Glory Episode 4 Recap
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Early the next morning, following the previous night’s absurd display where Wen Can attempted to win her over with an "armored warrior" persona, Rong Shanbao sought out Lu Jianglai. She sternly warned him against teaching her cousin any more deceptive or eccentric tricks to gain her attention. She noted that Wen Can was simple-minded and easily manipulated, and she would not tolerate anyone using him for underhanded schemes.
Lu Jianglai met her gaze directly, questioning why she viewed him with such inherent malice if they were truly strangers. He even suggested that if she distrusted him so much, she should transfer him to her own Qilan Garden so she could keep a constant eye on him. Shanbao was momentarily silenced by his boldness but chose to keep the secret of their encounter before his memory loss to herself.
Meanwhile, a suitor named He Langjun presented Shanbao with a whip, boasting that he had dealt with a tea merchant who intended to harm her. Shanbao remained cold, rejecting the gift and criticizing his brutal methods, stating that the Rong family lived by their own rules. Elsewhere, Wen Can was incensed to find that while other suitors had received return gifts for their offerings, he had received nothing.
When a servant explained that the eldest miss considered he had not sent a proper gift at all, Wen Can grew flustered and ordered Lu Jianglai to stand guard at the entrance of Qilan Garden, insisting that no other man be allowed in to dine with Shanbao. Lu Jianglai acted as a human barricade at the gate. When Shanbao discovered him there, she reprimanded him for failing to understand the boundaries between master and servant.
Realizing he had overstepped by following Wen Can’s petty orders, Lu Jianglai went to the ancestral hall to kneel in penance. Shanbao had originally invited the scholar Bai Yingsheng for dinner, but her fourth sister intercepted him and took him to her own quarters instead. Despite the sister's provocations, Bai Yingsheng remained steadfast, declaring his singular devotion to his goal of marrying Shanbao. Rather than making a scene, Shanbao sent for Lu Jianglai.
She ordered him to leave his punishment and assist her with the meal. Lu Jianglai was deeply moved by the unexpected proximity, serving her with quiet reverence. The following day, a refined young man named Yan Bailou arrived at the Rong Residence. His wealthy background and impeccable manners immediately won the favor of the Old Madam, who had been eagerly anticipating his arrival despite delays caused by a landslide. To narrow down the suitors, the grandmother announced a martial contest.
The prize was an embroidered ball, and the suitors were required to climb a narrow bridge pier to claim it. The competition was fierce, with many men resorting to ruthless strikes. Wen Can, determined to prove himself, struggled up the structure but soon became dizzy and weak. Lu Jianglai noticed something was wrong and rushed to assist him, discovering that Wen Can’s tea had been poisoned. Despite the danger, Wen Can stubbornly refused to withdraw.
To protect him, Lu Jianglai was forced to knock the young master unconscious and carry him away. He then donned a mask and Wen Can’s outfit, taking his place in the arena to ensure the "cousin" remained in the running. The battle on the bridge reached a fever pitch. As Lu Jianglai and two other powerful contenders reached for the prize simultaneously, their struggle resulted in the embroidered ball being torn to shreds.
With the prize destroyed, the match ended without a victor. Lu Jianglai sustained injuries during the fight. While he hoped Shanbao might visit him, she instead sent a physician and her maid to check on his wounds. Concerned that the treacherous Yang Dingchen would continue to target Wen Can, Shanbao sent a set of protective golden silk armor to her cousin’s room.
Lu Jianglai, arriving after his treatment, felt a sharp pang of jealousy as he watched Wen Can carefully lock the precious gift away. While the other suitors were brawling, Yan Bailou had been invited to Chongxi Hall by the Old Madam. There, he demonstrated the sophisticated "18 Dragon Movements" tea ceremony. He prepared Ganlu Tea using special water and shared rare techniques, explaining that he had learned them at Ganlu Temple.
Yan Bailou confessed a hidden truth: he was supposed to take his monastic vows that very day, but his father had cut off the temple’s food supplies to force him down the mountain. He admitted that while he once thought his devotion to Buddha was unshakable, meeting Shanbao made him realize he was merely an ordinary man. His candidness and air of mystery left Shanbao deeply intrigued.
