My Dearest (연인)

[This drama is imaginative, based on historical facts. Most of the details and characters' emotional portrayals are fictional.]

What are you thinking about?

On the day of the 60th-anniversary celebration for Gramps Song,

did you see who Maiden Gil Chae looked at the moment they said a war broke out?

The barbarians locked away the King!

She looked at Young Master Yeon Jun.

I knew it.

Did I... look at that piece of rock?

And I also saw whom Gil Chae's eyes traced at that moment.

This is the fastest route to Humcheon.

On your way over, there is a tavern right before you get to the three-way street.

If you go there and mention Gu Jam, they'll give you more meat in your soup-

Thank you. All right. Let us rush.

Let us also be on our way, Gu Jam.

Yes.

Are you not going with us?

Did I not tell you? I am not interested in joining the militia.

I only followed you to see how you manage my valuable armors and horses.

Well, it looks like you are getting used to handling horses. I will be on my way.

Let us go. Giddyup!

Seeing how scared he is, I am sure he is a fake nobleman.

The rumor about him purchasing an empty noble title must be indeed true.

Look here. He is a lifesaver who lent us the horses.

He must have done that only to make a good impression on the ladies.

Okay, let us go.

I proudly told Jong Jong that I was joining the militia, too.

What the heck is this? How embarrassing!

Aigoo, I am hungry.

Should we make the rice first?

But why did we come here?

If we are seeking refuge, we should go somewhere way further away.

Because the barbarians will surely come this way.

Your Majesty,

with urgent needs, we have no choice but to request reinforcement.

They said as long as they could establish a sovereign and subject relationship with Joseon,

they would allow us to maintain our national sovereignty.

Do you still... believe the words of the barbarians?

Have you forgotten about the Chengjiang Incident?

[The Chengjiang Incident: When the Song Dynasty was defeated by the Jin Dynasty]

When the Jin Dynasty soldiers surrounded the fortress,

Emperor Qinjong of the Song Dynasty believed

what the Jin Dynasty said about letting them maintain their sovereignty, and they went out.

However, the barbarians from the Jin Dynasty captured Emperor Qinjong and his 3,000 officials

and took them all to the Jin Dynasty.

And they took all the royal women and officials' women as concubines or prostitutes.

Even so, you say we put faith in what they say and leave the fortress to maintain our nation?

Do you not realize that they want us to leave the fortress

by plotting a scheme that is similar to the Chengjiang Incident?

Your Majesty, Emperor Qinjong did not

listen to his general Li Gang, who insisted on attacking Jin Dynasty soldiers who were retreating.

But rather dismissed him from his post.

As a result, once depressed morale of the army could not be elevated again.

But Your Majesty, set your mind on a decisive battle and raise our soldiers' spirits.

Your Majesty!

When I consider all of you in this brutally cold weather,

trying to protect the fortress in shabby clothes and eating poor meals,

my entire body is in pain, as if the needles are poking at me all over.

However, the path of negotiation is no more. Only a path to war.

Once our reinforcements from all over the country arrive,

we will surely be able to defeat our enemy.

Do stand our ground until the royal forces arrive

and let us plan for a huge victory together!

Indeed, it is an honorable command, Your Majesty!

It is indeed an honorable command!

It is indeed an honorable command!

Soon Yak!

Gosh, Father!

You!

Why did that piece of rock interfere?

But why did I look at that rock after hearing the news of the war?

Gosh, no way...

Eun Ae must have seen it wrong. Right, Jong Jong?

I saw you, too.

What?

I got so scared at the news of the war that I looked at you, My Lady.

But you were looking at that unmarried-

I mean, you were looking at Young Master Jang Hyun.

I did? Why would I?

Why did I look at that piece of rock, that unmarried-life-pursuing scum?

Gil Chae!

Did you put your hair up?*

Although we only spoke about getting married, I am already Young Master Yeon Jun's wife.

She might as well be.

She sure is up to all kinds of nonsense.

Anyway, Gil Chae, I'm on my way to the village deity shrine to pray. Do you want to come with me?

Let us go and pray for the safe return of the young masters.

Gosh, I have never done stuff like this.

Aigoo, so cold...

There.

Please hear me out.

All the gods, I pray. Please hear my prayers.

Please do not let all the young masters be cold in this cold weather,

lead their paths, let them avoid evil swords and arrows.

If they meet barbarians, please let them break their arms, legs, grind their bones,

let them crush their heads, scalp their skin, and twist their necks.

Please do not let them ever invade our country ever again.

All the gods, I pray. Please hear my prayers.

Please do not let all the young masters be cold in this cold weather, lead their paths...

My body...

My arm... My arm...

Look! Look!

Soon Yak!

How strange.

I had Maiden Gil Chae's sachet with me.

Physician! Is there a physician?

You... like Maiden Gil Chae, do you not?

Maiden Gil Chae also likes you.

But since...

you are engaged to Maiden Eun Ae,

even someone like me had a chance with her.

Soon Yak...

I was lucky...

Had I known this would happen...

I should have told her that day.

Look at this. I fixed the swing.

Please try pushing me.

- Pardon? - Hurry.

Okay. All right.

There you go.

Harder. Push a little harder.

Harder? There you go.

How refreshing!

There you go!

Okay!

Maiden Gil Chae would never know.

Thanks to her... I was able to...

become a man.

Maiden...

was to me...

Soon Yak!

Look! Come on!

Come on!

Soon Yak...

The royal forces of General Kwon Jung Gil from Gangwon-do

and the royal forces of Inspector Jung Se Gi of Chungcheong were defeated as well.

The aid convoy was also defeated on its way...

What are they trying to do?

Instead of attacking the fortress where I am,

why are they more eager to attack our reinforcements?

Now, I have come to realize what they are doing.

Do you remember the battle at the Daereungha fortress?

In the year of the lamb, Sarhū led 40,000 soldiers

and surrounded the Daereungha fortress of the Ming Dynasty.

They dug deep trenches around the fortress

and drove out the reinforcements, isolating the fortress.

It is no different than what the barbarians outside this fortress are doing.

When the isolation was prolonged, and the food ran out in the fortress,

it reached a point where the soldiers killed laborers who were building the fortress and ate them.

In the end, Daereungha fortress surrendered and opened the fortress gates.

The number of survivors from 30,000 Daereungha fortress

was only half of them.

Fifteen-thousand people of Daereungha fortress

did not die fighting but starved to death.

Right now, they are trying to

trap us inside the fortress

and starves us out.

My arm...

My arm... where is it...

My arm. My arm...

Where is my arm? My arm...

- My arm. - Joon Jeol.

You must live.

You must.

My arm...

My arm! My arm!

We did our best.

Let us go back now.

You mean leave when His Majesty is so close to us?

I will go back.

I want to go back to Neunggun-ri.

Leave if you must.

I will go even if I have to go alone.

Geez...

Hey...

No one is here.

Where did they go now?

Hyungnim!

Why?

It is the sound of hooves.

They are coming.

They will come up while pillaging the village from down below.

I will go up to that mount and start the fire to notify the nearby villages.

Take Ryang Eum with you and hide away at the place I told you about.

Ryan Eum went down to the village for a moment.

What?

When?

Earlier, he said he needed to get something from the village.

I will bring Ryang Eum back.

You go to the mountain in my place and start the fire.

You must keep the fire going for many hours. Do you understand?

Okay.

Yes, you'll like it.

Aigoo.

Please come.

We have new merchandise!

We have nice things.

Take your time and look.

Geez, this is so dull...

Sorry. I lost the dagger you gave me.

How...