The Great Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕)

Queen Seon Deok

Episode 61

Say it. Say it, you bastard!

"Murder the enemy of our nation..."

Murder the enemy of our nation!

Long live Her Majesty!

He is...

part of the Royal Palace Guard.

Then... Her Majesty...

Do you really think Her Majesty has any feelings for you?

Do you trust me?

~ Episode 61 ~

You will make his confidence falter?

Yes.

And would Bidam fall for such subterfuges?

Does it not involve Her Majesty, after all?

Did Her Majesty... send him to slay you?

Her Majesty?!

What is this, uh?!

Is this how it ends?

That mighty devotion of yours, which led you to betray everyone.

Is this all there is to it?

You vile son of a swine.

I will slit your throat!

You will what?

You will kill me?

Fine... Go ahead. Uh?

If you slay me, will all this go away?

If you slay me, then what will you do?

Once again,

you've been abandoned.

Her Majesty gave up on you.

Where on earth is he? Where?

Will Yeomjong really be able to bring Bidam here?

We might have all those troops, but Bidam must be here!

Yes, without Lord Bidam, we have no just cause whatsoever.

Yeomjong...

You knave, where on earth...

This is all a stratagem by him!

Yes. He was not trustworthy from the very beginning.

We should have never put our trust in him.

It is still not too late.

If you want to make Deokman yours,

you must gain control of this country.

We are ready for it.

You always wanted that throne. Uh?

What?

Where are you going?

Bidam!

Bi...Bidam...

Meseems this might become my last action...

as ruler, here in Seorabeol.

Once this is over...

I shall abdicate the throne.

I will leave the throne behind, and head to Chuhwa County.

So, find enough space for a small temple,

and await me there.

Brief as it might end up being,

I will spend the time I have left with you.

Does she really want me dead?

Did you say you love me?

But you know?

It might be a joyless and weary endeavor,

but all my love must be devoted to this nation.

Because that same devotion means staking your all for its sake.

If I must stake my all to fulfill that devotion,

how could I both love someone and my country?

If I did, wouldn't one of the two be a facade?

Facade...

You should at least have told me.

If I did...

If I told you,

and then you ended up abandoning me?

No matter what happens,

have faith in me and await.

Deokman...

Your Majesty.

Your Majesty.

Were you looking for me?

Head to Chuhwa County immediately, and relay this to Bidam.

It must be delivered to him and no one else.

Yes, Your Majesty.

All my love must be devoted to this country.

Yes... Then...

I will become the country you must love.

And if I fail to do so,

I will just disappear along with all the people who can bring harm to this nation.

Whatever end befalls me, I will accept it.

If the weight of that throne is exacting enough to make you abandon me,

or to even kill me...

I will bear that weight for you.

You knave...

How could you come here alone?

Bidam?

Where on earth is Bidam?

He will come. He will come for sure.

He will come?!

Did you not say you would bring him here yourself?

Yeomjong...

I ought to...

If Bidam does not come, you will pay for this with your blood!

We cannot sit here squandering time any longer!

Should we not hasten and leave this place?

Yes. The Board might have already found our location.

If we remain here, we will only ask for trouble.

Let us move to the secret palace in Yulpo Prefecture.

Yes. If we go there, we can buy time and regroup.

Indeed, we shall no longer waste an instant here.

Let us head...

Lord Bidam!

- It's you! - Lord Bidam!

What a pathetic spectacle.

Defend your posts, and report any suspicious occurrence immediately.

Yes, Your Excellency!

- Deploy at once. - Yes!

Chief.

What is the matter?

I have not seen Heuksan in the last few days.

Heuksan?

Yes. Actually...

He has been acting strange of late.

Strange?

What? We will not find refuge?

If we are not heading for the secret palace in Yulpo Prefecture,

how do you plan to act?

The reason why Lady Mishil lost during Chilsuk's uprising...

was because she abandoned the capital, to find refuge in Daeya Fortress.

Abandoning the capital will make you a traitor.

Shilla's leading light is and always will be Seorabeol.

Then...

I shall capture Seorabeol, dethrone Her Majesty,

and ascend to the throne.

We shall all follow Your Excellency.

We shall follow Your Excellency.

The morningtide shall soon be upon us.

We shall march for the capital before the break of dawn.

You plan to siege the capital right under Her Majesty's eyes?

Yes... We still need to gain consensus amongst the nobles.

With our forces, we cannot contend with the capital's defense line.

Would they not attempt to move here, Yulpo Prefecture?

Yes. It's still under the inspectorate's jurisdiction,

and is Yeomjong's stronghold.

So would not they make this their headquarters, in planning this insurrection?

Let us deploy troops along the pathway from there to the capital,

and stop their advance.

Private Goksaheun has made his return.

Your Excellency.

We detected enemy troops moving from Mount Geumo to Seongi Valley.

Around two thousand troops in total.

If they're transferring from Mount Geumo to Seongi Valley,

they're headed for Mount Daedeok, east of the capital.

Mount Daedeok?!

Private Daepung has made his return.

A battalion led by Lord Jujin has passed Chilgokjae.

What?

From Seongi Valley to Mount Daedeok...

And if they're also passing through Chilgokjae...

Seongi Valley... Chilgokjae...

Then, Your Majesty.

What they're after...

It's the capital.

Yes. They're heading for the royal palace.

If they take such routes to lay siege inside the capital walls,

countless people will be injured.

The only pathway able to support the passage of a battalion over the 1,000 men...

is here, Deoksanjae.

- Chief Marshal. - Yes, Your Majesty.

Build a defense line in Deoksanjae, and stop their advance.

Chief Marshal Yushin shall follow your command.

~ Bidam Army Encampment ~

Deoksanjae...

Your Excellency.

Sangdaedeung, we arranged everything as instructed.

Did everyone arrive?

Yes. We deployed all troops before the Yeodo Plains.

How shall we proceed now?

Lord Bidam.

A battalion led by Yushin has appeared before the capital.

How many men?

Around two thousand troops.

They are building a defense line in Deoksanjae.

What shall we do?

Should we launch an all-out offensive?

All-out offensive...

That is out of the question.

We must avoid an all-out offensive in the capital.

Yes.

If we do not repel the enemy's charge, we will lose control of this battle.

Will all the troops who deserted have joined them, by now?

We cannot be certain,

but would they not march for the capital,

bolstered by their strength in numbers?

Lords Jujin and Hojae,

take all the troops and head for Yeodo Plains,

where you will attack Yushin's battalion.

*Using all resources at one's disposal; term invented in mid-to-late 19th century

You might engage in total war*,

but should orders to withdraw be issued, you must follow them immediately.

Withdraw?!

Deploy immediately.