Court Lady Han is freed. The head guard says her golden rule of cooking saved her. Han tells the guard that Court Lady Jung does not suffer from any contagious disease. The guard states sometimes it takes a while for the symptoms to show but if she really is not disease-stricken then it will soon be revealed.
Court Lady Choi goes to see Han and cynically states she worried about visiting generals from china in the past but from now on she will leave it up to Han. Choi tells Head Court Lady all is well at visitor’s corridors, but Choi does not tell her that the general preferred Jang-Geum’s food over the feast.
Yun-Saeng trains the newly arrived child maids to bow and orders the older children to pair up with a younger children. Young-Noh interrupts and tries to take away 2 children to be her students. Choi arrives and stops Young-Noh and Yun-Saeng from arguing. Choi puts Young-Noh in charge of training responsibility of young maids. Yun-Saeng goes to complain to Chan-Ee about Choi and asks if Court Lady Jung will return soon. Chan-Ee wonders if they need to be nice to Young-Noh from now on since Choi is in charge and she looks favorably upon Young-Noh.
Head Court Lady Jae-Jo Sang Gong and Choi report to the queen and Head Court Lady tells the queen that Choi took care of everything. The queen praises them for doing a good job with the matter of Peace Hall. Head Court Lady is about to bring up the issue of promoting Choi again when they’re interrupted by a visitor. Lady Ja-Soon arrives to thank the queen for helping her with the matter of her servant Court Lady Jo who has just passed away.
Lady asks what they’re discussing. The queen dismissed Choi and Head Court Lady. The queen tells the lady she was just praising Choi. The lady tells the queen she heard some strange rumors.
Court Lady Jung receives medical exam from the doctor brought by Gam Tuk-Poh (Kang Deuk Gu). The doctor says she shouldn’t have been kept together with those who suffer from the disease. Tuk-Poh visits Han to tell her Jung is weaker than ever before.
A messenger arrives at Peace Hall and asks for the maid who took care of the dying Jo. The head guard brings Jang-Geum to Lady Ja-Soon who sent for Jang-Geum. Jang-Geum reports to Lady Ja-Soon about the last days of Jo. Lady Ja-Soon states Jo was like a mother to her and regrets she was not the one who took care of her in her dying bed. The head guard tells lady that Jang-Geum is a detailed and sensible person so the lady needs not to worry for Jang-Geum most certainly offered the best care available to Jo. Lady Ja-Soon feels comforted and asks why Jang-Geum is working in Peace Hall.
Jung sends Court Lady Min on a errand to find out what it is that the medical staff has been given her as medication. Jae-Jo Sang Gong tells the head guard they probably shouldn’t let Jung back in the Royal Kitchen since she is so ill and they should hurry and make a new kitchen head. Head guard states that’s not an urgent matter.
Court Lady Min finds out the medicine Jung has been taking contains harmful liquids that are slowly poisioning her body. Jung writes a letter to Jae-Jo Sang Gong asking for a meeting. Jae-Jo Sang Gong reluctantly visits Jung Sang Gong. Jung asks Jae Jo Sang Gong to allow her to return to palace kitchen with the rest of the people who are scheduled to return to the palace in 2 days. Head Court Lady states that’s not a good idea since Jung is so sick and too weak to cook. Jung confronts her by telling her that she knows about the medicine Head Court Lady has ordered for her, and about the recipe book that was supposed to be given to her but passed onto Choi Sang Gong. Jung asks if Head Court Lady wants her to send the poisioning medicine and the book to the investigating court. Head Court Lady denies everything but shows sign of being threatened.
The queen calls Jae-Jo Sang Gong and Choi into her chamber and in front of Lady Ja-Soon, the queen scolds the two Sang Gongs for not telling her about what Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum did in Peace Hall and asks about
Jung’s illness.
Jung’s illness.
General Oh sends off the visiting general who is content from his stay and offers a good friendship with his nation of Ming (China). The head guard asks Han Sang Gong if she will be returning to kitchen since she did a good deed for the nation. Jung returns to the Royal Kitchen. Han is rejoyed with tears.
The queen orders everyone to be present for a meeting. The queen tells Jung as far as she is considered Han won the second competition since she presented beneficial food to the visiting general and thus giving him a great impression of the Korean dynasty.
Jung meets with Choi and Han, Geum-Young and Jang-Geum. Jung brings out the revered recipe book and states since Choi already saw it, it’s only fair that Han sees the content as well. Han declines saying she will only read it if she becomes the next kitchen head.
Gam husband and wife arrive outside the village where Min Jung Ho is staying to deliver wines. Min Jung-Ho meets with his informants who tell him that the suspects they’re after may be hiding in the local bar and inn. Min comes outside to meet with Gams. Min Jung Ho asks Tuk-Poh to take him to the bar and inn Tuk-Poh frequents.
Min gathers information about the inn’s guests from the hostess. The hostess says she can’t give out information about the guests and their conversations for no reason and leaves. Tuk-Poh tells Min he knows how to do business with the bar hostesses so he should leave it up to him but for a price. Min offers a thousand Yang (monetary unit) to Tuk-Poh for his assistance.
The queen gathers Jae-Jo Sang Gong, Jung, Choi, and Han into her chamber to announce that the theme for the final competition between Han and Choi is ‘nothing’. Meaning the queen just wants the two Sang Gongs to prepare their best dishes for the upcoming birthday feast.
Chan-Ee tells the kitchen maids why the queen met with the Court Ladies.
Right Prime Minister Oh meets with Head Court Lady. Oh tells Jae-Jo Sang Gong there’s no shortcuts anymore. From now on it depends on Court Lady Choi’s skills. Jung tells Han she has done what she could and whatever happens will be a fate destined by the heaven, so Han should try to cook with a peaceful heart.
Han Sang Gong meets with Jang-Geum, who sees that Han is shaking. Jang-Geum tells Han she looks cute when she’s shaking nervously. Han scolds her lovingly. Jang-Geum tells Han she believes in Han skills. Han begins to tell Jang-Geum about her past, of being born into a humble family, of meeting another child who gave Han her first praise for her cooking skills, of following that child into the palace to become a kitchen maid. Afterwards, Han goes outside and calls out her friend’s name, “Myung-Ee” (Jang Geum’s mother’s name).
Meanwhile, Jang-Geum goes to read her mother’s booklet and learns about a secret ingredient that requires juice from the tree.
Court Lady Han digs out a small jar buried under the soil of a secret spot as she remembers her friend Myung-Ee who buried the jar with her. As she leaves she remembers Myung-Ee telling her that the best food for the king should be eight fruit soup.