EPISODE 3
Excuse me.
Where are you coming from?
-Pardon me? -Your hair.
Thank you.
THE NIGHT BEFORE THE WEDDING
An exam for a female historian?
I came by unannounced, even though I know
how discourteous it is to do so.
I apologize for surprising you.
No, it's okay.
I was worried about your family.
Sir.
Lady Hae-ryung, why...
Please don't...
Why are you being like this?
Please call off the wedding.
I cannot go ahead with this marriage.
I cannot break off the engagement
when you did nothing wrong.
You should be the one to reject me.
Lady Hae-ryung.
Did my family hurt your feelings in any way?
Or is it because I am not good enough for you?
My heart is to blame.
I tried to accept you into my heart.
I tried to think that it was simply my fate,
but...
I cannot control my heart.
I do not think I can spend the rest of my life as a naive noble lady,
nor do I wish to live such a life.
I...
I truly cannot...
Lady Hae-ryung, it's okay.
That is...
That is not your fault.
However,
our marriage was decided by our families.
It is not something we can call off
just because we don't want to do it. Besides...
Lady Hae-ryung.
If...
I reject you,
people will point their finger at you for the rest of your life.
You may not be able to get married.
Would you rather...
go through all that...
than marry me?
I'm sorry. I cannot...
I cannot go ahead with this marriage!
Where are you going, all dressed up like that?
I want some fresh air, so I'm heading out for a walk.
Your Highness, do you take me for a fool?
You are going to the examination site to see all the ladies.
It's written all over your face.
I have no interest in...
I'm on my way to check out the exam.
If you think about it, I'm the one who came up with the question.
Don't I deserve to be there?
Hang on.
What happened when you went to check out the book rental store
the other day?
What happened that day again?
I nearly got abducted by some roughnecks.
And...
what happened when you snuck out and went to the book reading event
without telling me?
That was because of that weird woman--
What happened that day?
I was arrested and detained at the Royal Investigation Bureau.
All right. Then let's do some thinking here.
Should you go out and expose yourself
to all sorts of dangers and the crazy commoners?
Or should you stay at Nokseodang,
where safety and peace are guaranteed?
This time, I'll stay out of trouble and just quietly observe the examination.
Girls, are you there?
We prepared sturdy ropes, sir.
Shall we tie him up now?
Fine, I won't go anywhere!
We will now announce the topic!
Our ancestors believed that solar eclipses are heaven's way of chastising kings
for their shortcomings and wrongdoings.
So they tried to right their wrongs through the solar eclipse ritual,
but heaven's wrath continues to this day.
What must a king do
to prevent solar eclipses?
The topic is wrong.
Goodness, what should we do?
My gosh...
Did you know about this?
I'm asking if you knew!
Well, Lady Hae-ryung practically begged us.
Then you should have come to me. You should have told me!
Please forgive me, my lord. It is all my fault.
I thought it would be the best thing for Lady Hae-ryung.
You have 15 minutes to submit your sigwon!
SIGWON: ANSWER SHEET
Seol-geum.
My lady, is the exam over now?
Is Jae-gyeong very angry?
I told you. How could you abandon your own wedding
for this exam?
-I told you not to leave. -I'm sorry.
Have some.
Lord Goo sent these for you, saying you'll probably be hungry.
Even after what I did today?
-How knowledgeable. -Oh, my.
-Her writing is excellent. -My goodness.
How dare she!
Look, sir.
I've never seen such an arrogant answer before.
Who on earth submitted this?
This brazen wench.
I bet she has read those barbaric books from the West.
The Crown Prince wanted answers about virtuous governance
and the heavenly order.
How dare she try to lecture--
Who wishes to lecture me?
-Your Royal Highness. -Your Royal Highness.
I am getting restless just sitting around and waiting.
If there are any good answers, may I have a look at them?
We are still evaluating them, Your Royal Highness.
And we have not come across any answers that deserve your attention.
This analogy is wrong.
There was an earthquake after a solar eclipse
at the Weiyang Palace of Han, not the Xianyang Palace of Qin.
And here, the phrase "good governance" would work better
than "A king's good deeds are profound."
And for some of these answers, the handwriting looks identical.
It looks like they hired someone to solve the question for them.
We also thought it was odd.
Hence, we had already excluded them, Your Royal Highness.
Then please look into it and report all the details to me.
I will show everyone that it is a serious offense
to cheat on examinations.
Officer Min, I'd like you to recommend an answer for me to read.
Being a historian, I'm sure you can recognize the kind of talent we need.
Yes, Your Royal Highness.
Officer Min, how could you recommend such a brazen answer?
That answer is extremely insolent, Your Royal Highness.
Eclipses occur when the sun, the moon, and the earth line up perfectly.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon covers the sun.
A lunar eclipse occurs when the earth covers the moon.
ASTRONOMICAL CHART
It is not heaven's way of chastising us.
It is simply a phenomenon caused by the movements of heavenly bodies.
Nothing, not even Zhuge Liang's resurrection, can prevent its occurrence.
However, what we make of these occurrences
is completely up to us.
We fear it for we do not know why it happens.
And because we fear it, we think that it is an ominous sign.
Once you learn how the celestial bodies move,
you will realize that eclipses are merely fun spectacles, not calamitous signs.
"Jiyusuya Bulryujeukbu."
Knowledge is like water. If it doesn't flow, it becomes stale.
History books that are written in Chinese are too difficult to understand.
One reader-friendly history book written in Korean will open the floodgates
for the knowledge to reach all the people in this country.
"Knowing and seeing correctly
is the only way we can prevent the damage
caused by eclipses."
What a brazen answer.
My lady!
My lady.
-The results? -The results?
Let's go.
Please be careful.
Over there.
"Hae-ryung".
That's you, right? It means you passed the exam!
No, this isn't the list of candidates who passed.
COME TO DONGUNGJEON BY 3 P.M. TODAY
-Dongungjeon? -Yes!
The Dongungjeon that we know?
Where the Crown Prince lives?
Yes.
I clearly read, "Come to Dongungjeon by 3 p.m. today."
Why is he summoning the examinees to his residence?
What is the Crown Prince thinking?
Isn't it obvious?
"Choose the person who looks better."
He wants to see who's better-looking.
Is he choosing his concubine or what?
My deep insight is telling me
that this is a highly strategic and diplomatic way of saying, "Screw you."
"A strategic and diplomatic way"?
I mean, think about it.
It's not like he wanted to create this position.
He agreed because he was threatened by...
Anyway, he held the examination and acted like he was hiring for the role,
but he actually doesn't want to...
He doesn't want to hire anyone. Not even one bit.
So instead of announcing the passing candidates,
he's summoning them to Dongungjeon--
If he scolds them harshly one-on-one--
Then no one would want the position.
Bingo!
And thanks to him, we have nothing to worry about now.
How nice is this?
Officer Seong.
Yes, sir.
Even the King can't always make the right decisions.
I am Goo Hae-ryung, the sister of Fifth Counselor Goo Jae-gyeong--
Did you think I wouldn't know your name?
Tell me about Guan Longfeng.
Guan Longfeng was executed
because of his frank advice to King Jie--
Then what about Wang Zhang?
Wang Zhang was one of the key officials in the Later Han.
-Emperor Cheng killed him because-- -What about Bi Gan?
Bi Gan...
was a minister of the Shang Dynasty who was killed because of his frank advice
to King Zhou.
Correct.
All of them paid for their words with their lives.
You know what this can cost you,
and yet you have the audacity to write something like this.
Do you think I'm wrong?
I asked you if you think I'm wrong.
You are being impertinent. Answer at once.
Your Royal Highness,
if you think there is a way to prevent solar eclipses...
Yes, you're wrong.
It is not my personal opinion. I am simply stating the facts.
We, humans, cannot
control the will of the heavens.
The solar eclipse rituals seem effective
because they are held until the solar eclipse ends.
The ritual has no real effect.
How many people in Joseon do you think can eat
at least one satisfying meal a day?
And how many people in Joseon do you think can visit a physician
when they are ill?
-I-- -I bet you have no idea.
You were born into a noble family,
and you've never had to struggle in your entire life.
Did you say one book will be able to teach all the people of this country?
Joseon is a poor country.
Five out of ten fall asleep worrying about the next day's meals.
Six out of ten can't afford to get treated even when they're ill.
Commoners cannot even give their children proper burials if they die.
They cannot afford to be sad as they must find food to survive.
Thinking about things like books and celestial bodies
is a luxury to them. Do you realize that?
Even learning and realizing things
is a privilege, which only people like us can enjoy.
Are you aware of that?
The royal court holds the solar eclipse ritual
to give the people peace of mind. There is no other reason.
"Nothing bad will happen. Do not be afraid."
The ritual is held to impart this message.
Because that is the only thing we can do.
That is why we bow to the sky and play our musical instruments.
Therefore, the topic of the exam,
and your answer were both wrong. Do you have any objections?
All bow to His Royal Highness.
Raise your heads.
We will announce the results.
Oh Eun-im, the third daughter of Oh Bok-seon
from the Royal Cuisine Office.
Heo A-ran, the eldest daughter of Heo Man-gyun
from the Office of Interpreters.
Goo Hae-ryung, the sister of Goo Jae-gyeong
from the Office of Diplomatic Correspondence.
The highest score went to
Song Sa-hui, the eldest daughter of Song Jae-cheon,
the Section Chief of Personnel.
All those who have passed, come forward
and show your respect to His Royal Highness.
Second State Councilor.
SUCCESSFUL CANDIDATES
GOO HAE-RYUNG
Lady Hae-ryung.
Where is Jae-gyeong?
Who's there?
"False wages, embezzlement, and excuses."
Did that man, Sim Hak-bong, truly do all these things?
We are interrogating those who are connected with this,
but we have yet to obtain concrete proof, Your Majesty.
The Third Inspector of the Inspector General Office is a crucial role.
His job is to inspect the officials.
This rumor is enough for him to be rebuked.
Banish him from the capital immediately
and find his replacement.
I will no longer tolerate my royal advisors' arrogance.
Sir, didn't you hire Third Inspector Sim yourself?
Who'd dare to sabotage one of your men, sir?
It's a scheme against the Office of the Inspector-General.
I will look into it, sir.
He has already been dismissed.
Don't waste your energy.
Find his replacement quickly.
Yes, sir.
The examination went well, thanks to you.
Open it.
"Officer of the Junior First Rank, Jahagun Yi Seung-hwi."
Jin, Uncle--
I wanted to thank you for your help.
He is a member of the royal family,
so that will give you a free pass no matter where you go.
I can't even step out of Nokseodang freely.
When will I get a chance to use this?
Father is at the yigung right now.
YIGUNG: THE ROYAL VILLA
And I hear that Jahagun
is suffering from a bad skin disease at the moment.
His physician said he should go bathe in the hot springs.
Do you mean to say... Onyang...
Onyang?
Sam-bo!
When can I leave?
I haven't been to the royal villa in years.
Wait, if we're going to Onyang...
We should stop by Suwon for some ribs
and by Yongin for some sundae--
There is something we have to do before that.
Oh, boy.
What brings you here?
"What"? You ungrateful prick.
We did business together for years.
How dare you sell Maehwa out?
What are you talking about? I never sold him out.
-I just introduced him to-- -You're still such a blabbermouth!
You're dead meat!
My tooth! How dare you!
What will you do about my face now? My handsome face!
Do you even know who you're dealing with here?
Let go. Get off me.
-Back in my prime, -That's enough.
people used to call me Stone Ax.
-Break it up. -Let go. I said, let go.
I said, break it up.
Your High...
My lord!
Oh, dear. Let me see.
My gosh, I can't believe he did this to your handsome face.
Such insolence!
You shall be punished according to the law...
All right.
As for this, I'll pretend I tripped and fell.
I have a question for you though.
That lady...
Where can I find that woman?
"That lady"? Who?
The fake Maehwa.
From the book reading event.
You mean, Lady Hae-ryung?
The name of that woman
is Hae-ryung, is it?
ROYAL VILLA IN ONYANG
How did you get in here?
I guess you're hungry.
There's probably some food in the kitchen over there.
Don't be so friendly.
I'll get attached to you.
"Ho Dam and Yeongan.
This is where the path was made"
Ho Dam!
Your Highness, why did you already...
Your Highness!
Your Highness, what is the matter?
Please tell me what's going on.
-Why... -Your Highness.
I clearly saw the tombstone right here.
"Ho Dam and Yeongan. This is where the path was made"?
It was written on the tombstone.
Did anyone come here?
Or was there anyone other than us?
What do you mean?
Even the servants left long ago
upon the order of His Royal Highness.
Then where on earth is the tombstone that I saw?
Your Highness. By any chance,
have you been hearing things?
Do you suddenly get angry or see something odd--
-It's not like that. -Ho Dam.
Your Highness. I am sure you're still tired from traveling.
You should get some sleep now.
Your Highness.
Come.
DAERUCHEONG
Hello.
You're here early.
We're all in the same office as apprentices.
Let us be good friends.
My name is Heo A-ran.
And this lady right here is...
I am Oh Eun-im.
-I am-- -How dare you sit down
when you're still on probation?
Where are your respect and discipline?
I apologize, my lord. Please take a seat.
What will happen to this country?
They took the civil service exam.
With no sense of shame, they won't have any manners either.
It's because of my father.
From now on, come to Daerucheong an hour later.
Things like this won't happen if I'm around.
Are you Apprentice Song?
I am Sa-hui.
I am Hae-ryung. Goo Hae-ryung.
Isn't this so exciting?
Now that we are in the palace in our uniform,
it finally feels like we have become true female historians.
I couldn't sleep all night.
I still can't tell if this is a dream or a reality.
Right, I heard there are handsome historians at the Office of Royal Decrees.
The smartest of the smartest, the scholars of all scholars.
When they walk around the palace in a line
with a brush and a history book by their side,
I've heard they look amazing.
Are you going to the Office of Royal Decrees?
You're going in the wrong direction.
Do you see Jinseonmun right here?
If you pass through there, you'll see Sukjeongmun.
Past that, you'll see the high officials' meeting room.
And you take a left, a left,
and a right, a total of three times.
And there you'll find the Office of Royal Decrees.
-Thank you. -Thank you.
Yes, hurry along.
-Goodbye. -And get out of the palace.
THE OFFICE OF ROYAL DECREES
-You're still here? -Hello.
Weren't you on night duty? Why are you still here?
We hung around to meet the female historians.
-I guess they're running late. -What?
"Late"?
Isn't it a given that they come early on their first day
to greet their seniors?
They never learned to fear their seniors
because they didn't attend Sungkyunkwan.
Girls who spent their entire life
doing embroidery won't know a thing.
I'm sorry.
Goodness, I'm sorry.
You see, this crazy idiot...
is here.
Why? What about the crazy idiot?
Hello, I am Oh Eun-im, a female historian.
I am Heo A-ran, a female historian.
I am Song Sa-hui, a female historian.
I am Goo Hae-ryung, a female historian.
I am Seong Seo-gwon, a senior ninth-rank officer.
Goodness, there's no need to introduce yourself
to those that came late on the first day
and got the job without even taking the official exam.
We will do our best.
Please teach us well.
-Officer Yang! -Yes?
She wants to be a good historian.
Really? Tell her to go ahead and do that.
You are not a historian.
That was unlike you.
They took an irregular examination, but they are still probationary officers.
If you're trying to make them quit...
She won't quit.
Pardon?
I know her.
Did you hear what Officer Min said?
Female historian, my foot.
You're just a group of low-level clerks.
-Officer. -"Officer"?
You mean, "My lord."
I'm suddenly really thirsty.
Whom should I send? Clerk Goo.
Bring me some water.
-Pardon? -Didn't you hear him?
He said he wants to drink some water.
Clerk Goo.
Then...
Should I bring cold water?
Sure.
Walk quietly.
-Clerk Goo. -Yes?
Take this.
-Clerk Heo. -Yes?
-Clerk Oh. -Yes?
What are you doing? Can't you see how dirty this area is?
You should be cleaning the dirty area, not the clean area.
My lord, I brought everything.
Pardon?
Here you go.
No, take them to Chi-guk.
Go on. Give them to Chi-guk.
My lord, these are for you, right?
No?
It's delicious.
What's this?
-Clerk Goo. -Yes?
The tofu just fell.
Yes, I can see that.
The tofu fell on the floor.
-Why? Are you tired? -No.
If you're tired, go home.
If you're so sleepy,
run 20 laps around the building.
Do you want to run 50 laps?
No, my lord.
My gosh.
Move your leg so I can put the table down.
Seol-geum.
I've come to respect you so much after what I've been through today.
Stop talking nonsense and eat.
I heard you even skipped lunch.
I really mean it.
After working really hard today,
I realized that this job isn't for everyone.
You cook and clean every single day.
I couldn't stop thinking about you.
Then you should get back to your senses
and look for a nice man to marry.
You can take me with you as your servant
and help me live a comfortable life.
What are you talking about?
I worked so hard to get this job. I'm not going to quit.
Are you saying you're going to continue slaving away
for those historians?
I may be nothing but a clerk for now,
but I'm sure they'll let me write something
after a couple of years.
Wouldn't it be a waste not to make use of a smart woman like me?
-Lady Hae-ryung. -Yes?
You know you make it really hard for people to like you, don't you?
Yes, I know.
I'm glad you do.
This is delicious.
They say that greed knows no bounds.
After a few days of good rest,
I really don't want to go back to Hanyang.
Why don't you talk to His Royal Highness
and ask if we could live here instead?
We will be able to live a very fun life here.
Then what about your wife?
Let's go. We need to be there before 7 p.m.
My goodness.
-By the way, Sam-bo. -Yes?
-About that tombstone-- -That again?
We've already discussed this.
You were extremely tired,
and you dozed off because of the warm water.
But the more I think about--
You told me you saw a dog.
And inside the palace at that.
That proves that it was just a silly dream.
Do you really think it was a dream?
I told you that it was a silly dream
because there was nothing logical about it.
But you're driving me mad
by asking me why I think it was a silly dream.
Your Highness, how about if we just forget about that
and drop by Suwon
to have some ribs before we go back?
He's sullen again.
If you don't want ribs how about some rib stew?
My gosh, we're working like slaves here.
Look at how wrinkly my hands have become.
I never even poured myself my own cup of water at home.
But here, I'm busy doing the dishes.
I've never been mistreated like this during my 18 years of being alive.
I'm practically eating all the meat at the butcher's these days.
I'm always exhausted, so I need to eat
at least three to four dishes of beef to get some energy.
Wait.
Do you think they're trying to haze us?
Is that why they're being so mean to us?
The Office of Royal Decrees is notorious for its hazing rituals.
The newcomers are stripped and beaten at a kisaeng house.
They even have to roll in the mud.
But didn't His Royal Highness forbid them from hazing us?
That's probably why they're being so mean to us.
They can't stand that we get to skip everything that they had to go through.
They're upset and jealous.
Come to think of it, you're right.
I heard Yulgok Yi-i also got kicked out
because he tried
to avoid the hazing ritual. I heard he even got bullied.
Then is that why they kept calling us low-level clerks
and made us do petty chores?
-That's right. -That's right.
And is that why they also told us that we're not historians?
-That's right. -That's right.
Ladies.
A "hazing ritual"?
Do you even know what a hazing ritual consists of?
Yes, I do.
You can beat us up,
make us dance,
and even make us
strip naked.
We can't do that to a woman.
Go back.
Is it because women
can't be government officials?
We got to this position by taking the civil service exam
just like everyone else.
But why are we exempted from going through a hazing ritual?
Is it because we're women and can't be accepted as historians?
No, that's not it.
Well, that's what it seems like
to me.
Here are the place and time of the ritual.
I hope to see you there.
Officer Yang!
-Officer Yang! -What is it?
-Take a look at this. -What is this?
They're doing what?
A hazing ritual?
Do they think we're going to accept them
if they do this?
This is good news.
I still get so angry every time I think back
to my own hazing ritual.
-We should blow off our steam-- -Wait.
We're the ones who performed your hazing ritual.
And thanks to you, I've become a great historian.
What should we do?
Spray dirty water on them? Make them drink soy sauce?
Or should we
-pour cow's urine on them? -We can't do that to noble ladies.
I'm going to greet our female historians
with the utmost respect. I'm going to keep things traditional.
My goodness, you're here.
We didn't want to keep you waiting,
so we asked everyone to gather a little early.
This is our way of paying our respects
to you.
And this croaker from the south
is an expression of our sincerity.
Sincerity, my foot. We'll have to pay for all that.
Okay, then. You should start off by greeting us with a bow.
Okay, great. I hope you'll be very obedient to your seniors.
Take your seats.
Now, drink the whole thing.
No, not that one. The one next to it.
What? How can we finish this?
No.
Why? Because you're a woman?
I guess the hazing ritual is a bit too much for you ladies.
It's absurd for noble ladies to receive drinks
from men at a kisaeng house.
That is utterly unimaginable in Joseon.
I agree.
My goodness, let us go and have some drinks on our own.
-I'll drink it. -Who just said that?
I have to say, Clerk Song is very bright.
Okay, then. Have another bowl.
This smells amazing.
Here.
My goodness, that looks delicious.
Now, that's the kind of spirit you need to become a historian.
-Officer An. -Yes, sir.
Here.
Wait.
I will
drink this one.
However,
your affection for us is very touching.
So I must return the love.
-What? -King Wen of Zhou
became a true leader when he was imprisoned.
And Qu Yuan wrote Li Sao
after he was banished from Zhou.
So the Analects of Confucius say,
"Making someone suffer comes from true affection."
It means you give people hardships because you love them.
So please accept it.
It is a token of my respect.
Over here!
Let's do this!
Don't regret it.
You brought this upon yourself.
Cheers.
-Cheers! -Cheers!
Scoop as much as you can.
Your Highness, it's already past 9 p.m.
Must you stand here in the middle of the bridge?
I'm waiting here because this is where we agreed to meet.
And I didn't know
there'd be so many people here.
You've been waiting for over an hour. You should get the message by now.
She's not going to show up.
You sent her a letter out of nowhere asking her to apologize.
I doubt anyone would show up to apologize
after receiving a letter like that.
Your Highness, what was that face just now?
You look like a man who has been stood up by his lover.
What kind of nonsense is that?
"Lover"?
How could you call my lifetime enemy a lover?
Forget it if I'm wrong. You don't have to get so angry about it.
My goodness.
Goo Hae-ryung.
My goodness.
Gosh.
Are we done?
That's enough.
-Give me that. -Enough.
My gosh.
Give it to me.
You're...
You're crazy.
You're really a crazy...
You're a crazy woman.
I know.
Drink again?
I miss my mother.
My gosh.
Did you...
We won!
-Sir! -We did it!
-You did it! -Sir.
Wake up.
You did it!
Sir, wake up.
-My goodness. -Sir, wake up.
Sir, please.
-Sir! -We did it!
-I can't believe this. -This is unbelievable.
-Sir! -Wake up!
Sir, wake up.
My goodness, gracious.
Lady Hae-ryung.
-My goodness. -I'm okay.
My gosh, be careful.
-My goodness. -Oh, gosh.
My gosh.
I was so worried. How much did you...
-My goodness! -Hae-ryung!
Jae-gyeong.
Why are you lying on the ground?
It's cold. You'll get sick.
-Seol-geum. -Yes, my lord.
-Can you please hold this? -Okay.
Here.
Let's go.
-Jae-gyeong. -Gosh.
Let's go. Lead the way.
-My gosh. -Lady Hae-ryung.
Lady Hae-ryung! Your shoes!
-I'll be off. -Okay, bye...
I work at the Office of Royal Decrees.
I am Hae-ryung, a probationary historian of the Office of Royal Decrees.
The Office of Royal Decrees gave orders
to not let anyone in after 7 a.m.
Pardon?
What kind of nonsense is that?
Please let me in.
I know a way you can get inside.
Really?
There's a small hole at the back that leads to the palace.
Lady Park!
Lady Choe!
Hey!
Where is everyone?
Hey!
My goodness.
Court ladies
are strictly forbidden from entering Nokseodang.
So make sure you don't get caught.
Are you lost?
Maehwa?
Sparrow?
It was unpleasant.
I don't need your help.
I can take care of myself.
I'll teach them starting from tomorrow.
Someone was murdered in a deserted house.
Isn't it a bit too meticulous to be done by a group of ladies
who are working in the palace?
I met someone interesting in the palace.
He's a man who's incapable of loving a woman.
Where's the person I asked for?
I will teach you all a lesson!
What's the name of that book?
Did you just say "Ho Dam"?