The Final Test
The final examination is about to get underway and it’s down to three men and quite who will become Crown Prince. Uiseong, Bogeom and Sangseong remain. However, there is still no clear answer as to who will be the next Crown Prince. Who will be the next in line for the throne?
The King asks the candidates if they would like to ask a question about Crown Prince Uiseong. They all choose one and Seongnam brings up how the people are bemoaning that the King is just a puppet, convincing him to include this as part of the examination.
The Dowager’s plan is to get Ijojoeongrang, the Section Chief of the Ministry of Personnel, involved in order to ensure that her sons are given office when Bogeom becomes Crown Prince. If Ijojoeongrang stands by the Dowager and supports her choice of Crown Prince, then the sons of these section chiefs will be ascended into office when Bogeom becomes Crown Prince.
The State Councilor is trying to prevent a power struggle between Uiseong and Bogeom by enticing officials himself, but Hwa-Ryeong is well aware of this conflict and has intentionally allowed it to fester. After all, if her enemies are split between Uiseong and Bogeom, it gives Seongnam more chance to ascend.
The race for the throne heats up as Uiseong falls further and further behind. One of the scholars, realizing that Uiseong’s abuse of servants is a major issue, tells Hwang about it. The State Councilor and Hwang come back to plead with the Dowager to help support them and Prince Uiseong. ..
Dowager Queen is in a powerful position, essentially getting to choose between the two Princes, and with the promise of Hwang not ascending to Queen should her son be chosen, it puts even more power in Dowager’s lap. ..
Dowager seems to have made her choice and speaks to Consort Tae and Bogeom, suggesting the latter withdraw from the contest. Given Tae made a promise to support Dowager no matter what she asks, she’s horrified to find her morals tested. She could die for defying the Dowager but, as tears fall down her face, she’s defiant in her stand and refuses to let her son lose, pointing out that this is not right and just. ..
However, Bogeom decides to drop out all the same, the stinging words of Dowager rattling around in his brain. After all, a prince from a low-ranking mother will never become Crown Prince. ..
Hwa-Ryeong is not happy with the meddling and immediately heads to see the scholars, questioning their misconduct and morals. She’s not going to incriminate those who have sent the messages out, smuggled in chamber pots and found by the servants, but this is their last chance to keep their integrity in check. She burns the evidence before them and tells the King she’s not found anything, but as a result of Hwa-Ryeong’s actions, all of the scholars decide to do the right thing and burn their notes. They’re going to do this properly and not taint the competition. ..
After speaking with Hwa-Ryeong, Consort Tae is demoted to servant and told to clean Hwa-Ryeong’s chamber. Although she does well, Hwa-Ryeong is told to do it again after finishing the entire room. She’s not allowed any help either and it’s back-breaking work. Eventually Hwa-Ryeong speaks to her and points out that her greed has clouded her vision, making it so she couldn’t see that Bogeom was being used and could have been hurt.
Queen Hwa-Ryeong of South Korea tells her husband Tae that she looks terrible, with a friendly smile crossing her face.
The Queen spoke to Bogeom prior to this who encouraged her not to hurt Tae too much. Hwa-Ryeong is fair, going on to tell him that he has every right to go for the position of Crown Prince and shouldn’t question his lineage. However, as he’s dropped out now then the position he should go for is one of the King’s trusted aides, and this position is not only valuable but also steeped in prestige. “When things are tough, it is okay to say so.” Hwa-Ryeong says, holding the boy’s hands and encouraging him to open up. As a result of all this, Consort Tae begins smiling again and it brings Bogeom and Tae closer together than before.
Just before the evaluation results are decided, the State Councilor blurts out that there’s a rumour involving Grand Prince Seongnam spreading.Apparently he grew up outside the palace and is not of royal blood. This would mean that Seongnam can’t become Crown Prince and the only solution is to test his blood to get to the bottom of this.
The State Councilor has been using a ruse to delay the outcome of the competition so they can enact their plan with snake blood mixed in. This has resulted in the same water being tested for Consort Hwang and the State Councilor, and it proves that they’ve botched the competition.
Following the King’s speech, Seongnam is declared the winner. Despite this, Uiseong is not backing down. The King has demanded that capital punishment be led against anyone who speaks ill of the Princes or questions their lineage, and Seongnam has responded by declaring Uiseong the winner. However, Uiseong is not backing down and will continue to fight until the end. ..
In a confidential conversation with Hwang and the State Councilor, he tells them that he is intent on bringing the King down from his position with whatever means possible.
The Episode Review
This week’s episode of Under the Queen’s Umbrella is a bit of a mystery, as it seems as though the contest between Seongnam and Nohra has finally been decided. However, there are some interesting developments that take place in the course of the episode. For example, it is revealed that Consort Tae has something to do with this decision - and it seems that he may have had something to do with Seongnam being named the winner.
Queen Hwa-Ryeong is very fair and you can see how she treats the different people who betray her from the way she treats them. It would be very easy just to kick out Consort Tae completely, but instead Hwa-Ryeong knows they could be super loyal and uses her kindness – just like she did with Consort Ko – to turn things in her favour.
The Crown Prince of South Korea is ascending to the throne, and with it comes a new era of instability. Uiseong, the son of the late King Seongnam, is plotting to usurp the throne and Seongnam now occupies the position of Crown Prince. The door is left wide open for where this one may go next.
