Jewel in the Palace - Episode 25

Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum finally realize who each other is. Jang-Geum asks Han if she is indeed the friend of her mother, the one and only friend and confidant that her deceased mother had in the palace. The friend who had such distinguished cooking skills. Han states yes and asks Jang-Geum if her mother is indeed the one who ate wild strawberried in her deathbed. The one who taught her daughter how to cook and fetch water, and Jang-Geum replies yes. Han thanks Myung-Ee aloud, then thanks Jang-Geum, and embraces her. Han Sang Gong shows Jang-Geum the place where Jang-Geum’s mother practiced cooking. Where she hide when she got in trouble. Jang-Geum laughs when she finds out her mother got into trouble like she always does. The two come to the topic of Jang-Geum’s mother and Han Sang Gong asks Jang-Geum the details of her mother’s death. Jang-Geum tells Han there were soldiers who came after them and her mother said it was better to be caught by the soldiers than to end up in someone else’s hands so Myung-Ee and Jang-Geum were captured by the soldiers and on their way to the palace when men dressed in bandit attire shot arrows toward them to kill them. Jang-Geum’s mother Myung-Ee died from the arrow wounds.

Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum realize Choi Sang Gong is behind Myung-Ee’s death. Jang-Geum brings Han to the place where she hides her mother’s booklet and realizes it’s missing. Han rememers the incident with Young-Roh and goes to ask Young-Roh to confess where she really got the booklet. Young-Roh insists she just found it on the ground but Han locks her up until she tells the truth. Han tells Jang-Geum she fears Jang-Geum might be in danger.

Han Sang Gong calls Choi Sang Gon, Young-Roh, and Geum-Young into her corridor and tells the three of them to pack their bags and go to Grand Peace House (guest corridors) immediately. Choi refuses stating she has to go see Jae-Jo Sang Gong but Han replies she already talked to Jae-Jo Sang Gong and she has no problem with the transfer. Choi, Geum-Young, and Young-Roh pack their bags and leave for their new assignment, also considered a major demotion.

Han tells Jang-Seum she is still uneasy about Choi being inside the palace and asks Jang-Geum to go talk to Min Jung-Ho to see what he thinks. Jang-Geum states he is away for the moment but she will go find him once he returns. Han goes to see an old colleague to ask for help but the colleague who also knew Myung-Ee is scared to be involved.

Jang-Geum goes to see Gam Tuk-Poh to ask if he knows when Min will return. Gam whispers it was all an excuse. Min never really left. He’s in hanyang city for an undercover assignment. Jang-Geum reports the news to Han.

At Peace Hall Geum-Young brings food to Choi Sang Gong who states Han Sang Gong will not let it go so easily. Choi Pan Sul meets with his men who reported that even though they don’t know the exact location of Min Jung-Ho, it seems they don’t need to worry about min for the time being.

Gam leads Jang-Geum to where Min Jung-Ho is. Jang-Geum asks to speak to him in private. Gam’s wife wonders what’s going on between Min Jung Ho and Jang-Geum. After hearing Jang-Geum’s story, Min Jun Ho assures her he will find out what happened to her father right away. Jang-Geum asks him about her mother and he states he will try his best and in fact he is working on uncovering a scandal that concerns Choi Pan Sul and Right Prime Minister Oh.

Jang-Geum smiles at him and Min Jung Ho returns her smile with a serious look.

Min Jung Ho: “for coming to me with your trouble, you did well”
Jang Geum: “I didn’t know what else to do”
Min Jung Ho: “from now on may I be allowed to share your burdens?”
Jang Geum: … (speechlessly looks at MJH)

Jang-Geum goes back to the Gam, and his wife reminds Jang-Geum she is a palace maid, and thus not allowed to betray the King by being with any other man.

Min Jung Ho tells Jang-Geum he asked around and found no news of her father but he will keep trying and tells her not to lose hope since her father may still be alive somewhere and if so he will do everything he can to find him for her.

Yun-Saeng and Chan-Ee visit Geum-Young and Young-Roh at Peace Hall and inform them that the King will be making a trip to somewhere warm to get over the sever cold symtoms he’s been suffering from. Geum-Young goes to tell Choi the King’s planned activity. Choi says in that case Han and Jang-Geum will surely accompany him.

Choi Pan Sul and the messenger he bribed discuss their plot against Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum.

Min Sang-Goong tells Chan-Ee she can’t go since the kitchen still needs staff. Chan-Ee begs her to take her along. Min Sang Gong asks Han if she knows where the King wants to go and Hang Sang Gong says the place was suggested by her when the King asked her for her opinion, but she’s keeping it a secret. It’s supposed to be special to jang-geum.

Han Sang Gong, Min Sang Gong, Yun-Saeng, Jang-Geum, and 4 other maid servants from the Royal Kitchen accompany the King on his excursion. Choi Pan Sul’s spy follows Jang-Geum’s steps.

The King takes a bath in the warm springs of Won-Goong city. The King eats the dishes prepared by Han Sang Gong and her staff and praises Han for the food and picking the location.

Han tells Jang-Geum to follow her somewhere. Yun-Saeng and Min Sang Gong wonder if Han is taking Jang-Geum to the warm springs and think about soaking their feet in the warm water as well.

Choi Pan Sul’s spy follows Han and Jang-Geum. Han tells Jang-Geum to the house where her mother Myung-Ee grew up in, and where Han and Myung-Ee met as children who became friends then colleagues. Han regrets the death of Myung-Ee and states she no longer wishes to forgive those who brought tragedy to Myung-Ee. Then Han praises how well Jang-Geum turned out and the two embrace like mother and daughter.

Jang-Geum tells Han that according to Min Jung Ho, the best thing to do is to wait for now, since he is working on the scandal issue.

Court Lady Han and Jang-Geum are surrounded by Choi Pan Sul’s spy and his men. Min Jung Ho’s men arrive to save Han and Jang-Geum. The spy and his men run after defeat. Han thanks the savior and Min Jung Ho.

Min Sang-Goong and Yun-Saeng find their way to the warm spring and Yun-Saeng brings out jars to fill for Young-Roh and Chan-Ee, while Min Sang Gong takes off her socks and shoes to soak her feet. They become startled by some noise from the bushes and run.

Choi Pan Sul’s spy gets scolded by Choi Pan Sul but the spy informs Choi that the internal affairs department is onto them. Choi Sang Gong finds out and wonders if she will soon be granted death.

The head guard tells Han Sang Gong the King wishes to eat the same dish she made the other day using the special local spring water before he returns to the palace. The King shows content eating it, but later Ha learns that the King has fainted. Jang-Geum wonders what’s going on.