When Jang Geum saw her father’s uniform and his knife, she asks him where these are from. He tells her (even though he is not supposed to) that he once used to work in the palace. Days later, there is a big feast. Suh Chun Su and Jang Geum go outside and they see people wrestling for money. Jang Geum asks her father to try out, since he used to be a Royal Guard. He hesitates, but he goes out anyways and surprisingly, he wins. The big wrestler gets mad, stabs himself, and lying to people that Suh Chun Su stabbed him. They get angry for what Suh Chun Su have done, and want to drags him to police. Jang Geum yells at them that her father is not a cheater, and accidentally revealed that his father was an ex-Royal Guard, and hence he was arrested. Because of JangGeum, her father gets into more trouble, since people recognizes him from “Wanted” poster that had his face drawn. This showed that the prediction that was made by the spiritual man is true.
It was a law that if someone commits a crime, then that person’s family members would also be punished. Jang Geum and her mother have to run away. Jang Geum’s mother sends a letter to her best friend Court Lady Han for help. Her best friend receives the letter and she is happy that Pu Royal Maid is still alive. However, Court Lady Choi is shocked to see Jang Geum’s mother and Court Lady Han together. Afraid that Pu Royal Maid will tell police what Chois have done, Lady Choi’s brother orders his servants to capture Jang Geum’s mother. After finding out about what the Chois did to Jang Geum’s mother, Lady Han reports to the police that the Chois hide Suh Chun Su’s wife, as that’s the only way to get Jang Geum and her mother out of that Choi’s place. As a result, Jang Geum and her mother receive a light punishment (working as slaves). On the way to Jeju Island to begin their new life as slaves, Lady Choi’s brother orders his servant to kill Jang Geum’s mother.
In the ambush, her mother was shot by arrow and Jang-Geum was safe. Before closing her eyes, she left Jang-Geum a letter, but she could only read it if she becomes the Highest Person in Charge of the Kitchen in the Royal Palace, also also so that Jang Geum can write a story in the book that entitles to Highest Court Lady only (passed from Head of Court Lady to another for generations) about the unfair accusation of Jang Geum’s mother and how bad the Chois are. That is why Jang-Geum wanted to get in the Palace to fulfill her mother’s dream.