PARK HYUNG-SIK
JEON SO-NEE
PYO YE-JIN
YUN JONG-SEOK
LEE TAE-SEON
OUR BLOOMING YOUTH
THIS IS A FICTIONAL STORY
NAMES, CHARACTERS, PLACES AND INCIDENTS IN THIS DRAMA
ARE FICTITIOUS
ANIMAL SCENES ARE CREATED
WITH PROPS AND VISUAL EFFECTS
His Highness saw the ghost's letter.
Who was in this room?
I shot an arrow at the Crown Prince's right shoulder.
The second curse has been completed.
I found the letter His Highness
meant to send to Master Min.
His Highness brought a soldier from the hunting grounds.
There's a new eunuch in the east palace.
His name is Go Sun-dol.
His Highness is summoning eunuchs
and court ladies from Byeokcheon.
Eunuch Go Sun-dol of the East Palace
is Master Min's daughter, Min Jae-yi.
Your Highness, Section Chief Han is here.
Come in.
Welcome Section Chief Han.
Have a seat.
Thank you for protecting Ha-yeon and Myeong-ahn.
I asked you to come because I wanted to thank you in person.
Ha-yeon truly does love her brother.
I thought she was just a little girl, but I was wrong.
She even asked you to come just in case.
If it weren't for you, they could've gotten hurt badly.
I'm just glad they're okay, Your Highness.
Court Lady Kwon tells me
you saw the man behind the mask.
Is there a way to arrest him?
I couldn't check him well since it was late.
I apologize, Your Highness.
Something strange happened.
Someone sent me an anonymous letter.
It happens quite frequently.
The court ladies sometimes slander each other
and spread rumors around the palace.
He's the head of the Royal Seraglio Office.
I often pretend I don't know.
and sometimes I try to help solve the problem.
Take a look.
I just think it's a court ladies' joke.
Eunuch Go Sun-dol of the East Palace
is Master Min's daughter, Min Jae-yi.
Your Highness.
This can't be true.
It can't be.
I know, it can't be.
His Highness would never hire
a girl dressed as a eunuch to work for him.
And on top of that, she's a murderer.
He wouldn't have a criminal,
a woman who violated the moral principles dress up as a eunuch and work for him
at the palace where His Majesty resides.
No, Your Highness.
This can't be true.
I'm sure it isn't.
It can't be.
Even if he did let Min Jae-yi in,
I'm sure he would've told you.
Right?
Min Jae-yi is your fiancé.
I'm sure it's just a joke.
Look at Eunuch Go.
Without the uniform,
no one will think he's a man.
It was the first time I saw
such a pretty eunuch.
And
His Highness really adores him.
You know that, right?
That's why these rumors have been going around.
Just forget about it, Section Chief Han.
As will I.
I gave you this letter instead of burning it
because I didn't want His Highness to be hurt by these rumors
and since you're his most trusted subject,
I wanted to ask you to take care of him.
Yes, Your Highness.
What do you think you're doing? Let him go!
Are you okay?
What is going on? Are you Tae-gang?
Your Highness.
I saw his twin brother.
He was at the library.
Tae-gang stopped me so he could get away.
Tae-gang might support him.
No. No, Your Highness.
Today was the first time I saw him. I didn't even know he was alive.
I shouldn't have strangled you.
You were yelling and calling people,
so I panicked...
Your Highness, I didn't tell you about my brother
because he died when I was little.
I saw him die with my own two eyes.
But I was so surprised to see him alive
so I just...
Did your brother die in Byeokcheon?
Ten years ago, during the Byeokcheon uprising,
I was
also there.
I saw the soldiers kill my brother,
so I ran away on my own.
After living on the streets,
I met you.
Why are you telling me that now?
You knew I was investigating the Byeokcheon case.
I saw the Byeokcheon people get kicked out of the palace.
I was scared I would get kicked out too.
You've always been loyal to me.
I would've protected you.
You brought me to the palace.
If people found out I was from Byeokcheon,
it would not be good for you.
Are you sure the messenger who came to your house
was my brother?
Is it true that your brother and parents were murdered
by my brother?
I don't think so.
Then was it my brother
who scattered the red papers with Song, Ga, Myeol, Lee
written on it?
The man I ran into at the market
was wearing a mask, but he looked like you for sure.
The one who shot me with an arrow a year ago
and the one who brought a dagger and a snake
to the shaman
must be your brother.
Your Highness.
What can I do to get forgiveness for what he's done?
I will give my life if I have to.
Please kill me, Your Highness.
Do you remember what happened in Byeokcheon?
Three months before it happened,
I was sent to a relative's house.
Since we were barely getting by, we needed one less mouth to feed.
But things were no different for my relative,
so they practically kicked me out.
And that day
I saw my brother get killed.
So I do not know
what happened in Byeokcheon.
I tried to erase the guilt
of never finding my mother's body
and leaving behind my brother to die.
I can't believe he's alive.
I can't believe he did all those things.
What do you think he was doing in the library?
I'm not sure.
He didn't take the bracelet.
If he saw the bracelet,
he probably knows that I know about my family's death.
And if he came in here before,
he probably knows that I'm Min Jae-yi.
Your brother used it
to freely enter and exit the palace.
So I cannot let you stay here.
I'll come up with something and let the Crown Prince Protection Office know
-so go home for now. -Your Highness.
I will stay with you and protect you.
Please don't send me away.
Tae-gang.
I trust you.
You may have strangled her,
but I know you had no intention
to kill her.
Go back home.
I will call you soon.
Why did I not recognize her?
Are you investigating that case to protect her?
She's Master Min's daughter.
If she's innocent, I will protect her.
You will be able to save her.
If she comes back and proves her innocence,
I will send her to you.
You promised, right?
Did he let her stay near him
to keep his promise to me?
-You can't do this. Give him to me. -Stop.
He is a eunuch from the East Palace. I trust him,
so I'm the only one who can touch him.
Your Highness!
We must find His Highness.
I will protect His Highness and he will protect me.
Things must not go wrong for either of us.
This fat bottle...
EPISODE 18
...goes here.
And this green one goes here.
And this red one...
The picture Master Min was drawing...
I wonder what those red lines were.
What are you mumbling about?
Master, I need to ask you something.
What is it?
Is it resolute?
Here.
What do you think this is, Master?
Any clue?
Have you seen this before?
My apprentice...
This is...
You are a genius! A true genius!
This is hopscotch!
Do you want to play hopscotch?
Master, do you really think I don't know hopscotch?
I'm sure it looked like this.
What is it?
-It is hopscotch. -No, it isn't.
His Highness is here.
Hwan, you're here.
Yes.
I know your concern about Myeong-ahn
but you must take care of yourself.
You seem quite frail.
Yes, Hwan.
Myeong-ahn's hair didn't turn white.
Does he have nothing to do with Mind-control?
Are you scared?
What are you doing over there?
Can't you see?
In the bright moonlight, I'm reading a book.
The door opens outwards.
Do you really think chairs will be of any use?
You idiot.
I will stand guard for you today,
so you go get some sleep.
Can I sit here for a while, Your Highness?
If you can't sleep, go ahead.
Why are you here and not in your room?
I came to read a book.
I told the eunuchs
I will be spending the night here.
You memorized every book here. So why come here at this time...
I'm sure it's not possible,
but are you worried I would be scared
after what happened today?
Are you here to protect me?
Of course, not.
Go get some sleep.
It's getting late.
Congratulations, Left State Councilor.
You're going to be the future king's father-in-law.
Your power will be unmatched.
Is that so?
It is such an honor that
the future queen will be from our family.
But what does that
have to do with our family's power?
Now how can you be so naive?
You know very well how powerful the in-laws are.
That's why you're trying to get
your niece to marry the Crown Prince.
What are you saying?
The Left State Councilor did what he had to do as a loyal subject.
There was a bongdanryeong after banning marriage
so he just put his niece on the list.
The Royal Seraglio Office is in charge.
It means it is decided by Her Highness.
Power of the in-law...
I guess it means that you're ignoring your obligations to act
without regard for the interests of the state
or the people after being corrupted
by the taste of power and greed
with the status of a maternal relative's family on its back.
Left State Councilor, you have gone too far.
Okay, that's enough. This is a happy occasion.
Yes. Something good will happen.
In this country,
no one will ever talk about the power of their in-laws.
Since only true loyal subjects who don't come from a maternal relative's family
will take care of His Majesty and the people.
Let's go.
Let's go, Won-bo.
Your Highness, congratulations.
I heard the Crown Princess
is wise
and beautiful.
Since you are to get married to her,
this is such a happy occasion.
-Congratulations, Your Highness. -Congratulations, Your Highness.
What does it feel like to get married?
Don't do things like this.
Open the door.
Your Highness, starting today
I am to go to the royal palace
and help the Crown Princess with the seupyi.
PRACTICING TO CARRY OUT A NATIONAL CEREMONY
Thank you. Please take care of her, Court Lady Choi.
Of course, Your Highness.
Have a seat.
Your Highness.
I will take this incense to Manyeondang
and try to find out more about that monk with Master Kim.
I will not let you leave the palace alone.
It's dangerous, so don't go alone.
Wherever you go, I will go with you.
Yes, Your Highness.
Since the wedding hasn't taken place,
visiting you in your quarter is
against the law,
but His Highness gave me special permission
to come to see you.
Congratulations, Your Highness.
I'm not comfortable with fooling His Highness.
You do not have to feel
uncomfortable about anything.
I'm the one who did everything.
Do not be afraid, Your Highness.
Everything is to right the royal court
and bring peace to the people.
Father always said
our family is a family of officials
that lives by the blood of the people so we should repay the people and make sure
they live a good life.
So I will get through this.
I'm just thankful you're so strong.
Your Highness.
You must not perform ancestral rites in the palace.
I will make sure your mother can rest in peace.
Yes, Uncle.
Thank you.
GET READY TO GO BACK HOME
I'm going too.
Don't say that.
No, this won't do.
I can't just sit by the fire
worrying about you
and waiting for you
to come home.
I can't do it anymore.
Let me go with you.
If it gets too dangerous, I'll come back. Just let me come with you.
-This is Dal-rae's. -Dal-rae's.
And this is Meo-roo's.
Wow.
-What do you think? -It's so pretty.
It will look prettier on you.
I had no idea your mother was so talented.
She made clothes that suit
Dal-rae and Meo-roo perfectly.
-Oh, it's the chicken man. -Oh.
-Hello. -Hello.
Gosh, what pretty clothes.
-Where did you get the fabric? -Oh, Scholar Park gave them to me
to make clothes for me and Lady...
Lady...
Did he tell you to do that for Lady Jae-yi and you?
Why didn't you make your own clothes?
Don't you want to wear a dress?
When you were wearing a dress,
I only saw your back,
but you were pretty.
Master, what are you...
Quiet.
I know you are Jang Ga-ram
and Eunuch Go is Lady Jae-yi.
I'll let you in on another secret.
I know
who Scholar Park is.
Scholar Park
isn't Scholar Park?
Even though I know who he is,
I'd rather not know.
When you know this much, you usually brag this much.
Why do you act like that?
I don't want Scholar Park to know that I know.
Because if he knows, I'll have to wait on him hand and foot.
I don't want us to be like that.
Never, ever, and ever! He must be Scholar Park until the end.
-Is he the Crown Prince? -I told you to pretend not to know.
He's the Crown Prince?
No. Pretend not to know. Otherwise, you won't be able to
treat or tease him again.
By the way
my mother told me that
the woman who was in my yard said
she loved me.
No.
I just didn't like the way she treated you...
I wonder why?
Is it because you had feelings for me?
That's why you didn't want me to marry her.
No. That's not true.
No, it isn't.
Gosh. I said, no.
Master is from Byeokcheon?
I heard he was in South East Asia for a long time
but he never told me...
Make the necessary arrangements
and go back to Naewang Village.
Will we be able to go back home soon?
Yes. You've done well.
I'd like to take Tae-gang too.
Sure.
How did you meet him?
Two years ago, outside Sugumun Gate,
I saw him recovering the bodies of the people
which were just laying around.
After that, I ran into him at a tavern
so I started calling him "Master."
What is this?
This is what Master...
The master I used to serve used to draw. I was just reminded of it...
It's not a letter, but then again, it's not a drawing either.
Myeong-jin just can't figure out what it is.
Any idea, Scholar Park?
Why is it red?
He's never drawn anything like this before...
It looked like this for sure.
This is
-a jikgeumdo. -A jikgeumdo?
A jikgeumdo...
What is a jikgeumdo?
It's like a code.
You draw the borders first
and write letters in the boxes according to a specific pattern.
The letters are connected to one another,
so only the sender and receiver can know what it means.
It's a secret letter
so no one else can see what it is.
He was writing a secret letter to someone.
He must've had a message to relay in secret.
Jae-yi.
You must protect His Highness.
Father.
Something I don't know about definitely happened.
He would write a secret letter for...
No, if he did write a secret letter
who would he have sent it to?
You...
-A deputy of Gaeseong. -A deputy!
A Gaeseong deputy who moved to Hanyang after being promoted
to a battalion commander.
Master Min trusted him,
so he used to come by a lot.
If he sent a secret letter to someone trustworthy,
it has to be him.
We must meet him.
Your Highness, we must go to the Office of Training...
Your Highness...
That is who you are.
It's him.
-My Lord. -You...
You're Master Min's...
So I wasn't mistaken.
What are you doing in Hanyang?
Did you run away without becoming a government slave?
I'm here with Lady Jae-yi, My Lord.
You.
Yes, My Lord. It's me, Jae-yi.
How are you alive? I heard you died after falling off a cliff.
I barely survived
and I'm trying to find the man who killed my family.
The man who killed your family? What are you...
My Lord, did my father
give you a secret letter?
Do you still have that letter?
I cannot tell you anything.
I don't know if someone else killed your family.
You're currently a murderer who has killed your family.
No, My Lord.
Lady Jae-yi was falsely accused.
It's true. Please believe her.
If you got a letter,
please let me see, My Lord.
I'll pretend that I never saw you
for Master Min's sake.
Don't ever come to find me again.
Stop.
Bow to him.
You shouldn't do this.
He is Joseon's future king,
the Crown Prince.
LEE HWAN
Your Highness!
This is the letter Master Min gave to me.
It is a jikgeumdo.
But
how come you held onto this letter?
It must've been meant for someone.
He told me to
give it to the Left State Councilor in secret
but after was transferred and moved to Hanyang,
my mother passed away,
so I was busy with the funeral and such.
After that, I heard about Master Min's death
I was worried this letter
could harm me in some way,
but still, Master Min asked me to,
so I went to the Left State Councilor's house...
I am under His Majesty's orders. Sinner Han Jung-eon. Come on out.
When I saw the soldiers at his place,
I got scared so I couldn't bring myself to relay the letter.
I should've kept my promise to Master Min.
I am sorry.
No, My Lord.
I'm just thankful didn't throw away the letter after everything that happened.
It is coded. I can't make heads or tails of it.
Scholar...
Your Highness, I do not know what it means.
If that jikguemdo is meant for the Left State Councilor,
I'm sure he can read it.
Why did father write that letter?
What else is there that I don't know?
Section Chief Han.
-Where are you going? -I have to clean the library today...
I'll carry it.
How can you with that frail arm of yours?
I can carry, Section Chief Han.
Let me know when Myeong-ahn wakes up.
Yes, Your Highness.
Thanks, Section Chief Han.
-You must've had a hard time. -No, Section Chief Han.
It's something I should do as an East Palace eunuch.
Where do you sleep at night?
His Highness set up a room for me...
Why are you asking me that?
And you used to talk down to me.
Why are you...
Thank you.
For being alive.
I'm sorry I didn't recognize you.
If I had known,
I would've taken care of you with the greatest care.
I'm sorry I'm so lacking.
Section Chief Han.
You took good care of me
even when you didn't know I'm Min Jae-yi.
During the Cardinal Point case,
everyone accused you of competing with a lowly eunuch,
but you listened to what I had to say
saying it could save people's lives.
You treated me well
as Min Jae-yi and a regular human being.
Why...
Why didn't you come to me?
I'm trying to find the real murderer who killed my parents.
That was more important to me
than my own safety.
Since when did His Highness know?
Did he let you stay after knowing who you are?
His Highness has been telling me
to go back to you ever since I met him.
He tried to keep his distance from me many times.
And I was the one who insisted on staying
next to him.
Don't you know how risky it is for a girl to be
in the palace dressed as a eunuch?
It not only
threatens your safety,
but also His Highness'.
You must stop this.
Before the world finds out...
Before this gets even bigger,
you have to leave the palace with me.
Section Chief Han, I...
even if there's a day when I don't have to wear this
I can't go back to being Min Jae-yi, your fiancé.
Do you have feelings for His Highness?
Never mind.
I don't want to hear.
But our families
already exchanged the marriage consent letter.
That means we're practically married already.
As long as the letter exists,
you are my woman.
You already know very well that
you can't keep me with a piece of paper.
Please don't wait for me anymore, Section Chief Han.
Find someone else and live a happy life.
This is all I can
offer you.
Have you been well?
Is that all you have to say to me?
You promised me once that
if Lady Jae-yi comes back and clears her name,
you will send her back to me.
Dan-guem-ji-gye.
It's a promise between friends,
so I will believe that you'll keep it.
How can I keep that promise?
She's not an object.
Though a marriage consent letter exists,
it's not like I can tie her up
and drag her to you.
If she knows the law and order,
she'll come back on her own.
Has Prince Myeong-ahn woken up?
Oh, I was just cleaning...
How is Prince Myeong-ahn doing?
He hasn't woken up yet.
I'm not sure if it's okay that he's sleeping that long.
Your Highness.
Is there another reason you're worried about Prince Myeong-ahn?
Both Sim Yeong and the shaman had something
to do with white hair and peony petals.
Their hair abruptly turned white.
You think white hair is proof that someone's mind was controlled?
If that dead monk
used Mind-control on Myeong-ahn,
his hair will turn white too.
Why?
Why did he use Mind-control on him?
To be honest, Princess Ha-yeon said...
He made up nonsense involving a ghost and a snake.
And now he's saying he gave Ui-hyeon peaches.
Prince Myeong-ahn said
he gave Ui-hyeon peaches?
No. That can't be true.
How can that...
Your Highness, are you worried?
This is about Myeong-ahn's safety.
He's linked to the death of a Crown Prince, which worries me.
On top of that, it wasn't even a rumor He said it himself.
Is there anyone else who heard him say that?
Her Highness, the Queen, was there.
Your Highness.
Do you think Court Lady Kwon secretly took
Princess Ha-yeon and Prince Myeong-ahn?
Maybe she knew
the monk who used Mind-control.
Watch your mouth.
Perhaps she tried to wipe the memory of Prince Myeong-ahn via Mind-control.
I told you to watch your mouth.
You dare defame Her Highness, the Queen?
Your Highness.
They didn't hurt Prince Myeong-ahn.
They only tried to hurt Princess Ha-yeon.
And if they put their mind to it,
they would've killed Court Lady Kwon.
I'm not sure how much Her Highness, the Queen, knows
but Court Lady Kwon is...
Enough.
Your Highness.
Do you remember what I said in Manyeondang?
When we have nothing, theories are important too.
If we start with theories
and narrow them down one by one, we might be able to reach the truth.
This is also another theory.
But to reach the truth
it's something we cannot ignore.
Your Highness!
What is going on? What is all...
Your Highness.
Have some.
And this too.
As far as I know,
no medicine has the side-effect of turning hair into white.
There is no such thing, Your Highness.
I would never prescribe such medicine to Prince Myeong-ahn.
His hair turned out all of a sudden.
I've never seen this before.
Is it true that
Prince Myeong-ahn said he was the one who gave Ui-hyeon peaches?
And that Her Highness, the Queen, was there?
-It's a lie, right? -What is?
The redfish that lived for a thousand years.
The one that lays eggs
which makes people go crazy.
I'm not lying. It's true.
That fish lays red eggs once every 15 days.
When someone eats those eggs, they go crazy.
No way.
You're lying. What's that fish called?
Muyanghyeolmok.
Who is it?
My Lord, you have a guest.
Who's here at this time of night?
Who are you? Why are you looking for me?
Your Highness.
What brings you here at this time of night?
I haven't been here in a long time. It brings back memories.
My family and I owe a great debt to you.
Open the shed.
I will show you that Lord Han
-and Section Chief Han is innocent. -You haven't changed.
You still come out of the blue
and surprise me.
But it's not good
to leave the East Palace so often.
And you shouldn't be traveling on your own.
Is there something you want to tell me?
Can I
trust you?
I have risked everything
for this country
and to help you and His Majesty.
Your Highness. This is a jikgeumdo.
This jikgeumdo...
Yes. That's right.
This jikgeumdowas written by my master and your friend,
Master min.
It was meant for you.
He sent this prior to the tragic loss,
but it hit a barrier and it finally gave to the right owner.
How did you get this letter?
I need to know what it says first.
You're the only one who can read it.
Yes, Your Highness.
This jikgeumdo
was written by a pattern only Ho-seung and I know.
I'm sure the murder of the Min family
and the reason why he had to send you a secret letter
is connected.
Then her daughter being the murderer...
Min Jae-yi was falsely accused.
I need to know what it says.
The most important clue that can solve all of this
might be in it.
Won-bo, isn't it time for us to move?
Can't you see how brazen the Left State Councilor was?
Without the data provided by the Minister of Personnel,
I might've peed in my pants
because of what Lord Han said.
I know.
The power of the in-laws?
Is that something he should be talking about?
He cheated the selection process to make
his niece become the Crown Princess.
I sent someone to Jangju.
And I got people to testify about wife's death of Han Jung-seop
so you just have to bid me to do it.
We have everything we need to take him down.
The problem is His Highness.
Can you tell us the card you have
that will bring His Highness down?
The card I have
is in my sleeve.
What is this?
Isn't this the wanted poster for Min Jae-yi?
This is the card?
I knew he wasn't an easy target,
but he was just a little boy who had a crush
on a girl.
A girl?
Look at this face.
Someone who looks like her will be near His Highness.
Do you remember this name?
The owner of the memorial stone is Song Su-cheon who died on June 25th
on the Year of the Dragon.
That's Song's full name
who was hung on Sungnyemun ten years ago.
My gosh. This is huge.
Your Highness. Did you know
Master Min's family's chaos is connected to what happened in Byeokcheon?
My dagger. Where is my dagger?
The dagger is what went missing.
Why did he take my dagger?
Your Highness. It's Sun-dol.
-What do you think you're doing? -I'm sorry. I'm in a hurry.
Hwan-yi-no-saeng, Deuk-yi-woo-sa.
The ghost's letter. The red letters changed.
You will grow old and die alone
without a wife or children.
This curse means...
Sun-dol, how dare you.
What do you think you're doing?
The Crown Princess is in danger.
-Where is His Highness? -What are you talking about?
You need to send someone to her quarters.
This white hair is nothing.
Don't worry and keep your mind off of it.
What's inside is what's important, right?
Hyeon as in benevolent mind.
That's your name.
Your name is...
SONG, HYEON
...Song Hyeon.
What in the world...
This is impossible.
What brings you here?
This isn't a place for a eunuch.
Your Highness.
Your Highness!
OUR BLOOMING YOUTH
The Crown Princess was murdered.
Your Majesty, please depose His Highness.
Your Majesty.
Do you really think he's Song's son?
She's dead?
Who would do such a thing?
Eunuch Go of the East Palace is
Master Min's daughter, Min Jae-yi.
Send someone to the Royal Inspector Office and find her!
The one I have feelings for...
I will find you.