They have left for Chang'an...
More than a month ago
They should be returning to Yangzhou by now.
Hoist the sail!
We could arrive five days
ahead of Master Yi's group,
which is traveling overland.
What do you think?
Who'll come out the winner of this?
Yum Moon or Goong-bok?
From what I found out,
the sail Goong-bok made can sail in a headwind
I hear that rumors that I'll lose to Master Sul are going around?
He continues to be the seed of my troubles, doesn't he?
Please trust Yum Moon
Why are they going around in groups?
They look like shop managers.
What are they up to now?
Bye.
What are you up to now?
All the shop managers are placing bets now.
Bets?
Yes, everyone is betting money on Goong-bok and Chief Yum Moon.
You placed a bet too?
I wagered 10 coins on Goong-bok.
Where did you get that kind of money?
I borrowed it from Wang Suk.
You think Chief Yum Moon will be defeated so easily?
I did my research.
Goong-bok can win with his staysail.
Keep your mouth shut.
Whose side are you taking, when you're on Madam Jami's payroll?
Things are not looking good. Keep your mouth shut.
I'm quitting Madam Jami's shop when Goong-bok returns.
What?
What do you mean by that?
Do you really plan to quit?
No, he doesn't.
You heard him wrong.
Tell her she heard you wrong.
I can never turn my back on Goong-bok.
My lady, he's just an immature boy.
Please forgive him.
Soon-jong and I
will serve you for our entire lives.
I hear that even shopkeepers in the marketplace
are interested in the outcome of this contest.
Yes, it's on everyone's lips.
It's only natural when their livelihood depends on
doing business with the most powerful merchant group.
There will be a major shift of power,
depending on the outcome.
What do you predict?
Well...
Please tell me.
He's our competition,
but I can't wish Goong-bok ill.
It was you, wasn't it?
You told Goong-bok that Yi Sa-do's troops had
blockaded the Grand Canal, didn't you?
No, I didn't.
Then how did Goong-bok find out?
I wouldn't know.
I brought this from Chang'an.
It's the wine of the emperor.
Drink it.
But why would you...?
Who knew that Goong-bok had such talent?
From the looks of things,
Sul Pyong has a good chance to win.
If he learns I made a deal with Yi Do-hyung,
my business will be affected.
Let's say I had you give
Goong-bok the information.
You do understand, don't you?
Yes.
Master,
Sul Pyong's and Yi Do-hyung's groups
have returned from Chang'an.
Who won?
It's not confirmed yet.
It's the receipt for tax payment.
The Yi Do-hyung Group wins
the Grand Canal passage rights.
Did you find out?
Master Yi won the Grand Canal passage rights.
Are you sure?
Yes, I am.
My money...
My money!
Did you hear?
We won.
Congratulations.
How did it go?
We won.
With your support,
we have established
the foundation to become
the biggest merchant group in Yangzhou.
I owe it to Chief Yum Moon,
who trusted my judgment.
With the Grand Canal passage rights,
we have the basis to suppress the Sul Pyong Group,
and become the biggest merchant group in Yangzhou.
I appoint Yum Moon, who won the Grand Canal passage rights,
as the head chief of our merchant group.
Congratulations, Head Chief.
You said you'd arrive five days ahead of Yi Do-hyung's group with your sail.
This is the result of your stubbornness, and ignoring our opinions.
I'll take full responsibility.
How will you do that?
The Grand Canal passage rights are more valuable than your life.
Master, he shouldn't be forgiven.
It is not his fault.
It was my fault we arrived late in Chang'an.
I fell ill and delayed the trip.
We wouldn't have been late if it weren't for me.
Do not take his side.
As leader of the group, he should've overcome all obstacles.
He alone should bear the responsibility for this failure.
That's enough.
I appoint Goong-bok as captain of the security officers,
and grant him authority to oversee all shops in the marketplace.
Master.
Master!
He should be punished, not rewarded.
Master,
please withdraw your order.
I am not capable of carrying out your order.
I'm not rewarding you
by appointing you as the new captain.
The very foundation of our merchant group is being
threatened after losing the Grand Canal passage rights.
If you believe you have done damage to our group,
find a way to rectify it.
He has lost the contest,
but his decision to take the sea route wasn't wrong.
He has proved his competence on the Yuzhou trip.
Please do not oppose my decision.
Yes, sir master!
You did well.
Drink to your heart's content tonight.
Yes!
Congratulations again,
Head Chief.
Congratulations.
Especially you. Good work.
If you but give me the command,
I'll not only feign death, but truly die.
Just tell me anything.
I'll reinstate you as a trader.
Do not make any more mistakes.
Thank you, Head Chief.
I haven't been able to sleep peacefully
from the wounds left from your beating.
But I think I can sleep soundly as of tonight.
You are leaving already?
Enjoy yourselves.
I have to leave.
Good night.
You're working so late into the night.
I had to look at some account books.
What brings you here?
Please open it.
I found many valuable gems in Chang'an that I couldn't find in Yangzhou.
I bought them for you.
They're too much for me. I can't accept them.
You don't like them?
A shopkeeper has no occasion to wear such fine jewelry.
Please accept them.
The reason I appointed you as captain is because
I trust you won't abandon your convictions for profit.
You will face many difficulties in attempting to revive our group.
It is most important
to stay true to your values and conviction at times like this.
Find a way to revive our group by staying true to your values.
Yes.
I'll give you
my surname and a new name.
Master.
I know
you harbor a grudge against Madam Jami.
I've also heard
that your father died an unfair death at the hands of pirates.
You must wipe your heart clean
of your past as a slave,
your grudge against Madam Jami,
and your father's death.
Only then will you gain a broad view of the world.
Yes.
Get it ready.
Yes, Father.
As of today,
you are no longer Goong-bok.
You are Jang Bogo.
Jang as in "give," and Bo as in "keep,"
and Ko as in "high."
Amass great wealth and give it away generously.
Master...
Goong-bok!
Is it true you're the new captain now?
Goong-bok!
I was so afraid you'd be punished.
Master is a great judge of character after all.
What is this?
It's the name Master gave me.
Jang Bogo?
I was born a slave with no surname...
I finally have a name.
Jang Bogo...
What do you think?
It's great.
Congratulations,
Captain Jang Bogo.
Master Chun who has been doing business with
Master Sul expressed his wishes to do business with us.
It's the list of goods requested by Master Chun.
Please make the decision for us.
I wouldn't do business with him.
Big profits are guaranteed if we do business with him.
Why wouldn't you do business with him?
You'll incur a big loss, not a big profit.
Master Chun wishes to buy rice and salt.
But it's time to buy rice and salt,
not sell them.
From what I've found out,
the tension between Yi Sa-do and
the imperial government is escalating.
There could be a war soon.
If a war starts,
the price of rice and salt will jump first.
Instead of selling rice and salt to Master Chun now,
you should buy more and sell it during wartime
for an even bigger profit.
Your business intellect never ceases to amaze me.
Master.
What is it?
The new captain of the Sul Pyong Group is here
to pay his respects to you.
Show him in.
What post does a captain hold?
It's a very important post in the Sul Pyong Group.
He's the head of the security officers,
and is also in charge of managing the merchants.
His position is comparable to the position of head chief
held by Yum Moon in our group.
Master Sul isn't taking this defeat very well,
if he has even replaced his captain.
I am certain.
I'm Jang Bogo, the new captain of the Sul Pyong Group.
Master Sul has ordered me
to pay my respects to the Grand Chief.
He lost the Grand Canal passage rights because of him.
He must be out of his mind to appoint him as captain.
I learned that Goong-bok was late because he
had to dock his ship to tend
to Master Sul's sick daughter.
If it weren't for her illness,
Goong-bok would have arrived in Chang'an early.
Now that he's in charge of the Sul Pyong Group,
we must continue to keep our eyes on them.
Find out if there is anyone who can help us.
Yes.
If the world has changed,
you should live by new laws.
You still think the Sul Pyong Group is the biggest merchant group in Yangzhou?
The Grand Chief of Yangzhou is Master Yi,
not Sul Pyong.
If you ever do business with the Sul Pyong Group again,
I'll set fire to your shop!
Got that?
Got that!?
Why won't you answer me?
Who the...
What do you think you're doing?
He is our business partner. Why are you causing trouble here?
It's none of your business what I do.
I should just...!
Fine, you hooligans.
Let's settle this for good today!
Let's go at it!
Men, teach them a lesson.
Withdraw your swords.
What?
Scared now?
Stop!
What is going on?
He picked the fight first.
Your master is the Grand Chief.
Set an example by adopting behavior befitting such a group.
Do not resort to the behavior of street thugs.
Let's go.
The thing is...
he started...
Captain?
Yes, Master.
Goong-bok...
I mean,
Bogo, has become
the top security officer of the Sul Pyong Group.
That is so like Sul Pyong.
He does have an eye for great men.
I hear the Sul Pyong Group is in trouble these days.
You must carry a large burden on your shoulders to have taken
such an important position in such difficult times.
I must find a way to revive our group.
But with my lack of experience and wisdom,
I'm at a loss as to what to do.
I need your support.
You wretch...
I can barely fend for myself.
If you have the courage and tenacity to survive the arena,
you'll survive anything.
Master.
What is it?
The merchant group to Tibet has been wiped out again.
What?
No survivors?
No.
What is cinnabar?
It's red sand.
You can derive pigments and medicine from it as well.
It's a very valuable item to Chinese people,
who love the color red.
And it's found in abundance in a land called Tibet.
It's ruled by barbarians.
Master Jo has sent many merchant groups to get cinnabar,
but his groups have been attacked by bandits every time.
I should go to Tibet.
What?
Goong-bok!
Master.
I'll take a merchant group to Tibet.
What?
I heard you're a long-time friend of the governor-general of Tibet.
Please use your influence to allow me to trade with him.
You must have a death wish.
It's no place for men.
I can't save our group from this crisis
if I do not risk my life.
I will go.
Goong-bok.
It's important to save your group,
but it's reckless to risk your life to do so.
You should stop.
He's right.
What's the use after you're dead?
What?
You're scared now?
I'll go.
Please arrange a deal with the governor-general.
Master,
please allow me to go to Tibet.
I'll bring back cinnabar.
I cant allow you.
We could make big profits if we could bring in cinnabar.
I'll go to Tibet.
You can't risk your life even if we're in a crisis.
Please forget this idea.
You told me to find a way to revive our group.
Securing cinnabar is what I can do to save our group.
Please let me go.
Why did you exclude me?
You stay in Yangzhou.
Who'd go if I don't go?
I have to go.
You have to cross the border.
You have to risk your life.
I can't let you go alone.
I have to go.
You have to stay in Yangzhou and oversee the shops.
Goong-bok!
Listen to me.
You must protect our shops while I'm gone.
Goong-bok!
Don't worry about me.
What now?
Goong-bok is going to Tibet.
Tibet? Where is that?
It's a land of barbarians beyond the border.
He could die.
Why would he go there when he might die?
He's going there to buy cinnabar or something.
He volunteered to go to save his merchant group.
He volunteered?
Has he gone crazy with desire to succeed?
But how could he be so reckless?
It's because he blames himself for losing the Grand Canal passage rights.
That makes sense.
He'll soon be leaving for a land of death.
He said he wishes to see you before he leaves.
If Goong-bok succeeds,
the Sul Pyong Group will have another chance to rise again.
We must stop them.
What do you think?
He must cross the border to the Land of danger to make the deal.
I don't believe we need to stop them
when their success is so uncertain.
That's not true.
I know Goong-bok very well.
He has survived in places where no men have.
If we don't nip him in the bud,
he'll come back to haunt Master Yi and me.
I agree with her.
We must stop them from making the deal
to defeat Sul Pyong completely.
So it can happen to us too
I never thought we'd have to say goodbye
Your words still don't seem real
You're leaving me
How can you leave me?
Don't do this
Please see how sad I am
What am I to do about all my regrets?
I want to turn back time
Don't leave me
I miss you so much it breaks my heart
You weren't followed?
No.
You have all the goods they are asking for?
Yes.
I feel uneasy about placing such a heavy burden on your shoulders.
Please don't worry.
I embroidered it myself.
I was so occupied with learning the business that
I didn't have the time to learn womanly things.
It's not much,
but please accept it.
What is going on?
They just left.
Head Chief.
Get ready.
Yes.
Who's in charge of the group?
We're merchants from the Yangzhou Sul Pyong Group.
Where are you going?
To Chang'an.
We must search all goods going to Chang'an
on orders of the emperor.
Search them.
What's going on?
I'm sure it's just a formality. Do not worry.
We found arrowheads.
What is the meaning of this?
I have no idea.
Where are you taking these arrowheads?
You must be colluding with the rebels.
Arrest them.
It will be difficult to clear the allegation of supplying
the rebels with arms when we were caught with arrowheads.
We won't escape death if we're taken by them.
I'll stay with the group.
You must escape and alert the master.
It is my duty to protect the merchant group.
I can't abandon them.
If we're taken, we'll all be killed.
The only way to survive is to get help from Master Sul.
Go! Hurry!
Chief Jang!
How could you do this?
This was your doing?
Shut up!
I don't see Goong-bok.
What happened to the security officer of the group?
He escaped...
but he was shot by an arrow.
He won't survive.
Did you find his body?
It's desert for hundreds of miles.
No sign of any town.
A wounded man can't survive. Don't worry.
All right.
What should we do with them?
Slay them.
Please spare our lives, Head Chief.
Please don't kill us.
But we hired these men.
We must not leave any evidence.
Slay them.
YANGZHOU
I'm back.
Good work.
This is Master Sul.
I'm a chief of the Chunghwa Group in Shanxi Province.
What brings you here?
We came across a site where your merchants were
attacked by bandits on our way to Yangzhou.
What are you saying?
We found your flag at the sight.
Corpses were already ravaged by beasts.
We buried what's left of them.
We brought what's left of their belongings. Please check.
Open them.
Do they belong to our men?
Yes.
I'll ask you again.
Do they belong to our men?
They do.
- Father! - Master!
Master.
Let go! Let go of me!
Master, he's not dead.
I'll go find him!
Please send me.
Master!
Master, he's not dead. Please let me go find him!
Master!
Master, I'll go find him!
Please let me go find him!
Master, please!
Let me go find him!
Master!
I can't believe it...
We went through so much...
Master, I'll find him.
Let me go find him!
Master, I'll go find him.
Master, we must find him.
Please let me go!
Master!
I thought you went to Yangzhou Harbor.
Goong-bok left for Tibet
with his merchant group...
He was killed by bandits.
What...
did you just say?
Goong-bok is dead.
I once tried to take his life
when I learned he was with Master Sul's group.
I was vexed that I didn't succeed.
It's for the best.
You should forget him now.
That wretch...
Goong-bok...
Goong-bok.
Leave him be.
How many shops have switched over to us from Master Sul?
More than seven.
You have finally become
the largest merchant group in Yangzhou.
I owe it all to you.
How is business?
We couldn't be busier.
Where is Jung-hwa?
Lady Jung-hwa is...
She went to the harbor.
You know her whereabouts when even I don't?
Let us go.
Whose procession is that?
He is Chun Sang-gui,
a eunuch who serves Lady Chabi.
Who did he come to see in Yangzhou?
I hope everything finds you well.
I'm afraid not.
I'm about to lose my neck because of you.
Please come inside.
Eunuch Chun Sang-gui is a Shilla man.
He manages Lady Chabi's money.
How does he manage her money?
He invests her secret fund in a credible merchant group.
Master Sul has been managing her secret fund for years.
How much would that be?
It's estimated to be tens of thousands of coins.
Chun Sang-gui must be here to withdraw the money,
given Master Sul's current situation.
Then the Sul Pyong Group will fall into deeper financial troubles
and will have even less chance of recovering.
Withdraw your funds?
I can no longer trust you.
We'll find another merchant group.
We'll revive our merchant group.
And how will you do that?
I'll be back in a month to collect the money.
We'll go under if you withdraw the money now.
Please trust me and give us time.
Have I ever broken a promise to you yet?
Please have faith in me.
We'll collect the goods in fifteen days.
I'll take a merchant group to Tibet.
Father.
You said you want to avenge Goong-bok's death?
Yes.
I'll trust you with the security of our group.
If we fail again,
we'll never rise again.
The fate of our group rides on this mission.
Make no mistake in preparation.
Yes!
You must be in defense position after an attack.
Head.
You must be ready to protect your head.
They're coming.
How did it go?
I have secured cinnabar as you ordered.
It's a letter from the governor-general of Tibet,
granting us the trade rights to cinnabar.
Well done.
Have you heard?
Sul Pyong is leading a group to Tibet himself.
I didn't expect him to give up easily,
but I never expected him to go himself.
He won't make the trip.
What do you mean?
It's a letter from the governor-general of Tibet,
granting us the exclusive trade rights to cinnabar.
What happened?
We took goods to Tibet and successfully made a deal
with the governor-general on the head chief's orders.
The fate of our group rides on this trip.
We must succeed and bring honor to our group again.
Do you understand?
Yes!
Let us depart.
What brings you here?
I hear you're taking merchants to Tibet.
And?
This trip won't be necessary.
Get out of the way.
It's a letter from the governor-general of Tibet
granting us the exclusive trade rights to cinnabar.
Take a look.