Glory Episode 12 Recap
> Glory Recaps
Late that night, Rong Shanbao arrived at Lu Jianglai’s room, followed by her maid carrying her washbasin and sleepwear. Seeing the portrait Lu had painted of her, she was touched by his deep affection but teased him for preferring a silent painting over the real person. To avoid the forced arrangements with Yang Dingchen, she decided to spend the night there.
Lu was overjoyed but soon grew anxious, worried that his unknown identity would prevent him from giving her a future. Shanbao remained unfazed, telling him that she cared for who he was now, not who he used to be, and that their future was in the hands of fate. Despite the opportunity, Lu’s integrity prevailed; he refused to take advantage of her without a certain future to offer.
He covered her with a blanket and lay beside her respectfully, and the two spent a platonic night together until dawn. The next morning, Wen—who had stayed in Yan Bailou’s room due to feeling unwell—stepped out with Yan and was stunned to see Shanbao emerging from Lu Jianglai’s quarters. Before the scandal could unfold, a panicked servant reported a gruesome discovery: Yang Dingchen had been murdered in Qilan Garden.
The mansion was instantly thrown into chaos, and the news reached the Yang family, who arrived with government officials to investigate. Among the newcomers was Yang Yitang, the deceased’s twin brother. Though identical in appearance, Yitang was far more composed and calculating than his unruly brother. Magistrate Lang, who had been promoted to his position by the Prefect, led the inquiry.
He was excessively polite to the Rong family, fawning over the Old Madam’s reputation and requesting a formal audience with her. Before the official search began, Lu Jianglai secretly inspected the crime scene. The room was in total disarray, reflecting Dingchen’s violent rage from the previous night. In a quiet corner, Lu discovered a partial bloody footprint. The print was thin and flat with a distinct "five-poison" pattern, suggesting the killer was likely a woman. He carefully sketched the design.
As the officials arrived, Lu watched through a window; the sight of Magistrate Lang’s robes triggered a flash of memory. He recalled a man in similar attire pushing him off a cliff, realizing that Lang had likely risen to power following Lu's presumed death. Shanbao later found Lu and warned him to stay hidden until the killer was found. Magistrate Lang gathered the family and guests for questioning, focusing on the suspicious footprint.
Wen stood up and accused Bai Yingsheng of lying about his whereabouts; while Bai claimed to have been sitting under a pine tree, Wen noted his boots were covered in mud and peach blossoms. Just as Bai struggled to explain, Rong Yunshu stepped in to provide a false alibi, claiming they had spent the night together watching the stars.
This cleared Bai but allowed the 4th sister, Rong Yunxi, to shift the suspicion onto Shanbao, demanding to know where she had spent the night. Despite Shanbao’s earlier warnings to stay out of sight, Lu Jianglai stepped into the hall to protect her. He declared that Shanbao had been with him all night, talking and painting. This provided her with an alibi but left Magistrate Lang pale with terror upon recognizing Lu.
Taking Lu aside for a private conversation, the Magistrate addressed him as a superior. It was revealed that Lu Jianglai was actually an Imperial Inspector who had used a "bitter meat trick" to infiltrate the Rong Mansion and investigate a murder case involving the gentry. As Lang spoke, Lu’s memories finally began to resurface, clarifying the dangerous mission he had been on before his injury.
