Episode 40 opens with the scene at Angang Fortress when Princess Deokman executed the village leaders for running away with the harvest and the farm equipment. In a parallel with a scene in which Mishil executes a couple of palace guard for not following her orders (when Sohwha managed to flee with baby Deokman), some drops of blood splash onto Deokman's face. On the way back to Sorabol, we are shown Princess Deokman in her paladin wringing her hands as she is wont to do when apprehensive. Yu Shin walks next to Deokman's paladin saying that she must believe in what she set out to do, that if she does not believe, she will not be able to accomplish what she wants to.
Back at Sorabol, Mishil hears the news of the executions and muses that Deokman must be troubled much as she was when younger and had to kill deserters from the army during a war, crying particularly after killing a nandong who had helped her.
Upon returning to Sorabol, Princess Deokman is greeted by Bidam who tells her that she does not have to be Mishil, that Princess Deokman will always be stronger. He tells her that watching her as she is moves him, and that she will move the people to be better. (On a historical sidenote, it's interesting to note how difficult it was to transition out of a feudal governance system to one based on individual possessions).
The next scene shows the king in bed with a doctor by his bedside. It turns out that the king has early symptoms of a heart condition, meaning that Princess Deokman must marry so that the king can name her husband the heir and pass on the crown. All factions start to move to find the husband best suited for their intents.
On the side, Lord Misang brings up marriage to Prince Chunchu as well, hoping to marry Prince Chunchu into Mishil's family.
Princess Deokman stands outside in a palace courtyard talking with Sowha when Bidam stops to talk to Deokman. General Seolwon sees them and sees Bidam taking Deokman's hand. He suggests to Mishil that Bidam be married to Deokman. Somehow, I missed something in a previous episode as I assumed that Mishil did not know that Bidam is the son she threw away from her marriage to the previous king. However, it turns out that Mishil does know but that she has not made it clear she knows who Bidam is. As she tells Seolwon, Bidam is a child she threw away and she cannot embrace him back into the fold now.
All members of the Mishil faction moves to ensure that the right people will stay loyal to their cause, including Yu Shin. It turns out that Yu Shin's wife is pregnant (poor Deokman!). The Mishil faction wants Deokman to marry Archeol as his family is weak and cannot harm Mishil nor add additional support to the royal family.
However, at the next meeting of the advisors, Princess Deokman announces she will not marry, that she will succeed to the throne! Mishil begins to understand what Princess Deokman's intent has been and how short her own ambition was compared to Deokman's: she only ever dreamed of being a queen, never the king. This is hammered further when Mishil runs into Bidam who tells her that even before Deokman entered the palace, she announced she would be king. Bidam tells her that it is Deokman ("my Princess Deokman" as he says) that he will follow. What a bitter pill for Mishil to swallow -- to realize that Princess Deokman has the larger ambition plus realizing she threw away a clever son to the enemy! Oh, it's tough to be Mishil this moment.
Surprisingly, the king supports Princess Deokman succeeding him. He tells his advisers that Shilla is a nation built on a hierarchy of royalty and that Deokman is of true bone (meaning that she comes from 100% royal lineage on both matrimonial and patrimonial sides).
When Prince Chunchu hears the news...well, he feels a bit differently than the king. He decides that he will win Bidam over to his cause to succeed the throne, and if failing that, kill Bidam. Believe it or not, things heat up even more as Prince Chunchu sides up with Mishil in order to gain the throne!
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