Glory Episode 16 Recap
> Glory Recaps
Lu Jianglai’s move into the Hualin Courtyard was an arrangement many men would envy, but for Lu, it was a source of deep anxiety. Occupying the same room as Lady Shanbao without any official status made him feel like a target for scandal, especially with rivals like Yan Bailou, Wen Can, and the newcomer Yang Yitang—who bore a striking resemblance to the deceased Yang Dingchen—watching his every move. Lady Shanbao, however, remained unbothered.
She handed him a stack of reply cards for festival gifts, tasking him with the correspondence while telling him they would discuss the sleeping arrangements later that evening. Left alone, Lu Jianglai realized this was a test of his character. Although he was aware that the room contained a secret mechanism, he maintained his boundaries and focused on his writing until nightfall, refusing to let his curiosity compromise his integrity.
Meanwhile, the arrival of the Dragon Boat Festival brought new tensions to the Rong Residence. Yang Yitang, proving to be far more calculating than his predecessor, had already won the Old Madam’s favor with his charm and the gift of a personal chef famous for preparing exquisite goose webs. Sensing an opportunity to sow discord, Yang Yitang visited Wen Can, who was busy hand-wrapping "Five Blessings Zongzi" for Shanbao.
Yang subtly stoked Wen Can’s jealousy by mentioning an old Rong family custom: the thirty-day trial marriage. He suggested that if Lu Jianglai and Shanbao lived harmoniously for a month, their union would be finalized. While Wen Can was nearly blinded by rage, his servant warned him to stay calm, noting that Yang Yitang was dangerous and had already displaced even Yan Bailou in the Old Madam’s hierarchy.
As evening arrived, Lu Jianglai was ushered into a lavish bath by the servants. The water was infused with jasmine, rose petals, and expensive musk—a sharp contrast to the previous suitors, who were described as coarse men who smelled of sweat. During the scrub, the servant Jun Dai noticed a distinct red mole on Lu’s chest, calling it a sign of a glorious future. Afterward, Lu was brought into the main chamber.
Separated from Shanbao by only a thin curtain, he struggled with his conscience. He knew that if he became intimate with her under the false pretenses of his mission to investigate the Linji case, she would never forgive him. When Shanbao invited him closer, Lu resisted, closing his eyes and reciting classical adages about propriety to maintain his resolve.
Shanbao decided to test him one last time, claiming a servant had left a needle in the bedding and asking him to help her find it. As he hovered near the bed, reciting prayers to avoid looking at what was improper, Shanbao finally relented.
She revealed that she had been testing his limits and, with her doubts dispelled, she shared the secret of her room’s mechanism: a turn to the right was lethal, but a turn to the left could save a life. Having finished her trial, she tossed his bedding onto the floor, informing him he would be sleeping there for the night.
The following day, Lu Jianglai realized that being under Shanbao’s constant supervision made his secret investigation into the whereabouts of a woman named Ms. Yang more difficult. In an attempt to navigate the city more freely, he adopted a high-profile persona, riding through the streets on a magnificent horse with a grand entourage. This display did not go unnoticed.
Clerk Qing spotted him and immediately informed the Prefect and Lang Zhusheng—the man currently impersonating the magistrate—that the Imperial Inspector was indeed alive. Lang Zhusheng, desperate to eliminate the threat, plotted with the Prefect to declare Lu a fraud. Since the "real" Lu Jianglai was officially recorded as dead, they planned to seize this Lu and have him executed for impersonating an official. Back at the residence, the sisters gathered for the festival to drink realgar wine and play chess.
Shanbao used the game to deliver a stern warning to Rong Yunxi. She reminded her sisters that internal division had historically led to the downfall of great families and that the Rong legacy would only endure if they stood united. Despite the lecture, Yunxi remained defiant, arguing against the idea of a single person ruling the family. The tension reached a breaking point when a commotion erupted at the front gate.
A woman named Ms. Luo arrived with three children, loudly claiming to be Lu Jianglai’s abandoned wife. She put on a heart-wrenching performance, threatening to kill herself to prove her claim. To the shock of the onlookers, she declared that her husband had a specific red mole on his chest. When Shanbao called upon Jun Dai to testify, the servant nervously confirmed the mark existed.
To protect the Rong family from public disgrace and the certain disapproval of the Old Madam, Shanbao acted decisively. In front of the gathered crowd, she denounced Lu Jianglai and had him unceremoniously expelled from the residence, leaving him at the mercy of the woman and her children.
