A brazier is brought into the hall. It's needed because heat is what brings out the secret writing on the bronze talismans. The king (thankfully still in control of his faculties) is just about to do the big reveal when Wang Shik Ryum jumps in and starts yelling about the black ninjas. The old man tells the council that the black ninjas originally were the old king's secret police, assassinating nobles who opposed the throne. After the old king's death the black ninjas disappeared but now they're back. Shik Ryum starts throwing questions at the current king: Are the black ninjas now working for you? Did you order the ninjas to assassinate Kim Jong Sik? And now have your ninjas planted incriminating evidence in an attempt to frame me for treason?
The other nobles are easily stirred up by Shik Ryum. The king tries to continue and bring out the bronze talismans when his uncle steps in close and asks the king to remember back to the night before the old king died.
Flashback: We see the young king (without his goatee and just a prince at this time) meeting with Wang Shik Ryum to ask for political support. Shik Ryum pulls out a contract and asks the prince to sign it. The prince signs. Shik Ryum folds the paper up and turns away for a moment, trickily slipping the roll into one sleeve while he pulls out another paper from the other sleeve. The old man makes a show of burning the (fake) contract and assuring the ambitious prince that the contract wasn't really necessary, just a test of faith.
Back to the present where the king is shaken as he realizes the contract he signed still exists. Wang So takes over and starts telling the council about the old king's assassination and who was behind it. The other nobles start yelling and arguing. So asks his brother for the bronze pieces but oh no, all this stress is causing the antidote to wear off.
With the king wavering in his sanity, Wang Shik Ryum thinks now is the time for the council to hear General Kwak's story about Wang So's forbidden secret marriage. Yool is brought into the hall. With no evidence but this stranger's word, the council is up in arms. Shik Ryum asks the king to have Wang So and Yool arrested but by now King Crazy has reappeared. Therefore it is up to Shik Ryum to once again take control of the state and give the order to have So and Yool thrown into prison.
Back at Chunghae, Team Yool panic and try to come up with a plan to save their lady. Maybe if they just told the whole truth of how they kidnapped So, not knowing he was royalty, and the whole marriage was a sham. After the council is dismissed, Shik Ryum goes to see King Crazy and ask for the bronze pieces back. The king still has some mind left to know not to let go of the talismans. Shik Ryum then makes an offer of a trade: the bronze pieces for the signed contract. King Crazy opts instead to hide under his blanket.
(You know what would be great? If it turned out the king was acting like he was crazy in an effort to somehow get the contract back.)
Wang Uk finally comes to the realization that he's just a tool and a weak one at that. He goes to Chunghae to procure some more medicine for Shin Yool. Yang Gyu Dal tells the prince about the Gaebong marriage being a fake. The truth is their only hope right now.
Meanwhile, at least Wang So and Shin Yool are put in adjoining cages so they can simply stare at each other as the soundtrack plays. After the song ends, So comes up with a plan but it involves him and Yool acting like they don't care for each other. He's taken out of his cage to have a visit with his mother and doesn't see Yool starting to shiver from her previous health problems. (As if about to be tortured and executed isn't health problems enough.)
As night falls, Eun Chan and the black ninjas slip into the prison to break So and Yool out. Wang So scolds his lieutenant for not thinking things through. If the couple were to escape then the nobles would have proof that So is the leader of the black ninjas. Also, the already suspicious nobles would be convinced King Crazy is using the black ninjas as assassins, just like Shik Ryum said. Following his boss's orders, Eun Chan leaves the couple behind in their cages.
The next morning Wang Uk comes to the prison to see Shin Yool and give her the medicine. She asks him to see if he can get Yeo Won to come to the prison for a visit. Yool was supposed to meet the princess today to get the ginseng shipment. Uk can't believe Yool is still thinking about business at a time like this. She explains she has to save Chunghae before she dies so the others can go on.
Next, Uk visits with his brother. So says they must work together in order to save Yool's life. They need to find a way to get the king to be the head inquisitor instead of Shik Ryum. Uk knows this means giving the king the true and permanent antidote. So shows his sincerity by getting down on his knees to beg Uk for help. This is when Uk tells So about Yool's poor health and short life expectancy.
Wang So returns to his cage and tries to cheer Yool up with funny stories. (All the while there are tears in his eyes.)
Yeo Won meets with her uncle. She warns Shik Ryum that if he continues with the inquisition then the public is bound to learn that Princess Yeo Won of the powerful Hwangjoo clan is simply a second wife. It would be a PR nightmare so why not end things where they're at. Shik Ryum gleefully refuses to stop the proceedings.
It's another cold night in the prison cell. Yool's medicine gives out and she grows weak. So screams at the guards to go get a doctor. They're like, "That's not in my job description." Because of the bars, So is unable to do much for Yool than hold her hand and try to comfort her. Yool's eyes close and her body slumps. She sure looks dead to me.
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