Captivating the King (세작, 매혹된 자들)

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CAPTIVATING THE KING

ALL CHARACTERS, LOCATIONS, ORGANIZATIONS, AND INCIDENTS

DEPICTED IN THIS DRAMA ARE ENTIRELY FICTITIOUS

PRODUCTION GUIDELINES WERE STRICTLY FOLLOWED WHEN FILMING WITH ANIMALS

TWO MONTHS HAVE PASSED SINCE THE QING INVADED JOSEON.

THE PEOPLE FOUGHT BACK BUT TO NO AVAIL.

THE QING DEMANDED THAT JOSEON CUT TIES WITH THE MING

AND DECLARE THE QING AS THEIR ALLY.

EPISODE 1

Your Highness.

Shall I ask if there are more surviving militia?

Someone is coming!

Your Highness.

We have jeongyo from the capital.

A ROYAL COMMAND

What is His Majesty's order, Your Highness?

We are to stop recruiting militia for war

and return.

What does that mean?

It seems His Majesty has decided to surrender.

Let us go.

Get up.

"King of Joseon."

"As you have shown remorse for your wrongs and requested to pledge your allegiance,

I will forgive all the sins you have committed thus far

and establish rules

for you to faithfully adhere to for generations as my subject."

"Relinquish the royal patent and the seal issued by the Ming,

sever your allegiance to the Ming,

discard their era name,

and use the Qing's almanac in all your official documents."

"Moreover,

as you do not have a firstborn son yet,

your younger brother

shall be held hostage."

"If in any case,

an unexpected event befalls you,

the hostage that I have taken…

will inherit

the throne."

Your Majesty.

Unfortunately,

Her Royal Highness is with the Principal Director of the Privy Council.

I see.

Is Her Royal Highness

distressed by what is to happen to Grand Prince Jinhan?

She did not express it to me, Your Majesty.

I will be back tomorrow.

The King's sins

will now cost my son's life.

Your Royal Highness.

I understand your deep distress,

but how could you say the King sinned?

I am afraid others might hear.

That is the point!

Must I walk on eggshells around the King

when Grand Prince Jinhan is about to be taken away?

Please calm down!

Do you want to get him in trouble

even before he is taken away by the Qing?

Where is the Grand Prince?

My lack of insight

and failure to deny my court's request

that I stay loyal to the former ally and keep the Qing at bay

has brought on the current crisis.

Your Majesty,

please do not blame yourself.

Your decision then

only came from your wish

to do what is best for the people and the nation.

It feels as if the clamor of people condemning and cursing me

can almost reach the palace.

I cannot bear this excruciating agony.

You, too, must resent me.

The only thing I bear

is the sin of failing to support you, Your Majesty.

I do not bear any resentment.

Even though I am handing you over to them without a proper fight?

Being taken by the Qing

is my duty as your kin

to serve

you and the nation.

Grand Prince Jinhan.

Yes, Your Majesty. Please speak.

You may raise your head.

Survive and return at all costs.

I will not forgive you

if you do not abide by this order.

Do you understand?

I will keep that in mind, Your Majesty.

Call me your brother.

Like you used to when you were young.

I want to hear you say it.

Brother.

That is right.

I am your only elder brother,

and you are my only younger brother.

Your injuries are my injuries.

So please return home safely.

Yes, Brother.

This is a relief.

I was concerned that the Queen Dowager would refuse to send the Grand Prince

and be unreasonable.

Not even the Queen Dowager

can possibly go against the Qing Emperor's orders.

Without the Grand Prince,

the proud Queen Dowager and Park Jong-hwan's Faction

will be discouraged.

They say a crisis is an opportunity.

The time has come

for our family to take control of the court.

Your Majesty.

You must produce an heir to His Majesty

as soon as possible.

Your Highness.

Master.

Please take good care of my brother until I return.

That is my life's duty, so do not worry.

How do you feel?

If you are asking whether I am afraid of being taken by the Qing,

then yes, I am afraid.

However,

my anticipation supersedes my fear.

I wish to learn how the Qing, once a small nation,

rose to power to threaten the Ming Empire

and even claim the Chinese mainland.

Once we finally learn about them,

we may be able to find a way to triumph over them.

This reminds me of the time when I first met you, Your Highness.

Even at your tender age,

you were never easily discouraged.

Was I?

Your Highness.

Please…

stay safe.

Do not worry about me.

I will send word as soon as I arrive in Shenyang.

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

- Your Highness! - Your Highness!

Your Highness!

Your Highness!

You wish to return to your hometown?

What do you mean?

Do not tell me you consider surrendering to the outlanders

too great a shame to hold public office.

There is no shame in surrendering.

However, we failed to surrender before their slaughter began.

What shames me to no end is that I have failed to prevent a war

that need not have happened.

The court needs

someone like you more than ever.

Please reconsider your decision

for the King and this nation.

I am also torn.

However,

I cannot stand the power struggle among the Queens' families

when the nation is still in dire straits.

It is unbearable for me.

- Faster! - Faster!

Faster!

Hurry up!

Come on.

Go faster!

Come on!

Faster!

Faster!

Get up!

On your feet!

Stand up!

Stop this moment!

You bastards!

Let him do what he wants.

We need him in one piece.

Hey.

Are you okay?

- Wake up. - He is already gone.

Get rid of the body.

Yes, sir.

Interpreter Jung!

I must see General Ma immediately.

General Ma is busy.

You can speak to me.

We may be captives and hostages,

but walking tens of li without any rest is too much.

If this continues,

no one will survive this.

Your Highness,

it seems you are deeply mistaken about the situation.

This war

was not caused by the loutish foreign intruders.