Because of my unique family ties,
I think it will be harder for me to marry.
Is it because of my half-brother Prince Jinsung?
No.
The reason it is hard for me to marry is...
because I have four older sisters.
Who would want four sisters-in-law?
What I want from a spouse is simple.
(Maeng Ha Na, smarter than she is pretty)
His father must be fifth class or above.
He cannot be below that.
He must be between 5.5 and 6 feet tall.
A tall man is never worth the extra height.
He just has to look manly enough.
No.
I waited this long already.
I will not marry if he does not fit even one condition.
Now for the most important one.
He must be worthy of my respect.
(Episode 7: An Eye for an Eye, a Rumour for a Rumour)
This is different from what I have heard.
You said only the murderer will get punished.
How could you have Lady Sam Soon do such a dangerous job?
Do...
Do not yell.
If you do...
my... my chest...
My lord!
Pull yourself together!
My lord. Wake up.
Look only at me.
My lord.
Get on my back.
I will take you home.
My horse is outside. I will be outside the inn.
Leave it.
I am fine now.
You are not fine. You passed out.
You must see Physician Yu...
Get off me.
Do not cause a fuss.
I know my condition well.
Explain the next step.
This is a pressing matter.
My goodness.
This feel.
It is not the first time.
Lady Sam Soon.
Stand by that wall.
What?
Go do it now.
Go.
Okay.
Now Lieutenant, go and stand by Lady Sam Soon.
Go on.
Help me out here.
This was the cause of my chest pain?
Lieutenant.
Stay at least two steps apart from Lady Sam Soon.
Go, now.
Now.
What the...
You are in pain again?
As of this moment,
Lady Sam Soon and the lieutenant...
are to stay at least two steps apart.
Why?
When a single man and woman are unacceptably close,
my chest seizes up in pain.
The Classic of Rites says...
men and women must be apart since the age of seven.
Let us say you are honouring our morals.
Why are you laughing?
I do not think it has anything to do with morals or rites.
You have no experience with a woman,
and you will likely never have any,
so seeing other couples makes you angry and jealous.
I think that is why your heart races.
My lord, you are a Confucian scholar to the core.
A true example of an upright man.
What is it now?
Lieutenant.
Are you still single?
Stand well apart!
- Stand apart. - Stand...
Stand apart...
Are you unwed?
I am.
Yes!
I always lose her in this area.
The conclusion is,
Lee Cho Ok's murderer...
seems to be the Minister of Defence.
The day Lee Cho Ok vanished,
the minister's birthday party was held.
(6 months ago, Minister of Defence's residence)
Lee Cho Ok went to help with the arrangements.
She did not return home.
The investigation report...
did not mention Lee went to the minister's residence.
Early on,
we had witnesses who said they saw Lee at the party,
and that the minister...
dragged her into a room.
The very next day, they all said they never saw her.
He bought their silence.
Everyone knew the Minister of Defence...
had a thing for Cho Ok when she was alive.
If that were how things were,
Lee should have had no reason to work at the minister's party.
She must have borrowed from him during the famine.
He would have offered...
to write off the interest if she worked for him that day.
As a peddler, you know how things work.
Thank you.
I am smart and quick-witted.
Unlike someone else.
Cut out the chatter and...
keep explaining.
My point exactly.
Lee's body was found by the river.
The Minister of Defence's butler claimed he saw Lee...
walk into the river the night before.
It was concluded a suicide.
The witness works for the minister,
and that proves he is guilty.
I have a question.
How did I end up being named as Cho Ok's killer?
Officials found...
many of Hwa Rok's erotic romance novels in Lee's room.
Lee became engrossed in the novels,
failed to distinguish imagination and reality,
and became depressed and took her own life.
That was the conclusion.
The Capital District Office wants to close the case...
by punishing Hwa Rok for writing psychoactive novels...
that have negative effects on women and children.
The stuffy officials...
sometimes get too pointlessly creative.
Everyone but you, Lieutenant.
They sell new books here?
This book.
It looks familiar.
Two nyang for three days.
What?
It is expensive because it is most popular.
I was just looking around.
Stop a rumour with a rumour.
I will explain Operation Rumour Block.
We will punish the Minister of Defence...
with public sentiment...
and turn Lady Ha Na's false rumour into a moving story.
How?
With an incredibly gripping story.
Who?
Hwa Rok, the most popular writer of the day.
I understand the mission completely.
Move the public...
It is not the greatest of tactics,
but it should counter Lady Ha Na's rumour.
To wish us success,
we should chant the operation name.
The deal was that...
I follow Lady Yeoju's practices.
Lieutenant, your hand too.
Okay, then.
The lieutenant must keep his distance from Lady Sam Soon.
You do not have to participate.
- Your hand too. - Oh, okay.
Okay, then.
Block a rumour with a rumour!
- Rumour Block! - Rumour Block!
Let us go, then.
What a great start.
You must go to the Royal Court today.
- You must hurry. - Oh, yes.
It is because I am the princess' husband.
What is?
The reason Lady Yeoju is distancing herself from me.
For a peddler...
to work with a royal must be so uncomfortable.
Do you really believe that is it?
How do I explain I am open when it comes to that matter?
You are, are you? I had no idea.
Can we get going now?
You know better than anyone.
I am always open when it comes to that.
Right, you are.
I have no prejudice about social class.
You wanted to talk in private?
My spouse. Instead of Bachelor 23,
can it be the lieutenant?
Do not make a decision now.
Let us think about it over time.
Why?
Am I not good enough a match for the lieutenant?
It is not that.
From what I know,
the lieutenant decided never to marry.
I do not want you to get hurt.
I was against marriage myself too.
But we always change our minds.
I have a feeling that the lieutenant...
likes me too.
You said I could marry the man I want.
Help me out.
Lady Sam Soon is brave and true to her feelings.
She could be the person to reach out...
to my stubborn brother.
Very well, then.
Let us work on matching you with the lieutenant.
Thank you.
The death of Lee Cho Ok from six months ago.
Do you remember the case?
Of course I do.
She was a depressed spinster...
who took her life.
There was a spooky story about her spirit...
haunting other women of marriageable age.
That story...
was one of the reasons the crown prince could not marry.
How could I forget?
That story is hampering the marriage of Erudite Maeng's three daughters.
The matchmaker and I are working on it.
Okay. Good luck.
By the way,
are you sure the left state councillor has no idea?
Yes.
Actually,
his wife seems to suspect something,
so to appease her,
I agreed to tutor their grandson.
Very well.
Lady Sam Soon.
You stayed up all night?
Let us go to the inn.
What? Wait.
Looking like that?
I need not dress like a man.
It is the lieutenant's day off,
and he will come to help copy your story.
What?
Why are you telling me that now?
That is why I am here.
Go and get changed.
Let us...
become prettier.
Lieutenant.
Have you forgotten?
No excessive show of affection.
I only stood up. I cannot do that either?
He is the type who steps away whenever a woman approaches.
To succeed, you must make him come to you.
I understand.
Lieutenant.
You can sit over there and copy the pages.
Oh, my gosh.
I know we cannot hire professionals for security reasons,
but why must I wear something like this?
To get people to think Hwa Rok is a young man in green.
When you leave, your butler can wear the robe...
and head to the water mill.
Okay.
Then witnesses will focus on the green robe...
and not Hwa Rok's build or figure.
It will be easier to evade the guards.
Your mind works wonderfully, Lieutenant.
I could tell that much myself.
Lady Yeoju.
Thank you for working hard on this case.
I will lift the command...
that you must keep a three-step distance from me.
And to make things move smoothly,
you need not feel too uncomfortable around me.
"The Story of Lady Cho Hee."
I do not understand the story.
Ask me about it, then.
Right.
If Cho Ok's ghost felt wronged,
she should appear to the magistrate to plead her case.
Why would she appear to unwed women?
It lacks a sense of realism.
I do not know what "a sense of realism" is,
but from Cho Ok's ghost's perspective,
she was killed by the Minister of Defence,
and the governors and magistrates are his lackeys.
Unless she were stupid, she would not visit a magistrate.
She haunted women because she believed...
a woman would understand and help.
Lady Sam Soon is right.
I think this story has a great sense of realism.
I think that unlike other officials,
you have a sense of justice.
I suddenly feel so hot. Is it just me?
I do not find the story strange.
If you all think so, then...
My heart accelerates...
even when I am frustrated,
so I would like an answer to my letter.
My lady.
Go back inside,
walk around the bookstore five times, then come outside.
Then...
I cannot walk with the lieutenant.
That is the point.
What...
I will leave, then.
Well...
If you keep asking because you do not know how I feel,
that would be so upsetting.
She need not be upset.
When you read this,
tell how you feel, whether it be to a tree or the sky.
I would like to hear it through the wind.
Cho Hee poured out her heart for her beloved...
into the letter.
"Cho Hee?"
Who is Cho...
I will manage.
Lady Yeoju.
She wrote just one line...
on the back of scrap paper?
She could have talked to me instead.
She got my hopes up by giving this to me.
The paper smells fragrant, even.
(You need not feel too uncomfortable around me.)
My heart accelerates...
even when I am frustrated,
so I would like an answer to my letter.
(I will manage. Lady Yeoju.)
"Confucius said,"
"'If you study and sometimes learn, '"
"'would that not be a pleasure?'"
"'Even if no one notices, you need not be upset.'"
"'That is a true scholar.'"
Your Highness.
The Queen urgently needs you at the palace.
Right now?
"He considered it beautiful,"
"and followed harmony with all things big and small,"
"but still, sometimes, things did not go as he wished."
There is no mountain path on the way to the palace.
Stop the palanquin.
What is the matter?
I need to relieve myself,
and there is no chamber pot.
I would feel embarrassed.
Stay three steps away and turn your back to me.
Yes, Your Highness.
Ha Na!
Beat it and get the dirt out!
I get eczema from just washing my hands.
- Will you let me off? - I cannot.
You need to practice because I cannot wash your clothes...
when you marry.
Fine.
You must do this forever once you marry.
Why practice already?
Do your thing and catch a pheasant.
Watching you is infuriating.
Shall I?
We should each do what we do best.
See you later.
Be careful!
He ran away!
Over there!
Stop!
That way.
Are you all right?
I will be if you move.
You helped me with your slingshot.
Ha Na.
Who is he?
He looks lost.
I see.
Kid. Where do you live?
I cannot tell you.
I do not wish to know.
- Let us go home. - Okay.
Wait.
You saved me, so I am your responsibility now.
I must be responsible?
O Bong, sit up straight and write.
Look at your terrible writing.
- Oh, thank you. - How terrible.
My lord.
There is no time to rest.
I am coming.
They say you can tell when a person is missing.
One less lieutenant is slowing us down a great deal.
I also do not feel like working without him around.
Write with your hands, not your mouths.
The story comes out tomorrow.
Speed up, everyone.
Halt.
We release the story tomorrow,
and we must all spend the night here, you said.
Where are you going?
Well...
I will visit the Virtuous Lady where we will release the story.
I will see you all later.
Wait, but I...
The crown...
The young master disappeared? How?
He caught on and got away.
He must be within the capital.
How many capital district officers can we gather?
It is late, but we can muster about 30 men.
I will call on them now.
You cannot do that.
If you summon official guards,
people will notice, and it could work against us later on.
Are you saying we should sit and wait?
I talked to a merchant I know...
and had him look for the young master in secret.
The most urgent matter now...
is to silence the bodyguard we hired.
I will take care of that.
I suggest...
you return to the Capital District Office at once.
If the Crown Prince is in the village,
people may take him to the government office.
Yes, I will be leaving then.
Then I shall go and check on Sam Wol's mother.
Sure.
I told them to go and find him.
Mother, I heard you asked for me.
I am quite tired today.
You need not come to my chambers to wish me a good night.
Make sure Geun Seok goes to bed early too.
I hope you are not feeling sick.
I am just a little tired. Do not worry.
Hey, kiddo. Is it not this house either?
My name is not "kiddo."
I am Yi Jae.
You can state your name so clearly.
How come you do not know where your home is?
Because it is my first time...
visiting my maternal grandfather.
Also, the streets look different as night has befallen.
The curfew hours will begin soon.
I will take you to the Capital District Office.
Come along.
I cannot believe you brought that kid to our house!
If that stupid boy does not know where his home is,
you should just take him to the Capital District Office!
How dare you call me stupid?
We did go to the Capital District Office.
The Minister of Defence was there.
He does not like me because I beat the petitioner's drum.
If I show up with a boy he does not recognize...
He will spread rumours that this boy is your secret child.
How dare you spew such nonsense?
Do you know who my parents are?
Who are your parents?
Yes, you are old enough. How could you not know where your home is?
Did you raise your voice at me just now?
You raised your voice first!
That is enough, both of you.
The curfew bell has rung, so we have no choice.
He will sleep here tonight.
I am done.
Well done, my lady.
Gosh.
Come out for a moment.
We are almost done here. I cannot step out now.
Lady Sam Soon truly is a natural-born storyteller.
What is your name?
Do you not wish to tell me?
Or do you not have a name?
No one else has ever asked me my name...
since I began working as a peddler.
Then you should be honoured.
Let me ask you again. What is your name?
My name is...
Soon Duk.
That is a pretty name.
How old are you?
I am two years older than you.
So, you are 27.
How do you know my age?
You were born in the Year of the Monkey, were you not?
You are famous in Hanyang.
Goodness.
As the Man of Anger?
This is not fair.
I wish to know more about you too.
What do you want to know?
Everything about you.
What for?
Once this matchmaking project is completed,
we will never see each other again.
I am going out for a walk. Would you like to join me?
(Restricted Area, Trespassers Will Be Executed)
(Trespassers who enter the restricted area shall be executed.)
This is a restricted area.
No one is allowed to enter this area. Am I wrong?
But no one else is around, so it is perfect for a night stroll.
I wonder...
if the King knows about this restricted area here.
What do you mean?
Because this area is blocked, people have to make a detour.
If the King blocked it off knowing that,
it means he failed to understand his people's needs.
If he does not know about it at all, it means he is an incompetent king.
I enjoy admiring the view from here at this time of night.
The palace looks very peaceful from here.
Yes, how did it go?
They sent a messenger.
They have not found the Crown Prince yet.
This is not good.
I must let His Majesty know.
The Crown Prince was kidnapped from the private house?
It is all my fault.
What if something bad happens to the Crown Prince?
Summon the investigator at the Department of Justice now.
Yes, Your Majesty.
(Ogyeongsamjeom: The night time curfew ends at 4am.)
It is time to mobilize your private army.
Now? Knowing that the soldiers...
from the Department of Justice are combing every street?
It was the Queen...
who sent the Crown Prince to the private residence in secret.
So if something bad happens to him, it is all on her.
That house at the end of the street is where you live?
It is that way. Get him!
Stop right there!
If something bad happens to the Crown Prince...
Two ladies are here to see you.
Mother!
My goodness. You are... Gosh.
My dear, what happened? Are you all right?
The curfew hours had begun, so I let him sleep at my house.
But everything was different including the bedding,
so he barely slept. He must be exhausted.
Thank you for saving my child.
Could you kindly identify yourself?
I am Maeng Ha Na from the Mount Nam Valley.
Are you the eldest one of the three spinster sisters?
You are the brave lady...
who beat the petitioner's drum to report the Minister of Defence.
I wanted to meet you.
By the way,
how did you come up with the idea of putting a skirt on my son?
Before I answer that,
I wish to ask you a question first.
It seems like he is from a prestigious family.
Why is it that he has these men after him?
Am I helping a traitor, by any chance?
I am concerned.
You need not be concerned.
He is the eldest son of the family, but I had him at an old age.
But my husband's concubine and her adult son...
who are after the family's money schemed together...
and tried to hurt him. That is all.
I was afraid the assassin who was after your son yesterday...
might still be around, so I disguised him as a girl.
Thankfully, the Crown Prince returned to the palace safely,
but someone tried to kidnap him.
Yet, you say we should not launch an investigation?
Chief Royal Secretary, are you in your right mind now?
If the King goes public with how the Crown Prince was nearly kidnapped,
it will present us with an opportunity.
We can use that to depose the Queen.
If you go public with it, the left state councillor...
will hold Her Highness the Queen accountable for sending...
the Crown Prince to the private residence without permission...
and insist that Her Highness be deposed.
Once the Queen is deposed,
there will be no one left in the palace...
to protect the young Crown Prince,
so the situation is certainly in our favour.
I am the King of this country,
and yet I cannot even track down the one who tried to kidnap my son?
What about the missing Crown Prince Protection Officer?
We are doing our best to track him down at the moment.
We must find people who can provide us with evidence.
I hear the court maid at Dongungjeon...
is becoming more ill, just like the late princess.
I believe she holds the first key to solving this case.
I will look for a way to get her treated.
You are here.
- Hello. - Hello. Please go inside.
- Yes. - You must be so excited.
- Hello. - You are here.
Let us go inside.
Oh, you are here.
Yes, go on in.
My lord.
I will let down the blinds,
but you might get nervous in front of all the ladies.
Do not look up. Keep your eyes on the book and just read aloud.
You seem more nervous than I am.
I am ready. We may begin.
Okay.
One moment.
It was lopsided.
I fixed it.
Thank you all for joining us...
as we reveal Volume 3 of "The Lady's Private Life" for the 1st time.
I would also like to thank the Virtuous Lady for organizing this.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Hwa Rok who has never revealed himself before...
is here to recite Volume Three for all of you.
- Oh, my. - Hwa Rok is truly here?
We will keep the veil down to protect his identity.
Please stay seated, and do not leave your seats.
- Of course. - Sure thing.
All right, then. We will get started now.
- It is him. - Oh, my.
Volume Three of "The Lady's Private Life,"
titles as "The Story of Lady Cho Hee,"
is based on true events.
He looks just like the image of Hwa Rok I had imagined.
"That night, the sky was pitch-black without the moon in sight."
"When more than five young ladies fell ill for an unknown reason..."
"right before their weddings,"
"the villagers hired a shaman to conduct a ritual and prayed."
"However, the misfortunes did not stop."
"Consequently, more and more families..."
"had to postpone..."
"their daughters' weddings."
How pretty.
You have to visit us often even after you get married.
Of course.
When did you prepare all this, Dool Soon?
She is getting married?
I suppose she is not afraid of the virgin ghost.
"But Ho Na in the Mount Nam Valley did not postpone her wedding,"
"and a malicious rumour..."
"that she could not postpone it because she was pregnant..."
"was spreading among the villagers."
"Ho Na instinctively knew..."
"that the virgin ghost was Cho Hee, her deceased friend."
"So instead of postponing her wedding,"
"she reached out to the Lady for help..."
"and was waiting for the ghost with her."
("The Lady's Private Life," Volume Three)
("The Lady's Private Life")
People say my brother is the murderer in this novel?
In the novel, the politician's sister is portrayed...
as Royal Noble Consort Suk.
I believe that is what caused the rumour.
I cannot believe such a false rumour is spreading at this unsettled time.
I heard it with my own ears.
The Minister of Defence wanted Maeng Ha Na to be his concubine,
so he spread the rumour that she was jumping men...
because she was possessed by a virgin ghost.
That is insane.
- My gosh. - I heard Hwa Rok...
wore a green robe to commemorate Cho Ok.
By the way, is it true that Hwa Rok is retiring as an author?
I hear his father is a powerful nobleman.
He cannot write anymore, for he now has a government title.
All right. You are number 28,
which means you will have to wait for about eight days.
("The Lady's Private Life," Volume Three)
Re-read the first two volumes, and you can enjoy it even more.
So to sum it up,
while Lady Cho Ok was waiting...
for her fiancé to wrap up his father's three-year funeral,
the Defence Minister tried to take advantage of her and killed her?
Do you remember the stories in Volume 1 and 2?
(The Defence Minister's wife)
Even so, I suggest you read them again.
Get out.
I would like to read Volume Three of "The Lady's Private Life."
There are many people waiting for it, so you will have to wait.
How much would be enough?
I wish to buy every single copy of the book.
The bad rumours about Ha Na have died down.
Everyone is busy criticizing the Defence Minister.
Lady Yeoju, thank you.
Thank you all for your help.
We managed to bury the rumours with another rumour,
but I think it will be hard to punish the Minister of Defence.
That is okay.
Everyone knows anyway.
That he is a murderer.
All sinners must be punished.
We should file a petition with what Lieutenant Jung has found out...
No, we cannot do that.
If we do that,
Lieutenant Jung...
could get in trouble.
Everyone, do not worry.
I know how we can punish the Minister of Defence.
("The Lady's Private Life")
I thought you should know...
what everyone had been talking about, Mother.
Most rumours are false.
You need not believe every rumour.
I know that,
but I saw it.
On Uncle Bok Ki's birthday, I saw him...
dragging Lady Cho Ok to his room.
Ignoring a rumour...
and feigning ignorance are two very different things, Mother.
My lady, the Minister of Defence is here.
If it is up to the wise Mother,
she will be able to punish Uncle.
Sister. Why did you call for me tonight?
("The Lady's Private Life")
What were you doing that you let such rumours spread?
I told you to watch yourself after the drum scandal.
This is such a crucial time.
What is this? Why did it make you mad?
("The Lady's Private Life")
What the...
What should I do?
Step down from your position right away.
Sister. That is ridiculous.
I will take care of this matter myself.
Sister, please!
Writing an erotic novel...
is a shameful thing that scholars want to hide.
He did not use his real name, and I did not question him.
I really do not know who Hwa Rok is.
Do you think you are without guilt even if you do not know?
What guilt? This is unfair.
Because the lieutenant at the Capital District Office...
said he must catch Hwa Rok,
we only loaned out the novels at his request.
A lieutenant from the Capital District Office?
Yes!
It will put Lieutenant Jung in danger, no?
That shall not be the case.
Since our follow-up plan will be perfect.
Before the Minister of Defence looks for you,
go and make the report first.
(Capital District Office)
Oh, my.
Minister Park, what brings you here at this hour?
Are you the lieutenant who is meeting Hwa Rok in secret?
Tomorrow, at the shed near the misty cliff,
I plan to meet Hwa Rok to arrest him.
Why tomorrow, and not today?
Hwa Rok is an extremely cautious person.
If I change the date, he will be suspicious.
That may cause him to not turn up at all.
Even His Majesty told us to catch him at all costs.
The Capital District Office is paying special attention.
Please do not worry.
Even His Majesty knows about it?
Darn it.
Are you Hwa Rok?
Yes. I am Hwa Rok.
You are suspected of murdering Lee Cho Ok.
Darn it!
Wait, stop there!
It is too dangerous for Lady Sam Soon.
Well...
If I am with Lieutenant Jung,
I will be able to do anything.
My, I cannot be here. My face is burning up.
She is so direct.
She will be in danger as the court is invested in this case,
so I will not be acting alone.
Mr. Hwa Rok?
Do not worry.
The one acting as Hwa Rok...
shall be me.
(The Shed)
Mr. Hwa Rok?
Since I am a speedy runner, I will run out by the back door...
and flee to the misty cliff.
When I arrive at the misty cliff,
Lieutenant Jung will shout, "You cannot escape any further."
"Surrender."
That will be my signal to jump into the river.
(The Misty Cliff)
You cannot escape any further.
Surrender.
Wait! That cannot happen!
(The Misty Cliff)
What is the matter now?
I mean, is it not too dangerous for Lady Yeoju as well?
Gosh, everyone except me is looking out for their love.
Lieutenant Jung, you...
Do not worry.
Just like my running, I am exceptional at swimming.
Is there anyone here other than Lieutenant Jung...
who can swim as well? Tell me.
How did you know I can swim?
Because you...
Since I have keen eyes,
I could tell from your straight shoulders.
Well, we are pretty... dissimilar.
Since Lieutenant Jung has to chase Hwa Rok,
I should be the one to jump.
Mr. O Bong, you will then throw the body...
you prepared into the river.
End of operation.
(The Misty Cliff)
Is the body ready?
Yes. The burial monk that Lady Yeoju mentioned...
has given me the body of a dead beggar.
He has been robed in green...
and will be brought to the river tomorrow.
Everyone, stay calm.
Let us do our best in our own roles.
You cannot escape any further.
Surrender.
I shall teach you a lesson.
Looking back,
I had already made up my mind then.
To marry...
Lady Yeoju.
(The Matchmakers)
Lord Gyeongunjae, do you like Lady Yeoju?
- No! - Have you lost it?
I am glad that I was the injured one, and not you.
- Is your arm all right? - It is nothing at all.
Eight years ago, the princess was also...
Rather than a hypothesis, I need concrete proof.
Mother knew?
I thought you were a master at love.
Why are you a widow?
There was a wanted poster.
It said that Lady Yeoju was a murderer.
(The Matchmakers)