Your Majesty.
THE EAST PALACE
Yeom-mae? I can't hear you. Can you please speak a little louder?
Why is it so cramped in here?
Is this really the only place you could hide me?
What am I, a kind of grub to you?
What is he saying?
Come closer. And speak louder.
Through this hole.
- It's probably better that I quit now. - Would you stop complaining?
You chose to stay in the palace when I told you to run from here.
I stayed because I vowed to save you, like you saved me.
Now you're giving me a scolding?
I had to beg grandmother to hide you, but with this complaining,
I'm honestly about to lose every bit of guilt and even appreciation
I had for you.
The yeom-mae…
is somewhat difficult,
so I lost my temper.
So can you…
tell me what a yeom-mae is?
A curse ritual.
A particularly vicious one.
It's the act of creating a won-gwi by sealing a person in a jar.
And then starving them to death.
What if something goes wrong?
Since I cannot enter the water to become a spirit, this is the only way.
If you accomplish this,
can you get rid of the spirit of the Crown Prince?
This wouldn't give me that power.
My soul would only be able to slip out through this small hole in the wall.
Instead, I will find a way to suppress the power of the Crown Prince's spirit.
Then I must…
somehow manage to… to convince Father to not kill you before then.
Do you think you can?
What if you get thrown out after raising your voice at the King again?
Seeing as you both have vicious tempers.
Just make sure you don't get yourself killed, will you, please.
You don't need to worry, Princess.
I don’t want you becoming my companion in the afterlife
just because you tried to help me.
All right. Now.
Please seal the hole.
Where is he now?
I can't disclose his whereabouts.
Not until you are willing to promise me that you won't kill him.
Now that Prince Yeongan is dead,
his role in the palace has ended.
We still need his help since the spirit has not been dealt with.
He has already failed us.
I will not give another chance to some incompetent, lazy bastard.
You hid the truth about the spirit and who he was truly dealing with.
You have to acknowledge it all before it's too late.
If you kill Gu-cheon to conceal that the Crown Prince is the spirit,
then very soon,
we will share Prince Yeongan's fate.
You are expelled from the palace as of right now.
- Leave here at once. - That is not possible.
If you disappear, there will be no one left to help him.
- Am I clear? - So be it.
Then I shall expose your shameful secrets to the palace.
How there was never a pond spirit to begin with
because the late King's son was murdered.
Murdered by your hands, Father!
If you do not wish to die as your mother did,
never speak those words again.
Do you understand?
Now where is he?
Tell me honestly.
- Did my mother die at your hands too? - I am asking you again.
Where is Gu-cheon?
I am asking you again, Father!
Did you kill my mother?
Chief Eunuch!
Confine the Princess to her quarters immediately,
and make sure she never steps outside.
Ensure she's constantly watched.
That ungrateful little bastard.
Stuffing its face all by itself.
A deep, festering resentment
has spread throughout the palace in all directions.
At this rate, even the lives of the Princess,
the King himself…
…and Royal Noble Consort Sukbin Choi.
The Royal Noble Consort Sukbin Choi.
Why are you asking about the Crown Prince who is deceased?
Is there anything left of his belongings?
I hid you because Saeng-gang asked me to.
Have you called me here just to spout nonsense?
Your goal should be to destroy the spirit tormenting His Majesty.
Why would…
the Crown Prince have resentment toward His Majesty?
You're saying
that the one that is cursing us
is the dead son of the late King?
It cannot be.
This explains why His Majesty is looking for you.
Do you wish to lose your granddaughter?
If this continues,
your son and granddaughter
will end up vomiting blood and die one by one.
The villagers near Goyang-hyeon are refusing to do mandatory labor,
claiming illness?
What illness is that?
It appears to be nothing more than a common cold, Your Majesty.
Is it true that every able-bodied man assigned to work has fallen ill?
Illnesses like that are very common in the village,
due to the cold energy of the mountain.
The issue, Your Majesty, does not lie in the sick--
Your Majesty, the seat of the Crown Prince is vacant.
I believe that you must anoint a royal relative as our new Crown Prince--
Are you really suggesting
Prince Iksang's son as our new Crown Prince?
At the birthday banquet for the Queen Dowager,
did you not all see how he fainted in front of her
and then collapsed, or did you all look away?
Are you suggesting I should anoint such a flawed child?
It's too early to impart the crown on anybody.
My health is still good and strong,
so never let such pathetic statements leave your lips!
Your Majesty!
Such hubris, thinking you can roam around so freely.
Look at this.
This Ikseongwan was prepared just for Prince Yeongan.
Now that child
is no longer breathing,
and you're the bastard to blame.
I will stake everything that I possess to hunt you down. I swear it.
Because I will not be stopped…
before I catch you.
For goodness sake.
I should have fled.
The King is combing through the palace, you say?
Has he gone insane now that his last son is dead?
It seems he's searching for the one named Gu-cheon.
If he failed at his job, he should've tried to get away.
How are things over there?
It's clear the spirit's power has spread throughout the palace.
Even I nearly fainted around it.
So even His Majesty's life is in danger, dangling by a thread.
But what troubles me is that Gu-cheon.
I fear he'll become the King's lifeline at some point.
Then we should act fast and cut that lifeline completely,
should we not?
Your Highness.
His Majesty is urgently summoning your audience.
Was I not commanded to not step outside my quarters?
His Majesty will be leaving the palace for a brief while.
He would be happy to have your company.
Halt.
- Check the surroundings. - Yes, sir.
Very well.
Your Majesty.
They look like refugees.
Some elders and children are among the lot.
Their illness appears to have worsened as they fled,
leaving them no choice but to stay here.
It is close to Goyang-hyeon.
- I suggest we-- - I'll see myself.
But Your Majes…
Goyang-hyeon…
I will inspect the surrounding villages.
And the memorial rite?
We'll make a quick stop.
Were you planning to go to the late Crown Prince's grave?
I will hold a rite there.
Do you intend to kill Gu-cheon using a memorial rite?
That won't work, I promise you.
You must spare his life because you will need him soon.
You two stay here and help with the people.
Let's move on.
Just try.
Sir!
Oh, wait, sir! Sir!
Wait, sir, please. Take a look at her, will you?
Please, I beg you.
Something is wrong.
She's not responding at all.
Please!
What could be wrong with her, sir?
Please help us.
I am begging you. Could you look at her?
I can't help her anymore.
Oh, no, that can't be. There must be something you can do.
My dear! My love!
My love, open your eyes and look at me, please!
It's a deadly illness.
Is there some remedy?
Something to combat this?
Unfortunately not.
I'm not even sure what it is.
When one person falls ill,
it spreads to the whole family by the next day.
Now the people will all have to boil some peach branches to drink.
They say a spirit brought the sickness.
My lord!
Will you please help save my father? I beg of you, my lord.
Like my brother…
He's not breathing.
Step back.
Forgive me, my lord.
I'm so scared.
Go with the child and tend to her family right away.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Come with me.
The illness is malignant
and spreading quickly.
We shall return at once.
- What about the rite, Your Majesty? - Postpone it.
We must find a way to contain the illness.
Wait.
What about the villagers dying here, Your Majesty?
At this rate, everybody in the kingdom is in danger,
so hurry.
This is all I could gather.
It's a poem written by the Crown Prince.
Ever since he was young, he would send me his poems in letters.
Now that's the only remaining item of the Crown Prince's belongings.
Wonderful.
Now you have to do exactly what I say.
Go to the Crown Prince's office,
remove the door handle,
and post his poem on the door.
You must seal it to keep the Crown Prince's power
from growing any stronger.
Go to the palace and find where that bastard Gu-cheon is hiding.
I'll begin with the places he has already been
and trace his steps.
Even the smallest trace will lead me to him.
There he is.
We have found where he's hiding.
Very well. Your Majesty.
They have found Gu-cheon.
Kill him.
No, please don't.
You must not do this, Father.
He is necessary.
Please, Father! Listen to me!
You have to spare him!
Father! Wait!
He's in here.
Come out!
No. No.
Let go of me.
I said let go of me!
Heavens! How rash of you.
The Buddha is watching.
Take him somewhere out of sight.
Everyone will die.
Have you lost your mind now that death is near?
He will die. He will…
What are you muttering to yourself there?
The King is going to die very soon.
Where is he?
He's inside. Is something wrong?
Your Majesty.
Your Majesty!
- Your Majesty! - Your Majesty!
- Your Majesty. - Your Majesty.
- Your Majesty! - He's not responding.
Send for the royal physician!
- Fetch him now! - Yes, sir.
Your Majesty.
You mean to tell me that the King is dying?
Rumors have spread throughout the palace
that His Majesty will not make it through the night.
Does this mean that the King's bloodline
is going to be severed…
as foretold by that malevolent ghost's curse?
What?
Your… Your Majesty, what do you mean?
Go and send a man to collect Prince Iksang.
This is karma.
You may consider this your comeuppance for every one of your evil deeds.
For the ones you committed 30 years ago, Father.
I want you to tell me where he is.
Why are you standing around?
Go untie him now!
Untie him.
You came here so quickly.
Yes, I did.
You've been beaten bloody.
If the King has collapsed,
it must mean that you're not safe either.
Are you all right?
Yes, thank you. I'm fine now.
There is something.
My father's grave condition is not getting better.
Is there any way to banish the spirit to save His Majesty?
There is a way.
The Crown Prince's body.
That's how.
Bring the Crown Prince here.
Go and get him from the tomb at once.
Do you realize what you're asking of me?
There is no time. It must be done to save my father.
But we cannot desecrate a royal tomb, Your Highness.
That would be high treason--
I will bear any and all consequences for this as the Princess. Understand?
And once Father awakens,
I will accept punishment for disgracing the royal house.
I promise you that.
To drive out the spirit, we need the Crown Prince's body.
But we must not let the spirit notice us.
We will have to fool its eyes with a dead animal.
If we fail to drive it off before dawn…
the King is fated to die.
So we must hurry.
All that remains is for me to strike down the spirit with my blade.
But with the state your body's in, is it possible?
My body's like a rag, but I can still cut just fine.
Thanks to the King collapsing back there, I get to enjoy the fresh air once more.
Are you joking, even at a time like this?
So, remember what I told you to do.
Do not worry about me.
And make sure to unfurrow that brow.
Gu-cheon.
You told me before
that your own life matters more than anything.
That you don't wanna die and become an ak-gwi.
And I still feel the same way.
That's all I need to hear.
And Gu-cheon.
Don't throw your life away because of me.
That goes without saying.
When I start fighting,
you must use this blood-soaked rope to bind the Crown Prince's body tightly.
Lock the door with the rope.
And no matter what happens,
do not open it for anyone.
You must remember this.
If I fail,
you will be the next target.
Do not interfere.
Do not get in the way.
The King's bloodline shall end tonight.
I won't let that happen.
There is someone else here in this palace I must save.
It's all over for you now.
What is that?
That doesn't look like a gwi-mae.
Good heavens, this is unbelievable.
Whose guardian spirit is this?
Who dares to interfere?
Fine.
Let us see how formidable
the guardian spirit you claim to serve truly is.
Show me its power.
Where did he go?
If I don't know what you are,
how am I supposed to send you to the afterlife?
Here we go!
The grim elder!
You damn shaman. I will…
No. Something's wrong.
Your Highness! Your Highness!
- What is it? - Please open the door.
Let me in!
Something terrible has happened to Gu-cheon.
Your Highness, you need to get to the pond now!
Come on. Hurry!
- All right. - Hurry!
Your Highness! Please hurry!
Please!
Do not interfere.
You know nothing.
Not a single thing.
A gwi-mae is there?
That's enough!