Glory Episode 30 Recap
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The turmoil following the exposure of the fake Yan Bailou, later identified as Wei Yao, left the Rong Residence in a state of transition. With Old Madam physically and emotionally exhausted by the betrayal, the regional managers and estate supervisors gathered to discuss the family's future. Recognizing that the elder matriarch could no longer manage the clan's vast affairs, they unanimously nominated the eldest daughter, Rong Shanbao, as the new head of the household.
Shanbao accepted the responsibility with a solemn focus and promised Xiangling that her return to the clan and change of surname would be formalized the following day in the ancestral hall. Inside the residence, the atmosphere remained fraught with tension. Old Madam, bitter and bedridden, refused her medicine and accused Shanbao of orchestrating the exposure of the fraud simply to seize power. Shanbao remained composed and brought Rong Yunshu before her.
Yunshu knelt and confessed that while she had once harbored the intent to poison the matriarch to avenge her mother’s past suffering, she ultimately lacked the ruthlessness to go through with it. Realizing she was more like her gentle father than the hardened leaders the Rong family demanded, Yunshu announced her decision to leave the residence forever. To support her sister’s fresh start away from the family's shadows, Shanbao granted Yunshu management of the tea shops in the capital.
When Old Madam lamented the destruction of the Tea King Tree, Shanbao revealed a secret: the ancient tree’s legacy was not lost. During the fire, she had preserved saplings which were now thriving under the expert care of the second sister, Rong Yunxi. This revelation finally silenced Old Madam’s doubts; she realized that Shanbao had become the "New Queen" of the family—one who combined strategic coldness with a deep-seated protection for her kin.
Before Yunshu departed for her new life, she was confronted by Bai Yingsheng. He had learned from Shanbao that the incident where Yunshu pushed him into the lake had been a carefully staged performance to protect him; she had ensured he was rescued immediately and personally administered medicine to stabilize him. Touched by the knowledge that she truly cared for him, Bai Yingsheng promised to meet her in the capital. Meanwhile, Lu Jianglai refused to be sidelined.
He arrived at the Rong Residence with his belongings, intent on moving in. When Shanbao attempted to turn him away, he playfully threatened to file a lawsuit at the County Office for breach of promise and for wounding his reputation. His relentless persistence and genuine affection eventually broke through Shanbao’s defenses. He made it clear that he would stand by her regardless of the challenges ahead, and Shanbao finally acknowledged him as her legitimate partner.
A month later, Xiangling was officially entered into the family genealogy. However, the celebration was interrupted when a messenger from the capital delivered a container of tea from Yunshu. Upon inspection, Shanbao realized the product was a fraud—it was aged, inferior tea that had been dyed and oiled to look fresh.
Recognizing that someone was usurping the Rong family brand in the capital and that Yunshu was sending a silent plea for help, Shanbao decided to travel to the capital immediately. In the capital, Shanbao took decisive action. She visited the family’s branch shops and identified several locations where managers were deceiving customers by mixing old leaves with iron powder and artificial fragrances. She ordered the shops closed and the family signboards removed.
This crackdown led to a confrontation at the residence of her father, Rong Heting, who served as the Vice Minister of Personnel. Shanbao’s stepmother, Liu Yishu, and her half-sister, Rong Yunzhen, were initially dismissive, attempting to demand a submissive greeting from Shanbao. However, Shanbao remained unmoved by their status. When Rong Heting returned home, he attempted to scold Shanbao for causing a scene.
Shanbao confronted him with evidence of his household’s corruption, revealing that his shops had sold thousands of pounds of counterfeit tea, threatening the family's 400-year reputation. While Liu Yishu tried to deflect blame onto the shop managers and Heting argued the business was a "necessary evil" to support his status as a capital official, Shanbao invoked the strict laws of the Rong clan. For his negligence and the dishonor he brought to their ancestors, she delivered a final ultimatum: Heting was to voluntarily withdraw from the family clan.
