My Dearest (연인)

(This drama is a work of fiction created based on historical facts.)

(Most of the details and depictions of the characters are fictional.)

From now on,

no one can cross this point.

I swear by the moonlight.

This time, wherever you are,

I will make sure...

I find you.

You saved us!

My lady.

I thought you abandoned us, and I resented you.

That is...

I am sorry I misunderstood you.

I am very grateful.

Do not waste time here. You must go.

- Okay. - Come on.

My lady.

Coming.

I told you.

That I...

will definitely...

find you.

This is the last letter...

from Jang Hyun.

Your Highness.

Please end the war as soon as you can.

Insolent fool!

How dare you tell His Highness what to do?

But...

Jang Hyun will leave for the island tomorrow.

If the war drags on, we cannot guarantee...

when or whether he will even return.

Your Highness.

I shall meet him in person.

Hurry up!

Move it!

Sir.

My stomach hurts.

- Go. - Thank you.

Hurry up!

Have you gone mad?

Why did you come here?

So it was you who sent the letter.

I cannot believe this is happening.

One of the higher-ups is risking his life to come here.

I have already...

reported everything I know. Was it not enough?

I know you told us in advance that Ganghwa Island might be captured.

However, the court was worried that...

the Jingkang Incident might repeat so peace talks did not happen in time.

Now that Ganghwa Island has been captured,

if His Majesty also leaves the fortress,

how can we avoid facing what happened at Jingkang?

Is there any way to save our King?

I truly admire you.

Is the king's life that important in this situation?

Young soldiers are freezing to death,

intelligent scholars are getting their scalps skinned,

and dozens of women in Ganghwa Island have killed themselves.

You might as well have asked me how to save you.

Then,

I shall do my best to help you.

You may be acting like a petty and spiteful fool,

but you risked your life to come here for the people, did you not?

However,

the people can only live if the King is saved.

If the war ends with His Majesty dying at their hands,

we subjects shall become sinners for failing to save him.

The people...

will become subjects of a kingdom without a king.

Do you know the misery of being an orphaned child?

Do you know the pain of the people without their king?

How can you not know?

Are you simply pretending not to know?

Fine.

I shall play along with this once.

If you truly want to save the King,

please take advantage of the smallpox.

Will we be able to preserve our King and government?

Please give me a clear answer.

He asks for a clear answer if the king and government...

will be preserved.

That all depends on His Majesty.

It all depends on His Majesty.

Then, please let me meet His Majesty.

He wants...

to meet His Majesty.

You can talk to me.

In that case, let me meet Dodo.

I told you to talk to me.

Is it not possible because they have never had smallpox?

(Saengshin: one who has never contracted smallpox)

I know that there is a smallpox epidemic.

I also know...

that His Majesty and those like him have gone into hiding.

He knows that there is a smallpox epidemic.

Who spread such ridiculous rumors?

Ganghwa Island has been captured.

Your king cannot resist any longer!

Are you not scared that news of the epidemic will spread?

Take advantage of the smallpox?

Khan brought offerings for rituals.

Khan will make Joseon surrender...

to prove that he has Heaven's will. That is why he is here.

However, smallpox has spread.

Do you know what that means?

Usually, a smallpox outbreak...

means that the Heavens have been angered.

Since you are much more educated than me,

you should...

know what to do by now.

His Majesty...

highly treasures the royal seal he won...

when he made Mongolia surrender in Chahar.

Legend has it that...

the seal seeks for the one who will rule the earth.

Since the seal ended up in His Majesty's hands,

does that not mean...

that he became the Emperor due to Heaven's will?

However,

if word gets out that smallpox spread when he came to Joseon,

who will believe that His Majesty received Heaven's will?

Is smallpox not...

the fury of the Heavens?

Do you not know...

that we can wipe out all of you?

Before you wipe us out,

do you not know that this is a threat to Khan?

General. Ease your fury.

We also wish for amity.

But...

we have a condition.

They will not concede to...

the King staying in the fortress.

This is something you will have to accept.

If you disagree to that, they will...

storm into the fortress with culverins.

However,

if you promise them that you will stay mum about the outbreak,

even if the King leaves the fortress,

they will not be able to repeat what happened at Jingkang.

What they want the most...

is for the king of Joseon...

to bow down to them voluntarily.

Our King will leave the fortress.

However, if something like the Jingkang Incident happens,

even if my body is torn to shreds,

I will let the whole world know about the outbreak of smallpox...

and prove that the Heavens are against you.

They know...

that smallpox has spread...

and why Your Majesty is in hiding.

Everything is exposed.

Therefore,

in return for keeping mum about the outbreak,

they will only send us three officials who opposed amity...

and we are not to keep any captives after that.

Furthermore,

they have asked that the Jingkang Incident...

should not repeat itself.

Does Joseon have a skilled arbiter on their side?

The disease will not go away.

If we do not withdraw our troops anytime soon, you may...

I am a son of the skies!

I will not get smallpox.

I will wipe them out!

I shall chew on them...

to their bone marrow.

Are they still sitting out there in the snow,

in silence?

They are opposed to me leaving the fortress with their lives.

Should I be thankful for their loyalty?

Or should I be resentful...

for their fidelity to die with me?

Your Majesty.

I have no way of knowing whether my son is alive or not.

You are our only hope now.

So please,

leave the fortress.

Preserve the state.

Do you believe Khan will let me live...

after dragging me out of the fortress?

Your Majesty,

Khan is not just trying to drag you away.

He is pushing your departure in order to show the whole world...

that you have become his servant.

That is right.

I should leave the fortress.

However, even if they are to let me live,

a king who lowers his head to intruders...

is as good as dead.

I deposed Gwanghae for communicating in private...

with the intruders.

But if I bow down to them now,

who will want to serve me?

Who will consider me their king?

Even if the world misunderstands you,

I know.

You are enduring humiliation for your country.

Only...