The King is still unconscious but the Royal medical staff state the King will soon awake, after his fever goes down. The doctors and the herbalists believe the king might be suffering from a skin disease or severe cold sores, causing the extreme high fever.
Court Lady Choi writes to Choi Pan Sul saying the King’s loss of consciouness is an opportunity given to them by the heavens and asks him to seize the opportunity. Choi Pan Sul goes to see a Royal herbalist to plant ideas in his mind, casting doubt about Han Sang Gong’s true intent in taking the King to her hometown.
Court Lady Han is escorted into a meeting with Right Prime Minister Oh, other lords, Head Court Lady Jae-Jo-Sang Gong, and medical generals. Han gets accused for the crime of poisioning the King.
The herbal general and soilders arrives at the Royal Kitchen and tells Jang-Geum to go with them.
Court Lady Choi meets with Jae-Jo Sang Gong. Head Court Lady states if Han Sang Gong is indeed guilty then Choi will the new kitchen lead. Choi suggests someone else to take over the position so she can go and make sure that something does go wrong with Han.
Jang-Geum writes to Gam Tuk-Poh to ask for his help. Gam starts to repeat the dishes Han cooked to figure out what went wrong. Min Jung Ho arrives and the Gams tell him what’s going on inside the palace.
The herbal general and Jang-Geum go back to Won-Goong city with the head official from the herbal-field department. They discover that the spring water reservoir contains poision. Oh and the generals accuse Han of knowingly serving poisionous water to the King. Han defends herself by saying that she didn’t know it was poisionous but no one listens to her and she is put in jail. Jang-Geum sees Han Sang Gong getting dragged into the jail. Han asks Jang-Geum to investigate the issue. Jang-Geum goes to the herbal-field department to ask help from her doctor there but she discovers that he has been transferred.
Not knowing who else to ask for help, Jang-Geum asks Gam Tuk-Poh (Kang Duk Gu) to get help from Min Jung Ho. Jang-Geum tells Gam that all the other people who ate Han Sang Gong’s food were fine so there must be another reason. Min begins his investigation at once.
Choi Pan Sul and Right Prime Minister Oh discuss their plan. Even though the doctors have said that the King will be fine after his fever goes down, Choi Pan Sul and Oh want to use this opportunity to get rid of some people.
Min Jung Ho goes to see the merchant whom Han Sang Gong bought duck meat from. The merchant tells him that there is no harm in taking the meat, only benefits. Soildiers sent by Oh arrive and takes the merchant into custody. Min goes back to the palace to see his superior, the head of internal investigation department. Min informs about his findings. The superior tells Min to leave the palace so their on-going investigation on Oh will not be interrupted and promises to take care of the Han Sang Gong matter.
The head of internal investigation department goes to see the herbal generals and tell them that from his findings the cause of the King’s illness is not food-borne. At the jail courtyard, Oh demands Han to spill out who is behind her conspiracy. Court Lady Han is speechless and Oh states death is the verdict for Hang Sang Gong, the merchant, and Jang-Geum. The investigation department head arrives and tells Oh to put his verdict on hold until the matter is further researched, hence the three offenders are exempt from death for the time being. Choi Pan Sul is informed of the new activities and he orders his man to do a careful investigation on what Min Jung Ho is doing and why he is involved in the matter of Han Sang Gong.
Inside their jail cell, Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum wonder about their fate. Jang-Geum asks Hang Sang Gong about her health and Han Sang Gong states her concern for Jang-Geum as well. Gam’s wife visits the two cellmates. She’s been sent by Min Jung Ho, since he is unable to come himself. He writes a letter saying it’s been discovered that the fault does not lie in Han Sang Gong nor Jang-Geum, so they will soon be released. Na Du Geok hands Jang-Geum the mini brush pen set that Jang-Geum’s father gave her but she lost while saving Min Jung-Ho when they first met. Jang-Geum asks Na Du Geok where she got it and she states it belongs to Min Jung Ho and he’s been looking for the owner of it since it belongs to his savior. They put the 2 and 2 together and realize min is the one Jang-Geum saved when she left the palace to find a gold bird long time ago.
Jae-Jo-Sang Gong asks Choi Sang Gong how is it that the internal investigation department is involved in their matter. Min Sang Gong, Yun-Saeng and Chan-Ee arrive to beg Jae-Jo-Sang Gong’s help in the matter of Han Sang Gong and Jang-Geum. Jae-Jo Sang Gong scolds them instead and orders them to leave.
Outside the palace Min Jung Ho gets confirmation from his subordinates that Right Prime Minister Oh and Choi Pan Sul have been involved in a number of questionable dealings. The man sent by Choi spies and overhears the conversation. Gam’s wife returns looking for Min Jun Ho who already left.
Choi Pan Sul, Choi Sang gong, and Geum-Young talk when the servant arrives with news that the one Min Jung-Ho has been spying on is none other than Choi Pan Sul himself. Choi Sang Gong and Choi Pan Sul wonder why Min tries to protect Hang Sang Gong. Geum-Young listens but says nothing. Choi Pan Sul sends another spy to find out more information about the head of internal investigation department. Choi Pan Sul and Choi Sang Gong leave to see their comarade at the inn.
Alone, Geum-Young starts to get worry that something bad may happen to Min Jung Ho. Geum-Young arrives at the inn and tells Choi Pan Sul and Choi Sang Gong to leave Min Jung-Ho alone. Choi Pan Sul and Choi Sang Gong demand Geum-young’s reason for protecting Min. Geum-Young states he is the one she loves. Choi Sang Gong says palace maids cannot have lover. Geum-Young begs her aunt to leave Min alone. Choi Sang Gong says that’s impossible, but Geum-Young threatens to expose everything if they don’t agree.
Inside the jail, Han tells Jang-Geum because she is with her, she feels no lonliness, nor pain, no fear. Jang-Geum says she feels the same and assures Han Sang Gong they will soon leave the jail and when they do, she wants to say to Han the words she was unable to tell her mother. Just then, the jail guard arrives and tells them to get out.