In episode 8 of "Perfect Crown," the drama picks up with Hui-ju fainting as the newlyweds present themselves for the first time at the palace. Prince Yi-an swiftly springs into action, warning everyone that he won't tolerate anyone who hurts his wife. He summons Choi-hyun and orders him to call Hui-ju's dad, insisting on taking her to the Castle Hospital instead of the Royal Hospital. Jeong-woo quickly orders the road to be cleared.
Meanwhile, Sumg-woon, who was watching the event at home, seems shocked. Didn't he plan this with Yi-rang? At the hospital, the doctors take over while Hui-ju's family anxiously waits outside.
At Prince Yi-an's residence, Hye-jung informs the staff that they can't leave for the hospital. They will all have to remain behind and be investigated. Hye-jun orders to secure everything that was used during the wedding rite. A-reum is seen shaking in fear, or is it guilt?
Back at the hospital, the doctors discover that Hui-ju has digoxin toxicity. She only survived because she is not a regular user of the drug. The doctors fear that she was given a fatal amount, but are certain that she will make a full recovery after detoxification. Hyeon-guk brazenly slaps Prince Yi-an and asks him if he intends to take the matter lightly. Prince Yi-an claims he has no such plans. In the meantime, Yi-rang also gets word that Hui-ju was poisoned. She, like Sung-won, acts surprised.
At the hospital, Jeong-woo loses his mind and harshly scolds Prince Yi-an. He is shocked when Prince Yi-an officially asks him to investigate everyone at the palace. Jeong-woo heads back to officially inform Yirang of the public royal investigation. She tries to argue against it, but Jeong-woo reminds her that Prince Yi-an is the regent and his order has to be followed.
After that, he calls for a press conference and publicly announces that there will be an investigation of the royal family. The media and the public are shocked because this has never happened. The scene shifts to Prince Yi-an's staff being interviewed by the police. Once again, A-reum is nervous and acts guilty.
Back at the hospital, Hui-ju finally wakes up to find Da-young, Tae-joo, and Choi-hyun by her side. Unfortunately, Prince Yi-an is at the palace, talking to his dead father, questioning if he is being punished for coveting. He goes back to the day when his dad accused him of coveting the throne. Once Court Lady Jin-sook tells him that Hui-ju is awake, he pretty much runs all the way to her room. He then embraces her, and the others quietly leave. Prince Yi-an tearfully confesses that he was worried that he would lose her. Hui-ju only comforts him.
Jeong-woo interrupts to come pick Prince Yi-an for questioning. He agrees to go but asks Choi-hyun to stay behind and watch Hui-ju.
At the police station, Prince Yi-an reveals his belief that he was the intended target. Given his occasional use of the drug, had he consumed that drink, he would have surely died. Hui-ju comes to the same conclusion when talking to Jeong-woo. She recalls the moment she slipped by the table during the wedding rite event, where Court Lady Jin Sook unknowingly switched the cups while reorganizing. Out of concern, she insists on going to Prince Yi-an. Jeong-woo is shocked by how concerned she is. Choi-hyun steps in and informs Hui-ju that she can't go to the prince. Jeong-woo offers to go in her stead.
After the police interview, he meets Prince Yi-an and advises him to return to the palace, where he has the power to at least keep him and Hui-ju safe. He promises that Hui-ju will join him there as soon as the morning breaks, and he will handle everything else, including the investigation. Later, he orders one of the investigators to look into both Yi-rang and her dad, as they had access to Prince Yi-an's medical history.
Meanwhile, Yi-rang orders Court Lady Lim to ensure that any potential issues are taken care of as the investigation continues. On the other hand, Prince Yi-an doubles security and asks for new palace attendants, intending to build a fortress around Hui-ju.
At the hospital, Hui-ju is unable to sleep and goes through articles about what happened. Prince Yi-an calls to check on her and informs her that she is to come to the palace. The following morning, Da-youn returns to the hospital to help Hui-ju get discharged. The doctor explains that Hui-ju is fine but would like to keep her on ECG monitoring for a few days at the palace.
Hui-ju is surprised to hear her dad sent Da-young out of concern for her. Da-young helps her tame down her beauty so she can look like a tragic heroine. The Castle PR team handles the rest, and they get the public reaction they wanted.
Yi-rang sees that people are rallying behind Hui-ju and offers to help her with her new duties. Once Hui-ju arrives at the palace, Yi-rang pretentiously gives her a warm welcome and tells her not to worry as she will take on her duties in the meantime. Inside the palace, Prince Yi-an cancels Yi-rang's request to temporarily take over Hui-ju's new responsibilities. The king is one of the few people who welcome Hui-ju earnestly.
The little boy seems worried about the investigation, but Hui-ju explains things in a way he can understand. Meanwhile, Prince Yi-an gives strict instructions about who can have access to Hui-ju. He is flustered when she asks to spend some time alone with him. During this time, Hui-ju tells him her fear that she was the intended target. She is pissed when he claims that he doesn't mind as long as it wasn't her. She attacks him with a pillow, and he simply laughs and calms her down.
Her mood changes when she learns that he denied Yi-rang's request to take over her duties. With Hui-ju currently indisposed, Choi-hyun and Hye-jung help her with her duties, allowing them to get close. Choi-hyun reveals that he was dumped as a little child outside the Prince's private residence but is grateful because he grew up surrounded by love. His words and positive attitude move Hye-jung's heart.
As expected, Yi-rang's face betrayed her disappointment when she heard that Prince Yi-an had denied her request. When Sung-won stopped by, she warned him to keep his distance from the palace for a while, fearing it might lead to a misunderstanding. However, he felt the opposite and said so confidently.
As for the investigation, Jeong-woo confirmed Hui-ju's theory that the poisoned cups at the wedding rite were the source of her poisoning. Surprisingly, A-reum arrived at his office, looking worried. Later that night, Hui-ju was flustered by Prince Yi-an's physique when he came out of the shower. He teases her about consummating their marriage, and her heart rate spikes. He refuses to sleep on the sofa and cuddles her instead.
She asks if they can turn off the ECG monitor, but he refuses, saying it proves she is alive. She briefly pecks him on the mouth to reassure him, and he gives her a forehead kiss in return. The next morning, Hui-ju learns that Choi-hyun will be her new aide, while Hye-jung will do the same for Prince Yi-an. Separately, the royal aides prepare Hui-ju and Prince Yi-an for their first public event as a married couple.
The event is set to happen at their former high school, and Jeong-woo is expected to give a speech while Prince Yi-an presents the scholarships. The prince is impressed by Hye-jung's sharpness at reading each situation. Over on the other side, Choi-hyun details the rules Hui-ju should observe and hypes her up. Hui-ju insists on coordinating their outfits, forcing Prince Yi-an to change.
Unfortunately, Jeong-woo is stuck at the office due to a crisis. He sends word that he will be late, and Hui-ju is asked to deliver a speech. She and Prince Yi-an are warmly welcomed at the school, and she takes her time soaking it all in. The beginning of her speech is so compelling that Prince Yi-an feels immensely proud watching her. However, suddenly everyone's attention shifts to their phones in the middle of her speech. The media storms inside to ask for remarks on her contract marriage to the prince. Hui-ju is shocked, but Prince Yi-an walks to her and covers her with his body. He quickly reassures her, then grabs her hand and leads her out of the room.
In the epilogue, we go back to the couple's first night together. Prince Yi-an kept smiling as he watched her sleep. When Court Lady Jin-sook came to wake him up, he sent a warning message to Choi-hyun that there would be hell to pay if they woke Hui-ju up.
This story beautifully captures the intricacies of love, trust, and power dynamics within a royal family setting. The characters' emotions and interactions are vividly portrayed, making the narrative engaging and entertaining for readers.
