(Rowoon)
(Cho Yi Hyun)
(Writer: Ha Soo Jin)
(Directors: Hwang Seung Ki, Kim Soo Jin)
(The Matchmakers)
(Kim Moon Gun, Chief Magistrate of Capital District Office, )
(Ranks 3rd in Dongro Faction, Note: An opportunist)
A nobleman benefits...
from his mother's family when young,
his wife's family as an adult,
and...
his children's in-laws when old.
It is commonly said, no?
To be frank,
if the Left State Councillor and Lord Park...
were not Prince Jinsung's relatives,
the head of the Dongro Faction...
would have been me.
Gosh.
It is a well-known fact...
both are Lady Park's puppets.
To succeed,
a man must marry well.
Good grief.
(Park Bok Ki, Former Minister of Defence, )
(Prince Jinsung's Uncle, Note: A lecher)
Even if Gyeongunjae runs wild,
he is in the palm of my sister's hand.
Just you wait and see.
Whether my sister settles this problem or not.
Oh, right.
You asked about the incident eight years ago.
Back then, the plan was...
to put golden silkworm poison inside the Crown Prince's food...
while everyone was busy with the Princess's royal wedding.
Pardon?
It was not dangerous.
There are no symptoms of being poisoned.
Then, an investigation cannot be conducted.
Nor would there be any suspicions. It was a perfect plan.
Either way, I, too, am very curious...
why the Princess died.
(Episode 13: The Decision to Leave)
Wait. I should inform...
So Hyun first, not Young Bae.
So Hyun!
So Hyun. Did I not say we should get rid of Gyeongunjae?
What is with all this fuss?
That jerk is trying to bring us all down for plotting treason.
Good grief. Had I not gone there, what would have happened?
Explain to me so that I can understand.
I just came back from Gyeongunjae.
Do not worry. I was not discovered.
But that is not the problem.
Lord Gyeongunjae...
was looking into our golden silkworm poison purchase.
I see.
So Uncle...
left in a rush in shock after seeing that.
Then...
what will happen to my family?
Tonight, the Left State Councillor and Lord Park...
will be arrested for murder.
I should return now.
Do not go.
I cannot have you go there alone.
Let us run...
far away right now.
My lord.
I am not leaving to die.
I am going home.
My lady.
Simply knowing that you are safe today...
is enough for me.
But...
I found a weakness we could use against him.
Even in that situation,
I brought this.
Your sly daughter-in-law...
is communicating secretly with Lord Gyeongunjae.
Were you meeting His Majesty?
Lord Sim?
Yes, I was.
How can the King's son-in-law have an affair with a married woman?
We can bring him down at once.
But Soon Duk is our family member.
But So Hyun...
I will take care of it.
Do not say a word about this to others for the time being.
My lady! You must come out!
My lady!
What brings you here at this hour?
How dare you come in here and cause this ruckus?
Lord Park Bok Ki.
You are under arrest for murdering Lee Cho Ok in September.
- Arrest him. - Understood.
Let go!
You!
Lee Cho Ok took her own life, no?
And do you have proof that I killed her?
Forget that.
Does the Chief Magistrate know about this?
I have yet to report to the Chief Magistrate.
You are one crazy jerk, are you not?
It was an urgent royal command.
I had no choice.
"Royal command?"
So Hyun.
Do you know where you are to cause this scene?
Criminal Jo Young Bae, obey the royal command.
What was that?
Eight years ago,
you murdered Lady Yoo, then made it look like suicide,
and received the memorial monument.
Wait. What do you mean he murdered his daughter-in-law?
Was it not suicide?
How did this happen?
I am being framed!
If you feel wronged,
explain yourself to His Majesty the King.
- Arrest him. - Yes, my lord.
What?
They must have come from the Capital District Office.
Right?
- What is going on? - Were they hiding something?
- Oh, no. - What will happen?
Did I not tell you not to leave the house?
And yet, you disobeyed me.
Where were you until now?
When I heard you worked as a matchmaker with Gyeongunjae,
I thought you were daring but never hated you.
Because I trusted you when you said you would only love my son.
But I am not sure if you can be trusted now.
I did it...
for the sake of our nation.
Trying to kill the Crown Prince...
was for the sake of our nation?
When Prince Jinsung was young,
did you not say yourself he could be a great king?
Yes, I did.
But Prince Jinsung had one detrimental flaw.
The fact...
that his mother's family wanted nothing but more power.
Now there is only one thing you can do for our nation.
To decide whether you will be punished for treason...
for trying to...
kill my son, or for killing your son's wife eight years ago.
That is what you can do now.
What did Park Bok Ki say?
He chose to be charged with Lee Cho Ok's murder.
Did Lady Yeoju leave any letters?
I doubt she will be able to for a while.
Were you aware that Lady Yeoju...
Yes, I knew.
The real Lady Yeoju who made dohwa powder...
introduced us.
Then why did you not tell me?
You never asked.
Say what you will.
I am done with Lord Sim here.
Pass this on for me.
(Letter)
It is Lady Yeoju's letter you waited for.
You there.
Wait a moment.
What is this about?
I heard you are Lord Jo's servant.
Is his grandson well?
I am the young master's tutor.
Oh, you must be Lord Gyeongunjae.
He was startled and afraid, but he is well.
Is his mother well also?
(Letter)
Oh... Well, things happened.
She is locked up in the annex.
(Letter)
I write this letter for fear you will be unable to sleep...
out of concern for me.
I am well.
My family is in turmoil,
but my mother-in-law is strong, so do not worry too much.
Where am I?
You are awake.
Wait here a moment.
Once Jo Young Bae confesses his crimes,
I will exile them both to Jeju Island...
and never call them back.
I am concerned that after a while,
the Dongro Faction will petition...
for their reinstatement saying we need men to serve the country.
They killed my daughter...
and also tried to kill my son.
As long as I live, they will not be reinstated.
No.
Even after I die,
I will leave will that bans their reinstatement.
Do not worry about that.
I am the King.
Now I just need to marry off my son.
- Yes. - Your Majesty.
The chief royal secretary is here.
He is early today.
Let him in.
Yes. I am glad you are here.
We were discussing...
Lord Jo and Park Bok Ki's punishment.
Your Majesty. There is a more pressing matter.
The court maid of Dongungjeon has woken up.
- Has she? - Yes.
As Lord Gyeongunjae suspected,
she said Lord Jo gave her the poison...
and told her to take it.
That means he must be charged...
with treason and not murder.
Is there a chance the court maid could have lied?
- Well... - No?
Oh, right.
She was ill and unconscious for a long time,
so there is a possibility she is confused.
The head shaman we had been looking for was captured...
on Mount Jiri and is being transported to Hanyang.
That will clearly expose the left state councillor’s treason.
You sent men all the way to Mount Jiri?
Yes.
I see. Well done.
Thank you.
The Namjang Faction blamed you...
and Prince Jinsung for plotting treason,
and petitioned that you be poisoned.
Poisoned?
What on earth...
I must see my sister.
They will kill my son?
No, they cannot. I cannot allow it.
What is happening?
("The Art of War")
Chief Magistrate. What if this leads to a massacre?
Lord Gyeongunjae is a Dongro Faction member.
Would he let that happen?
But Lord Gyeongunjae is a member only for show.
- Oh, dear. - No...
(Letter)
It is from Lady Park.
(To Capital District Office Chief Magistrate)
Tonight, at Lord Jo's residence,
she will host a gathering.
What gathering when Lord Jo is locked up?
Could Lady Park have a plan?
Even if she does, a gathering in this situation...
I will not go.
Will you go, Chief Magistrate?
If none of you will go,
I will act accordingly.
- That is only right. - I cannot go.
- Forget it. - This is right.
You said you would not come.
I came because I could not think of a good solution.
Are you not all in agreement?
Chief Magistrate, should you not sit at the head?
Does it matter who sits where?
I can always move after Lady Park joins us.
You are still out here?
Stop grovelling to those with power...
and serve your country.
That is not advice. It is a warning.
Welcome.
Everyone is waiting.
Come inside.
I thank you all...
for being present in these troubled times.
Due to a political conspiracy,
my husband and brother are being persecuted.
But I invited...
Lord Gyeongunjae, and he will explain the misunderstanding.
I brought you all here today to request you wait...
calmly and without any concern.
Ye Jin.
What if Mother finds out?
Who cares if she finds out...
when our family is almost ruined?
I am sorry, Ye Jin.
Why would you apologize?
So...
Did Father...
really kill...
my older sister-in-law?
The Namjang Faction made that up, right?
Oh, well.
It was before you married. How would you know?
Well...
Lady Park wishes to see you.
Very well.
What are you up to?
I am trying to assist the King.
Preserving your family...
is assisting the King?
Yes.
Only I can do that.
The King wishes to charge my husband...
and brother for murder, not treason,
so he can...
strip us of our power but save Prince Jinsung.
I can help him do that.
What can you do?
You should not ask me how.
You should ask what I want.
That is how a deal is made.
And if I refuse?
You will not be able to.
If my family were to be killed for treason,
my daughter-in-law would also perish.
Would you be all right with that?
Are you not in love with my daughter-in-law?
You were locked in the annex,
but you must have heard of the crisis our family is facing.
I will resolve the problem within a few days.
You are to care for Ye Jin and Geun Seok...
so they do not suffer.
Mother. Are you...
all right?
If I dare say so,
I am worried about you.
However big a crisis may come,
if the women of the house are strong and upright,
that household will never fall.
The Minister of Defence's family...
still thinks you are a matchmaker.
Visit them tomorrow...
and ensure Ye Jin's marriage will go ahead.
If they were to jump to conclusions...
and call off the marriage before I sort out this mess,
it would look bad for us all...
when in the end, we will become in-laws anyway.
I understand,
Mother.
There is no reason we cannot wait another 2 or 3 days.
What do you think?
I believe she made the offer because she has a plan.
You could make the decision...
once you see what Lady Park is up to.
But she said once it is taken care of,
there is something she wants.
What I want...
is for Erudite Maeng's daughters to be married...
at my house when my daughter also gets married.
She wants her daughter to be married at the same time as the old ladies?
I cannot figure out what she is up to.
I will look into it some more.
Will Prince Jinsung really be poisoned?
Nothing has been decided yet.
Prince Jinsung would not harm me.
You know everything.
Please protect him.
I wish to protect him more than anyone.
Whenever I wish to see you,
I look up at the night sky.
Do you remember releasing a lantern at Sunhwa Temple?
(To Lord Gyeongunjae)
You asked what I wished for.
What did you wish for?
I wished that you and I could successfully complete...
the matchmaking.
Did you not say revealing the wish would prevent it from coming true?
Why did you tell me what you wished for?
What is strange is,
I am sure I ruined one lantern,
but I saw two of them floating in the sky.
That is not strange at all.
I released one more later on.
If something is strange,
it is that I wished for the same thing you did.
That is why, many years from now, when I speak of the past,
I will fondly remember the time when we...
released a lantern together.
When I look up at the night sky,
I will think of you now.
I am sure...
our wishes will come true.
Because you will never find out...
what I wished for.
Is the lieutenant in?
Why do they ask when they never wait for an answer?
(Matchmaking Operation for Erudite Maeng's Three Daughters)
I asked to see you...
because I had something to tell you.
I also have something to say to you.
May I go first?
Yes. You may go ahead.
Seol Hwa or Baek Myo. Which is better?
What?
For my new pen name.
Did you not agree to stop writing novels?
I do not write novels because I like to.
I write because I cannot help it.
So even if we marry,
I will go on writing.
Remember that.
I suppose you have not heard the news yet.
Because of my family,
I am afraid we cannot wed.
Because of how your in-law is being accused of treason?
You knew about it?
That will not pose a problem at all for our plan to get married.
Why not?
I may have to resign from my position.
Then I can...
support you.
So, just help me decide...
what my new pen name should be between Seol Hwa and Baek Myo.
Do not even think that you will not marry me.
If you wish to hold me, you may do so.
Why are you here?
My lord needed to send something to Lady Park.
Right.
They could have sent a servant. Why are you here?
Are you here because you wanted to see the mess my family was in?
Now that I am in this mess, do you think...
I got what I deserved?
Why are you saying what you do not even mean?
I am just...
Bu Kyum.
I am terrified.
The chief magistrate...
was here in the morning.
Meeting with the members of the Dongro Faction was a good call.
Oh, right.
I heard Lord Gyeongunjae...
offered to take care of it.
Did you promise him that you would pay him or something?
Before I answer that, I must ask you something first.
Is it true that you killed our elder daughter-in-law?
She was going insane.
She said she would tell her family everything,
so I had no choice.
She witnessed her father-in-law killing her own husband.
How could she not lose her sanity after seeing that?
So, it is true that you killed my son.
There was a reason I could not tell you.
In Hyun fell in love with a man.
Our enemy's son, at that. On top of that,
he was also trying to expose our plan to the royal court.
However, the enemy's son,
Min Seo Jun, is still alive.
You were a nobody.
I made you the left state councillor.
How dare you kill my son?
So Hyun.
How dare you speak to your husband in that manner? Such insolence!
I will come back tomorrow evening...
and let you know how I will handle this matter.
Wait, my dear.
So Hyun!
They have not been convicted of treason yet.
If it turns out that they are not guilty after all,
things will become awkward between you and Lord Jo's family.
That concerns me too.
But even if they are not guilty of treason,
Lord Jo supposedly killed his elder daughter-in-law.
I heard their younger daughter-in-law...
had a few screws loose,
which always bothered me.
I actually know their younger daughter-in-law very well.
People say she has gone mad, but it is a false rumour.
All things aside,
Young Master Si Yeol and Lady Ye Jin...
would make a good couple.
It is not that I dislike their daughter.
Si Yeol seems to like her too.
I should not have let them meet so soon.
Oh, dear.
Anyway, all right.
Although I do not think the situation will change.
Gosh.
Goodness me.
My gosh.
I cannot ask questions, so I need not answer either.
Fine, I feel much better this way.
Lady Jung.
You cannot be out and about dressed like that at this critical time.
What if Lady Park finds out?
I left the house with her permission because of Ye Jin's wedding,
so do not worry.
I thought I should stop by for I wanted to see you.
I suggest you go and stay with your maternal family.
- I will let Lieutenant Jung know... - No way.
I must do my duty.
Knowing that the family is in distress, how could I...
desert them, leaving Geun Seok and Ye Jin behind?
I am very worried about you.
I wanted to see you because I knew you would be worried.
My mother-in-law said she would get it all sorted out, so do not worry.
She is certainly capable of getting this sorted out.
You know that too.
Are you not in love with my daughter-in-law?
Then I will go ahead and think that we have a deal.
I do not want the family to suffer disgrace any further.
Hence,
I must ask you not to see my daughter-in-law again.
If you keep seeing her,
I will have no choice...
but to do things my way to protect the family.
Do not trust Lady Park too much.
Pardon me?
My mother-in-law is the only one I can trust now.
If you are that worried about me,
please write me back right away when you receive my letters.
If not, I will be so frustrated that I might die.
In the guestroom, you will find a brown pill.
Bring it to me.
It is very important, so do not tell a servant to look for it.
Find it yourself.
Yes, Mother.
For today's dinner,
prepare your uncle-in-law's dinner too.
As for his dinner,
cook something nice, and make plenty of food.
Bring a bottle of ginger wine too.
Thank you.
You can go now.
Yes, Mother.
So Hyun!
My gosh.
How are you holding up?
Gosh.
It is so uncomfortable being here.
Anyway, I heard Lord Gyeongunjae would get things sorted out.
I bet...
it is because of the painting I had snatched up.
Then it is all thanks to me.
But...
even Lord Gyeongunjae would not be able to make everything go away.
Right, he would not be able to.
Then,
I would not mind being exiled to a quiet place for a few months.
Preferably to Jinju.
I hear the kisaengs there are very beautiful.
Oh, my.
So Hyun, you are the only one who truly cares about me.
Tomorrow,
you will be released.
So, relax and sleep well.
That is very soon.
So Hyun.
Thank you.
I do not think I can do it.
You must stay strong.
This is the only way we can save...
Prince Jinsung and the family.
Give us some privacy.
Yes, Your Highness.
Your Highness.
I am sorry.
So?
How can we get this situation sorted out?
I believe that everyone...
would only speak the truth when faced with death.
Hence,
prove your innocence...
by taking your own life.
(Jajin: Taking one's own life)
Then the King and the people would believe...
that you were unfairly framed due to political reasons.
I...
I would gladly take my own life to save the family name,
but Geun Seok is the only one left to carry on the family name,
so it would be irresponsible to give up and take my own life.
As the head of the family,
I should stay alive to restore the family name later on.
As for the treason,
the King cannot do anything if I keep on denying it.
Must you disappoint me to the end?
How dare you.
You cannot speak to your husband in that manner.
It was a wise decision to write your will in advance.
What did you say?
I wish to prove my innocence through death.
Eight years ago, my son, Jo In Hyun,
obtained golden silkworm poison to get rid of Prince Unhae...
because of his loyalty toward Prince Jinsung,
who was the Crown Prince at the time.
Upon finding out about it,
I killed my precious eldest son...
to stop him from committing high treason.
I killed my own child...
for the sake of my loyalty toward His Majesty.
But I have now been accused of treason...
because of an unverified statement.
The unfairness of this infuriates me,
and I wish to take my own life to prove my innocence.
So, the left state councillor took his own life.
What is the cause of Park Bok Ki's death?
We were keeping a close watch on him and found no signs of foul play.
It appears that the extreme psychological distress...
resulted in his sudden death.
Eight years ago, the main suspect...
in the murder of the Deputy Administrator of Pyongyang...
died suddenly in a similar manner before his transfer to Hanyang.
He brought it upon himself.
"One would speak the truth when faced with death."
"Since Jo Young Bae proved his innocence..."
"through death, so he is to be acquitted of all charges."
"As for Park Bok Ki, he confessed to the murder of Lee Cho Ok,"
"so it will be recorded..."
"that he was guilty of murder."
Like Park Bok Ki, Lord Jo should have only been acquitted of treason.
Why did you acquit him of murder too?
Because of his eldest son, who is now deceased.
Jo In Hyun came to see me before he left for Pyongyang...
to work as the deputy administrator eight years ago.
He said he would thoroughly investigate...
the corruption in Pyongyang even if his family was involved.
At first, I did not believe him fully.
But he kept his word.
He informed me of the details...
concerning his uncle Park Bok Ki's corrupt deeds.
Shortly after I received his last letter where he wrote...
that he was close to obtaining solid evidence,
he suddenly died,
so I felt terrible.
The left state councillor’s acquittal...
was my way of repaying his son for his loyalty.
So after all, the left state councillor’s late son was the one...
who saved the family, not Lady Park.
What is the matter that you suddenly barged in like that?
Come and sit down if you have something to say.
Mother, was it you?
What do you mean?
If you are referring to how the problem has been taken care of...
Yes, it was me.
And you helped me.
Did you find it?
Thank you.
You can go now.
Mother, I always looked up to you...
for you seemed to know the answer to everything.
But you killed your own family.
I think this is wrong.
You think it is wrong?
Then your father-in-law...
and uncle-in-law would have been executed for treason.
Prince Jinsung and Royal Noble Consort Suk...
would have been poisoned to death,
and Geun Seok and Ye Jin would have been forced into slavery.
Was letting the family fall apart the right thing to do?
What do you think you would have done in this situation?
I am pretty sure...
that you would have made the same choice.
I will take care of everything for the funeral.
Only think about Ye Jin's wedding.
Father has passed away.
Ye Jin's wedding cannot take place right away.
I told you that I would take care of everything.
Just do as I say.
They will soon announce the plan to select the Crown Princess.
Make sure you submit Lady Ha Na's Virgin Note.
This is happening, at last.
Well understood.
You knew that Lady Ha Na and the Crown Prince were meant to be?
Ten years ago,
while watching the royal family's parade,
I saw the string connecting Ha Na to the Crown Prince.
Did you tell her not to wed...
for you did not want to send her to the palace?
That was one of the reasons.
If Prince Jinsung, who has more power, were to ascend the throne,
the Crown Prince would be as good as dead.
I can assure you that Prince Jinsung would never ascend the throne.
Lady Ha Na saved the Crown Prince's life twice.
Can Agents of Love...
recognize their own soulmates?
Of course, they can.
But...
you think a soulmate must make your heart flutter, so in your case...
I am not so sure.
What do you mean?
Heart flutters can be caused by fear,
seeing pretty women,
and even by hearing drums.
When you feel your heart flutter, you will be confused...
whether it was caused by meeting your soulmate...
or by impulsive feelings.
Yes.
You are right.
I heard some Agents of Love were more capable than others.
I suppose you are one of the less capable ones.
I have never had someone criticize my capability before.
What I know for sure...
is that you and Lady Yeoju are not meant to be.
I saw who Lady Yeoju was meant to be with.
Did you also know that Lady Yeoju was a member of Lord Jo's family?
I told you...
to forget her because I was worried about her.
If people find out about your relationship,
she will suffer humiliation for she is a woman.
Jo Young Bae's wife has submitted an appeal.
You should read it first.
In my husband's will,
he wrote that his funeral be kept as simple and short as possible.
He also wrote that...
his daughter's wedding should not be postponed because of his death.
Also, the left state councillor was...
greatly concerned about the issue of spinsters and old bachelors.
Knowing that Erudite Maeng's family was not well-off,
he said to marry off Erudite Maeng's daughters along with my daughter.
So please give me permission to hold his funeral as quickly as possible.
It is now my turn to grant her wish.
The funeral should take place the following month,
but in the left state councillor’s case,
he lost his dear son due to his loyalty,
then lost the other son as well to an illness.
So I cannot ignore his love for his daughter,
who is his only remaining child.
Hence, I give you my permission...
to complete the funeral before her wedding.
Also, your family and the family of the Minister of Defence,
the father of the groom-to-be, will each receive...
ten rolls of silk as your wedding gift.
I was going to use the funeral...
as an excuse to postpone the wedding...
and call it off eventually.
But even the King knows about it now,
so I have no choice. I am doomed.
Oh, dear.
I believe she thinks that hosting the spinsters' joint wedding,
which was organized by the royal court,
at her residence along with her daughter's wedding...
will show everyone that her family is still influential.
Seeing her achieving her goal with such tact...
makes me relieved that she is not a man.
Your Majesty.
Even if everything goes well with the spinsters' joint wedding,
please do not accept my appeal...
to annul my marriage.
What do you mean?
Why did you suddenly change your mind?
I submitted the appeal...
because of the Princess' final wishes.
Work for the government,
and help my father.
The Princess said that?
Get down on your knees.
- Why? - What do you think?
I need something to step on to jump over the wall.
If you step on me,
I will break my back.
It has not even been six months since I got married.
Must you brag about being a married man?
You talk about it all the time.
Just step on this and jump over.
You are tall.
Or shall I jump over the wall and talk to her?
No, why would you do that?
I will do it. Stand watch.
Yes, my lord.
Let me go first.
Stay there for a moment.
Trust me and come down.
Breaching the ethical codes is considered a grave sin.
How did you think to jump over the wall...
to sneak into a widow's house?
What if someone saw you?
Did you miss me that much?
I was heading out to see you too.
I suppose we were on the same wavelength.
My lady.
You are okay, right?
Now that I got to see you,
I am okay.
I did not jump over the wall...
because I wanted to see you.
I simply wanted to tell you to stop sending me letters.
Is it because you are worried about me?
- I... - No.
Like you said,
my feelings have died down.
I do not love you anymore.
(The Matchmakers)
Watch your conduct.
Being unable to be with the one you love...
I believe the Crown Prince needs Lord Gyeongunjae.
I have realized that I will never be the person you want me to be.
From now on, I will find my own way.
I am...
falling for you more and more.
(The Matchmakers)