as possible.

Please relay this

to the Emperor.

Are you saying you wish

to change your ruler?

Then what do I stand to gain from this?

I will ensure

that you win the cooking competition,

so set the stakes high.

Instead of 50, demand 100 tribute women.

Instead of demanding

double the amount of ginseng,

demand the right

to harvest all the ginseng in Joseon.

The thought alone pleases me greatly.

However,

it is a given that the greatest cooks

of the Ming will win the competition.

How do you plan to help with that?

My lord, the chief royal cook of Joseon

is incredibly skilled.

You tasted her food yourself,

so you must know.

What if I refuse?

This is a record we kept

of all the gifts you received

and the dates they were received.

Lord Sung! Are you threatening me,

the Emperor's envoy?

I would not dare to.

I will leave this here.

Considering our long-standing ties,

I trust that you will help us.

Our long-standing ties, you say?

He is one sneaky old man.

Seeing how the officials who serve

one king are divided in their loyalties,

it seems that this nation

is nearing its end as well.

What do you mean by that?

It is none of your concern.

It seems that Joseon's chief royal cook

is greatly skilled.

Are you referring

to the refreshment, my lord?

That was just a petty trick.

That does not mean she can truly--

Every competition must be taken seriously.

The pride of our great nation is at stake.

Petty trick or not,

I have to say I am quite curious

as to how skilled the cooks of Joseon are.

How about I test them?

- Ya Feixiu!

- No, Bailong.

Yes, my lord.

We must take this competition

as an opportunity

to humiliate and discourage

the Joseon king.

Will you have a go?

Leave it to me, my lord.

Damn, that was close.

- After him!

- Yes!

GONG-GIL

YEONHUIGUN'S JESTER WITH MANY SECRETS

Goodness me. They sensed my presence?

How chilling.

Are they that well-trained?

Yes, Your Majesty.

They are no ordinary cooks.

So…

the Right State Councilor was there?

Did the talk with the envoy go well?

Yes, Your Highness. Do not worry.

All you did was exchange a few words.

Can he be trusted?

Yu Kun is cunning beyond belief.

This is the second volume of the ledger.

I gave him the first volume.

Well done.

Are you sure it is a good idea

to hand over the rights

to harvest all of Joseon's ginseng?

Right now,

we must protect our nation,

even if it means making a sacrifice.

The royal family must stand strong

for the nation to stand strong.

That is right.

This is a small sacrifice we must make

to protect our nation.

Let us proceed without hesitation.

Since we have made the call,

we must move ahead without looking back.

We must find a way

to guarantee the Ming cooks' victory

in the competition.

I hope you will help

to the best of your ability.

This competition

must be the starting point

for a new Joseon Dynasty.

At all costs.

Soon, this draft of the historical record

will serve its purpose.

Indeed.

Our time is coming.

What did you do

with the arsenic I gave you?

Ever since

His Majesty's physical examination,

the royal kitchen has been too busy,

so I did not have the chance to use it.

Of course.

There is always an excuse.

Soon, you will compete

against the Ming cooks.

A cooking competition, Your Grace?

Yes, and you will participate.

I will see to it that you do.

Yes, Your Grace. I will give my all

to uphold the honor of the royal kitchen.

No, that is not it.

Joseon must lose this competition.

Pardon?

Don't rub your eyes after touching these.

I am plucking off the tops

and taking out the seeds

because you say

you need this for the competition, but…

You should have told me sooner!

What do you need these for anyway?

We'll dry them,

crush them into powder, and make a paste.

They say these are so spicy

that some even died eating them.

What paste can you make with them?

- Do they become edible when dried?

- Goodness.

They're not poisonous.

You can eat them as they are.

Did you see that?

She said this is a secret weapon

for the competition.

- Put your fingers to work now.

- That's right. Well said.

- Man-su.

- How is it?

It must be spicy.

Greetings.

- Eunuch Yoon.

- Greetings, Eunuch Yoon.

Cook Yeon, His Majesty wishes to see you.

What about the travel plaque I asked for?

You will hear about that

when you go see him.

Okay.

Your Majesty.

So I heard

you need a travel plaque.

Yes.

I have to go to the mill myself

and explain what I need

for the new seasoning

we'll be using in the competition.

The mill?

Then are you going to Unjongga?

Yes.

If that is the case, I must go with you.

What? You're going to join me?

Is it okay for you

to just leave the palace on a whim?

On a whim, you say?

You said you need the seasoning

for the competition.

What could be more important than that?

That's true, but still…

Hurry up and prepare yourself.

I don't need to prepare anything.

I'll just wait outside.

Are you thinking

of going around the market

in your chief royal cook's attire?

Well…

You must change into your disguise attire.

My disguise attire?

The only other clothes I have

are Gil-geum's clothes

that she let me wear.

How pathetic.

Follow me.

Chang-seon.

Is all this really necessary

when I'm just dropping by the mill?

Meet me in front of Gyemumun.

GYEMUMUN: SMALL GATE

NEXT TO BONGDEOKGUNG'S NORTH GATE

What? Where?

But…

Let us go.

We sell hair ribbons too.

We have straw hats.

Oh my, the colors are so pretty.

Goodness, come this way and have a look.

Pretty, are they not?

This looks similar

to the one hanging from Mangunrok.

It costs ten nip.

Oh, that's fine. I don't need it.

- Come along.

- Take a look.

Oh, this is it.

I found the place.

I'll take that.

Thank you.

I need to go somewhere for a bit.

Okay, then we can meet back here later.

Wait.

Oh, come on.

I have money too.

Take it.

I really don't need it.

See you later.

I have never ground

anything like this before.

What is this?

They're gochu, chili peppers.

They're spicy, so you might

have a hard time with them.

Regardless, I'll be counting on you.

Sure. That will be five nip.

Five nip?

I heard it would cost just two.

I would've been in big trouble

if he hadn't given me this.

Please cut down on the cost

when I become a regular.

Thank you.

Give me that.

We will take them all.

He said he'd be gone for a bit.

Why isn't he back yet?

Where did he go?

I want to look around some more.

I'll be quick.

Is the chief royal cook still at the mill?

I will go inside and check, Your Majesty.

You do that.

Goodness, it is a sun-shower.

What do we do with all these?

What is with the sudden shower?

What a lovely day. My goodness.

Why are you taking

our precious ingredient?

That sure is potent.

What is this scent?

Who are you?

Strangers are not allowed to come in here.

This is Ya Feixiu, one of the Ming cooks.

What? The Ming?

Cook Maeng! Cook Eom!

It is raining hard.

- Hwang, hold onto this for me.

- Okay.

- Cook Min.

- Yes?

You have really improved

at chopping green onions.

Thank you, Bong-sik.

The Ming cook. She bit into a gochu--

Take a breath first and speak slowly.

Listen.

The Ming cook

is here at the royal kitchen.

I am Cook Eom of the royal kitchen.

What did she say?

She said your knife skills are decent.

She said his knife skills are dreadful.

Did you think I would not understand?

What?

How dare you act so insolently

in Joseon's royal kitchen?

What a mess.

Hey, you!

Cook Eom, I have been chopping

in the royal kitchen for over ten years!

I cannot take this.

Move. Neither can I.

Do you want to have a green onion

chopping competition or something?

Settle down, everyone.

She is with the envoy's entourage.

How about a green onion

chopping competition?

A chopping contest?

With such pitiful knife skills?

"Pitiful knife skills"?

Watch what you say!

Even a dog gets some respect in its home.

Who do you think you--

This is not your fight.

You are so noisy.

They say an empty cart

rattles the loudest.

Where is the chief royal cook?

The chief royal cook?

I will take you on!

Stop insulting my seniors,

and let us settle this

with a chopping competition!

How ridiculous.

Are you all…

sure about this?

Cook Min.

Are you sure about this?

Cook Maeng can chop just as well,

so if it is too much pressure,

leave it to him.

No. She looks like

the youngest of the three.

It would look better for us

if Cook Min were to settle things.

Cook Min, speed is important,

but it is even more important

to cut uniform pieces.

I will remember that.

Cook Min, I believe in you.

Where in the world

did the chief royal cook go

when she does not even know

her way around?

I apologize, Your Majesty.

I have checked the back alleys,

so I will go check the bigger streets.

You do that.

I will wait here in case she returns.

Yes, Your Majesty.

You're back.

Where did you go?

I was waiting for you,

then went to get some flowers.

I see you are getting around just fine

despite the rain.

What is that?

They're irises.

It's a flower that helps soothe the mind.

Eyeless?

These are butkkot.

"Butkkot"?

My flowers.

Oh no, what a shame.

I will get you prettier flowers.

We shall head back now.

But…

Why are you not coming?

Just a second.

Do not pick up what fell on the ground.

I picked these to give to you.

They have medicinal properties

and soothe the mind,

so they're good to keep in the room.

It is surprising

that I even crossed your mind

when the competition is nearing.

We could've planted it in Jangwonseo,

Office of Royal Horticulture.

Your…

Your Majesty.

- Your face.

- What?

Right here.

What did you just do?

There was something on your face.

There is something on yours as well.

Darn it. Stop it.

- What? Come here.

- Stay away.

- Stop it.

- Come here.

Come back here.

Your face is a mess.

It has become even more unattractive.

Oh, I sincerely apologize, Your Majesty.

Your face is just as dirty.

What?

You gave me a gift today,

so I shall make a special exception

and disregard your insolence.

I'm so grateful that you like the gift.

Is it okay for you to leave the palace

for this long?

What could be more important

than preparing the ingredients

for the cooking competition?

That's true.

Tell me.

Can you actually win the competition

with the gocho?

I can't say for sure,

but I think we'll need something striking.

The gochugaru and gochujang

are secret seasonings that will be

very important in the competition.

You know what they taste like.

You had the bibimbap

at the thatched house.

Oh, the taste

that brought tears to my eyes.

Yes.

I'll get back to the royal kitchen.

Give me your hand.

What? My hand?

This is the ornament from earlier.

Well, you seemed to want it.

Did he notice me fiddling with it earlier?

I shall take my leave.

Oh, right.

I mean, would it be so hard for you

to bring these inside?

Butkkot.

Butkkot…

How will I face him

if I lose after all this?

Are you all right?

The Ming chef?

Joseon's chief royal cook.

What were you doing here?

You got lucky today.

Your fellow cooks

seem to be waiting eagerly for you.

What the…

What on earth happened here?

Miss!

Miss.

So what happened was…

It's okay, Gil-geum.

Slow down and tell me what happened.

Okay. That nasty Ya Feixiu or whatever

is incredibly skillful.

She had a green onion

chopping competition with Cook Min, and…

She was like a Shaolin warrior.

She showed unwavering focus

and extraordinary knife skills.

That was not all.

I am actually afraid of knives, you see.

I felt so rushed

and ended up chopping parts

we do not even eat.

But I did not expect Cook Maeng to lose.

This is the first time

I have been outpaced in knife work.

So all of you lost?

We have absolutely no excuses.

What do we do, miss?

This is a declaration of w*r, isn't it?

How dare she come into our kitchen

without the slightest bit of courtesy?

Damn it.

Who cares how much

and how fast you can chop

when you don't even have

basic human decency?

I can tell what she's like just by looking

at the way she's chopped this.

It's not cool at all.

She's just a show-off.

Darn her.

Are you all just going to give up?

They made a mess of the royal kitchen.

We must make them pay

for looking down on Joseon cooks!

Right?

Right?

Yes.

We can take them on!

I will not lose to them!

If we compete again,

I will show her

what the true balance of chopping is.

I will give it another try.

Just tell me what you need.

I will do whatever I can to help.

We will also help out.

- Us too.

- We will help too.

- We will too.

- I will do what I can!

All right, good. This is great!

We can do this. We'll go nail it!

- Nail what?

- What nail?

- What?

- What was that?

Rise, royal kitchen!

- Rise, royal kitchen!

- Rise, royal kitchen!

Let's fight, royal kitchen!

- Let's fight, royal kitchen!

- Let's fight, royal kitchen!

Let's win, royal kitchen!

- Let's win, royal kitchen!

- Let's win, royal kitchen!

So how were the Joseon cooks?

I competed with them

in a green onion chopping competition,

and their basic knife skills

were pathetic.

What about the chief royal cook?

She was not there.

You wasted time playing with the minions.

Not entirely.

I found out they have

a special seasoning ingredient.

What is this?

It smells like mala, but it is different.

I guess we will find out

when the competition begins.

I am very curious to see

what is making the Joseon king

so confident.

However great her skills may be,

how can he put the nation's fate

on the line over a competition?

The Ming envoy

brought three cooks of his own,

so it seems he had planned it all along.

The Grand Royal Queen Dowager

is devising a plan,

so do not worry too much.

Son, if our cooks lose this competition,

it will greatly damage

His Majesty's reputation.

Have you any clever device?

Father.

Do not worry too much.

They can do what they want,

but they are in the land of Joseon.

I will not allow them to get their way.

I cannot accept that.

SWEE

MEA

FISH

He says you can pick first, Your Majesty.

No.

You should pick first.

He is suggesting picking at the same time.

Shall we do that?

Mu, meaning "nonexistent,"

and yuk, meaning "meat."

Mu, meaning "nonexistent,"

and yuk, meaning "meat"!

For the first round,

they will have to make a meat dish

that has never been seen before.

Correct. A meat dish

the world has never seen.

You pick the next one, Chief Royal Cook.

Pardon?

Me?

Yes.

Bailong.

Yes, my lord.

Ji, meaning "know,"

and yeok, meaning "change."

Ji, meaning "know,"

and yeok, meaning "change"!

"Know" and "change"…

He suggests picking again,

as the combination makes no sense.

"Know" and "change"…

Diplomacy is about learning

and understanding each other's cultures.

With that being said,

how about we cook each other's fare?

Are you suggesting

that for the second round,

the Ming cooks are to make a Joseon dish,

and the Joseon cooks

are to make a Ming dish?

That is exactly it.

What an interesting idea.

Why is he so relaxed?

Is he that confident

they can cook Joseon dishes?

It is time to pick the third theme.

Will you do the honors, Uncle?

Your Highness.

- Your Highness.

- What?

- What?

- You are to pick one.

Pick one?

Oh, of course.

Me?

Yes. You are the Superintendent

of Saongwon, Office of Royal Meals,

so you shall pick one.

Very well then.

I like the feeling of suspense.

Kong Wenli.

Yes, my lord.

Let me see.

Tang, meaning "soup,"

and sam, meaning "ginseng."

Tang, meaning "soup,"

and sam, meaning "ginseng"!

Is not their fare known for soups?

It will be a tough round.

It seems so.

"Ginseng" and "soup"…

I see we have soup.

Then in the final round,

they will make a soup dish

containing ginseng.

He is suggesting raising the stakes

now that the themes have been decided.

He wishes to raise the stakes now?

How so?

He would like 100 tribute women

on top of what was agreed,

as well as the right

to harvest Joseon ginseng.

- What did he say?

- What nonsense is that?

- What utter nonsense.

- Goodness.

In that case,

we shall also add to our conditions.

If Joseon wins,

the Ming is to receive

only half the tribute

and allow Joseon to purchase

as much sugarcane and flour as we wish

before they are harvested.

As much flour as they wish?

How is this any different

from asking our great nation

to pay tribute to Joseon instead?

What is the matter?

Are you not confident you will win?

He says this is a matter that requires

the opinion of the Emperor and the court,

and that he cannot make the decision

on his own.

Then we shall adhere to

what we previously agreed on.

He says if the Ming loses,

he will strongly petition the Emperor

to accept the conditions.

Very well.

Chief Royal Secretary,

record all that was discussed today.

The cooks representing each nation

will compete in a total of three rounds,

and the competition will last one sijin.

ONE SIJIN: APPROXIMATELY TWO HOURS

The time to select the dishes

and prepare the ingredients

will be three days.

Which might not be enough time,

so it will be five days.

Very well.

Five days shall it be.

In conclusion, the competition

will be held in five days at misi,

thirteenth to fifteenth hour,

at Huijeongdang.

The cooks from both nations

shall step forward

to pay their respects to each other.

You left your knife

in the royal kitchen yesterday.

I brought it back to Taepyeonggwan,

Official Reception Hall, safe and sound.

How rude.

Is this

the Joseon way?

How dare they challenge me outright?

They completely ruined the blade.

Brace yourselves, envoys.

I'll give you a blazing hot taste.

PRESSURE COOKER, PACKING,

COMPRESS, CAST-IRON PO

BON APPÉTIT, YOUR MAJESTY

This pressure cooker.

There is one man in Joseon

who can make this.

He is the descendant of the

grand military protector Jang Yeong-sil.

I should accompany you.

- My legs are k*lling me.

- What a pain.

Your Majesty, please!

It's a cannon.

- Get out of here!

- Is he out of his mind?

His Majesty has left the palace again?

A lot of dangerous things

happen outside the palace.

The target

is the chief royal cook.

Cook Yeon!