What I've always admired about Ji-un is his courage, same as our Lady King. She rocks. Ji-un's first open and calm conversation with his father deeply touched me. Him telling his father he still resents him, but was trying to understand him, since he believes him when he said he made the choice that would protect his family, but struggles to accept the choices. I won't lie, I felt pity for the father at that moment for what he's missed out on with his choices. They say sometimes what seems like an acceptable choice is a fallacious one wrapped up in so much fear one can't even see straight. Choices -- it always comes down to choices.
I knew Ji-un's father wouldn't go to the evil grandfather with what he saw happen between his son and the King. I am sure he'd already started to figure out that the King is actually the prince he was supposed to kill. His son and the King kissing was simply the icing on the cake. It is so true when they say every action has an equal and opposite reaction. The wrong done and injustice inflicted returns to haunt the wrongdoer. No one escapes it. It is only a matter of time. The only person I feel truly sorry for is the Queen for loving the wrong person. She's so innocent and loves the King. However, I fear she may be the most dangerous person to the King Lady if she found out her secret, not because she's wicked, but because she's all over the place and may say the wrong thing to the wrong person.
I knew our Lady King was bidding her time to slowly dismantle the evil grandfather's power from the inside. Her strategy of letting her grandfather believe she is weak. is the weapon she holds over him, and I admire her not only for her patience, but also for her brave choices. A good leader knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way, nevertheless, lets those around them believe they are the way. The fact that she knew would need the support of former Minister of Personnel Shin Yeong Su (Park Won Sang), because she knew he was righteous, and had her evil grandfather pardon him after what Prince Chang Woon did, so she can recall him back to court when the time was right and appoint him to an even more powerful position once she became King, as was ingenious.
I knew Ga On was righteous, all he ever wanted was to avenge his father's wrongful death, who could blame him. But I like that he wasn't too proud to recognize that neither the King nor the Princess were involved in his death, but more has known her secret and kept it, and further had the courage to admit his wrongdoing. All evil roads in the palace lead to Lord Sangheon through Ji-un's father, always, and the saddest part is there is no going back for him. The only thing wrong with Ji-un's father doing nothing in the face of Lord Sangheon's evil is not realizing that he too was finished before he began. There is no way the evil grandfather keeps him alive, he knows too much about him.
Lee Hyun's moment with our Lady King was my saddest yet sweetest moment at the same time. My heart cannot take his sadness. But as much as I love Lee Hyun, I dread his brother, there is simply too much hate in him. The depths of which I didn't expect neither did I expect the uncle to still be alive, let alone his weapon he wields as he sees fit. He is almost as cunning as the evil grandfather. I anticipated Yoon to be one of the many casualties despite hoping otherwise, and I know he won't be the last. Ji-un's father's horror at Yoon's death was so raw I felt it deep in my bone. The love and respect was genuine. They may have chosen different paths, but that didn't mean they didn't love each other.
And now, as things appear to be closing in on the evil grandfather, I fear for Ji-un's father. There's simply too much at stake for him to care about anyone but himself, as he's always done. I feel like Ji-un's father was practically dead the moment he chose to be that evil grandfather's slaughter hand. I knew Ji-un's father would come to their rescue. I could see the change in him when he lost his friend. I hope it's not too little too late. The noose is slowly but surely getting tighter and tighter on our Lady King. It is only a matter of time before her true identity is revealed. I hope she has as many of her allies around her as she needs to get past that hurdle as she's done time and time again. Watch episodes 15 & 16 here.