Captivating the King (세작, 매혹된 자들)

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

Your Majesty.

There must be a criminal for an interrogation to take place.

Who is this spy you speak of?

Has Chu Dal-ha

mentioned the spy by their name?

I shall reveal the criminal's name

in the interrogation.

Forgive me for saying this,

but a crude handling of the matter

may place you in a precarious position.

What dares to make you say so?

Should your interrogation to find and punish the spy

who colluded with the Qing become known to Prince Rui,

he will become furious.

It may end up disturbing the peace between the two nations.

Your determination to punish the criminal

may become a detriment

that endangers your reign.

That would constitute their interference in our affairs.

The Qing have their hands on our every affair.

Even the crumbling fortresses of the borders

are being neglected because of the Qing.

Are you confessing the failings of the Border Defense Council?

Then it seems I must abolish the Council.

Is Eunuch Kim outside?

Have you summoned me, Your Majesty?

The Border Defense Council's involvement with this interrogation will be barred,

so order all its members to leave.

See if Inspector General Kim Je-nam has come to the palace

and have him see me with the Chief Royal Secretary.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Principal Director.

You may leave now.

EPISODE 14

When selecting the officials joining the interrogation,

exclude all the members of the Border Defense Council.

Mobilize all the royal secretaries, the clerks, and the runners

to review all records of the spy case from three years ago

and reports from the borders, then report back to me.

Sixth Royal Secretary Kim Myung-ha

shall be excluded as he was involved in the case.

Yes, Your Majesty.

I shall follow your command.

Your Majesty.

I apologize for asking,

but why have you decided to look into

the report of Chu Dal-ha when he has tried to assassinate you?

It is because his report aligns with my wishes.

Your Majesty.

Are you suspecting the spy who colluded with the Qing

to be among the members of the Border Defense Council?

Do you suspect it to be

Principal Director Park Jong-hwan?

Is that why

you commanded me to find a way

to abolish the Border Defense Council and reform the court?

I have wanted to do that since long ago.

But I have yet to discuss it with the court.

Then I shall report to you again after coming up with a detailed plan.

That is correct.

But I could not abolish it rashly

as the Council's influence had grown so much.

Your Majesty.

I shall carry out your command as your devoted subject,

but the court will resist ferociously.

I am prepared for it.

The capital traitor who joined hands with the Qing

and put this nation and its people in a crisis.

I will find that vile spy

and have them punished for high treason.

I will have their disgraceful name engraved in the records

so that the people of this nation…

will remember their crime.

My brother

was poisoned to death.

Who would have dared to commit such an atrocious and treasonous act?

Tell me, who did it?

His Majesty

summoned all members of the Border Defense Council at night

and then commanded us to leave all of a sudden.

He should not treat court officials

in such a coarse manner.

There has been an attempt on his life.

That would explain his mood.

In my opinion, he has some other designs in mind.

Summoning Kim Je-nam out of the blue

was a sign in itself.

It seems that he does not trust us--

Right State Councilor.

You are crossing the line here.

Are you suggesting that His Majesty does not trust the Principal Director?

- That is not it. - Enough.

That is enough.

Why do you think

His Majesty has decided to look into the report of a traitor?

It is because Chu Dal-ha

will most certainly name another traitor.

And that traitor's name

will clear His Majesty's name of being Prince Rui's spy.

Whoever is named by that man,

that traitor and their family shall be destroyed

and all those associated with them will be arrested

and executed for high treason.

When the interrogation begins,

there will be a bloodbath.

There is only one way to stop that from happening.

We must prevent this interrogation

before it causes such chaos.

Go to the library with the runners and get the Royal Secretariat's Records

and all the reports from the borders from three years ago.

Yes, my lord.

My lord.

What is my duty?

You are to stay away for the time being.

As you were involved in the spy case three years ago,

His Majesty ordered your exclusion.

Your Majesty.

Are you sure you do not need a royal physician to tend to you?

Though you may not be seemingly injured,

I suggest that you be examined just in case.

Morning examinations are enough.

However, Your Majesty…

Your Majesty.

Captain Joo Sang-hwa has a report to make.

Let him in.

With all due respect,

it is past your bedtime.

You can meet him tomorrow.

It is fine. Let him in.

Yes, Your Majesty.

How is Mong-woo doing?

She seems to be in shock from Chu Dal-ha's arrest.

And it seems a man named Se-dong

has frequented and shared the news with her.

Do not forbid him from visiting,

but report to me immediately should anything happen to her.

Yes, Your Majesty.

Captain Joo.

Just how poor are you at your job?

I have never been on good terms with you,

but I have trusted you wholly with His Majesty's safety.

However,

this incident was a bolt out of the blue.

An assassination attempt from a traitor?

You are right.

It is all my fault.

The biggest problem

is his visits to his private residence.

If you cannot stop his travels,

such an incident may end up recurring.

I concur.

However,

that is up to His Majesty to decide.

It is neither up to me nor you.

But Captain Joo…

I am back.

Did the Special Firearms Unit not tell you off?

Master Choam must have told them that I would visit,

as they did not stop me from entering.

What about the State Tribunal?

What will happen to Master Chu?

The King will interrogate him himself,

so he will be imprisoned until he is transferred to the palace.

Then why did they arrest him like they were going to kill him immediately?

That really scared me.

Please see to it that he is well taken care of, Se-dong.

Do not worry about that.

Jeomine and I will take care of it.

Thank you.

- You may leave. - All right.

Get some rest.

You should lie down, my lady.

My lady?

How come His Majesty

returned to the palace without saying a word to me?

In my opinion,

I think he left in a hurry

in case you were troubled by Master Chu's affair.

Could that be the only reason?

Your Majesty.

You are in good health today

and show no symptoms.

About that poison.

The poison that killed my brother.

Have you yet to find it?

Forgive me.

It was not found in the herbal medicine he used to take

or the bowl that contained it,

but on the royal robe he coughed up his blood on.

I could only confirm that he took poison,

but could not learn what kind of poison it was.

I understand the difficulty of the task.

But do not give up and keep working on it.

Yes, Your Majesty.

His Majesty ordered me to greet you on his behalf.

My heart almost stopped at the news of the assassination attempt.