Contains spoilers for this episode and earlier episodes.
Cheoljong's fight with Byeong-in reaches a cliff, where the king jumps rather than let himself be killed or captured. Back in the palace, Bong-hwan waits for news and notices Byeong-in returning with an injury he dismisses. The Grand Queen Dowager begins restoring her control over the court. When the king is declared dead, the queen's grief makes the rooms and ordinary tasks around her feel crowded with memories of him.
The body presented as Cheoljong's gives Bong-hwan reason to doubt the announcement. Prince Yeongpyeong blames the queen and threatens her before Byeong-in has him imprisoned. With a child chosen for the throne and the coronation approaching, waiting inside the palace offers little hope. Bong-hwan decides to search for Cheoljong himself. Court Lady Choi and Hong-yeon accompany the queen, refusing to let her leave them behind.
Cheoljong has survived and is sheltered by a herb gatherer who conceals his identity. The queen's escape also becomes known, and Byeong-in follows her party into the woods. Her attendants try to distract the pursuers so she can get away. The chase brings Bong-hwan to the same cliff where Cheoljong disappeared. Byeong-in catches the queen and demands to know who is inside So-yong's body, forcing the secret behind her changed behaviour into the confrontation.