(Rowoon)
(Cho Yi Hyun)
(Writer: Ha Soo Jin)
(Directors: Hwang Seung Ki, Kim Soo Jin)
(The Matchmakers)
She may be a woman,
but I am sure she is a spouse I can admire.
(Yi Jae, 14 years old)
(Jung Soon Gu, 29 years old)
We will cherish each other...
and live a good life.
I believe I found a spouse who could help our family greatly.
(Han Jong Bok, 30 years old)
We shall continue to respect one another as a married couple.
(Lee Si Yeol, 19 years old)
(Four grooms, confirmed!)
(Young Master)
Right now?
(Jo Ye Jin, 17 years old)
It is a marriage of convenience. There is nothing to like or dislike.
The family of the minister of defence...
is a good match with my family.
I chose my spouse because he was...
the most mature and respectable among the people I knew.
(Maeng Ha Na, 24 years old)
The one I am to marry is...
kind, brave, smart,
good-natured...
And above all, he is good-looking!
My eldest sister has met someone she wanted to,
and so did my younger sister.
I am fine.
(Maeng Doo Ri, 23 years old)
I have nothing more to say.
To be frank, marriage is a crazy thing.
(Four brides, confirmed!)
(Episode 14: The One Who Loves More Is the Winner)
I did not climb over the wall...
not because I wanted to see you.
I wanted to tell you to stop sending me letters.
Are you worried about me? I...
No.
It was just as you said.
My feelings have died down.
Our feelings for each other...
are probably like a fleeting wind.
After some time,
these stormy feelings...
will die down too.
I do not have feelings for you anymore.
Right.
Why do you lie to me and say something you do not mean?
You said you did not like me,
yet you jumped over the wall in this annex where I was alone...
only to tell me not to send you letters anymore?
You said you did not like me,
but you kindly let me hold your arm to trust you and come down?
You said you did not like me, but why did your heart...
race so fast when you held me in your arms?
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 for our family.
My heart raced...
because I was afraid.
I was afraid you would prejudge my feelings...
and trouble me just as you did right now.
Heart is something...
that can race in fear...
or even at the sound of a drum.
Hence,
please behave accordingly...
to prevent causing me any harm.
You have raised your daughter as a smart yet brave girl.
I have not raised her as such.
She was born that way.
That was why I had been quite worried.
A woman talented in both literary and martial arts...
in this land of Joseon usually was not received well.
However, those are qualities a woman needs...
to become the queen.
My daughter...
may not be a meek wife.
However, she is benevolent and down-to-earth.
I am sure she will be a faithful subject and spouse...
for the Crown Prince.
All he needs is a reliable spouse.
I know him very well.
He will be a sweet husband to you.
No way.
Ha Na is about to become the Crown Princess.
That little boy must have been the Crown Prince.
I see. That was why he had no sense of respect in his eyes.
Does this mean we will be the center of the Queen's relatives...
and save Ha Na from the veiled enmity in the palace?
What are you talking about?
Do you not know what Ha Na is like?
She is someone who does not need our help.
I have decided on the title of my next novel.
"Ladies of the Palace."
I do not have an appetite.
You will end up sick if you do not eat.
Have at least one bite.
My father passed away,
yet I must still get married?
I do not know what my mother is thinking.
How will the people think of this?
Why do you care about what others think?
This is your marriage.
Your opinion is the most important,
so you do not have to marry if you do not wish to.
How can I do that?
My mother is dead set on this.
I can always postpone the wedding...
or call it off without letting a word go out.
Just tell me.
Thank you for saying that.
Mother.
Goodness.
I already told you that Lady Jung would bring her food.
Did you bring this for your aunt?
Do not even get me started.
I was really shocked...
when he came into the kitchen.
What if Lady Park had seen him?
I was only concerned about myself...
and even made a young boy like you worry.
I am sorry.
Do not say that.
You also looked after me all night when I was sick.
That was...
Yes, thank you...
for your consideration.
Please have some.
I am going to stay until you finish everything.
In that case, I shall eat.
You should have a bite first.
Then Geun Seok and Ye Jin would have been forced...
into slavery for treason.
Was letting the family fall apart the right thing to do?
My lord. There is a letter for you.
Goodness!
I told you not to accept letters from the inn.
This is from your brother in Wonju.
You must be waiting for a letter...
from Lady Jung in the left state councillor’s family.
No.
They say people visit the funeral of a minister's dog,
but when the minister dies, no one will bother to come.
The members of Dongro Faction...
used to come by every single day, but none of them came.
It looks like his funeral is...
held very quietly.
I guess this is the end of the left state councillor’s power.
(Mourning)
I do not think we will have more visitors.
You may give out the food to our servants and tenant farmers.
Yes, Mother.
My lord.
Where do you wish to go?
(Mourning)
It is I, Soon Duk.
Come in.
You should also get changed...
and focus on the wedding.
Yes.
Also, Ye Jin's wedding will be held...
along with Erudite Maeng's daughters at our place.
You shall also prepare for their wedding.
Pardon?
I mean, as my daughter-in-law, not as Lady Yeoju.
What do you mean?
Why should Ye Jin have her wedding with Erudite Maeng's daughters?
You will find out over time.
Just do as I say at the moment.
But still, Ye Jin would not like it.
She is entering this marriage for her family.
There is nothing to like or dislike about this.
I will inform Ye Jin myself.
You do not have to mind her.
The eldest daughter of Erudite Maeng was chosen as the Crown Princess,
so you could just focus on the other two.
Yes, Mother.
You must have known the eldest of that family...
would become the Crown Princess.
I am not reprimanding you.
I am complimenting you for your ability...
to recognize a person's talent and use.
Why should I have my wedding with the old ladies?
You knew everything, so you should have stopped her.
How could I get married on the same day as Bu Kyum?
I will not do this.
No, I cannot.
Is the problem that you will have the wedding with him?
On the night...
of the May Festival, he refused to get married.
That is why Lady Doo Ri is marrying someone else.
If you cannot get over him,
it is not too late to tell me.
It would have been all right before,
but if I married Bu Kyum now,
people would think it was because our family was in decline.
I do not want that.
What is important is how you feel, not what others think.
It is important to me.
I will marry into the family of the minister of defence.
If that is what you want, you can do that.
However, one thing more important than your family...
is you.
You will stay here until the day of your wedding...
to learn and become familiar with customs of the palace.
All right.
Congratulations on the selection of your eldest daughter...
as the Crown Princess.
Lord Gyeongunjae told us about the wedding venue.
Everything was decided by the higher-ups,
so we should abide by the decision.
We will pay extra attention to cause no inconvenience,
so please do not worry.
I am not worried.
I already know you will do a wonderful job.
Why should we marry at her place?
This is the worst.
- Goodness. - Stop it.
Please consider that not heard, Lady Jung.
You are the younger sister of Lieutenant Jung, right?
You are such a beauty.
Anyway,
have we met before?
You seem familiar.
Is it because you are such a beauty?
Why are you kissing up to her even before you are married?
We have...
met each other.
This is all thanks to you.
You and Lady Ha Na have met because you two were meant to be.
All I did was bring you the utensil after the meal was prepared.
Without the utensil, it would be difficult...
to eat the meal.
Right, about the Agent of Love who said Lady Ha Na...
and I were meant to be.
Is she a widower?
Something like that.
I knew it. The legend was right.
I was reading "Book of Folk Tales..."
and found a story on the sad fate of the Agent of Love,
so I wanted to let you know.
Back in Silla, the Agent of Love was not called that.
Rather, the Lonely Agent.
Because their spouse would die young...
when they married someone they were meant to be with.
These people could not be with someone they loved.
It is such a sad destiny.
It is as if you put on a disguise.
You look absolutely different without your makeup.
It is such a wonder.
I apologize for deceiving you.
Please be happy with my brother.
I also hope to get along with you,
my sister-in-law.
Enough is enough.
You have not married him. She is not your sister-in-law yet.
Do you not think you should meet your groom before you marry him?
I am fine.
It is not like I could change my husband after I meet him.
Who knows?
I already know it is impossible.
By any chance, is there someone you fancy?
I just do not wish to get married.
May I ask why you do not wish...
to be married?
My mother became blind because of me.
What do you mean?
My father only focused on his studies,
so he could not care less about how his family would eat.
My mother made a living for us by working as a matchmaker.
But my grandmother and father were ashamed of her,
saying she was in a vulgar trade.
Once I grew old enough to make money with needlework,
my grandmother fed her poison and blinded her...
to make sure she could not go outside anymore.
My father knew about it, but he did not stop her.
How is this your fault?
The fault is on your grandmother and father.
I know that.
But whenever I see my mother,
it still feels like my fault.
Sam Soon was too young to know.
But when Ha Na and I found out,
we signed a note swearing that the three sisters would...
live together for life without marrying.
I still have not changed my mind.
This is why...
I do not wish to marry.
My lord.
What brings you here?
The ladies of this family will marry at my house...
I know.
I did not come because of their wedding.
I came to ask a question to the wife of Erudite Maeng.
When an Agent of Love marries the one for them,
their spouse dies young?
I have never heard that before.
Well, Erudite Maeng did not exactly pass away young.
Ha Na's father...
was not someone meant to be with me.
There was someone I was to marry before I married him.
He was the one.
A week before we married, there was an epidemic in my village.
He passed away before we could do anything.
I had already received the wedding letter from him,
so I was as good as married.
But both families agreed to treat it as if it never happened.
Would this mean...
he passed away because I was an Agent of Love?
This is inconvenient, so please leave first.
You can tell me.
Tell you what?
The things you wish to say.
You said you did not like me anymore.
However, I still have feelings for you,
so you can talk to me.
I do not have anything I want to say.
It is because you cannot see yourself right now.
You look as if you have so many things to say.
Even if I had something I wanted to say,
why should I talk to you?
If you came to visit Erudite Maeng's wife,
it must be about the ladies' wedding or the Agent of Love.
And I am the only one you can talk to about these matters.
So please, go ahead.
Do not be afraid.
You just smiled, so you have to tell me now.
I know a great place where we can chat.
I tried so hard...
to find out why the Princess died.
You do not think...
the Princess passed away...
because you are an Agent of Love, do you?
Do you really believe that?
The years of human life is up to fade.
Not fade, but fate.
Precisely.
You are such a smart man. Why do you believe such an old tale?
Well, I mean,
it also happened to Lady Cho's old fiancé.
It is not like you have asked every single Agent of Love.
To me, it sounds like the fallacy of hasty generalization.
Lady Jung, why did you suddenly become so smart?
I learned it all from you.
Try to think more rationally.
How is it your fault...
that the Princess passed away?
It is because of those who used poison for their treachery.
It still feels like my fault.
Only if she had not married an Agent of Love like me...
Please do not get such an idea.
It was not your fault.
I am not taking your side blindly...
because of my feelings for you.
It is simply a fact.
So...
do not blame yourself.
Thank you.
No, thank you.
I seemed to have found...
the answer to my concern as I spoke with you.
I am...
starting...
to like you...
more and more.
What did you and Lady Yeoju talk about?
Well, I asked her about my husband-to-be.
Are you starting to feel a little excited about your wedding?
Gosh, I am so relieved.
I was worried you were marrying against your will,
even though you despised getting married.
Do you think I am crazy?
Why would I marry against my will because of you?
Exactly.
Gosh, Doo Ri.
Let us continue to be good sisters even after we marry.
Sure, I guess.
What do you wish to say to me?
I have given a thought about the question you asked me.
Good.
If you were in that situation,
how would you save your family? Have you found a way?
No.
I realized it was meaningless to look for a way.
If it were me,
I would not have made a foolish decision...
to take the Crown Prince's life.
"Foolish."
In that case,
would you have sat around and let Prince Jinsung...
lose his position as the Crown Prince?
If that was the course of nature, then yes, I would have followed.
It is not something we can change, is it?
The course of nature is created by those in power.
With power,
anyone else would have made the same decision I did.
Because of your decision,
Father died, and so did your brother.
Is this your definition of nature's course?
Although I looked up to you and tried to take after you,
I have realized that I will never be the person you want me to be.
From now on,
I will find my own way.
All right.
Try and find your way.
You will be the head of this household, after all.
My sincere congratulations on the Crown Prince's wedding.
I never thought I would get to receive your blessings...
for my son's wedding.
Please forget...
about my son's wrongdoing in the past.
From now on, I will serve you with utmost sincerity.
Very well.
May I recommend that you send Prince Jinsung...
to lead the envoy troop...
leaving in August?
With Prince Jinsung out of Joseon,
your mind will be at ease.
Will Prince Jinsung agree to it?
Especially when the troop will be fetching...
the Crown Prince's investiture letter.
If that is your concern,
how about sending Lord Gyeongunjae with him?
Gyeongunjae?
If he accompanies Prince Jinsung,
you will have your peace of mind.
As a member of the royal family,
Lord Gyeongunjae will also be glad to aid the Crown Prince.
I shall think about it.
Lady Park came to me.
She said that for the Crown Prince's sake,
we should send Lord Gyeongunjae with the envoys heading to Ming.
Is that so?
Upon hearing that,
I believe the Crown Prince needs Lord Gyeongunjae.
We should...
allow Lord Gyeongunjae to assist the Crown Prince.
Please...
grant his marriage annulment appeal.
If I grant his appeal,
the Princess shall be a lonely soul who was unwed.
Will you be all right?
Lord Gyeongunjae wrote that appeal in the first place...
because of the Princess' last words, did he not?
You are right.
Lord Gyeongunjae always seemed pitiful.
I felt bad whenever I saw him.
Thank you for bringing it up first.
What brings you here?
Like a noble father-in-law,
I came to have a drink with my son-in-law.
You must have spent a long and lonesome time in here.
I have been kept busy.
By writing all those annulment appeals?
They were not the only tasks I had.
Although you said there was no need,
once this wedding wraps up,
I intend to grant your appeal to annul your marriage.
Your Majesty.
I like my current arrangement.
The Princess told you...
to work for the government and help me.
Will you ignore her last wishes?
While matchmaking under your orders,
I have realized a lot.
Love is everywhere and it is the start of everything.
We will expose the truth to everyone...
and turn rumours into praises.
We will also punish the merciless murderer.
If you are okay with it,
I would like to help you...
find the murderer even if you cannot recall.
I learned that...
I do not need to take office to help the country.
Hence,
I will do my best to help you from my current position.
You have finally picked up the workings of the world.
If you take office,
you will be able to do far more things for me.
Therefore,
be prepared to work for the country and the people.
I am not saying this as your father-in-law.
This is my order as the king.
What?
You do not want an increased workload?
How long do you plan to laze in here?
Tell me!
I shall obey your order.
In that case,
you should wrap up the spinsters' weddings first.
The Crown Prince...
said he wanted to attend the wedding.
But that family is...
I know.
I myself do not approve of him being there.
But for nobles,
it would be the wedding of his future sisters-in-law.
So he has every right to be there.
It seems like a great decision for his first political move.
So I agreed to it.
We need to show them that...
the Crown Prince no longer fears them.
So Jung Woo,
do your best to help the Crown Prince by his side.
Yes, Your Majesty.
Pour me one.
Goodness.
Why did you not tell me?
Well, I...
You had plenty of chances to tell me.
Please do not worry.
My sister will...
Why should I be worried?
I am so happy.
If Lady Yeoju is my sister-in-law,
she will fully support me in writing my novels.
I see.
I will not stop you from writing.
But please make them less obscene.
Are you...
telling me not to write lewd scenes?
- Yes. - That is out of the question.
Without those scenes, the ladies will drop the novels.
In that case, please make them more realistic.
At the end of "The Lady's Private Life,"
her translucent clothes were...
How is that possible?
I see.
You mean the lady's combat outfit.
That dress...
really exists.
Please do not make things up just because I do not know.
For someone who hates lewd things,
you sure have a good memory.
Are you having fun?
Yes.
Do not tease me.
Are you allowed out of the house now?
Mother told me...
to find a matchmaker for Ye Jin.
I thought the wedding was settled.
Why do you need a matchmaker?
Should I do it?
I found one already.
She is perfect for the job.
My goodness.
These goods are great. Wonderful.
Are you Madam Lee?
Yes, that is me.
Are you...
We met at Sunhwa Temple on Buddha's birthday, right?
Which family is she from?
She is Lord Jo's daughter-in-law.
Watch your manners.
My goodness, the insane one?
I mean...
What brings you here?
Sam Wol's mother should have informed me first.
Lady Yeoju disappeared when she was in charge of Ye Jin's wedding.
I want you to take over since I heard...
you were the most experienced.
Being your family's matchmaker...
would be an honour.
You just need to receive the silks and dowry...
from the groom's family, who is the Minister of Defence.
Make sure to keep it a secret.
Of course.
I am extremely tight-lipped, you know.
Well then, I am counting on you.
The left state councillor and the Minister of Defence?
It is a secret. Do not tell anyone.
Do not worry.
You know what is juicier?
Lady Yeoju fled in the middle of the night.
- Why? - What do you think?
Seeing how a slave hunter was after her,
she must have been a runaway slave.
She fled since her identity would be exposed.
She did not seem like one.
Why, she looked exactly like one to me.
I should be off to the Minister of Defence's.
They always ask me for important tasks.
Goodness.
Lord Jo's daughter will marry the Minister of Defence's son?
The Jo family still has prestige.
Right?
Madam!
Big news.
Lord Jo's daughter...
Is marrying the Minister of Defence's son?
What?
How did you know?
Anyway, the bigger news is...
Lady Yeoju fled in the middle of the night?
What?
She said it was a secret.
How can she go around spreading it herself? Goodness.
By tomorrow, the rumours will be all over the city.
So that is why you chose Madam Lee the gossip.
I guess Mother wants people to know...
that our family is still strong.
As you said,
I think Lady Park is an incredible person.
I plan to pack up...
and move to Ming to start my powder business.
With the officer?
There is nothing between...
the officer and I.
As if. I can totally see something.
That officer likes you.
You know I am as intuitive as a shaman, right?
Of course.
I took advantage...
of the officer's feelings for me to stay alive.
I knew that he liked me.
So...
I asked him to let me go eight years ago.
I knew that he could not refuse.
Because of that, he lost his title,
and his entire life was ruined.
But you like him too.
It would be shameless of me to like him.
How frustrating.
Please help them, Lady Jung.
The officer is leaving today.
What?
And why are you here?
Go and get him.
There is no shame in love.
I told you to stop sending me letters.
Why do you not listen?
You are quite early despite being angry.
I called for you as this is a matter only you can solve.
I cannot do it.
(Matchmaking Operation for Erudite Maeng's Three Daughters)
Why not?
"You are made for each other."
That is all you need to say.
My heart did not race when I saw them.
They are not fated to be.
You can lie to them.
They know you are an Agent of Love.
Why should I lie?
They are not meant to be...
so they can forget each other.
You can like someone you are not meant for.
Look at us. Did we like each other because we were fated to be?
Mister!
Mister, please do not go. Come and live with us.
I have to go.
Please...
do not go.
It was not your fault,
but because I liked you,
my wife suffered a hard time and died.
So how can I...
live with you now?
I would be too sorry for my late wife.
If you live in suffering,
will your guilt disappear?
As someone who can tell the fates of others,
you are made for each other.
That is why you met again after so long.
So forget the past...
and live together.
Even if you go now,
you will meet again.
That is...
the fate you two have.
I am sure...
they will have a good life together.
Even if they were not made for each other,
I can see that they truly love each other.
If they loved each other so much,
they should have stayed together...
even if they were not told their fates.
They had too much burden in their hearts.
To lift that burden,
fate is the best excuse.
Since I am done here,
I shall get going.
My lord.
Can you stop that now?
Stop pretending you do not like me.
I am having a hard time as it is.
You are having a hard time?
What is bothering you?
Please tell me.
See? You are so worried about me.
Yet, you pretend not to like me.
What am I to do then?
I had no other options,
but I was worried about you.
And I missed you to death.
So I...
You think I wanted to ignore my feelings?
I feel much better now that you are being honest.
Do you know...
what is the line I hate the most in novels?
"I am leaving because I love you."
I made up my mind when you climbed the wall.
To be with you.
How will you do that?
I have not figured out how.
But do not worry.
I am the best...
at bringing people together in Joseon.
Lady Park...
is more fearsome than you...
I am...
more courageous than you think.
So have faith and wait for me.
Have you heard?
- Yes, I heard. - What do we do?
Someone has to take responsibility.
My apologies for being late.
It is always busy at the Capital District Office.
All right.
I am thinking of a meeting for the Dongro Faction at my house.
When are you free?
You must not have heard the news.
What news?
With the successful weddings of the spinsters,
His Majesty plans to accept the appeal...
to annul Lord Gyeongunjae's marriage.
Then, Lord Gyeongunjae should be...
the new leader of Dongro Faction, do you agree?
That is true.
I see.
Even so, that man is too young.
Besides, he has no political experience.
How can we trust and make him the leader?
He is smart, is he not?
Joseon's youngest to pass the state examination first place.
Right. Back then,
did you not rank third?
If the letter of appeal gets accepted,
he might become the Capital District Office's Chief Magistrate.
Well, the Capital District Office did not settle anything...
from the spinster to the house price problems.
Good grief.
This is my last wedding gift to you.
Is this not the book of military tactics?
War is not the only place this book is needed.
Tactics are necessary to lead a household.
It will come in handy if you read it.
Yes, Mother.
Once you get married, you must respect and serve your husband.
However, that does not mean you must obey him at all costs.
Only when you suggest the right path...
to your husband...
will you gain your husband's trust...
and be on equal footing with him.
I am not sure if I can accept it.
I have always wanted to give you a wedding gift.
Please do accept it.
Thank you.
Actually, I have prepared a wedding gift for the young master.
But you must have been busy with your wedding preparations.
Thank you.
Gosh.
How beautiful.
It is very nice.
Hoping your son will begin his official career...
and get promoted to a high position,
I embroidered a butterfly on it.
Goodness.
Are you visiting our house?
I was actually leaving.
Oh, gosh.
What is it? Why are you following me?
I am not following you.
We are only heading in the same direction.
Where are you going?
Well...
I am on my way to meet my friend.
You know, right?
That I have a shaman friend at Mount Nam Valley.
Is your wedding preparation going well?
The country should prepare for it.
After all, a precious spinster is getting married.
Gosh, that is sick.
So you have mastered it.
The Crown Prince is coming to the wedding?
Thanks to you, the government officials will attend the wedding.
People who did not come to the funeral...
will show up no matter what.
This is the very reason I am holding Ye Jin's wedding...
along with that of Erudite Maeng's daughters.
Ye Jin...
marrying the son of the Minister of Defence...
and Erudite Maeng's eldest daughter becoming the Crown Princess...
are all thanks to you.
Along with it, your brother is now in-laws with the Crown Prince.
Mother.
I did not do it for the family.
I simply connected two people who were in love with each other.
And so? Did that make any difference?
The man Ye Jin wanted to marry.
The family I wanted.
The marriages you successfully arranged are all the same, no?
- However... - I will not stop you...
from finding your own method.
In the end, we are all on the same side.
(The day of the wedding)
Here is the groom.
Well, hello there.
Let us go.
Here they come.
They are coming.
The brides are coming.
Why are you standing over there, my lady?
What about you, my lord?
(The Matchmakers)
(Listen to "Love Signal" by UM TAEMIN on all music platforms.)
Where did Ye Jin go?
Do you think I set this up...
to make those spinsters get married?
Let us think of a plan to make all three pairs get married.
From bowing to the bridal room,
carry out everything as I tell you.
You must never reveal your face.
Swap it with this and serve it as a snack.
Will it really be all right?
Once this wedding is over,
let us run far away.
(The Matchmakers)