Contains spoilers for this episode and earlier episodes.
Cheoljong defeats Byeong-in in their public contest, while Hwa-jin's real arrow misses the queen in the woods. Bong-hwan denies killing O-wol, but Hwa-jin refuses to trust him. The hunt ends with the queen surviving and claiming the game's prize. At the palace, the banquet is still threatened by spoiled supplies and illness among the kitchen staff, making the planned meal another means of humiliating Cheoljong before his guests.
Bong-hwan takes charge of the remaining ingredients and devises dishes the court has never encountered. The modern chef's experience gives Cheoljong a chance to recover the celebration. As each course arrives, the king explains its meaning to the gathering, supporting the queen's cooking with words about harmony. For once, their efforts fit together instead of being pulled apart by suspicion or a private misunderstanding between the two of them.
The food cannot protect Cheoljong's men. Kim Jwa-geun brings forward guards accused of using false identities and demands punishment, leaving the king unable to shield his own supporters. The accusation takes control of the occasion away from him after the banquet's recovery. Cheoljong moves to the ceremonial area, visibly distressed by what has happened. An explosion suddenly throws him down, bloodied, while Bong-hwan tries to reach him through the people rushing forward.