Glory Episode 14 Recap
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Following the tragic drowning of the simple-minded Rong Yunwan in the back garden, Bai Yingsheng was brought before Old Madam at the Rong Residence for interrogation. A garden patrol claimed to have seen a figure resembling him fleeing near the southeast gate. Bai Yingsheng vehemently denied the accusations, explaining that he had been drinking with He Xingming.
While He Xingming confirmed they shared a meal, he subtly shifted the blame, claiming Bai Yingsheng became intoxicated after only two cups of wine. He Xingming testified that he escorted the drunken man back to his room and knew nothing of his later movements, though he pointedly suggested that Bai Yingsheng had mentioned a secret appointment with the fifth sister, Rong Yunshu.
To further the frame-up, the second sister, Rong Yunyin, intimidated the timid Rong Yunshu into giving false testimony about her meeting with Bai Yingsheng. While Bai claimed the meeting was set for 11 p. m. at the southeast gate, Rong Yunshu—fearing the consequences of defying Yunyin—claimed she had asked her maid, Ye Ju, to set it for 9 p. m. in the west garden.
When Bai Yingsheng reached into his pocket to produce the note that would prove his innocence, he discovered it had mysteriously vanished. Lu Jianglai, who had recently discovered his true identity as a high-ranking imperial investigator, stood firmly by Bai Yingsheng, arguing that he had no motive. During the heated discussion, Rong Yunyin admitted she had previously found a bloodstain belonging to Yunwan in the room where Yang Dingchen was murdered.
She confessed to burning the girl's bloodstained shoe to prevent a scandal, accidentally confirming that the innocent Yunwan might have been silenced for witnessing Yang’s killer. A servant named Hua also came forward, claiming he heard Bai Yingsheng cursing Yang Dingchen as a scoundrel. Sensing a deeper conspiracy, Old Madam ordered Bai and the involved servants to be handed over to the government office for a formal inquiry. The death of Rong Yunwan left Rong Shanbao in profound grief.
Defying family traditions that forbade women from handling funerals, she personally bathed and dressed her sister in a favorite yellow outfit. When Rong Yunyin arrived to discuss the arrangements, Rong Shanbao offered no warmth, declaring that Yunyin was unworthy of being called a sister. Despite pressure from the Old Madam to avoid a public scandal, Shanbao was determined to give Yunwan a dignified burial within seven days. Meanwhile, at the government office, the servants remained silent under pressure.
Lu Jianglai, realizing the truth lay within the gossip of the lower ranks, sent his loyal attendant, Jun Dai, into the prison as an undercover spy. Disguised as a wounded prisoner, Jun Dai quickly identified two suspicious individuals: the servant Hua and He Xingming’s attendant, He Si. Jun Dai orchestrated a trap with the jailers, who suggested a bribe of forty taels could secure a release.
Hua, desperate to escape, offered twenty taels he had hidden away—a sum far beyond a servant's typical savings. Fearing Hua was about to break his silence, He Si attempted to murder him in the cell with a shard from a broken water jug. The two were brought before Lu Jianglai for interrogation. Under the threat of execution, Hua confessed that he had witnessed He Si burning bloodstained clothes before dawn on the day Yang Dingchen died.
He admitted that He Xingming had bribed him with fifty taels to frame Bai Yingsheng. He Si finally admitted he was acting on He Xingming’s orders, confirming that even the bloodstained clothing fragments had been buried as insurance. Armed with this evidence, Lu Jianglai hurried back to the Rong Residence. Meanwhile, a desperate He Xingming sought out Rong Shanbao.
Dropping his facade, he mocked her for fearing the "fake Tea Bone" rumors and confessed to killing both Yang Dingchen and Rong Yunwan. He admitted he had finished off the ailing Yang Dingchen to clear his path and murdered the young Yunwan simply because she had accidentally walked into the room and seen his face.
He tried to coerce Shanbao into a marriage alliance to control the tea trade, but when she rejected him, he took her hostage with a dagger. Rong Shanbao remained calm, deceiving He Xingming by claiming there was a secret treasure and an escape passage leading to the south pier hidden in her room. She directed him to turn a lamp base to activate the mechanism.
As He Xingming was distracted by the prospect of escape, Rong Shanbao managed to break free. Enraged, He Xingming threw his dagger at her just as Lu Jianglai and the government officials burst into the room to arrest the killer.
