So Buyeon can detect energy. This is a special ability. 

So, Jang Kang used the ice stone to switch back to his own body, then sealed and hid the stone. Then Jin Mu used his niece to find the stone and then throw the girl in the river. He's convinced she's dead. I need to understand what happened when Jin Mu stole the ice stone from Buyeon. 

after the controversy of season 2 i hv a theory of the end of part 1...

mudeok aka buyeon will sacrifice herself for whatever reason and use the ice stone to bringback naksu dead body, throwback naksu soul to it...

so in season 2 real mudeok is no more, but the story between jang uk and naksu the assassin still continue to conflict

I watched ep 9 again, and I think the body Jang Kang was crying over was Naksu's father! He was in the secret room at Cheonbugwan. Were they friends? Or was Jang Kang feeling guilty for what happened to him? How did Naksu's father turn into a soul shifter? Who did he switch souls with? I have so many questions dhishdiush

Ok for those of you wondering why Mommy Jin didn't recognise Bu Yeon, I think the answer lay in the brothel's owner's answer to her guards when he was slapped by So Yi (Ep 9).

She said that the Jins were famous for being arrogant and rude. We can see how she is obnoxious and believes wholeheartedly that Mu Deok was at fault for breaking the jade and running away and would not think it could be her daughter's doing.  The same reason why she dismisses her daughter (Barbie Jin mage) when she says the door of the vault opened because of Mu Deok. To her, her daughter (Bu Yeon) cannot be a servant or a lowlife. Noticed how she is always portrayed as looking down on people? She never gives anyone below her rank, the time of day.

Another reason why she dismissed  Mu Deok as Bu Yeon is that Mu Deok is not blind. To her, as we see in Ep 9, Bu Yeon will always be blind. Also, to her, Mu Deok is always kind, sweet, and gentle (see the flashback of the bird) but the Mu Deok we know, is a bit rough around the edges (well we can't blame her, she is Naksu in soul and Naksu has always been cold and calculative).

Now about who Jang Uk actually loves, at this current juncture, he sees Mu Deok as Naksu (he keeps calling her master). He has not seen actual Naksu's face up close (the only time he gets close was when Naksu's body is burnt) so there is no confirmation that he can remember what that looks like. Yes, he was perplexed to see Mu Deok saving him from the soul-shifting saga but he may have dismissed it as Mu Deok/Naksu manifesting from his wish to be saved. Kinda like a dream. So that makes perfect sense that at the end of Season 1, Mu Deok/Bu Yeon would sacrifice herself (knowing Jang Uk has been in love with Naksu and not her). At this point we know Mu Deok is in love with him already, saving him from the soul-shifting episode is a clear indication. Although one may argue this could be the ice stone acting up since we now know Jang Uk too has the ice stone in him.

As hinted by her conversation outside of the brothel with the Crown Prince (CP), her sacrifice may be in the form of her (again) protecting Jang Uk from being killed by CP. Now, why the duel? We know the crown is up for grabs between the 2 (no thanks to Jang Uk being born with the King's Star), at this point CP would have been influenced by his mom.

As for those afraid that this would be a Scarlet Heart Ryeo, I think the similarities are only for the fact that there are 3 good-looking "leads". We know Dangu is in love with Barbie Jin, up till this point, he is more of a friend who supports her "love" for Seo Yul. For Seo Yul, we know he is her first love but as pointed out at the verandah of the brothel  (Ep 9) when both held hands, Mu Deok/Naksu did scowl and asked to herself if he really believed that she loves him. That scowl says she doesn't love him (well at least not anymore) another indication that Seo Yul is never going to get Mu Deok/Naksu is the scene where she waited outside of Songrim's gates. Her eyes were slightly disappointed when Seo Yul appeared and all she talks about is going in to see/save her master, Jang Uk. Her thoughts are preoccupied with Jang Uk and no one else. As for CP, we know he's crushing and the only reason Mu Deok/Naksu is close to him is to again, protect Jang Uk by minimising any possible fights they both have. She has yet to ask him or know that she appears as a vision to CP because he was thinking of her.

Now that we know Seo Yul missed his chance with his first love and that Lady Heo has no chance at all with Jang Uk (he made it clear again in Ep 9 that he is not attracted to her AT ALL), there is a possibility both would work together to make our main leads come together and be happy. Knowing how selfless and kind both are, this may be where it's heading for this 2. Would either of them die (this is TvN! A fan fav has to die - may not necessarily be Mu Deok/Naksu as Jung So Min (the actress) is currently reviewing her contract)? Not sure of Lady Heo but we know now that Seo Yul will be kept alive (he is slated to be in S2).

 jxxwxxstan:

I watched ep 9 again, and I think the body Jang Kang was crying over was Naksu's father! He was in the secret room at Cheonbugwan. Were they friends? Or was Jang Kang feeling guilty for what happened to him? How did Naksu's father turn into a soul shifter? Who did he switch souls with? I have so many questions dhishdiush

Thanks for confirming this, I was wondering who he was crying for! Yes, those questions need to be answered, but i think not in tonight's ep. Probably next week. I think tonight is about Mu Deok/Naksu gaining entry into Songrim and the budding romance between the lead. What we may get is more of how So Yi may be used by Jin Mu to pretend to be Bu Yeon, which I think she does all the time. But we know she will fail when she is tested with Jin vault opening.

This may then bring mommy Jin to question her on where she got the Jin crest eye mask and this would bring them to Mu Deok in the next episode.

Will Mommy Jin now protect Mu Deok? I think she would and would want her to marry Jang Uk. 

 Kim Hee Soo:
But we know she will fail when she is tested with Jin vault opening.

My bet is that Mudeok/JBY will be standing next to her

I was looking forward to a happy Jin Family Reunion NLT Ep. 10, but i guess that's wishful thinking at this point.

 Kathryn_51:

My bet is that Mudeok/JBY will be standing next to her

I was looking forward to a happy Jin Family Reunion NLT Ep. 10, but i guess that's wishful thinking at this point.

We will have a reunion for sure! But not now, wait a bit, we are only halfway through :)

That's a nice theory that Mu Deok/JBY will be nxt to So Yi but on what occasion? Jang Uk cant come out of Songrim so there is no reason for him to be there with Mu Deok/JBY. Unless, you are saying she is there with Maidservant Kim when Mommy Jin wants to show off but then we know Mommy Jin wouldn't test with an audience.

 jxxwxxstan:
I watched ep 9 again, and I think the body Jang Kang was crying over was Naksu's father!

I originally thought it might be Do-Hwa and that  he had tried to bring her back to life.  But so many people saw Jo Choong, that I'm sure they are correct and it makes more sense with the timeline (which saw Jang Kang present when Park Jin killed  Naksu's father).  

 Kim Hee Soo:
That's a nice theory that Mu Deok/JBY will be nxt to So Yi but on what occasion?

It's just a guess.  There are a few scenes still left from the original 6 minute preview trailer - one of them is with Cho-yeon and Mudeok eating a meal together - I have been looking forward to that and perhaps it takes place at Jinyowan

But if So-yi - who also has JBY's embroidered blindfold - were to actually open the door, then she would be the one welcomed into the family (the welcoming that I have SO wanted to see with real JBY ("Mudeok")).  It's a plot device for delaying the ultimate family reunion and at this point, we may never see the family all together until they are mourning JBY at a funeral.  It's also a plot device for bringing the  Mother Jin into Jin Mu's plot to marry Cho-yeon to the Crown Prince.  

Yeah I'd like to see how Cho Yeon being married off to CP unfold too and see how Dang gu reacts.

Up till this point no one questions who Dang gu is in terms of his parentage. Is his father next in line to the Park clan? Why are his parents not in the picture, I hope S2 can address this.

Would also be interesting to know more about Do Hwa/Lady Heo and Maidservant Kim's hometown. How is Do Hwa related to Heo Yeom, coz now we know Do Hwa was brought in to match with Park Jin but end up with Jang Kang? Does this mean she is also like Lady Heo? Have healing abilities? Hence how Jang Uk can be powerful? He inherits his mom's  medicinal abilities as well as his dad (whichever that dad is - King or Jang Kang are both powerful people, his soul is King's while physically he is Jang Kang's)

I have a feeling that the new thief girl's entry is actually planned by real Mudeok.  But now she will be a scapegoat for Jin Mu. She will accept the offer for money but she might be sacrificed or have her soul shifted cause she doesn't have any powers. 

 Kim Hee Soo:
But we know she will fail when she is tested with Jin vault opening.

Jin Mu must have come up with an explanation or solution for this, maybe he can use the ice stone to open the gate?

 Aurora Nebula:

I have a feeling that the new thief girl's entry is actually planned by real Mudeok.  But now she will be a scapegoat for Jin Mu. She will accept the offer for money but she might be sacrificed or have her soul shifted cause she doesn't have any powers. 

ooh, that is definitely possible. Does anyone know how long she is slated to guest star? Coz right now Naksu is not aware of Bu Yeon/Mu Deok in her and Bu Yeon/Mu Deok may very well have a mind of her own. We see that happening in the soul-shifting save of Jang Uk.

 Aurora Nebula:

I have a feeling that the new thief girl's entry is actually planned by real Mudeok.  But now she will be a scapegoat for Jin Mu. She will accept the offer for money but she might be sacrificed or have her soul shifted cause she doesn't have any powers. 

She might just say the real owner is MuDeoki if they try to kill her

 jxxwxxstan:

Jin Mu must have come up with an explanation or solution for this, maybe he can use the ice stone to open the gate?

haha yeah we can trust Jin Mu with some explanation and yes he does have some 8 ice stones with him, doesn't he (thanks to the eunuch who handed that in the box to him in the secret room in Cheongbogwan)?