[Drama Recap] Splendid Politics: Episode 18

Gwanghae (Cha Seung Won) weeps hot tears looking at Princess Jeongmyeong (Lee Yeon Hee) who has been through many storms of life due to him. The stepsister begs him to save Queen Inmok (Shin Eun Jung) and take her life instead of hers. 

Yi Icheom (Jung Woong In) and Kim Gae Shi (Kim Yeo Jin) arrives there to bring him to the palace for the meeting and Gwanghae helps her not to be caught on and leaves everything about her up to Hong Joo Won (Seo Kang Joon). Icheom and Gae Shi look at the King a bit askance because he orders to release the master craftsman.

The King instructs Icheom to side with Heo Gyun (Ahn Nae Sang) whatever he claims when he puts the matter about Inmok's conspiracy to the vote.
Chief retainers and royal families who are sold themselves for a handful of silver of Kang Joo Sun (Jo Sung Ha) show an enthusiastic attitude about the Queen's deposition or execution under the pretense of keeping the King.
Gwanghae announce that he doesn't feel the need to kill or depose her thanks to the loyal subjects and he will get her just demoted to a lower position.

Gwanghae gives Jeongmyeong an opportunity to see her mother in Gyeongungung. Mother and daughter hold each other and weep. Inmok asks her to hurry off to fly the approach of danger from the political opponent. Unfortunately, the old woman on the point of saying about the beads when Joo Won lets them know that she has to leave before the changing time of the guards and the Princess doesn't hear why she had to be dead. 

Kang In Woo (Han Joo Wan) belatedly arrived at Gyeongungung due to private guards of his father bumps into his friend in front of the house and realizes that he finally knows she is the Princess. He speaks in a voice filled with assurance, "I will take care of her from now. She won't forgive Gwanghae and You will never fail his trust when he will be obliged to point a sword at her in the end." 

Heo Gyun is in a hopeless situation and visits Joo Sun to ask him to help him. The power behind the Throne pretends they are still on the same page, but he whispers an instruction to his man to knock Gyun and his men off on the q.t.

The King lets Icheom lure the betrayer to find a way to punish him and the Princess makes a promise to help the King even though he tries to dissuade him. 

Meanwhile, Gae Shi has a glimmer of what the King is hiding looking at a picture of the beads of Jeongmyeong.

A kitchen staff in Hawgidogam shows a handsome man the way to Joo Won's house where Hawi is staying. 

Joo Won came back home sees a man who is about to stab Jeongmyeong in the back and runs up and throws her arms around her. The swordsman unexpectedly plunges the knife into his back.