The Great Queen Seondeok (선덕여왕)

Queen Seon Deok

Enjoy:)

Episode 36

Pungwolju are obliged to quell every suspicion with utmost clarity.

The Board of Military Affairs recently found that...

a significant number of Gaya refugees inhabits Amnyangju,

the land belonging to Kim Yushin's clan.

Yushin Rang.

The Gaya refugees who were forcibly deported from Samnyangju...

not only answered divine command,

but also paid the price of being suspected to be part of the Gaya Restoration Movement.

How could those refugees be inhabiting your own land?

Also,

we have information suggesting the restoration movement...

began its activities once again from there.

Your lineage is of strong Gaya ancestry.

Can you explain what all this entails to?

All those people are doing...

is engaging in farming on my clan's land.

Is granting jobs to people from lands with impoverished soil...

so that they will make a living considered a crime?

Those are lamentable and unjust insinuations.

All you have is circumstantial hearsay,

there is no clear evidence of such malfeasance.

Of course, we have no evidence.

But I verified firsthand the legitimacy of such circumstantial claims.

Should the blame be laid upon you, you very well know...

what the consequences would be.

Hence, what do you propose I shall do?

Let us just find a way together.

A way to make you Pungwolju,

and also sweep away these groundless accusations, that is.

This is a conspiracy!

Think you will be able to stop his investiture...

out of mere circumstantial talebearing?

However, suspicion and hearsay are the root of all occurrences.

Can Your Highness prove Yushin Rang's innocence?

And do you trust him?

Of course, you must have the utmost confidence in Yushin Rang.

But, never shall you consider him a mere individual.

From the very start, Gaya and its refugees...

have proven to be Yushin Rang's greatest strength and most daunting shortcoming.

Hence, it is not Yushin,

but the power figures gravitating around him you must reflect upon.

Separating the two is utterly meaningless.

And that is because, willingly or not,

Yushin Rang shall eventually carry Gaya's legacy on his shoulders.

He can neither abandon them, nor can they take to the frontline for him.

So, what are you suggesting?

Should you bring me the lifeless pate of the restoration movement's leader,

would not that make all suspicions vanish?!

And how am I supposed to know who is leading them?

There is a possibility you might not know.

However,

the best course of action in dealing with this matter...

is bringing us the head of their leader.

Should you manage to achieve that,

your legacy would be bolstered by meritorious service even before investiture,

and would not that help foster your authority as Pungwolju?

Your Highness.

What is all this?

The council raised an objection against his investiture as Pungwolju?!

Anyone who witnessed his feats at the contest...

would never allow any objection to besmirch his achievements.

Even Seokpum Rang could not utter any opposing words.

It is a matter dealing with my ancestry.

Does that mean Gaya ancestry shall preclude your investiture?

It is the same situation as when they deported Gaya refugees to Samnyangju.

This time, it just happens to be the restoration movement.

Restoration movement?!

Are they aware of those Gaya remnants' intentions?

It did not seem so.

And neither do they seem to care.

Yes, we once again fell for their stratagem.

Their hands are completely tied.

And should they attempt to capture their leader to solve this impasse,

they will lose support amongst the Gaya descendants.

Should he fail to prove he has no links to the restoration movement,

then he will never be proclaimed Pungwolju.

Yes...

It is a lifelong quandary which shall trail in the shadows of Yushin Rang's path.

He should realize how surrendering before Your Highness...

would be the most sagacious decision,

but I wonder if he will.

Bereft of acumen they certainly are not,

but people like him are blessed with too precious a disposition...

to even foment such thoughts.

Hence, we must produce at least one piece of unquestionable evidence.

Yes.

I entrusted the matter to that man under Kim Seohyeon...

who used to communicate with us via carrier pigeons in Iseo County.

So, that informer who started trailing Kim Seohyeon since he came to Seorabeol?

Yes.

The council deferred the investiture.

Bangso. They did what?

And what is the reason?

An objection against Milord was raised,

involving his alleged ties to the Gaya restoration movement.

Restoration?!

- Then, the last time Yushin... - All right.

You may leave.

Yes.

- Let us go. - Yes.

I must head to the palace immediately.

Take good care of that edict.

Yes.

Leave it to me.

Accord it your utmost attention.

I shall head for the palace, so arrange security.

Yes, Your Excellency.

You await here until our arrival.

Yes.

What is it, this time?

He is Wolya, recently adopted by His Excellency Lord Seohyeon.

Pay your respects!

Once Yushin Rang is proclaimed Pungwolju,

I shall be in charge of training the Dragon Flower Guild.

I shall aid our new Pungwolju,

and help make this Hwarang guild the very best in Seorabeol.

Looks like Yushin Rang will indeed become Pungwolju.

Seems like it.

It finally feels real.

It is trouble! Trouble!

We are in trouble.

What is the matter?

Yushin Rang...

Yushin Rang...

Yushin Rang what?

At the council, an objection was raised against Yushin Rang.

An objection?!

And what would be the reason?

He was accused of involvement with the Gaya restoration movement...

by Lady Mishil's followers.

What is that all about?

If Lady Mishil's side raised an objection,

it will be no laughing matter.

Say what?

Is that really so?

No...

Whether Yushin had any involvement with the restoration movement or not,

what would that possibly matter?

Yes.

Is not treason something even mere circumstantial claims could legitimize?

It is a stratagem by Lady Mishil's followers.

If I could ever imagine they would do this,

proclaiming Bojong as the Pungwolju would have been much wiser.

Mother.

You must be already afflicted by this ordeal regarding Yushin Rang...

Is anything the matter?

Chunchu left the palace once again today.

Yes...

He has spent not a single day in the palace,

and continues to refuse any audience.

Looks like I spoke in vain.

Let us not hasten on this matter.

Is he not just a juvenile, after all?

He grew without the loving embrace of a mother,

such behavior is only inevitable.

Also, these might be very powerful and refined nectars,

but they do not inebriate in the slightest,

and are oft christened as "elixir of eternal youth."

How does it taste?

I can sense the fragrance of the water fringes caressing my tongue.

Water fringes!

Indeed they are!

Meseems they mixed flowers and herbs while creating these nectars.

I would guess...

honeysuckle and chrysanthemums?

How could a juvenile of meager experience display such keen discernment?

The Sui drench their nectars in flowery fragrance as well.

Lord Chunchu...

I sense ominous malignance in the air.

Your presence is daunting.

Daunting?!

Only scarce moments we shared together,

but don't we already feel like seasoned compeers?!

And you cannot ride horses, I hear?

I cannot do so myself.

Instead, I am blessed with manifold different talents.

I trust it must be the same for you?!

This taste...

Shall I describe it as the pathway between...

the world of the mortals and the abode of the gods?

So exotic a sight, yet so strangely familiar.

Yes...

Like a damsel from lands afar, dancing in fervent abandon.

At last, I am blessed with a spiritual compeer.

May you follow me.

Here... Lord Chunchu.

May you enter.

Trust your spiritual compeer.

Raise the curtain.

Yes.

Accord us a smile.

Turn around.

How is she?

Her proportions...

are quite anomalous.

Yes, particularly the contours of her body.

Where there is no harmony, beauty is rarely found.