Introduction
Without much promotion, The Glory is airdropped. Usually, this kind of drama makes me wary about the ending. However, after watching the initial episodes, I was hooked. With a similar idea to other female-centered Chinese historical revenge dramas, this drama is a pleasant surprise. It’s dark yet engaging. The storyline is mysterious, with a slow burn in revenge as well as in romance. There is a big secret behind the scenes, and the motivations behind some actions keep you guessing. The Male Lead and the Female Lead are grey characters. The supporting characters, especially the mother and the main villain, are the cream of the crop. The costumes of the Ming Dynasty are gorgeous. The special effects look realistic.
FYI… the featured image that is also the drama poster shows the whole picture as below. As you noticed, the Female Lead is holding a bloody knife. Who did she kill?
This article is the first part of four recap articles of The Glory. Enjoy!
Drama Info
Drama title: The Glory (Native title: 雁回时 )
Alternative title: Yan Hui Shi
Genres: Historical, Drama, Family, Romance
Aired: Mar 18, 2025 - Apr 1, 2025
Episodes: 30 | Duration: 45 minutes
Director: Yang Long ( 杨龙 )
Screenwriter: Cao Xiao Tan ( 曹笑天 )
Adapted from the web novel "The Reborn Noble Girl Is Hard to Find" (重生之贵女难求) by Qian Shan Cha Ke (千山茶客)
English translation: MyDramaNovel
Where to watch: WeTV and Viki
OSTs: Full album (fansub)
Trailer:
Synopsis
Although Zhuang Han Yan was abandoned in the countryside as a child, she eventually made her way back to the capital city, making a dramatic, unannounced arrival at the gates of the Zhuang family estate. Her sudden reappearance throws the household, especially the family patriarch, into turmoil. The situation catches the attention of Fu Yun Xi, the Deputy Minister of the Court of Justice. While Yun Xi suffers from a rare illness, he seeks a woman to marry, finding himself attracted to Han Yan’s courage and kindness. As Yun Xi and Han Yan get to know each other – and each other’s families – will they manage to fall in love? (Source: Viki)
Characters
From all the types of character posters, I chose this type in which each poster shows one character in two different costumes and poses, reflecting their different situations at some point in the drama. Indeed, many characters here are not two-dimensional, and there are fate twists for each character.
Main Characters
Chen Du Ling ( 陈都灵 ) as Zhuang Han Yan
When Zhuang Han Yan was born, she was regarded as a “barefoot ghost”, considered an ominous person, and even suspected of killing her grandfather, so she was abandoned by her family and sent to the countryside of Danzhou for foster care. In Danzhou, she suffered from abuse and lived a tough life.
After the death of her adoptive parents, Zhuang Han Yan returns to her family barefoot and alone and begins her journey of revenge. Through carefully planned strategies, she gradually clears her stigma and gains a foothold in the family.
Xin Yun Lai ( 辛云来 ) as Fu Yun Xi
Fu Yunxi is the Vice Minister of the Judicial Review. He suffers from a strange disease and doesn’t have much time to live. In order to protect his family, he forms a “three-year contract marriage” with Zhuang Han Yan.
Fu Yun Xi is gentle and refined like jade on the surface, but in reality, he’s a deep thinker and a good strategist.
Supporting Characters
Zhuang Shi Yang (Yu En Tai) – Zhuang Han Yan’s father
Ruan Xi Wen (Wen Zheng Rong) – Zhuang Han Yan’s mother
Zhou Ru Yin (Wang Yan) – Zhuang Shi Yang’s concubine
Zhuang Yu Shan (He Hong Shan) – Zhuang Han Yan’s half-sister
Zhuang Yu Chi (Liu Xu Wei) – Zhuang Han Yan’s half-brother
Chai Jing (Jinna Fu) – Zhuang Han Yan’s confidante and bodyguard
Drama Recaps Episodes 1 to 6
Episode 1
Prologue: The day Zhuang Han Yan was born, her grandfather suddenly died. A Taoist master said she brought doom, so her father sent her to be adopted in the countryside in Danzhou. Her adoptive parents abused her since little. When she was 17, her adoptive father lost all the money, so her adoptive mother wanted to sell her to a brothel. Unexpectedly, when her adoptive mother pulled out Han Yan, her clothes were ripped. Seeing her bare skin, her adoptive father wanted to rape her.
I want to praise the makeup department really did a great job of making the character’s conditions as real as possible. In this scene, Han Yan’s skin is dark, dirty, and full of scars. Her face suffers from sunburn and her bare feet are injured from frostbite.
In the heavy snow, a ragged woman walked to the Zhuang Residence and finally fainted. She is covered in frostbite and scars. A little girl comes out of the house and finds her. When the woman says that her name is Zhuang Han Yan, old servants recognize her as the third lady of Zhuang, and she is back! Upon hearing that Zhuang Han Yan is back, Fu Yun Xi, Vice Minister of the Judicial Review, hurries over to ask her questions because of the murder of her adoptive parents. Han Yan says that the bandits robbed them, and her adoptive parents died protecting her. Yun Xi’s sharp eyes notice that she is lying, but he can only warn her. After he leaves, a maid tells her that the cold official was betrothed to her before she was born. After she was exiled, he married the Eldest Miss Zhuang, Han Yan’s half-sister. Her sister died, and the little girl is their daughter. The maid praises Fu Yun Xi as a rare talent who has solved the most complicated murder cases in the Capital. He is also upright and ruthless.
Han Yan feels uneasy and wonders if she will have a place called home. Aunt Zhou, her father’s concubine, takes a chance to suck up to Han Yan to improve her power since Han Yan is the legitimate daughter of the Zhuang Family. Aunt Zhou takes Han Yan to see her grandmother, but Grandma pretends to be asleep and sick. Then they visit Han Yan’s mother but they’re turned away. Han Yan can only stay with Aunt Zhou, but the maids don’t like it. The maids provoke an argument between Han Yan and Zhuang Yu Chi, her half-brother. Yu Chi is angry because his engagement with a rich girl is canceled due to his bad luck half-sister is back. He throws out her belongings and pushes her into the pool.
In the middle of the night, when Han Yan is visiting her grandma to bring medicine, an assassin breaks into the house. Han Yan protects her grandma so that she can evacuate. At this moment, Fu Yun Xi appears, and the assassin flees. He’s suspicious that Yu Chi wants to kill Han Yan because of the engagement cancellation. While the house is in commotion, Madam Zhuang, Ruan Xi Wen, shows up and orders her daughter to be flogged 30 times for breaking the family rules. Upon seeing that Han Yan is all bloody from flogging, Aunt Zhou pleads to Madam Zhuang. Madam Zhuang’s maid slaps her, and Aunt Zhou’s daughter, Zhuang Yu Shan, runs out to protect her mother. Grandma also comes over but quickly retreats upon seeing Ruan Xi Wen. The cold Madam Zhuang expels her own daughter from the family.
Episode 2
Master Zhuang, Zhuang Shi Xiang, comes back late and is informed about what happened in his family. When he walks in, Han Yan is dragged out by the servants. He opposes his daughter being kicked out. Madam Zhuang shows up and reminds him that their daughter is the “barefoot ghost”, but Master Zhuang has always wanted to take Han Yang back over the years, but has been opposed by Madam Zhuang. But Ruan Xi Wen screams like a mad woman; if she hadn’t given birth to Han Yan, she wouldn’t have become disabled, and her family wouldn’t have been destroyed. Master Zhuang ignores his wife and takes Han Yan back in.
This mother is mean and scary like Cruella de Vil
Fu Yun Xi suddenly shows up, telling Master Zhuang he has questions for Han Yan about the murder case in Danzhou. Man, this guy shows up every time makes me wonder whether he lives next door or has informants in Zhuang Residence, lol. He ignores her injuries and directly interrogates her about what happened today. He sees through her scheme, creating commotion to find out the true nature of her family members. He even suspects that the assassin last night was lured in by Han Yan. She cries and says that she only wants a home. Yun Xi then hands her a medicine bottle indifferently and warns her not to regret being in the Capital.
After Yun Xi and Master Zhuang (he visits his daughter later) leave, Chai Jin appears. Aha, Yun Xi’s suspicion is true. Han Yan and Chai Jin staged an assassination attempt to test Han Yan’s each family member’s character. Chai Jin is the ‘assassin’ who broke into the house earlier. Han Yan tells Chai Jin to protect herself, especially from Fu Yun Xi.
Master Zhuang, Grandma, Aunt Zhou, and her two children discuss whether Han Yan should stay or leave. The children want their half-sister to leave, but Master Zhuang says all eyes in the Capital are on him; if he kicks out his daughter who has just returned, how will he live with dignity? A maid suggests marrying off Han Yan, since she’s of marriageable age. That’s a good idea, but matchmakers are reluctant to matchmake the “barefoot ghost”.
The next day, suddenly Grandma falls sick, has a high fever, and mutters coherently. She also says she saw a ghost. They’re afraid Grandma’s situation is like what happened to Grandpa in the past. Han Yan knows that what’s happening to Grandma is suspicious; the culprit wants to reenact what happened to Grandpa in the past. Especially, that night the Zhuangs will hold a family banquet and invite important guests. Han Yan decides to root out the culprit to get rid of the 17-year stigma. She finds out from Chai Jin that the one who started the “barefoot ghost” rumor was Taoist Master Duan. It happens that the Taoist is in town and is visiting Zhuang Residence, and Han Yan faces him in the corridor.
Episode 3
Prologue: I knew it! Chinese dramas won’t make their heroines suffered for being raped. Han Yan killed her adoptive parents with a hairpin when she was about to be raped by her adoptive father. She threw the hairpin into a well, but now the same hairpin is retrieved by Fu Yun Xi!
So we continue with Han Yan facing Taoist Duan in the corridor. Although Dad wants to cover up Grandma’s illness, Han Yan blatantly says she is sick. Taoist Duan checks her pulse and says she has the same illness as Grandpa’s, and he can perform the exorcism. When he’s doing the exorcism, the guests come to watch. Taoist Duan takes out a talisman and says the person with a certain birth date and eight characters is the culprit. It turns out to be Zhuang Yu Shan! Taoist Duan clears up Han Yan’s name as “barefoot ghost”. Yu Shan claims that Han Yan paid the Taoist with jewelry last night; her maid saw it. Taoist Duan is hit by the Zhuang’s servants. He confesses that Han Yan bribed him. Indeed, Han Yang paid him, and she adds that Taoist Duan receives bribes, including someone who bribed him 17 years ago. However, how could Grandma see a ghost and fall sick?
Madam Zhuang’s maid comes with the cook, who is tied up. He confesses that he mixed an incompatible ingredient into Grandma’s medicinal soup and caused poisoning and hallucinations. The cook says he just followed recipes, he didn’t know that a certain ingredient was contradictory. In the family, only Aunt Zhou, who comes from a pharmacist family, knows such stuff. She is also in charge of the kitchen and has hired the cook. Aunt Zhou hurriedly kneels and admits her mistake. Master Zhuang says it’s just a misunderstanding, because he doesn’t want to let the guests leak this matter to the public. Han Yan uses this opportunity to order an antidote ingredient for Grandma and demands that her “barefoot ghost” stigma be cleared up. She got a tip-off through the burnt candle on Taoist Duan’s criminal records and his real name. Since he was a thief, he got branded with two tattoos that he was a thief in the past. By taking off his robes, people saw he had two “Thief” tattoos and he is a fake Taoist priest. When Han Yan asks who bribed him now and 17 years ago, Taoist Dao tells Aunt Zhou to confess. Han Yan asks the maid who claimed to have seen her meeting Taoist Dao, but she only saw Han Yan’s blue cloak given by Aunt Zhou.
To prove her innocence, Aunt Zhou is ready to die and runs onto a pole to kill herself. She is prevented by her children so she doesn’t die. She’s been fined for half a year’s salary and confined for a few months because of Grandma’s poisoning, but Master Zhuang says Taoist Dao’s words cannot be trusted. Taoist Dao is taken to the Judicial Review. The maid who was slandered by seeing Han Yan meeting him was fired. After two days, Grandma is cured. Yu Chi’s future father-in-law cancels the wedding, stating the Zhuang Family lacks discipline. Han Yan’s name is clarified, and she makes peace with her younger self. She feels her mother is secretly helping her by sending her maid plus a witness. Also, the mysterious informant who sent her a message in the candle about Taoist Duan.
Han Yan makes peace with her younger self.
There is an event for the young people, singles, and the matchmakers at Qiumei Garden. Aunt Zhou dressed Han Yan up for the event. The jewelry is too much, so Han Yan gives them to Yu Shan. On the way to the event, Han Yan and her maid are abandoned by the coachman as per Yu Shan’s order. Fortunately, another coach passes by. Inside is Yu Wen Chang An, Left Imperial Censor from the Department of Supervision. He claims he’s her father’s old friend and gives her a ride. He knows her mother and advises Han Yan not to blame her mother, as she has her reasons. How does this guy know that Han Yan’s mother despises her daughter?
They stop close by so she can walk to Qiumei Garden to avoid gossip. Her half-siblings are there and Yu Shan is disappointed that her plan fails. Fu Yun Xi is there, too. He has Han Yan’s hairpin he found in the well, and put it on her.
Episode 4
Although Han Yan doesn’t admit that the hairpin is hers, she doesn’t have any choice but to take it since he will use it as a piece of evidence. Everyone saw Yun Xi put the hairpin on Han Yan, so her half-siblings reminded her to stay away from him. She’s more worried that her being the killer will be revealed. When she tells Chai Jing, her bestie wants to assassinate Yun Xi. Although Han Yan forbids Chai Jing to kill Yun Xi, Chai Jing tries it anyway. She and Yun Xi fight in a dark alley. She can’t kill him, but she wounded him. Chai Jing also tries to burn down his house, lol!
After Chai Jing leaves, Master Zhuang tactfully mentions Yun Xi’s betrothal to Han Yan. Han Yan gets to hear about her eldest sister marrying Yun Xi, and two years later, she dies from poisoning. When her father mentions their 5-year-old Ling Zhi, Han Yan is very concerned. Ling Zhi has already lost her mother; now that she wants to kill Yun Xi, the little girl will lose her father, too. So, when Chai Jing reports that she set fire to Yun Xi’s home since she couldn’t kill him, Han Yan rushes to his residence. When she sees Yun Xi walk out carrying Ling Zhi, Han Yan feels relieved. He sees her in the crowd, so Han Yan flees.
The next day, Han Yan orders Chai Jing to leave the Capital for some time until the situation is safe. However, because his house burned down, Yun Xi and Ling Zhi moved in temporarily with the Zhuangs. Yu Shan is overjoyed because she likes Yun Xi, but Han Yan is suspicious when Yun Xi says he wants to move in next to Han Yan, so he can easily ask her questions regarding the murder case. He even gives a task to Han Yan to babysit Ling Zhi, lol! Yu Shan dislikes Ling Zhi being babysat by Han Yan. Han Yan says calmly that she doesn’t like Yun Xi, so she’s uninterested in competing with Yu Shan. Ling Zhi spills a secret, though. She says her dad burned down the house. It was only a candle that fell in one room. When her grandma (Yun Xi’s mom) wanted to call the Firefighting Team, her dad objected and even added fuel to the fire. Hmmm… I think Yun Xi wants to get close to Han Yan, lol! And makes her get to know his daughter. At night, when Yun Xi comes back from work, he tells his sleeping daughter that he knows who burned her horse toy, but it’s a secret. I think he knows Han Yan ordered the fire. Han Yan musters up the courage to ask the cause of her eldest sister’s death. Yun Xi says his wife dies from accidentally drinking poisoned wine meant to assassinate him.
Han Yan looks for Yun Xi at night to ask about the murder in Danzhou. That’s when she sees her father kneeling in front of Yun Xi.
Episode 5
The reason her father kneels in front of his son-in-law because he took a bribe from someone named Lord Pei. It seems this Lord Pei guy wants to seize power from the Emperor? Her father hands over the bribe price, his favorite painting. Yun Xi says that Master Zhuang won’t be blamed for this.
After her father leaves, Han Yan wants to leave, too, but she’s caught by Yun Xi. She finds out that Yun Xi went to Danzhou to investigate Lord Pei’s property. He also heard horror stories of Han Yan, without telling her name, being abused by her adoptive parents. The stories are the contrary of what Han Yan lied to Yun Xi, that she was loved and got along well with her adoptive parents. When Han Yan doesn’t say anything, Yun Xi pulls up her sleeves, and her arm shows a lot of scars. At the same time, Yu Shan comes to look for Yun Xi and sees him holding Han Yan’s arm.
Now we know who helped Han Yan with the secret message inside the candle. It was Yun Xi, but he asked his guard to do it.
Yu Shan is very angry with what she saw last night, so she wants to ruin Han Yan’s face by infecting her with the smallpox virus. She orders her servant to find a pillow used by a smallpox patient and switch it with Han Yan’s pillow. Chai Jing finds out and tells Han Yan. Han Yan asks Chai Jing to find her some scabs from smallpox patients. She hears about nasal inoculation, when ground smallpox scabs are inhaled, someone will just get a mild symptom and be immune to smallpox. Han Yan follows Yun Xi’s advice from the night before that a skillful deceiver doesn’t rely on lies. So she will play along with Yu Shan’s scheme.
The New Year is approaching. Yu Shan and Yu Chi give Grandma expensive gifts. Yu Shan gives Grandma a custom-made, expensive fox fur cloak. Han Yan visits too, but she doesn’t bring gifts, instead, she asks for the cloak. Grandma has no choice but to give it to her. Han Yan then gets smallpox. Meanwhile, she sends Chai Jing to the clinic to find out who helped Yu Shan get a smallpox pillow. Doctor Wu, the head of the clinic, finds out that a staff member sold a used pillow from a smallpox patient to a maid from Zhuang Residence. Doctor Wu comes to treat Han Yan. He asks Han Yan if she’s exposed to strange items. Han Yan mentions the new fur cloak. Sure enough, Doctor Wu finds smallpox scabs on the cloak. He reports it to Master Zhuang and Grandma. Grandma is very angry since Yu Shan must have meant to harm her by giving the cloak with smallpox scabs. Yu Shan comes and admits she’s angry with Han Yan because she’s close to her idol, Yun Xi. Han Yan shows up to say goodbye. She wants to go back to Danzhou to recuperate. Grandma feels that Han Yan knows there are smallpox scabs on the cloak, so she deliberately asked Grandma to give her the cloak. Yu Shan is suspicious that Han Yan put the scabs on the cloak so she wants to hold Han Yan back. Han Yan pretends to be weak and falls on the ground. Yu Shan gets grounded again, and Grandma asks Master Zhuang to let Han Yan stay at her place. At this time, Madame Zhuang suddenly shows up and orders Han Yan to stay at her place. She knows Han Yan’s scheme. She is given medicine for smallpox. Not only that, but also jewelry and money to drive her out. Han Yan insists on staying at the Capital, so Madame Zhuang orders her maid to put a bell on her ankle. It’s like an ankle monitor for someone on probation!
Episode 6
Everyone is wondering or worrying (depending on who) about Han Yan being taken by her mother, her maids are tight-lipped. Yun Xi even walks by and stops at the closed gate. Madam Zhuang wants to marry off Han Yan, but she refuses to marry and wants to devote her life to her parents. Grandma sends delicious pastries to Han Yan, but Madam Zhuang feeds the pastries to the fish in front of her daughter. Han Yan is angry because she’s only been given thin soup every day so she provokes her mother that Master Zhuang sent letters, money, and gifts, but not her. Madam Zhuang is so angry that she orders Han Yan to be locked up.
At night, Han Yan picks a lock and releases the bell. The maid doesn’t hear the bell, so she worries about Han Yan and opens the door. Han Yan runs out and sees Yu Wen Chang An (for now, I will call him Uncle Yu Wen) visiting Madam Zhuang at night. Han Yan eavesdrops but is discovered by the maid. Madam Zhuang is very angry that Han Yan found out about the rendezvous. Luckily, Yun Xi shows up with his guards. He says he needs urgently take Han Yan to the Judicial Review office for questioning since she’s a witness for the Danzhou’s case. In the office, he treats Han Yan with a table of her favorite food. He excuses himself and needs to ask her about Uncle Yu Wen’s night visit. Since Han Yan can’t hear anything, Yun Xi tells her the past when Uncle Yu Wen and Madam Zhuang were in love with each other, but Master Zhuang also liked her. Then something happened with the Ruan Family’s demise while Uncle Yu Wen was sent out for official business. When he came back, it was too late she married Master Zhuang. Since then, Uncle Yu Wen and Master Zhuang have been rivals in politics. Yun Xi asks Han Yan to find out what Uncle Yu Wen and Madam Zhuang are planning and sends her back after putting a warm cloak on her.
Sometime later, Yun Xi tricks Uncle Yu Wen into visiting Madam Zhuang again. Aunt Zhou has spied on Madam Zhuang’s place, so she takes advantage of Uncle Yu Wen’s visit. She deliberately steals Master Zhuang’s official seal, and the entire residence is locked and searched. She wants to catch the affair between Uncle Yu Wen and Madam Zhuang. Han Yan overhears that her mother doesn’t want to implicate her and she rather have a happy and peaceful life. So Han Yan wants to save her mother and Uncle Yu Wen but Madam Zhuang doesn’t allow them and faces Aunt Zhou and her guards with her maids.
Conclusion
What cliffhanger endings in almost every episode! Will Han Yan get the warmth of a family in the end? Who is the culprit behind the past misfortune? And how about the romance between Han Yan and Yun Xi? So many questions. Let’s continue to The Glory: Drama Recap Episodes 7 to 14!
