The Great Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕)

Queen Seon Deok

Enjoy:)

Episode 31

Deokman!

Deokman!

Deokman...

Mother?!

Mother.

Mother!

Deokman!

Mother!

Deokman...

Deokman...

It is you, right?

You are my mother, right?!

Where have you been?

Where?

Deokman...

I thought you had perished.

That you suffocated...

That the desert storm had killed you.

It didn't.

I survived.

I was alive.

Aigoo...

She even speaks, now.

Tell me about it.

Seeing Her Highness must have helped her speak again.

- Mother... - Deokman.

Mother...

She managed to meet her, in all safety!

Tell me about it.

That is such a relief...

What a relief!

So, indeed, was she truly...

the other twin princess?!

Deokman...

Mother. Now tell me.

What happened to you?

You look lovely.

Like a princess.

Mother.

I said speak to me.

Later.

Chilsuk, I saw that man come.

Did you come back together?

What happened to you? How did you become princess?

Mother...

He was the one who saved me.

What?

Chilsuk?!

When I fell into those quicksands,

he clasped that rope.

He did?

So he struggled to catch you until the very end?

I cannot say...

Must have been in the frenzy of the moment.

So, what happened? What?

Deokman.

What?

This all...

whelms me with such happiness and joy,

it does not even feel real.

Mother.

Let us talk about that later.

Later...

Yes, Mother.

I will do as you wish, Mother.

How did you regain your speech, and manage to escape from Mishil?

Indeed... I wandered far and wide,

but not finding you was afflicting me with remorse.

Sire...

Go ahead and tell me.

Her Highness is not aware of all my vicissitudes, is she?

That I returned to the palace,

was captured by Lady Mishil...

You are right.

She doesn't.

Then...

I wish for things to remain as such.

It brings you concern.

Should Deokman learn of your being taken here,

and of what Lord Eulje and Mishil did to you,

and all the quandaries you had to suffer...

Her Highness is now a princess.

Concern for a lowly slattern like myself shall not becloud her thoughts.

Even her childhood was spent worrying about her wretched mother.

She grew up like a man, an adult.

Your Majesty might have entrusted her to my care,

but Her Highness was actually...

the one who looked after me.

Don't say that.

It is what filled her with vehement resolve.

She is so fierce,

resilient...

You raised her like a princess.

Sohwa.

You have my utmost...

my sincerest gratitude.

Should I even devote the rest of my days to requite it,

how could your benevolence be ever compensated?!

My gratitude, Sohwa.

My gratitude.

Her Highness met Sohwa?!

Yes... That is what happened.

And how did you manage to allow...

That... Suddenly, a man appeared before us.

It was Munno.

That man was Munno.

Munno has made his return.

Know how long I wished for it?!

Let us sleep together, like in the desert.

Now... we cannot do so.

Your Highness is a princess now.

And I am just a servant.

I don't care. Let us sleep together.

We cannot.

But, Your Highness.

I think I saw Lord Munno.

What?

Lord Munno?!

Yes.

I was about to face terrible consequences,

and meseems that the man who rescued me was Lord Munno.

Are you telling me that Deokman was acknowledged as princess...

by amending that secret scripture?

That is why...

I told you to meet her firsthand.

But also that she concealed the eclipse to everyone,

and even ended up inveigling Mishil?

Yes, that is what...

Where had you been?

Not to mention...

the fact she promised to disclose the almanac, to convince Master Wolcheon?

Yes, Master.

I knew she would surprise even you.

That is the kind of specimen she is.

One of keen stratagems and limitless ambitions.

Only such a person would announce she will make herself king.

Say what?

Make "herself" king?!

Yes.

Is she not a woman?!

She must have intended helping her spouse to the throne,

considering she is now a princess.

It wasn't that.

She will, firsthand.

*Paedo: Mencius' concept of a legalist, utalitarian meritocracy led by an absolute ruler

She will become king, and let merit and virtue* guide her choices.

Munno has made his return.

As that Bidam's swordsmanship was already concerning me,

I was the one who sent Chilsuk on his trail.

Does that imply that Bidam was Munno's pupil?

Yes.

Then...

Are you telling me Munno closely observed Deokman's movements?

We cannot hazard any averment on the matter, but...

This is no laughing matter.

Should Munno return to the Hwarang ranks in order to aid Deokman's cause,

*Cheomseongdae: Stone observatory in Gyeongju, first of its kind in Asia

then it will not be as simple as debating the construction of the Royal Observatory*.

I concur. Should the construction begin immediately,

we still could not predict any timeline,

but this is a matter of much more pressing and real urgency.

Hwarang...

Should the Gukseon emerge, the Hwarang...

*Leader of one of the two major Hwarang "sects" (Gukseon is on the other side)

We should hasten and nominate a new Pungwolju*,

particularly considering that Hojae's term is coming to an end.

Yes, that is right.

Bojong is his second in command, so, in accordance with traditional practices,

he shall be proclaimed the new Pungwolju.

Yes.

Also,

may you entrust the Hwarang to Chilsuk.

To Chilsuk?!

Yes.

Overseeing the Board of Military Affairs...

leaves me little time to observe how the Hwarang operate in detail.

Foster strength and unity amongst our Hwarang ranks through Chilsuk?!

Yes.

Also, Chilsuk has manifested aversion for Munno more than once.

Just as you instructed,

I concealed the fact we held Sohwa captive until the very end.

Yes.

Summon Chilsuk.

Is that...

what Sohwa thought of me?

It is me, Bojong.

Her Highness is looking for you.

Now that Deokman has been acknowledged as princess,

there is no reason His Majesty should bring harm to Sohwa.

Would he not allow Sohwa to remain by Her Highness's side?

Meseems you were not made for each other.

Deokman will surely not see you in a positive light.

I am concerned about your welfare.

Of course you are acting on my behalf,

and your concealing the twin was His Majesty's fault,

so become the Wonsanghwa.

Wonsanghwa would mean...