The Glory Episode 17 Recap, Plot

> The Glory
> The Glory Recap

Fu Yunxi was usually very busy and rarely ate at home. His mother had always been worried about this and urged him to marry Zhuang Yushan, the eldest daughter of the Zhuang family, as soon as possible. Zhuang Yushan was the legitimate daughter, kind-hearted, and carried herself with grace. His aunt joined forces with his mother to persuade him, hoping that he would have descendants to accompany him. Fu Yunxi had no choice but to agree to the marriage.

On their wedding night, it was the first time he met Zhuang Yushan. The two treated each other with respect, and soon a year had passed. One day, while drinking together, Fu Yunxi realized that the wine was poisoned. By the time he tried to stop her, it was already too late. He carried Zhuang Yushan to find a doctor, but it was futile—she could not be saved.

Fu Yunxi knew that his position at the Court of Judicial Review had earned him many enemies, and he regretted not taking precautions earlier, which ultimately led to his wife's demise. So when he found Zhuang Hanyan and she asked why he chose her as his partner, Fu Yunxi spoke about his feelings. The first time he saw Zhuang Hanyan, despite her outwardly weak appearance, he could see her inner strength.

After several tests and interactions, he became certain of his suspicions—Zhuang Hanyan was a meticulous and strategic woman. He needed to plan for his parents and daughter’s future, hoping that Zhuang Hanyan could protect his family. In return, he would no longer hold himself back and would help her rise to power.

Fu Yunxi repeatedly emphasized that this was merely a transaction—if Zhuang Hanyan wished to leave at any time, she could, and he would not force her to stay, nor would he claim her body. However, Zhuang Hanyan refused Fu Yunxi. She could see his honesty, but it was not the kind of honesty she wanted. She was even more conflicted, wondering whether Fu Yunxi truly had no feelings for her and only valued her abilities.

From that day on, she became increasingly absent-minded, constantly recalling their encounters. When Master Tan came to treat Ruan Xiwen, he discovered that she had injured her leg due to excessive training, making it nearly impossible to apply acupuncture. He instructed Zhuang Hanyan to find a few rare medicinal herbs that were even scarce in the palace.

It was also from Master Tan that Zhuang Hanyan learned that Fu Yunxi had been injured before the Mid-Autumn Festival gathering and was being treated at Nanshan Medical Hall. Unexpectedly, Zhuang Hanyan came looking for him herself. She was inadvertently seen by Fu Yunxi’s subordinates. To help Fu Yunxi with his feelings, they deliberately let her see his scar-covered back and told her that Fu Yunxi had long been fond of her but was too stubborn to admit it.

They revealed that even in the bamboo forest incident, when he could have stopped her from uncovering the buried corpse, he did not. He knew that if the body was discovered, he would surely be punished for dereliction of duty, yet he willingly took the risk. He had helped her many times, never intending to harm her. His actions were filled with deep emotion, yet he insisted it was merely to protect his family and work with her.

Zhuang Hanyan heard everything and was deeply moved. She accidentally touched a flower pot outside, causing a noise that startled her into hiding. Fu Yunxi seemed to have noticed a familiar figure, yet neither of them spoke. Zhuang Hanyan also seemed to see the image of Fu Yunxi being beaten with sticks in the heavy snow. Ruan Xiwen was eager to walk again, practicing even at night. When Zhuang Hanyan returned and saw this, she felt distressed.

Ruan Xiwen nearly fell and, feeling frustrated, feared she would never recover. Zhuang Hanyan urged her not to rush, assuring her that if she followed Master Tan’s advice, she would definitely walk again. Feeling sorry for her mother, Zhuang Hanyan carried her back to her room. Ruan Xiwen blamed herself for not being there to watch Zhuang Hanyan learn to walk as a child. Zhuang Hanyan comforted her, believing that they would one day regain what they had lost.

The next morning, leaning on a cane, Ruan Xiwen managed to walk step by step into the courtyard to admire the snowy scenery. Zhuang Hanyan, rushing out, was stunned. Seeing the footprints her mother had left in the snow, she teared up and followed them, embracing her mother tightly. It was as if her mother had finally taught her to walk.

Madam Chen was so excited that she rushed over to congratulate Ruan Xiwen, who had been in a wheelchair for seventeen years and was finally healed. Ruan Xiwen, with tears in her eyes, apologized to Madam Chen for the years of suffering she had endured. Now that she was recovering, she promised to personally care for Madam Chen. Madam Chen nestled into Ruan Xiwen’s arms, vowing to serve her for life.

Ruan Xiwen then confided in Zhuang Hanyan, saying that she had made a mistake twenty years ago and could not afford to repeat it now. Regaining her ability to walk felt like being given a second life. She wanted to leave—not to escape, but to divorce with dignity and walk away with her head held high. Zhuang Hanyan reassured her mother, promising to handle the matter herself.

She also stated that she would discuss it with Fu Yunxi before making further decisions. Zhuang Hanyan hinted at her intention to marry Fu Yunxi. Her mother reminded her that the most important thing between people was trust, and after marriage, the most trusted person should be her husband. She asked if Fu Yunxi was the person Zhuang Hanyan trusted the most. Zhuang Hanyan said she was willing to trust him this time.

Ruan Xiwen urged her daughter not to rely on others, not to live for others, but to live for herself. Zhuang Hanyan went to see Fu Yunxi and agreed to his proposal. However, she requested that he promise her two things. First, if she ever had doubts in the future and asked him about something, he must not lie. Second, he must help her obtain the divorce papers and gather evidence against Zhuang Shiyang.

They conspired together, and Fu Yunxi revealed his suspicion that Zhuang Shiyang was the adopted son of Pei’s faction. Years ago, Fu Yunxi had once dined at Pei Dafu’s residence and eaten a particular dish. Later, he had the same dish at Zhuang Shiyang’s residence. The dish was called "Fushouquan," and Zhuang Hanyan suddenly realized that the uniqueness of this dish came from the addition of a certain type of wine.

When Zhuang Shiyang returned home, he found a plate of "Fushouquan" on the table. Zhou Ruyin praised it as one of his specialties, but Zhuang Shiyang denied ever cooking. Just then, Zhuang Hanyan walked in. Zhuang Shiyang hastily drove both Zhou Ruyin and Zhuang Hanyan out before retrieving a small bamboo tube from the dish, inside which was a note. That night, in a daze, Zhuang Shiyang found himself putting on a eunuch’s robe.

The next day, another note was found in a dish, arranging a meeting. His behavior became increasingly anxious. While a servant was feeding the horses, he was threatened by a mysterious figure, who demanded that Zhuang Shiyang meet them immediately. Zhuang Shiyang discovered that the person who wanted to meet him was Minister Pei’s advisor, Huang Can. He was shocked—he had personally seen Fu Yunxi kill Huang Can, yet here he was.

Huang Can told him that what one sees with their own eyes is not always the truth and claimed that Pei Dafu was still alive, arranging a meeting at their old gathering place, where Zhuang Shiyang was to hand over the gold and silver under his care. That night, Zhuang Shiyang secretly arrived at a dilapidated house, only to find that the people waiting for him were Zhuang Hanyan and Fu Yunxi.

Fu Yunxi criticized him for his theatrical deception, which allowed him to evade detection for so long. He demanded that Zhuang Shiyang confess whether he was Pei Dafu’s adopted son. Zhuang Shiyang admitted that he had long known Pei Dafu was dead. He claimed he had come not for Pei’s faction but for Zhuang Hanyan, accusing Fu Yunxi of trying to seize the wealth for himself. Zhuang Shiyang turned the accusations back on Fu Yunxi, saying he was manipulating Zhuang Hanyan.

He urged him to let the Zhuang family go and not drag things to the point of mutual destruction. Zhuang Hanyan then questioned Fu Yunxi, asking what else he was hiding. Zhuang Shiyang declared that Fu Yunxi was a hypocrite—claiming to hunt down Pei’s faction, yet in reality, he was Pei Dafu’s adopted son. Stunned, Zhuang Hanyan demanded to know if it was true. Fu Yunxi calmly admitted—he was indeed the adopted son of Pei’s faction.

Episode 16 Recap

Episode 18 Recap

Related Posts