Standing On The Brink Of War
Jang-Uk is hesitant, but Jang Gang tells him that it’s the only way to save his family. Jang-Uk agrees and puts down his sword. Jang-Uk then asks Jang Gang what he wants from him, but Jang Gang only wants to help his son.
Do-Hwa is the son of Jang-Uk, the most beautiful woman in all the land. She was killed by Jang-Uk’s father, who carried her off into slavery. Do-Hwa must find his way back to her and bring her back to life so she can tell her story and help protect others from Jang-Uk’s evil ways.
Jang-Uk eventually opens up and admits he’s looking for Shaman Choi. Now, it’s foretold that the Choi family were destroyed by Master Seo Gyeong a long time ago. He warns Jang-Uk not to be so curious as that can get him killed. Eventually the mysterious man walks away, pointing out that he’s damaged right down to his soul, but no closer to revealing to Jang-Uk that he’s his son.
Meanwhile, So-I manages to open Jinyowon but in doing so, looks straight at Mu-Deok. She recognizes her from town and begins to question the whole story around her blindness.
Jin-Mu is there, of course, and he watches as the doors close, with So-I taken away. He questions what Mu-Deok is doing there. Of course, by now the family are convinced that she’s Bu-Yeon. ..
Jin Ho-Gyeong is convinced that she is her daughter, and the rest of Songrim believe her. However, there are some questions that remain. Why did Mu-Deok feel that way outside the doors? Did So-I actually tell Jin Ho-Gyeong that she was her daughter? And what happened to Mu-Deok’s headaches?
Jang-Uk gives Mu-Deok a makeover in town that night, which includes putting lovely red spots of blusher on her cheeks.
Soon, the attention turns to Jinyowon again. Mu-Deok points out to Yul that Bu-yeon is back but she was holding an umbrella – the same one Yul originally had – rather than a cane. Dang-Gu comes bounding in, but his smile vanishes when he realizes that Bu-Yeon is actually the swindler So-I. Jang-Uk deduces that Jin-Mu is scheming and has something big planned for Jinyowon.
Jin-Mu arrives at the royal court, sneaking about as he ends up drinking with the Royal Prince.Apparently, the King is still discussing the King’s Star. And for Jin-Mu, he broaches the subject of the ice stone and the alchemy of souls. He believes they should start a new order within the royal palace. He also brings up Bu-yeon’s divine power, continuing to spin his web of deceit.
Jin-Mu shows up to see Ho-Gyeong, who is concerned about So-I and how her ears aren’t the same as Bu-Yeon’s. Jin-Mu urges Ho-Gyeong to make a decision and push her perceived daughter into becoming queen - and manoeuvring Jin-Mu into the driver’s seat for deciding the crown’s destiny. Anyway, he also promises to return the ice stone back where it belongs. ..
Jin-mu uses the ice stone as a bargaining chip, telling Ho-Gyeong to fight against Songrim. Only through the collapse of Songrim can they move forward.
Jin-Mu unveils her new organization, So-I, at a secret location. This is in order to play into the narrative and make it seem like Bu-yeon is the real protagonist. However, there is a much more sinister plan in store for her. The ice stone and Seo Ha-Sun are involved in this plot.
Jang-Uk and the others are shocked to see Jin-Mu speeding up his plans faster than they thought. Jin-Mu heads into the royal palace and the attacks are immediately levelled against Songrim.
So-I, the long-lost daughter of Jin-Mu, presents Ho-Gyeong with an ice stone as a sign of her paternity. Now, the plan is for the queen to use So-I as a vessel to move her soul into.
Park Jin believes the stone should be destroyed, but as all the different houses debate what to do, Ho-Gyeong suggests that the Assembly should be held at Jinyowon instead of Songrim from now on. As everyone sits in silence, Park-Jin and Ho-Gyeong come to blows (verbally) over what to do with the ice stone. ..
Jang-Uk, the leader of the rebel faction, steps up to confront the King and other members of the Assembly. It is revealed that Master Seo’s wishes are written down in a book called “The Words of the Heart.” Jin-Mu and Queen are concerned, believing this could be their undoing but Jang-Uk tries to encourage them that Jang-Uk is just bluffing. ..
While this is going on, Dang-Gu speaks to Cho-Yeon and reveals the identity of So-I.
The King suggests they bring back a dead person to life in order to see if it is really as powerful as he claims. He jokes about killing someone and bringing them back, but ultimately decides it’s worth the try. He asks Mu-Deok to test the ice stone by bringing back a dead person. Mu-Deok agrees and brings back a man named Jeon who was killed many years ago.
Mu-Deok is standing on the edge of a cliff, realizing this could be a golden opportunity to clutch the ice stone and take it. But this is a perilous situation and one wracked in drama. ..
As she’s on the edge of life, choked out by Ho-Gyeong, she realizes that she’s actually Bu-Yeon. As she chokes out a “mother,” Ho-Gyeong is stunned and seems to relinquish her hold a little.
The Episode Review
Jin-Mu continues to work hard to become the most powerful being in the realm, but he is quickly becoming frustrated with his lack of progress. He begins to feel like he is not living up to his potential and decides to take a break from the game in order to focus on his goals.
Interestingly, the ending seems to hint that Mu-Deok is going to be the deciding factor in whether that happens or not, especially as she seems to know now that Ho-Gyeong is her daughter.
In the end, the novel deals with a lot of heavy topics, and despite its small moments of levity, it manages to stay on track. The characters are well-drawn and the plot is compelling.
The Unanimous Assembly meeting was a tense and chaotic scene, with everyone trying to get their say. Jin-Mu’s plan was coming together perfectly, and he was looking to take control.
As mentioned before though, Mu-Deok is the real wildcard here and the ending certainly leaves the door wide open for where tomorrow’s episode may go. Based on this evidence, it’s turning into a must-watch chapter!
