So she is to be wed.
Do not interfere this time. Let things run their course.
Had Madam Min not intervened, Chief would have taken action.
Chief firmly believes
Chief Merchant Sim's daughter will lead to trouble for you.
Having her leave the guild by way of marriage
may be the best way for you to ensure her safety.
Your sister
will certainly die.
There is no rhyme nor reason to his slaughtering.
It is but a pastime and his greatest pleasure.
DEAR HONGRANG
I am sorry I must leave without saying goodbye.
I feared that I may want more from you
while I was an incompetent sister
who was of no help to you.
Still, I am glad.
Glad I got to see you before leaving.
Thank you for coming back.
Hurry up! Come on!
- I am not late, am I? - No.
- Your papers for entering Qing. - And food for the journey.
Go. I had all your money exchanged for silver coins.
Follow this path.
Authorities often seize smuggling ships,
so we will keep watch and do what we can if they show up.
Be safe.
Write to us.
Goodbye, everyone.
Go before you miss it.
Goodbye.
Get going.
Go on.
Jae-yi!
No.
You can't.
- Stop! - Go!
Just go!
- Jae-yi! Just go now! - Jae-yi, hurry!
We can handle ourselves!
Go, Jae-yi! Go now!
Go! Just go!
Jae-yi!
Stop it!
- Hold on! - Jae-yi!
Hold on tight!
She's up!
Are you okay?
Let us take you home.
Hurt my people again, and I shall bite your head off.
You are merely a toothless dog without your master's command.
But not me.
I have neither a master nor a collar around my neck.
If you pull something like this again,
I will show you how far a wench more lowly than a dog can go.
Come on.
Let's go.
The wedding is but five days away.
I must hide Jae-yi somewhere safe or smuggle her away on a boat.
And what if you are found out?
That would put you in grave danger.
No matter. I cannot see her married off.
The peddlers arriving tomorrow
may bring news of Lady Ko's whereabouts.
Please just wait one day more.
Why are there so many letters?
At the top are reports from our branches.
Beneath them lie messages congratulating the mistress on her marriage.
What is the matter?
Lady Ko
has written to me.
Jae-yi.
Brother?
It is done now.
I found a way to annul the marriage.
You did?
How? What do I have to do?
All you need to do
is complete the nuptials as arranged.
What?
Your wedding
will offer the perfect place and time to solve everything.
All important figures will attend
for the union of our guild and a noble family.
I plan to expose Lord Choi and his son's wrongdoings
before all in attendance.
This will clearly demonstrate a breach of the agreement,
compelling Father to take immediate action.
Furthermore, both our guild's forces and Lord Choi's allies
will have no choice but to side with us in order to save face.
This will give both parties ample ground to support the annulment.
Now the ceremonial exchange of bows.
The groom shall enter from the east.
The bride's attendants shall bring in the bride.
What a pretty thing.
How can a maiden be so fair?
Why, she is dainty as a doe. How pretty.
How exactly will you expose their wrongdoings?
During the ceremony, when all eyes are fixed in one direction,
Lady Ko will make her entrance.
The bride shall first bow twice.
The groom shall bow in acknowledgment.
The attendants shall fill their cups again.
What? Lady Ko disappeared?
Yes.
How…
It seems…
the stake ruined the plans.
I have a favor to ask.
If you oblige, not only will you be safe…
but another will gain the freedom to live as she wishes.
Now then, shall we move to my place to continue the festivities?
Very well.
She plans on killing her?
I suppose the plan is to blame Choi Ju-yeol, who has a track record.
Now what? Are we going to let her enter that lunatic's home?
What about Lady Ko? I bet Lord Choi smelled trouble and got to her.
If that is what happened,
she must be dead by now.
Does that mean Jae-yi will die too?
We will rescue Jae-yi.
If she spends even one night there, there is no saving her.
Whatever happens, I will take responsibility.
I just need your help.
Of course.
What can we do?
What a delightful day.
Congratulations.
Congratulations on your wedding.
My sincere congratulations. May you have a son who is just like you.
How is it
that Chief Merchant Sim is nowhere to be seen?
Why, he has many guests to greet. He shall join us soon.
Very well. Let us raise our cups.
- Congratulations. - Congratulations.
- How handsome you are. - You look so gallant, nephew.
Jae-yi! Sim Jae-yi!
What is this dagger for?
Remember what I taught you?
Use it to protect yourself.
What?
That thing has disappeared?
Where is Hongrang?
Why do you ask?
I asked you where he is!
Pardon me.
Young Master Hongrang had too much to drink and retired for the night.
What do you think you are doing?
What did you do?
What have you done to Jae-yi?
Speak up! Where is Jae-yi? Where is she?
What is this nonsense?
Me? I have done nothing. Have you lost your mind, Grandmaster?
I know that you murdered your former wives.
I assume that it was you who took Lady Ko as well.
What do you intend to do with Jae-yi?
What have you done to her? Tell me!
What rotten luck. I see that we have walked into a trap.
These wretches purposefully caused a commotion in my home.
They plan to blame me for everything
so they can seize all our family riches for themselves.
Speak.
Where is Jae-yi?
Speak, or my blade will strike.
Lord Choi!
- Isn't that Chief Merchant Sim? - It is.
Chief Merchant Sim.
The grandmaster speaks the truth.
I am Ye-yeong of the Ko household,
the third wife of that man, long believed to be missing.
I endured violence from father and son alike,
leading to my miscarriage.
They used this to justify stripping my household of its wealth.
They even intended to kill me, so I was forced into hiding.
You're crazed! What is this babbling?
You and your father's misdeeds have been laid bare for all to see.
End this now.
You will answer for insulting the Min Family's Guild and my daughter.
Chief Merchant Sim.
You will pay for this transgression.
Have you no fear of my men who surround you?
Your men, you say?
Do you mean those who have aided your evil deeds all these years?
Is that you?
So you were not the one who got Jae-yi out of here?
It seems
matters did not proceed as she intended either.
Goodness.
I drank too much.
I vomited it all out.
What is all this commotion?
I knew this would not work.
Not on you, at least.
Look.
I shall make no excuses.
All that about my pitying her was an excuse. I just…
I want to protect her.
Otherwise, I do not think I could bear it.
Jae-yi.
Brother?
Yes, it is me.
Are you okay? You are not injured?
What happened? How did you end up here?
I do not
remember.
An intruder entered the bridal chamber while you were alone.
All that matters is that you are safe.
And Hongrang?
What was he doing then?
It seems he was drunk all night.
I feel sleepy.
Yes. Get some more rest.
What did you just say?
I asked
that you do not harm Jae-yi.
Has Chief Merchant Sim's daughter won your heart?
Yes.
I believe so.
You know my pain--
I'm in pain now.
If I lose her,
you will lose me.
In other words, endanger that girl, and you forfeit your hold on me.
Is that a threat?
It is a plea, Mother.
Sim Yeol-guk.
I gave him my heart
and lost both my unborn child and my mother in return.
I lost everything because of him, even my own name and life.
Do you think she is different? She will betray you in the end.
I seek nothing from her, so there is nothing to betray.
All I wish for is her safety, nothing more.
As her father did to me,
she, too, will ruin you.
I cannot let you
suffer the same fate I did.
I am not like you, Mother.
I promise
to do my part, so--
So I should trust you?
How can I when you're shaken enough to challenge me?
I will secure the deed of gift. I only ask that you get rid of the stake.
Did you not agree
to grant my favor?
You asked that Jae-yi be married, and I agreed to it.
Then you went out of your way to ruin the marriage.
Thank heavens I did.
Although belatedly, we learned that Lady Ko is alive.
The law forbids giving your daughter's hand
to a man who is already bound by marriage.
Yet why do I sense
that you are dissatisfied?
Very well.
I shall surrender to you
once more.
However,
I shall not forget this.
Prepare for imminent retribution.
Have the branches checked and thoroughly prepared.
Yes, sir.
If I may,
Mun Gyu-ha has discreetly sent word through one of his men.
He wishes to meet with you.
What?
Why would he want…
Do you think that I still resent you?
I did.
You abandoned my sister to marry into the Min Family's Guild
and yet did not let go of her as though she was still yours.
Then you turned your back on her with indifference when she disappeared.
I loathed you with every part of me.
So,
do you intend to seek vengeance after all these years?
Of course. That I must do.
But you are not the one I seek vengeance upon.
I know all too well
that you could never have harmed her.
For a great many years,
I witnessed your devotion to my sister.
Once, when Kkot-nim fell ill, you bought her quince syrup
with what little money you earned by laboring yourself to exhaustion.
Born out of wedlock and orphaned,
you joined the Min Family's Guild with empty hands.
There, you endured filth and danger with clenched teeth.
I know that your efforts to appease Chief Merchant Min
were all to achieve your end goal of marrying Kkot-nim.
That is quite enough talk of the past.
The one who stole you from Kkot-nim
and erased her from existence.
I know very well who it was.
Do you mean…
I mean…
that I wish to stand with you.
There you are.
I was wondering where you were.
Are you all right?
Yes.
Are you all right?
I heard you had a lot to drink that day.
My insides did hurt for a day, but I am better now.
Sister.
Yes?
What is it?
Did something happen?
Yes.
I believe so.
What do you mean?
Perhaps I was dreaming,
or perhaps it was real.
It was quite hazy.
If it was a dream…
then I can simply forget about it.
But if it was real…
I am at a loss for what to do.
What would you like it to be?
Which of the two
would ease your mind?
Whatever happened…
is it making you restless?
Is it making you suffer?
Yes.
Very well, then.
It was but a dream.
The grandmaster is meticulous and remains faultless in all his duties.
The store owners trust him devoutly,
so they would be willing to overlook his faults.
Though merely a stake,
he has fought to root himself in place.
Squeeze the store owners dry.
At death's door, they shall seek a means to survive,
and I shall be that means.
My son.
- Are you retiring for the night? - Yes.
I am returning from inspecting the palace supplies.
What about you?
Are you settling into your work at the guild?
Yes. Next month, I intend to observe the production process.
Mother.
I merely thought I caught a familiar scent.
A scent?
Earlier today, I caught an unfamiliar scent on Father.
I assumed you must have changed your powder.
The scent likely came from one of his visitors.
Good night.
The only visitors he had all day…
were those two lords.
He cannot possibly be indulging with a woman now.
Look into his recent affairs.
Yes, madam.
Do you remember what I told you
on your first day here?
What did I tell you that you must become?
You told me
that I must embody your essence.
And what was your reply?
That I would do so.
Will you do so?
Or will you receive a modest reward for your services and step down?
I am…
here at your disposal
as your son.
Then come forth and write your name on this.
What is this?
Papers for a shadow guild created under a borrowed name.
Everything on here shall now be put in your name,
and our diversified funds will be transferred to this guild.
You mean…
The time has come
for us to rise up.
How have you been?
Have you been well?
Very well.
We need more supplies for the palace than usual.
You are to take extra care to prevent defects or omissions.
Yes, sir.
Step forward when I call your name
to sign or stamp your seal on this document.
Deer antlers shall be provided by the Park household.
Yes, sir.
Agarwood by the Baek household.
Yes, sir.
Cowhide, the Jang household.
Yes, sir.
Tortoiseshell, the Byeon household.
Yes, sir.
And leopard fur,
the Mun household.
Yes, sir.
Ginseng, the Lee household.
I paid an exorbitant amount for these.
What should I do with them?
I heard the news.
It is troubling,
considering how the order went to some nobody.
We are no strangers to the Ministry of Taxation's whims.
Do not be too distraught.
I will negotiate a deal with the Uiju merchants for these goods.
Would that be possible?
A merchant to whom I granted a favor is visiting the city as we speak.
It might be feasible.
That would help minimize our losses.
The chief merchant recently entered a courtesan house.
However…
it is said that Chief Merchant Sim
did not meet with a woman.
Jae-yi, are you there?
There we go.
Careful now.
We averted a crisis thanks to you.
Do not mention it.
I was simply acting out of duty.
Well, that should be easy.
That is the man?
Yes, madam.
As you can see…
Was he not an interpreter from Qing?
His Majesty was most pleased.
Then why does he…
I will take my leave.
…seem familiar?
What is his name?
Mun Gyu-ha.
Mun Gyu-ha?
He is Kkot-nim's older brother.
He dared conspire
with the family of a past lover to plot my downfall?
After he wielded my sword…
to sever ties with that very lover?
A bold move indeed.
What compelling grounds you have laid before me.
Now the blood to be shed before us
shall rest solely on your hands.
Hurry along!
Yes, coming!
Watch it.
Hurry up, now!
Think about nothing else, you hear?
- Just carry out Madam's orders. - Yes.
Drag him out!
What is the meaning of this?
For the unlawful trade of sulfur through the guild's silver mine.
For a sulfur-induced accident that severely harmed the guild,
resulting in the loss of innocent lives.
And finally, for the crime of embezzling from the guild…
to accumulate wealth under a borrowed name.
I hereby order the grandmaster's expulsion for these grave offenses.
Do you have proper grounds for accusing him of those activities?
Of course. Not only do I have the grounds,
but I also have undeniable proof that he recently took the shadow guild
and registered it under his own name.
Bind him, lock him up,
and interrogate him for the name of his master or accomplice.
Yes, madam.
Take him.
Madam!
Or…
shall I send him
straight to the government office instead?
Brother.
Subtitle translation by: Jimin Choi