01x09 - Episode 9

[bunniefuu]

My lady.

This is not going to work.

I will take care of everything.

Just sit there and play along.

It will be so easy to notice

that I am not you.

How about just having

a heartfelt talk with him?

The fact that he wants to meet in secret

shows how shady he is.

I will look for the right time

to ask him who he is,

so just act surprised when I come out.

You are a natural.

Let's go.

Are you sure Cho Seong-hu is

the person you and His Majesty

have been looking for?

I cannot be certain.

The fact that the late king had

shadow warriors disguised

as soldiers of the King's Guard

was even kept a secret

from the crown prince at the time.

Then, even if his sister was

the only family he had,

she might also not know about anything.

Even if she does not know

about what happened back then,

she might have information

on his recent whereabouts.

There is also the possibility

that he gave her something since then.

This sister of his…

What if she should not be trusted?

What happened to the fan

I gave you last time?

Oh, that?

I left it in the night-duty room.

Oh, is that so?

I cannot believe you are lying to me.

But, Brother…

How did you get this?

Stay outside and keep watch

while I go and meet with his sister.

Brother, about the fan…

Wait here.

Yes.

Does anyone know

that you came here today?

Can you promise

that you will not tell anyone

about this meeting?

Madam.

This is a very important matter

that concerns

your brother's life and death.

Can you make that promise?

If you cannot do so,

I also cannot say anything more.

Who are you?

Do not turn around.

Answer my question.

Now!

Stand down.

Sir?

My lady!

-Brother!

-Royal Advisor Park?

Do you know me?

I do not!

Was the woman who just left

the left councilor's daughter-in-law?

Where are you going?

Brother!

Stop right there!

-What are you playing at?

-Brother!

You should have grabbed him and not me!

I have something to take care of.

Go on ahead. I will visit you soon.

Hey, Su-h*!

Did he…

Did he just push me?

You should have started

by talking with him first.

Why did you draw your sword?

If he said, "I am the royal advisor"

from the start,

I would not have done that.

Anyway, what could have possibly happened

to your brother?

First, the finance minister's wife,

and now the royal advisor?

The superintendent

will probably visit us soon.

We should ask him when he does.

I told the superintendent

not to come near Myeongdo Inn again…

What? Why?

You kept running into problems with him,

and I worried you might be

in real trouble later,

so I told him to stay away.

You are still, in fact,

a widow in mourning,

and the superintendent is

undeniably a healthy man--

What does being a widow and a man

have to do with this?

This matter is related to my brother--

What if you two start to have feelings

for each other?

Yong-deok and Lady Baek--

Have you lost your mind?

Head Guildmaster.

Are you in there?

Good evening, sir.

I came here to speak

with Lady Cho for a moment.

I will leave you to it then.

Please consider

what I said as still valid.

Why not get rid of the problem

once and for all?

Both Lord Seok and the man

do not seem to be aware of the issue.

Acting in haste

will only make matters worse.

He could be pretending not to know.

I will find the right time

to be rid of him for good.

Do not make any rash moves.

Yes, sir.

You cannot tell me why the royal advisor

is looking for my brother?

Why not?

I cannot give you an answer to that.

Then please go back.

I have nothing more to add, either.

The head guildmaster told me

that I was k*lling you slowly

by confining you inside your home.

I do not wish to do such a thing,

but I do not wish you to be in danger.

That was why I wanted you to stay put,

and I felt lost about what I should do.

Do you know what to do now?

The answer may not be

something I had to look for.

Perhaps it was already predestined.

Why did it have to be you

who my brother wanted to find?

And why is it that you are

everywhere I go?

Now that I think about it,

the two of us share the same fate.

My real name is Im Hyeon-jae.

The last general of the late king's guard,

Im g*ng,

was my father.

The general of the King's Guard

had his family massacred,

and several of the king's guards vanished.

Then,

that was your family

who got massacred on that day?

I was on the brink of death

when the royal advisor rescued

and saved my life.

I have been living my life,

hiding who my parents are, until now.

What in the world happened on that day?

My brother and I are seeking the truth

about the events of that day.

If so,

I must see the royal advisor again.

That is too dangerous.

Please stop worrying about me.

Besides, I am actually stronger

than the royal advisor.

We must get them back.

My brother…

and also your name.

Lady.

Stop right there!

Was that the superintendent's fan?

The one who Yeon-seon

was trying to protect…

You see,

the witness cannot reveal their identity

to the police bureau.

They cannot reveal their identity.

Royal Advisor Park?

The masked person…

So, who is this person you speak of?

I am not going to tell you.

Someone he must protect…

I cannot believe you are lying to me.

The owner of the fan!

What do you think

the royal advisor is looking for?

He said he was looking for something

that belonged to my brother.

But the only thing my brother left behind

was this sword.

He cannot be looking for that, right?

I even pointed this sword at his neck.

If this was it,

he could not have missed it.

Then what is he searching for?

Whatever it is,

I feel like I have to find it.

Some have been through

unimaginable things.

I was the only one who made it

out of the pile of corpses

fifteen years ago.

You said you would be here soon.

What took you so long?

I'm sorry, Brother…

I was up all night waiting for you.

You should have just come tomorrow.

I apologize.

It was already too late,

and I did not want to wake you up.

The left councilor's daughter-in-law.

-She is the mask, is she not?

-Pardon?

Lady Cho cannot even leave her home.

How could she stir up the capital

dressed as the masked figure?

Absolutely not.

I was only asking

if she was the mask from last night.

I have to say,

it did not seem like her first time.

-Brother--

-And I assume

that she was the one

who was holding on to your fan.

What is the matter?

Should I go to the left councilor's house

to see if I am right?

You do not have to do that.

In fact, Lady Cho wanted

to arrange another meeting.

At least try a little, Mother.

I think Jeong keeps appearing in my dreams

to say how much he resents me.

We have not even recovered his body.

There is no doubt

that he is not resting peacefully.

Please do not say that, Mother.

This is all due to my lack of devotion.

I must go to the temple to offer a prayer.

Let me accompany you.

If I am leaving the house,

one of us should stay behind.

I will go with Jae-i,

so you can stay home.

LET THE LADY KNOW

You seem busy these days, sir.

What do you want to say to me?

I have so much I want to say to you.

You said this was for the altruist,

but all I have done is visit Myeongdo Inn.

Bi-chan.

Give this to the altruist.

But how?

If you go to Myeongdo Inn,

there will be someone to deliver it.

Yes, I will complete the mission.

Oh, and also…

I am planning

to reinvestigate Kang Pil-jik.

What?

But the captain told us

to stay away from him.

Yes, exactly.

That is why this will be

a secret mission for us.

Well, in that case…

I will take care of the captain for now.

You must find transaction records

that were approved by Minister Yeom

for Kang Pil-jik's guild.

Yes, sir!

Where the heck is Bongmal?

How can nobody know

where she went this morning?

The thing is--

My mother wishes to visit the temple.

Who will prepare her for her trip?

-We apologize.

-Stop making a fuss.

Come in and get ready.

-Oh my, she is in trouble.

-What should we do?

Squire!

-Who are you?

-Pardon me.

-Squire?

-What do you want?

Pardon me. I am sorry.

I am counting on you.

Young man, can I ask you a question?

Have you seen

an incredibly handsome man nearby?

He is also very tall.

That sounds like me.

Can I help you with anything?

Squi--

Well, look who's here.

Long time no see.

Long time no see!

"Long time"?

The No family?

Stop crying, will you?

I am sorry.

I was actually considering visiting today

or tomorrow at the latest…

How could you do this to us?

You were alive and well, after all!

How could you not return home

and wander around like a ghost?

Bongmal, relax!

Bongmal, relax.

You need to calm down.

Take a deep breath.

There you go.

Did you really think that I died?

Are you sure it was not just a rumor?

We heard the news on your wedding day.

And since your body was not found,

Lady Yoo was bedridden for over a year.

Did my father

really tell my mother that I died?

Was he really that cruel?

We should not waste any more time.

You have to go back home.

Bongmal.

If I go back now,

it will only make things worse.

I will return

as soon as things are resolved,

so take care of my mother in the meantime.

You are the only person I can trust.

Well, that is true.

You have nothing to worry about.

Give me that!

Why would you go through the trouble

to see me off like this?

You are going to be

late to work because of me.

I already told them I would be late.

Besides, your husband is

the left councilor of this nation.

My dear lady is going on a long journey,

so I will be a bit late to see her off.

Who would dare say anything to me?

Father.

You always only take care of Mother.

You should also take good care

of your mother.

I will.

Do not worry about any household affairs.

Make sure to relax and return safely.

I will, so do not worry about me.

There must be no negligence

in serving the lady.

-Yes, sir.

-Yes, sir.

Have a safe trip, Mother.

Let's go.

Yeo-hwa.

Yes, Father.

You can attend to your business.

Yes.

Is anyone there?

Yes, Lord Seok!

Yes, my lord.

My lady!

You got a message from Myeongdo Inn.

Is that so?

MEET AT MYEONGDO INN

IN TWO HOURS

I must leave now.

Tell the servants that I will be praying

at the shrine all day.

-Yes, my lady.

-Since Mother is not here,

no one will come looking for me.

HUIJEONGDANG

Doesn't it get funnier

the more you think about it?

-Your Majesty--

-The one who was admirable enough

to help the poor and needy

when the moon is high in the night sky was

the left councilor's daughter-in-law?

When you first told me about this,

I thought the people were

in so much distress

that they had to resort

to making up such nonsensical stories.

It felt uncomfortable to be on the throne.

The left councilor dreams of a nation

that only cares for the nobility,

while his daughter-in-law wears

a mask for the people.

I wonder what the left councilor will do

if he finds out about this.

Your Majesty, as your old friend,

may I humbly request a favor from you?

Tell me.

Could you entrust me

to take care of matters

regarding the councilor's daughter-in-law?

What for?

Some people are concerned for her safety.

Could it be…

that you are one of them?

No, sire.

I only wish

to protect those people

who are concerned for her.

Do not worry.

She is none other

than Cho Seong-hu's sister.

We should protect her, of course.

Thank you, Your Majesty.

Not even a little?

No, sire.

It has been a long time.

You have not changed a bit.

You have aged a lot, Father.

Have you forgotten what I said I would do

if you came back?

You already k*lled me

when I had not even returned.

It was in everyone's best interest.

And who might they be?

I would have no problem with it

if you treated me as dead

or even k*lled me right now.

But how could you tell Mother

that I was dead when I was clearly alive?

You should have told her

to consider me dead.

Can you imagine how much pain she was in

for all those years?

You turned your back on your parents.

It is ridiculous to see you

worrying about us now.

When you told me to consider you dead,

did you think

you would ever see your mother again?

I was wrong, Father.

If you know, then go back.

Do not even think

about setting foot in Joseon again.

No.

Now that I know what I did wrong,

I need to fix it.

I made a widow out of a woman

and also made my mother suffer.

I will personally apologize to them.

But you must make amends

for your own mistakes.

How dare you!

I have already died once.

I will atone for my sins

as I live on borrowed time.

Is that so?

Then, leave the capital tomorrow.

-Father!

-That is the only way!

There is no other way

to pay for your sins against our family.

You are already a dead man.

The dead cannot come back to life.

Do not let your mother

lose her child twice.

Novice Joo!

Master Kkon-nim.

What are you doing on the street?

The day is already well underway.

Why haven't you set up your stand yet?

How can you make a living

without taking your job seriously?

I totally agree, Master.

Life is so hard.

Of course, it is.

Nothing is easy in this world.

Even so,

you must cheer up.

Have a dried persimmon.

A lady I know said

that this persimmon cheered her up

when she was glancing over the wall

and contemplating life.

This is so good!

I feel energized already.

I suppose that lady

also had a tough time in this world.

I am still young, so I do not know why,

but I hear widows are

not allowed to leave their homes.

This lady that you speak of…

Is it the left councilor's--

She is my favorite person

in the whole world,

but she looked so sad

as she sat alone in her quarters

that it upset me.

I see.

I am very sorry about that.

Why are you sorry?

Oh, it is nothing.

Do you have more persimmons?

It is so good!

If you are feeling better,

you must get back to work.

Yes, Master Kkon-nim.

Kang Pil-jik and Madam Oh

are half-siblings with different fathers?

She asked me to keep it a secret,

so I could not tell you.

Whose side are you on, Lady Jang?

It seems to me

that you two are on the same side

while I am on the other side.

Since Madam Oh is

a member of the royal family,

I was always curious

why she was married off to Yeom Heung-jip.

But she endured all that humiliation

because of her family's shame.

Are you feeling sorry for Madam Oh?

No!

I would not have let her manipulate me

if I had known about this sooner.

Why are there so many people

living false lives?

I do not think

that is something you can say.

Can you find out

if there is any connection

between Madam Oh and my father-in-law?

I am feeling suspicious

about their secret meeting a few days ago.

That is not going to be easy.

What about looking

deeper into Kang Pil-jik?

What if Kang Pil-jik is also involved

with Madam Oh and the left councilor?

I cannot deny

that my father-in-law deceived me.

But he devoted his life to this nation.

I would hate to think

that he was related to such an awful man.

The superintendent will be here soon,

so I will prepare some tea.

MYEONGDO INN

-Is the head guildmaster in?

-She might be in her office.

Thank you. I appreciate it.

Ttaeng?

Thank you.

I appreciate you.

That is what it means.

Thank you.

Are you in, Head Guildmaster?

Head Guildmaster?

Head…

Guild…

Head Guildmaster!

Pardon me.

Have we not

met somewhere before?

We have not.

I am certain I know that face.

Where do you live by chance?

I think we might have met on the street.

I do not have a home.

What?

What is the matter?

Hey.

I came to see the head guildmaster,

but someone else was inside.

But I was sure I had seen her before.

I am sure you are mistaken.

Weird.

Why would you assume

that I do not know her?

There is no way you would know her.

Look for the head guildmaster elsewhere.

Wait.

I just remembered.

It is your lover.

Am I right?

It is nothing like that. Go away.

I will leave you to your sweetheart.

Enjoy yourselves.

You cheeky thing.

Seriously?

How can you be so careless?

Why do you bother with that veil?

I do not like that man one bit.

He speaks very strangely.

I get a bad feeling whenever I see him.

We must be ill-fated.

You cannot blame him.

He just thinks that you are my lover.

I did not mean it--

Your callous words are

why Lady Jang makes sly comments.

What on earth did she…

What if you two start to have feelings

for each other?

Yong-deok and Lady Baek--

Have you lost your mind?

Why didn't the royal advisor

come with you?

You can see him if you go

to the rental bookstore with me now.

Very well.

By the way…

My brother knows who you are.

What an astute individual.

I expected this might happen.

One more thing.

Whatever happens,

think of yourself first.

The finance minister position has been

vacant for a while.

Have you still not found

the right candidate?

We are seeking suitable candidates

and hope to recommend

three candidates to you soon.

If there is no one suitable,

how about Park Yun-hak?

Are you saying we appoint someone

who has only been the royal advisor

for the last ten years

as the finance minister?

There is a first time for everything,

so couldn't you guide him

with your experience, Left Councilor?

Your Majesty.

Do you know why I believed

you would make a good king?

I am not sure.

I always wondered about that, too.

Why did you tell me back then

that I could be a sage king?

It was because you understood fear.

When you were a young crown prince,

and I was your teacher,

you mentioned that you wished

you had been born a grand prince instead,

fearing the heavy responsibilities

of becoming king.

I do remember that.

I liked you for that, Your Majesty.

I liked the humble king

who did not chase dangerous dreams

and was not overly ambitious,

even for occasional smaller aspirations.

Was that why you put me on the throne?

Because I know my place?

It is my duty to choose the right person

for the position of finance minister.

Your Majesty must clearly distinguish

between what you can and cannot do.

That is the essence of humility.

If you maintain that spirit,

your reign will not be short-lived.

Your Majesty.

Her Majesty the Queen Dowager is here.

What brings you here, Mother?

I called Madam Oh to console her.

She has been heartbroken for a long time.

Madam Oh has brought us

some fine tea to the palace.

I would appreciate it

if the left councilor could join us.

Regretfully,

I have an urgent matter to take care of,

so I must take my leave at this time.

That is a shame.

I often hear from Madam Oh

about your daughter-in-law.

You have a truly admirable

daughter-in-law.

I heard that Madam Oh's guidance

was of great assistance.

You must bring her to the palace sometime.

I would love to speak with her in person.

I will, Your Majesty.

MAY SPRING BRING YOU

GREAT FORTUNE

RENTAL BOOKSTORE

I apologize for my rashness last time.

It was my fault for asking to see you

without any forewarning.

Please have a seat.

I would like to hear the answer

I missed that day.

Ever since your brother disappeared,

have you not heard from him at all?

I am not here to answer that question.

I heard that 15 years ago,

my brother disappeared after receiving

a secret order from the late king.

Is this true?

How did you know that?

Madam Oh told me.

I do not know what her intentions were,

but I do not believe

she fabricated the story.

What happened 15 years ago?

Why did the general's family get k*lled,

and why did my brother disappear?

Why did it have to be this way?

You seem to know a great deal already.

How much and what more do you know?

Please tell me what happened first.

That was the day

when the late king passed away.

On top of that,

we believe the late king

was k*lled by poison.

Are you saying it was treason?

Since nothing occurred on the surface,

it is still too early to say

whether it was treason or not.

The poison used on the late king

is the same as the one

the finance minister drank.

Since she told Lady Cho

about Cho Seong-hu,

is it safe to assume

that Madam Oh is aware of everything?

It seems

that you are right.

Who is the mastermind behind Madam Oh?

Your daughter-in-law is very smart.

Why can't you tell me who it is?

Who is the mastermind behind Madam Oh

with the power to plot treason?

Why are you trying

to hide the person responsible

for everything that has happened so far?

You are correct.

His Majesty and I believe that all of this

was orchestrated by the left councilor.

What evidence do you have?

Lady Cho.

You are one of them.

Why else would the left councilor ask

a comparatively humble family like yours

to propose an arranged marriage

between the families?

The left councilor

had to find the person who received

the secret order from the late king.

The reason why

my father-in-law took me in…

was because of my brother?

That is what I think.

Fifteen years.

It has been 15 years

since I regarded them as my parents.

Things are still left to be investigated,

are they not?

This must be hard for you to believe.

I will take my leave for today.

Are you all right?

I am all right.

I will get back to you later.

Oh, no…

Can I come in?

You are enduring a lot

because of my dead child.

I am all right.

You miss your brother a lot, do you not?

I am looking everywhere for him,

so if you hear anything from him

or think of anything to help find him,

let me know.

Thank you.

Thank you, Father.

Father!

Yeo-hwa.

Do you know the places

your brother used to go to often?

That will be helpful in finding him.

When your brother left,

did he leave anything behind?

He left in such a hurry, so…

Oh, what a heartless person he was.

By the way, is there still no news

about my brother?

I am searching everywhere,

so we should hear back soon.

Let us wait for him together.

I would have no more reason

to talk with your smart daughter-in-law

about her brother anymore.

Is that supposed to be a threat?

You have become so vulgar.

Was it my brother

that you were after from the beginning?

I did not know

that you had already arrived.

Please forgive me, my lord.

Do not worry about it.

I came a little early

to think about some things.

I hear I have aged.

Who would dare to make

such an insolent statement?

I will go and immediately…

Many years have passed,

and I have left something unsettled

for too long.

I should sort things out

before they become even more troublesome.

Give me your orders, my lord.

I think that Madam Oh

should take her own life

to follow her husband, after all.

Pardon?

Even though her lineage

is vastly different,

isn't she actually

your blood-related sister?

It is a better end

than being locked up in prison

as a m*rder*r and dying a miserable death.

In the end,

this is for your sister's benefit.

My lord, how could you tell me

to do such a thing?

Hanging herself seems like a nice end.

But it also would not be such a bad idea

to take her own life

by throwing herself off a cliff

so that her body cannot be found.

Whatever you choose,

do not take too much time deciding.

The older I get,

the less patient I become.

Why didn't you tell me sooner?

What would you have done

if you had known sooner?

If the left councilor is behind all this,

he is also the one

who k*lled my parents that day!

That is right.

So what would you have done?

I would at least

not have accepted a drink from him.

Would you have drawn your sword

and avenged your parents there?

What is wrong with that?

If you had k*lled the left councilor,

we'd be unable to discover any truths,

and you would have also been in danger,

and everything would have ended in vain.

I've already died 15 years ago.

What about His Majesty?

He has endured 15 long years

of humiliation

and waited patiently for the right time.

If the goal was

to k*ll the left councilor,

this would not have taken this long.

So…

what is it that I must do?

Cho Seong-hu must have had the evidence

to prove that

the left councilor plotted treason.

What if we cannot find it?

Perhaps,

there could be another way.

Are you considering

Lady Cho as the alternative?

That is not up to me to decide.

Brother,

I will…

no longer let the people around me

get hurt anymore.

Does Lady Cho

mean that much to you?

I will protect the lady to make sure

that she is not put in harm's way.

But I am sure

there will be a use for your skills.

Once you find it,

do not hesitate to use it.

Brother.

I should not hesitate, should I?

Would you come out for a moment?

Are you all right?

I am all right.

What about you? Are you okay?

If your brother's words are true,

would that not mean

that our families are enemies?

Even if that were true,

I would not take revenge on you.

Do not worry.

Besides, there is no guarantee

that I will win against you.

Oh, I remembered.

The ones who checked your scars that day…

I have fought them before.

Who were they?

I should have k*lled him long ago.

Lady Cho!

I am sure

that was Kang Pil-jik.

Are you sure?

He uses a uniquely shaped sword,

so I am sure of it.

I did not realize it then

because I saw you falling to the ground.

When I saw that sword,

I remembered the pain I felt back then.

I will look into this.

No.

I must bring him in myself.

In that case, I will gladly yield.

He and I also have a bad history,

so please be rough with him.

Yes, I will.

Then, I will take my leave now.

Please take care.

Be careful, my lady.

Go to Myeongdo Inn and discreetly find out

if a man named Joo has left.

Yes, my lord.

Are you ready

to go into the office, Father?

Yes.

You must be worn out

doing all the chores by yourself.

It is nothing.

I have something to tell you urgently.

Yes, what is it?

I received this strange note yesterday.

If you want to hear about your brother,

meet me in front of Sugu Gate

around 10:00 p.m. in ten days.

Where did you get this?

I picked it up from the garden

by my quarters yesterday.

This must be some kind of a joke.

I will find out

who committed this despicable act.

But just in case,

may I meet them in person?

How can a widow in mourning

come forward in such a matter?

I apologize.

But what if they really want

to tell me something about my brother?

Please, I beg you.

All right.

However,

you must not act rashly.

Yes.

Captain Hwang.

What is the matter,

Superintendent Park Su-h*?

Please give me permission to investigate

Kang Pil-jik again.

What?

What?

Kang Pil-jik?

Oh my,

what brings you here, Royal Advisor Park?

I have an urgent favor to ask you.

A favor to ask me?

It is a secret command from above.

Could it be…

Him?

That is right. His Majesty's--

Just give me the word!

I am ready to do anything

if it is His command.

He says to investigate Kang Pil-jik.

Kang Pil-jik?

Hold on to your worries!

I will uncover

every bit of dirt on him

and offer it to Him.

Sir, I brought everything I could find

regarding Kang Pil-jik.

Thank you. Come again.

Hey. You there.

What are you looking for?

I heard there was

a merchant from Qing here.

His name is Joo.

Joo?

I came here to ask him something.

Is he inside?

I do not know him.

There is no one like that.

Are you sure?

I said he is not here.

I will go in and just check briefly,

-so step aside.

-Who are you?

Who are you to cause trouble?

I do not want trouble.

I was just looking for someone.

-Go away, will you?

-I heard that he was here.

There is no one like that here!

Go away! All right?

Move along!

Master Kkon-nim!

You can stop now.

Are you in debt?

How much? A lot?

There is no time for this.

You should hide quickly.

Master.

Wait.

What should we do now?

What else can we do?

I showed the letter to my father,

so we will have to wait and see.

Do you really believe

Lord Seok was behind all this?

Even if my father-in-law

really plotted treason,

nothing would change for me.

I have no choice, if he was sentenced

to have three generations ex*cuted,

but to be ex*cuted with him.

Why should you be punished?

It is the law of the nation

that we must pay for our parents' sins.

But if,

for whatever reason,

he uses me and harms my brother,

that would be a different story.

You look even scarier

than Lord Seok right now.

It must be from imagining things, right?

Even if I become

a ghost haunting this house,

I will find out

Father's true intentions at all costs.

Novice Joo.

Do you have to leave?

If I stay here any longer,

I will only be a nuisance.

Master Kkon-nim.

Please take care of yourself.

You take care, too.

Do you even have a place to go?

Maybe if you asked the head guildmaster,

she could help you pay off your debt.

There are

more problems in the world

that money cannot solve.

Then,

I will see you again sometime.

See you!

-See you!

-See you!

Novice Joo!

I appreciate you!

CAPITAL GUARD

NO ENTRY, UNDER MAINTENANCE:

CAPTAIN HWANG

The Pil merchant guild is

steeped in suspicious activities.

But the problem is

that the investigation seems endless.

Captain, please take a look at this.

Doesn't it seem odd?

Isn't this the list of relief grains

that Madam Oh entrusted to the Pil guild?

What seems odd?

The relief grains that the queen dowager

donated last year totaled 15,400 tons,

but the actual amount of rice distributed

was less than 1,540 tons.

What?

Where did the rest go?

The rice could not have just disappeared.

Something smells fishy…

Superintendent Park Su-h*.

This is clearly a big problem,

even judging by my poor eyesight.

Do you have a plan?

The plan is…

to think about what to do.

Should I abandon my dream

of entering the palace now?

I have confirmed

that the person you asked about has left.

You can leave now.

But just in case,

may I meet them in person?

Oh, Yeo-hwa.

It would be easier if you had simply lived

as part of our family.

So many years have already passed.

How can you still not let go

of your attachment?

Mother.

I still seem to be hallucinating.

What should I do about this,

my dear Jeong?

Mother.

Brother?

Brother!

Jeong?

I am sorry for being late, Mother.

I have

finally returned.

Jeong…

Jeong…

Are you really my son, Jeong?

My goodness!

Oh, my son was alive!

Jeong!

Jeong!

Jeong…

Jeong…

What…

How…

How could this be?

Jeong…

They are on the move.

What brought you here all of a sudden?

I came to deliver

an urgent message from Lord Seok.

I am sorry, Sister.

You seem to have

greatly offended Lord Seok.

He should have just left me alone.

What does he want?

Did he tell you

to k*ll me right away to silence me?

Shouldn't you find a way to live?

Do you think that I would beg for

my pitiful existence

to someone as lowly as you?

No matter how rough it may be,

isn't it better to be alive than dead?

Even if it means

to live as a lowly commoner,

choosing to live could be better.

How dare you preach to me?

I don't need your understanding.

Even if it is just half,

you are still my sister.

I said these things

out of concern for you.

How dare you!

Do not dare to consider

the two of us as equals!

Father, did you call for me?

Come in.

Have you been at the shrine all this time?

Yes.

But why did you want to see me?

Have a seat.

Yes.

I may not know much

about the customs of women,

but I do know that you have done better

than anyone else.

Even the queen dowager

has praised you as a virtuous woman

worthy of the virtuous woman's gate.

It is all thanks to you and Mother.

Hence,

now it is your turn to repay the favor.

I apologize, Madam Oh.

Get out of here!

You can live

your whole life

as the left councilor's dog,

but I shall do as I wish.

Now that I know you never

considered me as your younger brother…

I cannot help but feel at ease.

Prepare to guard your husband's grave.