Shadows in the Palace

In the morning, Wol-ryung is found dead, hung from the palace roof. The initial assumption is suicide, but the royal medic, Chun-ryung, suspects foul play and begins to look for clues. The discovery sets off a surge of rumors and fear within the palace walls.

Chun-ryung performs the autopsy and discovers the marks of strangulation on Wol-ryung. She also uncovers signs that the maid had given birth while in service, a forbidden secret in the palace. These findings contradict the suicide narrative and force the investigation to continue.

Despite orders to wrap up the case quickly, Chun-ryung vows to seek the truth behind Wol-ryung's death. She follows leads that might expose palace intrigues and hidden loyalties. The investigation begins to uncover how far the secrets reach.

Whispers spread that Wol-ryung had a clandestine relationship with a teacher at the nearby school. The rumor fuels tension and distracts from the motive behind her murder. The palace court uses this as leverage to frame or implicate others.

A mute court maid is subjected to torture as investigators chase a lead connected to the murder case. The brutal scene reveals the brutality of palace power struggles and the extent people will go to hide the truth. The torture becomes a catalyst for further revelations.

In the atmosphere of fear, a beheading occurs, underscoring the severity of the palace's discipline and the stakes of the investigation. It serves to suppress dissent and divert attention from the real motive. The event intensifies the sense that nothing is as it seems.

Officials uncover records showing the king's nightly visits to his concubine. The pattern hints at a carefully controlled royal narrative used to conceal other truths. The discovery broadens the conspiracy beyond Wol-ryung's death.

An elaborate scheme orchestrated by Hee-bin's advisor unfolds, positioning Wol-ryung as the mother of the crown prince. The plan aims to solidify the lineage and manipulate succession. As part of the rite, Wol-ryung is murdered to hide the baby's true origin.

The policy change is sealed by murdering Wol-ryung to obscure the truth about who fathered the crown prince. The killer's tracks are carefully erased as the palace guards maintain silence. The crime reveals how far the conspirators are willing to go to secure the throne.

The advisor imprisons Chun-ryung, overpowers Hee-bin, and kidnaps the baby to prevent exposure of the true parentage. The plan seems to succeed as they vanish into the palace's labyrinthine halls. This action triggers a new wave of desperation within the palace.

In the forest, the ghost of Wol-ryung intervenes and destroys the conspirator who orchestrated the kidnapping. The advisor is murdered, removing the principal obstacle to the true royal lineage. The supernatural intervention signals that the palace demands a different order.

The ghost later visits the royal palace and kills the queen mother, clearing the final obstacle to the crown prince's claim. The court absorbs another blow as the old guard is removed. The long-awaited transition of power seems imminent.

The baby is located in the forest by Chun-ryung, who emerges from the melee with renewed resolve. The discovery shifts the balance, bringing the infant back into the palace story. The queen mother’s death and the baby’s fate converge toward the coronation.

The next day, the palace mourns the queen mother in white robes while witnessing the coronation of the new prince in Hee-bin's arms. Power passes to the new hands, signaling a new, precarious equilibrium within the palace. The closure hints at a fragile peace after the upheaval.