Episode 5

Park Ki-woong

Lee Ji-hoon

Park Ji-hyun

Choi Deok-moon

Kim Min-sang

Gong Jung-hwan

Kim Yeo-jin

Sung Ji-ru

## Episode Synopsis

Yi Rim briefs Yi Jin about the attack. Hae-ryung learns the truth about Maewha and regrets what this may mean. Yi Jin asks Hae-ryung about his brother.

## Plot Summary

Goo Hae-ryung overhears Maewha admitting that he is Prince Dowon. The masked woman from Episode 4 suddenly appears, shooting arrows at the henchman, who flees. Prince Dowon faints from shock and is taken to an apothecary by Goo Hae-ryung.

Prince Dowon recovers from his shock and leaves the apothecary. Second State Councillor Min Ik-pyeong is informed that the swordman was approached by Prince Dowon.

Prince Dowon speaks to Crown Prince Jin, who regrets unwittingly endangering his little brother. Despite Dowon being desperately curious about what *The Story of Ho Dam* entails, he is ordered against investigating further.

Goo Hae-ryung checks the *Record of Appearances* and finds that Prince Dowon’s entry is empty of a portrait. The other apprentices inform her of rumours as to why the prince is kept hidden away.

Min Ik-pyeong has organized the dispatch of apprentices to the Inner Palace to try and keep the royals under surveillance. Goo Hae-ryung goes to *Nokseodang*, where Maewha finally officially reveals himself as Prince Dowon to her slight disappointment.

Apprentice Song Sa-hui is recording the meetings of Crown Prince Jin, while Oh Eun-im is prevented from entering the Queen Dowager’s quarters by Lady Choe, as the Queen Dowager meets Mo-hwa, the masked archer, who informs her of the deaths in Episode 4.

Goo Jae-gyeong is appointed into his new role at the Inspector General Office (orchestrated by Min Ik-pyeong). He spots Mo-wha leaving the Queen Dowager’s chambers and seems to recognise her, shaken.

The apprentices are once again ridiculed for their recordings. Goo Hae-ryung admits to the other apprentices that the rumours of Prince Dowon aren’t true. Goo Jae-visits Mo-wha’s residence, but does not knock.

The King is informed by Min Ik-pyeong that a woman survived the massacre at *Seowaeron*, angering him. He orders the woman be captured.

The next day, Prince Dowon is disappointed to see that he has been given a different historian for the day. Goo Hae-ryung has been tasked with Crown Prince Jin, who takes her out to the archery range with Prince Dowon and Apprentice Oh Eun-im. The historians laugh at Prince Dowon’s pathetic shooting ability, so he challenges Goo Hae-ryung to shoot a bulls-eye, which she does with ease.

Prince Dowon is slightly humiliated. At *Nokseodang*, Goo Hae-ryung visits the prince and asks him to explain why Crown Prince Jin had said that she had been ‘chosen’. He admits that it was his idea to choose someone impertinent yet courageous for the female historian role, which does not impress her as much as he expects. He laughs to himself, hiding his grins from Heo Sam-bo.

After being criticised again by Officer Yang for their work, the girls celebrate anyway as it is their first payday. However, the girls and other officials miss out on their pay, as the warehouse has apparently run out of rice although their names had not even yet been called. Oh Eun-im mourns the loss of her stipend.

While out drinking, the historians reveal that not being paid is a common occurrence, Officer Kim has only just received his full payment after months of working at the Office. In order to ensure receiving their monthly wage, officials bribe clerks from the Ministry of Personnel – meaning that only those wealthy enough to afford bribes get their wages.

Goo Hae-ryung, disenfranchised with the corruption, writes a petition. Meanwhile, Song Sa-hui is acting as an informant to Min Ik-pyeong. Officer Min Woo-won notices her presence, and does not believe her excuses – warning her to be careful about helping his father.

Apprentice Goo Hae-ryung is severely criticised for her petition – which had asked for the banning of using clerks at the Ministry of Personnel to prevent stipend corruption. She is reprimanded, told that she has little influence, and that the problem will not be solved by her involvement.

> **Goo Hae-ryung***: I noticed an irregularity, so I only asked that things be set right. I only did what I should have done, so why…Why do I need to be reprimanded for that? I cannot understand it.*
>
>

When she arrives to *Nokseodang* late, Prince Dowon notices her holding back tears and leaves the room so she can cry in peace.

## Starring

### Main cast:

* Shin Se-kyung as Goo Hae-ryung
* Cha Eun-woo as Prince Dowon
* Park Ki-woong as Crown Prince Yi Jin
* Lee Ji-hoon as Min Woo-won
* Gong Jung-hwan as Goo Jae-gyeong
* Kim Min-sang as King Hamyeong Yi Tae
* Choi Deok-moon as Min Ik-pyeong

### Recurring:

* Kim Yeo-jin as Queen Dowager Yim
* Heo Jeong-do as Officer Yang Si-haeng
* Kang Hoon as Officer Hyeon Kyeong-mook
* Nam Tae-woo as Officer Son Gil-seung
* Yoon Jung-sub as Officer Hwang Jang-goon
* Ji Gun-woo as Officer Seong Seo-kwon
* Oh Hee-joon as Officer Ahn Hong-ik
* Lee Jung-ha as Officer Kim Chi-gook
* Park Ji-hyun as Apprentice Song Sa-hee
* Lee Ye-rim as Apprentice Oh Eun-im
* Jang Yoo-bin as Apprentica Heo Ah-ran
* Jeon Ik-ryung as Mo-hwa
* Sung Ji-ru as Heo Sam-bo
* Yang Jo-a as Seol-geum
* Lee Kwan-hoon as Gak-soi
* Ryoo Tae-ho as Song Jae-cheon
* Kim Yong-woon as Gwi Jae