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I've put together some information on Jin-beon and yim-doon.
Why are you showing this to me?
Please give me some soldiers.
I will attack Jin-beon and yim-doon and save the refugees.
You mean, you want to go to war with Jin-beon and yim-doon?
Yes. Now is the time. If I win this war, aside from saving the refugees,
it is a chance to tip the balance of power away from the queen and prince dae-so.
I understand, but getting his majesty's consent won't be easy.
There will be a lot of opposing voices.
I'm sure it won't be easy.
However, his majesty is carrying his guilt for not being able to help the refugees over the years.
That's why he said he'd put aside the ministers' oppositions,
and welcome the refugees escaping hyeon-to.
If he decides against such a promising war,
then I'll have to re-evaluate my views of his majesty.
Ju-mong.
Mother, it's true that his majesty took care of you and me
but, if he opposes the great mission father dreamt of, then I can no longer serve him.
In that case, I will take you and leave buyeo.
I heard you were looking for us.
Did you see anything suspicious about dae-so lately?
He visited sachuldo ma-ga yesterday and
he has been meeting the prime minister a lot lately.
Prince young-po is with do-chi right now.
Commander, why don't we eliminate do-chi?
We know perfectly well that he is involved in smuggling and murdering.
Considering how you've suffered because of him,
I think we should eliminate him now.
Since he has a relationship with young-po, it is not the time yet.
Young-po extended his hands to me and offered to beat dae-so together.
But he tried to kill you.
Do you really believe him?
Yes.
Young-po is capable of doing that.
I will take young-po's hand and go with him.
As long as it doesn't go against the great cause...
as long as I can fulfill my mission, I'm willing to join hands with my enemy.
This sword was developed at the gyehru iron workshop.
How does this compare with prince dae-so's sword?
You can say that this is either equal or a little superior.
That means it's still not as good as the steel swords of han.
But since I've grasped the clue to unlocking the steel-forging techniques,
I'm getting close.
What was the key point?
Yellow soil.
The key to success is in determining the amount of yellow soil to add
while melting the galvanized iron to make pig iron.
I, mo pal-mo, have spent decades in the iron workshop.
I know everything about iron.
Now that I have a clue to unlock this mystery,
I'm not far from beating the guys who came to the buyeo iron workshop.
Just wait and see.
I'll make a sword comparable to... I mean, superior to the steel swords of han.
Did you report this to king geum-wa?
No.
As of now, there's no point because this isn't much different from dae-so's sword.
Like mo pal-mo said, I will wait until we produce a sword
that is comparable to the han's steel swords.
Now that you have a new sword, you must have gained more confidence
about striking Jin-beon and yim-doon.
Yes.
The information you gave me about Jin-beon and yim-doon was a great help
in convincing his majesty.
What did his majesty say?
It won't be an easy decision, but I'll get what I want.
Why are you smiling?
You've changed a lot.
The light in your eyes, and your confidence in what you want to do,
looks good.
Oh yeah,
do you want to hear something interesting?
You wanted to know why prince dae-so has been visiting hyeon-to, right?
Did you find out?
Yes.
You know the new blacksmiths in the buyeo's iron workshop?
He said they were refugees who ran away from the han's iron smithies,
but that may not be true.
They were sent by Yang-jeong.
Prince dae-so and Yang-jeong made a deal.
The agreement they made was that prince dae-so is to marry Yang-jeong's daughter.
Doesn't prince dae-so's tenacity scare you?
Watch out for the blacksmiths prince dae-so brought.
They may not actually be blacksmiths.
Pay your respects. This is prince dae-so.
Who are they?
Theses blacksmiths just got here from hyeon-to.
They're here to help us.
You'll need to work harder to replace buyeo's weapons
with the steel weapons you make.
Yes, prince.
Carry on, then.
The governor has ordered us to slow down the production.
I see.
Anything else?
He wants us to have access to the buyeo palace.
Not a problem.
Prince dae-so trusts us.
We can go anywhere we wish.
Are you happy?
Of course!
Although small in size, we made an iron workshop in gyehru,
and even got to make a great sword like this.
You can now say gyehru has complete power over cholbon.
If biryu's chief song-Yang hears of this, he won't dare look down on gyehru.
Father.
Do you know why ju-mong wanted information on Jin-beon and yim-doon?
He's planning a war with Jin-beon and yim-doon.
He already reported it to king geum-wa.
A war?
Yes.
I don't know what king geum-wa's decision will be,
but if he does decide to go to war,
I want to lead our business troop to supply the goods at the battlefield.
Do you know what that war means?
Once the han ends the war with the southwest yi tribe,
their triumphant forces will turn to buyeo.
When that happens, it can be an all-out-war with the han,
not just Jin-beon and yim-doon.
You always told me that great profits come with great risk.
Supplying the goods to the troops during a war will make a great profit.
That's right, but only when you're sure that you're going to win!
We can win.
We can take over Jin-beon and yim-doon before the han army reaches buyeo
after the war with the southwest yi tribe.
Jin-beon and yim-doon are often without a governor.
The citizens who moved there are going back to han.
They're not as strong as hyeon-to.
We need to maintain our relationship with han, as well as with buyeo.
If we join buyeo to supply the goods, we'll be enemies with han.
Until now, we've been preserving our tribe
by walking the tightrope between strong nations.
But we can't stay that way forever.
It's time for us to choose a nation we can bet gyehru's future on.
Watch out for the blacksmiths prince dae-so brought.
They may not actually be blacksmiths.
I haven't seen them before.
They are new blacksmiths we brought in with prince dae-so's permission.
Are they also refugee blacksmiths who escaped the han iron workshop?
Yes.
I see.
Carry on.
We have more blacksmiths in the iron workshop.
Keep a very close watch on them.
But watching them won't help us find out their techniques.
I'm not telling you to watch them for their techniques.
There's a possibility that they might do other things
what other things?
They're not refugee blacksmiths who escaped hyeon-to.
Then?
Dae-so and Yang-jeong made n agreement.
They were sent by Yang-jeong as a part of that agreement.
They may be spies.
I received a letter from uncle ma-ga.
He said he'll strongly appeal to his majesty,
and say that sachuldo won't accept the refugees even if his majesty does.
Good.
Then the ministers will have something to back them up
when trying to making his majesty take back his decision.
We must stop his majesty at all cost.
How are the priestesses doing?
Priestesses yoo-sung and hyun-moo are down in sachuldo, convincing the people.
You said you need someone to take responsibility for the evil omens, right?
Yes.
Tell the priestesses that those omens have appeared
because his majesty trampled on the divination palace.
Make the citizens believe that his majesty's despotic ruling will ruin buyeo.
Mother.
Do we have to do that?
You and I have been awaiting on his majesty all our lives,
but we only received humiliation and insult in return.
Aren't you angry and exasperated by him?
This is our chance.
If you become the crown prince,
you'll win the hearts of sachuldo, the divination palace, and as well as the people.
Welcome.
Is my mother inside?
She is, but she's having an important conversation.
No one is allowed in.
Even me?
Yes.
Who's inside?
Who's inside?!
Prince dae-so, priestess ma oo-ryeong, and the court minister are inside.
I see, now they're leaving me out too.
Fine.
Let's see what happens.
I've put together some information on Jin-beon and yim-doon.
Your majesty, lady yoo-hwa is here.
Escort her inside.
Have a seat.
Are you contemplating over the Jin-beon and yim-doon issue?
I heard from ju-mong.
Yes.
Jin-beon and yim-doon are weaker than they used to be,
and han can't send reinforcements because of a war with the southeast.
But that doesn't mean we'll win for sure.
In my opinion, you shouldn't enter this war after assuring victory,
but rather enter the war first, and then seek victory.
I also feel the need to go to war for the refugees, but...
Although this is a war to rescue the refugees, there's another reason for this.
It's for the powers that challenges your majesty's authority.
The queen, the sachuldo, and the divination palace?
That's right.
On the outside, they refuse to accept the refugees out of concern
for our relationship with han.
But on the inside, they're ambitious to challenge your authority
by making you go back on your decision.
If you win this war, not only will you save the old joseon refugees,
but the people who lust over your power won't dare be disloyal again.
Did you look into it?
Yes.
The sachuldo leaders have already sided with their leader ma-ga and decided not
to accept the refugees into their territory, despite your orders.
Ma-ga has been contacting the queen whenever occasion calls.
The queen and the court minister are trying to pressure your majesty
by convincing the officers along with the sachuldo leaders.
The divination palace, which is just the queen's puppet,
is also bewildering the people by spreading rumors that
the evil omens are the result of your majesty's despotic rulings.
Commander of the bodyguards!
Welcome.
What's the occasion? I was surprised by your invitation.
This is in return for the invitation you gave me last time.
Thanks.
- Here you go. - Sure.
This wine is sweet.
I haven't tasted a wine this sweet lately.
You must be tired from the competition.
Drink up, and cheer up.
What's wrong?
Don't even talk about the competition.
I'm losing my appetite.
Dae-so made a lot of achievements, and he's a hard man to bear.
But that doesn't mean you can't make a greater achievement.
A greater achievement?
There's nothing greater than making steel weapons for buyeo.
Yes, there is.
What is it? Tell me.
What do you think is the reason his majesty wants to develop steel swords?
To stand against han's threats?
That's right.
Then if you take over the commanderies surrounding buyeo,
isn't that a greater achievement than producing steel weapons?
Are you telling me to go to war?
Right.
You can't beat dae-so unless you make an achievement through war.
If buyeo should go to war with han,
we, as the royal bodyguards, should stand on the front lines.
The han army we'll have to face will be the iron army.
We must be prepared to fight with the iron army.
- Mari. - Yes, commander.
In order to train ourselves to beat the iron army,
I've dressed these men like the iron army.
Of course, their armor is not as strong as that of han's iron army.
But training with them will help you beat the iron army.
Come to the front!
The arrows of buyeo cannot Pierce through the iron army's armor.
Their weapons are also stronger than those of buyeo's.
There are only two ways to beat them.
First, aim and shoot at their neck between the armor and the helmet.
Second, attack them on horse, and aim for their neck.
Oh-yi.
Yes, commander.
You're up.
Begin.
Wang so-mun.
Yes, governor.
The emperor has ordered hyeon-to to maintain friendly relations with buyeo,
and the surrounding countries.
Do you know what the meaning behind that is?
He doesn't want conflict with other countries,
at least not until the war with the southwest yi tribe is over.
Go to buyeo to deliver the emperor's message.
Yes, governor.
Send me too.
You?
I think I'm the perfect person to go if this visit is for friendly relations.
Since you'll have to live there anyways if you marry dae-so,
it won't be a bad idea to visit beforehand.
I will escort her safely.
Very well.
Go ahead.
Your highness, an envoy from hyeon-to is here.
An envoy? Who is it?
It is lady sul-LAN.
What?
Why would sul-LAN come all the way to buyeo?
That we don't know.
Commander.
What is it?
An envoy came from hyeon-to. It's Yang-jeong's daughter.
The condition for the agreement was that
prince dae-so is to marry Yang-jeong's daughter.
Isn't prince dae-so's audacity scary?
My name is Yang sul-LAN.
I'm here with a message from the governor.
The emperor of the han nation is very satisfied with our trade with buyeo.
Although we can't trade freely due to han's monopoly on salt and iron,
he has ordered to import as many horses
and tiger skins from buyeo as we need, and expand trades.
Tax officer.
Yes, your majesty.
After you've discussed the matter with yeon ta-bal's merchant group,
find out how many horses and tiger skins we have, and report to me.
Yes, I will carry out your majesty's orders.
Trades were reduced because we've been hostile towards each other.
I don't know why you want to request expanding trades.
Because that's what prince dae-so asked my father to do
while he was in hyeon-to to adjust trade items.
This is all thanks to prince dae-so.
I'm sure Yang-jeong didn't send his daughter for a trade issue.
What's your reason for coming to buyeo in person?
I heard my father and your majesty once were good childhood friends,
but became hostile towards each other because of their different views.
My father still wants a friendly relationship with buyeo.
That's what my father wanted me to tell your majesty.
Yang-jeong was the one who paved the way for the tension between buyeo and han.
And now he wants friendly relations?
Dae-so.
Yes, your majesty.
I want the ministry of foreign affairs to welcome the envoy.
Yes, your majesty.
Have you been well?
It must've been a difficult, long trip.
Not really, because I was looking forward to seeing you again.
I was nervous because I was afraid you might bring up our marriage issue.
I still haven't told his majesty yet.
I have common sense too, you know.
No, that's not what I meant...
Don't worry.
I came to buyeo to help you stand on firmer ground.
Thank you.
I prepared a banquet for you.
Let's go.
What brings you to the palace?
Isn't the office of foreign affairs meeting today?
Oh, you're right.
I need to attend an envoy from hyeon-to.
I don't think I can make it to the meeting.
Bye then.
Who's the woman next to prince dae-so?
She's Yang-jeong's daughter.
Yang-jeong's daughter?
Guda and gaema are uniting to cultivate the wastelands
that don't have clear borders.
Since these two neighboring countries are mountainous,
they're probably trying to cultivate more barren lands for farming purposes.
There's nothing wrong with that.
It's not that simple.
The two countries are allying to extend their territory.
If this leads to a military alliance, it could be a problem.
You should keep an eye on them.
I need to speak to so seo-no for a minute.
I'll see you later.
I once mentioned to you the story of the merchant yuh bul-whi.
Are you still standing by your decision?
Yes.
Are you sure you won't regret it?
If you change your mind and choose me,
I can pass on the secret of steel-forging techniques to gyehru.
I can even let you make a military alliance with buyeo,
and help gyehru unite the five allied tribes of cholbon to form a nation.
How about that?
Isn't that enough to choose me?
Your highness.
I heard some interesting news from my group in hyeon-to.
There's a strange rumor going around in hyeon-to right now.
People are saying that you'll be marrying Yang-jeong's daughter Yang sul-LAN soon.
Isn't that interesting news?
What are you talking about?
It's probably a rumor spread by forces that are trying to slander me.
You don't need to pay attention to rumors like that.
Not at all.
You and Yang sul-LAN seemed to make a good pair when I saw you two earlier.
I hope it works out between you two.
How are things going in the buyeo royal family?
It's completely divided between the buyeo king and the queen's people.
Like we reported last time, the queen has sided with the sachuldo leaders,
pressuring the buyeo king not to take in the refugees.
Good.
What about the iron workshop?
The people from hyeon-to have met secretly
with the iron workshop blacksmiths.
I think they really are spies, like you said.
Commander, what are we waiting for?
I'll just go and finish them now.
No, just leave them alone.
Is there a good reason?
Their existence will be a means to weaken dae-so's position.
We can use them at the right time.
We have evidence that they're spies, keep an even closer watch on them.
Yes, commander.
But who's going to look after the suffering joseon refugees
who are waiting hopelessly for their death?
Have you really forgotten about the old joseon refugees?
If you win this war, not only will you save the old joseon refugees,
but the people who lust over your power won't dare be disloyal again.
I've made my decision to strike Jin-beon and yim-doon to save the old joseon refugees.
Your majesty!
This is absurd!
We can't strike Jin-beon and yim-doon!
Han even sent an envoy to maintain friendly relations not too long ago!
Your majesty.
I understand why you want to save the refugees,
but it's impossible to fight Jin-beon and yim-doon.
A war with Jin-beon and yim-doon is hard enough,
but how are we going to handle reinforcements from the han?
I believe your majesty has a good reason for making a decision like that.
Please tell us.
Commander of the bodyguards.
Yes, your majesty.
Come to the front and tell everyone why we should strike Jin-beon and yim-doon.
First of all, Jin-beon and yim-doon are much weaker than they used to be.
They don't even have governors because no one was assigned to that office.
Even the people who moved there from han are going back to the mainland.
They don't even have half the soldiers they used to have.
If we don't strike them now, we're missing a great opportunity.
What about the reinforcements from han?
Han is in a war with the southwest yi tribe.
They can't send reinforcements even if we strike Jin-beon and yim-doon.
Even if they do send reinforcements,
buyeo would've taken over Jin-beon and yim-doon by then.
Although Jin-beon and yim-doon are weaker than they used to be,
the han's iron army is still powerful.
How are you going to handle them?
You can't fight a war with weapons only.
The da-mul army led by his majesty and commander hae mo-su saved
numerous refugees with weapons that were no match for those of the iron army.
That was possible because the da-mul army was determined to fight until death
in order to preserve our land and save the refugees.
If the buyeo soldiers are just as determined, we can't lose,
especially when we have dae-so's improved steel swords!
The commander of bodyguards is right, your majesty.
Your majesty, please let me take the lead.
I'll take the lead and slash that iron army.
Chief general.
Yes, your majesty.
From now on, the buyeo military should prepare for war.
This is chief general heukchi, in obedience to your majesty's orders!
Wha... what?
He has lost his mind... Yes, he has!
How could he think of fighting against the han?
All of this is ju-mong's fault.
That bastard is staying by his majesty's side, pushing him on.
Indeed, he is the one who will bring ruin to buyeo in the end.
What should we do now?
Mother.
There is something I haven't told you yet.
The blacksmiths I brought are here because of the agreement I made with Yang-jeong.
Do you mean, those blacksmiths are not refugees who ran away from hyeon-to?
Yes.
They're blacksmiths working for the han forge.
If you made an agreement with Yang-jeong, what did you promise to give him?
I promised to marry Yang-jeong's daughter.
Yang-jeong's daughter...
You mean that Yang sul-LAN who was here as an envoy?
Yes.
Do you think his majesty will consent to that?
It was a difficult decision, but that was the only way
I could ease tensions with the han and benefit buyeo.
You have to marry someone you don't even want for the sake of buyeo...
I doubt his majesty will ever know how much you've sacrificed.
That's why we need to stop this war.
If a war breaks out, my plan will be ruined.
I see. Don't worry.
His majesty won't be able to fight this war as he wants to.
King geum-wa said he'll go to war with Jin-beon and yim-doon.
Go and tell the governor immediately.
Yes.
Na-ru.
Yes.
Go to hyeon-to right now and give this to the governor.
Yes, your highness.
- My lord. - What is it?
King geum-wa has decided to go to war with Jin-beon and yim-doon.
So it's finally here.
I need to make a trip to gyehru.
Governor, we have news from our spies in buyeo.
What seems to be the matter?
Geum-wa is planning to attack Jin-beon and yim-doon.
You mean, he's going to war?
Geum-wa, that fool!
Governor.
We have a message from prince dae-so.
What did he say?
He says although geum-wa has announced a war,
I don't need to worry as he will stop it before it happens.
Do you believe that prince dae-so can stop geum-wa?
Yeo mi-eul, yin-lang has brought priestess so-ryeong and byu ri-ha.
Tell them to come in.
Yeo mi-eul.
You came a long way.
Welcome.
Byu ri-ha said that the three-legged bird that will cover buyeo's sun is prince ju-mong.
Prince ju-mong will die if he doesn't leave buyeo.
Byu ri-ha.
Yes?
The three-legged bird is prince ju-mong for sure.
But it is no longer a bird of evil omen.
Rather, it's an auspicious omen we must serve.
Have you been well, great chief?
I've heard a lot about your hard work, chief Yang-tak.
Good job.
My lord!
Oo-tae.
Forgive me for making you concerned.
How do you feel?
Much better.
He can even walk around now.
Did king geum-wa really decide to go to war with the han?
Yes.
I never expected this to happen.
King geum-wa made that decision
because prince ju-mong convinced him to.
Prince ju-mong?
Prince ju-mong wants to save the old joseon refugees
by striking Jin-beon and yim-doon.
I came here to discuss an important matter with you.
Yeo mi-eul.
I'm debating whether I should join this war as a war supplier.
Tell us whether our clan should participate as a supplier or not.
I want to end this war in the shortest amount of time possible.
Tax officer, how much do we have in war supplies?
Yes, your majesty. We have enough food to feed 50,000 soldiers and horses for a month.
But a war doesn't end in one month.
We're absolutely short on war supplies.
Chief general.
Do you have a good grasp of the size of the Jin-beon and yim-doon army?
They have 20,000 soldiers in all.
Buyeo has 20,000 soldiers in the central army.
If we transfer the sachuldo soldiers temporarily, we'll have 50,000 in all.
That's more than enough to attack Jin-beon and yim-doon.
But your majesty, we can't take all those soldiers into the war.
We need to leave half of the central army behind
in case neighboring countries attack us.
And considering we'll be fighting against the han's iron army,
that is not a big number.
Send a message to our envoy in sachuldo and ask for 20,000 soldiers.
Yes, your majesty.
Prime minister.
Yes, your highness.
The royal bodyguards will stand on the forefront and fight the iron army.
You don't need to worry.
I've been training the royal bodyguards as an advance unit to beat the iron army.
I will show everyone here just how powerful the royal bodyguards are.
Priestess so-ryeong has disappeared along with byu ri-ha.
I'm sure they went to priestess yeo mi-eul.
Disappearance of a priestess...
If the queen learns of this, she'll make me take responsibility.
I miss the days when I was a ma-ga clan priestess.
Becoming the high priestess of the buyeo divination palace has brought me nothing good.
Her highness the queen is here.
What are you doing right now?
Well, hearing that priestess so-ryeong has disappeared along with byu ri-ha
I'm trying to formulate a countermeasure.
What's so important about that mere girl?
Blocking the war is what's urgent!
Talk to his majesty as soon as possible, and relay the will of the divination palace and the people.
Your highness.
Although it was through your graces that I became the head priestess of the divination palace
it is still I who decide on the divination palace's matters.
Please don't be so assertive.
In my great urgency, I ended up behaving rudely.
Madame ma oo-ryeong has to stand up to his majesty's reckless decision.
Your majesty, priestess ma oo-ryeong and the sachuldo priestesses are here.
Tell them that I don't want to see them.
Yes, your majesty.
His majesty does not wish to see the priestesses.
But I have something important to report to his majesty.
Please ask him again to Grant us an audience.
Aren't you priestesses trying to talk him out of this war?
You can't make him change his mind.
You should just go back.
- Commander. - What is it?
Sachuldo's ma-ga came to the palace
and is currently in a meeting with the queen and prince dae-so.
If a sachuldo leader comes to the palace
isn't it proper that he see his majesty first?
The queen is certainly taking extraordinary measures to block the war.
Uncle, you must do whatever it takes to stop him.
If his majesty becomes more powerful through this war,
it will be at the expense of dae-so's future, as well as you and sachuldo.
The officers opposed the war,
but it wasn't enough to make his majesty change his mind.
I need you to take action.
Very well.
I'll take care of the sachuldo leaders.
So don't worry.
I will use this opportunity to break the king's spirit
and make him choose you as the crown prince.
What brings you here without any notice?
Since you never come outside the palace, I have no choice but to come to see you.
Since his majesty decided to go to war, the palace has been very busy...
I'm sorry.
Of course I know you're busy.
Gosh, I can't even fret and joke around when I'm with you.
How's everything going?
The officers and the sachuldo leaders' oppositions are fiercer than I expected.
Everything will go as you wish.
Don't worry.
I will come to your aid.
Once the war takes place, I'll take my merchant group to supply the goods.
No way.
I can't let you go into the battlefield.
It's not like I'll be fighting on the front lines.
There's no danger in supplying the goods.
I can't send you off to the battlefield and worry myself sick in here.
Not only am I going for your sake, but it's for my sake as well.
I might die from an aching heart while waiting for you.
Miss...
What did the queen say?
She said that in order to stop the war, the sachuldo should not send troops.
Of course!
We can't send soldiers to a losing war.
His majesty's arogance has crossed the line.
Your must make a decision, elder.
What is it?
I am a messenger from his majesty.
What did he say?
He has commanded sachuldo to send 20,000 soldiers.
Go and tell his majesty that sachuldo not only disapproves of this war,
we won't even send a single soldier.
Are you acting against his majesty's orders?
It's not sachuldo who is acting against his majesty's orders.
It's his majesty who is acting against heaven's will.
Elder ma-ga!
Sachuldo is a subject of buyeo!
How can you disobey his majesty?
You wretch!
How dare you tell me what to do!
Is anyone out there? Take him away!
Are you going to live as a dog of han?
Obey his majesty's orders!
H-How dare you!
This is from ma-ga of sachuldo.
Open it.
What is it?
It's the head of our envoy in sachuldo.
What!?
Ma-ga says that sachuldo will not send even a single soldier.
Poh Kim
this is putting a sword...
To my neck
before declaring war on han
I will sever the jaega's heads
assassins have infiltrated the palace
please seek refuge
your majesty, please give us a chance
to restore the glory of the dae mool army
please let us fight
anyone who plots to harm his majesty...
Cannot escape death
not even a prince
someday, you and your mother will bow down at my feet...
And beg for my forgiveness
that day will surely come
I'll have prince daeso released...
On one condition