The Poisoned Prince

Episode 6 of “Under The Queen’s Umbrella” begins with Hwa-Ryeong consumed by grief. The palace is silent, with everyone mourning the loss of the Crown Prince. However, physician Kwon is not allowed to mourn, instead tortured by the Chief State Councillor, who is convinced that the alternate medicine is the reason why the Crown Prince has passed away. ..

While he remains silent, the King learns that the investigation into his son’s death has been delayed under the pretence that he may well have been poisoned. The State Councillor believes this is the alternate medicine, but doesn’t want that Crown Prince position to remain vacant for long. The King brushes aside their concerns and decides to keep it vacant until he’s confident the cause of death has been established. ..

The rumours circulate through the palace once more, with the physicians discussing poisoning and the Concubines pointing to murder.

Due to the current situation in the palace, Hwa-Ryeong hastens her plans for her sons, deciding to do what she can to teach them how to be part of the court. Given the scrutiny over each of them right now, Hwa-Ryeong holds Gyeseong’s hand and tells them that they can no longer do what they want anymore. This is a reference to him dressing up like a woman. ..

Seongnam is grieving the death of his brother and wants to leave the palace. However, Hwa-Ryeong encourages him to think of what his brother would want. Given how close their bond has been in the past, it would seem he’d want Seongnam to continue on. ..

The Crown Princess is convinced that court ladies are trying to poison her food and intentionally make her children ill. While some brush it off as hysterical and a consequence of grief, Hwa-Ryeong refuses to indulge this and points out that there could well be foul play. Hwa-Ryeong learns from the King that he’s investigating all of these poisoning claims in secret, wanting to know whether the Crown Prince was actually killed or not. Hwa-Ryeong hopes that’s not the case and goes on to tell the King she no longer needs to check on her at night anymore. ..

In the morning, Court Lady Shin is questioned by the Chief State Councillor, much to her disdain. When she finds out, she’s not exactly happy. The Chief State Councillor tells her that next time she needs to be consulted and in fact, she’s going to handle this herself. ..

Hwa-Ryeon, a member of the State Councillor’s staff, talks to Shin and points out that the State Councillor is doing all this because he wants to create a reason to begin the Taekhyeon. If he finds out about the medicine being used from outside then it would seem like the Crown Prince has been killed and that won’t pose well for anyone - especially the Queen. ..

The Taekhyeon is a delicate process, and if Hwa-Ryeong’s conversation with Consort Tae is anything to go by, she may not be able to protect herself if she becomes too involved. If Prince Bogeom is the Crown Prince, then he could be hurt if Hwa-Ryeong jumps into this rash decision.

That night, the State Councilor is visited by Consort Hwang. She implores him to stop the investigation into her involvement in the attempted assassination of the Crown Prince. Physician Kwon may mention her name if pushed too far, as it turns out she’s actually involved in this. Hwang wasn’t trying to kill him but wanted to teach the Crown Prince a lesson and depose him so she could enact her own son, Uiseong, as the Crown Prince. Despite losing several episodes back, she’s convinced it’s the wrong move. ..

It’s a bombshell revelation and it puts the State Councillor in a precarious situation. Hwang suggests they use Kwon and blackmail him, given he’s the only one who can touch a royal and clearly, after all this torture, knows how to hold his tongue.

Speaking of which, Hwa-Ryeong learns from Physician Kwon some time later that he decocted the medicine in the medicine room of the royal clinic. He never left the room and tells her hyeolhogwol is the only reason the Crown Prince could have died. Of course, Hwa-Ryeong is unaware that Consort Hwang and the State Councillor have forced him to hold his tongue.

The State Councillor, Hwa-Ryeong, is immediately suspicious of something and tells Court Lady Shin to keep an eye on him just in case he acts rashly.

The tension between the different princes is starting to become apparent as they fight. The issue that’s causing the most concern is when Uiseong almost hurts his brother. It seems like he may have been too rough with him, and this has led to a punishment.

Meanwhile, the Grand Princes are training to become Crown Prince. Hwa-Ryeong is trying to find a way to make them less effective at getting good Crown Prince.

The Queen Dowager receives news that Hwa-Ryeong has met Deposed Queen Yoon, while Consort Tae works to try and gain support for Prince Bogeom. At the same time, news of the Queen using medicine from the outside reaches the State Councillor and he immediately heads to the Royal Clinic to learn more. ..

The man in the wheelchair requests everyone, including the King and Queen, to attend the courtyard in the palace where he will be speaking. Physician Kwon is still strapped to the chair with dried blood on him. ..

Slowly but surely, details of the herbs come out and it is now clear that this was the cause of the Crown Prince’s death. Facing the barrel of the gun, Hwa-Ryeong turns things around and accuses the State Councillor, going on to mention how the previous Crown Prince was also poisoned. Trying to tie all of this together, the King has heard enough and in light of all this drama draws everything to a tenuous conclusion. ..

After the royal family’s fall from power, the Queen Dowager and Hwa-Ryeong engage in a bitter verbal battle. The Queen knows that Hwa-Ryeong visited the deposed Queen, so she threatens to expose her if she doesn’t admit to everything. Hwa-Ryeong is backed into a corner and forced to admit the truth about the medicine. ..

Before the royal visit, the Crown Princess spends some time with the nursemaid. The nursemaid is noticed by the princess and she is asked about it. The nursemaid reveals that she and Won Son have been playing a “secret game” which includes her prodding him with a needle. ..

Hwa-Ryeong is shocked to find numerous puncture marks on his arm and immediately tells him to spit his food out, realizing that the Crown Princess was right. He’s being poisoned.

The Episode Review

So Under The Queen’s Umbrella comes to a really dramatic conclusion, one that confirms that the Queen Dowager and the State Councillor will go to any lengths to usurp Hwa-Ryeong and take her out. Now that the truth about the medicine has been unveiled, it spells bad news for Hwa-Ryeong and her children, as this snake pit looks like its primed full of venomous snakes ready to strike. ..

The King is caught in a difficult position. He can’t go against the scholars completely, as he would lose their support. He can’t fully bend to the Queen Dowager’s wishes, as he knows she would take advantage of it and install the Crown Prince she wants. ..

The Crown Princess’s mention of the poisoning earlier in the story hints at a larger conspiracy, and the end leaves readers with questions about who is responsible.