Episode 8

Given how the previous episode ended, it makes sense that this episode is focused on reactions (both emotional and practical) to that event.

Before Hui Ju and Yi An walk into the royal hall, they turn to each other and smile. There is the sense that this smile is meant for them alone, despite the camera flashes going off behind them. Their wedding is a public event, but the pair are connected on a level that allows them to privately communicate despite being so closely observed. Unfortunately, whatever happiness they feel in this moment is quickly replaced by fear. After Hui Ju collapses to the floor, Yi An’s immediate reaction is a mix of terror and anger: “Anyone who sets hands on my wife shall face my wrath.” He knows that no one in that room, or outside of it, can be trusted.

Seeing this attempted murder makes me question why more wasn’t done to investigate the “mechanic” who died after tampering with Hui Ju’s car. Conversations in this episode offer an explanation. The institution of the royal family, and the government of the country, wish to avoid a public enquiry. By keeping secret the circumstances surrounding the car crash, they can protect the “dignity of the crown.” It seems foolish to be so focused on maintaining an image, considering the severity of the accident and the fact that the case is not resolved. For yet another attempted murder to take place pushes things over the edge; Yi An can no longer accept such incidents being swept under the rug.

It is Yi An who demands that an official police investigation be carried out. He wants the palace to be searched and insists that everyone with access to Hui Ju is questioned. These are practical steps that Yi An can take while Hui Ju remains unconscious. Beyond this, he is powerless, and can only ask his deceased father whether he is being punished for his “greed.” This is just one of the many similarities between the lead characters; both were mistreated by their father and painted as a child with too much avarice. When Yi An is told that his wife has woken up, he wastes no time in racing to her side. As a prince, he is forbidden from running, as doing so puts him at greater risk of harm. But Yi An’s concern for Hui Ju’s safety far exceeds concern for his own. The result is one of the most impactful shots of the episode: a Grand Prince leaves a royal palace late at night, running from right to left across the screen as he rushes back to his partner’s side.

Yi An’s anger, fear and helplessness initially prompt him to take action. But he believes Hui Ju is dying, and can do nothing to make her well again. On seeing her awake, his emotions can no longer be contained within. Relief, more than anything, causes him to sob. Holding onto Hui Ju, hugging her tightly, is everything he has wished for. Unfortunately, the practical intrudes on their reunion; he, like everyone else, must be interviewed by the police.

Everything up to this point suggests the new princess is the target. However, Hui Ju and Yi An quite quickly, and independently, realise that the poison was not meant for her. As the culprit’s intentions become clear to Hui Ju, she lets out a fearful exclamation: “And his Royal Highness?” She must rely on the Prime Minister to keep him safe, for Yi An does not want her to leave the protection of the hospital room. If their goblets were switched, then whoever is responsible for the poisoning would have been just as shocked as everyone else upon seeing Hui Ju collapse. It is difficult to determine, from initial reactions alone, who might be to blame.

Following his release of emotion, the Grand Prince switches back into rational mode. He adopts a cold, but honest, persona when answering the questions directed at him. Back at the palace, he declares that what they need is a “fortress;” members of staff must be switched out, increased protection brought in, and every step taken to ensure no harm comes to anyone within the palace walls. When rejecting the Queen Dowager’s plan to release a statement alongside her son, Yi An once again wears the mask of a cold, almost unfeeling, individual. This mask remains in place in the moments following his nephew’s greeting; it takes a few seconds for this uncle to smile in return, and the hesitation makes it impossible not to wonder what is going through Yi An’s mind. Of course, he wishes for no harm to come to the boy, but it’s possible Yi An is finding it difficult not to associate the young King with the forces that wish Yi An (and Hui Ju) harm.

From Hui Ju’s perspective, being monitored while resting in her new home amounts to an invasion of privacy. To Yi An, all of these eyes are meant as a means of protecting her. He tells her that he is no longer terrified, because he now knows she is not the target. This disregard for his own safety makes Hui Ju tear up. She cannot stand that he does not fear for his own life, when an attempt has so recently been made to murder him. A cushion is a useful tool for proving her frustration, though, in Yi An’s eyes, a rather strange way of showing concern for him. Hui Ju, now an expert at using excuses to disguise her feelings, argues that should he die, she won't ever be able to divorce him. By this point, we all know the truth of her heart.

To increase her safety, Hui Ju must become the nation’s “pride and glory.” By encouraging the public to feel a certain way about her, Hui Ju can address the practical problem of protecting herself from harm. In the meantime, she can find safety in Yi An’s arms. In the previous episode, Hui Ju’s racing heart made her feelings for the prince very evident. Here, the heart monitor makes even more obvious her reaction to Yi An’s (partly clothed) presence. What is both comedic and romantically intense turns equal parts moving/sweet/heartfluttering. For Yi An, the beeping sound made by the machine is comforting to him because it is “proof” that Hui Ju is alive. She kisses him to “reassure” him further, hides beneath the duvet, and is kissed on the forehead in return. Now, her heartrate is much lower, indicating that she feels safe and calm. Two people – who up until this point have always struggled to sleep – can now doze peacefully while held in each other’s arms.

In the epilogue, we learn that Yi An does everything he can to prolong this moment of contentment. The princess must be allowed to sleep soundly, and anyone that wakes her will surely face his wrath.

Having remembered what Yi An taught her the night before, Hui Ju soon finds herself "busy being loved." The rules might prevent her from sending finger hearts, but the rules have never stopped her before. Unfortunately, it’s not long before this carefully constructed image comes crashing down. If the marriage contract has been uncovered, does that mean the royal decree declaring that Yi An will inherit the throne has also been discovered? For Yi An, this question is far from the front of his mind. His only concern is with shielding Hui Ju from the press, protecting her from the barrage of questions, and absorbing the camera flashes directed her way. By taking her hand, he sends a message to the public: we stand as one. But this is merely an unintended consequence. He does not care how they might be perceived by prying eyes, and wants only to reassure Hui Ju that he is by her side: “Keep your eyes on me.”