We’re here! Story of Minglan episode 28! It’s the end of one ship and the beginning of another. Because one hesitates too much and is afraid to pursue his love with passion.
While the other makes up his mind.
Story of Minglan Episode 28 Recap Highlights:
- Duchess Qi heads into the palace to request help but not much help is provided
- Yuan Ruo heads to the Yong household and makes a decision that betrays his promise
- Gu Tingye does one final task before taking off to deal with the South
In Story of Minglan episode 28, Gu Tingye makes up his mind about his feelings, what does he plan to do? Let’s find out in the recap!
Getting Help
A servant that accompanied Duke Qi reports what happened.
They were on their way home and passed by the Yong household. When suddenly, Prince Yong stopped Duke Qi’s carriage.
Then forcibly dragged him into his home.
Under the pretense of a dinner invitation.
So the servant waited for his master to come out.
He never did.
Instead the servant received news that his master drank too much wine and needs to stay overnight at the Yong household.
Yuan Ruo remarks how ridiculous this sounds. Prince Yong essentially kidnapped his father.
He’s not the emperor yet and he’s already this audacious. Duchess Qi comments that even the current emperor wouldn’t do this.
She believes they have gone too far. So she orders the servant to prepare a carriage.
Duchess Qi is going to enter the palace.
Despite knowing that the emperor is ill and cannot grant an audience.
But she wants to try anyways.
Yuan Ruo comes along as well but he cannot enter the palace so he will just wait outside.
Duchess Qi uses her connections to the Empress dowager to inquire about her husband.
But an eunuch reports that they couldn’t find Duke Qi. The Empress Dowager also looks like she’s getting a headache.
From Duchess Qi’s antics.
Prince Yong is performing a blessing behind closed doors on behalf of the emperor so no one can reach him.
Duchess Qi exclaims that this was all planned and is desperate for the Empress Dowager to help her.
Seeing how anxious Duchess Qi is, the Empress Dowager tells her that she will issue a royal edict to search Prince Yong’s house.
Grass Looks Greener on the Other side
Duchess Qi also calls the Empress Dowager “Royal Mother” because she grew up under the care of the Empress Dowager. Not sure if she’s really her daughter though.
No wonder she’s so arrogant. Her back is the Empress Dowager.
So she should just wait on the side for news.
But as time flies by, the news she gets is not what she expected. And Duchess Qi wants to see the Empress Dowager again.
As if she can see her whenever she wants. Did she forget she’s just a princess?
Later she leaves the palace with a disappointed expression. And cries out her frustration in Yuan Ruo’s embrace.
The two of them are back at the Qi household and Yuan Ruo feeds his mother some calming tonic.
Duchess Qi plans to head back to the palace tomorrow morning. So she tells Yuan Ruo to go rest.
His father should be unharmed for now.
When Yuan Ruo steps out, he wonders if Buwei has stepped into the underworld yet. And hopes he doesn’t end up in a household like this again.
The servant replacing Buwei kneels in fear asking if there’s issues with this noble household.
Yuan Ruo replies that they are all human. So they are subject to constraints.
Despite being from a noble household, they still face issues and can’t help but rely on ones with a bigger status.
But even the ones from the imperial family can’t do anything.
As he shuffles away, stumbling on his feet, he realizes what he must do to get out of this predicament.
Negotiating with Consort Yong
Yuan Ruo is granted an audience with Consort Yong while the latter wonders why he is here.
Oh but I think this woman planned this.
She feigns ignorance but then Yuan Ruo pulls out a small dagger and points it at his neck.
Consort Yong is shocked for a moment but then remarks that everyone was wrong about him. Everyone says that Yuan Ruo is similar to his father. Gentle, kind and is easily manipulated.
But he’s actually more like his mother deep down. In his bones, there’s definitely arrogance.
She reveals that if she didn’t invite his father over, Yuan Ruo would have never shown up.
But she agrees that Yuan Ruo is right. They can’t do much to the Qi household. However, the Sheng family is a different matter.
If they wanted to wipe the Sheng family from behind the scenes, they could do so easily.
Wow this woman is vicious. For her daughter’s marriage, she will stoop to any level.
Yuan Ruo knows he has lost.
A servant brings over some parchment and ink.
If Yuan Ruo signs the marriage agreement, they will let his father go. And the Sheng family will be unharmed.
Yuan Ruo flashes back to his promise to Minglan and then seeing how his mother grieved in his arms.
It’s a tough decision to make.
He drops the dagger in his hands and turns around to hold the marriage contract in his hands.
Consort Yong tells him to sign it because he has no other choice.
T_T I wonder how Gu Tingye would have tackled this problem.
Madam Wu Brings News
At the Sheng household, Madam Wu stops by to visit them.
Because she wants to invite all three daughters to her house. But during the chat, Madam Wu mentions how Duchess Qi has been busy lately.
Since she is preparing a wedding for her son with Princess Jiacheng.
Danju and Xiaotao looked shocked while Minglan remains calm.
Rulan asks if Yuan Ruo ended up marrying Princess Jiacheng.
And Madam Wu nods.
While continuing to gossip.
She wonders if Duchess Qi settled on Princess Jiacheng because her father is about to be emperor.
Why else would she allow her son to marry her?
Later, Minglan and her sisters are walking through the courtyard. But she ends up tripping on some steps.
Obviously in shock about Yuan Ruo’s arrangement.
Old Madam Sheng comes to visit Minglan after hearing about the news. She tells her to let it all out and then stand up again.
Because Minglan still has to move forward. Yuan Ruo was just not fated to be with the Sheng family.
Her grandmother continues to offer comforting words.
If her knees get scraped she will blow on them, if her heart gets hurt, she will find another good man for her.
This grandma is awesome! Minglan is truly fortunate to have her. She doesn’t need her father if she has her grandmother.
What would Gu Tingye Do?
Nanny Chang tells Gu Tingye that the Qi household is marrying the Yong household.
Gu Tingye wonders if she misheard but she doesn’t think so. Gu Tingye decides to meet up with Yuan Ruo.
Yuan Ruo and Gu Tingye chat while eating and grabbing drinks.
Gu Tingye starts off by asking if Duchess Qi agreed to the Yong household because the marriage was favorable.
But Yuan Ruo reveals that if he didn’t comply, the Sheng household would be in danger.
And he asks what Gu Tingye would do if he were in his shoes.
Gu Tingye suggests pleading with the emperor and suing the Yong household for such unruly behavior.
If that doesn’t work then imitate the Yong household and kidnap the princess.
Because if the princess is kidnapped, how will the marriage proceed?
Yuan Ruo comments that this method would be too risky. Putting his entire household at risk.
But Gu Tingye argues that if you desire something, you must be able to take risk.
Then comments how Yuan Ruo never had to fight for something in his life.
Because if he did, then he would realize that in order to fight for something, he would have to consider other methods.
Then Gu Tingye lectures Yuan Ruo for waiting and waiting. If he didn’t keep on waiting, maybe he would have married “her” (Minglan) by now.
Yuan Ruo then comments that he has disappointed Minglan. So he needs Gu Tingye’s help to return something to her.
Gu Tingye wants Yuan Ruo to contemplate it more. Because Minglan’s reputation is at stake.
Decisions
Yuan Ruo doesn’t know what to do. Because it’s too difficult.
So Gu Tingye tells him that if he can put a step forward to fight for Minglan, he will shoulder everything.
Including the crime of kidnapping the princess.
All Yuan Ruo has to do is nod his head.
Seeing his hesitation, Gu Tingye warns him that this decision will determine the rest of Minglan’s fate.
And a nearby window opens from the gust of wind.
Ooooh so mysterious.
Yuan Ruo still hesitates.
So Gu Tingye takes the box that Yuan Ruo wants to return to Minglan.
At the Sheng household, a servant guides Minglan to her second brother’s room. And Minglan wonders why her brother could be calling her.
She enters and sees Gu Tingye waiting for her.
Gu Tingye tells her he got a set of calligraphy books from a scholar that he wants her to see.
He reveals the box behind him.
Danju and the other servant excuse themselves. While Xiaotao guards the room.
Gu Tingye comments that if Minglan doesn’t want to see it then he’ll take it back with him.
Minglan opens it and sees the other doll.
She asks if there’s any message from the scholar from Liaodong.
Gu Tingye comments that “he” disappointed her greatly and has no way of repaying her.
Minglan heads into her own room to grab the other doll. She understands that Yuan Ruo had his own difficulties.
On the way back she flashes back to her memories of Yuan Ruo.
Gu Tingye receives the other doll and asks if Minglan wants to keep it for memories.
But Minglan says no need.
Swapped Roles
She then chuckles how their situation were reversed.
Back then, Minglan warned Gu Tingye about Manniang and he didn’t believe. And when Gu Tingye made a reference to the emperor Ming and Consort Yang, she didn’t believe him.
But look at them now.
Gu Tingye tells her he has to leave now because the situation at the South has gotten chaotic.
So Minglan wishes him good luck on the battlefield.
Gu Tingye tells her to ignore the gossips when he’s gone because he’ll return to beat them up.
Minglan doesn’t believe her future marriage prospects will get any better. But Gu Tingye encourages her to look forward.
Because she paved a path for him and he believes she can pave a path for herself.
After Gu Tingye leaves, Minglan agrees.
You can only look forward.
One can’t help being born into a world full of sufferings and hardships so one must make the most of it.
Minglan’s expression clears up and she faintly smiles.
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Comments
We made to Story of Minglan episode 28! This is where Gu Tingye and Minglan’s relationship starts to change.
This episode highlights how Yuan Ruo and Gu Tingye are so different despite both coming from noble families.
Yuan Ruo grew up with a silver spoon while Gu Tingye did not. So Yuan Ruo never thought he had to fight for anything nor does he know how to fight for anything.
That’s why he lost Buwei and now he lost Minglan.
Gu Tingye knows Yuan Ruo cannot fight but he offered to help AND should all the blame and responsibility if Yuan Ruo agreed to step up. But he didn’t.
And Gu Tingye is disappointed in him. Not to mention angry on Minglan’s behalf. Because everyone in the capital knows they were close.
Courtesy of the polo match. But alas, it was not meant to be.
What were your thoughts on Story of Minglan episode 28? Leave a comment below!
Yuanruo is so easily manipulated. Gu Tingye was right. You should fight for what you want! If the Yong family could stoop so low, he should stoop lower! He just lets all the evil people around him get away with murder!
I love this episode mostly for those two conversations. I feel for Minglan but gah those two conversations just get me every time. Tingye’s facial expressions when Yuanruo falters
Then the secondary conversation between Minglan and Tingye. You can just feel the change in their relationship. Again they are meeting without the buffer of her siblings or other love interests and it’s just such an intense conversation. Love love love it.
Yep, love the conversation between Minglan and Tingye at the end!
I think my next favorite moment is when
Yeah that’s a good moment too mainly because it’s told mainly through our ML’s facial expressions it’s only later when he’s talking to Minglan that he explains what he was thinking and what he did fully.