The King of Tears, Lee Bang Won (The Great King Yi Bang Won / Taejong Lee Bang Won / 태종 이방원)

Remember. I have...

another son who is capable...

of becoming King this instant.

Father.

Father!

Prince Chungnyeong.

How dare you!

As we are out,

I feel sorry that I disturbed your studying.

Do not be.

The weather is nice. Let us enjoy it and go back.

I am sorry for focusing myself only on studying.

Since Crown Prince is not interested in studying at all,

I feel that I need to focus myself on studying even more.

What do you mean by that?

All the subjects of Joseon are Confucian scholars.

They passed the State Examination,

which means they reached the high level of study.

If the King lacks knowledge in study,

he will not be able to lead his subjects.

Still, you cannot lead the subjects...

instead of the King.

The virtue of brothers of the King...

is not to be involved in governing the country.

Even if that is the case,

I cannot let the country be chaotic.

My dear.

It only has been about 20 years since Joseon was founded.

As a person,

it is like a newly born baby who has just started walking.

At this time, if the King is unwise,

we cannot promise the bright future of the country.

I can understand why you are worried.

But the Crown Prince has to deal with it.

You should not worry that far.

- My dear. - Then what should I do?

Even when the country goes down the wrong path,

should I just play a mandolin and write poems?

The Crown Prince will do his job.

Trust him.

My dear.

(Crown Prince Lee Je, Lee Bang Won's oldest son)

Your Highness, why do we not finish here?

It is already late.

Right. Let us do that.

You have studied very hard today.

Let us stop for now, Your Highness.

I will do it a little more.

You may leave.

If I have questions at night, I will ask you in the morning.

- Yes, Your Highness. - Yes, Your Highness.

He has changed completely.

His passion for studying...

is like the one of Prince Chungnyeong.

What book is he studying now?

He was studying the family part of "Extended Meaning of Great Learning."

It is the last book of the series.

Soon, he will have finished the series of "Extended Meaning of Great Learning."

It took him six years to finish the whole series.

Your Majesty, it is the attitude that matters.

From now on, it will not take long...

for him to finish reading any books he reads.

I understand.

I want you two masters to keep teaching him well.

- Yes, Your Majesty. - Yes, Your Majesty.

Please put more eunuch and court ladies...

working at my place.

I only have a few, which does not help my reputation.

Find another one to make this request.

I am the Queen with no power.

You still have the power to do this, Your Highness.

Do that for me.

Only then will I be able to keep...

the secret between us.

What?

Your clan is already in trouble.

If this secret were to get out, would that not be a disaster?

Are you...

threatening me?

Your Highness.

You dare...

try to bargain with my family in front of me?

You dare mention the tragedies we have suffered through...

to try to control me?

If I set my mind to it,

I can find a male servant who will say...

he slept with you.

It will take nothing.

Do you want me to do that?

I do not.

I apologize. Do forgive me.

Do not forget your place.

I took you in out of pity for you.

I did not let you live because I do not know how to be sly.

I let you live so I could remain human.

Yes, Your Highness.

I will remember that.

Get out this instant.

And do not visit me again.

Yes, Your Highness.

That was made to celebrate the Crown Prince completing...

his studies of "Extended Meanings of the Great Learning."

Thank you.

It will make a fine gift.

I will accept it to mean I must study even harder.

His Highness has become a greater man and scholar.

I see true king material now.

Your Majesty, Grand Princes Hyoryeong and Chungnyeong are here.

I invited them to congratulate you.

Oh, I see.

Let them in!

- Father. - Father.

Congratulations on finishing "Extended Meanings of the Great Learning."

Congratulations.

It must have been a great endeavor.

Thank you.

I am your older brother...

and Crown Prince.

And I am ashamed that I failed to be a good example.

Do not say that. I am not great either.

If you continue to study hard,

you will overtake us soon enough.

Your Majesty. All the princes are here. Why not have a drink?

Yes, we shall.

Let us drink.

You should too.

- Yes, Father. - Yes, Father.

So,

since the Crown Prince has studied hard,

I would like you to translate what is on the folding screen.

What does it say about the three brothers?

It says...

there were three brothers, Jeon Jin, Jeon Gyeong, Jeon Gwang.

Their parents died leaving an inheritance,

and the brothers ended up fighting over it.

They realized there was a tree in the garden,

and decided to divide that into three.

But the tree ended up dying.

Jeon Jin shed tears when he saw that.

What did those tears mean?

Like branches that stem from one tree,

brothers are from one set of parents.

Jeon Jin saw that and cried with regret.

Grand Prince Chungnyeong, what do you think?

I think the same.

His Highness the Crown Prince understood it perfectly.

What book does this story come from?

It comes from a compilation of stories put together by Oh Gyun...

from Yang in the Kingdom of Nanzhao.

(Oh Gyun compiled stories that had been handed down.)

I knew that Grand Prince Chungnyeong would know that as well.

I heard that Grand Prince Chungnyeong has also studied military books.

I only read what I can.

I heard you are well-learned in many military strategies as well.

Do not flatter me.

There is much I do not yet know.

Reading many military books...

does not make you a good commander.

Grand Prince Chungnyeong knows a lot but he lacks courage.

That is his problem.

Courage comes from knowledge,

and fear comes from ignorance.

The more I learn,

the more courage I will gain.

You must feel so reassured, Your Highness.

Your brother...

will be a great help when you govern later on.

Is that not true, Your Majesty?

It is.

Chungnyeong, assist your brother well.

I will, Father.

Let us all drink.

The three little boys...

are now old enough to drink with us.

That shows how much I have aged.

You should tell them to stop aging.

Would they dare disobey their King?

You taught me a great deal today.

I should return the favor.

Take this.

You should exercise every now and then.

If you just sit and read,

later on, you will turn into a fat fool.

As your brother, I cannot allow that.

Here I come!

Now do you get it?

There are things you are good at and things I am good at.

You are not better than me.

We are just different!

If I were you, I would have kept quiet today.

But that is not what you are like.

You are the type who cannot go one moment without showing off your knowledge.

What is the point...

of knowing which page of which book "Hyohaengnok" is located?

Especially when you are the first to do things...

that hurts the relationship between us brothers.

Father and the ministers...

must know this.

Then you should do it as well.

- What? - If that displeases you,