The King's Affection (연모)

THE KING'S AFFECTION

THIS PROGRAM HAS BEEN SELECTED AS AN "EXCELLENT BROADCAST CONTENT"

AND IS SUPPORTED BY MCST AND KOCCA

THIS DRAMA IS PURELY FICTIONAL AND IS NOT ASSOCIATED WITH

ACTUAL PEOPLE, INCIDENTS, ASSOCIATIONS, OR LOCATIONS

Stop. I am…

No!

If he so much as moves his hand,

bring me his head in an instant.

Are you just getting home?

Yes, Father.

Would you care…

for a duel?

This is a first.

We never had the opportunity to enjoy drinks together.

Your swordsmanship has improved.

Have you been honing your skills?

While traveling in Ming,

I needed to be able to defend myself.

It brings me back to the day when you first wanted lessons.

You said you met someone you wished to protect.

Was Dam-i her name?

Were you able to meet her when you returned?

They say she died.

Around that time,

she left the palace due to an illness.

Unaware of that fact, I suspected you.

I thought

that you had something to do with…

her disappearance.

No!

Do you still resent me?

It would be a lie to say that I do not.

However…

I have been trying to understand you.

How you stated that you had to make that choice

for your family.

Although…

your choice still perplexes me.

EPISODE 15

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

-Your Majesty! -Your Majesty!

Your Majesty!

May I ask who you are?

Please.

Please spare me.

Please spare me.

So you witnessed my husband's last moments.

Someone murdered him.

Murder? What do you mean?

Why did my presence make you fear for your life?

I thought Lord Sangheon had sent you.

My husband put me in hiding here before he passed away.

He said there was a chance that Lord Sangheon would send someone.

Could you inform me of his involvement with Lord Sangheon?

To save my life ten years ago,

he asked Lord Sangheon for a favor.

In return, he delivered a letter to someone.

The man who received it…

was executed for committing treason.

Lord Sangheon has been holding that against my husband

all this time.

You should just kill me…

for this is all my fault.

Just to save my worthless life, my husband…

Was the recipient of that letter

the Crown Prince's royal preceptor,

Kang Hwa-gil?

Listen.

Make sure you do not tell anyone what you told me today.

What on earth are you doing?

Oh. It is nothing.

Scribe Jung, here is this month's schedule.

Right. Thank you.

Hold on.

It looks like I have been excluded from duties at His Majesty's office.

But that is what you requested.

You wished not to be in His Majesty's presence.

The Chief Royal Secretary saw to it that your request was granted.

I am humbled, Chief Royal Secretary.

However, I believe I have been burdening Scribe Kim with extra chores.

I know it was I who requested it,

but the guilt has been eating away at me.

So from now on, I will take on Scribe Kim's duties as well.

As of this moment, all entries for the Diaries of the Royal Secretariat

will be mine to write.

APPEAL TO THE KING

I've been waiting

for you to say that.

Had you taken any longer…

Even if you did…

I would have waited.

No matter how long.

Why are you looking at me like that?

Speak up if you wish.

Well, it is not worth saying.

Scribe Jung must not have a lot to do

considering how he had the time to place lanterns along the path.

That is because the assigned eunuchs have not done their job properly.

The path I take is barely lit,

but there are more than enough lanterns near the court conference room.

That is because it is where Lord Sangheon frequents.

You know I have very little authority, Your Majesty.

Scribe Jung, what brings you here?

Why you are surprised is beyond me. I am here to fulfill my duties.

Writing about His Majesty's daily life

is my duty as a scribe.

Is something wrong?

Please be at ease and be as you were.

I will go manage the eunuchs now, Your Majesty.

I'll make sure they learn their lesson.

Are you sure all went well with His Majesty that night?

You have been barely eating since.

Am I that ugly?

Pardon?

What on earth did I do wrong?

You can have this, Yu-gong.

I do not wish to raise concern by dismissing food all the time.

Actually, I hear that His Majesty

does not have an amicable relationship with his grandfather, Lord Sangheon.

Rather than it being your fault,

it could be that he is keeping his distance

since your father is someone who Lord Sangheon trusts.

That could be it.

It is my father he dislikes, not me?

Forgive me, Your Highness.

I just did not want you to blame yourself.

That means he might change his mind depending on what I do.

Pardon?

Thank you, Yu-gong!

Who watches over this nation? The Han Family or the Yi Family?

Dismiss Lord Sangheon from his position

for manipulating state affairs by disregarding one's appeals to the King.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Dismiss Lord Sangheon, Your Majesty.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Dismiss Lord Sangheon, Your Majesty.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Move!

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

Dismiss Lord Sangheon, Your Majesty.

-Dismiss Lord Sangheon! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

-Your Majesty! -Dismiss Lord Sangheon!

For some reason,

imprisoning them only seems to be a temporary fix.

They just keep coming back.

I doubt they will give up any time soon,

so what should we do, Lord Sangheon?

When a dog barks after seeing something,

other dogs follow despite not seeing it for themselves.

The scholars outside are only following someone's lead

and are repeating the same words over and over again.

It…

does not bother me.

However…

even feathers can sink a ship if there are enough of them.

If the number of scholars gathering gradually increases,

they might become a burden to you.

That is what I worry about.

That being said…

May I suggest that we reinstate Lord Shin Yeong-su

back at the palace?

Shin Yeong-su who was stripped of his rank and retired to the countryside?

I hear that he has become a mentor to scholars.

Many look up to him

which is why he could help resolve the issue at hand.

You are not wrong,

but he does not care about state affairs anymore.

A man who was forced to leave

would have no interest in coming back to the palace.

Good.

It means, "Even though no one acknowledges your choices,

if you are able to always take the path that is right,

you may also consider yourself to be virtuous."

Have a good day.

-Thank you, Master. -Thank you, Master.

My lord!

You have a visitor from Hanyang.

-Hanyang? -Yes, my lord.

Goodness, you've learned quite a lot.

All right. Keep up the good work.

My goodness.

It sure has been a while, Master Yeosan.

But the weight of my sin still remains heavy.

I could not possibly return to a place within the palace.

Come on. Must you relentlessly decline?

Maybe you could help me save face.

If I return empty-handed,

it would leave me in a predicament at the palace.

Besides…

I come bearing a royal order from His Majesty himself.

And that would mean it comes from the Chief State Councilor.

I have voiced my opinion.