The Song of Glory Episode 8 Recap
> The Song of Glory Recap
Grand Consort Dowager Sun sought to arrange a meeting between Prince Jing Ling, Liu Yixuan, and Young Miss Wang Zijin of the Lang Ya clan, describing the Wang family as a principal noble clan and relatives of the Emperor's grandfather, making them a suitable match. However, Liu Yixuan refused, claiming he was too consumed by court affairs for personal matters, and then admitting he already had someone in mind, though she wasn't inclined toward him.
Undeterred, Grand Consort Dowager Sun hoped that if Liu Yixuan saw Wang Zijin, he might change his mind, noting Wang Zijin's reputation for being well-versed in literature and having a generous and kind demeanor. Meanwhile, after being captured, Shen Lige and Liu Yikang found themselves locked in a small room. Shen Lige suggested they needed something to pick the lock, lamenting her male disguise prevented her from having a hairpin.
To her surprise, Liu Yikang produced her very own hairpin from his clothing. Shen Lige, astonished he carried it, retrieved it and skillfully used its inner mechanism to open the lock. Once free, she demanded the hairpin back, but Liu Yikang playfully refused, insisting she exchange it for his jade pendant. During their playful banter, Shen Lige noticed and then removed Liu Yikang's fake beard, asking why he was in disguise.
He claimed to be a merchant, disguised to go against Lu Yuan, and asked if she didn't believe there were others in the world who shared her convictions. Their conversation shifted to the broader issues, with Shen Lige pointing out the grim conditions of the craftsmen at the foundry and the need to stop Lu Yuan.
Liu Yikang explained that simply killing Lu Yuan, the "alpha wolf," wouldn't bring lasting change; true peace required laws and public exposure of his wrongdoings. Shen Lige was skeptical, mentioning Prince Peng Cheng's perceived disregard for the law, but Liu Yikang assured her that if evidence was confirmed, the truth could not be easily suppressed. They agreed to work together to find that evidence and bring Lu Yuan to justice. Just as they finished speaking, they heard riders approaching.
Shen Lige began leaving marks along the path, but Liu Yikang, seeing the bandits closing in, grabbed her hand and pulled her to run. They were soon met by Xu Zhan and his men, who had come to their rescue, and quickly left the area. It was the fifteenth day of the month, the customary marital night for Prince Peng Cheng and his Princess Consort.
However, Liu Yikang was still absent, leaving his aide, Cao Canjun, to stiffly impersonate him in the chamber. Princess Consort Xie Yunzhi discovered Cao Canjun's charade but, instead of being angry, covered for her husband, maintaining that it was her duty to protect his wishes. As she waited, Grand Consort Dowager Sun arrived, questioning why Liu Yikang was not present. Xie Yunzhi tried to explain he had just been painting with her and stepped out for a stroll.
However, Grand Consort Dowager Sun was displeased, chastising Xie Yunzhi for indulging the prince's antics and, more severely, for her failure to produce an heir. As Grand Consort Dowager Sun ordered punishment for Xie Yunzhi, Liu Yikang suddenly appeared. He claimed he had been gathering loquat leaves in Xiulin Garden for his recurring illness, accidentally scratching his neck in the process, and that he had previously been painting a river scene with Xie Yunzhi in the study.
His explanation appeased Grand Consort Dowager Sun, who then left, allowing Liu Yikang to comfort his Princess Consort. Later, Liu Yikang, accompanied by San Bao, went to the Zangshan Pavilion to search through old military records. They discovered documentation about "Black Steel." The records detailed that when Emperor Gaozu was a general, a celestial rock fell in Qianzhou.
A skilled craftsman at the time ground the rock into powder and soaked it in water to create "hundred-times refined steel," which was then used to forge blades so strong they could pierce anything and ensure victory in any battle. This formidable material was named "Black Steel." However, the records also contained a disturbing revelation: every person who touched the celestial rock or the water it was soaked in eventually died mysteriously.
This implied a grave danger for the workers currently forging Black Steel in Lu Yuan's foundry. Meanwhile, Xue Qiu reported the bandit raid at the foundry to Lu Yuan, informing him that the bandit leader was Huo Yun and that the Fish Pulse Sword had been stolen. Lu Yuan, infuriated by the loss of the sword meant for Prince Jiang Dong, ordered Xue Qiu to find and kill Huo Yun and his men.
He also commanded an accelerated production schedule for the Black Steel, demanding its completion within ten days, even if it meant kidnapping more villagers for labor. Furthermore, he instructed Xue Qiu to demolish all existing secret passages to the foundry and, once the current batch of Black Steel was finished, to eliminate all the laborers and supervisors to silence them permanently. For several days, Shen Leqing had been confined in the woodshed, reflecting on her actions.
Shen Furen visited her, dismissing the guards and hoping Shen Leqing would learn the Shen family values of patriotism, righteousness, filial piety, and sibling harmony. Shen Leqing wept, expressing remorse and promising to reform.
Shen Furen then informed her that she and Shen Tingzhang had arranged a marriage for her to the Luo family in Tong City, a traditional family related to their maternal clan, hoping the change of environment would help cultivate her character, as the "wind and rain of Jiankang City" did not suit her. Shen Leqing's expression changed dramatically upon hearing this, feeling that her family was casting her out.
Shen Lige later realized her magnolia jade bracelet was missing and began searching for it. Her search led her to a mountain where she witnessed Xue Qiu's Black Armored Brigade attacking a bandit encampment. Recognizing the urgency, she intervened, helping Huo Yun and his men escape the skirmish, effectively mending their previous misunderstanding.
Huo Yun, grateful for her help, explained that he and his men were once soldiers who aspired to serve the country, but the Black Armored Brigade had become corrupted under the Lu family, serving as their enforcers to oppress common people. Unwilling to participate in such villainy, they were forced to become mountain bandits. He pleaded with Shen Lige to help rescue the imperiled craftsmen in the foundry, and she promised to do her best.
After the attack, Xue Qiu discovered Shen Lige's magnolia jade bracelet on the ground at the bandit camp and brought it to Lu Yuan. Recognizing the bracelet, Lu Yuan devised a sinister plot. He had the bracelet infused with a potent poison and instructed Guo Fu to secretly place it back at the Shen manor, intending to kill Shen Lige.
However, Guo Fu, too fearful to carry out the task himself, instead approached Shen Leqing, offering her money to plant the poisoned bracelet. Shen Leqing, now consumed by resentment towards the Shen family, especially Shen Tingzhang, whom she blamed for all her misfortunes and for being sent away, readily agreed. She declared her willingness to do anything for Lu Yuan if it meant regaining what she believed was rightfully hers.
Meanwhile, at a banquet hosted by Grand Consort Dowager Sun, Wang Zijin, accompanied by her father, strategically feigned drunkenness. She recounted tales of her previous betrothals, where one prospective fiancé's mother suddenly passed away, leading to a delayed mourning period, and another became immoral. She expressed her fear that future marriages might also lead to untimely deaths or prolonged mourning periods, effectively deterring Grand Consort Dowager Sun from her matchmaking attempts with Liu Yixuan.
Her father, Lord Wang, indulged her antics, covering for her apparent inebriation. Back at the Shen manor, Shen Feng was arguing with Shen Zhi, frustrated that his brother wasn't actively pursuing Wang Zijin despite Grand Consort Dowager Sun's interest in arranging a marriage for her. Shen Lige intervened, encouraging Shen Zhi to follow his heart.
She pointed out that with her own upcoming marriage to Prince Peng Cheng, the traditional barriers between nobility and commoners were already starting to break, urging him not to give up on love. Later, Shen Furen returned Shen Lige's missing magnolia jade bracelet, claiming she found it in the courtyard. Unaware of the deadly poison it now carried, Shen Lige accepted it, grateful to have it back.
