Introduction
Well, now you know why I put the drama poster in the first part of the recap series, The Glory: Drama Info and Recap Episodes 1 to 6, as Zhuang Han Yan is up to killing people! So, she’s also trying to stab Fu Yun Xi, as seen in the feature image of this article. Why and when, let’s continue with the second part of this article series of The Glory ( 雁回时 ).
Drama Recaps Episodes 7 to 14
Episode 7
Yun Xi saves the situation twice. Firstly, he stalls Aunt Zhou’s search by offering his guards to search for the thief since he’s from the Judicial Review anyway. But Aunt Zhou refuses and her guards ram the gate of Madam Zhuang’s place. Master Zhuang arrives and says that his official seal has been stolen. Madam Zhuang lets him search her place if he writes her a divorce letter. Master Zhuang walks by her and is ready to open the entrance door. Luckily, Yun Xi saves for the second time. He comes with the seal and says someone found it, and it seems from the footprints that the thief might be a woman. Master Zhuang and his entourage can’t do anything other than go back home, but not after ‘firing’ Madam Zhuang from overseeing the household and sending Han Yan back with Grandma.
There are a lot of changes after Master Zhuang fired his wife last night. Of course, Aunt Zhou becomes the new manager and she’s so proud of it and acts snotty against Madam Zhuang and her servants. Madam Zhuang tries to act cold and indifferent, and Han Yan tries to find out her mother’s reasons by challenging her. She trusted her mother’s words to Uncle Yu Wen last night that her mother actually cares about her. She tells her mother she’ll bring Aunt Zhou down.
Han Yan meets Yun Xi to discuss Madam Zhuang and Uncle Yu Wen’s scheme. She reveals to him the convo she heard, including that her mother cares about her. Han Yan refuses to follow his order to investigate more about her mother, and in an exchange, she confesses that she killed her adoptive parents. But he says there is no proof of the murder, she can easily change her confession later. He threatens her with an assassination attempt on him and the fire. Han Yan then tells Chai Jing to get out of the Capital for a while.
Master Zhuang holds a banquet to welcome the examinees from Yinan. Aunt Zhou and Yu Shan organize the banquet, but there is a taboo on the number of dishes served that they don’t know. There are 6 dishes served, and it’s a bad luck number. Han Yan takes advantage to create a simple dish that makes it seven. Everyone praises her wisdom, and the elders at the main table ask Master Zhuang about letting her join them at the main table. Master Zhuang kicks out Yu Chi and brings Han Yan to the table. He asks her to help Aunt Zhou organize the sacrifice banquet.
Episode 8
Yang Ping, an examinee, is invited by Aunt Zhou to tarnish Han Yan’s reputation. He was her neighbor in Danzhou and hated her. He accuses her of being a bully when they were small, and even his ears were bitten off by her. Now she’s here pretending to be a lady. He even fabricates lies. Han Yan doesn’t choose to remain silent but stands up defending herself. She says all she did was defend herself because he was the bully. She uses their gender of him being a scholar but bullies a weak girl. Master Zhuang stands up to defend his daughter. The table is turned, and Yang Ping is mocked by the others, so he leaves.
For her son to pass the examination, Aunt Zhou steals the exam questions and asks him to memorize them. Some questions are confusing, so Yu Chi asks about the topics to He Wen Shen, another examinee who falls for Han Yan at first sight. On the exam day, Wen Shen is shocked to know that the exam questions are the same as the ones Yu Chi had asked. Being upright, Wen Shen withdraws from the exam. But Yu Chi passes with flying colors and gets drunk at a party. Other examinees ask him the same questions, but Yu Chi doesn’t remember the answers. Han Yan is watching next door. When she’s leaving, Yu Chi sees her and mocks her to betroth her to his friend. Yun Xi is also next door with his men and sees the assassin (Chai Jing) watching the situation, ready to defend Han Yan. He uses the opportunity to call Han Yan, not only to save her from Yu Chi but also to trap Chai Jing. When Yun Xi draws his sword on Han Yan, Chai Jing rushes out. Han Yan sees Yun Xi’s trap, and she puts her dagger to Yun Xi’s neck and orders Chai Jing to escape. Yun Xi offers Han Yan to join the Judicial Review but she refuses. Lol, it turns out that Han Yan pays some men to ask Yu Chi the exam questions that he couldn’t answer.
The next day, the ‘talented’ Yu Chi’s name reaches the Emperor, and His Majesty wants to meet him. Master Zhuang worries about this news, since he knows his son is not that smart. The Minister from Judicial Review comes with his entourage, questioning Yu Chi. Yu Chi plagiarized the essay written by the Vice Minister. Yu Chi then shifts the blame to He Wen Sheng, citing that Wen Sheng wrote the answers. Wen Sheng says he saw that the questions were the same, so he withdrew from the exam. He shows some answer drafts he wrote that night, and when checked, his answers were different from the Vice Minister’s essay. Yu Chi is barred permanently from any exam; he is taken to the front of the Judicial Review office for public display for three days, and his father is docked half a year’s salary.
Episode 9
After the public humiliation in front of the Judicial Review office, Yu Chi’s hate towards Han Yan escalates. He accuses her of replacing the exam’s answers when she visited him the night before the exam. Han Yan calmly says that she did come, but Yu Chi turned her away. The maids can testify to this. Han Yan retaliates and says that Yu Chi humiliated her at the tavern. She points out that he has held a grudge against her since his marriage arrangement was ruined. Han Yan brings up the family’s reputation and father’s teaching, and Yu Chi tries to choke her. Master Zhuang is very angry and even blames Aunt Zhu for giving birth to such a beast. He sends Yu Chi and Yu Shan for a timeout in the countryside.
Aunt Zhu declares war on Han Yan during the chess game. Han Yan is very calm, even though Aunt Zhou provokes her with her mother’s situation. Han Yan taunts Aunt Zhou on the stupidity of her children. Aunt Zhou contacts Yang Ping, the hateful Han Yan’s former neighbor, to get her information on the murder of Han Yan’s adoptive parents. Yang Ping hates Han Yan after his ear was bitten by her, causing him to fail the provincial exam. Yun Xi hears about it and warns Han Yan. Han Yan’s direct question as to why he’s helping her stunned him. He lies that before he was suspected of sheltering her during Danzhou’s case, so he doesn’t want to be implicated. Aunt Zhou uses the former maid who was expelled before as a false witness who accuses Han Yan of killing her adoptive parents for revenge because they abused her. There is also an autopsy report obtained from Yang Ping. She acknowledges the abuse but is still grateful to have been raised by them. Han Yan is taken away for interrogation. Yun Xi cannot help her since the Minister of Judicial Review handles the case himself. Madame Zhuang doesn’t want to help her because her daughter will suffer again in the future. Chai Jing is worried about Han Yan, so she comes to see Yun Xi. She says she doesn’t know why Han Yan killed her adoptive parents. When Yun Xi tells Chai Jing that Han Yan will go through twelve punishments, Chai Jing offers to pretend to be the killer to rescue Han Yan, but asks him not to tell Han Yan.
Episode 10
We get to know how Han Yan and Chai Jing met. Han Yan’s hairpin is made by Chai Jing from the anklets with which Han Yan’s adoptive parents chained her. After Han Yan killed her adoptive parents, she decided to return to her family and let Chai Jing go. But Chai Jing chooses to follow Han Yan. They’re really soul sisters.
Han Yan is released. Yun Xi only says someone turned his/herself in. Han Yan wants to go to the prison to find out who the person is, but she’s prohibited from going. At night, she looks for her bestie, but Chai Jing doesn’t show up. Han Yan is suspicious that Chai Jing is the person who turned herself in. She waits for Yun Xi, who goes into hiding, in front of the Judicial Review until he gives up. She threatens to kill herself, so Yun Xi finally tells her that Chai Jing turned herself in. Han Yan tells Yun Xi about what happened in Danzhou, that her adoptive father tried to rape her and she killed him for self defense. To save Chai Jing, Han Yan takes off her clothes, and only her undergarments remain. Yun Xi sees all the scars from the physical abuse Han Yan suffered. She offers her body to Yun Xi since she doesn’t have anything, but he covers her with a cloak and promises to save Chai Jing.
The next day, news of the death of a female bandit spread throughout the capital. Han Yan is so sad that she almost chokes Aunt Zhou to death when the latter provokes her. Luckily, Yun Xi’s visit saves Aunt Zhou. He fakes Chai Jing’s death. He takes Han Yan to visit Chai Jing in a remote place. Chai Jing is black and blue, bloody and swollen. The special effects of her bad condition are good I have to screenshot here! Han Yan releases Chai Jing to be free with her own life, since she can’t return to the Capital anymore. After the visit, there is a tacit understanding and trust between Han Yan and Yun Xi. She then visits her mother, who warns her of what she will sacrifice next if she sacrifices a friend now.
Episode 11
As the New Year is approaching, Yun Xi takes Han Yan to see Chai Jing. However, their outing is intercepted by Yu Shan (yes, she and her bro are back to the family after their mother begs Master Zhuang). While the three of them go out to the market and Yu Shan is busy looking at jewelry, Yun Xi pulls Han Yan away. The two of them run away holding hands and come to the city wall. Yun Xi knows a dog hole that leads outside the wall. The fireworks are lit, Han Yan accidentally stumbles upon Yun Xi and does kabedon on the city wall and they stare at each other affectionately.
At Chai Jing’s place, they make dumplings together. Dumpling is a symbol of a reunion. While Han Yan leaves the room to fetch something, Chai Jing asks Yun Xi: “What is the most important thing in life?” His answer is family. Chai Jing says that for her, the only important thing is life is Han Yan. Chai Jing asks if he knows what Han Yan wants. He remembers when Han Yan says she goes to the Capital for a home. Chai Jing implies that she wants Yun Xi to take care of Han Yan. They share similar needs. After visiting Chai Jing, Yun Xi takes Han Yan back riding a horse. They’re quite intimate.
The Zhuang family has a big family dinner, including Madam Zhuang, who comes bringing gifts, even though the gifts are cynically symbolic. The attendance of Madam Zhuang makes Han Yan suspicious that something important will happen. For sure, the next day, many major officials are detained in the palace, including Master Zhuang. Madam Zhuang returns the servant’s deeds and dismisses them so when the family falls, the innocents are not implicated. Aunt Zhou returns the household keys because she’s not the official madam, and Madam Zhuang orders them to be locked up. Han Yan comes to congratulate her mother, but also resents her for not saving her father.
The reason that the officials are detained in the palace because Lord Pei’s adopted son is believed to be among them. Lord Pei was suspected to plan for a rebellion. The officer who is given the Emperor’s power to detain the official is Uncle Yu Wen. The officials are ordered to take a bath to check if anyone is castrated or not. It’s believed that Lord Pei’s followers are castrated. However, no one is castrated. Therefore, Uncle Yu Wen now has to interrogate the family members of the officials, including the Zhuang family and the Fu family.
Episode 12
All families of the suspected major officials are called and detained in a concentrated manner. The air is filled with indescribable tension and uneasiness. Uncle Yu Wen claims that Lord Pei’s accomplices are hidden among the twelve major families. He threatens that if nobody confesses, one person will be executed every hour. Everyone is in panic, but Han Yan notices that her mother is very calm. She’s suspicious that her mother knew what was going on. When the first man is executed, everyone is terrified. More males are dragged out one by one, and the air is filled with blood and despair. When Yu Chi is dragged out, his mother accuses Madam Zhuang. Han Yan starts a rebellion and demands to speak with Uncle Yu Wen. She finally gets a chance to meet him, and he reveals to Han Yan that her father is the biggest suspect. Madame Zhuang reveals that three years ago, she and her maid accidentally found a secret room leading to Lord Pei’s private house. As the truth is revealed, everyone is released, and Master Zhuang is detained. The imperial edict comes out and shocks everyone. Master Zhuang, Madam Zhuang, Grandma, Aunt Zhou, and her two children will be beheaded tomorrow. What about Han Yan? It turns out that her mother has planned this all along and had her daughter adopted by the couple in Danzhou two years ago. Therefore, she is not a Zhuang. Han Yan is very devastated hearing that.
Episode 13
Yun Xi and his Judicial Review guards confiscated the Zhuang’s belongings. Han Yan is angry at Yun Xi since the Judicial Review ministry must know what happened, but he remains silent. She will rescue her mother even if the price is her life. Yun Xi’s offer for her to live temporarily with the Fus is rejected. Master Zhuang asks to see Han Yan and tells her secretly about a house agent. Apparently the Zhuang Residence was bought 2-3 years ago from Duke Shun Ping. To find him, Han Yan disguises herself as a maid to work at Duchess Shun Ping’s place. She also buys a courtesan’s deed to free her and gets info from her. From these two women, Han Yan is convinced that guess that Duke Shun Ping is the culprit. He approached the two women just to cover up his identity.
The courtesan also says that Yun Xi came to look for Duke Shun Ping the day before he disappeared. Han Yan then goes to Yun Xi’s house pretending that she’s hungry, but actually she steals his badge. She thinks that Yun Xi imprisoned the Duke in a remote place. But Yun Xi says the Duke is dead. Either because his body was weak, or the Judicial Review torture was too harsh. Yun Xi buried Duke Shun Ping secretly nearby. Han Yan is very angry at Yun Xi and accuses him as the mastermind behind the scenes. She wants to kill him with her hairpin. The featured image of this article shows this scene. This is the third time she has tried to kill him! Firstly, when she sent Chai Jing to kill. Secondly, when she releases Chai Jin, who was captured by Yun Xi. But Yun Xi drugs her tea, so she passes out. When she wakes up, she frantically looks for the Duke’s grave and digs it out with her bare hands. After that, she put the body in a cart and pulls it all the way to the Capital. Yun Xi lets her go, he says her mother is the last warmth she has. Then she drags the body all the way to the execution ground just before the execution time. She hits the drum in front of the Judicial Review office to express her discontent and shouts that the Zhuang Residence was purchased from Duke Shun Ping and insists Master Zhuang is framed. Han Yan finally passed out.
Episode 14
Han Yan becomes famous in the Capital because of her bravery in saving her family. She receives praises left and right. However, her mother is very angry at her. Her many years of planning turned into nothing because of her daughter’s actions, and her heart was filled with bitterness and despair. Madam Zhuang’s maid can’t hold back and tells Han Yan about her mother’s past. On Han Yan’s birth, her grandfather fell sick. Taoist Duan came to heal him, but Grandpa died. The Taoist blamed everything on the newborn baby, stating that she was a barefoot ghost who killed the old man. Master Zhuang wanted to kill Han Yan. Madam Zhuang begged her mother-in-law and Aunt Zhou, but nobody wanted to help her. Madam Zhuang then pretended she was the one who was possessed by the demon, not her daughter. She was hit on her legs until they were broken, and Han Yan was sent to Danzhou. Hearing the story, Han Yan runs to her mother and checks her disabled legs. She hugs her mother tightly while crying hard, and regrets her impulsive actions. Her cry reminds Madam Zhuang of the baby’s cry when she was born, she hugs her daughter back. She tells Han Yan that the demise of her family and her marriage to Master Zhuang were all his plan. For years, she had wanted to take revenge, but now she no longer has a chance. Han Yan apologizes and begs her mother to give her a chance to avenge together. Madam Zhuang forgives her daughter, and their relationship is mended.
Han Yan is called to the Judicial Review office and the Minister himself asks her about how she discovered Duke Shun Ping’s body. She lies through her teeth to cover for Yun Xi. Now both Yun Xi and Han Yan hold each other’s crime secrets. Yun Xi warns her that the Minister will not let her go easily.
When Han Yan and her father are by themselves, praying in the Ancestral Hall, she asks about his involvement with Lord Pei, as he said in prison. However, his father insists he doesn’t have any connection with Lord Pei. Han Yan also asks to be in charge of the household keys, but she hasn’t had the hairpinning ceremony yet. The ceremony marks a woman’s transition into adulthood. When she asks her father to hold the ceremony, her father refuses, stating he’s too busy at work. However, Madam Zhuang agrees to preside over the hairpinning ceremony for her. On that day, Master Zhuang also hands over the household management to Han Yan as his legitimate daughter. Uncle Yu Wen comes to the ceremony and also to say goodbye, since he’s been dismissed from his post because of the failed mission. Yun Xi is also suspended from work because of Duke Shun Ping’s case. He wants to work together with Han Yan on Lord Pei’s case before the Judicial Review.
Conclusion
Now that mother and daughter have reconciled, what will happen next? Also, since Zhuang Han Yan saved the whole family from beheading, will she be able to reconcile the whole family or not? How about her relationship with Fu Yun Xi? Let’s continue with the third part of the recap article: The Glory: Drama Recap Episodes 15 to 22!
