Alternate Medicine
Grand Prince Seongnam is alarmed when he finds out the Crown Prince is sick and receiving treatment in Gyeseong’s hidden house. He realizes something is untoward but he’s not sure what it is. He decides to check out the house himself to see if there’s anything wrong. When he arrives, he finds the Crown Prince sickly and receiving treatment.
Hwa-Ryeong, the advisor to the King, arrives and points out that she has plans to signify the King what’s happening but right now, it’s imperative they keep this a secret. The Crown Prince is suffering from Hyeolheogwol, which is something that Crown Prince Taein also had in the past. ..
The records of the Crown Prince’s illness have been destroyed, and if he does not receive treatment soon, he may die. If Hwa-Ryeong makes any mistakes here, especially if they cause suspicion to grow inside the palace, it could lead to disaster for his family. ..
Gyeseong, feeling overwhelmed by the upcoming exams, decides to withdraw from the competition. He tells his brother Seongnam about his decision later on and the two of them drink together while Gyeseong jokes around with Seongnam not to pry into his secret with their mother. ..
Prince Seongnam of the Goryeo Dynasty is looking for a physician to treat a disease he contracted in town. He has enough silver to pay for the service, but he’s not the only one looking. The government minister is also out looking for a doctor, and this puts Prince Hwa-Ryeong in a difficult position. ..
The King is pushing for the Crown Prince to be seen by a Royal Physician Cho so that they can find out the truth about the Hyeolheogwol before anyone else can treat him.
The King suggests they change this so it’s conducted through a debate. That way, the total score will be calculated through aggregate scores. This obviously angers half the ministers, especially those who are corrupt – like the Chief State Councillor – as it means it’ll be harder to get their chosen Cohort in.
The Chief State Councillor tells the Queen Dowager about the rumours that the Crown Prince is sick and asks her to help him get Prince Uiseong selected as the Cohort. The Queen Dowager agrees to help and tells the Chief State Councillor that she has helped her 20 years ago when he was a young man.
Prince Bogeom has refused to help Seongnam, wanting to do things the right way and not cheat his way to success. So naturally, Hwa-Ryeong shows up to support Seongnam the next day.
The three people in question are the king, his queen, and their son Uiseong. They all have different opinions on how to deal with the spread of diseases and how to stop them from spreading. The three are also each given a chance to share their thoughts in an open forum.
After Seongnam returns to the village, he learns that a doctor has been found but no one can see him. Seongnam sneaks into the village and begins searching for the doctor who can help his brother. The guy’s name is Master Toji, and he’s easy to recognize by the scar across his cheek.
The Crown Prince has been slowly losing blood since he was a child, but Seongnam has been helping the physician out where he can. He learned a lot about what’s happening with his brother during their conversation, and it’s clear that the Crown Prince is in a lot of pain.
Master Toji informs Seongnam that acupuncture is the worst treatment they could give him. In fact, he could actually die. Toji informs Seongnam to pass on to the physicians that they need to wait until the acupuncture spots are clear before proceeding. He also hands over a list of herbs that can help with this, and points him in the direction of the dispensary.
Seongnam, a South Korean man, hand over all his money to a dispensary in order to purchase medicine for his sick mother. After handing over the money, Seongnam sneaks under the makeshift boards running through the village and blends in with the locals. Master Toji, who runs the dispensary, hoodwinks Seongnam into believing that he needs to pay for the medicine with collateral. Fortunately one of Seongnam’s consorts helps him out and offers up some collateral. This is all part of her plan as she wants to see Seongnam again. ..
After sneaking out all day, Hwa-Ryeong is ready for her sons as they sneak back into the palace after-hours following a pretty eventful day of partying and playing. Hwa-Ryeong punishes them, pointing out how dangerous it is out there, even if they passed the exam. ..
Prince Simso and his younger brother, Prince Vito, had a great time playing together today. Their mother was pleased to see that they were having fun and didn’t punish them too harshly for it. ..
Seongnam returns to the palace with a list of herbs and instructions from Master Toji. Unfortunately, both the physician and Hwa-Ryeong refuse to pursue this, worried about the repercussions. When the Crown Prince awakens and overhears, he asks to test this experimental treatment, even if it’s just for a while. As a result, Hwa-Ryeong caves and decides to test the medicine after all. ..
The Queen Dowager tells the officials that she told them to evaluate fairly and choose the best person for the job, but they all vote Prince Bogeon instead. The Chief State Councillor is livid with that result and heads back to see the Queen Dowager. She nonchalantly claims she told the officials to evaluate fairly and choose the best person for the job, but they all vote Prince Bogeon instead.
The Queen Dowager tells the crown prince that he needs to bide his time and have some patience, wanting to keep him in check and teach him a lesson. Before things can really escalate, Hwa-Ryeong shows up. ..
The Chief State Councillor slithers away, leaving the pair to talk. “Has the Crown Prince gotten better?” She asks. Hwa-Ryeong is cagey and doesn’t reveal much, although the Dowager claims that she wants the Prince to be healthy. If he’s not ready by the Crown Princess’ delivery then she’ll be forced to “take action.” Of course, if his serious condition is outed then it could cause chaos for their family too and Hwa-Ryeong knows that. Dowager could put all of them to death, especially for keeping this from the King’s knowledge. ..
The Crown Prince’s unorthodox treatment for the Crown Princess has been successful, and he is now seen as more healthy than he has been in weeks.
However, the next day, big problems arise. The Crown Prince suddenly starts bleeding from the mouth and collapses. Hwa-Ryeong holds him, throwing the entire palace into disarray. ..
The Episode Review
The Crown Prince may have been cured of his alternate medicine-related illness, but it seems that it has had dire consequences in the form of him collapsing and bleeding from the mouth. Now, it’s not clear if this is a fatal condition or just another symptom, but it’s possible that the Queen Dowager has decided to poison the Crown Prince in order to control him.
The corruption in this episode is up and more rampant than in the past, while Gyeseong and Seongnam are left out. This helps to give the show a new, different feel and allows us to see how Hwa-Ryeong deals with her other sons.
The finale of the season is sure to be a talking point and it leaves the door wide open for where the rest of the season may go. This situation with the Crown Prince has been simmering for a while but now it could reach boiling point. Tune in next week! ..
