The mystery of who the real Lee Seol is only deepened in “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse,” as all three scholars give off the impression of being the prince. After Jang arrested Si Yeol on the suspicion that he was Lee Seol, Dan Oh believed that Kang San was his personal guard. She suddenly left her guesthouse because she could not risk the lives of Si Yeol or Kang San. Si Yeol got out safely, but Dan Oh got into danger as Jang still found her. However, a mysterious swordsman came to save her from Jang.
Spoilers Ahead
Who Is The Mysterious Swordsman?
The swordsman, who has covered himself in black clothes, including his face and a hat on his head, has eyes that pretty much resemble Kang San’s eyes, and Dan Oh also feels that it could be him when he touches her hand to signal her to run away. The swordsman fights with Jang and his men alone, while Dan Oh runs away. Another swordsman joins the fight after Dan Oh leaves, and he takes down all of Jang’s men. He signals the first swordsman to run away, and they confuse Jang. Dan Oh has to leave Hanyang altogether now because Jang can easily find her again here. At her guesthouse, soldiers in disguise are keeping an eye on the scholars to find the whereabouts of Dan Oh. Dan Oh has moved to Gwacheon, but she is worried that Kang San got caught by Jang. She is not the only one who believes the swordsman is Kang San. Yu Ha also saw him, and noticed his swordsmanship was similar to that of Kang San. Kang San finally accepts that he is the one, and he goes there for Dan Oh. He also accepts his feelings for Dan Oh, fully aware that Yu Ha also has feelings for her. After Si Yeol, Jang suspects Kang San and asks him to join his secret army, but Kang San declines his offer, aware that it would be a trap.
The king has announced that he will make the newly-born prince a crown prince, but the court officials raise an issue against it. The prince is born of a concubine and not the queen, which is why they are skeptical about making him the crown prince. However, the king has made his decision, and anyone who speaks out against it will be punished for treason. State Minister Shin doesn’t like this decision because he suspects that the baby is not even of royal birth. He doesn’t like the current king’s rule and is planning a rebellion. The prophecy books that Yu Ha has been writing and distributing are part of that, but he still doesn’t have an idea about them. The king has ordered the punishment of those who read that book. This is when Yu Ha first finds out who the master is above them. The head courtesan Hwa Ryeong saves Yu Ha from the guards who have found their secret den, and he finds out something more shocking as well. Hwa Ryeong is his biological father’s lover, and she gives him his father’s will, which she has been carrying all these years. Meanwhile, Dan Oh finds a piece with a dragon emblem in a box outside her house, which fits with the compass she had received years ago from the boy she saved. A dragon emblem is only used by the royal family, which makes her wonder if the boy she met years ago was the deposed Prince Lee Seol.
Is Yu Ha Born Of Royal Blood?
Hwa Ryeong takes Yu Ha to meet the leader behind their movement, Minister Shin, who bows to Yu Ha as if he were from the royal family. Yu Ha was writing books for the enlightenment of the commoners and was unaware that he was a part of the rebellion. Minister Shin requests Yu Ha go for the throne as he carries royal blood. Previously, in Yu Ha’s inheritance, he received a tag that had Pyeong written on it. Pyeong is the name of Lee Seol’s father, who was killed by the current king. It works as proof that Yu Ha is the son of the deposed crown prince, but it doesn’t prove that he is Lee Seol. There is a high possibility that Yu Ha is the crown prince’s secret child with Hwa Ryeong, who was his lover. Meanwhile, Jang’s men find Dan Oh and drag her back to Hangyang. Jang finds the compass with the dragon emblem, and his suspicion grows stronger. He believes that Dan Oh knows where Lee Seol is, so Dan Oh has to tell him the truth. She reveals that she had saved Lee Seol ten years ago when they were still kids, and he gave her the compass as a token of gratitude. At the same time, Yu Ha arrives and offers to pay back Dan Oh’s debt to rescue her. Jang lets her go only because he believes that Lee Seol will come back to her if she really saves his life.
Dan Oh has moved back to her guest house as Yu Ha paid off the debt, but her sister doesn’t return as she chooses to become a monk in order to relieve the burden she places on Dan Oh. Dan Oh goes to Kang San and asks him if he is really the personal guard. Kang San denies it and promises to tell her the truth after he passes the military exam. It is certain that both have feelings for each other, but Kang San, who is known to be aloof, fails to hide his feelings when it comes to Dan Oh. His frustration is clearly visible whenever Dan Oh praises Yu Ha. Dan Oh also gets jealous when she hears that Kang San spends time with courtesans and starts bickering with him, but he clears up her misunderstanding. Dan Oh has given up on the search for Lee Seol, but Jang hasn’t. He has ordered courtesan Ban Ya to spy on Dan Oh. On the other hand, the nation is going through turmoil as people found reading the prophecy book are getting executed, and Yu Ha sees one of the scholars who wrote the books getting executed as well. This is when Yu Ha considers taking the throne for the first time.
‘The Secret Romantic Guesthouse’ Episode 8: Ending
The king has found out that the queen dowager has been providing funds to the personal guard of Lee Seol, and he cannot overlook it anymore. He arrests the queen dowager’s courtmaid, and when she doesn’t say a single word, he has her killed without hesitation. The queen dowager feels that she has failed as a mother, so she has to succeed as a queen dowager. She plans to bring Lee Seol back for the future of the country, as she sees that her son doesn’t deserve the throne. Meanwhile, Kang San passed the military exam with the top rank, even after being injured in the hand. Impressed by his performance, the king grants Kang San a wish, and he requests to be made the guard of the king’s palace.
Kang San has achieved the goal that he came to Hanyang for, but it is just the beginning. “The Secret Romantic Guesthouse” finally reveals the secret of Lee Seol when Kang San keeps the promise he made to Dan Oh. After seeing a drawing in Kang San’s book, Dan Oh already suspected him, but Kang San goes to Dan Oh after the exam and reveals that he is Lee Seol, the deposed grand prince. The story is about to get interesting, as the king has appointed Kang San as his palace guard. Kang San must have a plan in his mind, and the king is oblivious that Lee Seol, the man he is desperately looking for, is so close to him now.
