Chapter 31 Summary: Daehyun's Prison Visit and New Clues

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Chapter 31 opens with Daehyun struggling to concentrate. He is distracted by thoughts of Iseul, seeing her in peonies and hearing her in laughter, but forces himself to focus on the rebellion and the hunt for the killer. He visits Milwicheong Prison, where Investigator Gu confronts him about being in a restricted area. Daehyun claims the king suggested the visit as a warning.

Daehyun then feigns ignorance about the death of former Investigator Jang Wonsik, asking if Nameless Flower killed him. Gu denies it. Daehyun pressures Gu for information, revealing he knows Gu was mentored by Wonsik. Gu eventually admits that Wonsik asked him to identify the owner of a hairpin—a binyeo that once belonged to Deposed Queen Yun, executed twenty-four years earlier. The hairpin had been kept by the deposed queen's mother, who later gave it to her female companion as an apology for King Yeonsan beating the woman's son, Nam Seungmin. The beating occurred because Nam Seungmin mocked the king for crying over his mother's bloody robe.

Investigator Gu explains that the king later sent men to bring this woman to court as a courtesan, but she had gone missing. Wonsik assigned the case to Gu, who found the woman buried in her own garden—the Dead Garden case. The investigation was cut short by the purge of 1504. Daehyun then reveals that Wonsik was planning to visit Jangheung County before his death, suggesting Nam Seungmin might be the killer. Daehyun also mentions the bloody message on the robe, connecting it to the hairpin. He asks Gu to send a copy of his old report from Jangheung County. As Daehyun leaves, he sees a prisoner eating straw with a look of han—the same resentment he saw in Iseul's eyes. Learning that the prison holds eight hundred traitors, a dark idea takes root: unleashing these prisoners to stir up the common people and disrupt the king's forces.

Key Events

Daehyun visits Milwicheong Prison and confronts Investigator Gu.
Gu reveals that Jang Wonsik asked him to identify a hairpin belonging to Deposed Queen Yun.
The hairpin was given to Nam Seungmin's mother as an apology for Yeonsan's beating of her son.
Nam Seungmin was beaten for laughing at the king crying over the bloody robe.
The mother disappeared and was found buried in her garden—the Dead Garden case.
The investigation was abandoned due to the 1504 purge.
Daehyun learns that Wonsik was planning a trip to Jangheung County.
Daehyun shares information about the bloody message on the robe.
He asks Gu for a copy of his old report from Jangheung County.
Daehyun observes a prisoner with intense han and considers using the 800 prisoners to spark rebellion.

Character Development

Daehyun: Despite his infatuation with Iseul, he forces himself to focus on the investigation. He skillfully manipulates Investigator Gu into sharing crucial details. He shows strategic thinking by connecting the hairpin, the beating, and the message. Finally, he begins to contemplate a risky rebellion tactic involving the prisoners.
Investigator Gu: He is cautious but ultimately cooperative once Daehyun swears on his mother's grave. He reveals his past involvement in the Dead Garden case and his frustration that Wonsik kept secrets from him.
King Yeonsan (mentioned): The king's violent beating of Nam Seungmin and his selective memory (erasing the incident from his accounts) highlight his cruelty and self-centered nature.
Iseul (through Daehyun's thoughts): Her presence in Daehyun's mind motivates him, and her han is reflected in the prisoner's eyes, deepening the connection between their struggles.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Han (resentment and grief): The prisoner's look of han mirrors Iseul's earlier expression, underscoring the theme of deep, unresolved suffering that fuels rebellion.
Memory and Erasure: Yeonsan's omission of the beating from his stories of the bloody robe shows how those in power rewrite history to suit themselves.
The Hairpin as a Thread: The binyeo links past and present—Deposed Queen Yun, her mother, the apology, and the trail leading to Jangheung County. It symbolizes the unbroken chain of violence and secret connections.
Prison as a Powder Keg: The eight hundred prisoners represent potential for uprising. Daehyun's idea to release them introduces the motif of using chaos as a weapon.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the investigation: Daehyun extracts key evidence linking the hairpin to the king's violent past and the Dead Garden case, pointing toward Jangheung County as a crucial location. It also reveals Daehyun's growing willingness to use extreme measures for the coup, as he contemplates freeing hundreds of prisoners to create a diversion. The parallel between Iseul's han and that of the prisoner deepens the emotional stakes and reinforces the story's central theme of rebellion born from oppression.

Study Questions and Answers

How does Daehyun persuade Investigator Gu to share confidential information?
Daehyun drops his arrogant act and swears on his foster mother's grave that he has valuable information. He also implies mutual benefit—sharing intelligence to survive the king's displeasure. Gu recognizes the sincerity and reveals the story of the hairpin.
What is the significance of the hairpin belonging to Deposed Queen Yun?
The hairpin connects the current murders to the king's past—specifically, the beating of Nam Seungmin and the disappearance of his mother. It suggests that the killer may be seeking revenge for past wrongs, and it provides a concrete link to the Jangheung County trail that Jang Wonsik was pursuing.
Why does Daehyun consider unleashing the eight hundred prisoners?
Seeing the prisoner's han reminds him of Iseul's suffering and the desperation of the common people. He realizes that a sudden release of these "traitors" could cause chaos in the streets, undermining the king's forty thousand soldiers and aiding the coup. It reflects his shift from cautious planner to a more radical strategist.

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